Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 In this meane while the earle of Leicester remai|ning in England,The Gas|coignes make warre against the English subiects. the Gascoignes made sore warre against such as he had left behind him, and withall gaue information to the king that the earle of Leice|ster was a traitor, and one that had spoiled the kings subiects: and furthermore by his vniust dealings had giuen to the Gascoignes cause of rebellion. The king to boult out the truth of this matter, sent first his chapleine Henrie Wingham, and afterwards sir Nicholas de Moles de Ualence, as commissio|ners to inquire of the earles dooing, who went and re|turned without finding any manifest crime in the earles demeanor. The earle was much offended that his innocencie should be thus suspected; but at length being appointed to returne into Gascoigne, he obeied and hauing a great summe of monie, he reteined a power of men of warre, as well Frenchmen as o|thers, and meaning to be reuenged of those that had giuen the information against him, he strengthened himselfe with the aid of the king of Nauarre, and of the earle of Bigorre and other, so that he oppressed his aduersaries on ech hand, and so abated their pride,The earle of Leicester danteth his enimies. that if conuenientlie they might, they would haue yeelded themselues to some other prince, and vtterlie haue renounced the K. of England for euer. Where|by it should seeme that he was throughlie reuenged of them euen to their no small smart, not in word and threatning, but with sword and bloud-shedding, de|fending his innocencie, and manfullie shewing his warlike mind. But yet he had purchased to himselfe a greater portion of praise, if he had not with weapon but with wisedome made a conquest of the enimie: according to this sound counsell of a sage writer;
On the thirtéenth day of March,A strange wonder of the new moone. the new moone was séene, whereas the prime change by naturall course should not haue beene till the sixtéenth day following; and for the space of fiftéene daies that then next insu|ed, the sunne, the moone, and starres appeared of a red colour. And herewith the whole face of the earth sée|med as it had béene shadowed with a thicke mist or smoke, the wind notwithstanding remaining north and northeast. Then began a sore drought, continu|ing a long time,A great drought. the which togither with morning frosts, and northerlie winds, destroied the fruits and other growing things, which were blasted in such wise, that although at the first it was a verie forward yeare, and great plentie towards of corne and fruit, yet by the means aforesaid, the same was greatlie hindered and speciallie in the summer season, when the sunnes heat increased, and the drought still con|tinued.Ingenio studeas magè quàm superare furore,Mal. Pal. in suo cap.Ingenio vires cedunt, prudentia victrixCuncta domat.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 The residue of such fruits as then remained, wi|thered awaie, so that scarse a tenth part was left, and yet there was indifferent store. For if the abundance which the blossomes promised had come forward, the trées had not béene able to haue borne the same. The grasse was so burned vp in pastures and medowes, that if a man tooke vp some of it in his hands, and rubbed the same neuer so little, it streight fell to poul|der, and so cattell were readie to starue for lacke of meat. And bicause of the excéeding hot nights, there was such abundance of fleas, flies, and gnats, that people were vexed and brought in case to be wearie of their liues. And herewith chanced manie diseases,Manie disea|ses reigned. as sweats, agues, and other. In the haruest time fell there a great death and murren amongst cattell,A murren of cattell. and speciallie in Northfolke, in the fens and other parts of the south. This infection was such, that dogs and rauens feeding on the dead carrens, swelled streight|waies and died, so that the people durst eat no beefe, least the flesh happilie might be infected.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 Also this was noted not without great woonder, that yoong heifers and bullockes followed the milch|kine, & as it had beene calues sucked the same kine. Also appletrées and pearetrées, now after the time of yeelding their ripe fruit, began againe to blossome, as if it had beene in Aprill.The cause of the death of cattell. The cause of the death of cattell was thought to come hereof. After so great a EEBO page image 246 drought (which had continued by all the space of the moneths of Aprill, Maie, Iune, and Iulie) when there folowed good plentie of raine, the earth began to yeeld hir increase most plentiouslie of all growing things, though not so wholesome nor of such kindlie sub|stance, as in due time and season she is accustomed to bring foorth, and so the cattell which before were hungerstarued, fed now so greedilie of this new grasse sproong vp in vndue season, that they were sud|denlie puffed vp with flesh, and such vnnaturall hu|mors, as bred infections amongst them, whereof they died.