Spaniards Invade Ireland but are beaten thence. The Turks lofe Alba Regalis and threefcore thoufand Men. The Perfians invade Babylon and kill twenty thousand Men. The King of France is flain. Nine hundred thousand Moors are expelled Spain. The Hollanders beat the Spaniards in the South Sea. The Tartars Invade Podolia, they burn four Cities and four hundred Villages, and carry from thence a vaft booty. The Jefuits and Papists are expelled the Netherlands. In 1627. An Earthquake happened in England and a great fiery Beam was feen in the Air in France. Six Suns in Cornwall at once, and five Moons in Normandy. In 1627. July 31. happened an Earthquake in Apulia in Italy, whereby in the City of Severine alone ten thoufand Souls were taken out of the World, and in the horror of fuch infinite ruins, and fepulchre of fo many Mortals, a great Bell thrown out of the Steeple by the Earthquake fell fo fitly over a Child that it inclofed him, and doing him no harm made a Bulwark for him against any other danger. Strange and wonderful were the Prodigies feen in Germany, both in the Heavens, Earth and Waters, before the beginning of that Bloody War in thofe Countrys, and which plainly perfaged the enfuing miferies and defolations which happened there, and began about 1631. In which year, not long before the troubles of Naples, there hap pened pened a terrible Earthquake in and about that City; and the Mountain of Soma after many terrible bellowings, vomited out burning ftreams of Fire which tumbled into the Adriatick Sea, and caft out an huge deal of Afhes. The like happened the year following with great damage and lofs to the Neighbouring places both in Houses, People and Cattle. And in Apulia feventeen thoufand Perfons were deftroyed by the fame. XLII. In the year 1638. Six Suns were feen at once in Cornwall, and feveral Apparitions of Men in the Heavens preparing to fight with each other; Alfo Navys of Ships were visible in the Sky. The. Scots at this time make a Infurrection, the King goes in Perfon to appease them, they renounce the Bishops and Prelacy, and fet up Presbytery in Scotland. In this 1638. happened a Terrible Earthquake in the Ifland of St. Michael one of the Azores, or Tercera's belonging to the Spaniards in the Atlantick Ocean Weftward. Upon June 26. this Ifland began unverfally to quake and tremble, which continued eight days, fo that the People leaving theCities, Towns andCaftles, were forced to live in the open Fields: After which this Prodigy fucceeded ; Six miles diftant from the Hill or Pick of Camerine, at a place called Ferriera ; where Fishermen with their Boats ufe to fifh in Summer, they at this time caught fuch a. multitude, that no Boat returned with less than Ten Thoufand Fifh. At this very place in July this very Year, Fire broke forth with fuch unexpreffible violence, notwithstanding the depth of the Ocean, which had been fathomed one hundred and twenty foot deep, that the very Sea itself was not fufficient to extinguifh fuch mighty flames; The fpace of this boyling Fire was about two Acres, and the Fire arofe with fuch mighty force, that it reached even to the Clouds, carrying with it Water, Sand Earth, Stones and much other matter, which like Feather-Beds flew into the Air, to the terror of the Beholders afar off, and falling down again into the Water, refembled a kind of Puitis or Frumentie; and had not the Wind by Divine Providence blown off from the ifle into the Sea, and thereby driven back this outragious Fire, without doubt the whole Country had been utterly burnt. up and deftroyed by this formidable Combuftion; foon after it caft forth ftones of fo vait a bignefs, to the height of above three lances, that they feem'd rather like entire Mountains than Stones, which in their fall meeting and dashing against others they broke into a Thoufand pieces, with a terrible noife and ratling, which afterward being taking up mouldred into a black Sand. Moreover out of this vast quantity of matter thrown out, a new Ifland arofe, even in the midst of the deep Ocean. In the begin ing it was not above five Acres, but increa fing continually in four Days after, it took up the length of Five mile; fo vaft a multitude of Fish perished by this burning, that eight Ships of India could hardly contain them, and being defperfed about all parts of the Ifland were gathered together, and buried in deep Ditches by the Inhabitants for eighteen miles round about to prevent any Contagion which might arife from them but the Sulphur or Brimftone was fmelt Twenty four Miles. This Year the Hollander's beat the Spanish Fleet upon the Coast of England. XLIII. The fame Year 1638. the Learned Kircherus made a fearch and difcovery into the burning Mountain of Vesuvius in the Kingdom of Naples, fo famous for fiery irruptions for many Ages, which being one of the most tremendous Miracles of Nature I fhall relate in his own words; After fo great dangers fuftained by Sea and I and in diligently fearching out the incredible power of Nature Working in Burroughs and Paffages under ground, I had a great defire to inform my felf concerning Vefuvius. I went therefore to Porticus (the Porch or Entrance) a Town fcituate at the Foot of the Mountain, where hiring an honeft Countryman for a true and skilful Companion, and Guide in the way, not without a confiderable reward, I afcended the Mountain at Midnight through difficult, rough, uneven, and steep Paffages; when I came to the top or mouth I faw what is horrible to be expreffed; I faw it all over of a light Fire with a dreadful combuftion, and stench of Sulphur and burning Bitumen; whereat being aftonished, methoughts I beheld the habitation of Hell, wherein nothing feemed to be wanting but the Apparitions of Ghofts, Devils and Damned Spirits; I then obferved horrible bellowings and roarings in the Mountain, and unexpreffible ftink, finoaks mixt with darkish Globes of Fire, which both the bottom and fides of the Mountain continually belched forth from eleven feveral places, and made me belch and ready to vomit; 'O the Depth of the riches of the Wildom and knowledge of God! How incomprehenfible are thy ways! If thou fheweft thy power against the Wickedness of mankind in fuch formidable and potentous Prodigies and Omens of Nature: What hall it be in that last day wherein the Earth fhall be destroyed by thy wrath, and the Elements ball melt with fervent heat? In the morning as foon as it was light, that I might with the more diligence fearch into the Bowels of the Mountain, I chose a place to fet my Feet fecure upon, which was an huge Rock, plain on the top, where taking forth my Pantometer (or Univerfal Meafure) I took the dimenfions of the Mountain, and found by Geometrical Computation, the compass of the Mouth to be almost three |