THE SCURRILOUS SCRIBLER DISSECTED OR, A Word in WILLIAM LILLY's Ear, concerning his REPUTATION, which he complains is injured by J.G. that Ungratefull Scorpionist, as he the said LILLY Scurrilously terms him.
THat Mr. Lilly may be convinced J.G. hath not distain'd his Reputation at all, let him call to mind what his Repute is, and what Characters he standeth under to the World, by the verdicts of several Learned Men in Print, and to this day unanswered, and I conceive he'll be of another opinion.
- 1. Mr. Wharton, a Man of Learning and Loyalty, in his Alm. 1648. writes—Lilly is a Cheat, and a-Cheat he will make him appear to be.—That he is an impudent deceitful colloguing Quack—and an Incendiary between the King and his People, &c. with much more of the same stamp, in sundry other his Works.
- 2. Mr. Gataker, a Man of great Learning, &c in his vindication of the Annotations on Ier. 10.2. terms W. L. A grand Impostor; and in p.71. A palpable Lyar, and fraudulent Coyner of Fictions and Fables. P.73. A base Cheater—and that his Merlins are not so much Astrological Predictions, as Satyrs and Pasquils to play on whom he pleaseth.
- 3. The same Mr. Gataker, in Discourse Apologetical, terms Lilly, a shameless creature; one that knows not how to Reason, but to Rail only. P.6. A Rayler. P.10. Lilly's words are no slander, he is so well known to be a most notorious. Lyar and one that regards not what he saith. P. 12. A Calumniator and Sycophant. P. 27. A Traducer. P.53. A lying Varlet, and a Brother of slanderous alumnies. P.54. Lilly is of a murtherous mind and spirit, in exciting to a general Massacre of the Clergy. Cummultis aliis, &c.
- 4. Mr. Iohnson, in Anti-Merlinus, writes,—‘All know Merlinus Anglicus (i.e. W.L.) to be a false Prophet,—and one that hath sold himself to work wickedness.—That his Predictions are ridiculous Pieces, so full of Follies and Fooleries, Contradictions and Lyes, that an Artist would blush to own them.—And that he doth in them out-lie, if it be possible, the Devil himself, the Father of lyes:’ With abundance more of the same kind.
Now I would gladly know of W. L. whether I. G. hath Ungrateful Scorpionist, hath said more, or yet so much, against his the said W. L's pretended Reputation, as is here produced.—To be plain, J. G. hath not medled with W. L's Reputation, but his Actions and Expressions; those being everywhere to be found, without his Reputation (unless he mean an ill one) to keep them company. But I trifle to no purpose with a professed Calumniator, and will therefore leave W. L. to seek his Reputation where he pleases.
Only, For Information:
Angry W. L. may understand, That the Question in dispute between him and J. G. was not, Whether some Men born under Scorpio have been ill, or done ill, or come to ill ends? But whether any man born under Scorpio was a wicked person for his being so born?—And if VV.L. or any for him, Will undertake to prove, as well as assert it, I.G. is not obstinate, but will be ready and willing to recant his Defence of Scorpio, as he hath liberally more then once promised in Print to perform.—But would VV.L. or his Proctor, (the Newgate-Pamphleteer, as I have been told he is) have I.G. to retract the Truth he hath so fully defended, because they call it an Error? A Turk with as good Reason as this, may oblige me to renounce my Religion.
VVhat if some Astrologers have called Scorpio a Sign of Falsity, &c and others that have otherwise abused that glorious Sign, and together therewith contradicted themselves, as Bonatus, &c as I. G. hath remembred the world of, and distinguish'd fairly upon such their Dealing? Must such Authorities pass for current Coyn with VV. L. and his Party?—It may so, if they please. But I. G. as aware very well of such objections, tells them plainly, in p.11. of his Defence of Scorpio, that there have been Rebels against Heaven before W.L's days, and he doubts there will be so, vvhen VV.L. shall be no more. But I.G. denies that any of those Rebels against Heaven have proved ought of ill against Scorpio : Nay, VV.L. himself hath formerly asserted, That Scorpio is not so bad, as now he and his Advocates render it : Read J.G. in Defence of Scorpio, p. 62 and p. 141. where W.L's own words to this purpose are quoted. And what if VV.L. contradict himself, must J. G. be chargable for it ? But VV.L's Advocate (that Mercenary but Nameless Varlet) as ashamed of his Clients Assertion, as well indeed he may, Would now crave grains of allowance, and prays that VV.L. may be understood in an Astrological sense only : And why could not VV.L. have prayed this before ? it would never have been denied him.
As for W.L's former Charge of Ingratitude, urged against J.G. and this Sycophant's, his Advocate's later Charge of the same stamp, Let Truth it self be witness herein if W.L. and this wicked fellovv both, be not egregious Calumniators! For vvhen J.G. taxed W.L. for thus terming him, Anno 1660. before Mr. E. Carrent, then Adjutant General of the City of London, W.L. was then pleased to deny his vvords, and protested that J. G. vvas to him the most Grateful man in the world. And J.G. hath never dealt with W.L. since, except in defending himself from his unworthy provocations.
As to W.L. his grievance, that J.G. hath Printed him a Plagiary, J.G. will abide by the Charge, and affirms it to be good and true : And for proof thereof, refers to Mr. Gresham's Manuscript of a Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter, now in the hands of Mr. Ashmole, in which Manuscript, by Mr. Ashmoles favour, J.G. read sundry Passages, that W.L. hath Printed in his Prophetick Merlin; as he did read formerly, when the said Manuscript was in the hands of Dr. N. Fisk.—But how would W.L. define a Plagiary, if to Rob a worthy Author, and conceal his Name, be not to be one ? But this is not the only time, (nor Mr. Gresham the only man with whom) W. L. hath plaid the Plagiary.
For the Story of the Gardiners Daughter, vvhich W.L's lying Advocate makes a scandalous noise withal, I.G. desires him to speak plainly, and not in Riddles: for he knoweth nothing that can countenance any such bold falshoods. Nor doth he remember that ever he had difference with any more than two vvomen in all his life; the one vvas a Lady (so called) that having been Ruinous to many Families where she had lodged, he justly denied to entertain her into his House: The other vvas a Gentlewoman, that he refused to lend ten Pounds unto, as not knowing hovv to come by it again. And these things, and nought else that I.G. knovveth of, begat their prejudice and disesteem tovvards him. VVhat shall I say? VV. Lilly and his Advocate, are Lords, Lieutenants over their own Lyes and Scandals, but the Devil is the Captain-General and Creator of them.
And whereas W. L. as frequently as foolishly, twits I. G. with his quondam Profession and Condition, I.G. esteems it no disparagement at all: For the lower his Education hath been, the larger hath been his pains to qualifie him into a capacity for the reception of W.L's poysonous Envy.—Besides, I.G. hath read in Merlini Anglici Errata, that W.L. vvas a Taylor, [and W.L. confesses that he vvas a Footboy to one G.W. an Attorney] and likes him never the vvorse for for that; but wishes, so much Friend he is to W.L. that he had been a Taylor or Footboy still, so he had scaped being Author of that Treasonable Pamphlet called Monarchy or no Monarchy: which though he have obtain'd a Pardon for in this vvorld, I. G. is doubtful that he will never get one in the world to come, without GOD's infinite Mercy.—But, confident W.L. notwithstanding his Astrology [by which he pretends to teach the way of Prophecy] yet retains so much of his Stitching-Skill, as to make a Taylors Bill in mood and figure. Howbeit, I would advise him for the future, that he venture not on such broad-fac'd Impudence, as to forge other mens Names unto any of his malicious Inventions; but rather set his own unto them, for the better security of his Ragged and [almost] worn out Reputation.
Finally I. G. doth expect, that if any pretend to reply upon him, that they be not ashamed of their Name: For vvhy should any man be bound to combate the Air, or play, at Cudgels vvith the Clouds? And if W. L. be not now satisfied, I shall advise him to try Reginald Scots Charm against the Scorpion, in Lib. XII. Cap. XIV. which is this : If any one be bitten of a Scorpion, let him call an Ass to him, and tell him the Tale in his Ear, and it cures him.—If W.L. vvant the Animal called an Ass, let him vvhisper the Story into that Varlets Ear who hath pretended to Ansvver J.G's Obsequium Rationabile, and that vvill work the Effect as exactly.
POST-SCRIPT.
I Had almost forgot, that W.L. most idly complains, That J.G. hath abused all the Younger Sort of Astrologers, that he may, by such a Crafty Artifice get them all of his side, to vote for him against J.G. upon occasion. But wherein J.G. hath abused any Artist at all, Younger or Elder, W. L. is no more able to prove, than that J.G. hath contradicted all Antiquity about the Significations of Scorpio.—Both notorious [...]shoods! and only fit for W. L. to [...]ather.