Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Sycomor
1. The sycomor, or wild fig-tree, (falsly so called) is, our album, acer majus, or broad-leav’d mas, one of the maples, and is much more in reputation for its shade than it deserves ; for the honey-dew leaves, which fall early (Iike those of the ash) turn to mucilage and noxious insects, and putrifie with […]
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Maple
1. The maple [acer minus] (of which authors (see Salmasius upon Solinus, c. 33.) reckon very many kinds) was of old held in equal estimation almost with the citron ; especially the bruscum, the French-maple and the pavonaceus, peacocks-tail maple, which is that sort so elegantly undulated, and crisped into variety of curies, as emulates […]
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The Service, And Black Cherry-tree
1. Sorbus, the service-tree (of which there are four sorts) is rais’d of the chequers, or berries, which being ripe (that is) rotten, about September (and the pulp rub’d off clean from the stones, in dry sand, and so kept till after Christmas) may be sown like beech-mast, educated in the nursery like the chesnut […]
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Sylva
Of the Earth, Soil, Seed, Air, and Water. 1. It is not my intention here to speak of earth, as one of the common reputed elements ; of which I have long since publih’d an ample account, in an express Treatise (annexed to this volume,) which I desire my reader to peruse ; since it […]
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Whirlin Sunday (fifth In Lent)
At several villages in the vicinity of Wisbech, in the isle of Ely, the fifth Sunday in Lent has been, time immemorial, commemorated by the name of Whirlin Sunday, when cakes are made by almost every family, and from the day are called whirlin cakes ; but notwithstanding my frequent enquiries, I have not been […]
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Witches In Scotland
The following scarce pamphlet, entitled “News from Scotland,” etc., was communicated by a constant reader. The singularity of it will justify the republication. The title runs thus : ” News from Scotland, declaring the damnable life and death of Doctor Fian, a notable Sorcerer, who was burned at Edenbrough in January last, 1591. Which doctor […]
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Witchcraft In Yorkshire
An industrious workman at Sheffield, who had saved seventeen guineas by his labour in working at the steel furnace of Messrs. Hague and Barkin, had the whole stolen out of his house in the night of the 27th of April last. The poor man, almost in despair, employed the crier to make known his loss, […]
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Witchcraft In Wiltshire
One Susanna Hannokes, an elderly woman, of Wingrove, near Aylesbury, was accused by a neighbour for bewitching her spinning-wheel, so that she could not make it go round, and offered to make oath of it before a magistrate ; on which the husband, in order to justify his wife, insisted on her being tried by […]
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Witchcraft In Surrey
THE WITCHES’ CAULDRON. In the vestry of Frensham Church, Surrey, hangs a huge cauldron, hammered out of a single piece of copper, supposed by Salmon to be a remain of the antient parochial hospitality at the wedding of poor maids. Aubrey supposes it to have been used for the Church Ales. Tradition reports it to […]
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Witchcraft In Suffolk
The county of Suffolk was remarkable for the number of Witches which were known to practise their diabolical arts in it. Baxter says he knew more than a hundred at one time. The famous trial of Sir Matthew Hale, at Lowestoft, is well known. The present case is found in a copy of Baxter’s ” […]
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