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
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
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
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
times they have brought forth a great tall Ship floating up and down which opened and split asunder of it self from whence issued out four or five hundred wild Beasts to he baited and then closing again it vanished away without any visible help sometimes they caused water to spout gently from the bottom of the Theatre which bubbling up to the very top sprinkled and refreshed that vast multitude And to preserve themselves from the violence of the weather they caused that huge compass to be overspread sometimes with purple Sails all curiously wrought with the Needle sometimes of Silk and other colours all which was done in the twinkling of an Eye either to spread or draw it back again The Nets likewise which they used to put before the people to save them from the danger of the wild baited Beasts were all woven of Gold Thred Montaigns Essays lib. 3. XIV The Bridge of Caligula was a new and unheard of Spectacle it reached from Puteoli to Bauli three miles and a quarter he built it upon Ships in a few days Over this he marched with the Senate and Souldiery in a Triumphant manner and in the view of the People Upon this he feasted and passed the night in dalliance and Gaming A Marvellous and great work indeed but such as the vanity thereof deprived it of Commendation for to what end was it raised but to be demolished Thus sported he saith Seneca with the Power of the Empire and all in imitation of Xerxes a Foreign Frantick unfortunate and proud King Hakewels Apology XV. Wales anciently extended it self Eastward to the River Severn till by the valour of Offa the great King of the Mercians the Welch or Brittains were driven out of the plain Countrey beyond that River and forced to betake themselves to the Mountains where he caused them to be shut up and divided from England with an huge Ditch called Offa's Dike which began where the River Wie comes into the Severn not far from Chepstow and extended fourscore and four miles in length even as far as Chester where the River Dee is mingled with the Sea which was a very stupendious work Concerning this Ditch there was a Law made by K. Harold That if any Welshman was found with a Weapon on this side of it he should have his right hand cut off by the Kings Officers Heylins Cosmography XVI China is bounden on the North with Altay and the Eastern Tartars from which it is separated by a continued Chain of Hills and where that Chain is broken off with a great Wall of four hundred Leagues or Twelve hundred English miles in length It was built as they say by Zaintzon the 117 King thereof it was six fathom high and 12 yards thick and was twenty seven years in building by the continued labour of seven Millions and Fifty Thousand men Herberts Travels XVII Ptolomeus Philopater built a Ship saith Pancirollus that the like was never seen before nor since It was two hundred and eighty Cubits in length fifty two Cubits in height from the bottom to the upper Decks It had four hundred Banks or Seats for Rowers four hundred Marriners and four thousand Rovers And on the Decks it could contain Three Thousand Souldiers There were also Gardens and Orchards on the top of it as Plutarch relates in the life of Demetrius XVIII The Escurial or Monastery of St. Lawrence in New Castile in Spain was built by K. Philip 2. A place of such Magnificence that no building in times past or the present is comparable to it The Front toward the VVest is adorned with three stately Gates the middlemost whereof leadeth into a most magnificent Temple or Monastery wherein were one hundred Monks of the Order of St. Jerom and a Colledge the Gate on the right hand openeth into divers Offices belonging to the Monastery that on the left hand to the Schools and outhouses belonging to the Colledge At the four Corners are four Turrets of excellent Workmanship and for height Majestical Towards the North is the Kings Pallace on the South part are divers beautiful and Sumptuous Gallerys and on the East side several Gardens and Walks very pleasant and delectable It containeth in all eleven several Quadrangles every one incloistered and is indeed so brave a Structure that a Voyage to Spain were well imployed were it only to see it and return Heylins Cosmography FINIS Advertisements There are lately published by R. Burton five very useful pleasant and necessary books which are all sold by N. Crouch I. EXtraordinary Adventures of several Famous Men with the strange Events and many signal Mutations and Changes in the Fortunes of many Illustrious Places and Persons in all Ages Being an account of a Multitude of Stupendious Revolutions Accidents and Observable matters in many Kingdoms States and Provinces throughout the whole World Namely The Adventures of Christoph Columbus and the manner of his Discovery of America or the New World How Bajazet Emp. of the Turks was carried about in an Iron Cage by the Emp. Tamerlane The Cruelties used by the Turks upon the Christians at Argiers their manner of selling Slaves c. The Travels of an Engglish Man into Barbary and Morocco with the Rarities thereof and of the Villany of the English Renegadoes The dreadful Mutiny in the City of Naples about their Priviledges in 1647 and how Massanello a Fisher-boy ruled there for 10 days with greater Power than any King or Emperour An Account of several Nations destroyed or driven from their Habitations by Gnats Moles Pismires Sparrows Locusts Hares Conies Fleas Frogs Mice Gâ—asshoppers Serpents Worms and other inconsiderable Creatures The Tragical Deaths of John and Cornelius de Wit at the Hague in Holland The strange Revolution in Portugal in 1640. The woful Deaths of the Emp. of China his Wife and Daughter in 1640 Remarks on the Life and Death of Sir W. Rawleigh with his last Speech and Behaviour on the Scaffold with abundance of other Remarkable Instances of various kinds some of them being lively described in Picture for their better Illustration Price One Shilling II. ADmirable Curiosities Rarities and Wonders in England Scotland and Ireland or an account of many remarkable persons and places and likewise of the battels sieges prodigious Earthquakes tempests inundations thunders lightnings fires murders and other considerable occurrences and accidents for many hundred years past and among others The Preaching of K. Hen. 3. to the Monks at Winchester The manner of the horrid murther of King Edward 2. The battle of Bosworth and the miserable death of Crook-backt Richard The beheading of the L. Cromwel and the E. of Essex with their last Speeches The Rebellion of the Papists in Cornwal c. against the Common Prayer in King Edw. 6. time and the K. letter to them The Rebellion under Kett the Tanner and his Laws Ordinances in the Oak of Reformation near Norwich The Association in Q. Eliz. time The proceedings against Mary Q. of Scots Mother