Strange ne[w]es

STRANGE NEVES .

At London printed for G. Vincent and W. Blackwal and are to be sold at Guildhall gate .

To the Reader .

WHAT Credit this straunge Report may purchase ( Gentle reader ) is a thing I greatly respect not , and much lesse contend for : yet , thus much let me tell thee , it had th' pprobation of some , both of good iudgment , and staide discretion , and of such Place and Condition , as may superseede all suspition of vaine or idle impositions . And for my part , this I dare assure thee , it agreeth in all poyntes , with the High Dutch Coppie , whence it was translated : first printed at VIENA in Austria , which for my better satisfaction I caused to bee brought vnto mee , and diligently conferd them togither , before resolued Opinion , being no lesse scrupulous then any to giue furtherance to any matter , eyther of false or friuolous import , a thing neyther suting the state of these tymes , not sorting mine owne condition . Now for my opinion herein ; The playnesse of the Style wherein it ●● written , voide of Ambages , Amplifications , and all other . Vaine flourishes ( such as nimble wits , might very easily haue inuested such a Subiect withall ) is to me no small argument of the verity thereof : The prodigjes themselus also , iust as wel in matter as manner sorting the nature and disposition or these tymes , both touching their generation and forme , and apt representation of the Euents by them presignified .

But admit the verity and strangnes too ( as indeed it is both strang & horrible ) yet so long , hath bin the conti●…ante of happy and acceptable times , without any great or notable tast of contrarietie , that wee thinke they will neuer haue end , neyther fearing chaung , nor crediting any thing that may giue occasion of such doubt : not much vnlike the Isralites , ( God in mercy a little differing the'xecution of his iudgments denounced by the Prophets Ieremy & Ezekiel ) growing into so constant conceipt of setled securitie , that they neyther credited vision , nor feared the event thereof : holding for vndoubted truth , that neyther was such visions of any effect , nor any such thing shoulde happen vnto them , or like those in the Apostles time , who because they saw neyther chaung , nor likelyhood of chaung of times , before or after them , could hardly entertaine the credit of such things as was spoken touching the misteries of mans redemption . But this is to abuse times bountie , & the long suffering of the great God of heauen , who a● he answered the one , the dayes are at hand , and the effect of euery vision : there shall be no more such a prouerb amongst you , for no visions shall be any more in vayne , nor diuinations miseffectuall : Th' other . There was an age before them , for like sinne and corruption destroyed and perished by the general deluge , so wil he quit our misconstruction of his louing kindnes & good patience with some ●odayne & imminent vengeance , an argument whereof may be this , & many more prodigious Ostenrs partly past and many more yet to come , & some now imminent . & surely this I dare be bold to say . If these mundane & moueable bodies be mutually impressiue & impressible , nature constant in her Periods & reason experience & Iugment in man , be of any power or credit . The great coniunction of the two superior bodies Saturne and Iupiter , constipated with so many seuerall coniunctions and radiations of other planets , and in the same place very neare , in parle together as it were for some strange decree of great consequence . The Earth's and Moones late and horrible obscurations , the frequent Ecclipsations of the fixed bodyes ; by the wandring , the fixed stars , I meane with the planets , within these fewe yeares more then ordinary , shall without doubt ( salued diuine inhibytion ) haue their effects no lesse admirable , then the positiues vnusuall . Which PEVCER with many more too long to reharse out of continuall obseruation and the consent of all Authors noted to be , new Leagues , Trayterous Designements , Catching at Kingdomes , translation of Empyre , downefall of menn in Authoritye , aemulation , Ambition , Innouatious , Factious Sects , Schisms and much disturbance and trobles in religion and matters of the Church , with many other thinges infallible , in sequent such orbicall position and Phaenomenes . Examples and instances whereof he setteth downe many both out of his owne experience and histories of diuers ages , wherein Mirald us also is so constant , that he peremtorily concludeth , Regnorum fatales mutationes , effectus grandes , et casus notabiles nunquam contigisse , quin causa aliqua coelestis , et praemonstratio ceu de classico ill●s notis ante ce●inerint , et quasi digito ostenderent , & MANILIVS nunquam futilibus excanduit ignibus aer .

Seing then that so many praemōstraciōs of fearful euent , as these straung dispositions of mundane bodies , this and many more prodigious ostents , some past , & more to come ( as I said ( are yet as it were before our Eies , it shall not bee amisse with the prouident & vigilant Ante , whilest it is yet Summer & Haruest , to prouide for the necessitie of Winter , least , with Salomons idle foole , whilest we sleep and slumber , and folde our handes : yet a little , and yet a little , in the affiance of our misconceiued securitie , misery come vpon vs , as one trauelling by the way , & necessitie like an armed man .

And thus commending all to thy best construction , I rest

From my house the George next Dyers Hall in Thames street . London February 11 1605.

Thine in all honest offices , Ed. Gresham .

STRANGE fearful & true newes , which hapned at CARLSTADT , in the kingdome of CROATIA .

DECLARING HOW THE Sunne did shine like Bloude nine dayes together , and how two Armies were seene in the Ayre , the one encountring the other .

And how also a Woman was deliuered of three prodi gious sonnes , , which Prophisied many strange & fearefull thinges , which should shortly come to passe , All which happened the twelfth of Iune , last , 1605. which is the 2 day of the moneth , according to our computation .

Translated out of the Dutch Coppie , Printed at VIENNA in Austria .

LONDON , Printed by R. B. for G. Vincent and W , Blackwall , & are to be solde ouer against Guild-hall Gate .

NEWES From Carlstadt , in the Knigdome of Croatia in Germanie .

MARKE and consider wel with your selues deere Christians ( both Rich & Poore ) of what estate or degr●e s●●●●● you ●e , and sake all the mean ●● that possible y●●●an to a 〈…〉 and ●our li●es : for that the Lorde ab●●● , 〈…〉 ●●yl●●hr●●ten vs more and more , and sheweth vs his 〈…〉 h●●●y ●●d which he intendeth to punnish vs withall , for our most foule and wicked sin● which we c●●ti●●ally 〈…〉 to more and m●●e , but we reg●●d it not any ●●ing at all .

I 〈…〉 Y●●●● of 〈…〉 GOD , 160● . Th● Inhabitants of Carl●●adt were much 〈…〉 in great perple●●●ie : for t●●t the Sunn●●●●●● ri●● and 〈…〉 d right ●●●● their Church , ●he sa 〈…〉 about ( as it plainly appeared 〈…〉 ) 〈…〉〈…〉 and fearfu●● sight , w●s 〈…〉 of many people .

Oh , deare Breethren and Christians all , l●t v● h●●●●●spect to 〈…〉 ●hic● GOD hath 〈…〉 dayes together , as it were in red bloud , hauing on the one side Moones & Turkish S●bells : and on the other side great Ordinance .

The Citizens of Carlstadt were mightely affrayde at the sight hereof , which hapned on a Sunday , ( being the t●elfth of Ivne as aforesaid ) On which day also , was séene too great Armys of men of warre , encountring one another in the Ayre , with such wonderfull noyce , that the same was heard vppon the Earth , as sounding of Trumpets , and such like . And had theire Ensignes and Standers with Starres and halfe Moones as the Turkes do vse .

The whole Commonaltie both great and small , did wring their handes at the sight hereof , so did they also , that dwelled far of , & then presently was séen a great Armie of Christians in the Ayre , ready to resist the Turks .

No Emperour or King , did euer fight such a battaile as there was seene in the Ayre : There were Spiritual men séene in the Christian Armie , and many slain of the Turkes and Infidels .

There a man might haue séene such running & Ryding of the Turkes , that the people were al astonished , for all the Turkish horses did run vp to the knees in the Christians bloud .

But beholde the wonderfull woorkes of Almighty God , for when the battaile began , [ which was from the Euening , till thr●e of the Clocke in the Morning ] and then the Moone did lose her light and the Horsemen vanished quite away . But yeat marke what hapned more .

A Woman was heard in the same Citiy to trauell in 〈…〉 earing of child 〈…〉 together : And then a strange thing was séene in the Ayre , for she was deliuered of three Sonnes , as in the Picture is to bee seene .

The first of theyse Prodigious Children had foure heads , which spake and vttred strange things . The second Child was black like a More , & the third Chyld like vnto Death .

The Child with foure heads , began to crye a loud , and many women rann to heare it , one of the heads said with high voice : There shall shortly many Hungarians be slayne by the Turkes .

The second head said : All the wonders of the Turks which you haue seene in the Ayre : Shall all come too passe .

The Turk with many Tartars , shall overcome all Hungarie , euen to Austria , and Morauia .

The third head said . The Emperour , Kings Earles and Lords , shall then arise , and shall put the Turke to flight . The fourth head said , before that come to passe , strange wonders shall appeare .

The black Child began to cry a loud , a time of dearth is at hand , both here and in other places , which shall not escape you , men shall perish for hunger , and great want shall be of corne and graine .

The third Child began to crye , repent and amend your liues , before death do catch hold on you , this Chyld was like vnto Death to see to , and said for certaine great death and mortality shall come ouer poore and Rich.

Come hither both young and olde , sayd the black child , remember these words here spoken and conceals them not , many great wonders shall be seene , before one thousand & ten be written : Shall all come to passe .

These three Children , hauing spoken these things , died anon after . Euery man wondred , and the people were altogether astonished , and mooued to the hart , with the strangenes of this Prophecy .

Let vs pray to God for grace , and call vpon his holy name , both e●rly and late , that we abstaine from sinne , and amend our liues , for the d●y of the Lord is at hand .

FINIS .