John Stow

"The ix. of July, at sixe of the clocke at night, in the Isle of Thanet besides Ramesgate in the Parish of Saint Peter under the Clift, a monstrous fish or Whale of the Sea did shoote himselfe on shore, where for want of water, beating himselfe on the sands, he dyed about sixe of the clocke in the next morning, before which time he roared, and was heard more than a mile on the land. The length of this Fish was two and twenty yards, the nether jaw twelve foote the opening, one of his eyes being taken out of his head, was more than sixe horse in a cart could draw, a man stoode upright in the place from whence the eye was taken, the thicknesse from the backe whereon he lay, to the toppe of his bellie (which was upward) was fourtéene foote, his tayle of the same breadth, betwéene his eyes twelve foote, thrée mē[n] stood upright in his mouth, some of the ribbes were xvi. foote lō[n]g, his tong was xv. foote long, his liver two cart loade, into his nostrels any man might have crept: the oyle being boyled out of the head was Parmasitie, the oile of his body was whitishe, and swéete of taste."