TO THE DISTINGUISHED MAN, MASTER JACOB JUNIO,

doctor of decrees, and President in

the King’s Chamber of Inquests, Brother

Claudius Cælestinus,

unworthy to pant toward

heavenly things,

Sends greetings.

A small decorative woodcut initial 'C' features floral motifs and a central mask or grotesque face.

If there are heavenly influences, and if they can be detected by us, learned doctor, the weight of your authority has compelled me to examine the causes of appearing miracles, however I might: namely, that I should labor to excerpt some things in summary according to that great scrutineer of philosophy, Nicolaus Oresme, who shone forth almost in our own days. I have, I say, done enough for your desires, but according to the small experience I have attained in this kind of study, not according to the dignity of the subject. It will be your judgment how useful it is; thus, do not require elegance in a rough style. Pay attention to this alone, which also drove me to write in part, if perhaps this short page might be useful as a caution for discerning miracles, or for the judgments of astrologers. Farewell.