Dreadful News: OR A true Relation of the Great, Violent and late Earthquake.  
Happened the 27. day of March, Stilo Romano last, at Callabria, in the Kingdom of Naples, about the hours of three and four in the afternoon, to the overthrow and ruin of many Cities, Towns, and Castles, and the death of above fifty thousand persons.  
With the names of the principal of the said Cities, Towns and Castles, destroyed by the said Earthquake, according to the Original Printed and published by Authority at Venice.  
Published with Licence and Authority.  
LONDON: Printed by I. Okes, for R. Mab. 1638.   

A True RELATION OF A GREAT and violent Earthquake happened in Callabria the 27. of March, 1638. Stilo Romano, to the overthrow of Eight great Cities, Twenty four Towns, and about fifty Thousand persons.  
I Have oftentimes considered with myself in the depth of my serious Meditations, the most remarkable Prodigies, and Accidents that have happened since the Birth of our Saviour Christ, to this very Time wherein we now are: and though I confess, that old Authors have left them to us in the writings both terrible and fearful, and so horrid to the Learned of those times, and to the Aged of those days, that it afforded them matter and Subject sufficient of relating and writing the same to the Ages and Times that shall succeed them, and were accompanied with such terrors to those that then were the Eye-witnesses thereof, that the same caused them to be, as the Scripture hath it, at their wit's end, and took from them as then, all manner of life and motion, bringing therewith to those that only heard thereof, though fare distant, both a wonderful amazement and an exceeding astonishment, both of body and mind: the most notable that have been observed, have fallen out and happened contrary to the usual and common course of Nature, as the apparition of many Suns at one and the selfsame instant of time, and that happened in the year of our Lord 64. and in the year of our Lord 438. besides the three Suns that appeared and was manifested to the view of all beholders, wherein the figure of a naked Monster appeared, whose body bore three Heads of humane form. The said strange Accidents in the Firmament by the apparition of many Suns was also seen in the years 1429, 1452, and 1480. accompanied always with horrible Tempests, cruel Lightnings, and with violent Thundering and rumours in the Air. Besides which, at other times were seen Dragons with three Heads, with many Basilisks and flying Serpents, combatting and fight against Armies of Horse and Foot, as in the years of our Lord 984. and 995. At other times also were seen fiery Pillars of immeasurable greatness and length, the most remarkable of which happened Twelve years after the coming of our Redeemer Christ Jesus, and so also the same in the years of 372. 1560. and 1569.  
Again, at one and the selfsame time were seen flying Bafilisks and fiery Pillars, as in the years of our Lord 1585. and oftentimes have been seen Swords, Darts, and other Martial Weapons; and armed Horse and Footmen which have combated together, and have been seen the one side to overthrow and put to rout the other, as in the year of our Lord 71. and in the year 1526.  
In the Island of Cyprus, now under the Subjection of the Grand Turk, in the year of our Lord 78. did appear in the Firmament, to the terror of the beholders, Four men of a large stature and greatness, clothed with Fire, and armed with horrible Darts, and Comets: Likewise it is recorded that in Constantinople, the Metropolis of the present Empire of the Turks, in the year of our Lord 432. it poured down or hailed (if I may so term it) a storm of Stones: and in the City of Toledo in Spain in the same year was seen in the Air strange Diabolical figures and shapes, which moved much the beholders both to fear and horror.  
At other times have been also seen many Crosses in the Firmament, sometimes to the number of Seven and Eight, with fiery Comets, accompanied with other prodigies, and this happened in the year of our Lord, 1228. and 1321. and in conclusion to avoid prolixity in the recounting and numbering of so many strange and terrible Accidents, (that Marble itself would be afraid if it were any way capable of fear and frighting) To see it rain a quantity of humane Corpse, and to fall from the Skies to the number of two Hundred in one place, would doubtless affright the most hardy and undaunted courage of the most resolute and valiant: and what living Soul would not be afraid thereat? and this happened in the year 570. in Italy, and some years after in the Kingdom of France.  
In our times to hear of Earthquakes, and see the motion and removal of the Land in this or in that part of the World, to see the Air infected, to feel the contagious Plague and Pestilence, and to understand of the great Mortality of Mankind is ordinary: to hear the Stones of that flaming and evaporating Hill Vesuvius near the City of Naples, some years past, who thrust and belched from its bowels such abundance of flame, smoke, and ashes, with so much hurt, harm, and universal prejudice to the poor neighbouring Inhabitants, and to the Citizens of that flourishing City is every where published. I therefore willingly here omit the Relation of those other remarkable & memorable Earthquakes which have happened in sundry parts, and diverse Kingdoms of the World, which though they are confessed to be great, and horrid, and accompanied with the Mortality and Death of many persons, yet notwithstanding the terror thereof, the same hath not so much daunted and amazed the hearts and courages of men as this now late Earthquake hath done, that happened the 27. day of March last, 1638. according to the Roman Account, about the Hours of 21. and 22. according to their Computation; and according to the English the 17. of March, 1637. and between Three and Four of the Clock in the Afternoon, being Saturday, and accounted the Feast-day of Saint Patrick the Irish Saint, in the Province of Callabria the Inferior, part of the notable and plentiful Country and Kingdom of Naples, which hath proved so universal a scourge to that Province, and unto that part of the Country, that the Tongue of Man cannot possibly recount the same, nor the least part of the affliction which that miserable people, the Inhabitants which are yet remaining thereabouts, have suffered: what sudden and unexpected suffocations by water did some endure! What openings of the Earth were seen, where the bodies of some were in part or in whole imprisoned and stifled! how many are distraught with the terror of the motions of the Hills and Mountains! and how many slain and ruined with the fall of their Habitations and Mansions! how many he covered now in Death with that covering, which in Life defended them by Night and Day both from the Summer's Sun and the Winter's cold! how many were within doors slain, before they could get out, and how many perished in the fields ere they could return to their Cities and Houses. The husband was aswell unmindful of his dearest Wife, as the tender Mother was of her nearest and dearest Children: The Master commanded in vain; and the Servant had no time to obey for fear of death: some ran to the House tops for safety, and some to their Vaults and Sellers, yet both found their ruin alike: so that those horrors this Earthquake was accompanied with, attended upon the inhabitants both at home and abroad, both within their doors, and abroad in their fields; here was no leisure for to send for a Priest, nor no time for administration of the Sacrament; but only that is in Christian Charity to be believed, that every one beseeched the pity and goodness of the Almighty and most merciful God for pardon for their sins, who though he sometimes in justice chastiseth and scourgeth, yet willeth notwithstanding our total perdition, and especially of so many souls redeemed by the power of his precious blood, and by him so dear loved.  
We then, like loving Children towards so gracious and good a Father, with correspondent sincere affection, and pure hearts, ought always so to live, as to be prepared for such, or the like sudden accidents and dangers, having recourse to the footstool of his mercy Seat, imploring there his aid, help, and protection, and flying and avoiding all occasions of offending so gracious and merciful a God, who is bend ever to punish the wicked, and to be merciful to the just and penitent, thereby mitigating his just wrath and vengeance, the which by how much it is for-flowed, is by so much the more to be feared to increase.  
And now because that from Messina in Sicilia, and from Cossensa in Apulia, the generality of these accidents is come unto us, I have thought it fitting to nominate the principal and chief of these Cities, Towns, Castles, and Signories which have suffered, and are ruined and destroyed by this so great and heavy a scourge, whereby every man may rest truly and really satisfied with the certainty thereof.   

The names of the Principal Cities and Castles destroyed by the Earthquake are these, etc.  
THe City of Nicastero, which is wholly destroyed and ruined down to the ground.  
The City of Monterane also wholly destroyed.  
The City of Nocera also wholly destroyed.  
The City of Castalione wholly destroyed: the Prince thereof was here residing, whose corpse are neither found alive nor dead, but some part and members of his Lady is found, and distinguished from the rest of her Ladies.  
The famous City of Cossensa, is the one half ruined and destroyed, with the Country-houses thereabouts in the territory adjoining; also the Palace of the Prince, the famous Convent of the Jesuits, and the much noted Convent of the Capuchin Friars.  
A great part of the City of Poala.  
The Balliwicke belonging to the Knights of Malta is wholly destroyed and of a place of firm land, is become a standing Lake and Water.  
The City of Sancta Eufemia, wholly destroyed.  
The City of Sancto Biaggio wholly destroyed and utterly ruined.  
The great Castle of Billiato wholly ruined and fully destroyed.  
The town of Cattanzara, the half part or rather more destroyed.  
The town of Beggaria in part destroyed, and ruived very much.  
The town of Malerno in part destroyed, and the rest much defaced.  
The town of Pietra Mara wholly ruined and quite overthrown.  
The town of Arelo wholly ruined, and also quite overthrown.  
The town of Bogliono with the territory thereabout, wholly destroyed.  
The town of Marecano wholly destroyed, and utterly laid waste.  
The town of Autilla wholly ruined.  
The town of Belcello quite ruined.  
The town of Florolito destroyed.  
The town of Monte Sancto wholly ruined and quite left destitute of all.  
The town of Monte Soro wholly ruined, and utterly overthrown.  
The town of Fulgare the one half destroyed, the other part much ruined.  
The town of Umbraciatico, the quarter part, or rather more ruined.  
The town of Macdo but in part.  
The town of Sancto Locido in part ruined, & the rest much defaced.  
The town of Rolian but in part.  
The town of Poesia Mala in part destroyed, and the rest much defaced.  
The town of Ogello in part ruined.  
The town of Sancta Nicosia, drowned, with the Neighbouring Country for five miles circute bordering upon the Seashoare, and many others of lesser note and consequence, not yet come to our true knowledge.  
In these Cities and Towns it is reported that there is Dead, Lost, Drowned, and sunk into the Earth, about fifty thousand persons, and that there was counted in these places twenty six thousand Families great and small: the said Earthquake having at that one instant of time spread itself for the circuit of threescore and ten miles in compass, and passed from Callabra over the Phare of Messina, to that City where the Belfree was shaken, and fell upon the roof of the principal Church thereof, breaking down the same, with the death of many then at their devotion in the said Church: The Archbishop and Vicar of the said City, with diverse other Churchmen, who at that instant of time were walking near at hand in a Garden belonging unto the same, were thereby freed and saved from that present danger, and that some also of the inhabitants of these above named Cities, saved themselves by flying away into the fields, and by many other strange and unheard of accidents.  
Many other particular reports are spread abroad through Italy of this fearful, heavy, and sudden judgement, which we will forbear to nominate, desiring Almighty God of his goodness to bless us, and preserve us, and all men, from these, and the like such dangerous encounters, Amen.  
FINIS.