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
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
it is called Castor and Pollux The foulishe fyre is an Exhalation kendled by meanes of violent mouing when by cold of the night in the lowest region of the ayre it is beaten downe then commonly if it be light séeketh to ascende vpward is sent down againe so it danseth vp downe Els if it moue not vp and downe it is a great lompe of glueysh or oyly matter that by mouing of the heate in it selfe is enflamed of it selfe as moyst haye wyll be kyndled of it selfe In whote and fenny countries these lyghtes are often séen and where as is abondaunce of suche vnctuus and fat matter as about churchyardes wher through the corruptiō of the bodies ther buried y e earth is ful of suche substance wherfore in churchyardes or places of cōmon buriall oftentimes ar such lightes séen which ignorant superstitious fooles haue thought to be soules tormēted in the fyre of purgatorie In dede y e deuill hath vsed these lightes although they be naturally caused as strong delusions to captiue the myndes of men w c feare of the Popes purgatorie wherby he did opē iniury to the bloud of Christ which only purgeth vs frō al our sinnes and deliuereth vs from al tormēts both temporall and eternal according to the saying of the wyse mā the soules of the ryghteous are in the hands of God and no torment toucheth them But to returne to the lightes in whiche there ar yet twoo thinges to be considered First why they leade men out of their waye And secondly why they séeme to follow men and go before thē The cause why they leade men out of the waye is that mē whyle they take hede to such lights and are also sore afrayde they forgett their waye and then being ones but a litle out of their waye they wāder they woote not whether to waters pyttes other very daungerous places Which when at lengthe they happe the waye home wyll tell a greate tale how they haue béen lead about by a spirite in the lykenes of fyre Nowe the cause why they séeme to goe before men or to followe them some men haue sayde to be the mouing of the ayer by the goyng of the man which ayre moued shold driue them forward if they were before and drawe them after if they were behynd But this is no reason at all that the fire which is oftētimes thre or fowre miles distaunt from the man that walketh shold be moued to and froo by that ayre which is moued through his walkinge but rather the mouing of the ayre the mans eyes causeth the fyre to séeme as though it moued as the Moone to chyldren séemeth if they are before it to run after them if she be before them to run before them that they can not ouertake her though she séeme to be very neare them Wherfore these lyghtes rather séeme to moue then that they be moued in deade ¶ Of Helena Castor and Pollux WHen the lyke substaunce in the lowest region of the ayre ouer the Sea by the lyke occasion is set on fyre if it be one onely it is called Helena if ther be two they ar called Castor and Pollux These impressiōs will oftentimes cleue to the maste other partes of the ships by reason of the clammynes and fatnes of the matter Helena was of the Heathē men taken as a Goddesse the daughter of Iupiter and Leda ▪ Castor Pollux were her brethren Helena was the occasion y t Troy was destroyed therfore the Mariners by experience tryinge that one flame of fyre apearyng alone signified tempest at hād supposed the same flame to be the goddesse Helena of whom they looked for nothing but destruction But when two lightes ar séen together they ar a token of fayre wether good luck the Mariners therfor beleued that they were Castor and Pollux whiche saylyng to séeke their syster Helena beyng caried to Troye by Paris were neuer séen after and thought to be translated into y e nomber of the Gods that gyue good successe to them that sayle as we reade in the last chapter of the Actes of the Apostles that the shyppe wherein S. Paule sayled had a badge of Castor and Pollux A natural cause why thei may thus fore shewe either tēpest or calmnes is this One flame alone may geue warning of a tempest because that as the matter thereof is compact and not dissolued so it is lyke that the matter of tempeste whiche neuer wanteth as wynde and cloudes is styll together and not dissipated then is it lyke not long after to aryse By two flames together may be gathered that as this Exhalation whiche is very thycke is diuided so the thycke matter of tēpest is dissolued scactered abroade by the same cause that this is diuided Therfore not without a reason the Mariner to his mates may promyse a prosperous course ¶ Of flames that apeare vpon the heares of men or beastes THere is yet another kynde of fyry impression which is flames of fire vpon the hears of men and beastes especially horses These are somtime clāmy Exhalations scatered abroade in the ayre in small partes which in the night by resistaunce of the colde are kendled cleauyng on horses eares on mens heades shoulders that ryde or walke In that they cleaue vpō heares it is by the same reason that the dewe wyll be séen also vpon heares or garmentes whose woll is hyghe as fryese mantels and suche lyke Another sorte of these flames are caused when mens or beasts bodies being chaffed sēd forth a fat clāmy swet which is in like maner kīdled as y e sparkes of fire y t ar séen when a black horse is curred Liuius reporteth of Seruius Tullius y e as he lay aslepe being a childe his heare séemed to be all on a flame which for all that did not burne his heare or hurt him The lyke historie he reciteth of one Marius a Knyght of Rome that as he made an oration to his Souldiors in Spaine they sawe his head burning on a lyght fyre he hym selfe not ware of it Thus muche concerning these flames ¶ Of Comets or blasing Starres A Comete is an Exhalation whote drye of great quantitie fat and clammye harde compacte lyke a greate lompe of pitche which by the heate of the sunne is drawen out of the earth into the hyghest region of the ayre and there by y e excessiue heat of the place is set on fire apearing lyke a starre with a blasinge tayle and sometyme is moued after the motion of the ayre whiche is circuler but it neuer goeth downe out of the cōpasse of syght thought it be not séen in the daye tyme for the bryghtnes of the sunne but styll burneth vntyll all the matter be consumed An argument of y e greatnes is this that there was neuer any Comet yet perceyued but at the lest it endured seuen dayes but much lōger they haue bene séen namely
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
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
A GOODLY GALLERYE WITH A MOST PLEAsaunt Prospect into the garden of naturall contemplation to behold the naturall causes of all kynde of Meteors as wel fyery and ayery as watry and earthly of whiche sort be blasing sterres shooting starres flames in the ayre c. thoÌ„der lightning earthquakes c. rayne dewe snowe cloudes springes c. stones metalles earthes c. to the glory of God and the profit of his creaturs ¶ PSALM 148. Prayse the Lorde vpon earth Dragons and all deepes Fyre Haile Snowe Ise Wyndes and stormes that doe his wyll LONDINI Anno. 1563. ⧠TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORDE Robert Dudley Maister of the Quenes maiesties horse Knight of the most Noble order of the garter and one of the Quenes maiesties priuie Counsell William Fulce wisheth increase of grace and heauenly giftes in perfect health and true honor long to continue THe moost myghtye Monaychie of the Romain Empire Octauius Augustus ryghte honourable Lord did shewe so great liberalitie or rather magnificence towardes all them that bare him good will that he also most largely rewarded sondry persones y t had tought Popingayes and other birdes to pronounce some salutation as he passed by them in his prayse commendation At the length a poore yonge man allured as it séemed by his bountifull remuneration of other had tought a Crowe an vntowardly byrde after the same manner to salute themperour Who perceiuing his purpose that it was rather for hope of gayne then testimony of good wyll answered that he had store inough already of suche saluters at home meaning those Popingayes other birdes which at the first for their strangenes he had dearly payed for In lyke manner right honorable Lorde when I present the salutation of this myne vntowardly byrde a Crowe in comparison of suche pleasaunt popingayes as haue béen hetofofore offered vnto your honorable Lordship you may haue iust cause of suspition that being moued with your former liberalitie magnificence towards other I doe as the Poet sayeth Occulium cautus decurrere piscis ad hamum And so if your gentle nature and noble dispositioÌ„ could suffer as a crauer of vndeserued benefites to reiect both me my present But sith my state is such that I can not testifie the good wyll of myne heart towardes your honour otherwyse then by such meanes as this I was bolde to referre that suspition to the iudgement of your wysdome and humanitie knowing my selfe cleare from suche intent and to commit this vnbewtifull byrd vnder the wynges of youre honorable protection trusting that the same whiche I take as a commen defence of all good learning shall not only at this time be my stay refuge but also hereafter to more worthy attempts a continual encouragement But specially at this tyme I was bolde to enterprise the matter for that one Iames Rowbothum a man of notable impudens that I saye no worse of him abusinge your singular humanitie and gentlenes expressing thexample of one Bathillus or rather that I may continue in the allegorie of birdes of Esopes crowe hath not ben ashamed to dedicate vnto your Lordship of late a treatise of myne which I gathered out of diuerse writers concerning the Philosophers game notwithstanding he was streightly commaunded to the contrary by the right honorable and reuerent father my Lord of London of whome also I was exhorted and encouraged to dedicate the same vnto your honour my selfe Whiche though nowe through his importunitie disobedieÌ„ce it be intercepted and the booke defaced with his rude rythmes peuish verses yet I thought best to geue your Lordeship vnderstanding that your honorable protection which is and should be the defence of learning learned men might no more be a boldening to such ignorant and vnhonest persones And like wyse most humbly to desire your honour that though myne Epistle dedicatory be not annexed to that booke yet considring by what pertinacitie I was hindered you would accept that booke also together w t this as an homely present of myne of which I may conclude as one did in like case Illum ego coÌ„posui libruÌ„ tulit alter honoreÌ„ Sic vos non vobis lacte tumetis oues Sic vos non vobis praeda agit ampla canes Sic vos non vobis conditis antra ferae Sic vos non vobis pondera a fertis equi Thus sparing to trouble your honour any loÌ„ger either w c coÌ„plaint or excuse I desyre almightie God to multiplie his blessinges toward you that abounding in all good giftes bothe bodely and ghostly you may haue long life in health and honour to his glory the profit of other and your endles comfort Amen A GOODLY GALLERY ¶ The first Booke FOr as muche as we entend in this treatise to declare y e causes of all those bodyes that are generatede in the earthe called Fossilia as well as thos other Impressiones named of ther height Meteora which no wryter hetherto hath done y t we haue sene the comen definicion gyuen by most wryters in no wyse wyll serue vs whether we maye borowe y e name of metcoron to comprehende the whole subiect of oure woorke we are not all together out of doubt all thoughe y e philosopher deryuinge it from doutfullnes geueth vs som collore so to take it and paduenture we myght be as wele excused to aplye it to mineralls as other auters ar to vse it for earthequakes yet to auoyde all occasions of cauellynge at wordes we shall bothe defyne and also describe the subiect of oure matter on thys manner yt is a body compounde with out lyfe naturalle and yet to stoppe one hole because heare wanteth y e name of y e thinge to be destinede yt is no newe thinge to theim that haue redde Aristoteles workes to fynde a diffinition of that whereof ther is no name But what nede you be so precise wil some man say mean you so to proceade in all your discourse no verely but because many of quicke iudgement not coÌ„sidering the stile to be attempered to the capacitie of the Readers will impute the plaines to the ignoraunce of the authors we thought good in y e beginning to pluck that opinion out of their mindes that as the coÌ„mon saying is they may know we haue skill of good maners though we litle vse them These meteors are deuided after thre maner of ways first into bodies ê‘fectly imê‘fectly mixed Secondly into moist impressioÌ„s drie Thirdly into fiery aery watery and earthly According to this last diuisioÌ„ we shall speake of them in fowre bookes followyng But first we must be occupied a litle in the general descriptioÌ„ of the same y t afterward shalbe particularly intreated of ¶ Why they be called vnperfectly mixed THey are called vnperfectly mixed because they are very sone chauÌ„ged into another thing and resolued into their proper elementes of whiche they do moste consist as do all impressious fyrie ayrie watrie as snowe into water
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
but only in som coūtries thē not very large these wyndes oftētimes haue another maner of generatiō And that is on this maner It must néedes be cōfessed y e w tin the globe of the earth be wōderful great holes caues or dōgeōs in which whē ayer abondeth as it may by diuerse causes this ayer y t cannot abide to be pined in findeth a litle hole in or about those countries as it weare a mouth to break out of by this meanes bloweth vehemētly yet y e force vehemens extendeth not far but as y e wynde that cōmeth forth of bellowes neare the comming foorthe is stronge but farre of is not perceiued So this particular wynd in y e countrye where it breaketh forth is very violēt strong in somuch y t it ouerthroweth both trées houses yet in other countries not very farre distant no part of that boisteous blast is felt Wherfore this wynde differeth frō the generall wyndes both in qualities substaunce or matter for the matter of them is an Exhalation and the qualities suche as the nature of the Exhalation is very ayery but not ayere in deade but of this particular wynde the matter and substaunce is moste commonly ayer There is yet a thyrde kynde of wynde whiche is but a softe gentle and coole mouing of the ayre and commeth from no certaine place as the generall wynd doth yea it is felt in the shadowe vnder trees when in the whote lyght and shining of the sunne it is not perceiued It commeth whisking sodenly very pleasaunt in the heate of the sommer and ceaseth by and by This properly is no wynde ▪ but a mouing of the ayre by som occasion As for the generall wyndes thei blowe out of diuerse quarters of the ayre nowe East nowe West nowe South nowe North or els inclininge to one of the same quarters Amonge whiche the East wynde followyng the nature of the fyre is whote and drie the South wynde expressing the qualitie of the ayre is whote and moyste the Westerne blast agreing with y e waters propertie is colde and moyst The Northe that neuer was warmed with the heat of the sunne being cold and drye partaketh the conditions of the earth The midle wyndes haue midle mixed qualities after y e nature of those fowre principall wyndes more or lesse as they encline toward them more or lesse Generally the profit of all wyndes by the wonderfull wysdome of the eternall God is wonderfull great vnto his creatures For besydes y t these wyndes alter the weather some of them bryngyng rayne some drynes some frost and snowe whiche all are necessary ther is yet an vniuersall comoditie that ryseth by the only mouyng of the ayre Which were it not continually styred as it is would soone putrifie and beyng putryfied would be a deadly infection to all y t hath breath vpon the earth Wherfore this wynde whose sounde we heare and knowe not from whence it cōmeth nor whether it goeth for who can affirme from whence it was raysed or where it is layde downe as al other creaturs besyde doth teach vs the wonderfull and wyse prouidence of God that we maye worthely crie out with the Psalmist saye O Lorde howe manyfolde are thy wordes in wysdome hast thou made them all c. Let this be sufficient to haue shewed the generation of the wyndes ¶ Of earthquakes AN earthquake is a shaking of y e earth whiche is caused by meanes of wynde and Exhalations that be enclosed with in the caues of the earth and can fynde no passage to breake foorthe or els so narrowe a waye that it can not be soone enoughe delyuered Wherefore with great force and violēce it breaketh out and one whyle shaketh the earth another whyle rendeth and cleaueth the same sometyme it casteth vp the earth a great heyght into the ayre and some tyme it causeth y e same to synke a great depth downe swallowyng both cyties and townes yea and also mightie great moūtaignes leauing in the place wher they stoode nothyng but great holes of an vnknowen depthe or els great lakes of waters ¶ Of diuerse kindes of earthquakes DYuerse authors wryte dyuerselye of the kindes of earthquakes some makyng more and some lesse but we shall be content at this tyme to comprehende them in fowre sortes The first kynde is when the earth is shaken laterally to one syde whiche is when the whole force of the wynde dryueth to one place and there is no other contrary motion to let it This wynde if it be not great shaketh the earth that it trembleth as a man that hath a fyt of an agewe and dothe no more harme but if it be great and violent it louseth the foundations of all bydinges be they neuer so stronge and ouerthroweth whole cyties but specially y t great buildynges and not onely buyldinges but some tyme also casteth downe greate hylles ihat couer and ouerwhelme all the valley vnder them Many noble and great cities haue béen ouerthrowen by this kynde of earthquake It is wrytten that twelue of the mooste bewtifull cyties and moste sumptuous buildyngs in all Asia were ouerthrowne and vtterly destroyed with any earthquake Howe often Antiochia yea within short tyme was destroyed they whiche haue redde the histories can testifie Howe terrible was the earthquake that shooke Constantinople a whole yeare together that the Emperour all the people were faine to dwell abroade in the fieldes vnder tentes pauilions for feare their houses would fall on their heade it is recorded in Chronicles worthy to be remēbred The seconde kynde is when y e earth with great violence is lifted vp so that the buyldinges are lyke to falle and by and by synketh downe agayne this is when all the force of the wyndes stryueth to get vpwarde after the nature of gonpouder and fyndyng some waye to be delyuered out of bondage the earth that was hoysed vp returneth to his old place The third kynde is a gapinge rendyng or cleauing of the earth when the earth synketh downe and swalloweth vp cities and townes with castels and towers hylles and rockes ryuers and floodes so that they be neuer seen again Yea the Sea in some places hath béen dronke vp so that mē myght haue gone ouer on foote vntyll the tyme of tyde or flood returning couered the place with waters againe But in the lande where this earthquake swalloweth vp any cytie or countrie there apeareth nothing in the place thereof but a marueylous wyde and deape goulf or hole Aristotle maketh mention of diuers places and regions that were ouerthrouwen with this kynde of earthquake The fourth kynde is when greate mountaynes ar cast vp out of the earth er els when some part of the lande synketh downe and in steade thereof aryse ryuers lakes or fyers breakyng out w c smoke and ashes It causeth also ouerflowyngs of the sea when the
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
the midle region of the ayre abidyng in the lower region by colde of the nyghte is condensede into water and falleth downe in verye smalle droppes There is cōmen dewe swete dew One kynde of the sweet dewes is called Manna being whyghte lyke sugar whiche is made of thicke and clammye vapors whiche maketh it so to fall thicke and whyte It falleth onely in the East partes As for that Manna which God rained to the Israelites was altogether miraculous In Arabia as Plinius wryteth is a very pretious kynde of dewe y t is called Ladanum whiche falling vpon the herbe Cusus mixed with the iuyse of that hearbe which goates do eate is gathered of goates heares and kept for a great treasure Ther is another kind of swete dewes that falleth in England called the meldewes which is as sweet as hony being of such substance as hony is drawē out of sweet herbes flowers There is also a bitter kynde of dewe that falleth vpon herbes and lieth on them lyke brann or meale namelye because it is of an earthly Exhalation so remayneth when the moyster is drawē away this dewe kylleth herbes The commē dewe dronke of cattel toth rotte them because the matter is ful of viscositie bringing thē to a fluxiō Ther be thre thinges y e hinder dew from falling that is great heate great colde and wynde For dewe falleth in the most temperat calme tyme. ¶ Of hore froste HOare frost or whight frost is nothīg els but dewe congeled by ouermuche colde The South and East wynd doth cause dew but the North and Northern wyndes doe fryese the vapors and so it becommeth hoare froste whiche if that excessiue colde had not béén should haue turned into dewe The dewe and the hoare frost agrée in thre thinges namely in matter in qualitie of time and place of their generation In matter they agrée for they are both generated of a subtile thinne vapor also small in quantitie In qualitie of tyme they consent for both are made in a quiet calme tyme for if there were great wynde it would dryue away the matter and so cold ther be no generation Thyrdly they are both generated in the lowest region of the ayre for as Aristotle affirmeth vpō high hilles ther is neither dewe nor hoare frost They differ also in thre things For the hoare froste is congeled before it be turned into water so is not the dewe Secondly the dewe is generated in temperate weather the whight froast in colde weather Last of all whote wyndes as the South and East do cause dewe but cold wyndes as the Northe and Weast doe cause hoare froast Hoare froast doth often stynke because of the stinking matter whereof it consisteth which is drawen out of lakes and other muddy and stinking places ¶ Of Hayle HAyle is a hotte vapor in the mydle region of the ayre by the cold of that region made thicke into a cloude whiche falling downe to the soden colde of the lowest region is congeled into Ise. There be so many kyndes of hayle as ther be of rayn The fashion of hayl is sometyme round whiche is a token y t it was generated in the mydle region of the ayre or very neare it for falling frō hygh the corners are worne away When the hayle stones are square or thre cornered the hayle was generated neare the earth Often times there is harde a great sounde in the cloudes as it were of thōder before hayle or as it were of an army fighting c. the cause is that vapors of contrarie qualities beinge inclosed in the cloude doe striue to breake out make a noyse euen as colde water doth put into a seathing pot In spryng and haruest tyme is often hayle seldome in sommer and wynter In wynter there wanteth whot vapors in sommer the lowest regiō is to whot to congele the rayne falling downe In spring and Autumne there wanteth neither whot vapors to resist the colde nor sufficient colde to harden the droppes of that whot shower of rayne The haylestones are somtimes greater and sometimes lesser greater with greater colde and lesser with lesser cold There is seldome haile in the night for want of whot vapors to be drawē vp Sometime hayle rayne falleth together when the latter end of the cloud for want of colde in the lowest region is not congeled Hayle stones ar not so cleare as Ise because they are made of grosse earthy vapors ise is congeled of cleare water Hayle is sooner resolued into water then snowe because it is of a more sodē and swyft generation ¶ Of Snowe SNowe is a cloude congeled by greate colde before it be perfectlye resolued from vapors into water Snowe is whyght not of the proper colour but by receiuing the lyghte into it in so many small partes as in some or the whyghte of an egge beaten Snowe is often vpon highe hilles lieth long there because their toppes ar colde as they be neare to the mydle region of the ayre For oftentimes it rayneth in the vallye when it snoweth on the hylles Snowe melting on the high hilles and after frosen agayne becommeth so hard that it is a stone is called Christal Other matters of snowe because they ar cōmen with raine are nedeles to be spoken of To be shorte sléet is generated euen as snow but of lesse colde or els beginneth to melte in the falling Snowe causeth thinges growing to be fruitfull and encrease because the cold dryueth heate vnto the rootes and so cherysheth the plantes ¶ Of Springes and Riuers THe generation of springes is in the bowels of the earth therfore something must be sayde of the bodye of the earth The earth though it be solide and massy yet hath it many hollow gutturs and vaynes in whiche is alwayes ayer to auoyde emptines For the ignoraunt in Philosophie must be admonished y t all thinges are full nothing is emptye for nature abhorreth emptines so that where nothing els is there is ayre and vapors whiche by colde as it hath often ben sayde wylbe resolued into droppes as we sée experience in marble pillers suche lyke harde stoones towards raine This aier and vapors therfore being turned into droppes of water these dropps sweet out of the earth and fynde some issue at the length where many beyng gathered together make great aboundaunce of water which is called a fountayne or sprynge The cause why suche sprynges doe runne continually is because that aire can neuer wante in those vaines which by colde will alwayes be turned into water so that as fast as the water runneth forthe so faste is ayer agayne receyued into the place whereby it commeth to passe y t so many springes are perpetuall and neuer dried But if any be dried vp it is in a whot sommer and such springs also they be whose generation is not depe in the earth therfore the vapors may be made
drye the earth warme so the spryng may fayle ¶ There be foure kyndes of spryngs fountains brookes ryuers lakes ¶ Of Fountaines FOuntaines be small springes which serue for wells and conductes when there is but one place where the water is generated and that is not very abundaunt ether because it is of small compasse or small vaynes and not many ¶ Of Brookes BRookes boornes or fordes be small streames of water that ronne in a chānell lyke a ryuer They are caused whē either the spryng occupieth a great compasse or els two or thre small sprynges meate together in one channell ¶ Of Ryuers Ryuers are caused by the meatynge together not only of many springs but also of many broocks fordes which being receiued in diuerse places as they passe ar at the lēgth caried into y e broad sea for the moste part Howbeit some riuers are swallowed vp into the earth which perchaunce runne into the sea by some secret and vnknowen channels some ryuers there be that hide their heddes vnder the earth and in another place farre of breake out againe They wryte also that some ryuers being swallowed vp of the earth in one Ilande do runne vnder the bottome of the earth sea and breake forth in another Ilonde There be also many great ryuers y t run vnder the earth in great caues which neuer breake foorth Aristotle sheweth of pondes lakes that be vnder the earth And Seneca speaketh of a pond that was founde by suche as digged in the earth with fishes in it they that did eate of them died As éeles y e be founde in darke places as wells that haue béen dammed vp c. are poyson ¶ Of Lakes LAkes ar made by the meting together of many ryuers brookes springs into one deepe valley Whereof some are so great that they haue the name of seas as y e great lake called Hircane or Caspiā sea These lakes sometymes vnlade thēselues into the sea by small riuers somtymes by passages vnder the earth The cause of the swiftnes of ryuers is double for they are swyfte either for the great aboundaunce of waters or els because they runne downe from an hylly place as the ryuer Rhene falleth downe from the toppe of wonderfull hyghe hylles ¶ Of whote bathes SOme waters that are generated and flowe out of vaynes of brymstone are sensybly warme and some very whott because they runne out of whot places These waters being also drying by nature are wholsome for many infyrmities specially breakyng forth of scabbs c. Suche are the bathes in the Weste countrye and S. Ann. of Buckstones well in the North part of England and many other els where ¶ Of the diuerse tastes that are perceiued in wells FOr a generall reason the waters receyue their tast of that kynde of earth through whiche they runne as through a strainer Some salt that runn through salt vaynes of the earth som swéet that be well strayned or runne through such myneralls as be of swéet taste Some bytter y t flowe out of such earth as is bitter by addustion or otherwyse Some sower or sharpe lyke vineger which runne through vaynes of allum coporous or suche mineralls Aristotle wryteth of a well in Scicilia whose water the inhabitauntes vsed for vyneger In Bohemia neare to the citie called Bilen is a wel that the people vse to drinke of in the mornyng in steade of burnt wyne And in dyuerse places of Germany be sprynges y e tast of such sharpnes Some haue the taste of wyne as in Paphlagonia is a well that maketh men dronke whiche drynke thereof whiche is because that water receyueth the fumosite of brymstone other mineralls through which it runneth and so filleth the brayne as wyne doth ¶ A recitall of such ryuers and springes as haue maruelous effectes wherof no naturall cause can be assigned by most mē although some reason in a fewe may be founde CLitumnus which maketh oxē y e drinke of it whyght it is a ryuer or spring in Italie Propert. lib. 3. This may be y e qualitie of the water very flegmatike In Boetia is a ryuer called Melas y t maketh shepe blacke if they drinke thereof Seneca speaketh of a ryuer y t maketh redde heares These two with the fyrst may haue some reason that the qualitie of the water may alter complexion and so the collor of heares may be changed as we sée in certaine diseases In Libia is a spring that at the sunne rysing and setting is warme at midday colde and at midnight very whott this may be by the same reason that wel water is colder in sommer thē it is in wynter Seneca wryteth that there be ryuers whose waters are poyson this maye be naturally the water running through poysonous minerals taking much fume of them Other wells that make wodde and all thing els that be cast into them stones such welles be in Englande the cause is great colde Another well maketh men madd y t drinke thereof This also may haue as good reason as that whiche maketh mē dronke As also that well which maketh men forgetful by obstruction of y e brain The same Seneca speaketh of a water that being dronke prouoketh vnto lust and lechery And why may not that qualitie be in a water which is mixed with diuerse mineralls and kindes of earth which is in herbes rootes fruict liquors S. Augustin speaketh of a well in Egipt in which burning torches are quenched and being before quenched are lighted Among the Garamantes is a well so colde in the daye that no man can abyde to drynke of it in the nyght so whott that none can abyde to fele it It is incredible that is wrytten of a well in Scicilia whereof if theues did drinke they were made blynde In Idumea was a well that one quarter of a yeare was troubled and moddy the next quarter bloody the third gréen and the fourth cleare Seneca wryteth of another well that was six houres full and runninge ouer and six houres decresing and emptie per chaunse because it ebbed and flowed with the sea or some great ryuer that was neare it In the hill Anthracius is sayde to be a well whiche when it is full signifieth a fruictefull yeare when it is scarce and emptye a barren and deare yeare The sufficiens of moysture maketh fertilitie as the wante causeth the contrary Men saye there is a Ryuer in Hungarye in whiche Iron is turned into coper Whiche may well be seyng inke in whiche is but small coperus and artificially myxed of Iron dothe conterfeyte coper in collour In this streame maye be muche coperus and that is naturally myxed Both Seneca and Theophrastus wytnesse y e waters there be whiche within a certayne space being dronke of shéepe as Seneca sayeth of byrdes as Theophrastus will haue
moste parte of all the stones that are digged out of the earth are generated by colde whiche is able to conuerte any other kynde of myxed substaunce into stone as hath been partly shewed in the nature of welles and sprynges of whiche there be some in Englande whiche by their colde turne wodde or any lyke thyng into stones I sufficiently shalbe saide of the vertue of stones That vertue that is ascribed vnto them is eyther naturall or magicall Natural vertue is either that whiche is knowen to haue a naturall cause or a naturall effect as the Magnes or loadestone to drawe iron whiche is by a similitude of nature and suche an appetite as is betwene the male and the female Also the sayde Magnes moueth towarde the North and as some saye there is an other kynde founde in the Southe that draweth towarde the south They saye that there is great hylles of this stone in the North and South which maketh it looke that waye Other bryng a Mathematicall reason whiche because it is more curius then can be vnderstoode of the commen sort not exercised in Geometrie I omitte The gette and amber draw heares chaffe and lyke light matter but beyng before chaffed for heate is attractiue Also the precious stone called Astroites moueth of it self in vineger the sharpenes of the vineger percing it and the ayer excluded driuing it forward These vertues because I haue séen I haue set for an example generally all other lyke naturall vertues proceade of lyke naturall causes which by their effect the ingenious must seeke to fynde out As for Magicall vertues be they whiche are grounded of no reason or natural cause whiche if they take effect it is rather of the superstition credulitie of hym that vseth them then of the vertue of the stones As that an Emerald encreaseth loue a Saphir fauoure a Diamonde strength suche lyke vertues of whiche Albertus in his age surnamed the great tooke paynes to wryte a booke whiche I suppose be englished To conclude with the cause why stones melte not as mettalles doe may be gathered by y t which hath béen sayde before because they are congeled past that degrée also because there is left in them no vnctuus or clammy matter Let this suffise for stones so the whole purpose is at an ende W. F. FINIS THINKE AND THANKE LIVE IN FERE KNOWE THY SELFE FAR AND NERE ⧠Impryted at London in Fletestreate at the signe of the Faucone by William Griffith And they are to be sold at his shop in S. Dunstones churchyarde in the Weste 1563. Aristotles The material cause What be vapors what exhalations What the midle region is shalbe tolde afterward A generall rule What exhalations bee The efficieÌ„t cause What the regions of the aire be Sparkes of fyre Torches Daunsing Goates Shootinge starres The Epicurians opinion Psal. 148 The greatnes of Starres A profe of the stars greatnes Burning candels Burnynge beames round pillers Burninge Speares Shieldes Globes or Bowels Lampes Flyinge Dragons or fyre Drakes Of spires Fyre scatered Light that goeth before men and foloweth theÌ„ in the night Helena Castor Pollux Flames vpoÌ„ hears of men beastes Liuius Seruius Tullius Marius Comets or blaesinge starres The temper of the 4. quarters The signification of Comets Arist. Aparitions Collours in the aire Wyde gapinge of cloudes in the ayre RouÌ„d opening in the ayre Wynde The secoÌ„d kinde of wyndes the thirde kynd of wynde the qualities of the wyndes and the fowâ— quarters of the worlde the qualitie of midle wyndes the profit of wynde Ioan. 3. Psal. 104. Earthquakes Diuerse kyndes of earthquakes Twelue cities ouerthrowen with one earthquake Constantinople the chiefest citie of Grece now the Turkes pallace The secoÌ„d kynde The thyrd kynde Earthquake on the sea Aristot. The fourth kynde Newe Ilandes in the sea Arist. Seneca Plinius Plato A woÌ„derfull earthquake Africa Europa Asia the thre parts of the erth Mare mediterraneum because it goeth through the midst of the earth AtlaÌ„tis an Iland Seneca Theron Therea Arist. Herodotus Egipsom time a golphe of the sea The signes of an earthquake ThoÌ„dring vnder the earth Cato Thonder a similitude Diuerse kindes of thonder Smal thonder and the kindes therof Great thoÌ„der and the kindes therof How farr thuÌ„der is harde The profit of thonder Plutarchê° T. Quincius Flaminius LightniÌ„g FulgetiuÌ„ Coruscatio Fulgur Fulâ—â—â— FulgetruÌ„ The collor of this lyghtning Coruscation Fulgur The lightening is not before the thond though it seeme so Sight preuenteth hearing The thonderbolt caste out of the cloudes Strongest things are most hurt of lightenyng How depe thoÌ„der bolt goeth into the earth Aristot. Plinius Seneca Drie lightening Mony molten in meÌ„s purses swerds in scabberds Moist lightninge Why it maketh black Grosse lightning The marueiles of lightning Light poysoneth Senecae Wyne not ronning the vessels being broken LightniÌ„g purgeth a poysonous beast A snake breadeth no worms LightniÌ„g openeth his eyes that slepeth closeth his that waketh Lyuinge thinges turn their face towarde lyghtning Garments burnt the body vnhurt Lightning causeth blindnes swelling or leprosy Eutropius M. Tullius Cicero Apulia The wouÌ„des of lightning cold Sea calfe not hurt with lightening Bayes boxe seldom hurt with lightning The Eagle Iupiters harnes bearer Storme wyndes Whirle wyndes The troubles of whirlewyndes Fyered whyrlewynde Circles about the sunne the moone other sters Iupiter Venus Planetes Circles in the water The collours of circles Circles about a caÌ„dle the signes of these circles Virgilius Aratus Poetes Signe of frost Signe of fayre weather Signe of tempest Signe of rayne Ptolomeê° Signe of fayre weather Signe of snowe Arist. Antipho Rainbow Possidonius a pretious stone called iris A similitude Similitude of the raynbowe Rainbow of the sunn Rainbow of the Moone the white circle sene in the night Pithagoras Anaxagoras Democritus Cordanus Phaeton Ouid. Meta. Pr. Hebe Apollo Theophrastus Diodorus Possidonius Zodiake Arist. Sporades Possidoniê° Plinius The breadth of this circle Beames or streames Manye Sunnes at once Alexander the great Darius Many smal suns like stars Similitude The significatioÌ„ of many sunnes Galba Otho and Vitellius Manye Moones Plinius Why other sterrs are not so represented ObiectioÌ„ Syrius a great star seen at noone in Sommer An aunswer Wonderful aparitions Optice Catroptice Catoptrice Horatius Cloudes Arist. the height of the cloudes Albert Magnus Mystes Empty cloudes The collour of cloudes Rayne why rain water is not salt Auicen Salt raine Bitter raine The riuer Nilus Seneca Signes of rayne Of monstruous rayne Wormes froggs Fishes Mylke Blood Fleshe Auicen Stones Brycke Wheate Wolle Quicksyluer Chalke T. Liuius Iron Auicen Dewe Manna Plinius Arabia LadanuÌ„ Cusus bitterdew Hoar frost Arist. Hayle Snowe Originall of Cristall Springes Nothing is empty FouÌ„tains Brookes Ryuers Arist. Seneca Lakes Whote bathes Tastes of waters aristotle Well waeter vsed for vineger Bohemia Paphlagonia maruelus water ClituÌ„nus Propertiê° Boetia Melas Seneca Libia Seneca S. Augustine GaramaÌ„tes Scicilia Idumea Seneca Anthracius HuÌ„garia Seneca Theophrasius Vitruuiê° Arcadia Nonacrinus Illyria andros Bacchus Isidorus Chios Lechnus Scicilia Sardinia Pontus astares aetiopia Clitorius PentasiuÌ„ Solinus Syria Rhenus Hypanis Schithia Matrona The sea The naturall place of the water Gen. 1. Arist. Ebbinge and flowing aristotlâ—s Earthly bodies Of earths Plinius Cardanus Cardanus Aetna Vesuuius Metalls Mercury Sulphur Golde why gold rusteth not The opinion of the Alcumistes Siluer Copper â–ª Tinne Lead Iron Quicksyluer Stones The vertue of stones either natural or magicall Magnes Geat and amber draweth chaf Astroites a stone moueth in viner Albertus Magnus