IT is a wonder to all the world, that in the selfesame time, that the Imperiall Councell was in Labour to Accommodate the King of Hungary with the great Turke, there were published throughout all Germany, Prognostications of the Ruine of the Turkish Empire, by that of Germany, some tooke these impressions at the first sight, onely for dreames, as their whimsie braines ap­prehend it, and their bould Intepretations accompanyed with so many circumstances, of which wee have received other newes, but by the selfe same writing, so that many imputed all to be but the Ruings of some cract braines, But the most avised believed that it was an Artifice, though something grosse, to appease the discontentment of those who found it strange to reduce and unite the King of Hungary to the Turke, to oppose which as here­tofore it hath beene said, the Empire was Established: be it what it will, Italy and Germany, having both had their [Page 2]part in this newes, I will give it you, such as it was sent to us under the name of a Letter from Constantinople, to the Lord Dominico, Mugliano, Florantino, dated the second of September 1641.

From the tenth of August last, to the 13. of the same Moneth there was so furious a winde in the plaines neere unto Constantinople, that it did disroote and blow up many Trees, and ruinated a great number of stately Edifices, and amongst those persons who received great losse, it is per­ticularly observed, that foure of the Turkes grand Couri­lers, and a Captaine of his Troopes, were by the vio­ence of this Tempest, throwne into deepe precipices, and were never since seene: This turbulent storme was ac­companied with so many fearefull Thunders and Light­nings, that it killed many of his Ianizaryes, not farre from his owne Seraglio, and this Lightning and Thunder was followed with so great a Raine, that a good part of the Territories of Constantinople were swallowed up, and the fi [...]lds converted into a Marsh or Bog; all this was made the more fearefull and destroyable by the Aspect of two Commetts or blasing starres with double tailes, or forked posteriums.

The one of which appeared from two of the clocke in the morning untill midnight, just over against the great Turkes Seraglio, and the other over the Church or Mosque of Sancta Sophia, from three of the clocke in the afternoone till five a clocke the next morning: these strange sights did affright and amaze all the Turkes in generall, but now behold what more troubled the great Turke in particu­lar.

The Twelft of the same moneth, about three of the clocke in the Morning, the great Turke dreamt, that hee was seized upon by many Lyons, the greatest of which ha­ving [Page 3]bitten him upon the breast, his excellency made so great a cry and noise, that all his guardes run up to him in Armes, beleeving that some suddaine disaster or misfor­tune had befallen him; But the great Turke commanded them all to retire, after he had assured them, that he had received no harme, and so his excellency pleased to fall asleepe againe, but upon breake of day he had a second vi­sion of many Centaures, who made and fought a bloody Battell one against the other, after this there came from the East a great number of Griffens, who fell upon the Cen­taures with such a fury, that they put them all to flight, one part of them retired into Pits, and Caves to hid them­selves, and the other joyning themselves unto the Grissens, killing the most part of the Centaures, who had retired themselves into pitts and Caves, the grand Turke seeing this disorder, would needes assist them, with a flaming sword in his hand, but as he lift up his sword against the Griffens, the Eagle conducting them, disarmed him, upon which the great Turke being surprised, awakens with so great confusion and trouble, at these visions and apparari­ons, that he must needes know the signification of these, and the foregoeing commets, for the accomplishment of which he commandes, all his Divines, Astrologers, and Magicians, and other the wifest men of his confines, who undertake to forefee thinges to come, to make their ad­dresse to Coustantinople, within tenne dayes after the publi­cation of this his decree, under paine of perpetuall banish­ment from out his Empire, which Divines came at the time prefixt, in great numbers, unto whom his excellency having deelared punctually his visions, and the appearing of the two blazing commetts.

Hee expressly commanded them, to tell the explicati­on [Page 4]on within three dayes, without any disguising of the truth, although he should wish the contrary, if it might prove against himselfe, at last they all assembled upon that subject, where after long time spent in the conference and dispute, they withdrew themselves, each apart, the bet­ter to recollect their thoughts, then conveening the se­cond time, they found themselves all of one opinion, whereupon they made choice of one of the most ancient, and the most gravest amongst them, named Mossa Egypsi­ano, to give a true accompt to the grand Turke, of the In­terpretation which they had agreed upon of his dreames, so that the third day being expired, the fornamed Mossa Egypsiano, come to make his report to his excellency, which he did after this manner.

Our thrice invincible Lord, thy highnesse having per­mitted us to relate unto you without disimulation, the true explication, of the two cometts and visions, which thou hast propounded unto us, after we had exactly considered, and calculated the conjunction of the pla­nets, with thy excellencies, Nativity, which gave us no small in sight in this our divination.

Let thy highnesse know, but be not astonished, since that the evill influences of the starres, may yet be our ma­sterd by thy wisdome) that the present estate of the Caele­stiall signes, following the opinion, of Ptolomee, and of all the Astrologers, who joyntly accord, it to signifie a dimu­nition of thy states, and a rebellion of thy subjects.

First, For the Lions which thou sawest in thy sleepe, they represent the Christians, who joyning themselves together, shall unanimously oppose themselves against thy highnesse, and shall become Masters in a short time of the most part of thy Kingdomes.

Secondly, The Lion which seized upon thy breast, shall [Page 5]be an Emperour of the Christians, who shall chase the from thy throne.

Thirdly, That the Centaures, which fought each against another, doth demonstrate thy subjects, who shall beate one, another, and shall destroy themselves by rebellious and civill warre.

Fourthly, that the Griffens signifie, a great army of the same Christians, who shall overclog, and suppresse thee, The head and Cheiftaine of which, represented by the Eagle, who hath taken away thy sword, which thou didst hold in thy hand, shall deprive the of thy Imperiall seate.

Fiftly, that the two commets with their double Tailes, represent the power of the same Emperour.

And that which yet more confirmes us in this opinion is, that they have appeared over thy Seraglia, and over the principall Mosca of this City.

Know then thrice Clement Prince, that all our Ance­stours have beleeved, as we also beleeve our selves, that thy raigne shall be the last of the Turkes.

To which must be added to this divination of his sages, that as the Monarchy of the Turkes, tooke his beginning from the yeate 1300. Vnder Albert the first Emperour of the house of Austria, so it shall end under an Emperour of the same house, which they say is the King of Hungary, the most powerfull and the most happy that the Romanes have had since Iuliuss Caesar.

The newes in the letter addes thus much, that after this interpretation, and Paranymphe of the King of Hungary, the Diviners withdrawing themselves, the great Turke fell into a profound meditation, & amazement upon this their sad sentence, and so rising from his seate, he commanded that these diviners should be speedily recalled, whom he [Page 6]instantly caused to be imprisoned; and that the next mor­ning they should make many litle houses of straw, in the forme of a Cage without a bottome; into which he seve­rally made them all be put, and soone after caused every one of these Cages to be drawn up into the Aire by foure strong men; and putting fire with powder, and pitch, he made them passe and repasse many times, burning as they were upon the heades of those miserable diviners, and A­strologians, who notwithstanding were not at all hurt, no not so much as blackt, or singed by the smoake of the Powder, or flame of the Pitch; all which being beheld by the inhabitants of Constantinople, they were greatly asto­nished at this miracle, insomuch that some of them pro­cured themselves to be baptized, but privately, neverthe­lesse the grand Turke was in such sort surprised and ama­zed, that he was three dayes without giving audience, and dispatched many posts throughout his dominions to raise and Leavy men of warre, fearing least the Imperialls should hereafter come upon notice of this newes, to re­voke and call in question, our faith and mahometan be­leife.