Upon the Blazing Star, Part 3 – Colophon 3
A third Sheet, ſhewing a further and fuller Blazoning upon this particular BLAZING-STAR.
MY Method in this third Eſſay, ſhall be (firſt,) the explication of the grand concerns of this Comet, to wit, its Colour, Scituation, Motion, &c. (ſecondly,) the Application of its Portents and Significancys: Firſt, the Explication, this is done two ways, 1. By Aſtrological Precepts or Maxims, 2: By Aſtrological Preſidents or Examples. (1.) The Apothegms or Rules (which they call Maxims) in Aſtrology, are 1, that there are Prognoſticks I diomatick (which predict the natures and manners of Nations and Metrapolitan Cities) and Symptomatick (which preſage the more than ordinary Accidents that befal Countreys and Cities, whether good or evil; the former of theſe two I omit, as not concerning our Comet ſo much as the latter doth: The 2d. Rule is, That Comets and other fiery Meteors are always foreign, Significant, and never foreign, or Inſignificant. The 3d. Rule is, That Comets have the ſtrongeſt Influence upon thoſe Countries and Cities upon which they are moſt Vertical or over their heads in a direct Perpendicular line, and in whoſe Signs they are moſt conſpicuous. The 4th. Rule is, The Significancies of Comets are derived from their Colours, which is taken from the Dominion of the Planet in the generating of them, this [foreign] or proper Temperament of the praedominant Planet is eaſily diſcerned by the complexion or colour of the Comet: If it be red, it borrows that colour from Mars, which is predominant in its Generation: if dull and dusky, then 'tis Saturnine as before, and ſo of the reſt, and as they have the like Colour with this or that Planet, ſo they have the like Influence. The 5th Rule is, Comets have their Significations from the Signs of the Zodiack wherein they are ſcituated, as if they appear in the Watery Signs, they portend Famine and Plague, if in the Airy Signs, the follow furious Storms and Fractions or Factions; If in the Fiery Sign, then Fire and Sword ſticceed, &c. The 6th. Rule is, the ſignificancy of Comets is drawn from their differing Poſitions to the Sun, for a Morning or Evening Comet portendeth the Death of ſome Prince, but the Eaſtern Comet preſageth a quicker accompliſhment and diſpatch of ſuch a Royal Death than doth a Weſtern one. The 7th. Rule is, Prognoſticks of Comets are further taken from their Motion: If the Comet be without motion, and be fixed in one point of the Heavens (as that over Jeruſalem was, a little before its Deſtruction) it denotes ſome long and laſting evil; if it be moveable from one Sign to another, 'tis an Indication of Commotions, Wars, and (perhaps) of Civil Wars. If it move faſt and ſoon decay, 'tis a Sign Gods Wrath will come ſhortly and be ſhort though it be ſharp. The 8th. Rule is drawn from the magnitude and form of the Comet, as well as from its Duration, for the greater that a Comet is, and the longer that it continueth, the more horrible are its effects and indications; if alſo its form or figure be with a Tail or Train, then it (as with a finger) pointeth out thereby that Evil is denounced againſt thoſe Countries, eſpecially towards which its Bruſh or Tail is extended, and the longer that the Train is, the longer will that evil be upon them: The 9th. Rule is borrowed from the Celeſtial Houſes wherein the Comet appeareth, for Comets are moſt obnoxious to thoſe Countries over which they are either Vertical, or in whoſe Signs they are moſt ſeen: And to mention no more of thoſe Celeſtial Signs or Houſes (wherein this Comet is ſaid to appear in its Retrograde motion,) Aſtrological Rules place. 1. Norway, Bavaria, Fez, &c. under Scorpio, in which Sign this Blazing-Star is ſaid to have its firſt riſe. 2. Spain, Hungary, &c. under Sagittary. 3. Grece, Lithuania, Saxony, &c. under Capricorn. 4. Tartary, Ruſſia, Swedeland, &c. under Aquarius. 5. Portugal, Galitia, Normandy under Piſces. 6. England, France, Germany under Aries: I mention no more but theſe 6 Houſes of Heaven (omitting the other 6,) becauſe Mathematick Profeſſors have obſerved this preſent Comet hath had ſome ſhort reſidence in all theſe 6 Celeſtial Signs or Houſes, firſt in Scorpio, and laſt in Aries, ſo that according to Aſtrological Rules) all thoſe Countries and Cities which are placed under thoſe 6 Signs aforenamed ſhall be affected and infected with the force and influence of this Blazing-Star, not only this and that Land, but even all thoſe Lands over which it appeared, having extender it ſelf over the greateſt part of Europe, as well as other parts of the World, and perhaps its effects may begin in thoſe Countries over which its appearance (or rather exiſtence) began: while this Comet was in Scorpio, though it then did exiſt, yet could it not appear, being then hid in the Beams of the Sun, yet going down before the Sun, and ſhooting its Rays and Stream of Fire (as it were) againſt the Sun, which poſture of a Comet (ſtay Aſtrologers) doth always portend the Fall of great men, but this Comet having its Retrograde motion into, and ſome ſhort ſtay and ſcituation in thoſe 6 ſeveral diſtinct Signs (the Sun oven-running it, and leaving it every Night farther and farther behind it) muſt have likewiſe ſome ſeveral and diſtinct Effects and Prognoſticks, for (according to the Rules of this Art) a Comet 1. in Scorpio Prognoſticateth Wars and Worldly Changes, Drought and Dearth, Robbery by Land, Piracy by Sea, Miſcarriage of Women with Child, &c. 2. a Comet in Sagittary ſignifies Loſſes, Croſſes to Great men, great contentions about Civil and Sacred things, malignant Feavers, and much Mortality. 3. In Capricorn, it portends Murders, Maſſacres, Thefts, Plague and Famine, Death of Princes by Poyſon, all Deſpite againſt Religion and the Religious. 4. In Aquarius, a Comet preſages long Wars, great Cruelties, Terrible Thunders and Lightnings, Famine, Peſtilence, Rot and Murrain. 5. In Piſces, it foreſhews contention about Civil Rights, as Men, Diviſion about Sacred Truths as Chriſtians; unnatural Relations among Superiors, Inferiours and Equals, uncivil and (it may be) civil Rebellions, ſcarcity of Fiſh, and great loſſes both at Sea and Land, &c. 6. A Comet in Aries foretelleth Diſeaſes in the Head natural, and diſcompoſures in the head political (as this Sign is the Head of all the twelve Signs) as likewiſe the Death of thoſe that are Heads of Families of Corporations, of Cities, of Countries and of Kingdoms. Now this preſent Comet having had its Stage and Theatre in all thoſe 6 aforeſaid Signs, may poſſibly Prognoſticate all thoſe evils aforeſaid to befal ſome of thoſe Regions ſeated under all thoſe Signs which it hath run through betwixt its riſe in Scorpio, and its failure in Aries. According to my beſt Intelligence, this Comet took its fiſt Flame by the hot Beams of the Sun (before it was gone out of the Sign Scorpio) wherewith it hard its Conjunction, and wherein it had its abſconding (for ſome time from the Sight of men, and likewiſe it loſt its laſt Flame(according to my ſtrict Obſervation) by the cold Beams of the Moon, even the Half Moon, wherewith it met about the middle of this Month January: Foreign Letters do fully teſtify that this Comet waded out of the Sun-beams (wherein it firſt lay hid) much ſooner in other Countreys beyond Sea, than it did in our Land, ſo that it muſt have its Exiſtence (if not its Appearance in the Month of November, continuing all December until the 16 of January, the Time of its Diſappearance. This Comet (beſides its Diurnal motion, wherein the Sun (that race-running Champion) did daily over-run it) had its Retrograde motion, wherein it marcheth backward farther and farther on the Eaſt ſide from the Sun, and neerer to our Zenith, or point of the Heavens directly over our heads, before the attaining of which point it vaniſhed out of ſight; ſo that is this backward motion it fulfilled a marvellous courſe, from nigh to Cor Scorpij (where it had its firſt being and beginning in this Northern Hemiſphere. From Scorpio this Comet advanceth almoſt all along the Aequinoctial Circle through the Solſtitial colure by the Milky way into Sagittary, and by Antiuous and the Dolphin into Capricorn, ſo by Cygnus, Aequulens and Pegaſus (ſtriking through the Tropick of Cancer, it came into Aquarius, and ſo (croſſing the colure Aequinoctial) it paſſed into Piſces neer to the Southern line, and from thence into Aries, in which 6th. Sign I laſt ſaw it, where this Aries, or (as the word ſignifies) the Battering Ram, did (as it were) batter down both the Star and its Blaze quite out of Sight. Indeed the long Blaze or Tail of this Comet extended it ſelf to many other Conſtellations (beſides theſe aforenamed,) as Aquila, Lyra, Cepheus, Andromeda, the Triangle, Caſſiopeia, Meduſa's head, even to Auriga and Capella, as if it had been a Meſſenger ſent to viſit all the moſt famous Conſtellations in the full half part of the Northern Hemiſphere: The laſt appearance I had of it, was this, its Train (then weaning away) darted it ſelf forth betwixt Caſſiopeia and the Pleiades (or 7 Stars) facing (as it were) the Bulls Eye and bright Jupiter himſelf (who was then in that Sign of the Bull) yea and that moſt Glorious Conſtellation (of all others) to wit, Orion, with both the Greater and the Leſſer Dog: Star.
A more particular Deſcription both of the Star it ſelf, and of its Train ſeemeth neceſſary to the fuller Explication, before we can come to the Application of All, and 1, concerning the Star it ſelf, I do find it was a Phaenomenon found in various Complexions, which perhaps its ſeveral Paralaxis or differing ſcituations might occaſion. The firſt Account we had of it, was from the Mathematick Profeſſor at Hamburgh who ſaith he took his proſpect of it in his Tube, and there in ſaw the Comet (it ſelf) to be fiery and glowing like the flames of a Bakers Oven 2. Other Artiſts (that have viewed it by their Teleſcopes) ſay they ſaw it of a bright, ſplendid colour; as the former Aſpect was from Mars, and ſo it was a Martial Star (which it might well be, while it had the Tincture of the firſt Sign, wherein it firſt exiſted, for Cor Scorpij hath the ſame complexion with the Planet Mars, of a red and fiery colour) ſo this latter was from Jupiter, which made the Comet a Jovial Star, portending Jovial or Joyful things, as the former doth War and Blood-ſhed, The 3d. Accompt we have from Foreign Mathematicians is, that at its firſt appearance it had a mixture of divers colours, which it borrow'd from Mercury, ſo became a Mercurial Star, and betokening a mixture of differing Diſpenſations, of good as well as of evil; but the 4th. and moſt univerſal Proſpect of it was, that it hath been of a dusky and leaden complexion from its firſt appearance to its laſt diſappearance, this colour it borrows from Saturn (as is ſaid before) and makes it a Saturnine Star, of the moſt ſullen influence of all the three other Planets aforenamed; ſo that no leſs than 4 Planets are (as it were) called in to the compoſition of this Comet, and though ſome doubt may be made concerning the 3 former, to wit, Mars, Jupiter and Mercury, yet none can queſtion this laſt the 4th. of them, inaſmuch as many Millions of eye-witneſſes do unanimouſly concur that for a long time to its laſt extinguiſhing, it had no other complexion but that of Saturn, the ſignification whereof cannot be good, as the Satyrical Poet repreſents him in this Hexaſtich.
Pale and of Aſhy colour, Male-content,
A Cataline to Mortal Temperament,
That would blow up the Capitol of Man,
With Envious Influence, Melancholy, Wan,
And if Ill hate be in an Heavenly Breaſt,
This Planet with that Fury is poſſeſt.
The 2d. Deſcription is of its Tail or Train, which ſome Foreign Artiſts diſcovered by their Tubes and Teleſcopes to be red and fiery all along from the body of the Star (which then to them appeared red as before,) but it was pale towards the end of the Stream, having the reſemblance of thoſe long Streamers, which Men of War (Ships of the firſt Rate) do carry with them; ſo that 1, As to its Colour which was Red at the beginning, and pale at the end of it, and 2. as to its Reſemblance of a War-Streamer, it plainly portends as if the Red Horſe [War] ſhould Uſher in the pale Horſe [Death] which 2 colours the Seal-Prophecy mentioneth, Revel. 6.4.8. War is commonly accompanied with Fire and Blood, 2 King. 3.22. Iſa. 9.5. and 63.1.3. and Death is commonly called pallida Mors, as it cauſeth a paleneſs of face. And if there were no Deception of Sight in thoſe who call this Saturnine Comet a black Star (ſuch as Chronology ſpeaketh of) then may it alſo denote the Black Horſe in that Seal Prophecy. Rev. 6.7. to wit, Famine, which diſcoloureth and denigrateth the Countenance, as Lam. 4.8. but whatſoever was the Colour of the Train, all conclude (even from ocular Demonſtration) that it was pale, and the portent thereof is bad enough; yet 3. as to the Length of this Streamer, it was conſpicuous to every common eye to have a moſt prodigious extent, ſo that whether we take it, 1. as Gods Sweeping Broom, or 2. as Gods Swinging Rod, or 3. As Gods flaming Sword (as in the firſt Sheet) it evidently declares that the great God hath great puniſhing Inſtruments, either to ſweep away, or to ſwinge, or to ſlaſh and ſlay his Adverſaries, Thoſe that took the Longitude of this Train by Jacobs Staff, &c. give us this Account, that the true dimenſion of its Blaze or Tail, was about 70 Degrees in Longitude, now ſuppoſe (as is generally ſuppoſed) that every particular Degree is 60 miles, then the Train of this Comet by this very computation, muſt be no leſs than about 427 miles long, yet conſidering the height of its ſcituation, as the magnitude of a Planet, ſo the longitude of this Comet (in its Streamer) is much more than can be taken by the beſt ſight or proſpect. The latitude or breadth of this Tail is computed by Artiſts alſo to be no leſs than 2 Degrees, which amounts unto an 120 miles, oh then what a Predigious Streamer muſt this be, that is 4270 miles long, and an 120 miles broad. In longitude it excelleth all Europe (which from St. Vincent in Portugal to Conſtantinople, bears but 3800 miles) and in latitude it exceedeth the Northern part of England, and every part of Scotland or Ireland. This introduceth the 2d. part, to wit, the Application. It is therefore very incongruous and unchriſtian, yea rather bruitiſh and barbarous for any Mortal man to deſpiſe or deride ſuch a prodigious piece of work from the Immortal God (as is longer than the 4th part of the World, and broader than many Countries and Kingdoms) As ſome Princes of the World have lately done at this Comet, as it is rePorted of them: 'Tis writ, the French King frothily deſpiſed and derided this preſent Comet, ſaying, It had spoiled his ſport at a grand Ballet (or Dance (compoſed with much curioſity, for his Sons (the Dauphins) Diverſion, when it was privately proved before him it pleaſed him well, but when it came to be publickly performed in his preſence before his Nobles and Ladies of Honour, there happened a Baffle in the Actors, which did fruſtrate his expectation, hereupon he jeeringly ſ…offed that the Influence of the Comet was fallen upon his Dance to ſpoil it, p…ſſibly before its portents paſs away, it may (in good earneſt) ſoil and ſpoil more of the French Dances. 'Tis ſtoried of Veſpaſian, that he ſcorn'd an Hairy Comet ſhining in his Sight, ſaying it concerned the King of Parthia who wore long Hair, and not himſelf who would not were any long Wiggs, (which this very blaze may poſſibly ſcorch) ſo it denounced no woe to him; notwithſtanding he ſoon after ſmarted, for his jeſting with Gods edge-tools. Any deſpight done to a mans work is a deſpight done to the Work-man himſelf, 'tis God that Works Signs and Wonders in Heaven and Earth, Dan. 6.27: Such as are Deſpiſers of Gods Signs and Wonders, God will make them for Signs and Wonders in the World, Act, 13.41. Deut. 28.46. Thus God hanged up Pharaoh (as it were) in Gibbets, as a Sign and Wonder to the World, becauſe he deſpiſed Gods Signs and Wonders in the World. Something of this Divine Wrath Philip the 1. King of Spain did feel, when he took no warning at a Blazing-Star, ſent (it ſeems) to foreſhew his Death, which followed ſoon after, and when he lay in his dying Agonies, he continued crying out [Ha Cometa, Ha Cometa, &c.] I took no warning by thee; but Charles the Great, (or Ludovicus Pius his Son, as ſome ſay) did better who did Fear at the Sight of a great Comet, blazing out before him, and when Egmundus his Aſtrologer (unwilling to ſee his Prince ſad, urged to him Jer. 10.2. That he ſhould not be diſmayed at thoſe Signs, &c. he prudently and piouſly anſwered, It was not the Sign (the Comet) but the maker of that Sign (God himſelf) that he feared, yet would he praiſe God for his tender clemency (withal) in Rebuking their ſlug…iſhneſs with thoſe his Signs. They were not Fools but wiſe men that ſaid we have ſeen his Star in the East, Math. 2.2. 'twas a Star of Chriſts making, aſwel as leading to him, Where a Blazing Star led them to the Sun of Righteouſneſs, Mal. 4 2.
Mortals in Vain did never Gaze,
When Comets did in Heaven Blaze.
Beſides what I have ſaid in the Chronology of Comets aforementiond (all fore-warnings of following Evils) a little may be ad…ed, to wit. 1. Soon after that Comet in the year 1…37. with its very long Train, the French burnt Southampton, and did much more miſchief upon the Coaſts of England. 2. Soon after that in the year 1440. followed here, the Barons Wars twixt York and Lancaſter; God bleſs us from the like 'twixt York and Monmouth. And 3. Soon after that Star which appeared in the year 1580. The Rebellion broke out in Ireland, through the Popes Inſtigation, who ſent Italians and Spaniards to aſſiſt the Iriſh (againſt Queen Eliſabeth in the 22 year of her Reign, October the 8. God bleſs us from the like Eruption now. Here withal take a little enlargement upon that Star in Caſſiopaea 1572. (aforeſaid) which gave Caution and Counſel to Charles the 9th of France (the Author of the Maſſacre at Paris) as likewiſe did Beza in his Poem concluding thus,
Tu verô, Herodes, Sanguinolen…e, T…e.
Yet this bloody Prince (another Herods) took no warning, but firſt wallowed in the Blood of Proteſtants, and at laſt God plagu'd him with ſuch an eruption of Blood in his own Body (then full of Blood, being in the flower of his Age) that he wallowed in his own Blood and was alſo Choaked with it. And upon that Comet in the year 1618. which foreran the Deſolations of Germany, God bleſs us from the like Deſolations: the Biſhop of Spalata (that Turn-Coat, as bad as he was) ſaid of that very Comet, that it was no Phantaſtick Phoenomenon, but Real and Significant, a true Exhalation, Inflamed, and no Deception of ſight about it: I would to God we did not exerciſe wild Fancies more than ſolid Judgment about theſe Prodigies, as this Comet, the fiery falling Bullet, and other Apparitions moſt Dreadful (of a Northern and Southern Army fighting in the Air: …) according to credible Information: Alas we know not the Signs of the Times. Math. 16.3. Luke. 21▪ 11. and Act. 2.9. Such as Dubartus deſcribeth in his Dodekaſtick, or 12. Verſes ſhewing how all Prodigies prognoſticate manifold Evils unto perſons and places of all Ranks and Qualities.
Here in the Night appears a flaming Spire,
There a fierce Dragon folded all in Fire;
Here a bright Comet, there a fiery …st…eam,
Here flying Lances, there a burning Beam;
Here ſe…ms an Honned Goat environd Round
With Fiery Flakes about the … bound,
There with long Bloody Hair, a Blazing Star,
Threatning the World with Famine, Plague and War▪
To Princes Death, to Kingdoms many Croſſes.
To all Eſtates inevitable Loſſes,
To Herdsmon Rots, to Plowmen hap…ſs Sedſons,
To Sailors ſtorms, to Cities civil Treaſons.
If we conſult. 2ly, Paradigms; or Examples, as we have hitherto Apothegms or Aſtrological-Rules (which are the Placits of Aſtrologers and (poſſibly) are onelyonly ad placitum to be received) with the other in the Chronology, it may portend either one of, or ſome of, yea all of thoſe Evils which they portended, not onelyonly to other Lands but alſo to our Land, over which it was almoſt Vertical in Perſ…us and Meduſa's Head when it Vaniſhed: Sed manum de Tabulà, ne Caldaizare videar, I withdraw my hand, leaſt I ſhould ſeem to ſpeak like a Caldean, whom it better becomes to ſpeak like a Chriſtian and like a Goſpel Miniſter wherewith I ſhall Conclude. The Men of Iſſachar were in great account with David. (literal) who had Ʋnderſtanding of the Times, and did know what Iſrael ought to do. 1 Chron. 12.32. A prudent man foreſeeth an evil and hideth himſelf, Prov. 22.3. He foreſeeth it not by any unlawful Divination, or by Gazing as common Star-Gazers in their Unwarantable Judiciary Aſtrology do) but by a Judicious obſervation of thoſe extraordinary Beacons which the wonder-working God fireth in the Firmament (which he never doth but to give warning that ſome miſchief is ready to make an Invaſion.) As alſo by a ſolid Collection and Connection of cauſes and conſequents: as, If God be the ſame that ever, as Holy, Juſt, Powerful, &c. and, If Sin be the ſame that ever, as foul, loathſome, and God-provoking, &c. Then ſuch effects and events will follow ſuch cauſes and courſes: As there be natural ſigns (ſometimes) of an enſuing Judgment which prudent thinking Men can readily diſcover. If Elias ſee but a Cloud (though no bigger than a mans hand) come from the Top of Carmel, he can tell that it will cover the whole Heavens as with a black Curtain, and that a great Rain will follow after, 1 Kin. 18.44.45. The moſt tender Tempers are moſt ſenſible of the change of Weather. A Moſes (who converſeth with God (as a man with his Friend) is quick-ſighted, and eſpies Gods wrath at its firſt ſetting forth. Numb. 16.46. The more faithful and familiar that men are with God, the ſooner do they ſee his wrath ariſing and running forth: were we ſuch, and had we our Eyes in our Heads, as wiſe men. Eccleſ. 2.14. and Ʋnderſtood we the Times, as thoſe of I…ſachar did, knowing, by a ſingular Sagacity, both what is to be done, and when to do it, we ſhall be of great Account with our David Spiritual and may yet Retrieve, Retrench and Redeem ſome part (at leaſt) of thoſe evils that are Imminent over us, before they be Incumbent on us: It remaineth that we ply our Spiritual Oars and Row hard as did the Diſciples. Joh. 6.19. our Jeſus will certainly come to us, though ſent we be both in the Deep, (ſo as we cannot feel bottom) and in the Dark ſo as we cannot ſee Shore; though the Child be come to the Birth and there is not ſtrength to bring forth, 2 Kings 19.3. yet Chriſt will come and Midwife it into the World, and after this Day of Rebuke, will bring his Spouſe into his Wine-Cellar under his Banner of Love and will draw out his beſt Wine (which he reſerved laſt) for her even the promiſes of the latter day: which ſhall be as Life from the Dead, Rom. 11.15. even ſo come Lord Jeſus come quickly Cito, Citius, Citiſſime, l…mera, be…amenu. Soon and in our Days.
So prays C. N.
FINIS.
Publiſhed by L. Curtiſs on Ludgate-hill.
End of the text · Christopher Ness, Upon the Blazing Star (1681)