THAT this preſent Age is an Age of Wonders, I think there is no Perſon but will acknowledge, who does but conſider the prodigious Revolutions which have happened in the world within the ſpace of ſixty years laſt paſt. Nor ſhall we need to travel ſo far as China or Indoſtan, or viſit the Sunburnt Regions of Africa, to juſtifie the truth of this. Europe alone will ſuffice, having been the Theatre of ſuch Mutations as are not the leaſt miraculous; and in which, as we have had our ſhare, ſo likewiſe a very near concern. The Great Guſtavus of Sweden begun the fatal Dance, and Germany ſtill wears the marks of thoſe Deſolations which were occaſion'd by his Arms. Portugal revolts from Spain, France is over-run with Civil Broils, Great Britain and Ireland are all in flames and confuſion.

Scarce had the World begun to breathe the gentle Air of Peace, when the aſpiring Spirit of France, big with the ambitious hopes of Glory, and puft up with a vain deſire of the Sole Monarchy of the Weſtern World, raiſes freſh Commotions in Europe, and has ſet all Chriſtendom in flames of War. What have been the Effects of theſe horrible Combuſtions are too well known already, and what will be the Iſſue, although we may from probability make Conjectures, God only knows.

Theſe great Changes and Revolutions which have happened in the Affairs of the World, have always been uſhered in with ſome ſtrange Preſages and Predictions; it would be tedious to recount all the prodigious Comets, Viſions, Apparitions, and Propheſies, which have in all Ages of the World given occaſion of wonder and amazement to the vulgar, but of caution to the wiſe; to whom the conſideration of preſent Circumſtances compared together, have given great advantage to conjecture of the Series of future Events, and to improve thoſe hints both to the publick and their private good. A pregnant inſtance of which we have in Joan of Arc, to whoſe Propheſies the French were obliged both for Direction and Courage to clear themſelves and Country of the Engliſh. Nor ought we to doubt, but that theſe Admonitions are the Effects of Heaven's kindneſs, as well as the Heralds of its anger; nor does the Divine Vengeance act by ſurpriſal, but always firſt denounces War before it begins it; though uſually theſe Portents and Predictions meet with the ſame treatment from the incredulous World, which Noah's prophetick Sermon of 40 years whilſt he was building the Ark, received from the indocile People who inhabited the Earth before the Univerſal Deluge.

I know the hazzard of Interpretation, is apt to render a curioſity of this nature, culpable to ſome, ridiculous to others, and many times to thoſe who are moſt nearly concerned in the danger; Caeſar could laugh at the Predictions concerning the Fatal Ides, and the Dream of his Lady, but it proved a Riſus Sardonius, which ended in Death. Did I propoſe any thing with a pretence of Inſpiration, or the confidence of un-erring Infallibility, I ſhould deſerve the cenſure of the wiſe, and which is far more inſupportable, the deriſion of the fooliſh; but what I offer is only as a private and probable conjecture, and I leave it to every mans liberty to judge even of that liberty I have taken, and to the Event to juſtifie or confute my Opinion.

I will not pretend a familiarity with the Stars, though I do not deſpiſe their Influences; nor will I undertake to explain the Myſtical Characters of the Eaſt; nor to tell you exactly which way any of the late Comets directly pointed; nor to unriddle all the dark Nonſence of Noſtradamus; but ſomething ſure there is in all theſe things. And although I believe there is ſome Wheat in all that heap of Chaff, yet I queſtion whether or no my Judgment be ſtrong enough to winnow it, and ſeparate one from the other. That which I here offer to the view of the Curious and Inquiſitive, is a very ancient Propheſie, though not much regarded: But who was the certain Author, I am no more able to aſſure them, than what will be the certain Event. However, let this ſuffice, that 'tis ſaid to have been found in the Ruines of a Religious Houſe at or near Lincoln, and given to Mr. Truſwel the Recorder of that City, from whom it now borrows the Name, and goes under the Title of Mr. Truſwel's Prophecy the Recorder of Lincoln. It was writ in an obſcure and barbarous Latin, which does in ſome meaſure ſhew the Antiquity of it, and that it was penn'd in thoſe Ages, when Learning was at ſo low an Ebb, that the high Water-Mark of it, did not run above a ſort of Gothiſh Latin; all beyond which was the Hercules Pillars as they thought, with the Ne plus ultra inſcribed upon them, of Graecum eſt non poteſt legi.

I do not find that this Propheſie hath been taken notice of, except by an inconſiderable and little regarded perſon, Ariſe Evans in a Book entituled, A Voice from Heaven, printed Anno 1652. and though he did ſtrangely foretell many things, and particularly was always poſitive about his Majeſties happy Reſtauration, and with him of the Church of England, then trampled under foot by the prevailing Sects and Factions; yet mentioning this Propheſie, he has both given ſo falſe a Tranſlation, and an Interpretation no leſs impertinent than ridiculous in ſome things, making the Lilly to be Mr. Lily the Aſtrologer, and ſome ſuch things as look like the effects of a weak or ſhattered Brain. Nor do I remember any Conjuncture of Affairs which have been in Europe, to which this Prediction could poſſibly be applicable except the preſent, to which it ſeems plainly and perſpicuouſly to direct, and to threaten France with an inevitable fall from that Glory and Proſperity which now ſhe does ſeem to enjoy.

According to the manner of all Propheſies, and even this as well as the reſt is wrapt up in a myſterious confuſion, which leaves us no more to work upon, than matter of Connexion and Conjecture: But however according to the judgment of perſons much converſant in Writings of this nature, there ſeems to be an agreement in Opinion, that by the Son of Man who carries the wild Beaſts in his Arms, is intended the King and Kingdom of England, which is ſo diſtinguiſhing a difference, as no other Prince beſides him can pretend to the Deſcription. And poſſibly he calls him, the Son of Man, with a regard to his Exile, alluding to that place in Scripture, That the Foxes have holes, and the Birds of the Air have Neſts, but the Son of Man hath not where to hide his head. He having had in that extremity of his Fortune no place of ſecurity or retreat, capable to ſhelter him from the malice of his implacable Enemies, whilſt he was hunted by them from one Kingdom to another, his Reception being made a ſufficient ground of War, as his Baniſhment was always an Article of Peace. And he ſeems farther to explain this, when he tells us, He ſhall paſs many Waters. Which is both literally and prophetically true, for his preſent Majeſty was forced for his ſecurity to paſs and re-paſs the Seas. But in the Figurative ſenſe, by Waters is always in the prophetical dialect underſtood Afflictions, Inſtability of Fortune, Dangers and Hazards from the People. Now all the world is witneſs, that even from his Infancy his Majeſty of Great Britain ſailed through a moſt tempeſtuous Ocean of Adverſe Fortune.

And he ſhall come to the Land of the Lyon.] By the Lyon is here meant the Leo Belgicus, the Belgick Lyon, as the United Provinces and Spaniſh Netherlands, from the figure of the Country as it lies in the Maps, and from their ancient Enſigns are called, and by that Name commonly known; from both which Countries his Majeſty expected Protection and Aſſiſtance, and did in ſome meaſure receive it: [looking for help from the Beaſts of his own Country,] that is expecting Aſſiſtances from the Scottiſh Nation; to ſome of which the Name he gives them did but too well agree, with that part of them who endeavoured to make a prey of him, as before they had done of his Royal Father. This he further explains in the foregoing words, telling us [and he ſhall come with a multitude of People,] which ſhews his Reſtauration, and that he ſhould come, that is, to be received with the univerſal deſire and conſent of his People into his Kingdom [which Kingdom is the Land of the Moon] either becauſe it is ſurrounded with the water of the Ocean, over whoſe fluxes and re-fluxes the Moon has ſuch abſolute Soveraignty and Dominion; or to ſignifie the great Changes and Alterations, the ebbing and flowing of the Tydes of Faction and Rebellion which ſhould be in that Kingdom, and eſpecially in Eccleſiaſtical Affairs, of which the Moon is even in Holy Propheſies not an unuſual Significatrix; the Church being often figured by the Moon, as ſhining by a borrowed light (Luna quaſi luce lucens aliena) and being frequently under great Changes and Alterations, and never more bright and conſpicuous, than in the darkeſt nights of Perſecutions. [Which Kingdom, of the Moon, is to be dreaded throughout the World,] he does not ſay England, which here he calls the Land of the Moon, ſhall have dominion over all the Earth, an Iſland being altogether incapable of ſuch a deſign or Dominion, but it ſhall be dreaded, which may well be underſtood to be meant in regard of the great Maritime Power, and Naval Exploits of the Engliſh, which has already made their name terribly known to all the world; and which is to be hoped ſuch care will be taken to increaſe and incourage that Power, as well as to abate that of our Rivals and Enemies, as in future Ages ſhall render England not only conſiderable, but formidable to all the Earth; ſo as to be able, if not to give Laws, yet to hold the Great Ballance, ſo as to make England terrible to her Enemies; who ſhall therefore dread their great Naval Power, in regard of their Ability thereby to make ſudden Invaſions and Diſcents into the Maritime Countries of their Enemies, and to ſtop their Trade and Commerce abroad.

Thus far the Propheſie appears plain and eaſie, Events having in a great meaſure given us a clear Interpretation of it. Now Affairs thus ſtanding, the Son of Man who bears the Wild-beaſts in his Arms, whoſe Kingdom is the Land of the Moon, which is to be dreaded throughout the World, being come through many Waters with a multitude of People, he comes to diſcourſe of the Lilly. By the Lilly they interpret France, whoſe Enſigns are the Lillies, as they themſelves diſcourſe it by their Salique Law, when they tell us the Lillies ſpin not, excluding thereby the Diſtaff from all hopes of enjoying the Scepter: Rather to deſtroy the pretenſions of the Engliſh, than that they are able to ſhew any ſuch original and fundamental Law of their Crown. [The Lilly (ſaith he) ſhall remain in the better part] that is, France ſhall be in great Peace, Glory, Plenty and Proſperity; which has been exactly verified ever ſince the concluſion of their laſt Domeſtick Wars, by the Policy of that great Miniſter of State, Cardinal Mazarin, during the minority of the preſent King of France, Lewis the Fourteenth; ever ſince which time France has enjoyed a conſtant current of Greatneſs and uninterrupted Proſperity: which as it has infinitely augmented their Trade, Navigation, People, and the Treaſure of the Prince, into the Sea of whoſe Coffers all the ſeveral Streams of Money in France do finally diſcharge themſelves; ſo it has elevated their minds to high Attempts; Pride being the uſual Companion of Proſperity, and a vaſt Treaſure the greateſt ſpur to the thoughts of Ambitious Princes. The Lilly ſtanding in theſe terms, [ſhall be moved againſt the Seed of the Lyon] that is, as before we took notice, againſt the United Provinces and Spaniſh Netherlands, who are altogether called the Leo Belgious, and give the Lyon for their Enſigns. This likewiſe needs no great matter of explaining, it being ſo viſible and freſh in remembrance, how the French began to quarrel with the Dutch: Though upon what real or ſolid grounds, ſince they never yet told the world, we are left to the liberty of our Conjectures; and may therefore judge it was the Child of their Pride and Ambition, Riches and Proſperity, with which unbounded deſire of Greatneſs and Soveraignty ſome of their late Miniſters have travelled long, and had they not ſtrangely miſcarried, 'tis more than probable they would have brought that Embrio of ſlavery which they had conceived in their brains, to a perfect birth.

[And he ſhall ſtand on one ſide amongſt the Thorns of his Kingdom, whoſe Kingdom is the Land of the Moon] that is, at the beginning of this War betwixt Lilly and the Lyon, England ſhall ſtand upon the part of the Lilly againſt the Lion, though not without Difficulties, by reaſon of the Thorns of his Kingdom, by which Thorns they underſtand the uneaſineſs of his People, occaſioned by this confederation with France, by reaſon of their Apprehenſions of whoſe growing Greatneſs and Power both at Sea and Land, and his dangerous Vicinity they are ſaid to ſtand upon Thorns, according to our Engliſh Proverb of expreſſing any thing which gives us a trouble, or which we cannot long endure: And by his adding [the Kingdom of the Moon] may further be meant, that this Confederation ſhall not be laſting, but ſhall change, as it has done, from Friendſhip, to a cold Neutrality, from Neutrality, to open and violent, becauſe neceſſary, Hoſtility [Then ſhall come the Eagle out of the Eaſt, with his wings ſpread with the Beams of the Son of Man.] Here is plainly decipher'd his Imperial Majeſty of Germany, whoſe Enſign is the Eagle diſplaid, and his wings being ſpread with the Beams of the Son of Man, denotes the Confederation between England and the Empire; which Confederation ſhall influence, warm, and revive the drooping Spirits of the Imperial Party, adding new life to their endeavours, and freſh vigour to their enterpriſes, as the kind Beams of the Sun impregnates the Plants and Herbs, with a new Life and Growth. [There ſhall be deſtrdyed Caſtles upon the Thames.] Whether this may not have reference to the action of Chattam, or to the conflagration of London, or to ſome other great Sea action, in which the Engliſh may loſe ſome Ships (which he calls Caſtles upon the Thames) and which may probably happen if there be Naval Engagements with the French, I will not undertake to determine, but as before was obſerved, there is no method or exact order obſerved in theſe Prophetick Diſcourſes, and I am rather inclinable to believe it does relate to the Affair of Chattam, in which the Engliſh Ships were deſtroyed, with the great pleaſure, if not by the Inſtigation of France.

[There ſhall be great Battles among many Kings.] This is not only already verified no ſo many Combats, as during this War have happened between the Emperor, the Crowns of France, Spain, England, Sweeden and Denmark, but in great probability that ſtill there will be more and greater: for the Power of France is too great, to be the Trophie of one Day, and there appears no ſafety to any Neighbouring Crowns, but by abating the Luxury of the Lillies.

[In that Day ſhall be the Bloody Field,] This is ſpoken exegetically, as if one particular remarkable and Deciſſive Day, wherein ſhall be a moſt Bloody Battle, the end of which ſhall terminate in a moſt notable Victory, in which the Lilly, that is France, ſhall be ſubdued, wherewith the Son of Man ſhall be crowned. [In the fourth year many Battles ſhall be for the Faith.] This ſeems to intimate, as if during this War, and before the final concluſion of it, by the great Battle which he calls the Bloody Day, France finding her ſelf ſtraitned ſhould excite the Grand Signior, the Capital Enemy of the Chriſtian Faith, to enter into the Chriſtian Territories, according to the Example of Francis the firſt of France; and the preſent Commotions in Hungary, ſupported in a probability both by the French and Ottomans underhand, render the conjecture not much void of the Mark. This War between the Chriſtians and Turks ſhall continue ſome time after the Power of France is humbled; and ſhall occaſion many Battles for the Faith, that is againſt the Mahometans; but at laſt Victory ſhall declare her ſelf for the Chriſtians. [Caput mundierit ad terram.] I can eaſily make of this better ſenſe than Latin: The head of the World ſhall be brought to the Ground,] which may be meant either of the Pope or Turk, who both pretend to that Title of Ʋniverſal Head; the one as Temporal and the other as Spiritual Monarch of the World; and I leave it to the Opinion of the Reader, and to Time the ſureſt Interpreter of Predictions, to declare upon which of theſe Heads, this Vengeance ſhall fall ſo heavy, as to lay them in the Duſt.

After this, The Son of Man and the Eagle, that is the King of England and the Emperor, ſhall be exalted; that is, they ſhall be in great Honour, Dignity and Power; upon which there ſhall ſucceed Univerſal Peace, and as the Natural Effect of it all manner of Plenty.

As for the laſt Clauſe where 'tis ſaid, [The Son of Man ſhall receive a marvellous Sign, and ſhall go to the Land of the Croſs.] I confeſs I want an Oedipus to furniſh me with a Conjecture, and will not therefore undertake it; in regard that Voyage has been out of faſhion with all Princes, ſince they underſtood that it was an Intrigue of Ambitious Popes to ſend Princes to the Holy War, whilſt they in the mean time made a Prey of their Prerogatives and Subjects at home.

Thus far Mr. Truſwel's Propheſie, which becauſe it may be thought the work of an Engliſh-man, and may therefore be ſuppoſed in favour of the Nation; let us hear a Prophet of their own, Noſtradamus, the great Favourite of three Kings, Henry the 2. Francis the 2. and Charles the 9. and if he be a Prophet, he will it may be confirm the Truth of the former Predictions, applying his rugged Verſes to the preſent Circumſtances of the time.