Maitland Club > Works of Sir Thomas Urquhart

LOGOPANDECTEISION. 311
nature, and other philosophicall mysteries, being esteemed to be rancke witchcraft, tliev
mine t'ae best part of learning, and make their owne unskillfullnes supreame judge, to
passe an irrevocable sentence upon the condemnation of knowledge.
40. The matter, notwithstanding, would be of lesse danger were this the worst ;
but to this ignorance of theirs is concomitant so much wickednes, that when an action
of any extraordinary performance is done, although by a man of a most approvable
conversation, and to a very good end, such as the curing of the diseased, or releeving
men out of apparent peril, yet if the cause thereof be unknowne to them, they will
not be so charitable as to attribute the effect to a good angel, albeit their faith obliege
them to beleeve that the spirits belonging to any of the nine celestiall orders, are, for
the atchievement of such masteries, in nothing inferior to the infernall demons; but
instead of Gabriell, Raphaell, Michaell, and such good spirits, by whom, I think, it
is more probable an honest man would be assisted in works of a strange and hidden
operation then by the bad ones, they ascribe the wonderfullnes of the exploit to the
inspiration of Beelzebub, Abadon, Lucifer, or some" other of the fiends of hell ; so
malevolently they asperse the reputation of gallant men, whose deeds surpass their
capacity.
4 1 . Truly, those two qualities of ignorance and wickedness conjoyned, are of such
pernicious consequence, that no nation or commonwealth wherein they get footing, is
able long to' subsist ; for rapine, covetousnes, and extortion flowing from the one, as
from the other doth all manner of basenes, pusillanimity, and cowardize, ignorance
affecteth the braine and wickednes the heart ; yet both the braine and heart of a com-
mon weale, by the mischeivously vnskillfull, and illiterately malicious, are equally
depraved.
42. For remedy of so generall a calamity, seeing universality hath its existence in
individualls, would each amend but one, the totall would be quickly rid of this lament-
able infection.
43. Therefore, since ever I understood any thing, knowing that the welfare of the
body of a government consisteth in the intirenes of its noble parts, I alwayes endea-
voured to employ the best of my brain and heart, towards the furtherance of the honour
of that country unto which I did owe my birth.
44. In prosecuting whereof, as the heart is primum vivens, so was it my heart,
which, in my younger years, before my braines were ripened for eminent undertakings,
gave me the courage for adventuring in a forrain climat, thrice to enter the lists
against men of three severall nations, to vindicate my native country from the calumnies
wherewith they had aspersed it ; wherein it pleased God so to conduct my fortune,
that after I had disarmed them, they in such sort acknowledged their error, and the
obligation they did owe me for sparing their lives, which justly by the law of arms I
might have taken, that in lieu of three enemies that formerly they were, I acquired
three constant friends, both to my selfe and my compatriots, whereof by severall gal-