«Previous page (009)

Next page (011)»

Image 010, folio 3b, A Prognostication; weather forecasting

A prognostication
allso alteration of weather, if they bee fewe in number, cloudye, and of litle
lighte. Further, when dimme starres appeare with long fierie tayles, iudge *
windes and greate droughte, the more in number, the greater effecte. When
starres in the nighte (as it is sayde) shoot or seeme to fall, it argueth winde in
that part. If in divers places, inordinate windes, if in all places, then pro=
nounce winds, thunder, lightnings, yea weather most tempestuous.
The Significations of comets.
Comets signifye corruption of the ayre. They are Signes of earthquakes, of wars
changeinge of kingdomes, greate death of corne, yea a common death of man
and beaste. Pontanus* writeth thus: The comets doe give sure signes of windes, they
threaten allso rumours of Warres, and cruell warre, they signifye allso the over=
throwe of mighty nations, the death of Kinges, & penurye of waters.
How by the cloudes, chaunge of
weather is perceived.
If thicke cloudes resembling flockes, or rather greate heapes of wooll, bee
gathered in manye places, they shew rayne. Allso, when grosse, thicke, darke
cloudes, righte over the north part, or somewhat declineinge to the west are
close with the earth, immediatelye followeth rayne. If they appeare like
hills, some deale from the earthe, a good token of weather overpassed. Blacke
cloudes signifie raine. White cloudes appeareinge in winter, at ye horizon,
two or three dayes together, prognosticate colde and snowe.
Of the raynebowe, and his effecte
toucheing alteration of ayre.
If in the morninge the raynebowe appeare, it signifieth moysture, unles great
droughte of ayre worke the contrarye. If in the eveninge it shewe it selfe, faire
weather ensuethe, so that aboundant moyst ayre take not away the efecte.
Or thus.
The rainebowe appeareinge, if it bee fayre, it betokeneth fowle weather : if foule,
looke for fayre weather. The greener, the more rayne: redder, winde.
Of thunders what they Signifie.
Thunders in the morninge, Signifie winde : About noone, rayne : In ye eveninge –
great tempest. Some write (theire grounde I see not) that Sundays thunder,
Coulde bringe the death of learned men, iudges, and others.
Mundayes thunder, the death of women.
Tuesdayes thunder, plenty of grayne.
Wednesdayes thunder, the death of harlots, and other bloodeshed.
Thursdayes thunder, plenty of sheepe and corne.
Fridayes thunder, the slaughter of a greate man, & other horrible murthers.
Saterdayes thunder, a generall pestilence plague, and greate deathe.
How weather is knowne after ye chaunge of
every moone by the prime daye.
Sunday prime, drye weather, munday prime, moiste weather. Tuesday prime,
colde, and

Note: The contents of this page come from Digges page 6 and 6 verso

Abbreviations are underlined like this Wm. and the expansion may be seen by moving the cursor over it.

An entry outlined like this has a note which may be seen by hovering over it.

Transcribed by LF and JW