Wonders in the Sky (38 page)

1 March 1564, near Brussels, Belgium
Aerial bombardment

In Gilbert's
Annalen
for 1806 is an account of a fearful phenomenon seen between Mechel and Brussels. The sky was clear at first, but about 9 o'clock became fiery, throwing down a reflection upon the earth so that everything became yellowish. In the meantime there appeared in the sky figures of three men in royal robes with crowns upon their heads, remaining visible for nearly three-fourths of an hour, when they gradually drew near together and in the course of another 15 minutes disappeared. Then frightful stones fell, large and small, some of which were five or six pounds in weight. So far as known none of this material has found its way into collections.

 

Source: George P. Merrill and William F. Foshag,
Minerals from earth and sky,
Volume 3 (New York: Smithsonian Institution Series, Inc., 1938), 12-13.

196.

7 August 1566, Basel, Switzerland: Aerial Combat

Many black spheres in apparent aerial combat. Several turn red and disintegrate.

“At sunrise were seen in the air numerous large black balls that flew at high speed towards the Sun, then turned around, hitting one another as if they were fighting. Many of them became red and fiery, and later they consumed themselves and were extinguished.”

A contemporary engraving shows the spheres in the sky above the “Munster” cathedral with the Antistitium.

Fig. 17: The sighting at Basel

Source: Samuel Coccius (Koch),
Seltzame gestalt so in diesem M.D. LXVI. Jar, / gegen auffgang und nidergang, under dreyen malen am Himmel / ist gesehen worden, zu Basel auff den xxvij. und xxviij. Höwmonat / und volgends auf den vij Augsten
(Basel: Samuel Apiarium, 1566), ZB PAS II 6/5.

197.

7 April 1567, Basel, Switzerland: A black sphere

A black sphere appears in the sky and covers the face of the Sun. It was seen all day long.

 

Source: Samuel Coccius (Koch),
Wunderbare aber Warhaffte Gesicht vii erscheinung in Wolcken des Himmels auff den andern tag Menens in diesem lauffenden acht und sechtzigsten Jar. […] Sampt angehenckter geschicht / inn dem vergangnen LXVII. Jar auff den vii. tag / Aprellens ausz dem lufft geoffenbaret / bende vorhin niemalen / aber jetz. under zur warnung im truck auszgangen
(Basel: Samuel Apiarius, 1558), Ms. F. 18.

198.

26 September 1568, Tournai, Belgium
Great circles of fire

“Marvelous signs in the sky were seen from the seventh to the twelfth hour in the evening. At first, great circles of fire were seen with rays emerging like suns dragging water (?), afterwards a black cloud was seen and after that, great lights appeared. That being gone, men on horses were seen fighting each other and it seemed as if several musketeers were skirmishing against one another. Sparkles of fire were seen which illuminated the ground with a terrible shine.”

A possible interpretation of this case would invoke an aurora borealis, but not enough is precisely known to make that determination, so we keep the event with reservation.

 

Source: Alex Pinchart,
Mémoires de Nicolas Soldoyer
, as published in
Mémoires de Pasquier de la Barre et de Nicolas Soldoyer, pour servir à l'histoire de Tournai
(Brussels, 1865), vol. II, 304.

199.

20 July 1571, Prague, Czechoslovakia
Mysterious round “chariot”

“About midnight there was a great wind over Prague that made such a rumbling noise that it sounded like an earthquake. The people woke up with a start and hurried to their windows. Looking towards the cattle fair (today Charles Square) they saw a marching army coming along Spalena Street.

“The soldiers held their weapons in their hands and witnesses found their appearance somewhat unnerving. Behind the soldiers came something resembling a large round ‘chariot' drawn by oxen.

“The object, which made a loud noise, was apparently made of metal
and had no wheels
. Eight large human figures marched behind the vehicle. They looked frightful because they had no faces but wore enormous spurs on their feet, adding to the noise.

“Once they had crossed the square, a great fire appeared on the ground in front of the Church of the Sacred Heart. On one side of the fire there were a large number of boxes, and on the other there were barrels. These barrels looked as if they could have been used to transport gunpowder. The big chariot arrived near the fire and all the boxes and the barrels were thrown on it. Then again a frightful wind arose at the same time as a kind of rain of fire and all this horrifying vision disappeared. However, a luminous object could be made out in the air, a circle of fire that persisted until dawn. That year there was a great famine and many people died.”

 

Source: J. Beckovský,
Poselkyn
starých p
íb
h
v
eských. Díl druhý. Od roku 1526-1715. Sepsal Jan Beckovský, kn
z
ádu K
ižovník
s
evenou hv
zdou. K vydání upravil Dr. Antonín Rezek, docent rakouského d
jepisu na universit
pražské.
V Praze, nákladem D
dictví sv. Prokopa, písmem knihtiskárny B. Stýblovy 1879-1880.