_Cum frustra resonant aera auxiliaria Lunae._

and therefore the Satyrist too describing a loud scold, saies, she was
able to make noise enough to deliver the labouring Moone.[3]

_Vna laboranti poterit succurrere Lunae._

[Sidenote 1: _In vita Paul. AEmil._]

[Sidenote 2: _Metam. l. 4._]

[Sidenote 3: _Iuven. Sat. 6_]

Now the reason of all this their ceremonie, was, because they feared the
world would fall asleepe, when one of its eyes began to winke, and
therefore they would doe what they could by loud sounds to rouse it from
its drowsinesse, and keepe it awake by bright torches, to bestow that
light upon it which it began to lose. Some of them thought hereby to
keepe the Moone in her orbe, whereas otherwise she would have fallen
downe upon the earth, and the world would have lost one of its lights,
for the credulous people believed, that Inchanters, and Witches could
bring the Moone downe, which made _Virgil_ say,

_Cantus & e coelo possunt deducere Lunam._

And those Wizards knowing the times of her eclipses, would then threaten
to shew their skill, by pulling her out of her orbe. So that when the
silly multitude saw that she began to looke red, they presently feared
they should lose the benefit of her light, and therefore made a great
noise that she might not heare the sound of those Charmes, which would
otherwise bring her downe, and this is rendered for a reason of this
custome by _Pliny_ and _Propertius_:

_Cantus & e curru lunam deducere tentant,
Et facerent, si non aera repulsa sonent._[1]

[Sidenote 1: _Nat. hist. lib. 2. c. 12._]

_Plutarch_ gives another reason of it, and he sayes, 'tis because they
would hasten the Moone out of the darke shade wherein shee was involv'd,
that so she might bring away the soules of those Saints that inhabit
within her, which cry out by reason they are then deprived of their
wonted happinesse, and cannot heare the musicke of the Spheares, but are
forced to behold the torments, and wailing of those damned soules which
are represented to them as they are tortured in the region of the aire,
but whether this or what ever else was the meaning of this superstition,
yet certainly 'twas a very ridiculous custome, and bewrayed a great
ignorance of those ancient times, especially since it was not onely
received by the vulgar, such as were men of lesse note and learning, but
believed also, by the more famous and wiser sort, such as were those
great Poets,