THE NEW YEARES WONDER.  
BEING A most cernaine and true Relation of the disturbed inhabitants of Kenton▪  
And other neighbouring villages near unto Edge-Hil, where the great battle betwixt the kings army, and the Parliaments forces was fought.  
In which place is heard & seen fearful and strange apparitions of spirits as sounds of drums, trumpets, with the discharging of Canons Muskies, Carbines pettronels, to the terror and amazement, of all the fearful hearers and beholders.  
Certified under the hands of William Wood, esquire, and Iustice for the Peace in the said county, Samuel Marshall, Preacher of Gods Wotd in Keynton, and other persons of quality.  
Printed for Robert Ellit, lodger near the old Rose in Thames-street, who was an eye witness unto this.   

 woodcut of musicians   

THE NEW YEARES WONDER. BEING A most certain and true Relation, of the disturbed inhabitance of Kenton, and other neighbouring villages near Edg-Hill.  
NOT altogether disallowing of old folkes similys and saying that winters nights, thunder presageth enents of sumars strange wonders, which is greatly to be feared & doubted if it begin before sumar and ushers in the new year amongst us with such care terour and strange eye optic appearance, as is by divers affirmed and related.  
To which avoidance therefore, wee 〈…〉 every hopeful and beleeing christian to put on new obedience unto Heaven, and begin with the new year, a newness of life & conversation, with the endeur of continuance till the nihgt of our death comes.  
With love fear & obedience contineu in prayers to Almighty God, that he would be pleased to call back his destroying angel from amongst us, and with the hand of his mercy sheathe up the sword of his venganr, which his wrath by our multiplying sins caused him draw against us, unto our fears and terours.  
Still appearing a prodigious meteor or the fearful head of this distracted kingdom, and that this little Ile that was but late the admiration of lergar Christendme, for self accommodation and commerce for plenty and for every thing besides, with such a largnes of abundancy, that it almost needeth noe affinity with any neighb●oring nation but its own.  
And now to see the change times here hath made, and with it made us a laghter to the world to see ourselves divided against ourselves, doing ourselves that ill, which foreign nations would but could not do.  
Which Heaven of his mercy grant a period that both the offended sides no more may sheathe their wraths in one another, but be friends, and ●●●ndish palms instead of polaxes and that these ●●●pa●●tion 〈◇〉 am entering in Relation of, beget no farther summer fear amongst us.  
As famine from evasion and utter reuine that may enter in that gap we open ourselves, and that no more such fields as Kenton, may be fought nor Edge-Hill sharpened to cut us more.  
Whose troubles peete of earth plastred with English gore and turned unto a golgotha of bones is row become the plot of fear and horror, whose earth now groaning with the weight of lives whose last beds there were maid to sleep upon, rests in  
Whose dying groans a second time reviues breaking the cauerns of the couring earth, and sends both fear and horour round about to terifie the living with dead souls, which first amazing wonder began his shadowing apparitons on the first of january, as ●eere as the relatours gest in the afternone betwixt three and four of the clock which was beholded by three Countrymen riding a long the way in the likeness of a Troope of horse posting up to them with full speed, which caused the Countrymen to make a stop as fearful of their events▪  
But coming near unto them they of a sudden sunk into the earth which turned to their more greater fear and amaizement then at there first advancing.  
But seeing some certain herdsmen atending on cattle in the fields they road up to them who related the same story which they were eye witnisses unto them the horsemen at the heatds-mens confermation of what themselves had sense ware so affrighted that they resouled to go no farther then Kenton that night, where the on being glad of eithers human sosiety a companies each other.  
Where having taking up there nightly habitation they began to relate it unto the townsmen, the on confirming the words of the other both strangers and there towns dwelling herdsmen, which soon was spread abroud but few or none that had belife unto't.  
On the morning the strangers departed & thouhgt al the town heard the relation of it, yet they made slight of it, this passed on till the forth of january nothing more heard or seen, which made the poor herdsmen the more derided for it  
But the forth of january being come many of the town went to the herdsmen grased there cattle, jeering the poor men, when should they heard more wowders from them  
But the day being spent, and all the town at rest within there beds, about the middle season of the night, that which apeard to them rediculus, gave them a Testimony of their own belife.  
For why the doleful and the hydious groans of dying men were heard crying revenge and some again to ease them of their pain by friendly killing them, this waked many in the town, and sent they trembling agues in there beds,  
But their to amplify the noise of Drumes and Trumpets sounded a sudden alarum as if an enemy had entred in their town to put them to a sudden exicution and plunder all their estates.  
Some hide themselves in corners, some over-head and ears lay swearing and half smothered in their beds, and some of better courage look through the winddowes where they to there appearing visibly saw armed horseman riding one again the other and so vanished all.  
Many women fear made them miscarry, and the stoutest hearted man amongst them all could not deny but that then he feared death.  
Next night they set strong watch every where and from there niehbouring towns gathered more assistance the cross heyway and every place besides was strongly warded neither would women or children that were able keep either house or beds.  
But they expected hover of twelve being come, Drumes and Trumpets gave again to sound alarum to fight and all the spirit horse and foot appeared and stood in battleray, the foot again the foot and horse against the horse discherging of M. peetternell and Carbines the one again the other, falling to the ground on either side apace, and Ordinance playing on against the other as plainly visable to the behoulers view as if the real action had been there.  
All night it lasted in this hidiour maner, but at the break of day all as they formarly in the twinkling of an eye did vanish.  
But since hath no more been seen which caused the Inhabitants of Kenton to forsake their town and get new haitations for themselves.  
But some learned men have since delivered their opininons, that there may be yet unburied kackasses found, so diligent search hath been made, and found it so.  
Which God of his mercy cease these wars and bless our Land with peace.  
Mr. Marshall the Minister of Kenton, went to Oxon to the King, and did inform him of the apparitions of all the aforesaid proceedings of the spirits.  
THE King presently sent to Edge-Hill colonel Lewis kirk, captain dudley, captain Winman, and three other gentlemen of worth who heard of this sad fearful and hideous sight wihch Mr. Marshall, related to his majesty and then departed wondrous fearful amaized and affrighted, & saw divers to their appearance that were there slain as Sir edmond Varney, with divers others: Thus have you heard the sad relation of the appearance of these ugly fiends Vpon which was made oath to his majesty, which the Lord in His mercy enlighten his Maiestys heart, that those eveill councelares wh●ich are about him may be put ever far from him and that wee may have peace. Amen.  
FINIS.