(1029)
the Mountain, about 20. miles beneath the Old Mouth; and 10. miles from Catania. At firstt it was reported to advance 3. miles in 24. hours; but at our being there (viz. April 5) when we were come within a short mile of Catania, it scarce mov'd after the rate of a furlong a day; and after this degree of progress it continued for 15. or 20. days after, passing under the walls of Catania a good way into the Sea; but about the latter end of this Month and the beginning of May (whether it was that the Sea could not receive this matter fast enough, or rather that the Mouth above did call forth a larger quantity) it bent all its force against the City; and having wrought itself up even with the Wals thereof, over it pass'd in divers places; but its chief fury fell upon a very stately Convent, which was that of the Benedictins, having large Gardens and other ground betwixt them and the Wall: Which when it had filled up, it fell with all its force on the Convent, where it met with strong resistance, which made it swell (as usually it did, where it met with any Obstruction) almost as high, as the higher Shops in the Old London Exchange, this Convent being built much after that fashion, though considerably bigger. Some parts of this Wall were driven in, whole and entire, almost a foot, as appeared by the rising of the tyles in the midst of the floor, and bending of the Iron-barrs that went cross above. And 'tis certain, had this Torrent fallen in some other part of the Town, it would have made great havock amongst their ordinary Building, but here its fury ceased the 4. of May, running hence forward in little channels or streams and that chiefly into the Sea. It had overwhelmed in the upland contry some 14. Towns and villages, whereof some were of good note, containing 3 or 4 thousand Inhabitants, and stood in a very fruitful and pleasant Country, where the Fire had never made any devastation before: but now there is not so much as any sign, where suchTowns have stood; only the Church and Steeple of one of them; which stood alone upon an high ground, does still appeare.
As to the matter, which thus ran, it was nothing else, but divers kinds of Metals and Minerals, rendred liquid by the fierceness of the Fire in the bowels of the Earth, boyling up and gushing forth, like the water doth at the head of same greatRiver;
