[1] THeseas, which a long time had beene calme, began now to swell, and to be full of continuall storms and tempests, which were so raging, and so great, that in all that winter there ariued scarselie anie one ship or barke from anie place into that land: neither was there a|nie news heard from out of anie countrie during that winter. Whervpon men began to be afraid, and thinke verelie that God in his anger would punish [page 24] them, and be reuenged for their wicked & sinfull life, and therefore had sent this plague vpon them. At this time in Southwales by reason of the extreme and continuall tempests, the sea sides and shores, which had manie yeares beene couered with great sand ridges, were now washed and carried awaie with the seas, and then there appeared the former fast and firme earth, and therin a great number of trees standing which did in times past grow there: and by reason they had béene so long couered, & as it were buried vnder the sands, they stood as trunked and polled trées, and were as blacke as is the Ebenie. A maruelous alteration, that the place sometimes co|uered with seas, and a waie for ships to passe, is now become a soile of ground and drie land. But some suppose that this was so at the first; and that those trées were there growing before or shortlie after the floud of Noah. The king remained at Wexford, still longing to heare news from beyond the seas: and thus lieng solitarie he practised by all the means and sleights he could, how he might flocke and pro|cure vnto him Reimond, Miles Cogan, William Makerell; & other of the best gentlemen; that he be|ing assured of them to be firme of his side, he might be the stronger, and the earle the weaker.