Book II

170
ry, with fome bandfulls of Salt added to ir, or fix or feven £ggs 5 and thus they ufe to correct all the faults of the wine and to reftorethe tafte and colour as they were at firif. And though fome of thefe are not very hurtfull; yet artificial! wines are alwaics worfe than naturall wines, and are not fo whotefome.
CHAP. X L I X.
PrediBions of T empefts by the touch of Sea-water^ and what if inter Thunders fore -ft ew.
I Oft obferved as I patted in a Ship to the farther Shores, by putting my hand into the Salt-water, that^he Sea-wa¬ ter was lukc-warm, which thews three daies before-hand that 'a Tempeft is comming, with ftronp winds and ftorms. For when in the deep Sea that is far from us , whence the floud comes to us, there hath been a tempeft, the Sea-water fhaken and totted grows hot, as our hands do clapt together , and fo the tempefts come roling along unto us , and the waves rife to a mighty heighr.
So when the Spring comes. Southern tempefts bring forth hearbs and grafle , by the motion and agitation of the Ayre thatcaufcth heat. Likewife if in Winter it Thunders and Ligh¬ tens, and the Ayre be hot with frequent corufcations, it fhews that a tempeft will follow, and Whirl-winds will arife and winter Tb*n- caufc great floods in the Ocean. Winter Thunders foreftiew dersforefhew Tempefts.
remftfis. For when that diftemper of the Ayre is totted befides the fea-
fon, and contrary to natures order, there muft needs be fome vio¬ lent caufe that moves thofe tempefts $ for I never obferved any fuch thing but the next day grievous tempefts arofe and inunda¬ tions in many places. For thunder and 1 lghtning are ordinary in Summer, as alfo burning Feavers, which if they come in Winter, it muft proceed from fome vehement caufc, whifh the contrariety of the fcafon could not hinder. To which purpofe is that of &ip~
^ pocrates.Thofe are not fo danger oujly fick that fallfick of a difeafe that U
fuitable to their nature, age, cuftome^or to the feafon of the year , as thofe are that are fick without any of thefe fircumftances.
chap;
J
Chap. 5 o.
Children are delighted with heautifull things.
CHAP. L.
Children are delighted with heautifull things , and cannot away with the fight of old wrinkled women, and therefore they are not to he put to lye with old women in their beds, and much lefSe to lye at their feet in the bed.
THere is no mortall wight, that is not allured with heautifull
and pleafant things; but above all others, children and Ailmenl young people, who being lively and waggifh, do greedily look on pitafllnhTnls, fire-torchts, lights, fquibs, and all flaming things ; and catch at all alluring fpeechcs that cheer the mind, and make the fpirits moreadive. Wherefore froward children are never better made quiet, than with fongs, or when delightfull fpedacles are prefen- , ted unto their eyes, which their fiery vigour, and acreal, and clear iubftance effects, whereupon they fear the dark, and cannot away with deformed and horrid fpe&acies. So when fome wrinkled or children can- warty old wife carrieth a young child in her arms, and folders it old
in her bofome, at the very fight of her the child will cry and fly back, and if any women that are more beautilull and well ador¬ ned fland by, the child will lean toward one of them, and reach out its arms unto her. Wherefore they do unadvifedly that hire crabbed and tefty nurfes to tend their children, or put them forth to old women to bring up, who will chew the meat and put it into the childs mouth. For when they commonly have an ill-fented The breathe/ and corrupt ft inking breath, all this ill lavourthat comes from them the children partake of ; and thence they are of a wan dark colour 1 ‘ n lM' and Weefill colour, and contra# many ill things from them, cfpe- cially if they lye on the lower fide of the bed with them, or at their feet.
CAAP. LI.
How it comes to pajse that children , women with child, Priefls , and fuch as lead a folitary and fedentary life, are of all people fir ft inf eft ed with popular difeafes, and with the Plague.
I Find by experience that when popular and contagious difeafes
fpread abroad, fuch as are wont to wander here and there in Jnta?U Summer and Autumn, that thofc are fooneft fick that are very ohs difea/af young, and weak and of moift conftitution. As children, young people and females, and fuch as live idly and fleep much, and lo heap up much excrements. For thefe are fooneft expofed to dan¬ ger, and fooneft take hold of the contagion of difeafes. For £s a A pmiie taken very fine well-polifhed Looking-Glafle, and all clean things are froma^taf et * iooneft clouded and ftained with grofte vapours, and as fire fooneft takes hold of light ftraw and chaff, and dry fuel; for what is fql$
Bb 2 ' is
172
Divers documents of nature.