zoy 
Qentury. I X. 
Great Draughts in Summer, lading till towards the End of Augufl , and 
fome Gentle showers vpon them* And then fbme Drte mother a. gaine. 
Doe portend a Pejfilsnt Summer , th e-Teare following : For about the 
End of Augufl, all the SWcetnefJe of the Earth, which goeth into Plants, 
and Trees is exhaled* (And much more if the be drie, ) So that 
nothing then can breathe forth of the Earth , butagrofle Favour , which 
is apt to Corrupt the Aire : And that Vapour, by the firft showers , if they 
be Gentle, is re lea fed, and commeth forth abundantly,. Therefore they 
that come abroad foone after thofe Showers , are commonly taken with 
Sicknefje: And in Ajffricke , noBodie will ftirreout of doores, after the 
firft Showers. But if the Showers come vehemently, then they rather 
wa(Ti and fill the Earth , than giue it leaue to breathe forth prdently. But 
if D ry weather come againc, thenitfixeth and continucth the Corruption 
of the Aire, vpon the fir ft Showers begun, And maketh itof ill Influence, 
euen to the Next Summer-, Except a very Frofly winter difeharge it'. 
Which feldome fucceedeth Inch Drought. 
The Lejfer Infections, of the Small Pockes, Puple Feuers, Agues , in the 
Summer Precedent, aad houering all winter, doe portend a great Pefii 
lenee in the Summer following „ For Putinfaftion doth not rife to his 
heighthatonce. 
It were good to lay a Pecce of Raw Flefh, or Fifh , in the Open Aire^s ; 
And if it Putrifie quickly, it isaSigne of a Difpofltioni n the Aire to Pu- 
trifail ion. And becaufe you cannot be informed, whether the PtttrifaBu 
on be qmcke or late, except you compare this Experiment with the like 
Experiment in another Teare, it were not amide, in the fame Teare, and 
at the fame Time, to lay one PeeceofFlefh, or Fill, in the Open Aire, and 
another of the fame Kindc and Bignefle, within Doores ; For I iudge, that 
if a generall Dljfojition be in the Aire to Putrifie, the Flefh, or Fijh, will 
fooncr Putrifie abroad, where the Aire hath more power, than in the 
Houfe, where it hath lcfle, being many wayes corrected. And this Expe¬ 
riment would be made about the End of March : For that Seafon is likeft 
todifeouer, what the Winter hath done ; And what the Summer follow¬ 
ing will doe vpon the Aire. And becaufe the Aire (no doubt) receiueth 
great TinBure, and Infuflon from the Earth • It were good to trie that 
Expofing of Flefh, or Fifh, both vpon a Stake of wtod, fbmeheighth aboue 
the Earth , and vpon the Flat of the Earth . 
Take May-Dew , and fee whether it putrifie quickly, or no ? For that 
likewifcmay difclofe the Qualttie of the Aire, andT*/wofthe Earth t 
moreorlefle Corrupted. i 
A Drie March , and a Drie May, portend a Wholefome summer, if there 
be a S ho wring Aprill betweene: But otherwife, it is aSigneof aPeJlilcn- 
tiall Tcarcs. 
As the Difcouery of rbe Dijpojuion of the Aire , is good foMhe Pro- 
gnoflickes of wholefome , and F'nwhoUfome Yeares ; So it is of much more 
vfe, for the Choice of Placer to dwell in: At the leaft, for Lodges, arid Re¬ 
tiring places for Health-, (For Manjien Honfss refped Prtuifions, as well I 
as 
803 
804 
80S 
807 
808 
