the time of the worlds creation with a confutation of the first Sect. 2. Their reasons shewed who suppose the time to be in the Spring Sect. 3. That the world began in Autumne with an answer to their first reason who endeavour to prove it was in the Spring Sect. 4. An answer to their second reason Sect. 5. An answer to their third reason Sect. 6. An answer to their fourth reason Sect. 7. Concluding the time to be Autumne CHAP. III. THe third Chapter concerneth the first day of the world and is divided into three Sections Sect. 1. Of God the Architect of all and of the first part of the first dayes work Sect. 2. Of the creation of Light Sect. 3. Of the intercourse between day and night CHAP. IIII. THe fourth and fifth Chapters concern the second day with such things as are pertinent to the work done in it and are divided into these following Sections Paragraphs and Articles Sect. 1. Of the Expansum or stretching out of the heavens called the Firmament Sect. 2. Of the waters above the heavens Sect. 3. Of the matter of the heavens c. CHAP. V. THe fifth Chapter beginneth with the second part of the second dayes work and hath two Sections Sect. 1. How to understand the word Heavens Sect. 2. Of the Aire together with such appearances as we use to see there This Section hath seven Paragraphs Parag. 1. Of the division and qualitie of the Regions in the Aire Parag. 2. Of Meteors first in generall then how they be divided in particular Parag. 3. Of Fierie Meteors such as are said to be pure and not mixt This Paragraph hath thirteen Articles 1. Of burning Torches 2. Of burning Beams 3. Of round Pillars 4. Of Pyramidall Pillars 5. Of burning Spears Streams or Darts 6. Of dancing or leaping Goats 7. Of flying Sparks 8. Of shooting Starres 9. Of flying Launces 10. Of Fires in the Aire two kindes 11. Of Flying Dragons or Fire-Drakes 12. Of Wandring Lights 13. Of Licking Lights Sect. 2. of the fifth Chapter still continued Parag. 4. of the second Section It concerneth Fiery Meteors impurely mixt This Paragraph hath three Articles 1. Of Comets c. 2. Of New stars their matter and significations 3. Of Thunder and Lightning Parag. 5. Of such Meteors as are Fiery onely in appearance This hath seven Articles 1. Of the Galaxia that it is no Meteor 2. Of Colours in the Clouds 3. Of many Sunnes and Moons 4. Of Beams or Streams of Light 5. Of Circles or Crowns 6. Of the Rain-bow 7. Of Openings or Chaps in the skie Parag. 6. Of Watery Meteros and of their severall kindes This Paragraph hath eight Articles 1. Of Clouds and their matter 2. Of Rain 3. Of Dew 4. Of Frosts 5. Of Snow 6. Of Hail 7. Of Mists and their kindes 8. Of the Cobweb-like Meteor Parag. 7. Of Aiery Meteors This hath five Articles 1. Of divers opinions concerning Winde 2. Of Winde what it is c. 3. Of the division of Windes c. 4. Of the qualitie and nature of Windes 5. Of Whirl-windes Storm-windes c. CHAP. VI. THe sixth Chapter treateth of the third day together with such things as are pertinent to the work done in it Here befoure Sections and two Appendices Sect. 1. Shewing into how many main parts the businesse of this day may be distinguished Sect. 2. Concerning the first thing done viz. The gathering together of the Waters which God Almighty calleth Seas This Section disputeth seven Questions 1. How the Waters were gathered together 2. How they could be gathered but to one place seeing there be many Seas Lakes Rivers and Fountains farre asunder 3. Whether they be higher then the Earth 4. Whether there be more Water then Earth 5. Whether the Earth be founded upon the Waters 6. The originall of Rivers as also why the Seas be salt and Rivers fresh 7. Of the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea Unto which Section an Appendix is joyned and it concerns strange properties in certain Wells Waters and Fountains Sect. 3. Of the Drie-land appearing after the Waters were gathered wherein the cause of Earth-quakes together with the compasse and circuit of the Earth is shewed Sect. 4. Of the Sprouting Springing and Fructification of the Earth wherein the varietie and vertues of sundry Herbs and Trees is largely discovered according to the best Authours Unto which two last Sections an Appendix is joyned concerning all kinde of Metals as Gold Silver Stones of all sorts and such like things as are under ground CHAP. VII THe seventh Chapter concerneth the fourth day together with such things as are pertinent to the work done in it namely the Matter Names Natures Motions and Offices of the Starres It hath three Sections Sect. 1. An entrance towards the discourse of the Stars and Lights Sect. 2. Of the Matter Place Motion and Height of the Starres c. This Section hath two Articles 1. That the Starres consist most of a Fiery matter and are cherished by the Waters above the Heavens as was mentioned Chap. 4. 2. Of their Order and Place in the Skie and why one is higher then another Sect. 3. Of those offices given to the Starres when they were created This third Section hath three Paragraphs Parag. 1. Shewing that their first office is to shine upon the Earth to rule the Day and Night c. Here we have two Articles 1. Of Light what it is and whether the Sunne be the onely fountain of Light 2. Of the Starres twinkling and Sunnes dancing Parag. 2. Of that other office viz. that the Starres should be for Signes c. This Paragraph hath three Articles 1. That the Starres work upon the inferiour world and are signes of future events 2. Whether it be not a derogation from the perfection of things created to grant that the Starres may give an inclination to Man in his actions 3. Of Predictions or understanding the Signes Parag. 3. Of that other office wherein the Starres were made as it were heavenly clocks This hath three Articles 1. Of Seasons as Spring Summer c. 2. Of Dayes and their kindes c. 3. Of Yeares and their kindes c. CHAP. VIII THe eighth Chapter concerneth the creatures made in the fifth day of the world viz. Fish and Fowl This Chapter hath two Sections Sect. 1. Of Fishes their names kindes properties together with sundry emblemes drawn from them Sect. 2. Of the names kindes and properties of Fowls with many and sundry emblemes drawn from most of them CHAP. IX THe ninth Chapter concerneth the creatures made in the sixth and last day being such creatures as live neither in the Aire or Water but upon the Earth This Chapter hath likewise two Sections Sect. 1. Of Beasts their properties names kindes c. together with sundry emblemes drawn from many of them Sect. 2. The creation of Man being created male and female and made according to the image of God together with the institution of Marriage and blessing
and land with many a tempestuous blast and unwished breathings Moreover this also may be observed that the long continuance of the windes in any of these quarters produceth these and the like effects As first the East winde breedeth in cholerick bodies sharp fevers raging madnesse and perilous apostumations Secondly the South winde breedeth corrupt humours and in hot bodies cramps giddinesse in the head or the falling sicknesse pestilence and cruel fevers viz. when they blow long in the winter This is held to be the most unwholesome winde Thirdly the West winde breedeth phlegme in moist bodies it procureth sleep causeth apoplexies and the like and is never so churlish as when winter begins to approach And last of all the North winde is good against the pestilence and yet in cold bodies it breedeth plurifies coughs gouts and in some squincies and sore throats but yet of all windes it is held to be the wholesomest although it be sharp in our winter moneths And this also note that a continuall still summer is a signe of plague or earthquake for a standing aire putrifieth and an enclosed winde shaketh the ground Artic. 5. Of whirlwindes storm-windes and fired whirlwindes A Whirlwinde is a winde breaking out of a cloud rowling or winding round about which may be caused two manner of wayes First when two or more contrary windes blowing from divers places meet together Secondly when the matter of winde being an hot and drie exhalation breaketh out of a cloud in divers parts of it coming through the said holes with more then an ordinary violence Or rather thus Imagine a windie exhalation bursting out of a cloud to be so driven that by the way it happeneth to be pent between two clouds on either side of it against which beating it self and finding a repercussion it is forced to turn and whirl about even as we see in the streets of cities when the winde is beaten from two walls and meeteth in the middest of the street for then there is made a little whirl-puffe which whisking round about taketh up the dust or straws and bloweth them about as doth the great and fearfull whirlwinde it self which hath brought not onely amazement and terrour to mortalls but also much harm and mischief Plinie is perswaded that vineger thrown into one of these blasts will break it because vineger is of a cold qualitie and the exhalation hot and therefore the one is as it were quelled and quenched by the other The Greeks call a whirlwinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latinists turbo or vortex Also a sudden storm-winde is called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the Latines procella and this happeneth either when a windie exhalation is thrown down and encompassed in a thin course of clouds newly overcast or else when a windie exhalation is come to an extraordinary thicknesse and violently moved out of a cloud to the darkening of the aire without inflammation or burning for when it burneth they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incendo to burn or set on fire And this last is that which we call a fired whirlwinde being an exhaled blast set on fire either by an Antiperistasis by repercussion or violent detrusion from the cloud wherein it was enclosed for it is made apt to be fired in regard that it consisteth of an exhalation which hath more fattie substance in it then other windes which burn not And know that it differeth from lightning chiefly in these respects first because lightning consisteth of a more subtil and thin matter for although a fired whirlwinde have a more thin spirit or blast then a whirlwinde or a stormie winde yet it is not so tenuous as the spirit of fulmen or lightning Secondly because lightning is more flamie and lesse breathie the one having more windie spirits in it then the other The conclusion of this dayes work ANd thus at the last I have let you take a view with me of what is pertinent to this dayes work We have seen good reader the framing of the out-spread Firmament with the lifting up of the waters over it we have examined the nature of the heavens and scarce found them of a quint-essence we have searched what heavens they were which Moses meant when he said God called the firmament Heavens From thence we proceeded to the severall regions of the aire examining their temperatures and qualities and thereupon we fell into an ample consideration of such appearances as are usually seen in any of those Regions discoursing at large both of fierie waterie and aierie Meteors And this being all which this day affordeth I may here make and end and say That eve and morn conclude the second day And in his work God findeth no decay CHAP. VI. Wherein is contained a survey of the third dayes work together with such things as are pertinent to it Sect. 1. Shewing into how many main parts the businesse of this day may be distinguished BEing come from the second to the third dayes work I cannot say with Virgil now Ille ego qui quondam gracili modulatus avenâ But rather on the contrary Ille ego qui superis volitabam nuper in oris Nunc humilis sequor arva soli nunc tenuia presso Ore loquor Because in the former day the work belonging to it compelled my winged pen to soar aloft not suffering her to come unto the ground till now For she was to walk above the Firmament and view the out-spread buildings laid in the flowing waters then through the Regions of the liquid aire she was to trace a path which finished she must be content to frame her self unto a lower pitch before any leave be granted to ascend again And indeed I think it is what both she and I desired for we were long detained there And now having both of us obtained our wishes we finde that Gods inspired pen-man holy Moses so setteth down the admired work of his Almighty maker done on this third day of the world that into three main parts it may be severed for by viewing the words which he hath written of it the same will be apparent And God saith he said Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place and let the drie-land appeare and it was so And God called the drie-land Earth and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas and God saw that it was good And God said Let the earth bring forth grasse the herb yeelding seed and the fruit-tree yeelding fruit after his kinde whose seed is in it self upon the earth and it was so And the earth brought forth grasse and herb yeelding seed after his kinde and the tree yeelding fruit whose seed was in it self after his kinde and God saw that it was good And the evening and the morning were the third day This is the summe of all which as before was said consisteth of
three severall parts The first whereof concerneth the gathering together of the waters in these words And God said Let the waters under heaven be gathered together unto one place The second concerneth the drying of the ground in these words And let the drie-land appeare The third is pertinent to the sprouting and springing of the earth in these words And God said Let the earth bring forth grasse the herb yeelding seed and the fruit-tree yeelding fruit after his kinde c. All which in their orders are severally to be discussed together with such other things as are pertinent to the said division And concerning the two first observe that God bestowes as it were sirnames on them calling the gathering together of the waters Seas and the drie-land he calleth Earth Sect. 2. Of the gathering together of the waters which God called Seas VVAter and earth are the two lowest elements and this was that day which brought them to perfection for untill now they were confused because their matter although not quite void of form received at this time a better form of due distinction and more comely ornament The informitie was expressed before when Moses said that the earth was void and invisible because covered with waters but the formitie is then expected and declared when the waters are gathered and the drie-land made apparent It is a wonder sure to think what a confused tyrannie the waters made by their effusion for they did rather tyrannize then orderly subdue or govern this inferiour mirie masse wherefore it seemed good to the Almightie maker first to divorce one from the other before he gave them leave so to be joyned each to other that both together might make one globie bodie which according to the best approved writers is one and twentie thousand and six hundred miles in compasse But concerning this gathering together of the waters there arise certain questions which may not altogether be forgotten As first it is enquired How the waters were gathered together Secondly How it can be said that they were gathered to one place seeing there be many seas lakes rivers and fountains that are farre asunder Thirdly Whether they be higher then the earth Fourthly Whether there be more water then earth Fifthly Whether the earth be founded upon the waters Sixthly Why the seas be salt and rivers fresh Seventhly and lastly What causeth an ebbing and flowing in the sea rather then in rivers Concerning the first of these questions those who think that there be no Antipodes supposed that the waters did runne together and cover the other part of the earth which is opposite to this where we dwell But the experience of skilfull navigatours and famous travellers yea and reason it self doth crie against it Others imagine that it was some mighty winde which dried them up or that the fervent heat of the sunne effected it But both think amisse because the drie-land saith one appearing all at once was so prepared by a greater power then either of the winde or sunne which could not work it at once nor scarcely in a long continuance of time neither was the sunne made untill the next day after Dixit igitur factum est he spake the word onely and by the power of that word it was done For the efficient cause of the sea was the onely word of God the materiall was the waters the formall was their gathering together and the finall partly was that the drie-land might appeare Ezekiels wheels were one within the compasse of another and so was the earth water and aire before the powerfull word of God commanded this their gathering the earth within the water the water within the aire and the aire within the concave of the Firmament Which if they had all for ever so remained and man made as he is the world had been no house for him to dwell in neither had it been a work so full of never ended admiration as now it is Perhaps the pores and holes of the ground were full before this gathering yet neverthelesse their bodies must be willing to be made the beds for more That they were full it proceedeth from the nature of the water falling downwards and filling them That being full they are yet made capable of more might proceed both from a more close composure of the not hollow parts of the earth and also by making these waters thicker then they were before For whilest the not hollow parts were made more solid the hollow could not choose but be enlarged and whilest the thin and vapourie waters were better thickened and condensed the outface of the ground could not be obscured but shew it self as one released from out a waterie prison Some adde unto this their heaping together in the high and wide seas whereby it cometh to passe that they flow to and fro at flouds and ebbs and do often force out water-springs from out the highest mountains which last whether it be so or no shall be examined afterwards The next question was how it can be said that they were gathered to one place seeing there be many seas lakes rivers and fountains that are farre asunder It was a strange conceit of him who thought that this one place unto which the waters were gathered was separate so from the earth that the waters by themselves should make a globe and have their proper centre for leaving to descend towards the centre of the earth they were gathered to a centre of their own and so the drie-land appeared But this opinion is very false and worthy to be reckoned amongst absurdities for as the Prophet Esay writeth the Lord is said to sit upon the circle of the earth Now experience sheweth that it is not the earth alone but the earth and sea together that make one globe or circle This one place then whither the waters were gathered was not a place separated from the earth being in the aire or elsewhere but was in the very body of the earth it self Neither was it one place strictly taken as it meant one point or angle of the earth or as if there were no Antipodes half the earth under us was to be covered with water But rather it is called one place because in the whole globe of the earth every place is either water or land or if not so because there is but one body of all the waters that are for every part of the water is joyned unto the whole as it were with arms and legs and veins diversly dilated and stretched out So that either under the earth or above the earth all the waters are joyned together which also the wise man witnesseth Eccles. 1. 7. But haply some may think because this gathering together of the waters is called Seas that therefore the one place unto which they were gathered is not to be understood of every collection or gathering of water but onely of the sea Well be it so And if this rather then the
other be the meaning of Moses his words it may be answered that although the sea be divers in name yet all seas are so continued together that one sea is perpetually joyned with another and thereupon the name given is not Sea but Seas as in the text is manifest Yea and hereupon it also is that Geographers make these waters come under a fourefold division For they either call this gathered water Oceanus Mare Fretum or Sinus 1. Oceanus the ocean is that generall collection of all waters which environeth the world on every side 2. Mare the sea is a part of the ocean to which we cannot come but through some strait 3. Fretum a strait is a part of the ocean restrained within narrow bounds and opening a way to the sea 4. Sinus a creek or bay is a sea contained within a crooked shore thrusting out as it were two arms to embrace the lovely presence of it Object But perhaps you will say that the Caspian sea is a sea by it self and therefore all seas joyn not the one unto the other Answ. To which it is answered that this sea is either as a lake in respect of the contiguous or joyning seas or else it was no sea in the beginning of the world but began onely at the ceasing of the Floud was caused by the waters coming down from the Caspian hills setling themselves in those declive and bottomie places where the said sea is Plinie and Solinus are perswaded that it joyneth it self unto other seas by running into the Scythian or Northern ocean through some occult passages under ground which is not improbable But howsoever this we are sure of that the river Volga is joyned to it being as another sea and having no lesse then seventie mouthes to emptie it self which river is also joyned to the river Don and that hath great acquaintance with the Euxine sea Besides Volga is not a stranger to other waters which fall either into the Scythian or Baltick ocean insomuch that it may be said this Caspian sea is tied as it were with certain strings to three other seas and so not onely all waters are made one bodie like as before I shewed but if this gathering must needs be referred to the seas even all seas also shake hands and by one means or other mutually embrace one the other A third question is Whether the waters be higher then the earth Concerning which there be authours on both sides some affirming some denying That they be higher then the earth it is thus affirmed First because water is a bodie not so heavie as earth Secondly it is observed by sailers that their ships flie faster to the shore then from it whereof no reason can be given but the height of the water above the land Thirdly to such as stand on the shore the sea seemeth to swell into the form of an hill till it put a bound to their sight Fourthly it is written of Sesostris King of Egypt and after him of Darius King of Persia that they would have cut the earth and joyned Nilus and the Red sea together but finding the Red sea higher then the land of Egypt they gave over their enterprise lest the whole countrey should be drowned Fifthly the arising of springs out of the highest mountains doth declare it because the water cannot be forced higher then the head of the fountain opposite to it As for example Like as we see a spring that riseth in an hill conveyed in lead unto a lower ground will force his waters to ascend unto the height it beareth at the fountain even so the waters which stand above the mountains do force out springs of water by necessary and naturall cause out of the highest mountains Sixthly the Psalmist doth witnesse the same affirming moreover that God Almighty hath made the waters to stand on an heap and hath set them a bound which they shall not passe nor turn again to cover the earth And Jer. 5. 22. Fear ye not me saith the Lord will ye not tremble at my presence which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waves thereof rage yet can they not prevail Thus on the one side But notwithstanding all this methinks the other part yet choose which you will is most probable For first the water indeed is a bodie not so heavie an earth yet heavie enough to descend not being of an aspiring nature but presseth eagerly towards the same centre that a stone or any part of the earth coveteth It cannot therefore possibly be above the earth although not so heavie as earth unlesse there were no hollow places in the ground to receive it But God Almighty in gathering them provided lodgings for them lest they should turn again and cover the earth which also is insinuated by the Hebrew word Kava signifying to congregate or gather together from whence the Latine word Cavus hollow may seem to be derived Besides should it be alledged that the hollow places could not be deep enough to receive them what were this but to curtall the earths Diameter or thicknesse for suppose the waters stood above the hills before they were gathered to one place yet know that even the Semidiameter of the earth is deeper by no few miles then the highest hill Suppose you could imagine an hill to be above a thousand miles high which is impossible yet the earths Semidiameter would be two thousand foure hundred and above 36 miles deeper then that height As for example if the earth be 21600 miles in compasse then the Diameter will be 6872 8 11 miles and if the Diameter be 6872 8 11 miles then the Semidiameter must be half so much viz. 3436 4 11 miles Secondly suppose it be observed by sailers that their ships fly faster to the shore then from it this proveth not the sea higher then the land For know that it is no wonder to see a ship sail more speedily homewards then outwards because when it approacheth to the shore it cometh with a continued motion which makes it the swifter but when it goeth from the shore it doth but begin its motion and is therefore slower then before This if need were might be proved by many plain and familiar examples Thirdly suppose that the sea seemeth to such as stand on the shore to swell higher and higher till it put a bound to the sight this rather proveth the sphericall roundnesse of the earth and sea then any thing else shewing that both together make one globie bodie Which why it is perceived rather in the water then the land this may be a reason namely because the sea being a plain and liquid element and spacious enough doth better shew it then the earth which hindereth our full view by reason of many woods trees and other fixed obstacles which the sight meeteth and encountreth by the way Fourthly although Sesostris K. of
Egypt and after him Darius K. of Persia dared not to make a cut out of the Red sea into Nilus for fear of drowning the countrey because they supposed that the sea lay three cubits higher then the land of Egypt yet as some report how truely I cannot tell the Ptolomies kings of Egypt effected the work without any danger of inundation But suppose they had not done it or suppose it were granted that the Red sea were higher then the plains of Egypt yet it followeth not unlesse one swallow can make a summer that the sea in generall is every where higher then the earth As for the height of the Red sea above the land neare adjoyning to it Aristotle seemeth to give a reason perswading himself that there is such a change in the universe as that that which hath been sea is sometimes land and that which hath been land is sometimes sea and so he thinketh of those low grounds neare the Red sea that they have been gained from the sea The like we may also think of many places in the Netherlands and of that small part of sea which is between Dover and Callis as Verstegan proveth in his restitution of decayed antiquities cap. 4. pag. 97. Fifthly suppose that certain springs arise out of the highest mountains must the sea therefore needs be higher then those mountains surely I think not For albeit I be not of Aristotles minde nor of their opinions who do not derive the rivers from the seas nor make subscription unto them who give a sucking and an attractive power to the veins of the earth yet I finde it as a thing possible although that part of the sea which lieth opposite to the head of the fountain or to the place where the water first breaketh out be lower then the ground that the said water may neverthelesse easily ascend and not break forth untill it finde a place convenient Now this ascent is caused by the sea which seeing it is a vast bodie is very ponderous and heavie and cannot be thrust back by the water at the head of the fountain opposite to it but rather it doth potently and strenuously croud on the said water through the hollow ports and passages of the earth untill at the last it springeth forth Were it so indeed that there were an equall weight of both waters I mean of the sea-water driving and of the spring-water arising then the ascent of the one could not be higher then the superficies of the other but seeing the weights are unequall which Cardan did not well consider the stronger and heavier must needs drive on the weaker and lighter causing it sometimes to ascend even above it self Sixthly and lastly that which the Psalmist witnesseth concerning the standing of the waters on an heap I take to be nothing else but the gathering of them to one place so and in such a manner that their coming together may be called Seas and their forsaking the land be called Earth for if one place of Scripture be expounded by another it will appeare to be even so First because it is said Ecclesiastes 1. 7. All the rivers go into the sea but the water hath his naturall course downwards and cannot be forced up but by the heavier weight as hath been shewed Secondly because it is said Psal. 107. 23. They go down to the sea in ships down as to the lower place and not up as to the higher And for that alledged out of Jeremy viz. Fear ye not me c. The Prophet speaks there of no miraculous work against nature but of the ordinary providence of God by naturall means keeping back and bounding the sea as at the 24. verse is manifest For there he gives the like instance of the rain which we know is not wrought by miracle and yet it sheweth the watchfull providence of God preserving the world by the naturall course of the creatures Judge then if they be not mistaken who would have the sea higher then the earth The fourth question is Whether there be more water then earth Now here I am perswaded that the answer may be either double or doubtfull For if we have respect to the known parts of the world then I think there may be more sea then land But if we have respect to all both known and unknown then perhaps there may be as much land as sea For we see that in the maps of the world the Southern parts are not known and therefore they write Terra Australis nondum cognita which whether it be sea or land is uncertain Pareus upon Genesis is perswaded that the land is more then the sea alledging a proof out of Esdras where it is said that when God commanded the waters to be gathered he gathered them into the seventh part of the earth and dried up the six other parts which although it be Apocryphall in respect of the autoritie of the book yet saith he it serves to shew that the waters are not more then the earth The next question is Whether the earth be founded upon the waters The Psalmist seemeth to affirm it Psal. 24. verse 2. For according to the common reading it is He hath founded it upon the seas and prepared it upon the flouds To which it is answered that if the earth as it is be the receptacle for the waters or holdeth the waters in the concavities of it how can it be that the waters are in stead of a foundation Job saith He hangeth the earth upon nothing chap. 26. 7. If upon nothing then not upon the waters for they are something And again even the Psalmist also saith The foundation of the earth cannot be moved Psal. 104. 5. If not moved then not founded upon the waters for they are moveable flitting to and fro sometimes this way sometimes that way and never standing still Wherefore when the Psalmist saith The earth is founded upon the seas he meaneth that it is so placed above them as that it is made fit to be a place for habitation And so Expositours understand the Hebrew word Gnal viz. in such a sense that it doth signifie above and not upon In which sense the waters that it sustaineth do not hold it but are holden by it for they are in it tanquam in utre as in a certain vessel and do alwayes strive to come as neare the centre as is possible For conclusion then of this question thus much must be known namely that when God made the world he made all things in number weight and measure insomuch that the earth although it be hanged upon nothing is so equally poysed on every side that it cannot but be firmly upheld and no more fall then the sun out of the firmament or the starres out of heaven For hath not man sometimes shewed an admired portion of skill in this or that rare work which he hath wrought and effected by nothing else but onely the deep and profound rules of
obvious to the sight d Fulk e Iste locus vult quâ—…d ventus sensibus deprehendi nequeat certus locus ubi ventus flarâ—… incipias desiâ—…at notari non possit vis enim ejus tantùm sentiatâ—… Havenreut * Psal. 104. 24. a Plin. Lib. 2. cap. 47. b Origan de effect cap. 5. c Ibid. d Lib. 2. cap. 22. The mariners reckon 32 windes f Orig. Ephes. lib. de effect cap. 6. a Windes blowing into the haven and famous citie of Panormus or Palermo in Sâ—…cilie b In a book called a generall description of the world c Origan Ephem de effect cap. 5. Their qualities according as they commonly blow Norths qualitie Souths qualitie Easts qualitie Why the East and North windes sometimes bring rain for a whole day West windes qualitie d Lib. 1. carm od 4. The effects of a long-continuing winde at certain seasons A signe of plague and earthquake a Lib. 2. cap. 48. Typhon * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est verberare 〈◊〉 Prester A conclusion repeating the sum ne of this dayes work a Aeneid lib. 1. Questions concerning the waters which are said to be gathered together Quest. 1. Which sheweth how the waters were gathered together * Ezek. 1. 16. * Job 38. 10. Quest. 2. Shewing how they were gathered to one place * Esay 40. 22. * Dr. Fulk in his Met. lib. 4. saith that some lakes are so great that they bear the names of seas among which he reckoneth this Caspian sea a As Duina major and Duina minor called also Onega Look into the maps of Russia or Moscovia b Viz. the Euxine Baltick and Scythian or Northern seas Quest. 3. Shewing whether the waters be higher then the earth c Herodot in â—…terpe in lib. sequent Plin. lib. 6. cap. 39. * Psal. 104. d Met. lib. 1. cap. 14. e De subtil lib. 3. pag. 123. Quest. 4. Shewing whether there be more water then earth * 2. Esdr. 6. 42. Quest. 5 Shewing upon what the earth is founded * Wisd. 11. 22. * Job 26. 7. Quest 6. Shewing why the sea is salt and rivers fresh i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. de Met. lib. 2. cap. 1. k Lyd. dâ—…â—…ig foâ—… cap. 8 9. l viae under the water The sea made salt by the substance of the ground that is my opinion Of rivers and from whence they proceed Arist. de Met. lib. 1. cap. 13. n Lib. 2. cap. 103. †Aëriall vapours are partly a cause of springs o Goclen Disput. Phys. cap. 39. ex Plat. in Phaed. * Plato did but expresse Moses meaning Gen. 7. 11. in other words How springs come to be fresh seeing the sea is salt p Putei prope mare falsi longiùs minùs procul nihil Ial Scal. exercitat 50. The benefit and use of waters Quest. 7. Wherein is shewed the cause of the ebbing and flowing of the sea q Zanch. Tom. 3. lib. 4 cap. 1. quest â—… thes 1. * Note that this is pertinent to the openest seas as the Atlantick and Southseas and especially between the Tropicks where is a constant Easterly breath caused by the superiour motions which draw together with them not onely the element of fire but of the aire and water also r De placiâ—… â—…los lib. 3. cap. 17. Dr. Fulk 〈◊〉 liâ—… 4. t Antiquarum lecti 〈◊〉 lib. 29. cap. â—… u Iuâ—… Mart. Greg. Naz. Aescâ—…ines orat contra â—…tes L. Valla Dialog de lib. arbitriâ—… c. x Livie saith that it is not seven times a day but â—…emere in modum venti nunc huc nunâ—… ilâ—…c rapitur lib. 8. dec 3. The earth hath no circular motion * Viz. chap. 4. sect 2. and chap. 5. sect 2. Paragraph 1. y Lâ—…sberg 〈◊〉 iâ—… 〈◊〉 terra diâ—…r pag. 7. * Wiâ—…d 11. 22. * Joâ—…h 10. 12 13. Esay 38. 8. z Motus terra is nothing but Germinatio terrâ—… Gen. 1. * Ecclus. 46. 4. * Bish. Hall * Revel 16. 5. This is the most probable cause why the Sea ebbs and flows z Sir Christopher Heydon in his defence of Judiciall Astron. chap. 21. pag. 432. a Idem pag 433. cap 21. Why all seas do not ebbe and flow Why fresh waters do not ebbe and flow Psal. 107. 23 24. Water used in stead of vineger Water used in stead of burnt wine Water which makes men drunk A water which is deadly to beasts but not to men A purging killing water A water which makes horses mad A cold burning water A water which will both rosâ—… and bake A river which breedeth flies A water which maketh oxen white Water which maketh sheep black or white Water which makes them red b Plin. lib. 31. cap 2. See also 〈◊〉 2 cap. 103. A water like to the former A water cold in the day and hot in the â—…ight A water turning wood into stone A river which rests every seventh day c In his 3 day A strange well in Idâ—…mea Poysoning waters d Plutarch See also Just. lib. 12. and Curt. lib. 10. A water which makes cattell give black milk Poysoning waters Water which makes men mâ—…d A water that spoils the memorie A water which procureth lust A water which causeth barren nesse and another which causeth the teeth to fall c. e For this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 where 〈◊〉 you may 〈◊〉 of â—…nother that sharpeâ—…eth the senses Fountains of oyl Waters of a strange temper Of the fountain Dodone Waters which work miracles * In which he was deceived it was rather to trie their strength and make them hardie as Verstegan well declareth Restitâ—… cap. 2. pag. 45. f Dâ—… 〈◊〉 cap. 51 52. g Dâ—… 〈◊〉 3 day We ought to make the best uses of the strangest things i Hâ—…iditas non est â—…stimanda ex irrigatione sed ex propria deâ—…nitione quod scilic et difficulter alieno termino clâ—…uditur Iam videâ—…us â—…quam includi faciliùs certis limitibus quà m aâ—…rem ergo c. Quod autem aqua magis â—…ectat id fit propter crassiorem substantiam Cùm eâ—…im humiditas aqua in denâ—…ore materia hâ—…reat ideo est magìs unita proinde efficacioâ—… ad humectandâ—…m Aeris verò humiâ—…tas tam crâ—…ssam substantiam siâ—…ut â—…qua non habet propâ—…erea tantum madorem corporibus 〈◊〉 â—…equit quod quandoque exiccâ—…re videatur id non est per se sed per accidens 〈◊〉 per exhalationes c. k Efficiens est calor solis simul ignis subterraneus quibus suppeditant tres superiores planetae l Causa materialis est spiritus seu vapor in terrae visceribus conclusus exire contendens m Forma est ipsa concussio terrae agitatio exhalationum terrae inclusatum The cause of earthquakes n Origaâ—… de effect cap. 9. ex Holy c. The kindes of earthquakes n Plâ—…t 〈◊〉 Tiâ—… A digression touching the new found world The attendants of an earthquake Signes of an earthquake Effects of earthquakes p
and all the hosts of them spiritu oris by the spirit of his mouth Psal. 33. 6. All which considered and found to be done in the beginning must needs be then when there was no pre-existent matter to work upon For as it is witnessed the Hebrew word Reshith which is englished the beginning doth not signifie any substance neither doth the other word Bara to create signifie any way to create but of nothing and thereby it is distinguished from the word Iatzar to form and Gnasha to make And therefore though now we behold a glorious something wherein appeares in every part more then much matter of wonder yet at the first saith noble Bartas Nothing but nothing had the Lord Almightie Whereof wherewith whereby to build this citie That Axiome therefore in philosophie Ex nihilo nihil fit must needs stand aloof off when we speak of creation For although it be true that according to the course of nature and ordinary custome of things nothing can be made unlesse out of some former matter yet when we descend ad inquirendam primarum rerum conditionem to enquire after the first condition of the first things then we shall finde that God is above nature because he is the Lord of nature And he whose sufficiencie and efficiencie is altogether absolute must needs be able supernaturali quadam ratione by a certain supernaturall means to produce all things out of nothing Of which nothing that I may say something my best and onely way is to look at Moses and as neare as I can explain his meaning In the beginning saith he God created the heavens and the earth In which words he laboureth not so much to deliver a generall proposition of the works of creation or of the two distinct parts of the world or of the matter of heaven and earth as if the one word did insinuate all the superiour parts of the world the other all the inferiour parts beside or as if taking both together he meant by them joyntly totius mundi semen the seed of the whole world mentioning it under these two words of Heaven and Earth as a Chaos This he meaneth not because that which concerns the Chaos is mentioned afterwards in the second verse And what were it but a plain tautologie to say that in the beginning God created a Chaos and that Chaos was a Chaos Wherefore in those first words he intendeth nothing more then to shew that the world which now is called according to its parts Heaven and Earth was not from everlasting but took beginning and so without controversie the right reading of his words doth also witnesse For in their originall as it is witnessed by expositours thus they sound In the beginning God created these heavens and this earth as if it should be said These very heavens and this very earth which now we see in being were not alwayes but began Then afterwards he proceedeth to shew how and in what time God created them speaking first how all was like a disordered and deformed Chaos the earth and the heavens not distinguished but lying as it were in a confused heap all together And this is manifest For on the second day when the heavens were made it seemeth that their matter was from amongst that masse or unfashioned lump which was said to be void and without form and not able to be kept together had not the Spirit of God cherished it for the Spirit of God moving upon the waters did as it were sit upon it and nourish it as a fowl doth her eggs with heat and life yea their matter I say was from among the waters which by the power of Gods word were extended and stretched like a canopie round about the earth as now we see them In which regard S. Austines words are also pertinent saying concerning this All of which we now speak Materies adhuc erat corporearum rerum informis sine ordine sine luce It was yet an informed matter of corporall things without order without light Or as that Nightingale of France hath sung it This was not then the world 't was but the matter The nurserie whence it should issue after Or rather th' Embryon that within a week Was to be born for that huge lump was like The shapelesse burden in the mothers wombe Which doth in time into good fashion come Thus and in this manner I cannot but think of these things not doubting that Moses in his description of the sensible world meaneth otherwise but sheweth that that heaven and earth which now we see were in the beginning or first degree of being an earth or as an earth or one lump without form and void a darkened depth and waters a matter of no matter and a form without form as one speaketh a rude and indigested Chaos or confusion of matters rather to be beleeved then comprehended of us And this saith he is the second naturall beginning For after the expressing of the matter followeth that which Philosophers call a second naturall principle Privation the want of that form of which this matter was capable which is accidentally a naturall principle required in regard of generation not of constitution here described by that part next us earth which was without form as is said and void This was the internall constitution The externall was darknesse upon the face of the deep Which deep compriseth both the earth before mentioned and the visible heavens also called a depth as to our capacitie infinite and pliant to the Almighty hand of the Creatour called also waters not because it was perfect waters which was yet confused but because of a certain resemblance not onely in the uniformitie thereof but also of that want of stabilitie whereby it could not abide together but as the Spirit of God moved upon these waters to sustain them c. Here therefore is the third beginning or principle in nature that form which the said Spirit by that action framed it unto The Hebrews call the whole masse as it is comprehended under the names of Heaven and Earth Tohu Vabohu Tohu without order bohu without varietie But it was not long that it continued in this imperfect state for in one week it was as I may say both begotten and born and brought from a confused Chaos to a well ordered and variously adorned Universe Or as one saith Materiam Deus ipse creat comitque creatam Whose meaning may be taken thus The matter first God out of nothing drew And then addes beautie to that matter new Which was not because he was unable to make all the world perfect in an instant but because he would not Whereupon an holy Father said Voluntas Dei est causa coeli terrae ideo major est voluntas Dei quà m coelum terra The will of God is the cause of heaven and earth and therefore it is greater then either of them God therefore doth not disable his
may be also thought that both these waters dropping from clouds in the aire and also all other waters under the canopie of Heaven or within the concavitie of this Expansum are but the lower waters and those other which are separated from them must be in an higher place viz. above the firmament and so shall they be divided by the firmament otherwise not To which purpose Du Bartas thus I 'le rather give a thousand times the lie To mine own reason then but once defie The sacred voice of th'everlasting Spirit Which doth so often and so loud averre it That God above the shining firmament I wot not I what kinde of waters pent Or as Hyperius also writeth Assentiemur Mosi ac simpliciter statuemus aquas non tantùm infra firmamentum ubi in portiones quasi regiones certas eae ipsae sunt distributae aliaeque per aërem circumvehuntur aliae terris sunt adglutinatae verùm etiam super illud esse alias undique circumfusas That is Let us assent to Moses and plainly determine that there are not onely waters below the firmament as it were divided into certain portions and regions some of them carried about through the aire some fastened to the earth but also that there are other waters above the firmament spread round about it Which thing is also thus further manifested because those waters that are separated by the firmament are to be at all times separated For God in the creation of this firmament did not onely command that it should separate but also that it should be separating that is Let it continually separate or divide the waters from the waters quasi voluerit nullum esse tempus quo non distinguat as if he would have it that there should be no time wherein it might not distinguish between the one the other Which as it cannot be doâ—…e unlesse there be alwayes waters to be distinguished so neither can it be pertinent to those waters in the clouds because the aire is often cleare and those bottles of rain are not alwayes there And again it is from the vapours drawn from below that clouds and rain come which cannot at all times be but then onely when there is a naturall concourse of causes to effect it And then again when they are there they be soon gone for the rain proceeding from those vapours which we call the clouds stayeth not long in the aire but forthwith falleth down again and so by little and little the vapour consumeth and the cloud is gone How can it therefore be that these should be those supercelestiall waters separated from all other waters by the firmament seeing the firmament is above them and not onely so but also their proper place is here below being but at times drawn from hence and then it is as it were against their wills which makes them therefore hasten hither again with all the speed they can whereas on the contrary the firmament is to be between those waters and not over them separating them not at times but continually Neither may it seem strange how the out-firmament can be able alwayes to uphold them seeing as hath been said it was made strong by stretching out lifting then the waters up with it and therefore well fitted for this office and can no more fall then the heaven it self whose beams or rafters are laid in the waters as the Prophet speaketh Psalme 104. 3. And hereupon it also was that noble Bartas said I see not why mâ—…ns reason should withstand Or not beleeve that He whose powerfull hand Bay'd up the Red sea with a double wall That Israels host might scape Egyptian thrall Could prop as sure so many waves on high Above the Heav'ns starre-spangled canopie This was his opinion concerning the waters separated by the firmament of which opinion are sundry more But on the contrary side are other some who are of another minde affirming that they are meant onely of those waters in the clouds for say they the aire is called the firmament so also is the skie c. And of the clouds it is said in Job that God bindeth up his waters in thick clouds and the cloud is not rent under them So that first as every part of the water is called by the name of water in like manner every part of the firmament is called by the name of the firmament in which regard those waters in the clouds although no higher then the aire may be taken for those waters which the firmament doth separate and secondly that place in Job sheweth no lesse making it appeare how and in what manner the waters are separated by the firmament Furthermore Ex ipsa nubium natura saith Pareus From the very nature of the clouds this appeareth to be so for what other thing are the clouds but waters separated by force of the diurnall heat and by the cold of the aire made thick whereupon as Plinie calleth them they are said to be Aquae in coelo stantes Waters standing in the heavens Also it may be added saith Pareus that Moses makes mention but of two kindes of waters superas inferas the higher and the lower but the clouds are waters as hath been shewed and no low waters therefore they are the upper waters unlesse there be three kindes of waters which is contrary to Moses Besides this saith he is confirmed by the grammaticall construction of the words For Moses saith not that it divided from the waters which were supra Expansum but thus viz. from the waters which were desuper Expanso The sense therefore is not that the waters were carried up above the whole Expansum or Firmament but rather that they were carried upwards so as that with the firmament they were supra and desuper that is above and on high Also the name of heaven confirms no lesse for saith he the Expansum is called according to the Hebrews Schamajim or Shamajim from Sham There and Majim Waters which derivation is common And therefore those upper waters are not quite above the Expansum or the Firmament but are there that is in the Firmament namely in the middle Region of the aire Thus we see the difference concerning these waters And now let the reader choose which opinion likes him best But for mine own part I like this latter worst yet let me not tie another to be of the same minde any further then he pleaseth for it is no matter of faith and therefore we have our free choice according to the best reasons and most forcible demonstrations Wherefore let me proceed a little further that thereby as neare as I can I may set down that which seemeth to me the best meaning and nearest to the truth First then I answer that they do mistake who divide the Expansum into parts as if in so doing they could absolutely cleare the matter in question for it is not a part of
them who say that an effect may be called naturall two manner of wayes first in regard of the causes themselves secondly in regard of the direction and application of the causes If we consider the meer secondary and instrumentall causes we may call this effect naturall because it was partly performed by their help and concurrence but if we consider the mutuall application and conjunction of these second causes together with the first cause which extraordinarily set them on work we must needs acknowledge it to be supernaturall Now then although we have built upon reason and so found that before fourtie dayes fully ended the middle Region it self was drowned whereupon it could not rain from thence yet in so doing we do not argue amisse for it is no whit derogating from the power of the Almighty to ascend up higher till we finde the cause of this long rain and also the place from whence it came seeing that when we have so done we shall plainly finde that in regard of the direction and application of the cause it was extraordinarily set on work by a divine dispensation and so the effect was supernaturall I may therefore now proceed and that I may make the matter yet a little plainer concerning these cataracts or windows of heaven and so by consequence of the waters also above the heavens this in the next place may be added namely that Moses setteth down two causes by which there grew so great an augmentation of water as would drown the world the one was the fountain of the great deep the other was the opening of the windows of heaven Now if these windows were the clouds then it seemeth that the waters were increased but by one cause for the clouds in the aire come from the waters in the sea which by descending make no greater augmentation then the decresion was in their ascending And although it may be thought that there are waters enough within the bowels of the earth to overflow the whole earth which is demonstrated by comparing the earths diameter with the height of the highest mountains yet seeing the rain-water is made a companion with the great deep in the augmentation of the drowning waters I see no reason why that should be urged against it especially seeing it is found that the earth emptied not all the water within her bowels but onely some For thus stand the words The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped and the rain from heaven was restrained their store therefore was not spent when they had sufficiently drowned the world but their fury rather was restrained when they had executed Gods purpose by climbing high enough above the hills Cardinall Cajetane was conceited that there was a mount in Paradise which was not overflown and there forsooth he placeth Henoch The like dream also they have amongst them concerning Elias And as their champion and Goliah Bellarmine is perswaded all those mountains onely were overflown where the wicked dwelt Iosephus also reporteth out of Nicholas Damascenus that the hill Baris in Armenia saved many who fled thither for succour But these are dreams and devices which are soon overthrown by Moses in his foresaid evident text where the words are so generall that they include all and every mountain under not onely the Aiery heaven as Cajetane collecteth but under the whole Heaven without exception And now after all what hindereth that there should not be waters above the concave of the Firmament and that the opening of the windows of heaven should not be more then the loosing of the clouds For it is affirmed and not without reason you see that the rain or a great part of it which fell in the universall Floud came from an higher place then the middle Region of the aire and that the upper waters are to be above the Firmament and not the parts of it is an assertion well agreeing to Moses his description of this second dayes work For as hath been shewed concerning the fowls and stars it is true that they are but in the Firmament and not above it neither is there any more Firmament then one seeing Moses mentions not a second The fowls indeed fly above the earth as the text it self speaketh in Gen. 1. 20. but not above the Firmament their course being as Iunius reads the place versus superficiem expansi coeli or ante expansum or coram expanso coeli but never supra expansum And as for the starres the text likewise saith ver 15. Let them be for lights in the out-spread firmament mentioning never more then one and the same Firmament But for the waters it is otherwise The Firmament is appointed to separate them as being between and not above them Esto expansum inter aquas it is learned Iunius his right version of the place ut sit distinguens inter aquas Fecit ergò Deus expansum quod distinguit inter aquas quae sunt sub expanso inter aquas quae sunt supra expansum That is Let there be a firmament between the waters c. Between the waters as having waters above it And how unlike it is that the upper waters should be placed otherwise let the former reasons witnesse For all things considered we need not stand so much upon Pareus his reading Super quasi in expanso and desuper expanso as if they were but above or on high within the concave as are the fowls and starres this I say we need not stand upon seeing Iunius readeth Supra expansum without any such nice salving although he thinketh with Pareus that these upper waters are no higher then the middle Region of the aire And also admit that some derive the word Schamajim or Shamajim which signifieth Heavens from Sham There or in that place and from Majim Waters concluding thereupon that these waters which we now speak of must be There viz. in the heavens and not above them although some I say make this derivation yet others derive the same word otherwise And no few be there who not without reason do suppose that it is no derivative nor compound word at all but rather that the Ismaelitish word Schama which signifieth nothing else but High or Above doth proceed from this word Schamajim which in English we reade Heavens In which regard the Etymologie helpeth nothing to prove the adverse part And yet as I said before let the reader take his choice For perhaps he may now think after all that if there be waters above the starry heaven and that part of those waters descended in the time of the Floud that then the Heavens would have been corrupted and dissolved as some have said the rain falling through them from the convexitie of the out-spread Firmament Sect. 3. An objection answered concerning the nature of the Heavens examining whether they be of a Quint-essence BUt concerning this it may be said that it is not known whether the heavens be of
Aire in it being cold because it is hindred from following the circular motion of the heavens But as I said it is not absolutely cold but respectively For if it were extream cold then the heat of the Sunne would never passe through it to this Region here below neither would there be grasse herbs and such high trees as are upon the tops of the mountains But to proceed 1. In the highest Region and oft times above it be generated Comets or Blazing starres and such like fiery Meteors of divers sorts 2. In the middle Region Clouds Thunder Rain Windes Storms c. 3. In the lowest Region we have Dews Mists Hoar-frost Ice and Frost As also here is your Ignis fatuus or foolish fire with other Lights burning about graves or such like fattie places where there is store of clammie or fat oylie substance for their matter These Lights are seen also in fields and are driven by a gentle winde to and fro untill their matter be consumed Now these and every one of these seeing they have their causes in nature let us a little view them both how and what they are For they who send us to God and his decree in nature have indeed said what is the true cause but not how it is by naturall means effected For the manner of producing these things doth no lesse amplifie the power and providence of God then the things themselves when they are produced Sect. 2. Parag. 2. Of Meteors first in generall then how they are divided in particular ANd these things of which we now speak seen in any of the Regions by a generall name are called Meteors And the matter of Meteors as it is remote is from the Elements but as it is propinque or neare it consisteth of Exhalations And Exhalations are of two kindes 1. There is Fumus 2. Vapor If it come from the earth or some sandy place it is Fumus a Fume or a kinde of Smoke If it come from the water or some watry place it is Vapor For this is a rule that A Fume hath a certain earthly nature in it and yet is not earth and a Vapour hath a certain watry nature in it and yet it is not water Or if you had rather take it thus Fumus est mediae naturae inter terram ignem Vapor verò inter aquam aërem That is A Fume is of a middle nature between earth and fire but a Vapour is of a middle nature between water and aire And further all vapours are warm and moist and will easily be resolved into water much like the breath that proceedeth out of a mans mouth or out of a pot of water standing on the fire and these are never drawn higher then the middle Region of the Aire for there they are thickened and conglomerated by the cold into clouds And why vapours are warm being drawn from that which is cold is not from any internall propertie of their own but they receive this qualitie from the power and influence of the stars For after that the matter is by them attenuated or made thin their beams cannot but warm it although it proceed from that which is cold Again all fumes are as smokes which be hot and dry which because they be thin and lighter then vapours they often passe the lowest and middle Regions of the Aire being sometimes carried even beyond the highest Region it self And thus we see how there are two kindes of Exhalations Th' one somewhat hot but heavy moist and thick The other light drie burning pure and quick Moreover these Exhalations being the matter of Meteors as hath been said are either from the Earth or Water As for the Fire and Aire they are mixed with this matter as with all other things but not so abundantly that they may be said to be the materiall cause of any Meteor although without them none can be effected And thus much generally But now more particularly And in coming to particulars it may be found that these kinde of Meteors concerning which I speak are of three sorts either Fierie Waterie or Aierie Fierie are of two sorts either such as are in very deed fired or else such as onely seem to burn which are therefore called Phasmata In which regard it may be said that these Fierie ones are either Flames or Apparitions And again in respect of their matter if they be such as burn in very deed then they be either more or lesse pure Their place where we see them is according to the abundance and scarcitie or rather qualitie of the matter whereof they consist for if it be heavie and grosse it cannot be carried high but if it be not so grosse but rather light and more full of heat then it aspires and transcends so much the higher by how much it is the lighter sometimes above the highest Region of the Aire even into the starry heaven it self which is witnessed by our best modern Astronomers who have observed many Comets above the Moon Furthermore these Fiery impressions according to the diverse disposing of their matter are of severall fashions and thereupon they have severall appellations being called according unto the names of those things unto which they seem to be like As 1. Torches 2. Burning Beams 3. Round Pillars 4. Pyramidall Pillars 5. Burning Spears Streams or Darts 6. Dancing or leaping Goats 7. Flying Sparks 8. Shooting Starres 9. Flying Launces 10. Fires either scattered or else as if all the aire burned 11. Flying Dragons or Fire-drakes 12. Wandring Lights 13. And also licking or cleaving fire sticking on the hairs of men or beasts Now all these kindes of which I have mentioned thirteen I take to be such fierie Meteors as are said to be pure and not mixt Then again have you those which are said to be mixt and lesse pure As 1. Comets of all sorts 2. All kindes of lightening 3. Unto which must be joyned thunder as an adjunct And now of these severally before I mention any more of another kinde whether waterie or aierie Sect. 2. Parag. 3. Of such fierie Meteors as are pure and not mixt 1. FAx which is a Torch or Fire-brand or as a lighted candle is an exhalation hot and drie drawn beyond the middle Region of the aire where being arrived it is set on fire as are all exhalations that come there partly by their own heat and partly by the heat of that place and because the matter of the exhalation is long and not broad and being equally compact and fired at the one end it burneth like a torch or candle untill the whole whereof it consisteth be consumed And why it should burn at the one end rather then at the other is found to be because it is long and standeth upright having the most of its aspiring matter in the top and in this station ascending up it comes to passe that when the upper end doth present it self to the
before when there was onely light in those thinne parts in stead of fire And thus have I shewed you the naturall cause of all fiery Meteors Sect. 2. Parag. 6. Of watery Meteors and their severall kindes NOw it followeth that I speak something of watery Meteors and shew after what manner they are generated They be called watery because they consist most of water their substance being that kinde of Exhalation which we call Vapor and not Fumus And that which in the first place offereth it self is Nubes a Cloud Artic. I. Of Clouds I Begin therefore with clouds And a cloud is a vapour or Exhalation cold and moist drawn from the earth out of wet or watery places by heat of the Sunne into the middle Region of the aire where by cold it is so thickened and knit together that it hangeth untill either the own weight or some resolution causeth it to fall If it be a great cloud it is Nubes if it be but a little one it is called Nubecula The name comes ab obnubendo id est operiendo coelum from hiding or covering the heavens because a cloud through the thicknesse that the vapour is condensed into hindereth that a lesse portion of the heavens is conspicuous then otherwise would be It is also two-fold either fertill or barren A fertill or fruitfull cloud affordeth rain but a barren cloud doth not because it is at length by the blasts of winde and vertue of the heavenly bodies turned into thin aire And to either of these clouds belong motion colour Their motion is caused by the winde most commonly through whose force they are driven to and fro But if the windes blow not then they are drawn along by the Sun and made a companion with him in his travels alwayes moving that way which the Sunne goeth Concerning their colours I spake before in Paragraph 5. Article 2. And therefore here you may expect the lesse yet let me say that they are either simple or mixt Black or white are simple because they consist of no other colours But red green and the rest are mixt They appeare white when the vapour is thin for then it is easily pierced by the light which disperseth it self into it But when they appeare of a black colour then the vapour is thick and more closely condensed insomuch that the beams of light cannot be admitted As for their rednesse it may be caused two wayes according to Goclenius either through the adustion of the aire magno aestu incensum as he saith Or propter retusum radium Solis by reason of the beams of the Sunne beat back again which falling upon a watery cloud that is thickly condensed pierceth not but being doubled causeth rednesse as in the morning and this is a signe of rain but the other is not For the other rednesse is in such a cloud as sheweth the drinesse and adustion of the aire the cloud it self consisting of a smokie humid substance unto which is joyned a kinde of drie and adust matter This therefore is a signe of fair weather being seen in the evening towards the place of Sun-setting according as it hath been said of old Serò rubens coelum mané indicat esse serenum Concerning green clouds they are altogether watery and as it were already resolved into water which receiving into them the light appeare green like unto water in a great vessel or in the sea and deep rivers Blew clouds come something neare to the nature of black excepting that the black are thicker And note If when the Sunne sets there appeare or arise black dark clouds it portendeth rain Also observe the place opposite to the Sunne at his setting viz. the East and see if that be cleare for if it be pestered with black clouds there is but small hope of fair weather that night or the next day The common opinion is that the height of the clouds is not above nine miles But it is agreeable to no reason at all why any certain height should be determined for they are of unequall heights differing both according to the matter of their composure and also according to the time of the yeare being lower in winter then in summer for when the sunne hath the greatest force they then ascend the higher and in his smaller force they hang the lower By which it appeareth that the sunne helpeth to uphold them and keepeth them although heavier then the aire even in the aire for they sometimes also follow his motion But note that it is not the sunne alone which upholds them for the aire it self is also a cause of their not falling and that both within the clouds and also without them within the clouds for the clouds are of a spungie nature and full of pores which are filled with aire leâ—…t there should be vacuum and this aire heaveth them up causing them to aspire without the clouds also because they do as it were float up and down in the aire as some heavie things do in the water and yet not sink unlesse their substance be too earthie and heavie Artic. 2. Of Rain FRom clouds I proceed to speak of rain And rain is nothing else but as it were the melting of a cloud turned into water Or according to Aristotle it is the flux of a fertill cloud resolved by the heat of the sunne into distilling drops of water which being depressed with their own weight fall down to the earth For when the matter of the cloud being a cold vapour and earthly humour is drawn from the earth and waters into the middle Region of the aire and there thickened through the cold dwelling in the confines of that place it is at the last dissolved and cannot therefore but fall down in drops which drops if they be great are caused either by the quick resolution of the cloud or else by the little distance of it from the earth But if they be smaller then either the great distance or slow resolution maketh them of no ample quantitie The first of these is named nimbus the other is called imber And note that the dissolution as hath been said proceedeth out of heat which is not onely of the sunne but of windes also of an hot temper as is seen in the southern winde which bloweth up rain sooner then any other winde And as for rains which come from cold coasts and at cold times of the yeare if the cloud be not at such times as some may think dissolved through the heat of any winde it dissolveth it self through its own weight being a little holpen by the sunne for it continueth in the aire even whilest it can stay no longer And at these times also if we consider all aright we shall finde that the winde somewhat helpeth although not so speedily as from hotter coasts for naturally there is a kinde of heat in every winde because it is an Exhalation hot and drie although by accident as from
the nature of the place over which it passeth it may be altered of which I shall speak more afterwards And besides all this the secret influence of the Planets worketh greatly towards the dissolution of the foresaid vapours But I proceed And now it followeth that I divide all sorts of rain into two kindes First such as are ordinary secondly such as be extraordinary I call those ordinary when nothing but water falleth And I call those extraordinary which others call prodigious rains as when worms frogs fish wheat milk flesh bloud wooll stones iron earth c. fall from the clouds Plinie makes mention of many such prodigies as these in the 56 chapter of his second book setting down the times when they happened Concerning all which next under God the causer of the causes causing them these or the like reasons may be urged to shew how it is possible they should be procured and upon what causes they naturally depend 1. And first for the raining of worms it may be thought that the putrefaction of some dead carcasses or other hath been drawn up into the aire as fumes and vapours are where it breedeth such worms as use to breed out of the like matter here below 2. The like may be said of frogs when the vapour is exhaled out of marish grounds at such times as they engender 3. So also of fishes excepting that as is supposed the force of windes may suddenly sweep away little frey out of ponds upon montanous places and so also little young frogs with many the like things may be taken up Some write of a whole calf falling from the clouds and have been thereupon perswaded that it is possible of Vapours and Exhalations with the power of heavenly bodies concurring a calf may be made in the aire But this is idle It was therefore as others write taken up in some storm of whirl winde and so let fall again 4. As for wheat and other grain it hath been observed that their raining down hath often come in case of extremitie to the great preservation and refreshment of the distressed in which regard it may be supposed that it was an immediate work of God wrought without the rule of nature so that were all the wits in the world prest into one yet were they all too weak to shew a true cause of such a prodigie Which made Du Bartas write concerning such Let them declare what cause could yerst beget Amid the aire those drizzling showres of wheat Which in Carinthia twice were seen to shed Whereof that people made them store of bread To speak therefore as I think I will not boldly affirm how this was caused but onely touch at the possibilitie of it namely that it might be effected like unto other strange rains first drawn from the earth into the aire and then sent down again For as I have already said in shewing probable reasons for such things as are strange we do also include God the chief and best cause of all things And so also we reade that when the Red sea was bayed up with a double wall to give the children of Israel safe and free passage through it God sent a strong East-winde all that night c. by which the waters were divided Exod. 14. 21. And again when the Quails came and filled their tents being as it were rained round about them they were brought from the sea with a winde and let fall a dayes journey on this side and a dayes journey on that side even round about their camp Numb 11. 31. He that hath seen saith one an egge-shell full of dew drawn up by the sunne into the aire in a May morning will not think it incredible that wheat and other grain should be drawn up in much hotter countreys then ours is much rather the meal or flower which is lighter 5. By the like reason also it sometimes raineth milk for when the intensissimus solis calor the vehement heat of the sunne shall either draw milk from the udders of cattell and shall mix it with the other parts of the cloud or shall so throughly trie purifie digest or concoct the vapour that it may look something white then will the drops look as if it rained milk 6. As for the raining of flesh it is supposed to be after this manner namely through the drawing up of bloud from places where much bloud hath been shed which being clottered together seemeth as if it were flesh 7. And so also it may rain bloud namely when it is not clottered together but thinner c. In the yeare of Christ 480 was such a rain As also in the yeare 864 neare unto Brixia in Italie was the like Yea and before either of these times our own chronicles tell us that in the dayes of Rivallo King of the Britains we also had bloud rained upon which ensued great mortalitie of people Histories make mention of the like wonders at other times But say some there is often great store of bloud spilt and yet no prodigie appeareth To which is answered that it is not the ordinarie exhaling vertue which resteth in the starres and Planets that can draw up such bloudy vapours although much bloud be spilt but then onely when there is a more unusuall concurrence of causes for sometimes they are disposed to one thing sometimes to another And for the working of any strange thing it must be when there is a strange kinde of combination amongst them To which purpose we know although we cannot alwayes directly see and demonstrate how they are mixed and combined that they principally intend and cause at the same time other changes of which the visible prodigie is but the proclaimer or fore-runner as if you look but a little before concerning Comets you may see and so rest satisfied And unto this also adde that there may be drops like unto bloud and yet no bloud drawn up And this may be either when the Sunne draweth vapours out of putrified watery places in which as I have often seen in a drought resteth much slimie and red-coloured corrupted water or else when the Sunnes immensive heat doth so boyl the water in the cloud that like unto the urine which a man maketh in a burning fever it looketh red when it falleth The like cause I gave before unto the water of a white colour but know that it must then be of another qualitie the matter of the vapour I mean for there are some kinde of waters as is well known which being boyled turn to white salt c. And as for a red colour the ordinarie rain sheweth that it is possible for we see that ordinary rain-water looketh alwayes more brown then spring or river-water being as if a more powerfull operation would turn it into red 8. The raining of wooll or hair is when a certain mossinesse like wooll such as is upon quinces willows and
art yes surely hath he And if man be so potent as to make his skill admired yea and by those who are men as well as he what may we think of the Maker of men but that his art is much more then commendable and his wisdome much more then matchlesse so that the world and all the parts thereof afford nothing but matter of wonder It is therefore an acclamation which deserves impression in the hearts of us mortall men Oh God how manifold are thy works in wisdome thou hast made them all And being made his providence doth sustain them The sixth question is concerning the saltnesse of the sea and freshnesse of rivers Aristotle in his second book of Meteors at the 3. chapter setteth down besides his own three opinions concerning this saltnesse One whereof is that the waters overflowing the earth in the beginning of the world were so dried up by the heat of the sunne that not onely the drie-land appeared but all those waters which remained being the sea were so sucked and robbed of their sweet savour that they could not but be salt Another opinion agreeing to that of Plato who generating the sea ex tartaro or from great and deep gulfs in the earth or with others drawing it through the bowels of the earth gave occasion to think that the water in it self was sweet and yet became salt by reason of the divers savours that it met withall in the ground or veins of the earth Which cause by the interpretours of Aristotle is also attributed to Anaxagoras Metrodorus as being pleasing to them For as water strained through ashes is endued with a certain tart and salt kinde of acrimonie so the sea is made salt by some such kinde of earth through which it passeth which is as others have also thought who suppose that the saltnesse of Mineralls doth much conduce to this purpose A third was the opinion of Empedocles who affirmed that the sea was but the sweat of the earth being as it were rosted by the heat of the sunne and was therefore salt because all sweat is of such a savour Now these three opinions Aristotle endeavoured to confute by severall reasons shewing other causes of the seas saltnesse And indeed had it been so with him that he could have repaired unto Moses then had the first opinion been struck dead more easily then it was because Moses would have told him that the drying of the earth and gathering of the waters were one day elder then either sunne or starres And for the second if it be taken in a qualified sense it is not much amisse for although Aristotle saith that if it be a true opinion then rivers would be salt as well as seas because they runne in the veins of the earth yet know that all and every vein is not of one and the same temper as is apparent by the differing qualitie of springing waters As for the third it seemeth rather a ridiculous then philosophicall opinion for sweat is but a small part of that humour contained in any bodie that yeeldeth sweat but the sea is not the smallest part of humour in the bodie of the earth therefore it neither causeth the sea nor saltnesse of it But beside all these there are other opinions also Wherefore some again have attributed the cause to adust vapours partly let fall on the sea and partly raised from it to the brinks and face thereof Others to the motion of the sea Some to under-earth or rather under-sea fires of a bituminous nature causing both the motion and saltnes also Others to an hot and drie aspiration exhaled out of the earth and mixed with the water of the sea But that which followeth seemeth absolutely the best namely that it is effected by the working of the sunne which draweth out the purer and finer parts leaving the grosser and more base behinde even as in this little world of our bodies the purest part of our nourishment being employed in and on the bodie the urine and other excrements remaining do retain a perfect saltnesse Unto which opinion they also assent who affirm that the saltnesse is radically or originally in the matter of the water which must be so understood as the water hath in it an earthy kinde of substance of a drying nature which as I suppose was not first in the matter of the waters before they were gathered unto this one place where now they are because as is reported and written there be salt mines in sundry places as in a certain hill in Barbary out of which perfect salt is digged and used for salt after it is made clean and beaten small All which doth greatly commend the providence and wisdome of God For it is not unlike but that the sea was by his wisdome and providence gathered into such salt valleys of the earth as were otherwise barren and unfruitfull with which substance the gathered water being mixed must needs partake both of an earthy matter and also of a salt savour yet so as this salt savour cannot be drawn out and sensibly perceived in the mixture of many sweet humours joyned with it without a separation first made by the heat of the sunne of the thinner parts from the thicker And so the sunne is a disponent though not a productive cause of this saltnesse Now this opinion may be strengthened by many reasons First because sea-sea-water when it is boyled doth evaporate a dewie or watrie humour which being collected and kept together hath a sweet tast or savour Secondly because vapours drawn from the sea and turned into rain are void of saltnesse Thirdly because the sea in summer and towards the South as Aristotle affirmeth is more salt then elsewhere which cometh to passe in that the sunne at that time and place draweth away more of the sweet humours then at other times Fourthly because the sea is fresher towards the bottome then at the top as some have found by using practises to experience it Fifthly because as Aristotle again testifyeth if an emptie vessel sealed up with wax be by some means or other caused to sink into the sea and there let lie for a certain space it will at the last be filled with very fresh and sweet water issuing in through the insensible small pores of the wax for by this manner of passing into the vessel the thin is strained from the thick yea by this means the earthy and adust part which carrieth the saltnesse in it is excluded whilest the other is admitted For in every salt savour two things are required viz. an adustion and an earthie kinde of substance of a drying nature both which are found in the sea For according to the testimonie of Physicians sea-sea-water doth heat and drie more then other waters and is also more ponderous or heavie yea and it doth more easily sustain a heavie burden giving it lesse leave to sink then the fresh silver-seeming streams And thus we see
how the sea comes to be salt It followeth to shew why rivers be not salt as well as seas Now for the better explaining of this the first thing considerable will be concerning the originall of fountains and rivers Aristotle handled them amongst Meteors of a watry kinde because he supposed that there was the same originall of rivers within the earth which was of watry Meteors in the aire above the earth For if this aire saith he coming neare to the nature of a vapour is by cold turned into water then the aire which is in the caverns of the earth may be by the same cause condensed into water also According to which grounds we cannot but make this the originall of fountains and rivers namely that they are ingendred in the hollow concavities of the earth and derive both their birth and continuall sustenance from the aire which piercing the open chinks or chasma's of the earth and congealed by the cold of those places dissolveth into water as we see the aire in winter nights to be melted into a pearlie dew sticking on our glasse windows and being grown to some quantitie it will either finde a way or make a way to vent its superfluitie All which agreeth very well to the nature of the aire which seeing it is hot and moist the heat being gone it is thickened and so easily turned into water And as for a continuall running of rivers caused by this water it is saith Aristotle by a perpetuall succession of new aire But to this opinion we may not absolutely make subscription for although aire may be thus converted into water yet the sole matter of rivers cannot come from hence it may haply be an helping cause but not a prime or principall cause For first sith the aire is a thin subtil bodie there is necessarily required an abundance of aire to make but a little quantitie of water insomuch that it is not doubted by some without cause whether the dennes and hollow places of the earth be vast enough to receive so much aire as can make water enough to runne along untill it break out into a river or spring Secondly there be many fountains which have as it were a kinde of ebbing and flowing at certain direct and set times which they keep as constantly as the very sea it self As for example among other strange rivers Plinie makes mention of Dodon Jupiters fountain which evermore decreaseth from midnight untill noon thence it increaseth untill midnight again And in the island Delus the fountain of Inopus as he also affirmeth keeps his course with Nilus Also he makes mention of a little island in the sea over against the river Timavus or Brenta in Italie having certain fountains in it which increase and decrease according to the ebbing and flowing of the vast bodie of Amphitrite or the sea Wherefore the wise man Siracides thought more truely Ecclus. 40. 11. concerning these things affirming that all things which are of the earth shall turn to the earth again and that which is of the waters doth turn again into the sea Which saying of his I do not say is much strengthened but absolutely confirmed by one more authentick then it self namely by that of Solomon Eccles 1. 7. where it is witnessed that all rivers runne into the sea yet the sea is not full unto the place from whence the rivers come thither they return again Which testimonie makes it plain that the sea is the principall cause of all rivers and if therefore Aristotles aëriall vapours have any thing to do in this generation it is as much as nothing yet that which they are able to do I imagine they perform joyning themselves with the currents which come from the sea and so they runne together in the veins of the earth either untill free leave be given them to come abroad or that like Hannibal in the Alps they work themselves a way Now in this there is little or no difference between Solomon and Plato together with the ancient Philosophers before him although Aristotle dissenteth For that which Solomon calleth the sea Plato calleth the great gulf of the earth saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Ad illum hiatum omnes fluvii confluunt ex hoc vicissim omnes effluunt that is Into this gulf all rivers do both flow or assemble themselves and also by their courses come or flow out again But what need more words It is without controversie that rivers have their first originall from the sea that is the fountain-head from whence all fountains have their heads Neither can the saltnesse of the sea and freshnesse of rivers stop this current For concerning springs it is true indeed that they are fresh and this freshnesse notwithstanding their salt originall may be ascribed to percolation and straining through the narrow spungie passages of the earth which makes them leave behinde as an exacted toll the colour thicknesse and saltnesse So that you see sea water though in it self of a salt and brackish savour by passing through divers windings and turnings of the earth is deprived of all unpleasantnesse and by how much the spring-heads of rivers are remote from the sea by so much are their waters affected with a delightfull relish yea and why they ascend up to the highest mountains already hath been declared Unto which may be added that they come not with a direct course from the sea unto those hills neither do they ascend directly upwards on the sudden but by degrees and so winding themselves through many crooked passages and turnings they do as it were scrue themselves up to the convenientest place of breaking out and cannot go back because the sea is a farre heavier bodie then the vein that cometh from it even as the bloud in our veins is nothing in proportion to the liver from whence each vein of bloud hath its first beginning But I draw towards a conclusion adding in the last place that of waters be they seas or rivers we have a threefold use and benefit First that out of them drink may be afforded to man and beast as it is Psal. 104. 11. They give drink to every beast of the field the wilde asses quench their thirst c. Secondly that running through the earth as bloud through the bodie by interlacing it and sometimes overwhelming it they make the earth able to produce those fruits which are necessary for the life of man which benefit of overflowing so fattens the whole land of Egypt that the priests of that countrey did thereupon ascribe the beginning of time or of every thing that now is to that time of the yeare when their Nilus overflowed or when it first began to lift up it self above the banks and diffuse an ample portion of manuring bountie into the lap of the land which is as good to them as if Iupiter should descend in a golden shower And for other places where there be
no such luckie flouds there it is found that these bounteous watrie bodies yeelding vapours do purchase for them such dropping showers of rain that the valleys stand so thick with corn that they laugh and sing and therefore these are great benefits challenging most humble thanks as it is Psal. 107. The third is that they can quell the rage of the hottest element and keep our mansions from cinders or a flamie conversion into ashes The fourth is that they yeeld us an easinesse and speedinesse of conduct and traffick by which each place partaketh of the blessings of every place Yea these and many more are the benefits of water without which the life of man could not be sustained But here I contract my sails and end this question for by coming on the shore I shall the better view that which remaineth concerning this liquid element Wherefore it followeth The next and last question propounded was concerning the fluxion and refluxion of the sea wherein I purpose as neare as I can to shew both why seas have that alternate motion as also why such murmuring brooks and rivers as do not ebbe and flow are destitute of the foresaid courses The motion of the sea is either naturall or violent The first is performeth on its own accord the other it doth not but by some externall force compelling it The first being a naturall motion is such as is in every other water namely that all waters do evermore flow into the lowest place because they have an heavinesse or ponderositie in them And thus the ocean naturally floweth from the North where it is highest unto the South as the lower place for there in regard of the great cold the waters are not onely kept from drying up but also increased whilest much aire is turned into water whereas in the South by reason of great heat they are alwayes sucked up and diminished Now this motion is called a motion of Equation because it is for this end namely that the superficies of the water may be made equall and distant alike on every side from the centre of gravitie The other being that which dependeth upon some externall cause is such as may be distinguished into a threefold motion One is rapt and caused by force of the heavens whereby it floweth from East to West The second is a motion of Libration in which the sea striving to poise it self equally doth as it were wave from one opposite shore to another And note that this is onely in such as are but strait and narrow seas being a kinde of trepidation in them or as I said before a motion of Libration just like a rising and falling of the beam of an equall-poised balance which will not stand still but be continually waving to and fro The third and last is Reciprocatio or Aestus maris called the ebbing and flowing of the sea The cause of which hath added no little trouble nor small perplexitie to the brains of the best and greatest Philosophers Aristotle that master of knowledge helps us little or nothing in this question And yet Plutarch affirmeth that he attributed the cause to the motion of the sunne Others have gathered from him that he seemed to teach it was by certain exhalations which be under the water causing it to be driven to and fro according to contrary bounds and limits But howsoever he taught or whatsoever he thought this we finde that nothing troubled him more For as Coelius Rhodiginus writeth when he had studied long about it and at the last being weary he died through the tediousnesse of such an intricate doubt Some say he drowned himself in Negropont or Euripus because he could finde no reason why it had so various a fluxion and refluxion ebbing and flowing seven times a day at the least adding before that his untimely and disastrous precipitation these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quandoquidem Aristoteles non cepit Euripum Euripus capiat Aristotelem That is Although Aristotle hath not taken Euripus yet Euripus shall take Aristotle meaning that that should end him whose cause could not be comprehended by him But leaving Aristotle we shall finde as little help from his master Plato who as did also the Stoicks attributed the cause to the breath of the world Such also have been the fancies of others among whom Kepler may not be forgotten who in good earnest affirmeth and beleeveth that the earth is a great living creature which with the mightie bellows of her lungs first draweth in the waters into her hollow bowels then by breathing respires them out again A prettie fiction this and well worthy the pen of some fabling poet rather then to be spoken in good sober sadnesse and affirmed as a truth Others would have the cause to be by reason of waters in the holes of the earth forced out by spirits which comes something neare to that before concerning the breath of the world A third sort attribute the cause to the circular motion of the earth affirming that there is a daily motion of the earth round about the heavens which it performeth in 24 houres the heavens in the mean time onely seeming to move and not moving in very deed This opinion came first from the Pythagoreans and is defended by the Copernicanians as an effect of the foresaid motion As for example the earth moving swiftly round the water not able to follow the motion is left behinde and caused to flow to and fro like as in a broad shallow vessel may be seen for put water in such a vessel and let it be swiftly pulled forward and then you shall see that by being left behinde it will beat it self against the one side before the other can at all partake of its company and so it is also in the earth leaving the waters behinde whilest it moveth But if this opinion be true first tell me how it comes to passe that the sea doth not ebbe and flow alwayes at one and the same time but altereth his course and is every day about one houre later then other Secondly shew me why the tides are at one time of the moneth higher then at another Thirdly let me be informed why broad lakes and large rivers do not flow as well as seas Fourthly let me be rightly instructed how it comes to passe that things tend to the earth as their centre if the sunne as Copernicus and his followers imagine be the centre of the world Fifthly shew me why the aire in the middle Region is not rather hot then cold for surely if the earth should move round with a diurnall motion as they maintain then the middle Region must be either farre higher then it is or else the aire would be so heated by going round that the coldnesse in it would be either little or none at all for it is a ruled case that Remotio à motu circulari dat quietem frigiditatem et gravitatem sicut
sometimes constraining it to sink below them In an ebbe he heaves it up and in a floud he lets it sink As improbable also is that of some others who imagine one Angel to be an Angel of the water whose office is as in the pool of Bethesda to move the waters to and fro and for proof of this that place is alledged in the Revelation where when the vials were poured out upon the kingdome of the beast one of the Angels is called an Angel of the waters But know that the same answer made before concerning the moving of the windes will serve to stop this gap Or were it so that we must be tied to a literall sense the compulsion overthrows the assertion because he is called an Angel of the waters not for that he causeth them to ebbe and flow but because it was his office to corrupt them and turn them into bloud More probable was their opinion who attribute the cause to certain subterranean or under-under-sea fires whose matter is of neare akin to the matter of the Moon and therefore according to her motion they continue their times of burning and burning they make the sea so to boyl as that it is a tide or high-high-water but going out the sea sinks again But now if this opinion were true then the water in a tide would be thinner through the heat which causeth it to ascend thinner then at other times and so a ship carrying one and the same weight would sink deeper in a floud then in an ebbe which experience shews to be otherwise Yea were it so that there were such supposed fires in the bottome of the sea causing it to swell up like boyled water then it would also follow that the sea-water would be so hot that it might not be touched For if the heat of the supposed fire be sufficient to make it ascend it is sufficient also to make it hot which would appeare lesser in an ebbe then in a floud Wherefore omitting these and the like opinions the most allowable is to attribute this flux and reflux to the effects of the divers appearances of the Moon For we see by experience that according to the courses of the Moon the tides are both ordered and altered By which it is not improbable that the waters are drawn by the power of the Moon following her daily motion even as she is carried with the Primum Mobile Yea were it not so that the sea were hindered by some accident some have supposed that these waters would go round from East to West in 24 houres and so round again even day by day The accident hindering this circular motion is in regard that the West ocean sea is shot in between the firm land of America on the West part and the main land of Africa and Europe on the East part But were it so that there were no such accidentall let in the sea to be hindered by the land it would orderly follow the Moon and go daily round And seeing also it is hindered by such an impediment it is a probable conjecture to think that it cannot but be forced to retire for the firm land beats it back again Thus Mr William Bourn in the 5 book of his treasure for travellers chap. 6. determineth Others there be who attributing the cause to the moon do demonstrate it after another manner namely that through her influence she causeth these alternate motions and this influence of hers worketh according to the quadrate and opposite aspects of her position in the heavens or according to the quadrate and opposite configurations from that place where she was at the beginning For the seas saith a well learned writer begin to flow when the moon by her diurn rapt motion from East to West cometh to the nine a clock point in the morning or is South-east then they will continue flowing untill she come to a quadrate aspect or to 90 degrees which will be about 3 of the clock in the afternoon or be South-west when they cease from flowing and begin to ebbe continuing so untill she come to 180 degrees or the opposite place which will be somewhat after nine of the clock at night being the opposite place to that from which she began her flowing Then again they begin to flow and so continue untill she attain to 270 degrees from her first place which will be after three in the morning And then lastly they begin to ebbe and so continue still untill the moon come to that place where she was at the beginning for there the floud begins again Thus it is ordinarily yet her illumination the sunne and other starres may hasten hinder or something alter the moons influence as we see in spring-tides at the change and full and neap-tides at quarters and half quarters of the moon confessed by those who have been great masters in Astrologie And let this also be known that though the moon have dominion over all moist bodies yet not alike because of other causes concurring as the indisposition or unfitnesse of the subject or for want of matter and the like considerations As for example though it be probable that there be tides in mari Atlantico yet they are not to be perceived by reason of the vast widenesse and profunditie thereof in other places also of the sea are no tides being hindered by the strength of some current which prevaileth and in fresh water there is no tide because of the raritie thinnesse and subtiltie thereof which cannot retain the influence of the moon And note also that in such havens and rivers as ebbe and flow there may be great diversitie which cometh to passe both according to the indraught as also by reason of the crooked and narrow points and turnings of the banks which do let and stay the tide from that which is the common and ordinary course in the main bodie of the sea but afterwards when it is in and hath taken his sway then it cannot so soon reverse back but must continue untill the water behinde it be descended or ebbed into the sea The river Thames may serve as an instance in this for it is not a full sea in all places of it at one instant being three parts of a floud at the lands end before it can be any floud at London But were it so that there were no creeks islands straits turnings or other accidentall hinderances then there should be no difference found in any sea but the whole bodie should be swayed up and down with a constant course whereas since it is otherwise the times for every such place must be once found out that thereby they may be known for ever Wherefore the cavils of some men are nothing worth who by bringing particular and rare perhaps vain examples do think to take away this power from the moon For sith this lunar regiment is pertinent to most seas and that all our ocean doth follow her the exceptions taken
flows out of the same lake makes them white See Plin. in the 103. chap. of his 2 book Plinie also in the former book and chapter makes mention of the river Xanthus which will make the flocks turn red if they drink the water Solinus affirmeth the like of a fountain in Arabia neare to the red-Red-sea saying in littore maris istius fontem esse quem si oves biberint mutent vellerum qualitatem at fulvo postmodum nigrescant colore To which purpose we may heare Du Bartas descant thus Cerona Xanth and Cephisus do make The thirsty flocks that of their waters take Black red and white And neare the crimson deep Th' Arabian fountain maketh crimson sheep Seneca speaketh of a river which maketh horses red Now these things may be as Dr. Fulk yeelds probable conjecture in that the qualitie of the water may alter the complexion and the complexion being altered the colour of their wooll and hairs may be changed Aristotle in his 3 book chap. 12 de histor animal maketh mention of such like waters also as there is a river in Assyria called Psychrus of that coldnesse which causeth the sheep that drink thereof to yean black lambes in Antandria there are two rivers the one maketh the sheep white the other black the river Scamander doth die them yellow Dr. Will. in his Hexap on Gen. ex Aristot. Plinie makes mention of the Hammonian fountain saying Iovis Hammonis fons interdiu frigidus noctibus fervet The fountain of Jupiter Hammon is cold in the day time and hot in the night Like unto which is that which he calleth the fountain of the Sunne excepting that the water is sweet at noon and bitter at midnight but for the times of cold and heat it is like to the other fountain lib. 2. cap. 103. Some seem to think that this may be the reason namely that the cold humidity of the night nourisheth the heat and by an Antiperistasis causeth it to reinforce it self inward But by day the Sunne-beams sucking up that heat which is in the surface that is to say above the water remaineth cold Others determine thus saying that this may be by the same reason that well-water is colder in summer then it is in winter We have in England wells which make wood and all things else that be cast into them stones the cause whereof is great cold Iosephus de Bello Iudaic. lib. 7. cap. 24. writeth that there is a river in Palestine which passeth between two cities called by these names viz. Arcen and Raphaneâ—… which river is admirable for an extraordinarie singularitie namely that having entertained his violent and swift course for the space of six dayes on the seventh it remaineth dry which being past it runneth as before and therefore is called the river of the Sabbath Du Bartas calleth it the Jews religious river Keeping his waves from working on that day Which God ordain'd a sacred rest for ay In Idumea was a well which one quarter of the yeare was troubled and muddy the next quarter bloudie the third green and the fourth cleare Isiodore makes mention of this and it is called the fountain of Job Seneca and others affirm that there be rivers whose waters are poyson now this may be in regard that they run through poysonous mineralls and receive infection from their fume and the like Such is the water Nonacrinis in Arcadia of which it is recorded that no vessell of silver brasse or iron can hold it but it breaketh in pieces onely a mules hoof and nothing else can contain it Some write that Alexander the great through the treacherie and plots of Antipater was poysoned with this water Curtius calleth it the water of Styx lib. 10. juxta finem In an isle of Pontus the river Astaces overfloweth the fields in which whatsoever sheep or other milch cattell be fed they alwayes give black milk This river Plinie forgetteth not lib. 2. cap. 103. It is reported that in Poland is a fountain so pestilent that the very vapour thereof killeth beasts when they approach unto it There be some waters which make men mad who drink of them Which is in a manner by the same reason that other fountains have made men drunk Some again spoil the memorie and make men very forgetfull which may very well be by procuring obstructions in the brain Fulk Seneca speaketh of a water that being drunk provoketh unto lust Plinie in the second chapter of his 31 book speaketh of certain waters in the Region of Campania which will take away barrennesse from women and madnesse from men And in Sicilia are two springs one maketh a woman fruitfull the other barren The foresaid Plinie in the same book and chapter saith that the river Amphrysus or Aphrodisium causeth barrennesse And again in his 25 book and 3 chapter he speaketh of a strange water in Germanie which being drunk causeth the teeth to fall out within two yeares and the joynts of the knees to be loosed Lechnus a spring of Arcadia is said to be good against abortions In Sardinia be hot wells that heal sore eyes and in Italie is a well which healeth wounds of the eyes In the isle of Chios is said to be a well which makes men abhorre lust and in the same countrey another whose propertie is to make men dull-witted Now these and the like qualities may as well be in waters which are mixed with divers mineralls and kindes of earth as in herbs roots fruits and the like The lake Pentasium as Solinus saith is deadly to serpents and wholesome to men And in Italie the lake Clitorie causeth those that drink of it to abhorre wine Fulk Met. lib. 4. Ortelius in the description of Scotland maketh mention of divers fountains that yeeld forth oyl in great quantitie which cometh to passe by reason of the viscositie or fatnesse of the earth where they passe and from whence they arise The like may be also said concerning pitchie streams c. Some waters are of that temper that men sink not in them although they know not how to swimme The like lake is said to be in Syria in which as Seneca relateth no heavie thing will sink That which Plinie writeth of the fountain Dodone lib. 2. cap. 103. is very strange whereupon Du Bartas makes this descant What should I of th' Illyrian fountain tell What shall I say of the Dodonean well Whereof the first sets any clothes on fire Th' other doth quench who but will this admire A burning torch and when the same is quenched Lights it again if it again be drenched There be some wells whose waters rise and fall according to the ebbing and flowing of the sea or of some great river unto which they are neare adjoyned The reason therefore of this is plain But strange is that which Dr Fulk mentioneth of the river Rhene in Germanie
which will drown bastard children that be cast into it but drive to land them that be lawfully begotten Or is not this strange which he also mentioneth of a certain well in Sicilia whereof if theeves drink they are made blinde by the efficacie of the water The like I finde in other authours concerning certain fountains in Sardinia for it is said that they have this marvellous propertie namely that if there be a cause to draw any one to his oath he that is perjured and drinketh thereof becometh blinde and the true witnesse seeth more clearely then he did before Solinus and Isiodore report it Solinus also and Aristotle make mention of a water called the Eleusinian or Halesinian spring which through the noise of singing or musick is moved as if it danced or capered up and down whereas at other times it is still and quiet But I conclude and as that honoured Poet cannot but say Sure in the legend of absurdest fables I should enroll most of these admirables Save for the reverence of th' unstained credit Of many a witnesse where I yerst have read it And saving that our gain-spurr'd Pilots finde In our dayes waters of more wondrous kinde Unto which in things that are strange and not fabulous let this also be added that God Almighty hath proposed infinite secrets to men under the key of his wisdome that he might thereby humble them and that seeing what meer nothings they are they might acknowledge that all are ignorant of more then they know for indeed this is a rule Maxima pars eorum quae scimus est minima pars eorum quae nescimus The greatest part of those things which we know is the least part of those things which we know not Sect. 3. Of the drie-land appearing after the gathering of the waters THe waters were no sooner gathered but the drie-land then appeared and this may be called the second part of the third dayes work For the end of the gathering of the waters was that the earth might shew it self and not onely so but that also it might appeare solid and drie Two things therefore saith Pareus did the earth in this act principally receive one was that it might be conspicuous the other that it might be solid and drie and both depended upon the law of great necessitie For first had it been continually covered with waters how could it have been a place for habitation either man must have been otherwise then he is or else the earth must as it was be uncovered Secondly were it uncovered and not also drie and solid it could not conveniently have bore up those living creatures weights and other things which tread and presse upon it Whereupon Expositours well witnesse that earth is so named from the Hebrew Erets which say they implieth a thing trod and runne upon by the creatures on it and heavenly orbs about it The same word spoken of particular places is englished land as the land or earth of Canaan and the like Here then it appeareth that this was that time when the earth received her proper elementarie qualitie which it had potentially before but not actually till now Now therefore it being not onely uncovered but also made drie it might easily be distinguished from the other three elements of fire aire and water For the proper qualitie of the fire is heat of the aire is moisture of the water is coldnesse and of the earth is drinesse These qualities I say are most proper and peculiar to them yet so as the aire is not onely moist but of a moderate heat as being nearest to the element of fire the water not onely cold but also moist as coming nearest to the nature of aire and the earth not onely drie but something cold as being hoast or landlord to the water and upon these terms the elements are combined together there being in all an harmonious order pointing to him who in number weight and measure hath constituted all things I will not go about to prove that the earth is the centre of the world for fear I should be like to him who disputed whether snow were white onely I will adde that even as an infant is potentially rationall by nature but is made rationall in act by youth or yeares so it was with the earth both before and after the drying of it Unto which let this also be joyned that the earth is not so arid or drie that it is void of all moisture for then it would be dissolved and fall into dust But it is arid and dry that it might be solid and firm retaining in the mean time even in the solid parts of it such a conveniencie of humour that all parts may both be glewed together and also have sufficient nutriment for the things which like to a teeming mother she either bringeth forth or nourisheth in her wombe Thus was the earth prepared and thus was it made a fit habitation for man to dwell on But as if man were not alwayes worthy to tread upon such a solid foundation we see it often shakes and quakes and rocks and rends it self as if it shewed that he which made it threatened by this trembling the impietie of the world and ruines of those which dwell upon the earth For though the efficient materiall and formall causes of an earthquake be naturall yet the finall is the signification of an angry God moved by the execrable crimes of a wicked people according to that of David in the 18 Psalme at the 7 verse The earth trembled and quaked the very foundations of the hills also shook and were removed because he was wroth Fear chills our hearts What heart can fear dissemble When steeples stagger and huge mountains tremble The Romanes in times past commanded by publick edict that prayers and supplications should be made in time of an earthquake but they must call upon no god by name as on their other holy-dayes for fear they mistook that god unto whom it belonged And the most ancient of the Grecians called Neptune the shaker and mover of the earth because they supposed that the cause proceeded from the fluctuations and flowings of waters up and down in the hollow places under ground Others thought that the shaking proceeded from the downfalls of subterranean dens or caves and that sometimes whole mountains sunk in and they caused the trembling But by that which I said before in the generation of windes it appeareth that what it is which is the cause of windes above the earth is also the cause of trembling and shaking in the earth For when it happeneth that aire and windie spirits or Exhalations be shut up within the caverns of the earth or have such passage as is too narrow for them they then striving to break their prisons shake the earth and make it tremble Now this imprisonment is said to be caused thus namely when the earth which is dry by nature
attraction between this stone and iron and the accretion which is caused by their reall contaction This I think may be supposed But I leave it to the readers further enquirie and abler examination 5. Asbestos is a stone of an iron colour which being once fired can hardly be ever quenched Plinie saith that it is to be found in the mountains of Arcadia Lib. 37. cap. 10. 6. Dendritis is a white precious stone which being put under a tree keepeth the ax that cutteth it from dulling Idem lib. 37. cap. 11. 7. Galactites is of an ash-colour it seemeth to sweat out a kinde of liquour like unto milk Plinie saith it increaseth milk in nurses and keeps the mouth of the childe moist if it be hanged about the neck c. some also say that it helpeth running of the eyes and ulcers 8. Amphitane is a precious stone of gold colour square and of the nature of the Loadstone almost excepting that it is said to draw gold unto it Plinie saith that this stone is also called Chrysocolla and is found in a part of India where the ants cast up gold from their hills Lib. 37. cap. 10. 9. Androdamas is a stone hard and heavie bright like silver and in form like divers little squares It putteth away rage of lecherie and as the magicians think saith Plinie it stoppeth the force of furie and anger 10. Pansebastos is a precious stone taking away barrennesse 11. There is also in Plinie mention made of the stone Thracius which being steeped in water burneth and sprinkles but it is quenched with oyl 12. Amiantus is a stone like unto alume this being put into the fire is not hurt nor slurried but rather more bright and cleare Unto which one patient in troubles and adversities may be likened for his afflictions harm him not but better him making him look in the middest of a fierie triall not like one slurried with repining but cleare and beautifull in the sight of heaven by refining But I conclude and with him who writeth thus cannot but say Oh mickle is the pow'rfull good that lies In herbs trees stones and their true qualities For nought so vile that on the earth doth live But to the earth some secret good doth give And nought so rich on either rock or shelf But if unknown lies uselesse to it self Therefore who thus doth make their secrets known Doth profit others and not hurt his own Now follow metalls of a more friable and brittle nature They are more mollified bodies may be easily brought into crumbes or dust are called precious earths something clammie and of a middle nature between stones and the lesse pliable metalls First I begin with Terra Lemnia which is an exceeding red earth of Lemnos isle digged in a red hill In old time this had Diana's seal upon it printed by her priests who were onely wont to wash this earth and now in Silesia and Hassia there is almost as good earth found It is of force to resist poison and to heal old putrified or festered wounds 2. Cinoper is a soft red stone found in mines otherwise called Vermilion of which Plinie speaketh in his 33 book at the 7 chapter saying that in times past it was not onely of great but of sacred esteem among the Romanes for they painted their gods with it as he tells us of Jupiters image whose face was coloured with Vermilion So Virgil also speaking of the shepherds god Pan saith that he was seen Sanguineis Ebuli baccis Minió que rubentem With bloudie Walwort berries stain'd And with Vermilion red Neither were their gods alone thus beautified but their own bodies also in publick feasts and triumphing solemnities as we reade again in Plinie that Camillus when he triumphed in Rome was painted with this Vermilion 3. Boâ—… Armenian or Bole Armoniack is of a pale red colour as easie to break as chalk being of a very binding nature and of great vertue against the plague and seeing it drieth it profiteth against all fluxes 4. Oker is a light clayie earth of a red or yellow colour 5. That which the Grecians call Arsenick the Latines call Auripigmentum but I had rather that Arsenick should be the generall name and that it be divided into 3 kindes namely into white red and yellow Orpment The white is that which is the common rats-bane Red Arsenick is called Sandaracha of a bright red colour used of painters and found in mines of gold and silver Yellow Orpment is the right Auripigmentum it is like unto Brimstone This if it be our common Arsenick is a very dangerous drug for it is hot and burning so as it gnaweth the stomack pierceth the bowels producing a fever with an intolerable and an unquenchable thirst 6. Red lead comes something neare to the nature of Vermilion and as Plinie writeth out of Homer was used by the Trojans and honoured before they knew Vermilion For as Theophrastus in Plinie witnesseth Callias of Athens first found out Vermilion thinking indeed to draw gold out of it Howbeit Red lead is no minerall but made artificially 7. Terra Samia is a white stiffe and tough earth coming from the isle Samos Plinie makes two kindes of it the one more glutinous then the other the other more â—…loddie lesse glutinous and whiter He saith there be those who preferre the first as best They are either of them good against spitting of bloud Lib. 35. cap. 16. 8. Chalk is a white earth which was first found in Creet and therefore in Latine it is called Creta But now we finde of it in many other places Plinie makes many kindes of Chalk all which are not white as in his 34 book at the 17 chapter is apparent Fullers earth being a chief kinde among them and that by others is called Creta Tasconia Brown Umber cometh also neare to the nature of the said earth Calx is Lime-Chalk which after it is burnt will be fired with water but quenched with oyl as authours write It is called Calx viva because it contains a kinde of hid fire in it 10 Ampelite is a pitchie earth cleaving and black being much like to that which we call Pit or Sea-coal as some imagine and haply the diversitie of climate causeth the difference There is also found another earth which Plinie calls Pignitis and some others Pnigitis and it is as black as this 11. Bitumen is a fat and tough moisture like Pitch and is called Earthy Pitch Or thus It is a kinde of clay or naturall Lime clammie like Pitch and is to be found in many countreys of Asia They who builded the tower of Babel used this in stead of Morter as appeareth in Gen. chapter the 11. And so did others also in old time making it in like manner burn in lamps in stead of oyl
This pitchie earth is of two kindes For it is either Hard or Liquid The Hard is more strongly concreted then the other being like unto clods of the earth or coals Or as some affirm it is tough and moist at the first swimming on the water but being taken forth it waxeth hard Of this kinde is 1 Asphaltus 2 Pissasphaltus 3 Succinum Asphaltus is a black Bitumen hard like stone-pitch cleare and smelling scarce so ill as Pitch It is found throughout Babylon and especially in the lake Asphaltites neare unto which stood those cities of Sodome and Gomorrah that were consumed with fire and brimstone and where also do as yet grow apples which according to Solinus are fair and fresh without but within are full of Sulphur and being handled they fall all to ashes In which they are Emblemes of the vanities of this world alwayes seeming more then they are Pissasphaltus is said to be Mummie or a kinde of Bitumen somewhat differing from Asphaltus and is not seldome found in clods rolling from mount Ceravine to the Sea as authours witnesse In stead of this it is supposed that we have counterfeit Mummie often out of Syria Egypt and some other places which is taken from poore mens bodies that die there For in stead of Myrrhe Aloes Cassia c. which the rich men have in their burialls and embalmings the poore are dressed and stuffed up with Bitumen This therefore which is but counter feit is nothing else but a corrupted humour taken out of old tombes which there droppeth from embalmed bodies and most ridiculously in my opinion do they erre who say it is made of mans flesh boyled in Pitch It is hot in the second degree and good against all bruisings spitting of bloud and divers other diseases Succinum is a Bituminous suck or juice of the earth being hard as if it were a kinde of stone It is of three colours White Yellow and Black The White and Yellow are called Amber and the Black is Iet They make beads of Amber And some would have this Amber to be rather a gumme growing on a tree then to be a suck of the earth The tree by some is called Ibex Romana But as others report out of Dioscorides it falleth in manner of a liquour from Poplar trees into the riuer Po in Italie where it congealeth and becometh hard in that form as we see it Iet hath more plentie of fatnesse in it then Amber and therefore it will burn like a candle and smelleth like the Pine-tree It hath an attractive vertue in it to draw chaffe straws and such other light stuffe unto it especially if it be rubbed till it be hot And these are the kindes of Hard Bitumen The Liquid and soft is like an oyly moisture flowing and is of divers colours according to the varietie of the place but the white is said to be most precious And for the kindes the chief are these Naphtha and Amber of Arabia Naphtha is a liquid Bitume like unto chalkie clay or as it were the fat of Bitume whereunto if fire be put it kindleth in such wise that if a little water be cast thereon it burneth more vehemently And indeed it hath in it such a fiery force that it will draw fire unto it although it be farre off When it is found to flow out of rocks then it is called Naphtha Petreolum and by some taken for oyl In the island Sicilie are fountains from whence great store of this liquour floweth which they frequently burn in Lamps Amber of Arabia is Bitume of an ash colour and of a fragrant sweet smell desired and sought after as a most precious merchandise It is found in Arabia felix neare unto a town which is called Sichris Howbeit Olaus Magnus calleth that Amber which is Sperma Ceâ—… but then it is Ambergreese and rather the spawn then the seed 12. From Bitume I come to Alume which is said to be a salt sweat of the earth according to Plinie congealing it self with a glutinous earth and water It is either white or black The white is either cleare or thick The cleare is softer and fatter then the other This is Roch-Alume and if paper be washed with this it will bear ink very well although it be bad The thick is more hard and of a grayer colour Black Alume is found in Cyprus and with this gold is purified and purged They that desire more may reade Plinie in his 35 book at the 15 chapter 13. Vitriol is a suck of the earth concreted obtaining the perspicuitie of glasse some call it Chaâ—…canthum which word may signifie either Copperas or Vitriol This suck is very poysonous 14. Salt is called Sal à saliendo because when it is put into the fire it skippeth and danâ—…eth It is a friable metall begotten of a waterish and earthie moisture mixt and decocted together the efficient cause whereof is the heat of the sunne and other starres who out of a salt matter drawing away the thinner and the sweeter parts leave the earthie still behinde which being throughly rosted by heat become salt For there be two things requisite in a salt savour The first are drie and earthie parts The other is an adustion of the said parts as Philosophers witnesse Salt hath force to binde to scowre and purge to disperse make thin and the like which thing Physicians can best declare There be 2 kindes Naturall and Artificiall The Naturall is digged Salt The Artificiall is made or boiled Salt Digged Salts are gotten either from the earth or from the waters as some distinguish Salts digged out of the earth be principally of foure kindes The first is Salt Ammonaick This is found in Africa under sand and is something like unto alume It is said to be hot and drie in the fourth degree and serveth to purge slimie humours Some affirm that that which Apothecaries sell in black clods is made of Camels stale and because store of Camels be in Armenia it is called Armâ—…niack The second is Salt of Indie of which you may reade in Plinie lib. 31. cap. 7. that it is digged out of mount Oramene and that the King hath there a greater yearely pension or custome then out of gold and precious stones The third is called Salt-gem which is a kinde of glittering Salt white and shining after the manner of Crystall Sometimes it is also called stonie marblie Salt Salt Dacian or Sarmatick Salt The fourth is called Salt-nitre and this is that which we call Salt-peter found in drie places under ground and in hollow rocks Of this is made that fatall dust called Pulvis Bombardicus or Gunne-powder the invention whereof was after this manner A Germane Monk or Frier of the order of S. Francis whose name was Bertholdus Swart being very studious in Alchymie was one evening for the finding
out of some experiment very busie in tempering brimstone sulphureous powder of dried earth and certain other ingredients in a mortar which he covered with a stone and growing dark he took a tinder-box to light him a candle into which whilest he assayed to strike some fire a spark by chance flew into the mortar where catching hold of the brimstone and salt-peter it fired with a sudden flash and violently blew up the stone The cunning Chymist guessing which of his ingredients it was that produced this effect never left till he found it out then taking an iron pipe he crammed it full of the said ingredient together with some stones and putting fire to it he saw that with great furie and noise it discharged it self Soon after he communicated this his invention to the Venetians who having been often vanquished by the Genowaies did by help of these bombards or gunnes give them a notable discomfiture which was in the yearâ—… of our Lord 1380 as Bucholcerus writeth in his chronologie saying Hoc tempore BOMBARD Ae ad hominum perniciem inventae sunt excogitatâ—… à Bertholdo Nigro Chymista ut quidam volunt Monacho Germano Wherein we see that he calls them bombards invented for the ruine of men For by these saith he it comes to passe that now in a manner all the force of the footmen all the splendour of the horse and all right warlike power doth shamefully cease lie dead faint and dull Polydore also saith that of all other instruments which ever were devised to the destruction of man the gunnes be most devilish In which regard sith he was not well instructed concerning the Almains name that invented them he addeth yet thus much more saying For the invention he received this benefit that his name was never known lest he might for this abominable device be cursed and evill spoken of as long as the world remaineth And in the continuation of Carions chronicle by Caspar Peucer it is also said that about the beginning of Wanceslaus his reigne That raging kinde of engine and tormenting torture which from the sound we call a bombard was found out by a Monk the devil being the chiefest enginer or master-workman For it was their care that seeing the authoritie of idle superstitions should decline and fade by little and little which through these authors had bewitched the mindes of mortalls and cast them into eternall destruction this might therefore succeed by them the same authours as another kinde of mischief which should rage against their bodies as that other had done against their souls To this purpose Peucer And indeed an experiment of his speech we then beheld when the upholders of that tottering kingdome would have traiterously tried to have sent at once even all the peers of this our land piece-meal into the aire But he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep The Lord himself was our keeper so that their sulphureous fire could neither burn us by day nor sâ—…are us by night although Faux were taken the night before among the barrells and wished that then sith he had done so much and could do no more his match with fire had toucht the powder Oh never let the mem'rie of that day Flie from our hearts or dully slide away God thought on us that we remembring this Might think on him whose hand defendeth his But whither am I transported now These foure although they be the principall kindes of salt digged from the ground yet there be other also amongst which those Spanish mountains would be remembred where there is a salt cut out and drawn as stones are out of a quarrie in which place it afterwards increaseth and filleth up the gap with more salt again Du Bartas calls this the brine-quar-hill in Arragon And as for Salt digged out of waters or watrie places or not digged from under ground it is thus caused namely by the heat of the sunne percocting those waters which are extreamly salt For when salt waters are throughly concocted by the sunne they are so dried congealed and thickened that in their shores by their banks and often upon their very surfaces or superficies they render liberally good store of Salt Thus in the summer time is the Tarentine lake of which Plinie speaketh turned into â—…alt the salt being in the surface of the waters to the depth of a mans knee So also in Sicilie in the lake Coranicus And in some rivers the water is known to runne underneath in its ordinary course whilest the uppermost part is turned into salt as about the Caspian straits which are called the rivers of salt and also neare the Mardi and Armenians whose countreys are in Asia But leaving these I come to the second kinde of Salt which is artificiall and made or boiled salt For although the matter be naturall yet the making is by art From whence it comes to passe that of one and the same salt water this man will boil better Salt then that man and he then another Yea some out of water lesse salt will boil and make better Salt then others out of fountains more salt Many be the places where they make Salt after this manner by boiling of salt water neither is this kingdome of ours destitute of such fountains or wells For at the towns called the Witches in Cheshire there is a brinie water which by boiling is turned into white Salt And the same water is said to be as good to powder any kinde of flesh as brine for within 24 houres it will powder beef sufficiently A great blessing of God to raise up such springs for our use so farre within the land as also an evident argument that the Sea is made salt by the substance of the ground of which I have spoken my minde already And here unto all this I could adde the necessitie of Salt which is such that we cannot well live without it and therefore it is the first thing that is set on the table and ought to be the last taken away according as one translateth out of Schola Salerni saying Salt should be last remov'd and first set down At table of a Knight or countrey clown This I confesse as pertinent might be added but it is now high time to put a period to the discourse of this dayes work Take the rest therefore all in one word and then it is thus The eve and morn conclude the third of dayes And God gives to his work deserved praise CHAP. VII Concerning the fourth day together with such things as are pertinent to the work done in it Sect. 1. Being as it were a kinde of entrance into this dayes work which treateth of the starres and lights THe structure of the earth being adorned with herbs trees and plants in the third or former day Moses now returns to shew both how when God beautified the heavens bedecking that vaulted roof with shining lights and beauteous
part whereof is circa mundi medium from whence may be had in readinesse alwayes that which is sufficient to water and fructifie the earth and leave a place for habitation The other circa mundi extremum as in a great treasure and plentifull store-house from whence per mediam aëris naturam both the starres are cherished their beams made wholesome to the world and also the expense of these lower waters salved in what is needfull for the earth as a bad debter either sends back none or little of that which it borrowed not being easily turned into any other element From whence saith he we may answer that question amongst the ancient Ethnick Philosophers mentioned by Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unde nutriatur mundus And indeed for mine own part I also think that the starres are of such a nature or substance that in their kinde they stand in need of daily sustentation like a lamp which can burn no longer then the oyl lasteth which ever feeds it For the heavens are subject to change and alteration neither is there any necessitie compelling us to attribute a quintessence to either of them especially seeing we are certain that the world is not eternall but that we may as well and as probably grant them to be of the same nature with the elements as formerly I have related Which being granted I suppose them to be chiefly of a fierie nature and this perhaps they took from the highest part of the aire in the supream height of heaven which reacheth to the utmost extent of the out-spread firmament For there is that which we call the Elementarie fire there I say and not in a lower place although Aristotle would have it in concavo lunae or next under the orb of the moon of which see more in the second dayes work And herein I do willingly also embrace the opinion of Plato that the starres for the most part are fierie yet so as they in some sort participate also of the other elements that thereby their bodies may be as it were glewed together and firmly concreted into a durable lump differing no otherwise from a Comet then ice doth from crystall or a cleare solid gemme from bright brittle glasse An experiment whereof we have in that new starre of Cassiopea's chair which because it was of a more solid composition then ordinarie comets and of a nearer nature to the matter of the continuing starres did therefore appeare like one of them lasted a long while with them before it was extinguished for had it not been exalted to a great perfection and solid composition of the parts it had been gone extinct and vanished a long while sooner And in granting to them something of every element although their greatest portion especially in the sunne be fierie it comes to passe that they have differing qualities of which see more afterwards in the Astrologicall part of this dayes work Neither shall I need to stand upon it as a thing necessary for me to prove whether they make warm the aire and us by any heat which is formally in them or by the attrition made with their beams Onely know that it is hotter in summer then in winter because when the beams of the sunne come nearest to a perpendicular trajection their heat is the greater because their reflexion is the stronger But leaving this give me leave to proceed and to prosecute more fully the matter in hand that thereby I may shew my meaning now more clearely concerning the daily nourishment of these bright heavenly lamps For as hath been said seeing their chiefest matter is of that nature of which it appeareth to be they must of necessitie be nourished out of some store-house or other otherwise the world comes to decay impavidum ferient ruinae and the very ruines will strike him who fears it not For satisfaction therefore in this it cannot be amisse to remember the opinion amongst sundry of the ancient Philosophers who said the truth and yet erred in declaring it as Cleanthes who allowed the matter of the sunne to be fierie and that it was nourished by humours attracted from the ocean Also Anaximander and Diogenes after whom Epicurus and the Stoicks thought in like manner that the sunne was nourished by waters and lest it should perish through any defect of aliment they fondly supposed that the oblique motion which it had from one Tropick to another was to finde out moist humours that thereby it might live perpetually Now these things very worthily were held by Aristotle to be ridiculous and absurd as in the second book of his Meteors at the second chapter is apparent Yet neverthelesse succeeding times did in a manner pitch still upon the same tenents and would not onely have the sunne and rest of the Planets but even all the other starres nourished by vapours and watrie humours as well as they For amongst others it was Cicero's opinion in his second book De natura deorum making the sea and waters of the earth their daily store-house See also Seneca in his 6 book and 16 chapter of Naturall questions and Plutarch in libello de Iside and Plinie in his Naturall historie lib 2. cap. 9. whose words are these Sydera verò haud dubiè humore terreno pasci c. These indeed spake the truth but as I said before they erred in declaring it For it is nothing probable neither may it be granted that all the seas or waters in the world are able to afford moisture enough for such a purpose And therefore smile I at those fable-forgers Whose busie-idle style so stiffly urges The heav'ns bright Saphires to be living creatures Ranging for food and hungry fodder-eaters Still sucking up in their eternall motion The earth for meat and for their drink the ocean Nor can I see how th' earth and sea should feed So many starres whose greatnesse doth exceed So many times if starre-divines say troth The greatnesse of the earth and ocean both For here our cattell in a moneth will eat Sev'n times the bulk of their own bulk in meat Wherefore be pleased to call to minde what was formerly mentioned in the second day concerning the waters above the heavens set apart from these below by the out-spread Firmament but how it is that there they are and that the out-spread Firmament is able to uphold them let the alledged reasons in the foresaid day be again remembred And then observe that these waters were certainly separated for some purpose for Deus Natura nihil faciunt frustra God and Nature make nothing in vain He made all things in number weight and measure saith Solomon so that there is nothing which was not made for something I do therefore consent again to those who suppose that these waters do daily nourish and cherish the starres thereby also so tempering and ordering their beams that they may remain wholesome to the world turning also and attenuating those drops with
it should be exceeding the exactest measure which can be had by the quantitie of eleven minutes or there abouts causing thereby by little and little to be an apparent anticipation of the Equinoctiall and Solstitiall points insomuch that the Vernall equinox whose place at the first Councel of Nice was upon the 21 day of March is now come to be upon the 10 day of March The reformation of which errour hath been wished for by divers learned men and in some sort performed by Pope Gregorie the 13 using likewise in it the help of Christopher Clavius and some others who in the yeare 1582 brought back the Equinoctiall day to the same place it was at the said Nicene Councel by cutting off 10 dayes in the moneth of October writing in the Calender next after the fourth day the fifteenth day by means whereof all their moneths begin ten dayes sooner then ours as do also all those feasts whose place is fixed and not moveable Now in this reformation it was likewise ordered that the yeare should consist of 365 dayes 5 houres and 49 minutes And that the Equinox might not be subject any more to anticipation in 400 yeares they thought it fit to omit three Leap-yeares The first whereof will fall into the yeare of Christ 1715 the second into the yeare 1848 and the third into the yeare 1982 if God suffer the frame of the world to stand so long Howbeit in thus doing although the alteration will be very little yet the reformation is not exactly true because there is an inequalitie of anticipation in the Equinoctiall as the great Masters in Astronomie teach us being as they say in some ages more and in some lesse But seeing as I said the alteration will be very little if it ever come to that it is fit the Leap-year be then omitted And thus am I come now to the end likewise of this fourth dayes work wherein after my plain manner I have discoursed upon every such thing as is pertinent to the work done in it Let me therefore concluding say with Moses The Eve and Morn confine the fourth of dayes And God gives to his work deserved praise CHAP. VIII Concerning the creatures created in the Fifth day of the world and they were Fishes and Fowls Sect. 1. Of Fishes their kindes properties c. NOw follow the works of the Fifth day which when I consider I cannot but admire the harmonious order which the Almightie observeth in the whole progresse of his creating For as yet the world was but like an emptie house without inhabitants a stately structure having no moving creature with life and sense to be living in it not so much as a poore flie a fish or a bird to taste the goodnesse of things created and made But in this and the next day the building thus framed and cheer provided he brought as it were his guests to participate of his delicates alwayes provided that things inferiour should serve things superiour making his best work last namely Man unto whom the other works were put in subordination to shew me thinks that the end is the perfection of every thing And now see the first day was for the matter The second brought it into a better form stretched out the heavens and lifted up the waters which are above them The third did not onely shew the face of the earth by the gathering together of those waters under heaven but also adorned it with herbs trees and plants The fourth beautifies the vaulted roof of the sparkling firmament with funne moon and starres In the fifth and sixth he makes all kindes of living creatures furnishing first of all the waters and aire with their inhabitants and last of all the earth And for those many creatures in the waters and aire their creation was effected in this fifth dayes work so that every kinde of fish and all kinde of birds were now produced God onely said it and it was done as by viewing the text of Moses will appeare For in all his works he spake the word and they were made he commanded and they were created But to proceed We need divide the whole of this day into no more then two parts The one of Fishes the other of Birds That of fishes is the formost and therefore the varietie of those creatures would be first admired And see how Moses ushers them The greater ones are placed in the forefront For God saith he made great whales And then he proceedeth to adde something concerning the other species of smaller creatures living and moving in the water saying And every living creature that moveth which the waters brought forth abundantly after their kinde Pareus and other Expositours also by the word which is commonly translated great whales understand the biggest kinde of sea-beasts and monstrous fishes of the largest greatnesse And indeed the epithet great is not added to the whale without cause For the word tannin signifieth a serpent dragon or a great fish and the whale or great fish is the greatest of all living creatures as in Job 41. 33. In the earth there is none like him His jaws are likened to doores vers 14. his scales to shields vers 15. Out of his nostrills goeth smoke as out of a seething pot or caldron vers 20. he maketh the sea to boil like a pot vers 31. Munster writeth that neare unto Iseland there be great whales whose bignesse equalizeth the hills and mightie mountains which are sometimes openly seen and these saith he will drown and overthrow ships except they be affrighted with the sound of trumpets and drummes or except some round and emptie vessels be cast unto them wherewith they may play and sport them because they are much delighted with such things But above all this he affirmeth to be a good remedie against such dangerous whales to wit that which the Apothecaries call Castoreum tempered with water and cast into the sea for by this as by a poyson they are utterly driven and banished to the bottome Other authours mention farre greater whales then these And Olaus Magnus writeth that there are many kindes of whales For some he affirmeth to be rough-skinned and bristled and these contain in length 240 feet and in breadth 120. others are smooth and plain and these are lesse being taken in the North and Western ocean Some again have jaws with long and terrible teeth of 12 or 14 feet in length and the two dog-teeth are farre longer then the rest like unto horns or the tusks of a boar or elephant This kinde of whale hath eyes so ample and large that sometimes 15 20 or more men may sit in the compasse of one eye and about either eye there be 250 horns ad rigidam vel placidam anteriorem vel posteriorem motionem ventilationem serving also to defend the eyes either in a tempestuous season or when this fish is assaulted by any other sea-beast Physeter or the Whirl-pool-whale hath a
whereof they make lard and hath not the savour or taste of fish It feedeth on the grasse that groweth on the banks of the river and never goeth out it hath a mouth like the mozell of an ox and there be of them that weigh five hundred pound apiece Purchas In the West sea there is a fish called the Pontarof a cruell monster that taketh great pleasure to carrie away young children loving to play and sport with them Du Bart. Summar ex Oviedo lib. 13. The fishes called Sharks are most ravenous devourers and in the waters upon the coasts of Africa they have been seen with six or seven other smaller fishes garded with blew and green attending like serving-men And omitting many whether in the new-found world in the Norway seas or elsewhere I come now to the Dolphin that king of fishes then whom there is not any which is swifter none more charitable to his fellows and which is above all the rest none more loving to man Plinie hath written much of this fish in his ninth book at the eighth chapter and so have others also affirming that he is not onely sociable and desirous of mans company but delighted also in sweet and sensecharming musick Amongst the fishes that did swiftly throng To dance the measures of his mournfull song There was a Dolphin did the best afford His nimble motions to the trembling chord But whether that in the storie of Arion be true I am not able to say Perhaps their censure is none of the worst who perswade themselves it is a fable which was invented by those who had heard of that famous historie of the Prophet Jonas for divers stories of the Bible have been in this manner changed by the Pagans as amongst the rest that of Sennacheâ—…ib was very counterfeitly told by Herodotus when he makes mention of a great companie of mice as he had his relation from the priests of Egypt who came by night and eat off the feathers from his arrows Herod lib. 2. And the floud of Deucalion is related by Ovid as if Noahs floud and that were all one And the Grecians fable upon the sunnes going back in Hezechiahs time that at the birth of Hercules the sunne made a longer night then at other times Howbeit this scruple may not take away the love of the Dolphin towards man For besides those things related in Plinie of a boy feeding a Dolphin and carried on his back over the waters to school with such like things in the said authour others also have in a manner written to the same purpose And amongst the rest Elian tells a storie of a Dolphin and a boy this boy being very fair used with his companions to play by the sea side and to wash with them in the water practising likewise to swimme which being perceived by a Dolphin frequenting that coast the Dolphin fell into a great liking with this boy above the rest and used very familiarly to swimme by him side by side the boy at the first was fearfull of this his unwonted companion but through custome he and the Dolphin grew so familiar that they would be friendly antagonists and contend together in swimming each by other insomuch that sometimes the boy would get upon the Dolphins back and ride through the waterie territories of Neptunes kingdome as upon some proud pransing horse and the Dolphin at all times would bring him safely to the shore again of which the people in the adjoyning citie were eye-witnesses and that not seldome At last it chanced that the boy not carefull how he sat upon the fishes back but unadvisedly laying his belly too close was by the sharp pricks growing there wounded to death And now the Dolphin perceiving by the weight of his bodie and by the bloud which stained the waters that the boy was dead speedily swimmeth with all his force to the land and there laying him down for very sorrow died by him In memorie whereof let these few lines be added The fish would live but that the boy must die The dying boy the living fish torments The fish tormented hath no time to crie But with his grief his life he sadly vents Oh where is love or grief so firm as this Of such true love and grief most men do misse The Sea-fox is a fish that hath a long tail is subtil in his chase having a strong sent as the Land-fox hath He â—…seth to swallow his young into his belly in time of danger as the Balaena doth which some also attribute to the Dolphin This fish and the Amia use to deceive the fisherman either by leaping at or by sucking up so much of his line that they may be sure to bite off the hook Aelian var. hist. lib. 1. The Cantharus is an admired pattern of chastitie Elian speaketh of the ardent love of this Cantharus and saith that between him and the adulterous Sargon is great enmitie for he will fight as couragiously for his mate as Paris could fight for Helena being in this the true embleme of a loyall couple who hate defiled sheets loving and living constantly together Like unto which is the Mullet who albeit she be a fearfull fish as Plinie telleth us lib. 9. cap. 17. and will hide her head for fear yet seeing her male taken she followeth after him as farre as she can choosing rather to die with him then to be left her self alone But the Sargon is contrarie for this is an adulterous fish daily changing mates and not so content useth to go on the grassie shore horning the he-goats who had horns before For as Elian writeth his lustfull love towards the she-goat is so furious that the fishermen use to take these fishes by covering themselves with a goats skinne And doth not this fish bear a true embleme against adulterers Yes surely doth it For those who make horns on other mens heads do but make engines to tosse themselves to hell Caprae refert scortum similis fit Sargus amanti Qui miser obscoeno captus amore perit The goat a harlot doth resemble well The Sargus like unto the lover is Who poore wretch taken is condemn'd to hell And for his lust depriv'd of heav'nly blisse Howbeit a Ten in the hundred or a Fox-furr'd-clouted-pated fornicatour who to his tenants wife is sometimes a lecherous administratour cannot see it neither will such beleeve that whores are the hackneys which men ride upon into Devils-ditch for thither do they gallop like the deceived Sargus caught by the fisher in the skinne of a goat Hoga is said to be a fish as big as a mackerell or as some say no bigger then a herring This fish hath wings which do not so much help her by flying to escape a farre greater fish as endanger her to the mercilesse crueltie of another enemie I mean a certain sea-fowl which waits but for such an oportunitie
naturall place wherein either of them live or that we consider their resemblance in parts or their manner of motion For first the place of fishes is the water the place of fowls the aire both which are diaphanous cleare moist and easie yeelding elements Secondly that which finnes be to fishes wings and feathers are to birds And thirdly that which swimming is to fishes in the waters flying is to birds in the aire The one moves himself by his sinnes the other by his wings The one cuts and glideth through the liquid aire the other shoots and darteth through the humid water The one makes paths in that subtil concave between heaven and earth the other draws furrows in the ploughed sea and both tracts are indiscernible either place again closing no longer open then their native dwellers flit through their yeelding gates And first of all me thinks I see the loftie Eagle king of birds towring on high in the heaven-aspiring aire And amongst all fowls the Eagle onely can move her self straight upward and downward perpendicularly without any collaterall declining Munster This bird is commended for her faithfulnesse towards other birds in some kinde though sometimes she shew her self cruell They all stand in awe of her and when she hath gotten meat she useth to communicate it unto such fowls as do accompany with her onely this some affirm that when she hath no more to make distribution of then she will attach some of her guests and for lack of food dismember them Her sight is sharp and quick insomuch that being in the highest part of the aire she can easily see what falleth on the land and thereupon the sooner finde her prey It is said that she can gaze upon the sunne and not be blinde and will fight eagerly against the Dragon for the Dragon greedily coveting the Eagles egges causeth many conflicts to be between them The Poets have called her Joves bird and Jupiters armour-bearer because she is never hurt with lightning She is a bird tenderly affected towards her young insomuch that she will endanger her own bodie to secure them bearing her young ones on her back when she perceiveth them to be assaulted with arrows Hares Harts Geese and Cranes are such creatures as this bird useth to prey upon And for her practise in killing the Hart thus it is when she laboureth to drive the Hart headlong to ruine she gathereth saith Munster much dust as she flieth and sitting upon the Harts horns shaketh it into his eyes and with her wings beateth him about the mouth untill at last the poore Hart is glad to fall fainting to the ground The Eagle buildeth her nest in the rocks and high places and the propertie of the young Eagle is when she findeth a dead carcase first of all to pick out the eye And so saith one do all seducing hereticks first put out the right eye of knowledge that thereby they may the better leade along their seduced Proselites And note that although the Eagle be very tender over her young yet when they be able to flie of themselves she casteth them out of her nest because she would have them shift and no longer depend upon their damme Which is a good example saith the same authour for domesticall discipline namely that parents should not bring up their children in idlenesse but even from their youth exercise them in honest labour training them up to some vocation Moreover Aristotle writeth that when the Eagle waxeth old the upper part of her bill so groweth over and increaseth that in the end she dieth of famine But Augustine observeth further that when the Eagle is thus overgrown she beateth her bill upon a rock and so by striking off her cumbersome part she recovereth her strength and eating to which the Psalmist alludeth Psal. 103. 5. Which maketh thee young and lustie as an Eagle The Phenix saith Munster is a noble bird and is but one in the world Cornelius Valerius whom Plinie mentioneth doth witnesse that when Quintus Plautius and Sex Papinius were Consuls one was seen to flie into Egypt And Tacitus also writeth that when Lucius 〈◊〉 and Pâ—…ulus Fabiâ—…s were Consulâ—… another was likewise seen to flie thither and yet not another but the same rather for there was not above two yeares difference in the time of this appearance Vitellius and Fabius being Consuls in the yeare of the citie 786 and Plautius with Papinius in the yeare 788. Dion was perswaded that this bird thus shewing her self did betoken the death of Tiberius but our countreyman Mr Lydiat rather thinketh that it pointed out the time when Christ that true Phenix did both die and rise again and so also thinketh Carion in his chron lib. 3. This bird if we may beleeve what is written is about the bignesse of an Eagle having a glittering brightnesse in the feathers of her neck like unto gold in other parts purple with an azured tail but so as in some places it is of a rose colour her head hath on it a plume or tuft of feathers Some say she liveth five hundred yeares others give her six hundred and sixtie and as Plinie writeth this bird hath her setled habitation in Arabia Felix When she waxeth old she is said to make her a nest of Cassia with branches of the frankincense tree into which she putteth other odours and so dieth upon them and then out of her bones and marrow there springeth first a little worm which afterwards comes to be a young Phenix Howbeit many think that all this is fabulous for besides the differing reports which go of this bird what species or kinde of any creature can be rehearsed whereof there is never but one and whereas the Lord said to all his creatures Increase and multiplie this benediction should take no place in the Phenix which multiplieth not And again seeing all creatures which came into the Ark came by two and two the male and female it must needs follow that the Phenix by this means perished And so saith one As for the Phenix I and not I alone think it a fable because it agreeth neither to reason nor likelihood but plainly disagreeth to the historie of the creation and of Noahs floud in both which God made all male and female and commanded them to increase and multiplie The Griffon is a creature if there be any such for many doubt it which whether I may reckon amongst the birds or beasts I cannot tell Howbeit as I finde him marked by Aelianus he is thus described namely that he is a kinde of beast with foure feet keeping most of all in India being as mightie in strength as a lion he hath wings and crooked talons black on the back and in the forepart purple His wings be somewhat white his bill and mouth like an eagles bill his eyes fierie he is hard to be taken except he be young he maketh his nest in the high mountains
we call the Ray. For whilest the devouring Crows be diving under water to catch their prey they themselves are caught by this fish and devoured suddenly lest otherwise they might want a revenger of their rapacitie even where and whilest they do the wrong Howbeit this Ray is a loving fish to man for swimming in the waters and being greedily pursued by the devouring Sea-dogs the Ray defends him and will not leave him untill he be out of danger There be also an abundance of other birds in those parts of strange properties and names scarce known of which they who have a desire may reade more in Olaus Magnus the nineteenth book of his Northern historie The Plover is Avis pluvialis and a fowl well known howbeit some have thought that they live onely by the winde and eat nothing at all but they deceive themselves in this opinion as experience teacheth For they have not onely been seen to feed but taken also with meat in their crops And that which first occasioned this errour was their quick digestion for they commonly eat things that are easily digested and soon consumed Plover saith one is thought to be a daintie dish and right wholesome yet it is slow of digestion nourisheth little and encreaseth melancholie The like he affirmeth of the Lapwing but the Teal he yeeldeth to be somewhat better Moreover the Plover flying high doth signifie rain which bird Olaus describeth after this manner There is saith he a bird which we call Avis Pluvialis about the bignesse of a Partridge supposed to live by nothing but aire because her bellie useth to be emptie of meat and yet she is very fat her feathers are diversly coloured some with white some with black and some with saffron colour and this bird the fowlers thus hunt by throwing up into the aire short heavie clubs for by so doing they cause her to descend and being descended they catch her in their nets laid readie for the same purpose Upupa or the Lapwing is a bastard-plover This is a querulous bird flying up and down lapping and clapping with her wings from whence she is called a Lapwing and in Latine she is named Upâ—…a from pu pu which is the crie that she maketh there y securing her nest and young ones from our finding Fâ—… by this practise she will draw us away from them 〈◊〉 farre as she can The combe or crest upon her head gâ—…ve Ovid a fit occasion to feigne a tale of a king turned into a Lapwing whose crown doth yet appeare upon the head of this bird The Lapwings fight often with the Swallows Jackdaws and Pies and by their much crying do signifie rain And as for their young being as it were half hatched they will runne from their nests with the shells on their heads The Osprey is a ravenous bird which hovereth over pools to take fish having one claw foot and another flat Galgulus-Icterus or the Charadrion is a bird unto which some ascribe this strange property viz. that if any who hath the Jaundise look upon him and the bird on him the bird then taketh the disease and dieth but the man is cured made sound and liveth Such are we by nature sick unto death but by Christ who died for our sinnes and rose again for our justification we are cured made sound and live Porphyrio is a bird drinking as though he did bite the water his bill and legs are red and long Haleyon or the King-fisher is a bird which maketh her nest in winter upon the sea during which time there is a calm and quiet season whereupon we call those dayes Halcyon dayes wherein we have peace rest and quietnesse They live also about rivers lay five egges and as Plinie witnesseth are seven dayes in preparing their nests and in the other seven they bring forth their young The Poets have a fiction of Alcyone and Ceyx who were turned into these birds For when Alcyone heard that her husband Ceyx was drowned in his way home from a certain voyage she cast her self into the sea and then for the pitie which the gods had of them they were both transformed into Halcyons But without any fiction this we are sure of that it is a strange bird and as it were natures dearest darling seeing that in favour of her nests and young the waters leave their raging the windes their blowing tempests have forgot to rise and dayes appeare with quiet calms The Pirate dwelling alwayes in his bark Her building dayes desiredly doth mark And the rich merchant resolutely venters So soon as th' Halcyon in her brood-bed enters For so long as her quiet couch she keeps The boyling sea exceeding calmly sleeps This is a bird which feedeth upon fish and by diving after them catcheth them as is not seldome seen In the Summer islands amongst other things we heare of varietie of fowls For upon the discovery of those parts by Sr. George Summers and Sr. Thomas Gates an abundance of fowl were taken They took a thousand of one sort in two or three houres being as big as a Pigeon and laying speckled egges upon the sand as big as hennes egges which they would daily come and lay although men sat down amongst them Purch There also is another fowl that liveth in holes like cony-holes their egges like to hen-egges both in quantitie and qualitie And other birds were there found so tame and gentle that whistling to them they would come and gaze on you while with your stick you might kill them Idem But in Asia in one of the Molucco islands named Tidore is a strange bird which they call Mamucos or birds of Paradise they have lesse flesh then the bodie maketh shew of their legs be in length about an hand-breadth their head small their bill long their feathers fair of a singular beauteous colour Authours write that they have no wings neither do they fly but are born up in the aire by the subtiltie of their plumes lightnesse of their bodies They are never seen saith my authour upon the ground but dead neither do they corrupt or rot in any â—…ort There is no man knoweth from whence they issue neither where they breed up their young ones nor whereupon they nourish themselves The islanders beleeve that they make their nests in Paradise and tell many fables thereupon which perswasion the Moores first put into their heads They call them Manucodiata or holy birds and have them in religious account insomuch that some of them have beleeved that souls are immortall by the consideration of such a bird And as for the sustenance which keeps this fowl alive although it be hard to say upon what it is maintained I do easily think that we may listen to them who suppose that they nourish themselves and maintain their lives by the dew that falleth and the flowers of the spices See Gesner de Avibus lib. 3.
Scorpion hath sometimes been bred in the brain 244 Scriech-owl 403 Sea Why seas be salt and rivers fresh 201. Why Springs be fresh 206. Why the Sea ebbeth and floweth 208 209 sequent Why fresh Waters and all Seas do not ebbe 218 Seasons of the yeare 354 Securitie Small securitie on earth by an example from the Squirrell 454 Selenite a stone which follows the course of the Moon 294 295 Sentida an herb of a strange propertie 273 Servius Tullius his head burning as he slept 97 Sethim It was that wood whereof Noah made the Ark 276 Seven a number of rest 21 Shad 388 Shark 378 Sheep and their natures 482. How sheep may catch 〈◊〉 rot 155. 252 Shepherds purse 270 Shooting starres a Meteor 92 Shrew A medicine to be used at the death of a Shrew 263 Shrew-mouse and his properties shewed 467 Sight Sight dulled by Leeks 262. Rue eaten fasting is very good for the sight 248. See Eyes Signes Signes of heaven must not be abused 351 sequent Silver the best mettall next to Gold 288 Sinne. We should weep for sinne by an example taken from the Hart 481. We should not sleep in sinne by an example taken from the Sea-Elephant 371. When the baits of sinne are swallowed they must be vomited up again by an embleme from the Scolopendra 384. The sweetnesse of sinne in the end is bitter by an example from the Beare eating hony 477. Those who are taken away in the very act of sinne what they are like unto 485 Sinner A sinner though blinde in life seeth in death by an example taken from the Mole 462 Sivet-cat or the Zibeth 463 Skirret 264 Sleet and the cause thereof 162 Slow-worm 490 Smaradge Plinie makes many kindes of this stone 293 Snapdragon an herb of a strange propertie 272 Snow 160. The matter of Snow 161. Why Snow is white ibid. Snow in the mountains and rain in the valleys both out of one cloud together with the cause thereof 162 Societie ought to be amongst men by an example taken from the Stork 399 Sole and Whiting 387 Sorrell and the vertues thereof 270 Sorrow An embleme concerning those who sorrow to part with earth for heaven 459. 481 Sothernwood and the qualities thereof 254 Soul The Soul breathed into man infused in the creation and created in the infusion 499. God stampt his image in the Soul ibid. 500. Souls Souls cannot appeare after death 94 95 South-winde 182 Sowbread an herb of a strange propertie 262. 272 Sow-thistle and the vertues thereof 267 Sparrow and his nature 409 Speare-wort the beggars herb 260 Spheres A figure shewing their motion 317 Sphinx and the meaning of Aenigma 472 Splene A medicine for the splene 274 Spring The Spring described 355. The creation was not in the Spring 30. 32 Squirrell described with his properties 453 Starling 402 Starres 311 312 sequent The Starres not to be worshipped 312. Their matter and motion 315 320. They be nourished by the waters above the heavens and how 321 322 323 324. The reason of their differing heights 324 325. Their offices 327. 334. 354. Why they seem to twinkle 332. They work upon this inferiour world 334 sequent New Starres 107. 114 115. 119. The signification of Cassiopea's Starre 108. 114 Steel and what it is 289 Stitch. Good to give ease to one troubled with a stitch in the side 247 Stomack Good to strengthen the Stomack 250. Good to help digestion 396 Stone in the body with â—… medicine for it 387. 254 Stones what they are their kindes c. 290 sequent They live not a vegetative life 291. Common Stones ibid. Precious Stones 292. A Stone which followes the course of the Moon 294. A Stone which will cool seething water 296. A compassionate Stone and the reason thereof ibid. 297. A Stone of power to draw gold 299. The Loadstone 297. The Bloud-stone ibid. Stories A Storie of a Sea-woman 375. A storie of a Boy and a Dolphin 380. A storie of a Sparrow 409. A storie concerning Cock-fighting 411. A storie of a Lion 438. Another of a Lion 440. A storie of a dying Usurer 459. A storie of two much familiaritie amongst Cats 464. A storie of a Bishop eaten up with Mice 466. A storie of a loving Dog 470. Another ibid. Another 471. A storie shewing how Alexander was deceived by Apes 472. A storie of a Man saved from death by a Beare 475 Stork 399. Lessons to be learnt from the stork ibid. Strange A rule to be observed in Strange sights 131 Students Mint good for students 255 Sturgeon 384 Su a strange beast in the new-found world 454 Sulphurwort it is good for young children 260 Summer described 356 Sunne Whether the Sunne be the fountain of light 329. Why the Sunne hath sometimes seemed to dance 333. The appearance of many Sunnes 130. Their cause 131. What they signifie ibid. Swallow 406. What strange things some have written of the swallow 407. It is said that she taught men first to build 408. They cure the blinde eyes of their young ones with an herb viz. Celandine 261 Swam-fisk a fish so called being the most greedy of all fishes 372 373 Swanne The nature and qualities of the Swanne 413 414 Swine eat no Turneps 263 Sword-fish 370 T TAmarisk It is of great vertue for the hardnesse of the splene or milt 274 Tanners An herb for Tanners in the dressing of Leather 257 Tarragon 264 Tarantula and his strange properties 425 Teeth Good against the tooth-ach 261. 267. How to scoure the Teeth and kill the worms in them 251 Temper Waters of a strange temper 220 221 Tench 388 Terebinth or the Turpentine tree 279 Thirst. An herb very good for the thirstie 269 Thrive The thriving of a man that upon occasion is of two trades The embleme is taken from the flying fish 382. Some men thrive in a course which to the vulgar seems contrary by an example taken from the Sturgeon 384 Throat Good for a sore throat 253 Thrush 402 Thunder what it is 122. A difference in Cracks 123. Thunder sometimes without Lightning and so on the contrarie ibid. How this may be 124. The making of the Thunder-stone 125. See more in the word Lightning Thyme and the vertues thereof 259 Time what it is 45. Times when the World should have ended according to some mens foolish fancies 18. 22 23 24 c. Tinne 290 Toad An antipathie between the Toad and Rue 248 Tobacco and the kindes thereof Where it was first found together with the names qualities and vertues thereof 264 265. The Indian women take no Tobacco 266. The time when it came first into England and by whom it was first brought ibid. A precious salve to be made of the green leaves 265. A lesson for quaffers ibid. Tongue 498. The Tongue hath brought many to mischief 413. Fair tongues false hearts 443 Topaz a very strange stone which stancheth bloud 295 296 Tophus 292 Torch a burning Meteor 89 Torpedo a
benumming fish 383 Tortoise 374 Tragelaphus 481 Treacherie Treacherous persons like to the Polypus 385. Like to the Ape 401. Like to the Hawk ibid. Trees and their properties 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282. Trinitie 46 47. The Trinitie shewed in making of Man 496 Trouble One patient in trouble what he is like 299 Trout The Trout commended 388. The Trout like one that loves to be flattered 389. Wanton Wenches like to the Trout ibid. Troy and the ruines thereof lamented 240 Turcois a precious stone good for weak eyes it will also shew whether he that weareth it be well in health 296 Turnep 263 Turtle 408 Tyger and his properties 441 V VAliant He is truely valiant that can overcome himself 441 Vapours their nature and why they be warm 87 Veins and Arteries how they differ 497 Vermilion 300. The Romanes used to paint their gods with Vermilion ibid. Vertigo How to cure it 261 Violets and their vertues 269 Viper 490 Virginia Dogs 447 Vitriol 304 Unicorn of the sea 370 Unicorn of the land 435. That there is such a beast 436. A description of the Unicorns horn ibid. How to catch the Unicorns 437 Urine Dill is good to provoke Urine 249 Use of things is often times turned into an abuse 265. We ought to make the best uses of the strangest things 227 131 132 W WArts and their cure 244. 263 Wasps 423 Watery Meteors 142 Water-cresses and their vertues 253 Waters Waters above the heavens 62 63 64 65 sequent Their use and profit 322 323. The Waters gathered together 190. How they were gathered together 191. How to one place seeing there be many Seas Lakes and Rivers 192. Whether they be higher then the earth 194. Whether there be more Water then earth 199. The benefit and use of Waters 207. Why fresh Waters do not ebbe and flow 218 Water used in stead of Vineger 220. Water used in stead of burnt wine ibid. Water making drunk ibid. A Water deadly to beasts and not to men 221. A killing and a purging Water ibid. A Water making horses mâ—…d ibid. A cold Water setting cloth on fire ibid. A Water which is hot enough either to boil rost â—…r bake ibid. A Water which maketh oxen white 222. A Water which changeth the colours either of sheep or horses ibid. A Water cold in the day and hot in the night 223. A Water which turueth wood into stone 224. Poysoâ—…ing Waters ibid. A Water which makes cattell give black milk 224. A Water which makes men mad 225. A Water which spoils the memorie ibid. A Water procuring lust ibid. A Water causing barrennesse ibid. Weasell and his properties 460 461 Well A strange wâ—…ll in Idumea 224 West-windeâ—… qualitie 183 Whale 366. Their kindes 367 c Wheat rained 147 Whirle-windes Storm-windes and fired Whirle-windes 185 186 Willow and Willow-garlands 274 Willow-wort and his properties it is of a contrary nature to the herb Betonie 270 Winde in the bodie how to expell it 249 Winde Divers opinions concerning Winde 168 169. Wâ—…nde is more then the motion of the aire 171. Poets fictions concerning Winde 172. How God bringeth the Windes out of his treasures 169. The Winde not moved by Angels 170. Why it useth to rain when the winde is down 174. What Winde is upon what causes it dependeth and how it is moved 173. Why we cannot see the matter of Winde 177. How that place is to be understood in the 3 of John concerning the blowing of the Winde 178. Aire moved augments the Winde 174. How the Windes are moved and by what 175. In what place the motion the Winde beginneth 176. Particular windes 177. Why the winde bloweth not alwayes one way ibid. Oppositâ—… ibid. Oblique windes ibid. Whisking windes ibid. The division names and number of the Windes 178. Mariners reckon two and thirtie Windes 179. The nature and qualitie of the Windes 181. The effects of a long-continuing Winde 184. Why the East and North windes bring rain sometimes for a whole day together 183 Windows of heaven opened in the Floud and what they were 69 Winter described 357. A warm Winter hurtfull 161 Witches they sell windes to sea-men 153 Wood-pecker how she useth to unwedge the hole of her nest 258 Wolf and his properties 447 Wolf-bane and the strange properties thereof 251 Wooll rained and how 152 Woman She was made after the image of God as well as the man 500. How she is said to be the glorie of the Man ibid. Why she was made out of a Rib 501. Wherein a womans rule ought to consist 501 502. Childe-bearing women Sage is good for them 247. The smell of Dragon very bad for those who are newly conceived with childe 262. The herb Sow-bread is also very hurtfull and causeth instant abortion ibid. How a doubting woman may know whether she be with childe 263. How a woman burying her husband may save her credit 256 World The World not eternall and must also end 2. The manner how it must end 4. Impostours concerning the end 18 sequent When it was created 28 sequent Why it was not made perfect in an instant 50 51. It decayeth daily 78 79 Worms in the belly with means to cure them 253. 255 Worms rained and how 147 Wren 402 Y YArrow and the properties thereof 267 Yeares The examination of the name length divers beginning and kinde of Yeares 360 361 362 363 Z ZAnchie his opinion of the Iewish tradition which they take from the Rabbin Elias 13. His opinion of certain strange and prodigious rains 154 Zebra a beast of an excellent comelinesse 446 Zibeth or the Sivet-cat 463 FINIS Plato in 〈◊〉 a Lib. 1. de calo cap. 10. 12. â—…b 2. 1 lib 8. I hâ—…s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coâ—… b Lib. de mundo c Pareus on Gen. * Inaniasoph smata ad obscurandam veritatem ingeniosâ—… magis quà m solidâ—… excogitata Pareus ibid. Lâ—…ret lib. 6. Gen. 1. 1. Du Bartaâ—… first day The manner of the worlds ending is shewed * 2. Pet. 3. 10. * Rom. 8. 21 22. * Psal. 102. 26. * Hier. on 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 15. 53. Job 19. 26. * Rom. 8. 21. The creatures remaining at the worlds ending See also Dr. Willets Hexap on Rom. chap. 8. quaest 34. a Pot. Mart. â—…oc câ—…m * Zach. 14. 7. b Pet. Mart. â—…x châ—…soss * Esay 60. 19. Revel 21. 23. c Part. in Apoc. cap. 21. Matth. 5. 5. d Dr. Willet Hexap in Rom. * Revel 4. 14. * Gen. 28. 12. * Matt. 17. 3. Of the time when the world endeth * Luke 21. 3â—… 2. Pet. 3. 10. 1. Thess. 5. 2. Revel 16. 15. a De verit Christ. Relig. †It was favoured by Justin Martyr Ireneus Lactantius Hierome c. but disallowed by Ambrose and Augustine See Augustine in exposit Psal. 90. b 〈◊〉 Tom. 7. Praelect de fine seculi c Note that the yeares from the Creation are now many more 2. Pet. 3. 4 * 1. Cor. 15. 12.
viz. God commanded this elementarie light to be that so the thinner and higher element severed from the aire might by his enlightning operation effect a light some shining and the aire according to the nature thereof receive it which to the fire was an essentiall propertie to the aire an accidentall qualitie approved of God as good both to himself and the future creatures Thus some But others except against it affirming that this light was moveable by the presence of it making day and by its absence making night which could not have been had it been the element of fire unlesse it be more or lesse in one place then in another and not equally dispersed Or as Pareus answereth it could not be the element of fire because that is above the clouds according to the common rules of Philosophie and therefore in his judgement the fierie element was not untill the second day being created with the Expansum or stretching out of the aire But unto these exceptions I think an answer may be framed as I perhaps shall afterwards shew you Thirdly if as some have done we should think that this was the very light of the sunne and then in the sunne or in such a cloud or subject as was the matter of the sunne the text would be objected against it which affirmeth that the sunne was not untill the fourth day for the creation of that was but then although the light was before Fourthly Aquinas saith Lux primo die fuit producta secundum communem lucis naturam quarto autem die attributa est luminaribus determinata virtus ad determinatos effectus secundum quod videmus alios effectus habere radium solis alios radium lunae sic de aliis Whereupon he concludeth that howsoever it was it was but an informed light untill the fourth day Now therefore amongst a multitude of opinions which are besides these already mentioned I for mine own part cannot but preferre this as the best namely that the light for three dayes space wanted a subject such as now it hath and yet it did perform the same office which now it doth being fastened to a subject or to the bodie of the Sunne which is Vehiculum lucis A Chariot for the light For we may easily perceive that in the works of creation there is such an harmonious order observed as that there may be an union and reduction of all things of one kinde to their own heads and centre As for example the upper waters must be severed by the out-spread firmament and the lower must repair all to one sea as their naturall subject and as for heavie substances they hasten downwards and the light ones they fly upwards In like manner that light which at the first was dispersed and fixed to no subject doth presently as soon as the sunne was unite it self unto that body as now it is This of all other seemeth to me the best opinion to pitch upon and the most probable in this kinde which may well be as an Embleme how God will one day gather his elect from all coasts of heaven to the participation of one glorie S. Paul applieth it to our regeneration thus God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts c. that we who were once darknesse are now light in the Lord. And in this consideration I think we need not much dissent from them who would have the element of fire signified by it which opinion was before mentioned for howsoever it be that that element be now dispersed or wheresoever placed yet it might be that the first light shined from it thus I say it might be because we may not reason à facto ad fieri or from the order of the constitution of things in which they now are to the principles of their institution whilest yet they were in making And for further proof of this I do easily assent to them who have probably affirmed that the starres and lights of heaven contain the greatest part of this fire as afterwards in the fourth dayes work shall be more plainly shewed This I have said as seeming to me the best and most probable tenent although perfectly to affirm what this light was must be by our enlightning from him who commanded that it should shine out of darknesse Of which shining and darknesse seeing the Sunne was not yet made which by his course and turning about makes it day and night at the same time in divers places it may be said that it was day and night at the same instant now over the face of the whole earth which made one therefore say that the first darknesses were not loco divisae sed planè depulsae à luce ut nusquam essent yet so as that they should either return or depart according to the contraction or expansion of this first light caused by a divine dispensation Thus Pareus And now of thee oh bright-shining creature it may be said that hadst thou never been the beautie of the world had been as nothing For thou art the beautie of all the beauties else as saith Du Bartas Gods eldest daughter Oh how thou art full Of grace and goodnesse Oh how beautifull Quest. But if God made the Light was he not before in darknesse Answ. No For he needs not any created light who is himself a Light uncreated no corporall light who is a spirituall one God is light and in him is no darknesse at all 1. Joh. 1. 5. He made this light for our mortall journey on earth himself is the Light of our immortall abode in heaven neither did he more dwell in this light that he made then the waters were the habitation of the Spirit when it was said that the Spirit moved upon the waters But see there was Night Light and Day before the Sunne yet now without it there is neither which sheweth that we must allow God to be the Lord of his own works and not limit his power to means And surely as it was before man was made so shall it be after he is dissolved For then as the Prophet speaketh The Sunne shall no more be thy light by day neither shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory Lastly unto this amongst many things let me adde but one thing more God made light on the first day so Christ arose from death on the same day being the first of the week And he is the true light which lighteth every one that cometh into the world Of which light if we have no portion then of all creatures man is the most miserable Sect. 3. Of the intercourse between day and night WHat now remaineth God called the light Day and the darknesse Night 'T is true Th' All 's Architect alternately decreed That Night the Day the Day should Night succeed Of both which we have more then
manifold use and benefit The night easeth the burden of the day the day driveth away the terrour of the night The night burieth our cares and doth what she can to drown all our griefs in a silent sleep the day serveth for our needfull labours is the wicked mans just terrour the mother of truth and true beauties onely glasse wherein she may both see her self and be also seen The night serveth to temper the dayes exceeding drought and to cool its heat for by moistning the aire it makes the earth to fructifie the day again warmeth the coolnesse of the night melting the white hoarie haires of winters beard and with a reviving cherishing and nourishing of things as well sensible as vegetative addes life afresh into the dying universe serving as I said before for the need full labours of man For as the Psalmist hath it The sunne ariseth and then man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour untill the evening Psal. 104. 22. And so also for the night it is destinated or appointed for quiet and sleep wherein the wearied bodies of living creatures are refreshed and their strengths repaired the noisome beasts now come forth and feed lest coming in the day they might be a terrour unto men For as the Psalmist again recordeth Thou makest darknesse that it may be night wherein all the beasts of the forrest do move as the lions roaring after their prey and the like vers 20. But of this enough And now last of all when this dayes work was done or brought to an end God is said to view it and behold there was nothing amisse That is Moses speaking according to our capacities telleth us that God doth approve and ratifie that work now done which before he purposed to make So Eve and Morn conclude the first of dayes And God gives to his work deserved praise CHAP. IIII. Of the second day and of such things as are pertinent to the work done in it Sect. 1. Of the Expansum or stretching out of the Heavens COncerning this dayes work what it was we finde it thus expressed And God said Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters and let it divide the waters from the waters And God made the firmament and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament and it was so And God called the firmament Heaven and the evening and the morning were the second day Gen. 1. 6 7 8. This is the narration of what was done And here let us consider first of the Firmament then of the waters which it separateth and lastly of the severall Heavens together with the regions of the aire and of such appearances as we use to see there unto which if any thing else be met withall pertinent to this dayes work it shall be added The word Rakiah translated Firmament signifieth Expansum or expansionem which is a stretching out not onely from the earth but about the earth so that the world being mans house the Firmament is as the vaulted roof of it Or as Hyperius observeth it is tanquam theca quaedam omnia quae Deo ipso inferiora sunt inclusa continens as a certain husk shell or box inclusively containing all things without the Heaven of heavens or which are below that place where God doth manifest his glorie Which also is further to be seen in the hundred and fourth Psalme at the second verse where it is said that God hath stretched out the heavens as a canopie or extendisse incurvando coelos tanquam conopeum as some reade it by which comparison it seemeth that the Firmament is not so much expansum ratione extensionis à centro quà m circa centrum not so much a thing stretched out by reason of its distance from the centre as about the centre And again we call it the Firmament because in the stretching out it was not weakened but made strong In which regard expositours do well observe the difference which is between Rakiah and Karah For the word which is here used they reade it Rakiah and say that it doth properly signifie a thing made strong by stretching out being therefore contrary to the word Karah which is to break in stretching And the Greeks likewise that they may give a full expression according to the proprietie of the word do translate it and call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to make strong or firm and thus also the ancient Greek Philosophers observed calling the whole compasse of the heavens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaning the very utmost bound of them which is not so weak that it should be broken in the stretching but strong and farre more free from a fluid nature then is that aire which the concave of it keepeth and holdeth The Latines also call it Firmamentum and we in our speech the Firmament which in respect of its extension is the whole compasse of heaven on all sides being as it were the case of the visible world and all things in it as hath been shewed Sect. 2. Of the waters above the Heavens BUt from the concavitie of this firmament we may passe to the convexitie of it And now if it be considered as it is convex then we shall come to the examination of that which God assigned as proper to it most especially viz. that it separate the waters from the waters For this out-spread firmament is by its office to separate and to be not above the waters but between them and therefore those waters which it separateth cannot be such waters as are in the clouds but rather above the concave of the firmament If they be such as are in the clouds then are they rather in the middle of the firmament then the firmament in middle or between them And this made one argue thus saying Expansio in nubium regione aut finitur aut ulteriùs extenditur si ibi finitur stellas infra nubes constitutas esse oportet Sin ulteriùs extenditur supercoelestes aquâ—…s ab inferioribus expansio non sejungit sed nubes potiùs unam expansionis partem ab altera dispescunt Atqui utrumque horum à Mosis narratione absonum Tutissimè igitur aquas coelestes supra sidera esse constitutas totúmque illud quod à globo terrae aquae sursum expanditur coeli velaëris nomine contineri sentiemus That is The out-spread firmament either is ended in the cloudie region or is further extended If it be ended there then the starres must needs be under the clouds because they are within the firmament Gen. 1. 6. But if it be further extended then the supercelestiall waters are not separated by the firmament but rather the clouds sever one part of the firmament from the other both which are against Moses his narration Therefore we may safely think that the celestiall waters are above the starres c. In which regard it
the Firmament that is appointed to this separating office but the whole Firmament as any one may see if he do but observe the words of God producing and assigning it Neither do we finde that the Firmament is any more then one To divide it into parts so as they imagine is not to divide it into parts but rather to make so many Firmaments as they imagine parts like as every scale of an onyon is a severall and differing scale and not one the part of another And besides neither is there the same reason between the parts of water and these supposed parts of the Firmament for then when God made the Sunne Moon and Starres he would not have said Let them be in the Firmament but above the Firmament for they are farre higher then the clouds yet I say they being higher then the clouds he is said to place them but in the Firmament and they being no more but in it how improperly do we affirm those things to be above it whose places are lower then either Sunne Moon or Starres And secondly admit Job tells us that there are waters bound up in thick clouds doth not Jeremie also tell us that they are drawn up in vapours from the earth which as hath been shewed cannot at all times be but then when there is a naturall concourse of causes to effect it whereas the out-spread Firmament is to be alwayes between them separating them not at times but continually And as for the rain proceeding from those waters which we call the clouds it stayeth not long in the aire but forthwith falleth down again shewing that of right their proper place is here below and therefore we make not three kindes of waters as if we would be contrary to Moses in saying that there are other waters above the concave of the Firmament which on this second day of the worlds creation were separated from all other waters Wherefore observe but this they being separated on this second day how could they be such as the aire affordeth for the middle Region of the aire which is the place for the clouds was not untill the third day Not untill the third day I say because it is found by experience and from sufficient witnesse proved true that the tops of the highest mountains do reach up unto that place which we call the middle Region of the aire being some of them more loftie then the clouds As for example in Iapan there is a mountain called Figeniana which is some certain leagues higher then the clouds And in Ternate among the Philippine Islands there is a mountain which as Mr. Purchas in his pilgrimage relateth is even angry with nature because it is fastened to the earth and doth therefore not onely lift up his head above the middle Region of the aire but endeavoureth also to conjoyn it self with the fierie Element And of the mountain Athos between Macedon and Thrace it is said to be so high that it casteth shade more then thirtie and seven miles Also the mount of Olympus in Thessalie is said to be of that height as neither the windes clouds or rain do overtop it And although I omit sundry others of exceeding height it is also written of another mount so high above the clouds that some who have seen it do witnesse that they have been on the top of it and have had both a cleare skie over their heads and also clouds below them pouring down rain and breaking forth with thunder and lightnings at which those below have been terrified but on the top of the hill there was no such matter This surely was that mountain which Mr. Lydiat meant when he said that etiam aestivis diebus even in the summer time when the clouds are at the highest those on the top of the mountains have had fair weather and withall perceived that there was plentie of rain about the middle height of the same hills Thus we see that there are lofty mountains And indeed their loftines is the cause of a middle Region for the hils hindering the aire from following the motion of the heavens do make it about their tops a fit convenient place to thicken these vapours into clouds which by the attractive power of the heavenly bodies are drawn up thither Wherefore that I may conclude the place of the middle Region being both caused and also overtopped by sundry high mountains it will appeare that there was no middle Region of the aire untill the third day because the waters were all over the earth and standing above the hills untill that very day For then and not before God gathered them together unto one place and made the drie land to appeare which before was covered with waters as with a garment Psalm 104. Rarior aqua saith one velut nebula terras tegebat quae congregatione densata est The thinne water like a mist or wet cloud covered the earth which by gathering together was made thick In which regard it may be said saith Aquinas that it was as naturall for the water to be every where about the earth as for the aire to be about both water and earth yet neverthelesse propter necessitatem finis saith he for the necessitie of the end namely that plants and living creatures should be upon the earth it was meet that the earth should be so uncovered and the waters so gathered that the drie land appeare Now this was a work pertinent unto the third day and before this work done there could be no middle Region and the middle Region being on this day and not before how can the waters in the clouds be those waters which were separated by the out-spread Firmament on the second day Neither do I here argue à facto ad fieri because in the very creation of this Firmament God then said Let it be between the waters that is even then beginning its office and art of separating them Which that it is even so we see he speaketh next concerning the lower waters and makes no more mention at all of those upper ones because he had already done with them and left them in their place unto which he had appointed them But furthermore this tenent is not a little helped by a consideration of the cataracts or windows of heaven which in the dayes of Noah were opened and poured down rain by the space of fourty dayes For me thinks the clouds could not be those windows of heaven because it rained fourty dayes and before it left raining the waters were higher then the hills being when fourty dayes were ended fifteen cubits above the highest mountains as in the historie of the Floud is manifest And hereupon it was that one once by the same reason concluded and said that either it did not rain fourty dayes which assertion we are sure is false or else it rained from some other where then from the middle Region For seeing the middle Region it self was
as more snowie winters Whereupon Plinie affirmeth that he which saith cleare winters are to be wished wisheth no good for the trees and plants and in that regard your experienced husband man desireth that the winter may be cold and snowie rather then cleare and warm For besides this they also say that a hot Christmas makes a fat Church-yard Wherefore to see the earth do penance in a cold white sheet and the woods hang periwigd with wooll bending their boughs in token of thankfulnesse to gray-hair'd Hyems for their safetie from the cold is a sight both wished and welcome the good whereof will shew it self when liberall Nature out of her bounteous wardrobe bestows more beauteous raiment on them And note it is found by experience that it may snow on the mountains and rain in the valleys and yet both come out of one and the same cloud which comes to passe for this reason because the snow coming from the middle Region melteth after it comes into the lowest Region for here is alwayes more heat then above where the snow is generated yet not alwayes heat enough to melt the snow as it falleth neither will the congelation be alwayes so weak as to suffer it And thus also it comes to passe that we have sometimes sleet which is snow and rain together Moreover as some affirm Crystall is made of snow for when the snow melteth upon the tops of high hills and is afterwards frozen again it then becometh so hard that it is a stone and no other then that which we call Crystall Artic. 6. Of Hail HAil is said to be engendred of rain being congealed into ice the drops freezing presently after the dissolving of the cloud Or as some say a cloud resolved into water in the fall congealed maketh hail Aristotle assenteth to the same affirming that the materiall neare cause is rain the remote a cloud the efficient an Antiperistasis or a mutuall adverse strife between cold and heat as in the first book of his Meteors at the 12 chapter may be seen affirming moreover that the precedent heat of the water whereof it is made helpeth to the speedie concretion of it being agreeable to that which I said before concerning snow namely that it consisted of a warmer vapour then rain and yet not of one so warm as that from whence hail proceedeth Whereupon I think we may make this a conclusion concerning hail and say that it is an hot vapour drawn into the middle Region of the aire where by cold of that Region it is made thick into a cloud which falling down in drops like rain is presently met withall and encountered by the sudden cold of the lowest Region and so congealed into a kinde of ice Now this sudden cold thus meeting with it is in the highest part of the lowest Region and caused by an Antiperistasis of heat from below which forceth up the cold to the greater augmentation of it and so because the vapour it self at the first was also warm it doth very speedily turn it into ice for seeing as hath been said it was formerly warm it is the sooner cooled because heat having made it thin and full of passages gives leave to the cold both to pierce it more suddenly and also more soundly And this most commonly is the manner of generating hail But know that hail may sometimes also be made in the middle Region and then it is without an Antiperistasis of which sort for the most part is that small and spungie hail falling in winter when there is no such heat in any part of the aire by whose Antiperistasis it may be congealed For seeing the drops are scarcely come to the densitie of water before their congelation as also seeing they are something swollen through the spirit of the Exhalation they appeare not onely round but also light and hollow or of a spungie substance little differing from the matter of snow being generated in the middle Region as well as this kinde of hail And thus comes hail in winter But at other times of the yeare the hail being more stonie or better hardened it may well be caused by an Antiperistasis proceeding from the heat of this lowest Region which sendeth up imprisons and augments the cold above it And know that hail-stones are not alwayes of one and the same bignesse but are variable according to the quantitie of the drops whereof they be made the cause whereof is their propinquitie or remotenesse from the earth as was shewed before concerning the different drops of rain And for the most part know that they be also round because the drop is so Yet neverthelesse they be sometimes knotted and piked with many corners or else fashioned like a Pyramis the last of which shapes proceedeth from the spirit of the vapour which ascendeth to the top of the drop so soon as the lowest part of it toucheth the congealing cold and so ascending it makes it smaller above then below And as for the triangled knottie or many-cornered shapes they are caused thus viz. when many are suddenly congealed and frozen into one Note also that sometimes little straws or light chaffie stuffe is found within the stones coming thus to passe because they were at the first blown up from the earth by the winde and mixed with the vapour And again know that sometimes you may see hail-stones all icie and cleare without having within them as their centre little white round spungie parts The reason of which is because those white ones within were generated in the middle Region but in their fall justling themselves against the drops of rain which uncongealed came from the same cloud they gat a waterie substance on their outsides which being frozen to them looketh cleare like ice and so makes the whole conglomeration appeare in the shape and fashion before mentioned Moreover it hath not seldome been that hail hath done much hurt Yet evermore the greatest fear is whilest the ripe corn standeth in the eare For a violent storm of hail thresheth it so throughly that turning the words a little we may truely say Illa seges demum votis non respondet avari agricolae Such a storm was felt in many parts of this kingdome not long ago namely in the yeare 1631 which about the beginning of harvest beside the harm it did to other things untimely beat out much corn in the fields to the great damage of many people And at sundry other times also heretofore the like sad accidents have been Wherefore the ancient husbandmen amongst the heathen as Cato and Plinie mention had certain charming verses to keep hail and other dreadfull calamities from their fields in which they shewed themselves of a like minde unto those devilish enchanting haggs who made the Poet sing Carmina vel coelo possunt deducere Lunam Charms can pull even the very Moon out of heaven But this was not all For beside these Palladius
from certain straits creeks bayes or such like places ought to be referred to accidentall hinderances as to the unaptnesse of the places rocks qualities of the regions differing nature of the waters or other secret and unknown impediments such as manifest themselves in Cambaia For it is reported that there although the tides keep their course with the moon yet it is contrary to the course they hold in these parts for they are said to increase not with the full of the moon but with the wane and so the sea-crabs do likewise amongst other things the nature of the water and qualitie of the region may much avail to this if it be true And in the island of Socotora saith Mr Purchas Don John of Castro observed many dayes and found contrary both to the Indian and our wont that when the moon riseth it is full sea and as the moon ascends the tide descends and ebbeth being dead low water when the moon is in the meridian These things are thus reported and if they should be true yet we must know that they are but in particular seas as I said before where a generall and universall cause may be much hindered and in a manner seem as if it were altered They that descend the brinie waves Of liquid Thetis flouds And in their ships of brittle staves Trade to augment their goods These men behold and in the deeps they see How great Gods wonders of the waters be I conclude therefore and cannot but say that this is as great a secret to be in every point discussed and unfolded as any nature can afford Arcanum enim naturae magnum est It is a great secret of nature and gives us therefore principall occasion to magnifie the power of God whose name onely is excellent and whose power above heaven and earth Last of all this is the finall cause of the seas motion God hath ordained it for the purging and preserving of the waters For as the aire is purged by windes and as it were renewed by moving to and fro so this motion keeps the waters of the sea from putrefaction An Appendix to the former Section wherein the properties and vertues of certain strange rivers wells and fountains are declared I Do not well know how to end this discourse of waters before I have spoken something of the strange properties that are in certain rivers wells and fountains Some are hot because they are generated and flow out of veins of brimstone or receive heat from those places where subterranean fires are nourished For this is a generall rule that all waters differ according to the qualitie of the place from whence they arise Some again are sowre or sharp like vineger and these runne through veins of allome copperas or such mineralls Some may be bitter that flow out of such earth as is bitter by adustion or otherwise Some may be salt whose current is through a salt vein And some may be sweet these are such that be well strained through good earth or runne through such mineralls as be of a sweet taste Our baths in the West countrey and S. Anne of Buckstones well in the North part of England and many other elsewhere are hot Aristotle writeth of a well in Sicilie whose water the inhabitants used for vineger and in divers places of Germanie be springs which harbour much sharpnesse In Bohemia neare to the citie called Bilen is a well saith Dr Fulk that the people use to drink of in the morning in stead of burnt wine And some saith he have the taste of wine as in Paphlagonia is a well that maketh men drunk which drink of it now this is because that water receiveth the fumositie of brimstone and other minerals through which it runneth and retaining their vertue it filleth and entoxicateth the brain as wine doth For it is possible that fountains may draw such efficacie from the mines of brimstone that they may fill their brains with fume that drink thereof who also become drunk therewith To which purpose Ovid speaketh thus Quam quicunque parùm moderato gutture traxit Haud aliter titubat quà m si mer a vina bibisset Which whoso draws with an immoderate throat Trips as his brains in meer good wine did float And Du Bartas also Salonian fountain and thou Andrian spring Out of what cellars do you daily bring The oyl and wine that you abound with so O earth do these within thine entralls grow What be there vines and orchards under ground Is Bacchus trade and Pallas art there found Ortelius in his Theatre of the world makes mention of a fountain in Ireland whose water killeth all those beasts that drink thereof but not the people although they use it ordinarily It is also reported that neare to the isle Ormus there is a great fountain found the water whereof is as green as the field in spring-time and salt as the sea He which drinketh but a little of it is incontinently taken with a violent scowring and he that drinketh very much thereof dieth without remedie Aelianus makes mention of a fountain in Boeotia neare to Thebes which causeth horses to runne mad if they drink of it Plinie speaketh of a water in Sclavonia which is extreamly cold yet if a man cast his cloth cloak upon it it is incontinently set on fire Ortelius again speaketh of a boyling fountain which will presently seethe all kinde of meat put into it it will also bake paste into bread as in an oven well heated This is said to be in the isle of Grontland The river Hypanis in Scythia every day brings forth little bladders out of which come certain flies They are bred in the morning fledge at noon and dead at night wherein mankinde is also like them For his birth is as his morning his strongest time or his middle time be his time long or short is as his noon and his night is that when he takes leave of the world and is laid in the grave to sleep with his fathers For this hath been the state of every one since first the world had any one The day breaking the Sunne ariseth the Sunne arising continues moving the Sunne moving noontime maketh noontime made the Sunne declines the Sunne declining threatens setting the Sunne setting night cometh and night coming our life is ended Thus runnes away our time If he that made the heavens Sunne hath set our lives Sunne but a small circumference it will the sooner climbe into the noon the sooner fall into the night The morning noon and evening as to those flies these three conclude our living Clitumnus saith Propertius lib. 3. is a river or spring in Italie which maketh oxen that drink of it white Dr. Fulk yeeldeth this reason namely because the qualitie of the water is very flegmatick Fulk Met. lib. 4. Plinie speaketh of the river Melas in Boeotia which maketh sheep black But Cephisus another stream which
happeneth to be watred by continuall rains then not onely the pores and caverns thereof are stopped and closed up but even the aire and Exhalations within the earth are increased To which purpose Dr. Fulk in the third book of his Meteors writeth saying The great caves and dens of the earth must needs be full of aire continually for there is no vacuum in nature but when by the heat of the Sunne the moisture of the earth is resolved many Exhalations are generated as well within the earth as without and whereas the places were full before so that they could hold or receive no more except part of that which is in them be let out it must needs follow that in such countreys where the earth hath few pores or else where they be stopped with moisture that there I say these Exhalations striving to get out do either rend the earth or lift it up that thereby either a free passage may be had or else room enough to abide within I am perswaded that as in other windes there be also in this subterranean fires which help to move and stirre the Vapours and Exhalations Neither do I think that the Sunne is the onely cause of shutting the pores of the ground for then earthquakes would in a manner be as frequent and common as dryings after a rain Some of the other Planets therefore have their operation in this effect Which as Astrologers witnesse is Saturn being of an astringent nature and chiefly in earthie signes must this be produced For say they if Saturn have the sole dominion either in the revolution of the world or in any great conjunction or in the ecliptick place and be strong in earthie signes such as be Taurus Virgo and Capricorn and shall behold the Moon when she is impedite with a quadrate or opposite aspect then he foresheweth that there will be an earthquake And questionlesse this is not altogether idle For the influence of the Planets is divers and may as well according to their places and positions work these effects as have any power at all in the changes and alterations of the aire in the producing of Meteors cherishing of plants and the like And happily it is not Saturn onely nor the bright beams of the Sunne but other of the Planets also being conveniently placed and disposed which helpeth forward this sad effect Authours vary about the kindes of earthquakes some making more some fewer kindes Aristotle De Meteoris lib. 2. cap. 8. maketh onely two Tremor and Pulsus a Trembling and a Beating Some adde a third which they call Hiatus Others make seven And some adde onely foure to which may be joyned a fifth The first is when the whole force of the winde driveth to one place there being no contrary motion to let or hinder it Many hills and buildings have been rushed down by this kinde of earthquake especially when the winde causing it was strong For if it be a feeble winde it onely looseth or unfasteneth foundations if lesse feeble then without further harm the earth onely shakes like one sick of an ague This is called a laterall or side-long shaking The second is not so much laterall as perpendicular or upright which is when the earth with great violence is so lifted up that the buildings are like to fall and by and by sinketh down again For after the winde that caused the earth to swell is broke out of prison the earth returneth to his old place even as it was before The third kinde is Hiatus a gaping rending or cleaving of the earth one part being driven so farre from another that whole towns cities hills rocks rivers seas and the like are swallowed up and never seen again The fourth is a shaking that causeth sinking and is farre differing from the former For now the earth splitteth not but sinketh this being in such places where though the surface of the ground be solid yet it hath but a salt foundation which being moistened with water driven through it by the force of the shaking Exhalation is turned into water also Thus was the Atlantick Ocean caused to be a sea whereas before it was an island according to the testimonie of famous Plato who lived in his flourishing fame about 366 yeares before Christ was born and before his time it was that this island sunk Where by the way in a word or two may be discussed not so much how the late discovered parts of the world came to be peopled as how at the first to be unknown Concerning which this I think may be supposed that America was sometimes part of that great land which Plato calleth the Atlantick island and that the Kings of that island had some intercourse between the people of Europe and Africa Some have related that they were the sonnes of Neptune and did govern part of Europe and Africa as well as of the said island in which regard there was knowledge of the late known parts long ago But when it happened that this island became a sea time wore out the remembrance of remote countreys and that upon this occasion namely by reason of the mud and dirt and other rubbish of the island For when it sunk it became a sea which at the first was full of mud and thereupon could not be sailed untill a long â—…me after yea so long that such as were the sea-men in those dayes were either dead before the sea came to be cleare again or else sunk with the island the residue being little expert in the art of navigation might as necessitie taught them sail in some certain boats from island to island but not venturing further their memorie perished And not onely so but also thus this island sinking might so damp up the sea that neither those that were in these parts did ever attempt to seek any land that wayes to the Westwards nor yet those who were remaining upon that part of the island that did not sink would ever attempt to seek any land unto the Eastwards and so the one forgot the other More I might say touching this thing but this perhaps is more then enough Yet that such an island was and swallowed by an earthquake I am verily perswaded and if America joyned not to the West part of it yet surely it could not be farre distant because Plato deseribes it as a great island neither do I think that there was much sea between Africa and the said island But I leave this digression and proceed The fifth kinde of earthquake is contrary to the former for as before the ground sinks down so now it is cast up like as in the second kinde already mentioned onely this is the difference that now it returneth not to its place again but remaineth a great mountain an embleme whereof may be seen in the busie mole casting up hills in a plain ground And note that if such a rising be in the sea it not onely causeth overflowings but produceth
likewise many islands such as were never seen before And thus there may be five severall kindes of earthquakes Know also that an earthquake hath both his Antecedentia and Subsequentia The Antecedentia are the signes which go before it and shew that it will be The Consequentia or Subsequentia are the effects which follow after it and shew that it hath been As for the Antecedentia or signes they be of these sorts chiefly First a great tranquillitie or calmnesse of the aire mixed with some cold the reason of which is because the exhalation which should be blowing abroad is within the earth Secondly the sunne is observed to look very dimme certain dayes before although there be no clouds the reason of which is because the winde which should have purged and dissolved the grosse aire is taken prisoner and enclosed within the bowels of the earth Thirdly the birds flie not but sit still beyond their ordinary wont and seem as if they were not fearfull to let any one come neare them the reason of which is because either the pent exhalation sendeth some strange alteration into the aire which slenderly breatheth out of some insensible pores of the earth which it may do though the exhalation comes not out or else it is that they are scarce able to flie for want of some gentle gales for their wings to strike upon it being a thing well known that birds flie more willingly and cheerfully when the aire is of such a temper Fourthly the weather is calm and yet the water of the sea is troubled and rageth mightily the reason of which is because the great plentie of spirits or winde in the bottome of the sea beginneth to labour for passage that way and finding none is sent back again whereupon soon after it shaketh the land This is evermore a certain signe Fifthly the water in the bottome of pits and deep wells is troubled ascending and moving as if it boyled stinking and is infected the reason of which is because the exhalation being pent and striving to get forth moveth some stinking mineralls and other poisonous stuffe to the springs of those waters and they with the strugling exhalation stirre and attaint them Sixthly there is a long thin cloud seen in a cleare skie either a little before sunne-setting or soon after now this is caused by reason of the calmnesse of the aire even as Aristotle observeth that in a quiet sea the waves float to the shore long and straight I do not think that this alone can be any more then a very remote signe unlesse it be joyned with some of the other signes already mentioned for although such a cloud may be seen yet every calm brings not an earthquake neither are all places alike subject to them The last signe and that which cannot but be infallible is the great noise and sound which is heard under the earth like to a groning or very thundering And yet some say that this is not alwayes attended with an earthquake for if the winde finde any way large enough to get out it shaketh not the earth Now this noise is made by the struggling of the winde under the earth Next after the Antecedentia the Consequentia of earthquakes would be considered and these as I said be their effects which indeed be not so much the effects of the earthquake as of the exhalation causing the earthquake The first whereof may be the ruine of buildings and such like things together with the death of many people About the 29 yeare before the birth of Christ was an earthquake in Iurie whereby thirtie thousand people perished In the fifth yeare of Tiberius Emperour of Rome thirteen cities of Asia were destroyed in one night by an earthquake Some say but twelve Lanq. chron In the 66 yeare of Christ three cities of Asia were also by the like accident overthrown namely Laodicea Hieropoliâ—… and Colossus Again in the yeare of Christ 79 three cities of Cyprus came to the like ruine and in the yeare following was a great death of people at Rome And in the yeare 114 Antioch was much hurt by an earthquake at which time the Emperour Trâ—…jan being in those parts escaped the danger very difficultly Eusebius placeth it in the second yeare of the 223 Olympiad and Bucholcerus setteth it in the yeare of Christ one hundred and eleven Eusebius makes mention of another before this in the 7 yeare of Trajan this was that which in Asia Greece Calabria overthrew nine severall cities About the yeare of Christ 180 or 182 the citie Smyrna came to the like ruine for the restauration whereof the Emperour remitted ten yeares tribute About the yeare of Christ 369 Eusebius again telleth of an earthquake which was in a manner all over the world to the great damage of many towns and people The like was in the yeare 551 at which time a quave of the earth swallowed a middle part of the citie Misia with many of the inhabitants where the voice of them that were swallowed was heard crying for help and succour He also in the yeare 562 mentions another wherewith the citie Berintho was overthrown and the isles called Câ—…y grievously shaken Again he writeth of a great tempest and earthquake in the yeare 1456 wherein as he hath it out of Chronica chronicorum there perished about Puell and Naples 40 thousand people Also in the yeare 1509 the citie of Constantinople was sorely shaken innumerable houses and towers were cast to the ground and chiefly the palace of the great Turk insomuch that he was forced to fly to another place Thirteen thousand perished in this calamitie Again in the yeare 1531 in the citie Lisbon a thousand foure hundred houses were overthrown or as some say one thousand five hundred and above six hundred so shaken that they were ready to fall and their churches cast unto the ground lying like heaps of stones This earthquake was attended with a terrible plague and pestilence And thus do these examples confirm the first effect A second is the turning of plain ground into mountains and raising up of islands in the sea as Thia in the time of Plinie and Therasia which as Seneca witnesseth was made an island even in the sight of the mariners or whilest they were looking on Thus also Delos Rhodos and sundry others came to be islands A third effect is the throwing down of mountains and sinking of islands and such like Thus perished the Atlantick island as I shewed before yea thus also perished by the breach of the earth those famous cities of Achaia viz. Helice and Buris of which Ovid writeth thus Si quaras Helicen Burin Achaeidas urbes Invenies sub aquis Et adhuc ostendere nautae Inclinata solent cum moenibus oppida mersis If thou would'st Helice and wish'd Buris finde Th'Achaean cities never lost in minde The water hides them and the shipmen show Those
wilde one which is Brionia sylvestris This plant is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Vitis alba but according to Plinie it is Brionia or Madon White Brionie is in all parts hot and drie exceeding the third degree It scoureth the skin taketh away wrinkles freckles sunne-burning black marks spots and scarres of the face if the juice be tempered with the meal of vetches or tares or of fenugreek or boilâ—…d in oyl till it be consumed it taketh away black and blew spots which come of stripes And as Galen affirmeth it is a plant profitable for tanners to thicken their leather hides with Ger. ex Galen Madwort or Moon-wort in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Alyssum or Lunaria is an herb of a temperature meanly drie and very like to Horehound but rougher and more full of prickles about the flowers the colour of which flowers are tending to blew the leaves are small and fashioned something like an heart with a crooked line along the same divers tufts depending on a long tail on both sides somewhat long flat and divided on the one side by crooked flittings which seem to be round holes the entrie whereof is raised both on the one part and on the other The stalks thereof are made with hollow angles garnished with grosse branches and the grain in the cod is made like a crescent with two horns from whence it is called Moon-wort or Lunaria Thus I finde it described and note also that the root is slender and about some foure fingers long I meet sometimes with many strange reports concerning this herb and who more highly esteem it then the Alchymists because it seemeth to be a thing very proper to them and peculiar for their use in making of silver The Italians call it Unshoe-the-horse because if they tread upon it they lose their shoes and are freed from their locks and fetters Oh Moon-wort tell us where thou hid'st the smith Hammer and pincers thou unshoo'st them with Alas what look or iron engine is 't That can thy subtil secret strength resist Sith the best Farrier cannot set a shoe So sure but thou with speed canst it undo These secrets are strange and somewhat are they strengthened by that which Plinie writeth of the wood-pecker who by the means of a certain herb draweth the wedges out of the holes in trees which shepherds have driven in yea nails or any other such like wedges are fetched out by the vertue of this herb Thus Plinie relateth and he alledgeth one Trebias for his witnesse See Plin. lib. 10. cap. 18. Mr Gerard saith that it is sowen now and then in gardens especially for the rarenesse of it but the seed saith he is brought over either from Spain or Italie But why may it not grow in other places I remember what a friend of mine of good credit once told me that his grandfather had a close wherein it was a common thing to finde their horses unfettered in the morning although they were fast shackled over night he named also the place but I have now forgotten it Here do I suppose might grow some of this herb if there be any such to work these feats But to omit these strange narrations let me acquaint you with that excellent propertie which Galen mentioneth namely that if it be given to such as are enraged by the biting of a mad dog it doth perfectly cure them Ger. Herb. pag. 380. It is therefore also called Madwort Parsley is an herb hot and drie hot in the second degree and drie almost in the third There be many kindes of Parsley and every one of them according to the Greek are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latine Apium Petrapium and the like But know that there is Apium hortense garden Parsley and Apium palustre water Parsley which is Smallage and Apium montanum mountain Parsley and Petrapium or Petroselinum Macedonicum which we in England call stone Parsley Moreover some say that Alisanders are called the great Parsley and again there is Apium sylvestre wilde Parsley Elianus reporteth in the 13 book of his variable historie that when the Harts stand in need of a remedie against any dangerous disease they then use to eat wilde Parsley There be generally two sorts of Thyme the wilde and the garden Thyme and both are hot and drie in the third degree The wilde is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Serpillum à serpendo from creeping for so it grows and creeps upon the ground from place to place The garden Thyme is called Thymum durius and in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a generall name for all kinde of Thyme Bees are greatly delighted with this herb and for such as are subject to the falling sicknesse let them use to smell unto it Also it being made into powder is good for such as be fearfull melancholy and troubled in minde if it be taken in Mead or a honied vineger which is called Oximel Ger. Arsmart or water Pepper groweth almost in every waterish plash or neare unto the brims of rivers ditches and running brooks In Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Hydropiper or Piper aquaticum It is hot and drie of temper The leaves of this herb rubbed upon a tired jades back and a good handfull or two laid under the saddle doth wonderfully refresh the wearied horse and causeth him to travell much the better and note that this is to be done as soon as he beginneth to tire Peionie in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Paeonia and Dulcifida is an herb meanly hot and drie The black grains or seeds of the male Peionie bruised and given to drink in mead or wine help melancholy dreams cure the disease called Ephialtes or Night mare A syrupe made of the flowers doth greatly help the falling sicknesse And as Galen hath found by sure and evident experience saith Mr Gerard the fresh root tied about the necks of children doth the like cure but unto those that are grown the said root must be administred in some syrupe or decoction and taken inwardly or else it helpeth not Spear-wort or Bane-wort is an herb which if it be taken in wardly is deadly It groweth by ditches and rivers sides and waterish places Cunning beggars do use to stamp the leaves of this herb and lay them to their legs and arms which cause such filthie ulcers as we daily see among such wicked vagabonds for they will raise blains and blisters and by this practise they hope to move the people to the more pitie But let not the abuse extirpate the right use for the learned affirm that it prevaileth much towards the drawing of a plague-sore from the heart and inward parts In Greek it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latine Ranunculus longifolius Moreover it hath also the name of Bane-wort because
when sheep feed on it they have their livers enflamed their guts and entrails fretted and blistered by it It is hot and drie in the fourth degree Sulphur-wort or Hogs fennell in Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Peucedanus or Feniculum porcinum It is hot in the second and drie in the beginning of the third degâ—…ee and is used with good successe against the ruptures and burstnings of young children being very good to be applied to their navels if they start out over much Feverfew called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latine Parthenium is hot in the third degree and drie in the second This herb dried and made into powder is good against a swimming and turning in the head if some two drammes of it be taken with hony or sweet wine Also it is good for such as be melancholie sad pensive and not desiring to speak Mouseare or Pilosella is hot and dry The decoction or the juice of this herb is of such excellencie that if steel-edged tools glowing hot be often cooled therein it maketh them so hard that they will cut stone or iron be it never so hard without turning the edge or waxing dull Celandine or Swallow-wort in Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Chelidonium This herb is hot and dry in the third degree Some say that it was thus named because as Plinie writeth it springeth at the coming of the swallows and withereth at their departure which I suppose is false seeing it may be found all the yeare That therefore which he writeth in his 8 book the 27 chapter did rather occasion the name For saith he the swallows have demonstrated unto us that Celandine is good for the sight because when the eyes of their young ones be out they cure them again with this herb Whereupon one writes out of Schola Salerni thus An herb there is takes of the Swallows name And by the Swallows gets no little fame For Plinie writes though some thereof make doubt It helps young Swallows eyes when they are out Also the root being chewed is reported to be good for the tooth-ach Angelica is hot and dry in the third degree It is an enemie to poysons and cureth pestilent diseases if it be used in time yea the very root chewed in the mouth is good against infection Contagious aire ingendring pestilence Infects not those who in their mouthes have tane Angelica that happie counter-bane Dragon is an herb much like to Angelica in operation if the distilled water be drunk onely observe that the smell of Dragon flowers are hurtfull to women newly conceived with childe Ger. Sowbread or Swines-bread is an herb hot and drie in the third degree In Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latine Tuber terrae This herb is also dangerous for women with childe either to touch take come neare or stride over it For without controversie as Mr Gerard affirmeth it maketh them be delivered before their times He therefore having it growing in his garden used to set sticks or barres that such a danger might be shunned And this effect he attributeth to the extraordinarie naturall attractive vertue in it Dioscorides and Matthiolus do not deny the said marvellous operation and Du Bartas remembers it thus If over it a childe-great woman stride Instant abortion often doth betide Lavender as is supposed is but the female plant of that which we call Spike and being sweet in smell it is used in baths and waters to wash the hands in which regard it is called Lavender or Lavander from the Latine word Lavo to wash Leek is hot and dry the Greeks call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Porrum according to which name Nero the Emperour was called For because he took great pleasure in this root he was named in scorn and called Porrophagus Leeks are not good for hot and cholerick bodies because if they be eaten often they ingender naughtie bloud hurt the head dull the sight and make one to be troubled and affrighted with terrible dreams The like may be said of Onions And yet according to some the water of the distilled roots being done in June and drunk often by women that are barren helpeth them As also the same water helpeth the bleeding at the nose if fine cotten be dipped in it and put up into the nostrils And of Onions it is likewise written that if they be bruised and mixed with salt and hony they will then destroy warts and make them fall off by the very roots Also there is another propertie in Onions which when I had little else to do I observed in this following Epigram He that a bad wife follows to the grave And knows not how for joy a teare to crave May Onions use to make him weep in shew For who can weep indeed to lose a shrew Garlick called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latine Allium is hot and dry as Galen writeth even unto the fourth degree It is called the countrey mans Triacle and hath many good properties And amongst other things one thing very strange I finde recorded of it viz. that though the often eating of it do harm the whole and perfect sight yet the moisture or juice infused into the eyes doth comfort a dull sight It is said that the strong smell of Garlick is put away by chewing of Cummin-seed or by eating a green bean or two after it Also I finde that if a woman doubt of her being with childe let there be set all night by her bed side some Garlick and if she smell it not then she may conclude that she hath conceived or is with childe Sleep not presently after the eating of Radish for that will cause a stinking breath And withall let this be noted that the Parsnep and Carret are hot and dry about the third degree The Turnep is hot and moist This is a root which is eaten of men but loathed of swine The Skirret is moderately hot and moist The Artichoke is hot and dry unto the second degree The Elocampane is hot in the third but dry in the second degree and the chief vertues of it are to open the breast or to help shortnesse of winde caused by tough fleâ—… me which stoppeth the lungs Also it openeth oppilations of the liver and splene and comforteth the stomack as saith Schola Salerni Enula campana haec reddit praecordia sana c. Elecampane strengthens each inward part Asswageth grief of minde and cheers the heart A little loosenesse is thereby provoken It quelleth wrath and makes a man fair-spoken The Rape is also of an hot temper And Tarragon is hot and dry to the third degree The Red Darnell is hot also and
be drunk cureth the pain in the back gotten by any violent motion as wrastling and the like to which some adde the overmuch use of Venus for in foure or five dayes they are perfectly healed although there be an involuntarie fluxus seminis gotten thereby In Greek it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Symphytum and Solidago or Consolida major The Water-lilies are also highly esteemed for their vertues in curing some of the like infirmities for those which are skilfull do affirm that a decoction of the white or yellow Water-lilie made of the seeds roots or leaves is singular good against nocturnall pollutions caused by dreams or otherwise The same cure is also wrought by the green leaves laid upon the region of the back in the small and two or three times a day removed and fresh applied Ger. The Greeks call this Water-lilie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Nymphâ—…a because it takes such delight to grow in the water Lactuoa in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in English Lettice is temperately hot and moist in the second degree It cooleth a hot stomack called heart-burning and in nurses that are hot and drie it procureth milk otherwise not But it must never be eaten immoderately for ancient authors affirm that generally it hindereth conception by wasting of sperm and if it be not eschewed of women with childe it is a great means to make them bring forth children either raging in minde or foolish in wit Also the use of Lettice is to be avoided of all that be short-winded and spit bloud or be â—…legmatick they may not eat it often Yet he that would live honestly unmarried let him not refuse this medicine set forth by Dioscorides and Galen as the authour of the haven of health affirmeth viz. let him bruise Lettice seeds and often put them in his drink c. Purslain is cold in the third degree and moist in the second The Greeks call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Portulaca The juice of this herb is good against fluxes for it greatly stoppeth them And note that the very herb holden under the tongue putteth away thirst and drinesse Violet in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Viola is cold and moist being cold in the first degree and moist in the second The leaves inwardly taken do greatly cool moisten and make the body loose or soluble or outwardly applied do â—…itigate all kinde of hot inflammations These herbs following are cold and dry MAdder is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Rubia and of its temperature the learned are not fully agreed yet Mr Gerard saith it is cold and dry It is good to give the decoction of the roots to bursten and bruised folks which roots do also plentifully provoke urine and as some affirm the very holding of the root or handling of it dieth the handlers urine into a perfect red colour appearing as if he pissed bloud Whereupon saith Du Bartas O wondrous Woad which touching but the skinne Imparts his colour to the parts within But note that this must be understood of the root held long in the hand and freshly gathered for being kept and transported it hath not this vertue Plinie attributeth more unto it for saith he the onely sight of this herb healeth the Jaundise But in this last propertie let the reader use his libertie Willow-wort or Loose-strife is an herb cold and dry whose first vertues were found out by Lysimachus the sonne of Agathocles and one of Alexanders captains from whom it is called Lysimachium or Lysimachia Plinie writeth of this herb that it is of such strange vertue that when Oxen at the plough are striving and unrulie let it be put into their yokes and presently they are appeased and quieted This herb is contrary to Betonie which in these two verses you may remember As Betonie breaks friendships ancient bands So Willow-wort makes wonted hate shake hands Shepherds purse or Bursa pastoris is cold and dry the leaves bruised are good to heal green bleeding wounds And also the decoction of it doth stop the lask the spitting and pissing of bloud and all other bloudie fluxes Sen-green or Housleek is alwayes green both in summer and winter Whereupon it is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as much as Semper vivens or alwayes living It is cold in the third degree and somewhat drying The juice hereof taketh away corns from the toes and feet better then any thing that you can easily get Let them be washed and bathed therewith and as it were day and night emplastred with the skin of the said Housleek and you shall finde remedie Sorrell or soure-Dock in Latine Acida in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is cold and dry being cold in the third degree and dry in the second The seeds of Sorrell drunk in grosse red wine stop the lask and bloudie flux Also if one fasting do chew some of the leaves and suck down the juice it marvellously preserveth from infections Eliots castle of Health Plantain called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Lambestongue and in Latine Plantago is cold and dry in the third degree The juice of Plantain drunk like unto Housleek stoppeth the bloudie flux or spitting or pissing of bloud And the leaves stamped and made into a Tansie with the yelks of eggs stay the inordinate flux of terms although it hath continued many yeares Ger. pag. 341. But on the contrary the decoction of Cammomill or Germander made in wine and drunk voideth winde and procureth them to flow And thus also I have given you a taste of some cool as well as hot herbs And in most of these as in such other things of the same nature I must confesse that as I have seen a description of the world set forth by such whose reading was their furthest travell so out of good Authours and skilfull Herbalists I have both learned and taught these secrets Unto which I have yet a few more that I intend to adde and because these are the most strange I have reserved them unto the last place These herbs which follow are herbs of more then ordinarie properties AS first the noble Nepenthe an herb which being steeped and drunk in wine expelleth sadnesse 2. Then is there the herb Hippurin or Hippice of which Plinie writeth that it is admirable in stenching bloud insomuch that the cure is performed by the very touch of it being also very good to keep one from hunger and thirst while it is kept in the mouth 3. Also there is Nyctilops or Nyctegretum an herb which in the night shineth a farre off and above all other creatures at the first sight it scareth Geese 4. Pythagoras telleth of the herb Callicia which will turn water into ice 5. Ophiusta is an herb
eyes can see Sect. 3. Of the offices given to the Sunne Moon and Starres in the day of their creation Paragr 1. Shewing that their first office is to shine upon the earth to rule over the day and night c. Artic. 1. Of light what it is and whether the Sunne be the onely fountain of light THe former part of my discourse hitherto in this dayes work was chiefly founded upon these words Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven and upon these And God made the starres also But now I come to speak of their offices The first whereof is that exquisite one above the rest I mean their bright and radiant shining by which the dismall clouds of foggie darknesse are daintily devoured and the sweet comelinesse of the worlds ornament made apparent For without light all things would appeare like the face of hell or horrour and each parcell of the worlds fabrick lie buried in black obscuritie dismall squalour Whereupon one speaketh worthily saying that amongst those qualities subject to sense there is none more fit to shew the due decorum and comely beauty of the worlds brave structure none more fit then light For where it spreads it self either above us or below us all things are then encompast with such a splendour as if a golden garment were dilated over them or curiously put upon them Let it not then be ashamed to shine shew it self to the praise of him who made it For Praise him sun and moon praise him oh ye stars and light was Davids song But to proceed Authours make a difference between Lux and Lumen It is called Lux as it is in the fountain that is in a bodie which is lucid of it self as in the sunne so saith Zanchius But it is Lumen as it is in some Medium that is in corpore diaphano as is the aire or water Lumen enim nihil aliud est quà m lux lucisve imago in corpore diaphano From whence may be gathered that that primarie light which we comprehend under the name of Lux is no other thing then the more noble part of that essence which is either in the sunne moon or starres and so far as a corporeall substance may be given to fire it may be also attributed to that which is properly called light being in and of those lamps of heaven which were made ex primava luce chiefly and so came to appeare of a fiery colour Whereupon Patricius writing against the Peripateticks saith Lux est essentia stellarum Nihil enim aliud flamma quà m lumen densius lumen non aliud quà m flamma rarior Calor quoque non aliud quà m ignis rarefactus atque diffusus ignis non aliud quà m calor densatus sive lux compacta Take therefore my meaning rightly lest I be supposed to be much mistaken And again concerning Radius which is a Beam or Ray it is no primarie light neither but rather as Patricius also writeth it is Fulgor à Luce exiliens in rectam acutam figuram seu in modum Pyramidis Coni promicans To which Scaliger is affirming saying Lux est alia in corpore lucido ab eo non exiens alia à corpore lucis exiens ut Lumen Radius And Zaharel also saith Lux alia est propriè dicta in astris ipsis alia à luce producta in perspicuo Whereupon I cannot but be perswaded that light in it self properly primarily taken must be an essentiall propertie as formerly I have related but to the aire or other things enlightned by it it is an accidentall quality approved of God as good both to himself the future creatures For although it be commonly said of compound things that they are such as we may distinguish of them in ipsam essentiam susceptricem in eam quae ipsi accidit qualitatem yet here the case proves otherwise because the sunne and starres have susceptam semel secúmque immixtam lucem And again as saith Theodoret Lucem quidem condidit ut voluit Quemadmodum verò firmamento aquas divisit ità lucem illam dividens ut voluit luminaria magna ac parva in coelo collocavit And as touching the brightnesse of the starres the sunne may well be called Oculus mundi The eye of the world For he is indeed the chief fountain from whence the whole world receiveth lustre shining alone and enlightning our whole hemisphere when all the other starres are hid From whence some Philosophers and Astronomers have been of opinion that the fixed starres shine not but with a borrowed light from the sunne Plutarch in his 2 book and 17 chap. of the opinions of Philosophers saith that Metrodorus and his disciples the Epicures have been of this minde But according to the mindes of the best authours and nearest equipage to truth the starres are called lights as well as the sunne and moon although there be a difference between them either of more or lesse For Paul distinguisheth between the starres and sunne non privatione lucis sed tantùm gradu And when God said Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven he made not the sunne alone but the sunne moon and starres the light in the starres being in very deed darkened by that in the sunne which doth but differ in degree from that in them Whereupon it is that the starres shew themselves by night onely when the sunne is hid or in some deep pit whither the sunne-beams cannot pierce If therefore we cannot see them Id non solis non stellarum culpâ fit sed oculorum nostrorum hic est defectus ob solaris enim luminis copiam ac vigorem debilitantur Also some adde their influences as that of the Little dogge the Plâ—…iadas and others being plain testimonies of their native light For if they had not their proper and pâ—…culiar light being fo farre distant from the inferiour bodies it is thought they could not alter them in such sort as they sometimes do and evermore the further they be from the sunne the better and brighter we see them And as for the diversitie of their influence the differing qualitie of the subject causeth this diversitie So that though this light for the first three dayes was but one in qualitie it came to have divers effects as soon as it was taken and bestowed upon the starres and lights And perhaps as there is in them the more of this fire the â—…otter is their qualitie but little fire and more water the moister and cooler and so also the more earthy substance the darker Neither do I think that we may altogether exempt the moon from her native light For although she shineth to us with a borrowed light yet it is no consequence to say she hath therefore no own proper light There is saith Goclenius a double light of the moon Proper and Strange The Proper is that which is Homogeneall to it self or
proportion to the other raven onely differing in colour as being white Now Aristotle thinketh that this happeneth by reason of some passion or accident in the generation Neither as is thought doth the raven conceive by conjunction of male and female but rather by a kinde of billing at the mouth which Plinie mentioneth as an opinion of the common people saying Ore eos parere aut coire vulgus arbitratur ideóque gravidas si ederint corvinum ovum per os partum reddere which is very strange if it should be true and therefore Aristotle denieth it onely thinking that their billing or kissing is but like unto that amongst the doves And as for the English name Raven given to this bird it is so called of ravening and devouring In Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Crocitare to croke and in Latine Corvus under which name we comprehend the crows as well as the ravens The ancient Emperours of Rome and other heathen Princes had their Soothsayers and beholders of birds now these gave great heed to the ravens and would diligently look upon their eyes marking in time of warre to what part they turned for they supposed that the raven did presage which side should perish in battell and would alwayes therefore have her eye fixed or turned that way or to that partie as it were shewing her longing desire to be feeding on their carcases Which is somewhat confirmed by that which Plinie writeth of the ravens flying out of Athens and Peloponnesus saying Nam cùm Mediae hospites occisi sunt omnes è Peloponneso Attica regione volaverunt Plin. ibid. Which flocking to the fight was for their fat prey as though there had been in them some sense of the present action Furthermore this I finde again recorded by Plin. lib. 10. cap. 43. that when Marcus Servilius and C. Cestius were Consuls there was a solemne funerall of a raven celebrated at Rome upon the fifth calends of April and this being so neare the time of our Saviours passion as it was did as some observe not unfitly shadow forth the devils funerall and destruction of his kingdome among the Gentiles For as the raven delighteth in solitarie or desert mansions Isai. 34. 11. so doth the devil walk through desert places as we see it Matth. 12. 43. In which resemblance he is fitly called the devils bird and this funerall may as well prove the time of Christs death and buriall as Dions Phenix appearing about the same time was used by Carion and Mr Lydiat to shew the yeare of his resurrection The Pelican is that bird which Plinie calleth Onocratalus and is much like the swanne in shape and proportion excepting in the widenesse of his gullet and capacitie of his maw Of this fowl there be two sorts one that liveth by the waters another which is the Pelican of the desert This is a melancholy bird and takes the name of Pelican from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so called of smiting or piercing which is in regard that by piercing his breast he reviveth his young ones with his own bloud when they are bitten and killed of serpents or having killed them with his bill he reviveth them again by his bloud after three dayes Or else this name belongs unto him from piercing the shel-fishes and picking out their meat to feed his young For according to the testimonie of Aristotle the dammes use to catch such fish and swallow them into their stomacks and when they have there so warmed them that their shells may gape they do again cast them up and so pick out their meat in an easie manner In like sort have I seen those who have done more by policie then others or they could do by strength neither is violence alwayes the readiest way for sometimes art may be more then arms and gentle usage have power to charm when rigour helpeth to enrage The Stork is a famous bird for naturall love to his parents whom he feedeth being old and feeble as they fed him being young the Egyptians and the Thessalians so esteemed this bird that there was a great penaltie laid upon any that should kill him His English name Stork comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek which is Amor in Latine proceeding from his forenamed kindnesse and naturall love to his damme being also humane and loving to mankinde delighting to build in the tops of houses and chimneys as is usuall to be seen in Germanie whereby it is evident that he loveth the societie of man which saith one sheweth their disposition to be unnaturall which do shun the companie of men and of a superstitious minde retire themselves into desert and solitarie places as Hermites Anchorites and such like Dr Wil. on Levit. And now the reason why he was in such esteem in Egypt and Thessasie was for his great service he did them in killing of serpents and other venemous things Plinie calls him Ciconia and from the Stork Ibis men first learned to purge by clyster for with his bill he conveyeth salt water up into his bodie below and so purgeth himself The Heron or Hernsew is a fowl that liveth about waters and yet she doth so abhorre rain and tempests that she seeketh to avoid them by flying on high She hath her nest in very loftie trees sheweth as it were a naturall hatred against the gossehawk and other kinde of hawks and so likewise doth the hawk seek her destruction continually When they fight above in the aire they labour both especially for this one thing that the one might ascend and be above the other Now if the hawk getteth the upper place he overthroweth and vanquisheth the heron with a marvellous earnest flight but if the her on get above the hawk then with his dung he defileth the hawk and so destroyeth him for his dung is a poyson to the hawk rotting and putrifying his feathers This bird is Avis furibunda a furious bird and so in Latine she is called Ardea of ardeo to burn chiefly because she is an angrie creature or because she is greatly enflamed with lust or else because the dung of this bird doth as it were burn or consume what it toucheth Of Hawks there be many and severall kindes as the Falcon Merlin Lannar Tassell and sundrie others Howbeit the Tassells are supposed to be the males of such birds as live by prey as the Tassell of the Saker is called a Hobbie or Mongrell hawk that of the Sparrow-hawk a Musket that of the Lannar a Lannaret and so of the rest Now some again distinguish these birds three severall wayes First by the form and fashion of their bodie some being great as the Gossehawk Faulcon Gerfaulcon c. some small as the Merlin Musket Sparrow-hawk Hobbie and such others Secondly by their game as some for the phesant some for the partridge some for the
daunted when their countrey lay at the stake but fight with courage unresistable because they then fought for something To which purpose it is recorded that when Themistocles was captain and spectatour of such a Cock-contention he spake thus to his souldiers These two Cocks saith he endanger themselves as we see to the death not for their countreys cause not for the houshold gods not for the priviledges of their hoâ—…able ancestours not for renown not for libertie not for â—…fe and children but onely for this that the one might not 〈◊〉 crow or beat the other And therefore the hearts of â—…he Athenians ought rather to be stored with stoutnesse and audacitie that thereby they may purchase perpetuall remembrance Close by his side stands the couragious Cock Crest-creatures king the peasants trustie clock True morning watch Aurora's trumpeter The lions terrour true Astronomer Who leaves his bed when Sol begins to rise And when sunne sets then to his roost he flies The Crane is said to be a shifting bird it hath high legges a long beak and neck which finding no food in winter in the northern regions by reason of the great cold retire themselves into more temperate countreys and in summer return to the north again They flie by companies feed together love their own kinde and appoint one to be king over them and if at any time they fight among themselves presently they be again reconciled and keep their societie as before They have a watch and watch by course there being in the claw of that Crane whose turn it is to wake a little stone that so if by chance this watching bird should fall asleep the stone falling down might again awake him Gemin ex Aristot. Moreover it is said that when they do alight upon the ground their king is first and he also first raiseth himself from the earth and looketh round about him to see whether any one be coming that thereby giving warning they might defend themselves Which is indeed a fit embleme of carefull pastours good magistrates and honest governours whose part it is to be at all times vigilant for the good of those over whom they are Nay their captain and their watching doth not onely shew the care which ought to be in governours but also the necessitie of government is deciphered by it And again it is reported that when these birds flie out of Cilicia over the mountains Taurus each of them carrieth in his mouth a peble stone lest by their chattering they should be seized upon by the Eagles So have I seen those whose unbridled tongues have but brought them to mischief and rouzed the Eagles about their eares whereas in little medling is much rest and nothing said is soon amended The wise man therefore will wear discretion as a stone upon the tip of his tongue lest chattering such words as he knows not what he meet with that which he looks not for And now I could speak of the warres which the Cranes have against the Pigmies whom Du Bartas calleth Dwarfs of the North but I had rather referre you concerning this to Plinie in the second chapter of his seventh book Physicians tell us that the Crane is hard of digestion and maketh ill juice but being hanged up a day or two before he be eaten he is the more tender and lesse unwholesome The silver Swan is a white bird living in marshes and calm rivers very loving unto his fellow the male to the female whom when he draweth to him with his long neck he doth as it were embrace her wherefore in greek he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to embrace or kisse whence also is derived the Latine Cygnus They do one defend the other and sit upon their nest by turns and equally have care of their young ones when they be hatched neither can the he-Swan endure that the she should companie with another in which they be a perfect pattern of chaste mutuall and matrimoniall love Howbeit they will sometimes fight very fiercely with their own kinde and against the Eagles they have cruell battells striving not so much to obtain rule as to revenge their injuries It is likewise said that they sometimes sing but never more sweetly then when they be dying and exchanging life for death of which some doubt and approve it as a thing onely spoken in a poeticall manner yet Aristotle is against them affirming that many have heard them sing in the Assyrian sea To which purpose Martial hath this epigram Dulcia defectâ modulatur carmina linguà Cantator cygnus funeris ipse sui Sweet strains he chaunteth out with 's dying tongue And is the singer of his fun'rall song Wherein he is a perfect embleme and pattern to us that our death ought to be cheerfull and life not so deare unto us as it is And from hence came the proverb Cygnea cantio which is but a lightning against death I formerly made mention of the Raven but beside the Raven there described there is also a Sea-raven or Sea-crow which is a bird very black unlesse it be on the breast and bellie upon which they be of an ash-colour They hunt after fish and have toothed bills like unto the reapers sickle with which they can hold even an eele as slipperie as it is The dung of this bird is of an evil nature for it will rot both the boughs and barks of such trees as it falleth upon and so it is also said that the dung of the Heron doth Olaus lib. 19. The said authour speaketh of another Sea-crow which in seven dayes builds her nest and in the next seven layes her egges and brings forth young and of another which he calleth Morfex or Humusculus so called because she must beat the water with her tail before she can flie She is black all over and with the residue of her companie useth to build her nest upon the tops of high trees growing neare to such places where be store of fish which they catch and devoure very greedily and of these birds there be great store in the more Northern parts of the world But they have especially two enemies the one is a bird which Olaus calleth Platea the other is a fish which is called Raia The Platea lies in wait for these crows and flies at them when they have gotten their prey and never leaves biting them upon their heads untill she cause them to leave it This bird useth to swallow down an abundance of whole cockles into her bellie and there having warmed them she casts them up and then their shels gaping like unto the rosted oister give her leave to take out their meat and eat it which sheweth as I said once before in the description of another bird that policie is better then strength and in the hardest matters prevaileth best The other enemie is not a bird but that fish which
rather then man should finde it they use to hide it in the earth or sand and yet they are deceived for as Plinie writeth it is there soonest of all converted into a stone and not seldome found Which by Geminianus is rightly made an embleme of the envious man who will not onely endeavour to do hurt but be heartily sorie if by chance it be his hap to do any one good The Beaver is a beast of a very hot nature living both in the water and on the land and differeth from an Otter onely in the tail Germanie Spain France Italy and divers other places abound with these beasts His stones are much used in physick the hunters therefore catch him that they may geld him whereupon he is called Castor for it is but a fable to say he biteth out his own stones when they come to take him for indeed they lie too close in his bodie to be pulled out with his teeth These stones and genitalls the Physicians call Castoreum and as for his skinne and hairs their use is also excellent The Otter is something lesse then a Beaver and may well be called A dog of the water and as Mr Topsell thinketh is without all doubt a kinde of Beaver It is a sharp-biting beast never letting his hold go untill he make the bones to crack between his teeth and as for the females they use to give suck to their whelps untill they be almost as big as themselves Olaus Magnus calleth them Lutrae quadrato ore mordaces and telleth us that some great men in Suetia keep tame Otters in their houses which are so tractable that the cook of the kitchin can send them into the fish-ponds to bring him fish for his masters dinner Their skinnes besides other uses if they be worn in caps or stocking-soles are good and wholesome against the palsie megrim and other pains of the head Topsell Sciurus the Squirrell is a quick nimble creature which will skip from tree to tree with great facilitie When she is out of her nest her tail serveth to secure her both from sunne and rain Howbeit it is sometimes a hurt unto her for the hairs of it be so thick that striving to swimme over a river her tail is so laden with water that sinking she drowneth Wherefore nature hath taught her this prettie piece of policie namely to get upon a little piece of wood which swimming wafts her securely over and wanting a sail her bushie tail set up and spread abroad supplies the room of that defect Plinie saith they have great foresight in the change of weather and will therefore stop up the hole of their nest on that side from whence the tempest is like to blow opening a passage in the contrarie place or side opposite to it The like whereunto is affirmed of the Hedge-hog also Their skinnes are exceeding warm and their tails profitable to make brushes their flesh is tender and in a manner comparable to the flesh of Kids or Conies yet not very wholsome except the squirrell were a black one When this beast is hunted she cannot be driven to the ground to creep into hedges unlesse extremitie of faintnesse cause her so to do through an unwilling compulsion for such saith one is the stately minde of this little beast that while her limbes and strength lasteth she tarrieth and saveth her self in the tops of tall trees disdaining to come down for every harm or hurt which she feeleth knowing indeed her greatest danger to rest below among the dogs and busie hunters From whence may be gathered a perfect pattern for us to be secured from all the wiles and hungrie chasings of the treacherous devil namely that we keep above in the loftie palaces of heavenly meditations for there is small securitie in things on earth and greatest ought to be our fear of danger when we leave to look and think of heaven But I come to another beast which in Topsells historie is thus described There is in the New-found World farre into the South a strange and terrible beast which they of the countrey where it liveth call a Su so named because it liveth neare the water and su in their language signifieth water It is a creature of a very deformed shape monstrous presence a great ravener and altogether untameable She hath a mightie great tail which is brushie fierce talons and a cruell look Now when hunters for the desire of her skinne shall set upon her she flieth very swift carrying her young ones upon her back and covereth them with her broad tail And the hunter not daring to encounter with her but by treacherie is forced to this project namely to dig great holes in the ground and cover them over with boughs sticks and earth which he doth so weakly that if the beast chance at any time to come upon it she and her young ones fall down into the pit where they have no way but one they must be taken But this cruell untameable impatient violent ravening and bloudy beast perceiving that her naturall strength cannot deliver her first of all to save her young ones as she supposeth she destroyeth them all with her own teeth so that never any of them could be taken and tamed and then howleth and roareth at the hunters who come about her but now they need not fear her she is secure enough whereupon they use means quickly to dispatch her and by fatall blows to stop her mouth from bawling Then they take off her skinne and leave her carcase in the earth and of what use her skinne is I have not heard The Hedge-hog is a beast well known about the bignesse of a conie but like to a Swine having her body beset with and compassed all over with sharp tâ—…orny hairs or pricking bristles which she setteth up or keepeth down at her pleasure and by these she defendeth her self from those who seek her life which is attributed to her as a kinde of craft and wilinesse Some therefore have likened a deceitfull man unto this beast who turneth and windeth himself for all advantages and is now this then that sometimes neither this nor that Between him and the Serpent there is mortall hatred for it is said that the serpent will seek out the hedge-hogs den and then falleth upon him with purpose to kill him but the Hedge-hog draweth himself up together round like a foot-ball so that nothing appeareth but his thornie pricks where at the Serpent biteth in vain for the more she laboureth to annoy the Hedge-hog the more she is wounded and harmeth her self howbeit the height of her minde and hate of her heart be such that they will not suffer her to let him go till one or both parties be destroyed yea it sometimes so happeneth that the least creature hath the best successe and gets the conquest So have I seen some provoke others to their own
beasts and fowls and for his eye-sight it is very sharp so that in the mountains he seeth his prey afarre off He is bred most commonly in India and Ethiopia his greatest poyson being in his tongue and gall wherefore the Ethiopians cut away the tongue and eat the flesh Munst. Cosm. Plinie saith that through the strength of poison in his tongue it is alwayes lift up and sometimes through the heat of the said poison lurking there his breath is so hot as if he breathed fire by which contagious blast he sometimes so tainteth the aire that the pestilence proceedeth thereof His wings will carrie him to seek his prey when and where occasion serveth The Dipsas is another kinde of serpent and those whom he stingeth die with thirst But those whom the Hypnale stingeth die with sleep Such as are stung by the Prester die with swelling And the wounds of the Haemorrhois procure unstanchable bleeding The Dart taketh name from his swift darting or leaping upon a man to wound and kill him His use and custome is to get up into trees and hedges and suddenly to dart from thence The Amphisbena or Double-head goeth both wayes or moveth circularly with crooked windings because he hath two heads and no tail having a head at both ends which saith one is a fit embleme of popular sedition for where the people will rule their Prince needs must their motion be crooked and where there be two heads it is as if there were no head at all Africa aboundeth with these and sundry the other serpents Cerastes is a serpent bred also in Africa having two horns on his head in manner of a snail and from thence it is that he taketh his name being called by the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say horned He is about a cubit in length and of a sable colour His biting for the most part is incurable and with his horns he can fashion out as it were a little coronet whereby he allureth the birds unto him and then lying hidden in the sands all but the head he cunningly devoureth them Solinus and some others say he hath not onely two but foure horns as may be seen in Plinie lib. 8. cap. 23. The Viper hath a bodie long and slender like an eele or snake a broad head red and flaming eyes and as for his teeth they be inclosed as it were in a little bladder in which he carrieth his poison from thence infusing it into the wound which he hath bitten Some authours write that when the Vipers engender the male putteth his head into the females mouth which she being overcome with the pleasure of copulation biteth off affirming moreover that their young use to gnaw themselves out of their dammes bellies there being thereby an end both of male and female the one in the time of conception the other in the time of birth and are therefore called Vipers viz. à vi pariendo but others alledge the testimonie of one Iames Grevin who in the 7 chapter of his 1 book of venimes produceth the witnesse of * Aristotle saying that the Viper putteth forth her young ones infolded in a membrane which breaketh about the third day and also that sometimes those which are within the bellie issue forth having gnawn asunder the foresaid membrane The Slow-worm hath dark eyes and dull eares and can heare or see but little His skinne is thick his colour is of a pale blew intermixed on the sides with some few blackish spots he seldome hurteth unlesse by chance he be provoked As for the Snake Adder and such like they be common amongst us and so is that other already mentioned viz. the Slow-worm Howbeit we finde that the Adder is a craftie and a subtil creature biting suddenly the passers by whereupon Jacob said that his sonne Dan should be Coluber in via Gen. 49. This and other serpents who change their coats when they cast off their skinnes do first of all by fasting make their flesh low and abated and then by sliding through a narrow passage they slip them off Which may be a fit embleme of those who when they go about to cast off their old and former sinnes know that an humbling of themselves before God in abstinence and fasting is very good and a great help to fit them for repentance for it is certain that if our bellie be our god then gula doth not onely make way for Galen and Bacchus for Aesculapius but even for Tophet also Whereupon we finde that Dives in hell was not upbraided onely because he fared deliciously but because it was every day And how hard a thing it is for a man to serve any other god then his bellie who is continually used to stuffe his paunch the common practises of carelesse livers make apparent for whilest they sleep and eat and play they never think of heaven nor can be fitted to slip off their old sinnes but on the contrary a retired humblenesse will make them both fearfull and carefull how they walk Blame not Paul then if this be part of his bâ—…asting that he could out-fast or out-watch the rest of the Apostles for saith S. Hierome Ardentes diaboli sagittae jejuniorum vigiliarum frigore restinguendae sunt Mr Purchas writeth that they have Snakes and Adders in Africa whereof some are called Imbumas five and twentie spans long living in land and water not venimous but ravenous whose custome is to lurk in trees waiting there for their prey and having taken it they devoure horns hoofs and all although it be a Hart and then swollen with this so huge a meal they be as it were drunk and sleepie and altogether unweldie for the space of five or six dayes Moreover he affirmeth that the Pagan Negroes rost and eat them as great dainties Aulus Gellius sheweth how Attilius Regulus the Romane Consul in the first Punick warre encountered with a huge serpent at the river Bagrada being forced to plant his engines and artillerie against him and killing him his skinne was sent to Rome for a monument being no lesse then 120 foot in length In the kingdome of Congo be certain great Dragons with wings in bignesse like to rammes having long tails and in their chaps divers jawes of teeth of blew and green colour they have two feet and feed on flesh The Pagan Negroes pray to them as gods for which cause the great lords of the countrey keep them that thereby they may make a gain of the peoples devotion when they offer their gifts and oblations The Scorpion is a venimous insect somewhat fashioned like a crab lobster or creyfish they have many legs and carrie their stings in their tails sometimes they eat their young ones and are of divers colours the female is the biggest and hath the sharpest sting And note that of the Scorpion is made an oyl
this book I have declared Wherefore I will now conclude and concluding say God saw the works which he had made And good he found them all If therefore now they faint or fade 'T is 'cause Man caught a fall For ev'ry creature groneth deep A change they wish to see They travail seek they want and weep Till sonnes of God be free For then they likewise freedome have No longer kept in pain Come therefore quickly Lord we crave Renew this world again And in its kinde it being free 'T will praise thy name as well as we FINIS SOLI DEO GLORIA A Table of the principall and most remarkable matters contained in this book ABraham he had skill in the signes of heaven and taught the same to the Egyptians 347 The second age of the world was from the floud to Abraham 16 Achates the Eagles stone 295 Adam he fell soon after his creation 36 37 Adamant or Diamond the most precious of all stones and how to soften it 292 Adder and his properties 490 Adulterie An embleme against it by an example taken from the Sargon 381. Adulterous men like to the Cuckoe 406 Aeschynomen a strange kinde of herb 273 Affliction opens the eyes of securitie 480. One patient in trouble like to the stone Amiantus 299. False friends flie away in affliction 293. 405. Affliction ought to be taken patiently by an embleme from the Camel 444 Ages of the world 15. There be six ages but not of equall thousands 16 Agnus castus and the properties 274 Aire From the earth to the highest Firmament nothing but aire 116. See more in the word Regions Alabaster 291 Alborach a beast frequent in Turkie on which they fable Mahomet was carried into heaven 457 Alexander deceived by Apes 472 Alpine-mouse and the strange properties of it 468 Alume and the severall kindes thereof 304 Amber 303 304. Amber-greese 368 America A conjecture how America came at the first to be unknown 233 Amethyst a stone of power to resist drunkennesse 294 Amiantus a stone which the fire cannot hurt 299 Amphisbena a serpent with two heads 489 Ampelite a black pitchie earth of the same nature with our coals 301 Amphitane a stone of neare nature to the load-stone 298 Anacrampseros an herb causing love 272. Sowbread is of the same qualitie ibid. Androdamas is a stone stopping anger and furie 299 Angels when they were created 53. How Manna is said to be Angels food 157. The oath of the 7th Angel in the Revelation 27 Angelica and the vertues thereof 261 Anger restrained by the Sardius 295. as also by the Androdamas 299 Antiperistasis what it is 92 Apes and their kindes 471 Arbore de Rais or the tree of roots growing in India and called the Indian fig-tree 280 Arbore triste or the sad tree 281 Arguments to prove that the world began and must also end 2 3 Arions storie how to be credited 379 Aristotle 1. he drowned himself in Euripus 210 Armadill an Indian beast 457 Arsmart or Water-pepper 259 Arsnick rightly described and the kindes thereof 300 Artichoke 264 Asbestos a strange stone which being once fired cannot be quenched 298 Asp 492 Asphaltus or black Bitumen 302 Asterite a stone bearing in it the image of the sunne 294 Astrologers many times too busie 10. bold and wicked 351 352 sequent Atheists kick against the pricks 4 Atlantick island was once and had kings raigning in it but now it is a sea 233 Autumne described 356. The world was made in Autumne 32 41 42 43 c. B BAck Good against strains in the back 268 Badger 482 Balaena a kinde of whale Their love to their young with an instruction from thence 368 Barble a warie fish 383 Barnacles or Geese which grow upon a tree 282 Barrennesse Good against barrennesse 262 Bartas a divine Poet 4. His opinion of the worlds end 9. His description of the worlds ages 17. His opinion of the worlds beginning 4. His opinion of the Chaos 49. His opinion of the waters above the heavens 63 64. His opinion of the Regions 85. His opinion of wheat rained 147. His opinion of strange waters 227. His commendation of the vertues of herbs 267. His opinion opposite to those who make the starres living creatures 322 Basil and the vertues thereof 244 Basilisk or Cockatrice 486 Bat 404 Baum or Balm 245. It is good to close wounds 246. Bees are much delighted with Baum ibid. Beam a burning Meteor 90 Beams or streams seeming to burn 133 Beard Good to make the beard grow 254 Bear 475. A storie of a man saved by a Bear ibid. Bears love hony 476 Beasts Brute beasts not to be renewed in the end of the world 6 Beaver and his properties 452 Beautie The beautie of the heavenly bodies after the world is purged by fire 7 Bees 420. They lose their life with their sting ibid. Difference of bees ibid. Their king and common-weal 421. They never breathe ibid. The female bee supposed to be the drone 422. Their order of going to rest and work ibid. Their physick 423. The manner of their swarming ibid. How to keep them from stinging 244. See more in Thyme and Baum. Good against their stinging 425 Beggars How cunning beggars use to blister their arms and legs 260 Bellie The bellie destroyeth many by an embleme taken from the mouse 467 Bermuda-birds and their properties 418 Betonie and the sundry vertues thereof 266 Birds of Paradise 418 Bitumen and the kindes 302 Black-bird 402 Blasting Dew 158 Bleeding A bleeding herb 272 For bleeding at the nose 255 Bloud Times when it rained bloud together with the cause 149 Bloud-stone or the Haematite 297 Spitting of bloud and how to help it 247. 303 Boas and the properties 488 Bodie Our bodies follow the temper of the aire 104. 341. The parts of the bodie 497 498 499 Boldnesse We must not be too bold in things above our reach 9 Bole-armoniack what it is and what it is good for 300 Bombyx or the Silk-worm 425 Borage 245 Boy A storie of a Boy and a Dolphin 380 Brain Things good for the brain 247. A Scorpion bred in the brain 244. The animall spirits go from the brain 497 Brasse and Copper 288 Bream 388 Breath Good against a stinking breath 250 Brionie and the properties 256 Brown Umber 301 Bruises Good against bruises 269 Bubo or the great Owl 402. He is thought to be an ominous bird 403 Buffe and his properties 478 Bugill and Byson described 477 Buglosse See Borage Bulls and their natures 477 478 Burstnings good against them in children 260. Good against them in old folks 269 Butterwort and the properties thereof 252 C CAjetane confuted together with Bellarmine concerning Noahs Floud 75 Calamarie being a fish called the Sea-clerk 384 Calcedon is a stone which expelleth sadnesse 294 Callicia an herb turning water into ice 272 Camel 443. The Horse the Camel great enemies 444. Stuffes made of Camels hair ibid. The Cameleopard 445 Cantharus
wings with an embleme concerning thriving taken from the flying and swimming of this fish 382 Hog The Sea-hog 372. Another kinde of Sea-hog described 378 Hony See Bees Hony-dew 157. At what time of the yeare Hony-dews are most common 158 Hore-hound and his properties 252 Hornet A strange fight between a Sparrow and an Hornet 424. The Badger an enemie to the Hornet 425 Horse The properties of the Horse and Mare 483. The marks of a good Horse ibid. How to know the age of an Horse 484 Hot things cooled are soonest congealed 160 Housleek or Sen-green is alwayes green and therefore called semper vivens It is good against Corns 270 Houswives A note for good houswives 255 Humours The Passions are seated in the heart and stirred up by the Humours 497 498 Hyacinth and the vertues of it 293 Hyaena and his subtilties 445 Hypanall a serpent so called 489 Hyssop and the vertues of it 253 J. I. JAde An herb to refresh a tired Iade 259 Janus Whom the Poets pointed at in their fiction of Ianus with two faces 2 Jasper stone and the vertues thereof 295 Ibis a kinde of Stork 394. He doth much good in destroying serpents ibid. Jerf or Gulon a strange beast whose delight is onely in feeding 484 Jet and the properties of it 303 Jews their computation of 6000 yeares confuted 11 12 13 c. Ignis fatuus or foolish fire 93 Infection Sorrell good against infection 270 Innocencie taught from the Dove or Pigeon or Turtle rather 408 Iron and how it groweth 289 Israelites The Manna of the Israelites 156. The Egyptians did not cause the Israelites to forget their ancient customes 38 Iulus his head on a flame 97 June Noahs floud began to cease about the beginning of Iune or end of May 33 K. KIng-fisher and his properties 417 King of Sweden His Starre 108 109. The time of his birth ibid. His speech to his souldiers 112. His speech three dayes before his death 113. A Memento of him for after-times ibid. Kite and his properties 394 Knowledge in Devils See Devils L. LAdanum a sweet dew 158 Ladies mantle an herb so called the vertues whereof are described 252 Ladies threads a Meteor like unto cobwebs 167. Why there be spiders in it 168 Lamia a beast so called and described she hath paps a face head and hair like a woman 472 Lapis Thracius a strange stone it sparkles and burns in water but is quenched in oyl 299 Lapwings and their properties 416 Lark 402 Latona delivered by help of the Palm-tree 276 Lavender an herb and why so called 262 Lead and how it is generated 289 Leeks and the properties thereof Nero had a nick-name given him for eating of Leeks 262. Leeks are not good for hot cholerick bodies ibid. Leopard how he is begotten 442 Lettice Harm in too much Lettice 268 Licking lights or ignis lambens 97 Lights Why two lights shew fair weather and one light foul 96 Light The creation of Light from pag. 53 to 58. and pag. 327 328 329 c. Lightning The kindes of Lightning 124. Why we see the Lightning before we heare the thunder ibid. The worst kinde of Lightning 125. Three kindes of Fulmen 126. Not wholesome to gaze on the Lightning 127 Lilies and their vertues 268 Linot 402 Lion and his properties 438 Load-stone and the vertues of it 297 298 Locks An herb which will open any thing lockt 273 Love A pattern of Matrimoniall love taken from the Swan 413 Loyaltie The fish called Cantharus is a pattern of true Loyaltie 381 Lungs The Lungs are the bellows of the voice and seated next the heart they teach us to tell the truth 498. Hyssop purgeth the breast 253. A cure for a cough of the Lungs 252. Another for the same 253. Good to make one sing cleare 256. Mists are bad for the Lungs 167 Lynx and his properties 451 Lyzzard what kinde of creature it is 494 M. MAce See Nutmeg Mad. Good against the biting of a mad dog 266. 258 Madder is good for bruises and of a strange propertie 269 Maids An herb for great-breasted maids 252 Mallard better for sport then food 401 402 Mallows and their vertues 244 Man and his creation 496. The world made to serve Man and Man made to serve God 495. The fall was soon after the creation 36 37 Manna what it is and whether the Manna of the Israelites were altogether miraculous 156 157. How it is Angels food 157 Mantichora a very strange kinde of beast 446 Marriage The Marriage bed must not be abused 433. See also 413 Martins and Ermins 462 Mavis 402 Mean The meanest ought not to be contemned 369 Megrim A medicine for to cure the Megrim or pain in the head 453. 261 Melancholy A medicine to cure Melancholy 245. 250 26â—… Mermaids and Mermen with strange stories to the same purpose 375 Merry Good to make one merrie 245 Metalls 284 sequent Meteors and their kindes 86 87 88 c. Milk Good to ingender Milk in nurses breasts 249. See more in the word Nurses Milk rained and how 148 Minde The Minde doth somewhat sympathise with the body 104 341. Good against a troubled minde 259 Mint an wholesome herb 255. It is good to kill worms ibid. Mists they be of two kindes 166. Why they use to stink ibid. They be very bad for the lungs 167. and a speedie rot for cattell ibid. How to judge of the weather by a mist ibid. Miracles or waters of miraculous vertues 220 sequent Mole and his properties 462 Moneth The Hebrew moneths had no names excepting fours of them untill after the captivitie 39. The signification of the names belonging to those foure 40 Moon-wort or Mad-wort and the strange properties thereof 257 258. Moses skilfull in the learning of the Egyptians 347 Mother A medicine for those who are troubled with the Mother 246 Mouse described as also the kindes of mice 465 sequent Mouseare or Pilosella 261. It is good to harden edge-tools ibid. Mufloa a Sardinian beast 446 Mullet and his properties 381 Multitude An embleme concerning those who perish by following the multitude 482 Mummie 302. Counterfeit Mummie 303 Musculus a little fish and a friend to the whale 369 Musk-cat 463 Mustard and the properties thereof 256 Myrrhina what it is 157 Myrtle 275. The Romane captains made garlands of it for triumph ibid. It was consecrated to Venus ibid. Myrtle berries have been used sometimes in the stead of pepper 276 N NApeir his opinion concerning the time of the worlds ending 24 25 26 Naphtha a liquid Bitumen with the kindes and properties thereof 303 304 Nature The course of nature first set then followed 35 Natures of the starres may be known 347 Nepenthe an herb which expelleth sadnesse 271 New-found world how it first grew out of knowledge 232 Nightingale and her commendations 402 Noah had knowledge in the starres and signes of heaven 347 North-winde 182 Why the North and East windes sometimes bring rain for a
cruell teeth two whereof be farre more terrible then the other and much longer his eyes are said to be very dull in the water but marvellous quick-sighted when he is out of it his tail extends it self to an ample length and his bitings are so sharp and cruell that they can never be healed he hath also short feet and sharp claws or nails wherewith he helps to catch and dismember either man or beast which he can lay hold on howbeit it is said that he flies from those that persecute him and persecutes those that flie him Munst. When he hath devoured a man and eaten up all but the head he will sit and weep over it as if he expressed a great portion of sorrow for his cruell fact but it is nothing so For when he weeps it is because his hungrie paunch wants such another prey And from hence the proverb took beginning viz. Lacrymae Crocodili Crocodile teares which is then verified when one weeps cunningly without sorrow dissembling heavinesse out of craftinesse like unto many rich mens heirs who mourn in their gowns when they laugh in their sleeves or like to other dissemblers of the same nature who have sorrow in their eyes but joy and craftinesse in their hearts It is reported by some authours that the dogs in Egypt use to lap their water running when they come at Nilus for fear of the Crocodiles there Which cannot but be a fit pattern for us in the use of pleasures for true it is we may not stand to take a heartie draught for then delights be dangerous howbeit we may refresh our selves with them as we go on our way and may take them but may not be taken by them for when they detain us and cause us to stand still then their sweet waters have fierce Crocodiles or if not so they have strange Tarantula's whose sting causeth to die laughing Porcus marinus or the Sea-hog is a strange kinde of fish headed like an hog with teeth and tusks like a boar and a bending back like a creature begotten among swine onely his tail and hinder parts is like to the tail of other fishes and his foure legs are like to the legs of a dragon Such a fish as this was taken up in the Germane ocean in the yeare of our Lord 1537 as Olaus witnesseth in his 21 book But in Bermuda or in the sea about the Summer islands they have Sea-hogs of another kinde and fashion nothing so big nor terrible without legs good for food and like to hogs in their heads Moreover Olaus again makes mention of another fish which they of Norvegia call a Swam-fisk and this is the most greedie and gluttonous of all fishes For it is continually feeding and filling it self even up to the very mouth untill he can hold no more and his prey is upon other the smaller fishes This likewise is his qualitie and condition when he is in fear of any danger he will so winde up himself and cover his head with the skinne and substance of his own body that he is then but like unto a piece of a dead fish and nothing like himself Which feat he seldome doth without hurt or damage For still fearing that there be those about him who will prey upon him and devoure him he is compelled for lack of meat to feed upon the substance of his own body choosing rather to be devoured in part then to be consumed by other more strong and powerfull fishes These and such like are taken for their fat and oyl rather then for any thing else which is usefull in them And unto this fish I cannot but liken all greedy cormorants and covetous devourers of other men being never satisfied with the measure of their oppressions but lay house to house and field to field untill there be no more place as the prophet Esay speaketh chap. 5. 8. For they covet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away so they oppresse a man and his house even a man and his heritage Mich. 2. 2. But at the last when they must give an account for all the things that they have done then being oppressed by fear as they oppressed others with cruelty they would be glad to hide their heads and rather consume their own selves then be given up to the tormentours saying with them in the Revelation Let the hills fall upon us and the mountains cover us from the wrath of him who sits upon the throne But it is madnesse to run from punishment and not from sinne And therefore to possesse all things is to possesse God the possessour of all things For omission and commission are a wicked mans confusion and oppressours may verily look to feast the devil for while they devoure the poore the devil devoures them Equus marinus the Sea-horse is most of all seen between Britain and Norway In the Northern seas he will sometimes sleep upon a piece of ice as it floateth upon the waters and seldome do the fishermen desire to take them in their voyages to those parts but when they take few Whales He hath an head like an horse and will sometimes neigh his feet are cloven like to the feet of a cow and he seeks his repast as well on the land as in the sea but his hinder parts are like to other fishes and his tail like theirs Ola. lib. 21. There be also Sea-cows and Calves so called because they do much resemble such kinde of creatures living upon land The Sea-cow is a great strong and fierce monster bringing forth young like her self she is said to be big ten moneths and then delivered sometimes of two but oftenest she hath but one and this follows her up and down whithersoever she goeth Olaus writeth that the Sea-calf is a great devourer of herrings insomuch that coming to the side of a net wherein they are hanged she will eat them up one by one untill few are left And in the Indies the Spaniards use to catch a mighty fish having large teats and dugs And those who live at Bermuda or the Summer Islands are much beholden to that fish which they call the Turtle or the Tortoise she will come on the shore and lay her eggs in the sands a bushell in the belly of some one which being taken in time are very good and wholesome meat and sweet but if they lie long the sunne will hatch them They have harping irons to catch these fishes and being taken one of them will serve to feast about fiftie men at a meal And indeed those seas afford varietie of very good fish pleasant and daintie as I have heard them say who lived there But above all the Mermaids and Men-fish seem to me the most strange fish in the waters Some have supposed them to be devils or spirits in regard of their whooping noise that they make For as if they had power
to raise extraordinarie storms and tempests the windes blow seas rage and clouds drop presently after they seem to call Questionlesse natures instinct works in them a quicker insight and more sudden feeling and foresight of these things then is in man which we see even in other creatures upon earth as in fowls who feeling the alteration of the aire in their feathers and quills do plainly prognosticate a change of weather before it appeareth to us And of these not onely the poets but others also have written The Poets fein there were three Mermaids or Sirens in their upper parts like maidens and in their lower part fishes which dwelling in the sea of Sicilie would allure sailers to them and afterwards devoure them being first brought asleep with hearkening to their sweet singing Their names they say were Parthenope Lygia and Leucasia wherefore sometime alluring women are said to be Sirens Neither can I but admire what I finde recorded in the historie of the Netherlands of a Sea-woman who was taken up in the streights of a broken dike neare to the towns of Campen and Edam brought thither by a sea-tempest and high tide where floating up and down and not finding a passage out again by reason that the breach was stopped after the floud was espied by certain women and their servants as they went to milk their kine in the neighbouring pastures who at the first were afraid of her but seeing her often they resolved to take her which they did and bringing her home she suffered her self to be clothed fed with bread milk and other meats and would often strive to steal again into the sea but being carefully watched she could not moreover she learned to spinne and perform other pettie offices of women but at the first they cleansed her of the sea-mosse which did stick about her She was brought from Edam and kept at Harlem where she would obey her mistris and as she was taught kneel down with her before the crucifix never spake but lived dumbe continued alive as some say fifteen yeares then she died This is credibly reported by the authour of that history by the writer of the chronicles of Holland and in a book called the Theatre of cities They took her in the yeare of our Lord 1403. Moreover Plinie telleth us of Tritons and Nereïdes which were Mermen or Men-fish of the sea And in the yeare 1526 as the authour of Du Bartas his summarie reporteth there was taken in Norway neare to a sea-port called Elpoch a certain fish resembling a mitred Bishop who was kept alive some few dayes after his taking And as the said authour writeth there was one Ferdinand Alvares secretarie to the store-house of the Indians who faithfully witnesseth that he had seen not farre off from the Promontorie of the Moon a young Sea-man coming out of the waters who stole fishes from the fishermen and eat them raw Neither is Olaus Magnus silent in these things For in his 21 book and first chapter having mentioned fishes like to dogs cows calves horses asses lions eagles dragons and what not he also saith Sunt belluae in mari quasi hominis figuram imitantes lugubres in cantu ut Nereïdes etiam marini homines toto corpore absolutâ similitudine c. that is There be monsters in the sea as it were imitating the shape of a man having a dolefull kinde of sound or singing as the Nereïdes There be also Sea-men of an absolute proportion in their whole body these are sometimes seen to climbe up the ships in the night times and suddenly to depresse that 〈◊〉 upon which they sit and if they abide long the whole ship sinketh Yea saith he this I adde from out the faithfull assertions of the Norway fishers that when such are taken if they be not presently let go again there ariseth such a fierce tempest with an horrid noise of those kinde of creatures and other sea-monsters there assembled that a man would think the very heaven were falling and the vaulted roof of the world running to ruine insomuch that the fishermen have much ado to escape with their lives whereupon they confirmed it as a law amongst them that if any chanced to hang such a fish upon his hook he should suddenly cut the line and let him go But these sudden tempests are very strange and how they arise with such violent speed exceeds the bounds of ordinary admiration Whereupon it is again supposed that these monsters are very devils and by their power such strange storms are raised Howbeit for my part I think otherwise and do much rather affirm that these storms in my judgement are thus raised namely by the thickening and breaking of the aire which the snortling rushing and howling of these beasts assembled in an innumerable companie causeth For it is certain that sounds will break and alter the aire as I have heard it of a citie freed from the plague by the thundering noise of cannons and also I suppose that the violent rushing of these beasts causeth much water to flie up and thicken the aire and by their howling and snortling under the waters they do blow up and as it were attenuate the waves and make them arise in a thinner substance then at other times so that nature having all these helps in an instant worketh to the amazement of the mariners and often to the danger of their lives Besides shall we think that spirits use to feed and will be so foolish as go and hang themselves on an hook for a bait They may have occult qualities as the Loadstone hath to work strange feats and yet be neither spirits nor devils for experience likewise teacheth that they die either sooner or later after their taking neither can a spirit have flesh and bones as they have But to conclude Alexander ab Alexandro in the third book of his geniall dayes hath written one whole chapter viz. the 8 concerning these sea-men affirming that it is no fabulous report to say there be such he describeth them to be fish in their lower parts and like to men in their upper parts affirming moreover that they be very venereous and desirous of women loving them or lusting after them Whereupon he relates a storie of a certain woman who was taken up and carried to the sea by one of these Mermen concubitûs causà that he might couple himself with her Which monster the inhabitants took soon after but refusing meat he died and they then made this law that no woman should adventure to come neare the sea except her husband were with her This happened in Epirus a countrey of Greece In the kingdome of Congo which lieth in the African part of the world there is in the river Zaire another kinde of hog-fish differing from that already mentioned It is called Ambize Angulo or Hog-fish It hath as it were two hands and a tail like a target which eateth like pork and
whole day 183 Nose The nose purgeth the brain and conducteth smells thither 499. Good against bleeding at the nose 255 Nothing How the world was made out of Nothing 47 48 November The fifth of November not to be forgotten 307 Nurses An herb for Nurses to increase their milk and make their children faire 267. With the Nurses milk the children sometimes suck the Nurses vices 394. Women who will not nurse their children are like unto the Ostrich ibid. Nutmeg and Mace how and where they grow 278 Nyctilops an herb that shines 271 O OCtober The World made in October about the 26 or 27 day at which time the sunne entred into Libra 40 41 Oker 300 Olive The Olive tree is green all the yeare 30 One-berrie an herb called also Herba Paris or herb True-love 254 Onions and their qualities 262 Opall a precious stone of divers colours 269 Ophiusta an herb dangerous to be looked on 272 Ork. The Ork dares fight with the Whale 370 Osprey aravenous bird 416 Ostrich and his properties 394 Otter described 453 Ovassom a Virginia beast 446 Owl and his kindes 402 sequent P PAlm The Palm or Date tree described together with the branches which are tokens of victorie 276 Palsie A medicine for the Palsie 256. Other medicines for the same purpose 416. 447 Panther what manner of beast it is 442 Paradise Birds of Paradise 418 Paradox maintained by Aristotle 1 Parents They ought to love their children by an embleme from the Balaena 368. They must not use their children too harshly in their minoritie 396. They ought not to bring up their children in idlenesse by an example taken from the Eagle 391. They ought not to be too fond over their children by an example from the foolish Ape 473 474. They must teach their children betimes by an example from the Hart 480 Parsley and the kindes thereof 258 259 Parsnep 263 Partridge 401 Passions where they be seated 497 Patience and humilitie may be learnt from beasts 444 Peacock 410. Men who make peacocks of their wives make woodcocks of themselves ibid. Pearch and Pike 388 Pearl and Prawn are emblemes of cheating 386 Peevishnesse A medicine against it 254 Peionie and the vertues thereof 259 Pelican 398. She teacheth that policie is better then strength ibid. Penie-ryall and the vertues of it 256 Pepper where and how it groweth 277. Myrtle berries were sometimes used in the stead of pepper 276 Persons The persons in the Trinitie 45 46 47 Peter S. Peter explained concerning one day as a thousand yeares c. 13 14 Philosophers opinions concerning the beginning end of the world 1 Phesant 401 Phenix 391 sequent Picea or the Pitch tree 279 Pigeon or Dove 408 Pillars burning Meteors of two kindes round and pyramidall 90 Pine-tree 278 Pissasphaltus See Mummie Pissing of bed A medicine to help it 264 Plaice and from whence it is so called 387 Plague Signes of plague and earthquake 185. Good against the plague 270. 300 Plane a fair goodly tree The old Romanes used to keep banquets under it 277. Xerxes was strangely enamoured on this tree 278 Plantain or Lambes tongue together with the vertues of it 271 Platea a bird which killeth Sea-crows 414 415 Plato pag. 1. He calleth the sea a great gulf 206. His opinion partly followed concerning the fierie matter of the starres 320 Pleasure How we should use our pleasures 372 Plover and his wholesomenesse 415 Poets Whom they pointed at by their two-faced Ianus 2 Policie better then strength proved by an example taken from the Pelican 398. as also by an example taken from the bird Platea 415 Polypus a fish with many feet with an embleme of treacherous persons 385 Pontarof a monstrous fish 378 Porcupine See Hedgehog Porphyrio a strange bird 417 Poulcar together with their cunning 460 Poison Things good against poison 248. An incurable poison 251 Predictions and how they are warrantable 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 c. Prester a serpent c. 489 Ptissick A medicine to cure it as also for a stuffing in the head 250 251 Purple a fish whose juice is very precious 385 Purslain and the qualities thereof 269 Pyrausta a flie which liveth in the fire 425 Q QUick-silver what it is and why so called 285 Quint-essence See Heavens R RAbbin The Rabbins conceit of six thousand yeares is very unsound 10 11 12 Rape and his vertues 264 Rain 145. Ordinary and extraordinarie rains 146. The causes of prodigious rains 147 148 149 c. Why it useth to rain when the winde is down 174 Rain-bow 135. His causes 136. His colours cause of their differences ibid. The finall cause of Rain-bows 137. How to prognosticate of weather by the Rainbow ibid. The derivation of Iris a word signifying the Rain-bow 138. There was a Rain-bow before the Floud ibid. What the Iews used to do upon sight of the Rain-bow 140. Wittie applications from the colours in the Rainbow 141. A grosse opinion concerning the Rain-bow 139 Rangifer a beast to ride on with horns like a Deer 481 Rashnesse condemned by an example from the Barble 383. and by an example from the hastening bitch 469 Rats and their kindes ibid. Raven 395. An embleme from the Fox and Raven concerning companions in ill ibid. The Ravens skinne helps digestion 396. The Night-Raven 403 Ray or Thornback 387. His pricks afford a good medicine against the stone ibid. Red-lead what it is c. 301 Red-gumme Good to cure it 267 Region No middle Region untill the third day 67. The severall Regions of the aire and their qualities 84 85 86 c. The cause of those differing Regions 68. 86. Remora a little fish called the Stopfish because he is said to stay a ship under sail 382 Rhinoceros 434 Rib. See Woman Rivers and from whence they proceed 204 205 c. A river that breedeth flies 222. A river which resteth every seventh day 224 Robbin-red-breast 402 Roch 388 Romulus and Remus not nursed by a Wolf 448 Rosemary and the many properties thereof 250 251 Roses The temper and vertue of Roses together with a conserve of Roses and how to make it 275 Rubie what it is and for what it is good viz. to cleare the sight to expell sadnes and fearfull dreams 294 Rue and the vertues thereof 248 Rupture See Burstnings S SAdnesse Good against it 294 295. 261. 271. Saffron 252 253 Sage 246. It is good for childe-bearing women good for the brain good against spitting of bloud good for a stitch in the side and good against the palsie 247 Sagoin 472 Salamander 494 Salmon 387 Salt and the kindes 304 305 306 Saphir 293 Sardius a kinde of Onyx 295 Sardonyx healeth ulcers about the nails and preserveth chastitie 295. Some call it a Corneoll ibid. Sargon an adulterous fish 381 Saw-fish and Sword-fish 370 Scolopendra a fish of a strange propertie and how we ought to resemble this fish 384 Scorpion described 492. How to cure his sting ibid. A