This is acted in the dark; and at Arno the French commissioners come up the back stairs with sixty thousand, and the ingrossed covenants, when they abused the King of England's ambassadors; a peace went down the other way. The lord cardinal returneth home, meeteth by the way the foul play of his master, and wrote to the King of Eng land; not in excuse, but in complaint, contra perfidiam principum, an honest servant. Ferdinand and Maximilian dead, Francis and Charles are competitors for the empire. Henry the Eighth is courted for his help by both, the one with tie of alliance (for the Infanta, the dauphin had offered to Henry the Eighth) the other with the like; the one will make his daughter a queen in present, which the dauphin cannot do ; and by his favour an empress. To further Francis was but to win ambition, to prey upon all his neighbours +. The English are won, and win for Spain, all the imperial wealth, which Charles (in two letters I have of his own hand) then thankfully confessed. From Aquisgrave he cometh crowned in haste to England; weddeth at Windsor the king's daughter; contracteth to join in an invasion of France; to divide it with his father-in-law by the river of Rhodines; and sweareth at the altar in St. Paul's to keep faith in all ‡. Bourbon is wrought from France, and entereth the province with an army, paid with King Henry's money; Suffolk passeth with the English forces by Picardy; but Charles the emperor, who should have entered by Guienne, faileth, drawing away Bourbon from a strait siege of Marseilles, to interrupt Francis, then entered Italy; and so the enterprise of France is defeated §. The French king is at Pavy taken prisoner by Pescaro, led to Genoa, carried into Spain by the emperor's gallies, and forced at Madrid to a hard bargain, without privity to Henry the Eighth or provision for him, who had borne the greater charge of that war (a). Now the emperor affecteth the (6) monarchy, that hath ever since (as some say) infected the Austrian family of Rome; the fatal old seat of government must be the seat of this new empire; Bourbon, and after Moncado, are directed to surprise it (c); Angelo, the observant Friar, is sent before; a Pope confined by the emperor's election, who meant (as his own instructions warrant) to restore that right again to the imperial throne (d). Charles will follow from Baçalona with the army, but before he must call a parliament at Toledo. Here, whether by direction or af. fection, I dare not discuss, that assembly maketh protestation against their master's marriage with England, and assigneth him Isabella of Portugal for a wife (e). The instrument is sent, signed by the imperial notary, to Henry the Eighth, and Charles bemoaneth the strait he is forced unto by them: and, before all this, he had wrought from Rome a dispensation for his Ex Literis Car. Regis Hisp. Ex Orig. Instr. (b) Universal. + Extract. Windosil. (a) Extract. Madrid, 115, 26. (d) Ex Instrum. Carol. V. Imp. + Ex Literis Car. V. Impr. Orig. (e) Ex Instrum. Hen. VIII. Brian et Gardian ex literis Frenston Epicond. Legat. Hen. VIII. in Hisp. Ex Protestat. Orig. Toledo Parl. former ally and marriage, sending not long after Gonsales Ferdinand, his dolphin, to incite the Earl of Desmond in Ireland, and inviting James the Fourth (by promise of marriage, to Christian, the King of Denmark's daughter, his niece) to enter the English borders, to busy the English king, for asking a strict account of that indignity." Henry the Eighth, with providence and good success, and by the league of Italy, in which he was made Caput Fœderis against the empe ror; he inforceth him to moderate conditions, at the treaty of Cambray, 1529.† I may end your honours trouble with this one example, and with humble prayer, That the Catholic king may either have so much of princely sincerity, as not to intend the like, or my good and gracious master a jealous vigilance to prevent, if he should, &c. ROBERT COTTON. A BRIEF RELATION OF A WONDERFUL ACCIDENT, A DISSOLUTION OF THE EARTH, IN THE FOREST OF CHARNWOOD, About two miles from Loughborough in Leicestershire; LATELY DONE, And discovered, and resorted to, by many people, both old and young. Published by two lovers of art, I. C. and I. W. quarto, containing six pages, MDCLXXIX. TO THE READER. · To your ingenuous acceptation, we communicate these our observations; not for filthy lucre's sake, but for publick satisfaction, and truth-sake, being provoked thereto by some persons of quality: considering the evil custom of erroneous reports, and the fearful rumours of ignorant people. Read, and judge charitably, without critical, or incredulous censure; here is no wandering prolixity, nor superfluous embellishment of eloquence, but a scrutiny into the proper Antithesis, apparelled with necessary language. Be candid, not cunning. THE VALE. HE figure is almost circular, posited in a declining condition to the horizon, it being the end or fragment of a hilly body, and contains about two acres of ground. In its upper division, or primary breach, the lower, or fallen part of it, lies a yard (in some places) beneath the unmoved body about three parts of this circular wonder shews symptoms of the efficient cause; and the rest shews little, or no defect. : Ex literis Car. Wol. et Grego. Gassalis Instrum. et Sign. Carol. Imp. Quozag. Fiend. Capl. suo. Dat. 24 Feb. Ex libro. n. n. n. D. Carer. Ex literis in a Com. Northum. Custo. March. Scotia. ↑ Extract. Orig. in Archivis Westm. Extract. Cambren. 1529. About three paces from the upper breach, or prime division, is a second trench all down one curve of the circle aforesaid, and some second fractures be on the other side these; over the prime trench, or breach lieth, a narrow path-way; the fallen part, whose hypotenusal should fall upon the true angular point (if it had a perpendicular fall) is subverted, and turned aside one foot and more. Between the prime breach, and second curvery fracture, the earth shews a perpendicular descent, or downright falling, because it doth thrust itself within its former bounds; on the other side of the curve, which is higher ground, the parts of the earth fallen, and unfallen, shew the distance of a foot; which, if it should be raised to a parallel, with its former bounds, would differ half a yard. The sine for these curves is the radius, or total sine. The lower part of the periphery (or arch opposite to the primary breach) is rolled in, with an overshooting of its bounds; as if it were driven, being light in substance, and stones (in some places thereof) thrust forth themselves. This lower curve contains about half the radius for its versed sine. The unbreached part of the periphery lies on the lower side of the hill, in respect to the hill's ridge. Some persons judge water to be the cause of the breach; others say wind. The latter we account proper, and consider, both in method and manner following: 1. That it was not water. 2. That it was occasioned by wind. Reasons negative, and affirmative, That it was not water. 1. Water doth naturally run in a channel hasting forward, yea, and that where the ground is level: but, where the ground descendeth through which it is to pass, there it forceth with a more direct course, and speedy stream; not dilating itself, but rather drawing its body more close into narrow bounds. 2. If water had been the cause, then it should not have run in a round figure, where the hill is so much descending; unless some artificial pipes had been laid, which by the attractive power of the air should draw the water up again; which if fancy, or any person's supposition, should incline to, yet nevertheless it would have more powerful force in its descent, than ascent. 3. Had water (by its violent billows) caused this accident, it would either have done it by an eruption outward, or a dissolution of the earth within, whereby the upper superficies should have fallen in, or sunk within its counterminal sides. Indeed, some part of the ground we allow to be depressed, but another part is not, but rather heightened, by rolling up. And, how any thing should produce contrary effects to its nature, is marvellous! 4. Had water been the cause by demolishing the intrails of the earth, then (running in a channel) the breach should be opposite to its cur rent; and should, from hence, the current of water be guessed to fall where the ground is fallen in all down one curve of the circle, then should not another breach considerable appear from its production, and the earth would have been overshot or carried that way as the current of water past; but the earth is carried that way where no such falling in appears. That it was Wind. 1. Because it is so improbable to be water; but we judge wind might be the cause, forasmuch as it is its property to produce such effects. 2. For wind being gathered, and streightened within the bowels of the earth, in order to an earthquake, doth at last (by a volatile motion) break or burst forth in some place or other, with great violence, rending, twisting in, and burying the earth within its own bowels; and in its motion, arching, flying, and searching about, might (very naturally) cause this breach. 3. Because the lower part of the periphery, which is overshot, lies rolled in, huft, or blown, darting, from its swoln (or enlarged) pores, stones of a considerable weight; as also the root of a tree, which is turned up in the primary breach. 4. This being at the front of a hilly range, the earthquake might come running along, and there disburden itself; and that moreover as it is free from rocks, the ground solvible, and consequently the pores more easily extended. Arguments corresponding with the former reasons. 1. If water had been the cause, then from a slant descent, or ascent, the breach would have shewed itself in a right-lined, or serpentine figure, and more especially in a right-lined figure, its surface having declination. But this breach is circular, and declining, contrary to a right-lined, or serpentine figure. Therefore the cause could not be water. 2. Water was not the cause, but rather wind; for wind is volatile, light, and forcible, and known to be of circular motion; where it is streightened, and wants liberty to disburden, or disperse, itself into its own element, it searches a passage, and, by operation, is (by philosophers) accounted the cause of earthquakes; it vents, and turns up the earth in its delivery thence. But, in this breach, the figure is circular, diversly fractured, blown, or huft up, and writhed, which are the symptoms of an earthquake. Ergo wind was the proper and true cause. Now it remains that we answer three objections, and conclude. 1. May some say, had there been an earthquake, why was it not discerned, felt, or discovered by one or other? 2. Though towns be not very high, yet there be some inhabitants on the forest nigh resident, and would not they have been sensible of some motion or noise which accompany earthquakes? 3. There be many trecs, not far off, would not some of them have received prejudice by overturning, or rocks where you suppose the windy commotion ran along? Answers to the objections. 1. Had there been any inhabitants dwelling on the said hill, they might then have felt it. 2. As for them that dwell nigh, they might very well be insensible of noise, or motion, which might happen in the night; and because earthquakes (more general ones) have been experienced to operate in one part of the town, and not in another part of the same; or in a various manner, in a little distance; no wonder then, if such inhabitants perceive it not. 3. As for trees, how should they be prejudiced, where the earthquake came not? But, had trees stood where the breach was made, they would probably then have been overthrown, as the root of a tree aforesaid; and, as for rocks being not removed over the windy passage, they might be spared for the same reason that the ground in those places was; and both spared, because the disturbance hastens along to the front, as a stone to its center. A NARRATIVE OF THE WICKED PLOTS CARRIED ON BY SEIGNIOR GONDAMORE, For advancing the Popish Religion and Spanish Faction. Heartily recommended to all Protestants, by Richard Dugdale, Gent. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them; for it is a shame even to speak of those things, which are done of them in secret. EPHESIANS V. II. 12. London, printed 1679. Folio, containing sixteen pages. COURTEOUS READER, THE PREFACE. This following narrative has run all the hazards and risks of fortune; it breathed for a long time in the obscure shadow of a country and loyal divine's study; after the death of that worthy and eminent person, a relation to the great Earl of Strafford, it fell into the hands of one of his younger sons, who being a man of business, and a daily frequenter of Westminster Hall, that great mart and exchange of law, this lay bundled up, among some bundles of insignificant and worthless papers, till it pleased God to confine this gentleman to his chamber, by a distemper, which though it was so severe as to deny him to act abroad, yet it did not so at home: under this imprisonment (for restraint is such to active spirits) he reviewed his long neglected writings; and being unwilling, like the rabble of the town, to condemn and execute upon a bare presumption of guilt: he calls all to a single scrutiny and examination: the multitude here, as in the world, proved trash and refuse, only this manuscript, like Moses among the reeds, was preserved alive, because it was of |