In this yeare, the one and twentith of Maie being wednesdaie, a great
earthquake chanced about one of the clocke in the after noone; it
was so vehement, and namelie in Kent, that the churches were shaken
therewith in such wise, that some of them were ouerthrowen to the
ground. On the saturdaie after, being the foure and twentith day of
Maie, earelie in the morning, chanced an other earthquake, or (as some
write) a watershake, being of so vehement & violent a motion, that
it made the ships in the hauens to beat one against the other, by
reason whereof they were sore brused by such knocking togither, to the
great woonder of the people, who being amazed at such strange tokens,
stood a long time after in more awe of Gods wrath and displeasure
than before, for these |755| so strange and dreadfull woonders thus
shewed amongst them: howbeit when these terrors were forgotten, they
followed their former dissolutenes, from the which for a time they were
withdrawne through feare of Gods heuie hand hanging ouer their heads;
but afterward like swine they wallowed afresh in their puddels of
pollusions, & as dogs licked vp their filthie vomit of corruption and
naughtinesse, for
Sordida natura semper sequitur sua iura.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 6.