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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05102	The third volume of the French academie contayning a notable description of the whole world, and of all the principall parts and contents thereof: as namely, of angels both good and euill: of the celestiall spheres, their order and number: of the fixed stars and planets; their light, motion, and influence: of the fower elements, and all things in them, or of them consisting: and first of firie, airie, and watrie meteors or impressions of comets, thunders, lightnings, raines, snow, haile, rainebowes, windes, dewes, frosts, earthquakes, &c. ingendered aboue, in, and vnder the middle or cloudie region of the aire. And likewise of fowles, fishes, beasts, serpents, trees with their fruits and gum; shrubs, herbes, spices, drugs, minerals, precious stones, and other particulars most worthie of all men to be knowen and considered. Written in French by that famous and learned gentleman Peter de la Primaudaye Esquier, Lord of the same place, and of Barree: and Englished by R. Dolman.; Academie françoise. Part 3. English	La Primaudaye, Pierre de, b. ca. 1545.; Dolman, R. (Richard)	1601 (1601)	STC 15240; ESTC S108305	398,876	456

doctrine or rather the doctrine of the holy Ghost speaking by the mouth of so excellent a prophet is confirmed vnto vs by miracles prodigies oracles and prophecies and lastly by the consent of euery part of his writings as also by the graue authoritie of those who in their interpretations of them doe confirme and approoue them Of miracles Exod. 4.7.8.9.10 c. Concerning his miracles they are all most manifest to such as haue read his bookes The rod is turned into a serpent and againe returned into the former shape It deuoureth the magicians rods shewing that the sorceries of vncleane spirits and all their puissance and force is consumed by the power of God which wrought and dealt in Aaron and in Moses He bringeth foorth infinite little beasts and of sundrie sorts which pricke both man and beast he draweth water out of the stone giueth quailes from heauen bringeth thunder a cloud by day and a piller of fire by night and also the darke night and doth all this by the word of the liuing Lord who one while terrifieth and another while comforteth his people Hee sendeth slaughter among the Egyptians sudden losse and ruine to the wicked fire among the proud and leprosie to her that murmured and preserueth for a long time a great number from sicknes and their garments from waxing old and wearing Moreouer he feedeth them with heauenly food and giueth them victorie ouer all their enemies Such things and many such like things doth the soueraigne architect of this Vniuers performe by his prophet to the end to approoue his doctrine and to teach vs his truth thereby To this end also by the word of Moses he appeaseth monsters Prodigies causeth the thunder to cease healeth such as were empoisoned to the end that so much the more through such prodigies his law the wisedome of life and doctrine by which hee instructed his people might be celebrated And concerning Oracles Oracles they haue not beene deliuered vnto vs from a Delphicke Apollo from a Iupiter from a Pallas or any fained sapience or else from some newfound godhead but they bin giuen vs from the mouth of the liuing Lord whose voice the innumerable multitudes of Israell did sometimes heare But if some as there are manie amongst vs will not beleeue Moses alone relating all these things nor his people which haue written of them as he himselfe did yet let them at least giue credite to the many graue and sage Authors who affirme them for a very truth Author which consume Mose● writings as to Berosus the Chaldee to Manethon the Egyptian Hierome the Phenician king Darius Mendesian Ptolomy Menander of Ephesus Nicolas Damascenus Abiden the Historiographer Estieus Theodore Chorilus and Ezekiel the Poets Demetrius the Historian Hecatè of Abdera the Philosopher and aboue fortie other learned recorded for testimonie by Iosephus Aristobulus Prophecie Tertullian and Eusebius who all agree in recitation of the foresaide woonders Let vs proceed and come to the prophecies Of them Ptolomy in his booke of Fruits saith Those onely who are inspired by God prophecie of particular things If then Moses in his doctrine and all the other prophets which haue followed him haue prophecied of so many particular actions to the king of Egypt to the Tribes to many princes and kings as well concerning themselues as also concerning their cities and people who will doubt that they haue been instructed by the spirit of God Who can accuse them of falshood who wil make doubt of their doctrine If one read the text of Moses all points therein are so replenished with prophecies and future euents that there is nothing left out there concerning that which belongeth to the mysteries of diuine and philosophicall matters nor of the Messias then to come nor yet of all whatsoeuer should afterward come to passe as is euident to those who haue the eies of their mindes illuminated and who vnderstand the bookes of the law to see cleane through a great many vailes vnder which as was most meete the prophet did hide so many profound mysteries What man then of sounde iudgement that making small or no account of such and so great sacraments will rather then to beleeue in them haue recourse to the monuments of certaine Philosophers not approoued by so many witnesses and whose writings sauour no whit of diuine matters We may very well receiue their instructions so far as they differ not from the doctrine of holy writ but we must altogither reiect that which relying vpon their owne authoritie or their owne inuention supported by their reasons and indeed not in many places ought woorth which they induce besides that which is contained in the writings of Moses and the Prophets For if we will shew reuerence to authors What authors are woorthie of beleefe to which I pray you shoulde we shew more either to Aristotle Auerrois Epicures and such like who onely do shine with a small light of humaine doctrine or else to Moses to the Prophets to Salomon the wisest of all his time to the Euangelistes and to the Apostles euerie of which in sapience in wisedome in manners in prophecies in oracles and in all kinde of holines do shine and flame like burning torches Who affirme in an vnused stile that which they speake concerning diuine things proouing them with perill of their liues and confirming them by prodigies and speaking of things naturall humaine and base aboue all common capacitie of men and penetrating into most deepe secrets by illumination of the holy spirit do with most bright cleerenes manifest them to all those which haue eies to see and eares to heare And therefore Eusebius hath excellently written to this purpose Eusebius in his ecclesiasticall historie speaking thus You shall finde out the errors of the Ethnick Philosophers not by me but by the contradiction and meruellous repugnancie among themselues and when I compare them among themselues or with other common men certainly I cannot denie but they haue beene woorthie personages but when I conferre them with the Philosophers and Theologians of the Hebrewes and compare their doctrine with the doctrine of those friuolous and vaine do all their inuentions seeme to mee Moreouer know we not that by the one all things haue beene deliuered humanely and by the others diuinely And that those who woulde taste of the first draughts of wisedome haue beene constrained to learne of the Hebrewes And therefore Porphirius in his booke of Abstinence adorneth with sundrie praises the religious or prophets among that people calling them Philosophers and assigning them the chiefest degree aboue all other Prophets and Magi who haue made profession of holines And Orpheus in his booke which he hath written of the holy word after he chased away all contemners of the diuine ordinances and mysteries confesseth that he learned out of the tables of Moses that which he song of God knowne onely but to his Prophet But aboue all the foresaide testimonies

but that the windowes of heauen were opened and that raine fell vpon the earth forty daies and fortie nights For which cause also the Psalmist singeth The voice of the Lord is vpon the waters Psal 29. the glory of God maketh it to thunder the Lord is vpon the great waters He was set vpon the floud and he shal remaine king for euer which is asmuch to say as the Lord hath executed his iudgement vpon the wicked by the waters of the floud and that as then he tooke vengeance so it is he that doth for euer remaine iudge of the world and that maketh all creatures to tremble before him Where wee haue great matter of feare and trembling if wee beleeue the word of God and the testimonies which it deliuereth of his iudgements when I say we diligently consider the effects of the nature of the higher elements Therefore whensoeuer wee see close weather and the aire filled with cloudes threatning vs with raine and tempests the sight thereof should alwaies refresh and renew in vs the memorie of this iudgement of God so terrible and vniuersall in the flud to teach vs to walke in more feare of his Maiestie But there are few which thinke thereupon and can make their profite thereof and many to the contrarie doe but iest and scoffe at it as if it were a fable and a fantasie I knowe very well that the scripture saith that God set the raine-bow in the cloudes for signe of an accord and attonement betweene him and men and euery liuing creature to the ende that the waters might neuer after increase to such a floud as should roote out all flesh But we must note that the Eternall doth not here promise neuer to send any deluge vpon the earth Genes 9. Many goodly thing● to bee c●●●●dered in the rain●●●●w but onely not a generall and vniuersall floud as the first was in the time of Noah For how many times hath he punished particularly many people with great inundations and deluges of water signifying vnto all that he hath all his creatures at commandement for euer to make them serue either to his wrath or to his mercie according as he will intreat men and hereupon we shall learne that though it seemeth that in the place before alledged the raine-bowe is named as if it had been spred in the aire at that time onely when it was giuen by God as a signe and sacrament of his couenant renewed yet neuertheles we must not doubt but that when God created the causes of this bowe in nature ordained by him he did also create it in the establishing of the world with other creatures But it was not vsed by God for a testimonie of his attonement with mankinde till after the flood So likewise it is certaine that this heauenly bowe hath naturally had at all times the significations which at this present it retaineth to presage raine or faire weather according as it diuersly appeereth But since that the creator hath accepted it for a signe of his couenant it hath had this vantage to be ordained as a gage and witnes of the promises of God And therefore whensoeuer we behold it in heauen we must not onely consider of it as of a naturall thing and as a prognosticator sometimes of raine sometimes of faire weather but likewise as a witnes and memoriall as well of the iudgement of God as of his grace and mercie and of the assurance of the conseruation of all creatures by his prouidence But though it should teach vs nothing of al this but should onely retaine the beautie and naturall signification thereof yet might it serue vs for an excellent testimonie of the maiestie of God and incite vs to giue him praise Eccles 43. For which cause Ecclesiasticus saith Looke vpon the raine-bowe and praise him that made it very beautifull it is in the brightnes thereof It compasseth the heauen about with a glorious circle and the hands of the most high haue bended it For what man is so dull but doth admire the great varietie of so faire colours as appeere in it euen in a substance so fine and subtile that it cannot be perceiued by any corporall sense saue by the sight I know that the philosophers doe teach Of the cause of th● 〈…〉 rain●●bow that as a drop of water which one seeth in the sunne representeth many goodly colours like those in the raine-bowe which is made of a thicke watrie cloud full of drops in the middle region of the aire For euery darke obscure thing is as it were almost blacke as the shadowes doe demonstrate which by reason of their obscuritie seeme to be blacke And when an obscure thing is illuminated if it be bright it passeth in colours according to the abundance of the brightnes Now the cloud is obscure the drops of water are bright for this cause they represent vnto vs colours according to the variety of that light which shineth vpō them And forsomuch as the innermost circle of the bow is nerest to the obscure or dark cloud it seemeth cōmonly to be blew that in the middle which is more illuminate appeereth greene and the vpper circle which is greatest and most lighted with celestiall brightnes is yellow Forasmuch then as there is a cause of euery thing the Naturalists doe much endeuour themselues to render reasons concerning the diuersities of these colours as Astrologians doe also to argue vpon the diuers predictions of this bowe as presaging sometimes raine sometimes faire weather sometimes winde and sometimes calme and cleere weather Hist nat lib. 2. Yet Plinie saith that it is often seene when it doth not prognosticate any thing and that no heede is taken of it for the time to come But let euery one ascertaine himselfe that it is caused by the beames of the sunne which striking into an hollow cloud are constrained to reuerberate and returne vpwardes toward the sunne And that the diuersitie of colours which are therein represented is made by the mixture of the clouds of the aire and of the fire which are found there togither Moreouer that this bow neuer is but when the sunne is opposit to that cloud and that it exceedeth not the forme of a semicircle also that it appeereth not by night though Aristotle saith that it hath sometimes been then seene But we wil leaue the philosophers to dispute vpon these things and to search the depth of their naturall causes and will conclude this speech and make an end of this day with a point of doctrine concerning the meteors of Christians which is that we must take very good heed not to be of the number of those who boasting of the knowledge of humane sciences haue despised the spirituall and diuine and of whom Saint Peter hath prophecied saying 2. Pet. 3. That there shoulde come in the last daies mockers and contemners of God walking according to their owne lusts which should say Where is the promise

growe and increase in the earth wherefore it seemeth that they are nourished in the earth like to plants Yet we must note that to speake properly there is neither soule nor life attributed vnto them Foure kinds of soule and life For according to the common rule of the learned there are but fower kindes of soules of life except by abuse of the language this name life be taken generally for the estate of all creatures But when it is taken in his proper signification the soule and life is onely attributed to fower kindes of creatures A kinde of creature of a middle nature betweene plants and beasts that is to herbes trees and plants a nourishing or vegetatiue soule and life to * sensitiue plants as sea-sponges oisters cockles c. a sensitiue to perfect beasts a soule and life cogitatiue or knowing and to men an intellectuall or reasonable soule and life Though therefore that stones and mettals doe increase and grow in the earth yet this is done by addition of matter which is conuerted into their nature rather then by any nouriture which they draw from the earth as plants doe And therefore when we speake properly of life we must vnderstand something more then that which we simply call being And yet one may sometimes signifie the estate or being of any thing by the name of life taking the word generally and not in his most proper signification for the being of euery creature is like the life thereof insomuch as thereby it is conserued in his proper estate Iohn 1. And so it may seeme that Saint Iohn meaneth saying That all things were made by the eternall word of God and that without it nothing was made that was made and that in it was life for here the word Life might be taken for the being of all creatures In this respect it may be permitted vs to say that all creatures haue life but not like any of those which are properly called liuing creatures and each one according to the distinctions by vs before alledged Vnderstanding proper to men and angels onely Now let vs speake of the naturall vnderstanding which seemeth to be in all creatures I know that to speake properly vnderstanding and reason cannot bee attributed but onely to angels and men For though all creatures obserue their order and course in their naturall motions yet doe wee not conclude that they do this by vnderstanding and reason whereof they shoulde participate with men but rather by a naturall inclination which God hath bestowed vpon them to guide and direct them so Yet it seemeth that there is great difference betweene the celestiall bodies concerning which we now discourse and the other creatures which are without life and vnderstanding considering their well ordred motions and incorruptible nature as we haue heeretofore shewed For this is the cause why many Philosophers haue taught Opinions of diuers touching the life and vnderstanding of the celestiall bodies that the heauens retained some kinde of life and vnderstanding briefly that the world was an animall or liuing creature for the reasons heeretofore alleaged And therefore some haue supposed that the celestiall and luminary bodies did nourish and preserue themselues by the moistnes and vapors which they attracted and drew vp by their heate out of the water and other elements And for faculties of sense and reason they also considered the same to be in them because that they haue their course and motions so well ordred and comprehended one by another that therein can be found no fault disorder or confusion Which so excellent order could not bee kept nor maintained it seemed amongst them without great reason vnderstanding and wisedome yea more great then is seene in all the men of the world togither For although they were created partakers of these graces and gifts yet so farre are they from maintaining such an order amongst them as do the celestiall bodies that contrariwise there is nothing but disorder and confusion in them and in all their actions For these reasons therefore sundry Philosophers haue concluded that as there are animals or liuing creatures in the earth in the waters and in the aire so likewise are there in heauen and that the sunne and moone the other planets and stars are celestiall animals not onely liuing but also participating of reason and vnderstanding Of the excellent politicall and military order in the heauens yea some haue named them celestiall intelligences And in truth they which haue good skill in Astronomie do consider how the Sunne the goodliest and most excellent of the lights of heauen possesseth the middle place among the seuen planets like the king and prince of them and which hath about him the lords of his court For on one side is Mars the warrior which hath charge of armies and on the other side Mercurie his Orator and ambassador Then is there betwixt him and Mercurie the planet Venus which is the day starre messenger of the morning which alwaies attendeth on the sunne at his rising and setting for she riseth euery day before him and setteth euery day after him and vnder those is the Moone These two planets seeme to be allowed him like mistresses of his house and huswiues of the most moist natures Then aboue Mars is the milde and benigne planet Iupiter to the end to moderate the vehemencie and furie of him And higher yet is Saturne who is cold slowe and sadde wherefore he may the better temperate the heate of Mars and serue the sunne like a sound and well staied counsellor neere about his prince Then may be seene the high heauen commonly called the firmament which containeth all the rest of the stars vnder which the sunne marcheth in his royall magnificence accompanied like a king with his court and armie all in gallant order Is not this then a goodly policie like a royall court a celestiall common wealth and a braue armie wherein euery star and planet keepeth his ranke and order And not onely for these considerations but euen by testimonies of Scripture there are some will vndertake to prooue that the celestiall bodies haue reason and vnderstanding Deut. 32. Isay 1. For the prophets namely Moses and Isay sometimes addressing their speech to the heauens call them for auditors as when they say Oh heauens heauens heare that which I shall speake and giue eare to my words So that they woonder why these holy men should call to the heauens if they had neither soule nor life Psal 148. nor reason nor vnderstanding And the Psalmist in his canticles doth exhort the heauenly bodies to praise God no lesse then the angels themselues But now let vs tell them that if by these authorities we must conclude that the spheres haue in them a soule life sense and reason we might say the like of the aire of the clouds waters fire haile snowe vapors windes yea and of all earthly creatures to the very plants For the

passe on the fifteenth day of the moones age bicause that then she doth oppositely confront the sunne Another time the superior moitie is fully illuminated to wit when she is conioined with the sunne which is ouer hir and then is hir lower part darkened not appeering to vs for two daies which commeth to passe at the ende of the moone and all the rest of the moneth she hath diuers illuminations For from hir coniunction with the sunne the light in the vpper part beginneth to faile and by little and little to come to the lower part towardes vs according as shee mooueth reculing from the sunne and so doth till the fifteenth day wherein all the inferior part towardes the earth is shining and the superiour part is cleane without light After which time the light beginneth to conuey it selfe to the vpper moitie decreasing by little and little towards vs in the lower moitie which at last is left cleane without brightnes and the other which wee see not becommeth all shining And it is to be noted that the hornes of the Moone which hir diuers aspect sheweth vs turne their back-parts towards the sunne and if shee encreaseth they are turned towards the sunne rising if she be in the waine they turne to the sun setting She shineth moreouer adding to each day three quarters and the fower and twentith part of an hower beginning from the second day till the time she make full moone and from that time forwards vsing the like substraction euery day till the time that she appeereth no more at all And when she is within fowerteene degrees of the sunne she is seene no more Whereby it appeereth The moone smaller then the other planets that all the rest of the planets are greater then the moone for none of them is hidde or obscured by the beames of the sunne except it be within seuen degrees thereof But in that they are all of them higher then the moone is they seeme to be lesser so in the same consideration it commeth to passe that the brightnes of the sunne hindreth vs of the sight of the fixed stars in the day time which neuerthelesse shine as well in the day as in the night time as may be perceiued at the eclipses of the sunne as likewise in a very deepe pit if one should descend thereunto in the day time Things to be considered in the shadow of the earth Moreouer all these stars are neuer eclipsed For the shadow of the earth which causeth the moone to loose hir light reacheth not beyond her heauen And the night also is no other thing but the shadow of the earth which shadow is in forme like a pyramis growing still lesse and lesse taperwise towards a point till at last it fadeth For all shadowes waxe lesse and lesse till they be cleane diminished by distance as may euidently bee seene by shadowes of birdes which flie in the aire Now the shadow of the earth finisheth in the aire at the beginning of the region of fire aboue the moone al things are pure wherfore it is not possible that the terrestriall shadow can hinder the brightnes of the stars which are aboue the moone And therefore likewise we behold them in the night time like a candle in a darke place But the shadow of the earth is the very cause that the moone is eclipsed alwaies by night Why the eclipses happen not euery month And it is to be noted in that that the eclipses both of the sunne and moone happen not euery moneth that it is by reason of the obliquenes of the Zodiacke and of the variable motions of the moone which being sometimes north and sometimes south as wee haue heeretofore declared meeteth not alwaies in coniunction or in opposition in the knots of the ecliptick circle which are in the head or in the taile of the dragon We may note also that the consideration of the shadowes and eclipses aforesaid hath taught men to iudge of the greatnes of the sunne of the moone and of the earth How one may ●udg of the greatnes of the sunne the moone and the earth For first it should be impossible that there had been any vniuersall eclipse of the sunne by the diametrall interposition of the moone if the earth were greater then the moone Againe this planet and the shadow of the earth deliuereth vnto vs greater certaintie that the vnmeasurable magnitude of the sunne is much more then their owne Hist nat lib. 2. in such sort that as Plinie saith there need nothing more be required to iudge of the immensitie of the sunne by the eie or by coniectures sith that the trees planted by the way side haue all of them their shadowes proportionably equall though there be much distance of ground betwixt them as if the sunne were in the midst of them and did giue light to all alike And during the time that the sunne is in the Equinoctiall-point ouer the southerne climates and regions he casteth his light downe right without making any shadow and yet in the north regions on this side the solstice-circle the shadowes fall on the north side at noone and toward the west at sunne rising which could not happen if the sunne were not very much greater then the earth But leauing this discourse we must out of our speech learne some point of Christian Astrologie Now we haue heard that the moone hath no light of her selfe at least that can appeere vnto vs but so much as she receiueth from the sunne according to the disposition or opposition of their diuers courses in such sort that the moon neuer persisteth in one estate but changeth incessantly But it is not so with the sunne for he hath alwaies as much light at one time as at another and is not subiect to any change I say then that in him we haue a goodly image of the constant and immutable God who is alwaies one The image of God in the sunne and euer without any variation and who firme in his counsell hath ordained concerning all things for euer according to his endlesse right and iust will Mal. 3. In the moone is an image of the creatures So contrariwise we haue represented to vs in the moone a perfect figure of the creatures by which is demonstrated vnto vs that all things vnder heauen are mutable and subiect to continuall change and also that according as we receiue our saluation in Christ through faith and as we increase therein in such degree are wee made partakers of his diuine light and of all his graces and blessings euen as the moone participateth of the brightnes of the sunne Many woorthy points to consider of in christian Astrology Moreouer we shall haue learned a woorthie point of Christian Astrologie when we shall consider that as these two celestiall planets haue perpetuall alliance and communication togither euen so the coniunction which is betwixt Iesus Christ and his church is eternall And

let vs now returne to our elementarie world and particularly behold the nature of the fower elements and of things engendred in them and by them Then haue we enough to stand vpon for the common opinion of those who establish this number of fower in that which hath beene already declared and now also in this discourse Let vs first then AMANA heare you discourse of the fire and of the aire and of their maruailous effects Of the fire and of the aire and of the things engendred in them and of their motions and of the Windes Chap. 42. AMANA MAny Philosophers doe diuide all that which subsisteth vnder the concaue of the Moone into three parts one of which they call the highest the other the middle and the third the lowest part The highest they place aboue the middle region of the aire and make as it were the same element partaker with the most pure fire which the ancients nominated Aether because that there the elements are pure subtile thin rare and for that the aire there is very temperate and cleere agreeing with the nature of heauen as to the contrarie in the lower part which is that where we inhabite there is not any sincere element for a sensible element is not pure but all things are there compounded and mixed with the muddie and grosse part of this mundane bodie And concerning the middle region of the aire it is that verie place where the meteors and high impressions do appeere So then aboue the elements are pure beneath the perfect composed bodies do faile by reason of their mixture of the elementary simplicitie in the middle they compound themselues vnperfectly in such sort that one may say that they possesse the middle place betwixt the nature of the elements and of things compounded Now as we haue said before and as the common saying of people is the heauen is often taken for this supreme and middle region of the aire and for the things which are to them conioined and do depend vpon their effects Of the things conioyned and depending vpon the effectes of the fire and of the aire So that in this regard we may vnderstand first two of the fower elements to wit the aire and the fire then all things ingendred in them and by them as windes thunders lightnings haile whirle-windes cloudes Psal 8. Matth. 6. Luke 8. tempests raine dewes frosts snowes and all kinds of fire and such like which arise and appeere in the aire And therein we may also comprise all the creatures which conuerse in it as birds and all creatures that flie euen as the holy Scripture teacheth vs when it maketh mention of the birds of heauen Now the element of fire is knowne to haue his place neerest to the moone being by nature hot and dry and is for this cause lightest hauing his motion quicker then all the elements bicause that lightnes and quicknes is proper to these two qualities heat and drines and therefore also the propertie thereof is to mount alwaies vpwards Of the proper nature of the fire and of the aire vntill that it hath attained to the place destinated vnto it being most conuenient for the nature thereof and which ioineth next vnto the spheres Next the fire the aire possesseth the second place and agreeth in nature with the fire in that it is hot but is contrarie thereto in that it is also moist And therefore the motion thereof followeth that of the fire but it is not so light and quicke by reason of the humiditie which maketh it more heauie and slow That the aire is alwaies mooued And yet it appeereth that it is alwaies mooued bicause that in narrow places small winds doe blow without ceasing For considering that the aire hath the motion thereof tending alwaies vpwards and that it is continually mooued vp and downe it bloweth in a great space very gently but passing through a creuisse or streight place all the violence thereof being drawne togither by reason of the narrownes of the place driueth out flieth vehemently vpon vs after the maner of the waters of great flouds which when it seemeth that they can scarce flowe being vrged through a narrow place or through sluces are constrained to runne out by much force with noise and roring Moreouer according as the aire is mooued either by the heate of the sunne or by the vapors and exhalations which this heat causeth to rise out of the waters and out of the earth or by the waues of the sea or by the caues of the earth and such like causes What winde is we perceiue the aire diuersly agitated For we must note that the windes are nothing else but the aire which is mooued and driuen more violently then ordinarie and which hath his motion more sodaine more violent and strong being driuen and pressed forwards according as the causes are more great or small and according to the places from whence they proceed And this is the reason why the aire is sometimes so peaceable that one cannot feele so much as one onely small puffe of winde but it is as calme as the sea when it is not tossed with any winde or tempest As is euident by those vanes and weathercocks which are set in the tops of turrets and houses for when the winde bloweth not their plates are nothing mooued and yet the aire doth neuer faile to blowe by reason of the perpetuall motion thereof but insomuch as it is not hoised vp and downe it passeth and flieth lightly away without any noise or bruite towards that part whereto we see the point of the vane enclined Of the diuersity of the windes and of the order and boundes of them Sometimes also one may feele some small pleasant and gentle winde to blowe without any violence which is very delectable recreatiue and profitable not onely in regard of men and other liuing things but in respect also of all the fruits of the earth At another time likewise the violence of the windes is so great that it raiseth vp whirle-windes stormes and tempestes which driue the aire with such fury and roughnes that it seemeth they would ouerthrow and confound heauen and earth togither beating downe and carying away all that is before them like a great deluge and water-floud which beareth away with it all that it meets with But though one may suppose so during such tempests yet the course of the windes are not so confused but that all of them obserue their order and certaine places out of which they issue and proceed and their bounds likewise whereat they stay and wherein they are confined as the element of which they are engendred And therefore by experience we see that they follow the course of the Sunne and that they are distributed and disposed according to all the partes of the world as we vsually diuide it hauing respect to the moouing of the spheres For as we diuide the course of the sunne and

all the regions of the earth into East West North and South so must we consider the fower principall winds which proceede out of these fower places one opposite to another Besides which there are certaine others which are called collaterall windes bicause that each of the first hath them vpon the one or other side of them so that those who haue ordinarily written concerning the windes doe appoint to the number of twelue common and ordinarie windes saying also that there are others which are proper to certaine regions and countries according to the nature of their situations and places as we may hereafter finde matter ynough thereof amply to intreat But here it will be good to touch one difficultie which may be alledged vpon our discourse Notable things in the diuersitie of the qualities of the windes and of the aire touching that which we haue said concerning the qualities of the aire For sith that it is hot and moist by nature and that the windes are nothing else but the same are mooued and puffed forwards what may be the cause that the windes doe not all of them retaine the nature of the aire For we knowe by experience that there are as many diuers qualities in the windes as in all the elements for some are hot and drie others hot and moist others moist and cold and some cold and drie Hereupon then we are to note that all creatures which subsist of a sensible and corporall nature are commonly diuided into two kindes which comprise them all The one are simple and the other compound of the first sort are the elements taken euery one alone in their proper and particular nature such as we haue already declared And all other creatures compounded of all the elements conioined togither are of the second kinde Wherefore if the elements were pure not any way mixed one with another then would each of them retaine their naturall qualities purely But bicause they are intermingled one with another they haue their qualities likewise mingled And therefore by how much the higher the aire mounteth by so much the more it is pure neat subtile and thin and by how much the lower it descendeth and approcheth the water and earth by so much the more it is grosse and thicke and partaketh more of the elements neere to which it remaineth And according as it is warmed by the heate of the sunne or by any other heate or else as it is cooled by the absence and default thereof euen so doth it become either more hot or more cold The like also may be said concerning the naturall moisture thereof For according as it is more or lesse mixed with water or neere vnto it so doth it receiue either a more moist or a more drie qualitie So therfore according to the places out of which the windes proceed issue and through which they passe they are hotter or colder drier or moisture pure or impure healthfull and holesome or pestilent and infectious yea euen stinking And for the same cause also it commeth to passe that as the diuersitie of lands and countries is disposed so winds which are felt in one place warme are in another place cold and so is it of their moisture and drines By the same reason also those that are healthfull for some are vnholesome for others and those which bring with them faire and cleere weather in one place doe in another place bring raine and tempests For the propertie of some of them is according to the countries wherein they blowe to chase away the cloudes and to make the aire cleere and the weather faire whereas others doe assemble and heape them togither Whereupon ensueth that some bring raine with them others snowe and others againe haile and tempests according as God hath ordained the causes in nature as the sequele of our discourse shall minister occasion againe to speake of Wherefore pursuing the order of our speech we will consider those things which are conioyned to the fire and aire and doe depend vpon their effects as are thunders and lightnings Whereof ARAM doe you discourse Of thunder and lightning Chapter 43. ARAM. THere is a certaine vniuersall loue and appetite in all creatures which inciteth them all to loue their owne kinde to desire it and to search after it But as their natures are diuers euen so is the loue and the appetite which is in them And therefore there are as many sortes of desires as there are diuersities of natures And thence it is that the fire and the aire doe naturally desire the highest places and doe thither tend euermore as the water and the earth doe require the lowest and doe thereto descend incessantly neither can these elements finde any stay or rest vntill they be arriued at those places which are appointed vnto them by nature And therefore what hinderance soeuer there may be yet euery thing doth alwaies seeke to returne to his naturall home and therein doth all possible endeuour Now here we are to consider the cause of thunders lightnings tempests earthquakes and such like motions and perturbations in the elements For all these things happen when the creatures which by their contraries are hindered from pursuing their owne kinde do fight with those which keepe them backe as if there were open warre betwixt them Which causeth that that which by force can make way doth at last vanquish But bicause of the resistance which there is this cannot be performed without great violence and maruellous noise from whence proceede many admirable effects and namely thunder which hath ministred occasion to many great spirits to search out the causes somewhat neerely But mens opinions as in a very deepe matter are diuers hereupon Of the causes of thunder For some maintaine that thunder is caused by the blowes and strokes that the fire maketh being inclosed within the cloudes which it cleaueth so making it selfe to appeere as is seene in lightnings Aristotle in his Meteors writeth that thunder groweth and proceedeth of hot and drie exhalations ascending out of the earth into the supreme region of the aire being there repulsed backe by the beames of the stars into the cloudes For these exhalations desiring to set themselues at libertie and to free themselues doe cause this noise which is often stopped by nature whilest they fight with the cloudes but when they can gaine issue then doe they make the cloude to cracke like a bladder full of winde that is broken by force Moreouer Plinie imitating the opinion of the Epicure teacheth Plin. hist natur lib. 2. that those fires which fall from the starres as we see often in calme weather may sometimes meete with the cloudes and fall vpon them and that by the vehemencie of this blowe the aire is mooued And that this fire plunging it selfe into the cloudes causeth a certaine thicke and hissing smoke which maketh a noise like an hot iron thrust into water From whence the whirlewindes which we see in the aire

doe proceede But when the winde or vapour inclosed in the cloudes will needes get out by force then this causeth thunder And if there come out fire which breaketh the cloud then is it lightning But when these inflamed vapours doe shew foorth a long traine of their fire out of the cloud then this is that which we call a flash of lightning Whereupon ensueth that these lightning-flashes cleaue the cloudes but the fire of thunder teareth and renteth them and causeth them to cracke But referring these arguments to Philosophers we may fitly say that the true cause of thunder is the winde inclosed which seeketh to issue out Of the difference of heat But that which is most admirable therein is the great violence of the flashes thereof the strange accidents which happen by the fire thereof For it doth not onely pierce more then any other fire by reason of the passing swift motion thereof but it is much hotter then all other fire For it is to be noted that there is a difference in heate and that not onely by reason of the matter one fire is hotter then another as that which is in the iron is hotter then that which is in straw and that which is in oken wood is hotter then that which is in willow but euen as in ice we find some scarcely frozen othersome hard and other againe very hard so is there in fire that is scarce fire as when the iron beginneth to waxe somewhat red and another fire that is shining and other that shines very bright Wherefore we must note that fire exceeds in heate and in force sixe manner of waies 1. By nature as I haue said for the most ardent burneth quickest and soonest 2. By the soliditie of the matter as that which is in iron 3. By motion for therby it is made more piercing 4. By greatnes either proper to it selfe or caused by continuance of time which is common to euery fire 5. By hindrance of respiration and by constraint togither as is manifest in lyme which is kindled with water for the heate being gotten in and hid in the fornace being of the kinde of fire is enclosed and gathered within the lyme so that it returneth into fire by the motion and mixture of the water Now the constrained motion must not onely penetrate very much but also it enkindleth heat and as I haue declared it maketh one fire hotter then another And therefore it may be no great woonder Of the violence and force of thunder if the lightning of thunder be of very much force and violence and that the fire thereof being very different from the nature of other fires doth effect strange things For it is not onely more pearcing by reason of the quicke motion thereof but it is also much hotter then all other fire Whereupon it commeth that it can kill any kinde of creature by the onely touch thereof And sometimes the purse remaining whole and sound it melteth the money that is therein which is not fabulous as many thinke nor yet on the other side very much to be admired For that which hurteth doth corrupt either by meanes of the quantitie or for the long continuance thereof And therefore the thunder-fire which is most subtile breaketh not the purse for by reason that it hath very quicke motion it staieth not on it and therefore cannot it endommage it so Moreouer as the aire doth demonstrate vnto vs that by reason of the subtilitie thereof it passeth thorough the purse without any resting vpon it and entreth thereinto filling it when it is emptie though it be fast shut which coulde not be if it found not passage through insensible waies and holes sith the mouth of the purse is very close shut So likewise one little sparke of thunder-fire far more subtile then the aire may easily enter into the purse where finding mettall it fasteneth thereon and staieth therein causing it to melt by the extreme violence and sudden force thereof So then the solid bodies as iron siluer and gold are by so much the sooner spoiled and molten by the lightning by how much they doe more withstand and make resistance against it But in those bodies which be rare full of holes soft and weake the thunder passeth quicke ouer them without hurting them as is seene in the garments that men weare and in very drie wood For other wood burneth by reason that the moisture which remaineth therein doth resist and kindle Whereupon it followeth if we beleeue Plutarch that such as sleepe are neuer stroken with thunder bicause that the sleeping man is loose and becommeth soft and vnequall and in manner dissolued with his pores open as if his spirit failed and left him so that the lightning findeth no such resistance in him as it would doe if he were awake Whereunto this may be also added that he which sleepeth hauing no feare astonishment nor dread in him is by this meanes oftentimes defended from thunder For it is certaine that many haue died with feare onely and apprehension which they haue taken thereof without suffering any violence Wherefore considering that the sense of hearing is of all other senses the most subiect to suffer violent passions and that feares and dread which proceede of noise doe bring the greatest trouble to the soule thereupon he which waketh and apprehendeth very much becommeth bound and thicke in his bodie so that the lightning falling vpon him giueth a greater blowe and a ruder stroke in so much as it findeth greater resistance Meruailous effects of thunder It is woonderfull to consider the strange cases that many authors report to haue happened through thunder But amongst all that is very admirable which Iulius obsequius reciteth of the daughter of Pompeius Lionis a knight of Rome For she returning from certaine plaies and turnayments celebrated at Rome was suddenly stroken from hir palfrey with a thūderclap stark-dead without apparance of any wound or fracture of member But when hir father caused hir to be stript to burie and interre hir they perceiued hir toong to come foorth at the bottome of hir wombe whereby they knewe that the thunder and fire had stroken hir directly through the mouth and so had issued out at the lower passage a thing exceeding fearefull and woorthie of great maruell That which Du Bartas the honour of the Poets of our age hath written in his no lesse learned then Christian weeke to haue beene seene of the effects of thunder by a woman though it may rather minister cause of laughter then of sorrow yet is it very maruellous For he recounteth that the flame sindged away all the haire about this womans secrets at one instant without doing her any harme But omitting these discourses I will note certaine particularities which some philosophers affirme touching thunder They say then Colomn●● and the keeles of ships exempt from the danger of thunder that it neuer or very seldome toucheth pillars nor the keeles of

ships by reason of the depth of the one and roundnes of the other So that the blowe thereof running along the pillars doth very seldome strike them as also not being able to descend aboue fiue cubits vnder ground and the bottoms of ships being very lowe it scarcely euer falleth there And therefore it is a sure remedie against lightning to hide ones selfe in deepe caues It is also to be noted that although the brightnes of the lightning be seene before the noise of thunder be heard yet proceede they not one before another but are both togither And the reason hereof is easie to vnderstand Why the lightning of thunder is perceiued before the sound be heard For bicause that sight is quicker and sharper then hearing the eie doth sooner behold the brightnes of the lightning then the eare doth heare the sound of the thunder as we see plainly when a man cuts downe a tree or beateth vpon any thing that resoundeth especially if we be farre off For we shall see him strike the stroke sooner then we can heare it as likewise we prooue in ordinance and in all guns and peeces whose fire wee shall see before wee heare the noise of their shoot notwithstāding that they are both performed togither But wee haue dwelt long ynough on this matter concerning that which philosophers doe teach We must now consider what the true meteors of Christians are as we haue already discoursed of their Astronomie and Astrologie wherein we shall learne the supernaturall causes of those thunders and lightnings which God sendeth when and how he pleaseth as you ACHITOB can relate vnto vs. Of the true Meteors of Christians and of the supernaturall causes of thunder and lightning Chap. 44. ACHITOB. THE Philosophers call Meteors by a Greeke name that part of natural philosophie which entreateth of the aire and of the things engendred therein and appertayning thereto as namely the cloudes raine snow thunders tempests lightnings and such like because that they are ouer and aboue vs. For the signification of the Greeke word Meteoron importeth so much But the principall profit that like Christians we must desire purchase from this part of Philosophie is that we learne by the contemplation and consideration of the works of God of which we now intreat what is his power wisedome bountie and benignitie towards vs and how it manifesteth it selfe before our eies not onely in the highest heauens wherein the sunne moone and starres are contayned as we haue heretofore shewed but also in the aire and in all the elements placed vnder the spheres For by this knowledge we may reape verie great fruits Of the profit which the knowledge of the meteors bringeth to Christians First in that we are assured that all these things are in the power of our father who is the creator of them that they are all created for our good like the rest of his works and not for our ruine and perdition Then we learne by so many rare workes and maruellous effects to feare and loue the author of them onely and nothing else except in him and for the loue of him acknowledging and firmely beleeuing that he alone is the author and gouernour of all nature For we behold how terrible and fearfull hee sheweth himselfe by thunders and lightnings And againe how louing gratious and benigne he declareth himselfe to be by raine dewes and such like blessings by which he giueth nourishment to men and to all other creatures For these causes also the kingly prophet calleth thunders Psal 29. Psal 18. lightnings tēpests great inundations of waters the voice of the Lord and in another place he speaketh of the Lord as of a magnificent and maiestical prince speaking great like the sound of thunder and casting fire out at his mouth with great flouds and deluges of water saying againe in another place That the almightie maketh great cloudes his chariot and that he walketh vpon the wings of the winde Psal 104. that he maketh the spirits his messengers and a flaming fire his ministers By which fire no doubt Luke 17. but the prophet meaneth the lightning which the Lord sendeth when and where it pleaseth him to cause men to leaue him 2. Pet. 3. and to punish them like their iust iudge as he declared in effect when he rained downe fire and brimstone vpon them of Sodome and Gomorrha and the other cities round about them which are proposed to vs in the Scriptures for examples of the iudgements of God as that of the floud For this cause also Dauid addressing his speech to the great and mightie to the proude and loftie which haue God in contempt saith Giue vnto the Lord yee sonnes of the mightie Psal 29. giue vnto the Lord glorie and strength giue vnto the Lord glorie due vnto his name worship the Lord in his glorious sanctuarie consequently deducing the wonders that God doth by the voice of his thunder how that it sparkleth with flames of fire by reason of the lightnings which proceed out of the clouds when they open and rent themselues with so great noise whereat the deserts and mountaines tremble the hinds calue and bring foorth before their time for feare and dread and the forests are discouered their trees being ouerturned and broken as they are very oftentimes with tempests and whirlewinds as if the Author of all nature did blow through them For it is he as is written in Ecclesiasticus that sendeth out the lightnings as he listeth Eccles 43. who hauing opened his treasures the cloudes flie out like birdes at sight of whom the mountaines leape and the southwinde bloweth according to his will and the voice of his thunder maketh the earth to suffer which is as much to say as that it is mooued and trembleth in regard of men Whereby we may learne what shall become of them all if they enterprise to stand vp against God For surely their force cannot but be much lesse then that of the high mountaines and great trees which might seeme to the ignorant able to oppose themselues against thunders whirlewinds and tempests For this cause also Elihu saith in the booke of Iob. Iob. ●7 At this also mine hart is astonied and is mooued out of his place Heare the sound of his voice and the noise that goeth out of his mouth He directeth it vnder the whole heauen and his light vnto the ends of the world Now he meaneth by this light the lightnings which our God causeth to appeere in one moment and instant from the east to the west from the one side of the world to the other as the Scripture declareth otherwhere and it is easie to note by reason that he proceedeth saying Matth. 24. After it a noise soundeth he thundreth with the voice of his maiestie and he will not stay them when his voice is heard Me●●●les to be c●nsidered in the fire of thunder God thundreth maruellously with

his voice he worketh great things which we know not And who I pray you would not woonder to see the fire and water which are of contrarie natures mingled one with another and lodged both in one lodging and proceeding out of one place together For where remayneth this fire which sheweth it selfe in lightning commeth it not out of the cloudes wherein it is enclosed before they be opened and burst by the thunder And of what substance is the cloude Is it not of water massed vp together which couereth and keepeth in the fire as in an harth For doe not we oftentimes behold while it raineth and great flouds and streames of water do fall so that it seemeth that all the cloudes and the whole aire should melt and resolue into water that great lightnings of fire flash appeere and runne euerie where about like burning darts and arrowes For while the hot exhalations are inclosed in the cloude Causes of the noise and of the lightning of thunder and retayned therein peforce with the violence and contention which is betwixt these contraries the noise of thunder is made And when the matter is so abundant in the cloude that it maketh it to breake and open and that it may reach to the earth then is there not onely thunder and great lightning but also thunderbolts and which are of diuers verie maruellous and fearfull kinds For some bring with them that fire which is not easie to be quenched as we haue alreadie declared others are without fire and pierce through the most solide and firme bodies so that there is no force which can resist them And sometimes also it happeneth that those which are stroken therewith be they men or beasts remaine all consumed within as if their flesh sinewes and bones were altogither molten within their skin it remayning sound whole as if they had no harme so that it is verie hard to finde in what part the bodie was striken We are not then to hold in small accompt that the holy scripture proposeth God vnto vs so often thundring and lightning when it would declare vnto vs his maiesty and how terrible he is and to bee feared For it is certaine that he hath many weapons and of diuers sorts very strong and ineuitable when he will punish men and that his onely will is sufficient to serue him when and how he pleaseth Supernaturall causes to bee considered in thunder And therefore also wee must acknowledge besides these naturall causes which make and engender thunder the prime eternall and supernaturall cause of all things from which proceede so many signes of the meruailous iudgements of God through the ministerie of his creatures oftentimes contrary to that which seemeth to bee ordained by the lawes of nature For when he will thunder vpon his enemies he breaketh and suddainely consumeth them in strange manner And therefore it is written 1. Sam. 2. 7 that the Lord shall destroy those who rise vp against him and that he shall thunder vpon them from heauen And in the battaile which the children of Israel had against the Philistims it is said that after the praier of Samuell the Lord in that day thundred a great thunder vpon his enemies and scattered them and slew them before the host of Israel When Moses also stretched out his rod towards heauen it is said Exod. 9. that the Lord caused thunder and haile and that the fire walked vpon the ground and that haile and tempests stroke many men and beasts in Egypt Moreouer we doubt not but that euill spirits do sometimes raise vp tempests thunder and lightning because that the principall power of them is in the aire And therefore when it pleaseth God to slack their bridle they raise vp terrible and woondrous stormes Which is apparently demonstrated vnto vs in Iob Iob. 1. whose seruants and cattell Sathan burned with the fire which he caused to fall from heauen and by a great winde that he raised he ouerturned the house vpon his children And therefore also the scripture calleth the diuell Prince of this world Ephes 2. 6. and of darknes and of the power of the aire teaching vs also that wee must fight against the euill spirits which are in the celestiall places It is no meruaile then if euill spirits ioyne themselues with tempests to hurt men to their vttermost abilitie For which cause Dauid calleth the inflaming of the wrath of God choler Psal ●8 indignation and anguish the exploit of euill angels Wherefore it is certaine that when God hath a meaning not onely to punish the wicked but also to chastice his owne or to try their faith constancie patience he giueth power to diuels to this effect yet such as that he alwaies limiteth thē so that they can do nothing but so far as is permitted them Now he permitteth them so far as he knoweth to bee expedient for his glory and for the health of his or so much as the sins and infidelity of men deserue that he may chastice and punish them and bring vengeance vpon them for their iniquities And therefore mee seemeth that to such meteors the Epicures and Atheists should bee sent who mocke at the prouidence of God as likewise the tyrants of this world Against Atheists and Tyrants who treade all iustice vnderfoot to make them thinke a little whether there be a God in heauen and whether he bee without power and without medling in the gouernment of the world For I cannot beleeue that there is any one of them but would be waked out of his sleep how profound soeuer it were when he should heare God shoote out of the highest heauens and should vnderstand the noise of his cannons and should behold the blowes that he striketh For he is in a place so high that all the wicked together cannot make batterie against him nor yet auoid his ineuitable strokes who can slay them with the feare onely which they shall haue of his noise without touching them But though they cannot assure themselues in their harts against this soueraigne maiestie and power of the eternall yet are they so peruerse and wicked that rather then they will render to him the honor and glorie which is due they forge vnto themselues a nature to which they attribute his workes or else beleeue that they happen by chance as things comming by haphazard without any diuine prouidence But leauing such manner of people we will pursue our discourse concerning things engendred in the higher elements entreating of snowes mists frosts and haile the discourse whereof ASER I referre to you Of snowes mists frosts ice and haile Chap. 45. ASER. SIth that God is not subiect to the nature which hee hath created but doth euer rest the Lord and master thereof who can performe both without it and with it all that he pleaseth it therefore followeth that we must refer not to the creatures or to nature the workes which he hath done

into chrystal bicause that from the moone vpwards there are no creatures subiect to corruption and to such changes as those that are vnder the moone Behold then why these men haue supposed such waters to haue beene made partakers of the nature of heauen But what neede is there to trauell in such disputations and to take paines for to haue recourse to allegories when one may be easily satisfied with the literall sense For there is nothing more easie then to make the wordes of Moses cleere and euident being throughly considered For first he hath declared Of the separation of the terrestriall and celestiall waters how that the earth was couered all ouer with water and that there was a great deepe ouerwhelmed with darknes so that the earth did in no wise appeere till such time as God had commanded the waters to retire themselues into their places which he hath assigned for their perpetuall residence And then the earth was discouered euen so much thereof as was needfull for the habitation and nourishment of men and of all the creatures which God did afterwardes create Psal 104. Therefore Dauid as the expounder of Moses words saith That the Lord hath set the earth vpon hir foundations adding straight after That hee had couered it with the deepe as with a garment and that the waters did stand aboue the mountaines but at his rebuke they fled which is as much to say as when God had commanded the waters to retire and to discouer the earth they suddenly obeied the voice of their creator Now Moses hauing spoken of those waters which are resident here belowe on earth gathered as well into the sea as into fountains and riuers he afterwards declareth how God would assigne vnto them another abode in a certaine region of the aire which he first calleth a spreading abroad and after that heauen which the Psalmist also signifieth when he saith of God that he couereth himselfe with light as with a garment and spreadeth the heauens like a curtaine which is to say that the light is to the creator like a stately garment wherein we beholde his glorie to shine and glister euery where and that he hath spread abroad the heauens like a pauilion for his habitation Moreouer he addeth The Lord doth lay the iousts of his high chambers amōgst the waters he maketh the great cloudes his chariot He holdeth backe saith Iob the face of his throne and stretcheth out his cloude vpon it Iob. 26. And therefore the Scripture doth also teach vs that God hath oftētimes declared his presence Exod. 13.14.16 40. Acts. 1. manifested his glory both to Moses to all the people of Israell by the cloudes And when Iesus Christ ascended into heauen a cloud taking him bare him vp in the sight of his apostles to declare vnto them and make them sure of the place whither he went vsing this cloude as a triumphant chariot which hath giuen testimonie of his soueraigne and eternall maiestie And therefore it is also written that he shall come in the cloudes of heauen with power and glorie Wherefore if we were well instructed in the sacred word of God we should haue a verie cleere doctrine concerning Meteors and which were much more profitable then that which Philosophers teach For the cloudes would excellently declare vnto vs the magnificence and maiestie of God so often as wee should behold them Matth. 24. and would represent vnto vs all the woonders by vs here mentioned as we shall also be induced to admire them considering more neerely the great miracle of the waters sustained and hanged in the aire as pursuing our purpose I leaue to you ACHITOB to discouer Of the waters sustayned and hanged in the aire and of the raine-bowe Chap. 48. ACHITOB. I Will begin my speech with the saying of the kingly prophet Psal 104. who after that he had appointed the heauens for the pauilion of God ordained the cloudes for the planchers thereof whereupon are raised the loftie chambers that is to say the great spatious waters amassed vp within the cloudes which he also proposeth vnto vs as the chariot vpon which the Eternall is borne being consequently willing to shew what the horses are by which this chariot is drawen and driuen he saith He walketh vpon the wings of the wind He maketh the spirits his messengers and flaming fire his ministers which is as much as if in sum he would declare that men need not labour to mount aloft into heauen there to cōtemplate and behold God sith that hee so cleerely manifesteth himselfe throughout the whole world principally by the celestiall creatures and then by the magnificent and maruellous works which he daily performeth heere in the aire neere vnto vs and before our eies So surely if we must account as great miracles the comming of the Sunne vnto vs and his returne which daily continueth and the courses and motions of all the other celestiall bodies we haue no lesse occasion to account as a thing miraculous and worthie of great wonder that we so often behold here below Wonder of the waters carried in the aire a great cel of waters ouer our heads in the aire sustained by the water it selfe by vapours like to smoke as if they were hanged in the aire and were there borne vp without any stay and prop but by the inuisible vertue and power of God For otherwise how could the cloudes sustaine so great heapes and such deepe gulfes of water considering that they are nothing else but water and do also come at lēgth to resolue into water Againe how without this diuine power could these cloudes be supported in the aire seeing that the aire it selfe seemeth to consist of waters most subtilly distilled beeing very light and in continuall motion For it euidently appeareth that the aire retaineth much of the nature of water because that so ordinarily it conuerteth thereinto beeing inclosed in a cold and moist place so that many fountaines are by this meanes engendred of aire if wee will credite Naturalists And therefore as Dauid saith of the waters which runne about the earth that God hath appointed a bound vnto them which they may not passe nor returne any more to ouerflow the habitation of men so may wee likewise say that he hath bounded the waters that hang in the aire within the cloudes to the end that they may not run loosely astray Iob. 26. And therfore Iob saith He bindeth the waters in the cloudes and the cloud is not broken vnder them For else it is most certaine that so often as these waters should fall vpon the earth they would drowne vp all things whereupon they powred like as when the sea and riuers ouerflow the banks or like a great deluge as came to passe when God punished the world by waters Genes 7. in the time of Noah For it is written that not onely all the fountaines of the great deep were broken vp

about it is of a round and circular figure in all parts for as for the mountaines valleies they are insensible in regard of the whole globe of earth The roundnes whereof doth euidently declare it selfe by the shadow thereof which sheweth it selfe in the eclipses of the moone to be round for it could not seeme so if the earth were not also of the same forme Moreouer the diuers and certaine supputation that Astronomers calculate concerning the times of the eclipses of the moone according as the places are more orientall or more occidentall doth manifestly conclude the same round forme so also doth the natural inclination of all the parts of the earth and of the water who stil tend downe declining to a lower place and this common descent of euerie part causeth this round figure The earth is of insensible quantitie Consequently it is to be noted that this earthly frame although it be in it selfe of maruellous greatnes yet is it of verie little and insensible quantitie in regard and comparison not onely of all the firmament but also of the sphere of the sunne the same earth being but as a point in the middest of the whole world which is apparantly demonstrated by the foresaid equalities of the daies and nights and by the obseruations of the courses of the celestiall bodies and chiefly of the sunne taken here below by instruments fit for such effects in such maner as if one were in the center of the world For in a little space that one may passe here vpon the earth proceeding from one place to another the view and disposition of heauen doth change and varie notably And in an open plaine place wherein one may stand vpon the earth or be in the sea they may alwaies discouer the one halfe of heauen All which things declare as we haue said that the earth and the water make a round globe which is but as a point and center in regard of the vniuersall world So much for the situation immobilitie figure That the earth onely meriteth the title of a mother and quantitie of the earth which onely aboue all other elements hath merited the title of a mother by reason of the great good which it affoordeth to all breathing liuing creatures For this gentle mother receiueth vs when we are borne shee nourisheth vs being borne she maintaineth and sustaineth vs being nourished and finally when the other elements refuse and leaue vs she receiueth vs into her bosome and couereth vs hauing as it were a perpetuall care of vs. Moreouer she riseth not vp against man as other creatures doe For the water conuerts it selfe into raine snowe and haile it swelleth in surges and waues and ouerfloweth all with flouds the aire thickeneth and ladeth it selfe with cloudes out of which proceede stormes and tempests and the fire is often cause of strange calamities vpon earth But this gentle and debonaire mother maketh hir selfe as a slaue to serue for all the commodities of man For how many things doe we cause hir to beare by force and how many things doth she bestowe of hir owne goodwill What odours and perfumes what sauours what iuices what and how many sorts of colours With what exchaunge and interest doth shee restore that which is lent hir How many sundry things doth shee nourish for man What quantitie of pretious mettals doth shee conceiue and keepe in hir entrailes for his vse Of two kindes of earth And therefore it seemeth that the earth subsisteth not of one onely kinde and indeede Aristotle diuideth it into two the one fossible which may bee digged and the other transmutable which may change qualitie For the fossible earth it doth alwaies remaine the same and is very earth but the transmutable remaineth not the same in kinde and in view for it conuerteth it selfe into mettall or into iuice or into some other matter But before wee doe proceede vnto the consideration of so many admirable effectes produced by the earth wee may now here beholde that we haue summarily set downe particulars enough wherin we may learne to acknowledge the infinite power wisedome and bountie of God the creator Testimonies of the power of God Isay 6. and how according to the testimonie of the angels all the earth is full of his glorie For first of all is not this a great woonder that the earth which is so huge a masse and the heauiest element of all the rest should be hanged in the aire in the midst of the world being so counterpoised that it sustaineth as one may say all the other elements and that it is inuironed by them and by all the other spheres and celestiall bodies it remaining firme for euer not moouing from the place thereof For where are the columnes and the pillers which beare and sustaine it and vpon what foundation are they founded And therefore it is not without cause ●ob 38. that the Lord saith to Iob minding to cause him to acknowledge his power maiestie where wast thou when I laide the foundations of the earth declare if thou hast vnderstanding who hath laide the measure thereof if thou knowest Or who hath stretched the line ouer it to wit to signe and marke out the foundations thereof whereupon are the foundations thereof set Or who hath laid the corner stone thereof And afterwards he addeth It is turned as clay to fashion Wherein it seemeth that he had reference to that that he created the earth as all this great visible world in round forme because it is the most capable of all formes that may be Behold then the testimonie that God himselfe deliuereth to Iob his seruant of the admirable creation of the earth Psal 104. And to the same purpose the kingly prophet saith that God did forme the earth vpon the bases therof that is to say vpon firme foundations so that it shall neuer mooue But what may we say then to the motions and tremblings of the earth which haue euer been knowne and are ordinarily seene This might seeme repugnant to that which Dauid here speaketh and to that which we haue deliuered concerning the immobilitie and firmenes of the earth And therefore mine aduise is that pursuing this discourse we should consider the causes of such tremblings to the end that we may know how that the earth faileth not to remaine euer firme though such shakings happen in some parts thereof which ACHITOB let vs heare of you Of earth-quakes Chap. 56. ACHITOB. FOrasmuch as the earth is not onely heauie by nature but euen the heauiest of all elements and is heaped vp and compacted togither in the midst of the great vniuersall world as the point and center thereof it therefore followeth that it is immooueable and without any naturall motion For if it had any as the other elements haue it is certaine that it must be downwards But bicause that God hath placed the earth in the midst of all his works towards which all heauy

diuersitie of waters Which ARAM I would haue you to discourse of Of salt fresh and warme waters and of other diuersities in them Chapter 59. ARAM. ACcording to the nature of the most woonderfull workes of God in all that which he hath created the maruels are innumerable which may be considered in the sea and in all the waters which proceede out of it and returne into it without any increasing or diminishing in it selfe as we haue already heard And if there were no other thing but that the waters of the sea are alwaies salt and other waters are for the most part fresh would not that be sufficient to teach vs to acknowledge the great power wisedome and bountie of the creator and how puissant he is in all his workes For though that all waters are of one nature as making vp one onely element yet doth he make them of diuers qualities according as he knoweth how to purifie distill and purge or else to mingle and mix them Of the diuers qualities of water and of the prouidence of God therein with his other creatures Whereupon it falleth out that wee haue not onely salt waters in the sea but that there are some found also in fountaines yea oftentimes very neere to other springs of fresh water Wherein the prouidence of God declareth it selfe to bee verie great For if all waters were salt men and beasts could not liue nor the earth fructifie and nourish the fruits thereof because that liuing creatures cannot want fresh water whether it be for their drinke or for their other necessary commodities neither is salt water fit to water the earth considering that salt makes it barren On the other side if all waters were fresh where might men finde salt enough to suffice them for the necessarie commodities of their life For although that there bee some salt-mines and some salt-ground as appeareth by the salt waters of fountaines which passe through such grounds yet the best meanes to haue good salt and in abundance is by the waters and chiefly by sea water What may we say also of so many sorts of water whereof some participate with Sulphure some with allom others with iron or brasse or with other mettals or minerals which do heat some of them in such sort as men make naturall bathes of them hauing diuers vertues and powers which serue for medicines in many kindes of diseases Why the sea-water is salt Now the Philosophers doe much straine themselues to declare the causes of so many maruellous effects For some say that the sunne which is the greatest of all planets drying vp by his heat the moisture of the water and burning and sucking vp all the humiditie of the earth doth by this decoction cause the sea to become salt because the force of the solarie fire doth attract vnto it the most fresh and subtile part of the water making the more heauie and thicke part that remaineth to be salter and of more substance whereof it commeth that the water towards the sea bottome is fresher then that which is aboue Others alleage three efficients which both cause and continue the saltnes to wit the heat of the sunne for the foresaid reasons and also because it maketh the water to putrifie then the continuall agitation thereof by flowing and ebbing which causeth that the sea neither resteth nor runneth a direct course and thirdly the ordinarie receiuing of raine For they say that when salt resteth in the water it descendeth downewards by reason of the waight thereof and when the water runneth it is purified by the earth and that all raine-water because it is heated by the sunne and doth putrifie through tardation and slownes is somewhat brackish But they are much more troubled when they entreat of fountaines For some say that the sea yeeldeth none but salt-waters as is seene by many waters neere it And that those which are fresh become so by a long and vehement course Others maintaine that they be engendred by the aire Now experience manifesteth that their saltnes is diminished by the length and continuance of the course of the water For the farther that wels are from the sea the more fresh they are because the water doth more purge it selfe by the earth ouer which it trauerseth leauing a part of the force thereof and sometimes all of it in the slime and in the sand And here we may note that waters Of fountaines and wels and why the water of them seemeth hotter in winter then in summer especially well waters which doe all come from some springs doe seeme to be hotter in winter then in sommer although they doe neuer chaunge their nature for this proceedeth of the aire which is cold in winter and hot in sommer Through the opposition then of these things one selfe same water seemeth to receiue diuers qualities euen as we see that according to the disposition of our bodie the qualitie of the aire which enuironeth vs is esteemed For when we are hot we do suppose that which we touch to be cold and when we be cold we esteeme that which we touch to be otherwise Wherefore we must iudge euen so of the inner parts of the earth esteeming them to be simply neither hotter nor colder in one season more then in another but onely in respect of the aire Indeed water doth waxe a little warme when through the coldnes of the aire the heat is constrained to retire it selfe downeward in such sort as it cannot issue nor spred it selfe vpon the earth and therefore the snow which doth not ly long vpon it doth commonly make it more fertile for it retayneth the heat in the bowels thereof Moreouer the vppermost part of the earth which the water may come to is of a clammie slime of the nature of brimstone or of salt or of mettall which also causeth that the exhalations enclosed in this part doe heat the water And therefore such waters are either odoriferous or of a bad smell or without any sauour of which qualities one may easily iudge by the smell and taste For some waters sauour not onely of lime or of salt but they doe also boile as in the bathes neere to Padua Why some waters do boile yea such waters are verie ordinarie so that there are few regions but haue some of them But they are most common in Germanie and in Italy And the cause that they so boyle is either fire or putrefaction or else naturall or celestiall heat But for the celestiall heat it seemeth that it cannot be so great especially in winter and in the night time that it should heat the water verie much And for naturall heat it is neuer actuall but in liuing creatures because they haue life and sense Neither is putrified heat so powerfull that it can make water to boile neither is it verie likely that the substance of any thing may be engendred and corrupted at one instant It resteth then that the cause should rather be in

will easily pierce any armor wherein this reason is apparant that the iron or steele is heated by the blowe whereupon it may be penetrated by the subtilitie and hardnes of the diamond Which is also commended for this vertue that being polished it doth greatly glister amongst precious stones for that it resisteth fire for the space of nine daies time without hauing any sense therof and afterwards it remaineth many other daies without being annoyed Which sufficiently declareth that this stone doth cōsist of most subtile parts for otherwise it would haue pores smal holes by which the fire entring it should easily breake The diamond then retayneth a liuely and strong splendor in such sort that it doth not only shine but doth also sparkle and is besides that vnchangeable not being corrupted by iron by moisture by fire by age nor by vse It hath also this property that being tied to the flesh of the left arm it doth hinder withstand the feares of night It is not then without good cause that this stone is so much esteemed by vs and almost by all nations For euen in the Indies in Calicut in Persia in Tartaria and other places where rocks of Diamonds are commonly found they are verie deere and of great trafficke so that they are transported into all places how far remote soeuer they be witnes the isle of Carge which lyeth in the bosome of the Persian-sea where bargaines are vsually made for Diamond stone it remayning yet vncut from the rocke although it be scarce within sixe hundred and threescore miles of that place where it is had And therefore it is no great maruel if diamonds be at so high a price as they are considering that they are so much in request by euerie one wherefore there are some found which are sold for twentie and thirtie thousand crownes a piece and aboue for we our selues know that there is one in the treasurie of our kings which did cost seuentie thousand crownes Wee are to note that in the mountaine of Cugarquel which is neer to the riuer of Goa in the East Indies are the best and finest diamonds of all the world as to the contrarie in the isle of Canada which neighboureth vpon Florida there are found false ones but so faire and well cut by nature that the most subtile Lapidaries are verie much troubled to discerne the one from the other whereupon this Prouerbe did arise Loe there 's a Canada-diamond But I haue said enough hereof Now ACHITOB doe you speake of the nature and propertie of other precious stones Of the Emeraud of the Carbuncle or Rubie of the Saphir of the Iacinth and of the Amethyst Chapter 96. ACHITOB. THE Emeraud hath beene long time holden for the most precious stone of all other as well because of the beautie thereof as by reason of the manie great properties which are naturall thereunto in such sort as the price therof did exceed that of the diamond But as the rarenes of some things make them deere so doth the abundance of other things make them to be lesse esteemed as it came to passe Of the emeraud that the great quantitie of Emerauds which not long since were found in the new-found countries of America hath much abated their price but not their beautie nor vertue which euer remayneth and is most excellent in those which are brought out of the East-Indies for they of Peru are of much lesse woorth The greene Emeraud then is the fairest of all precious stones but yet the most brittle For it sometimes happeneth to breake euen in the act of coiture Being drunke it doth much resist poysons by the nature of the softnes thereof by reason that the abundance of the well concocted humour which is therein doth refresh the spirit by the perspicuitie thereof and so it is profitable to the nature of man and resisteth the force of venim and for so much as it is a stone it retayneth the vertue thereof stable For we may note that all things which are pleasant to the sight are profitable for man whether it be in precious stones or gold or siluer silke or purple but aboue all the Emeraud is faire if that the art therein deceiue not the sight for as well this stone as others are oftentimes counterfeited and falsified in diuers ma●●ers Moreouer as the Emeraud is verie soft so is it verie subiect to all casual chaunces for it is corrupted by fire and heat and by the touch of other precious stones which are harder chiefly of the Diamond yea by euerie thing that can giue a blow That which shineth most and almost like the sunne and which refresheth the sight as forrests and greene medowes doe is most to be esteemed But I beleeue there was neuer any mention made of a more rich basin then that of an Emeraud being one of the greatest treasures of Italie which is in the citie of Genoa for it is reported that it was pawned in the necessitie of the common-weale for fourteene hundred thousand ducats thinke then but how much this Emeraud must bee woorth But that which is also said that this is the same platter wherin our Sauiour Iesus Christ did eat the Paschal Lamb in his last supper maketh me to doubt much whether there be any people that vpon one onely stone would lend so great a summe of money The red Carbuncle called the ruby is another precious stone Of the carbuncle called the rubie which is verie beautifull and hath the propertie to quicken the spirite and make it ioyfull Some authors haue made mention of three kinds of carbuncles saying that there be some which shine in the darke others also that shine if water bee powred thereupon and the third kinde is of those whose cleerenes is onely seene in another light to wit by day time or by candle light Theophrastus saith that there are some of the colour of water some of the colour of the Amethyst others of the colour of the Iacinth and some of a red colour which are called Rubies In the Indies these stones are plentifully found and Lewes de Barthema reporteth that the king of Pegum which is a citie in India hath carbuncles called in Greeke Pyropi of such magnitude and splendor that if any one should see the king in a darke place with these stones vpon him he would seeme to shine like a cleere light euen as if he were fired by the beames of the sunne The saphir doth approch neere to the excellencie of the diamond in great hardnes in fairenes of colour Of the saphir beeing of a skie colour and in beawtie and is very good for the sight if it bee not sophisticated It refresheth a man and beeing drunke is profitable for melancholy people and for blowes bitings of scorpions and serpents Albertus Magnus affirmeth that he had twise found by experience that the saphir would heale an anthrax which is a kinde of bile Which may be beleeued considering