The eighteenth Booke 



Moreover J the vcrie bruit and dumbc creatures prefage and give warning, whi^c weather there G 

 will be. Tobeginwith fitliesof theSea-.the dolphins playing and difpomng themfelvesin a 

 calme viiater, doe certainely fore- lliew wind commingtromthatcoaft whence they fetch thefe 

 friskes and gambols tcontrariwife, if they fling and dafli water this way and that wayj the Tea at 

 that time being rough and troubled, it is an infallible ligne of acalmeand of faire weather tow- 

 ard. The Cuttle or hitleCalamatieLoligOj launching it leJfeand flying above the water, the 

 Cockles and Winkles cleaving and flicking hard to the gravell;the Sea- urchins thr ufiing ihem- 

 felvcs into the owfe and mud, or othcrwife balaifed and covered with fandjbe all figns oftempefis 

 neare.The like may bee laid of Froggs, when they crie more than their cuftomc is ; and of Sea- 

 mews alfo^ when they ga'ggleina morning betimes exrraordinarily.-femblably , the Cormo- 

 i:anis,Gulls,Mallards,and Ducks, when they keepc a proining of their feathers with their bills, H 

 forelliew wind : and generally, when you fee other vyater-foule to gather and aflerable togither 

 andthen combat one with another, or Cranes make half to flie into the midland parts of the 

 maine. The Cormorants and Gulls flying from the lea and Handing lakes, and Cranes foaring 

 aloft in the aire Hill, without any noifc,doeput in comfort of a iaire and dric leafon ifo doth the 

 Howfat alfo, when llice cries chuitt in rainie weather : but if it be then faire and drie, we fhall be 

 fure to have foule tempers for it afterwaids: Ravens crying one to another as if they fobbed or 

 yexedtherewithjand belides clapping then:»felves with their wings, if they continue this note, 

 doe portend winds jbut if they give over betwee/i- whiles, and cut their crie Ihort as if they fwal- 

 low it backe againe, they prefage raine and wind both. lackc-dawesjif it be late ere they returnc 

 from their reliefe abroad, foretoken cold and hard weather sfo doe the white-birds when they J 

 allemble and flock togither, as alfo when land-foule (and the crow efDCcially) keepe a crying a- 

 gainft the water, clapping their wings, wafhing alfo and bathing thcmfelves. If the fwallow flic 

 low and fo neare the water, that llie flap the fame oftentimes with her wings, it is a fignc of rainc 

 and foule weather. Semblablyj all other birds that neftle intrces,if they feeme to make many 

 flights out, but returne quickly againe to their nefts. Moreover, ifGeefe hold on a continual! 

 gaggling out of all order untunably,a man may guelle no better by ihem, no more than he can 

 of the Heron which he leeth heavie and lad upon the fands. 



And no marveile that theferivcr-loules, or generally any other birds of the aire whailbever, 

 fhould have a fecret prefage and foreknowledge of the dilpolition of the aire 5 for the very four- 

 footed hearts of the earth doe make lliew thereof by their behaviour. The fheepe and fuch fmall k 

 cattaile, leaping and playing wantonly, dauncing alio as untowardly without meafure, doe te- 

 flifielbmechaungcof weather: nay the dull and heavie oxen holding up their nofe and muz- 

 zleSjlnuffe and fmell into the aire, yea and keepe a licking againft the haire [toward rainc.] Al- 

 fc), when you fee the foule and filth iehoggs, rend, teare, and fling about them bottles of haie, 

 and yet they care not for it when they have done, becaufeitis nomeatfbr them:likewifeif you 

 perceive the pilmires or ants either lying dole and idle, full againft their nature (whofepropertie 

 istobeinduftrious and ever bufie) or encountring one another in battaile- wife, or els carrying 

 their eggs abroad out of their holes. Finally, when the mads or earthworms come forth and ap- 

 peare,a man may be bold to foretell of a chaunge in the weather. 



VVhatfhouldllay more?Itis knowneforcertaine,thatthcClavcr-graireorhearbeTrefbile £ 

 will looke rough againll a tempelf,yea and the leaves thereof will ftand flaring up as if it were af- 

 fraid thereof. And to conclude and make an end once of this difcourlCjWhenfoever you lee at any 

 feaft thedifhes and platters wherein your meat isferved up to the bourd,fweat orftand of a dew^ 

 and leaving that fweat which is refolved from them, either upondreflet,cupbourdpr tabkjbeaf 

 lured chatitis a token of terrible tempers approaching* 



An 



