Sad and Serious Political Considerations, Part 4
IV.
This Digression made, I return to my purposed method.
That fearfull and ominous Night-torch,A D…clara…ion o… the e…fects of the blaving Comet, Anno 16…8. which prognosticated all that misery to Germany and great Brittain, which they have now suffered, was the forerunner of all our evils. This Comet Longomontanus and D. Bambridge say appeared but 28. dayes, indeed it was neither observed in Denmark nor at London before Novemb. 18. or 21. but Erycius Puteanus observed it Novemb. 11. the first time, as he testifies in the first book of his learned Paradoxologie, pag. 33.38. so it appeared for the space of 37. or 38. dayes, foreshewing that first Germany, Livonia, Swethland, with other North-parts of Europe, then Scotland, England and Ireland, should feel the terrible effects thereof in warre and famine, for the space of 37. or 38. years, even from An. 1618. till An. 1656. This Comet was strengthned by a fearfull conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter, An. 1616. July 18. The effects of both which were not to be confined in those terrible concomitants of war perpetrated in Germany (which L.B. and D. Vincent so pathetically delineate) but were to end in the judgements of God upon Europe for neglecting the downfall of Antichrist, ruine of Rome, annihilation of the Sodomiticall Order of the Society of Jesuites, and in the extirpation of all Kingdoms and free States of Papists, to make way for the Lion of the North to erect his FIFTH MONARCHIE in the ashes of Germany, wherein shall be established the eternall felicity of the Church, by the conversion of the Jews and fulnesse of the Gentiles.
M. Shirley Fellow of Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge, once shewed me a Letter from his learned friend Buxtorf, dated An. 1624. May 3. wherein was contained a Prognostique Prophecy of the before-mentioned Comet and Conjunction, sent him from that incomparable Astrologer, Iohannes Baudensis Nephew to Paul Grebner, which for the strangenesse and rarity of it, I will here insert.
Caeterùm, quòd de patriae nostrae afflictissimae statu consilesco, indignaris; nihil profectò scribendum nunc hab…o, nisi omnia (ut Poetae verbis utor) in pejus ruere, & retrò sublapsa referri. Tam Danus quàm Caesar …nixè laborant, ut miseram Germaniam quamprimùm p…ssum iri spectem: Nec milites utriusqùe quiequam aliud meditan…nr, nisi strages & vastitatem. Accepi nudiustertiùs à Johanne Baudensi (amico mihi multimodis charissimo) sententias nostratium Astrologorum de horribili illo Comet…, qui Anno 1618. apparuit, & nuperrimâ Saturni & Iovis Conjunctione. En tibi vaticinium, si no… Apostolicum, at longè (ni fallor) plusquàm Astrologicum. Surrexit Deus & gladium eduxit. Clades magnorum Imperatorum, strages populorum, regum funcra, rerum-publicarum eversiones, monarchiarum mutationes, assassinationes principum & ducum illustriorum, violenta & superba consilia, proditiones & rebelliones inter Subditos in hoc coelo nostro Europico exorientur. Exporientur religiosi à potentioribus Legum & institutorum Ecclesiasti…orum mutationem, à plebeijs novarum rerum inexplebilem cupiditatem. Boreales Europae partes ferro, morbo & peste laborabunt, depauperabuntur divites, Principes Dominijs exuti erunt, exulabunt patres & filij post longum turb…rum intercapedinem in integrum restituentur. Hic quoque Cometa terribilem Romae ruinam, singulisque Europae civitatibus incendia minitatur… Clerici Papicolae praecipuè Cardinales de gradibus suis dejicientur, Loiolistae ubique ad mortem rapientur, nec Gallis aut Hispanis animus erit carnificum l…queos evitare. Quinimò cernimus etiam in terrâ sanct… à veteribus incolis… oriturum Regnum, quod …rit Christianis miraculum, & Orbi terriculamentum. Novique Imperij Revolutio istis succedet, sub quo generale gaudium, laetitia & voluptas humano generi subministrabitur, improbis ubique de medio sublatis. Haec omnia per Regem quendam Borealem peragentur, qui pacem, Religionem, & Securitatem per totum Orbem miraculosè stabilibit.
Whereas you are angry that I keep silence concerning the esta…e of our most distressed Countrey. Truly I have nothing now to write, but that all things (that I may use the words of the Poet) grow worse and woese. As well the King of Denmark as the Emperour earnestly endeavour to see miserable Germany destroyed as soon as may be; neither do the souldiers of either of them, think of any other thing then slaughter and desolation.
I received the other day, from my dear Friend Iohn Baudensis, the opinions of our Astrologers concerning that terrible Comet which appeared Anno 1618, and about the later Conjunction of Saturn and Iupiter. Behold thou then a Prophecie (if not Apostolical) yet (if I mistake not) far beyond Astrological. GOD hath arisen and drawn his sword: There shall happen in these our European Regions, the destruction of great Emperours, the slaughter of people, Funerals of Kings, subversions of Commonwealths, mutations of Monarchies, massacres of Princes and illustrious Commanders, violent and proud Counsels, Treasons and Rebellions amongst Subjects: Clergie-men shall finde a change of Laws and Ecclesiastical Constitutions, by those of greater power, and an insatiable desire of new things amongst common people. The Northern parts of Europe shall be greatly oppressed with Warre, Sicknesse and Pestilence. Rich men shall be impoverished, Princes cast out of their Dominions; The fathers shall be banished, and after a long space of trouble their children shall be restored to their former condition. This Comet also threatneth the terrible ruine of Rome and burnings in all the Cities of Europe. The Papistical Clergy, especially the Cardinals, shall be cast down from their Dignities, the Jesuites every where shall be drawn to death, neither shall the French-men or Spaniards have courage to save their necks from the halters. Furthermore, We discern a Kingdom to arise of the most ancient Inhabitants in the holy Land, which to Christians shall be a Miracle, and to the World a terrour; and these shall obtain the Revolution of a new Empire, under which shall be administred universal Gladnesse… Joy and Delight to mankinde (the wicked being every where taken away.) All these things shall be effected by a certain Northern King who shall miraculously establish Peace, Religion and Security throughout the whole world.
Thus far the words of this Letter. And how punctually all these things are come to passe, let the world judge. We in England have felt the misery of the one, and are ready stript to suffer the calamities of the other, having for the present lost what is impossible to be regained, and seeing a new storm of Devastations hanging over our heads by the young Kings late arrival in Scotland (where he is received as absolute Soveraign) which fil… mens hearts with pensive thoughts and doub…ings what will be the end of these wofull beginnings. For my part, I am a zealous adorer of a Parliament, nor deserve I to censure the Actions of our Representatives, yet will I not promise the Term of an Age to our novel Government, but think ve…ily, a change to the old Model is nigh at hand. It is casual to the best Kingdoms to have Interregnums, but as we stand now, we shall ne…ther be for six years together a Body Politique, nor a true Church of God. That excellent Astrologer of Misnia, Paul Grebner, was more then an Inquisitour into the Effects of Starres, being questionlesse indued from above with a Prophetick spirit, not to be desired, much lesse expected of all. He plainly affirms, That as England ever was a Monarchy within it self, since it was discovered by the Romans, so shall it so continue and remain, even then when all other Kingdoms and States in Europe are swallowed up of the FIFTH MONARCHIE of the Lion of the North. His Prophecie of our Civil Wars, of the Fate of our late King, and the Restauration of his Son to his Fathers Dominions, runneth thus in Ban. 72.
Per idem tempus Rex quidam Borcalis (nomine Carolus) Mariam ex Papistic… religione sibi assumptam in matrimonium conjunxerit, Grebners Prophecie of our la…e King, and his Son now King.ex quo evidet regum infelicissimus. Unde populus ejus, ipso abdicato, Comitem quendam perantiquae Familiae regno praeponet, qui tres annos, aut circitèr durabit; & hoc quoque remoto, Equitem quendam bellicosum in ejus locum assumet, qui paulò ampliùs regnabit. Post hunc eliget nullum. Interea, unus è stirpe Caroli in littore regni patres sui cum Gallicis, Suevicis, Danicis, Hollandicis, Burgurdicis & Germanicis auxiliis stabit, omnes inimicos suos cruentissimo praelio superabit, & posteà regnum suum felicissimè administrabit, eritque Carolo magno major. And in Ban. 74. he saith, Circà Anno 1663 Brittaniarum Rex antiquum cum Belgarum Ordinibus foedus & amicitiam rumpet, ob ereptas sibi ab ipsorum piratis naviculas quasdam, qui pertrepidi ad novum Danorum Regem (nomine Christiernum) confugient, qui utrosque primò compositissimis orationibus, deinde muneribus in concordiam alliciet.
About the same time a certain Northern King (named Charles) who shall marry Mary of the Popish Religion to his great unhappinesse, so that his people (rejecting him) shall set up an Earl of a very ancient Family, who shall continue three years or thereabouts, he dying they shall elect in his stead a warlike Knight, who shall rule a little longer: after him they elect none; But in the mean one of Charles his Stock shall land on the Sea-coasts of his Fathers Kingdom, and with French, Swedish, Danish, Hollandian, Burgonian and German Forces, in a most cruel battell shall vanquish all his Enemies, and afterward most happily govern his Kingdom, and be greater then Charls the Great. And about the year 1663, the King of the most ancient Brittains for the losse of some Ships at Sea shall break his League and Amity with the States of Holland, who fearing, shall to the new King of Danes (named Christiernu… ) for succour, and he by fair Intreaties and large Gifts shall win either side to Agreement.
Nor ever doth he speak of England in all that famous manuscript, but as of the most warlike and potent Kingdome in Europe. Therefore all good Christians ought to wish the new Warre were concluded rather by an happy Agreement and Composition, then by Sword and Musket, and the King placed on his Throne rather with the hands of his loving and and rejoycefull Subjects, than with the swords of Forreigners. For if the beginning of his Restauration be in bloud, and tumbling of garments in bloud, the Accomplishment of it will be with burning and fuel of fire.