L. C. xoo.’

•yjV Stow ■■■ *) V
222
Of the fora and effetts of the Moon . Book Hit.
nefle, Poles, and to many other dettuxions, and Cacarhs, efpecially Uie perfons fuch as are idle, and fit much,and ftldome labour or cxercife,upon fubjea to ca- wisonij t>y reafon ©f abundance of humours,- the Moon doth more I die people fib. forcibly fhew her ftrcngtii. S© that thefe above other men are ex* ieii t0 tlf*s pofed to her motions and effl& s. For Porters, Seamen, Carriers, Momep *• Husbandmen,and many more that labour much, and who by native heat augmented and rowfed,doconfume fuperfluitics if there be any- are leffefubjc&to the inconveniencies of this Scar, and donoc greatly feel the force of it. Yet that 1 may difeover what I have proved and obferved by long experience, 1 will (hew what force the God of nature,who makes all things for our ufe, hath given to the Moon, bertdes that clear light, ihc borrows from the Sun to give light to mortals in the night time. Moreover I will fhew by the way what incrcafe fbe gives to Shel-fifh, Oyfters, Cockles, h,uHAc^%, plants, Corn-Trees. Fliny+from ArifotU^ maintains that in the French Seas, no living creature dieth but when the Tide goes forth ; which opinion as I dare not contentioufly contradid or difallow; yet I do certify to all men, that all things do not exactly anfwtr that opinion : fince I have feen fome by the motion and afpeft of the Moon, when the Sea was coming in, to dye ; but moftmen when the Sea goes out.
For in the low Countries thofe that live by the Sea, as I have pro¬ ved it, ufe to dye after a diverfe manner, according as the humours Tat people ere abound in them. For fome by the courfe of the Moon , by whofe rttSHfio™.* motion thc Sea is driven, when the waters flow , others when they ebb, either recover or dye; the humours and Spirits beingeirher tofledor quieted by thc motion and afpeft of this Starr ; So in de¬ nouncing toe Crifis , that is, in giving judgment of life and death upon all thofe, that I obferved to be troubled with difeafes from fullncfle of humours, or wi th inflammation of the Lungs , Pleurc- fie, Quinfeys, Apoplexies, Lethargies , and Flcgmatick difeafes* andDropfies, whofe bodies do fwell, and the moyfture chokes them , I pro .ounce chat when the Moon is at the full , and when the tide comes in , thofe perfons will dye, or elfe the mofl of them, according to the condition and nature of thedifeafe, will fuffer fome manifert alteration , by fudtien breaking forth of fweat, or blood, or evacuation, and flux of humours that abound j>?) bodies dye in fome part; then I give my judgment, that helical people, that *■**#«* ** is^uch asare Ican an old decayddecrepicpcople will dye when the tide goeth forth, and the Moon is hid. And the greater or lefle caufe there is in the body of fullncfle or want of humours, they dye thefooner or lacr. So they that are fwoln with water , or have full and fat bodies , if they lye tick of a dangerous difcafe,’that comes from fullncfle of humours, they dye presently when the floods rife, and the Moon is either new, or in the full $ fome when the waters are in the mid*ft Sound people fo between both, and others dye when it is full high water. On the rContTaty drY bodies, lean, rtravlings, wan, bloodletfc, wafted pco* the Mm" ° pte dye eafily,when the tide gpeth ou c.and the Moon haftech to the
Weft
Ch2p.i.
Of the force and ejjeBs of the Moon . 23*
Weft. Some of than, as they fail in ftrength, dye about the mid¬ dle ©f the tide * others when the flood is gon , and the Haven is empty. And not onely fick mens bodies are affe&ed with thefe externall caufes; but alfothofe that are found, feel the forces of the Moon’s eftedts : but the more any man declines from a fc und tem¬ per, the more is he fubjedt to pains , and to the change of the Ayre and of the Moon , efpecially when in fuch bodies there are vicious humours. So when the Moon is in the firft quarter, or when (lie is full, and a cold wind blows, the Mufcles, Membranes, Nerves,
Pannicles, tendons Wax ftiff, and being contra&ed and wrefted , they endure fharpe pains. Thus muen of the Moon’s force and efficacy, and of the motion of the Sea , which let no man think to be vain, or old Wives Fables, and fo reject it 5 for there is nothing more certain than this, or more confonanc to truth : for experience confirms this, andreafon makes it good, even in things inanimate and that want fenfe^ For the hairy skins of feal-Caivcs taken off , 'i'he ttatirt of will grow ftiffe, and the haire will ftand upright , wheji the Sea h*ir
comes in ; and when the Sea goes oy t they fall down againc, and ^ MU this Pliny fpcaks of. We obferve, the like in fame land'Creatures that have four feet, whereof mo ft of them hunt, for their food upon trees; for Sabel and Erniins skins, if they belaydinthe bottom of a Chcft,and other Cloaths laid thick upon them, afrer three days , more or lefle, they will come to the top, efpecially thc$abci skins ; for chat Creature being adfivc, and rcftlefle ; tne like mo¬ tion up and down, almoft remains in the skin taken off , chiefly when it is pulled off, the North wind blowing, and it is exceeding cold and dry in Winter.* For if you take off any living Creatures skin in Summer as from Coneys, Panthers, Leopards, Lynxes,
Bienas, Cats, Foxes, Squirrils, Weefils; Ferrets, Pole-Cats , and cteatitrp* many more, of which wc make coverings to ufe in Winter, for the moft part the hayrs fall off, bccaufe the roots of them do nqt fticlt fa ft, the skins being loofe and the pores open 5 hence it comes that Cloaths lined with fuch skins, are foonerfpoiled with Moths, be- caufe they were taken off at an unfeafonabie time of the year.
Wherefore they do not wifely , who in fummef when the South- wind or South- Weft-wind blow, lay forth theirMattreffes, Cover- . lids, Hangings, Tapiftry, and their beft wearing apparel , laid up for feftival days , and for bravery, which St. c jfrathew calls marri¬ age garments, to beayred in a Southern ayre, and not by the *** North-wind ; and expofe them in a moyft feafon. For covers and prhatwiu fe skins, and Cloaths grow hard in a cold dry time, and become bet- de/ Mothsfrm ter ; bccaufe this way are Worms, Moths and all Creatures that ** deftroy Cloaths , or that eat and wear them abolifhed, and con- fume. For cold and dry is good to prefer ve things, and often fhak- ing and beating of them, to fliake off all dttft and filth from them.
And whatfoever is kept in Cheftsor Trunks, and is never moved , nor ventilated and ayr’d, will ftink and grow fordid and mufty,and fuffer wrong, and be much worfe continually. Alfo they muft not tieatofthebed at night be laid upon ones bed ; for the fweat that comes from m^essifm the
our ***•
8
22^. Of the force and effeff of the Moon. Book III I.
our warm bodies that are wet with it in the night, when we fleep, is fucked up by our Cloths and Garments that cover us, fo that being moyftned by this warm exhalation coming forth, they re¬ ceive matter for corruption. For hot and moy ft is fit to breed fil- what quality' thy vermine, hence in Summer when the ayre is warm, our Cham- bnedlwomu bers,Houfes, Parlours, Dining-rooms, Kitchins, Chefts, Cellars, Butteries, Gardens, abound with Snails, Worms, Wiglice,Flyes3 klufhand’bo- Gnats, Catterpillars, Hornets, Wafps,JSeetls, and our todies with dies are troubled. Lite and Nits and Fleas, which are Idle feen in Winter , and do
with vermins.* ^ us {q much.
Wherefore all thofe ruffe, and hairy Beafts, and fuch alfo as have a tender and foft skin, whereof rich skins and coverings are made, live rather in cold than in hot Countryes, and , thereupon their haire (beds the lefTe,becaufe their skin is more con¬ tracted , and their hide is more condenfed and bound up by the cold : fo that it holds the hayrs the fafter , that they will not foon fall off, or flye away.
TeHnd full of So in Zealand in the very entrance allmoft of the Oce-
C onies. an, there are abundance ot Coneys to be feen , where¬
with all Brabant is furnifhed after the Winter folftice , till the be¬ ginning of the Spring ; and there is no fmall number of Hares , of an unufuall bigneffe , the flefh whereof is fweet and wholefome, and (as fome ridiculoufly triflle) will never take Salt. But they run here and there in the fmall mountains, and amongft the fandy hills ; fome part whereof lies oppofite to the North , or WefternSolftice, not by Art, but naturally 5 fothat by rea- fon of the cold Ayre , and drineffe of the fand , they are moft wholefome, and very nimble, far beyond thofe that conies fed mtb are fed and fatted in coops , efpccially if they be fed
mans blond are with mans bloud ; as I have heard that fome Chirur-
not wholefome. gions have done in divers Nations; that when they opened a
vein to bleed the fick; they gave the bloud to fuch crea¬
tures: and this will wonderfully feed them, and fat them, but they are unwholefome, and hurtfull to eat.
Wherefore wild ones, that run up and down as they lift, wandring here and there, are the moft wholefome to be eaten, and their skins are thicker, and their hair grows fafter and clofer to their hides.
CHAP.
; i
Chap. 2.
Of the Iflands in Zeland.
225
CHAP. II.
Of the Iflands in Zeland, And of the nature of people there , and their Conditions , c Manners ^ Original ; and what great benefits the land of this fruitfull Countrey ajjords to ftrangers, in a jhort and clear defer iption : wherein , by the way , the memory of things done is rubbed up , and many naturall caufes are explained.
STIncc the Countrey of Zeland affords fo many things that are ► ufefull for life, and for the good of other Nations 5 I wonder that fo many people fhould fo undervalue this Countrey, and de- fpifeic. For,befides the gallant and huge high Bay-trees (that I may begin from the fruitfulnefle of the ground) which are full of great fhining berries, of which they have none in Brabant : befides the efficacious and wholefome hearbs,fome fit for curing difeafes, others to be eaten j befides the moft white Salt, that is made by the induftry of the Citizens : befides Madder, the French call Ga- ranfa , and we Meedecrapy that is fit to give a lading colour to cloth, that will penetrate into it : befides wheat, than which there is no whiter, nor hea-vier in the world: befides fo much fait fifh, and fifh dried in the wind : befides the infinite ftore of fifh that is brought in daily frefh, and is difperfed through all parts of Europe : there are fair Cities built, and gallant houies, well furnifhed with all houfhold ornaments, fo that all things every where, are cleanly and beautifull to behold, which the moft illuftrious King of Spain, ‘Philip Prince of the Low-Countries, did exceedingly wonder at, in fpecial, and fo did his Lords and Courtiers that were about him. To thefe we may add the commodity for Havens, and fafe places for Chips to ride in, where every Nation comes, and they are moft fit for failing to any part of the world they pleafe to fee forth for, nor do they want able Marriners and Pilots, for that work, who have failed over all the fecret parts of the Sea, But how fat and rich the ground is, and how fruitfull the fields are and what great heards there are of Cattle and fheep, hard ly any man will believe but he that fees it} as alfo the moft plentiful pa- fture land to fat cattle with, notonely within the hills and ram- parts, but alfo without near the Sea -fhores, in the very creeks of the Ocean, where there wander up and down fomc millions of cattle that are a great profit for Merchants, and vaft gain; and they are notonely greater than ordinary, but very dainty mear, by reafon of the ground and grafte, which affords them luch vvholefomc fodders, that ftrangers are exceedingly taken there¬ with j fo that Pettifoggers, that is fuch as are given to follow controverfies, can gratify Advocates and Procurators no better with any bribes (excepting Gold) than when they prefent them with a Zeland weather, that hath a good fleece, to ftore their Kit- chin with ; for then they take the bufinefle to heart, and follow th|caufehard : and if a grcaPfheeps-milk-Checfe that is green,
I i be
The fruit fut- oefsof Zeland.
Madder and Allum makes 4 fa(l colour up¬ on Cloth*
The tleanlinejfc of tbeZehn- ders was very pleafingtoP hil-' lip King of Spain.
Advocates tafc bribes •
2 2 6
Of the ljlandstn ZelancL