I Esteeme it no point of indiscretion in mee , first to abolish and take away all such reprochfull imputations as haue beene wrongfully layd to my charge , that with the greater courage vnto my selfe , and better acceptance and satisfaction vnto my countrymen , I may proceed vnto the maine businesse or question which is proposed by this mine Adversary .

Vnto him therefore I must in the first place turne the edge of my pen and file of speech , for as much as he , forgetting that I am his Brother in Christ , and his Country-man , yea , and not differing from him in Religion , should so farre neglect the Precepts of the Prophet Dauid , our Sauiour Christ , his Spirituall Master , and his Apostolicall followers , as slande-rously and void of Christian modesty ( most requisite vnto a person of his diuine calling ) to publish vnto the world ( although it were deseruedly , much lesse against the grounds of Truth and rules of Iustice ) the weaknesse and imperfection of his Brother .

The Kingly Dauid therefore saith : Thou giuest thy Plalm . 49. mouth to euill , and with thy tongue thou forgest deceit , thou speakest against thy brother , and obiectest slander vnto him , therefore art thou in darkenesse because thou hatest thy brother ; whereby the Psalmist doth in expresse tearmes argue , that the man who calumniates his brother , and accuseth him spightfully , is a childe of this world , an impe of darkenesse and not of God , the Creator of vs all .

This is also euidently expressed by the Apostle ●…ame 3. Iames , when he maketh a difference betweene that wisedome , which is from aboue , and that which is from beneath , in these words : If yee hau●… bitter enuying and strife in your hearts , reioyce not : neyther be lyers against the Truth , for this wisedome descendeth not from aboue , but is earthly , sensuall and deuillish : For where enuying and strife is , there is sedition and all manner of euill workes : But the wisedome that is from aboue , is first pure , then peaceable , gentle , easie to be entreated , not iudging , and without hypocrisie , &c. Heere the Apostle sheweth , that the bitterness of heart , and enuie , and lying against the Truth , is earthly , sensuall and diabolicall . Now I leaue it vnto your vpright consideration ( vnpartiall Reader ) to iudge whether this our brother bee not in his writing bitter against me and many other of his brethren ( I will not say enuious and contentious ) I pray God he be not prooued also a Lyer against the Truth , in holding this proposed question affirmatiuely : I feare that in the end it will prooue so : for Veritie her selfe , frowning at the action , is ready to enter the listes in her owne def●…nce . Nam fruetur in aeternum Veritas Trophaeo quod fixit ipsa : Veritie in spight of all worldly opposition will for euer enioy the Trophee of her victory , which from all beginnings she hath erected and established .

But perchance Master Foster will denie and renounce all brother-hood , that may be betweene vs : But he shall finde that these our Sauiour Christ his Words doe expresly confute such his Assertion : Fratrum vestrum quisque quare despicit , cum vnus sit Pater Marth. 13. & Conditor ? Why doe euerie one of you despise his Brother , since there is but one Father and maker of all . And the Prophet speaking to the same purpose saith : Ab eadem Petra excisi estis : All of you are cut out of one and Isai , 51. the same Rocke .

Thus farre I haue spoken with the mouth of the Prophets , our Sauiour , and his Apostles . But mine Aduersarie will reply and say , that Doctor Fludd is a Magitian , and hath maintayned a damnable and diabolicall action , namely , the Curing by the Weapon-Salue to be good and lawfull , and therefore by warrant of Scripture he ought sharpely to be told of it , &c. I answer , That from this obiection may arise a double question ; whereof the first is , Whether the assertion of our aduersary be true or false ? and then , whether it bee a brotherly part , first to diuulge it , though it were true indeede , vnto the eares of the people , before hee hath admonished his brother in priuate of his error . Touching the ground or scope of the first , namely , whether , according vnto his assertion , I am a Magitian or no , it shall bee fully discussed in the third Chapter of this present Member , where I make no doubt to proue to each wel-minded person ( and that to the burthen of my rash accusers conscience , if he haue any ) that he is iustly ranked and numbred amongst those , at whom the Prophet Dauid , our Sauiour CHRIST , and the Apostle Iames haue aymed in the places aboue mentioned . As for the second , our Lord IESVS resolveth it in these words : Si peccauerit in te frater tuus , vade & corripe eum inter te & ipsum solum ; si te audiverit , Marth. 18.25 . lucratus es fratrem tuum : If thy brother hath trespassed against thee , goe and tell him his fault betweene thee and him alone : if he heare thee , thou hast wonne thy brother , &c. whereby it is apparant , that mine Adversarie hath not dealt with mee as one Christian ought to deale with another , for as much as he hath violated the Precepts of his Master IESVS CHRIST in this point , and therefore this his misbehauiour can no way be excused .

IT is no maruaile , though mine Aduersarie doth rashly and vniustly wound a mans Reputation , who differeth from him in Profession or Vocation , being that his Satyricall or Cynicke passion will not spare such learned men , as are of his owne calling or habit : for if you will bee pleased to read and obserue his Dedicatorie Epistle , you shall finde there , that hee ( partly , as it seemeth , being moued thereto by En●…ie at such as are in a better way of preferment than himselfe , and partly to insinuate and beget a better opinion and liking in his Patron ) inueigheth in these verie words against some of his owne Coate ; nor am I ( saith hee ) of their minde , which to become great by being accounted good Preachers , preach not aboue twice , or thrice a yeare , and then lay all their strength on their Sermon ; my resolution is otherwise , I will read much , write somewhat , and preach often .

Loe , how hee condemneth others , and prayseth himselfe ; yea , hee doth not sticke in his Epistle to the Reader , to snarle against his Superiours in the Church , because they doe not stop his mouth with a good Benefice or Church-liuing , considering his great deserts : yea , and seeme to calumniate them , and lay Simony vnto their charges , his words are these :

Shall any man for my boldnesse thinke to sit vpon my skirts ? Let those know , I esteeme my selfe infra inuidiam , I cannot haue lesse in the Church , vnlesse nothing ; and if they shall endeauour to keepe me still low , let them know I looke for no good from them , that enuy at my end●…auours to doe good : if I sit panting on the ground , I will not refuse to be fed with Rauens to keepe me aliue with Elias , but I looke not to be lifted vp by any , but by Eagles ; Heroicke spirits , Men fearing God and hating Simoniacall couetoustnesse .

He scorneth to be raysed by his Superiours in the Church , and expects onely to bee raysed by Eagles , Heroicke Spirits , namely , by such as his noble Patron is , in whom is no Simoniacall couetousnesse , as who should say , that in others there is Simonia-call couetousnesse , &c. What therefore can I expect from his outragious pen , bnt slanders of witch-craft , Magicke , and such like abominations ? What lesse can I appeare in his sight than an anathema , one ( I say ) abandoned and accursed vnto the Deuill . His scandalous texts are these :

Doctor Fludd hath had the same censure passed on him , and hath beene writ against for a Magitian , and I suppose this to be one cause , why hee hath printed his Booke beyond the Seas : Our Vniuersitie and Bishops are more cautelous ( God bee thanked ) than to allow the printing of Magicall Bookes here .

Surely , D. Fludds very defence of the Weapon-Salue Againe is enough to make it suspected , himselfe being accused for 2. Pag. 38. a Magitian by Marinus Mersennus , with a wonder that King IAMES ( of blessed memory ) would suffer such a man to liue and write in his Kingdome . But if to bee accused were to bee guiltie , who could bee innocent ? Master Doctor hath excused hims●…lfe in his Booke entituled , Sophiae cum Moria certamen ( cuius contrarium verum est , saith Lanouius ) &c.

Heere ( Gentle Reader ) you may see him pull off Fludd . his hood of simplicitie or feined veile of sanctitie , which hee professed in his Epistles , and discouer ●…he malice and enuy of his heart against me : In the first place therefore , for the better satisfaction of my Country-men and friends , I will expresse the cause , why I touched the superstitious Magia , or Magicke of the ancient Ethnickes . My scope was and ha●…h beene to write aswell the naturall discourse of the great world and little world , which wee call Man , as also to touch by way of an Encyclophy or Epitome all Arts , aswell lawfull , which I did commend , as those which are esteemed vnlawfull , which I did vtterly condemne , as superstitious and of little or no probabilitie at all ; among the rest where I came to speake of the Arts , which belong vnto the little world or Man ; I mention the Science of Genethlialogie , which treateth of the Iudgement of Natiuities , wherin I produce the great dispute which did arise betweene the two famous Philosophers Porphyrie and Iamblicus , whereof the first did hold that a man might come to the knowledge of his owne Genius or good Angell by the Art of Astrologie , namely , by finding out the Planet and Nature of his spirit , that was Lord of the eleuenth house , the which by the Astrologians was for that cause called Bonus Daemon or the good Angell . But Iamblicus his opinion was , that a man had neede of the Assistance and Knowledge of a higher Spirit , than was any of those which were Gouernours of Fatalitie , namely , of such Intelligences as were ascribed to the rule and direction of the seuen Planets : wherefore I did thereupon expresse the superstition of the Ancients with the Impossibilitie thereof , that thereby I might the better descry it & make it the more ridiculous to wise men . I then suspecting the captious Natures of some enuious persons , did there make an Apologie , to excuse my selfe and to shew the vanitie of the thing , and how full of idle superstition it was , and to shew it to bee onely Imaginarie . But I seemed there to consent with Iamblicus , auerring with him , that without the Reuelation of that high and heauenly Spirit , which was granted vnto the Elect , none could come to the familiaritie or knowledge of his good Angell . I proue it out of many places of Scripture : Loe , this is all ! Now iudge ( all yee that are vnpartiall and truely learned ) what an offence was here to decide according vnto my power , that great Controuersie of these two notable and eminent Philosophers , which hath stucke and beene vndecided euen vnto this day , being that I in the conclusion ascribed the whole Glorie vnto that sole and onely Spirit , which is the Prince and Lord of Angels and Spirits : I professed to write generally of all , but as I went along , I distinguished the good from the euill , that men might the better beware of , and refuse the one , and make choyce of the other . Now therefore , that I haue expressed vnto you the ground , why this our Criticke and his CynickeMaster the Fryer Mersennus haue slandered me with the Title of a Magitian : I will proceed to the answer of euery member of his friuolous obiections .

Doctor Fludds defence of the Weapon-salue is enough Foster . to make it suspected .

And why I pray you ? Fludd .

Marry because he himselfe is accused for a magitian by Foster . Marinus Mersennus .

The conclusion is much like the capacitie of the Fludd . concluder : Doctor Fludd is suspected for a Magitian : Ergo the purge of Rubarbe which he prescribeth , or rather any point in Philosophie or Physicke , by him maintained in writings , is Magicall . Non sequitur argumentum : So Roger Bacon is accused for a Conjurer , and a Magitian Ergo the Perspectiue or Opticke Science , hee writeth of , is deuilish and Magicall , or at least wise to be suspected .

I but this Salue hath a Caco-magicall propertie in it , Foster . for it healeth a farre off , and not per contactum .

So doth Bacons Opticke make vs to see the Images Flud . of liue men to walke in the Ayre , and it is said , that by his Art he made an Apparition of a man to walke from the top of Alhollows steeple in Oxford , to the top of S. Maries : Surely these Opticall conclusions must be Magicall , and not by naturall reflection of glasses , because these are vtterly vnknowne to M. Foster and his adherents , and consequently are to bee condemned as diabolicall . But to come to the purpose ; M. Foster if his eies had beene so fauourable , and his will so charitable , as to haue looked on my answer to Mersennus in the defence of that point , before hee had iudged , he would without doubt , aswell as hundreds of other men , whereof some are Church-men , of no meane ranke , and many Doctors of Physicke of excellent learning , haue auerred , that D. Flud had answered Mersennus so fully , aswell in that accusation , as all other points layd by him vnto his charge , that he could not bee able any way to reply against it . And it is well knowne heere in England to such as haue beene conuersant beyond the Seas , that the sufficiencie of my answer hath so satisfied the learned , aswell in Germany as in France , that hee hath beene by them much condemned for his slanderous writing , and esteemed of but meanely for his small learning and indiscretion . Now the ground of his malice vnto me was , for that hee hauing written of the Harmony of the World , and finding that a Booke of that subiect set out by mee , was verie acceptable to his Countrey-men , hee inuented this slander against me and my Harmonie , that thereby hee might bring his owne into the better reputation . But what did I say ? That hee was accused and condemned for that his slander by some in France , yea , verily his dearest companion , who by reason of his insufficiencie , was easily perswaded to take his cause in hand , and to answer for him , I meane Peter Gassendus , his friend and Champion , chideth his Mersennus , for such his vncivill and scandalous reports against me in these verie words : Ac Zelus quidem quo tu Mersenne euectus es Gassendus fol. 9. commendari cum debeat , attamen telatere non potest , quin admodum durum sit viuenti in Christiano orbe appellari Cacomagum , Haeretico-magum , foetidae , & horrendae Magiae Doctorem , & propagatorem , audire , non esse ferendum huiusmodi Doctorem impunè , prouocato Principe , vti de illo poenas sumat , minisque etiam adhibitis , eundem propterea breui submergendum fluctibus aeternis , &c. vt nihil dicam de Atheismo atque haeresi quam tu quoqne obijcis Fluddo . Haec nempe sunt , quae Rufini , aut D. Hieronymi irritare patientiam potuissent . Alter enim cum patientiam requirat in caeteris : qui vel tamen vnius Haereseos crimen ferat , aut dissimulet , hunc clamitat non esse Christianum ; Alter verò , nolo ( inquit ) nolo in suspitione Haeresios quenquam esse patientem . Quid fecissent in crimine , seu suspitione , aut Atheismi , aut Cacomagiae ?

These are the very words of Mersennus his chiefe friend , which I interpret thus : And although ( my Mersennus ) the zeale wherewith you are moued against Fludd is to bee commended , neuerthelesse you cannot bee ignorant , how grieuous and intolerable a thing it is vnto any man that liueth in the Christian world , to be called a Witch , or euill Magitian , a Hereticke-Magitian , or a teacher , or divulger of foule and horrible Magicke : and that such a teacher is not to bee suffered vnpunished , also to prouoke the King or Prince to punish him , and besides all this to threaten him ; saying , that for that cause hee should bee drowned or drenched in the eternall , Lake and so forth . Besides the Atheisme and Heresie , which also you obiect and lay to Fludds charge . Verily , these are things which would stirre vp the patience of Ruffinus or S. ●…erome , whereof the one when hee requireth patience in other things , yet hee concludeth , that hee which can beare or dissemble with the offence of one heresie , he crieth that such a man is no Christian : The other saith , I will not that any man should bee patient in the suspition of Heresie ; much lesse to be accused or suspected of Atheisme or naughty magicke .

In which words our English world may discerne first , how this my honest dealing and morall forren Aduersarie doth checke his vnciuill friend , whose part hee vndergoeth , for his immodestie and small discretion : and next doth teach my home-bred Aduersarie a great deale of manners or behauiour in writing against an Aduersarie ; namely , not to contend with foule and scandalous language , but with acute arguments , and those to the purpose , armed with the truest reasons of Philosophie : Doth not Master Foster blush now to see his mightie and magnanimous Author Marinus Mersennus checked by his judicious friend , whom hee himselfe hath elected , aswell for Vmpeere as Stickler in his cause ? Yea , and a chiefe Champion to defend it , for calling me vniustly a Magitian and other misbeseeming names ? Yea , is hee not ashamed , if hee hath any , to choose out a lying and false Author for the propagating of his Brothers slander ? If this be not so , aske Gassendus .

But hee will no doubt reply , that this speech of Gassendus to Mersennus doth not take away for all that the suspition of Magicke from Doctor Fludd , though hee reproueth his friend for vsing him with so rough tearmes : To which , for his better satisfaction , I produce this other place out of Gassendus his Reply against me , in his friend Mersennus his behalfe :

Let Master Foster therefore see , vpon what ficke foundation hee hath layd the false and malignant slander of an Euill-Magitian on mee . But alas ! I smell a Rat ( for I will vse his owne wittie phrase ) he careth not how he may disgrace any one , so that he might thereby the better serue his owne turne . Because I haue produced in my Mysticall Anatomy a naturall reason for the Weapon-Salue , which hee neyther can , nor , for all his poore reasons expressed in his Booke , shall be able to refell , therefore , forsooth , I must be numbred amongst the Magitians . And wherefore ? Marry because Mersennus hath giuen the same censure on me . And who is Mersennus ? A rayling Satyricall Babler , not able to make a reply in his owne defence , and therefore being put to a Non plus , hee went like a second Iob in his greatest vexation to aske Counsell of the learnedst Doctors in Paris : And at last for all that , he fearing his cause , and finding himselfe insufficient , procured by much Intreatie his friend Peter Gassendus to helpe him , and called another of his friends vnto his assistance ; namely , one Doctor Lanouius a seminarie Priest , as immorall as himselfe , and one that professeth in his Iudiciary Letter much , but performeth little . And in good faith , I may boldly say , that for three roaring , bragging , and fresh-water Pseudophilosophers , I cannot paralell any in Europe , that are so like of a condition , as are Mersennus , Lanouius , and Foster : all three exceeding terrible in their bumbasting words , imagining to quell and make subiect vnto their thundering braues the stoutest Schollers of Europe , if they cared for them , and did esteeme them more than Bugbeares to skare away Crowes or frighten little Children . As for Peter Gassendus I finde him a good Philosopher , and an honest and well conditioned Gentleman , iust aswell vnto his Aduersary as friend , not passing beyond the bounds of Christian modestie , but striking home with his Philosophicall arguments , when hee seeth his occasion .

Mersennus his words in his Epistle to his Patron ( wherein hee seeketh ayde of this his friend Peter Gassendus ) are these , translated in English as neere as I can .

After I had communicated with the Counsell of all my learned friends , they being heard , I would also aske counsell of my friend Gassendus , who departed into Germany a while since , I did pray and beseech him , that hee would seriously write backe vnto mee , what hee thought of Fludds workes : for I did coniecture that hee by reason of the curiositie , which hee had to attaine vnto euerie kinde of Philosophie , would for a certaine penetrate also into this Philosophie , vnder which , Fludd doth hide his impieties , &c. Thus you see , that this good Fryer confesseth that hee vnderstood not Fludds Philosophie , and therefore was faine to pray Gassendus to assist him , which when Gassendus to his power had performed , with vnspeakable ioy hee vttereth these words :

Behold , when Fludd in answering mee would hide himselfe vnder senses of Scripture , as lurking holes ; my Gassendus hath so brought him out of them , and so discouered his Cabal , that I thinke my selfe satisfied with this discouery onely .

See here Master Foster , the crauenly & cowardly Fryer , whom you take for your Author and Master : And well you may , for like Master , like scholler . Iudge you therefore ( worthy Reader ) whether this mans slanderous reports bee not propped vp with a sound piece of flesh . A worthy Philosopher to challenge the field , and request other men to fight for him . As for Lanouius , he acknowledgeth that Mersennus hath earnestly sought his assistance also in these words :

Out of Lanouius his Epistle to Mersennus .

I cannot but approue your counsell in taking the Iudgement of other men , which is , that you should not rashly precipitate your selfe in your owne cause ; you haue also esteemed mee to bee fitly numbred amongst those which you haue made choyce of for this businesse . And verily your case is to be lamented ; the which for your dignities cause I cannot suffer : I will not suffer my suffrage to be wanting vnto you , &c.

These therefore are two Champions , that are come into the Philosophers Campe or field with their friend Mersennus to tug and wrestle with me : I haue ( I thanke my God ) fully answered them alreadie , and mine answer is at the Print , and I would that Master Foster had a better pate and capacitie than hee hath , to make a fourth in the Reply : The more the merrie●… For as truth conquereth all things , if shee bee with mee I feare no colours , But to proceed with our Text.

Marinus M●…rsennus ( saith Master Foster ) doth wonder , that King IAMES of blessed memorie would suffer such a man to liue and write in his Kingdome .