Amongst us there be manie women, and effeminat men (marie papists alwaies, as by their superstition may appeere) that make great divinations upon the shedding of salt, wine, &c: and for the observation of daies, and houres use as great [*]withcraft as in anie thing. For if one chance to take a fall from a horsse, either in a slipperie or stumbling waie, he will note the daie and houre, and count that time unluckch[†] for a journie. Otherwise, he that receiveth a mischance, wil consider whether he met not a cat, or a hare, when he went first out of hfr[‡] doores in the morning; or stumbled not at the threshhold at his going out; or put not on his shirt the wrong side outwards; or his left shoo on his right foote, which _Augustus Cæsar_ reputed for the woorst lucke that might befall. But above all other nations (as _Martinus de Arles_ witnesseth) the _Spaniards_ are most superstitious herein; & of _Spaine_, the people of the province of _Lusitania_ is the most fond. For one will saie; I had a dreame to night, or a crowe croked upon my house, or an owle flew by me and screeched (which augurie _Lucius Silla_ tooke of his death) or a cocke crew contrarie to his houre. Another saith; The moone is at the prime; another, that the sun rose in a cloud and looked pale, or a starre shot and shined in the aire, or a strange cat came into the house, or a hen fell from the top of the house. ♦O vaine follie and foolish vanitie!♦ ♦_Martin. de Arles in tract. de superst. contra maleficta._[§] _Appian. de bello civili._♦ ♦[*] [_read_, witch—]♦ ♦[†] [_read_, —kie]♦ ♦[‡] [_read_, his]♦ ♦[§] [read, _—ficia_.]♦ ♦Augurificall toies.♦ Many will go to bed againe, if they neeze before their shooes be on their feet; some will hold fast their left thombe in their right hand when they hickot; or else will hold their chinne with their right hand whiles a gospell is soong. It is thought verie ill lucke of some, that a child, or anie other living creature, should passe betweene two friends as they walke togither; for they say it portendeth a division of freendship. Among the papists themselves, if any hunters, as they were a hunting, chanced to meet a frier or a preest; they thought it so ill lucke, as they would couple up their hounds, and go home, being in despaire of any further sport that daie. Marrie if they had used venerie with a begger, they should win all the monie they plaied for that daie at dice. The like follie is to be imputed unto them, that observe (as true or probable) old verses, wherein can be no reasonable cause of such effects; which are brought to passe onlie by Gods power, and at his pleasure. Of this sort be these that follow: _Vincenti festo si sol radiet memor esto,_ _Remember on S. Vincents daie, If that the sunne his beames displaie._ ♦_Englished by Abraham Fleming._♦ _Clara dies Pauli bona tempora denotat anni,_ _If Paule th’apostles daie be cleare, It dooth foreshew a luckie yeare._