The eighteenth Booke cf 



tcnce and colour of fuch untoward blaftsjthan to feekc and find mcanes to do tbemiclves good^ G 

 It is reported of Bemecritm^ the firft Philofopher who underflood himfelfe^and afterwards flic . 

 vse4""^o worldjthc great affinitic and agreement that was between heaven and earth (which 

 fiiayof his the richcft and wcalthicft citizens where he lived/eeroed to fcorne and dcrpire)fore- 

 fcemg by the courfe of the ftars, & namelyjby the rifing that would be of the Vcrgilice or Brood- ' 

 licn(according as lhavcfhcwed alrcadie3and will anon declare more at ]arg«)that Olives would 

 failcthatycarjandconfequently a dearth cnfue of oilcjbought up all the oilein that trad &;coun- 

 tricj which as then for the hope of great plentie of Olives, bare noprice : whereat the great mer- 

 chants ofthecitic(who dreamed of nothing Icfle than ofa fcarfitie ofoikjconfideringthe Olives 

 made To fair a (hew upon thctrccs)werc aftonicd & marvelled much^that Democritm lb learned a 

 Philorophcr3& a man who they knew^was wont by his profcffion to content himfeife with pover- H 

 tic, to fet his mind upon nothing fo much as a quiet life3& wholly to bulie hisbrainein attaining 

 of knowledge andlcarningjwas now on a fuddain become a merchantJn the end, they perceived 

 what the caufe was^ & acknowledged his divine skill in forcfeeing & preventing a dearth : a nd he 

 for his part iliewed plainly. That it was not avarice and defire of lucre that moved him to take this 

 courfejbut to let the world knowjthat if he were fo difpofed^he could by the means of his learning 

 only,be foon a rich man(as indeed he grew hereby to exceeding wealth5)for prefenrly of his own 

 accord he reftored again unto the former owners, who God wot were dilplcafcd with themfclves 

 for that they had done,& wiChed withall their harts,that they had met with the like bargaine j he 

 iemittcd(I ray)all this commoditie which he had gotten into his own hands,at theirowne price : 

 refting herein,that he had made good proofcjhow foon ^ cafily he could be rich whenfoevcr he | 

 would.Long time after him^Sexttm one of our Roman Philofop hers, did the like at Athens,and 

 after the fame manner: whereby we may fec,in whatftead learning and literature ferveth,if a man 

 will employ the fame to his own benefit. And I care not much veiily to give the countriman a tall 

 thereof,as much as may concern the caufe of the Blafting aforefaid,and to intermeddle the fame 

 with his ruftick affairs,but as plainly and with as great facilitie & lightfomenefie as poflibly lean. 

 Moft are of this opinion & have delivered in writing, Thatas well the blafting in corn called Ru- 

 ligo^as thefindging & burning of vines named CarbuncuIuSjproceed from certain dewsfeding 

 upon them, which caught a caufticke qualitiefrom the acrimonie and extraordinarie heat of the 

 Sun.This conjecture and reafbn of theirs, I hold in fbme part to be falfe, for the Sun never doth 

 harme either to the one or the other in this rcfped, but looke what blaft foeverit be that find- K 

 geth or buineth corne and vines, it is occafioned by cold onely : and if you take good heed and 

 marke how this commeth about, you will fayitis clearc andpaft allperadventure:forfirftand 

 foremoft this is well knowne. That itncverhapncth but in the night, or atleaftwife before the 

 Sunncis rifen :fo as we may conclude well and truly, that all this dcpendcth upon the infiuence 

 of the moone.For never fhall a man fee any of thefe hurtfull blafts, but either about the change 

 dr full of the moonc, that is to fay, when fhce is in her greateft force :for at both ihefc times, as 

 well in the conjunction with the Sunne, as in oppofition, powerfull flicc is,and in fome fort may 

 betearmcdFull,asIhavcmanyatime alreadie faid. But at thechaunge, lookc what light ftiec 

 received from the Sunne, the fame fhee fendeth all up againe to heaven. Great difference ther- 

 fore there is in the effects of the moon in both thefe habits, and the fame very evident and appa- - 

 rant : for be it in fummer,hoteft fhe is in the change 5 but in winter,cold :contrariwife,the moon 

 infummerbeingat the full, maketh cold nights,and in winter is warmc: the caufe whereof is 

 plainc and manifcft. Ho^hz'w^Fahianu^ and the Greeke writers, render another rcafon : for in 

 fummertimcj the moonc being in coniundion with the funne, and meeting with him when he 

 is in a circle nearefi unto us, j^uftofncccfTitie be en flamed with the fire that it receivcth from 

 thcfunne,fb neare unto her and us both : whereas contrariwile, during winter, in the time of the 

 chaungc or conjun(5tion, fhe cannot chufe but be cold, as being remote far from us j like as the 

 funnc alfo, who is retired far South toward the Tropicke of Capricorne. Semblably, at the full 

 in Summer,nie is far off from usjas being oppofite unto the funne fb neare unto us : no marveilc 

 therefore if flicc be cold in regard of our climat : but in winter, at the fame time of her oppofi-- M 

 tion as fhe is neater unto us,taking her courfc through the fummer circle of the funnejfo we may' 

 conclude, (he doth moderate the rigour of winter cold, and confequently that then, ordinarily 

 iswarme. Confidcring then that the moone being (at the full in fummer) lb coId,and char- 

 ged ordinarily as fhccis of her ownc nature with much dew, what wonder is it if at fuch a time 



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