King Aswald is Murthered by Siga The Emperor slayes Six Thousand Saracens In 794 the River of Tiber overflows its Banks and doth much prejudice a very great Earthquake happened in Creet and Constantinople the event was that Alphonsus King of Spain killed Seventy Thousand of the Moors and took Lisbon in Portugal from them The Danes invade England but almost all of them perish The Armenian Legions rebel In 798 the Sun was darkened for seventeen dayes together This year Irene the Empress of Constantinople first governed the Empire with her son Constantius but she afterward deposed him put out his eyes and lastly murthered him In 808 the Sun and Moon were Eclipsed contrary to nature Armies of Men appear in the Heavens The Star Mercury is seen in the Sun like a black spot Blood rained in Holland At this time the Picts wast Scotland The Bulgarians kill six thousand Greeks and take Sardis The Danes subdue Friezland the Saracens disperse themselves into divers Countreys under six Princes In 820 a great and wonderful storm of Rain fell which rotted all the Corn in the Fields and such mighty floods and inundations followed that hindred the Countrey-men from sowing their seed Fiery apparitions were often seen in the Elements The effects that followed were a great Famine and Pestilence in France The King of England is slain by the East-Angles Asia is wasted Constantinople besieged and Reyner King of Denmark is expelled his Kingdom XVII In the year 840 sparks of fire like Stars were seen to run up and down the Heavens A great Comet appeared and the Sun was much Eclipsed swarms of Bees were seen at Westchester in England This year was prodigious for many wonderful Earthquakes Hails Whirl-winds Thunders and Lightnings which happened in most parts of the world Soon after the people of Spain rebel the Scots overcome the English who aided the Picts The Saracens are overcome by the Emperor and soon after Lothair their King with his Brethren and one hundred thousand men were slain The Danes enter the Thames with two hundred and fifty ships and take Canterbury and London and expel the King of England In 870 were great Hail Thunders and Lightning at Rome a Church at Worms burnt by it an Earthquake in England In Brixia near Italy it rained blood for three dayes and three nights together At this time the Danes were beaten out of Holland and the Saracens out of Italy The Danes land in Scotland and challenge Pictland for their King In 882 the Sun was so much obscured that the Stars appeared in the Sky in the day time There was an Earthquake in Normandy and a Blazing Star hung just over Spain Now the Brittains invaded Scotland Constantine their King was killed The Saracens break into Italy and are expelled by the Emperor In 912 four Rainbowes were seen at once in Scotland Fiery Torches are seen in the Air Many great floods happened in Saxony A great Comet and Stars were seen to run glittering to and fro in the Heavens Divers Mock-suns were visible in Italy and Spain This Winter was very wonderful for excessive cold The Sun appears for certain days as if it bled three Comets for a fortnight together were seen just over Germany About this time the Vandals invade Greece and the Saracens Calabria and take many Cities in Italy the Emperor dyeth his death being judged to be occasioned by his losses to the Hungarians The Pope is imprisoned and strangled The Scots assist the Danes but are overcome Gonsalvo poysoneth Sancho King of Spain The Russians in a malicious manner persecute the Christians The French King and the Emperor are reconciled and divers Conspirators against the Emperor are executed XVIII The year 956 produced many strange prodigies as a wonderful hail at Oxford in England strange Lightning killing many Priests in France Mighty Thunders Tempests c. Soon after the Hungarians invade the Emperor but are reconciled to him The Bishop of Strasburg calls one hundred thousand Hungarians into Batavia they are all slain there and the Emperors eyes pluckt out The Italians make war with the Pope In 968 Fire falls from Heaven there was a great Earthquake in France a Comet appeared there was wonderful increase of Vermine as Rats Mice c. This year the Empress murders the Emperor Nicephorus Donald murthered the King of Scotland for refusing to pardon a thief of his acquaintance In 979 was an Earthquake in Scotland Armies of Fire were seen a whole night together in the Air A Child was born in Rome with two heads not long after Harold King of Denmark is slain by an arrow The Danes land in Scotland and wast divers places the Scots put them to flight they land in Kent and spoyl the Isle of Thanet In 992 Fire rises out of the River Rhine saith my Author and burns many places in Germany In Spain three swords appeared in the Heavens like fire Now the Duke of Bavaria dyeth The Danes invade England with a very great Fleet the King of Denmark is slain by one of his own servants In 1002 a Fountain of water in Lorrain is turned into blood A Comet very horrible to behold was seen casting out flames of fire on every side The Danes being routed at Oxford fly to the Church and are there all burnt The Emperor Otho is poysoned with a pair of Gloves In 1022 swarms of Locusts came into France It rained milk at Rome there was a very great Eclipse of the Sun and this year the weather was so unseasonable that many dyed through too much heat Divers Polonians rebel against the Christians The Emperor overcomes the Greeks in Italy the Polanders subdue Ruisia and make it tributary The Vandals wast Saxony and take Brandenburg In 1043 five Suns at once appeared in England and a hairy Comet very large was visible the Emperor overcame the Russians who invaded his territories A great Famine happened in Germany and France The Prussians invade Poland and fifteen thousand of them are slain and twenty thousand taken Prisoners The Irish and Welch enter the River Severn and do a great deal of harm In 1033 when the Pope the great Antichrist was come to his height and the darkness of superstition and Idolatry had overspread the Christian world upon June 29 at six a Clock in the Morning the Sun began to be Eclipsed continuing till 8 a Clock in a very strange manner the body of the Sun was of the Colour of a Saphire so that the Countenances of men looked pale and wan as if they were dead and whatsoever was in the Air seemed of a yellow Saffron Colour to the great terror of all men Imper. Hist XIX There was a great increase of Rats and Mice in the year 1058 And stones of a mighty bigness mixt with Hail fell from Heaven and killed many two Blazing Stars this year hung over Poland The Saxons rebel against the Emperor twenty six thousand are drowned in a Pitfall by the stratagem of two Bishops in Holland
said to have poysoned the Fountains of water for which they were every where seized upon and burned About the same time likewise it rained blood and two Mountains were swallowed up by an Earthquake strange fires flames and a burning beam were seen in the Air. XXIV In 1382 A. Bishop Ceurtney appointed a Convocation to be held in London principally against Wickliff and those who declared against the many corruptions of the Romish Church at which time this memorable accident fell out when they were all met together at the Gray-Friers in London just at that very instant when they were beginning there business against Wickliff there fell out a wonderful and terrible Earthquake throughout all England whereupon divers of the Bishops being affrighted with the terror of it thought good to leave off their further proceeding therein In 1388 a Blazing Star appeared in the Heavens which burned for two Months together At Oxford the Image of a head spake thus Caput decidetur c. The head shall be cut off The head shall be lift up The feet shall be elevated above the Head This was followed by a Sedition in Oxford among the Schollers many of whom dislike the Government an Army of Forty Thousand are raised by the Duke of Glocester Earls of Warwick Derby and Nottingham Fifty Thousand Christians are slain in the Plains of Casovia very great Factions are at this time in France In 1390 a great Comet appeared after which King John of Castile dyed with a fall from his horse Presently after John Hus and Jerom of Prague oppose the Pope Mary Queen of Hungary dyes In 1399 a running River in Bedfordshire divides it self a Blazing Star was visible this year which shot wonderful Beams of fire from it About this time Scotland is wasted by the English The Frizons in Holland rebel King Sigismund executed 32 of the Nobles in Hungary The Pope is imprisoned by the King of France the Duke of Hereford being banished returns into England and soon after King Richard II is deposed and murthered the Duke succeeding by the name of King Henry IV. In 1402 a mighty Comet was seen in the Heavens and so the year after at this time Tamerlane Emperor of the Tartars enters Asia calling himself Iram Dei Vastitatem Terrae The wrath of God and the Destroyer of the earth He kills Two Hundred Thousand Turks takes Bajâ—zet Prisoner shackles him and puts him in an â—ron Cage and earries him Captive through all Asâ—a making him his Footstool when he ascended his horse John Hus is condemned and burnt for an Heretick at Constans In 1415 strange Prodigies were seen in Brittain a Dragon encountring a Lyon in the air armies of fire were seen fighting and one party overcoming in the Heavens a great Eclipse of the Sun at which time the English fight with the French under King Henry V. at Agincourt the French lose twenty thousand men ten thousand bâ—â—ng killed upon the place and as many taken Prisoners Pope Gregory dyes the English invade Normanâ—â— The King of Spain sells the Canaries to the King of Sevil the Valentians are made Tributary to the Turks In 1421 another Comet appears in the Heavens King Henry V. of England dyeth and the next year Charls VI. King of France dyeth Zisca routs the Emperors Forces and burns Cathna which place for the sake of the Silver Mines he called The Purse of Antichrist he commanded that after his death his skin should be flead off and put upon a drum supposing that as he had been victorious against his enemies while he lived so that might have the same effect against them after his decease Not long before this there was such a terrible Earthquake at Lar in Persia as overthrew Five Hundred Houses XXV Very great Snows fell in Germany in the year 1428 and a mighty Earthquake happened in Italy The Winter was wonderful cold especially in all the Northern Countreys after this the Danes spoil Thirty Ships of great value which belonged to the Vandals and Hambnrgers the Turks take Thessalonica from the Venetians The English lose much in France In 1439 a Comet of a mighty magnitude is seen in Poland Swarms of Bees in England go in progress a great Earthquake happened in Hungaria Soon after an Universal Pestilence rageth throughout the whole world Albertus the Emperor dyeth and likewise the King of Bohemia The Marshal of France is burnt for Sorcery and Witchcraft Amurath the Great Turk wasts Hungary but is at last expelled by Corvinus Huniades The French are twice beaten by the English in Normandy The Polanders wast Silesia In 1450 another great Comet appeared Amurath Emperor of the Turks dies at the siege of Croia Scanderbeg the great overcometh Mustapha his Competitor XXVI In the month of June 1456 appeared two Comets and the same year August 24 there happened most tempestuous winds in Tuscany such as never had been before heard of which wrought most marvellous and memorable effects for an hour before day there arose from the Sea toward Ancona a great and dark cloud crossing Italy and entring the Sea toward Pisa stretching two Miles in compass This storm was furiously carryed either by natural or supernatural force and seemed divided into many parts as it were fighting among themselves and of those broken clouds some were hoised up toward Heaven some violently cast down and others with wonderful speed were turned round but always before these Clouds came a Wind with Lightnings and flashings of fire such as cannot be exprest of these broken and confused Clouds and of those furious Winds and great Flames there grew so strange a noise as moved the People to greater fear than any Earthquake or Thunder ever had done insomuch that every man thought the World was ended and that the Earth the Water and the Heavens would have returned to its first Chaos and Confusion this fearful storm wheresoever it passed wrought marvellous and wonderful offects but the most remarkable of all happened about the Castle of St. Cassiano This Castle is built upon a Hill which parteth the vales of Pisa and Greive 8 Miles distant from Florence Betwixt this Castle and the Town of St. Andrea built upon the same Hill this furious Tempest passed not coming to St. Andrea but at St. Cassiano threw down divers Turrets and Chimnies and near to it subverted whole houses even to the ground and carried away the roofs of the Churches of St. Martino a Bagnolo St. Maria della pace whole bearing them from thence unbroken above a Mile one man a Carrier was taken up and in the Valley near the Highway both he and his Mules were found dead Also all the greatest Oaks and â—strongest Trees which would not bend at the fury of the Tempest were not only blown down but violently carryed from the places where they grew The next day after this horrible tempest when some of the Inhabitants who fled for fear thereof returned they were strangely astonished for they found the
the Heavens the following Letters I. N. R. I. M. D. L. V. I. I. A. R. E. I. N. E. N. D. E. D. I. S. E. S. R. E. I. C. H. S. Nay that Author further affirmeth that at Friburg in Germany the same year on a very fair day Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Iridi insidentem conspectum fuisse Our Lord Jesus Christ was beheld sitting upon a Rainbow as if upon his Tribunal to denounce the Vniversal Judgment In 1558 there was seen a Blazing Star in Spain at first somewhat dim at which time Charles the 5th Emperor and King of Spain sickned but as his disease increased so it grew in bigness at last shooting its fiery streams point blank against the Monastery where he lay in the very hour the Emperor dyed the Comet vanished The same year in the Month of August a Comet in the form of a spit appeared of a pale envious colour denoting a more then ordinary mortality of great Potentates Queen Mary of Hungary and Bohemia and Queen Mary of England both dye Christian the 2. King of Denmark dyes in Prison after 26 years imprisonment Henry 2. King of France is slain by running at Tilt Pope Paul 4. dyes and likewise the Dukes of Venice and Ferrara with fifteen Cardinals besides many other Princes In 1562 an Earthquake happened in Constantinople Clashing of Weapons in the Elements and armed men seen there Much Thunder was heard in England and five Suns seen in Holland After this the English take many Towns in France There was a great Plague in England the Muscovites invade Leiseland and the Danes and Lubeckers Sweden the Polanders beat the Livonians Nine Thousand men were slain at Dreux in Normandy and among them the King of Navar The same year December 19. Mr. John Calvin lying in his bed sick of the Gout it being Sunday and the North Wind having blown strongly for two days together some Friends coming to visit him he said unto them Truly I know not what is the matter but I thought that the last night I heard warlike Drums beating very loud and I could not perswade my self but it was so Let us go to Prayers for surely some great business is at hand And indeed this very day there was a great Battle fought between the Papists and Protestants not far from Paris in France news whereof came to Geneva a few dayes after Clarks Examp. 2 Part Pag. 564. XXXIII In 1568 were many Locusts in France The Heavens seem all on fire in Hungary In England when the true Moon was under the Earth there appears a Moon and a Cross with a refulgent Star at the top thereof Soon after the Third Civil War in France began the King of Sweden is deposed and imprisoned The Prince of Conde is taken and shot to death with a Pistol The Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland rebel against Queen Elizabeth Selymus Emperor of the Turks invadeth Cyprus The Polanders and Danes fight at Sea About this time the Duke of Alva came first into the Low-Countreys and the future calamities of his Government were presaged by a boy born at Leige with two heads four legs and as many hands the terror whereof was increased by a fire happening immediately after in the City of Mechlin by a spark falling amongst Gunpowder which took hold of threescore Barrels and caused such an horrid Thunder and Earthquake that in most of the Cities of Flanders the Men and Houses trembled at the dreadful noise Not long after when the Prince of Orange brought an Army against the Duke in the behalf of the Protestants there were seen in divers places on a clear night two Armies in Battalia brandishing their glittering Pikes as if they were ready for a charge The next year a Comet appears at the setting of the Sun near the Planet Jupiter Then followed a Famine in Austria Sweden Bohemia Bavaria Rustia Lithuania Joachimus 2. Elector of Brandenburg dyes and a little after Four Hundred Thousand People are drowned in Flanders and Holland besides Cattel In 1572 there appeared a Comet or New Star in Cassiopeia which continued Six teen Months Soon after which Charles 9. King of France who was the Author of the bloody Massacre in France dyed of extraordinary bleeding which issued from divers parts of his body cursing and swearing in a most dreadful manner saith Mr. Camden in his History of Queen Elizabeth Sigismund King of Poland likewise dyeth The Duke of Norfolk in England is beheaded A great Rebellion in Ireland XXXIV In 1577 Another Blazing Star of great magnitude appeared Sebastian King of Portugal dyed the next year of two wounds which he received in his head in his expedition for Africa In 1579 a fiery Dragon and great Troops of Ravens flew through the Air in Germany A mighty Tempest happened in Bohemia and an Earthquake in Holland Armies are seen in the Heavens at Antwerp Two armed men are visible in the Air in Gelderland That which followed was the Polanders take Livonia and Polotia from the Moscovite The Popish Clergy are expelled out of the City of Antwerp by the People The Emperor forbids the Protestant Religion at Aken In 1585 a Comet appeared for many weeks together and the next year it rained Locusts in Thracia and Ducks and Geese in Croatia as Leonclavius testifies who was an eye-witness thereof The Locusts fell in such multitudes that they devoured all the Countrey and on the contrary the Geese and Ducks fed and nourished many Cluverius Hist World Soon after Osman Emperor of the Turks and Stephen King of Poland both dye In 1593 there was another terrible Earthquake at Lar in Persia which overthrew Three Thousand Houses crushing to death above Three Thousand Persons in their Ruins yea the Castle though built upon the top of a solid Rock groaned in the like affrighting downfall Herberts Travels In 1598 Feb. 25 which was a little before the Earl of Essex went into Ireland the Sun being almost totally Eclipsed it was so dark for the time that the like had never been seen in the Memory of Man XXXV In the year 1602 there was an Earthquake in England a very great Blazing Star appeared Armies of men were seen in the Air in France and warms of Grashoppers are visible in Germany asster this the Spaniards invade Ireland but are beaten thence The Swedes in vain attempt Livonia The Turks loose Alba Regalis and therein Threescore Thousand men Queen Elizabeth of England dyeth In 1607 another Comet appeared There were great Wars between the Swedes and Danes and Charles Duke of Lorrain dyeth In 1610 fiery Darts and Lances were visible in the Heavens Four Crosses appeared in the Air at once in Spain where likewise happened Thunder and a very great Earthquake Now the Danes war against the Swedes The Persians invade Babylon and kill Twenty Thousand Turks Henry 4. â—â—ing of France is murdered the Polanders overcome the Moscovites and Nine Hundred Thousand Meors are banished out of Spain J. G. This
thereupon leaving her head half drest 〈…〉 besieged it never ordering the rest of her hair 〈…〉 had recovered it Of this great Lady it is recorded That she was born in Ascalon a Town of Syria and exposed to the fury of Wild Beasts but being born not to dye so ingloriously she was brought up by Shepherds and at full Age presented to the Syrian Vice Roy who gave her in marriage to his only Son going with him to the Wars she fell into acquaintance with King Ninus who liking her Person and Spirit took her to his bed This bred in him a greater Affection to her so that he granted her at her request the command of the Empire for 5 days making a Decree that her Will in all things should be punctually performed which boon being gotten she put on the Royal Robes and as some writers report commanded the King to be slain Having thus gotten the Empire she exceedingly inlarged it leading her Army consisting of one hundred Thousand Chariots of War three Millions of Foot and half a Million of Horse A Woman worthy of Honour and Applause but only for her insatiable Lusts of which the Greek Writers charge her to be very guilty This Queen Semiramis caused an huge Obelisk or Pyramid to be cut out of the Armenian Mountains all of one entire stone one hundred and fifty foot long and twenty four foot thick which was foursquare and was brought with much difficulty to the River Euphrates and from thence to Babylon where she erected it to be a matter of admiration to future Ages Babylon likewise revolted from the Persians in the Reign of Darius Hyslaspes and that Victuals might 〈…〉 for the Men of War they strangled 〈…〉 of the Women they being then it seems 〈…〉 to be necessary Evils when they had for 〈…〉 obstinately defended the Town that the 〈…〉 had very little hope of prevailing Zopyrus one 〈…〉 Captains mangling his body and disâ—iguring 〈◊〉 Face by cutting off his own Ears and Nose â—ed to the Babylonians complaining of the Tyranny of the King as if he had been thus cruel to him The Babylonians believing his Words and knowing his Courage committed the charge of the whole Army to him as a man to whom such barbarous usage had made the King irreconcileable But he taking the best Opportunity delivered both the Town and Souldiers into the hands of his Soveraign which made Darius often say That he had rather have one Zopyrus than Twenty Babylonians Here dyed Alexander the Great after whose Death the Graecian Captains regardful rather of their own Ambition than the Common Loyalty divided the Empire amongst themselves leaving the body of the King eight days unburied A wonderful change of Fortune that he who living thought the World too small for his valour being dead should find no place big enough for his Body The Walls of this City were built of Stone and wonderful high strongly joyned together with Lime and Ciment growing in the Mines of that Countrey but especially in the great Lake of Asphaltites in Judea where sometime Sodom and Gomorrah stood within the Town were a great number of Marble Temples and Golden Images whole Streets shining and glittering with Gold and precious Stones And among other Temples there was one of Belus built by Semiramis and dedicated to Cush or Jupiter Belus fourfquare each side containing two Furlorys or a Thousand Paces with thick Towering Walls and entred by four Gates of polished Brass In thâ— midst thereof there was a Tower sometimes reckon 〈◊〉 one of the 〈◊〉 Wonders it had an hundred Braâ—en 〈◊〉 and â—wo Hundred and Fifty Towers and 〈…〉 a quarâ—â—r of a mile both in height and bredth uâ—on which were raised eight other Towers one above another with easie stairs to ascend up to the top where there 〈◊〉 a Chappel with a sumptuous Bed and a Table of â—old In the top of this Chappel were placed three Golden Statues one of Jupiter 40 Foot long weighing a Thousand Talents each Talent containing 63 pounds 10 Ounces Another Image of Ops weighing as much sitting in a Golden Throne at her Feet were two Lyons and hard by divers huge Serpents of Silver each weighing Thirty Talents The third Image was of Juno standing in weight eight hundred Talents to all which was added a Common Table of Gold forty foot long and twelve broad weighing 50 Talents There were also two standing Cups of 30 Talents and 2 Vessels for perfumes of the like weight Besides 3 other Vessels of Gold weighing twelve hundred Talents All which the Persian Kings after the Conquest of it took away Finally such wonderful things are written by credible Authors of Artificial Mountains Orchards and Gardens hanging in the Air that they seem almost incredible All which demonstrates the wonderful Wealth and Glory of those Monarchs in that time But after the taking of it by the Macedonians the grandeur and magnificence thereof began to decline lessening a fourth part in the time of Quintus Curtius and was reduced to Desolation in the days of Pliny and in the Reign of the Emperor Adrian there was nothing left of Babylon but a poor Wall which served for a Park for Wild Beasts in which the Kings of Persia used to hunt and those who have lately travelled thither relate it is now so full of Lyons and Savage Beasts yea and of Robbers and Murtherers that Passengers are forced to have Souldiers to Guard them from whence we may by the way observe the exact accomplishment of the Prophecy of Jeremiah ch 51. concerning this City A drought is upon her Waters and I will dry up her Sea and make her Springs dry and Babylon shall become heaps a dwelling place for Dragons an astonishment and an hissing without an Inhabitant The Wild Beasts of the Desert with the Wild Beasts of the Islands shall dwell there and the Out shall dwell there and it shall be no more inhabited neither shall it be dwelt in from Generation to Generation and the Land shall be Desert and Dry. And it is certainly reported by Travellers that there is not nowany Town or Village near that once famous City nor so much as a Tree or green Herb in all that Territory but all is become a sandy Desart For Bagdat which is now called New Babylon is a days Journey from the place where the old City stood and this barrenness is wonderful considering the admirable fruitfulness thereof in times past which Pliny saith was the most fruitful Countrey of all the East and that the ground usually yielded two hundred and some years Three Hundred for one Treasure of Time Vol 1. III. The Second Wonder of the World is reckoned to be The Colossus of the Sun which was at Rhodes It was the Statue or Figure of a man dedicated by the Gentiles to the Sun and some say to Jupiter it was composed of Brass of an incredible bigness and in height like a mighty Tower so that it can hardly be imagined how
have his Government upon his shoulders Even the Saviour of the whole World for besides what the Evangelists mention as of the Angel appearing to the Shepherds and that Star which directed the wise men of the East to find out the place 〈…〉 As the Earth with a New Sun was blest So th' Heavens with a New Star is drest It is likewise recorded by Paul Horatius and Eutropius Secretaries to Augustus and likewise by Eusebius That at the time that Jesus Christ was born it happened in Rome that in a publick Inn was discovered and broke forth a Fountain of pure Oil which for the space of a whole day continually issued out in great abundance and that at high Noon in a clear and fair day a Circle was seen about the Sun as shining and resplendent as the Sun it self About the same time the Senate and People of Rome offered to Augustus the Title of Lord which he refused and would not accept of unknowingly prognosticating that a greater Lord than he was upon Earth to whom that Title belonged Comestor in his Scholastick History affirms That the same day of the Birth of Christ the Temple in Rome dedicated by the Romans to the Goddess Pax fell to the Earth ruined adding that when it was first built by the Romans they addressed to the Oracle of Apollo to know how long time it should endure who returned answer Even until a Virgin should bring forth a Child which they judged impossible and that therefore their Temple should last Eternally nevertheless at the Virgins bearing a Child even the King of Heaven it fell to the Earth Lucas de Tuy in his Chronicle of Spain writes That he hath found in the Ancient Histories of that Countrey That by Computation of time the same night wherein our Saviour was born there appeared in Spain at mid-night a Cloud which gave so great a Light that it seemed like mid-day I remember also saith my Author I have read in St Jerom That when the Virgin fled with her Son into Egypt all the Idols and Images of the Gods which were there tumbled from their Altars to the Ground And that the Oracles and Answers which these Gods or rather Devils used to give to such questions as were propounded to them then ceased and never answered afterwards Rarities of the Creation p. 84. IV. About the first year after the Birth of Christ there were many Prodigious Births in Germany Armies in the Air were seen at Rome A terrible Eclipse of the Sun and dreadful storms of Hail and Rain Soon after Tiberius obtains a Victory in Germany and subdues the Lombards The Panonians Rebel A very great Famine in Rome Varus is defeated and killeth himself About the Twelfth year there was a great Earthâ—â—ake in Câ—prus which overthrew many Cities Jesus Christ disputes with the Doctors a great and terrible Comet then seen The Light of the Sun was seen apparently to fail The Heavens seemed to burn Fiery beams fell from Heaven Bloody Comets seen in other places The River Tiber overfloweth Rome 13 Cities in Africa destroyed with an Earthquake Noysome Flys come in great Swarms and Companies into Germany The Effects whereof were judged to be that a while after Aâ—â—â—â—s a great Commander was slain by the â—all of an Horse Caligâ—ia that Monster of Mankind was born King Agrippa was slain and Julia Daughter of the Emperor Augustus was starved to Death Caesar dyeth The Brittains are subdued In his 22 year Blood rained in Rome Great Flocks of Graâ—hopâ—er Armies seen fighting in the Air in Rome and Poâ—â—â—d Fiery Torches a blazing Star like a Sword soon after 〈◊〉 Theatre was burned Sejanus chief â—â—â—ourite to the Emperour Tiberius is executed for Aâ—â—â—ition his Son strangled his Daughter first deâ—lowred by the Hangman and then put to Death Drusâ—s the Emperors Son is poysoned The Arabians defeat Hâ—â—od the City of Tâ—â—â—ias is drowned Tiberius turned Tâ—â—ant and commits all mâ—nner of horrid Cruâ—â—ies upon the Romans Natura Prodig p. 43. V. In the Thirty Fourth year of our Blessed Saviours Life he was crucified by the wicked hands of theâ— Jews which produced prodigious Effects that were afterward attested as well by Heathens as Christians at the time of his Death a very great darkness happened in the day time which continued from six a Clock till nine and yet there was no Eclipse of the Sun for it was at a full Moon so that it was miraculous and contrary to the Order of Nature and only by the power of God who deprived the Sun of its light for that space of time And therefore Dennis the Areopagite being that day in Athens and seeing the Sun so darkened and also knowing as a man learned in Astrology and the course of the Hâ—avens that such an Eclipse must needs be contrary to the Rule of Nature spake with a loud voice saying Either the World is at an end or the God of Nature suffers and upon this Account say some Authors the Wise Men of Athens being astonished at this Prodigy they presently caused an Altar to be built to the Vnknown God after which St. Paul coming thither reproved them for it declaring to them that Jesus Christ the Redeemer of the World who had suffered was that Unknown God whereby he Converted many of them to the Christian Faith which doth also demonstrate that the darkness was over the whole Hemisphere since it was seen at Athens and other places far remote from Jerusalem Yea the Moon being then at full and having no light but what she hath from the splendour of the Sun and being then in the Firmament that is under us she came to be violently eclipsed and darkned so that the darkness was universal over all the World because the Moon and Stars can give no light unless they receive it first from the Sun It was likewise very observable and is acknowledged by the famous Historian Plutarch though a Heathen that after the Death of Christ not only the Oracles of Egypt but throughout the World ceased of which he can give no reason being ignorant of Christianity but that there were some Devils or Demons dead However it was very remarkable that Satan should so plainly demonstrate himself to be subdued and overcome immediately after the Death of our Saviour that he could never after give any answers The Words of Plutarch to Emilius the Orator a prudent and humble man concerning this matter of which Eusebius writ to Theodorus as a thing of great note are as followeth That his Father coming one time by Sea toward Italy and coasting by night about an Island not inhabited called Paraxis when all in the ship were silent and at rest they heard a great and fearful voice which came from that Island that called upon Alaman who was Pilot of the Ship and an Egyptian born now though this voice was heard once or twice by Alaman and others yet no man had the Courage to answer till at the third Call he
answered Who is there who is it that calls and what would you have Then the voice spake more high and loud and said to him Alaman I require that when you pass near the Gulf of Laguna you remember to cry out aloud and make them to understand that the Great God Pan is dead At these Words all that were in the Ship were much astonished and at last after Consultation concluded that the Pilot should take no notice of the voice nor slay in the Gulf to utter such words if they could possibly go beyond it but go on in their Voyage But coming to the place which the voice had mentioned the ship stood still and the Sea was calm without wind so that they could sail no farther whereupon they all resolved that Alaman should perform his Ambassage and so he placed himself in the Poop of the Ship and cryed out as loud as he could saying Be it known unto you that the Great God Pan is dead He had no sooner uttered these words but there were so many mournful cryes groans and woful Lamentations that all the Air resounded again therewith these Complaints continued for some time and extreamly surprized those in the Ship but having afterward a prosperous Gale they followed on their Course and being arrived at Rome told of this Adventure which coming to the Ears of Tiberius the Emperour desired to be informed of the Truth thereof and had the former particulars fully confirmed to him whereby it is evident that the Devils in all parts were chased and banished from the World by the death of the Blessed Jesus and it is to be supposed that this Great God Pan is not to be restrained only to the God of the Shepherds but was rather some great Master Devil who had now lost his power and Empire as the others had before In the days of the aforesaid Tiberius the Emperor Publius Lentulus being at that time President in Judea writ an Epistle sometime before this to the Senate of Rome which was as followeth There appeared in these our days a man of great Virtue called Jesus Christ who is yet living amongst us and of the People is accepted for a Prophet but his own Disciples call him the Son of God He raiseth the Dead and cureth all manner of Diseases A man of stature somewhat tall and comely with a very reverend Countenance such as the Beholders may both Fear and Love His Hair is of the Colour of a Chesnut full ripe and plain almost down to his ears but from the ears downward somewhat curled and more Orient of colour waving about his shoulders In the midst of his head goeth a seam or partition of his Hair after the manner of the Nazarites His forehead very plain and smooth His Face without spot or wrinkle beautified with a comely red His Nose and Mouth so formed that nothing can be reprehended His Beard somewhat thick agreeable in colour to the Hair of his Head not of any great length but forked in the midst of an Innocent look his Eyes grey clear and quick In reproving he is severe in admonishing courteous and fairspoken pleasant in speech mixt with gravity It cannot be remembred that any have seen him laugh but many have seen him weep in proportion of Body well shaped and streight his hands and Arms very delectable to behold in speaking very temperate modest and wise A man for his singular beauty exceeding the Children of men Josephus likewise a Jew by Nation and descent in his Antiquities hath these words In these very times lived Jesus a very wise man if it be lawful to call him a Man because in truth he did marvellous things and was Master and Tutor to them that loved him and sought the Truth The Jews and Gentiles Assembled unto him and followed him in great Companies And though he was afterward accused by some of the Chief of our Religion and crucified yet he was not forsaken by those who before followed him and three days after his death he appear'd alive unto them according as the Prophets inspired by God had foretold and prophecied of him And now even in our time the Doctrine and the name of Christians continues and is spread over all the World These are the words of Josephus who writ of the destruction of Jerusalem as an eye-witness which happened forty years after the Death of Christ Josephus Antiquit. VI. In the 39 year after the birth of our Saviour a very great Light was seen in the Heavens and a voice encountred Saul going to Damascus to prosecute the Christians with all severity which said unto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me c. This Prodigy was the Forerunner of St. Paul's Conversion At this time that Tyrannical Emperor Caligula commanded himself to be worshipped as a God and executed divers Roman Knights and Gentlemen for refusing it In 47. The Heavens seemed wonderfully to burn and a Comet of a very great magnitude appeared for many days together Lightning fell from Heaven upon the Standards of the Praetorian Souldiers soon after Vespasian goeth into Brittain and taketh the Isle of Wight The Romans overcome the Picts in Scotland Herod dyeth Twenty Thousand Jews are slain between the Gates of the Temple Messalina the Empress forces Silvis to put away his Wife and then is married to him but they were both slain In 50. A Phaenix was seen in Egypt and an Island of thirty Furlongs in length appeared in the Sea which was never before seen Three Suns appeared at one time in Rome and in and about the Coasts of England for certain days the Sea seemed as blood A Comet of a very great magnitude appeared for a long time together in Italy The Effects were a very great Famine in Rome Domitian the Roman Tyrant born The whole Countrey of Trevers in Germany is wasted by Clodomore The Emperor Claudius is poysoned by Agrippina Three thousand Romans are defeated in Scotland Agrippa poysoneth Sylanus also Narcissus for seventeen Millions of Money and likewise poysoneth Brittanicus Nero begins his Acts of Villany Cartismunda Queen in Brittain rejects Venutius her Husband he makes War against her the King of Scots takes her and buries her alive In 59. There was a terrible Eclipse of the Sun so that the Stars were seen Nero's Supper was burnt with Lightning an Earthquake happened at Rome and the Sun was Eclipsed again and again that is three times visibly in 3 years Many Jews perish in Caesaria Nero commits Incest with his Mother The Brittains slay Seventy Thousand of the Romans and Suetonius destroys Fourscore Thousand Brittains as he comes from the Isle of Anglesey St. Mark writes his Gospel In 63. A great Comet appears There was a very great Inundation in England The Ocean seemed to be blood A Prodigious Accident was seen at Colchester in England where the Image of Victory turned backward of it self An Earthquake in Asia A Comet appeared six Moneths and three Suns together Rome is fired by
beg with an Arrow which much dismayed the Romans to see the blood run down Titus seeing his Father wounded was much disturbed and ran to help him to whom his Father said How comes it my Son that thou art so much astonished Take heart to thee and with undaunted Courage revenge thy Father upon the Jews who have now the better of us The Fight was that day exceeding bloody on both sides very few being left of Josephs Party who returned into the Town The next morning the Romans raised a new Mount and renewed their Assaults the City was now almost desolate most of the valiant men being already slain so that Joseph with those few left and likewise the Women went to defend the Walls The Engines throwing stones on every side it happened that a great stone struck a Woman with Child with such violence that it passed through her body and carried the Child with it the space of half a mile another stone hit one of Joseph's chief Commanders with such force that it divided his head from his body and made it fly a mile off At the same time a Roman Souldier was got under the Wall and just going to shoot Joseph with an invenomed Arrow which he espying cryed out Hold thy hand wicked fellow and do not kill me at which the man starting aside the Jews out of the Town suddenly powred boyling Oyl on his Head from the Walls whereby his skin was scalded off and he ran away naked howling and yelling to the Roman Camp where he dyed Vespasian and his Sun were fully resolved to continue the siege which had already lasted 47 days and those within the Town were so tired out that they were no longer able to supply the watch upon the Walls which Vespasian understanding he and his Son Titus one night scaled the Walls in a place where the Watchmen were wanting being followed by many other Roman Souldiers who went down on the inside and breaking open the Great Gate of the Town the whole Roman Army entred thereat and then sounded their Trumpets and an Alarum to battle The Jews with the noise and Tumult awaked from sleep very much afraid however every man catcht up his Arms and with all speed repaired to the Market-place which was made so large that all the People of the City might upon occasion meet together As they were looking about they saw the Roman Army marching through the great Gate toward them whereupon they encouraged each other saying Let us dye here fighting and never suffer our selves to be taken alive and then they fell upon the Romans but being overpowred most of the Citizens were slain in the skirmish they refusing to yield or take quarter because they would not trust the Faith of the Romans For a while before a certain Jew besought a Roman Souldier to save his Life which he swore he would saying God deal thus and thus with me if I kill thee therefore yield thy self to me The Jew required him to give his right hand in Token of his Fidelity but the Roman reacht him his left which the Jew being extreamly astonished did not observe But when the Roman had once hold of him he held him fast by that hand and with his right hand slew the Jew with his sword who was then naked and unarmed having cast away his weapon upon the Oath made to him by the Roman when the other Jews observed this Treachery they resolved to dye altogether and never trust the Romans and thereupon fell on them and slew many yet at length the City was taken However Joseph and Forty stout men his Companions made their escape and fled into a Wood where they found a certain Cave and hid themselves therein of which Vespasian having notice sent three Persons to Joseph to desire him to come forth and he should have his Life and not be slain upon which Joseph debated the matter with the rest in the Denrequiring their advice For my part saith he if you will follow my Counsel I think it best that we go to them but upon this Condition That they will give us such full security for our Lives as we shall require which being done I doubt not but Vespasian when we come to him will extend his favour to us But they perceiving that Joseph inclined to yield to the Romans were very much disturbed and perswaded him That it would not be for his credit to save his life with the loss of his Honour and therefore resolved to kill each other and dye like men and thereupon each man drew out his sword and came to him in the midst of the Cave saying Joseph our Prince hear thou If thou wilt be ruled by us we will first kill thee as our Lord and a great Prince and thou shalt chuse what Death thou wilt dye that thou mayst dye Honourably but if thou refuse to dye bravely assure thy self of this that every man of us will set upon thee and kill thee Joseph endeavoured by many Arguments at large to divert them from their wicked purpose as proceeding rather from desperation and cowardise than true Courage But nothing would prevail he therefore subtilly told them My Brethren since you are determined to dye on your own swords let us divide into Couples and cast Lots which Couple shall dye first then â—hall they also cast Lots which of then shall kill his Fellow and he that remaineth shall chuse one of the second couple to kill men likewise the second couple shall cast Lots in the same maâ—â—â—er and so till all be slain that we may not see the Captivity of our people and the last Couple shall either can upon each others swords or else cast Lots who shall â—â—ve first but since we are Forty one and so cannot be equally divided let us cast Lots which shall first be slain and when he is once out of the way let us divide as I have said Every man liked this advice and desired him to divide the Men Joseph answered But let us swear by the Name of the Lord that this device shall stand Which they accordingly did Then Joseph cast Lots who should be the odd man and it fell upon Jehoida a Galilean a valiant man and one of the chiefest Councellors of Joseph and the principal perswader of this wicked Fact to kill themselves After this he craftily divided them into Couples so that the Lot of his own Couple came forth last of all who hoped to be saved trusting in God and believing that he would deliver him from this abominable deed Then Jehoida chose him one of the first couple who slew him That done the first couple cast Lots between them and the one killed his Fellow and chose him one of the second couple to kill him and in this manner did they all till they were all slain and none left alive but Joseph and his Fellow who said to Joseph Come let us cast Lots that we may go to our Brethren Joseph said
Vespasian here with us a wise and valiant Commander who hath conquered many Cities and vanquished divers Warlike Nations How many puissant Kings hath he subdued to the Roman Empire and how hath he enlarged it far and wide And now when the Empire ought to have been bestowed upon Vespasian or some Person of the like merits because no such could be found among them they have bestowed it upon a Fool and a sottish Drunkard wherein they have done very undiscreetly however we are resolved the Empire of Rome shall suddenly have a better Emperor and thereto let God say Amen Hereupon the Princes who were present consulted together and decreed to make Vespasian Emperor and going all together to him they said Thou shalt be our Head for the Empire belongeth to such a one as thy self and thou shalt have Dominion over us But Vespasian refused to take it on him and would not be perswaded to consent thereto however they compelled him placing him in the Throne of Majesty and setting the Crown on his head which he would have taken away and pulled off with his hand because he would not be Emperor upon which the Roman Captains drew their Swords and said Thou shalt be Emperor and Reign over us therefore refuse it not if thou do thou shalt dye upon our swords Vespasian therefore seeing himself constrained being afraid of his Life was content to suffer himself to be proclaimed Emperor then all the Army swore Allegiance to him as he sate upon the Royal Seat as Emperor and King of Kings In the mean time the Civil Wars at Jerusalem increased dayly by reason of Jehochanan that Limb of the Devil who had escaped thither again There was likewise another Cut-Throat Ruffâ—â—n called Schimeon who was discarded from his Command for his Villanys by Anani the Priest After which gathering together a rout of Thieves Rebels and Murderers throughout all Galilee to the number of Twenty Thousand he came towards Jerusalem to vex the Israelites who encountred with him with various success sometimes one Party prevailing and then the other but at length one Jacob a great man among the Edomites joyned with him and helped to subdue his own Countrey with whom being strengthned they approached the Walls of Jerusalem destroying the Corn and Fruits of the Ground Jehochanan having intelligence of his intentions to besiege the Town and being too weak to encounter him he issued out of the City and lay in Ambush for Schimeon at which time it happened that Schimeon's Wife who was fled out of Jerusalem with her Men and Women Servants for fear she should be killed for her Husbands sake passed by the place of Ambushment whom Jehochanan took not a little proud of such a prey and carryed into the City thinking Schimeon would comply upon any Terms to gain his Wife whom he dearly loved This came to Schimeons ear just at the time he had taken many of Jehochanan's men and cut off their hands sending them with such shame to Jerusalem to their Master He likewise sent Embassadors to Jehochanan to return his Wife or upon refusal he threatned him with the utmost Extremity since he was resolved to take the City ere long and to Jehochanans shame would cut off the Hands and Legs of all the Inhabitants Jehochanan being afraid Schimeon having with him Forty Thousand Fighting men he sent him his Wife whereupon he continued without the Town while Jehochanan played the Tyrant within his Souldiers ravishing the Citizens Wives and Daughters and shedding much innocent blood and whoever complained was presently slain so that the Condition of the Israelites was truly miserably for if any went out of the City they were slain by Schimeon and those within were continually murdered by Jehochanan The Citizens being therefore tyred by his Tyranny assembled together and encountred with Jehochanan where a multitude of them were slain and if the Edomites who were fled to Jerusalem from the Tyranny of Schimeon had not come in to their relief the whole People of Jerusalem had been utterly destroyed and slain every Mothers Son by Jehochanan his power was so great Then Anani the High Priest and other Grave Men not being able to suffer the wickedness of Jehochanan any longer resolved to deliver the City to Schimeon hoping he would slay Jehochanan who was at length prevailed with and promised to assist them against the Seditious but being entred with his whole Army he broke his promise and joyned himself with Jehochanan so that these two Rebels reigned in Jerusalem by course one of them one Moneth and the other another yet within two days they quarrelled about Eleasar the Priest whom Schimeon would have slain but Jehochanan defended so that ever after they fought one against the other During these Transactions at Jerusalem Vespasian had sent two Noblemen to Rome to make away the Emperor Vitellius whereby he might come and receive the Imperial Crown there They went therefore and raised an Army wherewith they fell upon Vitellius and slew him though not without much opposition for there were slain that day in Rome eighty Thousand valiant Souldiers Then Vespasian taking half his Army with him left the other part with Titus his Son to besiege Jerusalem but to continue at Alexandria till further order to whom Titus at his departing said I shall do dear Father according to your Commandment for to you it belongeth to command and to me to obey Vespasian took with him Agrippa and Menas his Son with Joseph the Priest for fear they should raise a Rebellion As he approached nigh Rome all the Citizens came forth to meet him and received him with great Joy and mighty shews and Triumphs and soon after he was solemnly crowned Emperor within a few days Vespasian was displeased with King Agrippa upon certain false Informations that he designed some disturbance upon which both he and his Son Munabas were put to Death This happened three years and an half before the destruction of Jerusalem at which time the continual Sacrifice ceased for One Thousand Two Hundred and Ninety days as it is written in the 12 of Daniels Prophecy But Joseph was by the clemency of Vespasian set at Liberty and sent to Titus who was then at Alexandria in Egypt with Letters from his Father and was kindly received by him Titus soon after marched with a mighty Army to Caesarea where he stayd till the Winter was past before he would besiege Jerusalem But in the mean time the quarrels and murders in that City ceased not but Summer and VVinter the VVars continued between Schimeon Jehochanan and Eleasar for God had in Judgment sent a Spirit of Giddiness among the Citizens so that they were divided into three Parts The first and best sort of the People followed Anani the Priest who at that time had stained and suspended his Office of Priesthood Another part followed Seditious Jehochanan and the third were for Schimeon So that in the midst of Jerusalem there was nothing but slaughter and
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
Cross and an half Moon was visible in Italy Not long after the Spaniards kill Two Hundred Thousand Moors The Pope giveth away England from King John to Prince Philip of France who lands there and striveth for it The Flemish with the English take three hundred sail of Ships from him and burn an hundred more The King of Aragon is slain William King of Scots and soon after King John both dye In 1234 a great Eclipse of the Sun happened and strange sights appeared in the Moon for whereas she usually seems round she now visibly appeared with six squares The Sun was darkned so much that the Stars were seen This year the King of Bulgaria puts out the Emperors eyes Vienna is subjected to the Empire Constantinople is besieged by the Turks but released by the Venetians King Henry III. of England and his Nobles quarrel but are reconciled The King of Poland dyeth In 1243 was a great Comet fearful to behold A Hill of a vast greatness removes it self out of its place A noise like Trumpets is heard in the air in Italy These were followed by a great Plague in Greece and a miserable Famine in Constantinople the King of the Cumans is slain and the Turks take Jerusalem and kill many Prisoners In 1255 a great Comet appeared Strange Lightning fell from Heaven The Sea overflowed in many places in England Dismal and strange noises are heard in the air At this time the Geneveses take Venice and are expelled again The Duke of Lithuania invadeth Prussia five petty Kings are expelled Spain the Venetians take Padua Eâ—â—â—line comes thither and kills twelve thousand Citizens Not long after Henry III. King of England dyes In 1277 there was a very great Rain about the Rhine in Germany the Sky was as bright in Poland at midnight as if it had been noon day Four Suns were seen in Russia and there was an Earthquake in England Now the Turks won all the lesser Asia from the Greeks The Pope is killed by a fall the Emperor slayes fourteen thousand Bohemians King Edward I. of England forceth the Welch to a Peace In 1285 a great Earthquake happened in Italy A Comet of notable greatness was seen this year A great swarm of divers coloured Flyes and mighty floods of waters were in England There was likewise about this time a battel or fight of Dogs in France saith Mr. Camden at a place called Genelon Castle wherein every one killed another being in number about Three Thousand no Dog escaping alive but only one Upon this followed the Invasion of Denmark by the Norwegians Hungaria is ruined by the Cumans the Helvetians war against the Emperor but are subdued The King of Sicily dyes and there was a great battel fought between the English and Scots wherein many of the Scots were slain the Sun the same day appeared as red as blood as long as the fight continued XXIII Launces and Darts of fire were seen in the Heavens in the year 1300 a great Snow fell and a Comet of a wonderful magnitude appeared In Germany Men and Horses were visible in the Air At this time the English beat the Scots The Turks invade the German Empire and commit great mischiess the Pope writes himself Vniversal Lord in Spirituals and Temporals Flanders is invaded and many Nobles are taken Prisoners Andrew King of Hungary dyes In 1310 was an Earthquake in England The Elements seem to burn many days together A Boy was born with four Arms and two Bodies Soon after the Polonians subdue Pomerania The Isle of Rhodes is taken from the Turks Robert Bruce King of Scotland wasteth that Countrey and drives out the English the Earl of Cornwal is banished and the Emperor burneth Brixia In 1322 the Sun in England for six hours together appeared like blood There was a great Earthquake in Germany and two Crosses appeared in the Heavens and a fiery Circle was seen about the Sun At this time the Scots oppose King Edward II. of England and put him to flight The King of Bohemia conquers Silesia and divers places in Lusatia The Emperor is taken in battel and imprisoned 3 years The King of England dyes In 1337 were two Comets seen together one of which continued four Months the other but three Blood rained in Rome wonderful flocks of Crows and Daws were seen in Germany The Lithuanians burn themselves their Wives Children and Goods to avoid taking The French burn Southampton The Scythians wast Thrace and take many Captives the King of Sicily dyeth About this time there happened a fearful Earthquake in the City of Venice which overturned divers Steeples and Palaces and among other dreadful Effects it caused many hundred women to miscarry in Child-birth and a terrible Plague sollowed it which reduced the City to such an height of misery that it was almost depopulated whereupon the Senate made a Decree that as many as would come to dwell at Vâ—â—ice should after they had continued there two years be free Ciâ—â—â—ens In 1341 a terrible Comet with many other apparitions were seen in the Heavens The Emperor Aâ—â—ronious about this time suffered death in an unheard of Tragical manner And the next year saith Mr. Camdâ—n October 11 when the Moon was eleven dayes old there were seen two Moons at Dablin in Ireland the one according to the â—ourse of nature in 〈◊〉 West the other in the East casting but a mean and slender Light In 1348 Divers Mocksuns appeared in the Sky and the Heavens seemed to burn There were several small Beasts rained from the Elements in the Eastern parts of the World There followed a grâ—at Piague in England the English beat the Scots and recover much from them The Poâ—anders â—â—solutely conqâ—er Russia In 1365 armed men were seen in the Heavens in England and fiery â—anceâ— in Italy Grashoppers cover Switzerland like Snow Soon after the Russians who rebelled in Pâ—land were sâ—bdued The King of France is exâ—â—lled his Kingdom The King of Sweden is taken Prssoner in Dattel the Tâ—rks expel the Christians from Adrianople In 1375 a Comet with a beard was seen many nights together in the Heavens Grashoppers eat up all the green things in France Mighty inundations in Germany and a very great Earthquake there After this five thousand Houses were burnt at Gaunt and seventeen other Towns in Flanders drowned the Christians kill twenty thousand Turks in Bosnia by a stratagem The Scots burn Roxborough there were great Calamities in Italy Prince Edward commonly called the Black Prince dyeth and not long after Edward III. King of England The French take the Isle of Wight and burn Rye and Hastings In 1378 a general Plague in a most miserable manner invaded the greatest part of the world It raged most among young Persons and Children In the City of Lubeck only in Germany it swept away ninety thousand persons there dyed of it in several places of bare-footed Fryers one Million two hundred forty four thousand four hundred thirty four The Jews were
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
Elephant before him to break the way through the Woods that the King with his Followers might pass As he fled the Conspirators pursued him but at a great distadce for fear of some exceellent Fowling Pieces which he had with him and so he got safe to the Mountain Gauluda about 15 miles off where many of the Inhabitants thereabout resorted to him But if the Rebel Party had been resolute who were the greater number even almost all the Kingdom this Hill could not have secured him but they might have driven him from thence there being many ways by which they might have ascended The People having thus driven away the old King marched away to the City of Cande and proclaimed the Prince to be King telling us English that what they had done was not rashly but upon good Consideration and advice the King by his evil Government having occasioned it who went about to destroy both them and their Countrey As in detaining Ambassadors hindering of all Trade making Prisoners of all people that come upon his Land and killing his Subjects and their Children not suffering them to enjoy nor to see their Wives And that all this was contrary to reason and as they were informed to the Government of other Countreys The Prince being young and tender and having never been out of the Pallace nor ever seen any but those that attended on his Person was affinghted to see so many coming and bowing down to him and telling him that he was King and his Father was fled into the Mountains neither did he say or act any thing as not owning the business or else not knowing what to say or do This much discouraged the Rebels to see they had no Thanks for their pains and so all things stood till Dâ—â—emo 25. 1664 at which time they intended to march and fall upon the old King But in the mean time the Kings Sister flyes away with the Prince from the City into the Countrey near the King which so amazed the Rebels that the Money Cloth and plunder which they had taken and were going to distribute to strangers to joyn with them they scattered about the Town and fled away Others of their Company seeing the business was overthrown to make amends for their former Fact revolted and fell upon their Consorts killing and taking Prisoners all they could The People were now all up in Arms against each other killing whom they pleased only saying they were Rebels and taking their Goods By this time a great Man had drawn out his Souldiers into the Field and declared for the old King and so went to seize the Rebels that were scattered abroad but understanding they were all fled and no whâ—le Party or Body left to resist him he marched into the City killing all he could catch And so all revolted and came back to the King again whilst he only lay still upon his Mountain The King needed to take no care to seize or execute the Rebels for they themselves out of their zeal to him and to make amends for what was past imprisoned and killed all they met the Plunder being their own This continued 8 of 10 days which the King hearing of commanded to kill no more but only to imprison them till examination which was not so much to save the Innocent as that he might torment the Rebels and make them confess their Confederates for he spared none that seemed guilty and some to this day lye chained in Prison being sequestred of all their Estates and beg for their Living The King could not be insensible but that it was his rigorous Government which occasioned this Rebellion yet amended it not in the least but like Rehoboam added yet more to the Peoples yoke And being thus safely reinstated in his Kingdom again and observing that the Life of his Son gave incouragement to the Rebellion he resolved for the future to prevent it by taking him away and about a year after his Son being sick the Hing takes this Opportunity to dispatch him by pretending to send Physick to him to cure him but was really Poyson which soon made an end of him The People hearing of the death of the Prince according to the Custom of that Countrey when any of the Royal Blood dye came all in General toward the City where he was with black or else very dirty Cloths which is their mourning the men all bare-headed the Women with their hair loose and hanging about their Shoulders to mourn and lament for the Death of their young Prince which the King hearing of sent them word That since it was not his Fortune to live to sit on the Throne after him and Reign over the Land it would be but in vain to mourn and a great trouble and hindrance to the Countrey and their voluntary good will was taken in as good part us the mourning it self and so dismist the Assembly and burned the Princes dead body without Ceremonies or Solemnities but one thing there is that argues him guilty of Imprudence and horrible Ingratitude that most of those who went along with him when he fled of whose Loyalty he had such ample Experience he hath since cut off and that with extream Cruclty too In Feornary two years after there appeared in this Countrey another Comet or Stream in the West with the head of it under the Horizon much like that seen in England in 1680. The sight of this did much daunt both King and People having so lately felt the sad Event of a Blazing Star The King sent men to the highest Mountains in the Land to look if they could perceive the head of it which they could not it being still under the Horizon This continued visible about a Month and by that time was so diminished as not to be seen But there were no remarkable Passages ensued upon it LXXVII About five or six nights after the extinction of the first Comet which was seen in England and in the same Moneth of December another Comet was visible which continued till the middle of January following it was much less than the former seeming about the bigness of an ordinary Trencher Plate about 8 Inches over and had prickly Rays dispersed round about it In April 1665 following a Third Comet was seen much of the Nature and colour of the first only a little more Jovial This year June 3. A great Victory was obtained by His Majesties Fleet under his Royal Highness the Duke of York against the whole Dutch Fleet wherein above Thirty Capital Ships were taken and destroyed and near Eight Thousand men killed and taken Prisoners A great Plague began in London and this year there dyed in all ninety seven thousand three hundred and six whereof of the Plague sixty eight thousand five hundred ninety six In February this year there was a great Tempest accompanied with Thunder Lightning and an Earthquake in divers places at which time the stately Spire of Trinity Church in Coventry fell down and demolished
a great part of the Church killing only one man and in Hampshire a Justice of Peace riding by the way was slain and burnt by Lightning In August 1666 Sir Robert Holmes destroyed above one hundred and fifty Sail of Dutch Ships at the Fly in Holland and burnt the Town of Bandaris upon the Island of Schelling containing at least a Thousand Houses Sept. 2. about one a Clock in the morning a sudden and lamentable Fire broke out in the City of London beginning in a place called Pudding-Lane near New Fish-street which in 4 days time burnt down Thirteen Thousand Two Hundred Houses LXXVIII In 1668 in Autumn a great part of Asia and some parts of Europe were infested with extraordinary Earthquakes The Cities of Constantinople and Adrianople felt its sad Effects but not with that violence and continuance as in other Places In some parts of Persia it continued for above fourscore days Torqueto and Bolio two considerable Cities were by its great violence layd even to the ground and all or most of the Inhabitants buried in the Ruins above six thousand Persons perished in the first of them and above eighteen hundred in the latter And in all the adjacent Cities it raged with extraordinary fury destroying and ruining the Buildings killing many of the People and the rest were forced to quit the Towns and take up their Lodgings in the Fields About the beginning of August 1669 there came two Whales and a Grampas up the River of Thames whereof one of the Whales and the Grampas were killed and the other Whale which was the bigger returned back into the Sea September 4. following saith Mr. Clark news was brought to our Kings Majesty of the Death of the Queâ—n Mother who dyed in France July 31. in the Sixtieth year of her Age. LXXIX In March the beginning of this year 1669 there happened a most dreadful Earthquake and Irruption of Mount Aetâ—a in Sicily of which before I give a particular Account it may not be unproper to describe the Mountain it self as it has been related by divers famous Historians Aetna or Mount Gibello called by Pindar the Celestial Column or Pillar is the highest Mountain in Sicily from whence all the Island may be seen at once and in a clear day the Eye may even reach Africa it rears up its top or Spire Thirty miles into the Sky and may be seen forty or fifty miles at Sea but its compass is sixty others say an hundred miles space it appears Eastward with two shoulders having an eminent head in the middle The lower parts are luxuriously fruitful and the abundance of fat oyly matter which is cast out of it makes the Soyl thereof as well as of the whole Island Incredibly fruitful in the best Wine Oyl Honey Saffron Minerals also of Gold Silver Silks and Allom with variety of excellent and delicious Fruits and abundance of all sorts of Grain so that it was called in old time The Granary of the Roman Empire The middle of the Mountain is woody and shady the upper part rocky steep and almost covered with Snow yet smoaking in the midst like many conjoyned Chimneys and vomiting intermitted flames usually discernable only by night as if heat and cold had left their Contentions and imbraced one another for though it continually â—â—rns with most servent smoak and fire yet round about the top are seen perpetual and most deep â—nows the uppermost top is broken and cragged with unstable Cinders and Pumice stones and cleavs open with a most vast Crater or mouth twelve miles in compass which in a steep descent streightens it self narrower even to the bottom of Hell as it were A most horrible preâ—â—pice it is exceeding formidable with flames and fumes from the very bottom and sides of the Mountain with an horrendous roaring and bellowing not unlike the bursting forth of Thunders so that the very imagination and thoughts of the Fire and Ruins so nigh at hand cannot but at first sight amaze and afright any humane Creature and make him start from it as from the Infernal Gulph of Hell On one side within are most dark and dreadful Dens one whereof is so vast as to be capable to contain Thirty Thousand Men In many places you may see the tracts and paths of huge Torrents of melted matter In the very top Snows and Ashes or Cinders as if they had concluded an Eternal Wedlock are seen to overwhelm all things with a sad and doleful countenance which are very dangerous to unwary Visitors because under them there lye concealed deep holes and devouring Gulphs without bottom or end which have swallowed up very many coming unadvisedly too near without a Guide and by their ruine have left warnings to others not rashly to venture upon these hidden deceits which have cheated mortals of their Lives In the utmost bottom of this Hellish Gulf the Fire is at no time extinguished but always sends forth either boyling heat smoak or flame yet outwardly it begins to grow fierce and terrible only at certain intervalls of time more or less according to the Combustible matter heaped together and by how much longer it hath ceased by so much it bursts forth with greater violence and together with the Flame sends forth huge heaps of Sands and Prodigious Stones of wondrous weight These Fires have broke forth in several Ages of the World to the great terror and destruction of the Inhabitants and all the adjacent Countreys As in the year of the world 2600 when the Posterity of Janus went to seek new Colonies they first entred Sicily where at that time there was so great a burning of the Mountain that the new Planters leaving the Island for fear of Desolation went to seek new habitations in Italy after them followed the Sicaneans who were likewise driven away from these Eastern Parts to the Western by these dreadful Aetnean burnings In the year of the world 3180 and for above four hundred years after this Mountain was all on fire with three huge burnings A little after the Mountain raging anew it is said to have drawn Pythagoras himself into the highest admiration Also in the Reign of Hero at which time Histories deliver that Empedocles an Observer of the Mountain was destroyed In the time of Julius Caesar about fifty years before Christ Diodorus relates That Aetna raged most violently which they said portended the Death of Caesar It is reported to have been so great that the Sea with its fervour and boyling heat burnt even the very Ships even as far as the Vulcanello's All the Fish being destroyed and boyled to death yea within twenty years the Mountain burnt four times In the Reign of Caius Caligula forty nine years after Christ the Mountain raged so that the Emperor at that time in Sicily was so affrighted that he betook himself to safer stations yet they relate that the Emperor Adrian out of the greatness of his mind did ascend the Mountain very far to consider more nearly