Piinies Naturali Hiftorie. jHf 



A €titc of thcfs matters muft pafle through the hands of rufticall pcafants, who are Co far off from 

 conceiving Aftronomie, & theconlkllations above^that they know not one letter of the book^ 

 nor heverlearned their A.B.C. Howbeit, wee cannot chufe but conieflej that the true reafon 

 and knowledge of AgriculturCj dependeth principally upon the obfervation of the order in 

 heavcnlybodies -.for /^z;;^.'/ faith very well. That before all other things/a husbandman fhould 

 be skilful! in the winds, and have the foreknowledge and predidion of them : aifo to have an in- 

 light into the nature and influence of the ftarres : and in one word, to obferve both the one and 

 the other, as well as the Sailers and mariners at fea. Certes, a hard peece of worke it is, and infi- 

 nite ; and fiiiall hope I have thatever I fball beable to drive into their heads thac are io ignoranc 

 and groflfe of conceit, this high learning and heavenly divinitie, as touching the Planets, the 



B fixed Starres, togither with the reafon of their orderly motions and coeleffiali powers ; howbeic 

 confideringthegreatprofitthatmay arifeand grow thercuponto mankind,! will cart a pioffet 

 and give the attempt to make ploughmen Aftfologers, or. Aflconomers at leaftwifc, ifit may 

 be. Butfiiif my purpofe is, to lay open before their eies certaine difficulties (which troubled al- 

 fo fomeof the auncientwriters,andthofe not unskilful! in this part of Phiioiophie) as touching 

 the courfe and order of the Starres : which being not only difcovered, but alio alloiled and clee- 

 redjtheir minds with better contentment maygoe from the contemplation of heaven to the 

 r-cll of Natures woikes, and fee thofe things by the efiecfs^which they could not poflibly forefe^ ' 

 by their caufcs. 



Q Chap. xxv. 



f^ Tk Pif»es andjeafim of then^fig and f£ttmg 0fS 



order^asmUhj"^ d^y dsmght, *i, Evenmg^ 



and morning;, 



iM the firff place, there offerethit fclfeuntous one difficukie above the reft, fo intricate, as 

 hardly is itpoflibleto rejolve tiponit5nan"iely,as touching the verydaiesof theyeare, how 

 liiany they be in number jand the revolutionof the Sunnc,how and when he returncih again 

 ro the (ame point ? For vchereas fome doe account the Solare yeere to be 3^5 dales juft 5 others' 

 adde thereunto certaine quadrants or fourth parts of day and night togither, to wit, fix hourcs 

 every yecre 5 which being put togither, make the fourth ycare Biifextile or Leape yeare :fo as 

 X) it is in -manner impoifibie to affigne the certaine dales and homes of the Starres apparition or 

 occukation. Over and befides, howobfcure3howdarkeandconfufedall this matter is, appea- 

 reth manifeftly herein, Tiian the times and fcafons of the yeare,prefixed by auncient writers fall 

 not out accordingly 5 and namely, in the obfervation of the winter feafons and tempefts by them 

 fetdowne: for one while youHiali havctiiem to prevcntand come foonerby manydaies thari 

 ordinarie, which the Greeks call /TipoxQ/xcc^ai- ; another while to draw back and come later, which 

 they tearmc t7r/;!^«fi«:{flv.Yca and lor the moft part this hapneth^ by reafon diat the influence of 

 the ccfileftialhtars teacheth fooner or later to the earth, and thereafter llieweth theeffeds ;fo 

 as the common people, when they fee the faid foule weather paff^and all cleare and fairc aaainy 

 fay then and not before, That fuch aPianetor Star hath perfourmed his courfe, and is upon 

 E the point of his Tropicke or returnc againe. Moreoverxonfidering that ail thefeoccurrenis de- 

 pend much upon thofe ftarres which beefet and fixed in the firmament,yet lliall yec have the 

 Planets play their parts befides, which by their motions and operations, worke nofmail effe(5fs 

 upon the earth, as we have iliewed before j and nan)ely,caufing between-whiles (forms of raine 

 and h aile out ofcourfc ; no marveile then,ifthey trouble our heads & put us out of our accounts 

 interrupting that order of the fixed Stars, upon which we conceived and buikour hope of the 

 fake feafon, and our newfpring. And herein, not wee onely that be men faile of our reckoning, 

 but other livingcreatures alio be deceived,whichnaturaljy have much morcfenfe& underftan- 

 dine of rhefe workesor Naturejthan wee,in as much as their whole life ftandeth thereupon: for 

 the3%immcr birds (as great fore-fight as they have of fuch feafons andtempeifs) are over-taken 

 P and killed by Winter trofts and coldjcomming fooner than they looked for, and before they he 

 gone outof thecountrcy.asalfb winter* foulesmifcarrie by the bote weather of fummer, con- 

 tinuing longer than it was woonr, and holding on ftill after they become. Hereupon it is, thac 

 P'^irgU exprellely willeth us to learne throughly the skill of the wandering Stars or Planets aUo^ 

 and principally giveth us warning to marke the courfe of that cold Planet Saturne. 







