OSTENTA; OR, PORTENTS.

“How it comes to pass, I know not;* but by ancient and modern example it is evident, that no great accident befalls a city or province, but it is presaged by divination, or prodigy, or astrology, or some way or other.  I shall here set down a few instances.”

* Discourses of Nicholas Machiavel, book 1.  Chap 56.

A Rainbow appeared about the sun before the battle of Pharsalia.  See.  Appian, and Mr. T. May’s 5th book of his Continuation of Lucan.

" Ex Chronico Saxonico, p. 112, Anno 1104, fuit primus Pentecostes dies Nonis Junii, & die Martis sequnte, conjuncti sunt quatuor Circuli circa Solem, aibi coloris, & quisque sub alio collocatus, quasi picti essent.  Omnes qui videbant obstupuerunt, propterea quod nunquam ante tales meminerant.  Post haec facta est Pax inter Comitem, Robertum de Normannia, & Robertum de Boeloesme i, e.”

In the year 1104, on the first day of Pentecost, the sixth of June, and on the day following being Tuesday, four circles of a white colour, were seen to roll in conjunction round the sun, each under the other regularly placed, as if they had been drawn by the hand of a painter.  All who beheld it were struck with astonishment, because they could not learn that any such spectacles had ever happened in the memory of man.  After these things it is remarkable, that a peace was immediately set on foot, and concluded between Robert, Earl of Normandy, and Robert de Baelaesme.

The Duke of York (afterwards Edward IV.) met with his enemies near to Mortimer’s Cross, on Candlemas day in the morning, at which time the Sun (as some write) appeared to him like three Suns, and suddenly joined altogether in one, and that upon the sight thereof, he took such courage, that he fiercely set on his enemies, and them shortly discomfited:  for which cause, men imagined that he gave Sun in his full brightness for his cognisance or badge.  Halle, F. 183, b. 4.

Our Chronicles tell us, that Anno Secundo Reginae Mariae, 15th of February, two suns appeared, and a rainbow reversed:  see the bow turned downwards, and the two ends standing upwards, before the coining in of King Philip.

The phaenomenon, fig. 1, was seen at Broad-Chalk in Wiltshire, on the first day of May, 1647.  It continued from about eleven o’clock (or before) till twelve.  It was a very clear day; but few did take notice of it, because it was so near the sun-beams.  My mother happened to espy it, going to see what o’clock it was by an horizontal dial; and then all the servants saw it.  Upon the like occasion, Mr. J. Sloper, B.D. vicar there, saw it, and all his family; and the servants of Sir George Vaughan, (then of Falston) who were hunting on the downs, saw it.  The circles were of rainbow colour; the two filots, which cross the greater circle, (I presume they were segments of a third circle) were of a pale colour.  The sun was within the intersections of the circles.