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
In December 1664 In Iannuary 1664 5 In April 1663 In August 1682. In December 1680 The Five Blazing Stars seen in England since the year 1663. Page 154.160.182.18 London Printed for Nath Crouch 〈◊〉 THE SURPRIZING MIRACLES OF Nature and Art In TWO PARTS Containing I The Miracles of Nature or the Strange Signs and Prodigious Aspects and Appearances in the Heavens the Earth and the Waters for many Hundred years past with an Account of the most famous Gomets and other Prodigies since the Birth of our Blessed Saviour and the dreadful Effects of many of them Also a particular Description of the five Blazing Stars seen in England within Eighteen years last past and abundance of other unaccountable Accidents and Productions of all kinds till 1682. II. The Miracles of Art describing the most Magnificent Buildings and other Curious Inventions in all Ages as Solomons Temple The Seven Wonders of the World and many more Excellent Structures and Rarities throughout the whole Earth Beautified with divers Sculptures of many Curiosities therein By R. B. Author of the Hist of the Wars of England Remarks of London Wonderful Prodigies Admirable Curiosities in England and Extraordinary Adventures of several famous Men. London Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell next Kemp's Coffee-House in Exchange-Alley over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhil 1683. To the READER THere is no Person of any Age or Vnderstanding but must needs acknowledge that the last Forty Years has been as it were an Age of Prodigies and Wonders in these three Kingdoms so that it may be no former time can parallel so many strange Transactations as have happened in so little space and therefore as an Ingenious Person says A Book of Prodigies is fit In times Prodigious to be writ And another Learned Author says The wise Creator of Heaven and Earth is wont when the measure of our wickedness comes to the height rather to inflict upon us Temporal than Eternal punishments and to use for our Amendment the Occasion of these Natural Effects thereby to affright us from the Terrour of those sights to a Repentance and dutiful respect of him And if we consult History we shall find that there hath never been any notable Apparition or Prodigy seen in the Heavens but it hath been attended in the sequel with more than Ordinary Changes or Troubles here on Earth Neither is there any one except he hath no Religion who is not affrighted at Lightning the clashing noise of Thunder or an horrible Comet For God speaks to men not only with the Tongues of men by Prophets Apostles and Teachers but sometimes also by the Elements and other Extraordinary signs in the Heavens Earth or Sea Vpon these Considerations this small Collection of the most remarkable Prodigies since the Creation cannot surely be unseasonable or ungrateful but may by the Blessing of Heaven cause some Profligate Persons to forsake their evil ways and thereby divert the just Judgments of the Almighty from being poured down upon this wicked and adulterous Generation Here are also added many wonders of Art in the Magnificent Structures and Curious Inventions of all Ages and it is very apparent that notwithstanding our high Conceits of the knowledge of this last Age yet we are obliged to our Ancestors for many if not most of our present useful and Profitable Arts and Sciences R. B. The Surprizing Miracles of Nature in the Heavens Earth and Waters STrange and Wonderful have been the Miraculous Productions of Nature in all Ages or rather of the God of Nature and Divine Providence St. Auflin that Famous and Reverend Father of the Church defineth Miracles to be those things which happen beyond the Expectation or thought of the Beholder and begets in him a Miraculous Contemplation yea oftentimes horrour and amazement whereof there are two kinds True and False the false Miracles are such as are not really as they seem to be but meerly acted by the Power of Nature although obscure and hid The True are performed by the Power of God above and beyond all the Faculties of created Nature partly to procure Admiration and partly to confirm the Faith of Men such were the bringing back of the shadow Ten Degrees in the Dial of Ahaz for Hezekiah A Virgin to conceive with Child and yet remain a Virgin To draw water out of a hard Rock To cause the Sea to divide asunder The Sun to stand still To cause Manna to fall from Heaven To turn Water into Wine and many of the like kind recorded in the Holy Scriptures And these were formerly used for the Confirming of the Faith both of Jews and Christians but are not now necessary since the Writings of the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles are so generally preached unto all Yet hath not the Almighty left himself without Witness nor mankind without warnings of approaching Judgments and Desolations by Prodigious Signs and Wonderful Appearances in all times of the World thereby if possible to deter them from their Evil Practices and to induce them to repentance and Reformation of which the very Heathens were sensible for we may find in the Roman Histories that there never happened any Remarkable Prodigy but the People of every Sex Age and Quality flockt and ran to their Temples and Altars making Prayers and offering Sacrifices to their Gods for appeasing and pacifying their incensed Wrath which may condemn the neglect and Contempt that is in those who pretend to own the true Christian Religion and may teach us to repair to the true God and implore his mercy and forbearance of pouring his Wrath upon us In order whereunto it cannot surely be unseasonable nor unprofitable to Collect out of very approved Authors the most Remarkable Prodigies or Miracles that have appeared cither in the Heavens Earth or Waters for some Thousands of years in this Kingdom and many other parts of the World with the Tremendous Consequences that have succeeded divers of them as to Wars Fires Famines and other dreadful Calamities in several Nations upon some of which the Famous Dubartas thus Ingeniously Comments page 14. Here in the night appears a flaming Spire There a fierce Dragon folded all in Fire Here a bright Comet there a fiery Stream Here Flying Lances there a burning Beam Here seems a Horned Goat inviron'd round With fiery flakes about the Air to bound There with long bloody Hair a Blazing-Star Threatens the World with Famine Plague and War To Princes Death to Kingdoms many Crosses To all Estates Inevitable Losses To Herdsmen Rot To Ploughmen hapless seasons To Saylers storms To Cities Civil Treasons I shall therefore proceed to give an Account of the most Famous and surprizing Signs and Wonders which I find recorded in History I. In the time of the Carthaginian War a River in Italy was observed for near the space of a day to run perfect Blood no accident that might cause it being perceived by any In Hetruria the Heavens were seen to burn In the City of Arimini
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
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
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
year the strong City of Strignnium in Hungary being besieged by the Turks during the siege there appeared a dreadful fiery Meteor in the Air in fashion much like a Rainbow of a bloody red colour which arising some heigth and continuing for a space of time at length vanished away In 1611 three Suns were seen in the Firmament over Vienna in Germany and three years after the Heavens over the same Town grew so red and soon after so fearfully dark on a sudden that the Inhabitants were much amazed apprehending either the last day was come or that there would follow some horrible effusion of blood In 1616 about the same time which was not many years before Frederick Prince Elector Palatine was chosen King of Bobemia about the midst of October there appeared in the Firmament over the City of Prague a Crown which gave a very great Light and about it Armies of men fighting as if it were who should have it divers Mocksuns were seen in the West of England An Inundation happened in Holland The Shape of an Elephant appeared in the Air in Germany A Lyon was heard as my Author saith to roar in the Air the Venetians at this time make war with Ferdinand of Austria The Hollanders beat the Spaniard in the South Sea The Tartars invade Podolia burning four Cities and four hundred Villages carrying with them thence much booty J. Gad. of Comets XXXVI In 1618 a mighty Blazing Comet appeared in the Heavens it was first seen Novemb. 18. and continued till the Decemb. 16. following taking its compass over most parts of the known world in twenty eight days time and sometimes extending its Blazing Locks forty five degrees in length Towards its Declination December 11 it passed over London and so more Northwards even as far as the Orcades in Scotland What miserable effects of war ruin and devastation followed thereupon over all Europe especially to Germany of which I shall give a more particular account hereafter was obvious to all men There likewise was seen this year in the night over Constantinople a Comet in the form of a crooked sword of a vast bigness at the first appearance it was somewhat whitish but the higher it rose the redder it was even like unto bloud There were also strange sights seen in other places inundations of Rivers and the Ocean Earthquakes monstrous births waters turned into blood unusual and impetuous Winds and Tempests which overthrew several Towers and tore up many Trees by the Roots Pleurs a Town in Rhetia near Switzerland was overwhelmed by an Earthquake a great Hill falling suddenly upon the City and destroyed Fifteen Hundred Persons This year the Emperor Matthias and soon after his Empress together with Anne Q. of England dye J. Gad. of Prodigies XXXVII Mr. Knowls in his Turkish History Page 1348 relates that in the year 1620 there was a strange Apparition or Vision seen by the Turks at Medina where there Prophet Mahomet lyes buried which continued three weeks together and exceedingly terrified the whole Countrey and it was this About September 20 there fell a very great Tempest about midnight attended with dreadful Thunder but when the Clouds were dispersed and the Element clear the People might read in Arabick Characters these words in the Firmament O why will ye believe in Lyes and between two and three a Clock in the Morning there appeared a Woman in white compassed about with the Sun having a cheerful countenance and a Book in her hand and over against her were Armies of Turks Persians Arabians and other Mahometans in battel array ready to fight with her but she keeping her Station only opened the book at the sight whereof the Armies fled away and presently all the Lamps about Mahomets Tomb were put out For as soon as the Vision vanished which was commonly an hour before Sun-rising a murmuring wind was heard unto which they imputed the extinguishing of the Lamps The antient Pilgrims of Mahomets race who after they had visited this place never use to cut their Hair were much amazed because they could not concieve the meaning of this Vision only one of the Dervices or Priests which is a strict Religious Order among the Turks like the Capuchins among the Papists and live in Contemplation stepped up very boldly and made the following Speech to the Company That the World had never but Three true Religions every one of which had a Prophet First God chose the Jews and did wonders for them in Egypt and brought them forth by their Prophet Moses who prescribed them a Law wherein he would have maintained them if they had not been obstinate and rebellious and fallen to Idolatry whereupon he gave them over and scattered them upon the face of the Earth Then presently after God raised a new Prophet who taught the Christian Religion This good man the Jews condemned and Crucified for a Seducer of the People being not moved with the piety of his Life his great miracles nor his Doctrine yet after his death the preaching of a few Fishermen did so move the hearts of men that the Great Monarchs of the world bowed to his very Title and yielded to the commands of his Ministers But it seems they in process of time grew as corrupt as the Jews their Church being disjointed with the Title of Eastern and Western committing Idolatry again by setting up Images with many other idle Ceremonies besides the corruption of their Lives so that God was weary of them too and not only sent divisions among them but forsook them and dispossest them of their chiefest Cities Jerusalem and Constantinople Yet God is still the Governour of the world and himself hath raised up another Prophet and People even our great Mahomet giving way to our Nation so as no doubt we shall be happy for ever if we can serve this God aright and take warning by the fall of others But alas I tremble to speak it we have erred in every point and wilfully broke our first Institutions so that God hath manifested his wrath by evident Signs and Tokens keeping our Prophet from us who prefixed a time to return with all happiness to his People so as there are now forty years past by our account wherefore this strange and fearful vision is a prediction of some great Troubles and Alterations For either the opening of the Book in the womans hand doth foretell our falling off from the first intent of our Law whereat these armed men departed as confounded with the guilt of their own Consciences Or else it signifies some other book wherein we have not yet read and against which no power shall prevail So that I fear our Religion will be proved corrupt and our Prophet an Impostor and then this Christ whom they talk of shall shine like the Sun and set up his Name everlastingly Hitherto the Company was silent but hearing him speak so boldly they were much incensed against him charging him with Blasphemy which their Law makes
Egyptian Kings intended these for their Sepulchres yet it happened that they were not buried therein For the People being inraged against them for the slavery and toilsomness of the work and for their Cruelty and oppression they threatned to tear in peices their dead Bodies and with scorn and ignominy to throw them out of their Sepulchres whereupon these Princes commanded their Friends that when they were dead they should bury them in some obscure place The Tomb is cut smooth and plain without any sculpture or ingraving The outsides contain in length 7 Foot 3 Inches and half in depth 3 foot 4 Inches and the same breadth the hollow part within is about six foot long the depth two foot whereby it appears that mens bodies are as big now as they were Three Thousand year ago for it is near so long since this Tomb was made The charge whereof was so great that though the workmen had no other Food but Garlick Radishes and Onions yet it cost that King eighteen Hundred Talents Some with great labor and pains have climbed to the top of this Pyramid but being above they have seemed as it were to lose their sight by looking down judging themselves to be above the clouds whereby their Brains were much troubled Next to this in bulk and beauty is said to be the Pyramid of a Daughter of Cheops who as Authors report to finish her Fathers undertaking and raise her own to the height prostituted her body to all Comers requiring but one stone toward the work from each one of her Customers Treasury of Time Not far from this Pyramid are the Egyptian Mummies which are the Graves of the ancient Egyptians into which are descents like the narrow mouths of Wells some near Ten Fathoms deep leading into long Vaults hewn out of the Rock with Pillars of the same Between every Arch lye the Corps ranked one by another of all sides which are innumerable shrouded in a number of Folds of Linnen and swathed with Bands of the same the breasts of many being marked with strange Hieroglyphick Characters The Linnen being pull'd off the bodies appear solid uncorrupt and perfect in all their dimensions To keep these from Putrefaction they draw the Brains out at the Nostrils with an Iron Instrument filling the head with preservative spices then cutting up the Belly with an Ethiopian Stone they take forth the Bowels cleanse the inside with wine and so stuffing it with a composition of Myrrhe Cassia and other odours they closed it up again The same the poorer sort effected with Bitumen fetched from the Lake of Sodom whereby they have been preserved to this day having lain there for above Three Thousand years Clarks Mirrour First Part. On the Bank of the River Nilus stood that famous Labyrinth built by Psammiticus King of Egypt situate on the South side of the Pyramids and North of Arsinoe It contained within the compass of one continued Wall a Thousand Houses Herodotus says three Thousand five hundred and twelve Royal Palaces all covered with Marble and had one only entrance but innumerable turnings and returnings sometimes one over another and all very difficult to such as were not acquainted with them The Building was more under ground than above the Marblestones being laid with such Art that neither wood nor cement was imployed in any part of the Fabrick The chambers were so ordered that the doors upon there opening gave a Report no less terrible than a crack of Thunder The chief entrance was all of white Marble adorned with stately Columns and most curious Imagery Having got to the end of it a pair of stairs of ninety steps conducted into a gallant Porch or Portico supported with Pillars of Theban Marble which was the entrance into a fair and stately Hall the place of the General Convention or meeting of the Nobles of the Kingdom all of polished marble set out with the Statues of their Gods A work which afterward was imitated by Dedalus in the Cretan Labyrinth though it fell as short of the Glories of this as Minos the King who was at the charge thereof was inferiour to Psammiticus in power and Riches Heylins Cosmography The lake of Maeris was likewise a most admirable work undertaken and finished by Maeris one of the Egyptian Kings which for greatness and colour is like the Sea It is about six hundred furlongs from the City of Memphis the circumference thereof containing some hundreds of furlongs the depth fifty fathom or three hundred feet many Millions of men were imployed several years about it the benefit of it to the Egyptians and the wisdom of that King cannot be sufficiently commended for since the rising of the River Nilus is not alwayes alike and the Countrey is more fruitful by the moderateness thereof He digged this Lake to receive the superfluity of the waters that neither by the greatness of the Inundation it should cause Marishes or by the scarcity of water the Earth should not yield her strength â—he therefore cut a ditch from the River to this Lake fourscore furlongs long and three hundred feet in breadth by which sometimes receiving in and sometimes diverting the River he gave at his pleasure a sufficient quantity of water to the Husbandmen In the midst of this Lake King Maeris built a Sepulcher and 2 Pyramids each of them an hundred fathoms high placing upon them two Marble Statues fitting on a Throne one representing himself the other his wife designing hereby to make his Memory Immortal The Revenues which rise by the Fish of this Lake he gave to his wife to buy sweet Ointments Ornaments and Jewels which was so great that it amounted to above a Thousand pound a day For it was mightily replenished with Fish of Twenty sorts so that very many were continually imployed in catching and salting of them Diodorus Siculus Hist 5. The Fourth Marvel or Wonder of the World was the Tomb of Mausolus King of Caria a Province in the Greater Asia built by his Queen Artemisia who as Historians report so dearly affected her husband that she is by many recorded as an absolute pattern of Conjugal Affection After his death she lamented his loss with extraordinary Sorrow and Complaints and resolved to erect a Tomb or Sepulcher for him answerable to the extream Love she had for him and such indeed it proved to be being accounted for rare workmanship and costly magnificence one of the Worlds Wonders The Stone of the whole Structure was of most curious Marble four hundred and eleven foot in Circuit and 25 Cubits high supported with Thirty gallant Pillars excellently ingraven This building was open on all sides with Arches 73 foot wide framed by the most exquisite workmen of that Age and the perfection of the work was so admirable that ever after all sumptuous and beautiful Tombs were called Mausolaea of which Martial thus writeth Mausolus Tomb which hangeth in the skie The Men of Caria's Praises Deifie It is recorded that Artemisia after