The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

LONDON. August 16.

On Saturday morning, during the time of divine service at St. Paul's, the great doors at the west end of the church suddenly flew open, without any apparent cause, they having been fastened and bolted all night, which much alarmed the congregation, and has occasioned much speculation amongst the curious.

To the PRINTERS.

However we have nothing of omens, I must own I have often regarded them: and as my great age and experience hath enabled me to raise the most probable conjectures upon the consequences of events, I shall here endeavour to explain what the ominous opening of the great doors of St. Paul's must portend, since such an event is wonderful, and must mean something.

Let us consider then, my countrymen, that as St. Paul's is the capital church of England, it must regard the nation in general; as it is the cathedral of London, it must regard that city in particular; as the doors opened, it must mean the admission of something; and as they were the West doors, it must mean that something will come from the West; and as it happened in prayer time, it must mean something which regards our religion; as it was in the morning, and early in the month, so it will happen soon. When I considered and reflected upon these points, I cry'd out, "Alas poor England! what a pity it is that we have not Augurs and Auspices here to explain these events? Such men should be appointed to consider all portentous events? they should observe the flight of birds, the chattering of pies, the appearance of uncommon meteors and changes of weather; and some should be appointed to attend the great slaughter houses of the carcase butchers, and the public dissections at Surgeon's-hall, to inspect the entrails of men and beasts: and they should be authorized to publish An Omenous Journal, every day, that the public may be advertised of what they are to hope and fear. For want of such an establishment, how many things pass unnoticed? lambs are yeaned with five feet, and no notice taken; calves are calved without ears, and no body heeds it; sheeps livers are found deficient in size, and pigs lights covered with spots, and the unthinking butchers attribute it to a disorder in the beasts; when, alas, they are all omens." But to return from whence I had digressed. The opening of St. Paul's doors, is an event of more importance than any omen taken from calves, lambs, pigs or puppies; and in my opinion it can mean nothing less than a Spanish war; and that England will be over-run with Jesuits. For mind me countrymen! the Spaniards dwell in the West, and the West doors opened; the Spaniards worship St. Peter, and it was the doors of St. Paul who withstood St. Peter, that opened; it portends something introduced to the professors of our religion, and that must mean the swarm of Jesuits disguised in the shapes of quack doctors, tutors, teachers in boarding schools, valets, barbers, and corn cutters, which pour in daily upon us. Had the North doors opened, we might have had some fear from Scotch Presbyterians, but happily they were fast; so that only the Jesuits and Spaniards are here implied, except, indeed that troubles may arise in the West Indies, bad news may come to West Chester, accidents happen in Westmoreland, innovations at St. Dunstan's in the West, quarrels in West Smithfield, and discords and dissensions at Westminster.

Yours, JOHN GADBURY.