Red Rain 
water. He was less pleased with the common people, and some 
divines, who judged that it was the work of the devils and 
witches who had killed innocent young children; for this he 
counted a mere conjecture, possibly also injurious to the good¬ 
ness and providence of God. 
“ ‘In the meanwhile an accident happened, out of which he 
conceived he had collected the true cause thereof. For, some 
months before, he shut up in a box a certain palmer-worm which 
he had found, rare for its bigness and form; which, when he had 
forgotten, he heard a buzzing in the box, and when he opened it, 
found the palmer-worm, having cast its coat, to be turned into 
a beautiful Butterfly, which presently flew away, leaving in the 
bottom of the box a red drop as broad as an ordinary sous or 
shilling; and because this happened about the beginning of the 
same month and about the same time an incredible multitude 
of Butterflies were observed flying in the air, he was therefore of 
opinion that such kind of Butterflies resting on the walls had 
there shed such like drops, and of the same bigness. Where¬ 
upon, he went the second time, and found, by experience, that 
those drops were not to be found on the house-tops, nor upon 
the round sides of the stones which stuck out, as it would have 
happened, if blood had fallen from the sky, but rather where the 
stones were somewhat hollowed, and in holes, where such small 
creatures might shroud and nestle themselves. Moreover, the 
walls which were so spotted, were not in the middle of towns, 
but they were such as bordered upon the fields, nor were they 
on the highest parts, but only so moderately high as Butterflies 
are commonly wont to fly. 
“ ‘ Thus, therefore, he interpreted that which Gregory of Tours 
relates touching a bloody rain seen at Paris in divers places, in 
the days of Childebert, and on a certain house in the territory of 
Senlis; also that which is storied, touching raining of blood about 
the end of June, in the days of King Robert; so that the blood 
which fell upon flesh, garments or stones could not be washed 
out, but that which fell on wood might; for it was the same 
season of Butterflies, and experience hath taught us, that no water 
will wash these spots out of the stones, while they are fresh and 
new. When he had said these and such like things to various, 
a great company of auditors being present, it was agreed that 
they should go together and search out the matter, and. as they 
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