STRANGE NEVVES out of Sommersetshire.

VPon the ninth day of Septemb. last past, there was a Yeoman of ho­nest reputation, dwelling in the Towne of Dichet, which is with­in three myles of Bruton (the most ancient towne within Sommerset­shire) whose name is Steuen Coo­per, a man of good wealth, and well beloued of his neighbours: who beeing sicke, and lying in a weake state, sent his wife (whose name was Margaret Cooper) vpon the ninth day of Sept. past in­to Glocester-shire, to take order concerning a Farme which he hath in a village called Rockhampton, alias Roc­kington, at whose comming thither, it séemed al things were not according to her minde. Thus continuing there one day and something more, shee returned home to her husband, partly agrieued at such things as shee thought her husband might reforme, if God lent him life. Now when shée was come home againe to Dichet, she found her husband recouered to an indifferent health: to whom shee beganne to vse very much idle talke, as well concerning the same Farme, as also concerning an olde groate which her sonne (being a little boy) had found [Page] about one weeke before. Thus shee continued (as it were one that had beene bewitched or haunted with an euill Spirit) vntill Tuesday at night following, which night she tooke her rest something indifferently vntill towards the morning: at which time shee began with much vaine speech to disquiet her husband, and to vse much idle talke: but her husband seeing her in such a minde, and finding that shee was as it were one that were desperate, hee perswadod her to call vpon God, and that béeing the creature of God, shee should not forget to call vpon her Creatour in the day of trouble, wherefore he counselled her to pray with him, and to say the Lords Prayer after him, which she partly did. But the Diuell, who alway doth build his Chappell so neere as hee may to vexe Gods Church, began to withdrawe her from Prayer, and to put her in minde to call in most fearefull sort for the groat which her sonne had lately found, as also for her Wedding Ring, desiring to see them with all speede: her husband made no great hast thereunto, but continued in Prayer, that it would please GOD, to send her a more quiet spirit and to strengthen her, that faith might speedily vanquish such vanity in her. But the more hee prayed and perswaded her to Prayer, the more shee seemed to bee as it were troubled with some euill spirit, calling still for the olde groat, which her husband neglected to shew her: whereat she began with a very sterne and staring countenance to looke on her husband in most wonderfull sort, so that hée was sore frighted with the same. Then he called for her sister, for that he was not able to keepe her in her bed: which when her sister and other were come into the Chamber, they kept her downe violently in the bed: and foorthwith shee was so sore tormented, that shee fomed at the mouth, and was shaken with such force, that the bed and the Chamber did shake and moue in most strange [Page] sort: her husband continued praying for her deliuerance: so that within one halfe houre after her shaking was left, shee began to tell them that she had been in the Towne to beate away the Beare which followed her into the yard when shee came out of the Countrie, which to her thinking had no head. Then her husband and friendes wished her to leaue those vaine imaginations, perswaded her that it was nothing but the lightnes of her braine, which was become idle for want of rest. Wherefore her husband and friends exhorted her to say the Lords prayer with them, which she did, and after tooke small rest. And thus she remained vntill the Sunday following: in which time she continued raging as it were bestraught of her memory, which came by fits, to the great griefe of her husband, friends, and neighbours. Vpon the Sater­day following there was good hope of her recouerie, for that shee in the night before had taken some reasonable rest: her friends and neighbours came to comfort her, yet sometime shee would talke somewhat idly to them, which came by small fittes. And vpon the Sunday shee seemed very patient and conformable to reason, vntill midnight: at which time the Candle, which was set burning in the same Chamber, was burned out. She then suddenly waking, called to her husband, and cried out, saying that she did see a strange thing like vnto a Snaile, carrying fire in most wonderfull sort. Whereat her husband was amazed: and séeing the Candle was cleane burnt out, called to his brother and sister that were in the house with other of their friends watching and sit­ting vp, to comfort her if her extreame fit should any way molest her, who hearing her husband call, came in and brought a Candle lighted, and set it on the Table which stood neere where the woman lay. She began then to waxe as one very fearefull, saying to her husband and the rest: doe not you see the Diuell? Whereat they de­sired [Page] her to remember GOD, and to call for grace, that her faith might bee onely fixed vpon him to the van­quishing of the Diuell, and his assaults. Well (quoth she) if you see nothing now, you shall see something by and by: and forthwith they heard a noise in the street, as it had been the comming of two or three Carts, and presently they in the chamber cryed out saying, Lord helpe vs, what manner of thing is this that commeth heere? Then her husband looking vp in his bed, espied a thing come to the bed much like vnto a Beare, but it had no head nor tayle, halfe a yard in length, and halfe a yard in height: her husband seeing it come to the bed rose vp, and tooke a ioyned stoole and stroke at the said thing, the stroke sounded as though he had stroken vpon a Fe­therbed: then it came to the woman and stroke her thrée times vpon the feete, and tooke her out of the bed and so rouled her too and fro in the chamber, and vnder the bed. The people there present, to the number of seuen per­sons, were so greatly amazed with this horrible sight that they knew not what to doe, yet they called still vpon GOD for his assistance: but the Candle was so dimme, that they could scarsely see one another. At the last this Monster, which we suppose to be the Diuell, did thrust the womans head betwixt her legges, and so rouled her in a round compasse like an hoope through three other Chambers downe an high paire of staires in the Hall where hee kept her the space of a quarter of an houre. Her husband, and they in the Chamber aboue durst not come downe to her, but remained in prayer weeping at the staires head, gréeuously lamenting to see her so carried away. There was such an horrible stinke in the Hall, and such fierie flames, that they were glad to stoppe their noses with cloathes and nap­kins. Then the woman cryed out, calling to her hus­band. Now he is gone. Then (quoth hee) in the name [Page] of GOD come vp to mee. And so euen vpon the so­daine she was come so quickly that they greatly maruai­led at it. Then they brought her to bed, and foure of them kept downe the cloathes about the bed, and conti­nued in prayer for her. The Candle in the Chamber could not burne cleere, but was very dimme, and sud­denly the woman was got out of the bed, and the win­dowe at the beds head opened: whether the woman did vnpin the window or how it came to passe they knewe not, but it was opened, and the womans legges after a maruellous manner thrust out at the window, so that they were clasped about the poste in the middle of the windowe, betweene her legges. The people in the cham­ber heard a thing knocke at her feete as it had beene vpon a Tubbe, and they saw a great fire, as it seemed to them, at her feete, the stinke whereof was horrible. The sorrowfull husband and his Brother imboldens them­selues in the Lord, and did charge the Diuell in the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghost, to depart from her, and to trouble her no more. Then they laide hands on her, and cryed to the Lord to helpe them in that their great neede, and so puld her in againe, and set her vpon her feet. Then she looked out at a win­dow, and began to say, O Lord (quoth she) me thinke I see a little Childe: but they gaue no regard to her. These words she spake two or three times. So at the last they all looked out at the window: and loe they espied a thing like vnto a little Childe, with a very bright shining countenance, casting a great light in the Chamber, and then the Candle burned verie brightly, so that they might one see another. Then fell they flat to the ground, and praised the LORD that hee had so wonderfully assisted them, and so the Childe vanished away. Then the woman being in some [Page] better feeling of her selfe, was laide in her bed, and shee asked forgiuenesse at Gods hands, and of all that shee had offended, acknowledging that it was for her sinnes that shee was so tormented of the euill Spirit. And so God bee thanked shee hath euer since been in some reasonable order, for there hath béen with her many godly learned men from diuers places of the Countrey.

THE OVERFLOWING OF Waters, breaking from the Seas in the County of Lincolne, with other places of the Land, this present month of Nouember, to the great hurt of many people there dvvelling.

IF wee doe consider the estate of man­kinde aright, we shal find by experience how sodaine is his fall, and we sée the man that hath liu'd many yeares, care­fully getting together wealth in abun­dance, in a moment is vndone, and brought to nothing, as for example, this present month of Nouember, brings vs sufficient witnes, where in Lincolne-shire, that plentifull country, that soile so large and full of increase, as well of Cattell, as other fowles of the earth, hath lately felt the vnresisting force of waters, by the raging and vnruly windes blowne ouer the sea Bankes, where many hundreds of people, were euen forced by the sodainnes thereof to shift for their liues, lea­uing all the substance they inioyed to the mercy of the commanding floods.

And now to beginne the discourse of my lamentable re­ports, neare vnto the Towne of Wisbidge, one of the prin­cipal market townes in that county of Lincolne, is situate a Village called Long-sutton, a place for husbandry and pasture grounds answerable to most in that country, but by reason of the marshy and fenny vallies adioining to the same, the most part thereof hath béene lately ouerflowed: for the winde then sitting North and North-east, beating the seas so violently against the shores, by which meanes the commanded waters excéeded their bounds with such [Page] force, that their mighty bankes were not able to containe them.

At the first entrance of this watery conquerour, it is said it apeared to the inhabitants a far of, like vnto a cloud rouling out of the skies, or a storm of raine, by the winds blowne nearer and nearer, but approching to the sight of men, it séemed to bee a second deluge: a feare so sodaine, that well was that man that by flight could preserue his life: not one place, not one field, not one village, nor one towne receiued hurt by the ouerflowing of these waters, but many: yea, many were the losses comming thereby: for it is well knowne, and by true reports iustified, that néere vnto Long-Sutten aforesaid, some eightéene or twen­ty villages had share of this lamentable spoile, & as much ground ouerflowed as is compassed in the circuite of six­téene miles, all the low parts of that country stood like the maine Ocean, or the Zurick seas betwixt Holland and Zeland, where nothing is left in sight aboue waters but pinacles and Church stéeples: so was héere at that wofull time, nothing séene but the vpper parts of houses, and the tops of trées: the fury and strength of the salt waters thus broke in so preuailed, that they ouerturned whole stackes and Rickes of Pease and Beanes, and carried them away like stating ships into the maine ocean.

It is also credibly reported, that aboue two thousand head of cattell, besides many thousands of shéepe perished in the same floods, and no newes of them as yet to be heard of, but onely some few, scattering héere and there, floting vpon the waters ten or twelue myles from the owners, the rest are supposed to be born into the sea, whose deuou­ring wombe is able to drench vp all the wealth that re­maines vpon the land, for the sea is much more larger and richer then all the world beside: therefore let vs pray that the Lord with his mighty and strong arme, may keepe vs from the Rigour of this mercilesse inuades, and so streng­then [Page] her bankes, that she may be kept within hir bounds, otherwise vnhappy shall we be in this Northerne part of the world, but now againe to our purpose.

At those Villages bordering nearest vpon the sea coasts many of the inhabitants were forced in saueguard of their liues to clime the tops of trées, and there sate staruing in the cold day & night, vntill Boates came to preserue them, likewise vpon house tops, and the Leads of churches, sate both men, women, and children, whose frighted friends supposed them to be buried in the déepe waues: but a­mongst all these lamentable reports, this one is most won­derfull of a Lincolne-shire man that swomme a long mile bearing his wife and two children vpon his backe to saue them from drowning, whose loue and aduenture herein deserueth a perpetuall commendation: likewise diuers men of that country were forced to ride vpon horses swim­ming also at least two miles euen to saue themselues: to speake truth, in this extremitie nothing was cared for but peoples liues, wherein as yet few are knowne to haue perished: for according to the custome of that country, they haue boates and other meanes alwaies in readinesse pro­uided against the dangers of such ouerflowing waters, but of goods and cattell such a spoile was made in lesse then fiue dayes, that the loosers thereof will hardly reco­uer their former estates in seuen yéeres following; God of his mercy pitty their cases, and in his bounty relieue their wants, for great pouerty is now fallen vpon the wo­full inhabitants of that countrey. Behold I say, the e­state of man, one day rich, the next day poore: the one day aliue, the next day dead: no certainty of this worlds pro­speritie, no assurance of wealth, all things variable, all in a moment destroyed.

Let vs call to minde the like mishap some sixe yeares since in the West parts of England, where the waters of the Sea were violently driuen ouer their Bankes by a [Page] South west wind, as these were opposite to them with a Northeast, where likewise many a wealthy village sustai­ned much hurt, hardly recouered at this day: now Lincoln­shire thy sorrowes may compare with theirs, the waters haue emptied thy pastures of increasing cattell, as they did their fields; such is the cruelty of this liquid element, for if it is rebell and get beyond his bounds, it is able to inuade a whole kingdome, ouer-turne Townes & Tow­ers, and deuoure vp all liuing creatures therein remain­ing: let this one thing following be a sufficient president, to make knowne the strength of these headstrong waters, straying from their soueraigne Prince the maine ocean, for the aboundance thereof came into the lowe marsh grounds of that countrey, with such sodaine violence, that a strong built house, wholly as it stoode, without splitting or separation, was borne like a ship vpon the waters, two miles from the place where it fast was builded, the peo­ple remaining therein hauing no hurt, but safely set vpon a hill side, and so preserued from the further danger: An other strange accident happened in the same County. The salt waters, most seafayring affirme, are of a grea­ter strength then the fresh or the land water, and is able to beare vp what others will suffer to sinke, so was it here approoued, for a woman lying in childbed, was borne with her child, bed and all safely floting vpon the waters, with the house wherein shee remained lying, for her best safety, in a close boarded chamber, vntill such time as the waters abated and so miraculously preserued from death. It is also to bee maruailed, that at the last, when the wa­ters fell, and returned to their owne abiding, which is the sea, there were found vpon the land aboundance of fish of diuers sorts, which the waters had left behind, the like seldome séene or heard of: Contrariwise, the sea made an exchange, and for her fish, receiued into her watery womb the like number of flesh: as horse, kine, shéepe, swine and [Page] such like, to the great hinderance of that part of this king­dome.

I will not grieue the owners with the remembrance of their losses in other goods, as corne, hay, and other hou­should stuffe: as bedding, linnen, woollen, and such like, which these turbulent waters spread abroad, and made prizes to pilfering Vacabonds, it is a lamentable case, when the two elements of Fire and Water gets liberty, for then is no mercy, but meere confusion.

Not onely Lincolneshire can complaine of the seas op­pression. but diuers countries bordering vpon her shores, which the easterne part of Essex can well witnes: what goodly grounds and fayre pastures haue béen there ouer­flowed: what heards of kine and sheepe haue been there drowned: what long time spent for the recouery, to the great charge and halfe vndooing of the owners, nay fur­ther a hinderance to the whole Countrey.

With griefe of heart I now call to minde, the great losse and hinderance of an honourable Lord of this land, hapning this present month of Nouember, in the said County of Essex, where many a hundred akers of gallant ground, closing vpon the sea coast, is quite ouerflowed, standing now like a white Sea, hardly euer to be recoue­red, a losse of many thousand pounds, which might haue reléeued the estates of many thousands of poore people: God is angry with vs, in changing this land habitation, into a watery ocean, which by little and little, seekes to steale the whole earth into hir insearchable and déepe cir­cumference.

Goodwin sands vpon the borders of Kent is likewise one of the Seas cruelties, which sucking sandy gulfe hath deuoured so many goodly Ships, many other breaches giues the Sea passage into the Land threatning our de­struction. The wealthy Riuer Thames presents vnto our remembrance diuers violent passages of water, which [Page] from time to time begets feare and care vnto our Coun­try, ioyned with a continuall toyle for the recouerie.

Come nearer home to our famous Citie of London, and thinke vpon the strange tydes there swelling, this last wéeke this beginning of Nouember, almost still remai­ning before our eyes, how at Quéene-Hiue the water flo­wed into the Meale-market, and bore sackes and vessels of meale vp and downe the stréetes, and drowned many vaults and sellers, to the great hurt and spoile of much goods and commodities. God of his mercy kéep vnder this outragious element, let it not gather head and goe be­yond the bounds: for being kept vnder gouernment, it is a swéete good, and comfort to vs all, so is the element of Fire, both good being well vsed, and both euill if once a­bused, from the which if they once get command, let vs vse this prouerbe or rather Prayer, from fire and water good Lord deliuer vs.