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
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
the Treafury supported with mighty Pillars All the Gates were covered with Plates of Gold and Silver only one was covered with Corinthian Brass which for beauty far excelled the other dazling and surprizing the Eyes of the Spectators In every Gate were two Doors each of them 30 Cubits high and 15 broad and on each side they had seats 30 Cubits long and 40 in height each of them supported with 2 Pillars 12 Cubits thick only the Gate which was covered with Corinthian Brass was 〈◊〉 Cubits high and the Gates 40 more richly adorred than the rest Lastly the Holy of Holies or Sanctum Sanctorum was scituate in the midst of all and had 12 stairs to go up to it the fore-part of it was an hundred Cubits high and as many broad backward it was 40 Cubits on each side it had as it were two shoulders rising up in height 20 Cubits The first Gate was 20 Cubits high and 25 wide and had no doors to shew That Heaven was always open c. All the sore parts were guilded and all within was covered with fine gold The inward part was divided into 2 rooms whereof the first only might be seen which was in height 90 Cubits in length 40 and in breadth 20. Round about the Wall was a golden Vine whereon hung many Grapes in Clusters all of Gold every cluster being about six foot long It had golden Gates 55 Cubits high and 16 broad It had curious hangings of the same length admirably wrought with purple violet and scarlet silk all the Fabrick was so exquisitely and richly wrought that none could possibly imagine any Workmanship it wanted For it was all covered with a massy plate of pure Gold which astonished the Beholders The top was all set with Rods of Gold sharp like Pikes at the ends lest Birds should sit thereon and defile it The stones wherewith it was built were 45 Cubits in length six broad and as many thick Josephus Hist lib. 6. Jerusalem was a principal City in Josua's time when Adonthâ—zek was King who was slain by him yet did the Jebusites hold it almost four hundred years after till David won it though the Inhabitants did so much rely on the place that they boasted their lame and blind men should defend it 2 Sam. 5.6 David having conquered it strengthned it with a Castle and beautified it with many Palaces And after his time Solomon inlarged and further beautified and fortified it extreamly The Pallaces Gates and Walls could not be matched in all the World it had an hundred and fifty thousand Inhabitants besides Women and Children The Trench about it was sixty foot deep cut out of the Rock and 250 foot broad the like scarce ever heard of Not long after Shishak Kin Aegypt took and sackt it and became Master not only of Solomons â—â—â—es but of all K. Davids spoils which he had taken from many Nations 2 Kings 14. It was again plundred and part of the Wall broken down by Joas King of Israel in Amazia's Reign 2 Kings 16. Not long after Ahaz the fifteenth K. of Juda impoverished the Temple to present Tiglathpilnezer with the Treasures thereof and Manasses lost what remained 1 Chron 5. And Nebuchadnezzar laid this glorious City with the Temple Pallaces Walls and Towers thereof even to the Ground 2 Kings 19. It was built again by Nehemiah Chap. 12.34 and again the Temple and City were spoiled by Bugoses Leiutenant to Artaxerxes Then by Ptolomeus the First Then by Antiochus Epiphanes And again by Apollonius his Deputy After which it was taken by Pompey and robbed by Crassus in his Parthian Expedition yet all the losses that the Temple and City sustained were repaired by Herod the Great who inlarged the City new built the Temple and adorned it with many sumptuous Works and left it in a more stately and glorious condition than it was in the days of Solomon Lastly about 40 years after the Death of Christ the sins of the Jews being come to the height it was destroyed by Titus the Roman General who made it so desolate that they which saw it afterward could scarce believe there had ever been such a City in that place only he left the 3 Herodian Towers as well for Lodgings for the Roman Garrisons as to make his Victory more glorious yet afterwards some of the despised Jews began to build and inhabit some part of the City but after 65 years as aforementioned when they began to revolt again Aelius Adrianus the Emperor slew many Thousands of them and overthrew the three Towers of Herod with all the rest not leaving stone upon another as our Saviour had foretold But when his fury was appeased he took one part without the VVall wherein stood Mount Calvery and Christs Sepulcher and made it a capacious City which he called after his own name Aelia Capitolia And in the Gate toward Bethel he caused a Sow to be cut in Marble and set it in the Front to despite the Jews making an Edict That thenceforth none of them should ever enter into that City not dare so much as to behold or look toward it from any high place Yet the Christian Religion flourishing in Palestine it was inhabited by all Nations especially Christians and so it continued five hundred years And in 639 it was taken by the Egyptian Saracens who held it above four hundred years In 1099 it was regained by Godfrey of Bullein who being elected King refused to be crowned with a Crown of Gold since Christ for whom he fought was there crowned with Thorns It continued to him and his Successors for 88 years till in 1197 it was retaken by Saladine King of Aegypt and lastly in 1517. the Turks beat out the Aegyptians and hold it to this day calling it in their Language Cuzumbarec or The Holy City Rawleighs Hist World X. The City of Nineveh as it was more ancient than almost any other City so in greatness it excelled all those that were famous in old time The Plot or ground of it is said to be four hundred and eighty Furlongs The Walls were in height one hundred foot and the breadth of them such that three Chariots might meet on the top of them On the Walls there were Fifteen Hundred Towers each of them Two Hundred Foot high it was called Tetrapolis as being divided as it were into four Cities Nineveh Resena Forum and Cale and was reckoned three days Journey in the time of Jonas the Prophet 11. The Capitol of Rome seated on the Tarpeian Rock seemed to contend with Heaven in height and no doubt but the length and depth were every way answerable The excessive charge that the Emperor Domitian was at in building it Martial after his flattering manner hath wittily described and which may be thus translated So much has Caesar given the Gods above That should be call it in and Creditor prove Though Jove should barter Heaven it self away This mighty debt he never could repay We may partly
to K. James with her last words on the Scaffold The Lady riding naked through Coventry Together with the natural and artificial rarities in every County in Eng. and very many other observable matters with several curious Sculptures Price one Shilling III. WOnderful prodigies of judgment and mercy discovered in above 300 memorable Histories containing 1. Dreadful judgments upon Atheists blasphemers perjured villains c. As of several forsworn wretches carried away by the Devil and how an horrid blasphemer was turned into a black dog c. 2. The miserable ends of many magicians witches conjurers c. with divers strange apparitions and illusions of the Devil 3. Remarkable predictions and presages of approaching death and how the event has been answerable with an account of some Appeals to Heaven against Vnjust Judges and what vengeance hath fallen upon them 4. The wicked lives and woful deaths of several Popes Apostates and Persecutors with the manner how K. 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