of Plinies Naturall Hiftorie. 297 
- A’ had taken his place,and beforethat he fet forward upon his way,heehad pronounced acertaine 
charmethat he had in ftore :. and perfuaded he was,tharif hee {aid it over three times together; 
he thould come by no mifchaunce in hisjourney,burtravell in fecuritie.A thing that L know ma- 
ny now adaiesto practile ordinarily as well as he. But for farther proofe and confirmation of this 
opinion,] report mee to every mans confcience and knowledge;to that(/ fay) whichithereis not: | 
onebut knoweth : Whatis the caufeI pray you,thatche *firlt day of every yeare wee falure one */.The fick of ) 
another for lucke fake with withing a goad newyeare? What is the reafon,tell me,thatin all our 4'- . 
publicke proceffionsand general] folemnities every fifeyeare for the health and goodeftate of 
the cittie, they *made choife of fuch perfons for to lead the beafts appointed to factifice, whofe. *icis cauf2, | 
*names were good and fortunat? Or howcommieth ir-about, that forto prevent ordivert witch- aie | 
B ctaftand forcerie,we obferve a peculiar adoration, and invocat upon the Greekith [goddefle of. Latin Salle ! 
vengeance] Nens(is; inwhichregard onely, wee have her ftatue or image fet up in che Capitol, Sr aes | 
- _ notwithftanding wee know not yet what name in Latine to give hetitiow is itthatiamaking cece an is 
mention of thofe tharbe dead we {peakewwith reverenceand protefttharwehave nomeaning torimportbythe 
difquiet their ghofts thereby,or to fay onght prejadiciallto their good nanieand memorial if fy eer 
there be nothing in words,howhappeneth.itI wouldfaine know, tharweehavefuchamopinion) end propericy. 
of oddenumbers,beleeving that they be more effectuallin alltchingsthanthe even? A matcer 1 | 
» may tell you of great confequence, if wedoe but obfervethe ctiticall daiesin fevers. Alfoiin the 
‘gathering of our firft fruits be they Peares,A pples,Figges, 8c. wherefore ule we to fay, Thele de 
old,God {end usnew? What moveth us to withhealth ancfay, Godhelpe,orblefle,when one x 
C fneezeth 2for even Tiberius Cefar who otherwife was knowne fora grim fir,and the meft unfoct- 
able and melancholicke man in the world,tequired in that manner to bee falved andwithed well 
unto,whenfoever he {neezed, though he were mounted ia his chariot.And fome there be who in 
this cafe ceremronioufly doefalute the partie byname, and thinke there is a great point of reli- 
gion lies in that.Moreover,is not this an optaion generally received, Phat when oureatsdo glow | 
and tingle,fome there be thatin our abfeace doetalke of us? 4¢talws avoucheth for acertaintic, 
- that if a man chaunceto efpie'a {Corpion,and doe no mare but fay this one word *Duo,the fer */-Two. ) 
pent will be ftilland quiet,and never fhootforth his iting. And now fecing by occafion of men- | 
tioning afcorpion,| am pur in mind of Affrické; you thallirdecitand thus much;thatthrough- 
-__ ourallthatcountrey there tsnot one gocth about to doe any thing;but beforehe begins he faith 
D_ thisword*Africa. Asforother nations, in every enterprife chat menzakein hand, they ufe the +; sm ige, | 
name of their gods,and pray ordinarily ,thatit would pleate thensto give a grace and blefiing to 3 
_their attempts. As for thisceremonie, namely whenthe table is {pread & furnifhed with viands, 
to layaring from the finger uponit, wee feeit commonly and orderly practifed; and chat it is of 
force to put by many fcrupules and religious doubtsit is very evident. Youthall fee fome men «wrich ganic 
to take the fpittle out of their mouths,and conveigh it with their fiogersend behind the eare,for on was after- 
torejoice the heart and drive away all penfiveneffe and melancholicke fanfies that trouble the al aes ( 
“Anind. Andtobend or bow downe the thumbes when wee give affent unto a thing,or doe faveur Sericae 
anyperfon , isfo ufuall, thaticis gcowneintoaproverbiall fpeech, ro bidaman put dowhe his princes and 
thumibe in token of approbation. In adoring the gods and doing reverence to their images, wee aes . 
E ofero*kifle ourtright hand andturne about with our whole bodie: inwhich geflure the *Prencl nations obier~ 
ebferve to turne toward the left hand; andthey beleevethat they fhewmoie devotion in fodo= os ea 
ing. As touching the manner of worfhipping and adoring flathes of lightening,all nations with asappeareth 
one accord and conformitie doe it with a kind of*whiftling or chirping with the lips. Ifthere bee by Picusus 
mention made of skarefiresat the table as we fit at meat,we hold it ominous, but wee tune away 53.3 p, i coos 
the perilous prefage thereof, by fpilling and cafting water under the bourd. When one tifeth fats Dex 
, from his meat and is readieto depart,it they of the houfe goe in hand prefently for.tofweepethe Moris a 
floore and make all cleane:asalfo totakeaway difhes;trenchets,8cc. upon the bourd; orto ré- fetting ovr ips 
moove the cupbourd of plate, & liverie table whiles one of the guefisis a drinking, are thought oy reese 
to be moftunfortunat tokens,and to prefage much harme. Servins Swpetins a principal perfon 70 eS 
F of ourcittic, hath written a twrearife of this argument, wherein hee giveth areafonwhy wefhould ward,as our 
not leave or thift our wenchers at every couife or change of difhes:; for in thofedais there were Dnt 
nomore allowed than there far guefts at che tables, and thoie were fervedbut oncefor all.If one ok cpaittiee 
chaunceto fneefe after repaft, the orderis to cailfora difh of meat: andatrencher againe to be or cheariog up 
fet upon the boutd: and incafehetaft not of fomewhatafterward, itis thought amottfearefull ante ee 
and horle” 
= qi 
