Freest and greatest Liberty speakes Their Soveraign the Compleatest Monarch Ruling not only Bodies with Feare but Soules with Love Which still was still will be the Surest and the Straitest Bond to all Ingenuous Noble Spirits to Rule Whom is Truly to be a King a Royall Prince Thus most Happily was a Compleat Peace setled through the whole Little World mediated by PHEBE petitioned also and most cordially desired with one consent by all the CAUSES Granted Sealed confirmed by the Royall Goodnesse of the GREAT KING Which to maintaine and attest PHEBUS was graciously pleased to Decree and Ordaine Frequent State Meetings Consultations of All the CAUSES 3 3 Thus again in F•bruo•y 1642 is a Grea•Me•ting of •ost of the Heavenly Bodies But in PISCES In PISCES also is a •arr gr•ater Meeting of all the •la•e•s but MARS spe•i•lly SATVRN and IVPIT•R wayting on SVN and MOON 〈◊〉 1643 And if THIS MOST GREAT CONIVNCTION be not Attended with most notable Events m•st probably for much good through greatest Part of Europe All Mathematici•ns must conf•ss They yet understand not the Di•lect of Heaven Who before This First Meeting was disolved after a most gratefull acknowledgment of the wonted Goodnesse of PHEBUS and His Royall PHEBE in quietting those Sad Commotions so much disturbing the Little World did joyntly agree to petition His Majestie Hee would be graciously pleased that all Remembrance of MERCURY and SATURN'S Quarrell might be wiped out not only from His own Breast which His own Goodnesse of its self had already done but also from the whole Little World so that an Act of 1 1 This was preshadowed i• the Antimasque of Night and Day Da•ing where af•er Night was cha•ed away y•t SILENCE and OBLIVION among H•r Attendants were still detained as Foyles to grace the following S•ene of Glorious Brigtn•ss• This alludes also to the ol•Athenian AMNHΣTIA o• which b•fore in the marginall n•tes pag. 4. OBLIVION might forever blot out and quite remove all Staines and Spots that might respectively adhere to any of his Loyall and Devoted Subjects But for an Eternall remembrance and Detestation of MARS His Treason in Rebelling against PHEBUS Disturbing the Peace and Disquieting the whole Little World His Majestie was petitioned the Name of MARS might no longer endure in the Court of Heaven Yet that all His Former Tenures might still remaine But only as Eternall Memorials of the Goodnesse of PHEBUS and His Royall PHEBE So that Heaven should no longer mention the House of MARS or MARS Ioy But for all These in Their Places respective The GLORY of PHEBUS 2 2 ARIES MARS House is by all Astrologers called the SVN'S Glory or Exaltation And that the Place where MARS Fell a Captive to His Majestie should forever be called in Heaven The TRIUMPH of PHEBUS and His ROYALL PHEBE 3 3 CANCER where MARS Fell Combust pag. 13. and so a Captiv• to the SVN i• the MOONS Ho•se and the SVNS Aux or Triumph And because in all the late Commotions It was much suspected MARS had been too much Beckt and abetted by His old Friend VENUS who yet for some Causes was not •ctually excluded from the Seeming Deities his Majesty was moved that the Place where MARS released had plotted with Venus to incense SATURN might no more be called as it was before the House of VENUS But the Honour of SATURN 4 4 LIBRA VENVS House which MARS Entred after His Release and thenc• incensed SATVRN pag. 13 is by all Astrologers c•ll•d SATVRN'S Exaltation or Honour as app••res by the Scheam a•nexed to the end of the Masque pag. 19. The First of these Petitions was soone Granted by PHEBUS But the other not without earnest solicitation of all the Petitioners For such is Royall Goodnesse much more prone to Smile then Frowne yet yeelding to Both in fittest seasons Knowing there is a Time when Publique Good calling for Justice leaves no Rome or Place for any Mercy but That only which some miss-call Severity Heere a Transparent Cloud of thinne exhalations op'ned itselfe and disappeared * * Erit Nubecula fors•n non Nub•s After which PHEBUS is scene Resting with His Royall PHEBE under the State to the Greatest content and Joy of All Witnessed by a Generall Applause first began among the Deities in Heaven and being thence reflected through the whole Scene is againe Counter-echoed by all the Sphears Which for a while seemed to Stand still 1 1 This alludes to the Winter Solstice in which Heaven se•ms to Stand Still a while while the dayes neith•r increase nor decrease Sensibly Hence it is called the Solstice or Sun's Standing Still as Ravisht with admiration at so Happy a Peace through the Little world Then as Rap• out of a Pauze broke out at once into most harmonious soul-ravishing Musick first heard at distance as began among the Sphears melodiously Tun'd like choysest Voyces into sweetest Consort in severall Parts then Waved neerer and neerer till it was artificially Caught and continued by a Celestiall Chorus which Entred the Scene Singing to Congratulate PHEBUS most happy Return and Rest with His Dearest PHEBE after the Peace so well concluded by Their Royall Goodnesse The Close of the Song was This You Sacred Fires no lesse Divine then Bright Who Dazle Heaven When You Rise With Luster farr more glorious then Its Light Which yet doth more then Blesse our eyes Your Beauty's more Divine your Light more Pure Your Virtue's Purer then your Light Eternall Luster This shall Bright indure When other Brightnesse shall be Night When all the Sphears at once agree To make one Tune One Harmonie 'Tis not so Good 'Tis not so Sweet As Yours When You in Consort meet What was too Harsh what was too Lowd To Concord now is sweetly Bowd Such is Your Musick Such your Skill All Notes are Tuned to Your Will While Iarring Tones did grate our Eares We fear'd a Discord But our Fears Are Tun'd to Joyes On Their Bass Part The Meane and Treble were Your Art Strike That againe againe That Note is sweet A Melting not a Dying Tone Your Sweetnesse cannot Dye then Living meet Vs in your Sphear Your Highest Throne Nay now we wrong the World All Loyall Soules Each moment Kneele and Vow and Pray Your Long abode on Earth This This controules Our wish and makes Vs wish Your Stay Be long expected in your Highest Sphear And long give Light to Mortal's eyes For All the Beauty which They Worship Heere Is but refracted fro•mYours Rayes And When You Leaving Earth shall Heaven chuse Behinde You leave Posterity Like Flow'rs to gemm and sprout with Heav'nly Dewes While You Enjoy Eternity Eternity Eternity Heere the Song waved away Rapt into Lowd yet most melodious Harmony• into which as Melting themselves the Celestiall Chorus dis-appeared Then as Animate by some New Genius began a most Sprightly Dance to the Violins which ending in Single Passages The Ladies Rise to Dance the Revels with the
with him joyntly opposing MERCURY MARS thus arraigned was Cast by joynt consent of all the Deities and adjudged to forfeit all His Honours Dignities Priviledges c. to His Soveraigne PHEBUS and for ever to be excluded from the Number of Gods PHEBUS Returneth again to His wonted Southern Residence OCTOBER in Great glory while PHEBE still condescendeth to mediate a perfect Peace for which Her Royall Goodnesse p•evaileth with PHEBUS to continue His Great Councell and to summon all the CAUSES into JUPITERS HALL the Great Councell-Place for all the Gods NOVEMB•R c. Here SATURN and MERCURY resigne up all Their Possessions Claimes c. into PHEBUS Hands acknowledging Their dependance on His Royall Favour PHEBUS receiveth them with wonted Goodnesse Which alone moveth Him not onely to re-invest them with all Former Priviledges but also to smile on them with new addition of Royall Favours well knowing that Royall Goodnesse is still wont to Finde or Make Loyall Subjects of all Noble Spirits pag. 16. Thus at length is a most Happy Peace effected through the whole LITTLE WORLD at which all the CAUSES joyntly petition for an Eternall Memoriall of the Royall Goodnesse of PHEBUS and His Royall PHEBE Who after a Bright Cloud of thinne Exhalations had opened it selfe and disappeared are Both seen resting under the Royall State to the greatest content and Joy of All Witnessed by a Generall Applause first begun among all the Deities in Heaven and being thence reflected through the whole Scene was againe counter-echoed by all the Sphears Whence issueth a Celestiall Chorus singing and congratulating the most Happy Peace and Vnion of the Little World made by the Royall Goodnesse of PHEBUS and His Royall PHEBE MASQUERADE DU CIEL Presented to the Great Queene of the LITTLE WORLD THE SCENE was centred within a circle of Magnifique Portico's THE SPHEARS of HEAVEN and GLOBE of EARTH all fairely Vaulted yet so artificially poyzed with such curious Proportion that without pressure They supported their Supporters Which seemed Silver Pilasters inter-veyn'd with Streaming Sprigs of finest Gold Over these ran an Architrave Freez yet shooting up so farr from the eye that it lost somewhat of its luster and seemed but Pearle filleted with sparkles of richest Diamonds The outward Balcon's for fenestello's had a continued Chrystall Work backt with a most glorious prospect which quickly lost the eye midst Orient Colours streamed with Azure at greatest distance Within These was a stately Fabrick curiously couched into a Sphear intermixtly waved with foure Elements and foyled about with a Perspective of Clouds over which at distance NATURE hovered with an aspect that seemed to admire rather then view Arts choise Composure On This a Curious Balestrata finely rais'd seeming a LITTLE WORLD Rising up from within a Greater THE LITTLE WORLD or ISLE of BRITAIN The Great Globe's Epitomy Natures Second Draught at which Shee smil'd to see her selfe growne an Artist in more compleat Limning For Her Former lines seemed but as imperfect Assayes of what she meant to draw in This Her Master-peece of all which with a modest scorne seemed to disdaine all Admiration Its utmost Verge was an Artificiall Border made of a Naturall Sea most lively exprest flowing into a Circle whose in-most Area seeming an Iland of Mosaique Work Terrast with antick knots was the Basis to a Royall State blest with the Presence of the GREAT QUEENE Over whom ran a most glorious Canopy in which the Graces were seene each with her silver needle Enameling rather then Embroyd'ring and so neatly were the Flowers contriv'd that with humble reverence they All inclined to the GREAT QUEENE as the Heliotropion to the Sunne seeming to acknowledge their Colour to Her Lippe their Sweetnesse to Her Breath Toward the Fringe the Graces met and with a pleasant smile all at once reflected on the last made but first intended Flower finely purled with BRITTANNOCLEA 1 1 •••tain•••lory which was the Soule to This Body the Motto impres'd on This Device of HEAVEN The Colour most in Eye was the Rosie-Lilly-sweetly-mixt Carnation yet changeably inclining toward Crimson which seemed but a Naturall modest Blush at the presence of the GREAT QUEENE Who sate Circled about with a Glory of Rayes which yet needed not to expresse Her Whom all knew the QUEENE of glorious Brightnesse The fayrest Idea of perfect Beauty and among Mortals Vertue's choisest Sample• which She makes a Pattern for Her Fairest Draughts One whom Nature had taught with best grace to adorne Majestie and with the Luster of Her least rayes to dazle Glory Her selfe who now stood at distance Blushing yet ambitious to attend this GREAT QUEEN Blessing the State• On either hand stood a ROYALL PRINCE Both which were Darlings to the same Nature which at Their Birth thought it no Solecisme to cloath Maturity with •oungest yeers Both with a Youthfull yet gracefull blush seemed to Smile as seeing themselves laden with O•hers Hopes while They stood as Centre to all the Lines of future Felicity Over One of them hovered a Crowne with this Motto DON DES CIEUX 2 2 A Gift f•om Hea•en Neere These were placed Two Fayrest Young Ladies in Rich attire Carnation guarded with silver deluces Their Haire knotted with Starrs and powdered with Golden Attoms rais'd up with a Dazling Ray darted out from that Sphear of Brightnesse fixed under the Royall State At whose beck a Cloud• in an instant Rising discovered THE FIRST SCENE A SCENE of DARKNES an Impresse of Horror a Chaos f•lt though not See•e NIGHT not content with her wonted Sables affects now a more dismall hue Enters presenting Terror in a Lantskip shadowed with blackest colours The Inscription in a strange Dialect speaking more admiration ΣKOTOS 1 1 A Greek wo•d sig•ify•ng DARKNES 2 2 NIGHT-WORK b•ing also a desc••ption of THVLE In this Antim••••• inscribe• ΣKOTOS is preshadowed the whole P•ot o• the Masque more particul•rly personated afterwards in severall Entries First Saturne and Mercuries Quarrell about the Northern THVLE and th•n the Pacification interrupted awhile by MARS but at length happily perfected by the Goodnesse of PHE•VS and his Royall PHEBE Steepe rising Hils farr off mocking night at noone with shady tops of pathlesse groves fill halfe the Scene Leaving for the nighest part a Solitary Valley divided with a River whose purling Streames murmuring through broken rocks taught the Woods beyond to Tremble Their boughs and leaves being shadowed on the Water by the glimring MOONE Whose weake Beames Refracted with frequent flashes of Lightning breaking out from blackest Clouds made up a Faint Light much more dismall then Darknesse For 'twas only enough to make Dark Coufusion seeme more Horrid These Trembling measures traced in full time to the crowing of Cocks only ecchoed in saddest reports from farthest distance interrupted with harsh unpleasing kroaking and hideous Scritchings of Nights Forlorne Creatures made up the Musick that best accords with Nights Discord This Scene presents the Antimasques acted
Sept. the Moon seem's again to med a•Peace smi•ing on the Sun Venus Satu•n and Mars in a Trine all in 〈◊〉 again vouchsafeth to interpose Her self whose owne Goodnesse moveth Her again to mediate Peace such still are the Thoughts breathings Motions of True Royall Goodnes for e•fecting of which She prevaileth with PHEBUS to Sum•on His Grand Councel of all the Seeming Deities Who meeting according to PHEBUS Summons in AREOPAGUS 1 1 Towards the end of Sept. 1640. Most of the great•r He•venly Bodies a tend the SVN in the la•ter •egrees of LIBRA The Zod•aks North Limit •hat old Hier•gyphick of Iustice Iudg•ment Which with all Astrologers are called Termini Martis and so here MARS Hill or A•eopagus The great Iudg•ment Seat in Athens so called •ecause MARS was there Tried by his 12 Peeres of which Pausanias in his Atticks think best to begin at the Root of Trouble the Author of the late Commotions in the Littl• World and so with generall consent agree to Arraigne MARS of Rebellion against PHEBUS Disturbing the Peace mediated by PHEBE'S Goodnesse Incensing SATURN and with Him joyntly opposing MERCURY His Inditement being Heard after all Pleas They all conclude Him One Generall CAUSE of most of the Late Commoti•ns and joyntly Censure him to be most justly excluded from the Number of Gods and deprive him of all Priviledges Honours Dignities c. Which are all rendered back againe into PHEBUS Hands from whose Royall Favour they first came 2 2 In Octob. and Novem• The SVN takes possession of SCORPIO the H•use and Ioy of MARS who is t•us di•poyled• and forfeits all to PHEBVS PHEBE still continues to mediate a Full Pacification between SATURN and MERCURY 3 3 Divers Ti•es thr•ugh Sept. Octob. and Novemb. 1640. The MOONE mediates b•twe•n the SVN SATVRN and MERCVRY seeming e•rn•stly to desire Peace to which end Her Royall Goodnesse prevaileth with PHEBUS to continue His Great Councell and summon all the CAUSES at once to conclude and attest a compleat perfect and Eternall Peace through the whole Little World This being Concluded on PHEBUS Finisheth His North Progresse and begins the Second Time to Returne Southward againe in Great Glory 4 4 In Octo• 1640. The SVN l••ves LIBRA which is the Bound or Limit to the Northe•n Signes and commeth more and more Southward in in the Ecliptick Heere a Bright Glorious Cloud Disappearing The GREAT QUEEN was againe seene Seated in Royall Majestie under the State as at First At which appeared a Celestiall Chorus Fore-runners to PHEBUS Glorious Return Rising up at the North Horizon like Orient Rayes Sparkling about Phosporus till Aurora give place to Phebus Rising These mounting Heaven by Degrees Sing thus to the GREAT QUEEN Faire PHEBE Thou alone hast Eyes To see Thy Glorious PHEBVS Rise If Rise He can Who is at Hight Of Beauty Glory and Delight He cannot Lose He cannot Get He cannot Rise He cannot Set. Or if He Set 'tis still'ith West And still His Rising maketh East But if in South He Day doe make Or to the North a Progresse Take Speak Fairest PHEBE can we call This PHEBVS Setting or His Fall When First He pleasd to change His Place Tis True a while He veyld His Face 1 1 This alludes to the Sun's Eclipse May 22. 1639. Contracting in His Southern Rayes But to the North He Them displayes Speake Fairest PHEBE can we call This an Eclipse Setting or Fall 'Twas Pity kept him veyld a while For if He Pleased pleasd to Smile He Pit'ed Them He smil'd on lest They should be Dazled whom he Blest Or if he Frownd 'twas Pitty still That veyld his Frowns that else would kill Like Lightning or like Thunder-claps Them whom He Frownd on Or perhaps He pit'ed Thee Himself in Thee Lest Thy eye His Frowns should see And seeing Greive Thy Tender Heart And so Himselfe in Thee should smart Yet lest the Southern World should misse His wonted Rayes Their wonted Blisse He left Thy Beauty in His Place While Going North He veyld His Face That Veyle was but a Maske for See How in a Masque He comes to Thee 2 2 At these words began PHEBVS to appeare at the North Horizon mounting up with Orient Rayes like the Rising Sun Heere They entred a Cleere Heaven Full of Twinkling Starrs like a Morning Skie before Sun Rising singing still but seeming to speak to some in Heaven The Verses not lost by the great distance were These Adiew yee Sparkles Twinkling in Night Who mock us Counterfeiting Light Once called Starrs and Heaven's Eyes Now Darkest Atoms of the Skies All is so Bright with PHEBUS Rayes Though through a Maske He them displayes Come See and Blush Blushing be gone And Going Cry we are out-shone Thus while the Song and Musick most sweetly melted away by degrees PHEBUS leaveth the North Horizon 3 3 In Octob. 1640. The SVN comes Southward in the Ecliptick Having left the Northern Signes at the Autumnall Equinoctiall advancing Southward again in Greatest Glory being adorn'd with Rayes of wonted Goodnes and mercy darted out in a milde and Gracious Aspect yet sparkling with Royall Majesty which seemed as the choysest Diamond enshrining it selfe mid'st purest metall or as a Fragrant Rose longing to Carnation it selfe with the Faire Idea of the whitest Deluce Soon after His Return All the CAUSES summoned before attend him in JUPITERS 1 1 About the beginni•g of N•vember 1640 The SVN in Heaven comes attended with most of the greater Heavenly Bodies into SAGITTARIVS which is with all Astrolog•rs IVPITERS House or Ha•l which with Poets was the Great Councell-House for al• the Gods Hall which was first made for the Great Conncell-House for all the Gods where they consult with one consent for setling a Perpetuall and Inviolable Peace through all the Little World For this end at length SATURN and MERCURY jointly resigne up all Their Priviledges Honors Dignities Possessions Claimes c. into PHEBUS Hands Acknowledging Their Dependance on His Royall Goodnesse professing They had rather be devoyd of all that might speak them Happy yea rather not to Be than be Clowded from His benigne Rays and quickning Influence or conti•ue conscious of promeriting His least Frown whose wonted Smiles were more then Light more then Life PHEBUS receiveth them with wonted Goodnesse which of it selfe moved Him to re-invest Them againe not only with former Possessions but also with great addition of New Favours Which to make firme and inviolable Hee Sealeth by smiling on Them with most Gracious Aspects specially on his reconciled Subject SATURN 2 2 In D•c•mb The SVN b•gins to •mi•e o••ATVRN in a Sectile which favour increaseth •ore and more till about the beginning of ••bruary SATVRN waits upon the SVN who smi•'s on him as pe•fectly reco••iled in a most Gracious Asp•ct MERCVRY also is neere but in PISCES and com•ust Knowing that Royall Goodnesse is still wont either to Finde or else Make Loyall Subjects Whose
Palaces Leo and Cancer in the Midst betweene Mercurie's Houses Gemini and Virgo on either side of which are Venus Houses Taurus and Libra With Chymists MERCURY is Cold and Moyst and so fittest to reside in Cold Moyst Ilands Such as THULE These also perceive his Great Favours with and neere approach to the Sun and Moon King and Queen of Mettals Gold and Silver Hence they say Silver commes neerest to Gold in Forme and Purity but Mercury Quicksilver 2 2 This is Mercurius Princi•iatus as th•y call it For Mer•ur•us Princ•pians is one of t•ose T•ree Active Pri•ci•les in each •ody which are SAL SVLPHVR and MERCVRY SAL whence comes Taste represents •arth in the Gr•at Wo•ld SVLPHVR Fire hence S•ell and •rom SAL and SVLPHVR so or so mixt comes such or such a Colo•r MERCVRY• like Ayre and Water moyst and cold must st•ll bed•w the SAL a•d SVLPHVR else they crumble into Atoms for N•turall Heat must have Foment from Radicall Moystu•e to supply whi•h some s•eke •o finde an Artificial••alsom• of Nature in Matter and Gravity though of all Mettals He be most Crude and Indigested From this neere Approach of Quicksilver to Gold in Matter and Gravity Some Sublimate Rosy-Crucian Alchymists have made deep Plots with Sulphur to make Their Mercury become Sol of a Subject a King in Mettals of Quicksilver Gold But True Mercu•y cannot harbour Trayterous Inclinations Hence Their Sulphureous Devices vanish like Powder Plots And by Best Philosophers 3 3 Sr. Fr. Bacon Na• Hist. Cent 4. Exp. 327. Fernel de abdit Rer•m Ca•sis 'tis now concluded that though the True Elixar might or could be found 4 4 G•ber A••bs Raymund Lull c. the Art of which was long among the Arabs AEgyptians also till Diocletia• burnt Their books yet Mercury could never make Good Gold King of Mettals because They say 3 3 Sr. Fr. Bacon Na• Hist. Cent 4. Exp. 327. Fernel de abdit Rer•m Ca•sis He cannot indure the Tryall of fire Chymicall sure they meane and not the old Saxon Ordeire per fire 5 5 Ve•steg Antiquit. Cambd. c. which Tryed Good Emma Because He hath still had as much Antypathy to VULCAN as Sympathy to VENUS But because This is a Masque of Heaven and SATURN and MERCURY Heavenly Bodies It will not bee amisse to seeke out some place in Heaven that may parallell THULE upon Earth And no Place in all the Zodiack seems so fit as AQUARIUS a most Cold Moyst Signe under which also the Poets place all Cold Ilands and Manilius in speciall seemes to place THULE 6 6 See Scaliger on Manil. Now as the Poets make SATURNS cheife Residence in the Chroniaen Sea about THUL• so do all Astrologers make it in AQUARIUS which is with them Saturns House and Ioy And This AQUARIUS The Celestiall THULE may well be the Celestiall Scene of SATURN and MERCURIES Quarrell as THULE was the Terrestriall For of all Places in the Zodiack AQUARIUS seems most Ominou• to M•RCURY Who can never stay Long there but is either driven Back becomming Retrograde or else Forced into PISCES which with all Astrologers is called MERCURIE'S FALL 7 7 As appeares by the Scheam•of He•ven annext to the •n• of the Masque pag. 19. Now although This Constant Antipathy between These Two in Heaven hath still been observed by all Astrologers in all Ages yet it was never so strong or strongly actuate as through the Stadium of This Masque viz from 1637 c 1 1 To that Great Con•u•ct•o• of SATVRN and IVPITER with the rest of the P•anets but MARS in PISCES •eb 1643. of w•ich before in the Ma•que Vnmaskt pag 16. p 24. THE CAUSES OF WHICH SEEM THESE First MERCURIES Great Irritation of SATUR• by his New Patent or Deputation into His THULE or AQUARIUS The Date of which New C•••ission seemes to be about the end of 1637 for a little before That Time MERCURY was Meridionall and waited on the SUN with more than usuall Favour and there seemed to receive a New Commission to enter SATURN'S THULE with more than usuall Authority For presently on this He enters AQUARIUS Saturns Possession and in it is very Quick and Active Videant Astronomi But ere long SATURN bestirs himselfe and without long dispute be it Right or Wrong Drives his New Guest out and forceth him to Fall into PISCES And though MERCURY did oft assay to enter again yet SATURN as oft Drove him out 2 2 S•e the place and motions of these Planets in Ianuary 1638. also Ianuary and March 1639. There is n• Disputing with a crooked Sithe till at length being quite driven out and Hopelesse Hee make his addresse to the SUN seeming to implore His help at which the SUN left the Southern Signes and advanced Northward in the Ecliptick in Warlick manner Entring ARIES the First of Northern Signes and House of MARS and so of War MARS being the God of War with all the Poets And Here begins PHEBUS• First North Progresse 3 3 In March 1639. see the Masque pag. 8 9. with all the Scenes and Entries following in This Masque of Heaven The Second Cause may seem MERCURIE'S most Unfortunat Debility and Extraordinary Weaknes in Heaven by so frequent Retrogradations Detriments Peregrinations Fals c. never more through all This Time but specially Anni 1640. and 1641. Which is like to produce Those effects which for about These yeares were long since foretold by the best Astronomers France ever had 4 4 See Predict Par Iea• Pe•it pour l'Annee Mil six cens quarante quaran•e un Impri•è à Troyes 1625. Predictions Admirables de Michel Nostradamus Centur. XI Imp•im• à Paris 1605. Which is yet more remarkable and seemes more Ominous in that there are so many and Great Meetings of the Heavenly Bodies through this Stadium in PISCES 5 5 See Ian. Feb. 1640. 1641. 1642. 1643. This last viz. Feb. 1643 is the most notable Conjunction yet ever was which was still accounted the FALL of MERCURY A Third Cause may be SATURNS Extraordinary Strength Vigour and Activity which hath been in Heaven all this •ime For First for 30 years last past SATURN was not so well setled in his own possession as he began to be about the end of 1637. For till that Time He came not to his House and Joy AQUARIUS in which when he came he found MERCURY Acting his New Commission and no sooner saw him but he drives him out even the next day and forceth him to Fall into PISCES 6 6 Let Astronomers examine the Motions of these two Planets through December 1637. and Iannuary 1638. as was said before Againe at his comming Home then He was in his A•x being in the Apex or Apogeum of his Epicycle and very neere the Apex of his Eccentrick Which as still hath been observed makes him more Swift in his Motions and more Active in all his