cloudes into waters c. ¶ Why they be called perfectly mixed The last sort namely earthly Meteores are called perfectly mixed because they wil not easely be chaunged and resolued from that forme which they are in as be stones metalles and other mineralles According to the qualitie of the matter they are diuided into moist drie impressions consisting either of vapores or exhalations vapores are called moist and exhalations drie whiche termes must be well noted because they must be much vsed ¶ Of the general cause of al Meteores and first of the materiall cause The mater whereof the moste part of Meteores dooth consiste is either water or earth for out of y e water proceade vapors and out of the earth come exhalations Vapor as the Philosopher sayeth is a certain watrie thing and yet is not water so exhalation hath a certain earthly nature in it but yet it is not yearth For the better vnderstanding of vapors vnderstande that they be as it were fumes or smokes warme moist whiche will easely be resolued into water muche like to the breath that proceadeth out of a mans mouth or out of a pot of water standing on y e fiere These vapors are drawen vp from the waters and warry places by the heate of the Sunne euen vnto the midle region of the ayre and there after diuerse maner of meating with coldnes many kynde of moist Meteors are generated as sometime cloudes and rayne sometime snowe and hayle and that suche vapors are so drawen vp by the Sunne it is playne by experiēce for if there be a plash of water on a smothe and hard stoone standing in the heate of the sunne it wyl soone be drye whiche is none otherwyse but y t the sonne draweth vp the water in thinne vapores for no man is so fonde to saye that it can sinke into stoone or metall and it is as greatfoly to thinke it is consumed to nothyng for it is a general rule that that whiche is once a thing can not by chaunging become nothyng wherefore it followeth that the water on the stoone as also on the earth is for the moste part drawen vp when the stoone or earth is dried Exhalations are as smokes that be hoat and drie whiche because they be thinne lygther then vapors passe the lowest and midle region of the ayre and are caried vp euen to the highest region where for the excessiue heat by nearenes of the fier they are kindled and cause many kinde of impressions They ar also sometimes viscose ▪ that is to say clāmy by reason wherof thei cleuing together not being dispersed are after diuerse soortes set on fier and appeare somtims like Dragōs somtim like Goats somtime like cādels somtime like speares By y t which is spokē of vapors exhalations it is euidēt y t out of y e fier the ayer no matter wherof meteores shold consist can be drawē because of their subtiltie thinnes For al exhalatiō is by making a grosser body more thinne but y e fier we mean y e elemētal fier not the fire of the kitchē chimney is so subtil thin y t it cannot be made thinner likewise the ayre is so thin y t if it be made thinner it is chāged into fire as the fire if it wer made thicker wold becom aire so the aire being made grosser wold be turned into water Wherfor to cōclude this part y e great quantitie of matter that causeth these meteores is takē out of y e earth and the water As for y e aire the fire they ar mixed with this matter as with al other things but not so abundauntly that they may be sayd the material cause of any Meteore though without them none can be generated The efficient cause of all Meteores is that cause whiche maketh them euen they are not to nyghe to the direct beames nor to farre of from them there is a moderate heate drawyng out great aboundaunce of matter so that in those contries many Meteores of many sortes as generated as in the farre North partes are few but watrie impressions Also in Autumne Sprynge are oftener Meteores séen then in Sommer and Wynter except it be in such places where the Sommer and Wynter are of the temper of Spryng and Autūne Let this be sufficient for the efficient causes of impressions as well first and principall as second and particular Concerning the formall and finall cause we haue litle to saye because the one is so secret that it is knowen of no mā y e other so euidēt y t it is playne to all men The essentiall forme of all substaunces Gods wisdome comprehendeth the vniuersall chiefe and last end of all thinges is the glory of God Mydle endes if they may be so called of these impressions are manifold profites to Gods creatures to make the earth fruitfull to purge the ayre to sett forth his power to threathen his vengeaunce to punyshe the worlde to moue to repentaunce all the which are referde to one end of Gods eternall glory euer to be praysed Amen ¶ Of the places in whiche they are generated THe places in whiche Meteors are caused be either the ayre or the earth in y e aire be generated rayne hayle snow dew blasing starres thonder lightning c. In the earth be welles springs earthquakes metalls minerals c. made and as it were in their mothers belly begotten fashioned But for the better vnderstanding hereof such as haue not tasted y e principles of Philosophie must cōsider y e ther be iiij elemēts Earth water Ayre Fire one cōpassing another round about sauing y t the waters by Gods cōmaundement ar gathered into one place y t the land might apeare The highest is y e spere of the fire which toucheth the hollownes of the Moones heauen the next is the ayre whiche is in the hallownes of the fyer the ayre within his hollownes comprehendeth the water and the earth whiche bothe make but one Spheare or Globe or as the commen sort may vnderstande it one Bal. So eche elemēt is w cin another as y e skales of a perle ar on aboue another or to vse a grosse similitude as y e pieles of an oniō ar one w c in āother after y e same sort frō y e highest heuē to y e earth y t is lowest one part y t is greater compasseth roūd about another that is lesser But for this present purpose it is to be knowen y t the ayer is diuided into thre regions y e hyghest the midle and the lowest The hyghest because it is next to the region of y e fier is exceading hoate the lowest beinge next the earth and the waters is temperat and by repercussion or striking back of the sunne beames waxeth hoate and by absence of them is made colde being subiect to Wynter and Sommer The midle region of y e ayre is always exceading
it changeth their collours froÌ„ black to whyte froÌ„ white to black Vitruuius wryteth that in Arcadia is a water called Nonacrinis whiche no vessell of syluer brasse or IroÌ„ can hold but it breaketh in pieces and nothynge but a mules hoofe wyll holde it and conteyne it In Illyria garmeÌ„tes y t are holdeÌ„ ouer amost cold well ar kindled set on fyre In the Ile of Andros where the teÌ„ple of Bacchus stoode is a well that the fift day of Ianuary flowed wyne Isidore sayeth there is a well in Italy that healeth the woundes of y t eyes In the Ile of Chios is a well that maketh men dulwitted that drinke therof There is another that causeth men to abhorre lust Lechnus a spryng of Arcadia is good against abortions In Scicilia are two spryngs of which one maketh a woman fruictfull and the other barren In Sardania be whote welles that heale sore eyes In an Ile of Pontus the ryuer Astares ouerfloweth the fieldes in whiche the shéepe that be fedde doth geue black mylke In Aethiopia is a lake whose water is lyke oyle Also manye sprynges of oyle haue brooken foorth of the earth which coÌ„meth of the viscositie or fatnes of y e same earth The lake Clitorie in Italye maketh men that drynke of it to abhorre wyne The lake Pentasium as Solinus saith is deadly to serpentes wholsom to meÌ„ Seneca wryteth of certeyn lakes that wyll beare men which can not swymm And that in Siria is a lake in whiche brickes do swymme and no heuy thing wyll sinke It is said that the ryuer Rhene in Germany wyll drowne basterd childreÌ„ that be cast in it but dryue alonde them that be lawfully begotten The ryuer Hypanis in Schithia eueryday bryngeth foorth litle bladders out of whiche flyes do come that die the same nyght Matrona the ryuer of Germany as y e common people saith neuer passeth day but he taketh some praye ¶ Of the Sea THe sea in this treatise hath place as a mixed substaunce for els the elemeÌ„t of waters being simple were not here to be spoken of The sea is the naturall place of the waters into which all ryuers and other waters are receiued at the length And here it is to be vnderstanded y t the very proper naturall place of the water were to couer al the earth for so be the elementes placed The earth lowest rouÌ„d about the earth the water about the water the ayre and about the ayre the fyre But God the most mighty and wyse creator of all thinges that the earth might in som partes be inhabited of men and beastes coÌ„maunded the waters to be gathered into one place that the drie londe might appeare and called the drie land earth and the gathering of waters he called seas In the sea are these two thinges to be considered the saltnes the ebbinge and flowyng ¶ Of the saltnes THe saltnes of the sea accordinge to Aristotles mynde is caused by y e sunn that draweth from it all thinne swete vapors to make rayne leauing the reste as the setling or bottom whiche is salt But men of oure tyme peraduenture more truely do not take this for the only and sufficient cause to mak so great a quantitie of water salt but say that the sea by Gods wysdome is gathered into such valleys of the earth as were other wyse barren vnfruictful such carthes are salte the sea water then mixed with that earth must néedes be salt els ryuers by Aristotles mynde should be salt as well as the sea The Reader maye chuse whiche opinion is most probable ¶ Of the ebbing and flowyng THe ebbing and flowing of the sea as Aristole semeth to teach is by reason of Exhalations that be vnder the water whiche dryue it to and fro according to contrary boundes and limites as vpwarde and downwarde of wyde and narrowe déepe and shallowe This opinion of Aristotle also as more subtile theÌ„ true experieÌ„ce teacheth men to mislike to ascribe the cause of ebbing flowyng to the course of the moone which ruleth ouer moysture as the sunne doth ouer-heate for froÌ„ the new Moone to the full all humors do encrease and from the ful to the newe moone decrease agayne Also the very true tyme of the ebbing and flowyng may be knowen by the course of the Moone with whome as the ladye of moysture we will close vp the fourth booke of moiste and watry impressioÌ„s ⧠The fift booke of earthly Meteores or bodies perfectly mixed THis last treatise conteyneth suche bodies whose chief matter is the earth are called ê‘fectly mixed because they ar not easly resolued in to the chiefe matter wherof they ar generated These are deuided into foure kyndes The first be diuerse sortes of earth the second be liquors concreat the third be metalls and metalliques the fourthe be stoones This deuision is not altogether perfect both for that ther be many of these mineralls whiche partake of two kyndes also for that the names of some of these kyndes may be sayde of other Yet mindyng as plainly as can be to declare the thynges them selues the controuersye and cauillation of names shall not greatly trouble vs. Especially seyng we pretende not to teache Philosophers but such as nede a ruder plainer instruction They may therfor be coÌ„teÌ„t w c this diuisioÌ„ which shal not serue them to dispute of these matters but to vnderstaÌ„d y e truth of these thinges that they desyre Of these fowr therfore we will speake orderly and generally not mynding to intreate of euery particuler kynde for that were infinit but to open suche vniuersall causes as they whiche haue witte may learne if they list to apply vnto al particulers ¶ Of earthes THe earth is an element one of the foure cold and drie moste grosse and solyde moste heauy and weighty the lowest of all other in place When I saye an element I meane a simple body vncompounded This earth is no Meteore but as it was shewed in the water to y e end ther should be generatioÌ„ of things there is no element that we can haue whiche is pure and symple but all are mixed and coÌ„pounde Our fyre is grosse and compounde so is our ayer our water and our earth But the earth notably and aboue the rest is mixed For the puer and naturall earth is drye and cold but we sée much to be moist and much to be hoat The naturall earth is blacke of collor but we sée many earthes white many yelowe and many redde So that first the greatest part of y e earth is mixed with water that maketh it to cleane together with ayer and some fyre which make an oyly fatt or claymy earth as is claye made c. Another great part is dryed not into the natural drienes of the first qualitie
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 y e 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 domination of them al thinges hath their collour The grosse substaunce of the earth therefore beinge diuersly myxed with other elementes and those myxtures againe being eftsones altered by dyuerse and sometime coÌ„trary qualities hath brought forth so manye kyndes of earth as claye marle chalke sand grauell 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 coÌ„cocted after diuerse mixtions and dried vp Oker both yelow redde with suche like are of the same nature with mixtioÌ„ 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 coÌ„sisting of many small bodies which ar coÌ„geled into stones SaÌ„d 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 generation 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 coÌ„creat so largely as the worde dothe signifie for than should we comprehende bothe 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 aluÌ„ coperus saltpeter c. and the kindes of these Of the first sort which are generated of earthy ayry vapors fumes Exhalations the chief most notable is brimstone which semeth to be the matter of all drie whot qualities y t ar in earthly Meteores The rest are generated of such lyke vapors as brymstone is but theÌ„ they be diuersly mixed As y e coles haue much earth mixed with brimstone Gette séemeth to be all one but better concocted then coles Of amber is great contentioÌ„ whether it be a mineral or y e sperme of an whale for it is fouÌ„d in the sea cast vp on the shore Now y e whales séede being of the very same qualities is takeÌ„ more lesse coÌ„create 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 experieÌ„ce coÌ„trary to y e vulgar opinion let them consider that list to coÌ„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 claÌ„my substauÌ„ce mixed with them As the other kynde hath not whiche wyll not resolue so well with fyre as w c 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 sulphureus 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 coÌ„men and necessary of all these liquors concreat that be moist not fatty hath two maner of generations one naturall and the other artificiall The naturall generation is when it is first generated in the earth after commeth the water of the sea and is infected with it out of whiche the salt is againe artificially gathered Of these liquors concreat be those strange wells and sprynges infected of whiche was spoken in the latter ende of the fourth booke Most notably brimstone causeth the whot bathes and burneth in aetna of Scicilia and Vesuuius of Italye casting vp the pumise stones of whiche is no place here to entreate ¶ Of Metalles MEtalles be substaunces perfectlye myxed that wyll melte with heate and be brought into all manner of fashions that a man wyl Of these the Alcumistes saye there be seuen kyndes to aunswere to the seuen Planetes Gold syluer copper tynne lead Iron quicksyluer 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 remaineth but six perfect metalls Gold Syluer 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 ê‘fect all other be corruptible Gold neuer corrupteth by rust because it is pure from poysonus infection most solide 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 other metalls either are not so well concocted or els they haue not the due quaÌ„titie of brimstone This opinioÌ„ hath also place among the Alcumistes y t because nature in al her workes seketh the best ende she enteÌ„deth of al metals to make gold â–ª but being let either for wante of good mixture or good coÌ„coction she bringeth forth other metals in deede not so precius but much more profitable the lesse pretius the more ê“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 perfectioÌ„ or at lestwyse the rarenes of gold siluer haue obteineth the estimatioÌ„ of al men so y t for them is sold al maner of things holy prophane bodely spirituall What paynes doth not men take to wynn gold euery man hath one way or other to hunt after it but y e Alcumist despising all other wayes as slow vnnaturall vnprofitable laboreth ether to helpe nature
cold partly because y e sonne beames can not be cast back so highe and partly because the cold that is there betwene y e 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 y e aire euen to the midle regioÌ„ But in the morning the sunne rysing warmeth y e 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 which the next day with much more is driuen backe againe Wherefore this region being so colde is darke and cloudye in so much that some doting Diuines haue imagined 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 gallowses 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 exhalation 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 abuÌ„daunce of their matter by the wante of their matter Their placing is after the aboundaunce 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 fashioÌ„s they haue diuers names for they ar called burning stoble torches daunsing or leapinge Goates shooting or falling starres or candels burning beames rouÌ„d pillers spears shieldes globes or bowles fierbrandes laÌ„pes flying dragoÌ„s or firedrakes pointed pillors or broched steples or blasing stars called Cometes The time wheÌ„ these impressioÌ„s doth most apere is y e night season for if they were caused in y e day time thei cold not be séen no more then y e starres be séen because the light of y e sunne which is much greater dimmeth y e brightnes of theÌ„ 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 compacted 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 being kindled by lytle and lytle it flyeth abrooode 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 Exhalation 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 genâ—rated when the matter of the exhalation 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 matter be burned vp and then goeth out none otherwyse then a Torche when all the stuffe is spent must nedes burne no loÌ„ger ¶ 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 dauÌ„ce froÌ„ 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 region is beaten backe and so appeareth as though a Starre should fall or slyde from place to place Sometyme it is generated after another sort for there is an exhalatioÌ„ long and narrowe whiche being kyndled at one ende burneth swiftly the fyer ronning 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 firmament 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 coÌ„menly as it may be easely demonstrated The Epicurians as they are verye grosse in determining the chief goodnes so they are very fonde in assigning the cause of this Meteor For they say y t the starres fall out of the firmameÌ„t and that by the fall of them both thonder and lyghtning are caused for the lightening say they is nothyng els but the shyning of that starre that falleth which falling into a watrie clowde and being queÌ„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 y e 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 firmameÌ„t 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 coÌ„passe of a bushell more theÌ„ xx starres But if his bushell were on fyre xx myle of I demaunde how bygge it would séem vnto him He that hath any wyt wil easely perceiue that starres being by al mennes confessioÌ„ 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 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 sodenly rende as when thonder is caused the fyre breaketh out at the edges of the clowde kendlyng the thynne Exhalations which shoot out in great nōber 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 Lōdon 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 y t 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 otherwyse their generation differeth not frō the cause of the lyke impressions before mentioned ¶ Of Lampes THe lampe cōsisteth of an Exhalation y t is broade thick but not equally extended namely smaller at one end then at another which being kindled about y e middest therof burneth like a lāpe The cause why as wel this impressiō as many other apeareth round is not for y t alwayes they ar roūd in déede but because the great distance causeth thē to séem so For euen square formes farr of séem to be roūd It is written y t 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 y e 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 y e highest part which was climming vpward being by reason more subtil thin apeareth as y e Dragons neck smokīg for y t it was lately in the repuls bowed or made crooked to represent the dragōs bely The last part by y e same repulse turned vpward maketh y e tayle both apearīg smaller for y t it is farther of also for y t the cold bindeth it This dragō thus being caused flyeth alōg in y e ayre sōtime turneth to fro if it meat w t a cold cloud to beat it back to y e 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 report to other More then sixtene yeares ago on May daye when many younge folke went abroade early in the mornyng 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 taken 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 fearefull to loke vpon as though he had life because he moueth where as he is nothing els but cloudes smoke so mightie 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 generated in the hyghest region of the ayre and after this sort When the Exhalatiō hath much earthly matter in it the lighter partes and thinner as their nature is ascending vpwarde the grosser heauier and thycker abyde together in the bottome and so is it of fashion great beneath and small pointed aboue and being set on fire it is so séen and thereof hath his name ¶ Of Fyre scattered in the ayre FYre scattered in the ayre or illuminations are generated in the lowest region 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 followeth thē abrode in the fields by the night season THere is also a kind of light y t 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 y e 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 hurteth not but only feareth foules That whiche is séen on y e 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 kendled by meanes of violent mouing when by cold of the night in the lowest region of the ayre it is beaten downe then commonly if it be light séeketh to ascende vpward is sent down againe so it danseth vp downe Els if it moue not vp and downe it is a great lompe of glueysh or oyly matter that by mouing of the heate in it selfe is enflamed of it selfe as moyst haye wyll be kyndled of it selfe In whote and fenny countries these lyghtes are often séen and where as is abondaunce of suche vnctuus and fat matter as about churchyardes wher through the corruptiō of the bodies ther buried y e earth is ful of suche substance wherfore in churchyardes or places of cōmon buriall oftentimes ar such lightes séen which ignorant superstitious fooles haue thought to be soules tormēted in the fyre of purgatorie In dede y e deuill hath vsed these lightes although they be naturally caused as strong delusions to captiue the myndes of men w c feare of the Popes purgatorie wherby he did opē iniury to the bloud of Christ which only purgeth vs frō al our sinnes and deliuereth vs from al tormēts both temporall and eternal according to the saying of the wyse mā the soules of the ryghteous are in the hands of God and no torment toucheth them But to returne to the lightes in whiche there ar yet twoo thinges to be considered First why they leade men out of their waye And secondly why they séeme to follow men and go before thē The cause why they leade men out of the waye is that mē whyle they take hede to such lights and are also sore afrayde they forgett their waye and then being ones but a litle out of their waye they wāder they woote not whether to waters pyttes other very daungerous places Which when at lengthe they happe the waye home wyll tell a greate tale how they haue béen lead about by a spirite in the lykenes of fyre Nowe the cause why they séeme to goe before men or to followe them some men haue sayde to be the mouing of the ayer by the goyng of the man which ayre moued shold driue them forward if they were before and drawe them after if they were behynd But this is no reason at all that the fire which is oftētimes thre or fowre miles distaunt from the man that walketh shold be moued to and froo by that ayre which is moued through his walkinge but rather the mouing of the ayre the mans eyes causeth the fyre to séeme as though it moued as the Moone to chyldren séemeth if they are before it to run after them if she be before them to run before them that they can not ouertake her though she séeme to be very neare them Wherfore these lyghtes rather séeme to moue then that they be moued in deade ¶ Of Helena Castor and Pollux WHen the lyke substaunce in the lowest region of the ayre ouer the Sea by the lyke occasion is set on fyre if it be one onely it is called Helena if ther be two they ar called Castor and Pollux These impressiōs will oftentimes cleue to the maste other partes of the ships by reason of the clammynes and fatnes of the matter Helena was of the Heathē men taken as a Goddesse the daughter of Iupiter and Leda ▪ Castor Pollux were her brethren Helena was the occasion y t Troy was destroyed therfore the Mariners by experience tryinge that one flame of fyre apearyng alone signified tempest at hād supposed the same flame to be the goddesse Helena of whom they looked for nothing but destruction But when two lightes ar séen together they ar a token of fayre wether good luck the Mariners therfor beleued that they were Castor and Pollux whiche saylyng to séeke their syster Helena beyng caried to Troye by Paris were neuer séen after and thought to be translated into y e nomber of the Gods that gyue good successe to them that sayle as we reade in the last chapter of the Actes of the Apostles that the shyppe wherein S. Paule sayled had a badge of Castor and Pollux A natural cause why thei may thus fore shewe either tēpest or calmnes is this One flame alone may geue warning of a tempest because that as the matter thereof is compact and not dissolued so it is lyke that the matter of tempeste whiche neuer wanteth as wynde and cloudes is styll together and not dissipated then is it lyke not long after to aryse By two flames together may be gathered that as this Exhalation whiche is very thycke is diuided so the thycke matter of tēpest is dissolued scactered abroade by the same cause that this is diuided Therfore not without a reason the Mariner to his mates may promyse a prosperous course ¶ Of flames that apeare vpon the heares of men or beastes THere is yet another kynde of fyry impression which is flames of fire vpon the hears of men and beastes especially horses These are somtime clāmy Exhalations scatered abroade in the ayre in small partes which in the night by resistaunce of the colde are kendled cleauyng on horses eares on mens heades shoulders that ryde or walke In that they cleaue vpō heares it is by the same reason that the dewe wyll be séen also vpon heares or garmentes whose woll is hyghe as fryese mantels and suche lyke Another sorte of these flames are caused when mens or beasts bodies being chaffed sēd forth a fat clāmy swet which is in like maner kīdled as y e sparkes of fire y t ar séen when a black horse is curred Liuius reporteth of Seruius Tullius y e as he lay aslepe being a childe his heare séemed to be all on a flame which for all that did not burne his heare or hurt him The lyke historie he reciteth of one Marius a Knyght of Rome that as he made an oration to his Souldiors in Spaine they sawe his head burning on a lyght fyre he hym selfe not ware of it Thus muche concerning these flames ¶ Of Comets or blasing Starres A Comete is an Exhalation whote drye of great quantitie fat and clammye harde compacte lyke a greate lompe of pitche which by the heate of the sunne is drawen out of the earth into the hyghest region of the ayre and there by y e excessiue heat of the place is set on fire apearing lyke a starre with a blasinge tayle and sometyme is moued after the motion of the ayre whiche is circuler but it neuer goeth downe out of the cōpasse of syght thought it be not séen in the daye tyme for the bryghtnes of the sunne but styll burneth vntyll all the matter be consumed An argument of y e greatnes is this that there was neuer any Comet yet perceyued but at the lest it endured seuen dayes but much lōger they haue bene séen namely
but only in som coūtries thē not very large these wyndes oftētimes haue another maner of generatiō And that is on this maner It must néedes be cōfessed y e w tin the globe of the earth be wōderful great holes caues or dōgeōs in which whē ayer abondeth as it may by diuerse causes this ayer y t cannot abide to be pined in findeth a litle hole in or about those countries as it weare a mouth to break out of by this meanes bloweth vehemētly yet y e force vehemens extendeth not far but as y e wynde that cōmeth forth of bellowes neare the comming foorthe is stronge but farre of is not perceiued So this particular wynd in y e countrye where it breaketh forth is very violēt strong in somuch y t it ouerthroweth both trées houses yet in other countries not very farre distant no part of that boisteous blast is felt Wherfore this wynde differeth frō the generall wyndes both in qualities substaunce or matter for the matter of them is an Exhalation and the qualities suche as the nature of the Exhalation is very ayery but not ayere in deade but of this particular wynde the matter and substaunce is moste commonly ayer There is yet a thyrde kynde of wynde whiche is but a softe gentle and coole mouing of the ayre and commeth from no certaine place as the generall wynd doth yea it is felt in the shadowe vnder trees when in the whote lyght and shining of the sunne it is not perceiued It commeth whisking sodenly very pleasaunt in the heate of the sommer and ceaseth by and by This properly is no wynde ▪ but a mouing of the ayre by som occasion As for the generall wyndes thei blowe out of diuerse quarters of the ayre nowe East nowe West nowe South nowe North or els inclininge to one of the same quarters Amonge whiche the East wynde followyng the nature of the fyre is whote and drie the South wynde expressing the qualitie of the ayre is whote and moyste the Westerne blast agreing with y e waters propertie is colde and moyst The Northe that neuer was warmed with the heat of the sunne being cold and drye partaketh the conditions of the earth The midle wyndes haue midle mixed qualities after y e nature of those fowre principall wyndes more or lesse as they encline toward them more or lesse Generally the profit of all wyndes by the wonderfull wysdome of the eternall God is wonderfull great vnto his creatures For besydes y t these wyndes alter the weather some of them bryngyng rayne some drynes some frost and snowe whiche all are necessary ther is yet an vniuersall comoditie that ryseth by the only mouyng of the ayre Which were it not continually styred as it is would soone putrifie and beyng putryfied would be a deadly infection to all y t hath breath vpon the earth Wherfore this wynde whose sounde we heare and knowe not from whence it cōmeth nor whether it goeth for who can affirme from whence it was raysed or where it is layde downe as al other creaturs besyde doth teach vs the wonderfull and wyse prouidence of God that we maye worthely crie out with the Psalmist saye O Lorde howe manyfolde are thy wordes in wysdome hast thou made them all c. Let this be sufficient to haue shewed the generation of the wyndes ¶ Of earthquakes AN earthquake is a shaking of y e earth whiche is caused by meanes of wynde and Exhalations that be enclosed with in the caues of the earth and can fynde no passage to breake foorthe or els so narrowe a waye that it can not be soone enoughe delyuered Wherefore with great force and violēce it breaketh out and one whyle shaketh the earth another whyle rendeth and cleaueth the same sometyme it casteth vp the earth a great heyght into the ayre and some tyme it causeth y e same to synke a great depth downe swallowyng both cyties and townes yea and also mightie great moūtaignes leauing in the place wher they stoode nothyng but great holes of an vnknowen depthe or els great lakes of waters ¶ Of diuerse kindes of earthquakes DYuerse authors wryte dyuerselye of the kindes of earthquakes some makyng more and some lesse but we shall be content at this tyme to comprehende them in fowre sortes The first kynde is when the earth is shaken laterally to one syde whiche is when the whole force of the wynde dryueth to one place and there is no other contrary motion to let it This wynde if it be not great shaketh the earth that it trembleth as a man that hath a fyt of an agewe and dothe no more harme but if it be great and violent it louseth the foundations of all bydinges be they neuer so stronge and ouerthroweth whole cyties but specially y t great buildynges and not onely buyldinges but some tyme also casteth downe greate hylles ihat couer and ouerwhelme all the valley vnder them Many noble and great cities haue béen ouerthrowen by this kynde of earthquake It is wrytten that twelue of the mooste bewtifull cyties and moste sumptuous buildyngs in all Asia were ouerthrowne and vtterly destroyed with any earthquake Howe often Antiochia yea within short tyme was destroyed they whiche haue redde the histories can testifie Howe terrible was the earthquake that shooke Constantinople a whole yeare together that the Emperour all the people were faine to dwell abroade in the fieldes vnder tentes pauilions for feare their houses would fall on their heade it is recorded in Chronicles worthy to be remēbred The seconde kynde is when y e earth with great violence is lifted vp so that the buyldinges are lyke to falle and by and by synketh downe agayne this is when all the force of the wyndes stryueth to get vpwarde after the nature of gonpouder and fyndyng some waye to be delyuered out of bondage the earth that was hoysed vp returneth to his old place The third kynde is a gapinge rendyng or cleauing of the earth when the earth synketh downe and swalloweth vp cities and townes with castels and towers hylles and rockes ryuers and floodes so that they be neuer seen again Yea the Sea in some places hath béen dronke vp so that mē myght haue gone ouer on foote vntyll the tyme of tyde or flood returning couered the place with waters againe But in the lande where this earthquake swalloweth vp any cytie or countrie there apeareth nothing in the place thereof but a marueylous wyde and deape goulf or hole Aristotle maketh mention of diuers places and regions that were ouerthrouwen with this kynde of earthquake The fourth kynde is when greate mountaynes ar cast vp out of the earth er els when some part of the lande synketh downe and in steade thereof aryse ryuers lakes or fyers breakyng out w c smoke and ashes It causeth also ouerflowyngs of the sea when the
e raynbow though not so euideÌ„t because y e reflexion is not so strong They varie in collours some ar more purple or ruddy when the cloud is thicker som yealow whitish when the cloude is thinner so other collors ar caused likewise wherof you may reade the proper causes in the collours of cloudes and other lyke parts of this treatise The common people cal it the desceÌ„ding of the holy ghost or our Ladies Assumption because these thinge are painted after suche a sort Other say that it is rayne stryking downe in another place as though they could sée the droppes fallyng And they are not altogether deceiued but in the time for sone after it wyll rayne because this impression appeareth out of a watry cloude They are called by dyuerse names as roddes wandes coardes of tents vnto whiche they are not much vnlyke staues and lytle pyllers when they séeme greater and thicker many beyng ioyned together The rayne bowe the circles and these lyghtbeames are all of one maner of generation in so muche that if you deuide the circle it shalbe a raynbowe if you drawe it streyght in lengthe it maketh streames or beames Herein they agrée namely in form and matter but they differ in outwarde forme whiche we may call fashion as the one is round the other half round the thirde directe streyght or fallynge a slope Also they differ in place aboute whiche they stande for streames are only about the sunne raynbowes about the sonne often and seldome about the Moone but circles both about the sunne and the Moone and also about any other of all the sterres yet rather and oftener about bryght sterres To make an ende of these streames they apeare diuersly after the fashion and place wherein the cloude hangeth in respect of the sunne For some tyme they are séen only in the edge of a cloude all the breadth of that cloude Sometyme through the middes of a cloude being thynner there then in other partes and then they are spreade rounde about lyke a tente or pauilon vsed in warre They ar moste commenly séen in suche tymes as there is great aboundance of rayne whiche they by their apparition doe signifie not yet to be ended And thus muche concerninge direct lyght beames called roddes c. ¶ Of many Sonnes IT is straunge and marueilous to beholde the lykelyhode of that whiche Alexander the great sending woorde to Darius sayde to be impossible that two sonnes should rule the worlde But oftentimes meÌ„ haue séen as they thought in the firmament not only two sonnes but oftener thre sunnes and many more in nomber though not so often appearing These how wonderful soeuer they appeare proceade of a naturall cause whiche we will endeuour to expresse They are nothing els but Idols or Images of the sunne represented in an equall smooth and watry cloude placed on the side of the sunne sometime on both sydes into which the sunn beames being receiued as in a glasse expresse y e likenes of fashion light that is in the sunne appearing as though there were many sunnes where as in dede there is but one all the rest are images This thicke watry cloude is not sayde to be vnder the sunne for then it wolde make the circles called crownes or garlonds it is not opposit to the sunn for theÌ„ wold it make the rainbow but it is sayd to be on the side wher the imaê‘t may be best represented Also it may not be to far of â–ª for then the beames will be to feble to be reflected neither yet to neare for if it so be the sunne wil disperse it but in a coÌ„petent midle distance for so representation of many sunnes is caused They are most often séen in the morning euening about the rysing or going downe of the sunn seldome at noonée tyme or about the middest of the day because the heat will soon dissolue theÌ„ Yet hath there béen some séen which began in the morning continued all the daye long vnto the euening Somtimes ther apeare many litle sunnes like vnto litle starres which are caused after the same sort as we doe sée a mans face to be expressed in all the peces of a brokeÌ„ glasse So when the cloude hath many separations there appeare many sunnes on one syde of the true sunne sometimes great and sometimes litle as the parts of the cloude separated are in quantitie They doe naturallye betoken tempest and rayne to followe because they can not appeare but in a watry disposition of the ayre Also if they apeare on the Southside of the sunne they signifie a greater tempest then if they appeare on the Northsyde The reason is alledged because y e Southerne vapor is sooner resolued into water then is the Northerne For a supernaturall signification they haue often tymes béen noted to haue portended the contention of Princes for kingdomes As not longe before the contention of Galba Otho and Vitellius for the Empire of Rome ther appeared thrée sunnes Also of late toward the slaughter of Lewes kyng of Hongary were séen thrée sonnes betokening thre prynces that contended for the kyngdoÌ„ namely Ferdinando nowe Emperour Iohn Vayuode and the great Turke ¶ Of many Moones AFter the treatie of many sunnes if weare not harde for any man without farther instruction to knowe the naturall cause of many Moones For they are lykewyse Images of the Moone represented in an equall cloude which is watry smothe and polyshed euen lyke a glasse Some call theÌ„ as Plinius saieth night sunnes because they ioyned with the light of the true Moone geue a great shynning light to dryue awaye the shadowe and darkenes of the nyght It were superfluous to wryte more of their causes or effectes whiche are al one with those that haue béen declared of the sunnes It may be doubted why the other starres doe not lykewyse expresse theyr image in watry cloudes and so the noÌ„ber of them to our sight should be multiplied it may be aunswered that their lyght or beames are to feble weake to expresse any suche similitude or lykenes in the watry cloudes For although they haue garlandes or circles aboute them that are caused in a vapor that is vnder them yet it is manifest that this apparition hath not néede of so strong a lyght as is requyred to prynt y e images of them in the cloudes Agayne the garlandes are direct vnder and therfore apter to receyue suche apparition It may be agayne obiected that the starres haue their image perfectly and sufficiently expressed in glasses here on the earth yea and at the day tyme wheÌ„ their lyght is eyther none or moste feble weake as we sée it is vsed at mid-sommer to beholde that great starre called Sirius in a glasse euen at noone days Also we sée euery night the image of the starres in calme and quiet standing waters then what shoulde let but that
the midle region of the ayre abidyng in the lower region by colde of the nyghte is condensede into water and falleth downe in verye smalle droppes There is cōmen dewe swete dew One kynde of the sweet dewes is called Manna being whyghte lyke sugar whiche is made of thicke and clammye vapors whiche maketh it so to fall thicke and whyte It falleth onely in the East partes As for that Manna which God rained to the Israelites was altogether miraculous In Arabia as Plinius wryteth is a very pretious kynde of dewe y t is called Ladanum whiche falling vpon the herbe Cusus mixed with the iuyse of that hearbe which goates do eate is gathered of goates heares and kept for a great treasure Ther is another kind of swete dewes that falleth in England called the meldewes which is as sweet as hony being of such substance as hony is drawē out of sweet herbes flowers There is also a bitter kynde of dewe that falleth vpon herbes and lieth on them lyke brann or meale namelye because it is of an earthly Exhalation so remayneth when the moyster is drawē away this dewe kylleth herbes The commē dewe dronke of cattel toth rotte them because the matter is ful of viscositie bringing thē to a fluxiō Ther be thre thinges y e hinder dew from falling that is great heate great colde and wynde For dewe falleth in the most temperat calme tyme. ¶ Of hore froste HOare frost or whight frost is nothīg els but dewe congeled by ouermuche colde The South and East wynd doth cause dew but the North and Northern wyndes doe fryese the vapors and so it becommeth hoare froste whiche if that excessiue colde had not béén should haue turned into dewe The dewe and the hoare frost agrée in thre thinges namely in matter in qualitie of time and place of their generation In matter they agrée for they are both generated of a subtile thinne vapor also small in quantitie In qualitie of tyme they consent for both are made in a quiet calme tyme for if there were great wynde it would dryue away the matter and so cold ther be no generation Thyrdly they are both generated in the lowest region of the ayre for as Aristotle affirmeth vpō high hilles ther is neither dewe nor hoare frost They differ also in thre things For the hoare froste is congeled before it be turned into water so is not the dewe Secondly the dewe is generated in temperate weather the whight froast in colde weather Last of all whote wyndes as the South and East do cause dewe but cold wyndes as the Northe and Weast doe cause hoare froast Hoare froast doth often stynke because of the stinking matter whereof it consisteth which is drawen out of lakes and other muddy and stinking places ¶ Of Hayle HAyle is a hotte vapor in the mydle region of the ayre by the cold of that region made thicke into a cloude whiche falling downe to the soden colde of the lowest region is congeled into Ise. There be so many kyndes of hayle as ther be of rayn The fashion of hayl is sometyme round whiche is a token y t it was generated in the mydle region of the ayre or very neare it for falling frō hygh the corners are worne away When the hayle stones are square or thre cornered the hayle was generated neare the earth Often times there is harde a great sounde in the cloudes as it were of thōder before hayle or as it were of an army fighting c. the cause is that vapors of contrarie qualities beinge inclosed in the cloude doe striue to breake out make a noyse euen as colde water doth put into a seathing pot In spryng and haruest tyme is often hayle seldome in sommer and wynter In wynter there wanteth whot vapors in sommer the lowest regiō is to whot to congele the rayne falling downe In spring and Autumne there wanteth neither whot vapors to resist the colde nor sufficient colde to harden the droppes of that whot shower of rayne The haylestones are somtimes greater and sometimes lesser greater with greater colde and lesser with lesser cold There is seldome haile in the night for want of whot vapors to be drawē vp Sometime hayle rayne falleth together when the latter end of the cloud for want of colde in the lowest region is not congeled Hayle stones ar not so cleare as Ise because they are made of grosse earthy vapors ise is congeled of cleare water Hayle is sooner resolued into water then snowe because it is of a more sodē and swyft generation ¶ Of Snowe SNowe is a cloude congeled by greate colde before it be perfectlye resolued from vapors into water Snowe is whyght not of the proper colour but by receiuing the lyghte into it in so many small partes as in some or the whyghte of an egge beaten Snowe is often vpon highe hilles lieth long there because their toppes ar colde as they be neare to the mydle region of the ayre For oftentimes it rayneth in the vallye when it snoweth on the hylles Snowe melting on the high hilles and after frosen agayne becommeth so hard that it is a stone is called Christal Other matters of snowe because they ar cōmen with raine are nedeles to be spoken of To be shorte sléet is generated euen as snow but of lesse colde or els beginneth to melte in the falling Snowe causeth thinges growing to be fruitfull and encrease because the cold dryueth heate vnto the rootes and so cherysheth the plantes ¶ Of Springes and Riuers THe generation of springes is in the bowels of the earth therfore something must be sayde of the bodye of the earth The earth though it be solide and massy yet hath it many hollow gutturs and vaynes in whiche is alwayes ayer to auoyde emptines For the ignoraunt in Philosophie must be admonished y t all thinges are full nothing is emptye for nature abhorreth emptines so that where nothing els is there is ayre and vapors whiche by colde as it hath often ben sayde wylbe resolued into droppes as we sée experience in marble pillers suche lyke harde stoones towards raine This aier and vapors therfore being turned into droppes of water these dropps sweet out of the earth and fynde some issue at the length where many beyng gathered together make great aboundaunce of water which is called a fountayne or sprynge The cause why suche sprynges doe runne continually is because that aire can neuer wante in those vaines which by colde will alwayes be turned into water so that as fast as the water runneth forthe so faste is ayer agayne receyued into the place whereby it commeth to passe y t so many springes are perpetuall and neuer dried But if any be dried vp it is in a whot sommer and such springs also they be whose generation is not depe in the earth therfore the vapors may be made
in her worke as of vnperfect metals to make ê‘fect or els to force natur to his purpose by his quintessence elixors so that what by purging what by coÌ„cocting 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 froÌ„ helth to a palsey and then he is a Philosopher and so he will be called ¶ Of Syluer SIluer the most pure metalle next vnto golde hath indifferent good concoction in the earth but it wanteth sufficieÌ„t 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 y e shape fashion of a trée lying alonge with a bodye or stocke of proportion lyke to the body of a trée also with armes braunches leaues and fruictes This metall syluer lacketh sufficient heate and therfore coÌ„meth neyther to the collour soliditie nor perfection of golde and is generated in colde countries neare vnto the North and South poles In so greate quantitie that hasbandmen when they plowe the grounde turne vp syluer among the clottes in their dayly labours Whiche they doe hyde and conceale least the gready Princes for couetousnes 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 subtill 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 nothyng left ¶ 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 infected with that greane minerall copperus 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 easely trye it by the teast of couÌ„terfect siluer maketh copper agayne Copper or brasse doth alwaye growe neare vnto the myne of copperus whiche runnyng with it in the digestion or naturall contoction hyndreth it of perfectioÌ„ maketh it to stynke and to be eaten of a greane â—â—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 waÌ„teth litle of perfectioÌ„ which may be easely added vnto it But in conclusioÌ„ 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 abbay at euery myles ende vpoÌ„ Salisbury playne as one was mynded ¶ Of Tinne TYnne wherof great plenty groweth in the West partes of Englande in bewty and collour coÌ„meth nearest to siluer of siluer waÌ„teth nothing but soliditie hardnes For tinn is a rawe vndigested metall also very porose vncoÌ„pact which causeth it to crashe when it is broken or bitten So it faileth of heat in the coÌ„mixtioÌ„ also sufficieÌ„t digestioÌ„ in the earth Otherwise it is a fayre proffitable metal to serue y e vse of theÌ„ vnto whom siluer gold are not so plentiful ¶ Of Lead LEad also found in great abuÌ„dance w tin this realm is a rawe vndigested metal as tin is but yet of better digestioÌ„ theÌ„ coÌ„mixtioÌ„ For it is mixed w c a grosse earthy substance which maketh it to be in collor so black so fowl to corrupt So that of y e same fumes exhalatioÌ„s which if they had ben pure well digested if y e place matter wold haue suffered shold haue ben concreat into siluer for lack of the same lead is generated which comming plentifully doth better seruice theÌ„ 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 extreme degestion passing all other metalls in hardenes And as other metals to the perfection of syluer wante sufficient coÌ„coction wherby they comme not to the same hardenes so Iron paseth and exceadeth syluer in immoderate digestion But though it come not to the perfectioÌ„ 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 hurder 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 opinions both of the generation and also the qualities of it whiche make the generation 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 caused 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 elementall water some agayne hath thought that it droppeth out of heauen and is a part of the heauenly substaunce And other 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 treatyse of wonderfull and merueylous rayne but whether it so fall in circles it is doubtfull The moste probable opinion 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 generations by moste contrarie qualities For heate doth harden moyst bodyes in to stones as we sée that of claye it maketh exceadyng harde brycke Also the thoÌ„derboltes in the cloudes are generated by heate as before hathe ben shewed But colde dothe by congelyng generate many more stones then heate doth for the