PJinies Naturali Hiftorie. 



A Mayj v\;hich is the 24 of Aprillj for the time that the ftar Hoedi^ i. the JCids^doe rife in Italy t hut 

 the next day afcer^they are obierved to appeare in -^gypt : the morrow follovving,v«ithin Bccoiia 

 and Attica^ the Dog-ftar is marked to be hidden and gone in the evening, when as the Harpe" 

 liar is feene in the morningiNow the day after thatjwhichis the fifth day before the Calends ol 

 May_,/. the 27 of April!, in Allyria Orion is quite hidden 5 and two daies iifcer^the Dog-ibr. Al- 

 io thcfixth day before the Nones of May^which is the fecond of that moneth^ O/^r obferveth. 

 That in Italy the forefaidftarres Suciil^, rife matutine and fhew in tlie morning : like as alfo the 

 rainic Goat-flar Capella, upon the eigth c|ay before the Ides of May^which alio is the cigth day 

 of that moneth: and the very fame day the ^Egyptians doe obferve in [heir countrey, that the 

 great Dog- ftargoeth downe in the evening, and is no more feene. Thus you fee how thefe fixed 



B liars and fignes above rehearlcdj doe ordinarily keepe their courfes, ruling and governing this 

 time betvvecne, to wiCjfrom the fpring ^Equinox in March, unto the fixth day before the Ides of 

 May, which is the ninth of the faid moneth. During the fiiftfiftcene daies of which hslfe quar- 

 ter, the husbandman mud make hafl;and take in hand that worke which he was not able to goe 

 through with and difpatch before the Equinox , knowing full well, that upon negkd of this 

 bufinelle, arofe fir ft, the opprobrious reproches that vine-pruners and cutters doe hearc on both 

 fides of their eares, from pafTengers and wayfaring mcn^, byway.of councerfeiting the fong of 

 that Summer-bird which they calhhe Cuckow : for it is countedfo foule a fhaine, worthie a 

 chccke and rebuke^that the faid bird llioiild come and find a pruning hookc or bill in a vine ac 

 that time of the yeare 3 that folke therefore ftick not to let flie at them bold taunts,and broad bi- 



Q ting fcoffes, even in the firft beginning of the Spring, And verily as thde birds^ lb their fong 

 counterfeited in this fort, fccmeth to carrie an ominous and curled pref^ ge with liiem . Sec how 

 the leaft things belonging to Agriculture, are guided and caricd by naturali reaions 1 As for the 

 later end of this foreiaid time, icmuft be employed in the fowing ofPanicke and Millet 5 foric 

 is ordinarie and ufuall to fow this kind of graine aiter that haftie barley is ripe,and alfo up on ihc 

 very fame lands where it grew. Now the figne common to them both, teftifying as wsll the ripe- 

 neflcof thconeastheSeednesoftheo£her,arethe Glo birds or Glo-wormesCicindci^eihi- 

 ning in the evening over the corne fields ; for fo the rufticall paifants and conn trey clownss caii 

 certaine flies or wormes glowing and glittering ftar-like ;and the G rcekes name them Laoipyri- 

 des: wherin we may fee the wonderful! bountis und incredible goodnelle of Nature,in tcacliing 



D us by that fillie creature. 



Chap. XX VII. 



Pfs Thai H ush^ndmen fhs^dd mgaze at Harrafo mnchjbut mkrgoe hj the pafem 

 ej thsjenre mat for [owing, yilfo^t hat thejfbGi'J.dmnrke thcnfmg^he 

 fitting^andthe coutfc of the Sun in fome hear bes. And 

 ofthertfir.gsndJcitwgoJ»Dfhcrflm, 



NAture contented not Iierfelfs toalTcmbleatroupeof flars together in a knot (I means 

 the Brood- hen Vergili.T, whereby it is a fignein heaven above "eonfpicnous ynough ai- 

 E readie,and of great mark)but (he would needs give thcHusbandman other ftars beneath 



Upon the earth,as fignes to fhew him the true fcafbns and timeswhcn and how to goeto worke: 

 as if fliee cried out and ipake unto him after this manner ; Why fhouldeft thou lookc up to the 

 heavens, thou that art to till thy ground ? Why keepefr thou a feeking among the liars for ihy 

 countrey worke ? Take thy reft andrepofc thy wearied lims good man, for the nights bee now 

 lliorter than they were : to bed therefore,for thou haft but a while to llecpe ; Behold I fcatter and 

 Ipread hereand there among thy very weeds and graffe growing upon the ground^otherefpeci- 

 allfhiningftars,and thofel reprefent unto thinceies in the evening, & when rbou doeft unyoke 

 and giveover thy dales worke: and thatthou fhouldeft not either pkad ignorance, or neglect 

 the fame, I provoke thee to regard and looke thereat, as a ftrange wonder^ Seeft thou not thefe 

 F fliesor glo-birds aforefaid cover their bright and glittering light, refemblingfparcklesof fire, 

 when theykeepe their wings dole together, and carie fire-light about them even, in the night? 

 More than To, I have given thee certaine hearbesto^.tdl thee what isaclockc, andhowtheday 

 goes : and to eafc thee more,that thou needeft not paine to avert thine eies away from the earth 

 where jhy worke lieth^and caft them fo much as up to the Sunne 5 loe the heaibe HcHotropium 



Eee iij and 



