Selected quad for the lemma: country_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
country_n	england_n	king_n	normandy_n	1,568	5	11.0951	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66701	The new help to discourse or, Wit, mirth, and jollity. intermixt with more serious matters consisting of pleasant astrological, astronomical, philosophical, grammatical, physical, chyrurgical, historical, moral, and poetical questions and answers. As also histories, poems, songs, epitaphs, epigrams, anagrams, acrosticks, riddles, jests, poesies, complements, &c. With several other varieties intermixt; together with The countrey-man's guide; containing directions for the true knowledge of several matters concerning astronomy and husbandry, in a more plain and easie method than any yet extant. By W. W. gent.	Winstanley, William, 1628?-1698.; Winstanley, William, 1628?-1698. Country-man's guide. aut.	1680 (1680)	Wing W3070; ESTC R222284	116,837	246

found ●n our Isles of Britain An. In the Isle of Man are found at this day certain Trees of Timber and other Wood in great abundance many fathoms under the ground which were thought to be brought thither and 〈◊〉 in Noahs flood and not discovered till of late years At Barry Island in Glamorgan-shire upon ● Clift or Hole of a Rock laying your ear unto it you may hear sometimes as it were ●he noise of blowing the Bellows others of Smiths striking at the Anvil sometimes ●iling clashing of Armour and the like this ●s said to be by inchantment by the great Merlin who bound certain Spirits to work here in making of Armour for Aurelius Am●rosius and his Britains until his return but he being killed they by the force of his harm are constrained to labour there still Qu. By how many several Nations hath this Land been inhabited An. The first Inhabitants hereof were the Britains whose off-spring at this day is the Welsh our seeming ancient Historians de●ive them from the Trojans who came hither under the conduct of one Brutus but this by Mr. Cambden and our late Antiquaries is rejected as a fable who by many unanswerable arguments prove them to be descended from the Gauls they were questionless a warlike Nation and stoutly with stood the Romans in their invasion of them being at last more over come by the treachery o● Androge●s and others than by the Roman puissance The next were the Romans who entered the Island under the conduct of Julius Casar some few years before the birth of our Savior It continued a Roman Province till after the year 400 when Proconsul Aetite taking with him away the Legoniary Soldiers to defend Gallia from the Franks and Burgundians left South Britain a prey to the Scots and Picts quitting our Island of themselves to defend those Provinces nearer home The third Nation were the Saxons a people of Germany called in by Vortiger Kin● of the Britains in aid against the Scots and Picts who then over-run this Island bu● these Guests soon become their Masters wh● under the leading of Hengist and Horsus ● planted themselves in this Island that the n●tive Inhabitants could never recover it from them These Saxons came not in all at once b● at seven several times each under their Le●ders gaining a part from our Brittish Monarchy till at last they ingrossed the who● to themselves then was England divide● into a Heptarchy or seven several Kingdom all which were united into one by Egb● King of the West-Saxons who was the first English Monarch The fourth people were the Danes who made violent irruptions in this Island under the Reign of King Ethelred the Saxon and so far they prevailed that he was contented to pay them the yearly Tribute of 10000 pounds which at last they enhanced to 48000 pounds This Tyranny Ethelred not able to endure warily writ to his Subjects to kill all the Danes as they slept on St Brices night being the 12. of November which being executed accordingly Swain King of Denmark came with a Navy of three hundred and fifty sail into England drove Ethelred over into Normandy and tyrannized over the English with a very high hand every English house maintaining one Dane whom they called Lord who living idly and receiving all the profit of the English labours gave occasion to after-ages when they saw an idle fellow to call him a Lurdan And so imperious were they that if an English man and a Dane had met on a Bridge the English man must have gone back and stayed till the Dane had come over They used also when the English drank to stab them or cut their throats to avoid which villany the party then drinking used to request some of the next sitters by to be his surety or pledge whilst he paid Nature her due and hence have we our usual custom of pledging one another finally after the Reign of three Kings the English threw off their yoke and the Saxons were re-inthronized The fifth Conquest thereof was by William Duke of Normandy Anno 1066. who with a strong Army entred the Land flew King Herald and with him 66654 of his English Soldiers Somewhat before that time was a great Comet which portended as it was thought this change of Government of which one wrote thus A thousand six and sixty year It is as we do read Since that a Comet did appear And English men lay dead Of Normandy Duke William then To England ward did sail Who conquer'd Harold and his men And brought this Land to bale A brief Epitome or Chronical-discourse of the Kings of England since the Norman Conquest VVIlliam the First sirnamed Conqueror bastard Son to Robert Duke of Normandy who having conquer'd the Country used such policies as utterly disheartened the English from hopes of better fortune who thereupon yielded to him and he having for twenty two years ruled or rather tyrannized over the English Nation dyed and was buried at Cane in Normandy William the second sirnamed Rufus the second son of the Conqueror took the Crown upon him his eldest Brother Robert being then busie in the Holy-Land who when the Christians had conquered Jerusalem chose him King thereof but he hoping for the Crown of England refused it but his brother William taking possession in his absence stoutly defended his Title brought Duke Robert to composition and having reigned twelve years and eleven months wanting eight days he at last hunting in the new Forrest was by the glance of an arrow shot by Sir Walter Tirrel struck in the breast whereof he immediately dyed and was buried at Winchester Anno 1100. Henry the first the youngest Son of the Conqueror yet too old for his brother Robert in policy took the advantage of time and stept into his Throne in his absence against whom he warring was by him taken and had his eyes put out this Henry was for his learning sirnamed Beauclark he reduced the measures of England to that proportion which we now call an Ell he left behind him only one Daughter reigned thirty five years and lieth buried at Reading Stephen Earl of Blois Son to Alire Daughter to the Conqueror usurped the Crown he was a man of Noble parts and hardy passing comely of favor and personage he excelled in martial policy gentleness and liberality towards men to purchase the peoples love he released them of the tribute called Darn-gelt he had continual War against Maud the Empress and after a troublesome Reign of eighteen years ten months and odd days he dyed and lieth buried at Font Everard Henry the Second Son to Maud the Empress Daughter to Henry the first and to Maud Daughter to Malcolm King of Scotland and Margaret Sister to Edgar Etheling by which means the Saxon blood was restor'd to the Crown This Henry was a most magnanimous Prince and by his fathers inheritance added many of the French Provinces to the English Crown as also the Dutchy of Aquitain and the

Dagobert the first build a Church in the place where he was buried for so it happened that this Dagobert during the life of Clotoyre the second his Father had cruelly slain Sadrasegille h●● Governor To avoid the fury of his Father much incensed with that Unprincely action he was compelled to wander up and down France hungry and thirsty In this miserable condition coming to the Sepulchre of S● Denis he laid him down and slept when there appeared to him an old man with a staff i● his hand who told him that his Father wa● dead and that he should be King and desired him that when it came so to pass he would build a Church there in the honour of St. Denis which Dagobert coming to be King accordingly did and a Bishop was sent for i● all haste to bless it But it hapned the night before the Bishops coming that there cam● to the Town an ugly Leper who desired to lie in the Church And when he was ther● about twelve a clock at night our Saviour came into the Church in white Garments and with him the Apostles Angels and Martyrs with most delicious Musick And then Christ blessed the Church and bid the Leper tel● the Bishop that the Church was already blessed and for a token of it he gave the Lep●● his health who on the next morning wa● found to be sound and perfectly whole The Legend of Saint Romain SAint Romain was Bishop of Roven i● France It happened that in his time there was a poysonous Dragon which had done much harm to all the country thereabouts many ways had been tryed to destroy him but none prospered at last Romain being then Bishop of the Town undertook to do it and accompanied onely with a Thief and a Murtherer he marched towards the place where the Dragon lay upon sight of the Dragon the Thief stole away but the Murderer went on and saw the Holy man vanquish the Serpent and onely with a Stole ● which is a neck habit sanctified by his Holiness of Rome and made much after the manner of a Tippet with this stole tyed about the neck of the Dragon doth the Murderer ●ead him prisoner to Roven the people much admiring at the same highly extolling the Bishop pardoned the Murderer and burned the Dragon to ashes In memory of this marvellous act King Dagobert the first who Reigned in France Anno 632 granted unto Andoin or Owen successor to St. Romain that from that time forwards the Chapitre of the Cathedral Church of Roven should every Ascension day have the faculty of delivering ●ny Malefactor whom the Laws had condemned This that King then granted and all the following Kings even to this time have successively confirmed it Of Saint Dunstan SAint Dunstan was Arch-bishop of Canterbury in the time of Etheldred the Saxon King he was according to the opinion of these times of great sanctity of life being ● sleep one day in the Church he dreamed some thing of the Devil whereupon he ran about pursuing him even to the top of the Church and came down again in his sleep without any hurt At another time the Devil came to tempt him in the likeness of a beautiful Damosel but St. Dunstan caught up a pair of tongs being red hot and therewith so pincht the Devil by the Nose a● quite spoiled his countenance and for ever taking Tobacco throw the nose again He also coming once into a Gentlemans house where were several Instruments hanging up against the Wall at his entrance in they of their own accord fell on playing It is reported of him that when he Christened King Ethelred the child with his ordure defiled the Fount whereupon Sr. Dunstan said By Gods Holy Mother this Child if he live will prove a sloathful person which accordingly came to Pass the Danes in his time over-running England This Saint Dunstan flourishing about the year of our Lord 978. Of Thomas Becket THomas Becket was the Son of one Gilbert Becket which Gilbert being taken prisoner among the Sarazens the Kings daughter of that countrey fell in love with him gained his liberty and came over into England where she was baptiz'd in the Church of S. Paul and married to this Gilbert who upon her begot this Thomas afterwards made Arch-bishop of Canterbury by King Henry th● second in which place he behaved himself very high as well against the King as against the Nobles nor was he it seems much beloved of the Commons for coming one day into Town in Kent the people cut off his Horse tail whereupon the Children of that Count for a long time after as the Legend reports were born with long tails like Horses he was at last slain in his Cathedral Church of Canterbury by four Knights and after his death by the Pope Canonized for aSaint Many miracles are said to be by him performed as namely how a fellow for stealing a Whetstone was deprived of his eyes but praying to St. Thomas he had his sight again restored nay a Bird flying out of a Cage and being pursued by a Hawk and ready to be seized on the Bird crying out only Saint Thomas help me the Hawk immediately fell down dead and the Bird escaped His Tomb was afterwards much enriched with costly gifts and visited by Pilgrims from all places according to what we find in Chaucer From every Shires end Of England do they wend The Holy blissful Martyrs Tomb to seek Who hath them holpen wherein they beseke JESTS A new way to know the Father of a Child A Wench that lived in a Knights service was gotten with child and brought to bed of a goodly Boy before it was publickly known in the house after her uprising being examined before a Justice of the Peace to know who was the Father of the child she said she could not tell well her self for there was two of the Knights servants that had to do with her about the same time whereof one was a Welsh man the other an English man one of them she said was the father but which of the two she was not certain This doubtful case put the Justice in a great quandary upon which of them to lay the charge of bringing up the child but the Clerk said he would soon decide the controversie whose the child was and thereupon went into the Kitchen and toasted a bit of Cheese and then brought it and offer'd it the child putting it to his mouth which made the Child to cry refusing it as much as it could Whereupon the Clerk said upon my life the Welshman is not the father of it for if he were it would have eaten toasted cheese at a day old The King of Swedens Goose THe King of Swethland coming to a town of his enemies with a very little company they to slight his force did hang out a Goose for him to shoot at but perceiving before night that these few soldiers had invaded and set their chiefest Holds on fire they demanded

●ouse slowly mastering a place and as slowly being driven from their hold the Spaniard is likened to a crab which being crept into a place almost at unawares is there so fast rooted that nothing but the extremity of violence can force him ou● again Qu. In what things do the French Dutch and Italians agree An. The French hath valour but with Vanitatem Levitatem The Dutch hath honest dealing bu● Gulam Ebrietatem The Italian discreet Carriage bu● Procreationem Libidinem Moreover of these three Nations it thus further added That the Italian is wise before hand The German wise in the Action And the French after it is done Qu. In what three properties doth England exceed all other Countreys An. For the fairest Women the goodliest Horses and the best breed of Dogs whatsoever Qu. How many things are required in a ●oman to be perfectly beautiful An. It is said that all the beauties in the world serve but to make up one perfect beauty where one brings a good Cheek another a comely nose a third a fair forehead a fourth ruby Lips a fifth an Alabaster neck c. so one is wise till she speaks another handsom till she goes a third pretty till she laughs one hath a slender body another a winning eye some carry loveliness and others Majesty in their very countenances all which must concur to make up one absolute beauty And therefore it is said that when Apelles the fanious Painter of Greece was to pourtray the Goddess Venus he assembled all the chief beauties of the Countrey that from the several perfections of them he might make one excellent composition to which one alludes in this Sonnet Apelles like when Nature did thee make She view'd the beauties of the Earth each one And from them all the best of all did take That thou shouldest excelled be by none And thus with Venus beauty she endow'd thee And Pallas like she wisdom to thee gave The learning of Cornelia she allow'd thee That thou no lack of any thing shouldst have To thee then thou great Empress of all beauty I consecrate these Lines in thankful duty Some other there are that say that a woman to be perfectly beautiful should have all these endowments and oppositions viz three hard three soft three short three long three black three white which they thus distinguish three hard her two breasts and buttock three soft her two hands and her belly three short her nose and her two feet three long her fingers and her side three black her two eyes and her hair three white her two hands and her neck All these fair Letters in one golden Book What Cynick might be blam'd to unclasp and look But now for the most part instead of these perfections the imperfections of women are so covered by Art that the most piercing understanding may be deceived according to that of the Poet With Tyres and Cloaths our Judgments bribed be And Woman is least part of what we see Sir Thomas Moor in his Utopian Common-wealth telleth us how there is the Custom for some Reverend Old-Father to bring in naked the young man and some hoary Oldmatron to present naked the young woman between whom a marriage is motion'd for saith he in buying a Horse the Chapman not only vieweth his naked carcass but taketh off also his Trappings and Saddle lest under him some blame might lie hidden and why then in choosing of a wise should we take one of whom we see no more than the face unius palmae spatium and perhaps scarce that These are the words of Sir Thomas Moor which though I do not like his plot as being too libidinous yet no question but the hasty marriages and want of due acquaintance be●●re the celebration of the Nuptials makes many to be sped with such a fortune as is here ●escribed by the Poet Who takes her breakfast daily in her bed And spends the morn in dressing of her head And sits at dinner like a Virgin Bride And talks all day of nothing but of pride God in mercy may do much to save her But what a case is he in that shall have her Qu. What three Nation 's parts is it said that required to the making up of an absolute woman An. The Italians will tell you that for the performance of this there is required first the parts of a Dutch-woman from the Girdle downwards Secondly the parts of French-woman from the Girdle to the Shoulders over which must be placed an English Face for a grace to all the rest and ●et Dr. Heylin in his Survey of France saith that this position doth not hold good in the French women their shoulders and backs ●ing so broad that they hold no proportion with their middles But every one our women thus doth grace There is none like unto an English face Qu. In what Countrey is it that women have the greatest Prerogatives An. In England where there are not kept to severely submiss as the French nor so jeaously guarded as the Italian as being as of a finer mould so of a better temper than to yield to an inordinate servility or incontinency which makes them endued with so many priviledges amongst us that England is termed by Foreigners The Paradise of women as it is by some accounted The Hell of Horses and Purgatory of Servants And it is a common by word among the Italians that there were a Bridge built over the Narrow Seas all the women in Europe would run int● England they having here the upper hand i● the streets the uppermost place at the Table the Thirds of their Husbands Estates an● their equal shares in all Lands yea eve● such as are holden in Knights service previledges wherewith women of other Countreys are not acquainted So that we see is as well a Paradise for women by reason ● their priviledges as a Paradise of women b● reason of their unmatchable perfections Qu. Who was accounted the most brave Virago woman that ever France bred An. Joan D' Arc a Maid of Vancolem ● Lorrain whom they call La Pusille wh● when the English had almost over-run a France stoutly stood up for the defence her Countrey and having obtained an A●my marched up and down with the sam● in the habit of a man giving to the Engli●● many overthrows and taking some of the prime Commanders prisoners At last s● was taken prisoner her self at the siege ● Compeigne and delivered over to the Du● of Bedford then Regent of France who se● her unto Rouen where she was burnt for Witch on the sixth of July Anno 1431. thou●● some adjudge it extream cruelty in the English and that she was rather a Saint than Witch of which two different opinions he● one thus writing her Epitaph Here lies Joan of Arc the which Some count Saint and some count Witch Some count Man and some count more Some count Maid and some count Whore Her Life 's in question wrong or right Her death

they would break the back of Simon of Cyrene to carry them but these are pious frauds and so much the more tolerable in that they bring great gain into the Popes Treasury Of the Temple thus built was afterwards instituted an Order of Knights Templers by Hugh of Payennes Anno 1113. and confirmed by Pope Eugenius their Ensign was a red Cross in token that they should shed their blood to defend Christs Temple They were Cross-legged and wore on their backs the figure of the Cross for which they were by the common people called cross-back or crouk-back and by corruption crook-back Edmund Earl of Lancaster second Son to our Henry the third being of this Order was vulgarly called Edmund Crook-back which made Henry the fourth conceited that this Edmund from whom he was descended was indeed the eldest Son of King Henry but that for his crookedness and deformity his younger Brother was preferred to the Crown before him These Knights in process of time grew very rich having in all Provinces of Europe their subordinate Governors in which they did possess no less than 16000 Lordships The House of our Law Students in London called the Temple was the chief House of the Knights of this order in England where at this day some of their Images are to be seen with their legs across as they were here buried amongst whom was William Marshal the Elder a most powerful man in his time William and Gilbert his Sons Marshals of England and Earls of Pembroke upon Willa●m the Elder his Tomb some years since was read in the upper part Comes Pembrochia and on his side this verse Miles eram Martis Mars m●●ltos vic●rit armis This Order which at first was very poor insomuch that their common seal was two riding upon one Horse in little time with insatiable greediness they hoarded up great wealth by withdrawing Tithes from the Church appropriating spiritual things to themselves and other bad means which riches of theirs turned to their ruine for Philip the fair King of France having a plot to invest one of his Sons with the Title of King of Ierusalem procured of the Pope the revenue of this Order which he thought to do the better because Clement the fifth then Pope for the love he bare to France had transferred his seat from Rome to Avignon But though he affected the one he was deceived in the other for this Order being dissolved and many of them cruelly and as it is thought unjustly put to death the Lands thereto belonging were by a general Council given to the Knights Hospitallers of St. John which said Knights of that Order in England whose principal mansion was in Smithfield sold the aforesaid House of the Templers to the Students of Laws for the yearly rent of ten pound about the middle of the Reign of Edward the third in whose hand it is continued unto this day Qu. What four Countreys in England are those which are famoused for four principal qualities An. Staffordshire Darbyshire Cheshire and Lancashire Staffordshire for Beer and Bread Darbyshire for Wool and Lead Cheshire the Chief of Men And Lancashire for fair Women Qu What place in England is accounted most safe in the time of War according as we find it proverbially said An. When as wars are aloft Safe is he that 's at Christ's Croft And where should this Christ's Croft be But betwixt Rible and Mersie Qu. What may be said of these four Latine words Quid Puer Quid Senex An. Take away the first letter from Puer or a Boy and there remains Ver which signifieth the Spring Take two first letters from Senex for an old man and there remaineth Nex which signifieth death and thus are both their natures expressed in both their Names Ver. Nex Ver is the Spring most fragrant fresh and gay Nex is the Night that doth conclude lifes day Qu. What may we think of such as are Jesters to Noblemen or Princes or such as are Jaok-puddings on Mountebanks stages An. That a fool cannot perform the place and none but Fools will undertake it Qu. What Book do not married men love to learn in An. The Horn-book Qu. What be the three properties belonging to a Whore An. Nimble of her hand quick of her tongue and light of her tayl Qu. Whether are Whores or Thieves most prejudicial to a Common-wealth An. Whores by far for Thieves do only steal and purloyn from men and the harm they do is to embellish mens goods and bring them to poverty this is the only end of mens thieving and the prejudice that grows from robbing and filohing but if a man fall into the company of a Whore she flatters him she inveagles him she bewitcheth him that he spareth neither goods nor lands to content her that is onely in love with his coyn If he be married he forsakes his Wife leaves his Children despiseth his friends only to satisfie his lust with the love of a base whore who when he hath spent all upon her and he brought to beggery beateth him out like the prodigal Son and for a small reward brings him if to the fair'st end to beg if to the second to the Gallows or at the last and worst to the Pox or as prejudicial diseases Qu. What is the Art and cunning of a Whore An. Their eyes are Stauls and their hands Lime-twigs Cyrces had never more charms Calipso more inchantments nor the Syrens more subtile tunes than they have crafty sleights to inveagle young Cullies to their deceitful embraces Qu. Who were the most famous whores in former Ages An. Lais Thais Rhodope the Lady Rosamond Jane shore c. nor must we think our present age to be altogether free For thus the Poet on his word engages Whores are in this as well as former ages Qu. What is the Character of an honest Man An. That his Tongue is the Interpreter of his heart though now considering the hypocrisie and falshood of most men we may say with the Poet The tongue was once a servant to the heart And what it gave she freely did impart But now Hypocrisie is grown so strong She makes the heart a servant to the tongue Qu. What is that which of running becomes staid of soft becomes hard of weak becomes strong and of that which is infinite becomes but one An. Ice Qu. Who were the first that brought Tobacco into England An. It was first brought hither by the Mariners of Sir Francis Drake Anno 1585. but brought into more request and custom by Sir Walter Rawleigh who is reported to have taken two pipes thereof as he went to execution This Drug as it hath found many friends so hath it met with divers enemies who report it not only consumptive to the purse but that it impaireth the inward parts corrupteth the natural sweetness of the breath stupifieth the brain and is so prejudicial to the general esteem of our Countrey-men that one saith of them Anglorum corpora qui huic

by 32 pints and 16 quarts The Measure of Wine Oyl and Honey A Tun of Wine is two Pipes or Butts three Punchions 4 Hogsheads six Tierces eight Barrels fourteen Rundlets 152 Gallons 504 Pottles 1008 quarts 2016 pints and nore that one gallon of Wine contains 8 pound of Troy weight Measures of Grain All kind of Grain is measured by Troy weight of which eight pounds makes a gallon whereof are made pints quarts pottles gallons pecks half Bushels Bushels strikes Cornooks quarters and Lasts Now a Last is ten quarters twenty Cornooks forty strikes eighty Bushels 160 half Bushels 320 pecks 647 gallons 1280 pottles 2560 quarts and 5120 pints Of Iron and Lead Iron is counted by the pound hundred and Tun of which a Tun is 200 or 224 pound Lead is reckoned by the pound hundred and Fodder a Fodder is nineteen hundred and a half at a 122 to the hundred Tin Copper and Latten have 112 pounds to the hundred Of F●sh Ling Cod or Haberdine have 124 to the hundred Herings are counted by the hundred thousands and Lasts a Last is 10000 every thousand 1200 and every hundred 120. to the hundred Of Paper and Parchment A Bale of Paper is ten Ream a Ream is twenty quires and every quire twenty five sheets A Roll of Parchment is five dozen and a dozen twelve Skins Of Wool A Last of Wool is twelve sacks a sack is two weyes a wey is six Tod and a half a Tod is two stone a stone is fourteen pound and a clear is half a stone so that a Last of wool contains 312 stone or 156 Tods Of Fuel Fuel according to the Statute is sized in to shids billets faggots and coals a shid is to be four foot long besides the carfe and according as they are marked or notche so is the proportion or compass set which they should be about as if they have 1 2 3 4 or 5 notches then should they be in compass in the midst 16 23 28 33 or 38 inches and so of the rest accordingly Billets are to be three foot long whereof there should be three sorts as the single a cast and a cast of two the first seven inches and a half about the next ten and the third fourteen inches Faggots must be three foot long and the band besides the knot 24 inches and made round for flat faggots be much less though all of one compass about The sack of coals contains four Bushels How things be numbred Sables Martins Minks Jenits Filches and Greys have four Skins in the timber Cony Kid Lamb Budge and Cat have five score to the hundred Goat-skins are fifty to the Kip and tann'd-Calve skins twelve to the dozen Leather is numbred by Hides Dickers and Lasts a Last is twenty Dickers and a Dicker ten Hides How Money is numbred in England The least piece of money with us is a farthing whereof two makes a half-penny four of them a penny four pence makes a groat twelve of them a shilling five shillings a Crown six shillings eight pence a Noble two Nobles makes a Mark three Nobles a Pound The five shillings or Crown of silver weigheth just an ounce Avoirdupois The Measures of England Three barly-corns makes an inch twelve inches a fooot three foot a yard five yards and a half a pearch four pearches in breadth and ten in length a Rood and four Roods make an Acre An English mile is 8 furlongs 88 scores 320 pearches 1056 paces 408 Ells 1560 yards 5280 feet 63360 inches and 190080 barly-corns in length The compass of the Earth is 360 degrees whcih makes 21700 Italian miles 5400 common German mils and 4320 miles of Suevia The Principal Rivers of England Thames Severn Trent Avon Tweed d ee Ouse Dane Medway Merry Humbar Weamer Tine Weaner Isis Countrey Proverbs used in discourse YOung men think old men to be fools but old men know young men to be fools Love me and love my Hound Marriage and hanging go by destiny To day a man to morrow a Cuckold He that marries a Widow and two Children marries three Thieves Fair words makes fools feign Hot love is soon cold Make a Coward fight and he will kill the Devil Near is my Petticoat but nearer is my Smock Sorrow quits no scores A Ship and a Woman always trimming A Woman and a Glass always in danger Fire is a good Servant but a bad Master A rouling stone nere gathers moss To a fair day open you window Building and marrying of Children are two great wasters Dally not with money nor women Too much familiarity breeds contempt Burnt Children dread the fire when old fools will play with the coals The nearer the Church the further from God A Brief Chronology of the times wherein these famous men lived THeseus the founder of Athens Anno Mundi 2716 Romu●us the founder of Rome Anno Mundi 3198 Homer the Father of the Poets Anno Mundi 3150 Solon the Lawgiver to Athens Anno Mundi 3421 Plato the Philosopher Anno Mundi 3675 Diogenes the Cynick Anno Mundi 3684 Aristotle the Philosopher Anno Mundi 3686 Alexander the Great Anno Mundi 35●● Marcus Tullius Cicero Anno Mundi 387● Cato Uti●an Anno Mundi 3890 Virgil Prince of Latine Poets Anno Mundi 3999 Constantine the Great Anno Domini 306 George Castriot vulgarly called Scanderbeg Anno Domini 1453 St. Augustine Anno Domini 401 St. Anselm Bishop of Cant. Anno Domini 1280 St. Bernard Anno Domini 1131 St. Chrysostome Anno Domini 401 Tamberlain the Great Anno Domini 1403 Erasmus Anno Domini 1529 Martin Luther Anno Domini 1521 John Guttenbergh that invented Printing Anno Domini 1442 FINIS

dayes which the Solar year doth exceed the Lunar the one consisting of 365 dayes the other of 354 so that in every 4 years there is added a number more than 30 which being greater than the Epact can be for from change to change there can be but 30 days therefore 30 being taken from that excess the remainder is the Epact for the next year The Epact is thus found out multiply the Golden Number of the year by 11. the product whereof if it be under 30 is the Epact but if it be above 30. they divide the product by 30. and the remainder shall be the Epact Qu. What is the Circle of the Sun An. The Circle of the Sun is a Revolution of 28 years in which time the Dominical Letters make all their several changes and is called the Solar Circle because it comprehends all the varieties and changes that the Sunday Letter can have Qu. What is the meaning of the Dominical Letter An. The Dominical Letter is alwaies one of these seven A. B. C. D. E. F. G. and sheweth the Sunday Letter all the year But in Bissextile or Leap-year there be two Dominical Letters whereof the first holdeth from the beginning of January to St. Mathias Eve and the other to the years end The Golden Number and the Dominical Letter change the first of January and the Epact the first of March Easter day never talleth lower than the 23 of March nor higher than the 25 of April Shrove sunday hath his range between the first of February and the 7 of March Whit-sunday between the 10 of May and the 13 of June and for a Rule for Shrovetide the Tuesday after the change of the Moon in February is always Shrove Tuesday Qu. What causes the Eclipses and Full of the Moon An. The Eclipse of the Moon is caused by the interposition of the Earth betwixt the Sun and her for she being a dark body of her self and having no light but what she borrows by reflection from the Sun so far as the Earth interposes so much of her is darkened The cause of the Sans Eclipse is when the Moon passes betwixt the Sun and us and shadows some of the body thereof from our sight so that what part is interposed by the Moon cannot be seen by us by reason she is a dark body hiding the same from our sight The Moon being in right opposition against the Sun causes her to be at the full as her increase is by drawing nearer to opposition and her decrease by departing further off Qu. Of what substance be the Stars what are their motions and what causeth blazing Stars An. The Stars are of the same substance with the Moon thick aad not transparent as the Heavens borrowing all their light from the Sun being otherwise of themselves dark bodies and shine as well in the day as the night though by reason of the Suns refulgent beams they are not obvious to our sight And as for their motion it is the same of the Heavens wherein they are placed Shooting or blazing Stars are hot fumes of a thick substance like glew which being exhaled above in the air and bovering alost until it be kindled flyes like a squib through the Air but if it mount to a higher place and there be kindled it turneth to a blazing Star A brief discourse of the natural cause of Airy Meteors as Snow Hail Rain c. YOu must first understand that there be four Elements viz. Fire Air Water and Earth the Fire is hot and dry the Air hot and moist the Water cold and moist and the Earth cold and dry These four Elements are the simples whereof all things under the Moon are made compounded and mixt Of Rain Rain is a cold vapour and earthly humour drawn from the Earth by the vertue of the Sun and the rest of the Planets into the middle Region of the Air where by the extremity of cold it is thickned into the body of a Cloud which the wind driving before it it doth dissolve and fall upon the Earth Of Snow Snow is ingendred of Rain the Cloud congealing through extremity of cold but not altogether so hard as Hail Pliny writes that the Hail sooner melts than Snow and that Hail falls oftner in the day than the night Of Hail Hail is likewise ingendred of Rain which the excessive cold when the Cloud dissolves freezes the drops and congeals into Ice whereby great and irregular stones do sometimes fall on the Earth Stow in his Annals reports that in the time of King Henry the 8. Anno 1545 there fell in Lancashire Hail-stones as big as mens fists and that which is most strange some were of the shape of mens faces others were fashioned like Gun-holes c. In the 23 year of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth August 12. Anno 1581. there fell a great shower of Hailstones which were fashioned like the Rowels of spurs and were two or three inches about Of Frost and Dew Dew is a thin vapour which through the faint heat of the Suns elevating it self but a little from the Earth presently at night descendeth again which in the Spring-time is called Dew but in the Winter by means of cold being congealed it is called Frost Of Wind. Wind is hot and dry fumes drawn from the Earth by the Stars which seeking to fly to the Sun is by the freezing cold driven back but from the fields fumes another fire which carries them back again so that thereby together with the confluence of other exhalations rising out of the Earth his motion is forced to be rather round than right and the reason why he bloweth more sharply one time than another and in some places more than others and sometimes not at all is fumes arising out of new exhalations and out of Floods Fenns and Marshes joyning with it to encrease his force the defect or dulness whereof may either allay or increase it as also the Globe or rotundity of the Earth may be the cause of the blowing of it more in one place than in another or Mountains Hills or Woods may hinder his force from blowing in all places eqnal whereas upon the Plain and broad Sea it bloweth with an equal force and as for the stilness or ceasing thereof it cometh to pass divers ways either by frost closing or congealing up the pores of the earth whence it should issue or by the heat of the Sun drying up fumes and vapors that should encrease it and whereof it is ingendred Of Earth-quakes Earth-quakes are caused by plenty of wind which getting into the holes and caverns of the earth and wanting a vent the earth closing again causeth the shaking or Earth-quake which is more violent according to the quantity of wind so inclosed Anno 1580. in the 22 year of Queen Elizabeths Reign happened a terrible Earth-quake at London and generally throughout all England by violence whereof the great Clock-bell a● Westminster struck against the hammer as divers

Clock-bells did both in City and Countrey In London a piece of the Temple Church fell down In the late dissolved Church called the Grey-Fryers now called Christ-Church in the Sermon time one stone falling from the Church killed a young man outright and another stone so bruised a Maid that she lived but four days after the Man and the Maid being fellow Servants in one House divers were bruised and run out of the Church Some stones fell off from the Church of St. Pauls in London and some from the Church of St. Peters at Westminster divers Chimneys lost their tops and Ships on the Thames and on the Seas were seen to totter this Earthquake did not continue above a quarter of an hour in London but in divers parts in Kent it held them so terrible that the people went out of their Houses for fear they should fall on their heads Of the Rain-Bow The Rain-bow is only the Suns reflection on a hollow Cloud which the edge being repelled and beaten back against the Sun from thence ariseth much variety of colours by reason of the mixture of clouds air and fire-light together If two Rain bows appear at one time they presage Rain to ensue but if one Rain-bow presently after Rain it betokeneth fair weather Of Thunder and Lightning When hot and dry vapours mixt with moisture is exhaled up into the middle Region and there inclosed in the body of a Cloud these two contraries not agreeing together break forth with great violence so that fire and water break out of the cloud making a roaring noise which we call Thunder and the fire Lightning the Thunder is first made but the Lightning first seen in regard the sight is quicker than the hearing which to prove observe but at some distance when a man is cleaving of blocks or a Carpenter hewing a log and you shall see the fall of the beetle or Ax some little distance of time before you hear the noise of the blow Now of Lightnings there be many sorts that which is dry burneth not all but dissipateth and disperseth its self moist burneth not likewise but blasts and changeth the colour but the clear is of a strange property for it melteth the sword and not singeth the scabberd it draweth vessels dry without hurt to the vessels some rich misers have had their silver melted in their bags and purses and yet neither bag nor purse hurt nay not so much as the wax that sealeth the bag stirred It breaketh the bones and hurteth not the flesh and killeth the Child in the Mothers Womb not hurting the mother what great cause have we to pray as it is in the Letany from thunder and lightning good Lord deliver us What things are not burt with Lightning It entreth not past five foot into the earth it hurteth not the Laurel-Tree such are freed that are shadowed with the skins of Seals or Sea-Calves the Eagle is likewise free Pliny saith Scythia by reason of cold and Egypt by reason of the heat have seldom Lightning A Brief Deseri●tion of the World shewing what it is and of what Parts it consisteth together with other things well worthy of observation THe world may not unfitly be termed a large Theatre of the heavens and earth wherein are contained all bodies both simple and mixt The Greeks calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latine Universitas or Mandus all signifying with us the world It consisteth of two only parts the one Elemental and the other Coelestial The Elemental part contains the four Elements as Fire Air Water Earth The Coelestial parts contains seven several Orbs for the Planets and one for the fixed Stars above which is the Christalline Heaven the first mover which once in 24 hours carries the other round about the Earth and last of all the Empereal heaven the habitation for Saints and Angels with all the rest of Gods elect Within this coelestial part not these only are continued but also the Elemental part it self and whatsoever it containeth within the midst of his concavity by the divine providence of God hangs this dark and gross body of the Earth upon which we mortals live and in respect of the glorious Heavens we should scarce so much as fix our eyes upon it for God hath made us not as other Creatures with a dejected countenance but os homini sublime dedit he hath given to man a lofty and exact countenance according to that of the Poet And where all Beasts look down with groveling eye He gave to man looks mixt with majesty And bids him with expansed looks to view the Sky Plato the most divine amongst the Heathen affirmed that the chief cause why men had eyes given them was to behold the Heavens an admired spectacle of Gods Workmanship for though there be other ends for which we have our senses yet without question this is one and a main one to consider the glorious part of Gods creation and to search into the obstruse Mysteries thereof for God hath made nothing in vain he hath not made these glorious bodies only to be gazed at but to be searched into there being none of the humane sciences that draw us so near to God so that Ptolomy not unworthily in the beginning of his Almagest affirmeth Hanc unam scientiam esse viam ac semitam ad sciendum Deum altissimum which being understood cum grano salis will not be much different from the mind of St. Paul Rom. 1. 20. for the invisible things of God c. are seen by the Creation of the World In which place as all things created are understood so especially it should seem the coelestial bodies to be intended for these with their beauty magnitude and multitude and with the perpetual stability and wonderful variety of their invariable motions and effects do in a marvellous manner commend the wisdom and goodness of the glorious God and do exceeding much draw us to the admiration love and knowledge of him according to that excellent testimony of the kingly Prophet The Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work And again There is neither Speech nor Language but their Voice is heard among them Psalm 19. 1 2. And in Wisd 13. 4 5. saith Solomon But if they were astonished at their power and vertue let them understand by them how much mightier he is that made them For by the beauty and greatness of the Creatures proportionably the maker of them is seen And from hence sure it is that the Sideral science is by some not unfitly call'd Natural Theology Solid Orbs and Comets to be in the sublunary Region have been maintained by many both elder and later yet by the infallible observations and unparallel'd instruments joyned with the unwearied assiduity and almost invaluable expence of the Tres-noble Tyche they have been found altogether false The Heavens so framed are That they do all declare Gods Glory doth excel The Skyes and Firmament Bright clear and