Wonders in the Sky (48 page)

The cloud was seen to “drop down fire several times upon Westminster Hall and then it removed and (flew) over the Parliament Hall and did drop down fire upon that also several times”.

 

Source:
Eniaytos terastios Mirabilis annus, or, The year of prodigies and wonders being a faithful and impartial collection of severall signs that have been seen in the heavens, in the earth, and in the waters; together with many remarkable accidents, and judgements befalling divers persons, according as they have been testified by very credible hands: all which have happened within the space of one year last past, and are now made publick for a seasonable warning to the people of these three kingdoms speedily to repent and turn to the Lord, whose hand is lifted up amongst us
(London, 1661).

257.

August 1660, Statford Row, near London, England
A Great ship in the air

The likeness of a “great ship” was seen in the air. It decreased in size and eventually disappeared.

The worthy chronicler does not fail to inform us that “this is testified by an able Minister living not far from the place, who received the information from the spectators themselves”.

 

Source:
Mirabilis Annus
(1661)

258.

September 1660, London, England
Multiple unknown lights

“A gentleman of good quality and an Officer of Eminency in the late King's army and now a Justice of the Peace in the Country” reported seeing a bright light in the Southwest, along with six smaller ones. “Whilst he with several others, were with some admiration beholding them, they all fell down perpendicularly and vanished.”

 

Source:
Mirabilis Annus
(1661).

259.

3 October 1660, Hull, England
Large tapered flying object

The soldiers on guard at the South Blockhouse saw a large fiery object tapering off at one end and leaving a narrow stream behind. It was so brilliant that they could read fine print or take up a pin from the ground by its light. This object was in sight for half an hour.

Someone who was approaching Hull that same night, coming from Lincolnshire, confirmed the first report: “He saw a very great light in the sky, whereby he could perfectly discern his way, though it was exceedingly dark.”

The whole relation–continues our chronicler–” is signified by letters from several eminent men in Hull who spoke with the eyewitnesses, as also by some inhabitants of London, who upon occasion have been at Hull since that time, and there from very good hands have received credible information concerning the premises.”

 

Source:
Mirabilis Annus
(1661).

260.

11 October 1660, Hertford, England
Flying circle with appendages

A person of very good note and credit awoke at 4 A.M. to see “a flashing like fire against his window, and fearing some house near him had been on fire, he immediately arose and went to the window.”

He saw a large object with a circle around it, and two appendages above and below it, from which great flashes were indeed emitted. This object remained in view for several hours, and was observed by others in the town.

 

Source:
Mirabilis Annus
(1661).

261.

12 October 1660, London, England: Two unknowns

Around 4 P.M. people saw an object going through the air from west to east with a great noise.

It was shaped “like a beesome” according to witnesses. Immediately afterwards, another object of the same shape, but smaller, flew overhead on the same trajectory.

 

Source:
Mirabilis Annus
(1661).

262.

30 October 1660, Austy, England: Multiple objects

Several persons who were going to Ware Market suddenly saw a terrible flash of lightning, after which the night became brighter and brighter, until a great fiery thing appeared in the East and ascended. Three star-like objects fell from it vertically. The large object changed to a crescent shape and remained in view until dawn.

The same thing was seen by five people going from Hertford to London: they saw the flash of lightning, which was as bright as the noonday sun and made it seem that their horses were on fire. One suspects a fireball or very bright meteor, but the story disproves this hypothesis: “Within a little space, this Body of Fire rose up again into the Air, with a tayl (sic) about a Pole long, and went Eastward, where at last it fixed itself in the sky like a star”.

 

Source:
Mirabilis Annus
(1661).

263.

30 October 1660, Yelden, England: Bright object

A bright object seen in the sky for two hours by a credible witness. The record reads:

“Very early was seen a great Star which…gave so great a light, that some inhabitants here…could see to do business in the house by the light of it; one credible person here beheld it two hours together, and at last saw it turn into the perfect form of a Roman S, and then presently it divided in the middle, and one half went to the north-east, and the other to the south-west, and so by degrees disappeared.”

 

Source:
Mirabilis Annus
(1661).

264.

10 November 1660, Oxford, England: Humanoid

A scholar named Allen, of Magdalen College in Oxford, who was in bed, heard a noise like the sound of geese. He got up and looked out of a window on the side of a bridge, but saw nothing. As he went back to bed he saw a strange man at the door, apparently dressed as a bishop!

“At first he was not much affrighted, but called to it and abjured it to speak. The Bishop immediately rose up and approached towards his bed, at which the young man was exceedingly terrified, and crying out murder, murder, it vanished. He since says that he saw and heard something which he will discover to no one.”

 

Source:
Mirabilis Annus
(1661).

265.