without beating. He had a large stomach, and would eat up a great shoulder of mutton at a meal, and a luncheon of bread and cheese after it. The manner how Nixon was discovered to be a prophet was in this wise: His master being one day at plow, and Nixon following him, the boy stopt on a sudden, and dropt his bottle and budget, and stood as in a trance: they beat him, but to no purpose, for he stood still in the same manner above an hour. At last he told them, in a very rational manner, of divers things that were done some time before, and of others that would come to pass." This edition differs very considerably from the later copies.

111. THE STRANGE AND WONDERFUL HISTORY AND PROPHECIES OF MOTHER SHIPTON, plainly setting forth her birth, life, death, and burial. 12mo. Newcastle, n. d.

Chap. 1. Of her birth and parentage. 2. How Mother Shipton's mother proved with child; how she fitted the severe justice, and what happened at her delivery. 3. By what name Mother Shipton was christen'd, and how her mother went into a monastery. 4. Several other merry pranks play'd by Mother Shipton in revenge of such as abused her. 5. How Ursula married a young man named Tobias Shipton, and how strangely she discovered a thief. 6. Her prophesy against Cardinal Wolsey. 7. Some other prophesies of Mother Shipton relating to those times. 8. Her prophesies in verse to the Abbot of Beverly. 9. Mother Shipton's life, death, and burial.

112. THE WHOLE PROPHECIES OF SCOTLAND, EngLAND, FRANCE, IRELAND, AND DENMARK; prophesied by Thomas Rymer, Mervellous Merling, Beid, Berlington, Waldhave, Eltraine, Banester, and Sybilla; containing many strange and marvellous matters not of before read or heard. 12mo. Aberdeen, 1779.

These prophecies are in verse, and that of Thomas the Rymer is a different version of the ballad of Thomas and the Fairy Queen, printed in Scott's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, ed. 1810, iii, 181, and Laing's Early Popular Poetry, 1822. At p. 38 is the "Prophesie of Gildas"; and at p. 40, "the Prophesie of Sybilla and Eltraine."

113. THE WORTHY SAYINGS OF OLD MR. DOD, fit to be treasured up in the Memory of every Christian. In two Parts. 8vo. London, n. d.

This was the celebrated puritan divine of Jesus College, Cambridge. Granger says in his Biographical History, ed. 1779, i, 370, "his Sayings have been printed in various forms; many of them, on two sheets of paper, are still to be seen pasted on the walls of cottages." The present edition is in prose, in the form of a chap-book, with a large woodcut of our Saviour on the Cross at the end. In the British Museum is a metrical version, entitled "Old Mr. Dod's Sayings, composed in verse for the better help of memory, and the delightfulness of children's reading and learning them; whereby they may the better be ingrafted in their memories and understanding; composed by

T. S., a well-willer to the precious and immortal souls of all persons whatsoever." 12mo, 1678.

114. THE CHRISTIAN TURNED JEW; being the most remarkable Life and Adventures of Lord G. G. with the Letter sent to him by a certain great lady since his Confinement. 8vo. London, 1780.

115. CANTERBURY TALES, composed for the entertainment of all ingenious young men and maids at their merry meetings; intermixed with pleasant stories, witty jests, etc., very proper for town or country. 12mo. London, n.d.

116. THE HUSBANDMAN'S PRACTICE, OR PROGNOSTICATION FOR EVER; as teacheth Albert, Alkind, Haly and Ptolomy, with the shepherd's perpetual prognostication for the weather. 12mo. London. Printed for Will. Thackaray in Duck-lane, n.d. IN black-letter, with wood-cuts, containing much that is curious and illustrative of old popular notions. Under this heading, "the mind of the fathers of the nature of the fire," we are told,

"When the fire sparkleth, it betokeneth rain. When the fire giveth much flame, or else when a man taketh an hasten, and lifteth it up by the coals, and if the coals do hang thereon, that betokeneth wind and rain.

"When the cold in the winter ceaseth,

And when a man snow findeth,

If there be dark clouds thereby,
Then look for rain verily:

If the frog in the morning do cry,
Betokeneth rain great plenty."

B

"Whan the husbandman should practise, and what rule he should follow. The wise and cunning masters in astronomy have found that man may see and mark the weather of the holy Christmas-night, how the whole year after shall be in his working and doing, and they shall speak in this wise:—

"When on the Christmass night and evening it is very fair and clear weather, and is without wind and without rain, then it is a token that this year will be plenty of wine and fruit. But if the contrariwise, foul weather and windy, so shall it be very scant of wine and fruit. But if the wind arise at the rising of the sun, then it betokeneth great death among beasts and cattel this year. But if the wind rise at the going down of the same, then it signifieth death to come among kings and other great lords. But if the wind arise at north Aquilon at midnight, then betokeneth the year following to be a fruitful year and a plentiful. But if the wind do arise and blow at south Austro in the midst of the day, that wind signifieth to us daily sickness to reign and be amongst us.

"Of Christmass Day.-If Christmass Day be on the Sunday, that year shall be a warm winter, and beginning fast with sorrow; there shall be great winds and tempests. The Lent shall be mild, warm, and moist. The summer, hot, dry, and fair. The harvest, moist and cold, much like unto winter. Wine and corn shall be plenty and good, and there shall be much honey, and the sheep shall prosper well. The small seeds and fruits of gardens shall flourish also.

The old men shall die sore, and especially women that go with child peace and quietness shall be plenteous among married folks.

"If Christmas Day fall on a Monday, there shall be a misty winter, neither too cold nor too warm, the Lent shall be very good, the summer windy, with great stormy weather in many lands: the harvest good, and much wine, but very little honey, for the swarms of bees shall die; and many women complain, and sit mourning this year for their husbands.

"If Christmas Day be on the Tuesday, it shall be a cold winter and moist, with much snow: the Lent shall be good and windy, the summer wet, and harvest, dry and evil; there shall be reasonable plenty of wine, corn, oyle, and tallow; the swine shall die, and sheep be visited, and the beasts perish; the ships of the sea shall have great misfortune; much amity and good peace shall be among kings and princes, and the clergy shall die sore that year.

"If it fall on Wednesday, then shall the winter be very sharp, hard, and after warm; the wind strong, with naughty weather; the summer and harvest, very good weather; and this year shall be plenty of hay, wine, and corn, which shall be very good; the honey dear, fruits scant, and very bad; builders and merchant-men suffer great labours, and young people, children, and also cattle die in great store.

"If it fall on Thursday, the winter shall be very good, with rain; the Lent windy, a very good summer, and a misty harvest, with rain and cold, and there