Valerius Maximus in his firste booke and 6.chapter of straunge wonders, writeth how Cneius Pompeius had warning before, not to fight the fielde with Iulius Cesar for as he launced off, at Dirrachium, his souldiours were taken with a sodayne feare: and in the night likewise before the battaile, their hearts and courages sodainly failed them. And after, the same author addeth that which Cesar himselfe rehearseth in his 3.booke De bello ciuili: how that the very same day wherin Cesar fought his fortunate battaile, the crying of the armie, and the sound of trumpets was heard at Antioche in Syria, so sensibly, that the whole citie ranne in armour to defend their walles. The very same thing he saith, happened at Ptolemais, and that at Pergamus in the most priuie and secret parts of the temple where none may enter, saue only priests, which place the Grecians call ἄδυτα there were heard the sound of drummes and timbrels.
Castor and Pollux.
Plutarch.
The historiographers reporte, that Castor and Pollux haue béen often séene in battailes sitting on white horses, & valiantly fighting against yͤ enemies campe. Plutarch writeth in Coriolanus life, that they were séene in the battaile against Tarquinius, and that immediatly after, they bare tidings to Rome of the victory. The selfe same writeth Titus Liuius also in his 8.booke of his first decade. We may reade in the history of the siege of the noble citie of Magdeburge in Saxonie, that the enimie which laide siege to the towne, so often as the citizens issued out to skirmish with them, supposed that one vpō a white horse came riding before the citizens battaile, when as the citizens themselues Iosephus. sawe no such man. Iosephus in his bookes of the warres in Iurie, recordeth what straunge signes hapned before the destructiō of Ierusalem: which were, that a brasen gate being fast rampierd with barres, opened in the night time of his owne accord. And that before the Sunne set, there were séene chariots in the aire, and armies of men well furnished, enuironing the citie rounde about. And that at Whitsontide, as the priests entred the temple to celebrate diuine seruice, they heard a great noise, and by & by a voice crying Migremus hinc. Let vs depart hence. He reckeneth vp other like things, which we néede not repeate in this place. The same night that Leo of Constantinople was slayne in the temple, the trauellers by sea heard a voice in the aire which said: that Leo had roared out euen to the same place.
Felix Malleolus.
Felix Malleolus doctor of both yͤ lawes, master of Solodor, & canon at Tigurū, a mā of great reading, as it may easily apeare by his lerned writings which ar yet extāt. (For he liued about yͤ time whē yͤ Coūcell of Basil was holdē) writeth in his booke de nobilitate, c.30. yͭ it is to be séen in yͤ historie of Rodulphus king of the Romanes, that when the said Rodulphus had vanquished Othotarus, King of Boemia, continuing on the place all night, where the battell was fought, about midnight, certain Spirits or Deuils, with horrible noise and tumulte, troubled and disordered his whole armie. And that those were spirits walking by night, it appeared hereby, that they sodeynly vanished away like smoake.
The same Author writeth in his xxvi. chapter, That in the yeare of our Lord .1280. as one of the Plebans (as they call them) belonging to the churche of Tigurine preached to the people, the graue stone of the tumbe or sepulchre of the two martires Felix and Regula, patrones of the same place, violently brake asunder, no man mouing or touching it, giuing a horrible sound like vnto thunder, so that the people were no lesse astonished and afraide, than if the vaute of the Churche had fallen downe. And he saith, that the same yeare, the third day of October, the greater part of the citie of Tigurum was brent with fire, and moreouer, that sedition was moued amongst the Citizens, for certaine Ecclesiastical disciplines, and for the Imperiall Banne (as they terme it.) In the yeare of our Lord .1440. the twelfe day of December, at yͤ dedication of the foresaid churche, about midnight, there was the like noise hearde, and immediatly after followed ciuill warres, which the Tigurins held with vncertaine successe against the other Heluetians, for the space of seuen yeares and more.
The same writer in the .33. Chap. hath, that at the same time in the yeare of our Lorde .1444. before that valiaunt battaile, which a feawe Heluetians fought against the innumerable companie of Lewes Dolphin of Fraunce, fast by the wals of Basill, in the time of the generall Councell, there was hearde certaine nightes about those places, the alarme of Souldiours, the clattering of harneys, and the noyse of men encountring togither. &c.
Here I purposely omit many such like examples, for there are many bookes, both of auncient and also of newe writers, touching straunge signes and wonders, wherein these may be redde.