THat Antichrist or the Pope is the Beast of Rome hath bin abundantly declared by all reformed Writers, but that this Beast is odious not only to men and Creatures on Earth, but even to the Fishes in the Sea, this age onely can give an illustration of it, and that in such a mira­culous manner as never age can produce the like. We will discribe unto you the full manner of it, and you shall have it really and plainly related as we have recieved the truth from many who were the present Spectators of this wonderfull sight, and we shall desire onely from you but the gentlenes to receive it, and the credince to beleeve it.

On the 19 of October being the Lords Day the good Ship called the Bonaventure of Weymouth, being bound for England, was bring­ing home her Merchandize from France which was wines, linning cloath, and abundance of Wall-nuts, the day was very faire and no wind stirring, so that the Ship for above three houres space lay hull­ing upon the Seas, being not able to move either one way nor other for want of wind, although she was full sayled and prepared to take the advantage of every Gale Being put to some inconvenience by reason of this great Calme; the Sea-men for the present had nothing else to doe but to looke about them, many of them (as the manner is at Sea) wishing rather for a Tempest then being Wind-bound to stare about them and do nothing when behold not farre from them they saw a mighty rowling and working upon the water.

Amazed at the strangenesse of the sight, they called unto one an­other, and were all come above Bord expecting what should occasi­on [Page 4]so strange a motion in the water, they found it to draw neerer to them, which made them the more eager to apprehend the cause, at length they perceived it to be a Whale, and that of no small pro­portion but (as it were the Leviathan of the Sea) to transcend all o­ther Whales in length and compasse.

The Whale made towards the Ship, which did put the Mariners into a great feare being not able to get from it, b [...]t they perceived this Monster of the Sea to come to them rather for refuge, then for offence, for they saw it was followed by an infinite of Company of other Fish, as if all the Fishes of the Se [...] were in the pursuance of it: There were to be seene Fishes of all sorts, onely the Remora was ab­sent, which the Seamen afterwards conceived was got under their Ship and stayed it on purpose that they might be Spectators and the witnesses of this so wonderfull an object.

There was the Sword-Fish the Thorn-back armed with his prickles, the fayre Balena and the filthy Phocae, & such a Fry of Sea-monsters (the old ones following after) is the like was never seene nor can be represented, but onely by those men who were the Spectators of it.

In a most violent manner they did beat against the Whale, make­ing a most hideous and a fearful noyse and falling upon her, she made what haste she could to get from them: some of these fishes were in one shape, and some in another, but all most wonderfull to be­hold, who in great fury did use whatsoever weapons of offence that nature had afforded them to assault this Whale.

Nay they were so eager in their fight that some of them were often seen to leape above the water and as if by that they had gained an advantage of strength, they did throw themselves with greater rage against it, who being but one against so many thousands, was not able to withstand their fury, but making a most terrible cry, did what she could to come neere the Ship.

On this the amazed and distracted Seamen fearing that they should be drouned, discharged divers of their Muskets against it, [Page 5]which it seemeth tooke effect, for presently they found great store of Blood to discolour the Sea, And the Whale which before seemed to draw more neere the Ship for a safety, did now steere another course through the bloody and foaming waters.

The infinite sholes of Fish which in incredible numbers did fol­low the Whale, were no way dismayed at the noyse of the Muskets nor at the fire which was given, but perceiving the wounded Whale to make away from the Ship in greedy throng they pressed after it.

This made the Sea-men to wonder more, for many of them whose names are subscribed having bin often at Sea never behold the like thing before, nor never saw such diversity of pertentous Fishes following troupes on troupes, one after another, as if they were in emulation who first should exercise their greatest fury and their revenge upon it.

Besides they doe professe, that it did increase their won­der to see this contestation which is against the usual way of nature: It being common & ordinary for the Whale to pur­sue other Fishes and to devou [...]e them, and not to see a mul­titude of other Fishes, (as if they were confederate all in one obligation) to pursue the Whale, and to do the utmost of their indeavour to destroy it.

In this manner they followed the Whale, and used what violence they could against it, as far as their eyes could reach, the Sea beating up and downe, and the waters labour­ing as they passed through them, yet still in cholerick tu­mults pursued the chase, leaving a great trale upon the wa­ter, which for a long way was to be seene behind them as they passed.

By this the evening coming on, the wind did begin to rise which blowing from the South East was very welcome to the Sea-men, who making their best advantage of it, they came on the next morning being Munday Octob. 20. unto Weymouth.

At this Haven Towne they were no sooner landed but they un­derstood that a Whale of a mighty bignes was cast up, three miles from that place, who comming in with the tide and being sorely wounded with the Musket shots, did make what hast she could to land, and finding on the ebbing Sea, the tide to forsake her, she made a mighty roare that the noyse thereof (as the Country people doe report) was heard two miles from it: on the next morning she was found dead, like a mighty ruine lying all along upon the Shoare, the Country People comming from all places in multitudes to be­hold it.

On the Fryday following these Sea-men having dispached their busines at Weymouth, went nine of them together in one Company to see the Whale, and the rather because they did truly conjecture it to be the same Whale which on Sunday before they saw pursued by such monstrous multitudes of Fishes, conceiving also that by reason of the many wounds she received by the shots from the Muskets that she made haste to the next shore to dye on, for the Whale, (al­though when she is living will be covered with the Sea) yet when she feeleth Death comming on, she doth renounce to that watery Element and will admit to no other coverture then the wide Vault of Heaven.

These Mariners being come they sound the Country people wery active in cutting up the Whale some busy on one part of the body, some on another, the better sort standing by and wondering at the mighty compasse and proportion of it, and encouraging the Country people to proceed in their unaccustomed worke. The honest people partaked in the labour, the better sort in the profit, and all in the greivousnesse of the smell which to speake the truth was so excessive that if it be true Philosophy that a violent Subject or sensible doth destroy the Sensory or sence: It may be a question whither these noses can ever have the Capacity of senting any thing that is sweet againe.

Had you beene there, you might have seene Greenland at Wey­mouth, such a noyse and a quarter they doe make when they doe hew the Whales in pieces in that Northern Climate, which is content for a whole yeare together, but with one night and with one day. Their strength being lost with labour, and their spirits with [Page 7]the odious importunity of the increasing savour which proceeded from the corruption of that mighty carkasse, they relieve them­selves according to the accustomed practice, with the strength of hot waters: And now being armed against all ingredients of ill sa­vours they distribute the fish in prepared Cauldrons, which by the benefit of the fire must be improved into oyle.

Though lucre is called filthy lucie, yet the smell of it, is said, to be sweet being extracted out of the greatest corruption whatsoever: while the Labourers are boyling the fish, the Merchants are com­pounding for the sperme, or the seed thereof: and this common­ly is called Parmacitie, some part thereof they designe to Falmouth, some part to Exeter, some part to VVeymouth, and very likely some part to Bristoll, and some part to London: But I would advise my friends in London (on any hand not to meddle with it, the reason whereof in these following Lines I shall declare unto you.

For the belly of this Whale being opened, and the vast ribs be­ing taken asunder, there was discovered in the bowels of it a man, who it seems had not long layne buried, for his head was shaven, he was surely some Priest, and the haire on his Crowne since his death was not much growne forth. It doth appeare that he had re­mained some while alive in those Chambers of death: for besides some papers that were found in a black leatheren Box, it appeares that hee had some papers to prove that there is a watery Purga­tory, of which I beleeve no man could ever give a more perfect testimony then himselfe when he was living in the belly of the Whale,

In this Box was found divers Pardons from the Pope for divers Papists now in England, and in Ireland, as for Iohn Flower in Eng­land, and for one Humphrey Vaux (of kinne it is beleeved to that Guido Vaux, who would heve blowne up the Parliament House in the year 1605.

There were after this found divers Pardons for dives Papists in Ireland, who have laboured to the uttermost of their endeavours to blow it up againe as to one Preston, the same, who is now ex­pected to come over into England with Auxiliary forces from Ire­land with an exhortation also to him to proceed in the wars he hath undertaken, with the assurance of the Benediction of his Holines [Page 8]of Rome. A Pardon for one Muskerry, a Pardon for one Oneale, for Mac Magennts, & one for divers others, which was read by a Schol­lar, who was then present, as those Sea-men have attested, but being themselves but unexperienced men in Letters, they are sorry they cannot deliver the particulars so fully as they desire. It may evi­dently appeare, that the reason why this fish before spoken of in such monstrous tumults did prosecute this Whale, was by reason of the person it interred, who it seemes by some ship-wrack was recei­ved into the belly of the Whale. You may see by this how strong, and how deepe a dye, is the tincture of guilt which because all the water of the Sea could not wash away from this man, the fishes would not endure their owne Element until they had expiated the Waves by the destruction of the Whale that did receive him and intetre him, You may also see what a Sea of sin is in the sea of Rome, the enlertainment whereof the fishes of the Sea would punish with death amongst the greatest of their owne inhabitants the benefit whereof to disswade from Popery wil remaine to these present times, but the Wonder to al Posterity.

The Pardons were for

• English men.
  • Iohn Flower,
  • Humphrey Vaux.

• Irish-men.
  • Iohn Muskery.
  • VVilliam Preston.
  • Patrick Oneale.
  • Iames Macgennies.

The Names of the Sea-men that were present and will make attestation of this most wonderfull truth are

• VVilliam Lelo Master of the Ship.
• Thomas Chibuall Boteswaine,
• Francis Sero.
• Thomas Taylor.