or beaten to death with Rods. But Dion saith she was saved at the request of Amulius his daughter but Romulus and Remus were delivered to some to be cast into Tiber in a cradle which could not be effected because the River was overflowne So they were left upon a Banke Faustulus the chiefe Shepheard to Amulius being at Court having heard their doome Followed Found and carried them to his wife Acca Laurentia called by the people for her lust and the Stewes of her Lupanaria Lupa Hence arose this Fiction That they were nursed by a Shee-Woolse She delivered them to a woman that had lost a childe a little before of her owne At the age of eighten yeares these Brothers fell out with Numitors Shepheard about feeding of their Flocks But when Romulus was absent Remus was carried before Amulius who upon their Complaint delivered him to Numitor to put him to death but Faustulus perceiving the danger revealed their birth to Romulus who reputed Faustulus till that time to be his Father and to Numitor upon a consultation they assaulted Amulius slew him and restored Numitor to the Kingdome who gave leave to them to build Cityes Romulus chose the Mount Palatine and built Rome and this was Anno Mundi 3198 as the Irish Computator reckons I will not much trouble my selfe concerning the truth of this Story Onely it is observable that Rome was built founded by Bloud Murther Lust Treachery c. And I know not why I may not suppose the Irish Nation to come from that Lupa For they are all of them of the same Religion with those nay of Rome the Whore of Babylon That Countrey of Ireland hath had many Wolves in it but never more then now And Camden in his description of Ireland Fol. 83. sayes some of the Irish and such as would be thought worthy of Credit doe affirme that certaine men in the County of Tipperary are yearely turned into Wolves Whether it be a meere fable or no I matter it not Unlesse that malignant humour of unkind Melancholy predominate in them and so cause that disease which Physicians call Lycanthropia and so they imagine themselves to be transformed into Wolves However that malignant humour hath reigned amongst them above this foure yeares That now the people are become more salvage and bloudy then Wolves or any other creature whatsoever But this Parliament the Physician that can under God cure all distempers of Church and State will cure Ireland of its Lycanthropia England was many yeares ago rid of Wolves by destroying them And I have read that King Edgar imposed a taske upon Ludwall a Prince in Wales to present yeerely to him three hundred Wolves or their skins for a Tribute which he did for three yeares together But the fourth yeere he gave over protesting he could find no more What King Edgar did I know not but thankes be to God there are no Wolves in England but of the Irish breed Though there hath beene an endeavour to bring over hath beene and now are and are daily expected some Wolvish Irish in England This I am sure of This Parliament hath passed an Ordinance of the 24 of October 1644 That no Quarter shall be given to any Irish man nor to any Papists whatsoever borne in Ireland which shall be taken in hostility against the Parliament either upon the Sea or within this Kingdome or Dominion of Wales But that they shall be excepted out of all Capitulations Agreements or Compositions with the Enemy And every such person to be put to death Nay any Officer by Sea or Land that shall be remisse or negligent in the observing the Tenor of this Ordinance shall be reputed a Favourer of that Bloody Rebellion in Ireland and shall be liable to such condigne punishment as the Justice of both Houses of Parliament shall inflict upon theâ— I trust this Ordinance will be throughly and duly prosecuted and then I hope both Kingdomes will shortly be cleared of the Wolves of Ireland or the Wolvish Irish After the building of Rome comes since the Captivity of Babylon by Cyrus 2284 yeares This should seeme to be in the yeere of the world 3311 as the Irish Computator reckons But herein severall Chronologers have their diversitie of Opinions This cannot possibly be true for Cyrus began to rule over Persia in the first of the 55 Olimpiade which was Anno Mundi 3390. So that here is 89 yeeres difference of this Computation And in the yeere of the World 4409 Cyrus invaded Babylon and conquered it c. And in Anno Mundi 4420. being the end of the 70 yeeres Captivity as Scaliger and others thinke he was in a second battell with 200000 men defeated by Tomiris Queene of the Scythians where himselfe lost his life Tomiris cut off his head and threw it into a vessell of blood And now let the Irish remember her saying to dead King Cyrus After blood thou didst thirst and with blood thou shalt be satisfied Next ensues since the desolation of the Temple of Salomon 2251 yeares This should be in Anno Mundi 3344. In which yeare there was no such thing done It is true the Prophet Jeremiah Anno Mundi 3340 foretold of the destruction of the City Hierusalem and Temple which came to passe twenty yeares after For Anno Mundi 3360 Nebuchadnezzar tooke it and destroyed it as Helvicus c reckons Then comes since Augustus Caesar began his Empire 1686 yeers And this after the Irish Accompt was Anno Mundi 3909. But here are seven years errour For all Authors begin it Anno Mundi 3902. And then the fourth Monarchy began in Julius Caesar who ruled Emperour but five yeares After him came Augustus Caesar Anno Mundi 3906 and reigned 56 yeares and in the 41 yeare of his reigne which was Anno Mundi 3947 Our Saviour Christ was borne Or as the received opinion is Anno Mundi 3949. Now if we adde this 3949 to 1646 They will make 5595 The yeares since the Creation as our Irish Chronology reckons After this followes since Hierusalem utterly destroyed by Vespatian 1563 yeares This should have beene Anno Christi 83. But then there was no such matter for it was in Anno Christi 70 So that there is an errour of thirteene yeares defective then there will be since Vespatians destruction of Jerusalem 1576 yeares as most Authors agree After this followes since Ireland first received the Catholicke faith by the preaching of the glorious Saint Patrick 1221 yeares And this was Anno Christi 425. About this time this Patrick lived Caelestine the first being Pope of Rome The Nestorian heresie was much spread abroad Many strange things have beene reported of this Patrick In memory of whom the 17 of March the Irish celebrate as a Festivall But I shall take a course to crosse him out of the Calendar Hiberniae fuit Episcopus primus imago illius exprimitur Serpentibus ad ejus pedes abjectis quoniam Divina illius virtute hoc
and likewise in the time of Harvest that in the Northern parts Corn and alll manner of Grain and fruits were corrupted and putrified and for two yeers following was a great scarcity of all things and much famine and a great mortality amongst Sheep And in the yeer 1346. the 28. day of August was a most terrible battle fought between Phillip of Valoys King of France and Edward the second King of England at Cresse where the English with 10000. men overcame 60000. French the King of Bohemia was there slain together with 30000 men 11. Princes 89. Barons and 1200. Knights and in the yeer 1347. King Edward winneth Calice John Copland defeateth the Scots takes David King of Scotland prisoner who is sent to the Tower Copland was made a Banneret and rewarded with 500li. per annum and in the yeer 1348. was such a mortality and pestilence amongst men as scarce hath been known the like 50000 were buried in the Charter-house Church-yard and many strange matters happened in those times which our Histories and Chronicles mention to which I refer you So likewise I will remember that terrible Eclipse of the Sun which was on the second day of October 1605. about one of the clock in the afternoon in the 19. degree of ♎ Libra being the opposite Sign to ♈ Aries under which England is supposed to be subject What a horrible unheard of damnable treason of the Papists was discovered the 5. of November following I hope will never be forgotten in England If I should but remember the Eclipse of the Sun which happened on Friday the 29. of March 1633. in the 19. degree of ♈ Aries I should be over-tedious I will refer you to my Almanack for that yeer and some yeers following in which the tyranny of the Prelats in these times manifestly appearing I my selfe not escaping their fury So also that Eclipse of the Moon the 8. of Octo. 1641. in the 26. degree of Aries or that of the Moon likewise the 4. of April 1642. in 25. degrees of ♎ Libra and another of the Moon the 27. of September following in the 15. degrees of ♈ Aries or that of the Moon likewise the 17. of September 1643. in 4. degrees of ♈ Aries I should but rub the gold horse back and put your in mind of the sad and deplorable condition too fresh in our memory this poor Kingdom of England is in I will set down these following Tables wherein you may understand unto what Signes Astologers have placed out of continuall observation and experience many Countries and Cities that thereby you may see when any Eclipse of the Sun or Moon or notable Conjunction or Configuration of the superiour Planets happeneth what places are subject or likely to participiate of the influence of any such Coelestiall position under such Signes their ☠opposite and □ Quadrate Aspects these Signs following Aries ♈ Taurus ♉ Gemini ♊ Cancer ♋ Virgo ♠Is opposite to Libra ♎ Scorpio ♠Sagitary ♠Capricorn ♑ Aquary ♒ Pisces ♓ And this Aspect is an aspect of perfect enmity and hatred and this is six Signs asunder So likewise these Signs following doe behold one another though not so violently yet they doe disagree very much in Nature and disposition viz. by a Quadrate Aries ♈ Taurus ♉ Gemini ♊ Cancer ♋ Leo ♌ Virgo ♠Hath a Quadrate Aspect to ♋ ♑ ♌ ♒ ♠♓ ♎ ♈ ♉ ♠♊ ♠Thus Aries beholds Cancer and Capricorn by a Quadrate □ Taurus beholds Leo and Aquary Gemini beholds Virgo and Pisces Cancer beholds Libra and Aries Leo beholds Taurus and Scorpio and Virgo beholds Gemini and Sagittary by a Quadrate Aspect which is called an Aspect of imperfect emnity or faigned friendship or trecherous amity c. and this is three Signs asunder But there is another manner of the Signs beholding one another two wayes viz. by a Trine Aspect which is an Aspect of perfect amity and friendship and is when Signs of one Triplicity of Nature behold one another As ♈ ♌ ♠are of the fiery Triplicity hot and dry ♉ ♠♑ are of the earthly Triplicicy cold and dry ♊ ♎ ♒ are of the aiery Triplicity hot and moist ♋ ♠♓ are of the watry Triplicity cold and moist Thus we see the fiery Trigonagrees with the earthly Triplicity in drinesse and with the Aery in heat and the earthly triplicity agrees with the watery triplicity in coldnesse and with the fiery triplicity in drinesse sic è converso These three Signes doe behold one another by a trine △ aspect and for the most part when any of the signes of one nature is well qualified or affected by a certain sympathy and agreement the other signes of the same qualitie participates of the same good or evlll influence and this Aspect is foure Signes asunder The other Aspect is called a ⚹ Sextile and is more imperfect then the Trine and the Signes doe thus behold one another viz. ♈ ♉ ♊ ♋ ♌ ♠Hath a Sextile aspect to ♒ ♊ ♓ ♋ ♈ ♌ ♉ ♠♊ ♎ ♋ ♠Here we see the fiery triplicity agrees with the Aerie in heat the Earthy with the Watery in coldnesse the Aery with the Fiery in heat and the Watery with the Earthy in coldnesse by a ⚹ Aspect and this is when Planets or Starres are two signes asunder Now I shall set downe the twelve Zodiacall Signs and such places Kingdomes Countries and Cities as have experimentally been found to have been subject to the said Signes and they are as followeth Vnder ♈ Aries these Countries England North and East part France Germany Suevia Silesia the higher part of Polonia Burgundie part of Denmark Basternia Syria Palestine Vnder ♈ Aries these Cities Naples Capua Ancona Ferrara Florence Verona Bergamo Lindaw Trajectum Padua Marseilles Epidaurum Crackow Augusta Caesarea Vincentia Vnder ♉ Taurus these Countries Russia Polonia the great the North part of Sweathland IRELAND Lorraigne Campania Helvetia Rhetia Franconia Parthia Persia the Islands Cyclades between Europe and Asia Cyprus the Sea towns of Asia the lesse Vnder ♉ Taurus these Cities Bononia Sena Mantua Tarentum Panorme in Sicily Perusium Parma Caput Histriae Brixia Tigure Lucerne Nantz Metis Herbipolis Carolstade Liepsig Posnania Gnesna Novagrade Vnder ♊ Gemini these Countries Sardinia part of Lumbardy South West part of England part of Flanders Brabant the Dukedome of Wittemberge Hircania Armenia Mariana Cyreniaca Marmarica Aegypt the Lower Vnder ♊ Gemini these Cities Carduba in Spaine Viterbiurn Coesena a City in Lumbardy Turin Vercelli Rhegium Lovaine Bruges in Flaunders LONDON Mentz Kitzing Hasford Bamberge Villacum Noremberge though Schoner and Cardan say it is under Sagitary yet Garcaeus proves it for many reasons to be under Gemini Vnder ♋ Cancer these Countries SCOTLAND Granado part of Burgundy HOLLAND Zeland Prussia Numidia Africa Bithynia Phrygia Colchis Carthage Vnder ♋ Cancer these Cities Constantinople Tunis VENICE Genoa Lucas Pisa Millain Vincentia Bern YORK Saint ANDREWES in SCOTLAND Lubeck Magdeburge
Wittenburgh Gorlick Vnder ♌ Leo these Countries Gallia Togata being part of Lumbardy the Alps Italy Sicyly Apulia Bohemia but Garcius thinks it to be under ♋ Cancer part of Turky Aemilia Sabina Phaenicia Chaldea Orchinia Vnder ♌ Leo these Cities Damasco Siracusa ROME Ravenna Cremona Ulms Confluence Prague Lintz Cremusium Vnder ♠Virgo these Countries Achaia Greece Creet Croacia Carinthia Arthesina the Dukedom of Athens Mesopotamia Babylon Assyria part of Gallia Comata part of Rhyne Sylesia the lower Vnder ♠Virgo these Cities Hierusalem Corinth Rhodes Papia or Pavia Sigina Brundusium Cuma a City in Campania Aretium or Arezzo Novaria a City in Italy Tholouse Lyons Paris Bazil Heydelberg Erphord Uratislavia Vnder ♎ Libra these Countries Austria Alsatia Livonia Savoy Daulphine Bactriana Toscanye Caspia Seres in Aethiopia Thebaida Oasis a Country in Aegypt called Azagar Trogloditica a Country in Aethiopia Sundgavia Vnder ♎ Libra these Cities Lisbone Arles Gajetta in Italy Lauda a City in Mauritania Suessa Placentia Felkirk Friberge or Carda Bianca Argentina Spiers Frankford ad Maenum Hala in Suevia Winpina Heilbrunna Frisinga Mospachium Landshut Vienna in Austria Anwerp Vnder ♠Scorpio these Countries NORWAY Bavaria the upper Metagonitis now called Biledulgerid in Numidia a Region in Affrica Comogena a Country in Syria Cappadocia Idumea Mauritania Fes Gethulia Catalonia Vnder ♠Scorpio these Cities Algiers Valentia in Spain Trabezond Urbine Aquilegia Pistorium Camerinum Tarecisium Forum Julium Messana Vienna Allabrogum Aichstade Monachum Gedanum Frankfod upon Oder Vnder ♠Sagittary these Countries SPAIN Dalmatia Sclavonia Hungary Moravia Missina Geltica Thyrrenia Arabia the happy Vnder ♠Sagittary these Cities Toledo in Spain Volaterra a City in Hetruria Mutina Narbon Avenion Colonia Agrippina or Colen Studgard Rottenburg Judenburg Buda Gascovia Vnder ♑ Capricorn these Countries Macedonia Illiria Thracia Bossina Albania Bulgaria part of Greece Masovia Litvania Saxony Hassia Thuringia Marchia in Styria the Islands of the Orchades India Arriana Gedrofia Vnder ♑ Capricorn these Cities OXFORD Mechlin Juliacum Clevonia Berga Gaunt Vilna Brandenburge Augusta Vindelicorum or Ausburg Constance Derthona Faventia Vnder ♒ Aquary these Countries Amazonia Sarmatia Tartaria the great Wallachia Muscovia Swethland the South part Denmark part Westphalia Mosell Piemont Bavaria part Aethiopia Sogdiana Media Arabia the desert and stony Vnder ♒ Aquary these Cities Hamborough Breme Mountferate Pisaurum Trent Saltzburgh Ingolstade Vnder ♓ Pisces these Countries Cilicia Calabria Portugall Galitia Normandy Phasania Nasamonia in Lybia Garamantes Lydia Pamphilia Aegypt the higher Vnder ♓ Pisces these Cities Alexandria Hispalis Compostella Parentium Rhemes Wormes Ratispone c. Now having shewn what Signs are appropriated to certain places and what places Ancient and Modern Astronomers have in many respects found subject to the influence of the said Signs which hath its ground from the like reasons as are experimented in Nativities for as when any terrible Eclipse of the Luminaries the Sun or Moon shall be in the Ascendant of any man or woman in the mid-heaven or the part of fortune thereof or in the opposite or Quadrate place to any of these in the Nativity or when any of the infortunes or malignant Planets Saturn or Mars shall passe by any of those places or shall aspect any of them hatefully it threatens destruction or death or some eminent danger or evill successe in affairs to such a man or woman especially if any evill direction shall happen at or neere the time of such Eclipse Conjunction Aspect or Transit and of the truth of this innumerable examples might be given So likewise those Kingdoms or Countries Cities or places that have any familiarity with the Sign wherein the Eclipse doth happen or in that wherein any notable Conjunction or other great Aspect is for the most part they have had grievous and sore afflictions and troubles as I could instance in many examples besides what I have spoken of But I shall proceed to some observations touching the dismall Conjunction of Saturn and Mars in the 14. degree 27. minutes or Taurus both of them culminating with that fatall Star Caput Algol or the head of Medusa so ominous to and obtruncating some great personages heretofore and no lesse minacious to others now living who if they had some faithfull Spurina about them Spurina predicted the fatall day to Julius Caesar the Ides of March to tell them of their iminent danger might perhaps if not prevent yet mittigate that evill influence impending or otherwise being forewarned might be the better provided against an inevitable storm but not to meddle with particulars only I could wish men were more observing of the true time or neerest that can be of their nativities together with some Accidents as imprisonment banishment sicknesse many other casualties incident to man kind for the verification thereof which I have given notice of in many of my Almanacks heretofore I will therefore come to the generals of this Conjunction and as I said before it happeneth on Friday the 12. of June 1646. 40. minutes past 7. of the clock in the afternoon in the Meridian of Dublin it happeneth in the fourth house two degrees distant from the body of Venus who some three days before viz. the 9. of June is corporally with Saturn declining Mars whom she finds so debilitated as if she had no mind to conjoin with him Satun and Mars are peregrine that is out of all dignities and when any Planet is so he is as it were a man deprived of all he hath or sequestred from his estate and unlesse the neernesse of Venus by her corporal presence and the Sextile Aspect of Jupiter to them both doth abate of their evil positure it is a very ill meeting of them to those places and people they have influence upon which are under Taurus Scorpio Aquary and Leo with is the second Quadrangle of the Zodiaque and most concerned in this Conjunction which happens in Taurus the night house of Venus where she her self is and indifferently well fortified and irradiated and doth separate apace from these two malevolents yet the Moon who conveys the influence of all the heavenly bodies upon all sublunary creatures hath more to doe in the said Conjunction then Venus for it is her exaltation and she hath a triplicity and face therein but if we observe how unfortunately shee is placed in the very degree of her fall for as shee is exalted in three degrees of Taurus so she is abased and cast down in three degrees of Scorpio in which she now is exactly and is placed in the tenth house which is the house of Rule and Dominion Kings Princes c. the position will hold whether it be reduced to London or Edinburgh so the Scheam will serve the three Kingdoms and Mars who disposeth the place of the Moon and the most part of the mid-heaven is in his Detriment in the opposite house and the next day the ☽ having been in a friendly Trine to the Sun meeting the
like Aspect from Jupiter imniediatly fals into the opposition a most hatefull Aspect of Saturn Mars and Venus Quando Planeta est in Aspectu sui hostis est ut vir timens hostem suum that is when a Planet is Aspected of his enemy he is as a man that is afraid of his foe and such is the condition of the Moon now Quando est cum hoste suo est ut virpugnans cum hoste suo that is when a Planet is Aspected of his enemy he fights with his foe so is the Moon now having two malicious enemies Quando est cadens a domo sua vel a domo exaltationis suae est ut vit absens a domo sua aut Civitate sua that is when a Planet fals from his house or exaltation he is as a man absent from his house or City so are Mars and the Moon now Quando Planeta est cadens est ut vir vexatus timidus he is as a man vexed and fearfull so are Mars and the Moon at this time Planeta in domo non sua est ut vir in domo aliena pulsans jam deprimitur judicium suum nec est ei authoritas a Planet that is not in his house is as a man knocking at another mans door his judgment is depressed and is without authority so are Saturn Mars and the Moon now Ex Centiloquis Bethem 10 11 14 18 27. cum duo infortunae conjunguntur Luna congruit cum Saturno in latitudine erit fames mortalitas that is when the two infortunes are conjoyned and the Moon shall agree in latitude with Saturn there shall be famine and mortality Si vero Marti mutabuntur Reges erit multa sanguinis effusio praelia in loco qui signabitur ab ipso signo hoc non fallit propositio Almansoris 132. that is if the Moon shall agree with Mars in latitude Kings shall change and there shall be much effusion of blood and great wars shall be in that place signified by that Sign And this fails not indeed the Moon hath five degrees Saturn two degrees fourteen minutes and Mars but 46. minutes all of them having South latitude the Moon agreeth neerest with Saturn thougn their latitude is of one kind viz. South But I beleeve the whole Aphorisme will be in force and not any part thereof mittigated notwithstanding the interposition of those friendly beams of the Sun and Jupiter which in my opinion are very weak and not able to effect or procure that expected relief and assistance to these Taurists and their Confederates Guido Bonatus in parte 4. Astronomiae fol. 556. cap. 66. says Cum fuerit Saturnus in Tauro fueritque in Angulo directus significat contentiones bella c. that is if Saturn shall be in Taurus direct in an Angle he signifies contentions and wars And Alhumasar says there shall be tribulations and injuries and tremblings and Earthquakes the destruction of Cities Towns and Houses and Guido says of Mars in Capite 86. fol. 572. Si fuerit in Taâ—ro significat ventos validos venturos destructionem frugum similiter Arborum hoc ex causa Caloris excedentis debitum naturalem modum significat etiam multitudinem nubium atque nubilarum pluviarum quoque ac tonitruorum fulgurum that is if Mars shall be in Taurus he signifies very strong winds the destruction of fruits and also of Trees and this to proceed from an undue and disproportioned heat exceeding its naturall temper and constitution also very cloudy weather with abundance of rain thunder and lightning Albumasar says significat mortem mulierum Vaccarum significat bella ventura inter Cives Orientis Cives Occidentis that is it foresheweth to death of Women and Kyne and that there shall be war between the Citizens people of the East and those of the West Haly parte octava de Juditiis Astrorum cap. 7. says Si Saturnus in quarta domo fuerit ibi malificus significat quod res aedificia cadent minuentur plantationes abscindentur aquae erit in populo diminutio paupertas gens illius Climatis erit obsessa non audebunt exire de suis villis propter timorem inimicorum fuorum quod eo fortius erit magis affixum si quarta domus fuerit Signum fixum quia tunc erit damnum fortius durabilius that is if Saturn shall be in the fourth house and be there malevolent it signifies thaâ— houses buildings shal fal come to decay and perish planting or seting shall be diminished waters cut off the people shall be lessened or abated there shall be poverty to them and people of that Country shall be obsessed or besieged they shall not dare to goe out of their Towns Cities Castles or Countries by reason of the fear they shall have of their enemies and this shall be more affixed certain if the fourth house shall be a fixed Sign and the hurt dammage or losse shall be more strong and durable This Aphorisme agrees exactly with the position of the malignant Planet Saturn at this time in every respect Furthermore Haly sayes in parte 8. de Juditiis Astrorum cap. 25. Si quando Mars junctus fuerit cum Saturno struet quilibet alteri fraudes deceptiones erunt inter homines percussiones vulnera etiam accidet regi impedimentum labor ab homine qui est de terra parittionis illius signi in quo junguntur that is if Mars and Saturn shall be conjoined one man shall seek to entrap another there shall be many falsities and deceits much woundings fightings and quarrelings and impediment danger and trouble shall happen to the King from a man which is of that Countrey under the division of that Signe And a little after in fol. 392. Si applicatio Lunae cum Saturno fuerit adecima per oppositionem Accident Regibus Populis placita discordiae Capientur multi de populis propter discordiam Regum cum ipsis propter magnum metum quem habent de eis If he application of the Moone to Saturne shall be by opposition from the tenth house there shall be many debates and differences happen to the King and People and many of that People by reason of such differences between them shall be captived or taken through the great feare they shall have of them The sum of all these Aphorismes amounts to thus much That in regard at the time of this Conjunction the mid heaven is so extreamely afflicted and Mars Lord thereof which is significator of men in greatest authority whether they be Kings Princes Lords or other great persons and Potentates whether they be of the Families and race of the O's or Mac's who so domineer and Lord it with their Galloglasses and Kernes in Ireland or whether we take our judgement from the Moon who is significatrix of the People there so miserably posited I cannot pronounce other then
ruine and destruction to those great ones subversion of their ancient Families and ruine to their stately Buildings Cities Townes Towers and Castles That People shall be in most miserable and deplorable condition We see the Conjunction is in Taurus under which amongst other places Ireland is posited and that the signes Leo Scorpio and Aquary are sharers and must participate in this influence Famine Scarcity Plagues and terrible warfare shall happen to many places under those Signes If they expect ayd from Foraigne parts they will be frustrated Me thinkes I behold all the States of Europe involv'd in this Quarrell the French and Spaniard Matching the Hollander busie the POPE thundering his Bulls and Excommunications the Turke making great preparations so likewise the Germane Dane Swede Polonian Venetian nay what State in the Christian World is not disquieted If I should recount the Eclipses and great Conjunctions of the superior Planets in Signes to which most or all Countries in Europe are subjected and the events that have succeeded within these few yeares in these places I might rather make an History then a succinct discourse there were not long since two or three Eclipses of both the Luminaryes in the Signe Leo the effects of all which are strongly operating and for many yeares together will produce admirable and unexpected occurrences I believe the progresse of Saturne through the Signe Taurus out of which he will not fully free himselfe till the end of March 1648. will be very fatall to Ireland and most chiefely he will powre out his influence upon that place rather then any other For if we consider the present condition thereof since the Rebellion there broke forth The horrid Murthers and cruell slaughters by them committed upon many thousands of English Protestants whose bloud cryes for vengeance doe authorise me Astrologically to pronounce a fearefull doome of Fire Sword Plague and Famine to follow that bloudy Nation Let me tell the Spaniard French or what other Nation soever that is ayding or assisting them they must not escape the Divine vengeance which God by the Starres his Coelestiall Ministers doth menace them withall If the Pope send his Agents to prosecute their Designes he may chance loose his Triple Crowne in this unjust quarrell they have raised The Divell may rage for a season Sed si Deus nobiscum quis contra nos The fight from Heaven the Starre in their Courses fight against CaesAR Sisera I hope I shall speak truth if I tell the French Spaniard or any other friend the Irish or their Associates have that though they never made greater preparations yet with as like successe as that Invincible Armado in 88 had at what time fourescore of the Spanish Ships were lost with not so few as twenty thousand men The windes and Seas fighting at that time for England which was many yeares before threatned by the proud and insulting Spaniard This Armado consisted of 130 Ships nineteene thousand two hundred and ninty Souldiers eight thousand three hundred and fifty Mariners two thousand and fourescore Gally-slaves two thousand sixe hundred and thirty great Ordinance which Navy having been three yeares in preparing and at no small charge within one moneth was often beaten and at length put to flight and as I said 20000 of their men being slaine and not above one hundred of the English were missing the remainder of their Navy some in their slight were cast upon Scotland and some upon Ireland and those few that escaped returned with a great deale of dishonour into Spaine above 700 Souldiers and Seamen were cast upon the Scottish shore who were afterward sent over to the Low-Countries but those which by Tempest were driven upon Ireland found a harder measure for the wild Irish of their owne accord slew many of them I suppose their cruelty is not inferiour now to what it was then but suppose the French Spanish Irish Jesuite Popish Fryer Priest and the whole rabble of Antichristians in all the World were combined together against England let but an English man name 1588. or 1605. And without doubt the proudest and most cruellest of them all will be daunted and sink down with amazement so powerfull hath God showne himselfe in those times That in the first the King of Spaine himselfe acknowledged the misfortune that befell him to have been the handy worke of God and gave thanks to God and his Saints causing the like to be done throughout Spaine that it fell to be no worse And for that in 1605 certainly it was the eye of Gods Providence that discovered that horrid deed of darknesse the Gun-Powder Treason invented by the Divellish Papists to the destruction of the Parliament and so consequently to the whole Kingdome Let us looke back to the yeare 1587. In which yeare Mary Queene of Scots was beheaded for the position of Saturne and we shall finde that from the first of March that yeare to the middle of Aprill 1589 he walked through Taurus the Signe under which he now is c. under which Ireland is subjected as I said before In the moneth of August the 28 day was an ominous opposition of Mars from Scorpio to him in the 16 degree and if we observe this memorable yeare 1588. Upon the 28 of May Saturne and Mars were in Conjunction in the 19 degrees Taurus not farre from the place they now meete in not many dayes after which that Spanish Fleet was discovered on our English Coast If we examine our Chronicles we shall finde most Memorable Passages in divers parts of the World to have happened this yeare Was it not unusuall and strange that Polonia this yeare should have three Kings usurping the Title while the fourth viz. Stephen Battori was yet unburied Namely Sigismond the Sweden Maximilian the Emperours brother and Henry Valoys King of France of which three Maximilian in the beginning of this yeare was taken Prisoner his Army overthrowne by meanes thereof many thousands of men women and children carryed away Captives by the Tartars Thus saith Gallobelgicus and further that Suetia was all on fire with tumults and lost certain places of strength to the Muscovite The Muscovite himselfe ranne mad and lost his wits The King of Denmarke Frederick the second dyed In France the Barricados of Paris the flight of the King from thence The slaughter of the Duke of Guise and his brother the Cardinall of Lorrayne The death of the Queen Mother the poysoning of the Prince of Condee and the Overthrow which the King of Navarre gave unto Duke Mercury all which Les derniers troubles de Fraunce do testifie and gave that Kingdome sufficient cause to thinke that yeare 1588 to be an extraordinary yeere At the same time the Duke of Savoy prepared his Army and surprized Carmagmall the King of France his chiefe Magazine in Saluze The Turke suffered great overthrowes in Hungaria And in Constantinople by reason of false moneys wherewith the Jauizaryes were payd their wages they fell into a
and nature It deales not with mans will simply and directly but accidentally it doth It deales with mens inclinations dispositions temperature affections and humours It meddles not with miraculous workes nor with fatall necessity except some contingency be joyned with it nor with Gods secrets It is necessary for Physicke Policie Husbandrie Navigation Military Discipline for health It can yeeld reasons which other Arts cannot as in Clymactericall yeares Criticall dayes Why children borne in the eighth month most part are not vitall Of Tides Why Customes Rites Manners Lawes and Temperaments be divers in people inhabiting in severall Clymates Why certaine Seasons be turbulent Why some yeares be dangerous And many other things which may be read in that great Booke of the most wise God the Heavens The Stars therein differing in glory and brightnesse one from another but whose motions are most wonderfull Regular and Harmonious which stares like severall letters some being capitalls and others of lesse size being as it were set together A man endued with an apt Genius and Knowledge therein may not onely spell but in some reasonable measure reade the admirable Worke of God therein in their influentiall and secondary government of all sublunary Creatures Faelices anima quibus hac cognoscere primum Inque Domus Superas scandere cura fuit On the other side I doe pitty the blinde ignorance of some others who thinke themselves as learned as wise that not knowing the motions of the Planets and starres if they chance to see a starre in the day time doe wonder at the same possessing themselves with some strange conceit of some great matter to ensue such an Apparition So it was in the yeare 1625 when a little before the death of King James the glorious Planet Venus being occidentall of the Sun and in her greatest distance from him was thought to have beene a Comet or some nova stella being Sunday in the Afternoone the Moone and she seemed to touch one another or that as Kepler sayes she did quasi haerere in sinistro Cornu Lunae which I my selfe being at Yorke then with some others observed in the West part of the Heavens So likewise what great wonder and amazement there was in the yeare 1630 at that time when Prince Charles was borne the same starre Venus being then in great distance from the Sun and orientall or rising before him was seen to goe before the Sun all day for the most part I will set downe the words of Johannes Johnstonius in his Thaumatagraphia Capite 3. Admirand Coeli Artic. 2. de stellarum luce c. Nona denique Junii hujus Anni visa una in Anglia ante meridiem cum Gratia Deo propter nativitatem Principis Walliae agerentur visam eandem codem tempore Diepae in Gallia a Gallis quibusdam accepimus That is the ninth day of June in the forraigne account the 30 of May being Sunday in the English account of this yeare one was seene in England before noone when thanks were given to God at Pauls Church in London for the birth of the Prince of Wales And we received intelligence from certain French men that the same Starre the same time was seen at Diep in France But by leave of this Learned Gentleman I doe not accompt this a wonder for it is usuall with Venus once or twice in the yeare to shew her selfe in the day time being in her greatest distance from the Sun either when she is orientall or riseth before the Sun or occidentall and setteth after him and this may be easily demonstrated out of her Theory If she presignified any thing she was the prodromus of the miseries that since have ensued to this Kingdome And now at this very time the Royall party in some places as I am informed flatter and promise themselves strange matters by reason this Starre Venus none of them having so much Astronomy as to discover what she is appears so bright and glorious in the West after Sun-setting if she betoken any thing I suppose she appears to our gallant Generall and the rest of the Commanders Souldiers now in the West as a bright lamp to discover the darke blinde corners of the West the unknown wayes of the enemy there and in Wales to reduce that miserable wasted Country which God be thanked is in a good forwardnesse I never observed or read that the simple appearance of any Star in the day time foreshewed any thing except what Hieronomus Cardanus in lib. 14. de varietate rerum cap. 70. mentions whose words I will set down as they are there Stellas quoque die sereno bis vidisse Mediolani me memini cum tota Civitate alteram splendidissimam Anno 1511. cum pulsi sunt Galli aliam Anno 1535. subobscuram cum mortuus est Franciscus Sfortia secundus sed tunc quod sine filliis mortuus fuerit mutatus est princeps transiitque in Carolum Imperatorem Civitatis Regnum variato rerum statu that is I remember my self twice to have seen Stars in a cleer day at Millain the whole City being spectators one very bright Anno 1511. when the French were expulsed and the other Anno 1535. somewhat obscure or dark when Francis Sfortia the second dyed but then he dyed without Sons the Prince was changed and the government of the City passed over to the Emperor Charles with a various state of affairs I know not whether if God have so ordered the motion of the Stars that Stars appearing in the day time should foreshew any thing for my part I beleeve it not in that simple apparition it is not proper for the Stars to shine or appear in the day God made two great lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesser to rule the night he made also the Stars and God set them in the Firmament to give light upon the earth and to rule over the day and over the night and to divide the light from the darknesse and God saw that it was good Gen. 1.16 17. verses This I am sure of that they work by their influence incessantly day and night upon all creatures Nay in many places of Scripture God would not tell us of the dominion of the Stars upon the earth and the creatures therein if they had no force power and influence in many places therein they are called the Host of Heaven and the Armies of Heaven therein amplifying the most wonderfull divine power and might of God by the force influence and energeticall operation of these glorious creatures in some places God expresly distinguisheth between the sweet influence of the Pleiades or the seven Stars and the binding influence of Orion under which two Constellations being of clean opposite nature and effect God comprehends all the rest of the Stars and as it were by the figure of Locution he puts the part for the whole thereby manifestly giving us so much understanding as to conceive all the other Stars of