Phillip Stubbes's Anatomy of the abuses in England in Shakspere's youth, A.D. 1583 / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

  • Stubbs, Philip, active 1581-1593.
Date:
1877-1882
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Phillip Stubbes's Anatomy of the abuses in England in Shakspere's youth, A.D. 1583 / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    when they pre- tend to pry into God's secrets, and foretell what ’ll be plentiful and what scarce. Let Almanac- makers keep to their proper busi- ness, [=* Sig. I 8] and then they’ll be useful folk. 66 II. I. Against Prognosticators ^ Almanac-makers. Amphil. I neither condemne aftronomie nor aflrologie, nor yet the makers of prognoftications, or almanacks for the yeere. But I c ndemn the abufe in them both, and with they were reduced to the fame perfedtion that they ought, and to be vfed to the fame endes the ftarres, and the celeftiall bodies whatfoeuer, created by the Lord not onelie to frudtitie and increafe the earth by their influence, but alfo to fliine and giue light to man in this life, and to diuide the light from darknefe, the day from the night, winter from fommer, and to diflinguifli one feafon and time from another. Now how much may make or conduce to the knowledge hereof, fo much I doubt not is verie tollerable, and may be vfed. But when we go about to enter into Gods fecrets, and to diuine of things to come, by conieftures, and gefles, then make we the fame wicked and vnlawfull. Therefore prognofticators are herein much to be blamed, for that they take vpon them to forefliew what things fliall be plentie, and what fcarfe, what deere, what good cheape. When fhal be faire weather, when foule, and the like, whereas indeede the knowledge of thefe things are hid in the fecrets of GOD, and are beyond their reach, therefore ought they not to meddle with them. But if they would keepe them within their coTwpafle, as namely to fliew the times and feafons of the yere, feftiuals, vigils, to diflinguifli winter from fommer. fpring from haruefl, the change of the moone, the fall of euerie day, the ecclipfes, epads, dominical letter, golden num^ber, circle of the funne, leape yeere, and other the like neceflarie points, then were their profeflion laudable, and greatly for the commoditie of the commonwealth. And thus much with their patience be it fpoken briefly hereof. Here ende the abufes of the Temporalitie.