184 JOURNAL OF THE [July, 



manner, namely through the drawing up of bloud from places 

 where much bloud hath been shed, which being clottered to- 

 gether seemeth as if it were flesh. 



" 7. And so also it may rain bloud ; namely when it is not 

 clottered together, but thinner, &c. * * * 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 

 virtue 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 unusual concurrence of causes : for 

 sometimes they are disposed to one thing, sometimes to an- 

 other. And for the working of any strange thing, it must be 

 when there is a strange kind of combination amongst them. 

 * * * 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 * * * 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 kinds 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 other young 

 fruits and trees, is drawn up by the Sunne among Vapours and 

 Exhalations, which being clottered together falleth down like 

 locks of wooll, or hair. 



" 9. Concerning stones, they proceed from earthly matter 

 gathered into the clouds, as before was shewed concerning the 

 Thunder-stone, &c. * * * 



" 10, Iron may also drop out of the clouds, when the gen- 

 erall matter of all metalls, which is quicksilver and brimstone, 

 with the speciall matter of mixtion making iron, are all drawn 

 up together and there concocted into metall. * * * 



