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i   NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE
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            Bethesda, Maryland


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t 
BOOK  OF KNOWLEDGE;
I through my glass the planets spy,
Secitewrevotve th«jstarry sky.
�9�772228330 
Book  of Knowledge:
TREATING  OK THE
WISDOM  OF THE  ANCIENTS
           IN FOUR PARTS.
  I. Shewing' the various
snd wonderful Operations
of the Signs and Planets,
and other celestial Constel-
lations, on the  Bodies of
Men,  &c
  II. Prognostications for
ever necessary to keep the
Body in Health ; with sev-
eral choice  Receipts in
Physic and Surgery.
  III.  An Abstract of the
Art of Physiognomy and
Palmestry, together with
the Significations of Moles,
and the" Interpretations of
Dreams, &c.
.IV. The Farmer's Cal-
ender,   containing,   1st.
Perpetual prognosticatfcjfii
for Weather.   2d.:Thc\
whole  Mystery of ' H**a-
bandry.  3d. The corfif>fete
and  experienced  Farrier
and Cowleech, *rtt
          WRITTEN BY ERRA  PATER, '
A JevJ^ Doctor in Astronomy and Physic, born in' Ifothary
           near Mount Olivet, in Judea.      . •-; • -
Made English by W. Lilly, Student in Physic& Astrology


             TO fTBlCO- IS  ADDED,     7~'- *

The true Form of all sorts of Hills, Bonds,  Counter-
  Bonds, Indentures, Letters of Attorney and Licence.
  Deeds of Gift, Bills of Exchange, Sec!
            NEW-YORK,

PUBLISHED BY EVERT DUYCKINCK.
            110. rEARL-STREST-
                 1W6. 
                TO THE "READEK

 DESIROUS  OF  KNOWLEDGE.



      THE soul of man being a spark of immortali-
       ty infused by its Almighty Maker, does still
 retain a relish of its original, that it covets know-
 ledge above all other things, not confining its spe-
 culation to earth, but  towering  to  Heaven, it
 searcheth out the Stars and all their various influ-
 ences ; nay, rifles all  the  Constellations, unlock-
 ing all the secret cabinet of futurity, and diving
 into the vast abysses of things unknown for man.

   Dame Nature*s secret working doth inspect,
   He knows how to advise, what to  direct:
   Into the world, By art and science Brings,
   And searcheth out the hidden birth of things.
   The unp/oTu'd earth be to his will subdues.
   And all it brings forth he knows how to use ;
   He seeks out Jove : his  thoughts will not be try'd
   In vain from him the Stars themselves do bide.

   Now to satisfy the inquisitive nature of the soul
of man,  is   the  design of this  book,  which will
gratify his  understanding  with the knowledge of
the most hidden secrets of art and  nature, which
the wisdom of the ancients have hitherto conceal-
ed, but here made plain to the meanest capacities. 
THE
   Book  of  Knowledge:

              TREATING OF THE

WISDOM.OF THE ANCIENTS.
PART I.
Shewing the various and wonderful Operations of the
  Signs and Planets, and,other celestial Constellations,
  on the Bodies of Men, Women and Children, and
  the mighty influences  they have upon those that are
  born under them.

     ONE part of the wisdom of the ancients con-
     sisted in the observation of several days and
times, and from thence foretelling such good and
bad events, as from  long  experience they found
always to follow: And therefore revising what
ancient astrologers .have said, which I found very
defective, I have myself made an exact judgment
of what should befal men,  women, and children,
by the day of the werk on which the first day of
the  year happened to fall: as if it happened to
fall  on a
  Sunday."] The winter following will be pleasant,
the  summer seasonable ;  there shall be plenf c!:
                    fl. c 
 6         The Book of Knowledge

 corn,  though the weather  in harvest will prove
 but indifferent: fruit shall very much abound, and
 there will be a very good seed time following the
 harvest; flocks of sheep and great cattle shall in-
 crease and prosper; but there shall be robberies in
 most places, and perhaps war before the end of the
 year; Also it denotes the death  of  prelates and
 princes,  dissention and discord among men, but
 not of long continuance,
   Monday.] If New-Year's  day fall on Monday,
 expect a hard and cold winter, and a wet summer,
 and as a consequence of that, many diseases ; the
 fruits  of the  earth very indifferent, which  will
 produce great scarcity in some places: Also  de-
 notes the downfall of the gentry, and many mar-
 riages among the common people.
   Tuesday.] If on Tuesday,  the winter shall be
 wet and the summer very dry; hay will be  scarce,
 but corn indifferently plenty.   Many factions and
 diyisions among those that sit at the helm, and a
great mortality both of men and beasts.
   Wednesday.] If on Wednesday, it denotes the firdt
 part of the winter very hard and severe, but the
 last part very mild and gentle, a seasonable spring
 and plenty of fruit; but great sickness and many
distempers about  autumn    Many fables, with
 false news, shall  be spread abroad, and much dis-
 content among the common people.
   Thursday. \  If on Thursday,  you may look for a
 hard winter, but a seasonable and moderate spring    i
 and a great increase  of  the fruits of the  eartli :
sheep and great cattle shall also prosper much, but 
The Book of Knowledge.          7
towards autumn expect to hear of war and blood-
shed abroad, and troubles at home occasioned by
coitests and divisions among the clergy.
  Friday,  [lion Friday look for an extreme hard
winter, a  late spring, and a dry summer ;  corn
very dear,  and fruit very dear, very high winds,
occasioning ship-wrecks; cattle will die generally:
women  will have very hard  labors,  and  most
others very loose and  licentious;  thunder  and
lightning will be very frequent and do much mis-
chief.                       '
  Saturday.]  If on Saturday, the winter shall be
moderate, the spring windy, but the summer shall
be  both  seasonable and fruitful;  corn shall be
cheap, and fruit plenty!1.
        Of Astrology :  what it. is.
      ASTROLOGY is the  art that teaches us the
      influence and effects  of the Celestial Plan-
ets  upon the bodies of men, women and children,
which by their various aspects, positions and con>
figuration;;, do foreshew the changes and muta-
tions both of particular bodies, and also of  king-
doms and states.
  Some would confound Astronomy and  Astro-
logy together, which are in truth different things:
And both have their particular use and excellence.
Astronomy teaches the various and different mo-
tions of the planets, and astrology shews their in-
fluence and effects ; but now that of the signs and
planets more distinctly. And first the twelve signs
of  the Zodiac, Avhich govern the several parts of
man's body, and are summed up in verse. 
8         The Book of Knowledge.
A description of the twelve Signs in Verse, shewing
       what part of the Body each rules.
      MAN's head and face Heaven's ram obey,
       His neck the neck-strong bull doth sway,
The arm-twining twins guide hands and arms:
Breasts, sides and stomach Cancer charms,
The lion rules his back and heart,
Bowels and belly's Virgo's part;
Reins, haunches, naval, Libra tends,
Bladder and secrets Scorpio befriends; 
The Book of Knowledge.          9
   The half-hors'd bowman rules the thighs,
   And to the kid our knees suffice ;
   Onr legs are but the butler's fees,
   The fish our footsteps oversees.

 The Names and Characters of the twelve
                   Sig?is.

     THE first is Aries Tf*  This sign governs the
     head and face, and is by nature cold and dry.
   The second is  Taunts y.  This sign governs
the neck and throat, and is by nature cold and dry-
   The third is Gemini U-  This sign governs the
hands  and arms, and is hot and moist.
   The fourth is Cancer 05 •   This  sign governs
the breast and stomach, and is cold and moist.
   The fifth  is Leo Q.   This  sign governs  the
heart and back, and is hot and dry.
   The sixth is Virgio iif •  This sign governs the
bowels and belly,  and is cold and dry.
   The seventh is  Libra S:.   This sign governs
the reins and loins, and is hot  and moist.
   The eighth  is Scorpio v\.   This sign governs
the secret members, and is cold and dry.
   The ninth is Sagittary $.   This sign governs
the thighs and hips, and is hot and dry.
   The tenth is Capricorn vf.   This sign governs
the knees and hams, and is cold and dry.
   The eleventh is Aquarius zz. This sigh gov-
erns the legs, and is by nature hot and moist.
   The twelfth is Pisces X •   This  sign governs
the feet, and is cold and moist. 
iv        The Book of Knowledge.
  Besides the names and characters of the twelve
signs, they have other names and characters also
by which they are prescribed and called.  As Aries
is called  the  Ram, Taurus, the Bull, Gemini  the
Twins,  Cancer the Crab, Leo the Lion,  Virgo the
Virgin or Maid, Libra the  Balance, Scorpio the
Scorpion, Sagittary the  Centaur or half-hors'd
Bowman, or the archer, his character being half
man half horse, with bow and arrows, Capricorn
the Kid or goat, and  Pisces the Fish.

 Of the Triplicity of the Tzvelve signs.

     THESE signs are also divided by astrologers
      in their several triplicities according to then-
several natures ; -thus Aries, Leo and Sagittary, be-
ing all hot and dry, are called the fiery tripiicity ;
Gemini, Libra and Aquarius,being all hot and moist,
are called the airy triplicity ;  axid_Cancer, Scorpio
and Pisces, being all cold and moist, are called the
watery triplicity.

          Of the twelve  Houses.

     THE knowledge and the nature of the houses
      is reckoned by the ancients a great mystery,
and that which requires great study;  for  there is
nothing relating to man's life but it  is foreshewn
by the nature of one of the twelve house-, whose
significations aje briefly summed up in the follow-
ing  verse.

The first house shews life,the second wealth doth give,
The third how brethren,  the fourth how parents live. 
          The Book of Knowledge.         i l

Issue the fifth, the t:xth diseases bring,
The seventh wedlock, and the eighth death's sting,
The ninth religion, the tenth honor shews,
Friendship the eleventh, and the twelfth our woes.

  The first house is called the ascendant: because
there the sun ascends the horizon, let it be in what
climate it will; and in astrological judgment is
called the house of life.
  The*second house is the succedent to the ascend-
ant, and is the signification of riches and wealth.
  The third house  is the signification of brethren,
kindred and alliance.
  The fourth house signifies the parents of the na-
tive, and  all possessions, and lands  of inheritance.
  The  fifth house  is the succedent of the  angel
of the earth, which is thefourth house, and  there-
fore signifies mirth and jollity, which is usually the ■<
effects of the birth of children,  which is also sig-
nified by  this house.
  The sixth house is cadent from the* north angel,
and is significant of sickness and diseases.
  The seventh house is the angel of the west, and
is significator of wedlock, and also of law-suits and
quarrels.
  The eighth  house is succedent from the angel
of the west, and signifies death.
  The ninth house is cadent, and signifies religion
and learning.
  The  tenth house signifies dignity, honor, and
preferment. ;
  The eleventh house hath significations of friend-
ship, amity, and hope. 
 12        The Book of Knowledge.

    The twelfth  house signifies misery, poverty,
 private enemies, imprisonments, and disgrace.
 How  many Persons  may  know  under
  which of the twelve Signs they are born.
      HE that  is born under Aries is of a nature hot
       and dry, of a loud voice, inclined to colorj
 and if a woman, subject to barrenness, or at least
 will have but few children, and those sickly, and
 perhaps wanting in some of their members ; very
 desirous of command,  and loving to be above
 others:  such have also black eyebrows, thick
 shoulders, and are of a dark swarthy complexion,
 and of a middle stature.
   Those born under  Taurus are of a cold and
 dry constitution,  inclined to melancholy, one that
 is sickly, and loves pleasure, yet is very chaste, ho-
 nest and religious; seldom angry,  but once pro-
 voked seldom reconciled;  of  short stature,  but
 well <-et; short legs, big  buttocks,  a bull's neck,
 wide mouth, and black hair.
  Persons born under Gemini are hot and moist,
 of fair and sanguine complexions, and affable and
 courteous in their behavior, endued with wisdom
 and  understanding,  and accomplished  with  ele-
 gance Qf speech, and a good delivery,  having
 brown hair, brisk and quick eyes, a large breast,
 long arms, hands and legs ;  and a  tall, streight,
 and well-set body.
  Those born under Cancer which is a watery sign,
are cold and moist, and of a phlegmatic constitu-
tion ? of a low stature, blackish hair, and a great 
I he Book of Knowledge,          \ 3
 belly.   If it be a woman, it shews she shall have
 many  children.
   Those that are born  under Leo (which is hot
 and dry, and a sign of the fiery triplicity ) are very
 choleric, of a shrill voice, and viciously inclined ;
 much addicted to anger, and very subtle ; if a wo-
 man, barren, of a generous and free temper, very
 valiant and courageous, of yellowish or flaxen hair,
 broad  shouldered, great head and eyes, of middle
 stature, but lusty body.
   Persons born under  Virgo, which is  a  sign of
 the earthly triplicity,  are cold and dry, of a me*
 lancholy constitution but of a free countenance,
 very courteous of behavior,  and yet very self-
 opinioned; the  body somewhat spare, but of a
 good proportion,  of a brown  complexion, but
 black hair, and large eyes.
   Those born under Libra, which ts a sign of the
 airy triplicity, are hot and moist, and of a sanguine
 complexion,  fair, and of a good proportion, of
 homely visage, well favored,  light brown  hah,
 pleasant arid courteous, rosy  cheek, and amiable
 countenance, somewhat inclined to tallness, and
 very slender.  But if a woman she  will have but
 few children.
   Persons  born under Scorpio, which is the sign
 of the watery triplicity, are by nature cold and
 moist, and consequently phlegmatic, and of a sick-
ly constitution, yet very fruitful, and withal vici-
ous. f;:i/ of countenance, but of an angry disposi-
tion, i-r.d many times croulred in their bodies as
we\l as in their tempers : they are also of a sand-
                       's 
 14        The Book of Knowledge.

 colored hair, and of a serious and grave counter-
 nance, very much reserved, but at the same time
 false and deceitful; the stature is commonly small
 but the body is pretty  well set.
   Those that are born under Sagittary, which is a
 sign of the fiery triplicity, are hot and dry, chole-
 ric, tall of stature, hard favored, but fair ; brown
 hair which will shed betimes.   If  a woman she
 will have but few children, and those very weak
 but ingenious and exceeding crafty.
   Persons born under Capricorn, which is a sign
 of the earthly triplicity,  are cold and dry,  and of
 a melancholy constitution, and a savage and cruel
 nature ; and  much inclined to letcherjk; the body
 deformed, of a swarthy complexion, short of sta-
 ture, dry and lean ; the face  also  lean and thin,
 the color pale and wan, and  generally broad fa-
 vored.
   Those born under Aquarius, which is  a sign of
 the watery triplicity, are hot  and moist, and of a
 sanguine  complexion, and of  a sweet and affable
 condition, with a countenance very amiable and
 lovely ;  of a free and pleasant temper, "and of a
 chaste, honest  and  religious nature, of a fair vis-
 age, middle  stature, well shapen body, and bright
 hair, virtuously inclined, and  always conceited.
   Those born  under Pisces,  v hich is a sign of the
 watery triplicity, are cold, moist and phlegmatic,
 of a short stature, often crooked,  deformed, and
. ill composed both  in  body and mind, having a
 great pale face, and wan complexion, thick shoul-
 dered, short necked, and stooping. 
            The Book of Knowledge        15   ,

    By these things persons may know under what   *
 sign they  were born,  if they will compare them-
 selves with what is here written.

 Of the  seven  Planets,  their characters, names , 'na-   I
    tures, and in what times they  make their  Revo-
    lutions.

      HAVING spoke of the several signs, with the
       twelve houses, and of their natures and sig-
 nifications, I come now to speak of  the seven pla-
 nets, or eratic stars, who in their several orbs, or
 circles, pass through the twelve houses of the Zo-
 diac in more or less time,  according to the large-
 ness or smallness of th°ir several orbs ; and as these
 planets pass through the twelve signs, so they are
 said to be in such and such houses ;  thus the com-
 plement of one year, for on the tenth of March,
 at which time the spring and most propefAy the
 year  begins, the sun enters in Aries, and having
 passed through that, in April he enters into Tau-
 rus, May into  Gemini, and so of the  rest.  And
 according to the houses or signs into which any of
 the planets are, so they are said to be dignified or
 debilitated ; for  when a planet is in   a sign of its
 own nature, it is dignified; but if in a sign of a
 contrary nature to its own, it is then debilitated,
 or made weaker; and according to therr position,
 their  effects and operations are  wonderful upon
 the bodies of men  and women ; but  1 shall give
their characters, names and nature.
   The first is   Fj Saturn, who is  by  nature cold
 and dry, of a  swarthy, dull obscure color, like    I 
|    16        The Book of Knowledge.

    unto lead; he makes his revolution through the
    twelve signs in thirty years.
      The second is %  Jupiter, who is by nature hot,
t    moist, and temperate, he appears very bright and
    shining,  and is of a warm nature : he makes  his
    revolution in twelve years.
      The third is e$ Mars, of nature hot and dry,
'    he appeareth of a fiery color, and maketh his re-
1    volution in twenty three months.
    .  The fourth  is  0 Sol, whose nature is  hot and
'    dry, and temperate : his glorious brightness is
    sufficiently known to all.  He makes his revolu-
    tion in three  hundred  and  sixty-five days, six
    hours and twenty-four minutes.
      The fifth is  <j> Venus, of nature cold and moist,
    the most bright and splendid star in all the firma-
    ment,  she moveth equally with the Sun, though
    her motion seems to be very irregular, and makes
    her revolution at the same time.
      The sixth is  £ Mercury, whose nature is cold
    and dry, variable, he is situated very near the Sun,
    and is rarely seen ;  he  makes his revolution, at
    the same time as the Sun and Venus.
      The seventh is  ([  Luna, or the moon, which is
    the last or lowest, and whose nature is cold and
    moist,  every one knows she is of a pale color,
    and she maketh her revolution in twenty-seven
    days and eight hours.
"      Having given you a  br^f  account  of the
\.   name and nature of the  seven planets, I here add
f    an account  of the  five aspects also, which are
    these. 
             The Book  of Knowledge.        17  \

              Of the Jive  Aspects.

   1- 6  CONJUNCTION, which is when two pla-  \
            nets are in one sign, of thirty degrees.
     %  ifc Sextile, which is when two planets, are dis-  ,
   tant two signs or sixty  degrees.
     3.  n  Quartile, which  is when two planets are
   distant three signs,  or  ninety degrees.
     4.  £ Trine* which is when two planets are dis-
   tant four signs, or one hundred and twenty de-
   grees.
     5.  <P Opposition,  which is when two planets are
   distant six signs, or one hundred and eighty de-
   grees.
     These are also two opposite points in the eclip-
   tic line,  called Nodes,  which we commonly call
   the & Dragon's Head and  <ft Dragon's Tail.
    I would  now show you the various effects and
   operations of the seven planets, as they are posited
  in the several houses, but I think it most necessa-
   sary to give you an explanation of several terms
  used  in the astronomical and astrological sciences.

  An explanation of the Circle of the Sphere, and some
    other Terms  in Astronomy, for  the easier under-
    standing of this Book, and for further Information
    of the Reader.

  r I *» HE Equinoctial Circle,  Equator, or Equinox,
    1   is a great circle or line equally distant from
  •tSetwb-poles of the world, dividing the sphere in   {
#tije iffifct.                                         '
    Zodiac, is a  broad oblique  circle crossing the   \
                       b 2 
  18        The Book of Knowledge.

  Equinoctial in two opposite places, viz. inthebe-
  f inning of Aries and beginning of Libra, so that
   alf declining towards the north, the other towards
,k the south : and in this circle is comprehended the
;|j] twelve constellations of signs,  every sign contain-
il mS tmrty degrees in length and twelve in breadth.
m Note also, That the first are northern signs,  and
i'the six last southern signs.
 •   The Ecliptic Line, is a line imagined to go along
 ! the midst of the Zodiac, as a girdle out of which
  the sun  never goeth; but the moon and other
  planets are sometimes on one side, and sometimes
.  on the other side, which is called their latitudes,
  only the fixed stars alter not their latitude, whe-
  ther great or small; but the longitude of a star is
  in.the arch or part of the Ecliptic in degrees, be-
  tween the beginning of Aries, and the circle which
  passeth through the body of the star ; where note,
,  that all circles of  the sphere or heavens, whether
  they are large or small, h-.ve three hundred and
. sixty degrees allowed to each of them.
I   Colures are said to be two great moveable  cir-
^cles crossing each other at the poles of the world,
 1one cutting the Equinox at the beginning of Aries
  and at the beginning of Libra, and the other cut-
  ting the Ecliptic at the beginning of Cancer and at
  the beginning of Capricorn; and so dividing the
i ;,globe into four equal parts.
    Horizon is a great circle which divideth the up-
 iper hemisphere, that is,  the  upper half of the
  world from the lower,  we being always supposed
■ «to be in the midst. 
The Book of Knowledge.        13
   Meridian is a great  circle passing through  the
 poles of the world, and the poles of the horizon,
 called the  Zenith and the Nadir (which are two
 points, one directly over our heads,  the  other
 directly under our feet)  on which the sun is al-
 ways just at noon; and to go directly north and
 south, the meridian is- changed ; but to go east
 and west it is changed to sixty miles either  way,
 and make one degree, or four minutes of time dif-
 ference under the Equinox, viz. sixty miles east-
 ward, it is noon four minutes sooner,  and sixty
 miles westward four minutes later.
   Tropics are supposed to be two lesser circles,  pa-
 rallel with the Equinoctial, and distant from it on
 either side, twenty-three degrees,  thirty-one min -
 utes each ;  the Ecliptic line touches the Tropic of
 Cancer on the  north side of the equinoctial, and,
 it touches  the tropic of Capricorn on  the  south
 side thereof so  that the  fun hath its motion be-
 tween these two circles.  •
   The Arctic Circle is equally distant from the
 north  pole, as the Tropics are distant from the
 Equinox  twenty-three  degrees,  thirty-one min-
 utes.
   The Antarctic Circle is the same distancefrom the
 south pole.
   Zones, so called,  are five in number, two  cold,
two temperate, and one hot, which are divided by
 the two Tropics and polar circles fron each other j
the hot Zone is counted between the two Tropics
that is extended from one to the other, being about
 forty-seven degrees two minutes broad j  the tern- 
/
    20        The Book of Knowledge.

    perate  Zones are extended from the  Tropics on
    either side, to about forty-two degrees sixty-eight
    minutes, that is northward to the arctic circle and
    southward to the antartic circle, and the two cold
    Zones are each within those two small circles hav-
   ing the  poles for their center.
      The Poles of the World are two points exactly
!   opposite to each other in the  heavens, one in the
   north, the other in the south, the  earth being in
   the midst,  so that it  seems to turn  about, as if it
   were borne up by them :  wherefore by some it is
   termed the axle-tree of the world, as if there was
   a line supposed to be drawn from one pole through
   the center of the earth to the  other,- and the earth
   turning  thereon, tho' holy writ tells  115, " The
   Lord  hangeth the earth  upon nothing, it bein?*
   upholden by his mighty power."  The pole  artic,
   or north  pole, is elevated above our horizon above
   fifty-one degrees ; and those stars within that dis-
   tance from  it, never  set with us,  but keep their
   course round it daily ; so likewise those that are at
   that distance from the south pole, never rise with
   us, but perfrom their course in the like order.
11    Azimuths are supposed lines or circles of distance
  from  the meridian, drawn from the zenith to any
|  degree, or two degrees of  the horizon,  or accord-
1  ing to the thirty-two points of the mariners's corn-
  pas.s so that in travelling or sailing any way, sup-
j  posing a  circle to go from our zenith directlv be-
I fore us to the horizon, is the Azimuth, called the
1 vertical point as  well as the zenith.
)    Almicarjh";  or Almarats,  or circles  of  alti- 
           The Book of Knowldege        21   |

tude, are imagined  circles  passing through  the   ')
meridian, parallel with the horizon.               ,
   The  Sphere  is a  round body  representing the   J
frame of the whole world, as the circles of the hea-   \
ven and the earth: this is sometimes call  d a mar-   -
tial sphere, for the  orbs of the planets are called   f
their spheres,that is, the circles in whichthey move.
   Ascension is the rising of any star, or of any part
of the ecliptic  above the horizon.  Descension is
its going down.
   Right ascension of a star, is that part of the equi-
nox that riseth or setteth with a  star in a right
sphere, but in  an oblique sphere, it is that part of
the equinoctial in degrees,  containing between the
first point of Aries, and that place of the equinoc-
tial which passeth by the meridian with the  centre
of the star.
   Oblique ascension is a part of the  equinoctial in
degrees, contained betwixt the beginning of Aries,
and that of the equinox which riseth with any star,
or part  of the ecliptic, in an oblique sphere.
   Ascentional difference, is the difference betwixt the
right and oblique ascension, or the  number of de-
grees containing between that place and  the equi-
nox that riseth  with  the centre of a star, and that
place of the equinox that cometh to the meridian
with the same star.
   Solstice is in the summer, when the sun is  in the
beginning of Cancer ;  and in the winter  when the   \
sun  enters  into Capricorn j because then  the   ^
days seem to stand still, and seem neither to increase
nor decrease above two minutes in  JO or 12 days. 
   22       Tne  Book of Knowledge.

     Constellation is  a certain number of stars, sup-
   posed to be limited within some form or likeness,
   as Aries the ram, is said to have thirteen stars ;
   Taurus the  bull, thirty-three : Arcturus,  Orion,
   and the Pleiades, mentioned in Job ix. 9. are said
   to be Constellations.
     Perihelium is the point wherein the earth,  or any
   planet is nearest the sun.
     Aphelium  is a point wherein the earth,  or any
  planet, is farther from the sun.
     Planets, are  the seven eratique or wandering
  stars, called Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sol, or the Sun,
  Venus, Mercury,  and Luna, or the moon, whose
  characters, names, and nature,  we have mention-
  ed before, and whose influence  we shall by and
   by give you a farther account of.  Those  planets
  have also their several motions.   As
    Direct, Is a planet's moving in its natural course,
  which is forward.
    Retrograde, is  their moving backward contrary
  to their direct motion.
    Combust, Is their being under the sun beams, or
  within eight degrees of him.
    Oriental, Is when a planet riseth before^the sun,
  Occidental,  after him.
    Latitude of the Earth, is the distance of breadth
  on either side of the equinox, towards the pole, and
\  they that are under the equinox, have no latitude,
t but the poles of the  world are in the horizon :
|' This is a right sphere, and every sixty miles di-
i  rectly north or south,  are said to make no degree
,  of latitude,  and the  height of either pole  above 
          The  Book  of Knowledge,        2'->    ]i

 die horizon, is answerable to the degree of latitude,    $
 in an oblique sphere, as London is counted to be    [
 in latitude fifty-one degrees, thirty-two  minutes,    |
 the  pole  thereof being elevated as  much.  The
 like is to be observed in any other  place or region.    #
   Longitude of the Earth, is the outside thereof ex-    ,
 tended  from west to east, crossing the latitude at    '
 right angles, the beginning thereof (according  to
 some astronomers) is  the Canary  Isles,  so going
 eastward quite round the world,  unto the same
 place again,  which is three hundred and sixty de-
 grees ;  and under the  equinoctial is reputed to be
 twenty-cne thousand  six hundred  miles,  reck-
 oning sixty miles to a degree; but then further
 offthe equinoctial, the fewer miles  are in a degree ;
 for at London about thirty-seven makes  a  degree
 of longitude ; so these degrees grow less  and less,
 until they are met in the latitude of ninety, that is
 under the poles.
   Parallels, are lines straight and circular, equallj*
 distant from each other, as the Equinox,  Tropics,
 and degrees of latitude, &c.
   Climate Or  Clime, is such a space of earth com-
 prehending between two parallels,  in which space
 there is half an hour's difference in the sun dials,
 and  length of the days.
  Antipodes, are  those whose feet  are  directly
 against  ours,  as if a  line was drawn from o'ne
 through the centre of the earth to the other.
  And  these shall suffice for an  explanation of   r,
things,  which I  have  done as briefly as I  could,
for the advantage of the reader, to whom possibly   , I 
   24       The Book of Knowledge.

•   these tilings (so necessary to be known) may have
!   hitherto been concealed.

'   Of the Sun's Revolution through the twelve Signs of
i;i     the Zodiac ; with  an Astrological  Judgment of
Ji!     those that shall be born, when the Sun is in any of
,3     these Signs.

       THO' there be seven planets (as we have be-
        fore shewed) yet the sun and rnoon being
   the two great luminaries of the world, have greater
<l  influence upon our bodies than all the rest, and
   the sun shining by his  own light, and being the
1  fountain of both light and life, has greater power
lit.  than the moon, and his influence is more in any of
   the twelve houses.  I  therefore here (because I
   effect brevity) give  the reader an  astrological
   judgment of the  sun's power and influence, be-
   ing in  any of the twelve houses; after I have
   first acquainted my  reader what a house is, and
   signifies in astrology.
      A house is a certain space in the firmament
   which is parted and separated by several  degrees,
   by which the planets have their motion metapho-
Ijl  rically, called houses.   For as  in a  house there
   maybe many mansions, for every planet has  a
/  peculiar  or proper  place  in the  firmament, in
!   which it moves and in which  it is resident, con-
!;'[  taining thirty degrees,  by which one  house is dif-
i r. ferenced from another,  and these are thus placed
!'.;  by Astrologers,  viz.
 J*     The Sun being in Aries, makes a person born
[||  under  it  of a toward and  peevish disposition, 
           The Book of Knowledge.       25

 quickly angry, but as soon pleased: given to study
 and  very eloquent, but  proud, living luxurius,
 promising all things, but performing  nothing ;
 not beloved among his, kindred, and obnoxious to
 danger among his enemies; he shall be in danger
 of receiving harm from four-footed beasts, or be-
 ing thrown from a horse,  and the like ;  so that he
 ought to avoid all hawking,  hunting,  and other
 exercise to be performed on horseback, which are
 like to be fatal to him, but in  other things he may
 be more fortunate. If the person born be a female,
 though  she  may be fair and  fruitful in children,
 yet she will be given to lying and of so bad a tem-
 per and disposition that her husband will live but
 uneasy with  her.  Note this also, that those born
 in the day time, the sun being in Aries, will be
 fortunate  and happy,  but those that are born in
 the night, will  be unfortunate and come to dis-
 grace.
   The sun being in Taurus, makes the native bold
 and fortunate in  attempting hard and difficult af-
 fairs ; it shews him also victorious over his enemies
 and a great traveller, but banished from his na-
 tive country.  It also shews one servile, familiar,
 and angry,  but  in his  old age only;  for in his
 youth he shall obtain riches by marriage,  which
 shall make him better  honored.   But  when age
 comes, it  bring  sickness with it, and that  makes
 men peevish.
   It makes females wanton,  yet painful and  obe-
xUent^lwit full of tittle tattle ; it also shews them
••Bcln^d to whoredom, which  will wear  off by de- 
 ■   26       The Book of Knowledge.

 \   grees;  she shall have many husbands and divers
    children.
      The  sun being in Gemini, denotes a fair child,
    also one that  is wise, liberal and merciful, also a
 \   boaster, and one that runs  up and down  without
    any regard  to his business, whereby he  shall ob-
 \   tain butjlittle riches of his own, but shall be of that
'   fidelity and truth, that he shall have the command
    of the public treasure ; it also denotes one to be of
    a complaisant behavior, a good understanding,
    and acceptable to those with whom he has to do.
    It shews him also to be well versed in the mathe-
    matical science and arithmetic ; and that he shall
 '   be in great danger about  three and twenty  years
    of age, either to be hurt by fire, or bitten  by a
    mad dog.
      The sun being in Cancer, shews a person to be
    of a good wit, humility and wisdom, but one m-
 f   cliried  to pleasure and the love of women.  It also
    shews  one attempting many things, and especially
    on  seas, and thereby often in  danger, and  vexed
    with many incommodities, and with" much poverty
    and misery,  and that  though he may get much,
 I   yet he may be never the richer;  he shall dig  for
    treasure, and shall find that which he looked not
    for : But if it be a maid, she shall be witty, shame-
    faced, civil,  wise, diligent, nimble and beautiful,
    soon pleased, yet deceitful and crafty, saying one
 I   thing and doing another, subject to many dangers
k   by water, by falling, by childbearing and cholic ;
 if   and after the age of twenty-six, whether the na-
M   tive, be male or female, is promised good success. 
          The  Book  of K?iowledge.        J.1

It denotes also a person to be painful, frightful,
acquainted with great  men, and fortunate in hus-
bandry.
  The Sun being in  Leo, denotes a man proud
and arrogant, bold and stout; a mocker, a scorner,
unmerciful, cruel, and. hard to be entreated ;  be-
set with many enemies, and subject to many mise-
ries ;  also a captain or  other commander, look-
ing for promotion from great men, unfortunate
children, and meeting  with  many afflictions by
their  means,  putting himself  into many dangers ;
he shall be also  in danger by fire or sword,  and
violence of" beasts, by  whom he  shall be in danger
6f death;  but  with prudence may escape all
threatened dangers.
  But if the native be of the  female sex, she shall
be bold, have great and  large breasts, and slender
legs,  which are tokens of stoutness, angers, slan-
ders and babbling ; though the softness natural to
women do alleviate the excess thereof.  She  ought
however to be especially careful of hot waters, and
fire, by which  she will  be in great danger ; she
shall also be much inclined to  sickness, or gnawing
of the stomach.  But after the age of twenty-one
years, she shall be fortunate in riches, which she
shall obtain by the help  of great men, and the use
of other men's goods : also by house-keeping,
beauty and love.
  The Sun being in Virgo, makes the men  for-
tunate and successful in household affairs, wise and
fruitful, stout and  ambitious: his wife  shall die
suddenly  in  his  absence; he shall have  many 
    28         The Book of Knowledge.

|   things stolen from him, but shall be revenged on
|!i   his enemies.   He shall be so much given to talk
    that he cannot keep his own secrets.  It also shews
,    one fairfaced, of a genteel behavior, a  lover of
i   women, and delighting to be in the courts of prin-
|   ces and noblemen.  It also denotes one wise, just,
I.   and honorable, a patron and defender of hisfriends,
B   also religious and temperate,  of a comely person-
£.   age and well featured.  If the native be a maid-
   en, she will be witty, honest and modest; of a wil-
   ling mind, diligent and circumspect; and shall be
   married  about the age  of fifteen years.  But
 H  whether  male or female, they shall be liable to
   meet with many afflictions.
     The Sun being in Libra, denotes the person to
   be fortunate in all maritime affairs, and that he
   gains by trading in spices and precious stones.
   It also shews a comely body, and a valuable pleas-
 .  ant tongue, a good fame,  and one curious to un-
   derstand secrets, but not very careful to perform
   what the promises, how much soever he may pre-
   tend to it.  It shews also that he shall have several
   wives, and that he shall quickly bury the first.  He
   may also be a gainer by dead men, who will leave
   him large legacies. He shall be a lover of women
   and entertain  unlawful familiarities with them.
   He shall be also a good  interpreter of dreams,
 ,;  whether he be born by day or night.   If the na-
" "l  tive be of the female sex, she shall be free and de-
I  bonair, and of a jocund humor, taking much de-
Ji;  light in  herbs, loving  the  fields, and wandering.
ji  into strange places.  About twenty-three years ofr. 
The Book of  Knowledge.        29
 age she shall have a husband, and be happy, mar-
 ried fpr her beauty, pleasantness of conversation,
 and good behavior,  shall much  promote  her.
 likewise the children of Libra are such as are stu-
 dious and lovers of learning ; but without special
 care be  taken, they may receive prejudice by fire
 or scalding water.
    The Sun being in Scorpio increases the native's
 inheritance, and give them a  boldness and  stout-
 ness, inclining them likewise to flattery, by which
 means those  they  deal with  are often  deceived;
 and when they expect bread may meet with no-
 thing butt a Scorpion.  It likewise denotes a person
 full of mirth, giving to jesting  and easy of belief,
 at the same time a conqueror of his enemies.  It
 makes a  woman to be full of craft and wit, and
 yet her husband shall deceive  her.  She shall like-
 wise be subject to pain and spleen,  and have some
 extraordinary mark, either in the head, shoulder
 or brawn of the arm.
    It makes  both sexes  bold and rash, given to
 thieving, and to search out hidden things ;  also it
 makes them  wanton fornicators, and  full of evil
 thoughts, and given to too much talking.
    The; Sun  being in Sagittary, gives fortune and
 boldness to take in hand an enterprize, inclining a
 person to travel, and  to take voyages at sea, and
 journie-. by land, and not without considerable ad-
1 vantage ; it also gives access into courts of princes,
 where the native shall be advanced to some hono-
 rable po st.  It also shews a person given to nding,
 hunting, hawking, leaping, fighting and such man- 
 30        The Book of Knowledge.

 ly exercises, at which he always comes off with
 honor, by which means  he is envied and has ma-
 ny enemies, whom yet he shall vanquish and over-
 come.  It also shews he shall possess the inheri-
 tance of his father,  and  that  he shall be just, in-
 genious, faithful, hearty, a sure friend and a gen-
 erous, enemy.   If the native  be a woman, it like-
 wise betokens the same ;  she shall be industrious,
 of an excellent temper ; she shall be envied by her
 enemies, but  shall overcome  them ;  she shall be
 married about seventeen, and have many children.
   The Sun being in Capricorn, shews trie native
 shall  meet with many afflictions and adversities,
 which he "shall sustain with many resolutions: Yet
 it always shews him angry and fretful, and one that
 keeps bad company.  It also makes him merry and
 cheerful; yet he may fall in love to that degree,
 that he may be ready to die for his mistress ;  but
 if the nativity be by  night, he shall be inconstant;
 it also  shews in age he  shall be  covetous.   He
 shall thrive in Navigation, especially in the trade
towards the east, for from thence his fortune shall
 arise.  If the native be a  woman,  she will be mo-
 dest and bashful, of a fearful dispositios, ami very
 much addicted to travel.
   The Sun being in Aquarius, maketh the native
 of a friendly disposition, fearful of waters, and in
danger of receiving prejudice thereby ; he sriall be
 subject to sickness and quartidian agues unti'labout
 the fifteenth year of his age,  after which hie shall
 be more fortunate, for by travelling  throuigh di-
 vers countries, he shall gather riches whi<;h with 
           The Book of Knowledge.        31

a liberal hand he shall  distribute ; he shall meet
with  sundry losses and  afflictions, especially by
means of his wife and other woman; and shall live
for a long time without the enjoyment of he:.  But
she being dead, his affairs will be more fortunate.
If the native be a woman, she shall be comely of
body, and of a faithful,  and constant mind ; she
shall  be enriched with other  men's goods, but her
children shall be a great affliction to her,  and she
shall  receive much  damage by them.  She shall
not attain to any great fortune until the  two and
twentieth  year of her age, and then she  shall ar-
rive to a competent estate.                #
   The Sun being in Pisces  denotes a man to be
quick, of  a valuable and ready tongue, bold and
conceited, but fortunate in finding out hidden trea-
sure ; for this is peculiar to those who are born
when the sun is in Pisces, that they shall find some-
thing unlooked for,  and shall be also enriched with
other men's goods ; it also shews them to be mer-
ry and jocose, of a good disposition, and loving
the company of good men; they  seldom live very
long,  but if they reach to thirty-five years, they
may live to a good  old age.   They shall never be
very rich  except in  their own opinions ;  they are
always full of uneasy thoughts, and are in danger
of being brought into captivity by means of wo-
men ; they have commonly some mark in the el-
bow or foot, and their fortune will come from the
mouth.  If the native be a  woman, she  will be
bold,  contumelious, scold, and something worse,
for she will forsake  her own  husband, and cleave
to an  adulterer. 
;   32        The Book of Knowledge.

1    Thus I have given an account of the influences
|  of the sun, being  in any of the  celestial signs, by
'•■\  which any person may know in what sign the sun
i&  was at the time of his birth.

P  Of  the  evil  or particular  Days  in every
I              Month in  the Year.

   rTpHERE  are certain days  in the year which
     X.  concerns all persons to know, because they
   are so dangerous and perilous : for on those days
vl' if any man or woman shall be let blood, they will
 1,1 ( die within 21 days following,  or whoso falleth
 '■■  sick on any of these days shall certainly die : and
   whoso beginneth  a journey on any of these days,
   he shall be in danger of death  before he returns ;
   also he that marrieth a wife  on  any of these days,
   they shall either be quickly parted, or live together
   in sorrow and discontent. And lastly, whosoever
   on one of those days beginning  any great business,
   it will never prosper, nor  come  to the desired
   perfection.
      Now since these-days are so unfortunate, it high-
■  , %ly concerns every one both to know, and to take no-
"'  ticeof them; which, that the  reader  may  do, I
   have here set down in the following order.
1  .    In January are eight daysu  that is to say, the
iijj$ 1st, 2d, 4th,  5th, 10th, 15th,*T7th, and 19th.   In
/i  February, are three  daysf that is, the  8th, 10th
H ■ i'  and 19th.  In March, are three days ; that is, the
p:  15th, 16th, and 21st. In April, are two days, the
''"  15th and 2lst.  In May, are  three days,  15th,
W' l7th and 20th.  In  June are  two days, the 4th

M___.....___________ 
             The Book of Knowledge.       33

 and 17th.  In July are two days the 15th and
 20th.   In August are  two days, riu 20th and
 25th.   In September are two days, the sixth and
 7th.   In October is one day, the 6th.  In Novem-
 ber are two days, the 5th and 19th. In December
 are three days, the 6th, 7th, and 11th ; and others
 say, 15th and 19th.

 Of the Planetary Days and Hours, and ho?.
  to know under what'Planet a Man is born.

     THE planetary hours are those hours in which
      each planet reigns, and has their chief do-
 minion ; of which the ancients gave the following
 account.
   Saturn is Lord on  Saturday; Jupiter is Lord
 on Thursday ; Mars is Lord on Tuesday; Sol is
 Lord on Sunday; and Luna on Monday.
   On Saturday the first  hour after midnight Sa-
 turn reigns, the second Jupiter, the  third Mars,
 the fourth Sol reigns, the fifth Venus, the sixth
 Mercury, the seventh Luna;  and then  again
 Saturn  the eighth, Jupiter the ninth, Mars the
 tenth,  Sol the eleventh, Venus the twelfth, Mer-
 cury the  thirteenth, Luna the  fourteenth ; and
 then the third  time, Saturn the fifteenth, Jupiter
 the sixteenth, Mars  the seventeenth, Sol the eigh-
 teenth, Venus nineteenth, Mercury the twentieth,
 and Luna the one and twentieth hour, then in the
fourth  place, Saturn the two and twentieth hour,
Jupiter the three and twentieth, and Mars the four
and twentieth : And then Sol begins the first hour
after midnight on Sunday, Venus the second hour 
   34        The Book of Knowledge. •

   Mercury the 3d, and also the 24th, which is  the
   hour of Mercury, and then Luna begins the first
   hour after midnight on Monday, Saturn the 2d,
   Jupiter the 3d, and so on to the 24th, which is the
   hour of  Jupiter,  and then Mars begins the first
'-^our after midnight on Tuesday, and Sol the se-
   cond, and so forward hour  by hour, and planet by
   planet, according to  their  order, by which every
   planet  reigns the first hour of his own day; and
   so likewise the 8th,  15th  and 22d.  As for in-
   stance, Saturn reigns the first hour, the 8th, 15th
   and  22d on Saturday,  Sol  the same hours on  ;
   Sunday,  Luna the  same on  Monday,  Mars  the
   same on Tuesday, Mercury the same on Wednes-
   day, Jupiter the same on Thursday, and so Venus
   on Friday ; which for the readier arid easier find*
   ing out, I have thus set down* 
T
          The Book of Knowledge.        35

A Table of the Planetary Hours for every Day in the
                    Week.
^undayMoniayWuesdayWednts
sl.HJPi.  H.P1. H.P1. H
Tkurs.
PI.  H
Priday
PI.  H.
Satur.
PL H.
     1
  This Table is so easy it needs little explanation.
—Its use is to find what planet rules any hour of
the day,  every day in the week.  As for example,
I desire to know what planet rules on^We3nesday,
at 7 o'clock at night j under the jftfejpf Wedges^ 
 3 6        The Book of Knowledge.

 day,  I look for 9, which answers to 7 o'clock at
 night, for  the  natural day consists of 24 hours,
 beginning after midnight, so that from 12 at noon,
 you begin to reckon 13, 14, 15, &c.  you  find that
 the 19th hour from midnight, answers to  7 o'clock   ,
 at  night, over against which you  will find 0,   i
 which shews that to be the hour of the sun-  And
 if you would know what planet rules at  7 in the
 morning that day, you will  find  against 9 7,
 which shew that Venus rules that hour ; and so of  ,
 any other hour in th«» day.
   But I shall now come to speak of the significa-  i
 »icns  of the planetary hours of each planet, and
 w"hat  it  portends  to those that are born  in them.  '
 The hour of Saturn is strong, and is good to do
 all things that requires strength ; such as fighting
 or bearing burthens, or the like ; but for those  »
 things it is very evil.   He that is  born in the
 hour of Saturn, is slow, dull and melancholy, of
 a dogged temper  and disposition, black and swar-  ■
 tHy of complexion, being quarrelsome, wrathful,
 and very malicious.
   The hour of Jupiter is;n all things good, and
 denotes peace, love and concord :  he that is born
 in  the hour  of  Jupiter,  is of a ruddy and sandy  1
 complexion, fair hair, well proportioned body, and
 of a lovely countenance, his face rather broad than  \
 long,  well spoken and courteous, of a very affable
 carriage,, sober, just and religious.  The hour of
 Mars is evil, and denotes the person born in it to be
 of a choleric constitution, md of a robust strong  '
body,'Soon angry, and hard to be reconciled .; his 
           The Book of Knowledge.        37

 face red, and his eyes sparkling  and fiery, much
 addicted  to fighting, and ready to quarrel with
 every man he meets, which oftea  brings him to
 an untimely end.  The hour of the Sun signifies
 grout strength, and  is  very unfortunate for kings
 and princes.  He that  is  born in that  hour hath
 sharp eyes, brown hair,  and a round face, denotes
 one that is a great projector,  aims  at high things
 but is often disappointed, and seldom  brings his
 designs to pass.
   The hour of Venus is very propitious and for-
 tunate,  but is better  by night than day, especially
 mid-day, for then the  sun covers it.   He that is
 born in this hour hath fair hair, soft  eyes, and a
 little forehead and round beard; very complaisant
 in his carriage,  mighty amorous, and a great  ad-
 mirer of women j much addicted to singing and
 gambling, and spends his money in courting  the
 female  sex.
   The hour of Mercury is very good, but chiefly
 from the beginning to the middle: He that is born
 in this hour, his  situation inclining to  tallness, a
 sharp long face, long eyes and nose : His forehead
 narrow,  long beard and thin hair, long arms aftd
 fingers; of a good disposition, and an obliging tem-
 per, much given  to reading, and very desirous of
 knowledge,  delighting to  be  among  books; very
eloquent in speech, and yet addicted to Jying; and
if he be poor, is commonly light  fingered.
   The hour of  the  Moon is both good and evil,
according to the day :  For from  the  4th. to the
 17th it  is good to those who are born  under  it j
                      n 
 38       The Book of Knowledge.

 but from the 17th to the 20th, it is counted unfor-
 tunate to be born under it; and from the 20th to
 the 27th very unhappy.  He that is born in the
 hour of the  Moon,  especially upon  her own day,
 shall be pale faced,  of a thin meagre visage, with
 hollow eyes, and of middle  stature, he  appears
 very courteous  and obliging, but is very crafty
 and  deceitful, setting about many things, but so
 inconstant and variable in his humor, that he is
 presently off of them again, and  setting about   1
 something else ;  insomuch, that what he  cries up
 in one hour, he shall as much cry down the next;
 he- is also very malicious, and will  never forget ^, \
 an; affront  once  offered  him,  his,  constitution
 phlegmatic.
   Thus have I given the reader the judgment of
 the ancients upon the planetary hclirs, and what
 they poTtend to those that are born under them,
 by which  a person  comparing himself with what
 i-i  here set  down, may easily knov/ under what   •
 planet he was born.

 Of the Signification cf  the Seven Planets,
        wiih i espect to Mens1 Bodies.
    EFORE I conclude my discourse of the seven
     planets, their nature and influences, I  shall.
^ive  you an account of the signification of them*.   \
as they  respect the  several parts of man's body,
:-uu!  the diseases  that they govern,  that proper   *
remedies may be applied accordingly.              *I
   Saturn governs the light cur, the bladder and   %
 'V.-i bones ; :■.■:■.]  the  diseases he governs, are quar-   i 
          The Book of Knowledge.         JiL*

 tan agues, concerns, black choler, rheums, coughs,
 palsies, looseness of the blood, &c.
   Jupiter governs the lungs, ribs, liver, seeds, ar-
 teries, and left  ear,  and  the  diseases incident to
 them, are pleurisies and apoplexies, and  such as
 proceed  from two great a quantity  of  blood,  or
 from wind in any part of the  body.     »■
   Mars  governs the  gall, the veins and the reins,
 and their distempers which are fevers, yellow jaun-
 dice, madness, choler, carbuncles.   Mars also go-
 verns the stones or privy members of man or wo-
 man in  part.
   The Sun governs the eyes, heart, and rightside,
 and the diseases relating to them ;  such as colds,
 especially in  the stomach and  liver, fluxes in  the
 eyes, cramp, head-ach, &c.
   Venus  governs the liver, loins, matrix, paps and
 throat; the diseases whereof are weakness in the
 body, and members, catarrhs, French pox, &c.
   Mercury governs the brain,  thought, memory,
 speech, and tongue, and also the distempers inci-
 dent thereto,  are falling sickness, madness, coughs,
 hoarseness, stammering, phthysic, and rheums.
   The Moon governs the left eye of man, and
 the right eye  of a woman, also  the stomach, belly,
 and the left side ; and the diseases proper to them,
 are dropsies, palsies, rotten coughs, surfeits, worras
 in children, king's evil, fallhig-sickness, convulsion
fits, dimness of sight,  small-pox,  and measles.
 Here note, That in all distempers before you ap-
ply any thing to the patient, it is proper and ne-
cessary to consult the motions and positions of the 
     1
40         The Book of Knowledge

planets;  and when by the table of planetary hours
before recited,* you know what planet rules ; you
must in the next place consider the nature of that
planet, as whether it be fierce or cruel, as Mars;
or friendly and benevolent, as Jupiter ; also whe-
ther they be cold  and moist, or hot and dry, and
what is the predominent complexion, whether the
sanguine, choler,  phlegm or melancholy ;  as als*
what member of  the body it governs,  and what
disease is under its power.   These things being
diligently weighed and considered, will furnish the  •<
ingenious physician  with  grounds  sufficient  to
make a judgment  of the true nature of the disease,  •
whereby  he may apply the suitable and proper re-
medies that shall best consist with,  and  the most
prevalent against the distemper; whereas the want
of a due consideration of the matter,  cause the
physicians oftentimes to administer those medicines
that rather kill than cure, though these very medi-
cines may be good against the  same disease to a
patient under other circumstances, and falling sick
under a different position of the signs and planets.
END  OF THE FIRST PART. 
                    1HE


    Book  of Knowledge:      \

              TREATING OF THE

 WISDOM OF  THE ANCIENTS

                 PART II.


 Containing Prognostications for ever necessa
   ry for keeping the body in Health,  &Y.
     AS I have found in the Astrological  Science
     there are four different sort of humors in ■'
 the body of man,  of which the four complexions
 are formed;  and of these one is made of yellow
 choler, another of black choler,  a third phlegm,
 and a fourth of blood; and if any of these  be
 wanting  the  body must perish,  because,  they
 equally sustain it»
  And all those ought to be kept in an equality,
 or if one be predominant over the rest, it puts the
 body out of order and brings diseases, which ma-
 ny times end  in death, for the blood stagnated,
 and  gathering into clots,  causeth shortness  of
 breath, which by degrees growing less and less, ?X
 last proves without remedy ;  but if a person he let
blood in  the beginning of those  disordered hu-
mors, the danger  may be  easily prevented.   To   \
purge the blood.                              \
                     c 2                     }' 
42        The Book of Knowledge.
   R. Of both sorts of scurvy grass, of each six
 handfuls,  of ground-ivy eight handfuls, of sage
 six handfuls, of scapwort root, four ounces. Acri-
 mony and cresses, of each four handfuls ; of rose-
 mary flowers two drams, of leaves of rosemary
 and balm, of each a handful, four orange peals, a
 large nutmeg sliced ; put all into four gallons of
 jiew  ale; and when it has done working, stop the
 barrel close.  Take a pint every morning, and at
 four  in the afternoon.
   Likewise the black choler, or melancholy, is ex-
 tremely dangerous, and when it gains  the ascen-
 dant over the other, do great prejudice to the body
 several ways,causing divers distempers; and some-
 times prevails so much over the senses, that a man
 becomes in a manner a mere ideot, and also raises
 a kind of scurf all over the body, which sometimes
 turns to the measles, and are, besides, very apt to
 make a man afraid even of his own shadow, and
 turn a stout man into a coward, and a well bred
 person into one that's unmannerly: But  by the use
 of proper medicines, such as herbs, flowers and the
 like, all this may either be prevented or cured :__
 First, shave the head, then bleed plentifully, after-
 wards purge well with the extract of Hellebore;
 lastly, let them use the following diet drink.
  R.  Epithymum, dodder of thyme, wood sorrel,
 of each a  handful,  rosemary  flowers,  lavender
 flower,  of each two drams, primrose and cowslip
 root*, of each an ounce,  dock root half a pound ;
 slice the roots and infuse all in a gallon of small
ale, and drink as  common drink.  White Phlegm 
¥he Book  of Knowledge.       43
is also very hurtful, if it exceed in quantity and
overpower the other humours, for then they cause
the gout, and divers diseases, are also prejudicial
to the feet, legs, knees, hands, reins, causing an evil
savor both from the teeth, mouth,  nose and ears 5
but also this may be cured by medicines com-
pounded of roots and flowers ; likewise by physical
drinks, and taking a vomit.
  R. Dried rosemary tops, rose leaves, lavender
flowers,  red  sage and mint, of each a  handful,
roots succory, two ounces, senna hermoducts tur-
bith, and scammony, of each two drams, of ze-
doary,  ginger,  cloves- and  cubebs,  of  each one
dram, infuse  them in diree quarts of good white
wine for two days ; take a  wine glass full three
times a day.
  Yellow Choler is likewise very bad when it pre-
dominates in the body,  affecting  the heart, and
troubling the brain, and indeed wakening all the
members of the body, causing a general  faintness,
with such a loss of appetite, that neither meat nor
drink will go down ;  besides which it alters  a
man's colour, and is hurtful to the eye sight-  This
also may be helped by taking a vomit, and apply-
ing proper medicines,  compounded of  the roots
and flowers of several herbs.
  R. Of the roots  of .termerick half an ounce,
tods of centaury the less, Roman wormwood and
horehound, of each an handful, roots of the great-
er nettle two ounces, boil them in three pints of
water to the half, then add two scruples of saffron
tied up in a bag, and a pint of white wine, give it 
44         The Book of Knowledge.

a warm or two, and strain it for use; dose, a small
glass full night and morning.
  Note  That the four humors are the four com-
plexions, which have their  several times of domi-
nion or government in  the  body of man, accord-
ing to the several seasons of the year.

I. Of the Disposition of the  Humors in the Body of
   Man in the Winter Quarter,  under the Signs of
   Capricorn, Aquarius and  Pisces.
     THAT humor or complexion that governs
     man's body in the winter quarter, is phlegm
which is cold and  moist, and  is under the domi-  ,
nion of Capricorn, Aquarius,  and Pisces    This
is predominant from the 24th of December, till
the 25th of March.

II. Of the Spring Quarter, and what  Humor is
   predominant therein,  which is governed by Ariest ^
    Taurus, and Gemini.
     THAT humor which  is predominant in the  j
      second quarter, or spring,  is black choler,  ,
and is hot  and  moist,  and their signs are Aries,  j
Taurus, and Gemini,  and have their chief  rule  I
over the breast.   They initiate the 22d of  March  |
and terminate the  3d of June.

III. Of the Dispositions of the Humors in the third \
    Quarter under Cancer, Leo, and Virgo.         ■
     THE third  part is the summer quarter, and
      the complexion presiding therein, is yellow j 
          'The Book of Knowledge.        45

 choler, is hot and dry, and the signs this quarter
 is under, are  Cancer,  Leo, and Virgo ;  which
 commence the 21th of June, and continue to the
 29th of September.

 IV.  Of  the Dispositions  of the Humours in
   the fourth Quarter,  under Libra, Scorpio,
   and Sagittarius.

     THE fourth part of the autumnal quarter and
      the humour bearing rule therein, is melan-
choly, cold and dry, whose signs are  Libra, Scor-
pio, and Sagittarius, and continue their reign from
the 29th of September, till the 24th of December.
By a due observation of these several seasons, and
take heed to keep the rule of contraries,  both as
to cloathing, food, and physic, according to what
is in this book related, and through the divine be-
nediction, he may keep himself free from all dis-
tempers.—Note.  That Pillitory of Spain, chew-
ing in the mouth, purges both the head and body.
And also cummum  seed and fennel seed, being
eaten, is good to prevent phlegm,  which is the
cause of most of the distempers that  annoy the
body  of men.

V. Of the Body of Man from the four Parts
              ' of the World.

      MUCH also may be known of  the body of
      man from any disposition of the four parts
of the world ; that is to say, east, west, north and
South. 
46         The Book of Knowledge.

  First. As to the east; this signifies the disposi-  -\
lion to be fiery and juvenile, and betokens sum-
mer.   In  this part the water is thin and high co-
lored,  the gross male very hard and ruddy, and
the spirits somewhat thick and glutinous.   The
signs in this part or quarter, are Aries, Leo, and  J
Sagittarius;  and the distempers signified hereby,   j
are hot, dry, and subject to a choler:  If a person
be taken sick in those original signs, he is in dan-  j
ger, and cannot be cured but by medicaments of
a contrary nature, that is cold and moist, and his
diet ought also to be of the same nature : which
advice, if he follows, he may by God's grace and
mercy, be recovered.
   R.  Barley-water a gallon, leaves of mallows,
marsh-mallows,  violets, of each a handful, roots  •;
of marsh-mallows half a pound, liquorish four oun-
ces ; boil  all to three quarters, strain and drink it
for a  common drink.   Purge  once a week with
extras'ium rudis.
   Secondly. As to the west; this signifies the dispo-
sition  to be airy,  brisk, and adolescent, and beto-
kens die spring.
   In  this quarter the water is high  colored, but
yet thick  withal, and the gross male very thick
and ruddy,  the  spittle being tenuous and of a
sweetish taste, and the excrementious parts disor-
dered.  The signs that govern the west  are Ge-
mini,  Libra, and Aquarius.  Accidental distem-
pers are such  as proceed from sanguine complex-   i
ions, being hot and moist;  and therefore the me-
 dicines that best compose them, are cold and dry,  \ 
           The Book of Knowledge        47

  and care must be taken that the diet of the patient
  be of the same kind.
    R. Shavings of ivory, hartshorn, china,  sarsa-
  parilla,  of each two ounces, raspings of box an
  ounce and a half, green twigs of the willow half a
  pound,  quicklime water a gallon, boiled to three
  quarters, and drink a common  drink ;  you may
'  sweeten it with sugar or honey.
    Thirdly. As to the north ; it signifies the dis-
  position  to be dull and earthly increasing in years,
  and betokens autumn.
    In this quarter the water is thin and whitish ;
  the gross male is thick,  and of taste like vinegar,
  the excrements will tetulent.  The signs  that have
  nomination in the north, are Taurus, Virgo, and
  t^apricorn.  Sententional dister.:pers proceed from
  melancholy, and are cold and dry, which are best
  cured by medicines hot and moist,  and the food
  that the  patients eat, ought to be of the same kind.
    R. Crab's eyes,  calcined hartshorn,  eggshells
  finely powdered,  cream  of tartar,  of  each two
  drams;  sage half a dram, three times a day, in a
  spoonful of good sack, drinking a glass after it,
   ^Fourthly.  As to the south; this signifies the dis-
  position to be cold, watery  and weak, like to old
  age,  and betokens winter.
    In this  quarter the  water is somewhat thick,
  pale and white,  the gross male pale and thick-
  and the spittle tenuous and sweet, the excremen-
  tuous matter being'weak.—The signs  that  bear
  rule in the south, are Cancer, Scorpio and  Pisces.
 f Meridian distempers proceed from  phlegm, and 
 48         The Book of Knowledge.

 are cold and moist, and by necessary consequence
 those medicines that oppose it,  must be hot and
 dry, and of the same nature must his diet also be,
 that would either prevent or cure such distempers,
   R. Lignum Vitse a pound, sassafras a pound,
 root of master-wort an ounce, angelica roots two
 ounces, shavings of ivory, liquorish, of each four
 ounces,  sweet fennel seed bruised half an ounce ;
 boiled in two gallons of water to six quarts, and
 drain it off for common drinking.
 VI.  Directions for letting Blood in  each
          of  the twelve  Months.
 T      -, T1 HIS   month  beware  of letting
 January.] ^   blood Qn ^ ^ ^ ^  lQ£

 15th, 19th, 20th, and 25th days, because of these
 days it is very  dangerous :  but to drink  good
 white wine fasting, will both cleanse the body, and
 procure an appetite, but if thou hast a desire to
 be let blood, and necessity urge it, see that the sign
 be good for that purpose, or else it is better letting
 it alone.
   February.] I caution thee this month to beware
 of cutting any pottage made of ducks or mallows,
 for they are  right perilous,  and if thou hast occa-
 sion to let blood, whether it be  on the wrist or
 arms,  let it  not  be upon the 4th, 8th,  16th, or
 18th day unless the sign be  very good and the
 necessity very urgent.
  March.] In  this month take care  how you eat
 figs or raisins ; also sweet meats or drinks, but eat
Hot meat, and if thou hast occasion to be let blood 
          The Book of Knowledge.       49

let it be on the right arm, and upon the 5th, 11th,
or 17th days, for then thou may'st do it with ad-
vantage, it being good against all  sorts of fevers,
but take  heed of bleeding on the 1st, 15th, 16th,
19th and 28th days, if thou canst  possibly avoid
it; but if thou art under a necessity, see that the
sign be favorable.
   April.] In  this month  I would advise thee to
be  let blood  in the left  arm, and upon the 3d,
12th, or  15th  days, for thereby thou shalt both
prevent the head ach and strengthen the eye sight
ail the year after.—In this  month also eat fresh
and hot meat; but take heed of bleeding on the
7th, 8th, 10th, and 20th days, for on those days
it will be perilous.
   May.] In this month it is good to walk abroad
early in  the morning, and to drink sage ale, and
to eat sage and fresh butter, and other good meats
and drink, but neither eat the head nor feet of any
creature during this month.   Letting blood may
also be good for thee on the lit, or  the 8th day,
on which arm thou pleasest,  as likewise on the
27th or  2!Sth days, and thou  shalt find it benefi-
cial against all distempers;  but take heed of
the 2d,  6th, and 25th days,  for then it  will be
hurtful.
   June] It is the opinion of some physicians, that
in this month it is good to drink cold waters fast-
ing every morning, and to be temperate in thy
meat and di ink, and if thou hast occasion to bleed
do it on  the 28th day, and it may be beneficial;
but take heed  that thou bleed'st not on  the 7th,
                      E 
  50       The Book of Knowledge. '

  10,  16th,   18th,  nor 20th, for those are dan-
  gerous.
'•     July.] In this  month abstain from Venus,  for
  now both the brain and humors are open,  bleed
,  not  at all this month, except on very urgent ne-
  cessity, and then be sure thou avoid bleeding on
  the 13th and 15th days, for they are perilous.
     August.]  In this month forbear eating any sort
  of worts, or any kind of  hot  meats,  drinks or
  spices, and  avoid bleeding  on the 1st, 20th, 29th
  and 30th days ; on the other  days,  if  necessity  •
i  urge, thou mayest, but without an absolute neces-
  sity, it is better to let it alone.
     September.]  In this month thou mayest eat fruit
  without danger,  provided it be ripe, and  not in-
  fected,  but  bleed not  on  the 4th,  16, 21st,  nor
  22d days, for then thou wilt find it  prejudicial;
1  but if thou bleedest on the 27th, or 28th days,
  either for the fallen sickness,  frenzy, dropsy or
  palsy, thou shalt not need to fear them that year.
     October.]  In this month if you drink wine,  and  '
  other wholesome liquors, it will comfort thy heart:
  —But bleed not  unless there be great occasion,
  and then see that the sign be good for thee : And
  yet let the occasion be what it will I advise thee to
  forbear bleeding on the 3d, 4th and 5th days.
     November] In this  month bleed not at all, un-
  less upon great necessity ;  for now the blood lies
  in the head vein, neither is it convenient for  thee
  to bathe, but thou mayest vent thee a little of gra-
' smg» f°r all the  humors  are now apt to bleed.
*  But if urgent necessity requires thou be let blood 
            The Book of Knowledge.         51

yet see that thou bleedest not on the 5th, 6th,
15th, 19th 28th nor 29th days.
   December.] In this mouth bleed not at all, with-
out it be absolutely necessary; and yet,  even in
such a case,  be sure thou dost not on the 5th, 7th,
15th, 17 th nor 22d day; but on the 16th day thou
mayest bleed widiout danger.   In this month also
see that thou keep thy shins from the fire.

   Whoever it is that does intend to bleed.
   Let 'em to the foregoing rules take heed.'
   For these directions were by the Ancients pen'd  '^
   To caution those that do to  bleed intend;
   For here thou all the several days may'st see,
   In  which thy bleeding may unhealthful be :
   Nor need'st thoti of a Doctor ask advice,
   Our Author here has been so very nice.

VII.  Directions for the letting of Blood,  shewing
   where every Vein in the Body of Man may be rea-
   dily found.
      THOSE  that are troubled with the megrims,
      fevers, lethargy, or pains in the head,  must
be let blood in the vein which is in the midst of
the forehead.                           ,
   Those  that are of a dull  understanding and are
troubled  with deafness and shortness  of breath,
also tliose that have the measles cr leprosy, must
be let blood in the arterial vein behind the ears.
   Those that are troubled with too much blood in
the brain, which it bad for the sight, ought to be
let blood in the  arterial veins near the temples; 
 52        T/tc Book qf Knowledge.

 which is also very good against the gout, megrim,
 and divers other distempers of the head
   For imposthumes, swellings in the throat, quin-
 sey, and other such like distempers, let a man bleed
 in the two veins under the tongue.
   When the leprosy proceeds from abundance of
 blood, it will be proper to bleed in  the  two  ori-   $
 ginal veins in the  neck ; but not without the ad-  ,:
 vice of a physician.
   Those  that  are troubled with phthysic,  and  i
 short-winded, and are given  to spit blood, ought
 to bleed in the arm, and they will find ease.
   Bleeding at the liver vein in the arm takes away
 the extraordinary heat of the body, and keeping it
 in a  good state  of  health,  and it is very available
 against the  yellow jaundice, and imposthumes of'  «
the liver, and against the palsy.
   The pains that come from the stomach and side,vjj
 as blains, blotches,  imposthumes, and  divers other"   J
 accidents that proceed from too much  repletion^  '
 of blood, are cured in letting blood in  the vein
 between the master finger and the little finger.
   For the dropsy, let blood on the right side, be-
tween the womb and the branch, and here note,
the party should bleed proportionable, according   i
to their fatness, or leanness, and this ought to be  '■:■■
 done with the advice of a doctor.                  '"'
   For blotches and imposthumes proceed i no- from
the groin let blood in the  vein named  Sophon,
which is one of the three  rinder the ankle of the
foot.  Ir is also of great advantage  to courses to 
           The  Book of Knowledge.        53   !

descend in men, and to prevent the Hemorrhoides
in the secret parts.
   When  any person  is taken by the pestilence,
caused by repletion of humors, let them bleed in
the vein that is between the wrists of the feet, and
the great toe ; but let the patient be sure to bleed
within twenty-four hours after he  is first seized
"with this  distemper, and let it be with  respect to
the patient's body, whether it be fat or lean.
   If the  eyes run with  water,  or be red, or any
other ill,  preceding from the overflowing of blood
and humors; let  the patient bleed in two veins
that are in the angle of the eyes.
   If the nose be red and pimpled, and the face be
red and pimpled in the like manner, and be troub-
led with red drops, scabs,  pistules, and other in-
fections that may  proceed from too much blood,
let the patient bleed in the vein which is  at the
-end of the nose-
   For the tooth-ach, and the canker in the mouth
let the party troubled be let blood in the  four veins
that are in the gums  in  the mouth.  Ttose that
are tainted with a  stmking breath, let them be let
blood in the vein that is between the lip and the chin.
   There are four veins in each arm, the biggest of
the four is front the head, the heart challenges the
second, and the third from the  liver; the  last is
called the lower liver vein,  and comes from the
melt.   These different veins should be bled upon   '
different occasions : As for instance,  for pains in
the head, eyes, brain, heart, swelled faces, and  |
those that are red  ; it is most proper to bleed that  'j
vein in the arm which has relation to  the head.   ' 
 44       The Book of Knowledge.

 For fevers,  either tertians or quartans, the lower
 liver vein is the most proper to be  blooded; but
 then care must be taken that the orifice be made
 wider, and not so deep as usual, lest thereby it not
 only gathers wind, but also damages a sinew that
 is underneath it,  called the lizard.
   There are three veins in each hand, and that
 above the thumb is  proper to  bleed, in order to
 remove the  heat of the  face, and to dissipate the
 thick blood, and humors that' are  in the head,
 this vein being more proper than the arm.
   Against  all  fevers,  tertians,  and  quartans,
 phlegms, and other  obstructions about the paps,
 and the melt, letting blood between the little fin-
 ger and the  leech finger,  helps very  much.
   Against v pain and  humors in the groin and ge-
 nitals, bleed a vein in the thigh.
   Against pains in the flanks,  and to dissipate all
humprs  that would  gather  therein, and  to re-
 strain too great a flux in the menstrues in women,
 it exceedingly helps to  bleed the vein under the
 ankle' of the foot, without,  which is called  the
 Sciot.
 VIII.  Choice  Receipts  both  in  Physic
               and Surgery.

      I. Of the great Virtue of Corns  Aid-ecus.

 'r  l "^ IS a powder which  you may have  at  the
  X  apothecary's, and this above all other medi-
cines  in the world, is the most excellent against
 the bloody-flux, used as follows : Take one ounce 
                                                 n
          Hie Book of Knowledge.         55    [■'

of conserve of roses, and one scruple of Corus     t
Marcus, and mix them together, then let the pa-     <
tient eat in the morning, and fast thereon  two    •;
hours;  and this (by the grace of God) will help
him, altho' he has had it never so long, or sore :
It is also given above all other medicines, in the
latter end of  a dropsy, and also against the flux if
the menstrum, bleeding at the nose, and all other
fluxes whatsoever ; it helpeth  those that  spit
blood ; it is excellent to  stop the flux  in wounds,
and to heal  them  and dry them ;  yet strew the
powder thereon.
II. Of the Virtue and Operation of the Quintasen:.-
           of Honey and the Oil of Wax.
     YOU may understand, that honey is rather a li-
      quor divine, than  human, because it failed:
from heaven upon herbs and flowers, and is such a
sweet thing that the like cannot be found on earth;
this quintessence  is  of such a virtue, that if a man
be almost dead,  and drink  two or three drams
thereof, he will presently recover.  If you  wash
any wound therewith, or other sore, it will quick-
ly heal.  It is excellent against tlae cough, catarrh,
or pain  of the melt, and many other diseases,
it helpeth the falling sickness, palsy, and  preserv-
ed the body from putrefaction,  The oil of wa:.
worketh in wounds miraculously, healing them, be
the same ever so  big and wide (being before wide
stitched up) in-the space of eleven or twelve days,
but smaller  wounds ,in three or four  days, by
anointing the same therewith, and laying a  cloth
thereon wet with the same. 
5"$       The Book  of Knowledge.

   Moreover for inward diseases it is excellent; it
provoketh urine which is stopped,it helpeth stitches
and pain of the loins, if you drink one dram there-
of with white wine; it helpeth the cold gout, or
sciatica, and all other griefs coming of the cold.

III. Of the manifold operations of the Oil of Cinnamon.
     THIS oil is of a malicious nature,for it pierceth
      thro' the flesh and bones, being very hot and
dry, and is good against  all  cold and moist dis-
eases, being comfortable  for the head and heart,
working the same  operations  on a dying man as  ,
the former. To be short, the oil is of such opera- ..
tion and virtue,-that if a man drinks never so little,  '
he shall feel it work to his fingers and toes ends,
therefore it pierceth through  the whole body, help-
ing the diseases that come of cold and phlegmatic
humors;  it availeth  much with  women  in tra-
vail :  it driveth away  the measle; and  spots,  if
the face and hands be anointed therewith; it  warms
the breast, and helps the cold cough ; it-consumes
all  cold  fluxes that proceed  from the brain and
head, and causeth quiet sleeps  in brief, this oil
may be used instead of the natural balm for many  <
diseases.                                        '

IV- How to make Oil of Rosemary Floors, with its  1
                    Virtues.                     ■ i

     TAKE rosemary flowers and stamp them, then  :
      put them into a glass with strong wine, and 1
v. on it close, setting it in the sun for five cr m- days, \ 
          The Book of Knowledge.        57

and then  distil  it with a soft fire, and you  shall
have both water and oil, which you must separate,
keeping the oil close in the glass; whose virtues arc
these ;  It helpeth  against all  pains in the head,
although they have continued seven years; it com-
forteth the memory, and  preserveth the eyes, if
you drink now and then a drop or two,  and then
put another into the eyes ; it helpeth those that
are deaf, if it be put into the ears ; and also drink
with good wine, it openeth all stoppings  of the
liver and melt, and helpeth against the dropsy and
yellow jaundice  ; it breaketh wind, easeth cholic,
and rising of the mother.
   It  is also excellent against  the pestilence, or
those that have drank  poison, if they drink of
this oil, and lay them down to sweat, it comfort-
eth the heart, and cleanseth the blood, and maketh
a man merry, and causeth a good color, it  help-
eth those that have the canker and fistula, and the
like ;  and to be brief, it helpeth all diseases of the
body that come of cold and moist humors,  al-
though ever so evil.

V. Hdw to cure the troublesome Companion, the Ague

     TAKE the common bitter drink, without the
      purgatives,  two quarts,  salt of wormwood
two ounces, the  best English saffron  a dram.  Af-
ter you have taken  the vomit, or a convenient
purge,  take half a pint of this  three  times a-day,
viz. In the  morning fasting, three o'clock in  the
afternoon and last at night. 
58          The Book of Knowlcdg i  \

 VI. How to cure that tormenting Disease tkt. Cholic.    '
                                               \
     TAKE anniseed, sweet fennel seeds, coriander,
     carraway seeds, of each two drams, cummin
seeds a dram, and put them into a quart of Nantz
brandy ;  let them infuse  three days, shaking the
bottle three or four times a day, then strain and
keep it for use.  Take two or three spoonfuls in
the fit.

VII. How to help Deafness, and expel Wind from the
                    Head.

     TAKE  five or six drops or more of wine, or
     good aqua-vitae, in a spoon, holding down  ^
your head on one side, let one pour the same into
your ear, let it continue there for about the space of i
half a quarter of an hour, still holding your head  ,
aside that they run not out, and then you" shall hear
a most terrible noise  and rumbling in your head,  ,
which is the wind ; then turn your head aside, and
the water will run out again very hot:  now when
you have done thus much on one side, you may
do as much  on the other, but be sure keep  your
head warm after you have done ; thus I have often
proved, and found ease thereby.

VIII. How to give Ease and help the Raging Pain
         of the Teeth without  Drawinv.

     THIS is also performed with the spirit of wine,
     or good aqua-vitx (as you have read in the  ,

            _______   _______________ 
            The Book of Knowledge.       *:•

former receipt) by pouring it into your ears, espe-
cially on that side where the pain lies, but after you
have let the water run from your ears, then with
more of^the same  water (against the fire)  you
must rub' and  chafe your cheeks, and under your
jaws, and under your ears, stroaking of them up-
wards, with your hands toward the neck, to drive
back the humors;  for it is  nothing else but a
cold rheum, that distilleth from the head unto the
gums, which causeth the pain, therefore be sure
to keep the head warm when you have done.

   IX. How to Strengthen and Comfort the Eyes.
     DIP a clean r?g into a few drops of aqua-vitae,
      and with the same wipe the corners of the
 eyes, eye-brows, and temples,  which will  keep
 back the rheum, and greatly strengthen and com-
 fort the eyes: of which  I  have also made  trial,
 and found much  comfort.

 X. Of Persons who have Bones broken, end also
   Dislocations or Joints displaced, with their cure.
       MANY times  it happeneth, that legs, arms,
       and fingers are broken and out of joint, and
 the parties so hurt are void of kelp, by reason they
 have no surgeons near them: therefore, for the re-
 lief of such persons, I have here set down some di-
 rections by which they may be eased of their pain;
 but 1 will not v ish them  to trust to their own skill,
 if they have any  expert surgeon near at hand.
   If a leg or an arm be broken, then have a care 
6o        The Book of Knouledgfl

to place the member in  the  same manner as  it
were before, which you will do in this manner:
  Take a towel, and make it  fast about  the place
where  it is broken, and  then  take another towel
and fasten it underneath the place where it is brok-
en, and then cause two men to pull those two tow-
els, that they may thereby extend  or stretch out
the member, and when the member is stretched
forth at length, place the broken bones as they
were at first,  and so by little and little,  let them
slack their pulling ; then have a cloth ready, so
big that it may compass the whole member ;  wet
both in the white of an egg and oil of roses min-
gled together, and lay it upon the grieved part*
then roll  it about with a linen roller of  four fin-
gers  broad, and two yards long ;  wet the roller in
the water and vinegar mixed together.
  First. Roll it about  the fracture three or four,
Limes ; then downward,  and  then  upward, and
fasten it; then roll it with another roller after the
same manner, on these place thin splints of light
wood-armed with tow,  one finger's breadth from
each other, and bind them on with tape, then
place the member on  some soft pillow for twenty
days ; but if a painful itch do arise,  open and fo-
ment the place with warm water, and then anoint
it with  Unguentum Album, and roll it up  again.
If a  finger be broken,  roll it  with  a convenient
roller, and splint it, and use the means aforesaid. 
The Book of Knowldege.      61
XI.   A  precious Salve for all those that  have any
  member out of joint)  called Jeremy of Brunswick's
  Salve.
     THIS Salve hath healed those that have had
      their members out of joint, or that have
been  wounded,  and  could not  stir  or bow the
member where they had the hurt; for by this salve
did he bring many stiff and crooked joints again
to their former strength, to the  great  admiration
of all men both surgeons and others.
  How  to make the Salve.]—-Take two ounces of  .
old hog's grease, and old duck's grease, and goose
grease, hen's or capon's grease: linseed meal, fe-
nugreek  meal, of each two ounces ; oil olive, eight
ounces ;  opoponax, mastich, and frankincense,  of
each an ounce; di«solve the gums  in white wine,
that are to be dissolved,  and powder  the  other;
mingle them altogether when stirring.

XII.   How fo order and dress a  Wound, when it h
         at first hurt ; with the Remedy.
    FIRST remove all such things as are in the
     wound, as clotted blood, wood, iron,  or the
like, then dry  the blood with a  cloth or sponge,
and wash with cold white wine, apply some un-
guents or balms to the same, and that on a plais-
ter fit for a wound,  then roll  it gently and in a
good form, for that helpeth to hasten the cure.   If
three  or  more  places, but be sure iq leave a place
at the lower part thereof, forto purge itself thereby,
          END OF THE SECOND FART.
                      T 
THE
   Book  of Knowledge:

             TREATING OF THE

WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS.
PART III.
An Abstract of the Art of Physiognomy and Palmestry,
  together with the Signification of Moles and Inter-
  pretation of Dreams.

  Of Physiognomy, and the Judgment made thereby.

    PHYSIOGNOMY is an ingenious science of
    knowledge of nature, by which the inclinations
and dispositions of every creature are understood;
and  because some  of the members are uncom-
pounded and entire  of themselves, as the tongue,
the ears, &c. and some of a mixed nature the eye,
the nose and others, we therefore say, that there
are many signs that agree and live together, which
inform  a wise man how to make his judgment,
before he be too rash to deliver it to the world.
   Nor  is it to be esteemed a foolish  or idle art,
seeing it is derived  from the superior bodies, for 
         The Book of Knowledge.        63

there is no part of the face of man but what is un-
der the peculiar influence or government, not on-
ly of the seven planets, but also of the twelve signs
of the zodiac,  and from each  governing part  it is
the  nature and  inclination of  a man or woman
plainly foretold,  if the person  undertaking  this
province, or pretending to it, be an artist—Which
that my reader may attain to, I shall set these
things in a clearer light by the following figure.
  By this the reader may see at the first glance,
that.the  forehead is  governed by <J  Mars;  the
right eye is under the dominion of © sol; the left
eye is ruled by the C Moon,  or Luna ; the rights 
 64        The Book of Knowledge.

 ear is the care of % Jupiter, the left of I? Saturn ;
 the ruling of the  nose  is claimed by  $  Venus
 (which by the way is one reason that in all unlaw-
 ful venereal  encounters, the nose is  so subject to
 bear the scars which are gotten in those wars) and
 the nimble ^ Mercury, the significator of elo-
 quence,  claims the domination of the mouth, and
 that very justly.
   Thus  have the  seven  planets divided the face
 among them, but not with so absolute a sway, but
 chat the twelve signs of the Zodiac come in for  a
 part; and therefore the sign of s& Cancer presides
 in the uppermost part of the forehead, and ft Leo
 attending upon the right eye-brow.    $ Sagittary
 does upon the right eye, and £fc Libra upon the
 right  ear; upon  the left eye and eye-brow, you   „
 will find 2E Aquarius and U Gemini, and y Aries   '»'
 taking  care  of the left ear ; £5 Taurus rules in
 the forehead, and vf Capricorn  the  chinj  tto
 Scorpio takes upon him the protection of the nose ;
 JTj. Virgo claims the precedence of the right cheek;
and X Pisces of the left; and thus the  face  of
man is canton'd out among the signs and planets,
which being carefully attended to, will sufficiently
inform the artist how to pass a judgment.   For
 according to the nature of the sign  or planet rul-
ing, so  all is the judgment to "be of the part rul-
ed ; which also those that have understanding
 know easily how to apply.
   I shall now proceed to give a paisicular judg-
ment of the several parts of the body : And first,
of the head.  A large head shews a person stupid 
       The Book  of Knowledge.          65  t

and of a dull apprehension, also a very small head
signifies the same ;  but the head of a man being
neither great nor small, is the prognostic of a wise
man ; for all extremes are irregular, and a devia- -
tion  from nature ;  and experience  has made it
manifest, that a great head and small members, do
always produce much indiscretion and folly, both
in man and woman ;  but we must  also consider
the several parts of the head:  And first,
   Of the Hair.] The hair is only the excresence
of a  moist brain ; yet the ancients observe several
things from it; as, if the hair be thin, it shews a
man to be of  a weak constitution ;  but if curled
and thick, it shews the person to be of a hot com-
plexion :  If the hair be stiff,  and stand upright,
either upon the head, or any other part of the bo-
dy, it shews a person extremely subject to fear, and
very apt to be frighted.   If the hair be thick and
lank, is shews a person to be  meek and humble,
and his constitution inclined to cold-
   Of the forehead.] A large forehead shews a libe-
ral man;  but the forehead narrow, denotes a fool-
ish person: A long forehead shews one apt to learn,
and a high forehead, swelling and round, is a sign
of a crafty man, and a coward; a forehead full of
wrinkles, shews a man to be envious and crafty.
   Of the Eyes.] The eyes being moist and clear,
shews mirth, good manners, andan honest life, but
if the eyes be declining and looking downward, or
red and very great, they betoken fleshly lust; small
hollow eyes signify covetousness; grey eyes an evil  j
man,hollow eyes a crafty man, rolling eyes awick- ';
                     f  2 
66        The Book of Knowledge.

ed and vicious man, black eyes denote a sharp and
piercing wit; but one  lustful  and incontinent;
great eyes denote sloth ; trembling eyes sluggish-
ness ; glittering eyes betoken drunkenness; smiling
eyes shews a merry life; eyes'of  divers colors,
and small,  denote one crafty and flattering ; eyes
turned towards  the  nose, shew a man given to
women ; great  drooping eyes,  with  an unstable
countenance, shew a man mad ; the  circle of the
ball green,  declares a crafty  wicked man,  and a
thief; moist eyes  denotes stoutness of stomach,
perfect speech, gluttonous and  mad ; high eyes ;
large, clear, pure and moist, are tokens of circum.
spection, diligent persons, and lovers ; eyes al-
ways running without sickness cause it, shew fool-
ishness; small and hollow  eyes,  the covetous,
deceitful and  angry man ;  cheerful eyes betok-
en just men, of pleasant disposition, kind and holy,
twinkling eyes, shew  a thief and one that lays wait
to catch  and ensnare men ;  blear eyes signify a
whoremaster.
   Of the Eye-brows.]  Upright eye-Drows are ami-
able, but the eye-brows hanging over, shew an ef-
feminate person.  The brows very hairy, denote
an impediment in his speech, and the brows being
extended to the temples, shew a man to be a slo-
ven, and uncleanly.
   Of the Ears.] Open ears shew a man to be with-
out reason  and understanding ; great ears an un-
wise man,  and small ears a fool: square ears, and
of a middle size, shew a learned and wise man.
   Of the Nose.] A great nose shews a good man;, 
          The Book of JCnowledge.        67

a little nose a deceitful person.  A sharp nose de-
notes an angry person and a scold ; thick and low,
a person of bad manners.  The nose stretching to
the mouth denotes honesty, strength,  and aptness
to learning.  A nose like an ape,  betokens  a libi-
dinous and riotous person ; a long crooked nose,
magnanimity and generosity.
   Of the Mouth.]  A very big mouth, with the
upper lip hanging over, signifies a man foolish and
unsteady, also  a rash man a babbler, a glutton,
and an ungodly man. An indifferent large mouth,
sheweth a bold, and courageous man, a warrior.
   Of the Lips.] Thin lips  with  a little mouih,
shews an  effeminate person.  Slender, thin and
fine lips,  betokens eloquence ; fleshy and  great
lips, a fool; and those  whose teeth bear up their
lips, are generally contumelious, slanderers, un-
faithful, also addicted to the love of women.
   Of the Face.]  A lean face  is a  token of  a wise
man ; the face plain and flat,  denotes"  a man of
strife.  The face  without any rising  or swelling,
denotes a person  injurious and unclean ; a fleshy
face shews a man apt to learn ; a sad fac«  some-
times denotes foolishness, and sometimes wisdom.
A fat face shews a man to be a liar, and foolish ;
a round face signifies folly ;  a great face shews li  -
man dull and slow about business ; a well propor-
tioned face shews a person to have virtuous quah-   .
ties, and to live a commendable life, whether they -
be rich or poor.
   Of the Voice.] A shrill voice denotes a person to
be choleric and hasty.  A great and hoarse voice 
63        The Book  of Knowledge.           \

shews a person to be injurious, and of a merciless
temper.  A weak and low voice shews a man to
be fearful and cowardly.  A grave and slow voice
shews a man to be of a sedate  and quiet temper, .
and one of great strength.
  Of the Neck.] A neck inclining to the right side,
shews a temperate man; but turning to the left
side, a fool, and a man given to unlawful love.
A crooked neck shews a covetous man.  A thick
neck denotes a rude, barbarous,  ill-natured man.
A long slender neck shews a man to be a coward.
A thick and long neck, a furious and stubborn per- !
son.  A mean neck,  a strong and virtuous man,  j
and one inclined to learning*                     j
  Of the Breast.]  A broad breast is always good,  j
and presents magnanimity, boldness, honesty, and
courage.  A narrow breast denotes imbecility, or
weakness,  both of body and  mind.  A  pursy ,
or gross breast, shews a man to be morose, cross,
and void of purity.  The paps  or dugs hanging
down from the breast, shews a  violent choleric"
man.
   Of the Back.] A broad back is a sign of strength,
but the mean proportion of both back and breast
.is always commendable.   A  crooked or hunch
back is generally a token of a niggardly and co-  ,
vetous person.
   Of the Belly.]  A lank belly with high breast,  (
dem-'es a man of understanding,courage, counsel; ]
but a great belly shews an indiscreet, foolish, pre ud
rran, and given to luxury.
   Vf the Arms.]  Very long arms are  a  sign of 
            The Book qf Knowledge.       69

 boldness, strength and  honesty.   Short arms
 denote  a fomenter of discord and  strife among
 friends.
   Of the Hands.]  The  hands very short, denote a
 clownish, rude,  ill bred person ; and if fat and
 fleshy,  with the fingers so also, it shews they are
 inclined to theft—Small hands and  long fingers
 denote a person of genteel qarriage, but crafty.
   Of the Legs.]  Large and well set legs denote "
 boldness ; large legs and full of sinews, shew few-
 titude and strength.   Slender legs denote igno-
 rance ;  short and fat legs cruelty : Legs  crooked
and  hollowed inwardly is a sign of very  ill men.
 Soft and swelling legs shew  a man to be of ill
 manners. The skin cross and short,  with a sharp
heel, and fat thighs, denotes madness  to happen to
 that party.
   Of the Feet.]  Small and  slender  feet  denote
hardness, but the feet  full of flesh declare fool.
ishness.
 II. Of Palmestry, shewing the  various  Judgments
            drawn from  the Hand.

 I  SHALL next say something of Palmestry,
    which is a judgment made of the conditions,
inclinations, and fortunes of men and women, from
the lines and characters which nature  has imprint-
ed in the hand,  which are almost as various as
the hands that have them.  And to  render what
I shall say more plain,  I will in the first place pre-
sent the scheme or figure  of a hand, and explain
the various lines  therein. 
The Book of Knowledge.
  By this figure the reader will see that one of the
lines, and which indeed is reckoned the principal,
is called the line of life; this line incloses the thumb, f
separating it from the hollow of the hand. The next
to it, which is called the natural line, takes its be-
ginning from the rising of the fore-finger, near the
line  of life, and reaches the table-line, and general-
ly makes a triangle thus A* The table-line, com-
monly called the line of fortune, begins under the
little finger, and  ends near  the  middle  finger.*
The girdle of Venus, which is another line so cal-
led begins near the joint of the little finger, and
ends between the fore finger and the middle finger.'«
   The line of death is that which plainly appears
in a counter line to that of life, and by some is cal-
led the sister line, ending usually at the other end;
for  when the line of life  is ending,  death comes,
and it can go no farther.  There  are also lines in
the fleshy parts  as in the baU'of the thumb, which
is called the mount of Venus ; under each, of the
fingers are called mounts, which are each,  one
governed  by a  several planet, and  the.'hollow of
the hand is called tire plain of Mars.  I now pro-
 ceed to give judgment of these several lines.  .4mdj
 in the first place  take  notices that  in Palmestry 
The Book of Knozeledge.
the left hand is chiefly to  be regarded, because
therein the lines  are most visible,  and ft&ve ithe
strictest communication with the heart and brains.
Now having premised these, in the next place ob-
serve the line of life, and if it be fair, extended to
its full length, and not broken with an intermix-
ture of cross lines,  it shews long life  and health ;
and it  is the same if a double line of  life appears,
as there sometimes  does.   When the  stars appear
in this  line, it is a significator of great losses, and
calamities ;  if on it there be the figure of two O's
or a Y, it threatens the person with blindness.  If
it wraps itself about the table-line, then does it pro-
mise wealth and honor to be attained  by prudence
and industry ;  if the line be cut or rugged at the
upper  end, it denotes much sickness.   If this line
be  cut by any line coming from the mount of
Venus, it declares  the person to be unfortunate in
love,   and business also,  and threatens him with
sudden death.  A cross between the line  of life and
the table-line,  shews  the person to be very liberal
and charitable, and of a noble spirit.  Let us now
see the signification of the table-line.
   The table line, when broad, and of a lovely co-
lor,  shews a healthful constitution,  and a  quiet
and  contented mind, and  courageous spirit: but
if it have crosses towards the little finger, it threat-
ens the party with much affliction  by sickness.  If
the line be double,  or divided in three parts in any
of the  extremities, it shews the party to be of a ge-
nerous teinper, and of a good fortune to support it;
but if  th?s line he forked at the end, it  threatens 
     72       The Book of Knowledge.

i    the person shall suffer by jealousies, fears,  and
     doubts, and with the loss of riches got by deceit.
     If three points such as these  . . . are found in it,
     they denote the person prudent and liberal, a lover
     of learning, and of a good temper.   If it spreads
,'    itself  towards the fore and middle  fingers,  and
     ends blunt, it denotes preferment.   Let us now
     see what is signified by
       The middle fnger.]  The line has in it sometimes
[.    (for there is scarce one hand in which it varies not)
     divers  significant characters.  Many small lines
     between, this and the table-lines threatens the par-
     ty with sickness, and also gives him hopes of re-
     covery.   A half cross branching into this line, de-
     clares  the person shall have honor,  riches, and
     good success in all his undertakings. A half moon
     denotes cold and watery distempers, but a sun or
     star upon this line promiseth prosperity and riches.
     This line doubled  in a woman,  shews she will
     have several husbands, but without any children
     by  them.
      The  line of  Venus if it happens to  be cut or
     divided near the fore-finger, threatens ruin to  the
     party,  and that it shall befal him  by  means of a
     lascivious woman, and bad company.  Two cros-
     ses  upon this line, one being on the fore-finger, and
     the other bending towards the little-finger, shews
     die party to be weak, and inclined to modesty and
    virtue ;  and indeed,  it generally denotes modesty •
     in woman ; and therefore  those that desire such
    wives, usually choose them by this standard.
      The liver-line, if it be straight and crossed by 
           The  Book of Knowledge. ~     73

other lines, shews the person to be of  a sound
judgment, and a piercing understanding; but if
it be winding crooked,  and bending outward, it
shews deceit and flattery, and that the person is
not to be trusted.   If it makes a triangle A» or a
quadrangle Q, it shews the person to be of a noble
descent, and ambitious of honor and promotion.
   If it happens that this line and the middle line
begin near each other, it denotes a person to be
weak in his judgment,  but  if a woman,  danger
by hard labor.
   The plain of  Mars being in the hollow of the
hand, or if the line passes through it, which ren-
ders it very plain, is  fortune : This plain being
hollowed, and the lines be crooked and distorted,
threatens  the  party to fall  by his  ill  conduct.
When the lines begin at the wrist, long within the
plain, reaching the brawn of the hand,  they shew
the person to be one given to quarrelling, often in
broils and of a hot and fiery spirit, by which he
shall suffer much damage.   If deep large crosses
in the middle of the plain, it shews the party shall
obtain honor by martial exploits ; but if it be a
woman,  she shall have several husbands, and
easy labor with her children.
   The line of death is fatal, when any crosses or
broken lines appear in it; for they threaten the
person with sickness and a short life.  A clouded
moon appearing therein, threatens  a  child-bed
woman with death.   A  bloody spot in the line
denotes a violent death. A star like a comet threa-
tens ruin by \va',  and death by pestilence^ but,
                      G 
   7±        The Book of Knowledge.

\  a bright sun appeSrs therein, it promises long life
J  and prosperity.
■"'     As for the lines in the wrist being  fair,  they
i  denote good fortune; but if crossed and broken,
 >  the contrary.
\     Thus much  with respect to the several lines in
'  the hand.  Now  as to the judgment to be made
«'  from the hand itself: If the hand be soft and long
I  and lean withal,  it  denotes a person of a good
?'-■ understanding, a  lover of peace and honesty, dis-
f  creet, serviceable, a good neighbor, and a lover of
}  learning.  He whose hands are very thick and ve-
   ry short, is thereby signified to be faithful, strong,
  ^ and laborious,  and  one  that cannot long  retain
   his anger.  He whose hands are full of hairs.
   and those hairs thick, and great ones, and his fin-
   gers withal be crooked, he is thereby noted to be
   luxurious,  vain,  false, of a  dull understanding
   and disposition, and more foolish than wise.  He
   whose hands and  fingers do bend upwards, is com-
   monly a liberal man, serviceable, a keeper of se-
   crecy, and apt (to be poor for he is seldom for-
   tunate) to do any man courtesy.  He whose hand
   is stiff and will not  bend at the upper joint near
   his finger, is always a wretched miserable person,
    covetous,' obstinate, incredulous, and one that will
    believe nothing  that contradicts his own private
    interest.  And thus much shall suffice to be said
   "of judgment made by Palmestry. 
          The Book of Knowledge.       IS  '

 III. Of the signification of Moles in any Part of the  '
                     Body.                      *
   IF either Man  or Woman shall have a Mole  j
    on the Place right against the Heart, it doth  I
 denote them undoubtedly to be wicked.
   If a mole be seen on  a man or woman's belly
 it doth demonstrate he  or  she  shall be a great
 feeder or glutton.
   If either man or woman  shall have a mole on
 the bottom of the  belly, it doth argue much debi-
 lity, and to be often sick.
   If a man shall have a mole on the knee, he
 shall then certainly obtain a  comely and wealthy
 wife.
 ^ And if that a woman shall have a mole on the
 right knee, signifieth her to  be honest  and virtu-
 ous ; if on the left, then shall she enjoy man/
 children.
   If a man shall have a mole overthwart the nose>
 it doth denote that he shall wander hither and thi-
 ther, through countries and cities.
   A mole standing on a woman's nose doth por^
 tend that she shall travel on foot through sundry
 countries.
   If a man hath a mole on the gullet or throat, it
doth demonstrate that he shall become very rich.
   If a woman hath a mole on the nether jaw, it
doth indicate that  she shall lead her life in son-ow
 and pain of body which sh;dl hinder her from  at-
taining and bearing  of children :  If a man shall
hare the form of moles on his tongue, it doth de-   ,! 
    76       The Book of Knowledge.

\    monstrate that he shall marry  with a rich and
f    beautiful woman.
J      If either man or women shall have a  mole on
$    any part of the lip, it doth portend that he or she
[    be a great feeder or glutton : and to be much be-
    loved, and very amorous.
      If a man shall have a mole on the chin, it doth
    argue that he shall be rich both in  the substance
    of money and possessions.   ~               ;
!■.'      Also a woman having a mole on the same place*
    it doth  foretel that  she  shall come to the like
I    wealth as the man, and that  she hath besides the
    same, a like mole aloft or against the milt.
      If a man  shall have a  mole in either of the
"(    ears, it doth argue that he shall be rich, and much
.    reverenced and spoken of.
      Tf a woman hath  a mole  in the like place, it
    doth denote the same good  hap and fortune to
    her; and, that besides she hath the like placed on
    the thigh or hams.
?      If eitl< er n-.au or woman haveamole on the neck,
.£   it dotK promise that they shall become very rich.
      If a man shall have a mole in a manner behind
t   the neck, it doth demonstrate that he shall be be-
    headed except God (through earnest prayer) pre-
    vent th? same.
      If as well the man as the  woman shall have a
    moie on the loins, it doth demonstrate a weak,
    and poor kindred, and to be  always needy.
      If a man shall have a  mole  on the throat,  if
'I    idoth promise that he shall  marry  hoth with  a
| •  beautiful and rich woman. 
            The Book of Knowledge.        77

    If a  woman shall have a  mole on the  same
  place it doth signify  that she  shall also marry
  both  with a weathy, and very fair, or comely
  man.
     If either in the man or woman's hand a  mole
  appear, it doth denote prosperity, good luck, and
  enjoyment of children.
     If either the man or woman shall have a mole
  on the breast, it doth threaten that he or she shall
  be much  harmed by poverty.
     A mole on the left side of the stomach, denotes
  a luxurious person.
     A  mole on the left shoulder, denotes trouble
  and affliction.
     A mole on the left shoulder, near the arm, de-
  notes the person given to quarrels,strife and hatred.
     A mole in the middle of the stomach, denotes
   dangerous disease.
     A mole on the right side of the forehead, pro-
   mises riches  and prosperity, and the like signifies
   a mole on the right temple.
     A mole on the left corner of the eye, denotes
*   the party subject to melancholy, and diseases that
   proceed thereform.
     A mole on the left cheek,  denotes poverty and
   affliction.
|     A mole on the lower part or tip of the right ear,
i   threatens the party with drowning.
\     A mole near the bottom of the nostrils predicts
I   a man or woman fortunate or lucky.
     A mole on the middle of the right breast, de-
i   n*$es the person ingenious, and given to industry.
                          6 2 
ll   78        The Book of Knowledge.

a     A mole on the left side of the. belly,  denotes
fe   affliction and crosses.
      A mole on  the  left buttock, threaten sickness
«'j|   and trouble.
jfc     A mole on the right foot, denotes the- party to
f   be endowed with wisdom and eloquence.
f     A mole on the left foot, denotes  rash  actions
'|    whereby the pafty shall be endangered.
      A mole on the huckle-bone, promises good for-
!    tune.
i      A mole on the groin, or the  right side,  denotes
r   good fortune, and on the left,  the contrary.
      A mole on the eye-brow, signifies speedy mar-
    riage, and a good husband.
      A mole on the left breast, upon the beating of
i; .  the heat exactly in one place, denotes the  parties,
    if of different  sex, will  come together in matri-
    mony.
      A mole  on  the  left shoulder, denotes labor,
    travail and sorrow,
      A mole on the right thigh, foretels riches,  and
'.,   advantage by marriage : on  the privities it doth
'    the like.
      A mole on  the right cheek,  denotes a timely
    marriage, and  such a one as shall be prosperous.
      A mole on the right knee of a woman, denotes
    easy labor, and a loving husband.
      A mole on the left buttock*, denotes a pleasing
   person,  and one very much delighted hi the works
    of generation.
      Moles on  the  arms and shoulders, if  on the
   right side, portend  wisdom and piudence.   On
   the left, they signify proneness to debate and con- 
          The Book of Knowledge.        79

lention. But  moles  near the arm-holes  and the
regions of the breast, signify  beauty, riches, be-
nevolence and respect.
   Moles on the thighs or loins of men or women,
signs of want; especially being found on the left
side of the body, or the left side of the thigh;  let
such take care of venereal misfortunes.
   A  mole on  the upper part of the breast,  on
either side, especially the left,  signifies a man lia-
ble to poverty.
   A mole on the leftside of  the heart denotes,
wicked qualities ; for persons thus marked, are
rash, hasty, and head-strong in their- actions.
   A mole or moles on the belly of men or women
denote them ravenous, and  great eaters.
   Moles either upon or about the I$nees, signify to
a man riches by marriage ;  to a woman, if it be
upon her right kpee, it is a modest sign of hon-
or, honesty and virtue ; if upon the righ| Vree
it is a sign of being fruitful in children.
   Moles on the ancles or feet, are held to signify
modesty, and something of effeminacy  in  men,
but courage in women.
IV.  Of the interpretation of Dreams, as  they  relate
           to good or bad fortune,  ~&c.
     THE generality of men give  not much credit
     to dreams: yet considering that many strange
accidents fcave  beet^ foretold  by dreams,  many
mischiefs have been prevented, many wickedness-
es  dcteO-d bv dreams, it  may not  be amiss to
set down  what experience has observed  concern- 
<ii)        The Book of Knowledge'.
ing them.  A dream therefore is a motion or fic-
tion of the soul  in a various form, signifying ei-
ther good or evil to come.  Dreams are also spe-
culative, agreeable to the vision ;  as when a man
dreams the ship wherein he is,  is perishing, and
finds it true: or allegorical, by one thing signify.
ing another.
  To  dream of having a great head, to a rich
man, signifies dignity ; to  a  poo* man, riches ;
to a champion, victory; to  an usurer  hopes of
money ; to a servant, long servitude; to him that
hath chosen quiet, pain and anger.
  Of long hair, to women, wise men, kings and
princes, signifies good.
  Of long harsh hair, and out of order,  betoken-
eth anger and heaviness.
  Of being without hair upon your face, betoken*
eth shame.
  He that dreams of the right  side of  his head
being shaved, shall lose his male kindred.
  Of many ears signifies good to the rich, if the
ears be well snaped; otherwise not.  'Tis ill to a
sprvant, or one that hath  a suit in law.
  Ot losing ones ears,  betokenefh very ill.
  Of graceful and hairy brows, betokens good to
women;  naked brows ill success.
  Of a sharp sight, certainly good*
  Of a troubled look,  want of money ;  of b*ing
blind with both eyes, loss oFcnildyen,- father and
mother; but good to them that are in prison, and
very poor; bad for a soldier,  and all trader..
  „0f having a large nose, good to all: or having 
           , '• The Book of Knowledge.       81

  no nose ominous ; and to a sick man, betokeneth
  death.
    Of fat  and full  cheeks,  good  to women : Of
  cheeks full of wrinkles, betokens heaviness.
    Of a long  thick unhandsome  beard,  is good
 for orators,  ambassadors, and lawyers; if a wo-
  man dreanrs she has a beard, shall have a kind
  husband.
    The same dream to married women, betokens
>burying their husbands ; die  beard falling or cut
 off, signifies loss of parents, and dishonor.
   Loss of teeth signifies loss of friends ;  having
• no teeth signifies liberty to servants, to  merchants
 gain by their merchandize ;  to have teeth  of wax,
 is  sudden death.
    Shoulders thick and fleshy, are good to all but
  such as are in prison.
    Of being wounded in the stomacii, to young
 men  and women, betokens  glad tidings.   Hands
 fair and strong denotes prosperity to tradesmen ;
 gold rings on the fingers, signify  dignity ^nd
 good fortune.
   Nails longer than ordinary, signify profit.
   Nails pulled off, threaten misery and afflicticrr.
   Of a fat and big belly, denotes increase of fa-
 mily and estate.                       ,..._.
   A  rr:id to  dream her thighs  are broke, she'll
 be  married, to a/$fianger, and lead her life m  a
 foreign country ; if she be a wife, she shall  bury
 her husband
   T >  dr-ani  you . see a woman's white  thighs
 signifies health and joy. 
8'2        The  Book  of Knowledge.

  To dream the thinghs are growing bigger an J
stronger, denotes plenty and advancement: if sr
woman dreams so, she will have comfort by her
children.
  If a woman dpeams she is able  to run by the
strength of her knees, it denotes obedience to her
husband, and care of her family.
  To dream your feet are dirty, signifies tribula-
tion.
  The upper ribs broken, signifies dissention with
a man's wife, redounding to his disgrace.
  The lower ribs broken, denotes affliction by fe-
male relations.
  Ribs grown larger and stronger than ordinary,
will take  delight in his wife : If he dreams the
same of his lips, he shall have lovely children.
  Of increase  in flesh, will gain g^oid and wealth.
  If a woman dreams  her skin is  become black*
like the Moor's, she will, be taken in adultery.
  To dream  a man's flesh is corroded by lice,
signifies plenty of gold and silver.      j.
  If a married man dream his gall be broken, he
will nave some great contest with his wife.
  For a man  to dream he sees  the statue and
portraiture of  a handsome naked  woman* signi-
fies good luck.
   If a man dreams he sees his wife naked, it sis-
nifies deceit.
   If a woman dreams she sees her husband nakedt
it. signifies good success in her enterprizcs.
   If a woman dreams  she lies stark naked in he;
 ^aAand's arms," and there is no  such thing,  • 
         The  Book  of Knowledge.        83

presages  ill news; but  if the husband have the
fune dream, it denotes amity and profit.
  For a woman to dream of herself in bed with a
Moor,  or deformed  person, foretels  discontent
and sickness.
  A man to dream he has a crown of gold upon
his head, signifies favor with his prince.
  A man to dream he is drunk, is increase of es-
tate, and recovery of health.
  To be hanged or whipped by sentence of the
law, shall be rich and respected.
  To eat the flesh of a man hanged, shall be en-
riched by foul practices.
  He that dreams himself dead, shall grow rich.
and live long in the service of a prince.
  Of winning at dice, denotes that some inherit-
ance will fall to him by the death of relations.
  To stand before a looking glass, and  see their
true proportion, is good for those that would be
married.
  For a man to see himself in a glass, not such as
he is, signifies he shall be a cuckold.
  Of little rain, and drops of water, good  for
farmers.
  Of being touch'd with lightning, is a  good
dream for those that would have their sin and
poverty hidden : to those that are unmarried, it
signifies marriage.
  Of a burning light in a house, is affluence of
goodf to the poor;  to  unmarried persons, mar-
riage' ; to the rich health.
  Of household dogs, signifies farm*,  servants. 
 84        The  Book of Knowledge.

 and possessions to come: little ladies' dogs signifies
 delight and pastime.                             <
   Of mules,  signifies sickness.
   Of seeing a tame lion,  signifies profit.
   A bachelor to dream of a  wild bdar, denotes
 that his wife will be a scold.
   Of asps and adders,  signifies rich wives.        \
   Of seeing a cock in a house,  is  good to those  '
 that would marry.
 '  A  key .seen in a dream by him tnat would mar-
 ry, denotes a handsome wife, or good maid.
   A  woman  to dream of walking upon the sea  ^
 is dissoluteness of life.
   A  sick  man to dream of marrying a  maid,  is
 death. .   '-."•■                                    '
   To see  the  air cloudy, signifies expedition of
 business.                                        _j
   To gather apples,  vexation from some person  ^
 or other.
   To see  ai-med men, is a'good  sign.              -
   To cut  bacon, signifies the death of  some per- '
 Lion.
   To "iMthe in a clear fountain, signifies joy.
   To have a little bread,, signifies suits in law.      \
   To catch bees, profit and gain-
   To hear"fells ring,  signifies disgrace and trou-
ble.
   Ifo see a flight ,pf birds, signifies suits, in law.  I
   To" see  your deceased brothers  and  sisters,  is.*!
iong life.                                        1
  To dream you shoot with a bow, signifies !:■-»-
nor.. 
            The Book of Knowledge.         SJ   j

    To dream you see candles not lighted, signifies   t
  reward for something done.                       I
    To hear the cock-crow,  signifies prosperity.      r
    To see yourself with the devil, signifies gain-
    To see an angel fly over your head, signifia*
  honor.
    To dream you see a black face, signifies long .   I
  life.                                   •          ,
    To gather flowers, signifies mirth and jollity.
    Of kissing a deceased person signifies kmg life.
    Of seeing your picture drawn, signifies long life.
    If a man dreams that he holds a burning light
  or torch  in  his hand, is a good  sign,.chiefly to
  those that are young, signifying they siiali enjoy  i
  their loves,  accomplish their designs, Overcome  y
  their enemies,  and gain  honor  and  good  will
  from all persons.
    If a man dreams he sees the cabinet on fire
  which belongs to the mistress of the house it de-
  notes death.
    If a woman dreams she kindles the fire, it is a
  sign she is with child, and  will safely be delivered
  of a man child.
    A sick person to dream  he sees a river or faun-    <
  tain of clear running water, presages recoveiy.
    A man to dream he has a full glass of water
  given him,  signifies a speedy marriage that he
■  xrW t: \. >' children by his wife.
    To dream of  inclosed  lands  with fountains,
'  fields, pleasant eyoves, and orchards adjoining, it  .
  descirc?  i»e ilxzll  marry a dUcrett, chaste,  and
                       H         '          <      ! 
8$          The Book of Knowledge.

beautiful  wife,  who shall bear him handsome
children.
   Of seeing a barn wejl stored, signifies marriage
of a rich wife,  or overthrow of  adversaries in
law.
   If a woman dream of being delivered of a child,
yet is  not big with  child, is  a sign she  shall at
length be happily brought to bed.
   If  a man dreams he sees a woman brought to
bed, it betokens to him joy. and prosperity.
   If a man dreams his wife is big with child, and
it really proves so,  it is a sign the child will live,
and shall  resemble the father.
   For women to  dream of caskets, chains, pre-
cious stones, and all adornings  of the head, to
widows and maids they signify marriage :  to those
that have no children, that they shall have them ;  \
and  to those that have husbands and children,
they betoken riches.                             ,
   Foremen or women to dream of combing them-
selves, is  good to both.                         ;
  To be before a looking glass, and to see the ''-
selves according to their true dimensions,  is gor»a
fojr him or her that  would be married.:  to those
that are married, it betokeneth children.           ,
  Of having, or seeing the  forehead of  a liorf,  <
betokens the getting  of a male child.             *
   Of roasted swine's flesh, signifies speedy profit,  i
  Of drinking sweet wine, betokens good succesVJ
fri law.                                       -1
  To dream your head is turned, so that it looks a
backwards,  forewarns  one not to go ov? of hi*  | 
        The  Book of Knowledge.          8v

country and to enterpji.zcno affairs, lest the issue
be bad.   It shews that&ey which  are in a far
country, shall return hojnfLl
  To have ox  horns, or ifry other such violent
beasts, foretells death.
  To dream the knees are strong and sturdy, sig-
nifies journeys, or other motions and operations ,
of health ; but being weak and diseased, the con-
trary.   The knee  signifies brethren and familiar
friends, and sometimes children.
  Of running, is good to all except sick persons,
when they dream  they come well to the end of
the race,  for it signifies,  that shortly they shall
come to the end of their life.
  Of being deposed of estate and dignity is ill to all.
  Of serpents, denotes private enemies.
  Of the arrival of  friends, signifies deliverance
from trouble.
  Of a black coffin, denotes the deatb-of some
friend or relation-
  Of riding,  signifies a sudden journey, but a sud-
den  return.
  Of washing  in the water, denote an easement
from pain or trouble.
  Of a dUease, promises employment.
  Of kisses and embraces, strife.
  To dream of a banquet, denotes poverty 6c want.
  Of one that is dead, denotesiill luck.
  Of s<%re eyes, signifies sickness.
  Of friends'•being dead, denotes them wel!-
  Of money, signifies loss. 
   88         The Book of Knowledge.

                 Dreams in. Verse.
   A MAID to dream,of verdant groves,
        She'li surely have uie man she loves ;
   But if the groves are nipt with frost,
   She'll be as sure in marriage crost.
     A peacock, tells 'twill be her lot,
  , To have a fine man, but a sot.
;     To dream of lambs, or sheep astray,
   Her sweet-heart soon will run away :
     To dream of letters far or near,
   She soon will from her sweet-heart hear.
     To dream of bad fruit, her sweet-heart,
   A fair face has, but false at heart.
     To dream her sweet-heart's at church zealous,
   If she has him he'll be jealous.
     A maid to dream of carts, by strife
   She'll lead, but an unhappy life.
     To dream heV sweet heart will not treat her,
   'Tis we^if she has him, he don't beat her.
     To dream her sweet-heart gives a kiss,
   Instead oF blows she will have bliss.
     If she dreams of bees or honey,
   When wife, he'll let her keep the money,
|;  And be mistress of his riches,
-   Nay, if she will, may wear the  breeches :
   And sometimes life is not the worse,
   Where Grey Mare is the better Horse.
   To keep things right in stormy weather.
   Thong and buckle both together.
     To dream of timber, she'lfbe wed
   To one who'll be a log on bed.
     But she'll be wed, who dreams of fliec,
   To one that will be otherwise. 
                        THfc

       Book  of Knowledge  :
                  TREATING OF THE
    WISDOM  OF  THE ANCIENTS.

                    PART III.

k   The Farmer's Calendar:  Containing, 1st. Perpetual
      Prognostications for Weather.    Id. The whole
      Mystery of Husbandry.  3d. The complete experien-
      ced Farrier, Cowleech,  Shepherd, and SwineJierJ,

    A YEAR is the  principal part of time,  by
         which not only the ages of man and other
    things, but also the times of many actions in the
    world, their beginning, progress,  continuance,
    and intervals, are measured : and is a periodical
    revolution of a great circle of months and days,
*   in which  the four  seasons  of Spring, -Summer,
    Autumn and Winter, are, after one revolution of
    the sun, ordained to return to their courses.
      But there are divers sorts of years, as. say the
    ancients according to  divers nations, which are dif-
    ferent from one another, reduced to the. rule of
    celestial motions.   The year is divided 'qft astrono-
,  '. mical and political  parts.
;  '    The astronomical year is two fold, that is  So-
    lar and Lunar.
      The solar year is the time in which the sun, by
    his proper motion, departing  from one'point of
k   the ecliptic returns  to the same again. And there
 *  is called natural or'syderial.
                         h 2 
 90        The  Book  qf Knowledge.

   1. The natural or tropical year, is the space of
 time in which the sun is departing out of the tro-
 pical, equinoctial, or solstitial point,  and return-
 ing  through  the  ecliptic, returneth to the same
 again.
   This natural or  tropical year, contains  36.5
 days, 5 hours, 49  minutes, 15 seconds.
   The true and unequal tropical year, is some-
 times more, and sometimes less than the equal, by
 6 or 7 minutes; so it increaseth or decreaseth, ac-
 cording to the swift or slow progress of the equi-
 noctial  or  solstitial points.
   2/.  The  syderial year is the  space of time in
 which the sun  returns to the same star, from
 whence he departed; and is  365 days, 6 hours, 6
 minutes, but  in tire seconds there is a difference
 among  authors.
   Now the lunar  year is  likewise two fold;  the
 common, which is 12  moons, or 354 days, 8
 hours, &c.
  The embillismal, which is 13 moons or luna-
 tions, containing 383 days, 21 hours, &c.
  The political and  civil  years, are such as  are
 commonly  used for  the distinction of  times,
 wherein respect  had  either to the  motion of  the
 sun or moon only, or to them both together,  ac-
 cording to the  custom of divers nations.
  The Julian, or  old  Roman year, consisted of
365 days and 6 hours ;  this Julian account, or
year is used by the English, Muscovites, Syrians,
Abassinees, and Ethiopians,  though the names of
months  differ.   It  is  held to begin (with the vul- 
             The Boo',: of Knowledge.         y 1

    gar) on the  1st of January, which is therefore cal-
    led  New-Year's day but according to the state
    accounts, the year being not till the year ; as for
    example: The first day of January next will be
    reckoned  the first day of the  year 1796.  But
    because the state first  account begins,  not till the
 '   25th of March,  they commonly write  the date
<•   double, thus 1719-20 from  the first  of January
    till the  25th of March, after  which  they write
<    only 1720.
      The Gregorian, or new Roman year,  is so cal-
 ',   led because mended by Pope Gregory  XIII corf-
    sists of 365  days, 5 hours, 49 minutes and 12 se-
«    conds:  It begins on our 22d of December, being
y   ten days before the Julian, and is received  in all
L   -countries, as owning  the autliority of the See of
r   Rome, and in some protectant countries also j as
    in six of the seven countries,  Utrecht keeping the
    Julian account.

             fc    I. Of Months.
        THE months by which we measure the year.
         are two sorts,  viz. astronomical, and po-
    litical, and  each hath several divisions ;  astrono-
t    mical or natural,  are  according to the motion of
    the sun and moon } and be either Solar or Lunar ;
    the Solar are the space of time in which the sun
    runs dirough the twelfth part of the  Zodiac, of
   which there are two  sorts, mean or equal, true
   or unequal;  an equal solar month, is  the time in
   which the sun by his mean motion, goeth a twelfth
L  part  of  the  Zodiac, and is always 30 days,  10
I 
i   -92  .       77/e itooX- <?/* Knowledge

|   hours, 26 minutes, 5 seconds,  &c.  But the true
 i   or apparent,  is something to the true motion of
    the sun through the  Zodiac ; for which he is in,
    or near his apogson, the months are longer, but
    when he  is in  or near his perigson, they  are
    shorter. Lunar month's are referred to the moon's
    motion, and  are chiefly three fold,  viz.—First,
    periodical,  which is the  space of time in which
    the moon,  by her motions, goes through the Zo-
    diac, and  is  about 27 days, 8 hours ; secondly,
    synodical, which  is the  space  of time from one
    conjunction to another,  being performed accord-
    ing to the moon's mean motion,  in 29 days,  22
    hours, 44 minutes, and about 4 seconds ;  but ac-
    cording to  the moon's true  motion, it is  some-
    times greater or lesser, by about 12 hours. Third-
    ly, the month of  illumination, or  apparition,  i-
    said to be 28  days,  or four weeks,  it  being the
    longest time that the moon is to  be seen between
    the  change ?nd  change;  lastly,  the political  ,
    months are even and  usual;  as every nation best  \
    please; which differ both  in proportion  and name 'i-

           II.  Of the  Days and Hours.

        DAYS are either natural or artificial; a day
         natural is one  entire revolution of the sun
   about the  earth,  which is performed in 24 hours,
   containing both day and night: and this day the. '  I
   English begin at midnight;  but the astrologers
   begin at midday, or  noon.   An artificial day is
   from sun-rising to sun-setting; differs in length
   .of several  hours,^according to tire sun's place in 
              'The Book of Kowledge.        95

'   the Zodiac,  and latitude of the region ; but in
   unequal hours (called  planetary hours) are 22,
   so that one hour is the i2th part of the day, be
   it long or short,  and the hours that make an ar-
   tificial, are  from 9 to 6 ; that is, 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
   12. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
     I shall now  give some brief directions for the
   knowledge of the weather.

           III. Signs of fair Weather.

        THE sun rising bright and clear, if he drive
        the clouds before him into the west.   If at
   the rising there appears a circle about him, and tt
   vanishes equally away.  If the sun be red. If the
  ' moon be clear  three  days  after the change, or
\ * three  days before the full.   If the clouds appear
   with yellow edges. A cloudy sky clearing against
   the wind.  The rainbow after the rain appearing
   meanly red.  Mists coming down  from the  -hifls
   and setting in the vallies ;  or white mists rising
   from the waters in the evening.   Crows or ravens
  gaping against  the  sun.   Beetles  flying in the'
   evening. Bats flying abroad sooner than ordinary.
   Many flies or grots  playing in  the sun-shine at
  evening.

               IV. Signs of Bain.

     IF the sun be fiery red at his rising. If he shew*
     pale and wan. If the moon, three or four days
  after the change, is blunt at both ends, the thicker
  the more. A ejrcle about the moon.  If the great 
 94         The Book of Knowledge.

 stars be only seen, and they look only dim.  The
 rainbow appearing in  a fair  day, the greater it is
 the more rain.  Birds washing themselves.  The
 chattering of a pie, peacocks and ducks often cry-
 ing.  The owl crying chewit often ; swallows fly-
 ing low ; the working of an insect called a spinnet.
 Many  worms appearing  above ground.   The
 beasts  eating greedily, and  licking their  hoofs;
 The biting  of fleas, gnats, &c. The soot falling
 much  from chimnies.  The sweating of stones.
 A circle round a  candle.  Aches in ancient peo-
v pie's limbs or corns,—Bells heard at a farther dis-
 tance than usual.  Sparks gathering together in
 the fire.  No dew morning nor evening, &c.  All
 these are signs of rain.

        V.  Signs of  Wind  or  Tempest.

      RED clouds appearing in the morning.  Much
       shooting of Stars. The rainbow red.  Black
 circles  with  red  streaks about the moon, stars
 dim and fiery.—Autumnal fair, a  windy winter.
 Clouds flying swift in the air.   Fire burning pale
 or  buzzing.  Ravens clapping themselves with
 their wings.   The high flying of the hern.   Cry-
 ing of svyine.  The  herb  trefoil  looking very
 rough,  jjf

            VI.  Of the  Rainbow.

      THE rainbow  is that bow which the Almighty
       was pleased to place in the firmament, as a
 token for Noah, that he would  drown the earth 
           The Book of Knowledge*        95

 no more.  As to the natural  cause  of it: it  is
 caused by many beams striking upon  a hollow
 cloud, with which it  is soon repelled  and driven
 back against the sun : and thus ariseth a variety of
 colors, by the mixing  of clouds,  air  and fiery
 light together : there it is soon in opposition to
 the sun, for the most part in the evening.

                VII.  Of Bain.

      THE  ancients  describe rain  to be  cold  and
       earthly vapors or humor,  is exhal'd from
 the earth and waters by the beams of the sun, an%
 carried into the middle regions of the air, where,
 by the extremity of the cold, it is thickened in the
 body of a cloud ; and afterwards being dissolved
 through an accession  of heat, it falleth upon die
 earth ; and this is done by  Gon's power, and at
 his appointment, as the prophet Amos witnesseth..
 Amos, iv. 6. and ix. 6.

                VIII. Of  Hail.

      HAIL is nothing but rain congeal'd into ice
       by the coldness of the air freezing thg drops
 after the dissolving of the '-loud ; and the higher
 it comes,  and the longer it taniesJfctthe air, the
 rounder and lesser it is ; we have so^retimes great
 showers of hail  in the heat of summer after a thun-
 der-clap ; which doth manifest, that the air at that
 time is extreme cold, thus  to congeal the water
 therein, notwithstanding the heat' then upon  the
earth. 
9?        The Book of Knowledge.
               IX. Of Snow.
    SNOW (as says the ancients) is of the same hu-
     mor that  hail is, but only looser parts ; and
 therefore in the summer  time is melted into rain
 before it cometh" down.

         X. Of Frost and Dezo.

   IN the day  time, through the heat of the sun,
    there is a cold and moist vapor drawn up a
 little  from the earth ; which, after the setting of
 the sun, descends on the earth again, and is called
tlew;  but if by the coldness of the air it be con-
 geal'd it is called frost; and therefore in hot sea-
 sons,  and in windy weather, dews are not so fre-
 quent, nor so much,  as after a calm and a clear
 night: for when  frosts happen, they dry  up wet
 and moisture; for the ice being melted, tne water
is proportionably less.

              XI. Of  Winds.

       WIND is said to be an exhalation hot anddry,
        engendered in the bowels of the earth; and
 being gotten out,  is  carried sidelong  upon the
 face of the earth,  and   cannot mount  upwards
 above the rnuldle region of the air, which by rea-
 son of its lioness, doth beat it back, so as by
 much strife,  and  by meeting other  exhalations,
 its motion is forced to be rather round than right '■
 in its falling;  and this makes it a wrist-post or  ■
 whirlwind, which oftentimes, by its violence, car-
 rieth mzny things with it from place to place. 
The Book of Knowledge.
            XII. Of Earthquakes.         \

     THE ancients affirm that the cause of earth*
      quakes is plenty of winds gotten and confin'd
within the bowels of the earth which is striving to
break forth, causing a  shaking, or sometimes a
cleaving of the earth, and thereby the  destruction
of many people, and ruin of whole towns and ci-
ties, as the fate of Sicily has but lately shewn us,
by sinking of mountains,  and raising of vallies.
But though what I  have  said may be  the natural
cause of earthquakes, yet doubtless, the final cause
is God's anger against provoking sinful people ;
which ought to make our fears to tremble, lest God
for our sins should cause the earth under us to do so.

     XIII. Of Thunder and Lightning.

     THUNDER and lightning is occasioned by
      the exhalation hot and dry, and being carried
up into the middle region of the 'air, and there in-r
to the body of a cloud: now these two contrarieties
being thus shut or inclosed into one place together,
they fall at variance, whereby the water and fire
agree not, till they  have broken through, so that
fire and water fly out of the cloudlj^he breaking
whereof, makes that noise which we call thunder,
and the fire is lightning ;  which is first seen, tho'
the  thunder  crack  be first given, because  our
sight is quicker than our hearing; for the sooner
the thunder is heard, after the lightning is seen,
fhe nearer it is to us. 
 IJ;  98         The Book of Knowledge.^

         XIV. Of the Eclipses and Causes.

       BY an eclipse, in general, is understood a defect,
        of light happening in some of the celestial
   bodies, and is caused by the interposition of an
   oblique body, and our sight.  Now the opinion of
   astronomers are, that all the planets of themselves
   are dark bodies, hayjng no light but what they re-
   ceive from the sun, but the sun and fixed stars are
   luminous;  whence it will follow, that any planet
   interposing betwixt the sun and our sight,  so  also
   our primary planet coming betwixt the sun and its
   secondary, deprives the secondary of its light, and
   consequently renders such secondary planet unillu-
   minrfted to  its primary.

          II.  Ofjdhe Eclipses of the Sun.

        AN eclipse of the sun is caused by the  diame.
         trical interposition of the moon betwixt the
   sun and earth, which  commonly happens, at the
f.  new moon^or when she is in conjunction with the
   sun; but every new moon doth notcause an eclipse^
 .  because of her latitude; yet the sun seldom escap-
   cth a year together without appearing eclipsed in
   some part  ofj^he earth or other,  because twice in
   one year the sun and one node meet  ; also in the
   conjunction, or new moon, doth*not happen just
   at the sun's passing by the node, but within half
   a degree from the node, he then must  suffer an
   eclipse greater or lesser, according as the  node is
   nearer  or remote from him at the time  of true
   conjunction ; but if the?^neeting  of the sun, and 
             The Book of Knowledge.        99

   either node, happen 'at the very full moon, then
   she shall  totally  escape an eclipse of the new
   moon.
            III.  Eclipses of the Moon.

        AN eclipse of the moon is nothing but her be- ,
         ing deprived of the sun's light, by the in-
   terposition of the earth betwixt the sun and her, ,
   which can never happen but when the moon is at
   full; nor  doth it always Happen  then  because !
   of latitude, for if the sun of the semi-diameter
   of  the moon,  and the  earth's  shadow, at the j
   time of true full,  be more than the  moon's lati- '
   tude, she  will be  eclipsed ; but  if the sun of the
   semi-diameter be less  than the latitude, she can-
   not suffer an  eclipse that's  full; and though
   every full moon there are not an eclipse,  yet  she
   rarely passeth a year together without being eclips-
   ed little  or much, for  the sun pksseth her nodet-
   every year.                             »

        IV.  Eclipses either total or partial.

        TOTAL eclipses are  such as quite cover the
        illuminated  body, and are either central or '
  not, central are when the centers of the sun, earth ,
  and moon being in a  straight line,  or when the
» centers of the sun, earth and moon coincide ; not
  central, are when  the  centers, do not coincide, i
  though notwithstanding they may be total: par- j
  tial, are when the- sun, moon, or other luminon's L.
  bodies are  but partly darkened1.                 },' 
   100       lhejbdoli of  luiowicage.

     Now the moon being less than the earth, much
   less than the sun, eclipses are never or very rarely
   total ; yet if it happen the  moon be perigxon and
'  the sun apoason, an eclipse of the sun may be to-
H  tal; for when the moon's  apparent  diameter  ex-
ii  ceeds the sun's considerably, and her quick and
   perfect shadow reaches the superfices of the earth,
   by which such places that  are situated within  the
   compass of this  perfect  shadow (the diameter
 .'  which is about 300 miles)  do lose the whole light
   of the sun, which has caus'd such darkness, that
  the stars have appeared at noon day, and so dread-
   ful, that the birds have fell to the ground.

   XV.  Of the four Quarters of the  Year ; and
              first of the Spring.
       THE spring or vernal quarter, begins when the
        sun enters.into the Ram or Aries (which is
  with us the tenft day of March, astronomically)
 '  thereby  making the  days  and nights equal to all
   the world, the sun then rising due east and setting
   due west.  This quarter continues while  the sun
 , goes through Aries, Taurus- and Gemini.
    This  quarter is naturally hot and moist ; the
   most temperate in all  the year,  being  both plea-
   sant and healthful, and most convenient for taking
   of physic, either to remove chronical distempers,
   or to prevent them for the  time  to come.
                 II. Of Summer.

       THE summer or festival quarter, begins when
        the sun touches the first minute of Cancer Or 
           The Book of Knowledge.       101

 the Crab, thereby making the longest days and
 shortest nights, to those that  dwell on the north
 side of the equinox,  which usually happen about
 the month of June, after which the days decrease.
 This quarter continues  till the sun hath gone
 through Cancer, Leo, and Virgo.
   This quarter  is hot and dry; for then the sun
 is in full height and strength,  bringing in  perfec-
 tion the productions  of the earth ; the time of ga* i
 thering in the harvest, being  chiefly  in the lasj
 month of this quarter.
                                               i
        III. Of the  Autumnal Quarter.

     THE autumnal quarter begins when the sttn is f
      said to touch the first minute of Libra or
 Ballance, thereby making the day and night again
 of  equal lengch, which is usually upon the 12th
 day of September, then likewise the sun rises due
 east, and sets due west.—This quarter continues
 while  the  sun goes through Libra, Scorpio and
 Sagittary.
  This quarter is generally held to be cold and
 dry, though it  often proves moist and wet ; for
 now the sun withdraws his heat and thereby caus-
eth the falling of the leaves from the trees, whence
this quarter is also called the fall of the leaf.

             IV.  Of the  Winter.
                                              i
     THE winter, or hymenial quarter, begins when J;
      thesun touches the first minute of the tropical $*'
                     i  2                      •■; 
"   102        The Book of Knowledge.

I   sign  Capricorn, which is for the most part about
'•   the middle of December, thereby making the short-
?t  est days and longest nights to those who dwell on
 .  the north side of the equinoctial;  and the contra-
   ry to  those  that dwell on the south-side.  This
   quarter continues while the sun makes his progress
   through Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.
     This  quarter continues cold and  moist, being
   directly opposite to summer ;  for  now the fields
   look barren and the trees  naked.

   XVI. The experienced Husbandman : shewing how to .
        Manure, Plough, Sow and Weed, &c.

        THE  first point  of husbandry is, to prepare
         the ground; the second to plough it well;
   the third  to  dung it well.  The ways of doing
   this are divers,  according to the nature of every
   soil and country.—Only take notice, that all great
  ^fields  are tilled with  the plough and  shear, but
   the lesser with the spade.
     The season  of the year,  and the weather also, is
   to be observed in the ploughing of the ground ;
 !  you must not plough in wet ground ; nor yet after
 ,  very little rain ; that is, if after a great drought,
   a little  rain falls which hath not gone deep, but
   only wet the upper part, for the ground ought to
   be thoroughly mellowed, but not too wet, for if it
   be not too wet, you can expect but little benefit
   that year : you must therefore  observe, that the
   season be neither too  dry, nor too  wet, for much
<l  dryness will hinder it from working well, because
8  either the hardness of the earth will resist the 
           The Book of Knowledge.       iOs

i plough, or  if it  should enter, yet it never will
 break the clods small enough, which will be hurt-
 ful to the next ploughing, but if your first plough-
i ing has been in a  dry season, it will be necessary
 to have some moister in your second stirring, which
 will also make your labor the more.  When  the
 ground is rich  and wet withal, it is to be stirred,
 when the weeds  are full grown,  and have their
\.seeds in the  top, which being ploughed so  thick,
 that you can see where the coulter hath gone, ut-
\, terly kills and  destroys  them;  besides througfi
'. many  stirrings, your fallow is brought to so  fine
(;' mould, that it will need very little harrowing
, when  you sow it; and seeing so much depends
\ upon the well ploughing of the ground, the hus-
| bandman must try  whether his  ground be well
\ ploughed or not,  or otherwise, the stalks being co-
 ' vered with the mould, he may be easily deceived ;
 to be certain, therefore, let him  thrust down a
 rod in the furrow, and if it pierce alike in every
( place,  'tis a  sign the ground is  well  ploughed,
■ but if it be shallow in one place, and deep in ano-
 • ther, the ploughing is  faulty.   If you  are to
: plough upon a hill,  you must not plough up  and
< *down, but athwart,  for so the inconvenient steep-
 ness is to be avoided, and the labor of men  and
 cattle  made more easy, but then  you must be
 careful not to plough always one  way, but some-
 times higher and sometimes low er, working  aslope
 as you see needful.
    As to the season of ploughing, it must be chiefly
 ! in the spring, the groftjd being in the summer' too 
104       The Book of Knowledge.
 hard,  and in the winter too  dirty ;  but in the
 spring, the ground being mellowed, is the more
 easy to be wrought upon ; and the weeds are then
 turned in, and being plucked up by the roots be-
 fore they are seeded, will not spring again, but
 help to  enrich the ground.   And  therefore the
 middle of March is usually the best time to begin
 ploughing.   But yet  if the ground  be  light and
 sandy,  it may be ploughed in the winter,  if the
 weather will permit.  A slender and level ground,
 subject to water, should be ploughed in the end of
 August, and stilted again in September, andpre-
 prep.ired  for so .-.ing about the middle of March.
 The light hilly ground is broke up about the mid-
 dle of September, for if it be broken up before
 it  may be burnt  up by the sun, and  have no
 goodness remaining in it, being barren and with-
 out juice  But  this shall suffice to be spoken of
 breaking up the ground.
   Now if your ground be barren  and cold,  pro-
 ducing store of weeds or rushes, or to bring it to
 a moderate heat, and so make fruitful,  let it be
manured with lime.  The lime stones may be had
 among quarries of stones, and in divers other plac-
es, and you hum them in a kiln, in the most con-
 venient place you have to save the  carriage ;  and .
when you have sanded your ground and hack*d '■
it, make your lime  small,  and  on every  acre
bestow thirty or  forty bushels of lime,  spread-
ing it, and mixing rt well  with  the earth  and
san^; and the stronger-and sharper the lime is 
          The Book  of Knowledge.      105

 the better the earth will  be,  and  you will  find
 your improvement answer your labor.
   And here note, that it is no matter what  color
 your limestones are, whether white or grey, so
 that they be but sharp  and  strong in quality, to
 give a  good  tincture  to the earth, it being the
 strength and goodness of  the  lime, and not its
■ beauty, that produces  the profit.  It is a greater
 help to  a cold, clayey wet ground ;  such grounds
 are also very  much helped by layfng dung for
 any soil that is fattening,  either of cattle,  or  such
 as  is  ca«t out of  pond-lakes, or muddy ditches,
 for barren and hot earth can  never be overlaid
 with good manure and compost, for that warms
 the earth, and it is the  want of warmth makes it
 nnfruitful.
   As for  the hacking  and sanding before men-
 tioned,  the  first  is,  after the ground has been
 turned up with the plough, to go  over it with u.
 long hoe, or hack, and cut in pieces the grass which
 you see turned up with ridges or furrows, or any
 uneven  lumps, that it  may  be dragg'd away,
 burnt, or carried together with the weeds, not to
 grow up again, to incumber the corn.  And land^
 ing it, to bring loads of sand, and lay them in con-
 venient places, spreading them lightly, or thick
 (as you see  occasion) over the  ground, that the
 lime mixing with it, may the better embody with
 the mould, and produce a good crop.
   But beside what I have already mentioned, then-
 are several other ways  of manuring land: I will
 mention some of them; for the husbandman s bet- 
 106       The Book of Knowledge.

 ter information.  But here it will not be amiss to
 take notice, that what will do very well for one
 sort of land, will not do at all for aftother; and
 therefore in manuring of land, regard must be had
 to the nature of it:  As for example ;  for a clayey
 ground, lime and sand  is excellent to manure it
 with, but for a barren sandy ground,  good marie
is much more  proper.  If it be asked,  What this
marie is P I answei, it  is a rich cliff clay, an enemy
to all  weeds  that spring up of themselves, and
gives a generative virtue to all seeds that are sown
in the ground.   It is of a  glewy substance, ia
quality cold and dry,  and was earth before  it was
marie, it is nothing but a rich clay of divers co-
lors, according to the strength of the  sun and cli-
rr> tte where it is produced.  This is so  good a ma-
nure, that well laid on, it will enrich the barrenest
ground for ten years, and some for  thirty.  To
find it, take an auger whimble, made  to hold ma-
ny bits, one longer than another, till you have tri-
ed, by drawing the earth into one place, then pro-
ceed in the most proper  places till you have come
to the  marie, and the properest places are  in the
lowest parts of high  countries,  near the brooks
and lakes, and in the  high parts of low countries,
upon  the knolls or little  hills,  and  in  the
clefts of steep banks,  or branches in hills opening
themselves -,  in some places it  lies detp,  in
others  shallow ;  and commonly barren and  sandy
grounds are  verged  with it,  lying  very  deepJ
Having found it, dig  it  up in great  lumps,  and
lay it in heaps a yard  distance one from another, 
          The Book of Knowledge.        Wt

 and when it is dried,  spread all the heaps.----
' Many mix the marie with the sand ; but because
■ this is  not so easy to  come  at, I will speak of
 others more general, that will  enrich  any poor
 land or city for grain,  with less trouble and cost
 than before.
   Woolen rags are very profitable for manuring
 and enriching of land, a sackful and half being
, sufficient for dressing  an acre of arable ground.
 The way of using them  is to  chop th^m very
 small,  and spread the«i an equal thickness'over
 the land before the fallowing time, and then com-
 ing to  fallow, let the plough take them carefully
; into the ground, and cover them.
    Shavings or waste  horns, or hoofs  of beasts
;' are very good to manure land withal;  scatter the
'• shavings in the same manner and plough them in
 after  heat.   These will keep die ground  in like
 quality as the rags, for five years together, with-
 out any renewing.  The  hoofs of cattle are ap-
 proved of for this,  and may be had of trotter and
^tripe-men, &c. and must be used as the rags and
 shavings.  Soap-ashes, when   the  lye has been
 drained from them, is of excellent use in this iase,
 and has besides the property of killing weeds and
 insects  that breed in the ground, and eat up the
k corn.   The  hair of beasts enriches land, being
" strewed and ploughed in,  and there let lie to rot.
i. Also  malt dust is much available to this purpose
* allowing  three quarts of it to  an acre.   And to
 enrich your  dung or lay-stall, is to throw often
 beef broth, and ether  waste  broths upon it, as 
] (jS      The Book of Knowledge.

also soap suds ; and in so  doing one load will be
worth three of the same kind that  is not so used.
But this shall suffice as to manuring of ground.
   In sowing of your seed  let your grain be the
best, and scatter it  according to the art of good
husbandry, and let your sprinkling be a medium,
not  too much, nor too little.   But to make the
seed prosper the better, steep it in thick slimy wa-
ter,  that drains from dunghills,  and if no such is
to be had near at hand, steep cow-dung in water,
and soak the seed in it; wheat will be well soak'd
in 18 hours ; barley in  36  ; peas in 12 ; but rye
and oats may be sowed dry, for that agrees best
with them.
   But when the  seed is sown, all is not  done;
you must take care to prevent the designs of those
that will make void all your  labor, and defeat
your hopes, or else, though you have sown your
corn, you shall never see it come up; rooks, crows
and daws, are great devourers of  grain, who will
be sure to be  about you  when you go to sow -t
to keep these at a distance, shoot  some of them
and hang them upon pcles in divers angles of your
field ; stick their  feathers along the ridges of the
land :  lay  trains  of gun  powder and  blow  the
powder up, .or let it lie scattered in the  most fre-
quented places, and the scent of it will make them
forsake the field, especially now and then shooting
a little : you may  also take great numbers of them
by placing strong thick brown paper, twisted taper
wise, like those on  sugar  loaves, in holes of the
earth, the broaditop coming even with the ground, 
              The Book of Knowledge.       109

i    bird lime the inside, and scatter some grain in it,
    and then the fowl putting in his head  to  take it
    out, the paper so limed will  stick  close, and rise
  -  widi him, when' being blindfolded, in  amaze he
    will fly up  a great  height, and  will  fall down
    again, so that if you be near at hand, he may
1    easily be taken.  Also the scattering nux vomica,
    mingled with paste, if taken by them, (as seldom
'    mhses) will make them so sick, that they will
    forsake the field.  If you lime your corn, they will
    forsake it;  and so they will, if it  be  steeped in
\-  water wherein wormwood has been boiled, or in-
t    fused ; or else sprinkling your corn with the dregs
l   of bitter oil, and it will do the like, making them
    cast it up sick, and  not  desirous of any more:
;  .  and these, with hanging bunches of feathers oh
|    lines or sticks, that the wind may dangle and twirl
    them about, may help to preserve your corn when
\ ■  newly sown ; and this last also may be used when
1 '"■.  it is ripe.  But these directions relate only t<j fowl
    who, notwithstanding all you can do, will be sure
    to come in  for a share with you.
'        But there are other destroyers  of your corn be»
     sides birds,  which you must likewise take care to
    ' destroy; among which are the pismires or ants,
!     who will do a great deal of mischief by biting off
     the chits or sprouts, so that  it will never grow,
     but rot in the ground. To prevent this, search the
•"   corn-fields  well, especially under the hedges, and
'     the roots of old hollow trees, or on  the tops of
     hills cast up ; and if you find them there, put your
     iirned water ^vo-.v^ and hot among them, present-
                            K 
  110       'The  Bouk  of Knowledge.

  ly after sun-setting, and it will destroy them.  For
  want of lime make a lye of wood ashes and it will
  do the same, though not so effectually.
    Another devourer of corn, are your droves of
  great black beetles, which lie under the clods, and
  in sprouting time do much mischief: To destroy
  these,  make  smokes in the field, in a still night,
  or when there is a little breathing wind that may
  carry it over the surface of the ground,  with  wet
  rubbish or mouldy peas straw, hay, or such like,
  and  it  will kill them, or  chase  them out of the
t  ground; for they are  of all other creatures, the
'greatest enemies to smoke, and can least endure
 it.   But if your ground be limed, or if you  sow
 lime among your corn, you may trouble yourself
 with them  ho  farther,  for  if they bite where the
 lime has touched,  it,kills them.
    The next vermin to  be destroyed is field rats
 and mice, and water rats also,  for these destroy a
 great deal of grain, which to prevent, and ruin
 them, find out their round holes whenSthe field is
 bare, and put hemlock seed into them, which they
 will eat, and it will kill them, the sprinkling of
 juice of hellebore in them,  will also do  the like :
 But that which I prefer above the rest is,  to  beat
 common grass very small, mix it with a little cop-
 peras, vitriol, and coarse honey, and make it up in
 pellets, and scatter it in their haunts, in the mouth
 of their holes, or other like places, and the scent
 will draw them from ail parts,  and once eating it
 they'will certainly  die.   This also  may  be used
 in  granaries and barns, for other rats and mice*
 with good success> 
           The Book of Knowledge.        111

   Slugs and snails are another sort of deyourers,
which  do much mischief to corn and peas just
sprouting up ;  to kill these,  the best thing is soot
or lime,, sprinkled thin over the ground, for touch-
ing it they will die.
   Grasshoppers also do much injury,  by feeding
on the  leaf and blossom of corn and  pulse, from
the first to the last:  These are not easily destroy-
ed, the best way to get rid of them, is, by sprink-
ling corn with  water wherein wormwood, rue, or
centaury has boiled, till the  strength of them are
taken away by  the water : and if they bite where
the sprinkling happen, they will die.  The scent
of any bitter thing  being offensive  to  them, that
they are never found where any such things grow.
  Moles are another vermin to be destroyed, fox
they are in a double regard destructive to corn ;
that is, in eating the roots, and rooting  it up ; not
making distinction  of any sort,  and tasting  all
alike ;  there are divers ways of taking them, but
not so  easily when the corn is well grown, for then
they do the greatest mischief, when their  tracts,
or casting up their hills,  cannot be discovered so
easily ; however, you must do as well as you can;
and when you see them casting, or moving in therr
tracks, strike the-m with an iron of many spears :
or dig pits in their track,  and  set earthen  glaz'd
pots, which they will blindly  fall into, and cannot
scramble  out;  or fill an earthen jug with pitch,
rosin and brimstone, with  some loose tow  or rag,
and firing it, clap the  neck to the mouth of the
hole, and the a^r in the earth  drawing in the scent 
    11 w'       The Book of Knowledge.
■
    to a great distance, will stifle them ;  or mix jui e
    of hellebore with rye meal, scatter little bits in the
    furrows, and finding it in their way, they will
    greedily eat it, and die.
      Having  shewed you how to destroy such ver-
•    min as are devourers of corn, it will now be ne-
i    cessary to say something about weeding your corn
    when it is sprung up ; for weeds are very  offensive
    and destructive to corn, hindering its  growth, and
    choaking it up.
      When the corn is sprung up about  a foot above
    the ground, those sorts of soil that are apt to pro-
    duce weeds, will  require your lopking after to
>■    root them out: If they be thistles, or such as are
     freat and offensive, they must be taken away with
     ooks and  nippers,  cutting them off close by the
    roots, or rather pulling them  up by the roots, if
    you can  do it without breaking the ground, so as
    to bring  corn along with them..  The nipper may
    be made w ith two long pieces of wood  rivetted,
 .   to be opened like a pair of pincers, with saw-teeth
Ij   closing in one another,  that they  may take  the
j';   surer and  firmer  hold  without slipping.  And
\    these weeds may  be much  hindered  in their
l    growth,  by sowing t^o bushels of bay salt in an
    acre of land, as you do your wheat: for though
    it is a friend  to corn, in making it prosper and in-
!   crease, yet  it  is an enemy to the weeds, and hinders
|   their growth.
it 
           The Book of Knowledge.       11.3

2. How to turn  barren  Lands into  good  Pastures
                and Meadows.
      HITHERTO I have been speaking of the or-
      dering of corn, I come now to speak of en-
riching the earth for meadow and pasturage. And
this  is two ways, viz. by watering  and manuring
it.   And  for this  use, the lower the ground lies
so it be not subject to overflowings, or too much
wet) the  better it is, and the sooner  made good.
Consider in the next place, what kind of grass it
naturally  produces, whether clear and  entire or
mixed with that of worse growth, the first is best;
but if it be of a worse sorty intermixed with this-
tles, broom, and offensive weeds,  then grub  and
pluck them by the roots,  clearing  the ground of
them as well as you can, then dry them, mix them
with straw, and burn them upon the swarth of the
ground, and  spread the ashes upon it, then fold
your sheep upon the ground for several nights,
that their dung may increase its strength, and their
feet  trample upon the grass ; then  scatter it well
over with  hay  seeds,  and go over them with a
roller, or beat them with a flat shovel, that they
may be pressed into the ground to take root; then
over these scatter  hay, or the rotting of hay  un-
der stacks, or the sweeping of the barns, or moist
bottoms of any hay that has  been good, and is
moist, and of no other use,  then spread on your
manure, as horse dung, man's odure, or the dung
of any beast, which being  thinned ,and the clods
well broken,  let  it lie till the new grass spring
through it: but do not graze it the  first yrar, ]e« 
114      The  Book of Knowledge.
 the cattle tread it up, not having yet taken very
 good root:  but mow it, that it may have time to
 come to perfection ; and though the  first year it
 may prove short and coarse, yet the second it will
 be fine and very long, and  in great plenty.   And
 dressing it thus but once in twenty years, will con-
 tinue it for  good meadow or pasture, especially
 if in  dry seasons you have  water to relieve  it,
 which may be  done by bringing springs through
 it, or gathering the violent fallings of rain into a
 ditch on the other side of it, or, by any.other con-
 veyance according to the situation of the ground ;
 on the ascending part, to overflow it so long that
 it soak deeper than'the roots of the grass, to con-
 tinue its moisture for the nourishment of it for-a
 considerable tin^e.   And here note, that the best
 season for watering of meadows is from the be-
 ginning  of  November to the  end of April, and
 the muddier or more troubled the Water is the bet-
 ter, for then it brings a soil upon the ground ; and
 this generally  happens after hasty showers, and
 great fluxes of rain.  And if you have ms.ny fields
lying together, especially in a descent, you may
 make a  conveniency in the uppermost, to pen up
the water till it is very u ell soaked ; and then by
a sluice or breaking down of a dam, let it into the
next; and so, by a small addition of water, trans-
mit to many.      v
XVII. The experienced Farrier and Cowleech, &c.
  containing gIktc  a Hundred approved  Receipts 
The Book of Knowledge.      J 1.5 *
   and Medicines for the cure of all Distempers  in
   Cattle, as Horses,  Kine, Sheep, and Hogs ; with
   Directions how to find and know what  their Dis-
   eases and Infirmities  are.
 h T70R a galled back, take honey and unslack-
   X?  ed lime, btat, put it in a linen cloth, bind
 it close,  and lay it  in  the embers all night, then
 strew it on the galled place ; but if it bleed, strew
 thereon a little verdigrease,  and old shoe leather
 burnt to  ashes.
   2- For a bruised back, take a good quantity
 of roacli  allum burnt, two handfuls  of barley
 burnt, mix them, and put  them upon the sore
 morning and evening, but if the sore be corrupt
 and  full of dead flesh, then use mo/e of the af-
 lurn than barley ; if it  begin to heal, use more of
 the barley powder than allum; if  you have no
 allum, take butter  or verdigrease, melt  it very
 hot,  and pour it on the sore twice or thrice a day,
 and bind a little hay thereon, that the horse may
 not rub  it off: if it swells keep it warm, dip a
 wad of hay in water, lay it on the sore, ind keep
 on an  old saddle.
  3. For a broken  wind, take  boar's dung, and
powder it, and pour a good quantity  of it into
milk lukewarm; give the horse a quart every third
 day, and in four or five times it will cure him.
  4. For a hoarse cough, take five or six eggs,
and lay them in sharp white wine vinegar, till the
shells be somewhat  soft, then fling them down his
throat, and it will cure forthwith.
  5. For the belly-bound, take good  wort, and 
 116       The Book of Knowledge.

 so much soap as an egg, mixed together, and give
 it to your horse to drink.
   6. For the bots, take a good handful of egrimo-
 ny, and make the horse eat it early in the morning,
 and keep him fasting for a pretty while after it.
   7.  For the hide-bound, take fenugreek, turme-
 ric, anniseeds, bay-berries, liquorice, and cummin-
 seeda, of each a little quantity, beat them to pow-
 der,  mix  them well together, and give him  a
 spoonful in ale or beer at a time, blood warm, and
 this will cure him speedily.
   8. For a canker, take a handful of salt and burn
it black, a penny worth of bole armoniac,  a half-
penny worth  of allum, and a handful of sage, boil
all these in a quart of chamber lye, till one half
be wasted, wash the horse therewith every twenty-
four hours,  and after you have washed the sore
five or  six times,  then take a little turpentine,
wash it  in clean water, put to it a little powder of
brimstone,  and a little honey,  boil  them  in the
same water,  and  wash the sore place therewith,
and it will cure him.
  9. In the mouth, take red sage and rue, of each
a handful, half a pound of allum and burn it, or
honey  and white  copperas, of each two  penny
worth, boil these in a pint of white-wine vinegar ;
then take  the third  or fourth feather of a goose
wing, put a strong thread fast about your  finger,
dip it in the water, and wash his nose therewith ;
and if he snorts up the feather, the thread will
pull it  back.   This will heal it  in  three  weeks.
Also you may (if the time of the year will serve) 
            The Book of Knowledge.       111

  boil in your vinegar a  little handful of ribwart,
  bitony, and dazies, which is very good.
    10. For a green wound, take white wine and
  warm it,  and wash the wound all over, then take
  turpentine, honey of roses and wat, melt them to-
  gether, and stir them  continually till they incor-
*.,porate.   If it be a cut, put tow in it, and fill it;
  if it be a  hole, make tents and put into it.
    11. For  a festered  sore, take lime, tow, and
  horse dung, temper them well  together with pep-
  per and the white of an egg, lay it to the sore for
  the space of five days,  and it will heal it.
     12. For a shot or stake, take sallad oil, turpen-
  tine and bees-wax, of each a penny worth, and so
  much rosiri as an egg, boil all these together, and
  sprinkle on them a little verdigrease, then  make
  clean the wound, and make tents, and put them
  into  it.
  0^13. A  good drink, take pulus diapenthea, two
1  penny worth, armiseed and liquorish, in powder,
  of each a halfpenny worth of sack a quarter of
  a pint, and a little sallad oil, mixed  together,
  warm  them blood warm,  but no warmer, then
  give it to the horse with a horn to drink, and let
  him stand tied with his  bridle  awhile after.
     14. For the  haw, or horn in the  eye, to help
  your horse  yourself, if you cannot have a famer
  to do it,  take a cord (for want of nippers) v.:th a
  stick, and twitch his nose very hard, and hold him
  fast, then take the upper lid of each eye,  and with
  a needle  and thread give it a  stitch  to the top ot
  the horse's ear, and' underneath  the eye-lid you 
  i 18      The Book  of Knowledge.

  shall see a skin with a large gristle or horn, which
  with a sharp penknife, you may cut  out; but be
  careful in cutting it too much ;  then take a little
  small beer or ale, and spurt it in to wash it, and
  it will help him.
    15.  For the pearl in the eye,  take  the juice of
  salendine, the juice of ground ivy, and woman'**"
  milk, mixed together, and squirt it into the eyes
  as often as you think fit, till it goes  away.
    16. For itching and burning  in the eyes, take
 rose water, plantain water, myrtle,  houseleek and
 flower water of tutia prepared,  of camphire, of
 stuse without opium, and the whites of roasted eggs
 of each three  grains; set the water on the fire till
 it  be hot, and beat them so for  the space  of
 three or  four hours, then strain them,  and keep
 the liquor in a brass vessel well stopped ;  apply
  this to thecprner of the eyes.
   17. To cure a fistula,  when you are certain it
 is so, scald it with honey and sheep's suet, for that
 will keep it from bleeding ; then slit the nether end
 of the sore, and put in so  much mercury as a pea,
 it being well abated with sallad oil,  lay it on with
 a feather; then take a penny worth of verdigrease,
 one halfpenny  worth of red-lead ;  beat all these
 together,  then  wash the sore with water made of
 copperas, elder  leaves in  summer,  but with  the
 inner bark of elder in winter:  and after the wash-
 ing, put the powder on the sore, and drop in some
 sallad oil.
   18. For a fistula in the head, take the juice of
houseleek, and dip a lock  of wool in it, put it Jr. 
            The Book of Knowledge.       119

 liis ear, and bind it fast, observe to do this once a
 day, and it will help him.
   19. For a fever, let him blood in the thigh, in
 the middle vein, some four fingers breadth under
 the rowel, or  else take the vein in the neck, and
 afterwards give him a drink.
   20. For a farcy, take tanner's  oufe, and beef
 brine, boil them well together, skim them, then
 put in the powder of salt-petre, and wash there-
 with as you see occasion,  till it be cured.
   21. For  the glanders,  take twenty  cloves of
 garlic, four quarts of  ale, and one penny worth
 *of sallad oil, peel and beat the garlic,  and  mix
 them together, and give  it  him to drink ; then
* take a pan of coals and strew on them the pow-
 der of brimstone, laying it  in a little wet hay,
 and hold  it under the horse's nose in a funnel, that
[the smoke may ascend to his nostrils, and perfume
^him  well with the same, and then ride him forth
 (till he begins to sweat,  and set him up warm, and
 an hour after give him  meat.
   22. For galled thighs, wash them with the wa-
 ter of roses, plaintain,  myrtle, and the leaves of
 mallows, then anoint the  place with unguentum
. popilion.
   23. For a strain or stroke, take flower of linseed
'. turpentine, and lie-honey, of each a like quantity
 boil them  all together  with white wine,  till they
 be thick,  like  anointment,  then sprt ,d  it on  a
 cloth, and lay  it  to the  grief, and .t  will take
 away any pain in the sinews.
I   24. For  a hot nnposthume, stamp liver-were 
 120      The Book of Knowledge•,

and hog's grease^ then mix it hot, and lay it on
the sore  place.
   Or for imposthumes in the ears or head, take a
penny worth of pepper beaten to fine powder, a
spoonful of swine's grease,  the juice of a handful
of rue, two spoonfuls of strong vinegar, 'mix all
well together, renewing  it once in two days, till
tire swelling goes away.
   25. For a cold imposthufne, stamp balm, mix
it with hog's grease, and lay it in the manner of
a plaister.                      ,
   26. The mare's evil,  take oatmeal,  mallows,
v. ormwood, horehound, and smallage, wring them*
together and boil them till they are soft;  then lay
it to the grief, and it will bring it to a head,  then
lance it,  and take red-lead, bole  armoniac and
rosin, beat them  well together, and lay it on the
place.
   27. For.the menage, take one pennyworth of
May  butter, a  halfpenny-worth of  brimstone in^
powder,  and the  juice of hemlock, and boil them*
ail  together ; then with an old wool-card scrape
away the hairs,  and lay on the medicine cold,
where the menage is:  then with a warm bar of
iron or fire shovel, put to it easily, and in three or
four times doing  it will  cure him.
   28. To help an over rid  horse that forsakes his
meat :  Wash his mouth with  vinegar and salt,
and he will feed after a while.
   29. To help a poor horse in flesh:  Give him
two penny-worth  of horse  spair,  in one penny-
worth of ale, and doing this two or three times, it
will make him recover his flesh. 
          The Book of Knowledge.      -  Ji21

  30. For a horse that is pursy, take  the powder
of gencian at the  apotheearies,  give him  some of
that in water or ale, and it will help him.
  31. To staunch blood take the scrapings of the
outside of a pottage pot that you see the meat in,
lay it on the  bleeding place plaister-wise, and it
will staunch the blood forthwith.
  32. For the scratches, take English honey, ver-
digrease, and the  powder of brimstone, beat them
well together, and wash the place very clean and
then anoint'it all over.
  33. For the ring-bone or spavin:  It grov.eth
With a hard knot between the knee, the hoof and
the hair ; wThen you  perceive it, burn it with  an
hot iron,  and anoint the hair about with neat's-
foot oil, and it will help it.
  34. For the staggers, take one penny-woith of
turmerick, anniseed, long pepper beaten, and sallad
oil, of each one  penny-worth,  give him this to
drink,  rowel  him in the forehead, and put  in a
piece  of nutmeg ;  then take a spoonful of aqua
vitse, and a spoonful of salt, put it into one of  his
ears, and so likewise in the other ear,  and  bind
them up for  the space of  twenty-four hours  to-
gether.
  25. For the pole-evil take running water and
chamber  lye, of  each a quart,  put therein a pint
of salt, and boil them till  they come  to a quart.;
then boil them in a little wad  of hay,  and  after
you have strained it, apply  it very hot to the sore.
  36.  For a  prick, take turpentine,  tar, pitch,
3^d beef suet, of each a dram, and one head of
                       L 
122       The Book of Knowledge.
garlic ; boil  all these  together and lay  them as
hot as can be suffered, and if it chance to break
out about the hoof, anoint the place with the same
stuff, and it will draw and help it.
   37. To help a horse that cannot stale, take beer
anniseeds, and sallad oil, of each one penny worth,
and elecampane, give it him to drink,  then draw
out his yard, and wash it with butter and a little
white wine vinegar, two or three  days together,
and it will give him ease and cure him.
   38. For the strangles,  or strangullion, take
crumbs  of dry  bread,- bay-berries,' or of the
leaves in powder, temper them with May butter,
and give them in little balls three  days together,
and it will cure him.
   39. To help any swelling, take hemlock, stamp
it and mix it with sheep's dung and vinegar, and
make of it a plaister, and apply it to the swelled
place.       .1
   40. To cure any swelling in the leg : Mark the
ground where the said leg or foot doth  stand, and
with a knife or other thing, dig up a turf or piece
of earth just where the leg or foot did stand, hang
the same on a white thorn, if it be  summer, or dry
weather;  if it be winter or wet weather, hang it
in your  chimney, and as the turf or earth drieth
so shall the swelling cease.
   41. For a broken bone, or joint out:  you must
first bathe  the grieved place with  warm patch-
grease, then  put about it a  binding plaister  of
pitch, rosin, mastic  and sallad oil, well mixed to-
gether, and  melted on the fire ; then fold that 
           The Book of Knowledge.       123

limb  about with  flax, then splint it with soft,
broad, flat, strong splints, but  remove them not
for fifteen days together, except the towels slack-
en, and then you may strengthen them again ;
yet it  is a  good sign ; if it swell, and the roller
grow  straighter, you  may give  it ease,  it being
bound too hard ; and thus dressing it every fifteen
days, the bone will knit ; and if any gross matter
appear, bathe it twice or thrice a-day.
   42.  For the yellows, chop sallendine  and rue
very small, mix it with fresh butter and sallad oil,
give it him, let him blood in the forehead.
   43.  To  skin sores,  take melted  butter  and
strew upon it the powder of rosin a day  or two ;
then take two spoonfuls of, very thick  cream, and
with the soot of the chimney make a paste thereof,
and spread it upon the sore.                 4
   44.  To  cause  a stomach, stamp  garlic  and
pepper together, give it to  him ; then  rub his
teeth in salt, tied in a clout to a stick, and thurst
it into  his jaws, and let him chew upon the bridle
awhile after it.
   45.  For splinter or spavin,  take mercury, or
white  arsenic ground to  powder,  then make a lit-
tle slit the  length of a barley  corn,  to the bone
on the top of the raising up the skin  with a cor-
ner, and put in  as  much mercury  or arsenic as
will lie upon the slit,  and tie up the horse's head
to the rack, so that he may not bite the sore place,
for the space of two or three hours ; for then  the
anguish  will be over,  and so let him fall to his
meat.   It will rot and go away of itself,  and you 
124        The Book of Knowledge.

may heal the sore with the former salve prescribed
in the 43. cured-
   46. For a loose hoof, take bees-wax, hog's-grease
and turpentine, of each a  like quantity : melt
the wax, and hog's grease, dissolve the turpentine
into it, and stir it well together, then put it in an
earthen pot to cool, and with the same anoint the
corner of the hoof, and putting wheat bran unto
it, boiled very hot, and stop it in the hors's feet,
helpeth a fretele or founder.
   47.  To repair a broken hoof,, take twelve heads
of  garlick and bruise them, of rosri and  allum
each two ounces,  mingle them with half a hand-
ful of  ass's  dung, then boil them together,  and
anoint the hoof therewith.
   48.  For a gall  or hurt with the saddle, that
doth swell; seethe an onion in water, and so lay
it  as hot  to his back as  can be suffered, bind it
fast and it will assuage the swelling.
   49.  For the vives, take a penny-worth of Eng-
lish honey, a handful of violet leaves, and stamp
them together, and it will cure without fail.
   50.  To help all cramps,  take pease grease or
patch grease, and  wine vinegar, a like  quantity,
boil it, and being melted very hot, with the same
bathe twice  or thrice a  day,  and exercise mode-.
rately, before and after  dressing it; it  will  not
only take away his  pain,   but also remove  alt
swellings  or cramps whatsoever.
   51.  To cure worms,  or  bots, take hartshorn
and savin, stamped or chopped together, mix it
with good strong  vinegar,  and give it to drink ; 
          The Book of Knowledge.       125

or with your hand wash his fundament with brine,
or with the water of germandine, it will give him
ease presently.
  52. To  help  a  tired horse;  pour a quart of
good  wine  or ale  down his throat, and it will
very much refresh  him.—If your horse in travel
fall suddenly sick, where no town is nigh, alight,
and with a knife or bodkin prick him in the roof
of his mouth, and make him bleed,  suffering him
to chew and eat his own blood is a cure  to him-
self.        '
  53. If a horse in halting bow not his hoof, min-
gle hemp  with the  white of an egg, and  stop the
foot under the shoe ; but if it be a wound, put in
the powder of oyster shells and verdigrease, to
dry it up,  or the white of an egg with soap  and
vinegar.
        II. The experienced Cowlecch.
1. XT OW to know and help a cow that is like to
   J7X cast herself: She will look hollow-eyed,
and pine ; take the grounds of ale and the powder
of cinnamon, liquorice and ginger, and give her to
drink.
  2. For a cow that has cast her calf;  take grains
and long  pepper,  of each  twopenny  worth in
powder, and give it her to drink in milk.
  3. For a cow that has calved and cannot glean;
take a quart of good ale, boil and  skim  it well,
then put in a handful of the flower of barley malt,
and o-ive her to drink in a warm mash.
  4 ^To keep calves from worms; when trou-
                     l 2 
1   126       The Book of Knowledge.
;
;   bled therewith they will run  up and down, and
j   not stand still in a place, but quiver  and shake,
'   and hold  their heads  toward their  side ;  take
;   southern wood, or wormwood, a.id bruise it with
   dry figs and flitches, and make a paste thereof,
   and put them into the throat.
     5. For weaning of calves ;  take  five  branches
   of tansey,  five branches  of rosemary, and sprigs
   of mint, stamp them, and give the juice  to drink,
   with four spoonfuls of good verjuice.
     6.  To increase milk; take sugar-candy, cin-
   namon, and strong drink, and give it to drink now
   and then.
     7-  To help  the beasts that  cannot piss :  take
   and bruise cardus benedictus,  then strain it with
   white wine, and so give it to drink.
     8.  For the  cholic ; take the  powder of  one
   penny worth of ginger, and so much of  the pow-
   der of liquorice, give it in a quart of milk,  and
   it will help her.
     9. For  loss of cud ; take half a pint  of urine,
   bay  salt and wall  earth, of each a handful,  mix
   them well  together, and wash  the roof of the
   mouth; but pull out the tongue and force some
   down.
     10. If a cow be bruised, she will  piss blood ;
  take perriwinkle, comfrem, hart's-tongue,  and
  blood wort chop  and stamp them  in a  mortar,
  wring out the juice and give a little thereof at a
r  time in rennet to drink.
;     11. For a gore ;• take  ashes finely sifted,  and
:   mix them with the grounds of ale or beer,  and 
            The Book of Knowledge.      12*7

  make it thick like butter,  and so lay it thereon,
  use this and it will heal it.
     12.  If a  cow have the fret, her milk will  go
  away,   and she  will lie  with  her legs along;
  take a little dandaiion  and groundsel,  and boil
  them well in good strong ale, then strain out the
  liquor,  and give it her.
%    13.  For a beast  that cannot dung :  take hay,
  seethe  it well,  stamp it, and strain-the liquor, and
  put into it fresh grease and soap, and give it..
     14.  If the«beast be sick of the gall, and ready
  to  burst;' take a pint  of stale  ale, one penny
  worth  of ox gall, and a handful of salt, mix them
  together,  and give it to drink,  and it  will cure
  forthwith.
     15.  If a cow's gall do run, she will scour and
  hang  down her ears;  take sallendine,  turmeric,
  and rennet,  boil them well and strain them, then
  give it lukewarm. .
     16.  If a beast be grieved in  the  lungs, it will
  be hoarse, short winded, and hang out the tongue ;
  take a pint of stale ale, a half penny worth of bole
  armoniac beaten,  of henap-seed and long-wort,
  of each a handful, beat them well together.
     ] 7.  If  a beast be sick of the murrain, it will
  rattle in the throat:  take a pint of stale ale, long
  pepper and grains,  of each  one halfpenny wort,
  of fenugreek, a farthing worth, beat them well,
  and mix  them together,  and give it  warm  to
  drink.  Or-you may let them be let blood in the
  nostrils, and give  him sugar-candy, cinnamon,
  and turmeric, beaten and put in milk. 
    128        The Book of Knowledge.

      18. For the staggers; take cloves  and fennel
    seeds, beat them to powder, and with milk give it
    the beast to drink, and then let him blood.
1      19. If be?stsbe maw-sick their eyes will settle
[    in their heads, and they will groan much, and
    pine away ; take a pint of milk, a spoonful of tar,
''    a half-penny worth of honey, mix  them together
    and give it to the  beast to drink warm.
      20. The more-evil, is known by the staling of
    blood; take more-water  and more-grass, other-
    wise called rosa solis, chop these herbs small, and
    give the beast a dishful three  or four times a day.
      2l. The tangen, and-what it is : It is a disease
    known by the swelling of the tongue, or by a bleb
    thereon, it maketh them rough furred  in  the
    throat, and to swell.   To cure it, take a handful
 i   of dry mole's earth, prick the bleb with the point
    of a knife, then rub the root of the tongue about
    the bleb very well with the earth, and cast some
    urine  into the beast's mouth.
      22. A purge for cattle.   Let the beast blood
    in the neck vein,  then take a quart of ale, boil it
    and skim it well, then take it off and put into  it a
    spoonful of the juice of garlic,  and as much tar,
    then take sugar-candy, fenugreek and brimstone,
    all beaten to powder, the quantity of three spoon-
    fuls ;  brew all together with the ale, till it be cool,
    putting in a quarter of a pint of sallad oil, so give
    it to the beast to drink fasting, and after it chafe
jjj  it to and fro for a pretty little while.
i"1    23. For the asprung ; take a running water,
fi   leaven and salt, rub their mouth and nostrils there-
H   with, and break the bleb under the tongue. 
            J lie Book of Knowledge.       129

'     24. For  the dry-root; take legwort, sallendine
   and bay-salt, of each a:> handful, and four heads
   of garlic, stamp all these together,then take a quar-
  , ter of a pound of leaven, a little dishful  of soot,
   work. \t with the other things,  then take a quart
   or less c good  ale, in two spoonfuls of  mother,
   one penny worth of long pepper beaten, and  give
   it the beast  to drink, and. then chafe her up and
   down an hour, but keep her from  water five  or
   six hours after.       .  .
     25. For  the itch-  With old urine and ashwood
   ashes make a strong lye, then to a pint of this lye
   put tar, black soap, copperas, pepper, brimstone,
~  boar's grease, staneface, plantain, of each a like
   quantity, as much  as will make  the lye  a thick
 ,  salve, and with the same anoint all the sore places,
•   and it will kill and heal.
     26.  For  a beast that has eaten venemous herbs ;
\   a good handful  of wormwood, chop it very small,
   put it into a good quantity of ale and give it the beast
   to drink three or four days together,in the morning.
     27.  For  the garret in the  maw :  take  a good
   quantity of whole mustard seed, and mix it with
>'   wine or strong ale, and give it to the  cow.
     28  For the canker i11 the mouth ; take wood-
;  bine leaves, sage salt  and plantain, of  each  a
   handf d, boil them well  in a quart of running wa-
   ter, with half a pint  of honey, and a pint of good
   strong vinegar, mixed together, wash the beast's
   mouth oncea-day.
     2<J.  For infirmities in the eyes ; take an egg and
   gut out half the  white, then fill it again with salt, 
130      The Book of Knowledge.

and roast it on the embers so long that you may
beat it to powder,  then mix  that  powder  in a
spoonful of  water of eye bright, and as much of
the juice of houseleek, washing  the beast's eye
twice or thrice a day, if it does not help them,
bleed in the temple vein.
  30.  For inflammation in the eyes ; take south-
ern wood, and bruise it with vinegar, and lay it to
the eye ;  for a sore eye, spirt beer therein, or chew
the leaves of ground ivy and drop it into the eye,
with the juice thereof, with the powder of ginger.
   31.  For a  cow  that hath the wither ; take
the more of the flpwer-de-luce, wash them close,
stamp  them well, and mix it with a penny-worth
of long pepper in powder,  make thereof three
balls of the bigness of an egg,  and give the beast
one in  drink for three or four days together.
  32.  To make a cow take bull;  give her of  the
herb called cow-make, which groweth like a white
gillyflower  among  corn,  two hours before she
shall take bull, if she should refuse the bull.
  33.  Against the biting of a mad  dog; take
garlic and put it into  a linen cloth, then chafe and
rub the bitten place therewith.   Or take root of
great bur, bruised with salt, laid to the place, it
with help man or beast.
  31.  To fasten teeth : first prick his gums  be-
neath on both sides, within and without, and the
gums above with the point of  a knife, then take
a ". hetstone  or rough pebble, rub the gums there-
with, and make them bleed : so done chafe them 
          The Book of Knowledge.      -1151

$'ell with suet, and they will fasten again, or rub
them with sage and salt.
  95. How to geld or cut a calf: you shall cause
one to hold down his forepart or legs, then bind
his hinder legs with some cord half a yard asunder,
let his feet  be bound, and let the said holder set
both his knees on the cord,  nigh to his legs,  and
so cut him gently, and anoint his flanks with some
grease, then rub his flanks with cold water mixed
with salt, and he shall do well.
  36- Against hide-bound ; take and stamp the
leaves of the flower-de-luce, then strain it widi
good ale, arid so give it them warm.
   37. Against-pissing of blood, or bloody-flux ;
if this disease be newly begun you shall  take a
frog, and  cut off his left leg, and so put him
alive in the beast's mouth ; but then you must have
ready a handful of salt mixed with a pint of good
strong ale, and so soon  as you can after the frog,
give the beast to drink and make  him swallow
down all together.
   But if your beast have continued  long,  then
shall you  take  of sharp tanner's  oufe with old
Marclemas beef, mixed and well stirred together,
and then give it to the beast,

         The experienced Shepherd.


 l  T^OR the sheeP that have tbe sta2Sers' §ive
   X* them one penny-worth of treacle, one race
of tumeric, and one penny-worth of English saf-
fron, all mixed together. 
 '\ 32      The Book  of Knowledge.

   2,  For sheep that make red water;  take  a lit-
 tle piece of roach  allum, a  little piece of butter,
 mix  it together, and give it them as you see oc-
 casion.
   3.  For the scab and  itch, take tar and  fresh
 grease, of each  a like quantity, mix  them well
 with  the juice of chervil! and a little brimstone,
 make a salve, and  anoint the sore place therewith.
   4.  Looseness of teeth, and grief of the mouth;
 take salt, sage, and earth, of each a like quantity,
 beaten together, and' rub. the -mouth and gums of
 the sheep until you make them bleed.
   5.  For th* general rot, or water in the belly ;
 take sage, tansy, holy  thistle, horse mint, worm-
 wood-flowers, rosemary,  rue, plantain, dill and
 lungwort, of each a like quantity, beaten in the
 mortar, then  strain out  the juice,  and to five
 spoonfuls of it, put into  a  pint of honied water
 boiled, with two spoonfuls of the powder of  bay-
 berries, long pepper, liquorice,  and anniseed, of
 each alike ; then taken from the fire, put in two
 spoonfuls of good salt,  and as much sweet butter
 as a walnut,  stir  all together, and give it to the
 sheep luke-warm, in a horn, to drink morning and
 evening rubbing the mouth very well  with  salt,.
 is a certain and approved cure.

        IV. The complete  Swineherd.
 !• "C10R tne murrain, or garret; take gun-pow-
   Jj  der, bay-salt, bole armoniac, and garlic,
beat them together, with  a knife  make a hole be-
tween their claws, put in the quantity of a hazle 
              The Book of Knowledge.       \Z'A

   nut, and  let them  blood under the tongue, or in
   the shoulder-vein.
      2. For scurf or manginess ; let them blood in
   the tail, then take black soap, brimstone, vinegar
   swine's grease and honey mixed together, of each
[   a like quantity, anoint the swine all over with it,
'   having first  rubbed  off all the scurf and  filth
   wool-card.
      3. For  a  sow  that  eateth her  pigs;  watc
   •the pigging,  and take, the least or worst pig, and
■,   anoint it all over with the juke of the her.b called
   stone-crop, -and give  her to eat, and she will ne-
   ver do the like again.    • '
      4. For the measles,  or   pox ; let them blood
 '  under  the ears, or  in the tail,  then bind the sore
   with the bark of green osiers,  then take an ounce
   of treacle,  the  juice  of  wormwood,  liver-wort,
   and gall-wort, half a pint, of red oaker and hen's
\   dung, of each a handful, and of barley-meal three
   handfuls, mixed, with a bottle of urine and honey
I  all together, put it into two gallons of sweet warm
   wash,  and gtve it to  the swine to  drink, and
1  anoint all the sore places with boar's grease, and
f  brimstone, mixed together.
END OF THE FOURTH PART.
M 
134      The Book of Knowledge.


The true Form  of all sort  of Bills, Bonds.
   Indentures, Letters  of Attorney and Li-
   cence, Deeds,  Bills of Exchange, S(c.

             A Bill with penalty.

     KNOW  all men by  these  presents,  that I
      John Jenkins,. of the town of Milton, in the
county of Suffolk, and. commonwealth of Massa-
chusetts, victualler, do.acknowledge myself indebt ■
ed to Martin Moneyman,  of Roxbury,  in the coun-
ty and  commonwealth'aforesaid, grazier, in the
sum of twenty pounds of good and lawful money
ef Massachusetts,  to be paid unto the said Martin
Moneyman, his heirs, executors, administrators and
assigns, in or upon the 29th day of September next
ensuing the date hereof, without fraud or further
delay : for and in consideration of which payment
well and truly to be made and done, I bind myself,
my heirs, executors, and administrators, in  the
penal sum of  forty pounds,  of the like lawful
money, firmly by these  presents:  In  witness
whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal
this twenty-fifth day of March in the year of our
Lord 1795.            JOHN JENKINS. Q
  Signed, Sealed, and Deli-
     vered,  in presence of
     ■  Titus Testimony,
       Andrew Affidavit.
  Note. The Mark ©, in this and the forms sub-
sequent, represents the seal, which in this, and in 
           The Book of Knowledge        135

all those  which  it appears, ought to be affixed ;
the person who executes  any of them,  is, in the
presence of the witnesses, to take off the seal (that
is die instrument with which  the impression was
made) and then taking the paper or parchment,
in his or  her  right hand, is to pronounce these
words ; / deliver this  my act and deed for the pur-
poses within, mentioned.
                 Note, of ones' Hand.
 I PROMISE to  pay to Mr. Robert Rich,  or his
    order the sum of five pounds, five months after
date, for value received, this, fifth day of March,
1795, by           PETER; PENNYLESS.
             A Bond from one to one.
     KNOW all men by these presents, that I Abra-
       ham Darmell, of  the town of Boston, in the
county of Suffolk, and Commonwealth of Massa-
chusets, gent,  am  held and  firmly bound  to John
Melver, of the said town,  Esq. in the sum of fifty
pounds of good and  lawful money of Massachu-
setts,  to be paid to the said John Melver, or to his
certain attorney, his executors,  administrators,
or assigns ; for the  true payment whereof,  I bind
myself, my heirs, executors and  administrators,
firmly by these presents, sealed with my seal.—
Dated this twenty-first day  of January, in the
year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and
 ninety-five.                       #
   The condition of this obligation is such, that
if the  above  bounden Abraham Darmell, his heirs,
executors, or  administrators, do well  and truly 
 If> j       The Book of Knowledge.

 pay, or cause  to be paid,  to  the above named
 John Melver,  his executors,  administrators, or
 assigns, the full sum of twenty-five pounds of good
 and lawful money of Massachusetts, on the  twen-
 tieth day of August next ensuing  the date hereof,
 with the lawful interest thereof;  then this obliga-
 tion to be void, or else to remain, continue, and be
 in full force and virtue.
            ABRAHAM .DARMELL.   0,
        Sealed and delivered iit the presence of
                            G«OR<5E  NEEDY.
                            THOMAS TRUSTY.
               A general Release..,
     KNOW all me'ri by these presents, that I Peter
      Peaceable of Boston, in the county of Suffolk,
and  Commonwealth of Massachusetts, tobacconist,
have remised,, released, and forever quit claim to
 William Winter of Roxbury,  in the county  afore-
said, fish-monger, his heirs, executors, and  admi-
nistrators, of all  and all  manner of action  and
actions, suits, bills, bonds, writings, debts,  dues,
duties, accounts, sums of money,  leases, mortgag-
es, judgments by confession or otherwise obtain-
ed,  executions,  extents, quarrels, controversies,
trespasses,  damages,   and demands whatsoever,
which  by law  or equky, or otherwise  soever,  I
the said Peter Peaceable, against  the said  WilUair.
 Winter,  ever had, and which I, my heirs, execu-
tors or  administrators, shall or may claim, chal-
lenge, or demand, for or by  reason,  means or
colors, of any matter, cause, c* thing whatsoever,
to the day of the date of these presents'. 
The Book of Knowledge.       137
  In  witness  whereof, I  have hereunto set my
hand  and seal, this 5th day of April, &c.
                PETER PEACEABLE. ©
         An Indenture of  Apprenticeship.
     THIS Indenture witnesseth, that Richard Rey-
      nolds,  son of Robert Reynolds, late of Boston,
in the  county of Suffolk, hath put himself, and by
these  presents doth voluntarily  put himself Ap-
prentice to Charles Carpenter, .housewright, of said
town,  to learn  his art, trade, or mystery, and af-
ter the manner  of an apprentice to serve him from
the day of the date hereof,' for and during the
whole term of seven years next ensuing :  During
all which time, he the said apprentice his master
shall faithfully serve,  his secrets keep,  his lawful
commands every where gladly obey.  He  shall
do  no damage to his  said master, nor see  it be
done by  others, without  letting  or giving notice
thereof to his said master.—He shall not  waste
his said master's goods, nor lend them unlawfully
to others.  He shall not  commit fornication not
contract matrimony within the  said term.  At
cards, dice  or  any unlawful game, he shall not
play,  whereby  his said master may be  damaged.
With his own goods or the goods of others, du-
ring the said term, without  licence of his said
master, he shall neither buy  nor sell.
  He shall not  absent himself day nor night from
his  said  master's  service  without his leave; nor
haunt ale-houses, taverns  or play-hflfcses: but in
all things behave himself as a faithful apprentice
ought to do,  during the said term.   And the said
master shall  use  the utmost of his endeavors to 
  J.38       The Book of Knowledge.

  teach or cause to be taught and  instruct the said
  apprentice, in the trade and mystery he now pro-
'  fesseth,  occupieth or followeth ;  and procure and,
!  provide  for him the said apprentice, sufficient meat,
  drink, apparel, washing and lodging, fitting for
  an apprentice, during the said term.   And for the
  true performance of all and every the said cove-
  nants and agreements, either; of  the said  parties
1  bind themselves  .unto the other by these presents.
  In witness whereof, they have interchangeably put
  their hands and seals,, ctais. sixteenth day of March,
  in the year of our Lord, 1795.   .
               A  Letter of Attorney.  ■
       KNOW all  men' by these presents, That  I
        Charles Careful,  of Boston, in the county of
  Suffolk, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, apo-
  thecary  (for divers considerations and good causes
  me hereunto moving) have made, ordained, con-
  stituted  and appointed, and by these presents  do
  make, ordain, constitute and appoint, my trusty
  friend William Wagstaff of Milton, in the county
  aforesaid, gentleman, wj true and lawful attorney
  for me and in my name, and to my use, to ask,
  demand, recover or receive,  of and from  A. B.
  of Roxbury, in the said county,  the  sum of forty
>,  pounds ; giving and by these presents granting to
  my said  attorney, my sole and full power and au-
*  thority, to take, pursue and follow such legal cour-
;  ses,  for  the recovery, receiving and  obtaining of
  the same, a^^pnyself might  or could do, were  I
  personally present; and upon the receipt of die
.  same., acquittances and other sufficient discharg-


i_______________________________________________________________________________ 
            The Book of Knowledge.       139

  es, for me,  and  in  my  name, to  make, sign,
  seal and. deliver ; as  also, one or more attorney or
  attorneys, under him to substitute or appoint, and
  again, at his pleasure  to revoke ; and further to do,
  perform, and execute for me, and in my name, all
  and singular thing or things, which shall  or may
  be necessary, touching and concerning the premi-
  ses, as fully, thoroughly,  and  entirely, as I the
  said Charles Careful,  in.my own person, ought or
  could do in arid about the same; ratifying,  al-
  lowing, and confirming, whatsoever my said at-^V
  torney shall lawfully^ do; or; cause to be done, in
  and about the execution-of the premises, by virtue
  of these presents': In witness whereof I  have here- ,,
  unto set my hand and seal,'the sixth day of MarcV
  in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hun-
.  dred and ninety-five.
                  A Deed of Gift.
       TO all people to whom these presents shall
        come, I George Generou,s  do send greeting.
  Know Ye, That I the said George Generous, of the
  town of Worcester, in  the county of Worcester, brick-
'■  maker, for and in consideration of the love, good-
  will, and affection which I have and do bear to-
*  wards my loving sister, Sarah  Sorrowful, of the
-  same town and county, widow  ; have given, and
  granted, and by these presents do freely give and
  grant unto  the  said Sarah  Sorrowful,  her heirs,
  executors, or administrators, all and singular  my
  goods  and chattels,   now being in  represent
1  dwelline-house, in the town aforesaid,  known by   -
  .the nafle of Fisher's Figgary ;  of which (before 
 i 40        The Book of Knowledge.

 the signing of these presents) I have delivered her,
 the said Sarah Sorrowful, an inventory, signed with
 my hand, and bearing even date, to have and to
 hold all the said goods and chattels in the said pre-
 mises or dwelling-houses,  to her the said Sarah
 Sorrowful,  her heirs, executors; or administrators
 from henceforth, as her and their proper goods and
 chattels, absolutely without /any. manner of condi-
 tion. In witness whereof, I-have hereunto put my
 hand and seal, this■ (OJrday of March,  1795.
                  GEORGE.  GENEROUS.
   Signed, Sealed,  and'dklivefect. • •
        in the presence of . :
   Daniel Drayton'.    '. •     •  .
   Aaron Atkins.
   Note. This precedent  may  be extended to the
 giving away  of  cattle, corn,  house, or land  if
 not entailed,  &c. but the  particulars  must  be
 named, &c.
             Of  Bids  of Exchange.
    BILLS  of Exchange are either inland or fo*
     reign.  The inland bills are drawn by one trad-
 er in one city or town, upon another of another ci-
 ty or town, in the  same kingdom; as London upon
 Bristol, or  Exeter upon  London,  &c.  and these
 chiefly concern our shop-keepers and wholesale tra-
 ders, either of town or country, and the foreign
more immediately concern the merchants.
   Bills oOSxchange, if handsomely drawn, must
be writteRft  a fair hand, on a long piece of paper,
 about three inches broad,  and  writ in form after
 the following precedent. 
           The Book of Knoxdedqe.       .  H-

          A BILL  PAYABLE AT SIGHT.
                  London, 5th. January,  1795.
      AT sightjiereof, pay to Mr, Gregory  Greedy,
       o.-.his order,  the sum of Fifty Pounds, for
 value received  of Christopher Cash j and place  it
 to account, as per advice from
              > Your humble servant,
              •  .  DANIEL DRAWBILL.
   To Mr. Peter Pane' *•■*]>: Grocer, .
       in High-Stre,     **•!.->•
   Note. A Bill at          table three days after
 the acceptor.seeth        *


   The Wheel of Fortune, and what is meant by it.

        HEN any desije to know a question, state
         any number not exceeding  30, to that let
 the number of the day be added and the first letter
 of your name, which perhaps may prove a figure
letter, and let the number be  divided 'by three,
and  if the division  comes out even, then expect
a good issue of what, you require, whether relat-
ing to love, business or the like; but if  broken,
and odd, then the success will be bad, if not al-
together unfortunate.

Several Queries resolving  in Matters  of L-i-ve and
  Business,  by throwing  a Die,  or  priding at  a
  Figure,  after the Form and Rules  of the jul/ow-
  ing Table.
       HAT number you throw, or what number
        or letter vou prick upon, they being cover-
w
w 
142
The Book of Knowledge.
ed with a piece of paper, through which you must
prick, go to  the  same number and letter in the
following solutions, for a true answer.

          The Fortune  Table.
A.-m*f4.|5|e


rx=i ^i'^i h M e
j^j 'to wAtf* &W of a husband a Widow or Maid
                 shall have.
A HANDSOME youth be sure you'll have,
      Brown hair, high nose, he'll keep you brave.
%• A ma - unto thy lot shall fall,
   Straight but neither short nor tall.
3. An honest tradesman is thy lot,
   When he proffers  slight him not.
4. Fair, ruddy, bu3h-hair  is thy love,
   He'll keep thee well, and call thee still his dove,
5. A widower, tho' rich thou'It marry.
   You for a husband won't long tarry.
G. Proper and gay will be the man,
   That will thee v ed, my pretty Nan.
      Whether a Maid shall have him she loves.
    BE not too  coy, he is your own,
      But thro' delay he may be gotta 
         The Book of Knowledge.      ' i  143

2. He of your wishes does not know,
   He'd soon comply if it were so.
3. Come set thy heart at rest I say,
   He will but plunder and away.
4. Fear not, thy neighbor is the man,
   And he will have thee if he can.
5. Show him more kindness he will speak,
   His heart with silence else will, break.
6. Sigh thou no- more,, he iocs relent,
   And his. incorst;ficj  T^er^. t  ,'  .

  How many Tiasbu uds -ifou.inay. expect, SCc.
     COME,  in the town thon first sfialt wed,
      A stranger next shall' grace thy bed.
 2- With one well lov'J thy life shall be,
   And happy days in marriage see.
3. The stars three husbands do presage,
   And thou shalt die in good old age.
 4>. Wed thou betimes,  or else I fear,
   Thou wilt notmuch for wedlock care.
 5. Too much pride will make thee tarry,
   Yet after all that, thou shalt marry.
 6. Accept the ring thy love dpth give
    For long in wedlock he'll not live.
    Whether it be best  to Marry or  rat.

      DON'T fear, thy husband will be kind:
       And it is one shall please thy  mind.
 2'. If he be of complexion fair,
    For thee that man 1 do prepare.
 3. Come never fear it will be well,
    Or say I can no fortune tell. 
144
7 he Book  of Knowledge.
4. Pray lose no time, for if you do,
   Age will come on, and you may rue.
5. If this match slip,- you may long stay,
   Then take kind will without delay.
6\ Cupid commands thee now to do't,
   Then pr'y-thee make no more dispute.*
 
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