THis being one of the strangest and most miraculous of all Wonders that hath happened in this our age, be­fore I come to the matter of this much to be admi­red accident, I shall instance two or three of the like nature very pertinento the same.

Pliny writes in the Wars of the Danes, what signs and Won­ders, what miserable cryes of men, clashing of Swords and Ar­mour and neighing of horses were heard, in so much that the same day that Caesar fought his battel with Pompeus the cry of [Page 2] an Army, and the sound of Trumpets were head at Antioch in Syria. Divers men that were in the battel of Marathonia a­gainst the Medians affirmed that they saw the soul of Theseus armed before the host of the Greeks as chief General and Cap­taine, running and setting on the Barbarous Medians, whom the Atherians afterward for that cause only honoured as a God.

Hector after he was slain by the hand of Achilles, appeared and desired him not to throw his Carcase to be devoured by Doggs, but rather to deliver his body to be buried. So Patro­chus appearing in like manner after he was dead to Achilles, de­sired, him to bestow upon his body all Funerall solemni­tyes.

Many such like visions we read of in the Scripture; But let us take notice of the Athenians who presaged that when Mil­tiades joyned in battel against the Persians, hearing a terrible noise, and beholding certain Spirits before the battel, to have Victory over the Persians, judging those sights and visions to be the shadow of Pan.

Likewise the Lacedemonians before they were vanquished in the battel of Leuctris, their Armour clashed together, and made an exceeding great noyse in the Temple of Hercules, so that at that time the Temple of Hercules being fast shut with Iron barrs, opened suddenly of their own accord, and the Ar­mour which hung fastened before on the wall, was found on the ground.

But now to come to this strange and much to be admired ap­pearance it self, which was as followeth, viz: The Fleet being now safely arrived from the Sound into their desired Harbours where they lye in safety, and the Souldiers being paid off, some who were in the ship called the Dunbar, do credibly report a strange and wonderfull accident which happened to one in that ship, who after he was dead and buried on the shore above five dayes, he to their great amazement rose again, and there stood upright in his Grave severall dayes together about Noon-tide, and cryed out to the Fleet with a most shrill voyce, saying unto them, that they should take up his Corps and bury him some where else further from the shore, otherwise he should disturb [Page 3] and molest all shipping that should come up that Road: upon which his dolefull cryes, some of the Seamen of the Dunbar considering thereof; were commanded out and went on shore, (after he was vanished again) and took up his Corps, and buried it again further in the Land, after which he was seen no more, to rise or disturb them in the least with these dismall exclamati­ons, for the further satisfaction of the Incredulous, those that will not put confidence hereto may enquire of any Seamen who were in that Vessel, who will maintaine the truth thereof, and de [...]lare the particulars more exactly being eye-witnesses of the same.

One thing more above the rest is also observable, That the party before he was buried came also from the Grave into the room he dy'd out of among the sick men, a woman all in black walking before, and there told them by what token they should know his Grave which was by the lying of a white Wond cross the grave, the Seamen that went after his departure found the Wand according to this direction.

In the next place I shall give you an account of as strange an appearance as the former, which was thus, viz.

Another of the Ship called the Dunbar, being a shore in a Village where several sick men of their Vessel lay, and he stand­ing at a Window reading a Book, was suddenly conveighed a­way out of the place, and being gone, severall persons missing him searched both Ditches and Wells, thinking he had made him­self away; but their long search proved to little purpose, for they could never hear of him more; At the same time many were in the same room, but neither saw nor hear'd the least noise or disturbance at his departure, or how he went from thence, which seemed as miraculous to them as the former accident.

Now to the strange and wonderfull appearance in the Ayre, which happened in the North part of England, it being very true and apparent to the sight of severall spectators, I shall give you a brief account thereof, thus, viz.

[Page 4] On Thursday Septemb. 7. in the afternoon there was seen at Markfield in Leicestershire extraordinary flashes of lightning, which breaking from the angry Clouds made way for the ensuing thunder, the claps whereof were terrible, and continued ch [...]ding and roaring in the Air for the space of an hour: At every silence and respite of the Thunder, the lightning during this dreadfull storm did break forth with great force: And the next voyce of the Thunder was louder, and more affrighting then that which was before; There were no showres of raine, but at the last there was a most black and dreadfull storm of Hail, and instead of Hail-stones there fell ratling down from the Air, Halberts, Swords, and Daggers, which being taken up were found to be of the same nature, and to be begotten of the same extremi­ty of Cold as were the Hailstones, and after a little time, both the sight and the fright which the sight brought with it, did melt away at once.

Many of the Town of Markfield, and places adjacent were much amazed at this prodigious spectacle, which to increase their wonder, was seconded by another terrible noise in the Air, as if two great Armies had been on their march, and advancing one against the other; The Canons were heard to play with importunate fury, and the Muskets on both sides in re­peated volleys did discharge their cholerick errands: During this incounter there were beheld many prodigious eruptions of sire, which with great violence did fly in the Air, and running lower, did tear in pieces many strong Houses, and laid great Trees on their backs, which in an instance were plucked up by the roots. There was not far off a Lime-kiln, on which some part of the tempest did fall with so great violence that all the Lime was blown up in the Air, Just as in a high storm the waters of the Sea are blown, when the winds and the waves do wrastle for supremacy. This being done, that part of the fiery tempest which came so low, was seen by all to take its course up the hill, where it vanished away, and was heard here no more noyse of it.

It is certified by several letters, that this Tempest at the first did appear like a thick and rowling Smoak, and sometimes [Page 5] it would cast it self into a great Circumference, like to a great wheel, or an Orbe, not easie to be compassed.

The like storm also happened in Derbyshire, and more parti­cularly in Darby Town, where although the Church stande u [...]on an advantage of higher ground then any other place, yet some part of of the Church yard and Church it self, hath been cover­red by the insolence and usurpation of the waters, and the low­er parts of the Town being almost drowned, the Inhabitants are compelled to betake themselves, and take their goods along with them into the upper rooms for their present safety, divers herds of Cattel have been destroyed by these inundations both there and in other parts.

In Scotland also they have lately suffered very much and in very many places by the late glut of rain, and immoderate wee­ping of the Clouds, which hath swelled the waters to so great a highth that about Leith the Mills are drowned, and three thousand pounds will nor make good the losse, or repair the outrages, which the violence of the inundations have commited there.

By these and other great Flouds in divers parts, whereby both harvest, and Cattel have been carried away at once, all the hopes of the lamenting husbandman is lost.

Saint Matthew witnesseth, that Moses and Elias, after they were dead many hundred years before Christ, yet they appeared bodily and ghostly in Mount Tabor to Christ, where they spake and communion together.

The soul of Lazarus did not only appear, as John saith, but he came again both soul and body in token of our rising again. But as the appearing of those sights at Gods appointment were most true, so it is most absurd to give credit that the souls of men after death do either by visions or by bodily appearance shew themselves: but the Devil is well beaten in experience of [Page 6] things, and knoweth best how he may deceive the wisest, for he is subtile and crafty. If the Marriner doth know when storm and tempests arise, if the Physitian judgeth by the Urine the state and danger of the Patient, if the skilful Astronomer can many years before exactly fortel the Eclipse of the Sun and Moon, in fine, if the souldier knoweth where the victory will happen, no marvel it is that the Devil an old Souldier, can foreshew things to come, and make things apparent of no­thing.

Thus have several miraculous appearances been in all ages, which have produced strange alterations, but the event of these time will make manifest.