8.
Why Venus-ſtar only doth caſt a ſhadow?

Is it becauſe it is nearer the earth? But they whoſe profeſſion it is to ſee that nothing be done in heaven without their conſent (as Re — ſays in himſelf of Aſtrologers) have bid Mercury to be nearer. Is it becauſe the works of Venus want ſhadowing, covering and dignifying? But thoſe of Mercury need it more; For Eloquence, his occupation, is all ſhadow and colours; let our life be a ſea, and then our reaſons and even paſſions are wide enough to carry us whether we ſhould go, but Eloquence is a ſtorm and tempeſt that miſcarries: and who doubts that Eloquence which muſt perſwade people to take a yoke of ſoveraignty (and then beg and make Laws to tye them faſter, and then give money to the invention, repair and ſtrengthen it) needs [52] ]more ſhadows and coloring, then to perſwade any man or woman to that which is natural. And Venus markets are ſo natural, that when we ſolicite the beſt way (which is by marriage) our perſwaſions work not ſo much to draw a woman to us, as againſt her nature to draw her from all other beſides. And ſo when we go againſt nature, and from Venus-work (for marriage is chaſtitie) we need ſhadowes and colours, but not elſe. In Seneca’s time, it was a courſe, an un-Roman and a contemptible thing even in a Matron, not to have had a Love beſide her huſband, which though the Law required not at their hands, yet they did it zealouſly out of the Council of Cuſtom and faſhion, which was venery of ſupererrogation:

Et te ſpectator pluſquam delectat Adulter,

saith Martial: And Horace, becauſe many lights would not ſhew him enough, created many Images of the ſame Object by wainſcoting his chamber with looking-glaſſes: ſo that Venus flies not light, as much as Mercury, who creeping into our underſtanding, our darkneſs would be defeated, if he were perceived. Then either this ſhadow confeſſeth that ſame dark Melancholy Repentance which accompanies; or that ſo violent fires, needs ſome ſhadowy refreſhing and [53] ]intermiſſion: Or elſe light ſignifying both day and youth, and ſhadow both night and age, ſhe pronounceth by this that ſhe profeſſeth both all perſons and times.

[54]
]

9.
Why is Venus-ſtar multinominous, called both Heſperus and Veſper.

The Moon hath as many names, but not as ſhe is a ſtar, but as ſhe hath divers governments; but Venus is multinominous to give example to her proſtitute diſciples, who ſo often, either to renew or refreſh themſelves towards lovers, or to diſguiſe themſelves from Magiſtrates, are to take new names. It may be ſhe takes new names after her many functions, for as ſhe is ſupream Monarch of all Suns at large (which is luſt) ſo is ſhe joyned in Commiſſion with all Mythologicks, with Juno, Diana, and all others for marriage. It may be becauſe of the divers names to her ſelf, for her affections have more names than any vice: ſcilicet, Pollution, Fornication, Adultery, Lay-Inceſt, Church-Inceſt, Rape, Sodomy, Maſtupration, Maſturbation, and a thouſand others. [55] ]Perchance her divers names ſhewed her appliableneſs to divers men, for Neptune diſtilled and wet her in love, the Sun warms and melts her, Mercury perſwaded and ſwore her, Jupiters authority ſecured, and Vulcan hammer’d her. As Heſperus ſhe preſents you with her bonum utile, becauſe it is wholeſomeſt in the morning: As Veſper with her bonum delectabile, becauſe it is pleaſanteſt in the evening. And becauſe induſtrious men riſe and endure with the Sun in their civil buſineſſes, this Star caſts them up a little before, and remembers them again a little after for her buſineſs; for certainly,