Old Hampshire Mapped

Blome's Geography

[The seasons of the year.]

the Sun entreth into the CelestiaI sign Aries, to wit, on the 9th of March, and extendeth it self from the beginning of Aries through all Taurus and Gemini, and is a quarter naturally hot and moist. The Summer Quarter, or Summer Solstice, begins where the Vernal Equinox ends, to Wit, on the 11th of June, and passeth through the Signs of Cancer, Leo, and Virgo, and is a quarter naturally very hot and dry. The Autumnal Quarter, or Equinox, begins when the Sun entreth Libra, Viz. on the 12th of September, and continueth all that time the Sun passeth through the Signs of Libra, Scorpio, and Sagitary, and this season is cold and dry. And the Winter Quarter, or Hyemnal Solstice, begins when the Sun entreth Capricorn, viz, on the 11th of December, and runneth through the Signs of Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces; this quarter is very cold and moist.

The British Isles have suffered great changes.

All these isles have received great changes in their Governments, since they were first known, (which shall; in place more convenient, be particularly treated of) for before the Romans first set footing here, under the Conduct of Julius Caesar, they were possessed by divers people independent the one to the other; the Romans possessing the most Southern part of Great Britain, now England, and sometimes of a part of Scotland, but never had any thing to do in Ireland; but the vastness of their Empire caused troubles and dissentions at home, so that about 400 and odd years after the birth of Christ, they were forced to quit their Interest here. After the Romans, the English Saxons seized the better part which had been in their possession, and established seven Kingdoms; as by this following Table doth appear:-