THE DOOME WARNING ALL MEN TO THE JUDGEMENT
The Doome Warning All Men to the Judgement (1581) — A Facsimile Reproduction
Stephen Batman · Introduction by John R. McNair
Scholars’ Facsimiles & Reprints · Delmar, New York · 1984 · First Edition
Reader’s Note: This text was printed in 1581, when English spelling and typography differed significantly from modern usage. The letter “v” was commonly used where modern English would use “u” (for example, vp is up, vnto is unto, vpon is upon). The spelling has been retained in quotations to preserve the original source.
THE DOOME’S ACCOUNT — pp. 67–68
“At Arreminum a cleare light shone late in the night: three Moones rose in diverse regions of the Heaven.”
A CLEAR LIGHT AND THREE MOONS
Batman records two connected phenomena at Arreminum: an unusual bright light appearing late at night, followed by three apparent moons rising in different parts of the sky. The account is brief and offers no physical explanation. It is included among the prodigies preceding the Roman conflicts described around it.
THE DOOME’S ACCOUNT — p. 100
“When Livius Troso and P. Tarquinius made lawes, at what time the warre of Italie began, many prodigies appeared to the Citie, at the Sunne rising a rounde ball of fire mounted vppe from the North part of the Element with a great noyse.”
A ROUND BALL OF FIRE
At sunrise, Batman describes a spherical fireball ascending from the northern sky, accompanied by a loud noise. The description notably details the object's shape, its rising movement, and an associated sound.
THE DOOME’S ACCOUNT — p. 100
“Neare the Citie Spoletum a ball of fire of a golden colour fell to the ground, and thereupon being waxen greater he was seene to be carried from the earth eastwarde, and couered the greatnesse of the Sunne…”
A GOLDEN BALL DESCENDS AND RISES AGAIN
Near Spoletum, Batman reports a golden-colored ball of fire falling to the ground, increasing in apparent size, and then being seen moving away from the earth toward the east. Its apparent size is finally compared with the Sun.
THE DOOME’S ACCOUNT — p. 119
“Under the hill Apenninus at the farme of Liuia, the wife of Cesar, the earth trembled with a great mouing. A torch appeared burning in heauen from the South to the North, & made in the night season a light like vnto the day.”
A TORCH BURNING ACROSS THE HEAVENS
Batman recounts a strange event beneath the Apennines: the ground shakes, and a light in the sky so bright that the night appears like day.
THE DOOME’S ACCOUNT — p. 105
“When Lucullus being about to fight with king Mithridates did set his army in battell ray, and that on both sides, and that the token of fight was giuen, without any iudgement going before, a greate firie body flew out betweene the two hostes, the eye so plainly beholding asunder. That body was very like to a hogshed, but in colour to siluer that is on fire, wherefore the strange feare of the Prodigie brake off the battayle on both sides.”
Batman then identifies the underlying source: “Plutarch in the life of Lucullus hath written, that it happened about Othrie a place of Frigia.”
A FIERY BODY BETWEEN TWO ARMIES
Batman relates an event where a large fiery object suddenly appears between two armies just as battle is about to start. It takes on a definite form — compared to a hogshead — and looks unusual, glowing silver as if on fire. The phenomenon terrifies both sides enough that they cancel the fight.
THE DOOME’S ACCOUNT — p. 105
“A burning beame retched from the west to the Element: all Spoletum was shaken with an earthquake, and sundry buildings fell downe…”
A FIERY BEAM AND AN EARTHQUAKE
Batman depicts a burning beam extending from the west into the sky, accompanied by an earthquake at Spoletum severe enough to bring down buildings.
THE DOOME’S ACCOUNT — p. 93
“In the night season, a light was seene in the Element, that it seemed to bee daye.”
NIGHT BECOMES DAY
Batman records an unexplained light appearing in the night sky, bright enough that the surroundings seemed to become daylight. No source, shape, movement, or cause for the light is given.
THE DOOME’S ACCOUNT — p. 95
“In the daye tyme a burning torche was seene fleeing in the ayre.”
A MOVING LIGHT IN DAYLIGHT
Batman records a burning, torch-like object moving through the air in broad daylight. Unlike some celestial prodigies in the text, the account describes the phenomenon as “fleeing” through the air, giving it clear movement rather than simply recording a stationary light.
THE DOOME’S ACCOUNT — p. 316
“The fourth of the Moneth of May, not far from Pfortzheim, belonging to the Marques of Baden, at a village called Lessenshafer, betweene foure and fiue of the clocke in the afternoone a great Comet was seene, that was bigger than a millstone to see too, which stretched out his tayle towards the North, from whence a fire descending to the earth like a Dragon, drawing neere to the house that was next vnto it, & from thence flying into a field, consumed a greate parte of Corne, and mounting vp againe left behind him horrible tokens of these things to be seene.”
A FIRE DESCENDS TO EARTH AND RISES AGAIN
Batman relates a striking sequence near Pforzheim. A fire descends toward the earth, approaches a house, then flies into a field and burns a large area of grain. Rather than ending there, the account states that the phenomenon “mounting vp againe” — rising back upward after its movement across the field.
