The Dreadful and most Prodigious TEMPEST AT MARKFIELD in Leicestershire, On Thursday Septemb. 7.  
Where most wonderful Stones of Hail fell down in the forms of Swords, Daggers, and Halberts.  
Together with the Terrible Claps of Thunder, And the noise of two Armies encountering one another, the Canons playing, and Muskets shooting incessantly, and the Lightning, Flashing, and Fighting against the Lightning:  
WITH The Dreadful Devastation it made on the Ground, Trees being plucked up by the roots, and Walls and Houses torn in pieces.  
Attested by many able Persons, and of undoubted Credit, who were the sad Spectators of it.  
To which is added the last Observation of Sir GEORGE BOOTH: His Character, Transformation, and his EPITAPH.  
LONDON, Printed for Will. Gilbertson at the Sign of the Bible and Spur in Giltspur-street, 1659.   

The strange and dreadful Apparation of wonderful Meteors in the Air, at Markfield in Leicestershire, on Thursday Septemb. 7. 1659.  
BEfore I proceed to give you an account of the many admirable and prodigious forms of hailstones, which in a great storm of thunder and lightning, were taken up and shewed to many at Markfield in Leicestershire, on Thursday the 7th of this present month of September; it will not be amiss to represent unto you, that it is the observation of some learned men, that some places by the Divine Providence, are more appropriate for miracles then others; not that the hand of God is confined to any peculiar place, but that he is pleased there more particularly to exercise his power, and to manifest either his Indignation, or his good pleasure to the Sons of men: Of this the Histories both sacred and profane, can furnish us with abundant examples, had we the leisure to prosecute so large a theme.  
Comets are sometimes seen in the Air, shooting forth their threatening Trains, like bushes of hair set on fire; Sometimes they appear in the form of a Lance, and sometimes of a great Beam set on fire, and with great terror they do fly through the Air. Sometimes they represent a naked Sword, and sometimes a flying Dragon, according to the disposition of the Exhalations, as they are more thin, or thick, and more or less capable of being inflamed.  
The Philosophers do number up several sorts of them, and, do give several Names unto them, according to their several proportions and forms, or according to their situations, being higher or lower in the Regions of the Air, or as they are more swift or slow in their motions.  
There hath been apparitions in the Air not onely in the forms of Stars, or Swords, or launces but in the shapes of Men and Coaches drawn by horses. In Germany about twelve years since, there was seen the shape of a Man in the Air, sitting in the clouds, and cloa head all in wh●te, on his brows were to be seen the rays of Divinity. Those that beholded it, did entertain in their hearts the preparations for Repentance, and amendment of life, believi g they had seen some sign whereby they might justly suggest unto themselves that the Resurrection was at hand.  
We have heard and seen of late of many forms of Hail-stones, which have caused great wonder in the beholders Sometimes they have been taken up and observed for the most part to be flat, as in that dreadful storm of Hail, presently after that it rained fire from heaven, which was beholded by many travellers coming late to London, not far from Epping about three years since, and much about this time of the year: The Hail-stones then that fell were of a great breadth, and looked like so many flat pieces of Ice. Sometimes they have been seen to be square in their form, and above an Inch and an half in length; sometimes again they have been beholded to be of a great bigness, and to carry on them the Image of the face of a Man, which indeed although it be wonderful, we find the like to be recorded in History. The form of these which I come now to relate unto you, is truly rare, for although in the Air, there have oft been seen the shapes of naked Swords, and Daggers, and some forms of Meteors representing Spears, and thers representing Halberts yet we can never find that any falling from the cloud, were taken up from the earth, as these were which I come now to declare unto you.  
On Thursday Septemb. 7. in the afternoon there was seen at Markfield in Leicestershire extraordinary flashes of lightning, which breaking from the angry clouds made way for the ensuing thunder, the clappes whereof were terrible and continued chiding and roaring in the Air for the space of an hour: At every silence and respite of the thunder, the lightning during this dreadful storm did break forth with great force: And the next voice of the thunder was louder, and more affrighting then that which was before; There were no showers of rain, but at the last there was a most black; and dreadful storm of hail, and in stead of Hail-stones there fell rattling down from the Air, Halbeards, Swords, and Daggers, which being taken up were found to be of the same nature, and to be begotten of the same extremity of could as were the Hailstones, and after a little time, both the sight and the fright which the sight brought with it, did melt away at once. Many of the Town of Markfield, and places adjacent were much amazed at this prodigious spectacle, which to increase their wonder, was seconded by another terrible noise in the Air, as if two great Armies had been on their march, and advancing one against the other; The Canons were heard to play with importunate fury, and the muskets on both sides in repeated volleys did discharge their choleric errands: During this encounter there were beholded many prodigious erruptions of fire, which with great violence did fly in the Air, and running lower, did tear in pieces many strong Houses, and laid great Trees on their backs, which in an instance were plucked up by the roots. There was not far off a Lime-kiln, on which some part of the tempest did fall with so great violence that all the Lime was blown up in the Air, just as in a high storm the waters of the Sea are blown, when the winds and the waves do wrestle for supremacy. This being done, this part of the fiery tempest which came so low, was seen by all to take its course up the hill, where it vanished away, and there was heard no more noise of it.  
It is certified by several letters, that this Tempest at the first did appear like a thick and rolling smoke, and sometimes it would cast itself into a great Circumference, like to a great wheel, or an orb, not easy to be compassed.  
There is no man ignorant of the late great endeavours to engage this Nation again in a new War, which by the Almighty goodness is now quieted, and since we enjoy peace on Earth, let us pray for the Continuance of it, that so these Daggers and these Halberts, may fall in vain from the armoury of Heaven.  
Sir George Booth is now a prisoner in the Tower, He that threatened so much alteration, and to fil● this iceland with the thunders of his Arms, was enforced to fly at the first Sight, and to sue for his safety to the protection of a Petticoat, which we can find no where better represented, then in this ensuing Poem.  
What strange Hermaphrodite, two Sex in one!  
What first Sir George, and now must be Sir Joan;  
He hath took a new strange faction for his Cure,  
What turned from the old? An Anabaptist sure;  
He is converted, 'tis no Robbery,  
exchanged from George, but to Sir Dorothy.  
Sure he did think by putting on the Gown,  
That there were left no Midwives in Town:  
But h'is mistook, he hath it not by rote,  
For all his Tricks, wee I pay his Petticoat.  
He did not like Mars Wars, but Venus Lock,  
And left the Steel to take the linen Smock;  
Just like young Blades that creep out of the husk,  
The Sword was not for him, he took the Busk.  
Away, away, for it doth bring but loathing,  
Wee'l find such Wolfes, though covered in Sheeps clothing.  
The Whirlwind of his Fan's like Bottle-beer  
To blow him up, wee'l lace his Stomacher;  
I think his Name is changed every tittle,  
For George and Doll agree but very little;  
But now I think upon't, his wit was such  
To choose one out of use like Pancridge Church;  
For if it were too near, there were no loss,  
Right against Pauls is standing Charing cross.  
But that's not all to this what I have said,  
He might remember Doll the Dairy-maid.  
Mark but the time, you see old things grow new,  
The year is gone, and in comes bartholomew:  
I dare affirm he thought there to be set  
A stately Booth ith fair for to be let,  
enriched with hangings, and I do suppose  
The Bill for it is Droppings of his Nose,  
In these Characters bloody read, not green,  
Within this Booth Sir George is to be seen.  
I wish all Sharks whose wealth's not worth a louse  
To take this Booth, for he might turn a House,  
He hath such Transactions, and such Jig's withall,  
Turn but his mind, and he may turn a Hall;  
O! he was dreaming, or lay in a trance,  
He thought by's Coats to make the Stones to dance.  
I wish him turn Jack Pudding, and make known  
To leap out of mans clothes into a gown;  
Nay that's not all, for when he is come to t  
He l be Sir George on Horse, Sir Doll on foot;  
He's turned from the English Church, to th' Scottish Kirk;  
Nay from a Cods-head, he's turned to a Shirk;  
Ha, ha, I can but laugh, here is the thing,  
Now after this he'l make good salted Ling;  
He did leave all, both Country, Wife, and Riches,  
And turned his Back, and ran out of his Breeches.  
This is the Champion in the Wars of Mars  
Who fought so long till's clothes fell of his Arse,  
And now for them he's glad to put in place  
A Tammy Petticoat, with Poor-whores lace,  
That now he swears, 'tis good for him to yield,  
A downy Bed is better then a field;  
So for safe guard from all his dangerous foes  
H● hath crept under his old Grandams clothes  
He had best take heed of a Crack that's louder,  
For 〈◇〉 old woman she may turn to powder.  
And blow him up, her clothes cannot but smell  
O'th stinking touch-hole like the mouth of Hell.  
The handsome Leg is gone, and manly Brow,  
He's turned a Female, drops a curtsy now,  
It is so humble that none can make lower,  
He hath dropped so long, he's dropped into the Tower;  
As for his Skin, believe me 'tis so loose  
That from a Gander he's dropped to a Goose;  
It was my study, and my daily Care  
To term him Knight, but now I'll call him Player;  
For he's so cunning, and so wary grown  
he●l be a man abroad, a Maid at home;  
He will not stick, and that in public view  
For to be both the Wife and Husband too;  
Sure he by sibyl, or a Crew of Witches  
Was shamed for to let Women wear the breeches.  
There is no pleasure in't, I m sure there is pain,  
His slavering mouth must have a Bib again.  
Oh, Oh, I'm mad, but if that here be room  
I'd have this Epitaph upon his Tomb.  

His Epitaph.  
Here lieth under this,  
Would you know who it is?  
In Truth a very Oddin.  
'tis neither he, nor she,  
Then say who it should he,  
Oh' las! 'tis aniseed Robin.   
FINIS.