a certain watry thing and yet is not water so Exhalation hath a certain earthly nature in it but yet it is not earth For the better understanding of Vapors understand that they be as it were fumes or smokes warme and moist which will easily bee resolved into water much like to the breath that proceedeth out of a mans mouth or out of a pot of water standing on the fire These vapours are drawn up from the waters and watery places by the heat of the Sun even unto the middle region of the aire and there after divers manner of meeting with coldnesse many kind of moist Meteors are generated as sometimes clouds and raine sometime snow and hail and that such Vapours are so drawn up by the Sunne it is plaine by experience for if there be a plash of water on a smooth and hard stone standing in the heat of the Sun it will soon be drie which is none otherwise but that the Sun draweth up the water in thinne Vapors for no man is so fond to say that it can sink into stone or mettal and it is as great folly to think it is consumed to nothing for it is a general rule That that which is once a thing cannot by changing become nothing wherefore it followeth that the water on the stone as also on the earth is for the most part drawn up when the stone or earth is dryed Exhalations are as smokes that be hot and dry which because they be thinne and lighter then Vapors passe the lowest and middle Region of the aire and are carryed up even to the highest Region where for the excessive heat by neerness of the fire they are kindled and cause many kind of impressions They are also sometimes viscose that is to say clammy by reason whereof they cleaving together and not being dispersed are after divers sorts set on fire and appear sometimes like Dragons sometimes like Goats sometimes like candles sometimes like spears By that which is spoken of Vapours and Exhalations it is evident that out of the fire and aire no matter whereof Meteors should consist can be drawn because of their subtilty and thinnesse For all Exhalation is by making a grosser body more thinne but the fire we mean the elemental fire and not the fire of the Kitchin chimney is so subtil and thinne that it cannot be made thinner likewise the aire is so thinne that if it be made thinner it is changed into fire and as the fire if it were made thicker would become aire so the aire being made grosser would be turned into water Wherefore to conclude this part the great quantity of matter that causeth these Meteors is taken out of the earth and the water As for the aire and the fire they are mixed with this matteâ— as with all other things but not so abundantly that they may be said thâ— material cause of any Meteor thougâ— without them none can be generated The efficient cause of all Meteors is thaâ— caus which maketh them even as the Carpenter is the efficient cause of an house This cause is either first or second The first and efficient cause is God the worker of all wonders according to that testimonie of the Psalmist which saith Fire haile snow ice wind and storme doe his will and commandment he sendeth snow like wooll c. Almightie God therefore being the first principall and universall cause efficient of all natural works and effects is also the first cause of these effects whose profit is great and operation marvellous The second cause efficient is double either remote that is to say farre off or next of all The farther cause of them as of all other naturall effects is the same the Sun with the other Planets and Stars and the very heaven it self in which they are moved But chiefly the Sunne by whose heat all or at least wise the most part of the vapors and Exhalations are drawn up The next cause efficient as the first qualities are heat and cold which cause divers effects in Vapors Exhalations But to return to the heat of the Sun which is a very neere cause it is for this purpose two wayes considered One way as it is meane and temperate Otherwise as it is vehement and burning The meane is by which he draweth vapors out of the water and exhalations out of the earth and not onely draweth them out but also lifteth them up very high from the earth into the aire where they are turned into divers kinds of Meteors The burning heat of the Sunne is by which he burneth dissipateth and consumeth the vapors and exhalations before he draweth them up so that of them no Meteors can be generated These two heats proceed from the Sun either in respect of the place or the time but most properly according to the casting of his beames either directly or undirectly In place where the Sunnes beames strike directly against the earth and the water the heat is so great that it burneth up the Exhalations and Vapours so that there are no fiery Meteors much lesse watery as it is in the South parts of the world under and neere to the Equinoctiall line But in places where the beames are cast indirectly and obliquely and that where they are not too nigh to the direct beams nor too far off from them there is a moderate heat drawing out great abundance of matter so that in those Countries many Meteors of many sorts are generated as in the far North parts are few but watry impressions Also in Autumn and Spring are oftner Meteors seene then in Summer and Winter except it be in such places where the Summer and Winter are of the temper of the Spring and Autumne Let this be sufficient for the Efficient causes of impressions as well first and principall as second and particular Concerning the formal and finall cause we have little to say because the one is so secret that it is known of no man the other so evident that it is plaine to all men The essentiall Form of all substances Gods wisedome comprehendeth the universall chiefe and last End of all things is the glory of God Middle Ends if they may be so called of these impressions are manifold profits to Gods creatures to make the earth fruitfull to purge the aire to set forth his power to threaten his vengeance to punish the world to move to repentance all which are referred to one end of Gods eternall glory ever to be prased Amen Of the places in which they are generated THe places in which Meteors are caused be either the aire or the earth in the air be generated rain hail snow dew blazing stars thunder lightning c. In the earth be welles springs earthquakes metals minerals c. made and as it were in their mothers belly begotten and fashioned But for the better understanding hereof such as have not tasted the principles of Philosophy must consider that there be foure
In Arabia as Plinius writeth is a very precious kinde of Dew that is called Ladanum which falling upon the herb Cusus and mixed with the juice of that herb which Goats do eate is gathered off Goats hairs and kept for a treasure There is another kinde of sweet Dew that falieth in England called the Meldews which is as sweet as honey being of such substance as honey is it is drawn out of sweet herbs and flowers There is also a bitter kinde of Dew that falleth upon herbs and lieth on them like branne or meal namely because it is of an Earthly Exhalation and so remaineth when the moisture is drawn away This Dew killeth herbs The common Dew drunk of Cattle doth rott them because the matter is full of viscosity bringing them to a fluxion There be Three things that hinder Dew from falling that is great heat great cold and wind for Dew falleth in the most temperate calme time Of Hoare-Frost HOare frost or white frost is nothing else but dew congealed by overmuch cold The South and East wind do cause dew but the North and Northern winds do freeze the Vapors and so it becommeth hoar frost which if that excessive cold had not beene should have turned into dew The dew and the hoare frost agree in three things namely in matter in quality of time and place of the generation In matter they agree for they are both generated of a subtill and thin Vapor and also small in quantity In quality of time they consent for both are made in a quiet and calm time for if there were great wind it would drive away the matter and so could there be no generation Thirdly they are both generated in the lowest Region of the Air for as Aristotle affirmeth upon the high hills there is neither dew nor hoar frost They differ also in three things For the hoare frost is congealed before it be turned into water so is not the dew Secondly The dew is generated in temperate weather the white frost in cold weather Last of all hot Winds as the South and East do cause dew but cold winds as the North and West do cause hoare frost Hoare frost doth often stinke because of the stinking matter whereof it consisteth which is drawn out of lakes and other muddy and stinking places Of Hayle HAyle is a hote Vapor in the middle Region of the Air by the cold of that Region made thick into a cloud which falling down to the sudden cold of the lowest Region is congealed into Ice There be so many kinds of Haile as there be of raine The fashion of haile is sometime round which is a token that it was generated in the middle region of the Air or very near it for falling from high the corners are worn away When the Haile stones are square or three-cornered the haile was generated neere the earth Oftentimes there is heard a great sound in the Cloud as it were of Thunder before haile or of an Army fighting c. The cause is That Vapors of contrary qualities being inclosed in the Cloud do strive to break out and make a noyse even as cold water doth being put into a seething pot In Spring and Harvest-time is often haile seldome in Summer and Winter In winter there want hot Vapors in Summer the lowest region is too hot to congeale the raine falling down In Spring and Autumne there want neither hot Vapors to resist the cold nor sufficient cold to harden the drops of that hot shower of raine The haile stones are sometimes greater and sometimes lesser greater with greater cold and lesser with lesser cold There is seldom haile in the night for want of hot vapors to be drawn up Sometime haile and rain fall together when the latter end of the cloud for want of cold in the lowest region is not congealed Haile-stones are not so cleare as Ice because they are made of grosse and earthy vapours Ice is congealed of clear water Haile is sooner resolved into water then Snow because it is of a more sudden and swift generation Of Snow SNow is a cold congealed by great cold before it be perfectly resolved from vapours into water Snow is white not of the proper colour but by receiving the light into it and so many small parts as in fome or the white of an egge beaten Snow is often upon high hills lyeth long there because their tops are cold as they be neer to the middle Region of the Air for oftentimes it raineth in the valley when it showeth on the Hills Snow melting on the high Hills and after frozen again becommeth 〈◊〉 hard that it is a stone and is called Christall Other matter of Snow because they are common with Rain are needlesse to be spoken of To be short feet is generated even as Snow but of lesse cold or else beginneth to melt in the falling Snow causeth things growing to be fruitfull and encrease because the cold driveth heat unto the roots and so cherisheth the plants Of Springs and Rivers THe generation of Springs is in the bowels of the Earth and therefore something must be said of the body of the earth The earth though it be solid and massie yet hath it many hollow gutters and veines in which is alwaies aire to avoid emptinesse for the ignorant in Phylosophie must be admonished that all things are full nothing is empty for nature abhorreth emptinesse so that where nothing else is there is Air and Vapors which by cold as it hath often been said will be resolved into drops as we see experience in marble Pillars and such like hard stones toward raine This Air and Vapors therefore being turned into drops of water these drops sweat out of the earth and find some issue at the length where many being gathered together make great abundance of water which is called a Fountaine or Spring The cause why such Springs do run continually is because that Air can never want in those veines which by cold will alwaies be turned into water so that as fast as the water runneth forth so fast is aire againe received into the place whereby it commeth to passe that so many Springs are perpetuall and never dryed but if any be dryed up it is in a hot Summer and such Springs also they be whose generation is not deep in the earth and therefore the Vapors may be made dry and the earth warm so the Spring may fail There be foure kinds of springs fountaines brookes Rivers and lakes Of Fouutaines FOuntaines be small springs which serve for wels and conduits when there is but one place where the Water is generated and that is not very abundant either because it is of small compasse or small veines and not many Of Brookes BRookes boornes or fordes be small streames of Water that run in a channell like a river They are caused when either the spring occupieth a great compasse
is a Well that maketh men dull-witted that drink thereof There is another that causeth men to abhor lust Lechnus a Spring of Arcadia is good against abortions In Sicilia are two Springs of which one maketh a woman fruitful and the other barren In Sardinia be hot Wells that heale sore eyes In an Isle of Pontus the River Astares overfloweth the fields in which whatsoever sheep be fed doe alwaies give black milke In Aethiopia is a Lake whose water is like oyle Also many Springs of Oyl have broken forth of the Earth which commeth of the viscosity or fatnesse of the same earth The Lake Clitory in Italy maketh men that drink of it to abhor wine The Lake Pentasium as Solinus saith is deadly to Serpents and wholsome to men Seneca writeth of certain Lakes that will bear men which cannot swim And that in Syria is a Lake in which bricks do swim and no heavy thing will sinke It is said that the River Rhene in Germany will drown bastard Children that be cast in it but drive aland them that be lawfully begotten The River in Hypanis in Sythia every day brings forth little bladders out of which flyes do come that die that same night Matrona the River of Germany as the common people saie never passeth day but he taketh some prey Of the Sea THe Sea in this treatise hath place as a mixed substance for else the element of Waters being simple were not here to be spoken of The Sea is the naturall place of the Waters into which all Rivers and other Waters are received at the length And here it is to be understood that the very proper and naturall place of the water were to cover all the Earth for so be the elements placed the Earth lowest and round about the Earth the Water about the Water the Air and about the Ayr the fire But God the most mighty and wise creator of all things that the Earth might in some parts be inhabited of men and beasts commanded the Waters to be gathered into one place that the dry land might appeare and called the dry land Earth and the gathering of Waters he called Seas In the Sea are these two things to be considered the saltnesse and the ebbing and flowing Of the saltnesse of the Sea THe saltnesse of the Sea according to Aristotles mind is caused by the Sun that draweth from it all thin and sweet Vapors to make raine leaving the rest as the setling or bottome which is salt But men of our time peradventure more truely doe not take this for the only and sufficent cause to make so great a quantity of water salt but say that the Sea by Gods wisdom is gathered into such valleyes of the Earth as were otherwise barren and unfruitfull such Earths are salt the Sea Water then mixed with that Earth must needs be Salt else Rivers by Aristotles mind should be salt as well as the Sea The Reader may choose which opinion is most probable Of the ebbing and flowing THe ebbing and flowing of the Sea as Aristotle sermeth to teach is by reason of Exhalations that be under the Water which driveth it to and fro according to contrary bounds and limits as upward and downeward wide and narrow deepe and shallow This opinion of Aristotle also as more subtil then true experience teacheth men to mislike and to ascribe the cause of ebbing and flowing to the course of the Moone which ruleth over moysture as the Sunne doth over heat for from the new Moone to the full all humors do encrease and from the full to the new Moone decrease againe Also the very true time of the ebbing and flowing may be known by the course of the Moone with whom as the Lady of moysture we will close up the fourth book of mâ—yst and watery impressions The fifth Book Of earthly Meteors or bodies perfectâ—y mixed THis last Treatise containeth such bodies whose chiefe matter is the earth and are called perfectly mixed because they are not easily resolved into the chief matter whereof they are generated These are divided into four Kinds The first be divers sorts of Earth The second be Liquors concrete The third be Metalls and Metallikes The fourth be Stones This division is not altogether perfect both for that there be many of these Minerals which partake of two kinds and also for that the names of these kinds may be said of others Yet minding as plainly as can be to declare the things themselves the controversie and cavillation of names shall not greatly trouble us especially seeing we pretend not to teach Philosophers but such as need a ruder and plainer instruction They may therefore be content with this division which shall not serve them to dispute of these matters but to understand the truth of these things that they desire Of these foure therefore we will speak orderly and generally not minding to treat of every particular kind for that were infinite but to open such universall causes as they which have wit may learn if they list to apply unto all particulars Of Earths THe Earth is an element one of the four cold and dry most gross and solid most heavy and weighty the lowest of all other in place When I say an Element I meane a simple body uncompounded This Earth is no Meteor but as it was shewed in the water to the end there should be generation of things There is no Element that we have which is pure and simple but all are mixed and compound Our fire is grosse and compound so is our aire our water and our earth but the earth notably and above the rest is mixed For the pure and naturall Earth is dry and cold but we see much to be moist and much to be hot The natural earth is black of colour but we see many Earths white many yellow and many red So that first the greatest part of the Earth is mixed with water that maketh it to cleave together with aire and some fire which make an oylie fat or clammy earth as is clay made c. Another great part is dried not into the naturall drinesse of the first quality but as a thing once mixed and after dryed either by cold as sand gravell c. or else by heat as chalke oaker c. And yet somewhat more plainly and particularly to discourse upon these causes admitting the natural colour of the Earth to be black of the water to be blue of the aire to be white and of the fire to be ruddy it followeth that upon the mixtion of these colours or chiefe domination of them all things have their colour The grosse substance of the Earth therefore being diversly mixed with other Elements and those mixtures again being eftsoones altered by divers and sometime contrary qualities hath brought forth so many kinds of earth as clay marble chalke sand
Meteors OR A plain Description of all kind of Meteors as well Fiery and Ayrie as Watry and Earthy BRIEFLY Manifesting the Causes of all Blazing-Stars Shooting-Stars Flames in the Aire Thunder Lightning Earthquakes Rain Dew Snow Clouds Springs Stones and Metalls By W. F. Doctor in Divinitie LONDON Printed for William Leake at the Crown in Fleet-street between the two Temple Gates 1655. To the Reader I Shall not beg your pardon for publishing this Book for as 't is none of mine being written by a famous and learned Divine so I doe not set it forth relying on my own judgement but had the opinions â—nd approbation of divers persons of known abilities who knew best what is most usefull for publique Benefit And I may without breach of Modesty affirm that there is not in our Language any Booke of so small a bulke containes so much of the Doctrine of the Meteors We daily behold and view divers Meteors but very few are skill'd in their Causes but those that are not may be informed And I must tell you also that this Book on perusall hath been found so advantagious that a person of quality hath lately taken paines to make divers worthy Observations upon it which here I have subjoyned because you should not pay for two Books instead of one These Observations were never published till now and I trust thou wilt find the Author did thee a Courtesie Farewel The Table The first Booke WHy Meteors be called Unperfectly mixed 3. Why they be called perfectly mixed 3. The generall cause of all Meteors and first of the materiall cause 4. The places in which they are generated 10. The Second Book of fiery Meteors 13. The generation of the Impression called Burned Stubble or Sparkles of fire 14 Torches 15 Dancing or leaping Goates ibid. Shooting and falling Stars 16 Burning Candles 18 Burning beams and round pillars ibid. Burning Spares ibid. Shields Globes or Bowles 20. Lâ—mps ibid. Flying Dragons or fire Drakes ibid. The Pyramidal pillar like a Spire or broched steeple 23 Fire scattered in the Aire ibid. Lights that goe before men and follow them abroad in the fields in the night season 24 Helena Castor and Pollux 27. Flames that appeare upon the haires of men and beasts 29. Comets or blazing Stars 30 Apparitions 35 Colours wide gapings and deep holes which appear in the clouds 36. Wide gaping ibid. Round openiâ—g Hiatus 37. The third Book of Airy Impressions 37. Of Winds 38. Earthquakes 41. Divers kinds of Earthquakes 43 How so great winds come to be under the earth 46 The signs and tokens that go before an Earthquake most commonly 47 Thunder 50 Lightning 55 Fulgetrum ibid. Coruscation 57 Fulgur 58 The fourth kind called Fulmen 59. The first kind 60 The second kâ—nd 62 The third kind ibid. The marvailes of Lightning and their causes ibid. Storme Winds 67 Whirle winds 70 The fired Whirlewind 72 Circles 73 The Rainbow 77 The Milk way called of some the way to S. James and Watling-street 81 Beames or streames of light appearing through a cloud 86 Of Many Suns 89 Many Moons 92 Wonderfull apparitions 94 The fourth Booke Of watry Impressions 100 Of Clouds 101 Mists 103 Empty clouds 104 Raine 106 The signes of Raine 109 Monstrous or prodigious Raine 111 Dew 115 Hoare frost 117 Haile Snow 118 120. Springs and Rivers 121 Fountaines Brooks Rivers 123 Lakes 125 Hot Baths ibid. The divers tasts that are perceived in wells 126 A recitall of such Rivers and Springs as have marvelous effects whereof no natural caus can be assigned by most men although some reason in a few may be found 127 Of the Sea 132 The saltnesse of the Sea 133 The ebbing and flowing thereof 134 The fifth Booke Of earthly Meteors or bodies perfectly mixed 135 Of Earthâ— 136 Liquors concrete 139 Metals 142 Gold 143 Silver 145 Copper 146 Tynne 148 Lead ibid. Iron 149 Quicksilver 150 Stones 151 The divers kinds of stones 153 The vertue of stones 154 FINIS THE FIRST BOOK FOr as much as wee intend in this Treatise to declare the causes of all those bodies that are generated in the earth called Fossilia as well as those other Impressions named of their height Meteors which no writer hitherto hath done that we have seen the common definition given by the most Writers in no wise will serve us and whether we may borrow the name of Meteoron to comprehend the whole subiect of our worke we are not altogether out of doubt although the Philosopher deriving it from doubtfulnes givethâ—us some colour so to take it and peradventure we might be as well excused to apply it to Minerals as other authors are to use it for earthquakes yet to avoid all occasions of cavilling at words we shall both define and also describe the subject of our matter on this manner It is a body compound without life natural and yet to stop one hole because here wanteth the name of the thing to be defined it is no new thing to them that have read Aristotles workes to find a definition of that whereof there is no name But what need you be so precise will some man say meane you so to proceed in all your discourse no verily but because many of quick iudgement not considering the stile to bee attempered to the capacitie of the readers will impute the plainesse to the ignorance of the Author wee thought good in the beginning to pluck the opinion out of their minds that as the common saying is they may know wee have skill of good manners though we little use them The Meteors are divided after three manner of wayes First into bodies perfectly and imperfectly mixed Secondly into moist impressions and drie Thirdly into fiery airy watry and earthly According to this last division we shall speake of them in foure bookes following but first we must be occupied a little in the generall description of the same that afterward shall be particularly treated of Why they be called imperfectly mixed THey are called imperfectly mixed because they are very soon changed into another thing and resolved into their proper elements of which they do most consist as do all impressions fierie airie watry as snow into water clouds into waters c. Why they be called perfectly mixed THe last sort namely earthly Meteors are called perfectly mixed because they will not easily be changed and resolved from that form which they are in as be stones metalls and other mineralls According to the qualitie of the matter they are divided into moist and drie impressions consisting either of Vapors or Exhalations Vapors are called moist and exhalations drie which termes must be well noted because they must be much used Of the general causes of all Meteors and first of the material cause THe matter whereof the most part of Meteors doth consist is either water or earth for out of the water proceed vapors and out of the earth come exhalations Vapor as the Philosopher saith is
burning on a light fire and himself not ware of it Thus much concerning these Flames Of Comets or Blazing Stars A Comet is an exhalation hot and dry of great quantity fat and clammy hard-compact like a great lump of pitch which by the heat of the Sun is drawn out of the Earth into the highest region of the Air and there by the excessive heat of the place is set on fire appearing like a star with a blazing tayl and somtime is moved after the motion of the Air which is circular but it never goeth down out of the compass of sight though it be not seen in the day-time for the brightness of the Sun but still burneth until all the matter be consumed An argument of the greatness is this that there was never any Comet yet perceived but at the least it endured 7 days but much longer they have been seen namely forty days long yea fourscore days and some six months together Wherefore it must needs be a wonderfull deal of matter that can give so much nourishment for so great and fervent fire aud for so long a time There are considered in a Comet specially the Colour and Fashion which both arise of the disposition of the matter Their Colours be either white ruddy or blew If the matter be thin the colour is white if it be meanly thick then is the Comet ruddy after the colour of our fire but when the matter is very thick it is blew like the burning of brimstone And as the matter is more or less after this disposition so is the Comet of colour more or less like to these three principal colours some yellowish some duskish some greenish some watchet c. In Fashion are noted three differences for either they seem to be round with beams round about or with a beard hanging downward or else with a tayl stretched out sidelong in length The first fashion is when the matter is thickest in the midst and thin round about the edges the second is when the Exhalation is upward thick and in length downward also meanly thick the third form is like the second saving that the tayl hangeth not down but lyeth aside and is commonly longer then the beard The time of their generation is oftnest in Autumn or Harvest for in the Spring there is too much moisture and too little heat to gather a Comet in Summer is too much heat which will disperse and consume the matter that it cannot be joined together as for Winter it is clean contrary to the nature of a Comet which is hot and dry Winter being cold and moyst therefore no time so meet as Autumn Now for so much as many Learned men have gone about to declare the signification of Blazing stars we will omitt nothing that hath any shadow of Reason but declare what is written of them Such things as are set forth of the betokening of Comets are of two sorts The first is of natural The second of Civil or Politick Effects They are said to betoken Drought Barrenness of the Earth and Pestilence Drought because a Comet cannot be generated without great heat and much moysture is consumed in the burning of it Barrenness because the fatness of the Earth is drawn up whereof the Comet consisteth Pestilence for so much as this kinde of Exhalation corrupteth the Air which infecteth the bodies of men and beasts The Second sort might well be omitted saving that Aristotle himself disdaineth not to seek out Causes for some of them Generally it is noted of all Historiographers that after the appearing of Comets most commonly follow great and notable Calamities Beside this they betoken say some Wars Seditions Changes of Commonwealths and the Death of Princes and Noble men For what time Comets do shine there be many hot and dry Exhalations in the Ayr which in dry men kindle heat whereby they are provoked to Anger of Anger commeth brawling of brawling fighting and war of war victory of victory change of Commonwealths then also Princes living more delicately then other men are more subject to infection and therefore dye sooner then other men If it were lawfull to reason of this sort we might enduce them to betoken not only these few things but all other things that chance in the world Yet these predictions have a shew of Reason though it be nothing necessary but it is a wonder to see how the Astrologians dote in such devices they are not ashamed to an earthly substance to ascribe an heavenly influence and in order of judgment to use them as very stars Surely by as good reason as to the Celestial stars they attribute Divine influences and effects But this their folly hath been sufficiently detected by divers godly and learned men and this place requireth no long discourse thereof Wherefore this shall suffice both for the natural Causes of Blazing stars and also for all Flames in general It followeth therefore that with like brevity we declare the Causes of Fiery Apparitions Of Apparitions AN Apparition is an Exhalation in the lowest or highest Region of the Air not verily burning but by refraction of light either of the Sun or of the Moon seeemeth as though it burned which appearance of colour riseth not of the mixtion of the four qualities as it doth in bodies perfectly mixed as Herbs Stones c. but only the falling of light upon shadow the light is instead of white and the shadow of darkness instead of black These diversly mixed according to the divers dispositions of the Exhalation which ministreth variety by thickness or thinness cause divers Colours There be commonly recited three kindes of Fiery Apparitions Colours Wide-gapings and Deep holes which appear in the Clouds Of Colours Colours are here meant when there is nothing else to be noted but the Colours of the clouds and they are caused as it is said by casting the light into the shadowy Cloud according as it exceedeth more or less in thickness whereof some be very bright-white and that is when the Exhalation is very thin some yellowish when the Exhalation is thicker some ruddy when it is meanly thick and very black when it is very thick The red and ruddy Colours are seen in the morning and evening when the light of the Sun is not in his full force for at other times of the day his light is too vehement clear strong and peircing Thus much of Colours Of Wide-gaping Wide-gaping is caused when an Exhalation is thick in the midst and thin on the edges then the light being received into it causeth it to appear as though the sky did rend and fiâ—e break out of it Of round opening Hiatus These holes called Hiatus differ from Wide-gapings in nothing but that they be less and therefore seem as though they were deep pits or holes and not rending or gaping And these be those Apparitions that appear Fiery and yet be not so indeed Therefore let this be
sufficient to have shewed the natural Causes of all Fiery Meteors THE THIRD BOOK Of Airy Impressions UNder the name of Airy Impressions be comprehended such Meteors whose matter is most of the Air. Of this sort be Winds Earthquakes Thunder Lightnings Storme-Winds Whirlwinds Circles Rainbowes The White Circle called of some WATLING street many Suns many Moons Of Winds THe Wind is an Exhalation hot and dry drawn up into the Air by the power of the Sun and by reason of the weight thereof being driven down is laterally or sidelong carried about the Earth And this Definition is not to be understood of general Winds that blow over all the Earth or else some great Regions but besides these there be particular Winds which are known but only in some Countries and them not very large These Winds oftentimes have another manner of generation and that is on this manner It must needs be confessed that within the globe of the Earth be wonderfull great holes caves or dungeons in which when Air aboundeth as it may by divers Causes this Air that cannot abide to be penned in findeth a little hole in or about those Countries as it were a mouth to break out of and by this meanes bloweth vehemently yet that force and vehemency extendeth not far but as the wind that commeth forth of bellows neer the comming forth is strong but far off is not perceived so this Particular Wind in that particular Country where it breaketh forth is very violent and strong in so much that it overthroweth both trees and houses yet in other Countries not very far distant no part of that boysterous blast is felt Wherefore this Wind differeth from the general Winds both in Qualities and Substance or Matter for the Matter of them is an Exhalation and the Qualities such as the nature of the Exhalation is very Airy but not Air indeed but of this particular Wind the Matter and Substance is most commonly Air. There is yet a third kinde of Wind which is but a soft gentle and cool moving of the Air and commeth from no certain place as the general Wind doth yea it is felt in the shadow under trees when in the hot light and shining of the Sun it is not perceived It commeth whisking suddenly very pleasant in the heat of Summer and ceaseth by and by this properly is no Wind but a moving of the Air by some occasion As for the general Winds they blow out of divers Quarters of the Air now East now West now South now North or else inclining to one of the same Quarters Among which the East-wind following the nature of the Fire is hot and dry the South-wind expressing the quality of the Air is hot and moyst the Western blast agreeing with the Waters property is cold and moyst the North that never was warmed with the heat of the Sun being cold and dry partaketh the condition of the Earth The middle Winds have middle and mixed qualities after the nature of those Four principal Winds more or less as they incline toward them more or less Generally the profit of all Winds by the wonderfull wisdom of the Eternal God is very great unto his Creatures For besides that these Winds alter the Weather some of them bringing rain some driness some frost and snow which all are necessary there is yet an universal Commodity that riseth by the only moving of the Air which were it not continually stirred as it is would soon putrify and being putrified would be a deadly infection to all that hath breath upon the Earth Wherefore this wind whose sound we hear and know not from whence it commeth nor whither it goeth for who can affirm from whence it was raised or where it is laid down as all other Creatures beside does teach us the wonderfull and wise providence of God that we may worthily cry out with the Psalmist and say O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdome hast thou made them all c. Let this be sufficient to have shewed the generation of the Winds Of Earthquakes AN Earthquake is a shaking of the Earth which is caused by meanes of wind and Exhalations that be enclosed within the caves of the Earth and can find â—o passage to break forth or else so narrow a way that it cannot soon enough be dilivered Wherefore with great force and violence it breaketh out and one while shaketh the Earth another while rendeth and cleaveth the same somtime it casteth up the Earth a great hight into the Air and somtime it causeth the same to sink a great depth down swallowing both Cities and Townes yea and also mighty great Mountaines leaving in the place where they stood nothing but great holes of an unknown depth or else great lakes of Waters Of divers kinds of Earthquakes DIvers Authors write diversly of the kinds of Earthquakes some making more and some less but we shall be content at this time to comprehend them in four sorts The first kind is when the Earth is shaken laterally to one side which is when the whole force of the wind driveth to one place and there is no other contrary motion to let it This wind if it be not great shaketh the Earth that it trembleth as a man that hath a fit of an ague and doth no more harme but if it be great and violent it looseth the foundations of all buildings be they never so strong and overthroweth whole Cities but especially the great buildings and not only such buildings but somtimes also casteth down great Hilles that cover and overwhelm all the valleys under them Many noble and great Cities have been overthrown by this kind of Earthquake It is written that twelve of the most beautifull Cities and most sumptuous buildings in all Asia were overthrown and utterly destroyed with an Earthquake How often Antiochia yea within short time was destroyed they which have read the Histories can testifie How terrible was the Earthquake that shook Constantinople a whole year together that the Emperour and all the people were fain to dwell abroad in the fields under tents and pavilions for fear their houses would fall on their heads it is recorded in the Chronicles and worthy to be remembered The second kind is when the Earth with great violence is lifted up so that the buildings are like to fall and by and by sinketh down again this is when all the force of the winds striveth to get upward after the nature of gunpowder and finding some way to be delivered out of bondage the Earth that was hoysied up returneth to his old place The third kind is a gaping rending or cleaving of the Earth when the Earth sinketh down and swalloweth up Cities and Townes with Castles and Towers Hilles and Rocks Rivers and Floods so that they be never seen again Yea the Sea in some places hath been drunk up so that men might have gone over on
so gross and thick which for the most part are drawn so thin from the Earth that they are invisible as the Air is And although they are known often times as Aristotle witnesseth to be in the lowest region of the Air neer to the Earth insomuch that sometimes they fall down to the Earth with great noise to the great fear of men and no less loss and danger yet may it be reasonably thought that these Clouds were generated in the middle region of the Air far distant from the Earth which by their heaviness do by little and little sink down lower into the lowest region and sometimes also fall down to the Earth The Common Opinion is that they goe not higher then nine mile which because it leaneth to no reason is uncertain Albertus Magnus whose reason also is to be doubted of affirmeth that the Clouds do scarce exceed Three miles in height when they are highest And some let not to say that oftentimes they ascend not past the half of One mile in height Again Others pretending to finde out the truth by Geometrical Demonstrations make it aboue Fifty mile to the place where the generation of Clouds is How these men take the distance from the Earth it is uncertain whether that they assigne the least distance and meane it from the highest parts of the Earth as are hill tops or from the common playn Again whether they that assign the highest distance to be from the lowest valleys of the Earth or from the hill tops The Reason before shewed moveth me to think that the most usual and common generation I mean the condensation or making thick of these thin Vapors into Clouds is in the middle region of the Air but for the distance of the Clouds when they be generated I think they be sometime Nine mile sometime Three mile sometime Half a mile and sometime less then a Quarter of a mile from the Earth Of Mists THere be Two kindes of Mists the one ascending the other descending That which ascendeth goeth up cut of the Water or the Earth as Smoak but doth not commonly spread over all other parts it is seen in Rivers and moist places The other Mist that goeth down toward the Earth is when any Vapor is lifted up into the Air by the heat of the Sun which being not strong enough to draw it so high that the Cold may knit it suffereth it after it is a little made thick to fall down again so it filleth all the Air with the gross Vapors and is called Mists being usually a Sign of fair Weather Of empty Clouds THere be certain Cloudes that are empty and send no Rain they come of two sorts One sort are the Remnants of a Cloud that hath rained which cannot be converted into water for their dryness Another sort is of them that are drawn up out of wett and dry places and be rather Exhalations then Vapors that is they be dry hot and light so that it were hard for them to be turned into Rain they look white like flocks of wooll when the light striketh into them There be also empty Clouds which when the Winds have dispersed abroad any Cloud are scattered over all the sky but these Clouds though for a time they be empty yet because they consist of such a substance as is watry they may be and are oftentimes gathered together and give plentifull Rain Of the Colours of Clouds we have spoken in the Second Book of Fiery Meteors where those Colours and the causes of them are described which seem to be Fiery or may be thought to be Inflammations or burnings as to be Red Fiery and Yellowish But besides those there be White Black Blew and Green White clouds be thin and not very Watry so that the light received in them maketh them to appear White Black clouds be full of thick gross and earthly matter that makes them look so dark Blew clouds be full of thick drose and earthly as the Black so the light received in them maketh them to seem Blew Green clouds are altogether watry resolved into water which receiving into them the night appear Green as Water doth in a great vessel or in the Sea and Rivers Of Rayne AFter the generation of clouds is well knowne it shall not be hard to learne from whence the Rayne commeth For after the matter of the cloud being drawne up and by cold made thick as is said before heat following which is most commonly of the Southerne wind or any other wind of hot temper doth resolve it againe into Water and so it falleth in drops to give increase of fruit to the Earth and move men to give thankes to God There be small showers of small drops aud there be great stormes of great drops The showres with small drops proceed either of the small heat that resolveth the clouds or else of the great distance of the clouds from the Earth The streames with great drops contrariwise doe come of great heat resolving or melting the cloud or else of small distance from the Earth Whereof we see a plaine experiment when Water is powred forth from an high place the drops are smal but if it be not from high it will either have no droppes or very great The caus why raine falleth in round drops is both for that the parts desire the same forme that the whole hath which is round and also that so it is best preserved against all contrary qualities like as we see Water powred upon dry or greasy things to gather it selfe into roundels to avoid the contrariety of heat and drynesse It is not to be omitted that raine Water although a great part of it be drawne out of the Sea yet most commonly it is sweet not salt The caus is becaus it is drawn up in such small Vapors and that salt part is consumed by the heat of the Sunne The raine water doutlesse doth more encrease and cherish things growing on the Earth then any other Water wherewith they may be Watered becaus the raine Water retaineth much of the Sunnes heat in it that is no small comfort to all growing plants The Water that commeth from Heaven in raine will sooner come to putrifaction or stinking then any other becaus it hath been made very subtill by heat and also for that it is mixed with so many Earthly and corruptible substances Rain water that falleth in the summer by Avicens judgement is more wholesome then other Water becaus it is not so cold and moyst as other Waters be but hotter and lighter Sometime there is salt rayne when some Exhalation which is hot and dry is commixed with the Vapor whereof the rayne consisteth Somtime it is bitter when some burnt Earthly moysture is mixed with it This rayne is both unwholesome and also unfruitfull In these countreys there is great store and plenty of rayne becaus the Sunne is of such temperate heate that it
evident that the starres of the firmament cannot fall for GOD hath set them fast for ever he hath given them a Commandement which they shall not passe And though they should fall into the clouds yet could they not rest there but with their weight being driven down would cover the whole earth For the least starre that is seen in the firmament is greater then all the earth Here will step forth some merrie fellow which of his conscience thinketh them not to be above three yards about and say it is a loud lie for he can see within the compasse of a bushell more then 20 stars But if his bushell were on firâ— 20 mile of I demand how bigge it would seeme unto him He that hath any wit will easily perceive that starres being by all mens confession so many thousand miles distant from the earth must needs be very great that so far off should be seen in any quantity Thus much for the shooting or falling starres Of burning Candles WHen the Exhalation carried up into the highest part of the ayre is in all parts thereof of equall and like thinness and also long but not broad it is set on fire and blazeth like a candle until the Exhalation be quite consumed Of burning Beames and round Pillars THese are caused when the Exhalation being long and not very broad is set on fire all at once and so burneth like a great beame or logge The difference of Beames and Pillars is this for beams are when they seeme to lie in length in the ayre but they are called Pillars when they stand right up the one end neerer to the earth then the other Of Burning Speares BUrning speares are generated when a great quantity of exhalations which may be called a dry cloud is set on fire in the middest and because the cloud is not so compact that it should suddenly rend as when thunder is caused the fire breaketh out at the edges of the cloud kindling the thin Exhalations which shoot out in great number like fiery speares or darts long and very small wherefore they continue not long but when they fayle within a short while after more fire breaking out they shoot as many more in their place and likewise when they are gone others succeed if the quantity of the matter will suffice more then a douzen courses This impression was seene in London Anno Dom. 1560. the thirty day of Ianuary at eight of the clock at night the ayre in all other places being very darke but in the North-east where this cloud burned it was as light as when the day breaketh toward the Sunne rising in so much that plaine shaddow of things opposite was seene The edge of this cloud was in the fashion like the Raynebow but in colour very bright and oftentimes casting forth almost innumerable darts of wonderfull length like squibs that are cast into the ayre saving that they move more swiftly then any squibs Of Shields Globes or Bowles THese Meteors also have their name of their fashion because they are broad and appeare to be round otherwise their generation differeth not from the cause of the like impressions before mentioned Of Lampes THe Lampe consisteth of an Exhalation that is broad and thick but not equally extended namely smaller at one end then at another which being kindled about the middest thereof burneth like a lampe The cause why as well this impression as many other appeareth round is not for that alwaies they are round indeed but because the great distance causeth them to seem so For even the square formes far off seem to be round 〈◊〉 is written that a Lamp fell down at Rome when Germanicus Caesar set forth forth the fight of sword players Of flying Dragons or fire Drakes Flying Dragons or as Englishmen call them fire-Drakes be caused on this manner When a certaine quantity of â—apors are gathered together on a heap â—eing very neere compact and as it were â—ard tempered together this lump of â—apors ascending to the region of cold â—forcibly beaten back which violence â—f moving is sufficient to kindle it â—lthough some men will have it to be â—used between 2 clouds a hot and a â—â—ld then the highest part which was â—iming upward being by reason more â—btill and thin appeareth as the Draâ—ns neck smoking for that is was â—ely in the repulse bowed or made â—â—oked to represent the Dragons belly â—e last part by the same repulse turned â—ward maketh the tayle appearing â—aller for that it is both further off â— also for that the cold bindeth it â—is dragon thus being caused flyeth â—ng in the ayre and sometime turneth â—nd fro if it meet with a cold cloud eat it back to the great terrour of 〈◊〉 that behold it of whom some 〈◊〉 it a fire Drake some say it is the â—ill himselfe and so make report â—thers More then 47 yeeres agoâ— on May day when many young folk went abroad early in the morning remember by six of the clocke in thâ— forenoone there was newes come to London that the Devill the same morning was seen flying over the Thames afterward came word that he lighteâ— at Stratford and there was taken anâ— set in the Stockes and that though hâ— would fane have dissembled the matteâ— by turning him selfe into the likenesâ— of a man yet was he known well enougâ— by his cloven foot I knew some theâ— living that went to see him and returning affirmed that he was seen flying in the ayre but was not takeâ— prisoner I remember also that somâ— wished he had been shot at with Gunâ— or shafts as he flew over the Thameâ— Thus do ignorant men iudge of the things that they know not As for thâ— Devill I suppose it was a flying Drâ—gin whereof we speake very fearefuâ— to looke upon as though he had 〈◊〉 because he moveth whereas it is nâ—thing else but clouds and smoake 〈◊〉 mighty is God that he can feare 〈◊〉 enemies with these and such like opâ—rations whereof some examples may be found in holy Scripture Of the Pyramidall Pillar like a spire or broached Steeppe THis sharpe poynted pillar is generated in the highest region of the ayre and after this sort When the Exhalation hath much earthly matter in it the lighter parts and thinner as their nature is ascending upward the grosser heavier and thicker abide together in the bottome and so is it of fashion great beneath and small poynted above and beeing set on fire it is so seene and thereof hath his name Of fire scattered in the ayre FIre scattered in the ayre or illuminations are generated in the lowest region of the ayre when very drie and hot Exhalations are drawne up and meeting with cold clouds are sent back again which motions doe set them a fire whose parts being not equally thick or ioyned together seeme as though fire were scattered in the ayre Yea sometimes the whole ayre seemeth to burne as though it
would rayne fire from Heaven and so it hath come to passe burning both Cities and Townes Then iudge how easy it was for God to raine fire upon Sodom and Gomorra for their sins and wickedness Of lights that goe before men and follow them abroad in the fields by the night season THere is also a kind of light that is seen in the night season seemeth to goe before men or to follow them leading them out of their way into waters and other dangerous places It is also very often seene in the night of them that saile on the Sea and sometime will cleave to the mast of the Shippe or other high parts sometime slide round about the Shippe and either rest in one part till it goe out or else be quenched in the water This impression seene on the land is called in Latine Ignis fatuus foolish fire that hurteth not but onely feareth fooles That which is seene on the Sea if it be but one is named Helena if it be two it is called Castor and Pollux The foolish fire is an Exhalation kindled by meanes of violent moving when by cold of the night in the lowest region of the ayre it is beaten downe and then commonly if it be light seeketh to ascend upward and is sent down againe so it danceth up and downe Else if it move not up and downe it is a great lumpe of glewish or oyly matter that by moving of the heat in it selfe is enflamed of it selfe as moyst hay will bek indled of it selfe In hot and fennie Countries these lights are often seene and where is abundance of such unctuous and fat matter as about Church-yards where through the corruption of the bodies there buried the earth is full of such substance wherefore in Church-yards or places of common buriall oftentimes are such lights seene which ignorant and superstitious fooles have thought to be soules tormented in the fire of Purgatory Indeed the Devill hath used these lights although they be naturally caused as strong delusions to captive the minds of men with feare of the Popes Purgatory whereby he did open injury to the blood of Christ which onely purgeth us from all our sins and delivereth us from all torments both temporall and eternall according to the saying of the wise-man The soules of the righteous are in the Hands of God and no torment toucheth them But to returne to the lights in which there are yet two things to be considered First why they lead men out of their way And secondly why they seeme to follow men and goe before them The cause why they lead men out of the way is that men while they take heed to such lights and are also sore afraid they forget their way then being once but a little out of their way they wander they wot not whither to waters pits and other very dangerous places Which when at length they hap the way home will tell a great tale how they have beene led about by a spirit in the likenesse of Fire Now the cause why they seeme to goe before men or to follow them some men have said to be the moving of the ayre by the going of the man which ayre moved should drive them forward if they were before and draw them after if they were behind But this is no reason at all that the Fire which is oftentimes three or foure miles distant from the man that walketh should be moved to and fro by that ayre which is moved through his walking but rather the moving of the ayre and the mans eyes causeth the fire to seeme as though it moved as the Moone to children seemeth if they are before it to run after them if she be before them to run before them that they cannot overtake her though she seeme to be very neere them Wherefore these lights rather seeme to move then that they be moved indeed Of Helena Castor and Pollux WHen the like substance in the lowest region of the ayr over the Sea by the like occasion is set on fire if be one only it is called Helena if their be two they are called Castor and Pollux These impressions will oftentimes cleave to the mast and other parts of Ships by reason of the claminesse and fatnesse of matter Helena was of the Heathen men taken as a Goddesse the daughter of Jupiter and Leda Castor and Pollux were her brethren Helena was the occasion that Troy was destroyed therefore the Mariners by experience trying that one flame of fire appearing along signified tempest at hand supposed the same flame to be the goddesse Helena of whom they look'd for nothing but destruction But when two lights are seen together they are a token of fair weather and good luck the Mariners therefore beleeved that they were Castor and Pollux which sayling to seek their sister Helena being carried to Troy by Paris were never seen after and thought to be translated into the number of the Gods that gave good successe to them that sayl as we read in the last Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles that the Ship wherein S. Paul sayled had a badge of Castor and Pollux A naturall cause why they may thus foreshew either tempest or calmnesse is this One flame alone may give warning of a tempest because that as the matter thereof is compact and not dissolved so it is like that the matter of the tempest which never wanteth as wind and clouds is still together and not dissipated then is it like not long after to arise By two flames together may be gathered that as this Exhalation which is very thick is divided so the thick matter of tempests is dissolved and scattered abroad by the same cause that this is divided Therefore not without a reason the Mariner to his mates may promise a prosprous course Of flames that appeare upon the haires of men or beasts THere is another kind of fiery impression which is flames of fire upon the haires of men and beasts especially horses These are sometime clammy Exhalations scatered abroad in the air in small parts which in the night by resistance of the cold are kindled cleaving on horses eares on mens heads and shoulders that ride or walke In that they cleave upon hayres it is by the same reason that the dew will be seen also upon haires or garments whose wooll is high as frize mantels and such like Another sort of these flames are caused when mens or beasts bodies being chafed send forth a â—at and clammy sweat which is in like manner kindled as the sparks of fire that are seene when a black horse is curried Livius reporteth of Servius Tullius that as he lay asleep being a child his hair seemed to be all on a flame which for all that did not burn his hair or hurt him The like history he reciteth of one Marius a Knight of Rome that as he made an Oration to his Soldiers in Spain they saw his head
foot untill the time of tide or flood returning covered the place with Waters again But in the land where this Earthquake swalloweth up any City or Country there appeareth nothing in the place thereof but a marvellous wide and deep gulfe or hole Aristotle maketh mention of divers places and regions that were overthrown with this kind of Earthquake The fourth kind is when great mountaines are cast up out of the Earth or else when some part of the land sinketh down and in stead thereof arise Rivers Lakes or Fires breaking out with smoake and Ashes It causeth also overflowings of the Sea when the Sea bottome is lifted up and by this means arise many Islands in the Sea that never were seen before These and other such miracles are often found In the Writers of Histories also in the Philosophers as Aristotle Seneca and Plinius Nevertheless the effects of some as most notable it shall not be unprofitable to recite Plato in his Dialogue intituled Timeus maketh mention by the way of a wonderfull Earthquake whereby not only Africa was rent asunder from Europe and Asia as it is indeed at this day except a little neck by the red Sea the Sea entring between them that now is called Mare Mediterraneum but also a wonderfull great Island which he affirmeth was greater then Africa and Asia both called Atlantis was swallowed up and covered by the Waters in so much that on the Sea called Atlanticum for a great while after no Ship could sayl by reason that the same huge Sea by resolution of the Earth of that mighty Iland was all turned into mudde The famous I le of Sicilia was also somtime a part of Italy and by Earthquake rent asunder from itâ— Seneca maketh mention of two Ilands Theron and Therea that in his time first appeared It should seeme both by Aristotle and also by Herodotus that Egypt in ancient time was a gulph of the Sea and by Earthquake made a drie land During the reignâ— of Tiberius the Emperor twelve notable Cities of Asia were overthrown in one night c. How so great VVinds come to be under the Earth THe great Caves and Dennes of the Earth must needs be full of Ayr continually but when by the heat of the Sunne the moysture of the Earth is resolved many Exhalations are generated as well within the Earth as without and whereas the places were full before so that they could receive no more except part of that which was in them were let out in such countries where the Earth hath few pores or else where they are stopped with moysture it must needs follow that these Exhalations striving to get out must needs rend the Earth in some place or lift it up so that either they may have free passage or else room enough to abide in Of signes and tokens that go before an Earthquake most commonly THe first is the raging of the Sea when there are no tempestuous Winds to stirre it yea when the Ayr is most calme without Wind. The caus why the Sea then rageth is that the wind beginneth to labour for passage that way and finding none is sent back and soon after shaketh the land The second signe is calmness of the Ayr and cold which commeth to pass by reason that the Exhalation that should be abroad is within the Earth The third signe is said to be a long thinne strake of cloud seen when the skie is clear after the setting of the Sun This say they is caused by reason that the Exhalation or Vapor which is the matter of clouds is gone into the Earth Others affirm that it is the Exhalation that breaketh out of some narrow hole of the Earth out of which the rest of the wind cannot issue neither will it waite the time wherefore within a while after it seeketh and maketh it self by sudden eruption a broader way to be delivered out of prison Also the Sunne certaine daies before it appeareth dimme because the Winds that should have purged and dissolved the grosse Ayr that causeth this dimness to our eyes is enclosed within the bowels of the Earth The Water in the bottome of deepe wells is troubled and the savour thereof infected because the pestilent Exhalations that have been long inclosed within the Earth doe then beginne a little to be sent abroad For thereof cometh it that in many places where Earthquakes have been great abundance of smoak flame and ashes is cast out when the abundance of brimstone that is under the ground through violent motion is set on fire and breaketh forth Finally who knoweth not what stinking Minerals and other poysonous stuff doe grow under the Earth wherefore it is no wonder if Well-water before an Earthquake be infected but rather it is to be marvelled if after an Earthquake there follow not a grievous Pestilence when the whole mass of infection is blown abroad Last of all there is heard before it in the time of it and after it a great noise and sound under the Earth a terrible groaning and a very Thundring yea somtimes when there followeth no Earthquake at all when as the wind without shaking of the Earth findeth a way to passe out at And these for the most part or at least some of them are forewarnings that the most fearfull Earthquake will follow then the which there is no naturall thing that bringeth men into a greater feare Cato was very curious to confesse himselfe that he repented that ever he went by water when as he might have gone by land But what land can be sure if it be the Lords will by this work of his to shake it what building so strong that can defend us when the more strong the more danger the higher the greater fall Of Thunder THunder is a sound caused in the clouds by the breaking out of a hot and dry Exhalation beating against the edges of the cloud It is often heard in Spring and Summer by reason that the heat of the Sun then draweth up many Exhalations which meeting in the middle region of the Air with moyst and cold Vapors are together with them inclosed in a hollow cloud but when the hot Exhalation cannot agree with the coldness of the place by this strife being driven together made stronger and kindled it will straight break out which sudden and violent eruption causeth the noyse which we call Thunder A Similitude is put by great Authors of moist wood that cracketh in the fire we may adde hereunto the breaking of an egge in the fire of an apple or any like thing for whatsover holdeth and withholdeth inclosed any hot wind so that it can have no vent it will seek it self a way by breaking the skin shell or case It were no ill comparison to liken Thunder to the sound of a gun which be both caused of the same or very like causes The sound of Thunder is divers
a garland of divers colours that is seen about the Sunne the Moon or any other Star especially about Jupiter or Venus for their great brightnesse It is called of the Greeks a compassed plat of the Latines a Crown or Garland The matter wherein it is made is a cloud of equall thickness or thinnesse comming directly under the body of the Sunne the Moone or other Starres into which the light of the heavenly body is received so appeareth round because the Starre is round as a stone cast into the water maketh many round circels dilating in breadth untill the violence of the moving is ended so is it in the aire the light beames peircing it cause broad circles to be dilated which appeare white purple black red green blew and other colours according to the disposition of the clouds matter The cause of such colours is shewed before in the peculiar treaty of colours This circle is oftner seene about the Moone then about the Sunne because the heate of the Sunne draweth the vapors too high where it cannot be made Also because the night is a more quiet time then the day from wind it is more often in the night then in the day Seldome about other Starres because their light beames are too weake often to pierce a cloud yet oftner about smal stars then the Sunne because the light of the Sunne pierceth the cloud more forcibly than that this Halon can many times be cause Otherwhiles it is seen about a candle which must be in a very thicke and grosse aire of such proportionate thickness that it may receive the light as the cloud doth from the starres as in the smoaky places or hot houses This kinde of circle is sometimes like a Rainebow saving that it is a whole circle unlesse the starre under which it is caused be not all risen or else the cloud in which it is seen be not all come under the Star or after it hath come under some part therof be dissolved from the rest These Circles be sings of tempests and windes as witnesse both Virgil and Aratus The Wind shal blow from that quarter where the Circle first beginneth to break The cause whereof is this that the Circle is broken by the Winde that is above which is not yet come down towards us but by this effect above we may gather both that it will come and also from what quarter A great Circle about the Moon betokeneth great cold and frost to follow after But if it vanish away and be dissolved altogether it is a signe of faire weather If it be broken in many parts it signifieth tempest If it wax altogether thicker and darker it is a forewarning of raine One alone after Ptolomee pure and white vanishing away by little and little is a token of faire weather Two or three at once portendeth tempest if they be â—uddy they shew wind to come and toward snow they seem as it were broken and rocky Being darke or dimme they signifie all these foresaid events with more force and abundance it is oftner caused in Autumne and Spring then in Winter or Summer the cause is the temperatenesse of the time The cause why it appeareth sometime greater and sometime lesser is in the quality of the matter which as it is grosse or thinne will more or lesse be dilated and stretched abroad also as some will have it of the weakenesse of mans sight Of which Aristotle bringeth an example in one Antipho which did alwayes see his owne image before him in the ayre as in a glasse which he affirmeth to have been for the weaknesse of his sight-beames that could not peirce the aire so that they were reflected again to himself And thus much for Halon and the causes signes or tokeâ—s of it Of the Rainebow THe Rainebow is the apparition of certaine colours in a cloud opposite against the Sunne in fashion of half a Circle Possidonius said it was the Sunnes looking glasse wherein his image was represented and that the blue colour was the proper colour of the cloud red of the Sunne all the other colours of commixtion It differeth manifoldly from Halon for the Raynebow is alwayes opposite against the Sunne but Halon is directly under it They differ not onely in place but also in fashion the Raynebow is but halfe a Circle the Halon is a whole Circle Likewise they vary in colour for the Raynebow is more dimme and of purple colour the Halon whiter and brighter Also in continance for the Rainbow may continue longer then Halon The image of the Rainebow may be seen on a wall the Sunne striking thorow a fix poynted stone called Iris or any other Christall of the same fashon also thorow some glasse window Halon is seen about Candles in smokie places as are baths and kitchings The manner of the generation of the Rainebow is such There is opposite against the Sunne a thick watery cloud which is already resolved into dewy drops of raine is for a grosse similitude is seene on the potlid when the Water in the Vessell hath sodden or is very hot the lid will be all full of small drops of water which come from the water in the Vessell first by heat resolved into smoake after when it cannot goe at large it is resolved again Wherefore upon such a cloud the Sunne beams striking as upon a smooth glasse do expresse the image of the Sun unperfectly for the great distance Or else the Sunne beames striking into a hollow cloud where they are refracted or broken and so come to the eyes of him that beholdeth the Rainbow The similitude thereof is seen when men sayle or row in Boats the Sunne shineth upon the water which casteth on the vessels side the colours and image of the Rainbow Lifewise water in an urinall holden against the Sunne receiveth the light and sheweth colours on the wall There be two kinds of Rainbows one of the Sun another of the Moon the one by day the other by night the Rainebow of the Sun often but of the Moon very seldome in so much that it can be but twice in fifty yeeres and that when the Moon is in the East or West full in perfect opposition It hath not been many times seene since the writing of Histories yet sometimes and for the rarenesse is taken for a great wonder Yet is it in colour nothing so beautiful as the sunnes but for the most part white as milke other diversities of colours are scant perceived When it appeareth it is said to signifie tempest The time of the Rainbow is often after the point of Autumne both for the placing of the Sunne in competent lownesse and also for abundance of matter seldom or never is the Rainebow see about the midst of Summer There may be many Rainebows at one time yet commonly but one principall of which the rest are
but consisteth of innumerable smal drops so that except the light of the stars were stronger it can in them express no uniform images of them as it doth in glasses and in the water Notwithstanding in Writers of Wonders we read some such likething sometime to have chanced There hath been often seen many Suns in the day-time and after the Sun setting at the rising of the full Moon there have appeared many Moons which was by this means that the same Cloud that received the Sun-beams in the morning tarried in the same place and at the Moons rising was ready also to receive her image Of Wonderfull Apparitions WE will close this Book with a brief declaration of the natural Causes of many things that are seen in the Air very wonderfull and strange to behold which in these latter Years have been often seen and beheld to the great admiration of all men not without the singular providence of God to forewarne us of many dangers that hang over us in these most Perillous Times The apparitions of which as it is most wonderfull so the searching of the Cause to us is most difficult a great deal the rather because no man hath hitherto enterprised to my knowledge to seek out any cause of them but all men have taken them as immediate miracles without any natural meane or cause to procure them And I truly do acknowledge that they are sent of God as wonderfull signs to declare his Power and move us to amendment of life indeed miraculous but not yet so that they want a natural cause for if they be well weighed and considered it is not hard to find that they differ much from such Miracles as are recorded in the Scripture and admitted of Divines So that as I abhorre the Opinion of Epicurus to think that such things come by Chance but rather by the determined purpose of Gods providence so I consent not with them that suppose when any thing is derived from any natural caus God the chief and best Cause of all things is excluded Some of these Wonderfull Apparitions consist of Circles and Rainbowes of divers fashions and placings as one within another the edge of one touching another one dividing or going thorow another with like placing of small Circles about great Circles or parts of small Circles some with the ends upward some downward some aside and some across but all for the most part in uniform order constituted or placed for the order of them pleasant to behold but for the strangness somwhat fearfull Such a like Apparition is made with the Suns or Moons images joined unto these Circles set also in good and uniform order The cause of all these is the meeting together of all those several Causes that make the Circles Rainbowes Streames and Images of the Sun or Moon which joined all together make the wonderfull sight of Rainbowes positions of Circles Crosses and divers Lights which pertain to the knowledg of Optice and Catoptrice that teach how by divers refractions and reflects ons of beams such visions are caused So that he which will know how they are generated must return into the several Treatises of Rainbowes Circles Streams Images of the Sun or Moons and if in them he find not knowledg sufficient to instruct him I must send him to the Demonstrations of Perspective where he shall want nothing Another sort of them no less often beheld within these few years then the former but a great deal more strange and wonderfull to look upon are the Sights of Armies fighting in the Air of Castles Cities and Towns with whole Countries having in them Hils Vallies Rivers Woods also Beasts Men and Fouls Monsters of which there are no such kindes on the Earth and finally all manner of things and actions that are on the Earth as Burials Processions Judgments Combates Men Women Children Horses Crowns Armes of certain Noble men and Countries Weapons of all sorts somtimes Starsâ— Angels as they are painted with the Image of Christ crucified beseiging of Castles and Townes many things and gestures done by men or beasts thevery Similitude of Persons known to the Beholders as of late was seen the very Image of the Emperour Charles insomuch that they which beheld it put off their Caps thinking verily it had been he and of John Frederick Prince Elector of Saxony who that time was Prisoner with the Emperour Also the Image of smal Crosses which hath been not only in the Air but also on the Earth on mens apparell on dishes platters pots and all other things so that the Jewes have been full angry that they could neither wash nor rub them out of their apparell In Germany also Fires and many such things as it were long stories seen in the Air. All these wonderfull Apparitions may be caused two manner of ways the one Artificially the other Naturally Artificially by certain glasses and Instruments made according to a secret part of that knowledg which is called Catoptrice and so peradventure some of them have been caused but The most part doubtless Naturally when the disposition of the Air hath been such that it hath received the image of many things placed and done on Earth And because it is apt to receive divers images as well in one place as in another these monstrous forms and strange actions or stories proceed of the joining of divers forms and actions as if two Histories were confusedly painted in one the whole Picture would be strange or as the Poet saith if a Painter to a mans head should sett a horses neck and after divers feathers Sometimes also one image is multiplyed in the Air into many or infinite as are letters and crosses which fill the Air even beneath And the light of the Sun received into little parts maketh to appear as it were many smal stars Let this suffice concerning these wonderfull Apparitions once again admonishing the Reader though I have enterprised to declare these by natural Reason yet verily believing that not so much as one Sparrow falleth to the ground without Gods providence I do also ackowledg Gods providence bringeth these to pass to such ends as before I have shewed using these causes as meanes and instruments to do them The Fourth Book Of Watery Impressions THose be Watery Impressions that consist most of Water In the Treaty of them are wont to be handled these Impression namely Clouds Rain Dew hoar Frost Hail Snow Springs and the great Sea it self Of Clouds A Cloud is a Vapor cold and moist drawn out of the Earth and Waters by the heat of the Sun into the middle region of the Air where by cold it is so knit together that it hangeth untill either the weight or some resolution causeth it to fall down The place wherein the Clouds do hang is said to be in the middle region of the Air because men see it is necessary that there should be a cold which should make those Vapors
or else two or three small springs meet together in one channell Of Rivers RIvers are caused by the meeting together not only of many springs but also of many brookes and fords which being received in divers places as they passe are at the length caried into the broad Sea for the most part Howbeit some Rivers as swallowed up into the Earth which perchance run into the Sea by some secret and unknowne channels some Rivers there be that hide their heads under the Earth and in another place far off breake out againe They Write also that some Rivers being swallowed up of the Earth in one Island do run under the bottome of the Earth and Sea and breake forth in another Island There be also many great Rivers that run under the Earth in great Caves which never breake forth Aristotle sheweth of ponds and lakes that be under the Earth And Seneca speaketh of a pond that was found by such as digged in the Earth with fishes in it and they that did eat of them dyed As Eeles that be found in darke places as Wells that have beene dammed up c. are poyson Of Lakes LAkes are made by the meeting together of many Rivers Brooks and Springs into one deep valley whereof some are so great that they have the name of the Seas as the Lake called Hircane or Caspian Sea These Lakes sometimes unlade themselves into the Sea by small Rivers sometimes by passages under the Earth The cause of the swiftnesse of Rivers is double for they are swift either for the great abundance of waters or else because they 〈◊〉 down from an hilly place as the River Rhene falleth down from the top of wonderful high hills Of hot Bathes SOme waters that are generated and flow out of veines of Brimstone are sensibly warm and some very hot because they run out of hot places These waters being also drying by nature are wholesome for many infirmities specially breaking forth of scabs c. Such are the Baths in the West Country and S. Anne of Buck-stones well in the North part of England and many other elsewhere Of the divers tastes that are perceived in Wells FOr a generall reason the waters receive their taste of that kinde of earth thorow which they run as thorow a strayner Some salt that run thorow salt veines of the earth some sweet that be well strained or run thorow such mineralls as be of sweet taste some bitter that flow out of such earth as is bitter by adustion or otherwise Some sowre or sharpe like vineger which run thorow veines of Allome coperas or such minerals Aristotle writeh of a Well in Sicilia whose water the Inhabitants used for Vineger In Bohemia neare to the City called Bilen is a Well that the people used to drink of in the morning in stead of bunrt wine And in divers places of Germany be Springs that taste of such sharpeness Some have the taste of Wine as in Paphlagonia is a Well that maketh men drunk which drink thereof which is because that water receiveth the â—â—â—osity of Brimstone and other Minerals thorow which it runneth and so filleth the brain as wine doth A recitall of such Rivers and Springs as have marvellous effects whereof no naturall cause can be assigned by most men although some reason in a few may be found CLitumnus which maketh Oxen that drink of it white is a River or Spring in Italy Propert lib. 3. This may be the quality of the water very flegmatick In Boetia is a River called Melas that maketh sheep black if they drink thereof Seneca speaketh of a River that maketh red hairs These two with the first may have some reason that the quality of the reason may alter complexion and so the colour of hairs may be changed as we see in certain diseases In Lybia is a Spring that at the Sun rising and setting is warme at mid-day cold and at mid-night very hot This may be by the same reason that wel-water is colder in Summer then it is in Winter Seneca writeth that there be Rivers whose waters are poyson this may be naturally the water running thorow poysonous Mineralls taking much fume of them Other Wells that make wood and all things else that can be cast into them stones such wells be in England the cause is great cold Another Well maketh men mad that drinke thereof This also may have as good reason as that which maketh men drinke As also that Well which maketh men forgetfull by obstruction of the brain The same Seneca speaketh of a Water that being drunke provoketh unto lust and lechery And why may not that quality be in a Water which is mixed with divers Mineralls and kinds of earth which is in herbs roots fruits and liquors S. Augustine speaketh of a Well in Egypt in which burning Torches are quenched and being before quenched are lighted Among the Garamants is a Well so cold in the day that no man can abide to drink of it in the night so hot that none can abide to feel it It is incredible that is written of a Well in Sicilia whereof if Thieves did drink they were made blind In Idumea was a Well that one quarter of a year was troubled and muddy the next quarter bloody the third green and the fourth cleer Seneca writeth of another Well that was six hours full and running over and six hours decreasing and empty perchance because it ebbed and flowed with the Sea or some great River that was neer it In the Hill Anthracius is said to be a Well which when it is full signifieth a fruitfull Year when it is scarce and empty a barren and dear Year The sufficiency of moisture maketh fertility as the want causeth the contrary Men say there is a River in Hungary in which Iron is turned into Copper which may well be seeing Inke in which is but smal Coperas and artificially mixed of Iron doth counterfeit Copper in colour In this stream may be much Copperas and that is naturally mixed Both Seneca and Theophrastus witness that waters there be which within a certain space being drunk of sheep as Seneca saith or of birds as Theophrastus will have it changeth their colours from black to white and from white to black Vitruvius writeth that in Arcadia is a Water called Nonacrinis which no Vessel of Silver Brasse or Iron can hold but it breaketh in peices and nothing but a Mules hoof will hold it and contain it In Illyria Garments that are holden over a most cold Well are kindled and set on fire In the Isle of Andros where the Temple of Bacchus stood is a Well that the fifth day of January flowed wine Isidore saith there is a Well in Italy that healeth the wounds of the eyes In the Isle of Chios
ioyned together and the common pibble stones that be found every where in the Earth among gravell and on the shore of the Sea or bancks of the Rivers These are generated of grosse and Earthly humours congealed by cold and because they be neither faire of colour nor thorow shining and also common they are contemptible The faire or beautifull stones be either great or small The great be as marble of divers kinds and colours alablaster and such like which being hard and well concocted may be polished and become beautifull Their colour is as they are mixed being uncongeled so is their purenesse The small are more precious and they be either thick or pellucide The thick be neither so faire nor so precious as the Achates the Tasper Prassios c. These consisting of a pure matter and not very watery are congealed into such stones The clear stones be liquore concrete as the Diamond the Saphir the Emerald c. they are praised for their greatnesse hardnesse clearnesse and faire colours of which enough hath bin spoken saving that some be of opinion that these be generated by heat becaus the best are found in hot countries in the East and in the South Answer may be made that the hotter the Air is the colder is the Earth so that reason is of small force Of the vertue of Stones SOme perchance would looke that we should make a long discourse of the vertue of stones and would be well content that we should treat of divers properties of gemmes and precious stones which matter though it be out of our purpose which considereth only the generation yet seeing it is not out of their expectation some thing briefly and yet sufficiently shall be said of the vertue of stones That vertue that is ascribed unto them is either Natural or Magical Naturall vertue is either that which is known to have a natural cause or a natural effect as the Magnes or Loadstone to draw Iron which is by a simitude of nature such an appetite as is between the Male and the Female Also the said Magnes moveth toward the North and as some say there is another kind found in the South that draweth toward the South They say that there are great hils of this stone in the North and South which maketh it look that way Others bring a Mathematicall reason which because it is more curious then can be understood of the common sort not exercised in Geometry I omit The Jet and Amber draw hairs chaffe and like light matter but being before chafed for heat is attractive Also the precious Stone called Astroites moveth it self in Vinegar the sharpnesse of the Vineger peircing it and the aire excluded driving it forward These vertues because I have seen I have set for an example generally all other like naturall vertues proceed of like naturall causes which by their effect the ingenious must seek to find out As for Magical Vertues they be they which are grounded on no reason or natural cause which if they take effect it is rather of the superstition and credulity of him that useth them then of the vertue of the stones As that an Emerald encreaseth love a Saphir favour a Diamond strength and such like vertues of which Alberius in his Age surnamed the Great took paines to write a Book which I suppose to be Englished To conclude with the cause why Stones melt not as Metalls do may be gathered by that which hath been said before because they are congealed past that degree and also because there is left in them no unctuous or clammy matter Let this suffice for Stones and and so the whole purpose is at an end OBSERVATIONS On Dr. F. his BOOKE OF Meteors By F. W. LONDON Printed for William Leake at the Crown in Fleet-street CHAP. I. Of the Earth IT is a great Question amongst Philosophers Whether the External and Visible Riches and Plenty which groweth and springeth on the face of the Earth or the Internal and Hidden Treasure be more precious and valuable Flowers and Fruits Corn and Cattel and all other external terrestrial Births are of most rare and exquisite use for mankind but the Earth is an Element not only beautified without but most richly stored within with great Varieties of admirable Creatures both pleasant rare and profitable for humane Content and Conservation From this very Consideration the Philosophers of Old reckoned and esteemed the Earth as the first and most antient of all the Gods and so stiled her The Grandmother or Mother of all the Gods And the Heashens did not only honor the Earth as a Mother but did adore her as a Goddess giving her the names of Ops Cibele Rhea Proserpina Vesta Ceres and other Appellations to signify the diversities and several effects and vertues which she produced The Earth was called Ops which signifyeth Aid because she affordeth aid and comfort to all Creatures inhabitant on her And Pausanias reports that neer the River Crasside in Greece there stood a little Temple dedicated to the Earth wherein she was adored Dea largi pectoris as the Goddess of the open and large brest freely feeding all her Children which in numerous companies were ranged by her Her Robe was rich aud glorious embroidered with the most pleasant flowers of all colours and she was adorn'd with a Mantle of Tissue whose ground was a beautifull Green signifying her great Plenty of all things wherewith Man-kind might be affected as most valuable and precious and such are her rich Mines of Gold Silver Copper Brasse and Iron or yet more highly priz'd Commodities as precious Stones and rare rich Gems of all kinds CHAP. 2. Of Metalls THe visible beauty of the Earth is obvious to every eye which is not the subject here in hand Her abstruse and hidden riches Preciosa periculaterrae as Boetius calls them her precious Metalls and Mines which force men to be so bold and ingenious are the matter of this Discourse These Aristotle calls Corpora perfectè mixta inanimate bodies of compleat mixture made up of Sulphur and Quick-silver the veines of the Earth being composed of a fit temper for such production Some Philosophers make the 〈◊〉 of Metallum from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a change effected in the Subterranean Veines with long labour and much difficulty Some Naturalists are more short and seem more plain affirming That Metalls is that which is plyable by the hammer and hard Stones are hard but not plyable and Wax and Mud are plyable but not hard CHAP. 3. Of the number of Metalls MEtalls are seven in number as the Planets are Gold Silver Amber Iron Lead Brasse Copper Gold presenteth the Sun Silver the Moon Amber called Electrum Mercury Iron Mars Lead Saturn Brasse Venus and Copper Jupiter or else the seven may be distinguished thus All Metall is perfect soft and pure as Gold or it is pure and hard as Silver or