The works of that late most excellent philosopher and astronomer, Sir George Wharton, bar. collected into one volume / by John Gadbvry ...

4. Of their Consequentia.

AND now the Consequentia, or Effects of Earth∣quakes (the which I only aim at) are —

1. Ruine of Buildings, and the Destruction of many People, as you may see in Lanquet and Eusebius their Chronologies, Tacitus, Lib. 2. Fromund. Lib. 4. Meteor.

2. The Conversion of Plain Fields into Mountains, and the raising of Islands in the Sea; as Thia, Thera∣sia, Delos, Rhodes, and others.

3. The Levelling of Mountains, sinking of Islands; and other Grounds, as Helice and Buris: So likewise of the Earth, which once was, where now is only that deep Pit in the County of Durham, commonly called Hell-Kettles, in the 24 of Henry 2d.

4. The driving away, or cutting the Neck of some Isthmus from the Continent. For thus (saith Seneca)

was Sicily divided from Calabria; Spain from Africk, and (if Verstegan say true) Britain from France.

5. The Translation of Mountains, Buildings, Trees, &c. from one place to another: As that did a whole Town in Lumbardy, in the Reign of Henry the First. And that other in the Thirteenth of Queen Elizabeth, a Hill of Twenty Acres, with a Rock under it, at Kin∣naston in Hereford-shire. The like another, Anno 1583. which removed a Field of three Acres at Blackmore in Dorset-shire.

6. Great Winds and Tempests, manifest Changes and diversities of the Times: Infection of the Air, and all that Breath in it; especially of such Creatures as are accounted Irrational, viz. Oxen, Swine, and Sheep, whose Heads are inclined downward; for the Vapours that ascend, are deadly Poysonous, bringing Plagues and Pestilence; as you may Read in Pliny, Lib. 2. And in Seneca's Natural Questions.

7. Cardan (Lib. de Rer. Var. Cap. 72.) goes yet a little further: For, (saith he) Terrae motus magni Bellum out Pestem Nunciant, vel Tyrannicam Oppres∣sionem; efficiunt & segetum inopiam, & Famem. i. e. Great Earthquakes do presage a War or Pestilence, or at least some grievous Oppression; they cause a scarcity of Corn, and a Famine.