THE main Ocean being the general Empire or Dominion of the Whale, the admiring World look upon it as a prodigie, if at any time that mighty Leviathan makes a prodigal excurtion out of his own ſpacious Confines, to ſport himſelf in any Creek or River.

Some People have been ſo ſuperſticious as to take notice, that there commonly falls out ſome extraordinary Change or Revolution in thoſe Countreys where ſuch a thing happens; but what reaſon they have for it, I cannot yet imagine: So heretofore Men took their Augury from flying-Birds, or the entrails of dead Beaſts; but how little intelligence this as inquiſitive, and if I did not live in it my ſelf, I ſhould ſay more learned Age, has gathered out of ſuch Obſervations, I leave to the Prudent to Compute.

I know ſome Men who have precipitated their own Mortality, and conceited they ſhould immediately dye, before (as the ſubſequence after proved it) Providence intended their expiration; meerly upon the inſignificant Clicking, or well-meaſured palpitation of a diſcontented Wood-worm, or Death-watch. Others who have took pet at their own Salubrioſity or Health, and been frighted into an Ague, or Conſumption at the letcherous ſhricks of a wanton Weeſel. For my part, who am no Admirer of Old Womens Stories, I know no reaſon why we may not as rationally tremble at the obſtreperous neighings of a Rude Stone-Horſe; or put on a Sick Cap at the laſcivious noiſe of a clamorous Catterwauling, as be terrified at either of them. So far am I from inſinuating any doubts or fears into the minds of any of my Fellow Subjects, that I think they had never leſs occaſion to apologize a ſmile, or excuſe the mirth of a Jubilee, than now they have; and perhaps the moſt diſcontented of them would club with me in that belief, would their frenzy give them ſo much patience as to conſider, That moſt part of the yet known World are now involved in Martial Broils; whilſt the indulgent Heavens are ſo kind as to admit us to be the quiet Commiſerators of their miſeries.

My Pen raves, and Phancy itches to amplifie upon that Subject; but fearing my large Porch is already too big for my little Houſe, I will baulk my inclinations to purſue my Theme.

Being not over-cumber'd with buſineſs, I made it part of mine to walk the Streets, which I found lately infected with the hideous noiſe of a Blazing-Star, or prodigious Comet, which was viſibly ſeen here in England (as if other Parts of the World were not admitted The fine ſh— or Rarity ſhow; and might not as reaſonably appropriate inſuing evills to themſelves, as ſome of our diſcontented Fanaticks do to us) whereupon I conſulted the Judgment of the Learned concerning the nature of a Meteor, which I find them all agree (except the Lillian Tribe) to be no other than an Ignis fatuus, or Will of the Wiſp drawn by the Sun's extraordinary exhalations into a higher Sphere, and owns its elevation to that degree of heat which attracts it.—

After this I heard the Multitude ask for an Account of a Strange Whale, which was lately taken —they could not tell where, but ſomewhere about England they were ſure of it. This made me ſolicitous to enquire after it; and I was ſo fortunate at laſt to meet with the Maſter of a Ship who was an Eye-witneſs of its incurſion, and gave me this following Account concerning it.

That on the 23. of this preſent Month April, the Neighbouring Inhabitants to a fair River in Eſſex, known by the Name of Wivner-River (whoſe Mouth opens to the Sea) perceived a great diſturbance in the Water, which biggened the expectations of the Countrey-Men in thoſe parts, ſo that ſome of them threw down their Shovels, others forſook their Plough-tails; and in fine, the generality of them left their Imployments to go to be the Spectators of the Event of ſo unuſual an Accident. The troubled Water put ſome of them into pious cogitations, whilſt others gaping for the Event, ſpy'd the back of a Fiſh of an extraordinary ſize, who by her diſcontented poſtures and frequent ſtruglings ſeem'd to quarrel with the narrowneſs of the River for more Elbow-room. She ſometimes threw her prodigious Head above the Waves, at other times with her ſpreading Tail ſhovelled the Sands ſo high, that part of them fell on the Spectators Heads: One while ſhe flownced at ſuch a rate, that they beheld the greateſt part of her Body, and with the ponderous ſquelſh of her large Bulk falling again into the Water, made the depreſſed Waves in a haughty inſurrection out-ſwell their Bancks, and threaten an over-flow to the Neighbouring Meads.

In this diſcontented motion ſhe continued to go up ſome part of that River, till ſhe came within ſix miles of Colcheſter, where the Sands being waſht away by the preceding Tide, ſhe was fain to ſtruggle for life in a low Water and hard bottom; where, with her extraordinary endeavour to quit her ſelf of that premunire, ſhe brake off part of her Tall, and with a deluge of Blood which immediately iſſued from that fraction, coloured the whole Stream with a ſanguine or bloody Tincture; in ſo much that thoſe Inhabitants who lived ſome diſtance off, nearer the Sea, were ſtartled at the alteration, and really imagined that no leſs an accident than that of a Bloody fight could ſtain the Water with ſo deep a Dye.

In fine, the Spectators were amaz'd; no Man durſt venture to ſeize upon the unuſual Viſitant, till at length ſhe her ſelf ſav'd them that labour; for having ſtruggled ſo long in thoſe ſhallow Waters, ſhe bruis'd her ſelf ſo much, that had ſhe not had that misfortune of breaking off her Tail, it is ſince judg'd ſhe could not have liv'd, had ſhe recovered her beloved Ocean.

In ſhort, Reader, this Gentleman who gave me this information told me that in this lamentable condition ſhe endeavoured to reſiſt her fate, till at length, for want of both breath and blood, ſhe dyed in the Water, being of ſo large a bulk that the River could not cover her: Her Body ſtrutted out of the Waters like a Hill, or Promontory; and when ſhe was drawn out of the River and came to be meaſured, ſhe was found to be no leſs than fifty Foot in length, and twenty eight in thickneſs.

Perhaps it may be expected by ſome, that ſince I have undertaken to give an account of the arrival of this prodigious Creature, I ſhould alſo turn Naturaliſt, and be obliged to give the World the Reaſon of their excurſions in general.

I know there are divers have gueſs'd at thoſe inducements which have cauſed Whales to wander out of their Natural Province, the unbounded Ocean; but ſince they have not been able to giue us a ſenſible demonſtration, we may chuſe whether we will pin an implicite credulity on their (in other things) authentick ſleeves.