[1] Immediatlie followed, or rather precéeded passing great tempests of raine,Great raine. Matth. Paris. which filled the earth full of water, and caused monstruous flouds: for this raine continued all the space of the moneths of Ianua|rie, Februarie, and a great part of March; and for eight daies it rained (as some write) in maner with|out ceassing: Matth. West. and vpon the tenth of Februarie, imme|diatlie after the change of the moone, the Thames rose with such an high tide, that boats might haue beene rowed vp and downe in Westminster hall. In the winter before, on the twentith of December, there chanced a great thunder,A great thunder. and on the first fridaie in December, which was the fift of that moneth, there was a counterfet sunne séene beside the true sunne. Moreouer, as in the spring precéeding there happened sore and excéeding great raines, so in the summer following there chanced a great drouth,A drie sum|mer. continuing by the space of foure moneths or more.