Caution. We call the two last experiments indirect, because they do directly show the thing which we aim at but by consequence, which we also gladly admit of when we want direct experi ments. 1. That there are stayed winds in some places, the very name that is given them doth declare it, as the other name of etesiaes means anniversary or yearly winds. 2. The ancients attributed the cause of the overflowing of Nilus to the blowing of the etesian (that is to say, northern) winds at that time of the year, which did hinder the river's running into the Injunction. That the breeze blows plentifully between the tropics, is most certain; the cause is very ambiguous. The cause may be, because the air moves according to the heaven; but with- | sea, and turned the stream of it back. out the tropics almost imperceivably, by reason of the smaller circles which it makes; within the tropics manifestly, because it makes bigger circles. Another cause may be, because all kind of heat dilates and extends the air, and doth not suffer it to be contained in its former place; and by the dilatation of the air, there must needs be an impulsion of the contiguous air which produceth this breeze as the sun goes forward; and that is more evident within the tropics, where the sun is more scorching; without it, is hardly perceived. And this seems to be an instance of the cross, or a decisory instance. To clear this doubt you may inquire, whether the breeze blow in the night or no; for the wheeling of the air continues also in the night, but the heat of the sun does not. 6. But it is most certain that the breeze doth not blow in the night, but in the morning, and when the morning is pretty well spent; yet that instance doth not determine the question, whether the nightly condensation of the air (especially in those countries where the days and nights are not more equal in their length than they are differing in their heat and cold) may dull and confound that natural motion of the air, which is but weak. 3. There are currents in the sea which can neither be attributed to the natural motion of the ocean, nor to the running down from higher places, nor the straitness of the opposite shores, nor to promontories running out into the sea, but are merely guided and governed by these stayed winds. If the air participates of the motion of the heaven, it does not only follow that the east wind concurs with the motion of the air, and the west wind strives against it; but also that the north wind blows, as it were, from above, and the south wind as from below here in our hemisphere, where the antarctic pole is under ground, and the arctic pole is elevated! which hath likewise been observed by the ancients, though staggeringly and obscurely: but it agrees very well with our modern experience, because the breeze (which may be a motion of the air) is not a full east, but a north-east wind. Stayed or Certain Winds. To the third article. Connexion. As, in the inquisition of general winds, men have suffered and been in darkness, so they have been troubled with a vertigo or giddiness concerning stayed and certain winds. Of the former, they say nothing; of the latter, they talk up and down at random. This is the more pardonable, the thing being various; for these stayed winds do change and alter according to the places where they be the same do not blow in Egypt, Greece, and Italv. 4. Those who will not have Columbus to have conceived such a strong opinion concerning the West Indies by the relation of a Spanish pilot, and much less believe that he might gather it out of some obscure footsteps of the ancients, have this refuge; that he might conjecture there was some continent in the west by the certain and stayed winds which blew from them towards the shores of Lusitania or Portugal. A doubtful, and not very probable thing, seeing that the voyage of winds will hardly reach so large a distance. In the mean time there is great honour due to this inquisition, if the finding of this new world be due to one of those axioms or observations, whereof it comprehends many. 5. Wheresoever are high and snowy mountains, from thence blow stayed winds, until that time as the snow be melted away. 6. I believe also that from great pools which are full of water in the winter, there blow stayed winds in those seasons, when as they begin to dry up with the heat of the sun. But of this I have no certainty. 7. Wheresoever vapours are engendered in abundance, and that at certain times, be sure that stayed winds will blow there at the same times. 8. If stayed and certain winds blow anywhere, and the cause cannot be found near at hand, assure yourself that those certain winds are strangers, and come from far. 9. It hath been observed, that stayed winds do not blow in the night-time, but do rise about three hours after sunrising. Surely such winds are tired, as it were, with a long journey, that they can scarcely break through the thickness of the night air, but being stirred up again by the rising of the sun, they go forward by little and little. 10. All stayed winds (unless they blow from some neighbouring places) are weak, and yield unto sudden winds. 11. There are many stayed winds which are not perceivable, and which we do not observe, by reason of their weakness, whereby they are over thrown by the free winds. Wherefore in the Injunction. Human diligence hath almost winter they are hardly taken notice of, when the ceased and stood still in the observation of attendfree winds wander most: but are more observa-ing winds in particular places, which, notwithble in the summer, when those wandering winds grow weak. 12. In Europe these are the chief stayed winds, north winds from the solstice, and they are both sorerunners and followers of the dogstar. West winds from the equinoctial in autumn, east winds from the spring equinoctial; as for the winter solstice, there is little heed to be taken of it, by reason of the varieties. standing, should not have been, that observation being profitable for many things. I remember, I asked a certain merchant, (a wise and discreet man,) who had made a plantation in Greenland, and had wintered there, why that country was so extreme cold, seeing it stood in a reasonable temperate climate. He said, it was not so great as it was reported; but that the cause was twofold: One was, that the masses and heaps of ice which came out of the Scythian sea were carried thither. The other (which he also thought to be the better reason) was because the west wind there blows many parts of the year, more than the east wind; as also (said he) it doth with us; but there it 13. The winds called ornithii, or bird winds, had that name given them because they bring birds out of cold regions beyond the sea, into warm climates; and they belong not to stayed winds, because they for the most part keep no punctual time: and the birds, they for the con-blows from the continent, and cold, but with us venience of them, whether they come sooner or later and many times when they have begun to blow a little, and turn, the birds being forsaken by it, are drowned in the sea, and sometimes fall into ships. from the sea, and warmish. And (said he) if the east wind should blow here in England so often and constantly as the west wind does there, we should have far colder weather, even equal to that as is there. 14. The returns of these certain or stayed winds 6. The west winds are attendants of the pomeare not so precise at a day or an hour, as the flow-ridian or afternoon hours: for, towards the deing of the sea is. Some authors do set down a clining of the sun, the winds blow oftener from day, but it is rather by conjecture than any con- the east than from the west. stant observation. Customary or Attending Winds. Of the fourth and fifth articles. Connexion. The word of attending wind is ours, and we thought good to give it, that the observation concerning them be not lost, nor confounded. The meaning is this, divide the year if you please (in what country soever you be) into three, four, or five parts, and if any one certain wind blow, then two, three, or four of those parts, and a contrary wind but one; we call that wind which blows most frequently the customary, or attending wind of that country, and likewise of the times. 1. The south and north winds are attendants of the world, for they, with those which are within their sections or divisions, blow oftener over all the world, than either the east or the west. 2. All the free winds (not the customary) are more attendant in the winter than in the summer; but most of all in the autumn and spring. 7. The south wind is attendant on the night; for it rises and blows more strongly in the night, and the north wind in the daytime. 8. But there are many and great differences between winds which are attendant on the sea, and those which are attendant upon the land. That is one of the chief which gave Columbus occasion to find out the new world; namely, that sea winds are not stayed, but land winds are: for the sea abounding in vapours, which are indifferently everywhere, winds are also engendered indifferently everywhere, and with great inconstancy are carried here and there, having no certain beginnings nor sources. But the earth is much unlike for the begetting of winds: some places are more efficacious to engender and increase winds, some less: wherefore they stand most from that part where they have their nourishment, and take their rise from thence. 9. Acosta is unconstant in his own position. He saith that at Peru, and the sea coasts of the south sea, south winds do blow almost the whole year: and he saith in another place, that upon those coasts sea winds do blow chiefliest. But the 3. All free winds are attendants rather in the countries without the tropics, and about the polar circles, than within: for in frozen and in torrid countries, for the most part they blow more spar-south wind to them is a land wind, as likewise ingly, in the middle regions they are more frequent. 4. Also all free winds, especially the strongest and most forcible of them, do blow oftener and more strongly, morning and evening, than at noon and night. 5. Free winds blow frequently in hollow places, and where there be caves, than in solid and firm ground. the north and east wind also, and the west wind is their only sea wind. We must take that which he sets down more certainly; namely, that the south wind is an attending and familiar wind of those countries: unless, peradventure, in the name of the south sea he hath corrupted his meaning, or his speech, meaning the west by the south, which blows from the south sea. But the sea which they call the south sea is not properly the south sea; but as a second western ocean, being stretched out in the like situation as the Atlantic sea is. 10. Sea winds are questionless more moist than land winds, but yet they are more pure, and will easilier, and with more equality be incorporated with the pure air. For terrestrial winds are ill composed, and smoky. Neither let any one object, that they ought to be grosser by reason of the saltness of the sea. For the nature of terrestrial salt doth not rise in vapours. ness. 11. Sea winds are lukewarm or cold, by reason of the two foresaid qualities, humidity and pureFor by humidity they mitigate the colds, (for dryness increaseth both heat and cold,) and with their pureness they cool. Therefore without the tropics they are lukewarm, within the tropics they are cold. 12. I believe that sea winds are everywhere attendant upon particular countries, especially such as stand upon the sea-coasts: that is to say, winds blow more frequently from that side where the sea is, by reason of the greater plenty of matter which winds have in the sea, than in the land; unless there be some firm wind blowing from the land, for some peculiar reason. But let no man confound firm or stayed winds with attendant winds the attendants being always more frequent; but the stayed ones for the most part blowing more seldom. But that is common to them both, namely, to blow from that place from which they receive their nourishment. 1. With us the south wind is rainy, and the northern wind clear and fair, the one gathers together and nourishes the clouds; the other scatters and casts them off. Wherefore the poets, when they speak of the deluge, feign the northern wind at that time to be shut up in prison, and the south wind to be sent out with very large commission. 2. The west wind hath with us been held to be the wind which blew in the golden age, the companion of a perpetual spring, and a cherisher of flowers. 3. Paracelsus his scholars, when they sought for a place for their three principles in Juno's temple also, which is the air, placed three, but found no place for the east wind. They Mercury ascribe to the south winds, To the rich western blasts the sulphur mines, 4. But with us in England the east wind is thought to be mischievous, so that it goes for a proverb, "that when the wind is in the east, it is neither good for man nor beast.” 5. The south wind blows from the presence of the sun, the north from the absence in our hemisphere. The east wind in order to the motion of the air, the west wind from the sea, the east wind from the continent, most commonly in Europe and the western parts of Asia. These are the most radical and essential differences of winds; from which truly and really depend most of the qualities and powers of the winds. 13. Sea winds are commonly more vehement than land winds: yet when they cease, the sea is 6. The south wind is not so anniversary or calmer from the shores than near unto them; inso-yearly, nor so stayed as the northern wind is, but much that mariners, to avoid calms, will some- more wandering and free; and when it is stayed, times coast along the shore, rather than launch it is so soft and mild that it can scarcely be perinto the deep. ceived. 14. Winds which are called tropei, that is to say, retorted, namely, such as, when they have blown a little way, suddenly turn again, such winds I say blow from the sea towards the shore: but retorted winds and whirlwinds are most commonly in gulfs of seas. 15. Some small gales blow for the most part about all great waters, and they are most felt in a morning; but more about rivers than at sea, because of the difference which is between a land gale and a water gale. 16. In places which are near the sea, trees bow and bend, as shunning the sea air: but that comes not through any averseness to them; but sea winds, by reason of their humidity and thickness, are as it were more heavy and ponderous. The Qualities and Powers of Winds. To the seventh, twenty-eighth, twenty-ninth, thirtieth, and thirty-first articles. Connexion. Concerning the qualities and powers of winds, men have made careless and various observations: we will cull out the most certain, and the rest, as too light, we will leave to the winds themselves. 7. The south wind is lower, and more lateral, and blowing of one side; the northern wind is higher and blows from above; we do not mean the polar elevation and depression of which we have spoken formerly; but because the north wind for the most part hath its beginnings higher, and the south wind for the most part nearer to us. 8. The south wind to us is rain, (as we said before,) but in Africa it causes clear weather, but bringing great heat along with it, and not cold, as some have affirmed. In Africa it is pretty healthful, but to us, if the south wind last long with fair weather and without rain, it is very pestilent. 9. The south winds and west winds do not engender vapours, but they blow from those coasts where there is great store of them, by reason of the increase of the sun's heat, which draws forth the vapours, and therefore they are rainy. But if they blow from dry places, which have no vapours in them, they are fair. But, notwithstanding, sometimes they are pure and sometimes turbulent. 10. The south and west winds here with us, seem to be confederate, and are warm and moist, and on the other side the north and east winds have some affinity between them, being cold and dry. 11. The north and south winds (whereof we have also spoken before) do blow oftener than the east and west winds, because there is a great inequality of vapours in those parts, by reason of the absence and presence of the sun, but to the east and to the west the sun is, as it were, indifferent. 12. The south wind is very healthful when it comes from the sea, but when it blows from the continent it is more unhealthful; and so, contrariwise, the north wind is suspicious blowing from the sea, from the continent it is healthful. Likewise, the south sea wind is very agreeable with plants and fruits, killing their cankers, or rusts, and other hurtful annoyances. 13. A gentle south wind doth assemble and gather together clouds much, especially if it continue but a short while; but if it blow too boisterously, or long, it clouds the sky and brings in rain. But especially when it ceases or grows remiss, more than in its beginning, and when it is in its chiefest vigour. 14. When the south wind either begins to blow or ceases, for the most part there are changes of weather, from fair to cloudy, and from hot to cold, and contrariwise. The north wind many times rises and ceases, the former weather remaining and continuing. 15. After hoary frosts and long continued snow, there scarcely blows any other wind than a south wind, there being, as it were, a concoction or digestion made of cold, which then at last dissolves; neither doth rain also follow; but this likewise happens in changes or intervals of fair weather. 16. The south wind rises oftener and blows stronger in the night than in the day, especially in winter nights. But the north wind, if it rise in the night, (which is contrary to its custom,) it doth usually last above three days. 17. When the south wind blows, the waves swell higher than when the north wind blows, though it blows with an equal or lesser force. blow together, whereby they are broken and disturbed. 21. Beware of a northern wind when you sow seed, neither would I wish any one to inoculate or graft in a southern wind. 22. Leaves fall from trees soonest on the south side, but vine sprouts or stalks bud forth, and grow most that way. 23. In large pasture, shepherds must take care (as Pliny saith) to bring their flocks to the north side, that they may feed against the south. For, if they feed towards the north, they grow lame and blear-eyed, and distempered in their bellies. The northern wind, also, doth so weaken their coupling, that if they couple looking that way, they will for the most part bring forth ewe-lambs. But Pliny doth not stand very stiffly to this opinion, having, as it were, taken it up upon trust and borrowed it. 24. Winds are hurtful to wheat and all manner of grain at three times, namely, at the opening and at the falling of the flower, and when the grain itself is ripe, for then they blow the corn out of the ear, and, at the other two times, either they blast the flower or blow it off. 25. While the south wind blows, men's breath grows ranker, all creatures' appetites decay, pestilent diseases reign, men wax more slow and dull. But when the wind is northwardly, men are more lively, healthful, and greedy after food. Yet the northern wind is hurtful for them that are troubled with the phthisick, cough, gout, or any other sharp defluxions. 26. An east wind is dry, piercing, and mortifying. The west wind moist, meek, and nourishing. 27. If the east wind blow when the spring is any thing forward, it is hurtful to fruits, bringing in of worms and caterpillars, so that the leaves are hardly spared: neither is it very good to grain. Contrariwise, the west wind is very propitious and friendly to herbs, flowers, and all manner of vegetables. And so is the east wind too about the autumnal equinox. 28. Western winds are more vehement than eastern winds, and bow and bend trees more. 29. Rainy weather, which begins when the east wind blows, doth last longer than that which begins when a west wind blows, and may perad 18. The south wind blowing, the sea becomes blue and more bright than when the north wind blows, which causes it to look darker and blacker. 19. When the air becomes warmer on a sud-venture hold out for a whole day. den, it sometimes betokens rain; and, again, at other times, when on a sudden it grows colder, it likewise betokens rain. But this happens according to the nature of the winds; for if the air grow warm whilst the south or east wind blows, there is rain at hand, and likewise when it grows cold during the northern or western blasts. 30. The east and north wind, when they or ce begin to blow, blow more constantly; the south and west wind are more mutable. 20. The south wind blows for the most part entire and alone. But the north wind blowing, especially the east-north-east, or the north-west, oftentimes contrary and various, or divers winds 31. In an eastern wind all visible things do appear bigger; but in a western wind all audible things are heard further, as sounds of bells and the like. 32. The east-north-east wind draws clouds to it. It is a proverb amongst the Greeks to compare it to usurers, who by laying out money de swallow it up. It is a vehement and large wind, which cannot remove clouds so fast, as they will govern the temperatures of the countries, and the turn back and press upon it. Which is likewise seen in great fires, which grow stronger against the wind. disposition of the air, as much or more than the sun itself. Insomuch that Peru (which, by reason of the nearness of the ocean, the vastness 33. Cardinal or semicardinal winds are not of rivers, and exceeding great and high hills, so stormy as the median. 34. Median winds from north to north-east are more fair, from north-east to east more stormy. Likewise from east to south-east more fair, from south-east to south more stormy. Likewise from south to south-west more fair, from south-west to west more stormy. Likewise from west to northwest more fair; from north-west to north more stormy. So that, proceeding according to the order of the heavens, the median winds of the first halfward are always disposed to fair weather, those of the latter halfward to storms and tempests. 35. Thunders and lightnings, and storms, with falling of broken clouds are, when such cold winds as participate of the north do blow, as the north-west, north-north-west, north-north-east, north-east, and east north-east. Wherefore those thunders likely are accompanied with hail. hath abundance of winds and blasts blowing there) may contend with Europe for a temperate and sweet air. 42. It is no wonder if the force and power of winds be so great, as it is found to be; vehement winds being as inundations, torrents, and flowing of the spacious air, neither (if we attentively heed it) is their power any great matter. They can throw down trees, which, with their tops, like unto spread sails, give them advantage to do it, and are a burden to themselves. Likewise they can blow down weak buildings; strong and firm ones they cannot, without earthquakes join with them. Sometimes they will blow all the snow off the tops of hills, burying the valley that is below them with it; as it befel Solomon in the Sultanian fields. They will also, sometimes, drive in waters, and cause great inundations. 36. Likewise snowy winds come from the 43. Sometimes winds will dry up rivers, and north, but it is from those median winds which | leave the channels bare. For if, after a great are not stormy, as the north-west, and north-east, and by north. 37. Winds gain their natures and properties five ways only: either by the absence or presence of the sun; or by agreeing or disagreeing with the natural motion of the air; or by the diversity of the matter which feedeth them, by which they are engendered; as sea, snow, marishes, or the like; or by the tincture of the countries through which they pass; or by their original local beginnings: on high, under ground, in the middle; all which things the ensuing articles will better declare and explain. 38. All winds have a power to dry, yea, more than the sun itself, because the sun draws out the vapours; but if it be not very fervent, it doth not disperse them; but the wind both draws them out, and carries them away. But the south wind doth this least of any; and both timber and stones sweat more when the south wind blows a little, than when it is calm and lies still. 39. March winds are far more drying than summer winds; insomuch that such as make musical instruments will stay for March winds to dry their stuff they make their instruments of, to make it more porous, and better sounding. 40. All manner of winds purge the air, and cleanse it from all putrefaction, so that such years as are most windy, are most healthful. 41. The sun is like to princes, who sometimes having appointed deputies in some remote countries, the subjects there are more obsequious to those deputies, and yield them more respect than to the prince himself. And so the winds which have their power and origin from the sun, do drought, a strong wind blows with the current for many days, so that it, as it were, sweeps away the water of the river into the sea, and keeps the sea water from coming in, the river will dry up in many places where it doth not use to be so. Monition. Turn the poles, and, withal, turn the observations as concerning the north and south. For, the presence and absence of the sun being the cause, it must vary according to the poles. But this may be a constant thing, that there is more sea towards the south, and more land towards the north, which doth not a little help the winds. Monition. Winds are made or engendered a thousand ways, as by the subsequent inquisition it will appear; so, to fix that observation in a thing so various, is not very easy. Yet, those things which we have set down are, for the most part, most certain. Local Beginnings of Winds. To the eighth article. Connexion. To know the local beginnings of winds, is a thing which requires a deep search and inquisition, seeing that the whence and whither of winds are things noted even in the Scripture, to be abstruse and hidden. Neither do we now speak of the fountains or beginnings of particular winds, (of which more shall be said hereafter,) but of the matrixes of winds in general. Some fetch them from above, some search for them in the deep: but, in the middle, (where they are for the most part engendered,) nobody hardly looks for them: such is the custom of men to inquire after things which are obscure, and omit those |