The new help to discourse or, Wit, mirth, and jollity. intermixt with more serious matters consisting of pleasant astrological, astronomical, philosophical, grammatical, physical, chyrurgical, historical, moral, and poetical questions and answers. As also histories, poems, songs, epitaphs, epigrams, anagrams, acrosticks, riddles, jests, poesies, complements, &c. With several other varieties intermixt; together with The countrey-man's guide; containing directions for the true knowledge of several matters concerning astronomy and husbandry, in a more plain and easie method than any yet extant. By W. W. gent.

Another Observation.

When our Lord doth lye in our Ladies Lap, Then O England beware a clap.

Other short Observations for each Month in the year.

January.

If the Sun shine the twelfth of January, there shall be store of wind that year.

February.

If it thunder upon Shrove-Tuesday, it fore∣telleth wind, store of fruit, and plenty, the Sun beams being early abroad; and so much as he shineth on that day, the like he will shine every day in Lent.

March.

So many Mists as there be in March, so many hoar Frosts there will be after Easter.

April.

If it rain upon Ascension day (which most cammonly falleth in April) it doth betoke•• scarcity of all kind of food for Cattel, but being fair, it signifieth plenty.

May.

If the Sun shine upon the twenty fifth o•• May, wine shall prosper well; also in the end of May, if Oaks begin to bear Blossoms, i•• doth foreshew great store of Tallow and Frui••

June.

If it rain the twenty fourth day of June, Hazel-nuts will not prosper.

July.

If it be fair three Sundays before St. Jame's day, Corn will be good; but wet Corn will wither.

August.

If the wind change on St. Bartholemews day at night, the following year will not be ••ood.

September.

So many dayes old the Moon is on Micha∣elmas day, so many Floods will be that winter.

October.

If leaves now hang upon the Trees, it por∣tends a cold winter, or many Catterpillers.

November.

If on the tenth of November the Heavens be cloudy, it prognosticates a wet winter; if clear and dry a sharp winter.

December.

If Christmas-day comes in the new of the Moon, it is a token of a good year; and so much the better, by how much it is nearer the new Moon; the contrary happeneth in the decrease.

Thus each month doth procure an observation, Which may be made useful unto the Nation; For if that we do things but rightly weigh, We will believe what our Forefathers say, Who by experience knew such things to be, And so preserv'd them for posterity.

Qu. What is that they call the Golden Num∣ber, Epact, Circle of the Sun, Dominical Letter, &c.

An. The Golden Number is the Revoluti∣on of 19 years, in which time all the Luna∣tions or Aspects betwixt the Sun and Moon return to the same place they were in before; and is so called, either because it was sent in Golden Letters from Alexandria in Egypt to Rome, or for that it is written in red or Gol∣den Letters in the Kalendar.

The Epact is the number of 11 dayes, which the Solar year doth exceed the Lunar; the one consisting of 365 dayes, the other of 354, so that in every 4 years there is added a number more than 30, which being greater than the Epact can be, (for from change to change there can be but 30 days) therefore 30 being taken from that excess, the remain∣der is the Epact for the next year.

The Epact is thus found out; multiply the Golden Number of the year by 11. the pro∣duct whereof, if it be under 30 is the Epact; but if it be above 30. they divide the product by 30. and the remainder shall be the Epact.

Qu. What is the Circle of the Sun?

An. The Circle of the Sun is a Revolution of 28 years, in which time the Dominical Letters make all their several changes, and is called the Solar Circle, because it compre∣hends all the varieties and changes that the Sunday Letter can have.

Qu. What is the meaning of the Dominical Letter?

An. The Dominical Letter is alwaies one of these seven, A. B. C. D. E. F. G. and sheweth the Sunday Letter all the year. But in Bissextile or Leap-year, there be two Do∣minical Letters, whereof the first holdeth

from the beginning of January to St. Mathias Eve, and the other to the years end.

The Golden Number and the Dominical Letter change the first of January, and the Epact the first of March. Easter day never talleth lower than the 23 of March, nor high∣er than the 25 of April.

Shrove sunday hath his range between the first of February, and the 7 of March; Whit-sunday between the 10 of May, and the 13 of June: and for a Rule for Shrovetide, the Tues∣day after the change of the Moon in February is always Shrove Tuesday.

Qu. What causes the Eclipses and Full of the Moon?

An. The Eclipse of the Moon is caused by the interposition of the Earth betwixt the Sun and her; for she being a dark body of her self, and having no light but what she bor∣rows by reflection from the Sun, so far as the Earth interposes, so much of her is darkened. The cause of the Sans Eclipse is when the Moon passes betwixt the Sun and us, and shadows some of the body thereof from our sight, so that what part is interposed by the Moon cannot be seen by us, by reason she is a dark body, hiding the same from our sight. The Moon being in right opposition against the Sun, causes her to be at the full, as her in∣crease is by drawing nearer to opposition, and her decrease by departing further off.

Qu. Of what substance be the Stars, what are their motions, and what causeth blazing Stars.

An. The Stars are of the same substance with the Moon, thick, aad not transparent as the Heavens, borrowing all their light from the Sun, being otherwise of themselves dark

bodies, and shine as well in the day as the night, though by reason of the Suns refulgent beams, they are not obvious to our sight. And as for their motion, it is the same of the Hea∣vens wherein they are placed.

Shooting or blazing Stars are hot fumes of a thick substance like glew, which being ex∣haled above in the air, and bovering alost un∣til it be kindled, flyes like a squib through the Air, but if it mount to a higher place, and there be kindled, it turneth to a blazing Star.