The eighteenth Booke of 



willcnfue. Scmblably, for the Summer, heegoerh by the other Sunfieadorlongeft day of the G 

 yeare : and yet commonly for a fortnight about the (Tiortell day in the yeare, (to wit, during 

 the time that the foules Halcyones doe layjcouve^and hatch their eggs in the fea) the winds lis 

 and the weather is more mild and temperate. But as well by thefc fignes as all other whatfoeter, 

 we muftguefle the influences and cfre& of theStars^ according to the event, within fome lati- 

 tude of time 5 and not fo prccifely to limit and tie them alwaies to certaine daies prefixed 3 as if 

 ihcyv^ereboiind to make thcirapparance peremptorily in court, juftthenjandfailc not. 



Moreover^in mid-winter, meddle not at all with vines, touch them not in any haifd,birt Ice 

 them alone. What then is tlic Husbandman to doe? Mary then ((luoth Hygwm) after feveit 

 daies be once paft from the Sunftead, he is to refine his wines from the lees and let them fetdc, 

 yea and to poure them out of oneveflell into another, provided withall, that ihemoonebea p| 

 quarter old. Alio about that feafon (to wit, when the Sunne is in Capricorne) itisnot amifle to 

 plant Chcrritreesj and fet their ftones : then is it good alfo to give oxen Maft to feed them 5 and 

 one Modius or pecke is fufficient to fervc a yoke at one refection : allow them m^re at once,you 

 glutthcm'and fillthcmfullof difea(es:butatwhattimefoeveryoumakethem.this allowance, 

 iinleflc you hold on thirtie daies togither, (folkc fay).ijiey will be fcabbed and mangie when the 

 fpringcommeth, that youwill repent for cutting them fo fhort. As for felling timber trees, this 

 was the proper feafon which we appointed heretofore. All other winter workes for an husband- 

 man to be buficd in, would be done in the night for the moft part : fit up hce muft late, and rife 

 betimes by candle-light, and watch hardly about them, for that the nights bee fo much longer 

 than the daies ;let him a Gods name,find himielfe occupied with making wicker baskets Cham- 

 pers, winding of hurdles, and twifting of frailesandpaniers :lcthim thwite torch- wood taper- ^ 

 wife for linkes and lights : and when he hath by day-light made readie and prepared thirtie poles 

 or railes for vines to run onjand fistie flakes or props to fupport them, hee may in the evening 

 make five poles or pearchcs, and ten forkesor fupportcrs 3 and iikewifeas many early in the 

 morning before day-light. 



But now to come to Cafars reckoning of the times and digeftion of the coelcftiall figns : thefc 

 be the notable ftarres which are fignificant and doe rule that quarter which is bet wecne the win- 

 ter Sunftead and the rifing of the Weflernc wind Favonius. Vpon the third day (faithhec) be- 

 fore the Calends ol lanuarie, which is the thirtieth day of December, the Dog-flarre goeth 

 downe in the morning : upon which day in Attica and the whole tra^t thereto adjoyning, the 

 Ifarre Aquila, [/.the iSgle] fctteth (by report) in the evening, and loofeth her light. The even K 

 before the Nones of lanuarie, /. the fourth day thereof by cJfars account [I meane for the me- 

 ridian of Italic] the Dolphin flarre rifeth in the morning, and the morrow after, the Harp-ftarrc 

 Fidicula upon which day, in iEgypt, the lbrre Sagitta, [/.the Arrow] fettethin the evening, 

 Itcmjioin that time to the fixth day before the Ides ofIanuarie,[/.the eigthday of that month] 

 when as the fame Dolphin goeth downe or retireth out of fight in the evening, ufually we have 

 in Italy continuall frofi and winter weather : as alfo when thefunne is perceived to enter into A- 

 quarius, which ordinarilyfalleth out fixteen daies before the Calends of Februaric,[/.the fevcn- 

 teenth of lanuarie.] As for the cleare and bright ftanecalled the Star-Royall^appearing in the 

 breaflof the figneLco,TaA^rtfmineaurhourfaith,that eight daies before the Calendsof Fe- £ 

 bruaric,to w't,thc 2 5 day of lanuarie, it goeth our of our fight in the morning : alfo over night 

 before thcNones of Februarie, [/. the fourth day cff the fame moneth] the Harpe-flarre Fidi- 

 cula goeth downe, and is no more (eene.Toward the latter end of this quarter^it is good and ne- 

 ceflaiietodigand turne up frclTi mould with mattocke and fpadeagainft thetimethat rofesor 

 vines fhail be fet,wherefoever the temperature of the climat will beare it : and for an acreoffuch 

 worke^fixtie labourers in a day are fufficient to doc it well. At which time alfo, old trenches and 

 ditches would befcouredor new made. For morfting worke before day, the husbandman ouif^ 

 looketohisyrontooles, that they be ground, whetted, and fharpned 3 that their ffeales, helves^ 

 or handlcs^be fitted and fettoiheit heads; thatfhakentubs,barrels,andfuchlike ve{fels,benew 

 cowped,bound with hoops,andcalfrettedj that their ffaves be well foraped and cleanfed, or elfo M 

 new let into them. And thus much of this Winter quarter, asfarre as to the commingof the 

 VVefterne wind Favonius. 



Now as touching the entrance of thenewSpring,whichisfrom the rifing of the faidwindto 

 ihc Equinox in March : C^/jrfetteth downe for it the timCj which for three daies togither is va- 



liable 



