N00277:225
Kometographia. Or A discourse concerning comets; wherein the nature of blazing stars is enquired…
Kometographia. Or A discourse concerning comets; wherein the nature of blazing stars is enquired into: with an historical account of all the comets which have appeared from the beginning of the world unto this present year, M.DC.LXXXIII. : Expressing the place in the heavens, where they were seen, their motion, forms, duration; and the remarkable events which have followed in the world, so far as they have been by learned men observed. : As also two sermons occasioned by the late blazing stars. / By Mr. Increase Mather, teacher of a church at Boston in New-England. ; [Three lines of Scripture texts]Kometographia. Or A discourse concerning comets; wherein the nature of blazing stars is enquired into: with an historical account of all the comets which have appeared from the beginning of the world unto this present year, M.DC.LXXXIII. : Expressing the place in the heavens, where they were seen, their motion, forms, duration; and the remarkable events which have followed in the world, so far as thay have been by learned men observed. : As also two sermons occasioned by the late blazing stars. / By Mr. Increase Mather, teacher of a church at Boston in New-England. ; [Three lines of Scripture texts]
printed by S.G. for S.S. i.e, 1683
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And besides these particulars (which are considerable) other things have come to pass in Europe since the Comet last mentioned, which deserve to have a Remark set upon them. For the last year there was a terrible conflagration in Moscow (it begun in a Stable) whereby four thousand Houses were consumed, and turned into ruinous heaps. And this last Summer the great City of Plesco, is made desolate by fire, not above seventy Houses remaining. Also the Czar (or Emperor) of Muscovia is lately dead; and his Death hath occasioned a very great Commotion about a Successor to the Crown. At first his Brother was Proclaimed; but the City of Mosco rose up in Arms about it, and the Soldiers there have lately made a dismal slaughter amongst the Nobility and chief Citizens, deposing the late Czar's Brother, and setting up his Uncle as Emperor in his stead. For three days together (viz. 15, 16, & 17 of May last) things in that great and imperial City, were in the strangest Confusion imaginable; on the seventh day of June last, a terrible Earth-quake happened in that part of the World, continuing for the space of half an hour, whereby many stately Fabrics were thrown down to the ground, and an hundred lives destroyed by their fall. Moreover this last Summer, God hath opened the Windows of Heaven ⟨p. 127⟩in a very awful manner, so as that the Floods occasioned by the great Rains, have destroyed many Towns in Sicily. We hear that Mount Aetna (which has been wont to vomit Fire) has of late cast out such an abundance of Water, as that the Neighbouring Country is drowned thereby. We hear also, that on the sixth day of June last, a most prodigious Tempest happened in Sicily, whereby the Town of Randazzo, Francaville, and Tortorica became subject to a sudden and unexpected ruin. About half an hour before Sunset, there happened so great a darkness, as that no object could be distinguished at the distance of four paces; after which there arose an amazing Storm of Rain, Thunder and Lightning▪ which lasted for thirty six hours. About one of the clock in the Morning, great Torrents fell upon the Neighbouring Mountains, with such irresistible fury, as that Trees of extraordinary bigness were carried away before them, which coming against Tortorica threw down the Walls and Houses thereof, 600. of the Inhabitants were drowned. The Arch-Deacon, and many others ran into the Church of St.
And besides these particulars (which are considerable) other things have come to pass in Europe since the Comet last mentioned, which deserve to have a Remark set upon them. For the last year there was a terrible conflagration in Moscow (it begun in a Stable) whereby four thousand Houses were consumed, and turned into ruinous heaps. And this last Summer the great City of Plesco, is made desolate by fire, not above seventy Houses remaining. Also the Czar (or Emperour) of Muscovia is lately dead; and his Death hath occasioned a very great Commotion about a Successour to the Crown. At first his Brother was Proclaimed; but the City of Mosco rose up in Arms about it, and the Souldiers there have lately made a dismal slaughter amongst the Nobility and chief Citizens, deposing the late Czar's Brother, and setting up his Uncle as Emperour in his stead. For three dayes together (viz. 15, 16, & 17 of May last) things in that great and imperial City, were in the strangest Confusion imaginable; on the seventh day of June last, a terrible Earth-quake hapned in that part of the World, continuing for the space of half an hour, whereby many stately Fabricks were thrown down to the ground, and an hundred lives destroyed by their fall. Moreover this last Summer, God hath opened the Windows of Heaven