Of Pliades. cap. 38.
PLiades be seauen Starres, and haue that name of Pluralitie. For they bée many, and bée set nigh togethers: but yet distinguished a sunder, as Grego∣rye sayth. And Pliades arise in Win∣ter. And the more cléerer and colder the aire is, the better they bée knowen and distinguished from each other. One is séene shine among those seauen, which sheweth not it selfe at the full, neyther fullye hideth it selfe. Their place is be∣twéene the knées of the signe which is called Taurus, as the Authour Isidore saith, and Gregory also. In the month of Iune the Sun taketh his course and his way by those .7. starres pliades. And then the heat of the aire is tempered by raine of springing time. And at this time the earth is arraied with fairenesse of flow∣ers, as Marcianus saith.* 1.1 And for this cause it is said, that Juno loued ye Cor∣desse Maia. And it is seined, that she was one of the .7. stars pliades. And shée was Mercurius mother. Thus meaneth say∣ning of Poets, as Marcianus saith. And Albumasar saith, that plyades the seauen starres, doe arise in the .16. degrée of the signe that is called Taurus, with other starres that be called Hyades, and they distrouble the ayre with theyr moo∣uing.
Pliades the seauen starres which mar∣riners vse in trieng of coasts: Poettes seigne them to be the seuen daughters of Licurgus or Atlas.