healthfull. So as the Inhabitants doe seldome take a ruthful and
reauing experience of those harmes, which infectious diseases vse to
carrie with them. But yet I haue noted, that this so piercing an
ayre, is apter to preserue then recouer health, especially in any
languishing sicknesse which hath possessed strangers: neither know I,
whether I may impute to this goodnesse of the ayre, that vpon the
returne of our fleete from the Portugall action, 1589. the diseases
which the Souldiers brought home with them, did grow more grieuous, as
they carried the same farther into the land, then it fell out at
Plymmouth, where they landed: for there the same was, though
infectious, yet not so contagious, and though pestilentiall, yet not
the verie pestilence, as afterwards it proued in other places.

The Spring visiteth not these quarters so timely, as the Easterne
parts. Summer imparteth a verie [6] temperate heat, recompencing his
slow-fostering of the fruits, with their kindly ripening. Autumne
bringeth a somewhat late Haruest, specially to the middle of the
Shire, where they seldome inne their Corne before Michaelmas. Winter,
by reason of the Southes neere neighbourhead, and Seas warme breath,
fauoureth it with a milder cold then elsewhere, so as, vpon both
coastes, the Frost and Snow come verie seldome, and make a speedie
departure. This notwithstanding, the Countrie is much subiect to
stormes, which fetching a large course, in the open Sea, doe from
thence violently assault the dwellers at land, and leaue them
vncouered houses, pared hedges, and dwarfe-growne trees, as witnesses
of their force and furie : yea, euen the hard stones, and yron barres
of the windowes, doe fret to be so continually grated. One kind of
these stormes, they call a flaw, or flaugh, which is a mightie gale
of wind, passing suddainely to the shore, and working strong effects,
vpon whatsoeuer it incountreth in his way.