No More Learning

=1. 7. 16 The state hath tane such note of 'hem. =
See note 1. 2. 22.

=1. 7. 25 Your Almanack-Men. = An excellent account of the
Almanac-makers of the 17th century is given by H. R. Plomer in
_N. & Q. _,6th Ser. 12.
243, from which the following is abridged:

'Almanac-making had become an extensive and profitable trade
in this country at the beginning of the 17th century, and with
the exception of some fifteen or twenty years at the time of
the Rebellion continued to flourish until its close. There
were three distinct classes of almanacs published during the
seventeenth century--the common almanacs, which preceded and
followed the period of the Rebellion, and the political and
satirical almanacs that were the direct outcome of that event.

'The common almanacs came out year after year in unbroken
uniformity. They were generally of octavo size and consisted
of two parts, an almanac and a prognostication. Good and evil
days were recorded, and they contained rules as to bathing,
purging, etc. , descriptions of the four seasons and rules to
know the weather, and during the latter half of the century an
astrological prediction and "scheme" of the ensuing year.

'In the preceding century the makers of almanacs were "Physitians and
Preests", but they now adopted many other titles, such as "Student in
Astrology", "Philomath", "Well Willer to the Mathematics. " The majority
of them were doubtless astrologers, but not a few were quack doctors,
who only published their almanacs as advertisements. ' (Almanac, a
character in _The Staple of News_, is described as a 'doctor in
physic. ')

Among the more famous almanac-makers the names of William Lilly, John
Partridge and Bretnor may be mentioned. For the last see note 2. 1.
1, and B. & Fl. , _Rollo, Duke of Normandy_, where Fiske and Bretnor
appear again. Cf.