Four great liars, striving who shall win the silver whetstone Also, a resolution to…Foure great lyers, striuing who shall win the siluer whetstone Also, a resolution to…

A Man which will judge rightly of any matter by the causes, must not only consider the common causes, but he must also with them confer the particular causes of all things which happen amongest us, so he shall judge a right. In heaven the stars be common causes of all things amongest us, because they show their virtue on every matter, one way or other. The same things have their peculiar efficients, and matters, and forms, by which, & not by the heavens, they are made that▪ whatsoever they are. These proper causes because their natures be unknown unto us, I cannot see how the Prognosticator is able to foretell any thing to come, in good and convenient manner, laying aside all deceiving and forging of untruths. To make this more plain, I will use this similitude. ⟨image 29⟩Suppose an hen to sit upon many eggs, some of her own, some of divers other fowls: she imparteth her heat equally unto them: at the length she hatcheth, and some of her chickens are cocks, some hens, some crows, some patriches, some doves, some black, some white, some like and live, some dye, some are killed of the kite, some are roasted. No man, I think, will profess so much skill, as to say that he by the considering of the hen and her heat, which is a common cause of the chickens, and all that befalleth them, is able to tell, why of this egg came a partridge, of that a crow, why this egg had no chicken, why that had a dead chicken, &c. except he do therewith all adjoin the consideration of the particular effects. The heaven is as it were an hen fostering under her wings all earthly things, imparting his virtue and heat unto all. Can our Prognosticator: by the erecting of figures, by considering the disposition of every Planet in their houses, and the significations of every thing, judge, ⟨image 29⟩why this man is wealthy that man a beggar, why this noble man dyeth this year, none the next year, why it is nought to travel this way, good to travail that way, why these diseases abound, and not other, why corn shall be dear this quarter, not the next, why this week is fair and temperate, that week, that month unseasonable and tempestuous. Truly it is a thing flat impossible.

A Man whiche will iudge rightly of any matter by the causes, must not onely consider the common causes, but hee must also with them conferre the particular causes of all thinges which happen amonges vs, so he shall iudge a right. In heauen the starres be common causes of all thinges amongest vs, because they shew their vertue on euery matter, one way or other. The same things haue their peculiar efficientes, and matters, and formes, by whiche, & not by the heauens, they are made that whatsoeuer they are. These proper causes because their natures be vnknowen vnto vs, I cannot see how the Prognosticatour is able to foretell any thyng to come, in good and conuenient maner, laying aside all deceiuyng and forgeing of vntruthes. To make this more playne, I wil vse this similitude.