In December 1664  
In jannuary 1664/5  
In April 1663.  
In August 1682.  
In December 1680  
The Five Blazing Stars seen in England since the year 1663. Page 154.160.182.18  
London Printed for Nath: Crouch 〈◊〉    

THE SURPRISING MIRACLES OF Nature and Art. In TWO PARTS.  
Containing 

I The Miracles of Nature, or the Strange Signs and Prodigious Aspects and Appearances in the Heavens, the Earth, and the Waters for many Hundred years past, with an Account of the most famous Gomets, and other Prodigies, since the Birth of our Blessed Saviour, and the dreadful Effects of many of them: Also a particular Description of the five Blazing Stars seen in England, within Eighteen years' last passed, and abundance of other unaccountable Accidents and Productions of all kinds, till 1682.  
II. The Miracles of Art, describing the most Magnificent Buildings, and other Curious Inventions in all Ages, as Solomon's Temple, The Seven Wonders of the World, and many more Excellent Structures and Rarities throughout the whole Earth.    
Beautified with divers Sculptures of many Curiosities therein.  
By R. B. Author of the Hist. of the Wars of England; Remarks of London; Wonderful Prodigies; Admirable Curiosities in England; and Extraordinary Adventures of several famous Men.  
London, Printed for Nath. Crouch, at the Bell next Kemp's Coffeehouse in Exchange-Alley, over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhill. 1683.   

To the READER.  
THere is no Person of any Age or Understanding, but must needs acknowledge that the last Forty Years has been as it were an Age of Prodigies and Wonders in these three Kingdoms, so that it may be no former time can parallel so many strange Transactations as have happened in so little space, and therefore as an Ingenious Person says 
A Book of Prodigies is fit  
In times Prodigious to be writ.   
And another Learned Author says, The wise Creator of Heaven and Earth is wont, when the measure of our wickedness comes to the height, rather to inflict upon us Temporal, than Eternal punishments, and to use for our Amendment the Occasion of these Natural Effects, thereby to affright us from the Terror of those sights to a Repentance, and dutiful respect of him; And if we consult History, we shall find, that there hath never been any notable Apparition or Prodigy seen in the Heavens, but it hath been attended in the sequel with more than Ordinary Changes or Troubles here on Earth; Neither is there any one except he hath no Religion, who is not affrighted at Lightning, the clashing noise of Thunder, or an horrible Comet; For God speaks to men not only with the Tongues of men by Prophets, Apostles, and Teachers, but sometimes also by the Elements, and other Extraordinary signs in the Heavens, Earth, or Sea; Upon these Considerations this small Collection of the most remarkable Prodigies since the Creation cannot surely be unseasonable or ungrateful, but may by the Blessing of Heaven cause some Profligate Persons to forsake their evil ways, and thereby divert the just Judgements of the Almighty from being poured down upon this wicked and adulterous Generation. Here are also added many wonders of Art in the Magnificent Structures, and Curious Inventions of all Ages; and it is very apparent, that notwithstanding our high Conceits of the knowledge of this last Age, yet we are obliged to our Ancestors for many, if not most of our present useful and Profitable Arts and Sciences.  
R. B.   

The Surprising Miracles of Nature in the Heavens, Earth, and Waters.  
STrange and Wonderful have been the Miraculous Productions of Nature in all Ages, or rather of the God of Nature, and Divine Providence: St. Auflin, that Famous and Reverend Father of the Church, defineth Miracles to be those things which happen beyond the Expectation, or thought of the Beholder, and begets in him a Miraculous Contemplation, yea, oftentimes horror and amazement; whereof there are two kinds, True and False; the false Miracles are such as are not really as they seem to be, but merely acted by the Power of Nature, although obscure and hid; The True are performed by the Power of God, above and beyond all the Faculties of created Nature, partly to procure Admiration, and partly to confirm the Faith of Men; such were the bringing back of the shadow Ten Degrees in the Dial of Ahaz, for Hezekiah; A Virgin to conceive with Child, and yet remain a Virgin: To draw water out of a hard Rock: To cause the Sea to divide asunder; The Sun to stand still: To cause Manna to fall from Heaven: To turn Water into Wine; and many of the like kind recorded in the Holy Scriptures; And these were formerly used for the Confirming of the Faith both of Jews and Christians; but are not now necessary, since the Writings of the Prophets, Evangelists and Apostles are so generally preached unto all.  
Yet hath not the Almighty left himself without Witness, nor mankind without warnings of approaching Judgements, and Desolations, by Prodigious Signs, and Wonderful Appearances in all times of the World; thereby if possible, to deter them from their Evil Practices, and to induce them to repentance and Reformation; of which the very Heathens were sensible, for we may find in the Roman Histories, that there never happened any Remarkable Prodigy, but the People of every Sex, Age, and Quality, flocked, and ran to their Temples and Altars, making Prayers, and offering Sacrifices to their Gods for appeasing, and pacifying their incensed Wrath; which may condemn the neglect and Contempt that is in those who pretend to own the true Christian Religion, and may teach us to repair to the true God, and implore his mercy and forbearance of pouring his Wrath upon us; In order whereunto it cannot surely be unseasonable, nor unprofitable to Collect out of very approved Authors, the most Remarkable Prodigies or Miracles that have appeared cither in the Heavens, Earth, or Waters, for some Thousands of years in this Kingdom, and many other parts of the World; with the Tremendous Consequences that have succeeded divers of them, as to Wars, Fires, Famines, and other dreadful Calamities in several Nations; upon some of which the Famous Dubartas thus Ingeniously Comments. page 14.  
Here in the night appears a flaming Spire,  
There a fierce Dragon folded all in Fire;  
Here a bright Comet, there a fiery Stream;  
Here Flying Lances, there a burning Beam:  
Here seems a Horned Goat environed round  
With fiery flakes, about the Air to bond;  
There with long bloody Hair, a Blazing-Star  
Threatens the World with Famine, Plague and War.  
To Prince's Death; to Kingdoms many Crosses,  
To all Estates, Inevitable Losses:  
To Herdsmen Rot; To Ploughman hapless seasons;  
To Sailor's storms; To Cities, Civil Treasons.  
I shall therefore proceed to give an Account of the most Famous, and surprising Signs and Wonders which I find recorded in History.  
I. In the time of the Carthaginian War, a River in Italy was observed for near the space of a day, to run perfect Blood; no accident that might cause it being perceived by any. In Hetruria the Heavens were seen to burn; In the City of Arimini 3 Moons were seen in one night by the Inhabitants; all these Prodigies appeared about the end of the first Carthaginian War; In the second War, after Hanno was overcome by Scipio, a Child of a Month old was heard to cry in the Street, Triumphi, Triumphi: In the Fields, near Rome, Ships were discerned in the Sky, and Men in long White Garments were perceived to march towards each other, but never to meet: It likewise reigned Stones, and the Sun and Moon were seen as it were to justle each other; and in the day, two Moons appeared in the Heavens; At Phalascis the Heavens seemed to be rend in sunder, and at Capua the Moon seemed to burn, and to bend down towards the Earth; A Green Palmtree in Naples took Fire, and burned away to Ashes; At Mantua a little Rivulet was turned into blood, and at Rome it reigned blood: An Ox was likewise heard to speak these Words, Cave tibi Roma; Rome look to thyself. Soon after, several large, tall Ships appeared upon the River of Taracina in Spain; The Sun at divers times appeared of a bloody colour, many Temples and Houses in Rome were beaten down with Thunderbolts from Heaven, some of the City's Ensigns, or Field-Colours were observed to sweat Blood; Two Suns appeared in the Heavens, at one time; It likewise reigned Milk and Stones: A Comet in the form of a burning Torch was discerned to reach from the East to the West. In the Vileterman Fields the Earth rend asunder in such huge and frightful breaches, that Trees, and whole Houses were swallowed up in it, and it reigned blood for two whole days together, about which time Hannibal received that notable overthrow by Scipio, which was the destruction of the famous City of Carthage, and the Conquest of that Country to the Romans. Tit. Liv. Hist.  
II. In the year of the World 3417, when Cyrus overcame Croesus, King of the Lydians in Battle, a Child of six Months old is said to have distinctly foretold in a Prodigious and wonderful manner, That his Kingdom should be lost. A Dog and a Serpent spoke very plainly and articulately to King Tarqvinius, of which Sir G. Wharton writes thus.  
When Rome's perverse and giddy multitude  
Dissolved in Tarquin, their Great Monarchy,  
To doom the Act unnatural and Rude;  
'Tis said, a Serpent barked—  
In the year of the World 3842, at Veios in Italy, it reigned Oil extremely, and Wool was also reigned out of the Clouds; In the year that the Great Mithridates K. of Pontus was born, there appeared a huge Comet, which at first seemed but small, but afterwards spread itself so much that it came as far as the Equinoctial Line, so that its extent equalised that Region of the Heavens, which we call the Milky Way; Another Come● likewise appeared in the first year of his Reign, which shined so bright night and day for 70 days together, that the whole Heavens seemed all to be on a lig●●t Fire; for the Tail of it covered the fourth part of the Heavens, and exceeded the Sun in brightness, and also its rising and setting took up the space of four hours. Just before the taking of Aristonicus, a dangerous Enemy to the Romans, news was brought to Rome that the Image of Apollo at Cuma had wept for 4 days together; The Soothsayers were so astonished at the Prodigy, that they had thrown the Image into the Sea, had not the old men at Cuma interceded for it; but the more expert Astrologers said, That thereby the Destruction of Greece was foretold, from whence that Image was brought. Junius Syllanus going Proconsul into Asia, he with his Company saw a spark fall from a Star, which increased in Bulk as it came nearer the Earth, and being grown to the bigness of the Moon, it gave as much light as if it had been a cloudy day, and when it drew up towards Heaven again, it grew into the fashion of a Lamp; When Julius Caesar had crossed the River of Rubicon, contrary to the Decree of the Senate, the Heavens, as foreseeing what miseries were to ensue thereupon, reigned blood, and there happened a horrible Eclipse of the Sun of 10 parts and an half, of which Lucan thus speaks.  
— The Sun hides  
(When mounted in the midst of Heaven he rides)  
In Clouds his burning Chariot, to enfold  
The World in darkness quite; Day to behold  
No Nation hopes.—  
The same day that the Battle between Caesar and Pompey was fought in the Pharsalian Fields, the Image of Victory which stood in the Temple of Minerva at Eulide, was seen to turn its face toward the Temple-door, whereas before it looked to the Altar; At Antioch in Syria, such great noises, and Clamours were heard twice a day about the Walls of the Town, that the People affrighted with the supposed approach of the Enemy, ran out of the City in their Arms; In the Temples of Ptolemais, Organs, and other Instruments were heard to play of themselves, before Julius Caesar was slain in the Senate House; and there being a Colony sent to be planted in Capua, according to the Julian Law, and some Monuments being demolished to lay Foundations for New Houses; In the Tomb of Capys, who was said to be the Founder of Capua, there was found a brazen Table, wherein was engraven in Greek Letters. That whensoever the bones of Capys should be uncovered one of the Julian Family should be slain by the hands of his own Party, and that his blood should be revenged to the great damage of all Italy; At the same time also those Horses, which Caesar had consecrated to Mars, after his passage over Rubicon, did abstain from all kind of Food, and were observed to have drops falling from their Eyes, after such a manner, as if they had shed Tears. Also the Bird Regulus, having a little branch of Laurel in her Mouth, flew with it into Pomp●ys Court, where she was torn in pieces by divers other Birds that pursued her, where also Caesar himself was soon after slain with Twenty three wounds, by Brutus, Cassius, and others. Shortly after his Death about the time of the banishment of Antonius and ●●●idus, an Ox being led out to the Plough, uttered these words to his Master, Why urge you me to work, we shall want no Corn, but men: And a new Born Child did speak. A. B. V●ers Annals. Pearson's Va●●●●es.  
III. About the time that our Lord and Saviour was born, which was in the year of the World, 3849, and the 43 year of the Reign of Augustus Caesar, many wonderful, and remarkable Prodigies shown themselves in the Heavens, and this more frequently than in former years, as Jesphas in his Jewish Antiquities testifies; which unusual sights occasioned the M●gi, or Wise Men of those times, in their Predictions to conclude, That 〈◊〉 more than Ordinary Person would arise, or appear in the World: Which presages some Learned Persons applied to Augustus C●●sar, who then reigned prosperously; But the more divinely inspired, interpreted them to signify him, who (as the Prophet Isaiah saith) should have his Government upon his shoulders, Even the Saviour of the whole World; for besides what the Evangelists mention, as of the Angel appearing to the Shepherds, and that Star which directed the wise men of the East to find out the place 〈…〉.  
As the Earth with a New Sun was blest,  
So th' Heavens with a New Star is dressed.  
It is likewise recorded by Paul Horatius, and Eutropius, Secretaries to Augustus, and likewise by Eusebius, That at the time that Jesus Christ was born, it happened in Rome, that in a public Inn was discovered, and broke forth a Fountain of pure Oil, which for the space of a whole day continually issued out in great abundance, and that at high Noon, in a clear and fair day, a Circle was seen about the Sun, as shining and resplendent as the Sun itself; About the same time, the Senate and People of Rome offered to Augustus the Title of Lord, which he refused, and would not accept of, unknowingly prognosticating that a greater Lord than he, was upon Earth, to whom that Title belonged; Comestor in his Scholastic History affirms, That the same day of the Birth of Christ, the Temple in Rome dedicated by the Romans to the Goddess Pax, fell to the Earth ruined; adding that when it was first built by the Romans, they addressed to the Oracle of Apollo, to know how long time it should endure, who returned answer, Even until a Virgin should bring forth a Child; which they judged impossible, and that therefore their Temple should last Eternally, nevertheless at the Virgins bearing a Child, (even the King of Heaven) it fell to the Earth. Lucas de Tuy in his Chronicle of Spain writes, That he hath found in the Ancient Histories of that Country, That by Computation of time; the same night wherein our Saviour was born, there appeared in Spain at midnight a Cloud, which gave so great a Light, that it seemed like midday. I remember also (saith my Author) I have read in St, Jerom, That when the Virgin fled with her Son into Egypt, all the Idols and Images of the Gods which were there, tumbled from their Altars to the Ground; And that the Oracles and Answers which these Gods (or rather Devils) used to give to such questions as were propounded to them, then ceased, and never answered afterwards: Rarities of the Creation. p. 84.  
iv About the first year after the Birth of Christ, there were many Prodigious Births in Germany; Armies in the Air were seen at Rome; A terrible Eclipse of the Sun, and dreadful storms of Hail and Rain. Soon after, Tiberius obtains a Victory in Germany, and subdues the Lombard's; The Panonians Rebel: A very great Famine in Rome: Varus is defeated, and killeth himself. About the Twelfth year there was a great Earth●●ake in C●prus, which overthrew many Cities: Jesus Christ disputes with the Doctors, a great and terrible Comet then seen; The Light of the Sun was seen apparently to fail; The Heavens seemed to burn: Fiery beams fell from Heaven; Bloody Comets seen in other places: The River Tiber overfloweth Rome, 13 Cities in Africa destroyed with an Earthquake; Noisome Flies come in great Swarms and Companies into Germany; The Effects whereof were judged to be, that a while after A●●●●s, a great Commander was slain by the ●all of an Horse, Calig●ia that Monster of Mankind was born, King Agrippa was slain, and Julia Daughter of the Emperor Augustus was starved to Death; Caesar dyeth; The Britain's are subdued, In his 22 year Blood reigned in Rome; Great Flocks of Grasshopper; Armies seen fight in the Air in Rome and Po●●●d; Fiery Torches a blazing Star like a Sword; soon after, 〈◊〉 Theatre was burned: Sejanus, chief ●●●ourite to the Emperor Tiberius, is executed for A●●●ition his Son strangled, his Daughter first deflowered by the Hangman, and then put to Death; Drus●s the Emperor's Son is poisoned; The Arabians defeat H●●od; the City of T●●●ias is drowned, Tiberius turned T●●ant, and commits all m●nner of horrid Cru●●ies upon the Romans. Natura Prodig. p. 43.  
V In the Thirty Fourth year of our Blessed Saviour's Life, he was crucified by the wicked hands of the● Jews, which produced prodigious Effects, that were afterward attested as well by Heathens, as Christians; at the time of his Death a very great darkness happened in the day time, which continued from six a Clock, till nine; and yet there was no Eclipse of the Sun, for it was at a full Moon, so that it was miraculous, and contrary to the Order of Nature, and only by the power of God, who deprived the Sun of its light for that space of time; And therefore Dennis the Areopagite, being that day in Athens, and seeing the Sun so darkened, and also knowing as a man learned in Astrology, and the course of the Heaven's, that such an Eclipse must needs be contrary to the Rule of Nature, spoke with a loud voice, saying, Either the World is at an end, or the God of Nature suffers: and upon this Account (say some Authors) the Wise Men of Athens being astonished at this Prodigy, they presently caused an Altar to be built to the Unknown God, after which St. Paul coming thither, reproved them for it, declaring to them, that Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the World, who had suffered, was that Unknown God, whereby he Converted many of them to the Christian Faith; which doth also demonstrate that the darkness was over the whole Hemisphere, since it was seen at Athens, and other places far remote from Jerusalem; Yea the Moon being then at full, and having no light, but what she hath from the splendour of the Sun, and being then in the Firmament that is under us, she came to be violently eclipsed and darkened, so that the darkness was universal over all the World, because the Moon and Stars can give no light, unless they receive it first from the Sun.  
It was likewise very observable, and is acknowledged by the famous Historian Plutarch, though a Heathen, that after the Death of Christ, not only the Oracles of Egypt, but throughout the World ceased, of which he can give no reason, (being ignorant of Christianity) but that there were some Devils or Demons dead; However it was very remarkable, that Satan should so plainly demonstrate himself to be subdued and overcome, immediately after the Death of our Saviour, that he could never after give any answers. The Words of Plutarch to Emilius the Orator, a prudent, and humble man concerning this matter (of which Eusebius writ to Theodorus as a thing of great note) are as followeth, That his Father coming one time by Sea toward Italy, and coasting by night about an Island not inhabited, called Paraxis, when all in the ship were silent and at rest, they heard a great and fearful voice which came from that Island, that called upon Alaman, who was Pilot of the Ship, and an Egyptian born, now though this voice was heard once or twice by Alaman and others, yet no man had the Courage to answer, till at the third Call, he answered, Who is there, who is it that calls, and what would you have? Then the voice spoke more high and loud, and said to him, Alaman, I require that when you pass near the Gulf of Laguna, you remember to cry out aloud, and make them to understand that the Great God Pan is dead; At these Words all that were in the Ship were much astonished, and at last after Consultation concluded, that the Pilot should take no notice of the voice, nor slay in the Gulf to utter such words, if they could possibly go beyond it; but go on in their Voyage; But coming to the place which the voice had mentioned, the ship stood still, and the Sea was calm without wind, so that they could sail no farther, whereupon they all resolved that Alaman should perform his Ambassage, and so he placed himself in the Poop of the Ship, and cried out as loud as he could, saying; Be it known unto you that the Great God Pan is dead; He had no sooner uttered these words, but there were so many mournful cries, groans, and woeful Lamentations that all the Air resounded again therewith; these Complaints continued for some time, and extremely surprised those in the Ship; but having afterward a prosperous Gale, they followed on their Course, and being arrived at Rome, told of this Adventure, which coming to the Ears of Tiberius, the Emperor desired to be informed of the Truth thereof, and had the former particulars fully confirmed to him; whereby it is evident, that the Devils in all parts were chased and banished from the World by the death of the Blessed Jesus, and it is to be supposed that this Great God Pan is not to be restrained only to the God of the Shepherds, but was rather some great Master Devil, who had now lost his power and Empire, as the others had before. In the days of the aforesaid Tiberius, the Emperor, Publius Lentulus being at that time Precedent in Judea, writ an Epistle sometime before this to the Senate of Rome, which was as followeth.  
There appeared in these our days a man of great Virtue called Jesus Christ, who is yet living amongst us, and of the People is accepted for a Prophet, but his own Disciples call him the Son of God; He raiseth the Dead, and cureth all manner of Diseases; A man of stature somewhat tall, and comely, with a very reverend Countenance, such as the Beholders may both Fear and Love; His Hair is of the Colour of a Chestnut full ripe, and plain almost down to his ears, but from the ears downward, somewhat curled, and more Orient of colour, waving about his shoulders: In the midst of his head goeth a seam, or partition of his Hair after the manner of the Nazarites: His forehead very plain and smooth; His Face without spot or wrinkle, beautified with a comely red; His Nose and Mouth so form, that nothing can be reprehended; His Beard somewhat thick, agreeable in colour to the Hair of his Head, not of any great length, but forked in the midst; of an Innocent look, his Eyes grey, clear, and quick: In reproving he is severe in admonishing, courteous, and fairspoken; pleasant in speech, mixed with gravity; It cannot be remembered that any have seen him laugh, but many have seen him weep; in proportion of Body well shaped and straight; his hands and Arms very delectable to behold; in speaking, very temperate, modest and wise; A man for his singular beauty, exceeding the Children of men.  
Josephus likewise, a Jew by Nation and descent, in his Antiquities hath these words; In these very times lived Jesus, a very wise man, if it be lawful to call him a Man, because in truth he did marvellous things, and was Master and Tutor to them that loved him, and sought the Truth; The Jews and Gentiles Assembled unto him, and followed him in great Companies; And though he was afterward accused by some of the Chief of our Religion, and crucified, yet he was not forsaken by those who before followed him; and three days after his death he appeared alive unto them, according as the Prophets inspired by God, had foretold and prophesied of him; And now even in our time the Doctrine and the name of Christians continues, and is spread over all the World; These are the words of Josephus who writ of the destruction of Jerusalem, as an eye-witness, which happened forty years after the Death of Christ. Josephus Antiquit.  
VI In the 39 year, after the birth of our Saviour, a very great Light was seen in the Heavens, and a voice encountered Saul going to Damascus (to prosecute the Christians with all severity) which said unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me, etc. This Prodigy was the Forerunner of St. Paul's Conversion; At this time that Tyrannical Emperor Caligula, commanded himself to be worshipped as a God, and executed divers Roman Knights and Gentlemen for refusing it. In 47. The Heavens seemed wonderfully to burn, and a Comet of a very great magnitude appeared for many days together; Lightning fell from Heaven upon the Standards of the Praetorian Soldiers; soon after Vespasian goeth into Britain, and taketh the Isle of Wight; The Romans overcome the Picts in Scotland; Herod dyeth; Twenty Thousand Jews are slain between the Gates of the Temple; Messalina the Empress forces Silvis to put away his Wife, and then is married to him, but they were both slain. In 50. A Phoenix was seen in Egypt, and an Island of thirty Furlongs in length appeared in the Sea, which was never before seen; Three Suns appeared at one time in Rome; and in and about the Coasts of England, for certain days the Sea seemed as blood; A Comet of a very great magnitude appeared for a long time together in Italy; The Effects were, a very great Famine in Rome; Domitian the Roman Tyrant born, The whole Country of Trevers in Germany is wasted by Clodomore; The Emperor Claudius is poisoned by Agrippina; Three thousand Romans are defeated in Scotland, Agrippa poisoneth Sylanus, also Narcissus for seventeen Millions of Money, and likewise poisoneth Brittanicus: Nero gins his Acts of Villainy; Cartismunda, Queen in Britain rejects Venutius her Husband; he makes War against her, the King of Scots takes her, and buries her alive. In 59 There was a terrible Eclipse of the Sun, so that the Stars were seen; Nero's Supper was burnt with Lightning; an Earthquake happened at Rome, and the Sun was Eclipsed again, and again, that is three times visibly in 3 years; Many Jews perish in Caesaria; Nero commits Incest with his Mother, The Britain's slay Seventy Thousand of the Romans, and Suetonius destroys Fourscore Thousand Britain's, as he comes from the Isle of Anglesey; St. Mark writes his Gospel.  
In 63. A great Comet appears, There was a very great Inundation in England; The Ocean seemed to be blood; A Prodigious Accident was seen at Colchester in England, where the Image of Victory turned backward of itself; An Earthquake in Asia; A Comet appeared six Months, and three Suns together; Rome is fired by the Command of Nero, who rejoices in that Villainy, playing upon his Harp, and singing the Destruction of Troy; This year the Jews rebel against the Romans, and many of them were slain, Gassius Florus being killed by them. Boadicia Queen of the Britain's being assisted by Corbred King of Scots, killeth Seventy Thousand Romans. Natura Prodig. p. 46.  
VII. In the Sixty Seventh year after the Birth of our Saviour, and about the Fortieth after, the Jews had with cruel hands crucified the Lord of Life, that innocent blood which they desired might fall upon them and their Children, began to be revenged upon them; for soon after the Romans came, and burnt down, and destroyed the City and Temple of Jerusalem, and killed multitudes of them, as by the sequel will appear; but before these woeful Desolations happened, there wanted not Prodigious Signs, and warnings from Heaven of their Approaching Miseries: For the year before Vespasian came against them, there was seen a Star over the Temple so bright, as if a man had held many drawn swords in his hand; And at the same time which was the Passover, that whole night the Temple was light and clear as at Noonday, and continued so seven nights together; which wise men understood to be a very ill Prognostic, though others thought it good. A Sword, and other Instruments of War were seen hanging in the Air directly over the City, very dreadful to behold. The same time likewise they brought a Heifer for a Sacrifice, which when she was knocked down, she calved a Lamb; besides there was a certain Gate, called the East-gate, which could never be opened or shut without the help of Twenty men, and the creaking of the hinges might be heard afar off; This Gate was found open without any man's help, and they could not shut it, till a great number joined their strength; Moreover there was discerned on the Sanctum Sanctorum, or Holies of Holies, a whole night long the face of a man very terrible. There appeared also at the same time four Chariots with Horsemen fight fiercely against each other, and great Blasts of Fire in the sky coming toward Jerusalem; In the Feast of weeks the Priests heard a man walking in the Temple, and saying with a wonderful terrible voice; Come let us go away out of this Temple; let us make haste away from hence; At that time also there was this writing found graven on an old Stone, At what time the building of the Temple shall be brought to a four square, than it shall be destroyed; Now when the Temple was besieged, and the Walls bruised, the Jews making haste to repair the Ruins, without remembrance of the old writing, they made the Temple four square; These words were likewise found in the Walls of the Sanctum Sanctorum, When the whole building of the Temple shall be four square, then shall a King reign over Israel, and that King and Ruler shall reign over all the Land of Israel: Some interpreted this of the King of Israel, but the Priests said, it was meant of the King of the Romans.  
These were the dreadful Presages of their ensuing Calamities, which never ended till the whole People were almost utterly destroyed, and they ceased to be any more a Nation, which sad Judgement remains upon them to this day, and whereof I shall here give a brief Account; The beginning of their troubles happened in the time of King Agrippa, during whose Reign, the Wars began between the Jews and Romans which never ceased, till the people of Judea were led captive into the Provinces of the Romans, and the Temple was made desolate, the rise whereof was on this occasion. In the Twentieth year of his Reign the ninth day of the First Month, which is July, Nero, Emperor of Rome sent a Present for a  Offering to be offered at the Temple of Jerusalem, requiring peace of the Elders of Judea and Jerusalem, and that they would enter into League with him, saying, My request is that you would offer my Present to the Lord your God, for his service and Religion pleaseth me very well; therefore I desire you to join in Friendship with me, according as you have done with the Emperors of Rome, my Predecessors in time past; I have heard what Cassius the Captain of mine Army hath done to you, which displeaseth me out of measure, wherefore I assure unto you a faithful League, by the Consent and Counsel of the Senate of Rome, that hereafter there shall never any Roman Captain stir hand or foot against you, but rather your Magistrates, Rulers, and Judges, shall be all Jews, and of Jerusalem; Yea Agrippa your King shall be Lord of all your Rulers, and what he commands, you shall do it; the Romans shall only be called your Lords, and shall have no more to do with you.  
When these Ambassadors came to Jerusalem, they delivered their Message to Anani the Priest, and placed Nero's present before him, which was, a Bull for a Burnt-Offering, with a Crown of Gold upon his head, his Horns were also covered with Gold; upon his Body was a Cloth of Purple, adorned with precious Stones, before him some Persons carried Ten Talents of Gold, and behind a great number of Sheep followed for Peace-Offerings; But when Eleasar the Son of Anani heard of it, he came and turned Nero's Presents out of the Temple, saying, We will not profane and unhallow the Sanctuary of our Lord with the Offerings of Strangers; for God will not accept either their Burnt-Offerings, or Peace-Offerings. When he had thus spoke, he sounded a Trumpet, and set his Men in Array against the Guards of the Romans who were quartered in Jerusalem, and falling suddenly upon them, slew many of them that day, with one of their Captains, and took another of them alive, who being a Valiant man, and seeing himself overpowred by the Jews, he cried out, save my Life, and I will yield; upon which Eleazar the Rebel swore, That he would not kill him, but spare him for his valour, he having slain many of the Jews in the Conflict, whereupon the Captain yielded himself Prisoner; Then said Eleazar to him; Even as thy sword hath made many Women Childless, so shall thy Mother be made childless of thee above all others; and thereupon, contrary to his Oath, he commanded his Servants to kill him; King Agrippa seeing this, was extremely troubled, and therefore as he stood in the street, cried out, O thou Rebel Eleasar, I pray God that this mischief, of which thou art the cause, and thy wickedness may fall upon thee, and thy Father's House, which when it cometh to pass, we shall not be disturbed thereat; It seems hard to keep Peace and Tranquillity in thy days, for they are not like to be continued by thee; How long wilt thou go on to bring us into Briers, thou Enemy and hater of the Lord? Why dost thou destroy and waste the Vineyard of the Lord God of Hosts.  
To whom Eleazar replied, Why takest thou upon thee the Name of King? If thou be a King, why dost not thou command us to be punished? Where be thy valiant Soldiers? Let us see them? Come thou and they together and chasten us, that it may appear whether thou indeed be a King or no; Thou standest afar off, and when thou speakest, thy Feet are ready to run away, as if a Dog should set himself against an armed Man, and bark at him, lolling out his Tongue. And upon this he winked upon the Rebels his Companions to seize upon Agrippa, which was observed by a spy appointed by the King for that purpose, who laying his hand upon his head, gave a sign to the King to flee away immediately, or else, the Seditious would destroy both him and them together; Agrippa perceiving this, got away with all speed, the Rebels pursuing him, but in vain; for he got into Japho a Town under the Romans, where he was in safety; from thence he went to Rome, and gave an account to Nero both of the sedition, and the slighting of his Offering; whereupon Nero joined him with Cassius to command a great Army, wherewith they entered Judea, and won many walled Towns, and razed Japho, lest it should fall into the hands of the Enemy; After this they marched toward Jerusalem, designing utterly to destroy the Rebels; which Eltaser, and other Priests having notice of, they issued out against them, and found them encamped in the way between Jerusalem and Japho, where many of the Jews were slain by the Romans, and the residue Cassius and Agrippa put to flight, and following the Chase to the Gates of Jerusalem, besieged the City three days; The Fourth day the Priests and People issued out suddenly, and unawares, upon the Camp of the Romans, and slew five Thousand Footmen, and a Thousand Horsemen, Cassius perceiving that neither he nor his could escape, chose out Forty Thousand of his best Soldiers, and placed them between his Camp, and the Priests, commanding them to stand all the night sounding their Trumpets, and making of Fires, and not to remove out of their places till the morning, that hereby, he and Agrippa might escape; The Jews harkening to the sound of the Trumpets, and not understanding the meaning, did not pursue the Romans, but perceiving in the morning they were gone toward Caesarea three days Journey off, Eleasar with the People followed, and found the Roman baggage strewed in the way, that they had thrown away to escape the lighter, which they let alone, and pursued them to the Gates of Caesarea.  
But Cassius and Agrippa got safe into the Town, from whence they went together to Rome, and gave an Account of their ill success to Nero, who soon after sent Vespasian, and his Son Titus to revenge the Romans on the Jews, commanding them to raze their walled Cities, and destroy whatever they found, without sparing either Man, Woman, Child, Infants, sucking Babes, or Old Folks, but to slay all; The Jews having Intelligence of this, chose out three Captains, Josephus the writer of this History, Anani and Eleasar his Son, to be their Captains, Vespasian first invaded Galilee, which being the lot that fell to Joseph to defend, he departed from Jerusalem thither, and built up the Towns that were destroyed, repairing the Walls, Gates, Bars, and Palaces; ordaining also Captains over the People to lead and govern them, some of Thousands, and some of Hundreds, etc. He instructed the People also in the Feats of War, and choosing out Threescore Thousand Footmen, and some Horsemen, he marched to the Cities of Agrippa that were in Judea, because he joined with the Romans with all the power he could make; Joseph therefore first approached Tiara, a great City that belonged to Agrippa, where his Treasure, and Ammunition, and all his Jewels were, and offered Peace to the Inhabitants upon Condition they would open their Gates, and deliver him all the Riches and Treasures of Agrippa, which if they would do, they should be safe in their Persons and Estates; upon these Conditions they opened the Gates, and Joseph commanded about Six Hundred Wicked Persons in the Town to be laid in Irons, and others who had aided Vespasian to be put to the Sword; But the chief Governor of the Town he apprehended alive, and carrying him out of the City, commanded one of the Soldiers to cut off his hands; The Governor then besought Joseph saying, I beseech thee my Lord let one of my hands only be cut off, and spare the other; At which Joseph and his Soldiers laughed him to scorn, not judging him a man of courage; Joseph then bid them give him his sword in his own hands, and to let him cut off which hand he would; The Roman Captain took the Sword, and cut off his left hand, leaving himself the Right, and so he was let go, who went presently to the Camp of Vespasian, declaring what shame was done unto him.  
After this the City of Zippory made a League with Vespasian, of which Joseph being certified, he marched thither with his Army, but the Town endured the assault, so that Joseph could not prevail against it, and therefore besieged it a long while; In the mean time Askalon revolted from the Jews to the Romans, which was thereupon besieged by some Jews from Jerusalem; but Antonius a Roman Captain issuing out one morning before day, fell upon the Jewish Camp, and before day light, had slain above Ten Thousand Jews; soon after those of Jerusalem sent Eighteen Thousand Men more to Askalon to bury the bodies of the Jews that that were slain, which they did without the least opposition of the Romans, who kept themselves within the Town for fear of them; Then Joseph gathering all his Forces together, assaulted Askelon with his whole Army, and won it, slaying afterward Anthony and all his People with the Sword, so that few or none escaped; He likewise burned all the Villages and Hamlets about the Town, and in all other Places which had entered League with the Romans, he flew both Jews and Romans, and burned their Houses to the ground; This done Joseph returned again to Zippory, fought with them, and conquered them, burning their Cities and Villages, and leading their Wives and Children Prisoners to Jerusalem, and all the Romans he found there, he put them to death. Of which Transactions, when Vespasian and Titus had an Account, they were very much enraged, and therefore marching to Acho, where K. Agrippa then was with Forty Thousand stout Soldiers; they joined with them, being likewise assisted with very great Numbers of Men out of all the Nations round about Jerusalem; with this vast Army they went from Acho to Galilee, and pitched their Tents in the Mount; which Joseph hearing, issued out of Zippory with all his Army, set upon them, and slew a multitude of them; Vespasian and Titus studying revenge, resolved to surprise Joseph, and beset all the passages to that purpose, which Joseph understanding, left Zippory, and went to Tiberias, whither Vespasian followed; Joseph perceiving them coming, fled from thence to Jorpata, the biggest City in Galilee, closed up the Gates, and there remained with his Army.  
Then Vespasian sent several Noblemen as Ambassadors to Joseph, who thus addressed themselves to him; Vespasian, General of the Roman Army sends to know what it will avail you to be thus blocked up in a walled Town, he desires rather that you would come forth, and treat peaceably with him, and enter into a League together, for it will be for your benefit to serve Caesar Emperor of Rome, whereby you may live, and not be destroyed, nor any of your People; Then Joseph sent Ambassadors to Vespasian, desiring Truce for a few days, to consult with the People about this matter; which he agreed to, and Joseph sent to the chief Priests and Rulers of Jerusalem, and the rest of the People the following Letter; Ye shall understand Brethren, that Vespasian General of the Romans, sent his Ambassadors unto me enquiring what it would avail me to be obstinate against them, and not rather to come forth and treat of Peace, and to join in League together, that we may serve the Emperor of the Romans, so that we may save our lives, and not be destroyed; And I beseech ye, why will you lose your lives, with the lives of your Wives, your Sons, and your Daughters? Why will you all fall together on the sword, 
The Dreadful Apparitious and Presages seen over the City of jerusalem Page. 14  whereby those that shall be left alive among you, shall be led Captive out of your Country to a People which they never knew, and whose Language they understand not; and likewise your Country shall be made desolate, your Sanctuary laid waste, so that there shall not be so much as one man to enter into it; Never suffer this you that are wise men, but rather receive my Counsel, and come hither to us, that we may consult together, what conditions of Peace we shall make for the safety of our Lives, rather than be destroyed, and that we may enjoy the blessings of our Country and live at peace therein, for Life and quietness is to be preferred before Death and Banishment.  
But the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, with the Priests, Elders, and Noblemen of Judea, and the rest of the People, returned this answer to Joseph; Take heed to thyself that thou never consent to receive Conditions of peace from the Romans, but be strong to fight, till such time as thou shalt consume them, or till thou, and all the People die in Battle, and so shalt thou fight the Battles of the Lord for his people and his Sanctuary, and the Cities of our God, in the mean season let it be as it will, but let not thy power be with them. When Joseph heard this Resolution of the People for continuance of the War, he was exceeding angry, and in great fury fell upon the Roman Army with all his Forces; in which skirmish, very many of the Jews were slain, and from that day forward Vespasian began more fiercely to War upon the Jews; He marched thence to G●rara a great City in the higher Galilee, which he besieged, took, and razed to the Ground, slaying all the people. Men, Women, and Children; Oxen, Sheep, Camels and Asses, leaving nothing alive, and then said. Now I begin to be revenged for the Romans which the Jews murdered in the Land of Judea; From thence be came to Jorpata, where Joseph was; The first day he encamped about it, refreshing his Soldiers with plenty of meat and drink, and then furnished every man with Arms; The next morning early, the Roman Army gave a great shout, and beset the City round about on every side, Joseph standing upon an high Tower, beheld the mighty Army of the Romans, and thereupon founding a Trumpet, gave a sign to the Battle, issuing out with the whole power of the Jews upon the Roman Camp, at the foot of the Hill; and maintaining the Fight from morning till night, at which time it being dark, the Jews retreated into the Town, and the Romans to their Camp; the next day the Fight was renewed, and so the third and fourth day, wherein many were destroyed on both sides; For the Romans advanced confidently, and stoutly to the Battle, boastingly saying, We will quickly vanquish this little Nation, as we have subdued all others against whom we have fought, and they shall trouble us no more, and then shall we be at rest; The Jews likewise on the other side encouraged themselves against the Romans, saying, At this time we will all die together for the Zeal to the Sanctuary of our God, and will never suffer these unclean Persons to pollute it, and having once destroyed them, we shall be quiet ever after. So that what with the Pride of the Romans on the one side, and the stiffnecked stubbornness of the Jews on the other, much people perished of either Party.  
At this time the Jews who dwelled about Jorpata, fled to the Camp of Vespasian, and joined with the Romans, and always when Joseph skirmished with Vespasian without the City, Vespasian sent a Party to assault the City, so that Joseph and his Men fought with Vespasian without the Town, and the Jews within defended the Walls against the Romans, but those within daily diminished, and the chiefest of joseph's Army were slain, except some few with whom Joseph fled, and recovered the Town, and stopped up the Gates after him; But Vespasian having a long time besieged Jorpata, he at length espied a Conduit of sweet Water without the Walls, which ran into the City, the Citizens drinking thereof because it was good, this he cut off, whereby the Inhabitants were destitute of drink, having only Well-water, which Joseph perceiving, and judging that the Romans would now think they might take them at pleasure, since they must die for Thirst; He thereupon took Garments, and dipped them in the Well-waters in the Town, and hanged them over the Walls in several places to declare they had plenty of Water. Then Vespasian commanded a Mount to be raised nigh the Town, to plant an Iron Ram, wherewith to batter and beat down the Walls; which they did so furiously, that Joseph perceiving them to shake, filled sacks of Chaff, and hanged them down by the Walls, which by their softness prevented the Force of the Iron Horns of the Ram; which Policy Vespasian observing, he sent secretly into the Town some Jews as spies, who should cut the ropes of the sacks, and then slip down the Walls with them, thereby to be secured from danger, and several other devices were used on each side.  
But Joseph perceiving the War to increase daily, he issued out with his Forces, and made a great slaughter in the Camp of the Romans, burning the Mount and Engines of War they had left behind them, and forcing them to retire from the Walls; Vespasian perceiving his men shrink, stood up and encouraged them so much with good Words and large Promises of Gold and Silver, that they continued the Fight against Joseph till night; In the hear of the Battle, the Jews wounded Vespasian in the Right beg with an Arrow, which much dismayed the Romans to see the blood run down: Titus seeing his Father wounded, was much disturbed, and ran to help him; to whom his Father said, How comes it my Son that thou art so much astonished, Take heart to thee, and with undaunted Courage revenge thy Father upon the Jews, who have now the better of us. The Fight was that day exceeding bloody on both sides, very few being left of joseph's Party, who returned into the Town. The next morning the Romans raised a new Mount, and renewed their Assaults; the City was now almost desolate, most of the valiant men being already slain, so that Joseph with those few left, and likewise the Women went to defend the Walls; The Engines throwing stones on every side, it happened that a great stone struck a Woman with Child with such violence, that it passed through her body, and carried the Child with it the space of half a mile; another stone hit one of Joseph's chief Commanders with such force, that it divided his head from his body, and made it fly a mile off; At the same time a Roman Soldier was got under the Wall, and just going to shoot Joseph with an envenomed Arrow, which he espying, cried out, Hold thy hand wicked fellow, and do not kill me; at which the man starting aside, the Jews out of the Town suddenly poured boiling Oil on his Head from the Walls, whereby his skin was scalded off, and he ran away naked, howling and yelling to the Roman Camp, where he died.  
Vespasian and his Sun were fully resolved to continue the siege, which had already lasted 47 days, and those within the Town were so tired out, that they were no longer able to supply the watch upon the Walls, which Vespasian understanding, he and his Son Titus one night scaled the Walls in a place where the Watchmen were wanting, being followed by many other Roman Soldiers, who went down on the inside, and breaking open the Great Gate of the Town, the whole Roman Army entered thereat, and then sounded their Trumpets, and an Alarm to battle; The Jews with the noise and Tumult awaked from sleep very much afraid, however every man catcht up his Arms, and with all speed repaired to the Marketplace, which was made so large, that all the People of the City might upon occasion meet together; As they were looking about, they saw the Roman Army marching through the great Gate toward them, whereupon they encouraged each other, saying, Let us die here fight, and never suffer ourselves to be taken alive: and then they fell upon the Romans, but being overpowred, most of the Citizens were slain in the skirmish, they refusing to yield or take quarter, because they would not trust the Faith of the Romans; For a while before a certain Jew besought a Roman Soldier to save his Life, which he swore he would, saying, God deal thus and thus with me if I kill thee, therefore yield thyself to me: The Jew required him to give his right hand in Token of his Fidelity, but the Roman reached him his left, which the Jew, being extremely astonished, did not observe; But when the Roman had once hold of him, he held him fast by that hand, and with his right hand slew the Jew with his sword, who was then naked and unarmed, having cast away his weapon upon the Oath made to him by the Roman; when the other Jews observed this Treachery, they resolved to die altogether, and never trust the Romans, and thereupon fell on them, and slew many, yet at length the City was taken.  
However, Joseph, and Forty stout men his Companions made their escape, and fled into a Wood, where they found a certain Cave, and hid themselves therein; of which Vespasian having notice, sent three Persons to Joseph to desire him to come forth, and he should have his Life, and not be slain; upon which Joseph debated the matter with the rest in the Denrequiring their advice; For my part (saith he) if you will follow my Counsel, I think it best that we go to them, but upon this Condition; That they will give us such full security for our Lives as we shall require, which being done, I doubt not but Vespasian when we come to him, will extend his favour to us; But they perceiving that Joseph inclined to yield to the Romans, were very much disturbed, and persuaded him, That it would not be for his credit to save his life with the loss of his Honour, and therefore resolved to kill each other, and die like men; and thereupon each man drew out his sword, and came to him in the midst of the Cave, saying, Joseph our Prince hear thou; If thou wilt be ruled by us, we will first kill thee as our Lord, and a great Prince, and thou shalt choose what Death thou wilt die, that thou mayst die Honourably; but if thou refuse to die bravely, assure thyself of this, that every man of us will set upon thee, and kill thee: Joseph endeavoured by many Arguments at large, to divert them from their wicked purpose, as proceeding rather from desperation and cowardice, than true Courage; But nothing would prevail, he therefore subtly told them; My Brethren since you are determined to die on your own swords, let us divide into Couples, and cast Lots which Couple shall die first, then ●hall they also cast Lots which of then shall kill his Fellow, and he that remaineth shall choose one of the second couple to kill men; likewise the second couple shall cast Lots in the same ma●●●er, and so till all be slain, that we may not see the Captivity of our people; and the last Couple shall either can upon each others swords, or else cast Lots who shall ●●ve first; but since we are Forty one, and so cannot be equally divided, let us cast Lots which shall first be slain, and when he is once out of the way, let us divide as I have said.  
Every man liked this advice, and desired him to divide the Men, Joseph answered, But let us swear by the Name of the Lord that this device shall stand: Which they accordingly did; Then Joseph cast Lots, who should be the odd man, and it fell upon Jehoida a Galilean, a valiant man, and one of the chiefest Councillors of Joseph, and the principal persuader of this wicked Fact to kill themselves; After this he craftily divided them into Couples, so that the Lot of his own Couple came forth last of all, who hoped to be saved, trusting in God, and believing that he would deliver him from this abominable deed; Then Jehoida chose him one of the first couple, who slew him; That done, the first couple cast Lots between them, and the one killed his Fellow, and chose him one of the second couple to kill him, and in this manner did they all, till they were all slain, and none left alive but Joseph and his Fellow, who said to Joseph, Come let us cast Lots, that we may go to our Brethren; Joseph said, We will do so if you be so disposed but first hear me a few words, have not these sinners rebelled against God in thus murdering themselves so shamefully, neither could I by any means dissuade them, nor divert them from their opinion, why should we sin so grievously against God and our own souls; If thou say, how shall we do by reason of the Oath we have sworn? Dost thou not know that a wicked Oath is better broken than kept, and this is a breach of one of the Ten Commandments, which saith expressly Thou shalt not kill. Now therefore my Brother if thou wilt be ruled by me, thoushalt save both thy own Life and mine, For I will not cast Lots, neither will I perform the Oath we have sworn, as being directly contrary to the Law of God; but if thou wilt not, I will fight with thee, and kill thee, and spare myself; And herewith Joseph leapt back, and drew his Sword in his own defence, His Companion knowing Joseph too strong for him, stirred neither hand nor foot, but said, Lo I am content, do what thou thinkest good, because thou art a man of God, and half saved thine own life and mine.  
Then Joseph called out of the Cave to Nicanor, offering to come forth with all that were left alive upon security given, which Nicanor readily gave in writing, after the manner of the Romans, and reached it into the Cave upon a Spear, than Joseph and his Companion came forth, and Nicanor embraced him, kissed him, and wept abundantly with him, especially at the Relation of the cruel stubbornness of those self-murdering Jews; Then Joseph was brought to Vespasians Army, who with Titus his Son, received him very kindly, and carried him about with him through the Cities, together with King Agrippa; then Vespasian marched to Caesarea a great City, where he had Intelligence that the Citizens of Paphos spoiled the Islands with their Ships, upon which an Ambush was laid without the Town, and when the Pirates were gone abroad to rove, Vespasian entered the Town and took it without any great refistance, because their Soldiers were absent; when the Rovers therefore returned with their Navy, and saw the Romans in the City, they endeavoured to land, but a huge Tempest and mighty storm, drove all their Ships which were on the Seashore upon the Rocks; where many were drowned, and those who swum to Land, the Romans slew, so that hereby above Four Thousand stout Soldiers perished, which with those that were slain in the Town, amounted to Forty Thousand, all Jews. Then Vespasian sent his Son Titus, who with his Forces won all the walled Towns in Galilee, saving the Lives of those which yielded, and killing such as resisted: He restored likewise to Agrippa all the Cities in Galley which belonged to him, except T●a●va. which he utterly razed, slaying all the men who were fit for War, and selling their Wives and Children, this being the only 〈◊〉 all Galilee, where T●tus shown such severity.  
Then Ves●a●ian went to Gamala a City upon the top 〈…〉, near which was another Town called 〈◊〉; They both belonged to Agrippa, who therefore desired Vispasian that he might go and treat with them, and thereby prevent the destruction of the place, and accordingly the King went peaceably to them, and they received him very courteously, (though they intended Treachery) saying; Thou art our Lord and King, to whom therefore doth all that is of any value, or t● be desired in all Israel belong but unto thee, therefore co●●near unto us, and debate the matter with thy Servants: Agrippa crediting their words, came up close to the Wall, and as he listened to those who talked with him, one threw a great stone from the Wall, which fell just between his shoulders with such violence, that it struck him to the ground, and broke his back almost, and one of his Arms; His Servants stepped to him, and taking him up, carried him to V●s●●sian who seeing him so terribly hurt, swore he would never go from thence till he had taken the City, which he soon after accomplished, killing every man, and leaving none alive; in like manner as at Tiarva; He came then to Nascala, which was the only City of defence left throughout all Galilee, and hitherto reforted many Cutthroats, and Wicked Persons of the Lond of Judea, amongst whom was Jehochanan a m●n learned and witty to do mischief, and of cunning eloquence; Titus was sent to offer them Peace, but 〈◊〉 would not let the Romans speak to the People, but told them, the next day was the Feast of Weeks, or Whitsunday, and the third day they should have an answer; But the night before the third day, Jehochanan, and his Accomplices got privately out of the Town, and fled toward Jerusalem; the next day the People sent word they desired friendship with the Romans; and Titus hearing that Jehochanan and his Company were fled that night toward Jerusalem, he sent to pursue him, and overtook some men, women, children and impotent Persons, and slew them all, returning with great spoil.  
Titus having gained all the Cities in Galilee, Vespasian marched to Mount Tabor, which is continually covered with Snow, the height thereof being Thirty Furlongs, and upon the top is a Plain of Twenty three Furlongs; this Mountain he took, and the Town which stood thereon; But Jehochanan being come to Jerusalem, associated himself with a great number of Murderers, and bloodthirsty Villains, who came out of all Judea, upon pretence to defend the Sanctuary of the Lord, and Anani the High Priest received all that came; These observing the valour and courage of Jehochanan, revolted from Anani, and joined with him; and consulting together, they resolved to rob all the Rich men of the City, and began quarrels with them in this manner, when they met any wealthy Person, they thus accosted him: Art not thou one of those who sent Letters to Vespasian, and the Romans to betray the City to them; Thus would they examine them before the People, and when he would answer, God forbidden I should do so; Then would they bring in perjured Villains. Limbs of the Devil, of their own Company to bear false witness against him, that he might be condemned as a Rebel under a pretence of Law: Thus dealt they with several Noble men, and chief Citizens, and their Riches, Jewels, and Goods, the seditious seized for their own use; They likewise put the High Priests out of their Office, placing ignorant Rustics in their room; These wretched and illegal practices so enraged the honest Citizens, that they resolved to join themselves together, and withstand them by force, which they did accordingly, and the Fight was very fierce on both sides, in the Streets, Market-place, Temple, and the entrance thereof, so that all the City was full of dead Bodies, and slain men; but at length the people prevailed against the Ruffians, and forced them to fly into the Temple of the Lord, shutting it after them; Anani the High Priest persuaded the People not to fight with them there, lest they should pollute it with the blood and dead Carcases of those wicked Persons, they therefore besieged the Temple with six Thousand choice Soldiers well armed, to keep them from coming forth; and Anani sent to Jehochanan, offering Conditions of Peace, which he refused, expecting relief from the Ed●mites, and one night soon after twenty two Thousand of them came against Jerusalem, whom with the Priest discoursed from off the Walls, and represented their unworthiness in joining with the Seditious and Murderers.  
Whilst they were discoursing together, there appeared a great dark Cloud, after which followed dreadful Lightnings with Fire, terrible Thunderclaps, and showers of Hail, which wonderfully affrighted the People, so that they all fled away, leaving the defence of the Wall, and Anani also alone; but Anani took courage, and stayed to observe those horrible signs from Heaven, that he might judge what they presaged; And he gave his judgement indeed, but not according to Truth, for he foretold, That the Thunder and Hail with darkness signisied God's help; in hope whereof he persuaded them to defend the Sanctuary of the Lord; and to this all the Elders which were with him likewise agreed, not foreseeing that all these signs betokened the miseries that should come upon Jeru●alem, and all Israel. Now when those who were be ●●●ged in the Temple perceived that the Watch at the Gate were fled because of the Tempest, and that none in the City durst look out of their Houses for fear of the terrible Apparitions in the sky, the darkness being so great that they could not discern each other; then came these desperate seditious Fellows out of the Temple without dread to the walls, and with saws and other Instruments they cut asunder the Bars and Gates; and when the crashing of the Thunder and hail was greatest, than they laboured hardest in wresting asunder the Locks and Bolts of the Gates, lest they should be heard, and when the Thunderclap was past, they left off till it came again: Thus they continued, till at last they had broken, and opened the Gates, and let the Edomites into the City, who being entered, marched about contriving how to destroy all the Citizens of Jerusalem; to which end their Confederates in the Temple joined with them, they swearing to each other to be one People, and one Army; Then they being confederated together, slew the same night Eight Thousand Five Hundred of the Israelites, all valiant men of War, besides a multitude more of the Common people.  
In the morning they laid hands on the rich men, haling them before the Judges, and the Seventy Elders called the Sanhedrin, and among others one Sechariahu a just and virtuous Person and only guilty of being too rich, this man the wicked Jehochanan brought before them, saying, Why do you not condemn those rich Villains, who have conspired with the Romans to betray this Holy City into their hands; The Priests and Elders knowing the innocency of the man, sighed and wept very much, which Jehochanan perceiving, said, What do you begin to weep before you see any Corpse, I wish I may never see the face of God, if we do not sit in Judgement ourselves, since matters are thus ordered, and you shall be the first we will judge; Then the wicked multitude seized on Sechariahu, and haling him from the place of Judgement, carried him to the top of an high Tower at the East end of the Town, from whence they cast him down headlong into the Vale of Jehosaphat where he died; The Priests and Judges thereupon were much afraid, since Jehochanan had threatened them, that unless they condemned every man whom he accused they should all go the same way; Jehochanan then apprehended Gorinian a valiant man, who had often made great slaughter of the seditious, and was well beloved by the Citizens, whom this cruel wretch brought forth among the Rabble, and villainously killed him, throwing his Body to the Beasts of the Field; In the mean time Vespasian drew near to Jerusalem, having stayed the longer at Caesarea, because he understood that the Jews were destroying each other, and so would be the more easily conquered, which accordingly happened; For by the wickedness of Jehochanan, an innumerable Company of them were destroyed; some were slain with swords, others the seditious killed with short daggers; which they carried privately under their Garments, wherewith they would suddenly stab innocent men to the heart.  
Jehochanan having subdued the City, he sent an Army out of Jerusalem to take the Cities that had made peace with Vespasian, which they sacked and razed to the ground, and whomsoever they found therein, Romans or Jews, they slew; among others they took the City Gerara beyond Jordan, where they remained; But the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, and likewise of Gerara sent Ambassadors to Vespasian to come and join with them against these Seditious Rascals; Jehochanan having notice hereof, and hearing that Vespasian was marching toward Gerara, first slew the chief Governor thereof, and then with his Companions fled out of the Town, designing to secure themselves in a Wood; which Vespasian understanding, sent out Poligorus after them, who overtook and made a great slaughter of them, and in his return near Jordan met with many more going to join with the Seditious at Jerusalem, whom Poligorus forced back to the River, and slew Thirteen Thousand of them, the rest leapt into Jordan, and were drowned, in all to the number of Ninety one Thousand Men, Women and Children with much , who were all lost together in the River, insomuch that the Waters of Jordan ran over its banks, being stopped up with dead Carcases, so that the Fields and Plains were overflown; yet at length the Force of the Waters carried the dead Bodies down the River, to the Sea of Sodom, and all the Banks of Jordan lay full of dead Bodies:  
After this Vespasian went into the Land of Edom, where he won two strong Cities, and slew Ten Thousand of the People thereof, leading away the rest into captivity; and at length came to Samaria and took it, and then repaired the Walls of all the Towns he had conquered, placing Garrisons therein to aid him, when he should besiege Jerusalem; He then returned to Caesarea, and mustered his whole Army in order to prepare for that siege; But in the mean time news came from Rome, that Nero the Emperor was dead, and it was at first reported, that while he was hunting, Fire came down from Heaven upon him, and destroyed him; After whom Galba reigned, but within one year he was slain by the Noblemen of Rome; and Vitellius was made Emperor in his stead, he was a Fool, but yet a very bloody man, and much given to drunkenness, so that upon all accounts he was altogether unworthy of the Roman Empire; the Roman Nobility who were with Vespasian hearing this, were much offended, saying, Was there never a Nobleman in Rome lest, to be placed in the Empire, but a drunken Wine-sucker must be chosen; Why did they not rather Elect the mighty Prince Vespasian here with us, a wise and valiant Commander, who hath conquered many Cities, and vanquished divers Warlike Nations; How many puissant Kings hath he subdued to the Roman Empire, and how hath he enlarged it far and wide, And now when the Empire ought to have been bestowed upon Vespasian, or some Person of the like merits, because no such could be found among them, they have bestowed it upon a Fool, and a sottish Drunkard, wherein they have done very undiscreetly, however we are resolved the Empire of Rome shall suddenly have a better Emperor, and thereto let God say, Amen. Hereupon the Princes who were present, consulted together, and decreed to make Vespasian Emperor; and going all together to him, they said, Thou shalt be our Head, for the Empire belongeth to such a one as thyself, and thou shalt have Dominion over us; But Vespasian refused to take it on him, and would not be persuaded to consent thereto; however they compelled him, placing him in the Throne of Majesty, and setting the Crown on his head, which he would have taken away, and pulled off with his hand, because he would not be Emperor; upon which the Roman Captains drew their Swords and said, Thou shalt be Emperor, and Reign over us, therefore refuse it not, if thou do, thou shalt die upon our swords: Vespasian therefore seeing himself constrained, being afraid of his Life was content to suffer himself to be proclaimed Emperor; then all the Army swore Allegiance to him as he sat upon the Royal Seat, as Emperor, and King of Kings.  
In the mean time the Civil Wars at Jerusalem increased daily by reason of Jehochanan that Limb of the Devil, who had escaped thither again; There was likewise another Cutthroat Ruffian called Schimeon, who was discarded from his Command for his Villanies, by Anani the Priest; After which gathering together a rout of Thiefs, Rebels and Murderers throughout all Galilee, to the number of Twenty Thousand, he came towards Jerusalem to vex the Israelites, who encountered with him with various success, sometimes one Party prevailing, and then the other; but at length one Jacob a great man among the Edomites joined with him, and helped to subdue his own Country; with whom being strengthened, they approached the Walls of Jerusalem, destroying the Corn and Fruits of the Ground; Jehochanan having intelligence of his intentions to besiege the Town, and being too weak to encounter him, he issued out of the City, and lay in Ambush for Schimeon, at which time it happened that Schimeon's Wife, (who was fled out of Jerusalem with her Men and Women Servants, for fear she should be killed for her Husband's sake,) passed by the place of Ambushment, whom Jehochanan took, not a little proud of such a prey, and carried into the City, thinking Schimeon would comply upon any Terms to gain his Wife whom he dearly loved; This came to Schimeons' ear just at the time he had taken many of Jehochanan's men, and cut off their hands, sending them with such shame to Jerusalem to their Master; He likewise sent Ambassadors to Jehochanan, to return his Wife, or upon refusal he threatened him with the utmost Extremity, since he was resolved to take the City ere long, and to Jehochanans shame would cut off the Hands and Legs of all the Inhabitants; Jehochanan being afraid, (Schimeon having with him Forty Thousand Fight men,) he sent him his Wife, whereupon he continued without the Town, while Jehochanan played the Tyrant within, his Soldiers ravishing the Citizen's Wives and Daughters, and shedding much innocent blood, and whoever complained was presently slain; so that the Condition of the Israelites was truly miserably, for if any went out of the City, they were slain by Schimeon, and those within were continually murdered by Jehochanan; The Citizens being therefore tired by his Tyranny, assembled together, and encountered with Jehochanan, where a multitude of them were slain, and if the Edomites who were fled to Jerusalem from the Tyranny of Schimeon had not come in to their relief, the whole People of Jerusalem had been utterly destroyed, and slain every Mother's Son by Jehochanan, his power was so great. Then Anani the High Priest, and other Grave Men not being able to suffer the wickedness of Jehochanan any longer, resolved to deliver the City to Schimeon, hoping he would slay Jehochanan; who was at length prevailed with, and promised to assist them against the Seditious, but being entered with his whole Army, he broke his promise, and joined himself with Jehochanan, so that these two Rebels reigned in Jerusalem by course, one of them one Month, and the other another; yet within two days they quarrelled about Eleasar the Priest, whom Schimeon would have slain, but Jehochanan defended, so that ever after they fought one against the other.  
During these Transactions at Jerusalem, Vespasian had sent two Noblemen to Rome to make away the Emperor Vitellius, whereby he might come and receive the Imperial Crown there; They went therefore, and raised an Army, wherewith they fell upon Vitellius and slew him, though not without much opposition, for there were slain that day in Rome eighty Thousand valiant Soldiers; Then Vespasian taking half his Army with him, left the other part with Titus his Son to besiege Jerusalem, but to continue at Alexandria till further order; to whom Titus at his departing said, I shall do dear Father according to your Commandment, for to you it belongeth to command, and to me to obey; Vespasian took with him Agrippa, and Menas his Son, with Joseph the Priest, for fear they should raise a Rebellion; As he approached nigh Rome, all the Citizens came forth to meet him, and received him with great Joy, and mighty shows and Triumphs; and soon after he was solemnly crowned Emperor; within a few days Vespasian was displeased with King Agrippa, upon certain false Informations that he designed some disturbance, upon which both he and his Son Munabas were put to Death.  
This happened three years and an half before the destruction of Jerusalem, at which time the continual Sacrifice ceased for One Thousand, Two Hundred and Ninety days, as it is written in the 12 of daniel's Prophecy; But Joseph was by the clemency of Vespasian set at Liberty, and sent to Titus (who was then at Alexandria in Egypt) with Letters from his Father, and was kindly received by him; Titus soon after marched with a mighty Army to Caesarea, where he stayed till the Winter was past, before he would besiege Jerusalem: But in the mean time the quarrels and murders in that City ceased not, but Summer and Winter the Wars continued between Schimeon, Jehochanan, and Eleasar; for God had in Judgement sent a Spirit of Giddiness among the Citizens, so that they were divided into three Parts, The first and best sort of the People followed Anani the Priest, who at that time had stained and suspended his Office of Priesthood; Another part followed Seditious Jehochanan, and the third were for Schimeon; So that in the midst of Jerusalem there was nothing but slaughter and bloodshed, and without, the Roman Army made inroads from Caesarea, even to the Gates of the City; between those three within, there were most cruel Battles for the space of four days without breathing or ceasing, and every day very many were slain, so that the blood of the Jews ran abundantly through the Market-places and Streets, even to the Temple of the Lord, like a great Flood which had been caused by showers of Rain; Then assembled the Priests, Elders, and many of the People, beseeching these their Intestine and Domestic Enemies not to pollute and defile the Temple with their slaughters, but they were almost all slain for their pains by the villainy of the Seditious, together with Anani and Joshua the Priests, and Sechariahu the Prophet of the Lord.  
Then had the continual Sacrifice ceased Thirty six days, for even till that time, some good men or other in Jerusalem still offered Sacrifice to the Lord; But now when the Priests had laid the Sacrifice on the Altar, the seditious would run upon them and kill them, so that the Priests and the Beasts they would have Sacrificed, fell down dead to the ground together, and so they likewise destroyed all that came ●hither for Devotions sake, so that scarce one was left ●live; and the pavement of the Temple being Mar●le, was made so slippery with the blood and fat of ●hose which were slain, that no man could go upon it without falling; Nay whosoever the seditious over●●ne, they set fire on their Houses, which fired other great men's Houses nigh the Temple, and at last caught hold of the Storehouses of Corn, Wine, and Oil, to the number of One Thousand, Four Hundred, all filled full of Victuals against a time of necessity, or the besieging of the Town; For when Vespasian was in Galilee, the Priests and Elders made up the Doors of these Garner-houses, and laid in Victuals sufficient for Two Hundred Thousand men for 20 years, but now in this one Fight of the Seditious, they were all burnt to the ground, with all within them, which caused a sudden hunger and Famine in Jerusalem? At the same time the seditious pulled down all the fair and goodly Buildings, that there should be no sign nor Monument of any Noble House left in the City; Thus God visited the Citizens of Jerusalem with four dreadful Plagues at once, Sword, Pestilence, Famine, and Fire, to which this Fifth was added, the ruin and destruction of all beautiful and glorious Buildings; So that whithersoever a man turned himself, there were nothing but desolations, pollutions of the Temple, and all holy things, and uproars, without all rest and refuge, no help, no succour, but every corner of Jerusalem was full of howling and yelling, weeping and wailing, sobbing and sighing of Women and Children; Here you might hear the roaring and lamentation of men not quite dead, there the mourning and throbbing of the Elders, with the woeful cries of young Children for bread, in short, all manner of misery oppressed them, so that he was thought happy who died before this day, and all those were in a woeful case, who were so unfortunate to see it; when Joseph heard all these things at Caesarea, he tore his Hair with his hands, cast Ashes on his Beard, and sitting with great sorrow on the ground, he bewailed, and made Lamentation over the miserable City of Jerusalem.  
After this in the first year of the Reign of Vespasian, Titus his Son mustered his men in the Plain of Caesarea, and he found them a vast number, so that they seemed almost to cover the Earth; he than marched to Samaria, and being received by the Citizens with great joy he spared them and did them no harm; from thence he went to Ajelona, thirty Furlongs from Jerusalem, and there pitched his Tents, and taking six Hundred Horsemen with him, he went to Jerusalem to view the height of the Walls, and the strength of the Town, but the Jews laid an Ambush, and slew sixty of Titus his men, and might have slain him likewise, but that they designed to take him alive, whereby he took an Opportunity to escape; The next day Titus brought his whole Army to Jerusalem, and it being a little before the Feast of Unleavened Bread, an infinite number of People who came to celebrate it, were shut up in the City, by which means the City was soon oppressed with a cruel Famine, all manner of Food and nourishment being consumed, and Oxens Dung was accounted good Meat, others fed upon old Leather, and horrible dreadful things happened, for some Women boiled their own Children, and eat them; many thinking to save their Lives by flying to the Romans, were cut in pieces to search for their Gold and Jewels which they had swallowed to prevent Discovery. Two Thousand were miserably destroyed one night upon this Account; And on the Feast day which was April 14. Eleasar having seized on the Inner Temple, opened the Gate that the People might sacrifice, Jehochanan taking this opportunity, sent privately many of his party, armed with short swords under their Garments, who being admitted with the rest of the multitude, set upon Eleasar, and seized the Inner Temple with the slaughter of many of his party; and thus the threefold Faction was again reduced into two, that of Jehochanans who were Eight Thousand Four Hundred, and the other of Schimeons, with whom were Ten Thousand, besides Five Thousand Idumeans, or Edomites.  
Titus approaching the Walls, pitched his Camp about the River Psephina, and presently raised a Mount, and with a battering Ram first shook, and then beat down part of the Wall, and May 7. broke into the City; The first wall being beaten down, and the Jews retiring inward, he gained the North quarter of the City, even to the Castle of Antonia, and the Valley of Cedron. On the fifth day after a Tower on the second Wall being shaken, and battered down from the North-quarter; Titus got the new lower City, from which he was repulsed again by the Jews, but on the fourth day after, he regained it, and so addressed himself for the assault of the third Wall; May 12. he commanded four Mounts to be raised two at the Castle of Antonia, whereby he thought to gain the Temple ●nd two at the Tomb of the Highpriest John, 〈…〉 he hoped to win the upper City, which 〈…〉 ●●nished in 17 days, Jehochanan by a Mine from Antonia cast down one of the Mounts, and burned it; and Schimeon the second day after in a Salley that he made fired 2 of the Mounts opposite to him, with the Rams, and other Engines of the Romans, whom they fell upon in their Camp, but Titus relieving them from Antonia, forced the Jews into the City again; These Mounts being thus demolished, Titus in three days time encompassed the City with a Wall of thirty nine Furlongs in Circuit, about which he built 13 Castles, each 10 Furlongs round, so that none could go in or out, whereby the Famine raged so cruelly in the City; that with it, and the Pestilence, multitudes perished; so that from April 14, on which day the siege began, to the beginning of July following, an Account was taken that at one Gate, one hundred fifteen Thousand and eight Hundred Carcases of poor people were carried out, who were buried at the common charge, besides those privately interred by their Friends; a while after it was known by those who fled to the Romans, that there were six hundred Thousand carried through all the Gates to be buried; and after that there being not enough to bury the Poor, they laid them upon great heaps in empty Houses, and there locked them up, and the manner of burying others was only to throw them over the Walls, and fill up the ditches with the dead Bodies.  
In the mean time, Schimeon continued his Rapines and Murders within the City; For he put to death Mathias the High Priest, upon pretence he would have fled to the Romans, though by this man's means Schimeon was first admitted into Jerusalem; He slew also three of his Sons, and fifteen of the noblest of the people, all of them being unheard, and uncondemned, Yea he raged so cruelly, that Judas, one of his Captains hating his Tyranny, contrived to deliver up a Town to the Romans, of which he had the charge, but being discovered by Schimeon, he and 10 others of the Conspirators were put to death; and Jehochanan being necessitated thereto, converted to his own, and profane uses the Holy things of the Temple as Vessels of Gold, Silver, and Money, nay, he was forced to distribute to his Soldiers the very Oil and Wine which was dedicated to divine services; But Titus fetching Materials from every place, and cutting down all the Woods and Trees for 90 Furlongs about, he with great labour in 21 days caused four new Mounts to be raised about Antonia, which Jehochanan in vain attempted to destroy, and then placed a Ram against it, by which a breach being made, they entered into Antonia, July 5. and pursued the flying Jews into the Temple, but after a sharp fight, the Romans were for some time repulsed, July 17. Titus commanded Joseph to exhort the seditious to yield, which he did in a large Oration, but they obstinately refused; therefore on the seventh day after, he brought his Mounts nearer; and by overturning the Foundations of the Castle Antonia, he made an easy ascent into the Temple, seizing on the North and West Porches without the Temple, part whereof joining to Antonia, was burnt by the Jews, and soon after the other part by the Romans, the Jews not attempting to quench the Fire, that the Porch might be entirely separated from Antonia, July 27. the Jews again set fire on the West Porch toward the Bridge that led to the Gallery, where many Romans getting up were burnt, the Jews flying away on purpose to draw them on; The day after the Romans burned all the North Porch, even unto the East Porch; August 8. Titus perceiving he prevailed nothing with his battering Ram against the Walls on the Inner Temple, nor could undermine the Foundations of the Gates by reason of the greatness, and strong cementing of the stones; He was forced to do that which out of reverence to the place he had hitherto forborn; neither could the Romans by their Ladders get up into the Porches, the Jews from above still beating them down; therefore at last he commanded the Gates of the Inner Temple to be set on Fire, which soon taking, the Porches which joined to them, were likewise presently all in a Flame, the Jews beholding and wondering thereat, their amazement being so great, that they neither endeavoured to stop nor quench it, so that these Porche● burned all that day, and thenight following.  
And though Titus and some of his Captains inten●ed to keep the Temple from firing, yet they coul● by no means effect it, for having appointed a Guard charging them to preserve the Temple and Sanctu● Sanctorum; the Seditious Jews fell upon them August 10. and slew every man, which Titus hearing brought his whole Army thither; at which time 〈◊〉 Roman Soldier took a flaming Firebrand, and getting upon his Fellows Shoulders, cast the Fire through the Golden Window into the Houses and Chamber● that were built on the Northside of the Temple, and others laid Wood to the Doors of the Sanctum Sanctorum which were covered over with Gold, and then setting fire to it after the Gold grew hot, and the timber began to burn, the whole Temple was in a flame, an● the Sanctum Sanctorum was laid open to the view of all 〈◊〉 This happened in the second year of Vespasian, and th● same day of the Month that it was formerly burnt by Nabuchadnezzar. The Romans rushing into the Sanctum Sanctorum, gave a great shout while it burned, which when Titus heard, he hastened to quench the Fire, and save the Sanctum Sanctorum, but he could not do it, because it was on Fire in so many places; thereupon Titus commanded them to forbear, but they would not hear him; for as a vehement Flood of Waters breaks down, and carries away all things before it; with such furious violence, the Flames rushed through all parts of the Temple; Titus then drew his sword, blaming the Captains of his own People, and killing others; The Priests within resisted the Romans stoutly till they were no longer able to lift up their hands; Therefore when there was no other safeguard, they leapt into the Fire, and several other Jews with them, and so burnt altogether, saying, Why should we live any longer now there is no Temple; Yet Titus ceased not to strike the People, eventill his strength failed, and then falling on the Ground, he forbore crying out on them any further.  
After the Sanctum Sanctorum was burnt, Titus arose, and entering thereinto, he saw the glory and magnificence thereof, for as yet the Fire had not consumed all, and then said, Now I well perceive that this is no other than the House of God, and the dwelling place of the King of Heaven, neither was it for nought that the Jews fought so earnestly in defence thereof; nor did the Gentiles without good Cause send Gold and Silver to this Temple from the farthest parts of the World, for great is the glory thereof, and it surpasseth all the Roman and Gentile Temples that ever I saw; The God of Heaven, who is the God of this House, take vengeance of the Seditious, whose mischievous and heinous deeds have brought this evil upon them. The Seditious who yet remained in Jerusalem, seeing the Sanctum Sanctorum to be burnt, they set the rest of the Temple on Fire themselves, with all the Houses which were filled with Treasure, and all sorts of precious Jewels, and Victuals also, that the Romans should receive no benefit thereby: After this the Romans quenched the Fire, and set up their Idols and Images in the Temple, and after Titus had offered Sacrifice, and the Roman Ensigns were set upon the East-gate, the Army proclaimed him Emperor; and Titus standing on a Gallery, persuaded the Seditious, who were fled into the upper City to yield themselves, promising them their Lives, but they demanded leave to departed with their Wives and Children into the Wilderness, which Titus taking in scorn, threatened them with utter destruction, and commanded all the lower City to be set on Fire, with the Palaces, and then assaulted the higher City, which was seated upon a steep Rock, and having finished his Mounts, on Sept. 7. he brought his Engines to the Walls, wherein having made a great breach, the seditious fled in great fear and amazement, and the Romans breaking in, destroyed all with Fire and Sword; And Titus commanded both the City and Temple to be razed to the Foundation, and the ground to be ploughed according to the Roman custom, sparing only the West part of the Wall, with the 3 Towers, Hippicon, Phaselus, and- Mariam, which he left as Monuments to Posterity of the strength and magnificence of this once famous City.  
Titus having thus finished this dreadful and difficult War, the Neighbouring Nations that assisted him, would have crowned him Emperor, but he refused, saying, He was unworthy of that Honour, for it was not he who was the Author, and finisher of that work, but that he had only lent his hands to God, who had thus showed his anger against the Jews; Then did Titus reward his Soldiers, and committing the keeping of Jerusalem to the Tenth Legion, he went to Caesarea, carrying with him all the Prey, spoils and Captives, because he could not sail to Italy in the Winter; The two seditious Tyrants Jehochanan and Schimeon were taken as they lay hid in the Vaults of Jerusalem, of whom Jehochanan was condemned to perpetual Imprisonment, and Schimeon was reserved to be carried a Prisoner to Rome, and there led in Triumph; In the same Vaults were found Two Thousand Men, who either perished with hunger, or else killed each other, rather than they would yield themselves to the Romans; while Titus continued at Caesarea he celebrated the Birth day of his brother Domitian, on December 30. upon which occasion the number of Jewish Prisoners who perished by being forced to fight with wild Beasts, that were burned with Fire, and that fell by being compelled to fight with each other, was above Two Thousand Five Hundred; Afterward Titus went to Beritus in Phoenicia, where he solemnised the day of his Father's Coronation with great magnificence, at which time likewise multitudes of the Captive Jews perished in like manner as before.  
At last, Titus failed to Rome, where he was welcomed with a general Joy, and together with his Father Vespasian, triumphed for the Conquest of Judea; In which Triumph the two Captains Jehochanan and Schimeon, with seven Hundred other Jews, who excelled in beauty and strength, were led in Chains, of all whom, only Schimeon was put to death: The Book of the Law of the Jews was carried also in this Triumph, as the last of the spoils, which together with the Purple Veil of the Sanctuary, were laid up in the Imperial Palace. Soon after, Lucius Bassus was sent Lieutenant into Judea, who took the strong Castles of Herodian and Machaeron beyond Jordan by assault; About this time, neither the Sun nor Moon were seen for twelve, others say, for fifteen days space, which some think was foretold by our Saviour, in St. Matth. 24.29. Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the Sun be darkened, and the Moon shall not give her Light; etc. And Caesar writ to Tiberius Maximus the Governor of Judea, that he should sell all the Lands of the Jews; He likewise imposed a Tribute upon them wherever they dwelled, commanding them yearly to bring into the Capitol Two Drachmas, which they used formerly to give to the Temple of Jerusalem; Bassus being dead, Publius Sylva succeeded in the Government of Judea, who April 15. won that almost impregnable Castle of Massada; which had been seized upon by Eleaser the Nephew of Judas Galileus a Captain of Thiefs; whereupon all the Thiefs in the Castle, being about nine hundred with their Wives and Children, at the persuasion of Eleasar, slew each other, having first set Fire to the Castle, and burned all their Goods and Furniture, lest they should fall into the hands of the Romans; But many of the Thiefs which were in Judea fled, and came to Alexandria in Egypt, where they solicited the Jews to revolt; but the Common People, by persuasion of their Rulers, fell upon them, and took six hundred, whom they delivered to the Romans to be punished; the rest who escaped and fled into other places, were also taken; when Caesar heard thereof, he ordered Lupus the Governor of Alexandria, to pull down the Temple of the Jews which was in that City; Yet Lupus took away only some Gifts out of it, and so shut it up; But Paul●nus his Successor having taken away all the Gifts, and shutting up the doors, ordered that no Jews should come thither, by which means there was not the least Footsteps of the Jewish Religion left there.  
A certain Jew named Jonathan, by Trade a Weaver, escaping out of Cyrene, about this time raised a Tumult, and drew Two Thousand Jews after him into the Wilderness, after whom Catulus Governor of Libya Pentapolis sending some Horse and Foot, easily overthrew and slew them; and Jonathan himself being taken and brought before him, he falsely accused the most wealthy of the Jews as the Authors of this Revolt; To whose Accusations Catulus willingly harkening, he put three thousand of them to death at once, confiscating their Estates to Caesar's Treasury: He likewise sent Jonathan and some others with him Prisoners to Rome, ●o Vespasian, where Jonathan accused the honestest of the 〈◊〉, who 〈◊〉 at Rome, and Alexandria of designing 〈…〉 among others Joseph, who writ the History of the Jews; But Vespasian knowing this Accusation not to be legally brought against them, he at the request of his Son Titus, acquitted them, and deservedly punished Jonathan, causing him first to be whipped, and then burnt alive; Catulus through the mercy of the Emperor escaped at that time, but not long after he was taken with a noisome and incurable Disease, and was exceedingly tortured and tormented in his mind, imagining that he saw continually the Ghosts of those whom he had unjustly slain and murdered before his eyes, and at last his Guts and Bowels rotting, fell out of his body, whereby he miserably perished; Josephus the Jew, and a Commander in this War, writes, That there perished by the Sword and Famine a Million of People; and of the rest of the Jews dispersed all the World over, and put to Death divers ways the number of Ninety Thousand, and Ninety seven Thousand more were made Captives. But of the number that perished out of Jerusalem during the whole seven years' War, Justus Lipsius hath made this Catalogue out of Josephus.  
At Jerusalem first killed by the command of Florus, six hundred and thirty; By the Inhabitants of Caesarea in hatred to them and their Relig on twenty thousand; At Scythopolis a City in Syria, were slain thirty thousand; At Ascalon in Palestine the Inhabitants slew two thousand five hundred, and at Ptolemais two thousand; At Alexandria in Egypt by the command of Alexander the Precedent were killed 50000, and at Damascus 10000; At the taking of Joppa by Cesius Florus, 8400; In the mountain of Cabulo, 2000; In a fight at Ascalon 10000; By an Ambuscado 8000; At Apheca when it was taken, 15000; slain at Mount Gerizim, ten thousand six hundred; At Jotapata where Joseph himself was, thirty thousand; when Joppa was taken, four thousand two hundred were drowned; slain at Tarichaea six thousand five hundred; At Gamala there were slain, and threw themselves down over the Walls nine thousand, neither was any one of that City saved, but only two Women who were Sisters; killed in the Flight, when they forsook Giskula two thousand; slain of the Gaderens thirteen thousand, besides an infinite number who leapt into the River; killed in the Villages of Idumea ten thousand; at Gerazion, Macheron, and in the Woods of Jardes five thousand seven hundred; In the Castle of Massada nine hundred and sixty slew themselves, and three thousand were killed in Cyrene by Catulus the Governor; All which numbers being added to the Million and one hundred thousand who perished in the siege of Jerusalem, amount to one Million, three Hundred thirty seven thousand four hundred and ninety, besides an innumerable Company that perished by Famine, banishment, and other miseries, and Josephus adds, That the Posterity of Herod Agrippa, though it was very numerous, yet within the space of an hundred years, it wholly failed and was extinct; A. B. Usher's Annals. p. 900.  
And St. Jerom writes, that in his time, on that day of the year wherein Jerusalem was taken by the Romans, you might see decrepit Women, ragged old men, and many other wretched people, (but pitied of none,) who with blubbered Cheeks, Black Arms, dishevelled hair, went howling and lamenting for the Ruins of the Temple and Sanctuary, wearing and bearing in their habits and Bodies the sad Characters of divine vengeance, of whom the Soldiers likewise exacted a Fee for Liberty of further weeping; so that they who formerly sold the blood of the Blessed Jesus, were then forced to buy their own Tears; And the Relics of this wretched People were dispersed into all Nations under Heaven, having no Magistrates of their own to protect them, but were, and still are altogether at the Will and discretion of the Princes and Governors, where they are suffered to live; so that no people in the world are so vile and contemptible as they, being made a scoff and a by word in all countries'; Though still their hearts are so hardened, that upon all occasions they have discovered their malice against and contempt of Jesus Christ, and his Religion; It is likewise worthy Observation, how that Prophecy of our Saviour was fulfilled concerning the irreparable ruin of the last Temple of Jerusalem, which although Julian the Apostate laboured to invalidate, and prevent; yet his design by the most just Judgement of God could never take effect; For Ammianus Marcellinus a Roman Historian gives this following Relation thereof.  
Julian, saith he, designed with excessive cost and charges, to rebuild the sometime most magnificent Temple at Jerusalem, which by Vespasian and his Son Titus were with great difficulty won by assault; This Affair Julian committed to the care of Alypius, who did vigorously apply himself to the work, being assisted therein by the Governor of the Provinces 〈◊〉 but there broke out dreadful Balls of Fire near the ●●●ndation of the Walls, which with their frequent Eruptions, made the Place unapproachable, several Workmen being consumed by the Fire, and 〈◊〉 this manner a full period was put to their further proceeding therein; But Nicephorus Colistus ●●ves a more large and full Narrative thereof as followeth; The Jews saith he, having got together as many as were skilful in the Art of Building, and having provided Materials for it, and fully cleansed the place, they prepared Spades made of Silver, their charges being allowed out of the public stock, with such earnestness and Alacrity did they labour herein, that the very Women carried away the rubbish in their Laps, and whatsoever Jewels, or precious Ornaments they had, they expended on the business; When they had digged up the remainders of the old Building from the lowest Foundations, and had cleared the ground, so that there was not a stone left upon a stone, according to our Blessed Lords Prediction: The next day coming to the place, they say, there was a great Earthquake, insomuch that the stones were cast out of the Foundation, so that many of the Jews were slain, who either came to see the work, or had the oversight thereof; The Public buildings which were nearest the Temple, were likewise loosened and falling down with great violence, buried those who were in them in their ruins; some who attempted to fly away, were found half dead; other lost their Legs, Arms, Hands, and other Members according as the force of that sudden accident 〈◊〉 upon them.  
The Earthquake was scarce over, but those who remained, fell to work again, but when they attempted it the second time, sudden flashes of Fire violently 〈◊〉 out of the Foundations, and other sire fell furious from Heaven, and destroyed more than before, cons●●ing to Ashes the Hammers, Graving Tools, Saws, Hatch●s, Axes, and all other Instruments which the Workmen had brought for their service; the flames continuing a whole day together; When Cyril, who was at that time Bishop of Jerusalem, saw these things, he considered in his mind the words of the Prophet Daniel, to which Christ also had set his Seal in the Holy Gospel, and then told them all; That now was the time, when the Oracle of our Saviour had its accomplishment, which said, That a stone should not be left upon a stone in the Temple; which when he had said, a dreadful Earthquake assailed the remaining Foundations, and casting out all the rest of the stones, dispersed them abroad, and a fearful storm arose, which whirled into the Air many Thousand Bushels of Lime and Plaster, and sudden flames of Fire flashing from beneath, burnt up in a moment an innumerable Company of People, who were either labouring in the work, or coming to behold it: Thus did the wicked Julian fulfil Christ's Predictions concerning Jerusalem, by the same means whereby he designed to make them void.  
These Prodigies (saith Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History) are sufficient to prove the truth of these Prophecies, but what I shall now declare, being very wonderful will further confirm them, which I shall relate as I find them in the Archives and Records, as followeth; when the Foundations of this New Temple were laying, there was a stone to which the bottom of the Foundation was fastened, that slipped from its place, and discovered the Mouth of a Cave which had been cut in the Rock; Now when they could not see to the bottom by reason of its depth, the Overseers of the work being desirous to find the bottom, tied a long Rope to one of the Labourers, and let him down into it; being come to the bottom, there was water therein up to his Ankles, and searching every part of that hollow place, he found it to be foursquare, as far as he could conjecture by feeling, then returning toward the Mouth of it, he happened upon a little Pillar not much higher than the water, and laying his hand on it, found a book thereon, wrapped up in a piece of thin clean Linen, which taking up he gave notice by shaking the rope to be drawn forth, which done, he shown them the book, which struck them with admiration, because it seemed very fresh and untouched, though found in so dark and obscure an hole; The Book being unfolded and opened, surprised not only the Jews, but the Grecians, for they found in the entrance thereof these words written in Capital Letters; IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD; And to speak truly, saith the Historian, that Scripture did plainly and manifestly contain the whole Gospel, which the Divine Tongue of the Virgin Disciple St. John had declared; This together with the other Miracles which at that time were proclaimed from Heaven, did demonstrate that not any word of our Lord should fall to the ground which had foretold the utter desolation both of the Temple and City of Jerusalem. Eusebius Eccles. Hist. lib 3.  
Thus severely were the Judgements of Heaven executed upon the Jews, which did not yet end here, but continued to their posterity; For in 434. The Jews in the Isle of Crect were deluded by the Devil, affirming himself to be Moses, who led the Israelites through the Red Sea, and persuaded those poor Creatures, That he was sent from God to lead them through the Sea to their own Country the holy Land; This these poor Creatures soon believed, and disposing of all their Goods to others according to his persuasion, they followed this seducer, who had spent a whole year in going from one City to another; he than led them with their Wives and Children to the top of a steep Rock that hung over the Sea; when they were come hither, this Mock Mises commanded them to wrap their heads in their upper Garments, and so to throw themselves from the Rock into the Sea, assuring them of a safe Passage, they readily obeyed him, and in that manner a great many of them perished in the Waves, and more would have followed, had it not pleased God that some Christian Fishermen were there at that instant, who took up many of them as they were flooting upon the waters, and ready to perish; These afterward returning to the rest of the Jews, told them how they had been cheated and deceived, and how narrowly they had escaped; whereupon they being upon good reason all very much enraged, sought far and near for this seducer to put him to death; but when he could not possibly be found any where, they thereupon fully concluded, That it was the Devil himself, the old man slayer, who had appeared to them in humane shape, and divers of the Jews being moved by this Calamity, became Christians. Eusebius Hist.  
In the Reign of Trajan, the Jews rebelled in Egypt and Cyrene, where they slew many Greeks and Romans, and did eat their flesh, and girded themselves with their Guts, imbrued themselves with their blood, and clothed themselves with their skins; Many they sawed in sunder, from the Crowns downward; others they cast to wild Beasts, so that they destroyed Two Hundred Thousand of them; and likewise Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand by the same abhorred Cruelty in Egypt and Cyprus; whereupon Trajan sent an Army against them under Martius Turbo, who destroyed many Thousands of them, and fearing lest the Jews in Mesopotamia should break out into the like outrages, he commanded Lucius Quietus utterly to destroy, and root them out of that Country, which he performed so effectually, that the Emperor to recompense his service, made him Precedent of Judea. Dion Hist.  
Adrian the Emperor rebuilt the City of Jerusalem, though not in the same place, for he changed the situation thereof somewhat Westward, and called the name thereof Aelia, according to his own name; To despite the Christians, he built a Temple over our Saviour's Grave, with the Images of Jupiter and Venus, another at Bethlem to Adonis the Gallant of Venus, and to enrage the Jews who abominate Swinesflesh, he set up the Picture of a Swine over the Gates of the City; who storming at the profanation of their Land, broke out into open Rebellion, but were subdued by Julius Severus the Emperor's Lieutenant, an experienced Captain, who by reason of their multitudes would not try it out in a set Battle, but proceeding more warily, and taking his opportunity, he by degrees took 50 of their fortified Castles, razed nine hundred and fourscore of their best Towns, and slew five hundred and eighty thousand of their men, besides an innumerable multitude who perished by Famine, Sickness and Fire; so that almost all Judea was left destitute; With them likewise was slain one Benchoahab their (Counterfeit) M●ssias, for so he termed himself, that is, The Son of a Star, usurping that Prophecy out of Jacob, a star shall arise; Though he proved but a fading Comet, whose blazing portended the ruin of that Nation; The Captives by order from Adrian were transported into Spain, and the Holy Land was laid waist, which parted with her people and fruitfulness both together. Indeed Pilgrims here and there find Parcels of rich ground in Palestine, which God may seem to have left, that men may taste the former sweetness of the Land, before it was scourged for the People's sins, and that they may guests the goodness of the cloth by the fineness of the shreds; But it is barren for the generality, the streams of Milk wherewith it once flowed, are now drawn dry, and the whole face of the Land looketh sad, not so much for want of dressing, as because the Almighty God hath frowned on it; Adrian aforementioned banished Five Hundred Thousand Jews into Spain, whence they were again banished by Ferdinando and Isabel in 1492, at which time there were driven out of Spain, One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Families; From thence they passed into Tuseany and the Pope's Dominions, but were again banished by Pope Paul 4. and Pius 5. But it would be endless to show what miseries they have endured in all Nations, ever since their Predecessors committed that great and grievous sin of Crucifying the Lord of life, and Glory, and thus much of the Jews as we find them mentioned by Josephus, Eusebius, Mr. Clark, and other Ancient and Modern Authors; I shall now proceed in the series of the History of Comets, and other Prodigies according to the Order of time, which this digression hath somewhat diverted.  
VII. In the 70 year after the Birth of our Saviour, th●●● was a great Earthquake, and a strange Bird of a notable greatness was seen at Rome, also a blazing Star, and two Eclipses of the Moon, and contrary to Astronomical demonstration, she appeared black and bloody; Armed men were seen in the Air, and many strange and wonderful Voices were heard in the Heavens; In 77 another great blazing Star or Comet appeared, and three Cities in Cyprus sell to the ground by an Earthquake; A little before Nero slew his Mother Agrippina, the Sun was strangely darkened, as abhorring to behold such a sight; and a Woman in Rome brought forth a Serpent. In 81, A Terrible Comet appeared; The Tomb of Augustus Caesar opened of itself, and blood ●a●ned in Germany; Three Suns were seen at once in Poland, and there happened much Lightning and Thunder, which consumed many brave buildings. An Elm Tree saluted Apollonius Tyaneus, and spoke to him with an audible voice; The Sun is this year Eclipsed, and there was a great Earthquake in Naples. These Prodigies were judged to portend the following accidents; The Emperor Otho killeth himself; Dardanus Tyrannizeth in Scotland, and was slain by Corbred; A very great Pestilence in Rome; Most part of England is subdued by Agricola, he putteth Karenoth the King to flight, and the Scots also; Vespasian dyeth of a Flux; Haldanus the Sweed is restored to his Kingdom, from which he was expelled; The Emperor Titus dyeth; Lynius a Bishop of Rome Martyred; Domitian turns away his Wife, and marries the Widow of Titus; He sends two Armies against the Goths, and they are both routed; Philosophers and Mathematicians are Banished out of Rome; Britain is reduced into a single Province, and at the Emperors own dispose; Cocceius Nerva dyeth; Two Saxon Kings rebel against Froto, he overcomes them, and makes them his Tributaries, St. John writes his Epistles; Rome and France fall at difference; The third Heathen Persecution against the Christians began.  
About the Year 105 in the Beign of Trajan, who raised the third Persecution against the Christians October 22. there fell out one of the most terrible Earthquakes that ever was; First there arose furious and violent winds, which tore up trees by the roots, made Birds fall to the Earth, uncovered and overthrew many houses; Then followed Thunder and Lightning which made the night like noon day, then dreadful Thunderbolts, which broke down stately buildings, and slew many men. The Sea was wonderful tempestuous, after which came such violent heat, that people not being able to endure it, stripped themselves, and then hid themselves under ground; The Sky was so dark, and the dust so great, that one could not see another, so that rushing together many fell down dead; Divers Cities were ruined, much people perished; Several Mountains and Hills sunk, and became Plains, many Rivers were dried up; Fountains and Springs broke out where never were any before; Almost all the houses in Antioch were destroyed. Dion. Hist.  
VIII. From the Year of our Lord 107 to 167, those following Prodigies happened. A very great Earthquake in Asia, many prodigious fights in the Air, as fightings, etc. observed in Spain. An Earthquake in Galatia; At Rome Lightning from Heaven consumes the Temples of the Gods; An Earthquake at Antioch; Great Lightnings, strange unusual winds, together with horrible noises in the Earth; Two great Earthquakes at Nice, and two others in Palestine; Milk, reigned at Rome, and an Earthquake happened there; and Three Hundred and Forty Houses, though environed with water, were destroyed by a great Fire in that City; A great Serpent was seen in Arabia; and it reigned Frogs at Constantinople, three Suns likewise appearing, and at the same time, a Star and a Rainbow; A very great Earthquake in Bythinia; The waves of the Mediterranean Sea in a Calm elevated themselves to the top of a Mountain far distant from it, and cast the foam a great way upon the main Land. In this space of time, the French and Saxons plant Colonies in Germany. The Saracens and Arabians are subdued; A Bishop of Jerusalem is Crucified; Babylon and Seleucia are taken; Nero's house is burnt; The Jews rebel in Egypt, and kill Two Hundred Thousand Men, Ptolemy King, of Egypt encounters them, slays Thirty Thousand Jews at once, and forced those who survived to eat up their dead Carcases; About the same time the Jews slay Two Hundred and Forty Thousand in Cyprus, and at last are slain themselves; The Chaldeans, Britain's, Scots and Picts, rebel; Christians are put to death in Asia, Apollodorus is Cain by Hadrians Rollearpus is Martyred; Aurelius Caesar seeing a wonderful Fire at Rome, causeth the Persecution to cease by an Edict from himself, Hermogenes ran out of his wits and died; The Britain's repine against the Roman oppression, and rebel, Agricola subdueth them; The Fourth Persecution began.  
IX. From 167 to 219 were these unusual Accidents; A wonderful fire was seen in the Heavens, which seemed to pass from East to West; Wolves came in flocks near to Rome howling hideously; Crosses were seen to sweat with Tears; Rain mingled with Fire falls from Heaven at Prema. A great and terrible Earthquake, and many inundations at Rome; Divers strange fires seen in the Air, and some to fall from thence; Great swarms of Locusts covered the ground, and destroyed many Fields and Meadows. A great Earthquake in Asia; The Stars were seen all the day long at Rome, and some apparitions hung streaming down in the very middle of the Air; And there fell a wonderful Lightning from Heaven upon the Capitol, and the fire increasing, burned the Library and all the houses near it; All kinds of Creatures contrary to their natures brought forth prodigious Births this year; Flames of Fire descend from Heaven; There were seen at Rome three Stars about the Sun very glorious; An Eagle alighted on the Image of a Soldier; Bees wrought their Combs upon Soldiers Ensigns; A sudden fire in the Air toward the North, A great lowing and fire in the Earth; A Whale comes ashore in the Haven of Augustus; A Comet for many days together was seen at Rome: A wonderful Lightning fell from Heaven upon the Image of Severus, and blotted out three Letters of his name; These things were judged to portend the ensuing effects; The Germans with an Army enter Italy, Pertinax is sent against them, and beats them back; The Senate adjudges Cassius an enemy to the State, and he is slain by the Soldiers. About this time was great jarring among the Bishops and Churchmen of most Nations concerning Religion; Smyrna in Asia is quite destroyed; Perennius and his son are executed for Treason, Apollonius being accused for a Christian is sentenced and executed; Cleander who succeeded Perennius, is executed to please the People; Two Thousand dye in a day of the Plague at Rome; The Emperor Commodus removeth the head from a Colossus or Great Image, and putreth one of his own upon it, he grows ridiculous, and the People taking notice thereof, he executeth many of them, he is at last strangled by Martia his Concubine; In his Reign there appeared in the Sky divers fearful signs; Stars were seen continually in the day time, and blazing Comets of a huge length, hanging as it were in the midst of the Air; All sorts of Creatures contrary to their kinds brought forth monstrous and deformed Births, but that which most grievously afflicted the City of Rome, and amazed them with the presage was, that the Temple of Peace, the most stately and dainty Monument in Rome, was on a sudden without any Tempest foregoing (but only a little Earthquake) quite burnt to the ground, whether by Lightning or Fire out of the Earth was uncertain; That Temple was the richest and strongest of all others, and was curiously adorned with gifts of massy Gold and Silver, yea all Persons of Quality had there deposited, and laid their Principal Treasures; but the fire happening in the night, made many rich men suddenly poor; When the fire had consumed the Temple, it burned down also many of the most beautiful buildings in the City, continuing its rage for many days together. Horodian Imp. History, Pertinax is Emperor 87 days, and then is slain by the Soldiers; The King of Scots is slain by a Musician, for causing one of his Kindred to be executed; Severus goeth against Niger, whom he beat three times, and then slew him at Antioch; Herod besiegeth Byzantium (now Constantinople) three years together; Satrahel coming to rule Scotland, kills many of the old Lords of the Kingdom; Constantinople is taken by Famine, Satrahel is strangled by his Servants: The Britain's are beaten by Severus, and the head of Albinus is sent to Rome. About this time Scotland received the Christian Faith. The fifth Persecution began; Many fled from Jerusalem into the Wilderness to avoid the Persecution; The Romans waist Arabia; Strange Heresies broached by Praxeus; Severus went into Britain, but never returned thence, Fifty Thousand of his Army die; Many of the Scots upon a Rebellion were cruelly massacred.  
X. From 219 to 257 the following signs appeared, which were accompanied with remarkable Accidents; An Eagle flying, takes away the Cap of Diadumenus, and he is slain within 14 months after; The Britain's rebel, and invade the Roman Territories; Streams of fire, and strange Lightnings are seen at Rome; Armed men appear in the Air in Muscovia and Poland, the Persians invade Armenia, and waste the Roman Territories, Alectus is slain in Battle; The King of Scots is killed by his Guard, the Emperor goeth into Persia, and is overcome. A Blazing Star is seen at Rome, which extended itself a very great length, and was seen both to burn and blaze many nights together; Maximilian comes out of Germany, and is slain by his own Soldiers, his body is given to be torn and devoured of Dogs; The Goths at this time became terrible to the Roman Empire. In 241 was an Eclipse of the Sun, which (saith my Author) was so great that it made the day seem as dark as the night; Athirco King of Scotland kills himself, strange Heresies spread themselves; The Persians are vanquished and expelled Syria. In 244 the Sun was totally Eclipsed, and there was a great Earthquake which caused the Earth to gape so exceedingly, that several Cities together with their Inhabitants were swallowed up and destroyed, great Thunder is heard in the Earth with terrible darkness, and another Earthquake, The Goths take Chalcedon and Nice, and ruin them both; The Plague rageth in the Roman Army: The Goths burn the Temple of Ephesus, and enter Macedonia and Asia; The Thirty Tyrants about this time engrossed and parceled out the Roman Empire among themselves; And the Sarmates subdued and rob all Austria and Hungaria; The Germans passing through France, entered Spain, to the City of Terragona which they ruined, and the Empire was almost utterly destroyed; Yea it was not only thus molested by men, but the very Heavens and Elements conspired against it, to plague it; For the Heavens were darkened in such a manner that for many day's space they never saw the Sun, and the Earth opened and discovered great Vaults and Caves, out of which there issued great streams of Salt-water; and such horrid noises were heard as many died for fear; The Sea broke its bounds, overflowing and drowning many Cities; After which there fell out the most woeful Pestilence that ever was read, or heard of, so that in Rome there died thereof Five Thousand Persons in one day. Imper. Hist. Pag. 158.  
XI. In 257 the Sea overwhelmed many Cities in Europe and Afri●a; This year there were many exceeding great Earthquakes, and darkness for many days together, spears also were seen in the Element at Rome; The Germans and Scythians wast the Empire; The French destroy Italy; Claudius Censorinus was made Emperor in Italy, and slain there; Donald usurped the Crown of Scotland, and kept the Nobility in fear, by threatening to kill their kindred whom he had got into his hands. In 300 there was an horrible Earthquake in Tyre, which destroyed many buildings, and an innumerable Company of People; Many Monsters were also born this year; Dioclesian the Roman Emperor assumeth the Title of a God, and would have Divine Honours given him; Many Christians are burnt in a House in Nicodemia; The Tenth bloody Persecution began, One Hundred and Forty Four Thousand Christians are put to death in Egypt, and Seven Hundred Thousand Banished. In 314 a Banner with a Cross was seen in the Air, and divers Armies fight; A hand was seen in Lateran at Rom● without a body, which in the sight of many men writ upon the Wall these words, Hodie venenum Ecclesiae infusurus; To day is poison poured into the Church. This was interpreted to foretell the extraordinary Indulgence of Constantine the Emperor, toward the Christian Bishops, and his heaping Estates, Riches and Honours upon them, whereby they soon after lost their former Piety and Humility; He was surnamed the great: and was the first Christian Emperor who publicly countenanced and embraced the Gospel, which he is said to have done on this occasion. At the same time that he was saluted Emperor in Britain, Maxentius was chosen at Rome by the Praetorian Soldiers; being pensive and solicitous upon these Distractions, he cast his Eyes up toward Heaven, where he saw in the Air a lightsome Pillar in the form of a Cross, wherein he read these words in Greek, In this thou shalt overcome, and the next night a vision appeared to him, commanding him to bear that figure in his Standard, and he should overcome all his enemies, this he performed, and was accordingly victorious, from which time he not only favoured the Christians, but became a zealous Professor of the Faith and Gospel; Before his time it is observable that few (if any at all) of the Roman Emperors died a natural death, (they being 40 in all from the time of Julius Caesar,) though after they generally did. Rome was likewise beautified by Constantine, and Lamps and Wax Candles were first used in the Church in the day time; Arius gins to broach his Heresies, and is condemned by the Council of Alexandria. The French aid the Sarmatians against the Romans, and in a Battle kill Forty Six Thousand Men. In 323 a Fountain ran with Oil in Italy, there was also a terrible Comet seen for many days together at Rome; Constantine overcomes Licinius at Chalcedon; Octavian fleeth into Scotland, and by the aid of Fincomore recovers Britain, Licinius is put to death.  
XII. In 340 there was an Earthquake in A●a which overthrew many Cities. A Child of six months old prophecies in Rome; Constantine the El●●●● is ●ain, Constans subdueth the Gauls; Athan●sius the Bishop is banished. In 343 was a great and terrible Eclipse of the Sun, and an Earthquake, whose force was so great that it overthrew many Cities in the East; Hermogenes is slain in a Tumult; Constantius persecuted the Clergy; Julius entertaineth Athanasius and other banished Catholics; Arius his Heresies spread at Antioch; The Christians are persecuted in Persia and Constantius is beaten there; The Heathen Temples are shut up. In 349 was a great Earthquake, which overthrew a whole City into the Sea except the Church; The City of Dirachium was swallowed up by an Earthquake, and Rome was shaken three days and nights together, with divers Cities in Campania. Constantius overcomes the Persians in Battle, but his Soldiers being drunk with Wine and Beer, as well as with success, the Persians came suddenly upon them, and make a great slaughter. In 362 an Earthquake did very much harm in Persia, and the City of Nicodemia was overthrown thereby; An Ox is said to have spoken in Italy; Constantius makes Peace with the Persians, and soon after dies, the Christians are much Persecuted; Julian the Apostate being at Constantinople to prepare for the Persian War, is slain at Chresiphon; The Temple of Apollo Daphneus is burnt. In 369 was a great inundation or overflowing of waters in Sicily, and a general Earthquake throughout the whole World; Romachus defeateth Augusian and the Picts in England; He tyrannizeth, and the Nobles cut off his head; Valence putteth Athanarius to flight. In 337 appeared a Comet of wonderful greatness, and another general Earthquake in Sicily: The Scots and Picts are set at variance by Maximus, the Goths turn Arians, and waist Thrace, Thessaly and Epirus: The Emperor Gratian killeth thirty five thousand Germans. In 384 there was visible a terrible sign in the Heavens in all parts like unto a fiery Pillar, and the River Tiber overflows her banks again; Maximus killeth Gratian treacherously, and possesseth Britain, France, Spain and afric: The Vandals and Lumbards' quarrel: Priscillian is Executed at Trevers by Maximus, after an appeal to him from the Council of Bordeux. In 392 a new Star is seen in the Heavens which appeared in the form of a sword for forty days together; Armed men and Castles were seen in the Heavens in Greece: Valentinian is strangled at Vienna, Eugenius is made Emperor, Honorius wars against Eugenius; The King of France is slain in battle, the Romans impose a tribute on the French.  
XIII. In 399 strange fiery clouds are seen in Constantinople, an Earthquake, and great hail, a Star like a sword is seen at Rome, in many places hailstones fell which were bigger than a stone of eight pound weight: A deep Snow, great Eclipse of the Sun, and other strange Meteors; the Goths divide into Factions, and consume themselves with Civil War; Gildo their King killeth his children, is forced to fly, and at last is taken and strangled; Heathen Temples and Idols are destroyed: The Sybyls books are burnt at Rome. In 412 the Earth at Utica in Italy seemed as if it mourned for seven days together, with a horrible lowing: At Rome great flocks of Grasshoppers were seen in the Air; Arthaulphus warreth with the Vandals; The Spaniards Country is parted between them and the Swedes. Pelagius a Monk in Britain broacheth his Opinions; Heraclian is slain by his own Soldiers. In 434 it reigned blood in Savoy: A Comet of wonderful Magnitude appeared in the Heavens; In Sweden a Dragon was seen flying in the Air; There was a great Famine in Constantinople, Pope Bassus dyeth: The French besiege Archillas: The Emperors makes peace with the Vandals: The Goths break Peace with the Romans: The Britain's war with the Scots. In 445 were apparitions in the Heavens in England, burning Spears were seen at Rome, many Earthquakes, the Moon Eclipsed; A Comet this year appeared ten weeks together: Aelius the Roman General is slain, Cartigern and Horsa are killed in battle at Aylesford in Kent. The Britain's beat the Saxons, and drive them into the Isle of Thanet, the King of the Goths is slain. In 463 happened a great Earthquake in Rome, and many parts of Italy, with terrible showers, and great storms of hail; The Goths waist Illyria, Beorgok is slain in Italy by Ricimer; The Pope's usurpations are opposed by Hillarius a Deacon of Rome. In 471 was an Earthquake at Vienna; Wolves, and other Beasts wander all the year through that City, and devour men, the Emperor's Palace is consumed by fire, Ricimer aspireth, and being discovered fleeth to Milan, he proclaimeth war against the Emperor, besiegeth Rome, and killeth Arthemius: Portugal and Burgundy are wasted by the Goths. In 483 Armies of men were seen in the Air in Russia; An Earthquake also, and two wonderful Blazing Stars appeared, a Rainbow likewise seemed to encompass two Suns which were visible at once; Giles King of France is slain, and Clovis taketh many Cities: A Persecution of learned men in Africa; Zeno the Emperor gives up himself to riot and cruelty, putting many to death. In 507 there fell a great and fiery dart from Heaven in Africa, and dark spots were observed in the body of the Sun. The Emperor gives the Goths money to departed his Dominions, Clovis warreth against Alaricus for Religion, and Italy is wasted by Clorus with an hundred ships, and eight thousand men. In 529 happened wonderful Lightning at Antioch, and an Earthquake at Constantinople; Legible Letters are seen in the Air at Rome, it reigned blood in the Valleys of Lucern and Piedmont four days together. The Persians war against the King of Colchos, and the Emperor; The Vandals put their General to death, the Jews are suppressed, the Emperor's General Mundus defeateth the Geteses who wasted Thrace.  
XIV. In 539 a famous Comet appeared in the Royal sign Sagittarius, and vast Flocks of Ravens were seen at Rome: The Persians take Antioch, and waste the Eastern Provinces; The Emperor purchaseth his peace. People are ordered to pray toward the East in their Churches. In 546 the Sea flowed up four miles into Thrace, and drowned many people: There was a very great Earthquake in Constantinople: The Goths soon after setting upon the Romans at the siege of Septa, were all slain; Totilas the Goth besiegeth Rome, and taketh it; Belisarius recovereth it. In 555 a fiery Lance in the Element appeared from the North to the East; The Heavens seemed to open in France, and lights shined out for two hours' space, an Earthquake shook Constantinople for six weeks, and the Sun for the greatest part of the year gave so little light, a● was only equal to that of the Moon, though the Sky was clear, and no Clouds or any thing to overshadow it; After which there followed a great Famine, Earthquakes, and much War and bloodshed. Narses winneth Liguria and Venice from the French: The Romans rout the Persians at Phasido; The Jews and Samaritans persecute the Christians, and burn their Churches in Caesarea. In 570 at York in England the Fountains ran blood; Likewise blood fell from the Clouds in Lombardy, in Kent a Boy laughed in his Mother's Belly, and at London, Trees seemed to be on fire; This year the Persians begin a war with the Romans; The Huns break into Germany, and are expelled by the French: There was so great a Famine in England, that the People assembled together in flocks, to throw themselves into the Sea. In 590 was a great inundation in Constantinople: there was a Comet this year which Blazed a Month together; In the River Tiber at Rome was seen a Dragon, and many Serpents, and the water thereof overflowed the City, an infinite company of Grasshoppers are seen in Lombardy, and many Locusts in France. Not long after so great a Plague was in Rome that eight hundred men fell dead in an hour in the time of Procession, Antharis is poisoned at Papia: The Huns invade Italy and France, the Emperor goes against them but was forced to return. In 597 a dreadful Comet is seen at Constantinople, the Elements seem to burn in Poland, a fiery lance is seen in the Heavens at Rome; An horrible Earthquake in Palestine; A sign in the Heavens like a sword flamed thirty days together; A Comet was seen for a month together at Jerusalem. Soon after the Sclavi waist Thrace: The Britain's and Scots invade the Saxons; France and Poland are miserably wasted; Brunchild a Daughter of the Royal Blood of France, being found guilty of the death of Ten Kings, she is tied by the hair of the head, and by the Arms to wild horses, and torn to pieces; The Romans and Persians differ, and the Emperor is defeated in Thrace.  
XV. In 639 was an Earthquake at Antioch, and Horsemen were seen in the Air in Muscovia, and blood reigned at Naples; A wonderful storm at Constantinople which spoilt the Fields and Gardens, a fiery Dragon was seen in the Air there also; After this the Saracens or Turks become Lords of all Mesopotamia; Sigebert King of the East-Angles dies; Dagobert becomes sole Monarch of France, the Pope is imprisoned at Constantinople, and afterward banished and starved. In 674 appeared so horrible a fire, and a Rainbow in the Element, that many cried out the world was at an end, this was accompanied with Rain, Thunder and Lightning, which slew both Men and Beasts in Italy. This year the Saracens besieged Constantinople, and the s●ege continued 7 years, till at last thirty thousand of them were slain, and their Fleet is fired by Cariniceus who revolted from them; Bamba warreth against the French; Egbert of Kent dyeth; King Lothari is slain with a dart; The Goths overcome the Gascoigns. In 687 there was a very great Comet at Christmas and several Mocksuns were seen in England, the next year it reigned blood seven days together through all Britain. In Campania Wheat reigned from Heaven, also Barley and Pulse in other parts of Italy, two Comets of great magnitude were seen this year; It reigned blood seven days together through all Britain, and the milk, cheese and butter turned into blood. Soon after happened great controversy in Rome about a new Pope: The King of Scots is slain by the Picts: The Emperor defeateth the Sclavonians: Kenwin the West-Saxon dyeth; The French enter into Germany, and subdue the Bavarians and Almains: Italy began to choose themselves several Dukes this year. In 735 a most Prodigious Hail fell in England: Fire was seen to flame in the Heavens at Rome. About this time Gregory the great being sent to the Emperor at Constantinople about some Ecclesiastical Affairs, at his return to Rome the River Tiber swollen to such an immeasurable height, that it ran over the Walls of the City, and drowned a great part of it, breaking into divers great houses, and overthrowing many Ancient Monuments, flowing into the Granaries that belonged to the Church, and carried away many thousand measures of Wheat; Presently after which inundation there came down the River an innumerable company of Serpents, and amongst the rest one so monstrous that it was as big as a great beam, all which swimming down the River into the Sea, were there choked, and their Carcases being cast upon the shore, rotten there, by the stink whereof the Air was inf●●●ed, so that a dreadful Plague followed, whereof th● 〈◊〉 many Thousands; Yea Arrows were visibly seen s●● 〈◊〉 Heaven, and whoever was struck with them d●ed immediately, and among others Pelagius Bishop of Rome. This Judgement so raged in the City that many houses were wholly emptied of their Inhabitants. An inundation likewise happened in Constantinowe; Oil raired in Spain, a Comet appeared in the fashion of a sword. Cro●●● fell from Heaven upon men's Garments; An Earthquake in Palestim; Fire reigned from Heaven in many parts of France; The French about this time enter the territories of the Goths, and destroy their Ca●●●es; A mighty Pestilence in Constantinople for three years, which devoured so many that they wanted men to bury their dead; Selred the East-Saxon is slain; The Emperor beats the Saracens in Cyprus, the Huns General slain in Transilvania.  
XVI. In 761 in the month of September happened a very great Eclipse of the Sun; A Blazing Star was seen in the East for many days together; This year the King of Scotland invadeth Northumberland, and is slain; There was a Rebellion in Galloway; The Bulgarians invade the Empire. Dominico the great Duke is deposed by the Venetians for his Tyranny, and his eyes put out. About this time the Turks broke forth from the Caspian Sea, and there was such an extraordinary cold Winter that the Euxine Sea was frozen thirteen foot thick, and men walked on the see for an Hundred Miles into the Sea; Yea all the Countries from Lycia to Danubius, and on the other ●●de as far as to Euphrates were so joined together by the Frost as if they had been all one Continent; And at the end of Winter began a very dry Summer, so that the Fountains of water were dried up; Some pieces of Ice as big as Mountains fell upon, and beat down the Walls of several Cities; Stars were seen falling from Heaven, so that men thought the end of the world had been come. In 778 was another great Eclipse of the Sun; Armies of men were seen in the Heavens in France. This year it reigned blood, also Earth and Ashes fell from Heaven at Rome: There were Meteors in the Air like unto fiery Serpents, which fell in many parts of England. Soon after Telerick King of Bulgaria is expelled by his people. King Etheldred flies from England: King Aswald is Murdered by Siga: The Emperor slays Six Thousand Saracens. In 794 the River of Tiber overflows its Banks, and doth much prejudice, a very great Earthquake happened in Crect and Constantinople; the event was, that Alphonsus' King of Spain killed Seventy Thousand of the Moors, and took Lisbon in Portugal from them. The Danes invade England, but almost all of them perish; The Armenian Legions rebel. In 798 the Sun was darkened for seventeen days together; This year Irene the Empress of Constantinople first governed the Empire with her son Constantius: but she afterward deposed him, put out his eyes, and lastly murdered him. In 808 the Sun and Moon were Eclipsed contrary to nature; Armies of Men appear in the Heavens; The Star Mercury is seen in the Sun like a black spot; Blood reigned in Holland; At this time, the Picts waist Scotland; The Bulgarians kill six thousand Greeks, and take Sardis; The Danes subdue Friezland, the Saracens disperse themselves into divers Countries under six Princes. In 820 a great and wonderful storm of Rain fell, which rotten all the Corn in the Fields, and such mighty floods and inundations followed, that hindered the Countrymen from sowing their seed; Fiery apparitions were often seen in the Elements; The effects that followed were, a great Famine and Pestilence in France: The King of England is slain by the East-Angles; Asia is wasted, Constantinople besieged; and Reyner King of Denmark is expelled his Kingdom.  
XVII. In the year 840 sparks of fire like Stars were seen to run up and down the Heavens: A great Comet appeared, and the Sun was much Eclipsed, swarms of Bees were seen at Westchester in England: This year was prodigious for many wonderful Earthquakes, Hails, Whirlwinds, Thunders and Lightnings which happened in most parts of the world. Soon after, the people of Spain rebel, the Scots overcome the English who aided the Picts: The Saracens are overcome by the Emperor, and soon after Lothair their King with his Brethren, and one hundred thousand men were slain. The Danes enter the Thames with two hundred and fifty ships, and take Canterbury and London, and expel the King of England. In 870 were great Hail, Thunders and Lightning at Rome: a Church at Worms burnt by it, an Earthquake in England: In Brixia near Italy, it reigned blood for three days and three nights together; At this time the Danes were beaten out of Holland, and the Saracens out of Italy: The Danes land in Scotland, and challenge Pictland for their King. In 882 the Sun was so much obscured that the Stars appeared in the Sky in the day time. There was an Earthquake in Normandy, and a Blazing Star hung just over Spain; Now the Britain's invaded Scotland, Constantine their King was killed: The Saracens break into Italy, and are expelled by the Emperor. In 912 four Rainbows were seen at once in Scotland: Fiery Torches are seen in the Air; Many great floods happened in Saxony; A great Comet, and Stars were seen to run glittering to and fro in the Heavens. Divers Mock-suns were visible in Italy and Spain; This Winter was very wonderful for excessive cold; The Sun appears for certain days as if it bled, three Comets for a fortnight together were seen just over Germany; About this time the Vandals invade Greece, and the Saracens, Calabria, and take many Cities in Italy; the Emperor dyeth, his death being judged to be occasioned by his losses to the Hungarians; The Pope is imprisoned and strangled; The Scots assist the Danes, but are overcome; Gonsalvo poisoneth Sancho King of Spain. The Russians in a malicious manner persecute the Christians; The French King and the Emperor are reconciled, and divers Conspirators against the Emperor are executed.  
XVIII. The year 956 produced many strange prodigies, as a wonderful hail at Oxford in England; strange Lightning, killing many Priests in France; Mighty Thunders, Tempests, etc. Soon after the Hungarians invade the Emperor, but are reconciled to him. The Bishop of Strasburg calls one hundred thousand Hungarians into Batavia; they are all slain there, and the Emperor's eyes plucked out; The Italians make war with the Pope. In 968 Fire falls from Heaven, there was a great Earthquake in France, a Comet appeared, there was wonderful increase of Vermin, as Rats, Mice, etc. This year the Empress murders the Emperor Nicephorus: Donald murdered the King of Scotland for refusing to pardon a thief of his acquaintance. In 979 was an Earthquake in Scotland; Armies of Fire were seen a whole night together in the Air; A Child was born in Rome with two heads, not long after Harold King of Denmark is slain by an arrow: The Danes land in Scotland, and waste divers places, the Scots put them to flight, they land in Kent, and spoil the Isle of Thanet. In 992 Fire rises out of the River Rhine (saith my Author) and burns many places in Germany. In Spain three swords appeared in the Heavens like fire; Now the Duke of Bavaria dyeth; The Danes invade England with a very great Fleet: the King of Denmark is slain by one of his own servants. In 1002 a Fountain of water in Lorraine is turned into blood. A Comet very horrible to behold was seen, casting out flames of fire on every side; The Danes being routed at Oxford fly to the Church, and are there all burnt: The Emperor Otho is poisoned with a pair of Gloves. In 1022 swarms of Locusts came into France. It reigned milk at Rome, there was a very great Eclipse of the Sun, and this year the weather was so unseasonable that many died through too much heat; Divers Polonians rebel against the Christians; The Emperor overcomes the Greeks in Italy, the Polanders subdue Ruisia, and make it tributary; The Vandals waist Saxony, and take Brandenburg. In 1043 five Suns at once appeared in England, and a hairy Comet very large was visible, the Emperor overcame the Russians, who invaded his territories. A great Famine happened in Germany and France; The Prussians invade Poland, and fifteen thousand of them are slain, and twenty thousand taken Prisoners; The Irish and Welsh enter the River Severn, and do a great deal of harm. In 1033 when the Pope (the great Antichrist) was come to his height, and the darkness of superstition and Idolatry had overspread the Christian world, upon June 29 at six a Clock in the Morning, the Sun began to be Eclipsed, continuing till 8 a Clock in a very strange manner, the body of the Sun was of the Colour of a Saphire, so that the Countenances of men looked pale and wan as if they were dead, and whatsoever was in the Air seemed of a yellow Saffron Colour to the great terror of all men. Imper. Hist.  
XIX. There was a great increase of Rats and Mice in the year 1058; And stones of a mighty bigness mixed with Hail fell from Heaven, and killed many, two Blazing Stars this year hung over Poland; The Saxons rebel against the Emperor, twenty six thousand are drowned in a Pitfall by the stratagem of two Bishops in Holland, as they came against the Earl of Flanders. In 1064 a little before the coming of the Normans to this Kingdom about the Feast of Easter, there was seen for a week together a Blazing Star of an hideous and fearful form, which occasioned in men's minds a fore-feeling of some dismal events. In 1076 three Suns at once were seen in Naples. A fiery Dart ran up and down in the Heavens, in Italy women appeared in the Air of admirable shapes, which mightily amazed the Beholders. The Emperor deposeth the Pope, and the Pope him, and also excommunicateth him; The Turks take Rhodes and Cyprus: The Hollanders overcome the Frisons: Northumberland in England is wasted. In 1086 a great inundation happened in Italy; Four Moons were seen at once in France and England: Many tame Fowl became perfectly wild; In Flanders a fiery Dragon was seen flying in the Air, casting flames out of his mouth: shortly after followed the burning Plague, called Ignis sacer or Holy fire. The Saxons defeat the Emperor, the Turkish Emperor dyeth, King William the Conqueror dyeth, Prince Edmund and Ethelred are banished Scotland by Donald their Uncle, and die in England. In 1094 a fiery dart was visible in the Heavens, which through its violence flew from North to South; There was a great Earthquake in England: Horrible noises and strange groan were heard in the Earth about Rome. Soon after the King of Poland being envied by his Nobles causeth many of them to be banished, Pedro of Spain taketh Osca, and killeth thirty thousand Moors; The English invade Normandy again; Bretislaus gaineth the Kingdom of Bohemia by the aid of the Hungarians. The year 1101 was very remarkable for Monsters; Syracuse in Sicily is shaken with an Earthquake; Three Suns, a Sword and Crown, are seen in the Air in Germany, and likewise a Comet of wonderful bigness, after this Conradus the Emperor dyeth in Italy: The Russians invade Poland, but are expelled by Boleslaus; In England the Earl of Shrewsbury warreth against King Henry 1. The Earl of Flanders takes Cambray; A League is concluded between the English and Scots. In 1106 a great Comet appeareth for fifty days together; The Emperor Henry 4. dyeth, as supposed of grief, that his Son had lately rebelled against him; About the same time, which was when the Christians were engaged in Palestine in the Holy War for the recovery of Jerusalem, three Suns appeared, one on each side the true, but smaller both in quantity and light, a great white circle environing them, and in it a Rainbow of four Colours, the Bow being toward the Sun, and reaching to the other two Suns, and shortly after the Stars of Heaven seemed to ram.  
XX. In 1116 fiery Armies in the Heavens were seen in Germany, with many Earthquakes, and very great Whirlwinds, than Bruges in Flanders was burnt, Poland was wasted; And the Emperor is Excommunicated by the Pope. In 1135 was a very great inundation in Flanders, Holland and Freizeland, in England was a great Earthquake, and Whirlwinds happened in France, the light of the Sun appears sensibly to fail and decay; Now many people perished in Flanders: Judea is miserably wasted by the Saracens; Henry I. King of England surfeits of Lampreys and dyes; Baldwin de Rivers fortifies Exeter against King Stephen, he is taken and banished. In 1147 were great Thunders at Rome, and an Earthquake in England; Several Globes of Fire were seen in the Heavens, a multitude of small worms were vi●●●e; it reigned blood, and there were strange Lightnings at Rome; Ling Lew●s of France about this time invades Syria, he 〈◊〉 taken Prisoner by the Greeks, but rescued by the ●●ing of Sic●●y: Al●●●●s●s King of Spain took L●sbon and St. Iren from the Moors, the King of Sueden is slain, and soon after King Stephen of England dyeth. in 1158 a very great Pillar of fire appeared in the Heavens in Germany; There was a great Eclipse of the Su●●; Two Dragons were seen to fight in the Air in 〈◊〉. This year the Emperor goeth against the A●●●●●s; The Pope submitteth to the Emperor, but soon after reputes thereof, and excommunicateth him; The Venetians deny aid to the Greek Emperor against the King of Sicily. In 1169 there appeared three Suns, and three Moons beside the true ones, and also a Comet, there happened likewise a very great Earthquake; not long after, the Sultan of Egypt is slain by Syraconus; The English invade Cumberland: Malcolm King of Scots dyeth; Catania in Sicily is destroyed and nineteen thousand People are swallowed up by an Earthquake, The Romans raze the City of Alba.  
XXI. In 1178 there was a wonderful inundation in ●●gland; Two Armies were seen in the Heavens in Italy to fight a fierce battle; The Sun was this year greatly Eclipsed; At which time the English and Scots quarrel; The Spaniards take several places from the Fr●●ch; Wars were between the French and Flemings. In 1185 was another very great Eclipse of the Sun, and likewise a great Earthquake; also an Eclipse of the Moon, ●●d Armies were seen in the air in Greece, surrounded with fire; At this time, the Moors were defeated by the Spaniards, and their King slain; The greatest part of Bruges in Flanders was burnt; Baldwin the fifth King of Jerusalem was poisoned by his Mother; A rebellion happened in England; The Greeks lose 70 sail of Ships by Pirates. In 1198 great stones fall from Heaven, there was an Earthquake in the East, which overthrew many Cities; It reigned blood in England; Two fiery swords are seen in the Heavens in Spain; Soon after the Kings of Castille and Arragon invade Navarre; The Sultan 〈◊〉 Iconical is swallowed up by an Earthquake; About this time saith A. B Spot●wood, Adam Bishop of Cathness was barbarously used by some wicked people suborned by the Earl of Cathnes; He was assaulted at his own house, and his servant with a Monk who did ordinarily attend him were killed, the Bishop was by force drawn into his Kitchen, and when they had scourged him with Rods, they let the Kitchen on fire, and burned him therein. King Alexander 2 was at that time upon his Journey toward England, and shaving notice of this cruel fact, turned back, and went in haste to Cathnes, where he brought the Offenders, and their Partakers to Trial; Four Hundred by public sentence were executed, and all their Male-childrens gelt, that no succession should spring from such wicked seed; and the place where there Genitals were cast is to this day called, the Stony-Hill; The Earl because he did not help to rescue the Bishop, had his Estate forfeited, but yet he did not escape divine vengeance, being murdered by some of his own Servants, who conspired to kill him, and to conceal the Fact, set the House on fire, and burned his body, whereby he was paid home in the same measure he had used to the Bishop. A. B. Spotswood History Scotland. Pag. 110.  
XXII. In the year 1212 a dreadful Comet appeared for 18 days together; Shapes all bloody were seen in the Heavens; A Star with a Cross and an half Moon was visible in Italy; Not long after the Spaniards kill Two Hundred Thousand Moors; The Pope giveth away England from King John to Prince Philip of France, who lands there, and striveth for it; The Flemish with the English take three hundred sail of Ships from him, and burn an hundred more; The King of Arragon is slain, William King of Scots, and soon after King John both dye. In 1234 a great Eclipse of the Sun happened, and strange sights appeared in the Moon, for whereas she usually seems round, she now visibly appeared with six squares; The Sun was darkened so much that the Stars were seen; This year the King of Bulgaria puts out the Emperor's eyes; Vienna is subjected to the Empire; Constantinople is besieged by the Turks, but released by the Venetians; King Henry III. of England and his Nobles quarrel but are reconciled; The King of Poland dyeth. In 1243 was a great Comet fearful to behold, A Hill of a vast greatness removes itself out of its place; A noise like Trumpets is heard in the air in Italy; These were followed by a great Plague in Greece, and a miserable Famine in Constantinople, the King of the Cumans is slain, and the Turks take Jerusalem, and kill many Prisoners. In 1255 a great Comet appeared; Strange Lightning fell from Heaven; The Sea overflowed in many places in England; Dismal and strange noises are heard in the air; At this time the Genevese take Venice, and are expelled again; The Duke of Lithuania invadeth Prussia; five petty Kings are expelled Spain, the Venetians take Milan: E●●●line comes thither, and kills twelve thousand Citizens. Not long after Henry III. King of England dies. In 1277 there was a very great Rain about the Rhine in Germany, the Sky was as bright in Poland at midnight as if it had been noon day, Four Suns were seen in Russia, and there was an Earthquake in England; Now the Turks won all the lesser Asia from the Greeks: The Pope is killed by a fall, the Emperor slays fourteen thousand Bohemians: King Edward I. of England forceth the Welsh to a Peace. In 1285 a great Earthquake happened in Italy; A Comet of notable greatness was seen this year: A great swarm of divers coloured Flies, and mighty floods of waters were in England: There was likewise about this time a battle or fight of Dogs in France (saith Mr. Camden) at a place called Genelon Castle, wherein every one killed another being in number about Three Thousand, no Dog escaping alive but only one; Upon this followed the Invasion of Denmark by the Norwegians; Hungaria is ruined by the Cumans, the Helvetians war against the Emperor, but are subdued; The King of Sicily dies, and there was a great battle fought between the English and Scots, wherein many of the Scots were slain, the Sun the same day appeared as red as blood as long as the fight continued.  
XXIII. Lances and Darts of fire were seen in the Heavens in the year 1300, a great Snow fell, and a Comet of a wonderful magnitude appeared; In Germany Men and Horses were visible in the Air; At this time the English beat the Scots; The Turks invade the Germane Empire, and commit great mischiess, the Pope writes himself, Universal Lord in Spirituals and Temporals. Flanders is invaded, and many Nobles are taken Prisoners: Andrew King of Hungary dies. In 1310 was an Earthquake in England: The Elements seem to burn many days together; A Boy was born with four Arms, and two Bodies; Soon after the Polonians subdue Pomerania. The Isle of Rhodes is taken from the Turks, Robert Bruce King of Scotland wasteth that Country, and drives out the English, the Earl of Cornwall is banished, and the Emperor burneth Brixia. In 1322 the Sun in England for six hours together appeared like blood. There was a great Earthquake in Germany, and two Crosses appeared in the Heavens, and a fiery Circle was seen about the Sun; At this time the Scots oppose King Edward II. of England, and put him to flight; The King of Bohemia conquers Silesia, and divers places in Lusatia: The Emperor is taken in battle, and imprisoned 3 years. The King of England dies. In 1337 were two Comets seen together, one of which continued four Months, the other but three: Blood reigned in Rome, wonderful flocks of Crows and Daws were seen in Germany; The Lithuanians burn themselves, their Wives, Children and Goods to avoid taking; The French bourn Southampton: The Scythians wast Thrace, and take many Captives: the King of Sicily dyeth. About this time there happened a fearful Earthquake in the City of Venice, which overturned divers Steeples and Palaces, and among other dreadful Effects, it caused many hundred women to miscarry in Childbirth, and a terrible Plague sollowed it, which reduced the City to such an height of misery, that it was almost depopulated, whereupon the Senate made a Decree, that as many as would come to dwell at V●●ice, should after they had continued there two years be free Citizens'. In 1341 a terrible Comet with many other apparitions were seen in the Heavens: The Emperor A●●ronious about this time suffered death in an unheard of Tragical manner. And the next year (saith Mr. Camd●n) October 11, when the Moon was eleven days old, there were seen two Moons at Dablin in Ireland, the one according to the ●ourse of nature in 〈◊〉 West, the other in the East, casting but a mean and slender Light. In 1348 Divers Mocksuns appeared in the Sky, and the Heavens seemed to burn; There were several small Beasts reigned from the Elements in the Eastern parts of the World: There followed a gr●at Piague in England, the English beat the Scots, and recover much from them; The Po●anders ●●solutely conquer Russia. In 1365 armed men were seen in the Heavens in England, and fiery ●ance● in Italy, Grasshoppers cover Switzerland like Snow. Soon after the Russians who rebelled in P●land were subdued; The King of France is ex●●lled his Kingdom; The King of Sweden is taken Prssoner in Dattel: the Turks expel the Christians from Adrianople. In 1375 a Comet with a beard was seen many nights together in the Heavens: Grasshoppers eat up all the green things in France: Mighty inundations in Germany, and a very great Earthquake there; After this five thousand Houses were burnt at Gaunt, and seventeen other Towns in Flanders drowned, the Christians kill twenty thousand Turks in Bosnia by a stratagem: The Scots burn Roxborough, there were great Calamities in Italy; Prince Edward, commonly called the Black Prince dyeth, and not long after Edward III. King of England: The French take the Isle of Wight, and burn Rye and Hastings. In 1378 a general Plague in a most miserable manner invaded the greatest part of the world: It raged most among young Persons and Children; In the City of Lubeck only in Germany, it swept away ninety thousand persons: there died of it in several places, of  Friars one Million, two hundred forty four thousand four hundred thirty four. The Jews were said to have poisoned the Fountains of water, for which they were every where seized upon and burned; About the same time likewise it reigned blood, and two Mountains were swallowed up by an Earthquake, strange fires, flames, and a burning beam were seen in the Air.  
XXIV. In 1382 A. Bishop Ceurtney appointed a Convocation to be held in London, principally against Wickliff, and those who declared against the many corruptions of the Romish Church, at which time this memorable accident fell out, when they were all met together at the Gray-Friers in London just at that very instant when they were beginning there business against Wickliff, there fell out a wonderful, and terrible Earthquake throughout all England, whereupon divers of the Bishops being affrighted with the terror of it, thought good to leave off their further proceeding therein. In 1388 a Blazing Star appeared in the Heavens, which burned for two Months together; At Oxford the Image of a head spoke thus, Caput decidetur etc. The head shall be cut off: The head shall be lift up: The feet shall be elevated above the Head; This was followed by a Sedition in Oxford among the Scholars, many of whom dislike the Government; an Army of Forty Thousand are raised by the Duke of Gloucester, Earls of Warwick, Derby and Nottingham: Fifty Thousand Christians are slain in the Plains of Casovia, very great Factions are at this time in France. In 1390 a great Comet appeared, after which King John of Castille died with a fall from his horse; Presently after John Hus and Jerom of Prague oppose the Pope; Marry Queen of Hungary dies. In 1399 a running River in Bedfordshire divides itself, a Blazing Star was visible this year which shot wonderful Beams of fire from it. About this time Scotland is wasted by the English; The Frizons in Holland rebel; King Sigismond executed 32 of the Nobles in Hungary; The Pope is imprisoned by the King of France: the Duke of Hereford being banished, returns into England, and soon after King Richard TWO is deposed and murdered, the Duke succeeding by the name of King Henry iv In 1402 a mighty Comet was seen in the Heavens, and so the year after: at this time Tamerlane Emperor of the Tartars enters Asia, calling himself Iram Dei, & Vastitatem Terrae: The wrath of God, and the Destroyer of the earth. He kills Two Hundred Thousand Turks, takes Baj●zet Prisoner, shackles him, and puts him in an ●ron Cage, and earries him Captive through all As●a, making him his Footstool when he ascended his horse; John Hus is condemned, and burnt for an Heretic at Constans: In 1415 strange Prodigies were seen in Britain, a Dragon encountering a Lion in the air: armies of fire were seen fight, and one party overcoming in the Heavens, a great Eclipse of the Sun, at which time the English fight with the French under King Henry V at Agincourt, the French lose twenty thousand men ten thousand b●●ng killed upon the place, and as many taken Prisoners: Pope Gregory dies, the English invade Norman●●: The King of Spain sells the Canaries to the King of Sevil, the Valentians are made Tributary to the Turks. In 1421 another Comet appears in the Heavens; King Henry V of England dyeth, and the next year Charles VI King of France dyeth, Zisca routs the Emperor's Forces; and burns Cathna, which place for the sake of the Silver Mines, he called The Purse of Antichrist, he commanded that after his death his skin should be flayed off, and put upon a drum, supposing that as he had been victorious against his enemies while he lived, so that might have the same effect against them after his decease. Not long before this there was such a terrible Earthquake at Lar in Persia as overthrew Five Hundred Houses.  
XXV. Very great Snows fell in Germany in the year 1428, and a mighty Earthquake happened in Italy: The Winter was wonderful cold, especially in all the Northern Countries; after this the Danes spoil Thirty Ships of great value which belonged to the Vandals and Hambnrgers, the Turks take Thessalonica from the Venetians; The English lose much in France. In 1439 a Comet of a mighty magnitude is seen in Poland; Swarms of Bees in England go in progress, a great Earthquake happened in Hungaria. Soon after an Universal Pestilence rageth throughout the whole world; Albertus the Emperor dyeth, and likewise the King of Bohemia: The Marshal of France is burnt for Sorcery and Witchcraft; Amurath the Great Turk wastes Hungary, but is at last expelled by Corvinus Huniades; The French are twice beaten by the English in Normandy; The Polanders wast Silesia. In 1450 another great Comet appeared, Amurath Emperor of the Turks dies at the siege of Croia: Scanderbag the great overcometh Mustapha his Competitor.  
XXVI. In the month of June 1456 appeared two Comets, and the same year, August 24 there happened most tempestuous winds in Tuscany, such as never had been before heard of, which wrought most marvellous and memorable effects, for an hour before day, there arose from the Sea toward Ancona a great and dark cloud crossing Italy, and entering the Sea toward Pisa stretching two Miles in compass; This storm was furiously carried either by natural or supernatural force, and seemed divided into many parts, as it were fight among themselves, and of those broken clouds, some were hoist up toward Heaven, some violently cast down, and others with wonderful speed were turned round, but always before these Clouds, came a Wind, with Lightnings and flashings of fire, such as cannot be expressed, of these broken and confused Clouds, and of those furious Winds and great Flames, there grew so strange a noise as moved the People to greater fear than any Earthquake or Thunder ever had done, insomuch that every man thought the World was ended, and that the Earth, the Water, and the Heavens would have returned to its first Chaos and Confusion, this fearful storm wheresoever it passed wrought marvellous and wonderful offects, but the most remarkable of all, happened about the Castle of St. Cassiano; This Castle is built upon a Hill, which parteth the vales of Pisa and Greive, 8 Miles distant from Florence; Betwixt this Castle and the Town of St. Andrea built upon the same Hill, this furious Tempest passed, not coming to St. Andrea, but at St. Cassiano threw down divers Turrets and Chimneys, and near to it subverted whole houses even to the ground, and carried away the roofs of the Churches of St. Martino a Bagnolo, St. Maria della pace, whole, bearing them from thence unbroken above a Mile, one man a Carrier was taken up, and in the Valley near the Highway both he and his Mules were found dead: Also all the greatest Oaks, and ●strongest Trees which would not bend at the fury of the Tempest, were not only blown down, but violently carried from the places where they grew. The next day after this horrible tempest, when some of the Inhabitants, who fled for fear thereof, returned, they were strangely astonished, for they found the Country desolate, and laid waist, the houses and temples overthrown, the people lamenting at the sight of their houses being blown down, and under them their Goods, their , and their Parents slain, which occasioned wonderful compassion in the beholders and hearers thereof, by this means it pleased God rather to threaten than punish Tuscany, for if so great a Tempest had fallen upon any City full of Houses, as it fell upon these Oaks and Trees, and small Houses one far from another, without all doubt the destruction would have been greater than the mind of man could have conceived; But it pleased God by that small example to revive in men's minds the memory of his power. The same year there perished about Pivel and Naples forty thousand People by an Earthquake; Mahomet the Great Turk is beaten from the siege of Belgrade by Hunniades, who soon after dyes; Ladislaus King of P●land and Alphonsus King of Naples both die. Matchiavil Hist. Florence Lib. 6.  
XXVII. In 1460. a most terrible Comet appeared to fight; This year King Henry VI of England is made Prisoner at Northampton: The Civil Wars in France begin; Charles VII. King of France and Adolphus Duke of Holsatia both die; Cra●ovia a great City in Poland is destroyed ●●ith Fire and Sword: Mahomet II. Emperor of the Tarks after many victories, cruelly kills David the Emperor of Trapezund and his two sons: the Duke of York is slain at the battle of Wakefield in Yorkshire. In 1477 a Blazing Star of the colour of the Star Saturn appeared: there ensued a most terrible Plague: The Helvetians killed seventeen thousand French, and Charles Duke of Burgundy: The Turks waist Carinthia, and the Tarta●●, Pod●lia. In 1484 happened a wonderful deep Snow in Germany, and fiery darts were seen in the Sky, the Sun was likewise much Eclipsed. In England three Suns appeared about this time, and in Poland there was seen (saith my Author) an Image of Christ Crucified with a Sword in his hand, passing along the Air from West to South for two hours together: The English invade Scotland but are repulsed; The Venetians make war against the Turks: The quarrel continueth in Germany about the Archbishopric of Mentz; A Rebellion was raised in France against the Queen for the Prince's death. In 1470 Hail of wonderful greatness fell at Rome, the stones whereof weighed eight ounces, in Germany Hailstones fell as big as Goose eggs; Soon after the Turks take Sabotz in Hungary, and waist Germany: The King of Sicily with the Venetians fight against them, and spoul Leshos and Pergamus.  
XXVIII. In the Year 1478 the Sun is darkened without an Eclipse, swarms of Grasshoppers are seen in Italy; A Glorious Star is seen to run along the Firmament; Armies are observed fight in the Air in Switzerland; After this the Hungarians defeat the Turks, and take Thirty Thousand Captives from them; The Spanish Inquisition is first instituted in Castille against the Mo●s and Jews; The Transilvanians overcome the Turks; About this time King Charles VIII, of France marched into Italy with an Army for the Conquest of the Kingdom of Naples, a little before which, were many strange Prodigies, whereby divers Persons foresaw, and foretold, that there would be greater changes, and more horrible accidents than in many years before had happened in any part of the world. For there were seen in the night at Poville in Italy three Suns in the midst of the Firmament, and many Clouds about them which sent forth most dreadful Thunders and Lightnings. In the Territory of Aretzo were manifestly seen in the Air infinite numbers of armed men upon mighty Horses with a terrible noise of drums and Trumpets; The Images of the Saints (saith my Author) did plainly sweat in many parts of Italy; In several places divers Monsters were brought forth, both of women, and other Creatures, with many other things against the order of nature, which happened almost all at one time in divers places; And whilst the French Army was in the City of Milan, there happened an accident of no less wonder than fear, which extremely astonished the Soldiers, as if the Heavens by manifest signs had forewarned them of their future calamities; For upon St. Peter's day, the Sun being set, and the Air and Firmament clear, there fell down from Heaven a Light, and a Fire just before the Gate of the Castle, where at that time stood many barrels of Powder, which were brought out of the Castle to be sent to other Places; This Flash of fire seized upon the Powder, with an horrible noise, by the violence whereof the fair Tower of Marble which was over the Gate, on the top of which stood a stately Clock, was thrown down, and razed from the very Foundation to the top thereof; In which fury the Walls and Chambers of the Castle, with other buildings adjoining to the Tower had the same fate; Yea in one instant the whole body of the Castle, and the whole City of Milan trembled and shaken with the fury of the blow, which carried into the Air from several places many great and huge stones, which in their fall hurt and slew divers Persons; And as in a common calamity a multitude have a share, so it fell out here, for many who had escaped the fall of the stones, were overwhelmed by the ruins of the Walls, under which they were smothered and pressed to death; with these ruins the Castle green was so overspread and covered, that it was very dreadful to behold such a sudden alteration, but it was mighty surprising even to the most courageous to see stones of such an incredible bigness to be thrown with the fury of the fire above five hundred paces from the place; This happened at that very hour, wherein people of all sorts were walking for their Recreation upon the Castle Green, whereby there were slain above five hundred men who belonged to the Castle. Guichardines' Hist. Italy. Pag. 785.  
XXIX. In the year 1492 a great Comet is visible in the Heavens, Three Suns are seen in Poland, another Comet appeared for two Months; In Rome the Sky was seen to be on fire for many nights together; These were succeeded by great Inundations and Floods in England; The English go against the French, the Jews are expelled Spain. A Rebellion at Gaunt in Flanders: The Hungarians enter Mysia, and return back with much booty; A rot of great Potentates; Pope Innocent VIII. dies, Alphonsus' King of Portugal dies by a fall from his Horse; Frederick Emperor of Germany and Casimer King of Poland both die; A great part of Cracovia is burnt. In 1500 a great fiery Dragon, and of a monstrous shape is seen in Savoy; A Comet of wonderful Magnitude appears for 18 days in Poland, an Inundation in Germany; Soon after the King of Sweden, and the Queen of Bohemia die; The State of Milan rebel, and are suddenly subdued again; Next year Prince Arthur Son to Henry VIII. dyeth, and the Wife of King Henry VII. of England. The Turks take Modone, and many other places from the Venetians, and destroy abundance of them, together with divers French and Spaniards. In 1506 there appeared two Comets, the first on April 11. which lasted but five days; the second in August following: Alexander King of Poland dies, together with the King of Spain, and Philip the son of Maximilian the Emperor. In 1509 there was a great and terrible Earthquake in Constantinople, and the countries' thereabout, by the violence whereof a great part of the Walls of that City, with many stately buildings both public and private were quite overthrown, and thirteen thousand People overwhelmed, and destroyed therewith; The terror thereof was so great, that Bajazet the Emperor himself, and the People generally forsook their houses, and lay abroad in the Fields: It continued for a Month together with very little intermission, after which ensued a great Plague whereby that City was almost made desolate, there dying above an hundred and threescore thousand people, Turkish Hist. Pag. 476.  
XXX. The next year 1510, there happened a Prodigy which is very strange to relate, for in this year (saith my Author) there fell Twelve Hundred Stones from Heaven, some weighing threescore pound, others more? Nay it is affirmed, some of them weighed an Hundred and Twenty Pound, which if true, serves for a good Argument to prove that some other Stars or Planets may be habitable besides the Earth; At this time the Lubeckers wast Denmark, King Henry 8. goeth into France, and besiegeth Turwiu; Bajazet the Great Turk is poisoned: The Spaniards take Tripoli, and make war in Navarre: The Lubeckers worst the Danes at Sea, the Swissers invade France, and do much mischief there. In 1512 there appeared a great Comet in Leo: Pope Julius 2. and John King of Sweedland die. James 4. King of Scotland is slain at Flodden Field: The King of Poland being at war with the Emperor of Muscovia, kills forty thousand of his men in a pitched battle. In 1521 three Suns with a Rainbow were seen at Vienna in Germany, and suddenly after a great burning Torch was visible in the Heavens which continued a Month; A Circle and Cross appears with the Moon, and a burning Pillar is seen in Germany: Soon after the Venetians aid the Hungarians against the Turks: The French lose Milan; The English and French quarrel; The Emperor invades Picardy in France: King- Henry 8. writes against the Pope. Christian King of Denmark is expelled his Kingdom. In 1530 a Blazing Star of wonderful greatness appeared, and was visible through all Europe. This year four hundred and four Parishes were drowned by a great Inundation of the Sea in Holland, with all their People and , the Turks take Buda in Hungary, the Great Cardinal Woolsey dies, the English Clergy are fined, and pay to the King an Hundred Thousand pound for divers misdemeanours, the next year about Fourteen Hundred Houses were overthrown by an Earthquake at Lisbon in Portugal, and about six Hundred more so extremely shattered, that they were ready to fall, and many of the Churches were thrown to the ground. In 1533 a very great Comet was visible in the Heavens, this year Pope Clement 7 dyes: Alphonsus Duke of Ferrara, and the Duke of Milan die, strange factions and seditions are raised about Religion in Hungary; A great Plague at Noremburg in Germany. In 1538 a fiery Comet appeared in the Sign Pisces, with a long tail; Charles Duke of Gelderland dyeth; This year was made famous for divers things; For then the Kingdom of Denmark embraced the Gospel; The Emperor and, King of France met together to treat of Peace, the Bible was Printed in English at Paris, the Overseer of which work was Bishop Bonner; The University of Strasburg was erected: The Sect of the Antinomians was detected; The Duke of Brandenburg embraced the Augustan Confession; The Sea upon the Coasts of the Kingdom of Naples was wholly dry for eight Miles together, out of which Fire and Ashes broke forth so abundantly that many places were miserably destroyed thereby. This year Alexander Medici's who was made by the Pope Duke of Florence, was Married to Margaret Daughter of the Emperor Charles 5. the Nuptials were celebrated with great Pomp, and Military Revels, at which time a great part of the body of the Sun was darkened, whilst they were at the Feast, which much astonished the Guests, and the very next year after, this Alexander was murdered by his Kinsman Lorenzo Medici's, who was always very great with him, and privy to all his debaucheries. Strada Wars Low-Countries.  
XXXI. In 1539 a bloody Star and Cross were seen flying in the Air: Armed men, swords and funerals were visible in the Heavens in Germany, there likewise appeared a Blazing Star: This year John Duke of Cleve dyeth, a great fire happened in Constantinople, which burned the Jail, and consumed seven hundred Prisoners therein; John King of Hungary dies, the Irish invade the English; and are beaten, George Duke of Saxony dies; The People of Gaunt in Flanders mutiny, and behead their Magistrates; Isabel Empress of Germany dyeth, and shortly after Katherine Queen of England is beheaded by King Henry 8. In 1545 a Comet appeared in the West, in colour like blood; Lodowick Prince Elector dies, Martin Luther dies, and the next year a war in Germany breaks out. A bloody French Massacre was now perpetrated: King Henry 8. of England, and Francis 1. King of France both die: The Earl of Surrey is this year beheaded in England. In 1548 November 6 there was a great chasm, or opening in the Heavens, and in some places fire fell to the Earth, and flew up into the Air again: This Jasper Crucifiger saw, and thereupon much bewailed the great Commotions and Divisions in the Church, which he foresaw by this Prodigy, and accordingly it came to pass. In 1550 it reigned Corn from Heaven in Carinthia; Three Suns were seen in England an Earthquake and Globes of fire were visible in the Elements, Armies of men appeared in the Air in Saxony: The Sun seemed to cleave asunder, after this followed great troubles in Antwerp, and the sweeting sickness in England. The French make war with the Emperor, the Duke of Somerset in England is beheaded, the Queen of Sweden dies, the Turkish Pirates carry six thousand Christians into Captivity, out of the Isle of Gaul near Malta: The next year a very great multitude of Men and Cattle were drowned by a terrible Tempest, the Clouds suddenly dissolving, and the waters pouring down with such a stupendious violence, that the strong and massy Walls of many Cities, with divers Vineyards, and fair Houses were destroyed thereby.  
XXXII. That may be looked upon as a Prodigy in the highest degree, (saith Mr. John Gadbury) which my worthy friend Captain George Wharton in his Ephemeris for the year 1655 hath transcribed from one Tackius a Germane Doctor of Physic, who likewise takes it out of one Casper; That in the year 1554 not far from the City of Harmsted in Transilvania, there were observed in fair and legible Characters to be read in the Heavens the following Letters. I. N. R. I. M. D. L. V I. I. A. R. E. I. N. E. N. D. E. D. I. S. E. S. R. E. I. C. H. S. Nay that Author further affirmeth, that at Friburg in Germany the same year, on a very fair day, Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Iridi insidentem conspectum fuisse; Our Lord Jesus Christ was beheld sitting upon a Rainbow, as if upon his Tribunal, to denounce the Universal Judgement. In 1558 there was seen a Blazing Star in Spain, at first somewhat dim, at which time Charles the 5th. Emperor and King of Spain sickened, but as his disease increased, so it grew in bigness, at last shooting its fiery streams point blank against the Monastery where he lay, in the very hour the Emperor died the Comet vanished; The same year in the Month of August, a Comet in the form of a spit appeared, of a pale envious colour, denoting a more than ordinary mortality of great Potentates; Queen Mary of Hungary and Bohemia, and Queen Mary of England both die: Christian the 2. King of Denmark dies in Prison, after 26 years' imprisonment: Henry 2. King of France is slain by running at Tilt; Pope Paul 4. dyes, and likewise the Dukes of Venice and Ferrara, with fifteen Cardinals, besides many other Princes. In 1562 an Earthquake happened in Constantinople; Clashing of Weapons in the Elements, and armed men seen there; Much Thunder was heard in England, and five Suns seen in Holland; After this the English take many Towns in France; There was a great Plague in England, the Muscovites invade Leiseland, and the Danes and Lubeckers, Sweden, the Polanders beat the Livonians; Nine Thousand men were slain at Dreux in Normandy, and among them the King of Navarre; The same year December 19 Mr. John Calvin lying in his bed sick of the Gout, it being Sunday, and the North Wind having blown strongly for two days together, some Friends coming to visit him, he said unto them; Truly I know not what is the matter, but I thought that the last night I heard warlike Drums beating very loud, and I could not persuade myself but it was so; Let us go to Prayers, for surely some great business is at hand. And indeed this very day there was a great Battle fought between the Papists and Protestants not far from Paris in France, news whereof came to Geneva a few days after. Clarks Examp. 2 Part, Pag. 564.  
XXXIII. In 1568 were many Locusts in France; The Heavens seem all on fire in Hungary. In England, when the true Moon was under the Earth, there appears a Moon, and a Cross with a refulgent Star at the top thereof. Soon after the Third Civil War in France began, the King of Sweden is deposed and imprisoned; The Prince of Conde is taken and shot to death with a Pistol; The Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland rebel against Queen Elizabeth; Selimus Emperor of the Turks invadeth Cyprus; The Polanders and Danes fight at Sea. About this time the Duke of Alva came first into the Low-countrieses, and the future calamities of his Government, were presaged by a boy born at Liege, with two heads, four legs, and as many hands, the terror whereof was increased by a fire happening immediately after in the City of Mechlin, by a spark falling amongst Gunpowder, which took hold of threescore Barrels, and caused such an horrid Thunder and Earthquake, that in most of the Cities of Flanders the Men and Houses trembled at the dreadful noise; Not long after when the Prince of Orange brought an Army against the Duke, in the behalf of the Protestants, there were seen in divers places on a clear night two Armies in Battalia, brandishing their glittering Pikes, as if they were ready for a charge; The next year a Comet appears at the setting of the Sun, near the Planet Jupiter; Then followed a Famine in Austria, Sweden, Bohemia, Bavaria, Rustia, Lithuania, Joachimus 2. Elector of Brandenburg dies, and a little after Four Hundred Thousand People are drowned in Flanders and Holland besides . In 1572 there appeared a Comet or New Star in Cassiopeia, which continued Sixteen Months. Soon after which Charles 9 King of France, who was the Author of the bloody Massacre in France, died of extraordinary bleeding, which issued from divers parts of his body, cursing and swearing in a most dreadful manner, saith Mr. Camden in his History of Queen Elizabeth. Sigismond King of Poland likewise dyeth; The Duke of Norfolk in England is beheaded; A great Rebellion in Ireland.  
XXXIV. In 1577 Another Blazing Star of great magnitude appeared; Sebastian King of Portugal died the next year of two wounds which he received in his head in his expedition for Africa. In 1579 a fiery Dragon, and great Troops of Ravens flew through the Air in Germany; A mighty Tempest happened in Bohemia, and an Earthquake in Holland; Armies are seen in the Heavens at Antwerp; Two armed men are visible in the Air in Gelderland; That which followed was, the Polanders take Livonia and Polotia from the Moscovite; The Popish Clergy are expelled out of the City of Antwerp by the People; The Emperor forbids the Protestant Religion at Aken; In 1585. a Comet appeared for many weeks together, and the next year it reigned Locusts in Thracia, and Ducks and Geese in Croatia, as Leonclavius testifies, who was an eye-witness thereof; The Locusts fell in such multitudes that they devoured all the Country, and on the contrary, the Geese and Ducks fed and nourished many; Cluverius Hist. World. Soon after Osman Emperor of the Turks, and Stephen King of Poland both die. In 1593. there was another terrible Earthquake at Lar in Persia, which overthrew Three Thousand Houses, crushing to death above Three Thousand Persons in their Ruins: yea the Castle though built upon the top of a solid Rock, groaned in the like affrighting downfall; Herbert's Travels. In 1598. Feb. 25 which was a little before the Earl of Essex, went into Ireland, the Sun being almost totally Eclipsed, it was so dark for the time that the like had never been seen in the Memory of Man.  
XXXV. In the year 1602, there was an Earthquake in England, a very great Blazing Star appeared; Armies of men were seen in the Air in France; and warms of Grasshoppers are visible in Germany; asster this the Spaniards invade Ireland, but are beaten thence; The Swedes in vain attempt Livonia; The Turks lose Alba Regalis, and therein Threescore Thousand men, Queen Elizabeth of England dyeth. In 1607 another Comet appeared; There were great Wars between the Swedes and Danes, and Charles Duke of Lorraine dyeth. In 1610 fiery Darts and Lances were visible in the Heavens; Four Crosses appeared in the Air at once in Spain; where likewise happened Thunder, and a very great Earthquake; Now the Danes war against the Swedes: The Persians invade Babylon, and kill Twenty Thousand Turks; Henry 4. ●●ing of France is murdered, the Polanders overcome the Moscovites, and Nine Hundred Thousand Meors are banished out of Spain. J. G. This year the strong City of Strignnium in Hungary being besieged by the Turks, during the siege there appeared a dreadful fiery Meteor in the Air in fashion much like a Rainbow, of a bloody red colour, which arising some height, and continuing for a space of time, at length vanished away. In 1611 three Suns were seen in the Firmament over Vienna in Germany and three years after, the Heavens over the same Town grew so red, and soon after so fearfully dark on a sudden, that the Inhabitants were much amazed, apprehending either the last day was come, or that there would follow some horrible effusion of blood. In 1616, about the same time, which was not many years before Frederick Prince Elector Palatine was chosen King of Bobemia, about the midst of October, there appeared in the Firmament over the City of Prague, a Crown which gave a very great Light, and about it Armies of men fight, as if it were who should have it; divers Mocksuns were seen in the West of England; An Inundation happened in Holland: The Shape of an Elephant appeared in the Air in Germany; A Lion was heard, (as my Author saith) to roar in the Air, the Venetians at this time make war with Ferdinand of Austria; The Hollanders beat the Spaniard in the South Sea; The Tartars invade Podolia, burning four Cities, and four hundred Villages, carrying with them thence much booty. J. Gad. of Comets.  
XXXVI. In 1618. a mighty Blazing Comet appeared in the Heavens, it was first seen Novemb. 18. and continued till the Decemb. 16. following, taking its compass over most parts of the known world in twenty eight days time, and sometimes extending its Blazing Locks forty five degrees in length; Towards its Declination December 11 it passed over London, and so more Northwards, even as far as the Orcadeses in Scotland; What miserable effects of war, ruin and devastation followed thereupon over all Europe, (especially to Germany, of which I shall give a more particular account hereafter) was obvious to all men; There likewise was seen this year in the night over Constantinople a Comet in the form of a crooked sword of a vast bigness, at the first appearance it was somewhat whitish, but the higher it risen the redder it was, even like unto blood; There were also strange sights seen in other places, inundations of Rivers, and the Ocean, Earthquakes, monstrous births, waters turned into blood, unusual and impetuous Winds and Tempests which overthrew several Towers, and tore up many Trees by the Roots; Pleurs a Town in Rhetia near Switzerland was overwhelmed by an Earthquake, a great Hill falling suddenly upon the City, and destroyed Fifteen Hundred Persons. This year the Emperor Mathias, and soon after his Empress, together with Anne Q. of England die; J. Gad. of Prodigies.  
XXXVII. Mr. Knowls in his Turkish History Page 1348 relates, that in the year 1620 there was a strange Apparition or Vision seen by the Turks at Medina, where there Prophet Mahomet lies buried, which continued three weeks together, and exceedingly terrified the whole Country; and it was this. About September 20 there fell a very great Tempest about midnight, attended with dreadful Thunder, but when the Clouds were dispersed, and the Element clear, the People might read in Arabic Characters these words in the Firmament, O why will ye believe in Lies, and between two and three a Clock in the Morning there appeared a Woman in white compassed about with the Sun, having a cheerful countenance, and a Book in her hand, and over against her were Armies of Turks, Persians, Arabians, and other Mahometans, in battle array ready to fight with her, but she keeping her Station, only opened the book, at the sight whereof the Armies fled away, and presently all the Lamps about Mahomet's Tomb were put out; For as soon as the Vision vanished, which was commonly an hour before Sunrising, a murmuring wind was heard, unto which they imputed the extinguishing of the Lamps. The ancient Pilgrims of Mahomet's race (who after they had visited this place never use to cut their Hair) were much amazed, because they could not concieve the meaning of this Vision, only one of the Dervices or Priests (which is a strict Religious Order among the Turks like the Capuchins among the Papists, and live in Contemplation) stepped up very boldly, and made the following Speech to the Company,  
That the World had never but Three true Religions, every one of which had a Prophet; First God chose the Jews, and did wonders for them in Egypt, and brought them forth by their Prophet Moses, who prescribed them a Law, wherein he would have maintained them, if they had not been obstinate and rebellious, and fallen to Idolatry, whereupon he gave them over, and scattered them upon the face of the Earth; Then presently after God raised a new Prophet, who taught the Christian Religion: This good man the Jews condemned, and Crucified for a Seducer of the People, being not moved with the piety of his Life, his great miracles, nor his Doctrine: yet after his death, the preaching of a few Fishermen did so move the hearts of men, that the Great Monarches of the world bowed to his very Title, and yielded to the commands of his Ministers; But it seems they in process of time grew as corrupt as the Jews, their Church being disjointed with the Title of Eastern, and Western, committing Idolatry again by setting up Images, with many other idle Ceremonies, besides the corruption of their Lives, so that God was weary of them too, and not only sent divisions among them, but forsook them, and dispossessed them of their chiefest Cities, Jerusalem and Constantinople; Yet God is still the Governor of the world, and himself hath raised up another Prophet and People, even our great Mahomet, giving way to our Nation, so as no doubt we shall be happy for ever, if we can serve this God aright, and take warning by the fall of others; But alas! I tremble to speak it, we have erred in every point, and wilfully broke our first Institutions, so that God hath manifested his wrath by evident Signs and Tokens, keeping our Prophet from us who prefixed a time to return with all happiness to his People, so as there are now forty years passed by our account; wherefore this strange and fearful vision is a prediction of some great Troubles and Alterations; For either the opening of the Book in the woman's hand doth foretell our falling off from the first intent of our Law, whereat these armed men departed, as confounded with the guilt of their own Consciences; Or else it signifies some other book wherein we have not yet read, and against which no power shall prevail: So that I fear our Religion will be proved corrupt, and our Prophet an Impostor, and then this Christ whom they talk of, shall shine like the Sun, and set up his Name everlastingly; Hitherto the Company was silent, but hearing him speak so boldly, they were much incensed against him, charging him with Blasphemy, which their Law makes a Capital Crime; whereupon they presently condemned him, and having obtained the Beglerbegs consent and warrant, they put him to death; The Truth of this Relation was confirmed by Isuf Chaous a converted Turk, who came to London about the year 1656 which vision, he said, did much affect him, but he added, that the grand Signior commanded none should speak of it upon pain of death. In the year 1625 June 29, there began a most terrible Tempest in Constantinople, with such violent and continual Thunder and Lightning, that all the City appeared as if it had been on fire, at the end whereof fell such a storm of Hail that it broke the Tiles and Glasses, so that stones were taken up weighing an hundred and fifty drams, the next morning others were weighed that were about 7 or 8 ounces apiece, wherewith many were very much wounded; and July 3 after, there happened another Tempest of Thunder and Lightning, which burned a Woman and a Child, and slew much  in the Fields. Turkish. Hist. Pag. 1452.  
XXXVIII. And now I shall relate the Desolations and miseries of Germany, with the wonderful signs foregoing, as I find them recorded in credible Authors. The dreadful Blazing Comet which appeared in 1618. aforementioned, seemed to be a forerunner thereof; It was seen often in a clear Sky in the East; In Bohemia and Austria it appeared at first with red, in other places with a Saturnine pale-red colour for the space of twenty seven days, and in some places longer; And it seemed here to be completely effected what has been usually said, that never did a Comet appear which was not accompanied with much evil and misery, and Claudian the Poet writ thus concerning them, 
— Bella canunt ignes, subitosque tumult is etc.  
They show fierce Wars, Fire, Sword, and s●dden broils,  
And by Domestic Plots, surprising T●ils,  
uncivil Civil Jars, and homebred Flames  
They signify;   
And Lu●●n the Heathen Poet expresses the Prodigies before the Civil Wars of Rome in this manner.  
— Superique minaces  
Prodig●●s T●●●as implerant, Aethera, Pontum, etc.  
— T●e threatening Gods  
〈…〉 and Earth, and Sea with Prodigits,  
Vn●●● of Star● of night adorn the Skies,  
Heaven ●●ems to flame, and through the welkin fire  
〈◊〉 ●lyes; State changing Comets dire  
〈…〉 to us their blood-portending hair,  
Deceitful Lightnings fla●h in clearest Air;  
Strange form Meteors the thick Air had bred  
Like fa●●l●is long; like lamps more broadly spread;  
Lightning without one clap of Thunder brings  
From 〈…〉 North his winged fires, and flings  
Them●g●●●st our Capitol; Small Stars that use  
Only be night their Lusire to dissuse,  
Now s●ine in midst of day. etc.—  
Such Civil Wars it seems were never without strange Prodigies, and no man can be ignorant of the miserable condition of Germany about this time, nor think thereof but with a sorrowful heart; and as the beginning of their miseries were threatened by this terrible Comet, so their continuance was still presignified by many strange things that happened out of the common course of nature, which I shall endeavour to declare as followeth; In December 1619 the water which runs through Sixto a City in Hungaria, (where a mighty battle was fought between the Turks and Christians in 1583) was turned into blood, and the ●ce therein was likewise blood-red; Two years after which Bethlem Gabor routed the whole Army of the Imperialists in or near that place, killing above Two Thousand of them in the Field; In the same Year and Month Decemb. 19 1619 at Groningen in Brunswick appeared another great Blazing Star, and two Armies one in the East, and another in the North, fight in the Heavens, till the Northern Army seemed to be slain and defeated; Not long after a dreadful battle was fought within a few Leagues of this place betwixt the King of Denmark, and the Imperial General Tilly, in which the King lost the Field with Four Thousand of his Army who were slain and taken Prisoners; And at another place not far off about the same time▪ Five Hundred men were slain, and in the City of Munden in the same Dukedom, Two Thousand Five Hundred Citizens and Soldiers were miserably slain by the Imperialists; In the same year 1619, at Vienna in Austria, the water in the ditch appeared like blood for the space of 8 days, likewise three Rainbows were visible at once; And that very year in the same place and City a bloody fight happened between the Bohemians, and the Imperial General Bucqu●y, wherein four thousand five hundred of the Imperialists were slain, and about a thousand Bohemians, and very many wounded. In 1620 it reigned blood in Poland so abundantly, that the drops fell very fast from the tops of the houses; Soon after the Tartars with an Army of Forty Thousand men invaded Poland, exercising incredible Cruelty, killing in one place above Three Thousand Polanders; The same year likewise, the Turks with Ninety Thousand men fell into Walstady, where they had a bloody encounter with Twelve Thousand Poles, led by the great Chancellor of the Kingdom, who himself with the whole Polish Army were slain, very few or none of them escaping.  
XXXIX. In March 1621. two Armies were seen in the Air at Noonday in Austria, fiercely fight together, with great Thundering like Ordnance and Canon, and the next year at Lintz in the same Country, just over that City, two Swords were observed standing against each other, and two stout Armies fight a pitched battle to the great terror of the Inhabitants; This City of Lintz was afterward besieged, and many times assaulted by the Boors of Aus●●ia, but were beaten off with the loss of five hundred men; yet being many Thousands, they defeated some Imperial forces under the Duke of H●●●●i●; which was afterward re●●●●● by Count Pap●●●●im, who with an Army of six 〈◊〉 Horse and Foot fell upon them, killing 〈…〉 on the place, and taking many 〈◊〉, who were afterward executed in the City of 〈◊〉; In 162● Three S●●●, and three Rainbows were 〈◊〉 at Pr●g●● and H●●d●lburg in Germany; After 〈…〉 happened near the City of Pra●●●, between the 〈◊〉 and the Saxons, where 〈◊〉 Hundred ●●●●ts, and almost every man else, were ●ut 〈…〉 by the Sax●●s before the Gates; The ●●ry of 〈◊〉 was the same year besieged, 〈…〉 length taken by the Imperialists with great slaughter of the Inhabitants, and another small Town cal●●d W●●kermund about 3 Miles off, was at the same time surro●●ly assaulted by the Imperialists, whe●rin the Garrison, making some resistance, all the Inhabitants both Men. Women and Children were put to the Sword. Some years after the City of Prague was besieged by the Saxons and Swedes, who for 3 days briskly fired upon the Town with their Canon, and were answered in the same manner with great loss on both sides, Nine Thousand Saxons and Swedes being slain, and the Imperial Garrison within, consisting of Fourteen Hundred men, Six Hundred of them were slain. The same year 1622 in the Country of Darmistadt Trees were found whose leaves dropped blood; and that very year many bloody Encounters happened between the Imperialists and Duke Christian of Brunswick in that Country, but especially one between him and Count Tilly, whose Army consisting of Twenty Two Thousand Foot, and 140 Troops of Horse, fought six hours together, till the 〈◊〉 overpowering them with number, dispersed them, who flying to the Bridge, so thronged and w●●ged in one another, that a great many were thrust into the River Main, wherein there were as many drowned as were killed in the Battle; The same year there was an Earthquake in Italy, and many Prodigious Lightnings and Rains in France; Circles were seen about the Sun and Moon in England; At this time the Jesuits and Papists were expelled the Netherlands, The Duke of Brunswick lost his Arm in battle; There was a great Famine in M●ravia and Silesia; The City of Bergen in Norway was almost consumed by fire. July 16. 1622 in the Dukedom of Wittenbarg it reigned blood on the hands and  of the labouring men, and likewise upon Trees, stones, and other places in the Fields; in these parts at the bloody battle of Norlingen, many thousands were slain on both sides, Commanders, and others of all sorts.  
XL. In 1623. in the County of Podibrat in Bohemia, a Well for some days was turned into blood; At Tursin a Town three or four Miles from Egra, in a Citizen's house, the Table, the Walls of the Parlour, and the Chairs all sweated blood, so that it began to run along the Room; Several bloody encounters happened the next, and other years in those places, Four Thousand Bohemians, and Three Hundred Imperialists being there slain, five Troops of the Duke of Saxony's Horse were ●illed by the Imperialists, few escaping, and the D●●●● of Fridland Generalissimo of the Imperialists, with 〈◊〉 other ●hief Commanders were soon after killed a● Egra; This year in divers Towns and Villages near the R●ine, several bloody signs and tokens were seen, and about that time Two Thousand Imp●●ialists were there slain by Count Mansfield, the ways by the Rhine being strewed with their dead bodies, and the next year in another battle with Count Tilly, Five Thousand were slain upon the place; about Mayenfield and M●lantz, the ●●●k●●s, and the hands of the Labourers as they were mowing in the Fields were seen to be bloody, and soon after the Spaniards exercised great cruelty in those parts, the Inhabitants being miserably Massacred without respect to Age, Sex or Quality, and among other Cruelties it is remarkable, that the Spanish and Imperial Army coming from the Rhine passed by the City of Gall, where the Papists to secure themselves from being plundered, marked their houses with the sign of the Cross, but they were the first who felt the effects of their Insolency, being woefully pillaged, and murdered without distinction; Men and Women in Religious Orders being forced out of their Monasteries, and an Agent was sent to them from the States of the Province, who threw them down from the top of an high Rock, and so they were dashed to pieces.  
XLI. In December, 1624., in Bohemia the Sun for 10 or 12 hours was changed into divers colours, at length fiery Beams proceeded from it, and for some time seemed to oppose the Sun, till all vanished like Smoak in the Air, and at last descended with a noise like Rockets; Two days before two Armies were seen in the Air, who continued a great fight and skirmish for some time against each other; The following years many bloody skirmishes and sights happened in those countries', particularly the siege of Frankford upon the Borders of Silesia, which the King of Sweden took by storm, and Two Thousand Imperialists were killed on the place, besides others who were drowned, found dead in Cellars, Chambers, and other places, who amounted to near as many more; Not far off, 300 Swedish Soldiers being over-confident of their valour, were put to the Sword by the Croats, and 300 Imperialists were killed soon after by the King of Sweden not far from thence, with the loss of 600 of his own; In May, 1624., at Gierslet in the Dukedom of An●ait, a strange Prodigy appeared in the Heavens, which continued from 6 till 8 a Clock at Night, and was observed by the Inhabitants of that Town in this manner; First, an ancient man came out of the Clouds in a red Hungarian habit, after him some grave men in the like habit, than issued out a Chariot with two Horses of divers colours, and then another Chariot with four Armed Horses; Soon after an infinite number of People, like a swarm of Bees issued out of the Clouds in the same Hungarian habit, with hats and great Feathers on their heads; After them followed a man on horseback, in a great long Robe, putting the people before him; Next appeared a Comet like an Eagle, with his head hanging down; A quarter of an hour after came forth another Army, consisting of many Horse, Foot, and Chariots, having hoods with broad brims, and Feathers; In the midst of the Army appeared a man alone, drawing a long Red Cross, before which he made some Prayers with hands held up; These Forces the first Army presently routed, and defeated; All the rest marching to Asherleben, etc. at last vanished away in several Red Clouds. Not long after Three Thousand of mansfield's men, and a Thousand of the Imperialists were slain at this place; The day before it reigned blood at Weinsham in Bohemia, and two Armies appeared in the Sky skirmishing together; It likewise reigned blood at Friburg in Silesia, and two Armies also appeared in the Heavens fight for a long time together; Soon after the Duke of Freidland sending Colonel Pechman with Seven Thousand Horsemen and Dragoons to pursue the Danish and Weinmari●h Troops, there began a hot skirmish between them, where at last most of the Danish Forces were killed, and ten Companies of them taken Prisoners, and Pechman himself with divers other Officers were slain. The same year May 8. a strange Tempest happened at Ratisbone, for it being calm, and only a small rain, two dark Clouds on a sudden met together, and instantly a Wind mingled with Fire proceeded from thence, which immediately raised a mighty Tempest, which tore up Trees by the Roots in a Wood near the City, carrying them afar off; and thence extending itself to the City, in a short time it overturned above Two Hundred Houses in the Town and Suburbs, neither was a Chimney left standing, the Windows of the Church of the Emerans was much shattered, one of the Steeples laid flat on the ground, and the other was broke off in the middle; Two other Principal Steeples, and a Cloister were likewise blown down; This was supposed to be raised by some damned Sorcerer, who by the assistance of the Prince of the Air, had caused this mischief. The Instrument of this desolation was limited both to time, place, and persons; the time was not above a quarter of an hour; the Herricane (if we may so call it) did not foread beyond the City, only ren●ing up some few Trees, and killed 4 men; some years after, this City of Rati●bone was straightly besieged, and assaulted by the Imperial and Bavarian Army, consisting of Thirty Thousand Foot, and Fifteen Thousand Horse, being battered night and day with an Hundred Pieces of Ordnance, but were valiantly repulsed by the Swedish Garrison, with the slaughter of Four Thousand Imperialists in the last assault; they defending the place to admiration, the Imperialists confessing they lost Eight Thousand men upon the place, and Six Thousand who ran away; They made Fifteen Thousand Canon shot upon the Town, and cast above Two Thousand Granades into it, endured Four Hundred Sixty Five Sallies from within the City, and at last they surrendered it to the Imperialists upon Honourable Terms.  
XLII. In the year 1625 near Troppaw in Sil●sia a great multitude of little Crows or Jackdaws appeared in the Air, who fought as it were in a set Battle, and skirmished so eagerly that abundance of them were slain, and the Boors gathered some sacks full of dead ones, which they brought into the City. The year after the Weinmar●h Forces killed Four Thousand Imperialists near this Town, and a while after in another battle the Saxons killed Five Thousand more of the Imperialists. In February the same year, in divers places in Silesia were exceeding great Tempests accompanied with Thunder and Lightning; At Breslau the spires of two Chief Churches, the Foundation of the Statehouse, and many other curious buildings were overturned into the Town, great Trees, and a new strong built Bridge were torn up, and driven to divers places, so that the next day nothing of them remained; At Nissa another City, the chief Church was struck with a terrible Thunderclap, and the Steeple thereby battered to the very ground work; Not long after at Breslau the Moon appeared bigger than ordinary, and four great Ordnance or Canon were visible in the Air, to the great terror of the Inhabitants, which afterward seemed to be shot off, with incessant Thunders and Volleys against each other; Soon after the Swedes and Saxons beat the Imperialists near this City, Twelve Hundred of them being slain; May 3. 1627., a Circle appeared about the Sun at H●mborough, and in the edge thereof five other Suns were visible, with a Rainbow between them; Afterwards two other Suns with another part of a Rainbow were seen, one of them extending toward the West, the other toward the South, at last all vanished in a burning smoke. Some Miles from this City soon after, the Imperialists ●●t in pieces 300 Danes, and took three Thousand of their Horsemen who stuck in the Moorish places Prisoners; Another Conflict likewise happened, between Hamborough and Sto●d about this time, where a Sweedish Regiment of 〈◊〉, and four Companies of Monroes were all killed by Papenheim, 19 Colours, and some Captains and Officers being taken Prisoners; This year a great Beam was visible in the Air in France; An Earthquake happened in England; Now the Polanders recover many places from the Tartars; The Persians beat the Turks; The English take the Isle of Rhee, and lose it again. The Hollander beats the Spaniard in the Indies. Jo. Gad. of Prodigis.  
XLIII. The year 1628. was full of portentous Prodigies, which were seen in many places; at Sunderburg in Pomerania, the Heavens being open, an Army appeared coming from the North, in the Van were Muskets and Pioners, after whom followed Canons and Ordnance, the Rear was brought up by Horsemen; Another Army came forth on the other side against them, where began a hot fiery skirmish between them, but the victory inclined to the Northern Army, at last a Beam with fiery Rays hovered over the head of the Northern Conqueror, which continued thus prodigiously for many hours; A great Astronomer of the English Nation gave his Judgement upon the great Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter. July 18. 1623. to this purpose, that the effects thereof would be felt in the North, and North-East parts of Europe in particular; and in general, that it would produce Wars, Famines, Plagues, etc. over all; and the places subject thereunto he nameth, that is Italy, France: Bohemia, Silesia and Germany; Of Provinces he likewise nameth, Prussia, Brandenburg, Stiria, Hassia and Saxony; Yea he descendeth to Cities, naming, Rome, Prague, Magdenburg, Coblentz, Ulme, Brunswick, Ausburg; He says likewise it will go hard with the Roman Empire, Clergy, and Jesuits; He speaks of a King of a true Religion, who should do all this, and that much happiness should succeed. How this Observation was verified, was visible to all; For in the year 1630 Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden having conquered many Towns from the King of Poland both in Prussia and Livonia, came with an Army of about Twelve Thousand men out of a Northern Corner of the World, and landed first in Pomerania, not far from Sunderburg, where the aforesaid Prodigy was seen, from whence he first beat out the whole Imperial Army, and never returned without the Olive Branches of Victory, so that it will be judged rather Romance then true History in Ages to come to relate these Germane Conquests of his. For how can it be easily believed, that two thirds of Germany should in about two years' space be wrested from so puissant an Emperor, formidable for his greatness, and confident upon the power of his Colleagues and Upholders, vast in extent, terrible for its Armies and Commanders, beyond expectation successful in all its Erterprises, and which knew no bounds but the Alps and the Ocean; And yet that this Empire with its Forces and Garrisons, which held so many Princes at a bay, was at last itself constrained to take the Sweedish Yoke, which was put upon it by him who entered into it with only Eleven or Twelve Thousand men, and performed it all in two years and an half; This I say is truly admirable, and if he had gone on another year what might he not have performed. In this year 1628., March 11. at Bishein a Village near Strasburg a poor woman was delivered of a strange Monster, which was, two Females, whose Bodies were joined together about the middle, their hands, feet and heads being perfect and whole, but there was only seen in them one Heart, and one Lungs; This Prodigy might presage the great mischiefs, damages, depredations, and vast impositions which usually accompany the Wars, and the unruly Soldiers, and fell very severely upon the Inhabitants in and about Strasburg; Strange was that Thunderclap which happened at Brig in Silesia the same year, wherein the immediate power of God appeared; About Noon May 29, 1628. a Thunderbolt fell upon one of the Churches of that Town, broke down the door, and slew a poor woman in the Porch as she was praying, wounding in its passage many other Women and Children; After this it went to another Church in the Suburbs, where the Minister was reading, doing him no more harm, but only singing the hair of his head, neither were the People hurt thereby, who at the same instant fell down flat with their faces on the ground; October 13, the same year a terrible Thunder fell upon the Church at Sagan, another Town in Silesia, from whence it burst out of a Window, attended with such Wind, Rain, Hail, and Tempest, that it tore up the Trees by the very Roots, blasted the Herbs and Fruit trees, and so harrassed the Country for a League about, that the damage was very considerable; After the Thunder and Tempest, there appeared just over the Church fiery beams like a sword and a rod, the Bells in the Steeple began to sound and ring without the help of man, and 3 miles off, the Heavens for the space of an hour seemed open and fiery; Not long after a terrible fight happened between this Town of Sagan and Sternaw, both in Silesia, where the Swedes and Saxons killed about two thousand Imperialists, and not far thence soon after two thousand more were slain.  
XLIV. In 1630 a very miraculous thing happened at Geismar in Hassia, two soldiers lying for safety in that Town, one of them complained to the other who was in bed with him, that he was very cold, the other answered, he could not believe it, in regard that his own body was very hot and wet, entreating him to touch and feel his side; which when he had done, finding his hands exceeding wet, and as it were glued and congealed together, he suspected something extraordinary, and looking on his hands by the light of the Moon he judged them to be bloody, whereat being much terrified, he called for a Candle, and found his fellow soldier very weak, and his left side, and the sheets of the bed to be bloody, and endeavouring to wash off the blood from his side, presently more blood issued 〈◊〉; at length after the space of an hour, it ceased of itself, About three handfuls of blood were taken out of the sheets, this, with the relation of other circumstances they presented in the morning to their Commander, who inquired of him how he had felt himself that Night; the soldier answered, That he had been extreme ill for some time, but was afterward restored to his former health; The two next years after this Prodigy, this goodly Country of Hassia was miserably harrassed by several Armies, and the Inhabitants were barbarously and inhumanely treated by the Emperor's ' Army, and if the Prince or his poor subjects did at any time complain and petition for Justice or redress, they were only scorned and rejected for their labours, so that they were forced to endure quarterings, taxpatiens, burn, robberies and sacking of their Towns and Villages, yea the slaughter of innumerable innocent Subjects of all sorts, without being able to obtain any pity or compassion from their enemies; The same year 1630, in May the Noremberg Carrier, and several Passengers in their journey toward Hamborough, passing by the Town of Coburg at night, they observed with great admiration a prodigious fire going in and out of the Town, and heard a mighty noise like the discharging of Canons; Two years after which General Wallestein assaulted this Town with his Soldiers, and great Guns, but was so stoutly entertained by those within, that after the loss of a great many of the Imperialists, he was forced (though he had besieged it above Twenty Months) to break up his siege and departed.  
XLV. In May 1631 at Hall in lower Saxony, the water was turned into blood, and about the middle of this Month, this Town was taken by Tilly, and afterward retaken from him by their natural Lord, and presently again repossessed by Tilly's Forces; and he himself after the battle of Leipsick made his escape thither that night, and had his wounds dressed by the Town Barber; Whilst Tilly's Army lay in the Town, one of his Chief Officers saw blood prodigiously dropping from the House wherein he lay, whereupon he said, What? Must we bleed? will the King of Sweden beat us? That's impossible; But it happened otherwise, for Hall was not above 7 Dutch Miles distant from the place of battle, wherein the Imperial Army was utterly routed, and miserably destroyed in the chase, and if the King had but had 3 hours more of daylight, it was judged that hardly a Thousand of the Enemy had escaped, one of their own Relations affirming, that there were Fifteen Thousand of the Imperialists slain upon the place, and in the pursuit that night, and the day following; It's said Tilly's courageous heart could not refrain from tears, when he perceived such woeful destruction among his brave old Soldiers, his Army consisting of Forty Four Thousand stout men being usually termed Invincible. The next day the King besieged Hall, which was yielded to him and soon after the Castle; But a while after, Pappenheim and the Imperialists again retook this City, exercising all manner of Barbarism upon the Inhabitants; This year likewise in the time of the siege of Magdeburg, a City Captain's Wife dying in Childbed desired to be ripped open, which being done, they found a Boy almost as big as one of 3 years old, who had an head-piece, and an Iron Breastplate on his Body, great boots of the French fashion, and a bag by his side with two things therein like Musket bullets; This horrible Prodigy no doubt portended the deplorable destruction of that City, which happened May 10. 1631, when a general assault was made upon the Town by the Imperialists, the Walls were mounted in an instant, the Town entered, and the Soldiers fell to killing; At the same instant a fire, none knew how, broke out, and it being a very windy day, on a sudden all became one mighty Flame, the whole Town being in twelve hours' time turned to Cinders, (except some few Fisher-houses) six Goodly Churches were burnt, the Cathedral by the diligence of the Monks and Soldiers being preserved; There were at least Twenty Thousand People killed, burnt and smothered, beside Six Thousand drowned in the River Elbe; Two days after Tilly came into the Town, and finding some Hundreds of Women and Children in the great Church, he gives them their lives, and some bread to maintain them.  
XLVI. June 18. 1631, at Asherleben in the lower Saxony toward Evening two strong Armies were observed in the Heavens, who prepared themselves to fight, one came out of the North, and the other out of the South, after a long fight the Northern Army obtained the victory; This Prodigy was seen two days in a clear Sky for the space of an hour, after the battle, a Person in a long Garment appeared two several times, shooting with a Bow at the Leader of the Southern Army; The very next Month, July 8. happened a sharp conflict between this Town and Tangermond, where the ●ing of Sweden routed Twenty Companies of the Imperialists, and took 14 Ensigns, and soon after 1500 more were slain; These slaughters Count Tilly resolving to revenge, sets forward toward the King with twenty six thousand men, and fell upon him in his Trenches, but were beaten off with a miserable butchery, so that it was judged Tilly lost in the whole by these encounters near seven thousand men. In this year 1631 upon the fatal seventh of September, in the bloody battle of Leipswick, General Tilly himself was wounded twice or thrice with Pistol shot, and his whole Army routed as aforementioned; Upon the place of Battle which the Enemy had left for the King of Sweden there sat a flock of Birds, which springing up, at the King's coming took their flight directly over Tilly's Army, and fetching a Circle about them (which the Romans would have counted a happy presage) they turned again toward the King's Army, as it were to fetch him victory; But the King had a better presage on his side than a Flock of Birds, God with us, was his Watchword, which together with his Valour, and his Sword, obtained him the Victory.  
XLVII. In 1632 General Tilly received another shot of a Musket, a little above his Knee at a skirmish between the King of Sweden and himself, whereof he died April 20, after having 4 splinters cut out of his Thigh; A few years before that long, cruel, and bloody battle was fought at Lutzen, the water of the Ditch in that Town was turned to blood, which Prodigy seemed accomplished November 6 this year, wherein the Swedes after nine hours continual fight absolutely overthrew the Imperial Army; The morning wherein this great battle was fought was very misty, the King of Sweden had a Divine to pray with him, and other Ministers at the head of every Regiment; about 10 a Clock the Fog cleared up, and the King going first to his own Subjects, spoke to this purpose, My dear Brethren carry yourselves bravely this day, fight valiantly in God's Name for your Religion, and your King, which if you do, God's Blessing, and the People's praises shall be your Reward, and 〈◊〉 shall for ever retain an honourable memorial, nor will I forget to reward you Nobly; But if you play the Cowards. I here take God to witness, not a bone of you shall ever return again to Sweden; To the Germans, who joined with him, he thus expressed himself, My Brethren, Officers, and Fellow-soldiers, I most earnesily entreat and beseech you to make full Trial of your valour this one day, fight manfully against your enemies this day both with me, and for me; be not faint-hearted in the battle, nor upon any account discouraged, set me before your eyes, even me, who without the least fear or dread, am ready for your cause to adventure both Life and Blood; if you do this, no doubt God himself will reward you from Heaven with a most glorious victory, of which yourselves and your posterity shall have the benefit, if you do not, farewell for ever to your Religion, and yourselves must for ever remain in slavery. The Soldiers of both Nations answered the King with joyful Acclamations, who thereupon added; Now my hearts let us fall bravely on our enemies, and the God of Heaven prosper our endeavours; and so casting up his Eyes to Heaven with a loud voice he said, Jesus, vouchsafe this day to be my strong helper, and give me courage to fight for thy glory, and for the honour of thy Name. Then drawing his sword, he waved it over his head, and advanced the foremost of all his Army; Amongst the Kings own Guard were several English and Scottish Gentlemen; He himself was attired in a plain Buff Coat, without Armour, and being required to put on his Corslet, he said, The Lord God is my Armour; His word was God with us; The Imperialist was, Jesus Maria, The King said, I thank God I have both Wind and Sun to favour me.  
The Field where the Battle was fought was a plain Champion Country, but yet it had many Ditches, which served Wallestein the Imperial General for Breast-works, and the King's Horse in passing over them were some of them overthrown, there were likewise two little Hills upon which Wallestein had planted his Great Guns, and his Army was so large that it extended 2 Miles in length, the Armies coming within view, the Canon began to play on both sides, but those of the Imperialists being planted upon steady and fixed Batteries, did very great Execution; Whereas the Kings gave fire in motion, which he observing, and not liking the sport, caused his Army to advance upon the very mouth of the Canon; The Imperialists kept their ground, expecting the Swedes fury would be over before they could get over the Ditches, and beat out the Musqueteers; yet they overcame these difficulties, and their left Wing engaged with Wallesteins' right; Then the Ring advancing with his right Wing, and observing where the Croats or Crabats stood, and where the Curassiers were who were covered with black Armour from head to foot, calling Colonel Stalbansh to him he said, As for those Fellows the Crabats, I care not for them, 〈◊〉 charge me those black Fellows sound, for they are the men that will undo us; The King fought at the head of his Squadron, himself being foremost with his Pistol in one hand, and his Sword in the other, and thus charging upon the Curassiers, he was there overlaid with numbers, insomuch that his men being in danger to be encompassed, were forced to give ground, and retire towards their body; where the King received a snot in his Left Arm, which he not feeling at first; would have led on still, but soon after perceiving the blood to issue out abundantly, and that part of his bone was broken, he called to Duke Albert of Saxon Lavoenburg, saying, Coren I am sore wounded, help me to make my retreat; which whilst the Duke and his Assistants were about to do, a Officer of the Curassiers who too well knew the King comes up, and said. This is the right Bird, and so discharging his Pistol, shot him through the body, and himself was presently shot dead upon the place; The King was held up in his saddle, but presently fell; His horse also was shot, and so ran away without his Master;  
Just at this time fell a great mist, the Sun which before shined very brightly, on a sudden muffling up his face in a mourning Cloud, as if not able to look upon the fall of the King of Sweden; The Imperialists being now masters of the King's Body fell to stripping it, one getting his spurs, another his sword, another his Ring, and another his Buffcoat, etc. every one being greedy to get some part of his spoils; But before they could carry away his Body, the Swedes returned, and so charged their Enemies that they were forced to retreat, whereupon Stalhaush recovering his Body, carried it away in an Ammunition Wagon privately, so that few of his own Army knew of his death; All this while the four Swedish Brigades of Foot were hotly engaged, and got ground of the Imperialists; The horse likewise after an hours fight driven them back, and got possession of seven Pieces of their Ordinance; but by this time the mist was so extremely thickened by the smoke that the Swedes could not see to pursue their advantage, yet it pleased God to strike part of the Imperial Army with a panic fear, that above a thousand Germane Horse ran all away together, one amongst them crying out; Oh I know the King of Sweden well enough, he is best at the latter end of the day; But the Chiefest fright was amongst the Ladies, and the Captain's Wives, and other Women in the Rear of the Army, many of whom getting out of their Coaches, cut asunder the harness, and mounted straddling upon the bare Horses backs, and so scudded away among the Soldiers; Several Women and Children were there trodden to death, nor did the Horsemen stay till they had fled divers Miles; But in the heat of the Battle, Count Pappenheim one of the Imperial Generals who was before sent for, came in with his Horse and Dragoons, by whose coming the charge was again renewed, but just as he was ordering his Horse he was shot with a Falconet Bullet, whereof he presently died; His Officers flocking about him cried out, O our General is slain, Our General is slain; and thereupon turning their Horse-heads, they ran out of the battle without a stroke striking; But the other Imperialists who were encouraged by his coming, maintained the fight with admirable resolution, yet the charge was sustained by the Swedes with much Gallantry for two full hours, wherein the greatest loss fell upon two Brigades of old Swedish Soldier whom the King did much rely upon, for these old Blades stood their Ground, till the Earth was covered with their bodies, yet they died not unrevenged, for they slew many of the Imperialists. and amongst them divers of great Quality.  
Duke Bernard was very severely beset by the right Wing of the Imperialists that day, but no man ever behaved himself more gallantly than himself, charging his enemies no less than twelve several times; A little before Sunset the Mist cleared up, and then Duke Bernard took a survey of his Army, which he could not do since he heard of the King's death till now; He spoke cheerfully to the Officers and Soldiers, encouraging them to a new engagement, and though he found the most part of his Army in great disorder, yet with much pains he rallyed them for a new onset, though not without much regret in the Soldiers one saying to another, alas Comrade, what must we fall on again; The other replying, Come, if we must, let us do it bravely, and make a day of it. The hearts of the Imperialists quaked for fear, seeing the Swedes advancing in such good order against them; and thereupon their horse began to retreat, which the Swedes perceiving, they charged so home with their Great Guns, as put them into great confusion; But then again so great a mist fell, that the Swedes could not discern to pursue their Enemies, so that the fight was only maintained about the Windmills, which continued with much briskness till six a Clock at night, when the Imperialists gave it quite over; This cruel and bloody Battle lasted above nine hours, and then Count Wallestein marched away toward Leipswick, leaving the Field and Victory to the Swedes, who lodged upon the ground all night, where they heard the lamentable groaning of the dying and wounded on both sides, it being a frosty cold night, wherein many a gallant man died of his wounds, who probably with seasonable help might have recovered.  
The next morning the Swedes found the Imperialists had left all their Great Guns behind them, there were slain of the Swedes Three Thousand, and of the Imperialists about Four Thousand upon the place, besides which the Boors killed near a Thousand more of them who fled straggling away; The wounded were as many more as the slain, on the Swedes side were lost the King himself whose death can never be sufficiently lamented, his enemies themselves giving him this Honourable Testimony, That he was the bravest Enemy, and the best Captain that ever was in Christendom, so that the Swedes and Protestants found themselves to have gotten but a doleful, and a woeful victory, losing that incomparable Conqueror, who was alone worth many hundreds of others; But he is dead, and was as hearty bewailed of the Germans as of his own Subjects, who yet professed, That their loss was unspeakable, and in both their Chronicles shall his honourable memory be for ever famous, and his name shall live in their mouths in after Ages; Yet did not this glorious King die, without some singular and miraculous Prodigies, which happened about that time in his own Kingdom of Sweden; Amongst others, at the very same hour and time when this battle of Lutzen was fought, there appeared just over the Castle, and Royal Palace at Stockholm a Virgin or Damsel holding in one hand a burning Candle, and in the other a white handkerchief which she waved about; It was likewise noted and observed, that all the doors in the Castle though they were shut and locked, yet they three several times opened of themselves; At the same time a considerable River in Sweden was suddenly dried up, so that for a whole day any one might go over it dry foot; Also in Smaland a Province of that Kingdom, the Bells without the help of any man began to ring, and sound out, to the great astonishment of the Inhabitants.  
Several other brave Swedish Commanders fell with their King, and many great men of the Imperialists; General Wallestein at first intended only to make a retreat to Leipswick, but the Imperial Soldiers as soon as they heard the Drums beat a retreat, fell immediately to running, and the fright was so great that most of them never came into order again, the Chief Officers confessed, That if the Swedes had sent but one Thousand Horse after them, they might have cut off their whole Army. The King of Sweden was of a Majestic Countenance and a gallant Stature, above six foot high, of a strong Judgement, natural vigilancy, and unweariedness; A sudden danger seldom astonished his Judgement, still showing most vigour, where there was most need of it; He was exceeding temperate in his Diet, his feeding was upon strong and soldierly Meats; But that which was most commendable in him was his Religion, both Public and Private; He was frequent in Prayers and Thanksgivings upon every emergent occasion; He would pray a Shipboard, on Shoar, in the Field, in the midst of a Battle, as if Prayers alone were the surest piece of his whole Armour; He was a strict observer of Martial Discipline, and a severe punisher of Misdemeanours in his Camp; when he first came into Germany, he saw that many women followed his Army; whereupon coming to a great River, his Men and Wagons being passed over, he caused the Bridge to be broken down, hoping thereby to be rid of his lumber, but they on a sudden making a terrible shriek, the Soldiers on the other side vowed not to stir a foot till the women were fetched over; whereupon the King finding that this ill humour was so generally dispersed amongst his men, that it was dangerous to purge it all at once, smiled out his anger for the present, permitting what he could not amend, yet this abuse he afterward reform by degrees: His Army won the day though they lost their King, which occasioned one to compose this brief Elegy.  
Upon this place the Great Gustavus died,  
Whilst victory lay bleeding by his side.  
A little before his death being in discourse with his Chaplain Dr. Fabricius, he said, That he thought God would ere long take him away, because the People did so overvalue and deify him; At his first coming into Germany having a design upon Stetin, and his Army being now upon the shore, and his Boats ready on the River to embark them, but the Wind having been contrary for several days before, the King observing it, kneeling down in the sight of his Soldiers with his hands lifted up to Heaven, thus expressed himself; O thou most just God, thou certainly knowest that I did not at first undertake this Enterprise out of any rashness or ambition, but for the glory of thy most Holy Name, and the defence of the Truth of thy Gospel, here now therefore I call upon thee O God, and most humbly beseech thee, that with the Air of thy favour, and with a prosperous wind, thou wouldst be pleased to breath upon this my undertaking for Christ his sake, Amen; No sooner were his Prayers ended, but through Divine Providence the Wind turned about with so full a Gale, that the whole Fleet passing up the River Oder, in two hours' time sailed up Twenty Miles, and unexpectedly came to an Anchor within a Mile of Stetin, whereby he wonderfully defeated the Designs of the Imperialists, who intended within two days after to have laid siege to that City, had they not been thus miraculously prevented; When this King came first to the Crown, he resolved to lay siege to Nottenburg Castle, which the Muscovite had given his Father for some Assistance which he had afforded him; This Castle stood in an Island in the mouth of the most raging and swift River of Nerva, his Commanders despairing of taking it, and being unwilling their young King should receive a Repulse in his first attempts, they laboured to dissuade him from the action, yet he continued resolute to pursue it, and see how Almighty God wrought for him; The Besieged Muscovites were stricken with such Thrushes, Warts and Blisters in their Throats and Mouths, they could neither chew their Meat, nor swallow it down, whereupon they parleyed and yielded up that impregnable Castle to him, wherein he found a whole years' provision of Victuals, besides abundance of Ammunition.  
Not long after this, he had a difference with the Dantzickers, and they had prepared twenty or thirty stout men of War, intending with the first opening of the Spring, to have burnt up the King's Navy in their Harbour; but toward the end of Winter, when this narrow Swedish Sea was frozen a yard or two deep, this young King caused his Boors to cut open the Ice for ten or twelve Miles together, which done, he came suddenly one night with his Fleet upon the Dantzickers, and burnt, sunk, and took most of their Fleet; Also in his Wars with the King of Poland, he conquered so many Towns from him in Prussia and Livonia, that he enforced him by the mediation of King Charles of England, to make peace with him; In these wars with the Polanders his Army was never great, having for the most part not above Five Thousand Men, and yet with them he fought several Battles, beat and wearied out two Imperial Armies, took in the great and strong City of Elbing with divers others and finally obtained his end upon his Enemies, though they were able at the same time to have come upon him with such a number of Horse as had, according to humane Reason, been sufficient to have carried him away, and five such Armies as his was; He was slain in the Battle at Lutzen, Nou. 16. 1632. in the 38 year of his Age.  
XLVIII. At Bushein a Village near Friburg in Germany, there happened this strange Prodigy, there appeared in the Heavens a Twofold Rainbow, one white as Snow, and the other exceeding black, besides another of a fiery colour: The next day from eleven, till two after Noon, another Aspect of a very white colour appeared: And about the time at Franestein hard by a Woman having bought some bread, and carrying it home, when she came to cut it, blood issued out from it; This Franestein is a pretty Town upon an Hill some sixteen English miles from Dresden, it was taken by the Imperialists in the year 1632 by Scalado, and meeting with some opposition, they in revenge cruelly put all, both Soldiers and Inhabitants to the sword: And October 4. they assaulted Friburg a handsome Town upon the River Mulda some 10 English miles to the West of Franestein, and taking it by storm, they likewise miserably destroyed the Inhabitants; near this place, Count Holcks men, (who was then Commander of those Imperial Forces) taking displeasure against a Minister of excellent Learning in that Country, they first hewed him all to pieces with their swords, and then fling his mangled Limbs to the Dogs to be eaten; But the Dogs, as if astonished at such savage cruelty, would not so much as touch his flesh, or lick a drop of his blood; whereupon his Friends gathered up his pieces the next day, and buried them; and one of their own Authors relates, That the Crabats shown themselves ingenious to invent New Torments for the poor Protestants, and that it was frequent with them for want of Dog's meat to feed them with humane flesh, which if so, we may truly say, Thatthough the Dogs were the Man-eaters, yet certainly the Crabats were the Cannibals.  
XLIX. In the month of August, 1632. at Kempten in Swabeland a strange Monster was born of a Citizen's Wife, the head was altogether fat, and without ears, the hands were stretched out, and appeared all bloody between the flesh and the skin, in the left hand there was a Rope, the Belly had two wounds as if pricked by a Sword, and the left knee seemed as if it had been twice broken, a cord being tied about it: This goodly Town of Kempten was held by the Imperialists, and after many furious assaults was taken by the Swedes in 1633. The Imperial Commander went to Reitaw, where he was beheaded, because he had so soon surrendered the Place; Many other bloody skirmishes happened about this Town, and what miseries that, and the Country thereabout endured, when it was besieged, and retaken by the Imperialists can hardly be expressed; It was brought to such extremity of Famine, not much inferior to those dreadful ones of Samaria, and Jerusalem recorded in Holy Scripture, or of Saguntum in Spain; Perusium in Hetruria, or Tuscany in Italy mentioned by other Authors; Many brave Citizens out of this and the Neighbour Towns were compelled by necessity to bear Arms for a livelihood; Horseflesh was sold at high rates, Dogs, Cats and Vermin were counted as good as Venison; For all Commerce and Trade being hindered, breadcorn was at an excessive rate, and hardly to be purchased for money; In February, 1633. at Dobenshutz a Village in Althenburg, blood sprang out of a Fishpond, with such a filthy savour, that if it were touched, they could not wash off the stink in 2 or 3 days; This Country was the same year lamentably ruined and plundered, and the beastly cruelty and licentiousness of the Soldiers was exceeding monstrous: Many fine Towns and Villages were rob and burnt to Ashes for defending themselves, and the Inhabitants thereof, as well as of Dobenshutz miserably slaughtered: The Women, yea Ladies and Gentlewomen, were tied and coupled together like Beasts and ●ogs, and sent into the Woods to be ravished, and for making resistance, they had their  stripped off, their Bodies whipped, and their ears cut off, and in this deplorable posture were sent home again; The Soldiers and Crabats got many Thousand head of  together and what beast soever did not readily follow them, they killed them, lest they should serve some Heretics; many other horrid Barbarisms were committed by them, as if they had believed that a Country was never throughly conquered, till it were utterly destroyed by Sword and Fire.  
L. In 1633. March 6. about 8 a Clock in the Evening over the Town of Bibrach two long swords were seen in the Air, one Fiery, and the other red as blood; many fierce encounters happened about this time and place between the Swedes and Imperialists, Count Horn the Swedish Field Marshal killing near fix hundred Crabats, and as many more Spanish and Italian Soldiers who came to aid the Emperor, perished by Cold, Famine and Sword by the way, that betwixt ulm and Bibrach a thousand dead Carcases were found, so that a third part of the Army were lost; some Months after, four Regiments of the Imperialists were surprised and killed by the Swedes betwixt this Town and Isne; and six hundred other Imperialists being abroad were also taken, and most of them slain. In March 1634, Gustavus Horn besieged the City of Bibrach, wherein were thirteen hundred men, offering the Imperial Governor good conditions upon his first approach, which being refused, he battered the Town so long with his Ordnance, that he won the Enemy's works, and made a breach into the Walls. Then the Governor sending out a Trumpet, desired reasonable Terms, or else he would defend it to the last man, and threatening first of all to blow up all the Protestant Citizens, whom he had already locked up in the Townhouse, and into a Cellar; But having already refused fair ofters, the Swedes denied them now, and prepared all things ready for another assault, advancing toward the Breach, when at the same instant, the Protestant Ministers with several Women came out of the Town, making most pitiful Lamentation to the Swedish General, signifying that it would certainly cost them all their Lives, because the Townhouse was already undermined, and the Mine filled with Powder, and that they fearfully expected to be blown up immediately. Out of Commiseration therefore to these poor people, another Agreement was offered to the Governor, and Liberty granted them to march out with their Swords only, which was accepted, and the Protestants thereby saved.  
LI. In 1634 June 23. another Prodigy happened at Dresden in Saxony; About five a Clock in the Evening the Sun first appeared white as Snow, and then suddenly became dark as if covered by a Mist; It appeared first in the form of a Crown, and then like a Feather, and then red as blood, in which posture it continued for about half an hour, and then returned to its natural shape, but retained its sanguine colour till it went down, and the Moon at her rising retained the same bloody Aspect, till she was no longer seen in that Horizon; About the same time at Berlin in the Marquisate of Brandenburg it reigned blood and brimstone; and the next year in November, at Itz●●o a Town in Holsiein it reigned thick blood, whose drops being used as Ink, represented true natural blood in writing; It is scarce credible how many bloody Conflicts and Encounters happened between these two Countries, the same year, and the next following; but more especially that sore and bloody Battle at Witstock, wherein seven Thousand Imperialists were slain by the Swedes, six whole Regiments being wholly cut off, with several great Commanders; Fifteen Hundred Prisoners, Fourteen Pieces of Ordnance, and Eight Thousand Wagons were also left to the Swedish Conqueror; Of the Swedes likewise were a Thousand slain upon the place of Battle. In the same year, 1634. July 24. at Melnick where the Saxon Army quartered, there was a strange Apparition in the Air, which was thus related by Eye-witnesses; About Evening, when the Elector of Saxonies Chaplain was at Prayers, there appeared a sign in the sky like a fiery Beam, and a while after, another in the form of a Sceptre fiery red, just over the House where he was Preaching, assoon as Sermon was ended, and the Chaplain had pronounced Amen, the sign vanished out of sight; After this the same Apparition was seen again of divers others; That year, and some others following, the Crabats like Vermin in a warren, ransacked, plundered and pillaged what places soever they came to, sparing neither Churches, Cloisters, nor Noble men's Houses, but rob and dismembered the Country people, ravished the Women, deflowered the Maids, burned the Villages and Towns, and committed all manner of mischievous Insolences and Villainies.  
LII. About this time Man and Beast and Fowls of the Air all seemed now to be at irreconcilable difference, and Germany was the Stage wherein they acted their Tragedies; At Hessen in March 1635. there met together two Armies of strange Birds, which fought as it were in a set Battle; And near Straubinge upon the River of Danube multitudes of Dogs had their Rendezvouz, who fought so furiously, that all the Neighbourhood were affrighted at the Prodigy; And as if they would admit of no Agreement, but such as pleased themselves, when the Governor of Ratisbone had sent out against them four Companies of his Foot Soldiers, with Muskets, and other Arms to assault and slay them, they left their hostility among themselves, and joined together against the Common Enemy, falling upon the Soldiers, and in despite of their shot and weapons, killed and devoured nine of them. This year 1635. A great Inundation of Water happened at Rome, and after that, a mortal sickness; Five Moons were seen at once in Normandy, and in Italy many Monsters● were brought forth; At this time there began Divisions in Scotland about Religion; The Hollanders and Spaniards fight at Sea; There was a great Plague at Venice, the Spaniards beat the French. J. Gadbury of Prodigies.  
LIII: The next year strange Prodigies terrified the hearts of the People; For while the Princes and Peers were in their jollity at the Diet at Ratisbone, War, with its grim Attendants, Famine, Pestilence, Fire and Destruction raged abroad in the Roman Empire; In 1636: December 19 the Spire of Shotten Steeple at Vienna being newly built, fell suddenly down, and demolished the new built Church; This happened about the time of the Coronation of the new King of the Romans at Ratisbone; And about the same time, a great Blazing Star appeared at Rome for some time, and then vanished away suddenly over St. Paul's Church in that City, with a great noise, and divers Monuments placed in that Church fell down, and were utterly defaced; Now though it might seem overmuch boldness (saith my Author) to peep into the Ark of Divine Secrets, nor can we conclude any particular consequences from the Accidental fall of this Steeple; yet doubtless the Comet, though caused by the meeting of secondary and natural Causes did very much presage what happened about that time, and soon after; For within one Month, the Emperor Ferdinand 2. who had been ill at Ratisbone, and then removed to Vienna, gave up the Ghost; some Prodigies likewise happening in other places of the Empire, before the meeting of the Electoral Princes at Ratisbone, did much dishearten the common people, and caused them to despair of any good success by that Treaty; One was, that at Wells in Austria the Emperor's house of Pleasure where he then lodged, was suddenly uncovered by a violent Tempest; and this was accompanied by two others at Lintz, the first was the sudden fall of an Arch of the Bridge made over the River Danubius, which the Emperor had no sooner passed over, but it tumbled into the River; The second was, that three carved Eagles placed upon the House of a Burgess of Lintz, being broken down by the fury of this Tempest, were again raised up into the Air by the same violent blast, and shattered three several ways, and one of them at last fell upon the House appointed for the Assembly of the Province, an other upon the Statehouse, and the third upon a public Conduit or Aqueduct. This happened in 1636. and gave occasion to the distracted minds of men to project terrible things from that meeting of the States.  
LIV. And this indeed was a bloody time in the Dukedom of Saxony, and there was a general fear that the fury of the War would not be confined to that Country, which was the more heightened by a strange Prodigy, which (though it admits of no particular Interpretation) was as terrible as portentous; In the vear 1637, the Conduit at Ise●ach situate in the midst of the Marketplace, instead of Water, suddenly poured out Blood and so continued for two hours, before the Water returned again; About which time many bloody skirmishes happened between the Imperial and Swedish Forces few days passing without much bloodshed; and the condition of the Dukedom of Saxony was exceeding deplorable, caused not only by the Swedes their Enemies, but also by their seeming Friends the Imperialists, who usually burned those Places to the Ground, where they did not find as much Provision for their Soldiers as they demanded; So that the Boors and poor Countrymen did now long for Peace, which they were then so much strangers to, desiring that their Swords might be turned into Ploughshares, and their Pikes into Shepherds Crooks; the Merchant longed for an open Trade, and Persons of all Conditions desired an end to these Troubles and Distractions, but it seems the miseries of that Country were not yet come to the height: In the same year 1637, the Water at Weimar was again turned to blood; A strange Worm in the shape of a Man, with perfect Lineaments, and a Golden Crown on his head, was found in a Salad at an Herb-womans' shop in Collen, which (if not Prodigious) was yet very dreadful. A Woman appeared in a mourning habit in the Churchyard of St. Stephens, the Cathedral Church of Vienna, June 18. 1637. who with a doleful voice from eleven to twelve a Clock at night yelled out these terrible Words; Woe unto you; Woe unto you; Often repeating them, and no other; The Bells without any help of men, suddenly rung out to the great affrightment of the people who descanted upon these sad Omens, doubting that such horrid Consequences would ensue as presented themselves to their several Fancies; And indeed not without cause, for after this, a new time of trouble began, the sword raging in the most and best part of Germany; and Fire likewise, not only by chance, but by the Will and Choice of such as used that devouring Element to the damage of their Enemies, and the General Ruin of their Country.  
LV. Thus have I (with my Author) run over the Prodigious Signs and Warnings of Germany, with a brief Account of the miserable Events which ensued; But having met with a larger Relation of the dreadful Consequences of these amazing Prodigies as they were published by Dr. Vincent a Learned English Physician, who was an Eye-witness thereof; during the Woeful Calamities of that Country. I do not think it amiss, nor any unprofitable digression to relate them in his own Words; It is generally concluded and believed that the Burning Beacon, or Blazing Star in 1618. was a sad forerunner of the merciless fury of War which hath reigned, and played the Tyrant in Germany ever since, the best Astrologers expounding it to be The Sword of Germany; I have seen a Prophecy long since in a Book belonging to a Canon of Nimmegen, and now in the Library at Zutphen, That a time should come when one Frederick should be King, and then should the Princes of Germany, the Nobility of Bohemia, and the People of both be very much oppressed, and War should rage's beyond the Precedent of former Ages. This if ever is now fulfilled in our days, and if in such disorder it be possible, I will keep this Order in speaking thereof. 1. Of the Exactions and Extortions that have been committed. 2. The Tortures and Torments which have been exercised. 3. The Rapes and Ravishments perpetrated. 4. The Robberies and Pillaging, 5. The Bloodshed and Murders. 6. The Burn and Destructions committed by the Popish Armies in those countries': These shall be the Scenes of this first Act; Famine and Pestilence shall stand for the other Acts of this direful Tragedy; In which as no Action or Passion was simple or single, so I cannot rehearse them without sometime intermixing one with the other.  
LVI. And first for Extortions and Exactions; As no Province or part of Germany can boast of her Freedom from these miseries, though some have been more oppressed than others; So there is no Prince nor State which hath not suffered therein; nay no City, no Town, nor almost no Person whatsoever; Every week's Relation tells us of Hundreds, Thousands, Millions of Rixdollars or Gilders, imposed, exacted, and extorted by the Conquerors or Spoilers, for the redemption of men's Lives or Liberties, Goods or Houses; strange and almost impossible to be paid have been the Ransoms taxed upon the Burghers at the taking of some Towns; to which end they have threatened, imprisoned, and abused the Magistrates till they condescended: At Cryphenberg they kept the Senators shut up in the Common Hall, vexing and tormenting them so long with Hunger and Smoak, that some of them died. In Heidelburg Castle many Burghers, and Reverend Ministers were imprisoned, and fed with Bread and Water till the Charity of the Reformed Churches could relieve them; After those at Frankendale had upon necessity surrendered that Town, they could not enjoy the Articles granted them by the Enemy, but the grave Councillors and other Magistrates were forced to accept of such Conditions as were fit for Slaves and Dogs than men; some were thrown into Prison, and so severely used, that many of them died through grief and sorrow; others though much impoverished, were forced to redeem themselves with unreasonable Ransoms; The Goods of those which fled were confiscated; and though the Inhabitants would willingly have left their Houses and rich Furniture as plunder to those bloody Villains, yet they were detained in the City, and their destruction was most cruellyplotted and designed; After the same manner they dealt with many others, as well contrary to all Oaths and Promises as to the Laws and Common Faith of all Nations.  
LVII. But not to insist on these, let us in the second place consider the Tortures and Torments which the Licentious Soldiers exercised upon the Persons of the Inhabitants, without the least respect to Age, Quality, or Sex, which discovered them to be rather Turks and Infidels than Men of Arms; For even Princes, whose Persons are sacred, though they never bore Arms, as the old Landgrave of Hesse and others; yea, some of the Female Sex, as the old Duchess Dowager of Wittenburg, have without any regard or pity been imprisoned, reviled and abused by these Miscreants: Some of Tilly's Soldiers caused the D. of Saxonies Subjects to be tortured by half strangling them, and pressing their Thumbs with wheels, they forced others to eat their own Excrements, which if they refused, they thrust down their Throats, thereby choking some of them, and those they suspected to have money, were tightly tortured to make them confess; yea, Princely Personages have suffered the like cruelty with meaner men. They tied strong Matches or Cords about the heads of some, which were twisted, till the blood came out of their Eyes, Ears and Noses, yea, till their Eyes started out of their heads; Others had burning Matches tied betwixt their Fingers, to their Noses, Tongues, Jaws, Cheeks, Breasts, Legs, and Secrets, even those parts which Nature hideth, they either filled with Powder, or tied bags of Powder to them, and so giving fire to them, in an horrible manner burst their bellies, and killed them; They pierced and razed the skin and flesh of some, as Artificers deal with Leather; and have drawn Cords through their Thighs, Legs, Arms, Noses, Ears and Lips; Others they hung up in the smoke, drying them with small Fires, and for fear they should die too soon, they sometime refreshed them with small drink or cold water; Some they burned or smothered in hot Ovens, and roasted others with straw Fires, so that it was a great favour to be hanged or strangled; they bond the hands and fee of some so hard, that the Blood sprouted out at the end of their Fingers and Toes, and tied the hands and feet of others backward together, stopping their Mouths with Clouts to hinder them from Praying: Some were hanged up with Ropes tied to their Privy parts, and hearing their roaring, they have endeavoured to out-roar and drown their cries as in sport; yea, which is yet more detestable, when they found any poor Creatures troubled with Ruptures, or burstness, they have enlarged them, and then filling those parts with Gunpowder, have villainously blown them up as with a Mine: Many they trussed up on high, hanging Stones and Weights on their Feet to stretch out their bodies; They have planed the Faces of others with Chisels and other Instruments, pretending to make it even; some men they have openly gelded in the presence of their Wives and Children: The Mouths of some they opened with Gags, and then poured stinking water, piss, or other nasty Liquors down their Throats, saying it was a Swedish draught: whereby growing sick, and their Bellies swelling like a Tun, they have died by leisure with the greater Torment; They thrust a knotted clout down the Throats of others, and plucked it up again with a string, thereby even moving the very Bowels out of their places, by which cruel Torments they made some Deaf, Dumb, and Blind, others Lame, and miserable Cripples, if they did not kill them outright. If a Husband entreated for his Wife, or a Woman for her Husband, they then tortured the Petitioner before the others Eyes, and which seems almost incredible, when these poor Creatures were dying under their merciless hands, and cried to God in their pain and anguish, these hellish Executioners would command and force them to call upon, and pray to the Devil; Infinite almost and unspeakable indeed were the Cruelties exercised by the outrageous Soldiers on all sides; nay some were so damnably wicked as to make it their study to invent new Tortures; they took an ancient Reverend Divine, and stripping him, bound him upon a Table on his back, and fastened a great strong Cat upon his Belly, beating and pricking the Cat to make her fix her Teeth and Claws in the poor man's Belly; So that the Man and Cat partly through Famine, and partly through pain and anguish both died under their Tormentors; some of the cursed Croats, or Crabats endeavoured to teach their Horses to eat the flesh of Christians, and contrived worse Tortures than Phalaris, Nero, Dionysius, or any of those monstrous Tyrants of former ages ever arrived to, so that we may say, Caucasus bred them, Tigers fed them, and Hell taught them, the last of which, without deep repentance, was probably their eternal Lot.  
LVIII. I have said much of the former particular, though not the Tenth part of what was acted: I will now thirdly speak a little of the ensuing Abomination; Rapes and Ravi hments hardly to be imagined, and beyond all humane modesty did they commit, Virgins, Matrons, Widows, and Wives without distinction have they violated and forced even in the presence of their Parents, Husbands and Neighbours, yea, Women with Child, and even in Childbed; No Ghappel, Church, or other place hath been free from their filthiest pollutions, and barbarisms; The very Hospitals and Bedlam-houses have not been spared, their Devilish Debaucheries have there found Subjects for their Lusts. In the Land of Hesse, a poor lean mad woman who had been kept in chains above Twenty years, was by these Hellhounds let lose; to whom they brought divers others like herself, some mad, others dumb, all wretched Creatures, they tied their Coats about their ears, and then shamefully abused them; In Pomerania they ravished the handsomest Virgins of that Country, before their Parents faces, forcing their Friends to sing Psalms to them all the while. In Italy I have heard the Villainies of the Germane Troops recited with Tears; Among others, a beautiful Maid was hid by her Parents in a Dunghill, but they discovering her, ravished her, and then barbarously cutting her in pieces, hung her quarters up in the Church, and bid her Friends pray to the Saints for her relief: In the Land of Brunswick two Soldiers took a Girl of ten years old, and carried her into the Wood to ravish her. The Mother with hands held up, came running after our Coach (saith my Author) crying out to my Colonel, but he being a stranger had no command there, and could not relieve her, soon after wesaw the 2 Horsemen come out of the Wood, whether they left the poor Child dead or alive I know not: Some virtuous and chaste women they have offered to kill, or thrown their Children into the Fire to make them yield: They spared not the very Nuns, but after they had broke into their Cloisters, and pillaged them of all their goods, they have likewise ravished and killed some of them; Some Women have leapt into Rivers and Wells; others have killed themselves, because they would not be subject to the lusts of these Hellish Furies; nay not only sick and weak Virgins and Women have been violated till they died, but these wretches have committed filthiness with the dead Bodies.  
LIX. But fourthly as to Robberies and Pillaging, they were so numerous, that no man could pass any where in Germany, but he was rob, stripped, and perhaps killed; The Merchants of Frankford, Noremburg, Leipswick, Hamburg, etc. have had too woeful experience thereof; The Merchants of Basil returning from the Mart of Strasburg and other Fairs, were set upon by the Imperialists in their Lodgings; and though they offered to prove themselves Merchants, and so ought to pass freely, yea, though they begged their Lives upon their knees, yet they villainously murdered Ten of them, saying, They must die because they were Heretics: The rest leaving their Goods and  behind, escaped stark naked in the night by flight. Yea, the very Convoys who pretended to guard Travellers, were oft times as bad as the Enemies, watching all occasions to cheat them of their money, goods, and Horses, spoiling their Wagons when they made a stand, and rifling and stripping the meanest person if he straggled in the least from the Company; Two Countesses of great Nobility, with their fair Daughters, were entertained by us (saith my Author) in the Castle of Heidelburg, and when provision grew scarce, they went away with the Enemy's passport, notwithstanding which they were rob and ri●●ed in their Coaches of all they had, not leaving them the very Garments that covered them; yea they shamefully plundered the Danish Ambassador, though privileged by his Office in all Nations; so that the case was strangely altered in Germany, where not long before a man might have rid with an hundred pound in his pocket, and only a whip in his hand through all those Countries without the least fear of being injured; But now the very Soldiers even rob one another if they found them in the least out of their quarters; neither did they acknowledge God nor Devil, but in their cursed Oaths and Blasphemies, nor was there any action so vile, but they were ready to commit it, and this introduces the next particular.  
LX. Which is, Fifthly to relate the Bloodshed and Murders committed by them, to report the whole of which will be equally impossible, and incredible; Alstedius saith, that before the K. of Sweden came into Germany, the Wars had consumed an Hundred Thousand, and if so, how many Millions have miserably perished; The cruelty of the Soldiers toward the Inhabitants of those Countries is inexpressible, all persons having the same measure without distinction; At Lanshood in Bavaria, the Soldiers entered by force, killing not only all they found in Arms, but the very Priests kneeling at the Altars, and the poor Peasants and Country People were killed upon every slight occasion; There were among the Imperialists a base rascally sort of Horsemen called Croats or Crabbats aforementioned, the tenth part whereof were not of that Country, but a miscellany or mixture of all Nations, without God, or Religion, having only the outsides of men, and scarce that neither, but were bloody Monsters within; These Rakehell's made no Conscience of murdering men and women, both old and young, yea, of very innocent Babes, whom like the Wild Beasts among which they were bred, these Villains inhumanely eat, when they might have had other food; By these the poor people were barbarously knocked down in the Fields, and Highways, and likewise slaughtered, stabbed and tortured; I have seen them (saith my Author) beat out the brains of poor, old, decrepit Women only in sport, and commit many other outrages too long to relate; yea it was so common for the poor people to see others killed, that as if there had been no Relation, Affection, Neighbourhood, or Kindred, none pitied them, or had any compassion upon them, hardly any cried out, Oh my Father, Oh my Brother, etc. The Croats very seldom gave Quarter, but killed all that were at their mercy; and others received Pay, for bringing the Noses and Ears of their Enemies to their Masters: Tilly after the defeat of the D. of Brunswick at H●uxt on the River Main, drew out of that Town Threescore Soldiers, and caused them all to be killed in cold blood before the Gate, saying, That he sacrificed them to Count Mansfield their Master.  
LXI. Lastly, For Burn, pulling down and ruining of Churches, Cities, Villages, the like hath never been heard; The Swedish Army burned above Two Thousand Villages in revenge of the Cruelties acted in the Palatinate; But their Enemies spared neither Friends nor Foes, what goodly Houses of the Nobility and Gentry were on every side defaced or burnt to Ashes; So that all men betook themselves to Arms: No tilling of the Land, no breeding of , no place secure but the Camp, no Blow to follow but the War, for he that was not an Actor with the rest, must of necessity be a miserable sufferer●; If they should have sowed any thing one year, the next year the Soldiers would have devoured it, so that they judged it better to sit still than to labour, and let others reap the benefit thereof, from whence proceeded an Universal Desolation; most of the People and Inhabitants swarmed as banished men in other countries', as in Switzerland, France, Italy, and the Venetian Territories. From Basil to Strasburg, and from thence to Heidelburg, and Marpurg, which was some Hundreds of miles, I scarce saw a man (saith my Author) in the Fields and Villages; Little better was it in travelling from France to the middle of Bohemia, and from the Alps about Auspurg to the Baltic Sea, though a compass of ground of above Two Thousand miles, and not much less than three times all Britain, the greatest part of the People being destroyed and extinguished by Wars, length of time, and all manner of miseries.  
LXII. Famine cometh in the next place, a thing so grievous that David preferred the Pestilence in his Choice; To see men slain by the Sword, or die of Contagious Diseases is not yet so grievous as to see them die of Famine, or to kill and eat one another; when Samaria was besieged by Benhadad K. of Syria, the Famine was so great that an Ass' head was sold for fourscore pieces of Silver, and the fourth part of a Cab of Doves Dung for fifty pieces of Silver; Two Women agreed to eat their own Children, and when they had boiled and eaten one, the other Woman hide hers; In the siege of Jerusalem, Mice, Rats, and Hides were good meat, and Women did dress and eat their own Children, the smell whereof drew others who were hunger-starved to come to share with them: But that Cities which were not besieged, and a Country naturally fruitful, should be so ruined, as not to be able for so long a time to afford Bread to a poor remnant of people, but that they must be forced to eat Carrion, and dead men, yea one another whilst alive, this was lamentable, and hitherto never heard of; Had not I been provided (saith my Author) with victuals at my coming out of Switzerland, Famine had arrested me in Germany, for there was not any where meat to be had for money; The Italians and Spaniards who had been at the fight at Norlingen, and being disarmed, wandered about, were so black and feeble for hunger, that had I not given them part of my provision, I believe they had torn me in pieces, and eaten me; Travelling from Newstadt toward Frankendale in a snowy day, I unexpectedly met with the Army of Duke Bernard, whose straggling Forerunners came riding up to me by couples, and when I looked for a worse errand, they asked only for a little Bread, which my Guide bestowed upon them so long as we had any; From thence to Manheim and Heidelburg many dead men lay strawed on the way, especially on the places where they had made Fires, who perished through cold and want. When we were besieged in the Castle of Heidelburg, our Soldiers at first killed more Horses in a day than they could eat, lest they should die of themselves for want of hay; therefore what was left they threw out of the Castle down the Rock, which the Enemy in the night drew into the Town, though some of them were slain in the Action, and so they hearty eat our Horseflesh; At which time the Sergeant Major with fifty men issued out upon three hundred of the Enemy entrenched on the East side of the Castle, many were slain; others broke their necks down the Rocks; Our Soldiers being Masters of the Trench, fell to ransack the Enemy's knapsacks which they had left behind them, but found nothing in them except our own Horseflesh, which yet was not unwelcome, for it grew scarce with us; so that now we were compelled to kill the Horses which stood fasting and sleeping on the Dunghill, not out of compassion to them, but for our own necessity; Another Sergeant Major had two very fine Horses, our Soldiers took one and eat him; but he thinking to make sure of the other, fastened him to the Wall with a strong Chain and a Padlock, but they taking their opportunity, cut off the Horse's Neck, and left the head in the Chain, carrying away the body, and greedily eating it. At length Dogs and 〈◊〉 me in request, so that we could smell our meat 〈◊〉 off, and yet on the Table it was still more loathsome, the taste being answerable to the smell, yet we eat it exceeding savourly, but our bread at last failing, we yielded to necessity.  
For the Armies every where overrunning the Country, devoured both Corn and , so that those who had any goods lest, offered to give all for a little food; But that being not to be obtained, they were fain to lie in the streets and highways, (much contrary to their former way of living) to beg something for God's sake, wherewith to refresh their dying Souls; yet no sooner had they swallowed what was given them, but they presently gave up the Ghost; Memorable is that relation which Reinmannus recordeth of the Famine in Alsatia, that Valentine Engelin a Citizen of Rufack, with the Sexton of the Church deposed before a Magistrate upon their Oaths, That Ann● the Daughter of John Ebstein confessed to them, that she came from Colmar, where she had waited many days before the Hangman's door in hope to get a piece of Horseflesh to satisfy her hunger, but not prevailing, she was now come to Rufack entreating them, that if there were the body of any young man or woman unburied, they would give it her to eat to preserve her Life; And that two other women and a boy made the same request; affirming that they had lived a long time upon dead men's flesh; After which the Churchyard of St. Nicholas where the dead bodies lay, was shut up; Lastly they declared that four young maids had cut in pieces the dead body of another maiden of eleven years old, and had eaten every one their part of her; Many who survived the loss of all they had, sustained themselves for a long time with Roots, Acorns, green Fruits, grass, Thistles, and other Weeds, which the very beasts would not have eaten, upon which several of them grew distracted and died; In some places the poor famished people were so faint, that they had not strength to bury one another, so that the dead bodies have been devoured by Dogs, Foxes, and Wolves; Yea some Persons have run mad for mere hunger; In some Cities the Inhabitants have by this Famine been constrained to kill and sell all manner of Vermin in public shops, as Dogs, Cats, Mice, Rats, etc. A woman at Hanover who used commonly to sell Dog's flesh to the Soldiers; was in the street assaulted by Dogs, and had all her  torn off her body, so that she was forced to sit down on the ground to hid her shame, and had she not been timely rescued, she had been torn in pieces by the Dogs. If any had a Beast left which he carefully kept for his necessity, some or other of his Acquaintance would, if possible, steal it from him and eat it; They snatched from each other with great eagerness, the very stinking Carrion which had lain 5 or 6 weeks dead, and full of Maggots, yea, they fought and beat one another to get a morsel thereof, as it happened at a place called Dubach; It moved the Grandees and Governors to compassion to see their People in such extreme want; Insomuch that the Noble Earl of Falkenstein seeing his Subjects crave sustenance of him, commanded his Servants to give them his Hounds to satisfy their hunger, whom they presently killed, and eat with all greediness.  
And as the Famine increased, when no more food was to be got, men were like enraged Beasts one against another, and gathering together by Troops, watched one another upon the Highways, and so murdered, dressed, and eat each other, so that none could pass safely on the way, or in the streets without a guard, or very well armed, and though some have been taken and severely punished by Justice, yet others continued lurking to seize upon Passengers; Three Maidens at Odenheim near Worms agreed to live together and take their chance, but as the Proverb saith, Necessity hath no Law, and hunger is a sharp Thorn, for in a while they were all so extremely pinched with Famine, that they sought to take away one another's life to save their own, Two of them conspired to kill the third by strangling her in bed, or some other way, and after to dress and eat her up. All which they did accordingly; Then the second resolved to strangle her Companion, and cut off her head, which when she had done, and devoured her flesh, her heart was so hardened, that she went to a Village called Ridisheim to a Woman of her Acquaintance called Margaret, whose Husband was absent for fear of the Soldiers; the woman entertained her kindly, rejoicing that she came to see her; But in the night lying by the woman, she barbarously cut off her head, and binding the dead body upon a board, brought it to her house at Piedessen, but being pricked with the sharpness of hunger, she had not patience to cut the body in pieces, but only cut off the head and both the hands, which she washed and dressed: The Husband coming home miss his wife, and enquiring of the Neighbours, they told him such a maid was seen with her; upon which he went immediately to her house, and knocking at the door, asked her if she had not seen his Wife, she answered him, no; But such deeds of cruelty are hard to be concealed, Murder will out, as they say; The man goes into her house, and casting his eyes round, looks into every corner, at length he spies an hand to stick out of the Pot which hung over the Fire; Hereupon being overcome with grief, he rageth against the Murderess, and threatens her so severely, that she presently confesseth the whole truth to him; thereupon he complains to a Justice, the woman is seized and brought before the Lords of Justice sitting in the Judgement Seat; They deliberate a great while about her punishment, some were of opinion that what she had acted was not as a Rational Creature, but as a Brute. since the desire of Food is common to us with Beasts. But others alleged such horrid wickedness ought severely to be punished for a Terror to others; Upon which she was led to the common place of Justice, her head was cut off, and her body being bound to a wheel, was left as a spectacle to all Passengers of the horror of the Fact.  
That which follows (saith my Author) I cannot write without Tears, no man ever hated his own flesh, saith the Scripture, and such are the Children of our Bodies, so that it is even against nature to destroy such fruit; Yet the dreadful sharpness of hunger hath brought this to pass; Oh what is that miserable necessity which makes us even break stone Walls, which causeth us to forget our nearest and dearest Relations, that vanquishes our most natural, and most powerful Passions, and tempts us to destroy that which we before so dearly loved, and so carefully cherished: At Oterburg in the Palatinate, a Widow woman living near the Churchyard, her name well known, had a Daughter of about nine or ten years old; This child was grown so faint with hunger, that one time with sorrowful eyes looking upon her Mother, she said, Sweet Mother, I would willingly die so I were rid of my 
The Terrible Prodigies during the Wars and Desolations in Germany Page. 125  pain, Oh that you would make an end of me, than should I go from whence I came, or if I should kill you, than you would be rid of your pain; The Mother looking earnestly upon her again, with a woeful sigh replied, And what wouldst thou do with me Child; The Girl very mournfully replied I would then eat you, for they say that man's flesh is very sweet; The Mother at these words fell a weeping, and being wonderfully distracted in her own thoughts, like a Ship tossed between the two Rocks of Desperate Neceffity, and Motherly Affection; at length the first of them prevailed, and suddenly catching the Child by the head, and untying her hairlace, twisteth it about the neck of this innocent Lamb, and so presently strangled her, being dead, and she having no knife to cut the Body in pieces, she took a Spade, and therewith hewed it into Gobbets, and so dressing the head, and part of the Body, eat it up; Some part thereof she sold to her Neighbours for about six pence a pound; Her Child being long miss, her acquaintance asked her where it was, and how she came by that Flesh, she replied, It was Hog's flesh which she had got of the Soldiers who passed that way; But perceiving the truth would be discovered, she freely confessed all; whereupon she was taken and Imprisoned, being allowed half a pound of bread, and a Kann of Water a day till her sentence; Being after examined before the Lords, she told them, That she was happy, since she came to Prison, and would be glad to lie there all her life for now she had wherewith to abate her hunger and thirst, her dreadful pain was thereby much abated: This so moved the Judges to compassion, that they freed her from Prison, and let her go as Innocent, as being compelled thereto by woeful Necessity; I cannot but record another story of the like nature; A Woman of Hornbach having been newly brought to bed, and wanting milk to nourish her Babe, she kissed and embraced it a thousand times, drowning it almost with her Tears, and after a long Conflict with her own disturbed Soul, she killed it with a knife, and afterward dressed and eat it; When it began to be known, she was examined before the Judges, who asked her Why she killed her Child, she answered, That mighty and intolerable hunger had forced her to do it, and that it was the fruit of her own body, which she thought she might better make use of, than of any other; However she was condemned to die, and accordingly executed for a terror to others.  
I am even weary (saith he) of these lamentable Relations, yet more miserable Accidents, if more miserable can be, followed these; They traced and followed the dead bodies to their place of Burial, and then digging them out of their Graves, dressed and eat them; so that in divers places, at Worms especially, they were forced to set watch at the Churchyards, and over the Graves to keep the dead from being stolen and eaten; Yea to that extremity were they brought that some constrained by hunger, took Poison to dispatch themselves, nay the very Wild Beasts in Woods were starved for want of Prey; The Earl of Arundel travelling to Frankford in his way toward England, a Boor or Peasant of the Country being their Guide, and having his Legs bare, a Fox pursued him even amidst the Earls Servants, and would not forbear biting of his Legs and heels for extreme hunger, till they gave him a blow on the neck, and so took him alive; The eyes of the Fox were sunk in his head, his bones stuck out, and he was so extreme lean, that his ribs almost clung together; they carried him alive with them in the Coach, and after a few days he died; Another English Gentleman who came about that time through Germany into England, by the byways thereby to escape the Soldiers, reported that Wolves, Foxes, and other Wild Beasts lay dead for want of Food, and that in some Places men lived only upon Robbery, and the spoil of Strangers, or of one another, so that Thievery was the only Trade then practised among them.  
LXIII. Thus much of this tremendous Judgement of Famine, In the last place let Pestilence, Sickness and Diseases bring up the Bear of this lamentable Scene of sorrow. These Distempers are ofttimes the Companions or Effects of War, it is very rare for a great Army to stay long in a place, and not to leave some Infection behind them; Beyond the River Dona, after the Swedes departure from thence with their Forces, the Plague, and several unheard of Diseases swept away a multitude of people, the like happened in the Palatinate and Bohemia; After Mastricht was taken, the Town and Country were grievously afflicted with Fevers, Fluxes, and the Pestilence above all, and the same year the Armies of the Duke of Lorraine, and the Rhinegrave died miserably in the like kind in Alsatia; The Army of the Prince of Orange having taken Rhineberg left such infection in Brabant, that the Inhabitants the year after were afraid to live in their own Houses; About the same time General Holck being sent with six thousand men to invade Saxony, he plundered the City of Leipswick, and committed as great outrages as Tilly's Army had done before, but such a Plague overtook both him and his Army, that most of his Soldiers died like rotten sheep, and being infected himself, he offered six hundred Rix dollars for a Protestant Minister to instruct and comfort him, But both he and his Soldiers had so behaved themselves, that no Minister was to be found: In the mean time all his Friends and Servants forsook him, except his Concubine, who stayed with him to the last; He had been both Protestant and Papist, but revolted from both, so that being guilty of his own perfideousness, and the execrable Murders and Rapines he had occasioned, he died utterly despairing of future happiness; In the City of Basil above Twenty Thousand died of the Plague; Their Popish Neighbours of the City of Trent rejoiced at their sufferings, as being their Enemies in Religion, but their Joy was very short, for the Winter following the Pestilence raged dreadfully among them, and though that City was not great, yet above Three Thousand Persons were buried out of it; This Plague was extraordinary virulent, and altogether incurable; Some died raging, others were killed with their Carbuncles, others were swollen and discoloured as if they had taken poison, and some died most strangely spotted; If any Soldier were but slightly wounded, it presently turned to a malignant Ulcer, defying all means of Cure; when the Infection got into a Kindred, it destroyed Parents, Children, and most times all of the blood; which demonstrates that a divine hand was very conspicuous in this woeful visitation, though the Food and Air might also much conduce to impoyson the Bodies; In the Siege of Hannover above twenty two thousand People were buried of the Sickness, and had not it pleased God hereby to diminish their numbers, they had yielded the Town for want of Victuals; In the same Siege Soldiers who went seemingly well, and with their Eyesight upon the Guard, came off again in a few hours struck stark blind, even Thirty at a time were thus afflicted, but the Disease afterward falling into their Legs, most of them recovered.  
About this time almost all Germany felt this punishment in a grievous manner; In Swaben, Tyrol, and all along the Rivers of Rhine and Main, the Plague raged furiously; The King of Hungary was fain to dissolve his Court, and send his Servants away to other Cities for their security; The Inhabitants of Memingen, Campden, and Isnen in Swaben were utterly consumed, and none left alive; In the Country thereabout formerly inhabited by above Thirty Thousand men, there were not Four hundred Souls to be found; In the Confines of Bavaria the living were not sufficient to bury the dead, but Rats and Mice devoured their Carcases to the great horror of Passengers; Holland and the Low countries' smarted very sore likewise; The University of Leyden buried Thirty Thousand; The Country Villages and the Hague were miserably afflicted, and also Brussels and Antwerp; The Cities of Nimegen, Emerick, Rees, Gelder's with other places near, were not only visited therewith, (whereof the Marquis of Autona the Spanish General, and other Commanders died) but there happened new contagious Diseases, among others, strange Fluxes, and a Pox hitherto unknown; The Emperor's Army foraging and dispersing themselves all over the Country scattered the Contagion from their Quarters at Hailburn to the Land of Wirtenburg, and many places became hereby utterly depopulated; But after Gallas his taking in the Towns upon the Rhine, such an Infection happened through the stink of the dead unburied bodies, that in the Bishopric of Mentz alone there died of this and Famine Twenty Four Thousand People; In Saxony, Brandenburg, Pomerania, Mecklenburg, etc. the Pestilence and other Diseases were so Universal, that these and the Sword seemed to contend which should be the greatest destroyers; It consumed in Saxony no less than Sixteen Thousand Souls in two months' time; Thus as by the print of the foot of Hercules you may guests at his stature, so by these few particulars of the miseries of some places, we may judge of the lamentable Condition of the whole Country, where these dreadful Judgements have left such wounds, as perhaps posterity for some Generations will see the scars of; And so I have done with this particular Relation of the Prodigies and Miseries of Germany for several years, and shall now proceed more generally according to my former method.  
LIV. In the year 1638. Six Suns were seen at once in Cornwall, and several Apparitions of men in the Heavens preparing to fight with each other; Also Navys of Ships were visible in the Sky; The Scots at this time make an Insurrection, the King goes in Person to appease them, they renounce the Bishops and Prelacy, and set up Presbytery in Scotland; In this year 1638. happened a terrible Earthquake in the Island of St. Michael one of the Agores, or Terceras belonging to the Spaniard in the Atlantic Ocean Westward; Upon June 26. 〈◊〉 Island began universally to quake and tremble 〈◊〉 which continued eight days, so that the People leaving the Cities, Towns and Castles, were forced to 〈◊〉 in the open Fields: After which this Pr●●digy succeeded; Six miles distant from the 〈◊〉 or Pick of 〈◊〉, at a place called 〈◊〉, where Fishermen with their Boats use to fish in Summer, They at this time caught such a multitude, that no Boat returned with less than Ten Thousand Fish; At this very place in July this year, Fire broke forth with such unexpressable violence, notwithstanding the depth of the Ocean, which had been fathomed one hundred and twenty foot deep, that the very Sea itself was not sufficient to extinguish such mighty flames; The space of this boiling Fire was about two Acres, and the Fire arose with such mighty force, that it reached even to the clouds, carrying with it Water, Sand, Earth, Stones, and much other matter, which like Featherbeds flew into the Air to the terror of the Beholders afar off, and falling down again into the water, resembled a kind of Pultis or Frumeatie; and had not the Wind by divine Providence blown off from the Isle into the Sea, and thereby driven back this outrageous Fire, without doubt the whole Country had been utterly burnt up and destroyed by this formidable Combustion; soon after it cast forth stones of so vast a bigness, to the height of above three lances, that they seemed rather like entire Mountains than Stones, which in their fall meeting and dashing against others they broke into a Thousand pieces, with a terrible noise and Rattling, which afterward being taken up mouldered into a black Sand. Moreover out of this vast quantity of matter thrown out, a new Island arose even in the midst of the deep Ocean; In the beginning it was not above five Acres, but increasing continually in four days after, it took up the length of five mile; so vast a multitude of fish perished by this burning, that eight Ships of Jndia could hardly contain them, and being dispersed about all parts of the Island were gathered together, and buried in deep Ditches by the Inhabitants for eighteen miles round about to prevent any Contagion which might arise from them, but the Sulphur or Brimstone was smelled twenty four miles. This year the Hollanders beat the Spanish Fleet upon the Coast of England.  
LXV. The same year, 1638. the Learned Kircherus made a search and discovery into the burning Mountain of Vesuvius in the Kingdom of Naples, so famous for fiery Eruptions for many Ages, which being one of the most tremendous Miracles of Nature I shall relate in his own words; After so great Dangers sustained by Sea and Land in diligently searching out the incredible power of nature working in Burroughs and Passages under ground, I had a great desire to inform myself concerning Vesuvius, I went therefore to Porticus (the Porch or Entrance) a Town situate at the Foot of the Mountain, where hiring an honest Countryman for a true and skilful Companion, and guide in the way, not without a considerable reward, I ascended the Mountain at midnight through, difficult, rough, uneven, and steep Passages; when I came to the top or mouth I saw what is horrible to be expressed; I saw it all over of a light Fire with a dreadful combustion, and stench of Sulphur and burning Bitumen; whereat being astonished, methoughts I beheld the habitation of Hell, wherein nothing seemed to be wanting but the Apparitions of Ghosts, Devils, and damned Spirits; I than observed horrible bellow and roar in the mountain, and unexpressible stink, smokes mixed with darkish Globes of Fire, which both the bottom and sides of the Mountain continually belched forth from eleven several places, and made me belch, and ready to vomit; O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God How incomprehensible are thy ways! If thou showest thy power against the wickedness of mankind in such formidable and portentous Prodigies and Omens of nature? What shall it be in that last day wherein the Earth shall be destroyed by thy wrath, and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat? In the morning as soon as it was light, that I might with the more diligence, search into the Bowels of the Mountain, I chose a place to set my feet secure upon, which was an huge Rock, plain on the top, where talting forth my Pantometer (or Universal Measure) I took the dimensions of the Mountain, and found by Geometrical Computation, the compass of the Mouth to be almost three hundred paces, but the depth thereof eight hundred paces; The Mountain was every where up and down cragged, and broken, yet no gradual declining, for any passage to the inward parts, but descended in its compass of an equal bigness like a Well, and although the bottom seemed narrower, yet I judged it only to proceed from the exceeding great depth and distance from our sight; In the very middle of the bottom, Nature seemed to have made a Shop or Workhouse of Fire, with everlasting gushing forth and streamings of smoke and flames, which seem to be employed for boiling of Sulphur, Bitumen, and other Minerals in preparation for deadly ruins and slaughters afterward to be committed, since the vapours contained therein not having room, endeavour to free themselves with such great force and violence, accompanied with horrible cracklings and noise, that the Mountain seems to be tossed with an Earthquake or trembling, upon which the higher and softer parts of the Mountain that are clung together of Ashes, Cinders, Rains, and other Refuses of Minerals being shaken in pieces, and loosened by this quaking, and so falling like Hills into the bottom of this Hellish Gulf, cause such terrible noises as are often heard, which are so great and fearful as may daunt the most stout and courageous Spirit; The matter which was continually belched forth from the centre or bottom of the Mountain made as it were a new Mountain, which had wonderful variety of Furrows or hollow Channels, with various kinds of melted Minerals, form as it were by the ingenious Pencil of Nature, sometimes of a greenish colour from Brass; then yellow from Sulphur, Arsenic, and Sandarack; presently after Red from Cinabar, Red-Lead and Vermilion; afterward Black from Vitriol mixed with water, or of an Ashy colour from the very Cinders. Thus far the laborious Kircher.  
LXVI. Hear now what our ingenious Countryman Mr. G. Sandys relates of this fiery Mountain Vesuvius, It is situate in Campania Faelix, about eight miles from Naples, which City hath received great injuries and prejudices by its Cinders, and violent throwing out of stones even to its Walls and Houses; This Mountain has vast Fountains of Fire, and was heretofore high on every side before the inward parts were consumed; it usually utters smoke by day, but by night, Flames; its manner is to send forth a loud sounding or roaring noise and bellowing first, and then to belch forth a huge quantity of Cinders to the great danger of those who pass by, but if a vehement wind blow upon it, the Ashes or Cinders are raised so high and driven so far in length, that 'tis certain they have sometimes been carried as far as Constantinople though many hundred mile's distance, and so affrighted them that they have all ran to their Prayers to implore the averting of Divine Wrath; The Mountain hath a double top, that toward the North ends in a Plain, the other toward the South aspires higher, which when covered with Clouds, prognosticates rain to the Neopolitans, In the top there is a large deep hollow in form of an Amphitheatre, in the midst is a Pit which leads into the Entrails of the Earth, the matter thrown up is ruddy, light and soft, the uttermost brow of the Hill flourishes with Trees, and excellent Pasturage, the midst is shaded with Chesnut Trees and others, bearing divers fruits; The lower parts are admirably clothed with Vines which afford the best Greek Wines in the World; It hath at divers times made dreadful Eruptions and Devastations which (as well as Mount Aetna of which hereafter) have been accounted ominous, and to portend some woeful Calamities to ensue.  
But never any thing appeared so horrible (faith my Author) as what happened in the Reign of the Emperor Titus eighty years after Christ, For than it disgorged such boiling Waves and Floods of Fire as consumed the Neighbouring Cities; And than it was that Pliny the Second, that great searcher into Nature, and the famous Author of the Natural History, and then Admiral of the Roman Navy, being desirous to discover the reason thereof, was choked and suffocated in approaching too near to discover so great a mystery of Nature, yet not wilfully I suppose, though some Author's ●●sert that he threw himself into it, because he could not understand the natural cause of 〈…〉 Condagration; At that time there issued 〈◊〉 so great a 〈◊〉 that the very Sun seemed to be 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉, and likewise huge Stones, and such plenty of 〈◊〉, that Rome, afric and Syria were even covered with them, and besides, Beasts, Fish, and Fo●l which were desir●●ed, it overwhelmed Herculan● and Pumptins' two adjoining Cities with Pumice Stones, together with all the People sitting in the Theatre; There were also heard dismal noises all about the Province, and Giants of incredible bigness were seen to stalk up and down the top and edges of the Mountains (if the People's san●ies were not imposed upon 〈◊〉 their astonishment) which extraordinary 〈…〉 was judged either a cause, or Presage of a 〈…〉 which reigned in Rome and Italy long 〈…〉 the Roman Historian relates, 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 transported in the Air, obsoured and darkened ●●l Europe, and that the Inhabitants 〈…〉 wonderfully affrighted therewith, 〈…〉 their Emperor Leo forsook the City, and that in memorial of the same they celebrated yearly the 12 of November; It likewise burnt in the 6 year of Constantine the Fourth, and groaned, but ejected no Cinders; Platina writes, that it flamed in 685, prognosticating the Death of Pope Benedict 2. with the ensuing Slaughters, Rapines, and Deaths of Princes; During the Papacy of Benedict 8, and 9 it is said to have done the like, and though it hath made divers dreadful devastations, yet the fruitful Ashes thrown about did seem to repair the foregoing losses with a quick and marvellous fruitfulness; At the foot of the Hill there are divers holes and vents, out of which exceeding cold winds do continually issue, and which at Milan they let into their Rooms at pleasure, to qualify the heat of Summer; In the year 1610 in February, Vesuvius began to flame, to the great affrightment of the Neapolitans, and solemn Prayers and Supplications being ordered, they went in Procession with the head of Januarius their Patron, and the defender of their City carried before them; whereby the deluded people were persuaded that the destruction which hung over their heads was prevented, In 1631 was a new Eruption, and again in 1635 was an Earthquake in 〈◊〉.  
LXVII. In the year 1633 likewise the industrious Kircher made a discovery of the Phlegraean, or Fiery Plains in the Fields of 〈◊〉 near Naples, which being another wonderful Prodigy of Nature, may be worth relating; Passing by Naples (saith he) I could not let slip the opportunity of enquiring and looking into those Sulphurous Plains so much celebrated in all Ages; Having therefore gone through a Passage under ground, called the Grotte, arched and made hollow, to the Mountain Pausilippus; not far from Puteoli, between the Jaws of the Mountains a large Plain presents itself to view, altogether dreadful and full of horror, in length about Twelve hundred Foot, in breadth a Thousand; The whole Plain is surrounded with Hills of high and steep Rocks, which were formerly very lofty, but are since devoured by perpetual Fires; In the bottom little hills are seen to burn and flame, with a strong smell of Brimstone which is carried by the Winds through all the Neighbouring Regions, even as far as Naples, some parts of the Plain have an infinite number of holes, and are yellow with a Sulphurish matter; the ground when it is touched by those who walk thereon, sounds and rattles like a Drum by reason of the hollowness thereof, and you may feel as it were, not without astonishment, boiling waters under your feet, and thick fiery fumes to hiss and flow from one place to another with a great crackling noise through the Pipes and Passages under ground which are made by these fiery Exhalations; the force of this is very great as you may experience by stopping any of these holes with an heavy stone, or the like; for than you shall observe the violence of the smoke presently to throw it up, and belch it forth again; But an huge Laky Ditch in the same plain did wonderfully affect me; It is full of boiling waters, very frightful for their blackness, that one would imagine it were a Kettle, or Cauldron boiling with Pitch and Rosin; It is likewise admirable, that the swallowing Gulf casts forth these boiling waters eight or ten foot above a man's height, in the fashion of a spire Steeple, or Pyramid; In the Mountain's and Rocks wherewith this Vulcanian Plain is encompassed, there are Passages like Chimneys, some whereof breath out a continual Wind, with a terrible sound and ra●ling and also with such strength, that if you cast a stone thereinto, it is struck back again to your hand with great fury; some of these breathing holes dart forth smoak mixed with flames; you would here think yourself almost in the midst of Hell, where all things appear horrid, sad, and lamentable, and you are even struck bre●●hless with the stench of Sulphur, Bitumen, Napthe, and other Earth's, Clays, Marls and Minerals;  
We must not here omit Mr. Sandys his Relation of almost memorable Earthquake, and burning which happened near the City Puteoli in 1538. with the new form Mountain; For the famous Lake Lucrinus hard by, extended formerly to the deadly Sulphurous Lake Avernus, supposed the entrance into Hell by ignorant Antiquity, where they offered Infernal Sacrifices to Pluto their God of Hell, and to the Manes or Ghosts of their deceased Friends, who were there said to have returned answers to what was demanded of them: This place is now only a little watery plash, choked up by the horrible and astonishing eruption of a new Mountain, whereof as often as I think, I am apt to give credit to whatsoever is wonderful; For who is there in this place but knows, or who elsewhere will believe, that a Mountain should arise partly out of a Lake, and partly out of the Sea, in one day and a night to such a height, as to contend in altitude with the highest Mountains adjoining, yet so it was; For Sept. 29. 1538. the Country hereabout having for several days before been tormented with perpetual Earthquakes, that no one house was left entire, but all men expected an immediate ruin; After the Sea had retired two hundred Paces from the Shoar, leaving abundance of Fish and Springs of fresh water rising in the bottom, this Mountain visibly ascended about the second hour of the night, with an hideous roaring noise, horribly vomiting Stones, and such store of Cinders, as overwhelmed all the buildings thereabout and the healthful Baths of Tripergula celebrated for so many Ages, consuming the Vines to Ashes, and kill Birds and Beasts; The fearful Inhabitants of Puteoli flying away in the dark, with their Wives and Children, naked, defiled, crying out and detesting their Calamities, Manifold mischiefs had they suffered by the Turks, and Barbarians, yet none like this which Nature Inflicted; This Mountain is to be seen at this day, the top whereof is above a mile from the Foundation, the stones upon it are so light and pory, that they will not sink when thrown into Water; when it was newly raised, it had a vast number of Vents or Issues, some of them smoking and likewise flaming, others disgorging little Rivers of hot water, keeping a dreadful rumbling, and many miserably perished who ventured to go down into the hollowness above; But that hollow on the top is now an Orchard, and the Mountain throughout is bereft of its Terrors, no more smoke, fire or flames issuing any longer therefrom, But to return.  
LXVIII. A little before the Marquis Hamilton came with the Scotch Army into England, two Armies were seen in York hire in the Air, discharging and shooting against each other, and after a long fight the Army which risen our of the North vanished; Likewise about the same time at 〈◊〉 in Northumberland it reigned blood, which covered the Church and Church-yard. In 1642, at the time of the bloody Rebellion in Ireland, when the Papists murdered above Two Hundred Thousand Innocent Protestants without the least Provocation, these Prodigies happened in that Kingdom as they were deposed upon Gath by divers Persons examined about the same; At Portendown Bridge in the Province of V●●er, the Irish Inhabitants thereabout were so affrighted with Cries and Noises made there by some Spirits for Revenge, that they were forced to remove their habitations, not daring to return thither again; Likewise the blood of some of those Innocents' who were massacred there, remained long upon the Bridge, and could not be washed out; There appeared also the shapes of Men and Women breast high above Water, who did lamentably and scarfully screech and cry out for vengeance against the Irish who had murdered their Bodies there; December 20. 1641. the bloody Rebels having at one time drowned one hundred and fourscore Protestant Men, Women and Children in this River by the Bridge, about nine days after a Spirit in the shape of a man appeared in that place breast high above the Water, with his hands lifted up, standing in that posture several times, till the latter end of Lent next following, and was seen by very many; And a Mother of some of those Children who were drowned there, going one Evening to the Bridge with some other Women whose Husbands had likewise been drowned, upon a sudden there appeared to them a Vision of a Woman naked to the waist in the water, with elevated and closed hands, her hair hanging down very white, her Eyes seeming to wrinkle, and her skin as white as snow, often repeating the word, Revenge, Revenge, Revenge. Further, Thirty Women and young Children, and Seven men were fling by these barbarous Rebels into the River of Belte●●●t, and when some of them swum for their Lives toward the bank, they were knocked on the head with Poles by these merciless Tigers; Being dead, their Bodies appeared not as usual, till about six weeks after, at which time one Mulmore O Rely, who had commanded them to be murdered, coming to the place, all the Bodies came floating up to the Dridge. Sir C●● Mac Gennis with his Soldiers murdered one Mr. Trugs Minister of Newry, but shortly after f●●●●ng sick, upon his death bed he was terribly 〈…〉, seeming always to see the same Mr. Tr●●●●● his presence; Also Dr. Robert Maxwel Archdeacon of Down testified upon his Oath. That the Rebels themselves assured him, that most of those who were thrown from that Bridge were daily and nightly seen to walk upon the River, sometime singing Psalms, sometimes brandishing Swords, sometimes skreiking out in a most hideous and fearful manner.  
LXIX. In 1642, before the Fight at Edghil three Suns were seen in the North. In 1645. Many other Apparitions were visible in the North, with divers P●●r●●●'s or Mocksuns, and an Eclipse of the Sun; All England saith Mr. Gadbury was at this time together by the Ears: The next year the Scots return home again, The English go into Ireland, and subdue the Rebels there; In the Month of May this year it reigned Brimstone, at Wittenburg in Germany; and a great Wood belonging to the Dukedom of Norimburg, in that Country, of eight thousand Acres of Land, fell on Fire, and was burned to Ashes; In January 1648, there was seen a great Fiery Meteor in the Air near Bristol on the Southside of the City for divers nights together, of a long form, with fiery Beams shooting out East and West, which was but a week before the Martyrdom of his late Majesty; also the day before his Death, a great Whale ran himself ashore three miles from Do●●er, where he died; He was sixty six foot long, a thing rarely seen in this Island. this I was informed 〈◊〉 by an Eye-witness saith Mr. Clark. I very well remember (saith Mr. John Gadbury) that in 〈◊〉 year 164●; the very year wherein Charles late King of England was beheaded, it was generally, (I will not say truly) reported, that he without his head was seen to hover in the Air over Whitehall, the place where he suffered, for many nights together; Nay I have heard some affirm, That he was seen sometime with his George upon his Breast in the manner and form as he wore it when he came upon the Scaffold, and that sometimes again he was seen to appear in his Watchet Waistcoat only; Neither of these sights did I ever see (saith he) nor can enjoin any one's faith to believe; However if the report were true, (and I know not what advantage any man can reap by reporting such things as these if they were not) it may very well be accounted a thing Prodigious and Remarkable. J. Gadbury.  
LXX. In 1650. Jan. 18. In the night time was a terrible storm, and Armies and armed Troops in every place for twelve mile's compass about Molton in Yorkshire, were heard to ride and march through the Towns. The Cattle and Beasts in those Places were so affrighted that most of them broke out of their Pastures, some by leaping broke their necks, others their Legs, some ran away above four miles off, who when found were extremely heated, One Ox that lay in a stackyard lame, and could not rise without help, in this fright broke forth, and was found a mile off, and was brought home upon a sled. In March following, 3 glorious Suns were seen at once in Cumberland to the astonishment of many Thousands which beheld them; In April the same year, about 5 a Clock in the afternoon in the Counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland was a genetal Earthquake wherewith the People were so affrighted, that many of them forsook their Houses, and some Houses were so shaken, that the Chimneys fell down. The same year, 1650, the Island of Santorin, at the bottom of the straits in the Mediterranean Sea, not far from Candia, had formidable Fires and Earthquakes; This Island was formerly called Thera, but now Santorin, and started up out of the Sea, for Baronius out of Pliny thus writes; In the year 726 a vapour was seen to bubble forth out of a Chimney of Fire, between the Islands of Theresia, or Santorin, from the very bottom of the Sea, which continued some days, and the Fire and Smoak growing thicker by degrees, spread itself abroad with mighty flames, and with the vastness of its strength, it cast out huge Rocky Pumice Stones, and great heaps of other matter, which it carried through all Asia, Lesbos, and Abydus, and the Seacoasts of Macedonia, so that the whole Surface of the Sea was covered with these Pumices; But in the middle of so great a Fire, there was an Island made from the heaping up of that matter, and joined to the Island, called The Sacred, which never was in being before; There was likewise another Island next to this formed in 1570, not without great terror of those of Santorin; Since the burning lasted for a year, as some ancient People who saw it with their Eyes did lately testify; But in the middle of this smaller new Island which is now called little Camena there is to be seen to this very day an huge deep Ditch, which being narrow toward the bottom, grows bigger by degrees like a Funnel, out of which as out of a Chimney those mighty Stones and Rocks did burst forth, which being mixed with Cinder and Ashes composed the rest of that Isle.  
But if ever these Fires penned up in the ●owels of the Earth exercised their force, it was mo●● remarkable upon September 24. 1650. which shook the Island till the ninth of October, with such mighty and frequent Earthquakes, that the People of Santorin fearing that their immediate ruin was approaching, were on their knees night and day before their Altars; It cannot be expressed what an horror invaded all men, especially when those yictorious flames breaking through all Obstacles, strove to make themselves a way through the midst of the Waters of the Ocean about four miles Eastward from Santorin; For the Sea all on a sudden swollen Thirty Cubits upward, and extending itself wide through the Neighbouring Lands, overturned all in its way; Insomuch that it broke in pieces several Ships and Galleys in the very Haven of Candia, with its extraordinary violence, though fourscore miles distant from thence; The Air being darkened with those sulphurous stinking vapours, put on innumerable Forms and Appearances, as of Fiery Lances, and Swords brandished and shaken, bright and glittering Arrows darting forth; Here terrible Serpents and Dragons seemed to be flying, There hideous Thunderclaps, Lightnings and Thunderbolts; And yet they could scarce see, for the People's Eyes were so hurt with those sharp, pricking, sulphurous smokes, and vapours, that almost all became blind for 3 days, with such grievous pains in their Eyes, that they wept continually, and bewailed their most miserable Fate; But when their eyesight returned, they saw all their Silver and Gold, both Vessels and Garments, and Pictures, spread over with a yellow colour; and such a vast multitude of Pumice stones did this fiery Gulf vomit forth, that it covered the Sea, so that they could scarce pass in a Vessel; It is most certain that they were carried many hundred miles, even to Smyrna and Constantinople, and all the Shores and Coasts were filled therewith; The fury of this Burning wa● greatest for the first two Months, which caused the Neighbour Sea to bubble like a boiling Pot, and night and day huge Globes and Flakes of Fire, and exceeding thick smoke mounted up to the Heavens; which if at any time it was carried by contrary winds to any places near at hand, besides a most grievous s●ink, it brought certain destruction upon Birds and Beasts, yea, upon men themselves; As it happened in October and November this year, that fifty Husbandmen miserably perished thereby, besides an innumerable multitude of Birds, Sheep, Oxen, and Asses; The like happened to nine Mariners, who passing that way in their ship by night, after 3 days were all found half burnt, and were buried in the Island Nio threescore miles from Santorin; But the other 4 months (for it flamed six in all) though that Hellish Hearth or Furnace abated much of its vigour and fierce heat, and could scarce lift itself above the Waves, yet it still seemed to cast out Pumice stones, and to be labouring to form a new Island which though it does not yet appear above Water yet in a calm Sea, it is observed to be very shallow thereabout, the Water being in that place not above eight Cubits deep.  
LXXI. In 1651. The River of Sein, which runs through Paris in France swelled so much, that all the Houses near it were in danger to have been ruined thereby, and very much hurt was done; The same year, March 4, the day before the Burial of the late Prince of Orange, a full Tide of the Sea broke the Dam or Bank of St. Anthony in Holland, and overflowed all that part which is called Diemer Mere; There happened likewise thereby, very great damage in North-Holland, but at Amsterdam the water grew so high, that the People were compelled to go in Boats through the Streets, besides which, it came into their Cellars and Warehouses, thereby spoiling a vast quantity of Merchandises to the value of many Tuns of Gold. The same year Sept. 14, a Prodigious Judgement happened at Bi●boa in Spain, whereof I have a Letter by me written by a Merchant of good credit (saith Mr. Clark) which thus relates it. Sir I presume that before this comes to your hands, you will hear of God's great Judgement upon this To●● which hath caused such a destruction as is impossible to bed●scribed, and at present 'tis not throughly known what damage it hath done; upon the eighth of this Month it pleased God (not by any extraordinary rains from Heaven to our thinking) to open the Mountains like Fountains, and to cause the Seaso to swell, that in less than four hours it overflowed the Town throughout sixteen foot high, which prevented us not only from saving our Goods, but also with great hazard of our lives have we escaped; yet many lost their Lives with great destruction both of the Houses and Walls; For my own part I feared my life, for my house trembled under me extremely, so that not only myself, but my whole Family had been destroyed, had it continued but a small time longer, though the Water ebbed not for Twenty four hours; Many Iron Mills were destroyed, many Thousand Loads of Charcoal were carried away, many bags of Wool spoiled; All their Shops with their Goods were much damaged; God knows the trouble we underwent, and still I am every day in the mud half my height, looking after my Goods, and am fain to keep many men digging to find them, and am looking out for bread to maintain my Family; a little Chicken costs us two shillings in Spanish Plate; In brief, neither Horse, Mule, Hog, nor any other Living Creature that goes upon the ground hath escaped drowning, but only such as fled to the tops of the Mountains, The destruction and losses of ●his Town are unspeakable, the very pavement and ground being carried away at least Ten Foot deep, and the River hath altered its Channel; The first work that we now set upon (by command of Authority) is to throw away the Fish which the water brought with it, which being tainted, smells so abominably, that we fear it will bring the Plague amongst us, but we hope by to morrow night to throw it all into the River, and thereby be rid of this stink, and our next work must be to cleanse the River.  
LXXII. In 1652, There was a great Eclipse of the Sun, and Two Eclipses of the Moon: A Two handed Sword was seen in the Air in Cheshire, and Armies of men encountering each other, appeared in the North, a Comet was visible in the Signs Gemini and Taurus from December 11, to the 30. This year the English subdued Scotland, and beat the Dutch at Sea; They beat the French at Sea this year also; The English Parliament, firnamed the Long, are turned out of Doors by their own Army. In 1653, Oliver Cromwell a private Gentleman by Birth, but then General of the Army, assumes the Government of Great Britain by the Title of Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland; The King of the Romans, and the Pope in two years after die; strange and unheard of Alterations in Law and Government here in England, new Courts of Justice, Council of State, Major Generals. In 1654. was another Eclipse of the Sun, and an Earthquake in the West of England; Apparitions are visible in the Air in the North of England; A very great Rain falls in Bohemia; At this time the English take Jamaica, and make War with Spain. The English and Swedes unite; In 1655. Castles, Cities and Towns appear in the Air in England, and seem to be besieged, the different Actions and Gestures of Men, both Commanders and Soldiers being plainly visible; This year Cardinal Guisi is made Pope by the Title of Innocent the 10. The Polanders are routed by the Swedes: In 1656, An Earthquake happened in Cheshire, doing much harm, sinking the Ground, and rending up many Trees by the Roots, to the great damage of the Country. In November a fiery Dragon was seen in the Air in Scotland; This year the English land in Flanders, and take Mardike from the Spaniards, they become angry thereat, and Wars between them grow high; The King of Denmark was twice invaded by the King of Sweden; There fell such abundance of Rain at Vienna in Germany, that the River Danubius swelling above its banks, the violence of the Waters broke down all the Bridges, and most of their Mills; Yea, the Water came into their Suburbs, called, The Jews Suburbs, drowning many Persons, and carrying away a very great number of , and did so great mischief to the Country that the loss was thought inestimable, there being sixteen Towns and Villages swept away by the Flood. Gadbury de Comet.  
LXXIII. In 1658, A great Whale came up to Greenwich near London, a thing seldom known before; This year Dunkirk was taken by the English; Sir Henry Slingsby and Dr. Hevit being condemned by an High Court of Justice as they called it, were beheaded at Tower-hill, and Sept. 3. following, which used to be a great day of Triumph in oliver's Court for two great Victories at Dunbar and Worcester, was turned into a day of Mourning by the Death of their Protector who died about 4 or 5 a Clock that day; and Richard Cromwell confidently succeeds him in the Government, as if it had been his just due; Nay some People in England send such sugared Addresses to him, that he believed himself to be what they flatteringly styled him: The King of Sweden loses much this year and dies. In 1659., there was a very great Inundation in Holland, which overflowed Thirty Six Thousand Acres of Ground: Also a great Eclipse of the Sun in Scorpio, November 4. Lofty and strange unwonted Winds, In May 1659., the Long Parliament returned, and turned out Richard Cromwell, but were soon after turned out themselves by Lambert and the Army; A Committee of safety is set up; The L. General Monk being troubled to behold the Confusions of the English Proceed, marched out of Scotland, and after the Committee of Safety was fallen, brings in the secluded Members of the Long Parliament, who soon after dissolve themselves, and call another Parliament who restore His Royal Majesty King Charles 2. to His just Rights and Privileges, whom God preserve with a Long and Happy Reign over us. Gadbury of Prodigies.  
LXXIV. In 16●0. Feb. 20. At Dantzick in Poland, when the Sun was going down, there were seen seven Suns together very distinctly in the Heavens, three of them coloured, and three white, besides the True Sun itself, about which was a Circle much like a Rainbow. In 1661. Jan. 28. There is a Relation that near Worsup in Nottinghamshire there was an appearance of a gallant Troop of Horse marching, which a Justice of Peace having notice of, related to a Person of Honour, thinking them to be real Men and Horses, but upon a strict inquiry, it was concluded to be only an Apparition; The same Relation says about that time, there happened a strange and dreadful storm of Hail at Northampton, and fire mingled with the hail in some places, and that it did run upon the ground in great sheets of Fire for a considerable way together: It fell upon some part of Wellinborough Town in Northamptonshire: Upon February 18. this year very early in the morning began a dreadful storm of Wind accompanied with Thunder, Lightning, Hail and Rain, which killed divers Persons by the fall of Houses and Chimneys, and did very great damage in many places of England. In 1662., about six a Clock in the Evening, there appeared (saith my Author) in the Heavens near Dover, on the Southside of the Town, a fiery Meteor in the form of an Ensign and Banner, broad at one end, and narrow at the other, according to the Judgement of the Spectators about 14 yards in length, it was of a fiery red colour, and flew with great swiftness from about the Sea-mark called the Devils drop toward Dover Castle, and so over the Castle about a mile in length, winding in its motion, and then gradually vanish. This was attested by the Spectators themselves.  
LXXV. In 1664. About the beginning of December a Comet appeared in Europe, the body whereof was very large, and its Tail of a very great length, it pointed Westward both as it arose and as it sat, and this constantly from the beginning of its appearance to the time of its vanishing; They writ from Edinburgh, that it was very remarkable in that it had a stream issuing from the side of it like a red flame out of the mouth of a Furnace, and Mr. Gadbury relates that a Letter which he received from Cranfeild in Bedfordshire gives an Account that upon December 27. not far from the Comet was the appearance of a blue and purple colour, all full of Leprous Spots, it was round, and as big as five Moons; not long before this, saith Mr. Gadbury, we had news of the shape of a black Coffin seen in the Air at Hamburg, and other parts in Germany and Flanders; And the very day that the last Prodigy was seen, saith he, I met with a Letter in our News-books dated from Erford in Germany, Decemb. 27. the Contents whereof were these; We have had our part here of the Comet as well as other places, besides which, here have been other terrible Apparitions and noises in the Air, as Fires and Sounds of Canon and Masket-shot, and here has likewise appeared several times the resemblance of a black man, who has made our Sentinels to quit and run away from their Posts; Now, saith he, though I have no great Faith in Apparitions of this Nature, as knowing that Melancholy heads by the strength of Fancy and Imagination, may conceit they see such things that really are not; yet when such Fancies shall really possess the General Opinion, it is to be presumed that something more than common, will befall mankind, and our fears do seem to prepare us for the embraces of that mischief we dread. This year began a War with the Hollanders and His Majesty's Fleet off Portsmouth took an hundred and twelve Ships small and great from the Dutch, most of which were adjudged Lawful Prize.  
A Mountains of Cinders  
B The Eruptions  
C The Castle of Catania  
D River of Fire runs into if sea  
The Lamentable Irruption of Aetna the Burning Mountain in 1669. Page. 161.  
LXXVI. And here I cannot omit what I find related in the History of Ceilon an Island in the East-Indies, published by Captain Robert Knox, who was a Captive there for near Twenty years; It happened, saith he that in December 1664. there was a dangerous Rebellion in this Country against their King, about which time there appeared a fearful Blazing Star; Just at the instant of this Rising the Star was right over our heads, and one thing I very much wondered at, that whereas before this Insurrection the Tail stood away toward the West, from whence this Rebellion sprung, yet the very night after, for I well observed it, the Tail was turned and stood away toward the East, and by degrees it diminished quite away; At this time I say, the People of this Land having been long and sore oppressed by this King's unreasonable and cruel Government, contrived a Plot against him: He used to shed a great deal of blood without the least Reason, his Cruelty appearing both in the Tortures and painful deaths which he inflicted, and in the extents of his punishments in destroying whole Families for the miscarriage of one Person; For when he is displeased with any, he does not always command to kill them outright, but first to torment them, which is done by cutting and pulling away their flesh with Pincers, burning them with hot Irons clapped to them to make them confess their Confederates, whereby they many times confess more than they ever saw or knew to be rid of their Torments; After Confession he sometimes commands to hang their two hands about their necks, and to make them eat their own flesh, and Mothers to eat their own Children, and so to lead them through the City in public view to terrify all, to the place of Execution, the Dogs following to eat them; who are so accustomed to it, that seeing a Prisoner led away, they follow after; At the place of Execution, there are some always sticking upon Poles, others hanging up in Quarters upon Trees, besides what lie killed by Elephants on the ground, or by other ways; His wrath is not appeased (as aforementioned) by the Execution of the Malefactor, but oft times he punisheth all his Generation, it may be he kills them altogether, or gives them all away for Slaves; so far is he from regarding the good of his Country, that he rather endeavours the destruction thereof, for being now between seventy and eighty years old, therefore Nature tells him he must leave it; However there is no love lost between the King and his People, which occasioned them to enter into the aforesaid Conspiracy against him; The Design was to assault the King's Court in the night, and to slay him, and make the Prince his Son King, He being then about 15 years of Age, and was with his Mother the Queen in the City of Cande; The time appointed to Act it was Decemb. 20. 1664, at twelve a Clock at night, and having got about two hundred men, (not needing any more.) since they had so many Confederates at Court, in the dead of the night, they came marching into the City of Nillemby where the King then was, The Captain of the Watch was thought to be of their Party, but if he were not, it was not in his power to resist them, however he was afterward executed for it, Being entered the City, they hastened down to the Court, and fell upon the Great men who lay then without the Palace, upon the Guard; Many who were not entrusted with the Design were killed, and those that could make their escape, got in unto the King, who was secured only with a Clay wall thatched, which was all his strength; yet these People were afraid to assault his Person, lying still till the morning; At which time the King made his escape unto the Mountains with only Fifty Persons, There were some Horses went with him, but the ways were so bad, that he could not ride; They were fain to drive an Elephant before him to break the way through the Woods, that the King with his Followers might pass. As he fled, the Conspirators pursued him, but at a great distadce for fear of some exceellent Fowling Pieces which he had with him, and so he got safe to the Mountain Gauluda about 15 miles off, where many of the Inhabitants thereabout resorted to him; But if the Rebel Party had been resolute, who were the greater number, even almost all the Kingdom, this Hill could not have secured him, but they might have driven him from thence, there being many ways by which they might have ascended.  
The People having thus driven away, the old King marched away to the City of Cande, and proclaimed the Prince to be King, telling us English, that what they had done was not rashly, but upon good Consideration and advice, the King by his evil Government having occasioned it, who went about to destroy both them and their Country; As in detaining Ambassadors; hindering of all Trade, making Prisoners of all people that come upon his Land, and killing his Subjects and their Children, not suffering them to enjoy, nor to see their Wives; And that all this was contrary to reason, and as they were informed to the Government of other countries'; The Prince being young and tender, and having never been out of the Palace, nor ever seen any but those that attended on his Person, was affinghted to see so many coming, and bowing down to him, and telling him that he was King, and his Father was fled into the Mountains; neither did he say or act any thing, as not owning the business, or else not knowing what to say or do; This much discouraged the Rebels, to see they had no Thanks for their pains, and so all things stood till, D●●emo. 25. 1664, at which time they intended to march and fall upon the old King; But in the mean time the King's Sister flies away with the Prince from the City, into the Country near the King, which so amazed the Rebels, that the Money, Cloth and plunder which they had taken, and were going to distribute to strangers to join with them, they scattered about the Town, and fled away; Others of their Company seeing the business was overthrown, to make amends for their former Fact, revolted and fell upon their Consorts, killing and taking Prisoners all they could; The People were now all up in Arms against each other, killing whom they pleased, (only saying they were Rebels) and taking their Goods; By this time a great Man had drawn out his Soldiers into the Field, and declared for the old King, and so went to seize the Rebels that were scattered abroad; but understanding they were all fled, and no wh●le Party or Body left to resist him, he marched into the City, killing all he could catch; And so all revolted, and came back to the King again, whilst he only lay still upon his Mountain; The King needed to take no care to seize or execute the Rebels, for they themselves out of their zeal to him, and to make amends for what was past, imprisoned, and killed all they met, the Plunder being their own; This continued 8 of 10 days, which the King hearing of, commanded to kill no more, but only to imprison them till examination, which was not so much to save the Innocent, as that he might torment the Rebels, and make them confess their Confederates, for he spared none that seemed guilty, and some to this day lie chained in Prison, being sequestered of all their Estates, and beg for their Living; The King could not be insensible but that it was his rigorous Government which occasioned this Rebellion, yet amended it not in the least, but like Rehoboam added yet more to the People's yoke: And being thus safely reinstated in his Kingdom again, and observing that the Life of his Son gave encouragement to the Rebellion, he resolved for the future to prevent it by taking him away, and about a year after, his Son being sick, the Hang takes this Opportunity to dispatch him, by pretending to send Physic to him to cure him, but was really Poison, which soon made an end of him; The People hearing of the death of the Prince, according to the Custom of that Country when any of the Royal Blood die, came all in General toward the City where he was, with black, or else very dirty , which is their mourning, the men all bareheaded, the Women with their hair lose and hanging about their Shoulders to mourn and lament for the Death of their young Prince; which the King hearing of, sent them word, That since it was not his Fortune to live to sit on the Throne after him, and Reign over the Land, it would be but in vain to mourn and a great trouble and hindrance to the Country, and their voluntary good will was taken in as good part us the mourning itself, and so dismissed the Assembly, and burned the Prince's dead body without Ceremonies or Solemnities; but one thing there is that argues him guilty of Imprudence, and horrible Ingratitude, that most of those who went along with him when he fled, of whose Loyalty he had such ample Experience he hath since cut off, and that with extreme Cruclty too; In Feornary two years after, there appeared in this Country another Comet or Stream in the West, with the head of it under the Horizon, much like that seen in England in 1680. The sight of this did much daunt both King and People, having so lately felt the sad Event of a Blazing Star; The King sent men to the highest Mountains in the Land to look if they could perceive the head of it, which they could not, it being still under the Horizon; This continued visible about a Month, and by that time was so diminished as not to be seen; But there were no remarkable Passages ensued upon it.  
LXXVII. About five or six nights after the extinction of the first Comet which was seen in England, and in the same Month of December another Comet was visible, which continued till the middle of January following, it was much less than the former, seeming about the bigness of an ordinary Trencher Plate, about 8 Inches over, and had prickly Rays dispersed round about it; In April 1665, following, a Third Comet was seen much of the Nature and colour of the first, only a little more Jovial; This year, June 3. A great Victory was obtained by His Majesty's Fleet under his Royal Highness the Duke of York against the whole Dutch Fleet, wherein above Thirty Capital Ships were taken and destroyed, and near Eight Thousand men killed and taken Prisoners; A great Plague began in London, and this year there died in all ninety seven thousand three hundred and six, whereof of the Plague sixty eight thousand five hundred ninety six; In February this year, there was a great Tempest, accompanied with Thunder, Lightning, and an Earthquake in divers places; at which time the stately Spire of Trinity Church in Coventry fell down, and demolished a great part of the Church, killing only one man; and in Hampshire a Justice of Peace riding by the way, was slain and burnt by Lightning; In August, 1666, Sir Robert Holmes destroyed above one hundred and fifty Sail of Dutch Ships at the Fly in Holland, and burned the Town of Bandaris upon the Island of Schelling, containing at least a Thousand Houses. Sept. 2. about one a Clock in the morning, a sudden and lamentable Fire broke out in the City of London, beginning in a place called Pudding-Lane, near New Fish-street, which in 4 days time burnt down Thirteen Thousand Two Hundred Houses.  
LXXVIII. In 1668, in Autumn, a great part of Asia, and some parts of Europe were infested with extraordinary Earthquakes; The Cities of Constantinople and Adrianople felt its sad Effects, but not with that violence and continuance as in other Places; In some parts of Persia it continued for above fourscore days; Torqueto and Bolio two considerable Cities, were by its great violence laid even to the ground, and all or most of the Inhabitants buried in the Ruins, above six thousand Persons perished in the first of them, and above eighteen hundred in the latter; And in all the adjacent Cities it raged with extraordinary fury, destroying and ruining the Buildings, killing many of the People, and the rest were forced to quit the Towns, and take up their Lodgings in the Fields. About the beginning of August 1669, there came two Whales and a Grampas up the River of Thames, whereof one of the Whales, and the Grampas were killed, and the other Whale which was the bigger, returned back into the Sea; September 4. following, saith Mr. Clark, news was brought to our King's Majesty of the Death of the Que●n Mother, who died in France July 31. in the Sixtieth year of her Age.  
LXXIX. In March the beginning of this year 1669, there happened a most dreadful Earthquake and Irruption of Mount Aet●a in Sicily, of which before I give a particular Account, it may not be unproper to describe the Mountain itself, as it has been related by divers famous Historians; Aetna or Mount Gibello, called by Pindar the Celestial Column or Pillar, is the highest Mountain in Sicily, from whence all the Island may be seen at once, and in a clear day the Eye may even reach Africa, it rears up its top or Spire Thirty miles into the Sky, and may be seen forty or fifty miles at Sea, but its compass is sixty, others say an hundred mile's space, it appears Eastward with two shoulders, having an eminent head in the middle, The lower parts are luxuriously fruitful, and the abundance of fat oily matter which is cast out of it, makes the Soil thereof as well as of the whole Island Incredibly fruitful in the best Wine, Oil, Honey, Saffron, Minerals also of Gold, Silver, Silks and Allom, with variety of excellent and delicious Fruits, and abundance of all sorts of Grain, so that it was called in old time, The Granary of the Roman Empire; The middle of the Mountain is woody and shady, the upper part rocky, steep, and almost covered with Snow; yet smoking in the midst like many conjoined Chimneys, and vomiting intermitted flames, usually discernible only by night, as if heat and cold had left their Contentions, and embraced one another, for though it continually ●●rns, with most servant smoke and fire, yet round about the top are seen perpetual and most deep ●nows, the uppermost top is broken and cragged with unstable Cinders and Pumice stones, and cleaus open with a most vast Crater or mouth twelve miles in compass, which in a steep descent streightens itself narrower even to the bottom of Hell as it were; A most horrible precipice it is, exceeding formidable with flames and fumes from the very bottom and sides of the Mountain, with an horrendous roaring and bellowing not unlike the bursting forth of Thunders, so that the very imagination and thoughts of the Fire and Ruins so nigh at hand, cannot but at first sight amaze, and affright any humane Creature, and make him start from it, as from the Infernal Gulf of Hell; On one side within are most dark and dreadful Dens, one whereof is so vast, as to be capable to contain Thirty Thousand Men; In many places you may see the tracts and paths of huge Torrents of melted matter; In the very top, Snows and Ashes, or Cinders, as if they had concluded an Eternal Wedlock, are seen to overwhelm all things with a sad and doleful countenance, which are very dangerous to unwary Visitors, because under them there lie concealed deep holes, and devouring Gulfs, without bottom or end, which have swallowed up very many, coming unadvisedly too near without a Guide, and by their ruin have left warnings to others not rashly to venture upon these hidden deceits which have cheated mortals of their Lives; In the utmost bottom of this Hellish Gulf the Fire is at no time extinguished, but always sends forth either boiling heat, smoke or flame, yet outwardly it gins to grow fierce and terrible only at certain intervals of time more or less according to the Combustible matter heaped together; and by how much longer it hath ceased, by so much it bursts forth with greater violence, and together with the Flame, sends forth huge heaps of Sands, and Prodigious Stones of wondrous weight.  
These Fires have broke forth in several Ages of the World, to the great terror and destruction of the Inhabitants, and all the adjacent Countries; As in the year of the world 2600 when the Posterity of Janus went to seek new Colonies, they first entered Sicily, where at that time there was so great a burning of the Mountain, that the new Planters leaving the Island for fear of Desolation, went to seek new habitations in Italy; after them followed the Sicaneans, who were likewise driven away from these Eastern Parts, to the Western by these dreadful Aetnean burn. In the year of the world 3180, and for above four hundred years after, this Mountain was all on fire with three huge burn; A little after the Mountain raging anew, it is said to have drawn Pythagoras himself into the highest admiration; Also in the Reign of Hero, at which time Histories deliver that Empedocles an Observer of the Mountain was destroyed. In the time of Julius Caesar, about fifty years before Christ, Diodorus relates, That Aetna raged most violently, which they said portended the Death of Caesar; It is reported to have been so great, that the Sea with its fervour and boiling heat burnt even the very Ships, even as far as the Vulcanello's, All the Fish being destroyed and boiled to death; yea within twenty years, the Mountain burned four times. In the Reign of Caius Caligula forty nine years after Christ, the Mountain raged so, that the Emperor at that time in Sicily was so affrighted, that he betook himself to safer stations; yet they relate, that the Emperor Adrian out of the greatness of his mind did ascend the Mountain very far to consider more nearly such great Miracles; In several Ages after, it made woeful eruptions, as from the year 1160, to 1169, all Sicily was shaken with huge Earthquakes, and the Mountain Aetna foaming mightily, overthrew all the circumjacent places with incredible Desolation, with the ruin of the Cathedral Church of Catania about ten miles distant, in which Abbot John and his Monks were overwhelmed; Many other fearful burn have happened since that time, but none more horrible for its mighty devastations than that in the year 1669, The Right Honourable the Earl of Winchelsea His Majesty's late Ambassador at Constantinople, in his return from thence, visiting Catania, was an Eye-witness of this Prodigious Judgement, whereof he gave the following Account to His present Majesty, King Charles the second, as soon as he came to Naples.  
May it please Your Majesty,  
In my Voyage from Malta to this place, I touched at the City of Catania in Sicily, and was there most kindly Invited by the Bishop to lodge in his Palace, which I accepted, that so I might be the better able to inform your Majesty of that extraordinary Fire which comes from Mount Gibel, 15 miles distant from that City; which for its horridness in the aspect, for the vast quantity thereof, (for it is 15 miles in length, and 7 in breadth) for its monstrous devastation and quick progress, may be termed an Inundation of Fire, a Flood of Fire, Cinders and burning Stones, burning with that Rage as to advance into the Sea 600 yards, and that to a mile in breadth, which I saw; and that which did augment my admiration was, to see in the Sea this matter like ragged Rocks, burning in sour fathom water, two fathom higher than the Sea itself; some parts liquid and moving, and throwing off, not without great violence, the stones about it, which like a crust of a vast bigness, and red hot, sell into the Sea every moment, in some place or other, causing a great and horrible noise, smoke and hissing in the Sea; and thus more and more coming after it, making a firm foundation in the Sea itself. I stayed there from nine a Clock on Saturday morning, to seven next morning, and this Mountain of Fire and Stones, with Cinders, had advanced into the Sea 20 yards at least, in several places; in the middle of this Fire, which burned in the Sea, it hath form a passage like to a River, with its Banks on each side very steep and craggy, and in this Channel moves the greatest quantity of this Fire, which is the most liquid, with stones of the same composition, and Cinders all red hot, swimming upon the Fire of a great magnitude;  
From this River of Fire (under the great Mass of the Stones which are generally three fathom high all over the Country, where it burns and in other places much more,) there are secret Conduits or Rivulets of this liquid matter, which Communicate Fire and heat into all parts more or less, and melts the Stones and Cinders by fits in those places where it toucheth them, over and over again; where it meets with Rocks or Houses of the same matter (as many are) they melt and go away, with the Fire; where they find other compositions they turn them to lime or ashes, (as I am informed,) The composition of this Fire, Stones and Cinders, are Sulphur, Nitre, Quicksilver, Sal-Armoniac, Led, Iron, Brass, and all other Metals. It moves not regularly, nor constantly down hill; in some places it hath made the Valleys Hills, and the Hills that were not high are now Valleys. When it was night I wet upon two Towers in divers places, and could plainly see at 10 mile's distance, as we judged, the Fire to begin to run from the Mountain in a direct line, the flame to ascend as high and as big as one of the highest and greatest Steeples in Your Majesty's Kingdoms, and to throw up great Stones into the Air; I could discern the River of Fire to descend the Mountain of a terrible ●●ery or red colour, and stones of a paler Red, to swim thereon, and to be some as big as an ordinary Table. We could see this fire to move in several other places, and all the Country covered with Fire, ascending with great Flames; in many places, smoking ●●●e to a violent furnace of Iron melted, making a noi●e with the great pieces that fell, especially those which fell into the Sea. A Cavalier of Malta, who lives there, and attended me, told me, that the River was as liquid where it issues out of the Mountain, as water, and came out like a Torrent with great violence, and is five or six fathom deep, and as broad, and that no stones do sink therein. I assure Your Majesty, no Pen can express how terrible it is, nor can all the Art and Industry of the world quench, or divert that which is burning in the Country. In 40 days time it hath destroyed the habitations of 27 thousand persons, made two Hills of one, 1000 paces high apiece, and one is four miles in compass, Of 20000 persons which inhabited Catania, 3000 did only remain; all their Goods are carried away, the Cannons of Brass are removed out of the Castle, some great Bells taken down, the City-Gates Walled up next the Fire, and preparation made all to abandon the City.  
That night which I lay there, it reigned Ashes all over the City, and 〈◊〉 Miles at Sea it troubled my Eyes. This Fire in its Progress 〈…〉 ●ith a Lake of Four Miles in compass, and i● was not only satisfied to fill it up, though it was four fath●● deep but hat● made 〈◊〉 it a Mountain. I send also to Your Sacred Majesty the following Account in Print which the Bishop save me, as it is ●●●ected one of divers Relations from Ca●ama.  
Mount 〈…〉 Gibello, a Mountain so Renowned throughout the World for its heightand greatness, but more for ●hos● Prodigious Flames, Smoak, and Ashes which it hath cast out from the top of it, whilst the other parts are continually (even in the midst of S●mmer) covered with Snow, has been for many Ages observed once, or sometimes oftener, in the space of above fifteen years to throw up more than ordinary flames with much Smoke and Stones, and great quantities of A●●es; which (though terrible to the Neighbouring Towns and Villages) was yet w●nt, in little time, to abate of its fury, and prove but seldom more in●urious to the Country ●ear it▪ than by communicating largely its ashes, which though for the present it did somewhat incommode them, they had afterwards a considerable Compensation in the product of their Lands, which by this means were rendered more fruitful. But on Friday the 18th of March, 1669. the Sun was observed before its setting to appear of a pale and dead colour, which (being contrary to what it ever before appeared to us) struck no small terror into the Inhabitants, all Objects appearing also of the same colour, with a paleness received from that of the Sun: The same night happened in this City as well as the whole Country hereabouts, a terrible and unusual Earthquake, whose strong and unequal motions joined with horrible Roar from Monte Gibello exceedingly frighted the Inhabitants, but was so extraordinarily violent in the Country adjacent, that the People were forced to abandon their houses, and to fly into the Fields to avoid the danger threatened them from the falling of their houses. The Village of Nicolosi was of all others the most dreadfully handled by this furious Earthquake, the houses and other buildings being shaken all in pieces, and buried in their own ruins; the poor people (who had preserved their lives by a timely flight, with such little of their goods as their hasty fears would permit them to carry out with them) continued a night or two in the Fields beholding with grief and astonishment the ruin of their habitations: but observing that by these violent concussions, the Earth began to open in several places, and to threaten them with inevitable ruin, they fled, though with much trouble and amazement to this City. These shake of the Earth being so frequent and violent, that the people went reeling and staggering, with much difficulty supporting one another from falling, insomuch as what with their want of sleep, the pains they were forced to take in travelling, and the great terrors imprinted on them by what they had seen and suffered, they appeared at their arrival in this City as so many distracted people wholly insensible of what they did.  
This dreadful convulsion of the Earth was immediately followed on Monday March 11. about 10 at night by 3 terrible Eruptions, much about the same time, and a little distance one from the other.  
These said Eruptions were observed to be on the side of Monte Gibello, about 2 miles beyond the Mountain called Montpileri, from whence with a terrible noise it threw up its flames with much fury and violence about a hundred yards in height, its noise not roaring only inwards from the belly of the Mountain as before, but violently cracking like peals of Ordnance or thunder, from the side of it, throwing out vast stones, some of them of 300 pound weight, which being (as it were) shot through the air, fell several miles distant from the place, whilst the whole Air was filled with smoke, burning cinders, and ashes, which fell like a fiery rain upon the Country. In the mean time issued from the side of this Prodigious Mountain a vast Torrent of Melted and burning Matter, which like an Inundation, Drowned, as in a Flood of Fire, the Country on this side of it. This Burning River ran down upon the Mountain Montpileri, which, opposing its direct course, it divided itself into two Streams, which encompassed the said Mountain; one of them taking its way by La Guardia, the Convent of St. Anne and M●lpasso, the other by the Towns of Monpileri, and Falicchi, which in few hours were wholly destroyed and lost, not so much as any sign of them remaining, with several lesser Villages and Farms, and with them the Famous Image of the blessed Lady of the Annunciata; which, though highly Reverenced throughout the whole Island, esteemed the Wonder of Sicily and the whole World, and to which the People with much Devotion resorted in Pilgrimage from the remotest parts, was also swallowed up and consumed by this dreadful Torrent.  
This Fiery and burning Deluge immediately spread itself to above six mile in breadth, seeming to be somewhat of the colour of melted and burning Glass; but, as it cools, becomes hard and Rocky, and every where in its passage leaves Hills and Pyramids of that matter behind it.  
At the same time Monte Gibello from its top raged with dreadful Flames, which with its noise and Concussions of the Earth which still continued, added not a little to the Terror of the People, who ran with Cries and Lamentations about the City and Country, expecting nothing but to be swallowed up or consumed by Fire, having no other apprehensions but of Death, and a General Conflagration. The two Torrents of Fire came forward, destroying all things in their way, and by Wednesday, March 13th, had on the Westside branched itself into several Streams, and overran Campo Rotundo, St. Pietro, and Mostorbianco, with La Potielli, and St. Antonino; and on the East-part ruin'd the lower part of Mascalucia, and Le Placchi, taking its way towards this City.  
On Thursday the 14th, the Wind came Eastwards, on which fell abundance of Rain, which abated not the Progress of the Fire; which on the East-side had from Mascalucia made its way to St. Giovanni di Galermo, the lower part whereof it destroyed; and passing on, seemed to threaten this City on one side, as did that on the Westside the other. As the Fire approached, the Religious every where appeared with much Devotion, carrying in Procession their Relics, especially those of St. Agatha, the famous Martyr of Cat●nia, in which they reposed no small confidence, followed by great multitudes of People, some of them mortifying themselves with Whips, and other signs of Penance, with great Complaints and Cries, expressing their dreadful expectation of the Events of those Prodigious fiery Inundations.  
Whilst the People were thus busied in their Devotions, and astonished by their Fears, News was brought to the Magistrates of the City, that a considerable number of Thiefs and Robbers had taken the opportunity of this general Distraction, to make a Prey of the already distressed People, and that they had murdered several of them for their Goods; and that it was to be feared, that the City of Catania itself, might run some danger from the great numbers of them which were about the Country, and from thence took their opportunities to get into the Town. Whereupon, consultation being had for the prevention of farther mischief from them, the Commander of the Castle was ordered with a considerable number of Horse, and a Party of Spaniards, to secure the Country and City against these Robbers; who immediately sent out several Parties with his Provost-Marshal, with Order to seize on all suspected Persons, and such as were not able to give a good account of themselves: and, for such as were taken in the Fact Robbing, to Execute them by Martial-Law, without any farther Trial; and accordingly caused three pair of Gallows to be set up for their speedy Execution; one before the Gate Di Aci, a second in the Marketplace, and a third before the Gate Della Decima, setting strong Guards upon the Gates of the City, and causing all suspected Houses to be searched, an Account to be given in of all Lodgers, and such Persons to be secured, as could any ways fall under a Suspicion. The poor People out of the Country being by this Prodigious Calamity stripped out of all their Estates, and reduced to great extremity, fled most of them for refuge and relief to this City, with great Lamentations, moving the Charity of the Magistrates, whho were readily inclined to give them the best assistance they were able; and the Citizens, moved by their Complaints and Sufferings, freely opened their Doors, filling their Houses with as many of those distressed People as they could possibly receive; the Bishop, and all persons of Quality and Estate, contributing largely for their support, till better Order could be taken for the disposing of them.  
The City of Messina also, and several other Cities (informed of this extraordinary Calamity) sent hither large Supplies of Provisions, offering their best assistance to this place, in case of extremity. All the Elements seemed at this time to make War upon us, and to conspire together for the punishment of the Inhabitants; The Air was continually darkened with Clouds and Smoke, agitated by great and violent Winds, and oftentimes showered down great Rains, insomuch as the Sun from the beginning of these Eruptions, very seldom appeared to us, and when it did, (with extraordinary paleness,) for a little time only, and (as it were, abhorring so dreadful a Spectacle) soon hide its face again under a thick Cloud.  
The Sea ran much higher than it was wont to do, and by its extraordinary Roaring, and in some places overflowing its Banks, added not a little to our consternation. The Land every where infested with Thiefs, insomuch, that till by the extraordinary care taken by the Magistrates and Officers severe execution was done upon such as were apprehended in the Fact, no person was able to stir abroad without danger of his life; whilst the Fire by this prodigious overflowing of the Mountain, threatened to take possession of all.  
On Friday the 15th. the stream of fiery Matter which destroyed the lower part of St. Giovanni di Galermo divided itself into two parts, one of its branches taking its way toward Mosterbianco, the other threatening the City of Catania, but this last was observed to move with more slowness than before, having in 24 hours' time scarcely gained 20 paces.  
On the 18th being Monday, the Torrents being still seen to draw nearer and nearer to this City, the Senate with Monsegnior Cambuchi the Bishop of this place, followed by all the Clergy Secular and Regular, and an infinite number of people went in a solemn Procession out of this City to Monte de St. Sofia, carrying out with greatest Devotion their choicest Relics, and upon an Altar erected in view of the Mountain, exposed them, where they celebrated Mass and used the Exorcisms accustomed upon such extraordinary occasions, all which time, the Mountain ceased not as before with excessive roaring to throw up its smoke and flames with extraordinary violence, and abundance of great stones, which were carried through the Air, some of them falling within their view, though at ten mile's distance from the Eruption; the Ashes which proceeded from thence were scattered in great abundance, as well on this City as on the Country adjacent, every where in the Fields with Cinders, and the heat of the said Ashes destroying the Grass, which obliged the people to drive away their Cattle to a farther distance, which would otherwise have perished for want of food.  
These streams of ruin daily crept nearer and nearer to this City, but by uneven and irregular motions, according as it was more or less supplied from its fountain; but on Wednesday the 20th. we perceived that that branch of it which seemed most to threaten this City from St. Giovanni di Galermo was wholly extinguished, and the other which bent its course toward Mosterbianco ran but slowly, and gave us some hopes that its fury was also near spent, but the other Torrent which had before overflown Mosterbianco, continued its motion with as much violence as ever, being in breadth above a Musket shot over; but in probability could not easily overflow to the Westwards which was defended by its Rocky situation; another branch which ran by Santo Pietro was observed to be much larger than the rest, and its stream more quick and active, but meeting with some opposition in its way, it made some stop, only sending out a Rivulet toward the Eastwards about three or four yards wide, of its most subtle and active matter, which directed its course towards a small Village about a Furlong distant from its main stream; another Branch threatened Campo Rotundo, but bent its course westwards towards the Farm of Valcorrente, where its Fiery body was scattered into several deep and rocky places, without any considerable damage.  
About this time we had hopes that the violence of this eruption had been over, the Mountain not throwing out its flames with that violence as before, and its noise and roaring in a great measure ceased.  
Those who at nearest distance took a view of the Mountain, informed that the top of it, was fallen in, and the Mountain supposed to want near a mile of its former height; that the largest of the Mouths from whence these fiery streams were vented, was about half a mile in compass, but the view of this dreadful Inundation carried so much terror in it as they were not able to express; from all these Mouths were vomited Rivers of a thick and fiery substance of stone and metals melted, whose depth was various according to the several places it filled in its passage, in some places 4, in others 8, 12 or 15 yards and upwards; its breadth in some places 6 miles, in others much more; itsflame like that of Brimstone, and its motion like that of Quicksilver; advancing ordinarily very slowly, unless where it was provoked by the addition of a fresh Torrent or some considerable descent. Wheresoever it passed, it left large heaps of its congealed matter, with which it covered and burnt the Earth, melting the Walls of Castles and Houses, throwing down and consuming all before it, nothing being yet found able to resist its force, nor any thing able to quench its burning, water being observed rather to add to its fury; wheresoever it has passed, it has left its dreadful marks behind it, levelling some hills and raising others, so much changing the situation, that not the least trace of any place or Town remains, nothing being to be seen but confused heaps of ragged stone, which yielding a noisome fume, strikes terror and astonishment into all that behold it.  
On Friday the 22, the Mountain again roared with much loudness, and threw up from its Mouths a vast quantity of matter, which form two large hills higher and larger than that of Monpileri, with a large bank of the same matter to the Eastward, sending down a violent stream of its liquid matter towards Malpasso, much enlarging the former Current, and passing thence to Campo Rotundo and Santo Pietro completed the ruins of those Towns, driving furiouflyis towards Moster bianco; the other stream by Santo Giovanni de Galermo being wholly diverted and extinguished. From this time till the 25th, the Mountain continued silent, but than it burst out again with more force than ever before, its noise much louder, like Peals of Ordnance, and so forcible and lasting, as for 24 hours it caused a shaking and trembling in our Buildings, the Air so filled with Smoke and Ashes, as darkened the Face of the Sky. The Birds and Fowl about this time, either through want of Food, or illness of Air, which was corrupted with the noisome smells arising from these Burn, were observed to lie dead in all places.  
On the 28th. the Grand Current was advanced near the City as far as the old Capucins. which struck so great a Terror into the People, that most of them left the City, only some Officers remaining with such persons as were under their command, who have secured and sent away the Magazine and all the Artillery from the Castle.  
A Latter Relation from Catania, of April 27. gives this further Account, The dreadful Inundation from Monte Gibello having destroyed many Castles and Towns, with an infinite loss, and utter ruin to the Inhabitants, arrived lately with a renewed Force at Mostorbianco, which it has wholly ruined, from thence passing on to Albanelli, in four days space destroyed all the Gardens and Vineyards with 63 Thousand Vines. On Wednesday April 16. With an Impetuous Fiery Torrent it came towards Sardanello, where all the remainder of the Inhabitants of this City were Spectators of it, which resembled a River of melted and burning Brass, about ten els wide, running with swiftness to the Arch of Marcus Marcellus, a famous Piece of Antiquity, and passing under it, ruined about 6 els of it, which was the breadth of the Current in that place: from thence it ran to Madonna di Monferrato, which it wholly destroyed: then falling down to Madonna delle Gratie, it entered in at one Gate, and passed through another, without any considerable hurt, and running through the Gate Della Decima, filled all the Plain Di Schiara Viva, where it was above six els deep. Then taking its way towards the Bulwark, on the Seaside, under the Castle of this City, it ran by, two els deep into the Sea; in which, (to the great wonder of all that saw it) it has made its Progress a mile in length, and as much in breadth, and is drawing towards the Gate of the Channel, which gives us great Apprehensions, lest it may that way Invade the City itself: Nor is there less danger on the side Del Tindaro, where there runs a great Torrent of the same Active matter, which draws near, and seems to threaten the Walls, and is in that place about a mile in breadth, having overflowed and destroyed all the Gardens, from the Gate Della Decima, as far as Medonna delli Amellati.  
The names of the most considerable Towns and places ruined and destroyed by the dreadful Earthquakes and Eruptions were, The Town of Nicolosi, wholly ruined; Padara and Tre Castagne the greatest part destroyed; The Towns of La Guardia, Malpasso, Campo Rotundo, Potielli, St. Antonino, St. Pietro, Mosterbianco, Montpileri, La Anunicata, Fali●chi Placchi, all wholly overflowed consumed, and lost in this fiery Inundation with all the Lands belonging to them, no footsteps of them remaining; The Towns of Mascalucia, and St. Giovanni de Galermo ruined in part; The large Gardens and Vineyards of Albanelli overflown and destroyed: The famous piece of Antiquity of Marcus Marcellus, much ruined; Madonna de Monferrato destroyed, besides many Castles, Farms, and other Places, which have run the same Fortune, whose names we for brevity pass over.  
LXXX. West of the Isle of Sicily in the Tuscan Sea, within sight of Messina, and 150 mile's dist●● from Mount Aetna are the Aeolian Islands, so caned from Aeolus King thereof, who first reached the use of the Sail, and by observing the Fire and Smo●● which ascended from these Islands, (for heretofore they all flamed) was from thence fabled to be the God of the Winds; These were anciently seven, but are now eleven Islands, of which Liparis is the greatest, being ten miles in circuit, the Fire went out here about an Age ago, So that at this day Strombolo only burns, (though another called Vulcano smokes continually). It was formerly called Strongile, but by corruption Strombolo from the roundness thereof, for it seems like an high round Mountain in the Sea, out of the top whereo issueth continually a flame like a burning Beacon, and exceeding clear, so that by night especially it is to be discerned a wonderful way, A place so full of horror to the neighbouring Islanders, that the more ignorant Papists are made to believe it is the very Jaws of Hell itself; The aforenamed Kircher made Observations of this Mountain likewise, which he thus relates; That on a certain day viewing Strombolo very curiously, about threescore miles distant, he observed it to be more than ordinarily furious, for it appeared wholly overwhelmed with Fire in so great plenty, that it seemed to belch out flaming Mountains, a most horrendous Spectacle; And then, saith he, I heard a strange kind of dull murmur from the Mountain so far off, which seemed to come towards us under the Earth, till it reached the subterraneous place where we stood, and there uttered such horrible Thundrings within the Earth, with such formidable Earthquakes, that none of them were able to stand on their Feet; After the violence was over, getting up again with unspeakable Consternation, they beheld the destruction and lamentable subversion of the famous Town of St. Euphemia three miles off, which happened at that instant, the City being wholly swallowed up, for seeking for the Town, they found instead thereof, what is wonderful to be related, nothing but a dark stinking Lake sprung up in its place, they could find no men nor Inhabitants; Thence passing on their Journey, they found nothing else for Two Hundred miles, but the Carcases of Cities, horrid ruins of Castles, Men straggling up and down in the open Fields, and through horror and famine pining and withering away.  
LXXXI. In April 1669, The Mountain Vesuvius aforementioned cast up more smoke and Ashes than formerly, and for several Nights the neighbouring places were much affrighted with the great Flames which issued from it, accompanied with unusual noises; At the same time they writ, That the Vice Roy of Sicily having compassion upon the miserable condition of above Thirty Thousand poor People, who by their Flight had saved themselves from the Fire of Mount Aetna aforementioned, which had destroyed 17 or 18 Towns or Villages, and by the daily approaches to the City of Catania, seemed to threaten it with inevitable ruin, so that the Inhabitants were leaving the place; And that he thereupon sent one of his Officers to take order for the maintenance of those distressed Creatures, and disposing of them into places of safety; In the same Month 1669 in the night, there was a cry made in the Town of Lichfeild in England of Fire, Fire, and the Bells rang out, which frighted many; This was occasioned (saith Mr. Clark) by the sight of a sheet of Fire, which hung over that City for the space of half an hour, and then disappeared, This saith he, I had from one that lay in the Town that night; Upon July 10. the same year at Weymouth in Dorsetshire between six and nine a Clock in the morning, the Sea was observed to ebb and flow 7 times, of which the greater notice was taken, because the weather at that time was fair and calm, and the Tides very low, the like accident having never been observed there but once before about three years since; Upon June 20. this year at Jnspurg in Germany, a little after noon, there was a very violent Tempest with extraordinary hail, rain, Thunder and Lightning, accompanied with an Earthquake, which had such terrible Effects at Schnatz a Town about 3 miles distant from Jnspurg, where the Emperor of Germany had some Silver mines, that the River which runs through it overflowing, drowned all the adjacent Fields, driving down, and destroying above Thirty Houses, endamaging many more, and drowning above Two Hundred People; In July 1669, came Intelligence from Holstein in Denmark of Prodigious Tempests accompanied with such dreadful Thunder and Lightnings as affrighted the  out of the Fields, and drove some Hundreds of them into the Sea, wherein they were all drowned; From Mecklenburg likewise in Germany they writ, that there were several Fires kindled by Lightning in divers parts of the Country.  
LXXXII. In 1672, His Majesty proclaimed War against the States of the United Provinces, and May 28. His Royal Highness engaged the whole Dutch Fleet in Southwold Bay; and after a sharp dispute of 8 hours, the Hollanders retreated, in which fight the Noble Earl of Sandwich was unfortunately slain; About this time there happened a violent Fire at St. Katherine's without the Iron-Gate near the Tower of London, which consumed above an Hundred Houses; this year the French overrun great part of Holland, taking as it is said, Thirty Cities and Towns in Thirty days. In 1678, an horrid Popish Plot was discovered against His Majesty's Person and Government, and soon after, Sir Edmondbury Godfrey (who took the first Examination of Dr. Oats upon the Discovery thereof,) was murdered by the Papists, for which three of them were executed. Several Popish Lords were committed to the Tower, and December 1679, the Lord Stafford was beheaded at Tower-Hill for High Treason, In 1680, May 18. about 2 a Clock in the morning there began a furious storm of Thunder and Lightning in London, so extreme, that the Heavens seemed to be in a flame, which was accompanied with very large Hail, and extraordinary violent and hasty Showers of rain, which continued for several hours, but about 10 a Clock in the morning a strange and unusual darkness overspread the face of Heaven, and immediately after there fell such a terrible storm of Hail, as the like was hardly ever seen in England, before the storm, a great murmuring or rattling noise was heard in the Air, the Hailstones were so very large, that some of them being measured, were found to be four Inches, others five, others six in compass, nay it was confidently reported, that some were seven, eight, and nine Inches about; it continued not above a quarter of an hour, otherwise it might have done much more damage than it did, yet abundance of Glass-Windows were shattered to pieces, especially of those called Sky-Lights, The stones were of different Shapes and Sizes, and the Fancies of People likened them to several things, they fell with such violence, that they cut the Faces of some, and the heads and hands of others, who were abroad, some others ran into the ground in the Fields above an Inch, and being taken out, were found to be as big as Pullet's Eggs, and some larger, several of them were round, others square and flat, with very sharp Edges.  
LXXXIII. Not long before this, in the same year 1680, there fell a mighty tempest of Rain, Hail, Lightning and Thunder at a Town in Oxfordshire, It began about eleven a Clock in the morning, the Sky being for a considerable time black and dark, when on a sudden there happened a great storm of Hail which by the assistance of an East-wind fell with such violence, that the Hailstones rebounded 3 Foot high from the ground; after which followed a fierce shower of Rain, which seemed rather to come down in pail-fuls, than in the common way; and so affrighted the Inhabitants that they ran immediately into the Fields to save their Sheep, Lambs, and other small , but had much ado to return with their Lives; during this dreadful storm, the Heavens sent forth such huge and frequent flashes of Fire, that notwithstanding that deluge of water, which at that instant fell from the Skies, the Lightning took hold of some Houses, but was happily quenched without any considerable damage, yet several Barns were burnt down, with all within them, in one of which a man that was thrashing, hardly made his escape; Among others a youth being overtaken in the storm, endeavoured to shelter himself in a Windmill, but the illnatured Miller began to swear and curse at him, ask him, if he was such a Fool and changeling to be afraid of a little Lightning and Thunder; the boy had scarce time to answer before he was struck off the stairs, and the Miller was forced to go down and take him up half dead; but this unkind Miller had hardly recovered the Youth, ere he himself was struck down with the Thunder, and taken up without any appearance of Life for the present, though it is said he afterward recovered.  
LXXXIV. There is likewise a Relation of a strange Accident which happened this year 1680, at a Town called Blois in France, That about one a Clock in the morning an amazing Tempest of Wind arose with such violence, as soon affrighted the most sleepy from their repose, and in a short time by its fury beat or blew down all the Body of the Church of St. Soulucas, except the Belfry; also half the Jesuits Church, and two fair houses into the Highstreet, the People whereof were glad to run into the arched Cellars to save themselves, which they happily did, for the ruins fell upon, and round about the Arch, but the Rubbish being removed, they were afterward drawn out alive, This Tempest was likewise accompanied with a most prodigious Hail, many Thousand stones being found as big as a man's First, which without sufficient Authority would seem incredible; This unusual Artillery of Heaven broke all the Slates wherewith the Houses are covered, and the Glass Windows all over the Town, as if they had been beaten in a Mortar; without the Town eight whole Parishes with the Fields adjacent were wholly ruined by the Hail in such a terrible manner, that it seemed as if no Corn had been sown, or Vines planted there; There were four other Parishes much endamaged, and multitudes of Chimneys beaten down, so that the damages thereby with the breaking of Windows and Tiles was valued to be above Two Hundred Thousand Crowns, and the harm in the Vineyards and Cornfeilds invaluable; But it pleased God the Protestant Church in that Town was wonderfully preserved, though equally exposed to the Wether; without a Slate or any glass broken, the direful marks of the Tempest being visible round about it; The same Divine Providence was seen in that neither Man, Woman, nor Child were killed in this dreadful desolation: There likewise happened an unusual Accident upon a Ship riding at Sea, which being attaqued by a furious Tempest, was in great danger of being cast away; but on a sudden there broke so dreadful a clap of Thunder into the Ship, that they all imagined their Guns had been accidentally fired, and in a moment the main Mast was split in sunder from top to bottom, as you would split a rush; the main top Mast was shivered into small Pieces, and the Pendant at the head of it, was burned to Ashes; the violence thereof was so great, that it beat down fourteen men upon the Deck, and had like to have thrown them into the Sea; and those that were within Deck, were likewise thrown down, Five of them lay for dead a considerable time, no Pulse or Breath being perceived, their Eyes and Teeth , yet they had no visible hurt or wound, only an intolerable smell of Brimstone; about half an hour after by rubbing, forcing open their Mouths, and pouring down some Cordials, they all recovered, but seemed much disturbed in their Senses; At the same time there were six others miserably burnt, their flesh being scorched, and yet their Garments not so much as singed, their skin was much discoloured, and looked as if burnt by a Coal.  
LXXXV. In June this year 1680, in Pomerania in Germany, great and dreadful streams of Fire were seen in the Heavens for a very considerable time; after which there seemed to be a terrible Fight between two Armies, and the noise of their shooting, and the fiery Bullets which seemed to fly in the Air caused great Consternation, they giving great Light into their Houses, for four mile round about; Likewise at Straelson in Sweden they saw dreadful Fires in the Heavens about the same time, and divers other unusual, and remarkable Flashes and Appearances, and particularly they saw the Form of a great Bullet flying through the Sky, which seemed to be as bright as the Moon, and from the Body thereof, there proceeded great streams of Fire, which represented the Forms of Snakes or Fiery Serpents, and several Suns were seen at once in the Firmament. In December 1680, a great Comet appeared in the South-west, at its first appearing there was seen an unusual and prodigious stream of Light arising out of the South-west, it seemed broadest at the Horizon, growing sharper upward by degrees, the Star from whence it proceeded was for some days not to be seen, but a while after it became visible, and the shape seemed altered, the stream being least and sharpest at the Star, and broader upward; the Tail or Blaze of light altered, (as some Artists observed) turning every night more from the North to the East, like the hand of a Watch; about the middle of January it quite disappeared. In January 1681. there were very lamentable Inundations of the Sea in Holland, Zealand and Flanders, the banks being broken down, and the Water running a vast way into the Country, drowning many Thousands of , and carrying away abundance of Hay and Corn, many Thousand Men, Women and Children likewise lost their Lives before they could fly for succour; it risen so high, that nothing was to be seen for some time, but the tops of Steeples and Churches.  
LXXXVI. In 1682, April 21, happened extraordinary Thunder and Lightning, and excessive Rains which did much damage in several Places about London, and at New-Brainford it carried away feveral houses, and filled the Cellars of many others with Water. May 6. a strange and wonderful Birth happened at Ostend in Flanders, where a Woman was delivered of two Female Children, which were joined together by the Crown of the head; The Physicians consulted of parting them, but concluded it not to be done without danger; they seemed to be distinct in Life, Soul and Brains, from the several Actions they had, while one slept, the other waked and eat; the heads were so joined, that when one turned itself the neck of the other turned also; they lived for some time and were baptised, but died soon after. May 12. there was an Earthquake in France, which produced very terrible Effects, At Metz, the Watch-house of a Bulwark was thrown into the Ditch with a Soldier in it; At Towers the Houses and Churches were so dreadfully shaken therewith, as if several Coaches with six Horses had driven along full speed through the streets; it threw down divers Books on the side of Bourbira●t; But at Raviere it was more astonishing, where a certain River near this place which fifty paces from its head turns a Gunpowder-M●ll, was never known to cease running, yet in this extraordinary Earthquake it remained dry for half an hour, and then ran as before; The Powder Man surprised to see his Mill stop, upon searching sound the Head or Fountain dried up; In Provence their Houses, Beds, Windows were shaken, and the Doors and Windows forced open, so that the Inhabitants were afraid to stay within; the Wine in several Cellars was disturbed, and the Domestic Animals as Sheep, Cows, Horses, and Poultry discovered their fear by unusual motions and cries; At Dion the day before, it was observed that the Shepherds in the Grounds about that Town were not able to stop their Flocks, nor hinder them from getting into their stalls at four a Clock in the Evening, though at this time a year they used not to go home till Sunset; Yea, the Earthquake was so violent there, that several Women big with Child, came with the affright before their time, and that some of them lost their Lives; Several other Cities and Towns in France felt the Effects of it, but especially Calais and Bulloign, where divers Persons were ●●●ed or lamed by the ruins of the Buildings which 〈◊〉 down by the violent shake thereof; there 〈…〉 almost the same thing in a late Earthquake at 〈◊〉, and Piombieres in France; at Remirement it threw down a Dozen Houses, and the Vaults of the chief Church fell down, two Maidens were killed, and the People ran for security into the Fields, the Destruction and loss occasioned thereby, (besides the lives of several Persons) is judged to amount to Five Hundred Thousand Livers; some years ago there was a mighty Earthquake in France, which moved and agitated the Waves of the Sea after such a manner, that though the Wether was fair and calm, and without any appearance of a storm, yet there were Thirty Vessels lost between Dover and Calais: Before this last Earthquake, they writ from Lions, Geneva, and other places, that there appeared Flames of Fire for four days upon a Mountain near Geneva.  
LXXXVII. In 1682, June 7. The Ship called The Jamaica Merchant, being in the Gulf of Florida in the West-Indies, about 12 at Noon happened a mighty Shower, with such dreadful Thunder as was hardly ever before heard, which split the Mainmast, and threw the Men down flat on the Deck, setting Fire between the De●ks in several places, which immediately burst forth into dreadful Flames, and with all their diligence could not be quenched, so that they were all forced to betake themselves to their Longboat, and happily escaped to another English Ship, not far off. In the Cazelt it is related, That the Letters from M●s●o the chief City of Russia, of July 25. give an Account. That the late Czar or Emperor Alexis, who married with a Polish Lady, having by her means taken a great Affection to the manners and customs of that Nation, and designed to introduce them among his own Subjects the more to civilize them, had thereby raised a great hatred in the Boyars or Nobility, and other great Men against him, who resolved to poison him, and his Queen, and accordingly effected it by the means of a Jew; He had two Brothers, the eldest named John about 20 years old, who had the same Mother, and was born blind of one Eye, the other named Peter, about 9 years old, who was born of a second Marriage, and his Mother the Princess Natalia was living; The Emperor being dead in few hours, after suffering great Torments; The Chancellor of the Kingdom joining with the Princess Natalia, and several boyer's, and other great Men, proclaimed the young Prince Peter, Emperor, and at the same time the Princess Sophia Sister to Prince John, General Komanski and many others espoused the cause of the Elder Brother, and drew the Guards and Soldiers to their side, by persuading them that the late Czar was poisoned, and that there was a design likewise to destroy them; whereupon the said Guards rose and fell upon the boyer's, and others who had proclaimed Prince Peter, and destroyed a great many of them; After which Prince John was proclaimed Emperor, but without deposing Prince Peter, so that there are now two Emperors, who were both Crowned June 24. last past; The Emperor Alexis, left a young Son, of whom it seems no notice was taken, he being yet in the Cradle; The two Emperors seem hitherto to agree very well, and things at present are very calm and quiet there.  
LXXXVIII. In 1682. The Gazett of July 31. gives an Account, that on the sixth of that Month at Tortorica a Town in Sicily, about seven a Clock in the Evening, after so great darkness that they could not discern each other four paces asunder, there arose a great storm of Rain, Lightning, and Thunder, which lasted 36 hours, that about one a Clock next morning, great Torrents of Water caused by these Rains, fell from the Mountains with so great violence, that they carried with th●●● Trees of an extraordinary bigness, which threw 〈◊〉 the Wall and Houses of the Town they happened to beat against; The Waters were so furious that they 〈◊〉 the Church of St. Ni●●●las, and the Archdeacon of the Town who retired thither, perished there with many other Persons; There only remained one Abbey, and about fifty House's, and those so shattered, that they fell down soon after; about 600 of the Inhabitants were drowned, the rest being abroad in the Field● gathering their Silk, fled to the Mountains, where they suffered very much for want of Provisions; The Goods, Trees, Stones, Sand, and other Rubbish which the Waters carried away were in so great abundance, that they made a Bank above the Water two miles in length, near the Mouth of the River where the Water before was very deep; several other Towns were likewise destroyed by this great Flood; It is added, that Mount Ae●●● cast forth such abundance of Water, that all the Neighbouring Country was drowned. They writ likewise from Rome of July 4. That after having been two Months without Rain, it began to Rain on Sunday June 25 at night, and that an hour before day there fell a Thunderbolt in the Pope's Palace of St. Peter, which ran through several Rooms, and broke down the Ch●mny-Peice of the Apartment of Cardinal Cibo.  
LXXXIX. In the weekly Memorials published at Lord●● we have the Extract of two Letters sent to the Publisher by Richard Gips Esq from Weltham-Hall in Suffolk, dated the 22 and 29 of July 1682, concerning a gro●ing piece of Wood, to this Effect; Sir, Myself, and many hundreds of Ingenious Men have seen at St. Edmundsbury in Suffolk, a groaning piece of Wood, it was of an Elm-Tree sawn in the middle, as I conceive, and I guess it to be of a very great Age; As soon as a hot Iron was put on this Wood, it greaned like a dying man, so that it might be heard a great way; It was very surprising to me when I heard it, for I could not be persuaded to believe any such thing; The Wood was very firm on one side of it, knotty and cracked in some places, nor would it groan when the Iron was put twice in the same place, but it would at some little distance from it; At the time when the hot Iron was put upon it, I laid my hand nigh the Iron, and perceived something gather to the Iron before the Wood groaned, the groan was no longer than that of a dying Man; This Wood was first discovered by a little Girl, who playing with the Fire, by accident scattered a Coal on this Board which lay very nigh the Fire, and it groaned so extraordinarily, that it frighted the Child. The second Letter was thus, Sir, since my last to you, the Groaning Plank is removed from Bury, but being informed of another Groaning Plank, I this day went to see it, and was much more surprised at it, than at the former, the groaning being much more audible than the other; This piece of Wood was Witch-Elm, as the other also was, though much less and thinner, it was about an Inch or two in thickness, a yard and an half in length, and 3 Foot broad, It was an old and firm piece of Wood as the former; Sir, if you see any Witch-Elm that is very old, you may assure yourself, that if you burn it with a very hot Iron, it will groan extraordinarily, I discoursed with a very ingenious Gentleman, who thinks it is occasioned by reason of some Glutinous matter which is included in that sort of Wood, so that when the Fire comes it rarefies it, and occasions that noise; but in regard I could not perceive any Glutinous matter, but on the contrary that it was extraordinary dry, I could hardly acquiesce in his Opinion.  
XC. In 1682. August 14. Another Comet or Blazing Star was visible in London, at nine a Clock at night about North and by West from that City: Its head was large, much like the Star Venus at the height, it was seen several Nights after, and having about 30 Degrees of North Latitude it did never set; having continued for some time, it disappeared; Aug. 25. the Gazett informs us from Naples, that the Mountain Vesuvius did cast out Fire accompanied with a most terrible and hideous noise, which from an hour after Sunset on Saturday, till 3 a Clock next morning was so great, that it caused a kind of Earthquake, the houses in that City being plainly observed to shake; The Mountain likewise cast out Ashes in great abundance, which were dispersed many miles by the wind, and the Sunday after, all the Streets of Naples were covered with them, as if it had been a deep Snow, These Prodigies very much terrified the people, and Public Prayers were made for appeasing the Wrath of Heaven; It is added, That many great Coals of Fire fell also, the dread whereof wrought so much upon the Inhabitants, that they removed to other Cities; That the terrible Earthquakes have thrown down near Three Thousand Buildings all about the foot of the Mountain, and that it roared so loud as to be heard 40 mile's distance in a still night. It is written from Florence in Italy in the Gazete of Sept. 29. That a few days before there happened one night such a terrible Tempest of Wind, Rain, Hail, and Thunder, about 18 miles from that City upon the Mountains of Bologna, that for eight miles in length, and two in brea●lth, it swept away all the Branches from the greatest Trees, as Oaks, Chestnuts and Olives, and much more from the smaller Fruit-Trees; It destroyed all the Autumn Harvest that was upon the ground, and lest not a Vine standing, it carried away all the Roofs and cover off from the Countrymen's Houses, and some were quite beaten down to the ground, and several people killed in their Beds, A Church and Steeple were quite ruined, and the Bells carried above a quarter of a mile; Many Wild Beasts and Fowl, as Deer, Hares, Foxes, Partridges; and small Birds were found dead, and if it had happened in the day as it did in the night, much , and many people must needs have perished, for the Hadstones were sound to be from Three to Five Pounds in weight, the like not known in these parts, and the loss is esteemed the greater, because not to be redeemed in seven years' time.  
XCI. In 1682. Oct. 5. A strange Monster was born at Exeter in Devonshire, having two perfect heads, one standing right as it should, the other being in the right Shoulder, with Eyes, Nose, Ears, Mouth, and Tongue to each head proper, it had but two Arms and Hands, and two Legs and Feet, all in good, and comely shapes, they which were at the delivery say, that they were two as handosme Faces as ever they saw, it was living when born, but soon expired, only giving one sigh at its departure; It was soon buried, but after taken up again, and exposed to the view of numerous Spectators, to the great advantage of the Parents.  
Thus have I briefly run over abundance of Strange Prodigies, Apparitions, and Accidents which have happened in the Heavens, Earth and Sea in several countries' for near Seventeen Hundred years past, but as to the Application of the Effects of divers of them to particular Persons or Places I have barely collected most of them from that noted ginger Mr. John Gadbury in his Treatise of Prodigies, and his Discourse of the three Comets in 1664, and 1665. Though, as an Ingenious Gentleman lately observes, there may be much doubt and question whether there be any great certainty in these Predictions, since they have been judged sometimes to portend evil as well as good, for as he says, Though that Comet which some interpreted to presage Luther's preaching against Indulgences, and the Reformation which followed, bespoke evil it may be to the Pope's Kitchen, yet it was certainly the dawning of the Blessed Light of the Gospel to the Western Parts of Christendom; But however, (as he adds) if the terrorand rareness of these Prodigies do upon any Account whatsoever mind us of our Mortality, and prepare us for our end (as it hath effected upon some in former Ages) or to reflect upon our ownor the public Crimes, which may call down Gods; vengeance upon us, and to implore his mercy and for'rs bearance toward us, it may be very useful and profitable, for sure it is, this Age has need enough of Repentance, and without a Comet, we want not abundant Notices and Warnings that if we do not forsake our horrid enormities, we cannot long escape the signal vengeance of Heaven. But, saith he, the making use of them, thereby to read the destiny of Kings, Nations and Governments is Irrational, Fantastical, and Heathenish, unbecoming either a Man, or a Christian, and therefore instead of any dreadful Presages, The Blessing of the Almighty be upon the whole Israel of God, Amen.  
I cannot better conclude this Subject than by inserting the following Letter, written by a famous Prelate of our Church, inferior to no man of this Age, either for Piety or Learning, wherein he declares his thoughts concerning the Comet in August last, 1682, which seems fully to comprise all that can be said by the wisest of Mortals concerning Comets. The Letter is as followeth.  
My good Friend, It seems your Philomathematici (as your Almanack-●●●kers usually 〈◊〉 themselves) and Astrologers i● London 〈…〉 their Judgement concerning the New 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 I shall tell you mine, though (may be) it may signify as little as theirs when they do declare it. 1. Then (in the General) It has been the opinion of 〈…〉 that all Comets portend some 〈…〉. Nations, Countries, Cities, or particular Persons; 〈◊〉 Greeks 〈…〉, All Comets are forerunners of some Calamities; And a Latin Poet and a Pagan ●ould say, Nunquam furilibus excanduit ignibus ●●her. 2. But in particular, I believe (and I think there is good reason for it) there are three things concerning Comets which may, and other three things which neither are, nor certainly can be known; For instance, 1. Their Motion 2. Their Magnitude. 3. Their Altitude (whether above or below the Planets) may by the Parallax, and a good Mathematician be certainly known; But then there are other three things which the best Mathematicians neither do, nor certainly can know; For Instance. 1. Their Generation, how they are produced, and of what matter they are made; 2. Their Signification, what it is which they do particularly portend, and to what Country, City or Person it relates. 3. Their Exit and vanishing, how they come to disappear, and what becomes of them afterward; These things none of your Astrologers and Stargazers do, or (by any ground in Nature or Scripture, Reason or Revelation) can certainly know; They may guests, and so may you and I, and it may be as well as they, but 'tis only Conjecture, not Science, they having no ground from which they can certainly conclude their Conjectures to be true; Nay I do confidently and truly add, (and there is evident Reason for it) that neither the Pope, notwithstanding his Infallibility, nor the Devil notwithstanding all his Subtlety, can certainly know what any Comet does particularly portend, unless it please God, who only knows to discover and reveal it to them.  
FINIS.   

The Surprising Miracles of Art, or an Account of the most Magnificent Buildings, and Curious Inventions and Rarities in all Ages. Part II.  
HAving related a multitude of Miracles and Prodigies of Nature. I shall now proceed to those of Art; The Chinese look upon themselves as the wisest People upon the face of the Earth, they use therefore to say, That they see with both Eyes, and all other Nations but with one only, and thereupon they boast, though I know not with what Truth and Justice that the most famous Inventions which have been so lately known to us in Europe, have been no Strangers to them for many Ages past; however I shall relate what are most observable both in these and other Nations. It is likewise recorded, that Augustus Caesar having several ways adorned and fortified the City of Rome, putting it into a condition of bravery and security for after times, he thereupon gloried, That he found Rome of brick, and left it of Marble; and certainly nothing makes more for the just Glory of a Prince than to leave his Dominions in better State than he found them; Yet the vast Expenses of some Princes and People had been more truly commendable, and their mighty works more really glorious, had they therein consulted more of the Public good, and less of their own Ostentation; However it may not be unpleasant, nor unprofitable to describe them, and likewise to relate the most curious Inventions and Rarities in all Ages even to these times, which have been more favourable to Learning than the former, and wherein Arts have been thereby improved to the height;  
1. But first concerning Buildings, the most famous structure we first read of, was immediately after the Universal Deluge, or Noah's Flood, for Nimrod the Son of Chus, the Son of Cham, persuaded the People to secure themselves from the like after-claps by building some stupendious Edifice, which might resist the fury of a second Deluge; This Counsel was generally embraced; Heber only and his Family (as the Tradition goes) contradicting such an unlawful attempt; But the major part prevailing, the Tower of Babel began to rear its Head of Majesty Five Thousand One Hundred Forty six Paces from the Ground, having its Basis and circumference equal to its height: The Passage to go up went winding about the outside and was of an exceeding great breadth, there being not only room for Horses, Carts, and the likemeans of Carriage to meet and turn, but lodgings also for Man and Beast; And (as Verslegan reports) Grass and Cornfields for their nourishment; and admirable it is to consider, what multitudes of men there were in the World in so short a space, there being but eight persons that came out of the Ark, and now this Building was carried on by Five Hundred Thousand Men, the Foundation of it was nine miles compass; But God by the Confusion of Tongues hindered the Proceeding of this Building, one not being able to understand what his Fellow called for; which Duke Bartas wittily describes.  
Bring me (quoth one) a Trowel quickly quick,  
One brings him up a Hammer, hue this brick,  
Another bids, and then they cleave a Tree,  
Make fast this Rope, and then they let it flee,  
One calls for Planks, Another Mortar lacks,  
They bring the first a Stone, the last an Axe,  
One would have Nails, and him a Spade they give  
Another asks a Saw, and gets a Sieve:  
Thus crossly crossed, they prate and rail in vain,  
What one hath made, another spoils again,  
This makes them leave their work, and like mad Fools  
Scatter their Stuff, and tumble down their Tools.  
II. We read in several Ancient Histories of The seven Marvels, or Wonders of the World, The first whereof they reckoned to be The Walls of Babylon; This City of Babylon was seated on the Banks of the River Euphrates, which ran through the midst of it, over which Semiramuis built a strong and stately Bridge of a mile long, binding each stone together with clips of Iron fastened with melted Lead, and is the ancientest City of the World, first built by Nimrod in the place appointed for the raising of the Tower of Babel, and by him made the Imperial Seat of the Chaldean Kings, afterward much beautified and enlarged by Semiramis the Wife of Ninus, one of his Successors, and finally much increased both in bulk and beauty by Nabuchadnezzar, for he added a new City to the old, which he compassed about with three Walls, and made therein three stately Gates, and near his Father's Palace, he built another more stately, where he raised Stone Works like mountains which he planted with all manner of Trees. He made also Pensile Gardens hanging as it were in the Sky, borne upon Arches foursquare, each square containing four hundred foot, filled above with Earth, wherein grew all sorts of Trees and Plants; The Arches were built one upon another, even to fifty Cubits high; He likewise made Aqu●●iucts for watering these Gardens; He erected an Image of Gold in the Plain of Dura sixty Cubits high, and six broad; These stately Buildings puffed him up who therefore arrogated to himself the whole Glory of them, saying in his Pride, Is not this the great Babel that I have built, a City of great Fame and State; The compass of the Walls were 365 Furlongs, or forty six, (some say threescore) miles, according to the number of the days of the year, in height two hundred Cubits, and fifty Cubits in breadth, that six Chariots or Carriages might meet on the top, they were finished in one year by the hands of Two Hundred Thousand Workmen; The City was foursquare, and fifteen miles from one corner to another; Insomuch that Aristotle saith, It ought rather to be called a Country than a City, adding withal, That when the Town was taken, it was three days before the furthest parts of the Town had any Intelligence thereof; which taking of the Town must be understood of the surprise thereof by the Medes and Persians, in the Reign of Beshazzar, when Daniel the Prophet interpreted to that King the words Mene, Tekel, Peres, which were miraculously written by a hand upon the Wall as he was banqueting with his Nobility, and foretold the very day before it was taken that God had given his Kingdom to the Medes and Perfians; All which was accomplished the might following, when Darius' King of Media and Persia besieging Babylon, took it on a sudden with the help of his Nephew Cyrus the Persian in the time of a great Feast, when the King, Nobility, and People contemning their Enemies being over-confident of their own strength, minded only their Sports and Pastimes; which we read was surprised after this manner; The River Euphrates ran quite through the Town, round about whose banks the politic Cyrus cut many and deep Channels, into which he in a very short time drained and emptied the River, conveying his own Forces into the Town all along the dry and yielding Channel, and in a little 〈◊〉 made himself Master of it, the Babylonians being 〈◊〉 in Wine and Debauchery; In the Reign of 〈◊〉 Semiramis this City revolted from her, and 〈…〉 thereof coming to her as she was ordering 〈…〉 she thereupon leaving her head half dressed, 〈…〉 besieged it, never ordering the rest of her hair 〈…〉 had recovered it; Of this great Lady it is recorded, That she was born in Ascalon a Town of Syria, and exposed to the fury of Wild Beasts, but being born not to die so ingloriously, she was brought up by Shepherds, and at full Age presented to the Syrian Vice Roy, who gave her in marriage to his only Son; going with him to the Wars, she fell into acquaintance with King Ninus, who liking her Person and Spirit, took her to his bed; This bred in him a greater Affection to her, so that he granted her at her request the command of the Empire for 5 days, making a Decree that her Will in all things should be punctually performed, which boon being gotten, she put on the Royal Robes, and (as some writer's report) commanded the King to be slain; Having thus gotten the Empire, she exceedingly enlarged it, leading her Army consisting of one hundred Thousand Chariots of War, three Millions of Foot, and half a Million of Horse; A Woman worthy of Honour and Applause but only for her insatiable Lusts, of which the Greek Writers charge her to be very guilty. This Queen Semiramis caused an huge Obelisk or Pyramid to be cut out of the Armenian Mountains, all of one entire stone, one hundred and fifty foot long, and twenty four foot thick, which was foursquare, and was brought with much difficulty to the River Euphrates, and from thence to Babylon, where she erected it to be a matter of admiration to future Ages. Babylon likewise revolted from the Persians in the Reign of Darius Hyslaspes, and that Victuals might 〈…〉 for the Men of War, they strangled 〈…〉 of the Women, they being then it seems 〈…〉 to be necessary Evils; when they had for 〈…〉 obstinately defended the Town, that the 〈…〉 had very little hope of prevailing, Zopyrus one 〈…〉 Captain's mangling his body, and disfiguring 〈◊〉 Face by cutting off his own Ears and Nose, ●ed to the Babylonians complaining of the Tyranny of the King, as if he had been thus cruel to him; The Babylonians believing his Words, and knowing his Courage, committed the charge of the whole Army to him, as a man to whom such barbarous usage had made the King irreconcilable; But he taking the best Opportunity, delivered both the Town and Soldiers into the hands of his Sovereign, which made Darius often say, That he had rather have one Zopyrus, than Twenty Babylonians; Here died Alexander the Great, after whose Death the Grecian Captains regardful rather of their own Ambition than the Common Loyalty, divided the Empire amongst themselves, leaving the body of the King eight days unburied; A wonderful change of Fortune, that he who living thought the World too small for his valour, being dead should find no place big enough for his Body: The Walls of this City were built of Stone, and wonderful high, strongly joined together with Lime and Cement growing in the Mines of that Country, but especially in the great Lake of Asphaltites in Judea, where sometime Sodom and Gomorrah stood; within the Town were a great number of Marble Temples and Golden Images, whole Streets shining and glittering with Gold, and precious Stones; And among other Temples there was one of Belus built by Semiramis, and dedicated to Cush, or Jupiter Belus fourfquare, each side containing two Furlories, or a Thousand Paces, with thick Towering Walls, and entered by four Gates of polished Brass; In th● midst thereof there was a Tower sometimes reckon 〈◊〉 one of the 〈◊〉 Wonders, it had an hundred Bra●en 〈◊〉, and too Hundred and Fifty Towers; and 〈…〉 a quar●●r of a mile both in height and breadth, u●on which were raised eight other Tower's one above another, with easy stairs to ascend up to the top; where there 〈◊〉 a Chapel with a sumptuous Bed, and a Table of ●old. In the top of this Chapel were placed three Golden Statues, one of Jupiter 40 Foot long, weighing a Thousand Talents, each Talon containing 63 pounds, 10 Ounces; Another Image of Ops weighing as much, sitting in a Golden Throne, at her Feet were two Lions, and hard by divers huge Serpents of Silver, each weighing Thirty Talents; The third Image was of Juno standing, in weight eight hundred Talents, to all which was added a Common Table of Gold, forty foot long, and twelve broad, weighing 50 Talents; There were also two standing Cups of 30 Talents; and 2 Vessels for perfumes of the like weight; Besides 3 other Vessels of Gold weighing twelve hundred Talents; All which the Persian Kings after the Conquest of it took away; Finally such wonderful things are written by credible Authors of Artificial Mountains, Orchards, and Gardens hanging in the Air, that they seem almost incredible; All which demonstrates the wonderful Wealth and Glory of those Monarches in that time; But after the taking of it by the Macedonians, the grandeur and magnificence thereof began to decline, lessening a fourth part in the time of Quintus Curtius, and was reduced to Desolation in the days of Pliny, and in the Reign of the Emperor Adrian, there was nothing left of Babylon but a poor Wall, which served for a Park for Wild Beasts, in which the Kings of Persia used to hunt, and those who have lately traveled thither, relate it is now so full of Lions and Savage Beasts, yea, and of Robbers, and Murderers, that Passengers are forced to have Soldiers to Guard them, from whence we may by the way observe the exact accomplishment of the Prophecy of Jeremiah. ch. 51. concerning this City, A drought is upon her Waters, and I will dry up her Sea, and make her Springs dry, and Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place for Dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing without an Inhabitant; The Wild Beasts of the Desert, with the Wild Beasts of the Islands shall dwell there, and the Out shall dwell there, and it shall be no more inhabited, neither shall it be dwelled in from Generation to Generation, and the Land shall be Desert and Dry. And it is certainly reported by Travellers that there is not nowany Town or Village near that once famous City, nor so much as a Tree or green Herb in all that Territory, but all is become a sandy Desert; For Bagdat which is now called New Babylon, is a days Journey from the place where the old City stood, and this barrenness is wonderful, considering the admirable fruitfulness thereof in times past, which Pliny saith, was the most fruitful Country of all the East, and that the ground usually yielded two hundred, and some years Three Hundred for one. Treasure of Time, Vol 1.  
III. The Second Wonder of the World is reckoned to be, The Colossus of the Sun, which was at Rhodes; It was the Statue or Figure of a man, dedicated by the Gentiles to the Sun, and some say to Jupiter, it was composed of Brass, of an incredible bigness, and in height like a mighty Tower, so that it can hardly be imagined how it was raised, and made in that manner, Pliny saith, it contained threescore and Ten Cubits in height, and that it was twelve years before it was made, though many able Workmen continually wrought about it, and that it cost Three Hundred Talents, This Statue was so immeasurably great, that it seemed as if the Earth could no longer sustain it, so that what was twelve years in making, having stood sixty six years was pulled down in an instant by an Earthquake; After this fall, which was in the time of Pliny, many went to see, and wonder at it, for saith he, there were few men who could embrace one of its Fingers, the least of which was greater than any other man whatsoever; standing with his two Legs striding over an Haven; between the Legs whereof Ships might pass with their Masts and Sails up; This wonderful Colossus lay there ruined for a very long time, the Rhodians being forbid by an Oracle to erect it again, or possibly pretending such an Oracle to save that charge, yet they held the Brass and the other Materials thereof almost sacred, which none ventured to meddle with till Mnavias' the Egyptian General in the year 600, finding in himself not such scruple of Conscience, made a Prey thereof, for after he had overcome Constance the Emperor in a Sea-fight, and had conquered the Isle of Rhodes, he sold this Image as it lay on the ground to a Jew who loaded nine hundred Camels with the Brass thereof. Treasury of Time. Vol. 2.  
iv The Third Wonder of the World, Historians have recorded to be The Pyramids of Egypt, and if all be certain which they have written of them, they are truly admirable, they were vast and stupendions Structures, many in number, three most celebrated, and one the principal of all, situate on the South of the City of Memphis, and on the Western Banks of Nilus, they ended in a sharp point like a flame of fire, from whence they had their name; It is related that for erecting them there were three hundred and threescore Thousand men employed for Twenty years together; They were built by the vanity of the Egyptian Kings, and used for their Sepulchers when dead, yet many times only to keep their Subjects in employment, and upon these it is thought the Israelites were employed by Pharaoh, when they cried to the Lord, and he delivered them by the hand of Moses; The largest, and chief of the World's seven Wonders, is situate most part of it on the top of a Rocky hill, which riseth an hundred Foot above the Plain, with a gentle and easy ascent, the height of the Situation, adding to the Beauty of the Work, and the Rock to the Strength thereof; It was built for the Sepulchre of Cheops an Egyptian King; Each side of this Pyramid is six hundred ninety three Foot according to English measure, so that the whole Circumference of the Basis and Foundation contains four hundred eighty thousand two hundred and forty nine Square Feet, or eleven English Acres of ground, the height and breadth are both the same, that is, six hundred ninety three foot; The Ascent to the top is contrived in this manner, From all the sides without, the Ascent is by degrees, the lowermost step is about four foot high, and three in breadth, which running about the Pyramid in a level, makes on every side of it a long, but narrow walk; The second now is like the first, retiring inward from the first three feet and so runs about the Pyramid; In the same manner is the third Row placed above the second, and so in order the rest, like so many stairs rising one above another to the top, which is about nine foot square, consisting of three Stones only, yet large enough for threescore men to stand upon; No Stone in the whole Building being so little as to be drawn by any of our Carriages, yet were brought thither from the Arabian Mountains, but how brought, and by what Engine mounted is an equal wonder.  
The Degrees by which men ascend, are not all of an equal depth, for some are about four foot, others scarcely three, and the higher they ascend, the more they diminish both in breadth and thickness; These are all made of massy and polished Stones, the breadth of every step being one single and entire Stone, containing thirty foot of stone, the number of these steps is two hundred and seven; On the North-side ascending 38 feet upon an Artificial Bank of Earth, there is a square and narrow Passage leading into the inside of this Pyramid, containing in length ninety two feet and an half; The Structure of it hath been the labour of an exquisite hand, as appears by the smoothness and eveness of the work, and by the close knitting of the joints; It is now an habitation for great ugly Bats of about a foot long; At the end of this entrance, you must climb up a massy stone eight or nine foot in height, where you enter into a Gallery, the pavement whereof is of smooth and polished white Marble; the breadth is above five foot, and the height the like, the length of this Gallery is one hundred and ten foot; At the end of this, gins a second Gallery, a very stately piece of work, not inferior in Curiosity of Art, or richness of Marerials to the most sumptuous Buildings. It is divided from the former by a Wall, at the end whereof is a Well about three foot over; the sides of which are lined with white Marble; it is eighty six Cubits in depth, hewn through the Rock where the Pyramid stands; About 15 foot thence, is a square Passage of mighty Stones, tightly joined, containing one hundred and 10 foot, at the end of which is an Arched Vault, or little Chamber, the length about twenty foot, and breadth seventeen; The length of this second Gallery is 154 feet of white and polished marble, both roof, Walls and bottom, and on each side benches of the same.  
At the end of this Gallery you enter into a square hole, which brings you in a little room lined with rich and speckled Theban Marble, out of which through another Passage of the same stone most curiously cut, you come to the North end of a very sumptuous and well proportioned Room, wherein Art seems to contend with Nature, the curious work not being inferior to the Rich Materials; It stands in the heart or centre of the Pyramid, the floars, sides, and roof all of excellent Theban Marble; The Stones which cover this room are of a strange stupendious length, like so many huge beams lying flat cross the room, and bearing up that almost infinite weight, and mass of the Pyramids above; Of these, there are nine which cover the Roof, the length of the Room is 34 English feet, the breadth 17, and the height 19 feet; In the midst of this glorious room, stands the Tomb of Cheops aforementioned, of one piece of Marble, hollow within, and sounding like a Bell, but empty; For, saith Diodorus, although the Egyptian Kings intended these for their Sepulchers, yet it happened that they were not buried therein, For the People being enraged against them for the slavery and toilsomness of the work, and for their Cruelty and oppression, they threatened to tear in pieces their dead Bodies, and with scorn and ignominy to throw them out of their Sepulchers; whereupon these Princes commanded their Friends that when they were dead they should bury them in some obscure place.  
The Tomb is cut smooth and plain, without any sculpture or engraving; The outsides contain in length 7 Foot, 3 Inches and half; in depth 3 foot, 4 Inches, and the same breadth, the hollow part within is about six foot long, the depth two foot, whereby it appears that men's bodies are as big now as they were Three Thousand year ago, for it is near so long since this Tomb was made; The charge whereof was so great, that though the workmen had no other Food but Garlic, Radishes and Onions, yet it cost that King eighteen Hundred Talents. Some with great labour and pains have climbed to the top of this Pyramid, but being above, they have seemed as it were to lose their sight by looking down, judging themselves to be above the clouds, whereby their Brains were much troubled; Next to this in bulk and beauty, is said to be the Pyramid of a Daughter of Cheops, who, as Author's report, to finish her Father's undertaking, and raise her own to the height, prostituted her body to all Comers, requiring but one stone toward the work from each one of her Customers; Treasury of Time.  
Not far from this Pyramid are the Egyptian Mummies, which are the Graves of the ancient Egyptians, into which are descents like the narrow mouths of Wells, some near Ten Fathoms deep, leading into long Vaults hewn out of the Rock with Pillars of the same; Between every Arch lie the Corpse, ranked one by another of all sides, which are innumerable, shrouded in a number of Folds of Linen, and swathed with Bands of the same, the breasts of many being marked with strange Hieroglyphic Characters; The Linen being pulled off, the bodies appear solid, uncorrupt, and perfect in all their dimensions; To keep these from Putrefaction, they draw the Brains out at the Nostrils with an Iron Instrument, filling the head with preservative spices, then cutting up the Belly with an Ethiopian Stone they take forth the Bowels, cleanse the inside with wine, and so stuffing it with a composition of Myrrh, Cassia, and other odours, they closed it up again; The same the poorer sort effected with Bitumen, fetched from the Lake of Sodom, whereby they have been preserved to this day having lain there for above Three Thousand years. Clarks Mirror, First Part.  
On the Bank of the River Nilus stood that famous Labyrinth, built by Psammiticus King of Egypt, situate on the South side of the Pyramids, and North of Arsinoe; It contained within the compass of one continued Wall a Thousand Houses, (Herodotus says, three Thousand five hundred) and twelve Royal Palaces all covered with Marble, and had one only entrance, but innumerable turn and returnings, sometimes one over another, and all very difficult to such as were not acquainted with them. The Building was more under ground than above, the Marblestones being laid with such Art that neither wood nor cement was employed in any part of the Fabric; The chambers were so ordered that the doors upon there opening gave a Report no less terrible than a crack of Thunder; The chief entrance was all of white Marble, adorned with stately Columns, and most curious Imagery; Having got to the end of it, a pair of stairs of ninety steps conducted into a gallant Porch or Portico, supported with Pillars of Theban Marble, which was the entrance into a fair, and stately Hall, the place of the General Convention, or meeting of the Nobles of the Kingdom, all of polished marble, set out with the Statues of their Gods; A work which afterward was imitated by Dedalus in the Cretan Labyrinth, though it fell as short of the Glories of this as Minos the King who was at the charge thereof, was inferior to Psammiticus in power and Riches. Heylins' Cosmography.  
The lake of Maeris was likewise a most admirable work, undertaken and finished by Maeris one of the Egyptian Kings, which for greatness and colour is like the Sea; It is about six hundred furlongs from the City of Memphis, the circumference thereof containing some hundreds of furlongs, the depth fifty fathom or three hundred feet, many Millions of men were employed several years about it, the benefit of it to the Egyptians, and the wisdom of that King cannot be sufficiently commended, for since the rising of the River Nilus is not always alike, and the Country is more fruitful by the moderateness thereof; He digged this Lake to receive the superfluity of the waters, that neither by the greatness of the Inundation, it should cause Marshes, or by the scarcity of water the Earth should not yield her strength; ●he therefore cut a ditch from the River to this Lake fourscore furlongs long, and three hundred feet in breadth, by which sometimes receiving in, and sometimes diverting the River, he gave at his pleasure a sufficient quantity of water to the Husbandmen; In the midst of this Lake, King Maeris built a Sepulchre, and 2 Pyramids, each of them an hundred fathoms high, placing upon them two Marble Statues, fitting on a Throne; one representing himself, the other his wife, designing hereby to make his Memory Immortal; The Revenues which rise by the Fish of this Lake, he gave to his wife to buy sweet Ointments, Ornaments and Jewels, which was so great that it amounted to above a Thousand pound a day; For it was mightily replenished with Fish of Twenty sorts, so that very many were continually employed in catching, and salting of them. Diodorus Siculus Hist.  
5. The Fourth Marvel or Wonder of the World was the Tomb of Mausolus' King of Caria, a Province in the Greater Asia, built by his Queen Artemisia, who as Historians report, so dearly affected her husband, that she is by many recorded as an absolute pattern of Conjugal Affection; After his death she lamented his loss with extraordinary Sorrow and Complaints, and resolved to erect a Tomb or Sepulchre for him answerable to the extreme Love she had for him, and such indeed it proved to be being accounted for rare workmanship, and costly magnificence one of the World's Wonders; The Stone of the whole Structure was of most curious Marble, four hundred and eleven foot in Circuit, and 25 Cubits high, supported with Thirty gallant Pillars, excellently engraven; This building was open on all sides, with Arches 73 foot wide, framed by the most exquisite workmen of that Age, and the perfection of the work was so admirable, that ever after all sumptuous and beautiful Tombs were called Mausolaea, of which Marshal thus writeth, 
Mausolus' Tomb which hangeth in the sky  
The Men of Caria's Praises Deify.   
It is recorded, that Artemisia after the death of her Husband lived in continual Tears and mourning, and that she died before the Work could be fully finished, having drunk the bones of her Husband beaten into Powder, which she buried in her own body, as the choicest Sepulchre she could provide for him.  
6. The Fifth Wender of the World was, The Temple of Diana at Ephesus in jonia a Province of Asia. Pliny saith it was built by the Amazons, and contained four hundred Twenty five foot in length, and two hundred and Twenty in breadth, so artificially contrived that it was two hundred and Twenty years in finishing; It was founded in a Lake, to prevent the danger of Earthquakes; and it is said, that a great quantity of Coal-dust and Wool were laid under the Foundation to secure the moist places; It had one hundred and Twenty seven Pillars of Marble seventy foot in height, of which Twenty seven were most curiously engraven, and all the rest of Marble polished each of these Pillars were erected at the charge of so many Kings of Asia; The doors of the Temple were of Cypress, which after four hundred years were as fresh as if they had been new made; The roof was of Cedar; The Image of Diana, which the superstitious vulgar were made to believe came down from Jupiter out of Heaven, was made by one Camesia, some say of Ebony; others of the Vine, which having many holes was filled up with Spikenard, the moisture whereof closed up the rifts; It was adorned with rich and unvaluable Gifts, It was contrived by Ctesiphon, and after it was finished was fired seven times; But last of all by Erostratus, who observing the Sovereign Magnificence thereof, was resolved to burn it to get himself a Name; which he did accordingly, but to disappoint him, the Princes of those Countries (as some Authors affirm) forbidden that any man should speak, writ, or record his name, yet all this was to no purpose, for latter Historians name him, and call him Erostratas; This glorious Temple was burnt the same night that Alexander the Great was born, which gave occasion to that witty scoff, That Diana (who was counted one of the Goddesses of Midwifery) could not attend the Preservation of her Temple, being then busied at the birth of so great a Prince; Some writ, that this Temple was afterward rebuilt, much more sumptuous and magnificent than before, and that the Master of the work was named Democrates.  
7. The sixth Wonder of the World, was the Idol or Image of Jupiter Olympas, which stood in his Temple at Achaia, between the Cities of Elis and Pisa; This Statue was much renowned as well for artificial persections, and admirable Workmanship as for the greatness thereof, being no less than sixty Cubits high, composed by that excellent workman Phidias of Gold and Ivory, Some say, that Phidias was taxed with only one imperfection, that he had not proportioned the Image to the bigness of the Temple, because he had made it sitting and so large, that if the standing upright were considered the Temple would not ways have been able to have contained it; In honour of this Jupiter the Olympics Games were instituted by Hercules, and celebrared on the Plains near this City in the year of the World 2757. The exercises in them were for the most part bodily, as running in Chariots, running on foot, wrestling, fight with Clubs and the like; But yet there repaired thither Orators, Poets, and Musicians, and all that thought themselves excellent in any laudable quality to make Trial of their several Abilities, the very cries who proclaimed the Victories contending who should cry loudest, and best play his part; The rewards given to the Victors were only Garlands of Palm, or such slight remembrances, and yet the Greeks no less esteemed this small sign of Conquest and Honour, than the Romans did their most magnificent Triumphs, those who were Conquerors therein were met by the Principal Men of the City wherein they lived, and a Passage was broken through the main Walls of the Town for their Reception, as if the ordinary Gates were not capable of so high an honour, or able to afford them entrance; The Judges of these Games were some Citizens of Elis appointed for that purpose; Of these Games Horace thus writes, 
Some in Olympic dust take Pride  
Their Chariots and themselves to hid,  
Whom the won Mark, and Palm so prized  
Like to the Gods hath Eternised.  
Such as like heavenly Angels come  
With an Elean Garland home.   
VIII. The seventh Wonder of the World was The Tower of Pharos, which stood in an Isse of that name near the City of Alexandria in Egypt, a mile distant from the Land, but joined to the Continent by Cleopatra Queen of Egypt upon this occasion; The Rhodians then Lords of the Sea, used to exact some Tribute and acknowledgement out of every Island within those Seas, and consequently out of this; Their Ambassadors being sent to Cleopatra to demand this Tribute, she detained them with her 7 days, under pretence of celebrating some solemn Festivals and in the mean time by making huge dams, and banks in the Sea, with incredible charge and speed, she united Pharos to the shore, so that it was no longer an Island; which finished, she sent away the Rhodians empty handed, with this witty jeer, That they were to take Toll of the Islands, but not of the Continent; A work of great Rarity and magnificence, both for the bigness of it, taking up seven Furlongs of ground, and for that incredible speed wherewith it was finished; As for the Watch-Tower called Pharos, by the name of the Island, it was built by Ptolemy Philadelphus' King of Egypt for the benefit of Saylors, (the Sea on that coast being very unsafe, and full of flats,) to guide them over the Bar of Alexandria, Deservedly esteemed one of the World's seven Wonders; It was of a wonderful height, ascended by degrees, and having many Lanterns on the top, wherein Lights were burned every night flaming like a Beacon for direction to Seamen; It was erected of Marble, marvellous in curious Workmanship, and situate upon a Mountain encompassed with Water, the chief Workman was Sostratus, who ingraved on the work this Inscription; Sostratus of Cnidos, the Son of Dexiphanes to the God's Protector for the Safeguard of Sailors; This Inscription he covered with Plaster, and thereon ingraved the name and Title of the King who was the Founder; to the end that the King's name being soon wasted and washed away, his own which was written in Marble might be eternised to Posterity as the Founder thereof. Nigh unto Pharos, Caesar pursuing Pompey into Egyt, and having discontented Plolomy the King thereof by demanding pay for his Soldiers, Caesar's Navy lying here at Anchor, was assaulted by Achilles one of young Ptolomys Commanders, Caesar himself being then at Alexandria, but hearing of the skirmish, he hastened to Pharos, resolving to secure his Navy in Person; but the Egyptians coming upon him on all fides, he was compelled to leap into the Sea, and swim for his life, and though to avoid their darts he sometime dived, yet he still held his left hand above water, and in it divers books (some say his Commentaries) which he carried safe to his Ships, and encouraging his men, got the Victory; It is said, That Egypt hath only two doors, the one by Land, which is the strong Town of Pelusium, or Damiata, the other by Water, which is this Pharos. Heylins' Cosmography, lib. 3.  
IX. Having related The seven Wonders of the World I shall now proceed to some other famous Structures, and among them we read of none more magnificent than the Temple of Solomon, but that being at large described in the Holy Scriptures in the Books of the Kings and Chronicles; I shall therefore rather give a description of the City and Temple of Jerusalem as they were, when destroyed by the Romans aforementioned, Jerusalem was compassed with a Triple Wall on every side, save only that part which was enclosed with inaccessible Vallies, for on that side it needed only one Wall; It was built upon two Hills, one opposite to the other, separated by a Valley, which was wonderfully replenished with Houses; One of these Hills whereon stood the upper part of the City, was far higher and steeper than the other, which K. David compassing with a Wall, called The City of David; On the other Hill, called Acra, stood the lower part of the City, opposite whereunto was another Hill lower than that, which at first was divided from it by a large Valley, but when the Asmonians reigned, they filled up this Valley, and cut down the top of Acra, that it might not hid the Temple; Within one of the Valleys was Siloam a Fountain sending forth abundance of clear sweet water; The outmost Wall by reason of the Valley about it, and the Rock whereon it stood was impregnable, being strongly built by David, Solomon, and other Kings; A fourth Wall was begun by Agrippa; In humane Reason had this Wall been finished, the City could never have been taken, for the Stones were 20 Cubi●s long, and 10 Cubits broad, so that it could neither have been easily undermined, nor battered with Engines, but he built this Wall only 10 Cubits high, and then gave it over, fearing lest Claudius Caesar should think he designed to rebel. Yet afterward the Jews raised this Wall twenty Cubits high, made a battlement two Cubits high, and the Tower three Cubits, in all 24 Cubits high, Besides upon the Wall were three Towers, twenty Cubits broad, and 20 Cubits high, built foursquare very strongly; within these Towers were rooms to dwell in, and Cisterns to receive rain water; The third Wall had ninety of these Towers, and between every Tower were two hundred Cubits space, the second Wall had 14 Towers, and the old Wall had 60, the compass of the whole City being 33 Furlongs.  
Between the North and West part of the City upon the outmost Wall stood the Tower Psephina, which was raised 70 Cubits high, so that in a clear day one might from thence discover Arabia, and the utmost Confines of Judea, even to the Sea. Just opposite to this, was the Tower Hippicon built by Herod upon the old Wall, which for bigness, beauty, and strength, surpassed all others in the World, It had four Corners, each of which was 25 Cubits broad, as many long, and 30 Cubits high, and in no place hollow; On the top was a Well to receive Rain Water 20 Cubits deep; on the top of all were Houses 25 Cubits high, divided into many Rooms; Above them were battlements two Cubits, and Turrets three Cubits high, so that in all it was 85 Cubits high. Herod likewise built a second Tower, in breadth, length and height 40 Cubits, in form of a square Pillar all solid, and not hollow within, and above this a Porch 10 Cubits high, adorned with Turrers and Pinnacles; Over the midst of this Porch he built another Tower, distinguished into very handsome rooms, and sumptuous Baths beautified on the top with Turrets and Pinnacles, so that the whole height was near 90 Cubits; Lastly he built a third Tower which he called by his Queen's name Mariam, 20 Cubits in height and breadth, all of solid stone, not hollow, having more stately and magnificent Lodgings in it than any of the former, it was in all 5 Cubits high. These Towers though they were very high, yet by reason of their situation they seemed much higher, for the old Wall whereon they were built stood upon a Rock which was 30 Cubits high, whereby their height was much increased, neither were they built of ordinary stone, but all of white Marble, each Stone being 20 Cubits long, 10 broad, and 5 Cubits thick, which were so curiously joined together, that they seemed to be all but one stone; Within the City was the King's Palace, surpassing all in the World for largeness, and curious Workmanship; It was environed with a Wall 30 Cubits high, adorned with goodly Towers round about, Beautified with Houses for an hundred of the Nobility▪ The Variety of the Marble wherewith it was built was admirable, all sorts being therein used though never so scarce to be found; In every room were many Vessels of Gold and Silver; and several Porches round about adorned with most curious Pillars; There were in it very many pleasant Walks, adorned with all manner of Trees, and Gardens beset with Fountains, which spouted up water on high, and Cisterns beautified with divers brazen Statues from which ran out water continually.  
The Temple was built upon a Rocky Mountain, the Plain on the top whereof was at first scarce big enough for the Temple and Court, the Hill being very steep, but the people every day bringing Earth thither, they at last made it plain and large enough; and with wonderful Curiosity and Labour enclosed the Hill with a Triple Wall, which was not effected in many Ages, with the cost of all the Holy Treasure offered to God from all parts of the World; The Foundations of the Temple were laid three hundred Cubits deep, and in many places more; The stones thereof were 40 Cubits, the Porches were double, supported by many stately Pillars 25 Cubits high, all of one piece of white Marble, the tops of them were of Cedar so exactly wrought, as astonished the Beholders; These Porches were 30 Cubits broad, and the compass of all was six Furlongs, The Courts were curiously wrought, and paved with all sorts of stones. The way to the inward Temple was all enclosed with stones wrought like Lattice work which were 3 Cubits high of Curious Workmanship; To this there was an ascent by 14 steps, and above it, was foursquare, and enclosed with a Wall by itself, 40 Cubits high on the outside, and all covered with stairs to ascend up to it, and within it was 25 Cubits high, At the top of the 14 stairs within the Wall, was a level compassed with a Wall of 300 Cubits which had Gates in it, and between the Gates were Porches opposite to each other, reaching from the Wall to the Treafury, supported with mighty Pillars, All the Gates were covered with Plates of Gold and Silver, only one was covered with Corinthian Brass, which for beauty far excelled the other, dazzling and surprising the Eyes of the Spectators, In every Gate were two Doors each of them 30 Cubits high, and 15 broad, and on each side they had seats 30 Cubits long, and 40 in height, each of them supported with 2 Pillars, 12 Cubits thick, only the Gate which was covered with Corinthian Brass was 〈◊〉 Cubits high, and the Gates 40, more richly adorred than the rest; Lastly the Holy of Holies, or Sanctum Sanctorum was situate in the midst of all, and had 12 stairs to go up to it, the forepart of it was an hundred Cubits high, and as many broad; backward it was 40 Cubits, on each side it had as it were two shoulders, rising up in height 20 Cubits; The first Gate was 20 Cubits high, and 25 wide, and had no doors, to show, That Heaven was always open, etc. All the sore parts were guilded, and all within was covered with fine gold; The inward part was divided into 2 rooms, whereof the first only might be seen, which was in height 90 Cubits, in length 40, and in breadth 20. Round about the Wall was a golden Vine, whereon hung many Grapes in Clusters all of Gold, every cluster being about six foot long; It had golden Gates 55 Cubits high, and 16 broad; It had curious hang of the same length, admirably wrought with purple, violet, and scarlet silk, all the Fabric was so tightly and richly wrought, that none could possibly imagine any Workmanship it wanted; For it was all covered with a massy plate of pure Gold which astonished the Beholders; The top was all set with Rods of Gold, sharp like Pikes at the ends, lest Birds should sit thereon and defile it, The stones wherewith it was built were 45 Cubits in length, six broad, and as many thick; Josephus Hist. lib. 6.  
Jerusalem was a principal City in Josua's time, when Adonth●zek was King, who was slain by him, yet did the Jebusites hold it almost four hundred years after, till David won it, though the Inhabitants did so much rely on the place, that they boasted their lame and blind men should defend it. 2 Sam. 5.6. David having conquered it, strengthened it with a Castle, and beautified it with many Palaces. And after his time, Solomon enlarged, and further beautified, and fortified it extremely. The Palaces, Gates and Walls could not be matched in all the World; it had an hundred and fifty thousand Inhabitants besides Women and Children; The Trench about it was sixty foot deep, cut out of the Rock, and 250 foot broad, the like scarce ever heard of; Not long after, Shishak Kin Egypt took and sacked it, and became Master not only of Solomons ●●●es, but of all K. David's spoils which he had taken from many Nations. 2 Kings 14. It was again plundered, and part of the Wall broken down by Joas King of Israel in Amazia's Reign. 2 Kings 16. Not long after Ahaz the fifteenth K. of Juda impoverished the Temple, to present Tiglathpilnezer with the Treasures thereof, and Manasses lost what remained. 1 Chron 5. And Nabuchadnezzar laid this glorious City with the Temple, Palaces, Walls and Towers thereof, even to the Ground. 2 Kings 19 It was built again by Nehemiah, Chap. 12.34. and again the Temple and City were spoiled by Bugoses Lieutenant to Artaxerxes, Then by Ptolomeus the First; Then by Antiochus Epiphanes; And again by Apollonius his Deputy; After which it was taken by Pompey, and rob by Crassus in his Parthian Expedition; yet all the losses that the Temple and City sustained, were repaired by Herod the Great, who enlarged the City, new built the Temple, and adorned it with many sumptuous Works, and left it in a more stately and glorious condition than it was in the days of Solomon. Lastly about 40 years after the Death of Christ, the sins of the Jews being come to the height, it was destroyed by Titus the Roman General, who made it so desolate, that they which saw it afterward, could scarce believe there had ever been such a City in that place, only he left the 3 Herodian Towers, as well for Lodgings for the Roman Garrisons, as to make his Victory more glorious; yet afterwards some of the despised Jews began to build and inhabit some part of the City; but after 65 years, as aforementioned, when they began to revolt again Aelius Adrianus the Emperor slew many Thousands of them, and overthrew the three Towers of Herod with all the rest, not leaving stone upon another as our Saviour had foretold; But when his fury was appeased, he took one part without the Wall, wherein stood Mount Calvery and Christ's Sepulchre, and made it a capacious City, which he called after his own name Aelia Capitolia; And in the Gate toward Bethel, he caused a Sow to be cut in Marble, and set it in the Front to despite the Jews, making an Edict, That thenceforth none of them should ever enter into that City, not dare so much as to behold, or look toward it from any high place; Yet the Christian Religion flourishing in Palestine, it was inhabited by all Nations, especially Christians, and so it continued five hundred years; And in 639 it was taken by the Egyptian Saracens, who held it above four hundred years. In 1099 it was regained by Godfrey of Bullein, who being elected King, refused to be crowned with a Crown of Gold, since Christ for whom he fought, was there crowned with Thorns; It continued to him and his Successors for 88 years, till in 1197 it was retaken by Saladine King of Egypt, and lastly in 1517. the Turks beat out the Egyptians, and hold it to this day, calling it in their Language Cuzumbarec, or The Holy City; Raleigh's Hist. World.  
X. The City of Nineveh as it was more ancient than almost any other City, so in greatness it excelled all those that were famous in old time. The Plot or ground of it is said to be four hundred and eighty Furlongs; The Walls were in height one hundred foot, and the breadth of them such, that three Chariots might meet on the top of them; On the Walls there were Fifteen Hundred Towers, each of them Two Hundred Foot high, it was called Tetrapolis, as being divided as it were into four Cities, Nineveh, Resena, Forum, and Cale, and was reckoned three days Journey in the time of Ionas the Prophet.  
11. The Capitol of Rome seated on the Tarpeian Rock seemed to contend with Heaven in height, and no doubt but the length and depth were every way answerable; The excessive charge that the Emperor Domitian was at in building it, Martial after his flattering manner hath wittily described, and which may be thus translated.  
So much has Caesar given the Gods above  
That should be call it in, and Creditor prove  
Though Jove should barter Heaven itself away  
This mighty debt he never could repay.  
We may partly give a guess at the Riches and Ornaments of it by this, that there was spent only upon its gild above Twelve Thousand Talents; It was all guilded over, not the inner roof only, but the outward covering which was of brass or Copper, and the doors of it were overlayed with thick Plates of Gold, which remained to the Reign of Honorius. After the great overthrow of the Romans by the Gauls near the River Allia, those that escaped fled to Rome for security, filling all the City with trouble and fear, but the People not judging themselves safe there, got all away out of the Town, only a small number of the most resolute put themselves into the Capitol, resolving to endure all extremities; The rest escaped to the City of Veios, where assembling together, they chose Furius Camillus (whom some time before they had disobliged) to be their Dictator, but he would not accept of the Dignity unless the Senators in the Capitol gave their Legal consent thereunto; This was very difficult, because the Gauls had environed it round about with their Troops, yet one Pontius undertook this dangerous enterprise, and coming to the River Tiber, he swom over upon a piece of broad Cork, and landing on the other side, he went softly, that way where he saw no light, and therefore supposed there was no watch kept, and so climbing up the steep craggy rocks, he with much ado got to the top where being espied by the Roman Sentinels they assisted him, and brought him to the Senators, who received his Message, and immediately dispatched him with an answer, so that he returned back to Camillus the same night; Next day one of the Gauls walking about that place, chanced to espy the prints and footsteps of a man upon the Rocks and Grass which grew thereon; this he discovered to his Fellows, who thinking the Romans had now showed them the way, they took the opportunity of a dark night and ascended the Hill the same way without being discovered either by the Men, or the Dogs who both kept guard there; but were now all fast asleep; But it was the good fortune of the Romans that there were certain Geese, dedicated to Juno, and kept at the Public Charge near her Temple, they being fearful by nature, and easily affrighted by the least noise in the night, and being also kept very hungry by reason of the scarcity in the Capitol, may be supposed to have slept the more lightly, so that perceiving the Enemies with their glittering Armour, they flew against them, and filled the whole place with a fearful and unusual cry, which awakened the Romans who suspecting the matter▪ ran presently to the wall, and beat back their Enemies, throwing them down headlong, by which unusual means the Capitol was saved, all the Gauls being forced to hasten off, or to leave their dead bodies at the foot of the Hill they had newly climbed; In remembrance whereof, for a great while after, upon one day in the year they carried about in Procession a Dog hanged on a Gallows, and a Goose sitting in a little chair of state upon a rich and sumptuous Cushion. Camerareus Medit.  
12. Suctonius thus describes that house of Nero, which Nero himself called Domum Auream; The Golden House; In the Porch was set a Colossus, or Image shaped like himself, of one hundred and Twenty foot high; The spaciousness of the House was such, that it had in it three Galleries each of them a mile long, a standing Pool like a Sea, beset with buildings in manner of a City; Fields in which were arable grounds, Pastures, Vineyards and Woods, with a various multitude of tame and wild Beasts of all kinds; In the other part thereof all things were covered with gold, and distinguished with precious stones, as Mother of Pearl, etc. The Supping Rooms were roofed with Ivory planks that were movable, for the casting down of Flowers; and had Pipes in them for the sprinkling of Ointments; The Roof of the Principal Supping Room was round, which like the Heavens wheeled about perpetually day and night; This House when he had thus finished and dedicated, he so mightily approved of that he said, He then began to live like a Man. Suetonius Hist. Lib. 6.  
XIII. The Amphitheatre begun by Vespasian, but finished and dedicated by Titus was most famous, the height whereof was such, that (saith Marcellinus) the Eye of man could hardly reach it; It was built and reared up (saith Cassiodore) with Rivers of Treasure poured out; It contained only upon the Steps and Degrees sufficient and easy Seats for fourscore and seven Thousand Persons, so as the vacant Places besides, might well contain Ten or Twenty Thousand more; And it is admirable to consider (saith the L. Montaign in his Essays) what mighty magnificence the Roman Emperors used in their theatres, It was wonderful (saith he) to cause a great quantity of large Trees all full of green branches to be brought from far, and planted in Plots yielding nothing but dry gravel, representing a wild shady Forest, divided in due and seemly proportion; And the first day to put into the Theatre a Thousand Estriges, a Thousand Stags, a Thousand Wild Boars, and a Thousand Bucks, which were hunted and baited by the common people; The next day in the presence of all the People, an hundred great Lions, an hundred Leopards, and three hundred huge Bears were baited and torn to pieces; The third day three hundred couple of Gladiators or Fencers combated, and murdered one another, as in the Reign of the Emperor Probus; It was also an exc'llent sight to see those huge wondrous Amphitheatres all inchased with rich Marble, and curiously enriched on the outside with carved statues, and all the inside glistering with precious and rare Embellishments; All the sides round about were environed and replenished from the ground to the very top, with three or fourscore ranks of steps and seats all of Marble, covered with gallant Cushions, where might be conveniently placed an hundred thousand men, and all sit at ease; The plain groundwork of it where Sports were acted, were so ordered by Art, as to open asunder with holes, and gaps like hollow Caves, out of which issued wild Beasts appointed for the Plays; After which, the whole floor of the Theatre was immediately overflown with a very deep Sea, wherein were all manner of strange Fishes, and Sea Monsters, with a great Navy of Ships ready rigged, and provided for a Sea-fight; In an Instant all was dry and smooth again, and the Fencers entered and fought with each other; Lastly to complete the last Act of one day only, the whole floor was forthwith cleansed, and strewed over with Vermilion and Storax instead of Gravel, and a solemn banquet brought forth enough to entertain that almost infinite number of People; they have sometimes caused an huge steep Mountain to arise in the midst of the Amphitheatre, all overspread with fruitful, and flourishing Trees of all sorts, on the top whereof gushed out streams of water as from a Fountain; Other times they have brought forth a great tall Ship, floating up and down, which opened and split asunder of itself, from whence issued out four or five hundred wild Beasts to he baited, and then closing again, it vanished away without any visible help; sometimes they caused water to spout gently from the bottom of the Theatre, which bubbling up to the very top, sprinkled and refreshed that vast multitude; And to preserve themselves from the violence of the weather, they caused that huge compass to be overspread sometimes with purple Sails, all curiously wrought with the Needle, sometimes of Silk and other colours, all which was done in the twinkling of an Eye, either to spread or draw it back again; The Nets likewise which they used to put before the people to save them from the danger of the wild baited Beasts, were all woven of Gold Thread. Montaigns' Essays. lib. 3.  
XIV. The Bridge of Caligula was a new and unheard of Spectacle, it reached from Puteoli to Bauli; three miles and a quarter, he built it upon Ships in a few days; Over this he marched with the Senate and Soldiery in a Triumphant manner, and in the view of the People; Upon this he feasted, and passed the night in dalliance and Gaming; A Marvellous and great work indeed, but such as the vanity thereof deprived it of Commendation, for to what end was it raised but to be demolished? Thus sported he, (saith Seneca) with the Power of the Empire, and all in imitation of Xerxes a Foreign Frantic, unfortunate and proud King, Hakewels' Apology.  
XV. Wales anciently extended itself Eastward to the River Severn, till by the valour of Offa the great King of the Mercians, the Welsh or Britain's were driven out of the plain Country beyond that River, and forced to betake themselves to the Mountains, where he caused them to be shut up, and divided from England with an huge Ditch called Offa's Dike, which began where the River Wie comes into the Severn not far from Chepstow, and extended fourscore and four miles in length, even as far as Chester, where the River Dee is mingled with the Sea; which was a very stupendious work; Concerning this Ditch, there was a Law made by K. Harold, That if any Welshman was found with a Weapon on this side of it, he should have his right hand cut off by the King's Officers; Heylins Cosmography.  
XVI. China is bounden on the North with Altay and the Eastern Tartars, from which it is separated by a continued Chain of Hills, and where that Chain is broken off, with a great Wall of four hundred Leagues, or Twelve hundred English miles in length; It was built (as they say) by Zaintzon the 117 King thereof, it was six fathom high, and 12 yards thick, and was twenty seven years in building by the continued labour of seven Millions, and Fifty Thousand men: Herbert's Travels.  
XVII. Ptolomeus Philopater built a Ship (saith Pancirollus) that the like was never seen before nor since; It was two hundred and eighty Cubits in length, fifty two Cubits in height from the bottom to the upper Decks; It had four hundred Banks, or Seats for Rowers, four hundred Mariners, and four thousand Rovers; And on the Decks it could contain Three Thousand Soldiers, There were also Gardens and Orchards on the top of it, as Plutarch relates in the life of Demetrius.  
XVIII. The Escurial or Monastery of St. Laurence in New Castille in Spain was built by K. Philip 2. A place of such Magnificence that no building in times past, or the present is comparable to it; The Front toward the West is adorned with three stately Gates, the middlemost whereof leadeth into a most magnificent Temple, or Monastery, wherein were one hundred Monks of the Order of St. Jerom, and a College; the Gate on the right hand openeth into divers Offices belonging to the Monastery that on the left hand to the Schools and outhouses belonging to the College; At the four Corners are four Turrets of excellent Workmanship, and for height Majestical; Towards the North is the King's Palace, on the South part are divers beautiful and Sumptuous Galleries, and on the East side several Gardens and Walks very pleasant and delectable; It containeth in all eleven several Quadrangles, every one encloistered, and is indeed so brave a Structure, that a Voyage to Spain were well employed, were it only to see it and return. Heylins' Cosmography.  
FINIS.   

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III. Wondered prodigies of judgement and mercy, discovered in above 300 memorable Histories, containing 1. Dreadful judgements upon Atheists, blasphemers, perjured villains. etc. As of several forsworn wretches carried away by the Devil, and how an horrid blasphemer was turned into a black dog, etc. 2. The miserable ends of many magicians, witches, conjurers, etc. with divers strange apparitions and illusions of the Devil; 3. Remarkable predictions, and presages of approaching death, and how the event has been answerable, with an account of some Appeals to Heaven against  Judges, and what vengeance hath fallen upon them. 4. The wicked lives and woeful deaths of several Popes, Apostates and Persecutors; with the manner how K. Hen. 2. was whipped by the Pope's Order by the Monks of Canterbury; and how the Q. of Bohemia, a desperate Persecutor of the Christians, was swallowed up in the Earth alive, with all her followers, etc. 5. Fearful Judgements upon bloody Tyrants, Murderers, etc. with the terrible Cruelties used by those monsters of men, Nero, Heliogabalus, Domitian, and others upon the Christians; also how Popiel, K. of Poland, (a Cruel Tyrant,) his Q. and Child. were devoured by Rats; and how a Town near Tripoli in Barbary, with the Men, Women, children, Beasts. Trees, Walls, Rooms, Cats, Dogs, Mice, and all that belonged to the place, were turned into perfect Stone, (to be seen at this day) for the horrid crimes of the Inhabitants; also the wonderful discovery of several Murders, etc. 6. Admirable Deliverances from imminent Dangers, and Deplorable Distresses at Sea and Land. Lastly, Divine Goodness to Penitents, with the dying Thoughts of several famous Men, concerning a future state after this life, as S. Austin, the Emp. Ch. 5. Philip 3. K. of Spain. The E. of North. Galleacius. H. Grotius Salmasius. Sr. F. Walsingh. Sr. P. Syd. Sr. H. Wotton. A.B. Usher E. of Rochest. L. C. J. Hales, and others; Embellished with divers Pictures. Price One Shilling.  
IU. HIstorical Remarks and Observations of the Ancient & present State of London and Westminster, showing the foundations, Wall, Gates, Towers, Bridges, Churches, Rivers, Wards, Halls, Companies, Government, Courts, Hospitals, Shcools, Inns of Court, Charters, Franchises, and Privileges thereof; with an account of the most remarkable Accidents, as to Wars, Fires, Plagues, and other occurrences, for above 900 years past, in and about these Cities; and among other particulars, the poisoning of K. John by a Monk. The Rebellion of Wat Tyler, who was slain by the Lord Mayor in Smithfield, and the speech of Jack Straw at his Execution; The Murder of K. Hen. 6. and likewise of Edw. 5. and his Brother, by Rich. 3. called Crook-back. The Execution of Empson and Dudley; the Insurrection in London in K. Hen. 8. time, and how 411 Men & Women went through the City in their Shifts & Ropes about their Necks to Westm. Hall. where they were pardoned by the King: With several other remarks in all the Kings and Queens Reigns to this Year 1681. And a description of the manner of the Trial of the late L. Stafford in West. Hall; Illustrated with Pictures, with the Arms of the 65 Companies of London, and the time of their Incorporating. Price one Shilling.  
V THE 4th. Edition of the Wars in England, Scotland, and Ireland, being near a 3d. part enlarged with very considerable Additions, containing an impartial Account of all the Battles, Sieges, and other remarkable Transactions, Revolutions and Accidents which have happened from the beginning of the Reign of K. Ch. 1. 〈…〉. to His Majesty's happy Restauration, 1660. And 〈…〉 particulars, The Debates and Proceed in the 4 〈…〉 Charles 1. The murder of the D. of Buck. by Felt. The Tumults at Edenb. in Scotl. upon reading the Common Prayer. The Insurrection of the Apprentices and Seamen, and their assaulting of A. B. L's House at Lamb. Remarks on the Trial of the E. of Strafford and his last Speech. The horrid and bloody Rebellion of the Papists in Ireland and their murdering above 200000 in 1641. The Death of Archbishop Laud. Mr. Chaloner and Tomkins, Sir J. Hotham, Sir Alex. Carew, Duke Hamilton, E. of Holland, L. Capel, M. Love, M Gibbons, Sr. H. Slingsby, Dr. Hewet, and others. The Treaties and Propositions at Uxbridge and Newp. in the Isle Wight. The Illegal Trial of K. Ch. 1. at large with his last speech at his suffering. His Majest. Reasons against the pretended Jurisdiction of the H. C. of Justice; With the most considerable matters which happened till 1660. And the K. most Gracious Declaration from Breda. with Pictures of several Remarkable Accidents. Price one Shilling.  
THE Young Man's Calling, or the whole Duty of Youth, in a serious and compassionate Address to all young Persons to remember their Creator in the days of their Youth. Together with Remarks upon the Lives of several excellent Young Persons of both Sexes, as well ancient as modern, who have been famous for Virtue and Piety in their Generations, namely, On the Lives of Isaac and Joseph in their youth; On the Martyrdom of the 7 Sons and their Mother; and of Romanus a Young Nobleman, with the invincible courage of a Child of 7 years old, who was martyred. On the Martyrdom of divers holy Virgins and Martyrs. On the Life of that blessed Prince King Edw. 6. with his earnest Zeal for the Protestant Religion, and his ingenious Letters to his Godfather, A. B. Cranmer, when but 8 years old, with his last words and Prayer against Popery. On the Life and Death of Q. Jane, as her learned Dispute with Fecknam a Priest, about the Sacrament, her Letters to her Father the D. of Suffolk, to her Sister, and to Harding an Apostate Protestant. On the Life of Q. Eliz. in her Youth, with her many sufferings and dangers from bloody Bonner and Gardiner, and her joyful Reception to the Crown. On the Religious Life and Death of the most noble and Heroic P. Henry elder Son to K. James; And also of the young L. Harrington; etc. With 12 curious Pictures illustrating the several Histories. Price Eighteen Pence.  
All six sold by Nath. Crouch.  
FINIS.