News from Hereford.  
OR, A wonderful and terrible Earthquake: With a wonderful Thunderclap, that happened on Tuesday being the first of October, 1661. Showing how a Church-steeple, ●nd many gallant houses were thrown down to the ground, and people slain: With a Terrible Thunderclap, and violent Storms of great Hailstone, which were a●●u● the bigness of an Egg, many  being utterly destroyed as they were f●●ding in the field. Also the wonderful Apparitions which were seen in 〈…〉 into the great amazement of the Beholders, who beheld two perfect ●●ms and hands; in the right hand being graspd a great broad sword, ●n the left a b●ul full of Blood, from whence they heard a most ●●●●nge noise, ●o the wonderful astonishment of all present, the ●ight caused divers women to fall in Travail; amongst whom ●●e Clerks wife one Margaret Pellmore, fell in labour, and ●rought forth 3 children, who had teeth; and spoke as soon as ever they were born, as you shall hear in the following relation, the like not known in any age.  
The Tune is, A●m not too high.  

Repent   

OLd England of thy sins in time repent  
Before the wrath of God to thee is sent,  
For such great wonders in late time have been,  
The like before I think was never seen.   

But this which here to you I shall unfold,  
It is the strangest thing that ere was told,  
Yet not so strange but that it is as true,  
Yea every word I dedicate to you.   

On Tuesday last October the first day,  
In Herefordshire there happened such a fray,  
By a most terrible Earthquake that did hap,  
And violent storms too by a Thunderclap.   

About two of the clock i'th' Afternoon,  
There did arise a violent storm right soon,  
The Air did darken, and did look unkind,  
Then risen the storm and a high mighty wind.   

Which for two hours' space most vehemently  
It mad● the tiles from off o'th' houses fly  
And v●hemently it did blow and tear.  
That people durst not to go out of door.   

And by this storm Church-stéeples were blown down,  
The too ●t … lost of famous Hereford Town  
Besides most famous houses great and small,  
Did by this Tempest and the Earthquake fall.   

And by the houses fall much blood was spilled,  
For many men and women too were killed,  
By this most sudden Accident I say  
And fearful chance and lamentable fray.   

After this mighty Tempest it was passed  
The Air did se●m to clear then a● the last;  
And people did look ou● u●on the Air,  
And all the Element beg●n ●o clear.   

But presently it overcast again  
At six or seven a clock with might and main,  
Towards the Evening it began to hail.  
Which made the people's hearts more sore to quail   

The hailstones full as big as Eggs were seen,  
The like in England ne'er before hath been.  
No tiles nor stones could make the hardness yield  
It did destroy the  in the field.   

Then followed a terrible Earthquake,  
Which made the ground and houses for to shake  
And did continue half an hours space,  
It many famous buildings did deface.   

And surely did amaze both all and some.  
The people thought that the last day was come  
Immediately a Brightness did appear,  
And as Noonday it seemed 'twas so clear.   
 

THen presently the Air against clouds,  
with a thick darkness overspred with clouds  
And out of which appeared two arms and hands,  
At which amazement thousands people stand.   

And gluts their eyes with fullness of this fight.  
When they beheld in those two hands that night  
In the right hand was grasped a great broad sword  
And in the left a cup of crimson blood.   

Another wonder appeared from these Skies,  
Which was beh●ld by thousand people's eyes,  
There seemed to them a piece of Corn to grow,  
And in this sight se●m'd ready for to mow.   

And ready for to mowed a Sy●●e lay ●y,  
And from the place came a most mighty cry,  
Which said woe, woe to man that draweth breath  
And the Inhabitants of all the Earth.   

At the conclusion of this mighty si●ht,  
It fearfully did men and women fright,  
Women with child which in that town did dwell  
A many into labour present fell.   

Amongst the rest and strangest too of all,  
Unto one Margaret Pellmore did befall,  
The Clerk's wife of the Town as I am told,  
Who bor● 3 children the like was ne'er unfold.   

These children they had tooth and spoke as soon  
As ever they into the world did come,  
These words as follow di● from them proceed  
The same is verified for truth indeed.   

The first did say this d●y no man can shun,  
Which is appointed and not yet begun:  
Where will be found the second child it said  
Sufficient men alive to bury the dead?   

These words did then from the 3d. child proceed  
Where will be corn enough to satisfy your need?  
These were the words they said at that same tide  
And presently all these three children died.   

What man is able in our English Land  
The meaning of these things to understand?  
It doth b●token anger great from God,  
How he will smite us with his heavy Rod.   

Except by prayer we speedily repent,  
And of our wicked sins for to relent,  
The cup of blood appeared in the Sky,  
And sharp edged sword great wars doth signify.   

The children's words do mean great sicknesses,  
And to this land the Lord will send great cries,  
For to fulfil all what the children said,  
The living scaace be able to bury the dead.   

The Famine so shall poverish to the Land,  
Thus shall we feel Gods wrathful heavy hand.  
These are but warning-pieces to you all,  
Therefore repent good people great and small.   

Yourselves be sure fail not to prepare,  
To meet the Lord a coming i● the Air  
Give praise & thanks so long as you have breath  
Unto your mighty God of Heaven and Earth.   By W. K.  

A List of the names of the persons that witnesseth the truth of this, are as followeth.  



Churchwardens.  
Fran. Smalman.  
Hen. Cross,    


Constables.  
Peter Philpot.  
Nich. Finch,    
James Tully.  
Geo. Cox Gent.  
John Groom.  
Robert Mauricee.  
Thomas Welford   
And divers others, too many to be here inserted.   

Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere; and W. Gilbertson.