World trembled at once, if fome famous Authors are to be credited. In the tenth Year of Chrift was a great Earthquake in Cyprus, that overthrew many Cities, and in his feventeenth Year thirteen Cities in Italy were deftroyed, and the River Tyber overflowed Rome. The effects whereof were thought to be, That Sejanus the Favourite to Tyberius was executed for his Ambition, his Son ftrangled, his Daughter firft Defloured by the Hangman, then put to death. Drufius is Poifoned: Tyberius turn'd Tyrant. In 59. was a terrible Eclipfe of the Sun, fo that the Stars were feen, Nero's Supper was burned with Lightning, and a great Earthquake happened at Rome. this time the Britains flay feventy thoufand Romans, and Suetonius deftroys eighty thousand Britains as he comes from Anglefey. Rome is fired by Nero who rejoices in that Villany, he commits Incest with his own Mother, afterwards Murders and and Rips her up to view the place where he lay before he was born. Cartifmunda Queen of the Britains rejecteth her Huf band, the King of Scots takes her, and buries her alive, At XXI. In the reign of Trojan the Empe ror 105. there happened a moft terrible Earthquake at Antioch which deftroyed ma ny Cities and People, and extended itfelf very far; Frightful Lightnings which made the Night as light as Day, preceded with dreadful dreadfulThunderbolts that threw down ftately buildings, killed many Men; Alfo ftrong and unufual Storms of Wind, after which were heard great and fudden Noifes, the Sea wrought, the Waves fwelled, the Earth was fhaken, buildings trembled, others were lifted up and fell down, whereby fo thick a duft and darkness was raifed that People could not fee nor hear one another, nor fcarcely breath: Trees were pluckt up by the Roots, and multitudes buried in the Ruins of their own Houfes. After which came fuch violent heats that People not being able to indure it, ftript and hid themfelves naked under ground, where many were famifh'd, by reafon the continual fhaking of the Earth fo diftracted them that they durit not come forth for relief. In 107. A very great Earthquake happened in Afia, with many Prodigious fights in the Air, as fighting of Men, &c. Another in Galatia and Rome where Lightning from Heaven confumed the Temple of their Gods, with ftrong unwonted Winds, and horrible Noifes in the Earth. In 120. A great Earthquake in Nice; and two terrible ones in Palestina. Milk in a Prodigious manner rained in Rome, and a great Fire deftroyed two hundred and forty Houfes. In 162. A very great Earthquake in Bithynia; The Waves of the Mediterranean Seas in a Calm elevated themfelves to the top of a Mountain far diftans from it, and caft the foam foam a great way upon the main Land. At this time Mogul King of Scots growing odious to the Nobility for his Tyranny they Murder him. Smyrna in Afia is quite deftroyed. The Emperor Commodus groweth ridiculous, and the People taking notice thereof, he executed many of them, he is itrangled by Martia his Concubine, and Pertinax fucceeding, after having Reign'd only eighty feven days is flain by the Souldiers. XXII. In 244. The Sun was totally eclipfed, and there was fo horrid an Earthquake, the Earth gaped fo extreamly that certain Cities, together with their People, were fwallowed up, and exceeding great darkness happened for many days together. Now the tenth Perfecution began wherein one hundred forty four thoufand Chriftians. were put to Death in Egypt and seventy thousand banished, and many burned in an Houfe in Nicomedia. In the Year 300, there were great Earthquakes, by one whereof thirteen Cities in Campania were overthrown, and another in Afia.. A hand was feen in the Church of Lateran in Rome without a Body, which in the fight of many Men writ upon the Wall thefe Words, 10• die venenum in Ecclefia infufurus. To day is Poifon poured into the Church; Which was thought to intend the Extraordinary indulgence of Conftantine the Great, and first Christian Emperor upon the Bifhops, fhops, and his heaping Honours and Estates upon them, whereby they degenerated from their Primitive fimplicity and humility.. Soon after many Cities in the East fell to the ground by an Earthquake, and Neo-Cefarea was overturned and all its Inhabitants perifhed, except fuch as were faved by the Bishop in the Church. Dyracchium was demolished by an Earthquake, and Rome trembled for three Days and Nights fucceffively, and Antioch was indangered by an Earthquake of a whole Years continuance. Rhodes and Sicily were likewife endamaged thereby, and likewife Cilicia, and indeed it was fo general that all Europe and Afiawere fhaken at once. XXIII. In 366. in the reign of Julian the Emperor, who was firft a Chriftian and afterward revolted to Paganifin, for which he was named the Apoftate, and became a bitter Enemy to the Chriftians, and in de-. fpight and contempt of our bleffed Saviour, who had Prophefied that the Temple of Ferufalem fhould be deftroyed and never rebuilt, He impioufly refolved to invalidate the fame, and defigned to build it Magnificently with exceffive coft and charges, committing the care thereof to one Alypius, who did vigorously apply himfelf to the Work, being affifted therein by the Governour of the Province. But there brake out dreadful Balls of Fire near the Foundation of the Walls, which with there fre quent : quent Irruptions, made the Place unapproachable, feveral Workmen being confumed by the Fire, and in this manner a full period was put to their further proceeding therein; But Nicephorus Califtus gives a more large and full Narrative thereof as followeth. The Jews, faith he, having got together as many as were skilful in the Art of Building, and having provided Materials for it, and fully cleanfed the place, they prepared Spades made of Silver, their charges being allowed out of the publick ftock with fuch Earneftness and Alacrity did they labour herein, that the very Women carried away the Rubbish in their Laps, and whatfoever Jewels, or precious Ornaments they had, they expended on the bufinefs. When they had digged up the remainders of the old Building from the loweft Foundations, and had cleared the ground, fo that there was not a ftone left upon a ftone, according to our Bleffed Lords Prediction, The next day coming to the Place, there was a great Earthquake, infomuch that the ftones were caft out of the Foundation, fo that many of the Jews were flain, who either came to fee the work, or had the overfight thereof. The Publick buildings which were nearcft the Temple, were likewife loofened, and falling down with great violence, buried those who were in them in their ruins ; fome who attempted to fly away were found half dead; others loft their Legs, Arms, |