TWO LETTERS: THE First, being a Relation of a Sad Accident that Fell Out at Erpingham NEER NORWICH, July 2. Shewing how a Fire-Ball fell from the Heavens into the Parish Church there, Broke down part of the Steeple and several places in the Church-wall, kill'd one man and wounded diverse, &c.
THE Second, Being a Relation of a strange Sight in the Heavens, seen by Three Justices of the Peace their Sons. Dated, Hungerford in Wiltshire, June 19. 1665.
London, Printed for L. Chapman in Exchange-Alley, in Corn hill, 1665.
The First being a Relation of a Sad Accident, That fell out at Erpingham neer Norwich, &c.
THe last Lords Day, as Master Hobbs was Preaching in his Parish Church of Erpingham in the After-noon, there did arise a great Storm, and there descended a great Grey Ball, which they within did conclude did beat down the South-west corner of the Steeple towards the top of it, (for that was beaten down) then it fell and turned in at the South-Porch, and as soon as the said Ball was come into the Church, it turned upon the South-side, on which side were the mens Seats, and Master Hobbs being in the Pulpit did see the men fall some backwards, some forwards from their Seats, that [Page] he thought that they had been all struck dead, it went towards the Chancel and broke. Upon which, the Church was as if it had been all of a Fire, and left a great smoak and stinke behinde it, and upon the breaking there was a great and hedious outcry in the Church: And in the Conclusion, there was but one man found stark Dead, but many others lamed, and so do yet continue; and one Woman who sat in the Porch is so weak, as it is thought she will not live; It did Rase and Tare the Church-wall in two places within: Master House is one that is Lame, who sate above towards the Chancel, and about the top of his Thigh in the Croine of his Body, is a round red place, and down from that about the breadth of a Finger a red place to his Foot, which is very painfull, and his stocking within side is feared and not without.
The Second, being a Relation of a strange Sight in the Heavens, &c.
OƲr Kinde Loves to you, and we are glad to heare of your good health, as we are at present: We have great cause to blesse God for his great loving kindenesses to us, seeing he hath given us so large a time to Repent in: God grant we may so doe, that we may be a people prepared for our Lord.
Children, I have received two Letters from you, which doth let us understand, that you are not minded to stay long in London; Daughter, if your Heart faile you, pray come to us with speed, for I am afraid Gods Hand is heavy upon London, for our Sins and Iniquities [Page] are very great, and there are Three sorts of Judgements pointing at us; Famine of Soul and Body, Sword and Pestilence. Good Children make hast (and let every faithful Soul, I say to you, Remember Lot, how he was thrust out of Sodome) and come to us; And I say, as Ruth said to Naomi, Come let us Dye together, for surely the Lord hath some great thing to do; for else he would not have appeared so to many as he hath done.
Children, I let you understand of a true and strange thing: God hath appeared to Three Sons of Three Justices of Peace, that lived hard by us, and some you know: These three went to School at Ward; and as they were together the 11th day of June last, about Sunset, or a little after, a Light shone on one of them, and he looked up to Heaven, and fell to the Earth on his back, holding out his Hands to Heaven, and was not able to move himself nor speake: The Second said, Let us go and call him, but he moved not; so the second looked up, and he fell on his back, holding out his hands toward Heaven; and the [Page] third did so likewise: and looking up to Heaven, they saw the Skye open and Heaven, and a great round Circle like a great Well's mouth, and a Coffin passe in it, and a long Head, and very long Haire, and it passed by; and then they saw Three Coffins more, and three Bodies lifting their Hands from their knees toward their Mouths up and down, as though they were strong in Prayer, and Wrastling with God, and then passed by; And then Three glorious men did Appear, as glorious as Angels, and they fell from Heaven to Earth, not far from them; and they were sore amazed, and not quite well yet. And one of the Justices went and Commanded these Three apart, and they spake as one Mouth, these Three Sonnes: One was Eight years old the other Two about Thirteen or Fourteen years old.
Tho. Goddard, Hungerford Iune 19. 1665.