A famous City turned INTO STONE.  
OR, A Fearful example for England To take warning by: In which is contained all the full and whole Description of a famous City in Barbary, that was for their Rebellion against God (in the twinkling of an eye) both Men. Women, and Children, with all the Cattle, Houses, and materials therein turned into Stone. The manner how shall in this little Book be faithfully and truly Related according to very good Authors, which have since this great and miraculous wonder happened, been at the place where it was done, and have seen (with much Terror) those thïngs which shall be presently spoken of.  
Writen by Laurence Price.  
London, Printed for Tho. Vere at the Angel without Newgate. 1657.   

A famous City turned INTO STONE.  
Entered according to Order.   


Angrogra   depiction of a city overlooked by Calvary and threatened by a heavenly sword and thunderbolt  two men and a woman lament   

A famous City turned INTO STONE.  
THat God is angry with the World for Sin, may appear by this following wonder; the like whereof was never known since the World's first Creation: in the fruitful and flourishing Kingdom of Tripilo in Barbary, foam fourscore miles up in the Land, there was not long since a famous City called Angrogra, at which City in former times before the Wars grew so hot between England and Spain, our English Merchants had great commerce, and made Traffic with the inhabiters thereof. This City was sensed about with many lofty bulwarks, & walls, with eight great Gates made of Cedar, and Cyprus wood; the City itself was of seven mile's compass round by just account and measure: within the which were six and fifty fair and goodly Parish Churches, most richly adorned with Gold & Silver, having their locks and keys for the most part of them made of pure Gold, the reason why? was because that Gold in that parts is more plentiful than Iron or Steel, and there is a mighty great Golden Mine some seven or eight miles from the City in which many labouring Men are working and digging for the over continually, and according as Men dig for the ore, and mettle of Iron, Coles, Tinn, or Led here in England, so fast do they dig and get Gold and Silver in some parts of Barbary, and the Barbary Gold is accounted to be the finest and purest Gold in all the World: and now to go forward in my discourse concerning the City, I will endeavour myself to be as speedy as I may. The fornamed City had many stately Buildings and Territors therein, and abundance of pleasant streets facing every way, with several Market places belonging there unto, in the midst thereof there was a stately Burrs or Exchange, where all manner of rich Merchants and others daily frequented about their Worldly affairs, there were likewise three gallant Theaters, or Playhouses, which were aloud every day in the week so often as they thought good to use their vain glorious exercises. Moreover there were great plenty of wealthy Shops, and rich Merchants Houses, in all the chiefest streets of the City? and to be brief there was never a City of that bigness in all Africa that had more abundance of People in it then was in the City of Angrogra, nor never were People given to more pleasure, than were the People of that City at that very same timé when their destruction came upon them: some were buying and selling in the Markets for profunt, some were Feasting and merry making amongst their Friends and acquaintance: some were vaulting and dancing in dancing Schools, some were acting their parts in the Playhouses, whilst others were drinking and swaggering in Alehouses. But in as short space as Lot's Wife was turned into a Pillar of Salt Gen. 23. v. 14. was this stately City turned also into stone, and so it is like to continue to the end of the World; and as for the People that were therein they were all transformed into stone every Man, every Woman, and every Child, the manner how is as followeth.  
HEre is a brief and true relation of the admirable alteration of the famous City of Angrogra according to the Letters that were sent into England this present year 1656. which Letters were sent by them that were eye witnesses, as namely the potent Dake of Florence; the Bassa or Prince of the Country, and two of our English Merchants that by reason of Tempestuous weather at Sea, was driven to an Anchor ne'er unto the shore of Barbary, who hearing of this strange miraculous wonder, some of our English Seamen having admittance, travelled up into the heart of the Land, and did behold this sad and unexpected admiration, and lastly one that is very well known to be a faithful Friend to his Native Country, Sir kelum Digby by name. a worthy English Knight, who having received intelligence from the Prince of Barbary, and the Duke of Florence, sent it into England to have it put in Print, that we may take warning by their destruction: the Men that were at that time in the City walking up and down the streets about their Business, were immediately turned into stone, so were the rich Aldermen and Merchants with chains of Gold about their necks, and all the Gorgerus, Gowns, and Apparel that they did wear, were likewise turned into stone; they also that were in their Houses were served in the self same kind: a great company of the chiefest young Men and Maids were assimbled together in a large and spacious Hall, to solemnize a wedding, with Music and dancing, & much merriment, were in the twinkling of an Eye both Bridegroom and Bride, Neighbours and Strangers, every, living body and dead Creatures all turned into stone: yet are every Man and every Woman standing still in the same posture and shape as they were in when they were alive; them that were dancing and caporing after the Music, and they that stood still were all strucken dead & turned into stone, standing still in the place where they were before: they that were eating and drinking, sitting at their Tables or in other places, both them and their Victuals, Flesh and Fish, Bread and Wine, and the Vessels that held it was Metamorphosed, and turned into stone; Women that had their little Infants sucking at their tender Breasts were in the very same Form and portraiture, whether standing or sitting, all turned into stone. A company of Men to the number of sixtéen, that were digging in a plot of Ground, intending to make a Vineyard thereof, were like the rest all turned into stone, standing stooping towards the Ground with their Shovels in their hands: All the People that were at the Theaters and several Playhouses, as well the Actors as the Spectators were every Creature turned into stone: and to be brief the Multitude of People rich and poor, old and young all speed a like, there was not so much as one Man that escaped alive out of the City, to tell what was become of the rest: and thus was all humane and unhuman Creatures that lived in the City struck dead at an instant, & turned into stone; the covetous Man had no time to repent of his Sins, nor had the Drunkard the space to ask God forgivenésse: furthermore all the Horses, Oxen, Sheep, and Cattles, and feathered fowls, as Cocks, Hens, Geese, and Turkeys, Trees, wood, Timber, Gold, Silver, Brass, and all other sorts of Minerals, and Metals, became to be stone, which may stand for a monument, and be known for a wonder from one Generation to another, so long as the Sun and Moon gives light, and the Earth and the firmament doth endure? and I am verily persuaded, and so are many thousands more beside, that these Signs, & these Tokens, and these wonders, the pleasure of the Lord was to send upon them that have little or no relation to the holy Gospel of the Lord jesus Christ, because we that are accounted for Christians may consider with ourselves, and learn to bear a better conscience both to God and Man; and this is my desire that all sorts of People that would willingly be called by the name of Christians, may show themselves to walk like Christians, & with speed every on to amend their sinful lives, for fear that the Lord in his anger should lay the like, or as bad a punishment upon our Sinful Nation; which God in his Mercy grant may never come to pass.  
HEre followeth directions drawn both from the Scriptures, and from humane reason, whereby to advise all Sinners in time to fly unto the Lord for Mercy, and so to prevent Gods heavy judgements before it come upon us. Adam when he had lived but a little while in the Garden of Eden (which is called Paradise) for his disobedience and breaking of God's Commandment was driven out, and quite excluded for his rebellion. Gen. 3.14. The great and general deluge, and drowning of the World, which is called Noah's flood was for provoking God to anger, in so much that God repent himself that ever he made Man. Gen. 6. v. 6. and when the Lord reigned down Fire & Btimstone upon Sodom and Gomorah, it was done for the wickedness of the People. Gen. 19.24. The curse of the Lord sell upon Egypt whereby their Land became unfruitful, the Caterpillars devoured their Herbs, their rivers of water were turned into Blood, and Frogs, Lice, and Grashopers brought the People to ruin Exod. 8.2. all which was brought to pass for their ungratefulness towards God. The Chilerens of Israel for murmuring against God, and his Prophet Moses, were bitten and stung to death with fiery Serpents. Numb. 25.6. And the destruction of Jerusalem was because they hearkened not to the voice of the Lord, but Stoned and Murdered the Prophets when they were sent unto them. Mat. 23.37. Corath, Dathan, and Abiram: ware swallowed up alive into the Earth, for their blaspemous Sinus; and the prodigal Son was feign to feed upon the empty husks, long of his abominable Pride, and voluptuous living. Luke. 1516. Judas Jscariot had never have come to have hanged himself, if it had not been for his false dissimulation and treachery. Nor had the glutton Dives been tormented in the flames of Hell, if it had not been for his covetousness, and despising of the Poor. Luke. 16.20. A many more such sad & strange examples, may be proved by the Scriptures, which is the word of the living God, to show to the World wherefore God made us, and what in duty we are bound to do: and now let us once more think upon the famous City which was turned into stone; their punishment was more than ours; our Sins are greater than theirs: for had they had so many good and Godly Ministers in that City, and Country, that are both able and willing to preach and to teach them the word of the living God, as praised be the name of the Lord, we have here in England, no doubt but they would have repent them of their sins before that heavy vengeanc of the Lord lighted upon them. And now let every Man and Woman in England and else where turn from their wicked ways and amend their sinful lives, and as the Lord hath been more merciful to our sinful Nation then unto others, let us endeavour ourselves to be more thankful unto his Holy name, for the great and manifold Blessings which our good God have bestowed upon us; and let us henceforth lay a part all pride of heart, and covetousness of mind, all hypocrisy, dissimulation, all vain glorious and blasphemous opinions, all hatred, malice, spite, and envy, all cursing and swearing, sedition, and mischief making, all conspiracy and treachery one towards another; and to love and obey the commandments of the Lord above all Earthly pleasure, and to keep a good conscience, and do unto all Men as we would have them to do unto us: and withal to pray unto the Lord to take away from us our stony hearts? and give us hearts of flesh, and then if our fine were as red as Scarlet the Lord will make them as white as Snow, and though they were like Purple they shall he made as white as Wool. Esay. 1. v. 18. And to conclude in a word we were better all to repent with Ninivy, then to be burnt with Sodom, and take warning and learn by the fall of others, to lead our lives in the time to come in a better manner than here to fore we have done: which that we may, let us every one with diligence call upon God early and late, at our up rising, and lying down, at our going forth and our coming in, that he will be our defender and keeper all the days of our lives, and that for the sake of jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.  
FINIS.