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THE SECOND BOOKE 321
Now by the knowledge of my volubilitie, I have by
accident engendred some constancy of opinions in my
selfe; yea have not so much altered my first and
naturall ones. For, what apparance soever there be in
novelty, I do not easily change, for feare I should lose
by the bargaine : and since I am not capable to chuse,
I take the choice from others; and keepe my selfe in
the seate that God hath placed me in. Else could I
hardly keepe my selfe from continuall rowling. Thus
have I by the Grace of God preserved my selfe whole
(without agitation or trouble of conscience) in the
ancient beliefe of our religion, in the middest of so
many sects and divisions which our age hath brought
forth. The writings of the ancient fathers (I meane
the good, the solide, and the serious) doe tempt, and
in a manner remove mo which way they list. Him that
I heare seemeth ever the most forcible. I finde them
everie one in his turne to have reason, although they
contrary one another. That facility which good witts
have to prove any thing they please likely; and that
there is nothing so strange but they will undertake to
set so good a glosse on it, as it shall easily deceive a
simplicity like unto mine, doth manifestly shew the
weaknesse of their proofe. The heavens and the planets
have moved these three thousand yeares, and all the
world beleeved as much, untill Cleanthes the Samian,
or else (according to Theophrastus) Nicetas the Syracusian
tooke upon him to maintaine, it was the earth
that moved, by the oblique circle of the Zodiake, turning
about her axell tree. And in our daies Copernicus
hath so well grounded this doctrine, that hee doth
very orderly fit it to all astrologicall consequences.
What shall we reape by it but only that wee neede
not care which of the two it be ? And who knoweth
whether a thousand yeares hence a third opinion
will rise, which happily shall overthrow these two
precedents ?
Sic volvenda oetas vommutat tempora rerum,'
Quodque fuit pretio,fit nullo denique honore,
Porro aliud succedit, et e contemptibus exit,
II. Y