Chap.I.
How the Husbandman shall iudge and fore-know all kinde of Weathers, and other seasons of the yeere.
Although GOD out of his infinite prouidence, is the onely directer and ruler of all things, gouerning the yéeres, dayes, minutes and seasons of the yeere according to the power of his Will: yet for as much as hee hath giuen vs his Creatures, and placed the Celestiall bodies to holde their influences in vs, and all things else which haue increasement, reuealing vnto vs from their motions, the alteration and qualities of euery season, it shall be very behouefull for euery Husbandman to know the signes and tokens of euery particular season, as when it is likely toRaine, when Snow, when Thunder, when the Winds will rise, when the Winter will rage, & when the Frosts will haue the longest continuance, that fashioning his labours, according to the temperature or distemperature of the weather, hee may with good iudgement and aduise, eschew many euils which succéede rash and vnfore-looking actions.
Of Rayne.
To speake then first of the generall signes of Raine, you shall vnderstand that the olde Husbandmen did obserue rules generall, and rules speciall: the generall rules were such as concerned eyther all, most, or a great part of the whole yéere: the rules speciall, those which concerned dayes, houres, and times present: of which I will first speake in this place.
Signes from Clouds.
If therefore you shall at any time perceiue a Cloud rising from the lowest part of the Horizon, and that the maine body be blacke and thicke, and his beames (as it were) Curtaine-wise, extending vpward, and driuen before the windes: it is a certaine and infallible signe of a present showre of Raine, yet but momentary and soone spent, or passed ouer: but if the Cloud shall arise against the Winde, and as it were spread it selfe against the violence of the same, then shall the Raine be of much longer continuance.
Signes from the Moone.
If when you sée the new Moone appeare, you perceiue that some part of her Hornes are obscured, or if it be black, or discoulored in the middest: if it hang much to the West, if it be compast or girdled about, eyther with thicke, or waterish transparent vapours: if it looke more then ordinarily pale, or if it shall beginne to raine small and mist-like on the fourth or fift day of her age, all these are infallible signes of Raine, and the last an assured signe that the Raine will continue all that quarter of the Moone following.
Signes from the Sunne.
If you shall sée the Sunne rise earely in the Morning, and spread forth his Beames violently, yet with a very moyst and waterish complexion, and there-withall in theWest you doe sée a bedde of thicke vapours to arise, increase and ascend vpward, then shall you bee assured that at high noone, when those vapours and the Sunne shall méet, there will be raine, and that raine of no short continuance: If you shall sée the Sunne rise red, and turne sodainely blacke, if it haue many red clouds about it mixt with blackenesse, if it haue a spacious Circle about it, or if when it setteth you sée it fall behinde a banke of darke and blacke Cloudes, they be all most certaine and infallible signes of raine, which will presently follow.
Signes from the Lightning.
If it lighten at noone, or any time whilest the Sunne shineth, eyther with Thunder or without thunder, or if it lighten in fayre weather, or if it lighten more then it thundereth, all are most certaine signes of raine which will follow.
Signes from Fowle.
If you shall perceiue water-Fowle to bathe much: if the Crow wet her head at the water brimme, or if shée wade into the water, or if she shall cry and call much: if the Rauen shall croake with a hollow or sounding voyce: if the house-Cocke shall crow at all houres: if Pigions shall come home late to the Doue-house: if Sparrowes shall chyrpe and cry earely in the morning: if Bées flye not farre from their Hyues: if Flies and small Gnats bite sharpe and sore, all are most certaine signes of raine, which will presently follow.
Signes from Beasts.
If you shall perceiue your Oxen to eate more gréedily, and with a more earnest stomacke then their vsuall custome: if your Kine gaze and looke much vpward: if Swine shall play and gambole vp and downe: if Horses being at grasse shall scope, course, and chase one another: or if the Cat shall wash behinde her eare, all are certaine signes of raine to follow.
Signes from things without motion.
If Salt turne moyst standing in dry places, if Channels, Vaults, and common Sewers stincke more then vsuall: if Bels seeme to sound louder then they were wont: if the Tazell at any time close vp his pricks: ifSoote fall much from the Chimney: If oyle shall sparkle much when it burneth, or if Marble, Pauing-stone, or other wals shall sweat, or be much moyst, all are most ineuitable signes of rayne which will follow.
Signes of much Raine.
If Raine, when it falleth, make great bubbles, or such a noyse as is not ordinary: or if raine fall mildely, small, and mist-like: or if rayne fall in a calme when no winde stirreth: or if when it rayneth you cannot perceiue the Racke or Clouds to moue: if Pullen flye to their roust assoone as the raine begins: if the Raine-bow stretch towards the South, or if it doe reflect and shéedoole: if you shall sée one or more Weather-gals which are like Raine-bowes, onely they arise from the Horison but a small way vpward, all these are most certaine signes of much raine that will follow.
Signes of Snow or Haile.
If blacke Clouds shall turne sodainely white: if about eyther the Sunne or Moone be pale, and waterish Circles, or that they séeme to shine as through a miste: if the Ayre be thicke and extreame cold without frosts: if with the signes of raine be mixt signes of cold also, or if windes be nipping and extreame sharp, all are most certaine tokens that Snow or Hayle will follow presently after.
Signes of winde.
If when the Sunne setteth it looketh red and fiery, and that all that part of the Horizon looke red also, or if it looke blewish, or séeme greater then his ordinary proportion: If the Moone doe blush or looke high colloured, if the Racke ride high, and the Firmament be much vaulted: if Woods and Hils séeme to make a noyse: if the Stars séeme to shine brighter then vsuall: if it shall thunder in Winter, or if it thunder without lightning: if Bels be heard farre off with more ease then accustomed, and presently in the same instant be not heard at all: If Cobwebs flye much in the ayre: If Hernes or Heronshoes cry much in their flying: If fire sparkle much, or if wood or Wainscot cracke much, all these are most certaine signes of much winde that will follow after.
Signes of tempests.
If you shall perceiue the Morning or Euening Sunne,eyther in the Sommer or in the Autumne, to shine hotter or to scortch more then accustomed, when the ayre is prest with an extreame blacke cloude, or with many clouds, if you perceiue whirlewindes to blow oft and violently: if you sée the Raine-bow shall appeare in the West without raine: if you sée flames and meteors flashing in the ayre, or if the Porpus shall be séene in the fresh Riuer, all are most certaine signes of thunder, lightnings and tempests, which will follow.
Signes of faire weather.
If the Sun rise gray and cléere in the morning, and likewise setteth without darkenesse, not loosing a minute in the declination: if the euening skye be ruddy and not fierie, more purple then skarlet: if the Moone be cléere when it is foure or fiue dayes olde: if it lighten after Sunne-set without thunder: if the dewe fall in great abundance and in the rising ascend vp to the mountaines: if the North winde blow strong: if the Owle doe whup much and not scrytch: if flyes at night play much in the Suns beames: if Crowes flocke much together, and cakell and talke: if Bats flye busily vp and downe after Sunne-set, if you sée Cranes flye high, and water-Fowle make their haunts farre off from the water, all these are most certaine signes of very faire weather which will follow after.
Signes of Winter.
If water-Fowle forsake the Water: if the Nightingale sing more then other Birds, if Cranes flocke together, if Géese fight for their féeding place, or if Sparrowes call very earely in the Morning, any of these are certaine signes that winter is néere at hand.
Signes of the Spring.
If the West winde blowe freshly Morning and Euening: if the colde abate and loose much of his vigor, if Swallowes begin to come in and flye busily about, if the brest-bone of the Mallard or Woodcocke looke white and cléere, any of these are certaine signes that the Spring is at hand.
Signes of a hot Sommer.
If the Ramme ride in the Spring, and shew more then an vsuall lust: if the Spring haue beene very extraordinarilycolde, or if Mildewes fall not in the Woodland-Countryes, any of these are certaine signes of a hot Summer to follow after.
Signes of a long Winter.
If you shall sée the Oake leaden with Akornes: if the brest-bone of the Mallard when he is kild looke red: if Hornets be séene after the end October, or if Cattell doe trample and tread the earth much, making it myrie, or like a new plowde field: any of these are most certaine signes that the Winter will be sharpe, long, and cruell.
Signes of a forward or backward yeer.
If there fall much Raine before October, by meanes whereof many inundations doe follow, and that such wet lye long aboue ground: it is a most infallible token that the yéere will be very forward: but if the wet doe fall after October then it is a signe that the yéere will be indifferent, but and if the wet fall after Nouember, then it is held for most certaine that the yéere will fall out very slacke and backeward.
Signes of a good or bad yeere.
If the Oke Apples, when they are opened, bréed flyes, or if Haruest be seasonable, and the Spring warme: if Snow fall in February: if Broome put forth great store of Flowers: if the Walnut-trée haue more blossoms then leaues: if the flower of the Sea-Onion wither not quickly, or if the Spring be preserued from frosts and blasting, then any of these are certaine signes that the yéere will proue passing good and fruitfull: but if the Oake Apple bréede instéed of a Flye a Spyder: if Comets or Meteors oppresse the Ayre: if the Sommer fall out vnnaturally moyst: if the dewes when they fall at the rising of the Sunne descend to the Riuers: if frosts come in vnseasonable times: if wood-Birds flye to the plaines, and refuse couert: if the Sunne haue his whole body, or at least thrée parts Ecclipsed: when Corne beginneth to bloome, and is not fully Kirneld, then any of these be most certaine signes that the yéere will proue bad, barrayne, & fruitlesse.
Signes from Christmas day.
Againe, if Christmas day shall fall vpon the Sunday, the yéere shall be good, seasonable and abounding with all store and plenty: if it fall vpon Munday the yéere shallbe reasonable temperate and fruitfull, onely something subiect to inundation of waters, losse by shipwracke, and some mortality of people, especially women in childbearing: if it fall vpon Tuesday, the yéere will proue very barraine and vnfruitfull, much dearth will raigne, and amongst people great plague and mortallitie: if it fall vpon Wednesday, the yéere shall be reasonably seasonable, though a little inconstant: there shall be plenty of all things, onely much sickenesse, and great likelyhood of warres: if it fall vpon the Thursday, the yéere shall be generally very temperate and wholesome, onely the Sommer subiect to moistnesse, much deuision is like to fall amongst the Clergie, and women shall be giuen to more laciuiousnesse then at other seasons: if it fall on the Friday, the yéere shall be barraine and vnwholesome, for sickenesse shall rage with great violence, much mortallitie shall fall amongst yong Children, and both Corne and Cattell shall be scarce, and of a déere reckoning: if it fall on the Saturday, the yéere shall be reasonably good and plentifull, onely the people of the world shall be excéeding peruerse, & much giuen to mutinie & dissention one against another.
Signes from the Sunne rising.
Againe, if the Sunne rise without impediment, and shine bright and cléere vpon Christmas day, the yéere will be very plentifull: if it rise likewise cléere the second day in Christmas, then Corne will fall in price: if it rise cléere the third day in Christmas, there will onely be dissention in the Church: if on the fourth day, it foreshewes trouble vnto yong persons: if on the fift day, it shewes that many good things will increase: if on the sixt, doubtlesse euery Garden will bring forth great plenty: if on the seauenth, then is much dearth and scarcitie to be feared: if it shine cléere on the eyght day in Christmas, then there is likely to be great store of Fish: if on the ninth, it will doubtles proue a good yéere for all manner of Cattell: if on the tenth, the yéere is likely to yéeld much cause of mourning: if on the eleauenth, there will fall much fogges, thicke mistes, and great infection will follow after.Lastly, if the Sunne shine cléere the twelfth day after Christmas, it fore-shewes much warre and troubles, with great losse and bloudshed.
Signes from the twelue dayes in Christmas.
Againe, according to these former obseruations, you shall vnderstand, that what weather shall fall or be on the sixe and twentieth day of December, the like weather shall be all the moneth of Ianuary after, what shall be on the seauen and twentieth of December, the like shall be all the moneth of February following: what weather shall be on the eight and twentieth day of December, the like weather shall be all March following: what weather shall be the nine and twentieth day of December, the same shall be all Aprill after: what on the thirtieth, the same all May: what on the one and thirtieth the like all Iune following: what weather shall fall on the first of Ianuary, the same shall be all Iuly after: what on the second of Ianuary, the same all August after: what on the third, the same all September after: what on the fourth, the same all October following: what on the fift, the same all Nouember after, and what weather shall fall on the sixt of Ianuary, which is Twelft-day, the same weather shall fall all December following.
Signes from SaintPaulsday.
Againe, if SaintPaulsday proue fayre, dry and bright, it foresheweth plenty of all things the yéere following: but if it be misty then it shewes great dearth of Cattell. If there fall vpon that day Snow or Raine, then it shewes Famine and Want of Corne, but if it be windy, tempestuous, or if it thunder, then it sheweth that great warres will follow.
Signes fromMaudlin, and SaintSwythensday.
Againe, looke what quantitie of raine falleth eyther onMary Maudlinsday, or on SaintSwithensday, be it more or lesse, the same proportion will fall for the space of forty dayes after: but if these two dayes be fayre and dry all the time of Haruest will be so also.
If Corne shall be cheape or deare.
Now if you will know whether Corne shall be cheape or déere, take twelue principall graynes of Wheate out of the strength of the eare, vpon the first day of Ianuary,and when the harth of your Chimney is most hot, swéepe it cleane, then make a stranger lay one of those Graynes on the hot hearth, then marke it well, and if it leape a little, Corne shall be reasonably cheape, but if it leape much then Corne shall be excéeding cheape, but if it lye still and moue not, then the price of Corne shall stand, and continue still for that Moneth: and thus you shall vse your twelue Graines, the first day of euery Moneth one after another, that is to say, euery Moneth one Graine, and you shall know the rising and falling of Corne in euery Moneth, all the yéere following.
Signes from Thunder.
If it shall thunder much the first Sunday of the New-yéere, it shewes great death and mortallitie amongst learned men: if it thunder the first Munday, it shewes great death of women, and many Eclipses of the Sunne: if it thunder on the first Tuesday, it shewes plenty of Corne, but much Warre and dissention: if it thunder on the first Wednesday, it shewes mortallitie and death amongst the worst sort of people, both Male and Female, besides much Warre and bloudshed: if it thunder on the first Thursday in the New-yéere, it sheweth much plenty of Corne that will follow: if it thunder on the first Friday, it betokeneth the losse of great personages, and men of authoritie, many affrayes and murthers, with much perill and danger. Lastly, if it thunder vpon the first Saturday in the New-yéere, it foresheweth onely a generall plague and infection, which shall raigne with strong violence.
Signes of sicknes or health.
If you shall perceiue the Summer and Spring time to fall out very moyst and rainy, without winde, yet in their owne natures very hot & scortching, or if the Southerne or Southwest-winde blow much without raine: if many fogs and mists fall in the Morning, and ouercome the Sunnes beames at noone also: if the Sunne suffer any large Eclipse: if Autumne and Winter be more foggy then moyst or cold: if the Dowe or Leauen, of which you mould your bread, doe quickely mould and cleaue together without labour: if Dogs runne madde, if Birdsforsake their nests: if Shéepe rot: if Fennes, Marrish-grounds, and muddy places abound with Frogges: if Mud-wals bréede Swine lice or Sowes: if Moales forsake the earth: if the small Pocks or Meazels be rife and abound in the Spring time, or if women generally doe miscarry in childe-bedde, any of these are most certaine signes of much sickenesse and mortallitie that will follow the yéere after: and all such signes as are directly contrarie to any of these, as if the Summer and Spring doe fall out drye and windy: if the South or Southwest-winde bring with it euer rayne: if no fogs or mists oppresse the ayre, and so forth of all the rest which are before shewed, are most certaine and infallible tokens of a very wholesome and healthfull yéere, which will euer follow after.
The preseruation of health.
Now for the preseruation of your health, and to preuent all such sickenesses as are incident to follow in these casuall and daungerous yéeres: through euery seuerall moneth in the yéere you shall obserue these few precepts.
First, in the month of Ianuary you shall forbeare to let bloud, vnlesse vpon violent extreamitie, & that the signes be excéeding good for the same, you shall drinke white wine in the morning fasting, & rub your head with a course Towell very hard, but yet cleane, for it is a most wholesom friction.
In the month of February, you shall not let bloud for wantonnesse, but néede: you shall forbeare Hearbe-pottage, for at that time onely they are least wholesome: you shall kéepe the soles of your féete from wet, and vse euery morning your former friction.
In the moneth of March, the signe being good, you may let bloud according to your youth, strength, and necessitie: you may take hot and swéet meats and drinkes, especially Almonds, Figs & Reyzins, & vse also your former friction.
In the month of Aprill, you may bléed as in the month of March: in it also you may purge, by the order of a learned directer: let your dyet be hot and fresh meats, and your drinke temperate: also in this moneth your former friction is excéeding wholesome.
In the month of May be no sluggard, for the bed is vnwholesome, cléerified Way is this moneth a most soueraigne drinke, and Sage with swéet Butter is a most excellent breakefast: yong Lettuce is an approued good Sallet, and the inthrals or offall of Beasts would by all meanes be refused, it is also good to let bloud in this month onely for necessitie, and not for pleasure, and beware by all means, not to go wetshooed in the dew of the morning.
In the month of Iune obserue the dyet of May, or if you be of youthfull bloud it is not amisse if it be a little cooler, and for bléeding let it be for vrgent necessitie.
In the month of Iuly eschew all wanton bed-sport: and if each morning you take of draught of clarified Butter-Milke it is very wholesome: vse coole Iulyps, and meats that are fresh, and not stirring: now forbeare Lettice, and bléede not, except it be in cause of great extreamitie.
In the month of August forbeare all manner of Worts, and Cabadges, and generally all meats and Spices which are hot and inflaming: but by any meanes bléed not at all, except by the direction of most approued learning.
In the month of September you may eate any sort of ripe Fruits: you may bathe in hot bathes, for colde causes, at your pleasure, and you may let bloud according to your necessitie: those foods are best which are of lightest disgestion, and those drinkes most wholesome which are rather strong then scouring.
In the moneth of October, spare not any bloud, except great extreamitie compell you, and for your dyet, let it be of such foods as are most strong and nourishing, and your drinke Béere or Ale, of indifferent strength, and now and then at the midst, and end of meales, a draught or two of such Wines as are pleasant, strong, and wholesome: Sallets of Flowers, preserued in Vinegar & Sugar, as either Violets, Broome-flowers, or Gelly-flowers of all kindes, or Sampyre, Purslan, or Beane-rods, preserued in pickell, are of excellent vse, both in this moneth, and the other two which follow.
In the Moneth of Nouember open also no vaine, but for great néed, because the blood is then gathered together into the principall vessels: Bathing in this Moneth is vtterly to be refused, onely let your body be kept warme, and euery colde humour or obstruction, rather dissolued by moderate frictions, as is shewed in the moneth of Ianuary and February, then by the violence of any other inward medicine. Shell-Fish in this moneth is very wholesome, and so are all other sorts of Fish, which are not too rawe or slymie.
In the Moneth of December blood-letting should be also forborne, except vpon some especiall dayes, as after the fiue and twentieth day at the soonest: and for your diet let it be meate which is hot and nourishing, but by no meanes that which bréedeth melancholie bloud. Vse strong Wine and sharpe Sauces: as for the warmth of your body, next vnto good cloathing, let it euer procéed from exercise that is moderate, then from toasting, or broiling your selfe against the fire, for in this Month that body can hardly be sound whose shinnes are made pyde and motley with the fiers scortching.
And thus much touching the experience of the English Husbandman in these fore-knowledges, and ayming after the times to come, being drawne from the obseruations and rules left vs by succession of times of those learned Fathers, and other best knowne and approued in these knowledges: yet I doe not binde euery Husbandman to make as it were new Créeds of these Principles, but onely to giue them to his memory, as things that will neither oppresse nor hurt it, and if in any seldome-séene particularitie, any shall vary from the purpose of the relation, to remember that there is aboue vs a God of all Truth and Knowledge, who will dispose and gouerne all things, according to his good Will and Pleasure: to which let euery Creature submit, in as much as hee onely knoweth what is for mankinde most best and most conuenient.