MOst true it is which the Apostle saint Paule in the 13. to the Romans auoucheth of Kinges and Princes , saieng there is no power but of God , and the powers that bee are ordained by God . And no lesse true is that Golden sayeng of the princelie Prophet Dauid , speking in the person of God : by me kinges rule , and by me doo princes exercise authoritie .

Then it followeth necessarilie , that as kings and princes vppon earth are the ordinance of God , ( and therefore those that do resist or rebell against them doo resist the power of God , and purchase to themselues eternall damnation , as the same Apostle beareth record : so the Lord will , and dailie dooth ( as wee see by experience euery daye ) blesse the same his ordinaunce , confounding , scattering , and dispersing the practises , or rather the trecherous conspiraces of all those that rise vp against his annointed .

Which thing the Lord hath moste notablie perfourmed euen the last day vpon the French King , that valiant souldiar of his , giuing vnto him most happie and fortunate successe against the Duke of Parma . Who albeit he be otherwise a man of puissance and valor , yet the Lord our God ( blessed be his holie name therfore ) to manifest to the worlde , how muche his attempt in aiding the rebellious Leaguers , against their Soueraigne Kinge and liege Lord , dooth displease him , he crosseth him in his actions , and as it were standeth before him , and fighteth against him , sometimes striking a suddaine terror and feare into his heart , with the rest of his complices , and other-sometimes ouerthrowing them altogither in their owne plats and deuises , according to the sayeng of the Psalmist , The wicked hath digged a pitte for others , but is fallen into it himselfe .

But to come to the matter , as it pleased god it fell out thus .

The Duke of Parma hauing now the second or third time inuaded the kingdom of France with a puissant and mightie Armie , with intent to aide the rebellious Leaguers , agaynste their lawfull Kinge , passing the confines , and entring ( as it were ) into the bowelles of the Realme , approched with his armie neere vnto the Cyttie Roane , who beeing pursued by the King and his people , drew himselfe farther off towardes Newhauen , and there hee incamped himselfe , raising most strong Fortes , and erecting ( as hee thought ) trenches inuincible for his owne and his souldiers better defence : yea so stronglie had he intrenched himselfe there , planting ordinance , Baricadoes , and other militarie munition of infinite varietie , that hee thought himselfe not onelye able to counteruaile what strength the king should be able to bende against him , but also he supposed himselfe to be in effect inexpugnable .

But as the prophet Esaias saith , there is no wisedome , there is no pollycie , there is no power , nor strength against the Lord , nor against his annointed .

For the King by secret intelligences or spials , beeing aduertised of the Duke his proceedings , and how stronglie he had fortified him selfe in Trenches and bulwarks , with all possible speed marched towardes him , taking with him such a competent number of horssemen , and footmen , as he thought sufficient to withstand the forces of the aduersarie .

IN the Gospel of S. Mathew , the 24. Chapter , our sauiour Christ telleth vs of many signes and tokens , which shal be sent vnto vs and appeare before the day of iudgment , as that the sonne shal be darkened , the Moone shall loose hir light , the Starres shall fall from heauen , the earth shall tremble , and shake vnder vs , the hilles shal be supplanted and remoued out of their places : the Seas shall roare and make a hideous noyse , there shall be wars and rumours of warres in all countries , and such like . All which signes and tokens we see to be come to passe alreadie . For if wee take the sonne in that place , for the sonne of God Christ Iesus ( as all sound expositions and interpretors haue done : ) howe often haue wee seene him darkened , and obscured with the filthy mistes , and stincking vapors of mens traditions . The Moone that is the Churche of God , how was shee darkened , yea almost depriued of her light vnder the tyrannie of Antechrist the pope of Rome and his shauelings ? The Starres , that is the pastors , and ministers of the Church , how were they driuen away amongst the Papistes , from the firmament of sounde doctrine , and pure conuersation . But if we take these signes literally , howe manie times haue we seene the sunne and moone to be eclipsed , and almost manie times to lose their whole light . What woonderfull and strange coniunctions of Starres of signes and plannets , threatning euen an vniuersall consummation of all things haue we seene of late yeares . The like was neuer seen of many yeares before . What firie meteers , blasing Starres , Comets , and other fearefull impressions haue we seene in the ayre of late yeers ? What inundations and ouerflowings of the seas and waters ? What fearefull earthquakes ? What remouing of hilles out of their places ? What Abortiues , fearefull and monstrous birthes ? What warres and rumours of warres in all countries , doe we heare of in these daies ? All which are infallible tokens , and apparant arguments that the day of iudgement is at hand , and as it were before the dores . But although the Lord our God hath and doth dayly as well by these signes and tokens aboue named , and the like , as also by others of infinite varietie , summon vs to the doome , and warneth vs to be alwaies readie and prepared , yet hath hee not in anie age , nor to anie people , sent a more fearefull , strange , or woonderfull example ( as it were a warning or caueat to all the world ) then this that followeth , the trueth whereof was thus .

There is a certaine Iland called Palme nere to the Ingenio of Tertia court , three leagues from the Citie , and a league and a halfe from the sea side , wherein grewe a certaine mountain or hil of three hundred faddam in height , and a league and a halfe in compasse . This mountaine or hill , the 19. of May beganne to burne , and so continued still burning till the 19. of Iulie next after , in most strange and fearfull maner .

Vpon the top of which hill there seemed to be a great caue or gulfe : whereat issued out great flames of fire ; burning in suche forcible and vehement maner , as they raised vp withall and cast foorth huge and mightie stones into the ayre , stinging them vp with great violence , which stones at the length descending downe againe foorth of the ayre , fell downe at the foote of the same hill . And yet notwithstanding that it continually burned in this sort , and cast forth infinite great and monstrous stones , yet the said hill remained still in all mens iudgments as bigge as it was before . The heate of which fire was such , and so great that the inhabitants thereabouts were sore annoyed thereby , hauing their vineyards and their corn scorched and burnt vp thorow the rage and vyolence of the flames of fire that issued thereout . And in this sorte it continued vntill the 20. of Iulie about midnight at which time the sayd mount or hill , brake in sunder , and shiuered in peeces , caused such great cracks and roringes , as though it had thundered , or a hundred cannons had beene shot off , to the great terror of the hearers .

It beeing thus disseuered and broken , continued burning : And burning ( contrarye to the nature thereof before ) consumed and wasted , till it came to be as it were a great coale of fire , from which cole there seemed to ascende and to rise vppe into the aire as it were great mountaines of smoke and sparkles of fire , as bigge in appearance as little barrels , and so at the laste the whole mountaine consumed and burned away .

There gushed also foorth of the sayd mountaine ( before it was consumed ) great streames of water , burning like oile in the fire , and casting vp woonderfull flames into the aire , which entred into the Sea fourty faddame , makinge all the water thereabout so extreame hot , as it melted the pitch and rosine wherewith the Fishers botes were pitched .

The heat of this burning water was such , as it scalded and killed all the fishe neere thereabouts , so that aboundance of fishe of all sortes was found dead many dayes after .

From this mountaine also there tumbled downe to the Sea-side , beeing distante from thence a league and a halfe three mighty great stones , one of them being 25. faddom in compasse , and with a woonderfull violence threw themselues into the Sea fiftie faddame at the least .

The hill being in this sort quite consumed , the second of August next following there rained downe foorth of the aire , as it had beene whole shewers of blacke ashes , like gunpowder in bignesse , which spoiled and consumed all the Corne , grasse , and vines in the whole countrey about .

After this , namelie the fourth of August , it rained againe great store of white ashes in the Cittie , the streets being so thicke couered therwith as the people coulde not trauaile about their necessarie businesse . Immediatlie after this : to wit , the fourth of September folowing , there appeared ouer the same Iland in the aire , other strange and wonderfull sights , as namely armed men to the number ( as a man would haue thought ) of 40000 , one fighting againste another in most cruell & bloudie maner , with such fearefull thundering , and terrible lightening , as the like was neuer heard nor seen before . The people seeing these strange sightes , and feareful wonders , called to God for mercie : repented of their sinnes , and instantlye besought the Lord that he would not enter into iudgement with them , nor punish them according to their desertes : whiche done , the Lord in mercy withdrew his plagues , and punishmentes , ( messengers of his wrath ) from them , and receiued them to mercie . Thus hast thou heard courteous Reader , the true narration of the wonderfull iudgementes of God against this people . The Lord giue both them and vs all grace , to make profite of them , and to amend our liues , that we may altogether in the great day of the Lord receiue the crown of euerlasting glorie , promised vnto vs thorough Iesus Christ our Lord , Amen .