ruine and destruction to those great ones subversion of their ancient Families and ruine to their stately Buildings Cities Townes Towers and Castles That People shall be in most miserable and deplorable condition We see the Conjunction is in Taurus under which amongst other places Ireland is posited and that the signes Leo Scorpio and Aquary are sharers and must participate in this influence Famine Scarcity Plagues and terrible warfare shall happen to many places under those Signes If they expect ayd from Foraigne parts they will be frustrated Me thinkes I behold all the States of Europe involv'd in this Quarrell the French and Spaniard Matching the Hollander busie the POPE thundering his Bulls and Excommunications the Turke making great preparations so likewise the Germane Dane Swede Polonian Venetian nay what State in the Christian World is not disquieted If I should recount the Eclipses and great Conjunctions of the superior Planets in Signes to which most or all Countries in Europe are subjected and the events that have succeeded within these few yeares in these places I might rather make an History then a succinct discourse there were not long since two or three Eclipses of both the Luminaryes in the Signe Leo the effects of all which are strongly operating and for many yeares together will produce admirable and unexpected occurrences I believe the progresse of Saturne through the Signe Taurus out of which he will not fully free himselfe till the end of March 1648. will be very fatall to Ireland and most chiefely he will powre out his influence upon that place rather then any other For if we consider the present condition thereof since the Rebellion there broke forth The horrid Murthers and cruell slaughters by them committed upon many thousands of English Protestants whose bloud cryes for vengeance doe authorise me Astrologically to pronounce a fearefull doome of Fire Sword Plague and Famine to follow that bloudy Nation Let me tell the Spaniard French or what other Nation soever that is ayding or assisting them they must not escape the Divine vengeance which God by the Starres his Coelestiall Ministers doth menace them withall If the Pope send his Agents to prosecute their Designes he may chance loose his Triple Crowne in this unjust quarrell they have raised The Divell may rage for a season Sed si Deus nobiscum quis contra nos The fight from Heaven the Starre in their Courses fight against CaesAR Sisera I hope I shall speak truth if I tell the French Spaniard or any other friend the Irish or their Associates have that though they never made greater preparations yet with as like successe as that Invincible Armado in 88 had at what time fourescore of the Spanish Ships were lost with not so few as twenty thousand men The windes and Seas fighting at that time for England which was many yeares before threatned by the proud and insulting Spaniard This Armado consisted of 130 Ships nineteene thousand two hundred and ninty Souldiers eight thousand three hundred and fifty Mariners two thousand and fourescore Gally-slaves two thousand sixe hundred and thirty great Ordinance which Navy having been three yeares in preparing and at no small charge within one moneth was often beaten and at length put to flight and as I said 20000 of their men being slaine and not above one hundred of the English were missing the remainder of their Navy some in their slight were cast upon Scotland and some upon Ireland and those few that escaped returned with a great deale of dishonour into Spaine above 700 Souldiers and Seamen were cast upon the Scottish shore who were afterward sent over to the Low-Countries but those which by Tempest were driven upon Ireland found a harder measure for the wild Irish of their owne accord slew many of them I suppose their cruelty is not inferiour now to what it was then but suppose the French Spanish Irish Jesuite Popish Fryer Priest and the whole rabble of Antichristians in all the World were combined together against England let but an English man name 1588. or 1605. And without doubt the proudest and most cruellest of them all will be daunted and sink down with amazement so powerfull hath God showne himselfe in those times That in the first the King of Spaine himselfe acknowledged the misfortune that befell him to have been the handy worke of God and gave thanks to God and his Saints causing the like to be done throughout Spaine that it fell to be no worse And for that in 1605 certainly it was the eye of Gods Providence that discovered that horrid deed of darknesse the Gun-Powder Treason invented by the Divellish Papists to the destruction of the Parliament and so consequently to the whole Kingdome Let us looke back to the yeare 1587. In which yeare Mary Queene of Scots was beheaded for the position of Saturne and we shall finde that from the first of March that yeare to the middle of Aprill 1589 he walked through Taurus the Signe under which he now is c. under which Ireland is subjected as I said before In the moneth of August the 28 day was an ominous opposition of Mars from Scorpio to him in the 16 degree and if we observe this memorable yeare 1588. Upon the 28 of May Saturne and Mars were in Conjunction in the 19 degrees Taurus not farre from the place they now meete in not many dayes after which that Spanish Fleet was discovered on our English Coast If we examine our Chronicles we shall finde most Memorable Passages in divers parts of the World to have happened this yeare Was it not unusuall and strange that Polonia this yeare should have three Kings usurping the Title while the fourth viz. Stephen Battori was yet unburied Namely Sigismond the Sweden Maximilian the Emperours brother and Henry Valoys King of France of which three Maximilian in the beginning of this yeare was taken Prisoner his Army overthrowne by meanes thereof many thousands of men women and children carryed away Captives by the Tartars Thus saith Gallobelgicus and further that Suetia was all on fire with tumults and lost certain places of strength to the Muscovite The Muscovite himselfe ranne mad and lost his wits The King of Denmarke Frederick the second dyed In France the Barricados of Paris the flight of the King from thence The slaughter of the Duke of Guise and his brother the Cardinall of Lorrayne The death of the Queen Mother the poysoning of the Prince of Condee and the Overthrow which the King of Navarre gave unto Duke Mercury all which Les derniers troubles de Fraunce do testifie and gave that Kingdome sufficient cause to thinke that yeare 1588 to be an extraordinary yeere At the same time the Duke of Savoy prepared his Army and surprized Carmagmall the King of France his chiefe Magazine in Saluze The Turke suffered great overthrowes in Hungaria And in Constantinople by reason of false moneys wherewith the Jauizaryes were payd their wages they fell into a
Saturn and Jupiter In the yeer 1584. there was fourteen Conjunctions of the Planets in Aries and the Sun and Moon Eclipsed ih Taurus In the yeer 1586. there will be thirteen Conjunctions of the Planets in Aries and one in Taurus of the Sun and Mercury and afterwards in the yeer 1588. twelve Conjunctions of the Planets in divers Signs without doubt after these Conjunctions will follow or succeed mischievous villanous and wicked Counsels and detestable Acts commotions or troubles seditions wars slaughters or killing in Cities Kingdoms and Provinces unknown or unheard of diseases the plague death of great Kings and Lords Infinite dissentions and new diversities of opinions in Religion and to conclude very great calamities in all the Countries of the world as many skilfull men in coelestiall matters suppose gathering these things from the events which are to follow these forepast Conjunctions now rehearsed I shall hereunto adde some particular predictions out of the same Rantzovius pag. 99. Friderici secundi imperatoris Astrologus ab eo interrogatus cur tantum honoris Rudolpho Haspurgensi Comiti pauperi in Aula sua tunc versanti exhiberet respondit mortuis tuis filiis quorum adhuc decem supersunt ipse posteri ejus ad tua Regna pervenient Author Albertus Argentinensis quod exitus ipse probavit Nam Anno Christi 1273. Calend. Octob. Rudolphus a Germanis principibus Francofurti in Regem Romanum eligetur cum Basiliam obsideret hodierno adhuc die videmus Rudolphi posteros Regnum Neopolitanum Ducatum Austriae Sueviae una cum Imperio Regno Neopolitano obtinere Modernus nam Imperator Rudolphus ab eo nomen ditiones haeditario jure accepit Philippus Hispaniae Rex ex eodem natus Regnum Siculum Neoplitanum nactus est That is The Astrologer of the Emperour Frederick the second being asked by him why he showed so much respect to Rudolph the poor Earl of Habspurg then frequenting his Court To whom the Astrologer answered Thy Sonnes being dead of whom ten are yet living He and his Posterity shall attaine to thy Kingdoms which the event proved for in the yeer of Christ 1273. the first of October Rudolph besieging of Basill was elected by the Princes of Germany at Frankeford to be King of the Romans and to this day we see the posterity of Rudolph to enjoy the Kingdom of Naples the Dukedoms of Austria and Suevia together with the Empire and Kingdom of Naples for the late Emperour Rudolphus by hereditary right received from him both his name dominions and Empire and Phillip King of Spain proceeding from him obtained the Kingdom of Scicily and Naples This Frederick the second was elected 1212. he raigned 38. yeers he dyed 1250. the Empire was void 22. yeers though Conrade his Son and Richard brother to Henry the third King of England who was Earl of Cornwall were elected in the interim and in the yeer 1273. this Rudolph was elected Emperour and so continued seventeen yeers nine moneths and sixteen dayes it being sixty yeeres before this prediction came to passe for ought I read to the contrary In pag. 97. in the same Rantzovius thus I find Magister Christianus Astrologus Pragensis Ladislaum Jagellonem Regem Poloniae per Sacerdotem praemonuit ut mortem sibi imminentem praecaveret quod multi Planetae conjungerentur fieret Eclipsis Lunae sub Terra mortuus autem nihil ominus est eo Anno qui fuit Annus Domini 1434. Anno Aetatis 49. That is Master Christian an Astrologer of Prague admonished Ladislaus Jagello King of Poland by his Priest that he should beware of imminent death for that many Planets were conjoyned this yeer and there would be an eclipse of the Moon under the earth notwithstanding that premonition he dyed that yeer of our Lord which was 1434. in the 49. yeer of his age In the same page the next adjoyning observation is thus Joannes Picus Mirandulae Comes edidit Librum adversus Astrologos hi inter quos fuerunt Bellantius Senensis Antonius Sirigatus Florentinus Angelus de Catastivis Carmelita ut Artem veram ostenderent illum annum aetatis 33. non transgressurum predixerunt ex directione Ascendentis ad Martem quemadmodum hinc inde editis constat that is Joannes Picus Earl of Mirandula published a Book against Astrologers These men that is to say the Astrologers amongst whom were Bellantius of Sena Antonius Sirigatus a Florentine and Angelus de Catastivis a Carmelite that they might shew it Astrology to be a true Art they foretold the said Picus that he should not escape the 33. yeer of his age by reason of the direction of the Ascendant to the body of Mars as it appears in the writings published upon this occasion I mention this the rather for that it is most appaâ—â—nt these three men were Astrologers and by Astrology foretold to this Picus the time of his death who flattering himselfe with a false comfort as if he could wrangle away Death by writing against Astrology indeavouring to prove the Art vaine his death concurring exactly with the time predicted confirmed the same Art to be true and more actually confuted that which he had written against it then if all the world besides had conspired to answer him I have rehearsed these things and been the larger upon them though I could shew above one thousand examples of rare observations Astrologicall and many of my owne experiment to cure that Episcopomania or An examination of Sir Christopher Heydons Defence of Astrology For would any man but a man not well in his wits T. V.B. of D. publish and Print that the Astrologer foretelleth that is true by the helpe of Satan that Astrologicall predictions depend not upon naturall Causes that Astrologicall predictions stand not by learning but by some instinct that Astrology considereth the fortunes onely of Fooles and wicked men that the first Inventor of Astrology was the Divell that the Astrologer attaineth not to his intended end in a Prediction without the helpe of Magicke with many other absurd Tenents I will tell you a story of himself as he writes it in his Epistle Dedicatory where he says thus That those predictions doe not always fall out jump and true as they would bear us in hand but that either the Devil doth misse sometimes or that his Instrument doth mistake his informations this I am able to justifie and make good by a plain story of my self when I was a child and went to School at Carleil where I was born there came an odde fellow about the Country he was reputed a cunning man and so called for that he took upon him to tell fortunes the fellow was dumb or at least faigned himself speechlesse but certain it was he had an instinct or familiarity with some Spirit This fellow being on a time in my Fathers house there were some there more simply honest then religiously wise made signs unto him to shew what should be my
till this yeares end -1646 Yeares The full Sum from the Creation to this yeares end is 5092 Yeares This Irish Chronologer hath computed by his false Arithmetick the abovesaid numbers of yeares to be 5595 as he sets down both in the Frontispice of his Almanacke and in this place but both are equally erroneous It is true Non levis inter viros Doctos rerum historicarum annotationibus existit controversia That is There is no small controversie amongst learned men in their Annotations of Historicall matters Truely there is great diversity amongst them in many memorable Chronologicall Computations But never any that ever I read of computed lesse then 1656 yeares from the Creation to the Flood So that this Irish account is short of the truth in this very particular no lesse then 596 yeares now if we adde these 596 yeares to 5092 they will make in all 5688 which is too many by 93 yeares so that there is no truth at all in this compendious Chronology Methinks when I see 88. I call to minde that Annus ominosus fatalis The Spanish Invasion Cum formidabilis illa Classis Hispanica profligatur ab Anglis Duce Francisco Drake That terrible Armado The lively portraiture whereof is represented in those curious Works in the Lords House now in Parliament at Westminster But as that Armado then was Ventorum Ludibrium and was by Gods providence totally defeated by the English So the Irish Rebellion will have like successe Then follows the remainder of this Compendious Chronology with Since the destruction of Troy 2830 yeares This may be something neere truth for all Writers agree that it was before Christ 1183 yeares now if we adde 1646 being the yeares since Christ Birth to 1183 the yeares before his Birth they will make 2829 since the destruction of Troy Then followes since Bartholenus entred this Island of Ireland 4235 yeares who this Bartholenus I cannot learne but it seemes he came in the yeare of the world 1360 which was 296 yeares before the Flood which I prove thus If you substract 4235 yeares from 5595 there will remaine 1360 and if you substract this 1360 from 1656 the yeare of the World when the Flood was there will remaine 296. I beleeve he was one of the Off-spring of Cain though Camden relates in his description of Ireland fol. 64. that the Irish Historiographers say that he was a Scythian and then he came of Magog who descended from Japeth and that he fought right doughty Battells with Gyants In these times men lived many hundreds of yeares but when the Flood came all the People of the Earth were drowned save eight Persons which were Noah and his wife with his three sonnes Sâ—m Ham and Japeth and their Wives Now amongst all these there was never a Bartholènus and if there had been any such a one doubtlesse he had perished amongst the rest in the Flood If he came not from Cain before the Flood surely he descended from Ham who was the Father of Canaan after the Flood from these three sonnes of Noah all the Earth was overspread now Noah cursed Canaan and said a Servant of Servants shall he be unto his brethren To what purpose this Bartholenus is mentioned to have entred Ireland or who he was it much matters not neither if the Irish came from him or from whom else this I am sure of they are now a People farre exceeding the most barbarous Caniballs and inhumane bloudy men that ever I read of in any History Here may be moved a question why Canaan being cursed he should possesse the most fertile place and part of the World a Land flowing with milke and Honey so may I say of Ireland why such a good Country should be bestowed on so wicked a People I much wonder at it it rather shewes a blessing then a curse and that they should rather be Lords then servants but as one sayes Cum Israelitae deletis omnibus istis gentibus viz. Sidoniis Tyriis Hethaeis Jebusaeis Amorhaeis Gergesaeis Hevaeis Cannanaeis c. terram Cananaeam ingrederentur tunc sauè manifestata est veritas maledictionis Nohae dederuntque paenas impietatis suae ejecti excisi per populum Dei quem tandem triumphare oportet It is just the State and Condition of Ireland as then of Canaan And they must looke for the like measure of punishment by the English and Scotish Nation as Canaan did by the Israelites Then follows since the building of the City of Waterford by Sitaracus 1491 yeares This Sitaracus it seemes was about the yeare of Christ 155. About which time Valentinian an Egyptian that damnable Heretique spread his wicked Tenents and about this time lived Higinus the first that stiled himselfe Pope of Rome This City by the Irish is called Porth-Largy as Camden sayes in his description of Ireland fol. 79. And was built by certain Pyrates of Norway But I make a great question of the Antiquity of it neither is it to purpose Onely it is observable that Pyrates were the founders of Waterford I am sure of it Printing was not then used but it seemes now they have got a Printing Presse there Whether it and the materials came from Rome Doway Rhimâ—s or any such other Popish place I know not But they there and at Oxford of late and now print base and railing Pamphlets and lying Almanacks and in them most grossely abuse the Parliament and Kingdome of England who no doubt ere long will suppresse their Presses Now followes since the building of the City of Rome 2397 yeares about the yeare of the world 3198. It is a great dispute amongst Chronologers and Historiographers when Rome was built Some of them as Berosus and Râ—usner say The first foundation was layde in the yeare of the World 2341 by Roma daughter to Atlas or Kitim King of Italy about thirty yeers before the Birth of Moses Some yea the most thinke that it was built by Romulus and Remus as Livy Dion and others relate The Story is thus Procas King of Latium or the Latines having left his Kingdome after he had raigned three and twenty yeares to his two Sonnes Amulius and Numitor to rule by yearely turnes Amulius having gotten possession keepes the Kingdome by strong hold and causeth Numitor his Brother to live privately And because Amulius would not live in feare of Numitors issue he enticed Lausus or Egestus Numitors Sonne to goe hunt with him and then and there slew him And caused his daughter Rhea or Ilia to become a Vestall Virgin to keepe her from marriage or children But he was deceived For in the fourth yeare of his raigne which was as some suppose in the yeare of the World 3158. She was great with childe by an unknowne man but many thinke by Amulius himselfe in disguise because he knew she should dye if the breach of her Vow appeared by a great belly and was delivered of Romulus and Remus at a Birth For which she was buried quick
or beaten to death with Rods. But Dion saith she was saved at the request of Amulius his daughter but Romulus and Remus were delivered to some to be cast into Tiber in a cradle which could not be effected because the River was overflowne So they were left upon a Banke Faustulus the chiefe Shepheard to Amulius being at Court having heard their doome Followed Found and carried them to his wife Acca Laurentia called by the people for her lust and the Stewes of her Lupanaria Lupa Hence arose this Fiction That they were nursed by a Shee-Woolse She delivered them to a woman that had lost a childe a little before of her owne At the age of eighten yeares these Brothers fell out with Numitors Shepheard about feeding of their Flocks But when Romulus was absent Remus was carried before Amulius who upon their Complaint delivered him to Numitor to put him to death but Faustulus perceiving the danger revealed their birth to Romulus who reputed Faustulus till that time to be his Father and to Numitor upon a consultation they assaulted Amulius slew him and restored Numitor to the Kingdome who gave leave to them to build Cityes Romulus chose the Mount Palatine and built Rome and this was Anno Mundi 3198 as the Irish Computator reckons I will not much trouble my selfe concerning the truth of this Story Onely it is observable that Rome was built founded by Bloud Murther Lust Treachery c. And I know not why I may not suppose the Irish Nation to come from that Lupa For they are all of them of the same Religion with those nay of Rome the Whore of Babylon That Countrey of Ireland hath had many Wolves in it but never more then now And Camden in his description of Ireland Fol. 83. sayes some of the Irish and such as would be thought worthy of Credit doe affirme that certaine men in the County of Tipperary are yearely turned into Wolves Whether it be a meere fable or no I matter it not Unlesse that malignant humour of unkind Melancholy predominate in them and so cause that disease which Physicians call Lycanthropia and so they imagine themselves to be transformed into Wolves However that malignant humour hath reigned amongst them above this foure yeares That now the people are become more salvage and bloudy then Wolves or any other creature whatsoever But this Parliament the Physician that can under God cure all distempers of Church and State will cure Ireland of its Lycanthropia England was many yeares ago rid of Wolves by destroying them And I have read that King Edgar imposed a taske upon Ludwall a Prince in Wales to present yeerely to him three hundred Wolves or their skins for a Tribute which he did for three yeares together But the fourth yeere he gave over protesting he could find no more What King Edgar did I know not but thankes be to God there are no Wolves in England but of the Irish breed Though there hath beene an endeavour to bring over hath beene and now are and are daily expected some Wolvish Irish in England This I am sure of This Parliament hath passed an Ordinance of the 24 of October 1644 That no Quarter shall be given to any Irish man nor to any Papists whatsoever borne in Ireland which shall be taken in hostility against the Parliament either upon the Sea or within this Kingdome or Dominion of Wales But that they shall be excepted out of all Capitulations Agreements or Compositions with the Enemy And every such person to be put to death Nay any Officer by Sea or Land that shall be remisse or negligent in the observing the Tenor of this Ordinance shall be reputed a Favourer of that Bloody Rebellion in Ireland and shall be liable to such condigne punishment as the Justice of both Houses of Parliament shall inflict upon theâ— I trust this Ordinance will be throughly and duly prosecuted and then I hope both Kingdomes will shortly be cleared of the Wolves of Ireland or the Wolvish Irish After the building of Rome comes since the Captivity of Babylon by Cyrus 2284 yeares This should seeme to be in the yeere of the world 3311 as the Irish Computator reckons But herein severall Chronologers have their diversitie of Opinions This cannot possibly be true for Cyrus began to rule over Persia in the first of the 55 Olimpiade which was Anno Mundi 3390. So that here is 89 yeeres difference of this Computation And in the yeere of the World 4409 Cyrus invaded Babylon and conquered it c. And in Anno Mundi 4420. being the end of the 70 yeeres Captivity as Scaliger and others thinke he was in a second battell with 200000 men defeated by Tomiris Queene of the Scythians where himselfe lost his life Tomiris cut off his head and threw it into a vessell of blood And now let the Irish remember her saying to dead King Cyrus After blood thou didst thirst and with blood thou shalt be satisfied Next ensues since the desolation of the Temple of Salomon 2251 yeares This should be in Anno Mundi 3344. In which yeare there was no such thing done It is true the Prophet Jeremiah Anno Mundi 3340 foretold of the destruction of the City Hierusalem and Temple which came to passe twenty yeares after For Anno Mundi 3360 Nebuchadnezzar tooke it and destroyed it as Helvicus c reckons Then comes since Augustus Caesar began his Empire 1686 yeers And this after the Irish Accompt was Anno Mundi 3909. But here are seven years errour For all Authors begin it Anno Mundi 3902. And then the fourth Monarchy began in Julius Caesar who ruled Emperour but five yeares After him came Augustus Caesar Anno Mundi 3906 and reigned 56 yeares and in the 41 yeare of his reigne which was Anno Mundi 3947 Our Saviour Christ was borne Or as the received opinion is Anno Mundi 3949. Now if we adde this 3949 to 1646 They will make 5595 The yeares since the Creation as our Irish Chronology reckons After this followes since Hierusalem utterly destroyed by Vespatian 1563 yeares This should have beene Anno Christi 83. But then there was no such matter for it was in Anno Christi 70 So that there is an errour of thirteene yeares defective then there will be since Vespatians destruction of Jerusalem 1576 yeares as most Authors agree After this followes since Ireland first received the Catholicke faith by the preaching of the glorious Saint Patrick 1221 yeares And this was Anno Christi 425. About this time this Patrick lived Caelestine the first being Pope of Rome The Nestorian heresie was much spread abroad Many strange things have beene reported of this Patrick In memory of whom the 17 of March the Irish celebrate as a Festivall But I shall take a course to crosse him out of the Calendar Hiberniae fuit Episcopus primus imago illius exprimitur Serpentibus ad ejus pedes abjectis quoniam Divina illius virtute hoc