Concerning Comets, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
A Continuance of the History of Comets, with the Events attending them unto the Year 1200.
A D. 1000. An horrendous Comet was seen appearing in the MonethMonth of December, about 9th P. M. bWolfius … Chronol. Sax. Alstedius, Calvisius, Ʋsher de statu Eccles. C. 3. P. 59.There followed a most terrible Earth quake. And great Wars between the Emperour of Constantinople and the Bulgarians. Otto the Emperour killed Crescentius who was then the principal man in civil power at Rome, whose Widow gave the Emperour a pair of Gloves infected with Poyson, which proved his Death. Ekfard the Duke of Saxony put in for the Imperial Crown, but he was resisted by the States of the Empire, banished, and the next year killed. England was grievously infested by the cruel Danes. In Scotland the fish died in the waters, so as that they were in great multitudes cast upon the shoar, putrifying and stinking, that the air was corrupted, and sickness followed. Also a grievous Famine attended this Comet, and a prodigious Drought, so as that both Men and Cattle died of thirst, most of the great Rivers in Europe might be waded over.
A. D. 1005. A Blazing Star horrible to behold was seen flaming in the Heaven in the cPraetorius.Spring time, for the space of thirteen dayes. And dLycosthenes, Sigebertus. Calvisius.again in October. There followed a most fearful Plague continuing for three years. In some places whilest the living were burying the dead, they grew their last breath, and were thrown into the Grave with those whom they intended to leave there. Many whole Cities were utterly laid wast thereby. And the Villages were emptied of their inhabitants, so as that the Cattle belonging to them had none to own them or look after them. Above half the Inhabitants of Germany were swept away with that Besom of Destruction. A War also between the Emperour of Germany and the Polanders followed this Comet. The Duke of Lorain (who was the last of Carolus Magnus his Posterity) died. Baldwin the Earl of Flanders took up arms against his Uncle Goafrid Duke of Arden whom the Emperour had constituted Successour to the Duke of Lorain. About this time there were great tumults and blood shed in Germany, occasioned by the Emperours imposing Meingardus as Arch-bishop of Triers, whenas Adelber was before chosen, and the Duke of Bavaria ingaged in his quarrel against the Emperour.
A. D. 1009. A Southern Comet terrible to behold was seen in the latter end of May. eRicciolus ex Cardano. Hist. Eccles. Cent. 11. Cap. 13.An unhappy Civil War in Germany followed. In the MonethMonth of August, a great fleet of Danes landed in England, and cruelly destroyed the Inhabitants of the Sea coast. This year also Pope John 18. descended to his own place, whose Successors name was *Petrus Bucca Porci.Peter Hogs Snout, being ashamed of his Swinish Name (though not of his Swinish nature) he called himself Sergius; ever since which, it hath been the fashion for those that arrive at the Popedome to have a new name given to them. The next year the Duke of Saxony died. The Sarazens destroyed that most sumptuous Church which the Christians had built in Jerusalem, and burned down many Monasteries and Religious Houses. The Normans made woful havock in the Netherlands, burning the Cities of Thile, Ʋtreck, &c. The †Alsted Chron. ubi demirabilibus dei & in encyclop, P. 2178.Plague swept away multitudes in many parts of the World. Also a great Inundation hapned, by reason whereof in Planaers some thousands were drowned.
A D. 1017. A Comet in form like a Beam, appeared in the sign of Leo, continuing for the space of four Moneths. fHerlicius, Mizaldus & alii.This was attended with Wars between the Danes and the Swedes. Also the Pope set the Normans and the Greeks together by the ears. The Bishop of Ʋtreck took up arms against the Earl of Holland. The Jews in Italy were exposed to great miseries, because (as Historians relate) they were seen Mocking, Scourging and Crucifying our Lord Christ in essigie. In some parts of the World the Plague raged, This year also, the Duke of Austria died, and the Duke of Bulgaria was slain. In France it rained Blood.
A. D. 1031. Another gGlaber, Calvisius.Comet appeared. France was embroiled in civil Wars. Great mutations followed in Burgundy, by reason of the death of their King, which put an end to that Kingdome after it had continued for the space of 144 Years. Odo (the King of Burgundy his Sisters Son) put in for the Crown, but Courad (them Emperour) waged War upon the Burgundians, and deposed Odo. The Vandals fell upon the Empire, laying wast above an hundred Villages, and carrying away many thousands of Captives. The Sarazens burnt down many Towns and Cities in Syria. Also, with no less then a thousand Gallies they fell upon the maritime Islands. hAlstedius.It is moreover observable, that a Flood, and Plague, and Famine did attend this Blazing Star.
A. D. 1038, A Comet was seen. kCalvisius.This year Conrad the Emperour being in Parma, The People proved tumultuous & seditious, the event of which was, many of the Citizens were destroyed, and the City was burnt. A great Battle was Fought between the Emperour of the East, and the Sarazens, who having civil discords among themselves were overcome. The King of Castell subdued the Mores, whose King was killed. The King of Hungaria died this year. Pandulph was by the Emperour ejected out of his Principality, lBerosus.Thessalonica and other places were grievously afflicted with a Famine. The next Year several Princes expired; and the Emperour died suddenly.
A. D. 1042. A Comet was seen the sixth of October, continuing all that MonethMonth with long flaming Locks, having its Progress from the East towards the West. nCedrenus Lycosthenes. Calvisius.Maniatas falling out with the Emperour, sought to get the Imperial i D Christian. Alstedius.Crown upon his own head, for which end he betook himself to the Bulgarians, and obtained a Victory over the Imperial Army. Nevertheless he was himself mortally wounded, and soon after died. Also, the Servians rebelled against the Eastern Emperour, who lost forty thousand of his Souldiers in endeavouring to subdue them. It was in this year, that Hardecanute, oPolydor, Virgil.who then Reigned in England, after he had barbarously caused his Brother Harold to be dug out of his Grave; as he was Feasting, died suddenly of an Apoplexy. Alfred succeeding in the Kingdome, died within a few Moneths. Michael the Emperour of the East, after he had Reigned four Moneths removed his Queen Zoes putting her into a Monastery, whereupon the multitude made a tumult, pursuing the Emperour with stones, forcing him to set the Queen at liberty, and then took him and put out his eyes, and sent him away into a Monastery, and another person married Zoes and became Emperour. *Alsted Chron. Cap. 25.This year a Famine began, which lasted seven years.
A. D. 1058. A Comet was seen. pFunccius, Alsted.The King of Poland died. A Famine in that Countrey followed. Isaacius qCalvisius.the Emperour as he was going by water to Constantinople, was smitten with a flash of Lightning, which did so astonish him, as that he laid down his Robes, and resigning his Crown unto one that was no way related to him, betook himself to a religious House, where of an Emperour he became a Porter.
A. D. 1066. An amazing Comet was seen by the whole World. rSpondanus, Calvisius.It appeared first in the beginning of May, and continued for the space of forty dayes. The body of it was as big as the Moon when at the full, but as it began to have a stream; that increasing, the body of the Star decreased. Authors moreover affirm, that another Blazing Star (or the same again) did appear in the two following years. sAlstedius.As for remarkable Events attending this Prodigy, they were such as these. Great Wars in many places of the World. e. g. In Asia, between the Christians and the Sarazens. In Europe, between the Emperour and the Vandals. The King of Norway, with a thousand Ships invaded England; He cruelly wasted the Land, murdering above a thousand of the Clergy, but was in Battle overcome by the King of England, and slain. In the latter end of the year William the Duke of Normandy (commonly though improperly called the Conquerour) came into England, there was a bloody Battle fought between him & Harold, then King of England, wherein Harold was slain, after which the Land became Subject to the Normans. Also, great Drought, Plague, and Famine attended these Blazing, Stars.
A. D. 1071. An Oriental Comet appeared in the Morning for twenty five dayes. tPraetorius, Alstedius.The stream long and flaming. Great Seditions and Commotions in Holland followed. Spain flamed with War, the three Sons of Ferdinand striving for Dominion, until Sanctius overcame his two Brethren but was himself the next year treacherously slain, and his Brother Alfonsus was brought out of a Monastary to wear a Crown. The Saxons rebelled. Great Contentions arose between the Emperour and the Pope, until at last the Pope caused the imperial Majesty to ly down under his feet. Diogenes (the Emperour of the East) had wars with the Turks. His Army was betrayed by his Son in Law Andronicus, so was he taken by the Turks who after they had treated him with great civility, gave him his liberty again, but Andronicus made a Prisoner of him, and caused his eyes to be put out, not using any Medicines for his healing, so that worms bred in his eye holes, whereby he died miserably.
The latter end of this, and the beginning of the next Century, was famous for the appearance of Comets with an unwonted frequency. For good uQues videcitatos apud Hevelium in Cometographia. L. 12.Historians relate concerning A. D. 1095 96, 97, 98, 99, 1101, 1102, 1103, 1104, 1106, 1109, 1110, 1113. that a Blazing Star was seen in every one of these years. It would fill a volume to speak particularly and fully concerning the miseries of these doleful times. In Syria a flood hapned, whereby innumerable thousands were drowned. Famine, and the Plague raged throughout almost the whole Earth. In wAlsted ubi supra.Germany the Pope stirred up the Saxons against their lawful Emperour Henry V. There were no less then five bloody engagements, wherein the lives of many famous Princes were lost, and Rivers of Blood were spilt upon the ground. But the most remarkable and great concern attending these iterated blazing Stars, was the Holy War (as it useth to be called) which lasted for many years, and proved most unhappy to the whole Christian World.
A. D. 1132. A Comet of horrendous magnitude appeared in the MonethMonth of October. xHist. Eccles. Cent. L. 2. C. 13. Bunlingus.The Swedes and Danes revolt from their Emperour which caused great troubles and commotions in those Countries. The Earl of Holland falling upon Frisia made woful desolations there. Ratisbone was burnt down to the ground. There were also great Commotions in Sicily this year.
A. D. 1145. A Comet appeared continuing for a MonethMonth, being of a bright and fiery colour yEckstormius. Paris Hist. Angl. P. 77. Calvisius.Which was attended with great troubles between the Armenians and the Turks. In Hassia the Nobles rebelled. Saxony flamed with war. In Poland the King and his Brethren fell out, which troubles issued in that unhappy Princes being forced to fly out of his own Countrey, and die in exile. It was in this year, that a tumult hapned in Rome, some body (not known who) threw a stone, which h…t the Pope (Lucius II.) by which blow that Blazing Star died. The next year, the new Pope was driven from his Seat by the tumultuous Romans. On the twenty second of May there was an extream Frost, so that both Vines and Trees were killed by it.
A D. 1165. There appeared two Blazing Stars at the same time. zHector Boethius, Hist. Scot. Lib. 13. Fol. 210. … genius.The one in the South, and the other in the North. Remarkable events this year were the death of Malcom the King of Scotland. Troubles and great Commotions both in the upper and in the lower Germany. The Sulden of Egypt was murdered, which caused great Commotions in those parts of the World. aCalvisius.In Sicily there was an unexpected inundation of waters for three dayes together, so as that twelve thousand Souls perished in that flood. The next year was attended with great troubles in Spain, and in Hungaria. Also Bavaria, and Suevin were miserably wasted. Presently after the appearance of these Blazing Stars (the very next year as some Hystorians bVide Mede de numeris Danielis. P. 44.relate) the Papists fell upon the poor Waldenses with bloody fury so as that, ere this Persecution ended, in France alone they barbarously slew no less then ten hundred thousand Souls. It was was now manifest that the Pope (successively taken) is the Antichrist; so that Daniel's numbers (mentioned, Chap. 12. Ver. 11, 12, seem then to be expired.