cloudes into waters c. ¶ Why they be called perfectly mixed The last sort namely earthly Meteores are called perfectly mixed because they wil not easely be chaunged and resolued from that forme which they are in as be stones metalles and other mineralles According to the qualitie of the matter they are diuided into moist drie impressions consisting either of vapores or exhalations vapores are called moist and exhalations drie whiche termes must be well noted because they must be much vsed ¶ Of the general cause of al Meteores and first of the materiall cause The mater whereof the moste part of Meteores dooth consiste is either water or earth for out of y e water proceade vapors and out of the earth come exhalations Vapor as the Philosopher sayeth is a certain watrie thing and yet is not water so exhalation hath a certain earthly nature in it but yet it is not yearth For the better vnderstanding of vapors vnderstande that they be as it were fumes or smokes warme moist whiche will easely be resolued into water muche like to the breath that proceadeth out of a mans mouth or out of a pot of water standing on y e fiere These vapors are drawen vp from the waters and warry places by the heate of the Sunne euen vnto the midle region of the ayre and there after diuerse maner of meating with coldnes many kynde of moist Meteors are generated as sometime cloudes and rayne sometime snowe and hayle and that suche vapors are so drawen vp by the Sunne it is playne by experiēce for if there be a plash of water on a smothe and hard stoone standing in the heate of the sunne it wyl soone be drye whiche is none otherwyse but y t the sonne draweth vp the water in thinne vapores for no man is so fonde to saye that it can sinke into stoone or metall and it is as greatfoly to thinke it is consumed to nothyng for it is a general rule that that whiche is once a thing can not by chaunging become nothyng wherefore it followeth that the water on the stoone as also on the earth is for the moste part drawen vp when the stoone or earth is dried Exhalations are as smokes that be hoat and drie whiche because they be thinne lygther then vapors passe the lowest and midle region of the ayre and are caried vp euen to the highest region where for the excessiue heat by nearenes of the fier they are kindled and cause many kinde of impressions They ar also sometimes viscose ▪ that is to say clāmy by reason wherof thei cleuing together not being dispersed are after diuerse soortes set on fier and appeare somtims like Dragōs somtim like Goats somtime like cādels somtime like speares By y t which is spokē of vapors exhalations it is euidēt y t out of y e fier the ayer no matter wherof meteores shold consist can be drawē because of their subtiltie thinnes For al exhalatiō is by making a grosser body more thinne but y e fier we mean y e elemētal fier not the fire of the kitchē chimney is so subtil thin y t it cannot be made thinner likewise the ayre is so thin y t if it be made thinner it is chāged into fire as the fire if it wer made thicker wold becom aire so the aire being made grosser wold be turned into water Wherfor to cōclude this part y e great quantitie of matter that causeth these meteores is takē out of y e earth and the water As for y e aire the fire they ar mixed with this matter as with al other things but not so abundauntly that they may be sayd the material cause of any Meteore though without them none can be generated The efficient cause of all Meteores is that cause whiche maketh them euen they are not to nyghe to the direct beames nor to farre of from them there is a moderate heate drawyng out great aboundaunce of matter so that in those contries many Meteores of many sortes as generated as in the farre North partes are few but watrie impressions Also in Autumne Sprynge are oftener Meteores séen then in Sommer and Wynter except it be in such places where the Sommer and Wynter are of the temper of Spryng and Autūne Let this be sufficient for the efficient causes of impressions as well first and principall as second and particular Concerning the formall and finall cause we haue litle to saye because the one is so secret that it is knowen of no mā y e other so euidēt y t it is playne to all men The essentiall forme of all substaunces Gods wisdome comprehendeth the vniuersall chiefe and last end of all thinges is the glory of God Mydle endes if they may be so called of these impressions are manifold profites to Gods creatures to make the earth fruitfull to purge the ayre to sett forth his power to threathen his vengeaunce to punyshe the worlde to moue to repentaunce all the which are referde to one end of Gods eternall glory euer to be praysed Amen ¶ Of the places in whiche they are generated THe places in whiche Meteors are caused be either the ayre or the earth in y e aire be generated rayne hayle snow dew blasing starres thonder lightning c. In the earth be welles springs earthquakes metalls minerals c. made and as it were in their mothers belly begotten fashioned But for the better vnderstanding hereof such as haue not tasted y e principles of Philosophie must cōsider y e ther be iiij elemēts Earth water Ayre Fire one cōpassing another round about sauing y t the waters by Gods cōmaundement ar gathered into one place y t the land might apeare The highest is y e spere of the fire which toucheth the hollownes of the Moones heauen the next is the ayre whiche is in the hallownes of the fyer the ayre within his hollownes comprehendeth the water and the earth whiche bothe make but one Spheare or Globe or as the commen sort may vnderstande it one Bal. So eche elemēt is w cin another as y e skales of a perle ar on aboue another or to vse a grosse similitude as y e pieles of an oniō ar one w c in āother after y e same sort frō y e highest heuē to y e earth y t is lowest one part y t is greater compasseth roūd about another that is lesser But for this present purpose it is to be knowen y t the ayer is diuided into thre regions y e hyghest the midle and the lowest The hyghest because it is next to the region of y e fier is exceading hoate the lowest beinge next the earth and the waters is temperat and by repercussion or striking back of the sunne beames waxeth hoate and by absence of them is made colde being subiect to Wynter and Sommer The midle region of y e ayre is always exceading
e raynbow though not so euideÌ„t because y e reflexion is not so strong They varie in collours some ar more purple or ruddy when the cloud is thicker som yealow whitish when the cloude is thinner so other collors ar caused likewise wherof you may reade the proper causes in the collours of cloudes and other lyke parts of this treatise The common people cal it the desceÌ„ding of the holy ghost or our Ladies Assumption because these thinge are painted after suche a sort Other say that it is rayne stryking downe in another place as though they could sée the droppes fallyng And they are not altogether deceiued but in the time for sone after it wyll rayne because this impression appeareth out of a watry cloude They are called by dyuerse names as roddes wandes coardes of tents vnto whiche they are not much vnlyke staues and lytle pyllers when they séeme greater and thicker many beyng ioyned together The rayne bowe the circles and these lyghtbeames are all of one maner of generation in so muche that if you deuide the circle it shalbe a raynbowe if you drawe it streyght in lengthe it maketh streames or beames Herein they agrée namely in form and matter but they differ in outwarde forme whiche we may call fashion as the one is round the other half round the thirde directe streyght or fallynge a slope Also they differ in place aboute whiche they stande for streames are only about the sunne raynbowes about the sonne often and seldome about the Moone but circles both about the sunne and the Moone and also about any other of all the sterres yet rather and oftener about bryght sterres To make an ende of these streames they apeare diuersly after the fashion and place wherein the cloude hangeth in respect of the sunne For some tyme they are séen only in the edge of a cloude all the breadth of that cloude Sometyme through the middes of a cloude being thynner there then in other partes and then they are spreade rounde about lyke a tente or pauilon vsed in warre They ar moste commenly séen in suche tymes as there is great aboundance of rayne whiche they by their apparition doe signifie not yet to be ended And thus muche concerninge direct lyght beames called roddes c. ¶ Of many Sonnes IT is straunge and marueilous to beholde the lykelyhode of that whiche Alexander the great sending woorde to Darius sayde to be impossible that two sonnes should rule the worlde But oftentimes meÌ„ haue séen as they thought in the firmament not only two sonnes but oftener thre sunnes and many more in nomber though not so often appearing These how wonderful soeuer they appeare proceade of a naturall cause whiche we will endeuour to expresse They are nothing els but Idols or Images of the sunne represented in an equall smooth and watry cloude placed on the side of the sunne sometime on both sydes into which the sunn beames being receiued as in a glasse expresse y e likenes of fashion light that is in the sunne appearing as though there were many sunnes where as in dede there is but one all the rest are images This thicke watry cloude is not sayde to be vnder the sunne for then it wolde make the circles called crownes or garlonds it is not opposit to the sunn for theÌ„ wold it make the rainbow but it is sayd to be on the side wher the imaê‘t may be best represented Also it may not be to far of â–ª for then the beames will be to feble to be reflected neither yet to neare for if it so be the sunne wil disperse it but in a coÌ„petent midle distance for so representation of many sunnes is caused They are most often séen in the morning euening about the rysing or going downe of the sunn seldome at noonée tyme or about the middest of the day because the heat will soon dissolue theÌ„ Yet hath there béen some séen which began in the morning continued all the daye long vnto the euening Somtimes ther apeare many litle sunnes like vnto litle starres which are caused after the same sort as we doe sée a mans face to be expressed in all the peces of a brokeÌ„ glasse So when the cloude hath many separations there appeare many sunnes on one syde of the true sunne sometimes great and sometimes litle as the parts of the cloude separated are in quantitie They doe naturallye betoken tempest and rayne to followe because they can not appeare but in a watry disposition of the ayre Also if they apeare on the Southside of the sunne they signifie a greater tempest then if they appeare on the Northsyde The reason is alledged because y e Southerne vapor is sooner resolued into water then is the Northerne For a supernaturall signification they haue often tymes béen noted to haue portended the contention of Princes for kingdomes As not longe before the contention of Galba Otho and Vitellius for the Empire of Rome ther appeared thrée sunnes Also of late toward the slaughter of Lewes kyng of Hongary were séen thrée sonnes betokening thre prynces that contended for the kyngdoÌ„ namely Ferdinando nowe Emperour Iohn Vayuode and the great Turke ¶ Of many Moones AFter the treatie of many sunnes if weare not harde for any man without farther instruction to knowe the naturall cause of many Moones For they are lykewyse Images of the Moone represented in an equall cloude which is watry smothe and polyshed euen lyke a glasse Some call theÌ„ as Plinius saieth night sunnes because they ioyned with the light of the true Moone geue a great shynning light to dryue awaye the shadowe and darkenes of the nyght It were superfluous to wryte more of their causes or effectes whiche are al one with those that haue béen declared of the sunnes It may be doubted why the other starres doe not lykewyse expresse theyr image in watry cloudes and so the noÌ„ber of them to our sight should be multiplied it may be aunswered that their lyght or beames are to feble weake to expresse any suche similitude or lykenes in the watry cloudes For although they haue garlandes or circles aboute them that are caused in a vapor that is vnder them yet it is manifest that this apparition hath not néede of so strong a lyght as is requyred to prynt y e images of them in the cloudes Agayne the garlandes are direct vnder and therfore apter to receyue suche apparition It may be agayne obiected that the starres haue their image perfectly and sufficiently expressed in glasses here on the earth yea and at the day tyme wheÌ„ their lyght is eyther none or moste feble weake as we sée it is vsed at mid-sommer to beholde that great starre called Sirius in a glasse euen at noone days Also we sée euery night the image of the starres in calme and quiet standing waters then what shoulde let but that
their images myght also be expressed in watry cloudes Hereto may be aunswered that the let is in the cloude which is neyther so harde as is the glasse nor yet so continuall as the water but consisteth of innumerable small droppes so that except the light of the starres were stronger it can in thē expresse no vniforme images of them as it doth in glasses and in the water Notwithstanding in wryters of wonders we reade some such like thing sometime to haue chaunsed There hathe béen often séen manye sunnes in the daye tyme and after the sunne settinge at the rysing of the full Moone there haue appeared manye Moones whiche was by this meanes that the same cloude that receiued the sunne beames in the morning taried in the same place at y e Moones rising was ready also to receiue her image ¶ Of wonderfull apparitions WE wil close this booke with a brief declaration of the natural causes of many thinges that are séen in y t ayre very wonderfull straunge to beholde which in these later yeares haue béen often séen and behelde to the great admiration of all men not without the singular prouidēce of God to forwarne vs of many daungers that hange ouer vs in these moste perilous tymes The aparition of which as it is most wonderfull so the serching of the cause to vs is moste harde difficulte A great deale the rather because no mā hath hetherto enterprysed to my knowledge to séeke out any cause of them but all men haue taken them as immediat myracles without any naturall meane or cause to procure them And I truly do acknowledge y t they ar sent of God as wonderfull signes to declare his power moue vs to amēdement of life in dede miraculus but not yet so y t they want a natural cause For if they be wel weyghed cōsidered it is not harde to finde y t they differ much frō such miracles as ar recorded in y e scripture and admitted of diuines So that as I ahhorre the opiniō of Epicures to thinke that suche thinges come by chaunce but rather by y e determined purpose of gods prouidence so I cōsent not with them that suppose when any thing is deriued from any naturall cause God the chiefe and best cause of al thynges is excluded Some of these wonderfull apparitions consist of circles and rainbowes of diuerse fashions placings as one with in another the edge of one touching another on deuiding or going through another with lyke placing of small circles about great circles or partes of smal circles some with the endes vpward som downward some asyde some acrosse but all for the most part in vniforme order constituted or placed for the order of them pleasaunt to beholde but for the strangenes somewhat fearfull Suche a lyke apparition is made with the sunns or Moones images ioyned vnto these circles set also in good vniforme order The cause of these is the meting together of all those seuerall causes that make the circles rayn bowees streames and images of the sunn or moone which ioyned altogether make the wonderful sight of strange raynbowes positions of circles crosses diuerse lyghtes which perteyne to the knowledge of Optice and Catroptice that teache howe by diuerse refractiōs and reflectiōs of beames such visions are caused So that he whiche wyll knowe howe they are generated must returne vnto the seuerall treatyses of raynbowes circles streames images of the sunne or Moone and if in thē he finde not knowledge sufficient to instructe him I must send hym to the demonstrations of perspectiue where he shall want nothyng Another sort of them no lesse often behelde within these fewe yeares then y e former but a great deale more straūge and wonderfull to looke vpon are the sightes of armies fighting in the ayre of Castels Cities and Townes with whole countries hauing in them hills valies ryuers woodes also beastes mē and foules monsters of whiche ther are no suche kyndes on the earth and fynally all maner of things and actions that are on the earthe as burialles processions iudgementes combates men women childrē horses crownes arme of certayne noble men contries weapons of all sortes sometymes starres angels as they ar painted w t the image of Christ crucified besieging of castels and townes many thynges and gesturs done by men or beastes the very similitude of persones knowen to the beholders as of late was séen the very image of the Emperour Charles insomuche that they whiche behelde it put of their cappes thinking verely it had béen he of Ihō Frederick prince Elector of Saxon who y e time was prysoner with thēperour Also the image of small crosses which hath ben not only in the ayre but also on the earth on mens apparell on dishes platters pottes al other things so that the Iewes haue béen full angry that they could neither washe nor rub them out of their aparell In Germany also fyers and many suche thinges as it were long stories séen in the ayre All these wōderfull aparitions may be caused two maner of wayes the one artificially the other naturally Artificially by certein glasses and instrumēts made according to a secret part of that knowledge whiche is called Catoptrice and so peraduenture some of them haue béen caused but the most part doubtlesse naturally when the disposition of the ayre hath béen suche that it hath receiued the image of manye thinges placed and done on the earth And because it is apte to receyue dyuerse images as well in one place as in another these monstruous formes and straunge actions or stories proceade of the ioyninge of dyuerse formes and actions as if twoo histories were confusely paynted in one the whole picture would be straunge or as the Poet sayeth if a paynter to a mans head should set a horses neck after dyuerse fethers Sometymes also one image is multiplied in the ayr into many or infinite as ar letters crosses whiche fill all the ayre euen beneathe And the light of the sunne receiued into litle partes maketh to apeare as it wer many smal starres Let this suffice concerning these wonderfull apparitions once agayne admonishyng the Reader thoughe I haue enterprysed to declare these by naturall reason yet beleuing y t not so much as on sparrow falleth to y e grounde without Gods prouidence I doe also acknowledge Gods prouidence bryngeth these to passe to suche ende as before I haue shewed vsing these causes as meanes and instrumentes to doe them ⧠The fourth booke of watry impressions THose be watry impressions that consist moste of water In y e treaty of thē are wont to be handled these impressiōs namely cloudes rayne dew hore frost hayle snowe springes ryuers and the great sea it selfe ¶ Of cloudes A Cloude is a vapor colde and moyste drawen out of the earth or waters by the heate of the sunne into the mydle region of the ayre where by
sea bottom is lyfted vp and by this meanes arise many Ilandes in the sea that neuer were séen before These and other suche miracles are often to be founde in the wryters of histories also in the Philosophers as Aristotle Seneca and Plinius Neuertheles the effectes of some as moste notable it shall not be vnprofitable to recite Plato in his Dialogue intituled Timens maketh mention by the way of a wonderfull earthquake wherebye not only Africa was rent asonder from Europa and Asia as it is indead at this daye except a lytle necke by the redde Sea the Sea entring betwene them that nowe is called Mare mediterraneum But also a wonderfull great Ilande whiche he affirmeth was greater then Aphrica and Asia both called Atlantis was swallowed vp and couered by the waters in so muche that on the Sea called Atlanticum for a great whyle after no shippe could sayle by reason that the same huge sea by resolution of the earth of that myghty Iland was al turned into mudde The famous Ile of Scicilia was also some tyme a part of Italy and by earthquake rent asonder from it Seneca maketh mentiō of two Ilandes Theron and Therea that in his tyme first apeared It should séeme both by Aristotle and also by Herodotus that Egypt in aunciēt tyme was a goulphe of the sea and by earthquake made a drye lande During the raygne of Tyberius the Emperour twelue notable cyties of Asia were ouerthrowen in one nyght c. ¶ How so great wyndes come to be vnder the earth THe great caues and dennes of the earth must neades be full of ayere continually but when by the heate of the sonne the moysture of the earthe is resolued many Exhalations ar generate as well within the earth as without where as the places were full before so that they coulde receyue no more exepte part of that which was in them nor lett out in suche countries where the earth hath fewe pores or els where they bée stopped with moysture it must neades followe that these exhalations striuing to get out must neades rende the earth in some place or lifte it vp so that either thei may haue frée passage or els rowm inough to abide in ¶ Of the signes and tokens that goe before an earthquake most commonly THe first is the raging of the sea whē there are no tempestuous wyndes to styre it yea when the ayre is moste calme without wyndes The cause why the Sea then rageth is that the wynde beginneth to labour for passage that waye and fynding none is sent back and soone after shaketh the lande The seconde sygne is calmenes of the ayre and colde whiche cometh to passe by reason that the Exhalation that shold be abroade is within the earth The thirde signe is sayde to be a longe thine strake of a cloude seen whē the skye is cleare after the setting of the sonne This saye they is caused by reason that the Exhalation or vapor whiche is the matter of cloudes is gone into y e earth Other affirme that it is the Exhalation that breaketh out of som narrowe hole of the earth out of whiche the rest of the wynde cannot issue neither will it wayghte the tyme wherfore within a whyle after it séeketh and maketh it selfe by soden eruption a broader waye to be deliuered out of pryson Also the sunne certaine dayes before it appeareth dimme because the wynd that should haue purged and dissolued y e grosse ayere that causeth this dymnes to our eyes is enclosed within the bowels of the earth The water in the botome of deape welles is troubled and the sauor therof infected because the pestilēt Exhalations y t haue ben long inclosed within y e earth do thē beginne a litle to be sent abrode For thereof cometh it that in many places where earthquakes haue béen great aboundaunce of smoke flame ashes is cast out when the aboundaunce of brymstone that is vnder the grounde through violent motion is set on fyre breaketh forth Finally who knoweth not what stynking mynerals and other poysonous stuffe doth growe vnder the earth wherfor it is no wōder if well water before an earthquake be infected but rather it is to be marueiled if after an earthquake there followe not a greuous pestilence when the whole masse of infection is blowne abroade Last of all there is harde before it in the tyme of it after it a great noyse and sounde vnder the earth a terrible groanyng and a verye thondryng yea somtymes when there followeth no earthquake at all when as the wynde without shaking of the earth fyndeth a waye to passe out at And these for the moste part or at lest some of them are forewarninges that the moste fearfull earthquake wil followe then the which there is no natural thing that bryngeth men into a greater feare Cato was very curius to confesse him self that he repented that euer he went by water where as he might haue gone by lande But what lande can be sure if it be the Lordes will by this woorke of his to shake it what building so strong y t can defende vs when the more stronge the more danger the higher y e greater fall ¶ Of thonder THōder is a sound caused in y e cloudes by the breaking out of a whote dry Exhalation beating against the edges of the cloude It is often herde in spryng sommer by reason y t the heat of y e sonne thē draweth vp many Exhalations which meating in the midle regiō of the ayre w c colde moist vapors ar together with them inclosed in an hollowe cloud but whē the whot Exhalatiō cannot agrée w c the coldnes of y e place by this strife being driuen together made stronger and kēdled it wil neades breake out which soden violent eruptiō causeth y e noyse which we cal thōder A similitude is put by gret autors of moist wood y e cracketh in y e fire we may adde here vnto y e breaking of an egge in the fire of an apple or any like thing for whatsoeuer holdeth withholdeth enclosed any whot wind so y t it can haue no vente it wil séeke itself a way by breaking y e skinn shell or case It wer no ill cōparisō to likē thōder to the sound of a gonne which be both caused of the same or very like causes The soūd of thōders is diuerse after which men haue diuided y e thōders into diuerse kindes Making first ij sortes y t is small thōder great But as for the diuersitie of soūdes generally it cōmeth of y e diuerse disposition of y e cloudes one while hauing more holes then at another somtime thicker in one place then in another The smal or litle thōder is when y e exhalatiō is driuē frō side to side of y e cloude making a noise ether for
to the swyft mouinge of the fyer and the lyght thereof to oure eyes and the slow mouynge of the soūd vnto our eares and hearynge These thrée kyndes of lyghtnynges are more feareful then hurteful but the fourth seldome passeth w tout som damage doing ¶ Of the fourth kynde called Fulmen THe moste dangerus violent hurtfull kinde of lightning is called Fulmen whose generation is suche as followeth What tyme a whote Exhalation is enclosed in a cloude and breakynge the same bursteth foorth it is set on fyre and with wonderfull greate force stryken downe toward the earthe The cracke of thonder that is made when this lyghtenynge breaketh out is sodayne shorte and greate lyke the sounde of a gonne And often tymes a greate stoone is blowne out with it which they call the thonder bolt which is made on this manner In the Exhalation whiche is gathered out of the earthe is muche earthy matter with clotterynge together by moysture beyng clammy by nature consistynge of brymstone and other metallycke substance by the excessiue heate is hardened as a brycke is in the fyere and with the myghtye force of the Exhalation stronglye cast towarde the earthe and stryketh downe steples and hyghe buildynges of stoone and of woodde passeth through them and setteth them on fire it cleueth trées and setteth them on fire and the stronger the thynge be that resisteth it the more harme it dothe to it It is sharpe poynted at one ende and thycke at the other ende whiche is caused by reason that the moyster part as heauyer goeth to the bottome of it So is the toppe smal and the bottom thick Men wryte that the thonderbolt goeth neuer aboue fiue foote deepe whē it falleth vpon the earth whiche standeth with reason both because the strengthe of it is weakened before it com so neare the ground and also because the continual thicknes of the earth breaketh the force were it neuer so great Both Aristotle Seneca and Plinius deuide this lyghtning into thrée kyndes ¶ Of the fyrst THe first is drye whiche burneth not to be felte but deuideth and perceth with wonderfull swyftnes For beinge subtyle and pure it passeth through the pores of anye thynge be they neuer so small and suche thynges as giue place vnto it it hurteth not but suche thyngs as resisteth it deuideth and perseth For it wyll melt mony in mens purses the purses being whole vnharmed Yea it wyl melte a swerde in the scabberde and not hurt the scabberd at al. A wyne vessell it wyll cleaue and yet the wyne shalbe so dull that by the space of thrée dayes it wyll not ronne out It wil hurt a mans hande and not his gloue It wil burne a mans bones within hym to ashes and yet his skynne and fleshe shall appeare fayre as though nothinge had commen to hym Yea otherwhyle the whole man in the momēt of an howre shalbe burned to ashes where as his clothes shal not séeme to haue béen touched It wyll also kyll the chylde in the mothers belly not hurte the mother And all because the mater is very subtyle and thinne burnyng and passinge through whatsoeuer it be that wyll not geue it frée passage ¶ Of the seconde kinde THe seconde kynde is moyste and because it is very thinne it burneth not to ashes but only blasteth or scorcheth trees corne and grasse and by reason of the moistnes it maketh all thynges black that it commeth neare as moyste wood burning is smokye and maketh thynges neare it to be blacke smokie ¶ Of the thirde kinde THe thirde kynde is moste lyke oure commen fyre that we haue here on the earth of grosse and earthly substāce wherfore it leaueth a prynte where it hath béen or els consumeth it into ashes if it be suche a body as wylbe burned with fyre ¶ Of the maruayls of Lightening and their causes BEside the wonderful effectes of lightnyng that haue been already remembred there be many other whiche hereafter ensue with the reason and causes vnto them belonging as thus The nature of lyghtning is to poyson beastes that are stryken therewith as though they had béen bytten by a serpent The cause of this is that the matter of lightnyng is muche infected with brymstone and other poysonous metallike substances whiche will poyson the rather in lightening because it is thinn geueth thē passage into euery part of the body It is notable that Seneca writeth howe wyne vessels of wood beinge burned with lightning the wyne wold stande styll and not runne out the reason hereof is the swyfte alteration and chaunge wherby also all the clammynes of the wyne is drawen to the outward moste part and so kéepeth in the wyne as in a skynne that by the space of thrée dayes it wyll not ronne It wyl also poyson wyne in so muche that they whiche drynke thereof shall eyther be madde or dye of it The cause hereof was set foorth before Lightning that striketh a poysenous beaste purgeth it from the poyson in so muche that it causeth a serpent or snake whiche it kylleth to breade wormes whiche otherwyse it would not doe but beyng purged from the naturall poyson by the swyfte percyng of the lightning nothyng letteth but that it may breade wormes as all other corrupte fleshe wyll doe If lyghtning strike one that slepeth it openeth his eyes and of one that waketh it shytteth the eyes The cause is this that it waketh hym that sléepeth and kylleth hym before he can close his eyes agayne And hym that waketh it so amaseth that he wynketh as he wyll doe at any sodayne chaunse so he dyeth before he can open his eies agayne All lyuynge thynges turne their face towarde the stroke of the lyghtenyng because it is their nature to turne their head if any thīg com sodēly behind them The reste that haue theyr face toward it when it commeth neuer turne before they be kylled The reason why it kylleth the child in the mothers wombe not hurtynge the mother is the tendernes of the one and the strengthe of the other when the lightenyng is not vehement otherwyse both should dye together Sometyme lyghtening burneth only the garmentes shoes or heare of mē not hurtynge theyr bodyes and then the Exhalation is nothyng vehement Some time it kylleth a man there apereth no wounde without neyther anye hurte within no not so muche as any signe of burnyng for then the Exhalation whiche being kindled is called lyghtning is wōderfull subtill and thinne so swiftly passing through that it leaueth no marke or token behinde it They that beholde the lightening are either made blynd or their face swelleth or els become lepers for that fyery Exhalation receiued into the pores of their face and eyes maketh their face to swel and breake out into a leprosie and also drieth vp the Christalline humor of their eyes so that consequētly they
must néedes be blynde Eutropius sheweth that the same day in whiche Marcus Tullius Cicero was borne a certeine virgine of Rome ryding into Apulia was striken with lightening so that all her garmentes beinge taken from her without any rendinge she laye starke naked the lasing of her brest being vndone her hose garters vntied yea her bracelettes collers and rynges being also loosed from her Lykewyse her horse laye dead with his bridle and girtes vntied The places of them that are burnt with lightning are colder then the reste of their bodies other because the greater heat draweth away the lesser or els because that by the great violence the vitall heate is quyghte extinguished in that place The sea Calfe is neuer hurt with lyghtening wherfore the Emperoures tentes were wonte to be couered with their skinnes The Baye trees and boxe trees are neuer or seldom strykē with lyghtning The cause of these may be the hardnes of their skinne which hath so fewe pore holes that the Exhalation can not enter into them The eagle also among fowles is not stryken with lightening wherfore the Poetes fayne that the Eagle carieth Iupiters armur whiche is lightnyng The reason may be the thicknes and drienes of her fethers whiche wyll not be kindled with so swift a fyre ¶ Of storme wyndes A Storme wynde is a thycke Exhalatiō violently moued out of a cloude without inflammation or burning The matter of this storme is all one with y e matter of lightening that hath béen spoken of namely it is an Exhalation very whot and drye and also grosse and thycke so that it wyll easely be set on fyre but thē it hath another name other effectes The forme or maner of the generation is suche When abondance of that kynde of Exhalation is gathered together within a cloude whiche nedes wyl haue one waye out or other it breaketh the cloude causeth thonder as it hath béen tought before but if the matter be very thicke and the cloude somewhat thynne then doth it not rēde the cloude but fallynge downe beareth the cloude before it and so is caried as an arrowe out of a bowe It doth alwayes goe before a great soden showere for when the cloude is broken the water muste néedes fall downe Also it is so grosse and so thicke that it darkeneth the ayre and maketh all the lowest region of the ayre to be in manner as a darke smokye cloude It causeth tempeste in the Sea and wonderfull great daunger to them that beare sayle whome if it ouertake it bryngeth to vtter destruction So soden it is that it can not be resisted wyth sodeyn helpe So violent it is that feble force canne not withstande it Finally it is so troublesome wyth thonder lyghtnynge rayne and blaste besydes these darkenesse and colde that it woulde make menne at so neare a pynche to bée at their wyttes endes yf they weare not accustomed to suche tumultuous tempest Wherfore it weare profitable to declare the signes that go before it to the ende menne myght beware of it But they are so commen to other tempestes that either they are knowen well enoughe or els beynge neuer so well knowen in a seldome calamytie they woulde lytle bée feared The Sea shyppes subiecte to more danger haue more helpe if it bée vsed in tyme but no sygnes foreknowen can profit the dweller of the lande to kéepe his house from ruine except it weare to saue his lyfe from the fall of this mansion The soden violence of this tempest to hym is more seldom tymes but more incurable when it commeth then to the Maryner who hathe some ayde to looke for by his comming the other if he escape with his lyfe may comforte hym selfe that he was neare a greate daunger cast with hym selfe to builde vp his house agayne ¶ Of whyrle wyndes A Whirlewinde is a wynde breaking out of a cloude rowling or wynding round about ouerthrowying that which standeth neare it and that whiche commeth befor it carying it with him a loft in the ayre It differeth from a storme wynde in thre pointes First in the matter whiche is lesse in quantitie and of thinner substaunce Secondly in the mouing whiche is circulare wyndyng about where as the storme bloweth a slope and sydelonges Also a whyrlewynde in the mouinge diuideth not it selfe abroade and bloweth dyrectly as the storme doth And thirdly in the maner of the generatiō for a storme doth alwayes come out of one cloude but a whyrlewynde some tyme is caused by meanes of twoo contrary wyndes that méete together In lyke maner as we see in the streates of cyties where the wynde is beaten back from two walles méetinge in the myddest of the streate there is made a lytle whyrlewynde which whiskynge round about taketh vp the dust or strawes and bloweth it about after the very similitude of the great feareful whirle wynde The reason of the going about is this that when the walles beat back the wynde from them whiche aboundeth in that place and those wyndes whē they méete by reason of equal force on bothe sydes can neyther dryue one y e other back agayn nor yet passe through one y e other it must néedes be that they must bothe séeke a waye on the syde at once and consequently be caried round about the one as it were pursuing the other vntyll there be space enough in the ayre y e they may be parted asonder The matter of a whyrlewynde is not muche differing from the matter of storme and lyghtening that is an Exhalation whote and drye breakyng out of a cloude in diuerse partes of it which causeth the blowyng about ▪ also it is caused as it hath béen sayde by twoo or more wyndes blowyng from diuerse places whiche may be of particular causes y t hath béen sheweth before in the chapter of wyndes This tempest is noysome to man and beaste Sea and lande thyngs lyuing and life lacking For it wyl take vp bothe men and beastes stoones and cloddes of earth whiche when it hath borne a great waye wyll not be so curtues as to sette them downe agayne but neglygently letteth them fall from a great heyght or els violently throweth them downe to the earth It breaketh trees wyndyng them about and pulling them vp by the rootes It turneth about a shippe and brooseth it in peaces w c other mischiefes beside ¶ Of the fyred whirle wynde SOmetyme a whirlewynde is sett on fyre within the cloude and then breakyng foorthe flyeth rounde lyke a great cartewhyle terrible to beholde burnynge and ouerthrowynge all drye thinges that it commeth neare as houses woodes corne grasse and whatsoeuer els standeth in the waye It differeth not from a whirlewind sauing that it is kindled set on fyre so apearing els the generation of both is called one ¶ Of Circles THe Circle called Halon is a garland of diuerse collours that is séen about the sunne the Moone
or any other sterre specially about Iupiter or Venus for their greate bryghtnes It is called of the Greeks a compassed platte of the Latines a crowne or garlande The matter wherin it is made is a cloude of equall thicknes or thinnes cōming directly vnder y e body of the sunn the Moone or other sterres into whiche the lyght of the heauenly body is receyued and so appeareth rounde because the sterre is rounde or as a stoone caste into the water maketh many round circles dilatyng in breadth vntyll the violence of the mouyng is ended so is it in the ayre the lyght beames percynge it causeth broade Circles to be delated whiche appeare whyght purple black redde gréene blewe and other collors according to the disposition of y e cloudes mater The cause of suche collours is shewed before in the peculiar treatie of collours This circle is oftener séen about the Moone then about the Sunne because the heate of the Sunne draweth the vapors to hyghe where it can not be made Also because the nyght is a more quiet tyme then the daye from wynde it is more often in the nyght thē in the daye Syldome about other sterres because their lyght beams ar to weake often to perse a cloud yet oftner about smal sters then the Sunne because the lyght of y e Sunne perceth the cloude more forcively then that this Halon can many tymes be cause Otherwhyles it is séen about a candell which must be in a very thicke and grosse ayre of suche proportionate thicknes that it may receiue the lyght as the cloude doth frō the sterres as in smoky places or whotehouses This kynde of Circle is sometimes lyke a raynbowe sauynge that it is a whole circle vnlesse the sterre vnder whiche it is caused be not all rysen or els the cloude in whiche it is séen be not al come vnder the sterre or after it hath come vnder some parte thereof be dissolued from the rest These Circles be signes of tempest and wyndes as wytnesse bothe Virgile and Aratus The wynde shall blowe from that quarter where the circle first beginneth to breake The cause whereof is this that the circle is broken by the wynde that is aboue whiche is not yet come downe towardes vs but by this effecte aboue we may gather both that it wyll come and also from what quarter A great Circle about the Moone betokeneth great colde and frost to follow after But if it vanyshe awaye and be dissolued altogether it is a signe of fayre weather If it be brooken in many partes it signifieth tempest If it wax altogether thicker darker it is a fore warnyng of rayne One alone after Ptolomee pure and whyte vanyshing away by lytle litle is a token of fayre weather Twoo or thrée at once portendeth tempest if they be ruddy they shewe wynde to come and toward snowe they séeme as it were kroken and rockye Being darke or dymme they signifie all these forsayde euentes with more force and abundaunce it is oftener caused in Autumne and spring then in wynter or sommer the cause is the temperatnes of the tyme. The cause why it apeareth somtime greater and sometyme lesser is in the qualititie of the matter whiche as it is grosse or thynne wyll more or lesse be dylated and stretched abroade and also as some wil haue it of the weakenes of mens syght Of whiche Aristotle bryngeth an example in one Antipho whiche dyd alwayes sée his owne image before hym in the ayre as in a glasse whiche he affyrmeth to haue béen for the weakenes of his syght beames that coulde not pearce the ayre so that they weare reflected agayne to hym selfe And thus muche for Halone and the causes signes or tokens of it ¶ Of the Raynbowe THe Raynbowe is the aparition of certain collours in a cloude opposite against the sunne in fashion of halfe a Circle Possidonius sayde it was the sunnes lookyng glasse wherein his image was represented and that the blewe colloured was the proper collour of the cloude the redde of the sunne all the other collours of commixtion It differeth manifoldly from Halone for the raynbowe is alwayes opposite against the sunne but Halone is directly vnder it They differ not onely in place but also in fashion the raynbowe is but halfe a Circle the Halon is a whole Cyrcle Lykewyse they vary in colloure for the raynebowe is more dymme and of purple collour the Halone whyter and bryghter Also in continuaunce for the raynebowe may cōtinue longer then Halone The image of the raynbowe may be séen on a walle y e sunn striking through a sixe pointed stoone called Iris or anye other Christall of the same fashion also through some glasse wyndowe Halone is séen aboute candelles in smoky places as are bathes kychenes The manner of the generation of the raynbowe is suche there is opposit againste the sunne a thycke watrye cloude whiche is alreadye resolued into dewye droppes of rayne as for a grosse similitude is séen on the potlidde when the water in the vessell hath sodden or is very whote the lydde wylbe al full of small droppes of water whiche come frō the water in the vessell fyrst by heat resolued into smoke after when it cannot goe at large it is resolued agayne Wherfore vpon such a cloude the sunne beames strykynge as vppon a smoothe glasse doe expresse the image of y e sunne vnperfectly for the great distāce Or els the sunne beames strike into an hollow cloude where they are refracted or broken and so cometh to the eyes of hym y e beholdeth the raynbowe The similitude thereof is séen whē men sayle or rowe in boates the sunne shyneth vpon the water whiche casteth on the vessels syde the collours image of the raynbowe Lykewyse water in an vrinall holdē against the sunne receyueth the lyght sheweth collours on the walle There be two kindes of rainbowes one of the sunne another of the Moone the one by daye the other by nyght the raynbowe of the sunne often but of the Moone very seldome in so muche that it can be but twyse at the mooste in fiftye yeares and that when the Moone is in the East or West full in perfect opposition It hath not béen many tymes séen sence the wryting of histories yet some tymes and for the rarenes is takē for a great wonder Yet is it in collour nothyng so beutiful as the sunnes but for the moste part whight as mylke other diuersities of collours are scant perceyued When it appeareth it is sayd to signifie tempest The tyme of the raynbowe is often after the poynt of Autumne both for the placing of the sunne in competent lownes and also for abundance of matters seldome or neuer is the raynbowe séen about the middest of sommer There may be many raynbowes at one tyme yet commenly but one pryncipall of
whiche the rest are but shadowes and images the seconde shadowe of the first the thyrde of the seconde as appeare by placing of their collours It remayneth to shew why it is but halfe a circle or lesse neuermore and why the whole cloude receyueth not the same collours that the raynbowe hath The cause of the fyrste is because the center or mydle point of the raynbowe that is Diametrally apposite to the center of the same is alwayes either in the Horrizon that is the circle cutting of our sight of heauen by the earth or vnder it The cause why the whole cloude is not colloured is because that in the myddest the beames as strong perse throughe but on the edges where they are weaker they are reflected or refracted Nowe for so muche as God made the raynbowe a signe and Sacrament of his promyse some thynke it was neuer séen before the floude Theyr reason maye be this that the earthe after the fyrst creation was then so fruictfull that it neaded none or very lytle rayne so that suche darke cloudes weare not often gathered the fruictfull ground not so easely remitting his moysture that then was fatte and clammye harde to be drawen vp so it myght be that ther was no raynbowe before as we cannot fynde that euer it rayned before But whether it were or not it is certayne that then it became a Sacrament wher as it was none before which when we beholde it behoueth vs to remember y e truthe of God in all his promyses to his glorie and our comfort ¶ The mylke waye called of some the waye to saint Iames and Watlyng streate THe milke way is a whyte circle séen in a cleare night as it were in the firmament passing by the signes of Sagittarius and Gemini The cause thereof is not agreed vpō among Philosophers whose opinions I thought best to reporte before I come to the moste probable causes First of all Pithagoras is charged w e a Poeticall fable as though it had béen caused by reason that the sunne did once runne out of his pathway and burned this part whereof it loketh whyte Other as Anaxagoras and Democritus sayde that it was the light of certeine sterres shining by them selues of their owne light which in the absence of the sunne might be séen But this opinion is also false for the sterres haue no light of them selues but of the sunne also if it wer so it shold apear about other sterrs Democritus is also reported to haue sayde that it was nothing els but innumerable lytle starres whiche with their confuse lyght caused that whytnes to this opiniō Cardane semeth to subscribe The Poetes haue fowre fables of it one that Phaeton whiche on a tyme guided the Chariot of the sunn wandring out of the way did burne y e place wherfore of Iupiter he was stryken downe wyth lyghtnyng The second that it is the high strete in heauen that goeth streight to Iupiters pallace and both sydes of it the cōmen sorte of Gods do dwell The thirde that Hebe one which was Iupiters Cupbearer on a tyme stōbled at a starre and shedde the wyne or mylke that was in the cuppe which colloured that part of heauen to this daye wherfore she was pout out of her office The fourth that Apollo stoode there to fight against the Giantes which Iupiter made to appeare for a perpetuall memory Theophrastus a Philosopher affirmed that it was y e ioyning together or séeme of the two halfe globes whiche made it appeare more light in that place then in other Other sayde it was the reflexion of the shyning light of fyre or sterre light as it is séen in a glasse but then it sholde be moueable Diodorus affirmed that it was heauenly fyre condensede or made thick into a circle so became visible wheras the rest for the purenes clearenes and thinnes could not be séene Possidonius whose mynde to many séemeth very reasonable saide it is the infusion of the heate of sterres whiche therfore is in a circle contrarie to the Zodiake out of whiche the sunne neuer wandreth because it myght temper the whole compasse with vitall and lyuely heate Although in my mynd he hath rather expressed the finall cause then the efficient Aristotles opiniō is that it shold be y e beames of a great circle whiche is caused by a cloude or Exhalation drawen vp by those sterres whiche be called Sporades This opinion of Aristotles is myslyked of moste men that haue trauayled in this science and worthely For if it were of the nature of elementes as Exhalations are it would be at length consumed But this circle neuer corrupteth therfor it is not of Exhalatiōs Also it nether increaseth or diminisheth which is a playne proofe that it consisteth not of elementall matter Although Aristotle séeme to make a double circle one celestiall another elementall The last opiniō is of them that say it is of the nature of heauen thycker in substaunce then other partes of heauen be hauing some lykenes to the substāce of the Moone which being lightned by y e same as al y e starres be apereth whight And this opiniō I take to be y e most probable because that sentēce of sterrelight séemeth not so reasonable to be only in that place and not els where The finall cause of this milkewhyte circle hath béen already touched in the opinion of Possidonius wherunto also in Plinius in the xviij booke xxix chapter of his naturall history agréeth affirming y t it is very profitable for the generation frutefull increase of thinges that growe on the earth The Mathematicians that haue measured y e breadth therof affirme that toward the north it passeth ouer the eclipticall lyne of the ninth spheare frō the xviij degrée of Gemini vnto the secōde degrée of Cancer which is xiij degrées toward the South frō the viij degrée of Sagittarius to the xiij degrée of the same signe because it is ther diuided into ij branches as may easly be séen in a clear might it reacheth frō the xxiiij of Sagittarius to the second degrée of Capricorne This circle if it be of the nature of heauen is vnproperly placed amōg Meteores or impressions but because of Aristotles mynde who wyll haue it to be an impression kendled their opinion whiche thinke it proceadeth of y e light of sterres it is not w tout good cause in this place intreated of ¶ Of beames or streames of light appearing through a cloude THer is yet another kind of impressiō caused by the beames of the sunne stryken through a watry cloud being of vnequal thines y e is thinner in one part thē in another so y e it cannot receiue the beames in any other form thē y e they appere direct or slope downward of diuers collors y e same y e ar y e collors of y
colde it is so knit together that it hangeth vntill either y e waight or some resolution cause it to fall downe The place wherein the cloudes doe hange is sayde to be in the midle region of the ayre because men sée it is necessary that there shoulde be a colde whiche should make those vapors so grosse and thycke whiche for the most part are drawen so thinne from the earth that they ar inuisible as the aier is And although they are knowen oftentime as Aristotle wytnesseth to be in the lowest region of the ayre neare to the earth in so muche that sometymes they fall downe to the earth with great noyse to y e great feare of men and no lesse losse and daunger Yet may it be reasonably thought that these cloudes were generated in y e midle region of the ayre farre distant from the earth whiche by their heuines doe by litle and litle sinke downe lower into y e lowest region and sometymes also fall downe to the earth The commen opinion is that they goe not hygher then nyne myle whiche because it leaneth to no reason is vncertayne Albertus Magnus whose reason also is to be doubted of affirmeth that the cloudes doe scarse exceade thrée myle in heyght when they are hyghest And some let not to saye that oftentymes they ascend not past the halfe of one myle in heyght Agayne other pretending to find out the truth by Geometical demonstrations make it aboue fiftie myle to the place where the generation of cloudes is Howe these men take the distaunce from the earth it is vncertain whether that they assigne y e least distance meane it from the hyghest part of the earth as are hyll toppes or from the commen playne Againe whether they y t assigne the hyghest distaunce to be from the lowest vallyes of the earth or from the hylle toppes The reason before shewed moueth me to thynke that the moste vsuall cōmen generation I meane the condensation or making thick of these thinne vapors into cloudes is in the midle region of the ayer But for the distaunce of the cloudes whē thei be generated I thinke they be somtime nine mile somtime in myle somtime halfe a myle somtyme lesse then a quarter of a myle from the earth ¶ Of Mystes THere be two kyndes of mistes y e one ascending the other descending That whiche ascendeth goeth vp out of the water or y e earth as smoke but doth not cōmenly spred ouer all other parts it is séen in ryuers and moyst places The other mist that goeth down toward the earth is when any vapor is lifted vp into the ayre by the heate of the sunne which not being strong enough to drawe it so high that the colde maye knitte it suffereth it after it is a lytle made thicke to fall downe agayne so it filleth al the ayre with the grosse vapors is called mistes being vsually a signe of fayre weather Of empty cloudes THere be certen cloudes y t ar empty send no raine they come of ij sortes For one sorte are the remnantes of a cloude that hath rayned whiche can not be cōuerted into water for ther dryenes Another sort is of them that are drawen vp of wett and drye places and be rather Exhalations then vapors that is they be daie whot light so that it wer harde for them to be turned into rayne They looke whyte lyke flocks of woile when y e lyght striketh into thē Ther be also empty clouds when y e wyndes haus dispersed abrode any cloud they ar scatered ouer al the skie but these cloudes though for a time they be emptye yet because they consist of such a substaunce as is watrye they may be and are often tymes gathered together and geue plētifull rayne Of the collours of cloudes we haue spoken in the second booke of fyry Meteors where those collours and the causes of them are described whiche séeme to be fyerye or may be thought to be inflamations or burninges as be redde fyry and yealowysh But besyde those there be whyte black blewe and greane Whyte cloudes be thynne and not very watery so that the lyght receiued in them maketh thē to appeare whyte Black cloudes be ful of thick grosse and earthely matter that maketh them looke so darke Blew cloudes be ful of thick grosse and earthly as the blacke so the light receiued in them maketh them to séeme blewe Grene cloudes are altogether watry resolued into water whiche receyuing into them the lyght appear grene as water doth in a great vessell or in the sea and ryuers ¶ Of Rayne AFter the generatiō of cloudes is wel knowen it shall not be hard to learn from whence the rayne commeth For after the matter of the cloud being drawen vp and by cold made thick as is sayde before heate followynge which is moste commenlye of the Southerne wynde or any other wynde of hotte temper doth resolue it againe into water so it falleth in droppes to geue encrease of fruit to the earth and moue men to geue thankes to God There be small showers of small droppes and there be great stormes of great droppes The showers with small drops proceade either of the small heat that resolueth the cloudes or els of the great distaunce of the cloudes from the earth The streames with great droppes contrariwyse doe come of greate heate resoluing or melting the cloude or els of smal distaunce from the earth Wherof we sée an experiment when water is powred forth from an highe place the droppes are smalle but if it be not from height it wyll either haue no droppes or very great The cause why rayne falleth in roūdroppes is both for that y e partes desire the same forme that the whole hathe whiche is round ▪ also that so it is best preserued against all cōtrary qualities like as we sée water powred vpon drye or greasy thinges to gather it selfe into roundels to auoyde the contrarietie of heate and dryenes It is not to be ommitted that raine water although a great part of it be drawen out of the sea yet moste commenly it is sweet and not salt The cause is because it is drawne vp in suche small vapors and that salt part is consumed by the heat of the sunne The rayn water doubtles doth more encrease and cherishe thinges growyng on the earth thē any other water wher with they may be watered because the rain water reteineth much of the sunns heate in it that is no smal comfort to all growyng plantes The water that commeth from heauen in rayne wyll sooner come to putrefaction or stinking then any other because it hath béen made very subtile by heate and also for that it is mixed with so many earthly corruptible substaunces Rayne water that falleth in the sommer by Auicens iudgemēt is more holsome then other water because it is not so colde and moist as other waters be but whotter and lighter
Somtime ther is salt rain whē som Exhalatiō which is whot drie is cōmixd w e the vapor wherof the raine cōsisteth Sometime it is bitter when summe burnt earthly moisture is mixed with it This rayne is both vnholsom also vnfruictful In these coūtries ther is great store plenty of rayn because the sunne is of such tēperat heat y t it gathereth many vapors by immoderat heat doth not consume them But in y e East partes in some whot cōtries it neuer or seldom is séen to rain as in Egipt Siria but insteade of rain Egipt hath y e ryuer Nilus whose ouerflowings doth maruelously fatten y e earth In Syria other like coūtries they haue more plentifull dewe then we haue which doth likewyse make their earth exceading fruictfull Seneca testifieth that y e rayn soketh no deper into the earth thē tenn foot depe ¶ Of the signes of Rayne FIrst if the skie be redd in the morning it is a token of rayne because these vapors which cause the rednes wylbe shortly resolued into rayne If a darke cloude be at the sunne rysing in whiche the sunne soone after is hidde it wyll desolue it and rayn wyll followe If then appeare a cloude and after vapors are séen to ascend vp to it that betokeneth rayne If the sunne or Moone loke pale loke for rayne If the sunne in the East séem greater then commonly he appeareth it is a signe of many vapors whiche will bryng rayne If the sunne be séen very earlye or fewe starres appeare in the nyght it be tokeneth rayne The often chaunging of the wynds also sheweth tempest The moste suer and certaine signe of rayne is the southerne wynde whiche with his warmenes alwayes resolueth the cloudes into rayne When there is no dewe at such tymes as by nature of the tyme ther shold be rayne followeth for the mater of the dewe is turned into the matter of watrie cloudes If in the West about the sunne setting there apeare a black cloude it wyl rayne that nyghte because that cloude shall wante heate to disperse it When muche dust is raysed vp and when the woddes make a great noyse some tempest is towards Hard stoones wylbe moist and sweat against rayne lamps and candles by sparcling frogges crying trées breaking leaues falling and dust clottering forewarne vs of a tempest Flees flyes and gnats byght sore toward a tēpest kyne féed greadely birds séeke their vitels more besilie for in the grosse ayer disposed to rayne their stomack is whoter and they more hongry But these kynde of signes perteine not so properly to Meteorologie as to maryners and husbādrie which haue a great many more then these And Virgil in his first booke of Georgikes hath a great nomber for them that lyst to learne Wherfore let these hetherto suffice ¶ Of monstruous or prodigious rayne HEtherto we haue made mentiō only of naturall rayne that which is cōmon whiche no man doth marueile at But ther is somtime such rain that worthely may be wondred at as when it raineth wormes frogs fishes blood milke flesh stones wheat iron wol brick and quicksiluer For histories make mentiō that at diuerse times it hath rained such thinges whose naturall cause for the moste parte we will goe about to expresse notwithstandinge accomptinge them amonge suche wonders as God sendeth to be considered for such endes as we haue before declared Wormes frogges may thus be generated when fat Exhalations ar drawen vp into y e ayre by a temperature of whott moist such vermyn may be generated in the ayr as they are on the earth without copulatiō of male female Or els that with the Exhalations vapors their séede egges are drawen vp which being in y e clouds brought to form fal down amōg y e rain Likewyse the spawne of fishes being drawne vp maketh fishes to rayn out of the cloudes The vehement heate of the sunne in sommer and specially in whot contries draweth mylke out of the pappes of beastes cattel whiche being caried vp in vapors and resolued again into mylke falleth downe lyke rayn After the same maner the sunne also from places where bloud hath ben spilt draweth vp great quantitie of bloud so it rayneth bloud It raineth flesh when great quantitie of bloud being drawen vp it is clottered together and séemeth to be flesh Auicen sayeth that a whole calfe fel out of the aire and some wold make it seme credible that of vapors and Exhalations with the power of the heauenly bodies concurring a calfe myght be made in the cloudes But I had rather thynke that this calfe was takē vp in som storm of whrlewynd and so let fall again thē agrée to so monstruous a generation It is a great deale more reasonable that stones of earthly matter gathered in cloudes shoulde be generated as we haue said befor of y e thōderbolt Yet som men thinke y e wynd in caues of y e earth breakīg vpward violētly carieth before it earth stones into y e ayre which can long abide but fall downe and are compted amōg prodigius rayne Exhalations that be earthy and drawne out of claye haue muche grosse substaunce in them which gathered together by gret heat burned in the clouds make brick which is no great meruayle He that hath séen an egges shell full of dewe drawen vp by the sunne into the ayre in a May morninge wyll not thynke it incredible that wheat other grayne should be drawen vp in muche whotter countries then ours is muche rather the meale or flower whiche is lighter A certayne mossynes lyke woll as is vpon quinses wyllowes and other yonge fruictes and trees is drawen vp of the sunne among the vapors and Exhalations which being clottered together falleth downe lyke lockes of wolle Quicksiluer all men knowe with small heate wylbe resolued into moste thinne vapors Whereof when quantitie is drawent vp it falleth down agayne As it is redde that once at Rome it rayned quicksyluer wherewith the brasen mony being rubbed it looked like siluer Titus Liuius maketh mention that it rayned chalke whereof the cause can not be hydde to them that reade howe stoone and brick come into the ayre Iron hath also rayned out of y e clouds and sundry tymes as histories wytnesse Whereof this hath ben the cause The generall matter of all metalles with is quicksiluer and brymstone which the speciall matter of mixtion that maketh irone weare all drawen vp together there concocted into the metall so came the straunge rayne of iron Auicen sayeth he sawe a piece of irō that fel out of the cloudes that weighed about an hundred pound weyght wher of very good swerdes were afterwardes made ¶ Of Dewe DEwe is that vapore whiche in spring and Autumne is drawen vp by the sunne in the daye tyme whiche because it is not caried into
it changeth their collours froÌ„ black to whyte froÌ„ white to black Vitruuius wryteth that in Arcadia is a water called Nonacrinis whiche no vessell of syluer brasse or IroÌ„ can hold but it breaketh in pieces and nothynge but a mules hoofe wyll holde it and conteyne it In Illyria garmeÌ„tes y t are holdeÌ„ ouer amost cold well ar kindled set on fyre In the Ile of Andros where the teÌ„ple of Bacchus stoode is a well that the fift day of Ianuary flowed wyne Isidore sayeth there is a well in Italy that healeth the woundes of y t eyes In the Ile of Chios is a well that maketh men dulwitted that drinke therof There is another that causeth men to abhorre lust Lechnus a spryng of Arcadia is good against abortions In Scicilia are two spryngs of which one maketh a woman fruictfull and the other barren In Sardania be whote welles that heale sore eyes In an Ile of Pontus the ryuer Astares ouerfloweth the fieldes in whiche the shéepe that be fedde doth geue black mylke In Aethiopia is a lake whose water is lyke oyle Also manye sprynges of oyle haue brooken foorth of the earth which coÌ„meth of the viscositie or fatnes of y e same earth The lake Clitorie in Italye maketh men that drynke of it to abhorre wyne The lake Pentasium as Solinus saith is deadly to serpentes wholsom to meÌ„ Seneca wryteth of certeyn lakes that wyll beare men which can not swymm And that in Siria is a lake in whiche brickes do swymme and no heuy thing wyll sinke It is said that the ryuer Rhene in Germany wyll drowne basterd childreÌ„ that be cast in it but dryue alonde them that be lawfully begotten The ryuer Hypanis in Schithia eueryday bryngeth foorth litle bladders out of whiche flyes do come that die the same nyght Matrona the ryuer of Germany as y e common people saith neuer passeth day but he taketh some praye ¶ Of the Sea THe sea in this treatise hath place as a mixed substaunce for els the elemeÌ„t of waters being simple were not here to be spoken of The sea is the naturall place of the waters into which all ryuers and other waters are receiued at the length And here it is to be vnderstanded y t the very proper naturall place of the water were to couer al the earth for so be the elementes placed The earth lowest rouÌ„d about the earth the water about the water the ayre and about the ayre the fyre But God the most mighty and wyse creator of all thinges that the earth might in som partes be inhabited of men and beastes coÌ„maunded the waters to be gathered into one place that the drie londe might appeare and called the drie land earth and the gathering of waters he called seas In the sea are these two thinges to be considered the saltnes the ebbinge and flowyng ¶ Of the saltnes THe saltnes of the sea accordinge to Aristotles mynde is caused by y e sunn that draweth from it all thinne swete vapors to make rayne leauing the reste as the setling or bottom whiche is salt But men of oure tyme peraduenture more truely do not take this for the only and sufficient cause to mak so great a quantitie of water salt but say that the sea by Gods wysdome is gathered into such valleys of the earth as were other wyse barren vnfruictful such carthes are salte the sea water then mixed with that earth must néedes be salt els ryuers by Aristotles mynde should be salt as well as the sea The Reader maye chuse whiche opinion is most probable ¶ Of the ebbing and flowyng THe ebbing and flowing of the sea as Aristole semeth to teach is by reason of Exhalations that be vnder the water whiche dryue it to and fro according to contrary boundes and limites as vpwarde and downwarde of wyde and narrowe déepe and shallowe This opinion of Aristotle also as more subtile theÌ„ true experieÌ„ce teacheth men to mislike to ascribe the cause of ebbing flowyng to the course of the moone which ruleth ouer moysture as the sunne doth ouer-heate for froÌ„ the new Moone to the full all humors do encrease and from the ful to the newe moone decrease agayne Also the very true tyme of the ebbing and flowyng may be knowen by the course of the Moone with whome as the ladye of moysture we will close vp the fourth booke of moiste and watry impressioÌ„s ⧠The fift booke of earthly Meteores or bodies perfectly mixed THis last treatise conteyneth suche bodies whose chief matter is the earth are called ê‘fectly mixed because they ar not easly resolued in to the chiefe matter wherof they ar generated These are deuided into foure kyndes The first be diuerse sortes of earth the second be liquors concreat the third be metalls and metalliques the fourthe be stoones This deuision is not altogether perfect both for that ther be many of these mineralls whiche partake of two kyndes also for that the names of some of these kyndes may be sayde of other Yet mindyng as plainly as can be to declare the thynges them selues the controuersye and cauillation of names shall not greatly trouble vs. Especially seyng we pretende not to teache Philosophers but such as nede a ruder plainer instruction They may therfor be coÌ„teÌ„t w c this diuisioÌ„ which shal not serue them to dispute of these matters but to vnderstaÌ„d y e truth of these thinges that they desyre Of these fowr therfore we will speake orderly and generally not mynding to intreate of euery particuler kynde for that were infinit but to open suche vniuersall causes as they whiche haue witte may learne if they list to apply vnto al particulers ¶ Of earthes THe earth is an element one of the foure cold and drie moste grosse and solyde moste heauy and weighty the lowest of all other in place When I saye an element I meane a simple body vncompounded This earth is no Meteore but as it was shewed in the water to y e end ther should be generatioÌ„ of things there is no element that we can haue whiche is pure and symple but all are mixed and coÌ„pounde Our fyre is grosse and compounde so is our ayer our water and our earth But the earth notably and aboue the rest is mixed For the puer and naturall earth is drye and cold but we sée much to be moist and much to be hoat The naturall earth is blacke of collor but we sée many earthes white many yelowe and many redde So that first the greatest part of y e earth is mixed with water that maketh it to cleane together with ayer and some fyre which make an oyly fatt or claymy earth as is claye made c. Another great part is dryed not into the natural drienes of the first qualitie