A ●rue and Terrible Rela●h from MALETRAVIS in ALIGO, an Island belonging to the ●ing of Spain, of a sad Accident that befallen the whole City, it consisting of seven and thirty thousand Families, and how they were destroyed all in one night by a Fog or Damp that risen upon them, which destroyed both Men, Women, and Children, except five persons, which by accident got down into a Vault, and so escaped. This Relation was sent to a Merchant in this City, who lives in Creed-Church Parish in Leaden-hall London. Published as a Warning for all people to repent of their Sins, and to be prepared against sudden death. Printed at London by E. P. for Francis Coles, dwelling in the Old-Bayley. 1648. woodcut woodcut A True and terrible Relation from Maletravis in MALIGO. THe Sins of Man are so great, and cry to the Lord so loud for vengeance upon all Mankind, that God must be infinitely merciful to spare us crawling worms. O England, take thou warning from this Judgement of Gods; look to thyself, God sees thy Iniquities, and records thy Transgressions, and will be avenged on thee for thy sins; he h● offered thee much of his Mercies, a● hath spared thee in the height of t● Rebellion against him; beware tho● and repent, and amend thy wickedness. Let not the Custom of sin take away the Conscience of sin; for God hath bend his Bow like an Enemy, and stands with his right hand like an Adversary, and will slay all that is pleasant to the eye, and will pour out his Fury like fire. God threatens all impenitent sinners, and will not spare them if they long continue in their sins: How many years hath God spared this Nation, who hath lived under the blessed means of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, when we have not brought forth any thing but sins and misdeeds, he hath with patience waited the spring and growth of grace in us, but we have proved barren and dry Trees, broken Cisterns which have held no water: and may not God justly deal with us as with Sodom and Gomorrah? Nay, with us as with Maletravis, consume us with Fire and Brimstone as he did these? Nay, with the least breath of his nostrils; and if one sin divided amongst ten thousand be able to damn them all, how shall this Nation ever be able to answer all those abominable sins that it hath committed? No sin but deserves punishment, and man was never punished but for sinning; therefore remember, O England, how wilful thou hast been in despising the Mercies of God from time to time, he would have gathered thee as a Hen would have gathered her Chickens, and thou would not: Woe to thee England, thou hast destroyed thyself; if thou defer thy repentance, God will be sure to be avenged on thee; God will bruise thee with an Iron Rod, and break thee in pieces like a Potter's Vessel; But if thou call upon him in the day of trouble, he will have mercy on thee; If thou callest on him in the day of trouble he will hear thee, and divert those Judgements which hang over thy head from thee. Had Sodom repent, God had not punished; had Comorrah considered her Iniquities, God had not destroyed her; and had Maletravis remembered her Transgressions, and sorrowed for them, God had nor punished her iniquities. God hath destroyed those Cities and many more for sin, and undoubtedly will destroy thee (London) if thou return not to the Lord thy God with speed, lay hold on those things which concern thy everlasting peace and comfort whilst it is to day, lest God take this opportunity from thee. Ah, but some will say, That Sodom sinned against God, and in a larger measure than we: But O thou mistaken Soul; compare the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, with the fins of London and England, and see whether the sins of London were not greater than the sins of Sodom; Have we not carried ourselves proudly against our God? Despised his Ordinance? Contemned is Goodness? Abused his Patience, and turned our backs upon his Mercies? Have we not polluted our Land with Blood, Blasphemy, and Oppression? And may not God as justly destroy us as he did them? Ah, but some will say, This Maletravis were all Papists and Idolaters: ●t is true, they were, so much the worse for us; they worshipped God with more fervency of spirit in their way then we, considering the measure of knowledge they had; God expects no more from a man then what he hath received. Had the Gospel of Jesus Christ been so purely preached amongst them as us, undoubtedly they would have brought forth better fruits. But now to come to the Story, which is both Lamentable and true; It is a great mercy that God hath given us of this Nation, so long and large a time of our repentance; God hath showed himself a loving God, a merciful God, a long-suffering God, otherways we had been consumed as the stubble upon the earth, and have caused the earth to open and swallow us up, as he did Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. It is not our fight for Reformation that God is taken with, it must be our practical parts of duty which must establish us in the favour of our God; It not going twice a day to the Church that will make God in love with us; no, it must be a Charitable and Pious Conversation that must make God's face to shine upon us; It is not our Fasting-days from victuals that will gauge God to be reconciled with us; no, it must be a true and lively faith in Christ, and an obstaining from Envy, Oppression, Covetousness, Pride, Murder, Drunkenness, Blasphemy and Profaneness, which must engage God to be at peace with us. If any of these sins predominate in our Land, we must look for the Vials of God's Wrath, and be sure to drink the dregs of his Indignation for them. And now let us turn to the Lord our God with all our hearts and souls, and seek him whilst it is yet time; which if we do, we may find mercy and acceptance in the sight of our God, and quit our Land from desolation, which will inevitably fall upon us. It is good to take warning by such Judgements, and make our peace with God, that he may turn his wrath from us, and take us into his favour. Let us prise these golden opportunities, and not think those of Maletra●is were greater finners than we; for assuredly, if we do not repent and amend, we shall all likewise perish. This Story is unparalleled, the Judgement of God hath appeared as much upon this poor City of Maletravis, as upon any we read on in any History, if we look but at what a sudden God appeared against them, it will make us all tremble to go to our beds with the guilt of sin upon us, lest God appear in wrath as upon them. Was it not a Judgement unparalleled, when above two hundred and fifrie thousand Souls had their lives taken out of the Land of the living in one night, besides all manner of living creatures; as well Horses, Cattles, Sheep, Dogs, Cats, Rabbits, Mice and Rats? Thus you see, God did not spare the senseless, but destroyed them for the sakes of the sinful. Once more I say, O England, consider the things which belongs to thy happiness, and turn to the Lord thy God, for he can as easily destroy thee as he did this Maletravis. And now to the truth of the Story, I shall refer thee to a Letter, sent by a Merchant in Maligo, to a Merchant in Creed-Church Parish London, which here I give you verbatim. SIR, UPon the second day of September, God did show the wonderfullest Judgement upon the Town of Maletravis that any ears hath heard; for there was not a man, woman, or child, that escaped the anger of God: Nay, the very Cattles, and all the living creatures in the Town were not exempted from death, five men only excepted; which feeling the Damp come so violently, got down into a Vault, which was made from the Cathedral up to a Nunerie, which is some two miles or thereabouts from the Town: They thinking themselves in danger, seeing the little children's breath taken from them as they lay at their mother's breasts, got down, and so escaped. This Damp or Fog, began at twelve of the clock at night, and continued till betwixt one and two in the morning; In which time were destroyed above two hundred and fifty thousand Souls, besides brutts. The next morning, being Market day, these five men came near the City to see who went in, and whether any were left alive to buy of them; but the Countrypeople coming in, and seeing all the streets lying full of dead men, women, and children, were much astoxished, and ran away and left them, with what speed they could; But these five men, seeing them go in and out with safety, and without danger, went in, and found all dead, and their own wives and children lying in the streets and gardens, breathless and lifeless. And when they had seen this sad Spectacle, they went as fast as they could to the Governor of this Country, and told him of it, and he commodiously summoned a Court of Council, and they immediately commanded in the Country to bury them, and sent a considerable party of Soldiers to keep the Country from Sacking their houses. This being done, Proclamation was made, That if any one had any kindred in that Town, they should come and make it appear by some of the neighbours upon Oath, and then they should go in and take possession of their deceased Friends Goods. Likewise to Merchants, they were to make Oath, and produce Letters, and then they should go in and receive the like. And then they commanded all the poor to go in and to be set at work, at such things as they could do. Thus have I given you as full a Relation as I can touching the business, and shall remain, Sanderstons. Dear Sir, your friend and servant RICHARD adam's. FINIS.