of that most Christian Emperour Carolus Magnus A Blazing star appeared before the death of Carolus Magnus The Sarazens assaulted Italy and with violence of sword and warlike Engines ouercame and preuayled not without the ruine of many a beautifull building and shedding of much bloud In the yeare of our Lord 1â—84 there appeared a Blazing starre which did portend a manifest shew of much mischiefe and misery Bloudy battels which fellowed after the appearing of a Blazing flame for in the yeare of our Lord 1302. next ensuing that memorable and bloudy battell of Flanders was fought which to the Frenchmen principally ministred occasion of many a lamentable Alas for in that battell the floure of the French Armie I meane the chiefest in place and countenance and the gemme of all their glory went to wracke suffering death no lesse ignominiously then tyrannically And after that Rodulph the Emperour making siege against Verona sustained great losse of his best appointed Souldiers the Switzers whose bloud embrued the blades of their enemies their bodyes lying vpon the ground groueling and senselesse and the Emperour himselfe fighting against Albert D. of Austria was flain only Emperour elected but not crowned Now what manifolde miseries and mischiefes A Blazing star shooting vpwards what afterwards ensued a Blazing starre which shooteth vpward the head hanging downeward doth betoken may soone be perceyued known by the experience of a Blazing starre which appeared in the West and tooke his course towards the North which Starre was séene in the yeare of our Lord 1363. The woes whereof this Starre gaue foreknowledge fell vpon the Frenchmen to their no smallsmart and lamentable vnlukinesse For in a foughten field against the Turkes howbeit out of the compasse of the French dominion they were discomfited and ouerthrowne a hundred thousand of them slaine with the sword among which number was the Duke of Burgundy who with the rest lost his life without recouery Not long after which infortunate conflict namely in the yeare of our Lord 1406. Lodouicke Duke of Clarence and brother to the French King was murthered at Paris most trayterously and frandulently the losse of whose life was death and destruction to a great number And that I may grow to an end who doth not remember what grieuous calamities did follow the appearing of a Blazing starre in the yeare of our Lord a thousand foure hundred threescore and twelue in the Moneth of Ianuary ouer Colen Eastward to the terrour of the Beholders and astonishment of the bearers There followed hereupon in the Summer next and immediately ensuing a maruellous heate engendred euery where in the earth which was of such strength and vehemencie that in some places the first burst out and cast vp with it euen the very sand and grauell Hereupon followed not here and there but euery where battels and murthers mortall maladies loathsome sicknesses most noysome and infectious yea so horrible that I want witte eyther in writing to leaue them witnessed or by vtterance to make them manifest At which time also the right renowmed Charles Duke of Burgundie passed many warrelike aduentures and atchieued many a Martiall exployte to his no small commendation and encrease of deserued prayse notwithstanding the successe of battel is doubtfull and dangerous In the yeare of our Lord 1408. Further mischiefes which haue followed after Blazing starres there appeared a Blazing starre which as in fight it was wonderfull and terrible so it betokened mischiefe no lesse innumerable then either to heare sée or recount is most lamentable For not many dayes after Luycke fell and certayne men to the number of 40. were cruelly flaine About that time also the Prussians entring battell against the King of Poland were foyled a slaughter the like not heard of made of them in the conflict At the same time also was the Councel at Pisa dissolued by a schisme most daÌ„nable the 〈◊〉 their conuocation and méeting being for the making and confirming of vnitie Thereabout also began the Church to be yll appayde and so stand in hazard of hauocke whose present assistent Sigismund the King of Hungarie shewed himselfe to be in such sort with valiancie of spirit that he might meritoriously â—halenge to be sirnamed The most Christian King Thus farre touching the euils yea the heapes of euils which blazing starres haue protended obserued by experience and tryall to be true by the euent falling out of many misfortunes The conclusion of this Chapter which both long agoe and also of late haue happened It remaineth that we know whether they bée not foretokens also of some good which although many vtterly deny yet neuerthelesse reade our further iudgement Whether Blazing Starres doe not as well betoken good as ill CHAP. XII HAuing before declared by reasons not a few and proued also by examples of veritie and trueth that blazing starres for most part are prefignificant shewes and tokens of some mischiefe and euill Blazing stars supernaturall signes sent from God me thinkes I heare one asking me this question Whether Blazing starres are not tokens of good as they are signes of euill To whom I make this resolution First so farre foorth as blazing starres be supernaturall there seemeth in this matter to rest no doubt because Almighty God in the vnsearchable profunditie of his wisedome is wont by the appearing of Stars to giue signes to his beloued seruants whom no doubt he hath fore elected to saluation as wel of ioyful newes as also of heauy tidings The Rainbow a perpetuall assurance of Gods faithfull promise For hath he not by the rising of the Rainebow in the clouds of heauen sealed security and want of feare to the world from being drownd as somtimes it was in the dayes of our great Ancients Did he not by the retrocession and backeward going of the Sun contrary to the order of his course signifie vnto Ezechias that his life shold be prolonged and the number of his dayes were augmented Did he not also signifie vnto all nations that the light was come into the World which should shine in darknesse namely Iesus Christ to bee borne for the saluation of all people which thing hée would haue testified by the appearing of a new Orientall Starre visible to the eyes of the Wisemen and gloryously glistering Euen so doubtlesse there is no cause why the fight of a Blazing Starre should not bréede in vs Blazing stars naturall may betoken some good as well hope of some good as feare of some ill according to the place and time where when it appeareth since it is sayde Feare not the signes of heauen which the Gentiles feare because the lawes of the people are vaine Why then should we stand in feare of those things which haue not in them power eyther to do good or harm Again so far forth as Blasing Stars are naturall it is not to be doubted but that the appearing of them may portend and foreshew some good which is
neuer had Foundation nor beeing It consisteth in his might to moysten the earth with showres distilling from the cleare skies without the meanes of lowring and dropping cloudes He can worke both wayes to whom nothing is impossible Now gathering the cloudes together in an heape from the vttermost corners and coasts of the world now turning againe lightning into raine which couering the heauens with cloudes and preparing raine for the land For Great is the Lord mighty is his power and of his wisdome there is no number or end And therefore I am easily drawne to belieue that Blazing Starres may immediately appeare from God and be supernatural when it pleaseth God vpon some singular cause to giue them beginning matter and substance of nothing Such a Blazing Starre no doubt was that Piller of the cloude The piller of the cloud and the plller of fire were Blazing stars supernaturall The Blazing starre which appeared in Ierusalem was supernaturall whereby the Lord in olde time most miraculously went before the Israelites his people out of the Aegyptian Soile into the Land of Promise in the day time and that Piller of fire which neuer left the face of Gods chosen in the night Not vnlike to this was that Blazing starre as I suppose which threatning destruction to Ierusalem was of no lesse continuance then terrour enduring the space of a whole yeare which is not proper to naturall Blazing stars To conclude as well Diuines as Philosophers and Astronomers affirme thus much in this case that alwayes in a maner Blazing stars doe arise of cases naturall albeit the Lord God is the prncipall author and worker of them as in the Chapter following it is euident Whereof Blazing starres do engender according to the rules of Philosophers and the Canons of Astronomers and what they are in deed CHAP. VI. COncerning Blazing starres I finde some disagreement betweene Philosophers and Astronomers Anaxagoras and Democritus sayde That a Blazing starre was nothing else but a certaine bright shining in the Element procured by the coniunction of two starres To which opinion I my selfe of late did somewhat encline and leane Othersome also there were which supposed a Blazing starre to be but a certaine dimme and darke light compassed and as it were closed vp in a cloud Other some sayd that it was a cloud purged and purified from earthly matter and grossenesse which receiuing light from the other Stars casteth abroad clear strakes of brightnesse smal and slender like vnto hayre or fine wrought flaxe Othersome againe thought a Blazing starre to be but a certaine cloude Aristotle his opinion of Blazing stars and their generation kindled and set on fire with a hote flaming clearnes whose opinion Aristotle séemeth to haue fauoured who supposed that a Blazing starre did consist of a drye vapour which béeing drawne vpward into the highest ayre is there set on fire and that this blazing starre taketh substance of earthly exhalations very hote dry fat and clammy which béeing carryed into the vpper region of the ayre is there kindled and burneth to whom all Philosophers in a manner of this our age haue subscribed and some Astronomers also who with Aristotle thinke no lesse then a blazing star to be but an earthly vapour somewhat thicke fast and fat in substance like oyle or birdlime which being drawne vpward me to the Spheare of the fiery Element and touching the hollownes of the Orbe or circle is therby heat rarified made thin and set in a flame so that by the consent and mutuall agreement of these two sects although some doe vary it is concluded that a Blazing star is engendred and made of Ayre set on fire by reason of the neerenesse of the Element of Fire that Ayre contayneth in the matter and stuffe of a blazing starre and that the Ayre next adioyning and being by the element of fire is called a Blazing starre and is no lesse indeed then it is named Which representeth the colour of fire to our eyes because the drie vapour in it is kindled burneth and lasteth with the light of the flame which is moued to and fro by the vnder ayre where vapours of like nature quality and substance arising giue continuance and length thereunto whereby it purchaseth the name after which it is vsually called Vpon this agrée our late Phylosophers in a manner all counting the doctrine of Aristotle worthy credite and subscription although as well the sect Stoicall vary therefro The opinion of the Stoicks touching Blazing starres affirming Blazing starres to be but ordinarie Starres not differing from other Starres which appeare in the Ayre and to â—ee aboue thirty and two in number not as also they which hold this for a veritie blazing Starres to be perpetuall Starres and to kéepe a limited course or compasse but neuer to blaze and glister in the Ayre saue when they are left and forsaken of the Sunne whose clearenesse dimmeth and dampeth vp their brightnesse that it can neither appeare nor be perceiued And they in like sort which leane to this opinion that blazing starres be Starres hauing their certaine appoynted times of appearance Now as I dissent not from the first those I meane whose opinion draweth néerest to reason and trueth so I varie not altogether from them who hold opinion that a blazing starre may bée supernaturall and also naturall and that the same taketh generation of a fat human and of fiery force whereby it is dissolued and at the length consumeth Whereupon this consequent is to be inferred that we cannot call a Blazing Starre properly a Starre but Catachrestically as we may so terme them I meane vsing in our phrase of spéech a certaine abuse although Augustus Caesar whereof we haue giuen a 〈…〉 in the beginning of this our Treatise called that Blazing Starre which appeared at such a time as he published his Pageants of Triumph by the name of a Star and which vsurped name also Suctonius applyeth to the self same thing they both adding vnto it this word Crinitus which we also with no lesse abuse then they call Blazing This Blazing Starre aforesayd which appeared in the time of Augustus Caesar and shined so gloriously some imagine An erronious opinion misliked and improueds and suppose to be the selfe same starre which directed the Wisemen to the place where Christ was borne But I cannot allow of this opinion and why I do so much mislike thereof the reasons in the next Chapter following do declare In the meane season I would not wade into wonders aboue my capacitie lest I wander in wildernesses of doubts but I desire rather to be wise with sobernesse Whether the starre which conducted the Wisemen to the place where Christ was borne were the Blazing starre whereof the Emperour Augustus did speake calling it by the name of a starre CHAP. VII CHristian duty admonisheth me in few words to make menâ—on what maner of miraculous and strange Starre that was which after a rare and wonderfull fashion lead
That as Blazing Starres are diuers so are their effect and euils which they signifie not all one but sundry and differing And forsomuch as the variety or diuersitie of them is to bée considered therfore it is necessary that the effects which follow such causes bée accordingly coniectured Some holde opinion that it is to be marked which way Blazing starres shoote their light The obseruation vsed of some at the appearing of Blazing stars because say they that part of the earth seemeth to bee threatned towardes which the Comet casteth his beames thickest and most directly Againe it is to be noted from what starre they receyue theyr force and whence procéedeth their influence what things they resemble and represent in likenes and in what places they appeare Furthermore to touch the effects of Blazing starres experiences manifold and innumerable haue sealed this for a trueth The effects which haue followed Blazing stars proued true by experience that sometimes they signifie barrennesse of the earth sometimes the sicknesse of the plague and pestilence somtimes dearth and scarsitie of victuals sometimes great windes and tempests sometimes extreame heate sometimes Earthquakes sometimes the flowing of waters beyond their bounds and banks to the drowning and losse of the land sometimes seditions insurrections cruell commotions tumults and battels sometimes chaunge of Kings and Kingdoms alterations of common wealthes and such slaughters as seldome are séene with many more calamities infinite and innumerable insomuch that Lucane the Poet thought it no matter of doubt but of assured certainety to call a Blazing starre such a Starre as changed the state of Empires and wrought the alteration of principalities His verses follow in this order Strange Starres were seene in darkesome nights The Heauen was on a flame And flakes of fire like burning brands Sore sights in skies did frame The fearefull Starre which blazeth bright And spreades his beames abroad And changeth Kingdomes in the World In th' ayre aboue abode Sundry examples and testimonies declaring the diuers and manifold mischiefes which haue followed the appearing of Blazing starres CHAP. XI LEast any man should thinke this méere fabulous and a very forgery because I haue sayde thus much and that vyon the opinion and authority of other Writers that diuers Blazing stars presignifie and giue a forewarning of diuers mischiefs and euils like to come it seemeth vnto me an enterprise worth my labour to set downe in a few words and the selfe same agréeing with the true reports of Histories the assertion aboue mentioned not to be imaginacions or faigned Wherein it shall not séeme a matter depending vpon necessity to runne through all particular examples and to make an vniuersall repetition of testimonies from the Worlds Creation which passeth the capacity of my wit to comprehend because they excéede in multitude But it shall rather be sufficient and much more profitable out of many to gather a fewe and such indeede as Authors most worthy of credite haue set downe in their Works and Treatizes And first of all to beginne with the noblest Writers and best approued A short enumeration or rehearsall of mischiefes which followed vpon the appearing of Blazing starres Who is ignorant that after the appearance of a Comet in the time of Iulius Caesar not onely ciuill warres followed in manner most lamentable but also the death and murthering of Iulius Caesar his owne person which was most miserable who being 56. yeares of age was assalted and set vpon in a conspiracie of 60. Princes and more among whome were C. Cassius Marcus and D. Brutus and being gored through and flasht with 23. wounds in the Court of Pompeius despitefully perished whereof P. Virgilius Lucanus Plinie Suetonius Appianus Plutarchus and diuers other Writers of great authority are witnesses What should I linger long in the repetition of those strange tempests of snowes haples inundations of waters and other like calamities that followed the appearing of the same Blazing Starre Which F. Horatius doth not nakedly describe but singularly set downe with a kinde complaynt Who knoweth not what an vnspeakeable desolation and wonderful ouerthrow of Hierusalems City followed after the appearing of a certaine Blazing Star which was séene in the ayre Iosephus and Eusebius faithfully affirming no lesse by the space of a whole yeare burning with flames of lamentable destruction The selfe same miserable massacre and desolation followed shortly after this Blazing Starre which the Lord himselfe the Father of all mercy and Iudge of all reuengement did not onely foretell many yeares ere it came to passe but also wept for very sorrow of heart as he was prophesying to Ierusalem her sharpe Visitation For our Sauiour Christ as the Euangelists testifie beholding the City wept ouer her and sounded as it were in her eares this sorrowfall sentence If thou haddest known saith he in that thy day those things which belonged to thy peace and now are hidden from thine eyes c. Did not the death of that most godly and religious Emperour Constantine follow and issue the appearing of a Blazing Starre A Blazing starre appeared before the Emperour Constantine which was séene Ann. Dom. 304. being of an vnaccustomed bignes of no lesse horror to behold And did not therupon likewise follow an excéeding dangerous insurrection in the Empire wherin among many murthers the Emperor Constantius was spoyled of his life in the Castle of Helena not farre from Spaine In the yeare 444. a Blazing starre was séene which as it gaue prefigurations foretokens of afterclaps so did there ensue most miserable slauters calamityes specially in France and not long after Collen being assalted besieged of the Hunnes was ransackt spoiled and made euen in a maner with the ground and the most Catholicke Emperour Martian was in a conspiracy of his own subiects contrary to the religious oath of alleagiaunce murthered and made away at Constantinople After the appearing of a Starre in the yeare of our Lord 584 there followed such an inundation of waters in euery place of the land that it was auerred and beléeued a second deluge or vniuersall floud to haue béene prepared for the drowning of the whole World After that ensued in Italie so hote a pestilence that within the compasse of a little time many thousands dyed in manner most lamentable Not long after that Rome tasted of the whippe A maruellous inundation of waters with other notable calamities for warned by a Blazing starre for the Lombards laying siege against it made hauocke thereof out of measure Vpon the tayle of which sharpe punishment there followed a worse for the Sarazens rose vp with sterne lookes and bending browes compelling the third part almost of the World which professed Christianity to fall to Apostasie and to take part with them in their damnable sect of diuelish Idolatry and detestable vngodlinesse In the yeare of our Lord eight hundred and thirtéene there was a Blazing star séene most strange and terrible whereupon insued the death
realme diuided within it self being vnable long to last must needs come to losse Blazing stars foretokens of barrennesse Furthermore seeing that the generation of a naturall Blazing Starre importeth that in some place hath béene great heate and drought for otherwise such store of matter as is required towards the ingendring thereof could not be drawne vp it is wont to come to passe that blazing starres doe commonly threaten barrennesse to Sandie and not to Fenny Countries Now because it is likewise knowne that by force of Starres many enuenomed and infectious vapours ascend Blazing stars foretokens of pestilence and mortalitie it séemeth credible that a blazing starre is a forewarning of a following pestilence ingendred through the ayre béeing choked and poysoned by vapours of such quality By which means in like maner drought setteth mens hearts on fire and driueth them forward to fall at strife bralling battell and bloodshed it troubleth the brain estrangeth the seases and thus ariseth seditions To conclude with the purpose it is not greatly necessary in this declaration to vse longer delay since I am of this beléefe that God of the aboundance of his loue towards vs which is vnmeasurable by nature as a meane or méete instrument causeth such and such blazing starres to appeare to the intent that he might by them as by premonishments and fore warnings put vs in mend to remember that it is time to start from sinne and to prepare our hearts with repentance for preuenting of those sharp and smarting whips of Gods vengeance which by such Blazing Starres at Gods commandement are threatned For he neuer or very seldome since the creaon of the world plagued any people but he sent among them some signe thereof for their preparation to penitence as in holy Scriptures it is at large declared Why Blazing Starres do specially betoken ill to Peeres Potentates Rulers of Realmes and Commonwealthes c. CHAP. XV. IT is the opinion of some though erronious that blazing stars do specially betoken ill to Princes and great men and to their Kingdomes also and Realmes threaten some mischiefe in such wise that it hath béene obserued and marked that no blazing star almost hath appeared but either death or else some ill hath hapned after to some noble personage in the land as by our former examples it is left verified which made Lucan the Poet to write of them in this wise A Blazing Starre in sight most strange The state of kingdomes which doth change But it is here demanded what the cause should be that Blazing Starres do specially betoken ill to Emperours Kings and such like noble personages I answer that there is none other cause as they suppose Why Blazing stars betoken ill to Peeres and Potentates c. so farre forth as Blazing Starres be naturall then because such great estates and Péeres of Realmes liuing more delicately and vntemperately then other are sooner subiect and surprised with corrupt and empoysoned ayre and so they carrying close within them and secretly nourishing the cause of ill in themselues being vnpatient and not able to indure the working of medicinable receipts quickely perish and miscarrie But so farre forth as Blazing-Starres are supernaturall and as they haue their procéeding and béeing from the omnipotent God it is thought this to be the cause namely that God is preparing a plague against them that the blacke tents of his indignation are pitching that the weapons of his vengeance are whetted against them whereof he giueth forewarnings like a most mercifull Father to the end they might vnderstand that the cause of this Gods iust dealing being sinne and wickednes is either in Princes themselues or else in the people vnder their vngratious gouernment in consideration whereof as well prince as people might sée the horrour and abhomination of their owne sinfull liues and flye to repentance whereunto God so fatherly would win them by forewarnings The wickednesse of the people is imputed to the prince That according to the example of that holy King they may lift vp both hearts and hands to heauen saying Enough now Lord stay thy hand It is I that haue offended it is I that haue done wickedly as for these innocent sheepe what harme haue they done Furthermore to whom doth a Blazing Star betoken somewhat to follow if not to the King For in that it signifieth somewhat to the Realme it must extend euen to the person of the King who hath the rule and gouernment of that Realme because he is a King by his Kingdome and because the wickednes of the kingdome is reputed the wickednesse of the King who either by his ensample giueth occasion of wickednesse A heauy reckoning for such as are in authoritie and office or else hauing power and authority to suppresse sinne in the people neglecteth notwithstanding the due execution and administration of iustice so that the saying of the Apostle is most certaine and vndoubted that All those whom God hath placed in authority giuen preheminence vnto are tyed to the necessity of this heauy reckning not only to stand accountable to almighty God for their owne but also for the soules of all such ouer whom they haue charge And therefore right aptly spake that most wise and worthy King Dauid to all Kings and vnder their title to all such as excell other in office dignitie And now ye kings saith he vnderstand be ye learned which iudge the earth serue the Lord with feare c. And thus farre touching this matter which though it be but bluntly and and shortly deliuered yet is it to be marked Of a certaine Blazing starre which appeared in the yeare 1531. the 19. of Sept. at Mentz a City in Germany and was sensibly seeene likewise in other places CHAP. XVI A Question is asked what that Blazing starre which was seene in the yeare 1531. might signifie and to whom it is a foretoken of some euill to ensue In answering whereunto I would to God I might not tell the truth so directly as I did of an Earthquake 3 years past the effects whereof the City of Mentz not without trembling tasted The Blazing starre which appeared 1531. betokens a heauie burthen of vengeance not onely to the state temporall but also ecclesiasticall yea it threatneth a plague to the whole world The fashion and likenes therof signifieth no lesse for it was to sée to in forme of a broome or a bundell of rods which figure of a rod we doubt forwarneth vs of that rod wherof the Lord speaketh by the Prophet I will visite their iniquities with the rod and their sins with stripes For Almighty God vseth for more certainety of forewarning to giue vnto signes and tokens the likenesses of things signified and betokened As for example At what time his will was to forewarne the Iewes of the Babylonian captiuity he spake thus to Ieremie the Prophet Make thee fetters and chaines and put them about thy necke c. Therby to signifie their