A GOOD∣LY GALLERYE WITH A MOST PLEA∣saunt Prospect, into the garden of naturall contemplation, to behold the naturall cau∣ses 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. thōder, lightning, earthquakes, &c. rayne dewe, snowe, cloudes, springes &c. stones, me∣talles, earthes &c. to the glory of God, and the profit of his crea∣turs.

¶ 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 ma∣iesties horse, Knight of the most Noble order of the garter, and one of the Quenes maiesties priuie Counsell. William Fulce, wi∣sheth increase of grace and hea∣uenly giftes, in perfect health and true honor, long to conti∣nue.

THe moost myghtye Monaychie of the Romain Empire Octauius Augu∣stus, (ryghte honourable Lord) did shewe so great liberalitie, or rather mag¦nificence towardes all them that bare him good will, that he also most largely rewarded sondry persones yt had tought Popingayes and other birdes, to pro∣nounce 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 remune∣ration of other: had tought a Crowe (an vntowardly byrde) after the same man∣ner to salute themperour. Who percei∣uing 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, mea∣ning 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 he∣tofofore offered vnto your honorable Lordship: you may haue iust cause of su∣spition, that being moued with your for¦mer liberalitie & magnificence towards other, I doe as the Poet sayeth:

Occulium cautus decurrere piscis ad hamum.
And so if your gentle nature and no∣ble dispositiō 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, o∣therwyse then by such meanes as this: I was bolde to referre that suspition to the iudgement of your wysdome and hu¦manitie (knowing my selfe cleare from suche intent) and to commit this vnbew∣tifull

byrd, vnder the wynges of youre honorable protection, trusting that the same (whiche I take as a commen de∣fence of all good learning) shall not on∣ly at this time be my stay & refuge, but also hereafter to more worthy attempts a continual encouragement. But speci∣ally at this tyme, I was bolde to en∣terprise 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 alle∣gorie of birdes) of Esopes crowe, hath not ben ashamed to dedicate vnto your Lord¦ship of late a treatise of myne, which I gathered out of diuerse writers, concer∣ning the Philosophers game: notwithstan∣ding 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 encou∣raged to dedicate the same vnto your ho∣nour, my selfe. Whiche though nowe through his importunitie & disobediēce, it be intercepted, and the booke defaced with his rude rythmes & peuish verses:

yet I thought best to geue your Lorde∣ship vnderstanding that your honorable protection which is and should be the de∣fence 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 wt this, as an homely present of myne, of which I may conclude as one did in like case.

Illum ego cōposui librū, tulit alter honorē
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 lōger, either wc cōplaint 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 com∣fort. Amen.

CONTENTS:
A GOODLY GALLERY ¶ The first Booke.
¶ Why they be called vnperfectly mixed.
¶ Why they be called perfectly mixed.
¶ Of the general cause of al Meteores and first of the materiall cause.
¶ Of the places, in whiche they are generated.
❧ The seconde Booke of fyery Meteores.
¶Of the generation of the impression, called burned stoble or sparcles of fire.
¶ Of Torches.
¶ Of dansyng or leaping Goates.
¶ Of shotyng and falling Starres.
¶ Of burnyng Candels.
¶ Of burning Beames and round Pillers.
¶ Of burning Speares.
¶ Of shieldes▪ Globes or Bowles.
¶ Of Lampes.
¶ Of flying Dragons or fyre Drakes.
¶ Of the Pyramidall pyller lyke a spire or broched steeple.
¶ Of Fyre scattered in the ayre.
¶ Of lights that goeth before men, and follow¦eth thē abrode in the fields by the night season.
¶ Of Helena, Castor and Pollux.
¶ Of flames that apeare vpon the heares of men or beastes.
¶ Of Comets or blasing Starres.
¶ Of Aparitions.
¶ Of collours.
¶ Of wyde gaping.
¶ Of round opening Hiatus.
❧ The thirde Booke of aery impressions.
¶ Of Wyndes.
¶ Of earthquakes.
¶ Of diuerse kindes of earthquakes.
¶ How so great wyndes come to be vnder the earth.
¶ Of the signes and tokens that goe before an earthquake most commonly.
¶ Of thonder.
¶ Of Lyghtninge.
¶ Of Fulgetrum.
¶ Of Coruscation.
¶ Of Fulgur.
¶ Of the fourth kynde called Fulmen
¶ Of the fyrst.
¶ Of the seconde kinde.
¶ Of the thirde kinde.
¶ Of the maruayls of Lightening and their causes.
¶ Of storme wyndes.
¶ Of whyrle wyndes.
¶ Of the fyred whirle wynde.
¶ Of Circles.
¶ Of the Raynbowe.
¶ The mylke waye called of some the waye to saint Iames and Watlyng streate.
¶ Of beames or streames of light appea∣ring through a cloude.
¶ Of many Sonnes.
¶ Of many Moones.
¶ Of wonderfull apparitions.
❧The fourth booke of watry impressions.
¶ Of cloudes.
¶ Of Mystes.
Of empty cloudes.
¶ Of Rayne.
¶ Of the signes of Rayne.
¶ Of monstruous or prodigious rayne.
¶ Of Dewe.
¶ Of hore froste.
¶ Of Hayle.
¶ Of Snowe.
¶ Of Springes and Riuers.
¶ Of Fountaines.
¶ Of Brookes.
¶ Of Ryuers.
¶ Of Lakes.
¶ Of whote bathes.
¶ Of the diuerse tastes that are perceiued in wells.
¶ 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.
¶ Of the Sea.
¶ Of the saltnes.
¶ Of the ebbing and flowyng.
❧ The fift booke of earthly Meteores or bodies per∣fectly mixed.
¶ Of earthes.
¶ Of liquors concreat.
¶ Of Metalles.
¶ Of Golde.
¶ Of Syluer.
¶ Of Copper.
¶ Of Tinne.
¶ Of Lead.
¶ Of Iron.
¶ Of Quick siluer.
¶ Of Stones.

A GOODLY GALLERY ¶ The first Booke.

FOr as muche as we entend in this treatise, to declare ye causes of all those bodyes, that are generatede in the earthe, called Fossilia, as well as thos other Impressi∣ones, named of ther height, Meteora (which no wryter hetherto hath done, yt we haue sene) the comen definicion gyuen by most wryters, in no wyse wyll serue vs, & whe∣ther we maye borowe ye name of metcoron to comprehende the whole subiect of oure woorke we are not all together out of do∣ubt, all thoughe ye 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 ye name of ye 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 pre∣cise (wil some man say) mean you so to pro∣ceade in all your discourse? no verely, but because many of quicke iudgement not cō∣sidering the stile to be attempered, to the ca¦pacitie of the Readers, will impute the plaines to the ignoraunce of the authors, we thought good in ye beginning to pluck that opinion out of their mindes (that as the cōmon saying is) they may know we haue skill of good maners though we litle vse them.

These meteors are deuided after thre ma∣ner of ways, first into bodies {per}fectly & im{per}∣fectly mixed. Secondly into moist impres∣siōs & drie. Thirdly into fiery, aery, watery and earthly. According to this last diuisiō, we shall speake of them in fowre bookes followyng. But first, we must be occupied a litle in the general descriptiō of the same, yt afterward shalbe particularly intreated of.

¶ Why they be called vnperfectly mixed.
THey are called vnperfectly mixed, be∣cause they are very sone chaūged 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

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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 impres∣sions, consisting either of vapores or exhalati∣ons. 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 ye 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 va∣pors, 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 stan∣ding on ye 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 genera∣ted, as sometime cloudes and rayne, some∣time snowe and hayle, and that suche va∣pors 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, stan∣ding in the heate of the sunne, it wyl soone be drye, whiche is none otherwyse, but yt 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 chaun∣ging become nothyng, wherefore it follo∣weth 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

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are kindled, and cause many kinde of im∣pressions. 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 yt which is spokē of vapors & exhala∣tions, it is euidēt yt out of ye 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 bo∣dy more thinne, but ye fier (we mean ye ele∣mētal fier, & not the fire of the kitchē chim∣ney) is so subtil & thin, yt it cannot be made thinner: likewise the ayre is so thin, yt 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, ye great quantitie of matter, that causeth these meteores, is takē out of ye earth and the water. As for ye 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 Me∣teore, though without them none can be ge¦nerated. The efficient cause of all Meteores is that cause,* whiche maketh them, euen
〈1 page missing〉

they are not to nyghe to the direct beames, nor to farre of from them: there is a mo∣derate heate, drawyng out great aboun∣daunce of matter, so that in those contries, many Meteores of many sortes as genera∣ted, 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 cau∣ses of impressions, as well first and princi∣pall, 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, ye other so euidēt yt it is playne to all men The essentiall forme of all substaunces, Gods wisdome compre¦hendeth, the vniuersall chiefe and last end of all thinges, is the glory of God. Mydle endes (if they may be so called) of these im∣pressions 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 eter∣nall glory, euer to be praysed. Amen.

Page 5
¶ Of the places, in whiche they are generated.
THe places in whiche Meteors are caused, be either the ayre or the earth, in ye aire be generated rayne, hayle, snow, dew, bla¦sing starres, thonder, lightning &c. In the earth be welles, springs, earthquakes, me¦talls minerals, &c. made, and as it were in their mothers belly begotten & fashioned. But for the better vnderstanding hereof, such as haue not tasted ye principles of Phi∣losophie, must cōsider ye ther be iiij. elemēts, Earth, water, Ayre, & Fire, one cōpassing another round about, sauing yt the waters by Gods cōmaundement ar gathered into one place, yt the land might apeare. The hi¦ghest is ye spere of the fire, which toucheth the hollownes of the Moones heauen, the next is the ayre, whiche is in the hallow∣nes of the fyer, the ayre within his hollow¦nes, comprehendeth the water and the earth, whiche bothe make but one Spheare or Globe, or as the commen sort may vnder∣stande it one Bal. So eche elemēt is wcin another as ye skales of a perle, ar on aboue another, or (to vse a grosse similitude) as ye pieles of an oniō, ar one wc in āother, after ye same sort frō ye highest heuē to ye earth, yt is lowest, one part yt is greater compasseth

roūd about another that is lesser. But for this present purpose it is to be knowen, yt the ayer is diuided into thre regions,* ye hy∣ghest, the midle, and the lowest. The hy∣ghest, because it is next to the region of ye fier, is exceading hoate, the lowest beinge next the earth and the waters, is tempe∣rat, and by repercussion or striking back of the sunne beames waxeth hoate, and by absence of them is made colde, being sub∣iect to Wynter and Sommer. The midle region of ye ayre, is always exceading cold, partly because ye sonne beames, can not be cast back so highe, and partly because the cold that is there, betwene ye heate aboue and the heate beneath it, is so kept in that it can not get out, so that it must nedes be excessiuely colde. For the water and the earthe being both colde elementes, after the sunnesetting in the nighte season dooe coole ye aire, euen to the midle regiō. But in the morning the sunne rysing warmeth ye ayre, so farre as his beames whiche are beaten back from the earth & the water, can extende and reache, whiche is not so highe as the midle region, and by heate on both sides, is inclosed and kept, sauing that a litle thereof falleth downe in the night,

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which the next day with much more is dri∣uen backe againe. Wherefore this region being so colde, is darke and cloudye, in so much that some doting Diuines haue ima¦gined, purgatorie to be there in the mydle region of the ayre.

In the hyghest region, be generated Cometes or blasing starres, and suche lyke of diuerse sortes.

In the midle region cloudes, rayne, stormes, wyndes. &c. In the lowest region, dewe, frost, horefrost, mistes, bryght rods, candels burning about graues, & gallow∣ses, where ther is store of clamy fatty or oyly substaunce, also lightes and flammyng fiers, séene in fieldes, &c.

¶ And thus muche for the generall causes of all Meteores.

The seconde Booke of fyery Meteores.

A Fiery impression, is an ex∣halation sett on fire, in the highest or lowest region of the ayre, or els apearing as though it were set on fire and burning.

They are therfore diuided into flames and aparitions. Flames are they, whiche burne in deade and are kindled with fire. These are discerned by iiij. wayes, by the fashion of them, by their place, by the abū∣daunce of their matter, & by the wante of their matter. Their placing is after the a∣boundaunce & scarsetie of the matter wher of they consist, for if it be great, heauie and grosse, it cannot be caried so farre as the midle region of the aire, and therfore is set on fire in the lowest region, if it be not so great, light, and full of heat, it passeth the midle region & ascendeth to the highest, where it is easely kindled & set on fire.

According to their diuerse fashiōs, they haue diuers names, for they ar called, bur∣ning stoble, torches, daunsing or leapinge Goates, shooting or falling starres, or can∣dels,

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burning beames, roūd pillers, spears shieldes, globes or bowles, fierbrandes, lāpes, flying dragōs or firedrakes, pointed pillors or broched steples, or blasing stars, called Cometes. The time whē these impres¦siōs doth most apere, is ye night season, for if they were caused in ye day time, thei cold not be séen, no more then ye starres be séen, because the light of ye sunne which is much greater, dimmeth ye brightnes of thē being lesser.

¶Of the generation of the impression, called burned stoble or sparcles of fire.
THe generation of this Meteore is this,* whan the matter of the Exhalation is in all partes a lyke thynne, but not compac∣ted or knit together, then some parte of it being caried vp into the highest region, by the fiery heate is set on fier before another part, that commeth vp after it, and so be∣ing kindled by lytle and lytle, it flyeth a∣brooode lyke sparkles out of a chymney, in so much that the common people suppose, that an infinit number of starres fal down where as it is nothing els, but the Exhala∣tion that is thinne kindled in many partes, sparkling as when sawe dust or coole dust is cast into the fyre.

¶ Of Torches.
TOrches or fyer brandes,* are thus gen•¦rated: when the matter of the exhala∣tion is long and not broad, being kyndled at one end therof, in the highest region of the ayre, it burneth lyke a Torche or fyer brande, and so continueth, till all the mat∣ter be burned vp, and then goeth out, none otherwyse then a Torche when all the stuffe is spent must nedes burne no lōger.

¶ Of dansyng or leaping Goates.
DAnsyng Goates,* are caused when the exalation is diuided into twoo partes, as when twoo torches be séen together, & the flame appeareth to leape or daūce frō one parte to the other, much lyke as balls of wylde fyer daunce vp and downe in the water.

¶ Of shotyng and falling Starres.
A Flying, shooting, or falling Sarre,* is when the exhalation being gathered as it were on a round heape, and yet not throughly compacted in the hyghest parte of the lowest region of the ayer, beynge kyndled, by the soden colde of the mydle re¦gion is beaten backe, and so appeareth as though a Starre should fall, or slyde from place to place. Sometyme it is generated

Page 8

after another sort, for there is an exhalatiō long and narrowe, whiche being kyndled at one ende burneth swiftly, the fyer ron∣ning from ende to ende, as when a silke thread is set on fyer at the one end. Some saye it is not so much set on fyer, as that it is direct vnder some Starre in the firma∣ment, and so receiuing light of that starre, semeth to our eyes to be a starre. In deade some times it may be so, but that is not so alwayes, nor yet most cōmenly, as it may be easely demonstrated. The Epicurians as they are verye grosse in determining the chief goodnes,* so they are very fonde in as∣signing the cause of this Meteor. For they say, yt the starres fall out of the firmamēt, and that by the fall of them, both thonder and lyghtning are caused: for the lighte∣ning (say they) is nothyng els but the shy∣ning of that starre that falleth, which fal∣ling into a watrie clowde, and being quē∣ched in it, causeth that great thonder, euen as whoat yron maketh a noyce if it be cast into colde water.* But it is euident that ye starres of the firmament can not fall, for God hath set them fast for euer, he hath geuen them a commaundement whiche they shal not passe. And though they shold

fall into the cloude, yet could they not rest there, but with their weyght being dryuen downe, would couer the whole yearth.

For the least starre that is séen in the fir∣mamēt,* is greater then all the earth. Here wyl steppe foorth some mery fellow, which of his conscience thinketh them not to bée aboue thrée yardes about, and saye it is a loude lye, for he can sée within the cōpasse of a bushell more thē xx. starres. But if his bushell were on fyre xx. myle of, I dema∣unde how bygge it would séem vnto him? He that hath any wyt,* wil easely perceiue, that starres being by al mennes confessiō, so many thousand myles distant from the earth, must neades be very great, that so farre of should be séen in any quantitie.

Thus muche for the shootyng or fallynge Starres.

¶ Of burnyng Candels.
*WHen the Exhalation caried vp into the hyghest part of the ayre is in al partes thereof of equall and lyke thynnes, & also long, but not broade, it is set on fyre and blased lyke a candle, vntyll the Exhalation be quite consumed.

¶ Of burning Beames and round Pillers.
*THese are caused, when the Exhalation
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being long and not very broade, is sett on fyre, all at once and so burneth lyke a great beame or logge. The difference of beames and pyllers is this, for beames are when they séeme to lie in lengthe, in the ayre, but they are called pillers, when they stande right vp, the one end nearer to the earth, then the other.

¶ Of burning Speares.
BUrning spears are generated,* when a great quantitie of Exhalatiōs, which may be called a drie cloude, is set on fire in the myddest, and because the cloude is not so compacte, that it shoulde so∣denly rende, as when thonder is cau∣sed, the fyre breaketh out, at the ed∣ges of the clowde, kendlyng the thynne Exhalations, which shoot out in great nō∣ber lyke fyry spears, or darts, longe and very small, wherfore they continue not long, but whē they fayle, within a short whyle after, more fyre breakynge out, they shoot out as many more in their place, and lykewyse, whē they ar gone, other succeade, if the quantitie of the matter wyll suffise, more then a doosen courses. This impressiō was séen in Lō¦don, Anno dom. 1560. the thirty daye of

Ianuary, at eight of the clocke at night the ayer in all other places beyng very darke, but in the North east where this cloude burned, it was as lyght as when the daye breaketh, towarde the Sunne rysyng, in so much, that playne shadow of thyngs opposite, was séen. The edge of this cloude was in fashion lyke the Raynbowe, but in collour very bryght, and often tymes casting foorth almoste innumerable dartes, of wōderfull lēgth lyke squybbes, that are cast vp into the ayre, sauing yt they moued more swiftly then any squybbes.

¶ Of shieldes▪ Globes or Bowles.
*THese Meteores also haue their name of their fashion, because they are broad, and appeare to be rounde, other∣wyse their generation differeth not frō the cause of the lyke impressions before mentioned.

¶ Of Lampes.
THe lampe cōsisteth of an Exhalation,* yt is broade & thick, but not equally ex∣tended, namely smaller at one end then at another, which being kindled about ye middest therof, burneth like a lāpe. The cause why, as wel this impressiō, as ma¦ny other, apeareth round, is not for yt al∣wayes they ar roūd in déede, but because

Page 10

the great distance causeth thē to séem so. For euen square formes, farr of séem to be roūd. It is written, yt a lāpe fel down at Rome whē Germanicus Cesar, set forth the sight of sword players.

¶ Of flying Dragons or fyre Drakes.
FLying Dragons, or as Englyshmen call thē fire drakes,* be caused on this maner. Whē a certen quātitie of vapors ar gathered on a heape, being very near cōpact, & as it wer hard tēpered together this lōpe of vapors assending to ye region of cold, is forcibly beaten backe, whiche violēce of mouing, is sufficient to kindle it, (although som men will haue it to be caused betwene ij. cloudes a whote & a cold) thē ye highest part, which was clim∣ming vpward, being by reason more sub¦til & thin, apeareth as ye Dragons neck, smokīg, for yt it was lately in the repuls bowed or made crooked, to represent the dragōs bely. The last part by ye same re∣pulse, turned vpward, maketh ye tayle, both apearīg smaller, for yt it is farther of, & also, for yt the cold bindeth it. This dragō thus being caused, flyeth alōg in ye ayre, & sōtime turneth to & fro, if it meat wt a cold cloud to beat it back, to ye great

terror, of them that beholde it, of whom some called it a fyre Drake, some saye it is the Deuill hym selfe, and so make re∣port to other. More then sixtene yeares ago, on May daye, when many younge folke went abroade early in the mor∣nyng, I remember, by sixe of the clocke in the forenoone, there was newes come to London, that the Deuill the same mornynge, was séene flyinge ouer the Temmes: afterward came worde, that he lyghted at Stratforde, and ther was taken and sett in the stockes, and that though he would fayne haue dissembled the matter, by turning hym selfe into the likenes of a mā, yet was he knowē welinough by his clouen feet. I knowe some yet alyue, that went to sée hym, & returning affirmed, that he was in déed séen flying in the ayre, but was not ta∣ken prysoner. I remember also that som wyshed he had béen shoot at with gons, or shaftes as he flewe ouer the Tēmes. Thus do ignorant men iudge of these thynges that they knowe not, as for this Deuill, I suppose it was a flyinge Dragon, wherof we speake, very feare∣full to loke vpon, as though he had life,

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because he moueth, where as he is no∣thing els but cloudes & smoke, so migh∣tie is God, that he cā feare his enemies, with these and suche lyke operations, whereof some examples may be founde in holy scripture.

¶ Of the Pyramidall pyller lyke a spire or broched steeple.
THis sharpe poynted piller,* is genera∣ted in the hyghest region of the ayre, and after this sort. When the Exhalatiō hath much earthly matter in it, the ligh¦ter partes and thinner (as their nature is) ascending vpwarde, the grosser, hea∣uier, and thycker, abyde together in the bottome, and so is it of fashion great be¦neath, and small pointed aboue, and be∣ing set on fire it is so séen, and thereof hath his name.

¶ Of Fyre scattered in the ayre.
FYre scattered in the ayre,* or illumina∣tions, are generated in the lowest re∣gion of the ayre, when very drye and whote Exhalations, are drawen vp and méeting with colde cloudes, are sent back agayne, which motions setteth thē a fyre, whose partes, being not equally thycke or ioyned together, séeme as

though fyer were scattered in the ayre. Yea sometimes, the whole ayre séemeth to burne, as though it would raine fyre from heauen, & so it hath come to passe, burning both cities and townes. Then iudge, how easy it was for God to raine fire vpō Sodome and Gomor, for their sinnes and wickednes.

¶ Of lights that goeth before men, and follow¦eth thē abrode in the fields by the night season.
THere is also a kind of light, yt is séen in the night season, & séemeth to goe before men, or to followe them,* leading them out of their waye vnto waters, & other daungerous places It is also very often séen in the night, of thē that sayle in the Sea, & sometyme will cleaue to ye mast of the shyp, or other highe partes, somtyme slyde round about the shyppe, and either rest in one part till it go out, or els be quenched in the water. This impression séen on the lande, is called in latin, Ignis fatuus, foolish fyre, that hur∣teth not, but only feareth foules. That whiche is séen on ye Sea, if it be but one, is named Helena, if it be twoo, it is called Castor and Pollux.

The foulishe fyre is an Exhalation
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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, ye earth is ful of suche substance, wherfore in churchyardes, or places of cōmon buriall, oftentimes ar such ligh∣tes séen, which ignorant & superstitious fooles, haue thought to be soules tormē∣ted in the fyre of purgatorie. In dede ye deuill hath vsed these lightes (although they be naturally caused) as strong delu¦sions to captiue the myndes of men, wc 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 re∣turne 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 fol∣lowe 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

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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 chyl∣dren 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 lo∣west 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 yt Troy was destroyed, therfore the Ma∣riners 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 af∣ter, and thought to be translated into ye nomber of the Gods that gyue good suc¦cesse to them that sayle, as we reade in the last chapter of the Actes of the Apo∣stles, 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 dis∣sipated, 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

Page 14

matter of tēpest is dissolued & scactered abroade by the same cause that this is di¦uided. 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 im¦pression, which is flames of fire vpon the hears of men and beastes,* especially horses. These are somtime clāmy Ex∣halations, scatered abroade in the ayre in small partes, which in the night by re∣sistaunce of the colde, are kendled, clea∣uyng 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 be∣ing chaffed, sēd forth a fat & clāmy swet, which is in like maner kīdled as ye spar∣kes of fire yt ar séen when a black horse is curred. Liuius reporteth of Seruius Tulli∣us,* ye 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 hy∣ghest region of the ayre, and there by ye 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 cō∣passe 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 ye 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 fowrtye

Page 15

dayes long, yea, lxxx. dayes, and some syxe moneths together. Wherfore, it must neades be a wonderfull deale of matter, that can gyue so much noryshe∣ment, for so great and feruent fyre, and for so long a tyme. There are consyde∣red in a Comet, specially the collor & fa∣shion, which both aryse of the dispositiō of the matter. Their collours, be either whyte, ruddye, or blewe. If the matter be thynne, the collour is whyte. If it be meanly thycke, then is the Comet ruddy, after the collour of our fyre, but when the matter is very thycke, it is blewe, lyke the burning of Brymstone. And as the matter is more and lesse, after this disposition: so is the Comet of collour, more or lesse lyk to these thrée principall collours, some yelowyshe, some duskish, some grenishe, some watchet &c.

In fashion ar noted thrée differēces, for eyther they séeme round, wc beames round about, or with a beard hangyng downward, or els with a tayle stretched out sydelong, in lengthe. The first fa∣shion, is when the matter is thickest in the myddest, and thinne rounde about ye edges. The seconde is, when the Exha∣tion

is vpwarde thicke, and in lengthe downewarde also, meanly thycke. The third forme is lyke the seconde, sauynge that the tayle hangeth not downe, but lyeth asyde, & is cōmonly longer then ye beard. The tyme of their generation is oftenest in Autumne or haruest.* For in the spring, there is to muche moysture, and to lytle heate, to gather a Comet. In sommer, is to muche heate, whiche will disperse and consume the matter, that it can not be ioyned together. As for wyn∣ter, it is cleane contrary to the nature if a Comet, which is whoat & drye, wynter being cold and moist, therfore no tyme so méet as Autumne.

Now for so muche as many learned men, haue gone about to declare the sig¦nification of blasing starres,* we will o∣mit nothing yt hath any shadowe of rea∣son, but declare what is wrytten of thē.

Such things as are set forth of yt be∣tokening of Comets, ar of two sortes: the first is of naturall, the second of ciuile or politike effects. They ar sayd to betoke drought, barynes of ye earth & pestilence.

Drought, because a Comet can not be generated without great heat, & muche

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moisture is cōsumed in ye burning of it.

Barrines, because ye fatnes of ye earth, is drawē vp, wherof the Comet cōsisteth.

Pestilence, forsomuch as this kynd of Exhalations, corrupteth the ayre, whiche infecteth the bodies of men & beastes.

The second sort, might wel be omit∣ted, sauing yt Aristotle him selfe,* disday∣neth not to séeke out causes for some of them. Generally it is noted of all Histo∣riographers, that after the apearing of Comets, moste comenly followed, great & notable calamities. Beside this, they be token (sayth some) warres seditions, chā¦ges of commē wealths and the death of Princes and noble men.

For what times Comets do shyne, ther be many whote & drie Exhalations in the aire, which in drie mē kindle heat, wher∣by they ar {pro}uoked to anger, of anger cō¦meth brawling, of brawling fighting & war, of warre victory, of victory chaūge of cōmon welths. Then also Princes, liuing more delicatly thē other men, ar more subiect to infection, therfor dye soo∣ner thē other mē. If it wer lawful to rea¦son of this sort, we might enduce thē to betokē, not only these few things, but al other things ye chanse in the worlde.

Yet these predictions haue a shew of reason though it be nothing necessary: but it is a world to sée how the Astrolo∣gians, dote in suche deuises. They ar not ashamed, to an earthly substaunce, to a∣scribe an heauenly influence, and in or¦der of iudgement to vse them as verye starres, suerly by as good reason as to the celestiall starres, they atribute di∣uine influences and effectes. But this their fooly, hath béen sufficiently detec∣ted by dyuerse godly and learned men, and this place requireth no longe dis∣course thereof. Wherfore this shall suf∣fice, both for the naturall causes of bla∣syng starres, and also, for all flames in generall. It followeth therfore that with like breuitie we declare the causes of fyery aperitions.

¶ Of Aparitions.
AN Aparition,* is an Exhalation in the lowest or hyghest region of the ayre, not verely burning, but by refraction of lyght, either of the sunne or the Moone, séemeth as though it burned. Whiche appearaunce of collour, ryseth not of the mixtiō of the fowre qualities, as it doth in bodies perfectly mixed, as herbes,

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stones &c. But only of ye falling of light vpon shadowe. The light is in steade of whyte, and the shadowe or darkenes in steade of black. These diuersely mixed according to ye diuerse dispositiō of ye exhae¦lation, which ministreth varietie by thick¦nes or thynnes, cause diuerse collours.

There be commonly recited thrée kindes of fyery apparitions.

¶ Collours, wyde gapinges, and deepe hooles, whiche apeare in the cloudes.

¶ Of collours.
COllours are heare ment,* when there is nothing els to be noted, but the col¦lours of the cloudes, and they are caused (as it is sayde) by casting the lyght into the shadowye cloude, accordyng as it ex∣ceadeth more or lesse in thicknes. wher∣of some be very bright whyte, and that is when the Exhalation is very thynne: some yealowish, when the Exhalations is thicker, somme ruddy, when it is mean∣ly thicke, and very black when it is very thicke. The redd and ruddy collours are séen, only in the mornyng and euening, when the lyght of the sunne is not in his full force, for at other tymes of the daye, his lyght is to vehement, cleare,

strong, and pearsing. This much of col∣lours.

¶ Of wyde gaping.
WYde gaping is caused,* when an Exhalation is thick in the middest, & thinne on the edges, thē the light beīg receiued into it, causeth it to appeare as though the skye did rende, & fire breake out of it.

¶ Of round opening Hiatus.
THese holes called Hiatus, differ from wyde gapinges,* in nothing, but that they be lesse, & therfore séeme as though they were depe pittes, or holes, and not rending or gaping, and these be those ap¦paritions, that apeare fyery and yet bee not so in deade. Therfore let this be suf∣ficient to haue shewed the natural cau∣ses of all fiery Meteores.

The thirde Booke of aery impressions.

VNder ye name of aery im∣pressiōs, be cōprehended, such Meteores, whose mat¦ter is most of the aire. Of this sort be windes, earth¦quakes, thōder, lightnīgs stormewyndes, whirlewyndes, circles, raynbowes, ye white circle, called of som watlīg strete, many sūnes many mones

¶ Of Wyndes.
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THe wynd is an Exhalation whote and drie,* drawne vp into ye aire by ye pow¦er of ye sunne, & by reason of ye wayght therof being driuen down, is laterally or sidelongs caried about the earth, & this diffinition is to be vnderstāded, of gene∣rall wyndes, ye blowe ouer al ye earth, or els som great regions, but beside these, there be particular wyndes, whiche are knowen 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, ye wtin 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, yt cannot a∣bide 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 ye force & vehe∣mens extendeth not far, but as ye wynde that cōmeth forth of bellowes, neare the comming foorthe, is stronge, but farre of, is not perceiued: So this particular wynd, in ye countrye, where it breaketh forth, is very violēt & strong, in somuch, yt, it ouerthroweth both trées, & houses,

yet in other countries, not very farre di∣stant, 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 shi∣ning of the sunne, it is not perceiued. It commeth whisking sodenly, very plea∣saunt 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

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South wynde expressing the qualitie of the ayre,* is whote and moyste, the We∣sterne blast, agreing with ye waters pro∣pertie is colde and moyst. The Northe that neuer was warmed with the heat of the sunne, being cold and drye, parta∣keth the conditions of the earth. The midle wyndes haue midle & mixed quali¦ties after ye nature, of those fowre princi∣pall wyndes more or lesse,* as they en∣cline toward them more or lesse.

Generally the profit of all wyndes,* by the wonderfull wysdome of the eter∣nall God, is wonderfull great, vnto his creatures. For besydes yt these wyndes, alter the weather, some of them bryn∣gyng 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 putry∣fied, would be a deadly infection to all yt 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 be∣syde 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 ye 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, ano∣ther whyle rendeth and cleaueth the same, sometyme it casteth vp the earth, a great heyght into the ayre, and some tyme it causeth ye 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

Page 20

of waters.

¶ Of diuerse kindes of earthquakes.
DYuerse authors wryte dyuerselye, of the kindes of earthquakes,* some ma∣kyng 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 dry∣ueth 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 yt great buil∣dynges, 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 cy∣ties, 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 Constan∣tinople 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 ye 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 stry∣ueth 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,* ren∣dyng, 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

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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 cy∣tie, 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 syn∣keth downe, and in steade thereof aryse ryuers, lakes, or fyers, breakyng out wc smoke and ashes. It causeth also ouer∣flowyngs of the sea, when the sea bot∣tom, is lyfted vp, and by this meanes, a∣rise 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 Philoso∣phers, as Aristotle,*Seneca,* and Plinius.*

Neuertheles, the effectes of some, as moste notable it shall not be vnprofita∣ble to recite. Plato in his Dialogue,* intitu∣led 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 af∣ter, no shippe could sayle, by reason that the same huge sea, by resolution of the earth of that myghty Iland, was al tur∣ned into mudde. The famous Ile of Sci∣cilia 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 Aristo∣tle,* 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 Em∣perour, twelue notable cyties of Asia, were ouerthrowen in one nyght, &c.

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¶ 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 rea∣son that the Exhalation or vapor, whiche is the matter of cloudes, is gone into ye earth Other affirme that it is the Exha¦lation 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 ye grosse ayere, that causeth this dymnes, to our eyes, is enclosed within the bow∣els of the earth.

The water in the botome of deape welles, is troubled, and the sauor therof

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infected, because the pestilēt Exhalations yt haue ben long inclosed, within ye earth do thē beginne a litle to be sent abrode. For thereof cometh it, that in many pla¦ces 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 wa¦ter, before an earthquake, be infected, but rather it is to be marueiled, if after an earthquake, there followe not a gre∣uous 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 repen¦ted, 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 yt can defende vs? when the more stronge the more danger, the higher ye greater fall.

¶ Of thonder.
THōder is a sound,* caused in ye 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 yt the heat of ye sonne, thē draweth vp many Exhalations, which meating in the midle regiō of the ayre, wc colde & moist vapors, ar together with them, inclosed in an hollowe cloud, but whē the whot Exhalatiō cannot agrée wc the coldnes of ye place, by this strife be∣ing driuen together, made stronger and kēdled, it wil neades breake out which soden & violent eruptiō, causeth ye noyse which we cal thōder. A similitude is put by gret autors of moist wood,* ye cracketh

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in ye fire, we may adde here vnto ye brea∣king of an egge in the fire, of an apple, or any like thing, for whatsoeuer holdeth & withholdeth, enclosed any whot wind, so yt it can haue no vente, it wil séeke it¦self a way, by breaking ye 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 ye thōders into diuerse kindes.* Making first ij. sortes, yt is, small thōder & great. But as for the diuersitie of soūdes, generally it cōmeth of ye diuerse disposition of ye cloudes, one while hauing more holes then at ano∣ther, somtime thicker in one place then in another. The smal or litle thōder is,* when ye exhalatiō is driuē frō side to side, of ye cloude, making a noise, & ether for ye smal quātitie, & lesse forcibles, or els for the thicknes of ye cloudes walles, is not able to break thē, but rōbleth vp & down wtin ye cloud, whose sids ar strōger thē ye force of ye exhalation is able to breake, it rōneth vp & down wtin, & striking agaīst the cloud & moist sides, maketh a noyse not vnlike to the quēching of whote yrō in cold water.

And if ye Exhalation be meanly strōg, and the cloude not in all places of lyke thickenes, it breaketh out at those thinn places whiche suche a bussing, as wynd maketh blowyng out of narrow holes.

But if the cloude, be so thynne, that it cannot kepe in ye Exhalation, although it be not kyndled, then it bloweth out with lyke puffinge as wynde commeth out of a payre of bellowes.

A great thonder, is when the Exha∣lation is muche in quantitie,* and verye whote and drye in qualitie, the cloude also very thycke and stronge, that ease∣ly wyll not geue place to the wynde, to escape out.

Wherfore if the Exhalation do vehe∣mently shake the cloude, though it doe not at the first disperse it, it maketh a longe and fearefull romblyng against the sydes of the cloude, vntill at the last being made stronger by swyfter motiō, it dissolueth the cloude, and hath lyber∣tie to passe out into the open ayer. The cloude resolued, droppeth downe, and then followeth a showre of rayne.

Otherwhyles it shaketh the cloude, not long, but streyghtwaye rendeth it a

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long space & tyme, whose sounde is like the rendyng of a broade clothe, whiche noyce continueth a prety whyle.

And sometime it discusseth the cloude at once, makyng a vehement and terry∣ble cracke lyke a gonne, sometime with great force, casting out stones, but most commenly fyre, whiche setteth manye highe places on fyre. As in the yeare of our Lorde, 1561. the fourth day of Iune, the steple of saint Paules church in Lō∣don was set on fyre, as it hath béen once or twyse before, and burned. The noyce of thonder though it be great in suche places ouer whiche it is made,* yet is it not harde farre of, especially against the wynde. Whereof we had experience al∣so in the yeare of our Lorde, 1561. on saynt Mathyes daye in February, at the euening, when there was a great flashe of lyghtnynges, and a verye terryble crack of thonder followynge, they that were but xv. myles from Londō West∣warde, hearde no noyse, nor sound ther∣of: the wynde that tyme was Western.

The effect of thonder is profitable to men,* bothe for that the swete shower doth followe it, and also for that it pur∣geth,

and purifieth the ayre by the swyft mouynge of the Exhalation, that brea∣keth foorthe, as also by the sounde which deuidynge and pearcyng the ayre, cau∣seth it to be muche thynner, which may be veryfied by an historie that Plutar∣chus in the life of T. Quincius Flaminius,* reporteth, that there was suche a noyce made by the Grecians after theyr lyber∣tie was restored, that the byrdes of the ayer that flewe ouer them were séen to fall downe, by reason that the ayer de∣uided by theyr crye, was made so thinn, that there was no firmitie, or strengthe in it to beare them vp. And let this suf∣fice for thonder, whome lyghtnyng suc∣ceadeth in treatie, that seildome is from it in nature.

¶ Of Lyghtninge.
AMōg the diuerse kindes of lightning,* whiche wryters in this knowledge doe nomber, we shall entreate onely of fowre kyndes, yet so, that vnder these fowre, all the reste maye be comprehen∣ded. The names we must borrowe of the latin tongue. The first is Fulgetrum, The seconde Coruscatio, the thyrd Fulgur the fourth, Fulmen.*

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¶ Of Fulgetrum.
FVlgetrum we cal that kynde of lyghte∣ning which is séen on sommer nights and eueninges,* after a whote daie. The generation hereof is suche, when many thynn, light, and whote Exhalations, by the immoderate heate, haue ben drawen vp from the earth, and by the absence of the sunne, be destitute of ye force, wherby they should haue béen drawen further vpwarde, yet somethinge ascending by their owne nature, in that they be lyght and whote they meat with the colde, ei∣ther of the night in the lowest region, or els of the ayre in the midle region, & so by resistence of cōtraries (as it hath béen oft before rehersed) they ar beaten back, and with the vehement mouing set on fire. This lightning commonly goeth out in the ayre, terrible to beholde, not hurtful to any thīg. Except somtim whē the matter of it is, earthy & grosse, being striken downe to the earth, it blasteth corne, and grasse, with other small hurt. Sometyme it setteth a barne or thacked house on fyere. The collour of this lightninge,* as of all other, is dyuerse,

partly according to the matter, & partly accordyng to the lyght. If the matter be thynne, it is whyte, if the substaunce be grosse, it is ruddy, lyke flames of fire, in great light as in the daie it appeareth whyte, in the nyght, ruddy, yet somtime in the daye tyme, we may sée it yealow, whiche is a token that the matter is wō¦derfull thicke and grosse. Olde wyues are, wont to saye that no nyghte in the yeare, except one passeth without lyght∣nynge, but that is as true as the rest of theyr tales, whereof they haue greate stoore.

¶ Of Coruscation.
COruscation is a glistering of fyre,* rather then fyre in deade, and a glymme∣rynge of lyghtning, rather then light∣ning it self. which is ij. maner of wayes, one waye, whē cloudes yt be lower then the vpper part of the earth, without the compasse of our syght, are enflamed, & the reflexion of that flame, is cast vp in∣to our syght appearyng in all poyntes lyke lyghtning, sauinge that the ayer where it appeareth is so cleare, that we are perswaded no lightning can be ther caused. Another waye, is when there be thycke cloudes ouer vs, and commonlye

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a double order of cloudes, one aboue an other, if lightninge or any other inflam∣matiō be in ye vpper part of these clouds, the lyght of them perceth through the lo¦wer partes, as through a glasse, and so appeareth as though it lyghtned, when perhappes it did lyghten in deade, yet that whiche we sawe, was but the sha∣dowe therof. And this is often without thonder.

¶ Of Fulgur.
FVlgur is that kynd of lightning which followeth thonder,* whereof we haue spoken before. For when that violent Exhalation breaketh foorthe, makynge a noyce as it beateth against the sydes of the cloude, with the same violence, it is set on fyre, and casteth a great lyghte, whiche is séen, farre and neare. And al∣though the lyghtnyng appeare vnto vs, a good preaty whyle before the thonder clappe be harde,* yet is it not caused be∣fore the noyce if any thonder at all doe followe, but eyther is after it or with it. Wherfore that we sée it, before we hear the thōder, may be ascribed, either to the quicknes of our syght, that preuenteth ye hearing, or els 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 sel¦dome passeth wtout som damage doing.

¶ Of the fourth kynde called Fulmen
THe moste dangerus, violent, & hurt∣full, kinde of lightning is called Ful∣men, whose generation is suche, as fol∣loweth. What tyme, a whote Exhala∣tion, is enclosed in a cloude, and brea∣kynge 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 Exha∣lation, whiche is gathered out of the earthe, is muche earthy matter, with clotterynge together by moysture, be∣yng clammy by nature, consistynge of brymstone and other metallycke sub∣stance,

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by the excessiue heate, is harde∣ned 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 buil∣dynges 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 re∣sisteth it, the more harme it dothe to it.* It is sharpe poynted at one ende, and thycke at the other ende, whiche is cau∣sed 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 go∣eth 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 conti∣nual thicknes of the earth, breaketh the force, were it neuer so great.

Both Aristotle, Seneca and Plinius,* de¦uide 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 a∣shes, 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 tou∣ched. It wyll also kyll the chylde in the mothers belly, & not hurte the mother. And all because the mater is very sub∣tyle, and thinne, burnyng, and passinge through whatsoeuer it be, that wyll not geue it frée passage.

¶ Of the seconde kinde.
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THe seconde kynde is moyste, and be∣cause 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 a∣shes, if it be suche a body as wylbe bur∣ned with fyre.

¶ Of the maruayls of Lightening and their causes.
BEside the wonderful effectes of light∣nyng,* that haue been already remem¦bred, there be many other whiche here∣after ensue, with the reason and causes vnto them belonging, as thus.

The nature of lyghtning is,* to poy∣son beastes that are stryken therewith, as though they had béen bytten by a ser¦pent. The cause of this is, that the mat∣ter of lightnyng, is muche infected with

brymstone, and other poysonous metal∣like 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 wri∣teth, howe wyne vessels of wood beinge burned with lightning,* the wyne wold stande styll, and not runne out, the rea∣son hereof, is the swyfte alteration and chaunge, wherby also, all the clammy∣nes of the wyne, is drawen to the out∣ward 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.

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If lyghtning strike one that slepeth, it openeth his eyes, and of one that wa∣keth, 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 lyghte∣nyng,* because it is their nature, to turne their head if any thīg com sodēly behind them. The reste that haue theyr face to∣ward 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, other∣wyse both should dye together.

Sometyme lyghtening burneth on∣ly 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 wō¦derfull subtill and thinne, so swiftly pas∣sing through that it leaueth no marke or token behinde it.

They that beholde the lightening, are either made blynd, or their face swel¦leth, 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 lighte∣ning, 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. Ly∣kewyse her horse laye dead with his bri∣dle and girtes vntied.

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The places of them that are burnt with lightning are colder then the reste of their bodies,* other because the grea∣ter 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 Iupi∣ters armur,* whiche is lightnyng. The reason may be the thicknes and drienes of her fethers, whiche wyll not be kin∣dled with so swift a fyre.

¶ Of storme wyndes.
A Storme wynde,* is a thycke Exhalatiō violently moued out of a cloude with∣out inflammation or burning. The mat¦ter

of this storme, is all one with ye mat∣ter 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 genera∣tion is suche. When abondance of that kynde of Exhalation is gathered toge∣ther, 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 be∣fore 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 smo∣kye cloude. It causeth tempeste in the Sea, and wonderfull great daunger to them that beare sayle, whome if it ouer∣take,

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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 tu∣multuous tempest. Wherfore it weare profitable, to declare the signes that go before it, to the ende, menne myght be∣ware 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 ca∣lamytie they woulde lytle bée feared. The Sea shyppes subiecte to more dan∣ger, 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 man∣sion. 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 com∣meth 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 di¦uideth not it selfe abroade, and bloweth dyrectly as the storme doth.

And thirdly in the maner of the ge∣neratiō, 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

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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 stra∣wes 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 aboun∣deth in that place, and those wyndes, whē they méete by reason of equal force on bothe sydes, can neyther dryue one ye other back agayn, nor yet passe through one ye 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, ye they may be parted asonder.

The matter of a whyrlewynde, is not muche differing from the matter of storme and lyghtening, that is an Exha∣lation whote and drye, breakyng out of a cloude, in diuerse partes of it, which cau¦seth 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 yt 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 cur∣tues as to sette them downe agayne, but neglygently letteth them fall from a great heyght, or els violently throw∣eth them downe to the earth.

It breaketh trees wyndyng them a∣bout and pulling them vp by the rootes. It turneth about a shippe and brooseth it in peaces wc other mischiefes beside.

¶ Of the fyred whirle wynde.
SOmetyme a whirlewynde, is sett on fyre within the cloude,* and then brea∣kyng foorthe, flyeth rounde lyke a great cartewhyle, terrible to beholde, bur∣nynge and ouerthrowynge all drye thinges, that it commeth neare, as hou∣ses, woodes, corne, grasse, and whatsoe∣uer 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

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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 La∣tines a crowne or garlande.

The matter wherin it is made, is a cloude of equall thicknes, or thinnes, cō∣ming directly vnder ye body of the sunn, the Moone, or other sterres, into whiche the lyght of the heauenly body is recey∣ued, and so appeareth rounde, because the sterre is rounde, or as a stoone caste into the water,* maketh many round cir¦cles, dilatyng in breadth, vntyll the vio∣lence 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 ye 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 va∣pors 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 ye Sunne, perceth the cloude more forci∣vely, then that this Halon can many ty∣mes be cause.

Otherwhyles it is séen about a can∣dell,* which must be in a very thicke and grosse ayre, of suche proportionate thick∣nes, 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 dissol¦ued from the rest.

These Circles be signes of tempest,* and wyndes, as wytnesse bothe Virgile,
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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, be∣tokeneth great colde and frost to follow after.*

But if it vanyshe awaye and be dis∣solued altogether, it is a signe of fayre weather.*

If it be brooken in many partes, it si∣gnifieth 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 signi∣fie all these forsayde euentes, with more

force and abundaunce, it is oftener cau∣sed in Autumne, and spring then in wyn¦ter or sommer, the cause is the tempe∣ratnes 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 bryn∣geth 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 wea∣kenes 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 sun∣nes lookyng glasse, wherein his image was represented, and that the blewe

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colloured, was the proper collour of the cloude, the redde of the sunne, all the o∣ther 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 rayne∣bowe may cōtinue, longer, then Halone.

The image of the raynbowe may be séen on a walle, ye 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 can¦not 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 ye sunne vnperfectly, for the great distāce. Or els the sunne beames, strike into an hollow cloude, where they are refracted or bro∣ken, and so cometh to the eyes of hym ye 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

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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 opposi∣tion. 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 no∣thyng so beutiful, as the sunnes, but for the moste part, whight, as mylke, other diuersities of collours are scant percey∣ued. When it appeareth, it is sayd to si∣gnifie tempest.

The tyme of the raynbowe, is often after the poynt of Autumne, both for the placing of the sunne in competent low∣nes, 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 pryn∣cipall, of whiche the rest are but shado∣wes, 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 cen∣ter 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 wea∣ker, 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 ne∣uer 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 of∣ten 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

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as it was none before, which when we beholde, it behoueth vs to remember, ye 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 fir¦mament, passing by the signes of Sagit∣tarius 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 we 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 innu∣merable 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 gui∣ded the Chariot of the sunn, & wandring out of the way, did burne ye place, wher¦fore 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, stō∣bled at a starre, and shedde the wyne or mylke, that was in the cuppe, which col¦loured 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 Iu∣piter made to appeare, for a perpetuall memory.

Theophrastus a Philosopher affirmed, that it was ye ioyning together,* or séeme of the two halfe globes, whiche made it

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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 hea∣uenly fyre, condensede or made thick, in∣to a circle, & so became visible, wheras the rest for the purenes, clearenes, and thinnes, could not be séene.

Possidonius whose mynde to many sée∣meth very reasonable,* saide: it is the in∣fusion 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 ra¦ther expressed the finall cause, then the efficient.

Aristotles opiniō is,* that it shold be ye beames of a great circle, whiche is cau∣sed by a cloude or Exhalation drawen vp by those sterres, whiche be called Spora∣des* This opinion of Aristotles is mysly∣ked of moste men, that haue trauayled in this science and worthely. For if it

were of the nature of elementes, as Ex∣halations are, it would be at length con∣sumed. But this circle neuer corrupteth, therfor it is not of Exhalatiōs. Also it ne∣ther increaseth or diminisheth, which is a playne proofe, that it consisteth not of elementall matter. Although Aristotle séeme to make a double circle, one cele∣stiall, 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 ye same, as al ye starres be, apereth whight. And this opiniō I take to be ye most pro∣bable, 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 yt it is very profitable, for the generation & frutefull increase of thinges that growe on the earth.* The Mathematicians that haue measured ye breadth therof, affirme

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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 Sagitta¦rius to the second degrée of Capricorne.

This circle if it be of the nature of hea∣uen, is vnproperly placed amōg Meteores or impressions, but because of Aristotles mynde, who wyll haue it to be an im∣pression kendled, & their opinion whiche thinke it proceadeth of ye light of sterres it is not wtout good cause in this place intreated of.

¶ Of beames or streames of light appea∣ring 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, ye is thinner in one part thē in another, so ye it cannot receiue the beames in any other form, thē ye they ap∣pere direct or slope downward, of diuers collors, & ye same ye ar ye collors of ye rayn∣bow, though not so euidēt, because ye re∣flexion

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 descēding 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 ano∣ther place, as though they could sée the droppes fallyng. And they are not alto∣gether deceiued, but in the time, for sone after it wyll rayne, because this impres∣sion 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, sta∣ues and lytle pyllers, when they séeme greater and thicker, many beyng ioy∣ned together. The rayne bowe, the cir∣cles 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 bea∣mes.

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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 commen∣ly 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 be∣holde, the lykelyhode of that, whiche Alexander the great,* sending woorde to Darius,* sayde to be impossible, that two sonnes should rule the worlde. But of∣tentimes, mē 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 appea∣ring. These how wonderful soeuer they appeare, proceade of a naturall cause, whiche we will endeuour to expresse. They are nothing els but Idols, or I∣mages 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 ye 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 thē wold it make the rainbow, but it is sayd to be

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on the side, wher the ima{per}t may be best represented. Also it may not be to far of▪ 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 cō¦petent & midle distance, for so representa¦tion of many sunnes is caused.

They are most often séen, in the mor¦ning & euening, about the rysing or go∣ing downe of the sunn, seldome at noonée tyme, or about the middest of the day, be¦cause the heat will soon dissolue thē. 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 ex∣pressed in all the peces of a brokē glasse. So when the cloude hath many separa∣tions, 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 tem∣pest, and rayne,* to followe because they can not appeare, but in a watry disposi∣tion of the ayre.

Also if they apeare on the Southside of the sunne they signifie a greater tem∣pest then if they appeare on the North∣syde. The reason is alledged, because ye 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 Prin∣ces for kingdomes. As not longe before the contention of Galba, Otho, and Vi∣tellius,* for the Empire of Rome, ther ap¦peared thrée sunnes. Also of late toward the slaughter of Lewes kyng of Hongary, were séen thrée sonnes, betokening thre prynces that contended for the kyngdō, 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, with∣out farther instruction to knowe the na∣turall cause of many Moones.* For they are lykewyse Images of the Moone, re∣presented in an equall cloude, which is watry, smothe, and polyshed, euen lyke a glasse. Some call thē (as Plinius saieth) night sunnes,* because they ioyned with

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the light of the true Moone, geue a great shynning light, to dryue awaye the sha∣dowe 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 nō∣ber of them to our sight should be multi¦plied: it may be aunswered, that their lyght or beames, are to feble, & weake to expresse any suche similitude or lyke∣nes 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 ye images of them in the cloudes. Agayne the gar∣landes are direct vnder, and therfore ap∣ter 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, whē their lyght is eyther none or moste fe∣ble,

& weake, as we sée it is vsed at mid-sommer to beholde that great starre cal∣led 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 conti∣nuall as the water, but consisteth of in∣numerable 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 ye Moones rising, was ready also to receiue her image.

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¶ Of wonderfull apparitions.
WE wil close this booke,* with a brief declaration of the natural causes, of many thinges, that are séen in yt ayre, very wonderfull & straunge to beholde, which in these later yeares, haue béen often séen and behelde, to the great ad∣miration of all men, not without the sin¦gular 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 he∣therto enterprysed (to my knowledge) to séeke out any cause of them, but all men haue taken them as immediat my∣racles, without any naturall meane or cause to procure them.

And I truly, do acknowledge yt they ar sent of God as wonderfull signes, to declare his power, & moue vs to amēde∣ment of life, in dede miraculus, but not yet so, yt they want a natural cause. For if they be wel weyghed & cōsidered, it is not harde to finde, yt they differ much frō such miracles, as ar recorded in ye scrip∣ture,

and admitted of diuines. So that, as I ahhorre the opiniō of Epicures, to thinke that suche thinges come by chaunce, but rather by ye 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 appariti∣ons consist of circles and rainbowes, of diuerse fashions & placings, as one with in another, the edge of one touching ano¦ther, on deuiding or going through ano∣ther, with lyke placing of small circles, about great circles, or partes of smal cir¦cles, some with the endes vpward, som downward, some asyde, & some acrosse, but all for the most part in vniforme or∣der 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 cir¦cles, set also in good & vniforme order.

The cause of these is the meting toge∣ther, of all those seuerall causes, that make the circles, rayn bowees, streames and images of the sunn or moone, which

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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, & ima∣ges, of the sunne or Moone, and if in thē he finde not knowledge sufficient, to in∣structe him, I must send hym to the de∣monstrations of perspectiue, where he shall want nothyng.

Another sort of them, no lesse often behelde within these fewe yeares, then ye former, but a great deale more straūge and wonderfull to looke vpon, are the si∣ghtes 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 fynal∣ly all maner of things and actions, that are on the earthe, as burialles, pro∣cessions, iudgementes, combates, men,

women, childrē, horses, crownes, arme of certayne noble men, & contries, wea∣pons of all sortes, sometymes starres, angels, as they ar painted wt the image of Christ crucified, besieging of castels and townes, many thynges and gesturs done by men or beastes, the very simili∣tude of persones knowen to the behol∣ders, 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 Sax¦on, who ye time was prysoner with thē∣perour. 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. Artifi∣cially by certein glasses, and instrumēts made according to a secret part of that

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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 recei∣ued 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 mon∣struous formes and straunge actions, or stories proceade of the ioyninge of dy∣uerse formes and actions, as if twoo hi∣stories, 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, con∣cerning these wonderfull apparitions: once agayne admonishyng the Reader, thoughe I haue enterprysed to declare these by naturall reason, yet beleuing yt not so much as on sparrow falleth to ye

grounde, without Gods prouidence, I doe also acknowledge Gods prouidence bryngeth these to passe, to suche ende as before I haue shewed, vsing these cau∣ses, as meanes and instrumentes to doe them.

The fourth booke of watry impressions.

THose be watry impressi∣ons, that consist moste of water. In ye 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 re¦gion of the ayre, where by colde it is so knit together, that it hangeth vntill ei∣ther ye 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 necessa∣ry that there shoulde be a colde whiche

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should make those vapors so grosse, and thycke, whiche for the most part are dra∣wen 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 ye great feare of men and no lesse losse and daunger. Yet may it be reasonably thought, that these cloudes were generated in ye midle region of the ayre, farre distant from the earth, whiche by their heuines doe by litle and litle sinke downe, lower into ye 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 vn∣certayne.

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 often∣tymes 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 ye least distance, meane it from the hyghest part of the earth, as are hyll toppes, or from the commen playne. Againe, whether they yt assigne the hyghest distaunce to be from the lo∣west vallyes, of the earth, or from the hylle toppes.

The reason before shewed, moueth me to thynke that the moste vsuall & cō∣men generation, I meane the condensa¦tion or making thick of these thinne va∣pors, 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,* ye one ascending, the other descending.

That whiche ascendeth, goeth vp out of the water, or ye earth as smoke, but doth

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not cōmenly spred ouer all other parts, it is séen in ryuers and moyst places.

The other mist, that goeth down to∣ward the earth, is when any vapor is lif∣ted 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, yt 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 drye¦nes. 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 ye lyght striketh into thē. Ther be also empty clouds, when ye wyndes haus dispersed abrode, any cloud, they ar sca∣tered 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 plē∣tifull rayne.

Of the collours of cloudes,* we haue spoken in the second booke of fyry Mete∣ors, where those collours and the causes of them, are described, whiche séeme to be fyerye, or may be thought to be infla∣mations 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 re¦ceiued in them, maketh them to séeme blewe.

Grene cloudes are altogether wa∣try, resolued into water, whiche recey∣uing into them the lyght, appear grene as water doth in a great vessell, or in the sea and ryuers.

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¶ 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 be∣ing drawen vp, and by cold made thick, (as is sayde before) heate followynge, which is moste commenlye of the Sou∣therne 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, pro∣ceade either of the small heat, that resol∣ueth the cloudes, or els of the great di∣staunce 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. Wher¦of 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 roū∣droppes, is both, for that ye 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 dra∣wen 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 com¦meth from heauen, in rayne wyll sooner come to putrefaction, or stinking, then any other, because it hath béen made ve∣ry subtile by heate, and also for that it is

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mixed with so many earthly & corrupti∣ble substaunces.

Rayne water that falleth in the som¦mer, by Auicens iudgemēt,* is more hol∣some 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 we 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 vn∣fruictful. In these coūtries, ther is great store & plenty of rayn, because the sunne is of such tēperat heat, yt it gathereth ma¦ny vapors, & by immoderat heat doth not consume them. But in ye East partes, in some whot cōtries, it neuer or seldom is séen to rain, as in Egipt & Siria, but in¦steade of rain Egipt hath ye ryuer Nilus,* whose ouerflowings, doth maruelously fatten ye earth. In Syria & other like coū∣tries, they haue more plentifull dewe, then we haue, which doth likewyse ma∣ke their earth exceading fruictfull.

Seneca testifieth,* that ye 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 va¦pors which cause the rednes, wylbe short¦ly resolued into rayne.

If a darke cloude be at the sunne ry∣sing, in whiche the sunne soone after is hidde, it wyll desolue it, and rayn wyll followe. If then appeare a cloude and af¦ter 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 grea∣ter 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 ty∣mes as by nature of the tyme, ther shold

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be, rayne followeth, for the mater of the dewe, is turned into the matter of wa∣trie cloudes.

If in the West about the sunne set∣ting, 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 brea∣king, leaues falling, and dust clottering forewarne vs of a tempest.

Flees, flyes and gnats, byght sore to¦ward a tēpest, kyne féed greadely, birds séeke their vitels more besilie, for in the grosse ayer disposed to rayne, their sto∣mack is whoter and they more hongry. But these kynde of signes perteine not so properly to Meteorologie, as to mary∣ners and husbādrie, which haue a great many more then these. And Virgil in his first booke of Georgikes, hath a great nom¦ber for them, that lyst to learne. Wher∣fore let these hetherto suffice.

¶ Of monstruous or prodigious rayne.
HEtherto we haue made mentiō only of naturall rayne,* & that which is cō∣mon whiche no man doth marueile at. But ther is somtime such rain, that wor¦thely may be wondred at, as when it rai¦neth, 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 ex∣presse, 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 ye 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 ye clouds brought to form, fal down amōg ye rain.

Likewyse the spawne of fishes,* being drawne vp maketh fishes to rayn out of the cloudes.* The vehement heate of the

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sunne, in sommer and specially in whot contries, draweth mylke out of the pap∣pes of beastes & cattel, whiche being ca∣ried 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 quanti∣tie of bloud being drawen vp, it is clot∣tered 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 ye thōderbolt. Yet som men thinke, ye wynd in caues of ye earth, breakīg vpward violētly, carieth before it, earth & stones into ye ayre, which can

long abide, but fall downe and are com∣pted 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 Exha¦lations, 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 ray∣ned quicksyluer, wherewith the brasen mony being rubbed, it looked like siluer.

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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 ye 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 cal∣led 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 rai¦ned to the Israelites was altogether mi¦raculous. In Arabia (as Plinius wry∣teth) is a very pretious kynde of dewe,* yt 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 be∣cause 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, ye hinder dew

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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 ge∣neration. 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, be∣cause 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 re∣gion of the ayre,* by the cold of that re∣gion, 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 yt 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 genera∣ted neare the earth.

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Often times, there is harde a great sounde in the cloudes, as it were of thō∣der, before hayle, or as it were of an ar∣my 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 nei¦ther whot vapors, to resist the colde, nor sufficient colde to harden the droppes of that whot shower of rayne.

The haylestones are somtimes grea¦ter, 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 to∣gether, 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 re∣gion of the ayre. For oftentimes it ray∣neth 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 spo∣ken 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

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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 some¦thing 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, yt 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 tur¦ned 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 aboun∣daunce of water, which is called a foun∣tayne or sprynge. The cause why suche sprynges doe runne continually, is be∣cause 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 a∣gayne receyued into the place, whereby it commeth to passe, yt 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 ge∣neration is not depe in the earth, & ther∣fore 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 abun∣daunt, ether because it is of small com∣passe, or small vaynes and not many.

¶ Of Brookes.
BRookes,* boornes, or fordes, be small streames of water, that ronne in a chā¦nell, lyke a ryuer. They are caused whē either the spryng occupieth a great com∣passe, or els two or thre small sprynges meate together in one channell.

¶ Of Ryuers.
*Ryuers are caused by the meatynge

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together, not only of many springs, but also of many broocks & fordes, which be∣ing receiued in diuerse places, as they passe ar at the lēgth, caried into ye broad sea, for the moste part. Howbeit some ri∣uers 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 swal¦lowed 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 yt run vnder the earth in great caues which ne¦uer 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 ye 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 ye great lake called Hircane, or Caspiā sea. These lakes sometymes vnlade thē¦selues into the sea, by small riuers, som¦tymes 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 na∣ture, are wholsome for many infyrmi∣ties, 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 re∣ceyue their tast of that kynde of earth,*
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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, yt 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 wa∣ter the inhabitauntes vsed for vyneger.* In Bohemia neare to the citie called Bi∣len,* is a wel that the people vse to drinke of in the mornyng, in steade of burnt wyne. And in dyuerse places of Germa∣ny, be sprynges, ye 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 fu∣mosite 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, ye drinke of it whyght,* it is a ryuer or spring in Italie. Propert. lib. 3.* This may be ye qua∣litie of the water very flegmatike. In Boetia is a ryuer called Melas,** yt maketh shepe blacke if they drinke thereof.

Seneca speaketh of a ryuer yt 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 wa¦ter is colder in sommer thē it is in wyn∣ter. 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 yt drinke thereof. This also may haue as good reason as that whiche maketh mē

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dronke. As also that well which maketh men forgetful by obstruction of ye brain.

The same Seneca speaketh of a water that being dronke, prouoketh vnto lust and lechery. And why may not that qua¦litie 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 quar∣ter 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 fertili∣tie, as the wante causeth the contrary.

Men saye there is a Ryuer in Hun∣garye,* in whiche Iron is turned into coper. Whiche may well be, seyng inke in whiche is but small coperus, and ar∣tificially myxed, of Iron, dothe conter∣feyte coper in collour. In this streame maye be muche coperus, and that is na∣turally myxed.

Both Seneca and Theophrastus,* wyt∣nesse, ye waters there be, whiche within a certayne space being dronke of shéepe, as (Seneca sayeth) of byrdes (as Theophra∣stus will haue it) changeth their collours frō black to whyte, & frō white to black.

Vitruuius wryteth,* that in Arcadia,* is a water called Nonacrinis whiche no vessell of syluer,* brasse, or Irō, can hold, but it breaketh in pieces, and nothynge but a mules hoofe, wyll holde it and con∣teyne it.

In Illyria,* garmētes yt are holdē ouer amost cold well, ar kindled & set on fyre.

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In the Ile of Andros, where the tē∣ple of Bacchus stoode,* is a well that the fift day of Ianuary flowed wyne.

Isidore sayeth,* there is a well in Ita∣ly, that healeth the woundes of yt eyes.

In the Ile of Chios,* is a well that ma¦keth men dulwitted, that drinke therof.

There is another that causeth men to abhorre lust.

Lechnus a spryng of Arcadia,* is good a∣gainst 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 Asta∣res,* 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 cōmeth of the viscositie or fatnes of ye same earth.

The lake Clitorie,* in Italye, ma∣keth men that drynke of it to abhorre wyne.

The lake Pentasium (as Solinus saith) is deadly to serpentes & wholsom to mē.*

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 Ger¦many wyll drowne basterd childrē that be cast in it,* but dryue alonde them that be lawfully begotten.

The ryuer Hypanis in Schithia,* euery¦day bryngeth foorth litle bladders, out of whiche flyes do come that die the same nyght.

Matrona the ryuer of Germany,* as ye 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 elemēt 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, yt the very proper & naturall place of the

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water, were to couer al the earth, for so be the elementes placed. The earth lo∣west, & roūd 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, cōmaunded the wa∣ters 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 ye 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 on∣ly 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 ry∣uers 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 vp∣warde and downwarde, of wyde and narrowe, déepe and shallowe. This opi∣nion of Aristotle also, as more subtile thē true, experiēce 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 frō the new Moone to the full, all humors do encrease, and from the ful to the newe moone, decrease agayne. Al∣so 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 impressiōs.

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The fift booke of earthly Meteores or bodies per∣fectly mixed.

THis last treatise contey∣neth suche bodies whose chief matter is the earth,* & are called {per}fectly mixed because they ar not easly resolued in to the chiefe matter, wherof they ar generated. The∣se 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 mi∣neralls whiche partake of two kyndes, & also for that the names of some of these kyndes may be sayde of other. Yet min∣dyng 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 instru¦ction. They may therfor be cōtēt wc this diuisiō, which shal not serue them to dis∣pute of these matters, but to vnderstād ye truth of these

thinges that they desyre. Of these fowr, therfore we will speake orderly and ge∣nerally, not mynding to intreate of eue∣ry particuler kynde (for that were infi∣nit) 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 lo∣west of all other in place. When I saye an element, I meane a simple body vn∣compounded. This earth is no Meteore, but as it was shewed in the water, to ye end ther should be generatiō of things, there is no element that we can haue, whiche is pure and symple, but all are mixed and cōpounde. Our fyre is grosse and compounde, so is our ayer our wa∣ter, and our earth. But the earth nota∣bly 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 ye earth is mixed

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with water, that maketh it to cleane to¦gether, 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, but as a thing ones mixed and after dryed, ether by to cold, as sand grauell, &c. or els by heate, as chalke, oker &c. And yet somwhat more plainly and particularly to discourse vpen these causes, admitting the naturall collour of the earth to be black, of ye water to be blewe, of the ayre to be whyte, & of the fyre to be ruddy, it followeth that vpon the mixtion of these collours, or chief do¦mination of them, al thinges hath their collour. The grosse substaunce of the earth therefore beinge diuersly myxed with other elementes, and those myx∣tures againe being eftsones altered, by dyuerse and sometime cōtrary qualities, hath brought forth so manye kyndes of earth, as claye, marle, chalke, sand, gra∣uell &c. Claye is mixed with fat moisture takyng his colloure of the mixture with redde from whyte, but beyng colde, it is not so fructfull as marle, whiche is not alwayes so moiste as it. Chalke is an

earth by heat cōcocted, after diuerse mix¦tions and dried vp. Oker both yelow & redde with suche like are of the same na¦ture with mixtiō of redde more or lesse.

Sande and grauell are dried erthes, as it were froasen by colde, grauell is grosse and apparent, sand though it be finer, is of the same generation cōsisting of many small bodies, which ar cōgeled into stones. Sād semeth to be clay dried by cold and coacted together into small stones, wherof some ar through shining which were the moyst partes, the thicke were of the grosse parte. The same is grauel, but of greater stoones consisting. The lyke iudgement is to be geuen of all other kyndes of earth, whose gene∣ration by the similitude of these, wyll not be very harde to fynde out. They that lyst to knowe the diuerse kyndes of earthes, must haue recourse to Plinius, Cardane,* and other wryters, that recite a great nomber of them, but these are the chief and most commen kyndes.

¶ Of liquors concreat.
WE take not lyquors cōcreat so lar∣gely, as the worde dothe signifie, for than should we comprehende, bothe

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the other kyndes followyng. But onely those liquors, called in latin Succi, which are as it were midle betwene metals → & stones, of whiche some being fat & only, do burne, as brimstone, séecoles, geate, bitumen, &c. and the kyndes of all these. other some doth not burne, as salt, alū, coperus, saltpeter, &c. and the kindes of these. Of the first sort, which are genera∣ted of earthy & ayry vapors, fumes & Exha¦lations, the chief & most notable, is brim∣stone, which semeth to be the matter of all drie & whot qualities, yt ar in earthly Meteores. The rest are generated of such lyke vapors as brymstone is, but thē they be diuersly mixed. As ye coles, haue much earth mixed with brimstone. Gette, sée∣meth to be all one, but better concocted then coles. Of amber is great contentiō whether it be a mineral, or ye sperme of an whale, for it is foūd in the sea, cast vp on the shore. Now ye whales séede, being of the very same qualities, is takē more & lesse cōcreate of diuers hardnes, som al most as hard as amber, som softer, & som liquid. Yet Cardan plainly defineth,* that amber is a minerall. Whether he haue reason or experiēce, cōtrary to ye vulgar

opinion, let them consider that list to cō∣tende. These minerals that will resolue with fyre, it is apparent, that they were concreat with colde. In that they burne it is manifest, they haue a fatte and clā∣my substaūce, mixed with them. As the other kynde hath not, whiche wyll not resolue so well with fyre, as wc water, whiche be salt, coperus, saltpeters, &c. these burne not being watry, earthy, & not fatt, vnctuus, nor clammy.

These be of diuerse collours, black as coles and geat, because ther is much earthy substaunce mixed with their sul∣phureus matter. Some be shere as saltt and alume, hauing a substaunce watry, dryed, and concreat. Coperus is greane, because it hath muche colde matter that is blwe, mixed with it. Salt the most cō∣men and necessary of all these liquors concreat, that be moist & not fatty, hath two maner of generations, one natu∣rall, and the other artificiall. The natu∣rall generation, is when it is first gene∣rated, in the earth, after commeth the water of the sea, and is infected with it, out of whiche the salt is againe artifici∣ally gathered. Of these liquors concreat

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be those strange wells and sprynges in∣fected, of whiche was spoken, in the lat∣ter ende of the fourth booke. Most nota∣bly brimstone causeth the whot bathes, and burneth in aetna, of Scicilia, and Ve∣suuius of Italye,* casting vp the pumise stones, of whiche is no place here to en∣treate.

¶ Of Metalles.
MEtalles be substaunces perfectlye myxed,* that wyll melte, with heate, and be brought into all manner of fa∣shions that a man wyl. Of these the Al∣cumistes saye, there be seuen kyndes, to aunswere to the seuen Planetes. Gold, syluer, copper, tynne, lead, Iron & quick∣syluer, that they cal Mercury.* But sauing their authorities, quicksyluer is no more a metall, then brymstone, whiche is as necessarye to the generation of metall, as quicsyluer is. For they all agrée, that all metalles are generated of sulphur,* that is brymstone, whiche because it is whot, they call the father, and Mercury that is quicksiluer, whiche because it is moyst, they call the mother. So by as good reason, may they call brymstone a metalle, as Mercury. Then there remai∣neth

but six perfect metalls, Gold, Syl∣uer, Copper, Tinne, Lead, and Iron.

¶ Of Golde.
THat moste vnprofitable and hurtfull of al metalls golde,* which most men disprayse, and yet all men would haue, is of all other metalles the rarest, it is only {per}fect, all other be corruptible. Gold neuer corrupteth by rust,* because it is pure from poysonus infection & most so∣lide, that it receiueth not the ayre into it, which causeth all thinges to corrupt. It is perfectly concocted with sufficient heate, and mixture of Sulphur, all o∣ther metalls, either are not so well con∣cocted, or els they haue not the due quā∣titie of brimstone. This opiniō hath also place among the Alcumistes,* yt because nature in al her workes, seketh the best ende, she entēdeth, of al metals → to make gold▪ but being let either for wante of good mixture, or good cōcoction, she brin¦geth forth other ← metals →, in deede not so precius, but much more profitable, & the lesse pretius, the more {pro}fitable, for ther is more vse to the necessitie of mannes life, in Iron and lead, then is in golde, & syluer. But either the bewtie, or the per¦fectiō,

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or at lestwyse the rarenes of gold & siluer, haue obteineth the estimatiō of al men, so yt for them is sold al maner of things, holy, & prophane, bodely & spiri∣tuall. What paynes doth not men take to wynn gold? euery man hath one way or other, to hunt after it, but ye Alcumist despising all other wayes as slow, vnna¦turall, & vnprofitable, laboreth ether to helpe nature in her worke, as of vnper∣fect ← metals → to make {per}fect, or els to force natur to his purpose, by his quintessence & elixors, so that what by purging, what by cōcocting, what by mixing of sulphur & quicksiluer, & muche other like stuffe, at length he turneth the wrong side of his gowne outward, all the teeth out of his head, & his body frō helth to a palsey, and then he is a Philosopher, and so he will be called.

¶ Of Syluer.
SIluer the most pure metalle,* next vn∣to golde, hath indifferent good concoc∣tion in the earth, but it wanteth sufficiēt heat in the mixtur, that maketh it pale. It is founde as they saye, running into diuerse vaines as all other metalles be, but this most specially, after ye shape & fa¦shion

of a trée, lying alonge with a bodye or stocke of proportion lyke to the body of a trée, also with armes, braunches, lea∣ues and fruictes. This metall syluer, lacketh sufficient heate, and therfore cō∣meth neyther to the collour, soliditie, nor perfection of golde, and is genera∣ted in colde countries, neare vnto the North, and South poles. In so greate quantitie, that hasbandmen, when they plowe the grounde turne vp syluer, a∣mong the clottes in their dayly labours. Whiche they doe hyde, and conceale, least the gready Princes, for couetous∣nes of the metall, should ouerturne and destroye their lande. The golde mynes, are contrarywyse, moste founde in the whote countries of India and Aethiopia, because in them is sufficient of heate for that vnhappy generation.

This syluer also, the Alcumistes woulde fayne make by arte, but Mercury the chief maister of the worke, is so sub∣till, and so slye, that nothinge can holde hym, nothing can kyll hym. For if the glasse be not very thyck, he wyll soone breake out of pryson, and so there is no∣thyng left.

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¶ Of Copper.
COpper in collour,* comming nearest to golde, beyng not solyde, nor massy, (for of all metall golde is the heauiest) geueth waye to corruption, beyng in∣fected with that greane minerall coppe∣rus. Hereof be dyuerse kyndes, brasse, latine and suche lyke, whiche differ in in digestion, the copper beyng purest, is of best digestion and nearest vnto golde, and so the rest in lyke degrees. Copper is moste lyke to syluer in the wayghte, and in the hammeryng, wherefore the Alcumistes haue learned to make it whyte, that it deceyueth mens syghte & handlyng, but the Goldsmythes doe ea∣sely trye it & by the teast of coūterfect sil∣uer, maketh copper agayne. Copper or brasse, doth alwaye growe neare vnto the myne of copperus, whiche runnyng with it in the digestion or naturall con∣toction, hyndreth it of perfectiō, maketh it to stynke, and to be eaten of a greane ••se. Muche a doe the Alcumistes haue to turne it into golde, if it might be, they dispute very reasonablye, and conclude almoste necessarily in their talke, that it may be conuerted into golde as, a body,

that wāteth litle of perfectiō which may be easely added vnto it. But in conclusiō of the worke, it is an harder matter, to bryng it to passe, then it was to purpose before they had done it, to builde an ab∣bay at euery myles ende, vpō Salisbury playne, as one was mynded.

¶ Of Tinne.
TYnne, wherof great plenty groweth in the West partes of Englande,* in bewty and collour cōmeth nearest to sil∣uer, & of siluer wāteth nothing, but soli∣ditie & hardnes. For tinn is a rawe & vn∣digested metall, also very porose & vncō¦pact, which causeth it to crashe, when it is broken or bitten. So it faileth of heat, in the cōmixtiō & also sufficiēt digestiō in the earth. Otherwise it is a fayre & prof∣fitable metal, to serue ye vse of thē, vnto whom siluer & gold are not so plentiful.

¶ Of Lead.
LEad also found in great abūdance wt∣in this realm,* is a rawe & vndigested metal, as tin is, but yet of better digestiō thē cōmixtiō. For it is mixed, wc a grosse earthy substance, which maketh it to be in collor so black, & so fowl to corrupt. So that of ye same fumes & exhalatiōs, which

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if they had ben pure & well digested, if ye place & matter wold haue suffered, shold haue ben concreat into siluer, for lack of the same, lead is generated, which com∣ming plentifully, doth better seruice thē syluer.

¶ Of Iron.
IRon the most necessary and profitable of all other metalls,* & yet as ill vsed of many as any other, is generated of such substaunce as syluer is, but myxed with a redde minerall, whiche eateth it with redde ruste, and also being of two extre∣me degestion, passing all other metalls in hardenes. And as other ← metals → to the perfection of syluer, wante sufficient cō∣coction, wherby they comme not to the same hardenes: so Iron paseth and ex∣ceadeth syluer in immoderate digestion. But though it come not to the perfectiō of syluer, God forbidde that al Iron had béen tourned into syluer, for then we should more haue myssed it, then syluer or golde, the want of whiche would hur¦der vs nothyng at al.

¶ Of Quick siluer.
THough quicksyluer, be no metal,* yet because it is the mother of al ← metals →, some thynge is here to be spoken of it.

There be diuerse and sondrie opini∣ons, both of the generation, and also the qualities of it, whiche make the genera∣tion to be harde to fynde out. For if the qualitie were certainly agreed vppon, there were an easier waye founde, to trye out the generation. Some affirme, that it is exceading whott, and that they wolde proue, by the swyfte percing ther of into other thynges, that be porose.

Other saye, it is exceadyng colde, & that they proue, by the exceadyng weyght of it. As for the percyng, they saye: is cau∣sed of the exceading moystnes, of which qualitie both partes doe graunte that it is. Concerning the generation, some haue sayde that it is pure and elemen∣tall water, some agayne hath thought, that it droppeth out of heauen, and is a part of the heauenly substaunce. And o∣ther sayde, that it is generated in the cloudes, and falleth downe in the field, in a circle, on those round circles, which are séen in many fieldes, that ignoraunt people affirme to be the rynges of the fayries danses. It is certayne, that quick syluer hath dyuerse tymes fallen out of the cloudes, as we haue declared in the

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treatyse of wonderfull and merueylous rayne, but whether it so fall in circles, it is doubtfull. The moste probable opi∣nion is, that it is generated of moyste vapors of the earth, coacted by cold, much lyke to water, as brymstone is of hotte fumes coacted by colde, muche lyke to fyer. And thus muche of metalles.

¶ Of Stones.
STones the fourth kynde of earthlye myxed bodies,* haue two maner of ge∣nerations, by moste contrarie qualities. For heate doth harden moyst bodyes in to stones, as we sée that of claye it ma∣keth exceadyng harde brycke.

Also the thōderboltes in the cloudes, are generated by heate, as before hathe ben shewed. But colde dothe by conge∣lyng, generate, many more stones then heate doth: for the 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 part∣ly 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
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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 loade∣stone to drawe iron, whiche is by a simi∣litude 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 Astroi∣tes, moueth of it self in vineger,* the shar∣penes of the vineger, percing it, and the ayer excluded, driuing it forward. These

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vertues because I haue séen, I haue set for an example, generally all other lyke naturall vertues, proceade of lyke natu∣rall causes, which by their effect the in∣genious 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 met∣talles doe, may be gathered by yt 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.

[illustration]
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.

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

A GOODLY GALLERY ¶ The first Booke.

The seconde Booke of fyery Meteores.

The thirde Booke of aery impressions.

The fourth booke of watry impressions.

The fift booke of earthly Meteores or bodies per∣fectly mixed.

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