vir reconditissimæ scientiæ[1], a man who knew more than ordinary Philosophers, thus commending the opinion in the credit of the Authour. To him assents the Venerable Bede, upon whom the glosse hath this comparison.[2] As the Looking-glasse represents not any image within it selfe, unlesse it receive some from without; so the Moone hath not any light, but what is bestowed by the Sun. To these agreed Albertus Magnus, Scaliger, Mæslin, and more especially Mulapertius, [3] whose words are more pat to the purpose then others, and therefore I shall set them downe as you may finde them in his Preface to his Treatise concerning the Austriaca sydera; Luna, Venus, & Mercurius, terrestris & humidæ sunt substantiæ ideoque de suo non lucere, sicut nec terra. The Moone, Venus, and Mercurie (saith he) are of an earthly and moyst substance, and therefore have no more light of
