History of the IVeather. 153 



\n 1124, the winter was uncommonly severe, and the snow 

 lay very long. 



In 1133, it was extremely cold in Italy; the Po was frozen 

 from Cremona to the sea : the heaps of snow rendered the roads 

 impassable, the wine-casks were hnrst, and even the trees split, 

 by the action of the frost, with innnense noise. 



' In 1 17^5 the snow was eight feet deep in Austria, and lay till 

 Easter. The crops and vintage failed, and a great murrain con- 

 sumed the cattle. 



The winters of 1209 and 1210 weie both of them very severe, 

 insomuch that the cattle died for want of fodder. 



In 1216, the Po frozen fifteen elis deep, and wine burst the 

 casks. 



In 1234, the Po was again frozen, and loaded waggons crossed 

 the Adriatic to Venice. A pine forest was killed by the frost at 

 Ravenna. 



In 1236, the Danube was frozen to the bottom, and remained 

 iong in that state. 



In 1261, the frost was most intense in Scotland, and the 

 ground bound up. The Cattegat was frozen between Norway 

 and Jutland. 



In 12S1, such quantities of snow fell in Austria as to bnry the 

 very houses. 



In 1292, the Rhine was frozen over at Breysach, and bore 

 loaded waggons. One sheet of ice extended between Norway 

 and Jutland, so that travellers passed with ease ; and, in Ger- 

 many, 600 peasants were employed to clear away the snow, for 

 tiie advance of the Austrian army. 



In 130o, the rivers in Germany were frozen ; and much di- 

 stress was occasioned by the scarcity of provisions and forage. 



In 1316, the crops wholly failed in Germany Wheat, which 

 some Years beibre sold in England at 6,v, a quarter, now rose to 2L 



In 1323, the winter was so severe, that both horse and foot 

 passengers travelled over the ice from Denmark to Lubec and 

 Dantzic. 



In 1339, the crops failed in Scotland ; and such a famine en- 

 sued, that the poorer sort of people were reduced to feed on 

 grass, and manv of them perished miserably in the fields. Yet, 

 in England, wheat was at this tiaie sold so low as 3$. 4a. a quar- 

 ter. 



In 1344, it was clear frost from November to March, and all 

 the rivers in Italy were frozen over. 



In 1392, the vineyards and orchards were destroyed by frost, 

 and the trees torn to pieces. 



The year 1408 had one of the coldest winters ever remem- 

 bered. Not only the Danube was frozen over, but the sea be- 

 tween 



