Fire from Heaven.  
Burning the body of one john Hittchell of Holne-hurst, within the parish of Christ-church, in the County of Southampton the 26. of june last 1613. who by the same was consumed to ashes, and no fire seen, lying therein smoking and smothering three days and three nights; not to bequenched by water, nor the help of man's hand.  
With the lamentable burning of his house and one child, and the grievous scorching of his wife: with the birth of a Monster, and many other strange things happening about the same time: the like was never seen nor heard of.  
Written by john H●lliard Preacher of the word of life in Sopley.  Read and tremble. 
With the fearful burning of the town of Dorchester upon friday the 6. of August last 1613.   printer's or publisher's device 
Printed at London for john Trundle, and are to be sold at his shop in Barby can at the sign of Nobody. 1613.   

To The Worshipful his very loving cozen Mr. Nicholas Hillyard, his majesties servant in ordinary. Io: H. wishes all the graces of this life, and the glory of the life to come.  
Worshipful and worthy cozen,  
my end in publishing this Pamphlet, is not popular ostentation: for you well know, it becometh neither the season, nor the subject: The only purpose I have, is to rouse up the slothful careless, and instruct the filthy forgetful, to behold the wonderful works of the Lord, and thereby to grow more thankful for his great mercy, in sparing them: And to the end that we may all in true humility, embrace these merciful warnings of our gracious God, and speedily appeal to the Throne of mercy, preparing ourselves to meet the Bridegroom of our souls, who cometh in majesty to judge both quick and dead. For we must all appear before the judgement Seat of Christ, 
2. Cor. 5.10.  that every man may receive the things which are done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil.  
For the plainness and rudeness of my style, if you duly consider the manner of my writing: I trust you will acknowledge that the power of the spirit is best seen in weakness, and that plain lines do best answer a strait level: the evidence of the spirit is best seen in plainness: Wherefore if our Gospel be hid, it is hid in them that perish. But I persuade myself better things of you, even such as accompany salvation. If you accept of these my pains according to mine intent you shall happily ease yourself of the Mother and the Daughter's forgetfulness, and unthankfulness, and burden me willingly with greater labour, for the further building you up in Christ jesus. To whose protection I commit you.  
Christ-church this 10. of july. 1613. Your loving kinsman, john Hilliard.  
  

Fire from Heaven: or A TRUMPET SOUNDING TO JUDGEMENT, CALLING US TO REPENTANCE, BY THE FEARFUL and lamentable burning of john Hitchell, carpenter to ashes: together with his house and one child, and the grievous scorching of his wife by lightning, as also by the burning of another house sithence, and the birth of a Monster. All within the Town and Parish of Christ-church in Hampshire.  
IT was the saying of Cambyses, that Cities would flourish well in prosperity, if the Inhabitants were watchful, and still imagined their enemies to be at hand. That which he said for the prosperous estate of a commonweal, our Saviour said for the happy success of all Christians. And both tend to show that whether we respect the safety of our bodies here on earth, or the salvation of our souls in the kingdom of Christ, we may not be in our callings either idle, careless, or secure. But yet such is our nature, we rather respect the words of Cambyses, for temporal prosperity, than the warning of Christ, for eternal felicity. Whereby it comes to pass, that we have commonly fayrs bodies, but soul souls: much goods, but little goodness: seeming glorious in the sight of men outwardly, but odious inwardly in the sight of God. According to that of the Psalmist. 
Psal. 10.6.  The ungodly hath said in his heart, tush, I shall never be cast down, there shall no evil happen unto me. But the fairest Oak is soon cut down: the fattest Ox is readiest for the slaughter, and the felicity of fools, is their own destruction. 
Pro. 1. Psal. 73.  For how soon do they consume, perish, and come to fearful end? Yea even as a dream are they when one awaketh. 
Annos 6.8.9,  Though the Lord hath sworn by himself that he doth abhor the excellency of jacob, and hate his Palaces, and therefore will deliver up the City, with all that is therein, and if there remain ten men in one house, they shall all die. Yet still such is our security that we say with the unthrifty servant tardat Dominus Venire: Our Lord doth defer his coming, thinking we may repent when we please, and that we shall have leisure enough, not remembering with ourselves, That like as God is merciful, 
Eccl, 5.6.  so goeth wrath from him also, and his indignation cometh down upon sinners. Therefore let us make no tarrying to turn to the Lord, and not put of from day to day, for suddenly doth his wrath come, and in the time of vengeance he will destroy us. Semper vigilemus bené vivendo, ne novissimus dies cuiusque nostrum inveniat nos imparatos. Let us watch and wait for his coming in honest conversation of life, that the latter day of every one of us find us not unprepared. For he is not slack, as they count slackness, 
2. Pet. 3.9.  but he is patiented to usward, because he would have mercy of all and none to perish. There is not one among us so just as jacob was, nor scarce one on whom the Lord will pronounce the like sentence, so lamentable is our time, and so detestable our iniquities. Our eyes have beheld such signs as jerusalem did: but we esteem them as fantasies, descanting whence they come, but not remembering wherefore they were sent. Our ears have heard many jonasses, threatening death, destruction, and damnation to Ninivi, crying over us with tears for our abomination, yet we rather desire silks then sackcloth: and when we should repent, we study to increase our pride. We have them which cry daily with the prophet Esay woe is me, 
Esay 16.  woe is me, the transgressors grievously have offended, threatening that fear, the Pit, and the snare, is upon the inhabiters of the earth, he that flieth from the noise of the fear, shall fall into the Pit: and he that cometh out of the Pit, shallbe taken in the snare, for the windows of Heaven are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake etc. Can we read this of ourselves? can we learn this of others? can we see the daily proof of these Prophecies come to effect: and dare we continue still rocked in the cradle of Security? like Epicures caring for nought but the belly? O monstrous time full of deformity! O reprobate people deleting in impiety, and more brutish than beasts forgetting their duty: else how durst the usurer devour the body and thirst for the blood of his brother, when he readeth how the rich man burned in Hell? 
Luke 16.  How durst the Adulterer persist in his lascivious enterprises, when he seethe the sin of David so sevearely punished, the incest of Lot so grievously lamented, and the wisdom of Solomon so foully obscured? How durst the covetous person heap up riches for other, when he hears our Saviour call him fool, that so provided for his soul? How gracelessely dare the Glutton maintain his delicacy, when he remembers how jobes' children were slain at their banquet? How dare the Tyrant continue his cruelty, if he regard the revenge of the rigorous debtor? How dare our worldlings continue their pride considering the fall of Lucifer? How dare the Idolater do reverence to Images, when he heareth the heavy curse that the God of truth pronunceth against him? How dare we swear and forswear ourselves, when we remember the wretched end of Nabal? How dare greedy Man to covet his neighbour's house, when he thinketh how hungerly the dogs licked the blood of King Ahab? How dare the most base swinish gormondizing drunkard, sit all the day, and night, and week, swilling, sing, and profanely abusing Gods Creatures, when he heareth the holy Ghost pronounce woe unto them that rise early to be drunken? How dare all foul offenders but to tremble and quake, when they hear the fearful noise of the Thunder, and see the dreadful blasts of is lightning to descend from the heavens, and sent from an angry God as tokens of his fearful indignation? In a word, how dareth every obstinate sinner to delight and boast of his wickedness, when he knoweth that upon the ungodly shall rain Snares, 
Psal. 11.7.  Fire, and Brimstone, & stormy, tempest: this shall be their portion to drink. But such is our ungodliness, that what we should do, we slide back from, forgetting God, and calling vengeance upon ourselves, haling sorrow upon sorrow, envying those that live well and loving those that hate goodness. Who ever read of more Royalty in a King, than we may justly write of our learned, gracious and godly King james? whose blessed, peaceful, and happy reign, the Lord for his mercy long continue over us. What land had evermore plenty of all things than this Realm of England? and yet what country under the Sun may be compared with it for unthankfulness? We have the light of the glorious Gospel set upon an hill, and yet too many rather than they will see it, will sit blindfold in the valley of ignorance. Can any Chronicles make report of a more worthy, wise, virtuous, godly, & religious Prince, than the late Prince Henry? in whom the worthiness of all the eight Henries before him met as in their confluence: I may speak of him as the Apostle spoke of those (with whom he is now in company) The world was not worthy of him: And although our sins no doubt were the cause why he was taken from us, yet who is the more sorrowful? And whereas God (blessed be his name) hath left unto us not only the Sun and Moon of our firmament, but also Charles-wayne to remain in one Horizon: 
D. P.  A Prince, if Stars be of any truth, like to be of long life, and great learning, most hopeful for his time, most fruitful for his hopes: so that I hope God hath said to our jacob, as jacob said to his judah. Sceptrum non auferetur a juda, the Sceptre shall not be taken from our jacob till Shiloah come again into the world: yet who I say is the more thankful? Our gracious King hath made many good laws to cut of Malefactors, but some esteem little of God's ordinances, less of his majesties authority, and least of all of his decrees: for proof whereof we have seen (such is our gracelessnes) how wickedly some have grown to rebellion, whom the earth hath swallowed, as Corath, Dathan, and Abiram. Many have conspired the death both of his Majesty and his posterity, but the sword hath, and I trust ever shall cut them of before their wicked fruit come to devilish ripeness. Yea, their own tongues shall make them fall. And let us beseech the Lord of hosts to look down always upon his anointed, and to  his enemies with shame, but upon him and his (good Lord) let his Crown flourish upon, till thou Crown us all in heaven.  
Let us learn by the consuming of Sodom and Gomorrah, to fly from their sins, and let us leave the wickedness of the old world, lest God devise a worse end for us, let us be warned by the sins of jerusalem, to be armed with the word of truth, at the preaching of jonas to Ninivi, let the ignorant leave to be obstinate, and the learned cease to be slothful, and labour by all means to make the world know that the fearful day of the Lords coming is at hand, exhorting therefore to watch, continuing in prayer. For assuredly this fearful accident (I mean) the burning of this man and child by fire from Heaven, ought not to be attributed to any natural cause, but it is even the Finger of God, threatening greater plagues to ensue, without our earnest and hearty repentance. Neither may we think that this judgement lighted upon them for their own proper sins which might be greater than ours, but rather that our sins are far greater than were theirs, and God whose mercy is greater than all, hath sent this for our example to call us to repentance: wherefore let us not think that those one whom the Tower in Siloam fell, were greater sinners than all those that dwell in jerusalem, but rather let us assure ourselves, that unless we repent, we shall also perish. And to speak of the life and conversation of the man. I cannot find or by any means understand, no not by reports of the nearest or the worst affected of his neighbours, but that he behaved himself every way in the judgement of the world as an honest poor man, and a painful labourer in his vocation. The manner of the accident is as followeth: He having been on Saturday the 26. of june last, at work at the house of one john Deane of Parly-Court, where he truly and painfully laboured at his trade being a Carpenter, and having ended his dayes-worke went home to his house as an honest man, to comfort his Family with the money which he had painfully gotten, and went not (as too many Tradesmen use to do) to be drunken and careless of their poor households at home, wherein he showed and gave testimony to the world, of a Religious care. And after his coming home, betook himself to his rest, and being in bed with his wife and child, in the deep of the night, the lightning came on so fiercely, that an old woman named Agnes Russell mother to the wife of the said john Hitchell having received a terrible blow on her cheek (by what means I know not) was therewith awakened and cried to the said john Hitchell and his wife to help her, but they not answering, the poor old woman start out of the bed and went unto the bed where they lay, and awakened her daughter, who was upon the sudden most lamentably burnt all one side of her, and her husband and child dead by her side: yet nevertheless, his poor wife when she saw her husband and child had thus strangely finished their days, she (as it seemeth) thought not so much of the hurt she had received herself, as she was careful to have preserved the life of her husband if by any means possibly she could: and therefore (notwithstanding all her grievous wounds, she dragged him out of the bed into the street, and there by reason of the vehemency of the fire, she was enforced to her no small grief to forsake him, where he lay burning upon the ground for the space of three days after or thereabouts, not that there was any appearance of Fire outwardly to be seen on him, but only a kind of smoke ascending upwards from the Carcase, until it was consumed to ashes, except only some small show of part of his bones which were cast into a pit made by the place. O fearful judgement! Hearken to this O ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver you.  
If this happened unto a man of so upright a conversation, who laboured painfully all day in a lawful calling, O what may befall you which fit day and night at the Tavern, whose profane mouths are filled with impious oaths and filthy Ridawdrie, whose whole lives and conversations are nothing else but sinks of impiety. What Christian heart can choose but grieve to see the horrible wickedness, which not only before, but every day since this woeful spectacle, hath been used in the very next adjoining-towne where it happened. O you that bear office and have the government of the place, I beseech you look into yourselves, that no filthy conversation ofts, may give into you aragement to the meaner sort, to commit the ugly sins wherewith our gracious God is so highly offended. O remember remember I say, the soul taint wherewith jeroboam is branded in the book at God, namely, that his example made Israel to sin: your painful Pastor hath even worn out as his days, so his strength and body, in exhorting you to repentance, and persuading you to fly from the Vengeance to come. I assure you it shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the great day of the Lord, then for those Towns, and persons, which have heard remission of sins preached in jesus, and yet have not repent. For The servant that knoweth his Master's will & doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes. If the reverend, and childish fear of God cannot win us to eschew evil and to the good, yet let the servile, and slavish fear of punishment, stay and make us afraid to persever in our evil, least according to the righteousness of the same in ourselves, at last we receive double damnation in our bodies. But to our purpose, if I say this happened in a green tree, what shall become of us, that are dry and withered: and sith it lighted upon some of uprighter conversation than ourselves, O what shall become of us vile wretched creatures, that delight in nothing but sin, and have as it were sold ourselves to work wickedness in the sight of God? The Lord give us grace to judge ourselves, that we be not judged of the Lord.  
Now let us consider the Time when this fearful judgement happened, surely about Midnight. The like we may read in the book of Exodus where the Lord saith, at Midnight he will go forth into the midst of Egypt, and all the first borne in the land of Egypt shall die.  
but that we may learn how as well in the Night as in the Day the Lord executeth both judgement and mercy: judgement as we see in joshua his direction against Ai, 
joshua 8.5.  whereby their fearful overthrow followed: many thousands of them being devoured by the sword, and their City consumed with fire: So when they slept, the wrath of God awaked and marched towards them speedily. So again the five Kings came upon them suddenly, and destroyed them with a great slaughter.  
Thou fool, the Night shall they take away thy Soul, and in the Night God directed his servant against them, Who then whose are all these? etc. Other Kingdoms and Countries about us, what fearful Night-cries they have had when we slept in peace, wisdom and thankfulness should consider.  
Then for mercies received, in like manner you see the Scriptures: 
●. Reg. 3.5.  Solomon had that comfortable conference with God in the Night, wherein God granted him the thing he sought for, appearing to him in a dream. Daniel in the Night found mercy with God, 
Dan. 2.19. acts 18, 8.  to have the Kingsdreame revealed unto him. Peter in the Night, was delivered from danger: Paul and Silas in the Night singing Psalms, sound the comfort there spoken of. So both judgement and Mercy wake and walk in the Night. The use whereof, unto us should be ever to stir us up, both to go to bed as we ought, and to use the night as the godly have done: For the first, we may take David's example. I will lay me down and take my rest, for it is thou Lord only that makest me dwell in safety. 
psalm 4.8.  and for the second, he also in many Psalms may instruct us, for every night saith he, wash I my bed, and water my couch with tears: 
●alme 6 6.  which David did not for any pusillanimity, or weakness: (for we know he was a man of a valiant courage) but only out of a sweet feeling that he had in his night Meditation, of the great goodness of God towards him many ways, and his owns to great inability to do to him again for the same, as he desired. And what better time can we take to blow up the fallow ground of our hearts before him, and to consider his favours and our faults, opening even all our woes and griefs unto him? that as the night naturally, is moist and shewry more than the day, so we likewise, may rain down abundance of tears, praying for our sins, and thanking him for his goodness, knowing it is a most assured truth, that no dew of the night can so glad the earth, as this sweet moisture of thy wet eye in these respects doth please thy God. 
Psal. 119.62.  At Midnight saith David will I rise to give thanks to thee, because of thy righteous judgements: In the night I commune with mine own heart, 
Psalm 77.6.  & search out my spirits. Therefore I say again, sith mercy 〈◊〉 judgement thus stir in the night, the one for God's children, the other for his enemies, awake thou that sleepest in most dull security, going to the bed as the dog to his kennel, without any thought either of God, or Devil. Full little dost thou know what may happen to thee before it be day. It may be with thee, as with the first borne of Egypt, with the five Kings, with the City Ai, with this poor (though now rich) man and his Child, thyself may be dead as he is, thy house on fire as his was, thy goods spoiled and Children destroyed as his were, and as many woeful miseries upon thy wife and friends as there are upon his. Wherefore go to bed with prayer, awake with prayer, and rise with prayer. Let God and grace be in thy first thoughts, and not malice and wrath, not Sheep and Oxen, not money and muck, which all perish with thee when God is angry. We see what hath happened before our eyes, God give us all grace to be warned. What, shall we now be unmindful of these things? unthankful to God and unfaithful to our own souls? shall we continue in lies, lusts, oaths, aspiring projects, or malicious traps? No, we will make and observe this vow, We will not suffer our eyes to sleep, nor our eyelids to slumber, we will neither continue our tongue to betray our brother, nor our bodies to betray our souls: we will endeavour to lead a just, and holy, and sober life, this we desire, for this we hunger and thirst, this we vow, for this we pray the Lord hear and grant us this petition.  

Eze. 9.4.  O then let us mourn and weep for our offences and for all the abominations, so shall we be marked in the foreheads to be preserved from the evil to come, nay, so shall we be blessed, for so the mouth of truth hath pronounced, we shallbe comforted. 
Mat. 7.  Our sins are the unfruitful thorns that choke the good seed of virtue and grace, the corrupters of judgement, the seducers of will, the betrayers of virtue, the flatterers of vice, the underminers of courage, slaves to weakness, infection of youth, madness of age, the curse of life, and the reproach of death: the least of our bosome-sinnes is fire in the hand, and a Serpent in the heart, a Cancer, a Spider, 
●sa. 3.  an evil Spirit, and the fruit thereof is death. O ye then that with those Mincing dames in jerusalem, are loath that the soles of your feet should tread upon the earth, ye may be hurried between Heaven and Earth, but never willbe carried as Elias, unless in a fiery-Chariot. Ye that set more by Agar then Sara, more esteem your bodies then your souls, fear and tremble at the Lords judgements. O that blindness of man's mind, and that mad doubting of God's divine promises of eternal life! O that hardened and flinty heart of ours, which is not moved, no not with these horrible threats of Gods heavy displeasure, but continuing securely in all impiety, never asketh pardon for his wilful offending, and amendeth even as though the Scripture were but lies, and the divine Oracles profane fables! For by those things which have come to pass, and by true demonstration of God's holy spirit, it is apparent that nothing is more certain, then that the end of all things hangeth on our shoulders. Truly great is the force of sin, and marvelous is the rage of Satan in these latter days, who endeavoureth by all means that possibly he can, to bring the whole world into a desperate security of li●e, that so he may have many partakers of his torments in Hell, from whence there is no redemption. But how much better had it been for us we had either never been borne, or at the least been void of reason with beast and Serpents, or been dispatched so soon as we were horn, if either we ●●i● not that place, for which we were created, or come not to the celestial Paradise, and to the marriage of our spouse, our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, where shallbe the full abundance of all delights, and perfection of all pleasure?  
Wherefore let us cast from us our careless security and mistrust of the promises of God: Let us renounce the devil, and all the works of the flesh, which are not sufferable by the word of God, and let us listen to the friendly admonition of our Saviour, Christ warning us to be watchful at all times, 
Luke. 21. Mat. 25.  because we know not the hour when our Lord will come praying that we may escape all these things which are to come, and may stand before the son of man. For if the coming of Theives and stealers of our earthly goods be to be feared, with how great diligence and watchfulness, should we seek to escape those enemies, which would spoil us of our eternal riches, and kingdom of Heaven? Here we use great heed and wisdom to preserve our mortal bodies from hurt and danger: but to save our souls which are immortal from eternal pains in Hell, we are altogether careless and nothing circumspect.  
And yet more would it beseem the children of light, to be more careful in seeking and keeping those things which are Celestial, than the worldlings are painful in enriching themselves with such thing as they are neither sure to enjoy while they are alive, nor can assure them of any joy when they are dead. Yea let us think and persuade ourselves, that in the sight of God it is not shameful, but abominable, that the elect or chosen people of God, which should be wise and circumspect, shall in this care be surpassed of wicked worldlings: and the more highly we displease our God, by how much the things which we so little esteem, are more excellent than that which they so hunt after, between which (so surpassing is the treasure prepared for the godly) there is no comparison.  
This erhortation though it pertain to all men at all times, yet now specially in these dangerous days, in which we see so many by sudden and strange death to be taken out of the world: and because every man shall die (though the certain time none knoweth) and shall either woefully be sent among the Devils to Hell, or joyfully to be received into the fellowship of the faithful in Heaven.  
And to come a little nearer unto ourselves, hath not the Lord shaken once more, near our Town, his rod of Correction since this lamentable accident? namely by the burning of one Edward Burtons' house and all his substance whilst they were in their beds? it is an old saying, that when our neighbour's house is on fire, it is high time to look to our own. God's judgements we see have lighted on both sides of us already, and shall we be still careless? Moreover it is not unworthy the noting, that as on both sides of the Town these fearful judgements have happened, so likewise upon the first day of May last within the Town was borne a Monster, which may well teach us that although these things have happened without the Town, yet the Monsters for whose ugly sins sake these judgements have come to pass (may seem) to remain within the Town. God open our eyes that we may behold these things aright, and mollify our hearts (good Lord) we beseech thee that we may repent as we ought?  
And although I will not particularise the unnatural proportions of that Monster, yet I observe that it wanted lips, to teach us (as I suppose) that we want sanctified lips to glorify the powerful name of our gracious God. Moreover it wanted the place of evacuation, by means whereof the body could not be exonerate or cleansed of the excrements. To teach that whatsoever pretence or show we make of Religion outwardly, yet the filth of sin remaineth still within because there wanteth true Repentance in us whereby our souls might be cleansed in the blood of jesus Christ.  
Truly I am persuaded that in this Town and the parts adjoining, where these judgements fell, there is as much sin reigning, as there is in a greater part of the kingdom beside: but I beseech God of his infinite mercy, that his long suffering of our sins be not an occasion that we pluck his fierce wrath upon our heads, which we daily go about, provoking him to anger that will not be tempted, so ungrateful are we, and so gracious is he. I doubt the same sentence will be pronounced against us, which our Saviour used, saying Woe unto Carazaine, woe unto Bethsaida, it is better for Tire and Sidon then for them, at the dreadful day of the Lord.  
A severe sentence pronounced by a merciful judge, who will doubtless in a more dreadful time, not only utter the like words against us, but will cast us into utter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth: except that of his infinite goodness and great mercy, he call us home to repentance.  
Can the people of Israel tremble at the voice of the Lord when he talked with Moses, insomuch that they accorded to all his laws and ordinances which were given them, so that they might not endure his presence? and dare we the off-scum of the earth, rebel against our Creator so obstinately, that neither signs, the word, nor wonders, can convert us? do we not remember the benign blessings which he promiseth, that our land shallbe fertile, our fruits shall increase, our foes shall fly before us etc. if we please him, serve him, and keep his commandments: neither do we fear his heavy wrath and horrible curse which he threateneth to the contrary, if we transgress his precepts and break his ordinances, saying, thy Wife shallbe widow, thy land barren: thou shalt fly, when none follow thee, and fear without cause: famine shall confound thee, war shall waste thy country, and hunger so assail thee, that the afterbirth of thy wife shall serve for thy food. O terrible, dreadful and heavy wrath of God, but more monstrous, filthy and ugly hearts have we that embrace the blessings, when we deserve cursings: reap good, where we sow evil, and yet cannot afford thanks to the sender of all things, who giveth liberally and casteth no man in the teeth. Do we not know that he is of power to turn our Heaven into brass, and our earth into Iron? or are we ignorant that if it please him not to bring foreign force upon us? yet he can plague us by our friends, send Grasshoppers to spoil our grounds, Frogs to fellow us whethersoever we fly, Caterpillars to consume our fruit in the blossom, or Rain to rot our Corn and grass when it is ready for the harvest, or that he can send Lice to live by our flesh, and Mice in such multitudes, that neither power nor policy can keep them from us, for thereby he shows his omnipotency, not in a huge army of enemies: but in a mighty arm with the weakest of his creatures. Hath he not sent famine to Samaria, so that a little doves dung was worth five pence, an Ass' head sold for fourscore shillings: destruction to jerusalem so sharp, that the mother was feign to eat her Babe to satisfy her hunger.  
Fire and Brimstone to Sodom and Gomorrah, a deluge over the old world, with infinite other Cities that he hath justly plangued for their iniquities: and we think to escape that have not only practised to be perfect in their sins, but daily study to devise new offences.  
The times we see have almost changed their natures and our Summer become even a Winter, yet nothing can provoke us to repent.  
O stife-necked people put on sackcloth with Nineuie, leave pride, and fall to prayers, let Saul become Paul cease to oppress, and turn to preach, let every man amend one, so shall we all do well at the last, and seeing the spirit in the faithful is willing, but the flesh weak and blind in heavenly things, let us beseech our heavenly Father in continual prayers, that by his holy spirit he will daily more and more increase and strengthen our weak and feeble faith.  
And therefore we heartily desire thee O eternal Father, that thou wilt not utterly break us, though we bow not as we should, neither deal with justice, though we do not our duties, according to thy will, but keep us good Lord in thy well beloved son, illuminate our minds with thy holy spirit, by which we may be prepared to all good works in the holiness, and newness of life: that so with Paul we may desire to leave this wicked world, and to be with Christ, and so in the coming of the Lord, being found ready with. Oil in our Lamps, and adorned with our wedding garments, we may find entrance into the Lord's marriage, which thou for thy dear son and his beloved spouse the Church, hast prepared and appointed from the beginning of the world. To thee therefore O holy Father, and to thine only begotten Son jesus Christ, and to the Holy Spirit our comforter, be all praise, honour, and glory, for ever and ever Amen.  
LAUS DEO.   

Hereunto is annexed, THE LAMENTABLE AND FEARFUL BURNING OF THE TOWN OF DORchester, upon the 6. of August last. 1613.  
IF this dolorous discourse aforesaid, of God's fiery judgement (written by master Hilliard) late happening in Hampshire, have any whit penetrated the reader with remorse, I am here presumingly bold (without disparagement to the Author,) to add unto his book a second sorrow to our country, a sudden calamity late befallen upon the town of Dorchester in the West of England: the heavy news whereof, even strikes trembling hearts of people, that so famous a Town, and the only storehouse of those parts for Marchantly commodities, should in less than four and twenty hours be ruinated by this great commanding Element, cosuming fire.  
Dorchester, (as it is well known,) is one of the principal places of traffic for western merchants, by which means it grew rich and populous, beautified with many stately buildings, and fair streets, flourishing full of all sorts of tradesmen and artificers, plenty with abundance reveled in her boasom, maintained with a wise and civil government, to the well deserving commendation of the inhabitants: but now mark how their golden fortunes faded, and their cheerful sun of prosperity, eclipsed with the black vale of mournful adversity: for upon the sixth of August last, being Friday, this then flourishing Town of Dorchester, about the midday flourished in her greatest state, but before three of the clock in the afternoon, she was covered with a garment of red flaming fire, and all their jollity turned into lamentation.  
This Instrument of God's wrath, began first to take hold in a Tradesman's workhouse: for a Tallow Chandler there dwelling, making too great a fire under his kettle or lead, took hold upon the melted and boiling tallow, in such violent manner, that without resistance it fired the workhouse, and immediately one room after another, till the Chandler's whole dwelling was all on a light burning flame.  
Then began the cry of fire to be spread through the whole Town: man, woman and child, ran amazedly up and down the streets, calling for water, water: so fearfully, as if death's trumpet had sounded a command of present destruction. Many were the affrights of the inhabitants; amongst which, next unto the Chandler's house (than all on a fire flaming) was a Warehouse of Gunpowder filled into barrels belonging to a merchant of the town, which to preserve they much adventured, and with wet sheets and other linen, saved the house from burning till they had carried the powder safe into the fields, otherwise taking fire it had been sufficient, with one blast to have blown up a whole town, with all the inhabitants therein remaining, but God be praised, it was preserved, and not one living creature therein perished.  
The fire, as I said before begun between the hours of two and three in the afternoon, the wind blowing very strong, & increased so mightily that in very short space, the most part of the was, town fired, which burned so extremely, the weather being hot and the houses dry, that help of man grew almost past, but yet as in such extremities, people will show their endeavours, so these amazed townsmen strived to succour one another, but to small purpose, for the tyrannous fire had taken too great a head, and likewise there was too much want of water.  
The reason, the fire at the first prevailed above the strength of man, was, that it unfortunately happened in the time of harvest, when people were most busied in reaping of their Corn, and the Town most emptiest: but when this burning Beacon of ruin, gave the harvest men light into the field, little booted it them to stay, but in more than reasonable haste, posted they homeward not only for the safeguard of their goods and houses, but for the preservation of their wives and children, more dearer than all temporal estate or worldly abundance.  
In like manner, the inhabitants of the neighbouring towns & villages at the fearful sight red blazing eliment, ran in multitudes to assist them, proferring the dear adventure of their lives to oppress the rigour of the fire if posiible it might be, but all to late they came, and to small purpose, showed they their willing minds, for almost every street was filled with flame, every house covered with the rob of destruction, every place borning beyond help and recovery, their might they in woeful manner behold merchants Warehouses full of riches commodities, being shops of silks and velluets on a flaming fire, garners of bread Corn consuming, multitudes of Linen and  clothes burned into ashes, Gold and Silver melted, with Brass Pewter, and Copper, Trunks and Chests of Damasks and fine Linens with all manner of rich Stuffs made fuel to increase this universe sole conqueror, which leveled and made waist of all things it laid hold of, the fierceness of the fire was such that it even burnet and scortht trees as they grew, and converted their green liveries into black burned Garments, not so much as Herbs and Flowers flourishing in Gardayns but were in a moment withered with the heat of the fire, many living creatures as house, Suine, pollayne and such like at this woeful time were consumed into ashes to the great grief of the beholders, was it not a sorrow for a tradesman to see all his estate burning at one instant, which he had laboured for twenty years before, was it not a sorrow for a man to rise rich in the morning, and to be brought unto poverty before night and was it not a sorrow for parents, to see the portion of their children thus consumed, oh grief, upon grief: When t●● burning invader comes, he shows no pity, he spareth neither rich nor poor: the rich he makes poor, and the poor most miserable. Dorchester was a famous Town, now a heap of ashes for travelers that pass by to sigh at: oh Dorchester well mayst thou mourn for those thy great losses: for never had English Town the like unto thee: the value, by the judgement of the inhabitants, without partiality, is reckoned to come to two hundred thousand pounds, besides well near three hundred houses, all ruinated & burned to the ground: only a few dwelling houses that stand about the Church was saved, and withal the Church by God's providence preserved for people therein to magnify his name: All the rest of the town was consumed and converted into a heap of ashes: a loss so unrecoverable, that unless the whole land in pity set to their devotions, it is like never to reobtain the former estate, but continue like ruinated Troy, or decayed Carthage. God in his mercy raise the inhabitants up again, and grant that by the mischance of this Town, both us, they, and all others may repent us of our sins. Amen.  
FJNJS.