not forget that the Comet in the later part of his period was North-west after sunne-set which gaue occasion to some not skilfull in Astronomie to affirme a second Comet But from the beginning I fore-told which was no great matter to doe that if the Comet continued awhile it would aduance neere to the tayle of Vrsa maior and be seene in the euening after the Sunne Now are we come to that from which Comets or Blazing-stars are denominated the tayle or rather the blazing streame which in this Comet was very remarkable and is truely pourtraied in the planisphere as it appeared in the heauens being alwaies in opposition to the Sunne or extended in length according to a right line issuing from the Sunne through the Comets body For plainer remonstrance whereof I specially invented this new manner of proiecting the Spheare in plano and haue caused the Elipticke to be protracted to the beginning of Capicorne and in it the Suns place exactly noted on seuerall daies of the Comets apparition also from the Sunnes Center proceede right lines through the body of the Comet which doe precisely shew the true prospect of his bushie lockes The 27. of Nouember in the morning the Comets haire was spread ouer the faire starre Arcturus betwixt the thighes of Arctophylax or Bootes Now the planispheare doth shew that a right line drawne from the Sunne then in the 15 degree of Sagittarie through the Comets body 〈◊〉 approach the said Starre So the last of November about midnight following the Comets bush ouer-shadowed a starre of the third light in the left hinder knee of Vrsamaior Which doth manifestly appeare in the planispheare by a line extended from the Sunne then in 19. degrees of Sagittarie through the Comets body the like may be seene in other places In-sooth this Comets forelock was a better Ephemeris for the Sunnes place then many in great request Hence is detected the grosse ignorance of those writers who neuer or seldome cast vp their eies towards those glorious lights but onely delighting in solitary contemplation doe much busie their wits in searching the cause of Cometary streamings affirming them to be of the same matter but more rare and thin with the head Which with many other absurdities may be refuted by this present obseruation which doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by geometricall and lineall necessitie certainely demonstrate that the Comets taile is nothing else but an irradiation of the Sunne through the pellucide head of the Comet For though the Sunne-beames be not of themselues conspicuous in the pure aëry or aetheriall regions yet passing through the Comets more condensed substance and there by refraction recollected and more neerely vnited they did not onely illustrate the Comet it selfe but also a long tract beyond him According to the refraction and recollection of the Sunnes beames so was the illustration and illumination of the Comet which appeared to vs more or lesse as the Comet was neerer or farther from the earth and these be the true reasons why the Comet which at first was illustrate with a bright resplendence did euery day more and more loose his radiant lustre till at length it appeared like a faint shadow and quite vanished out of our sight for neither could the Sun beames be any longer vnited by refraction in the Comets now dissolute and sluide substance neither could that little glimpse if any were be perceiued being so farre remote from the earth as shall be anon remonstrate By the same reasons did the Comets streaming bush also by little and little vanish away and so much the rather by how much the Sunne rayes were there alwayes more dissipate then in the Comet and those locks euer lesse relucent then the head The dilatation of the Comets fore-locke was caused by a second refraction of the Sunne beames by which refraction they were brought to an intersection after which they beganne againe to diverge or display themselues in that forme which appeared in the heauens and is delineate in the planispheare This dilatation was nothing so strange as the extent in length being sometimes more then 45. degrees and namely the 1. of December ouershadowing the left hinder knee of Vrsa maior Though in the end the Comet did as it were winde vp this long haire about his head Some haue doubted if this long streame of light had touched the earth whether it would haue caused any combustion Surely no Indeede the Sun beames may by reflexion or refraction bee so concentred vnited that though it were through a peece of ice framed into a burning glasse they shall easily set any combustible matter on fire but that happens onely in the center of vnion or concourse of the recollected beames but this Comets lockes being diverged or displaied rayes could haue no such power though they had touched the earth From this one obseruation of the Sunnes irradiation through the Comet many more strange and excellent conclusions may be collected which neither my leasure will suffer mee to examine particularly neither can these pages well containe them Wherefore now I will tye vp this Comets radiant lockes with admiration of that glorious lampe wherewith He that inhabits the light inaccessible doth illustrate and enlighten this whole world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 19. Hee hath set his Tabernacle in the Sunne and it as a Bridegroome commeth out of his chamber and reioyceth as a Gyant to runne a race his going forth is from the end of the heauen and his circuits vnto the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heate thereof This is the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the onely harth of inquenchable fire which so many thousand leagues oft warmeth the earth enlightneth these refulgent bodies and with them this new Planet I haue at large shewed the Comets places as they appeared in the surface of Heauen both in his owne circle and also referred to the Ecliptick and Aequinoctiall but there is another place of more difficult inquisition and greater admiration and that is the Comets distance from this our habitable Orbe Common schooles treading the wrie steps of that great and witty but often mis-leading Peripateticke would confine this and other Comets within the higher region of the aire neither could his palpable error in the place of Galaxia or the milkie-way in Heauen acknowledged by most bring them into suspition of the like deuiation from the high aetheriall region of Comets into the Elementary vallies of Meteors where and with whom to place this Comet were to hide so glorious a candle vnder a bushell and not to set it in a candlesticke that all in the house may see to set a beacon not on an hill but in a dale especially if wee consider that the highest region of the aire by the Optickes demonstration from the time of twilight is not many aboue 50. english miles from the earth Wherefore I may
viuere non licet arma sumere Whilest wee may liue in peace wee may not take vp hostile armes Yet for all this would I not counsell to deliuer vp our armes to our enemies as the foolish shepheards sometimes did their dogges to the wolues Oh how are wee degenerate from the generous spirits and warlike meditations of our victorious ancestors Nimia foelicitate mergimur in voluptates Our ouer-much felicitie hath almost drencht vs in voluptuousnesse Et patimur long ae pacis mala saeuior armis Luxuria incumbit We feele the breeding euils of long peace Now riot worse then wars begins t' increase I will not aske where are the bowes and arrowes wherewith our fathers conquered France and releened Spaine but where are our Muskets Are they not turned into Tabacco pipes Where are our English valour and courage Are they not with that outlandish weed vanished into smoake May I not say as it was sometimes said of those degenerate Milesians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The English were once valiant and warlike Who may not from these smoakie parents feare a fumish generation whose courage may perhaps be soone inflamed but sooner quenched Like as Florus describes the old French whose first assault saith he was maior quà m virorum more then for men but presently minor quà m foeminarum lesse then for women Or as Iulius Celsus reports of them their courage was hastie but effeminate and vnable to resist And in sooth what other can we expect from this fumish age then a furious but soone exhaling rage rather then courage I might iustly take vp a Satyricke and sharpe reproofe of this degenerate custome But this noble Citie giues vs better hope and though not forgotten in Great Britaines Panegyricke yet here also enforces me to a iust Encomion of her Ciuill Censure and Martiall discipline London if any may assume that braue Motto Tam Marti quà m Mercurio being not only the rich staple of trade and trafficke but also the compleat armorie of all Martiall accoutrements Her flagge hath waued with all the foure windes in the frozen North torrid South odoriferous East and hopefull West Her Crosse hath beene aduanced against Turke and Infidell and her Dagger died in the bloud of domestick Rebels and forraine enemies Her worthy Citizens Pacis bellique ministri Who seruiceable are In peace and also warre doe not only by thousands in their yeerely gallant musters reioyce their Citie and strike a secret terror into their enemies but also by their voluntarie and priuate Martiall meditations each other weeke giue a goodly testimonie of their generous spirits seruiceable skill and good affection to their King and Country Truly these noble mindes and warlike exercises doe well deserue from the Commons imitation and from the State encouragement Thus much if not too much of Arctophylax his speare and the Comets emblemated motion amongst the celestiall Hieroglyphicks I may not forget the coincidence of this celestiall messenger with the present Synode at Dort diuine prouidence actually with the rayes of this new Comet dispelling those foggie mists which began to ouer-shadow the glorious light of Euangelicall veritie Neither may I omit that Comets doe often appeare that the workes of God may be made manifest in them as our Sauiour said in another case or as S. Paul that by these visible things we may know the inuisible God by these new celestiall blazons labouring to eleuate our deiected eyes and base cogitations from earth to the contemplation of his power wisdome and goodnesse in these glorious lights most apparant Coeli enarrant gloriam Dei The heauens declare the glorie of the Lord saith the royall Prophet How often is he rapt vp in the contemplation of the starres Yea doth not God himselfe expostulating with Iob make mention of the celestiall Hieroglyphicks the sweet influence of the Pleiodes the bonds of Orion Mazzaroth the sonnes of Arcturus and the crooked Serpent S. Paul reprouing the Athenians blinde deuotion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the vnknowne God doth refute them by testimonie of their owne Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for we are also his ofspring the very words of Aratus the Greeke Poet and in that very poeme wherein he at large deciphereth the emblematicall configurations of the starres Certainly if S. Paul were now againe on the earth and should to some alleadge this Astronomicall Poet they would not faile with the Athenians to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He seemes to be a setter forth of strange Gods or exclaime with Festus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul thou art beside thy selfe too much learning doth make thee mad But these madde Ignoramus must be cured with Hellebore and not with words More commendable was the endeuour of Hipparchus who vpon occasion of a new starre was stirred vp to such admiration that hee attempted a more then humane act to number the starres vnto posteritie to measure their distances and set forth their respectiue situations yea to leaue the heauen it selfe as it were an inheritance to all men if any in future times would be found to vnderstand so rare a complot But how few in so many after ages two thousands of yeeres haue taken possession of this heauenly heritage How few Caesars and Alphonses haue patronized this noble science I cannot but bewaile this great neglect But I hope this new Messenger from Heauen doth bring happie tidings of some munificent and liberall Patron to these rauishing but impouerishing studies by whose gracious bountie the most recondite mysteries of this abstruse and diuine science shall at length be manifested Now for a finall closure to this impolished discourse Whatsoeuer euill this new Comet may presage the signe be to them that hate vs and the interpretation thereof to our enemies But whatsoeuer good it can promise the God of Heauen who there placed it confirme them all to his royall Maiestie and Great Britaines Monarchie AMEN From my house in London neere All-hallowes in the Wall this last of Decemb. 1618. How the Planisspheare is delineate The Ecliptique Parallels of latitude Circles of longitude Aequinoctiall line Pictured Constellations The stars places How the Comet was obserued The Cometary line Amongst what Constellations Inclination to the Aequinoctiall To the Ecliptique The Comets motion in this line A little swifter at the first To finde it by the Planispheare Note ther gu'arity thereof Scarse one fourth part of the Moones motion In one exact great circle Astronomicall propositions cocerning the Comets motion The Comets motion in Longitude and latitude Continually retrograde But not from Saturne From whence was caused his retrogression Slower in the beginning Comets declination from the Aequinoctiall Was not at first ouer Spaine Ouer what place How to know ouer whose head it was eueryday When ouer Spaine Over London To finde the Comets declination by the planisphere The alteration of his rising Seen after Sun-set The Comets blazing stream
AN ASTRONOMICALL DESCRIPTION OF the late Comet from the 18. of Nouemb. 1618. to the 16. of December following With certaine Morall Prognosticks or Applications drawne from the Comets motion and irradiation amongst the celestiall HIEROGLYPHICKS BY VIGILANT AND DILIGENT obseruations of IOHN BAINBRIDGE Doctor of Physicke and louer of the Mathematicks יהוה Lift up your eyes on hie and behold who hath created these things Isai 40. LONDON Printed by Edward Griffin for Henry Fetherstone 1618. TO THE IMPERIALL MAIESTY of GREAT BRITAINES Monarch JAMES c. Most gracious Soueraigne IT was the counsell of Aristides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To worship GOD with consecration of Temples but to honour Noble personages with Dedication of bookes following this aduice I beganne not long since the description of Great Britaines Monarchy in three Columnes Historicall Panegyricall and Prophylacticall intending thereby to stir vp your leige people to a religious admiration of Gods wonderfull Prouidence in vniting these two famous Kingdomes into one Monarchy to a iust acknowledgement of our exceeding happinesse therein as also to an vnanimous desire and endeauour for the absolute Vnion and perpetuall preseruation thereof In the meane time Heauen it selfe offered a faire occasion to manifest the feruent zeale long smothered in my loyall breast towards your MAIESTY the late strange and admirable Comet which hath filled so many eies with his rayes and their thoughts with Meteors or doubts An Astronomicall description whereof delineated in a celestiall Planisphere with some briefe touches in the Prognostickes and Morall applications thereof I humbly offer to your princely Excellence beseeching you to proiect the beames of your sweete and gracious influence both on it and the Authour that as the glorious Sunne of Heauen with his resplendence enlightned this otherwise obscure Comet So your MAIESTIE our terrestiall all Phaebus would vouchsafe to illustrate Your Maiesties most humble and loyall Subiect IOHN BAINBRIDGE Sereniss BRITANNIARVM Maiestati XAĪPE COELESTE Rex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dijs charissime Salue Britannis optime Saluere iussit nuncius Coeli comatus regia Spargens Eoi munera Quacunque transit sydera Salue canūt Rex maxime Salue Britannis optime Nec non amoris tesseras Iungunt saluti nobiles Hermes potentē virgulam Et Libra iustè pendulas Lances aristam floridam Virgo Coronā Gnossiam Serpens ocellum prouidū Fortis Bootes hastulam Arctusque regno saecula Optat beato plurima Rex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dijs charissime Salue Britannis optime I. B. Errata PAg. 3. l. 31. for head read taile Pag. 6. l. 6. put out of Planets Pag. 7. l. 7. for 27. read 30. Pag 7. l. 20. for eleuenth read twelfth P. 9. l. 10. for 18. read 15. P. 14. l. 12. for vnfold obscure read vnfold this obscure DEO OPT MAX SACRUM Augustiss Brittanniarum Monarchae Franciaeque regi IACOBO 1. Foelix noui anni auspicium et D Astronomiae tandem instaurandae Symbolum fecit vouitque Ioh Bambridgius Med Doctor Cometae qui effulsit Anno 1618 descriptio a 18 Nou ad 16 Decemb. An astronomicall Description of the late Comet or blazing-star I Hope there bee none so farre more precize then wise as to thinke it vnlawfull to looke on this celestiall Signe with other then vulgar and poreblinde eyes which were still to maintaine ignorance mother of deuotion Or if any such there be I shall meet with them in the closure of this Treatise and therefore without further tedious Prologue May it please you to suruay this celestiall Planisspheare whose lineaments are optically proiected vpon a plaine touching the Ecliptique in the twentieth degree of the dodecatemory of Libra the eye being placed in the center of the Spheare from whence all the great circles doe appeare right lines as they are in the chart protracted Which thing is of speciall vse in our present businesse as you shall anon perceiue for which cause I preferred this new manner of proiection though to my greater paines before any other in common practise The lowest line of all is the Ecliptique line from which the Sunne as other Planets doe to some few degrees neuer strayeth The crooked prickt lines bee parallels of latitude from the Ecliptique towards the Articke Pole therof the space betwixt euery two lines is fiue degrees The other right lines falling down perpendicular on the Ecliptique be circles of longitude beginning at the fifth degree of Virgo and so forwards to the fifth of Sagittary the spaces be also fiue degrees by these two kinde of lines it is easie to finde the longitude and latitude of any starre in the chart and also of the Comer These circles of longitude do in the Spheare concurre in the pole but this proiection in plano doth keep them parallel or at a continued equall distance each from other From the beginning of Libra towards Capricorne is extended the aequinoctiall line to whose intersections with the Ecliptique when the Sun commeth the nights and dayes bee equall as alwayes in all places of the earth vnder the same From this line towards each Pole is counted the declinations of Stars the greatest part of this Planispheare is on the Arcticke or Northerne side but these things are plainely remonstrate to the eye in the chart and therefore I will make no further explanation of them neither of the Constellations emblematically pourtrayed according to the mysticall Hieroglyphicks of ancient Sages The place of each particular starre is correspondent to the most accurate obseruations of the illustrious Prince William late Lant Graue of Hessen and that tresnoble Dane Tycho Brahe of whose admirable Vranicall instruments many honourable witnesses are still suruiuing But it for whom all this preparation is made is the late Comet whose delineation is taken from mine owne vigilant and diligent obseruations with Geometricall instruments especially the Radius or Crosse-staffe eternized by the heroike Poet Descripsit radio totum qui Gentibus orbem Tempora quae messor quae curuus arator haberet Who with his Iacobs staffe suruay'd the ground Did measure times and all the Heauens round The first occasion and particular manner of which obseruations with the scrupulous and punctuall places of the Comet from them by necessity of sphericall triangles deducted I leaue to my Latine Cometography which if these labours finde acceptance at home I will adorne for Franckfurt of whose more curious and ample demonstrations this little chart is a true Synopticke Epitome wherein may at once bee seene the Comets place as it daily appeared in the concaue surface of Heauen the line of his proper motion appearing in the Heauens to be the arch of a perfect great circle crosseth the Ecliptique in the 15 degree with ½or thereabouts of Scorpio running through the Constellation of Libra ouerthwart Arctophylax along the extent of his left arme by the taile of Vrsa maior towards the Pole Arctick but a little
aboue the spheare of Mercury Wherefore it is no such strange distance from the earth that I assigne to this our Comet 600. semidiameters of the earth which is but â…“ of the Suns distance I might iustly account this Comet higher but I will keepe within the limites of my obseruations And for your better satisfaction reduce this distance into english miles allowing by the statute of 25. Elizabethae 5280. foote to a mile 3834. of these miles to the earths Semidiameter therein following the late ingenious and painefull measurations of Willebrordus Snellius Wherefore the Comets distance from the earth was uot lesse then 2300000. english miles whereas the Moone when she is neerest is little more then 200900. miles The irradiation also of this Comets streame though in the end it seemed very short was sometime extended to a wonderfull length more then 2000000. miles which is nothing to the Sunnes ejaculation of his beames vpon the earth more then 6900000. miles From the Comets distance doth necessarily follow the vast globositie of his body though to vs his diameter seemed but a few minutes which being no lesse then 4. minutes will extend to 2668. miles which is â…“ almost of the earths diameter and therefore the Comets bulke was at least 1 27 of the whole earth and not fully twice greater then the Moone but the Comet compared to the Sunne was scarce 1. to 8000. so little is this great Comet in respect of that glorious lampe and yet the Sunne but a point to the immense spheare of fixed starres and all this lesse then nothing in comparison of that infinite Circle Cuius centrum est vbiquè circumferentia nusquam The center of whose presence and prescience is euery where and his limits no where That great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Creator who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand meeted out heauen with a spanne comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure watghed the mountaines in scales and the hills in a balance O Lord when I consider the Heauens the worke of thy fingers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordained what is man that thou art mindfull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him This Comets huge distance from the earth and vast magnitude will cause to vanish all these smoakie exhalations which by common opinion being by the caelestiall light attracted from the earth into the higher regions of the aire are there condensed and by motion set on fire continually burning in the forme of a Comet vntill all the materiall be spent But this Comet was farre aboue the highest ascent of grosse and sulphurous exhalations his quantitie more then could be caused by a great part of the earth turned into smoake his motion too regular and his durance too long for such wandring and soone vanishing exhalations Those Philosophers who still walke in the way of the Gentiles are afraide to induce generation or any other mutation into the heauens rather choosing to follow their blinde guide who denied the world to haue any beginning or ending then to beleeue the infallible truth of sacred Scripture Others haue beene scrupulous to conceit any creation since that first Saboth But whether this Comet and the like were caused by efficacie of nature the ordinary power which God hath put into all his creatures compacting the liquid aetheriall substance or whether by the immediate power of the worlds Architect qui dixit facta sunt mandauit creata sunt Spake and they were made commanded and they were created a new matter was presently created I will not here curiously dispute either of these waies doth acknowledge a celestiall matter and diuine prouidence It were vaine to refute those who haue imagined Comets and new starres to be made of the Galaxia or milkie way for so before this day would all that milke haue beene turned into curds neither is that way any whit more condense then the rest of the heauen but onely an irradiation of innumerable starres close together as the Telescopium doth ocularly demonstrate Neither shall I need to reproue those ancient Philosophers who in the dawning of Astronomie thought Comets to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a co-apparition of Planets seeming to touch one another or as our simple vulgar still doe some planet especially Merc. or Venus appearing after a long latitat vnder the Sun beames or some fixed starre disguised I know not how with borrowed locks Not much vnlike to some late writers who suppose Comets to be starres from the beginning created but hidden in the deepe abysse of heauen and at certaine times descending lower become visible to the earth But whatsoeuer was the materiall of this Comet howsoeuer compact and dissolued I am enforced in conclusion of this Astronomicall part to lie prostrate at the Almighties power in the globositie thereof to admire his wisdome in the motion and adore his goodnesse in the present apparition MORALL PROGNOSTICKS or Applications of the late Comet or Blazing-Starre Tu Iupiter me ducito Fatalitas Great God that doest all future things effect Inspire my thoughts with truth my pen direct IT now remaines with my readers friendly censure to point a Mercuriall finger in the Prognosticks especially the morall applications of this new Comet by diuine prouidence set on the high Olympian Mount to some the Herald of wrath but to others the ioyfull Embassador of peace and mercy the place and body thereof farre surmounting the region and no lesse excelling the matter of common Meteors the signification also doth as much transcend their effects being not so much a cause as they be of elementary alterations as a colestiall signe of greater consequents There be not yet lacking some who erect Chancels to the blinde Goddesse Chance sacrificing to that abominable Idoll not without impious contumelie of the omnipotent God vile contempt of his power and prouidence in the fabrique and regiment of the world These true Epicuri de grege pâ—rci filthy and brutish swine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose God as the Apostle saith is their bellie wallowing in the mire of voluptuous sensualitie little regard the apparition of these new celestiall signes taking more care to frizle and brisle their superfluous haire than of this Comets blazing lockes These Epicurean pigs in stead of sober Elegies grunt forth their wanton Ditties Viuamus mea Lesbia atque amemus Rumoresque senum seueriorum Omnes vnius aestimemus assis Soles occidere redire possunt Nobis cùm semel occidit breuis lux Nox est perpetuò vna dormienda Come Lesbia let vs liue and loue What though grim Sires vs reproue A doyt for all their wise aduise The Sunne may set and eftsoones rise But when our wastfull blase is past Darke night with vs for aye will last Procul procul ô prophani Deus En Deus
Away away prophane irreligious wretches it is God it is God omnipotent and omniscient to the wicked most fearfull and terrible to the repentant most gracious and mercifull that appeares in these celestiall signes I might easily fill a volume with verses of holy enraged Poets who haue sounded a loud alarme of these blazing starres yea and confirme their propheticke lines with particular histories of the strange mutations ensuing these presages both in Church and Common weale Let that Epiphonema of Manilius to Augustus Caesar suffice Nunquam futilibus excanduit ignibus aether The earth in vaine did neuer gaze When Comets in the skie doe blaze But I list not to be an ominous Scrich-owle I had rather be the Halcyon of calme serenitie which doubtlesse I shall be if our selues hinder not Ne mirere graueis rerumque hominumque ruinas Saepè domi culpa est nescimus credere coelo Maruell not if strange ruines men doe greeue The fault 's at home heauen we not beleeue My deare Countrimen Heauen forbid that I should be to you a Cassandra but a Calchas Will you haue my lines the comfortable raies of Phoebus more true then those Delphicke Oracles Will you not haue this Comet an infortunate Helene and wofull messenger of tempest Then cast ouer boord sleepie disobedient Ianas let no rebellious transgressions no sinfull fugitiues lurke and snort in your Cabines Preuent the diuine anger with timely and serious repentance then dare I say to you with Ieremiah feare not the signes of heauen at which the heathen are dismaide Indeede Charlemaine did religiously answere in this very case That he feared not the signe but the great and potent Creator thereof yet I suppose that iealous feare wrought much in the Emperours feeble spirits ready of themselues to vanish through age It was more couragiously replied by Vespasian as Dion reports when the apparition of a Comet was thought to portend his death No said he this bushie starre noteth not me but the Parthian King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he hath the Comets lockes I am bald And insooth those Gorgons heads whose snakie haires of filthy and loathsome sinnes affright earth and prouoke heauen haue only or speciall cause to suspect these caelestiall signes but others that can be content to cut off these monstrous and vicious lockes yea preferre the baldnesse of Innocencie before the curles of Iniquity need not to feare but rather hope that these new Starres be to them the rayes of diuine fauour and goodnesse What this Comet doth in particular signifie is not possible to declare without an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or diuine inspiration Nouit Deus omnia solus Quae sunt quae fuerint quae mox ventura trahantur God onely knowes and none but He What is what was and what shall be Yet to discend somewhat lower then Vniuersalities That blessed Starre which conducted the Magi to Christs poore but sacred nurcery of whose incarnation and happinesse to mankinde thereby that Starre was an heauenly Harbenger doth enforce me often to thinke that those many new stars and Comets which haue beene more this last Century of the world then in many ages before did amongst other things signifie that glorious light of the Gospell which hath lately illumined the whole world About the preaching of Luther were at least fiue Comets in tenne yeares after which followed the happy departure of Germany England and many other Northerne parts from the spirituall Babylon This new Comet doth giue vs hope that the rest of Christendome before long will follow and so at length shall be verified the Prophesie of Sybilla vpon occasion of these new stars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rome shall againe become a forlorne and desert village or sheep-coat Did not our Fathers finde the Comet in 1558. to be a signe of much happinesse to the persecuted Protestants in England and Germany yea did not that admirable new Starre in Cassiopaea 1572. and that remarkable Comet 1577. plainly from heauen remonstrate that howsoeuer the Euangelicall Churches in France and the Low-countries might be for a time greiuously afflicted yet maugre Sathan and all his hellish Furies they should at length flourish and triumph ouer their cruell aduersaries Besides these regions of Europe a blessed light hath in this age shined to another world which did long fit in most fearefull darkenesse I meane the East and West Indies I am verily perswaded that the new Star which appeared so long from September 1604. to Ianuary 1606. in the foot of Serpentarius hauing coincidance with the great coniunction of the three superiour Planets and that other so many yeares in Cygnus doth promise being with this present Comet conformed a more cleare illustration of those remote regions with the resplendent light of saluation according to our Sauiours Oracle Praedicabitur Euangelium hoc in vniuerso terrarum orbe And this Gospell shall be preached throughout the whole earth Which giues vs hope that his other gracious promise shall shortly be accomplished And Ierusalem shall be troden downe by the Gentiles vntill the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled Which certainly shall precede the second comming of our blessed Sauiour Fore runners whereof he saith shall be signes in the Sunne Moone and Starres To draw neerer home not by the rules of vulgar Astrologie whose precepts I esteeme no better then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phantasticke dreames as Metrocles said of his bookes which hee consecrated to Vulcan but directed by these celestiall Hieroglyphickes in which I may say as the Poet long agoe Sapientibus per ambages fata eloqui Fatuis magistrum prorsus esse inutilem The Fates by winding riddles Wisemen teach In vaine to fools though ne'r so plain you preach Directed I say by this Hieroglyphicke doctrine as by a sure Cynosure and conducting Pole-starre I dare boldly affirme that this Comet being followed in his Emblemated motion is to great Britaines Maiestie and Monarchie Signum foelix faustum fortunatum An auspicious signe of great honour and happinesse About the 17. of Nouember the Comet was in coniunction with Mercury supposed by the ancients the Messenger and Interpreter of Heauen Patrone of Arts and trafficke this fortunate meeting was neere the Ecliptique on this Northerne side as if Royall Phaebus had sent him to entertaine this new Embassador with ioyfull embraces and honourably to receiue him into these arcticke regions yea as it were to giue him some speciall charge from the great Monarch of the Starrie Empire And here me thinks the East Indies do by these two Legates present great Britaine with her odoriferous and healthfull spices her precious Iewels and other orientall riches The place of this congresse is most remarkable amidst the balance of Libra which the Comet passing through doth withall as it were from Heauen proclaime to Prince and people discite iustitians