True news from 〈◊〉 and also Out of Worcestershire.  
Printed at London for William Barley.   

❧ True news from Mecare.  
AFter the discomfiture given to the common enemy at Turnehault, the. 14. day of january, was bruited through Anwarp, Brusels, Gant, and other chief towns now holding for the king of Spain, and that of that small number that efc●ped, some were returned to these towns before named, to give notice of their ill fortune: at this time I say there was much lamentation made for the death of many Commanders. And many priests in their mumbling manner sung solemn dirges, and breathed out many bitter curses against the honourable alders of our miserable distressed Countries of Flaunders: namely, sir Robert Sidney, and sir Francis Vere: rai●ing on them with such unreverent terms as in this place is not fit to be spoken. But at last seeing & knowing it prevailed not, they ceased not sending the names of certain saints to the soldiers written in small pieces of paper to wear on their breasts pinned, sanctified with many ceremonies against the next time they should encounter us or any enemies whatsoever.  
After which, upon the Sunday seven-night after, being the  
3. of the same month 〈…〉 soldiers and the●● 〈…〉 into an orchard, or 〈…〉 walking, where the people use their holidays recreation, and drink that on the Sunday which they got the wecke before, which was some three English miles from Lile in the way to Deventer and Be●una, where they drank so much, and swore so abominably, that on the sudden God did show them a fearful example, as Geo●g● Clarke merchant, and Cornelius Decus●e● affirmed, who were at Lile the same time, and did by credible ●●tters maintain as much: the manner whereof is here set down as near as may be gathered.  
F●●st there was heard a fearful and grievous thunder about two o'clock in the afternoon, and suddenly the wind began to blow very violently: ●t which sudden alteration one in the 〈◊〉 called Peter Gens ●ried sacrament, 〈…〉 owns land now? and thinking to rise pu●●ing his cloak and swearing very blasphemously, was by a tree that the wind blew down presently killed, others holding their hands out▪ stood looking for the lightning laughing, saying, now the devil come● again: but God to show his omnipotent power, and to warn others from blaspheming his name or abusing his sabbaths, struck some of them dead with thunderbolts, and some blind with lightning: so that few escaped, but that God did show them some mark or other of his heavy indignation, for their drunkenness and blasphemy.  
Also there was seen over the towns Saint Thomas, Ard, Aras, and Calais in the air, four horsemen in black armour, and black lances following one another with mighty haste, running toward the West, as it were against the Sun: But at last the sun angry it seemed with their menaces, grew black, and suddenly caused fearful lightning and thunder, the clouds opening and shutting very fearfully: Insomuch they thought it had been dooms day. And thus they continued for three hours together, and after that there was found blood in the high way to Betuna, which those of the town affirmed to rain from heaven. Insomuch that some of the soldiers of the town being in the fields playing at hand-ball one Si●e came into the town albedropt with blood. Likewise being enforced by the blood that reigned to leave their sport and fly to houses, many of which went to Mecare. And see how this fell as a fatal sign to them: for the very same night certain soldiers of the count of saint Paul and the marshal Be●on having divided themselves into companies appointed to meet at this village, called Mecare understanding that those soldiers had passed the river of Some some ten days before, and got spoils in the marshal Berons', and count saint Paul's quarters, and therefore they vowed in this sally of free boot to revenge themselves at full, & so they did: for in the night they came and fired the village and seized on all they could find worth the carriage for their lawful purchase; by occasion of which fire, many were forced to leap from windows, and falling, broke their legs, necks and arms, which the county of saint Paul's soldiers seeing departed, thinking themselves sufficiently revenged.  
Also the very same night those of the towns Ard, Aras, Saint Thoma●, and Calais, did see in the air an angel with a crown on his head, and a sword in one of his hands, which twice or thrice appeared like a sword of fire, still removing up and down the air, sometime over one of the towns, sometime over another. And in the air was heard a fearful noise for the space of an hour together: and after the noise as certain merchants affirm the Angel was heard to weep very grievously in the air, and was seen to spread his arm towards the West, spreading his hand, as warning them to beware lest the sword of god's wrath fell amongst them.  
Now after these fearful sights in the air, there rose a great mist, which gave such a stinking smell, that the people of Ard were forced to shut their doors and windows, that before stood to behold these sights in the air, and their cattle not able to see where they were, or not able to abide the smell of the grass, while this fog continued, made haste to come home to their stalls along the dikes, as they were wont, and not seeing where they were, fell into ditches and rivers by the way and were drowned, which caused great sorrow to the townsmen, and drew them almost into despair by this sudden token of his heavy displeasure.  
Also there was seen in the air after this fearful and noisome foggy mist, a bloody cross which stood just in the same quarter w●●re the sun grew dark, and where the sudden fog first arose: to which the angel again appearing, pointed by stretching out his hand, and was seen just over Saint Thomas and Calais.  
Also there was seen a Wagon broken all to pieces as it were in a burning cloud, which in the breaking was h●a●d to make a great noise in the air whereat the people were much astonished, and do since stand in great fear lest the Lord of hosts should rise in battle against them, and overthrow them with their horses and chariots as he did those of Pharaoh following the children of Israel. And certain it is, that since this fearful sight many fearing Gods just judgement on them for their carrying arms in unjust wars, have since left their companies & are now joined with the king of France: and it is thought, which I pray God may prove so that more will follow: for those of our poor country of Flaunders, as Anwarpe, Brusel●, Gant, Ard, and Calais, with Gravelin. Dunkercke, and the rest do find their states worse than the children of Israel's was, being oppressed by Pharaos' cruelty with making brick and other manuel labour: for Pharaoh, did after the sight of many of God's wonders, and plagues showed on him, suffer the poor oppressed to departed: but this Pharaoh of Spain notwithstanding Gods many fearful examples showed, will not suffer our poor oppressed Belgians to live in peace, but still lays more tasks and payable duties to the maintaining of his unjust wars than Pharaoh did on the children of Israel: for both their goods, wives, maids, and lives are at the Spaniards command, or at leastwise control, god yet in mercy move the heart of some man to be a Moses to my country men, and either by miracles or by the sword release them, their wives, and children from the hands of those wicked and bloody minded Spaniards: for their shoulders are almost broken with bearing the yoke of his oppression. God for his mercy sake when it pleaseth him, release them. Mean space, being as I thank God I am, free from his tyranny, I will (as I am bound daily) pray for the rest of my countrymen, that God may give them patience and true faith in jesus Christ, till it please him to release them.  
Thus much I thought good to advertise you according to my last promise, when we parted at Quiet: and in any thing you have occasion to use me in these parts, I pray command me in part requital of your many favours: for absence cannot make me forget my friends, and so farewell in God.  
From Abuile in Picardy this 26. of january. 1597. james Drucateen.   

True news out of Worcestershire.  
AMongst the many of God's fearful miracles, showed on us here in England, as sliding of grounds, removing of highways, mighty floods by great abundance of rain, fearful lightnings and thunders, great fire from heaven, sudden earthquakes, strange and deformed children borne, great dearth of corn, mighty plagues and pestilence, death of many good and godly benefactors, as the late lord Mayor for instance, much strife in the church by sects and schisms, with fearful threatenings of the foe of Spain in his attempts of invasion, amongst (I say) all these fearful warnings sent us by God to draw us to amendment of life, and to cease from our former wickedness, wherein how wissully we transgress, let every one examine their conscience, and then no doubt but God will send the remorse of those consciences, to draw us to a newness of life, lest like jerusalem, Sodom and Gomorrha, and many other countries yet fresh in memory, we feel God's judgement when we would repent and amend: if we might sinned time amongst all these tokens of Gods kindled anger behold one token more, which might move us upon the knees of our hearts to ask God forgiveness for our sins, though he had never sent us other token to affright us, or move us to remember our swearing, drunkenness, whoredom, covetousness, and rapes, and murders and such like. For now behold the Lord hath sent us no example of nine days wonder, as the wicked account all tokens whatsoever, but he hath sent us a heavy example, an example of affliction, a grievous and almost incredible disease of sudden lameness, beginning, not at the heart nor head, but at the very toe of the foot, and can by no means be cured, for from the toe it goes into the foot, from thence into the leg, and so upwards still, and still as it ascends higher, the place it leaveth, dieth, and if it once get to the thigh, than no way but death for the party infected, for there is no means to cure it but cutting off the legs and arms. Wheresoever it beginneth, it gins like a tingling, or pain like the gout, and in four and twenty hours it will grow red, and in six hours after, it will be as black as a shoe, and be stone dead, and dies always upwards, either in the legs or arms, insomuch that some have lost both their legs, others both their arms, being cut off, and yet are living, a heavy consideration, which the ungodly regard not.  
For proof of what I say, because many are incredulous, there is a man in Westminster named Hugh Alee, whose son Edward Alee was taken with the same disease, whose leg being cut off at the knee was found so dead, that th●re came not above two drops of blood from it, and the disease is so stinking, that the surgeons are feign to fold mufflers three double about their noses and mouths, when they come to dress them. And all this disease only reigns within ten miles of Worcester round about every way, and in Worcester itself, so that there are at this day above a hundred infected, and almost half as many are dead already of it, and some that look to it in time, escape: it spareth neither men nor women, insomuch that many do leave to ride that way fearing the disease, whereby the poor country is like to be undone, except that by the prayers of the faithful and godly the Lord be moved to stay his hands. But yet it seemeth that he doth not only show us wonders, but hath likewise assigned many men to be hard hearted and incredulous of God's wonders, the proof was seen in a man of Worcester, who hearing of this strange disease, said he did not believe that there could be such a sudden disease: which one hearing, rebuked him, but notwithstanding he continued in his obstinate misdoubt, till a surgeon carried him from house to house of the infected, and showed him, in some places legs cut off, and in other places arms, and in many places men dead by this disease: which he seeing, as despairing, in that he had been so doubtful, went home unto his house, and in very angui●● died, raving & crying for God's mercy, which many men may take for example, that do distrust in the omnipotent power of God, thinking their weak judgement can comprehend Gods many threatening examples. But why do we wonder at his misbelief, when almost in every place men are misbeleving & despairing, & are given to violent slaughters? For proof of which, a man about S. Katherine's was found so wilful in his own wicked opinion, that he drowned himself, hanging a great weight of lead about his neck, thinking by that means never to have been found: but yet for all his wilful act god cast him aland, only to show us that he will not that man shall (relying on his own policy) hide any thing from God, for he searcheth the reins & heart, & knows the very thoughts of all men how just or unjust soever. But for all this we are careless of his heavy plagues and fearful examples, till either in despair or wilfulness we feel his punishments: for now in this age men are only studying how to live and carry credit in this world, through worldly riches, which howsoever it be gotten they regard not, be it by murder, oppression, perjury, slander & usury: the proof whereof appeared in a man dwelling in Kent, who went about to build a fair house, telling a friend of his he meant to let it w●ll when it was finished, & said likewise, that he would let it to the poor, not to the rich, making every chamber a tenement, and then he knew the poor will take it at such a rate, that of x. pound a year, if it were all in one, he would make forty almost, being thus in tenements divided, & in this determination went forward with his building till it was half finished. But see how God showed his judgement upon him, because he meant to extort upon the poor: for when he had builded half the house, his money grew so short that he could proceed no further, whereat many in the country made a great mocking, which at last came to his care, in so much that going thorough the streets of the town, many would underlook him & say, Is this he that will build houses to beggar the poor? but he lacks money: Mary says one, and I'll lend him a penny: wherefore answers another? marry to buy a rope to hang him in for his good mind. Thus many times he was mocked, till at last moved with bitter anguish, and deeply vexed in mind, he went grieving that any should see his face any more, and in that house which he was building went & hanged himself. And this may serve for a warning to many Landlords in these days that do not build houses as minding thereby to let them the better cheap, but rather to raise the rents, to the utter undoing of a common wealth, & only impoverishing to the poor of England, for many nowadays take in as much ground as to make a hog fly, and when their hog is dead, than they board the sty, and that a poor man and his wife must pay viii. d. or xii. d. a week, having neither chimney nor chamber, such a one, as when 2 or 3 are set together by a fire made upon the ground for want of a hearth, them (I say) the house is so full that the dog must stand at the door, as having no room in the house: which is a lamentable case, if it were looked into, and no doubt makes a great many beggars in a year, & is beside a cover of much mischief: for whatsoever they be, or howsoever they live, if they pay them their money well, they regard not. And in these places adulterets, thieves, consoliers, and such like are daily harboured, which I pray God wise magistrates may look into, that it prove not a just plague to this country of England, and bring not remediless hurts to this blessed commonwealth, which God in his great mercy defend us from, and open our eyes to see his displeasure kindled against us, and every man to repent him of his former wicked life, that we may all with Abraham and the blessed ones live in joy with Christ everlastingly.  
Amen.   
FINIS.