The Earth twice shaken wonderfully:  
OR, AN Analogical Discourse of Earthquakes, its Natural Causes, Kind's, and manifold Effects; OCCASIONED By the last of these, which happened on the Eighth Day of September 1692. at Two of the Clock in the Afternoon.  
Divided into Philosophical Theorems, picked out of many Famous, Modern, and Ancient TREATISES, Translated into English; With Reference to that unusual One, that happened in Queen Elizabeth's Reign, on the same Day, 8th. of September 1601. at the same Hour, which was sensibly felt throughout all Europe, and some part of Asia in the same Moment, as much as it is found out.  
A DORNED, With an Account of many stupendious and wonderful Events in Germany, Italy, and other Kingdoms.  
WHEREIN Some Observations are made upon the Circumstances, wherein these Two Earthquakes agree, and the others wherein they differ.  
By J. D. R. French Minister.  Joel 3.16. 
The Lord shall roar out of Zion, and utter his Voice from Jerusalem, and the Heavens and the Earth shall shake; but the Lord will be the Hope of his People, etc.  
LONDON: Printed for the Author, at Sion's College, near Cripplegate; and to be Sold at Mr. Cockrel, Bookseller, at the Sign of the Three Legs in the Poultry, and at Mr. Vaillant, French Bookseller, in the Strand, over-against the French Savoy's Church, 1693/4.   

IMPRIMATUR.  
January the 1st. 1693/4. Edward Cook.   

For the ever Honoured and Worthy Thomas Brown, of Alsey, in the County of Bedford Esq a Member of the Honourable House of Commons, in this present Parliament.  
SIR,  
'TIS the custom with those that Dedicate any thing, to adorn their Frontispieces with the Panegyric Praises of their Maecenas. In which th●y create Favours, and Illustrate their own Eloquence, unto which I was always averse. But, forasmuch as the great Demonstrations of your Civilities and Benevolence towards my Family, are always in my Memory; my Affections could not but be moved with the Earth, and the Divine Providence at last afforded me an occasion, which I had long sought for in vain, to repay some small acknowledgement of a grateful Mind, by offering unto you the first Fruits of a new Language (the Knowledge of which I attained to in your Neighbourhood) then Dedicate any thing new to you. Nay, 'tis very reasonable that this Treatise should see again the same Country where it began to speak, or rather to stutter.  
Yet if there were any need to mention more weighty Reasons and pass by these, how innumerable of them, might be afforded, known both to me and the whole Nation, in the enumerating of which a whole Volume might be defective? But that which hath been the greatest Motive with me, was the Piety innate to all your Noble Family, and to your Illustrious Lady, excelling all others both in Beauty of Body, and in great Parts of Mind. To which may be added the Candour and Constancy of your Mind, free from all secular blemish; which Virtues you know how prudently to use in the exercise of Justice, and the distribution of Right to every one, in punishing Vice and Vicious Persons. On which, and on many other things is founded His Majesty's (the most Prudent of Kings) and his Counsel, Judgement, in conferring on you the Magistracy. The unanimous Concord of the whole Country in choosing you to sustain their Parts in the most August English Parliament, was upheld by this Foundation. On this incorrupted Sincerity, leans the hope of its Patronage, and the Affection of a sincere and faithful Mind, for the Conservation and Promotion of the Present State of Affairs. But many Words become not the Candidate of a Foreign Tongue, especially in so sublime a Matter. Pray, Sir, respect not so much the external Meanness of the Person, as the Gratitude of his inmost Affection, after the Example of that Prince who disdained not willingly to accept of cold Water offered to him in the Hand of a Countryman, his Subject; But having perused this Work, be pleased to accept of it as a Pledge of the eternal Deference I own to you, and disdain not to embrace it in your Patronage. In the mean time that God will grant an Accomplishment of this, and many other Years attended with his most gracious Benediction to you and all your honoured Family, and that the effluxion of this Age may be free from all Commotion and fatal Alteration, either of the Earth, or of the Present Affairs of this Kingdom, is the Prayer of  
SIR, Your most devoted humble Servant, J. D. R. April 9 1693.   

THE PREFACE TO THE READER.  
THAT common Saying, Objects move Powers, doth not want its Foundation. An Earthquake hath served for the Subject Matter, for the exercising of so many and so great Wits in Old Times, that it may seem needless to bring it upon the Stage again: The Earth was no sooner shook on the 8th. of September last, but that, that stupendious Event became the common Argument of the Discourse and Writings of the Learned Men of this Nation. I betook also myself to the Consideration thereof, and so set out the following English Treatise, for my private improvement in this Tongue, without any design of publishing it, which should never have come in print, had I not been overcome by the Persuasions of many qualified Persons, and of several others of no ordinary Learning, to whose Notice it came without my Privity, when it was finished; which was about the end of December last, and before the Evangelical Exhortation to Repentance, occasioned by the Earthquake writ by Mr. Beverly, and the Book of the Learned Mr. Ray, concerning the Changes in the World, came forth.  
And altho' it seems, that I ought now to be more against printing this Treatise, by how much the more the number of Writers upon this Subject is increased, yet many things being left untouched by them, which may give occasion to Public Curiosity, and to the Wits of this Nation to exercise themselves about, I have here yield to propound to the World. And as there are many Circumstances in which the late Earthquake seems to agree with that, which happened in the Year 1601. both in the Conjunction of Constellations, and the Influence of the Planets, if we may credit Mr. Partridge; I thought it not amiss for the satisfaction of the Reader, to give him my thoughts thereon; though I do protest that I am very averse to the Observation of Omens, and that I am of a very different Opinion from those who have dared to foretell that such an Earthquake will be itterated here, as was in Sicily. God forbidden that we should by our sins draw down his Judgements so heavily upon our own Heads, but rather in our Prayers to beg that God Almighty the Maker and Upholder of Heaven and Earth, would be pleased to grant unto our Monarch and Monarchy the most flourishing Prosperity, that the Constitution of this Kingdom and these happy Islands may be at quiet, firm and unmoveable till the end of Ages.   

THE TABLE OF CONTENTS.  

That all Earthquakes in themselves, are contrary to Nature. Their Consideration is lawful.  
CHAP. I. HOw many sorts of Earthquakes there are? and in regard of Natural Causes, what sorts of Earthquake this was that we speak of, as well in regard of its Circumstances, as in regard of its Effects. pag. 3.  
CHAP. II. What was the nearest natural Cause of this Earthquake, as in regard of its breadth, as in regard of its celerity, videl. the qualities and dispositions of some fiery and subtle Vapours, hidden towards the Centre of the Earth. To which may be added the various influences of the Celestial Bodies, as far as their qualities do prevail or resist. pag. 9  
CHAP. III. The Earthquake by its Nature hath not an end properly; yet the effects thereof are commonly three specially evinced both by Experiences and Observations of Examples, to wit, Sickness, Inundation and Sterility. To which some would join the Presages of some wonderful and unusual Changes, etc. pag. 17.  
CHAP. IU. An examination of the Circumstances wherein these two Earthquakes do agree or differ, both in their Form and second Causes, in regard of the different Aspects of Planets as well as in their effects. p. 30.   

As a Corollary, Ten Problems are set rising Naturally from that Matter.  
1. Whether that be true, which Pliny doth assert, that France and Egypt are seldom shaken, by reason of the cold of the one, and the heat of the other? p. 33.  
2. Why Rivers decrease by Earthquakes? p. 34.  
3. Why those places that are either lying upon, or encompassed by the Sea or some River, be obnoxious to Earthquakes? p. 36.  
4. What credit may one give to the relation of Plato, of the Island Atlantis, drowned by an Earthquake? p. 39  
5. Whether exterior wind entering the Earth from above is able to move it? p. 41.  
6. Whether Subterraneous Exhaltations are generated by the Sun Beams? p. 43.  
7. Whether some more sullen times of Earthquakes are to be appointed for any certain reasons? p. 44.  
8. Why are Birds frighted in an Earthquake? p. 45.  
9 Whether the Vaults in Houses are safest against Earthquakes? Ibid.  
10. If i● the late Earthquake is so ended, that the sole●● Countries through which it went, are secure from its iteration? p. 46.    

THE EARTH Twice Shaken WONDERFULLY.  

THEOREMS.  
AS Rest is contrary to the Nature of Heaven, so is Motion against the Nature of the Earth.  
2. But in this they differ, that although no Natural Cause stops the Motion of the Heaven, yet it may give some Motion to the Earth.  
3. The Heaven never rested but once, Josh. 10.13. since the Creation that we know of, and then not totally neither, but only in that part which is a Vehicle to the solar Body; but the Earth is often moved.  
4. And altho' the rest of the Heaven be in itself a thing as much to be wondered at, as Motion in the Earth; yet the later seems to move and terrify men's minds more.  
5. For the Earth doth more nearly touch us than Heaven, and we are more sensible of danger, when the Foundation of the World trembles and is shaken under us as tho' it were falling, then if any thing happen above our heads, or that which was moved above us move no more.  
6. Which Events as they do affect men's minds with a singular, and as it w●re an amazing Admiration, so they excite and stir them up more diligently to inquire after the Cause of the which, besides our own experience. Arist●tle Witnesseth in the 1st. Book of his Metaphysickt, Cap. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Because of Admiration, Men began both now and of old to Philosophise.  
7 Seeing therefore that, that Earthquake which formerly happened on the 8th of September, 1601. between one and two of the Clock at Night, struck almost all the Inhabitants of Europe with Admiration. I doubt not but that which happened lately on the 8th. day of September last, excites many to the search of the Cause and Nature of them.  
8. Neither is this tracing, even of wonderful and unaccustomed Events, by their causes any ways displeasing to God, seeing Effects themselves are more clearly understood, when the Cause is known, and the clearer Knowledge of Divine Works, begets clearer notice of God himself, and excites in us a greater fear and awe of him: for clearness in the Understanding begets efficacy in the Will and Ardour in the Affections.  
9 Whilst therefore the Learned communicate to the World their Thoughts and Observations of that unusual Earthquake which no small part of the World felt, which Observations they gather from the Remarks they make of the different Events that happened here and there, especially since that Town in Jamaica was almost swollowed up by an Earthquake. I have been likewise prevailed upon to put forth something that might be as an earnest, if by chance, by the comparing of Opinions, the cause of this so stupendious an Event might more truly and plainly appear.  
10. I shall distribute the whole Matter into Four Chapters. The First of which shall be of the Kind and Form of this Earthquake; The next of the efficient Causes; and the Third of the Effects, and of their Signification and Presage, at least as ordinary and common. Fourth, To which shall be joined an Examination of Unformity or Disparity of one from another, both in their Form, and in their Causes and Effects.   

CHAP. I. Of the Kind and Form of this Earthquake.  
II. THere are two sorts of Earthquakes, Trembling and Pulsation. The differences of Earthquakes or their several Kind's, may be derived either from the Force of the Spirit issuing out of the Superficies of the Earth, or from the sound then made, and from other accidents and effects. Hence it is, that in Lib. de Mun. There are reckoned eight sorts of Earthquakes. Georgius Agricola lib. 2. de ortu subter. Makes four sorts of 'em, a Trembling when it quivers lateraly; Concussion when 'tis moved on high and shelving (in sublime & devexum;) arietation when contrary blows shake it. Lastly, inclination when it is rolled like Water and the Waves. But the same Author in his fourth Book of those things that proceed out of the Earth, pag. 14. more accurately divides Earthquakes into simple and compounded, and then subdvides both into their Species. Aristotle 2. Metaphys, reduces all sorts of Earthquakes to two general Heads, to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a trembling and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pulsus, which division I thought good to follow in this place.  
12. A Trembling is a Motion of the Earth according to its Latitude to the right and left side. Aristotle in the forecited place (says) that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. trembling is towards the sides, and calls it also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to brandish: for the leaping of the Earth is, as it were, a brandishing. And this sort of Earthquke is frequent, but Pulsus and Arietation, as they call them, are more seldom, which Aristotle testifieth in his second Book of his Metaphys, chap. 8. Pulsus seldom shake the Earth, for beginnings are not so easily multiplied, etc.  
13. Pulsus is a motion of the Earth according to its Longitude, to wit, when it is moved up or down. Aristotle says, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and divides it into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Systole and Diastole: to wit, either when the Vapour or Exhalation going up with violence, heaps up great Piles like Mountains, or removes or breaks Mountains themselves, or lastly sucks them into the Earth in its vasts gaping, as Pliny, Speaks.  
14. But that Earthquake whereof we have spoken in the beginning, was different according to the diversity of places where i● was.  
15. In plain places 'twas a Trembling, because it shook the Earth l●●eraly to the right and the left. Those who then felt the Quaking, affirm it to have been a lateral one, like 〈◊〉 ●ocking of a Cradle, ●nd that th●se who lay in the same Bed, that night it happened, w●re violently justled one against the other, the  being carried from side to side; but whither or no, there were the same sort of Q●a●ing in all the places where it was. I am not very farward to affirm. But on● may be bold to conclude from the Event, that in most places, the Earth was not violently thr●st forward, but did mostly tre●ble. And although this trembling (Tremor) be counted less perilous than either Pulsus, Arietation or Inclination, yet it doth not want its dangers, as those specially then experienced that lived in the highest H●●ses and in Castles, from whence the Voices and Exclamations of the Guards, were heard every where throughout the Country, for when the Cradle is moved too much either to the right or left, there is danger of the Child's falling out, so when the Fondations or Buildings be moved laterally, both the Walls are in danger, especially in Towers where the substerraneous Spirit being included within the Arches, doth as it were, force the Tower more either to this or that side; otherwise the higher the Walls are, the more sensible is the shaking (called, Vibratio.) This is certainly apparent from History, that the Town of Scarp, not far distant from Florence, in the Valley of Magellum, between the Vesuvian and Apennine Mountains, in the year 154▪ on the 3. of July did first Quake by such a sort of Vibration, and afterwards was so shaken, that most of the Houses were ruined, great Cracks and Chinks being made in them, and 500 of t●e Inhabitants were destroyed, which Earthquake is related by Geor Agricol. lib. de Natura rerum è terra effluentium pag 151. who Wr●t his Book the same year the Town was made ruinous.  
16. B●t in Mountainous places, to this Trembling was added a Pulse. Earthquakes are more noxious in Mountains than in Valleys, ●y reason the more frequent subterraneous Cavities which there lie hid, into which the Spirits are more copiously gathered and prevail more strongly, but especially where the superficies is solidly compacted and smoothly leveled. Plinius lib. 2. cap. 8. (says) Nec mo●t●sa talicarent malo, neither do the Mountains are without such an inconvenience (evil.) I am sure the Alps and Apennine Mountains h●ve off●en trembled, which ●●ve occasion to that of Virgil Insolitis ●●●●cr●nt M●tib●s A●pes And the H. Scripture, says, Naham. 1. 〈◊〉 Mountain's be move● by God.  
Switzerland also felt it at the very same time. A noted Wi●ness of which speaks after this manner. Whilst I was Travelling in Switzerland in September and October, I found Men's minds terrified more by that Earthquake, than I perceived they were in the more close parts of Germany. And that it was no● a simple Trembling of the Earth, but a certain Pulsus and Concussion joined with a Trembling, those things that I saw every where in those parts, the Effects of this Earthquake, sufficiently demonstrated to me, of which I will mention but one. There is a h●gh and scraggy Mountain two Hours Journey distant from Lucern, not v●ry remote from that stupendious Mountain which Pomponius Mela, call●, Fractum Montem, the Vulgar (I know not by what sort of superstition) Pilat's Mountains, but the Inhabitants call it Burka (if I do remember) under this Mountain on the Eight of September, about Two a Clock at Night, there arose a dreadful Bellowing and Fragor to the great Consternation of the Inhabitants that live thereabouts, there were elevated into the Air, as it were thick Fumes, which filled all the Neighbourhood; at length the greatest part of the ●op of the Mountain was broke off with a great noise, and tumbled down into the Lake of Lucern, which runs by it, but from the other part of the Mountain, which other People (called Vnderwaldensers) inhabit, some part also being violently thrown down, is reported to have buried seven of the Inhabitants: so in the 85th. year of the last Age, part of the Mountain was broken off, three hours Journey distant from a certain Village called Hyborn, under the Jurisdiction of the Canton of Berns; situated above the Lake Lemanus, from which issued a vehement Wind, which carried with it Stones, Clods, and Trees; so that having passed over the interjacent Hills, at the length the measurable Village itself was overwhelmed and oppressed which the Destruction of its Inbabitants. The like Examples do every where occur in History and Seneca, lib. 6. Nat. quest, reports out of Thucydides, that A●las was cleft and broken by an Earthquake not far from Locris.  
17. Moreover one Earthquake is less frequent than another, and more extraordinary; one being purely miraculous, the other compounded both of Miracle and Nature.  
18. An Earthquake merely miraculous is, when the Earth is shaken by the immediate power of God, without the intervention of any Natural Cause.  
Of which sort was that which happened at the suffering of Christ, Matth. 27 51. Pliny mentions a certain great Earthquake lib. 2. Cap. 84. in the time of Tiberius Caesar, Maximus, (say he) terrae memoria mortalium motus accidit Tiberii Caesaris principatu, duodecim Vrbibus Asiae una nocte prostratis, i. e. The greatest Earthquake in the Memory of Men happened in the Reign of Tiberius Caesar, Twelve Cities of Asia being laid level in one Night. Cornelius Tacitus in the end of his second Book, names them. But Niaphorus, lib. 1. Cap. 17. says, Fourteen were destroyed. Saint Austin, lib. 2. de mirabilibus. Seripturae Writes that Eleven Cities in Thrace were destroyed by that Earthquake, which happened at our Saviour's Crucifixion. Eusebius reports from Phlegon (an old Author) that many Houses in the City of Nissa, in Bythinia, fell down by the same Earthquake. But that Earthquake which Pleny mentions, could not be that, which happened at Christ's Crucifixion; for they don't agree in the numbers of years, for those Twelve Asiatic Cities fell in the third year of Tiberius' Reign, but Christ suffered in the 18th years of the Reign of that Emperor, or thereabouts. Moreover the saying of Dydimus is quoted concerning that miraculous Earthquake which was at the suffering of Christ, who says, Terrae Motus, etc. Earthquake often happened, but those which were before and after Christ, were only in some part of the Earth, but in the time of my Saviour Jesus Christ, it was not some particular Earthquake, but the whole Earth was shaken and torn from its Centre: But I know not what credit one may give to this Opinion of Dydimus. The Scripture says, the Earth is so founded, that he shall never be moved, viz. as to its Profundity and Centre, Psal. 104.5. He hath founded the Earth upon its basis that it should not be removed for ever. A parallel place, to which is in Eccles. 1.4.  
That Earthquake also happened at the Resurrection of Christ, is to be referred to those that are purely miraculous, Matth. 28.2. as is also that spoken of in the 4th. of Acts 31. and that, Acts 16.26. and also that which happened a little before the Promulgation of the Divine Law, Exod. 19.18. and that opening of the Earth that swallowed up Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, Numb. 16.21. And that which is mentioned, Amos 1.1. and Zac. 14.5. Yea, ye shall fly like as you fled from before the Earthquake in the days of Vzziah King of Judah, which, Josephus lib. 9 antiq. cap. 2. describes.  
19 A mixed Earthquake, is that which hath a Natural cause, but extraordinarily, as it were increased by God, and in some sort enlarged beyond the Power of Nature. God often makes use of Natural Causes in the production even of miraculous Events, lest the Agents might not be hindered without necessity, and that he might show that the Power of Nature, and second Causes are not at all repugnant to the Divine Power, but subordinate to it. And, Lastly, That he might show that he hath the Power of Nature in his own hands and disposal, and that he can either augment their force, or diminish it.  
20. And this Earthquake is observed to be twofold.  
21. One is restrained to some certain Place, and included within some tract of Ground, so that it hath an unusual vehemency of Spirits underground, and wonderfully increased, from which arises destructive and great hurt. Of which sort was that Earthquake which happened in the 20th, or as other reckon the 22th, year of Christ, of which we spoke before, whereby 14 Cities of Asia perished. Such a one was that also that happened in the Reign of Herod the Great, by which many Cities, Towns, and Villages being demolished in Judea, 30000 Jews perished, as Josephus says, in his 1st. Book of the Wars of the Jews, chap. 14. So from the year of Christ, 1170. to the year, 1345. all Germany was four times most grievously shaken, as one may see from Funccius, Stumpsius, Sigonius, Cedrenus, and others.  
22. Some Earthquakes are unusual and remarkable in respect of their Latitude and Celerity, so that a great part of the World is shaken, and that some time quickly as it were, in an Hour or in a Moment. Which sort of Earthquake History mentions to have happened in the time of Valentinian the Emperor, in the year of our Lord 369. by which the whole Earth was moved, in so much that many Islands in the East, with a great multitude of Men perished by Inundation, which is attested by Socrat. lib. 4. Hist. Eccles. cap. 32. Amianus Marcellinus, in the end of his 26 Book. Paul Orosius, lib. 7. Hist. cap. 32 Funccius in Chronol. so in the year of our Lord 1117. almost all the World shook, many Buildings being demolished every where by it, as Stumpsius relates, lib. 4. cap. 40. but in the year 1443. an Earthquake shook Poland, Hungary and Bohemia. King Ladistaus being not long after killed by the Turks, with a great overthrow of the Christians.  
23. To this sort of Earthquakes is referred that wonderful and unusual one which happened in the year 1601. on the 8th of September, between one and two of the Clock at Night.  
24. For ●●s not probable that so great a Tract of this terren Globe, as that Earthquake passed through, could be moved by the ordinary and accustomed force of Nature, which not only our European Hemispl●●e, Germany, France, Italy, Hungary, Bohemia, Thraoe, but Asia itself is reported to have felt. We have not yet heard for certain l●●w ●●r th●t earthquake reached into Asia and Africa, but this is certain, that the greatest part of Europe trembled, and that, almost 〈◊〉 the same promont. Some Reports have lately been hatched, that 〈◊〉, that two Towns called by the Turks Tartos and Copera, were s● allowed up by the gaping of the Earth, caused by that Earthquake, to the ●r●at Consternation of the Turks, who from that time belie●●● th●t si●●istro●s and unlucky Events were pretended t●● their Empire, which, if true, may make it apparent, that this Earthquake was not every where a Tremor, but in some places a Pulsus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: to wit, where the Spirits abound, or the Ground is porous or gravelly; as it is about the Euxine Sea, and at Constantinople, which City, if any in Europe, is infested with frequent and pernicious Earthquakes.  
In the year of our Lord 1356. it was so grievously shaken, that a great part of the Walls▪ where it looks into the Sea, fell down, with many Towers and Buildings, so that 13000 Men perished in the City, the Earthquakes lasting incessantly for 18 days. Agathias, lib. 5. pag. 541. relates a dreadful Earthquake that happened in this City. A little while before these thing happened (in the time of Justinian) the Earth was so dreadfully shaken at Byzantium, that almost all the City fell down, after which another Earthquake ensued, that was so great, that I think there never was, nor will be the like again.  
25. There are therefore two things in that Earthquake which make it extraordinary and very miraculous, the breadth, and that it penetrated those places, which are not subject to Earthquakes: and the Celerity of it.  
And although the Mischiefs it caused in some Parts, may assure us olenius vehemency, yet 'tis not so stupendious for its Mischiefs, as for its Latitude, Celerity, and Presage. For we read in History of far more dreadful havoc and destruction made by some other Earthquakes, and moreover we know from Physical Principles, that those trembling ●hat extend farthest, are not so highly distrustful. For the force of Subterraneous Spirits, the more 'tis dissipated, the more ●●●gui● it is.   

CHAP. II. Of the Cause.  
26. Whether a Natural Cause can be assigned for both effects we must now inquire.  
27. That there was a Natural Cause (although not alone) is evident from Observation.  
28. For the time itself is such at is convenient for a Natural Earthquake, to wit, Autumn, and also near the Equinox, for about that time Earthquakes are wont to happen. Aristotle 2 Meteor cap. 8. says, truly Earthquakes happen chief in Autumn, because those times are most Windy: Which Pliny also relates, lib. 2. cap. 8.  
29. It was also two of the Clock in the Morning, which is especially adapted for Earthquakes. So Aristotle in the forecited place, says, there are more and greater Earthquakes in the Night, and adds, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, especially in the Morning. And Pliny in the forecited place, says, the Morning and Evening Earthquake are very great, but at the approach of day they are frequent, for the heat of the day dissolves and dissipates their matter. Natural cold contracts and binds it.  
30. The consequent effects also do Evince that the Power of Nature was present.  
31. For ●o●ses and fragors issuing out of the Caverns of Earth, were heard about that time in the Neighbourhood, which is a certain discovery of the Spirits and Winds agitated in the Cavities of the Earth, and as it were there striving reciprocally. If but a little Wind blows in●o a V●ssel, a sound, and as it were, a bellowing is heard. One from whence may conclude, what happen in so spacious Caverns as those o● the ●arth. Hence it is, that Aristole says, The Spiritus ma●es a●n●ise under the Earth, as the Air being beaten up, sou●●s variously, for there is no difference between this Spiritus and the Ai●● (as to the effect of the sound) fo● this Spiritus verberati●g upon every thing is itself verberat●d upon: And Pliny lib. 2 cap. 8 says, There goes before and accompanies them a terrible noise, otherwise a murmuring like to bellowing or the cry of Men, and the sound fragou● of clashing of Arms, according to the quality of the Matter receiving it, and the form either of Ca●●n or ●uniculus through which it permeates, etc.  
32 〈◊〉 g●●at Winifrid is have ra●●● after an Earthquake, when a Ca●● has immediately preceded it. This is also witnessed by experience and by Ari●●●tle and Pliny in the forecited places, that Winds 〈◊〉 after an earthquakes because those Winds which 〈◊〉 befor● sh●t in the Earth, do brake out of it into the Air. A●d 〈…〉 do assert the same concerning the Calm, to wit, that it common●y goes before an Earthquake. In a Calm towards 〈…〉 ●a●y, ●ays Aristotle, there happen very many and very great Earthquakes because most of the Matter of the Winds is so restrained in the Caverns of the Earth, that it cannot more the Air: Yet we must not deny that even sometimes in windy Wether Earthquakes have happened, because all the Matter of them doth enter into the Caverns of the Earth together. And even at the time of our Earthquake about three hours before it was observed to be somewhat r●en, and I will not here make any tedious dispute with Geor Agric. who says, lib 4. de Na●ura eorum que ef●luant●e terra, That Aristotle, when he mentions the darkness of the Sun, the calmness of the Wether, cold, a thin Cloud extended in length, did not intent to discover ●he signs of Earthquakes (which Aristotle's Interpreters affirm) but prove by those things which sometimes happen, that W●●d is the Cause of Earthquakes. But both may be asserted without absurdity, ●owi●, tha● they are signs of Earthquakes to come, and also evince that they are occasioned by Wind.  
But h●●e we do no● only acknowledge Nature, but join with it a singular force of Divine Power, neither ought we to sep●●●te Divine Operations even from those that are usual and often happen: seeing t●e very Heathens believed that there was no Earthquake, though never so small, but had something Divine in it, as it is testified by Gellius lib. 2. cap 28 But ●s often as the Scripture speaks of Earthquakes (which is often) so often do they divert our minds from the consideration of Nature alone, to the acknowledgement of the Omnipotent Power of the Lord, as Psal. 60 2. Thou had made the Earth to tremble, thou had broken it, and Psal. 77.19. Psal. 114 4, and 7. Tremble that Earth at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Ja●●●: Also, Psal. 10.32 He looketh on the Earth and it trembleth; he toucheth the Halls and they smoke, Job. 9.6. Which shaketh the Earth out 〈…〉 place, and the Pillars thereof tremble, Nah●m 1.5. The 〈…〉 quake at him, and the Hills melt.  
33. But what should be the next Natural Cause of so stupendious Effects, to wit, so great Latitude, and so great Celerity in this Earthquake? This I confess is difficulty to Trace, but I hope, I shall have leave to inquire diligently into it.  
34. Which that I may do, I will first set down some Principles, where one may have good assurance for o●e Credit.  
35 Seeing the Earth is round like a Globe, it hath Lines drawn from the Centre to the Circumference.  
36. These Line meet nearer about the Centre, then at the Circumference where they are farther distant.  
37. Therefore the nearer any thing is the Centre of the Earth, the mere closely is it contracted, rashing violently from thence to the Circumference, 'tis extended farther, and occupi●● mere room.  
38. The Spirit●●or Vapours are sometimes more deeply hid towards the Centre of the Earth, but sometimes (and that more frequently) they are generated in Caverns and Passages (meatus) nearer the Superficies of the Earth.  
From the general Doctrine of Earthquakes in this place; I presuppose the Earth is not otherwise moved then by Winds and Spirits engendered in its Cavities, thence seeking an Exitus according to the quality of their Natures.  
I know the Ancient Philosophers before Aristotle assigned other Causes of Earthquakes, whose different Opinions concerning them are recited by Plutarch, lib. 3. De Placitis Philosophorum, cap. 2. Seneca lib. 6. Mat. quest. Cap 4. Pliny lib. 2. Cap. 79. but especially, Aristotle, 2 Meteor, cap. 7. But amongst modern Authors Joannes Franciseus, Picus Mirandula, lib. 1. examinis doctinae & vanitatis gentium, cap. 12. among which we must reckon Nicholaus Cusanu●, who lib. 1. de Docta ignorantia, is of opinion, that the Earth is neither of an Oval form, nor altogether Unmovable of itself. But no Opinion is more evident from Nature and Experience, than Aristotle, who asserts, that Winds and subterraneous Spirits are the Cause● of Earthquakes; for the heaviest Bodies are only to be moved by that which hath the strongest Power to move; But among all inferior Being's, the Wind or Spiritus is that which according to the qualifications of its own Nature, hath in i● a Power more effective of Motion than any other body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is expressly testified by Holy Writs, when it assimilates Angels to the Winds, Heb. 1.7. and many experiments do al●o evince it: For with how great a force doth a little Gunpowder diss●lv●d into Spirits by the heat of Fire burst out of the smallest Machine's. So we see the Spirit of new Wine when seething, if the Funnel be stopped, do penetrate the Vessels, that they may break ●orth It is sufficiently known of what Power they are in our Bodies, and what great Co●vul●o●●, Symp●o●ns, and Pains they are the causes of. So that Aristotle use h● thi● Example chief to confirm his Opinion of the Cause of Earthquake.  
39 These Spirits being deep in the Earth and closeley contracted, the nearer they arrive a● the Superficies of the Earth, the more they are dissipated and scattered, and so they ex●end further in length and breadth.  
40. And they more powerfully endeavour ●o extri●●e themselves; and they ●ssu●●on● more s●vis●ly, by now much he more they are deeply laid in the Earth, and closely contracted.  
Which may be proved by he experiment of Fire, which when it is narrowly contracted, breaks for h●●●e more violently man instant, when it hath the opportunity of in A●itu●, to co●v●y i● se●f o●t, which is apparent in Gun, where the ig●●ou force of the Gunpowder being sh●● in a nerrow room, breaks out swifter than one can think or imagine.  
41. Which Principles being presupposed, let us now show the Cause of the Earthquake which we are treating of, which extended so far, and was ●o quickly caused.  
42. It was a Vapour or Spiri● subtly disposed and bur●ed profundly toward the Centre of the Earth or at least the Centre of Europe, or of those Countries that were shaken, whence sallying out in great quantity and number, it spread fare and near with wonderful Celerity.  
Trembling in the Earth is nothing else but the Thunder in a Cloud, says Pliny, lib 2. cap. 79. As therefore some Thunder reache● further, and issues out more violently than other, both according to the different disposition of the Cloud, and also according to the quantity and quality of the Spirit deeply ●●ried in the Cloud, or approaching nearer to its Superficies; so the greater or lesser Latitude and Celerity of Earthquakes, is to be derived from the different disposition and s●ituation of the Spirits. And that also, which we asserted of the Centre, is easy to be understood: For that which is placed in the middle of a Circle or Globe, doth more easily move the whole Globe, than that which recedes from the Centre towards the side of the Globe; which is well known by them who prepare Fireballs, and throw them into the Air, often to the great Admiration of the Spectators. And I call that the Centre of Eu●ope, which is in the midst of that Circle which is drawn from one Extreme o● Eu●ope to the other, in that space of the Terrene Goble in which Eu●ope is contained.  
43. But whence comes it, that this Spirit is so deep, so subtle, and so ●wist? Partly from the first, and partly from the second Causes.  
44. The efficacy of Celestical Bodies doth deservedly claim the first place among second Causes, which rises from their different respect to one another, or the mixture of their li●ht and rays. S●ch is the ●ower of the Subject as is itself, seeing therefore Heaven is the first, che●●e●t, greatest, and swiftest of all Bodies, its Force and Efficacy must need● be the first, greatest and swiftest; for Heaven is so closely connexed with inferior Bodies, that its virtue may be transfused into the Earth and communicated to it, even in its most abstruse receives: Wither he efficacy of the solar Rays doth reach, is evident from the generation of Metals and other subterraneous Bodies, which i● no ways possible without the Sun and its Rays.  
45 The efficay and virtue of Saturn this very year was chefiest amongst the Planets, whence it happened that Ma●ter and Fuel was afforded for cold Vapours both above and within the Earth.  
'Tis an Astronomical Rule confirmed by experience, that the Knowledge of the Earthquake is to b●der●ved from Saturn, it being a Planet effective of cold and dryness; And the first matter of Vapours is cold and dry, which being gathered together at first, by the intervention of other Causes, ●ro●●s hot an● is rar●fied.  
To which may be added the Quadrate Aspect of Jupiter and Mars, in July, whereby cold Vapours are made hot and disposed for windy Temperament. 'Tis an old Opinion confirmed by Reasons drawn from the Nature and Property of Planets; and also from experience, that the Power of the three Super our Planets, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars ●s most eminent in producing Earthquakes; the first by his light doth ●ncrease cold Vapours, which are made hot by the third, and so tempered by the second, that the heat being neither able to subdue, nor b● subdued, there are necessarily generated flatuous Vapours, whereof we shall speak hereafter.  
47 And when the Earthquake happened, the Sun was in the Sign of Virgo, which is itself very much ad●pted for Earthquake.  
48. There happened in the foregoing Month of July two Eclipses, the Moon on 〈…〉, th●●un's on the Nineteenth, and no wonder 〈◊〉 that ●●me divers ●●po●●s were coll●●●ed within the ●arth, so 〈…〉 R●ys of the 〈…〉 being weakened by their being 〈…〉 a●●sing from ram, could not be 〈…〉 all which, the meeting of two Eclip●●s i● one Month ●s a presaging Event.  
That 〈…〉 by the Eclipses of the Sun and the Moo●; is the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 2 M●t●or, c●p 8 and of Pliny 〈…〉 which is confirmed by ex●●●ience●●o● only 〈…〉, but 〈…〉 r●c●ss●s b●●n ●●ene rated ●y the heat 〈…〉 R●●●s, ●es by a certain Spirit, are purged fro● th●● r●d n●●●● 〈◊〉 is which cannot be when those l●●●ts are ●i●cl●p●d. For 〈◊〉 s●p●● f●uot●s ●umouts abound, and also the po●●s of th●●a●th wh●ch th● 〈◊〉 would otherwise op●n, ar● shut up, so that he Vapours cannot regularly and conveniently exhale: So says Aris●otle, 〈◊〉 M●t●or cap S. earthquakes happen abo●t the time of eclipses for 〈◊〉 the defect of ●i●ht, ●n cessa●●●y ●n●u●s the d●se●● of ●eat, which i● cau●ed by the Sun or 〈◊〉 on throughout the Air. Ne●●her do●h that A●●●● 〈◊〉 Rul● want its Foundation; many ●●conv●mencies ensue to the Wo●ld upon the Obscuration of b●th the luminaries of Heaven in the 〈◊〉 Month. I don't sp●ake h●re of that eff●●t of eclipses which is in Potentia and hath its regard to futurities, b●t of that which is in Actu and accompanies an ●clipse con●dered in itself.  
49. To which may be added that which is a ●earer Cause, to wit, 〈◊〉 Constitution of the Air, which in the p●●c din● Summer was 〈…〉 ●●●apted for the ●en●ration of flatuous Vapours.  
50. Abou● th● beginning of Summer, there was very hot Wether, by which the Faith was prepared and disposed to engender and receive Vapours.  
51. Which was followed in the midst of Summer by continual 〈◊〉, by which the Earth being opened b●fore, by the preceding 〈◊〉, ●as 〈◊〉 deeply w●tted, that abundance of Humours must necessarily have b●●n ●●ored up.  
Which c●n 〈◊〉 the R●●n, is attested by A●istotle in the aforesaid place, 2. M●te●r, 〈◊〉 (says he) happen in Spring and 〈◊〉, but ●sp●ci●●●● i●●●iny Weather, because then th●re is a 〈◊〉 Exaltation, which being intercepted in the nar●o● passages of the E●●th, is there th●t in; because the Ca●ties of the Earth are full, but when the Wind in contracted within a narrow place, it 〈…〉 eff●●●ive of Mot●●n. And there is a remarkable place in the beginning of the Chapter, where he says, that the Earth is of itself dry, yet, but reason of showers fa●●ing on●●, ●t hath likewise much moisture which proceeds from the 〈◊〉 and ●●re which is in itself, and engenders much Spirits both within and without itself Neither is there any reason why any one should ob●●●● w●●t Seneca says, in qu●st. nat●. That no rain is so great ●s to 〈◊〉 to or We● t●e Earth above two Foot: For that is not true of ever● shower of ●ain, nor of much and continued rain, neither in the Superficies of th● Earth, the only conveyance of rain into the Earth, but it also is carried through the Caves of the Earth that are open and is in great pl●●ry infu●'d into the in 〈◊〉 Recesses of the Earth, by Fountains, Wells, and Rivers which are increased by rai●.  
52. To which rainy Wether was added an unusual co●d in the Dog Days, by which the Passages and Pores of it were so shut up, that the Humours gathered together in the Earth could not evaporate.  
53. And the South West wind blowed for many days together, so that the Vapours accommodated for an Earthquake were enamelled and nourished. For the South Wind is warm and moist, so that i● hath been rightly observed by Aristotle, that it is apt both to excite and nourish the matter that causes an Earthquake; and as the south-west Wind is near in place, so in temper and effect.  
54. Which cold Wether was presently followed by a calmness and heat a little before the end of August. So that the Vapours which had been generated by continual Rain within the Caverns of the Earth, grew dry: And a Vapour made warm buckleys a sl●tuous. And when there arise such contention between cold 〈◊〉 or and heat, in which the cold is neither quite overcome and consumed, nor the heat is altogether conquerous, winds are engendered. Which is rightly observed by Physicians in the Bodies of Men, when he●t acting up●n Phleg●n cannot totally consume it, then are generated W●nds.  
55. It could not be but that the Vapours contracted within the Earth by the ●pposing cold, both proper to the Earth, and also caused by the i●●●●●al Constitution of the Air, should be deeply laid. No otherwise t●an it the Spirits are more deeply concealed and constrained, when the coldness of the Clouds doth resist and constrain more stiffly.  
56. The subterraneous Fire scattered through the Cavities of the Earth, so heated these Vapours sh●t up in the Earth very deeply, that it made them more subtle and more a●il●, the Caverns through Europe and other places being disposed for it, for the Reason's a ●ore ment●o●e●.  
That there is ●ire every where scattered through the Cavities of the Earth, bo●h the Fire which in many places break forth out of the most profound Caves of the Earth doth evince, as also the hot Waters or Baths which rise in many places, to add nothing of the engendering of Sulphur, Brimstone, and other Minerals, in which there is an igneous force and nature. The burning of Aetna equally celebrated by Peers and G●ographers, is described by Soin●us, c●p. 2 Heny, the Nephew of that ●●i●y, by his Sister whose death the V●suvian Mountain caused, say, lib. 2 Epict. Not long ●●n●e the Island Georgia (one of those isles they c●ll the Third) shaken by a dreadful Earthquake and gaping, there ●ssu●d out some much F●ame, so many ●ot Stores, so much Sulphur and burning ●rimstones which were thrown into the Air that many Houses were Burned, Inhabitants destroyed, Vine-yards and Gardens quite defeced. But whence come so many Flames under the Earth? From the dry Vapours which being so closely pressed in the Earth, and from several motions and agitattions in it, Fire doth necessarily Kindle: For Fire, says Aristotle, is ●igh●ed smoke. About the year 1541 Fire broke out of a fountain named Elis●um. Gregor. Agricola d●●● squae ●ff●uunt è terr●l●b. 4. pag. 152. ●nd Stra●o Writes, that so great ●●re issued out of the Earth, that some Towns were consumed, and among th●m S●dom at the Lake ●●phaltites: But we are t●ught better by M●ses in his sacred History. Moreover as our Fire wh●● 'tis shut in, is moved up and down by a various Reciprocation, some doubt not bu● subterraneous ●ire is diversely excited, and sometimes flies downwards ●nto the most profound Ca●e●nes, and sometimes ●pwar●s, towards the highest Parts of the Earth, as the ●arth is variously changed and dispo●ed by Heaven and the Air.  
57 ●n● these I take to be the second Causes of that Spirit which lately shoo● the Earth so swiftly and so deeply, which yet could not ●●k●ly produce to unusual an Earthquake, by its Natural Power alone.  
58. To which was added that chief and first Cause, God, who by an extraordinary way of a●●ing, wonderfully ●ner●●sed the s●r●●●th of that Spirit●s generated within the Earth, an● added one d●●r●e of force to ●t beyond its own Power, which Nature c●uld not add, so that this Earthquake may be reckoned not purely Natural, but mixed with both, as we a●●erted before. For add Miracles do not exclude Nature, but many include it, so that they increase its force and virtue, and ext●rd it to that degree, to which it could not attain unless the A●n ●g●●y Pow●r 〈…〉 were superadded. The Scripture doth prepose u●to is ●n evident E●●●●p●e of it in Samson, whose predigious strength by his b●ddy Temp●r, and all his Sinews and Muscles were so exceedingly streng. However God himself did reinforce and increase them so much that be could rend into pieces a young roaring Lion like a Kid, Judg. 14.7. that he could break the strongest Cords like a Linnen-thread or Flax; that he could slay a Thousand Men, with the Jaw of an A●s, Judg. 15. That he could take the Do●rs of the Gates of the City, and the two Posts, and carry them upon his Shoulders to the tep of an Hill, Judg. 16. So the Divine Power of God did increase the natural strength of David, that he could overthrew this prodigious and Stronglined body Goliath with a S●ing only. 1 San●ud 17. To the same kind of Miracle we may refer the Example of elijah. 1 King. 19 where it is said, that having eat a Cake and drank Water out of a Cruise, he was so sustained, that in the strength of that Meat he went forty days and forty nights unto Hereb, the Mount of God. There are evidences enough throughout all the Doctrines of Divines concerning the variety of Miracles, their many ●orts and their ends to show that these strengthening and reinforcing of Natural Faculties, though supplied by God; may fall out also on err Ages, as we have observed in a few words before in the nineteenth Theorem.   

CHAP. III. Of the Effects and Presages.  
59 ALthough those things which happen contrary to Nature, have not an end properly and pierce out of Nature, yet they have their effects presages, and portenta●, When Earthquake happens besides its Nature, it cannot have an end properly, and p●●se in respect of the Earth. For the end of every thing is according to its Nature, 2. Phys. 3. But in respect of the Vapours or Spiritus by which the Earth is moved, this end is assigned by Naturalists, that the nature of that Spi●itus may be preserved whilst sallying out of the Earth, it ascends into the open Air, making its own way out of the Caverns o● the Earth, in which it was included as in its Prison, so g●ning a place proper and agreablee to its own Nature.  
60. And seeing this Earthquake is mixed with Nature and Miracle, it hath Natural effects, and also its presages from the supernatural Ordination of God.  
61. The effects will be as is the Cause, to wit, Preternatural, that is contrary to Nature.  
62. Three of which effects are more especially to be feared, which both the Nature of Earthquakes, and Experience, and the Observation of Examples do evince, to wit, Sickness, Inundations, and Sterility.  
63. Earthquakes cause Epidemical and Contagious Distempers, because the Vapours in the Caverns of the Earth either contract rottenness or some venomous qualities (especially if shut up in it for any considerable time) and thence sallying out, they make impressions in the Air that surrounds us, which when drawn into our Bodies by breathing, there must needs be impressed the like qualities in the inmost Bowels of our Bodies; Neither do they only infect the Air, but also the Water without which we cannot be. That the quality of subterraneous Vapours is very prejudiciable to our Health, is testified by experience in those places where the Earth abounding with Minerals, s●nds into the Air frequent Exhalations, but especially if the Earth be porous and lose. Neither need we go very far for Examples: Those Caverns which are at the Sharp, and the Fountains of Schwalbuh may testify it, which are so much infested with venomous Exhaltations, that Dogs or Hens carried into them, die sooner than any one can imagine. Geor Agric. hath Writ accurately lib. 2. the nat. rer. è terra effluent. When at the beginning of the Book he Writes, the Air which is shut up a long time in any Concavity of the Earth, rots and is made pestilent: And a little after; there are in many places of the Earth serobes, exhaling mortiferous Vapours, but no where more than in Italy, etc. Cardanus also in the Appendix of his Work de Re●um varietate, explains the thing by some Histories and Examples. Moreover the History of all Times teacheth us what grievous and pestilent Distempers have been caused by Earthquakes. Seneca lib. 6. quoest. natu. attests that a Flock of 600 Sheep was destroyed by an Earthquake in the Province called Pompeia. Sheep being of a very soft nature and carry their heads near the Ground. In the 19th. years from the building of Rome, after an Earthquake, followed a Plague, which lasting three years, there died at Rome 30000 men. So in the year of our Lord 748. after an Earthquake in Palestine a great Sickness was prevalent in Sicily, Greece, and Thrace.  
And in the year 801. when Charles the Great was invested with the Empire, Upper Germany was infested with a vehement Earthquake, but especially the Coast of the Rhine, which was followed by a Pestilence, which dreadfully afflicted Germany and other Places. Stump. lib. 4. cap. 21. So in the year 1309. on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, all Germany shook, and the Plague afterwards raged throughout the Country, so that 60000 men are reported to have died at Florence and 90000 at Lubeck. That God the Father of all Mercy would grant, that no such consequence may happen from our late Earthquake, and that the Epidemical Disease which now infest these Places, so near to a kind of a putrid and malignant Fever may not be converted into a more dangerous Distemper. The unlucky Eclipses and Positions of the heavenly Bodies this years portend some such things in other Countries. The Northern Latitude of Saturn in the Sign of Scorpius; and those four Eclipses of the foregoing year, two of which happened in the Month of June, whereof that of the Sun was a stupendious one for its Magnitude, will exert their Operations this year as the Masters do reckon.  
But that the Waters are also polluted by those Vapours is known by the Fountains, which both before and after Earthquakes are wont to be impurer and thicker. Which is also attested by Pliny, lib. 2. cap. 81. where, he says, The Water in Wells is th●cker and not without a loath some smell, which odour is Sulphureous and metalline, from whence one may certainly conclude that some Vapours sallying out of the Earth, have mingled themselves with the Water. Hence it is, that Pherecydes Pythagoras his Master foretold an Earthquake by drawing some Water out of a Well, concerning which Pliny Writes, as by some Divine Presage, lib. 2. cap. 29. Which Cicero m●ntions 1. de Divinat. Geor Agricol. lib. 4. de efflu. è terr. pag. 153. think that muddy Water in Wells is most commonly a Sign of an Earthquake already begun, and he believes that no proper and certain Sign of future Earthquake can be assigned, for those that are delivered by Writers are either the Sign of an Earthquake just b●g●n, or its Modas; so that they may happen w●●ho 〈◊〉 future Earthquake.  
64. 〈…〉 Earch are therefore wont to ensue Earthquake, 〈…〉 violently sallying out of the Earth, 〈…〉 Caverns wa●●re●● the 〈◊〉 reous Waters are 〈…〉 Water is 〈◊〉 more abound 〈◊〉 manner driven into 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 of Fountains and R●vers.  
〈…〉 by A●●●●●le, 2. 〈◊〉. cap. 8. Exhalations 〈…〉 with great Force, c●●●y along with 〈◊〉 whatsoever Wa●●● 〈…〉 and herald's in the same place, that 〈◊〉 Wills that blow the contrary way are the Cause of it, because 〈…〉 E●●th, it cannot repel the Sea brought against it by another Wind Examples also observed in History, 〈◊〉 the ●am. For P●●c●p●u●, lib. 3. de bello Gothor●n, pag. 3●3. 〈◊〉 ribs the unusual Inundation of Egypt, as arising from an Earthquake. About 〈◊〉 time 〈◊〉 Earthquake ●●ppe●ed which shook 〈…〉 Ach●ia and the other places, about the S●nas G●●se●s, an● 〈…〉 ●uit● number of other places and leveled ei●ht Citi●●oth Ground. And the Earth in some places when it had gaped 〈◊〉, cam● again to its former state, but in other places 〈◊〉 so much cle●t, that the People of that Country were 〈◊〉 m●k● a large Circuit to converte with one another. But in 〈◊〉 Sea between The●●aly and Beotia there arose so great 〈◊〉 Co●m●●●ion 〈◊〉 so great an inundation, that great desolation was 〈◊〉 of M●●atai●s, Ed●●ices, and Men. In the see and year 〈…〉 of Flev. Va●a●i●iam and Valets, the Sea to s●●led that o●erflowing Sicily, it Buried in its Waves ●●●●nal Towas and Villages. In the year 1508. a● Earthquake was so 〈◊〉 most g●e●ou; Inudation; throughout all Italy and Germany. And wish we might take example and experiment of that calam●y 〈◊〉 the late Earthquake, that we might be brought to repenta 〈◊〉.  
In the same place 'tis sad, We have ne●s daily of ●ae 〈◊〉 ous Inundations through the Butchy of Juliers and Clav●s, and the Oriental F●iezla●d. We have been eye Witnesses of th●●●●su●●●●creasing of the River Neker, which overflowed in December and J●●m●●y, with a considerable damage.  
How the Rome hath oversloved, the Inhabitants know to their own sorrow and loss, where ●●at unusual Inundation proceeding from the River and Rivulets in December, between Strab●ang and Sp●re●, as it was fared to several persons, so among the rest 〈◊〉 the head of an Ancient Family.  
65. Lastly, Barrenness is the consequent of an Earthquake because of the envenomed Vapoars which while they p●rm●ace the pores of the ●●arth, leave behind them their Venomous Footsteps, and 〈…〉 Qualiti●● both on the Earth itself, and also 〈…〉 the enlivening Power sit for the production of Corn is 〈…〉. Wonderful and different were the Sentiments of the co●m●● 〈◊〉 People after the late Earthquake, a● is usual; and Husband's 〈…〉 every where heard interpreting this Earthquake as a Joyful O●n●●n●● a singular future Fertility. But this Conjecture is easily ●esuted by the consideration of Natural Causes, especially since History 〈…〉 the contrary. For in the Year 315. from the building of Rome, so great a Scarcity and Barrenness so lowed an Earthquake, th●● Li●y mentions it as remarkable that many threw themselves into Tiber, where they made at one another to devour themselves. In the Year of our Lord 542 an universal and most grievous Famine ensued upon an Earthquake, that was itself almost universal, as 〈◊〉 Paul Diacope, lib. 16. The same happened in the Year 1326. and again●●n 〈◊〉. But as Plagu● and Inundation do not follow a● Earthquake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so neither do B●●renu●●s and Famine: For as the Subterrancous Spirit● are not always; equally disposed, so sometimes they are les● en●●omed ●nd destructful and more subtle, that they ethale sooner, neither do they so easily imprint on the Ground any quality no 〈◊〉 to the Fr●it, wheen that we may experience in this Earthquake the next. Harvest, let him a●one who is able to crown the Year with his B●●ssing gram.  
66. And a this Earthquake was not only natural, but or kind to a miraculous one, so also see us to contain in it the Presages and Porten a of some wonderful and extraordinary Change; among Mankind I said before that God added a Supernatural for●● and degrees o the Natural Causes of this Earthquake. And God doth nothing in vain, but direct all to some certain end and s●op●, so that 'tis necessary something should be in this Earthquake more than could proceed from the power of Nature alone.  
67. But as Cornets do not o● themselves and their own nature cause or denounce any Change in Kingdoms, and any other Hamane A●fai●●, so neither do Earthquakes; but such events hap●●a in these wonderful and secret Works of Nature from the disp●●●d and Ordinations of God, partly exciting Me●s Minds and p●om, ●ng them, partly terrifying them with those sear of Futurities. The Rainbow of its own Nature can neither be a surety for, nor confirm the Grace and Covenant of God to the World, that there shall be no more an universal Flood, but it doth engage for, and confirm it by a supernatural Revelation, which the gracious Counsel of God imposed on this work of Nature. The same must be determined of Earthquakes, Comets, Chasins and other wonderful Meteors in Nature.  
68 But what change in Europe doth this Earthquake presage? This neither I nor any body else can easily tell. He alone knows who endowed the Earthquake with the signification of Futurities, who increased and augmented the Power of Nature; and lastly who hath at his own dispose, both the Causes and their Effects.  
69. The Scripture, as far I could observe, speaks of Earthquakes after a three fold manner.  
70. Sometimes as of the Sign and Symbol of the present Grace of God already held forth. As was that Earthquake by which the Apostles and other Members of the Primitive Church were confirmed against the intermediate Assaults of their Enemies, by the hearing and the presence of God from Heaven, of which Acts 4. v. 31. But when they had prayed, says Luke, the place in which they were Assenbl●d was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. To which is to be referred that Earthquake that happened at the Resurrection of Christ, the Angel of the Lord descending from Heaven, and Rolling away the Stone from the mouth of the Sepulchre, of which, Matt. cap. 98. vers. 2. makes mention. To the number of these Earthquakes doth also belong that which is mentioned, Acts 16. ve●s. ●6. But in the middle of the night, Paul and Sil●s were Fraying and Singing of Psalms, when on a sudden there was a great Earthquake, so that the Foundations of the Prison were shaken, and the Doors were oppened, and all their bonds were ●●●sed.  
71. But as such Earthquakes are soldom, so they are merely Mirandous: and such Examples are not easily to be found either in the E●●tory of our own or former Times: For the Sins of Men deserve otherwise.  
72. But the Scripture often speaks of an Earthquake as of the Messenger and Witness of the Divine Wrath, and the presage of Punishment to certain Kingdoms and Provinces for the Public and Private Sins of the eminent Ones. The Scripture scarcely over speaks more frequently of any presage of the Wrath of God and in pending Punishments, than of an Earthquake, as the 2d. of Sam. 22. vers. 8. Psalm. 18. vers. 8. The Earth is shaken and moved, because his Wrath is Kindled. Job 9 vers. 5, 6. Who remove● Mountains, so as he is not observed; who overturns them in his Wrath, who moves the Earth out of its place; So that the Pillars thereof shake. So Eccles. 39 32. There are Winds created for punishment, in the consummated time they pour out the strength and fury of him that made them. And the like places in Joel 2.1. Na. 1.5. Amos 1. 1. Zac. 14. Numb. 10.21. And God was pleased to promulgate his Laws by an Earthquake, Exod. 19.18. That he might testify that, that punishment was ready for the breakers of them. To which must be referred that Earthquake which happened whilst Christ suffered, Matt. 27.51. The Earth, says he, was moved, and the Rocks were split; which was also a Testimony of Christ's Innocence. John in the Revela. denouncing the Wrath of God and the punishments which are to be poured forth on the later days, makes often mention of an Earthquake, cap. 6.12. Cap. 8.6. cap. 2.13. There was, says he, in that hour a great Earthquake, and the tenth part of the World fell, and there were killed in the Earthquake 7000 men, and the rest was terrified and gave Glory to the God of Heaven. cap. 16.18. There was a great Earthquake, such as never was since Men were on the Earth, an Earthquake, says he, so great. Which sayings although they have an Allegorical interpretation, yet they may be taken properly; or at least they will lead us to this, that the Scripture doth commonly represent destructful punishments and calamities by an Earthquake.  
73. For nothing seems to be a greater punishment and calamity to Mankind, than an Earthquake.  
74. For all o●her fatal punishments are wont to ensue upon an Earthquake, and we may sooner foresee War, Famine, and Pestilence, and so take heed of, and avoid them by preparing proper Remedies, than we can foresee avoid and fly from an Earthquake: seeing the Spiritus in the Earth is not restrained by any Humane force, neither can we fly away from the Earth. Hence it is that Experience witnesseth, that Brute Beasts and Men are terrified by nothing so much as by an Earthquakes; so we see that even the most savage and cruel Hearts of Tyrants, that have their minds hardened most against God and Men, have been terrified by Earthquakes. There is extant in Josephus, a memorable passage concerning this, lib. 1. de bell. Jud. cap. 14. and lib. 15. Autiq. Jud. Where Herod a despiser of God and Men, thus Speaks to his Army. Let not the Fear of inanimate things 〈◊〉 all terrify you, nor imagine that Earthquake is an 〈◊〉 of future dis●●●●ctio●; for the defects of the Elements themselves ●●e Natural, and infor ●o other los● than, that which they cause; so that when they d●●happen, they are inded●●y their own greatness. These Profane Speeches did the Tyrant then utter, whilst he himself was so astonished in his own Mind, that he offered Sacrifice for the appeasing of God, as Josephus mentions in the same place. The Heathless being always terrined by Earthquakes, began then in earnest to think of appeasing God, and rightly of instituting their Sacrifices. Hence it is, that Pliny saith, lib. 2. cap. 8●. For there is not only in an Earthquake some simple evil and danger, but an equal or greater Omen of something to come. The City of Rome never trembled (yet it shook in the year 537. about fifty seven times) but it was the Omen of some future Event. Therefore that impious saying of Seneca is repugnant to the Sense and Conscience of Mankind. The God● do nothing of these thing, neither is the Heaven or the Earth shaken by the anger of the Deities. So Gellius, lib. 2. cap. 28. What is the Cause of Earthquake, is not yet manifest: Therefore the ●●●cient Romans, when they either perceived or were told that the Earth s●ook, commanded by their Edits that holiday should be kept, but in the publishing of them did not name the God ●●●●s usual, for whom the same were to be kept, and Marcus Varro, says, ●●was so observed by the Decide of the Priests, because 'twas ●ncertain whether the ●●●rth trembled by the Power of the Gods or Goddesses. There is ext●nt in Rosinus, the History of some Superstitious expiation, lib. 4. pag. ●6 where he says, That grievous La●th●●●●es ensued upon the Death of Valentinian. Crete was vehemently shaken with all Peloponnesus and the rest of Greece, except Athens and the Country thereof, which they say, was saved by this means. N●storius the High Priest s●w in a Dream the Athenians advised to prefer the Hero Achilles to the highest Honnours, for this would be ●●st advantageous; he therefore being taught by Divine Speculations, after having performed a solemn Sacrifice, placed the ●ma●e of the ●e●o under A●in●●●'s, so was Athen● and ●ll its Lard s●●e from the Earthquake. There is a p●●●●lled place in Synesius Cyre. Epis. 61. of Devotion in the time of Earthquakes. God often (say● he caused an Earthquake in the day time, and Men stood commonly upright whist they prayed, for the Ground w●s shaken wherefore thinking the S●a●●●● more severely shaker th●n the Land, ●●an to the Heaven, 〈…〉 Christian of the ●●●●●●ive Church●●s●d not to fly to any unkown God, but to the true one that shake; the Earth and implored his Grace and Mercy; an Example of which pious Custom is related by Justinian the Emperor, who when he heard that Antiochia was shaken by a grievous Earthquake, in which a great number of Men had perished, presently laid down his Diadem and Imperial Robes, and put Sackcloth, and published an Edict whereby he commanded his subjects to Fast and Pray for many days, and to do all other things, which testify a serious repentance. Sozomenus, lib. 6. cap. 2. Stump, lib. 7. cap. 28.  
There is extant also an Epistle of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to the People of Asia, wherein he exhorts them not to lay the Fault of the Earthquake upon the Christians, but rather religiously to invoke after their fashion the Author of the Earthquake; It will not be absurd, continues he, to comfort your sorrow by a just warning, for I have found out that in such occasions you do ascribe these ordinary Events to some motive of envy, that the God, whom they trust much to, may have; and whilst that you know not the Reasons thereof, you do neglect every time the Worship of the other Gods, and so you endeavour to put away and cast down the Worship of the immortal God, whom the Christians do adore.  
And there is no doubt but that many pious Men every where through Germany and other Countries, devoutly and religiously followed that pious Custom of the Ancient Church, and stirred up themselves to serious Repentance and ardent invoking of God's name: which effect if it hath not happened in all, yet the thoughts of the Evils which have in all Ages ensued upon the Earthquakes, ought still to stir them up and awaken them to true repentance, seeing those effects have been observed by the most severe Writers of Earthquakes. For it is not rash to say that commotions of the mind follow an Earthquake, as a Shadow the Body. Neither does it want its natural Causes, for 'tis certain that the Air we draw in, have several change of alterations by Earthquakes, and the Temperament, and so the m●nners of Men are much affected with the temperateness or intemperatness of the Air, and they are disposed by it, if we believe the most kilful Physicians, and our own experience. Histories are full of Examples, of which I will instance but one or two. Delos trembled about the time of the Peloponnesian War (which was called  by Pindar, as Seneca relate out of calisthenes, lib. 5. Nat. quaest.) Whilst Brenno was attacking the Del-phian Temple, there happened so great an Earthquake, and so great a Tempest mingled with Hail and Rain, that the Gaulois Army were almost overwhelmed. Earthquakes happened often in the Carthaginian War, so that 'twas said at Rome, an Earthquake happened 57 times in the same year, in which the Romans and the Carthagians fight at the Lake Trasimenian, were neither of them sensible of a great Earthquake which was there, Flin. lib. 2. cap. 4 and in the 83. he says, That two Mountains ran against one another, rising and retiring with a great noise, by which concourse all the Towns were dashed to pieces and Cattle between killed, which was in the year before the Social War, and says he, I know not but it may be more fatal to Italy, than the War.  
In the year of our Lord 369. many Earthquakes happened every where which where followed by a most severe Persecution under the Emperor Valantinian, as is attested by Hierome and Eusebius. In the year 455. a remarkable Earthquake preceded those dreadful devastations of the Country of Attila, as is Witnessed among others by Stump: lib. 4. cap. 54. So in the year 841. Herbipolis shook about twenty times, upon which a bloody War ensued between the Emperor Lotharin, and his Brother. So in the year 1171. a War broke out between the French and Sweedes, when several Earthquakes had preceded it every where through Germany. So in the same year 1171. a great War arose between the Emperor Friderick the I. and Pope Alexander the III. In the year 1372. on the first of June, a dreadful Earthquake shook Germany, and a little after ensued a grievous War in Bavaria and Sweedland. Also in the year 1384. on Christmas'- Eve, the Earthquake shook, and a little after ensued the dreadful War of Leopol with the Swissers, which was both destruction to the House of Austria, and fatal to the Young Prince Leopold. In the ye●r 1521. before Belgrade was taken by the Turks, the Neighbourhood shook for 3 days together, and many Houses fell down every where. I cannot but set down the Words of a wise old Man, Gaspar Peucer, which are extant in his Commentary of Divinations, pag. 389. The Mountains of Suda and the Towns built there felt: Not only one or two, but continual shake of the Earth (which says History always denounce great Wars and destructive Seditions) the Houses shaking as if it proceeded from the distinct impulse of Winds. These things undoubtedly threaten dreadful destruction and calamities, which I pray God mercifully mitigate for the sake of his Church, and spare the innocent and guiltless Ages for the sake of his Eternal Son Jesus Christ. But there is another Example fresher in our Memory, viz. of the year 1590. when some parts of Germany, especially Austria, Bavaria, and Misnia were shaken, which Earthquake is the more remarkable and worthy to be compared with the late one, because it happened almost at the same time, viz. on 5th. of September, and because a little after the Turkish War grew more outrageous in Hungary. And lastly, because a little after, as it were the three supporters of Germany fell down. First in the same Month the Earthquake was, viz. September the 25th. Christian the Elector of Saxony died, and 'tis still fresh in the History what disturbances ensued upon it, in the Saxon and Misnani Churches. Not many months after John Casimir the Administrator and Tutor of the Elector Palatin died, who came behind none of the most Valiant Heroes. And Lastly, William the Landgrave of Hesse. The loss of which three Princes in so short a time, all prudent Men thought ominous to Germany, as they do still, for that Germany seem not yet either to have shamned or overcome that Omen. Neither shall I here mention those Wars which Moschus again in the same year stirred up in Lifland and Sweedland, nor the death of those Eminent Men Francis Hottoman, Cujavus, and some others, nor that which happened in France, the Siege of Paris, which continued for many months together, neither will I mention that two years afterwards, viz. in 92. seven other Germane Princes besides Casimir of Excellent Memory, were taken out of this World, and that a War arose between the two Elect Bishops of Labert, while the Canor's dissagreed about it; and that in the same year, Clement VIII. was chosen Pope, who was formidable for his craft and cunning. Which things seeing they are all thus experienced, let us stir up our minds to serious and servant Prayers, and to the Observation of the sinistrous Omens of the last Earthquake, and while we are deprecating the Portenta, let us prepare ourselves for future Evils and the fatal change of Europe, foretold us by this Earthquake, and foreseen by Wise Men. For it is possible either to shun decreed misfortunes either public or private, or to render them more mild by piety, reason, due remedies applied from Counsel, and by opposing good contrary to those Evils. But let us consider that there are two sorts of Motions in the Spirit of Mankind. There are some motions in the good Spirits, and some in the illnatured and wicked ones. And as it happeneth that the illnatured Spirit do stir themselves for the ruin and destruction of the best settled and ordered Kingdoms and Empires. So it happeneth often that God stirs up some profitable and convenient Motions in the Spirits of the greatest Princes, or in the Republics, wherewith all the evil design; and machinations of the wicked are happily broken, and a good Peace and Tranquillity is procured as well to these Kingdoms, as to the Church. To which we may refer this great Revolution lately happened in this Kingdom of England.  
A little before this Earthquake which happened in France, in 1601. the Dauphine Lewis the XIII. was born in that Kingdom, and at the very hour of it the late Elector Palatin had his Son born.  
It is commonly said, that motions of Heroick-souls are great and easy. Neither is History defective in Examples of the Birth of great Heroes and Princes born just at the time, when there were Earthquakes. Writers, says Hercules, was born whilst the Earth was shaking although I am not ignorant what credit is to be given to the History of Hercules; yet this is apparent from the Relation, that the Ancients thought that an Earthquake was an Omen and Presage of a great and Heroick-soul in those whose birth happened at the same time. But there are other Examples of Earthquakes extant in History, by which God h●th (as by a portentum) attested his wrath against the enemies of the Righteous, and his favour to the Godly, by some joyful Omen. Theodorus, lib. 5. Hist. cap. 34. about the year 402. mentions, that chrysostom was banished by the Emperor Arcadius, b●t the first Night after his departure, the Emperor's Palace was shaken by some terrible an Earthquake, that being frighted by that prodigy, he sent Messengers after him, and honourably received him, whom he had ignominiously thrust out. And Ruffinus, lib. 1. cap. 28. Writes that Julian and Jews were terrified from repairing the Temple at Jerusalem by a dreadful Earthquake, which they were earnestly endeavouring to effect before, out of hatred and ignominy to Christ. So God discovered his anger against Diocletian the Cruel Persecutor of the Christians, by an Earthquake, in which many thousand Men perished. Theod. lib. 2. Hist. cap. 26. when a Council was held at Antioch, where the Decrees of the Nicen Synod and Athanasius were condemned by Arrians, not long after ensued a most grievous Earthquake, which lasting a whole year, was very destructive to Antioch A●no 347 related by the Tripar. Hist lib. 4. cap. 15. Evagriu● lib 2. cap. 12. Funccius in the year 344. and memorable in tha● which E●tropius notes about the time the Arrian Heresy and Tyranny spre●d through the East, that there were frequent Earthquakes, and that those places shook grievously. Neither is that which the same Author relates less remarkable, that presently after the Death of the Apostles Paul, Laodicea, and Colossus were swallowed up by an Earthquake, so that the punishment of those that contemned the Doctrine of Paul, might be conspicuous. And I seem not to have spoken rashly, when I said that no punishment or calamity is more grievous than an Earthquake, seeing 'tis an evil that can neither before seen, nor easily averted by any Remedies. Pliny. lib. 2. cap. 82. prescribes two Remedies against Earthquakes, viz. to dig many holes in the Earth, and make many passages there; but this is both laborious and almost as dangerous to Cities and Towns, as an Earthquake. But perhaps some body will say, we shall be safe in Rivers against Earthquakes. I confess there is some safety in Rivers, and Synecius whom I cited before, Writ is that in a great Earthquake; he thought the Sea more secure than the Land; but that doth not want its dangers neither; for the bottoms of Rivers are obnoxious to Earthquakes, as we shall show in our Problems, and the Earth may easily gape under the Water or some heap of Earth plunged into the River from the Neighbouring shore, may overwhelm us, and sometimes Rivers used to be dried by Earthquakes, so that they that seek safety in the Rivers against an Earthquake, may find their Death and Grave. But I cannot conjecture what should be the meaning of that which Agathias, lib. 5. says, is the true Platonic Opinions, that he that perished by an Earthquake is to be esteemed more happy than he that saved from it. For if an Earthquake be a most grievous punishment, which the Scripture attests, he cannot be happy who is involved in an Evil, grievous in itself, and terrible to all Mankind.  
75. Lastly, The Scripture speaks of an Earthquake as of a Sign or the forerunner of the last decretorial Judgement, at which a little before the end of the World, that great Judge will appear with the Angels of his Power, who himself, say Luke 21.11. That there will be great Earthquakes in every place before his coming; And Matth. 24.7. He makes use of almost the same Words. The Prophecies of future Signs, respects both the destruction of the Temple and City of Jerusalem, and the end of the World. Therefore that which is asserted of great Earthquakes, may be accommodated to both those times. For Josephus diligently observes how great Earthquakes preceded the last sacking of Jerusalem.  
76. Of this sorts of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good Men think that was, of which we are now treating, by which the Son of God in this last Age of the World, would warn and excite men's minds, that they might seriously and timely prepare themselves for the great Sessions, and hear that Sentence either of Eternal Life or Death, never to be revoked. I see no reason why we should doubt that some Signs nearer and greater forerunners of the coming of Christ to Judgement than others. And therefore although this Earthquake be to be numbered among those Signs, as the ingenious and learned Mr. Beverly elegantly insinuates, yet 'tis likely there will be some other Earthquake more terrible, merely miraculous and nearer the Day of Judgement. Which he may be applied to other Signs, as darkening of the Sun and Moon, may be gathered from 24 of Matth. and 21 of Luke, and from Acts 2.19. where Peter citys that of Joel, I will give Miracles in Heaven above, and Signs in the Earth below; Blood, and Fire, and the Vapour of the Smoke. The Sun shall be changed into Darkness, and the Moon into Blood, before that great and glorious Day of the Lord comes, &c▪. Thou Lord Jesus come, com● quickly, or if it seems good to thee to delay, grant that while the Earth shakes and Hell rages, while Kingdoms, Empires, and Kings are shaken and dashed one against the other; the Church, thy little Flock may enjoy, at least a moderate quiet and rest both here in England, and throughout the whole World. Amen.   

CHAP. IU. Of the likeness or unlikeness of these two Earthquakes.  
77. IT remaineth now, that we may examine, in what these two Earthquakes do agree, and in what they do differ, as well in their Forms and Causes, as in their Effects.  
As to the Form, 'tis said in the 15th. Theorem, that the first was partly trembling and partly pulsative, according to the diversity of the plainness or unplainness of the Fields. But all do agree, that this last was some kind of panting or brandishing Motion, for the Earth was shaken lateraly according to its Latitude; now that don't befall so in the Pulse or Vibration; and that sort of Earthquake is more frequent. Upon the lassing of the first all Authors do not agree: But as to this last, 'tis Witnessed from all places, that it did last two Minutes. I will only mention these words of Mr. Edward d' Auvergne, Chaplain to my Lord John , Governor of the Citadel of Plymouth, in his Relation of the most remarkable Transactions of the last Campaign, in the Confederate Army, where he was, pag. 61. We felt an Earthquake, says he, which lasted about two Minutes, and shook the Earth very violently. It was felt at the same time all over Flanders, in many parts of England and France, and in other places of Europe, we had it about two of the Cloek: It caused a great Consternation in our new Garrison of Dixmuyde; some thinking at first that the French had undermined several parts of the Town, and were in Ambuscades, going to blow them up.  
78. We may observe among the other Conformities of these two Earthquakes, these two chief; the Conformity of the Month; and the Conformity of the Day. Nay, we should make some consideration of the Time on the Day on both, to wit, that the first happened at two of the Clock in the Morning; the last at two of the Clock in the Afternoon, so 'tis only the intercalation of 12 hours; which Event is remarkable enough. But now in regard of the Conformity of the Month: We have observed in the 45 Theorem, that amongst the Planets, the Efficacy of Saturn did prevail that year. The same is happened this last year; as 'tis clear by the Observations of Mr. John Partridge, that Famous Mathematician, upon the Month of September: He says so, the Month of September gins with Quartile of Saturn and Venus. The Trine Jupiter and Mercury with a wet and windy Air. 2dly. 'Tis observed in the 46 and 47 Theorems, that the Power of the three superious Planets, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars, is the most eminent in producing Earthquakes. Besides 'tis constantly affirmed, that the first Earthquake happened when the Sun was in Virgo. So were all these things disposed at the time of this last Earthquake. These are the very words of our forementioned Mathematician. All the mutual Aspects of the Planets in this Month are Sol and Virgo, Luna and Libra, Saturnus and Sagittarious, Jupiter and Gemini. Mars in Libra, Venus in Virgo, Mercurious in Libra, Cancer in Libra. At last he doth conclude thus his Observations upon that Month. The Quartile of the Sun and Saturn, and the Sun and Jupiter, will in some measure influence September also, etc. To which we may join, the Temper of the Air in that very Month; whose first part was warm and wet by turns; but the most part warm and windy: so if we confer these things with what is said in the 52 and 53 Theorems, we shall see that the Dispositions of the Air were the same, to wit, rainy Whether in the Dog-days. There was also a very high South-west wind in that Month, though 'tis true that the Air was calm enough that very day when the Earth was shaken. Lastly, As these two Earthquakes had their Conformities in their Causes, so had they in their Effects, though not in such a high degree. 'Tis observed that there are three Effects proceeding from Earthquakes. 

1. Universal Sickness.  
2. Overflowing of Rivers  
3. Scarcity of Fruit or Barrenness.   As to the first, we did hear from many parts of France and Italy, that some Malignant Fever did appear, and 'twas reported that some kind of Plague hath been discovered in the Province of Languedoc. We must adore the Divine Providence, who hath kept this Kingdom from all these Mischiefs, wherein it was involved by so many Sicknesses, when the first Earthquake happened, in the last year of Queen Elizabeth's Reign. Bu● as to the overflowing of Rivers, we had lately too many proofs of this effect; so that I need not to enlarge in the recital of many particular mischances that happened in many places almost overwhelmed, where several Persons have been lost by the Flood.  
We should now come to examine the third effect of Earthquakes in reference to the first, that is the scarcity and barrenness. But we leave it to be felt and proved in France, where we know it is great. And though all sorts of Provisions are grown so dear since the Month of December last, in this Kingdom, and especially in London, yet that cannot be called scarcity; every one knows well enough the difference between dearness and scarcity. The continuance of bad Wether may always cause the same effect without any former Earthquake. We hope then that the same Divine Mercy which has preserved this Kingdom, and gathered therein so many thou●and● of Foreign Souls, and provided them with Bread seven years long by Miracle, will continue to send the same Blessings of Plenty unto this Nation, who hath pitied his distracted People: The past Events being a kind of Security for the future. Whereupon we trust that God will spare these Islands, wherein the Candlestick of his Gospel, hath been kept fast, against all the Attempts of Popery. And so we conclude that the seven past years of Plenty are observable enough to put us in mind of the extraordinary and miraculous Providence of God for our Relief in a strange Land: So 'tis to be feared also that his design hath been to warn us by this present dearness, to be wary afterward, and to turn ourselves from any abusing profuseness of his Graces; otherwise the Bread staff of shall certainly be broken, it will be without strength; 'Tis the threatening he makes by Ezekiel against the Land which hath sinned and grievously trespassed against him, Ezek. 14.13.   

Some Problems as a Corollary both General and Special, which seem Naturally to rise from this Matter.  
1. Whether that be true which Pliny asserts, lib. 2. cap. 8. that France and Egypt are seldom shaken, by reason of the cold of the one and the heat of the other.  
'Tis certain that in there the cold and Northern Countries, Earthquakes are more rare, because the Earth being not so porous and lose, doth not so easily open a passage for the Wind, which is confirmed by Olans Magnus, lib. 1. cap. 13. But yet Northern Countries are not free from Earthquakes, which History and Experience abundantly testify. For in the year 1572. about the 6th. of January, a grievous Earthquake shook many both public and private Buildings, in the County of Borussia, to their great damage. And in the year; 1200. a great Earthquake threw down many Houses every where through Poland, as is related among others by Funccius, lib. 7. Chro. And even Sweedland and Denmark have felt Earthquakes; so that France which is more meridional and hotter, cannot be free from Earthquakes. And altho' Vapours and Winds are not easily generated in hot Countries, and if they are, they are easily dissolved, yet are these infested with Earthquakes. 'Tis true some write of Egypt, that there never was any Earthquake, because 'tis composed of the Mud that Nile when it overflows carries along with it, and so fitted to the former, that the Spiritus can find no Receptacles. Yet Seneca, Lib. 6. Natur. quaest. says he dares affirm against the Authority of great Men, that Egypt is sometimes shaken. And there is a remarkable Disputation extant, concerning this in Agathias, Lib. 2. Hist. Fol. 435. Where he says, About that time in the great City Alexandria so●tuated by the River, an Earthquake was felt, which was short and sm●ll, which all t●e Inbabita●ts (especially the more Ancient) esteemed as a great Miracle, because there never was any before, yet all being astonished at the wondered and sudden Contingency; for fear came all out, which fear also ●●●d d●ne, who was there for the sake of Laws and Litterature. Moreover, t●ose that talk according to the Nature of things say, that Egypt cannot be filled with Vapours seeing it is low even, but that Opinion was then discovered to be weak. At the same time the Island of Cos, in the Confines of the Aegean Sea were shaken by an Earthquake, but a little part thereof was preserved, the rest being leveled to the Ground, and variously and almost beyond Credit afflicted with Destruction; and when I did navigate from Alexandria to Bizancy or Constantinople, b●ing carried by chance to that Island, such a lamentable Sight did fall under my Eyes, that it cannot be expressed by Words, etc. so says Agathyas.  
2. Why Rivers decrease by Earthquakes? Pliny, lib. 2. cap. 8. Among other Effects of Earthquakes, mentions the adverse Courses of Rivers, others say backwards, because they understand it, as if Rivers ran back to their Fountains, by reason of the lifting up of the Earth in the Channel, which obliges the Rivers to a retrograde Motion. 'Tis commonly experienced that Rivers are lessened and considerably decreased by Earthquakes for the first days, which is within a few Months after followed by an Inundation. Rusa by Lucern, no contemptible River of Switzerland, was so lessened by an Earthquake in that place, where it first delivers itself out of the Lake, and where it used to be the deepest, that the bottom thereof showed itself, and did not recover itself in October, which is accounted by the Inhabitants as a Wonder. About the time of the late Earthquake, there was observed a remarkable decrease in the River Necker, which the great Rain that fell before in June, July, and August could not prevent. And remarkable is that which Albertus Magnus, lib. 3. Met. tract. 2. writes, That Necker River in Sweedland was swallowed up by an Earthquake, so that for one day it appeared not for a Mile together. So we read in that Earthquake which happened under The●d●sius, in the year 400. that were going to pass the Sea were seen standing on dry Land. And in the year 1536. about Joppa, in the Government of Judea, the Sea retired from the Shoar for 3 Miles, and the bottom of it remained dry 3 days, and the River Jordan 2 days, but after it came to the Shoar again, the River ebbed again with a full Channel, and the Waters of both of them were bloody, as is related by G●or. Agricol. lib. 4. de natura eorum quae effluant è terra, pag. 140. There may be a threefold Cause assigned for this according to the several sorts of Earthquakes, for either the Fountains or Springs are obstructed by the Trembling, and by the heap of Earth thrown upon them, whereby the Fountain being stopped there, the Vein of Water springs up in another place, as Geor Agricol. relate of that Earthquake that shook the City of Scalpra, which we spoke of before, that a Sulphurous Fountain broke out of a Neighbouring Mountain. And Theophrastus attests that new Fountains discovered themselves whilst the Mountain of Aucto was shaken by an Earthquake. And an Earthquake did cause Lados, a River of Arcadia to spring up. And in the Mithridatick War, not only Lakes and Marshes, but new Fountains and Rivers sprang up by Apamea a City of Phrygia, the old ones having been swallowed up by the Earthquake: See G●or. Agri●. lib. de nat. rer. efflu. è terra pag. 151. Also while the Vapours burst out of the Earth with great force, they so dilate and loosen the porous and sandy bottoms and sides of the Channels, that the Water of the River is sucked within the Earth, or lastly, the Channels of the Rivers being elevated by the Pulsus, turn the Waters b●ck again, so that they are received into the Gaverns of the Earth. That which is asserted of the stopping of Earthquakes by the tract of Rivers, is not usual in any places where the Bottoms and Banks of Rivers are very porous and gravelly, when there is no Vapour stirring, but that which is very near the Superficies of the Earth, so that being repelled by the hardest parts of the Earth, which it could not penetrate, 'tis carried to the River-banks, which by reason of their porosity yielding a Passage it sooner exhales.  
But when the Channels of Rivers are more solid and rocky, and when the Wind that moves, is deeper within the Earth; and lastly, when the coldness of the Water is an hindrance to the exhaling of the Vapours, Earthquakes stop not at Rivers, but gather strength and impetuously rage under the Earth, which is noted by Pliny, lib. 2. cap 8. where he says, That those who sail in a Calm, easily guess when there is an Earthquake by the sudden swelling or s●aking of the Wave, and those things that are in the Ships shake as much as in Houses, and declare it by the noise they make; neither can the Birds sit without shaking and fear. Which was lately experienced and attested by those who were upon the Necker and the Rhine the 8th. of September, especially by the Fishermen. whose Boats were strongly assailed by the Vapours falling out of the bottom of the River, and Bubbles arose on the top of the Water, which is a certain Indication of the Combat of the Water with the Vapours at the bottom of the River, and the viol●nt propulsion of the Rivers in the manner of a Wave; sometimes to this Bank, sometimes to the other, discovered the Trembling and Viba●ion of the bottom. So 'twas observed in that grievous Earthquake, which shook Ferrara in the year 1570. that the River Po was much troubled by the leaping of Bubbles into the Air: which much confirms me in the Opinion 〈◊〉 propounded before of the deepness of the Vapours that caused the late Earthquake's great extension and velocity: for the Vapours that is but shallow, quickly exhales through the Channels of Rivers', so that neither rages nor is perceptible there, as is in like manner argued by the renowned B. Aretius, Prob. 172. where he thus writes; On the 6th. of April 1569. an Earthquake happened in many places; for 'tis apparent 'twas at the same time at Bern, at Thunn, at Strati●burg and many interjacent places, and that which is worthy of our admiration is, it shook both the Banks of the River, when at other time● it hath been observed Earthquakes used to end at Rivers: Whence it may be gathered its ris● was very deep.  
3. Why are those places that are either lying upon, or encompassed by the Sea or some River obnoxious to Earthquakes, as Aristotle says, lib. 2. Metor. cap. 8. Earthquakes are most violent in those places that the Sea runs by, where the Country is lose and hollow, as about the Hellespont, Achaia, Eubaea, Sicily, for the Sea seems to run under the Ground through the Straits about those places: Neither is that place at the end of the same Chapter contradictory to this; for, says he, there are no Earthquakes in the Isles of Pontus, (for so is the Word to be rendered, and not in the Marine Islands) or very rarely. He only insinuate; there, that there are not so violent ones, as in other Islands, by reason of the cold of the Sea verging to the North, by which the Vapours are thickened and made lumpish. Pliny follows Aris●otle, who took most of what he hath of Earthquakes out of him, cap. 8. de ortu Subter. pag. 29. where he says, The Mountainous and Marine places are more especially infested with Earthquakes, because they abound w●th Veins and Caverns made by the Subterraneous Rivulets, that secretly disburden themselves into the Sea, or Lakes that are under the Mountains. And experience teaches us, that Cyprus, Sicily, Eubaea, Mollucca, and those other Islands called Teritae are often grievously shaken by Earthquakes, which Bernardin Scalantus and others relate of the Islands China: And the reason is manifest, because those cav●rnous and porous places intercept the Humours in their Cavities, of which, Vapours are engendered, which when they endeavour to sally out, are obstructed by the Waves of the Sea, and so ●hey are again hid in the Bowels of the Earth, the cold on every side enclosing them and hindering their evaporation, so that being agitated by this conflict, that is, heated and attenuated, they must necessarily sh●ke the Earth. Neither are Islands only, but the Continent also, obnoxious to Earthquakes, though not in Campaign places, which are seldom shaken, because they commonly have Caverns, as i● observed in Germany and France, as Georg. Agricol. lib. 4. de effluentibus ●●terra observes.  
But Constantinople and Basill, in that part that borders on the S●a, or a great River are examples of this; the one of which of all the European, and the other of all the Germane Cities, is most infested with Earthquakes, as we shown before of Constantinople out of Agathias' History; but Procopious plainly attests, that Constantino●le shook for forty days together in the year 554. and in the year 740. it was shaken twelve months together, beginning on the 7th. of November, as is noted among others by Funccius. But in later Ages evea in our own and Father's memory, we have heard of frequent Earthquakes in that City, which was felt by A. Gilpin Busbequiu● among others, and writ by him in the Epistles of his Turkish Embassy. And Stumpsius and others have writ, how often and grievously Basill hath been shaken. Benedictus Arretius in the aforesaid Problem reckons up ten times, that Basill was shaken with great danger and loss in the space of 800 Years. In the Years 801, 824, 829, 1021. when the whole City was almost destroyed, the Church with many Houses being thrown into the Rhine. And again, in the Year 1062, when a grievous Plague ensued upon the Earthquakes, again in the Year 1356: on the 18th. of October it shook ten times about Evening, so that the Church, Walls, Towers, and a great part of the City being destroyed by it, there were a 100 Men killed. Stumpsius says, Liv. 12. cap. 28. That the Earthquake continued all that year, and that Basill shook ten times in an hour. In the following Year 1357. there happened another also in the Year 1444. as likewise in the Year 1456. it shook again; but in the Year 1533. most terribly, as we read in Munster, not without great Commotion of Mind. The la●e Earthquake was not a little perceived at Basill. And Mentz hath sometimes been dangerously shaken by Earthquakes, and that thrice between the Year 855, and 880. and the first time the Walls and the Church of Vrban fell down. Constance also by the Lake of the Rhine trembled nineteen times the same day, in the Year 1295. The People of Strasburg often ran to their Tents out of the City, by reason of the danger they were under from an Earthquake, especially in the Year 1357. But I think there is no City upon the Rhine, or in Germany, that is more frequently or dangerously shaken than Basill; the reason whereof a Traveller seriously thought, when he was viewing its Situation, than which a more pleasant one he never had seen, nor was like to see, and he thus considered with himself, that the Cause of so great and so many Earthquake in that place was partly common with other Cities seated by Rivers, and partly proper and peculiar to that place. The common Cause is, that the River passing by the City makes the Earth chinky, and then pours in Water into those Caverns it hath made, which deeply penetrating the Earth, engenders Vapours which being obstructed by the cold of the Water, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, cannot evaporate, but being kept within the Earth longer time and varicusly agitated, are turned into blasts and winds adapted for Earthquakes, but the peculiar and proper Cause of Earthquakes in that City is; first, because the Rhine is there narrower and more contracted, and being thus imprisonned, seeing it cannot overflow the Banks, it is carried more impetuously, the force of the Water being contracted within itself, and as it were, by undermining it makes the deepest places of the Channel and Banks hollow and more cavernous than in other places; so that more Vapours are apt to be generated and tarry there where they sinned a receptacle, being also enclosed and shut in by the cold of the Water or River. Another Cause is the many Dens and Caverns that are in a high Hill by the Rhine, adapted for the reception of Vapours, the Passage of which is easy and plain through the Pores of the Earth leading to the Rhine. To which may be added that this Hill situate on the Rhine, whereon a great part of the City is built, hath every where a solid Superficies which is stony, so that many Vapours being engendered by the River flowing by, and imprisonned within the porous and cavernous Earth, cannot conveniently exhale through those ways which they naturally seek, but being denied a passage, and collected and coarct by their stri●e and reciprocation, and so gathering strength by their heat and ●a●ity, they impetuously invade and shake that which hinders them from above, Lastly, 'Tis probable there is much Subterraneous fire, where Basill stands, or not far from thence, as there is at Baden, which is distant but one days Journey from Basill, where there are many and great Baths, as is usual in such places, Exhaltations sallying out of the Earth even under the Waters of Limage that flows by it, which grows hot at the bottom by the Subterraneous Exhalations, as is often selft by those that go naked into that River. Moreover, reason itself discovers, and the examples of flames often breaking out in an Earthquake testify, what great power Subterraneous fires have to move the Earth, if they be shut up within the Earth. So that Geor Agricol. truly says, lib. 2. de ortu & cau. Subter. pag. 27. That hot places, and where there are many hot Vapours, are obnoxious to Earthquakes, because Subterraneous fire is apt to beget a quantity of smoky Exhalations sooner than a little heat. Yet Baden that hath so much Subterraneous fire is seldom shaken, which is because the Exhalations there break out in great quantity, through the loser and thinner Superficies of the Earth in regular Ways and convenient to their Nature. And if the Superficies of the Earth were so disposed at Basill, that the hot Water, which are perhaps in the Earth could have a passage and s●lly into the open Air, their Vapours would exhale in a suitable way, and would be a certain remedy against frequent and dangerous Earthquakes: Which since nature hath denied, perhaps it might be effected by Art, by every where digging and opening Caves towards the City, which might exhale the preconceived Spiritus, which is observed in some Towns which are seldom shaken, having some Caves digged to make a passage for the Water; which remedy Pliny prescribes, lib. 2. cap. 82. But I hope, God who hath vouchsafed to commit the heavenly Doctrine and Academy as a precious pledge and gage to it, will hereafter preserve that remarkable City from those grievous Concusions whereby Cities use to be destroyed.  
4. What credit may one give to the Relation of Plato of the Island Atlantis drowned by an Earthquake? Pliny lib. 2. cap. 9 where he says, an Earthquake took away all the Ground where Atlantic Sea is if we credit Plato. Which relation of Plato's, that Pliny hints at, is extant in Timeus, where he boasts of the Antiquity of the Athenians, who waged War for many thousands of years before, with the Inhabitants of the Island Atlantis, which he says, was greater than all Africa and Asia, and was afterwards buried in an Earthquake, the Atlantic Ocean being let in upon it. The Island Atlantis was swallowed up in a great Gulf, which made it unnavigable by reason of the Mud of the Island that was sucked in. Then that Atlantic Sea was Navigable, for it had an Island before its Mouth, which you call the Pillars of Hercules: Which Island was bigger than Lybia and Africa together, from whence there was a passage to other Islands, and to all the Continent over against it, round about situated near the vast Sea.  
There are those that would erect two great Geographical Theses from these Words of C●●●ias. First, That the America, or that which we call the New World was known to the Ancients, especially to Plato. 2dly, That the first Inhabiters of it came from the Continent of Asia into America, viz. by the Atlantic Isle. To gain Credit to which Assertion of their own and the Authority of Plato, they make the Situation of places so, that they say the Island Atlantis possessed a great part of that Sea that is now called the Atlantic, that the Islands to which they ascended from Atlantis, were those that are by the Mariners at this day called Barlovent, Cuba, Spanish, St. John Boiquen and Tamaica: From these places there was a way to the Continent, now called Terra firma, and so to the Kingdom of Peru and America. If you ask what that Continent is, which Plato says, is situated about Pontus? They answer, 'Tis that Southern Sea commonly called Sur, which is called Pontus, by Plato, in respect of its greatness, if compared with the Mediterranean and Atlantic Sea. Those that more nearly consider the thing itself, and the Relation of Critias, think all this, is asserted more out of a too great deference to the Authority of Plato, than any probability in the thing itself. For that which he asserts of the unnavigableness of it, by reason of the drawing of Atlantis in the Ocean, is refuted by frequent Navigations thither: and those Wonders Critias relates of the Origin of Atlantis are altogether fabulous, as also of its uncredible felicity, and their waging War with the Europeans, of their Temple built in the length of a Furlong, whose external Parts were filled with Silver, the highest with Gold, and within there was in Ivory Arch checkered wi●h Gold, Silver, and Copper. What Ruins of Atlantis are now to be seen under Water, as he asserts? to wit, by those that cannot sail thither? but what Earthquake is so great, in which a Country bigger than Africa and Asia may be sucked in? or what Sea is so great, that could swallow up so great a Country, so that its bottom can be so●●dee by no Hummer, which Seamen attest. But say they, Critias tells Timens before, that his Discourse would be wonderful, but yet true. But what if things answer not words? who would believe that to be true, where he says, That Neptune falling in Love with ●●i●o, had Twins sive times by h●r, divided one Hill into five Orbs, two of Earth and three of Sea? and that the Atlantic Sea can derive its Name from nothing but Atlantis, is too weak to be credited. For there is the Mountain Atlas, in the middle of Manritania, from which it is called the Atlantic Ocean, as Pliny says, Lib. 6. cap. 5. Where he also asserts the little and contemptible Island Atlantis was situated over-against that Mountain.  
Yet we must confess that oftentimes great part of the Earth is swallowed up by an Earthquakes, Examples of which Pliry recites, lib. 2. cap. 91, 92. And not a few received their Birth from the same Cause, as Nature would be even with herself, as Delos that received from thence its Name, Rhodes, Nea, Thera, Therusia, Aanaria, which the Greeks call Pitheusa, and three others not notified by any proper Names, of which the first rises up among the Acolian Islands, the other near Crete, the third in the Toscan Bay. Sometimes the Sea hath broke in upon the Land by an Earthquake: So Sicily was separated from Italy, Cyprus from Syria, Eubaea from Baotia. Pliny, lib. 2. cap. 88 And perhaps England from France. Servius explaining that Verse in Virgil, Et penitus toto divisos orbe Britaunos, seems to be of this Opinion; formerly, says he, Britain was joined to the Continent; the Sea between Kent and Calais lifts itself up so high, and is so closely contracted, that many are of Opinion, that the Ground being dug there let in the Sea that was before excluded, which is also alleged by William Cambden, that accurate Writer, in his Chorographical Description of England and Scotland; yet he puts off that Question from himself, as also another, which is, Whether Islands were before the Flood? Of which may be consulted Benedictus Bordonius, who writ a Description of all the Islands of the World.  
5. Whether exterior Wind entering the Earth from above is able to move it? Of which Opinion were not a few of the Ancient Philosophers Archelaus calisthenes and Metrodorus Chius think that the Wind which enters the Earth through those Foramina which lie open, either to the Sea or to the Air, is the Cause of Earthquakes. Yet Archelaus doth not explain by what passages the Wind that moves the Earth penetrates into it, either through those secret ones that lie hid under the Sea, or through the open ones, or both. calisthenes was of Opinion, 'twas by the latent passages under the Sea. But Metrodorus thought the Wind fell from above on the Earth, which is included in the Caverns. So they both were of opinion, that some Wind insinuated itself into the Caverns of the Earth, which was followed by more and more, which so pressed and straitened the former, that finding no exitus it turned its force against the Earth and shook it. Which opinion of the Ancients, Geor Agricol lib. 2. the ort. subt. battering to pieces, says, The exterior Wind doth not seem able to effect an Earthquake, because its Particles entering into the vast Caverns are dissipated, or being contracted together have not so much force, for the Cold in so long a space of Air extinguisheth its heat. Arist. lib. 2 Meteor. cap. 7, and 8. makes no mention of exterior Wind, but ascribes Earthquakes totally to the Vapours engendered within the Caverns of the Earth: In Lib. de Mund. if that be Aristotle's, cap. 4. he thus writes: It often happens that exterior Wind breaking into the Cavities of the Earth, being excluded any Exitus, by turning itself within, shakes the Earth with great force; which may I think be thus reconciled, if we say an Earthquake regularly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is caused by Vapours which are engendered within the Earth, but sometimes it may happen, that an exterior thi●ker and moister Wind being as with a Whirl wind thrust into the Caverns of the Earth, is mingled with the Subterraneous Vapours, and so conjointly with them shakes the Earth, when it could never separately and by itself. To this I will add, that those that attribute Earthquakes to internal flatus, differ in their Opinions: for some say that the Earth being void of all Life and Sense, hath some Spiritus engendered together with it, which Opinion, is constantly defended by Aristotle. But there were others formerly who attributed such a Life and Spiritus to the Earth, as in the bodies of Plants, and vital and animal Spirits, as there is in Animals; which Opinion is espoused by one of the Physical Writers; all other Philosophers that I have seen, are of Aristotles' Opinion; as being most constant to reason and experience. For seeing the Earth is a Principle and Element of all mixed bodies, consequently every mixed body would live; yea, the Earth would be no longer an Element if it had life, for living bodies have received their last complexion and perfection, which cannot be asserted of Elements, which are designed by Nature for the constitution of fuller bodies, as the Principles of all mixed bodies. But let us see how the Earth is moved supposing it lives; as in the Body of Man, say those, who are of that Opinion, when 'tis well, the Veins through which the Blood and Spiritus pass, are not disturbed, but when 'tis not well, they never leave panting: so the Earth, when 'tis in its natural situation, Vapours are quickly diffused through its Veins, is obnoxious to no Earthquakes: but when it hath not its own situation, and the Vapours entangled with Ruin and Mud, find not a free passage through the Veins, than there must necessarily happen a shaking of the Body of the Earth, so the Earth is therefore moved by them, because 'tis in a Fever. Sene. lib. 6. nature. quaest. thus attacks that Opinion: If, says he, the Earth like an Animal is moved from this Cause, it will all feel vexation, for a Fever in us doth not more moderately impel some parts and others more quickly, but runs through all with an equal degree. But Physicians will think this reason of Seneca's weak; for one Member of an Animal may be infested 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, with a trembling or palpitation; so that if we grant the Earth lives: part of it may tremble and be shaken alone, for altho' it hath not either Nerves or Muscles, yet it hath Veins and as it were Pipes on every side filled with Spirits.  
6. Whether Subterraneous Exhaltations are generated by the Sun Beams? Aristotle's constant Opinion is, they are generated partly by the heat of the Sun influecing them from above, partly by the heat of Subterraneous fire every where dispersed through the Caverns of the Earth, as he speaks, lib. 2. Meteor. cap. 8. The Earth of itself, says he, is dry, but it receives great moisture from Rains, which growing hot by the Sun and the heat in the Earth, begets much Vapours, both without and within the Earth; which Opinion is therefore disaproved of by Geor Agricol. lib. 2. de ortu Subter. pag. 25. because the Sun draws all the Vapours it begets out of the Earth. But Aristotle will easily answer, That some Vapours are therefore heated by the Sun, that they may be drawn out; but some are engendered so deep within the Earth, that they cannot be drawn out. I confess heat draws moisture to itself; doth not drive it away, but it doth not draw out all its draws to it. Neither doth that presently obtain the end that acts for an end. The Refiners of Metals and Mines fetched out of the Veins of the Earth, must needs, says Agricola, To hue a Ditch on the Earth under the Crucible, to draw thither all dampness, for fear lest otherwise, the strength of fire drawing out the moistness of the Earth into the Crucible, it would grow swelled and burst to pieces with sudden loss and squandering away of the Metal: If the heat doth draw to itself the moistness, much more can it put in a motion an Exhalation, and draw to it a Vapour which is of the same kind with itself. This is true, yet they do not evince that, which they were to prove, that the heat of the Sun doth draw out presently that Exhalation and set it at freedom, which it draws to it, that's not altogether in the power of the Sun, there are these things that detain that Exhalation engendered within the Earth, that it cannot fly whither it is drawn.  
7. Whether Aristotle for any certain Reasons, appoints more solemn times ●o● Earthquakes? We noted before in the 28 Theorem, that Arislotle wa● of opinion that Earthquakes commonly happen about the Equinox, in Spring and Autumn: but the accurate Searcher of Subterraneous things, Geor Agric. pag. 29. is of another opinion; where, he says, Wh●n I examine his Reason's why Earthquakes happen oftener in Spring and Autumn, than in Summer and Winter, by night than day, in the night time at the breaking of the day oftenest, in the day ●ime at noon, I find them weak and of little force, for he attributes all to the Sun, which he doth because, if it be without this, the Earth at all times of the year would have the same disposition in it. The Sun, says Agricola, cannot be the Cause, much less the Moon's Eclipse; because if the presence of the Sun conduced to this, more Earthquakes would happen in Summer, than in the Spring or Autumn; more in day time, than in the night; and if its absence be influential, there would be more at midnight, than at break of day, in Winter, than in the Spring or Autumn. Aristotle observed not that the scorching of the Sun heating the Earth, draws those Vapours out of the Earth, not shats them in it, that were neither generated by it, or were touched by internal heat after their generation. But this is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of which we disputed in the preceding Problem. The Sun engenders Exhalations, which when they fly into the Air of their own accord, are said to be drawn and extracted by the Sun, but I do not grant that (speaking properly) the Sun draws forth Exhalations. But let us speak as the custom is, that the Sun doth draw Exhalations towards it, does it therefore draw them out of the Earth? Agricola excepts: There is no stopping, says he, that hinders those which the Sun produces; for it would not engender them unless its virtue could pierce into the upper part of the Earth, and the Sun excites the Exhalations out of the Earth, by the same way the power of the Sun penetrates into the ●arth, and so doth not imprison them within the Earth. The Reader sees, how ready an Answer is for Aristotle. The Sun, says Agricola, would not beget Exhalations unless it could bring them forth out of the Earth, yea, it begets many not to extract them, but to afford matter for the generation of Metals within the Earth, as Gold, Silver, and also for the generation of Minerals, as Sulphur, Brimstone, whose form is so exeellent and profitable, that it may be called the end, for which that Celestial Body efficaciously operates in and under the Earth by its Rays. But as we answered before, Natural Agents are not so ordered, as always to attain the end of their operation, because they act not deliberately, and cannot suspend the Action. The Sun engenders Exhalations, by the innate power of its Rays, whither it be able to bring them into open Air or not, neither doth the eduction of them belong to the nature or perfection of the Sun, but of the Exhalation, whose natural (place, that is, that which it most desires,) is in the Air. But seeing the frequency of Earthquakes both in Autumn and Spring is attested by the experience of all Times, what reason shall we assign for it, if that which Aristotle hath given, is not available? Agricola answers, Because the internal heat of the Earth sometimes procreates many Vapours, sometimes few, and where many are imprisoned, they cause Earthquakes in all times of the year and day. But with the leave of so great a Man, this is nothing else than to ask what is in the Principle or in Question; for why sometime; more, sometimes fewer Vapours are generated, is that, that is inquired after; which cause is not within the Earth, but altogether depends upon a Celestial Body, which as it is first, so it is most efficacious, both on the Earth and other Bodies.  
8. Why are Birds frighted in an Earthquake, as is attested by Pliny, lib. 2. cap. 81. Birds also, says he, sit not without fear in an Earthquake? 'Tis no wonder if Terrestrial Animals are frighted, while the Earth trembles, but how can Birds, while they pass through the Air, perceive what the Earth suffereth? Birds have a thin and subtle, that is to say, an airy constitution of body, so that they easily perceive every little alteration of the Air, and it is past doubt that the Air may be affected and altered by an Earthquake especially in Asia, and those places where the Air is more thin the subtle.  
9 Wither the Vaults in Houses are safest? Pliny doth affirm it in his 2d. Book, cap. 83. Where prescribing Remedies and Aids against Earthquakes, he says, Vaults and corners of Walls and Posts alternatively thrusting against one another; where he speaks, I believe, of Subterraneous Vaults, in which the Vapours being received in a more capacious place, do not rage's so much, as in a narrow one; altho' a greater Percussion may be in a hollow and round place, than in a level. Those Roof and Arches that are above the Earth, are not a little infested with Earthquakes: which we see by experience in the late Earthquake in Switzerland, where the Roofs of many Churches were very much cracked. At Lucern the Francician's Church was so shaken, that the Roof hanging over the Chorus was so demolished, that it must all be repaired a new: and no doubt many such like things happened in other places by the same Earthquake.  
10. Was the late Earthquake so ended, that the Countries through which it went, are secure from its iteration? We observed before two sorts of Earthquakes, some are continual, that is, either continually ceasing or lasting; and some interrupted or itterated at distinct times. In the year 554. Constantinople shook forty days together, as Procopius attests, and in the year 740. a great Earthquake beginning on the 7th. of November, lasted there a whole year, as is observed by Funccius, pag. 128. Chro. But this, I believe was an interrupted and not a continual one. In the year 480. as is related by Eutropiu, lib. 10. an Earthquake shook Germany a Month together. And remarkable is that which is related, lib. 4. H●stor. tripar. In the year 344. an Earthquake shook first Antiochia, and then almost all the East a year together, when the preceding year the Arrian Faction assisted with the protection of Constantius, had most cruelly persecuted both Athanasius and the whole Orthodox Church, which we also mentioned before. In the 19th. year of Friderick the I. Syria and Sicily begun, and afterwards continued for many years together to shake; some Towns being endamaged, others demolished, and a dreadful slaughter made of living Creatures, as, George Agricola relates, out of the History of those times, lib. 4. the nat. efflu. è terra. pag. 151. where he adds, that an Earthquake happened at Sevill and Cordova in Spain, which lasted three years, which is very remarkable. In the year 741. twenty Earthquakes almost continued, shook Wiritzbourgh, as Funccius observes. In the year 1276. twelve Earthquakes shook Germany, there being but a little space of time between them, as is witnessed by Stumpfius, lib. 5. cap. 1. In the year 1295. an Earthquake was repeated at Constance 19 times. In the year 1531. a great Earthquake was itterated 8 times at Olysippa or Lisburn, in Portugal. In the year 177. Basill was shaken 9 times in 9 months. That Earthquake which happened in Queen Elizabeth's Reign, was also interrupted, that is to say, was repeated; so that between the first and second time (at which time it was not so vehement in these places as at the first) it interposed about a quarter of an hour.  
But that which was inquired after in the propounded Problem was, whither the matter of an Earthquake reaching so far was consumed in those two shakes. I would not here rashly assert any thing, nor frighten myself with sinistrous Omens: I will only mention that, which if not necessarily, yet truly may be determined for Physical Principles of interrupted Earthquakes: I will lay the Theorems in order. First, When there happens a great Earthquake, that reaches far and near, all the Vapours collected in the Earth shake it not together and at once, but are interrupted for forty days, then for a year, and sometimes they threaten another Earthquake in the same place for two years; for Vapours may be contained so long within the Earth. This Aristotle asserts almost in so many words, which is also confirmed by the experience of these examples we have cited, and by such others: which also Aristotle explains by a very apt Similitude; As the unnatural Pulses in our Bodies, says he, do not presently, but by degrees and interruptedly end with the Disease: so winds no not sooner leave off shaking the Earth, than the Relics of them are consumed. Another Physical Theorem is, That interrupted Earthquakes commonly return in a more vehement manner; for the longer the Vapour contends within the Earth, the stronger 'tis rendered. The third Theorem is likely, That as Pliny writes of the Plague, Lib. 7. cap. 59 That it hath been a long time experienced, that it goes from East to West, and if it happens otherwise, it every where prevails: So an Earthquake goes from the South to the North, from East to West. This is also certain that there are two sorts of Interruptions, one quick, when 'tis suddenly itterated, the other slow when 'tis repeated after many Days and Months. The last Earthquake had not any sudden renew all, but we have reason to fear a slow one. To which we may add that the Eclipse of the Sun on the 27th. of December, threatens us with its effects, and the Conjunction of Saturn and Mars in Scorpio may add to it: of which this is their Rule; Saturn in Mars shakes the Earth, which Rule experience confirmed in the year 1542. when after the same Conjunction a great Earthquake shook Constantinople. And there will be a Conjunction of Saturn and Mars in July, as there was in October 1531. when Portugal was grievously shaken. But we must refer the care of futurities to God: 'Tis our duty to rest on his eternal presence, to correct past things, and live now more chastely and piously as Mr. Beverly learnedly and fervently exhorts in his Treatise of Trepidations of the Earth, pag. 132. which that we may do, God Almighty grant, who alone can move men's Hearts as he doth the Earth.  
FINIS.