A True and Terrible Narration OF A horrible Earthquake, which happened in the Province of Calabria( in the Kindgome of Naples, under the dominion of the King of spain) in Italy, upon the 27 of March last past according to foreign account, and by our English computation, the 17. and the Festivity of S. Patrick: to the devastation and depopulation( some totally, some in part) of 8. great Cities, and 24. towns and Castles( in the compass of some 612. miles English,) and the death of some 50000. persons, of all degrees, sex, and age. The like never heard of in precedent times. From pregnant atestation, written in English verse, By Martin Parker.  
With a memorable List of some other Earthquaks and horrible accidents, which have heretofore happened in England.  
Printend at London by Tho. coats for Ralph Mabb, and Fr. Grove, and are to be sold at his Shop upon Snow hill, near the Sarazins-head. 1638.   

THE GREAT EARTHQVAKE IN CALABRIA.  

1.  
A Sable quill pulled from a Ravenns wing,  
My muse would bee accommodated with  
An instrument fit for this mournful thing  
Of which I purpose to set down the pith  
It is a subject which may tears extract  
From him who all his life compunction lacked.   

2.  
A story 'tis, which to the world unfolds  
Such horror and amazement, and withall  
Such motives unto fear, that who beholds  
( With inward eyes) the same, it may appall,  
His heart, although of flint or marble made,  
To powder, what is here in brief displayed.   

3.  
Man that's composed of the four Elements,  
Offending his Creator, by the same  
Hath punished been, as divers presedents  
Divine and human, to the world proclaim.  
Water did all the world o'rewhelme; with fire,  
lewd sodom and Gomorrah did expire.   

4.  
●… he air insected with many stinking sins,  
●… estiferous diseases hath, and doth,  
●… roduce, our own experience credit wins  
●… nd ratifies all that I say for troth.  
The earth hath often quaked as't were with dread,  
That sinful man, upon the same should tread.   

5.  
This is the theme on which my mourning muse,  
Hath undertane( at this time) to insist,  
●… rom Italy this strange and dreadful news,  
By too true notion is made manifist,  
Where such an earthquake happened of late,  
The like, time nere to man did promulgate.   

6.  
The twenty seventh of March byth Roman count;  
Seventeenth by ours, within this present year,  
This horid earthquake chan●'d, which doth surmount,  
All of which I did ever read or hear,  
Compassion moves me when I here recite,  
What with a quaking heart and hand I writ.   

7.  
Ith' Province of Calabria, situate  
Ith' Heopolonian kingdom faire,  
Where Spaines Dominion doth itself dilate,  
Famous for building, fertile soil, sweet air,  
This wondrous pulpitation of earths frame  
Hath marvels wrought Hyperbolous to name   

8.  
Twixt three and four oth' clock ith' afternoon,  
Oth' day aforesaid, this mischance did fall,  
By which million of millions are undone,  
Nay millions have lost lives and goods withall,  
Many faire buildings are laid on the ground,  
Which but one hour before stood firm and sound.   

9.  
Eight Cities great,( as true report unfolds,  
Of large Expansion, populous and strong,  
With four and twenty towns, Castles, and Holds,  
In this destruction meare laid flat along.  
That honour wherein some too much do trust,  
Was on a sudden( here) laid in the dust.   

10.  
Some of these Cities, towns, and Castles were,  
All quiter destroyed some half, some more, some less,  
A miserable thing it is to hear,  
Our Lord defend us from the like distress.  
In this( and other accidents) we may,  
Behold the Power Divine, and our frail stay.   

11.  
It is conjectured, that of all estates,  
Men, Women, Children, young, old, rich, and poor,  
Full fifty thousand finished their dates,  
Not onely( as we say) brought to deaths door,  
But all into his house, within one hour.  
Were brought( as captives,) to's imperial power.   

12.  
●… e thinks I see with my interior eyes  
And through the Organs of my soul I hear  
●… he doleful shrieks, and lacrimable cries,  
Which tender Parents made for children dear,  
Husbands for Wives, wives for their husbands cry,  
That suffered in this sad calamity.   

13.  
Children for Parents seek, alas in vain,  
Brothers for Sisters, sisters brothers call,  
Friends for the loss of friends, with woe complain,  
But conquering death hath made a pray of all,  
Insatiate tyrant, could thy jaws devour,  
No less then fifty thousand in one hour.   

14.  
●… ot onely people of the meaner sort,  
●… n this disastrous tragedy did share,  
●… ut also Nobles had their dayes cut short,  
●… rand Signeours with their Ladies young and faire,  
In that same space of time, were living, and  
Dead( as we say) at th'turning of a hand.   

15.  
●… 'mong the rest, one thing is worthy note,  
City named Castalione there,  
●… he Prince,( or governor) about was sought,  
●… nd live nor dead was not found any where,  
Some parts of his dear Lady were discry'd,  
And known from other ladies who then died.   

16.  
O Christians in your hearts imprint this thing,  
Tis fit you should remember't every day,  
Nay every hour, or minute; you who sing,  
drink, swear, and drab to pass your times away,  
Can you claim any privilege or power,  
When fifty thousand perished in one hour.   

17.  
You may perceive by this what fickle trust,  
Ought to be given to this worldly state,  
Tis true we all must die, the case is just,  
But who is he that's certain of his date,  
Now' live and merry, in a moments spacē,  
Dead and perhaps brought in a far worse case.   

18.  
This fearful accident though far remote  
Let English men lay near unto their hearts,  
We who upon security so dote,  
As though we were alone from other parts  
Sequesterd, that no misery may us touch,  
Heaven grant, we don't presume of this too much.   

19.  
You who on worldly dross such confidence  
Impose, as if it would for ever bide,  
In this sad glass behold what weak defence,  
The world affords to them who do confided  
Vpon her trust; here Cities, I owns, and tall  
Castles, within one hour both stand and fall.   

20.  
For buildings christendom could not compare,  
unto that Country where this chance befell,  
Calabria what climate was more rare,  
What People more in bravery did excel,  
Naples, the world admires for every thing,  
That to humanity may pleasure bring.   

21.  
And this Calabria now the Sable stage,  
Whereon this dreadful ●ragedy was played,  
Belongs to Naples and might equipage,  
Hold with the best oth' Land; for( as I said)  
All requisite for profit or delight,  
May there be found, or( at the rest) it might.   

22.  
But this notorious Earthquake which did spread,  
Six hundred twelve miles in circuit thereabout,  
Besides those fifty thousand that are dead,  
They who are sadly left alone( I doubt)  
Are in such misery through this mischance,  
That death to them would be a furtherance.   

23.  
Let us( if w●ell be Christians as we ought,  
Or as w'are named) compassionate this case,  
The souls of those who died, our Saviour bought  
With stripes, with Ignominy and disgrace,  
And died that they might live; O let us then,  
Leave judging them, least we be judged again.   

24.  
Yet it is lamentable to conceive,  
A Corasive tis to a tender heart,  
To think that death in one hour should bereave  
The breaths of fifty thousand with one dart.  
For oft reiteration blame me not,  
Such fearful judgements should be ne're forgot.   

25.  
To show the natural causes why the earth,  
( Fixed by Heaven never to remove,)  
Doth quake in judgement, I confess a dearth,  
For I resolve never to sore above,  
The pitch of my own knowledge; but refer,  
The curious to the learned Astrologer.   

26.  
Nor were it( altogether) requisite,  
To show you( if I could) such causes here,  
For be they what they may( or can) be, yet  
The God of Nature's Power therein shines clear,  
Who can be ignorant that he doth still,  
By secondary causes work his will.   

27.  
The most abject of Creatures, frogs and mise,  
He can suborn proud Pharoahs heart to quell,  
Thrasonicke Herod, may be eat with lice,  
And many proofs( too tedious here to tell)  
Are instances to show that tis our God,  
That strikes the stroke, what ever be the rod.   

28.  
Will Hezekia of his plague be quit,  
Then let him fig leaves to the sore apply,  
A heavenly Doctor doth administer it,  
Or else for all the fig leaves he may die.  
By such things which to human sense appears,  
Preposterous, he ex●cts our love, and fear.   

29.  
Now to return from whence I have degrest,  
●… et every Christian( as before I said)  
●… mprint this sad disaster in his breast,  
And think that though our Lord his hand hath stayed  
From scourging him; yet let him well forecast,  
For all old reckonings must be paid at last.   

30.  
The str●ke that's long a striking when it comes  
●… t falleth heavy; patience too much urged  
breaks into fury: self conceit benummes  
●… s English men, cause other Lands are scorg'd  
And ours is not: instead of thankfulness,  
We all ascribe to our own worthiness.   

31.  
●… he Spaniard is by nature very proud,  
●… he Dutchman he●s inclined to drunkenness,  
●… he French with flattery doth his falsehood shrowded,  
●… he Italians bent to lust, this all confess,  
But England with all natures so agrees,  
Shee is a brief compendium of all these.   

32.  
In pride, ebriety, fraud, lechery,  
These several nations must of us come short,  
●n fashions we have such variety,  
The Readers knowledge passes my report.  
Of either Sex it cannot and denied,  
No nation the English shall excel in pride.   

33.  
Ebriety( or swinish dunkennesse)  
Is so in use among both high and low,  
Our loves we cannot to our friends express,  
unless with drink we make their brains to crow,  
No almain, Belgian, Dane, nor swisser, can  
For drinking be compared to th' Englishman.   

34.  
And are we not bent to dissembling,  
I would we were not; but the case is plain,  
In conversation 'tis a common thing,  
To speak, sincere-ly, very-ly for gain,  
I wish with all my heart that writing this  
Ide wrote a very lie, and thought amiss.   

35.  
Can we acquit our land of luxury,  
While known examples every day are seen,  
You who through age experience verity,  
Tell whether heretofore the like hath beenē,  
O England thou art grown unto that pass,  
What now is done before time wondrous was.   

36.  
Nay have we not certain peculiar crimes,  
Of which some other Lands are ignorant,  
Brought in by the gradation of our times,  
I wish no Christian might decay through want  
You whom't concerns take notice what I say,  
Such sins as these bring Countries to decay.   

37.  
All this, and more then may this time be spoken,  
Is found too true, in this our untrue age,  
Then sith we do our Lord to wrath provoke,  
May we not wonder why his jealous rage  
Hath not consumed us all before this time,  
Sure some good prayers for us to heaven climb.   

38.  
Were we not drowned in pride and self conceit,  
With humble eyes we easily might discern,  
That certainly it is Gods mercy great,  
To spar's; for had we what our sins do earn  
We had been ere this as sodom and Gomorrah,  
But Abrahams number doth some respite borrah.   

39.  
Me thinks I can't too oft reiterate,  
This counsel which I heretofore have given,  
O England wouldst thou still retain thy state,  
Then show thy gratitude, give thankes to Heaven,  
Desire this benefactor that thou mayst  
enjoy his Love as hitherto thou hast.   

40.  
Behold his judgement in his present theme,  
confess thyself that thou deserv'st as much,  
Neither let any take this as a dream,  
Who so conceives, if there be any such,  
He seeks to tie Gods power within the chains  
Which he hath forged in's own instable brains.   

41.  
Not that I would bind any mans belief,  
unto Vox Populi( or so they say)  
For then I do confess( and speak with grief)  
More tales then true he might hear every day.  
But this sad story of Calabria's woe,  
Hath all that truth can have, its truth to show.   

42.  
It is no news brought from Duke Humphryes tomb,  
Nor Graves-end Barge: nor any thing invented,  
But what from Venice did( to England) come.  
Where in Italian 'twas( with Licence) Printed.  
If any to gainsay it goes about,  
He may as well of any writings doubt.   

43.  
Gods Power cannot be circumscribed in bounds,  
Thats a mere atheistical opinion,  
For he who with a blast his foes confounds,  
Can we set limits unto his Dominion.  
And that none may pled ignorance, every age  
Hath viewed his wonders, acted oth' worlds stage.   

44.  
I will not intermeddle Sacred writ,  
With my profane discourse, nor need I do't,  
The Power Divine appears so plain in it,  
The meanest capacity doubts not to kno't,  
But touching Earthquakes, and such horrid things,  
What History affords, my industry brings.   

45.  
And 'cause tis to my Countrymen I writ,  
I from our English Chronicles will gather,  
A List of what did former times affrite,  
And I conceit 'twill gain belief the rather;  
Because 'tis out of our own stories drawn,  
For proof of which my credit is in pawn.   

A memorial or List of some Earthquakes and other horrible accidents which heretofore have happened in England, &c.  
In Anno Mundi 3907. in the reign of Rinalo the 12. King of britain from Brute, before our blessed Redemers birth 766. it rained blood 3. dayes, after which come venomous flies which slay many people, and there ensued such a mortality, that the Land was almost quiter depopulated.  
In Anno Dom. 778. in the reign of Brithrius King of the west Saxions it rained blood from heaven, which falling on mens clothes appeared like crosses.  
In Anno Dom. 1088. in the second year of King Wil●… Ruffus, on the 11. day of Angust was a marvellous grea●… Earthquake in England, which overturned many house and Churches, and killed many people.  
In Anno Dom. 1098. in the 12. year of the same King reign, at Finchester in Barkesheire, a well cast out bloo●… as before it had done water, and afterward for the space of 15 dayes, great flames of fire were seen in the air.  
In Anno. Dom. 1550. in the 4. year of Edward the sixth upon the the 25. of May, being monday, about noon there was an Earthquake for the space of a quarter of an hour, a●… Blenchingly, Godsted, Croyden, Albery, and divers other places in Surry and Middlesex.  
In Anno Dom. 1579. the 19. of queen Elizabeth, on the 6. of april was a general Earthquake over all England, especially the South part, which shooke and overturned many houses, Churches, and Castles, and slay a great number of people, which wrought such a sudden distraction and amazement among the survivors, that many thought dooms day was come.   

46.  
And what of all this may the Reader say,  
To whom I answer theres a reason just,  
For many hearts are hardened at this day,  
They'll believe nothing but what needs they must.  
What their own eyes behold' nay hardly that,  
This is a thing much to be wondered at.   

47.  
These several examples here produced  
From our own records, seen in our own Land,  
I think by no just man will be refusd,  
This being presumed, then Reader understand,  
Earthquakes have been in England as is shownē,  
Why not in Italy, though to us unknown.   

48.  
Now being informed by intelligence  
Which cannot be suspected; let us then  
Construe all to a charitable sense,  
And fear our Lord, expecting daily when,  
We shall by death be restend for our breath,  
And pray 'gainst sudden unprovided death.   

48.  
Let the remembrance of those Christians which,  
Have suffered sudden death in this sad chance,  
Be an admonishment to poor and rich,  
To arm themselves for death's( none sparing) lancē,  
The want of preparation is the worst,  
For death is sudden, come it last or first.   

50.  
Lastly, lets all invoke the Power Divine,  
To keep us from destruction and mishaps,  
And that his favours on us still may shine,  
Defending us from all the snares and traps,  
Which enemies may lay to this effect.  
Our King, queen, and blessed Issue, Lord protect, Amen.   
FINIS.