Catastrophe magnatum, or, The fall of monarchie a caveat to magistrates, deduced from the eclipse of the sunne, March 29, 1652, with a probable conjecture of the determination of the effects / by Nich. Culpeper, Gent. ...

To the right VVorshipfull, Sir William Culpeper Knight and Baronet, Nicholas Culpeper wisheth Health, Wealth, and Peace, in this World, and a Crown of Glory in that to come.

Worthy Sir,

BEfore I proceed farther, let me crave par∣don of your Worship, for these my bold at∣tempts in presuming to Dedicate these my weak Labours to your Worship, to whom di∣stance of place hath now almost made a stranger; but considering that Ingenuity of Spirit that was once in your Father, & flourisheth in you who are the Branch of so Noble a Root, together with the antient Familiarity that was between your Father and mine, imboldned me after I had converted a few idle hours into Study, and having brought forth to birth what then I conceived, I present it at your Worships feet: I hope there is nothing in it unbe∣seeming the name of Culpeper; if there be failings in it they are no more then what we are all subject to. The Ingenuity of your Worship, I know to be such, that you will not onely passe by my boldness in dedicating it to you, for that Objecti∣on our Alliance in blood may take off,

Sigenus amborum scindit se sanguine ab uno.

Besides, as your ingenuity is Operative, which the Bowels of all your poore Neighbours daily blesse God for, which you are commended for, even where you are not known, and is

is no small joy to mine (your poore Kinsmans) heart, so shall you be eternally rewarded for it another day, blessed is he that remembreth the poor, your Worship knows well e∣nough what follows. I hope your Worship will expect no Flattery in the Epistle, there being none in the booke: if you accept the Book, I shall thinke my selfe happy, and I am confident those of our blood will hardly degenerate; it was a notable expression of Plato, O Knowledge, how would men love thee, if they did but know thee! for as Health is the conservation of the Body, so is knowledge the conservation of the Soul. Though it hath been neer upon fifteen years since I saw your Worship: yet have I often heard of you, both by Master Thomas Culpeper and Ma∣ster Whitfield, who are both of our kindred, as by many o∣thers more, and I heare your vertues increase daily more and more, the Lord encrease them till the time of your change come: and though we live in such an Age which calleth Good Evill, and Evill Good, which takes Vice for Vertue and Vertue for Vice, which think they strike at the Devill and hit God, yet your Worship knows as well as I can tell you, & better too, being no stranger to the writings of Phi∣losophers, what Plato said of Vertue and Vice: quoth he, If Vertue could take a bodily shape, shee would be so beautifull a creature, all men would be in love with her, (of which your Worship is one) also if Vice could take a bodily shape, shee would be such an Ugly beast, all men would hate her: for if Drunkards have so many Apish and beastly postures, what would Drunkennesse it selfe have if it were Visible? and yet that is but an Attri∣bute of Vice neither.

I know very well, and my Genius prompts me to it, what an excellent love your Worship beares to Learning, & truly I might make another reason of that for Dedicating these

my weak labours to your Worship, as knowing the brightnes of your brain will dissipate the clouds of my Ignorance: the truth is, there arose a Question within my selfe whether I should dedicate it to your Worship or not, but that contest held not long, for I doubted not of your favourable accep∣tance, for I knew well enough what failed on my part in the performance of the worke, or what other imperfections you could find in the booke, should be most Nobly censured, and like your selfe: then presently I proceeded, and stampt your Worships name upon it, that it may be said, in despight of the proudest carper in the world, it is the Godchild of a peerlesse Godfather. Sir, one thing more I must intreat you, for I doubt I have been so bold, your VVorship will thinke I flatter, and that I know your VVorship hates, as well as my selfe; if there happen any thing in the booke, which your VVorship cannot understand, I know you will say as noble-minded Chion did, Let my betters judge of these matters. I must confesse the thing is a worke of worth if well understood, else your VVorship had not had it presented to you, your worship knowes very well, and far better then I can tell you, that knowledge requires the whole circuit of a mans life, even from the terminus à quo to the terminus ad quem; and the longer a man lives the more he may learne. I am briefe, for tis brevity your VVorship delights in, therefore to use many words I account it needlesse: your VVorships friendly acceptance of it shall be such a favour to me as I shall never forget (indeed I have so much the blood of Culpeper in me that I cannot) what such as are al∣together unlearned or proudly learned, speak against, I shall take to be a badge of a weake, or stubborn braine, rather than any blemish at all to the worke. I know your worship will judge like your selfe, to whom I make bold to present this as a memoriall of those former favours not unknowne

to your worship which passed between your Father and mine; Lastly, before I conclude let me intreat one favour of your worship, if I have mistaken in, or robbed you of any of your titles of honour, I beseech you pardon

Your most humble Servant and Kinsman, Nich: Culpeper.

From my Study at London. Spittle-Fields, next door to the Red-Lion.