The Worlds New Wonders; OR, The Fiery and Flaming Prodigies, in the North and West of England.
MAny of the People of God who live in such backsliding Times, wherein publike dangers are approaching, being conscious to their own infirmities, and weakness, are many times much perplexed with the fears and apprehensions of ensuing perils (especially upon the appearing of such strange Prodigies in the Skies, even in these latter dayes:) and through weakness of Faith, much question, Whether they be able to undergo such Conflicts, and endure such Temptations, as many despised Creatures of this Earthly Fabrick formerly have done? Or whether the power of God doth so eminently appear in these latter Times for his Church and and Children, as in precedent Ages, and in the first primitive times of, the Gospel it did? But certainly the Name of God is wonderful still: His glorious Arm is not shortned, that it cannot save; nor his Ear heavy, that it cannot hear: So that we may assure our selves, that he will preserve us from, or support us under, or deliver us from the rage and subtilty of the grandest Serpents, notwithstanding the various Changes, and unparallel'd Revolutions, either in State or Common-wealth: For observable it is, both of the ancient and modern Times, that the greatest Prince who ever reigned in Tyranny, had (at the last) a final subversion in defamation and misery; and those that think to palliate their black and wicked Designs, under the specious pretences of Religion and Liberty; must know, that the time is near, of their disguising, and the Stalking-horse discovered, under the Name of Gospel and Reformation: For as the Comets appeared before the death of Manasses King of Judah, for his cruel Tyranny against the good Prophet Esay, so doth the prodigious Exhalations in the Air (in this our Age) denote the great Fall of those who shall usurp the Peoples Liberties; and as three Suns and a fie [...]y Dart, were seen in the Heavens before the death of Dio [...]lesian the Tyrant, so likewise appeared very strange Prodigies, upon the change of a great and high Potentate, who by the good hand of Providence was timely removed and taken from us.
Amongst the rest, that which is most observable, is, the Dismal sight in the Air, on Sabbath day last was a fortnight, prodigously reprepresenting it self from one of the clock in the forenoon, till about a quarter and a half after three, in the perfect Figure and Form of a black Coffin, with a fiery Dart, and a flaming Sword flying to and again, backwards and forwards, towards the head of the said Coffin, which was with great wonder and admiration beheld by many hundreds of People between Liecester and Nottinghamshire; the lustre whereof, at its breaking, was of so large an Extent, that the streams thereof were seen glittering and sparkling as far as Newark, Beaver, Nottingham, Loughborough, Melton, and divers other Countrey Towns, and parts adjacent; to the great astonishment of the Inhabitants.
And very observable it is, that the fiery Dart, or Arrow, during the time that the Coffin lay havering and flying up and down in the Air, seemed as it were to charge each other, and with such clashing, and streaks of fire, as the like is not to be parallel'd in any Age; but upon the dissolution of the Coffin, abundance of streams of fire proceeded from it, which appeared so conspicuous, That the Heavens seemed to receive its Light and Serenes from its illustrious influences: But no sooner were these serene and bright Rays clouded and eclipsed by the black and louring Clouds, but the great splendor of the fiery streams, proceeding from the Sword and Arrow, immediatly took their center within their own Region and Horizon, and were seen no more from that day, &c. The truth hereof is attested from the hands of several Gentlemen of quality, and Reverend Divines, to divers honourable Members of Parliament, persons of great worth and integrity, and several conjectures (possibly) may be made thereupon: But that the Coffin denotes Mortality, too sad and woful Experience we have in these our days, both in city & countrey; and probably the other two Signals from Heaven, may represent a War or Famine: But the Lord of his infinite mercy divert these sad and just-deserved Judgments from falling upon these Nations, notwithstanding the great confederacie of her potent Enemies, and grant, that there may be redintegrate imbracings, and renewings of love between the People and their Representative, as being far better for all the Plants of this Common-wealth to be watered by the [Page 5] sweetest Dewes and showers of Heaven, than by the most liberal hand of any person whatsoever, which is always consummating.
The next thing that presents it self to publike view, is, the great fleak or sheet of fire, which appeared in the Skie over the Town of Oukam In Rutland, on Sunday was fortnight, the manner thus: About four of the clock in the afternoon, as people were coming from the Church, great sparklings, and illustrious Rays were seen to descend from the Firmament and immediatly after a great sheet or fleak of Fire appeared, which at the last flew quite down the Town, to the sign of the Crown, where it center'd, burnt, and extinguished. A sad Omen for those that shall assume the Royal Dignity without Authority.
In a word the next Prodigie that we shall here insist upon is, another Exhaliaton in the Air as full of wonder as admiration, as evidently appears, by the testimony given by the York shire Carriers, who affirm, that about the beginning of this moneth two Fiery Pillars were visible seen at Noon-day over Marston Moor, about five miles from the City of York; the brightness whereof extended as far as Wakefield, Wetherby, Pontefract, Sandwich, Doncaster, Leeds, Hallifax, and divers other places; and between these two Pillars intervened several armed Troops and Companies in Battail array, presenting each other with several Vollies, and after some Dispute, the Northern Army vanquished the Southern Army: which being done, the two Pillars vanquished.
What this portends, no man can conjecture aright: but it may be supposed, the two Pillars represent his Highness and the Parliament, and the Northern Army the Forces of this Common wealth, vanquishing their Enemy, and maugre the Designs of all Forreign and Popish Confederates. Who need not in the least be feared, if the mutual closings and claspings of redintegrate affections and endearments be insisted upon between the Supream Authority and People, and each member of this Common-wealth, to return to his duty and proper station, and firmly to unite together, for the recovery of our long-lost Liberties, and dear-earn'd Priviledges.
And as there appeared a 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 be heading of the late King Charles: So have we had sundry other Mutations, since those dismal and gloomy days; as fiery Comets, Blazing Stars, Warlike Troops, and visible Bands of Foot, which caused great admiration to many hundred Spectators at Newmarket-Heath, on Tuesday last was seven night, where many of the Inhabitants thereabouts were much astonished, especially at the dreadful noise of Drums beating, and Trumpets sounding, which caused as great astonishment, as wonder; by reason they saw no Warlike Bands visible at present: Yet no sooner had this Eccho possess'd them with various Ruminations, but immediatly they began to discern several Warlike Troops and Companions, arraying themselves in Battalia; and after some pickeering, and vollies presented between several Parties, as it were Forlorn Hopes, the two main Bodies joyned Battel, disputing very puisiantly, and with great vigour. During this Engagement, there seemed to be an extraordinary Light, and glittering of Swords, and Men in Armour, which continued for the space of half an hour; and then the one seemed to vanquish the other, taking their pursuit towards the City of London.
And as this was no small terrour to the Beholders, so was the succeeding Thunder as great a Wonder to the Spectators, who after sundry great Claps from an Angry God, even like unto an Enemies Warning-Piece, presented to the Earth a mighty Thunder-bolt, much like unto the Shell of a great Granado; which was taken up and carried to Justice Foster's house neae adjacent, where it now lies, and is there to be seen at this day; as it was affirmed by Captain Neilson, the Nersolk Post, and some others, who came to London, and lodged at the Sign of the Ram-Inne, in West-Smithfield.
It is observable, That not long after this Wonder from Heaven, had presented it self to the Inhabitants of the Earth, but a bright Star of a great Magnitude, was seen glittering and sparkling up and down, even like unto that in the West; whose Lustre was of so large an Extent, and appeared so conspicuous, That although the Air was dark, yet bright and serene were the glorious Rays which streamed forth by its great splendor, as if the Heavens received all its Screnes from its illustrious influences. This Star was seen for the space of two Nights constantly about ten of the Clock: yet in several Forms; as sometimes like a fiery Dragon; sometimes like a flaming Sword; and sometimes in an Oval Form, casting forth a round flame as big as a bushel, and divers sparkling Coales.
As these pr [...]digies port [...]nd no little wonder; so doth Beheaded Dr. John Hewytts Ghost, produce as great admiration, amongst many; who by its pleading and crying, calls for Justice; which to some seems already executed; and begins thus; saying he is by Birth a Freeman of England, and that it is the undoubted ancient inseparable Birthright, Privilege, and Inheritance of every English Freeman both by the Common Laws, Franchises, Great Chatters, Statutes and Usages of this Land, ratified from Age to Age by the Votes, Resolutions, Declarations, Jndgements of the High Court of Parliament, and other publike Courts of Justice: That no Freemen of England may or ought to be taken or imprisoned, or disseised, or disinherited of his freehold, Libertyes, or Free Customs, or to be outlawed, exiled, or any way destroyed, or pur to death, upon any accusation whatsoever, but by the lawful Judgment of his Peers, or by the Law of the Land, upon Inquest and Presentment by the Oaths of 12 good and lawful men, upon good and probable evidence and witness. And that if any thing be done to the contrary of the Premises, it shall be void in Law, holden for errour, and nought.
An Exact Relation touching the descending down from Heaven great Fleaks and sheets of fire, neer Coventry and Litterworth.
ON the 24th of this instant March, 1659. By several persons of worth it was certified, That about the beginning of this Moneth, great Apparitions and wonderful Signs and Lightnings of Fire were seen in the Air; and a Flaming Flake of Fire, about the bigness of an ordinary Sheet, were seen at the Market-Town of Litterworth in Leicestershire, taking its flight towards Cotsbich Grounds, where it descended to the Earth, and immediatly extinguished, without doing any harm; although many hundreds of the Countrey People beheld the same, to their great wonder and astonishment. The like also appeared at a Town in Warwickshire, called Non-Eaton, about 7 miles from Coventry, where a great Sheet of Fire were seen hovering and flying in the Air about the 7th instant, towards the Evening; and after some time flying up and down, at last took its descent down into the Church-yard, where a great company of Boyes were playing, falling just amongst them; yet did no harm, not so much as a hair of any of their heads perishing: for no sooner was it come to the ground, but it immediatly extinguished likewise, although it seemed of a light flame upon its falling down. What these strange Signs and Wonders portend, no man knoweth: yet this conjecture may fitly be applyed, That it denoteth great Changes, Alterations, and Mutations, in several Nations: for it is observable, That sundry Examples of divers Prodigies, are still fresh in the Memory of Man; As the raining of Blood in the North, presently after the Scots came into England, to assist the Parliament, which covered the Church and Church-yard of Bencastle in Cumberland. And the day before Edge-Hill sight three Suns were seen in the North. God divert his heavy Judgments from falling upon these Nations.
To conclude, in the next place, be pleased to observe, that amongst the greatest of Wonders, that shall arise from the forementioned Prodigies: this may be fitly ranked amongst the most strangest of them, viz. That about a fortnight agoe, a Woman buying of a Hen in Exceter-market, with a resolution to kill her the next day, put her over night in a Coop, and the next morning comming to take her out, found that she had laid three Eggs, which made her exceedingly astonished; insomuch, that acquainting some of her Neighbors with it, they advised her to break them, which she did; and in the first discovered the perfect sign and shape of a Serpent, dead: in the second, a Cockatrice; and in the third a Toad: both which last, seemed to stir at the first, but immediately died. These may fitly signifie the Death of an old Serpent, the surviving of a Cockatrice, and a resemblance of the most unworthy Actions of many in Authority, whom we leave for true Justice to rectifie. Desiring rather, that each member would endeavour to sail in the Ocean of Security to the desired Haven, than split against the Rocks of Ambition and injustice.
Thus having given you an account of these strange Prodigies which hath lately happened in these our dayes, give me leave to wind up the truth of all, with one President or Example, that hapned upon the 30 day of Jan. in the year 1650. which was thus, Upon St. Andrews day, a little before, or about Sun-rising, the Skie opened in a fearful manner, in the South-West over Standish, a Town five miles from Gloucester, and there appeared a terrible fearful fiery flaming Sword, with the hilt upwards, towards the Heavens, the point downwards to the Earth; the Hilt seemed to be blue, the Sword was 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 Haven closing, the Sword vanished, and the fire fell to the Earth, and ran upon the ground.