Strange & Wonderful News FROM IRELAND: OF A WHALE OF A Prodigious Size, being Eighty Two Foot long: Cast Ashore on the Third of this Instant February, near DUBLIN; and there Exposed to Public View.  
In a Letter to a Person of Quality.  
SIR,  
WE have had so many Prodigies of this Kind, that I would not trouble you with any impertinent or improbable Relation, had not half the Kingdom, as well as myself, been Eye witnesses to it. And I Question not, but the thing being so generally known, and talked of, you will have Letters from several others this Post to confirm the Truth thereof.  
In the County of Lowth, between Dublin and Drahedah, on the Third of this Instant February, was seen, about Eight of the Clock in the Morning, a Whale of the most Prodigious Size as ever had been seen in these parts of the World, appearing about a League off, like a moving Island, or a huge Black Castle in the midst of the Ocean. When it came nearer the Shore, it seemed like Irelands-Eye, the Hill of Ho●h, or some vast Mountain upon the Sea-Coast; the Sea, by the continual breaking of the Billows, (as if they disdained to be Bounded by those Banks) being all in a White Foam round about it.  
In this plight the Prodigious Leviathan held Combat with the Floods for above Six Hours, as if he had challenged all the Sea-Gods to the Engagement, and been in Dispute with Neptune for the Empire. Sometimes he was above, and sometimes under the Waves, belching and throwing up such vast Streams, and Spouts of Water out of his Mouth, as seemed to put out the Sun, playing, like Water-Engins, against the Clouds, which accompanied with smoke out of his Nostrils, and frequent Flashes of Lightning from his Ghastly Eyes, struck Terror in the amazed Multitude, who by this time, from all parts round, were gathered upon the Sea-Coast, to see the Event of this so wonderful and terrible a Prodigy.  
To hear the several Opinions, Fears and Consternations, of the Fingallians, and Monaghas, Bred in some Pity, in others Laughter. To hear one calling for St. Patrick, another for St. Dominick, one for Colomkill, another for Phelemback, to Save them from the Fury of the great Leviathan, and the Terror of the Day of Judgement, which they were assured was at hand. To me it was pleasure to Observe the variety of Pastimes and Humours amongst 'em; some setting up the Hullaloo, and Irish Howl, others singing Mackellamone and the Crone, some at their Ave-maries', others at the Whip of Dunboin, some at their Padreens, others at a Jig of Balruddery, and Dance of Baldaile. To see Sheela at her Prayers, and Nabla at her Sneezing, Dermot at his Beads, and Rory at his Bolcane and Vsquebah; some run home to their Wives, others to the Father Confessor; while many stayed, some out of hopes of Prey, others out of Curiosity, to see the Result of it.  
About Two a Clock the Tide going out he was left like a great Ship on ground, with the Keel up wards, half way in Mud and Water, still struggling and spouting out Water in vast quantities, which being carried by an Easterly Wind, sometimes reached as far as the Shore.  
About an hour after he was left upon the Strand, wallowing in the Mud, beating the ground with his Head, and flapping with his Tail, in such violent and hideous manner, that the Wind thereof blue away several People, who came running down upon the Strand, Roaring as if there had been a Legion of Dutch Cannon within him, and with that dreadful and horrible Noise, as if they had been Discharged at one Broadside, for his last Volley. In this Hurricane there was not a  in Seven Miles round that had a Glass Window left upon it all their Drink was sovered, and their Milk turned into Curds and Whey.  
In this fury, Leviathan expired, when the Assembly taking fresh Courage by this Death, laid Siege to the deserted Garrison. Engines are erected, and he is brought a shore, being in length Eighty Two Foot, the Tongue weighing above Six Hundred Pound, as soft, but much bigger than a Featherbed. The Heart bigger and fatter than the Body of a great Ox, the Ribs and Bones like Beams, and the Teeth all Whale-bone, like the Rafters of a House meeting in Couples, but something closer, with white Beards like Wheat-Sheafs at the end of them, and the Tail like a chequered stripped Scotch Plad, split in the middle, and spreading open on both sides. In the Mouth of which, being propped up with the mast of a Dublin Gibbard, many People have been together.  
In the opening of him they found Three Men and a Boy, with Three large Horns of Snuff, and a Runlet of Vsquebah. The Men were known, being poor Fishermen belonging to a Creek within Four Miles of Droheda. One of the Men having an Oar in his Hand which struck fast in his Gills, and the Boat running a drift, stuck cross in his Throat, which was thought to be the occasion of his wreck. Others finding a quantity of Barrel-staves within him, thought it might be with excess of some hot Liquors which agreed not with his Phlegmatic Constitution.  
In the dissecting of him, the Meat which is yet to be seen, being rather Flesh than Fish, the Skin and upper Parts resembing fatted-smoakt-Bacon, and under that, red Flesh, like swilled Mutton or Dutch Beef, of which many have Eaten, and found it so.  
The Head, Heart, Tail, and other Parts are yet to be seen in Oxmontouwn in Dublin, as you will find by the Bills, which are Printed and given out in this City, which I have sent you Enclosed.  
A Copy of the Bills as they are Printed and given out in Dublin.  
At the WHITE-HOUSE in the midst of St. Mary's-Lane, in Oxmontown in Dublin, is to be seen,  
The Head, Heart, Tail, and other Parts of the most Prodigious and Monstrous WHALE, that ever was seen or heard of in ●hes● Parts of the World, being in length Eighty Two Foot, etc.  
By 

Patrick Simmons,  
David Coniers, etc.     

Price Half a Cobb.   

LONDON, Printed for S. Kemp. 1683.