ABSTRACT
Gentle reader, I thought good to take notice of the hand <of God> now amongst us upon whom the endes of the world is come, and now of late amongst many heavi judgments (of God) I cheifly take notice of Gods judgments upon Sabbath breakers and one Drunkards, and that in the very acte of their sinnes, having neither time, power nor heart to repent[.]
Now I know but few of these myselfe, but I did here of them very credibly by those that are honest, or else I should be loth to take notice of them for I would not do willingly the least evill... . …
/fol. 4r/ In November the 17, 1618 was the blazing starre seen here in England oftentimes in a fortnight together in a terrible manner with fiery stremes to the amazement and terrow1 of many: this same yeer ther was seen two blasing starrs, the one being southest from us poynting towards England the other overhead in Ierland[.] After this in the yeere 1621 A poore man of Buckinghamsheere that went all in black clothes with his hatt <comonly> under his arme, did for the space of one wholl yeere, comonly three days in a weeke, before the gate of Whithall,2 (King James being then at Whithall,) (like unto him at Jerusalem that cryed woe to Jerusalem, forty yeeres before it was
of three quarters of an hower long, it was an effectual prayer against the sins of those times, calling for woe and vengance on all papist, and all that did adhere to popery. And when he had made an end of his prayer, he would4 goe even through London, with his hat under his arme, crying, Woe to Roome, woe to all papistes, woe to the Pope, with many other execrations against papists. And I myselfe have seene and heard him at the corner of the street, crying in a dolfull manner, saying, woe to London, woe to the inhabitants of London[.] And my Father and I came by watter in a bote with this man, and my Father had some speech with him, and he tould my Father, he must goe into other contryes. he was counted a madd man, but I am shure he talked very sinchable and honestly. but I must need say, I did not heere him bring from the word of God any sound ground for what he did. …
[Wallington continues to record strange and portentous happenings. From fol. 6r he lists several instances of suicide.] …
/fol. 7r/ 1633[.] … This I say, if such as they, that were wise and learned laide violent hands one themselves, this should make us to watch over ourselves and to be warrened5 by them as the Apostle saith (1 Corinthians 10:11)[:]
Now all these things came unto them for ensamples, and were written to admonish us, upon whome the ende of the world are come[.]
Secondly take heede of judging as the Apostle Paule saith[:] Who art thou that condemnest another mans sarvant[?] hee standeth or
falleth to his owne Master (Romans 14:4)[.] 1 Corinthians 10:12[:] Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take
heede lest hee fall[.] Thirdly let us take [heed] of melancholi and solitarines for Sathan workes
much upon such. Therefore such persons as love solitarinesse, love not their one soules for they give great advantag to Sathan to assalt them and therefore we should take heed of it[.] ...
