God's Marvellous Wonders In ENGLAND: Containing divers strange and wonderful RELATIONS that have happened since the beginning of June this present Year, 1694.
CHAP. I. A strange and wonderful Account of the raining of Wheat out of the Skies in Wiltshire.
WE have an Account from divers Persons of Credit, in the County of Wilts, That some People being early abroad on the 27th. of June [...]ast, to get in their Hay, and about their other necessary Occasions, observed Grains of Wheat to drop on them, and on the Ground round about them; some very [...]ong, some more round than usually our Wheat is, and some as it were Triangle or Three-corner'd: At first they supposed [...]t might be blown from the neighbouring [Page 4]Ricks or Barns, the Wind being pretty high, and the Weather very hot, which might make the Husk give way, and loosen the Grain; or that some Birds flying over their Heads, might drop it out of their Beaks: But upon a more stricter Observation it happened from none of these; fo [...] in some Places it fell so thick, that some of them picked up a Pint in a little space and found it along the Road, near Wodden Basset. And here it so happened in diver [...] other Parts of that County to their great Admiration and Astonishment; so that upon some Showers of Rain that fell, [...] soon after sprung up in the Roads and other Places, where no other Wheat ha [...] been known to be scattered in many Years Some Letters that brought this Relatio [...] to Town, had several of the Grains [...] Wheat enclosed in them, looking of [...] yellowish Colour, and somewhat small [...] than our usual Wheat.
We have an Account of the like th [...] since has happened in York-shire, near [...] Market Town, called Wigton.
This is the Lord's Doings, and is m [...] vellous in our Eyes. Therefore, since G [...] [Page 5]provides for us as he did for the Children of Israel, when he showred Quails and Manna on them, let us be thankful; let those he has blessed with Riches and Plenty remember their poor Brethren in these hard Times, that so God may continue his Blessing on us and our Heritage.
CHAP. II. An Account of the Kentish Wonder, or Grass-Fields sprouting up with Wheat, unsown, some of them Six Ears on a Root, near Maidstone, &c.
ANother wonderful Providence, much to the same purpose, we have from [...] Place near Maidstone, in the County of Kent; which take in the following man [...]er:
Near to this Town lived an honest Farmer, who by his Industry had raised himself pretty well in the World, and gained [Page 6]a very good Repute among his Neighbours, especially the poorer sort, for his Charitable Inclination to relieve their Wants and Necessities, in dear and hard Times. When, in the last scarce Winter, some other Farmers sharply reproved him for under-selling his Corn, he reply'd, Seeing God had given him all he had, it was but Reason the Poor, as God had commanded, should have the benefit of it, seeing the oftner he had relieved their Necessities, the more Blessings followed him.
He had this Year divers Pasture-Gounds, that had been lay'd down from any Ploughing, for the space of Four Years past, and through which no Corn had been carry'd, that it might by carelesness or otherway [...] scatter, when to the great Wonder and Amazement of himself and others, in the Spring, expecting Grass to spring up Blades of Corn, instead of it, sprouted up innumerable, so that Cattel was put in t [...] eat it down, as supposing it would grow up to nothing but Straw, and hinder the Gra [...] from putting out; but in a little while perceiving it grew amain, notwithstanding th [...] feeding, he drove out the Cattle, resolvin [...] [Page 7]to try what it would come to: When in the Season, it put forth Ears very large; and it is said, upon some, or a great many of the Stalks, were divers Ears, as 3, 4, and some 6; and that it is now growing flourishing, to the Admiration of all that behold it, especially in one large Field behind his House, he giving any that come to see it, leave to pluck the Ears, and carry them away, as Tokens of God's wonderful Work of Providence.
From this, Let us remember to do Good, and forget not; for with such Sacrifices God is well pleased.
CHAP. III. A wonderful Relation of a dreadful Storm of Hail, that happened at Darlington, in the Bishoprick of Durham, on the 2d. of July, 1694.
STrange are the Wonders and Products of the Airy Region, in forming several Shapes, as well as airy Phantoms of [Page 8]Men and Horses, Castles, Ships, and the like, and many times representing Fights and Battels, with great Lightnings and Thunders, as well Curtains of fiery and dusky Clouds, to draw over the seeming Tragick Scene. As also the formation of Vapours congealed or condensed into a solid Ice or Hail in the Sky, in such Forms and Fashions, as has outdone Man's Art to invent.
This has happened at sundry times in small Quantities; but for largeness and strange Forms, scarce any have paralell'd what we are about to describe.
At Darlington, in the Bishoprick of Durham, on the 2d. of July, 1694. about 3 of the Clock in the Afternoon, a great dark Cloud arising from West, and by North, spread it self very wide over the compass of a great quantity of Ground, when immediately a Clap or Two of Thunder breaking from it, with some Flashes of Lightning, e're the Travellers, and such as were getting in their Hay, and about other rural Affairs, could get shelter, to which they hasted, as fearing [Page 9]only a terrible Wetting, great Hailstones fell down to the bigness of Pigeons Egs in great abundance, insomuch that divers People were sore hurt, as also the smaller sort of Cattle who stood piteously crying and blating in the Fields, and on the Plains; the Shepherds by the sudden surprize being forc'd to fly to shelter and leave them. The Tiles and Windows in some Villages thereabouts, were miserably shatter'd and broken, and divers Starks, Crows, and Daws then upon the wing, were beaten down, some dead and some wounded.
The main force of this terrible Storm continued scarce a quarter of an Hour; but the oldest People declare they never saw any so fierce and violent in all their Times.
The Storm being over, and the Peoples Fears a little dissipated, divers of the Stones were taken up and found to be 4, 5, and 6 Inches in circumference, and many in various Forms, as Swords, Coronets, Pears, Peaches, Plumbs, bearded Ears of Corn, Roots, and Flowers, and divers others, which they really resembl'd, or Peoples Fancy enclin'd them to: But the Weather hereupon growing extream hot, they vanished [Page 10]in a dissolution of Water. We do not hear it has any ways much endamag'd the Corn in these Places; first, by reason of the short continuance of the one, and the not being full grown up of the other.
Thus we see how terribly God can arm the Elements, when he pleases, to scare us from the dull security of our Sins to a timely and lively Repentance: For as David says,
CHAP. IV. An Account of a terrible and monstrous Whale, discov [...]red off the River Humber, and the Encounter that happened between it and some Fisher-men, &c.
SOme small Vessels, the 27th. of June, being a little beyond the Mouth of the River Humber, the Wind at South-West and by West, blowing a fresh gale, one of the Men going up to order the Sail, espy'd, about a Furlong from them, the Water to spout up and fly in the Air, which made them conceit, at first, it might be a [Page 11]Watergall fallen into the Sea; but coming nearer, they perceived the Head of a mighty Fish tossing up, and still as that ducked down, her Tail appeared, and found it to be a Whale of a vast bigness, computed between 40 and 50 Foot long, and about 3 parts of that measure in Circumference; wherefore putting before it, and firing a Musquet twice or thrice, with a hasping Iron, which stuck in her Back, they thought to have turned her, that she might have taken the River, but could not: For upon her being wounded, which was very lightly, by reason they were not prepared for such an unexpected Encounter, she sunk about 4 Minutes; and then coming up without the Iron, which 'tis supposed she had rubbed off, she made away to the N. E. and got clear of them.
CHAP. V. An Account of the Discovery of the bloody Murther and Robbery committed on Mrs. Le Grand in Spittle Fields, &c.
STrange and wonderful is God's Providence in discovering the Wickedness and Barbarity of Mankind, in shedding [Page 12]his fellow-Creatures Blood, and defacing, by that impious Violence, the Image of his Creator, as has been evidently demonstrated by the strange ways Murthers have been brought to light, though committed never so secretly; sometimes by Men's restless and guilty Consciences, and sometimes by Ghosts and Spirits, of which Examples History and Authors treating of such Subjects, are very full, and give such Instances, so well testified and confirmed by credible Persons, that they are beyond Contradiction.
But among others, we shall present you with a very late Discovery of a barbarous and bloody Murther, no less remarkable in the Circumstances, and Hand of Providence that brought it to light, than any of the former.
In a Place called Spittle-Fields, near the Artil'ery Ground, by Bishopsgate-street, London, lived one Mrs. Le Grand, by Birth a Walloon French-woman, but had a long time been in England, marry'd to a Master-Weaver; who having a very considerable Trade, got Money apace, [Page 13]and dying, left his Wife, the Party above-mention'd, very rich, but withal, so niggardly and pining, that to Strangers especially, she seemed to be the poorest Woman in the Place, and stuck not to receive the Charity of well disposed People, in private, tho', at the same time, she was better able to give them. She continued privately to lend out Money upon the Tally, and by other Methods, so that she had hoarded up more Riches then can easily be believ'd, some say 10000 Pounds, and the least 2000. But notwithstanding all her cunning, some of her Kindred got an inkling of it, and especially one John Jewster, who kept an Ale-house in Bishops-gate-street, and said to marry one of her Kinswomen; and she, it seems, living longer than he expected, he undertook to rid her by a more speedy way: For confederating with one Butler, a Person of a notorious Life, and Others, they on the 8th. of June, lay'd a Plot to Rob her; and the next Day they proceeded, between 9 and 10 in the Evening, to put it in practice: When as Jewster, Butler, and another, came to her House, and sinding [Page 14]none but her, and an old Woman within, they, under pretence of coming about Business, got entrance; and having close shut the Door, without any other Ceremony, Butler siez'd Mrs. Le Grand, and barbarously Murther'd her by strangling, &c. and then girt a Handkerchief so fast about the Neck of the other old Woman, that leaving her for Dead, they fell to breaking open the Chests, Boxes, and Trunks, where they found such large quantities of Money, that they were not able to carry off a half part of it; yet loaded themselves so hard, that a 200 Pound Bag was found drop'd in the Street, tho' they were not pursu'd.
Soon after their Departure, the Linner about the last old Woman's Neck slackning, by a Hand of Providence, as it were to bring this Wickedness to light, she groaned so hard, that a next Neighbour heard her; and coming to see what the Matter was, found the Door open, and one murther'd Body in the House. Whereupon calling for other Neighbours, they entred and found what had happen'd. Three Days after, the murthered Woman was [Page 15]buried; and tho' strict Enquiry was made, and many Houses searched, yet no discovery, in some time, was made; nor were the Parties that really did it, any ways suspected, till such time as Providence brought it to light: For one Francis Jewster, Brother to the aforemention'd Party of that Name, having been made acquainted with the Business, and desired to be there, (tho' it does not appear he was with them) he grew so restless, for fear of being brought [...]n for a snack, or rather the Hand of Heaven compelling him to it, that he could not [...]est till he had discover'd it by Words he [...]et drop; which caus'd him to be brought upon Examination before a Magistrate, [...]nd there he declar'd as much as they had made him privy to. Upon this, He, his Brother, and Butler, were committed to Gaol; and the Sessions coming on, they [...]ook their Tryals at the Sessions-House, in [...]he Old-Baily, on the 13th. of July; where [...]t appearing Butler, & Others, killed Mrs. Le Grand, John Jewster being there at that [...]ime, they were found guilty of the Murther and Felony, and receiv'd Sentence of Death, and were since executed. But Francis [Page 16]Jewster, tho' he was knowing; of th [...] Business, yet it not appearing he was with them at the time of the commitment o [...] the Fact, was acquitted.
CHAP. VI. The Discovery of a barbarous and bloody Murther committed in Shorts-Gardens, i [...] St. Giles's in the Fields, &c.
ABout 3 Years since, a Woman & her Kinswoman, keeping a Coffee-House i [...] Shorts-Gardens in St. Giles's in the Fields, ha [...] in the Night-time their House broken open and both barbarously murthered, as havin [...] their Throats cut. This Murther, tho' gre [...] search was made after the Murtherers, was no [...] found out till Providence had discover'd i [...] For one Charles Dey, or Day, a Bailiff's Fo [...] lower, falling sick about the end of June last of a languishing Disease, appear'd from t [...] beginning of his Sickness much troubl'd [...] Mind, till finding he must die, as given ov [...] a dead Man, he called some People to him and declared he could not die quiet, till [...] had revealed a Secret, which happen'd [...] be these 2 Murthers; and soon after h [...] gave up the Ghost, to answer for it before the Righteous Judge of all the Earth.