Page:Archaeologia Volume 13.djvu/203

 Helmdon Mantle Tree Infcrption> &c. years inclufive. The phafcs of the iun and moon are neatly illu- minated with colours of gold and azure, the part eclipfed being azurej and above each phaiis the year in Arabic numerals is marked with a pen. Towards the end of the book there are five pages with memoranda agronomical and aftrological concerning the feveral months. The figns of the zodiac predominant are noticed with their fuppofed influence upon perfons and things, and under each month the days are fpecified when flebotomy was to be avoided. Thefe precautions are thus fummed up at the conclusion of the year, " Et in toto funt 33 [e] dies in quibus cavendum eft a flebot' ficut p~notatu eft de menfe in menfem." Then is given this other warning : " Ifti funt dies mali obfervandi ab incifione in anno, et qui homines vel pecora inciderint inde morientur [,/"]" The [e] There is an error in the computation: the total not being 33, but 34, as is plain from the underwritten items. January - 8 April - 3*. .July - - 2 - "October - i February - 3 May - 4 Auguft - 2-* November - 2 March - 3 -June - i September- 2 December- 3 Why it was judged expedient to profcribe fo many as eight days in January, and one only in June and October, no reafon is afligned. [/] The Mali Dies were Oft. Kal. Novembr' - (Od r . 25. Crifpin Martyr,) Prima dies Augufti - (Lammas Day.) Ult. Kal. Decembr' (Nov r . 14.) Why the feftival of Crifpin and Lammas Day had the black mark fet upon them /hall be fubmitted to the furmife of others. But Ult. Kal. Nov. may have been deemed inaufpicious, becaufe fol fuit in faggittario, and, as obferved under that month, Sagittarius fubito mittit fagittas." In * the Myrrour, or Glafle of Helth,* pub- limed A. 1543, (Typographical Antiq. Vol. I. p. 375,) it is noticed on the back of a leaf, " Thefe bene the thre perylous Mondayes in the yeare to let bloud, to take any medicyne, or purgation The firft Monday of Auguft. The fecond is, the laft Mon- day of April. And the thyrde is the laft Mondaye of December." But if it were an, Vol. XIII. X