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diff --git a/15835.txt b/15835.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b88e0d8 --- /dev/null +++ b/15835.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4237 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of William Lilly's History of His Life and +Times, by William Lilly + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: William Lilly's History of His Life and Times + From the Year 1602 to 1681 + +Author: William Lilly + +Editor: Elias Ashmole + +Release Date: May 16, 2005 [EBook #15835] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WILLIAM LILLY'S HISTORY *** + + + + +Produced by Steven Gibbs, David King, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + + +WILLIAM LILLY'S + +HISTORY + +OF HIS + +LIFE AND TIMES, + +FROM THE YEAR 1602 TO 1681. + + * * * * * + +Written by Himself, + +IN THE SIXTY-SIXTH YEAR OF HIS AGE, TO HIS WORTHY FRIEND, + +ELIAS ASHMOLE, ESQ. + + * * * * * + +PUBLISHED FROM THE ORIGINAL MS. + +_LONDON_, 1715. + + * * * * * + +LONDON: + +RE-PRINTED FOR CHARLES BALDWYN, + +NEWGATE STREET. + + * * * * * + +M.DCCC.XXII. + +MAURICE, PRINTER, PENCHURCH-STREET. + + + + +LIST OF PLATES. + +William Lilly, (from Marshall's Print) + +Ditto (from the Picture) + +Dr. Simon Forman 34 + +John Booker 68 + +Charles the Second 95 + +Charles the First 107 + +Hugh Peters 134 + +Speaker Lenthall 159 + +Oliver Cromwell 175 + +Dr. John Dee 223 + +Edward Kelly 226 + +Napier of Merchiston 236 + + + + +ADVERTISEMENT. + +PREFIXED TO THE LIVES OF ELIAS ASHMOLE & WILLIAM LILLY. + +In 1 vol. 8vo. 1772. + + +_Although we cannot, with justice, compare Elias Ashmole to that +excellent Antiquary John Leland, or William Lilly to the learned and +indefatigable Thomas Hearne; yet I think we may fairly rank them with +such writers as honest Anthony Wood, whose_ Diary _greatly resembles +that of his cotemporary, and intimate friend, Elias Ashmole._ + +_Some anecdotes, connected with affairs of state; many particulars +relating to illustrious persons, and antient and noble families; several +occurrences in which the Public is interested, and other matters of a +more private nature, can only be found in works of this kind. History +cannot stoop to the meanness of examining the materials of which_ +Memoirs _are generally composed._ + +_And yet the pleasure and benefit resulting from such books are manifest +to every reader._ + +_I hope the admirers of the very laborious Thomas Hearne will pardon me, +if I should venture to give it as my opinion, and with much deference to +their judgment, that William Lilly's_ Life and Death of Charles the +first _contains more useful matter of instruction, as well as more +splendid and striking occurrences, than are to be found in several of +those monkish volumes published by that learned Oxonian._ + +_Lilly affords us many curious particulars relating to the life of that +unfortunate Prince, which are no where else to be found. In delineating +the character of Charles, he seems dispassionate and impartial, and +indeed it agrees perfectly with the general portraiture of him, as it is +drawn by our most authentic historians._ + +The History of Lilly's Life and Times _is certainly one of the most +entertaining narratives in our language. With respect to the science he +professed of calculating nativities, casting figures, the prediction of +events, and other appendages of astrology, he would fain make us think +that he was a very solemn and serious believer. Indeed, such is the +manner of telling his story, that sometimes the reader may possibly be +induced to suppose Lilly rather an enthusiast than an impostor. He +relates many anecdotes of the pretenders to foretell events, raise +spirits, and other impostures, with such seeming candor, and with such +an artless simplicity of style, that we are almost persuaded to take his +word when he protests such an inviolable respect to truth and +sincerity._ + +_The powerful genius of Shakespeare could carry him triumphantly through +subjects the most unpromising, and fables the most improbable: we +therefore cannot wonder at the success of such of his plays, where the +magic of witches and the incantation of spirits are described, or where +the power of fairies is introduced; when such was the credulity of the +times respecting these imaginary beings, and when that belief was made a +science of, and kept alive by artful and superstitious, knavish, and +enthusiastic teachers; what Lilly relates of these people, considered +only as matter of fact, is surely very curious._ + +_To conclude; I know no record but this where we can find so just and so +entertaining a History of Doctor Dee, Doctor Forman, Booker, Winder, +Kelly, Evans, (Lilly's Master,) the famous William Poole, and Captain +Bubb Fiske, Sarah Shelborne, and many others._ + +_To these we may add, the uncommon effects of the Crystal, the +appearance of Queen Mabb, and other strange and miraculous operations, +which owe their origin to folly, curiosity, superstition, bigotry, and +imposture._ + + + + +THE + +LIFE + +OF + +WILLIAM LILLY, + +STUDENT IN ASTROLOGY. + + Wrote by himself in the 66th Year of his Age, at Hersham, in the + Parish of Walton-upon-Thames, in the County of Surry. _Propria + Manu._ + + +I[1] was born in the county of Leicester, in an obscure town, in the +north-west borders thereof, called Diseworth, seven miles south of the +town of Derby, one mile from Castle-Donnington, a town of great +rudeness, wherein it is not remembered that any of the farmers thereof +did ever educate any of their sons to learning, only my grandfather sent +his younger son to Cambridge, whose name was Robert Lilly, and died +Vicar of Cambden in Gloucestershire, about 1640. + + [Footnote 1: "William Lilly was a prominent, and, in the opinion + of many of his cotemporaries, a very important personage in the + most eventful period of English history. He was a principal + actor in the farcical scenes which diversified the bloody + tragedy of civil war; and while the King and the Parliament were + striving for mastery in the field, he was deciding their + destinies in the closet. The weak and the credulous of both + parties, who sought to be instructed in 'destiny's dark + counsels,' flocked to consult the 'wily Archimage,' who, with + exemplary impartiality, meted out victory and good fortune to + his clients, according to the extent of their faith, and the + weight of their purses. A few profane Cavaliers might make his + name the burthen of their _malignant_ rhymes--a few of the more + scrupulous among the _Saints_ might keep aloof in sanctified + abhorrence of the 'Stygian sophister'--but the great majority of + the people lent a willing and reverential ear to his prophecies + and prognostications. Nothing was too high or too low--too + mighty or too insignificant, for the grasp of his genius. The + stars, his informants, were as communicative on the most trivial + as on the most important subjects. If a scheme was set on foot + to rescue the king, or to retrieve a stray trinket--to restore + the royal authority, or to make a frail damsel an honest + woman--to cure the nation of anarchy, or a lap-dog of a surfeit, + William Lilly was the oracle to be consulted. His _almanacks_ + were spelled over in the tavern and quoted in the senate; they + nerved the arm of the soldier, and rounded the periods of the + orator. The fashionable beauty, dashing along in her calash from + St. James's or the Mall, and the prim, starched dame, from + Watling-street or Bucklersbury, with a staid foot-boy, in a + plush jerkin, plodding behind her--the reigning toast among 'the + men of wit about town,' and the leading groaner in a tabernacle + concert--glided alternately into the study of the trusty wizard, + and poured into his attentive ear strange tales of love, or + trade, or treason. The Roundhead stalked in at one door, whilst + the Cavalier was hurried out at the other. + + "The _Confessions_ of a man so variously consulted and trusted, + if written with the candour of a Cardan or a Rousseau, would + indeed be invaluable. The _Memoirs of William Lilly_, though + deficient in this essential ingredient, yet contain a variety of + curious and interesting anecdotes of himself and his + cotemporaries, which, where the vanity of the writer, or the + truth of his art, is not concerned, may be received with + implicit credence. + + "The simplicity and apparent candour of his narrative might + induce a hasty reader of this book to believe him a well-meaning + but somewhat silly personage, the dupe of his own + speculations--the deceiver of himself as well as of others. But + an attentive examination of the events of his life, even as + recorded by himself, will not warrant so favourable an + interpretation. His systematic and successful attention to his + own interest--his dexterity in keeping on 'the windy side of the + law'--his perfect political pliability--and his presence of mind + and fertility of resources when entangled in + difficulties--indicate an accomplished impostor, not a crazy + enthusiast. It is very possible and probable, that, at the + outset of his career, he was a real believer in the truth and + lawfulness of his art, and that he afterwards felt no + inclination to part with so pleasant and so profitable a + delusion: like his patron, Cromwell, whose early fanaticism + subsided into hypocrisy, he carefully retained his folly as a + cloak for his knavery. Of his success in deception, the present + narrative exhibits abundant proofs. The number of his dupes was + not confined to the vulgar and illiterate, but included + individuals of real worth and learning, of hostile parties and + sects, who courted his acquaintance and respected his + predictions. His proceedings were deemed of sufficient + importance to be twice made the subject of a parliamentary + inquiry; and even after the Restoration--when a little more + scepticism, if not more wisdom, might have been expected--we + find him examined by a Committee of the House of Commons, + respecting his fore-knowledge of the great fire of London. We + know not whether it 'should more move our anger or our mirth,' + to see an assemblage of British Senators--the cotemporaries of + Hampden and Falkland--of Milton and Clarendon--in an age which + roused into action so many and such mighty energies--gravely + engaged in ascertaining the causes of a great national calamity, + from the prescience of a knavish fortuneteller, and puzzling + their wisdoms to interpret the symbolical flames, which blazed + in the mis-shapen wood-cuts of his oracular publications. + + "As a set-off against these honours may be mentioned, the + virulent and unceasing attacks of almost all the party + scribblers of the day; but their abuse he shared in common with + men, whose talents and virtues have outlived the malice of their + cotemporaries, and + + 'Whose honours with increase of ages grow, + As streams roll down, enlarging as they flow.'" + + _Retrospective Review_, Vol. ii. p. 51.] + +The town of Diseworth did formerly belong long unto the Lord Seagrave, +for there is one record in the hands of my cousin Melborn Williamson, +which mentions one acre of land abutting north upon the gates of the +Lord Seagrave; and there is one close, called Hall-close, wherein the +ruins of some ancient buildings appear, and particularly where the +dove-house stood; and there is also the ruins of decayed fish-ponds and +other outhouses. This town came at length to be the inheritance of +Margaret, Countess of Richmond, mother of Henry VII. which Margaret gave +this town and lordship of Diseworth unto Christ's College in Cambridge, +the Master and Fellows whereof have ever since, and at present, enjoy +and possess it. + +In the church of this town there is but one monument, and that is a +white marble stone, now almost broken to pieces, which was placed there +by Robert Lilly, my grandfather, in memory of Jane his wife, the +daughter of Mr. Poole of Dalby, in the same county, a family now quite +extinguished. My grandmother's brother was Mr. Henry Poole, one of the +Knights of Rhodes, or Templars, who being a soldier at Rhodes at the +taking thereof by Solyman the Magnificent, and escaping with his life, +came afterwards to England, and married the Lady Parron or Perham, of +Oxfordshire, and was called, during his life, Sir Henry Poole. William +Poole the Astrologer knew him very well, and remembers him to have been +a very tall person, and reputed of great strength in his younger years. + +The impropriation of this town of Diseworth was formerly the inheritance +of three sisters, whereof two became votaries; one in the nunnery of +Langly in the parish of Diseworth, valued at the suppression, I mean the +whole nunnery, at thirty-two pounds per annum, and this sister's part is +yet enjoyed by the family of the Grayes, who now, and for some years +past, have the enjoyment and possession of all the lands formerly +belonging to the nunnery in the parish of Diseworth, and are at present +of the yearly value of three hundred and fifty pounds per annum. One of +the sisters gave her part of the great tithes unto a religious house in +Bredon upon the Hill; and, as the inhabitants report, became a religious +person afterwards. + +The third sister married, and her part of the tithes in succeeding ages +became the Earl of Huntingdon's, who not many years since sold it to one +of his servants. + +The donation of the vicarage is in the gift of the Grayes of Langley, +unto whom they pay yearly, (I mean unto the Vicar) as I am informed, six +pounds per annum. Very lately some charitable citizens have purchased +one-third portion of the tithes, and given it for a maintenance of a +preaching minister, and it is now of the value of about fifty pounds per +annum. + +There have been two hermitages in this parish; the last hermit was well +remembered by one Thomas Cooke, a very ancient inhabitant, who in my +younger years acquainted me therewith. + +This town of Diseworth is divided into three parishes; one part belongs +under Locington, in which part standeth my father's house, over-against +the west end of the steeple, in which I was born: some other farms are +in the parish of Bredon, the rest in the parish of Diseworth. + +In this town, but in the parish of Lockington, was I born, the first day +of May 1602. + +My father's name was William Lilly, son of Robert, the son of Robert, +the son of Rowland, &c. My mother was Alice, the daughter of Edward +Barham, of Fiskerton Mills, in Nottinghamshire, two miles from Newark +upon Trent: this Edward Barham was born in Norwich, and well remembered +the rebellion of Kett the Tanner, in the days of Edward VI. + +Our family have continued many ages in this town as yeomen; besides the +farm my father and his ancestors lived in, both my father and +grandfather had much free land, and many houses in the town, not +belonging to the college, as the farm wherein they were all born doth, +and is now at this present of the value of forty pounds per annum, and +in possession of my brother's son; but the freehold land and houses, +formerly purchased by my ancestors, were all sold by my grandfather and +father; so that now our family depend wholly upon a college lease. Of my +infancy I can speak little, only I do remember that in the fourth year +of my age I had the measles. + +I was, during my minority, put to learn at such schools, and of such +masters, as the rudeness of the place and country afforded; my mother +intending I should be a scholar from my infancy, seeing my father's +back-slidings in the world, and no hopes by plain husbandry to recruit a +decayed estate; therefore upon Trinity Tuesday, 1613, my father had me +to Ashby de la Zouch, to be instructed by one Mr. John Brinsley; one, in +those times, of great abilities for instruction of youth in the Latin +and Greek tongues; he was very severe in his life and conversation, and +did breed up many scholars for the universities: in religion he was a +strict Puritan, not conformable wholly to the ceremonies of the Church +of England. In this town of Ashby de la Zouch, for many years together, +Mr. Arthur Hildersham exercised his ministry at my being there; and all +the while I continued at Ashby, he was silenced. This is that famous +Hildersham, who left behind him a commentary on the fifty-first psalm; +as also many sermons upon the fourth of John, both which are printed; he +was an excellent textuary, of exemplary life, pleasant in discourse, a +strong enemy to the Brownists, and dissented not from the Church of +England in any article of faith, but only about wearing the surplice, +baptizing with the cross, and kneeling at the sacrament; most of the +people in town were directed by his judgement, and so continued, and yet +do continue presbyterianly affected; for when the Lord of Loughborough +in 1642, 1643, 1644, and 1645, had his garrison in that town, if by +chance at any time any troops of horse had lodged within the town, +though they came late at night to their quarters; yet would one or other +of the town presently give Sir John Gell of Derby notice, so that ere +next morning most of his Majesty's troops were seized in their lodgings, +which moved the Lord of Loughborough merrily to say, there was not a +fart let in Ashby, but it was presently carried to Derby. + +The several authors I there learned were these, viz. _Sententiae +Pueriles_, _Cato_, _Corderius_, _AEsop's Fables_, _Tully's Offices_, +_Ovid de Tristibus_; lastly, _Virgil_, then _Horace_; as also _Camden's +Greek Grammar_, _Theognis_ and _Homer's Iliads_: I was only entered into +_Udall's Hebrew Grammar_; he never taught logick, but often would say it +was fit to be learned in the universities. + +In the fourteenth year of my age, by a fellow scholar of swarth, black +complexion, I had like to have my right eye beaten out as we were at +play; the same year, about Michaelmas, I got a surfeit, and thereupon a +fever, by eating beech-nuts. + +In the sixteenth year of my age I was exceedingly troubled in my dreams +concerning my salvation and damnation, and also concerning the safety +and destruction of the souls of my father and mother; in the nights I +frequently wept, prayed and mourned, for fear my sins might offend God. + +In the seventeenth year of my age my mother died. + +In the eighteenth year of my age my master Brinsley was enforced from +keeping school, being persecuted by the Bishop's officers; he came to +London, and then lectured in London, where he afterwards died. In this +year, by reason of my father's poverty, I was also enforced to leave +school, and so came to my father's house, where I lived in much penury +for one year, and taught school one quarter of a year, until God's +providence provided better for me. + +For the two last years of my being at school, I was of the highest form +in the school, and chiefest of that form; I could then speak Latin as +well as English; could make extempore verses upon any theme; all kinds +of verses, hexameter, pentameter, phaleuciacks, iambicks, sapphicks, &c. +so that if any scholars from remote schools came to dispute, I was +ringleader to dispute with them; I could cap verses, &c. If any minister +came to examine us, I was brought forth against him, nor would I argue +with him unless in the Latin tongue, which I found few of them could +well speak without breaking Priscian's head; which, if once they did, I +would complain to my master, _Non bene intelligit linguam Latinam, nec +prorsus loquitur_. In the derivation of words, I found most of them +defective, nor indeed were any of them good grammarians: all and every +of those scholars who were of my form and standing, went to Cambridge +and proved excellent divines, only poor I, William Lilly, was not so +happy; fortune then frowning upon father's present condition, he not in +any capacity to maintain me at the university. + + +OF THE MANNER HOW I CAME UNTO LONDON. + + +Worthy sir, I take much delight to recount unto you, even all and every +circumstance of my life, whether good, moderate, or evil; _Deo gloria_. + +My father had one Samuel Smatty for his Attorney, unto whom I went +sundry times with letters, who perceiving I was a scholar, and that I +lived miserably in the country, losing my time, nor any ways likely to +do better, if I continued there; pitying my condition, he sent word for +me to come and speak with him, and told me that he had lately been at +London, where there was a gentleman wanted a youth, to attend him and +his wife, who could write, &c. + +I acquainted my father with it, who was very willing to be rid of me, +for I could not work, drive the plough, or endure any country labour; my +father oft would say, I was good for nothing. + +I had only twenty shillings, and no more, to buy me a new suit, hose, +doublet, &c. my doublet was fustian: I repaired to Mr. Smatty, when I +was accoutred, for a letter to my master, which he gave me. + +Upon Monday, April 3, 1620, I departed from Diseworth, and came to +Leicester: but I must acquaint you, that before I came away I visited my +friends, amongst whom I had given me about ten shillings, which was a +great comfort unto me. On Tuesday, April the 4th, I took leave of my +father, then in Leicester gaol for debt, and came along with Bradshaw +the carrier, the same person with whom many of the Duke of Buckingham's +kindred had come up with. Hark how the waggons crack with their rich +lading! It was a very stormy week, cold and uncomfortable: I footed it +all along; we could not reach London until Palm-Sunday, the 9th of +April, about half an hour after three in the afternoon, at which time we +entered Smithfield. When I had gratified the carrier and his servants, I +had seven shillings and sixpence left, and no more; one suit of cloaths +upon my back, two shirts, three bands, one pair of shoes, and as many +stockings. Upon the delivery of my letter my master entertained me, and +next day bought me a new cloak, of which you may imagine (good Esquire) +whether I was not proud of; besides, I saw and eat good white bread, +contrary to our diet in Leicestershire. My master's name was Gilbert +Wright, born at Market Bosworth in Leicestershire; my mistress was born +at Ashby de la Zouch, in the same county, and in the town where I had +gone to school. This Gilbert Wright could neither write nor read: he +lived upon his annual rents, was of no calling or profession; he had for +many years been servant to the Lady Pawlet in Hertfordshire; and when +Serjeant Puckering was made Lord keeper, he made him keeper of his +lodgings at Whitehall. When Sir Thomas Egerton was made Lord Chancellor, +he entertained him in the same place; and when he married a widow in +Newgate Market, the Lord Chancellor recommended him to the company of +Salters, London, to admit him into their company, and so they did, and +my master in 1624, was master of that company; he was a man of excellent +natural parts, and would speak publickly upon any occasion very +rationally and to the purpose. I write this, that the world may know he +was no taylor, or myself of that or any other calling or profession: my +work was to go before my master to church; to attend my master when he +went abroad; to make clean his shoes; sweep the street; help to drive +bucks when he washed; fetch water in a tub from the Thames: I have +helped to carry eighteen tubs of water in one morning; weed the garden; +all manner of drudgeries I willingly performed; scrape trenchers, &c. If +I had any profession, it was of this nature: I should never have denied +being a taylor, had I been one; for there is no calling so base, which +by God's mercy may not afford a livelihood; and had not my master +entertained me, I would have been of a very mean profession ere I would +have returned into the country again; so here ends the actions of +eighteen years of my life. + +My master married his second wife for her estate; she was competently +rich; she married him for considerations he performed not, (nocturnal +society) so that they lived very uncomfortably; she was about seventy +years of age, he sixty-six or more; yet never was any woman more jealous +of a husband than she; insomuch, that whensoever he went into London, +she was confident of his going to women; by those means my life was the +more uncomfortable, it being very difficult to please two such opposite +natures: however, as to the things of this world I had enough, and +endured their discontents with much sereneness. My mistress was very +curious to know of such as were then called cunning or wise men, whether +she should bury her husband? She frequently visited such persons, and +this occasion begot in me a little desire to learn something that way, +but wanting money to buy books, I laid aside these motions, and +endeavoured to please both master and mistress. + + +OF MY MISTRESS'S DEATH, AND OCCASION THEREOF BY MEANS OF A CANCER IN HER +BREAST. + + +In 1622 she complained of a pain in her left breast, whereon there +appeared at first a hard knob no bigger than a small pea; it increased +in a little time very much, was very hard, and sometimes would look very +red; she took advice of surgeons, had oils, sear-cloths, plates of lead, +and what not: in 1623 it grew very big, and spread all over her breast; +then for many weeks poultices were applied to it, which in continuance +of time broke the skin, and then abundance of watery thin stuff came +from it, but nothing else; at length the matter came to suppuration, but +never any great store issued forth; it was exceeding noisome and +painful; from the beginning of it until she died, she would permit no +surgeon to dress it but only myself; I applied every thing unto it, and +her pains were so great the winter before she died, that I have been +called out of my bed two or three times in one night to dress it and +change plaisters. In 1624 by degrees, with scissars, I cut all the whole +breast away, I mean the sinews, nerves, &c. In one fortnight, or little +more, it appeared, as it were, mere flesh, all raw, so that she could +scarce endure any unguent to be applied. + +I remember there was a great cleft through the middle of the breast, +which when that fully appeared she died, which was in September 1624; my +master being then in the country, his kindred in London would willingly +have had mourning for her; but by advice of an especial friend of his I +contradicted them; nor would I permit them to look into any chest or +trunk in the house. She was decently buried, and so fond of me in the +time of her sickness, she would never permit me out of her chamber, gave +me five pounds in old gold, and sent me unto a private trunk of her's at +a friend's house, where she had one hundred pounds in gold; she bid me +bring it away and take it, but when I opened the trunk I found nothing +therein; for a kinsman of hers had been there a few days before, and +carried all away: she was in a great passion at my relating thereof, +because she could not gratify my pains in all her sickness, advised me +to help myself, when she was gone, out of my master's goods, which I +never did. + +Courteous Esquire, be not weary of reading hereof, or what followeth. + +When my mistress died, she had under her arm-hole a small scarlet bag +full of many things, which, one that was there delivered unto me. There +was in this bag several sigils, some of Jupiter in Trine, others of the +nature of Venus, some of iron, and one of gold, of pure angel-gold, of +the bigness of a thirty-three shilling piece of King James's coin. In +the circumference on one side was engraven, _Vicit Leo de tribu Judae +Tetragrammaton_ [symbol: cross], within the middle there was engraven a +holy lamb. In the other circumference there was Amraphel and three +[symbol: cross]. In the middle, _Sanctus Petrus_, _Alpha_ and _Omega_. + +The occasion of framing this sigil was thus; her former husband +travelling into Sussex, happened to lodge in an inn, and to lie in a +chamber thereof; wherein, not many months before, a country grazier had +lain, and in the night cut his own throat; after this night's lodging, +he was perpetually, and for many years, followed by a spirit, which +vocally and articulately provoked him to cut his throat: he was used +frequently to say, 'I defy thee, I defy thee,' and to spit at the +spirit; this spirit followed him many years, he not making any body +acquainted with it; at last he grew melancholy and discontented; which +being carefully observed by his wife, she many times hearing him +pronounce, 'I defy thee,' &c. she desired him to acquaint her with the +cause of his distemper, which he then did. Away she went to Dr. Simon +Forman, who lived then in Lambeth, and acquaints him with it; who having +framed this sigil, and hanged it about his neck, he wearing it +continually until he died, was never more molested by the spirit: I sold +the sigil for thirty-two shillings, but transcribed the words _verbatim_ +as I have related. Sir, you shall now have a story of this Simon Forman, +as his widow, whom I well knew, related it unto me. But before I relate +his death, I shall acquaint you something of the man, as I have gathered +them from some manuscripts of his own writing. + + +OF DR. SIMON FORMAN + + +He was a chandler's son in the city of Westminster. He travelled into +Holland for a month, in 1580, purposely to be instructed in astrology, +and other more occult sciences; as also in physick, taking his degree of +Doctor beyond seas: being sufficiently furnished and instructed with +what he desired, he returned into England, towards the latter end of the +reign of Queen Elizabeth, and flourished until that year of King James, +wherein the Countess of Essex, the Earl of Somerset, and Sir Thomas +Overbury's matters were questioned. He lived in Lambeth, with a very +good report of the neighbourhood, especially of the poor, unto whom he +was very charitable. He was a person that in horary questions +(especially thefts) was very judicious and fortunate; so also in +sicknesses, which indeed was his master-piece. In resolving questions +about marriage he had good success: in other questions very moderate. He +was a person of indefatigable pains. I have seen sometimes half one +sheet of paper wrote of his judgment upon one question; in writing +whereof he used much tautology, as you may see yourself, (most excellent +Esquire) if you read a great book of Dr. Flood's, which you have, who +had all that book from the manuscripts of Forman; for I have seen the +same word for word in an English manuscript formerly belonging to Doctor +Willoughby of Gloucestershire. Had Forman lived to have methodized his +own papers, I doubt not but he would have advanced the +Jatro-mathematical part thereof very completely; for he was very +observant, and kept notes of the success of his judgments, as in many of +his figures I have observed. I very well remember to have read, in one +of his manuscripts, what followeth. + +'Being in bed one morning,' (says he) 'I was desirous to know whether I +should ever be a Lord, Earl, or Knight, &c. whereupon I set a figure; +and thereupon my judgment:' by which he concluded, that within two years +time he should be a Lord or great man: 'But,' says he, 'before the two +years were expired, the Doctors put me in Newgate, and nothing came.' +Not long after, he was desirous to know the same things concerning his +honour or greatship. Another figure was set, and that promised him to be +a great Lord within one year. But he sets down, that in that year he had +no preferment at all; only 'I became acquainted with a merchant's wife, +by whom I got well.' There is another figure concerning one Sir ---- +Ayre his going into Turkey, whether it would be a good voyage or not: +the Doctor repeats all his astrological reasons and musters them +together, and then gave his judgment it would be a fortunate voyage. But +under this figure he concludes, 'this proved not so, for he was taken +prisoner by pirates ere he arrived in Turkey, and lost all.' He set +several questions to know if he should attain the philosophers' stone, +and the figures, according to his straining, did seem to signify as +much; and then he tuggs upon the aspects and configurations, and elected +a fit time to begin his operation; but, by and by, in conclusion, he +adds, 'so the work went very forward; but upon the [symbol: aspect +"squares"] of [symbol: aspect "conjunctions"] the setting-glass broke, +and I lost all my pains:' he sets down five or six such judgments, but +still complains all came to nothing, upon the malignant aspects of +[symbol: Saturn] and [symbol: Mars]. Although some of his astrological +judgments did fail, more particularly those concerning himself, he being +no way capable of such preferment as he ambitiously desired; yet I shall +repeat some other of his judgments, which did not fail, being performed +by conference with spirits. My mistress went once unto him, to know when +her husband, then in Cumberland, would return, he having promised to be +at home near the time of the question; after some consideration, he told +her to this effect: 'Margery,' for so her name was, 'thy husband will +not be at home these eighteen days; his kindred have vexed him, and he +is come away from them in much anger: he is now in Carlisle, and hath +but three-pence in his purse.' And when he came home he confessed all to +be true, and that upon leaving his kindred he had but three-pence in his +purse. I shall relate one story more, and then his death. + +One Coleman, clerk to Sir Thomas Beaumont of Leicestershire, having had +some liberal favours both from his lady and her daughters, bragged of +it, &c. The Knight brought him into the star-chamber, had his servant +sentenced to be pilloried, whipped, and afterwards, during life, to be +imprisoned. The sentence was executed in London, and was to be in +Leicestershire: two keepers were to convey Coleman from the Fleet to +Leicester. My mistress taking consideration of Coleman, and the miseries +he was to suffer, went presently to Forman, acquainted him therewith; +who, after consideration, swore Coleman had lain both with mother and +daughters; and besides said, that the old Lady being afflicted with fits +of the mother, called him into her chamber to hold down the fits with +his hands; and that he holding his hands about the breast, she cried +'Lower, lower,' and put his hands below her belly; and then--He also +told my mistress in what posture he lay with the young ladies, &c. and +said, 'they intend in Leicester to whip him to death; but I assure thee, +Margery, he shall never come there; yet they set forward to-morrow,' +says he; and so his two keepers did, Coleman's legs being locked with an +iron chain under the horse's belly. In this nature they travelled the +first and second day; on the third day the two keepers, seeing their +prisoner's civility the two preceding days, did not lock his chain under +the horse's belly as formerly, but locked it only to one side. In this +posture they rode some miles beyond Northampton, when on a sudden, one +of the keepers had a necessity to untruss, and so the other and Coleman +stood still; by and by the other keeper desired Coleman to hold his +horse, for he had occasion also: Coleman immediately took one of their +swords, and ran through two of the horses, killing them stark dead; gets +upon the other, with one of their swords; 'Farewell, gentlemen,' quoth +he, 'tell my master I have no mind to be whipped in Leicestershire,' and +so went his way. The two keepers in all haste went to a gentleman's +house near at hand, complaining of their misfortune, and desired of him +to pursue their prisoner, which he with much civility granted; but ere +the horses could be got ready, the mistress of the house came down, and +enquiring what the matter was, went to the stable, and commanded the +horses to be unsaddled, with this sharp speech--'Let the Lady Beaumont +and her daughters live honestly, none of my horses shall go forth upon +this occasion.' + +I could relate many such stories of his performances; as also what he +wrote in a book left behind him, _viz._ 'This I made the devil write +with his own hand in Lambeth Fields 1596, in June or July, as I now +remember.' He professed to his wife there would be much trouble about +Carr and the Countess of Essex, who frequently resorted unto him, and +from whose company he would sometimes lock himself in his study a whole +day. Now we come to his death, which happened as follows: the Sunday +night before he died, his wife and he being at supper in their +garden-house, she being pleasant, told him, that she had been informed +he could resolve, whether man or wife should die first; 'Whether shall +I' (quoth she) 'bury you or no?' 'Oh Trunco,' for so he called her, +'thou wilt bury me, but thou wilt much repent it.' 'Yea, but how long +first?' 'I shall die,' said he, 'ere Thursday night.' Monday came, all +was well. Tuesday came, he not sick. Wednesday came, and still he was +well; with which his impertinent wife did much twit him in his teeth. +Thursday came, and dinner was ended, he very well: he went down to the +water-side, and took a pair of oars to go to some buildings he was in +hand with in Puddle-dock. Being in the middle of the Thames, he +presently fell down, only saying, 'An impost, an impost,' and so died. A +most sad storm of wind immediately following. He died worth one thousand +two hundred pounds, and left only one son called Clement. All his +rarities, secret manuscripts, of what quality soever, Dr. Napper of +Lindford in Buckinghamshire had, who had been a long time his scholar; +and of whom Forman was used to say he would be a dunce: yet in +continuance of time he proved a singular astrologer and physician. Sir +Richard now living, I believe, has all those rarities in possession, +which were Forman's, being kinsman and heir unto Dr. Napper. (His son +Thomas Napper, Esq.; most generously gave most of these manuscripts to +Elias Ashmole, Esq.;) I hope you will pardon this digression. + +After my mistress was dead, I lived most comfortably, my master having a +great affection for me. + +The year 1625 now comes on, and the plague exceeding violent, I will +relate what I observed the spring before it broke forth. Against our +corner house every night there would come down, about five or six of the +clock, sometime one hundred or more boys, some playing, others as if in +serious discourse, and just as it grew dark would all be gone home; many +succeeding years there was no such, or any concourse, usually no more +than four or five in a company: In the spring of 1625, the boys and +youths of several parishes in like number appeared again, which I +beholding, called Thomas Sanders, my landlord, and told him, that the +youth and young boys of several parishes did in that nature assemble and +play, in the beginning of the year 1625. 'God bless us,' quoth I, 'from +a plague this year;' but then there succeeded one, and the greatest that +ever was in London. In 1625, the visitation encreasing, and my master +having a great charge of money and plate, some of his own, some other +men's, left me and a fellow-servant to keep the house, and himself in +June went into Leicestershire. He was in that year feoffee collector for +twelve poor alms-people living in Clement-Dane's Church-Yard; whose +pensions I in his absence paid weekly, to his and the parish's great +satisfaction. My master was no sooner gone down, but I bought a +bass-viol, and got a master to instruct me; the intervals of time I +spent in bowling in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, with Wat the cobler, Dick the +blacksmith, and such like companions: We have sometimes been at our work +at six in the morning, and so continued till three or four in the +afternoon, many times without bread or drink all that while. Sometimes I +went to church and heard funeral sermons, of which there was then great +plenty. At other times I went early to St. Antholine's in London, where +there was every morning a sermon. The most able people of the whole city +and suburbs were out of town; if any remained, it were such as were +engaged by parish-officers to remain; no habit of a gentleman or woman +continued; the woeful calamity of that year was grievous, people dying +in the open fields and in open streets. At last, in August, the bills of +mortality so encreased, that very few people had thoughts of surviving +the contagion: the Sunday before the great bill came forth, which was of +five thousand and odd hundreds, there was appointed a sacrament at +Clement Dane's; during the destributing whereof I do very well remember +we sang thirteen parts of the one hundred and nineteenth Psalm. One +Jacob, our minister (for we had three that day, the communion was so +great) fell sick as he was giving the sacrament, went home, and was +buried of the plague the Thursday following, Mr. James, another of the +ministers, fell sick ere he had quite finished, had the plague, and was +thirteen weeks ere he recovered. Mr. Whitacre, the last of the three, +escaped not only then, but all the contagion following, without any +sickness at all; though he officiated at every funeral, and buried all +manner of people, whether they died of the plague or not. He was given +to drink, seldom could preach more than one quarter of an hour at a +time, &c. In November my master came home. My fellow-servant's and my +diet came weekly to six shillings and sixpence, sometimes to seven +shillings, so cheap was diet at that time. + +In February of that year, my master married again (one who after his +death became my wife.) In the same year he settled upon me, during my +life, twenty pounds per annum, which I have enjoyed ever since, even to +the writing hereof. + +May 22, 1627, my master died at the corner house in the Strand, where I +also lived so long. He died intestate; my mistress relinquishing the +administration, it came to his elder brother, who assigned the estate +over to me for payment of my master's debts; which being paid, I +faithfully returned the remaining part unto his administrator; nor had +one penny of the estate more than twenty pounds per annum, which was +allowed me by contract, to undertake the payment of my master's debts. + + +OF MY MARRIAGE THE FIRST TIME. + + +My mistress, who had been twice married to old men, was now resolved to +be couzened no more; she was of a brown ruddy complexion, corpulent, of +but mean stature, plain, no education, yet a very provident person, and +of good condition: she had many suitors, old men, whom she declined; +some gentlemen of decayed fortunes, whom she liked not, for she was +covetous and sparing: by my fellow-servant she was observed frequently +to say, she cared not if she married a man that would love her, so that +he had never a penny; and would ordinarily talk of me when she was in +bed: this servant gave me encouragement to give the onset: I was much +perplexed hereat, for should I attempt her, and be slighted, she would +never care for me afterwards; but again, I considered that if I should +attempt and fail, she would never speak of it; or would any believe I +durst be so audacious as to propound such a question, the disproportion +of years and fortune being so great betwixt us: however, all her talk +was of husbands, and in my presence saying one day after dinner, she +respected not wealth, but desired an honest man; I made answer, I +thought I could fit her with such a husband; she asked me, where? I made +no more ado, but presently saluted her, and told her myself was the man: +she replied, I was too young; I said nay; what I had not in wealth, I +would supply in love; and saluted her frequently, which she accepted +lovingly; and next day at dinner made me sit down at dinner with my hat +on my head, and said, she intended to make me her husband; for which I +gave her many salutes, &c. + +I was very careful to keep all things secret, for I well knew, if she +should take counsel of any friend, my hopes would be frustrated, +therefore I suddenly procured her consent to marry, unto which she +assented; so that upon the eighth day of September, 1627, at St. +George's church in Southwark, I was married unto her, and for two whole +years we kept it secret. When it was divulged, and some people blamed +her for it, she constantly replied, that she had no kindred; if I proved +kind, and a good husband, she would make me a man; if I proved +otherwise, she only undid herself. In the third and fourth years after +our marriage, we had strong suits of law with her first husband's +kindred, but overthrew them in the end. During all the time of her life, +which was until October, 1633, we lived very lovingly, I frequenting no +company at all; my exercises were sometimes angling, in which I ever +delighted: my companions, two aged men. I then frequented lectures, two +or three in a week; I heard Mr. Sute in Lombard-Street, Mr. Gouge of +Black-Fryars, Dr. Micklethwait of the Temple, Dr. Oldsworth, with +others, the most learned men of these times, and leaned in judgment to +Puritanism. In October, 1627, I was made free of the Salters' company in +London. + + +HOW I CAME TO STUDY ASTROLOGY. + + +It happened on one Sunday, 1632, as myself and a Justice of Peace's +clerk were, before service, discoursing of many things, he chanced to +say, that such a person was a great scholar, nay, so learned, that his +could make an Almanack, which to me then was strange: one speech begot +another, till, at last, he said, he could bring me acquainted with one +Evans in Gunpowder-Alley, who had formerly lived in Staffordshire, that +was an excellent wise man, and studied the Black Art. The same week +after we went to see Mr. Evans. When we came to his house, he, having +been drunk the night before, was upon his bed, if it be lawful to call +that a bed whereon he then lay; he roused up himself, and, after some +compliments, he was content to instruct me in astrology; I attended his +best opportunities for seven or eight weeks, in which time I could set a +figure perfectly: books he had not any, except _Haly de judiciis +Astrorum_, and _Orriganus's Ephemerides_; so that as often as I entered +his house, I thought I was in the wilderness. Now something of the man: +he was by birth a Welshman, a Master of Arts, and in sacred orders; he +had formerly had a cure of souls in Staffordshire, but now was come to +try his fortunes at London, being in a manner enforced to fly for some +offences very scandalous, committed by him in these parts, where he had +lately lived; for he gave judgment upon things lost, the only shame of +astrology: he was the most saturnine person my eyes ever beheld, either +before I practised or since; of a middle stature; broad forehead, +beetle-browed, thick shoulders, flat nosed, full lips, down-looked, +black curling stiff hair, splay-footed; to give him his right, he had +the most piercing judgment naturally upon a figure of theft, and many +other questions, that I ever met withal; yet for money he would +willingly give contrary judgments, was much addicted to debauchery, and +then very abusive and quarrelsome, seldom without a black eye, or one +mischief of other: this is the same Evans who made so many antimornal +cups, upon the sale whereof he principally subsisted; he understood +Latin very well, the Greek tongue not at all: he had some arts above, +and beyond astrology, for he was well versed in the nature of spirits, +and had many times used the circular way of invocating, as in the time +of our familiarity he told me. Two of his actions I will relate, as to +me delivered. There was in Staffordshire a young gentlewoman that had, +for her preferment, married an aged rich person, who was desirous to +purchase some lands for his wife's maintenance; but this young +gentlewoman, his wife, was desired to buy the land in the name of a +gentleman, her very dear friend, but for her use: after the aged man was +dead, the widow could by no means procure the deed of purchase from her +friend; whereupon she applies herself to Evans, who, for a sum of money, +promises to have her deed safely delivered into her own hands; the sum +was forty pounds. Evans applies himself to the invocation of the angel +Salmon, of the nature of Mars, reads his Litany in the +_Common-Prayer-Book_ every day, at select hours, wears his surplice, +lives orderly all that time; at the fortnight's end Salmon appeared, and +having received his commands what to do, in a small time returns with +the very deed desired, lays it down gently upon a table where a white +cloth was spread, and then, being dismissed, vanished. The deed was, by +the gentleman who formerly kept it, placed among many other of his +evidences in a large wooden chest, and in a chamber at one end of the +house; but upon Salmon's; removing and bringing away the deed, all that +bay of building was quite blown down, and all his own proper evidences +torn all to pieces. The second story followeth. + +Some time before I became acquainted with him, he then living in the +Minories, was desired by the Lord Bothwell and Sir Kenelm Digby to show +them a spirit. He promised so to do: the time came, and they were all in +the body of the circle, when lo, upon a sudden, after some time of +invocation, Evans was taken from out the room, and carried into the +field near Battersea Causeway, close to the Thames. Next morning a +countryman going by to his labour, and espying a man in black cloaths, +came unto him and awaked him, and asked him how he came there? Evans by +this understood his condition, enquired where he was, how far from +London, and in what parish he was; which when he understood, he told the +labourer he had been late at Battersea the night before, and by chance +was left there by his friends. Sir Kenelm Digby and the Lord Bothwell +went home without any harm, and came next day to hear what was become of +him; just as they, in the afternoon, came into the house, a messenger +came from Evans to his wife, to come to him at Battersea. I enquired +upon what account the spirit carried him away: who said, he had not, at +the time of invocation, made any suffumigation, at which the spirits +were vexed. It happened, that after I discerned what astrology was, I +went weekly into Little Britain, and bought many books of astrology, not +acquainting Evans therewith. Mr. A. Bedwell, Minister of +Tottenham-High-Cross near London, who had been many years chaplain to +Sir Henry Wotton, whilst he was Ambassador at Venice, and assisted +Pietro Soave Polano, in composing and writing the Council of Trent, was +lately dead; and his library being sold into Little Britain, I bought +amongst them my choicest books of astrology. The occasion of our falling +out was thus: a woman demanded the resolution of a question, which when +he had done, she went her way; I standing by all the while, and +observing the figure, asked him why he gave the judgment he did, since +the signification shewed quite the contrary, and gave him my reasons; +which when he had pondered, he called me boy, and must he be +contradicted by such a novice! But when his heat was over, he said, had +he not so judged to please the woman, she would have given him nothing, +and he had a wife and family to provide for; upon this we never came +together after. Being now very meanly introduced, I applied myself to +study those books I had obtained, many times twelve, or fifteen, or +eighteen hours day and night; I was curious to discover, whether there +was any verity in the art or not. Astrology in this time, viz. in 1633, +was very rare in London, few professing it that understood any thing +thereof. Let it not repent you (O noble Esquire) if now I make a short +digression of such persons as then professed astrology, that posterity +may understand in what condition I found it, and in whose hands that +little that remained was lodged. + +There lived then in Houndsditch one Alexander Hart, who had been a +soldier formerly, a comely old man, of good aspect; he professed +questionary astrology, and a little of physick; his greatest skill was +to elect young gentlemen fit times to play at dice, that they might win +or get money. I went unto him for resolutions for three questions at +several times, and he erred in every one. To speak soberly of him, he +was but a cheat, as appeared suddenly after; for a rustical fellow of +the city, desirous of knowledge, contracted with Hart to assist for a +conference with a spirit, and paid him twenty pounds of thirty pounds +the contract. At last, after many delays, and no spirit appearing, or +money returned, the young man indicts him for a cheat at the Old Bailey +in London; the Jury found the bill, and at the hearing of the cause this +jest happened: some of the bench enquired what Hart did? 'He sat like an +Alderman in his gown,' quoth the fellow; at which the court fell into a +great laughter, most of the court being Aldermen. He was to have been +set upon the pillory for this cheat; but John Taylour, the Water Poet, +being his great friend, got the Lord Chief Justice Richardson to bail +him, ere he stood upon the pillory, and so Hart fled presently into +Holland, where he ended his days. It was my fortune, upon the sale of +his books in 1634, to buy _Argoll's Primum Mobile_ for fourteen +shillings, which I only wanted. + +In Lambeth Marsh at the same time lived one Captain Bubb, who resolved +horary questions astrologically; a proper handsome man, well spoken, but +withal covetous, and of no honesty, as will appear by this story, for +which he stood upon the pillory. A certain butcher was robbed, going to +a fair, of forty pounds; he goes to Bubb, who for ten pounds in hand +paid, would help him to the thief; appoints the butcher such a night +precisely, to watch at such a place, and the thief should come thither; +commanded him by any means to stop him; the butcher attends according to +direction. About twelve in the night there comes one riding very +fiercely upon a full gallop, whom the butcher knocks down, and seized +both upon man and horse: the butcher brings the man and horse to the +next town, but then the person whom the butcher attacked was John the +servant of Dr. Bubb; for which the Captain was indicted and suffered +upon the pillory, and afterwards ended his days in great disgrace. + +There was also one Jeffry Neve, at this time a student in physic and +astrology; he had formerly been a merchant in Yarmouth, and Mayor of the +town, but failing in estate, went into the Low-Countries, and at +Franecker took the degree, of doctor in Physick; he had some little +smattering in astrology; could resolve a question of theft, or +love-question, something of sickness; a very grave person, laborious and +honest, of tall stature and comely feature; he died of late years, +almost in the very street near Tower-Hill: he had a design of printing +two hundred verified questions, and desired my approbation ere they went +to press; that I first would see them, and then give testimony. When I +had perused the first forty, I corrected thirty of them, would read over +no more: I showed him how erroneous they were, desired his emendation of +the rest, which he performed not. These were afterwards, in R. +Saunders's custody, bought by him either of his son or of a +stationer.[2] + + [Footnote 2: But first offered to be sold to me for twenty + shillings. When Mr. Saunders died I bought them of his son for + less. E. A----.] + +There was then William Poole, a nibbler at astrology, sometimes a +gardener, an apparitor, a drawer of linen; as quoifs, handkerchiefs; a +plaisterer and a bricklayer; he would brag many times he had been of +seventeen professions; was very good company for drolling, as you +yourself very well remember (most honoured Sir);[3] he pretended to +poetry; and that posterity may have a taste of it, you shall have here +inserted two verses of his own making; the occasion of making them was +thus. One Sir Thomas Jay, a Justice of the Peace in Rosemary-Lane, +issued out his warrant for the apprehension of Poole, upon a pretended +suggestion, that he was in company with some lewd people in a tavern, +where a silver cup was lost, _Anglice_ stolen. Poole, hearing of the +warrant, packs up his little trunk of books, being all his library, and +runs to Westminster; but hearing some months after that the Justice was +dead and buried, he came and enquired where the grave was; and after the +discharge of his belly upon the grave, left these two verses upon it, +which he swore he made himself. + + Here lieth buried Sir Thomas Jay, Knight, + Who being dead, I upon his grave did shite. + + [Footnote 3: December 17, this William Poole was married to + Alice How, at St. George's Church in Southwark. Mr. Lilly gave + her to him.] + +He died about 1651, or 1652, at St. Mary Overy's in Southwark; and this +was part of his last will. + +'Item; I give to Dr. Ardee all my books, and one manuscript of my own, +worth one hundred of Lilly's Introduction.' + +'Item; If Dr. Ardee give my wife any thing that is mine, I wish the +devil may fetch him body and soul.' The Doctor, terrified with this +curse, gave me all the books and his goods which I presently gave to his +widow.---_Interdum seria jocis_. + +Now also lived this Dr. Ardee, but his true name was Richard Delahay, +formerly an Attorney; he studied astrology and physick, being in +necessity, and forced from Derbyshire, where he had lived, by the old +Countess of Shrewsbury; he was of moderate judgment, both in astrology +and physick. He had formerly been well acquainted with Charles Sledd,[4] +an apothecary, who used the crystal, and had a very perfect sight. This +Dr. Ardee hath many times affirmed unto me, (_esto fides_) that an +angel, one time, appeared unto him, and offered him a lease of his life +for one thousand years; he died about the age of fourscore years; left +his widow, who married into Kent,[5] worth two or three thousand pounds, +and William Poole's estate came to four or five pounds. + + [Footnote 4: Of this Charles Sledd, there is mention made in Dr. + Dee's book of his discourse with spirits, set forth by Dr. + Casaubon.] + + [Footnote 5: To one Moreland.] + +In the years 1632 and 1633, John Booker became famous for a prediction +of his upon a solar eclipse in the 19th degree of Aries 1663, taken out +of _Leovitius de magnis conjunctionibus_, viz. _Oh Reges et Principes +&c._ Both the King of Bohemia, and Gustavus King of Sweden, dying during +the effects of that eclipse. + +John Booker was born in Manchester, of good parentage, in the year 1601; +was in his youth well instructed in the Latin tongue, which he +understood very well. He seemed from his infancy to be designed for +astrology; for from the time he had any understanding, he would be +always poring on, and studying almanacks. He came to London at fitting +years, and served an apprenticeship to an haberdasher in Laurence-Lane, +London; but either wanting stock to setup, or disliking the calling, he +left his trade, and taught to write at Hadley in Middlesex several +scholars in that school: he wrote singularly well both Secretary and +Roman. In process of time he served Sir Christopher Clethero, Knight, +Alderman of London, as his clerk, being a city Justice of Peace: he also +was clerk to Sir Hugh Hammersley, Alderman of London, both which he +served with great credit and estimation; and by that means became not +only well known, but as well respected of the most eminent citizens of +London, even to his dying day. + +He was an excellent proficient in astrology, whose excellent verses upon +the twelve months, framed according to the configurations of each month, +being blessed with success according to his predictions, procured him +much reputation all over England: he was a very honest man, abhorred any +deceit in the art he studied; had a curious fancy in judging of thefts, +and as successful in resolving love-questions: he was no mean proficient +in astronomy; he understood much of physick; was a great admirer of the +antimonial cup; not unlearned in chymistry, which he loved well, but did +not practise. He was inclined to a diabetes; and in the last three years +of his life was afflicted with a dysentery, which at last consumed him +to nothing: he died of good fame in 1667. Since his decease I have seen +one nativity of his performance exactly directed, and judged with as +much learning as from astrology can be expected. + +His library of books came short of the world's approbation, and were by +his widow sold to Elias Ashmole, Esq. who most generously gave her[6] +far more money than they were worth; but out of his respects unto the +deceased and his memory, he most willingly paid her the money. He left +behind him two sons and two daughters. He left in writing very little +but his annual prognostications. He began first to write about the year +1630; he wrote _Bellum Hibernicale_, in the time of the long parliament, +a very sober and judicious book: the epistle thereunto I gave him. He +wrote lately a small treatise of Easter-Day, a very learned thing, +wherein he shewed much learning and reading. To say no more of him, he +lived an honest man, his fame not questioned at his death. + + [Footnote 6: They cost me one hundred and forty pounds.] + +In this year 1633, I became acquainted with Nicholas Fiske, licentiate +in physick, who was born in Suffolk, near Framingham[7] Castle, of very +good parentage, who educated him at country schools, until he was fit +for the university; but he went not to the academy, studying at home +both astrology and physick, which he afterwards practised in Colchester; +and there was well acquainted with Dr. Gilbert, who wrote _De Magnete_. +He came afterwards unto London, and exercised his faculty in several +places thereof. (For in his youth he would never stay long in one +house.) In 1633 he was sent for out of Suffolk by Dr. Winston of Gresham +College, to instruct the Lord Treasurer Weston's son in arithmetick, +astronomy upon the globes, and their uses. He was a person very +studious, laborious, of good apprehension, and had by his own industry +obtained both in astrology, physick, arithmetick, astronomy, geometry +and algebra, singular judgment: he would in astrology resolve horary +questions very soundly; but was ever diffident of his own abilities: he +was exquisitely skilful in the art of directions upon nativities, and +had a good genius in performing judgment thereupon, but very unhappy he +was, that he had no genius in teaching his scholars, for he never +perfected any: his own son Matthew hath often told me, that where his +father did teach any scholars in his time, they would principally learn +of him; he had Scorpio ascending, and was secretly envious to those he +thought had more parts than himself; however, I must be ingenuous, and +do affirm, that by frequent conversation with him, I came to know which +were the best authors, and much to enlarge my judgment, especially in +the art of directions: he visited me most days once after I became +acquainted with him, and would communicate his most doubtful questions +unto me, and accept of my judgment therein rather than his own: he +singularly well judged and directed Sir Robert Holborn's nativity, but +desired me to adjudge the first house, seventh and tenth thereof, which +I did, and which nativity (since Sir Robert gave it me) came to your +hands, and remains in your library; [oh learned Esquire!] he died about +the seventy-eighth year of his age, poor. + + [Footnote 7: There is no such place in Suffolk, it being + mistaken for Framlingham in that county.] + +In this year also William Bredon, parson or vicar of Thornton in +Buckinghamshire, was living, a profound divine, but absolutely the most +polite person for nativities in that age, strictly adhering to Ptolemy, +which he well understood; he had a hand in composing Sir Christopher +Heydon's _Defence of Judicial Astrology_, being that time his chaplain; +he was so given over to tobacco and drink, that when he had no tobacco, +he would cut the bell-ropes and smoke them. + +I come now to continue the story of my own life, but thought it not +inconvenient to commit unto memory something concerning those persons +who practised when first I became a student in astrology; I have wrote +nothing concerning any of them, which I myself do not either know, or +believe to be true. + +In October 1633 my first wife died, and left me whatever was hers: it +was considerable, very near to the value of one thousand pounds. + +One whole year and more I continued a widower, and followed my studies +very hard; during which time a scholar pawned unto me, for forty +shillings, _Ars Notoria_,[8] a large volume wrote in parchment, with the +names of those angels, and their pictures, which are thought and +believed by wise men, to teach and instruct in all the several liberal +sciences, and is attained by observing elected times, and those prayers +appropriated unto the several angels. + + [Footnote 8: Among Dr. Napier's MSS. I had an _Ars Notoria_, + written by S. Forman in large vellum.] + +I do ingenuously acknowledge, I used those prayers according to the form +and direction prescribed for some weeks, using the word _astrologia_ for +_astronomia_; but of this no more: that _Ars Notoria_, inserted in the +latter end of Cornelius Agrippa signifieth nothing; many of the prayers +being not the same, nor is the direction to these prayers any thing +considerable. + +In the year 1634, I taught Sir George Peckham, Knight, astrology, that +part which concerns sickness, wherein he so profited, that in two or +three months he would give a very true discovery of any disease, only by +his figures. He practised in Nottingham, but unfortunately died in 1635, +at St. Winifred's Well in Wales; in which well he continued so long +mumbling his _Pater Nosters_ and _Sancta Winifrida ora pro me_, that the +cold struck into his body; and, after his coming forth of that well, +never spoke more. + +In this year 1634, I purchased the moiety of thirteen houses in the +Strand for five hundred and thirty pounds. + +In November, the 18th day, I was again the second time married, and had +five hundred pounds portion with that wife; she was of the nature of +Mars. + +Two accidents happened to me in that year something memorable. + +Davy Ramsey, his Majesty's clock-maker, had been informed, that there +was a great quantity of treasure buried in the cloyster of +Westminster-Abbey; he acquaints Dean Williams therewith, who was also +then Bishop of Lincoln; the Dean gave him liberty to search after it, +with this proviso, that if any was discovered, his church should have a +share of it. Davy Ramsey finds out one John Scott,[9] who pretended the +use of the Mosaical rods, to assist him herein: I was desired to join +with him, unto which I consented. One winter's night, Davy Ramsey, with +several gentlemen, myself, and Scott, entered the cloysters; we played +the hazel-rod round about the cloyster; upon the west-side of the +cloysters the rods turned one over another, an argument that the +treasure was there. The labourers digged at least six foot deep, and +then we met with a coffin; but in regard it was not heavy, we did not +open, which we afterwards much repented. From the cloysters we went into +the Abbey church, where, upon a sudden, (there being no wind when we +began) so fierce, so high, so blustering and loud a wind did rise, that +we verily believed the west-end of the church would have fallen upon us; +our rods would not move at all; the candles and torches, all but one, +were extinguished, or burned very dimly.[10] John Scott, my partner, was +amazed, looked pale, knew not what to think or do, until I gave +directions and command to dismiss the daemons; which when done, all was +quiet again, and each man returned unto his lodging late, about twelve +o'clock at night; I could never since be induced to join with any in +such-like actions. + + [Footnote 9: This Scott lived in Pudding-Lane, and had some time + been a page (or such like) to the Lord Norris.] + + [Footnote 10: Davy Ramsey brought an half quartern sack to put + the treasure in.] + +The true miscarriage of the business, was by reason of so many people +being present at the operation; for there was about thirty, some +laughing, others deriding us; so that if we had not dismissed the +daemons, I believe most part of the Abbey church had been blown down; +secrecy and intelligent operators, with a strong confidence and +knowledge of what they are doing, are best for this work. + +In 1634, or 1635, a Lady living in Greenwich, who had tried all the +known artists in London, but to no purpose, came weeping and lamenting +her condition, which was this: she had permitted a young Lord to have +the use of her body, till she was with child by him; after which time he +could not or would not endure her sight, but commanded his lacquies and +servants to keep his doors fast shut, lest she should get into his +chamber; or if they chanced to see her near his lodging, to drive her +away, which they several times had done. Her desire unto me was to +assist her to see him, and then she should be content; whereupon I +ordered, such a day, such an hour of that day, to try her fortune once +more. She obeyed; and when she came to the King's Bench, where the Lord +there was imprisoned, the outward door stood wide open: none speaking a +word unto her, she went up stairs, no body molesting her; she found the +Lord's chamber door wide open: he in bed, not a servant to be heard or +seen, so she was pleased. Three days after she came to acquaint me with +her success, and then drew out of her pocket a paper full of ratsbane, +which, had she not had admission unto him that day I appointed, she +would in a pint of white wine have drank at the stair's foot where the +Lord lodged. The like misfortune befell her after that; when the Lord +was out of prison: then I ordered her such a day to go and see a play at +Salisbury-Court; which she did, and within one quarter of an hour the +Lord came into the same box wherein she was. But I grew weary of such +employments, and since have burned my books which instructed these +curiosities: for after that I became melancholy, very much afflicted +with the hypochondriack, growing lean and spare, and every day worse; so +that in the year 1635 my infirmity continuing, and my acquaintance +increasing, I resolved to live in the country, and in March and April +1636 removed my goods unto Hersham, where I now live; and in May my +person, where I continued until 1641, no notice being taken who, or what +I was. + +In the years 1637 and 1638, I had great lawsuits both in the Exchequer +and Chancery, about a lease I had of the annual value of eighty pounds: +I got the victory. + +In the year 1640 I instructed John Humphreys, master of that art, in the +study of astrology: upon this occasion, being at London, by accident in +Fleet-Street, I met Dr. Percival Willoughby of Derby; we were of old +acquaintance, and he but by great chance lately come to town, we went to +the Mitre-Tavern in Fleet-Street, where I sent for old Will Poole the +astrologer, living then in Ram-Alley: being come to us, the Doctor +produced a bill, set forth by a master of arts in Cambridge, intimating +his abilities for resolving of all manner of questions astrologically. +The bill was shewed, and I wondering at it Poole made answer, he knew +the man, and that he was a silly fool; 'I,' quoth he, 'can do more than +he; he sees me every day, he will be here by and by;' and indeed he came +into our room presently: Poole had, just as we came to him, set a +figure, and then shewed it me, desiring my judgement; which I refused, +but desired the master of arts to judge first; he denied, so I gave +mine, to the very great liking of Humphreys, who presently enquired, if +I would teach him, and for what? I told him I was willing to teach, but +would have one hundred pounds. I heard Poole, whilst I was judging the +figure, whisper in-Humphrey's ear, and swear I was the best in England. +Staying three or four days in town, at last we contracted for forty +pounds, for I could never be quiet from his solicitations; he invited me +to supper, and before I had shewed him any thing, paid me thirty-five +pounds. As we were at supper a client came to speak with him, and so up +into his closet he went with his client; I called him in before he set +his figure, or resolved the question, and instantly acquainted him how +he should discover the moles or marks of his client: he set his figure, +and presently discovers four moles the querent had; and was so overjoyed +therewith, that he came tumbling down the stairs, crying, 'Four by +G----, four by G----, I will not take one hundred pounds for this one +rule.' In six weeks time, and tarrying with him three days in a week, he +became a most judicious person. + +This Humphreys was a laborious person, vain-glorious, loquacious, +fool-hardy, desirous of all secrets which he knew not, insomuch that he +would have given me two hundred pounds to have instructed him in some +curiosities he was persuaded I had knowledge of, but, _Artis est celare +artem_, especially to those who live not in the fear of God, or can be +masters of their own counsels: he was in person and condition such +another as that monster of ingratitude my _quondam_ taylor, John +Gadbury. After my refusal of teaching him, what he was not capable of, +we grew strange, though I afforded him many civilities whenever he +required it; for after the siege of Colchester he wrote a book against +me, called _Anti Merlinus-Anglicus_, married a second wife, his first +living in Cambridgeshire, then practised physick by a contrary name, +having intentions to practise in Ireland; he went to Bristol, but there +understanding the parliament's forces had reduced that kingdom, he came +back to London, but durst not abide therein; but turning from his second +wife, who also had another husband, he went to sea, with intention for +Barbadoes, but died by the way in his voyage. I had never seen John +Booker at that time; and telling him one day I had a desire to see him, +but first, ere I would speak with him, I would fit myself with my old +rules, and rub up my astrology; for at that time (and this was 1640) I +thought John Booker the greatest and most complete astrologer in the +world. My scholar Humphreys presently made answer, 'Tutor, you need not +pump for any of your former knowledge, John Booker is no such pumper; we +met,' saith he, 'the other day, and I was too hard for him myself, upon +judgment of three or four questions.' If all the transactions happening +unto that my scholar were in one volume, they would transcend either +_Guzman_, _Don Quixote_, _Lazarillo de Tormes_, or any other of the like +nature I ever did see. + +Having now in part recovered my health, being weary of the country, and +perceiving there was money to be got in London, and thinking myself to +be as sufficiently enabled in astrology as any I could meet with, I made +it my business to repair thither; and so in September 1641 I did; where, +in the years 1642 and 1643, I had great leisure to better my former +knowledge: I then read over all my books of astrology, over and over; +had very little or no practice at all: and whereas formerly I could +never endure to read _Valentine Naibod's Commentary upon Alcabitius_, +now having seriously studied him, I found him to be the profoundest +author I ever met with; him I traversed over day and night, from whom I +must acknowledge to have advanced my judgment and knowledge unto that +height I soon after arrived at, or unto: a most rational author, and the +sharpest expositor of _Ptolemy_ that hath yet appeared. To exercise my +genius, I began to collect notes, and thought of writing some little +thing upon the [symbol: aspect "conjunction"] of [symbol: Saturn] and +[symbol: Jupiter] then approaching: I had not wrote above one sheet, and +that very meanly, but James Lord Galloway came to see me; and, by +chance, casting his eyes upon that rude collection, he read it over, and +so approved of it, yea, so encouraged me to proceed farther, that then, +and after that time, I spent most of my time in composing thereof, and +bringing it, in the end, into that method wherein it was printed 1644. I +do seriously now profess, I had not the assistance of any person living, +in the writing or composing thereof. Mr. Fiske sent me a small +manuscript, which had been Sir Christopher Heydon's, who had wrote +something of the conjunction of [symbol: Saturn] and [symbol: Jupiter], +1603; out of which, to bring my method in order, I transcribed, in the +beginning, five or six lines, and not any more, though that graceless +fellow Gadbury wrote the contrary: but, _Semel et semper nebulo et +mendax_. I did formerly write one treatise, in the year 1639, upon the +eclipse of the sun, in the eleventh degree of Gemini, May 22, 1639; it +consisted of six sheets of paper. But that manuscript I gave unto my +most munificent patron and ever bountiful friend, William Pennington, of +Muncaster in Cumberland, Esq., a wise and excellently learned person; +who, from the year 1634, even till he died, continued unto me the most +grateful person I ever was acquainted with. I became acquainted with him +by means of Davy Ramsey. + +Oh! most noble Esquire, let me now beg your pardon, if I digress for +some small time, in commemorating his bounty unto me, and my requital of +his friendship, by performing many things successfully for his +advantage. + +In 1639 he was made captain, and served his Majesty in his then wars +against the Scots; during which time a farmer's daughter being delivered +of a bastard, and hearing, by report, that he was slain, fathered the +child upon him. Shortly after he returned, most woefully vexed to be +thus abused, when absent. The woman was countenanced by some gentlemen +of Cumberland, in this her villany against him; so that, notwithstanding +he had warrants to attach her body, he could never discover her: but +yet, hunting her from one place to another, her friends thought it most +convenient to send her to London, where she might be in most safety. She +came up to the city, and immediately I had notice thereof, and the care +of that matter was left unto me. I procured the Lord Chief Justice +Bramston's warrant, and had it lying dormant by me. She had not been in +the city above one fortnight, but that I, going casually to the clerk of +the assizes' office for Cumberland, saw there an handsome woman; and +hearing of her speak the northern tone, I concluded she was the party I +did so want. I rounded the clerk in his ear, and told him I would give +him five shillings to hold the woman in chat till I came again, for I +had a writing concerned her. I hasted for my warrant, and a constable, +and returned into the office, seized her person before the clerk of the +assizes, who was very angry with me: it was then sessions at Old-Bayley, +and neither Judge nor Justice to be found. At night we carried her +before the Recorder, Gardner. It being Saturday at night, she, having no +bail, was sent to Bridewell, where she remained till Monday. On Monday +morning, at the Old-Bayley, she produced bail; but I desiring of the +Recorder some time to enquire after the bail, whether they were +sufficient, returned presently, and told him one of the bail was a +prisoner in Ludgate, the other a very poor man. At which he was so +vexed, that he sent her to Newgate, where she lay all that week, until +she could please me with good sureties; which then she did, and so was +bound over to appear at the next assizes in Cumberland; which she did, +and was there sentenced to be whipped, and imprisoned one whole year. + +This action infinitely pleased Mr. Pennington, who thought I could do +wonders; and I was most thankfully requited for it. All the while of +this scandalous business, do what he could, he could not discover what +persons they were that supported her; but the woman's father coming to +town, I became acquainted with him, by the name of Mr. Sute, merchant; +invited him to a dinner; got George Farmer with me; when we so plied him +with wine, he could neither see or feel. I paid the reckoning, +twenty-two shillings. But next morning the poor man had never a writing +or letter in his pocket. I sent them down to my friend, who thereby +discovered the plots of several gentlemen in the business; after which, +Mr. Sute returned to his old name again. + +Mr. Pennington was a true royalist, whom Charles the Second made one of +his Commissioners of Array for Cumberland. Having directions from me +continually how matters did and would go betwixt the King and +Parliament, he acted warily, and did but sign one only warrant of that +nature, and then gave over. When the times of sequestrations came, one +John Musgrave, the most bold and impudent fellow, and most active of all +the north of England, and most malicious against my friend, had got this +warrant under Mr. Pennington's hand into his custody; which affrighted +my friend, and so it might, for it was cause enough of sequestration, +and would have done it. Musgrave intending himself great matters out of +his estate, I was made acquainted herewith. Musgrave being in London, by +much ado, I got acquainted with him, pretending myself a bitter enemy +against Pennington, whereat he very heartily rejoiced; and so we +appointed one night to meet at the Five Bells, to compare notes; for I +pretended much. We did meet, and he very suddenly produced upon the +table all his papers, and withal, the warrant of array unto which my +friend had set his hand; which when I saw, 'I marry,' said I, 'this is +his hand I will swear; now have at all come, the other cup, this warrant +shall pay for all.' I observed where the warrant lay upon the table, +and, after some time took occasion ignorantly to let the candle fall +out, which whilst he went to light again at the fire, I made sure of the +warrant, and put it into my boot; he never missing it of eight or ten +days; about which time, I believe, it was above half way towards +Cumberland, for I instantly sent it by the post, with this friendly +caveat, '_Sin no more_.' Musgrave durst not challenge me in those times, +and so the business was ended very satisfactory to his friend, and no +less to myself. + +He was, besides, extremely abused by one Isaac Antrobus, parson of +Egremond, a most evil liver, bold, and very rich; at last he procured a +minister of that country, in hope of the parsonage, to article against +him in London, before the committee of plundered ministers. I was once +more invited to solicit against Antrobus, which I did upon three or more +articles. + +I. That Antrobus baptized a cock, and called him Peter. + +II. He had knowledge of such a woman and of her daughter, _viz._ of both +their bodies, in as large a manner as ever of his own wife. + +III. Being drunk, a woman took a cord and tied it about his privy +members unto a manger in a stable. + +IV. Being a continual drunkard. + +V. He never preached, &c. + + * * * * * + +Antrobus was now become a great champion for the Parliament; but, at the +day of hearing, I had procured abundance of my friends to be there; for +the godly, as they termed themselves, sided with him; the present Master +of the Rolls was Chairman that day, Sir Harbottle Grimston. + +Who, hearing the foulness of the cause, was very much ashamed thereof. I +remember Antrobus, being there, pleaded he was in his natural condition +when he acted so ungraciously. + +'What condition were you in,' said the Chairman, 'when you lay with +mother and daughter?' + +'There is no proof of that,' saith he. + +'None but your own confession,' said the Chairman, 'nor could any tell +so well.' + +'I am not given to drunkenness,' quoth he. 'He was so drunk within this +fortnight,' quoth I, 'he reeled from one side of the street to the +other; here is the witness to prove it:' who, presently, before the +committee, being sworn, made it good, and named the place and street +where he was drunk. So he was adjudged scandalous, and outed of his +benefice, and our minister had the parsonage. + +You cannot imagine how much the routing of this drunken parson pleased +Mr. Pennington, who paid all charges munificently and thankfully. + +But now follows the last and greatest kindness I ever did him. +Notwithstanding the committee for sequestrations in Cumberland were his +very good friends, yet the sub-sequestrators, of their own heads, and +without order, and by strength of arms, secured his irons, his wood, and +so much of his personal estate as was valued at seven thousand pounds. +Now had I complaint upon complaint: would I suffer my old friend to be +thus abused? it was in my power to free him from these villains. + +I hereupon advised what was best to do, and was counselled to get Mr. +Speaker Lenthall's letter to the sub-sequestrators, and command them to +be obedient to the committee of the county. + +Whereupon, I framed a letter myself, unto the sub-sequestrators +directed, and with it, myself and Mr. Laurence Maydwell (whom yourself +well knew) went to Mr. Speaker, unto whom we sufficiently related the +stubbornness of the officers of Cumberland; their disobedience to the +committee; and then shewed him the letter, which when he had read over, +he most courteously signed, adding withal, that if they proceeded +further in sequestring Mr. Pennington, he would command a Serjeant at +Arms to bring them up to answer their contempts: I immediately posted +that letter to my friend, which when the absurd fellows received, they +delivered him possession of his goods again; and, for my pains, when he +came to London, gave me one hundred pounds; he died in 1652, of a +violent fever. I did carefully, in 1642 and 1643, take notice of every +grand action which happened betwixt King and Parliament, and did first +then incline to believe, that as all sublunary affairs did depend upon +superior causes, so there was a possibility of discovering them by the +configurations of the superior bodies; in which way making some essays +in those two years, I found encouragement to proceed further, which I +did; I perused the writings of the ancients, but therein they were +silent, or gave no satisfaction; at last, I framed unto myself that +method, which then and since I follow, which, I hope, in time may be +more perfected by a more penetrating person than myself. + +In 1643, I became familiarly known to Sir Bulstrode Whitlocke, a member +of the House of Commons; he being sick, his urine was brought unto me by +Mrs. Lisle,[11] wife to John Lisle, afterwards one of the keepers of the +Great Seal; having set my figure, I returned answer, the sick for that +time would recover, but by means of a surfeit would dangerously relapse +within one month; which he did, by eating of trouts at Mr. Sand's house, +near Leatherhead in Surrey. Then I went daily to visit him, Dr. Prideau +despairing of his life; but I said there was no danger thereof, and that +he would be sufficiently well in five or six weeks; and so he was. + + [Footnote 11: She was afterwards beheaded at Winchester, for + harbouring one Nelthrop, a rebel in the Duke of Monmouth's army + 1685. She had made herself remarkable, by saying at the + martyrdom of King Charles I, 1648, 'that her blood leaped within + her to see the tyrant fall;' for this, when she fell into the + state trap, she neither did nor could expect favour from any of + that martyr's family.] + +In 1644, I published _Merlinus Anglicus Junior_ about April. I had given +one day the copy thereof unto the then Mr. Whitlocke, who by accident +was reading thereof in the House of Commons: ere the Speaker took the +chair, one looked upon it, and so did many, and got copies thereof; +which when I heard, I applied myself to John Booker to license it, for +then he was licenser of all mathematical books; I had, to my knowledge, +never seen him before; he wondered at the book, made many impertinent +obliterations, framed many objections, swore it was not possible to +distinguish betwixt King and Parliament; at last licensed it according +to his own fancy; I delivered it unto the printer, who being an arch +Presbyterian, had five of the ministry to inspect it, who could make +nothing of it, but said it might be printed, for in that I meddled not +with their Dagon. The first impression was sold in less than one week; +when I presented some to the members of Parliament, I complained of John +Booker the licenser, who had defaced my book; they gave me order +forthwith to reprint it as I would, and let them know if any durst +resist me in the reprinting, or adding what I thought fit; so the second +time it came forth as I would have it. + +I must confess, I now found my scholar Humphreys's words to be true +concerning John Booker, whom at that time I found but moderately versed +in astrology; nor could he take the circles of position of the planets, +until in that year I instructed him. After my _Introduction_ in 1647 +became publick, he amended beyond measure, by study partly, and partly +upon emulation to keep up his fame and reputation; so that since 1647, I +have seen some nativities by him very judiciously performed. When the +printer presented him with an _Introduction_ of mine, as soon as they +were forth of the press; 'I wish,' saith he, 'there was never another +but this in England, conditionally I gave one hundred pounds for this.' +After that time we were very great friends to his dying day. + +In June, 1644, I published _Supernatural Sight_; and, indeed, if I could +have procured the dull stationer to have been at charges to have cut the +_icon_ or form of that prodigious apparition, as I had drawn it forth, +it would have given great satisfaction; however, the astrological +judgment thereupon had its full event in every particular. + +That year also I published the _White King's Prophecy_, of which there +were sold in three days eighteen hundred, so that it was oft reprinted: +I then made no commentary upon it. + +In that year I printed the _Prophetical Merlin_, and had eight pounds +for the copy. + +I had then no farther intention to trouble the press any more, but Sir +Richard Napper having received one of Captain Wharton's _Almanacks_ for +1645, under the name Naworth, he came unto me: 'Now, Lilly, you are met +withal, see here what Naworth writes.' The words were, he called me 'an +impudent senseless fellow, and by name William Lilly.' + +Before that time, I was more Cavalier than Roundhead, and so taken +notice of; but after that I engaged body and soul in the cause of +Parliament, but still with much affection to his Majesty's person and +unto monarchy, which I ever loved and approved beyond any government +whatsoever; and you will find in this story many passages of civility +which I did, and endeavoured to do, with the hazard of my life, for his +Majesty: but God had ordered all his affairs and counsels to have no +successes; as in the sequel will appear. + +To vindicate my reputation, and to cry quittance with Naworth, against +whom I was highly incensed, to work I went again for _Anglicus_, 1645; +which as soon as finished I got to the press, thinking every day one +month till it was publick: I therein made use of the King's nativity, +and finding that his ascendant was approaching to the quadrature of +Mars, about June, 1645, I gave this unlucky judgment; 'If now we fight, +a victory stealeth upon us;' and so it did in June, 1645, at Naseby, the +most fatal overthrow he ever had. + +In this year, 1645, I published a treatise called the _Starry +Messenger_, with an interpretation of three suns seen in London, 29th +May, 1644, being Charles the Second's birthday: in that book I also put +forth an astrological judgment concerning the effects of a solar +eclipse, visible the 11th of August, 1645. Two days before its +publishing, my antagonist, Captain Wharton, having given his +astronomical judgment upon his Majesty's present march from Oxford; +therein again fell foul against me and John Booker: Sir Samuel Luke, +Governor of Newportpagnel, had the thing came to his garrison from +Oxford, which presently was presented unto my view. I had but twelve +hours, or thereabout, to answer it, which I did with such success as is +incredible; and the printer printed both the _March_ and my answer unto +it, and produced it to sight, with my _Starry Messenger_, which came +forth and was made publick the very day of the Parliament's great +victory obtained against his Majesty in person at Naseby, under the +conduct of the Lord Thomas Fairfax. + +That book no sooner appeared, but within fourteen days complaint was +made to the committee of examinations, Miles Corbet then being Chairman, +my mortal enemy, he who after was hanged, drawn, and quartered, for +being one of the King's Judges; he grants his warrant, and a messenger +to the Serjeant at Arms seizeth my person. As I was going to Westminster +with the messenger, I met Sir Philip Stapleton, Sir Christopher Wray, +Mr. Denzil Hollis, Mr. Robert Reynolds, who, by great fortune, had the +_Starry Messenger_ sheet by sheet from me as it came from the press. +They presently fell a smiling at me; 'Miles Corbet, Lilly, will punish +thee soundly; but fear nothing, we will dine, and make haste to be at +the committee time enough to do the business;' and so they most +honourably performed; for they, as soon as they came, sat down, and put +Mr. Reynolds purposely into the chair, and I was called in; but Corbet +being not there, they bid me withdraw until he came; which when he did, +I was commanded to appear, and Corbet desired to give the cause of my +being in restraint, and of the committee's order. Mr. Reynolds was +purposely put into the chair, and continued till my business was over. + +Corbet produced my _Anglicus_ of 1645, and said there were many +scandalous passages therein against the Commissioners of Excise in +London. He produced one passage, which being openly read by himself, the +whole committee adjudged it to signify the errors of sub-officers, but +had no relation to the Commissioners themselves, which I affirmatively +maintained to be the true meaning as the committee declared. + +Then Corbet found out another dangerous place, as he thought, and the +words were thus in the printed book--'In the name of the Father, Son, +and Holy Ghost, will not the Excise pay the soldiers?' + +Corbet very ignorantly read, 'will not the Eclipse pay soldiers?' at +which the Committee fell heartily to laugh at him, and so he became +silent. + +There was a great many Parliament men there; the chamber was full. 'Have +you any more against Mr. Lilly?' cried the chairman. + +'Yes,' saith the Sollicitor for the Excise, 'since his _Starry +Messenger_ came forth we had our house burnt, and the Commissioners +pulled by their cloaks in the Exchange.' 'Pray, sir, when was this,' +asked old Sir Robert Pye, 'that the house was burnt, and the Aldermen +abused?' 'It was in such a week,' saith he. 'Mr. Lilly, when came the +book forth?' 'The very day of Naseby fight,' answered Mr. Reynolds, 'nor +needs he be ashamed of writing it: I had it daily as it came forth of +the press: it was then found the house to be burnt, and the Aldermen +abused, twelve days before the _Starry Messenger_ came forth.' 'What a +lying fellow art thou,' saith Sir Robert Pye, 'to abuse us so!' This he +spoke to the Sollicitor. Then stood up one Bassell, a merchant: he +inveighed bitterly against me, being a Presbyterian, and would have had +my books burnt. 'You smell more of a citizen than a scholar,' replied +Mr. Francis Drake. I was ordered to withdraw, and by and by was called +in, and acquainted the committee did discharge me. But I cried with a +loud voice, 'I was under a messenger;' whereupon the committee ordered +him or the Serjeant at Arms not to take any fees; Mr. Reynolds saying, +'Literate men never pay any fees.' + +But within one week after, I was likely to have had worse success, but +that the before-named gentlemen stoutly befriended me. In my Epistle of +the _Starry Messenger_, I had been a little too plain with the committee +of Leicestershire; who thereof made complaint unto Sir Arthur Hazelrigg, +Knight for that county; he was a furious person, and made a motion in +the House of Commons against me, and the business was committed to that +committee, whereof Baron Rigby was chairman. A day was assigned to hear +the matter; in the morning whereof, as I passed by Mr. Pullen's shop in +St. Paul's Church-yard, Pullen bad 'God be with you,' and named me by +name. Mr. Selden being there, and hearing my name, gave direction to +call me unto him, where he acquaints me with Hazelrigg's humour and +malice towards me, called for the _Starry Messenger_, and having read +over the words mentioning that committee, he asked me how I would answer +them? I related what I would have said, but he contradicted me, and +acquainted me what to say, and how to answer. In the afternoon I went to +appear, but there was no committee set, or would sit; for both Mr. +Reynolds and Sir Philip Stapleton, and my other friends, had fully +acquainted Baron Rigby with the business, and desired him not to call +upon me until they appeared; for the matter and charge intended against +me was very frivolous, and only presented by a cholerick person to +please a company of clowns, meaning the committee of Leicester. Baron +Rigby said, if it were so he would not meddle with the matter, but +exceedingly desired to see me. Not long after he met Sir Arthur, and +acquainting him what friends appeared for me, said, 'I will then +prosecute him no further.' + +All the ancient astrologers of England were much startled and confounded +at my manner of writing, especially old Mr. William Hodges, who lived +near Wolverhampton in Staffordshire, and many others who understood +astrology competently well, as they thought. Hodges swore I did more by +astrology than he could by the crystal, and use thereof, which indeed he +understood as perfectly as any one in England. He was a great royalist, +but could never hit any thing right for that party, though he much +desired it: he resolved questions astrologically; nativities he meddled +not with; in things of other nature, which required more curiosity, he +repaired to the crystal: his angels were Raphael, Gabriel, and Uriel: +his life answered not in holiness and sanctity to what it should, having +to deal with those holy angels. Being contemporary with me, I shall +relate what my partner John Scott, the same Scott as is +before-mentioned, affirmed of him. John Scott was a little skilful in +surgery and physick, so was Will Hodges, and had formerly been a +school-master. Scott having some occasions into Staffordshire, addressed +himself for a month or six weeks to Hodges, assisted him to dress his +patients, let blood, &c. Being to return to London, he desired Hodges to +shew him the person and feature of the woman he should marry. Hodges +carries him into a field not far from his house, pulls out his crystal, +bids Scott set his foot to his, and, after a while, wishes him to +inspect the crystal, and observe what he saw there. 'I see,' saith +Scott, 'a ruddy complexioned wench in a red waistcoat, drawing a can of +beer.' 'She must be your wife,' said Hodges. 'You are mistaken, Sir,' +said Scott. 'I am, so soon as I come to London, to marry a tall +gentlewoman in the Old Bailey.' 'You must marry the red waistcoat,' said +Hodges. Scott leaves the country, comes up to London, finds his +gentlewoman married: two years after going into Dover, in his return, he +refreshed himself at an inn in Canterbury, and as he came into the hall, +or first room thereof, he mistook the room, and went into the buttery, +where he espied a maid, described by Hodges, as before said, drawing a +can of beer, &c. He then more narrowly viewing her person and habit, +found her, in all parts, to be the same Hodges had described; after +which he became a suitor unto her, and was married unto her; which woman +I have often seen. This Scott related unto me several times, being a +very honest person, and made great conscience of what he spoke. Another +story of him is as followeth, which I had related from a person which +well knew the truth of it. + +A neighbour gentleman of Hodges lost his horse; who having Hodges's +advice for recovery of him, did again obtain him. Some years after, in a +frolick, he thought to abuse him, acquainting a neighbour therewith, +viz., that he had formerly lost a horse, went to Hodges, recovered him +again, but saith it was by chance; I might have had him without going +unto him: 'Come, let's go, I will now put a trick upon him; I will leave +some boy or other at the town's-end with my horse, and then go to Hodges +and enquire for him.' He did so, gave his horse to a youth, with orders +to walk him till he returned. Away he goes with his friend, salutes Mr. +Hodges, thanks him for his former courtesy, and now desires the like, +having lost a horse very lately. Hodges, after some time of pausing, +said; 'Sir, your horse is lost, and never to be recovered.' 'I thought +what skill you had,' replies the gallant, 'my horse is walking in a lane +at the town's-end.' With that Hodges swore (as he was too much given +unto that vice) 'your horse is gone, and you will never have him again.' +The gentleman departed in great derision of Hodges, and went where he +left his horse: when he came there, he found the boy fast asleep upon +the ground, the horse gone, the boy's arm in the bridle. + +He returns again to Hodges, desiring his aid, being sorry for his former +abuse. Old Will swore like a devil, 'be gone, be gone; go look for your +horse.' This business ended not so; for the malicious man brought Hodges +into the star-chamber, bound him over to the assizes, put Hodges to +great expences: but, by means of the Lord Dudley, if I remember aright, +or some other person thereabouts, he overcame the gentleman, and was +acquitted. + +Besides this, a gentlewoman of my acquaintance, and of credit, in +Leicestershire, having lost a pillion-cloth, a very new one, went to +desire his judgment. He ordered her such a day to attend at Mountsorrel +in Leicestershire, and about twelve o'clock she should see her +pillion-cloth upon a horse, and a woman upon it. My friend attended the +hour and place; it being told, she must needs warm herself well, and +then enquired if any passengers had lately gone by the inn? Unto whom +answer was made, there passed by whilst she was at the fire, about half +an hour before, a man, and a woman behind him, on horse-back. Inquiring +of what colour the pillion-cloth was of; it was answered, directly of +the colour my friend's was: they pursued, but too late. + +In those times, there lived one William Marsh in Dunstable, a man of +godly life and upright conversation, a Recusant. By astrology he +resolved thievish questions with great success; that was his utmost sole +practice. He was many times in trouble; but by Dr. Napper's interest +with the Earl of Bolingbroke, Lord Wentworth, after Earl of Cleveland, +he still continued his practice, the said Earl not permitting any +Justice of Peace to vex him. + +This man had only two books, _Guido_ and _Haly_ bound together; he had +so mumbled and tumbled the leaves of both, that half one side of every +leaf was torn even to the middle. I was familiar with him for many +years: he died about 1647. + +A word or two of Dr. Napper, who lived at Great Lindford in +Buckinghamshire, was parson, and had the advowson thereof. He descended +of worshipful parents, and this you must believe; for when Dr. Napper's +brother, Sir Robert Napper, a Turkey merchant, was to be made a Baronet +in King James's reign, there was some dispute whether he could prove +himself a gentleman for three or more descents. 'By my saul,' saith King +James, 'I will certify for Napper, that he is of above three hundred +years standing in his family, all of them, by my saul, gentlemen,' &c. +However, their family came into England in King Henry the Eighth's time. +The parson was Master of Arts; but whether doctorated by degree or +courtesy, because of his profession, I know not. Miscarrying one day in +the pulpit, he never after used it, but all his life-time kept in his +house some excellent scholar or other to officiate for him, with +allowance of a good salary: he out-went Forman in physick and holiness +of life; cured the falling-sickness perfectly by constellated rings, +some diseases by amulets, &c. + +A maid was much afflicted with the falling sickness, whose parents +applied themselves unto him for cure: he framed her a constellated ring, +upon wearing whereof, she recovered perfectly. Her parents acquainted +some scrupulous divines with the cure of their daughter: 'The cure is +done by inchantment,' say they. 'Cast away the ring, it's diabolical; +God cannot bless you, if you do not cast the ring away.' The ring was +cast into the well, whereupon the maid became epileptical as formerly, +and endured much misery for a long time. At last her parents cleansed +the well, and recovered the ring again; the maid wore it, and her fits +took her no more. In this condition she was one year or two; which the +Puritan ministers there adjoining hearing, never left off, till they +procured her parents to cast the ring quite away; which done, the fits +returned in such violence, that they were enforced to apply to the +Doctor again, relating at large the whole story, humbly imploring his +once more assistance; but he could not be procured to do any thing, only +said, those who despised God's mercies, were not capable or worthy of +enjoying them. + +I was with him in 1632, or 1633, upon occasion. He had me up into his +library, being excellently furnished with very choice books: there he +prayed almost one hour; he invocated several angels in his prayer, +viz.[12] Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, &c. We parted. + + [Footnote 12: The collect read on Michaelmas-day, seems to allow + of praying to angels. At some times, upon great occasions, he + had conference with Michael, but very rarely.] + +He instructed many ministers in astrology, would lend them whole +cloak-bags of books; protected them from harm and violence, by means of +his power with the Earl of Bolingbroke.[13] He would confess my master +Evans knew more than himself in some things: and some time before he +died, he got his cousin Sir Richard to set a figure to see when he +should die. Being brought him; 'Well,' he said, 'the old man will live +this winter, but in the spring he will die; welcome Lord Jesus, thy will +be done.' He had many enemies: Cotta, Doctor of physick in Northampton, +wrote a sharp book of witchcraft, wherein, obliquely, he bitterly +inveighed against the Doctor. + + [Footnote 13: Lord Wentworth, after Earl of Cleveland.] + +In 1646, I printed a collection of Prophecies, with the explanation and +verification of Aquila, or the _White King's Prophecy_; as also the +nativities of Bishop Laud and Thomas Earl of Strafford, and a most +learned speech by him intended to have been spoke upon the scaffold. In +this year 1646, after a great consideration, and many importunities, I +began to fix upon thoughts of an _Introduction unto Astrology_, which +was very much wanting, and as earnestly longed for by many persons of +quality. Something also much occasioned and hastened the impression, +viz. the malevolent barking of Presbyterian ministers in their weekly +sermons, reviling the professors thereof, and myself particularly by +name. + +Secondly, I thought it a duty incumbent upon me, to satisfy the whole +kingdom of the lawfulness thereof, by framing a plain and easy method +for any person but of indifferent capacity to learn the art, and +instruct himself therein, without any other master than my +_Introduction_; by which means, when many understood it, I should have +more partners and assistants to contradict all and every antagonist. + +Thirdly, I found it best as unto point of time, because many of the +soldiers were wholly for it, and many of the Independant party; and I +had abundance of worthy men in the House of Commons, my assured friends, +no lovers of Presbytery, which then were in great esteem, and able to +protect the art; for should the Presbyterian party have prevailed, as +they thought of nothing less than to be Lords of all, I knew well they +would have silenced my pen annually, and committed the _Introduction_ +unto everlasting silence. + +Fourthly, I had something of conscience touched my spirit, and much +elevated my conceptions, believing God had not bestowed those abilities +upon me, to bury them under a bushel; for though my education was very +mean, yet, by my continual industry, and God's great mercy, I found +myself capable to go forward with the work, and to commit the issue +thereof unto Divine Providence. + +I had a hard task in hand to begin the first part hereof, and much +labour I underwent to methodize it as it is. + +I ingenuously confess unto you (Arts' great Mecaenas, noble Esquire +Ashmole,) no mortal man had any share in the composition or ordering of +the first part thereof, but my only self. You are a person of great +reading, yet I well know you never found the least trace thereof in any +author yet extant. + +In composing, contriving, ordering, and framing thereof (viz. the first +part) a great part of that year was spent. I again perused all, or most, +authors I had, sometimes adding, at other times diminishing, until at +last I thought it worthy of the press. When I came to frame the second +part thereof, having formerly collected out of many manuscripts, and +exchanged rules with the most able professors I had acquaintance with, +in transcribing those papers for impression, I found, upon a strict +inquisition, those rules were, for the most part, defective; so that +once more I had now a difficult labour to correct their deficiency, to +new rectify them according to art; and lastly, considering the +multiplicity of daily questions propounded unto me, it was as hard a +labour as might be to transcribe the papers themselves with my own hand. +The desire I had to benefit posterity and my country, at last overcame +all difficulties; so that what I could not do in one year, I perfected +early the next year, 1647; and then in that year, viz. 1647, I finished +the third book of[14] nativities,[15] during the composing whereof, for +seven whole weeks, I was shut up of the plague, burying in that time two +maid-servants thereof; yet towards November that year, the Introduction, +called by the name of _Christian Astrology_, was made publick. There +being, in those times, some smart difference between the army and the +Parliament, the head-quarters of the army were at Windsor, whither I was +carried with a coach and four horses, and John Booker with me. We were +welcome thither, and feasted in a garden where General Fairfax lodged. +We were brought to the General, who bid us kindly welcome to Windsor; +and, in effect, said thus much: + + [Footnote 14: The name of the person whose nativity is directed + and judged, is Mr. Thompson, whose father had been some time an + inn-keeper at the White-Hart in Newark.] + + [Footnote 15: I devised the forms and fashions of the several + schemes. E.A.] + +'That God had blessed the army with many signal victories, and yet their +work was not finished. He hoped God would go along with them until his +work was done. They sought not themselves, but the welfare and +tranquillity of the good people, and whole nation; and, for that end, +were resolved to sacrifice both their lives and their own fortunes. As +for the art we studied, he hoped it was lawful and agreeable to God's +word: he understood it not; but doubted not but we both feared God; and +therefore had a good opinion of us both.' Unto his speech I presently +made this reply: + +'My Lord, I am glad to see you here at this time. + +'Certainly, both the people of God, and all others of this nation, are +very sensible of God's mercy, love, and favour unto them, in directing +the Parliament to nominate and elect you General of their armies, a +person so religious, so valiant. + +'The several unexpected victories obtained under your Excellency's +conduct, will eternize the same unto all posterity. + +'We are confident of God's going along with you and your army, until the +great work for which he ordained you both, is fully perfected; which we +hope will be the conquering and subversion of your's and the +Parliament's enemies, and then a quiet settlement and firm peace over +all the nation, unto God's glory, and full satisfaction of tender +consciences. + +'Sir, as for ourselves, we trust in God; and, as Christians, believe in +him. We do not study any art but what is lawful, and consonant to the +scriptures, fathers, and antiquity; which we humbly desire you to +believe,' &c. + +This ended, we departed, and went to visit Mr. Peters the minister, who +lodged in the castle, whom we found reading an idle pamphlet come from +London that morning. 'Lilly, thou art herein,' says he. 'Are not you +there also?' I replied. 'Yes, that I am,' quoth he.--The words +concerning me were these: + + From th' oracles of the Sibyls so silly, + The curst predictions of William Lilly, + And Dr. Sybbald's Shoe-lane Philly, + Good Lord, deliver me. + +After much conference with Hugh Peters, and some private discourse +betwixt us two, not to be divulged, we parted, and so came back to +London. + +King Charles the First, in the year 1646, April 27, went unto the Scots, +then in this nation. Many desired my judgment, in time of his absence, +to discover the way he might be taken: which I would never be drawn +unto, or give any direction concerning his person. + +There were many lewd Mercuries printed both in London and Oxford, +wherein I was sufficiently abused, in this year, 1646. I had then my +ascendant _ad_ [symbol: Gemini] [symbol: aspect "conjunction"], and +[symbol: Moon] _ad propriun_. The Presbyterians were, in their pulpits, +as merciless as the Cavaliers in their pamphlets. + +About this time, the most famous mathematician of all Europe,[16] Mr. +William Oughtred, parson of Aldbury in Surry, was in danger of +sequestration by the Committee of or for plundered ministers; +(_Ambo-dexters_ they were;) several inconsiderable articles were deposed +and sworn against him, material enough to have sequestered him, but +that, upon his day of hearing, I applied myself to Sir Bolstrode +Whitlock, and all my own old friends, who in such numbers appeared in +his behalf, that though the chairman and many other Presbyterian members +were stiff against him, yet he was cleared by the major number. The +truth is, he had a considerable parsonage, and that only was enough to +sequester any moderate judgment: he was also well known to affect his +Majesty. In these times many worthy ministers lost their livings or +benefices, for not complying with the _Three-penny Directory_. Had you +seen (O noble Esquire) what pitiful ideots were prefered into +sequestrated church-benefices, you would have been grieved in your soul; +but when they came before the classis of divines, could those simpletons +but only say, they were converted by hearing such a sermon, such a +lecture, of that godly man Hugh Peters, Stephen Marshall, or any of that +gang, he was presently admitted. + + [Footnote 16: This gentleman I was very well acquainted with, + having lived at the house over-against his, at Aldbury in + Surrey, three or four years. E.A.] + +In 1647, I published the _World's Catastrophe_, the _Prophecies of +Ambrose Merlin_, with the _Key_ wherewith to unlock those obstruse +Prophecies; also _Trithemius of the Government of the World by the +presiding Angels_; these came forth all in one book. + +The two first were exquisitely translated by yourself, (most learned +Sir) as I do ingenuously acknowledge in my _Epistle unto the Reader_, +with a true character of the worth and admirable parts, unto which I +refer any that do desire to read you perfectly delineated. I was once +resolved to have continued _Trithemius_ for some succeeding years, but +multiplicity of employment impeded me. The study required, in that kind +of learning, must be sedentary, of great reading, sound judgment, which +no man can accomplish except he wholly retire, use prayer, and accompany +himself with angelical consorts. + +His Majesty Charles the First, having entrusted the Scots with his +person, was, for money, delivered into the hands of the English +Parliament, and, by several removals, was had to Hampton-Court, about +July or August 1647; for he was there, and at that time when my house +was visited with the plague. He was desirous to escape from the +soldiery, and to obscure himself for some time near London, the citizens +whereof began now to be unruly, and alienated in affection from the +Parliament, inclining wholly to his Majesty, and very averse to the +army. His Majesty was well informed of all this, and thought to make +good use hereof; besides, the army and Parliament were at some odds, who +should be masters. Upon the King's intention to escape, and with his +consent, Madam Whorewood (whom you knew very well, worthy Esquire) came +to receive my judgment, viz. In what quarter of this nation he might be +most safe, and not to be discovered until himself pleased. + +When she came to my door, I told her I would not let her come into my +house for I buried a maid-servant of the plague very lately. 'I fear not +the plague, but the pox,' quoth she; so up we went. After erection of my +figure, I told her about twenty miles (or thereabouts) from London, and +in Essex, I was certain he might continue undiscovered. She liked my +judgment very well; and, being herself of a sharp judgment, remembered a +place in Essex about that distance, where was an excellent house, and +all conveniences for his reception. Away she went, early next morning, +unto Hampton-Court, to acquaint his Majesty; but see the misfortune: He, +either guided by his own approaching hard fate, or misguided by +Ashburnham,[17] went away in the night-time westward, and surrendered +himself to Hammond, in the Isle of Wight. + + [Footnote 17: This Ashburnham was turned out of the House of + Commons the 3d of November, 1667, for taking a bribe of five + hundred pounds of the merchants. I was informed hereof 26th + November, 1667.] + +Whilst his Majesty was at Hampton-Court Alderman Adams sent his Majesty +one thousand pounds in gold, five hundred whereof he gave Madam +Whorewood. I believe I had twenty pieces of that very gold for my share. + +I have something more to write of Charles the First's misfortunes, +wherein I was concerned; the matter happened in 1648, but I thought good +to insert it here, having after this no more occasion to mention him. + +His Majesty being in Carisbrook-Castle in the Isle of Wight, the Kentish +men, in great numbers, rose in arms, and joined with the Lord Goring; a +considerable number of the best ships revolted from the Parliament; the +citizens of London were forward to rise against the Parliament; his +Majesty laid his design to escape out of prison, by sawing the iron bars +of his chamber window; a small ship was provided, and anchored not far +from the castle to bring him into Sussex; horses were provided ready to +carry him through Sussex into Kent, so that he might be at the head of +the army in Kent, and from thence to march immediately to London, where +thousands then would have armed for him. The Lady Whorewood came to me, +acquaints me herewith. I got G. Farmer (who was a most ingenious +lock-smith, and dwelt in Bowlane) to make a saw to cut the iron bars in +sunder, I mean to saw them, and aqua fortis besides. His Majesty in a +small time did his work; the bars gave liberty for him to go out; he was +out with his body till he came to his breast; but then his heart +failing, he proceeded no farther: when this was discovered, as soon +after it was, he was narrowly looked after, and no opportunity after +that could be devised to enlarge him. About September the Parliament +sent their Commissioners with propositions unto him into the Isle of +Wight, the Lord William Sea being one; the Lady Whorewood comes again +unto me from him or by his consent, to be directed: After perusal of my +figure, I told her the Commissioners would be there such a day; I +elected a day and hour when to receive the Commissioners and +propositions; and as soon as the propositions were read, to sign them, +and make haste with all speed to come up with the Commissioners to +London. The army being then far distant from London, and the city +enraged stoutly against them, he promised he would do so. That night the +Commissioners came, and old Sea and his Majesty had private conference +till one in the morning: the King acquaints Sea with his intention, who +clearly dissuaded him from signing the propositions, telling him they +were not fit for him to sign; that he had many friends in the House of +Lords, and some in the House of Commons; that he would procure more, and +then they would frame more easy propositions. This flattery of this +unfortunate Lord occasioned his Majesty to wave the advice I and some +others that wished his prosperity had given, in expectation of that +which afterwards could never be gained. The army having some notice +hereof from one of the Commissioners, who had an eye upon old Sea, +hasted unto London, and made the citizens very quiet; and besides, the +Parliament and army kept a better correspondency afterwards with each +other. + +Whilst the King was at Windsor-Castle, once walking upon the leads +there, he looked upon Captain Wharton's _Almanack_: 'My book,' saith he, +'speaks well as to the weather:' One William Allen standing by; 'what,' +saith he, 'saith his antagonist, Mr. Lilly?' 'I do not care for Lilly,' +said his Majesty, 'he hath been always against me,' and became a little +bitter in his expressions. 'Sir,' saith Allen, 'the man is an honest +man, and writes but what his art informs him.' 'I believe it,' said his +Majesty, 'and that Lilly understands astrology as well as any man in +Europe.' _Exit Rex Carolus._ + +In 1648 I published a _Treatise of the Three Suns_, seen the winter +preceding; as also an Astrological Judgment upon a Conjunction of Saturn +and Mars 28 June, in 11 degrees 8 minutes of Gemini. + +I commend unto your perusal that book and the _Prophetical Merlin_, +which, seriously considered, (Oh worthy Esquire) will more instruct your +judgement (_De generalibus contingentibus Mundi_) than all the authors +you yet ever met with. + +In this year, for very great considerations, the Council of State gave +me in money fifty pounds, and a pension of one hundred pounds _per +Annum_, which for two years I received, but no more: upon some +discontents I after would not or did require it. The cause moving them +was this; they could get no intelligence out of France, although they +had several agents there for that purpose. I had formerly acquaintance +with a secular priest, at this time confessor to one of the Secretaries; +unto him I wrote, and by that means had perfect knowledge of the +chiefest concernments of France, at which they admired; but I never yet, +until this day, revealed the name of the person. + +One occasion why I deserted that employment was, because Scott, who had +eight hundred pounds _per Annum_ for intelligence, would not contribute +any occasion to gratify my friend: And another thing was, I received +some affront from Gualter Frost their Secretary, one that was a +principal minister belonging to the Council of State. Scott was ever my +enemy, the other knave died of a gangrene in his arm suddenly after. + +In 1648 and 1649, that I might encourage young students in astrology, I +publickly read over the first part of my _Introduction_, wherein there +are many things contained, not easily to be understood. + +And now we are entered into the year 1649: his Majesty being at St. +James's House, in January of that year, I begun its observations thus: + +'I am serious, I beg and expect justice; either fear or shame begins to +question offenders. + +'The lofty cedars begin to divine a thundering hurricane is at hand; God +elevates men contemptible. + +'Our demigods are sensible we begin to dislike their actions very much +in London, more in the country. + +'Blessed be God, who encourages his servants, makes them valiant, and of +undaunted spirits, to go on with his decrees: upon a sudden, great +expectations arise, and men generally believe a quiet and calm time +draws nigh.' + +In Christmas holidays, the Lord Gray of Grooby and Hugh Peters sent for +me to Somerset-House, with directions to bring them two of my +Almanacks.--I did so; Peters and he read January's Observations. + +'If we are not fools and knaves,' saith he, 'we shall do justice:' then +they whispered. I understood not their meaning till his Majesty was +beheaded. They applied what I wrote of justice, to be understood of his +Majesty, which was contrary to my intention; for Jupiter, the first day +of January, became direct; and Libra is a sign signifying Justice; I +implored for justice generally upon such as had cheated in their places, +being treasurers, and such like officers. I had not then heard the least +intimation of bringing the King unto trial, and yet the first day +thereof I was casually there, it being upon a Saturday; for going to +Westminster every Saturday in the afternoon, in these times, at +White-hall I casually met Peters; 'Come, Lilly, wilt thou go hear the +King tried?' 'When?' said I. 'Now, just now; go with me.' I did so, and +was permitted by the guard of soldiers to pass up to the King's-Bench. +Within one quarter of an hour came the Judges, presently his Majesty, +who spoke excellently well, and majestically, without impediment in the +least when he spoke. I saw the silver top of his staff unexpectedly fall +to the ground, which was took up by Mr. Rushworth: and then I heard +Bradshaw the Judge say to his Majesty, + +'Sir, instead of answering the court, you interrogate their power, which +becomes not one in your condition'-- + +These words pierced my heart and soul, to hear a subject thus +audaciously to reprehend his Sovereign, who ever and anon replied with +great magnanimity and prudence. + +After that his Majesty was beheaded, the Parliament for some years +effected nothing either for the publick peace or tranquillity of the +nation, or settling religion as they had formerly promised. The interval +of time betwixt his Majesty's death and Oliver Cromwel's displacing +them, was wholly consumed in voting for themselves, and bringing their +own relations to be members of Parliament, thinking to make a trade +thereof. + +The week, or three or four days before his Majesty's beheading, one +Major Sydenham, who had commands in Scotland, came to take his leave of +me, and told me the King was to be put to death, which I was not willing +to believe, and said, 'I could not be persuaded the Parliament could +find any Englishman so barbarous, that would do that foul action.' +'Rather,' saith he, 'than they should want such a man, these arms of +mine should do it.' He went presently after into Scotland, and upon the +first engagement against them, was slain, and his body miserably cut and +mangled. + +In 1651 I published _Monarchy or no Monarchy_, and in the latter end +thereof some hieroglyphics of my own, composed, at spare time, by the +occult learning, many of those types having representations of what +should from thence succeed in England, and have since had verification. + +I had not that learning from books, or any manuscript I ever yet met +withal, it is reduced from a cabal lodging in astrology, but so +mysterious and difficult to be attained, that I have not yet been +acquainted with any who had that knowledge. I will say no more thereof, +but that the asterisms and signs and constellations give greatest light +thereunto. + +During Bradshaw's being President of the Council of State, it was my +happiness to procure Captain Wharton his liberty, which when Bradshaw +understood, said, 'I will be an enemy to Lilly, if ever he come before +me.' Sir Bolstrode Whitlock broke the ice first of all on behalf of +Captain Wharton: after him the Committee, unto whom his offence had been +committed, spoke for him, and said he might well be bailed or enlarged: +I had spoken to the Committee the morning of his delivery, who thereupon +were so civil unto him, especially Sir William Ermin of Lincolnshire, +who at first wondered I appeared not against him; but upon my humble +request, my long continued antagonist was enlarged and had his liberty. + +In 1651 I purchased one hundred and ten pounds _per Annum_ in fee-farm +rents for one thousand and thirty pounds. I paid all in ready money; but +when his Majesty King Charles the Second, 1660, was restored, I lost it +all again, and it returned to the right owner; the loss thereof never +afflicted me, for I have ever reduced my mind according to my fortune. I +was drawn in by several persons to make that simple purchase. The year I +bought it, I had my ascendant directed into a Trine of Jupiter first, +and in the same year into the _Cauda Draconis_--my fortune into a +quadrant of Mercury. When Colchester was besieged, John Booker and +myself were sent for, where we encouraged the soldiers, assuring them +the town would very shortly be surrendered, as indeed it was: I would +willingly have obtained leave to enter the town, to have informed Sir +Charles Lucas, whom I well knew, with the condition of affairs as they +then stood, he being deluded by false intelligence: at that time my +scholar Humphreys was therein, who many times deluded the Governor with +expectation of relief; but failing very many times with his lies, at +last he had the bastinado, was put in prison, and inforced to become a +soldier; and well it was he escaped so.--During my being there, the +steeple of St. Mary's Church was much battered by two cannons purposely +placed: I was there one day about three of the clock in the afternoon, +talking with the cannoneer, when presently he desired us to look to +ourselves, for he perceived by his perspective glass there was a piece +charged in the castle against his work, and ready to be discharged. I +ran for haste under an old ash-tree, and immediately the cannon-bullet +came hissing quite over us. 'No danger now,' saith the gunner, 'but +begone, for there are five more charging,' which was true; for two hours +after those cannons were discharged, and unluckily killed our cannoneer +and matross. I came the next morning and saw the blood of the two poor +men lie upon the planks: we were well entertained at the head-quarters, +and after two whole days abiding there, came for London. + +But we prosecute our story again, and say that in the year 1652 I +purchased my house and some lands in Hersham, in the parish of Walton +upon Thames, in the county of Surrey, where I now live; intending by the +blessing of God, when I found it convenient, to retire into the country, +there to end my days in peace and tranquillity; for in London my +practice was such, I had none or very little time afforded me to serve +God, who had been so gracious unto me. The purchase of the house and +lands, and buildings, stood me in nine hundred and fifty pounds +sterling, which I have very much augmented. + +The Parliament now grows odious unto all good men, the members whereof +became insufferable in their pride, covetousness, self-ends, laziness, +minding nothing but how to enrich themselves. Much heart-burning now +arose betwixt the Presbyterian and Independant, the latter siding with +the army, betwixt whose two judgments there was no medium. Now came up, +or first appeared, that monstrous people called Ranters: and many other +novel opinions, in themselves heretical and scandalous, were +countenanced by members of Parliament, many whereof were of the same +judgment. Justice was neglected, vice countenanced, and all care of the +common good laid aside. Every judgment almost groaned under the heavy +burthen they then suffered; the army neglected; the city of London +scorned; the ministry, especially those who were orthodox and serious, +honest or virtuous, had no countenance; my soul began to loath the very +name of a Parliament, or Parliament-men. There yet remained in the House +very able, judicious, and worthy patriots; but they, by their silence, +only served themselves: all was carried on by a rabble of dunces, who +being the greater number, voted what seemed best to their +non-intelligent fancies. + +In this year I published _Annas Tenebrosus_, which book I did not so +entitle, because of the great obscurity of the solar eclipse, by so many +prattled of to no purpose, but because of those underhand and +clandestine counsels held in England by the soldiery, of which I would +never, but in generals, give any knowledge unto any Parliament man. I +had wrote publickly in 1650, that the Parliament should not continue, +but a new government should arise, &c. + +In my next year's _Anglicus_, upon rational grounds in astrology, I was +so bold as to aver therein, that the Parliament stood upon a tottering +foundation, and that the commonalty and soldiery would join together +against them. + +My _Anglicus_ was for a whole week every day in the Parliament House, +peeped into by the Presbyterians, one disliking this sentence, another +finds another fault, others misliked the whole; so in the end a motion +was made, that _Anglicus_ should be inspected by the Committee for +plundered ministers; which being done, they were to return them to the +House, viz. report its errors. + +A messenger attached me by a warrant from that Committee; I had private +notice ere the messenger came, and hasted unto Mr. Speaker Lenthall, +ever my friend. He was exceeding glad to see me, told me what was done; +called for _Anglicus_, marked the passages which tormented the +Presbyterians so highly. I presently sent for Mr. Warren the printer, an +assured Cavalier, obliterated what was most offensive, put in other more +significant words, and desired only to have six amended against next +morning, which very honestly he brought me. I told him my design was to +deny the book found fault with, to own only the six books. I told him, I +doubted he would be examined. 'Hang them,' said he, 'they are all +rogues. I'll swear myself to the devil ere they shall have an advantage +against you by my oath.' + +The day after, I appeared before the Committee, being thirty-six in +number that day; whereas it was observed, at other times, it was very +difficult to get five of them together. At first they shewed me the true +_Anglicus_, and asked if I wrote and printed it. I took the book and +inspected it very heedfully; and when I had done so, said thus: + +'This is none of my book, some malicious Presbyterian hath wrote it, who +are my mortal enemies; I disown it.' The Committee looked upon one +another like distracted men, not imagining what I presently did; for I +presently pulled out of my pocket six books, and said, 'These I own, the +others are counterfeits, published purposely to ruin me.' The Committee +were now more vexed than before: not one word was spoke a good while; at +last, many of them, or the greatest number of them, were of opinion to +imprison me. Some were for Newgate, others for the Gate-House; but then +one Brown of Sussex, called the Presbyterian beadle, whom the Company of +Stationers had bribed to be my friend, by giving him a new _Book of +Martyrs_; he, I say, preached unto the Committee this doctrine, that +neither Newgate or the Gate-House were prisons unto which at any time +the Parliament sent their prisoners: it was most convenient for the +Serjeant at Arms to take me in custody. + +Mr. Strickland, who had for many years been the Parliament's Ambassador +or Agent in Holland, when he saw how they inclined, spoke thus: + +'I came purposely into the Committee this day to see the man who is so +famous in those parts where I have so long continued: I assure you his +name is famous all over Europe: I come to do him justice. A book is +produced by us, and said to be his; he denies it; we have not proved it, +yet will commit him. Truly this is great injustice. It is likely he will +write next year, and acquaint the whole world with our injustice; and so +well he may. It is my opinion, first to prove the book to be his, ere he +be committed.' + +Another old friend of mine, Mr. R. spoke thus: + +'You do not know the many services this man hath done for the Parliament +these many years, or how many times, in our greatest distresses, we +applying unto him, he hath refreshed our languishing expectations; he +never failed us of comfort in our most unhappy distresses. I assure you +his writings have kept up the spirits both of the soldiery, the honest +people of this nation, and many of us Parliament men; and now at last, +for a slip of his pen (if it were his) to be thus violent against him: I +must tell you, I fear the consequence urged out of the book will prove +effectually true. It is my counsel, to admonish him hereafter to be more +wary, and for the present to dismiss him.' + +Notwithstanding any thing that was spoken on my behalf, I was ordered to +stand committed to the Serjeant at Arms. The messenger attached my +person, said I was his prisoner. As he was carrying me away, he was +called to bring me again. Oliver Cromwell, Lieutenant-General of the +army, having never seen me, caused me to be produced again, where he +stedfastly beheld me for a good space, and then I went with the +messenger; but instantly a young clerk of that Committee asks the +messenger what he did with me, where's the warrant? until that is signed +you cannot seize Mr. Lilly, or shall. Will you have an action of false +imprisonment against you? So I escaped that night, but next day obeyed +the warrant. That night Oliver Cromwell went to Mr. R. my friend, and +said, 'What never a man to take Lilly's cause in hand but yourself? None +to take his part but you? He shall not be long there.' Hugh Peters spoke +much in my behalf to the Committee; but they were resolved to lodge me +in the Serjeant's custody. One Millington, a drunken member, was much my +enemy; and so was Cawley and Chichester, a deformed fellow, unto whom I +had done several courtesies. + +First thirteen days I was a prisoner; and though every day of the +Committee's sitting I had a petition to deliver, yet so many churlish +Presbyterians still appeared, I could not get it accepted. The last day +of the thirteen, Mr. Joseph Ash was made Chairman, unto whom my cause +being related, he took my petition, and said I should be bailed in +despite of them all, but desired I would procure as many friends as I +could to be there. Sir Arthur Hazelrigg, and Major Salloway, a person of +excellent parts, appeared for me, and many now of my old friends came +in. After two whole hours arguing of my cause by Sir Arthur and Major +Salloway, and other friends, the matter came to this point; I should be +bailed, and a Committee nominated to examine the printer. The order of +the Committee being brought afterwards to him who should be Chairman, he +sent me word, do what I would, he would see all the knaves hanged, ere +he would examine the printer. This is the truth of the story. + +The 16th of February 1655, my second wife died; for whose death I shed +no tears. I had five hundred pounds with her as a portion, but she and +her poor relations spent me one thousand pounds. _Gloria Patri, & Filio, +& Spiritui Sancto: sicut erat in principio & nunc, & semper, & in saecula +saeculorum_: for the 20th of April 1655, these enemies of mine, viz. +Parliament men, were turned out of doors by Oliver Cromwell. A German +doctor of physick being then in London, sent me this paper: + +_Strophe Alcaica: Generoso Domino Gulielmo Lillio Astrologo, de +dissoluto nuper Parliamento_. + + Quod calculasti Sydere praevio, + Miles peregit numine conscio; + Gentis videmus nunc Senatum + Marte togaque gravi levatum. + +In the time of my imprisonment, Mr. Rushworth came to visit me, and told +me, the army would do as much as I had predicted unto the Parliament. + +In October 1654, I married the third wife, who is signified in my +nativity by _Jupiter in Libra_; and she is so totally in her conditions, +to my great comfort. + +In 1655, I was indicted at Hicks's-Hall by a half-witted young woman. +Three several sessions she was neglected, and the Jury cast forth her +bill; but the fourth time, they found it against me: I put in bail to +traverse the indictment. The cause of the indictment was, for that I had +given judgment upon stolen goods, and received two shillings and +six-pence.--And this was said to be contrary unto an Act in King James's +time made. + +This mad woman was put upon this action against me by two ministers, who +had framed for her a very ingenious speech, which she could speak +without book, as she did the day of hearing the traverse. She produced +one woman, who told the court, a son of her's was run from her; that +being in much affliction of mind for her loss, she repaired unto me to +know what was become of him; that I told her he was gone for the +Barbadoes, and she would hear of him within thirteen days; which, she +said, she did. + +A second woman made oath, that her husband being wanting two years, she +repaired to me for advice: that I told her he was in Ireland, and would +be at home such a time; and, said she, he did come home accordingly. + +I owned the taking of half a crown for my judgment of the theft; but +said, I gave no other judgment, but that the goods would not be +recovered, being that was all which was required of me: the party, +before that, having been with several astrologers, some affirming she +should have her goods again, others gave contrary judgment, which made +her come unto me for a final resolution. + +At last my enemy began her before-made speech, and, without the least +stumbling, pronounced it before the court; which ended, she had some +queries put unto her, and then I spoke for myself, and produced my own +_Introduction_ into court, saying, that I had some years before emitted +that book for the benefit of this and other nations; that it was allowed +by authority, and had found good acceptance in both universities; that +the study of astrology was lawful, and not contradicted by any +scripture; that I neither had, or ever did, use any charms, sorceries, +or inchantments related in the bill of indictment, &c. + +She then related, that she had been several times with me, and that +afterwards she could not rest a-nights, but was troubled with bears, +lions, and tygers, &c. My counsel was the Recorder Green, who after he +had answered all objections, concluded astrology was a lawful art. + +'Mistress,' said he, 'what colour was those beasts that you were so +terrified with?' + +'I never saw any,' said she. + +'How do you then know they were lions, tygers, or bears?' replied +he.--'This is an idle person, only fit for Bedlam.' The Jury who went +not from the bar, brought in, No true Bill. + +There were many Presbyterian Justices much for her, and especially one +Roberts, a busy fellow for the Parliament, who after his Majesty came +in, had like to have lost life and fortune. + +I had procured Justice Hooker to be there, who was the oracle of all the +Justices of Peace in Middlesex. + +There was nothing memorable after that happened unto me, until 1650, and +the month of October, at what time Captain Owen Cox brought me over from +his Majesty of Sweden, a gold chain and medal, worth about fifty pounds; +the cause whereof was, that in the year 1657 and 1658, I had made +honourable mention of him: the _Anglicus_ of 1658 being translated into +the language spoke at Hamburgh, printed and cried about the streets, as +it is in London. + +The occasion of my writing so honourably of his Majesty of Sweden was +this: Sir Bolstrode Whitlock, Knight, upon the very time of Oliver's +being made Protector, having made very noble articles betwixt Christina +then Queen of Sweden, and the English nation, was in his being at +Stockholm visited frequently by Charles Gustavus, unto whom Christina +resigned during his abode, and used with all manner of civility by him, +insomuch as some other Ambassadors took it ill, that they had not so +much respect or equal: unto which he would reply, he would be kind where +himself did find just cause of merit unto any. He were a great lover of +our nation; but there were some other causes also moving my pen to be so +liberal, viz. The great hopes I had of his prevailing, and of taking +Copenhagen and Elsinore, which, if he had lived, was hoped he might have +accomplished; and had assuredly done, if Oliver the Protector had not so +untimely died ere our fleet of ships returned; for Oliver sent the fleet +on purpose to fight the Dutch; but dying, and the Parliament being +restored, Sir Henry Vane, who afterwards was beheaded, had order from +the Council of State to give order to the fleet what to do now Oliver +was dead, and themselves restored. Vane, out of state-policy, gave the +Earl of Sandwich direction not to fight the Dutch. Captain Symons, who +carried those letters, swore unto me, had he known the letters he +carried had contained any such prohibition, he would have sunk both ship +and letters. Oliver said, when the fleet was to go forth, 'That if God +blessed his Majesty of Sweden with Copenhagen, the English were to have +Elsinore as their share; which if once I have,' saith Oliver, 'the +English shall have the whole trade of the Baltick Sea: I will make the +Dutch find another passage, except they will pay such customs as I shall +impose.' Considering the advantages this would have been to our English, +who can blame my pen for being liberal, thereby to have encouraged our +famous and noble seamen, or for writing so honourably of the Swedish +nation, who had most courteously treated my best of friends, Sir +Bolstrode Whitlock, and by whose means, had the design taken effect, the +English nation had been made happy with the most beneficial concern of +all Christendom. I shall conclude about Oliver the then Protector, with +whom obliquely I had transactions by his son-in-law, Mr. Cleypool; and +to speak truly of him, he sent one that waited upon him in his chamber, +once in two or three days, to hear how it fared with me in my sessions +business; but I never had of him, directly or indirectly, either +pension, or any the least sum of money, or any gratuity during his whole +Protectorship; this I protest to be true, by the name and in the name of +the most holy God. + +In 1653, before the dissolution of the Parliament, and that ere they had +chosen any for their Ambassador into Sweden, Mr. Cleypool came unto me, +demanding of me whom I thought fittest to send upon that embassy into +Sweden: I nominated Sir B. Whitlock, who was chosen, and two or three +days after Mr. Cleypool came again: 'I hope, Mr. Lilly, my father hath +now pleased you: Your friend Sir B. Whitlock is to go for Sweden.' But +since I have mentioned Oliver Cromwell, I will relate something of him, +which perhaps no other pen can, or will mention. He was born of generous +parents in Huntingdonshire, educated some time at the university of +Cambridge: in his youth was wholly given to debauchery, quarrelling, +drinking, &c. _quid non_; having by those means wasted his patrimony, he +was enforced to bethink himself of leaving England, and go to +New-England: he had hired a passage in a ship, but ere she launched out +for her voyage, a kinsman dieth, leaving him a considerable fortune; +upon which he returns, pays his debts, became affected to religion; is +elected in 1640 a member of Parliament, in 1642 made a Captain of horse +under Sir Philip Stapleton, fought at Edge-Hill; after he was made a +Colonel, then Lieutenant-General to the Earl of Manchester, who was one +of the three Generals to fight the Earl of Newcastle and Prince Rupert +at York: Ferdinando Lord Fairfax, and Earl Leven the Scot, were the +other two for the Parliament: the last two thinking all had been lost at +Marston-Moor fight, Fairfax went into Cawood Castle, giving all for +lost: at twelve at night there came word of the Parliament's victory; +Fairfax being then laid down upon a bed, there was not a candle in the +castle, nor any fire: up riseth Lord Fairfax, procures after some time, +paper, ink, and candle, writes to Hull, and other garrisons of the +Parliament's, of the success, and then slept. + +Leven the Scot asked the way to Tweed: the honour of that day's fight +was given to Manchester, Sir Thomas Fairfax's brigade of horse, and +Oliver Cromwell's iron sides; for Cromwell's horse, in those times, +usually wore head-pieces, back and breast-plates of iron. After this +victory Cromwell became gracious with the House of Commons, especially +the Zealots, or Presbyterians, with whom at that time he especially +joined; the name Independent, at that time, viz. 1644, being not so much +spoken of. + +There was some animosity at or before the fight, betwixt the Earl of +Newcastle and Prince Rupert; for Newcastle being General of his +Majesty's forces in the North, a person of valour, and well esteemed in +those parts, took it not well to have a competitor in his concernments; +for if the victory should fall on his Majesty's side, Prince Rupert's +forces would attribute it unto their own General, viz. Rupert, and give +him the glory thereof: but that it happened, Prince Rupert, in that +day's fight, engaged the Parliament's forces too soon, and before the +Earl of Newcastle could well come out of York with his army; by reason +whereof, though Rupert had absolutely routed the Scots and the Lord +Fairfax's forces; yet ere timely assistance could second his army, Sir +Thomas Fairfax and Cromwell had put him to flight, and not long after +all Newcastle's army. A most memorable action happened on that day. +There was one entire regiment of foot belonging to Newcastle, called the +Lambs, because they were all new cloathed in white woollen cloth, two or +three days before the fight. This sole regiment, after the day was lost, +having got into a small parcel of ground ditched in, and not of easy +access of horse, would take no quarter; and by mere valour, for one +whole hour, kept the troops of horse from entering amongst them at near +push of pike: when the horse did enter, they would have no quarter, but +fought it out till there was not thirty of them living; those whose hap +it was to be beaten down upon the ground as the troopers came near them, +though they could not rise for their wounds, yet were so desperate as to +get either a pike or sword, or piece of them, and to gore the troopers' +horses as they came over them, or passed by them. Captain Camby, then a +trooper under Cromwell, and an actor, who was the third or fourth man +that entered amongst them, protested, he never in all the fights he was +in, met with such resolute brave fellows, or whom he pitied so much, and +said, 'he saved two or three against their wills.' + +After the fight, Manchester marched slowly southward, &c. but at last +came with his army to Newbury fight; which ended, he came for London, +and there he accuseth Cromwell, being his Lieutenant, to the Parliament, +of disobedience, and not obeying his orders. + +The House of Commons acquaint Cromwell herewith, and charge him, as he +would answer it before God, that the day following he should give them a +full account of Manchester's proceedings, and the cause and occasion of +their difference, and of the reasons why Manchester did not timely move +westward for the relief of Essex, then in the west, who was absolutely +routed, inforced to fly, all his foot taken, and all his ordnance and +train of artillery, only the horse escaping. Cromwell the next day gave +this account to Mr. Speaker in the House of Commons--by way of +recrimination. + +That after God had given them a successful victory at Marston over the +King's forces, and that they had well refreshed their army, Manchester, +by their order, did move southward, but with such slowness, that +sometimes he would not march for three days together; sometimes he would +lie still one day, then two days; whereupon he said, considering the +Earl of Essex was in the west, with what success he then knew not, he +moved Manchester several times to quicken his march to the west, for +relief of Essex, if he were beaten, or to divert the King's forces from +following of Essex; but he said Manchester still refused to make any +haste; and that one day he said, 'If any man but yourself, Lieutenant, +should so frequently trouble me, I would call him before a Council of +War. We have beaten the King's forces in the north; if we should do so +in the west, his Majesty is then undone: he hath many sons living; if +any of them come to the Crown, as they well may, they will never forget +us.' This Major Hammond, a man of honour, will justify as well as +myself. After which he marched not at all, until he had order from the +Committee to hasten westward, by reason of Essex's being lost in +Cornwall, which then he did; and at Newbury fight, it is true, I refused +to obey his directions and order: for this it was; his Majesty's horse +being betwixt four and five thousand in a large common, in good order, +he commands me, Mr. Speaker, to charge them; we having no way to come at +them but through a narrow lane, where not above three horse could march +abreast; whereby had I followed his order, we had been all cut off ere +we could have got into any order. Mr. Speaker, (and then he wept; which +he could do _toties quoties_) I, considering that all the visible army +you then had, was by this counsel in danger to be lost, refused thus to +endanger the main strength, which now most of all consisted of those +horse under my command, &c.--This his recrimination was well accepted by +the House of Commons, who thereupon, and from that time, thought there +was none of the House of Lords very fit to be entrusted with their +future armies, but had then thoughts of making a commoner their General; +which afterwards they did, and elected Sir Thomas Fairfax their General, +and Cromwell Lieutenant-General; but it was next spring first. Upon +Essex's being lost in Cornwall, I heard Serjeant Maynard say, 'If now +the King haste to London we are undone, having no army to resist him.' + +His Majesty had many misfortunes ever attending him, during his abode at +Oxford; some by reason of that great animosity betwixt Prince Rupert and +the Lord Digby, each endeavouring to cross one another; but the worst of +all was by treachery of several officers under his command, and in his +service; for the Parliament had in continual pay one Colonel of the +King's Council of War; one Lieutenant-Colonel; one Captain; one Ensign; +one or two Serjeants; several Corporals, who had constant pay, and duly +paid them every month, according to the capacity of their officers and +places, and yet none of these knew any thing of each other's being so +employed. There were several well-wishers unto the Parliament in Oxford, +where each left his letter, putting it in at the hole of a glass-window, +as he made water in the street. What was put in at the window in any of +those houses, was the same day conveyed two miles off by some in the +habit of town-gardeners, to the side of a ditch, where one or more were +ever ready to give the intelligence to the next Parliament garrison: I +was then familiar with all the spies that constantly went in and out to +Oxford. + +But once more to my own actions. I had, in 1652 and 1653 and 1654, much +contention with Mr. Gatacre of Rotherhithe, a man endued with all kind +of learning, and the ablest man of the whole synod of divines in the +Oriental tongues. + +The synod had concluded to make an exposition upon the bible; some +undertook one book, some another. Gatacre fell upon _Jeremy_. Upon +making his exposition on the 2d verse of the 10th chapter, + +'Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of +heaven, for the heathen are dismayed at them.' + +In his _Annotations_ thereupon, he makes a scandalous exposition; and in +express terms, hints at me, repeating _verbatim_, ten or twelve times, +an _Epistle_ of mine in one of my former _Anglicus_. + +The substance of my _Epistle_ was, that I did conceive the good angels +of God did first reveal astrology unto mankind, &c. but he in his +_Annotations_ calls me blind buzzard, &c. + +Having now liberty of the press, and hearing the old man was very +cholerick, I thought fit to raise it up--and only wrote--I referred my +discourse then in hand to the discussion and judgment of sober persons, +but not unto Thomas Wiseacre, for _Senes bis pueri_: These very words +begot the writing of forty-two sheets against myself and astrology. The +next year I quibbled again in three or four lines against him, then he +printed twenty-two sheets against me. I was persuaded by Dr. Gauden, +late Bishop of Exeter, to let him alone; but in my next year's +_Anglicus_, in August observations, I wrote, _Hac in tumba jacet +Presbyter & Nebulo_, in which very month he died. + +Several divines applied themselves unto me, desiring me to forbear any +further vexing of Mr. Gatacre; but all of them did as much condemn him +of indiscretion, that in so sober a piece of work as that was, viz. in +an _Annotation_ upon a sacred text of scripture to particularize me and +in that dirty language: they pitied him, that he had not better +considered with himself ere he published it. + +Dean Owen of Christ's-Church in Oxford, also in his sermons had sharp +invectives against me and astrology; I cried quittance with him, by +urging Abbot Panormitan's judgment of astrology contrary to Owen's, and +concluded, 'An Abbot was an ace above a Dean.' + +One Mr. Nye of the assembly of divines, a Jesuitical Presbyterian, +bleated forth his judgment publickly against me and astrology: to be +quit with him, I urged Causinus the Jesuit's approbation of astrology, +and concluded, _Sic canibus catulos, &c_. + +In some time after the Dutch Ambassador being offended with some things +in _Anglicus_, presented a memorial to the Council of State, that +_Merlinus Anglicus_ might be considered, and the abuses against their +nation examined; but his paper was not accepted of, or I any way +molested. + +In Oliver's Protectorship, I wrote freely and satyrical enough: he was +now become Independant, and all the soldiery my friends; for when he was +in Scotland, the day of one of their fights, a soldier stood with +_Anglicus_ in his hand; and as the several troops passed by him, 'Lo, +hear what Lilly saith; you are in this month promised victory, fight it +out, brave boys;' and then read that month's prediction. + +I had long before predicted the downfall of Presbytery, as you (most +honoured Sir) in the figure thereof, in my _Introduction_, may observe; +and it was upon this occasion. Sir Thomas Middleton of Chark Castle, +enemy to Presbytery, seeing they much prevailed, being a member of the +House, seriously demanded my judgment, if Presbytery should prevail, or +not, in England? The figure printed in my _Introduction_, will best give +you an account, long before it happened, of the sinking and failing of +Presbytery; so will the second page of my _Hieroglyphicks_. Those men, +to be serious, would preach well; but they were more lordly than +Bishops, and usually, in their parishes, more tyrannical than the Great +Turk. + + * * * * * + + +OF THE YEAR 1660; THE ACTIONS WHEREOF, AS THEY WERE REMARKABLE IN +ENGLAND, SO WERE THEY NO LESS MEMORABLE AS TO MY PARTICULAR FORTUNE AND +PERSON. + + +Upon the Lord General Monk's returning from Scotland with his army into +England, suddenly after his coming to London, Richard Cromwell, the then +Protector's, authority was laid aside, and the old Parliament restored; +the Council of State sat as formerly. The first act they put the General +upon was, to take down the city gates and portcullisses, an act which, +the General said, was fitter for a Janizary to do than for a General; +yet he effected the commands received, and then lodged in the city with +his army. The citizens took this pulling down of their gates so +heinously, that one night the ruder sort of them procured all the rumps +of beef, and other baggage, and publickly burnt them in the streets, in +derision of the then Parliament, calling them that now sat, The Rump. +This hurly-burly was managed as well by the General's soldiers as the +citizens. The King's health was publickly drank all over the city, to +the confusion of the Parliament. The matter continued until midnight, or +longer. The Council of State, sitting at White-Hall, had hereof no +knowledge, until Sir Martin Noell, a discreet citizen, came about nine +at night, and then first informed them thereof. The Council could not +believe it, until they had sent some ministers of their own, who +affirmed the verity thereof. They were at a stand, and could not resolve +what to do; at last Nevil Smith came, being one of them, and publickly +protested there was but one way to regain their authority, and to be +revenged of this affront, and to overthrow the Lord General Monk, whom +they now perceived intended otherways than he had pretended; his council +was, to take away Monk's commission, and to give a present commission to +Major-General Lambert to be their General; which counsel of his, if they +would take and put it speedily in execution, would put an end unto all +the present mischiefs. The Council in general did all very well approve +Nevil Smith's judgment; but presently up starts Sir Arthur Hazellrigg, +and makes a sharp invective against Lambert, and concluded, he would +rather perish under the King of Scot's power, than that Lambert should +ever any more have command under the Parliament. + +The Lord General suddenly after brings in the long excluded Members to +sit in Parliament, being persons of great judgment, and formerly +enforced from sitting therein by the soldiery, and connivance of those +who stiled themselves the godly part of the Parliament. These honourable +patriots presently voted his Majesty's coming into England, and so he +did in May 1660. But because Charles the Second, now (1667) King of +England, Son of Charles the First, grandchild to James the First, King +of Great Britany, was so miraculously restored, and so many hundreds of +years since prophesied of by Ambrose Merlin, it will not be impertinent +to mention the prophecies themselves, the rather because we have seen +their verification. + + +AMBROSE MERLIN'S PROPHECY WROTE ABOUT 990 YEARS SINCE. + + +He calls King James, The Lion of Righteousness; and saith, when he died, +or was dead, there would reign a noble White King; this was Charles the +First. The prophet discovers all his troubles, his flying up and down, +his imprisonment, his death; and calls him Aquila. What concerns Charles +the Second, is the subject of our discourse: in the Latin copy it is +thus: + +_Deinde ab Austro veniet cum Sole super ligneos equos, & super spumantem +inundationem maris, Pullus Aquilae navigans in Britanniam._ + +_Et applicans statim tunc altam domum Aquilae sitiens, & cito aliam +sitiet._ + +_Deinde Pullus Aquilae nidificabit in summa rupe totius Britanniae: nec +juvenis occidet, nec ad senem vivet._ + +This, in an old copy, is Englished thus: + +'After then, shall come through the south with the sun, on horse of +tree, and upon all waves of the sea, the Chicken of the Eagle, sailing +into Britain, and arriving anon to the house of the Eagle, he shall shew +fellowship to them beasts. + +'After, the Chicken of the Eagle shall nestle in the highest rock of all +Britain: nay, he shall nought be slain young; nay, he nought come old.' + +Another Latin copy renders the last verse thus: + +_Deinde pullus Aquilae nidificabit in summo rupium, nec juvenis +occidetur, nec ad senium perveniet._ There is after this, _percificato +regno omnes occidet_; which is intended of those persons put to death, +that sat as Judges upon his father's death. + + +THE VERIFICATION. + + +His Majesty being in the Low-Countries when the Lord General had +restored the secluded Members, the Parliament sent part of the Royal +Navy to bring him for England, which they did in May 1660. Holland is +East from England, so he came with the sun; but he landed at Dover, a +port in the south part of England. Wooden-horses, are the English ships. + +_Tunc nidificabit in summo rupium._ + +The Lord General, and most of the gentry in England, met him in Kent, +and brought him unto London, then to White-hall. + +Here, by the highest Rooch, (some write Rock,) is intended London, being +the metropolis of all England. + +Since which time, unto this very day I write this story, he hath reigned +in England, and long may he do hereafter. 10th December, 1667. + +Had I leisure, I might verify the whole preceding part concerning King +Charles. Much of the verification thereof is mentioned in my _Collection +of Prophecies_, printed 1645. But his Majesty being then alive, I +forbore much of that subject, not willing to give offence. I dedicated +that book unto him; and, in the conclusion thereof, I advised his return +unto Parliament, with these words, _Fac hoc & vives_. + +There was also a _Prophecy_ printed 1588, in Greek characters, exactly +decyphering the long troubles the English nation had from 1641 until +1660; and then it ended thus: + +'And after that shall come a dreadful dead man, and with him a Royal G.' +[it is Gamma in the Greek, intending C. in the Latin, being the third +letter in the alphabet,] 'of the best blood in the world, and he shall +have the Crown, and shall set England on the right way, and put out all +heresies.' + +Monkery being extinguished above eighty or ninety years, and the Lord +General's name being Monk, is the Dead Man. The Royal G. or C. is +Charles the Second, who, for his extraction, may be said to be of the +best blood in the world. + +These two prophecies were not given vocally by the angels, but by +inspection of the crystal in types and figures, or by apparition the +circular way, where, at some distance, the angels appear, representing +by forms, shapes, and creatures, what is demanded. It is very rare, yea, +even in our days, for any operator or master to have the angels speak +articulately; when they do speak, it is like the Irish, much in the +throat. + +What further concerns his Majesty, will more fully be evident about 1672 +or 1674, or, at farthest, in 1676. And now unto my own actions in 1660. + +In the first place, my fee-farm rents, being of the yearly value of one +hundred and twenty pounds, were all lost by his Majesty's coming to his +restoration: but I do say truly, the loss thereof did never trouble me, +or did I repine thereat. + +In June of that year, a new Parliament was called, whereunto I was +unwillingly invited by two messengers of the Serjeant at Arms. The +matter whereupon I was taken into custody was, to examine me concerning +the person who cut off the King's head, viz. the late King's. + +Sir Daniel Harvey, of Surry, got the business moved against me in great +displeasure, because, at the election of new knights for Surrey, I +procured the whole town of Walton to stand, and give their voices for +Sir Richard Onslow. The Committee to examine me, were Mr. Prinn, one +Colonel King, and Mr. Richard Weston of Gray's-Inn. + +God's providence appeared very much for me that day, for walking in +Westminster-Hall, Mr. Richard Pennington, son to my old friend Mr. +William Pennington, met me, and enquiring the cause of my being there, +said no more, but walked up and down the hall, and related my kindness +to his father unto very many Parliament men of Cheshire and Lancashire, +Yorkshire, Cumberland, and those northern countries, who numerously came +up into the Speaker's chamber, and bade me be of good comfort: at last +he meets Mr. Weston, one of the three unto whom my matter was referred +for examination, who told Mr. Pennington, that he came purposely to +punish me; and would be bitter against me; but hearing it related, viz. +my singular kindness and preservation of old Mr. Pennington's estate to +the value of six or seven thousand pounds, 'I will do him all the good I +can,' says he. 'I thought he had never done any good; let me see him, +and let him stand behind me where I sit:' I did so. At my first +appearance, many of the young members affronted me highly, and demanded +several scurrilous questions. Mr. Weston held a paper before his mouth; +bade me answer nobody but Mr. Prinn; I obeyed his command, and saved +myself much trouble thereby; and when Mr. Prinn put any difficult or +doubtful query unto me, Mr. Weston prompted me with a fit answer. At +last, after almost one hour's tugging, I desired to be fully heard what +I could say as to the person who cut Charles the First's head off. +Liberty being given me to speak, I related what follows, viz. + +That the next Sunday but one after Charles the First was beheaded, +Robert Spavin, Secretary unto Lieutenant-General Cromwell at that time, +invited himself to dine with me, and brought Anthony Peirson, and +several others, along with him to dinner: that their principal discourse +all dinner-time was only, who it was that beheaded the King; one said it +was the common hangman; another, Hugh Peters; others also were +nominated, but none concluded. Robert Spavin, so soon as dinner was +done, took me by the hand, and carried me to the south window: saith he, +'These are all mistaken, they have not named the man that did the fact: +it was Lieutenant-Colonel JOICE; I was in the room when he fitted +himself for the work, stood behind him when he did it; when done, went +in again with him: there is no man knows this but my master, viz. +Cromwell, Commissary Ireton, and myself.' 'Doth not Mr. Rushworth know +it?' said I. 'No, he doth not know it,' saith Spavin. The same thing +Spavin since had often related unto me when we were alone. Mr. Prinn +did, with much civility, make a report hereof in the House; yet Norfolk +the Serjeant, after my discharge, kept me two days longer in arrest, +purposely to get money of me. He had six pounds, and his Messenger forty +shillings; and yet I was attached but upon Sunday, examined on Tuesday, +and then discharged, though the covetous Serjeant detained me until +Thursday. By means of a friend, I cried quittance with Norfolk, which +friend was to pay him his salary at that time, and abated Norfolk three +pounds, which we spent every penny at one dinner, without inviting the +wretched Serjeant: but in the latter end of the year, when the King's +Judges were arraigned at the Old-Bailey, Norfolk warned me to attend, +believing I could give information concerning Hugh Peters. At the +sessions I attended during its continuance, but was never called or +examined. There I heard Harrison, Scott, Clement, Peters, Hacker, +Scroop, and others of the King's Judges, and Cook the Sollicitor, who +excellently defended himself; I say, I did hear what they could say for +themselves, and after heard the sentence of condemnation pronounced +against them by the incomparably modest and learned Judge Bridgman, now +Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England. + +One would think my troubles for that year had been ended; but in January +1662, one Everard, a Justice of Peace in Westminster, ere I was +stirring, sent a Serjeant and thirty four musqueteers for me to +White-Hall: he had twice that night seized about sixty persons, supposed +fanaticks, very despicable persons, many whereof were aged, some were +water-bearers, and had been Parliament-soldiers; others, of ordinary +callings: all these were guarded unto White-Hall, into a large room, +until day-light, and then committed to the Gate-House; I was had into +the guard-room, which I thought to be hell; some therein were sleeping, +others swearing, others smoaking tobacco. In the chimney of the room I +believe there was two bushels of broken tobacco-pipes, almost half one +load of ashes. Everard, about nine in the morning, comes, writes my +mittimus for the Gate-House, then shews it me: I must be contented. I +desired no other courtesy, but that I might be privately carried unto +the Gate-House by two soldiers; that was denied. Among the miserable +crew of people, with a whole company of soldiers, I marched to prison, +and there for three hours was in the open air upon the ground, where the +common house of office came down. After three hours, I was advanced from +this stinking place up the stairs, where there was on one side a company +of rude swearing persons; on the other side many Quakers, who lovingly +entertained me. As soon as I was fixed, I wrote to my old friend Sir +Edward Walker, Garter King at Arms, who presently went to Mr. Secretary +Nicholas, and acquainted him with my condition. He ordered Sir Edward to +write to Everard to release me, unless he had any particular information +against me, which he had not. He further said, it was not his Majesty's +pleasure that any of his subjects should be thus had to prison without +good cause shewed before. Upon receipt of Sir Edward's letter, Everard +discharged me, I taking the oaths of allegiance and supremacy. This +day's work cost me thirty-seven shillings. Afterwards Everard stood to +be Burgess for Westminster; sent me to procure him voices. I returned +answer, that of all men living he deserved no courtesy from me, nor +should have any. + +In this year 1660, I sued out my pardon under the Broad Seal of England, +being so advised by good counsel, because there should be no +obstruction; I passed as William Lilly, Citizen and Salter of London; it +cost me thirteen pounds six shillings and eight pence. + +There happened a verification of an astrological judgment of mine in +this year, 1660, which, because it was predicted sixteen years before it +came to pass, and the year expressly nominated, I thought fit to +mention. + +In page 111 of my _Prophetical Merlin_, upon three sextile Aspects of +Saturn and Jupiter, made in 1659 and 1660, I wrote thus-- + +'This their friendly salutation comforts us in England, every man now +possesses his own vineyard; our young youth grow up unto man's estate, +and our old men live their full years; our nobles and gentlemen root +again; our yeomanry, many years disconsolated, now take pleasure in +their husbandry. The merchant sends out ships, and hath prosperous +returns; the mechanick hath quick trading: here is almost a new world; +new laws, new Lords. Now my country of England shall shed no more tears, +but rejoice with, and in the many blessings God gives or affords her +annually.' + +And in the same book, page 118, over-against the year 1660, you shall +find, A bonny Scot acts his part. + +The long Parliament would give Charles the Second no other title than +King of Scots. + +I also wrote to Sir Edward Walker, Kt. Garter King at Arms in 1659, he +then being in Holland-- + +_Tu, Dominusque vester videbitis Angliam, infra duos annos_.--For in +1662, his moon came by direction to the body of the sun. + +But he came in upon the ascendant directed unto the trine of Sol and +antiscion of Jupiter. + +And happy it was for the nation he did come in, and long and +prosperously may he reign amongst us. + +In 1663 and 1664, I had along and tedious law-suit in Chancery, M.C. +coming to quartile of Saturn; and the occasion of that suit, was +concerning houses; and my enemy, though aged, had no beard, was really +saturnine. We came unto a hearing Feb. 1664, before the Master of the +Rolls, Sir Harbottle Grimston, where I had the victory, but no costs +given me. + +My adversary, not satisfied with that judgment, petitioned that most +just and honourable man, the Lord Chancellor Hyde, for a re-hearing his +cause before him. + +It was granted, and the 13th June, 1664, my M.C. then directed to +quartile of Venus and Sol. His Lordship most judiciously heard it with +much attention, and when my adversary's counsel had urged those +depositions which they had against me, his Lordship stood up, and said, + +'Here is not one word against Mr. Lilly.'-- + +I replied, 'My Lord, I hope I shall have costs.' + +'Very good reason,' saith he; and so I had: and, at my departure out of +court, put off his hat, and bid 'God be with you.' + +This is the month of Dec. 1667, wherein, by misfortune, he is much +traduced and highly persecuted by his enemies: is also retired, however +not in the least questioned for any indirect judgment as Chancellor, in +the Chancery; [but in other things he hath been very foul, as in the +articles drawn up by the Parliament against him, it appears. Which +articles I presume you have not seen, otherwise you would have been of +another mind, A W] for there was never any person sat in that place, who +executed justice with more uprightness, or judgment, or quickness for +dispatch, than this very noble Lord. God, I hope, in mercy will preserve +his person from his enemies, and in good time restore him unto all his +honours again: from my soul I wish it, and hope I shall live to see it. +Amen: _Fiat oh tu Deus justitiae_. + +In 1663 and 1664, I was made churchwarden of Walton upon Thames, +settling as well as I could the affairs of that distracted parish, upon +my own charges; and upon my leaving the place, forgave them seven pounds +odd money due unto me. + +In 1664, I had another law-suit with Captain Colborn, Lord of the manor +of Esher, concerning the rights of the parish of Walton. He had newly +purchased that manor, and having one hundred and fifty acres of ground, +formerly park and wood ground lying in our parish, conceived, he had +right of common in our parish of Walton: thereupon, he puts three +hundred sheep upon the common; part whereof I impounded: he replevins +them, and gave me a declaration. I answered it. The trial was to be at +the Assizes at Kingston in April 1664. When the day of trial came, he +had not one witness in his cause, I had many; whereupon upon conference, +and by mediation, he gave me eleven pounds for my charges sustained in +that suit, whereof I returned him back again fifty shillings: forty +shillings for himself, and ten shillings for the poor of the parish he +lived in. + +This I did at my own cost and charges, not one parishioner joining with +me. I had now M.C. under quartile of Venus and Sol--both in my second, +ergo, I got money by this thing, or suit. Sir Bolstrode Whitlock gave me +counsel. + +Now I come unto the year 1665, wherein that horrible and devouring +plague so extreamly raged in the city of London. 27th of June 1665, I +retired into the country to my wife and family, where since I have +wholly continued, and so intend by permission of God. I had, before I +came away, very many people of the poorer sort frequented my lodging, +many whereof were so civil, as when they brought waters, viz. urines, +from infected people, they would stand purposely at a distance. I +ordered those infected, and not like to die, cordials, and caused them +to sweat, whereby many recovered. My landlord of the house was afraid of +those poor people, I nothing at all. He was desirous I should be gone. +He had four children: I took them with me into the country and provided +for them. Six weeks after I departed, he, his wife, and man-servant died +of the plague. + +In _Monarchy or no Monarchy_, printed 1651, I had framed an +Hieroglyphick, which you may see in page the 7th, representing a great +sickness and mortality; wherein you may see the representation of people +in their winding-sheets, persons digging graves and sepultures, coffins, +&c. All this was performed by the more secret _Key of Astrology_, or +_Prophetical Astrology_. + +In 1666, happened that miraculous conflagration in the city of London, +whereby in four days, the most part thereof was consumed by fire. In my +_Monarchy or no Monarchy_, the next side after the coffins and pickaxes, +there is a representation of a great city all in flames of fire. The +memorial whereof some Parliament men remembering, thought fit to send +for me before that Committee which then did sit, for examination of the +causes of the fire; and whether there was no treachery or design in the +business, his Majesty being then in war both with the French and Dutch. +The summons to appear before that Committee was as followeth. + + '_Monday, 22d October_, 1666. + + 'At the Committee appointed to enquire after the causes of the + late fires: + + 'ORDERED, + + 'That Mr. Lilly do attend this Committee on Friday next, being + the 25th of October, 1666, at two of the clock in the afternoon, + in the Speaker's chamber; to answer such questions as shall be + then and there asked him. + + 'ROBERT BROOKE.' + +By accident I was then in London, when the summons came unto me. I was +timorous of Committees, being ever by some of them calumniated, +upbraided, scorned, and derided. However I must and did appear; and let +me never forget that great affection and care yourself (Oh most +excellent and learned Esquire Ashmole) shewed unto me at that time. +First, your affection in going along with me all that day; secondly, +your great pains and care, in speaking unto many worthy Members of that +Committee your acquaintance, that they should befriend me, and not +permit me to be affronted, or have any disgraceful language cast upon +me. I must seriously acknowledge the persuasions so prevailed with those +generous souls, that I conceive there was never more civility used unto +any than unto myself; and you know, there were no small number of +Parliament men appeared, when they heard I was to be there. + +Sir Robert Brooke spoke to this purpose: + +'Mr. Lilly, This Committee thought fit to summon you to appear before +them this day, to know, if you can say any thing as to the cause of the +late fire, or whether there might be any design therein. You are called +the rather hither, because in a book of your's, long since printed, you +hinted some such thing by one of your hieroglyphics.' Unto which I +replied, + +'May it please your Honours, + +'After the beheading of the late King, considering that in the three +subsequent years the Parliament acted nothing which concerned the +settlement of the nation in peace; and seeing the generality of people +dissatisfied, the citizens of London discontented, the soldiery prone to +mutiny, I was desirous, according to the best knowledge God had given +me, to make enquiry by the art I studied, what might from that time +happen unto the Parliament and nation in general. At last, having +satisfied myself as well as I could, and perfected my judgment therein, +I thought it most convenient to signify my intentions and conceptions +thereof, in Forms, Shapes, Types, Hieroglyphicks, &c. without any +commentary, that so my judgment might be concealed from the vulgar, and +made manifest only unto the wise. I herein imitating the examples of +many wise philosophers who had done the like.' + +'Sir Robert,' saith one, 'Lilly is yet _sub vestibulo_.' + +I proceeded further. Said I, 'Having found, Sir, that the city of London +should be sadly afflicted with a great plague, and not long after with +an exorbitant fire, I framed these two hieroglyphics as represented in +the book, which in effect have proved very true.' + +'Did you foresee the year?' said one. + +'I did not,' said I, 'or was desirous: of that I made no scrutiny.' I +proceeded-- + +'Now, Sir, whether there was any design of burning the city, or any +employed to that purpose, I must deal ingenuously with you, that since +the fire, I have taken much pains in the search thereof, but cannot or +could not give myself any the least satisfaction therein. I conclude, +that it was the only finger of God; but what instruments he used +thereunto, I am ignorant.' + +The Committee seemed well pleased with what I spoke, and dismissed me +with great civility. + +Since which time no memorable action hath happened unto me, my +retirement impeding all concourse unto me. + +I have many things more to communicate, which I shall do, as they offer +themselves to memory. + +In anno 1634, and 1635, I had much familiarity with John Hegenius, +Doctor of Physick, a Dutchman, an excellent scholar and an able +physician, not meanly versed in astrology. Unto him, for his great +civility, I communicated the art of framing Sigils, Lamens, &c. and the +use of the Mosaical Rods:--and we did create several Sigils to very good +purpose. I gave him, the true key thereof, _viz._ instructed him of +their forms, characters, words, and last of all, how to give them +vivification, and what number or numbers were appropriated to every +planet: _Cum multis aliis in libris veterum latentibus; aut perspicue +non intellectis_. + +I was well acquainted with the Speculator of John a Windor, a scrivener, +sometimes living in Newbury. This Windor was club-fisted, wrote with a +pen betwixt both his hands. I have seen many bonds and bills wrote by +him. He was much given to debauchery, so that at some times the Daemons +would not appear to the Speculator; he would then suffumigate: +sometimes, to vex the spirits, he would curse them, fumigate with +contraries. Upon his examination before Sir Henry Wallop, Kt. which I +have seen, he said, he once visited Dr. Dee in Mortlack; and out of a +book that lay in the window, he copied out that call which he used, when +he invocated-- + +It was that--which near the beginning of it hath these words, + + _Per virtutem illorum qui invocant nomen tuum_, + Hermeli--_mitte nobis tres Angelos, &c_. + +Windor had many good parts, but was a most lewd person: My master Wright +knew him well, and having dealing in those parts, made use of him as a +scrivener. + +Oliver Withers, servant to Sir H. Wallop, brought up John a Windor's +examination unto London, purposely for me to peruse. This Withers was +Mr. Fiske's scholar three years more or less, to learn astrology of him; +but being never the wiser, Fiske brought him unto me: by shewing him but +how to judge one figure, his eyes were opened: He made the Epistle +before Dr. Neve's book, now in Mr. Sander's hands, was very learned in +the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew tongues. + +Having mentioned Dr. John Dee, I hold it not impertinent to speak +something of him; but more especially of Edward Kelly's Speculator. + +Dr. Dee himself was a Cambro Briton, educated in the university of +Oxford, there took his degree of Doctor; afterwards for many years in +search of the profounder studies, travelled into foreign parts: to be +serious, he was Queen Elizabeth's intelligencer, and had a salary for +his maintenance from the Secretaries of State. He was a ready witted +man, quick of apprehension, very learned, and of great judgment in the +Latin and Greek tongues. He was a very great investigator of the more +secret Hermetical learning, a perfect astronomer, a curious astrologer, +a serious geometrician; to speak truth, he was excellent in all kinds of +learning. + +With all this, he was the most ambitious person living, and most +desirous of fame and renown, and was never so well pleased as when he +heard himself stiled Most Excellent. + +He was studious in chymistry, and attained to good perfection therein; +but his servant, or rather companion, Kelly, out-went him, _viz._ about +the Elixir or Philosopher's Stone; which neither Kelly or Dee attained +by their own labour and industry. It was in this manner Kelly obtained +it, as I had it related from an ancient minister, who knew the certainty +thereof from an old English merchant, resident in Germany, at what time +both Kelly and Dee were there. + +Dee and Kelly being in the confines of the Emperor's dominions, in a +city where resided many English merchants, with whom they had much +familiarity, there happened an old Friar to come to Dr. Dee's lodging. +Knocking at the door, Dee peeped down the stairs. 'Kelly,' says he, +'tell the old man I am not at home.' Kelly did so. The Friar said, 'I +will take another time to wait on him.' Some few days after, he came +again. Dee ordered Kelly, if it were the same person, to deny him again. +He did so; at which the Friar was very angry. 'Tell thy master I came to +speak with him and to do him good, because he is a great scholar and +famous; but now tell him, he put forth a book, and dedicated it to the +Emperor: it is called _Monas Hierogliphicas_. He understands it not. I +wrote it myself, I came to instruct him therein, and in some other more +profound things. Do thou, Kelly, come along with me, I will make thee +more famous than thy master Dee.' + +Kelly was very apprehensive of what the Friar delivered, and thereupon +suddenly retired from Dee, and wholly applied unto the Friar; and of him +either had the Elixir ready made, or the perfect method of its +preparation and making. The poor Friar lived a very short time after: +whether he died a natural death, or was otherwise poisoned or made away +by Kelly, the merchant, who related this, did not certainly know. + +How Kelly died afterwards at Prague, you well know: he was born at +Worcester, had been an apothecary. Not above thirty years since he had a +sister lived in Worcester, who had some gold made by her brother's +projection. + +Dr. Dee died at Mortlack in Surrey, very poor, enforced many times to +sell some book or other to buy his dinner with, as Dr. Napier of +Linford, in Buckinghamshire, oft related, who knew him very well. + +I have read over his book of _Conference with Spirits_, and thereby +perceive many weaknesses in the manage of that way of Mosaical learning: +but I conceive, the reason why he had not more plain resolutions, and +more to the purpose, was, because Kelly was very vicious, unto whom the +angels were not obedient, or willingly did declare the questions +propounded; but I could give other reasons, but those are not for paper. + +I was very familiar with one Sarah Skelhorn, who had been Speculatrix +unto one Arthur Gauntlet about Gray's-Inn-Lane, a very lewd fellow, +professing physick. This Sarah had a perfect sight, and indeed the best +eyes for that purpose I ever yet did see. Gauntlet's books, after he was +dead, were sold, after I had perused them, to my scholar Humphreys: +there were rare notions in them. This Sarah lived a long time, even +until her death, with one Mrs. Stockman in the Isle of Purbeck, and died +about sixteen years since. Her mistress one time being desirous to +accompany her mother, the Lady Beconsfield, unto London, who lived +twelve miles from her habitation, caused Sarah to inspect her crystal, +to see if she, viz. her mother, was gone, yea or not: the angels +appeared, and shewed her mother opening a trunk, and taking out a red +waistcoat, whereby she perceived she was not gone. Next day she went to +her mother's, and there, as she entered the chamber, she was opening a +trunk, and had a red waistcoat in her hand. Sarah told me oft, the +angels would for some years follow her, and appear in every room of the +house, until she was weary of them. + +This Sarah Skelhorn, her call unto the crystal began, + +'_Oh ye good angels, only and only_,' &c. + +Ellen Evans, daughter of my tutor Evans, her call unto the crystal was +this: + +'_O Micol, O tu Micol, regina pigmeorum veni, &c_.' + +Since I have related of the Queen of Fairies, I shall acquaint you, that +it is not for every one, or every person, that these angelical creatures +will appear unto, though they may say over the call, over and over, or +indeed is it given to very many persons to endure their glorious +aspects; even very many have failed just at that present when they are +ready to manifest themselves; even persons otherwise of undaunted +spirits and firm resolution, are herewith astonished, and tremble; as it +happened not many years since with us. A very sober discreet person, of +virtuous life and conversation, was beyond measure desirous to see +something in this nature. He went with a friend into my Hurst Wood: the +Queen of Fairies was invocated, a gentle murmuring wind came first; +after that, amongst the hedges, a smart whirlwind; by and by a strong +blast of wind blew upon the face of the friend,--and the Queen appearing +in a most illustrious glory, 'No more, I beseech you,' (quoth the +friend:) 'My heart fails; I am not able to endure longer.' Nor was he: +his black curling hair rose up, and I believe a bullrush would have beat +him to the ground: he was soundly laughed at, &c. + +Sir Robert Holborn, Knight, brought once unto me Gladwell[18] of +Suffolk, who had formerly had sight and conference with Uriel and +Raphael, but lost them both by carelessness; so that neither of them +both would but rarely appear, and then presently be gone, resolving +nothing. He would have given me two hundred pounds to have assisted him +for their recovery, but I am no such man.--Those glorious creatures, if +well commanded, and well observed, do teach the master any thing he +desires; _Amant secreta, fugiunt aperta_. The Fairies love the southern +side of hills, mountains, groves.--Neatness and cleanliness in apparel, +a strict diet, and upright life, fervent prayers unto God, conduce much +to the assistance of those who are curious these ways. + + [Footnote 18: Mr. Gilbert Wakering gave him his berril when he + died; it was of the largeness of a good big orange, set in + silver, with a cross on the top, and another on the handle; and + round about engraved the names of these angels, Raphael, + Gabriel, Uriel.] + +It hath been my happiness to meet with many rarities in my time +unexpectedly. I had a sister lived in the Minories, in that very house +where formerly had lived one Evans, not my tutor, but another far +exceeding him in astrology, and all other occult learning, questioned +for his life about 1612. I am sure it was when the present Earl of +Manchester's father was Lord Chief Justice of England. He was found +guilty by a peevish Jury: but petitioning King James by a Greek +petition, as indeed he was an excellent Grecian; 'By my saul,' said King +James, 'this man shall not die; I think he is a better Grecian than any +of my Bishops:' so his life was spared, &c. My sister's master when new +modelling the house, broke up a window, under which were Evans's secret +manuscripts,[19] and two moulds in brass; one of a man, the other of a +woman. I bought the moulds and book for five shillings; the secrets were +wrote in an imperfect Greek character; but after I found the vowels, all +the rest were presently clear enough. + + [Footnote 19: From these manuscripts he gained his first + knowledge.] + +You see, most worthy Sir, I write freely; it is out of the sincerity of +my affection, many things wrote by me having been more fit for a +sepulture than a book: But, + +_Quo major est virorum praestantium, tui similium inopia; eo mihi charior +est, & esse debet & amicitia tua: quam quidem omnibus officiis, & +studiis, quae a summa benevolentia possunt, perpetuo colam_: However, who +study the curiosities before-named, if they are not very well versed in +astrology, they shall rarely attain their desired ends. There was, in +the late times of troubles, one Mortlack, who pretended unto +Speculations, had a crystal, a call of Queen Mab, one of the Queen of +Fairies; he deluded many thereby: at last I was brought into his +company; he was desired to make invocation, he did so; nothing appeared, +or would: three or four times in my company he was put upon to do the +work, but could not; at last he said he could do nothing as long as I +was in presence. I at last shewed him his error, but left him as I found +him, a pretending ignoramus. + +I may seem to some to write incredibilia; be it so, but knowing unto +whom, and for whose only sake, I do write them, I am much comforted +therewith, well knowing you are the most knowing man in these +curiosities of any now living in England; and therefore it is my hope, +these will be a present well-becoming you to accept. + +_Praeclara omnia quam difficilia sint, his praesertim temporibus. +(Celeberrime Armiger,) non te fugit_; and therefore I will acquaint you +with one memorable story related unto me by Mr. John Marr, an excellent +mathematican and geometrician, whom I conceive you remember: he was +servant to King James and Charles the First. + +At first, when the Lord Napier, or Marchiston, made publick his +Logarithms, Mr. Briggs, then reader of the astronomy lecture at +Gresham-College in London, was so surprized with admiration of them, +that he could have no quietness in himself, until he had seen that noble +person the Lord Marchiston, whose only invention they were: he acquaints +John Marr herewith, who went into Scotland before Mr. Briggs, purposely +to be there when these two so learned persons should meet. Mr. Briggs +appoints a certain day when to meet at Edinburgh: but failing thereof, +the Lord Napier was doubtful he would not come. It happened one day as +John Marr and the Lord Napier were speaking of Mr. Briggs; 'Ah, John,' +saith Marchiston, 'Mr. Briggs will not now come:' at the very instant +one knocks at the gate; John Marr hasted down, and it proved Mr. Briggs, +to his great contentment. He brings Mr. Briggs up into my Lord's +chamber, where almost one quarter of an hour was spent, each beholding +the other almost with admiration, before one word was spoke: at last Mr. +Briggs began. + +'My Lord, I have undertaken this long journey purposely to see your +person, and to know by what engine of wit or ingenuity you came first to +think of this most excellent help unto astronomy, viz. the Logarithms; +but, my Lord, being by you found out, I wonder no body else found it out +before, when, now known, it is so easy.' He was nobly entertained by the +Lord Napier, and every summer after that, during the Lord's being alive, +this venerable man, Mr. Briggs, went purposely into Scotland to visit +him; _Tempora nunc mutantur_. + +These two persons were worthy men in their time; and yet the one, viz. +Lord Marchiston, was a great lover of astrology, but Briggs the most +satirical man against it that hath been known: but the reason hereof I +conceive was, that Briggs was a severe Presbyterian, and wholly +conversant with persons of that judgment; whereas the Lord Marchiston +was a general scholar, and deeply read in all divine and human +histories: it is the same Marchiston who made that most serious and +learned exposition upon the _Revelation of St. John_; which is the best +that ever yet appeared in the world. + + * * * * * + +Thus far proceeded Mr. William Lilly in setting down the account of his +life, with some other things of note. Now shall be added something more +which afterwards happened during his retirement at his house at Hersham, +until his death. + +He left London in the year 1665, (as he hath before noted) and betook +himself to the study of physick; in which, having arrived at a competent +degree of knowledge, assisted by diligent observation and practice, he +desired his old friend, Mr. Ashmole, to obtain of his Grace Dr. Sheldon, +then Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, a license for the practice of +physick; which upon application to his Grace, and producing a +testimonial (October 8, 1670,) under the hands of two physicians of the +college in London, on Mr. Lilly's behalf, he most readily granted, in +the manner following, viz. + +'GILBERTUS providentia divina Cantuariensis Archiepiscopus totius Angliae +Primas & Metropolitanus, dilecto nobis in Christo GULIELMO LILLY in +Medicinis Professori, salutem, gratiam, & benedictionem. Cum ex fide +digna relatione acceperimus Te in arte sive facultate Medicinae per non +modicum tempus versatum fuisse, multisque de salute & sanitate corporis +vere desperatis (Deo Omnipotente adjuvante) subvenisse, eosque sanasse, +nec non in arte predicta multorum peritorum laudabili testimonio pro +experientia, fidelitate, diligentia & industria tuis circa curas quas +susceperis peragendas in hujusmodi Arte Medicinae merito commendatum +esse, ad practicandum igitur & exercendum dictam Artem Medicinae in, & +per totam Provinciam nostram Cant' (Civitate Lond' & circuitu septem +milliarum eidem prox' adjacen' tantummodo exceptis) ex causis praedictis +& aliis nos in hac per te juste moventibus, praestito primitus per te +juramento de agnoscendo Regiam suprema potestatem in causis +ecclesiasticis & temporalibus ac de renunciando, refutando, & recusando +omni, & omnimodae jurisdictioni potestati, authoritati & superioritati +foraneis juxta vim formam & effectum statui Parliamenti hujus inclyti +Regni Angliae in ea parte editi & provisi quantum nobis per statuta hujus +Regni Angliae liceat & non aliter neque alio modo te admittimus & +approbamus, tibique Licentiam & Facultatem nostras in hac parte, tenore +praesentium quamdiu te bene & laudabiliter gesseris benigne concedimus & +elargimur. In cujus rei testimonium sigillum (quo in hac parte utimur) +praesentibus apponi fecimus. Dat. undecimo die mensis Octobris, Anno +Domini 1670. Nostraeque translationis Anno Octavo. + +Sigillum + + Radulph. Snowe } + ET } Registrarii. + Edm. Sherman } + + S. Rich. Lloyd, Sur. + +'Vicarii in Spiritualibus Generalis per Provinciam Cantuariensem.' + + +Hereupon he began to practise more openly, and with good success; and +every Saturday rode to Kingston, where the poorer sort flocked to him +from several parts, and received much benefit by his advice and +prescriptions, which he gave them freely, and without money. From those +that were more able, he now and then received a shilling, and sometimes +an half crown, if they offered it to him, otherwise he demanded nothing; +and, in truth, his charity towards poor people was very great, no less +than the care and pains he took in considering and weighing their +particular cases, and applying proper remedies to their infirmities, +which gained him extraordinary credit and estimation. + +He was of a strong constitution, and continued generally in good health, +till the 16th of August 1674, when a violent humour discovered itself in +red spots all over his body, with little pushes in his head. This, in +the winter (18 December) following, was seconded by a distemper whereof +he fell sick, and was let blood in the left foot, a little above the +ancle. + +The 20th of December following, a humour descended from his head to his +left side, from eight o'clock at night till the next morning; and then +staying a while in the calf of his leg, at length descended towards his +toes, the anguish whereof put him into a fever. This humour fixed in two +places on the top of his left foot (one in that where he was let blood +two days before) which (upon application of pledgets) growing ripe, they +were (28 Dec.) lanced by Mr. Agar of Kingston, his apothecary (and no +less a skilful Surgeon:) after which he began to be at ease, his fever +abated, and within five months the cure was perfected. + +The 7th of November 1675, he was taken with a violent fit of vomiting +for some hours, to which a fever succeeded, that continued four months: +this brought his body exceeding low, together with a dimness in his +eyes, which after occasioned him to make use of Mr. Henry Coley, as his +amanuensis, to transcribe (from his dictates) his astrological judgments +for the year 1677; but the monthly observations for that year, were +written with his own hand some time before, though by this time he was +grown very dim-sighted. His judgments and observations for the +succeeding years, till his death, (so also for the year 1682,) were all +composed by his directions, Mr. Coley coming to Hersham the beginning of +every summer, and stayed there, till, by conference with him, he had +dispatched them for the press; to whom, at these opportunities, he +communicated his way of judgment, and other astrological arcanas. + +In the beginning of the year 1681, he had a flux, which weakened him +much, yet after some time his strength encreased; but now his sight was +wholly taken from him, not having any glimmering as formerly. + +He had dwelt many years at Hersham, where his charity and kindness to +his poor neighbours was always great and hearty; and the 30th of May +1681, towards the evening, a dead palsy began to seize his left side. +The second of June, towards evening, he took his bed, and then his +tongue began to falter. The next day he became very dull and heavy: +sometimes his senses began to fail him. Henceforward he took little or +nothing, for his larinx swelled, and that impeded his swallowing. + +The fourth of June, Mr. Ashmole went to visit him, and found he knew +him, but spake little, and some of that scarce intelligible; for the +palsy began now to seize upon his tongue. + +The eighth of June he lay in a great agony, insomuch that the sweat +followed drop after drop, which he bore with wonderful courage and +patience (as indeed he did all his sickness) without complaint; and +about three o'clock the next morning, he died, without any shew of +trouble or pangs. Immediately before his breath went from him, he +sneezed three times. + +He had often, in his life-time, desired Mr. Ashmole to take care of his +funeral, and now his widow desired the same: whereupon Mr. Ashmole +obtained leave from Sir Mathew Andrews (who had the parsonage of Walton) +to bury him in the chancel of that church. + +The 10th of June, his corse was brought thither, and received by the +minister (in his surplice) at the Litch Gates, who, passing before the +body into the church, read the first part of the _Office for the Burial +of the Dead_. In the reading desk he said all the evening service, and +after performed the rest of the office (as established by law) in the +chancel, at the interment, which was about eight o'clock in the evening, +on the left side of the communion table, Mr. Ashmole assisting at the +laying him in his grave; whereupon afterwards (9 July 1681) he placed a +fair black marble stone, (which cost him six pounds four shillings and +six-pence) with this inscription following: + + Ne Oblivione conteretur Urna + + GULIELMI LILLII + + ASTROLOGI PERITISSIMI, + + QUI FATIS CESSIT + + Quinto Idus Junii Anno Christi Juliano + + M DC LXXXI. + + Hoc Illi posuit amoris Monumentum + + ELIAS ASHMOLE, + + ARMIGER. + +Shortly after his death, Mr. Ashmole bought his library of books of Mrs. +Ruth Lilly, (his widow and executrix) for fifty pounds: he oft times, in +his life-time, expressed, that if Mr. Ashmole would give that sum, he +should have them. + + * * * * * + +The following Epitaphs (Latin and English) were made by George +Smalridge, then a scholar at Westminster, after Student of Christ-Church +in Oxford. + + _In Mortem Viri Doctissimi Domini_ GULIELMI + LILLY, _Astrologi, nuper defuncti_. + + Occidit atque suis annalibus addidit atram + Astrologus, qua non tristior ulla, diem + Pone triumphales, lugubris Luna, quadrigas; + Sol maestum picea nube reconde caput. + Illum, qui Phoebi scripsit, Phoebesq; labores + Eclipsin docuit Stella maligna pati. + Invidia Astrorum cecidit, qui Sidera rexit + Tanta erat in notas scandere cura domos. + Quod vidit, visum cupiit, potiturq; cupito + C[oe]lo, & Sidereo fulget in orbe decus. + Scilicet hoc nobis praedixit ab ane Cometa, + Et fati emicuit nuncia Stella tui + Fallentem vidi faciem gemuiq; videndo + Illa fuit vati mortis imago suo, + Civilis timuere alii primordia belli + Jejunam metuit plebs stupefata faniem + Non tantos tulerat bellumve famesve dolores: + Auspiciis essent haec relevanda tuis. + In cautam subitus plebem nunc opprimat ensis, + Securos fati mors violenta trahat. + Nemo est qui videat moneatq; avertere fatum, + Ars jacet in Domini funera mersa sui + Solus naturae reservare arcana solebat, + Solus & ambigui solvere jura poti. + Lustrasti erantes bene fina mente Planeta + Conspectum latuit stellata nulla tuum + Defessos oculos pensarunt lumina mentis + Firesias oculis, mentibus Argus eras. + Cernere, Firesia, poteras ventura, sed, Arge, + In fatum haud poteras sat vigil esse tuum + Sed vivit nomen semper cum sole vigebit, + Immemor Astrologi non erit ulla dies + Saecla canent laudes, quas si percurrere cones, + Arte opus est, Stellas qua numerare soles + Haereat hoc carmen cinerum custodibus urnis, + Hospes quod spargens marmora rore legat. + "Hic situs est, dignus nunquam cecidisse Propheta; + Fatorum interpres fata inopina subit. + Versari aethereo dum vixit in orbe solebat: + Nunc humilem jactat Terra superba virum. + Sed Coelum metitur adhuc resupinus in urnae + Vertitur in solitos palpebra clausa polos. + Huic busto invigilant solenni lampade Musaae + Perpetuo nubes imbre sepulchra rigant. + Ille oculis movit distantia Sidera nostris, + Illam amota oculis traxit ad astra Deus." + +_An_ ELEGY _upon the Death of_ WILLIAM LILLY, _the Astrologer_. + + Our Prophet's gone; no longer may our ears + Be charm'd with musick of th' harmonious spheres. + Let sun and moon withdraw, leave gloomy night + To shew their NUNCIO'S fate, who gave more light + To th' erring world, than all the feeble rays + Of sun or moon; taught us to know those days + Bright TITAN makes; follow'd the hasty sun + Through all his circuits; knew th' unconstant moon, + And more unconstant ebbings of the flood; + And what is most uncertain, th' factious brood, + Flowing in civil broils: by the heavens could date + The flux and reflux of our dubious state. + He saw the eclipse of sun, and change of moon + He saw, but seeing would not shun his own: + Eclips'd he was, that he might shine more bright, + And only chang'd to give a fuller light. + He having view'd the sky, and glorious train + Of gilded stars, scorn'd longer to remain + In earthly prisons: could he a village love, + Whom the twelve houses waited for above? + The grateful stars a heavenly mansion gave + T' his heavenly soul, nor could he live a slave + To mortal passions, whose immortal mind, + Whilst here on earth, was not to earth confin'd. + He must be gone, the stars had so decreed; + As he of them, so they of him, had need. + This message 'twas the blazing comet brought; + I saw the pale-fac'd star, and seeing thought + (For we could guess, but only LILLY knew) + It did some glorious hero's fall foreshew: + A hero's fall'n, whose death, more than a war, + Or fire, deserv'd a comet: th' obsequious star + Could do no less than his sad fate unfold, + Who had their risings, and their settings told. + Some thought a plague, and some a famine near; + Some wars from France, some fires at home did fear: + Nor did they fear too much: scarce kinder fate, + But plague of plagues befell th' unhappy state + When LILLY died. Now swords may safely come + From France or Rome, fanaticks plot at home. + Now an unseen, and unexpected hand, + By guidance of ill stars, may hurt our land; + Unsafe, because secure, there's none to show + How England may avert the fatal blow. + He's dead, whose death the weeping clouds deplore, + I wish we did not owe to him that show'r + Which long expected was, and might have still + Expected been, had not our nation's ill + Drawn from the heavens a sympathetic tear: + England hath cause a second drought to fear. + We have no second LILLY, who may die, + And by his death may make the heavens cry. + Then let your annals, Coley, want this day, + Think every year leap-year; or if't must stay, + Cloath it in black; let a sad note stand by, + And stigmatize it to posterity. + +_Here follows the Copy of an Indictment filed against Mr. Lilly, for +which see page 167 of his Life_. + +The jurors for the Lord Protector of the commonwealth of England, +Scotland, and Ireland, &c. upon their oaths do present, that William +Lilly, late of the Parish of St. Clements Danes, in the County of +Middlesex, Gent. not having the fear of God before his eyes, but being +moved and seduced by the instigation of the devil, the 10th day of July, +in the Year of our Lord, 1654, at the Parish aforesaid, in the County +aforesaid, wickedly, unlawfully, and deceitfully, did take upon him, the +said William Lilly, by inchantment, charm, and sorcery, to tell and +declare to one Anne East, the wife of Alexander East, where ten +waistcoats, of the value of five pounds, of the goods and chattels of +the said Alexander East, then lately before lost and stolen from the +said Alexander East, should be found and become; and two shilling and +sixpence in monies numbred, of the monies of the said Alexander, from +the said Anne East, then and and there unlawfully and deceitfully, he, +the said William Lilly, did take, receive, and had, to tell and declare +to her the said Anne, where the said goods, so lost and stolen as +aforesaid, should be found and become: And also that he, the said +William Lilly, on the said tenth day of July, in the Year of our Lord, +1654, and divers other days and times, as well before as afterwards, at +the said Parish aforesaid, in the County aforesaid, unlawfully and +deceitfully did take upon him, the said William Lilly, by inchantment, +charm, and sorcery, to tell and declare to divers other persons, to the +said jurors, yet unknown, where divers goods, chattels, and things of +the said persons yet unknown, there lately before lost and stolen from +the said persons yet unknown, should be found and become; and divers +sums of monies of the said persons yet unknown, then and there +unlawfully and deceitfully, he the said William Lilly did take, receive, +and had, to tell and declare to the said persons yet unknown, where +their goods, chattels, and things, so lost and stolen, as aforesaid, +should be found and become, in contempt of the laws of England, to the +great damage and deceit of the said Alexander and Anne, and of the said +other persons yet unknown, to the evil and pernicious example of all +others in the like case offending, against the form of the statute in +this case made and provided, and against the publick peace, &c. + + _Anne East, + Emme Spencer, + Jane Gold, + Katherme Roberts, + Susannah Hulinge_. + + + + +_Butler's Character of_ WILLIAM LILLY. + + * * * * * + + "A cunning man[20], hight SIDROPHEL. + That deals in destiny's dark counsels, + And sage opinions of the moon sells; + To whom all people, far and near, + On deep importances repair; + When brass and pewter hap to stray, + And linen slinks out of the way: + + [Footnote 20: _A cunning man, hight_ Sidrophel. 'William Lilly, + the famous astrologer of those times, who in his yearly + almanacks foretold victories for the parliament with as much + certainty as the Preachers did in their sermons; and all or most + part of what is ascribed to him by the Poet, the reader will + find verified in his "Letter," (if we may believe it) wrote by + himself to Elias Ashmole, Esq.' For further curious information + respecting William Lilly, the reader may consult _Dr. Grey's + Notes to Hudibras_, vol. ii. page 163, &c. Edition 1819, in 3 + vols, 8vo.] + + When geese and pullen are seduc'd, + And sows of sucking pigs are chous'd: + When cattle feel indisposition, + And need th' opinion of physician; + When murrain reigns in hogs or sheep, + And chickens languish of the pip; + When yeast and outward means do fail, + And have no power to work on ale; + When butter does refuse to come, + And love proves cross and humoursome; + To him with questions and with urine, + They for discov'ry flock, or curing. + + * * * * * + + He had been long t'wards mathematics, + Opticks, philosophy, and staticks, + Magick, horoscopy, astrology, + And was old dog at physiology: + But, as a dog that turns the spit, + Bestirs himself, and plies his feet + To climb the wheel, but all in vain, + His own weight brings him down again; + And still he's in the self-same place, + Where at his setting out he was: + So, in the circle of the arts, + Did he advance his nat'ral parts: + Till falling back still, for retreat, + He fell to juggle, cant, and cheat: + For as those fowls that live in water + Are never wet, he did but smatter: + Whate'er he labour'd to appear, + His understanding still was clear, + Yet none a deeper knowledge boasted, + Since old Hodge Bacon, and Bob Grosted, + + * * * * * + + Do not our great _Reformers_ use + This SIDROPHEL to forebode news? + To write of victories next year, + And castles taken yet i'th' air? + Of battles fought at sea, and ships + Sunk, two years hence, the last eclipse? + A total o'er throw giv'n the KING + In Cornwall, horse and foot, next spring? + And has not he point-blank foretold + Whatso'er the _Close Committee_ would? + Made Mars and Saturn for the _cause_, + The Moon for _fundamental laws_; + The Ram, the Bull, the Goat, declare + Against the _Book of Common Prayer_; + The Scorpion take the _Protestation_, + And Bear engage for Reformation; + Made all the _royal stars_ recant, + Compound, and take the covenant." + + +THE END. + + * * * * * + +MAURICE, PRINTER, FENCHURCH STREET. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of William Lilly's History of His Life +and Times, by William Lilly + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WILLIAM LILLY'S HISTORY *** + +***** This file should be named 15835.txt or 15835.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/8/3/15835/ + +Produced by Steven Gibbs, David King, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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