THE SECOND VOYAGE TO GUINEA 



great force : for even common and dayly experience 

 teacheth us, by the whissing of a burning torch, what 

 noise fire maketh in the aire, and much more where it 

 striveth when it is inclosed with aire, as appeareth in 

 gunnes, and as the like is seene in onely aire inclosed, as 

 in Organ pipes, and such other instruments that go by 

 winde. For winde (as say the Philosophers) is none 

 other then aire vehemently moved, as we see in a paire 

 of bellowes, and such other. 



Some of our men of good credit that were in this last 

 voiage to Guinea, affirme earnestly that in the night 

 season they felt a sensible heat to come from the beames 

 of the moone. The which thing, although it be strange 

 and insensible to us that inhabite cold regions, yet doeth 

 it stand with good reason that it may so be, forasmuch as 

 the nature of starres and planets (as writeth Plinie) con- 

 sisteth of fire, and conteineth in it a spirit of life, which 

 cannot be without heat. 



And, that the Moone giveth heate upon the earth 

 the Prophet David seemeth to confirme in his 121. 

 Psalme, where speaking of such men as are defended 

 from evils by Gods protection, hee saith thus : Per diem 

 Sol non exuret te, nee Luna per noctem. That is to say, 

 In the day the Sunne shall not burne thee, nor the 

 Moone by night. 



They say furthermore, that in certaine places of the 

 sea they saw certaine streames of water, which they call 

 spouts, falling out of the aire into the sea, & that some 

 of these are as bigge as the great pillars of Churches : 

 insomuch that sometimes they fall into shippes, and 

 put them in great danger of drowning. Some faine 

 that these should be the Cataracts of heaven, which were 

 all opened at Noes floud. But I thinke them rather to 

 be such fluxions and eruptions as Aristotle in his booke 

 de Mundo saith, to chance in the sea. For speaking 

 of such strange things as are seene often times in the sea, 

 he writeth thus. Oftentimes also even in the sea are 

 seene evaporations of fire, and such eruptions and break- 



171 



A.D. 

 1555- 



[II. ii. 21.] 



The strife of 

 Elements. 



Winde. 



The heate of 

 the Moone. 



The nature of 

 the starres. 



Spoutes of 

 water falling 

 out of the aire. 



Cataracts of 

 heaven. 



