The Northern Star The British Monarchy OR The Northern the Fourth Universal Monarchy CHARLES II and his Successors the Founders of the Northern Last Fourth and most Happy Monarchy BEING A Collection of many choice Ancient and Modern PROPHECIES Wherein also the Fates of the Roman French and Spanish Monarchies are occasionally set out 1678. Inclitus exurget factis Princeps 1678. This Year doth a brave Prince up-rouze For great Atchievments Glorious See the Heart Prophecy below Chap. x. A Carolo Carolus Borealibus editus oris Siqua fides magno major erit Carolo. Grebner Charles Son of Charles greater than Charles the Great Born North there sets the Fourth Monarchick Seat Et prodesse volunt dilectare Prophetae The intent of these Prophecies Is both to profit and to please LONDON Printed by J. D. and are to be sold by most Booksellers 1680. The Publisher's Admonition to the Reader concerning the Contents of this Book and the Authors intents in the present Publication of these Prophecies THe Author of this Collection as is manifest was a Faithful and a Loyal Subject of the Kingdom of Great Britain a Friend to their Friends and an Enemy to their Popish Enemies About the time he Collected these they in their Mock Parliament at the White-Horse and Wild-House had Condemned and Appointed his Majesty to Death according to their Irish Prophecy Plowed up by some Irish Heifer in a Copper Plate as they pretend in these words Principe magnanimo tellus viduata remansit Annis bis senis mensibus atque tribus Gallica quem peperit Gazis ubi Regna replevit Proh dolor heu facinus Fratris ab ense cadit And to accelerate this Execution they hired innumerable Assassins to fulfil this Prophecy hoping if they could then have taken Him off to have had the Army then raised at their command and reformed to their Minds to destroy first our Laws and Liberties and then our Religion Their friend Gadbury hath to sharpen and quicken their Malice let them understand that this Blow is to be struck now or never according to the following Chronogram by which his Majesty may be minded to take care of himself 1679. CaroLe te AngLIa heU genUIt sIC GaLLICa Mater HeI faCInUs LaesI * Jesuits Monks Friars are all Vowed and Sworn Brethren in this Iniquity Why are we so slow in our Resolves against them fratrIs ab ense rUIs Trust not thy Life dear Prince to their false word Who bare thy Throat to the fierce Jesuits Sword It is known that in the Fire of London the King was to be Assassinated And what hindred them then since one tried at the Old-Baily for foretelling it had nothing done to him In 1678 all Places full of the News as by Letters appeared from Virginia to Poland then Coniers laid his 100 Pounds of it Shortly after their Wild-House Consult they bargained also for this Collector's Life What he then designed appears in his Dedicatory to the King and in the Epistle and Postscript to the Reader He in his present Publication intends to provide such Antidote as is in his Power to their Traiterous Prognostications And to encourage his Majesties Guards and all his Countrymen vigilantly to oppose their malicious Designs against his Majesty's Life which God preserve and continue as he hath hitherto miraculously to the good of his People and ruine of all his Enemies Amen To the Imperial Majesty of CHARLES the Great of Great Britain France and Ireland King Lord of Carolina Virginia Jamaica the Isles and Plantations of the East Soveraign of both the Seas Defender of the True Ancient Catholick and Apostolick Faith Duke of Normandy c. Most High and Mighty Prince IT hath been the Wisdom of the most Couragious Powerful and Happy Kings to make use of Oracles and Prophecies to the advancement of their most glorious Designs These sometimes afforded them good Directions and always gave their Followers considerable Encouragements The Examples of all Histories Sacred and Prophane and of our Adversaries commend this Practice to our Imitation wherein we are incouraged by many great Advantages which we have over them The sacred Oracles are all for us that our Divines have demonstrated beyond all Contradiction Esdras whom some have recommended as Canonical Savanarola whom our Authors extol to the degree of Martyrdom and the Roman wise Historian and learned Philosophers advance to the eminence of a Saint and Prophet Tycho Brahe Grebner Baudensis and other reputed Astrologers with whom our Modern Foreign as well as Domestick Visions and Prophecies consent do all with one Voice promise admirable Success to that Northern Prince who Heads the Protestant League and Protects their Liberties That Star from Casiopaea's glorious Chair which gave light to all the World A. C. 1572 to observe the then new-born English Reformation those from the Swans Neck and Serpentarius Foot which illustrated the Access of your Royal Grand-Father to the British Monarchy whereof that in Cygnus An. 1600 ushered it and that in Ophiuchus An. 1604 attended it All three together give full and undeniable Testimony that this Honour is reserved to your Crown and Family And that most refulgent appearance of the most serene and beauteous Light of Heaven which exhilerated your Subjects at your happy Birth as it pointed out your Person to them so it gave utterance to their Joys in hopeful Predictions made all your People Prophets and turned their Prayers into Blessings and Prophecies Nor may your Imperial Name your Royal Emblems Impresa's Mottoes or Coyns be here forgotten wherein whilst you own Christ for your Guide and Hope and his Cross for your Standard your Kingdom must needs be the Kingdom of God and his Christ Your George is St. Michael as your Angel-Gold well interprets it and the Dragon whom he combats and treads under his Horse's Feet is the Head of that Kingdom which opposes Yours and seeks by the Serpentine snares of his Tail more than the open force of his Teeth to overthrow your Horse and his Rider It is the Finger of God which in that wonderful Agate which I have described at the foot of this Book hath distinguished his Kingdom and the Princes of our Faith from the Papacy and the rest of the World and thereby taught us to know who are with him and who against him Had you no other just Call or cause to gird on your Sword and go out as another Joshua Captain of the Lord's Hosts against his Enemies the publick Voice of your People who are the People of God sounding so long and loud in your Ears the Cries and Groans of the Oppressed through all Europe applying and appealing to your Throne as under God the only hopeful Protector of their Crowns Dignities Lives and Liberties bring you an undeniable Commission if I may not say a Command from Heaven Here if ever vox Populi is vox Dei The Voice of many Nations compared to the Roaring of many Waters is the
Voice of God God in them the Voice of Christendom is the Voice of Christ Christ in them Go on then for He who went out before Joshua and Israel his and their Captain-General is gone out before You as before him and before your People and Kingdom They who have begun to shake and fall shall fall and be removed before Yours and your Successors as they have fallen before the Swords of your Predecessors That I have to this purpose at large in this Book endeavoured to proclaim your Title plead your Cause gird on your Arms encourage your Souldiers and Confederate's Hearts open your Subjects Purses in so sacred an Expedition from Prophetick Stars Prodigies and no less than prodigious Dreams and Visions As I am assured it cannot but be grateful to all your Loyal People who would most gladly enlarge your Kingdom at the expence of their Blood and Treasure prolong your Life if it were possible with a prodigal Effusion of their own and give their whole Stock thereof reserving no Moments unto themselves to perpetuate your Reign in the Breath of whose Nostrils they draw what Life they now retain of Peace Joy Trade Liberty of Conscience above all Nations round about them So I hope this small Contribution collected out of my slender Stock will not be unacceptable thus seasonably presented to your Royal Hands By your Majesties most Loyal Affectionate Prostrate Clerk Servant Subject and sometimes Commissionated Chaplain E. T. Ad Regem Carolum Votum QUi Leo de Juda est flos de Jesse Leones Protegat stores Carole Magne tuos Hobby Let Judah's Lion and flow'r from Jesses Stem Keep Charles's Lions Flow'rs and Diadem 'T was by a Charles France once the Eagle got 'T was by a Charles the Spaniards drove that Lot Why may not Britain challenge the next Call And by a Charles be made Imperial Howel A Prophetick Epigram on the Pictures of the late King and Queen in one Table by Van-Dyke Filius hic magni Jacobi haec filia Magni Henrici soboles dic mihi qualis erit Qualis erit Qualem depinxit Homerus Achillem Marte consilio Nestora talis erit Son of Great James Daughter of Great Henry Tell me how great shall be their Progeny Greater than Homer painted with his Quill Achiles in Arms and Nestor in Council Grebner's Prophecy of the Year 1660. The faithful and true Warrier riding on a white Horse descendeth from Heaven with his Soldiers riding upon white Horses to fight against the Enemies of his Church c. See the future History of Europe Pag. 26. His Majestie 's unparallel'd happy peaceable Reception and those peaceable innocent voluntary Bands mustered to meet and entertain Him at his return and following him unto London a Shadow Earnest and Pledg of that blessed King and a lively demonstration of his Power shortly expected to appear in some like voluntary surprizing Confluence of like Noble Holy Innocent Troops when his Majesty shall be pleased to declare himself for such an Expedition as is here Predicted Aspice venturo laetentur ut omnia seclo See all rejoyce in the Presage Of the approaching happy Age. Da veniam subitis non displicuisse meretur Festinat Caesar qui placuisse tibi Pardon Great Sir what You cannot commend This haste to Please deserves not to Offend An Admonition to the Reader concerning the Title of the Fourth Monarchy given to this Book rather than that of the Fifth Monarchy so much doted on by some of our Days HIstorians have made their Four Monarchies according to the Rise and Fall of the Empires of several particular Nations 1. Assyrians 2. Persians 3. Grecians 4. Romans But this is a lame Division and comes far short of that Transcendent Metamorphosis of Humane Affairs which by comparing of Histories Observation of new Stars and Comets with the consideration of the Manners and Conditions of Men we may easily perceive must within this few Years from 1650 saith my Author be brought upon the World The learned Mathematicians and Astrologers who have more throughly searched into the secrets of Astrology and Nature more rightly place the Four Monarchies according to the four Coasts of Heaven 1. The Eastern Monarchy of the Assyrians some reckon the Persians into this 2. Southern of the Persians and Grecians bounded within the Circumference of 3600 miles or 11 degrees of Latitude 3. The Western Monarchy of the Romans 4. And lastly The Northern Monarchy by the Historical Account the Fifth must be of the Northern Lion who to the amazement of Christendom shall arise from the North Sea and pitch his Tents in the ashes of the Eastern and Western Monarchies Anonymus Future History of Europe 4o. See him and Sandivogius's Prophecy below Chap. 1. and the Philosophical Key at the end of this first Part Chap. ult The Epistle to the Reader THe Fourth Monarchy so numbred by the Learned Philosophers which some with the Historians do rather delight to call the Fifth gives all Men an hopeful Expectation that it will Transcend all that are gone before in excellent Purity of Religion and Perfection of happy Government Some Divines have been bold to entitle the Northern Kings of England Scotland Denmark and Sweden to it by applying unto them what is spoken of the Chariots of the Black Horses in Zachariah vi 8. and to the Reformation begun by them These are said by the Prophet to have gone out of the Brazen Mountains into the North and to have pacified God's Spirit and settled his Temple in the North Country See Michael Rotingius in the Margent concerning the Reformation of which this is the Translation Michael Rotingius on Zach. vi 8. THe Prophet Zacariah besides other things relates also what he saw concerning the Four Chariots what came forth from amongst the Brazen Mountains These Horses then go out into the whole World that they may build a Temple for our Lord Christ and that He may sit Lord and Christ upon his own Throne Now this is executed most swiftly as it were by the ministry of Horses But to what Point this whole Affair will at length arrive the Angel gives us to understand when speaking of the Black Horses which go into the North he thus expounds himself These shall make the Spirit of the Lord to rest in the Land of the North. By which words the last Times of the Church without doubt are signified Wee see the North most especially designed for the Seat of the Lord's Spirit by the Angel in the Prophet Let any Man saith he draw an Estimate of this from the beginning made at this time the Popish Abominations are in very many places renounced many have confuted their Impiety with the testimony of their Blood the People assemble in Towns and Villages with true Pastors they attend to the glad Tidings of the Gospel Schools are piously instituted where besides other good Arts and Learning necessary to instruct Youth in making a sound judgment of Affairs the
Doctrine of Piety is most exactly taught them whereby they become at once very Commendable and very Serviceable Private Families are better and more orderly governed and taught than the Publick Colledges were sometimes in the Universities So great is our Felicity that the Infant and Sucking-Child despises the Cockatrice and Addar Thus he of the First-fruits of the Reformation by which we may as he teaches us collect what the Harvest under the Fourth Monarchy may produce Michael Rotingius in Zach. vi 8. REcitat Zacharias Propheta praeter reliqua quae viderit ctiam de quatuor Quadrigis quae de medio aereorum montium egrediuntur Excunt Equi in totum orbem ut Christo Domino Templum edificent ipse Dominus Sacerdos super solio suo sedeat Id scilice administratur per equorum Ministerium velocissimè Sed tamen quo tandem haec res tota evasura sit Angelus per boc significat cum de nigris in Aquilonem euntibus sic interpretatur quod faceunt Spiritum Dei requiescere in Terram Aquilonis Quo haud dubiè ultima Ecclesiae tempora significata sunt Aquitonem vidimus ab Angelo in Propheta maximè designari pro sede Spiritus Domini Ab his initiis si quis nunc haec praesentia consideret cum abominationes Papisticae pluribuus locis abjectae sunt plures suo sanguine impietatem istam confutarunt populi in urbibus agris cum veris Pastoribus sunt Laetum Evangelii nuncium audiunt Scholae piae sunt ubi praeter reliquas Artâ—s bonas res necessarias ad sana de rebus judicia Doctrina pietatis exactissima traditur juventus ornatissima ac instructissima reditur Familiae Domesticae meliùs rectiùs instituuntur quam olim discentium in Scholis publicis Collegia fuerint Tanta faelicitas rerum est ut infans lactans Regulum Colubrum nihili faceant I must not presume here to the Honour of a Doctor of the Church or an Interpreter of the Divine Oracles I deal indeed with Prophets Seers Visions and Revelations but of an inferiour Class such as aspire not to any Place in the Sacred Canon Esdras himself who hath had that Reputation with some is left out by the Decree of the late Council of Trent and not without just Cause for all the latter Prophecies which have made the World ring with their Noise against Rome are but the Ecchoes of Esdras and only give us in his words often repeated the Fall of the Roman Empire as this Book will shew at large And I assure my self that whosoever hath any Veneration for Esdras cannot lightly despise the other who are manifestly inspired with the same Spirit The Sibylline Prophecies may seem to be of the same Extract as they are allowed to be of like Antiquity with Esdras but they are neither so Express nor particular in their Predictions Of what Spirit soever these Modern Prophecies were they are so considerable that he who by his Arms is reputed an Over-ballance to Europe thinks no scorn to seek in the Ashes of one of them some Encouragement to his Pretensions I hope then none will be offended if I put these Paper-Bullets in my Countrymens Mouths for their better Encouragement and Defence whilst they are Arming themselves and marching out in a Conjuncture more probable to fulfil what yet remains for them to do than any of their Adversaries yet had who have by force sought to corrupt and draw those Visions to their side Postellus for France and others on the Spanish side have long since mustered their Prophecies and Arguments whilst their Masters on each part were armed with vain hopes to prevail by them and fulfil them I begin with Esdras as the most Ancient most Reputed and from whom it is not hard for any Humane Spirit that had been well acquainted with his Text and considered his words to prophesy what our Modern Pretenders have set out with various Amplifications as the Spirit that conducted them did prompt or suggest And because our Romanists who look so big and with such strange Confidence against all Natural and Moral Reasons as well as all Prophetical Inspirations and Revelations think to drown all their Enemies in a deluge of Blood and to possess a desolated World alone are principally concerned I will give them Esdras in their own Doway Translation and then set down the lesser and more Modern Prophecies in the convenientest order I can contrive them the better to shew their consent with him and one another April 1648. Post-script January 1679. NB. THat the many late Sham-Prophecies which the Devil hath of late Ages and still doth more abundantly impose on the World are only like the Presbyterian-Plos his last refuge of Lyes to stop the Ears of those he can thereby seduce from believing true Plots and Prophecies under which by God's just Judgment they are thereby prepared to Suffer The Author of the Discourse of the Rise and Power of Parliaments now come to my hand hath Pag. 33. this remarkable Passage Though I am far from giving credit to any Prediction or Prophecy but these of Holy Writ yet I cannot but remember you of that old Latine one Rex Albus c. on which you know our Wishes taught us to six a pleasing Interpretation This Hint will bring to your mind what perhaps has not been there almost this 30 Years That both for his Innocency and accidental Snow that fell on his Hearse the late King Charles was that White King who for some time was to be the last in England That afterwards his Son should from beyond the Seas return to the Possession of his Crown and that in his Days Religion and Laws should be Reformed and Settled upon the eternal Foundation of Truth and Justice The fulfilling of this Prophecy now will seem as miraculous an effect of Providence as that of our Soveraign's Restauration and will as much eternize the Wisdom of the Parliament as the other our Loyalty Prosopopoea Britannica Even in every Nation Yea and almost in every Generation Some Poets have proved Prophets to foretell Things future many Years ere they befel And sure the Latines to imply the same To Poets and to Prophets give one * Vates The most ancient Delphic and Sibyline Oracles were in Verse Name A Post-script TO THE READER Courteous Friend ASsure thy self what ever Spirit dictated these Predictions whether they be Crumbs fallen to Dogs or Fragments of the Prophetick Bread broken by the Spirit of Christ in the Scriptures and therefore preserved by Disciples as well as they could in these homely Baskets or not that which they foretel will certainly in God's time by his Hand be effected by such Persons and in such times as he pleases in whose Power Instruments Times and Seasons are reserved And therefore the Kingdom shall certainly be restored to his Israel and that in the time of these Kings who gave their Power to the Whore but
they then shall become Nursing Fathers to his People hate her and burn her Flesh with Fire They who have seen the yet smoaking Ruines of Alsatia are witnesses for Austria France and Italy of what issue these Wars will have and what the Fomentors of them may expect at last The intent of the worthy Authors and former Publishers of these Prophecies was to reprove and admonish the Roman Church and Empire because of their cruel Persecutions and to comfort and encourage the Suffering Church and People under their Afflictions by a prospect of God's Justice on their Enemies certainly Predicted and partly Executed as an earnest of their Deliverance and Testimony to the truth of these Prophecies This is a Mite cast into the same Treasury and may serve to whet the Courages of their Armed and steell the Patience of their Suffering Friends What was said of the old Roman Valour is much more true of the Christian Patience Saepe pugna nunquam bello victi Though the Valiant Men on both sides like those twelve that played before Joab and Abner fall equally David's Kingdom the Kingdom of God's Beloved shall grow stronger and Saul's the Kingdom of Hell weaker And if any think the Subject too light I must be content to suffer with Picus Scaliger Bibliander if their Quotations out of Primitive Fathers help them not as well as me which may be produced hereafter if this Essay meet not with too much Discouragement These Prophecies were Collected in season when it was expected that according to our Interest we might have headed the Protestant Party with the then new raised Forces and therewith have covered the Roman Empire it self now manifestly going to Ruine and falling to Powder betwixt the mighty Bodies that press upon it on both sides as well as by its own internal Divisions in its Iron and Clay Supporters They were first thrown together as it were in Jest to oppose those Prophecies wherewith the French vainly did tickle and swell their Ambition with the vast expectations of an unjust usurped absolute Tyranny over the free People of Europe in which they have mistaken grosly the Nature of the Monarchy they affect as well as the Body which must be headed by it Had the Collector been serious he could have confuted them by unanswerable Arguments out of holy Writ and shewed them that the Fourth Monarchy is the Kingdom of Christ whose Commission from his Father is not for his own who needs nothing but for the Publick Good and Interest of the Christian World his Bliss being to do them good and his Glory to encrease the number of his Subjects and their Peace Wealth and Godliness It might have been shown that tho the Western great Toe France now and Spain heretofore may be formidably swoln in its proportions in the Popish as the Turkish in the Mahometan Antichristian World yet neither the one nor the other shall ever come into one Stump Foot but contrariwise if Daniel or Ezra be a Prophet moult away break or be broken to pieces be ground to Powder and scattered by the Wind over the Face of the whole Earth But we need not heave so weighty a Maul to kill a Flie nor are these Prophecies upon second view found so light but that they will much overpoise what hath or can be said on the other side nor perhaps are they now altogether unseasonable considering with what Impudence their false Prophets have lately given out their Hellish Oracles against his Majesties Life And with what horrid Malice they seek to engage and provoke their wicked Instruments to fulfil them This was written as appears by the Date of the Epistle in the Author's Manuscript yet extent about the time of their execrable Consult at Wild House their Mock-Parliament against his Majesties Life who knows but it may now Published serve to repel the Spirits of some of their audacious Instruments that they may not grow too Wise and Confident in their own Folly I hope I may be allowed to answer something to them according thereto First To their Astrologer Briggs the great Mathematician long ago assured us That the expert and learned Astrologer would be able out of any Schemes to draw Judgments so contradictory upon well ballanced Testimonies that the common Astrologers Oracles must be as uncertain from his Art as the Delphick themselves Nor can any Man doubt of the uncertainty of Astrologers Predictions who shall take the pains to compare the different Calculations of our famed Astrologers for instance of Gadbury and Partridge in that which they call the Vernal Figure this Year or Transit of ☉ into ♈ To Gadbury it is at two of the Clock and 50 minutes after Noon and to Partridge at 5 of the Clock and 14 minutes Gad. hath the 27th of ♌ on the Cusp of the first House and Part. hath ♠22. The tenth House or Mid-Heaven as they call it is with Gad. ♉ 15 with Part. ♊ 10 yet hence they each of them Predict as confidently the Fates of King Kingdom and People as if they were agreed of the same moment of time and minute of the Ascendents degree ♄ is with Gad. in the 11th House with Part. in the middle of the 10th intercepted in ♋ as they call it ♃ with Gad. within one degree of the very cusp of the 9th with Part. within 4 of the cusp of the 10th ♂ and ☉ to Gad. in the 8th to Part. in the 7th And which is much worse ☽ in the 18th ♠in the 14th House with Gad. and in the o. 29. of ♠in the 3d to Part. If these Men from so different Calculations both write true then Astrology must needs be as Infallible as his Holiness who never errs be the Premises by which he judges never so false as of late when he condemn'd the Articles in Jansenius of Heresy that neither he nor any Man else could ever find in his Books But let us examine our Catholick Almanack and Presbyterian-Plot-maker Leo cor Leonis c. ascends the Horoscope there he concludes the People of England high Elevated Aspiring Ambitious Torrent like Contradicting Subtle to compass unreasonable ends a Spirit of Pride let loose amongst us and of Fraud Hypocrisy to Entrap Ensnare betray Friends our own party of the same Feather Thence he threatens the briskest of the Contriving Tribe that is in plain terms he threatens and would Intimidate the King 's and Kingdoms Evidence and their Patrons and all good Patriots and particularly him who hath ♌ for his Horoscope ♄ for his Enemy by which if he mean superstititous Friars Monks and Jesuits he needed not have lifted his Head so high as Heaven to tell us That his Converse with them on Earth assured him better and it is manifest what his Book drives at But Partridge who had no such design to Intimidate or Abuse the Commons of England from their just Resentment and Prosecution of the Bloody Traytors and theirs and their Soveraign's implacable Enemies nor to
most wicked and thy Heads malignant and thy Tallons most wicked and all thy Body vain 46. That all the Earth may be refreshed and may return delivered from thy violence and may hope for his Judgment and Mercy that made it Esdras iv Chap. xii 1. ANd it came to pass while the Lion spake these words to the Eagle I saw 2. And behold the Head that overcame and those four Wings appeared not which passed to him and were set up to Reign and their Reign was small and full of Tumult 3. And I saw and behold they appeared not and all the body of the Eagle was burnt and the Earth was afraid exceedingly 10. This is the interpretation of this Vision 11. The Eagle which thou sawest coming up from the Sea this is the Kingdom which was seen in a Vision to Daniel thy Brother Marg. Dan. vii 7. 12. But it was not interpreted to him therefore I do now interpret it to thee 13. Behold the day is come and there shall arise a Kingdom upon Earth and the fear shall be more terrible than all the Kingdoms that were before it 14. And there shall twelve Kings Reign in it one after another 15. For the second shall begin to Reign and he shall continue more time than the rest of the twelve 16. This is the interpretation of the twelve Wings which thou sawest 17. And the Voice that spake which thou heardest not coming forth from her Heads but from the middle of her Body 18. This is the interpretation That after the time of that Kingdom shall rise no small Contentions and it shall be in danger to fall and it shall not fall then but shall be Constituted again according to the beginning thereof 19. And whereas thou sawest the eight under Wings cleaving to the Wings thereof 20. This is the interpretation Eight Kings shall rise in it whose Times shall be light and Years swift and two of them shall perish 21. But when the midst time approacheth it shall be kept till a time when the time thereof shall begin to approach to be ended yet two shall be kept to the end 22. And whereas thou fawest three Heads resting 23. This is the interpretation In her last days the Highest will raise up three Kingdoms and will call back many things to them and they shall rule over the Earth 24. And them that dwell in it with much labour above all them that were before them for this cause they are called the Heads of the Eagle 25. For these shall be they that shall recapitulate her Impieties and that shall accomplish her last things 26. And whereas thou sawest a greater Head not appearing this is the interpretation thereof That one of them shall die upon his Bed and yet with Torments 27. For the two that shall remain the Sword shall eat them 28. For the Sword of the one shall devour him that is with him but yet this also at the last shall fall by the Sword 29. And whereas thou sawest two under Wings passing over the Head which is on the right side 30. This is the interpretation thereof These are they whom the Highest hath kept to their end this is a small Kingdom and full of trouble 31. As thou sawest the Liou also whom thou sawest awaking out of the Wood and roaring and speaking unto the Eagle and rebuking her and his injustices by all his words as thou hast heard 32. This is the Wind which the Highest hath kept to the end for them and their Impieties and shall rebuke them and shall cast in their spoils before them 33. For he shall set them in Judgment alive and it shall be when he hath reproved them then shall he chastise them 34. For the rest of my People he shall deliver with misery them that are saved upon my Borders and he shall make them joyful till the end shall come the Day of Judgment whereof I have spoken to thee from the beginning 35. This is the Dream which thou sawest and these be the interpretations CHAP. XIII 1. ANd it came to pass after seven days and I dreamed a Dream in the Night 2. And behold there arose a Wind from the Sea that troubled all the Waves thereof 3. And behold that Man grew strong with thousands of Heaven 25. These are the interpretations of the Vision Whereas thou sawest a Man coming from the heart of the Sea 26. The same is he whom the Highest preserveth much time which by himself shall deliver his Creature and he shall dispose them that are left 29. Behold the days come when the Highest shall begin to deliver them that are upon the Earth 30. And he shall come in excess of mind upon them that inhabit the Earth 31. And one shall think to overthrow another One City another City one Place another Place and Nation against Nation and Kingdom against Kingdom 32. And it shall be when these Things shall come to pass and the Signs shall happen which I shewed thee before And then shall my Son be revealed whom thou sawest as a Man coming up 33. And it shall be when all Nations shall hear his Voice And every one in his Country shall leave their War that they have towards each other 34. And an innumerable multitude shall be gathered in one as willing to come to overthrow him 35. But he shall stand upon the top of Mount Sion 36. And Sion shall come and it shall be shewed to all prepared and builded as thou sawest the Mountain to be graven without Hands 39. And whereas thou sawest him gather to him another peaceable Multitude 40. Those are the ten Tribes English Esdras xi 1. THen I saw a Dream and behold there came up from the Sea an Eagle which had twelve feathered Wings and three Heads 2. And I saw and behold she spread her Wings over all the Earth and all the Winds of the Air blew on her and gathered themselves 3. And I beheld and out of her Feathers grew out other contrary Feathers and they became little Feathers and small 4. But her Heads remained still and the Head in the midst was greater than the other Heads yet rested it with them 5. Moreover I saw that the Eagle flew with her Feathers and reigned upon the Earth and over them that dwell therein 6. And I saw that all things under Heaven were subject unto her and no Man spoke against her no not one Creature upon Earth 7. I saw also that the Eagle stood upon her Claws and spake to her Feathers saying 8. Watch not altogether sleep every one in his own place and watch by course 9. But let the Heads be preserved for the last 10. Nevertheless I saw that the Voice went not out of her Heads but from the midst of her Body 11. Then I 〈◊〉 her country Feathers and behold there were eight of them 12. And I looked and behold on the right side there arose one Feather and reigned over all the Earth 13. And
when it had reigned the end of it came and the place thereof appeared no more so the next stood up and reigned it continued a long time 14. And when it had reigned the end of it came also and as the first so it appeared no more 15. Then there came a Voice unto it and said 16. Hear thou that hast kept the Earth so long this I say unto thee before thou beginst to appear no more 17. There shall none after thee attain to thy time nor to the half thereof 18. Then arose the third and reigned as the other afore and it appeared no more also 19. So it came to all the others one after another so that every one reigned and then appeared no more 20. Then I looked and behold in process of time the Feathers that followed stood upon the right side that they might rule also and some of them ruled but within a while they appeared no more 21. For some of them were set up but ruled not 22. After this I looked and the twelve Feathers appeared no more nor the two Wings 23. And there was no more on the Eagle's body but two Heads that rested and six Wings 24. Then saw I also that two Wings divided themselves from the six and remained under the Head that was on the right side for the four continued in their place 25. So I looked and behold the under Wings thought to set up themselves and to have the Rule 26. Then was there one set up but shortly it appeared no more 27. And the second was sooner gone than the first 28. Then I beheld and lo the two that remained thought also in themselves to Reign 29. And when they so thought behold there awaked one of the Heads that was at rest which was in the midst for that was greater than the two 30. And I saw that two Heads were joyned therewith 31. And behold the Head was turned with them that were with it and did eat up the under two Wings that would have Reigned 32. But the Head put the whole Earth in fear and bear Rule in it over all those that dwelt upon Earth with much Labour and it had the Government of the World more than all the Wings that had been 33. After this I looked and beheld the Head that was in the midst suddenly appeared no more as did the Wings 34. But the two Heads remained which also Ruled likewise upon the Earth and over those that dwelt therein 35. And I beheld and lo the Head upon the right side devoured it that was upon the left side 36. Then I heard a Voice which said unto me Look before thee and consider the thing that thou seest 37. So I saw and behold as it were a Lion that roareth running hastily out of the Wood and I saw that he sent out a Mans Voice unto the Eagle and said 38. Hear thou I will talk unto thee and the most High shall say unto thee 39. Art not thou that who of the four Beasts remainest whom I made to Reign in my World that by them the end of Times might come 40. And the fourth is come and hath overcome all the Beasts that were past and hath power over the World with great fearfulness and over the whole compass of the Earth with most wicked Oppression and that dwelleth so long time in all the World with Deceipt 41. For thou hast not judged the Earth with Truth 42. Seeing thou hast troubled the Meek thou hast hurt the Peaceable and thou hast loved the Lyars and destroyed the Dwellings of those that brought forth fruit and hast cast down the Walls of such as did thee no harm 43. Therefore is thy wrongful dealing come up unto the most High and thy pride unto the Mighty 44. The most High also hath looked upon the proud Times and behold they are ended and their abominations are fulfilled 45. Therefore appear no more thou Eagle nor thy horrible Wings nor thy wicked Feathers nor thy malicious Heads and thy wicked Claws nor all thy vain Body 46. That all the Earth may be refreshed and come again as one delivered from thy Violence and that she may hope for the Judgment and Mercy of him that made her CHAP. xii 1. ANd when the Lion spake these words to the Eagle I saw 2. And behold the Head that had the upper hand appeared no more neither did the four Wings appear any more that came to it and set up themselves to Reign whose Kingdom was small and full of Uproars 3. And I saw and behold they appeared no more and the whole body of the Eagle was burnt so that the Earth was in great fear Then I awaked out of the trouble and trance of my Mind and from the great fear c. 10. Then said he unto me this is he interpretation of this Vision 11. The Eagle which thou sawest come up from the Sea is the Kingdom which was seen in the Vision of thy Brother Daniel 12. But it was not expounded unto him therefore I declare it unto thee 13. Behold the days come that there shall arise up a Kingdom upon the Earth and it shall be feared above all Kingdoms that were before it 14. In it shall twelve Kings Reign one after another 15. Whereof the second shall begin to Reign and shall have more time than the twelve 16. And this do the twelve Wings signifie which thou sawest 17. As for the Voice which thou heardst spake and that thou sawest not go out of the Heads but from the midst of the body thereof this is the interpretation 18. That after the time of that Kingdome there shall arise great strife and it shall be in danger to fall but it shall not then fall but it shall be restored again to its beginning 19. Concerning the eight under Wings which thou sawest hang under her Wings this is the interpretation 20. In it shall rise eight Kings whose Times shall be but small and their Years swift and two of them shall perish 21. But when the mid-time cometh there shall be four kept a time whilst his time beginneth to come that it may be ended but two shall be kept to the end 22. And whereas thou sawest three Heads resting this is the interpretation 23. In her last days shall the most High raise up three Kingdoms and shall call again many things unto them and they shall have the Dominion of the Earth 24. And of those that dwell therein with much grief above all those that were before them therefore they are called the Heads of the Eagle 25. For they shall accomplish its wickedness and shall finish its last end 26. And whereas thou sawest that the great Head appeared no more it signified that one of them shall die upon his Bed and yet with pain 27. For the two that remain the Sword shall devour them 28. For the Sword of the one shall devour the other but at the last he shall fall by the Sword himself
29. And whereas thou sawest two under Wings that went off towards the Head which was on the right side this is the inpretation 30. These are they whom the most High hath preserved for their end whose Kingdom is little and full of trouble as thou sawest 31. And the Lion which thou sawest rising up out of the Wood and roaring and speaking to the Eagle and rebuking her for Unrighteousness with all the words which thou hast heard 32. This is the Wind which the most High hath kept for them for their Wickedness unto the end and he shall reprove them and cast before them their Spoils 33. For he shall set them alive in the Judgment and shall rebuke them and correct them 34. For he shall deliver the residue of my People by Affliction which are preserved upon my Borders and he shall make them joyful until the coming of the Day of Judgment whereof I have spoken unto thee from the beginning 35. This is the Dream that thou sawest and these are the interpretations Thus far the Angel Uriel to Esdras CHAP. XIII 1. ANd it came to pass after seven days I dreamed a Dream by Night 2. And lo there arose a Wind from the Sea that it moved all the Waves thereof 3. And I beheld and lo that Man waxed strong with the thousands of Heaven 25. This is the meaning of the Vision Whereas thou sawest a Man coming up from the midst of the Sea 26. The same is he whom God the Highest hath kept a great season which by his own self shall deliver his Creature and he shall order them that are left behind 29. Behold the days come when the most High will begin to deliver them that are upon the Earth 30. And he shall come to the astonishment of them that dwell on the Earth 31. And one shall undertake to fight against another one City against another one Place against another one People against another and one Realm against another 32. And the time shall be when these Things shall come to pass and the Signs shall happen which I shewed thee before and then shall my Son be declared whom thou sawest as a Man ascending 33. And when all the People hear his Voice every Man shall in their own Land leave the Battel they have one against another 34. And an innumerable multitude shall be gathered together as thou sawest them willing to come and to overcome him by fighting 35. But he shall stand upon the top of the Mount of Sion 36. And Sion shall come and shall be shewed to all Men being prepared and builded like as thou sawest the Hill graven without Hands 39. And whereas thou sawest that he gathered another peaceable Multitude un-unto him 40. Those are the ten Tribes NB. That in the famous Book by some called the Baby Prophecy sometimes in the custody of the Earl of Marlborough or a Copy of it seen and remembred by several Persons of Honour yet alive and for the most part fulfilled in innumerable Particulars * Generosa Nobilitas non sinet ei fieri malum The Nobles and Gentry shall suffer no Wrong to be done to the King nor his Crown the present King of England survives the last great Battel And as here the end of all those Prophecies is the Conversion of the Eastern Jews for their Habits mistaken for Turks I would not any much should trust or fear Such Prophecies but when Events appear To answer unto that which was foretold Wise Men should make what use of them they could And so direct their Actions that Hell's Charms And Cheating Riddles may not do them harms i. e. By Justice and Mercy towards Men and Piety to God Anonymous future History of Europe SECT 11. § THe two Books of Esdras are thought and that by none of the least Learned St. Augustine St. Ambrose Tostatus Scaliger the Elder Melancthon Arias Montanus Bucer and Bibliander to be Canonical because of the most eminent fulfilling of many Predictions in them contained In the 11th Chapter of the second of those Books there is under the Type of an Eagle a manifest Prophecy both of the Roman Heathenish Empire as likewise of the Papacy with her chief Leaguers to this present Time throughout the whole Chapter This Eagle is the Roman Heathenish Empire her twelve Feathered Wings are the twelve first Emperours from Julius Caesar to Nerva The three Heads are the Kingdoms of France Spain and Germany preordained of God to maintain the power of her Pride when all her Wings her Heathenish and Tyrannical Caesars should fail her Nevertheless under her twelve first Caesars are comprehended in general all the Emperours which Reigned in her from Julius Caesar who first crackt the strings of her Liberty to Augustulus Momyllus her last Roman Caesar for the space of 474 Years Her eight contrary Feathers are the eight terrible Inundations of several Nations from the North God's Scourges which overwhelmed her fairest Provinces sunk her State in Blood and by Fire and Sword humbled her as low as the Dust she trod on viz. 1. Alaricus and his West Goths 2. Attilas and his Huns. 3. Gensericus and his Vandals 4. Odoacer 5. Theodoricus and his East Goths 6. Totilas and his Spaniards 7. Alboinus and his Longobards who deposed her Diminutive Gaesar Augustulus Momyllus 8. And lastly The intestine Home-bred Faction and Conspiracy which proved more Pernitious than the rest as all intestine Diseases are the worst which in the Reigns of Otho the Great Otho the III and Frederick the II so often strove to eradicate the Papal Superiority and re-edifie her S. P. Q. R. buried so many Ages ago out of the Ruines of the City The Head in the midst is the German Empire begun A. C. 801 on Christmas Day by Charles the Great which though v. 32. it long did and yet doth put the Earth in great fear yet v. 33. must vanish in an instant as did the Wings and come to nought The German Empire thus destroyed v. 35. The Head on the right side the Kingdom of Spain must devour the Head on the left side the Kingdom of France Therefore it is manifest that the Kingdom of France though now it flourisheth in what Glory and Magnificence the Earth can afford must ere long be humbled by the Power of Spain with many Discomfitures and brought to doleful Straits and great Perplexities I my self have observed how that Year in which the Figures of the Golden Number were equal to the Figures of the Year of Christ hath ever proved Fatal to that Monarchy It was so with them from 1570 to 1576 In all which seven Years the Guisian Faction made lamentable Havock of the Church of God and the Kingdom So shall it be in that Year in which the final Tragedy of that Kingdom shall be acted six Years after which France shall be no more But when that shall be no sign of Europe shall remain nor remembrance where the Walls of Rome stood §
2. The Lion which ver 37 and Chap. 12. ver 31. came roaring out of the Wood speaking to the Eagle and rebuking her for her Wickedness is the Wind which the most High God hath kept for Rome and her Wickedness till the end even the Lion of the North of which you shall hear a Prophecy anon of the true Merlin which shall reprove the Roman Empire and cast before her her Spoils he shall set her alive in Judgment Rebuke and Correct her and deliver the rest of God's People from Affliction which are preserved on his Borders and make them joyful to the Day of Judgment § 3. In the 13th Chapter Esdras beholds a Vision of a Man rising out of the Sea and devouring the multitude of Fighters that came against him neither with Sword Spear nor any Instrument of War but only with the Fire and Storm that came out of his Mouth which is Christ the Son of Man who through a Sea of Bloody Persecutions and Tribulations propagated the Gospel over the Earth confounding and devouring the multitudinous Pagans and Idolaters fighting against Christians by the invincible force of the Gospel After a long time of the obstinate wilfulness of the Western Jews and fulness of the Gentiles he shall call to himself another peaceable Multitude even the whole Nation of the Jews out of Armenia Tartaria and the Eastern India whom God shall defend and convert to the Gospel when he shall destroy all other Nations upon Earth These are called the Peaceable People because after the Conversion of the Jews shall come that Ministerial Monarchy of the Church over the whole World that peaceable and still time when all the Nations of the Earth shall forget Fighting one against another Wars shall cease in all the World and Swords and Spears shall be beaten into Plow-Shares and Pruning-Hooks § 4. When the seventh Angel blew his Trumpet Luther began his Reformation then it was when the Multitude stood before the Lamb and sung the new Song of Moses and that nevertheless is but the Vail of the Tabernacle opened in Heaven and a great Cloud and Smoke covered that Glory But it must be 180 Years after when the Kingdoms of this World become the Kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ and those be destroyed that destroyed the Earth For then and not till then shall the Temple of God be fully opened in Heaven and the Ark of his Testimony the very same Model which God shewed to Moses in the Mount shall be seen at Jerusalem not in a Tabernacle but in that Temple which the Power of God shall make Then shall lastly the four Beasts the Elders with all the Angels of Heaven and all the Creatures of Heaven Earth and Sea and under the Earth fall down before the Throne and give Glory Honour Blessing and Praise unto him that sitteth on the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and the four Beasts shall say Amen Thus far that Anonymus in his brief Exposition on Esdras § 5. If this find kind Acceptation a fuller and more particular Exposition of this Prophecy will be Published which is now Collected out of several learned Commentators If any think it improbable that the middle Head the Roman Empire can be determined and die in Torment but not by Blood and Conquest but as it were in its Bed as is here foretold Esdras iv Chap. 12. ver 26. On the contrary nothing seems to me more probable than that the German Princes to extricate themselves from the Troubles the House of Austria have brought on them first by Civil Wars and now by the Emulation that is risen betwixt it and France should after this Emperours Death that they might not offend France forbear to choose a King of the Romans and be thence-forth governed by a Vicar or the Diet Parliament or Common Council of the Empire And it is also very agreeable to Daniel's Prophecy from whence we may expect that there will be daily more and more Breaches made of the Western Empire into smaller Divisions but no Coalition into one Head or Empire till it be throughly Reformed Our Author here as some others takes it for granted as the Presumptions of those Times he lived in gave him confidence to believe that Spain was the right Head and would destroy France the left whereas the contrary is in our Times much more probable To us the matter is not worth disputing whether shall first perish since both must CHAP. II. Merlins Prophecy of the Lion of the North. THe Northern Kingdoms shall be wasted by Reapers The Southern Principalities shall end in Dust Cruel Wars shall be scattered by the Winds their growth and continuance by Bastards All these things shall hardly be accomplished when a Prince of Royal Stock shall come forth crowned from the Northern Parts as to his own People unexpected but desired by Foraiguers who because he shall bear a Rampant Lion shall therefore be called a Lion He shall not rest till after he hath called a Synod and after dissolved it by Threats he shall advance his Conquering Arms against his Enemies and by woful Success shall harrass the Territories of Neighbour Princes He shall exceed Alexander the Great in Valour and Cyrus in Success He shall cross the Seas and be saluted Emperour by many Kings a certain ancient City shall he lay even with the Ground In the interim a warlike powerful Prince from the East shall provoke him to Battel against whom the Lion shall march with all his Forces and pitching his Camp on this side Euphrates shall expect him § 7. If the Prince shall come over the River the Lion shall be overcome but he shall pass his Army over the River and give his Enemy a bloody Defeat and be Master of all the East Whilst these things are in Action divers Petty Kings from India shall break into Syria with mighty Armies and provided for Battel shall wait for the Lion about the Valley of Jehosaphat where they shall by him be wholly cut off Not long after shall the Lion himself decease after that with eminent Piety he shall have established the Kingdom of the Fugitives i. e. Perhaps banished Jews § 8. There was living in King Lucius's days Merlin the first a Scot he is the true Merlin if any Prophecies of his could be found great Credit were to be given to them He was a great Friend of King Lucius and his daily Companion Of his there is but one Prophecy extant which is found in that Ancient Prophecy of Ninius of Bangor who yet lives in MS. King Lucius the first Christian King but yet unconverted from Paganism to him Merlin Prophesied That within less than a Sequi-decumane period of Time 1500 Years the Eagle's Head should be cloven in two one part whereof Agar i. the Agarens the Turks shall burn with Fire and Japhet the Northern Nations the Isles of the Gentiles the other after the grand Revolution of Days c. See The Future History of
and Family must extinguish by the lustre of that Reformation the Superstitions and Idolatries of Rome and give that blow with a Stone cut out without Hands from the Mountain on the feet of the last Supporter of Satan's Kingdom the Roman Monarchy being also the basest and worst constituted of incoherent Iron and Clay and grind it to Dust and disperse the Remnants of it to all the Winds as Daniel prophesies § 39. There being the same reason for us to look out for some new Kingdom in these Northern parts to which these Stars were perpendicular as there was for those Wise Men in the East to look for a King born in Judea by the Star they saw in the East Nor doth the moveableness of that and fixedness of these make as to our purpose any considerable difference for it was necessary that those Eastern Magi who sought one particular Person should be guided by a Star so moveable that its perpendicular Rays might point out Bethlehem and our Blessed Saviour's Person to them that they might bring to him their Gold and other Treasures But to discover to our Wise Men in the North the Kingdom to which the Honour is reserved in this last and worst Age to reform the Religion and Manners of the whole World according to Christ's Rule both for Spirituals and Civils it sufficed that such new Stars did appear unto them fixed in the Starry Orb as by their motion therewith might describe a Circle wherein at the time of their appearance that Reformation and Kingdom did first rise and appear Now if we enquire what Reformation did appear in the World about the time of the appearance of the Star in Cassiopaea's Chair near the Circle its direct Rays did describe upon the Globe on the Earth we shall find that of Queen Elizabeth and no other And again if we seek what Kingdom did arise about that time the Star first appeared in the Swans Neck within the Northern Circle described by its perpendicular Beams we shall find no other than the Monarchy of Great Britain then founded by King James and transmitted from him to our present Soveraign Charles the II the first of English Birth who sway'd the Scepter Allowing what those ancient Prophecies here subscribed § 40. Bruti Posteritas Albanis associata Anglica Regna premet peste labore nece Consurgent Britones Albanae Gentis amici Antiquum nomen Insula tota feret Ut profert Aquila veteri de Turre loquuta Gum Scotis Britones Regna Paterna gerent Long time the British and the Scotish Race The English Realm with War Plague Toyle deface Till a Friend rise to Scots of British Stem Then British Scots their Father's Diadem Resume and all the Isles its ancient Name Thus did the Eagle from th' old Tower proclaim § 41. And to cherish our hopes the Motto's of this Monarchy and its Impressures fixed on its Coin and elsewhere do happily conspire Namely That Motto of the first Christian Emperour Constantine the Great our Countryman In hoc Signo vinces referred by the Cross to Christ's Death And that other of like import Duce Auspice Christo That Kingdom prosper and subdue all must Whose Standard Christ's Cross is Christ guide and trust § 42. A King of British Blood in Cradle Crown'd With Lion markt shall joyn all British Ground So Sir William Maurice of North-Wales repeated in English Merlin's Prophecy of 600 Years standing CHAP. V. Thomas Pugh British Prophecies out of Maxwel 's Prophecies Sect. 16. Fol. 84. c. § 43. ACcording to the Confession of the Italian Jesuit Hieronimus Platus in the 2d Book of the Religious Life and 30th Chapter England hath been more fertile of Converters of Countries and Nations to the Christian Faith than any other Land whatsoever else So is it not unlikely but that God will have the same Country to be more fertile of many Reformers and other corrupt Churches especially that of Rome than any other Land whatsoever and to reclaim Rome and her Daughters from their Abuses and Corruption and to restore unto them their Primitive Purity and Integrity such as it was in the days of Constantine the Great Born in Great Britain § 44. So Nostradamus predicts That Rome shall be ruled by the Britanish Head In his first Century he saith that the new King that joyns the lower and Northern Countries of Europe shall be the Instrument of loss to the Church of Rome And that the Bishop of Rome together with his Clergy except they shew themselves willing to be reformed shall be made to spit Blood when the Rose shall flourish He promiseth in his 5th Century that of the Trojan Blood shall spring a Prince of a doughty Dutch Heart who shall attain to so high a Degree that he shall chase far away the Arabick or Mahometan multitudes and likewise return to the Church her ancient Eminency and Sincerity § 45. Out of the Library of St. Victor cited by the Abbot of Cluny it 's said Abbot Joakim said That the Red Rose should send forth the sweet Water that shall purifie and cleanse the Church from her Corruption Paracelsus Amongst the Roses shall spring up one who shall change the Sandy Foundation into a Rock § 46. Mr. George Maxwel from Sir George Norroy King at Arms Jessae Rosa sanguis Bruti Portat crucem Jesu Christi Christ's Cross displayed in England's Standard shows From British Blood must spring the Jessean Rose § 47. It seems that from the Rose of England shall proceed or spring the Reformation or Purgation of the Church of Rome Likewise the same City and Empire received from the same Country the first Authorized Profession of the Christian Faith by the blessed means of Constantine the Great a Britain born at York Grebner The Lion having the Rose and Lillies in his Arms shall utterly destroy the Pope so that there shall be none at that time § 48. Brithwald Bishop of Winchester in the Confessor's time saw in a Vision * NB. That the Kingdom of the English is the Kingdom of God and that it is as well by the gentle sweetness of its Yoake and Government like that of Christ as in other respects And by this we may understand how vainly the Antichristian Enemies pretend a right to it by this Prophecy and seek by force to Conquer it from Christ's Kingdom and to subdue it to their own Tyrany Regnum Anglorum est Regnum Dei Thus far my Author § 49. I shall only as to these Prophecies on what ground soever they proceed add this Observation for the Readers consideration That God whose Providence as is manifest by his Word is very uniform in his Justice upon the cruel Enemies of his People seems to have given warning to Rome and her Antichristian Confederates that as the Northern People raised up by his Spirit revenged the Blood of his Primitive Saints spilt by the Roman persecuting Heathen Empire on that Red Dragon so the League of Northern
nunquam ante ita locutus est Satan Certe in Angelum lucis magno judicio si non misericordia conversus If these be not Prophecies saith he they be wonderful loud crying Prodigies So admirable is their consent Cotter a most simple Idiot Poniatovia a childish Girl Drabicius an old Dotard Never did any meer Man speak as these nor ever any Devil till now If he be thus turned as into an Angel of Light it is in great Wrath if not for Mercy CHAP. VII Some more Modern and Domestick Visions and Prophecies § 75. THere are some pious Souls amongst us who have seen Visions and dreamed Prophetick Dreams of the heroick Actions and Success of our Lion in the East as well as Western Empire but their Modesty hath in a great part suppressed them and I have no warrant to Publish them imperfect according to the notices I have of them Therefore I will conclude these Predictions of the Fourth Monarchy promised to the Northern Lion with a Relation I had from a Learned and Pious Friend lately deceased which was this That some Months before the death of Oliver Cromwel or shortly after a Servant of his nearly related to him saw in a Night Vision in a Room not unlike the Banqueting-House at White-Hall the Crown Imperial of England on a fair Table covered with a rich Carpet to which placed at the upper end of the Table Richard Cromwel approached but instead of taking it up in his Hand and placing it on his Head as the Spectator hoped he put it down from the Table with his Head upon which his Father suddenly drawing aside the Curtain at the upper end of the Room which covered him and the Throne erected there from Observation reproaching his Son for his folly and stamping at him with great Indignation for losing three Crowns which he had so fairly as he said procured for him vanished away and his Son with him Shortly after his Majesty that now is Charles the II entered the Room took up the Crown and having placed it on his Head sat down upon the Throne to whom an audable Voice was sent from above in these words Do Justice and shew Mercy and thou shalt Reign till Shiloe come This may also serve for an Introduction to those Prophecies which do favour not only the North but the Kingdom of Great Britain or England in hopes of erecting this Fourth Universal Monarchy See Christiana Ponatovia who puts the English before the French § 76. I will here take liberty for the Readers refreshment to Transcribe a few Lines out of an English Rimer who hath the Reputation with some both of a Poet and Prophet in his Speculum Speculativum Printed 1660 he saith There will to thwart your hopes a new Stare blaze Within the West that shall the World amaze And influences through the Universe So quickly and prodigiously disperse That aided by concurrent Constellations It shall have some effects upon all Nations And cause such Changes as shall make a stand In their Attempts which they have now in hand In another Paper Page 33. Then from the buried Ox will forth arise A swarm of thrifty Hony-making Flies That shall with Sweetness and with Plenty store These Islands from the middle to the Shore And spread their floating Hives on all the Seas 'Twixt both the Tropicks to th' Antipodes To make Preparatives for that which brings Into one Body all dispersed things For all those Kingdoms and those Empiries Throughout the World which their beginning took By humane Craft Fraud Force or Tyranny Shall pass away and vanish into Smoke An Army whereof here 's yet little hope Shall wrest their Scepters from both Turk and Pope § 77. In his Vox Pacifica exhorting the Parliament to restore the King he hath these Prophetick Lines Take likewise heed you no just means neglect Whereby the King may be recall'd and won God's Honour with your safety to respect And do the Duties he hath lest undone For by rejecting him how just soe're The Cause may seem you shall delay that Peace Which is desired and make the Quarrels here With much more difficulty to decrease And if your Prudence shall so win him Home And he return sincerely to his Charge It shall a Blessing to these Isles become Your Honour and your Joy it shall enlarge And as Christ's Viceroy he shall sit upon A Righteous and an everlasting Throne § 78. For this Isles Constitution 's such the encrease Of Wealth and Honour settlement of Peace And freedom from Oppression whatsoe're Some Dream shall never be enjoyed here In any Government so perfectly As in our English well-pois'd Monarchy So the same Author in another place I have not this Writers other Pieces at hand I might otherwise have thence transcribed more to this purpose predicting highest Successes and Felicity to the British Monarchy § 79. To the same intent he introduces the Genius of Great Britain prophesying the Confusions of the Usurpers and their Destruction who thus concludes with a Prophecy of the King's Return and of the admirable Happiness and Glory of his Monarchy which shall follow upon his Restauration When they with Jars and Janglings have desac'd Your Triple Building and themselves nigh worn Into Contempt they of one Cup shall taste And into their first Elements return And out of their Corruption rise there shall A true Supreme acknowledged of all In which the Pow'r of all the Five shall be With Unity made visible in Three Priest People Parliament Prelates and Peers Shall be a while your Emulous Grandees Make a confused Pantarchie some Years And leave off their distinct Claims by degrees And then shall Righteousness ascend the Throne Then Faith and Reason shall agree in one Then Love and Peace and Truth re-enter shall And all the Vertues to their Counsel cail Then timely out of all these shall arise That Kingdom and that happy Government Which is the scope of all those Prophecies That future Truths obscurely represent But how this will be done few Men shall see For wrought in Clouds and Darkness it will be § 80. The Cities Wealth her Poverty shall cause The Laws corruption shall reform the Laws And Bullocks of the largest Northern breed Shall fatted be where now Sheep scarce can feed And elsewhere he brings Britains Genius intimating that on the fall or rising of our late King and his Family the greatest Affairs of Europe were depending in these words For at the present upon him depends The fortune of his House and there withal Shall many * Royal Families other either stand or fall Whose Fates are yet by very few discerned To be in his well-doing much concerned Yea thereupon dependeth ‖ Spain ruined the European Ballance broke thereby greater Things Than are the Risings and the Falls of Kings § 81. He means the Fourth Universal Monarchy and the Propagation of the Gospel thereby into all the parts of the World known as well as yet unknown and undiscovered
Passion Resurrect Ascension    Gifts Wisdom Justice Sanctifica Redemption A Judgment O Heavenly S Spirit Visitation Earth Egypt Jerusalem Babel    Rivers Pison Gihon Hidekel Euphrates    Faces Water Moses Christ Jerusalem    Witnesses Spirit and Water Fire and Water Water and Blood Spirit and Fire By this Key it appears that to the Northern Monarchy reserved to the Winter and Old-Age of the World are attributed by the Wise the most excellent powerful Agents Fire and Government-Monarchick therefore called the Kingdom of God and his Christ Law of Love and Peace Ministry interpreting the most hidden Mysteries of Nature by Fire of Gospel by Revelation Choicest Gifts Successes Graces and Glories CHAP. XII § 105. FOr a close we will here add some other Prophecies which predict the Fall of Rome though they specify not the Hand that must destroy it to be from the North. And first let the Nun Hildegard speak Popes Cardinals c. saith she seek to defend what they possess unrighteously First with their Curse and shutting up the Heavens but the same will not serve nor shall Men fear it any whit Thus much of her Prophecy is fulfill'd at this Day After that she proceeds they will get them to their Armour and Weapons but against the Judgment of God they can do nothing for the time is come c. We see this fulfilled also in our Days for God hath both discovered their Policies and broken all the Powers they have hitherto brought against us § 106. Walter Linn in the ticklish Times of Edward the 6th's Reign towards the support of good Mens Hearts first translated out of the German Tongue and published certain Prophetical Emblems declaring the beginning and ruine of the Popish Kingdom these were Reprinted by John Charlewood in the Year 1588 of a good intent doubtless to encourage and animate his Countrymen against the Spanish Invasion they were of at least 300 Years standing at that time and taken at first out of some ancient Libraries as he relates The very first symbolizes with this of Hildigardis and shall therefore here accompany it I. The first Figure in that Book is a Pope with his Tripple Crown and Crosier feeding a devouring Bear with Money without any regard at all to the Holy Dove which sat on his left side This the German Author expounds thus by way of Question and Answer Quest Wherewith doth the Pope defend his Church now Answ With worldly Might and cruel Mercinary People signified by the Bear and not by the Spirit of Christ § 107. III. The third Figure represents a Pope on his Knees admonished by a Hand out of a bushy Tree pulled back by a Fox that lays hold on and tugs him by his Monks Hood that hangs down his Back The Monks and Jesuits are as it were the tail of the Roman Beast or Papacy and are the means by which the Pope and Roman Church are pull'd and held back as it were from hearing the good Counsels sent them from Heaven for their Reformation attending to his Admonitions or regarding the workings of his Hand and Arm bared against them who thereby render all their Devotions fruitless and ineffectual whilst Policy over-rules Piety § 108. V. In the fifth Figure the Pope with his Sword thrusts the Holy Lamb through the Heart For which the Devil gives him Keys i. His Papal Power and Might the Keys of Hell § 109. VI. The sixth represents the Pope in his Robes with his Crosier and Keys and with a Treasure of Duckets a Serpent and a Cock on his right Hand and a Lamb with his Head cut off laid at his feet This the German Author thus interpreteth the Pope partly by the sense awful respect of his Cross and Keys and partly by the power of the Devil and help of France utterly subdues the innocent Lambs of Christ's Flock § 110. XII XIII XIV A Bear with Whelps sucking on her fall on the Pope A Fox runs away with his Banner and Keys And at last he is set naked on the Ground and derided by a Clown X. The Unicorn pushing down the Pope's Triple Crown is above See Chap. II. § III. Let our Countryman take the next turn who thus Muses That Year in which Rome's long-liv'd Empery Shall from the Day in which it was at height Sum up MDCLXV and I In order as those Letters here I write That Year that Day that Hour will put a Date To her Usurped Power reserving neither Top Root or Branch of that accursed State Nor Limb nor Body Hand Horn Claw or Feather For here are all the Numerals of Rome In order as they are in Valuation Without Disorder Want or Iteration Nor shall it longer stand or sooner fall If I mistake not Him who Governs all That Kingdom then the Jew did long ago Mould out according to his erring Brain And whereof many zealous Christians too Unwarrantable Fancies entertain That Kingdom whereof now in Types we hear Shall to the World essentially appear So be § 112. The next shall be the Latine Prophecy transmitted to us from Reuchline Erasmus Lipsius and Jane Dousa the younger which pretends to tell us the precise Year of the fall of Turk and Pâ—pe c. Post mille expletos à partu Virginis annos Et post Sexcentos ruâ—sus ab orbe datos Nonagessimus Octavus mirabilis annus Ingruet is secum gaudia multa feret Corruet hoc Anno Turcarum invisa propago Roma tuum in libris fabula nomen erit Omnia tunc Mundi retro ibunt atque deorsum Imperia ut Populos Sceptra novella premant Utque suum cunctas verbum defundat in oras Christus imperitet nomine ubique suo § 113. Thus Englished by my Author Six thousand Years from Virgins Birth expir'd Six hundred unto that acquir'd The famous Ninety Eighth Year shall come on Full of great Contentation This Year the Turkish hateful race shall rue Rome for a Fable pass not true Then shall be tost all Kingdoms of the World And into a new Kingdom hurld That into all Coasts Christ his Word may spread And be alone his Peoples Head NB. This harmonizes exactly with the Heart Prophecy See there the Years 1693 1699. § 114. I find a Prophecy transcribed by Paraeus into his Exposition of the Revelation with the following Title which accords very well with this and besides pretends to intimate to us who that Christian Prince shall be who shall Conquer both Pope and Turk and Reduce the whole World to the Obedience of Christ Obiter in gratiam lectorum inquit huc lubet excribere Prophetiam ex antiquissimo codice M. S. in aedibus praepositi Saleziani reperto nuper ad me missam Cui tribuat quisque quantum vult certe a presenti oraculo quantum ad Romae excidium non aberrat sic igitur id habet Surget Rex ex Natione illustrissimi Filii forte Lilii habens frontem longam
Pet. 2. Their own Bishops Abbots Monks Nuns Astronomers long since prophesied it to them common Rumour Proverbs Visions Signs all prevailed nothing therefore must they be destroyed there is no remedy That which they will not now they must see to their Grief at last when all help is past Wherefore let no good Christian grieve himself with them but rather suffer and take with Patience and pray unto God to revenge the Blood of his Saints and speedily deliver us from those cruel Tyrants Thereby shall a Man get a greater Conquest over them than by Sword and Armour God knows well where such a Titus is as shall be the destruction of those Arrogant Rabbies To whom be all Honour Praise Glory c. Amen So this good Man John Aurelius Augurelius in the second Book of his Chrysopaeia describes and commends the forementioned admired Agat of King Pyrrhus v. § 93. whose Verses on that Subject I thought not unworthy to be inserted here rather than to trouble the Margent there with their English Translation not only because of the likeness of the Subject but also lest perhaps any Reader not versed in the Greek History should think our Modern Relation the less Credible because unparalell'd in all former Times His words are these Illis Gemmis nitens distentaque miris Interdum maculis facies Jam qualis Achaten Aeacidae ornarat Musis Apolline felix Vos Natura Parens nulla cui motus ab Arte Provenit O Divae parva concludere Gemma Sponte novem voluit propriisque insignibus omnes Ornatas mediumque simul considere Phaebum Deposito mitem Cornu citherâque canentem His ut testatum signis mortalibus estet Quo numero quali semper praestatis honore Vide Theatrum Chemicum Vol. 3. p. 310. Gems sometimes have their beauteous Faces spred And patcht with wondrous Shapes Thus dapled That happy Agat was in which was shown Apollo and Nine Muses the renown Of Warlike Pyrrhus Mother Nature so Assisted by no Art design'd to show In her own work the learned Nine and there Made each her proper Character to bear In midst of them made disarm'd Phaebus sit And to his Harp sweetly his Voice to fit Thus unto Mortals she joy'd to declare Both what their Number and their Titles were Happy King Pyrrhus who this Gem possest And they whose Eyes beheld it thought them blest The Publisher to the Reader AFter I had Transcribed this to meet with their Incredulity which would as I conjecture seek shelter from the unexampled varieties of the Images seen in so small a Stone I met with another Objection which I thought fit to obviate here also namely that the Features appropriated in this Relation to several Persons as namely to the Turk Pope Emperour and King of England are only the Draughts of the beholders Fancies or imposed upon them by the Relators To this I answer That it is as usual for Persons who view the best drawn Pieces of the most excellent Painters to differ in their Judgments about them and some to fancy them to be more and some to be less or not at all like the Original 2. That as in other Pictures so much more in these the curious Artist verst in Minuture whose Eyes serve them to work in Draughts to others unperceptible are the truest judges 3. That ordinary Eyes on first view without being at all imposed on have been able to name the Persons forementioned without any suggestion from others and curious Artists practised in Painting discern many more than others can either see or fancy So that in truth they who would reprove others of credulous Fancies who see the aforesaid Resemblances in this Stone do discover their own distrustful Fancies in contradicting their own and others better Eyes in those Objects of which they are the most proper Judges and whilst with too much caution they avoid the imputation of Credulity they lay themselves too open to the censure of the contrary rude and less tolerable Vice 4. Some of the Features aforementioned are too notorious to be mistaken by those who know them and all who see them in this Stone and concur in opinion of their Resemblance to one and the same Person who are not a few cannot be thought to be led by fancy to such an agreement and much less to combine to deceive others See the Figures of Alexander the 7th c. Since this I understand that Mr. Ellers is returned into England and is at present in London If I can by any diligent inquiry come to speak with him I will give a more perfect History and Description of his wondrous Agat and present the Reader with the Draughts of some of the principal Appearances which have been lately discovered in France by some good Eyes there beyond what were discerned before in this Stone § 126. Quirinus Kuhlman in his late London Epistle hath some Passages which I thought fit to set down here because of the consent I find betwixt them and the Observations of our learned Astronomer Doctor Banbridg §. 30 as above In his 41 Pag. he mentions the Comet of the 19th of Novemb. 1652. foretold 8 days before by Drabritius of the self-same day wherein the Orders at Vienna were signed for a Reformation in Selesia his Native Country and which took its course from the place of Noah's Dove with its Olive Branch directly to that where the famous new Star of 1672 appeared In the same Page is the Solar Eclipse of the 12th of Aug. 1674 interpreted divinely as he saith by Stephen Melish in his 115 Vision In his 42 Page he mentions two Comets one of Decemb. 1664 which joyned it self with another which appeared about Easter 1665 near the Ears of the Ram and became the Sun's Companion beyond what hath been known in any former Age and another about Easter 1677 which he there terms the swift Executor of all the foregoing Stars Comets and Conjunctions and the introducer of Changes upon the whole World In the same Page Paragraph 96 and 97 he thus discourses These ordinary and extraordinary Witnesses the fore-runners of the greatest Alterations though they surpass the Wits of Heathen Astrologers yet do they so clearly attest the Change of all Kingdoms that the publick and private written and Moral Conceits of all Men agree in this That some unheard of Revolution is to be expected But saith he there is no Astrologer of those I have seen whose Conjectures have come nearer the Truth than the Almanack-Writer of Staden who expresly compares the two Comets of 64 and 65 to two who gave in their evidence before a Judg and the 3d to a publick Herald proclaiming the sentence given in upon the foregoing Evidence And therefore declares his opinion That within 24 Months viz. * Id. p. 47. The two Years time of the last Comet expired May 1679 saith this Epistler before Easter 1679. the Work of God will be Manifested by preparing the whole Roman