Hier begynneth the book callid the myrrour of the worlde ...

Of lyghtnynges and of thonders capitulo ¶xxviij^o

IN thayer happen many thinges / of whiche the peple speke not gladly / ffor they retche not moche of su∣che thinges of whiche they can not wel come to the know∣leche / This that maketh therthe to quaue / and this that maketh the clowdes to thondre / that whiche maketh the erthe to opene / and this that maketh the clowdes to spar∣kle and lyghtne whan the thondre is herde / ffor thondres and lyghtnynges ben deboutemens and brekyng out of wyndes that mete aboue the clowdes so asprely & sharply / that in their comyng groweth ofte a grete fyre in thayr / and this thondre that falleth in many places whiche the wyndes constrayne so terrybly that the clowdes cleue and breke and maketh to thondre and lyghtne and falleth doun in so grete rage by the wynde that destrayneth it so asprely that it confoundeth alle that it atteyneth in suche wyse that nothyng endureth ayenst it / And it is of so heuy nature that somtyme it perseth therthe vnto the myd∣dle / And somtyme it quencheth er it cometh to the groūde after that it is of poyse / and that is not of ouer stronge nature / ffor whan the clowde is moche derke & thycke / and that ther is grete plente of water / the fyre passeth not so soone / but it is quenchid in the clowde by the grete quan∣tyte of the water that is therin bifore it may perse thurgh so that it may not approche therthe / but in the straynyng & brekyng that hit maketh thenne in the clowde / groweth a sowne so grete and stronge / that it is merueyllous to here I declare to you for certayn that this is the thondre / whiche is moche to be doubted and drad / In lyke wyse as of an hoot and brennyng yron that is put in a tubbe of water /

therof groweth a noyse and a grete sowne / and also whan cooles ben quenchid / But the lyghtnyng of the thondre appereth and is seen er ye here the voys or sowne / ffor as moche as the sight of a man is more subtyl than the hee∣rynge / lyke as men see fro ferre ouer a water betyng of clothes or smytynge of marteaulx or hamers / the strokes ben seen of them that smyte / or the so•••• be herde of the stroke / Alle in lyke wyse may I saye to yow of the thon∣dre / the whiche men see to fore and er they here it / And so moche the ferther it is aboue vs / so moche the ferther is the soun of the lyghtnyng after it is seen / er the soun be herd / And the sonner after the lyghtnyng is seen & the noys herd / somoche is the thondre more nyghe vnto vs /