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THREE PROPER AND WITTIE
will you nowe needes in all hast bee on both
your knees ? Let vs,and you say it, first dispute
the matter, what daunger, and terror it
carryeth with it God be praysed, it is already
ceased, and heere be some present, that are
able cunningly, and clearkly to argue the case
I beseeche you master, or mystresse, your
zealous and deuoute Passion awhile And with
that turning to me, and smiling a little at the
first Nowe I pray you, Master H what say
you Philosophers, quoth he, to this suddayne
Earthquake p 6M
I mous Hearbes, and Beastes, besides a thousand
infectiue, and contagious thinges else If they
be bad, bad you must needes graunt is subiect
to bad, and then can there not, I warrant you,
want an Obiect, for bad to worke vpon If
mixt, which seemeth most probable, vet is it
impossible, that there should be such an equally
and proportionable Temperature, in all, and
singular respectes, but sometime the Euill (in
the diuels name,) will as it were mterchaungeably
haue his naturall Predominaunt Course,
May there not be some sensible and issue one way, or other Which euill work­
Naturall cause therof, in the concauities of the ing vehemently in the partes, and mahtiously
Earth it self, as some forcible and violent encountering the good, forcibly tosseth, and
Eruption of wynde, or the like ? Yes no doubt, cruelly disturbeth the whole Which conflict
Sir, may there, quoth I, as well, as an Intel indureth so long, and is fostred with aboun-
tigible Supernaturall and peraduenture the daunce of corrupt putrified Humors, and
great aboundaunce and superfluity of waters, ylfauoured grosse infected matter, that it must
that fell shortly after Michaelmas last, beeyng needes (as well, or rather as ill, as in mens and
not as yet dryed, or drawen vp with the heate womens bodyes) brust out in the ende into
of the Sunne, which hath not yet recouered one penllous disease or other, and sometime,
his full attractme strength and power, might for want of Naturall voydmg such feuerous,
minister some occasion thereof, as might easily and flatuous Spintes,as lurke within, into such
be discoursed by Naturall Philosophic, in what a violent chill shiuenng shaking Ague, as euen
sorte the poores, and ventes, and crannies of nowe you see the Earth haue Which Ague,
the Earth being so stopped, and fylled vp euery or rather euery fitte thereof, we schollers call
where with moysture, that the wmdie Exhala grossely,and homely, Terra motus, a moouing,
tions, and Vapors, pent vp as it were in the or sturring of the Earth, you Gentlewomen,
bowels thereof, could not otherwise get out, that be learned, somewhat more finely, and
and ascende to their Naturall Onginall place daintily, Terra metus, a feare, and agony of
But the Termes of Arte, and verye Natures of the Earth we being onely mooued, and not
things thcmselues so vtterly vnknowen, as they terrified, you being onely in a manner terrified,
are to most heere, it were a peece of woorke to andscarcely mooued therewith Nowehere,(and
lave open the Reason to euery ones Capacitie it please you) lyeth the poynt, and quidditie of
I know well, it is we that you meane, quoth the controuersie, whether our Molus, or your
one of the Gentlewomen (whom for distinction Metus,be the better,and more consonant to the
sake, and bicause I imagine they would be Principles and Maximes of Philosophy ? the one
loath to be named, I will hereafter call, Mys being manly, and deuoyde of dreade, the other
tresse lnquisiltua, and the other, Madame woomannish, and most wofully quiuenng, and
Incredula ) now I beseeche you, learned Syr, shiuenng for very feare In sooth, I vse not to
try our wittes a little, and let vs heare a peece dissemble with Gentlewoomen I am flatly of
of your deepe Uniuersitie Cunning Seeing you Opinion, the Earth whereof man was immedi­
Gentlewomen will allgates haue it so, with j ately made, and not wooman, is in all pro­
a good wll, quoth I and then forsooth, very portions and similitudes hker vs than you, and
solemnly pawsing a whyle, most grauely, and when it fortuneth to be distempered, and
doctorally proceeded, as followeth
disseased, either m part, or in whole, I am
The Earih you knowe, is a mightie great huge persuaded, and I beleeue Reason, and Philo­
body, and consisteth of many diuers, and con sophy will beare me out in it, it only mooliueth
trarie members, and vaines, and arteries, and with the veryimpulsiue force of the malady,and
concauities, wherein to auoide the absurditie not trembleth, or quaketh for dastardly feare
of Vacuum, most necessarily, be very great Nowe, I beseeche vou, what thinke ye,
store of substantiall matter, and sundry Acci Gentlewomen, by this Reason ? Reason, quoth
den tall humours, and fumes, and spintes, either Madame lncredula By my truly, I can neither
good, or bad, or mixte Good they cannot picke out Rime, nor Reason, out of any thing
possibly all be, whereout is mgendred so much I haue hearde yet And yet me thinkes all
bad, as namely so many poysonfull, and vene-' should be Gospell, that commeth from you