neuer heard of in the land of Italie The wars of the Carthaginians were they not foreshewed by Earthquakes many daies ere they came to passe Furthermore what great mischéefe misfortune an Earthquake happening in the time of the Emperour Lotharius did signifie the French men Italians to their great paine and perill haue learned Then were kindled betwéene the Emperour Lotharius and his brethren sore dissentions and disagréements and not long after meruellous greate warres insued therevpon the Normans ouerrunning and laieng wast all Aquitania spoiling Abbies with fire and sword and making hauocke of certein townes in France by murther without mercie In the time of the Emperour Frederike the second of that time what casualties Earthquakes foreshewed to come to passe as it is terrible to tell so is it horrible to heare Not long after as recordes do testifie the whole countrie of Frisland was almost drowned with waters which issued out of certeine riuers maine streames néere vnto the sea The Tartars inuaded Scithia Georgiana Armenia the greater laieng them in manner euen with the grounde Poland Hungarie also felt the force of their fiercenesse to their no small hurt and detriment Herevnto I may adde the vtter ouerthrow of Ierusalem by the power of Cardirius the sonne of the great Saladinus the fift time attempted and atchieued the temple of the Lord and his Sepulchre onely and alone left vnspoiled at the praiers and supplications of the Christians An Earthquake also happening in the time of the Emperour Frederike the third of that name was a foretoken of that lamentable slaughter most worthie of memorie which chanced at Constantinople and of the conflict or battell betwéene the Christians and the Turkes at the towne Taurinus a hole and a horrible battell I say nothing all this while what mischéefes miseries happened in the time of the Emperour Maximilian euen within the compasse of our memorie huge heaps of misfortunes were séene and fealt in those daies and after that not long the Churche abounding with all kind of abuse and enormitie day by day diminished c. I am the more tedious and fuller of wordes in this case without rebuke that wée might fall a reckoning what this last Earthquake in our quarters should signifie there is none but may easily ghesse euen by the obseruation of that litle which we haue written and by the like estate and condition of this our age and time that little good is to be looked for The signification thereof I leaue to euery ones particular iudgement knowing that Christian godlines and perfect religion hath vtterly cast away that vaine and superstitious obseruation of the ancient Romanes and other Heathen nations touching signes and wonders and referreth all things both wisely and godly to the prouidence of the Almightie To the which prouidence submitting my selfe I suppose euery Christian reader sufficiently resolued staid in mind if with me they ascribe that to Gods prouidence which the vaine idle dotage of our Elders superstitiously obserued otherwise auouch with liuely voice that there is nothing done either in Heauen aboue or in the earth beneath but either at the commaundement of God or by his sufferance and that almightie God according to his vnspeakeable wisedome wherby he ordereth all things aright yea euen in such wonders as we sée come to passe by the course of Nature as also aboue the course of Nature and against it in like manner that God I say euery way hath a secrete counsell and doth nothing either by commandement or sufferance but to some end setting before our eies by sundrie spectacles more than one or two his patience long sufferance his anger and vengeance calling and bidding vs whome he hath created to life and saluation not to death and damnation vnto the banket of repentance This God therefore which foretold vs of Earthquakes hereafter to come in diuerse quarters as signes and tokens of his wrath against vs and according to his foreknowledge sendeth them at times appointed vseth this kinde of visitation to this ende namely to teach vs that he will not destroy all mankind at once but that he will iudge them by parts and portions nowe some and then some still leauing place to repentance and time to conuert amend Now if neither by earthquakes nor other plagues which are the beginnings of sorrowes we will be redressed no doubt it shall go woorse with vs in the ende For if we continue in the custome of sinne which we are growne into by the trade of our life we shall be sure that such vengeance is like to light vpon vs as is due and answerable to such a wicked woont And this is it which the Lord him selfe spake of fortelling what things should chaunce before the comming of Doomes day saying Yee shall heare of warres rumors of warres be ye not troubled for such things must needes be but the end shall not be yet For nation shall rise against nation and kingdome against kingdome and there shall be earthquakes in diuerse quarters and there shall be pestilence and famine These are the beginnings of sorrowes Which one onely warning teacheth vs what the Earthquake which we lately had forsheweth herafter to come to passe among vs if we manifestly séeing féeling the wrath of God kindled against vs neglect to be penitent and sorie for our sinnes Séeing that the Author of this treatise of méere loue as it séemeth hath vttered his minde still beating vpon this aboue the rest euen sinne sinne as the crieng cause of all calamities which happen vnto man and for that more cannot be said in that matter than he hath alreadie mentioned vnlesse by annexing later examples which haue chaunced since the time of his death I account them gratious that by others harmes can learne to take heede And if sinne be the cause as it is in déede so doeth the holie Ghost report in the sacred Scripture alwaies after the denouncing of any plague adding the prouoking cause if sinne I say be the cause of so many miseries méete and conuenient I iudge it be that we come home againe with the lost childe and crie mercie for our time mispent Father I haue sinned against heauen and against the c. That we séeke after our saluation in whome it is to be founde namely Christ Jesus not in the morning onely that is to say not in our flourishing yeares nor yet in the euening alone that is to say in our decrepite and stooping age but euerie houre and moment both at midnight at the cockcrowing and at the dawning of the day that hauing oile in our lampes we may be readie to enter with the bridegroome as bidden ghestes to his heauenly banquet To rehearse the examples which are alreadie touched and more pathetically or effectually handled than I can by skill comprise it were superfluous A good thing cannot be too much perused and though
terribly as no man liuing yet no place can comprehend it that our posteritie if it please God to prolong their pilgrimage in this life may tell their ofspring what woonders GOD hath wrought in these times and that he is able when it is his blessed will to do greater things among the people and nations of the earth I will register this wonder To leaue London therefore as néedelesse to be named the falling of chimnies the cracking of houses the shaking of windowes the trembling of tables the quiuering of chanels the maruelling of men the wondering of women the astonishment of both the talking of Gods iudgements the fearing of his vengeance the suspecting of great daunger the prophesieng of Doomes day the confessing of sinne the blaming of all estates the complaining against pride the exclaming against enuie the crieng out against the abuse of the Sabbaoth day the finding fault with a thousand enormities for the peoples mouthes were full of common places at that instant but alas that sudden zeale being vehement could not be permanent deuotion died when daunger ceased and all was counted but a nine daies wonder the inueieng against diuerse disorders in these daies the wishing of all well some saieng Lorde haue mercie vpon vs some Jesus saue vs some praieng in the Church some plaieng in the fieldes some merrie at home some sporting abrode some busie about their affaires some looking ouer their accountes some leaping some dansing some tumbling some vawting some piping some singing some bowling some dicing some carding some shooting some wooing some surfetting some sléeping some eating some drinking some ieasting some gibing some scoffing some taunting some bralling some fighting c. that I thinke if the generall day of iudgement had come vpon vs as this was but a forewarning of it we had all béene founde no lesse vnprouided than were they in Noes floud we had all stoode in the state of condemnation and therefore exalt and magnifie Gods mercie which is aboue all his workes and endureth from generation to generation To be certein of this Earthquake how farre it was effectuall to what Countries it stretched what people it amazed I haue had conference with diuerse some saieng that it was generall some that it was extraordinarie some that it was in Cales Antwerpe and Brabant some that it was in sundrie places of Flanders some that it was in Northfolke and Suffolke some that it was at the Isle of Elie a soile as it were cut off from all the Countrie by reason of waters lieng round about it and yet comming thither it shooke all the townes and made a stone or two of great bignesse to fall from the Minster some that it was general some that it was supernatural some that the like was neuer séene and I am of that opinion some saieng this and some that according as they were mooued vpō the sudden chance Among a number that haue complained what hurts their houses haue susteined some that XX. poundes XXX poundes nay an C. poundes will not repaire the ruines of the same I cannot heare of one that lamenting the decay of conscience equitie righteousnesse honestie charitablenesse c. doeth one good déed towarde their restitution A strange ouersight or rather a senselesse securitie among men Here I coulde largely discourse vpon the particular enormities of this our wicked age as pride ambition couetousnesse extortion vsurie dissention oppression iniurie blasphemie slander fornication briberie subtiltie euill talking and worse walking of all degrées in their calling but because this point is alreadie touched in place conuenient and diuerse diuersly haue discoursed vpon this our late sudden Earthquake whose names are rehearsed in the beginning of this booke one among all sufficient to report the truth of so terrible a trembling but all iointly though many yet too too few by penne and inke to set out so maruellous a matter to the worlde that the hearing of Gods wonderfull workes might bréede a feare of his heauie iudgements I conclude with this praier following ¶ A praier for repentance being the onely thing that must mitigate the wrath and indignation of God which how hot and heauie it is the signes and wonders aboue mentioned are forewarnings Chap. 13. O Almightie God thou iust iudge and seuere punisher of sinne which hast not spared thine owne people being the lot of thine inheritance but hast for their transgressions executed thy sharpe and bitter iudgements vpon them somtimes by sworde sometimes by samine somtimes by pestilence sometimes by captiuitie according as it pleased thée vnder whose rod of correction they often lay groning we the sinfull people of this realme of England perceiuing by most apparant tokens that thou art highly displeased with vs and by the remembrance of thy manifold visitations in times past called to an acknowledgment and confession of our sinnes our vile sinnes our abhominable sinnes our damnable sinnes beséech thée with all submission to haue mercie vpon vs and not to procéede in iudgement against vs for alas we are then vtterly vndone We are not able to answere in our owne behalfe for the least offence which wée haue committed there is no pleading before thy Maiestie for our excuse thou wilt admit no shift thou wilt allowe no proofe whereby to maintaine our owne cause for thou art righteous in thy iudgements vncorrupt in thy procéedings and vnuariable in pronouncing sentence Lo most mercifull Father wée wretches subiect vnto death damnation through sinne fall prostrate before thy face and being penitent and heauie for our misdéedes most humbly beséech thée to be fauourable vnto vs and vpon triall of our amendement by the assistance of thy spirit to withdraw the whippe of thy wrath wherewith thou forewarnest vs we are like to be scourged Wée haue kicked vp the héele against thée like vnbroken Coltes the Oxe hath knowne his maisters stall and the Asse his owners cribbe we haue not regarded thy waie but farre inferiour vnto them in due performance of seruice haue neglected all care of obedience to thy Maiestie Our vnthankfulnesse O Lord we confesse is wonderfull our contempt vnmeasurable and our securitie monstruous neuerthelesse thou that hast power to renew our secret cogitations and thoughts to make that streight which is crooked the hard soft the rough smooth the sowre swéete the sicke sound the dead aliue vouchsafe to turne this ingratitude and vnthankfulnes of ours into the contrarie vertue our contempt into obedience our securitie into carefulnes that séeing the signs of thy wrath and indignation kindled to consume vs we may be sorie for our sinnes and be saued It is not Adrammelech nor Anammelech whome we haue offended it is not Ashima nor Ashtaroth whome we haue dishonored it is not Baalim nor Chemosh whome wée haue prouoked it is not Dagon nor Milcom whome we haue despised it is not Molech nor Nergal whome we haue forsaken it is not Niohaz nor Nisroch whom we
vnto them by dutie ¶ What inconueniences and mischiefes doe followe after earthquakes Chap. 3. HOwe vnhappie and vnluckie earthquakes are what hurt they haue done diuerse wayes in diuerse places there is great store of examples no lesse horrible to heare than terrible to tell Old writers record that with an Earthquake the whole citie of Lacedaemonia was so shaken that it fell and soonke That with an Earthquake the greatest part of the huge and mightie mountaine Taigetus was riuen and rent away in forme and fashion like a shippe and that with the fall of the same was caused a gréeuous slaughter That with an Earthquake twelue cities of Asia within the dominion of Tiberius Caesar were laide flat vpon the ground in one night That with an Earthquake in the reigne of Lotharius the sonne of Ludouicus the first all Italie was sore shaken and diuerse cities and mountaines in diuerse places ouerthrowne in the yeare after Christs birth 1344. That with an Earthquake in the reigne of Frederike the seconde of that name the hilles Salnij were so shaken that to the number of two thousande persons perished in the yeare of our Lord 1214. That with an Earthquake in the reigne of Frederike the third of that name manie cities and townes in the kingdome of Naples were ouerturned and with the falles of houses and other buildings of timber and stone to the number of thirtie thousand persons lamentably killed the fairest and most gorgeous places and palaces rent and torne in sunder The memorable Earthquakes that haue chaunced in our age and in the daies of our forefathers Maximilian being Emperour in what great daunger of ruine all Italie in a maner was like to fall I passe them ouer vntouched There is no euill that is to say no punishment for sinne but it is sent from him that abhorreth wickednesse and cannot at any hand away with iniquitie As for the mischéefes which fell vpon the places aboue mentioned by Earthquakes or otherwise we ought so to impute vnto naturall causes that we denie not Gods iustice and righteousnesse in recompensing offenders according to their merits The plagues which fell vpon Hierusalem Iuda Babylon Samaria Aegypt Tyre Sidon and other populous cities regions after the Prophets sharpe denuntiations and terrible threatnings were they by fire famine sword or otherwise may warne vs that Whatsoeuer calamitie falleth vpon any nation it is sent from God as a punishment for sinne And surely of this opinion am I that none stand more in the defence of their owne righteousnesse than such as séeming too wise in the contemplation of mysteries referre to the coniunction opposition of such and such starres to windes to vapours to exhalations and to I can not tell what any kinde of casualtie though neuer so wonderfull forgetting in the meane time themselues to be offenders and so consequently derogating from God the glorie proper to his eternitie preach vnto the worlde their owne iustification If any thing chaunce contrarie to common course order vp starts one or other wisard and he by his knowledge will be busie to bolt out the mysterie which God hath reserued to his owne secrete counsell This commeth to passe sayth one of such and such a cause the reason thereof notwithstanding vnknowne to them and yet because their blind coniectures haue in them some probabilities the ruder sort of people are readie to giue credit thus betwéene both the forewarnings of Gods heauie iudgement are neglected his fatherly chastisements contemned induration of heart ingendered obstinacie in sinne procured a desperate securitie fostered and the gulfe of voluntarie destruction opened If the remembrance of Gods correction be a meanes to kéepe vs vnder obedience then the forgetfulnesse of such fauourable dealing is the next way to wilfull stubbernesse if obedience be the sacrifice which he inioyneth vs to offer in his temple what shall we thinke of our contumacie and rebellion our loosenesse of life our daily violating of his law Doe not these being monstruous make vs horrible in Gods sight It is a great argument that the sinnes of the people are heinous when the plages which God sendeth are gréeuous that their offences are fowle and filthie when the tokens of his wrath are straunge and extraordinarie And therefore to conclude this illation let vs bow our bodies and soules vnder the scepter of Gods grace least that neglecting the acceptable time of loue the day of wrath approch he come with the iron rod of his power beat vs all to powder ¶ Where and when Earthquakes commonly happen and how long they last Chap. 4. SUch places as lie néere the Sea are moste of all shaken with Earthquakes and as for hillie countries they are not altogether voide of this trembling for in Autumne and in the Springtime they are most commonly subiect to these casualties Herevpon some coniecture that nether France nor Aegypt are troubled with this tempest because Summer will not suffer it in the one nor Winter in the other We haue also learned by obseruation that Earthquakes chance oftener by night than by day and that they cease so soone as the winde which was the cause of their generation is let loose and set at libertie the time of their continuance to haue béene fourtie daies before they staied and yet there haue béene Earthquakes that haue lasted the space of one whole yeare or two sauing that now and then they haue ceased for certeine howres and daies For about the yeare after the birth of Christ 471. in the reigne of the Emperour Anastasius wée reade of an Earthquake that lasted in Constantinople full foure monethes without ceasing and staied at the length when the voice of a litle infant was heard saieng Holie holie holie ô mightie and immortall God haue mercie vpon vs. Againe in the yeare after the birth of Christ 1094. in the reigne of Henrie the fifte of that name there hapned an Earthquake in Italie which continued in sundrie places the space of fourtie daies as our elders haue truely reported As thankes be to almightie God we haue not béene greatly terrified with Earthquakes so haue we no cause to complaine of their continuance Other countries haue felt the calamities of them we behold it and are not a whit amased In that we are taught by example of foraine people what ouerthrowes haue insued Earthquaks how long they haue lasted fourtie daies two moneths a twelue moneth two whole yéeres c. to the astonnishment of that age which saw and felt them I gather that the mercie of God was more mightie than his iustice his loue aboue his wrath his patience surpassing his vengeance For that litle quiuering of the earth that small rocking of our houses which lasted not either for a yeare or a moneth or a wéeke or a day or an houre yea but a moment may put vs in mind that God hath an eie vpon our trade of life
inuisible incomprehensible only wise God be all laude praise honour power maiestie and dominion world without ende Amen Giue GOD the glorie FINIS 1580. OS HOMINI SVBLIME DEDIT ¶ Imprinted at London by Henrie Denham dwelling in Pater noster rowe at the signe of the Starre * By suppressing the Poets name it appeareth y t hee ouershot himselfe through vncertaintie But I thinke hee meaneth Palingenius in whose works I haue read y e like words in effect * The Heathen and Pagan people may teach vs what belongeth to our dutie The Translaters application of this Hethenish denotion for our instruction * The measure of our sinnes runneth ouer and crieth out for vengeance against vs. * Windes the cause of Earth quakes in what sort and manner * The generation of an Earthquake the effectes which it worketh at that instant * The opinion of some concerning the sudden trembling of the earth The Translators admonition vpoÌ„ these coniecturall reasons * The denial of Gods diuinitie insueth the derogitation of the propertie of his workes * The wit of man meere vanitie if it be not tempered with the deaw of Gods spirit * The effectes which haue followed after Earthquakes declared by examples * The Translatours illation vpon the particulars before going * We do after a sort iustifie our selues when we referre the signes of Gods iudgements to sinâ—ster causes * The presumption of man in seking after the secret counsels of God * This reason of contraries is certaine and infallible * For God vseth a mediocritie and proportion in the execution of his iudgements * The ceasing of windes in y â— hollow caues of the ground causeth Earth quakes to cease * The continuance of Earthquakes proued by experience * The Translators collection by the former doctrine * The sudden and short visitation of God sent vppon vs by an Earthquake forewarneth vs of sharper tribulations * By whome is meant all such as lay blockes in the way of the people to stoppe them from coÌ„ming vnto God * By these speeches of comparison the righteousnes and integritie of God in iudging all offenders is declared * Earthquakes some more dangerous dreadfull some lesse perillous and fearfull * Where he was Preacher at that instant before he was called to be Bishop * The Translators comparison inferred vpon the premisses for our priuate admonition * A particular example a general warning to beware * The sound of a watch word or AlaruÌ„ bell to all prophaners of Gods sacred Sabbaoth and specially to players plaiemakers and all such as fauour that damnable facultie * As much is God glorified in the pulling downe of polluted places as in the building vp of holie temples * Something is ment by the happening of Earthquakes though it passe our capacitie to comprise * Earthquakes are denuntiations and threatnings of gods wrath against vs. * Warres fimine and pestilence the effectes of Earthquakes * The Translatours confirmation of the wordes aboue written * Reasons of comparison to proue that Earthquakes are not alwaies to be referred to naturall causes * The creatures of God mourne ouer vs for our sinnes which deserue a heauie day of visitation * Earthquakes reckoned among y e number of signes that shall be seene before the end of the world * Particular examples drawne out of the Canonicall Scripture touching this necessarie doctrine of Earthquakes * Namely the Priestes whose charge it was only to burne incense Ozia taking y e office vppon him * Among all other warnings from God to the Iewes of their destruction Earthquakes was in y e number * Examples of later time setting forth the fearful effects of Earthquakes * This continued course of examples biddeth vs by others harmes to take heed * He posteth ouer many examples vntouched for y â— auoiding of tediousnesse * Little good followeth after Earthquakes as by the euents of them in times past hath bene obserued * All thinges come to passe either at the commandement of God or by his permission and sufferance * The profitable doctrine which we haue to gather by Earthquakes happening in former ages * Signes of the end of this world vttered by the mouth of our Sauiour Christ himselfe * The Translators exhortation touching the contemplation of the particular examples before specified * Repentance the meanes to appease Gods wrath conceiued against vs for our sins * The double profite that shall redound vnto vs by the diligent reading and considering of the premisses * The sundrie and manifold meanes which God from age to age hath vsed to put Englande in mind of her visitation * By which reason it is probable that this last earthquake in our time 1580 was generall thoroughout all this land and like inough vniuersal ouer the whole worlde * The neglect of Gods mercie is the hastening of his iustice * Applie this threatning O England to thy selfe and be ashamed and sorie for thy sinne * The definition or description of an eclipse either in the Sunne or the Moone * The effectes of signes and wonders at y e pleasure and appointment of God * We are taught hauing S. Paule for a paterne to stand rather amased at the wonders that God worketh than curiously to search out the reson of their being * God vouchethsafe to vse the ministerie and seruice of Nature in sundrie thinges y t come to passe * Some Astronomers faile not in the prognostication or foreteliing of things to come Starres discerne the seasons y e times the daies and the yeares so that vpoÌ„ them dependeth a necessarie doctrine * The Sphere of fire aire haue a contiguitie or neerenesse * Wonders supernaturall are wonders in deede and come not of causes naturall * Sometimes the effectes of wonders doe followe after sometimes they happen at the instant so y t their euent is doubtfull vncerteine this is proued by examples * The doctrine touching the time place where wonders worke their effects is doubtfull * More strange signes wonders neuer appeared in any age than now in these our daungerous daies the Lord haue mercie vpon vs. * Many wonders haue happened in the worlde which neuer came to our knowledge * A question why more signes are shewed vnto vs in these later times both from heauen vpon earth than haue bene seene in the daies of our forefathers * This worlde compared very fitly vnto a man whereby the state therof is liuely represented * The effectes denounced threatned by strange signes and wonders are the sicknesses y t shall wast and consume y e world * The aire altered semblably affected as the Sunne departeth from or draweth neere to vs. c. * The humors of our bodies abound and are spread through euery part member of our bodies at the beginnings of Monethes * The aire subiect to the influences or operations of y e Sunne Moone and Starres *