Tycho Brahe

“ Neither can it be a Solæcisme, in that I affirme, that this new Starre was framed of Cœlestiall matter, being the same whereof the Galaxia and other Starres doe consist, yet not so well compacted; when we may discerne the like productions in the Earth, which bringeth forth mettals and precious stones. Yet though all mettals and Iems have one and the same matter, yet all are not concocted and brought to the same subtility, and maturity by the powerfull working of nature; hence it is, that some are sooner corrupted; others very hardly ”

“ So farre, that the whole world should be in subjection to this one City; so likewise, some strange alteration in the publike government of Estates and Commmon-weales, shall ensue in the following yeares. For, as this was a rare and wonderfull Starre, shining forth in the heavens unexpectedly, so it is likely and probable, that it will produce strange, great, and wonderfull effects, but what they shall be in particular, I thinke
no mortall man is able to guesse, being as farre distant from our knowledge, as the rising of this Starre was before it did appeare. ”

“ In which they shall breake their swords into Ploughshares, and their speares into pruning-hookes, Nation shall not lift up a sword against Nation, neither shall they learne Warre any more: But they shall sit every man vnder his Vine, and vnder his Fig-tree, and none shall make them afraid: As the Prophet Micah hath it. ”

“ Besides, this Starre did at the first in his magnitude exceed the whole Globe of the Earth, and was three hundred times bigger then the whole circumference thereof, and therefore what sublunary matter could be sufficient to the conformation of it?
But some may say, how or whence could it bee framed of Cœlestiall matter; I answere that the Heavens did afford it themselves, in like manner as the Earth the Sea, and the Ayre; if at any time they exhibite some strange sight, doe produce it out of their owne proper substance. ”

“ Yet I thinke it not unnecessary to admonish and stirre up the mindes of men to thinke upon the end of the world, that so they may remember the Eternity which shall follow after it. But yet it is impossible to limit and set forth a certaine time for the consummation of the world, which only dependeth upon the good-will and pleasure of God, and is not reuealed to the Angels, and therfore canot be knowne by any humain prescience. ”

“ When having thus intended to doe, God tooke him away both in the middle of his age and Worke, to the great hinderance of Learning, and the losse of us his heyres. Now therefore, that we may benefit Posterity, whereof we ought to have especiall regard, we beseech your Maiesty by the holy rites of Vrania the heavenly Muse, that you would not in these troublesome times of Warre, neglect the opportunity of gaining eternall praise, by finishing those Tables, which albeit they require some charge, yet it is a worke that may well beseeme your Imperiall Maiesty. ”

“ For seeing the Hebrewes reade it Mesech, and the Greekes and Latine interpreters doe reade it Mosoch, it is probable that the Moschovites are signified heereby; or else by this name, the whole Northerne tract of Earth is included. Therefore it is very likely, that Moschovia is principally denoted by this Starre, and Gogus the leader of the Moschovites, of whom it is foretold in the Prophets and the Revelation, who having made great slaughters in Europe, hee at last with his whole army shall
be overthrowne, and so the Earth shall be disburthened of her wicked inhabitants. ”

“ For although the Heaven it selfe be thinne and pervious, giving way to the motion of the Starres without any hinderance, yet it is not altogether incorporeall, for then it should be infinite and without place. Therefore the very matter of Heaven, though it be subtile, and possible to the courses of the Planets, yet being compacted and condensated into one Globe, and being illustrated by the light of the Sunne, might give forme and fashion to this Starre. Which because it
had not his beginning from the common order of nature, therefore it could not have a continuall duration equall to the rest ”

“ Neyther doth this conjecture differ from the Prophesies of wise men which were illuminated with divine knowledge, who have foretold, that before the universall consummation & end of all things, there shall be a peaceable and quiet age, wherein the divers formes of Religions and politike government, shall be changed and be made agreeable and conformable to the will of God. Which assertion we may collect out of the Prophets, who did fore-tell, that at last there should be a golden age ”

“ So those false Planets, which by an outward plausible appearance, doe seduce and leade men from the light of the truth, shall be quite extinguished. Also, it is worthy of consideration, that albeit this Starre was so neare to the Semicircle of the Colure, that his beames almost touched it, yet his whole body was seated toward the Vernall Quarter, and in respect of the Poles of the world, in the middle of the first degree of Aries, which may seeme to declare, that some great Light is now at hand, which shall enlighten and by degrees expell the former darknesse ”

“ A Starre shall arise in Europe over the Iberians, at the great house of the North, whose beames shall vnexpectly inlighten the whole World. And this shall bee in a most desired time, when all Nations shall lay by their weapons and imbrace Peace; but they shall contend during the Interregnum, and strive to obtaine the reynes of Government; yet the ancient House shall prevaile, and shall be prosperous in Warre, vntill contrary fates shall encounter one with another. ”

“ But howsoever, the substance of the milkie Zone is able to supply matter for the framing of this Starre, which because it had not attained so excellent a consummation, and solid existence, as the genuine and naturall Starres have, therefore it was subiect to dissolution and dissipation, eyther by its owne nature, or by the multiplicitie of the beames of the Sunne and other Starres.
Neither is Aristotle here to be allowed of, who disapproving of the opinions of others, doth himselfe bring in no lesse absurdities, while hee maketh ”

“ Neverthelesse, most mighty Emperor, we being held up and sustained by the authority of your Imperiall Maiesty, who are placed on the highest Pinacle of honour, have no reason to regard the envy of others. ”

“ For if our Ancestors had used that diligence which they ought to have done, in decyphering the motions of the Sunne, and in rectifying the true places of the fixed starres according to their Longitude and Latitude, we might then have spared that labour, which we bestowed in the two first Chapters, and might presently have declared those things which concerned the Starre it selfe, whose description we had undertaken. Therefore, I thought it fit to prefixe some observations concerning the Sunne, the Moone, and the fixed
starres ”

“ How difficult it was to performe, in respect that things lay deeply hidden, and therefore required the more labour to find out, having beene before in paine attempted by others in former ages, I leave to their consideration, that have any the least knowledge in Astronomy. ”

“ The firmament of Heaven shall bee dissolved, the Planets shall forget their courses, and the Spheares shall iustle one another, the fixed Starres shall out-goe the Planets. The Heavens shall bee leveld with the Seas, and after these thinges come to passe, there shall be continuall Night, destruction, ruine, condemnation and eternall darknesse. ”

“ Wherefore with confident modesty we dare affirme, that our Parene hath excelled all the Astronomers of former ages, in the accurate restoring of the motions, and that neyther any King or Prince except ALPHONSVS, hath bestowed so much upon Astronomy, so that he did not onely employ his whole Revenewes, arising from his Lands and offices which he held under the King of Denmarke, but also of his owne proper stocke, he layd out aboue a hundred thousand Thaleri. ”

“ Therefore that this Prophesie may be fulfilled, which was delivered by divine inspiration, it must needs come to passe, even before the end and consummation of the world. But seeing the event of these things shall come to passe in the new revolution of the Planets, before which this Starre appeared, some doe suppose, that the light of Religion doth now shine out cleerely having overcome the darknes of Error; but if it were so, whence are then those Controversies, and varieties of opinions which are defended by Learned men ”

“ Hence arises so great a confusion of opinions in every Science, and divers severall questions are discussed, not onely in naturall Philosophy, but also in Divine and Morall matters, that it is hard to find out, and firmely to establish any certainty, which may bee equall to Geometricall demonstrations, or which cannot bee contradicted. ”

“ And if wee may take leave to conjecture by Astrologicall computation of time, concerning the first beginning of that which is portended, we may guesse it will be nine yeares after the great conjunction, whereof this Starre was the Prodromus or fore-runner. If therefore wee frame our Astrologicall direction by the place of this Cojunction, which was in the one and twentieth degree of Aquarius, the events of this Starre shall begin to shew themselves, nine yeares after this Conjunction. ”

“ But in this Complaint, the most learned and excellent men of all ages, may beare us copany, who were envyed while they lived. Since no age hath wanted some who with ARISTIPPVS and EPICVRVS, have disdained Mathematicall learning as vaine and idle, and have hated the Professors thereof with more than barbarous malice. ”

“ For it is probable, that there must be a great clensing and extirpation of all Earthly impurities, before that peaceable and happie age (whereof the Prophets have spoken) shall come, but to shew the particular manner thereof is above humaine knowledge; wee purpose onely to make some coniectures in generall, for the event will shew it selfe. ”

“ Such are the blind apprehension of mans nature, and in such a darknesse of error doe we spend our dayes heere on Earth. And therefore
moved by these considerations, I have illustrated and discovered whatsoever I thought did belong to the consideration of the unusuall Starre, both by declaring the true nature thereof, as also by detecting the errours of divers and sundry Writers: Now there remaineth yet two other questions to bee unfolded, whereof the one is Physicall, concerning the matter and procreation of this Starre ”

“ This defect divers learned men have endeavoured to supply, and especially the most famous COPERNICVS, who yet was much hindred by wanting fit Instruments, so that hee could not attaine to his desire, although he hath more perfectly rectified the motions than any of his Predecessors. ”