A Full and True ACCOUNT Of the VVonderful Eruptions of a Prodigious Burning Mountain, VVhich cast out vast quantities of FIRE to the Destruction of several whole TOVVNS.
Together with a Relation of a VVonderful EARTH-QUAKE.
Likewise strange and VVonderful News from Ireland; giving a Relation of a Great Flood that hapened there by Rain.
As it tis now sent in a Letter to His Majesty
This may be Printed
LONDON.
Printed in Year, MDCLXXXVII.
A full and True ACCOUNT Of the Wonderful Eruptions of a Prodigious BURNING MOUNTAIN. Together with a Relation of a Wonderful EARTH-QUAKE, &c.
THE wonderful Eruptions of this Burning Mountain its prodigious Vomiting of Fire, have for many Ages been the Subject of all Mens Admiration; but certainly they never more justly challeng'd the Worlds Astonishment, than by that dismal Inundation of Fire; whereof here is a Relation.
This Burning Mountain is distant from the City Catanianople 15 Miles; 'tis of a wonderful height, and about 15 Miles in length, and 7 in breadth, it Burns continually on the Top, but it has been observ'd for many Ages, that once in 15 Years it casts out Flames of Fire more then ordinary, with Stones, and great quantities of Ashes. But in the Year 1669 on Saturday the 19th. of March, it rag'd so furiously that with its most dismal Inundation it threatnd [Page 2] the Ruine of the whole Island. It began not without some signs, for the Sun was observ'd on the Friday, before its setting, to appear of a pale and dead Colour, which struck great Terrour into the Inhabitants. But in the Night there happen'd a terrible and unusal Earth-quake, which shook not only the City but all the Country, so violently that the People were forced to abandon their houses, and fly into the open Fields to avoid the danger which threatned them from the falling of their Houses. It continu'd so long and with such violence, that shook down a whole Village called Nicolosi, whilst the poor people stood with Grief and Astonishment, beholding from afar the ruine of all they had: but observing the Earth to open in many places, their Terrour carried them to the City Catania, which was not used so roughly by the Earth-quake, where they entered so affrighted that they were wholy Insensible of what they did.
This dreadful Earth-quake was follow'd by 3 Terrible Eruptions, much about the same time, and a little distance from one another. They were observ'd to be of the side of the Mountain Gebello, from whence with a terrible Noise it threw up its Flames with wonderful fury and violence as high as any Steeple in His Majesties Kingdoms, its Noise not Roaring (as before) inward and from the Belly of the Mountain, but violently cracking like Peals of Thunder, from [...]he side of it throwing out vast Stones, some of them 300 pound weight, which being as it were Shot through the Air, fell several Miles distant from the place, [Page 3] whilst the whole Air was fil'd with Smoak, Burning Sinders, and Ashes, which fell like a Fiery Rain upon the Country.
In the mean time a vast Torrent of melted and burning Matter issu'd from the side of this prodigious Mountain, and running down the Mountain Monpileri, divided it self into two streams, the greatest of which took its course towards the Towns of Monpileri, and Falicchi, which in few hours it utterly destroy'd, leaving not so much as the lest remainder of either; Besides lesser Villages and Farms which stood in its way Quickly after it over-flowed the Fields for above six miles in compass, like a Fiery Flood; It was of the Colour of melted and burning Glass, but as it cool'd, became hard and rocky, leaving in its passage several Hills of that Matter behind it.
The poor People were in such a Consternation, that they expected nothing less than a general Conflagration; for at the same time Mount Gebello rag'd from its Top with dreadful Flames, and such violent Roarings, that it was not easie to be determin'd, which caus'd the greatest Terrour, that, or the Concussions of the Earth which yet continu'd.
These Currents of Fire kept on their course still, so that by Thursday March the 24th. It had over-run Campo Rotundo, St. Pietro, and Masterbianco, with La Potelli, and St. Antonio; Ruining all they mett with in their way, notwithstanding the Rain which fell in abundance that [Page 4] day; for the Water was observ'd rather to add to the Fury of this Fire, then to any ways diminish it.
In the time of these dismal affrights, whilst the People were Astonish'd by their Fears, a great number of Robbers took an occasion from this general distraction to make a Prey of the already destrss'd People; which they found easie to be done, and had already Murthered several of them for their Goods: till Consultation being had, least Catania it self should be in danger from their great Numbers, orders were taken to quell them. The Governour of the Town was ordered to send out Parties with his Provost-Marshal, with command to Seize on all suspected Persons, and to Execute them according to Marshal-Law, without any farther Tryal, those who where taken in the Fact. In order to this three pair of Gallows were Erected, one before the Gate Di Aci, a second in the Market-place, and the third before the Gate Della Decima; strong Guards being set every where. The poor People of the Country being by these Calamities stript of all their Estates, Ran with general Lamentations to the City Catania; which indeed was open'd to receive them, and orders taken to supply them with Necessities (supplies of Provision being also sent from Messina to their assistance) till their Calamities would give them leave to consider of their better disposal.
At this time all the Element seem'd to make War upon them together, for the Air was continually darken'd [Page 5] with Clouds and Smoak, insomuch that the Sun scarce appear'd all the time of these Eruptions, and if at any time, with extraordinary paleness to the great Terrour of of the People. The Sea ran higher than it was wont, over-flowing with extraordinary covering its Banks, in many places. The Land every where infected with Thieves, so that no one could stir abroad without danger of Death Till by the great care of the Magistrates they were quell'd: whilst the Fire by its prodigious over-flowing threatn'd to take possion of all.
These fatal Calamities continued till the 30th. of March, when they began to have some hopes, that the violence of it had been over, the Mountan not throwing out its Flames with that Fury as before, and its Noise and Roaring in grear measure ceasing. Those who at the nearest distance view'd the Mountain, inform'd, that the Top was fallen in, and that it was suppos'd to want near a Mile of its former Height; that the largest of those Mouths which Vomit those Fiery Streams, was about half a Mile in compass. The Matter which Issu'd out, was a mixture of all sorts of Metals, Led, Iron, Brass &c. Its Flame like Brimstone, and its Motion like that of Quick-silver. Wheresoever it pass'd it left large heaps of its Matter congeal'd, which are now to be seen, they still retain a Noisom Smell like that of Sulphur.
[Page 6] This Fiery Eruption lasted (with some Intermissions of its violence, but still renewing it again afterwards) from the 19th. of March, till the 18th. of April 1669 having consum'd and wholy destroy'd Eleven Towns, not so much as one Foot-step of them Remaining, besides Farms, and other Villages.
THere has happened here such an Inundation as has not been known in the Memory of Man, or by any Record. The Rains have fallen extaordinary for these two Mouths past, but on Saturday last, in the Evening, a sudden Stormatose, the Wind being East, and South East, which raged with that violence, that it put the lower part of the City under water up to the first Floor in most of the Houses, and in some of them higher, insomuch that there was no passage along those streets but by Carriages; and the Rains continuing, the Waters came up almost as high as St. Patrick's Gate, and filled the Streets, so as Boats plied in them? and from Rings-end to Cork hill, all Kitchins and Cellars were full of Water, which rose also a Foot above the Custom-house-key, but, by the Care of the Officers, the Goods there in store were secured from Damage. All the Bridges upon the River are said to be broken down, and washed away, and, with the same Rapidity, the stream hath carried away great quantities of Timber, Goods of all sorts, and men as well as Cattle. It continued showering yesterday, and rais'd the VVaters yet higher which broke down the Draw-Bridge of Essex-Bridge, and a Gentleman passing over it at the same time in his Coach, he had the good Fortune to escape himself, but the Coach and Horses fall into the River, where the Coach man; and one of the Horses perished. The Rain has since ceased; and the VVater is much abated, and now People are at little leisure to consider the damage which the Deluge has done, and they find it exceeding great though we don't yet hear what prejudice it has done further up in the Country, yet we can't doubt but there must have been a proportionable Loss.