The Olden Time Series, Vol. 6: Literary Curiosities | Page 6

sensible Error. By Samuel Clough.
The Heavens to us, God's Glory do make known, By th' Firmament, his handy work is shown.
Licensed by His Excellency the Governour. Boston: Printed by B. Green and J. Allen, for the Booksellers, and are to be Sold at their Shops. 1703."
Then follows a short address "To the Readers" of the Almanack. The figure of "Man's Body" with the "Twelve Signs of the Zodiack," is headed with the following lines:
The Anotomy must still be in, Else th' Almanack's not worth a pin: For Country-men regard the Sign As though 'Twere Oracle Divine. But do not mind that altogether, Have some respect to Wind and Weather.
The months of the year are introduced as follows:
January.
Cold Weather now 'gins to be fierce, And Norwest Winds our bodys pierce.
February.
The Weather still continues cold, Therefore warm cloaths are good we hold.
March.
'T is the best Month of all the year, Wherein to brew good napping Beer.
April.
Now Leaves on Trees begin to spring, And Birds on Hedges sit and sing.
May.
To walk Five Miles in his own Farm, Will do a Husbandman no harm.
June.
Now Countrymen each Sun shine day, Mow down their Grass, and make it hay.
July.
If Mildew now blasts English Grain, 'Twill make poor Husbandmen complain.
August.
But if from Blasting it be free, The Farmers then should thankful be.
September.
The Leaves from Trees now fall away, And sweetest Flowers do decay.
October.
If Barns are full, though Fields be empty, It doth prognosticate a plenty.
November.
One day this Month each Fruitful year, Give thanks to GOD, and Eat good chear.
December.
The Weather now 'gins to be cold, Which makes to shrink both young and old.
* * * * *
SATURDAY, DEC'R 24, 1853.
The Salem Observer.
ANOTHER OLD ALMANACK. In our last we gave an account of an old Almanack for the year 1703. Since then we have seen another some sixteen years older, printed for the year 1687. It was bound in with an old account book that formerly belonged to the Rev. Thomas Barnard, a minister of Andover, from 1682 to 1718,--the great-grandfather of the Rev. Thomas Barnard, D.D., the first minister of the North Church in this city, who died Oct. 1, 1814, in the sixty-seventh year of his age, also an ancestor of Capt. Edward Barnard, of this city. We insert the title page and other extracts therefrom, which we trust will impart the same interest to our readers as we derived from its perusal.
It is prefaced by the following:
Novemb. 24th, 1686. I have Perused the Copy of an Almanack for the Ensuing Year, Composed by John Tulley, and find nothing in it contrary to His Majesties Laws, and therefore Allow it to be Printed, and Published by Benjamin Harris, Book-Seller in Boston.
EDWARD RANDOLPH, Secr.
The following is the title:
Tully 1687. An Almanack for the Year of Our Lord MDCLXXXVII. Being the third after Leap-year, and from the Creation 5636. The Vulgar Notes of which are Prime 16--Epact 26--Circle of the [Symbol: Sun] 16--Domin: Letter B. Unto which is annexed a Weather Glass, whereby the Change of the Weather may be foreseen. Calculated for and fitted to the Meridian of Boston in New-England, where the North Pole is elevated 42 gr. 30 m. By John Tulley. Boston, Printed by S. Green for Benjamin Harris; and are to be Sold at his Shop, by the Town Pump near the Change. 1687.
Then follows "A Table of Kings," from William the Conqueror, 1066, to James 2d, 1685, closing with the lines--
Now may we look on Monarchy and sing, In health and peace long live great JAMES our King.
And concluding with the "Weather Glass," &c., &c., which follow:
Prognostica Georgica: Or the Country-man's Weather-Glass.
Prognosticks of Tempests. The obscuring of the smaller stars is a certain sign of Tempests approaching, the oft changing of the Winds is always a forerunner of a storm.
Of Winds. The resounding of the Sea upon the shore, and murmuring of the Winds in the Woods without apparent Wind, shew wind to follow; shooting of stars (as they call it) is an usual sign of wind from that quarter the star came from, Redness of the Skie in the morning is a token of Winds, or Rain, or both: if the circles that appear about the Sun, be red and broken, they portend wind: if thick and dark, Winds, Snow, or Rain: The like may be said of the Circles about the Moon.
Of Rain. If two Rainbows appear, they are a sign of Rain: If the Sun or Moon look pale, look for Rain: if a dark Cloud be at Sun-rising, in which the Sun soon after is hid, it will dissolve it, and Rain will follow: if the Sun seem greater in the East than commonly, it is a sign of Rain, if in the West about Sun-setting there appear a black Cloud, you may expect Rain that night, or