A Letter with a Narrative, written to the right Hon:ble THOMAS ALLEN Lord Major of London, &c. concerning a strange Sight that appeared over this City of London, in the yeare 1642. when the King was driven from his Parliament, Dated as followeth.
I Doe with all due respects (upon sight of your late Proclamation) make bold to acquaint your Honour, with a strange sight which appeared over this City in 1642. not improper for the worke of next Friday. I am sorry I had not acquainted your Lordship with it, before you publisht your Proclamation, for it will conduce much to the worke of the day, to let the People know what warning God offered to this City in 1642. and may much increase their Devotion and humiliation upon the day, or as many dayes as it shall please God to put into your Lordships heart, to command the people (under you) to meet againe upon the like Humiliation; For this neglect hath been so long, that I feare it will require many dayes of humiliation before Gods Judgments will be remitted. There hath been many Fasts, since God sent this City warning in 42. but no proper returne hath been made by this City in 17. yeares, to answer God againe; till it hath pleased God to put it into your heart at this time (NEHEMIAH like) to command a Fast, which I hope will prove effectuall as his did.
I thinke my selfe happie, that I can see it begun in Your time, which your Predecessor did either neglect, or tooke no cognizance of. I hope it will be a means to preserve this City; if with reverence, and effectually performed; as I doubt not, I could have wished that you had made it Nehemiahs fast; that both Man and Beast might have fasted strictly; But for that, I submit to your Honours better Judgment, and shall ever pray for your Honours health and happiniss, and the Cities safety.
A Narrative of the strange Apparition which appeared over this City of London in the yeare 1642. about the time that the late King Charles was forced away from his Parliament by the rude multitude.
IN the yeare 1642. in the Christmass Holidayes, there appeared over this City of London, a Bow of Smoake in the Firmament (in a cleere Star-light night no cloud seene) which had his motion over the City about three houres before it dispiersed it selfe. The rising of it was about Aldgate or White Chappell, and extended it self as farre as St. Giles in the Fields to our appearance, and began his motion over the North part of the City, moving in a perfit body (for about three houres) towards the South, till it came over the Thames, and there, and then scattered and dispierst it selfe. The bredth of the bow was about an Ell to our seeming: It was observed by divers Gentlemen in the Fleet which I spare not to name, Sir Iohn Digby, Mr. Thorne of Bedford, Mr. Newcomin, 2. reverend Divines, Mr. James Howell, a knowing man, and they and divers more of quality, gave their opinion, that this Apparition was not Naturall, but sent by God to give warning to this City, and that the Bow of smoake intimated Fire that should consume it, and that God sent it of purpose to give warning. I doubt not but many hundreth in the City saw it, but slighted it, as being smoake a common vapour that comes out of every Chimney, and appearing at that time of Night when few people were abroad, twixt Eight and Eleven at night, there could bee little notice taken of it; but at the Fleet upon notice given, most of the Gentlemen of the house went up into the Leads, where you might looke over all the houses as farre as Aldgate, and had a full view of the manner and motion of it, which struck a great amazement into many of them, whereof I was one, and did observe it from almost the beginning, till it came over the Thames and dispierst it selfe. So much for the description and manner of this apparition.
LONDON, Printed for Nath. Butter, residing in Cursitors Alley, 1659.