such great Miracles In several Ages after it made woful irruptions as from the year 1160 to 1169 all Sicily was shaken with huge Earthquakes and the Mountain Aetna foaming mightily overthrew all the circumjacent places with incredible Desolation with the ruine of the Cathedral Church of Catania about ten miles distant in which Abbot John and his Monks were overwhelmed Many other fearful burnings have happened since that time but none more horrible for its mighty devastations than that in the year 1669 The Right Honourable the Earl of Winchelsea His Majesties late Ambassador at Constantinople in his return from thence visiting Catania was an Eye-witness of this Prodigious Judgment whereof he gave the following Account to His present Majesty King Charles the second as soon as he came to Naples May it please Your Majesty In my Voyage from Malta to this place I touched at the City of Catania in Sicily and was there most kindly Invited by the Bishop to lodge in his Palace which I accepted that so I might be the better able to inform your Majesty of that extraordinary Fire which comes from Mount Gibel 15 miles distant from that City which for its horridness in the aspect for the vast quantity thereof for it is 15 miles in length and 7 in breadth for its monstrous devastation and quick progress may be termed an Inundation of Fire a Flood of Fire Cinders and burning Stones burning with that Rage as to advance into the Sea 600 yards and that to a mile in breadth which I saw and that which did augment my admiration was to see in the Sea this matter like ragged Rocks burning in sour fathom water two fathom higher than the Sea it self some parts liquid and moving and throwing off not without great violence the stones about it which like a crust of a vast bigness and red hot sell into the Sea every moment in some place or other causing a great and horrible noise smoak and hissing in the Sea and thus more and more coming after it making a firm foundation in the Sea it self I stayed there from nine a Clock on Saturday morning to seven next morning and this Mountain of Fire and Stones with Cinders had advanced into the Sea 20 yards at least in several places in the middle of this Fire which burn'd in the Sea it hath formed a passage like to a River with its Banks on each side very steep and craggy and in this Channel moves the greatest quantity of this Fire which is the most liquid with stones of the same composition and Cinders all red hot swimming upon the Fire of a great magnitude From this River of Fire under the great Masse of the Stones which are generally three fathom high all over the Country where it burns and in other places much more there are secret Conduits or Rivulets of this liquid matter which Communicate Fire and heat into all parts more or less and melts the Stones and Cinders by fits in those places where it toucheth them over and over again where it meets with Rocks or Houses of the same matter as many are they melt and go away with the Fire where they find other compositions they turn them to lime or ashes as I am informed The composition of this Fire Stones and Cinders are Sulphur Nitre Quick-silver Sal-Armoniac Lead Iron Brass and all other Mettals It moves not regularly nor constantly down hill in some places it hath made the Valleys Hills and the Hills that were not high are now Valleys When it was night I weat upon two Towers in divers places and could plainly see at 10 miles distance as we judged the Fire to begin to run from the Mountain in a direct line the flame to ascend as high and as big as one of the highest and greatest Steeples in Your Majesties Kingdoms and to throw up great Stones into the Air I could discern the River of Fire to dâ—scend the Mountain of a terrible â—â—ery or red colour and stones of a paler Red to swim thereon and to be some as big as an ordinary Table We could see this fire to move in several other places and all the Country covered with Fire ascending with great Flames in many places smoaking â—â—â—e to a violent furnace of Iron melted making a noiâ—e with the great picces that fell especially those which fell iâ—to the Sea A Cavalier of Malta who lives there and attended me told me that the River was as liquid where it issues out of the Mountain as water and came out like a Torrent with great violence and is five or six fathom deep and as broad and that no stones do sink therein I assure Your Majesty no Pen can express how terrible it is nor can all the Art and Industry of the world quench or divert that which is burning in the Country In 40 days time it hath destroyed the habitations of 27 thousand persons made two Hills of one 1000 paces high a-piece and one is four miles in compass Of 20000 persons which inhabited Catania 3000 did only remain all their Goods are carryed away the Cannons of Brass are removed out of the Castle some great Bells taken down the City-Gates Walled up next the Fire and preparation made all to abandon the City That night which I lay there it rained Ashes all over the City and 〈◊〉 Miles at Sea it troubled my Eyes This Fire in its Progress 〈…〉 â—ith a Lake of Four Miles in compass and iâ— was not only satisâ—â—â—d to fill it up though it was four fathâ—â— deep but hatâ— made 〈◊〉 it a Mountain I send also to Your Sacred Majesty the following Account in Print which the Bishop save me as it is â—â—â—ected one of divers Relations from Caâ—ama Mount 〈…〉 Gibello a Mountain so Renowned throughout the World for its heightand greatness but more for â—hosâ— Prodigious Flames Smoak and Ashes which it hath cast out from the top of it whilst the other parts are continually even in the midst of Sâ—mmer cover'd with Snow has been for many Ages observ'd once or sometimes oftner in the space of above fifteen years to throw up more than ordinary â—lames with much Smoak and Stones and great quantities of Aâ—â—es which though terrible to the Neighbouring Towns and Villages was yet wâ—nt in little time to abate of its fury and prove but seldom more inâ—urious to the Country â—ear it than by communicating largely its ashes which though for the present it did somewhat incommode them they had afterwards a considerable Compensation in the product of their Lands which by this means were rendred more fruitful But on Friday the 18th of March 1669. the Sun was observed before its setting to appear of a pale and dead colour which being contrary to what it ever before appeared to us struck no small terror into the Inhabitants all Objects appearing also of the same colour with a paleness received from that of the Sun The same night happened in this City as well
bloodshed and without the Roman Army made inroads from Caesarea even to the Gates of the City between those three within there were most cruel Battels for the space of four days without breathing or ceasing and every day very many were slain so that the blood of the Jews ran abundantly through the Market-places and Streets even to the Temple of the Lord like a great Flood which had been caused by showers of Rain Then assembled the Priests Elders and many of the People beseeching these their Intestine and Domestick Enemies not to pollute and defile the Temple with their slaughters but they were almost all slain for their pains by the villany of the Seditious together with Anani and Joshua the Priests and Sechariahu the Prophet of the Lord. Then had the continual Sacrifice ceased Thirty six days for even till that time some good men or other in Jerusalem still offered Sacrifice to the Lord But now when the Priests had laid the Sacrifice on the Altar the seditious would run upon them and kill them so that the Priests and the Beasts they would have Sacrificed fell down dead to the ground together and so they likewise destroyed all that came â—hither for Devotions sake so that scarce one was left â—live and the pavement of the Temple being Marâ—le was made so slippery with the blood and fat of â—hose which were slain that no man could go upon it without falling Nay whosoever the seditious overâ—â—ne they set fire on their Houses which fired other great mens Houses nigh the Temple and at last caught hold of the Store-Houses of Corn Wine and Oyl to the number of One Thousand Four Hundred all filled full of Victuals against a time of necessity or the besieging of the Town For when Vespasian was in Galile the Priests and Elders made up the Doors of these Garner-houses and laid in Victuals sufficient for Two Hundred Thousand men for 20 years but now in this one Fight of the Seditious they were all burnt to the ground with all within them which caused a sudden hunger and Famine in Jerusalem At the same time the seditious pulled down all the fair and goodly Buildings that there should be no sign nor Monument of any Noble House left in the City Thus God visited the Citizens of Jerusalem with four dreadful Plagues at once Sword Pestilence Famine and Fire to which this Fifth was added the ruine and destruction of all beautiful and glorious Buildings So that whithersoever a man turned himself there were nothing but desolations pollutions of the Temple and all holy things and uproars without all rest and refuge no help no succour but every corner of Jerusalem was full of howling and yelling weeping and wailing sobbing and sighing of Women and Children Here you might hear the roaring and lamentation of men not quite dead there the mourning and throbbing of the Elders with the woful crys of young Children for bread in short all manner of misery oppressed them so that he was thought happy who dyed before this day and all those were in a woful case who were so unfortunate to see it when Joseph heard all these things at Caesarea he tore his Hair with his hands cast Ashes on his Beard and sitting with great sorrow on the ground he bewailed and made Lamentation over the miserable City of Jerusalem After this in the first year of the Reign of Vespasian Titus his Son mustered his men in the Plain of Caesarea and he found them a vast number so that they seemed almost to cover the Earth he then marched to Samaria and being received by the Citizens with great joy he spared them and did them no harm from thence he went to Ajelona thirty Furlongs from Jerusalem and there pitched his Tents and taking six Hundred Horsemen with him he went to Jerusalem to view the height of the Walls and the strength of the Town but the Jews laid an Ambush and slew sixty of Titus his men and might have slain him likewise but that they designed to take him alive whereby he took an Opportunity to escape The next day Titus brought his whole Army to Jerusalem and it being a little before the Feast of Vnleavened Bread an infinite number of People who came to celebrate it were shut up in the City by which means the City was soon oppressed with a cruel Famine all manner of Food and nourishment being consumed and Oxens Dung was accounted good Meat others fed upon old Leather and horrible dreadful things happened for some Women boyled their own Children and eat them many thinking to save their Lives by flying to the Romans were cut in pieces to search for their Gold and Jewels which they had swallowed to prevent Discovery Two Thousand were miserably destroyed one night upon this Account And on the Feast day which was April 14. Eleasar having seized on the Inner Temple opened the Gate that the People might sacrifice Jehochanan taking this opportunity sent privately many of his party armed with short swords under their Garments who being admitted with the rest of the multitude set upon Eleasar and seized the Inner Temple with the slaughter of many of his party and thus the threefold Faction was again reduced into two that of Jehochanans who were Eight Thousand Four Hundred and the other of Schimeons with whom were Ten Thousand besides Five Thousand Idumeans or Edomites Titus approaching the Walls pitched his Camp about the River Psephina and presently raised a Mount and with a battering Ram first shook and then beat down part of the Wall and May 7. broke into the City The first wall being beaten down and the Jews retiring inward he gained the North quarter of the City even to the Castle of Antonia and the Valley of Cedron On the fifth day after a Tower on the second Wall being shaken and battered down from the North-quarter Titus got the new lower City from which he was repulsed again by the Jews but on the fourth day after he regained it and so addressed himself for the assault of the third Wall May 12. he commanded four Mounts to be raised two at the Castle of Antonia whereby he thought to gain the Temple â—nd two at the Tomb of the High-Priest John 〈…〉 he hoped to win the upper City which 〈…〉 â—â—nished in 17 days Jehochanan by a Mine from Antonia cast down one of the Mounts and burnt it and Schimeon the second day after in a Salley that he made fired 2 of the Mounts opposite to him with the Rams and other Engines of the Romans whom they fell upon in their Camp but Titus relieving them from Antonia forced the Jews into the City again These Mounts being thus demolished Titus in three days time encompassed the City with a Wall of thirty nine Furlongs in Circuit about which he built 13 Castles each 10 Furlongs round so that none could go in or out whereby the Famine raged so cruelly in the City that with it and the Pestilence
Gallery perswaded the Seditious who were fled into the upper City to yield themselves promising them their Lives but they demanded leave to depart with their VVives and Children into the VVilderness which Titus taking in scorn threatned them with utter destruction and commanded all the lower City to be set on Fire with the Pallaces and then assaulted the higher City which was seated upon a steep Rock and having finished his Mounts on Sept. 7. he brought his Engines to the VVals wherein having made a great breach the seditious fled in great fear and amazement and the Romans breaking in destroyed all with Fire and Sword And Titus commanded both the City and Temple to be rased to the Foundation and the ground to be plowed according to the Roman custom sparing only the West part of the VVall with the 3 Towers Hippicon Phaselus and Mariamne which he left as Monuments to Posterity of the strength and magnificence of this once famous City Titus having thus finished this dreadful and difficult VVar the Neighbouring Nations that assisted him would have crowned him Emperor but he refused saying He was unworthy of that Honour for it was not he who was the Author and finisher of that work but that he had only lent his hands to God who had thus shewed his anger against the Jews Then did Titus reward his Souldiers and committing the keeping of Jerusalem to the Tenth Legion he went to Caesarea carrying with him all the Prey spoils and Captives because he could not sail to Italy in the Winter The two seditious Tyrants Jehochanan and Schimeon were taken as they lay hid in the Vaults of Jerusalem of whom Jehochanan was condemned to perpetual Imprisonment and Schimeon was reserved to be carryed a Prisoner to Rome and there led in Triumph In the same Vaults were found Two Thousand Men who either perished with hunger or else killed each other rather than they would yeild themselves to the Romans while Titus continued at Caesarea he celebrated the Birth day of his brother Domitian on December 30. upon which occasion the number of Jewish Prisoners who perished by being forced to fight with wild Beasts that were burned with Fire and that fell by being compelled to fight with each other was above Two Thousand Five Hundred Afterward Titus went to Beritus in Phaenicia where he solemnized the day of his Fathers Coronation with great magnificence at which time likewise multitudes of the Captive Jews perished in like manner as before At last Titus failed to Rome where he was welcomed with a general Joy and together with his Father Vespasian triumphed for the Conquest of Judea In which Triumph the two Captains Jehochanan and Schimeon with seven Hundred other Jews who excelled in beauty and strength were led in Chains of all whom only Schimeon was put to death The Book of the Law of the Jews was carryed also in this Triumph as the last of the spoils which together with the Purple Vail of the Sanctuary were laid up in the Imperial Pallace Soon after Lucius Bassus was sent Lieutenant into Judea who took the strong Castles of Herodian and Machaeron beyond Jordan by assault About this time neither the Sun nor Moon were seen for twelve others say for fifteen days space which some think was foretold by our Saviour in St. Matth. 24.29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the Sun be darkned and the Moon shall not give her Light c. And Caesar writ to Tiberius Maximus the Governour of Judea that he should sell all the Lands of the Jews He likewise imposed a Tribute upon them wherever they dwelt commanding them yearly to bring into the Capitol Two Drachma's which they used formerly to give to the Temple of Jerusalem Bassus being dead Publius Sylva succeeded in the Government of Judea who April 15. won that almost impregnable Castle of Massada which had been seized upon by Eleaser the Nephew of Judas Galileus a Captain of Thieves whereupon all the Thieves in the Castle being about nine hundred with their Wives and Children at the perswasion of Eleasar slew each other having first set Fire to the Castle and burnt all their Goods and Furniture lest they should fall into the hands of the Romans But many of the Thieves which were in Judea fled and came to Alexandria in Egypt where they solicited the Jews to revolt but the Common People by perswasion of their Rulers fell upon them and took six hundred whom they delivered to the Romans to be punished the rest who escaped and fled into other places were also taken when Caesar heard thereof he ordered Lupus the Governour of Alexandria to pull down the Temple of the Jews which was in that City Yet Lupus took away only some Gifts out of it and so shut it up But Paulâ—nus his Successor having taken away all the Gifts and shutting up the doors ordered that no Jews should come thither by which means there was not the least Footsteps of the Jewish Religion left there A certain Jew named Jonathan by Trade a Weaver escaping out of Cyrene about this time raised a Tumult and drew Two Thousand Jews after him into the Wilderness after whom Catulus Governour of Libya Pentapolis sending some Horse and Foot easily overthrew and slew them and Jonathan himself being taken and brought before him he falsly accused the most wealthy of the Jews as the Authors of this Revolt To whose Accusations Catulus willingly hearkning he put three thousand of them to death at once confiscating their Estates to Caesars Treasury He likewise sent Jonathan and some others with him Prisoners to Rome â—o Vespasian where Jonathan accused the honestest of the 〈◊〉 who 〈◊〉 at Rome and Alexandria of designing 〈…〉 among others Joseph who writ the History of the Jews But Vespasian knowing this Accusation not to be legally brought against them he at the request of his Son Titus acquitted them and deservedly punished Jonathan causing him first to be whipt and then burnt alive Catulus through the mercy of the Emperor escaped at that time but not long after he was taken with a noisome and incurable Disease and was exceedingly tortured and tormented in his mind imagining that he saw continually the Ghosts of those whom he had unjustly slain and murdered before his eyes and at last his Guts and Bowels rotting fell out of his body whereby he miserably perished Josephus the Jew and a Commander in this War writes That there perished by the Sword and Famine a Million of People and of the rest of the Jews dispersed all the World over and put to Death divers ways the number of Ninety Thousand and Ninety seven Thousand more were made Captives But of the number that perished out of Jerusalem during the whole seven years War Justus Lipsius hath made this Catalogue out of Josephus At Jerusalem first killed by the command of Florus six hundred and thirty By the Inhabitants of Caesarea in hatred to them and their Relig on twenty
divers fearful signs Stars were seen continually in the day time and blazing Comets of a huge length hanging as it were in the midst of the Air All sorts of Creatures contrary to their kinds brought forth monstrous and deformed Births but that which most grievously afflicted the City of Rome and amazed them with the presage was that the Temple of Peace the most stately and dainty Monument in Rome was on a sudden without any Tempest foregoing but only a little Earthquake quite burnt to the ground whether by Lightning or Fire out of the Earth was uncertain That Temple was the richest and strongest of all others and was curiously adorned with gifts of massy Gold and Silver yea all Persons of Quality had there deposited and laid their Principal Treasures but the fire happening in the night made many rich men suddenly poor When the fire had consumed the Temple it burned down also many of the most beautiful buildings in the City continuing its rage for many days together Horodian Imp. History Pertinax is Emperor 87 dayes and then is slain by the Souldiers The King of Scots is slain by a Musician for causing one of his Kindred to be executed Severus goeth against Niger whom he beat three times and then slew him at Antioch Herod besiegeth Byzantium now Constantinople three years together Satrahel coming to rule Scotland kills many of the old Lords of the Kingdom Constantinople is taken by Famine Satrahel is strangled by his Servants The Brittains are beaten by Severus and the head of Albinus is sent to Rome About this time Scotland received the Christian Faith The fifth Persecution began Many fled from Jerusalem into the Wilderness to avoid the Persecution The Romans wast Arabia Strange Heresies broached by Praxeus Severus went into Brittain but never returned thence Fifty Thousand of his Army dye Many of the Scots upon a Rebellion were cruelly massacred X. From 219 to 257 the following signs appeared which were accompanied with remarkable Accidents An Eagle flying takes away the Cap of Diadumenus and he is slain within 14 months after The Brittains rebel and invade the Roman Territories Streams of fire and strange Lightnings are seen at Rome Armed men appear in the Air in Muscovia and Poland the Persians invade Armenia and wast the Roman Territories Alectus is slain in Battel The King of Scots is killed by his Guard the Emperor goeth into Persia and is overcome A Blazing Star is seen at Rome which exteâ—â—â—d it self a very great length and was seen both to burn and blaze many nights together Maximilian comes out of Germany and is slain by his own Souldiers his body is given to be torn and devoured of Dogs The Goths at this time became terrible to the Roman Empire In 241 was an Eclipse of the Sun which saith my Author was so great that it made the day seem as dark as the night Athirco King of Scotland kills himself strange Heresies spread themselves The Persians are vanquished and expelled Syria In 244 the Sun was totally Eclipsed and there was a great Earthquake which caused the Earth to gape so exceedingly that several Cities together with their Inhabitants were swallowed up and destroyed great Thunder is heard in the Earth with terrible darkness and another Earthquake The Goths take Chalcedon and Nice and ruin them both The Plague rageth in the Roman Army The Goths burn the Temple of Ephesus and enter Macedonia and Asia The Thirty Tyrants about this time engrossed and parcelled out the Roman Empire among themselves And the Sarmates subdued and robbed all Austria and Hungaria The Germans passing through France entred Spain to the City of Terragona which they ruined and the Empire was almost utterly destroyed Yea it was not only thus molested by men but the very Heavens and Elements conspired against it to plague it For the Heavens were darkened in such a manner that for many dayes space they never saw the Sun and the Earth opened and discovered great Vaults and Caves out of which there issued great streams of Salt-water and such horrid noises were heard as many dyed for fear The Sea broke its bounds overflowing and drowning many Cities After which there fell out the most woful Pestilence that ever was read or heard of so that in Rome there dyed thereof Five Thousand Persons in one day Imper. Hist Pag. 158. XI In 257 the Sea overwhelmed many Cities in Europe and Afriâ—a This year there were many exceeding great Earthquakes and darkness for many days together spears also were seen in the Element at Rome The Germans and Scythians wast the Empire The French destroy Italy Claudius Censorinus was made Emperor in Italy and slain there Donald usurped the Crown of Scotland and kept the Nobility in fear by threatning to kill their kindred whom he had got into his hands In 300 there was an horrible Earthquake in Tyre which destroyed many buildings and an innumerable Company of People Many Monsters were also born this year Dioclesian the Roman Emperor assumeth the Title of a God and would have Divine Honours given him Many Christians are burnt in a House in Nicodemia The Tenth bloody Persecution began One Hundred and Forty Four Thousand Christians are put to death in Egypt and Seven Hundred Thousand Banished In 314 a Banner with a Cross was seen in the Air and divers Armies fighting A hand was seen in Lateran at Româ— without a body which in the sight of many men writ upon the Wall these words Hodie venenum Ecclesiae infusurus To day is poyson poured into the Church This was interpreted to foretell the extraordinary Indulgence of Constantine the Emperor toward the Christian Bishops and his heaping Estates Riches and Honours upon them whereby they soon after lost their former Piety and Humility He was sirnamed the great and was the first Christian Emperor who publickly countenanced and imbraced the Gospel which he is said to have done on this occasion At the same time that he was saluted Emperor in Brittain Maxentius was chosen at Rome by the Praetorian Souldiers being pensive and sollicitous upon these Distractions he cast his Eyes up toward Heaven where he saw in the Air a lightsome Pillar in the form of a Cross wherein he read these words in Greek In this thou shalt overcome and the next night a vision appeared to him commanding him to bear that figure in his Standard and he should overcome all his enemies this he performed and was accordingly victorious from which time he not only favoured the Christians but became a zealous Professor of the Faith and Gospel Before his time it is observable that few if any at all of the Roman Emperors dyed a natural death they being 40 in all from the time of Julius Caesar though after they generally did Rome was likewise beautified by Constantine and Lamps and Wax Candles were first used in the Church in the day time Arius begins to broach his Heresies and is condemned by the Council of
Alexandria The French aid the Sarmatians against the Romans and in a Battel kill Forty Six Thousand Men. In 323 a Fountain ran with Oyl in Italy there was also a terrible Comet seen for many days together at Rome Constantine overcomes Licinius at Chalcedon Octavian fleeth into Scotland and by the aid of Fincomore recovers Britain Licinius is put to death XII In 340 there was an Earthquake in Aâ—a which overthrew many Cities A Child of six months old prophesies in Rome Constantine the Elâ—â—â—â— is â—ain Constans subdueth the Gauls Athanâ—sius the Bishop is banished In 343 was a great and terrible Eclipse of the Sun and an Earthquake whose force was so great that it overthrew many Cities in the East Hermogenes is slain in a Tumult Constantius persecuted the Clergy Julius entertaineth Athanasius and other banished Catholicks Arius his Hereâ—â—es spread at Antioch The Christians are persecuted in Persia and Constantius is beaten there The Heathen Temples are shut up In 349 was a great Earthquake which overthrew a whole City into the Sea except the Church The City of Dirachium was swallowed up by an Earthquake and Rome was shaken three dayes and nights together with divers Cities in Campania Constantius overcomes the Persians in Battel but his Souldiers being drunk with Wine and Beer as well as with success the Persians came suddenly upon them and make a great slaughter In 362 an Earthquake did very much harm in Persia and the City of Nicodemia was overthrown thereby An Ox is said to have spoken in Italy Constantius makes Peace with the Persians and soon after dyes the Christians are much Persecuted Julian the Apostate being at Constantinople to prepare for the Persian War is slain at Chresiphon The Temple of Apollo Daphneus is burnt In 369 was a great inundation or overflowing of waters in Sicily and a general Earthquake throughout the whole World Romachus defeateth Augusian and the Picts in England He tyrannizeth and the Nobles cut off his head Valence putteth Athanarius to flight In 337 appeared a Comet of wonderful greatness and another general Earthquake in Sicily The Scots and Picts are set at variance by Maximus the Goths turn Arians and wast Thrace Thessaly and Epirus The Emperor Gratian killeth thirty five thousand Germans In 384 there was visible a terrible sign in the Heavens in all parts like unto a fiery Pillar and the River Tiber overflowes her banks again Maximus killeth Gratian treacherously and possesseth Brittain France Spain and Africk The Vaâ—dals and Lumbards quarrel Priscillian is Executed at Trevers by Maximus after an appeal to him from the Council of Bordeux In 392 a new Star is seen in the Heavens which appeared in the form of a sword for forty days together Armed men and Castles were seen in the Heavens in Greece Valentinian is strangled at Vienna Eugenius is made Emperor Honorius wars against Eugenius The King of France is slain in battel the Romans impose a tribute on the French XIII In 399 strange fiery clouds are seen in Constantinople an Earthquake and great hail a Star like a sword is seen at Rome in many places hail-stones fell which were bigger than a stone of eight pound weight A deep Snow great Eclipse of the Sun and other strange Meteors the Goths divide into Factions and consume themselves with Civil War Gildo their King killeth his children is forced to fly and at last is taken and strangled Heathen Temples and Idols are destroyed The Sybyls books are burnt at Rome In 412 the Earth at Vtica in Italy seemed as if it mourned for seven dayes together with a horrible lowing At Rome great flocks of Grashoppers were seen in the Air Arthaulphus warreth with the Vandals The Spaniards Countrey is parted between them and the Swedes Pelagius a Monk in Brittain broacheth his Opinions Heraclian is slain by his own Souldiers In 434 it rained blood in Savoy A Comet of wonderful Magnitude appeared in the Heavens In Sweden a Dragon was seen flying in the Air There was a great Famine in Constantinople Pope Bassus dyeth The French besiege Archillas The Emperors makes peace with the Vandals The Goths break Peace with the Romans The Brittains war with the Scots In 445 were apparitions in the Heavens in England burning Spears were seen at Rome many Earthquakes the Moon Eclipsed A Comet this year appeared ten weeks together Aelius the Roman General is slain Cartigern and Horsa are killed in battel at Aylesford in Kent The Brittains beat the Saxons and drive them into the Isle of Thanet the King of the Goths is slain In 463 happened a great Earthquake in Rome and many parts of Italy with terrible showrs and great storms of hail The Goths wast Illyria Beorgok is slain in Italy by Ricimer The Popes usurpations are opposed by Hillarius a Deacon of Rome In 471 was an Earthquake at Vienna Wolves and other Beasts wander all the year through that City and devour men the Emperors Palace is consumed by fire Ricimer aspireth and being discovered fleeth to Milan he proclaimeth war against the Emperor besiegeth Rome and killeth Arthemius Portugal and Burgundy are wasted by the Goths In 483 Armies of men were seen in the Air in Russia An Earthquake also and two wonderful Blazing Stars appeared a Rainbow likewise seemed to incompass two Suns which were visible at once Giles King of France is slain and Clovis taketh many Cities A Persecution of learned men in Africa Zeno the Emperor gives up himself to riot and cruelty putting many to death In 507 there fell a great and fiery dart from Heaven in Africa and dark spots were observed in the body of the Sun The Emperor gives the Goths money to depart his Dominions Clovis warreth against Alaricus for Religion and Italy is wasted by Clorus with an hundred ships and eight thousand men In 529 happened wonderful Lightning at Antioch and an Earthquake at Constantinople Legible Letters are seen in the Air at Rome it rained blood in the Valleys of Lucern and Piedmont four days together The Persians war against the King of Colchos and the Emperor The Vandals put their General to death the Jews are suppressed the Emperors General Mundus defeateth the Getes who wasted Thrace XIV In 539 a famous Comet appeared in the Royal sign Sagittarius and vast Flocks of Ravens were seen at Rome The Persians take Antioch and wast the Eastern Provinces The Emperor purchaseth his peace People are ordered to pray toward the East in their Churches In 546 the Sea flowed up four miles into Thrace and drowned many people There was a very great Earthquake in Constantinople The Goths soon after setting upon the Romans at the siege of Septa were all slain Totilas the Goth besiegeth Rome and taketh it Belisarius recovereth it In 555 a fiery Lance in the Element appeared from the North to the East The Heavens seemed to open in France and lights shined out for two hours space an Earthquake shook Constantinople for six weeks and the Sun for
the greatest part of the year gave so little light aâ— was only equal to that of the Moon though the Sky was clear and no Clouds or any thing to overshadow it After which there followed a great Famine Earthquakes and much War and bloodshed Narses winneth Liguria and Venice from the French The Romans rout the Persians at Phasido The Jews and Samaritans persecute the Christians and burn their Churches in Caesarea In 570 at York in England the Fountains ran blood Likewise blood fell from the Clouds in Lombardy in Kent a Boy laughed in his Mothers Belly and at London Trees seemed to be on fire This year the Persians begin a war with the Romans The Huns break into Germany and are expelled by the French There was so great a Famine in England that the People assembled together in flocks to throw themselves into the Sea In 590 was a great inundation in Constantinople there was a Comet this year which Blazed a Month together In the River Tyber at Rome was seen a Dragon and many Serpents and the water thereof overflowed the City an infinite company of Grashoppers are seen in Lombardy and many Locusts in France Not long after so great a Plague was in Rome that eight hundred men fell dead in an hour in the time of Procession Antharis is poysoned at Papia The Huns invade Italy and France the Emperor goes against them but was forced to return In 597 a dreadful Comet is seen at Constantinople the Elements seem to burn in Poland a fiery lance is seen in the Heavens at Rome An horrible Earthquake in Palestine A sign in the Heavens like a sword flamed thirty days together A Comet was seen for a month together at Jerusalem Soon after the Sclavi wast Thrace The Brittains and Scots invade the Saxons France and Poland are miserably wasted Brunchild a Daughter of the Royal Blood of France being found guilty of the death of Ten Kings she is tyed by the hair of the head and by the Arms to wild horses and torn to pieces The Romans and Persians differ and the Emperor is defeated in Thrace XV. In 639 was an Earthquake at Antioch and Horsemen were seen in the Air in Muscovia and blood rained at Naples A wonderful storm at Constantinople which spoiled the Fields and Gardens a fiery Dragon was seen in the Air there also After this the Saracens or Turks become Lords of all Mesopotamia Sigebert King of the East-Angles dies Dagobert becomes sole Monarch of France the Pope is imprisoned at Constantinople and afterward banished and starved In 674 appeared so horrible a fire and a Rainbow in the Element that many cryed out the world was at an end this was accompanied with Rain Thunder and Lightning which slew both Men and Beasts in Italy This year the Saracens besieged Constantinople and the sâ—ege continued 7 years till at last thirty thousand of them were slain and their Fleet is fired by Cariniceus who revolted from them Bamba warreth against the French Egbert of Kent dyeth King Lothari is slain with a dart The Goths overcome the Gascoigns In 687 there was a very great Comet at Christmass and several Mocksuns were seen in England the next year it rained blood seven days together through all Brittain In Campania Wheat rained from Heaven also Barly and Pulse in other parts of Italy two Comets of great magnitude were seen this year It rained blood seven days together through all Brittain and the milk cheese and butter turned into blood Soon after happened great controversy in Rome about a new Pope The King of Scots is slain by the Picts The Emperor defeateth the Sclavonians Kenwin the West-Saxon dyeth The French enter into Germany and subdue the Bavarians and Almains Italy began to choose themselves several Dukes this year In 735 a most Prodigious Hail fell in England Fire was seen to flame in the Heavens at Rome About this time Gregory the great being sent to the Emperor at Constantinople about some Ecclesiastical Affairs at his return to Rome the River Tyber swelled to such an immeasurable height that it ran over the Walls of the City and drowned a great part of it breaking into divers great houses and overthrowing many Antient Monuments flowing into the Granaries that belonged to the Church and carried away many thousand measures of Wheat Presently after which inundation there came down the River an innumerable company of Serpents and amongst the rest one so monstrous that it was as big as a great beam all which swimming down the River into the Sea were there choaked and their Carcasses being cast upon the shoar rotted there by the stink whereof the Air was infâ—â—â—ed so that a dreadful Plague followed whereof th◠〈◊〉 many Thousands Yea Arrowes were visibly seen sâ—◠〈◊〉 Heaven and whoever was struck with them dâ—ed immediately and among others Pelagius Bishop of Rome This Judgment so raged in the City that many houses were wholly emptied of their Inhabitants An inundation likewise happened in Constantinowe Oyl raired in Spain a Comet appeared in the fashion of a sword Croâ—â—â— fell from Heaven upon mens Garments An Earthquake in Palestim Fire rained from Heaven in many parts of France The French about this time enter the territories of the Goths and destroy their Caâ—â—â—es A mighty Pestilence in Constantinople for three years which devoured so many that they wanted men to bury their dead Selred the East-Saxon is slain The Emperor beats the Saracens in Cyprus the Huns General slain in Transilvania XVI In 761 in the month of September happened a very great Eclipse of the Sun A Blazing Star was seen in the East for many dayes together This year the King of Scotland invadeth Northumberland and is slain There was a Rebellion in Galloway The Bulgarians invade the Empire Dominico the great Duke is deposed by the Venetians for his Tyranny and his eyes put out About this time the Turks brake forth from the Caspian Sea and there was such an extraordinary cold Winter that the Euxine Sea was frozen thirteen foot thick and men walked on the see for an Hundred Miles into the Sea Yea all the Countreys from Lycia to Danubius and on the other â—â—de as far as to Euphrates were so joined together by the Frost as if they had been all one Continent And at the end of Winter began a very dry Summer so that the Fountains of water were dryed up Some pieces of Ice as big as Mountains fell upon and beat down the Walls of several Cities Stars were seen falling from Heaven so that men thought the end of the world had been come In 778 was another great Eclipse of the Sun Armies of men were seen in the Heavens in France This year it rained blood also Earth and Ashes fell from Heaven at Rome There were Meteors in the Air like unto fiery Serpents which fell in many parts of England Soon after Telerick King of Bulgaria is expelled by his people King Etheldred flyes from England
Countrey desolate and laid wast the houses and temples overthrown the people lamenting at the sight of their houses being blown down and under them their Goods their Cattel and their Parents slain which occasioned wonderful compassion in the beholders and hearers thereof by this means it pleased God rather to threaten than punish Tuscany for if so great a Tempest had fallen upon any City full of Houses as it fell upon these Oaks and Trees and small Houses one far from another without all doubt the destruction would have been greater then the mind of man could have conceived But it pleased God by that small example to revive in mens minds the memory of his power The same year there perished about Pivel and Naples forty thousand People by an Earthquake Mahomet the Great Turk is beaten from the siege of Belgrade by Hunniades who soon after dyes Ladislaus King of Pâ—land and Alphonsus King of Naples both dye Matchiavil Hist Florence Lib. 6. XXVII In 1460. a most terrible Comet appeared to fight This year King Henry VI. of England is made Prisoner at Northampton The Civil Wars in France begin Charles VII King of France and Adolphus Duke of Holsatia both dye Craâ—ovia a great City in Poland is destroyed â—â—ith Fire and Sword Mahomet II. Emperor of the Tarks after many victories cruelly kills David the Emperor of Trapezund and his two sons the Duke of York is slain at the battle of Wakefield in Yorkshire In 1477 a Blazing Star of the colour of the Star Saturn appeared there ensued a most terrible Plague The Helvetians kill'd seventeen thousand French and Charles Duke of Burgundy The Turks wast Carinthia and the Tartaâ—â— Podâ—lia In 1484 happened a wonderful deep Snow in Germany and fiery darts were seen in the Sky the Sun was likewise much Eclipsed In England three Suns appeared about this time and in Poland there was seen saith my Author an Image of Christ Crucified with a Sword in his hand passing along the Air from West to South for two hours together The English invade Scotland but are repulsed The Venetians make war against the Turks The quarrel continueth in Germany about the Archbishoprick of Mentz A Rebellion was raised in France against the Queen for the Princes death In 1470 Hail of wonderful greatness fell at Rome the stones whereof weighed eight ounces in Germany Hail-stones fell as big as Goose eggs Soon after the Turks take Sabotz in Hungary and wast Germany The King of Sicily with the Venetians fight against them and spovl Leshos and Pergamus XXVIII In the Year 1478 the Sun is darkened without an Eclipse swarms of Grashoppers are seen in Italy A Glorious Star is seen to run along the Firmament Armies are observed fighting in the Air in Switzerland After this the Hungarians defeat the Turks and take Thirty Thousand Captives from them The Spanish Inquisition is first instituted in Castile against the Moâ—s and Jews The Transilvanians overcome the Turks About this time King Charles VIII of France marched into Italy with an Army for the Conquest of the Kingdom of Naples a little before which were many strange Prodigies whereby divers Persons foresaw and foretold that there would be greater changes and more horrible accidents than in many years before had happened in any part of the world For there were seen in the night at Poville in Italy three Suns in the midst of the Firmament and many Clouds about them which sent forth most dreadful Thunders and Lightnings In the Territory of Aretzo were manifestly seen in the Air infinite numbers of armed men upon mighty Horses with a terrible noise of drums and Trumpets The Images of the Saints saith my Author did plainly sweat in many parts of Italy In several places divers Monsters were brought forth both of women and other Creatures with many other things against the order of nature which happened almost all at one time in divers places And whilst the French Army was in the City of Millain there happened an accident of no less wonder than fear which extreamly astonished the Souldiers as if the Heavens by manifest signs had forewarned them of their future calamities For upon St. Peters day the Sun being set and the Air and Firmament clear there fell down from Heaven a Light and a Fire just before the Gate of the Castle where at that time stood many barrels of Powder which were brought out of the Castle to be sent to other Places This Flash of fire seized upon the Powder with an horrible noise by the violence whereof the fair Tower of Marble which was over the Gate on the top of which stood a stately Clock was thrown down and rased from the very Foundation to the top thereof In which fury the Walls and Chambers of the Castle with other buildings adjoyning to the Tower had the same fate Yea in one instant the whole body of the Castle and the whole City of Milain trembled and shook with the fury of the blow which carryed into the Air from several places many great and huge stones which in their fall hurt and slew divers Persons And as in a common calamity a multitude have a share so it fell out here for many who had escaped the fall of the stones were overwhelmed by the ruines of the Walls under which they were smothered and pressed to death with these ruins the Castle green was so overspread and covered that it was very dreadful to behold such a sudden alteration but it was mighty surprizing even to the most couragious to see stones of such an incredible bigness to be thrown with the fury of the fire above five hundred paces from the place This happened at that very hour wherein people of all sorts were walking for their Recreation upon the Castle Green whereby there were slain above five hundred men who belonged to the Castle Guichardines Hist Italy Pag. 785. XXIX In the year 1492 a great Comet is visible in the Heavens Three Suns are seen in Poland another Comet appeared for two Months In Rome the Sky was seen to be on fire for many nights together These were succeeded by great Inundations and Floods in England The English go against the French the Jews are expelled Spain A Rebellion at Gaunt in Flanders The Hungarians enter Mysia and return back with much booty A rot of great Potentates Pope Innocent VIII dyes Alphonsus King of Portugal dyes by a fall from his Horse Frederick Emperor of Germany and Casimer King of Poland both dye A great part of Cracovia is burnt In 1500 a great fiery Dragon and of a monstrous shape is seen in Savoy A Comet of wonderful Magnitude appears for 18 days in Poland an Inundation in Germany Soon after the King of Sweden and the Queen of Bohemia dye The State of Millain rebel and are suddenly subdued again Next year Prince Arthur Son to Henry VIII dyeth and the Wife of King Henry VII of England The Turks take Modone and many other places
a Capital Crime whereupon they presently condemned him and having obtained the Beglerbegs consent and warrant they put him to death The Truth of this Relation was confirmed by Isuf Chaous a converted Turk who came to London about the year 1656 which vision he said did much affect him but he added that the grand Seignior commanded none should speak of it upon pain of death In the year 1625 June 29 there began a most terrible Tempest in Constantinople with such violent and continual Thunder and Lightning that all the City appeared as if it had been on fire at the end whereof fell such a storm of Hail that it brake the Tiles and Glasses so that stones were taken up weighing an hundred and fifty drams the next morning others were weighed that were about 7 or 8 ounces apiece wherewith many were very much wounded and July 3 after there happened another Tempest of Thunder and Lightning which burnt a Woman and a Child and slew much Cattel in the Fields Turkish Hist Pag. 1452. XXXVIII And now I shall relate the Desolations and miseries of Germany with the wonderful signs foregoing as I find them recorded in credible Authors The dreadful Blazing Comet which appeared in 1618 aforementioned seemed to be a fore-runner thereof It was seen often in a clear Sky in the East In Bohemia and Austria it appeared at first with red in other places with a Saturnine pale-red colour for the space of twenty seven dayes and in some places longer And it seemed here to be compleatly effected what has been usually said that never did a Comet appear which was not accompanied with much evil and misery and Claudian the Poet writ thus concerning them Bella canunt ignes subitosque tumult is c. They shew fierce Wars Fire Sword and sâ—dden broyls And by Domestick Plots surprizing Tâ—ils Vncivil Civil Jars and homebred Flames They signifie And Luâ—â—n the Heathen Poet expresses the Prodigâ—es before the Civil Wars of Rome in this manner Superique minaces Prodigâ—â—s Tâ—â—â—as implerant Aethera Pontum c. Tâ—e threatâ—ing Gods 〈…〉 and Earth and Sea with Prodigits Vnâ—â—â— of Starâ— of night adâ—rn the Skies Hâ—aven â—â—ems to flame and through the welkin fire 〈◊〉 â—lyes State changing Comets dire 〈…〉 to us their blood-portending hair Deceitful Lightnings flaâ—h in clearest Air Straâ—ge formed Meteors the thick Air had bred Like faâ—â—lâ—is long like lamps more broadly spread Lightning witâ—out one clap of Thunder brings From 〈…〉 North his winged fires and flings Themâ—gâ—â—â—st our Capitol Small Stars that use Only be night their Lusire to dissuse Now sâ—ine in midst of day c. Such Civil Wars it seems were never without strange Prodigies and no man can be ignorant of the miserable condition of Germany about this time nor think thereof but with a sorrowful heart and as the beginning of their miseries were threatned by this terrible Comet so their continuance was still presignified by many strange things that happened out of the common course of nature which I shall endeavour to declare as followeth In December 1619 the water which runs through Sixto a City in Hungaria where a mighty battle was fought between the Turks and Christians in 1583 was turned into blood and the â—ce therein was likewise blood-red Two years after which Bethlem Gabor routed the whole Army of the Imperialists in or near that place killing above Two Thousand of them in the Field In the same Year and Month Decemb. 19. 1619 at Groningen in Brunswick appeared another great Blazing Star and two Armies one in the East and another in the North fighting in the Heavens till the Northern Army seemed to be slain and defeated Not long after a dreadful battle was fought within a few Leagues of this place betwixt the King of Denmark and the Imperial General Tilly in which the King lost the Field with Four Thousand of his Army who were slain and taken Prisoners And at another place not far off about the same time Five Hundred men were slain and in the City of Munden in the same Dukedom Two Thousand Five Hundred Citizens and Souldiers were miserably slain by the Imperialists In the same year 1619 at Vienna in Austria the water in the ditch appeared like blood for the space of 8 days likewise three Rainbows were visible at once And that very year in the same place and City a bloody fight happened between the Bohemians and the Imperial General Bucquâ—y wherein four thousand five hundred of the Imperialists were slain and about a thousand Bohemians and very many wounded In 1620 it rained blood in Poland so abundantly that the drops fell very fast from the tops of the houses Soon after the Tartars with an Army of Forty Thousand men invaded Poland exercising incredible Cruelty killing in one place above Three Thousand Polanders The same year likewise the Turks with Ninety Thousand men fell into Walstady where they had a bloody encounter with Twelve Thousand Poles led by the great Chancellor of the Kingdom who himself with the whole Polish Army were slain very few or none of them escaping XXXIX In March 1621 two Armies were seen in the Air at Noon-day in Austria fiercely fighting together with great Thundering like Ordnance and Canon and the next year at Lintz in the same Countrey just over that City two Swords were observed standing against each other and two stout Armies fighting a pitcht battle to the great terror of the Inhabitants This City of Lintz was afterward besieged and many times assaulted by the Boors of Ausâ—â—ia but were beaten off with the loss of five hundred men yet being many Thousands they defeated some Imperial forces under the Duke of Hâ—â—â—â—iâ— which was afterward reâ—â—â—â—â— by Count Papâ—â—â—â—im who with an Army of six 〈◊〉 Horse and Foot fell upon them killing 〈…〉 on the place and taking many 〈◊〉 who were afterward executed in the City of 〈◊〉 In 162â— Three Sâ—â—â— and three Rainbows were 〈◊〉 at Prâ—gâ—â— and Hâ—â—dâ—lburg in Germany After 〈…〉 happened near the City of Praâ—â—â— between the 〈◊〉 and the Saxons where 〈◊〉 Hundred â—â—â—â—ts and almost every man else were â—ut 〈…〉 by the Saxâ—â—s before the Gates The â—â—ry of 〈◊〉 was the same year besieged 〈…〉 length taken by the Imperialists with great slaughter of the Inhabitants and another small Town calâ—â—d Wâ—â—kermund about 3 Miles off was at the same time surroâ—â—ly assaulted by the Imperialists wheâ—rin the Garrison making some resistance all the Inhabitants both Men. Women and Children were put to the Sword Some years after the City of Prague was besâ—eged by the Saxons and Swedes who for 3 days briskly fired upon the Town with their Canon and were answered in the same manner with great loss on both sides Nine Thousand Saxons and Swedâ—s beâ—ng slain and the Imperial Garrison within consisting of Fourteen Hundred men Six Hundred of them were slain The same year 1622 in the Countrey of Darmistadt Trees were found whose leaves dropt blood and that
very year many bloody Encounters happened between the Imperialists and Duke Christian of Brunswick in that Countrey but especially one between him and Count Tilly whose Army consisting of Twenty Two Thousand Foot and 140 Troops of Horse fought six hours together till the 〈◊〉 overpowring them with number dispersed them who flying to the Bridge so thronged and wâ—â—ged in one another that a great many were thrust into the River Main wherein there were as many drowned as were killed in the Battle The same year there was an Earthquake in Italy and many Prodigious Lightnings and Rains in France Circles were seen about the Sun and Moon in England At this time the Jesuits and Papists were expelled the Netherlands The Duke of Brunswick lost his Arm in battle There was a great Famine in Mâ—ravia and Silesia The City of Bergen in Norway was almost consumed by fire July 16. 1622 in the Dukedom of Wittenbarg it rained blood on the hands and cloaths of the labouring men and likewise upon Trees stones and other places in the Fields in these parts at the bloody battle of Norlingen many thousands were slain on both sides Commanders and others of all sorts XL. In 1623 in the County of Podibrat in Bohemia a Well for some days was turned into blood At Tursin a Town three or four Miles from Egra in a Citizens house the Table the Walls of the Parlour and the Chairs all sweated blood so that it began to run along the Room Several bloody encounters happened the next and other years in those places Four Thousand Boâ—â—â—ians and Three Hundred Imperialists being there slain five Troops of the Duke of Saxony's Horse were â—illed by the Imperialists few escaping and the Dâ—â—â—â— of Fridland Generalissimo of the Imperialists with 〈◊〉 other â—hief Commanders were soon after killed aâ— Egra This year in divers Towns and Villages near the Râ—ine several bloody signs and tokens were seen and about that time Two Thousand Impâ—â—ialists were there slain by Count Mansfield the wayes by the Rhine being strowed with their dead bodies and the next year in another battle with Count Tilly Five Thousand were slain upon the place about Mayenfield and Mâ—lantz the â—â—â—kâ—â—s and the hands of the Labourers as they were mowing in the Fields were seen to be bloody and soon after the Spaniards exercised great cruelty in those parts the Inhabitants being miserably Massacred without respect to Age Sex or Quality and among other Cruelties it is remarkable that the Spanish and Imperial Army coming from the Rhine passed by the City of Gall where the Papists to secure themselves from being plundered marked their houses with the sign of the Cross but they were the first who felt the effects of their Insolency being wofully pillaged and murdered without distinction Men and Women in Religious Orders being forced out of their Monasteries and an Agent was sent to them from the States of the Province who threw them down from the top of an high Rock and so they were dasht to pieces XLI In December 1624 in Bohemia the Sun for 10 or 12 hours was changed into divers colours at length fiery Beams proceeded from it and for some time seemed to oppose the Sun till all vanished like Smoak in the Air and at last descended with a noise like Rockets Two dayes before two Armies were seen in the Air who continued a great fight and skirmish for some time against each other The following years many bloody skirmishes and sights happened in those Countreys particularly the siege of Frankford upon the Borders of Silesia which the King of Sweden took by storm and Two Thousand Imperialists were killed on the place besides others who were drowned found dead in Cellars Chambers and other places who amounted to near as many more Not far off 300 Swedish Souldiers being over-confident of their valour were put to the Sword by the Croats and 300 Imperialists were killed soon after by the King of Sweden not far from thence with the loss of 600 of his own In May 1624 at Gierslet in the Dukedom of Anâ—ait a strange Prodigy appeared in the Heavens which continued from 6 till 8 a Clock at Night and was observed by the Inhabitants of that Town in this manner First an antient man came out of the Clouds in a red Hungarian habit after him some grave men in the like habit then issued out a Chariot with two Horses of divers colours and then another Chariot with four Armed Horses Soon after an infinite number of People like a swarm of Bees issued out of the Clouds in the same Hungarian habit with hats and great Feathers on their heads After them followed a man on horseback in a great long Robe putting the people before him Next appeared a Comet like an Eagle with his head hanging down A quarter of an hour after came forth another Army consisting of many Horse Foot and Chariots having hoods with broad brims and Feathers In the midst of the Army appeared a man alone drawing a long Red Cross before which he made some Prayers with hands held up These Forces the first Army presently routed and defeated All the rest marching to Asherleben c. at last vanished away in several Red Clouds Not long after Three Thousand of Mansfields men and a Thousand of the Imperialists were slain at this place The day before it rained blood at Weinsham in Bohemia and two Armies appeared in the Sky skirmishing together It likewise rained blood at Friburg in Silesia and two Armies also appeared in the Heavens fighting for a long time together Soon after the Duke of Freidland sending Colonel Pechman with Seven Thousand Horsemen and Dragoons to pursue the Danish and Weinmariâ—h Troops there began a hot skirmish between them where at last most of the Danish Forces were killed and ten Companies of them taken Prisoners and Pechman himself with divers other Officers were slain The same year May 8. a strange Tempest happened at Ratisbone for it being calm and only a small rain two dark Clouds on a sudden met together and instantly a Wind mingled with Fire proceeded from thence which immediately raised a mighty Tempest which tore up Trees by the Roots in a Wood near the City carrying them afar off and thence extending it self to the City in a short time it overturned above Two Hundred Houses in the Town and Suburbs neither was a Chimney left standing the Windows of the Church of the Emerans was much shattered one of the Steeples laid flat on the ground and the other was broke off in the middle Two other Principal Steeples and a Cloyster were likewise blown down This was supposed to be raised by some damned Sorcerer who by the assistance of the Prince of the Air had caused this mischief The Instrument of this desolation was limited both to time place and persons the time was not above a quarter of an hour the Herricane if we may so call it did not foread beyond the City only
with their faces on the ground October 13 the same year a terrible Thunder fell upon the Church at Sagan another Town in Silesia from whence it burst out of a Window attended with such Wind Rain Hail and Tempest that it tore up the Trees by the very Roots blasted the Herbs and Fruit trees and so harrassed the Countrey for a League about that the damage was very considerable After the Thunder and Tempest there appeared just over the Church fiery beams like a sword and a rod the Bells in the Steeple began to sound and ring without the help of man and 3 miles off the Heavens for the space of an hour seemed open and fiery Not long after a terrible fight happened between this Town of Sagan and Sternaw both in Silesia where the Swedes and Saxons killed about two thousand Imperialists and not far thence soon after two thousand more were slain XLIV In 1630 a very miraculous thing happened at Geismar in Hassia two souldiers lying for safety in that Town one of them complained to the other who was in bed with him that he was very cold the other answered he could not believe it in regard that his own body was very hot and wet intreating him to touch and feel his side which when he had done finding his hands exceeding wet and as it were glued and congealed together he suspected something extraordinary and looking on his hands by the light of the Moon he judged them to be bloody whereat being much terrified he called for a Candle and found his fellow souldier very weak and his left side and the sheets of the bed to be bloody and endeavouring to wash off the blood from his side presently more blood issued 〈◊〉 at length after the space of an hour it ceased of it self About three handfuls of blood were taken out of the sheets this with the relation of other circumstances they presented in the morning to their Commander who inquired of him how he had felt himself that Night the souldier answered That he had been extream ill for some time but was afterward restored to his former health The two next years after this Prodigy this goodly Countrey of Hassia was miserably harrassed by several Armies and the Inhabitants were barbarously and inhumanely treated by the Emperors ' Army and if the Prince or his poor subjects did at any time complain and petition for Justice or redress they were only scorned and rejected for their labours so that they were forced to endure quarterings taxpatiens burnings robberies and sacking of their Towns and Villages yea the slaughter of innumerable innocent Subjects of all sorts without being able to obtain any pity or compassion from their enemies The same year 1630 in May the Noremberg Carrier and several Passengers in their journey toward Hamborough passing by the Town of Coburg at night they observed with great admiration a prodigious fire going in and out of the Town and heard a mighty noise like the discharging of Canons Two years after which General Wallestein assaulted this Town with his Souldiers and great Guns but was so stoutly entertained by those within that after the loss of a great many of the Imperialists he was forced though he had besieged it above Twenty Months to break up his siege and depart XLV In May 1631 at Hall in lower Saxony the water was turned into blood and about the middle of this Month this Town was taken by Tilly and afterward retaken from him by their natural Lord and presently again repossessed by Tillies Forces and he himself after the battle of Leipsick made his escape thither that night and had his wounds dressed by the Town Barber Whilst Tilly's Army lay in the Town one of his Chief Officers saw blood prodigiously dropping from the House wherein he lay whereupon he said What Must we bleed will the King of Sweden beat us That 's impossible But it happened otherwise for Hall was not above 7 Dutch Miles distant from the place of battle wherein the Imperial Army was utterly routed and miserably destroyed in the chase and if the King had but had 3 hours more of day-light it was judged that hardly a Thousand of the Enemy had escaped one of their own Relations affirming that there were Fifteen Thousand of the Imperialists slain upon the place and in the pursuit that night and the day following It s said Tilly's couragious heart could not refrain from tears when he perceived such woful destruction among his brave old Souldiers his Army consisting of Forty Four Thousand stout men being usually termed Iâ—vincible The next day the King besieged Hall which was yielded to him and soon after the Castle But a while after Pappenheim and the Imperialists again retook this City exercising all manner of Barbarism upon the Inhabitants This year likewise in the time of the siege of Magdeburg a City Captains Wife dying in Child-bed desired to be ript open which being done they found a Boy almost as big as one of 3 years old who had an head-piece and an Iron Breastplate on his Body great boots of the French fashion and a bag by his side with two things therein like Musket bullets This horrible Prodigy no doubt portended the deplorable destruction of that City which happened May 10. 1631 when a general assault was made upon the Town by the Imperialists the Walls were mounted in an instant the Town entred and the Souldiers fell to killing At the same instant a fire none knew how broke out and it being a very windy day on a sudden all became one mighty Flame the whole Town being in twelve hours time turned to Cinders except some few Fisher-houses six Goodly Churches were burnt the Cathedral by the diligence of the Monks and Souldiers being preserved There were at least Twenty Thousand People killed burnt and smothered beside Six Thousand drowned in the River Elbe Two days after Tilly came into the Town and finding some Hundreds of Women and Children in the great Church he gives them their lives and some bread to maintain them XLVI June 18. 1631 at Asherleben in the lower Saxony toward Evening two strong Armies were observed in the Heavens who prepared themselves to fight one came out of the North and the other out of the South after a long fight the Northern Army obtained the victory This Prodigy was seen two days in a cleer Sky for the space of an hour after the battle a Person in a long Garment appeared two several times shooting with a Bow at the Leader of the Southern Army The very next Month July 8. happened a sharp conflict between this Town and Tangermond where the â—ing of Sweden routed Twenty Companies of the Imperialists and took 14 Ensigns and soon after 1500 more were slain These slaughters Count Tilly resolving to revenge sets forward toward the King with twenty six thousand men and fell upon him in his Trenches but were beaten off with a miserable butchery so that it was judged
in the open Fields After which this Prâ—â—digy succeeded Six miles distant from the 〈◊〉 or Pick of 〈◊〉 at a place called 〈◊〉 where Fishermen with their Boats use to fish in Summer They at this time caught such a multitude that no Boat returned with less than Ten Thousand Fish At this very place in July this year Fire broke forth with such unexpressable violence notwithstanding the depth of the Ocean which had been fathomed one hundred and twenty foot deep that the very Sea it self was not sufficient to extinguish such mighty flames The space of this boyling Fire was about two Acres and the Fire arose with such mighty force that it reached even to the clouds carrying with it Water Sand Earth Stones and much other matter which like Feather-beds flew into the Air to the terror of the Beholders afar off and falling down again into the water resembled a kind of Pultis or Frumeatie and had not the Wind by divine Providence blown off from the Isle into the Sea and thereby driven back this outragious Fire without doubt the whole Countrey had been utterly burnt up and destroyed by this formidable Combustion soon after it cast forth stones of so vast a bigness to the height of above three lances that they seemed rather like entire Mountains than Stones which in their fall meeting and dashing against others they broke into a Thousand pieces with a terrible noise and Ratling which afterward being taken up mouldred into a black Sand. Moreover out of this vast quantity of matter thrown out a new Island arose even in the midst of the deep Ocean In the beginning it was not above five Acres but increasing continually in four days after it took up the length of five mile so vast a multitude of fish perished by this burning that eight Ships of Jndia could hardly contain them and being dispersed about all parts of the Island were gathered together and buried in deep Ditches by the Inhabitants for eighteen miles round about to prevent any Contagion which might arise from them but the Sulphur or Brimstone was smelt twenty four miles This year the Hollanders beat the Spanish Fleet upon the Coast of England LXV The same year 1638. the Learned Kircherus made a search and discovery into the burning Mountain of Vesuvius in the Kingdom of Naples so famous for fiery Irruptions for many Ages which being one of the most tremendous Miracles of Nature I shall relate in his own words After so great Dangers sustained by Sea and Land in diligently searching out the incredible power of nature working in Burroughs and Passages under ground I had a great desire to inform my self concerning Vesuvius I went therefore to Porticus the Porch or Entrance a Town scituate at the Foot of the Mountain where hiring an honest Countreyman for a true and skilful Companion and guide in the way not without a considerable reward I ascended the Mountain at midnight through difficult rough uneven and steep Passages when I came to the top or mouth I saw what is horrible to be expressed I saw it all over of a light Fire with a dreadful combustion and stench of Sulphur and burning Bitumen whereat being astonished methoughts I beheld the habitation of Hell wherein nothing seemed to be wanting but the Apparitions of Ghosts Devils and damned Spirits I then observed horrible bellowings and roarings in the mountain and unexpressible stink smoaks mixt with darkish Globes of Fire which both the bottom and sides of the Mountain continually belched forth from eleven several places and made me belch and ready to vomit O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are thy ways If thou shewest thy power against the wickedness of mankind in such formidable and portentous Prodigies and Omens of nature What shall it be in that last day wherein the Earth shall be destroyed by thy wrath and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat In the morning as soon as it was light that I might with the more diligence search into the Bowels of the Mountain I chose a place to set my feet secure upon which was an huge Rock plain on the top where talting forth my Pantometer or Vniversal Measure I took the dimensions of the Mountain and found by Geometrical Computation the compass of the Mouth to be almost three hundred paces but the depth thereof eight hundred paces The Mountain was every where up and down cragged and broken yet no gradual declining for any passage to the inward parts but descended in its compass of an equal bigness like a Well and although the bottom seemed narrower yet I judged it only to proceed from the exceeding great depth and distance from our sight In the very middle of the bottom Nature seemed to have made a Shop or Workhouse of Fire with everlasting gushings forth and streamings of smoak and flames which seem to be imployed for boyling of Sulphur Bitumen and other Minerals in preparation for deadly ruins and slaughters afterward to be committed since the vapours contained therein not having room endeavour to free themselves with such great force and violence accompanyed with horrible cracklings and noise that the Mountain seems to be tost with an Earthquake or trembling upon which the higher and softer parts of the Mountain that are clung together of Ashes Cinders Rains and other Refuses of Minerals being shook in pieces and loosned by this quaking and so falling like Hills into the bottom of this Hellish Gulph cause such terrible noises as are often heard which are so great and fearful as may daunt the most stout and couragious Spirit The matter which was continually belched forth from the center or bottom of the Mountain made as it were a new Mountain which had wonderful variety of Furrows or hollow Channels with various kinds of melted Minerals formed as it were by the ingenious Pencil of Nature sometimes of a greenish colour from Brass then yellow from Sulphur Arsnick and Sandarack presently after Red from Cinabar Red-Lead and Vermilion afterward Black from Vitriol mixt with water or of an Ashy colour from the very Cinders Thus far the laborious Kircher LXVI Hear now what our ingenious Countryman Mr. G. Sandys relates of this fiery Mountain Vesuvius It is scituate in Campania Faelix about eight miles from Naples which City hath received great injuries and prejudices by its Cinders and violent throwing out of stones even to its Walls and Houses This Mountain has vast Fountains of Fire and was heretofore high on every side before the inward parts were consumed it usually utters smoak by day but by night Flames its manner is to send forth a loud sounding or roaring noise and bellowing first and then to belch forth a huge quantity of Cinders to the great danger of those who pass by but if a vehement wind blow upon it the Ashes or Cinders are raised so high and driven so far in length that 't is certain they
as the whole Country hereabouts a terrible and unusual Earthquake whose strong and unequal motions joyned with horrible Roarings from Monte Gibello exceedingly frighted the Inhabitants but was so extraordinarily violent in the Country adjacent that the People were forced to abandon their houses and to fly into the Fields to avoid the danger threatned them from the falling of their houses The Village of Nicolosi was of all others the most dreadfully handled by this furious Earthquake the houses and other buildings being shaken all in pieces and buried in their own ruines the poor people who had preserved their lives by a timely flight with such little of their goods as their hasty fears would permit them to carry out with them continued a night or two in the Fields beholding with grief and astonishment the ruine of their habitations but observing that by these violent concussions the Earth began to open in several places and to threaten them with inevitable ruine they fled though with much trouble and amazement to this City These shakings of the Earth being so frequent and violent that the people went reeling and staggering with much difficulty supporting one another from falling insomuch as what with their want of sleep the pains they were forced to take in travelling and the great terrors imprinted on them by what they had seen and suffered they appeared at their arrival in this City as so many distracted people wholly insensible of what they did This dreadful convulsion of the Earth was immediately followed on Monday March 11. about 10 at night by 3 terrible Eruptions much about the same time and a little distance one from the other These said Eruptions were observed to be on the side of Monte Gibello about 2 miles beyond the Mountain called Montpileri from whence with a terrible noise it threw up its flames with much fury and violence about a hundred yards in height its noise not roaring only inwards from the belly of the Mountain as before but violently cracking like peals of Ordnance or thunder from the side of it throwing out vast stones some of them of 300 pound weight which being as it were shot through the air fell several miles distant from the place whilst the whole Air was filled with smoak burning cinders and ashes which fell like a fiery rain upon the Country In the mean time issued from the side of this Prodigious Mountain a vast Torrent of Melted and burning Matter which like an Inundation Drowned as in a Flood of Fire the Countrey on this side of it This Burning River ran down upon the Mountain Montpileri which opposing its direct course it divided it self into two Streams which encompassed the said Mountain one of them taking its way by La Guardia the Convent of St. Anne and Mâ—lpasso the other by the Towns of Monpileri and Falicchi which in few hours were wholly destroyed and lost not so much as any sign of them remaining with several lesser Villages and Farmes and with them the Famous Image of the blessed Lady of the Annunciata which though highly Reverenced throughout the whole Island esteemed the Wonder of Sicily and the whole World and to which the People with much Devotion resorted in Pilgrimage from the remotest parts was also swallowed up and consumed by this dreadful Torrent This Fiery and burning Deluge immediately spread it self to above six mile in breadth seeming to be somewhat of the colour of melted and burning Glass but as it cooles becomes hard and Rocky and every where in its passage leaves Hills and Pyramids of that matter behind it At the same time Monte Gibello from its top raged with dreadful Flames which with its noise and Concussions of the Earth which still continued added not a little to the Terror of the People who ran with Cries and Lamentations about the City and Country expecting nothing but to be swallowed up or consumed by Fire having no other apprehensions but of Death and a General Conflagration The two Torrents of Fire came forward destroying all things in their way and by Wednesday March 13th had on the West-side branched it self into several Streams and overran Campo Rotundo St. Pietro and Mostorbianco with La Potielli and St. Antonino and on the East-part ruin'd the lower part of Mascalucia and Le Placchi taking its way towards this City On Thursday the 14th the Wind came Eastwards on which fell abundance of Rain which abated not the Progress of the Fire which on the East-side had from Mascalucia made its way to St. Giovanni di Galermo the lower part whereof it destroyed and passing on seemed to threaten this City on one side as did that on the West-side the other As the Fire approached the Religious every where appeared with much Devotion carrying in Procession their Reliques especially those of St. Agatha the famous Martyr of Catâ—nia in which they reposed no small confidence followed by great multitudes of People some of them mortifying themselves with Whips and other signs of Penance with great Complaints and Cryes expressing their dreadful expectation of the Events of those Prodigious fiery Inundations Whil'st the People were thus busied in their Devotions and astonisht by their Fears News was brought to the Magistrates of the City that a considerable number of Thieves and Robbers had taken the opportunity of this general Distraction to make a Prey of the already distressed People and that they had murdered several of them for their Goods and that it was to be fear'd that the City of Catania it self might run some danger from the great numbers of them which were about the Country and from thence took their opportunities to get into the Town Whereupon consultation being had for the prevention of farther mischief from them the Commander of the Castle was ordered with a considerable number of Horse and a Party of Spaniards to secure the Country and City against these Robbers who immediately sent out several Parties with his Provost-Marshal with Order to seize on all suspected Persons and such as were not able to give a good account of themselves and for such as were taken in the Fact Robbing to Execute them by Martial-Law without any farther Tryal and accordingly caused three pair of Gallowes to be set up for their speedy Execution one before the Gate Di Aci a second in the Market-place and a third before the Gate Della Decima setting strong Guards upon the Gates of the City and causing all suspected Houses to be searched an Account to be given in of all Lodgers and such Persons to be secured as could any ways fall under a Suspition The poor People out of the Country being by this Prodigious Calamity stript out of all their Estates and reduced to great extremâ—ty fled most of them for refuge and relief to this City with great Lamentations moving the Charity of the Magistrates whho were readily inclined to give them the best assistance they were able and the Citizens moved by their Complaints and
it was raised and made in that manner Pliny saith it contained threescore and Ten Cubits in height and that it was twelve years before it was made though many able Workmen continually wrought about it and that it cost Three Hundred Talents This Statue was so immeasurably great that it seemed as if the Earth could no longer sustain it so that what was twelve years in making having stood sixty six years was pulled down in an instant by an Earthquake After this fall which was in the time of Pliny many went to see and wonder at it for saith he there were few men who could imbrace one of its Fingers the least of which was greater than any other man whatsoever standing with his two Legs striding over an Haven between the Legs whereof Ships might pass with their Masts and Sails up This wonderful Colossus lay there ruined for a very long time the Rhodians being forbid by an Oracle to erect it again or possbly pretending such an Oracle to save that charge yet they held the Brass and the other Materials thereof almost sacred which none ventured to meddle with till Mnavias the Aegyptian General in the year 600 finding in himself no such scruple of Conscience made a Prey thereof for after he had overcome Constance the Emperor in a Sea-fight and had conquered the Isle of Rhodes he sold this Image as it lay on the ground to a Jew who loaded nine hundred Camels with the Brass thereof Treasury of Time Vol. 2. IV. The Third Wonder of the World Historians have recorded to be The Pyramids of Egypt and if all be certain which they have written of them they are truly admirable they were vast and stupendions Structures many in number three most celebrated and one the principal of all scituate on the South of the City of Memphis and on the Western Banks of Nilus they ended in a sharp point like a flame of fire from whence they had their name It is related that for erecting them there were three hundred and threescore Thousand men imployed for Twenty years together They were built by the vanity of the Aegyptian Kings and used for their Sepulchres when dead yet many times only to keep their Subjects in imployment and upon these it is thought the Israelites were imployed by Pharaoh when they cryed to the Lord and he delivered them by the hand of Moses The largest and chief of the Worlds seven Wonders is scituate most part of it on the top of a Rocky hill which riseth an hundred Foot above the Plain with a gentle and easie ascent the height of the Scituation adding to the Beauty of the Work and the Rock to the Strength thereof It was built for the Sepulcher of Cheops an Aegyptian King Each side of this Pyramid is six hundred ninety three Foot according to English measure so that the whole Circumference of the Basis and Foundation contains four hundred eighty thousand two hundred and forty nine Square Feet or eleven English Acres of ground the height and breadth are both the same that is six hundred ninety three foot The Ascent to the top is contrived in this manner From all the sides without the Ascent is by degrees the lowermost step is about four foot high and three in breadth which running about the Pyramid in a level makes on every side of it a long but narrow walk The second now is like the first retiring inward from the first three feet and so runs about the Pyramid In the same manner is the third Row placed above the second and so in order the rest like so many stairs rising one above another to the top which is about nine foot square consisting of three Stones only yet large enough for threescore men to stand upon No Stone in the whole Building being so little as to be drawn by any of our Carriages yet were brought thither from the Arabian Mountains but how brought and by what Engine mounted is an equal wonder The Degrees by which men ascend are not all of an equal depth for some are about four foot others scarcely three and the higher they ascend the more they diminish both in bredth and thickness These are all made of massy and polished Stones the bredth of every step being one single and intire Stone containing thirty foot of stone the number of these steps is two hundred and seven On the North-side ascending 38 feet upon an Artificial Bank of Earth there is a square and narrow Passage leading into the inside of this Pyramid containing in length ninety two feet and an half The Structure of it hath been the labour of an exquisite hand as appears by the smoothness and eveness of the work and by the close knitting of the joints It is now an habitation for great ugly Batts of about a foot long At the end of this entrance you must climb up a massy stone eight or nine foot in height where you enter into a Gallery the pavement whereof is of smooth and polished white Marble the breadth is above five foot and the height the like the length of this Gallery is one hundred and ten foot At the end of this begins a second Gallery a very stately piece of work not inferior in Curiosity of Art or richness of Marerials to the most sumptuous Buildings It is divided from the former by a Wall at the end whereof is a Well about three foot over the sides of which are lined with white Marble it is eighty six Cubits in depth hewn through the Rock where the Pyramid stands About 15 foot thence is a square Passage of mighty Stones exquisitely joined containing one hundred and 10 foot at the end of which is an Arched Vault or little Chamber the length about twenty foot and bredth seventeen The length of this second Gallery is 154 feet of white and polished marble both roof Walls and bottom and on each side benches of the same At the end of this Gallery you enter into a square hole which brings you in a little room lined with rich and speckled Theban Marble out of which through another Passage of the same stone most curiously cut you come to the North end of a very sumptuous and well proportioned Room wherein Art seems to contend with Nature the curious work not being inferiour to the Rich Materials It stands in the heart or center of the Pyramid the floars sides and roof all of excellent Theban Marble The Stones which cover this room are of a strange stupendious length like so many huge beams lying flat cross the room and bearing up that almost infinite weight and mass of the Pyramids above Of these there are nine which cover the Roof the length of the Room is 34 English feet the breadth 17 and the height 19 feet In the midst of this glorious room stands the Tomb of Cheops aforementioned of one piece of Marble hollow within and sounding like a Bell but empty For saith Diodorus although the