Page:A profitable instruction of the perfite ordering of Bees.djvu/67

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the firſt Treatiſe.
45

daies doe aunſwere to eche moneth, of the whiche foure dayes, that eache one of the foure, doeth declare the condition of the quarter following, and beginning alſo to recken November as the firſt moneth of the yeare.

And the generall ſignes of the dearth and plentie after ye minds of the auncient huſband men be theſe, as the ouermuch coldeneſſe drying, the ouermuch moyſture ſoftning, the ouermuche heate greatly burning, and the ouermuch drineſſe putrifying and working into duſt.

For when any of theſe qualities shall exceede in the proper time, but eſpecially in that time, which to the corne and fruites do not agree, then ſhall dearth and ſcarcitie both of fruites and corne enſue.

As for example, when the moneth of March ſhal be ouer moyſt and wet, which rather ought to be drie, and that the moneth of April ſhal be drie, which then ought to be moyſt, doth after pronounce the penurie of the fruites of the earth.

And if that part alſo of ſommer ſhal be weat, in which the corne doth then fall vnto ripeneſſe, that rather ought to be drie, doth after ſignifie the ſcarcitie both of corne and other fruites of the earth.

And the like may be ſaide of the other conſtitutions, which when the Elementall qualities ſhal be in ſuch a condition as do beſt agree, then doe they promiſe both fruitfulneſſe and plentifulneſſe.

And if in the Spring be ſignes of colde and drought, and that in the ende of the ſpring neare the full moone be froſtes, then ſhall follow very ſmall yeelde of the fruites of the earth, and little wine that yere following.

And if the ſpring be drie, then fewe ſhall the fruites of the trees be, yet good, and the ſcarcitie of corne ſhal be that yeare.

And if the Spring ſhall be colde, the fruites of the Earthe ſhall be late ripe.

And if the Spring and Sommer ſhall be ouer wette, or miſtie, or colde, with cloudie weather for manye daies together, whiles all the trees haue borne their bloſſoms, and the fieldes

Hh. iij.
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