Thefecond Booke of 



Chap. xcix. • 

 ^ yp'hai power the Moom hath over things on Earth an din the Sea, 



BY which it is truly gueffed and colkaedj that not in vaine the planet of the moonc is fup' 

 pofed to be a Spirit : for this is it that fatisfieth the earth to her content : fhee it is that in heE 

 approch and comming towardj filleth bodies full \ and in her retire and going away, cmpti- 

 cth them againc. And hereupon it is^ that with her growthj all fhcll-fifh waxc and encreafe : and 

 thofe creatures which have no bloody them moit of all doe feele her Ipirit. Alfo^ the blood in 

 men doth encreafe or diminifh with her light more or leiTe ryea the leaves of trees and the graffc 

 for fodder (as fhall be faid in convenient place) doe feele the influence of her^ which evermore H 

 the fame;, pierceth and cntrcth cflfedtually into all things. 



Chap, c. 



The fomr of the Sunne ^ and why the fea is fait, 



T Husby the fervent heat of the Sunne, all moifture is driedup : for we have been taught, 

 that this Planet is Mafculine^frying andfucking up the humiditie of all things. Thus the 

 broad and Ipatious lea hath the tafte of fait foddcn into it : or els it is , becaufe when the 

 fweet and thin fubftance thereof is lucked out from it, which the fiery power of the funnemoft 

 eailly drawech up^ all the tarter and more groflc parts thereof remaineth behind: and hereupon I 

 it isj that tlie deepe water toward the botome, is fweeter and leiTe brackifh than that above in the 

 top. Andfurely,thisisabetterand truer reafon of that unpleafantfmacke and taft that it hath, 

 than that the fea iliould be a fweat ifiTuing out of the earth continually : or,becaufeover-miich of 

 the df ie terrene element is mingled in it without any vapour : or eife becaufe the nature of the 

 earth infsdeth the waterSjas it were, with fome ftrong medicine. We find alnong rare examples 

 and experiraentSjthat there happened a prodigious token to Z)fW^ tyrant of Sicilie, when hec 

 was expelled and dcpofed from that mightie f^ate of his, and this it was 3 The fea water within 

 one day in the haven gtewto befrefh andfweet. 



Chap. ci. K 



pfj In like manner of the Moones nature, 



ON the contrary jthey fay that the Moone is a planet FoemininCjtcnder and nightly ^diffol- 

 veth humorsjdraweth the fame^but carrieth them not away. And this appeareth evident- 

 ly by this proofcj that the carkailes of wild beafts flaine, fhe putrifieth by her influencCjif 

 file iliine upon them. When men alfo are found afleepe, the dull nummednes thereby gathe- 

 red, ilic draweth up into the head : iliee thaweth yce^and with a moittening breath proceeding 

 from her, enlargcth and openeth all things. Thus you fee how Natures turneisferved and fup- 

 plycdjand is alwaies fufficient , whiles fome flarres thicken and knit the elements, others aaainc 

 rcfolve the fame. But as the Sunne is fed by the fait feas, fo the Moonc is nourifiied by the firefh ^ 

 -river waters. 



Chap. cii. 



Where the Sea h deepef!, 



Fy^^/^^^z^faithjthat the Sea where it is deepeft,exceedeth not fifteene furlongs. Others a- 

 gaine doe reportjthat in Pontusthefea is of an unmeafurabledeapthjover-againft the na- 

 tion of the Coraxians, the place they call Bathea Fonti^ whereof the botome could nevcjc 

 t>e founded. 



Chap. cm. jy| 

 ^ The wonders of rvaters^Fountaints^and Rivers, ' 



OF all wonders this pafleth,that ccrtaine frefli waters hard by thcfeajiffuc and fpring forth 

 as outof pipes: for the nature of the waters alfoceafethnot fi:om ftraunge and miracu- 

 lous properties. Frcfh waters run aloft the fca^ as being no doubt the lighter : and therc- 



" fore 



