ThefecondBooke of 



and bellowing of bcafts : otherv-shile it refembleth a mans voice, or els the clattering and ruft- G 

 ling of armour and weapons^beating one upon another',according to the qualitie of the matter 

 that catcheth and rcceiveth the noife, or the fafhion cither of the hollow crankes within, or the 

 cranie by which it pafleth^whiles in a narrow way it tak^th on with amore {lender and whiitling 

 noiie : and the famekcepeth an hoarfe din in winding and crooked caves ^ rebounding again in 

 hard paflages ^ roaring in moift places , waving and floting in ftanding waters 5 boiling and cha^ 

 fing againltfolidethings.Andthcrfore oftentimes a noife is heard without any earthquake:ancl 

 never at any time ihaketh it funply after one and the fame manner, but trembleth and waggcth 

 to and fro. As for the gaping chinkcjfometimes it remaineth wide open, and fheweth what it 

 hath fwallowed up : otherwhiles it clofeth up the mouth^and hideth all ; and the earth is brought 

 together fo againe,as there remainc no matkes and tokens to be feenc : notwithftanding many a H 

 time it hath devoured citics^and drawnc into it a whole trad of ground and fields.Sea coafts and 

 maritine regions moft of all other/eele earthquake : neither are the hillic countries without this 

 calamitie.For,! my (elfe have knowne for certaine^that the Alpes and Apenine hate oftentimes 

 trcmbled.In the Autumnc alfo & Spring there happen niore earthquakes than at other timesg 

 like as hghtenings. And hereof it is,that Fraunce and ^gypt leaft of all other, bee fhaken : for 

 that in -Sgypt the continual! Summer,and in Fraunce the hard wintcr,is againft ir. In like maner 

 earthquakes are more rife in the night than in day time. But the greateft of all others uie to be iti 

 the morning and evening. Toward day light there bee many: and if by day, it is ufually about 

 noone. They fortune alfo to be when the Sunne and Moone are eclipfed, becaufe in thole times 

 all tempefts are afleepe and laid to reft. But eipecially, when after much raine thers foliovwth a I 

 great time of heat jor after heatj (lore of raine. 



Chap. lXXXI. 



Signes of earthquake comniwg. 



SAilers alfo have a certaine fore-knowledge thereofjandgueile not doubtfully at it: namely^ 

 when the waves fweli fuddainely without any gale of Windsor when they in the fliip are fhoc- 

 ked with billowes fhaking under them. And then are the things fccnc to quake which ftand 

 within the fhips, as well as thofe ia houfes, and with a ruftling noife give warning beforehand. 

 The foules likewifc of the aire fit not quietly vsithout fcarein the skie aifo there is a figne thereof: 

 for when there will bee an earthquakcjthere goeth before, cither in day time, or foone after the K 

 Sunne is gone downc, a thin ftreake or line, as itwere^ of a cloud lying out in a greaticngth, 

 Moreoverjihc water in wels and pits is more thicke and troubled than ordinane, and not with- 

 out a {linking fent. 



Chap, ixxxii. 



^ Remedies or helves agamjl earthquakes tctudrd,' 



BVt a remedie there is for the famCjfuGh as vaults and holes in many places do yeeldior they 

 vent out and breath forth the wind that was conceived there before: a thing obferved in cer- 

 taine townes,which by reafon they if and hollow, and have many finkes and vaults digged 

 to rid and convey away their filth,are lefle fliaken.Yeajand in the fame towns,thofc parts which ^ 

 be pendant,ar€ the fafcr ; as is well {ecne in Naples, where that quarter thereof which is folide 

 and not hollow,is fubjed to fuch cafualties. And in houfes the arches are mo{tfafej the angles 

 alfo of wallsjyea,and thofe po{ls which in fhaking will jog to and fro everyway. Moreover jWalls 

 made of bricke or earth,takc lefle harme when they be {liaken in an earthquake. A nd a great dif- 

 ference there is in the very kind and manner of earthquakesjfor the motion is after many forts. 

 Thefafe{l is, when houtes as they rocke, keepe a trembling and warbling noife : alfo when the 

 earth feemeth to fwell up in rifing : and againe to {ettle downe and finke with an alternative mo- 

 tion.Harmele{re it is alfo,whcn houfes run on end together by a contrarie {troke, and butt or juc 

 one againfl: another :for the one moving doth with{land the other.The bending downeward in 

 maner of waving.,and a certaine rolling like to furging billowes, is it that is fo dangerous doth M 

 all the mifcheefe : or when the whole motion beareth and forceth it felfe to one {ide. Thefc qua- 

 kings and tremblings of the earth give over when the wind is once vented out: but if they con- 

 tinue {lil,then they ceafe not until fortie dales end :yea,and many times it is longer ere shey {lay s 

 for as much as fome of them have lalled for the Ipace of a yeeue or two. 



Chap, 



