in doubt by Laws or Might Mean time France a Wonder saw A Woman Rule ' gainst Salique Law But Reader be advis'd and stay Thy Censure till the Judgment-day Then shalt thou know and not before Whether Saint Witch Man Maid or Whore The Statute of this noble Virago all in Brass being habited all in compleat Armor standeth at this day in Orleans upon the middle of their Bridge Qu. Wherein doth Man chiefly differ from Beasts An. In two things especially Ratione Oratione Reason and speech Qu. How do Philosophers divide the parts of Life An. Into three the Vegetive the Sensitive and the Rational the Vegetive is that of Plants Trees c. the Sensitive is of Beasts Fowls Fishes and the like but the Rational is only peculiar to Man though I must confess many are of opinion that several beasts are endued with more than an ordinary reason of which they instance the Elephant and of whom they deliver this story That in the great Battel betwixt Alexander the Great and King Porus an Indian Emperor the Elephant which King Porus rode on seeing his Master strong and lusty rushed into the thickest of Alexanders Army but when he perceived Porus to grow faint he withdrew himself and kneeling down received all the Arrows shot against his Master in his own Trunk Qu. By what means may every man be accounted an honest man An. By endeavouring to be what he desires to seem Qu. What was an excellent Motto which comprehendeth it in the means whereby a man may quickly grow rich Counsel I know will quickly be hearkned unto by all An. Nec habeo nec careo nec curo I have not I want not I care not which he enjoyeth that hath only content as the Divine Poet said My wishes are but few all easie to fulfill I make the limits of my power the bounds untâ— my will Qu. What are the differences or kinds Musick An. Among the Ancients I have met with three kinds of Musick viz. First that of the Greeks which consisteth altogether of lonâ— Rules or Spendans This was the gravest and saddest of the rest called by Aristotle Moral because it setled the affections Boetius whom we account the Classical Author in this Faculty calleth it Lydian because in much use with those of that Nation and now as generally received by the Italian This is the Musick which Elisha called for â—â— invite unto him the Spirit of prophecy King 3. 15. and this is it which is yet sung â— Churches a practice which we derive froâ— the Ancients though some of late have oppâ—sed it and which is much commended â—â— that Doctor of the Latin Church St. Austin The second kind consisteth of a mixture of long and short Notes or of the Dactylus which is termed active because it raiseth up the affections Boetius calleth it the Dorian because it had been in much esteem amongst the Dorians a Greek People we may now call it English as being much used by us and is that Musick which cleareth the Spirits and is so soveraign an Antidote to an afflicted mind The third sort is that which consisteth altogether of short Notes or Tribrachy and is by Aristotle said to be ravished because it unhingeth the Affections and stirreth them up to lasciviousness Boetius termeth it Phrygian as being the strain of that wanton and luxuriant people in these days we may call it French as being most delighted in by the striving Spirits and lightness of that Nation But the best Musick far more sweet than honey Is when a man 's own Purse gingles with money Qu. In what do several Nations differ concerning their Aera or computation of Time from which every reckoning takes its beginning An. The Christians make their Epoch the Birth of Christ which happened in the year of the world 3962. but this reckoning they â—sed not till the year 600. Follow in the mean â—ime the civil Account of the Empire The Mahumetans begins their Hegira or Computation from the return of their Prophet to Mecha after he was driven thence by the Philarchae Anno Christi 617. The Grecians reckoned by Olympiads the first of which is placed in the year of the World 3187. but this Account perishing under the Donstontinopolitan Emperors they reckoned by Indictions every Indiction containing 15 years the first beginning whereof was about the year of Christ 313. which among Chronologers is still used The Romans reckoned first from the building of their City which was A. M. 3213. and afterwards from the 16 year of the Emperor Augustus A. M. 1936. which beginneth somewhat before our Epoch from the Birth of Christ This reckoning was used among the Spaniards till the Reign of Ferdinand the Catholick The Jews had divers Epochs as the Creation of the World in the beginning of Time Secondly from the universal Deluge Anno 1565. Thirdly from the confusion of Tongues Anno 1786. Fourthly from Abraham's Journey out of Chaldea into Canaan Anno 2021. Fifthly from the departure of the Children of Israel out of Aegypt Anno 2451. Sixthly from the year of Jubile Anno 2499. Seventhly from the building of Solomons Temple Anno 2432. And eightly the Captivity of Babylon Anno 3357 The most usual reckoning in England is only that of the Worlds Creation and Christ's appearance in the flesh the first seldom used but only by Chronologers and Writers of Histories Qu. Since Adam Methusalem and some other of the Patriarchs lived nine hundred and odd years why did God never suffer any man to accomplish a thousand An. Some learned Persons give this reason because a thousand years hath in it a type of perfection and God never suffered any to fulfil it to shew that there is no absolute perfection in this world Qu. What two Philosophers were those who were so eminent for two notable qualities wherewith they were endued the like of them not to be foundin our modern Histories An. Democritus and Heraclitus the first whereof alwayes laughed the other continually wept which two different passions are much canvased by Authors which of them is most suitable to humane Nature indeed our appetites are most greedy to desire the first but sound reason rightly weighed will conclude for the last Solomon tell us that it is better for us to go into the house of mourning them into the house of laughter and that the laughter of fools is madness Besides History tells us that Agelastus the Grandfather of Crassus a very wise man was so reserv'd that he never laughed in all his life but once which was when he saw the Ass eating of Thistles But what need we go any farther than 〈◊〉 Holy Wtit if we consider our blessed Saviour we cannot find in the Scripture that he laughed but that he wept we read of these three times 1. When Lazarus was dead 2. Over Jerusalem 3. Upon the Cross when he delivered up his Spirit with cryes and tears Qu. What four things are those which we are by Divinos
the Waters of themselves liquid and moveable when they have run their course as much as they can one way then meeting with the other waters drawn by the same attraction from other places they then return back again but encountring with that huge Mountain of the Sea are beaten back again and so by this means forced to continual motion Qu. Is the Sea higher than the Earth An. This is affirmed to be so and the reasons given therefore are these First because it is a body not so heavy Secondly it is observed by Saylors that their Ships fly faster to the shoar than from it whereof no reason can be given but the height of the Water above the Land Thirdly to such as stand on the shore the Sea seemeth to swell into the form of a mountain till it putteth a bound to their sight But some then will lay how comes it to pass that the Sea hovering thus over the Earth doth not overwhelm it To which I answer that must be attributed to him only who hath made the waters to stand on a heap who hath set them a bound which they shall not pass nor turn again to cover the Earth Qu. Why is the form of Money round An. Because it is to run to every man though it commonly runs up hill to the rich I remember I saw once the picture of a Shilling which had upon the top of it a pair of Wings flying as it were from spades and oars that were pourtrayed on the one side to the picture of an Usurer who was deciphered on the other side underneath was the figure of a Snail with the shilling on his back creeping a slowly peace towards the Oars The explanation of all being set forth by these verses Twelve-pence here first presents him to your Eye Who from the Spades and Oars with wing do fly To the rich Usurer who ready stands To entertain him with a Purse in 's hands Where long being kept at last returns as sloâ— Back to the Oars as the poor Snail doth gâ—â— Qu. Why is Nummus Latine for Money An. Of Numa Pompilius second King of the Romans the first that caused Money to be made though the Jews attribute the invention thereof to Cain as the Grecians to Hermodice the wife of Midas and some of the Romans to Janus That money was not in former Ages the only Bartery or way of exchange we read in Homer where Glaucus Golden Armour was valued at a hundred Kine and Diomedes Armour at ten onely which kind of bartery is to this day used amongst some of the Irish as at the Barbadoes and Virginia it is commonly by Tobacco or Sugar Our Ancestors the Britains used brass Rings and Iron Rings for their Instruments of Exchange The most usual material of Money amongst the Roman Provinces was seldom Gold or Silver most times Brass sometimes Leather Corium forma publica percussum as Senecae hath it This last kind of Money was by Frederick the Second made currant when he â—esieged Millain the like is said to have been used here in England at the time of the Barons wars which is thought to be the same that is now commonly shown in the Tower and why not since the Hollanders no longer ago than in the year 1574 being in their extremities made Money of Past-board But now such things we in derision hold Nothing will pass but Silver or fine Gold I shall therefore annex here certain Verses describing the person and quality of that â—hild of chase or Lady Pecunia which is so â—uch sought after and catcht at by every â—e giving you assured marks whereby to â—ow her if you can find her She is a Lady of such matchless carriage Wedded to none tho' sought of all in marriage She may be kist yet neither washt nor clipt And if you wooe not wary soon o'reslipt She may be common yet be honest too Which is far more than any Maids can do VVho e're atchieves her speaks her ne'r so fair She 'l not stay long before she take the air She is so proud she 'l not with poor men stay But straight takes pet and goes from him away A rich man may her for a time intreat And with the Usurer she 'l sit i' th' seat She goes in Cloth of silver Cloth of gold Of several worths and values manifold But when she goes in golden Robes best dight Then she 's suspected for to be most light She needs no Physick to recover Health For she 's still currant and as rich in Wealth Some Irish Lady born we may suppose Because she runs so fast and never goes If she be wrong'd in name and ill abide it Of all men Justice Touch-stone must decide it She is a Vagrant sure else there is none Because she 's always rambling from home Nothing can cause her for to take her rest But clip her Wings and lock her in a Chest Qu. What City is that which is Founded the Waters compassed in with waters and haâ—â— no other walls but the Sea An. The City of Venice situate in the be some of the Adriatick Sea which hath continued unshaken or conquered since the fiâ—â— building 1152 years it hath for convenience of Passage 4000 Bridges and very near 1200â— Bo us They have an Aâ—senal in which aâ— kept 200 Galleys in their Magazine of Wâ— they have Armour sufficient for 100000 Soldiers amongst which are 1000 Coats of Plate garnished with Gold and covered with velvet so that they are sit for any Prince in Christendom there are said to be 200 Houses therein fit to Lodge any King whomsoever they have several Houses stored with Masts Sayls and other Tacklings and are at this present the chiefest Bulwark of Christendom against the Turk Qu. When a Man dyes which is the last part of him that stirs and which of a Woman An. When Man and Woman dyes as Poets sung His Heart 's the last that stirs of her the Tongue Qu. What Answer gave one to a Barber who bragged that Kings sate bare to their Trade An. He bid him that they should remember as well that they must stand to Beggars whilst they did sit Qu. What is the common saying that is appropriated to Poland An. That if a man have lost his Religion there he may find it there being tolerated Papists Lutherans Calvinists Arrians Anabaptists Antitrinitarians and all Sects what-soever The same saying is now applied to Amsterdam in Holland Qn. What other thing is remarkable there An. It is a custom there that when in the Churches the Gospel is reading the Nobility and Centry of that Country draw out their Swords to signifie that they are ready to defend the same if any dare oppugn it The same reason questionless gave beginning to our custom of standing up at the Creed whereby we express how prepared and resolute we are to maintain it although in the late times of Rebellion some tender Consciences holding it to be a Relique of Popery being more nice
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 Willaâ—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 mâ—â—ltos vicâ—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
plantae tantopere indulgent in Barbarorum naturam degenerasse videntur The two chief vertures ascribed to it are that it is good against Lues Venerea that loath some disease the Pox and that it voideth Rheum for the first like enough it is that so unclean a disease may be fitted with so unwholesome a medicine for the second good quality attributed unto it I think it rather to consist in opinion than truth the Rheum which it voideth being only that which it self ingendereth We may as well conclude that Bottle-Ale breaketh wind for that effect we find to follow the drinking of it though indeed it is only the same wind which it self conveyed into the stomack I confess in some respects being moderately taken it may be serviceable for Physick but Tobacco is by few taken now as medicinal it is grown a good fellow and fallen from a Physician to a Complement He 's no good fellow that 's without the POX Burnt Pipes Tobacco and his Tinder-box Hear his farewel to it who once much doted on this heathenish weed Farewel thou Indian smoak Barbarian Vapour Thou enemy to life foe to waste paper Thou dost diseases in the body breed And like a Vulture on the purse dost feed Changing sweet breath into a stinking loathing And with three pipes turn two pence into nothing Grim Pluto first invented it I think To poyson all the world with Hellish stink And though by many it hath been defended It makes men rotten ere their life 's half ended Base Heathenish weed how common is it grown That but a few years past was scarcely known When for to see one take it was a riddle As strange as a Baboon to tune a Fiddle Were it confin'd only to Gentlemen It credit were to take Tobacco then But Bedlams Tinkers Coblers Water-bearers Your common Drunkards and most common Swearers Are them that use it most which makes me muse That men of quality the same should use Things common commmonly are most neglected Saving Tobacco that is still respected If Mans flesh be like Hogs as it is said It sure by smoaking thus is Bacon made Then farewel smoke good for such things as these Gainst Lice Sore heads Scabs Mange or French Disease Qu. What Country in all the whole world is most commended for the equal and just manner of the Rule thereof An. England wherein there is referred to the King absolute Majesty to the Nobles convenient Authority to the People an incorrupted Liberty all in a just and equal proportion a rare mixture of government a perfect and happy Composition wherein the King hath his full prerogative the Nobles all due respects and the people among other blessings perfect in this that they are Masters of their own purposes and have a strong hand in the making of their own Laws Qu. Who was the first that planted the Christian Religion in England An. Ioseph of Arimathea whose body is affirmed to be buried at Glassenbury in Somersetshire in which place grew a Tree that on the 24 of December would be bare and naked as other trees but on the next day being Christmas day it would be full of blossoms and flourishing as other trees in Summer This Hawthorn for such it was by ignorant zeal in the late times of Rebellion was hewn down I have heard also of an Oak in Staffordshire that every year on the same day would bring forth green leaves fresh and flourishing though the day before it were sear and dry an evident argument of the truth of Christs appearing in the flesh though of late some more nice than wise reject all such things accounting them no other than meer superstitions the rags and reliques of the Smock of the Whore of Babylon Qu. Who first erected Charing-Cross An. Edward the first in honor of his wife Queen Elenor whom he loved so dearly that dying in his company in the North Countrey intending to bury her in Westminster-Abbey in every place where her Corps rested he erected a most magnificent Cross the last of which was this at the end of the Strand commonly called Charing-Cross which having stood the space of 350 and odd years it was by avaritious blinded zeal commanded to be pulled down Thus Charing-Cross which lasted many lives Was turn'd to Salt-sellers and Hafts of Knives It being built of fine Marble there were many useful things made of the same else had not the profit thereof been more than the superstition it might for ought I know have stood there still Qu. What was Diogenes's opinion concerning Marriage An. That for young men it was too soon for old men too late So that by his rule men should not marry at all Qu. What was the Epitaph or Writing upon Diogenes grave An. Epitaphium Diogenis Cynici in cujus Sepulchro pro Titulo Canis signum est Dic Canis hic cujus tumulus Canis At Canis hic quis Diogenes obiit Non obiit sed abit Englished Diogenes Epitaph written on his Tomb with a Dog standing over it Tell me Dog whose Tomb is this A Dogs What Dog Diogenes Diogenes why died he Because no honesty he could see Qu. How many Letters are there in the holy Tongue An. As many as there are Books in the Old Testament of which one thus further observes that as two and twenty Letters forms our Voice so two and twenty Books contains our Faith Qu. What is the difference betwixt Art Fortune and Ignorance An. I shall tell you in the words of the Poet. When Fortune fell asleep and Hate did bind her Art Fortune lost and Ignorance did find her Sith when dull Ignorance with Fortune's store Hath been enrich'd and Art hath still been poor Qu. In what place was it wherein there was together a whole world of men and Languages An. In Noahs Ark. Qu. What said Budoeus concerning Plutarchs Books An. That if all the learning in the world were lost it might be found again in his Works Qu. What do you finde to be abominable superstition in the Papists An. The carrying about of their breaden God or the Hoast as they call it being of the Sacrament reserved which is carried of a couple of Priests under a Canopy ushered with Torches and attended by a company of people which have no other employment Before it goes a Bell continually tinkling at the sound whereof all such as are in their houses being warned that then their God goeth by them make some shew of Reverence those which meet it in the street with bended knees and elevated hands doing it honour The Protestants of this Bell make a use more religious and use it as a warning or watch-peal to avoid that street through which they hear it coming This invention of the Bell hath some what in it of Turkism it being the custom in all those Countries where the Mahumetan Religion is professed that at their Canonical hours when they hear the Cryers bawling in the Steeples to fall prostrate on the ground wheresoever
animalia plebis Inveniunt For when the seven mouth'd Nile the Fields forsake And to his ancient Channel him betakes The tillers of the ground live Creatures find Of sundry shapes i' th mud that 's left behind This River is in length almost 3000. miles being the only River of Egypt and is for its varieties sufficiently famous all the World over Of the fortunate Islands The Air of those Islands is reported to be of that singular temperature and the Earth of that fruitfulness that the Husbandmen have their Harvest in March and April Here all good things do abound useful or delightful for the life of man plenty of Fruits store of Grapes the Woods and Hedges bringing forth excellent Apples of their own accord The grass being mowed down in five days space will grow up to the length of a Cubit the ground is so fertile At Christmas they have Summer and all fruits ripe The Earth yields her fruit five or six times a year the Mountains are always beautified with variety of Flowers the Trees and Hedges-rows evermore green Dame Flora hath here her continual habitation and Ceres therein a continual Mansion In their sowing every two grains bringing forth a thousand Qu. How many Kings did formerly 〈◊〉 in these Countrys whereof our now 〈…〉 Soveraign King Charles the second is the most absolute Monarch An. In England it self were seven during the time of the Saxon Heptarchy which were 1. The Kingdom of Kent containing Kent only begun by Hengist the Saxon Captain and ending in Baldred having a succession of eighteen Kings and the continuance of two hundred forty and two years Queens County Weishford and Dublin Scotland had formerly two Kings whereof one was of the Scots the other of the Picts Besides these there was a King of the Isles of Scotland and one of the Isle of Man and Henry the sixth created Henry Beauchamp Earl of Warwick King of the Isle of Wight so that reckoning seven Kings in England three in Wales five in Ireland two in Scotland and three in the other Islands and you will find the whole number to amount to twenty Kingdoms A Discourse of Wonders Foreign and Domestick And first of Foreign AN Artizan in the Town of Norenburg in Germany made a wooden Eagle which when the Emperor Maximilian was coming thither flew a quarter of a mile out of the Town to meet him and being come to the place where he was turned back of its own accord and accompanied him home to his lodging 2. There is a Lake about Armach in Ireland into which if one thrust a piece of wood he shall find that part which remaineth in the mud converted to Iron and that which continueth in the water turned to a Wherstone 3. The Hill Aetna in Sicily which continually vomiteth forth flames of Fire to the astonishment of all beholders The reason of these flames as is conjectured is the abundance of Silver and Brimstone contained in the bosom of this Hill which is blown by the wind driving in at the chaps of the Earth as by a pair of bellows through which chinks also there is continually more fuel added to the fire the very water administring an operative vertue to the combustible matter as we see that water cast on coals in the Smiths Forge doth make them burn more ardently The reason of this flame is thus rendred by the witty Ovid in his Metamorphosis I st â— bitumineâ— rapâ—unâ—t incendiâ—â— vices Luteaque exiguis ardâ—scunt Sulphura slammis Atque ubi terra cibos alimentaque debita slamma Non dabit absumptis per longum viribus annum Naturaeque suâ—m nutrimâ—ntum decrit edaci Non fâ—cit Aetna famem desertaque deseret ignis A rozen mould these siery flames begin And clayje Brinstone aids the sire within Yet when the slymie soylconsumed shall Yield no more food to feed the sire withal And Nature shall restrain her nourishment The flame shall cease hating all famishment 4. A Lake in Aethiopia superior of which whosoever drinketh either falleth immediately mad or is for a long time troubled with a drowsiness of which the aforesaid Ovid thus reciteth Aethiopesque Lacus quos siquis faucibus hausit Aut fuâ—iâ— aut patitar mirum gravetate soporem Who doth not know the Aethiopian Lake Whose waters he that drinks his thirst to slake Either groweth mad or doth his soul oppress With an unheard of drowsiness 5 The three wonders of which Spain boasteth of viz. 1. A Bridge over which the water flows that is used to run under all other Bridges 2. A City compassed with fire which is called Madrid by reason of the Wall that is all of Flints environ it round about 3. Another Bridge on which continually feed ten thousand Cattel the River Guadiana which hath his head in the Mountain Seira Molina afterwards runneth under ground the space of fifteen miles the like doth the River Lycus in Anatolia according to Ovid. Sic ubi terreno Lycus est epotus hiatu Exsilicit procul hinc alioque renascitur ore So Lycus swallowed by the gaping ground At a new mouth far off is rising found 6. The Tomb of Mansolus built by his Wife Artunesia Queen of Halicarnassus accounted one of the worlds seven wonders it being five and twenty Cubits high and supported by six and thirty curious Pillars of which thus writeth the witty Poet Martial Aere nam vacuo pendentia Mansolaea Laudibus immodicis Caris ad astra ferunt The Mansolaea hanging in the Sky The men of Caria's praises Deify 7. The Temple of Diana at Ephesus accounted also one of the worlds seven wonders It was two hundred years in building being four hundred twenty five foot long and two hundred twenty broad sustained with a hundred twenty seven Pillars of Marble seventy foot high whereof twenty seven were most curiously graven and all the rest of Marble polisht It was fired seven times and lastly by Herostratus the same night in which Alexander the great was born which made the Poets say that Diana who was the Goddess of Midwifery was so busie at the birth of that great Potentate that she had no time to defend her own Temple 8. The Pyramis of Aegypt reckoned also for one of the worlds seven wonders which have out-lived devouring time They were built nigh to the City of Memphis whereof two are most famous The first and greatest was built by Cleops a King of that Country who in the work employed a hundred thousand men the space of twenty years The Basis of which Pyramis contained in circuit sixty Acres of ground and was in height a thousand foot being made all of Marble This work was begun of such a prodigious vastness that King Cleops wanted money to finish the same whereupon as Herodotus writeth he prostituted his Daughter to all commers by which dishonest means he perfected his building and she besides the money due to her father exacted of every man that had the use of her body one stone
found â—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 â— Clift or Hole of a Rock laying your ear unto it you may hear sometimes as it were â—he noise of blowing the Bellows others of Smiths striking at the Anvil sometimes â—iling clashing of Armour and the like this â—s said to be by inchantment by the great Merlin who bound certain Spirits to work here in making of Armour for Aurelius Amâ—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 deâ—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 oâ— Androgeâ—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 Kinâ— of the Britains in aid against the Scots and Picts who then over-run this Island buâ— these Guests soon become their Masters whâ— under the leading of Hengist and Horsus â— planted themselves in this Island that the nâ—tive Inhabitants could never recover it from them These Saxons came not in all at once bâ— at seven several times each under their Leâ—ders gaining a part from our Brittish Monarchy till at last they ingrossed the whoâ— to themselves then was England divideâ— into a Heptarchy or seven several Kingdom all which were united into one by Egbâ— 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
Earldoms of Guyen and Poictou by Elbiner his wife and a great part of Ireland by conquest towards the latter end of his Reign he was much troubled with the unnatural Rebellion of his Sons He dyed the sixth day of July Anno 1189. and Reigned twenty four years and seven months lacking eleven days Richard the first for his valor and magnanimous courage sirnamed Coeur de Lion he with a most puissant Army warred in the Holy-Land where by his acts he made his name very famous overcoming the Turks in several Battels whom he had almost driven out of Syria he also took the Isle of Cyprus which he afterwards exchanged for the Title of King of Jerusalem after many worthy atchievements performed in those Eastern parts returning homewards to defend Normandy and Aquitain against the French he was by a Tempest cast upon the Coast of Austria where he was taken prisoner and put to a most grievous Ransom finally he was slain at the siege of Chaluz in France by a shot from an Arbalist the use of which warlike Engine he first shewed to the French whereupon a French Poet made these Verses in the person of Antropos Hoc volo non alia Richardum marte perire Ut qui Francigenis Balistae primitus usum Tradidit ipse sui rem primitus experiatur Quamque aliis docuit in se enim sentiat artis It is decreed thus must great Richard die As he that first did teach the French to dart An Arbalist 't is just he first should try The strength and taste the Fruits of his own Art In his days lived those Outlaws Robin Hood Little John c. King John next succeeded or rather usurped the Crown his eldest Brothers Son Arthur of Britain being then living He was an unnatural Son to his Father and an undutiful subject to his Brother neither sped he better in his own Reign the French having almost gotten his Kingdom from him who on the Popes curse came to subdue it with whom joyned many of his Subjects by which the Land was brought to much misery Finally after a base submission to the Popes Legat he was poysoned by a Monk at Swâ—nested-Abby after he had reigned seventeen years and five months lacking eight days and lyeth buried at Worcester Henry the third Son to King John against whom the rebellious Barons strongly warred yet however he expelled the intruding French out of England confirmed the Statutes of Magna Charta and having reigned fifty six years and twenty eight days was buried at Westminster of which Church he built a great part Edward the first sirnamed Long-shanks who warred in the Holy-Land where he was at the time of his Fathers death a most Heroick magnanimous Prince he awed France subdued Wales and brought Scotland into subjection disposing of the Crown thereof according to his pleasure he brought from thence the Regal Chair still reserved in Westminster-Abby he was a right vertuous and fortunate Prince Reigned thirty four years seven months and odd days and lyeth buried at Westminster Edward the second a most dissolute Prince hated of his Nobles and contemned by the vulgar for his immeasurable love to Pierce Gaveston and the two Spencers on whom he bestowed most of what his Father had purchased with his Sword as one writeth in these Verses Did Longshanks purchase with his conquering hand Albania Gascoyn Cambria Ireland That young Carnarvon his unhappy Son Should give away all that his Father won He having Reigned nineteen years six months and odd days was deposed and Edward his eldest Son Crowned King Edward the third that true pattern of vertue and valor was like a rose out of a Bryar an excellent Son of an evil Father he brought the Scots again to a formal obedience who had gained much on the English in his Fathers life time laid claim to the Crown of France in right of his Mother and in pursuance of his Title gave the French two great overthrows taking their King prisoner with divers others of the chief Nobility he took also that strong and almost impregnable Town of Callice with many other fair possessions in that Kingdom Reigned fifty years four months and odd days and was buried at Westminster Richard the second Son to Edward the black Prince the eldest Son of King Edward the third an ungovern'd and dissolute King He rejected the sage advice of his Grave Counsellors was most ruled by his own self-will'd passions lost what his Father and Grand-father had gained and at last his own life to the Lancastrian faction in his time was that famous or rather infamous rebellion of Wat Taylor and Jack Straw He having Reigned twenty two years three months and odd days was deposed and murdered at Pomfret Castle Henry the fourth Son to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster third Son to Edward the third obtained the Crown more by force than by lawful succession he was a wise prudent Prince but having gotten the Crown unjustly was much troubled with insurrection of of the subjects which he having quieted surrendred to fate having reigned thirteen years six months and odd days and was buried at Canterbury Henry the fifth who from a dissolute vicious Prince became the mirror of Kings and pattern of all Heroick performance he pursued his Title to the Crown of France bear the French at Agin Court and was in a Parliament of their Nobility Clergy and Commons ordained Heir apparent to the French Crown but lived not to possess it dying in the full carrier of his victories at Vincent Boys in France and was brought over into England and buried at Westminster He Reigned nine years five months and odd days Henry the sixth sirnamed of Windsor his birth-place of whom it was prophesied that What Henry of Monmouth had won which was his Father Henry of Windsor should lose He was a very pious Prince and upheld his State during the life of his Unkles John Duke of Bedford and Humphrey of Glocester after whose deaths the Nobility growing factious he not only lost France to the French but England and his life to the Yorkish faction He having reigned thirty eight years was overthrown by Edward Earl of March descended by the Mothers side from Lionel Duke of Clarence second Son to King Edward the third was arrested and sent to the Tower where within a while after he was murdered and buried at Cherlsey since removed to Windsor Edward the fourth a prudent politick Prince He after nine bloody Battels especially that of Tawton in which were slain of the English thirty six thousand on both sides was at last quietly seated in his dominions of England and Ireland Reigned twenty two years one month and odd days and was buried at Windsor Edward the fifth his Son a King proclaimed but before his Coronation was murdered in the Tower Richard the third brother to Edward the fourth was Crowned King ascending to the same by steps of blood murdering King Henry the sixth and Prince Edward his Son 3.
George Duke of Clarence his own Brother with many faithful servants to King Edward 4. Edward the fifth his lawful Soveraign with Prince Richard his brother 5. Henry Duke of Buckingham his great friend and sixth one Collingborn an Esquire who was hang'd drawn and quartered for making this Verse The Cat the Rat and Lowel our Dog Rule all England under a Hog Finally having reigned two years and two months he was slain by Henry Earl of Richmond and buried at Grey Fryers Church at Leicester Henry the seventh who united the two Houses of York and Lancaster by marrying with Elizabeth the Daughter and Heir to Edward the fourth He was a Prince of marvellous Wisdom Policy Justice Temperance and Gravity and notwithstanding great troubles and wars which he had against home-bred Rebels he kept his Realm in right good order He builded the Chappel to Westminster-Abby a most accurate piece of Work wherein he was interred after he had reigned twenty three years and eight months Henry the eight who banished the Popes supremacy out of England won Bulloign from the French lived beloved and feared of his Neighbour Princes the last of our Kings whose name began with the Letter H. which Letter had been accounted strange and ominous every mutation in our State being as it were ushered in by it according as I find it thus versed in Albions England Not superstitiously I speak but H this Letter still Hath been accounted ominous to England's good or ill First Hercules Hesion and Helen were the cause Of war to Troy Aeneas seed becoming so Out-laws Humber the Hum with foreign Armes did first the Brutes invade Hellen to Romes Imperial Throne the British Crown convey'd Hengist and Horsus first did plant the Saxons in this Isle Hungar and Hubba first brought Danes that swayed here long while At Harold had the Saxons end at Hardy Cnute the Dane Henries the first and second did restore the English Reign Fourth Henry first for Lancaster did Englands Crown obtain Seventh Henry jarring Lancaster and York unites in peace Henry the eighth did happily Romes irreligion cease King Henry having Reigned thirty seven years nine months and odd days dyed and was buried at Windsor Edward the sixth a most vertuous religious Prince whose wisdom was above his years and whose piety was exemplary he perfected the Reformation begun by his father King Henry At the age of sixteen years he departed this life having Reigned six years five months and odd days and was buried at Westminster Mary his Sister whom King Henry begat of Katherine of Spain she restored again the Mass set at liberty those Bishops imprisoned in her brothers Reign and imprisoned those who would not embrace the Romish perswasion She was very zealous in the cause of the Pope for not yielding to which many godly Bishops and others of the Reformation suffered Mattyrdom In her time was Callice lost to the French the grief whereof it was thought brake her heart she Reigned five years four months and odd days and was buried at Westminster Elizabeth daughter to Henry the eighth by the Lady Ann of Bulloigne a most Heroick vertuous Lady she again banished the Popes power out of England reduced Religion to its primitive purity and refined the Coyns which were then much corrupt For the defence of her Kingdom she stored her Royal Navy with all warlike munition aided the Scots against the French the French Protestants against the Catholiques and both against the Spaniard whose invincible Armado as it was termed she overthrew in 88. Holland found her a fast friend against the force of Spain the Ocean it self was at her command and her name grew so redoubted that the Muscovite willingly entered into League with her She was famous for her Royal Government amongst the Turks Persians and Tartars which having endured forty four years five months and odd days she dyed being aged about seventy years and was buried at Westminster King James a Prince from his Cradle the sixth of that name in Scotland and the first in England He excelled for Learning and Religion a second Solomon in whose Reign during all the time thereof our Land was enriched with those two blessings of Peace and Plenty He died in a good old age notwithstanding the Treason of the Gowries and the Powder-plot Reigned twenty two years and three days and was buried at Westminster Charles the first Son to King James a most pious prudent vertuous Prince enriched with all excellencies both of mind and body He was by his own Subjects most barbarously murdered before his PallaceGate at Whitehall Jan. 30. An. 1648. after he had Reigned twenty three years ten months and 3 days Twit Papists now not with the Powder-plot This blacker deed will make the same forgot Charles the second the Heir of his Fathers vertues and Crown who having been long detained from his right by the prevailing sword of Rebels was miraculously restored to his Subjects and Kingdom May the 29. 1660. Who God grant long long long to Reign May they be all Rebels and Traitors reckon'd Who wish the least hurt unto Charles the Second Hereafter followeth the Histories of St Denis the Titulary Saint of France St. Romain and some others being after used in discourse for the Readers better information and delight according as we find it in the Legend of them SAint Denis is said to be the same Dionisius of Areopagita mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles who being converted himself â—hirsted after the conversion of others and â—o that end he with Rusticus and Elutherius â—ravelled into France then called Gauls where he converted many to Christianity and â—ecame the first Bishop of Paris making Rusâ—icus his Arch-Priest and Elutherius his Deaâ—on Afterwards in the Reign of Domitian the Emperor persecution growing hot Fesâ—ennius Governor of Paris commanded that â—e should bow before the Altar of Mercury and offer Sacrifice unto him which St. Denis with the other two beforenamed refusing to do they were all three of them condemned to be beheaded which was accordingly executed on Mont-Matre distant about a mile from Paris Now it came to pass that when the Executioner had smitten off Saint Denis his head that he caught it up between his Arms and ran with it down the Hill as fast as his legs could carry him half a mile from the place of his Execution he sate down and rested and so he did nine times in all till he came to the place where his Church is now built where he met with a very old woman whom he charged to bury him in that place and then fell down and died being three English miles from Mont-Matre and there he was buried together with Rusticus and Elutherius who were brought after him by the people Afterwards by the succeeding ages when Christianity had gotten the upper-hand of Paganism in the nine several places where he rested are erected so many handsome Crosses of stone all of a making To the memory of this Saint did
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 hâ—â— 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 Sâ— Denis he laid him down and slept when there appeared to him an old man with a staff iâ— his hand who told him that his Father waâ— 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 iâ— all haste to bless it But it hapned the night before the Bishops coming that there camâ— to the Town an ugly Leper who desired to lie in the Church And when he was therâ— 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 telâ— the Bishop that the Church was already blessed and for a token of it he gave the Lepâ—â— his health who on the next morning waâ— found to be sound and perfectly whole The Legend of Saint Romain SAint Romain was Bishop of Roven iâ— 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 â— 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 â—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 â—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 â— 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 aâ— 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 thâ— 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
and began to shed his infant blood by the stony knife of Circumcision And it is called Newyears-day from the account of the old Romans who began their year from that day 6 Jan. Twelfth-day or the Epiphany of our Lord is a Feast Solemnized in memory and honour of Christs manifestation and apparition to the Gentiles by a miraculous blazing Star by vertue whereof three Kings were conducted to adore him in the Manger where they presented him as on this day with Gold Myrrh and Frankincense in testimony of his Regality Humanity and Divinity The Word Epiphany comes from the Greek and signifies an apparition and is called Twelfth-day because celebrated the Twelfth-day after Christs Nativity exclusively 2 Febr. Candlemas-day or the Purification of the blessed Virgin is a Feast in memory and honour both of the presentation of our Saviour Christ and the Purification of the Virgin Mary in the Temple of Jerusalem the fortieth day after her happy Childbirth performed according to the Law of Moses Levit. 12. 6. And it is called Purification from the Latine word which signifieth to Purifie not that the blessed Virgin had contracted any thing by her Childbirth which needed purifying being the mother of Purity it self but because other common Mothers were by this ceremonial right freed from the Legal Impurity of their Childbirths The four Sundays of Septuagesima Sexagesima Quinquagesima and Quadragesima were days appropriated for preparation to the devotions of Lent and take their numeral denominations from Quadragesima-Sunday so called because 't is about the fortieth day before Easter Shrovetide signifies the time of Shrift for in former time the people used then to confess their sins to a Priest the better to prepare themselves for a holy observation of Lent and worthy receiving the blessed Sacrament at Easter Ashwednesday is so called by the Romanists from the Ceremony they have on that day of blessing of Ashes wherewith the Priest signifie the people with a Cross on their foreheads saying unto them Memento homo quia pulvis es in pulverem revertes Remember man that thou art dust and to dust thou shalt be turn'd The Ashes which they use this day are made of the Palmes bless'd the Palm-Sunday before Lent is called in Latine Quadragesima because it is a Fast of forty days in remembrance of Christs fasting forty days and forty nights in the Wilderness which fast has been observed in England near one thousand years according to Sir Richard Baker in his Chronicle and hath been continued to these days in the time of Reformation not out of any superstitious end but for the encrease of the fishing Trade and preservation of the breed of young Cattle The Sea loth will the Land doth wish For sparing Flesh to feed on Fish Palm-sunday was instituted in memory and honor of the triumphant entry of our Savior into Jerusalem and was so called from the Palm-Branches which the Hebrew Children strewed under his feet crying Hosanna to the Son of David Math. 21. 15. Maundy Thursday is a Feast in memory of our Lords last Supper when he instituted the blessed Sacrament of his precious body and blood And it is call'd Maundy Thursday quasi Mandatum or Mandat Thursday from those words in John 13. 34. Mandatum novum do vobis c. I give you a new command or mandat that you love one another as I have loved you Good-Friday is that memorable day on which the great and glorious work of our Redemption was consummated by our Savior Jesus Christ on his bloody Cross between â—wo Thieves at Jerusalem 25 March Annunciation of the blessed Virgin is a Feast in memory of that most happy Embassy brought to her from God by the Angel Gabriel upon which through her consent â—nd the operation of the holy Spirit God was incarnate in her most sacred Womb. Easter-Day in Latine Pascha is a great Festival in memory and honour of our Saviours Resurrection or rising from the dead on the third day after he was Crucified Mat. â—8 6. and it is called Easter from Oriens the East or rising one of the Titles of Christ And his name sayes the Prophet shall be called Oriens Munday and Tuesday following are also kept â—oly in memory of some of Christs first Apâ—aritions after his Resurrection which are â—ommemorated on these two dayes for the greater solemnity of the chief Feast Low-Sunday called Dominica in Albis is the â—ctave of Easter day and is so named from â—he white Garments which the Catechumeni â—â— Neophites used to wear which they put â—n at their Baptism and solemnly put off with this day Holy Thursday or Ascension day is a Feast solemnized in memory of Christ's glorious Ascension into Heaven the fortieth day after â—is Resurrection in the sight of his Apostles â—nd Disciples Acts 2. 9 10. 3 May. The Invention of the Holy Cross otherwise called Holy Rood-day is so called from the Invention or finding out of the Cross on which our Saviour suffered by Hellen mother to Constantine the Great after it had been hid and buried by the Infidels 180 years who erected a Statua of Venus in place of it Rogation Week which is always the next but one before Whitsunday is so called from Rogo to ask and pray because then Lettanieâ— were wont to be used to beg and supplicate the blessing of God upon the fruits of the earth The Belgians call it Craysweek and we in England Gang week from the Ganging or going in procession and perambulation then used about the Parish c. Whitsunday or Pentecost is a solemn Feast in memory and honour of the coming of the Holy Ghost upon the heads of the Apostles in tongues as it were of fire Acts 2. 3. Pentecost in Greek signifies the fiftieth it being the fiftieth after the Resurrection And 't is called Whitsunday from the Catechumens being anciently cloathed in White and admitted oâ— the Eve of this Feast to the Sacrament oâ— Baptism The old Saxons called it Weed Sunday i. e. holy Sunday for Wied or Wiheâ— signifies holy in that Language which also may have prov'd one occasion of this name Trinity Sunday is the octave of Whit sunday dedicated to the honour of the blessed Trinity to signifie that the works of our Redemption and Sanctification then compleated are common to all the three Persons Corpus Christi day which is always the next Thursday after Trinity Sunday is by the Romanists celebrated with greet solemnity they carrying on that day the Sacrament of the Altar about in Procession the Priests and all â—he people expressing their highest devotions with musick and lights and flowers strewed along the streets and their best Tapestry upon the walls c. 10. Aug. St. Lawrence the Deacon who in â—he Primitive times was most cruelly broyled in a Gridiron for the faith of Christ which Martyrdom he suffered with incomparable â—ortitude in the midst of his torments thus â—rying out to his bloody Persecuter This side is toasted now
enough Turn up O Tyrant great Assay whether roasted or raw Thou find'st the better meat Aug. 15. Is according to Tradition the day when the blessed Virgin Mary was both Soul and Body taken up into Heaven Sep. 8. Is in memory of her happy birth â—y whom the Author of all life and safety was born into the world 29 Sep. Michael or Michaelmas is in commemoration of St. Michael the Arch-Angel and of all the nine Orders of holy Angels And it is called the Dedication of St. Michael â—rom the dedicating of a Church in Rome to â—im by Pope Boniface 1 Nov. All Saints or All-hallows is celebrated in commemoration of all the Saints 2 Nov. All Souls is likewise commemoraâ—ed for the Souls of all the faithful departed â—nd these two days All Saints and All Souls were of so eminent observance that no Courts were kept on those days in Westminster-hall The four Sundays of Advent are those preâ—eding Christmas day and were instituted as a commemorative of our Saviours Advent or coming to redeem the world by his happy birth Christmas Day or the Nativity of our Saviour Christ is a most solemn Feast yearly celebrated even from the Apostles time to this day in memory of the birth of our Saviour at Bethlehem 28 Dec. Holy Innocents is a Feast in memory of those Babes which Herod slew when he sought for our blessed Saviour in which massacre it is said that a Child of Herods being at nurse was murthered amongst the rest which Augustus hearing of he said it was better to be Herods Hog than his Son because the Jews would eat no Swines flesh The several Feasts of the Apostles and other Saints were instituted by the Church to honour God in his Saints and for us to imitate their holy and godly examples St. Peter and St. Paul are joyned in one solemnity because they were principal and joynt co-operators under Christ in the conversion of the world the first converting the Jews the other the Gentiles as also because both were martyr'd at the same place Rome and on the same day 29 June The four Ember weeks in Latine quatuoâ—tempora are times of publick prayer of falting partly instituted for the successful ordination of the Priests and Ministers of the Church and partly to beg and render thank to God for the fruits and blessings of the earth Ember comes from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. dies a day others call them Ember day from the ancient custom of eating nothing on those days till night and then only a Cake baked under the Embers or Ashes which was called Panem subcineritium Ember bread Wakes or Countrey Feasts used always to be observed on the Sunday next after that Saints day to whom the Parish Church was dedicated and took its original from a Letter written by Gregory the Great to Melitus Abbot who was sent into England with Austin the Monk in these words It may therefore be permitted them meaning the English that on the Dedication days or other solemn days of Martyrs they make them Bowers about the Churches and refreshing themselves and feasting together after a good religious sort kill their Oxen now to the praise of God and increase of Charity which before they were wont to sacrifice to the Devil c. Bedes Eccl. Hist Chap. 30. And they were called Wakes because on those feasts the people were wont to awake from sleep at the several Vigils of the Night and go to prayer but that custom was long ago laid aside and the Feasting part also little or nothing regarded Besides these we have three other days by act of Parliament set apart for Religious holy Duties viz. the fifth of November when some bloody Papists intended to have blown up the Parliament-House with Gunpowder in the third year of the Reign of King James the second the 30 of January a day of humiliation for the execrable murther of King Charles the first And the third the 29 of May a day of thansgiving for the happy Restauration of King Charles the second Qu. What is the observation that is commonly made on St. Pauls day being the 25 of January An. If Saint Pauls day be fair and clear It doth betoken a happy year But if it chance to Snow or Rain Then shall be dear all kind of Grain And if that winds be aloft Then shall we hear of wars full oft And if it do thunder that day Great dearth shall be as wise men say Another Observation When our Lord doth lye in our Ladies Lap Then O England beware a clap Other short Observations for each Month in the year January If the Sun shine the twelfth of January there shall be store of wind that year February If it thunder upon Shrove-Tuesday it foretelleth wind store of fruit and plenty the Sun beams being early abroad and so much as he shineth on that day the like he will shine every day in Lent March So many Mists as there be in March so many hoar Frosts there will be after Easter April If it rain upon Ascension day which most cammonly falleth in April it doth betokeâ— scarcity of all kind of food for Cattel but being fair it signifieth plenty May. If the Sun shine upon the twenty fifth oâ— May wine shall prosper well also in the end of May if Oaks begin to bear Blossoms iâ— doth foreshew great store of Tallow and Fruiâ— June If it rain the twenty fourth day of June Hazel-nuts will not prosper July If it be fair three Sundays before St. Jame's day Corn will be good but wet Corn will wither August If the wind change on St. Bartholemews day at night the following year will not be â—ood September So many dayes old the Moon is on Michaelmas day so many Floods will be that winter October If leaves now hang upon the Trees it portends a cold winter or many Catterpillers November If on the tenth of November the Heavens be cloudy it prognosticates a wet winter if clear and dry a sharp winter December If Christmas-day comes in the new of the Moon it is a token of a good year and so much the better by how much it is nearer the new Moon the contrary happeneth in the decrease Thus each month doth procure an observation Which may be made useful unto the Nation For if that we do things but rightly weigh We will believe what our Forefathers say Who by experience knew such things to be And so preserv'd them for posterity Qu. What is that they call the Golden Number Epact Circle of the Sun Dominical Letter c. An. The Golden Number is the Revolution of 19 years in which time all the Lunations or Aspects betwixt the Sun and Moon return to the same place they were in before and is so called either because it was sent in Golden Letters from Alexandria in Egypt to Rome or for that it is written in red or Golden Letters in the Kalendar The Epact is the number of 11
permanent His handy work doth tell Day unto day doth teach And of the Lord do preach His wondrous works relating Night unto night doth show That every one might know His wisdom them creating There is no speech nor Land But this doth understand Though it far distant lyes Yet doth it heart the noise Acknowledging the voice And Language of the Skyes c. Qu. At what time of the year according to the opinion of many men was the world created An. That the world began in Autumn is of late the opinion of many both Divines and Chronologers And yet of old the ancient Fathers Eusebius Basil Athanasius Ambrose Cyril of Jerusalem Augustine Nazianzen Damascen Bede Psidore c. were persuaded otherwise Yea in a Synod holden in Palestine by Theophilus Bishop of Caesarea it was agreed that the World was made in the Spring Nor is that but a great question betwixt two furious Rabbins for though the Rabbins for the most part be for Autumn yet R. Josua maintains the contrary against Eleazer another great Rabbi who contends for Autumn True it is that the year of Jubilee began alwayes at Autumn howbeit the first month of the year was to be reckoned from the Spring which is as Moses saith to the Israelites Ezod 12. 2. This shall be to you the beginning of Months as if he had said though whilst you were in Aegypt you followed another reckoning yet it was divers from that which ye had at the first for this is to you the beginning of months or the natural head of the year Nor did the Chaldeans with whom Abrabam lived a long time reckon otherwise And successively since Astrologers have accounted the revolutions of the world from the vernal Equinox at the Suns entrance into the first scruple of Aries Translated out of Manilius Lib. 4. ALl Animals that be do groveling lye Or in the Earth the Water or the Sky One rest one sence one belly like in all Which they communicate in general But man consists of soul and body linkt Of Councils capable of voice distinct He into natural causes doth inspect And knows what to devise how to direct Into the world he Arts and science brings And searcheth out the hidden birth of things The unplow'd earth he to his will subdues And all it brings forth he knows how to use The untam'd Beasts he doth at pleasure bind He in the Seas untroden paths doth find He only stands with an erected brest As the sole Victor over all the rest His Star-like eyes into the Stars inquire The Heavens themselves he scales if he desire He seeks out Jove his thoughts will not be ty'd The Stars from him in vain themselves do hide He not content to look them in the faces Ransacks their Houses there most secret places This is the scope of mans all prying mind Himself he hopes amongst the Stars to find Of the unfortunate and fatal Days in the Year THe ancient Astronomers have observ'd certain days in every month to be held very fatal and unfortunate in which they accounted it ominous to begin or undertake any matter which days be as follow January the 1 2 4 5 10 15 17 and 19 February the 8 10 and 17. March the 15 16 and 19. April the 16 and 21. May the 7 11 and 20. June the 4 and 7. July the 15 and 20. August the 19 and 20. September the 6 and 7. October the 5. November the 15 and 19. December the 6 7 and 9. Also they will have in every change of the Moon two unfortunate days in which they advise no man to begin any work or undertake any journey because it shall come to no good end Which days be these In Jan. the 3 and 4 days of the new Moon In February 5 and 7 In March 6 and 7. In April 5 and 8. In May 8 and 9. In June 5 and 15. In July 3 and 13. In August 8 and 13. In September 8 and 13. In October 5 and 12. In November 5 and 9. In December 3 and 13. Others there be which note out of the whole year six most unfortunate days above all other wherein they advise no man to bleed or take any drink because the effects of the Constellation work mightily to death and in other respects they be right unfortunate which days be these January the 3. April the 30. July the 1. August the 1. October the 2. December the 30. Others again there be which observe three dangerous Mundays to begin any business fall sick or undertake any journey viz. First Munday in April on which day Cain was born and his Brother 6 bel slain Second Munday in August on which day Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed 31 of December on which day Jadas was born that betrayed Christ Likewise throughout England the 28 of December being Innocents day is called Childermas or Crosâ—-day and is so accounted every week Moreover there be certain unfortunate and bad days in the year called Dog-Days which be very prejudicial to mans health they begin the 19 day of July and end the 27 of August the malignity of which days Pliny reporteth Lib Chap 40. of his Natural History Exact rules to find out the beginning and ending of the Terms with the number of their Returns HIllary Term begins always the 23 of January and ends February the 12 and hath four Returns Easter Term begins always on the Wednesday fortnight after Easter ends the Munday after Ascension day and hath five Returns Trinity Term begins always the Fryday after Trinity and ends the Wednesday fortnight after and hath four Returns Michaelmas Term begins October the 23. and ends November the 21. and hath six Returns Note that the Exchequer opens 8 days before any Term begins except Trinity Term before which it opens only 4 days Of Weights and Measures commonly used in England THe most common Weight used in England are Troy and Avoirdupois by the first is weighed Wheat Bread Gold Silver c. which Troy-weight contains in every pound twelve ounces every ounce twenty penny weight and every penny weight twenty four grains whereby a mark weight ariseth just to eighty ounces By the second and more common weight of Avoirdupois is weighed all kind of Grocery ware Physical drugs and gross wares as Rosin Pitch Hemp c. and all Iron Copper Tin or other metals this weight hath sixteen ounces to the pound and is divided into grains scruples drams and ounces so that one pound Avoirdupois contains 16 ounces 128 drams 384 scruples and 7680 grains How Ale and Beer it measured These two sorts of Liquors are measured by pints quarts pottles gallons firkins kilderkins and barrels so that a barrel of Beer contains two kilderkins four Firkins thirty six gallons seventy two pottles 144 quarts and 282 pints A Barrel of Ale is two kilderkins four firkins thirty two gallons sixty four pottles 128 quarts and 256 pints so then the Barrel of Ale is less than the Barrel of Beer