WHat shall we say, when Prodegies still attend the rising Sun and the falling Sun, Heavens hand must sure be in the Jenuine product of such monstrous Births, when leaking Fires surround the dazling Orbs, and Natures self be­gins to Groan, when swife winged Lightnings and impetuous Thunders role, to rend the watry Fleeces of the Skies, where Factions Meteors Muster all their Forces, and contend with warring Elements, as if they would unhinge the Globe, or re­duce [Page 2] the Universe into its primal Chaos, and in an undigested Heap of all Confusion, lay the mighty Mass, so powerful and so dreadful have their lare effects been known, so that some have felt their irresisted Forces, and confirmed the Testimony of their Rapid Violence to after Ages, with Tragical Scene of their expired Breath, being stricken dead with unexpected Flames and many Towns and Villages have suffered much in those tem­pestuous Storms and furious gusts, beside, whole Fields of standing Corn, by violent and unexpected Showers of falling Rain and Hail, have been destroyed, to the almost undoing of many rural Intendants, but not to dwell on this too long. I shall here give my Reader an impartial Account of so strange and wonderful a Prodegy the like has not been heard in many Ages for sure it is, that Heaven seldome does austend such dreadful Sights to the admiring Sons of men, but it thereby forewarns them of some notable Event, that by such Heralds oft are usher­ed in, and certainly, a dawning Fate sits blushing on their dis­mal Fronts, the Prodegy of which I here intend to Treat, the Truth of which is credibly Attested be many seriou. Persons, who beheld the same to their Amazement; it is as followeth.

At a place called Chipping-Norton, in Oxford shire, on the 28th of July, between the hours of nine and eleven at Night, the Skies being scerene, (yet notwithstanding, by reason of the Heat attracted in the superiour Regions, by the Beams of the Sun that precedent Day) there issued great Sheets of Flame or Glan­ces of Lightning, without Thunder, by reason it met with no Opposition nor Massy Clouds in their descending to their pro­per Centers, they continued for some time without intermission, so that those Sulphurous Fumes dispersing themselves from every Quarter of the Globe that by reason of their Heat they cor­rupted the Atr, and caused a strange and unusual smell so that many adjudged it to proceed from those still continuing Sulphu­rous Flames and Exhallations, this continuing till about the the hour before mentioned, at which time, some people gazing in the Streets, and some out of their Windows, could discern strange Alteration in the course and motions of the Stars, those Nocturnal Tapers that bespangle the Blew Arch of Heaven up­on which, they tasking a more serious Observation, could from the West part of Heaven, diserne the Skies to open, and from thence to proceed, a perfect Flaming Sword, which pointed so [Page 3] directly to the East, its Shape was perfect, and of a prodige­ous size, twirling found, as if it was managed with some active Hand, at which Motion, the Golden Stars seemed all in Clu­sters, joyned as if commanded to impose themselves in Battel Array: moving with such celerity, as if each one had took his Station, all fiery red they twinkel round, and seemed to ma­nage with their sparkling Nods, no sooner did this disappear, but straight another did disclose its dreadful self, for not far di­stant from the Equater, the Skies unfolding as before, another Flaming Sword more large and perfect than the first, from which the sparkling Fire dispersed themselves abroad, still mounting upwards, and all the burning Orbs that did surround, continu­ed their like motion as the other; this appearing a considerable time, gave opportunity to the Spectators to take a more perfect View, but it also disappeared, and another in the same Form and posture, appeared at North, North West; and after many Cirklings, and often sparkling of Fire, it passed onwards to­wards the South-East; and after some time, disappeared to the Great amazement of the Beholders, who thought now that all was overpast, but they were quickly conuinced of their Errors, for in the East, Flashes of Lightning began to play most Furi­ously so that many took their Houses, to avoid the hot Flashes that descended and ran along the Ground; so that it was ex­ceeding Light, although the Moon did not shine; whereupon the Skies unfolding, another Sword appeared like unto the for­mer but larger, and of a more bloudy colour being judged to be five yards in length; but by reason of the disproportio­nable height, it was impossible to be exact in this point, but dreadful was its appearance; the Stars swiftly shooting round about it after an unwonted manner; It coming on apace to­wards the South West, tho the Wine was contrary it no sooner being arrived in the midst of our Horizon but another Appear­ed in the South, the which also moving forwards, that from the East meeting it, seemed to divide it as it were in two parts, whereupon the Skies seemed to open several times to great asto­nishment of all that observed it, and still as the Skies open­ed, the which was about ten or eleven times, some strange shapes or other appeared.

[Page 2] Thus it continued for the space of an hour and a half, all this while there being an exceeding strong and Sulpherous smell. this dreadful Scene lasted near the space of two hours, and is faith­fully Attested by several of the Inhabitants of the place afore­said.