THE GREAT EARTHQVAKE IN CALABRIA.
1.
A Sable quill puld from a Ravēns wing,
My muse would bee accomodated with
An instrument fit for this mournful thing
Of which I purpose to set down the pith
It is a subject which may teares extract
From him who all his life compunction lackt.
2.
A story 'tis, which to the world unfolds
Such horror and amazement, and withall
Such motives unto feare, that who beholds
(With inward eyes) the same, it may appall,
His heart, although of flint or marble made,
To powder, what is here in briefe display'd.
3.
Man that's composd of the foure Elements,
Offending his Creator, by the same
Hath punish'd beene, as diverse presedents
Divine and humane, to the world proclaime.
Water did all the world o'rewhelme; with fire,
Lewde Sodome and Gomorrah did expire.
4.
[...]he ayre insected with many stinking sins,
[...]estiferous diseases hath, and doth,
[...]roduce, our owne experience credit wins
[...]nd ratifies all that I say for troth.
The earth hath often quak'd as't were with dread,
That sinfull man, upon the same should tread.
5.
This is the theame on which my mourning muse,
Hath undertane (at this time) to insist,
[...]rom Italy this strange and dreadfull newes,
By too true notion is made manifist,
Where such an earthquake happened of late,
The like, time nere to man did promulgate.
6.
The twenty seventh of March byth Roman count;
Seventeenth by ours, within this present yeare,
This horid earthquake chan [...]'d, which doth surmount,
All of which I did ever reade or heare,
Compassion mooves me when I here recite,
What with a quaking heart and hand I write.
7.
Ith' Province of Calabria, situate
Ith' Heopolonian Kingdome faire,
Where Spaines Dominion doth it selfe dilate,
Famous for building, fertile soyle, sweete ayre,
This wonderous pulpitation of earths frame
Hath marvels wrought Hyperbolous to name
8.
Twixt three and foure oth' clocke ith' afternoone,
Oth' day aforesaide, this mischance did fall,
By which million of millions are undone,
Nay millions have lost lives and goods withall,
Many faire buildings are laid on the ground,
Which but one houre before stood firme and sound.
9.
Eight Cities great, (as true report unfolds,
Of large Expansion, populous and strong,
With foure and twenty Townes, Castles, and Holds,
In this destruction meare laid flat along.
That honour wherein some too much doe trust,
Was on a sudden (here) laid in the dust.
10.
Some of these Cities, Townes, and Castles were,
All quite destroyd some halfe, some more, some lesse,
A miserable thing it is to heare,
Our Lord defend us from the like distresse.
In this (and other accidents) we may,
Behold the Power Divine, and our fraile stay.
11.
It is conjectur'd, that of all estates,
Men, Women, Children, yong, old, rich, and poore,
Full fifty thousand finished their dates,
Not onely (as we say) brought to deaths doore,
But all into his house, within one houre.
Were brought (as captives,) to's imperiall power.
12.
[...]e thinkes I see with my interiour eyes
And through the Organs of my soule I heare
[...]he dolefull shreekes, and lacrimable cryes,
Which tender Parents made for children deare,
Husbands for Wives, wives for their husbands cry,
That suffer'd in this sad calamity.
13.
Children for Parents seeke, alas in vaine,
Brothers for Sisters, sisters brothers call,
Friends for the losse of friends, with woe complaine,
But conquering death hath made a pray of all,
Insatiate tyrant, could thy jawes devoure,
No lesse then fifty thousand in one houre.
14.
[...]ot onely people of the meaner sort,
[...]n this disasterous tragedy did share,
[...]ut also Nobles had their dayes cut short,
[...]rand Signeours with their Ladies young and faire,
In that same space of time, were living, and
Dead (as we say) at th'turning of a hand.
15.
[...]mong the rest, one thing is worthy note,
City nam'd Castalione there,
[...]he Prince, (or governour) about was sought,
[...]nd live nor dead was not found any where,
Some parts of his deare Lady were discry'd,
And knowne from other Ladyes who then dy'd.
16.
O Christians in your hearts imprint this thing,
Tis fit you should remember't every day,
Nay every houre, or minute; you who sing,
Drinke, sweare, and drab to passe your times away,
Can you claime any priviledge or power,
When fifty thousand perish'd in one houre.
17.
You may perceive by this what fickle trust,
Ought to be given to this worldly state,
Tis true we all must dye, the case is just,
But who is he that's certaine of his date,
Now 'live and merry, in a moments spacē,
Dead and perhaps brought in a farre worse case.
18.
This fearefull accident though farre remote
Let English men lay neare unto their hearts,
We who upon security so dote,
As though we were alone from other parts
Sequesterd, that no misery may us touch,
Heaven grant, we don't presume of this too much.
19.
You who on worldly drosse such confidence
Impose, as if it would for ever bide,
In this sad glasse behold what weake defence,
The world affords to them who doe confide
Vpon her trust; here Cities, I ownes, and tall
Castles, within one houre both stand and fall.
20.
For buildings Christendome could not compare,
Vnto that Country where this chance befell,
Calabria what climate was more rare,
What People more in bravery did excell,
Naples, the world admires for every thing,
That to humanity may pleasure bring.
21.
And this Calabria now the Sable stage,
Whereon this dreadfull [...]ragedy was playd,
Belongs to Naples and might equipage,
Hold with the best oth' Land; for (as I said)
All requisite for profit or delight,
May there be found, or (at the reast) it might.
22.
But this notorious Earthquake which did spread,
Six hundred twelve miles in circuite thereabout,
Besides those fifty thousand that are dead,
They who are sadly left alone (I doubt)
Are in such misery through this mischance,
That death to them would be a furtherance.
23.
Let us (if w [...]ell be Christians as we ought,
Or as w'are nam'd) compassionate this case,
The soules of those who dy'd, our Saviour bought
With stripes, with Ignominy and disgrace,
And dy'd that they might live; O let us then,
Leave judging them, least we be Iudg'd agen.
24.
Yet it is lamentable to conceive,
A Corasive tis to a tender heart,
To thinke that death in one houre should bereave
The breaths of fifty thousand with one dart.
For oft reiteration blame me not,
Such fearefull judgements should be ne're forgot.
25.
To shew the naturall causes why the earth,
(Fixed by Heaven never to remoove,)
Doth quake in judgement, I confesse a dearth,
For I resolve never to sore above,
The pitch of my owne knowledge; but refer,
The curious to the Learn'd Astrologer.
26.
Nor were it (altogether) requisite,
To shew you (if I could) such causes heere,
For be they what they may (or can) be, yet
The God of Nature's Power therein shines cleere,
Who can be ignorant that he doth still,
By secondary causes worke his will.
27.
The most abject of Creatures, frogs and mise,
He can suborne proud Pharoahs heart to quell,
Thrasonicke Herod, may be eate with lice,
And many proofes (too tedious here to tell)
Are instances to shew that tis our God,
That strikes the stroke, what ever be the rod.
28.
Will Hezekia of his plague be quit,
Then let him figge leaves to the sore apply,
A heavenly Doctor doth administer it,
Or else for all the figge leaves he may dye.
By such things which to humane sence appeares,
Preposterous, he ex [...]cts our love, and feare.
29.
Now to returne from whence I have degrest,
[...]et every Christian (as before I said)
[...]mprint this sad disaster in his brest,
And thinke that though our Lord his hand hath stayd
From scourging him; yet let him well forecast,
For all old reckonings must be paid at last.
30.
The str [...]ke that's long a striking when it comes
[...]t falleth heavy; patience too much urg'd
Breakes into fury: selfe conceite benummes
[...]s English men, cause other Lands are scorg'd
And ours is not: instead of thankefulnesse,
We all ascribe to our owne worthinesse.
31.
[...]he Spaniard is by nature very proud,
[...]he Dutchman he [...]s inclin'd to drunkenesse,
[...]he French with flattery doth his falshood shroud,
[...]he Italians bent to lust, this all confesse,
But England with all natures so agrees,
Shee is a briefe compendium of all these.
32.
In pride, ebriety, fraud, lechery,
These severall nations must of us come short,
[...]n fashions we have such variety,
The Readers knowledge passes my report.
Of either Sex it cannot [...]e deny'd,
No nation the English shall excell in pride.
33.
Ebriety (or swinish dunkennesse)
Is so in use among both high and low,
Our loves we cannot to our friends expresse,
Vnlesse with drinke we make their braines to crow,
No Almaine, Belgian, Dane, nor Switzer, can
For drinking be compar'd to th' Englishman.
34.
And are we not bent to dissembling,
I would we were not; but the case is plaine,
In conversation 'tis a common thing,
To speake, sincere-ly, very-ly for gaine,
I wish with all my heart that writing this
Ide wrote a very lye, and thought amisse.
35.
Can we acquit our land of luxury,
While knowne examples every day are seene,
You who through age experience verity,
Tell whether heretofore the like hath beenē,
O England thou art growne unto that passe,
What now is done before time wondrous was.
36.
Nay have we not certaine peculier crimes,
Of which some other Lands are ignorant,
Brought in by the gradation of our times,
I wish no Christian might decay through want
You whom't concernes take notice what I say,
Such sins as these bring Countries to decay.
37.
All this, and more then may this time be spoke,
Is found too true, in this our untrue age,
Then sith we doe our Lord to wrath provoke,
May we not wonder why his jealous rage
Hath not consum'd us all before this time,
Sure some good prayers for us to heaven clime.
38.
Were we not drownd in pride and selfe conceite,
With humble eyes we easily might discerne,
That certainely it is Gods mercy great,
To spar's; for had we what our sins doe erne
We had beene ere this as Sodome and Gomorrah,
But Abrahams number doth some respite borrah.
39.
Me thinkes I can't too oft reiterate,
This counsell which I heretofore have given,
O England wouldst thou still retaine thy state,
Then shew thy gratitude, give thankes to Heaven,
Desire this benefactor that thou maist
Injoy his Love as hitherto thou hast.
40.
Behold his judgement in his present theame,
Confesse thy selfe that thou deserv'st as much,
Neither let any take this as a dreame,
Who so conceives, if there be any such,
He seekes to tye Gods power within the chaines
Which he hath forg'd in's owne instable braines.
41.
Not that I would binde any mans beleefe,
Vnto Vox Populi (or so they say)
For then I doe confesse (and speake with griefe)
More tales then true he might heare every day.
But this sad story of Calabria's woe,
Hath all that truth can have, its truth to shoe.
42.
It is no newes brought from Duke Humphryes tombe,
Nor Graves-end Barge: nor any thing invented,
But what from Ʋenice did (to England) come.
Where in Italian 'twas (with Licence) Printed.
If any to gainesay it goes about,
He may as well of any writings doubt.
43.
Gods Power cannot be circumscrib'd in bounds,
Thats a meere Atheisticall opinion,
For he who with a blast his foes confounds,
Can we set limits unto his Dominion.
And that none may plead ignorance, every age
Hath view'd his wonders, acted oth' worlds stage.
44.
I will not intermeddle Sacred writ,
With my prophane discourse, nor need I do't,
The Power Divine appeares so plaine in it,
The meanest capacity doubts not to kno't,
But touching Earthquakes, and such horrid things,
What History affords, my industry brings.
45.
And 'cause tis to my Countrymen I write,
I from our English Chronicles will gather,
A List of what did former times affrite,
And I conceite 'twill gaine beleefe the rather;
Because 'tis out of our owne stories drawne,
For proofe of which my credit is in pawne.
A memoriall or List of some Earthquakes and other horrible accidents which heretofore have hapned in England, &c.
In Anno Mundi 3907. in the Raigne of Rinalo the 12. King of Britaine from Brute, before our blessed Redemers birth 766. it rained blood 3. dayes, after which come venomous Flyes which slew many people, and there insued such a mortality, that the Land was almost quite depopulated.
In Anno Dom. 778. in the raigne of Brithrius King of the west Saxions it rained blood from heaven, which falling on mens cloaths appeared like crosses.
In Anno Dom. 1088. in the second yeare of King Wil [...] Ruffus, on the 11. day of Angust was a marvelous grea [...] Earthquake in England, which overturned many house and Churches, and killed many people.
In Anno Dom. 1098. in the 12. yeare of the same King raigne, at Finchester in Barkesheire, a well cast out bloo [...] as before it had done water, and afterward for the space of 15 dayes, great flames of fire were seene in the ayre.
In Anno. Dom. 1550. in the 4. yeare of Edward the sixt upon the the 25. of May, being Munday, about noone there was an Earthquake for the space of a quarter of an houre, a [...] Blenchingly, Godsted, Croyden, Albery, and diverse other places in Surry and Middlesex.
In Anno Dom. 1579. the 19. of Queene Elizabeth, on the 6. of Aprill was a generall Earthquake over all England, especially the South part, which shooke and overturned many houses, Churches, and Castles, and slew a great number of people, which wrought such a sudden distraction and amazement among the survivers, that many thought doomes day was come.
46.
And what of all this may the Reader say,
To whom I answer theres a reason just,
For many hearts are hardned at this day,
They'll beleeve nothing but what needs they must.
What their owne eyes behold 'nay hardly that,
This is a thing much to be wondered at.
47.
These severall examples here produc'd
From our owne records, seene in our owne Land,
I thinke by no just man will be refusd,
This being presum'd, then Reader understand,
Earthquakes have beene in England as is shownē,
Why not in Italy, though to us unknowne.
48.
Now being informed by inteligence
Which cannot be suspected; let us then
Construe all to a charitable sence,
And feare our Lord, expecting daily when,
We shall by death be rested for our breath,
And pray 'gainst sudden unprovided death.
48.
Let the remembrance of those Christians which,
Have suffered sudden death in this sad chance,
Be an admonishment to poore and rich,
To arme themselves for death's (none sparing) lancē,
The want of preparation is the worst,
For death is sudden, come it last or first.
50.
Lastly, lets all invoke the Power Divine,
To keepe us from destruction and mishaps,
And that his favours on us still may shine,
Defending us from all the snares and traps,
Which enemies may lay to this effect.
Our King, Queene, and blest Issue, Lord protect, Amen.
FINIS.