Archimedes Texts

429
sition, not onely by refuting the Reasons of Ptolomy and Aristo
tle, but by producing many on the contrary; and in particular,
some Physical pertaining to Natural Effects, the causes of which
perhaps can be by no other way assigned; and others Astrono
mical depending upon many circumstances and encounters of
new Discoveries in Heaven, which manifestly confute the Ptolo
maick Systeme, and admirably agree with and confirm this other
Hypothesis: and possibly being ashamed to see the known truth
of other Positions by me asserted, different from those that have
been commonly received; and therefore distrusting their de
fence so long as they should continue in the Field of Philoso
phy: for these respects, I say, they have resolved to try whe
ther they could make a Shield for the fallacies of their Argu
ments of the Mantle of a feigned Religion, and of the Autho
rity of the Sacred Scriptures, applyed by them with little judg
ment to the confutation of such Reasons of mine as they had
neither understood, nor so much as heard.

And first, they have indeavoured, as much as in them lay, to
divulge an opiniou thorow the Universe, that those Propositions
are contrary to the Holy Letters, and consequently Damnable
and Heretical: And thereupon perceiving, that for the most
part, the inclination of Mans Nature is more prone to imbrace
those enterprizes, whereby his Neighbour may, although un
justly, be oppressed, than those from whence he may receive
just incouragement; it was no hard matter to find those Com
plices, who for such (that is, for Damnable and Heretical) did
from their Pulpits with unwonted confidence preach it, with but
an unmerciful and less considerate injury, not only to this Do
ctrine, and to its followers, but to all Mathematicks and Ma
thematicians together. Hereupon assuming greater confidence,
and vainly hoping that that Seed which first took root in their un
sound mindes, might spread its branches, and ascend towards
Heaven, they went scattering rumours up and down among the
People, That it would, ere long be condemned by Supreme Au
thority: and knowing that such a Censure would supplant
not onely these two Conclusions of the Worlds Systeme, but
would make all other Astronomical and Physical Observations
that have correspondence and necessary connection therewith to
become damnable, to facilitate the business they seek all they
can to make this opinion (at least among the vulgar) to seem new,
and peculiar to my self, not owning to know that Nicholas Coper
nicus was its Authour, or rather Restorer and Confirmer: a per
son who was not only a Catholick, but a Priest, Canonick, and
so esteemed, that there being a Dispute in the Lateran Council,
under Leo X. touching the correction of the Ecclesiastick Ca