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
in the open Fields After which this Prâ—â—digy succeeded Six miles distant from the 〈◊〉 or Pick of 〈◊〉 at a place called 〈◊〉 where Fishermen with their Boats use to fish in Summer They at this time caught such a multitude that no Boat returned with less than Ten Thousand Fish At this very place in July this year Fire broke forth with such unexpressable violence notwithstanding the depth of the Ocean which had been fathomed one hundred and twenty foot deep that the very Sea it self was not sufficient to extinguish such mighty flames The space of this boyling Fire was about two Acres and the Fire arose with such mighty force that it reached even to the clouds carrying with it Water Sand Earth Stones and much other matter which like Feather-beds flew into the Air to the terror of the Beholders afar off and falling down again into the water resembled a kind of Pultis or Frumeatie and had not the Wind by divine Providence blown off from the Isle into the Sea and thereby driven back this outragious Fire without doubt the whole Countrey had been utterly burnt up and destroyed by this formidable Combustion soon after it cast forth stones of so vast a bigness to the height of above three lances that they seemed rather like entire Mountains than Stones which in their fall meeting and dashing against others they broke into a Thousand pieces with a terrible noise and Ratling which afterward being taken up mouldred into a black Sand. Moreover out of this vast quantity of matter thrown out a new Island arose even in the midst of the deep Ocean In the beginning it was not above five Acres but increasing continually in four days after it took up the length of five mile so vast a multitude of fish perished by this burning that eight Ships of Jndia could hardly contain them and being dispersed about all parts of the Island were gathered together and buried in deep Ditches by the Inhabitants for eighteen miles round about to prevent any Contagion which might arise from them but the Sulphur or Brimstone was smelt twenty four miles This year the Hollanders beat the Spanish Fleet upon the Coast of England LXV The same year 1638. the Learned Kircherus made a search and discovery into the burning Mountain of Vesuvius in the Kingdom of Naples so famous for fiery Irruptions for many Ages which being one of the most tremendous Miracles of Nature I shall relate in his own words After so great Dangers sustained by Sea and Land in diligently searching out the incredible power of nature working in Burroughs and Passages under ground I had a great desire to inform my self concerning Vesuvius I went therefore to Porticus the Porch or Entrance a Town scituate at the Foot of the Mountain where hiring an honest Countreyman for a true and skilful Companion and guide in the way not without a considerable reward I ascended the Mountain at midnight through difficult rough uneven and steep Passages when I came to the top or mouth I saw what is horrible to be expressed I saw it all over of a light Fire with a dreadful combustion and stench of Sulphur and burning Bitumen whereat being astonished methoughts I beheld the habitation of Hell wherein nothing seemed to be wanting but the Apparitions of Ghosts Devils and damned Spirits I then observed horrible bellowings and roarings in the mountain and unexpressible stink smoaks mixt with darkish Globes of Fire which both the bottom and sides of the Mountain continually belched forth from eleven several places and made me belch and ready to vomit O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are thy ways If thou shewest thy power against the wickedness of mankind in such formidable and portentous Prodigies and Omens of nature What shall it be in that last day wherein the Earth shall be destroyed by thy wrath and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat In the morning as soon as it was light that I might with the more diligence search into the Bowels of the Mountain I chose a place to set my feet secure upon which was an huge Rock plain on the top where talting forth my Pantometer or Vniversal Measure I took the dimensions of the Mountain and found by Geometrical Computation the compass of the Mouth to be almost three hundred paces but the depth thereof eight hundred paces The Mountain was every where up and down cragged and broken yet no gradual declining for any passage to the inward parts but descended in its compass of an equal bigness like a Well and although the bottom seemed narrower yet I judged it only to proceed from the exceeding great depth and distance from our sight In the very middle of the bottom Nature seemed to have made a Shop or Workhouse of Fire with everlasting gushings forth and streamings of smoak and flames which seem to be imployed for boyling of Sulphur Bitumen and other Minerals in preparation for deadly ruins and slaughters afterward to be committed since the vapours contained therein not having room endeavour to free themselves with such great force and violence accompanyed with horrible cracklings and noise that the Mountain seems to be tost with an Earthquake or trembling upon which the higher and softer parts of the Mountain that are clung together of Ashes Cinders Rains and other Refuses of Minerals being shook in pieces and loosned by this quaking and so falling like Hills into the bottom of this Hellish Gulph cause such terrible noises as are often heard which are so great and fearful as may daunt the most stout and couragious Spirit The matter which was continually belched forth from the center or bottom of the Mountain made as it were a new Mountain which had wonderful variety of Furrows or hollow Channels with various kinds of melted Minerals formed as it were by the ingenious Pencil of Nature sometimes of a greenish colour from Brass then yellow from Sulphur Arsnick and Sandarack presently after Red from Cinabar Red-Lead and Vermilion afterward Black from Vitriol mixt with water or of an Ashy colour from the very Cinders Thus far the laborious Kircher LXVI Hear now what our ingenious Countryman Mr. G. Sandys relates of this fiery Mountain Vesuvius It is scituate in Campania Faelix about eight miles from Naples which City hath received great injuries and prejudices by its Cinders and violent throwing out of stones even to its Walls and Houses This Mountain has vast Fountains of Fire and was heretofore high on every side before the inward parts were consumed it usually utters smoak by day but by night Flames its manner is to send forth a loud sounding or roaring noise and bellowing first and then to belch forth a huge quantity of Cinders to the great danger of those who pass by but if a vehement wind blow upon it the Ashes or Cinders are raised so high and driven so far in length that 't is certain they
as the whole Country hereabouts a terrible and unusual Earthquake whose strong and unequal motions joyned with horrible Roarings from Monte Gibello exceedingly frighted the Inhabitants but was so extraordinarily violent in the Country adjacent that the People were forced to abandon their houses and to fly into the Fields to avoid the danger threatned them from the falling of their houses The Village of Nicolosi was of all others the most dreadfully handled by this furious Earthquake the houses and other buildings being shaken all in pieces and buried in their own ruines the poor people who had preserved their lives by a timely flight with such little of their goods as their hasty fears would permit them to carry out with them continued a night or two in the Fields beholding with grief and astonishment the ruine of their habitations but observing that by these violent concussions the Earth began to open in several places and to threaten them with inevitable ruine they fled though with much trouble and amazement to this City These shakings of the Earth being so frequent and violent that the people went reeling and staggering with much difficulty supporting one another from falling insomuch as what with their want of sleep the pains they were forced to take in travelling and the great terrors imprinted on them by what they had seen and suffered they appeared at their arrival in this City as so many distracted people wholly insensible of what they did This dreadful convulsion of the Earth was immediately followed on Monday March 11. about 10 at night by 3 terrible Eruptions much about the same time and a little distance one from the other These said Eruptions were observed to be on the side of Monte Gibello about 2 miles beyond the Mountain called Montpileri from whence with a terrible noise it threw up its flames with much fury and violence about a hundred yards in height its noise not roaring only inwards from the belly of the Mountain as before but violently cracking like peals of Ordnance or thunder from the side of it throwing out vast stones some of them of 300 pound weight which being as it were shot through the air fell several miles distant from the place whilst the whole Air was filled with smoak burning cinders and ashes which fell like a fiery rain upon the Country In the mean time issued from the side of this Prodigious Mountain a vast Torrent of Melted and burning Matter which like an Inundation Drowned as in a Flood of Fire the Countrey on this side of it This Burning River ran down upon the Mountain Montpileri which opposing its direct course it divided it self into two Streams which encompassed the said Mountain one of them taking its way by La Guardia the Convent of St. Anne and Mâ—lpasso the other by the Towns of Monpileri and Falicchi which in few hours were wholly destroyed and lost not so much as any sign of them remaining with several lesser Villages and Farmes and with them the Famous Image of the blessed Lady of the Annunciata which though highly Reverenced throughout the whole Island esteemed the Wonder of Sicily and the whole World and to which the People with much Devotion resorted in Pilgrimage from the remotest parts was also swallowed up and consumed by this dreadful Torrent This Fiery and burning Deluge immediately spread it self to above six mile in breadth seeming to be somewhat of the colour of melted and burning Glass but as it cooles becomes hard and Rocky and every where in its passage leaves Hills and Pyramids of that matter behind it At the same time Monte Gibello from its top raged with dreadful Flames which with its noise and Concussions of the Earth which still continued added not a little to the Terror of the People who ran with Cries and Lamentations about the City and Country expecting nothing but to be swallowed up or consumed by Fire having no other apprehensions but of Death and a General Conflagration The two Torrents of Fire came forward destroying all things in their way and by Wednesday March 13th had on the West-side branched it self into several Streams and overran Campo Rotundo St. Pietro and Mostorbianco with La Potielli and St. Antonino and on the East-part ruin'd the lower part of Mascalucia and Le Placchi taking its way towards this City On Thursday the 14th the Wind came Eastwards on which fell abundance of Rain which abated not the Progress of the Fire which on the East-side had from Mascalucia made its way to St. Giovanni di Galermo the lower part whereof it destroyed and passing on seemed to threaten this City on one side as did that on the West-side the other As the Fire approached the Religious every where appeared with much Devotion carrying in Procession their Reliques especially those of St. Agatha the famous Martyr of Catâ—nia in which they reposed no small confidence followed by great multitudes of People some of them mortifying themselves with Whips and other signs of Penance with great Complaints and Cryes expressing their dreadful expectation of the Events of those Prodigious fiery Inundations Whil'st the People were thus busied in their Devotions and astonisht by their Fears News was brought to the Magistrates of the City that a considerable number of Thieves and Robbers had taken the opportunity of this general Distraction to make a Prey of the already distressed People and that they had murdered several of them for their Goods and that it was to be fear'd that the City of Catania it self might run some danger from the great numbers of them which were about the Country and from thence took their opportunities to get into the Town Whereupon consultation being had for the prevention of farther mischief from them the Commander of the Castle was ordered with a considerable number of Horse and a Party of Spaniards to secure the Country and City against these Robbers who immediately sent out several Parties with his Provost-Marshal with Order to seize on all suspected Persons and such as were not able to give a good account of themselves and for such as were taken in the Fact Robbing to Execute them by Martial-Law without any farther Tryal and accordingly caused three pair of Gallowes to be set up for their speedy Execution one before the Gate Di Aci a second in the Market-place and a third before the Gate Della Decima setting strong Guards upon the Gates of the City and causing all suspected Houses to be searched an Account to be given in of all Lodgers and such Persons to be secured as could any ways fall under a Suspition The poor People out of the Country being by this Prodigious Calamity stript out of all their Estates and reduced to great extremâ—ty fled most of them for refuge and relief to this City with great Lamentations moving the Charity of the Magistrates whho were readily inclined to give them the best assistance they were able and the Citizens moved by their Complaints and
darkned the Face of the Sky The Birds and Fowl about this time either through want of Food or illness of Air which was corrupted with the noisome smells arising from these Burnings were observed to lye dead in all places On the 28th the Grand Current was advanced near the City as far as the old Capucins which struck so great a Terror into the People that most of them left the City only some Officers remaining with such persons as were under their command who have secured and sent away the Magazine and all the Artillery from the Castle A Latter Relation from Catania of April 27. gives this further Account The dreadful Inundation from Monte Gibello having destroyed many Castles and Towns with an infinite loss and utter ruine to the Inhabitants arrived lately with a renewed Force at Mostor-bianco which it has wholly ruin'd from thence passing on to Albanelli in four days space destroyed all the Gardens and Vineyards with 63 Thousand Vines On Wednesday April 16. With an Impetuous Fiery Torrent it came towards Sardanello where all the remainder of the Inhabitants of this City were Spectators of it which resembled a River of melted and burning Brass about ten Ells wide running with swiftness to the Arch of Marcus Marcellus a famous Piece of Antiquity and passing under it ruin'd about 6 Ells of it which was the breadth of the Current in that place from thence it ran to Madonna di Monferrato which it wholly destroyed then falling down to Madonna delle Gratie it entred in at one Gate and passed through another without any considerable hurt and running through the Gate Della Decima filled all the Plain Di Schiara Viva where it was above six Ells deep Then taking its way towards the Bulwark on the Sea-side under the Castle of this City it ran by two Ells deep into the Sea in which to the great wonder of all that saw it it has made its Progress a mile in length and as much in breadth and is drawing towards the Gate of the Channel which gives us great Apprehensions least it may that way Invade the City it self Nor is there less danger on the side Del Tindaro where there runs a great Torrent of the same Active matter which draws near and seems to threaten the Walls and is in that place about a mile in breadth having overflowed and destroyed all the Gardens from the Gate Della Decima as far as Medonna delli Amellati The names of the most considerable Towns and places ruined and destroyed by the dreadful Earthquakes and Irruptions were The Town of Nicolosi wholly ruined Padara and Tre Castagne the greatest part destroyed The Towns of La Guardia Malpasso Campo Rotundo Potielli St. Antonino St. Pietro Mosterbianco Montpileri La Anunicata Faliâ—chi Placchi all wholly overflowed consumed and lost in this fiery Inundation with all the Lands belonging to them no foot-steps of them remaining The Towns of Mascalucia and St. Giovanni de Galermo ruined in part The large Gardens and Vineyards of Albanelli overflown and destroyed The famous piece of Antiquity of Marcus Marcellus much ruined Madonna de Monferrato destroyed besides many Castles Farms and other Places which have run the same Fortune whose names we for brevity pass over LXXX West of the Isle of Sicily in the Tuscan Sea within sight of Messina and 150 miles distâ—â— from Mount Aetna are the Aeolian Islands so caned from Aeolus King thereof who first raught the use of the Sail and by observing the Fire and Smoâ—â— which ascended from these Islands for heretofore they all flamed was from thence fabled to be the God of the Winds These were anciently seven but are now eleven Islands of which Liparis is the greatest being ten miles in circuit the Fire went out here about an Age ago So that at this day Strombolo only burns though another called Vulcano smoaks continually It was formerly called Strongile but by corruption Strombolo from the roundness thereof for it seems like an high round Mountain in the Sea out of the top whereo issueth continually a flame like a burning Beacon and exceeding clear so that by night especially it is to be discerned a wonderful way A place so full of horror to the neighbouring Islanders that the more ignorant Papists are made to believe it is the very Jaws of Hell it self The aforenamed Kircher made Observations of this Mountain likewise which he thus relates That on a certain day viewing Strombolo very curiously about threescore miles distant he observed it to be more than ordinarily furious for it appeared wholly overwhelmed with Fire in so great plenty that it seemed to belch out flaming Mountains a most horrendous Spectacle And then saith he I heard a strange kind of dull murmur from the Mountain so far off which seemed to come towards us under the Earth till it reached the subterraneous place where we stood and there uttered such horrible Thundrings within the Earth with such formidable Earthquakes that none of them were able to stand on their Feet After the violence was over getting up again with unspeakable Consternation they beheld the destruction and lamentable subversion of the famous Town of St. Euphemia three miles off which happened at that instant the City being wholly swallowed up for seeking for the Town they found instead thereof what is wonderful to be related nothing but a dark stinking Lake sprung up in its place they could find no men nor Inhabitants Thence passing on their Journey they found nothing else for Two Hundred miles but the Carcases of Cities horrid ruines of Castles Men stragling up and down in the open Fields and through horror and famine pining and withering away LXXXI In April 1669 The Mountain Vesuvius aforementioned cast up more smoak and Ashes than formerly and for several Nights the neighbouring places were much affrighted with the great Flames which issued from it accompanied with unusual noises At the same time they write That the Vice Roy of Sicily having compassion upon the miserable condition of above Thirty Thousand poor People who by their Flight had saved themselves from the Fire of Mount Aetna aforementioned which had destroyed 17 or 18 Towns or Villages and by the dayly approaches to the City of Catania seemed to threaten it with inevitable ruine so that the Inhabitants were leaving the place And that he thereupon sent one of his Officers to take order for the maintenance of those distressed Creatures and disposing of them into places of safety In the same Month 1669 in the night there was a cry made in the Town of Lichfeild in England of Fire Fire and the Bells rang out which frighted many This was occasioned saith Mr. Clark by the sight of a sheet of Fire which hung over that City for the space of half an hour and then disappeared This saith he I had from one that lay in the Town that night Upon July 10. the same year at Weymouth in Dorsetshire between six and nine a
kind of Earthquake the houses in that City being plainly observed to shake The Mountain likewise cast out Ashes in great abundance which were dispersed many miles by the wind and the Sunday after all the Streets of Naples were covered with them as if it had been a deep Snow These Prodigies very much terrified the people and Publick Prayers were made for appeasing the Wrath of Heaven It is added That many great Coals of Fire fell also the dread whereof wrought so much upon the Inhabitants that they removed to other Cities That the terrible Earthquakes have thrown down near Three Thousand Buildings all about the foot of the Mountain and that it roared so loud as to be heard 40 miles distance in a still night It is written from Florence in Italy in the Gazete of Sept. 29. That a few days before there happened one night such a terrible Tempest of Wind Rain Hail and Thunder about 18 miles from that City upon the Mountains of Bologna that for eight miles in length and two in breaâ—lth it swept away all the Branches from the greatest Trees as Oaks Chesnuts and Olives and much more from the smaller Fruit-Trees It destroyed all the Autumn Harvest that was upon the ground and lest not a Vine standing it carryed away all the Roofs and coverings off from the Countrey-mens Houses and some were quite beaten down to the ground and several people killed in their Beds A Church and Steeple were quite ruined and the Bells carryed above a quarter of a mile Many Wild Beasts and Fowl as Deer Hares Foxes Partridges and small Birds were found dead and if it had happened in the day as it did in the night much Cattel and many people must needs have perished for the Hadstones were sound to be from Three to Five Pounds in weight the like not known in these parts and the loss is esteemed the greater because not to be redeemed in seven years time XCI In 1682. Oct. 5. A strange Monster was born at Exeter in Devonshire having two perfect heads one standing right as it should the other being in the right Shoulder with Eyes Nose Ears Mouth and Tongue to each head proper it had but two Arms and Hands and two Legs and Feet all in good and comely shapes they which were at the delivery say that they were two as handosme Faces as ever they saw it was living when born but soon expired only giving one sigh at its departure It was soon buried but after taken up again and exposed to the view of numerous Spectators to the great advantage of the Parents Thus have I briefly run over abundance of Strange Prodigies Apparitions and Accidents which have happened in the Heavens Earth and Sea in several Countreys for near Seventeen Hundred years past but as to the Application of the Effects of divers of them to particular Persons or Places I have barely collected most of them from that noted Astrologer Mr. John Gadbury in his Treatise of Prodigies and his Discourse of the three Comets in 1664 and 1665. Though as an Ingenious Gentleman lately observes there may be much doubt and question whether there be any great certainty in these Predictions since they have been judged sometimes to portend evil as well as good for as he says Though that Comet which some interpreted to presage Luthers preaching against Indulgences and the Reformation which followed bespoke evil it may be to the Popes Kitchen yet it was certainly the dawning of the Blessed Light of the Gospel to the Western Parts of Christendom But however as he adds if the terrorand rareness of these Prodigies do upon any Account whatsoever mind us of our Mortality and prepare us for our end as it hath effected upon some in former Ages or to reflect upon our ownor the publick Crimes which may call down Gods vengeance upon us and to implore his mercy and fo rs bearance toward us it may be very useful and profitable for sure it is this Age has need enough of Repentance and without a Comet we want not abundant Notices and Warnings that if we do not forsake our horrid enormities we cannot long escape the signal vengeance of Heaven But saith he the making use of them thereby to read the destiny of Kings Nations and Governments is Irrational Fantastical and Heathenish unbecoming either a Man or a Christian and therefore instead of any dreadful Presages The Blessing of the Almighty be upon the whole Israel of God Amen I cannot better conclude this Subject than by inserting the following Letter written by a famous Prelate of our Church inferior to no man of this Age either for Piety or Learning wherein he declares his thoughts concerning the Comet in August last 1682 which seems fully to comprize all that can be said by the wisest of Mortals concerning Comets The Letter is as followeth My good Friend It seems your Philomathematici as your Almanack-â—â—â—kers usually 〈◊〉 themselves and Astrologers iâ— London 〈…〉 their Judgment concerning the New 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall tell you mine though may be it may signify as little as theirs when they do declare it 1. Then in the General It has been the opinion of 〈…〉 that all Comets portend some 〈…〉 Nations Countreys Cities or particular Persons 〈◊〉 Greeks 〈…〉 All Comets are fore-runners of some Calamities And a Latin Poet and a Pagan â—ould say Nunquam furilibus excanduit ignibus â—â—her 2. But in particular I believe and I think there is good reason for it there are three things concerning Comets which may and other three things which neither are nor certainly can be known For instance 1. Their Motion 2. Their Magnitude 3. Their Altitude whether above or below the Planets may by the Parallax and a good Mathematician be certainly known But then there are other three things which the best Mathematicians neither do nor certainly can know For Instance 1. Their Generation how they are produced and of what matter they are made 2. Their Signification what it is which they do particularly portend and to what Countrey City or Person it relates 3. Their Exit and vanishing how they come to disappear and what becomes of them afterward These things none of your Astrologers and Star-gazers do or by any ground in Nature or Scripture Reason or Revelation can certainly know They may guess and so may you and I and it may be as well as they but 't is only Conjecture not Science they having no ground from which they can certainly conclude their Conjectures to be true Nay I do confidently and truly add and there is evident Reason for it that neither the Pope notwithstanding his Infallibility nor the Devil notwithstanding all his Subtilty can certainly know what any Comet does particularly portend unless it please God who only knows to discover and reveal it to them FINIS The Surprizing Miracles of Art or an Account of the most Magnificent Buildings and Curious Inventions and Rarities in all Ages Part II. HAving related