Speculum mundi· Or A glasse representing the face of the world shewing both that it did begin, and must also end: the manner how, and time when, being largely examined. Whereunto is joyned an hexameron, or a serious discourse of the causes, continuance, and qualities of things in nature; occasioned as matter pertinent to the work done in the six dayes of the worlds creation.

Artic. 5. Of whirlwindes, storm-windes, and fired whirlwindes.

A Whirlwinde, is a winde breaking out of a cloud, rowling or winding round about: which may be caused two manner of wayes.

First, when two or more contrary windes, blowing from divers places, meet together.

Secondly, when the matter of winde, being an hot and drie exhalation, breaketh out of a cloud in divers parts of it, coming through the said holes with more then an ordinary violence. Or rather thus; Imagine a windie exhalation bursting out of a cloud, to be so dri∣ven, that by the way it happeneth to be pent between two clouds on either side of it; against which, beating it self, and finding a repercussion, it is forced to turn and whirl about; even as we see in the streets of cities when the winde is beaten from two walls, and meeteth in the middest of the street: for then there is made a little whirl-puffe, which whisking round about taketh up the dust or straws and bloweth them about, as doth the great

and fearfull whirlwinde it self; which hath brought not onely amazement and terrour to mortalls, but also much harm and mischief. a 1.1 Plinie is perswaded that vineger thrown into one of these blasts will break it, because vineger is of a cold qualitie, and the exhalation hot: and therefore the one is as it were quelled and quenched by* 1.2 the other. The Greeks call a whirlwinde * 1.3 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; the La∣tinists turbo, or vortex.

Also a sudden storm-winde is called by the Greeks, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; and by the Latines, procella: and this happeneth,* 1.4 either when a windie exhalation is thrown down, and encompassed in a thin course of clouds newly overcast, or else when a windie exhalation is come to an extraor∣dinary thicknesse, and violently moved out of a cloud, to the darkening of the aire, without inflammation or burning: for when it burneth they call it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, à 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉* 1.5 incendo, to burn, or set on fire. And this last is that which we call a fired whirlwinde, being an exhaled blast set on fire either by an Antiperistasis, by repercussion, or violent detrusion from the cloud wherein it was enclo∣sed; for it is made apt to be fired in regard that it con∣sisteth of an exhalation which hath more fattie substance in it then other windes which burn not: And know that it differeth from lightning chiefly in these respects: first, because lightning consisteth of a more subtil and thin matter: for although a fired whirlwinde have a more thin spirit or blast then a whirlwinde, or a stormie winde; yet it is not so tenuous as the spirit of fulmen, or light∣ning. Secondly, because lightning is more flamie and lesse breathie; the one having more windie spirits in it then the other.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Lib. 2. cap. 48.
• * 1.2

  Typhon.
• * 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, quod est verberare.
• * 1.4

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.5

  Prester.