hath been noted already § 31. The precedent Constitution of the Air helpeth nothing to the Continuation of the same unless the Heavens conspire for the Air being of a thin Body as it is of an easie receptivity for all sorts of Impressions so it easily parts with them unless continued or renewed by a Cause permanent or suppletory § 32. In the defect of which we perceive oft-times to admiration the Constitution vary from one Excess to the other the Wind bloweth where it listeth CHAP. IV. A certain Prescience attainable Prognosticks vulgar The Husbandman's Prognosticks § 1. AS it is the Goodness of God to vouchsafe us Natural Prognosticks of Constitutions ordinary and violent so hath he pleased not to deny a more Noble Artificial Prognostick of the same § 2. For though no finite Knowledge can be comprehensive of an Effect great or small in every minute Intrigue of Nature or Providence yet so certainly hath God suspended the Constitutions of the Air upon the Heavens that we must assert there is more than a Conjectural fore-knowledge of the changes of the Air by Day or Night attainable upon Contemplation of Causes Celestial and that without Vanity and Superstition or the least shadow of either rather attended with a plerophory of cogent Demonstration § 3. This Kowledge may be exercised in fore-pronouncing the vicissitudes of the Constitution yea and of the Winds also I had almost said to an Hour § 4. The same Knowledge may reach to the Perception of Comets Earth-quakes and Pestilences as having all unquestionable dependance on the Heavenly Bodies though these three last deserve Treatises by themselves § 5. Prognosticks of Husbandmen and others from Birds and Beasts before mentioned as they are useful and delightful so they do not supersede our Inquisition seeing they pronounce from Arguments extrinsecal Effects or Signs and not from Causes § 6. Prognosticks from Apparences in the Air from the Halo Iris colours of the Sun-rising c. Clouds and their differences prognosticks from the Moon at three dayes old from fiery Trajections as they are not to be neglected because of some accidental Connexion so they ought not to be trusted upon their single report yet some are more special as fiery Trajections when frequent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shooting of the Stars Ptol. II. 14. do usually speak some Tempest at hand or if not excess of Heat § 7. The Comet also signifieth infallibly some Excess and that lasting but whether that prove as to Wind or Drought or Wet they do not determine that Determination belongeth to no one Apparence § 8. Nay Comets many times have nothing to do with Prognosticks being a sign of Wet or Drought or Wind and that a consequent sign teaching us to look backward only on the antecedent past Excess § 9. Vulgar Prognosticks and those Other of a genuine Astrology i. e. Art and Experience stand not on even Ground for they reach only Constitutions immediately subsequent pronounce for to morrow or next day the Other pronounces at distance at a large prospect and that if need be concerning a whole Season The most sagacious Birds can give no certain aim at a whole Winters Constitution come they or go they sooner or later They come upon a natural Presumption of the Regularity of the Season in which the Poor things are sometimes deceived as Pliny quotes the year where an After-winter destroy'd many but the Theory of Art foretells both the irregular Interruptions of a Season with the Restitutions and that many Cycles of Years before the Arrival § 10. Prognosis Astrological that is genuine floteth not on uncertain Principles but knoweth whereupon it ought to fix § 11. Tempestatam rerúmque quasdam statas esse causas manifestum est Plin. II. 39. This is the Principle on which it fixeth for certainly the Annual Revolution or recurrence of the same Constitution or Inclination thereto doth uncontrollably evince some Fixed Cause which maketh the same Revolution to meet with the Effect § 12. Wherefore to all Noble Prognostick Experience must be premised Observation being laid up in store for some years before hand of the daily and sometimes hourly Alterations CHAP. IV. Some Determinate Dayes which have a peculiar Character and Disposition produc'd from the Antient Kalender Some Critical Dayes The Observation upon S. S within no Superstition § 1. THE Ancient Diary of the Egyptians Chaldees yea the Ancient Philosophers and Mathematicians of the Greeks and Latines Democritus Meton Euctemon Eudoxus Calippus Conon Hipparchus Caesar Columel Pliny and Ptolemy for the Africanes do incourage us in our Principle For as we see some Months Regularly and therefore Naturally incline to Cold Warm Dry Moist in like manner some Dayes of the Month even of the same Month have their proper individual Inclination to Cold Drought Moisture Heat of which the Kalendars inform us not yet out of Date to our purpose § 2. We will consider the Excesses of Weather throughly noted therein e. g. Much Rain Dec. XVII Much Wind Jan. XXII Great Heat Aug. XV. Horrid Tempest from the South Oct. ult From the North Dec. XI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. windy Weather stormy Constitution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. None of which could pass into observation upon a single Accident § 3. But least a single Accident should be pleaded as unreasonable as it is the frequency of the Constitution with its Contrary is happily expressed as in Febr. X. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 West-wind sometimes but otherwise Jan. IX for the most part South-winds and Dec. I. for the most part Turbulent See Ptolem. opusc de stell sign In the Vranologion of Petavius pag. 71. where you also meet with Geminus his Diary for the whole year according to the Degrees of the Zodiac That Geminus we care not who knows it who disputes against our Pretensions even in Him notwithstanding occur these Memorands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad ♠19 fair for the most part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cold Winds and ruffling for the most part ad ♠4. So at ♈ 23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hail often and ♠16 it uses to thunder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as ♠4 also it uses to blow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agreeable to this is That in Columel X Cal. Sept. Tempestas plerumque oritur pluvia and all these Kalendar-men whenever they speak absolutely without terms of Diminution there they are to be understood as to the most part otherwise the Observation were ridiculous § 4. Shall we take Observation nearer Home and that from an Enemy within less than 200 years Mirandula himself hath given us some account of Dayes confessed Hazardous at Sea contr Astrol III. c. 13. p. 482. such as Feb. VI. XII XV. XVII XIX XX. Mart. I. VII XV. XVII XIX XXV April II. for so it should be read V. VI. XII XX. § 5. Yea not Italians or Seamen only but all Nations and Functions have so much Interest in seasonable Weather that they
Now between 87. and 75. pray count the difference and the next thing you have to do is to deny the Inclination Alas Our very days even the Dripping Days reach to the Moiety being in number 172. which is 40 days over and above § 6. We reckon but 64 Aspects for Wind and 122 Days which if it seems not so round for the Full Moon brings Wind as soon as any Aspect Lunar at least under publique Notice impute it to us who have fairly pleaded that we could not always dwell on the Watch-Tower or note the Gusts and Gales in the Night seeing whatever they make like Rifts or Furrows on the Water they leave no durable Impression but heal up without any breach Only where Wind is not expressed it may sufficiently be understood either by the Change and Variety of the Winds which yet we have not considered in our Muster or by the flying of the Clouds which we thought fit to admit Add the moist Days most of them have their Gale seeing every Showre saith the Seaman hath its Winds and Calm Rains are seldom though Mists and Fogs are often attended with such Still Musique § 7. Nor still are we to forget our Dis-junctive either one or the other Rain or Winds Consulting the Table I find about 28 Winds without Rain add them to 172. the number of our Rain the Sum is 200. which comes within prospect of 261. the Number of every Day in the Table § 8. And let no Man say What day is there without Wind For suppose there were no Day without neither is there any Day almost without some Aspect there is not a Whiff but hath its Aeolus some Aspect or as good a thing so hath Heaven provided for the Air without which it would stagnate and be unwholsom yea Pestilential as the Air of close Prisons and Dungeons without Perspiration We may thank God therefore for every Flaver of Wind. But then neither hath every Day its Gale that we may be engaged to enquire the cause of the Difference why some are brisk and others dead Calms though the Vulgar cannot be concern'd in such enquiry § 9. Not but that we have a Sence of High Lofty more than Brisk Winds in number of days 86. in number of Aspects 55. The former Number exceeds the latter because many a time every Day of the Triduum proves windy One thing I cannot but observe and 't is the Concern of the Table to remember it that in the year of our Lord 1675. December 23. That very day was one of the two when from Mount-Bay we heard that no less than IX Ships cast away and yet the Table notes only a Dry Wind without any Fury § 10. Here again I beg the Reader to observe the Vicinity of the Event to the precise time of the Aspect or the Complement rather of the Aspect as January XV. ho. 1. M. Anno 1671. Four Hours before One you see it rains June 11. 9. M. Four Hours after Both within Compass August X. 8 m. Three Hours after September VIII 6. P. Three Hours before October VIII 4. M. Stormy Wind and Rain but an Hour before November VI. 2 P. Rain 1 Hour after Try another Year Anno 1672. Januaâ—y IV. 11 m. Four Hours after drisly Rain February XI 12. P. Snow from ☉ set all the Night May I. ho. 9 M. Dash at 8 M. June XXX 3 m. close and drisly August XXVIII 6 m. drisle 9 m. Sept. XXVIII 7 P. Showres 5 P. Octob. XXVI 6 m. Rain ante ☉ is ortum ad 5 m. Novemb. XXV 5 p. Drisle 4 P. Decemb. XXIV 6 m. ante lucem The Table is before the Reader if he please to go on he will find the same effect § 11. Now for warmth that the Full ☽ hath a kindness for that Aristotle hath long ago principled us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Plenilunar nights most warm In Greece no question more sensible than in our Northern Situation But to run to experience I find in Hackluit in a discourse of the North-West passage Edit 1. pag. 601. The Flux of the Sea determined to the Rarefaction of the Water by Lunar Heat And elsewhere he tells us in a voyage to Guinea from Men of good Credit that they perceived issuing from the very beams of the ☽ a sensible Heat Garnishes Voyage pag. 95. in the year 1584. § 12. And without going to these hotter Climes I my self have appealed to experience if any shall have patience to expect near his Chamber Window if situate toward the South while the ☽ makes her Transit or if in an Aestival Night with the help of an ordinary Perspective we nicely mark the affection of our Eye upon the Full ☽ 's first Emersion or Rise the Eye I say that living Thermometer of more quick perception than the Inanimate shall perceive a fair gentle warm Impression from its Beams § 13. So little doth that Objection move us which pleads the contrary because forsooth this Warmth is not perceived by the Dead Thermometer It will be said we know that this seeming warmth is perceived by Fancy and not by any real sensation ab extra To which I shall briefly say but this that if our Intention in that Experiment had been to explore the Lunar Warmth at such times Fancy possible might have imposed upon us being corrupted by the Will so far as to say what she would have But when our attempt was made only to discern the quantity of the Discus or Figure of the ☽ in her Perigee at the instant of her Rise and unawares beyond Expectation a perception of Warmth was found the Impression was therefore not Imaginary § 14. Here if the Question be started whether of the two is the warmer Aspect the Change or the full That we do not perplex the State of the Question it only requires thus much whether the Air be warmer at the Change than at the Full And the answer is that the New ☽ hath the preheminency For the Day speaking of the Artificial Day is warmer at the Change than at the Full Generally But the Night again is warmer at the Full than at the Change § 15. Now let us see whether this agrees with our Tables It doth For Lo we find more warm days in the Day of the New ☽ than at the Full 38. in the First but 32. in the Later Yet least the small difference may not move us let us sum the days of excess and then under the Full finding about 11. or 12. Under the New ☽ we find 28. The Reason is not so much on the ☽ 's part be sure as is evident because of the Aversion of its Beams from us while the Full glares us in the Face but because the ☽ in her Change acts in consort with the Rest which are Day-Birds for the most part and are found more frequent and numerous in the Diurnal Horizon than in the Nocturnal § 16. So for the Nights the Table accords for
1517. ☠circa March 4. ♓ ♠Febr. 23. Foul Weather Hakl Edit 1. Very great Storm Hakl p. 224. Edit 1. Marca 1. Storm at N. continued 3 or 4 days Mr. Cavendish Voyage 1593. ☠circa Aug. 30. ♠♓ Comet July 01. ad August 21. Hevel Quere in ☠♂ ☿ 1595. ☠circa octob 31. ♠♌ Octob. 26. Storm separated the Fleet Sir Francis Drake apud Hakl 1600. ☠Circa June 16. ♒ ♋ Starr in Cygni pectore in ♒ 18. Lat. 55. N. Kepler de N. Stella Jan. 20. The Thames almost froze in Seven-nights Howes Stormy Purch 1. 75. Jan. 2. ad 8. continual Rains Id. pag. 73. 1602. Febr. 13 14. St. Vet. Terrae Motus W. High Winds Transact 2065. ☠cum ☌ ♀ ☿ 1604. ☠circa March 27. ♈ ♎ April 4. 1608. ☠circa July 22. ♌ ♒ July 26. Great Thunder Lightning Rain Calvis cum ☠♄ ♀ 1640. ☠circa October 6. ♎ ♈ Sept. 26. Winds drive us to the shelter of a Rock The Tramontana from the Black Sea brings often with it such Storms Sept. 10 ad Oct. 10. Current Purch ☠♂ ♀ ☿ ☉ which Aspects being spent the Currents were lost 1612. ☠circa Nov. 28. ♠♊ Nov. mens Terrae motus in Westphalia per. integr mens Calv. I. Nov. Dec. Continual Flouds and Rains at Siam Purch 322. cum ☠♄ ♃ 1615. ☠circa Jan. 7. ♑ ♋ fine Jan. 18. Lat. S. 8. degr Violent Current set us an hundred Leagues back Purch p. 1. 525. Jan. 1. In Thuringia when other places were frozen Storms Lightning Thunder Calvis 1617. ☠circa Febr. 7. ♒ ♌ Febr. 6. much Foul Weather in the Downs Purch 631. Jan 29. Tonitu Fulgur Terrae Motus Kepl. A Steeple rent with Thunder at Spelhurst Strasburg Tower at the same time Kepl. 6621. ☠circa April 24. ♉ ♠April 22. Pluit tonuit in Suevia Kepl. where he commends some of his poor Aspects whereas our ♂ lies within 2 days of it Febr. 7. March Very foul Weather Purch 1. 655. 1623. June 23. Formidable Tempest at Strasburg Fired their Magazin of Powder Calvis Kyrian June 24. 1625. ☠circa Sept. 12. ♌ ♑ 1625. Chasma Kyr 1629. ☠circa Nov. ♠♊ Nov. 14. Heimlichen Erdheben Kyriander 1629. ☠circa Dec. 22. ♑ ♋ Jan. 1. 1630. Here began exceeding wet M. S. 1632. ☠circa Jan. 26. ♒ ♌ The American Fleet routed by Tempests 1636. ☠circa April 7. ♈ ♎ April 7. Heat Rain Thunder Lightning Kyr June 11. Thunder and Earthquake in Culabria 1637. May 28. Much Thunder and dashing Kyr 1640. Aug. 11. ♌ ♒ Heat vesp Thunder Kyr 1642. ☠circa Jan 22. ♈ ♉ Octob. 15. Iris Matutina Kyriander 1647. ☠circa Jan. 13. ♌ ♒ 7. St. Vet. Comme toute la nuit it plu tonte la pour avec tourmente gresle esclaiers Moncon Voyage d' Egypte p 151. so die 8 9. 1649. ☠circa Febr. 15. ♓ ♠Febr. 10. Ignes Cadentes at Bristol Hitherto do I conceive the Earthquake at Messina the Flouds at Riga and the Flames of Vesuvius in Calvisias are to be reckoned May 10. Terrible Storm at N E. 1659. ☠circ Nov. 31. ♠♊ Nov. 17. Sad dark rainy day 1674. ☠circa Febr. 3. ♒ ♌ 24. Febr. 11. Lightning Thunder 1666. ☠circa March 8. ⚹ ♠March 3. Maculae in the Body of ♂ by Mr. Hook Trans p. 240. 1670. July 12. Great Thunder and Rain dashing 3 m. 1674. ☠circa Nov. 3. ♠♉ 21. Mercury in the Baroscope fell an inch me inspectante circa hor. 5. 1679. Jan. 20. Terrae Motus according to prediction which happenned in Guelderland throughout cum Fulmine Tonitru Lond. Gazet numb 138. Jan. 12. A dismal dark Sunday morning Jan. 29. Terrae motus at Fort Saint-George C. W. Limbry 1681. ☠circa Febr. 22. ♓ ♠14. Febr. 25. Another Comet seen at London from South-East ab 8. ad p. broader than the last Febr. 7. Terrae motus at Mentz Francfort according to Prediction Lond. Gazet. March 3. Cometa iterum Hagae eodem fere loco § 12. As the Full ☽ and New agree in Influence so do our ☠and ☌ of ☉ ♂ Did the ☌ raise Storms separating Fleets So doth the ☠Doth the ☌ contribute to a Fiery Meteor So doth the ☠Is there a Comet hovering about the ☌ So also an ☠helps to such an Impression Inundations I do not find break in upon us so much but Comets and Earthquakes are frequent enough to gain the Readers Opinion Bate now the New Star in Cygni pectore I am not yet ripe for that One or Two exceptions will not spoil a Rule Yet our Currents also at Sea do correspond in some measure it may be not so often as in the ☌ § 13. Our Maculae do begin to bring in their Witness For that Spot in the Body of ♂ observed by Worthy Mr. Hook falls in under the Verge of our ☌ § 14. As to our Currents see them brought home to our Very Doors when the Thames flowed thrice in 9 Hours Dec. 17. 1550. Will I say you then offer to ascribe that Prodigious appearance to our ☠I think I may safely especially if we met any such like accident under our ☌ before as Feb. I. 1680. For what though it be prodigious as acknowledged by Fromond and others Prodigious Events have natural Causes is as much confessed And I am jealous there is much in the Sign which whether it prove or not must be considered in due place seeing there are no instances abroad of thu same Nature § 15. To draw to a Conclusion I have taken notice of a pretty accident Anno 1674. concerning the quick motion of the ☿ in the Barometer which at such an hour of the day fell while I looked on hor 5. an Inch of the Sudden Fell I say in the Tube but rose in the Curveture the Air being of a sudden levitated to such a measure Let the Learned bear with me in my Folly we have adventured on the Currents Marine I have found a Current in the Air proportionable to that in the Water For the Currents in the Sea as all Tides are made by Levitation of the Humid Body made by way of Tumour which is always Lighter and more puffy than when the Humour subsides unfermented From whence having received the Notion of the Air gravitating I am by this petty appearance confirmed in the opinion Learning withall that it is the Celestial Bodies which according to their various positions do ferment or flatten the Air gaining also into the bargain that the Air is of the same Lineage cognate to Water and though in the day of its Creation it was rarified so far as 1000 times they say as that no natural cause shall reduce it again yet still it hath a common Nature and Affection with it § 16. I would take notice of the Obscurity of the Heavens sometimes appearing more than others and that
II. Warm wet 3 p. N E. III. Warm close mist Field and City N E. IV. Close m. p. some wet 4 p. Nly Iterum ♋ 15. May 21. ♀ R. V. Drisle once or twice cool N E. VI. Drisle 6 p. cool day some wind N V V. VII Very cold m. Nly VIII Rain 10 m. brisk wd N E. IX Coasting showr 8 p. N E. X. Some wet overcast N. XI Clouds clearing some Rain or Hail 2 p. N. XII Gentle rain 1 p. 5 p. 7 p. very cold night XIII Wet p. m. tot S V V. clouds ride Nly XIV Wetting m. offer p. m. Nly XV. Showry 3 p. 5 p. N E. XVI Rain m. brisk wind XVII Brisk wind N E. XIX Temperate blew mist N. XX. Windy offering mist taken up S W. Parelii at Womondham in agro Leicest XXI some showrs 9 m. S W. XXII s showrs at o. and vesp Sly XXIII Showrs coasting and towards midnight XXIV Showr ante 1 m. 4 m. smart at o. dash at 2 p. N W. XXV Windy wetting ante 9 m. Thunder at Warwick Lightning Rain in the S W. at ♃ rise showrs ♀ South S W. XXVI Showring 10 m. offer p. m. windy S W. June 24. 1625. ☠circa Sept. 12. ♌ ♑ 1625. Chasma Kyr 1629. ☠circa Nov. ♠♊ Nov. 14. Heimlichen Erdheben Kyriander 1629. ☠circa Dec. 22. ♑ ♋ Jan. 1. 1630. Here began exceeding wet M. S. 1632. ☠circa Jan. 26. ♒ ♌ The American Fleet routed by Tempests 1636. ☠circa April 7. ♈ ♎ April 7. Heat Rain Thunder Lightning Kyr June 11. Thunder and Earthquake in Culabria 1637. May 28. Much Thunder and dashing Kyr 1640. Aug. 11. ♌ ♒ Heat vesp Thunder Kyr 1642. ☠circa Jan 22. ♈ ♉ Octob. 15. Iris Matutina Kyriander 1647. ☠circa Jan. 13. ♌ ♒ 7. St. Vet. Comme toute la nuit it plu tonte la pour avec tourmente gresle esclaiers Moncon Voyage d' Egypte p 151. so die 8 9. 1649. ☠circa Febr. 15. ♓ ♠Febr. 10. Ignes Cadentes at Bristol Hitherto do I conceive the Earthquake at Messina the Flouds at Riga and the Flames of Vesuvius in Calvisias are to be reckoned May 10. Terrible Storm at N E. 1659. ☠circa Nov. 31. ♠♊ Nov. 17. Sad dark rainy day 1674. ☠circa Febr. 3. ♒ ♌ 24. Febr. 11. Lightning Thunder 1666. ☠circa March 8. ⚹ ♠March 3. Maculae in the Body of ♂ by Mr. Hook Trans p. 240. 1670. July 12. Great Thunder and Rain dashing 3 m. 1674. ☠circa Nov. 3. ♠♉ 21. Mercury in the Baroscope fell an inch me inspectante circa hor. 5. 1679. Jan. 20. Terrae Motus according to prediction which happenned in Guelderland throughout cum Fulmine Tonitru Lond. Gaze numb 138. Jan. 12. A dismal dark Sunday morning Jan. 29. Terrae motus at Fort Saint-George C. W. Limbry 1681. ☠circa Febr. 22. ♓ ♠14. Febr. 25. Another Comet seen at London from South-East ab 8. ad p. broader than the last Febr. 7. Terrae motus at Mentz Francfort according to Prediction Lond. Gazet. March 3. Cometa iterum Hagae eodem fere loco § 12. As the Full ☽ and New agree in Influence so do our ☠and ☌ of ☉ ♂ Did the ☌ raise Storms separating Fleets So doth the ☠Doth the ☌ contribute to a Fiery Meteor So doth the ☠Is there a Comet hovering about the ☠So also an ☠helps to such an Impression Inundations I do not find break in upon us so much but Comets and Earthquakes are frequent enough to gain the Readers Opinion Bate now the New Star in Cygni pectore I am not yet ripe for that One or Two exceptions will not spoil a Rule Yet our Currents also at Sea do correspond in some measure it may be not so often as in the ☌ § 13. Our Maculae do begin to bring in their Witness For that Spot in the Body of ♂ observed by Worthy Mr. Hook falls in under the Verge of our ☌ § 14. As to our Currents see them brought home to our Very Doors when the Thames flowed thrice in 9 Hours Dec. 17. 1550. Will I say you then offer to ascribe that Prodigious appearance to our ☠I think I may safely especially if we met any such like accident under our ☌ before as Feb. I. 1680. For what though it be prodigious as acknowledged by Fromond and others Prodigious Events have natural Causes is as much confessed And I am jealous there is much in the Sign which whether it prove or not must be considered in due place seeing there are no instances abroad of thu same Nature § 15. To draw to a Conclusion I have taken notice of a pretty accident Anno 1674. concerning the quick motion of the ☿ in the Barometer which at such an hour of the day fell while I looked on hor 5. an Inch of the Sudden Fell I say in the Tube but rose in the Curveture the Air being of a sudden levitated to such a measure Let the Learned bear with me in my Folly we have adventured on the Currents Marine I have found a Current in the Air proportionable to that in the Water For the Currents in the Sea as all Tides are made by Levitation of the Humid Body made by way of Tumour which is always Lighter and more puffy than when the Humour subsides unfermented From whence having received the Notion of the Air gravitating I am by this petty appearance confirmed in the opinion Learning withall that it is the Celestial Bodies which according to their various positions do ferment or flatten the Air gaining also into the bargain that the Air is of the same Lineage cognate to Water and though in the day of its Creation it was rarified so far as 1000 times they say as that no natural cause shall reduce it again yet still it hath a common Nature and Affection with it § 16. I would take notice of the Obscurity of the Heavens sometimes appearing more than others and that in Martial Aspects It may be the dark and dismal Sunday in the Morning is not yet forgotten It happen'd not far from an ☠☉ ♂ whatsoever else frown'd at that time upon us § 17. To speak of the Cold upon occasion of the years 76. 13. is not needdful specially if we remember that ♂ as we have said sits uneasie so that the state of the Air stands upon a ticklish point when ♂ and ☉ are with one and the other in a Frosty Season and conclude to bring in a Thaw as Dec. 21. in the year 1676. as is noted in the Diary For though an ☠be chill of Nature as touched before and weaker Signs must be debilitudes yet ♠♑ ♒ ♓ are very mutable from one extream to the other when they are conscious they have a Friend at the other Hemisphere in the opposite Sign For this is mysterious as in the Chess-board An Aspect bare and naked may do little but alass
p. m. closing vesp open n. Wly 1683. Aug. 28. ♌ 26. Ab Aug. 13. ad Sept. 6. 13. Close a. m. s drisle open p. 14. Rain m. Rainy o. close hot wetting H. wind S W. 15. Foggy rainy m. p. m. a. m. High wind cold 16. Cool m. s drops a m. showr 5 p. Brisk rain 7 p. N W. 17. Misty m. some rain coasting o. 1 p. 18. Open cold wind m. sho o. Th. 3 or 4 Claps A Ratling Storm Some R. and Hail N W. 19. Cloudy wind audible open Wly 20. Some mist often clouding and close W. 21. Foggy m. close m. p. s drops 3 p. Sly 22. Foggy warm l. wd Wly Sly 23. s mist s clouds m. s wd hot p m. 24. Misty lowring very hot day l. wind Sly 25. s wetting 8 m. p. m. warm s wind S W. 26. Misty m. H. wd wetting 8 m. S W. 27. Mist m. high wind smart showr ante 4 p. s drops 6 p. S W. 28. Cloudy very high wind N W. W. 29. Cloudy very high wind N W. S W. 30. Cloudy windy open at night S W. 31. Mist m. close m. p. hottish Sly Sept. 1. Overcast open calm Wly 2. Fr. m. Fog Clouds Sly Wind Ely S E. 3. Cloudy a. m. with gusts Rain in S E. Foggy p. m. Wly Sly 4. Foggy m. a. m. cloudy vesp hottish then Ely wd Wly clouds 5. Lightning 3 Claps of Th. from the S. 10 p. R. S W. wind Ely die tot 6. Foggy m. soultry wd cool open p. m. closing vesp with Lightning ante 7 p. One Thunder-Clap dash of R. Sly Upon Second Thoughts and advice of Worthy Friends who value Experience upon Consideration that it is long in gathering and that 30 years gained are better than 30 years refused I have added this Table also in which we have Iris Sept. 20. 1654. and 77. T. M. Apr. 4. 1672 Feb. 73. Shipwrack Apr. 74 Great Hail 77 78 82 Hurricane 81. Whale Ib. Meteors with Trains c. July 29 82. and so we proceed to the next Chapter CHAP. XI ☌ ♄ ☿ Conjunction of Saturn and Mercury § 1. ☿ a Planet of great Employment and therefore is swifter 2. Commonly Direct in this Aspect 3. It s Character for Wind and Rain 4. And for Dark Air. 5. The Influence proved for both Wet and Dark Air. 6. And for Cold. Yet a Saturnine △ cannot introduce a cold Season by its self 7. ☌ ♄ ☿ may introduce Frost but no such as may spoil Vintage Our monstrous Winters not only upon ♄ 's account Colds being variously dispersed by the Celestials 9 10. Why Octob. 1572. was tedious and Cold. 11. Notable difference between Frosts under ♄ ☿ and ♄ ♀ All Frost comes not with a Wind Mr. Hobbes there mistaken 12. ♀ and ☿ distinctive Character will be perceived by comparing their Tables 13. Effects of Planets distinguishable Some Showrs Saturnine some Martial c. 14. Contiguations of Clouds whether ascribed to ♄ ☿ Ground Mists 15. Are not the issues of the Earth without their cause from above 16. Slender Moisture 17. Variable Winds 18. Sometimes a Curious day and no Prejudice to the Character 19. Not given to Flouds whatsoever it may do in Arabia 20. The Table § 1. THe League between ♄ and ☿ though allowing some Effect between such Alliances cannot be thought to be of any great Moment because of their Immense Distance for What Influence can there be upon the Ocean on a supposed League between the Thames and the Straits of Magellan Mercury is a little Planet and a Nimble One thereby portending that he cannot be long of a mind supposing he doth confer to some Amity But we have labour'd before to possess the Enquirer that the very Swiftness and Agility of ☿ may not Lessen the Planet in account but rather aggrandise him seeing the Swiftness of his Motion in its Orb is a probable hint to us that he had most business to do which otherwise without such Agility could not be dispatched He must overtake the slower Planets He must return and Re-salute them again for for so it is order'd that his business goes on even while he goes backward Venus hath done so before with ♂ and ♄ and ☿ will not stand out § 2. Now as we said Venus not being bound to observe ♄ ☿ also is at the same Lock He meets with ♄ sometimes before the ☉ sometimes behind and that at farthest Distance with the ☉ his pace commonly is Direct but now and then slow yea sometimes Retrograde as Dec. A o 1662. the ☉ being gr 11. distant § 3. Yet all this signifies nothing except we obtrude a Character upon the World and fabber about an Influence of Wind and and Rain in Spring and Summer-time Wind and Snow in Winter Wind and Clouds in Autumn 'T is Maginus his Description which I see others willing to transcribe Adrian Vlack Ephem A o 1663. and others Nor is it amiss if we say Rain in the First place and then Wind seeing ♄ and ☿ yea and the Rest for the most part answer to Rain more frequently than to Wind. § 4. Maginus added wheresoever he had it some mention of Tenebrosus Aer originally from the Arabs no question and truly the very view of the Diary minded me of that which made me Prize Maginus the rather to whom Eichstad accords Turbulentum sub frigidum aerem saith he our Table oft-times speaks of Close sometimes Dark and Muddy Air and true as Truth is it that some Planets do contribute more than others to mask the Air and darken it at some special times but ♄ and ☿ seem to be more frequent so that I have reason to think that if ♄ were posited in ♂ 's Orb he would make more rainy Weather than ♂ because even at such distance he rouses up the Air and Frowns upon us § 5. And what should we say more when who pleases to account the Wet days with the Sum Total whether we allow 2 or 3 days or Twelve and more according to our Enlargement of the Prospect shall find that it will answer Expectation which must necessarily prove our Influence whether on the nearer account because of the Proxinity of the Effect to the Cause proposed or in a more enlarged account because no reason can be assigned why Communibus Annis in 500 days it shall rain every 2d Day since that Effect is not observed upon Equal Terms every other day secluding our Aspect Verily ♄ in his Station at least is noted by Eichstad to be a Tenebrous Planet Statio ♄ prima vel secunda tenebras aeris affert § 6. But they joyn Cold with dark Air and to that I say yea at time of the Year and under limitations some such as have bin mentioned Here our Predecessors give us a smart Note or two for the use of the Planter or Husbandman they tell us A o 1572. at the end of October there came a tedious Cold season as Appian
In the year 1668 1670. 1672. In the Signs ♒ and ♓ They were the Signs of the Aspect But the Solar Sign was ♠only the Snow falling in November § 17. There are many other pretty things occur in the History of ♄ and ♂ some whereof are common to other Configurations others may seem to be more proper Clouds and Passions of Clouds blushing toward the East Irides Halo's Lowring Suspicious and Threatning with a suspended Effect While no Rain falls Mists Fog Low Ground Mists c. Concerning which I must needs say I have observed the Air under this Aspect to clear and cloud interchangeably for several Days Ye will say so it doth it other times It doth so and not without Cause which Cause if a Man can render then or Now what Harm is it Saturn and Mars is a great and permanent Aspect whereby the Air is for a long while more easily alterable as when a Disease hangs about us our Bodies are more incident to a Fit when there happens a more full and smart Concurrence as we see it not seldom meets with § 18. Note that the sudden Mists under this Aspect put on an extra ordinary Hue noted for their deep Blew as well under the Opposition as under the Conjunction § 19. We have spoke of the Ground Mists before and some Instances we have here so frequent as if they seemed to belong to ♄ even as I ventur'd to conjecture Of these we meet One in the year 1652. 3 in 1658. 4 in 1660. and 2 in 1666. and amongst these one most notable A o 1666. Nov 21. where I observ'd it making a creeping Progression in the Valleys hor. 9. manc I remember elsewhere where a Low Mist by a leisurely Progress hath shifted its ground stole from a Meadow into a Close and with a silent Inundation overflowed the Neighbour Pastures Tell me some good Philosopher the Cause I meditated and thought the Water might attract but the Motion was from the side of the River and that of Nov. 1666. was distant 2 or 3 Miles from the River Thames I consulted and found it was a Sign of a Tempest for the Wind rose to an audible Height the Night and day following and so continued 3 or 4 days very Tempestuous ♄ and ♂ yea ♃ and ♀ rather than fail were all together now the Cause of the Tempest must be the Cause of that Sign and that these Planets were the Cause of the Tempest may appear by the Premises and the further Criterium were it time to shew it at the time of the Planets setting hor. 8. vesp of the next day at which time the Air according to the Diary was very Tempestuous and as it had been before at ☉ set § 20. As for Irides and Halo's we light upon them sometimes and they are not altogether accidental to an Aspect either of ♄ and ♂ as we have seen before Nor to This because they are Notable here for Number or Circumference Add that they contribute to a like Passion of the Clouds viz. that blushing Tincture in the East and that not only when the Aspect is Situate about the West but also when nearer the Zenith Quaere Whether not so when in the Nadir Or the other Hemisphere Yea lastly what if we shall find that Notable Passion of Parelium found under this Aspect § 21. For a Dark Aether I though I might impute it to ♄ and sometimes to ♂ upon different accounts but when I consulted the Diary I found the Effect confin'd to certain Signs Aries Cancer and once Pisces Virgo Leo. So this note must be reserved for the Tropick and Equinox or they seem to be the Critical Places The Home Diary of ☌ ♄ ♂ § 22. A o 1658. Oct. 12. 1. ♠♎ 22. 6. Close muddy air die tot very wet 8 p. c. 7. Store of Wet abund p. m. till 8 p. S E. 8. Overc. o. coasting showr in prospect showr Sun occ N E. 9. Frost bright cold wds Meteors W. 10. Fr. ice ropes warm N E. 11. Fr. mist ice cobwebs thick fog 9 p. W. 12. Fog m. overc moist air n. E. 13. Dark and cool misle p. m. blew mist E. 14. Drisle wet 2 m. o. p. m. E. 15. Rain circ dilucul warm black Summer Clouds and open overc n. S. 16. Wind all n. rain a. l. ad usque 8 m. dark and wet p. m. 5 p. 8 p. S. 17. Mist violent rain at midnight at 5 m. drisle p. m. H. wd rain 8 p. S W. A o 1660. Oct. 25. ♠14. 20. Fr. N W. fog clear mist below N E. 21. Fog m. cloudy windy warm E. 22. Fr. fair s wet N E. 23. Cloudy windy fair 9 m. windy clear vesp N. 24. Frost fair s wet wdy N. 25. Cold cloudy windy clds frequent in S. and S W. clear even yet wd moist N E. 26. Fr. fair high clouds curdled close day W. 27. Cold windy hail r. 1 p. showr 3 p. N E. 28. Rain a med noct cloudy E. N E. 29. N E. Fr. clear 30. Fr. W. curdled clouds hot A o 1662. Nov. 5. ♠6. 31. Oct. Fog bright day warm wd E. 1 Nov. Fr. m. fair clouding p. m. rain 7 p. E. 2. Overc. rain 1 p. c. S E. 3. Blew clouds m. Rain a 9 m. ad o. S. 4. Rain hard a 5 m. ad 1 p. S. 5. Fog cloudy somet open N. 6. Close m p. wd S E. 7. Close p. m. drisle rain overcast vesp c. S W. 8. Open warm clouds low s coasting drops wind Meteor a Pleiad ad Capell 9. Fair m. clouds 1 p. s rain S. 10. Iris 8 m. storm of wind and R. 8 p. Sly A o 1664. Nov. 12. ♠27. 8. Fr. cool fair wind S W. 9. Fr. overcast wd and wet per tot S. 10. Fr ice mist fair S W. 11. Fr. ice very foggy Sol rutilus freez n. S W. 12. Rain m. fair cool R. 10 p. S W. 13. Dreadful Tempest wind Rain and hail 2 m. windy open S W. but after the storm N W Harmful Lightning in a Ship at Lundy 14. Open fair wind S W. 15. Overc. close p. m. s rain 4 7 p. S W. 16. Fair m. rain o. open p. m. R. 10 p. S W. 17. Rain a. l. 2 m. fair windy freez nocte S W. A o 1666. Nov. 19 ♑ 18. 15. Frosty fair 16. Frosty sharp day E. 17. Frosty fair fog ♄ ♂ ♀ rise yield wind 11 p. overc S W. 18. Close some mist die tot S W. 19. Warm open somet lowring H. wind a. l. Sly 20. Drisle a. l. misty wetting so 1 p. warm open wds S W. 21. Mist creeps in the Valleys 9 m. close m. p. wd close n. S W. 22. Wind at n. close misty wetting high wind very tempestuous Sun occ 8 p. III Plan occid clear 23. Close m. p. Tempestuous Sun occ c. s drops S W. A o 1668. Nov. 23. ♒ 9. 19. Windy and wet 6 m.
for Sickly Seasons Accute Diseases c. which Maginus adds Let the Learned World pardon me if I do again averr it and strike the Nail homer yet than I have done already with all safety to our most Holy Religion and the blessed Author of it § 16. For is it not a Childish Argument to say God made all things Good i. e. conformed to his own Idea therefore there is no Malefique Creature Not to enquire curiously what should have been the natural Course in the Innocent State we suppose our Apostacy and Rebellion towards God and so we believe with Siracides that Fire and Teeth of Wild Beasts and Stings of Serpents were made for Vengeance that the Sun may now burn us by Day and the ☽ annoy us by Night that the Stars of Heaven may be Worm-wood and have a bitter and unkind Influence The ☉ conduces to Feavers and the ☽ to Frenzies and Epilepsies § 17. And verily This Observation found me when I thought it not came dress'd to me in its own Light while I was attending to the various Shapes and Changes of the Air no suggestion to my remembrance of any Astrologers Antient or Modern taught me to suspect what I afterwards found that the Distempers of the Season depend upon what the Season it self depends the Aspects and Positions of the Celestials Galen also so long ago saying the same Feavers Catarrhs Small Pox Fluxes Pestilence c. according to the difference of the Clime and the Patient do annoy us when the Heavenly Bodies Transit or take up Station in such Parts of the Zodiack There is no denyal of it § 18. Kepler in his Diary hath observed it seems amongst his Germans Catarrhs and Coughs At Lintz A o 1621. April 20. Coughs at Saganum in Silesia Febr. V. A o 1629. Catarrhs Who would suspect such a Malady had any relation to the Planets above Cold Air and a Moist Brain c. These are Physical Causes internal of Catarrhs But of late strange Experience taught us in London yea all Europe that saving all such internal and proximate Efficiency some strange Aspect Single or Complicate disturbs the Humour For the Case was of one Night even of One wherein a manifest barking Cough had seiz'd the generality of Young and Old Octob. 26. 1675. Verily there was an Aspect of ♀ and ♂ with an ☠of ♄ which occurring as rarely as its pretended Effect may be suspected for some Cause of it However this was ♄ then but the Catarrhs of Germany no body is so fit to acquaint us herein as Kepler belong to our Jove-Martial-Aspect In both these several years and Months we shall find a ☌ ♃ ♂ the First Jan. 22. the Second Febr. 10th and that you may suspect here also they were a Cause you shall find no other Coughs or Catarrhs elsewhere specified § 19. To proceed these Catarrhs are noted to have happened within a day or Two if not the very day of the Configuration where I desire the good Readers favour while He observeth that we labour after a Determinate Punctual Prognosis even of Maladies as well as Constitutions of the Air we do not pronounce indeterminately and leave the Determination of the Event to its proper unknown Cause and Father it when it happens upon its pretended Assignation That is the Vulgar imperfect way but we match the Effect to the Cause acknowledging no Postuâ—â—ous Brood in our Midwifry Then and there appeared the Effect not sooner nor later Aestival Part. A o 1652. June 37. ♑ ♋ 6. A June 23. ad July 2. 23. Cloudy clear s wd 24. Cloudy store of Thund showrs at n. 25. Cloudy rain s Thund 26. Windy and cloudy at n. 27. Clouds s rain wdy 28. s rain wdy cloudy at n. 29. Showrs high wds 30. Showrs and wdy July 1. Clear wdy A o 1654. Sept. 19. ad 28. ♓ ♑ 16. 19. Winds b. d. dark cloudy 20. Cloudy m. clouds overc 21. Cloudy s fits of wet weather 22 Flying clouds heat wind at n. 23. Winds dark cloudy Th. at midn 24. Rain 25. Rain m. s store of R. 26. Cloudy m. clear d. audible wds r. suspicious 27. Misty m. warm A o 1661. April 28. ♎ ♈ 5. 24. Cloudy sometimes showry clear even 25. Cloudy wdy 9 m. showry wet day even cloudy 26. Cloudy wdy a sad rainy day 37. Cloudy misty m. p. even cloudy s rain 28. Cloudy a showr at night bright m. p. even cloudy s rain m. n. 29. Cloudy rain threatning o. s drops 30. Cloudy somewhat misty p. m. s Sun A Starry even May 1. Cloudy dry p. m. somewhat clear and Sun-shine 2. Frost l. fog clear m. Hot May weather A o 1663. June 29. ♠♊ 5. 26. Close wet m. coasting showrs 3 p. 6 p. Hail 27. Rain 7 m. storm thunder hail p. m. rain at 7 p. m. 28. Fog m. clear up cloudy p. m. clear might 29. Bright m. cloudy toward o. violent storms of Hail dropping 6 p. 30. Fair dry some flashing clouds overc 10 p. July 1. Rain Sun rise s dashing o. fair and heat p. m. 2. Dry warm blushing quarters H. p. m. 3. Close m. p. A o 1663. Sept. 18. â™’ ♌ 12. 13. Frost fair cool wd warm Sun shine overcast n. 14. Frost close m. p. dry 4 p. gentle rain m. p. 15. 16. Notable frost fair cool cloudy 17. Storms of Rain and wd 18. Very cool h. wd suspicious about Noon coasting showrs vesp and Sun set 19. Hail frost m. doubtful cloudy close winterly s rain 2 3 4 p. 20. Calm close s showrs at Sun rise weeting mist all day 21. Close m. p. s dropping rain 5 n. 22. Some dewing morn hottish close 23. Moon shine b. d. overcast rain A o 1675. March 13. ♠♊ 19. 7. Frost overcast stiff wds 8. Fair a. m. storm of hail 4 p. and drisling cold n. 9. Rain much a 2 m. dark 7 m. a storm of snow misle 1 p. h. wd 10. H. wind fair a. m. and cold warm n. 11. Frost mist fair a. m. offer p. m. 12. Frost ice fair mist windy 13. Frost ice yielding p. m. and close wds 14. Frost ice white clouds as for snow o. close at Sun rise 15. Frost ice snow hail a. m. cloudy dark close yielding p. m. 16. Offer close m. p. s snow 8 p. 17. Close mist wetting 5 p. coldest about o. 18. s drisle 7 m. fog m. p. misling at n. 19. Close misling 2 p. 9 p. 20. Close m. p. misty drisle 6 p. A o 1677. June 15. â™’ ♌ 27. 10. Close fog m. ad o. open and no mist Meteor 10 p. in the earth and Air. 11. Showrs a. m. 9 m. n. m. 12. Windy n. floating clds 9 m. s dropping and offering 1 p. 4 p. showr 6 p. 13. Warm open overcast 1 p. open overcast 9 p. 14. Fair m. cloudy 10 m. pregnant clouds warm 15. Fair a. m. much lowring 2 p. offering 4 p. drops 6 p. soultry even thick c. 16. Floating white clouds 9
ASTRO-METEOROLOGICA OR APHORISM'S AND DISCOURSES OF THE Bodies Coelestial THEIR NATURES and INFLUENCES DISCOVERED From the Variety of the Alterations of the Air Tempeperate or Intemperate as to Heat or Cold Frost Snow Hail Fog Rain Wind Storm Lightnings Thunder Blasting Hurricane Tuffon Whirlwind Iris Chasme Parelij Comets their Original and Duration Earthquakes Vulcano's Inundations Sickness Epidemical Maculae Solis and other Secrets of Nature Collected from the Observation at leisure times of above Thirty years by J. GOAD The Lord Reigneth Clouds and Darkness are round about Him A Fire goeth before him His Lightnings enlightned the World the Earth saw and TREMBLED the Hills melted like Wax at the Presence of the Lord. Psal CXVII Seek ye the Lord who maketh the Seven Stars and Orion That calleth for the Waters of the Sea and poureth them out on the Face of the Earth Amos V. Who removes the Mountains and they know not Who shakes the Earth out of his place Who commandeth the Sun and Seals up the Stars Who maketh Arcturus and Orion and the Pleiades and the Chambers of the Southern Constellations Who doth GREAT things past finding out yea and WONDERS without number Job IX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 19. LONDON Printed by J. Rawlins for Obadiah Blagrave at the Black Bear in St. Pauls Church-Yard over against the Little North-door 1686. To the Most Potent and Heroick Prince JAMES the II. OF Great Britain France and Ireland KING Defender of the Faith c. Most DREAD Soveraign AFTER Your Majesties Miraculous Access to the Imperial Crown of these Realms in Peace and Awful Silence After your Glorious Endeavours to Illustrate your Crown and Kingdom and make the English NAME Legible to all our Gazing Friends and Neighbour Nations it needs an Apology to interrupt your Great Tendencies and Designs with a Piece of Paper-Skill of any pretended Treatises of Science But Great SIR our Argument is as High as the Outward Courts of Heaven and Noble withal since the Greatest Princes Coats of Arms are emblazoned by our Planets These Papers like your Majesties Royal Mind are not confin'd within the Limits of the Britannick Shore but to shew their Usefulness they are bound for the East for the West for the South and for the Frozen Sea They aim at the account of a Fair Wind and a Storm a Thundring Tempest and a Resistless Hurricane and this all the World over They inquire into the Nature of Vulcano's Flaming Mountains which being accompanyed often with Earthquakes are as so many Sea-Marks to warn the Mariner that he comes not Ashore So the Subject may not be Unworthy of your Majesties Able Commanders that they may bring and re-bring their Cargo's safe to their desired Port. Specially since we adventure to search the Nature of Currents at Sea that they may be no longer Impediments un-accounted for When the deluded Vessel shall find she 's stolen back so many Leagues of her Voyage maugre a stiff Gale at her Stern What tends to Navigation leads to Empire or to Fame at least and Remark in case your Undaunted Royal Spirit shall be content with the Hereditary Dominions of your Crown This I reflect on with Comfort that this Essay I cannot say bask'd in the Sunshine but when time was it had the Glorious Fate to be enlivened by a Glance at least of your Royal Brother of most happpy Memory Nor can I be diffident of your Majesties Sweetness and good Liking when according to my Low Station under and with your Royal Scepter I aim at the Publick Good Praying the God of Heaven whom you Religiously and Devoutly Worship to impart the Blessings of Heaven the Blessings of Earth and the Blessings of the Deep on your State and Dignity Temporal and after a Long and Happy Reign amongst your Loyal Subjects who only understand the Blessings of Monarchy to re-Crown your Royal Head in the Temple not made with Hands his Eternal Kingdom So Prayeth your Majesties most Humbly Devoted Subject and Daily Orator J. GOAD TO THE Favourable Reader PHILOSOPHY I hope will never be out of date neither Natural nor Moral because they are Lights that lead us the one to admire the Divine Nature the other to follow it In Natural Philosophy the Planets and the Meteors teach their part in Letters writ in Light brighter than Gold as more Noble and therefore visible to the Vulgar who all believe a Celestial Power because they see it This being admitted They are fairly invited to give heed to the other more Spiritual Light which sheweth Good and Evil in their Colours I never found but that Contemplation of the Heavens conduced to the First and therefore must manuduce to the Second A Showre of Rain and a Fruitful Season is a good Proof for a Good God and a Pealing Storm of Thunder is a Sermon from Heaven the Voice of God and not of Man Such a rowsing Lesson may shake even an Epicurean into a Religious Horror much more the plainer Vulgar who are happy in this that they have no blind acquired Biass to counter-sway them from the belief of a Deity The Holy Text is full of what I say The Poetick and the Prophetick Books ring of Astrology and the Doctrine of the Sphere I could have filled my Title-Page with Testimonies The Verses of the Holy Arab are a Compendium of these Papers I confess I had a Fancy for these Contemplations from my Youth but I hope I should not have followed them Recreations though they were but that the Holy Text enflamed me thereto For I always had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Love for Holy Writ The Alteration of the Air comes home to our Doors and the Causes sometimes shine in at our Windows If an Influence of Sol Mercury Mars and Saturn c. were as commonly known to the Husbandman or Seaman as the Noviâ— and Plenilunar Influence how familiar would our Resentments be of God's good Providence how frequent would be the occasions of Discourse thereon what Advantages to Religion in its Devotional part from the Terrible Meteors in its Love Gratitude Admiration from the more Blessed Constitution But the unlucky Principle of Mechanism amongst the Learned and of Nature in the Brutish Notion amongst the Vulgar hinders our Wish But I hope this our Principle is so much the more prizable that it clearly â—vacuates that Intrigue And is it not pity that a Forein Mode of Philosophy though transient with the Age should debauch the present Generations defraud us of Arguments for God's Illustrious Providence urged so many Thousands Years ago and unhinge us from the Knowledge of the Creator who is Visible and Palpable to us every 24 Hours Wellfare therefore those Philosophers of our Age who made it their business to appear against Cartesius Dr. H. More Dr. S. Parker and Others to whom in my poor Opinion Religion and the knowledg of the Creator is indebted We are Superstitious forsooth if we are troubled at a Comet because 't is Natural
It may Portend for all that They deny Apparitions of Armies Wherefore because they can give no account of them They may deny as well a Showr of Rain for any account they can give why it falls with the Circumstances of hic nunc Our Philosophy reaches those very Circumstances because we study God and His Motions the Accesses Recesses Stations Respects of those Moveables which He hath Cloathed with Light least we should say He hid such Knowledge from us Therefore tell me good Friend why it Rains now why every quarter of an Hour for so it haps sometimes Why it Snows in Summer and Thunders in Winter Prognosticate by your Mechanisms what shall be Seven Year hence Nay if there be a Natural Divination then there is a Providence then there is a God then there is a Law of Nature setled which he who is Skill'd in obtains the Gift of a kind of Prescience So does Hippocrates foretel the Fate of his Patient an Arab a Comet and Thales an Eclipse This Knowledge I have endeavour'd to settle and to render it perspicuous which must require some Prolixity where the Mountain of a Common Prejudice is to be removed Yet I will not justifie my self I might have been more contract perhaps I may add that I was never inclined to study the Arabs I fetched not this Knowledge from them When I saw I was engaged to consult them I knew here was a Meum Tuum even among them so I gave them their due I have often apolâ—gized in the following Papers for the Length of the Diaries inserted I labour'd to find the utmost of the Planetary Communication which I have shewn to be large That is the chief thing I pretend to and I hope if it brings its Conviction it will be kindly accepted To conclude I wish the Reader a discerning Spirit in all Truth he pursues not only in this but in a more Celestial Philosophy So far am I on all accounts his unfeigned and absolute Well-Wisher J. GOAD The Characters which are made use of in the following Papers are thus explained Planets Saturn ♄ Jove ♃ Sol ☉ Mars ♂ Venus ♀ Mercury ☿ The Moon ☽ Aspects Conjunction ☌ Sextile âš¹ Quartile â–¡ Trine â–³ Opposition ☠The XII Signs of the Zodiack Aries ♈ Taurus ♉ Gemini ♊ Cancer ♋ Leo ♌ Virgo â™ Libra ♎ Scorpio â™ Sagittary â™ Capricorn ♑ Aquary â™’ Pisces ♓ A. l. ante lucem A. m. ante merid m. p. most part d. t. die toto T. M. Terrae Motus or Earthquake R. Retrograde Dir. Direct ASTRO-METEOROLOGICA APHORISMS and Discourses concerning the Natures of the Bodies Celestial c. BOOK I. CHAP. I. God the First His Second Cause the Heavens Their admirable Power on the Sublunary World on the Air especially The Causes of Meteors ordinary or prodigious Angelick Powers § 1. GOD Almighty the Great and Wise Creator Blessed for ever for no legitimate Astrology can exclude Him is not only in Himself but even in his Works Incomprehensible § 2. Amongst His other infinitely various Operations He is admirably discovered in the constitution of the Air and its strange Vicissitudes which the Divine Word unquestionably produceth by a Second inferior Cause or Generant § 3. The Theatre on which these Alterations are hourly acted being the open Air Mankind hath more easily arrived at some little Apprehension of this Second Cause the Region in which they are presented being so neer and pervious § 4. As reasonable as it is to believe that the Sea comprehendeth all the Seminal Causes of Her Productions and the Earth of what is bred in Her Bowels also so natural is it to imagine that the Heavens are not Idle but rather give Spirit and Influence to all things under their Convexity viz. the Air and its Regions with the Globe of Water and Earth These being but minor Orbs all inclosed within the vast Embraces of the major even as the Foetus is embraced by the Womb and the Membranes that are agnate to it § 5. The World therefore in all Ages hath been convinced that the Heavens have no small Power on the premises and every Body within their respective Inclosures § 6. On the Air especially and its Phaenomena the Meteors as they are distinguished vulgarly into Real or Apparent § 7. Of these latter none go about to deny that the Heavens are the due Efficient whether Halo's Rainbows Parelia Paraselenae Chasms Clarities Nocturnal the Morning and Evening-Blushes of the Heavens to which may be added the rarer appearance of its seeming Conflagration unless That prove gather to be Real § 8. But no less are they the due Effective of the former the Real ones though some Well-meaners would fain deny it whether Clouds Rain Mist Dews Fiery Trajections Ignes fatui Lightning Thunder Blasting Frost Snow Hail Winds § 9. And of All these whensoever they happen whether in Measure or Excess Ordinary or Prodigious and they again whether Homogeneous such as those Dire Tempests called of old Ecnephiae Exhydriae Fistulae Plin. hist nat II. 48 49. known amongst us by the names of Sponts Huracans Tornados Travados c. or Heterogeneous as the Rains of Dusts Ashes Milk Blood c. § 10. No other is the Cause after all that can be disputed of that great phaenomenon the Comet and That not only Sublunar but Celestial § 11. The same also is most justly acknowledged the Cause of the motion of the Sea its Ebbs and Flowes which some great Artists would pin on the motion of the Earth others on the inward Principle of the Element § 12. Yea the Heavens though it may seem to be no less than a Contradiction are to be admitted Causes of Earthquakes Meteors as they are rightly called of the Subterranean Region § 13. Powers Angelical Good or Evil are no Causes solitary or such as do evacuate the proper Causality of the Heavens § 14. Stormy Winds therefore which are harmful to Countrey or Province are no Arguments whatsoever the vulgar are perswaded of Sorcery or Conjuration § 15. Hereby it is not intended to deny that Spirits can raise or bestow Winds or Tempests and that it may be by Arbitrary means though I see some are willing to excuse Lapland from such Inditement § 16. Showers of Stone Dust Ashes Blood Corn c. which I call Prodigious out of kind § 9. are generated first in the Air not elevated thither by any violent natural Spirit as some think so that if they may be fairly imputed to an Angelick Administration yet neither can the Heavens be wholly excluded § 17. Concerning prodigious Showres of Creatures Animate as Frogs c. although the more probable Opinion saith they are generated in the Region from whence they fall yet here I am not ingaged to undertake § 18. Noises and Apparitions of Armies with Military Equipage and Tumult can at no hand exclude an Angelic and that a Principal Cause CHAP. II. Meteors their Material Cause and that there is
an Earthy Exhalation The Air considered All Meteors reducible to Heat and Cold as their Efficient the Nicety of their Degrees An account of the Natural Prognosticks of Weather they all prove that Heat is the cause of Rain and the Heavens Dominion over Moisture Concerning Hail Snow Mist Lightning Comet Blasting No phaenomena casual Wind its cause is not rarefaction or condensation but celestial Impulse The Body of the Heaven as distinguished from the Stars signifies nothing § 1. MEteors Real whether Aerial or Subterrranean as to their Cause Material consist of Water Earth Simple or Compound Fire and their Expirations these in the depth of the Earth those in the heights of the Air as far as the reach of the Atmosphere § 2. For that the Earth also is resolved into Exhalation is evinced from the Thunderbolt yea from the Nitrous and Sulphureous Ingredients into the wild-fires Celestial Lightnings Add the forementioned Rains of Stones Ashes Corn c. nay every Fog is so fuliginous as to bear witness a Fog which sometimes casts it self into Threds or Ropes and by the warmth of the Sun furls up into Gossamere § 3. The Body of the Air seems not to be the Resolution of Terrestrial or Watry Exhalations but is rather distinguished from Both as their Subject or medium even as the Water is distinguishable from its Impurities or from the saline Spirit that inhabits the Ocean § 4. For the whole Expansion Aerial and Aethereal is one homogeneous Body differing only in Warmth or Cold Purity or Impurity according as it is nearer or remoter from the Earth and Water § 5. Of it self as it seems neither hot nor moist nor cold c. but capable of all § 6. So distinguished is the Air from the Water that Neither can be converted into the Other the four Elements vulgarly called being as I deem Incorruptible in as much as although God the Creator was pleased as Moses seems to say to make the Air out of Water yet it may be true notwithstanding that no Natural Agent can turn it back into the same § 7. Meteors Real as to their Efficient Cause are naturally reducible to Heat or Cold and their Activities Frost Snow Hail to the later Lightning Rain Clouds to the former § 8. Winds also have no other Aeolus § 9. Here it is to be remembred that degrees of Heat and Cold are of a minute and nice disquisition our grosser Sensories being not always competent Judges for we see Rivers in depth of hardest Winters reserve some Heat where Fish subsist and scalding Liquors admit some degree of Cold as when their Aestuation is calmed by a little cold Infusion and yet remain scalding still § 10. As nice also may be the consideration of Dryth and Moisture for as the Coals of dry Fewel taken from the Furnace burn quick and bright so from moist Fewel they glow obscurely as if they were not as yet rid of their pristine though adventitious Moisture § 11. Warmth is the instrumental Productive of Cloud and Rain This is witnessed by the Southern Winds which bring Both by Thaws in Winter which are always cloudy seldom dry by the ingrateful Savors most hot against moist Seasons beside the convincing testimony of the Thermoscope § 12. The Survey of the usual Prognosticks of Rain from Fire Water Animates Inanimates do all argue the same Original of Rain viz. Heat Celestial and its Consequent Moisture with the secret Impressions of Both on the Creature § 13. In Animals the usual Noises observed against weather as in the Raven the Crow Cock Goose Owl Peacock the Pimlico in the Hist of Virginia a Bird so called from her note too sure a Prophet saith Captain Smith of Wind and Weather Swine Frog c. their crowing screaming croaking c. argue not any miraculous Divination in the Creature but only protest the sensible disquiet and alterations that are felt by them at such times Haud equidem credo quia sit Divinitùs illis Ingenium aut rerum fato Prudentia major Verùm ubi Tempestas c. Vertuntur speciès animorum the Poet himself was so cunning Georgic 1. § 14. Further arguments of such Alterations are the Water-fowls leaving the Element flocking together or betaking themselves farther into the Country the poor Earth-worm creeping from his bed the flying or springing of the Loligo the Cuttle-fish they speak of the playing of the Dolphins in the waters all not brooking their own Element That and their Bodies being alike disturbed § 15. To say little of their Stomachs or Appetites extraordinary Birds coming late from Feed yea the contemptible Fleas or Flies more notably stinging i. e. biting or sucking are hence reckon'd for Presages § 16. The forced motions and postures of Creatures argue the same as when Cattel are seen skipping odly up and down indecorâ lasciviâ as Pliny calls it as if twitch'd or pricked by some shooting or ach in their Limbs as vexed by some pain tearing their Litter § 17. Which pains some Creatures endeavour to help the Beast licking the Hoof or against the Hair the Bird picking and pruning its Feathers some perfusing themselves with water or flying so neer the Swallow and Sea-mew 'till they dew their Wings point the House-cat washing her Head with her moistned Foot the Oxe snuffing aloft into the Air all as it were for refrigeration-sake of their Bloud or Spirits cooling the little Feavers perceived therein § 18. The poor Ant hiding himself or removing his Eggs the Shelfish sticking close to the Rocks or ballasting it self with Sand shew a kind of natural Prudence but no Prophetick Divination in as much as first they find the Alteration of their bodies before their Instinct teacheth them to provide for the consequent § 19. And as to Presages from the Water whatsoever the Ancients speak of the murmuring of the Sea at hand or the noise on the Shore side the bubbling or swelling of the Sea without noise witnessed by all Sea-faring men the appearance of the Froth broken or divided these all betray the Dominion of the Heavens on the Water and a disturbance rais'd by the Celestial Warmth § 20. Verily the Dominion on the Water is as large as that seen in the Air the Prognosticks from Animals being grounded principally on the Alterations of their Natural Moisture And if any Presages are drawn from Plants as the Bristling of the Trefoil c. hither it may be reduced § 21. I do not mention the Sweating of Wals or Glass which may arise from the continual Appulse of the moist Atome floating neer the chill superficies but Plinie's Instance from the Larder when a Dish which hath been used at Table leaves a Sweat on the place whereon it was reposited argues some consent of the Ambient's moisture with the moisture of the Esculent on which account also Wood swels Wainscot cracks Viol-strings snap asunder and we also as other Animals no better nor worse are disquieted with the Excrescencies of our
Applications of such Causes it will be hard to assign any Again from whence should the condensed Air descend from the lower Region then we should be to seek for the Violence the Term à Quo being so neer If from the upper the condensed Air would find its Aequilibrium as the Clouds do § 38. Nor doth the Wind make Overture that it observes the Laws of Gravity for then the latter end of the Blast would be most vehement as falling from the greatest height whilst its prodromi the antegredient part of the Exhalation would give notice of the vehemency to be expected by its proportional degree of force and men whose interest it is to observe would be able to pronounce the minute of its Approach But we find it not so a Fret of Wind is often quick and sudden and gives no notice of any such Fear Truly neither is the Hurry of the Wind accountable by Gravity or Density the motion whereof is so arbitrary so voluntary so indefinite Here there every where right forward round upward with such stops and pauses and interruptions of the Spirit starting again of a sudden into fresh tumults and riot unless we can find such infinite variety of Rarefiers and Condensers and that as the hypothesis defines it from the Sun alone What if sometimes Wind however it may gravitate descendeth not but ascends rather from the Horizon toward the Meridian and of this even the Boyes Paper-Kite is some evidence which feels great impulses of wind upward when in the height while the Attendants below being becalmed almost wonder at the difference § 39. Wind therefore is caused by Impulse and the Impulse of an Exhalation distinguished from the Air as the common Opinion rightly sets it the Contents of the Air being distinguish'd from the Continent and 't is a noble Argument of Fromond's that is drawn from the Affinity with the venti procellosi those impetuous All-washing Whirlwinds and Hurracans which have the invincible force of Lightning in them and the impetus is the same instantaneous not bearing down things before it as Flouds do Bridges by perpetual pressure but all at once Now Lightning is an Exhalation to be distinguish'd from the Air even as Light or Heat or Odour or Moisture nor can the Air be defin'd a Colluvies or Miscellany of all but must be defin'd prescinding from all Admistions that are extraneous to it And me thinks our Ear tells us as much for so like a Showre doth this Exhalation drive on the leaves of Trees that we often suspect it rains when it blows only Wind being no quantity of continued Air no more than a Showre is of continued Water § 40. This Exhalation is most part Terrestrial for not to urge the Height of such Mountains as reach beyond all Territory of Wind by being so remote from the Vale Fromond from Acosta asks whence Winds are more vehement on or neer Shore unless because of the plenty of such Earthy Exhalations and the stronger Reflexions of the Heat Celestial agitating the direct Ray being at no hand excluded those dry Effâ—uvia But secondly we argue thus Wind is a Dryer even as Frost a Cooler Dryer a Whitener to this the Laundress will bear witness As sure then as Frost is a Terrestrial Exhalation so sure is Wind. Hence the more the Wind blows in the Night the less is the Dew § 41. And Wind is generated in the Macrocosm as in the Microcosm what causeth Wind in the Stomach or Intestines but a crude Spirit raised from the resolution of the Aliment driven up and down by the vital Heat what Meats are generative of Wind but such in which a Crude Spirit is predominant I reckon therefore the Hot Wines Seeds Spices c. do expel and banish Winds out of our bodies § 41. For why we should deny with Fromond to one contrary the Faculty expulsive of the other I see not I find Fire to spit at the infection of Salt or Water A drop of water falling into a Cruse of melted Metal disperses it about the Room and the Apple on the Hearth is a plain and safe Experiment which having received the contrary igneous Spirit ejects its Pulp and oft times with such a wind as is seen to puff away the adjacent Embers There can be no strife of Contraries no Antipathy explicated without such Expulsive faculty or which is all one fuga contrarii § 43. Hence Winds which accompany the Reverse of the Sea blowing from the West such as we are taught are found in Latitude 43 if they have no dependance on the Heavens on which all other Blasts are confessed to depend but on the Stream are legitimate no more than the wind of a Cannon-ball or the Lapland Gale or the Reverse of the Water is a legitimate Tide § 44. The four Cardinal Winds are thus defined the East and West blow from certain opposite Points or Arches of the Equinox the North and South not from their Poles but from the opposite points of the Meridian § 45. The properties of the four Cardinal Winds cannot be universally stated yet on this side of the World in all habitable Climes where the Division obtaineth and whereabouts they were first denominated the South and West are warm the North chills the East cools then the South or West warmer than the North and this on the Heavens part § 46. Wind therefore as all its Fellow-Meteors dependeth on the Heavens and that in the manner aforesaid By the Heavens we mean the Glorious Contents not one or two but all the Celestial Bodies yea all the Host of the Fixed Stars that shine in the Firmament § 47. For the Heavens as distinguished from the Stars have no Operation occult or manifest CHAP. III. The State of the Air not usually uniform The Difformity is admirable The Cause § 1. THE State of the Air is not uniform in all places no not of the same Kingdom Province County but is strangely different as to all manner of Weather Kepler gives notable Instances in the useful Book of his Ephemerides Anno Christi 1621 c. they of Germany seeming most pleased with these Contemplations § 2. Storm prodigious with Rain at Vienna at Ratisbon onely is a Fog Fearful Tempest in Bavaria in Suevia June 4 5. and Hail on the other side of the Rhine where Spiers is situate June 6. but at the Rhine it self a perfect Drought the whole three dayes This was Anno 1621. In like manner Anno 1629 in May dieb 13 and 14. the Corn was lost by Flood in Silesia contrary in Poland and Liefland all perished by Drought More of this nature may be had from Kepler abovesaid from Fromond's Etesian Table compar'd with Kepler's Ephemeris from Eichstad and others But what need when common Attestation of wayfaring men daily witnesseth this Difformity When upon conferring Notes at time of year we had no Snow here saith one no Fog saith another at our Town no Rain no Thunder and as for
the world yea and extant in the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Matth. IV. whether it signifie Epileptick persons as is certain say Physicians from the Symptoms Matth. XV. or the Raving Melancholy distracted Persons as the Syriac expounds it see the Learned Martinius in Lexic such as we meet S. Matth. VIII and S. Marc. V. they are both sad Instances of the Lunar Dominion on Humour in general and the Humours of our Temperature Of the Epilepsie 't is confess'd of the Other also 't is as true by the testimony of the Syriack And though some of the Antients S. Hier. and Origen are jealous of this Notion ascribing all to Diabolical Ferity and Cunning lest we should raise an Evil Report and bring Infamy on God's good Creature if we should grant the Moon contributed any thing of disposition to the Distemper yet we answer in a conciliatory way with the Generality of the Learned avoiding Both Extremes thus To refer all to the Natural Cause is one Extreme to impute All to the Infernal Fiend is the Other There is more danger of Injury done to Religion in the denial of these Natural Evidences than of Infamy to God's Creature in admitting them It would be wrong to the Creature to say the contrary seeing This also Lunar Warmth is God's Creation Therefore the Arabick Translator owns the Philosophy and construes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be Those who are tormented and vexed in principiis Pleniluniorum whether he means Either or Both of the Distempers abovesaid is to be learned from the Arabian Physicians See Gul. Ader the pious Critick on the Diseases mentioned in the Gospels § 16. The Experience concerning the Shelfish and their fatness at the Interlunium is evaded by saying that the Tide recruits them the Fresh water that comes along with it But doth not the Moon conduce to the freshning i. e. rarifying and quickning of that Stream Doth it not immit a new or call up the native spirit from its recesses to the very surface of the Element The Lunar warmth hat a double Office not only quickning the Aliment but as the Philosopher saith comforting the Cold bloodless Feeder his words are these The Shel-fish thrive most at the Full Moon not because they feed more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quite contrary to the Answer given but because the Nights are warmer by reason of the Moon de part Animal IV. 5. For bloodless Creatures saith he are easily chill'd and rejoice therefore in warmth Now warmth we know nourisheth as well as Victuals as we see in Sleep not excluding the Food but distributing it Certainly the Lunar History gives Instances of its Power over those Bodies whose Nutrition is not so facile as Theirs seems to be who have a whole Sea to guzle in § 17. But at Cambaja it seems at Bengala Java Islands and elsewhere neither do the Tides appear at the New or Full but at the Quarters when the Shel-fish also make their Markets Answ Some Difficulties there are and who can expect otherwise that studies the Universe rais'd against the Moon 's Soveraignty which yet are found to vanish the nature of the place be it Sea or Shore once consider'd For whatsoever difference here is found no doubt is on the part of the Recipient according to that good Maxim Quicquid recipitur c. and that solves all doubts in this case even the various Fluxes of Euripus it self For let the Ocean flow in some places four hours and ebb eight as with us in others seven and ebb five as long as it flows once in 12 hours and twice a day we are secure Do these Spring-Tides observe the Quarters of the Moon invariably do they keep their times for the whole Periods twice a day with other Ports does the Succession keep to its Measure I mean happen 48 Minutes later every day The Moon is the cause even of those Quarterly Floods yea the Change and Full may be the Cause with Us while the Quadrate may be assigned for the Cause there the Quadrate being less powerful than the Conjunction but not utterly infirm or of no force as will be seen hereafter Who knows then but that the Quadrate the less in an Intemperate Zone may be equivalent to the greater in a Temperate we having defin'd that 't is not Heat in every degree but only a Kind and a Temper'd Warmth that is effectual The Conjunction and Opposition may be excessive in the Torrid Zone and so unfit to raise the Humid Spirits on which account we are taught that the smallest Tides are perceived under the Equator Be the Mystery what it will many Definitions are absolutely True confin'd to their Clime which universally cannot hold The Sun riseth and setteth in 24 hours in Greenland not so the South-wind blows from the Pole not in these Countreys the Absence of the Sun causeth Winter with us but Those under the Line have no Winter but when the Sun is nearest them § 18. I must not conceal that I have seen an Ingenious Manuscript concerning this Subject determin'd by the Hypothesis of a third motion of the Earth with great happiness solving many New Phaenomena but yet I who have not proceeded so far in Mathematicks as to espouse Any Thing of that Principle content my self with these vulgar Presumptions and think I have some reason so to do when I shall have ask'd these few Questions not determinable I fear by such Hypothesis 1. Why even in calm and dry weather the Tides from the Change to the Quartile from the Quartile to the Full yea the Two Tides of the same day keep not their proportional Increase or Abatement 2. Why the Spring-Tide about the Full of the Moon most commonly is less than That about the Change 3. Why the Moon 's Perigee swels the Tide more than the Apogee in as much as what Dr. Childrey my late worthy Friend hath observed All prodigious Floods have happen'd remarkable at that time 4. Why the Moon commonly loses nothing at her appulse to the Equinox at what time of the Month soever it happens 5. Why it gains in her Applications to either Tropick if in her utmost Latitudes Northern or Southern 6. Why the Moon on the day of the Last Quadrate decreasing makes as high a Water sometimes higher than at the First in the Increase 7. Why the Lunar Aspects even with the Rest of the Planets do advance the Tides yea and her Applications also to some of the Notable Stars amongst the Fixed § 19. It may not be amiss here to glance upon Sacred Authority where there is manifest Testimony of the Lunar Energy Per Diem Sol non percutiet te neque Luna per Noctem Psalm XXI That 's the First The other is in Deut. XXXIII where Joseph's Blessing is not compleat without the pretious things of Heaven the Dew c. yea not without the pretious Fruits brought forth by the Sun and the pretious Things put forth by the Moon Whatsoever
that the Days are always or most part Character'd in their Constitution according to her accesses or recesses to the Sun or Tropicks Secondly the Mystery would have been kenn'd through the Observation of 2000 years at least seeing the Motions of the Sun and Moon are conspicuous but No body hath pretended to find any Specialties herein excepting three or four days in the month and those too of very remote and uncertain signification for the Moon is a Reflexion and Reflexions are tied to Laws According to the Angle of Incidence so is the Reflexion and the strength thereof but no Constitution of Air is tied and bound to these several Reflexions the Weather returns in such a Month when there is neither the same phasis nor an equivalent § 2. Nay Sun and Moon jointly are not the complete Causes of the Airs Alteration upon several grounds for if so every XIX years Revolution would bring with it the same state of the Year and we should be able to say what would be the Face of Heaven to morrow if we had observed 19 years ago without any great Conjuring § 3. Secondly we argue from the Duration the Same Constitution of Air sometimes lasts a whole week a month yea predominates the best part of a year while the Moon alass every 24 hours changes her phases in two days runs a twelfth part of the Heaven in a Month shifteth all her Schemes and Postures in relation to the Sun § 4. On the contrary we may consider the fickleness of the Weather In two hours yea in half an hours time the face of Heaven shall be Masked clear calm turbulent but in half an hours time the Sun and Moon vary not any considerable difference Sometime it shall rain and shine by Fits with such variety of surprize that if the Moon and Sun had run the Zodiaque in that 12 hours the variety could not have been greater § 5. Next may we take in the violence and extremity of Weather for Heat soultry melting fainting Air for Wind the Fury of Tempestuous blustering rocking the lofty Towers and shaking the best and lowest Architecture Of the extremity of the Heat the Moon supposing the Sun never so much cannot be the Cause the Moon being a Reflexion as was said and a single Reflexion but the Air is heated beyond the power of a single Reflexion as if there were some Anthelii one or two invisible Suns as some have imagined Antiselenae The vulgar impute all to the Sun and on a soultry day say the Sun is very hot but sure the Sun hath some Satellites some invisible Company or Guard that lie behind the Hyacinth-Hangings of the Heavens In the fury of Tempest the vulgar speak more feelingly when they say it Rains as if Heaven and Earth would meet and blows as if it would rend up all before it the Sun and Moon alone give them little supicion of such prodigious strength they rather believe a Devil raging in a Storm than impute such horrid Violences to so sober and civil a Pair as the Sun and Moon are accounted § 6. Add the contrariety of the state of the Air the Sun and Moon may be assigned some Cause of Warmth but who assigns a Cause of Cold the Sun by his oblique annual Accesses and Recesses in the Zodiac dispenses Summer and Winter as by his Diurnal motion he distributes Day and Night The Night and the Winter are acknowledged Both cold by reason of the Sun's Absence or Distance but whence comes the Day to be Cold an Aestival day to be chill Is the Sun the Cause the Cause of Contrarieties and that while Present The Sun cannot be the cause of Darkness when the Sun is present neither can it be the cause of Cold when it affords its presence When therefore a chill Hail-storm follows Lightning and Thunder I ask which of these Two congeles the Hail which kindles the Flash Doth the Moon congele the Storm It may be That 's a tepid Planet Is it the middle Region and the Antiperistasis then it would always Hail not Rain when it Thunders especially for the Hottest days the Fittest for the Antiperistasis but when the lower Region we find is chill'd also when it Thunders with Hail and that at Mid-summer who incourages this Cold what enlarges its Confines 't is too late to talk of Reliquiae Hremis at Mid-summer or in July nor to turn us off with the blind motion of the Matter For what is Uncertain and Confused is Casual and Casualty is inconsistent with Science so inconsistent that it is not to be pleaded by any Lovers of Learning § 7. Lastly the contrariety of the Accident to the Time when e. g. after a Set of close and muddy Days the Air takes its qu and clears up at Mid-night what removes that Curtain 'T is scarce the nature of any Night to remove Clouds her chill Constitution doth rather settle and fix if not seem to gather them the Moon hath not such power for supposing she be up the Sun sometime is hard put to it to take a Mist from the Earth much more the Moon The like we say for Winter the Absence or Depression of the Sun makes cold Weather but How come Winters to be warm warm ordinarily for a Month or more when the Daisie Anemone the Strawberry shall blow and proclaim a favourable Season The Moon for half the time is in Winter-signs as low and humble as the Sun Add when it happens thus that the Day and Night are ordinarily alike as to the Constitution yea the Winter-Nights have commonly most to do being tempestuous at least in the latter end of October and November nay sometimes soultry Nights are found in November as sometimes Thunder and Lightning at Christmas Many a Summer passes and it Thunders not can a Winter-Night be warmer than many a Summer can the Sun in its lowest Degree and Absence withall be more Potent than in Presence and Verticity 'T is more possible for the Sun to raise Thunder in the Frozen Zones if appearing above the Horizon than to play such Pranks in his Winter Nadir As for the Moon how can she by Night or Day operate when she is under the Horizon a Tempestuous Night continues and takes no notice of her Setting and it may Thunder and Lighten in the Winter-night before she rises the Moon as we said doth not so much as look as if she liked such Roister-company CHAP. VIII The other five call'd into the Militia Planets not made for Illumination only Light and Heat the same spirit All the Planets have their Influence Not all of the same Nature or Operation § 1. THere are therefore some Satellites which we spake of to be taken into consideration those five Lights which have been call'd of old by those Heathen Names of Saturn Jupiter Mars Venus Mercury notwithstanding which even by Scripture-precedent may be innocently used § 2. To our purpose 't is enough that they are Lights for no Star no
excepted I have wondred often at Winter-time to see Relenting Air in the Sun-shine and freezing in the Shade I concluded two things both that Cold had its Activity and that the very Solar-light was no Enemy to it not the secundary Light whatsoever it does if in its primary or more perpendicular § 76. Here it will be argued how comes ♃ Light to be the chief favourer of Cold since All Light at such a distance from the Centre doth the same What shall we say If ♃ were the remotest from the Earth we had some pretence but ♄ hath that plea for his Title If we shall say from the difference of his Fabrick and Spirit therein lodged and this argued from its whitish Light then ♀ will put in an equal claim Resp ♄ is most remote but the Consistence and the Spirit is different ♃ is brisker to all appearance ♄ glows darkly and sullenly ♃ and ♀ are bright and flaming Comet-like neer to sparkling and Scintillation this argues a quick Spirit while ♄ glows within the Profundity of his Globe Unless you will extort from us a confession that we do believe that the Reason of the crude Light that appears in ♃ to lie in the crude Spirit placed there by Nature which we are not forced to avow in the mean time sufficiently salving the instance from ♀ which we make not equally crude by her vicinity to our Globe of the Earth as also to the Sun The best of it is that Both these ways of Explication are hugely reconcileable seeing a Spirit will secretly pass along with a Beam yea with a Flame too So the Sublunar Cold shall be martial'd upon a double account the Agile nature of Light and the Homogeneity of the Spirit convey'd by it as if it should be thus with the ☽ she should be the Lady of Moisture upon the same twofold respect viz. the Tepor of her Beam and the Sympathy of the Sublunar Moisture with the Lunar Surely this doth not substitute violence instead of Nature when we say that the Cold Spirit may be acted ab extrinseco by the Celestial Light because All Light so for want of words we call that Innominate Spirit is of the same nature the Light Celestial with the Light or Spirit inbabiting the Sublunar Body and by reason of this Homogeneity One is naturally governable by the other the Inferior by the Superior so is Iron naturally not violently though ab extrinseco attracted by the Magnet CHAP. X. The five Planets added to the Luminaries salve the Phaenomena Winds blowing where they list hinder not their Prognostick Turbulency of Air from contrary Causes Jupiter again a resister of Moisture The Planets not Signs only but Causes Dominion ascrib'd to them in Scripture SO have we indeavour'd toward the settling of a Characteristic of All the Planetary Bodies constituting some of a hot Spirit and They either in a more Intense degree as ☉ ♂ ☿ or Remiss as ☽ ♀ ♄ all Procurers of Sublunar Moisture one and but one how Lucid soever yet either indued with a Cold and Dry Spirit or at least befriending it no Procurer but a Resister of Moisture § 1. And now All Variations of Air reduc'd to the Laboratories of Cold and Heat may be safely imputed to the Bodies Celestial since they appear of so distinct so contrary Energies e. g. not only Rains and Thunders to Moist and Warm but the Frosts and Winds to Cold Productives the Winds I say to Cold Causes mixt with warmer if with an equal Mixture then the Winds are Dry if with an unequal portion of the warm Spirit then Rain commonly is join'd with them § 2. And whereas our Principles profess to give Reason concerning the very Determination of the Winds what hinders for when our Lord saith that the Wind blows where it listeth He is far from making them Animate He means that the Winds were indued only with an Interpretative Freedom thereby excellently declaring the Freedom of Divine Grace which often chooseth its Province where to blow He doth not deny its Emblem a Natural Cause either of Existence or Determination He only tels us the Origin of the Wind is Invisible and the Range of it uncertain not fix'd or bound to any one Point from whence or any Coast on which it blows we know not whence it comes nor whither it goes we see not the first Head-Spring of the Invisible Cataract nor how far it runs on drift He doth not intend to deny that the Heavens are the Cause of it as in the Trade-winds and Monsons are manifest which God bringeth in their Seasons out of his Treasures as the Psalmist speaks Psal C V. nay he maketh use of the very Prognostick of foul Weather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Greek which in its Definition includeth Wind as well as Rain from the Angry face of the Heavens S. Matth. XVI § 3. These things thus established former Arguments that lay against the Assignment of the Sun and Moon alone find their Solution when we asked if the Account of the Constitution lay only on them Two whence came the Storm the Violence it was scarce rationally imputable to two Stars only but to Five more as Potent every whit as They well it may § 4. We ask'd again whence came the Duration of the Constitution for the space of a Week Month c not from the two Luminaries alone but from the Other Auxiliaries seeing ♂ sometimes is found to keep his Posture for a week unchanged the like may ♀ and ☿ a Week said I yea a Month almost as ♃ ordinarily doth yea ♄ may hover about one and the same part of the Zodiac almost for the space of 8 Months in his Stations Retrograde Courses c. § 5. Next as to the Vnsuitableness of the Constitution to the Season or the Time of the day If nor Sun nor Moon alone can produce Warmth in the Night the Rest conspiring with Him or Them may easily If the Sun cannot raise Thunder in the Winter-Solstice or at Christmas ♄ ♃ ♂ may be so posited as to play such Gambols § 6. Lastly whereas we justly demanded of Those that make the Luminaries the sole Arbitrators of the Changes of the Air Vnde frigus a Question that exercises the Naturalist as much as Vnde malum did the Christians of old we have indeavoured to find it a Terrestrial Spirit call it what you please Nitrous Salt c. Shis Terrestrial Spirit regulated according to its vicissitudes from the Modification of the Light Celestial chiefly among the Planets by the Radiance of ♃ by ♃ I say who for the most part is found by Experience to incourage Cold by his Presence the others rather by their Absence § 7. And this cold Cause I have confess'd Astrology is bound to find since there are Constitutions of the Air existent which manifestly argue Contrariant causes even at the same time for what else are Nocturnal Lightnings about Autumn often in Cold Air What else
the Latitude of 10. or 12. degrees which is sufficient for our Expectation Now if such an an Interval be too large an Argument or the name of a ☌ I take notice that both Modern and Antient Observers though they abett most justly the Partil ☌ yet they could not tye themselves to it being for the most part except about the Aequinox for all as I see ignorant of it So the Platique ☌ bore away the credit of the Partile in former Days But 2ly We have said that there must be verily an Enlargement of two Planets or more to such a distance and Station as is Mechanically requisite to perform according to expectation And no other do they mean if I understand them by the Orb but an Out-Let wherein the Planet being found acts more vigorously than if he were corporally conjoyned with his Neighbour § 58. But this will not convince some Men. For how many ☌ s of ☉ ☿ which bring no Earthquakes If this ☿ were of any relation to Earthquakes we should hear of them often every two Months c. This objection we meet on every turn 't is a Catholique Engine of Battery against Astrology and its pretences even about the State of the Air and so hath bin answered already Yet because it will recur even in this very Chapter about the Generation of Comets we will speak to it here also We have said we make no one Aspect an adaequate cause of the Effect only Eminent and Considerable which must be assisted with its Neighbours We have other Aspects which put in for their Share in the business we shall see them in the following Chapters and surfeit on them There is scarce a ☌ or ☠yea sometimes △ or □ but steps in to help at a dead lift § 59. We do acknowledge that sometimes an Earthquake seazes both the Earth and us without an Aspects Commission But not One in Ten. As in Storms and Tempests so here § 60. But ☿ being always under the Sun no wonder in the Terraemotus you will say seeing he cannot be far off at any time I answer 't is true and therefore I have concluded he is a prime Requisite Either the Sun himself can do nothing nor to Thunder or Earthquake or if he doth ☿ will be hardby intermedling § 61. But it may be asked may it not be indifferent where ☿ is posited R. I must not allow that for though I acknowledge the Effect may take place when he lies at any even his furthest distance yet if any shall argue the Instance is visible in all degrees alike we defie his Irony if he thereupon concludes utterly against the Influence First because the Effect appears more often nearer the Conjunction than further off 2. Because it happens more often in the Retrograde Course than in the Direct which he who pleases to observe will take some pleasure in 3ly Because we shall find the like in the Conjunctions of ☿ with other Planets Conjunctions I say rather than Oppositions So are we beholden to Ptolemy or whosoever it be to transmit this great Observation to Posterity § 62. But Ptolemy mentions also some notable incensed Meteors next to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if they accompanyed the Concussions of the Earth which we find to be true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he calls them some notable bulky Inflamations of Exhalation floating in the Air distinguished from the Ordinary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Trajections and shooting of the Stars Balls of Fire Dragons Trabes c. which we meet with in History or their more proper Records and of which Meteorologers write Hither must we refer the Phaenomenon strange with us of Caelum ardens where the Heavens seemingly nay really burn of which we meet one Example notable An. 1574. Novemb. 14. where our plain diligent Annalist tells us were seen strange impressions of Fire and Smoak proceeding forth of a Black Cloud at Midnight from the North and so continued till day Or the next Night following Nov. 15. the Heavens from all parts seemed to burn Marvellous Ragingly and the Flames rising from the Horizon round about did meet over our Heads doubling and rolling one in another as in a clear Furnace Stowad Annum 1574. Mr. How 's Edit pag. 679. Amasing Sights as we may see by the Annalist which I note to justifie the German Writers least they should be ridiculed for their Memorands who call them Chasmata of which some are more terrible others less In Germany they are frequent saith Kepler in his Comment de Stel-Nov p. 54. and in the Southern parts of the World also as I guess from the very word for in all Languages words which suffer contraction are known to be of more frequent use and according to the often occurrence of the thing signifyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not contracted is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At Sea as far as I have observed they rarely are met with unless perhaps near the Shoar the Reason may be because the Sea emits more Nitrous and less of the Unctuous or Sulphurous Exhalation So Lightning may be frequent at Sea while those fiery Meteors may be not so often produced § 63. But I am to give account of our Aspect First we challenge that of our own Climate above related we find there ☌ ☉ ☿ I must confess there is another Planet too viz. Old Saturn but that can breed no Scruple And we run not so far Southward therefore let that be dissembled we challenge then An. 1604. Sept. 16. Caelum arsit saith Kepler and a ☌ ☉ ☿ not farr off Globus ignitus saith Kepler seen to fall An. 1617. Febr. 7. Globus ater cum comâ lucida An. 1623. May 31. July 19. 1626. Trabs Ignivoma Kepler An. 1629. October 2. Stella magna An. 1623. Nov. 20. Stellae grandes What 's the beginning of these Meteors Aug. 4. An. 1625. Chasma Again Octob. 13. An. 1626. Decemb. 10. An. 1640. May 14. An. 1642. Fiery Impressions Aug. 11. 12. But the year 1630. brought 3 Chasms Jan. 21. Febr. 10. Aug. 30. Of which that in Jan. 21. is noted for terrible Oder Brennendenhim mel Burning Heaven An. 1641. while it Thunders at Norimberg elsewhere Fire is seen to fall from Heaven Fewer von himmel gefallen An. 1644. Fiery Chasme noted at Egra in Bohemia Aug. 22. and they say with us also in that year viz. Jan. 1. and July 11. the later of which is attested by Merlin Angl. § 64. Hither also must we reduce Clarus Septentrio in Kepler for what is a Chasme at Noremberg at Lintz was only a Light in the North one while Dec. 10. An. 1626. and Octob. 6. An. 1629. Another while Caelum Sanguineum which is made a Prodigy by the same Kepler who knows best because he was an Eye-Witness § 65. All this Fire have I raked together from Kepler you see and Kyriander who I must tell you cries up our Aspect for Thunder and Fire falling from Heaven before
some other Cause which we shall evidence in ♃ suppose or by indisposition of the Clime Thus All that Tract of Land or Sea under the Torrid Zone where 't is known Rain cometh but at one or two Months of the year I reckon is generally Indisposed whose reasons are not here to be displayed And thus ♂ comes to be so fam'd abroad for Drought c. as Syrius of old which in our remoter Clime is not so terrible § 17. For ♂ his Heat in Summer Seasons and elsewhere we have beside his Tokens of blue Smoky Mist Lightning Trajections c. an express of above an 100 days and what more might have bin justly noted Yet I must not nor doth our own Diary seem to give leave that I should crow after the Antients and say that ♂ is hotter than ☉ least I should pull the World about my Ears but I say 't is in vulgar way of speaking a more violent Star than the Sun it it self This will be proved not only in this but also in the ensuing Chapters § 18. This raises expectation which we will endeavour to satisfie when we have answered one Objection First that 't is absurd to make a Reflexion a Minor Planet more Potent than the Major 2ly That 't is uncertain whether our Planet hath any such heat or no for if so we should not sure find Hard Sharp Frosty Cold Seasons whensoever our violent Planet is conjoyned to the Sun § 19. To the First 'T is absurd if we consider the Reflexion by its self singly and disjunct from the Direct But if we suppose the Direct Radiation as in Nature it doth then Two is more than one the Direct and the Reflex is greater than the Direct alone So in vulgar speaking as we say sometimes the Son is Finer than the Father whereas all the Finery he wears comes out of the Fathers Purse ♂ is a more violent Star because his Aspects with the ♀ ☿ are more violent than those of the ☉ with the same How comes that to pass unless ♂ may be violent Thus a Conjunction of ♂ and ♀ latently includes ☉ A ☌ ☉ ♀ doth not include ♂ wherefore if Three be more than two a ☌ ♂ ♀ is greater than a ☌ ☉ ♀ This in strict Philosophy may not be said seeing the Minor hath its Energy from the Major but for Doctrines sake we suppose ♂ to be as it were sui juris independent of the Sun § 20. To the 2d we say Let 's see them let 's see the Frosts they are not more than what are found under ☌ ☉ ☿ or ☌ ☉ ♀ and yet they were Spit-Fires Thunderers and Flashers had their Heats and Droughts and Violences too § 21. We see One or Two in our own Diary let 's see the Rest First To run back no further than King Henry the Eighths time Anno 1536. We are told that Ice on the Thames hindred the Kings passage at Greenwich Dec. 24 while ♂ is within gr 2. or 3. of his Syzygie Anno 1598. Dec. 1. ad diem 11. Thames nigh froze at London Bridge the Frost began for all as I see with a ☌ ☉ ♂ in ♠Dec. 1. Anno 1630. From Dec. 21. Three Weeks Frost presently after the Partile ☌ of ♂ and ☉ Kyr Anno 1662. The Thames caked with Ice in 4 Nights die 31. and was scarce passable and this within two days of the Partile ☌ as is seen in the Tables Anno 1665. The end of February and part of March Frosty Weather commensurate to the ☌ ☉ ♂ in ♓ 24. This Frost is memorable from the Dire Pestilence ensuing so that we need not marvail at some stricture of Frost occurring in our Sept. Anno 1658. In Novemb. 1660. In May 1667. In Oct. 1675. in our Tables for the Case is plain ♂ burns sometimes with a Cold Iron § 22. 'T is so but doth this take from the Martial Influence any more than you see it doth prejudice the Solar to admit Frosts sharp and tedious Astrologers do usually speak of Debilities All Planets in Winter Signs are but in a low condition as to Northern site so remote from the Winter Tropick the Setting Sun is weak and cool as a Glow-Worm and Planets in the Winter Tropic are setting even at Noon as it were by their near approach to the Horizon Apply this to ♂ and the rest as in the Winter at Muscovy Anno 1681 when the Polish Souldiers suffered by the Cold Calvis All the Planets were in deep Winter Quarters Howbeit even thus in his Weak Estate our Planet bears some Testimony to himself by Snows amongst the Frost or by Remission of the Cold which may be worth an Observers notice when the Pladding Countryman overlooks such Vicissitudes of Nature if short and temporary For so I hope none can object to us the cruel Winter noted by Gemma Anno 1568. Secuta est saith he Hyems asperrima but he speaks of no great Frost until the middle of March which concerns not a ☌ celebrated ten Weeks before And what was the Asperity Winds and Rains Churches strook with Lightning and Floods Jan. 3. before our ☌ was expired No nor that of September 1590. which was saith Stow a very cold Month with Snow and Sleet but the same Month brought Wind Rain Lightning and Thunder to speak for the ☌ § 23. Add that these cold Examples are very rare and that the ☌ ☉ ♂ commonly brings milder Winter Air so as whensoever Frost appears you may observe that ♂ is at a distance from the Sun about a Sign or two or three c. wherein if Communication be interrupted which keeps it out the Cold breaks in not but that the distant Aspects have their Force the Sextile Quadrate c. but they are not so Potent nay nor so durable as ☌ or ☠§ 24. In this case then the Opposition more than the Conjunction proclaims the Planetary Heat in as much as an opposal of ♂ and the ☉ very seldom fails of its warm thawing Breath Put the ☉ in the Winter Tropique and let ♂ face him in the Summer though the Planet so posited shall be hid under the Earth you shall see what Fire he will save you on a Winters day whereas if ♂ be about the Quincunx of Sol a Sign distant from the Oppositional Line he is in a chill posture and so found in those Frosty days or Seasons which happen at that determinate time some abatement being reckoned for the Northern side of our Clime § 25. The Planet may be violent in his hour for all this and is it not upon that account that the Divine Goodness hath retarded his Motion that ♂ his Configurations with the Sun and other Planets the ☽ excepted being less frequent the World should be less distracted Suppose therefore we should allow which indeed we cannot that Great Britain our dear Country c. felt not the Smart of this Aspect if other Countries do the Divine Superintendency hath its end
a Fortnights experience at first Introduction Their Latitude above Gardefeu Again anonother Captain Sept. 21. nearer the time of ☌ ☉ ♂ which happened Sept. 27. ♎ 13. For 6 days together the Wind against our will forced us to the Leeward toward Shore with a Strong Current Lib. 3. Cap. 12. § 1. p. 278. After we had got clear of these dangers we found the Current to carry us to the Northwards Thirty Leagues when we thought we had pass'd but Fifteen Ib. Oct. 10 11 12. we found our selves to lose more and more every day by the Current Ib. Latitude by Judgement 70 Leagues above the Mozambique Third Captain near Madagascar or St. Laurence Isle Sept. 10. Lat. South gr 17. A strong Current setting South-West having a stiff Gale we could not but have run these 24 Hours 24 Leagues but in the Evening we made to the Island about 4 Leagues off Sept. 11. We were carried by the force of a Current to the Southward almost a degree Southward Sept. 13. The Current very strong against us Sept. 19. We steered North-East but by the extremity of the Current we were carryed to the Southward so that we were 10 days and could not get to the Northward notwithstanding we had a reasonable stiff Gale Lib. 4 p. 335. Sept. 21. The Current did set exceeding strongly to the South-West by West c. Sept. 22 23. We laboured to get rid of the Current Octob. 3. We came to an Anchor after much Trouble by Currents p. 336. That the Cause is from over-head the Seamen themselves suspect some have said it is the Full ☽ Purch p. 192. Others have said at times it is the New ☽ And they who expect to get clear of them by Alteration of the Latitude the depression of the Pole-Star and the like I can make it very probable that here at this year in this Latitude considering in what Sign our ☌ is celebrated in an Equinoctial Sign of ♎ and this over an Equinoctial Latitude that our ☌ of ☉ and ♂ doth trouble the Waters Especially when the Tables furnish us with the like Evidence at the same ☌ ☉ and ♂ in a different Month and different Latitude Anno 1612. Add a Third Testimony from a ☌ in January in another difference of Latitude we felt a great Stream saith the Seaman And a 4th Anno 1620. May 9. the ☌ being found May 16. 'T is out of road to pursue it further here If it proves thus it will become our Seamen to be no Strangers to Conjunctions to know a New ♂ as well as ☽ and the ☌ of ♂ and ☉ with them Yet let no man think I appropriate it to a Martial Aspect but I look upon ♂ as one of the Celestials which moves the Sea And if so then by Galilaeos his favour there will be no need of moving the Earth for the Flux of the Waters To the ☉ ☽ and Stars it belongs which seems to be proved from hence For if a part of the Heaven move a part of the Sea a Current then the Whole moves the whole § 49. And let no man object ♂ his unreasonable distance in my first Instance viz. of gr 14. for that Four Nights time terminates nearer to gr 12. 10. which we proclaim aloud to be a Legitimate distance such as doth strengthen rather than invalidate the Influence of the Application as we have said before before ever we dream't of such use to be made of it But then secondly we have nearer applications of ♂ to ☉ in the other 3 years yea in the very same No let us rather see by this how the Celestial Bodies irritate the Waters Beside the additions of moisture which they lend the Waters they put them into a Heat and a Ferment and make them run over as I suppose Both Tide and Current which are aloof from Shore Ordinary and extraordinary come to pass by a Fermentation see something of this Feb. 11. 1680. III. Tides in 5 hours on our Home River § 50. To conclude as the Heavenly Bodies operate on the Elements so do they one upon another to all seeming I mean as the Sun seems to be eclipsed Histories note and Astronomers also take notice that the Sun it self suffers labours and looks pale Nec prosunt Domino saith the Heathen Much ado hath been made from before in Heathen time with the Maculae Solis nay Spots are observed now with a delicate curiosity in the other Planets The Learned Ricciolus bids us be gone with our Astrology as if all the Changes of the Air were to be imputed to the ☉ alone with such Maculae or without Injuriously and Unhappily The First because 't is plain or may be plain that the Sun alone or ☽ cannot be the Causes of the Changes of the Air or Seasons of the year The Second because these Spots are the Products I speak probably again of those very Conjunctions and other Aspects which He with others proscribes This the kind Reader will give me further time if need be to make out § 51. Take we with the Character of the Aspect ☌ ☉ ♂ is apt to Heat and sometimes even in these Northern Climes to Dryth but more frequently to Lowr Bluster Rain gentle or dashing sometimes to Hail which though it be rare is more frequent under the Martial Aspect than in other Aspects In a weaker Condition it admits against its will a Frosty Season 'T is apt to colour the Clouds rising or setting with the Sun It is voic'd and truly for some malignity of Influence upon our Bodies whether which is to be noted it be Summer or Winter Hot or Cold as to Frosty Seasons with a little Help it uses to cause some Relent or to bring Snow CHAP. V. Opposition of Mars Sol. § 1. The Opposition and its Diary 2. The Breviate of the Diary 3. ☠☉ ♂ more cold than ☌ ♂ ☉ 4. Because ☠in general is cooler 5. Because the ☠☉ ♂ is shorter liv'd 6. ♂ in Perigee helps to smart Influence yet he is but solitary and therefore not so brisk 7. His Thunders in Summer do not hold in Winter 8. Ninety one days of 118. either Rain or Wind or Heat In frosty Seasons ♂ sits uneasie 9. Fog and hazy Air. 10. A Tempest given a Philosopher may know the Hour of the day 11. Forreign Table 12. ☌ and ☠of a like Influence for the Main 13. Maculae Solis 14. Thames stows thrice in 9 Hours 15. Suddain motion of the Mercury in the Barometer 16. The Dismal dark Sunday 17. Frosts are not to be ensured under ☉ ♂ 18. Why ♀ in Perigee is sometimes seen § 1. Conjunctions we have consider'd but this is the First Opposition which comes in our way the Lunar excepted We will present its Table because of its use yea because it is short and not clogging ☠♂ ☉ ad intervall hinc inde grad 5. 1653. ♠8. 25. May 6. III. Cloudy windy S W. IV. Showry windy S
these Let it be remembred that we find melting Weather Anno 1658. 1667. Scalding Air Anno 1660. and excessive Heat Anno 1656. 1665. 1671. 1678. and where not Except once or so when the Wet hath palliated the Heat as 1679. or 1682. § 12. The Objection of what Cold occurs we have said ought not to move a Wise man for where is variety but in the Work of Nature Study it in what Topique you please and you shall find it This we say not as if we were hindred by the Objection for the rarity of the contrary is Argument enough for us as in the ☌ ☉ ♂ hath bin observed March 1654 June 1663. October 1679. What is Three to XXVIII Beside that 't is not for nothing that the Two last of those Months have foggy Air joyned with Frosts which shews an abatement of the Cold and a Similar Effect of a reserved Cause For when we say Heat we do not mean every Day should melt or scald us but some sensible degrees of the Quality more or less and rather for the more Therefore you hear that the Character of this Aspect speaks of Snow and Hail at the Seasons as well as Rain or Coruscations hence Rain and Snow which is next is not omitted by the Common Character § 13. This little Table I so term it because it stands upon a little Basis bears a competent Testimony to Rain For even here He who shall hunt for a dry Season as March 1654. August 1656. c. must wade through many a wet day to get thither As in our First and Second Instance of Feb. Anno 1652. Jan. Anno 1654. is visible March it self subornes two days Witness for us with Snow and Hail in one day and Rain in the other To make short we find 139. wet days Snow and Hail included of our 280. which being an absolute Moiety speaks its mind For the Flouds or Inundations the Effects of profuser Rains we shall speak in our Larger Account For though we find even here an Inundation or Two as that of Amsterdam Hague c. Anno 1675. Yet they are found more commonly unconfin'd to such a Scantling of a degree or Two of which alone this Home-Diary consists Hence that in Febr. 1661. about Tonbridge cannot be imputed to a Single day but to sveral precedent Days at a greater distance by two or three degrees more Of Flouds therefore in their proper place Eichstad I say refers Inundations to ♂ and ☿ which we shall find to be true but so that ♂ and ♀ put in too yea many times at the very Nick when ♂ and ♀ may seem to be the only Sluce-Openers § 14. This brings us to the Third considerable which I find is Fog observable for 18 days which though it come near a 20th part almost of the whole yet you know I reckon it not so much to the Influence of our Aspect as to the Half-Influence A Fog being nothing but a wet or dropping Constitution spoiled in the making The First Draught and Lineaments of a Showr drawn as it were in Cole not by a dropping but a more dry Pencil And hitherto do we reduce the Fila the Ropes on the Ground and the Floting Gossamere which I have observed to be the Product of Fog or Mist when that the moisture being exhaled the clammy part is left behind § 15. Winds I would take to be accidental to our Partil Aspect at least or not so suitable to the Influence as is found in others Though I acknowledge 90 Insâ—â—ces of which 42 are heard as High and Lofty In like manner as in ☉ aspected with ♀ we found not so much Wind as with ☿ But the Winds changing which I find Twenty times and upon a more attentive Watch believe it might have been trebled I am not going about to perswade notwithstanding that it belongs to this Aspect alone remembrieg what I have said already of the ☽ to some such purpose yet it may concern some certain Aspects more than others For the Solar Aspect with any Planet the ☽ excepted as we have said I reckon here to be excluded since they help to Fix the Wind antecedently to the Change For if they do not what else can be assigned The Sun and those which conspire with with him settle the Constitution if any other adventitious cause can alter it it may The Sun I say in Aspect or out of Aspect gives being to the Constitution the other which are concerned not with him but with one another exert their peculiar Strength in Weather and Winds provided that the Aspects of these different Planets lye at some distance from the ☉ for otherwise their Influence like Flames unite But if it so happen that the Sun being up These Aspects are not in hast to follow him because of their distance their Influence may be separated so far as to suffer a cooler Wind to blow which upon their Rising shall vere to a warmer point For observe it when you will if the Wind turns to a chiller part of the Compass There is some retreat of the Heavenly Bodies They either part One from the Other or leave the Horizon On the contrary when the Winds turn from a cold Quarter to a Warmer West or South c There is some new appearance above the Horizon or new Application of one to another And this it may be made Eichstad observe to us that the Wind changed often to the West under this Aspect which so far is true that it never changes from the Warm Quarter by virtue of this Aspect toward the warm Quarter it doth unless in State of Dereliction § 16. Verily 't is a pleasant piece of Art to be able to say as on some certain days we may while a Northerly Wind blows to assign I was going to say the Minute when the Wind shall turn I remember One Instance of that Nature I cannot say 't was this Aspect precisely that once according to observation expecting the Wind to turn I went up to the Battlements of the House and Lo Within half a quarter of an Hour the Vane of a Neighbour Church at a very little distance turned to the Point which I was aware of 'T is well I was alone for if any less curious Person had been with me to have attested the Event which is sober Truth I should have been suspected for a What d' ye call him This can the Observation of the Planets attain to as may be seen in the Chapter of the Rise and Setting of the Stars a part of this Treatise § 17. There is another appearance for which this Aspect hath a Fame and that is Iris Halo Parelia Of the former we have one great Instance from Leicestershire of the Later I fear I have met with more than are noted down Something I am sure we shall find though not proper to the Aspect perhaps nor again improper Kepler hath one remark under the name of Phasmata by which he means some
Febr. 22. March 15. April 17. but before that from May 22. to Aug. 2. when They come within 8 degrees in Summer Months where the Aspect doth not seem so much for our turn the Critical Position as it uses altering the Case Well it will yield us the more Instances under the Style of Heat Moisture Storms c. Yet even here we meet with the German Diary Frost at the end of May Hart Reif Cool Weather yea Cold on June 21 25 27. with Snow or Clouds ready for Snow if I read the Dutch right Kait Wind Schnee Wolken so hard is it an for Aspect in the Various Changes of the Celestial Motions not to shew its Teeth See Kyrianders Diary § 18. But the next ☌ of 1662. is quite for our turn and the next 20 years after too much for our turn when first that of 1662. brought Cakes of Ice in the Thames at the end of November December's beginning about a Fortnights time and Renew'd then a 2d time at December's end at what time the River was scarce passable At it again A o 1663. where extreme Frost and hard Winterly Weather in the Close of January brought much Ice a third time upon the River when besides Frosts in the mean space appear'd Cold and Chill Winds pinching the Spring at the end of March April too was much upon an Easterly Wind by the same token that my Memorial tells me on May 2. I saw ♄ and ♃ within two degrees I suspected something even then that they were some Cause of that Constitution following whatsoever I thought of the Cold preceding The Truth is the Aspect lasts all the year within 8 degrees Compass and Tokens thereof may be discerned in its Cold Influence I mean in the Frost of Aug. die 11 13 20 21 22 28 29 30. in September October December § 19. But That of 1682. according to my terms of grad 8. begins about July 10. and ends not till a year after Aug. 24. 1683. By my Notes I find a Cold Night in the midst of July 1682. yea and Frosty Cold Pinching Mornings besides the Day time August 3. and 4. and so Signal was it two Months before Christmass that I remember according to my Notes Gentlemen got on their Upper Coats and Cloaks in spight of the Cuerpo mode to defend their Shoulders from the Cold. But in November of the year 1683. There There began the Winter which told us a heavy tale and lasted with a small Interruption of 4 or 5 days till the New ☽ after Candlemass 1684. That is the Winter under which we groan'd a Twelve-month after whose farewell had a Sting for bringing a dry Summer after it a Badge of ♄ and ♃ when they are not master'd the Markets forgot their Plenty of Flesh and Fish the later being kill'd by the Frost and the former by the Drought Cattle being pinch'd in their Pasture the poor Vegetable perish'd scarce a Sallard to be seen the Grape intercepted and the Artichoke destroyed Rosemary and Bays became new Exolick Plants This was the Winter that clos'd up the Thames and made it Terra Firma when his Majesty of Happy Memory being Sollicitous for Ice at the end of November before was told His Swans would have Ice enough before that Winter was over the Wizard intimating That Frost which upon the Position of ♄ and ♃ he saw would be so severe The Truth of it is the Planets are not within the compass of 8 degrees Alass we stated that number for Rudiment and Introduction sake we confin'd our selves to it at first only to introduce not to exclude the greater Distance Know therefore that at this ☌ They were both in ♠above twice 8 degrees distance and the better Artist must consider them both nearer and further the one sometimes at other times the other taking place And it is no News for thus we find in Keplers Diary Forty years ago when the two Planets met in ♌ Honest Kepler is at a loss for the reason of a Cold Winter especially of the Hyemal Cold in March 1621. Alass Good Man how doth he turn every Stone How doth he conjure for it out of the Earth but it answers not The Superiour Aspects have been in Play for two year before as we could prove from his own Annotations the short is March proved so Cold that it minded the Goodman of his Country Proverb which counsels the Old Men to put on their Swords to defend them from the sharp Assaults of the Air. ♄ and ♃ are but 10 degrees distant but he not dreaming of such Martialists hath recourse to the Nature of the Month. But what is the Nature of the Month 'T is he himself who asks the Question and 't is a worthy Question Quae potest esse natura partis anni aut quae est substantia temporis what Body hath time which is indued with such Working Faculties 'T is the Sun Characters a Month in specie and the rest with the ☉ characters it in individuo He imputes it to the melting of the Snow on the Alps which causeth he saith those Cold Winds which bring the Winter Frost But why is it constantly so every March There 's Snow on the Alps every Winter We find not A o 1621. A o 1622. 1623. 1624. we find ♄ and ♃ A o 1626. we find no such thing again As for the rest we must remember there are other Cool Aspects of ♃ besides ♄ and ♃ Nay 2ly I could never disgest the pretence of Cold Winds from melting of Snow Flouds and Waters I understand and a Crude Air but that melting of Snow on the Mountains should cause Frost and Snow in the Valleys I pretend not to understand For Wind formally consider'd rises not from the moistned Earth nor falls by its own Weight the Cold is its own Property which it lendeth and borroweth not Again in Snow its self Air relents how much less does it Freez when the Snow Thaws Motion is the Formality of Wind but Motion requires an Application of a new Cause There is Master I grant in the Atmosphere Plenty when Snow melts as there is in the Bellows deducted but there wants an impulse an Aspect a Constellation as we have defin'd it at the beginning to make a Wind. § 20. Now why may not I look back into the former Century I do amiss in sparing the Labour in the year 1563. 1564. you shall find a Frost parallel to that of ours 120 years after about Christmas as with us it was unsupportable the Ears of the Poor their Hands and other parts gangreen'd the Nut the Pear the Peach the Rose-Tree the Vines all but Root utterly extinguish'd Death of Man and Beast Dearth of all things folfowed Gemma Cosmoc 2 44. And would you know now where our Planets were You will find them upon the matter in the same places One in ♌ the other in ♠then and Both in ♠now ♄ being but newly entred § 21. Pass we now from
Papers or elsewhere I can't acquit the rest less durable Configurations but under These I have met with too much let me name them and take my leave Pernicious Lightning that dallies not with us but strikes dead or petrifies us or fires our House about our Ears In Whirlwinds Tuffons that turn up the Roots of Trees Foundations of Houses that take up Water into the Air and hurry down Men into the Waters depth that set the Heaven burning over our Heads and teach us the Faith of a Doomes-day nay more These Planets sometimes suffocate us in a Moment with a Damp and strike us in common with a dire Apoplexie of which by the way there is extant one Story in Lycosthenes A o 1554. which because the Instances are rare I would not lose yea otherwise that hare us and distract us with Horrour so that we suspect and fancy nay sometimes see Spectres or Spirits in the Air whose Portion is Tempest and Brimstone so that sober Persons when yet nothing can be seen believe 't is their Hour Gemma c. If I find ♄ and ♃ engaged I content my self that I know the under-under-Cause by which the mischief is done which is not done without some Instrument elevated to such purpose To instance in the Damp only 'T is Lycosthenes tells us that at Milain July 23. A o 1554. a Vault having been made for a Drain 20 days after viz. Aug. 12. they went down to take up the Centres as they call them that sustained the Arch the First Man when he was half way on the Ladder fell down Dead the Second ventur'd and at the same place fell down dead also a Third when he came so far encouraged the Standers by and promised that he would fetch up his Fore-Men but instantly when he put his Head under the Brick-work down he fell so did a Fourth Man when a Fifth Lusty Fellow went and drew up one of the Dead so being emboldned he descended a second time and when he put his Head under the Arch down fell he also who being pull'd up presently as they had provided for fear of the worst and with much ado they brought to life At this Feat Cardan was present and it must be added to the like relations above pag. 153. 154. where the Doctor 's Damp and the Sessions at Oxford July 4. A o 1577. as they are to be attributed to ☠♄ ☿ or ♄ ☉ so is this of Milain to be ascribed to ♄ ♃ on one side ♄ ♀ ♄ ☿ on the other I need not revive my old Notions to tell you one was in Tropick the other in the Equinox Finally to compleat this head Will it be worth the while that in those two Damps of Aug 4. 1679. pag. 153. and another A o 1665. in April pag. 215. that our Supream was posited in the beginning of ♋ in the former and ♑ in the later I leave it to fair opinion § 21. What hand our Planets have in the Armies Aethereal the Spirits that muster them know right well be they Good be they Bad Spirits Astrology is never the worse though the Divel understands it no more than my Holy Faith is depreciated because the Fiends believe But be they Evil or Good Spirits as the Learned think this I can say that the relation of Lions and Horse-Men and Towns besieged July 3. A o 1534. from Peucer if it be no Fancy hath our ☠of the Superiours to favour it and it is the first that is mention'd by Lycosthenes in the last Century Again May 17. A o 1535. formed Armies in a Serene Air were seen and Martial Noises heard 't is our ☠still The Third Relation Octob. 1. 1547. belongs not to us that is not to this Aspect but whether it belongs not to our Planets when ♄ is in the Tropick and ♀ in the Equinox beside other Observables we cannot here dispute A o 1553. June 5. at Coburg ☠♄ ♂ ♄ ♃ A o 1554 June 11. five Miles from Norimberg a noted Skirmish of Horse-Men for two Hours put Men into a Doomsday Consternation And the Aspect of ♄ ♃ so Partile so Critical will confirm any Inquirer in the belief of the Story beside the fair play they give us for two Hours together and which I think I have reason to take notice of in these two last Instances there is mention of Showres of Bloud at or near the time of these appearances Prodigies oft-times draw in a Chain and make a Train These appearances come again Aug. 5. pag. 358 for I will not take notice of what is reported at 10 at Night July 24. how Armies met and shouted once twice and thrice neither must I pass them by because of the Identity of the Celestial Positions which create the same Faith to each one as to any Now Is it not a pretty chance that Three of these Scenes should be exhibited in one year If the Relations be true as the Contents are rare the ☠♄ ♃ in the Aequinox comes as rare § 22. It appears by the Premises that we are willing with other Philosophers to give some account of Rains of Bloud We observed but now that they happen sometimetimes with other Prodigious Appearances as of Three Suns and the like But as Superstitious as we are we labour not to give account of every strange Circumstance Nay we rather think with good meaning People that such Phoenomena may portend somewhat though reducible to a Natural Cause by reason of those Amazing Circumstances which attend I Instance in Bloudy Crosses A o 1501. which have fallen upon Mens Garments and mark't them in several places with Red there 's no denying of the Fact since Cardan strives to fetch the reason from the very Texture of the Garment the Woof lying across to the warp But as Fromond notes if we sprinkle Bloud upon a Garment the experiment will not prove wherefore he justly refers it to what must be owned the Divine Finger pointing at something that is shortly to succeed For the Story speaks not of a bloudy Showr nor of any Rain properly so called Nay they speak of such Figures found in Veils of Churches and Garments under Lock and Key nor of Crosses always of one Colour What is the Issue There followed a Plague says Fromond after those ominous Tokens in the year 1503. The like is reported for the year 746. And Famine after those of A o 969. Here I may say I remember St. Chrisostome himself takes notice of such a Prodigy in his time upon which he Triumphed as a Sign from Heaven of the Exaltation of the Crucified Jesus With him shall my Astrology Philosophize even tho' it should prove that A o 1501. 1534. were years that belonged to our beloved Aspect The like I may say in some measure of the Fiery Hail we have met with in the Papers before though comprehended within the Clutches of our Planets What follows is of lesser concern but strange still Hail which