_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 kinde guilty; which made
S. _Ambrose_ so tartly to rebuke those of his time, when he said,

_Tum turbatur carminibus Globus Lunae, quando calicibus turbantur &
oculi_.

"When your heads are troubled with cups, then you thinke the Moone to be
troubled with charmes."

And for this reason also did _Maximus_ a Bishop,[1] write a Homily
against it, wherein hee shewed the absurditie of that foolish
superstition. I remember, that _Ludovicus Uives_ 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,
thinkes 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 plainly declare
the insufficiency 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.

[Sidenote 1: _Turinens. Episc._]

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
schollers; 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
discovery.

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 bee lesse trodden
and more obscure.

True indeed, the strangeness of this opinion will detract much from i