[How they measure their time.] They have no Clocks, Hour-glasses, or Sun-Dials, but keep their time by guess.  The King indeed hath a kind of Instrument to measure time.  It is a Copper Dish holding about a Pint, with a very small hole in the bottom.  This Dish they set a swimming in an Earthen Pot of water, the water leaking in at the bottom till the Dish be full, it sinks.  And then they take it out, and set it empty on the water again, and that makes one Pay.  Few or none use this but the King, who keeps a man on purpose to watch it continually.  The People will use it upon some occasions, as if they are to sow their Corn at any particular hour, as being the good lucky Season, then they make use of the Copper Pan, to know the time exactly.

[Their Magick.] They do practise Magick.  Whereof take these two remarkable instances of many that might be given.

[The Plenty of a Countrey destroyed by Magick.] The Countrey of Neurecalava formerly brought forth great plenty of Corn, occasioned by reason of its large waterings.  A Neighbour Kingdom, the Kingdom of Cournegal which lyes in Hotcourley, in those times was brought to a great dearth.  At which the King sends to the People of Neurecalava, that they would bring a supply of Corn to his Countrey, which they did in great store upon Beasts in Sacks, and arrived at the King’s City:  and there for the more expeditious measuring out every Housholder his proportion of Corn, they made a hole in the Sacks, and let it run out, still driving on the Beasts before them:  and all that was shed before every man’s House, was to be his share.  This exceedingly gratified the King.

Afterward the King to requite them, asked what they most needed in their Countrey?  They answered, They had plenty of all things only they wanted Cahah mirris, that is Turmeric and Pepper.  The King to gratifie them sent them such a quantity of each as his Country could afford.  As soon as this was brought to the People of Neurecalava, they went to measure it out to every man his Portion, but finding it of so small a quantity, they resolved to grind it, as they do when they use it with their Victuals, and put it into the River to give a seasoning to the water, and every Man was to take up his Dish of water thus seasoned.  From whence Neurecalava had its denomination, viz. from Neur, signifying a City, and Cahah that signifies Turmeric, and Lava, as if it were Lalla, put into the River.

The King hearing of this Action of theirs was offended, in that they so contemned his gift; but concealed his displeasure.  Sometime after he took a Journey to them, and being there, desired to know how their Countrey became so very fruitful.  They told him, it was the water of the River pent up for their use in a very vast Pond.  Out of which they made Trenches to convey the water down into their Corn Grounds.  This Pond they had made with great Art and Labour with great Stones and Earth thrown up of a vast length and thickness, in the fashion of an half Moon.  The King afterwards took his leave of them and went home; and by the help of his Magicians brake down this vast Dam that kept in the water, and so destroyed the Pond.  And by this means this fruitful Countrey wanting her water is become as ordinary Land as the rest, having only what falls out of the Sky.