Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Kinky Ibn Ezra [sic], 17th century predicter of global warming?

Okay, not exactly, but it's a great title. Imagine, the nerve of people to publish pseudonymous literature to make something more exciting and exotic and sell better. In 1625 a little almanac-type pamphlet full of prctical advice for predicting the weather was published in England, purportedly written by a wandering Jew named Kinki Abenezrah:


The book, with the complete title "An Euerlasting Prognostication of the change of weather, collected and compiled by a wandering Iew, being vsefull for many," begins with the following:
Predictions of hote weather.

If a mist or hoare frost do fall either in the spring time, or autumne, it is a token that that day shall be hot.

If night Battes come in great numbers, and more timely in the euening then they were wont, it is a signe of great heat to follow.

If Humble-Bees or Drones flye abroad in an euening, it is a signe of great heat.

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