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¶A pithy discourse of the late Earth∣quake, on vvensday in Easter weeke, being the sixt of Aprill. 1580.
AMong the manifold sygnes and tokens, wherby it hath pleased our most gratious God, and mercifull Father, in these the later times of the worlde, and very ripe∣nesse of our sinnes, to call vs to repentaunce, we may not accoumpt as least this most dreadfull & daungerous Earth∣quake, which vnto the great terrour of all good consciences befell of late vnto the Cittie of London, and as I suppose to the most part of this Realme, vpon wensday in Easter week,* 1.1 which was the sixt day of Aprill. 1580. about six of the clocke in the after noone. Wherof, to the entent so merueylous a iudgement of the Lords may be known, to such as personal∣ly were not touched with the same, and also so wonderfull a worke may not want it due effect, where it shall be heard: I am resolued by his power, without whome we are able to doo nothing: and by your patience, to whome perhappes this knowledge may be aueyleable, to set downe somwhat brief∣ly concerning the same in wryting.
2. But before we enter any further into the bare bewray∣ing of the matter, it is expedient that I discouer vnto you the causes, and substaunce of euerie Earthquake,* 1.2 which I must be fayne to borrowe from the Prophane wryters, who haue most dilligently laboured in the search of naturall causes, whervnto doubtlesse they could not so clearly haue atteyned without the finger of God, which hath led men as well into the true contemplation of these matters, as of any other knowledge. And therfore following Aristotle as théefe in this behalfe: wée must vnderstand, that the effi∣cient causes of an Earthquake are thrée, to wyt, the Sun,