A Mirror both for Saints and Sinners, Treatise · Chapter 90
CHAP. XC. Examples of strange Prodigies.
FOre-runners of Judgement, Matth. 24. 29.
Scriptural Examples. Moses rod turned into a Serpent, Exod. 7. 9. and the other wonders which Moses did in Egypt.
Before the last destruction of Hierusalem (which calamity befell the Jewes for crucifying the Lord of life, and contemning his Gospel) a Comet in the likenesse of a fiery sword hung over the City for a year together. Also at the Feast of the Pass…over a great light appeared about the Altar at midnight, which continued half an hour. Also a Cow that was led to be sacrificed at the Altar brought forth a Lamb. And the inward gate of the Temple, which was made of massie Brasse, and used to have twenty men to shut it, being fastened with locks, and barrs of Iron, at the fifth hour of the night opened of its own accord. Also a little before Sun-set were seen in the air Iron Chariots, and an Army in Battelarray as it were begirting the City. At the Feast of Pentecost the Priest going into the Temple felt the place to move, and tremble, and a voyce was heard, saying; Let us go hence to Pella. Also one Jesus the son of Ananaus, eighty years before the warr began, went up, and down continually crying; A voice from the East, a voyce against Hierusalem, and the Temple: A voyce against new married persons: A voice against all this people. And when the City was besieged by the Romans, going upon the Walls about the City, he cryed, Woe, woe to the City, Temple, and people, and at last he said, Woe also unto me: which words were no sooner utt…ced, but a stone shot out of an Engine, slew him. Joseph. Hist.
Before the Peloponesian, or civill warres amongst he Graecians, one of their Islands called Delus, famous for the Temple of Apollo, was wonderfully ruined by an earthquake, which foreshewed those wonderful alterations, which presently after befell Greece: As Pliny observed, that there was never any earthquake in Rome, but it was the forerunner of some great event. Pez. Mel. Hist.
Also about the same time there was a Comet, which continued fifty seven daies together. There was also a great Eclipse of the Sun, that the stars appeared at noon day. Idem.
Praecedunt poenas nuntia signa graves.
The same year that Nero was adopted by Claudius, there appeared three Suns, as if the heavens, privy to impendent effects, had by their mystical character revealed what a prodigie was in breeding. Nero's Life.
Before the terrible wars between the Britans, and Romans in Nero's time, the Seas between Britain, and France, at the full tide did overflow of a bloody colour, and at low water the prints of mens bodies were seen upon the bare sand at the mouth of the Thames: Tacitus.
Irene the Emperesse ruling in Constantinople after the murther of her son Constantine the Sun was darkned for seventeen daies together. Isac. Cron. p. 276.
Anno 688. it rained blood seven daies together through all Britain, and the milk, cheese, and butter turned into blood. Isac. Chron. p. 261. Scotl.
In the time of a great Pestilence in Germany, Serpents bred in the dead bodies of men and women, so that they could hardly be buried. Isac. Chron. p. 304.
In Flanders Anno 1088. was seen a fiery Dragon flying in the air casting out flames from his mouth; and shortly after followed the disease called Ignis Sacer. Isac. Chron. p. 315.
A little before the coming in of the Normans to this Kingdome about the Feast of Easter, there was seen for a week together a blazing Star of an hideous, and fearful form, which turned mens minds to fore-feeling of some dismall events. Camb. Brit. p. 147.
In the year 1298. 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 so long as the battel continued. Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 162.
In the year 1299. there was a battel or fight of Dogs in Burgundy at Genelon Castle, wherein every one killed another, being in number three thousand, no Dog escaping alive but one onelyonly. Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 162.
In the year 1342. the 11th. of October, when the Moon was eleven daies old, there was seen two Moones at Dublin: the one according to the course of Nature in the West: the other in the East casting but a mean and slender light. Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 188.
In the year 1106. in the time of the holy Warres there appeared in Judea a Comet for fifty daies decreasing: Also three Suns; two on each hand of the true, but smaller both in quantity, and light: a great white Circle environing them, and in it a Rainbowe of four colours, the Bowe towards the Sun, and reaching to the other two Suns, and shortly after the stars of heaven seemed to rain. P. Pilg. Vol. 2. p. 1207.
In the year 1509. there was a great, and terrible earthquake in Constantinople, and the Countries thereabouts, by the violence whereof a great part of the Walls of that City, with many stately buildings both publick, and private were quite overthrown, and thirteen thousand people overwhelmed, and slain therewith: the terrour whereof was so great, that Bajazet himself the great Turk and the people generally forsook their houses, and lay abroad in the fields: it endured for a monethmonth together with very little intermission: after which ensued a great plague, whereby the City was for the most part unpeopled. Turk. Hist. p. 476.
The strong City of Strigonium in Hungary being besieged by the Turks about the year 1610. during the siege there appeared a dreadful fiery impression in the air in fashion much like a Rainbowe, of a fiery red colour, which beginning over Cockera, and arising higher over Strigonium, at length vanished away over the Fort of St. Thomas. Turk. Hist. p. 1223.
About the same time also the City of Constantinople, and the Countreys thereabouts were so plagued with clouds of Grashoppers, that they shadowed the very Sun-Beames, they left not a green herb, or leaf in all the Countrey, yea they entred into their very bed-Chambers where they annoyed them m…, being almost as big as Dormice with red wings. Turk. Hist. p. 1308.
In the year 1611. there appeared over Prague in Bohemiah about the middest of October a Crown in the air giving a very great light, and about it Armies of men fighting, as if it were who should have it. Turk. Hist. p. 1310.
Also not long after three Suns were seen in the firmament over Vienna. p. 1311.
In the year 1614. over the same Town the heavens grew so red, and fearfully dark on a sudden, that the Inhabitants feared that either the last day was come, or else that there would follow some horrible effusion of blood. p. 1334.
In the year 1618. there appeared in the night over Constantinople a Comet in the form of a crooked sword, it was of a vast bignesse: at the first appearing it was somewhat whitish, but the more it rose, the redder it was, and like unto blood. p. 1379.
In the year 1625. on Munday the 29th. of June at Constantinople there began a most terrible tempest with so violent, and continual thunder, and lightening, that all the City shewed as if it had been on fire: at the end whereof fell a storm of hail that brake tiles, and glasses, so that stones were taken up of an hundred, and fifty drammes, and the next morning some of them being weighed, they were of about seven, and eight ounces apiece; wherewith many were sore wounded: and the third of July after there fell out another tempest of thunder, and lightning which burned a woman, and child, and slew much Cattel in the field. p. 1452, 1453.
Anno Christi 1096. in the Reign of William the Conquerour a Well of blood sprang out of the ground for fifteen daies together at Finchamsted in Barkshire. Isac. Chron. p. 316.
Anno Christi 1176. in the Isle of Wight it rained blood: the shower continuing for the space of two houres together, to the great wonder, and astonishment of the beholders. Speed's Isle ef Wight.
Anno Christi 1586. the fourth day of August, at Mottingham in Kent, eight miles from London, suddenly the ground began to sink, and three great Elmes that grew thereon were carried so deep into the bowels of the earth, that no part of them could any more be seen, the hole that was left was in compasse eighty yards about, and a line of fifty fathoms plummed into it could find no bottom. Speed in Kent. J. Stow.
Strange, and wonderfull Apparitions at Portendown Bridge within the Province of Ulster in Ireland; as it was given in Anno 1642. upon oath by sundry persons examined about the same.
The Irish Inhabitants thereabout were so affrighted with cryes, and noises made there by some spirits, or visions for revenge, that they were enforced to remove their habitations, not daring to return thither again.
Also the blood of some of those innocents that were knocked on the head there, remained long upon the Bridge, and could not be washed out.
Also there often appeared visions, or apparitions sometimes of men, sometimes of women breasthigh above the water, which did most extreamly, and fearfully scriech, and cry out for vengeance against the Irish that had murthered their bodies there.
Also about the 20th. of Decemb. 1641. the bloody Rebels having at one time drowned 180 Protestants, men, women, and children in the River by the Bridge, about nine daies after a spirit in the shape of a man appeared in that place bolt upright breast-high above the water, with his hands lifted up, standing in that posture till the latter end of Lent next following, and was seen so by very many.
Also a Mother of some of those children that were drowned there going one evening to the bridge with some other women, whose husbands had likewise been drowned, upon a sudden there appeared unto them a vision of a woman wastehigh in the water naked, with elevated, and closed hands, her hair hanging down very white, her eyes seeming to twinkle, and her skin as white as snow, often repeating the word, Revenge, Revenge, Revenge.
Also thirty women, and young children, and seven men were flung by those barbarous Rebels into the River of Belterbet: and when some of them swam for their lives towards the bank, they were knocked on the head with poles by those mercilesse Tygers: after which their bodies appeared not in the River till about six weeks after: at which time one Mulmore O Rely (who had commanded their murthering) coming to the place, all the bodies came floating up to the Bridge.
Sir Con Mac Gennis with his Souldiers murthered one Mr. Truge Minister of the Neury: but shortly after falling sick upon his death-bed he was terribly affrighted, seeming alwaies to see the same Mr. Truge in his presence.
Also Robert Maxwell Arch-Deacon of Down testified upon oath, that the Rebels themselves assured him that most of those which were thrown from that bridge were daily, and nightly seen to walk upon the River, sometimes singing of Psalmes: Sometimes brandishing of Swords: Sometimes scrieching in a most hideous, and fearful manner. p. 126.
Examples of sundry Prodigies seen in England since the beginning of our late wars.
Presently after the Scotish Army came into Enggland to assist the Parliament it rained Blood, which covered the Church and Church-yard of Beucastle in Cumberland.
The day before Edg-hill Battel three Suns were seen in the North.
A little before Marquesse Hambleton came with his Army into England, two Armies were seen in Yorkshire in the air, discharging, and shooting one against the other, and after a long fight the Army which rose out of the North vanished.
January the 18th. 1650. In the night-time was a terrible storme, and Armies, and Armed Troops (in every Town for 12. miles compasse about Molton in Yorkshire) were heard to ride and march thorow the Towns: the Cattel, and Beasts in these places were so frighted, that most of them brake out of their pastures; some by leaping brake their necks, and some their legs; some ran away four miles, and some more, who when they were found, were extreamly heated: One Oxe that lay in a stack-yard lame, and could not rise without help in this fright brake forth, and was found a mile off, and was fain to be brought home on a sled.
In March following three glorious Suns were seen at once in Cumberland, to the astonishment of many thousands which beheld them.
In April the same year about five a clock in the afternoon in the Countries of Cumberland, and Westmoreland, was a general Earth-quake, wherewith the people were so affrighted that many of them forsook their houses, and some houses were so shaken that the Chimnies fell down.
In January Anno Christi 1648. there was seen a great fiery meteor in the air near Bristow on the South-side of the City for divers nights together, in form long with fiery streames shooting out East, and West: which was the week before the beheading of the late King: This I was informed of by an eye-witnesse.
Also the day before he was beheaded, a great Whale ran himself on shore three miles from Dover, where he died; He was 66 foot long: A thing rarely seen in this Island.
November the 30th. Anno Christi 1650. being St. Andrews day, a little before, or about Sun-rising the skie opened in a fearful manner in the Southwest over Standish, a Town five miles from Gloucester, and there appeared a terrible fearful fiery shaking sword, with the hilt upwards towards the heavens, the point downwards towards the earth; the hilt seemed to be blue, the Sword was of a great length, shaking hither and thither, and comming lower towards the earth: There was a long flame of fire towards the point, sparkling, and flaming in a fearful manner to the great astonishment of the Spectators who were many. At last the heaven closing, the Sword vanished, and the fire fell to the earth, and ran upon the ground: This I had from an eye-witnesse.
In June Anno Christi 1653. a black cloud was seen over the Town of Pool, which a while after was dissolved into a showr of blood, that fell warm upon mens hands; some green leaves with those drops of blood upon them were sent up to London.
A little before the Civil broiles between the houses of York, and Lancaster wherewith England for a long time was rent in pieces, the River Ouse in Bedfordshire stood still, and by reason that the waters gave back on both sides, men might passe on foot in the very chanel for three miles together, not without the astonishment of all that saw it, who took it as a presage of the divisions ensuing. Camb. Brit. p. 399.
Not long before the contention between Galba, Otho, and Vitellius about the Roman Empire, there appeared three Suns, as it were pointing out that tripatite contention for the Imperial Diadem.
April the 7th. Anno Christi 1233. there appeared here in England, four Suns besides the natural Sun, and presently afrer fell out the great contention between our King Henry the third, and his Barons, and the year after England was wasted with fire snd sword, from Wales to Salisbury: there ensued also a great drought, and Pestilence. Stow.
Anno Christi 1460. three Suns appeared the very day before the three Earles, viz. Edward Earl of March, with the Earl of Pembrook, and the Earl of Wiltshire fought that great battel in Wales at Mortimer's Crosse, where the Earl of March put the other two to flight, and slew many of their men. Idem.
Anno Christi 1233. a little before the Warres brake forth between King Henry the third, and his Barons, there appeared in April in Hereford, and VVorcestershire five Suns at once, and a certain great circle of a Crystal colour of about two foot in breadth, as it were compassing all England. Matth. Paris.