HAving perused certain non-sensical Almanacks and Prognostications (and those written by no final fools, but by the Grandees of this Age) and find­ing them full of falsities and contradictions, I have endea­voured to confute their errors, and divulge to the World their grand mistakes; and since Mr. Lillie is accounted the Herculean Astrologer, and Prince of Prognosticators, I shall pass by those of less repute, & quote some of those onely which I find in his Ephemeris, as he stiles it.

First, his Cardinal Error (on which many other hang) con­cerns the Suns ingress into the Vernal Equinox, or rather according to Copernicus, the Earths saluting the first point of Libra; wherein some he presents us with such a face of Heaven (with what face he can do it, I know not) in which the first of the first decanate of Scorpio ascends; I verily be­lieve the Scheam is right according to the time limited; but he (like an unskilful Musitian) hath made a discord by not keeping true time for the Suns entrance into Aries, by his spoiling of the harmonious consent of the Sphears musick: for Booker, Wharton, and Wing, all of them sound uni­formly, [Page 4]and their several Scheams like so many well tun'd instruments make up a harmony: But Mr. Lillie (for want of tuning) comes basely off, and makes a jar; and the rea­son is, because he hath scru'd his pegs too high; for where­as they differ some few scruples (and that's no scruple in point of Art) from each other for time, Lilly is so singular, that he hath marr'd all in dissenting from them all by no less then an hour and 14 min. Whereas Mr. Culpeper held an opinion, That it should have begun 40 min. after 9 in the forenoon, and likewise differs far in his Calculation from other Astrologers; The truth whereof is evident by his own words, viz.

Solar Eclipses have been ever fatal to Kings & Magistrates, they cannot agree, but onely in one thing, and that is op­pressing the people: O pure! they are old dogs at that, and the poor grean under it. Arise ô God and help them! Law­yers and Clergy-men are displaced and imprisoned, & some made shorter by the head. A new sect of Hereticks arise, which makes me admire how worse can be invented then are already. Private murthers and poysonings are like to be very rife: look to't ye great ones in authority, have a care of your selvs, lest some of you be sent to take a supper apud inferos, before you are a ware of it: 'Tis a scurvy fashion, I do not like it.

During the effects of this Eclipse in England, either at, or before the beginning of the year 1655, (the wiser my brethren of the Communalty carry themselves, for ought I know or believe, the sooner it may be effected) the Go­vernment wil come into the hands of the people, and ever­lasting peace shall we enjoy, and never more War afflict us. And (if we may trust to a piece of Art Caballistick) in August 1655, Rome falleth. But Mr. Lillie saith it onely threatens those places which have the sign of the said eclipse, and that this Government shall stand, &c. But so various are they in [Page 5]their several judgments, that all their [...] seem to be incredulous.

However, it is evident, that Mr Lillie is omnium horarum homo; and yet I much wonder (since he can temporize so wel) that he should be no better a time observer. I will not tell him the 8 day of March is put down for the 9 in the square, that may happen through the Printers mistake, sure I am the other 8 hours, 58 min. P. M. cannot (by reason of his position of the Heavens for that moment) except for want of true Calculation, pass by his two figures (as truly erected as the fore-mentioned was) for the Suns entrance into both the Tropicks, these (I say) shall be turn'd over in silence, because I would listen to his judgments.

Pag. 24. His judgment (he pretends) to be ballanced by the prudent advice (comes falsly) of his Brother Reason. That they two should be Kin I see little reason for it: He is not I suppose unacquainted with Dr. Simpleton, whose Plumbiosity out-ballanceth all the reason he hath. Sed per­dere quos vult Jupiter dementat. I know now who hath made him so mad a Prognosticator, and this is Jupiter in detri­ment; but he knows his Reputation can receive no great detriment by it, though he should pay for his pleasure with a pox; else what means that bald pate of his, if t'were but unperiwigd.

Pag. 25. He saith he will throw his Authors aside, (by what Authority I know not) onely we must take his ipse dixit to be a sufficient Warrant to command our credence, notwithstanding which wee'le believe him when we list. I see he is a Rebel to all Authority, and would assume a do­minion in judging unto himself; but before he is Judge in his Art, I would have him first proceed Master of Art, only this, I'me afraid it is a degree beyond his Capacity, though I am confident he already takes himself to be a man of de­gree.

Page 28. He hath these unchristianlike words. O Hea­vens! What have men no more wit, then to run after a company of prating Priests and Lawyers. What I pray hath he to do with Heaven? I'me afraid Heaven hath little to do with him, since he hath so much to do with Hell, from whence he fetches such opprobrious and caluminating terms; for his master (who sets him on work, and will one day truly pay him his hire) was a Detractor from the beginning: But he is a Saint forsooth for quoting a deal of Scripture; and so is the Devil, for he did as much for his own advantage. Have men no more wit? Verily, had they no more then he, they'd have but a little; for what he had is here vented at once, and now his Hogs-heads empty, we may expect it should sound, though there be nothing in it. His vilification (as he thinkes) in terming the Ministers Priests, is more honou­rable then he is a ware, and therefore they are better com­pany then for himself.

But why prating Priests? I see he will discover himself to be of the Athenian Sect, which counted Saint Paul but a babler: But let him take heed, I advise him, lest what he esteemes prating, prove at the last more then an empty sound against him: If the Word of GOD be of no bet­ter repute with him then Wind, it shall prove such a Wind as shall scatter such Dust as he is from before the face of the Almighty.

There are more things whereby some able Astronomers stand in need to be Catechiz'd: Me thinkes he, and the rest, should have been better insighted in the speculative part of his Star-gazing Tribe of their Science, e're they ad­ventured on the Practick, especially since they intended to make it known to the World how little they know; for no Artist would commit such absurdities as may be found them.

Also, whereas in January, all former Writers began with [Page 7]the letter A, and end with it in December, at the end of the year; contrary to all Presidents, out of a Pragmatick hu­mour, Mr Lillie begins with G, overthrowing by this all ancient Method; but what talk I of this which is a slender one to what follows, and that's his putting down in this moneth C, for the Dominical letter in stead of D. I sup­pose he considered it was Leap-year, and that made him skip o're the right. And therefore if he had not told Us afore-hand, we might easily discern that he had thrown his Authors aside: for had he in composing his Almanack per­used Master WINGS Practical Astronomy, he could not have so grosly mistook C for D. If he is married, I would have his wife acquaint him more with the Horn-book, for I see he must to his A, B, C.

I shall not need to quote any more of his ridiculous ab­surdities; but conclude with his gross Predictions concern­ing the Eclipse on March 29. which (according to his Cal­culation) should have been the greatest that ever eyes be­held in this latter Age. Certainly, this argues a great want of faith, and a spiritual darkness; for although there ap­peared enough to satisfie rational men that there was an eclipse; yet we may observe, that he that made the two great Luminaries, and ordereth their course sitteth in the Circle of the Heavens, and will not give His honour unto any other; but drew back the Clouds like a Curtain, and caused the Sun to shew his pleasant Rays and comfortable Beames during the whole time of the eclipse, to the confu­tation of these great Astrologers, who by the help of Tycho were able to guess at the time of the eclipse, yet could not tell whether the day would be cleer or cloudy: However, many of those Star-Gazers, who account themselves skilful in this conjectural Science, went the same day to South-hampton house to take their observation, and staid there [Page 8]during the whole time; where Mr Lillie found, That the Eclipse began at 9 of the clock and 56 min. in the forenoon, and that the Sun was in a Cardinal sign 7 degrees; affirming that the effects thereof will extend to the cuting down and depopulating, those Cities which have the sign of the eclipse: But where these are situated, I conceive he knowes no more, then those of his Society, who said, That there should be a kind of Egyptian darkness over the face of the earth, upon the interception or obscuration of the Light of the Sun, caused by interposition of the Moons body between the Sun and our sight. Which how contrary it sell out to their Prognostication, we have all been eye-witnesses; and I am consident, there will be as much difference in the effects of it: And those Kingdoms, Cities, &c. by them threatned, will stand and flourish, when they shall lie in the dust.