That some idle fancie faigned these for fooles to beleeve. Of this opinion was Procopius Gazaeus, but hee was perswaded to it by another kinde of reason;⁸ for hee thought that all the earth under us was sunk in the water, according to the saying of the Psalmist, (Psal. 24. 2) He hath founded the earth upon the Seas; and therefore hee accounted it not inhabited by any. Nay, Tostatus a man of later yeares and generall learning, doth also confidently deny that there are any such Antipodes, though the reason which hee urges for it, be not so absurd as the former; For the Apostles,⁹ saith hee, travelled through the whole habitable world, but they never passed the Equinoctiall; and if you answer that they are said to goe through all the earth, because they went through all the knowne world; he replies, that this is not sufficient, (1 Tim. 2. 4) since Christ would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of his truth, and therefore ‘tis requisite that they should have travelled thither also, if there had beene any Inhabitants; especially since hee did expresly command them to goe and teach all nations, and preach the Gospell through the whole world, and therefore hee thinks that as there are no men, (Mat. 28. 19) so neither are there seas, or rivers, or any other conveniencie for habitation. ‘Tis commonly related of one Virgilius,¹⁰ that hee was excommunicated and condemned for a Heretique by Zachary Bishop of Rome, because hee was not of the same opinion. But Baronius sayes,¹¹ it was because hee thought there was another habitable world within ours. How ever, you may well enough discerne in these examples how confident many of these great Schollars were in so grosse an errour, how unlikely, what an incredible thing it seemed to them, that there should be any Antipodes; and yet now this truth is as certaine and plain, as sense or demonstration can make it. This then which I now deliver, is not to be rejected, though it may seeme to contradict the common opinion.

2. Grosse absurdities have beene entertained by generall consent. I might instance in many remarkable examples, but I will onely speake of the supposed labour of the Moone in her eclipses, because this is neerest to the chiefe matter in hand, and was received as a common opinion amongst many of the Ancients, In so much that from hence they stiled eclipses by the name of πάθη passions, or in the phrase of the Poets, Solis lunaeque labores.

And therefore Plutarch speaking of a Lunary eclipse, relates, that at such times ‘twas a custome amongst the Romans (the most civill and learned people in the world) to sound brasse Instruments,¹² and hold great torches toward the heaven. Τῶν δὲ Ῥωμαίων (ὥσπερ ἐνόμιζον) χαλκοῦ τε πατάγοις ἀναχαλκευμένων τὸ φῶς αὐτῆς καὶ πυρὰ πολλὰ δαλοῖς καὶ δᾳσὶν ἀνασχόντων πρὸς τὸν οὐρανόν. For by this meanes they supposed the Moone was much eased in her labours; and therefore Ovid calls such loud Instruments the auxiliaries or helps of the Moone,¹³ Cum frustra resonant aera auxiliaria Lunae.

And therefore the Satyrist too, describing a loud Scold, sayes, She was able to make noise enough to deliver the labouring Moone.

Vna laboranti poterit succurrere Lunae.¹⁴

Now the reason of all this their ceremonie, was, because they feared the world would fall asleepe, when one of its eyes began to wink, and therefore they would doe what they could by loud sounds to rouse it from its drowsinesse, and keepe it awake: by bright torches, to bestow that light upon it which it began to lose.

Some of them thought hereby to keepe the Moone in her orbe, whereas otherwise shee would have fallen downe upon the earth, and the world would have lost one of its lights; for the credulous people beleeved, that Inchanters and Witches could bring the Moone downe, which made Virgil say, Cantus & è coelo possunt deducere Lunam.

And those Wizards knowing the times of her eclipses, would then threaten to shew their skill, by pulling her out of her orbe. So that when the silly multitude saw that shee began to looke red, they presently feared they should lose the benefit of her light, and therefore made a great noise that shee might not heare the sound of those Charmes, which would otherwise bring her downe; and this is rendred for a reason of this custome by Pliny and Propertius:¹⁵ Cantus & è curru lunam deducere tentant, Et facerent, si non aera repulsa sonent.

Plutarch gives another reason of it, and he sayes, ‘tis because they would hasten the Moone out of the dark shade wherein she was involv’d, that so shee might bring away the soules of those Saints that inhabit within her, which cry out by reason they are then deprived of their wonted happinesse, and cannot heare the Musick of the Spheares, but are forced to behold the torments, and wailing of those damned soules which are represented to them as they are tortured in the region of the ayre. But whether this or what ever else was the meaning of this superstition, yet certainly ‘twas a very ridiculous custome, and bewrayed a great ignorance of those ancient times; especially since it was not only received by the vulgar, such as were men of lesse note and learning, but beleeved also by the more famous and wiser sort, such as were those great Poets, Stesichorus and Pindar. And not onely amongst the more sottish Heathens, who might account that Planet to be one of their gods; but the Primitive Christians also were in this kind guilty, which made Saint Ambrose so tartly to rebuke those of his time, when he said, Tum turbatur carminibus Globus Lunae, quando calicibus turbantur & oculì. When your heads are troubled with cups, then you think the Moone to be troubled with charmes.

And for this reason also did Maximus a Bishop, write a Homily against it, wherein hee shewed the absurdity of that foolish superstition.¹⁶ I remember that Ludovicus Vives relates a more ridiculous story of a people that imprisoned an Asse for drinking up the Moone, whose image appearing in the water, was covered with a cloud as the Asse was drinking, for which the poore beast was afterward brought to the barre to receive a sentence according to his deserts, where the grave Senate being set to examine the matter, one of the Counsell (perhaps wiser than the rest) rises up, and out of his deepe judgement thinks it not fit that their Towne should lose its Moone, but that rather the Asse should be cut up and that taken out of him; which sentence being approved by the rest of those Politicians, as the subtillest way for the conclusion of the matter, was accordingly performed. But whether this tale were true or no, I will not question; however, there is absurdity enough in that former custome of the Ancients, that may confirme the truth to be proved, and plainely declare the insufficiencie of common opinion to adde true worth or estimation unto any thing. So that from that which I have said may be gathered thus much.

1. That a new truth may seeme absurd and impossible not onely to the vulgar, but to those also who are otherwise wise men and excellent Schollars; and hence it will follow that every new thing which seemes to oppose common principles is not presently to be rejected, but rather to be pry’d into with a diligent enquiry, since there are many things which are yet hid from us, and reserv’d for future discoverie.

2. That it is not the commonnesse of an opinion that can priviledge it for a truth; the wrong way is sometime a well beaten path, whereas the right way (especially to hidden truths) may be lesse trodden and more obscure.

True indeed, the strangenesse of this opinion will detract much from its credit; but yet wee should know that nothing is in it selfe strange, since every naturall effect has an equall dependance upon its cause, and with the like necessity doth follow from it; so that ‘tis our ignorance which makes things appeare so; and hence it comes to passe that many more evident truths seeme incredible to such who know not the causes of things: you may as soone perswade some Country Peasants that the Moone is made of greene Cheese (as wee say) as that ‘tis bigger than his Cart-wheele, since both seeme equally to contradict his sight, and he has not reason enough to leade him farther than his senses. Nay suppose (saith Plutarch) a Philosopher should be educated in such a secret place, where hee might not see either Sea or River, and afterwards should be brought out where one might shew him the great Ocean, telling him the quality of that water, that it is brackish salt and not potable, and yet there were many vast creatures of all forms living in it, which make use of the water as wee doe of the ayre, questionlesse hee would laugh at all this as being monstrous lies, and fables, without any colour of truth. Just so will this truth which I now deliver, appeare unto others; because we never dreamt of any such matter as a World in the Moone; because the state of that place hath as yet beene vailed from our knowledge, therefore we can scarcely assent to any such matter. Things are very hardly received which are altogether strange to our thoughts and our senses. The soule may with lesse difficulty be brought to beleeve any absurdity, when as it has formerly beene acquainted with some colours and probabilities for it; but when a new, and an unheard of truth shall come before it, though it have good grounds and reasons, yet the understanding is afraid of it as a stranger, and dares not admit it into his beleefe, without a great deale of reluctancie and triall. And besides, things that are not manifested to the senses, are not assented unto without some labour of minde, some travaile and discourse of the understanding; and many lazie soules had rather quietly repose themselves in an easie errour, than take paines to search out the truth. The strangenesse then of this opinion which I now deliver, will be a great hinderance to its beliefe, but this is not to be respected by reason it cannot be helped. I have stood the longer in the Preface, because that prejudice which the meere title of the booke may beget, cannot easily be removed without a great deale of preparation, and I could not tell otherwise how to rectifie the thoughts of the Reader for an impartiall survey of the following discourse.

I must needs confesse, though I had often thought with my selfe that it was possible there might be a world in the Moone, yet it seemed such an uncouth opinion that I never durst discover it, for feare of being counted singular, and ridiculous; but afterward having read Plutarch, Galileus, Keplar, with some others, and finding many of mine owne thoughts confirmed by such strong authority, I then concluded that it was not onely possible there might be, but probable that there was another habitable world in that Planet. In the prosecuting of this assertion, I shall first endeavour to cleare the way from such doubts as may hinder the speed or ease of farther progresse; and because the suppositions imply’d in this opinion, may seeme to contradict the principles of reason or faith, it will be requisite that I first remove this scruple,¹⁷ shewing the conformity of them to both these, and proving those truths that may make way for the rest, which I shall labour to performe in the second, third, fourth, and fifth Chapters, and then proceede to confirme such Propositions, which doe more directly belong to the maine point in hand.

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Footnotes

1. Mytholog. lib. 3 c. 17. ↩

2. Lib. 7. c. 1. ↩

3. Vid. loseph. Acosta. de nat. novi orbis lib. 1. cap. 1. ↩

4. De civit. Dei. lib. 16. cap. 9. ↩

5. Institut. l. 3. c. 24. ↩

6. De ratione temporum, Cap. 32. ↩

7. De nat. rerum, Lib. 1. ↩

8. Comen· ìn 1. Cap. Gen. ↩

9. Comment. in 1. Genes. ↩

10. Aventinus Annal. Boiorum. lib. 3. ↩

11. Annal. Eccles. A. D. 748. ↩

12. In vita Paul. Aeniil. ↩

13. Metam. Lib. 4. ↩

14. Iuven. Sat. 6. ↩

15. Nat. Hist. Lib. 2. c. 12. ↩

16. Turinens. Episc. ↩

17. LIB. 1. Cap. 2. ↩