An history of the wonderful things of nature set forth in ten severall classes wherein are contained I. The wonders of the heavens, II. Of the elements, III. Of meteors, IV. Of minerals, V. Of plants, VI. Of birds, VII. Of four-footed beasts, VIII. Of insects, and things wanting blood, IX. Of fishes, X. Of man / written by Johannes Jonstonus, and now rendred into English by a person of quality.

Artic. 3. Of the Moon's Influence on these sublunary things.

INnumerable are the operations of the Moon on sublunary things. If you would run over all the field of nature, Plants, Animals and mens bodyes are subject to the Moons Government. Palladius reports, (Cardan de varietat: l. 2. c. 13,) If Garlick be set when the Moon is un∣der the Earth, and be pulled up again when the Moon is under the Earth, it will lose its strong smel. So they say that Basil bruised in the new Moon, and put into a new Pot, at the full Moon it will send forth flowers at one end; and if it be set under the Earth twice as long time, it ingenders Scorpions. Vines in the day time are nourished by drawing moisture to them, and in the night they increase, and grow. Lillies and Roses open their buttons only in the night. Keckerman disp: Phys: 3. coroll: 11. Of all that beare head, only the Onion is aug∣mented when the moon increaseth; when it growes new it fades, as if it hated the course of that Planet. Lucilius. Wherefore the Aegyptians at Pelusium hate to eate it. Gellius, Lib. 20. C. 7. As for living Creatures, Savanarola writes that in the Leap-yeare, living Creatures are barren, Cardan, l. c. It is observed that in the full Moon all Oysters, Perwinkles, and all shell fish increase, and their bodies decrease with the Moon. Also the more industrious have found out, that the fibres of Rats answer to the dayes of the Moon: and that the little Creature, the Ant, is sensible of this Planets force, and alwaies rests in the Conjunction of the Moon. Pliny, Lib. 2. Cap. 41. The skins of the Sea-Calves and Sobles are stiffe, and the haires stand upright, when the Moon increas∣eth, and they sink down when the Moon decreaseth, and grow weak, Keckerman, l. c. As for Mankind, if the Moon come to the Sun passing thorow Aries or Scorpio, when any one is born, it so afflicts the brain of him that is borne, that when he comes to be a young man, he shall be troubled with melancholly. Things bred in the Conjuncti∣on of the Moon, are frequently dry, and are encumbred with a sharp heat, and have all their limbs especially affected, Peucerus de divinat. They that sleep under the Moon-beams, are troubled with heavinesse of their heads and defluxions. Camerar. Memorab. Cap. 9. Art. 85. For by the Moon beams, the moisture of the braines of those that sleep is melted, which being restrained in the head, the internall heat being not active enough to expell it outward, it breeds Catarrhs. The Epi∣leps is exasperated in the full Moon. For the abundance of moysture hinders the sharpnesse of Vapours, and the putrefaction that they can∣not breath forth. A smaller quantity doth more easily corrupt, and the heat acting upon it, makes sharper Vapours according to its pro∣portion, Libavius, tom. 3. Singul, lib. 3. cap. 18. At the same time

dropsie people are grievously tormented, and therefore they all dye almost about the full Moon. Truly, in March, 1629. when we writ this, it took away that Reverend man, D. Martin Gratianu•• the super∣intendent of the Reformed Churches in the greater Poland, who was the Chariot and Horsemen of Israel. Let his memory be blessed.

When the Moon is opposite to the Sun, mad-men rage most. They that are troubled with a disease of the brain from too much plenty of brain, are choked in the full Moon. Hence it is that the Britans on the 14. day of the Moon whip mad folks. Bodin. l. 5. Theatr. Better therefore it is to give a medicament against the Epilepsie the day af∣ter, than in the opposition of the Luminaries. For in the hour of conjunction the Moon is calm, nor are there propensions to either side, of advantages; the next time after it, she begins to work in the hu∣mours, and to augment them. Libav. Epist. 15. to S••hnitz••r.