hich was the
Tuesday in Rogation Week, an unusual eclipse of the Sun took place very
early in the morning, immediately after sunrise; and it became so dark
that the labourers, who had commenced their morning's work, were obliged
to leave it, and returned again to their beds to sleep; but in about an
hour's time, to the astonishment of many, the Sun regained its usual
brightness." This eclipse, as regards its total phase, is said by
Johnston to have begun in the horizon, a little to the N. of London, in
the early morning.

On June 3, A.D. 1239, and October 6, 1241, there occurred total eclipses
of the Sun, which have been very carefully discussed by Professor
Celoria of Milan, with the view of using them in investigations into the
Moon's mean motion.[85] The second of these eclipses is mentioned by
Tycho Brahe.[86] He states that "a few stars appeared about noonday, and
the Sun was hidden from sight in a clear sky." The eclipse was total in
Eastern Europe.

Dr. Lingard,[87] the well-known Roman Catholic historian, speaking of
the battle of Cressy, which was fought on August 26, 1346, says:--"Never,
perhaps, were preparations for battle made under circumstances so truly
awful. On that very day the Sun suffered a partial eclipse: birds in
clouds, precursors of a storm, flew screaming over the two armies; and
the rain fell in torrents, accompanied with incessant thunder and
lightning. About 5 in the afternoon, the weather cleared up, the Sun in
full splendour darted his rays in the eyes of the enemy; and the
Genoese, setting up their shouts, discharged their quarrels." This was
not an eclipse, for none was due to take place; and the phenomenon could
only have been meteorological--dense clouds or something of that sort in
the sky.

On June 16, 1406, there was a large eclipse of the Sun, 9/10ths of its
diameter being covered at London; but on the Continent it seems to have
been total. It is stated that the darkness was such that people could
hardly recognise one another.

One of the most celebrated eclipses during the Middle Ages was
undoubtedly that of June 17, 1433. This was long remembered in Scotland
as the "Black Hour," and its circumstances were fully investigated some
years ago by Hind. It was a remarkable eclipse in that the Moon was
within 13 deg. of perigee and the Sun only 2 deg. from apogee. The central line
traversed Scotland in a south-easterly direction from Ross to Forfar,
passing near Inverness and Dunde