sition, not onely by refuting the Reasons of Ptolomy and Aristotle, 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 Astronomical depending upon many circumstances and encounters of new Discoveries in Heaven, which manifestly confute the Ptolomaick 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 defence so long as they should continue in the Field of Philosophy: for these respects, I say, they have resolved to try whether they could make a Shield for the fallacies of their Arguments of the Mantle of a feigned Religion, and of the Authority of the Sacred Scriptures, applyed by them with little judgment 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 unjustly, be oppressed, than those from whence he may receive just incouragement; it was no hard matter to find those Complices, 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 Doctrine, and to its followers, but to all Mathematicks and Mathematicians together. Hereupon assuming greater confidence, and vainly hoping that that Seed which first took root in their unsound 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 Authority: 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 Copernicus was its Authour, or rather Restorer and Confirmer: a person 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-lender
