The feventeenth Booke of 



the roofc of many a houfc^and carieth it cicane away* q 



C H A p. 1 1 1 , 



^ Tk focietie of the skie and aire with the earthy refitcli'Ve to trees, 



SOmc men doc force the skie for to be obedient and conformable to the earth: as nani*e!v 

 when planting in dric grounds, they have regard to the Eaft and North : and contrariwile,' 

 when in moift places they re(pe(5l the South. Moreover, it falleth outjthat they bee driveii 

 otherwhiles to follow the nature of the very Vines, and thereby to bee ruled : whereupon^in cold 

 ground they plant fuch as be of the haftie kind^and foone ripen their grapesjto the end that they 

 may come to their maturitie and perfedionj before cold weather comes. As for fuch Vines and ii 

 trees bearing fruit,as cannot abide dewes,thofe they fet into the Eaft,that the Sunne may foone 

 dilpatch and confume thefaid dew : but looke what trees doe love dewes, and like well therewith 

 ihofe they willbecfurcioplantagainftthe Weft, or at leaftwife toward the Northjto the end' 

 they may enjoy the full bcnefitc thereof. All others againe(grounding in manner upon nat urall 

 reafon oncly)have given counfell to fet as well Vines as Trees,into the Northeaft. And Dmacri^ 

 tm verily is of this mindjthat fuch fruits willbe morepleafant and odoriferous. 



Chap^ nil. * 

 The qitalitk of fundrie regions^ 



AS touchingthe proper feat of the Northeaft wind,and of all oth^rwindSjWee have (poken I 

 alreadiein the fecond booke : and our purpofe is in ihe next following, to treat of the ri- 

 fing and falling of figns and notable ftars^of other Aftronomicall points alfo concerning 

 heaven.Now in the mean time for this prefent,it is fufficient^that in the former rule of the North 

 wind, weeleemetoreftand refolve upon the apparent and evident argument ol" the wholefome 

 and healthfull climate of the heaven : for as much as we fee j that evermore all fuch trees as ftand 

 into the Souih/ooneft iTied their leaves.The fame reafon alfo is to bee given of thofe that grow 

 upon the fea-coafts : and albeit in ibme places the winds blowing from thence,and the veiy aire 

 of the fea be hurtful!, yet in moft parts the fame are good and profitable. Ccrtaine plants and 

 trees there arCawhich take pleafure to be remote from the fea,and joy to have the fight of it only 

 a farre off: fet them neerer to the vapours and exhalations afcending from thence^they will take K 

 harme andmifliketherewith.Thelikeistobefaidof great rivers, lakcs,and ftandingpooles . As 

 for thofe which we have fpoken of,they either burn their fruit with fuch mifts,or refrefh & coole 

 fuch as be bote with their fhade>yea3and take joy and profper in the froft and cold. And therfore 

 to conclude this point, die fureft way is,tobeleeve and truft upon experience. Thus much for 

 this prefenr.concerning the Heaven : our next difcourfe (ball be of the Earth and Soile^the con- 

 fideration whereof is no lefTe difficult to be handled than the other. 



Firft and formoft,all grounds are not alike good for trees and moft kinds of come. For nei- 

 ther the blacke mould (fuch as Campaine ftandcth much upon)is in ail places bcft for Vines j or 

 that which fumcth and Icndeth up fmall and thin mifts : neither is the red veine of earth any bet- 

 ter,howfoever there bee many that commend it. The white earth or ch alkie mar le,the clay alfo 

 within the tcrritorie of Alba and Pompeij/or a vineyard,are generally preferred before all other 

 countries (although they bee exceeding fat,which in that calcis otherwife ufually rejeaed.) On 

 the other fide,the white fand about ^Ticinum : likewife, the black mould or grit, in many places, 

 as alio the ted fandie groundjalthough it be well mingled and tempered with fat earth, are all of 

 them nothing to the purpole for encreafe and fruitfulne{re.And herein muft men take heed, be- 

 caufe oftentimes their judgement may failc when it goeth but by the eie : for we muft not ftreight 

 waics conclude,that the ground is rich and battle^ whereon we fee goodly faire and tall trees to 

 groWjUnlelTe it be for thole trees onely : for where fhall we meet with any,higher than the Firre ? 

 and is there a tree againe that poffibly can live where it doth ? No moreis ranke grafte & plen- ^ 

 tifull forrage a true token al waics of a good ground : for there is no better pafturc nor gra^^ ' 

 tobe found than in Almaine j and yet dig but up the grcene fourd and the thinneft coat of turte 

 that may bCjyc fhall prefently come to barren fand under it.Ne yet is it by & by a moift ground, 

 that hadi upon it dcepe gralle and heaibes lliooting up in height: no more verily jthan a fat 



