i ALASCO IN OXFORD 23 



sheltering under the twofold truth " if this writing 

 appears to conflict with the common and approved 

 faith, understand that it is put forward by me not as 

 absolutely true, but as more consonant with our senses 

 and our reason, or at least less dissonant than the other 

 side of the antithesis. And remember, that we are not 

 so much eager to show our own knowledge, as moved 

 by the desire of showing the weakness of the common 

 philosophy, which thrusts forward what is mere opinion 

 as if demonstratively proved, and of making it clear by 

 our discussion (if the gods grant it) how much in 

 harmony with regulated sense, in consonance with the 

 truth of the substance of things, is that which the 

 garrulous multitude of plebeian philosophers ridicule as 

 foreign to sense." 



He was coldly received, however ; in common- 

 sense England his new art could evoke no enthusiasm, 

 and his real and vital doctrines met with nothing but 

 opposition at the old university " the widow of true 

 science," Bruno calls it. From the loth to the ijth Alasco of 

 June the Polish prince, Alasco, was in Oxford, and 

 disputations were held in his honour as well as banquets. 

 Among others, Bruno disputed publicly in presence of 

 the prince and some of the English nobility. 1 Alasco 

 appears to have caused some excitement to the 

 Elizabethan court. According to Mr. Faunt (of the 

 secretary's office) he had been General in more than 

 forty fought battles, spoke Latin and Italian well, and 

 was of great revenues. Mauvissiere grumbled in a 

 letter to the French king, that the Palatine Lasque and 

 a Scottish ambassador seemed to be governing the 

 court. 2 The real object of the visit was apparently 

 political, to prevent the traffic in arms between England 



1 Cena, L. 176, 37 ff. 3 Teulet Papers, ii. p. 570 (May 16, 1583). 



