Looke vp and see vvonders A miraculous apparition in the ayre, lately seene in Barke-shire at Bawlkin Greene neere Hatford. April. 9th. 1628. 1628 Approx. 20 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 12 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-05 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A08755 STC 1904 ESTC S101623 99837432 99837432 1753 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A08755) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 1753) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1057:16) Looke vp and see vvonders A miraculous apparition in the ayre, lately seene in Barke-shire at Bawlkin Greene neere Hatford. April. 9th. 1628. Dekker, Thomas, ca. 1572-1632. [4], 19, [1] p. : ill. [By N. Okes] for Roger Michell, Imprinted at London : 1628. Sometimes attributed to Thomas Dekker. Printer's name from STC. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Storms -- England -- Berkshire -- Early works to 1800. Meteorites -- England -- Berkshire -- Early works to 1800. Berkshire -- England -- History. 2002-12 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-01 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2003-02 Jennifer Kietzman Sampled and proofread 2003-02 Jennifer Kietzman Text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion LOOKE Vp and see Wonders . A miraculous Apparition in the Ayre , lately seene in Barke-shire at Bawlkin Greene neere Hatford . April . 9 th . 1628. Imprinted at London for Roger Mi●●●●● 16●8 . To the Reader . AS thou doest Reade , so practise to Vnderstand , and make vse of thy Labour : Let not this Knowledge vanish away like a Dreame , but keepe it as a Monument ingrauen in Brasse or Marble . This is a strange Chronicle , written by a strong hand : The best Antiquary in the World hath set it downe , for God himselfe puts his owne Name to it : A few leaues of his Filling , are an ample Volume : Euery small Epitome Written by him , is a Booke in Folio . Here thou shalt finde no great number of Lines , but much more Matter comprehended in them , then the Words seeme to carry . This is but a Picture of a Battaile fought in the Aire : A naked Description of a terrible Fight ; fearefull no doubt to the Standers by ; but it may be Comfortable to thee , if heereby thou getst thy selfe Arm'd to Combate with thy sinnes , for questionlesse vppon some such occasions grew this Quarrell ; which may easily be taken vp , if thou ( and euery one of vs ) submit our selues , confesse wherein wee are faulty , and so plead for Attonement . Nothing is here presented to thine eyes , to fright thee , but to fill thee with Ioy , that this Storme fell so farre off , and not vppon thine owne Head. Yet beware , for the same Hand holds a Rod to strike euery one that deserues punishment . Pray to Heauen to free Thee from it ; and so wishing thee the strong heart of a true Christian , to beare with Patience , what thy Selfe shalt feele , and to pitty others , I bid thee farewell . Looke Vp , And See Wonders . SO Benummed wee are in our Sences , that albeit God himselfe Holla in our Eares , wee by our wills are loath to heare him . His dreadfull Pursiuants of Thunder , and Lightning terrifie vs so long as they haue vs in their fingers , but beeing off , wee dance and sing in the midst of our Follies . So blinde are wee in the vnderstanding of Heauenly matters , that wee cannot see our way to Goodnesse , but runne head-long into the Pathes of our owne euerlasting vndoing . Dangers haue not the skill to fright vs ; Death onely is the Man , that can doe good vpon vs : And yet , though Death knockes at our very Doores , nay ; albeit wee see him sit at our Bed-side , yet the hope of Life , playes her idle , vayne , and wanton Musicke vnder our Windowes . Into what a miserable Sea of calamities does a man then throw himselfe , when in this his earthly Nauigation , hee sayles he cares not how , nor knowes where to finde a safe Landing-place . Wee had neede therefore to make much of vnderstanding , wise , and skilfull Pilots , for the best of vs all is an ignorant Marriner . Apt enough we are , to run vpon Rockes and quick-sands ; but an excellent Sea-man is hee , that in all weathers can beare vp Sayle , and by the vertue of his good Compasse , is able to auoyde such mortall Dangers . The foure Elements haue beene Preachers to vs , yet wee get ( or at least , shew ) little amendment by the Doctrin , they haue Read vnto vs. The Earth , ( once fruitfull ) hath of late yeares felt the curse of Barrennesse : Her wombe hath beene the deuourer of many thousands of her owne Children ; shee has not playd the part of a Mother , but a Step-dame , for insteed of strong wines , shee hath bin drunke with bloud . How hath the other Element of water beene troubled ? What Monsters hath the Sea brought forth ? The sonnes of Murder , Rapine , Fury , and Pyracy . As for Fire , it hath denied of late to warme vs , but at vnreasonable rates , and extreame hard conditions . But what talke I of this earthy nourishment of fire ? how haue the Fires of Heauen ( some few yeares past ) gone beyond their bounds , and appeared in the shapes of Comets , and Blazing Starres ? The Aire hath bin infected , and millions haue dropd into Graues , by sucking in her mortall poyson . The Aire is the shop of Thunder and Lightning : In that , hath of late bin held a Muster of terrible enemies , and threatners of Vengeance , which the great Generall of the Field , who Conducts and Commands all such Armies , ( God Almighty , I meane ) auert from our Kingdome , and shoote the arrowes of his indignation some other way , vpon the bosomes of those that would confound his Gospell . Now , albeit that these foure great quarter-masters of the World ( the foure Elements ) haue in former times , and in this of our owne , bin in ciuill Warres one against another , and bent their Forces at the Heart of this Kingdome ; yet how happy are we , to eate our bread in Peace , and to drinke our wholesome and sweete Waters ? No Nation beneath the Sunne hath more cause to sing Prayses to God , and send vp Thankes to Heauen then ours . The Drum beates here , but the Battailes are abroad : The Barbed Horse tramples not downe our Corne-fieldes : The earth is not manurde with mans Bloud ( as it was in the Warres of the Barons ; and those of the two Royall contending Families , of Yorke and Lancaster . ) Here we presse Souldiers ; but other Countries beare the burthen of their Armies . Heere they kindle their Match , but the fire is not giuen , till they come into Forraigne Kingdomes . This Security yet must not bee suffered to rocke vs fast asleepe ; and so with Sampson , to haue our strength cut from vs , by the Strumpet of our carelesnes : For albeit , our Gates haue no Canons planted agaynst them ▪ Nor no scaling-ladders se● to the Walls of our Cities ; yet there are Whole Ambushes of enemies lurking in our priuate Bosomes ; And those are our sinnes , which daily lay traynes of powder , to blow vs vp , and confound vs. For these , there is an Eye open , which day and night doth ouer looke our actions ; and if milde and gentle chidings cannot call vs home , let vs thanke our selues , and the stubbornnesse of our hearts , if wee groane vnder the stripes of correction . Let vs turne to God , and God will not turne his Face from vs : Say thy sinnes were as blacke as Hell ; yet Repentance shall make them like the Winges of a Doue , couer'd ( as the Kingly Prophet sings ) with siluer , the Wings bearing the colour of yellow Gold. Repentance is able to make the soule as white as the snow in Zalmon ; and Gods mercy like the mountaine of Bashan . Repentance is a golden Key , which opens Heauen , and lookes vp to Gods anger . Repentance wins him to smile vpon vs , and to say thus ; If thou still art climing vp this Hill of Repentance ; Blessed shalt thou be in the City ; and Blessed in the Field : Blessed shall be the fruite of thy Body ; and the Fruite of thy ground , and the fruite of thy Cattle : The increase of thy Kine ; and the Flockes of thy Sheepe : Blessed shall be thy Basket , and thy Dough : Blessed shalt thou bee when thou commest in ; and blessed also when thou goest out . Thy Land-Souldiers ( O England ) shall not stand in feare of any Italian Spin●laes ; nor thy Nauy Royall of any Spanish Armadoes : For , thine enemies that rise agaynst thee , shall fall before thy face ; they shall come out against thee one way , and flye before thee seauen wayes . His word that speakes this , may be taken better than any Kings in the World ; and therefore hold out both thy hands , vnder this Tree of Blessings , and catch the golden Apples , when so freely they are shaken downe into thy lappe But if thou trample these gifts vnder thy feete , and spurnest at Gods Fauours bestowed vppon thee ; New quiuers of punishments will then be opened , and other strange fearefull arrowes be shot at thy bosome . Heauen shal be turned to Brasse ; earth to Iron ; dust and ashes be giuen for Raine ; our Wiues shall haue others lye with them ; our great houses shall haue others dwell in them , our Vineyards to bee planted , yet we shall neuer taste them : Our sheep to bee giuen to our enemies ; and our sonnes and daughters to be led into Captiuity . If therfore with Naaman , thou wouldst be cleansed from thy Leaprosie of sinne , thou must obey Elisha , and wash thy selfe seauen times in Iordan : Weepe seauen times a day ; nay seauen times an houre , for offending thy mercifull Father : Whosoeuer with Ahazia , the King of Samaria falleth sicke , and sendeth for recouery to Baal-zebub ( the God of Ekron ) and not to the true God indeede , he shall not come from his bed , but die the Death . For , wee sinke to the bottome of the waters , as the Carpenters axe did ( in the second of the Kings , ) but , though neuer so iron-hearted , the voyce of an Elisha ( the feruency of Prayer , and praysing God ) can fetch vs from the bottome of Hell , and by contrition make vs swim on the top of the waters of life . Stand therefore at the Gates of Gods mercy still ; begge still ; knocke still ; and knocke hard : For Hannab , was barren , yet being an importunate suiter , her petition was heard , and signed : She was fruitfull , and had three Sonnes and Daughters : So , when we are barren in Repentance , in Thanksgiuing in Charity , in Patience , in Goodnesse , let vs vnfeignedly pray to Heauen , we shal be fruitfull , and these fiue shal bee our Sonnes and Daughters . By this meanes our Mara shall change her name to Naomi , and our bitternesse be turned into sweetnesse . Haue we not great cause then to magnifie him , who Crowneth the yeare with plenty , and whose steppes drop fatnesse : Haue we not reason to tremble at his Threatnings , who couereth himselfe with Light , as with a Garment , and spreadeth the Heauens like a Curtaine ? who layeth the beames of his Chambers in the Waters , and maketh the Clouds his Chariot , and walketh vppon the wings of the winde ? This Almighty Thunderer , hath Spirits attending vpon him , for his Messengers are flaming fire to runne of his errands : If he but lookes vppon the earth in anger , it trembles : If hee but touch the Mountaynes , they smoake , and are consumed : So that if wee fall not on our knees , to doe him reuerence . If we open not our lips , to glorifie his Name : If we fall not flat on the Earth , at the sound of his dreadfull voyce ; woe be to vs , we are lost for euer , vndone for euer : His blessings ( if we receiue them not with the right hand ) are to vs , as messes of meate set vpon a Graue What then are his chastizements ? O● they are terrible and not to be indurde . Many windowes hath he set open in Heauen , to shewe what Artillery hee has lying there , and many of our Kings haue trembled , when they were shewne vnto them . What blazing Starres ( euen at Noone-dayes , ) in those times , hung houering in the Aire ? How many frightfull Ecclipses both of Sun and Moone ? What apparitions of battailes ? How many times haue Armies fought against Armies , in the disturbed vpper Regions ? It is not for man to dispute with God , why he has done this so often , nor rashly to pronounce judgement vppon any thing , it pleaseth God to accomplish now ; but , with feare and trembling casting our eyes vp to Heauen , let vs now behold him , bending his Fist onely , as lately he did to the terrour and affrightment of all the Inhabitants , dwelling within a Towne in the County of Barkshire . Looke vp therefore now ; and see a New Wonder . THE name of the Towne is Hatford ( in Barkeshire ) some eight miles from Oxford . Ouer this Towne , vpon Wensday being the ninth of this instant Moneth of April 1628. about fiue of the clocke in the afternoone . This miraculous , prodigious , and fearefull handy-worke of God was presented , to the astonishable amazement of all the beholders , Men , Women , and children , being many in number . The weather was warme , and without any great shewe of distemperature , only the skye waxed by degrees a little gloomy , yet not so darkned but that the Sunne still and anon , by the power of the brightnesse , brake through the thicke clouds , and made them giue way to the Maiesty of his beames . A gentle gale of wind then blowing from betweene the West and Northwest ; in an instant was heard , first a hideous rumbling in the Ayre , and presently after followed a strange and fearefull peale of Thunder , running vp and downe these parts of the Countrey , but it strake with the loudest violence , and more furious tearing of the Ayre , about a place called The white Horse h●ll , than in any other . The whole order of this thunder , carried a kind of Maiesticall state with it , for it maintayned ( to the affrighted Beholders seeming ) the fashion of a fought Battaile . It beganne thus : First , for an on-set , went on one great Cannon as it were of thunder alone , like a warning peece to the rest , that were to follow . Then a little whileafter , was heard a second ; and so by degrees a third , vntill the number of 20. were discharged ( or there abouts ) in very good order , though in very great terror . In some little distance of time after this , was audibly heard the sound of a Drum beating a Retreate ▪ Amongst all these angry peales , shot off from Heauen ; this begat a wonderful admiration , that at the end of the report of euery cracke , or Cannon-thundering , a hizzing Noyse made way through the Ayre , not vnlike the flying of Bullets from the mouthes of great Ordnance : And by the iudgement of all the terror-stricken witnesses , they were Thunderbolts . For one of them was seene by many people , to fall at a place called Bawlkin Greene , beeing a mile and a halfe from Hatford : Which Thunder-bolt was by one Mistris Greene , caused to be digged out of the ground , she being an eye-witnesse amongst many other , of the manner of the falling . The forme of the Stone is three-square , and picked in the end : In colour outwardly blackish , some-what like Iron : Crusted ouer with that blacknesse about the thicknesse of a shilling ▪ Within , it is soft , of a gray colour , mixed with some kind of minerall , shining like small peeces of glasse . This Stone brake in the fal : The whole peece is in weight nineteene pound and a halfe : The greater peece that fell off , weigheth fiue pound , which with other small peeces being put together , make foure and twenty pound and better . At the hearing of this horrid Thunder , all men ( especially about Sheffington ) were so terrified , that they fell on their knees , and not onely thought , but sayd , that verily the day of Iudgement was come . Neyther did these feares take hold only of the people , but euen Beasts had the selfe-same feeling and apprehension of danger , running vp and downe , and bellowing , as if they had bin mad . It is in the Countrey credibly reported , that some other Thunder-stones haue bin found in other places : But for certainty , there was one taken vp at Letcombe , and is now in the custody of the Shriefe . Many do constantly affirme , that the shape of a Man , beating of a Drum , was visibly seene in the Ayre , but this wee leaue to prooue . Others report that he , who digged vp the Stone in Bawlkin Greene , was at that instant stricken lame , but ( God bee thanked ) there is no such matter . Report in such distractions as these , hath a thousand eyes , and sees more than it can vnderstand ; and as many tongues , which being once set a going , they speake any thing . So now a number of people report there were three Sunnes seene in the Element ; but on the contrary side , they are opposers against them , that will affirme they beheld no such matter , and that it was not so . Admit it were , how oftentimes haue three Sunnes , foure ; nay fiue , and sometimes more appeared in the Ayre , both in England , and other Countries round about vs ? They who out of their Astronomicall iudgements write of such apparitions , alleadging , and proouing by strong arguments , that such disturbances in the Caelestiall bodies of the Sunne , Moone , and Starres , do more often from Naturall causes , than Supernaturall . Howsoeuer , it is not fit that any man , should take vppon him , to write too broad and busie Comments on any such Textes as these Let vs not be so daring as to pry into the closet of Gods determinations . His workes are full of Wonders , and not to be examined : Let vs not be so foolish , as turne Almanacke-makers , and to Prognosticate , Prophesie , Foredoome , or Fore-tell , what shall happen , faire weather or foule , to our owne Kingdome , or any other ; scarcity , or plenty ▪ Warre , or Peace , for such giddy-brayn●d Medlers , shoote their arrowes beyond the Moone . The Heauenly designes are of a higher Nature , than to hold any correspondence , commixture , or coniunction with the phantasticall compositions of Humane frailty . Gods Bookes are not so easily opened : Mans eyes are too weake-sighted , too dull-poynted to looke into his Voluminous , and Misterious Wonders . The Learning of all the Vniuersities in the World , is meere ignorance , to the Almighties vnderstanding . Lay by therfore thy Iacobs staf●e , thou that art too scrutinous , to looke into the Thunderers treasury ; forbeare to take the height of these false imaginary Sunnes ; and fright not thy Countrey with thy ouer-daring , foolish , and vaine glorious predictions . I speake not this to Arme any Man with security , negligence , or misbeliefe ; or to make him thinke , that God when he shewes vs such signes , such rods from Heauen , ( doing so but seldome , ) does it to no purpose ; But let not vs be too inquisitiue what that purpose is : the wranglings of Schooles , is not so vnpleasing , to ignorant standers by , as our contentions and quaeres about this businesse , should be to God. Enough it shal be for vs to see , and feare ; to heare , and not meddle ; to apprehend what our weaknesse can , and to admire the depth which we cannot read . The Master of the houshold being angry , it is the duty of vs his seruants , to doe our best to please him , keepe him quiet , and not to prouoke him to a higher indignation , least in his iust fury , which euery day ( euery houre , ) we are apt to run in . to , he vtterly confounds vs , and bring vs to nothing . Which , the Almighty for his owne mercies sake , forbid forget , and forgiue our sinnes . Amen . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A08755-e170 Psalme 67. Deut. 20. 2 King. 5.41 Ruth . 1.20 . Psal. 65. Psal. 104.