LEtters were sent from the Master of Malta to a kinsman of his here in this Kingdome, wherein were very many strange things specified, which are these which follow.

There was from a naturall woman borne a man child, of very strange and unheard of feature; his eies sparkled like Gold, hee was borne with teeth, which resembled cats teeth, he had also nailes on his fingers and toes, but not like a man, but like a beast, he spake to them so soone as hee was borne, and reproved them for any thing which was done against his will, taking great state upon him, and he calleth himselfe the great Prophet, he much delighteth in, and loveth Ima­ges, and Pictures, and verie devoutly will pray, seven or eight times each day, he loveth to walke solitarily in the fields, and he eateth verie little, and that which he doth eate is verie corse.

One day as hee was walking the fields, atten­ded on by those which use to wait on him, which are a douzen or fourteen uglie, and ilshapen fel­lows [Page 2]none know from whence they came, or whither they will goe, he met with three or four which were in the shape of men, which when they came neere him they kneeled and delivered let­ters unto him, which when hee had read hee tore the l tters, and the bearers thereof vanished a­way, and were no more seene. Another time he was walking into the Temple, into which he was conveyed with such a sweete harmonie of mu­sique that hath not beene heard on the earth be­fore, and at his comming out thereof there was such a clangor of Drums, Gunns, and Trumpets in the aire, which made the whole Countrey a­mazed, for it was seene all over the Countrey, of which he began to prophesie, that at his death there should bee warrs, and rumours of warrs, in so much that all the westerne countreys shall be laid desolate, but this Countrey shall flourish like the bay tree even in the middest of the win­ter of misfortunes. He will not abide to heare of the Scriptures, for he saith that there was no such thing as is there specified, but they are all most strange lies, and not to be believed by man.

Sometimes he will be gon for the space of a weeke or a fortnight together, but whither no man knows, but his men or Devills, or what­soever they are which wait upon him, are always with him.

Now many poore silly people doe believe this man to be the saviour which was promised, and now is come, but I believe and faithfully perswade my selfe that they do deceive them­selves, [Page 3]and come short of the truth; these things if they be true are strange, very strange, yet they are but as a foile to perfection, they are nothing in respect of the Miracles which were done by our Saviour, whose fame doth as far out-run the fame of this new borne Prophet, as the light of the Sun doth the light of the smallest Star.

It is my censure, and the censure of many more which have heard of this businesse, that this is rather Antichrist, then any true prophet, for it is written, Antichrist shall come, and in an other place, beware of false Prophets, for they shall come and strive to perswade you from the right way, and lead you to perdition; I cannot chuse but thinke and admire to see how each tittle of his sayings will come to passe, nay day by day they are more and more manifested.

But here now is hapned a very strange acci­dent, he was gon for the space of a month toge­ther as his custome was, in which time there was nothing but lightning, and thunder, and horrible tempests, in so much that each man expected no otherwise but that the last day had beene come, for night and day there was no resting, every one expecting his house to be blowne downe about his eares, great harme was done by the tempestu­ous winds. There was a poore man had beene a­broad amongst the woods to gather sticks, which poore man was taken up by a whirlwind and was no more seene or heard of again; An other thing also which is much to be admired at, which would make men beware how they tempt the an­gry [Page 4]Heavens, for feare that they suffer the like punishment.

In all this hurlie burlie, when the contenti­ous Heavens were jarring, there was a boy which laughed excessively, and very merry hee was, saying that none but fooles would bee afraid of lightning and thunder, for it was impossible that it should hurt them; wherefore because he would shew himselfe foole-hardie, he run about in the raine, as if he would provoke Heaven to doe its worst, nay this was not folly enough for him to act, he began now to bee wickedly impudent, for (said hee) if any one will give mee any thing, ile goe and shew my breech to the thun­der, an other unhappy bird although not altoge­ther so unluckie, told him that if hee would doe it he would give him all his points, and for­give him the two farthings which he owed unto him, wilt thou (said hee) and presently hee went forth into the greene and there hee did it, but marke, sorrow, and tremble reader, the Lord wil shew himselfe to be a great God, there came a thunderbolt and strooke his breech from his body, his body was no more seene, but his breech lay there as a signe for what he was punished. All you young youths to whom this present dis­course shall come, learne to refrain such foole-hardie attempts, for by this you may see, that the Lord will not be dallied withall, read therefore, and consider, and the Lord guide you and keepe you, I have for a while derogated from my Sto­ry.

[Page 1] At the moneths end this prophet and his ug­lie rouges were seene again, and for because there was such a great deal of harm done in the land by reason of the thunder, as rooting up trees, blow­ing downe houses, murthers and such like, they began to examine him where he had beene, hee answered them very scornfully, that he was not come into the World to be examined but to ex­amine, not to be ruled but to rule over others, with these and such like peremptorie words hee answered them, till at last he had incensed them so far that they told him flat and plaine they must and would examine him, and if hee denyed to answer to such interrogatories which they would propose, there was no abiding for him, neither should he stay there, why (said hee) you shall bee beholding to mee to stay, or else I will not stay and with that hee vaunted ted himselfe and flew away from them through the aire, and his men with him, but ever since, the Countrey hath beene affrighted with thunder and tempests, and earth-quakes, that the like was ne­ver knowne there bafore, In so much that they feare the whole Countries desolation, and they now pray with our liturgie, from lightning and tem­pest, and from suddain death,

Good Lord deliver us.