A Goodly Gallery, Book 2
❧ The seconde Booke of fyery Meteores.
A Fiery impression, is an exhalation sett on fire, in the highest or lowest region of the ayre, or els apearing as though it were set on fire and burning.
They are therfore diuided into flames and aparitions. Flames are they, whiche burne in deade and are kindled with fire. These are discerned by iiij. wayes, by the fashion of them, by their place, by the abū daunce of their matter, & by the wante of their matter. Their placing is after the aboundaunce & scarsetie of the matter wher of they consist, for if it be great, heauie and grosse, it cannot be caried so farre as the midle region of the aire, and therfore is set on fire in the lowest region, if it be not so great, light, and full of heat, it passeth the midle region & ascendeth to the highest, where it is easely kindled & set on fire.
According to their diuerse fashiōs, they hauehave diuers names, for they ar called, burning stoble, torches, daunsing or leapinge Goates, shooting or falling starres, or candels, burning beames, roūd pillers, spears shieldes, globes or bowles, fierbrandes, lāpes, flying dragōs or firedrakes, pointed pillors or broched steples, or blasing stars, called Cometes. The time whē these impressiōs doth most apere, is ye night season, for if they were caused in ye day time, thei cold not be séen, no more then ye starres be séen, because the light of ye sunne which is much greater, dimmeth ye brightnes of thē being lesser.
¶Of the generation of the impression, called burned stoble or sparcles of fire.
THe generation of this Meteore is this,Sparkes of fyre. whan the matter of the Exhalation is in all partes a lyke thynne, but not compacted or knit together, then some parte of it being caried vp into the highest region, by the fiery heate is set on fier before another part, that commeth vp after it, and so being kindled by lytle and lytle, it flyeth abrooode lyke sparkles out of a chymney, in so much that the common people suppose, that an infinit number of starres fal down where as it is nothing els, but the Exhalation that is thinne kindled in many partes, sparkling as when sawe dust or coole dust is cast into the fyre.
¶ Of Torches.
TOrches or fyer brandes,Torches. are thus gen… rated: when the matter of the exhalation is long and not broad, being kyndled at one end therof, in the highest region of the ayre, it burneth lyke a Torche or fyer brande, and so continueth, till all the matter be burned vp, and then goeth out, none otherwyse then a Torche when all the stuffe is spent must nedes burne no lōger.
¶ Of dansyng or leaping Goates.
DAnsyng Goates,Daunsing Goates. are caused when the exalation is diuided into twoo partes, as when twoo torches be séen together, & the flame appeareth to leape or daūce frō one parte to the other, much lyke as balls of wylde fyer daunce vp and downe in the water.
¶ Of shotyng and falling Starres.
A Flying, shooting, or falling Sarre,Shootinge starres. is when the exhalation being gathered as it were on a round heape, and yet not throughly compacted in the hyghest parte of the lowest region of the ayer, beynge kyndled, by the soden colde of the mydle region is beaten backe, and so appeareth as though a Starre should fall, or slyde from place to place. Sometyme it is generated after another sort, for there is an exhalatiō long and narrowe, whiche being kyndled at one ende burneth swiftly, the fyer ronning from ende to ende, as when a silke thread is set on fyer at the one end. Some saye it is not so much set on fyer, as that it is direct vnderunder some Starre in the firmament, and so receiuing light of that starre, semeth to our eyes to be a starre. In deade some times it may be so, but that is not so alwayes, nor yet most cōmenly, as it may be easely demonstrated. The Epicurians as they are verye grosse in determining the chief goodnes,The Epicurians opinion. so they are very fonde in assigning the cause of this Meteor. For they say, yt the starres fall out of the firmamēt, and that by the fall of them, both thonder and lyghtning are caused: for the lightening (say they) is nothyng els but the shyning of that starre that falleth, which falling into a watrie clowde, and being quē ched in it, causeth that great thonder, euen as whoat yron maketh a noyce if it be cast into colde water.Psal. 148 But it is euident that ye starres of the firmament can not fall, for God hath set them fast for euer, he hath geuen them a commaundement whiche they shal not passe. And though they shold fall into the cloude, yet could they not rest there, but with their weyght being dryuen downe, would couer the whole yearth.
For the least starre that is séen in the firmamēt,The greatnes of Starres. is greater then all the earth. Here wyl steppe foorth some mery fellow, which of his conscience thinketh them not to bée aboue thrée yardes about, and saye it is a loude lye, for he can sée within the cōpasse of a bushell more thē xx. starres. But if his bushell were on fyre xx. myle of, I demaunde how bygge it would séem vntounto him? He that hath any wyt,A profe of the stars greatnes. wil easely perceiue, that starres being by al mennes confessiō, so many thousand myles distant from the earth, must neades be very great, that so farre of should be séen in any quantitie.
Thus muche for the shootyng or fallynge Starres.
¶ Of burnyng Candels.
Burning candels.WHen the Exhalation caried vp into the hyghest part of the ayre is in al partes thereof of equall and lyke thynnes, & also long, but not broade, it is set on fyre and blased lyke a candle, vntyll the Exhalation be quite consumed.
¶ Of burning Beames and round Pillers.
Burnynge beames & round pillers.THese are caused, when the Exhalation being long and not very broade, is sett on fyre, all at once and so burneth lyke a great beame or logge. The difference of beames and pyllers is this, for beames are when they séeme to lie in lengthe, in the ayre, but they are called pillers, when they stande right vp, the one end nearer to the earth, then the other.
¶ Of burning Speares.
BUrning spears are generated,Burninge Speares. when a great quantitie of Exhalatiōs, which may be called a drie cloude, is set on fire in the myddest, and because the cloude is not so compacte, that it shoulde sodenly rende, as when thonder is caused, the fyre breaketh out, at the edges of the clowde, kendlyng the thynne Exhalations, which shoot out in great nō ber lyke fyry spears, or darts, longe and very small, wherfore they continue not long, but whē they fayle, within a short whyle after, more fyre breakynge out, they shoot out as many more in their place, and lykewyse, whē they ar gone, other succeade, if the quantitie of the matter wyll suffise, more then a doosen courses. This impressiō was séen in Lō don, Anno dom. 1560. the thirty daye of Ianuary, at eight of the clocke at night the ayer in all other places beyng very darke, but in the North east where this cloude burned, it was as lyght as when the daye breaketh, towarde the Sunne rysyng, in so much, that playne shadow of thyngs opposite, was séen. The edge of this cloude was in fashion lyke the Raynbowe, but in collour very bryght, and often tymes casting foorth almoste innumerable dartes, of wōderfull lēgth lyke squybbes, that are cast vp into the ayre, sauing yt they moued more swiftly then any squybbes.
¶ Of shieldes▪ Globes or Bowles.
Shieldes Globes or Bowels.THese Meteores also hauehave their name of their fashion, because they are broad, and appeare to be rounde, otherwyse their generation differeth not frō the cause of the lyke impressions before mentioned.
¶ Of Lampes.
THe lampe cōsisteth of an Exhalation, Lampes.yt is broade & thick, but not equally extended, namely smaller at one end then at another, which being kindled about ye middest therof, burneth like a lāpe. The cause why, as wel this impressiō, as many other, apeareth round, is not for yt alwayes they ar roūd in déede, but because the great distance causeth thē to séem so. For euen square formes, farr of séem to be roūd. It is written, yt a lāpe fel down at Rome whē Germanicus Cesar, set forth the sight of sword players.
¶ Of flying Dragons or fyre Drakes.
FLying Dragons, or as Englyshmen call thē fire drakes,Flyinge Dragons or fyre Drakes. be caused on this maner. Whē a certen quātitie of vapors ar gathered on a heape, being very near cōpact, & as it wer hard tēpered together this lōpe of vapors assending to ye region of cold, is forcibly beaten backe, whiche violēce of mouing, is sufficient to kindle it, (although som men will hauehave it to be caused betwene ij. cloudes a whote & a cold) thē ye highest part, which was climming vpward, being by reason more subtil & thin, apeareth as ye Dragons neck, smokīg, for yt it was lately in the repuls bowed or made crooked, to represent the dragōs bely. The last part by ye same repulse, turned vpward, maketh ye tayle, both apearīg smaller, for yt it is farther of, & also, for yt the cold bindeth it. This dragō thus being caused, flyeth alōg in ye ayre, & sōtime turneth to & fro, if it meat wt a cold cloud to beat it back, to ye great terror, of them that beholde it, of whom some called it a fyre Drake, some saye it is the Deuill hym selfe, and so make report to other. More then sixtene yeares ago, on May daye, when many younge folke went abroade early in the mornyng, I remember, by sixe of the clocke in the forenoone, there was newes come to London, that the Deuill the same mornynge, was séene flyinge ouer the Temmes: afterward came worde, that he lyghted at Stratforde, and ther was taken and sett in the stockes, and that though he would fayne hauehave dissembled the matter, by turning hym selfe into the likenes of a mā, yet was he knowē welinough by his clouen feet. I knowe some yet alyue, that went to sée hym, & returning affirmed, that he was in déed séen flying in the ayre, but was not taken prysoner. I remember also that som wyshed he had béen shoot at with gons, or shaftes as he flewe ouer the Tēmes. Thus do ignorant men iudge of these thynges that they knowe not, as for this Deuill, I suppose it was a flyinge Dragon, wherof we speake, very fearefull to loke vponupon, as though he had life, because he moueth, where as he is nothing els but cloudes & smoke, so mightie is God, that he cā feare his enemies, with these and suche lyke operations, whereof some examples may be founde in holy scripture.
¶ Of the Pyramidall pyller lyke a spire or broched steeple.
THis sharpe poynted piller,Of spires. is generated in the hyghest region of the ayre, and after this sort. When the Exhalatiō hath much earthly matter in it, the lighter partes and thinner (as their nature is) ascending vpwarde, the grosser, heauier, and thycker, abyde together in the bottome, and so is it of fashion great beneath, and small pointed aboue, and being set on fire it is so séen, and thereof hath his name.
¶ Of Fyre scattered in the ayre.
FYre scattered in the ayre,Fyre scatered. or illuminations, are generated in the lowest region of the ayre, when very drye and whote Exhalations, are drawen vp and méeting with colde cloudes, are sent back agayne, which motions setteth thē a fyre, whose partes, being not equally thycke or ioyned together, séeme as though fyer were scattered in the ayre. Yea sometimes, the whole ayre séemeth to burne, as though it would raine fyre from heauen, & so it hath come to passe, burning both cities and townes. Then iudge, how easy it was for God to raine fire vpō Sodome and Gomor, for their sinnes and wickednes.
¶ Of lights that goeth before men, and followeth thē abrode in the fields by the night season.
THere is also a kind of light, yt is séen in the night season, & séemeth to goe before men, or to followe them,Light that goeth before men and foloweth thē in the night. leading them out of their waye vntounto waters, & other daungerous places It is also very often séen in the night, of thē that sayle in the Sea, & sometyme will cleaue to ye mast of the shyp, or other highe partes, somtyme slyde round about the shyppe, and either rest in one part till it go out, or els be quenched in the water. This impression séen on the lande, is called in latin, Ignis fatuus, foolish fyre, that hurteth not, but only feareth foules. That whiche is séen on ye Sea, if it be but one, is named Helena, if it be twoo, it is called Castor and Pollux.
The foulishe fyre is an Exhalation kendled by meanes of violent mouing, when by cold of the night, in the lowest region of the ayre, it is beaten downe, & then commonly, if it be light, séeketh to ascende vpward, & is sent down againe, so it danseth vp & downe. Els if it moue not vp and downe, it is a great lompe of glueysh or oyly matter, that by mouing of the heate in it selfe, is enflamed of it selfe, as moyst haye wyll be kyndled of it selfe. In whote and fenny countries, these lyghtes are often séen, and where as is abondaunce of suche vnctuus and fat matter, as about churchyardes wher through the corruptiō of the bodies ther buried, ye earth is ful of suche substance, wherfore in churchyardes, or places of cōmon buriall, oftentimes ar such lightes séen, which ignorant & superstitious fooles, hauehave thought to be soules tormē ted in the fyre of purgatorie. In dede ye deuill hath vsed these lightes (although they be naturally caused) as strong delusions to captiue the myndes of men, wc feare of the Popes purgatorie, wherby he did opē iniury to the bloud of Christ, which only purgeth vsus frō al our sinnes and deliuereth vsus from al tormēts, both temporall and eternal, according to the saying of the wyse mā, the soules of the ryghteous are in the hands of God, and no torment toucheth them. But to returne to the lightes in whiche, there ar yet twoo thinges to be considered. First, why they leade men out of their waye. And secondly, why they séeme to follow men and go before thē. The cause why they leade men out of the waye, is, that mē whyle they take hede to such lights, and are also sore afrayde, they forgett their waye, and then being ones but a litle out of their waye, they wāder they woote not whether, to waters, pyttes, & other very daungerous places. Which, when at lengthe they happe the waye home, wyll tell a greate tale, how they hauehave béen lead about by a spirite in the lykenes of fyre. Nowe the cause why they séeme to goe before men, or to followe them, some men hauehave sayde to be the mouing of the ayer by the goyng of the man, which ayre moued, shold driue them forward if they were before, and drawe them after, if they were behynd. But this is no reason at all, that the fire which is oftētimes, thre or fowre miles distaunt from the man that walketh, shold be moued to and froo by that ayre which is moued through his walkinge, but rather the mouing of the ayre & the mans eyes, causeth the fyre to séeme as though it moued, as the Moone to chyldren séemeth, if they are before it, to run after them: if she be before them, to run before them, that they can not ouertake her, though she séeme to be very neare them. Wherfore these lyghtes rather séeme to moue, then that they be moued in deade.
¶ Of Helena, Castor and Pollux.
WHen the lyke substaunce in the lowest region of the ayre, ouer the Sea by the lyke occasion is set on fyre, if it be one onelyonly, it is called Helena, if ther be two, they ar called Castor and Pollux. Helena, Castor, Pollux.These impressiōs will oftentimes cleue to the maste & other partes of the ships, by reason of the clammynes and fatnes of the matter. Helena was of the Heathē men, taken as a Goddesse the daughter of Iupiter and Leda▪ Castor & Pollux, were her brethren. Helena was the occasion yt Troy was destroyed, therfore the Mariners by experience tryinge that one flame of fyre apearyng alone, signified tempest at hād, supposed the same flame to be the goddesse Helena, of whom they looked for nothing but destruction. But when two lightes ar séen together, they ar a token of fayre wether, & good luck, the Mariners therfor beleued, that they were Castor and Pollux, whiche saylyng to séeke their syster Helena, beyng caried to Troye by Paris, were neuer séen after, and thought to be translated into ye nomber of the Gods that gyue good successe to them that sayle, as we reade in the last chapter of the Actes of the Apostles, that the shyppe wherein S. Paule sayled, had a badge of Castor and Pollux. A natural cause why thei may thus fore shewe either tēpest or calmnes, is this. One flame alone may geue warning of a tempest, because that as the matter thereof is compact, and not dissolued, so it is lyke, that the matter of tempeste (whiche neuer wanteth) as wynde and cloudes, is styll together, and not dissipated, then is it lyke not long after to aryse. By two flames together, may be gathered, that as this Exhalation whiche is very thycke is diuided, so the thycke matter of tēpest is dissolued & scactered abroade by the same cause that this is diuided. Therfore not without a reason, the Mariner to his mates may promyse a prosperous course.
¶ Of flames that apeare vponupon the heares of men or beastes.
THere is yet another kynde of fyry impression, which is flames of fire vponupon the hears of men and beastes,Flames vpō hears of men & beastes. especially horses. These are somtime clāmy Exhalations, scatered abroade in the ayre in small partes, which in the night by resistaunce of the colde, are kendled, cleauyng on horses eares, on mens heades & shoulders that ryde or walke. In that they cleaue vpō heares, it is by the same reason, that the dewe wyll be séen also vponupon heares or garmentes, whose woll is hyghe, as fryese mantels and suche lyke. Another sorte of these flames, are caused, when mens or beasts bodies being chaffed, sēd forth a fat & clāmy swet, which is in like maner kīdled as ye sparkes of fire yt ar séen when a black horse is curred. Liuius reporteth of Seruius Tullius, Liuius. Seruius Tullius.ye as he lay aslepe, being a childe, his heare séemed to be all on a flame, which for all that did not burne his heare, or hurt him. The lyke historie he reciteth of one Marius, Marius.a Knyght of Rome, that as he made an oration to his Souldiors in Spaine, they sawe his head burning on a lyght fyre, & he hym selfe not ware of it. Thus muche concerning these flames..
¶ Of Comets or blasing Starres.
A Comete is an Exhalation, Comets or blaesinge starres.whote & drye, of great quantitie, fat and clammye, harde compacte lyke a greate lompe of pitche, which by the heate of the sunne, is drawen out of the earth, into the hyghest region of the ayre, and there by ye excessiue heat of the place, is set on fire, apearing lyke a starre with a blasinge tayle, and sometyme is moued after the motion of the ayre, whiche is circuler, but it neuer goeth downe out of the cō passe of syght, thought it be not séen in the daye tyme for the bryghtnes of the sunne, but styll burneth vntyll all the matter be consumed. An argument of ye greatnes is this, that there was neuer any Comet yet perceyued, but at the lest it endured seuen dayes, but much lōger they hauehave bene séen, namely fowrtye dayes long, yea, lxxx. dayes, and some syxe moneths together. Wherfore, it must neades be a wonderfull deale of matter, that can gyue so much noryshement, for so great and feruent fyre, and for so long a tyme. There are consydered in a Comet, specially the collor & fashion, which both aryse of the dispositiō of the matter. Their collours, be either whyte, ruddye, or blewe. If the matter be thynne, the collour is whyte. If it be meanly thycke, then is the Comet ruddy, after the collour of our fyre, but when the matter is very thycke, it is blewe, lyke the burning of Brymstone. And as the matter is more and lesse, after this disposition: so is the Comet of collour, more or lesse lyk to these thrée principall collours, some yelowyshe, some duskish, some grenishe, some watchet &c.
In fashion ar noted thrée differēces, for eyther they séeme round, wc beames round about, or with a beard hangyng downward, or els with a tayle stretched out sydelong, in lengthe. The first fashion, is when the matter is thickest in the myddest, and thinne rounde about ye edges. The seconde is, when the Exhation is vpwarde thicke, and in lengthe downewarde also, meanly thycke. The third forme is lyke the seconde, sauynge that the tayle hangeth not downe, but lyeth asyde, & is cōmonly longer then ye beard. The tyme of their generation is oftenest in Autumne or haruest.The temper of the 4. quarters. For in the spring, there is to muche moysture, and to lytle heate, to gather a Comet. In sommer, is to muche heate, whiche will disperse and consume the matter, that it can not be ioyned together. As for wynter, it is cleane contrary to the nature if a Comet, which is whoat & drye, wynter being cold and moist, therfore no tyme so méet as Autumne.
Now for so muche as many learned men, hauehave gone about to declare the signification of blasing starres,The signification of Comets. we will omit nothing yt hath any shadowe of reason, but declare what is wrytten of thē.
Such things as are set forth of yt betokening of Comets, ar of two sortes: the first is of naturall, the second of ciuile or politike effects. They ar sayd to betoke drought, barynes of ye earth & pestilence.
Drought, because a Comet can not be generated without great heat, & muche moisture is cōsumed in ye burning of it.
Barrines, because ye fatnes of ye earth, is drawē vp, wherof the Comet cōsisteth.
Pestilence, forsomuch as this kynd of Exhalations, corrupteth the ayre, whiche infecteth the bodies of men & beastes.
The second sort, might wel be omitted, sauing yt Aristotle him selfe,Arist. disdayneth not to séeke out causes for some of them. Generally it is noted of all Historiographers, that after the apearing of Comets, moste comenly followed, great & notable calamities. Beside this, they be token (sayth some) warres seditions, chā ges of commē wealths and the death of Princes and noble men.
For what times Comets do shyne, ther be many whote & drie Exhalations in the aire, which in drie mē kindle heat, wherby they ar ꝓuoked to anger, of anger cō meth brawling, of brawling fighting & war, of warre victory, of victory chaūge of cōmon welths. Then also Princes, liuing more delicatly thē other men, ar more subiect to infection, therfor dye sooner thē other mē. If it wer lawful to reason of this sort, we might enduce thē to betokē, not only these few things, but al other things ye chanse in the worlde.
Yet these predictions hauehave a shew of reason though it be nothing necessary: but it is a world to sée how the Astrologians, dote in suche deuises. They ar not ashamed, to an earthly substaunce, to ascribe an heauenly influence, and in order of iudgement to vse them as verye starres, suerly by as good reason as to the celestiall starres, they atribute diuine influences and effectes. But this their fooly, hath béen sufficiently detected by dyuerse godly and learned men, and this place requireth no longe discourse thereof. Wherfore this shall suffice, both for the naturall causes of blasyng starres, and also, for all flames in generall. It followeth therfore that with like breuitie we declare the causes of fyery aperitions.
¶ Of Aparitions.
AN Aparition, Aparitions.is an Exhalation in the lowest or hyghest region of the ayre, not verely burning, but by refraction of lyght, either of the sunne or the Moone, séemeth as though it burned. Whiche appearaunce of collour, ryseth not of the mixtiō of the fowre qualities, as it doth in bodies perfectly mixed, as herbes, stones &c. But only of ye falling of light vponupon shadowe. The light is in steade of whyte, and the shadowe or darkenes in steade of black. These diuersely mixed according to ye diuerse dispositiō of ye exhaelation, which ministreth varietie by thicknes or thynnes, cause diuerse collours.
There be commonly recited thrée kindes of fyery apparitions.
¶ Collours, wyde gapinges, and deepe hooles, whiche apeare in the cloudes.
¶ Of collours.
COllours are heare ment,Collours in the aire when there is nothing els to be noted, but the collours of the cloudes, and they are caused (as it is sayde) by casting the lyght into the shadowye cloude, accordyng as it exceadeth more or lesse in thicknes. wherof some be very bright whyte, and that is when the Exhalation is very thynne: some yealowish, when the Exhalations is thicker, somme ruddy, when it is meanly thicke, and very black when it is very thicke. The redd and ruddy collours are séen, only in the mornyng and euening, when the lyght of the sunne is not in his full force, for at other tymes of the daye, his lyght is to vehement, cleare, strong, and pearsing. This much of collours.
¶ Of wyde gaping.
WYde gaping is caused,Wyde gapinge of cloudes in the ayre. when an Exhalation is thick in the middest, & thinne on the edges, thē the light beīg receiued into it, causeth it to appeare as though the skye did rende, & fire breake out of it.
¶ Of round opening Hiatus.
THese holes called Hiatus, differ from wyde gapinges,Roūd opening in the ayre. in nothing, but that they be lesse, & therfore séeme as though they were depe pittes, or holes, and not rending or gaping, and these be those apparitions, that apeare fyery and yet bee not so in deade. Therfore let this be sufficient to hauehave shewed the natural causes of all fiery Meteores.