CHristian Reader, to deliuer vnto you the many wonders of the almightie God, with what signs & tokens he hath shewed, would fill large volumes, and weary you with the hearing and reading of the same, wherfore omitting circumstances, I shal here deliuer vnto you the truth and certaintie, by honest men approoued, and of good reckoning in the Townes where they dwell, the most strange and wonderfull worke of God, lately showne, in two seuerall Cities in the streetes, not past two moneths since. The straungenes and wonderfull worke whereof God grant may cause in vs true repentance of our sinnes, and learne vs to amend our euill liues, putting of the olde sinne and clothing vs a new, with the pure garment of faith, fea­ring to offend the Maiestie of the most highest, and dreading to feele that vtter crosse which was lately laid on our neigh­bours, for their wickednes, and for our example.

In the Country of Prouence, in a Towne called Tel­lonne, which holdeth for the King, yet are for the greater part Catholickes as they terme themselues, in this towne, dwelled a Lady called Madam Deormoga, sister to a man of good name, and late wife to a most braue and gallant man and a braue souldier while hee liued, and an earnest pro­fesser of the trueth. This Madame Deermoga, the 24. of March now last past, supping at the Gouernours house be­ing her kinsman, chanced at the table to enter talke of her re­ligion, being a zealous Protestant, on whome, there was so many bayting to drawe her from the trueth, as it did not a litle greeue the good Lady, hauing no bodie but God that defendeth the cause of the iust to say for her, or in any wise to [Page 2] helpe her to answere a word. After long communication hote on both sides, a certaine Bishop, which had some autho­ritie in that place threatned her, protesting that the next day he would call her in question, and so accusing her of heresie, put her to death, defying her with verie odious speeches, and tearming her at his pleasure, who was nobly borne and eue­rie way his better.

The time of night calling euery one to their rest, they tooke leaue each of others, committing the Lord of the house to his quiet, but the Bishop whose heart encenced with enuy to­wardes the Ladie, gaue her this cauiat, to bee the next day when she should be called of another minde, or else prouide to frie a faggot, affirming therewith by great oath that it was not for her sake they had borne with her as they had.

To whom the Lady Deormoga replied, assuring him that she waied not what he or any Priest of Ball could do, for God was her defence, and by his passion shee hoped of euerlasting life, daring him to doo what he could, alledging many places out of the scripture, wherein she had sure comfort and hope of Christ, not forgetting to put him in mind how God by his po­wer freed Daniel, the three children in the Ouen, Susanna from the Elders, & infinit others, seeing my Lord quoth shee, that such is the power of my Sauiour, I feare not you nor what you can do: And so farewell: and fauour me as I shall desire your friendship.

Thus parted they, and the rest of the company many the Ladies friends, which did know the condition of the Bishop, and with what crueltie hee pursued those whom hee enuied, knowing by his countenance, that he was throughly moued, greatly lamented the good Lady, albeit they liked not of her religion. But behold, the wonder of the great God of Israel, how from the cruell iawes of this blood thirstie Prelate, the Lord deliuered this verteous and innocent Ladie, euen as Phato with his host was ouerwhelmed, so was this Bishop ouertaken in his owne sinne.

The night being well spent ere the company parted, it [Page 3] was neere twelue a clocke ere the Bishop was layde in his bed, where he had scarsly remained one houre and his people at quiet but throughout the house there was heard the most greeuous noyce that might be imagined, so that those which awaked therewith, with the terrour thereof was neere be­sides themselues. In this maner, for one houre or more, most odiously it continued, and euer the principall and chiefest therof was heard, towards the Bishops owne lodging, who for that he called not, nor made any meanes for his seruants they laie all still as full of feare as euer were men.

Before two of the clocke the watch of the Towne descri­ed in the Bishops house a great fire, which no sooner percei­ued, but they repaired to their Lieftenantes lodging, and him thereof aduertised, who doubting some treason, tooke with him fortie or fiftie of his company, and comming to the house adressed themselues, to seeke reliefe for the staying the same, first breaking open the gates and beseeching the com­pany of the house to direct them for things necessary as lad­ders and thinges to bring water, the seruants thus amazed at the sodeinnes thereof could not tell what to doo, but lyke men distraught ranne vp and downe, at length one amongst the rest, called to minde their Lord, perceiuing the fire to bee neare his lodging cried out to the Lieftenant who was with­out the house busied in setting the company a worke for help, and told him the feare he had of the Bishop in whose lodging the fire was, vpon these speeches the Lieftenant repaired to the Chamber doore which was yet whole, and with his com­pany began to lift at it to get it open, where a voice shrill and fearfull, commanded them to let all rest, for the Bishop with his Idols and gold which he loued must perish togither. The Lieftenant albeit a worthie Gentilman, was heereat more a­mazed, then if hee had been in the field enuironed with ene­mies, and forbeare his owne hands commanding the rest to stay, who beeing full of courage continued still, thinking it some ieast, or some illusion, and were striken, one lame, and two slaine out right.

[Page 4]The Lieftenant which sawe this strange strategeme, was not a littell amazed, and lamentinge his people, caused them to be caried away, they that were on the outside the howse, heauinge water, was diuers times teryfied with the same voyce, who for lacke of gouerment regarded nothing, amongst which so many were greuously hurt, some fell of the house so into the fire and were pitifully burnt, but in vaine was all their labour, for nothing might helpe or auaile the Bishop till all was consumed.

By this daye approched when the house was neere con­sumed, when the Lieftenant with some of his followers ente­red the lodginge of the Byshop, but founde all consumed, & nothing to be seene or heard of him, with the report of which had happned, the Lieftenant repayred to the lord Gouerner, and to him recounted what had hapned, with the fearfull voyces, which so terryfie them, at whose speaches, the Go­uerner so much amazed as fleshe might be, began to recount the power of the omnipotent God, who had wrought this mi­racle, amongst many others to drawe the vnbeleeuers to knowe him, and to protect the innocent Ladye, from the cru­eltie of that balamite which had so professed himselfe her e­nimie, for the truthes sake, the Ladie whose charitie excelled the cruiltie of the enuious Byshop, greeued not a little for his death, and in charitie besought his diuine magestie, not to impute his sinnes vnto him.

Loe thus the reward of bludthirstines, he y ^t pretended the ouerthrow of this good Lady, was in his owne sinnes ouer­throwne, the Lorde make vs mindfull of his grace, thankfull for his benifites, and endue our hartes with charitie, send an vnitie in the Church and confound Idolatry.

An other most rare exampele foure dayes after that hap­pened, lamentable and full of pitye, in the Citie of Arger in Turkie, as they were at praier according to the manner of the countrie, a most sodaine darkenes fell vppon them, and presentlye ensued such a fearfull clap of thunder as would haue terified the hardest hart, with which also fell great store [Page 5] of lightening which fiered the one ende of the church, through which there ensued a most cruell fire, which consumed the same in short time, by which manie were slaine, some with the fal of stones, and dyuers by seeking to quench the same, the Gouerners house with dyuers others was likewise con­sumed.

Also a ship of corne and bread readie baked, which was staied by the gouerner, bownde for the releefe of Telonne, which was greatly destressed, for it rarely was by this light­ning fiered and consumed, the men being all prisoners, two dayes after which ship was consumed, in the roade from the ship was seene to come so many Rattes as amazed men to behold, who recoueringe the shore, so greatly anoyed the citie that there dwelled none therein which complained not of the harme was done by them.

Thus haue I for example, written this true historie, and lamentable strategeme, for your benyfit, the like whereof hath seldom bine hard, the holy scriptures declare many wonders of the Lord, besides what our eyes haue bene wit­nesse of, by many and seuerall signes in the ayre, monsterous byrthes and oher exterordinarie chances, all to drawe vs to amendment of life, which the God of all glorie graunt for his sonne Iesus Christes sake, Amen.