THE workes of the Lord are wonderfull! And the Heavens declare his handy worke: Before the day of Judgement Signes shall appeare in the Firmament, and Wonders upon the face of the Earth; Nation shall rise against Nation, and Kingdome against Kingdome, there shall bee Famines Pestilences and Earthquakes in divers places: False Prophets shall arise, Rebellion, Murther and Desolation in all places; Factions, Schismes and Heresies in the Church; and Distractions, Feares and Oppressions in the Commonwealth. Are not all these Judgements fallen upon us? For the nationall Sinnes of this Kingdome are these things come to passe? Who lookes upon these bloody and unnaturall Warres which have continued the space of seaven yeeres amongst us? Where the most flourishing Kingdome in the Christian World, is now become the Theater of Misery, and a Spectacle of Lamentation; where Brother hath slaine his Brother, and the Sonne hath not spared to sheath his Sword in the Bowells of his Father, England! the Glory of Europe, is now become the[Page 2] Scaene or Stage of Rebellion, Blood and Murther. A Den of Vipers. A Cage of Uncleanenesse; and a Nursery of all Sects and Schisme. The Subjects of the most virtuous Prince that ever swayed the Scepter in this Kingdome, have made it no Sinne or Guilt to Sacrifice the Blood of their Soveraigne to their ambitious Fury.

How many forerunners of these our Calamities and Sorrowes have beene heretofore Declared and Predicted, to forewarne us of the Evils to come; but wee have rejected and contemned them as Erronious and Ridiculous, but our sufferings have made us sensible what our Sinne and security hath brought upon us.

I shall, for your better information, particularize some of the most remarkable Miracles and Wonders that have appeared in these latter times.

As for instance; At Bradford, in York-shire, in the yeere of our Lord one thousand six hundred forty eight, there appeared in the Ayre the visions of two severall Armies, in Batalia skyrmishing one against another, with Colours flying, the sound of Drumms were perfectly heard, and the noyse of Musquett-Reports, which continued the space of three houres; to the admiration of many hundreds that were Spectators, and shortly after it vanished.

Againe, neere Skipton in the same Countie, not farre from Denton (where the Ld. Generall FAIRFAX was born) in the yeere of our Lord one thousand six hundred fourty nine, it rayned blood, of which my selfe was an Eyewitnesse, in the company of many more.

In the same yeere (at six of the clock in the morning) being in June, two Sonnes appeared, and continued visible the space of two houres.

What inordinate Thunders, Tempests and Earthquakes hath beene of late yeeres; great and impetuous Winds, and stormy weather, losses at Sea, with great Inundations on the Land.

At Dublin in Ireland, in the yeere of our Lord one thousand six hundred fortie, Another wonderfull sight in the Sky, where thousands of Byrds, called Sterlings, did meete neere the City, like two Armies, and fought; untill many were killed, and fell in great multitudes on the Earth.

The like was neere Scarborough, not farre from Rippon in Yorkeshire, in the yeere one thousand six hundred forty foure, where thousands of Crowes, called Rookes, did meete and fight in two bodies, untill an innumerable company were killed and fell upon the ground.

In Norfolke, in the yeere of our Lord one thousand six hundred forty five, a Childe was borne, who presently spake some certaine things that should ensue in these times, and lived not above two houres.

In Buckingham-shire in the yeare one thounsand six hundred fourty nine; A Child was borne (neere Alsbury) that declared some strange passages, which should happen in this Kingdome, and lived not above three dayes, but dyed.

But I shall forbeare to mention any more in this Nature (because I would not seeme tedious to the Reader:) And now to the Relation of this strange and miraculous Wonder I promised you, which is Attested by many sufficient eye Witnesses there present, that will averre and manifest this Relation for a Truth, against the incredulous and unbeleeving times.

On Monday July the sixteenth, one thousand six hundred fourty nine, neere Lempster in Hereford-shire (hard by a Village called the Hope, not farre from Corfe-Castle) Certaine Workemen or Mowers, that went to cut downe Grasse or Hay, in a very large and spacious Field containing above threescore Acres, and being at their laborious Worke (betwixt the houres often and eleven) they heard the Crying of an Infant or a young Child, which they imagined to bee in the middle of the Field; but pausing a little while with giving attention to it, not without admiration; they concluded unanimously, or all of them, to goe to the place from whence they heard the Voyce; and comeing
[Page 4] to the place in the middle of the Grasse or Field, they found a young Child, which was wraped up in Swadling Clouts, and to their Judgements appeared not to bee above a quarter of a yeare old: standing thus amazed with their eyes fixed upon the Child, at last resolved to take it up, and to make some of the chiefe of the Towne acquainted with this Accident. But one of the Mowers or labouring Men (having never a Child at all, replyed hee would take it home as his owne, the rest of them having made it knowne to the Towne, the Child was brought to a house, where the Inhabitants round about flocked together to see this Child; after every ones Censure was past upon this Infant, they provided some sustenance for it, suspecting it was hungry, which was Milke and Flower boyled in it (which that Countrey calleth Pap;) the Child eating very heartily of it, and being therewith satisfied, begun to speake to all the People there present, and told them that it was the best meate hee did ever eate, which Miracle in an Infant so young, bred admiration and astonishment in all the Spectators.

This Child told them further, That the Warres of England should continue three yeares longer, and that Charles a young King, whose Father was put to death by seventeene of his Subjects that Conspired his death long before, who for Acting such a bloody Tragedy shall come to untimely ends, not any of them shall dye in their Beds; saying also, that Innocent Blood calls for vengeance; and that which they spilt in the first Moneth, shall in the same Moneth prove their destruction, and His Sonne bee restored to the Crowne of England.

Againe, this Child further related; that the Kingdome of Ireland shall Proclaime him King of His Fathers Realmes; and bee the landing place from all his Troubles and Exile: and after that, hee shall Conquer England againe, and shall destroy his and his Fathers Enemies, and bee a great and Powerfull Prince: Then shall this Land Flourish againe: And in that Field where hee was found shall bee a great and Bloody Battell fought, greater then any yet hath beene in this Kingdome, where the young King,[Page 5] CHARLES, the Second of that name, shall get the day, and win the Field.

The People and Inhabitants thereabouts, hearing these sayings, proceeding from an Infant, were struck into great amazement, and after the Child had done speaking, they resolved how to provide for him; but he Answered again, take no care for Me; and withall desired they would carry Him to the place where they found Him, which, according as hee Commanded them, they did: And being brought to the place they laid him downe, hee thanked them, and wished them all to love one another, and relieve the oppressed, and succour the fatherlesse and the widdow, feare God and hee will blesse your Labour, bee no timeservers, meddle not with them that are given to change; observe these sayings, your reward shall bee in Heaven: My time is set; I have no more to say, but now shall leave you. Uttering these words, Glory bee to God on high, peace on earth & c. and so vanished away.

Some of the Inhabitants doe believe it to bee an Angell sent from Heaven; some are of opinion, that it was a Child newly borne, and left there by the Mother, unto whom God gave Power and Strength to reveale his Will; but it hath left a deepe Impression in the hearts of some of them. This Copy was taken by one that was both an eye and eare witnesse of these sayings and predictions, which this Infant revealed to all. His time of abode and continuance with us was about three houres.

This Relation was Communicated from George Colly of Hope neere Lempster, to a friend in London to bee published in Print, desiring three hundred Copies to bee sent him to bestow upon friends.

The Witnesses that attest this Relation to bee Truth in every Particular; are,
Sampson Jones Gent. Henry Shipman, Richard Williams,
John

The young King, from King of Great-brittanny, is honored (whereere he comes) as if he were Emperor of Christendom, and not a King of three Kingdoms; and happy is that Prince can first dispatch Ambassadors to him with Presents, and overtures of assisting him with men and money to recover his Right; The King of France hath not a little outdone the rest, by free offering him 10000 French, and to pay them two yeers, besides 10000 pounds in Money; the Duke of Orleance, Normandy, and Prince of Candy 50000 pounds; the King of Denmark 10000 Men, and 10000 pound; the Queen of Swethland 10000 Men, and 20000 pounds; the States of Holland 50 Ships ready Man'd and Victual'd for a yeer; the King of Poland 5000 Men, and pay for them for three yeers; the King of Spaine 10000 Pistollets, & c. What a shame it is for Englishmen, that they should have no more love or natural Affection to their Native Prince, and rightful Soveraign, but to expose him to the Courtesie of Strangers, whilst they stand adoring two or three Golden Calves of their own making!

Noll is gone from Bristol towards Milford Haven, and there sticks till 100000 pounds be sent him: Beer is but now a brewing to Ballance his Ships: The Party of Levellers have a New Design a foot; but that Harry Martin is loth to leave his beloved Mistris Bettee in Coven-Garden, his Worships sinner.

Marques Ormond hath taken Rings-End, the Chief Fort that Commands all the River between Dublin and the Sea; and likewise the Blockhouse on the other side, and gained part of Dublin Colledge, that lies so low, that the Castle has no power over it: they have in readiness Petards, Morter-pieces, Great Ordnance to batter, Sealling Ladders, Faggots and Ropes, and could take the City at pleasure; but not without store of bloudshed, as well of their Friends, as others in the City: Jones hath betaken himself to the Castle, and is upon Articles of Treaty for the Surrender; for the Famine is as bad, or worse, in this little time, then at Colechester; for Jones hath heaped up for himself in the Castle, and exposed the rest to starving, which makes him generally Cursed: It is Reported that Hunks, Venables, Mores, and Reynolds Regiments coming into Dublin River, not thinking those Forts were taken, and thinking to Land; are most cut off by Ordnance from the Forts; and Cromwels Son a Captain is cut to pieces.