THe present Wonderful Frost, which is the General Theme of Discourse, and under the sad Eff [...]cts whereof so m [...]ny Thousands of Poor Cre [...]tures Shiver and Pine, and L [...]n­guish; began about the midst of December 1683. at first by mean and ordinary Degrees, but towards Christmas b [...]came v [...]ry Sharp; The first Week of Ianuary the River of Thames was so F [...]ozen, that People began to Walk over; On Monday Ianuary the 7th, on the Change of the Moon in Aqu [...]ry, there were Expectations, and some Likelyhood, of a Thaw; but p [...]esently after it Fr [...]ze more violen [...]ly, and on the 10th and 11th in the morning, a Co [...]ch Plyed between the T [...]ple and the Old Barge house; yet towards Night the 11th (the Moon having been in Opposition to Iupiter) it Thaw'd a little; and the 12 and 13th was fine Gentle Weather, yet not much Thawing; the Wind con [...]inuing still at North-East; On the 13th it Froze gain briskly, till the 17th, when a great Snow fell; the 18th high, most sharp, and peircing Winds, and on the 23d the Air was more severely Peircing than ever, and more Snow fell; And being the first day of the Term, Coaches Ply'd at the Templ [...]-Staires, and car [...]i [...]d the Lawyers to Westminster on the Ic [...]; and thence for [...]ards the same Continued, and whole Streets of Shedds e­very where [...]uilt on the T [...]ames, T [...]ousands Passing Buying, Selling, Drin­king and Revelling, (I wish I could not say on the Lords D [...]y too,) and most so [...]ts of Tr [...]des-Shops on the Ice, (and amongst the rest a Printing-house there E [...]cted) Bulls Bai [...]ed, and Tho [...]sands of Specta­to [...]s; all which still continues at the Writing hereof, being Ianuary the 29th 168 [...]/4.

Nay, b [...]low the Bridge, hundreds daily pass; The River H [...]mber (as I am [...] informed) where 'tis several Miles broad, is Froz [...]n o­ver, and V [...]st Flakes of Ice are seen Flo [...]ting in the Downes, of Diverse Miles in Length, and proportionable Breadth.

[Page 2] As for Coelestial Causes of this unusual Coldness, though undoubted­ly they were not wanting (For God generally Governs Inferiors by Su­periors) yet I find not that any of our Common Pretenders had the least Ap­prehension, or gave any Hints thereof. Not that I wholly Explode Astro­logy; I believe there is something in it, and that it may not be unfit for a Wise and Modest Man to Study: but our Annual Prognosticators are generally Men of little Learning, and less Philosophy, and (what is worse) many times very irregular in their Lives; The God of Purity, who Communicates his Secrets to those that fear him, Illuminates not De­bauche [...]s, Sordid Flatterers, and Timeservers, (whose whole end is to make a Noise, and Cheat People of their money,) with the knowledge of Supernal Mysteries; Nor can it be expected, That those who neither know things past, by History; nor take Notice of things Present, by any steady Judicious Observation, should yet foresee things to come.

Whether from any of the Late Tripple Conjunctions of the two Supe­rior Planets, Saturn and Iupiter, or from some of the late unusually fre­quent Comets, particulary the last in August 1682. which in 20 days with a Rapid motion, making its appearance in Leo, hurried through all the Signs Virgo, and Libra, and disappear'd in Scorpio, A Sagacious Artist might not have given some Items of this Strange Weather, I will not De­termine: But if Comets be only (according to Aristotles Notion, which I question) hot and dry Exhalations drawn up from the Earth, it would not be difficult to Judge that Severe Colds should ensue here below: For Extreams in Nature, if they are not Causes, are at least Fore-Runners of their Contraries▪ Nor have there wanted Grand Configurations of the Su­perior Bodies; During the time of this violent Frost, As a Trine of the Sun and Iupiter, an Opposition of Saturn and Mars. But leaving the Dis­quisition of these to the Curious, having not Room to Inlarge here, upon them; I hasten to satisfy the Common Reader with an Historical Review of former Occurrences of this kind; which may check that Vulgar Cry of Ignorance, That Never, O Never was known the Like.

Livy in his fifth Book tells us of a Winter so hard, That the River Tyber was frozen over, a matter very strange in such a Climate as Italy. In the year 1234 the Adriatick Sea was so frozen, that the Venetians went over the Ice thereof with Carts. Zonaras assures us, that in the Reign of that Emperour Constantine (who for a Nasty Reason in his Christning, was call'd Copronymus) about the year 750. the Pontick Sea, was so Congealed, That people for many miles travelled it on foot: And Horses and Carts [...]oaden, passed over the Fretum, or Narrow part of it; But withal he adds, that the Summer following was so excessive hot and dry, that great Rivers and most Fountains were wholly dryed up, and People and [Page 3] Cattel perisht for want of water. In the year 821. the [...]greatest Rivers of Europe, as the Rhine, the Danubius, the Elb, and the Sein, were so incrusted with Ice, that for the space of above 30 days, Carriages freely passed along on them, as on the Land.

But to look nearer home—In the year of our Lord 1365. and 49th year of K. Edward the 3d, A Frost lasted from the midst of September to the Month of April; but though so tedious, the Cold was nothing so intense or violent as now. In the 15th year of the Reign of K. Henry the Eighth, after great Rains and Winds, there followed so sore a Frost, that many dyed for cold, and some lost Fingers, some Toes, and many their Nails: [I follow the very words of Sir R. Baker, fol. 297.] The same Author tells us, That in the seventh year of Q. Elizabeth, on the 21. of December, began a Frost so extream, that on New-Years-Day-Even people passed over the Thames on foot, some plaid at Foot Ball, some shot at Pricks, as if it had been firm ground; yet this great Frost, the third of Ianuary at night, began to Thaw; and by the fifth day, there was no Ice to be seen, but great Inundations followed.

In the year 1609. [which 'tis not impossible, but some Living might re­member, being but 74 years ago] a Frost began in December, which con­tinued till April following, with such violence, that the Thames was so frozen that Carts loaden, were frequently driven over it, most Fowls and Birds were destroyed. In the year 1637. was another Frost, which rendred the Thames passable; so in the year 1664 immediately follow­ed by the Great Sickness; And the like towards the latter end o [...] the year 1676.

Some of the Consequences of these extream F [...]osts, I have mentio­ned, more I might, all are not Convenient; those that consult Chranolo­gy, may e [...]sily satisfy themselves; a man may soon err in assigning E [...]ects to such or such pa [...]ticular Causes, or adapting Events to Significators; Mo­des [...]y is the first Lesson in Wisdoms School. Therefore as we have been studious in matter of Fact, past; but sparing as to Sequels; so we shall retain the same becoming tenderness as to Futures; wherein we shall steer our Course rather by the Guidance of Nature in her usual Opera­tions here below, than by curious Researches into remoter influential Causes above; though not neglecting them neither, For the Vniverse is Intire, Harmonical, and Sympathetical, and he that does not competently understand the right Tone of the whole, and the true Key of [...]very part, will make but bad Musick wherever he lays his Clumsy Fingers.

First then I say, This Extremity of Cold presages many Calamities and Evils to attend Mankind, and the rest of their Fellow-Creatures; for as the Innocent Inhabitants of the Air, or expanded Suburbs of Heaven, [Page 4] viz. Birds and Fowls, are endangered by the Elements denying their usu­al Benefits and Provisions (wherein another fourth part of the Creation, viz. Fishes, are somewhat Concern'd) so deg [...]d man, taking advant [...]ge of this Cruel Weather, does for profit, or pleasure, or vanity, destroy many thousands of them: Now this great destruction of them, is but a Fore runner of Mo [...]tality amongst Creatures of gre [...]t [...]r value, and even of men themselves. Would you know the reason? I told you but now, Universal Nature is Sympathetical.

2 [...]l [...]. This immoderate Cold locks up the Pores of mens Bodies, and drives the natural Heat more Central, which occasions great Appetite and Dr [...]g [...]t, whence follow [...] much and excessive Eating and Drinking of gross, fa [...]t-succulent Foods, and strong Drinks; in all that have where­wi [...]al to procure them, which the voracious desires do at present seem abl [...] to bear and digest, yet really Nature is not able to do it, and so by deg [...]ees there are seeds sown and Foundations laid for Diseases. On the o [...]her hand, amongst the Poor, Necessity of feeding on unfitt and unusual V [...]nds, for their support at presen [...], or defect of due Nourishment, must to them do as much mischief; For want is as great (tho I think not so Common) an Enemy to Nature as Su [...]erfluity; The way [...]o prevent these mischiefs is, for the Rich to obs [...]rve Sob [...]iety and Temperance, and for the Poor to use Dis [...]etion in thei [...] Diet, for a pint of M [...]lk with a quarte [...] of a pint of Water, thickned with on [...] Spoonful of Flow [...]r, and heated just [...]o Boyling, and then putting into it a few Crums of Bread, (all which will not co [...] [...]bove a Penny) sh [...]ll give [...]ny person as n [...]u­ri [...]hing a Meal as the best Surloyn of Beef or Capon. I mention not this to prevent Be [...]volences towards the Poor, which all that are able are bound to Afford, but only to Advise [...]hem how to supply themselves when they meet not with other A [...]comodations, but find Rich M [...]n [...] Charity more Frozen than the Thames.

3dly. This Excessive Frost Condenses the Air, and renders it Sulphurous and Vnheal [...]hy, especially in such Ci [...]ies as London, where S [...]a coals are generally used for Firing, and most People (especially Women) creep close to those fulsome Fires▪ without using themselves to proper Ex­ercis [...]s, where [...]y their Bl [...]od stagnates, and becomes th [...]ck and foul, whence are Gener [...]ted the [...]curvy, stoppages of the Bre [...]st, Coughs and shortness of Breath; the ill eff [...]cts whereof will more mani [...]est themselves next Spring and S [...]mmer.

4thly. This Dish [...]rmony and In [...]quality of the Elements, portends a dry hot Summer to ensue, for all Ex [...]remes (as before o [...]serv'd) produce their Contraries, which will not only Enc [...]eas [...] Distem [...]ers, but I f [...]ar some Epidemical Disease, and it is also a Fore-runner of Dearth and Scar­city, [Page 5] and the latter, is the more to be apprehended, because we have had several pl [...]ntiful and Fruit [...]ul Years, and very few of us (scarce any) have Improved them to that End, for which they were given us by the Lord, and his hand maid, N [...]u [...]e; Bu [...] most that abound in Plenty, have Gratified their Lusts and P [...]ssions, and such as have not had wherewi [...]h to comm [...]t the same Intemp [...]rances in Act, have done it in their W [...]lls and desires; And shall no [...] our God visit us for these and other crying Abominations, daily exhaled from our [...] s [...]reets and Dwellings? I will not take upon m [...] to averr a Pi [...]ue o [...] Scarcity shall be the next Year, Iehovah the All-Wise, is the Limiter of Times and Seasons for Ex [...]raor­dinary Judgments: But I may say, that pro [...]a [...]ly, accordin [...] to the prosp [...]ct of Natural Causes, such Calamities seem not farr off, and 'twill concern every Man living to prepare for it;

But to proceed. Great and no l [...]ss Iust are the Cries of the Poor in such a sh [...]rp and pinching Season as [...]his; For f [...]w of them h [...]ve the Oppor­tunity, or at least the Prudence [...]nd Fo [...]e-sight, to lay up any thing to sup­port them in a necessitous Times. How many [...]housands of ver [...] many Trades about this populous City▪ and e [...]ewh [...]re, cannot now possibly follow their Callings, or ge [...] any thing whereby to sustain themselves and Per [...]shing Families with Br [...]d? And can you▪ whom God has but in­trusted with plentiful Est [...]tes, gorge your selves with over-charged Tables even to a su [...]feit, and Rio [...] wi [...]h excessiv [...] Bo [...]les of Wine, whi [...]st your Brethren thus languish and Dye for want of Necess [...]ri [...]s? Can you but think that God at such a Juncture calls upon you for his Q [...]it-R [...]nt out of those vast Revenues which you hold me [...]rly by the Tenure of his free and undeserved Gift?

Great and truely R [...]y [...]l has our gracious Soveraigns Bounty and Cha­rity, sh [...]w'd it self on [...] occasion, as well by bestowing a Consider [...]ble Summ Hims [...]lf as C [...]mmanding the Officers of every Parish to Impor­tun [...] the Charity of [...] Inhabit [...]nts

Pursuant to [...]hi [...] Gr [...]at and Generous Example, M [...]thinks all you that are Loyal Subjects, and would be thought good Chr [...]stians, should be [Page 6] forward to Contribute to the Common Necessities; And what if you should resolve for one Day in a week, (at least during such an hard time) to restrain your selves from large Eating and s [...]t Meals, and wholly on that day forbear Bibbing of Wine and strong Liquors (I dare promise you, it shall be never the worse for your Health, but the better, as also for your Business) and Imploy what you so Save, in Charitable Uses to the Relief of the Poor? Such a thing has been done on a worse occasion within our Memory, and therefore is not Impracticable. By this only means within Londons Bills of Mortality might easily be raised Twenty Thousands pounds a week for the Poor; And no Man a Farthing the worse, but even in his Estate the better (and much more in his Health, which is more Valuable than the greatest Estate in Christendome) for without dispute there are within that Circuit more than an Hundred thousand Families whose Dinners each Day Cost them (one with another) more than three Shillings each, I mean ext [...]avagantly, in Flesh, Fowls or Fish, when a little Bread and Cheese, Milk or the like, might as well, (nay I am sure would better) for once at least in a Week, supply Nature; Now one hun­dred thousand three Shillings is Fifteen-thousand pound; and then 'tis not to be doubted (since in this Age Generally more is spent in Drink, than Victuals) but tha [...] there are above one Hundred thousand Persons that daily lavish away above twelve pence a Day in Wine, Brandy, Ale, or some strong Liquors, which they forbearing but for one day in a week, and bestowing as aforesaid, thereby may be raised [...]ive thousand pound more, and so in the whole twenty thousand pounds a week, which justly distri­buted, would bravely supply Four-score thousand Families, at Five shil­lings a week a peice, or afford an hundred and threescore thousand Poor People half a Crown a peice every week. And will you suffer such a Number of Souls to perish, for want, rather than abridge your wanton Palates and Insatiate Paunches of unnecessary, nay pernitious Danities, one only Day in a Week? Look up thou Sottish Epicure that Denyest it, and call thy self Christian hence forwards if thou Darest.