Of LVNA, or the Moone,

AS Sol or the Sunne is the Beauty, Grace, and Countenaunce of y ^e day: so in like sorte is Luna, or the Moone the com­forter, light geuer, and glory of the night. And they both haue for this such their Graci­ousnes and goodnes, the greatest prehemi­nence and accoumpte of all other Planets. Whereupon it was not wont good cause, and consideration that in olde and auncient time, both of these when at any tyme they [Page]were Depictures or drawen forth by any Artificer, Engrauer, or Paynter, they were then chiefly set out in y ^e fashion, seem­linesse or Habite of a Virgin: and in both their handes were placed and put fine and feate Arrowes, or dartes, to signifie there­by that the light which proceeded frō these two, was onely cleare, vndefiled, and with­oute spot: and that these were the onely Planets which threwe as it were, and cast from them the glistering beames of cleare and comfortable lighte, as Arrowes or Dartes: whereby all things cheared, and continued the better in their Estate, wyth well lyking. LVNA hovv cal­led. This same Luna therefore is with the Poets called Lucina the Gouer­nour or Goddesse of the nyghte. And for that she doth not onely appeare or shyne in the night time, but is seene oftentimes o­uer our heade in our Horizon in the day time. It is growne to a custome, and brought nowe amonge vs to this passe & ef­fect, y ^t shee is also of some called Diana (as if you woulde say Duana) for her thorow presence both in y ^e day & night: or as Tul­ly better reasoneth, for that shee with her bright looke oftentimes causeth y ^e night to appeare as though it were day. This of al [Page 7]y ^e other planets is placed lowest, & is nigh­est to y ^e Earth, for which cause she sheweth forth & seemeth vnto our eyesight to bee so great: her figure or fashiō of body is roūd, & of her own nature she is fiery, although casually intermedling w ^t vapors, water, & so forth, she appeareth to be in colour wate­ry, which much troubleth her: whereupō it is reported y ^t (were it not for such lettes, & hinderaunces, as by this meanes it is sub­iect vnto) she would shyne forth as fully as doth the Sunne, The Hebrewes call it. TSAR, or LECANNATH: the Greekes [...]. She geueth her chiefest light on y ^t side or part which is opposite against the Sun, & is euer darkned on y ^t side which is turned away frō the Sun. In y ^e Moone be 3. states or cōditions to be obserued & wai­ghed: y ^t is to say, Three stares in the Moōe to be no­ted. either as she is in coniūc­tion w ^t the Sun: or els as she is on some of his sides, or els as shee departeth & goeth backe furder of from y ^e Sun. Whē the is in this last of 3. point, she will appeare end wise, with her hornes reaching towards y ^e East. Secōdly as she is in oppositiō w ^t the sun and draweth nighe to that pointe, shee appeareth all ouer a like rounde with the [Page]Sūne, but her reuolution then is most to­warde the West. And lastly as on eyther side shee turneth more or lesse towardes the Sunne, so is shee the more obscured or lightned. Marcianus sayth that there is a certayne Stayne or Spot euer seene in the Moone, which blemisheth her brightnesse greatly: especially thē, when as some mat­ter of Mystes, or of any other Metecre is troublesome vnto her. Her house is onely in Cancer, Her exaltacion is in the fourth of Taurus, Her qualies are cold & moiste. As likewise her effectes or workinge is to make colde and moyste. Where she colou­reth she geueth a saffron colour: & in tastes or sauoures she worketh & maketh the sal­test. Her course or race is of all other Pla­nets most swift: her course for in 28. dayes she passeth through all and singuler Signes of the Zo­diacke. And for such her swiftnes or haste it happeneth somewhiles y ^t shee is vnder y ^e Sunne, another while aboue: one while she is before, another while behinde. And when as the Sunne is in his course or cir­cuite by the nethermost circles of y ^e south, and the Moone contrariwise in the highest circle of y ^e North, then the top of y ^e Moone [Page 8]appeareth like a Cockbote or small ship, and her hornes are vpwarde. But when as she is vnder the Sūne, her hornes giue downewarde towardes the earth. From y ^e Moone are gathered and coniectured cer­taine probable signes, Certayne prognosti­cations from the Moone. whereby we prog­nosticate and foreshewe of the alteratiō of times & mutability of the weather to come. As when the Moone by and by after her chaunge doth appeare red, shee prognosti­cateth wyndes and tempestuous weather, the most parte of the sayde Moones conti­nuance. Agayne if vpon her chaunge shee incontinently at her Top or highest parte looketh blacke, or be there darckened shee foresheweth rayne, and a wet & moyste first quarter. But if shee bee onely obscured a­bout y ^e middle of her, shee prognosticateth a fayre full Moone and last quarter of the same. The Eclypse of the Moone is gene­rally caused through the interposition of y ^e earth betwene the Moone & our eyesight: The Moones Eclypse. but then especially is she Eclipsed when as the bodies both of the Sunne, Moone, and Earth are right oppositly set one ouer an­other, in one & the selfe same contrary line: so that by such occasion, one darckeneth and [Page]obscureth another. Her chaunge, increase, and decrease, hath much troubled the wits of y ^e Astronomers. As hardly also can they render a reason & geue forth the cause why one while shee croketh in to hornes, why another while she wexeth all rounde, why one while she shyneth in one parte of her, why another she geueth light al ouer why now she is seene all night, why now but a piece of y ^e night: why now leauing y ^e nighte time, shee sheweth her selfe onely in y ^e day time: why now shee is cleare and radiant, why anon blotted and blemished: why now caried Northwarde, why anon mooninge directly Southward. Which al and other such like meruaylons and straunge effects and properties (are reported by Plinie in his second booke and eight chapter to haue bene best obserued by Endymion being as is there sayde, rauished & in great loue for such her astonishmēt, fel so to affectionate her, that accomptinge more of her then of all the other Supercoelestiall powres, shee to requite him like loue agayne, is sayd to haue discended on a time and to haue kissed the sayd Endymion as he lay a sleepe vp­on Latmus, & Mountayne in Caria, Plinie [Page 9]in his fourtenth chapter of the aforesayde boke doth report, y ^t alwaies at the Moones increase, her hornes are turned from the Sunne: as contrariwise as she decreaseth shee turneth her hornes toward the Sun. Many Moones at once. There haue appeared Many Moones at once, but neuer more thē three at one time. And three appeared at one tyme manifest­ly: as in the secōd booke of the sayd Plinie and xxxii. chapter is recorded: that is to say, in y ^e tyme of the preheminēce or consul­ship of Cneius Domitius, Three moones seene at one tyme. and Lucius An­nius: which were called of some then, the night Suns. Likewyse it hath bene seene & y ^e same Author doth affirm it to be true, lib. 2. cap. 32. that there hath appeared such lightes in y ^e night, as that it hath bene in a manner all one with the day light. As for example: In the tyme of Caius Cecilius and Cneius Papirius, they beyng consuls, Lights in the Night like the day, vvhē, such lights were seene in the night, as that the bright­nes thereof could not be discerned from the brightnes of the noone day. And at diuers other tymes in ages and yeares synce, such straunge sights ther haue bene seene, such sightes in the Night, as men haue suppo­sed it to haue bene day. There haue bene [Page]also Bucklers of fyre sene glisteryng from the West to the Easte, Bucklers of fier. and of all these the most greuous of others to behold, & which bred greatest wonder hapned in the tyme of the Consulship of Lucius Valerius and Cneius Marius. Fiery flames There hath also ben seene and be often as yet in y ^e night, fiery flames or burninges in the element or ayre, which haue shewed forth diuers and sundry like­nesses: so that some of thē haue bē thought to haue resembled and to bee like vnto a Candle or Torch burning: Torches. Fiery bea­mes. Fiery speares. Svvordes. Fery darts some like vnto fiery beames: some like vnto pillers set on fire: some are after y ^e fashiō of speares: som shewing forth the likenes of swords: some not much vnlike horses manes: some shewing forth the likenes of hornes: some as it were fiery darts. And al these & such other like apparitiōs in y ^e ayre which in Greeke by a general and more common name are called Eupicaumata, do appear for y ^e most parte in the calme & cleare night, although somewhile some of these are seene in y ^e day time. And all these aryse euer vnder the globe or circle of the Moone. The proofe whereof herein is manifeste, for that they continue not in one and the self same place [Page 10]long, but moue with a swift passage, & are caryed away with the violēce of y ^e moones motion. Wee shall not therefore greatlye go astray if we gieue forth y ^e cause of these apparitions and sights, and do declare the maner and matter of theyr engendring.

Causes hereof.The efficient cause of these fiery impres­sions bred and ingendred through heat, is the sunne, and the rest of the bodies celesti­all: which in theyr motions as they labour in their course, caste from them excessyue heate vpon these bodies, and places below here subiected: Which heat catcheth and carieth vp into the ayre all such exhalatiōs (which of thēselues also be hoat and dry) as are ready for such receipt. Then the ma­teriall cause is nothing els but such kynd of Exhalation: euen as wodde is the mat­ter of fyre, & oyle of the flame. Now theyr generation is after this sorte: The Earth being throughly warmed through y ^e sunne and the other starres, doth thereupon cast from her and send forth, a double kind of spiration of breathyng: one kynd very dry accordynge as the places from whych it is sente forthe, bee drye: and this kynd of exhalation being naturally hoate and [Page]drye is much like vnto that fume or smoke which proceedeth from stickes or wood set on fyre and kyndled. Secondly by such heat raysed from the Sunne and Starres, a­foresayde, there is fetched from such pla­ces as be moyst, an other more grosse, kind of fume, hot and moyst, which is called a vapour like vnto that maner of euaporati­on which commeth frō the seething water. These two caught vp into the ayre, and be­yng there diuersly placed and set on worke, by the element of the sire (vnto which, the first sort called exhalations do eftsones ap­proach and come neere) do cause straunge sightes in the Regions of the Ayre, for the exhalations beinge both ayry & fyery, are sone kyndled and set on fyre, & become flames, and fierye impressions: euen as the drie snast of a candel, or as the fare and [...]lunge sticke is soone set on flame. For the flame of any thing is nothinge els, but the fume of the same already kindled: and it is so soone kindled because it is of a drye and fyery nature. Now the fashion and forme of the fiery flames seene often tymes bur­ning in the element, do vary and differ one from another, as they haue more aboun­dance of such matter of exhalation or lesse, [Page 11]as they are placed also in other & contrary order. Burning lampes. For when such exhalation is disper­sed in breadth, and discontinued, there ap­peare as it were burning lampes: & whē the same is fy [...]red round, and casteth from it sparcles, then such impression is after a goate, and is so called: when that doth not sparcle, but burneth greate aboue & smal below, it is called a fyrebrande. Firebrand And that kynd of exhalation which burneth both in breadth and length, and moueth apace in y ^e ayre, leauing after it som steps of his bur­ning, and as it were marking the way as it goeth, is called a flying starre, Flying starres. which is wont to appeare on a sodaine: & forthwith to vanish out of sighte. These exhalations as they come nigh to the Elemente of the fyre, or as they bee in the highest region of the ayre, which is next to the fire, bee as it were gunpowder nighe the match, or as brymstone, or towgh put hard to the fyre: which, what expedition is in them, to con­sume all along, it is euident by experience and common sense. But these and al other impressions haue theire names of those thinges which they most figurate, and re­present. And as in the cleere night by such matter of exhalation hot and drye, caryed [Page]vp to the highest region of the ayre, & the [...] kindled, such burning flames do eftsoones appeare: so somewhile through the lyghte onely of the sunne and starres, the element onely appeareth coloured: And these co­lours there seene are called Phantasmata. For when the light stayed in any myst cā ­not go forth abroade, Coloures seene in the ayre. or proceede directly, but is fayne to harbour there onely, and to disperse it selfe into the sides, and nexte partes thereof: then doth there shew forth colours of all sortes: somewhiles white, somewhiles blacke: but most often a saffrō colour, and next to that a sanguine or blou­dy colour. For these colours for this cause causeth such diuersity, as white nighe and next vnto blacke or intermedled therwith: or as the flame seemeth oftentimes moste straunge through the straungenes of the fumes thereof. Gaspings & gapings in the aire So the cause of gaspynges gapynges and gulphes sene oftentimes in the ayre riseth vpō the same occasion, part­ly that the fiery impressions or flames of fyre afore rehearsed do, and partly vpon y ^e occasion of the colours seene in the ayre, & last spoken of. There is seene oftentymes also in the starlight nights vnder y ^e moone [Page 12](as somewhiles also vnder the sunne and starres) as it were a garland called of the Greekes Halon, in Latine Corona, Halon or garland of the moone whych is engendred through a refraction of the sight in watery Cloudes, as diuerse other apparitions are. But then specially doth this garland shew about the Moone, When it shevveth chiefely whē some vniforme cloude be [...]ow which is on all sides alike thicke or thin, is placed di­rectly vnder the moone: so that her beames coueting to perse and go through y ^e same, are there stil kept and retayned, or els are beaten backe by the force of the cloude: and so shee being letted therein to go any further directly, disperseth her beames a­longe by the outmost sides of the clowde: by which refractiō there appeareth either right vnder her or vnder som star, a great circle, greately illumined or lightned in a maner of a white garlād This sighte also is somtimes vnder the sun, & the other pla­nets: but most oftē vnder the Moone. For the sun through his extream & feruēt heat doth disperse & sunder y ^e matter of such a cloud, & doth not suffer it long to abide vn­der him: but y ^e moone hath not such force of dispersing, & therfore this appartiō stayeth the more easely vnder her.

So like wise son [...]whyles wee shal see this halon or garlande about same starres▪ Halo, or garland of the stars. but that is, when betweene those starres & vs, ther is oppositely set some harren & weake clowde, which is vnfytt to the generation of wynd or rayne. For if the clowdes were thicke and warry, it were not possible for vs (as daylye experience approueth it) al­most to haue sighte of, or to beholde the starres themselues.

Now as the poets also make mētion, ther is besydes all these straunge sightes in the element which do appeare most in the night tyme, a peece or parte of the Skye, keeping away all a longe in colour mylke whyte, of the Gretians called Galaxia, and latined via lactea. Galaxia, or milky vvay. Which part of the Skye (as they say) was once burnt by the vndiscrete dealinge of Phaeton: Paethon. who desi­ring to take vpon him an enter prise which was very vnfit for him, and wherof he had no skill, that is, to rule hie father Phoebus charyots and horses, by not keeping y ^e due order and way in dryuing of them, ascēded and went vp so hie, nigh to the pallaice of Iupiter, y ^t hee had like to haue set y ^e same on fyre with the Sun: but as it happened [Page 13](say they) that matter beyng espyed & pre­uented in tyme, the most misfortune y ^t then befel, was that this Phaeton burnt a peece of the Skye, which appeareth vnto vs, to he as it were a whole streete. But what this ymaginatiō of the poet herein purpor­teth, that I passe and pretermit: onely the truth of this whyte coloured, milkye, and streetlyke sight of the ayre, is through this occasion. There is vndonbtedly a certayne part or portiō of heauē, in which the light of many starres ioyntly lodged, and recei­ued by a refraction from them all do cause this whyte coloured appearaunce. Aristo­tle sayth, that it proceedeth, or rather she­weth forth by the meanes of some receyp [...] of light, happening vpon an exhalation, y ^t is hot, and drye, [...]d thinne withall. The cause why these nightly sights, as also why the starres themselues are not seene of vs to skyne in the day tyme, is for that y ^e Sun letteth the same, by whose great light, the lesser light of the starres and other ayriall sightes are obscured and darkened, euē as the quicke cole be it neuer so litle, yet in y ^e night tyme is seene of vs in his full shyne, but beyng greace, and shyping out withall [Page]& thorowly quicke, & aliue yet in y ^e broade day light beyng put in an open place, doth rather seme dead thē aliue, & doth neither geue light norshine vnto vs, & al is because it lyeth as it were & yeeldeth it selfe to the Sunsmore noble light, and most gloryous shyne: euē so doth the starres and al other impressions in the ayer, absēt & kepe them selues from our sight, all the tyme that y ^e sun is here cōuersant among vs in her such superexcellēt glory. But let vs returne to the effect of y ^e Mone in the other creatures here below: and first let vs begin to cōsider a little vnto what disposition shee frameth those mē which be subiected & borne vnder her constellatiō. The Lu­nists hovv disposed. Touching the inclination of all such parties which bee borne vnder Luna, or y ^e Moone, they be naturally mu­table & mouable, without fidelity and con­stancy, geuen to prouoke much anger and & discord betwene friends: they be also ve­ry enuyous, agreeued with the prosperi­ty and good fortune of others: they bee al­so ful of hatred, and in their conuersation and manner of lyfe they be verye childish. The colbure of these commonlye is a pale or whyte colour, althoughe now and then [Page 14]they haue therw ^tal a little red intermedled Their face is roūd, their stature indifferēt their eies black, & their browes wrinkled. And as in mā y ^e chiefest creature, y ^e Moone hath this scope or sway: so likewyse it hath as greate force in the bodyes of bruite Beastes, and in them woorketh at her owne wil such straunge effectes as bee no lesse to be meruayled at. The profe wherof the Panther geueth forth, whose body is al­togeather ordered by the Moones dyrec­tion: Panther for (as Agrippa sayth) he caryeth, or weareth the very badge or patterne of the moone vppon his shoulder: which conti­nueth and vanisheth euerye moone accor­dingly as the Moone her selfe doth eyther encrease or decrease.

The lyke argument is of Cynocephalus, Cynoce. phalus. (whom some make one of the kyndes of Apes) other some English ye the Baby­on. Of this Horus APOLLO wry­teth, that hee pisseth twelue tymes in the Day, and twelue tymes urthe night. And that in the wane of the Moone (du­rynge all the tyme that shee is darkened) hee coutinually lamenteth neuer eatynge [Page]any thing at all: Whereby he playnly pro­nounceth what parte and rule the Moone hath in him, ouer his whole hodye: vnder y ^e gouernemēt of the Moone is also the chā ­geable Cameleon, which turneth her selfe into what colour shee lysteth: Cameleō. Vnder her are also the Badger, the Otter, and what­soeuer kindes which liue and doe engender monstruously. Cat. The Catte also whose eyes do wexe either greater or lesse at the con­tinuance and chaunge of the Moone, doth manifestly declare what right the Moone hath in the same. Likewise waspes which arise of the deade carcases of horses: and Bees which do breede of the deade bodies of beastes or Kyne: Betell. Betels which come of the flesh of Asses, do al in their being and continuance depend vpon the Moone: And especially that kinde of Betse which hath as it were two Hornes, and which is also made and proportioned in the eucke like a bull: whose propertie is such that at the be ginng of euery new moone in the sommer and sprynge time chiefly, shee seeketh af­ter and getteth certayne shels wherin she bestoweth some of her seede, which done, she hydeth and burieth the same in y ^e earth [Page 15]and so leaueth the same there 28. dayes (in which time the Moone goeth throughe the whole zodiacke, & finisheth her ful course) and the 29. day which is the pryme of the Moone againe, shee retourneth to y ^e place where those shels were buried, and taketh them forth: and carieth them to the water, where they afterwardes take and receyue life, & come to the perfection of their kind. The Harte also and the Swine, the Dog and the Goate, bee all seruiable vnto the Moone. Amongest fowles subiected to the Moone, are the Crane, y ^e Gose, the Duck, Cormorat the Cormorant, whose property is to diue vnder the water to take fish, and by oftē di­uing perceiuing Signes of Tempestes to come, she sodainly w ^t a gret noise & cry getteth her away frō y ^e water, & seketh where to hide her. Belonging also to the Moone amongst fishes are, y ^e Creuis or Crabsish: The fysh Torpedo or the Torpede which maketh the takers hands num or dead for a time: Likewise Oysters, Torpede and all shaled fysh: Moreouer the fishe Echeneis whych hath prickels in stead of sins and feete, and neither swimmeth nor goeth, but rubleth. Likewyse Aelurus whose [...]yen alter after [Page]the alteration of the Moone amongest Plantes. And fyrst of Trees, in her holde is the Palme tree, which at euery chaūge shooteth forth a new slippe: lykewyse rose­marye, the Oliue tree, and such lyke.

There is also a certayne Plant, or Herbe called of the Greekes Selenotropion, Selenotropion. that turneth rounde with the Moone, as Heli­otropion, lykewyse turneth rounde with y ^e Sunne. Chinostares an Herbe also, doth not onelye varye in her tast, goodnes, and virtue, according to the dispositione of the Moone, but getteth & loseth more or lesse, of her substance and number of leaues, as the moone getteth, or looseth of her lighte. Proper to her also amongest Pretious stones or gemmes, is the Christal, the syl­ner Marcasite, and all those whose colour is white or greene. Moreouer the precious Selenite, Selenite. which for like qualities with the Mooue, hath with her almost one, and the selfe same name: whose colour is much like hony, and which lesseneth and waxeth byg, accordinge to the pryme, and wane of the Moone. Hers is also the Magaryte, and all other perles, which engender by a cer­tayne [Page 16]heauenly dewe, within the enclosure of certayne shelfishes. In this state also is the Berill: and amongest metalles, onely Syluer: and amongest tastes and sauours that which is saltest or most fulsome: amō ­gest the superfluities, or excrements of the body, sweate, fleume, Countries subiect to Luna. and grosnes or fat­nes. Amongest the Elementes the water with all fountaynes, floods and such like. prouinces also and kyngdomes vnder her dominion and rule are Bythinia, Phrigia, Colchos, Numidia, Aphrick, and all Car­thage.

OF MERCVRY. the second Planet

NExt aboue Luna or the Moone is Mercury, which alwaies go­eth with the sun, and is neuer a­way from the sun more then 30. degrees. This planet is accompted the fa­ther, workeman, or procurer of eloquence and good wit: & causeth the senses of those bodies which are subiected to him to bee dextere and pregnaunt. So that those whych bee borne under hys constella­tion, [Page]as hee gouerneth alone: are lightly & for the most part rethoricall, well spoken, and very wise, Mercury his dispo­sition. applying their wisedom to good and honest endes. But as he is ioy­ned with Saturne or Mars, hee procureth an abuse of the same good and commenda­ble giftes, and conuerteth them to bestow both their eloquence and wits to the hurt and harme of others: as also to stirre vp stryfes, discorde, quareling, tumultes, scis­nies, heresies, and such like. Of such per­uerse natured men, y ^e world (alas) in these dayes is to full of, almost euery where a­bounding: which as they are endued with right excellent giftes both of eloquence, & wisedome, do nothing els therewith (but as the Poet saith well) make thinges that be straight crooked: such as be perfite, and whole, crackte, and brokē: darkening that which is manifest, and thrusting truth out of place: wexe & becom shameles scholemasters of errors. Contrariwise if this Mer­cury be ioined w ^t Iupiter he causeth in the Mercurists a clean cōtrary effect. As wholy to apply & refer the aforesated precious gifts to the inquisition and finding forth of truth, & to the defence of the same: as also [Page 17]to contend in nothing so much as in the ad­uancement of Religion and vertue. The Poets faygne that this Mercury nowe a Planet in heauen, was sometimes Neauy to Atlas, who (as they say) vnderproppeth heauen: and somtimes he is named of thē Hermes, that is an Interpretour, which both geueth plenty of words, as also liber­ty of speach: whereby we vtter the Imagi­nation and conceipt of our mindes. Againe he is called Trismegistus for that hee first found out the knowledge or vse of the li­verall Sciences. Marchaunts vse to haue this Planet in high price, of whom many haue supposed them selues to haue obtay­ned a thorough knowledge and great dex­terity in accoumpting and numbring: vpon him therefore they were wonte to call in their affayres and businesse of Marchaun­dize. And as Mercury when hee was de­paynted or drawen forth in any kynde of sorte, hee was chiefly paynted oute wyth Wynges, and with a Cocke set hard by him, signifying thereby both his celerity and swyftnes in all his busines, as also his Uigilancy and watchfulnesse: So many painefull Marchants in their daungerous [Page]& painefull passages doe continew still this property and practise. Ptolomy sayth that his house or manston is in Gemini, & Vir­go: and his exaltation or ascendent is in y ^e 15. of Virgo. The qualities which he dis­poseth vnto are dyuerse, accordinge to the firste and principall qualities of the other Planets, with whom he is in coniunction. The colors which he worketh are browne, and a darke or dusky colour. He also fathe­reth all sharpe sauoures.

Those that be borne vnder Mercury are Lusty, and lyking, and valiant of body: but of slippery and chaungeable mindes. Mercury­alists. The colour of their Face is after a browne, be­twene white and blacke: their Face is al­so somewhat long: they are also of a highe and broade foreheade: their eyes comely, and rowling: their Nose flat: their Beard, thinne, and their Fyngers long.

This Mercury (for seeming to striue w ^t Venus his next neyghbour in place, aboue him, to cōmunicate in certaine qualities of righte belonging vnto her) is imagined of the Poets to haue forced and rauyshed her. The Hebrewes calleth him MACID: The Greekes [...]. He runneth ouer y ^e [Page 18]zodiack in 336. dayes. Subiected to Mercury are all those kindes of Beasts which be of sharp sense, & which be witty, strong, and lusty: and which be also of a chaunge­able nature and of swifte pace, and which couet to be conuersant among men: as the Ape, the Foxe, the Scurrell, the Weasel, the sheepe, the Cony, & the Hart: likewise all such as be of a confused nature & kinde: Among Byrdes and Foweles of the ayre. He hath in his Domynion all such as bee most subtile and wily, as also those that be of shyrll voyce and of pleasaunt note, as y ^e Larke, the Lynnet, the Birde Ficedula which lyueth & feedeth cheifly vpon Figs and grapes: also y ^e Blackmacke, the Ma­nys or Thrust, the Parret, the Popiniay, and the Bird Ibis: among fishes he chalen­geth the fishe called Trochus which is of one onely kinde, Troch [...] and conceyueth and engē ­dred of it selfe alone, through which occasi­on it is called Masculofaeminina, that is, both Male, and Female: likewise the wyly and crafty Polypus which is so crafty that it is seldome taken.

Amonge Planets, and chiefly amonge Trees, the Hasell, & Filburd tree be his: [Page]And among hearbes, Cinkfoyl or fiue lea­ued hearve: as also the hearbe Mercury, Fumitory, Pimpernell, Maioram, Parce­ly, and all such hearbes as beare a small & fine lease, and which be also delectably and diuersly colored. Among Precious stones his is the Emeralde, the Smaragde, the Achate, the Porphyrite, the Topaze, and al those which be of a chaungable colour. A­mōg Mettalls is his principally Siluer, & Tinne. Among Humors the thickest and most mixt. Lastly among y ^e Elements hee claymeth the water in dyuerse poyntes of seruice to be his owne proper. This Mer­cury with Gemini (one of the Sygnes or housen wherein he is placed) doth holde & possesse Hircania, Countries subiect to Mercury. & Armenia, with y ^e Re­gions and Prouinces of Marmaricke, and Cyrenaica, as also the lowermost Aegypt. And with Virgo (his other Sygne) he pos­sesseth these Kingdomes and Countreyes, Assyria, Babylon, Mesopotamia, Achaia, Greec, Creet, or Candy, and Elam, of whom y ^e Inhabitāts are called Elamytes. In euery attempt or busines of waight he both hasteneth & setteth forward y ^e meanes thereof: as also helpeth forth to a good ef­fect [Page 19]or successe of the same. Volateranus sayth, that he was begotten of Iupiter, Philolo­giae. lib. 3 and Maia, whose Nephewe S. Augustine say­eth was Trismegistus y ^e Aegyptian, which hath writte so Profoundly, and deepely of Philosophy. Which Mercury as he is the God of Marchaunts and Rethoritians: so is he also of Theeues and Iuglers, which worke vpon deceipt & sleights: he is also a Messenger of the heauenly powres aboue: his Sonnes were Eudorus, whom he had by Polymia as Homer witnesseth: & Myr­tilus, which draue the Horssiter, or Coche of Oenomaus the King: Hermaphrodi­tus, whych was both Man and Woman: Daphnis the Sheephearde, Aethalis. and Aethalis y ^e Cryar, or Beadell, which when hee was deade coulde reuiue himselfe agayne as they say: Argon. which is also Iustified of Apollonius.

Of VENVS the thirde Planet.

VENVS is a faeminin Pla­net very placable and plea­saunt: a pacifier of Mars in his great fury, and malice, & fiery feruency, quieting him with friendly and amiable Aspect, in such wise, as a beautifull and louinge Woman doth appease and still the rage, and anger of her Husband being incensed. Shee al­wayes accompanieth the Sunne: and whē shee goeth before him, and sheweth in our Horizon before the Sun she is called Lu­cifer the bright morning light or day star: Venus hir names. but when she followeth the Sunne, and is seene of vs after the Sūne set she is called Hesperus the star of the night: and so how­soeuer or whēsoeuer she doth appeare shee is the Sunnes Messenger, either that hee is already comming, or that hee is already gone. Whereof this verse of Virgil well witnesseth, whereas hee sayth:

THis VENVS is of a bright shyn­ing colour, being therein of al other starres most acceptable & pleasaunt to the eyesight: and shee is called Venus for venustie and beautifull countenaunce: or (as some ymagine) for y ^t through those qualities and contemperature, which shee naturally planteth in y ^e body (that is to say) heate and moysture, shee causeth burninge Loue, and prouoketh to tickling Lust.

The Hebrewes call her NEGAH­HOTH: The Greekes [...], which signifieth the Fat or Fome of fleshe: for that (as the Poets imagine) she breedeth the Fatnesse of fleshe and Massynesse, or grosenesse of bloude. And they haue it also in opinion that this Venus was bred first and came of the froth or bloude that flow­ed forth from y ^e Priuities of Coelus whom Saturne gelt, and cut of, and threwe them into the sea.

They also maryed her to Vulcane and made her his Wyfe, signifying thereby y ^t pleasure & delighte is as it were wrought and kindled by fire and heare. Martianus sayth, Her coler. that her colour glittereth after the maner of siluer: and that she onely sheweth her selfe vnto vs in the Winter tyme, for in the Summer she is conuersaunt & pre­sent about y ^e Pole Antarticke. Her Man­sion or place of abode is in y ^e Sygnes Tau­rus and Libra, her Exaltation or Ascendēt is in the 26. of Pisces. Those that be borne vnder Venus are amiable, Borne vn­der Venus hovve af­fected. and of merry & sinylinge Looke or countenaunce, greate laughters, very wanton, & such as do great­ly delight in Musicke: they haue also a ve­ry perfect smell and taste, and their voyce is very sweete or defectable. They are al­so geuen much to the composing and mak­ing of sweete Oyntments and Odoures: Their bodies are wel set, and be of proper features: their Faces & vysages are roūd: their hayre yealow, their Eyes glittering and rowling. In conditions they be gentle. curteous, fayre spoken, milde, and modest, meete for all cōpanies: whereupon for such her deseruing towards Mankinde, they of [Page 21]olde time pictured Venus after these sorts following. First they drewe her out in the similitude or lykenesse of a Woman, vpon whose heade stoode a Byrd, which purpor­ted Loue his force: and her Feete were af­ter Aegles feete, signifying the swyftnes of the same: and this woman held in her hand an Arrowe or Darte, noting forth the for­cible stroke or persifenes thereof. Another Image of her they were wont to engraue in the Precious stone Lazulus, which re­presented a fayre and beautifull mayde all vncouered and naked, whose hayre hunge downe a long all ouer her body, who also had a lookinge Glasse in her hande, and a Chayne tyed or fastened to her Necke, by whom stoode a fayre, younge stripling and beautifull, who with his left hand held her fast by the sayd chayne, and with his right hand held her by the hayre: herein perad­uenture noting forth the circumstaunce of Suiters and Wooers, and so forth. Shee had also another manner of Image other wheres: for there were that drew her forth in the habite of an Handmayden or Dam­sell, whose hayre lay scattering aboute her necke, and whose garment hung downe to [Page]her shooe, which were all white and milky coloured: who helde in her right hande a Lawrell braunch, & sometimes an Apple, or els a Posie of sweete and fresh flowers, in her lefthand she held a Combe, where­by is signified that al such as are borne vn­der her, are naturally geuen to bee louers of ciuiluesse and cleanlinesse, and to delight much in pleasant smells & smeete Odours. Vnder her gouernment or rule are al such bruite beastes which are delicate & leache­rous, & which are geuen to excesse of lust: as the Cony, the lesser kinde of Dogs, the Goate & Goatebucke, the bull and al other which are of like set and disposition. Ouer birds of fowles she hath y ^e rule of y ^e Swan, the Wagtayle, the Swallowe, the Spar­row, the Partrich, y ^e Bergander, y ^e Crow, all kindes of Doues, likewise the she Ea­gle, which is of such immoderate lust that being trod xiii. times in a day, Eagle. yet at y ^e call of her Mate is ready to take it agayne. A­monge fishes Venus ruleth ouer the gylt­head or Goldeney, y ^e Merling, y ^e Whiting, & the fishe Cancharus which is Ielous o­uer her Mate, Cancha­ [...]. & striueth often for him. A­mong Plants or Hearbs subiect to her is the Violet, the Malow, the hearbe Venus [Page 22]hayre or goldy lockes, y ^e Lylly, likewise the hearbe Lada or Ledum whose Gum is cal­led Ladanum & most cōmonly Labdanum and is vsed in Pomanders: furthermore al & euery odoriferous thing as is Ambra, which is englished Ambergrise: it is found on the sea shore by a countrey called Zingi in y ^e East part of y ^e world, & is for his gray colour cōmonly called of the Apothecaries Ambergrisia, hereof are made very preci­ous & Cordiall medicines: hetherto belon­geth also the sweete smelling Time, & the spice Saunders: furdermore all such fruits as are pleasant, & of good taste, as y ^e Apple the Hare, y ^e fig, y ^e currant, the date, y ^e Pom­granet, &c. Amonge Precious stones shee chalengeth the Beril, y ^e Chrusolyte, y ^e Sa­phyr, y ^e Iasper, y ^e Cornellys, y ^e pretious Ae­tites the stone Lazulus, y ^e Corall & al such as be beautifull, & of mylke white or gras­sy greene colour: among Mettalls she re­quireth a right in Copper & brasse, & part­ly in siluer: and among sauours y ^t which is sweetest, delicious, & vuctuous is hers: & among humors a part of bloude, as also the whole course of naturall seede is at her dis­posicion: among the Elements she holdeth a porcion in the ayre and also in the water.

Ouer Prouinces, and Kingdomes. First shee rayghneth (as shee is coupled) with Taurus, ouer Cyprus, Parthia, Mede, and Persis, the Cyclades or the fifty Iles in the Sea called Aegeum: And secondly as she is ioyned with Libra, she ruleth ouer Bactri­ana wherein were sometimes very many cities: likewise ouer the People Caspij a people in Tartaria dwelling next unto the sea Caspium: likewise ouer Serica, The­bais, Oasis, & Troglodytis, Agrippa saith that Venus, in all kindes of Creatures purchaseth and procureth Loue betwixte Mate & Mate: and that she laboureth chief­ly the multiplicatiō and increase of seede, to the continuance, and preseruation of the whole kinde, coueting alwayes as nigh as she can, and thereto with mighte & mayne labouringe, to abandon and remooue Barraynnesse out of the way, which coueteth to cut of y ^e Race & conti­nuance of all. This Venus passeth through the Zo­diacke in 348. dayes.

Of SOL, or the Sunne, the fourth Planet.

SOL, or the Sunne is the fourth in place and preheminence a­monge these seuen, & is among them as it were a Ringe in the midst of his Throne, Trayne, and Garde. For vnder him he hath Luna or y ^e Moone, Mercurius, and Venus of whom we haue already spoken: and aboue him in position and place he hath as many, that is toweete Mars, Iupiter, & Saturne. And as it should seeme it was not without great cause and consideration that the Mighty IEHO­VAH, the Maker of Heauen and Earth placed the Sunne in such a proportioned e­quality among them all: Sun plac­ed in the middest a­mong the 7. Planets Wherfore notwithstanding through his excellency he deserueth y ^e high­est roome of prerogatiue and dignity. For if the Sunne which is the most vniuersall cause, and the very beginning & fountayne of light and influence, & also of vitall heat, [Page]to his intemperate heate of heart, maketh them in stomacke to be rather wylde & sa­uage, rather then properly Puissant: and more venturouse rashe, and bolde, then cō ­siderate and Polliticke. For it is y ^e excesse of heate, which burning and boyling with­in a man that bringeth boldnesse and rash­nesse, when as the bloude about the heart is immoderately and to much set on fire.

There is nothing almost gloriously menti­oned in the sacred Scriptures, but y ^e glory thereof is likened & resembled to the Sun: Cap. 17. Apoc. 1. as y ^e Transfiguration of Christe, in which Mathew sayth, his Face did shyne as the Sunne. Sun chaū ­geth co­lour. So Ihon in his Reuelation sayth that he sawe the Face of the Sonne of mā shyning as the Sunne in his greatest glo­ry. (But to ende with these:) This Sol was fabled of the Poets to haue bene Iu­piter, and Latonaes Sonne, who for that he is as it were euery day newly borne, is paynted out in likenes of a younge childe, noting forth thereby that hee is euery day newly rysinge. His property is neuer to shewe vs all the day longe, one and the self same looke: for in y ^e morning whē he riseth he sheweth red, at noone hee sheweth more [Page 25]white, at his going downe or sett, he some­what sheweth wan and pale, but often he appeareth also red. Wheruppon for such diuersity the Poets imagine that hee hath foure horses, which do daylye at theyr ap­poynted tymes and seasons, one after an o­ther, helpe to draw the Sunne about the zodiacke. And the fyrst of these they name Pyrois, the second Eous, the third Aethō, and the fourth Phlegon.

The Sunne, if so be he shew at his rysing and seeme clowdye or darke, and looketh wan, he causeth vpon this more then won­ted warmth: hee foresheweth rayne, if he looketh red: hee betokeneth tempestes to be at hand, if hee shyneth forth cleere: or casteth his beames towardes the South, hee prognosticateth more moderate & sea­sonable weather.

Martianus sayth, that the Sunne as he is in the midedest of the zodiacke, beateth backe from him twelue seueral lightes, or more broad Sunbeams: which reflectate themselues and remayne vpon the twelue signes. The same Author also affyrmeth that there is nothing so occult or deeply cō tayned within the entrayls and body of the [Page] [...] [Page 25] [...] [Page]earth but that it is manifestly seene of ye. It is sayde that y ^e Indians, or men of Inde had Sol or the Sun to a banquet, and the bāquetting place was in the Ocean Sea: Wherupon now they say, that before any fore rayne, or showers discending, we feele a terrayne heat going before. His house or mansion is onely in Leo: his exaltation or ascendent in y ^e 19 of Aries Agrippa sayth, that the Sun is in y ^e world, the same that the hart is in mā. This is as Plinie saith, in his 2 booke, y ^e Lord and prince of tyme: and as Prolome sayth, the verye spirite or wel of lyfe in all liuing thinges. The He­brewes call him IPHNATH, the Greeks [...]. To vtter forth his exceeding bene­fites, they vsed in olde tyme to draw him forth after diuers likenesses: as somwhiles after the attyre & ryal robes of a king, wea­ring a crowne of gold on his head, and sit­ting in his chayre of state, hauinge vnder his footea round globe or bowle meaning to vtter forth thee by y ^e Sol made many such partyes as were vnder hym, honorable, tryumphant and inuincible. Orpheus cal­leth the Sun, the glory and face of heauen, and the sufferaygne ey sight or right eye of [Page 26]the world. It fortuneth oftentymes y ^t thys Sun notw ^tstandinge his great & wōderful light is obscured, darkned, Eclips of the Sun. & as it were be­reued therof, which is called y ^e eclipse of y ^e Sun, Which so often as he is in coniunc­tiō w ^t the Moone, especially if such cōiun­ction be Diameter wyse vnder y ^e Eclipti­cal lyne, in y ^e head or tayle of y ^e Dragon, by some interposition of y ^e Moone betweene the Sun & our eysight: Whē ther is a gene­ral eclipse of the Sun & this neuer hap­peneth that the Sun is whollye eclipsed, but whē as ther is such Diameterlyke cō ­iunctiō of the Moone & Sun vnder the E­cliptical line in y ^e head or tayl of y ^e dragō as they both meete together, eyther in y ^e head or tayle, so diametewise opposite, as that y ^e selfe same diameter passeth by the center of them both. A particu [...] eclipse of the Sun. But there may be a particular eclipse of the Sun, then, when as y ^e moone is in Coniunetion almost vnder the Eclip­ticall lyne verye nigh within the heade or tayle of the Dragon, and within the bonds & borders of the general eclipse, of whiche wee haue spokē aboue. Betweene the ge­neral & particular eclipse of y ^e Sun ther is this differēce: for y ^t in the first al y ^e whyle y ^t y ^e coniunctiō is directly in y ^e head or tayl of [Page]the Dragon all y ^e whole body of the Sun, is shadowed & darkened, wherby ther hap­peneth such an eclipse, as that a man can see nothing of the globe of y ^e Sunne. But in the particular eclipse, when the coniunc­tion is onely nigh to one of the foresayde poyntes, then is not the whole body of the Sun darkened, but onelye some part: and ther, where it happeneth y ^e Moone is pla­ced betwixt the Sunne and our eyesight. And this kynd of Eclipse is oftentymes so smal, as that it is scant perceyued, but sup­posed to be (as it were) some spotte in the bodye of the Sunne. it is therefore mani­fest, that there can he no Eclipse of y ^e Sun but in the tyme of such Coniunction, as is aboue sayde: as likewyse in the new of the Moone: as there cannot neyther bee any e­clipse of the Moone, but in the time of Opposition and ful Moone: because that other wyse the Moone can not bee obiected be­tweene the Sun and our eyesight.

Now a litle to speak of both their differē ces (which is much) I reckē yt to be right necessary. Sun and Moones eclipse. hovv they differ. Fyrst they differ in this, that the Eclipse of the Sunne requireth Coniunc­tion in the same poynt, or very nigh y ^e same [Page 27]poynt: but the Eclipse of the Mone requi­reth Opposition in opposite poyntes. Se­condly the Sun must be eclipsed in y ^e time of the new Moone: but the Moone in y ^e time of the ful Moone. In the first the Moone is interplaced betweene the Sun, and the Earth: In this last the earth is obieceed betweene the Sun and Moone. In the first the shadow of the Moone doth darken the earth: in the second the shadow of y ^e earth doth obfuscate the bodye of the Moone. In the first there is onely a substraction of the light from our eyesight. In the last there is a depriuation of reall light. There are besydes these more especiall differences, most worthy to be noted: whereof the fyrst is this, that the eclipse of the Moone (whether it be to tall, or in part) is euer vniuer­sall in all places of the Earth: but the E­clipse of the Sunne is neuer so generall, which is thus proued: because that the Sun is not at any tyme euery where eclip­sed: but whyles here we lacke therby the Sunnes light for a tyme, euen in the selfe same instant, others a far of enioy the light of the same: yea and sometymes those, that he not so farre of, and the reason is, for y ^t [Page]the Sunne doth but onely suffer some ob­umbration for a tyme, throughe the in­terposition of the Mone, which cannot but in a part of the Sun, hinder hys light, and not totally nor whollye. Agayne there is this other difference, as that the Sun be­ginneth to be Eclipsed on the West, part of his body, because that the Moones pro­per motion is from the East. But y ^e moon is eclipsed chiefly on the east syde of her bodye. But now a litle let vs tary to reporte what kynd of Eclispe happened in the time of the passion and sufferyng of our sauiour Christ, which befell at noone dayes, and continued all the whole tyme that Christ hanged vpon the crosse: which was so mi­raculous straunge, that besydes the testi­mony and witnes that the Euangelistes geue forth thereof, Whatkind of eclipse vvas at Christes death. it is also registred and remembred in the hystoryes of Pagans and Heathen men. Besydes that Dionisius A­riopagita an eye witnes therof: & thē a stu­dent in the vniuersity of Heliopolis in Ae­gipt, in his epistle to Polycarpus, maketh mention, that hee together with Apollo­phanes a noble Philosoper did both se and behold the same: and also with exceedinge [Page 28]much astonishment, and admiration therof considered of the same most deeplye and di­ligently. It is manifest that this Eclipse, was not natural, but rather supernatural. For the naturall Eclipse must bee as wee sayd before, onely in the tyme of the Con­iunction of the Sun and Moone, and in the new of the Moone: but when Christ suffe­red it was full moone, and the same oppo­site to the Sun as both witnesseth y ^t, same Dyonisius which saith he saw the same as also Apollophane. Besydes holye wrytte doth very cleerelye set downe the tyme re­porting Chryst agaynst the feast of Easter after he had taken the Passouer with his Disciples incontinently almost to haue dy­ed, & suffred vppon y ^e crosse. And this feast of Easter must alwayes of necessity by the prescript of Moses lawe bee obserued, and kept in the ful Moone, & so did the Iewes obserue the same most diligentlye: so that this Eclipse, happeninge then at that in­stant and tyme, could not be as other E­clipses of the Sunne bee natural, through the vnfitnes and incommodiousnes of that tyme: for there is no tyme so vnpossyble to worke such an effecte, as in the tyme of [Page]Opposition: for then the Sun and Moone which require coniunction in that behalf, are neuer more remote, or farder distance from coniunncion, thē in that present time. In fyue propertyes therefore I fynde this miraculous eclipse, y ^t so happened at y ^e pas­siō of our sauiour Christ, to differ frō all other eclipses, y ^t be only natural. The firste which wee laste touched was in the time therof, which hapned thē at the full of the Mone, a tyme most vnfit to the generation of my natural Eclipse. The second appea­red in the corse of the Moone, which, wher as naturally of her owne proper motion, she goeth from the East to the West. In this straunge eclipse then seene, Dyonisius sayth, he saw her with a most swift pace returne very stranngely from the East to­ward the South, vntil shee stood directlye vnder the Sun, wheras shee stayed by the space of whole three howers, and by that meanes caused darkenes ouer al the whole face of the earth. And after the third hour about which time our sauiour Christ was deade, shee returned agayne to her owne place in the East, with a most swift course appearing there agayne as it had bene in a tryce. And so in the sixte and nynth hower, [Page 29]shee was seene vnder the Sun: but in the euening, and at the Sunnes going down she appeared new agayn in the East, right opposite to the Sunne. The thyrd poynte wherin this miracle differeth from other vsuall Eclipses, was vpon the strange be­gynning of the same: for this began on the East syde of the Sunn, wheras all other wonted eclipses of the Sun vse to begin to be eclipsed after their naturall order, at y ^e west part of the Sun. The fourth poynt of difference was herein, which was verye straunge: For that part of the Sun which was first darkened & obscured of his light by the interposition of the moone, did last­ly shew forth restitucion of his light which is otherwyse in other Eclipses: which in y ^e part of the Sunne that seemeth fyrst ob­scured dother agayne fyrst and formost ap­peare in the same to be restored. And then the Moone passed not asyde from the Sun as she is wont in his naturall eclipse, but stode right vnder him for the space of thre whole howers: and so shee not after that, goyng on beyond the Sun, but returning to the East her place from whence she fyrst came, gaue great occasiō of admiration & wonder. The fyrst es [...]et all difference ther­in [Page]also was vpon the perduratiō: taryance and staye of the same strange eclipse. For y ^e Sunnes ordinarye Eclipses cannot conti­nue lōg, as which are very spedely perfour med, by reason y ^t the body of the Sun doth infinitely exceede in bignes & quantity the body of y ^e Moone: as also for that y ^e course of the Moone is very swift. For which two causes, fyrst because the Moone is so little in respect of the other, & therefore not able any tyme to obscure & hyde away y ^e Suns light, neither totally nor in part from our aspect. And agayne for the swiftnes & ve­locity of the Moones course, shee cannot hyde away the Sun beyng so huge and big any lōg tyme: but he must needes shyne out on one syde or other. Besydes, this wōder­ful eclipse procured of God to shew forth e­uidently y ^e most haynous fact of y ^e Iewes, in abusyng his Son so, as it greatly grie­ued y ^e stars & Sun aboue not onely amased many men, so y ^t many stroke their breastes and returned from Caluary where he was crucifyed: Math. 27 cōfessing and saying, verely this was the son of God: as y ^e Centurion and o­thers: but also ther was a general & great darknes ouer al y ^e earth, frō y ^e 2 hower vn­til [Page 30]y ^e 9. for els it could not be true y ^t Dyonisius thē in Heliopolis in Aegipt gaue forth to be true vndoutedly in one of y ^e [...] y ^t either y ^e maker of al thinges then fuffered, or else y ^t domes day & the end of y ^e world was then come: if y ^t this eclipse had bene onely in Iu­dea, which is so far of frō Aegipt. Besides this a lōg time after by y ^e dūpe y ^t this sight stroke into y ^e hartes of y ^e people of Athens superstitious mē, Paul being cōuersant a­mong them awhyle, and vewinge their do­yngs narrowly, chaūceth to espye there an Aulter wherin was writtē vnto the vn­knowen God erected as is sayd presētlye after y ^e feare y ^t this eclipse cast vpō y ^e Atheniās, which is very far frō Iudea, proueth it to be more vniuersal: so y ^t they scant it to narrowly y ^t seeme to boūd it onely w ^t in the borders of y ^t place, where y ^t villanous fact was committed. For shal we thinke that y ^e miraculous going backe of y ^e Sun, which happened in y ^e dayss of Ezechias kynge of Iuda, witnessing his recouery of helth was alone thē perceyued of y ^e inhabitants ther, & not aswel also among nations furder of: for if we should so think, we should be dece­iued. Na y ^e K. of Babilon, which was a far [Page]of, sent afterwardes letters vnto the sayd Ezechias by Ambassadours and Princes of Babilon, to enquire of the wonder. And shal not we vndoubtedly bee resolued that this testimony that God gaue in this order of the abuse of his son, reached furder then Iudea, na euen ouer all the whole world? for euen the very horror of that fact, caused y ^e Sun (as it were to kepe backe the bene­fite of illumination of mē y ^t had so yll deserued at the hands of his Maker, & Creator. But now I hauing sufficiently spoken of Eclipses, aad of theyr kyndes and causes, I am to proceede to other visions & sights, caused oftentymes by meanes of y ^e Suns working, which are no lesse meruaylous. Of the which sorte is the shew and sighte of many Sunnes at once in the fyrmament called of the Gretians [...]: which are ingendred through this occasion. When as some cloude of good thicknes and continu­ant, and which is also regular & vniforme is placed so, Many Sūs seene at once. as that it is neither vnder the Sun, nor directly agaynst it but as it wer on his syde, and so nigh as it may be resol­ued into rayne, and beyng not yet resol­ued, the Sunne by the refractions of hys [Page 31]beams doth imprynte and forme his owne Image there, as hee doth oftentymes in brasse that is well and finely pollished. And this ymage of the Sun so consisting on his syde is called Parahelius, of the Greeke preposition [...], which signifyeth next, & the Greeke nowne [...], which sygnifyeth the Sun: so that Parahelius is another im­pression in all poyntes mostlike to y ^e Sun. Wee sayd before that, that Cloude which must be the mater hereof, must be conden­sed or thickt, that it may the better cause forth refraction. And that it must bee con­tinuate, that it maye receaue a more per­fect Image of the Sunne: likewyse that it must be regular and altogeather vniforme that it may receaue a more true and perfit image therof: and also that it must beready to be resolued into rayne, that the Sunne may the better represent his lykenes in the same: and yet not conuerted, or resolued, for that if it were already resolued y ^e parts therof beyng discontinued, the sayd clowd were not fyt neither to receyue the ymage of the Sun, nor to shew forth the same. And these impressions be called Suns, through the likenes that they haue of the Sun: so [Page]that at their appearance we are to be per­swaded, that there is but one of them the true Sun indeed, and the other to bee but likenesses of the Sun. 3 Sunnes seenevvhē There haue bene three Sunnes appeared at once in y ^e dayes of our Forefathers and Auncientes, Plin. lib. 2 cap. 31. as when Spurius Posthumius and Quintus Minutius, were Consuls, and when Quintus Minutius, & Marcus Partius wer in y ^e office: and also when Marcus Antonius & Publius Dolobella had the same rome: & besydes when Marcus Lepidus, & Lucius Plancus enioyed the same superioritye: & more then three Sunnes at one tyme hath neuer bene seene. There appeared also 3. Sunnes at the tyme of the byrth of our sa­uiour Iesus Christ, which at length com­ming together into one gaue forth therby some significatiō of the mistery of the holy Trinity to be cōtanied in vnity which now by the comming of Christ was to be prea­ched in all the worlde: and that the same Child which was then born, the Sunne of righteousnes, hadd, and contayned in him completely the fulnes of the Godhead, and that together with Christ, now neuerthe­lesse incarnated, the Father and the holy [Page 32]Ghost were al one in substaunce, and all of them distinct in personne and all of them but one God, one vncreate and euerlasting power, which is to blessed for euermore, A­men. This Parahelius, or appearaunce of diuers Suns at one tyme, differeth from that Impression, whiche is called Halo, Halo of the Sun. which sheweth forth y ^e similitude of a gar­land about the Sun: and lykewyse from y ^e raynbow, in many poyntes, but chieflye in the situasion of place, for that the garlande is euer directly vnder the Sun: and y ^e rain­bowe is euer ouer agaynste hym oppo­sitlye: but this Parahelius is situated in none of these orders: for if this should bee in place of the first, the Sunne must needs disperse the matter therof with his heate, and if it were in place of the last, through y ^e great distance therof the distraction should be to feeble to cause forth the image of the Sun. Therfore it is placed on the syde of the Sun, that the matter thereof cannot through such nighnes be easily dissolued, & y ^t the Sun beams may occasionate a suffi­ciēt refractiō to y ^e better fashioning of the Suns likenes: & whereas this Halo doth seme to be as it were vnder y ^e Sun, as also [Page]about y ^e Moone, euen ryght vnder her, yet notwithstanding it is but engendred in the midle region of the ayre, & often beneath y ^e same, and caused onely by such directe situ­ation and placing: but it is through the im­besility of our eyesight, that wee therein be­yng deceyued, do thinke amisse, the sayd garland to be neere the Sunne and Mone. Vnder which this Halo sheweth and appe­reth more often by a greate deale, then vn­der the Sun: for the Sun with his adu­rēt heat doth more easily dispach, and con­sume such vapours, as go to the originall thereof, then the Moone, who hath a more moyst light and feeble heate.

There hath appeared also a garlande of bloudy coloure, Garlande of bloudy colour. and cyrcled by reason of the condensity, or thicknes of the clowde, dys­persyng aboute the Sun beams, as it had bene a circle of bloud. And this sight was seene (as Plinie reporteth it) in the tyme of the Consulship of Lucius Iulius, li. 2. ca. 30 and Pub­lius Rutilius. There hath bene also verye prodigious, and very long lacke and want of the Sunnes shyning forth, Long lack of the Sun thyne. as was after that tyme, that Caesar the Dictator was slayne: and in the tyme of the warres of [Page 33] Antony, the sun almost for a whole yeres space neuer a whit shyning forth. Bloudy bovves. There hath bene also seene a bloudy bow aboute the Sun, as when Lucius Opimius the thyrd time, and Quintus Fabius y ^e second time, were made Consuls: Stars sene in the day time. Plinie. li. 2 cap 28. as also in y ^e daies of the selfe same supertority imposed vpō Lucius Portius, and Marcus Acilius. So there were seene starres in the day tyme following, and accompanying the Sunne all the day longe, and they shewed aboute the circle of the Sunne, as they had bene a kind of garlād, or a diuerse coloured kind of circle, as in the beginning of the Em­pyre of Augustus Caesar. If this garland­like impression called Halo whether it be of the Sun of Moone vanisheth away so­dainly of by little and little lyke smoake, Halo vvhat it prognosti­cateth, it signifieth and prognosticateth fayre weather to ensue: for that those vapours which otherwyse are to bee resolued into rayne, are now vanished and gone. The nexte im­pressiō which I haue to speake of, (which is also one of the Sunnes effecte) is the Raynebowe, whych is thus engendred in a watry cloud, Rainbovv novv en­gendred. & y ^e same ready to resolue into a shower right opposite against y ^e sun, [Page]as the beames of y ^e sunne are beaten backe agayne, it causeth the same Cloude, albeit obscurely, and imperfectly to expresse y ^e I­mage of the same, which neuerthelesse for the far distance and interiection of the va­pours being betwene the sunne and y ^e same Cloude, expresse it very weakely. Which inbecillity causeth the figure of a bowe in the same cloude, beautified & distinguished with 3. seuerall colours: toweete yealow, Three co­loures in the same vvherev­pon, Greene, and purple, and sometimes red, & in steade of Greene, a colour more blacke then Greene: which diuersity of coloures come hereof, as the beames of the sun are drawen out longer or shorter in the cloude: for the longer they be reached out, so much the weaker and feebler are the colours of the Raynbowe: as which also geue forth a greater obscurity and blacknes in y ^e same: so y ^t the yealow colour altreth to a greene, the greene to a more blacke. And agayne, the same Beames beinge become weaker geue forth in the Rainbowe a more weake colour. And contrarywyse so much y ^e lesse as these Beames be stretched out, so much the more fresh and florishing colours doth the Raynebowe geue out.

Now the figure of the Raynebowe why it is croked, or halfe circled after y ^e manner of a Bowe, it would be considered. Why it is croked or halfe cir­cled. When there is a Cloude regular & right set, and the same in a parte thereof as it were sun­dred in one horizon, so as the other part of the cloude going and declininge beneath y ^e same horizon is taken away frō our sight, hereupon y ^t Raynbowe appeareth croked: and the nearer the sunne commeth to y ^e ho­rizon, so much the greater is y ^e raynbowe. So that the rainbowe doth neuer appeare after a whole circle, or bigger then halfe a circle, but either as a semicircle, at one end touching one parte of our horizon, and at y ^e other ende the contrary parte of the same: or els it is sometimes lesse then a semicir­cle. There are oftentimes seene 2. Tvvo and 3. bovves at once. Rayne­bowes at once, and sometimes althoughe (very seldome) three. When there doe ap­peare but two at once they haue doth the selfe same colours: but a contrary placing of the same: so that whereas the principall hath yealowishe, greene, and red: the other hath in his situation first red, then greene, and lastly yealowishe. And that Raynbow which sheweth weakest, is the Paterne or [Page]Image of the pryncipaler, and strongest. Also whē there doth appeare three at once the third is so weake as it can scantly bee perceiued. For the thyrde commeth of the refractions of the Beames of the second, which must needes be but very weak. And this thirde being of such weakenes wyll haue notwithstanding alwaies the colours of the first and strongest, and wil be lightly after a yelow, greene and purple colour. Further this is euidēt that the higher the Sunne is exalted aboue our horrizon, so much the lesse doth the Rainebow appear. as when any sheweth aboute the mid day, they shew very smal. But those which shew either shortly after the Sonne rysinge, or not longe before the sunne set: they bee the greatest. So likewyse in the midst of som­mer, whe the Sun is in the chiefest Som­mer pointes and Signes: as when y ^e daies bee longest wée see no Rainebowes shewe forth at any time, aboute noone or the mid day, But after the Aequinoctium of Au­tumne following, when the sun entreth in to Libra: we see about the same time many Rainbowes almost at al houres of y ^e day, Now come wee to Comettes or blasing [Page 35]starres being of the kinds of fiery Impres­sions also, Comets or blasing starres. Hovv en­gendred. and occasioned by the suns ope­ration chiefely, and the other starres. For the Comet is thus engendred. Whereas by the force of the sun and the other starres there is eleuated and drawen vp on hye, very much viscous matter hoate & dry, grosse and fat, and such as will be commodiously kyndled and set on fyre, from these earthly places to the highest region of the Ayre, where it being turned aboute round, wyth the motion of the ayre, and being nighe the fire is kindled and set on fyre equally and on euery side, and so other exhalatiōs styll cōtinuing and comming on doth both nou­rish and encrease the burning thereof: such kinde of impression is called a comet. Kyndes thereof. The matter whereof if it be grosser in y ^e midst, and thinner on the furthermore and oute­ward sides, it appeareth after the manner of hayre, or as the Horses mane: & is called Stella Comata. But if the sides & outward parts therof be bēding downward in lēgth tailewise it is called Cometa caudata: but if those sides & parts being very subtile be thinly layed downe or scattered belowe beardewise, it is called Stella Barbata. [Page]The matter of a Comet must needes bee much and great, and very plentifull or co­popious, or els otherwise it shoulde soone be consumed away throughe the Adurant heate of the sunne. And the shortest time y ^t euer any Comet continueth and is seene, is at the least the space of seuen whole dayes, Continu­ance ther­of. & for the most parte it is 40. dayes or more yea 80. dayes ere it vanisheth away, neuer geuing ouer his fiery shewe and looke, vn­till all such viscouse matter be quite cōsu­med away in burninge out. The chiefest time of a Comet is chiefly in and about y ^e time of Autumne, Chiefest time there of. because that then there is sufficient heate to eleuate such viscouse matter, and then there is also temperate heate, which easily suffereth such matter without any hinder aunce of the same to be soundly compact together: which in Sum­mer cannot bee well done, as at what time such grosse matter of exhalation throughe the Sunnes heate dispersing the same, & also for the extreame coldnesse of the mid­dle Region of the Ayre, doth not permit the same to passe vp into the highest Regi­on. So in the Springe tyme there is not for y ^e more parte sufficient heate to eleuate [Page 36]so great matter: in Winter the extreme­nesse of Moysture, and colde is vtterly re­pugnant thereto. And yet Aristotle in his first booke of his Meteores maketh men­tion of a Comet very horrible, great, and greeuous, which was seene in the dayes of Asius the Prynce of the Athenians, euen in a very frosty and colde winter, but as he saith, very fayre, and cleare, which at y ^e first appeared so litle that in the first day of his shewe it was as it had ben vanished away and gone, a litle before the Sunne set: but afterwardes it shewed agayne so grat that it cast out his lighte to the thirde parte of Heauen, and shyned forth in manner of the sinne: so that it went as it were a way of light: and this ascendinge at the last to the Horizon did there aboutes weare away. Whensoeuer there be any Comets there followeth shortly after great tempests and wyndes and continuance of dry weather, & great drouthes. Comets vvhat thei prognosticate. These Comets doe prog­nosticate Warre, Commotions, sturres, stryfes, Treasons, and such like, because y ^t in the tyme of their Generation and conti­nuance, exceding heate ruleth and boyleth in men, which Incenseth and sturreth for­wardes [Page]thereto, the bodyes and myndes of men. And besides this, it signifieth more especially the death of Princes and Noble Personages, for that the Ayre which then is more grosse and viscouse through the corrupted matter of y ^e Comet, is not so whol­some for delicate and deliciouse Persons, as for the lusty and course Constitution of the bodyes & appetites of Labourers and Husbandmen. But now to returne to the proper possession of the sunne in all kindes of Bodies here belowe.

Such as be borne vnder Sol, are for the most parte of a browne colour, and of smal stature, yet well and comely knit and pro­porcioned: they be also of a very thin haire and curled Head, Gray eyed: they be also hawty stomacked, and they are aduaunced often to great honours and dignities. And the Disposition of their minde is such that they be studious of difficult and hard mat­ters, very desirous of glory and ronowne. They bee also fast and faythfull in friend­ship and constant in Fact and worde. They bee likewise, Wise, and Polliticke touch­ing common wealth affayres, and are giuē much to procure the profit of their coūtry. [Page 37]Vnder his gouernment among the kindes of Beastes are also all such as be of bigge stature, and of hawty stomacke: likewyse such as are desierous of superiority, and haue naturally a pryde in themselues: Of which sorte is the Lyon, the Crocodile, the wilde and vntamed Lynx, the Ramme, the Oliphant, the Tyger, likewise the Wolfe whom the aunciente Gentils dedicated to Apollo and Latona: amonge Fowles hee hath as his owne y ^e Phaenix, Lib. 10. Cap. 2. which chiefly keepeth about the Coastes of Arabia, and is in bignesse about the greatnesse of an E­agle, Phęnix. which shyneth like Golde aboute her necke, and in other partes of her she is purple coloured, sauing that her Tayle being blewe is distinguished with rose coloured feathers. She lyueth a long time, euen 6. hundred and three score yeares: and when she waxeth olde and is weary of her lyfe, shee getteth slippes of Casia, and Frankin­sence, & maketh her Nest on hygh as nigh the sun as she can, & in y ^e same she dieth be­ing brunt & consumed into Ashes by y ^e suns heate: out of whose bones & ashes there in­gēgreth first as it were a litle smal worme, which in shorte time after proueth to be­come a younge Phaenix.

There is no man that euer seeth the Phe­nix eating: likewise to Sol appertayneth the Eagle which keepeth most in Moun­taynes, Eagle. and which almost of all Fowles is without her cry, & is also very rauenous, so that whatsoeuer pray it catcheth, it cari­eth it away swiftly. But one good proper­ty it is not without herein, for that it seek­eth after his pray a far of alwayes, neuer spoyling about the place where she abideth and breedeth. They neuer commonly dye vpon death, nor sicknesse, but vpon famine: for y ^t when they were old, their bill grow­ing out at length in the vpper part thereof onely, and the neather parte of the same rather shrynking then still continuing at his olde stay, doth cause that she cannot cōmo­diously receiue her Foode. Her flight and trauaylinge is onely in the after Noone, sitting still idle all the foore Noone eying the assemblies of men, & will not remooue till that she haue had wearinesse therein. In her Neast is onely found the Precious stone Aetites which is very Medicinable and which no fyre can doe harme vnto. Aetites. Her feathers being put amonge other Brides Feathers will eate and consume vp the o­ther: [Page 38]this hath a great and mortall hatred to the Dragon, which very greedely hunt­eth after the Eagles Egges.

SOL also or the Sunne, ruleth ouer the Vultures whych are of such smell, Vulture as that they can thereby finde out any dead Car­kasse wheresoeuer it be hidden: lykewise ouer all such Fowles as which with very pleasaunt Note and Ditty or Songe, doe as it were welcome the Sunne at his vp­rising: Of which fortes are the Nightin­gale, Nightingale. which oftentimes so striueth to excell in her singing as that in strayning herselfe she falleth a bleeding oftentimes: yea, and the continuance of her singinge is such as Plynie reporteth, Lib. 10. Cap. 29. that fiftene whole dayes and nyghts together shee neuer leaueth of therein. Of all byrdes for her Song most maruaylous: first that there should bee in so small a body, so forcible a Breath or spi­rite: secondly, that in the same beinge but one body, all the whole perfection of Mu­sicke, as it were, should be vttered forth & and sounded, nowe in playne Note, nowe descantinge, anon recording, and anon re­canting all: one while displeased with her Note she is in her Base, and by and by in [Page]her Treable, shortly after in the meane: so that it is a mater euen almost of astonishe­ment to see and heare such variety of Me­lody to issue and proceede from so small a breast: which emulateth in a maner all the melodious, and harmonycall Instruments that euer mans arte or wit coulde deuyse. The Male, & Female hereof doth striue of­tentimes, which of them may most excell o­ther in Song, so long that now & then one of them killeth themselues thereby. And their younge listen to them both, framinge themselues to imitate y ^t Note y ^t they most delight in, in as attentiue sorte as the dili­gent. Scholer geeueth good heede to the wholsome instruction of his Maister. The best note they haue is 15. whole dayes and nightes together chiefly in the spring time: then being so wearied they rest a while, be­ing nothing so earnest to sing as before: in Sūmer after, they sing other whiles, but nothīg so artificially or variously: in which time with their note they also chaūge their colour. Lastly in winter they be seldome or neuer heard or seene. Her breedinge onely is in the springtime and she layeth 6 Egs. Vnder the sunnes gouernment also is the [Page 39]Larke, as also y ^e Cocke which is y ^e nights watchman, and y ^e mornings Embassadour: Cocke. and the Artificers, wayfaringmen, & hus­handmens Clocke to awake them oute of sleape, to settle them forwardes towardes their next dayes busines. The Cocke go­eth to roust about the sunset, and afore his rysinge agayne hee commonly croweth in the morning three seuerall times: in which crowing he beateth himselfe with his win­ges. He is very Emperious ouer all the o­ther fowles where he abydeth, and know­eth right well the force of his Spurres: if he getteth the victory in fight he triumph­eth in crowing: but if he be beaten he is a­shamed and hydeth himselfe. Vnder Sol is also the Crowe, the Pye, the Goshawkes which be of diuerse sorts: Goshawkes. for some of them flye cōmonly after Fowles belowe: other some as the fowles flyeth about the trees: other as they sit on high: other as they flys in y ^e open ayre. In a part of Thracia which lyeth vpon Amphipolis the Men and Gos­haukes there, are of such mutual society & fellowship as y ^t they cōmonly hawke toge­ther, in such order y ^t the men there doe but onely beate y ^e byrdes vp out of y ^e thickets & woods, & y ^e goshawks tarying on hie meet [Page]them and strike them downe assone as they haue flowen vp. And therefore for this ser­uiceablens of theirs, they ordinarily looke for some parte of the pray, and haue it. It is not seene at any time that the Goshauke eateth the heart of Fowles. Ʋnder Sol is also the Peacocke, which gloryeth in him selfe in beholding his Golden, Peacock Glorious, & Glittering colours, which chiefly shewe most beautifull and Radiant, as hee stand­eth right ouer agaynst the Sunne: This after hee hath once cast his Feathers and lost his tayle, (which he doth euery yeare) hydeth him selfe and is as it were sorrow­full for a time, vntill the same be growen agayne. He lyueth 25. yeares: and begin­neth to shew in his gay coloures after hee is once three yeares olde. The first that e­uer caused the Peacocke to bee serued in the course of Seruice at any Feaste, was Hortensius the Orator.

Among Fyshes in Sols subiection is the Fyshe Dactylus, Dactyl. which is like to a Mans Nayle, which is of such glittering colour that it shineth wonderfully in the day time, and sheweth also shyningly in the nyght: lykewise in the same order vnder Sol is y ^e [Page 40]Starfishe, and also Strombus, Stromb. which is of all kindes of Fyshes most cyuill, Aelianns sayth that they haue their King vpon whō they alwayes waite. They hadde in olde time such an opinion, y ^t whosoeuer coulde see any of these being vpon the Seas hee should haue prosperous successe and good lucke in all his affayres. Heather to also be longeth the fishe Scolopendra, Scolopē. which hath as it were an hundred feete, and which ha­uing vnder the bayte receiued in the hooke into her Belly, doth perbrake and cast out all her Bowels within her, vntill shee be deliuered of y ^e same, and then afterwardes she soopeth and receyueth them in againe: hetherto pertayneth the Seafoxe, Seafox. whych contrarywise as shee perceyueth her selfe caught, doth not cast vp as the other, but doth deuour and receiue the Hooke & Line downe into her Belly more and more, vn­till she commeth to the weakest parte of y ^e Lyne, and then the shame she byteth a sun­der. Hetherto likewise serueth the Fyshe Glanis, Glanis, which never deuoureth the Hooke or byteth at the bayte a right or forth on as the other doth, but contrariwise eateth and gnaweth on the sides thereof so ware­ly [Page]as that by snatches got away nowe and then. Hee repasseth himselfe, and is neuer taken with the hooke. Crabfish Ʋnto Sol belongeth also the Crabush which delighteth in roc­ky places, which also were fat in y ^e sprynge time, and Autumne: and specially then at the full of the Moone. They liue a longe time, and haue eight feete bending croked­ly in one towards another. The Females first foote is doubled or parted, the males is al alyke. These being in fear wil creepe as fast backeward as forward. They fight betwene thēselues as it were with hornes which they seeme to haue after the maner of Rammes. They are sufferaigne reme­dies against the byting of serpentes. Plinie lib. 9. cap. 31. They say that whē Sol entreth into Cancer that the bodies of these which being deade and cast forth into dry places do reuiue againe there, and doe degenerate into a kinde of Scorpions. Amongest Plantes, and firste, & formost amongest Trees, these are in sub­iection to Sol: first the Olyue tree, whose iuice is the oyle Oliue. Also the Cyprouse treee which chiefely prospereth in y ^e yland Creta: also the Cedar tree, the Balme tree which in preciousnes of smell, far excedeth [Page 41]all other woods: and is only to be had as it groweth in the land of Iury: This tree ne­uer groweth higher then two cubits hye: Likewise the pepper tree which groweth chiefely in Arabia, although now in Italy there is a kind of pepper tree not much vn like the Myrt tree. This pepper tree, hath a certaine cod as y ^e Iuniper hath, but this is more small, Pepper tree. in which lyeth the Pepper seede: which cods pluckte of before they be­gin togape or breake out and dryed against the sun and rowled out at length, causeth the longe Pepper: and contrarywise those Coddes suffered and let alone tyll they are ready to fal forth out of the huske themsel­ues, grow round and shew fyrst white, vn­till they being dryed, and as it were rosted in the Sun, doe thereby both change theyr colour to black, & become wrinckled. With these pepper berries there are often Iuni­per berries intermedled whych are taken for the other. The blackest Pepper is accompted the chiefest. Hetherto likewyse belongth the Cinamon tree which chyefely groweth in Aethiopia, Cyna­mō tree. whose stickes is best at the top of the tree aboute the bignes of a mās hand: then next towardes and at the body of the same: but worst of al towards y ^e roote thereof.

And the tree is neuer aboue the heyghte of two cubits: Lote tree. likewise vnder Sol is the Lote tree which is a noble tree in Arabia, so precious that they say a man shall neuer feele ache or haue disease of body so longe as he vseth to eate thereof. The fruite thereof is saffron coloured, and is in quantity as byg as a beane. The fruite hereof is of so plea­saunt tast, as is wine: & hereof is confecte & made a kinde of wine, but it lasteth not be­yonde the space of ten Dayes. Wyth thys whole armies haue bene sustained oftē for lacke of other necessaries alonge tyme, and haue done very well. It is called of some Arbor solaris, the Sunnes tree, for that y ^e figure of his fruite and leafe is after the Sunne. There is (as Ruellius witnesseth) a notable tree in Affricke of thys kynde & name: of whose fruite if any straunger doth taste or eate of, he incontinently doth for­get himselfe of what place and countrey he is of. Amongst hearbes these appertayn to Sol. Fyrst the herbe Helyotropium which turneth round with the Sunne, both ope­ning, encreasing and closing as the Sunne ryseth, ascendeth, or goeth downe. Lyke­wyse the herbe Pyonie, & Buglosse which is so sayde because it is like a bullockes [Page 42]tongue: and Cynoglosse whych is lyke a dogges tongue. Likewise the herbe Scam­monie whose leaues are like Iuye but sof­ter and more Tryanglewise, his flower is white. Thys is very hoate & purgeth chol­ler, and layd to any swellinges doth helpe the same. Dictamus Likewyse the hearbe Dictamus which is lyke Sorrel, yet very bitter as Dioscorides saith. It is chiefely founde gro­wing in Creet, and with the same Hartes being wounded or shot in with any arrow or darte do herewith cure themselues, and discharge theyr bodyes of the weapō what­soeuer: Likewyse the hearbe Celidonye which is vsed of Swallowes as a Mede­cine to helpe the sorenes of theyr eyes. A­mongest gemmes or precions stones, these are chiefly subiected to Sol. Fyrst y ^e Chru­solyte whych being held against the sunne doth gieue forth beames in color like gold. Hetherto also belongeth the precious Iris whose colour is after a chrystall. It is al­wayes found in his fashion sixe cornered or sixe square. This being held in any couert place doth manifestly shew forth the reflexions of the Sunne vpon the contrary parte or side of the wal. There is also a precious [Page] [...] [Page 42] [...] [Page]stone called Heliotropius, which is after a Iasper, which being held vp betwixte the sunne and our eyes, doth make the Sunne to apeare bloudy, and representeth to vs a likenes of the sunnes Eclypse. With this, (as also with the Hearb of like name) the Magicians playnely professed that a man may goe inuisible. Hereupon this last is called Solsequium, as also Heliotropium. for that it followeth and turneth rounde a­bout with the sunne. In like condicion is the hearbe Hyacinth, Hyacinth. which is made effec­tuous by the sunne to helpe agaynst Poy­sons: which also maketh the bearer saufe, & getteth him fauour, winneth him riches, and disposeth him to a quicke & sharp vn­derstanding: and being held or reserued in the Mouth, comforteth and cheareth the heart or minde, and next after that, all the whole partes of the body. Hetherto lyke­wise belongeth the Precious Pyrophyte, which is of a mixed red: Pantaure. as also y ^e Pātaure which draweth all other stones to it, after such wise as the Lodestone draweth yron: of other some it is called Pantherus, for y ^t it is diuersly spotted after the maner of the Panther: and it is called Pantochras, for [Page 43]that it is of all coloures. Also the Topaze, the Chrusopasse, the Rubine, the Gem called Solis Oculus, as also the Carbuncle, which of the sunne receiueth his hoat bur­ning colour. Among Mettals Sol hath in in his regiment golde beautifying it wyth so excellent a colour as that it shyneth like the sunne: as also gieuing it that force and powre confortatiue that it hath, as also the powre restauritiue: likewise his is y ^e Lat­ten mettall, and the more puerer Brasse. Humoures which bee his is the pure Life bloud, as also he chalengeth the life breath. And finally among the Elements, he hath to doe with the fier and fiery flame.

Countryes subiect to Sol. Sol with Leo hath speciall gouernment ouer Italy, Apulia, Spayne, Cicilia, Phae­nicea, Caldaea, & other such like Prouin­ces, and Kyngdomes.

The Sunne finisheth and endeth his Course aboute the Zodiacke in 365. dayes, and sixe howres.

Of MARS the fifth Planet.

MARS in Greeke is called [...], for y ^t hee is fierce and fiery hoat: so is he also dry, and worketh the cho­lericke Complexion, which is also hoat & dry: as Saturne cau­seth the Melancholicke complexion which is colde & dry. This Mars is cōmonly cal­led the God of battayle, for that he styrreth vp mens myndes to debate and stryfe, and letteth the league of Tranquillity & peace. He is also called Mars, quasi mors, for that he is a heauy, hard, and deadly Planet: or for that hee procureth the death & decay of many Inferior bodyes. Ouid sayth that he was Sonne to Iuno, without Father, but conceyued of her through a certayne hearb which Flora on a time shewed vnto ber. Philolo­gia. lib. 33

Sons to this Mars (as Volateranus saith) were first Oenomaus which raygned in E­lys, which obtayned the Daughter of Pe­lops, [Page 44]called Hyppodamia, Oeno­maus. Hyppo­damia. The svvif­test Run­ner that e­uer vvas. Mena­lippus. which was the swyftest Runner that euer was, & had her to his wyfe, by out runninge her. And by Meroe, Mars had also another Son called Parthaon: and a third called Oeneus king of Calidonia, of whom came Dianira, which was wife to Hercules, and Melea­ger, Tydeus, and Menalippus. This Me­nalippus whilest hee in hunting the wylde Bore in a Woode earnestly followed his Game, was vnwares & by euell hap slaine of his brother Tydeus, who afterwardes fled and came into Argos by night, and happening into the court of Adrastus y ^e king, and katched in a grieuous Rayne sought further, and anon hit into a shelter where Polynices banished his countrey abode, & was scanted, so that that roome would not serue them both, for the which cause they fell together by the Eares, and wounded ech other grieuously.

As Mars is paynted & drawen forth hee resembleth a tall and lusty Stripling standīg with open breast, and his feete stretch­ed forth as though he stryded, noting there by that warres are to be attēpted of haw­ty heartes, and to bee followed & pursued [Page]busily. His colour is somewhat red, hys house or place of abode is in Aries & Scor­pio, his exaltation or ascendēt is in the 28. of Capricornus. Martlalists hovv affe­cted. Such as are borne vnder Mars are cruell, dreadfull, despitefull, ma­licious, quickely moued and styrred vp to wrath and anger: theyr countenaunce and looke also is sowre, grim & fearful. Theyr colour for the most part is after a fiery red theyr hayre cole blacke, theyr face rounde­wise, theyr eies yellowish. In conuersation and demeanure or maner of life they he impudent, and shameles, very aduentrous & bold, hardy, hie minded, proude, crafty and subtill. Wherevpon in token of such dispositions that the Martialistes were so encli­ned vnto, they were wont in old time to set out Mars theyr gouernour like a souldyer hauing a sallet on his head, and in his lefte hand was put a Sword, and in his ryghte hand he had a Iauelin or speare, whereby was signified his daily practise and procu­rement towards wars and cōtention. The stone which they vsed in time paste to en­graue Mars in, was cōmonly the Adamant stone, wherin they drewout a harnessed mā riding vpon an Aegle in whose righte hād [Page 45]was a naked sword, and in his left hand a mans head which turned round about. By this was vttered forth how mighty, swift, and fierce Mars is in battayle, so that hys power is a terrour to all the whole fielde. Mars maketh those bodies ouer whome he hath preheminence hardy and aduen­turous, and disposeth them by a certaine naturall inclination to aptnes and dexteri­ty to the quicke and expedite obtayning of such artes and crafts as be manual or don by hād. Mars likewise amongst such beasts as be brutish exceedingly, & sauage or wild is altogether ruler. Likewise amongst thē that be fierce stomaked or warlik of which sort is the horse, Horse by vvhome first found out & rid­den on. which was first found out by Neptunus, & by him first made acquainted with men, after that, he was firste rode vpon by the Thessalonians of whom Xenophon reporteth as followeth, how we shal haue an vndoubted & perfec trial of a good horse: Fyrst he requireth that he be broade brested, A perfect triall of a good horse. which tendeth both to comelines & importeth main & great strength, & besides y ^t, he shal so bew ^tout danger beneath in his feete of smiting one against another in tra­uailing which we cal cōmōly enterfering. [Page]And secondly, his necke he would not haue hang downe prone, in manner of a boare, nor yet y ^e same to be too erect or strayt vp, in maner of a Cocke, but to be indifferent betwene both: his head hee would haue to be bony, his Iawbones small, and his eyes in his Iourneying bendinge downe to the beholding of his feete: for the holding out of his necke at length is a signe of weari­nes and weakenes in a horse, and bewray­eth a Iade. It is also to be cōsidered whi­ther his eyes be eyther hollowe and deepe within, or whether he be ful eyed and often fiery coloured in the same, which onely be­tokeneth great valiancy in a horse, as also that he is of exceeding sharpe eyesight: his Nosthrils also the more open they appeare and withall bending right downe, do both demonstrate great ease & liberty of breath­ing in a horse, as also very great fiercenes: his eares must not bee longe, his Foretop somewhat longer then his Mane: his bel­ly must be somwhat gaunt grayhoūdlike: his Loynes how much y ^e broader & shorter they be, so much the more easy is his pace: and y ^e more that his buttockes be deuided & parted with a broader strike, seame, or line [Page 46]ryght downe toward his Tayle, the more swifter hee is in his runninge, his hinder feete getting an aduantage thereby of hys forefeete in euery step and pace: if a man will frame and make his horse fit for war­like exercises, Hovv to make a Horse Warlike he hath (as Zenophon councelleth (to try Maisteries with him in this order: he must not spare to make him take hedge and dytches: yea, nor to leape ouer walles somtimes: he must often also exer­cise himselfe both to skip of, and to skip on at his pleasure: and to put him forth some­whiles right on, sometimes to reuert and turne him backwards, and somewhiles to ride him sidelong. Somewhiles the Ry­der is to bringe him out from his pryuate coursing at home or in y ^e fieldes, into thrō ­ged & frequented places, that with y ^e sight, noyse, and hearing of so populous a multitude he may acquaint him selfe, through y ^e tractability of the Ryder to be fit and pre­pared for euery assay. Columella sayth of horses, Hovve Horses markes vveare a­vvay. that their Markes of age weare a­way accordīgly as they grow one in yeres: for when they become two yeares olde and an halfe, he sayth y ^t then their middle teeth both aboue and belowe doe fall away: and [Page]when they bee foure yeares olde they cast those teeth of theirs which he called Cani­ni, which bee sharp after Dogges teeth, & haue new agayne by and by grow in their roome: and afterwards when they growe to be about sixe yeares old, their Wange teeth or great Grynders aboue fall away. And when they bee seuen yeares olde they cast diuerse belowe, & the remnant become all of a like sise, & begin in the vpper parte to waxe hollow: after which time it is ve­ry hard to affirme truely y ^e age of any horse when they come to be ten yeares old their teeth then remayning are very hollowe, & their Eyebrowes wax hoary oftentymes and some of their teeth sticke out: but of y ^e Horse wee haue spoken sufficient. Vnder Mars also is y ^e greedy & rauening Wolfe, Wolfe. which being bent vpon his pray as he is in his way thitherward, he vseth al the while to smell out extremely in euery part of his body. Lib. 8. cap. 12. ( Plynie sayth) that in tymes past euen the very sight of wolfes in Italy was thought to presage or foreshewe no good­nesse to the Country. His Tayle the Ma­gicians vsed in their loue Medicines. He vseth in y ^e extremity of hunger oftentimes [Page 47]to Eate earth. And neuer bestoweth more time in conioyning with his mate then xii. dayes in the yeare. Vnder the iurisdiction of Mars also is the Oxe of both fortes, as­well the wylde Oxe as the Tame. These were first yoked and prepared to the vse of Husbandry in Italy, in so much that y ^e gre­cians through certayne contempt, Oxen of vvhō firste yoked. called y ^e Italians the Oxes of Italy. There are (as Aelianus sayth) some of this kinde in My­sia y ^t are without hornes. In India there be Oxen so swift as that they will out run a Horse. In Eubaea all their breede of Ox­en are for the most parte white. There be wilde Oxen in Aethyopia that moue their hornes to and fro, as our Oxen heere doe their Eares. Columella sayth, that y ^e best labourers & workmen (as they call them) of these, are chiefly bred about Hetruria, and Italy, which are well knit and stronge to laboure. 8ignes of good Oxe And the signes of good Oxen be these as hee sayth: a broade and curled forehead, rough and heary Eares, great & black eyes, long hornes, broade & wyde no­strells, a broade & wreathed necke, a plenti full and softe hyde, a righte out and playne backe, great Hoofes, a long tayle, and of a red, browne, or blacke colour.

Vnder Mars is also the wilde Bul which (as Aelianus saith) be he neuer so curste, fierce or mad he is to be bridled. If a man tyeth or byndeth his right testicle or stone with a lyne to one of his hornes. The firste that is red to haue caused the Bul to haue bene bayted was Caesar the dictator. Who firste baited the Bull. He­therto belongeth also the foming Boare, whose armory in fighte consisteth chyefely in his Tuskes: as also the cruell Beare which Aristotle calleth Animal omni vo­rum, Beare. a deuourer of all. And yet is the fe­male more wood and stronger then y ^e male of this kinde. Whyte Beare. There is a kynde of whyte beares in Mysia so infectiue, as that they kyll the dogs put on them, euen only wyth theyr venemous breath. The she beare per­fiteth her yonge by little and little with her onely lycking, and hath young at three mo­nethes end, at which time she creeping on her backe and sides, stealeth to some priuy den that shee chose before to that purpose, being very wary least he shoulde be spyde, and there continueth fourteene dayes lyck­inge her younge. Then shee goeth abroade for fleshe, and such lyke to sustaine them & her withall. If in this tyme she be found, [Page 48]to saue her younge she taketh some of thē on her back, and some of thē in her mouth and away she getteth her vp into the next Tree. Amongest all such Fowles as fly vnto Mars belongeth the Griffron, Gry­ffon. whych is bred in India and hath onely amongst al other fowles foure feete. It is very bygge and mighty, and hath crooked nayles and clawes after the lyon: he is blacke on hys backe, purple coloured on his forepart, and white winged: his mouth is like the Ea­gles and his eyes fiery, very hard to bee ta­ken, but onely when he is younge. He ma­keth his Nest in the highe Mountaines, and encountreth with all kynde of beastes except onely the Lion and Elephant.

Likewise to Mars pertaineth the Puttock of al fowles the moste snatching. Puttock or Kyte. The firste chasing of her was by Alphonsus the king of Neapolis, which put vp a Goshauke and a Faucon also of his at once after her in y ^e apre. Pye. Also the Pye which euery day chatte reth eftsoones chaunging her note, whych was dedicated to Mars: Also such fowles as are fierce and earnest of pray, and be of shryll voice, as the Kistrell or Kastell, and the shricke owle, Ovvle [...] which cryeth or shrycketh [Page]in sted of songe, as also y ^t other owle which howleth in sted thereof. Lapvving. Likewise the Lap­wing which maketh her nest in desertes in marshes, and vpon mountaines, buildinge the same with mans dunge, to the entent y ^t if any man come nigh the same he may bee dryuē backe by the stinke of the same. And amonges serpents the Dragon holdeth on Mars which is of a very sharpe & fiery eye­sight: Dragon. which hath also three things in her very much desyred after (she is killed by y ^e E­lephant which is alwayes at mortall stryfe with her, and she with him) That is to say her eyen, her skin, & her teeth. Her cies whē shee is slayn become precious stones called Draconites, and are like the fier: her skyn is very medecinable: and her teeth are like vnto Boares teeth, but that they be smal­ler and serue also for sundry and diuers re­medies, Likewise the Cockatrice, Cocka­trice. whych speedeth so wyth her enuenoming, that shee beinge in bignesse but as much as a mannes hande doth yet not wythstanding kill all other Serpentes wyth her onely infected & poisonous breath. And if any mā smite at her but with a sticke or staffe, shee speedeth him so with poyson as that he dy­eth [Page 49]very shortly after. Amonge fishes pro­per to Mars is Cephalus whych breedeth onely in Ionium an Iland, and liue moste vpon mud. So is the fishe Arcanus a caue­ner. So is the woolfish a great destroyer▪ which euer swimmeth alone. So is the Mullet fish which is called Trygle whych breedeth but onely three times in the yere: Of al fishes in the sea a great deuourer, & lyueth much by the fome or froth of the sea and by the dead bodies and carcasses of mē, and such other thinges. So is also the pic­kerell, subiected to Mars. Among plantes & herbes are pertinent also to Mars, Ling­wort, Radish, Onions, Scammony, who [...] roote is of a stronge smell, and his lease is three cornered. So is Spurge which clea­reth the stomacke, Spurge. helpeth to make wa­ter, yet hurtful to the eyes and raines. So is garlicke which (as Galen saith) is good to gieue such as haue abundance of flegme It being stampt with salt and rue, Garlike. or herb grace, and receiued, doth remedy the by­ting of mad dogs: or els layde plaster wyse to the sore place is therefore likewise effec­tuall. In Aegypte there is a kynde of Garlicke which hath but one onely heade, [Page]and without cloue as our onions here are, which head is also red, sweete and small. So is also Rue, Turnepps, longe rape in subiection to Mars. And all such as haue their stinge or be pryckely or sharpe-after the manner of a dart, hurting, byting and festring with the onely touching of them, as the Thistle, Nettle, Quick thorne, and such like. Amonge precions stones, Mars ruleth ouer the Adamant, Adam̄at which is so sayd for that he is inuincible and not to be brou­ght vnder wich any force to be made plyāt to any vse of the Lapidary, but onely with Goates blond very warmely applyed vnto it. Lode stone. So is also the Lodestone which as The ophraste sayth, is of a siluer colour. It is digged out of y ^e ground in Syphnus which is aboute three furlonges of from the red sea. It is easy to bee engraued in. This stone draweth Iron to it wheresoeuer it be placed, whether on hye or belowe. So is also the touchstone which is of no great quantity and is found in the greate ryuer Tmolus in Armenia. Touch­stone. The property of this is to try the fynes of gold and liluer. So is the Pomesstone also which commeth of a kinde of fome in the sea hardened and caste Pomes stone. [Page 50]vp vpon the shoare. So is the Sanguinary and a certaine kinde of Ametiste. Li. 34. cap. 15. Amongst Mettals he possesseth and hath rule in Irō of which Plinie saith that it will consume anone and rust away if it bee once put into the fyre, Iron, & be not already hardened a good with laborous strokes and wel wroughte. There is also force of medcine in Iron as it may be vsed: his property is to bind, dry vp and staunche. It staucheth bloude, and helpeth other excrements and is good for the gowt. So hath he also the redder brasse and all other thinges mettal like, whych haue most store of the Brimstone in them. His sauours are al such as be bitter, sharp and such as burne and bite the tongue, and which make a man to weepe. Amonge the Elementes he hath most right to the fire. His prouinces & dominions are first as he is ioyned with Aries) Brittany, Comuries subiected to Mars. Fraunce Germany, Barstany, the lower most coun­trey of Syria, Idumed and Iudea or Ievvry And as hee is partaker with Scorpio hee holdeth the hyer Syria, Cappadocia, Man­ritania, & Getulia. He runneth his course about the zodiacke in twoo yeres.

Of IVPITER the sixt Planet.

NExt in place aboue Mars is Iupiter, which tēpereth & allaieth y ^e malice of Mars & sinister conditions of Sa­turne. For this Iupiter is in his qualities very tēper­rate (y ^t is to say) hoate & moyste, & causing heate & moysture. Wherupon he is sayd to be y ^e father & worker of y ^e Sanguine Com­plexion. For it is proper to bloude to bee hoate and moyst. Hereupon for such bene­fite wrought by him, he hath often ben cal­led the Originall Lyfe Planet. And they were wont to draw him forth in the Royal likenesse of a Kyng, holding a Scepter or golden Mace in his hande: gieuinge to vn­derstande thereby his rule and Empyre o­uer all Creatures lyuing. The Poets af­firme him to bee Sonne to Saturnus, and Rhea, which Saturne vnderstandinge by a Prophesie that it should come to passe that his owne Sonnes should thrust him out of his Kingdome, prouided with him selfe to [Page 51]slea them all as soone as euer they shoulde be borne. So hee began to deale heerein, firste wyth Ceres; then with Neptunus whom he had by the aforesayd Rhea. Who when she perceiued his purpose herein, being great with childe of Iupiter and deli­uered of him, sent him forthwith very pri­uily into Lycton a place of Creet, where he was hidden in a Denne: and when Sa­turne came to haue deuoured him also, she cast him a stone in steede of her childe.

Then Iupiter in processe of yeares gro­wing both into mighte and wealth, expel­led his Father, & deliuered his other Bre­thren from such Thraldome. The Stone which Saturne catched in his mouth think­ing it to haue bene his owne Chylde, was deceyued therein, and hee euomitinge the same, is yet a Monument still remayning to bee seene at this day vpon the high Hill Parnassus.

This Iupiter by Proserpina had Bac­chus, who was called the God of Wynes. And by Alcumena hee had Hercules, who by Augaea Daughter to Aleus Kinge of Arcady had Telephus, which was hid in a wood and nourished vp of a Hart. Vulcan.

This Iupiter by Iuno had Vulcanus which for his deformity and ill fauorednesse was [...]hrowen of them both into the Iland Lemnus, whereas he should make lightninges for Iupiter: which Vulcanus asceuding vpon high, and couetinge to see the Palace of his Father, going vp higher then he was able to hold on & continue forth, fell downe and brake hys Lymves & Le [...]res, where­by he halted euer after. So had Iuditer by Minerua (whom he forced or rauished) an­other Sonne called Ericthonius, which was the first that inuented and founde oute Carting: of whom Virgil sayth thus:

and may be Englyshed thus.

THis Erycthonius had one Pandio to his Sonne which was Kinge of A­thens, who had two Daughters one casted Progne and the other Philomena: [Page 52]the first was maried to Tereus Kynge of Thracia, who being on a time in his sister Philon [...]aes company, and entising her a­side as he though good, forced her agaynst her will and to y ^e intent this matter should not be knowen he cut out her toūge: which thing neuerthelesse comming to his wiues Eare, and she takinge greate displeasure the neat, against his returne and comming home she s [...]ewe his beloued Sonne Ithys, and dressed him in Meates Banketwise, & so set the same before him: whereof he vn­awares of his Sonne, yea of his best belo­ued sonne did feede hungerly. At which so great wickednesses perpetrated on euery side, Iupiter being highly offended did first chaunge the man into a Lapwing, & Prog­ne his wife he chaunged into a swallowe: and Philomena into a Nightingale.

Of Iupiter also and Taygeta Daugh­ter to Agenor came Lacedemon, who built the City Lacedemonia: of him also came Orion which was a valiaunt champion to Diana, Orion. and which was so huge of body & great. Giantlike, and of y ^t arrogancy with­all, that he boasted & craked that he would slea all kindes of beastes & others, and yet [Page]to see, he being but stinge of a Scorpion, & serpent of no great hignes, dyed present­ly. And the same Orion being now translated and set vp for a signe in heauen by Iupiter, doth at this day whēsoeuer he sheweth forth to saylers and shipmen prognostycate vnto them litle good to [...]sue. Iupiter also by Europa had Mynos, which raygned in Creta, and who had first the rule ouer the Cyclade Ilandes: Mynos first caugh pyrates. he first scoured y ^e Sea of Pyrates, which in that time abounded sore. This Mynos settinge before him the vertuous and commendable lyfe of Rhada manthus a most iust Kynge, to shewe that he likewise would doe nothinge in Iudge­ment amisse, is sayd to goe and dis [...]end of­ten into a deepe Den at Gnosus an Ilande of the Cyclades, where he receyued whol­some lawes at his Father Iupiters owne hands. So likewise of Iupiter and Aegina came Aeacus, Aeacus. which raygned in the Ilande Oenon, which afterwards he called Aegi­na after his mothers name: where wisen as all men died generally of a certayne ex­treame contagion or pestilence, insomuch that there was not one man left alius, this Aeacus desired & prayed his father instantly, that he would turne y ^e Antes or Emets [Page 53]which hee sawe there into men: which Re­quest being graunted, he afterwardes cal­led them Myrmidonę: this Aeacus hath y ^e third place & accoumpt among y ^e most righ­teous Iudges. So another son of Iupiter was Aeolus, which raygned in Sicilia, Aeolus. and was lord ouer y ^e Ilands called Aeoliae: this Aeolus is called the God of Winds, which is also said to haue first taught & instructed the Maryners & seafaringe men to knowe and vnderstand the signes & tokens of tem­pests ensuing, as also the disposition & na­ture of y ^e winds: this Aeolus begot Sysiph [...] who raygned at Ephora, which as is said, Sisiphus being made priuy of the secrecy & coūsel of the Gods, playd the parte of a Blab & be­wrayed the same vnto men, whereat they taking great indignation to punishe hym therefore perpetually, haue set him in hell to rowle astone asmuch as euer he cā wag or moue with al the endeuor he hath, & the same most laborious busines of his neuer to ecase. So was also Tantalus son to Iu­piter, which raygned in Phrigia, Tātalus. who cal­ling the Gods on a time to a feast or ban­quet y ^t he had prepared for them, he in the same, hauing slaine his son Pelops, dressed and sod him piecemeale & serued him in so [Page]for an especiall seruice: and this hee did to tempt and try their curtesies: at which fil­thy fact they being highly displeased, the [...] first restored Pelops agayne to lyfe, & ioyn­ed together agayne his pieces or seuered members, sauing that his shoulders they could not restore, for that Ceres had eaten it vp: therefore in steade of the same they made him one of Iu [...]ry: and Tantalus they threwe downe into Hell, & appoynted him an especial place of tormēt for euer, where­as he standing vpright in Floudes and wa­ters vp to the Chin and aboue and hauing there plesaunte Apples hanginge ouer his head reaching downe to his vpper Lippe, striueth continually to catche of them into his mouth, to sustayne and relieue hys ex­treme hunger, & is yet neuer able to come by one byte of them, Vlysses. Vlysses also is sayde to discend & come of Iupiter, vaunting him selfe therein: and reckening vp his nobili­ty & Progeny so against Aiax, He to keepe him selfe safe at home, and not to goe with the Grecian Army to lay siege to Troye, craftely deuised with himselfe to faine him selfe mad: His subtil­ty. and to vtter forth some shewe thereof, he went and sue salt, and went and [Page 54]ioyned together at Plough, hee cared not what crosse kyndes of Cattell, and all to make the Greekes belieue y ^t he was stark mad: but deepe dissemblinge doth by one meanes or other euer brust forth, as in this matter: for Pallamedes by and by bewray­ed the same, who layde his sonne Telema­chus in his way as hee should come w ^t his Ploughe, to see whither he were in deede as hee pretended: but hee percyuing anon his sonne to lye in his way shunned and es­chued such a daunger, and so disclosed his owne counterfayting. But wee are nowe to returne agayne to the History of Iupi­ter from which by occasion we haue a litle and yet not very much declined. The aun­cient Gentils were wont to depicture hym oute in likenesse of a Bull, for that as the Poets write, Europa. when as he rauished Europa daughter to Agenae King of Phenicia hee transformed him selfe into the likenes of a Bull. Danae Some also vsed to call him Danaés for that he broke in by the roofe or top of y ^e house vnto Danáe, Daughter to Acrysius king of y ^e Argyues, who was close shut vp and locked fast in a strong towre, & hee ap­pearing for al y ^t so vnto her in likenes of a [Page]showre of golden Rayne forced her, and be­gat on her Perseus, who was hee that first gaue name to the Country and kingdome of Persia. See herein what assaultes and what meanes inordinate Loue assayeth in oppugning of chastity. The Panims gaue this Iupiter soueraygnty in all things: and to purchase & obtaine through his meanes as they sinisterly thought therein, helpe, & remedy in their calamities and distresses: they ioyned with his proper name another as it were a surname, accordingely as the wayght and nececessity of their cause driue them vnto: as for example, when they were preiudiced by any man of y ^e house, or by any guest, Iupiter Zenius. they straight wayes sought to Iupi­ter Zenius for remedy. When all trust & confidence in friendship fayled, Iupiter Philius. they called vpon Iupiter Philius to take vengeaunce. When familiars or Companyons betray­ed one another, Iupiter Heterius. they soughte after Iupiter Heterius. When kinsfolke and Kinsmen fell to contention, and were together by y ^e Eares among themselues, Iupiter Homog. to Iupiter Ho­moginus: When those which had taken truce with others, or which were in league brake Truce, and deceyued ech other, Iupiter Enhorcius. then they had their recourse to Iupiter Enhor­cius. [Page 55]His star is called in Greek Phaéthon. And the same star of his is somewhat af­ter a siluer colour. His house is in Sagita­rius & Pisces: his Exaltacion or ascending is in the 15. of Cancer.

Ionystes hovv dis­posed.Such as are vnder the gouernment of Iupiter are outwardely of merry Counte­nance, and of comely & seemely behauiour & gesture: they be also louers of clenlinesse, & such as be fayre speached. Their colour is commonly white, yet stayned here & there with some red among: their body is well set and proportioned, and their stature and height is indefferent: they be also of thyn haire, of great eyes, and the pupill or ball of their eye exceedeth and is after a black: they bee moreouer of shorte Nose, curled Bearde, and their fore teeth are great and long. And inwardly concerning the frame or qualities of their minde, they be studu­ous, quiet, & well affected towards all mē, but their loue is sodaynely got & quickly lost againe. Moreouer as cōcerning worldly benefits Iupiter aduanceth his to great Prosperity, good successe, much Riches, high Honoure, and getteth them Fauour and friendship in the Worlde, and preser­ueth them fro y ^e assaults of their enemies. [Page]Amonge bruite beastes all such kynds are his whych in pryde of stomacke, contende and striue one with another for and concer­ning the prerogatiue of their kynde: as the Elephant and Dragon betweene whome there is continuall and deadly discorde as they that trauaile the wildernesses of Af­frica, Elephant & Dragon and Mauritania can witnesse. For y ^e Dragon and the Elephant in their mee­ting purpose the death and destruction of ech other. And in theyr first sighte they ma­lice one anothers being. In so much that y ^e serpent twyning about the other with the greate length of his body and tayle styn­geth him round aboute, at which deadely strokes, the other extreamely payned doth fall downe to the ground presently, with y ^e waight or force of which fall he both killeth himselfe or at leaste wise hurteth hymselfe very grieuously, and is thereby in daūger of dying himselfe, as also he presently kyl­leth the Dragon which is so wounde and twynde aboute his body, and crusheth hym all to pieces. Tyger. So is the Tyger also subiecte to Iupiter in that respecte that he likewise beareth a naturall grudge and most mor­tall malice to the Horse. And his swiftnes [Page 53]also in running is nothing inferiour to y ^e others. This kinde is bred most often in Hyrcania and India, a wylde beast of mar­uallous swiftenes in running, as also terri­ble with all in the same. And the smel of y ^e females of this kynde is also exceding wō ­derfull: For so often as shee being forth at purueying for her younge, and for her owne pray (for the Male kynd thereof doth neuer a whit regard either her or her yong all this whyle) and in the meane time (as it cannot otherwise be) it falleth so forth as that if she be robbed of any of her whelpes at her returne home againe to her Den, when she perceiueth that she hath lost any of her littour; she goeth forth out of her dē by and by, and smelleth about which wais these should be taken, and after shee pursu­eth that waies hastely. And to auoyde the daunger of her which is but present death the partye that hath robbed her, being on horsebacke (for one foote he may not be, for he wil then be quickly ouertaken of her) turning one of them downe, must yet make away as fast as euer he can, and not stay til he be got on the other syde of some greate Water, vnto whych place shee can not [Page]approach, and she in this time makyng af­ter, at the finding of that one so caste in her way, seemeth to be so glad thereof, as that she presētly returneth again with al home and there hauing bestowed y ^e same, taketh againe after the other that she misseth, and neuer staying till shee come at the Water where the robber in passing through esca­ped her fury and reuenge, shee standeth at the brym or bankes of the same and roreth out very straungely. So is the Vnicorne in subiectiō to Iupiter, Vnicor. which is also a hea­uy and sore enemy to the Elephant, whych with her one horne whetted and filed vpon some flinte, prepareth her selfe to encoūter with him. And alwayes in her fighte shee striueth and laboureth very busily to pushe at the belly of y ^e Elephant, which she know­eth to be the most tender place. And as concerning fowles all such kyndes be hys, as are of tender and softe meate, and of moste temperate bodies, As is the Pheasaunt, y ^e Partriche, Partrich which was sometimes dedica­ted to Iupiter and Latona: Of all fowles y ^e most lecherous: For the cocke Partrirhe doth often destroy his mates nest and all y ^e Egges in the same, and letteth her of syt­ting, [Page 57]to the intent, shee should serue him at his lyste in the acte of Venery. This kynde lightly breedeth and bringeth forth fifteene Egges. And sitteth but seuen dayes & then hatcheth. There is also great wylinesse in in the olde Partryches, for a man shall see them at such time as any Fawkener or o­ther approacheth nighe vnto their Nest or place where their younge (not yet rype y­nough in flight) be contayned and kept to­geather, the olde Partryches as it were yeelding themselues to y ^e Fawkener & suf­fering him to come nigh vpon him, to y ^e in­tēt y ^t by such pollicy they may auert & turne away y ^e parties far of from happening or chauncing vpon their younge, which they knowe are yet insufficent & vnable to shift and prouide for themselues. Doues. So is y ^e Doue in subiection to Iupiter, whose kindnes to eche other as they bee matched or Mated together, (as it were in a certaine forme of Wedlocke) euery dayes experience doth teache vs. They assist busily and help one another carefully in sitting: They breede onely two Egs for the most parte, first the Male, secondely the Female. There is no fowle more profitable, or that breedeth oft­ner. [Page]For euery springe, sommer and Au­tumnes Monethes (sauing the moneth of Iune onely excepted, whych is commonly called Carlocke moneth at which time they be most vnapte and least myndfull of gene­ration) they misse not in a maner so to en­crease in breeding. They do lightly return and repayre home agayne (how far soeuer now & then notwithstanding they wāder & fly) vnto theyr accustomed breeding pla­ces. As experience hereof was tried at the siege of Mutina, Brutus sēt a letter by a Doue to the Ro­maine Ar­my. whereas Brutus catching one of them (which vsed and kept about y ^e castell) a good way of, wheras then y ^e chie­fest of the Romayne armie lay, afore he let her goe: he wrot an Epistle to them, & fast­ning the same about her feet, after she was let goe, she made haste home againe to the sayd castle her old abyding place, & withal by this straunge meanes and message, the other were made priuy of Brutus his pur­pose, successe and Affayres. Vnder Iupiter also are the Plouer, y ^e Quaile, the Larke, the hen, the Capon. Amonge fishes hee cha­lēgeth great a do in y ^e Dolphin called Philiotechnos for y ^t she loueth her youg deare­ly. Dolphyn. The female of this kynd hath both milk [Page 58]and breastes and geueth her younge sucke with the same. As their younge beginne to learne to swim, they set them in a ranck or rowe one afore another, and the elder Dol­phins aswell hee as shee, to keepe them in theyr ray or order, do swym by them on ech side, the other on y ^e other side: But as her younge waxe great, this ranke is broken. Whales. The Whalefish is also pertinent to Iupi­ter. This kinde bryngeth forth no spawne but a younge fish at the first, & gieueth her younge mylke. This is very heauy & slowe in swimminge. The Indian Sea is full of these which are in quantity and bignes fiue times as big againe as the Dolphin. Ouer Trees hee ruleth ouer y ^e Popular tree, the Oke, the wyllow tree, y ^e beeche, y ^e Darnas­cen tree, y ^e Pare & Ipple trees. Likewise he requireth the fruite of the Almond tree Date tree: and amonge sweete leaues and rootes Mirabolanum, Rheubarbarū, Cas­sia. Among herbes he hath Mynt, Iupiters beard Sage, Time, Hēlocke, Helicāpane. Amonge gems or precious stones he retai­neth the Iacinct, the Berill, the Saphy, the Turkys, the Emerald, y ^e more dusky kind of Iasper, and all other sortes whych declyne [Page]Among Gemmes or Precious stones hee retayneth the Iacinct, the Berill, the Sa­phir, the Turkys, the Emeralde, the more dusky kinde of Iasper, and all other sortes which declyne towardes a dusky or darke colour. In Mettalles he is chiefe maister of Tyn, Tyn. which (as Plynie sayth) being o­uer layde on such vessels as are of Brasse, maketh them sauour more sweetely, & pre­serueth them from rusting. All wholsome moysture also proceedeth from him, which cause good increase or nourishment in the body. And as concerning the Elements he ruleth & dealeth as him lysteth in y ^e Ayre. Of Prouinces and Kingdomes, Coūtreies subiect to Iupiter. he is lord (as he is ioyned w ^t Sagittarius) ouer Tus­cia, Celtica, Spayne, and the higher parte of Arabia. And as he partaketh w ^t Pisces, hee holdeth Lycia, Lydia, Cylicia, Pam­phylia, Paphlagonia, Nasomania, and Ga­ramantye, or Caramantica.

Hee runneth ouer the Zodiacke, & end­eth his course therein, in xii. yeares.

Of SATVRNE the seuenth Planet.

SATVRNE is a Planet cold and dry, masculine, malicious and hurtfull in many such Effectes as hee worketh: for when he Raygneth, lyghtlye those that bee borne vnder him, either dye shortely, liuinge no longe time to accoūpt of, or els if they liue any long time, they haue for the most part an heauy and hard fortune. Therevpon for this his pernitious condition of hurting & destroying, hee was wont to be set out as a Mower or Haruest man, hauing and hold­ing a Sythe or Sickle in his hand, as one which by his owne will was fully bent and geuen to accelerate & hasten the ruine and decay of all liuing things; and were it not but that Iupiter placed betwixt him & vs, did temperate & bridle him much in his a­foresayd heauy qualities, and condicions: nothing here beneath almost coulde eyther [Page]liue longe, or prosperously endure. Wher­in we haue to consider the vnspeakable and wonderfull wisedome of the almighty that as in all other thinges, so in this hee hath most especially and wisely prouided: that, y ^e enemy of life so ernestly labouring y ^e death and decay of all thinges, shoulde haue hys place appoynted him there so far of from the earth, where all creatures lyuing make their abode, that of all other Planettes he the cruellest should be most remote & fur­thest of. For how should any creature ly­uing sustain, help, and defend it self against the force of such extreame cruelty: If thys mortall enemy of all were bestowed & pla­ced any thinge nighe: yea, or any nearer then he is now, to the earth here below, the place of our aboade: yea and how shoulde any thynge continue oute his appoynted and determinate Time, if this fearse and furious haruestman as it were, euery day labouring to downe with all, were not let and hyndered by other more friendly & gracious powers, staying him from such hys force. See therefore y ^e truth of holy writ, and how truely it is there sayde, God the [...]e perfecte wisedome hath disposed all [Page 60]things in their iust number, measure, and waighte. It is not therefore for his owne worthinesse or dignity that Saturne hath y ^e highest place amonge y ^e other Planets, for his deserts deserued: but rather the con­trary, vpō other effects & occasion: as that all things liuing might by that meanes be the further of from so frowning, froward, and fatall Foe. He is of a pale and wan co­lour, and disposeth to y ^e Melancholicke cō ­plexion. This Saturne (as the Poets ima­gine) was some to Coelus, and Vesta, Saturnus vvhose Sonne. as also father to Iupiter, Iuno, Pluto, Nep­tunus, Ceres, Chirō, & Picus. Of Iupiter we haue sayd befor: Iuno was both sister, His Sons. and afterwards Wyfe to Iupiter. Iuno. The gē ­tilishe women were wont very superstiti­ously to call vpon her in their time of tra­uaile & labour of childe, by y ^e name of Iuno Lucina. This Iuno had to her Daughter, Hebe a lusty gallant, whom Iuno made afterwards Cupbearer to Iupiter, Hebe. & beinge very wanton on a time, & forgetfull of wo­manly modesty, & shamefastnesse in a fall y ^t she had, vncouered her Secrecy, which so offended Iupiter, & Iuno, that she being by and by displaced, & turned out of her office. [Page] Ganimedes a beautifull youth was ap­pointed to her roome. Ganime­des. Pluto they tearme the God of hel. And Neptunus another son of Saturnus, and Ops they make the God of the Sea: And Ceres they make the God of Corne, Chiron. or husbandry. And Chiron the Cē ­taure they say was Saturnus his son also by Phylira a Nymphe, which Chiron be­came halfe a man, and halfe a horfe, who was brought vp in a den, and there he was taught and learned the arte of medecynes and the vertue of herbes: as also he practi­sed harpe musicke. And Picus the last re­hearsed sonne of Saturne begat Faunus. Picus. O­uid should seeme to make this Picus y ^e hus­band to Circes, Circes. whom by another name he calleth Martius: who saieth hee falling in loue with Pompona, and vsing her compa­ny greately, thys Cyrces his wife gelous ouer hym as shee transposed by incantati­on diuerse other thynges so ofte as shee ly­sted, so for anger and reuenge of this mat­ter shee tourned her husband Picus into a byrd of that name, whych wee commonly with vs vse to call a Pye. The star of thys Saturnꝰ in greeke is called Kronos which importeth an infinite or vnspeakable time. [Page 67]This time therefore which measureth the length of our lyues is called of some y ^e yard Wande or Meterod of all wordly doinges and affayres: Wherefore the Dayes, the Howres, the Nights, the Monethes, the Yeares: Tyme his horses. all these are the Horses that draw tyme forwarde, and continue time in hys course. The Howres being spente euen by litle, & lytle, doe yet helpe forwarde tyme apace. Euery howre of the Day though of it selfe supposed but a short time, is not­wythstanding to bee employed to some pro­fitable vse or exercyse, that wee may say wee haue bestowed not so much as one howre vnfruitefully. As in tymes paste our auncyent Elders consydering the losse of tyme, euen of an Howre: did therefore regarde howe they spente euery Howre most carefully and busily. Martialis saith, that the Romaynes assigned to euery hou­re of the day aseuerall kynde of exercyse. The first to the seruice of God, The day hovv spēt of the old Romaines and to pray­er: the seconde to salutation by bidding god morrowe, and vsing other friendly confe­rence: the thyrde and fourth they addicted to the hearing and pleadyng of common wealth matters, the fyfth to bodily exercy­ses [Page]and laboures: the sixt & seuenth to take their former repast and ease: the eight they applyed to fence play, trying of Masteries, and martial affayres: and after this the re­residue of y ^e day in his assigned howres was employed to the inuention or finding forth of such profitable artes or wayes, as which furthered and enryched both the state of y ^e cōmon-wealth, as also the case and condici­on of euery priuate person. The dayes accompt differeth. But the dayes accoumpt is not a like in all places & coun­tryes: for some recken it to bee a day from sunne rising to sunne rising, as the Baby­lonians: some from Sun set to Sunset, as the Athenians: some from noone to noone, as the Vmbrians: some from the Sun ri­sing to the Sun set, as the cōmon People here with vs: some frō Midnight to Mid­night, as y ^e Aegyptians: and y ^e Dyall which declareth in y ^e cleare sūny day howe euery houre escapeth & passeth away frō vs, was first founde out by Anaximenes, Dyall of vvhō first found out Scholler to Anaximander, who was the firste that shewed the Experience thereof in Lacede­monia: and Papyrius was y ^e first lykewise that broughte the same into Rome: but e­nough [Page 62]of this, being led hereto by occasion of time. Some are in y ^t opinion, that this Planet Saturnus is so called, quasise satu­raret annis, for that in his course or circuit going, hee hath yeares and time fully. His house is in Capricornus, and Aquarius: And his Exaltation or Ascendent is in the 21. of Libra. Such as are borne vnder Sa­turne commonly called Saturnystes, Saturnysts hovv dis­posed. are lumpish, heauy, and sad, dull witted, full of Melancholy, hard & straunge, a long time to receiue vnderstandinge and learninge, but yet after they haue once with much a doe apprehended and taken the same, they after become fast Keepers and Retayners thereof: whereupon there is this difference betwixt the Mercurialysts and these, that as the first doe quickly and redely receiue and take, that whych is red and delyuered vnto them, but are on the other side soone forgetfull.

So the Saturnysts are commonly hard to learne, but sure in that which they haue once obtayned. As that Seale doth bet­ter Imprinte and keepe his Marke which Sealeth in Waxe, and so forth: then that [Page]which is bestowed vpon Water, which soone receiueth the marke thereof, & soone leeseth the same. The greatest desire of the Saturnistes also, is for the most part to ad­dresse them selues to become sole or solita­ry in theyr life, Saturnists gemen to [...]olitarines and to allow of the religi­ous estate or condition chyefly. Their Phi­siognomy is altogether blockish, their coū ­tenaunce cruell and stronge, theyr head hā ­ging downe, theyr eyes euer bent and caste vpon the ground. Theyr property is such y ^t they be euer almost either musing or mur­muring with thēselues. And in their sleepe they are much troubled: For they dreame oftentimes that they be buried aliue & put into the earth quycke, or else they dreame of deade men, & thynke they see such sights which make them astonished, and to cry out in theyr sleepe, as when they dreame of de­uils which they do often, and of hel, and hel fier, and of cruell persecution and tyrannye and such like. Their o­ther dispositions. All which and far many moe horible cogitations, do often assault y ^e me­lancholike cōplexioned men. The outward notes and signes of these men be, they bee for the most part of a browne colour, hard, heary & rough skynned. Their faces leane, [Page 63]warped or wrynkled much: theyr vaynes greatly distented and puffed vp: they are also of hye browes thicke lyppes. And as cō ­cerning the disposition of theyr minde, they be naturally gieuen to deceipte, to seduce & to bryng the simple people into false belief: to feare and fray, and oftentimes to mur­ther and flea: to consume and pine away within themselues through wrath, ire and cancred malice: They are also very ready and prone to ciuill dissention and discorde. They be also for the most part shorte lifed, because the exceeding cold in thē is a shortner of their Dayes, as we see it cometh to passe in old men, which through coldnes of nature are chopte vp of a sodaine: for olde mē as they grow on towards death becom very colde and dry, all heate and moysture wyhch are the preseruatiues of Lyfe then forsakyng them and bidding them farewel. Whereupon it followeth, that these qualy­ties of Saturnus, that is colde and drynesse are the very hie wayes, Messengers, & Harbengours of death, and ennemies vnto life. Whereupon thys kinde of complexyoned men can not endure longe, which lacke the mayntenaunce and nurserye of the vittayse [Page]and lyfe qualities. The Saturnistes also are gieuen to great sadnes, Their sad­nesse. because that be­ing withoute hope of good sucesse: in such thynges as they desire, whych are lightely difficulte: they doe descende into a certayns kinde of desperation thereof, Their so­dayne daunger. Clynias Achilles wythin them­se lues. And they also are gieuen to bee so­dainely moued and angred, as was Clyni­as of Athens, And Achilles, which both, to helpe themselues of this sore and sickenes: vsed, before they would either eate or drink to expell and banish from thē this inward ennemy of theyr soule or mynde, with gye­uyng theyr endeuours wholy to some kind of musicke. The pri­uate ende of life. And solitarynes is a great part of their desire, and the pryuate kind of life: as Experience gaue forth in the Dayes of Diocletianus and Maximinianus Noble Prynces or Emperours: Diocletianus and Maximi­nianus. which forsakying theyr royall roomes and publique, & pryn­cely preheminence: for to obtayne a quyet­nes of lyfe, which they hoped to haue in ex­empting themselues frō worldly affaires, gaue ouer all. Hiero. Amura­thes. So did Hiero the tyraunt of Syracula. So dyd Amurathes the Turke, and Otomanus the Father of Mahomet, whych won Constantinople, resigning vn­to [Page 64]hys some hys roome and charge. So did Lotarius nephewe to Charles y ^e great, Lotarius and many Venetian Lordes and Dukes, So did Ierome, Petrus Diamanus, Cele­stinus, Celesti­nus. forsaking the world, they betoke thē selues to solitarynes of life. For by that meanes they imagined that they shoulde y ^e more easely come to the quiet porte or Ha­uen of science and speculation. Such an o­ther was Timon of Athens, Timon. for solitarines of lyfe, but not to a like ende: for the other for desyre onely of knowledge in heauenly thinges separated themselues from the so­ciety of men, but this other through a way wardnes and crokednes of nature, abhor­red and shunned all mēs companies. Ther­fore in the field Atticus he got him a Den and was gladdest when he was furthest of from the sight of al men. Insomuch that on a time a very friende of his called Peantus brynging with him great prouision purposing to make merry with this Timon, Peantus and iesting with him, and questioning how hee fared, and how hee liked of that Banque [...]: Mary very well (quoth he) but I shoulde fare and like better if Peātus were away. [Page]Then the which speach, what coulde haue bene more hoggishly or swynishly: Heraclitus Such another was Heraclitus y ^e Ephesian which misliking mens company dwelled in caues of the earth, and in Mountaynes and man­dred in Wildernesses, lyued with Rootes, Herbes & Water. Such another also was Diogenes, who for his doggish conditions was called a Cynicke, Diogenes. hee abode alone in Cranium without Corynthe, harboured in a Tunne in steade of a house. In like sōrt did Theon & Arsentus, but these two chose out solitarye places to auoid much corrup­tion of lyfe, Theon. Arsenius. which they sawe in those daies abound euery where. But of these solitary persons, Melancholicke men, and very Sa­turnistes: we haue per aduenture said suffi­ciently, & more then inough. We are nowe to reuerte to the other effectes of Saturne seene and experyenced, in the Inferiour & baser kyndes of Creatures. And to come nexte vnto bruite beastes, all such kynds be proper vnto hym whych bee of lumpishe & sluggyshe Nature, and slowe to dryue: As the Asse whych chyefely breedeth in Arca­dy, and nowe also aboute Reate in Ita­ly: as also in Betica and throughoute [Page 65]all Lybia they goe to Plough onely with these, Asse. and vse them to all other intentes of husbandry. They refuse no burdens bear­ing whilest their Backes breake. With y ^e Mylke of the she Asses, as Tranquillus reporteth Poppea, Neroes Wyfe made her skin very cleare and fayre: yet in Mauri­tania in the forrests there are wield Asses called Onagri so swyft in rūning that they cannot bee catcht vntill they haue runned themselues out of breath. Onagri. Hetherto also belongeth the Mule which breedeth in In­dia through the coniunction of y ^e wilde asse and Mare. Mule. These be most what of browne colour, and very swift. In y ^e Monuments of the Athenians it is remembred that one of these lyued foure score yeares. Under Saturnus is the Camell also, Camell. both that of Bactria, and the other of Arabia. The first sorte hath two Kybes on his Backe, and this last hath but one. And as they haue such like vpon their breastes, vpon which they rest and stay theyr Bodies so often as they lye downe. The Females haue foure Teates euen as our Kyne here haue, and their Tayle is like to y ^e Asses tayle. They beate mortall & deadly spight to the horse. [Page]They neuer drinke but first they trouble y ^e water before w ^t their feete. Aelianus saith y ^t there are of this kinde y ^t liue 50. yeares. These chiefly of all other foure footed bea­stes at such times as they minde going together, seeke first after some secret or hid corner or place wherethey cannot be seene. Vnder Saturnus also are y ^e Goates which as they waxe fat, Goates. so doe they leaue bearing and waxe barrayne. They goe with their younge 5. monethes, as Ewes doe: & they haue 4. at once sometimes, but seldome. Till they be 3. yeare olde they beare not, & likewise when they waxe olde, they waxe barrē, they breede till they be 8. yeare old. They say y ^t these see as clerely in the night as in the day time. Looke what trees they bark they die forthwith. And if they licke but vppon the Olyue tree they cause it to leaue bearing. Vnder Saturn also for her solitarines is y ^e Hare, Hare. aswell those y ^e breed about y ^e Alpes in Italy, & which bee cleane white, liuing as they report in the wyuter Moueths w ^t Snowe, as also oures which cōtinue alone in y ^e fieldes, chaunging their formes wherein they squat & keepe, as of­ten as they list. They sleepe w ^t their Eyes open, wanting Eye lids. They are still & [Page 66]set at rest in the day time, & stray abroade for their reliefe in y ^e night time. The fielde Hares are the smallest & swiftest of foote. And y ^e hill & Moūt Hares are y ^e greatest & lesse swift. The experience of their swift­nes sheweth forth in then forefeete, which the lesser & smaller they be so much y ^e more do they exceede and excell in their pace. In theyr coursing they apply their eares fast & flat to their backes. They vse to beguile y ^e dogs oftentimes w ^t courses in & out, & flex­ous turning. Whē she hath yonge she dis­perseth thē abroad & hideth y ^e same in sun­dry places, thinking by y ^e meanes to keepe and preserue thē from finding out. If shee chaūceth at any time to happē vpon y ^e for, shee striueth to escape him by swift flight. But he matcheth her shift with subtilty & flynes: For in y ^e midst of y ^e course he giueth her ouer and resteth himselfe, Foxe. & being fresh againe to follow after her, seketh after her foring, which bringeth him directly to her forme. The age of Hares is well coniectu­red by certayn sundry poares or holes that they vse to haue in their bodies as they be­gin to waxe olde. Among serpents Saturn possesset those that bee of most deadly Ve­nome, [Page]and Naturally gieuen to destroy: as the Adder, Adder. which as S. Ierome in his Epistles sayth, is so full of poyson y ^t when she goeth any where to drinke, she is fayne to lay aside her poison till she returneth a­gaine, for feare of brusting. So is the ser­pent Ichneumon which is continually at hatred with the Aspe, Ichneu­mon. and laboureth day­ly to finde out the Aspes Nest to destroye her Egges, whereby shee knoweth howe greatly she hindreth the Succession or en­crease of her deadly Ennemies. Amonge fowles hee chalengeth the Estriche which feedeth oftentimes vpon Iron: also y ^e Pel­licane which lyueth solitarely & in y ^e Wil­dernesse, Pellicane. which resorteth much to the Sea costes & there catching shelfishes, after she hath deuoured them she per braketh them vp agayne to the entent shee may the more easly breake their Shelles & come by the meate. The Swan also solitary in her life, and merry at her death, Svvan. so reioysinge in hope to be shortly with her beloued Apol­lo, (as sayth Plato) seemeth also to be one of this number. Amonge Trees Saturne holdeth the Mulbery tree which is longe ere it waxeth olde, Mulbery tree. and is counted of Ply­nie [Page 67]the wisest tree of all, for that hee last of all others putteth forth his Buds & blos­somes. And y ^e Ewetree is of this number, Evvetree. whose lease is like the Fyrtree, and whose Barke is like the Cedar: If any Catrell bite of the rootes of the Ewe tree they die presently. Among hear vs he holdeth Sa­ [...]try, which hath almost y ^e taste of Time. And Heniwcke, with which, & with fleshe intermedled together, Hunters in diuerse places destroy and kit Wolues. Rhodo­daphne. And Rho­dodaphne, which beinge taken inwardly poysoneth, and vsed onely outwardely is sufferayne in many Medicines. Plyn. lib. 36. cap. 17. Amonge precious stones Saturne hath the stone cal­led Sarcophagus which beinge put to the bodies of dead men and suffred to continue so but the space of fourty dayes, Sarcopha­gus. it eateth vp all the whole Carkase, leauing nothing but the teeth onely. It shoulde seeme that there bee at this present in Lycia some of these kindes of stones, which being faste­ned to them that bee alyue, doe [...]awe and consume away their fleshe. Contrary to this is the stone Chernites, Chernites which is found in Persia, and is a perpetuall preseruer of the bodies of men whether they be aliue or [Page]deade. In such a stone was the body of Da­rius the king of Persia sapped and layed at his funerall, and buriall: which kept hys body safe from consuming away many hu­dred yeares. Heatherto also belongeth the Chalazy which is both of the colour, and figure of hayle. Chalazye And is the hardnes, of the Adamant: This being put neuer so oftē or long in the fier, waxeth neuer the warmer or whotter, but continueth still as colde as yse. Subiect also to Saturnus is the stone Galactites which is of a milkie coloure: Galactites this being beate into, powder and mixt w ^t water, and so app [...]ed to the nosthrilles of sheepe fetcheth their mylke agayne after it is dryed vp. Elaphoce­ratites. So is Elaphoceratites which is like to Harts horne. This being sta [...]nt or beaten into Powder and intermedled with oyle, and so layd vpō any part or place of the body which is become bare or balde, doth helpe in very shorte time to fetch the hayre againe. Galazite S. is the Galazite that dely­uereth from the Ague: Also amonge Met­tals Saturne hath a do with Ledde which is of two kinds that is to say white ledde & blacke: Leadde. one of them wil not be adglutinated or ioyned to any other thinge, without [Page 68]the commixture of another. Wherefore when they soder any thinges both these do concur together thereto. The white is the best. In Medicines y ^e vse of Lead is great: for it helpeth to represse maimes, or scars, and being applied to the Loynes and nigh vnto the Kidneyes in thynne Plates, or Leafes, with his exceeding coldnes it pro­hibiteth (as Plynie saith) the burning de­sire and immoderate lust of Venus. Lib. 34. Cap. 18. With such kinde of prouision did Caluus the O­rator, Caluus. burninge greatly in y ^e desire of Lust and fleshly Concupiscence, asswage and re­presse the rage of his intemperate desire. And being vsed also in such order as after thinne beaten Plates or Leafe wyse, and put next the Breast it cleareth the same ex­ceedingly, and maketh it more apt to singe out clearely. Nero. And so did Nero vse to doe to make his Voyce and Breast pleasaunt. Amonge the Elementes Saturne hath most a doe with the Earth whose Quali­ties are also after the maner of Saturnus, that is most colde and drye: Earth. which Earth the Phylosophers not wythoute greate cause called the Nourse or Graunde Mo­ther of all Lyuinge thinges here with vs, [Page]for that she conceyued and brought forth so many distinct and diuers kindes of things as make nowe to the enriching and beauti­fying of the whole Worlde. And as the Earth serueth to bring forth such variety of fruites and prouision, as wherewithall al thinges lyuing are richly sustayned: so doe all other things in y ^e Worlde by Gods speciall apoyntment serue to the commo­dity and vse of Mankinde, whom God hath made Lord and maister of all. So that the Fyre (as saith Lactantius) which serueth to heate and to geue light: Lib. de I ra Dei. cap. 13. the Foūtaynes which out of the Earth and sides of hylles gieue forth water: the floudes which wa­ter our grounds: y ^e Hilles that bring forth Vynes & other deliciouse kindes of fruite: the Fennes, and Marishes, which bringe forth Reede & Sedge: the sea which both storeth vs with variety of Fishes, as also serueth to the passage of Marchauntmen, and marchaundize: the Suu which altreth and chaungeth the times and seasons of y ^e yeare: the Moone who is a Guide and go­uernour in the darke night, and also a Di­stinguisher of the yeare into seuerall Mo­neths: the starres which serue greatly to [Page 69]the trauayling of the sea faringe men: the windes which preserueth the Ayre frō cor­ruption: all these, as all thinges els which the Earth produceth of her self any wayes beneficially (which are Infinite) serue all to the commodity, behofe, and vse of Man. And yet is not y ^e Earth (albeit it is so rich­ly furnished and great withall and vnmo­uable) any wayes as big in quantity, Starres o [...] vvhat bignesse. as is the least star in the firmament, if y ^e Astro­logians be to be credited, for they say that the Earth is eighteene times lesse then y ^e least star there. The earth lesse then the starre hovv much. To the deeper considera­cion whereof (because this thing can hard­ly sinke in our senses) we are to vnderstād that after the mindes of Ptholomeus, Al­phraganus, & others expert Astronomers. The stars of the firmament are distingui­shed into sixe sundry differences or degrees of Magnitude & greatnes. Stars are of sixe degrees. In the first de­gree of quantity or bignesse there are 16. in number whereof euery one is bigger then the whole Earth 107. times. 1 Of the second syse or bignesse are 45. in number, whereof euery one is bigger then y ^e earth 90. times. 2 Of y ^e third sorte which exceede in quantity are 208. 3 and they are all big­ger [Page]then the Earth by threescore & twelue times. 4 Of the fourth syse are 264 and all of them greater then the Earth by 54. times. In the fifte degree of greatnes are 217. 5 and euery one of them bigger then y ^e Earth 35. times. In the sixt degree of big­nes are 249. 6 stars, and euery one of them greater then the Earth 18. times. And all these are the least that are seene and haue bene diligently obserued & marked of the Astrologians: Whereupon Alphraganus concludeth that the least star which we see is a great way bigger then y ^e whole earth. O miserable men therefore that make so much of a Moate, of a Center, or Poynte, of a Pryson: all which names y ^e earth hath in respecte of the higher Heauens, and to care so litle for the Possession of Heauen, where as is no circumscription of Place, nor measure of Time, nor friuolous Sha­dowes of Ioy, but all places there infinite and Immensurable, and consuming tyme quite banished, and the Pleasures that bee there be endlesse, and very glorious. The vertue of the Earth in all bodies compoūd is to fortifie them and to make them dura­ble, and fast. Whereupon the solidity or [Page 70]soundnes of euery mixt thinge is deriued and fetched from this Element. Earth­quakes vvhereof they come Yea and Earthquakes also, which come vpon a cō ­flict and force of some sore windes pent vp and scanted, or denied of their free course within the Entrailes or body of the earth, by such his sounde or forcible resistaunce, procure oftentimes greate distruction and decay to whole Cities, Townes, & Coun­treyes. As in the time of Seneca a greate part of the Towne Herculana, Hercula­na, Nea­polis &c. Ouerthrovven vvith Earth­quakes. as also the City Neapolis, and certayne cities of Cā ­pania were ouerthrowen. In Lybia there was so sore and horrible an Earthquake, that an hundred Cities at one time were decayed therewith. Lib. de mirabili sacrę scripturae. What a sore earth quakevvas in Thracia and Bythinia at Christes death. 13. Cities in Asia de stroyed vvith one Earth­quake. And S. Augustine say­eth that at the very instant of Christes passion there was such a sore Earthquake, y ^t with the same there were Eleuen whole Cities in Thracia subuerted. And in By­thinia at the same time, almost all the houses there were ouerthrowen. In the 20. yeare next after Christs Passion there fell downe with an Earthquake 13. famous ci­ties in Asia (that is to say) Epliesus, Mag­nesia, Cesarea, Philadelphia, Sardis, Most hene, Megaethytra, Hymmolus, Themis, Myrrhina, Cumae, Apollonia, & Diahir. [Page]In the 66. yeare after y ^e death of Christe, three other famous Cities were sunke in Asia by an Earthquake, Cities sunk here­vvith in the yeare-of Chtiste 66. The yeare 79.107. namely Laodicia, Hierapolis, and Colossa, and great wars afterwarde happened throughout all the countrey. In the 79. yeare three Cyties in Cyprus. In the 107.4. Cytyes like­wise in Asia, Elea, Myrrhina, Pytanae, & Cume; and two in Greece, Opuntys, and Orita: 116. And in the 116. yeare, almost all Antioche pearished with an Earthquake. In the 373. 373. all Nicea almoste was ouer­throwen with the same. In the 557. 557. yeare Constantinople whole 10. dayes together was shakē horribly, insomuch that a great deale of the buildinges there fell downe, & much people was stayne. In the 829. yere throughout Germany, 8 29. and Fraunce there happened such an Earthquake, & so grie­uous and sore a Tempest withall, that it ouerthrew great and lofty trees, & shooke and ouerturned very stronge and mighty buildinges. Witzburg 841. In the 841. yeare, Witzburge trembled 20. times one after another, and destroied many people and much building. In the 855. yeare Moguntia trēbled sore, 855. and a Church there of S. Vrbane with the [Page 71]terror and trembling thereof fell downe quite. At which time many Cyties also & great Turrets, and Castels in Germany were likewise ouerthrowen. In the 1120. 1120, Fyer brust out vvith an Earth­quake. yeare there brast forth out of the Earth w ^t an Earthquake certaine flames or lightes of fyre, by which many were sodenly slain. And what shall I say of Basile? which how often it hath ben decayed by Earthquakes I cannot nowe stande to recite. And euer lightly before such effects of Earthquakes there went before as tokens thereof great drowghts, or els continuall & sore rayne, dryings vp of Fountaynes, the light Signes of Earth­quakes to follovve. of y ^e Sunne in the Sommer time greately ob­scured by Blacke and darke Clowdes, or els with Clowdes of red and fyery colour, and whirle windes, and boysterous rough windes rending trees a sunder, or els tur­ning their rootes vpward, & fyery flames running alonge in the Element, & straung aspect of stars, calme Ayre, and also great and grosse exhalations, & vapors breathing forth fulsomly from y ^e bottome of y ^e earth, and the heauy aspect of Saturne, & Mars. These signes haue bene alwayes, and are yet for the most parte Prognosticators of [Page]Earthquakes to insewe. The Places, or Countreys which are most subiect to these are such as be nighe to the sea, and chiefly where there hee many Fens, and hollowe ventes of running Waters, as likewise in hilly Countryes. For about the Alpes, & Appenninum, Plynie himself is Witnesse that he hath experienced and perceiued ve­ry great and oftē tremblings & quakings of the Earth. Times na­turally apt for Earth­quakes. The times which bee Na­turally meetest for Earthquakes is the Spring time & Autumne, and very seldom or neuer in the Winter time. And when they happen it is oftner in the night, then in the day time: and the greatest and hor­riblest that so happeneth is in or about the night, and is not longe before the Sunset, or els it happeneth a litle before the Sun rysing. Cap. 82.2. Gene­ral kindes of Earth­quakes. Plynie in his second booke maketh two kindes, or differēces of Earthquakes. One, which is the easiest, and which doth least hurt or harme: which is as it were a softy or right vp shaking, This Vi­bration happened in Englād Anno. Christi 1580. 6. A. with the Phylo­sophers called a Vibration which lyfteth lifteth vp buildinges and houses bending, shaking, and bowing thē with his vpright force and trembling at their highest or top. [Page 72]And such a kinde of Earthquake happe­ned here in England vppon Easter Wed­nesday, in y ^e yeare of Christe 1580. aboute vi. of the Clocke in the euening, Viz of A­prill: which heaued vp waters, hills, hou­ses, Castels, with such thinges as were cō ­tayned in them, so bursting forth & break­ing out in such fauorable sorte, as that ve­ry title harme (the Lord be thanked there­fore) happened within these Countreyes heere aboute vs. Which kinde of Earth­quake was a very Vybration or a shaking of Gods sharpe and seuere Rod agaynste vs for the rottennesse of our sinnes: yet in such mercifull order that vpon proofe, and tryall of our amendment hee spared vs at that time frō sinking & quite subuertinge vs, which thinge our wickednesse had tho­roughly deserued. God graunt the same clemency of our most merciful father may dryue and drawe vs now at the last to take heede to our selues, least that greater ven­gaunce ensuing doth not ouertake vs. The second kinde of Earthquake which is a ru­inous rushing together of all, 2. Succussiō or Inclination. and of Pes­sidonius called Succussio, or Inclinatio, is more perilous and daungerous.

For in this Earthquake Howses that [Page]be farre distant are tost and cast vp one to another, and one vpon another; and in the same, Walles, Houses, Hilles, Castelles, Floudes, Ryuers, great parts and pieces of Countreyes are sodaynely soopte away quite: yea, & of this second kinde of earth­quake called a Concussion, A straung Concussi­on at Fry­burge. there is some­times that property that runninge vp and downe within the Earthes inclosure, and there boyling like a seething Pot or seeth­ing Water, at the length it breaketh forth and doth wonderfull harme. As it happe­ned at Fryburge in Brisgoia, in the yeare of Christe 1509. Ann. 1509 Some called this kynde of Concussion Brasteis. There is another kinde of Concussion or daungerous earth­quake called Hiatus, Brasteis. a gasping, or gaping as when y ^e earth w ^t forcible matter w ^tin is driuen to part & sunder itself, with which kinde of Earthquake the Citty Cyllene (as sayth Plutarch) was sundred and rent a two in the dayes of Mydas the king: and so was the countrey Lygustus afterwards with the same. Also of this, there is an o­ther kinde called Ruptor a burster, Ruptor. which bursteth the Earth in twaine, and swelleth the same, and puffeth it vp like a hill, with [Page 73]which the Ilande Hiera, as also the City Heraclea in Pontus was wonderfully tos­sed and tumbled. Then is there another kinde of Concussion called Trusor a thru­sting earthquake which with violent force thrusteth vp all that is in his way as it go­eth, Trusor remoouing and bearinge all vp on the to side. Then is there another kinde called Mugitus which is after alowing Noyse, which with his stronge lowing sound sha­keth the Grounde: Mugitus. which sometimes also soundeth without shaking, as when y ^e mat­ter thereof is more weake, but yet it stri­ueth and strugleth within and laboureth to get out at the Earthes hollownesse. And these kindes of Earthquakes as they haue naturall causes, so haue they their names accordingly. But there haue bene other Earthquakes which beinge without such causes, and onely and meerely procured & caused by Gods mighty Prouidence very Miraculously, Miracu­lous earth­quakes. may worthely be called su­pernaturall & miraculous. As was when Peter was deliuered out of Pryson: for y ^t was most straunge in deede: Act. 16. firste by rea­son of the time, for it was at midnight: and the other are only in the euening and mor­ning: [Page]secondly they differ in forme or ma­ner: for this shooke the foundations only of the Pryson house where Peter was shut vp in, A miracu­lous earthquake at Peters de­liuery out of Prison. and the other sorts shake most of all at the highest partes or tops of houses and Buildings. This also did but onely make away for Peters deliuery, and so closed vp the same agayne: the others where they once make any way thei quite destroy there for a full a doe, and neuer close or shut vp the same agayne. Wherefore this was on­ly a most speciall and supernaturall kinde of Earthquake. But to return to Saturn. Hee hath vnder him these Prouinces and Countryes, Coūntries subiected to Saturn. India, Aethiopia, and the lesser Asia. Hee also runneth his course ouer the zodiacke in 30. yeares.

Thus much of the iurisdiction, proprie­etyes, effects, & qualities of the seuen Pla­nets, as also of all other kindes here below subiected vnto thē: and this which I haue already sayd, I thinke it enough and very sufficient at this time. God graunt vs by the cōsideration thereof to condiscend into a more deepe meditation & contemplation of his most excellent and deuine Maiesty: which is all in all, and all to all, as y ^e Poet said well: who is to be blessed foreuermore.