The fecond Booke of 



pitim were Confuls ; and lookc what of it the foules of the aire caught not up nor parried away, © 

 it never putrified. In like manner, it rained yron in the Lucanescountrey, the yeere before t^at 

 MXrajft^ms flaineby the Parthians^and togither with him all theLucanes his fouldiers^of 

 whome there were many in his armie. That which came downe in this raine^refemblcd in fomc 

 fort Sponges : and the Wifar ds and Soothfaycrs being fought unto, gave warning to take heed 

 ofwounds from above. But in the yeere that i^.P^W/^^ and C.Mirf^i//^ were Confuls^ it rained 

 wooll about the caftlc Cariflajneare towhicha yeareafter_,T'.^»w//^ Mdo wasflaine. At the 

 time that the fame Milo pleaded his owne caufe at the barre^ there fell a raine of tyles and bricks^ 

 as it is to be feenc in die records of that yeere. 



Chap. XVII. |^ 

 ^ of thcruflUngef Armour and found ofTrmpeUhedrd from Heaven^ 



|N the time of the Cimbrian warrcs, we have been toldjthat Armour was heard to ruftic, 

 I aqd the Trumpet to found out of Heaven. And this happened very often both before 

 ^ and after thofe warres. But in the third Confulfhip of Marim^xhz Amerines and Tu- 

 dertes law men in armes inthe skie, rutliing and running one againft another from the Eaft and 

 Weft;and might behold thofe of the Weft difcomfited.Thatthcveryfirmamcntitfelfefhould 

 be of a light fircj it is no marvailc at all ; for often times it hath been feene^ when clouds have 

 caught any greater deale of fire. 



ChA?, LVIII. 



Of stones falling dorvnefrom the skie» 



jMong the Greekcs there is much taIke of Anaxagoras Cla^meniffs ^viho by his learning 

 f and skill that he had in Aftronomie, foretold in the lecond yeere of the 78 Olympias, 

 IVwhattimcaftonelliould fall from out of the Sunne:andthc fame happened accor- 

 dingly in the day time, in a part of Thracia ncere the river Acgos , which ftonc is (hewed at this 

 day as bigge as a waineload^carrying a burnt and adutt colour : at what time as a comet or bla- 

 zing ftarre alfo burned in thofe nights.Which if any man bcleeve that it wasfbre-fignified,muft 

 needs alfo confeffe, that this divinitie or fore-telling of Anaxagoras was moremiraculous and K 

 wonderfull than the thing it felfc : and then farewell the knowledge of Natures workes, and wel- 

 come confufion of all, in cafe we fhould belceue that either the Sunne were aftone, or that ever 

 any ftone were in it. But, that ftones fall often times downe,no man will make any doubt. In the 

 publicke place ofExcrcilein Abydos, there is one at this day upon the famecauleprefcrved and 

 kept for to be fcene, and held in great reverence : It is but of a mcanc and finall quantitic, yet it 

 is that which the felfefame Anaxagoras (by report) fore-fignified that it fhould fall in themids 

 of the earth. There is one alfo at Cafifandria, which was in old time ufually called Potidjea, a co- 

 lonic from thence deduded. I myfelfehavefeene anodierin thetcrritorieof the VocantianSj 

 which was brought thither but a Iktle before. 



^ L 



Chap. ixx. 

 P§» of the Rainehtp. 



IHofewhich wee call Raintbowes, are feend often without any wonder at all, or betoke- 

 ning any great matter :for they portend notfb much as rainy or faire daies,to truil upon. 

 But manifefl: it is, that the Sunne beamcs flriking upon an hollow cloud , when their 

 edge is repelled, are beaten backc againfl the Sunne : and thus arifeth varietie of colours by the 

 mixture of clouds, aire, and fiery light together. Ccrtes, they neuer are knowne but oppofite to 

 the Sunn»5 nor at any time otherwife than in forme of a Semicircle : nc yet in the night feafbn, 

 although A/i^otie hith there was a Rainbow feen by night: howbeit he confefTeth, that it could M 

 not poilibly be but at the full of the moone.Now they happen for the moif part in winter,name- 

 ly, from the Autumne Equino£lialI, as the daies decreafe and waxe fhorter. But as daies growc 

 longer againe, that is to fay,aftei" the Spring Equino£liall, they be notieen no more than about 

 the Tummer Sunftead, when daies arc at longeft. But in Bruma, that is to fay, when they be fhor- 



teft, 



