STRANGE NEVES.
At London printed for G. Vincent and W. Blackwal and are to be sold at Guildhall gate.
To the Reader.
WHAT Credit this straunge Report may purchase (Gentle reader) is a thing I greatly respect not, and much lesse contend for: yet, thus much let me tell thee, it had th'pprobation of some, both of good iudgment, and staide discretion, and of such Place and Condition, as may superseede all suspition of vaine or idle impositions. And for my part, this I dare assure thee, it agreeth in all poyntes, with the High Dutch Coppie, whence it was translated: first printed at VIENA in Austria, which for my better satisfaction I caused to bee brought vnto mee, and diligently conferd them togither, before resolued Opinion, being no lesse scrupulous then any to giue furtherance to any matter, eyther of false or friuolous import, a thing neyther suting the state of these tymes, not sorting mine owne condition. Now for my opinion herein; The playnesse of the Style wherein it [...] written, voide of Ambages, Amplifications, and all other. Vaine flourishes (such as nimble wits, might very easily haue inuested such a Subiect withall) is to me no small argument of the verity thereof: The prodigjes themselus also, iust as wel in matter as manner sorting the nature and disposition or these tymes, both touching their generation and forme, and apt representation of the Euents by them presignified.
But admit the verity and strangnes too (as indeed it is both strang & horrible) yet so long, hath bin the conti [...]ante of happy and acceptable times, without any great or notable [Page] tast of contrarietie, that wee thinke they will neuer haue end, neyther fearing chaung, nor crediting any thing that may giue occasion of such doubt: not much vnlike the Isralites, (God in mercy a little differing the'xecution of his iudgmēts denounced by the Prophets Ieremy & Ezekiel) growing into so constant conceipt of setled securitie, that they neyther credited vision, nor feared the event thereof: holding for vndoubted truth, that neyther was such visions of any effect, nor any such thing shoulde happen vnto them, or like those in the Apostles time, who because they saw neyther chaung, nor likelyhood of chaung of times, before or after them, could hardly entertaine the credit of such things as was spoken touching the misteries of mans redemption. But this is to abuse times bountie, & the long suffering of the great God of heauen, who a [...] he answered the one, the dayes are at hand, and the effect of euery vision: there shall be no more such a prouerb amongst you, for no visions shall be any more in vayne, nor diuinations miseffectuall: Th'other. There was an age before them, for like sinne and corruption destroyed and perished by the general deluge, so wil he quit our misconstruction of his louing kindnes & good patience with some [...]odayne & imminent vengeance, an argumēt whereof may be this, & many more prodigious Ostenrs partly past and many more yet to come, & some now imminent. & surely this I dare be bold to say. If these mundane & moueable bodies be mutually impressiue & impressible, nature constant in her Periods & reason experience & Iugmēt in man, be of any power or credit. The great coniunction of ye two superior bodies Saturne and Iupiter, constipated with so many seuerall coniunctions and radiations of other planets, and in the same place very neare, in parle together as it were for some strange decree of great consequence. The Earth's and Moones late and horrible obscurations, the frequēt Ecclipsations of the fixed bodyes; by the wandring, the fixed stars, I meane with the planets, [Page] within these fewe yeares more then ordinary, shall without doubt (salued diuine inhibytion) haue their effects no lesse admirable, then the positiues vnusuall. Which PEVCER with many more too long to reharse out of continuall obseruation and the consent of all Authors noted to be, new Leagues, Trayterous Designements, Catching at Kingdomes, translation of Empyre, downefall of menn in Authoritye, aemulation, Ambition, Innouatious, Factious Sects, Schisms and much disturbance and trobles in religion and matters of the Church, with many other thinges infallible, in sequent such orbicall position and Phaenomenes. Examples and instances whereof he setteth downe many both out of his owne experience and histories of diuers ages, wherein Mirald us also is so constant, that he peremtorily concludeth, Regnorum fatales mutationes, effectus grandes, et casus notabiles nunquam contigisse, quin causa aliqua coelestis, et praemonstratio ceu de classico ill [...]s notis ante ce [...]inerint, et quasi digito ostenderent, & MANILIVS nunquam futilibus excanduit ignibus aer.
Seing then yt so many praemōstraciōs of fearful euent, as these straung dispositions of mundane bodies, this and many more prodigious ostents, some past, & more to come (as I said (are yet as it were before our Eies, it shall not bee amisse with the prouident & vigilant Ante, whilest it is yet Summer & Haruest, to prouide for the necessitie of Winter, least, with Salomons idle foole, whilest we sleep and slumber, and folde our handes: yet a little, and yet a little, in the affiance of our misconceiued securitie, misery come vpon vs, as one trauelling by the way, & necessitie like an armed man.
And thus commending all to thy best construction, I rest
From my house the George next Dyers Hall in Thames street. London February 11 1605.
STRANGE fearful & true newes, which hapned at CARLSTADT, in the kingdome of CROATIA.
DECLARING HOW THE Sunne did shine like Bloude nine dayes together, and how two Armies were seene in the Ayre, the one encountring the other.
And how also a Woman was deliuered of three prodi gious sonnes,, which Prophisied many strange & fearefull thinges, which should shortly come to passe, All which happened the twelfth of Iune, last, 1605. which is the 2 day of the moneth, according to our computation.
Translated out of the Dutch Coppie, Printed at VIENNA in Austria.
LONDON, Printed by R. B. for G. Vincent and VV, Blackwall, & are to be solde ouer against Guild-hall Gate.
NEWES From Carlstadt, in the Knigdome of Croatia in Germanie.
MARKE and consider wel with your selues deere Christians (both Rich & Poore) of what estate or degr [...]e s [...] you [...]e, and sake all the mean [...] that possible y [...] [...]an to a [...]nd [...]our li [...]es: for that the Lorde ab [...], [...] [...]yl [...] [...]hr [...]ten vs more and more, and sheweth vs his [...] h [...]y [...]d which he intendeth to punnish vs withall, for our most foule and wicked sin [...] which we c [...]ti [...] ally [...]to more and m [...]e, but we reg [...]d it not any [...]ing at all.
I [...] Y [...] of [...] GOD, 160 [...]. Th [...] Inhabitants of Carl [...]adt were much [...] in great perple [...]ie: for t [...]t the Sunn [...] [...] [...] ri [...] and [...]d right [...] their Church, [...]he sa [...] about (as it plainly appeared [...]) [...] [...] and fearfu [...] sight, w [...]s [...] of many people.
Oh, deare Breethren and Christians all, l [...]t v [...] h [...] [...]spect to [...] [...]hic [...] GOD hath [...] [Page] dayes together, as it were in red bloud, hauing on the one side Moones & Turkish S [...]bells: and on the other side great Ordinance.
The Citizens of Carlstadt were mightely affrayde at the sight hereof, which hapned on a Sunday, (being the t [...]elfth of Ivne as aforesaid) On which day also, was séene too great Armys of men of warre, encountring one another in the Ayre, with such wonderfull noyce, that the same was heard vppon the Earth, as sounding of Trumpets, and such like. And had theire Ensignes and Standers with Starres and halfe Moones as the Turkes do vse.
The whole Commonaltie both great and small, did wring their handes at the sight hereof, so did they also, that dwelled far of, & then presētly was séen a great Armie of Christians in ye Ayre, ready to resist the Turks.
No Emperour or King, did euer fight such a battaile as there was seene in the Ayre: There were Spiritual men séene in the Christian Armie, and many flaine of the Turkes and Infidels.
There a man might haue séene such running & Ryding of the Turkes, that the people were al astonished, for all the Turkish horses did run vp to the knees in the Christians bloud.
But beholde the wonderfull woorkes of Almighty God, for when the battaile began, [which was from the Euening, till thr [...]e of the Clocke in the Morning] and then the Moone did lose her light and the Horsemen vanished quite away. But yeat marke what hapned more.
A Woman was heard in the same Citiy to trauell in [...]earing of child [...] together: And [Page] then a strange thing was séene in the Ayre, for she was deliuered of three Sonnes, as in the Picture is to bee seene.
The first of theyse Prodigious Children had foure heads, which spake and vttred strange things. The second Child was black like a More, & the third Chyld like vnto Death.
The Child with foure heads, began to crye a loud, and many women rann to heare it, one of the heads said with high voice: There shall shortly many Hungarians be slayne by the Turkes.
The second head said: All the wonders of the Turks which you haue seene in the Ayre: Shall all come too passe.
The Turk with many Tartars, shall overcome all Hungarie, euen to Austria, and Morauia.
The third head said. The Emperour, Kings Earles and Lords, shall then arise, and shall put the Turke to flight. The fourth head said, before that come to passe, strange wonders shall appeare.
The black Child began to cry a loud, a time of dearth is at hand, both here and in other places, which shall not escape you, men shall perish for hunger, and great want shall be of corne and graine.
The third Child began to crye, repent and amend your liues, before death do catch hold on you, this Chyld was like vnto Death to see to, and said for certaine great death and mortality shall come ouer poore and Rich.
Come hither both young and olde, sayd the black child, remember these words here spoken and conceals them not, many great wonders shall be seene, before [Page] one thousand & ten be written: Shall all come to passe.
These three Children, hauing spoken these things, died anon after. Euery man wondred, and the people were altogether astonished, and mooued to the hart, with the strangenes of this Prophecy.
Let vs pray to God for grace, and call vpon his holy name, both e [...]rly and late, that we abstaine from sinne, and amend our liues, for the d [...]y of the Lord is at hand.