A STRANGE WONDER, OR, The Cities Amazement.  
Being a Relation occasioned by a wonderful and unusual Accident, that happened in the River of Thames, Friday, Feb. 4. 1641.  
There flowing two tides at London-Bridge, within the space of an hour and a half, the last coming with such violence and hideous noise, that it not onely affrighted, but even astonished above 500. watermen that stood beholding it, on both sides the Thames.  
Which latter tide rose six foot higher then the former tide had done, to the great admiration of all men.  
LONDON, Printed for John THOMAS, 1641.   

True news from Heaven,  
IT hath been manifestly shown how in all Ages for these 700. yeares, ever since the Conquest, dismal chances, and heavy events, have ever attended such unnatural and undue motions of the Ocean; beseeching God Almighty that it may be his mercy in Christ towards us, that it may not miss of it wonted course and that no sad distasters or judgements follow or ensue it hereupon, a●l good people of this kingdom are desired to lay away dispute, and embrace devotion to surcease contention and strifes, to embrace charity in peace, and quiet, with humility, and thus disposed to pray day and night with unanimous consent; for the joyful Union, and prosperous harmony between King and Parliament, wherein consisteth the onely happiness of this kingdom.  
Not long since was printed an idle Pamphlet, entitled news from Hell, a pasquil onely intended for mirth and pastime not so seasonable for these dayes of public distraction, and several discontent; if Salomon may be heard, who saith, that there is a time for all things under the sun.  
But see the chance, no sooner was that breviary of tales and collection of idle falsity, public exstinct and quenched men having both seen and red their fill. But behold comes news from Heaven, true news I warrant you, for God we know as the God of truth, so he delights in nothing less then falsehood, that being as opposite to him as light unto darkness, good unto evil, no questioning therefore any thing done by God for matter of Fact, because he doth them for the most part so publicly( as who dares stand to and avouch them) that many times kingdoms and Nations, at the least multitudes of persons are forced, will they take notice of them, nay more if the world is so either st●pid or Sottish, that it will take no notice, nor give any heed to Gods news,( which are his signs and Tokens, appearing either in sky, Earth or Water contrary or above the ordinary steerage of nature) what time I say men shall spare to take special regard, and to slight the prodigious ensigns, if not ominous ha●bingers in their address, and appearing, it is altogether a known certainty that they will take notice of him by their determinate working: God saith, that the very Snow and rain shall not return without the accomplishment of that for which they were sent, which are the ordinary affects of natural causes very familiar with us, and shall we think that his wonders stand for ciphers, that his extraordinary works( that sometime the world is not acquaint with all once in an age) shall die speechless, that his terrible Apparitions should depart empty, leaving no effects, no prints behind them, surely no, they are of greater consequence then so, and in all Ages they have by woeful instance, that have followed them compelled the world to be of another belief, the Heathen philosophers that had nothing but the glimmering of nature to help them, and some rov●ng guess at natural causes, that Blazing star of our time, the deaths of great Princes, and Potentates, immoderate winds P●ague and Pestilence, intemperate rains Rot, murrain among Beasts and cattle, the unexpected sudden and causeless swelling of Rivers, Death and Famine, the d●sorderly and changeable ebb●ng and flowing of the tide, blood, and dissension, if the Heathen by the Candle of n●●re could not onely perceive v●, but w Gods n●●●ble Messengers, and partly ●e● their arrant; shall Christians that live in the day of the gospel descrye nothing by them, but take them to bee as dumb in effect as some of them are in sound, especia ly when God himself crieth, my Wonders shall fill the Earth, which is understood so much with their number, as their operation, if then Gods extraordinary Heralds, J mean his dread and unacquainted predictions have ever had some undoubted design, then this of ours that happened february. the 4. being last friday, ought not to be passed over, as not worth the marking or observing, The strange tokens which GOD from Heaven, the day aboue-said, shewed amongst us, was this, friday february 4. 1641. it was high Water at one of the clock at noon●, a time,( by reason so accommodated for all employments, either by Water or Land) very fit to afford witness, of a strange and notorious accident, after it was full high Water, and that it flowed its full due time as all almanacs set down, and watermen the unquestionable Prognosticators in that affair, with confidence maintain it stood a quiet still dead Water, a full hour and half, without moving or returning any way never so little, yea the watermen flung in sticks to the stream, as near as they could guesse● which lay in the Water as vpon the Earth, without moving this way, or that, Dishes, likewise and Wod●en Buckers they set a swimming, but it proved a stilling for move they would not any way by force of ●●ream or water, so that it seemed that the water was indeed asleep or dead, or had changed or borrowed the stability of the Earth, the watermen not content with this evidence wou●d needs make the utmost of the rryall, that they might teport with the more boldness the truth of the matter, and with more cred●ble confidence they took their boats and launched into the stream or very channel: the boats that lay hailed ●p upon the shore moved as much, except ●hen they used their oars, nay( a thing worthy the admiration of all men) they rowed under the very Arches, took up their oars and slept there: ●or at least lay still an hour very near their boats not so much as moved through any way, either upward or downward: the water seeming as plain, quiet, even, and stable, as a pavement, under the Arch, where if any where in the Thames, there must be moving by reason of the narrowness of the place, in this posture stood the water a whole hour and half or rather above by the Testimony of above five hundred watermen on either side the Thames, whom not to believe in this case were stupidity, not discretion.  
At least when all men expected its ebb, being filled with amazement that it stood so long as hath been delivered, behold a greater wonder, a new tide comes in, a new tide with a witness, you might easily take notice of him, so loud he roared, that the noise was guessed to be about greenwich when it was ●e●rd so, not onely clearly but fearfully to the Bridge, and up he comes tumbling, roaring, and foaming in that furious manner that it was horror unto all that beholded it, and as it gave sufficient notice to the care of its coming, so it left sufficient satisfaction to the eye, that it was now come, having raised the water four foot higher then the first tide had done, four foot by rule, as by evident measure did appear, and presently ebbed in as hasty confused unaccustomed manner, see here reader a wonder, that( all things considered the oldest man never saw, or heard of the like, what God would signify unto us by it, especially in these not well settled times) we must leave to him that in such cases teacheth and instructeth by the event, but for our, parts let it work this good effect in us( knowing that in all ages from the Conquest hitherto, if we will believe our own Chronologers the Feoffees in trust of the passed times, this unusual, sudden, unnatural return of the tide, hath in this kingdom been evermore followed with continual dismal heavy issues, either of deaths of unmatchable and peerless personages, of battle, sickness, or Famine( as by six and forty mournful instances we are able to make it appear:) this effect J say let it work, let it end, or at least qualify our dissensions & uncharitable disputes, let it work in us a hate of Popish Idolatry, yet alone unto the men, to do well as we say well to endeavour to join true charity towards our neighbour with true piety toward God, to couple true sincerity with true humility, to link true amity toward my friend, with true and unfeigned Loyalty toward my sovereign.  
To pray day and night for a perfect Concord, and unanimous consent, vndivided Union between King and Parliament, wherein consisteth the onely permanent happiness of this kingdom.  
FINIS.