Meteors, Book 1
THE FIRST BOOK.
FOr as much as wee intend in this Treatise, to declare the causes of all those bodies that are generated in the earth called Fossilia, as well as those other Impressions named of their height Meteors (which no writer hitherto hath done, that we have seen) the common definition given by the most Writers, in no wise will serve us; and whether we may borrow the name of Meteoron, to comprehend the whole subiect of our worke, we are not altogether out of doubt; although the Philosopher deriving it from doubtfulnes, giveth…us some colour so to take it; and peradventure we might be as well excused to apply it to Minerals, as other authors are to use it for earthquakes: yet to avoid all occasions of cavilling at words, we shall both define and also describe the subject of our matter on this manner: It is a body compound without life natural: and yet to stop one hole, because here wanteth the name of the thing to be defined; it is no new thing to them that have read Aristotles workes,Aristot. to find a definition of that whereof there is no name. But what need you be so precise (will some man say)? meane you so to proceed in all your discourse? no verily, but because many of quick iudgement, not considering the stile to bee attempered to the capacitie of the readers, will impute the plainesse to the ignorance of the Author, wee thought good in the beginning to pluck the opinion out of their minds that (as the common saying is) they may know, wee have skill of good manners though we little use them.
The Meteors are divided after three manner of wayes: First, into bodies perfectly and imperfectly mixed: Secondly, into moist impressions and drie: Thirdly, into fiery, airy, watry, and earthly. According to this last division▪ we shall speake of them in foure bookes following: but first we must be occupied a little in the generall description of the same, that afterward shall be particularly treated of.
Why they be called imperfectly mixed.
THey are called imperfectly mixed, because they are very soon changed into another thing, and resolved into their proper elements of which they do most consist, as do all impressions, fierie, airie, watry: as snow into water, clouds into waters &c.
Why they be called perfectly mixed.
THe last sort, namely earthly Meteors, are called perfectly mixed, because they will not easily be changed and resolved from that form which they are in, as be stones, metalls, and other mineralls.
According to the qualitie of the matter, they are divided into moist and drie impressions, consisting either of Vapors or Exhalations. Vapors are called moist, and exhalations drie, which termes must be well noted, because they must be much used.
Of the general causes of all Meteors; and first of the material cause.
THe matter whereof the most part of Meteors doth consist,The materiall cause. is either water or earth: for out of the water, proceed vapors, and out of the earth come exhalations.
Vapor, as the Philosopher saith, is a certain watry thing,What be vapors, and what exhalations. and yet is not water; so Exhalation hath a certain earthly nature in it, but yet it is not earth.
For the better understanding of Vapors, understand that they be as it were fumes or smokes warme and moist, which will easily bee resolved into water, much like to the breath that proceedeth out of a mans mouth, or out of a pot of water standing on the fire. These vapours are drawn up from the waters and watery places by the heat of the Sun,What the middle region is, shall bee told afterward even unto the middle region of the aire, and there after divers manner of meeting with coldnesse, many kind of moist Meteors are generated, as sometimes clouds and raine, sometime snow and hail; and that such Vapours are so drawn up by the Sunne, it is plaine by experience: for if there be a plash of water on a smooth and hard stone, standing in the heat of the Sun, it will soon be drie; which is none otherwise but that the Sun draweth up the water in thinne Vapors: for no man is so fond to say, that it can sink into stone or mettal; and it is as great folly to think it is consumed to nothing: for it is a general rule,A generall rule. That that which is once a thing, cannot by changing become nothing: wherefore it followeth, that the water on the stone, as also on the earth, is for the most part drawn up, when the stone or earth is dryed.
Exhalations are as smokes that be hot and dry,What Exhalations be. which because they be thinne, and lighter then Vapors, passe the lowest and middle Region of the aire, and are carryed up even to the highest Region, where for the excessive heat, by neerness of the fire, they are kindled, and cause many kind of impressions. They are also sometimes viscose, that is to say, clammy, by reason whereof, they cleaving together and not being dispersed, are after divers sorts set on fire, and appear sometimes like Dragons, sometimes like Goats, sometimes like candles, sometimes like spears.
By that which is spoken of Vapours and Exhalations, it is evident, that out of the fire and aire, no matter whereof Meteors should consist, can be drawn, because of their subtilty and thinnesse. For all Exhalation is by making a grosser body more thinne: but the fire (we mean the elemental fire, and not the fire of the Kitchin chimney) is so subtil and thinne, that it cannot be made thinner; likewise the aire is so thinne, that if it be made thinner, it is changed into fire; and as the fire, if it were made thicker, would become aire; so the aire being made grosser, would be turned into water. Wherefore to conclude this part, the great quantity of matter, that causeth these Meteors, is taken out of the earth and the water. As for the aire and the fire, they are mixed with this matte… as with all other things, but not so abundantly, that they may be said th… material cause of any Meteor, thoug… without them none can be generated. The efficient cause of all Meteors,The efficient cause. is tha… caus which maketh them; even as the Carpenter is the efficient cause of an house. This cause is either first or second.
The first and efficient cause is God the worker of all wonders, according to that testimonie of the Psalmist, which saith, Fire, haile snow, ice, wind and storme, doe his will and commandment; he sendeth snow like wooll, &c. Almightie God therefore being the first, principall and universall cause efficient of all natural works and effects, is also the first cause of these effects, whose profit is great, and operation marvellous.
The second cause efficient, is double, either remote, that is to say, farre off or next of all. The farther cause of them as of all other naturall effects, is the same; the Sun with the other Planets and Stars, and the very heaven it self in which they are moved; But chiefly the Sunne, by whose heat all or at least wise the most part of the vapors and Exhalations are drawn up.
The next cause efficient as the first qualities, are heat and cold, which cause divers effects in Vapors & Exhalations.
But to return to the heat of the Sun, which is a very neere cause, it is for this purpose two wayes considered.
One way, as it is meane and temperate; Otherwise, as it is vehement and burning. The meane, is by which he draweth vapors out of the water, and exhalations out of the earth, and not onelyonly draweth them out, but also lifteth them up very high from the earth into the aire, where they are turned into divers kinds of Meteors.
The burning heat of the Sunne is, by which he burneth, dissipateth and consumeth the vapors and exhalations before he draweth them up, so that of them no Meteors can be generated.
These two heats proceed from the Sun, either in respect of the place, or the time; but most properly according to the casting of his beames either directly or undirectly.
In place where the Sunnes beames strike directly against the earth and the water, the heat is so great, that it burneth up the Exhalations and Vapours, so that there are no fiery Meteors, much lesse watery: as it is in the South parts of the world, under and neere to the Equinoctiall line.
But in places where the beames are cast indirectly and obliquely, and that where they are not too nigh to the direct beams, nor too far off from them; there is a moderate heat, drawing out great abundance of matter, so that in those Countries, many Meteors of many sorts are generated, as in the far North parts are few but watry impressions. Also in Autumn and Spring are oftner Meteors seene, then in Summer and Winter, except it be in such places where the Summer and Winter are of the temper of the Spring and Autumne. Let this be sufficient for the Efficient causes of impressions, as well first and principall, as second and particular. Concerning the formal and finall cause, we have little to say, because the one is so secret, that it is known of no man: the other so evident, that it is plaine, to all men. The essentiall Form of all substances, Gods wisedome comprehendeth; the universall chiefe and last End of all things, is the glory of God. Middle Ends (if they may be so called) of these impressions are manifold profits to Gods creatures, to make the earth fruitfull, to purge the aire, to set forth his power, to threaten his vengeance, to punish the world, to move to repentance; all which are referred to one end of Gods eternall glory, ever to be prased, Amen.
Of the places, in which they are generated.
THe places in which Meteors are caused, be either the aire or the earth: in the air be generated rain, hail, snow, dew, blazing stars, thunder, lightning, &c. In the earth be welles, springs▪ earthquakes, metals, minerals, &c. made, and as it were, in their mothers belly begotten and fashioned. But for the better understanding hereof, such as have not tasted the principles of Philosophy, must consider that there be foure elements, Earth, Water, Aire, and Fire, one compassing another round about, saving that the waters by Gods commandement are gathered into one place, that the land might appear. The highest is the spheare of the Fire, which toucheth the hollownesse of the moons heaven: the next is the aire, which is in the hollownesse of the fire: the aire within his hollownesse comprehendeth the water and the earth, which both make but one spheare or Globe, or as the common sort may understand it, one ball. So each element is within another, as scales of a perch are one above anothes: or (to use a grosse similitude) as the peeles of an Onion are one within another: after the same sort from the highest heaven to the earth that is lowest,What the regions of the aire be one part that is greater compasseth round about another that is lesser. But for this present purpose it is to be knowne, that the aire is divided into three regions, the highest the middle and the lowest. The highest because it is next to the region of the fire, is exceeding hot: the lowest being next the earth and waters, is temperate, and by repercussion or striking backe of the Sunne beames waxeth hot, and by absence of them is made cold, being subject to winter and summer. The middle region of the aire, is alwaies exceeding cold, partly because the sunne beames cannot be cast back so high, and partly because the cold that is there, betweene the heat above, and the heat beneath it, is so kept in, that it can not get out, so that it must needs be excessively cold: for the water and the earth, being both cold Elements, after the Sunne setting in the night season, doe coole the aire, even to the middle region. But in the morning the Sunne rising warmeth the aire, so farre as his beames which are beaten backe from the earth and the water, can extend and reach; which is not so high as the middle region, and by heat on both sides is inclosed and kept, saving that a little thereof falleth downe in the night, which the next day with much more is driven back againe. Wherefore this region being so cold, is dark and cloudy, in so much that some doting Divines have imagined purgatory to be there in the middle region of the aire. In the highest region be generated Comets or blazing stars and such like of divers sorts. In the middle region clouds, rain, stormes, winds &c. In the lowest region, dew, frost, hoar-frost, mists, bright rods, candles, burning about graves, and gallowses, where there is store of clamy, fattie or oily substance, also lights and flaming fires seen in fields, &c. And thus much for the general causes of all Meteors.