THE Petitioning-COMET: Or, a Brief CHRONOLOGY Of all the Famous COMETS, And their EVENTS, That have happen'd from the Birth of CHRIST, to this very day. Together with a Modest Enquiry into this present COMET.

Cum Deus puniturus est Gentem vel Urbem, prodi­giis id prius solet significare.

Herodot. lib. 6.
[astronomical device]

LONDON: Printed by NAT. THOMPSON, next door to the Cross-Keys in Fetter-lane, 1681.

A LETTER out of the Country, FROM THE AUTHOR to the PRINTER.

SIR,

SInce my last recess from London, I have wholly devoted my self to Contemplation; which is as natural to a Country life, as Flattery to the Court, Debauchery to the Town, Cozening to the City, and Fawning to the Clergy. Now of this Contemplation I have spent some part in the Evenings, about observing the Motion and Progress of this so-much-talkt-of COMET, and in this enclosed have sent you the Result of my Thoughts concerning it, together with a Meteorological Com­pendium of all the most remarkable BLAZING-STARS, that have been at any time conspicuous from the Nativity of Christ, to this very day: as also the Events and Misfortunes both to Kings and Kingdoms, that have attended each of those Meteors. This present Comet (it's true) is of a menacing Aspect, but if the New Parliament (for whose Convention so many good men pray) continue long to sit, I fear not but the STAR will lose its virulence and malignancy, or at least its portent be averted from this our Nation; which being the humble request to God of all good men, makes me thus entitle it, A Petitioning-Comet. Now as for you, my old Friend, I must confess the late Noise abroad of your being a Papist, or at least Popishly affected, made me at first hesitate whether I might with safety entrust any more Papers with you, or proceed in our old Acquaintance as for­merly; but when upon mature deliberation I recollected all your former Letters and Discourses, as well as examined what several eminent Pieces against Popery you have publish'd, even such as would be a damning Sin in the very Pope himself to dispense with, after this I soon satisfy'd my Reason with the absurdity of the Report; and from that time, examined every one of your Adversaries Intelligences, with as great expectation to find that the Emperor of Turky was turn'd a Christian, and the Pop a Protestant.

As force and vertue of the Sun, into the highest Region of the Air, is there inflamed, partly by the Element of Fire on which it bordereth, and partly by the motion of the Heavens which hurleth it about; so as there is the same matter of an Earthquake, Wind, Lightning, and a Comet: if it be imprison'd in the bowels of the Earth, it causeth an Earthquake; if it ascend to the middle Region of the Air, and from thence repell'd, it pro­duceth Wind; if it enters that Region, and be there environed with a thick Cloud, it sends forth Lightning; but if it passes that Region, it then becomes a Comet, or some other fiery Meteor, in case the matter be not sufficiently capable thereof.

Now of these Ignita mixta, some continue a longer, and some a shorter time; seven days is the least, but some have been visible six months toge­ther; all which happeneth according to the scarcity or plenty of the matter whereof it consisteth. In a Comet there are two things remarka­ble; the colour, and the fashion.

As for their colours, they are usually but of three sorts: 1. If the matter be thin, then the colour is white: 2. If reasonably thick, then the colour is ruddy, resembling Fire: and 3. If very thick, then their colour is like the burning of Brimstone, or of a blue appearance. Yet nevertheless they are not always so exactly of these three colours, without any different tincture, but as near them as the disposing of their matter will admit; so that instead of white, we sometimes have them of a yellowish colour; and instead of a blue, of a watchet or greenish colour, and the like.

In the next place, as for their shapes or forms, (if we stand upon a cu­rious examination of them) they may be manifold, however Aristotle re­solves them into two, all their other shapes being dependant on these two: For first, either they seem round, with Beams about them, which cometh to pass when the Matter is thin on the edges, and thick every where else; or secondly, they seem as it were with a Beard or Tail, which happeneth when it is but meanly thick towards some one side or other, and rather long than round. But some would have these two fashions, to be three, because the Tail hangs downward sometimes, as well as side-long; and so there is by this means Stella crinita, Stella caudata, and Stella barbata: concerning which, I am not solicitous.

Now concerning the Prognostications of such Meteors, many and vari­ous are the opinions of all Meteorologists; whether Comets or Blazing-Stars be generally of such terrible effects,Browns Vulg Err. l. 6. c 14 as elder times have conceiv'd them, is (saith Dr. Brown) very uncertain: for since it is found that many from whence these predictions are drawn, have been above the Moon, why may they not be qualified from their Positions and Aspects which they hold with Stars of favourable natures? or why, since they may be conceived to arise from the Effluviums of other Stars, may they not retain the benignity of their Originals? or since the natures of the fixed Stars are Astrologically differenced by the Planets, and are esteem'd Martial or Jovial, according to the colour, whereby they answer these Planets; why although the red Comets do carry the portensions of Mars, should not the brightly white be of the influence of Jupiter or Venus, an­swerably unto Cor Scorpii and Arcturus, is not absurd to doubt. There­fore some are of opinion, that this superstitious dread of Comets may possi­bly [Page 3]proceed from some terrour struck into mens thoughts by reason of their rare and unexpected appearance, rather than from any certain ground of knowledge of the reason of the thing it self; as if all but the history of them, were only uncertain conjectures. For (say they) although it may be true, that after such Comets have appear'd, strange things have happen'd, yet is there no more connexion of causality between the Co­met, and the deaths of Great men, or Alterations of Government and Religion, than (as the ingenious Sir Thomas More instances) that the building of Tenterden Steeple was (as the old Sage would have it) the cause of Goodwin Sands; because the one appear'd presently upon the building of the other. And that the Almighty (they say) hath given these Signs in the Celestial or Aerial Regions, not only to affrighten such mor­tals as pretend not but to be ignorant what they are; nor only to exercise the curiosity of others, who affect an enquiry into such things; but also to puzzle (it may be) and discover the vanity of those, who would be thought ignorant of nothing, be it never so much above them; and who choose rather to adventure the after-censure of Folly, then quit the Ambi­tion and vain-glory of being thought Prophets, if the event chance to answer their prediction, by interpreting the portent of those things which fore-signifie (it may be) nothing, or at best they know not what: For (say they) no certain knowledge, or scarce a satisfactory probability, ap­pearing of what a thing is, who shall pretend to know what it signifies; when no one would think, but that should (in reason) be known before, if not more easily than this.

Accordingly (saith Dr. Hakewell) the late Lord Privy-Seal,Apolog. l. 2. sect. 6. and Earl of Northampton, in his Defensative against the poison of supposed Prophecies, sheweth: that as Comets do not always fore-run such Events, so neither do such Events always follow upon the appearing of Comets: some in­stances he produceth of Comets, which brought with them such abun­dance of all things, as stories have recorded it for Monuments and Mira­cles to posterity: And the like, saith he, could I say of others, An. Dom. 1555, 1556, 1557, 1558. after all which years nothing happen'd that should drive a man to seek out any cause above the common reach: and therefore I allow the diligence of Gemma Frisius, taking notice of as many good, as bad effects, which have succeeded after Comets. Moreover he tells us, that Pecuer a great Mathematician of Germany, prognosticated upon the last Comet before the writing of his Defensative, that mens Bo­dies should be burnt up with heat; But how fell it out? we had not (saith he) a more unkind Summer for many years, in respect of extraor­dinary Cold; nor was there any inclination to War, or any Prince de­ceas'd at that time; but on the contrary, the Plague which had raged before in Lombardy, as God would have it, ceased at the rising of that Comet. Queen Elizabeth (1558.) being then at Richmond, and being disswaded from looking on a Comet which did then appear, made answer, Jacta est alea, the Dice are thrown; thereby intimating, that the pre­order'd providence of God, was above the influence of any Star or Co­met. Neither (saith he) do I remember that any Comet appear'd before her death, as at her entrance there did; nor before the decease of Prince Henry, nor of Henry the Great of France, all three famous Princes. [Page 4] Charlemagne profess'd, that he fear'd not the sign of a Blazing-Star, but the great and potent Creator thereof; and so much fear consists both with Christianity, and prudence:

[...].

Also Manilius:

Nunquam futilibus excanduit ignibus aether.

That Comets of themselves are mischievous, I disown; yet how knows any man but that they may be set there as menaces of the Almighty's Anger? The common opinion hath been, that New Stars, Comets, and the like, either as signs or causes, or both, have always prognosticated some dreadful misfortune to the World, as outragious Winds, extraordi­nary Drought, Dearth, Pestilence, Wars, death of Princes, &c. Accord­ingly we find the wise men of the East prophecying, that our Saviour (at whose Birth a new Star appear'd) should bring destruction upon the Kingdom of the Jews, his Native Country. But that which above all others does most influence me, is the experience of former Ages, wherein 'twas rarely observ'd that any terrible Comet appear'd, without an effect altogether as terrible. There is no general Rule without an Exception; and as we must not define Luxury to be a Vertue in a Prince, because some few extravagant Princes have lived and died happily beyond ex­pectation; so neither must we esteem a Comet the less ominous, because one in a hundred has proved a Blessing to the people, although fatal to Nero.

There are many Authors who have wrote concerning Comets, some in particular Treatises upon that subject, and some only by the by: as Josephus, Manilius, Xiphiline, Pliny, Seneca, Suetonius, Eusebius, Nicepho­rus, Pontanus, Amerbachius, Niphus, Apiarius, Funccius, Mylichius, Ca­rion, Cufrinianus, Suessanus, Peucerus, Camerarius, Aretius, Garcaeus, Grimi­naeus, Praetorius, Dasypodius, Latomus, Celichius, Irenaeus, Zeisius, Nage­lius, Keckermannus, Puteanus, Lycosthenes, de prodigiis ab orbe condite, and others; out of whom, but more especially out of Alstedius his Chrono­logy, I have perfected this following Breviary of all the Comets that have occurr'd from Christ's time, to this very day. As for those that happen'd before Christ, History mentions not above ten or eleven, and therein they vary: however the most eminent of them were that which happen'd A. M. 3519. before the Peloponnesian War; and those which preceded Julius Caesar's death, whereof Virgil speaks:

Non alias caelo ceciderunt plura sereno
Fulgura, nec diri toties arsere Cometae.

An. Ch. 13 A Comet was seen, at which time Quintilius Varus was slain by the Ger­mans, under the conduct of Arminius.

An. Ch. 16 The death of Augustus Caesar was foretold by several bloudy Comets.

An. Ch. 56 Being the year that Claudius died, not only a Comet was seen, but also it rained Bloud: as if one had portended the death of Claudius, and the other the Reign of his wicked successor Nero; who murder'd his Wife, his Mother, and his Schoolmaster Seneca, besides the many other robberies and exorbitances he committed.

An. Ch. 57 Was seen a Comet and 3 Suns, to usher in the bloudy Reign of Nero.

A. C. 62 Appear'd another Comet that lasted 6 months, which predicted the tragical end of Nero, and so proved fatal to the Prince, although favou­rable to the people.

A. C. 66 A Comet also raged for 6 months together, which was succeeded by a terrible Earthquake, wherewith Laodicea, Hierapolis, and the Inhabitants of Colossis in Natolia suffer'd much.

A. C. 68 A Comet like a flaming Sword was seen hanging over the City of Je­rusalem, in Judea, A. C. 69 and elsewhere, which portended the destruction of that holy City.

A. C. 73 Appear'd a Comet, which is call'd Acontia, from the resemblance it hath of a Dart.

A. C. 77 Was seen that Comet, which Titus the Emperor describ'd in Verse.

A. C. 78 A Comet was beheld about Cyprus and other places, where soon after many Cities were shaken with a dreadful Earthquake.

A. C. 79 Terrible Winds, Earthquakes, and Plague, raging at Rome, succeeded a Comet; which Comet being shew'd to Vespasian, he jestingly said, This bushy Star belongs not to me, but the Parthian King, Ipse enim comatus est, ego vero calvus sum: however Vespasian soon after died, notwithstanding his Quibble.

A. C. 181 Was seen a Comet, which resembling a Beard, was call'd Pogonias. At this time the Temple of Peace being burnt, many Wars and Troubles followed at Rome, which was imputed to the wicked Life of Commodus.

A. C. 190 A Comet boded the burning of the Capitol, as also War and Pestilence.

A. C. 195 In the time of Severus a Comet was seen, it was the opinion at Rome, that it portended some great Evil.

A. C. 323 Divers Comets preceeded the pestilent Heresie of Arius.

A. C. 377 A Comet foreran that almost universal Earthquake, when the Sea, transgressing its bounds, devoured many Cities and people.

A. C. 383 Appear'd a Comet like Lucifer, which from its resemblance of a Sword was named Xiphias, and besides many other Mischiefs, portended the Inva­sion of Eugenius.

A. C. 389 The same Luciferan Comet was likewise seen.

A. C. 405 Under Arcadius a Comet was seen, which signified his death.

A. C. 410 A Comet appear'd like a Sword, which portended many Evils. About this time Rome was besieg'd by Alaricus King of the Goths; besides sundry calamities that happen'd as well in the East as West; for then was there so great a slaughter of men, that no Age can parallel from the beginning of the World: All Europe suffer'd, together with great part of Asia and Africa; War, Famine, Drought, and Pestilence infested the whole Uni­verse: there was also at this time so great an Eclipse of the Sun, that the Stars appear'd at Noon-day.

A. C. 418 Under Honorius another Comet appear'd, which was succeeded by an Insurrection throughout all Spain and Italy.

A. C. 443 A Comet was seen, and Bloud flowed at Tholouse.

A. C. 448 A Comet shining for many days together, there happen'd a terrible Earthquake; also Attyla, having after a long Siege taken Aquileia, gave terrour to Vincentia, Verona, Millane, Pavia, Basil, Argentina, Vormatia, Cologne, and other Cities upon the Rhine, till at length he was overthrown in a great Battel in the Campaign Fields.

A. C. 459 A Comet and other Prodigies happen'd, after which a Plague de­stroy'd many.

A. C. 519 A bearded Comet appear'd, which portended an Earthquake, wherein many Cities and Men perish'd.

A. C. 533 Another Comet blazed under Justinian, which was succeeded not only by an Earthquake that lasted for ten days, but also by a Sedition at Con­stantinople, and Plague at Antioch, and other places.

A. C. 550 A Comet appear'd in the form of a Lance, soon after which Rome was taken by Totila, and Franconia and Turingia wasted by the Huns.

A. C. 589 A Comet gave warning of the overthrow of the Persians by Mauritius.

A. C. 594 A dreadful Comet appear'd, which was attended with many Evils: as for instance, Drought, scarcity of Corn, the Lombards War in Italy, and vast swarms of Locusts all thereabouts.

A. C. 602 A most prodigious Comet was seen, besides many other strange things, which were the forerunners of the Emperor Mauritius his slaughter, the future Idolatry of Mahomet, and Tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, when Boniface the III. (notwithstanding the Patriarch of Constantinople) com­manded of Phocas, that the Church of Rome should be call'd and esteem'd the Head of all other Churches.

A. C. 620 A Comet appear'd; at which time Cosroes King of Persia sackt Jerusa­lem, and in the year 622. Mahomed began. There were likewise seen several other Prodigies, as well as horrid Noises heard of Thundring, &c.

A. C. 633 A Comet was seen in shape of a Spear; about which time the Sara­cens rendred themselves Masters of Damascus, Jerusalem, and all Syria.

A. C. 674 Another great Comet foreran Drought, Pestilence, and Famine.

A. C. 675 A Comet lasted for 3 whole months, when soon after the Saracens vio­lently infested the Roman Empire,A. C. 676 coming with a great Navy into Sicily-Bellarmine in his Chronology places this Comet in the year 678. and fur­ther adds, that it did not rain one drop in the 3 following years.

A. C. 684 A Comet foretold the following Plague, Thunders, Famine, and Inun­dations.

A. C. 729 Two Comets were seen; and in the same year many parts of the World were infected with a Plague, especially Constantinople, wherein 300000 men lost their Lives; and soon after Luitprandus King of the Lombards besieges Rome; also the Saracens sayling out of Africa into Spain, pos­sest themselves of part of that Province.

A. C. 745 A Comet appear'd in Syria, and many sickly Distempers followed.

A. C. 761 Two Comets were seen, the one in the East, the other in the West, after which the Turks invaded Armenia.

A. C. 763 Another Comet was succeeded first by a great Cold, and afterwards by a Blast; also the Turks increase in power.

A. C. 814 Before the death of Charles the Great appear'd a most remarkable and dreadful Comet, whereat the Emperor being struck with terror, (fearing lest it threatned either the loss of his Kingdom or of his Life) consulted with Eginardus the Philosopher about it; who being unwilling to in­crease the Emperor's Melancholy, referr'd him to that comfortable place in the Prophet, A signis Coeli nolite timere. Whereupon the good Emperor replied, We ought not to fear any thing but that God who is the Creator both of Men and Stars; nevertheless are we bound to praise his Clemency, who, [Page 7]when we offend, admonishes us by such Signs. Others attribute this passage to Ludovicus the I. the Son of Charles the Great.

A. C. 818 Was a Comet seen; as also another in the year 830. about which time, some of the Heads of the Clergy, in malice to the Emperor Ludovicus, for his reproving their insolent behaviour, excited his own Sons to conspire against him, to take their Father and imprison him.

A. C. 840 A. C. 841 A. C. 842 Three Comets appear'd before the Dissention and War between Ludo­vicus Pius his Sons, that arose about the division of the Kingdom. Then it was also that the Saracens march'd out of Africk into Italy, and sackt Rome, in their return from whence they were drowned.

A. C. 868 A Comet preceeded a terrible Earthquake.

A. C. 876 A Comet was succeeded by a dreadful Plague and Famine.

A. C. 882 A Comet was seen before the burning of Triers.

A. C. 900 A Comet lighted the Emperor Arnolphus to his Grave. Soon after which, the Huns and Saracens made their Incursion into Italy.

A Comet appear'd before the Hungarians entred and laid waste Germa­ny. Also about the same time, Berengarius, Emperor of Italy, deprived Ludovicus King of Lombardy of his Sight.

A. C. 906 Another Comet, after which followed a prodigious quantity of Hail.

A. C. 912 More Comets portended the Hungarians Invasion of Italy, as also the great Inundation of Waters, which happen'd chiefly in Saxony; both which things happen'd soon after.

A. C. 942 Comets predicted the ensuing War, Famine, and Mortality of all kinds of living Creatures.

A. C. 945 In Italy a Comet of a wonderful bigness was seen, which was attended with Plague, Famine, and extraordinary Floods of Water.

A. C. 964 A Comet and other prodigies were seen, portending that Famine which soon after followed.

A. C. 984 Was a Comet that presaged a Famine, Pestilence, and Earthquake.

A. C. 1000 Comets and other wonderful things appear'd, before Otho the III. sub­dued the growing Greatness of the Patricii, and substituted seven Ele­ctors in their stead.

A. C. 1006 A Comet and other things supernatural, portended that great Plague and Famine, which raged so violently in England for 3 years together, that the living were hardly sufficient to bury the dead, many Towns be­ing thereby exhausted of Man, Woman, and Child.

A. C. 1017 A Comet gave warning of the ensuing War and Plague in Polonia.

A. C. 1031 A Comet preadvertised of a Plague, Famine, and great Inundations of Water.

A. C. 1038 A Comet gave light to the Sedition in Italy.

A. C. 1043 The War in Hungary succeeded a Comet.

A. C. 1058 The death of the King of Poland, and Famine in the same Countrey, were presignifi'd by a Comet.

A. C. 1066 For a considerable space together Comets were visible all the World over; at which time William the Norman first attack'd this Kingdom, which afterwards he conquer'd. Also in this same year, Pope Gregory the VII. or Hildebrand, excommunicated Henry the IV. and substituted Rodolphus in his place.

A. C. 1067 A Comet foreboded a great Drought, Pestilence, and Famine.

A. C. 1068 Another fiery Comet appear'd, with reference to the Evils mention'd in the two former years.

A. C. 1071 Another 4th. Comet was seen, and all relating to the Evils before-re­cited, but more especially to various Seditions which about this time oc­curr'd: As the trampling on the Emperor's Majesty by Pope Hildebrand, which he had continued to do from the year 1060. till this present time 1071. The Rebellion of the Saxons: Caesar made a Petitioner to the Pope: Rodolphus elected in opposition to Henry, but afterwards slain: And last of all, the insolent Pope himself reduced to great Extremities by Henry the IV.

A. C. 1095 A. C. 1096 A. C. 1097 A. C. 1099 A. C. 1101 A. C. 1106 A. C. 1109 A. C. 1110 A. C. 1112 In every one of these years a several Comet was seen; and about this time it was, that Conradus and Henry the V. confederated together against his Father Henry the IV. Then followed the Holy War, which proved very fatal to all Christendom. Histories likewise tells us of many other Calamities that happen'd at that time; as Famine, and almost an universal Plague throughout the World; as likewise that unhappy War which the Pope waged in Germany, wherein arming the Saxons against Henry the V. in five several Battels much bloud was spilt, and many gallant Princes lost their Lives: nor would his Holiness be pacifi'd, until the Emperor abolish'd the Edict of his Grandfather Henry the III. wherein it was esta­blish'd, that no one should be acknowledg'd for Pope, until the Emperor had first ratified his Election.

A. C. 1132 A Comet appear'd, and soon after the Swedes and the Danes revolted from the Emperor Lotharius, by whom they were afterwards reduced.

A. C. 1145 Another Comet was seen, and then a War broke out between the Saxons, Vandals, and Polanders; also the Nobles in Hassia rebell'd.

A. C. 1211 There appear'd a very great Comet, and in the year following the Tartars breaking into Poland and Silesia, kill'd a great number of men, and cut off one Ear from every man they slew, thereby to keep an account how many were slain.

A. C. 1223 A Comet blazed in France, at which time the Pope being at variance with the Emperor Frederick II. the faction of the Gibellines took part with the Emperor, and the faction of the Guelphs with the Pope.

A. C. 1240 A Comet arose, and in the year following the Tartars with a vast Army made an incursion into Poland, where destroying all things with Fire and Sword, they afterwards passing through Moravia into Hungary, made ha­vock there for three years. At this time also there happen'd in Burgundy a most terrible Earthquake, which removed two Mountains, and over­whelmed divers men.

A. C. 1254 A Comet was the forerunner of dreadful High winds.

A. C. 1264 There appear'd a Comet with a vast long Tail, and presently after King Charles with an Army out of France, began his Expedition against Sicily, where having overcome their King Manfredus, he took possession of the Kingdom of Naples. Two years after this, the Saracens marched into Spain, where they won and lost several great Battels, with much slaughter on either side. In Hetruria also great Tumults arose; and in the third year after the appearing of the Comet, Banducar King of the Babylonians and Assyrians, with a great Army invaded Armenia, reduced Antioch, and gave a great discomfiture to the Christians.

A. C. 1298 A. C. 1300 A. C. 1301 A. C. 1304 A. C. 1305 A. C. 1307 In each of these years Comets appear'd, which amongst other miseries foretold the afflictions which the Christians should receive from the Otto­man Family, which began from Osman or Ottoman, in the year of Christ 1297. as also a Pestilence which had almost infected the whole World, in the year 1305.

A. C. 1312 A. C. 1313 A. C. 1314 A. C. 1315 Was seen a Comet, and so also in the other four succeeding years. Now it was that Henry Lutzelburgius was poison'd by a Monk: likewise a Con­tention or Civil War did at this time arise about choosing Emperour, which produced great Troubles in Germany for the space of eight years; as also the greatest Pestilence amongst both Men and Cattel that ever was known, together with scarcity of Corn.

A. C. 1337 Two Comets were then to be seen: soon after began the contention between Ludovicus Bavarus, and Pope Clement the 6th. The Locusts also were then very pernicious.

A. C. 1340 Appear'd a Comet in the Heavens, which was fulfilled by a Victory that the English obtained over the French, of whom ten thousand were slain There was at the same time a Plague taging in Florence, which destroy'd fifteen thousand.

A. C. 1347 There was another Comet, and soon after a general Pestilence: and so in the years 1351. and 1353. in both which years there appear'd Comets with the like success.

A. C. 1363 John Wickliffe Reformation was introduced by a Comet.

A. C. 1375 A. C. 1380 Two Comets portended the private discontents of the Princes of France, as well as Bertholdus the German Monk his invention of Guns in the year 1380.

A. C. 1382 A new Comet was seen, which no sooner disappear'd, but a cruel Plague began.

A. C. 1390 Another Comet was visible, and attended with unheard-of and incura­ble diseases.

A. C. 1394 A Comet appear'd, which the Astrologers call Veru, a Dart, and esteem the worst of all others it denoted the Italians Treachery, who then began to shake off the yoke of the German Empite.

A. C. 1400 A. C. 1401 A. C. 1402 A. C. 1403 In every one of these years a several Comet appear'd, and many great misfortunes ensued them: divers new diseases, Rivers dried up, and great Plagues. At the same time Tamerlane, or Tamyris King of the Scythians and Parthians, with an innumerable Army invaded all Asia, calling himself the wrath of God, and desolation of the Earth▪ Now also it was that Zisca Captain of the Husses, fought successfully against Sigismund the Emperor.

A. C. 1433 Was beheld a great Comet, after which there was great scarcity of Corn for six years together.

A. C. 1434 There was both a Comet; and an Eclipse of the Sun, which was fol­low'd by several Wars.

A. C. 1439 A Comet preceded the invention of Printing, which was discover'd in the year following.

A. C. 1444 Another Comet flam'd, before the French King set upon Helvetia: at this time Ʋladislaus K. of Hungary was slain by Amurath; also a Sedition broke out in England: And in the year 1454 the Turk reduc'd Constantinople.

A. C. 1456 A Comet was seen, attended by a great Wind and Earthquake: the Turk also did then possess himself of Lemnus, Mitylene, and Euboea.

A. C. 1457 A Comet which they call'd Nigrum, did variously affect the minds of men: the death of Alphonsus King of Arragon follow'd it, which em­broil'd Aemilia, Sabina, Campania, and all the Kingdom of Naples in a long and grievous War: a Plague follow'd not long after; also the Turk made himself Master of Peloponnesus.

A. C. 1460 A Comet preceded those great Victories of Mahomet the II. who in the year of our Lord 1451. reduced two Empires and twelve Kingdoms to his subjection.

A. C. 1471 A Comet foretold the deaths of several Princes.

A. C. 1472 Two Comets appear'd, which were succeeded by several Wars, and in the year following by an excessive unnatural Heat, and violent Plague: at this time Charles Duke of Burgundy made War upon his Neighbours, which War lasted many years, and was ended by his death. Ʋssanus Cas­sanus King of Parthia and Armenia, then fought with Mahomet, which War swept away abundance of men: also Stephanus the Palatinate of Moldavia, gave Mahomet a great defeat at the Danubius. The Germans call'd this Comet a Peacocks Tail, and most thought it portended the Bur­gundian War.

A. C. 1475 A Comet was conspicuous before Charles of Burgandy seiz'd upon Lorain.

A. C. 1477 A Comet blazed, which was the forerunner of so hot a Season, that it burnt up not only Corn, but Trees; also many great Rivers dried up, and a great Plague followed. At the same time Charles of Burgundy was slain by the Helvetians: and in this year many great Princes died.

A. C. 1491 A Comet appear'd, and a very unwholsome time follow'd both for Men and Beasts: also the Turks possessed themselves of part of Dalmatia and Sclavonia.

A. C. 1500 A Comet was seen before the Tartars devastation of Poland, Muscovy, and Lithuania: a little after the Bavarian War began. There was also at this time a raging Famine and Pestilence.

A. C. 1506 A Comet portended the death of Philip King of Spain, as also the Wars of the Emperor Maximilian's Sons with the French and Venetians; besides various Inundations, Winds, and scarcity of Corn.

A. C. 1516 Luther (who in the year 1517. wrote against Indulgences) his Refor­mation succeeded a Comet.

A. C. 1523 A Comet appear'd, and the Summer following was full of Storms, Earth­quakes, and great falls of Water.

A. C. 1527 A terrible Comet was seen with a long bloudy Tail, at which time the Turk wasted Hungary, and much hurt was done by the great swarms of Locusts.

A. C. 1529 Four Comets appear'd this year, when soon after the Turk besieg'd Viennal, and became Master of many Cities in Hungary: also the Sweating-sickness odestroy'd many thousands in England.

A. C. 1530 Was another Comet; then were many Towns and Villages over­whelm'd with Water both in Holland and Zealand: also the Tiber over­flow'd Rome.

A. C. 1531 A Comet portended no less then a great slaughter of men both in the East and West: for the Turk broke into Hungary and Austria. King Chri­stians with a great Fleet sailed into Denmark, to recover his Kingdoms: [Page 11]The Helvetian War began upon the score of Religion, wherein there were two emi­nent Battels, in the first of which Zuinglius was slain.

A. C. 1532 A terrible Comet was seen, at which time the Turks making an irruption into Hun­gary, were repell'd by the Christians.

A. C. 1533 A Comet call'd Xiphias (from its resemblance of a Sword) was conspicuous: after which followed Earthquakes in Germany, alterations in the Government of England, and a contest between Charles the V. and the French, about the Dukedom of Millain.

A. C. 1538 A Comet was seen of a fiery colour, upon which follow'd an Epidemical Sickness in many places.

A. C. 1539 Another Comet was visible, and in the year following ensued so hot a Summer, that it burnt up many Woods, and dried up many Rivers and Fountains.

A. C. 1541 A great Plague, and the Conquest of Buda by the Turks, was signify'd by a Comet: also Charles the V. his unlucky Voyage into Africa, wherein many of his Ships and Men were lost by Storm.

A. C. 1542 After a Comet followed great swarms of mischievous Locusts: likewise the unfor­tunate Expedition of the Christians against the Turks, wherein great part of their Forces perished by Sickness: also the Grape was this year so sowr, that no Wine could be drank.

A. C. 1545 A Comet preceded the Gallick Persecution.

A. C. 1556 Another Comet appear'd, in which year many learned and pious men deceased: in many parts of Germany the Reform'd Church at this time labour'd under great difficulties.

A. C. 1558 A Comet lighted Charles the V. into his retirement, when he resign'd his Empire: also in the year 1566. began the War in the Low-Countries, upon the account of the Spanish Inquisition.

A. C. 1572 A new Star was seen in Cassiopeia's Sign, which was by most esteem'd a Comet, in which year the Parisian Nuptials were celebrated with Bloud, instead of Wine.

A. C. 1577 A. C. 1585 A. C. 1596 A. C. 1602 A. C. 1604 A. C. 1607 In every one of these years were Comets seen, although the three last were by some eminent men esteem'd only new Stars: they portended the various mutations in Holland, Hungary, Bohemia, and Germany.

And besides all these, the Blazing-Star before the late Civil Wars, as well as those two dreadful Comets before the last Plague, and Fire of London, may (considering the present ill state of this unhappy Nation, and sinful People) give us just occasion to fear at least no bet­ter an Event, after this so much a worse Comet, than has ever yet appear'd; unless Provi­dence grants that happy Ʋnion of Protestants, and Exclusion of Papists, which all good men, that are not so themselves, must ever wish and pray for.

Having thus given you an account of these Comets, their History, Nature, Causes, and Effects, according to the most commonly receiv'd Opinions; so let me now conclude this discourse with some small transitory Remarques upon this present Comet, which (by all the relations I have met with) is far the most large and terrible that ever yet was seen. After it had shewn it self in other parts, it began to appear to us here in England, on Friday December the 10th. about half an hour past four in the Afternoon, being of a pale dusky colour, with a prodigious Stream, at least 35. degrees in length: and the Astrologers say its signification cannot be good, because it is purely Saturuine. Now for the more difficult and uncertain part, although I shall leave that to those who dare undertake it; yet concerning the other more easie one, I could not forbear making some small observation, and collecting some conjecture (among the croud of others, for all are no better) from it.

At this Comets first appearing to the view of us near Buckingham, there was seen an un­usual and prodigious stream of Light, arising out of, or from behind a Cloud at the Horizon, South-West, and darting upward into the Galaxie (or Milkie way) towards Cassiopeia, North-East; visible, in a clear Sky, as soon as the retreating light of the Sun would suffer it to be so; and moving Northward on the Horizon, till about 8. of the clock it disappear'd. It then seem'd broadest at the Horizon, growing sharper upwards by degrees, like a Pyramid or Sword revers'd. This first shape of it, though it caused some doubt in me, yet could not wholly forbid me to think it to proceed from one of those Comets called Blazing-Stars, con­cluding the Star it self to be sunk below our Horizon, either together with, or presently after [Page 12]the great Luminary. On the Wednesday after this first appearance, was the first time I could perceive the Star at the bottom of the Light, about five degrees above our Horizon, which though not very visible, was yet enough to shew that I were not mistaken. But now the shape seem'd alter'd, the Stream sharpest at the Comet, and broader upwards, (to the won­der of those who apprehended not the reason of it) till at the end of the Tail it yet conti­nued to appear somewhat narrower than in the middle.

After this, the circular motion of the Comet being slower than that of the Sun, it appear'd higher and higher every Night above the Horizon, declining still more and more Northward in its setting; in so much that the last time I have yet seen it, (which was the 4th. of this instant January) when its first appearance after Sun-setting was (as I could guess without an Instrument) above fifty degrees above the Horizon, and its setting almost Northward.

In every observation I perceiv'd the Tail or Blaze of light to alter its pointing from the Star, turning every night from the North-East (as the hand of a Watch) more Eastward; and still the higher the Star appear'd, the Tail turning a farther compass, till at this time, from pointing North-East (as it always did) at its first appearing in the Evening, before its setting the Blaze turns so much as to point almost South. This to some seem'd strange, and to me enough to make me, considering the turning to be constant, and guessing (as well as I could without a Globe) at the place of the Sun under our Horizon, easily to fancy (and I thought truly) the Blaze to proceed in a direct Line from the Sun, by the Body of the Comet, and so to turn its pointing agreeably to the Suns motion, in a direct Line from it. Now this observation, whether exactly true or not, yet appear'd to me so very near the Truth, as to embolden me to have some thoughts, first to publish it (at least in discourse) for others exa­mination, who might have better skill and means to do it; and then to improve it into this further conjecture at the Nature and Cause of such Comets, (if it proves so true, as I presume it is) at least of this present Comet, (the first I ever took so much notice of) for the salving of these Phaenomena aforesaid: Namely, that wheresoever the place of it is, and whatsoever the Matter whereof it is composed, it seems to be such as is like a Globe of Glass, or (it may be) of concrete Water, apt to reflect a glistering shine to all that behold it in a requisite Po­sition, if not every way: And withall, by its Transparency to transmit in a direct Line, and in a Blaze from it, those Beams which it receives from such a Luminary as the Sun is. So that the Body of the Comet, by a borrowed light from the Sun, somewhat resembles other Stars: but the Tail, or Blaze, may be not a flame from any burning, (for why then should it turn so constantly as the Sun directs it?) but only from the Comets being of a pellucid substance, (which other Stars are not) and so transmitting those Beams, which shine upon the one side, in such a Blaze, on the opposite side. This may also afford a Reason why the Star ap­pearing higher towards our Zenith, the Blaze appears shorter to us, than it did when lower, and nearer to the Sun.

And further, most conjectures of its significancy, as well as most of the Terrour from the thing it self, (for I blame not those who esteem it as Gods Sign) proceeding from the appre­hensions of its dreadful burning, in so much as some seem to have been in care for the whole Machine of the Universe, from such vast Conflagrations: I leave it to men to consider ra­tionally, how both these may be abated and allay'd by this opinion, if receiv'd as the most probable. In confirmation whereof, I seem'd to my self to want nothing, but the observa­tion of others, or my own, of more Comets, or of this if it should continue to appear to us so long, as to have the Sun-beams fall on the reverse of it, that so I might perceive whether the Blaze be always darted in such a direct Line from the great Light of the World, where­soever it be.

But this conjecture seeming at first new, and singular, to my self, and likely to seem so to others also, I could not perswade my self to think of giving it vent, save only in some private talk; till by its importunity on my thoughts, it put me on searching into those few Books I have, that write of such things: And then I was at last surprized with some satisfaction to find, that the famous Cardan had the same fancy; and that neither did the as famous Jul. Scaliger (though so much disposed to quarrel with him) dissent from him in this sub­tilty; as whoever thinks it worth the while, may find in Scaliger's 79. Exereit. de subtil. ad Hieron. Cardan. where Cardan also to my further satisfaction supply'd me with that, which I have said before I wanted, for the encouragement of this conjecture: Aversa semper à sole cauda est.

FINIS.

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