AS 'tis not our purpose to speak of Sa­cred Prophecies or those Divine Revela­tions Contained in the Holy Scriptures, which alone are [...] and of infallible Credit and Authority; so neither shall we run through all those Follies and wicked Extravagancies whereby the Heathen pretended to discover things to come. As their Auguries, Aruspi­cies, Sortileges, &c. But only to raise some few Remarks on some of the Celebrated Methods whereby things are thought to be predicted or foreknown, and frequently come to pass accordingly. Of this sort are,

I. That of Wise Prudent and Learned men, who from their Observations out of History, Their knowledge of the Nature of men, and the Constitutions of Governments, and com­paring times pass'd, with the present, and [Page 2] concluding from like Causes, like Effects, when they see the same things come again upon the stage of the World, as have for­merly been, and then considering all Circum­stances of Agreement and difference, are able to give a very probable Conjecture, which sel­dom fails, of what is like to come to pass. Which sort of Predictions are not only law­ful, but worthy of much Commendation, be­ing oftimes conducible to the good of King­domes, by Premonishing and Preventing In­conveniences like to come upon them.

II. Astrological Predictions, when the Artist undertakes from the Positions of the Heavens, the Configurations of the Planets, Eclipses, Conjunctions, Comets &c. to fore­tell future Accidents, or as one very signifi­cantly defines it.—Astrologia est Doctrina quae ostendit vires Stellarum cognitas Perpetua Experientia, et Qualitates, Temperamenta et Inclinationes in Elementis et Corporibus Homi­num, ortas a Luce, Motu, et Influentiis Stella­rum; Quibus Qualitatibus, Temperamentis et Inclinationibus, Respondent suae quaedam Acti­ones, nisi aut Divinitus, aut aliis Causis For­tioribus Impediantur.— Astrology is a sort of Learning which shews the Force and Vertues of the Stars, known by perpetual Experience, and the Qualities, Temperaments and Inclina­tions arising from the Light, Motion and In­fluencies [Page 3] of the Stars, in the Elements and Bo­dies of men; Answerable to which Qualities Temperaments and Inclinations are their Acti­ons, unless hindred by Divine power, or some other stronger Causes.

This Art I cannot say is unlawful, but I take it to be but Conjectural, and by Igno­norant Pretenders much abused: strange things have been, and frequently are thereby foretold, and prove true, when a skillful Ar­tist hath the handling of the matter; but ma­ny times fall out otherwise: sometimes from the Ignorance of him that undertakes the Judgment, otherwhile from the Influence of some of the fixed Stars; which being seldom taken notice of, may cross or hinder what may otherwise be signifyed; Or 3dly, from the want of a sufficient Treasure of Observati­ons, by which Judgment ought to be given; The same posture of the Heavens having ne­ver twice hapen'd alike in every circumstance since the Creation, and by that means leaving the World destitute of stable means whereon to build their Judgment; since what can be rationally said in that kind must proceed from the Comparing of Events which have hap­pened under such and such Configurations, with what are like to be when the same fall out again; Or lastly, by reason of the care of the party himself, who may by his own In­dustry [Page 4] prevent what from the Influence of the Stars would have been his Destiny, for they at most do not Necessitate, but Incline, and by the Providence and over-ruling Power of God, and the Wisdom of Man, are sometimes diverted.

III. A Third sort is a Geomantical or Terrestrial Divination, in which from cer­tain voluntary Pricks or Points made by the hand at Adventure, certain Figures are rai­sed; From the first four of which, called Fa­thers, are produced other four, called Daugh­ters; These Eight bring forth four Grand Children, from them come out Two Witnes­ses, from those a Judge; and the Judgment upon this sort of Divination is not much un­like that of Astrology. But the Foundation of all this seems to be laid upon a false Sup­position, That the Soul of man knoweth things to come, but is hindred by the dulness of the Organs of the Body. And therefore in the practice of it, a great sedateness of mind is required, a freedom from all noise that may disturb it, and such like Circum­stances; Which he that hath a mind to fool a way time, may find in Cattan, Flood, and H. de Pisis. But this kind of Divination I take to be idle, vain and superstitious, as not built upon any stable Foundation of Reason, or supported by any thing but Fancy.

[Page 5]IV. A Fourth sort is by framing certain Figures of Stone or Metal underneath such Constellations, and placing them either in some Conspicuous Place or Town, or sometimes Under-Ground, by which some have pretended to do strange Feats; These are called Talismans, of which, (as also the Language of the Stars, with an Alphabetical Table, and how from That, words are fra­med which shall declare the Event of things to come, according to the Nature of the Question) Gaffarel, a Learned French-man, hath largly written in his Book of Ʋnheard-of Curiosities; and such no doubt they will prove to him that spends much time in the study of them.

V. A Fifth sort (if indeed there be any such thing) may be by Communication with Angels and Spirits; For many have pretend­ed to such a Converse; I do not mean by the Black-Art, Conjuring, Negromancy or hav­ing to do with Devils; but with good An­gels, who out of Charity, Love and Com­passion to their Fellow Creatures, are said of­ten to be willing to forewarn them of impen­ding dangers, and discover to good men what may be of advantage. Thus the Learned Brown in his Religio Medici sticks not to de­clare his opinion to be, That Mankind owes [Page 6] the Invention of many of our excellent and profitable Arts to the Courteous Revelation of Spirits.

VI. Lastly, There is Enthusiasm, or Illu­mination, an Enlightning of the whole Soul, either from a certain unusual Crasis, or an o­ver-poize of Complexion, or strength of purer Spirits, or else by some unknown su­pernatural means, as the Possession or Inspi­ration of some Spirit, either good or bad. Aristotle tells of one Maracus of Siracuse, a Poet, who never made so good Verses as when he was mad; and immediately before that Story hath these words, [...] &c. Many because that Heat is near the seat of the mind, are taken with sun­dry Frantick and Enthusiastick Fits, from whence they become Sybills, Bachides, or inspired, not from any Disease, but a Natural Tempera­ment —So that it seems in the sense, of A­ristotle much of this kind of Illumination proceeds from an Exaltation of the mind by some Ecstatick operation of the Soul; and great Examples in all Ages, might be pro­duced out of the Observations of Physitians to this purpose; some whereof have been meer Cheats to gain Credit to such as should Cure or Exorcise them; Others true and na­tural, where some Melancholy Heat, or strong Imagination, or lastly, through Custom and [Page 7] use, the persons affected have brought upon themselves such an Habit, that fancy prevail­ing over their Judgment and Understanding, they have pretended to Prophesy; and some­times what they have spoken, hath proved true.

Of these several sorts of foretelling, as touching the Astrological Predictions, or such as are gtounded on that Art, we have briefly shewn whence they may pretend to Credit, having in themselves a natural ground, as Effects are foreseen in their Cau­ses. But as touching the Common Abstruse Indications of great Accidents, Wars, death of particular men, Casualties to Cities, &c. usually stiled Prophecies, from what spring to derive them, or to what Cause they ought to be attributed, is difficult to be determi­ned.

To deny that any things have been so fore­told, or that because some pretending there­unto, were either Cheats, or Hypochondraique, That therefore all were so, is to give the Lie to the experiences of all Ages, and in many of them the very great time between the Predictions, and the fulfilling of them, doth sufficiently Evince that they came from an higher Cause than a Melancholy Heat: For where that is predominant, I have ever ob­served, that between the Prophesie, and the [Page 8] time alotted for the Accomplishment, there is rarely or never more than a score of years, sometimes not so many Moneths.

I. Concerning the Sybils, not only the Heathen paid a great veneration to their Verses, but the most Eminent Antient Do­ctors of the Christian Church have made great and good use of them (in that kind of way which Logicians call Argumentum ad hominem) to Convince their Pagan opposers of the ve­rity of our Religion, since they gave so clear a Testimony to the Birth and other Circum­stances of the Blessed Jesus, long before his Incarnation. But whether all or any of them were indued with the Holy Spirit of God, I dare not affirm. This difference I observe to be between them and the true Prophets, that the later were never during their Pro­phecy deprived of their Witts, Senses or Un­derstanding; For if at any time they have been surprised with Consternation or Asto­nishment upon the Appearance of an Angel, or the like, they have been by the Power of God soon restored to a Temper fit to under­stand and deliver the Message wherewith they were Intrusted. Nay they have generally been further able to Confirm by a Miracle, that they were really sent from God, when it stood with his Glory to have it so, and the distrust of the people required it; whereas [Page 9] these Sybils are never reputed to have done any other Miracle, save that of truly fore­telling things to come. 'Tis indeed in the 18th of Deutrenomy, made the Mark of a Pro­phet, not sent by God, if the things foretold come not to pass, and this is undoubtedly true. But it follows not Convertibly, that whatever things foretold come to pass, the person foretelling them must needs be sent by God; except meant permissively; For we know the Oracles of the Heathen Idols, gave often true Answers, suffered so to do indeed by God, but inspired by the Devil. And Balaam though he were a Magitan and wicked person, yet he foretold several excellent Truths.

I am not Ignorant, That many times, as appears from History, false Prophecies and Predictions have been promoted by crafty Knaves to deceive credulous Fools, and ad­vance their own Designs, and many that have vainly trusted in them, have been deceived and brought to Destruction by their over­fondness. At such time as Brittanicus wait­ed for the great Lot of the Roman Empire, by the Encouragement of a vain Astrologer, [...]e lost both Hopes and Life by the Rigour of a Bloody Tyrant. Seneca by a pretty fan­ [...]y, brings in Mercury perswading with the Gods that they would abridge the Life of Claudius, if not for any other Cause, yet out [Page 10] of very Pity and Compassion to the poor A­strologers, who had already been taken with so many Lies about it. That Wily Fox, Traja­nus (as Dion tells us) by the practise and Assi­stance of Astrologers convey'd a pannick fear into the Head of Tiberius, That Germanicus aspired to the Empire, whereas in the mean time he only pusht forwards his own Design: Existimans se cum Juvenem sustulisset, Facile in Manu Senem Habiturum; Concluding it would be easy to get the old man into his Clutches, if he could but get rid of the Young One. So Richard Duke of Glocester finding that so long as his Brother George of Clarence stood between him and the Gole, he could ne­ver win the Prize on which he had fixt his Ambitious Thoughts, caused a certain Pro­phecy to be suggested to the King his elder Brother, That G. should one day wear the Crown. During the Civil Wars between Cae­sar and Pompey, neither party wanted Pro­phets, which both gave them Encouragement to Proceed, and hope to prevail. And in like manner in our Domestick Broiles between York and Lancaster, The Books of Beasts and Babies were exceeding rife and currant in every Corner of the Realm, either Party Applying and Interpreting as they were Af­fected to the Title. Don John de Barbuda, a Nobleman of Castilé, of greater Courage [Page 11] [...]han Judgment, being perswaded by the Pre­dictions of an old silly Hermite, that without the loss of one mans Life, he should recover the Kingdom of Granada from the Moors, undertook the Enterprise against the Advice and Perswasions of the King of Castile, with no greater force than 1000 Foot and 300 horse, who were together with himself all Cut in pieces.

Remarkable is that Story of Bassianus Ca­vacala, who during his War in Mesopotamia, ordered one of his Counsellors at Rome call'd Maternianus to procure a Meeting of all the Prophets, Astrologers and Conjurers, to dis­cover if any Plot or Designs were in hand a­gainst his person or Authority; and Mater­nianus finding by their Universal Verdict that one Macrinus a Colonel, who had a charge in the Field at that very instant, under rhe Em­perour, should bereave him of his Life, sent Advertisement thereof by the next dispatch; which Post happening to arrive at a time when the Emperour was exceeding earnest and attentive at his Sport, he commanded this very Macrinus, who (as Fate would have it) was next at hand, to break up the Pacquet and inform him of the contents at the time of Councel. By this means Macrinus per­ceiving the drift and his own danger (though before never no thought of Disloyalty, much [Page 12] less murder of his Prince, came into his head) finding there was no middle Course to be taken, but that either Caracalla, before he should receive further Advertisement there­of, or to be sure he himself soon after, must dye for it, made Choice of a desperate Rus­sian that Commanded a Company of foot un­der him, To Stabb his Master, as he with­drew from Company to Ease Nature; and so strangely solv'd the Credit of the South-Sayers.

In the time whilst Popery and Monkery bore sway in England, There was a great Loobily Image in Wales called Darvel Gathern, of which an old Prophecy went, That it should burn a Forrest, and on that Account was beheld by the Ignorant with much Venerati­on. But the Event was thus: At the time of the Dissolution of Abbeys under K. Hen. 8 it was brought up to London, and burnt at the Gallows in Smithfield with the Bowels of one Friar Forrest, executed for a Traitor.

Another Prophecy was current in the Ab­bey of Glassenbury, That a Whiting should Swim on the Topp of the Torr thereof, (which is a steep Hill hard by,) and the Credulous Countrey People understood it of an Inrupti­on of the Sea, which they suspected accord­ingly. But it hapen'd, that Abbot Whi­ting, the last of that Character at Glassenbury, [Page 13] was hanged thereon for his Recusancy to sur­render the Abbey and denying the Kings Su­premacy, so swimming in Air and not Wa­ter, and waved with the wind in the place, made good the Prophecy, though very unex­pectedly.

Did not Anaximander of old foretell the Lacedemonians of a dangerous and greivous Earth-quake imminent, advising to prevent the Peril and Terror thereof by forsaking their Houses and avoiding the City, to remain till its fury was over in the open Field [...]? which Earth-quake shortly after burst out in so vio­lent manner That the whole City was utterly ruinated, and a great part of the Mountain Tagetus horribly overwhelm'd? did not the Prince of Physitians, Hippocrates, forsee a dreadful plague, or mortal Contagion amongst the Greeks, a considerable time before it be­gan to rage? Did not Thales Milesius inrich himself by foreseeing a Scarcity of Olives in the Milesian Fields, and buying up a great quantity before hand? Did not Socrates fore­tell the death of Crito? Sulla the Death of Ca­ligula? The Caldeans the Death and Parri­cide of Aggripina the Empress by her own Son Nero, when he should come to be Em­perour? and yet so possess'd she was with the Devil of Ambition, that she cry'd out Occi­dat modo Imperet — I say with all my Heart, [Page 14] Let him kill mee, provided he may but Raign.

Alexander the Great was foretold his Fate by Calanits and Indian, and that if he Entred Babylon it would prove fatal, and he would dye there; which came to pass accordingly. Caesar had fair notice given him by Spurina to beware of the Ides of March, and fell a sa­crifice to his own Incredulity or Negligence, in not observing that Caution.

Ascletarion the Mathematician, being ac­cused that he had predicted the Death of the Emperour Domitian; The Emperor demand­ed of him whether he had so done, or not? And confessing that he had, Then (quoth the Emperor) Pray Sir, you that are so Skillful in finding out other Peoples Fate, tell me what shall be your own: To which he answered, That he should very shortly be torn to pieces by Doggs. Do­minitian resolves (as he thought) utterly to spoil this Prediction, and therefore having order'd him forthwith to be put to Death, Causes his body to be laid in a very deep ditch and a great heap of Earth to be laid thereon, that no Dogs should come near it; But migh­ty Rains happening, washt away the new un­setled Earth, and Dogs did accordingly tear his Body; And soon after Domitian's Death confirmed the residue of his Prediction.

Rantzovivus a Noble and Learned Dame, p. [Page 15] 99. tells us, That the Astrologer of the Em­perour Frederiek the Second, being question'd by him, why he paid so much respect to Ro­dolphus Earl of Haspurgh, than but a poor Re­tainer to the Court, Answered; Because all thy Sons being Dead, (and the Emperour at that time had no fewer than 10 alive) He and his Posterity shall come to and Enjoy those King­domes whieh now your Majesty does possess; Which was answered with a punctual Success, Rodolphus being Elected King of the Romans by the Germans, Anno 1273. And page 97. he Relates, That one Master Christian an Astro­loger of Prague, Admonished Ladislaus Ja­gello King of Poland by a Priest that belonged to him, Anno 1434. That he should beware of Death that year, for that many Planets were then Conjoin'd, and there would be an Ecclipse of the Moon under the Earth, and accordingly the same year he was Lodg'd in his Grave.

In the same page, he gives that Remarkable Instance of the Incomparably Learned Johan­nes Picus Mirandula, having written and Pub­lished a very smart Treatise against Astrolo­gy, several Artists, viz. Bellantius of Sena, An­tonius Sirigatus a Florentine, and Angelus de Catastiris a Carmelite, That they might de­monstrate the Truth of their Art and Con­vince him of his Mistake, positively told him [Page 16] in their publick Writings, That he himself should not Escape or Survive the 33d year of his Age, by reason of the Direction of the Ascendant in his Nativity to the Body of Mars; who flattering himself with a false Conceit, As if he could wrangle away Death, or elude the Significations of his Stars by Wri­ting against Astrology, indeavouring to prove the Art vain, his Death concurring exactly which the Time predicted, Confirmed the same Art to be true, and more actually Con­futed all that he had written against it, Than if all the World besides had Conspired to Answer him.

Fulgosius, Lib. 8. Ca. 11. Records the won­drous exploits perform'd by Guido Bonatus the Astrologer at Forly in Italy, at what time that City was close Besiedg'd; For he Elect­ed or fortold a Lucky Day, for Guido Earl of Montferrat, wherein if he would make a Sal­ly he should rout his Enemies and obtain over them a Compleat Victory, but not with­out receiving a slight wound in the Knee. And that the Earl might be more assured of what he so foretold, Bonatus would needs march out along with him, and carryed Towe and Eggs and other Necessaries for dressing his wound. And in the Engagement the Enemy was vanquisht, and the Earl wounded punctu­ally in the place foretold.

[Page 17] Regiomontanus, a little before his death at Rome, viz. in the year 1475. (One hun­dred and Thirteen yares before it came) pointed out the year 1588. as a time of most signal Revolutions and grand Transactions in the world. And to the same purpose there was a Prophecy publisht in High Dutch, as followeth.

Which I have found thus paraphras'd into Latine.

And may bee thus English.

Now if wee examine our Chronicles, wee shall find most memorable passages in diverse parts of the world to have happend in that year. Was it not unusual and strange, That Poland this year should have three Kings assu­ming the Title, whilst the Fourth, viz. Stephen Battori was yet unburied? Namely, Sigis­mund the Swede, Maximilian the Emperors Brother, and Henry Valois of France. Of which three, Maximiliam in the begining of this year was taken prisoner, his Army Cut in pieces, and by means there of many thousands of men women and Children carryed away Captives by the Tartars. That Suedeland in the mean tyme was all in a Combustion which Tumults, and lost severall strong Places to the Muscovite. The Muscovite himself ran madd, and lost his witts. The King of Denmark Frederick the Second dyed. In France there happend The Barricado of Paris, The flight of the King from thence, The slaughter of the great Duke of Guise, [Page 19] and his brother the Cardinal of Lorrain: The Death of the Queen Mother, The poisoning of the Prince of Condee, and the Overthrow which the King of Navarre gave unto Duke Mercoeurs; All which gave that Kingdome sufficient Cause to think 88. a year Extraor­dinary. At the same tyme the Duke of Sa­voy prepared his Army and surprized the French Kings cheif Magazine in Saluze. The Sophy of Persia dyed, The Turks suffered great Defeats in Hungary. And in Constan­tinople by reason of false moneys paid to the Janizaries, they fell into a Mutiny, Com­pell'd the Grand Seignior to deliver up his cheifest Favourites to bee put to Death, set fire on the Jews Houses, and spoiled their goods, by which means above 12 thousand Houses were burnt down to the Ground in that City.

And nearer home, did not the world with wonder behold the Spanish Armado (which they foolishly called Invincible) shatter'd to pieces by the valour, of the English; A loss that the Spanish Monarchy has not recovered to this day. In a word, (saith Gallo Belgicus) Ortu solis usque ad occasum, nullus ferme re­mansit locus in quo non miratu dignum aliquid hoc Anno contigerit. From the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof, there was scarce any place, in which something wonderful did not happen.

[Page 20]'Tis a very odd Story, which is credibly related of King James, how he was premo­nisht of his death by a Dream, wherein his old Master Buchanan appeared unto him in his sleep, and gave him these two Verses:

King James was the sixth of that name of Scotland; and next morning he told his Bed­chamber-men and several of the Lords, re­peating the verses, and averring that he did not make them. The success was this: The King had a very large and fair Carbuncle Stone usually set in his Hat, and sitting by the Fire not long after, this great Carbuncle fell off into the Fire, and a Scotish Lord took it up, and 'twas observed the King sickened and dyed very shortly after.

I shall conclude with that most positive prediction of Michael Nostradamus of St. Remy in France, Physitian to the King, and a great Mathematician and Astrologer, who dyed the second of July 1566. In his Book [Page 21] of Quadrins in French, Printed 1555. where­in he very plainly foretells the horrid and detestable Murther of King Charles the First by his own Subjects before his own Palace. And in Quadrin 51. thus evidently fore­speaks the Burning of London, and expresses the very year 66. in these words.

Which may thus be Englisht.

But we are affraid we have already wea­ried the Reader with these past Stories; and therefore now proceed to gratify such whose Curiosity delights in such matters, with Mr. Lillies Hieroglyphicks as they were by him publisht 1651. with (only) this following Preface.

HAd the Courtesie of the present times de­served it at my hands, thou hadst seen an Explanation of the following Pages, which in Aenigmatical Types, Forms, Figures, Shapes, doth perfectly represent the future Condition of the English Nation for many hundred of years yet to come. I have borrowed so much time from my Morning-sleep as hath brought forth these Conceptions. You that Read these Lines must know I do no new thing: I do herein but imitate the Antients, who so often as they resolved to con­ceal their Intentions from prophane Hands, used Hieroglyphicks, Images, &c. The Egyptian Priests were herein excellent, and their Judg­ment commendable: Our Saviour also himself commendeth; Ne detur sacrum Canibus. If Providence shall hereafter assign me a quiet life, and prolong my years, I may then perhaps leave unto the Sons of Art the several Changes of every Kingdom and Commonwealth in Europe▪ in such-like Characters as these which now fol­low.

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