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. ...

CHAP. I.

What an Eclipse is.

AN Eclipse is properly the deficiency of light in a Star, if it be defined in a critical sence: and although any Star upon the E∣cliptick may suffer an Eclipse, when they are diametrically opposed to the Sun; and although a part of the body of the Sun may be Eclipsed by Venus or Mer∣cury, in an inferiour conjunction, when they have no latitude (and for ought I know, it carries significa∣tion too, though little heeded) yet if we reason of an Eclipse in a vulgar sence, take the Philosophical description of it thus.

An Eclipse, is the prohibition of the light either of the Sun or Moon from our eye.

And as it is necessary, before we reason of an Eclipse, to tell you what an Eclipse is; so it is as necessary, to tell you what the Lumi∣naries Eclipsed are; and to what intent the eternal, and only wise

God, placed them in the heavens: and that this may be done me∣thodically, I will tell you

• 1. What the Sun is.
• 2. What an Eclipse of the Sun is.
• 3. What the Moon is.
• 4. What an Eclipse of the Moon is.

First, know this, that the Sun is the light and governor of the world; a creature which gives life, light, and motion to the crea∣tion: by moving about his own body upon his Axis, he moves the whole creation: by him is time limited; by him the Planets become Oriental, and Occidental: he hides them, and he gives them their lustre: whatsoever in the creation hath motion (and there are but few things without it, if any) they have it all from the Sun: in a word, he is the primum mobile of the creation; it is he that makes the Trees to spring, and the Birds to sing, and brings forth the fruits of the earth in due season; he quickens and enlivens all things; and every signe is exalted above its fellows, when he is in it: he adds life, and light, and strength, and heat and vertue, to the earth; and therefore his Eclipse is the more dis∣mal to it: he is indeed the life of the creation, perhaps anima mundi: when the Sun leaves a signe, that signe remaines like a dead body without a spirit and motion; and other signes avoyd that signe, as a living body avoyds a dead body: it is the Sun that causeth the motions of winde, inundation of water; the cir∣culation in the creation, is caused by the Sun: it is he that draws the waters out of the sea, and returns them upon the earth, that so it may bring forth fruit in due season, the truth is he is a great and famous Planet, of mighty power, nobility, magnanimity, and command; and yet not like the Commanders of our times; for he loves not mony. His corporal Conjunction, infortunates more then the conjunction of any Planet; but his Trine, and Sextile Aspects, fortunate more then the Trines and Sextiles of any Planet: And if you will know the reason why his Conjunction is so unfortunate, he gives to all the Planets their light and moti∣on; and when they are with his body, he takes it away againe. Life and death, principalities and powers, vanquishing and victo∣rie, are known by the Sun: beware his Eclipse upon his exal∣tation.

As he is in the heavens, so are Magistrates in a Commonwealth: if the one be afflicted, why may not the other? the motion of the Sun is natural; the motion of terrestrial creatures, artificial: when Nature suffers, beware Art. In the body of man, he represents the head, because he is exalted in Aries: mock not, if you finde him represent the same in a Nation. All Kings, quatenus Kings, are represented by the Sun; do not admire if they be Eclipsed: the truth of it is, he is Lord Paramount in the creation; and to prove this, I will send you to school, whither Iob sent his companions, Iob 12. 7, 8. Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowles of the aire; and they shall tell thee: or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare to thee. To which I might add, The trees themselves will do it; the birds in the spring declare it to the whole Nation, (I wish I could call it a Commonwealth.) The mines in the earth, yea the flint-stones, will tell you what the power of the Sun is; and yet he is Eclipsed: we will not deny the influences of the other Planets together with that Sun; for as the stomach first concocts the meat, and sends, or should send, the chyle well concocted to the Liver; and the Liver having concocted it againe, nourisheth the body by the Veines, and every Veine receives a part of the blood from the Liver, according to its own capacity, even so the Sun administers of his own power, to the rest of the Planets, and to the earth it self: every one receives its part according to its ca∣pacity: an Apple-tree bears an Apple; a Crab-tree but a Crab, because it is capable of no more: a good Plum-tree bears a Plum; and a Sloe-tree, but a Sloe, because it is capable of no better; So that the nature of the Sun, operates in all natures, according to their capacitie. The house of the Sun, is the best and most noble house in all the heavens: his exaltation is the best and most noble exaltation in all the heavens: his triplicity is the best and most regal triplicity in all the heavens. As a wise Ruler should be in the midst of the Gommonwealth, so hath ••he eter∣nal and only wise God placed the Sun in the middest of the crea∣tion, and all the rest of the Planets, like Serving-men, attend him. He hath made Saturne his counsellor, by whose sober advice the

violent motions of the other Planets are retarded. He hath made Iupiter his Judge, by whose equal temperature, honesty, and serenity, things should be ordered, I cannot say they are; yet I am of Iulius Cesars opinion.

Tarpeio, quondam, cons••dit culmine, cornix, Est bene, non potuit dicere, dixit, erit.

On the Tarpeian Steeples top, the Crow Cryed out, All is not well; but 'twill, I trow. And so hope I.

He hath made Mars his Commander; he is the Generall of his Army, and he retaines that office in this Eclipse; and I have some hopes he will use it well. Venus buyes and sels his commo∣dities; and that is her office in the habitable world. Mercury is his Accomptant, and takes notice what is done, and tels him of it once in two months. The Moon is his Ambassador, and tels fraile flesh what he intends to do, and when he will do it: Oh that they would be so wise to hear her!

And having now told you what the office was, which the great First-being of all things placed the Sun in the firmament for,

(Sensibus haec imis, res non est parva repone.

Afford these lines a place amidst your sences, And be not gull'd by flattering pretences.)

I come now to shew you, what an Eclipse of the Sun is: but before we come to that, take an Aphorisme or two.

1. An Eclipse is either total, or partial.

2. A totall Eclipse is, when the whole Star is darkened; a partial Eclipse is, when but part of the Star is darkened.

3. No Eclipse can happen but at or neer one of the Nodes, the Head or taile of the Dragon: if I had been minded to have frighted the multitude with uncouth words, I would have said, Anabibazon, and Catabibazon.

4. The Sun, seeing he is the Author of light, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the light of the world proceeds from him, it is imposs〈…〉〈…〉 should be darkened really; but only his beams are hindered by the body of the Moon, from some particular place of the earth: nay, it is impossible the Sun should be darkened every where in the same Hemisphear: it is not universaliter, but secundum quid: for the Moon being made of the same metal the earth is (namely, a lump of dirt rolled up together, and by an All-powerful God hung in the Aire, the foundations of it fixed upon nothing) the opacous body of the Moon, takes away the light of the Sun from some particular people; whereas, by reason of the different Paralax of the Moon, other Nations in the same Hemisphear can behold the body of the Sun, not in the least darkned. From these things thus joyned together, take this definition of an Eclipse of the Sun.

An Eclipse of the Sun, is a taking away both light and vertue of the Sun from a particular people, by the interposition of the body of the Moon.

And if so, who, but Doctor SELF, and Doctor CONCEIT knowing, as I told you before, wherefore God Created the Sun can deny but that dismal effects must follow the interposition between a Nation and such a real, such an all-friend. A word is enough to a wise man.

In the third place, I come to tell you wherefore the Moon was created; and though she be but a lump of dirt, she was not created for nothing; had she been so, man had been created for less. She is called in the Scripture, a great light, who, as Iehovah Elohim saith, was made to RULE, as well the Sun: and because she was to rule the night, she cannot be Eclipsed but in the night.

I wonder in my heart, what the Priests would say, if a man should ask them the question, What rule the Moon hath in the night? Or whether a prohibition of light, be not a prohibition of rule? Or whether a prohibition of rule bring not confusion? Or whether the corruption of one thing, be not the generation of ano∣ther? Haply my argument may appear to be truth ere long and they may feel it to their cost: when God sets them to rule, and they deprive one another of their power, caveant mortales.

Well, but what effects was the Moon created for? that is the question, and to that now turn I. She is the lesser Luminary; she is the Governess of the world: she changes all bodies, and causeth vicissitude of times: pray God the effects of this Eclipse turn them to the best.

Yet this I will say by the rules of natural Philosophy, All things between the terminus a quo, and the terminus ad quem, require order and good method; and according as the method is in the medium, so shall the end prove.

If the new River-water had been brought from Ware to Lon∣don in lead, it had come clear; but being brought in earth, it is muddy. I will leave this Nation to pick English out of it.

The Moon, about which our discourse is, is most appropriated to man; and not only to man, but also to beasts, and birds, and fishes: she carries the vertue of the Sun to the creation, and causes man to change from childe-hood to youth; from youth, to Man-hood, from Man-hood, to Age; from Age, to decrepid∣ness: she helps man to live, she helps man to dye: her one light (if you note it) doth the like. A body may gather the whole world is maintained by light: and as various as the light of the Moon is, so various is the life of man. She receives her light from the Sun: she increaseth, she comes to the full, she wanes, and at last returnes to the place from whence she came; and so must man.

The Eclipse of the Moon is no way to be despised, neither is the Eclipse of the Sun by the Moon: for this one judgement I will give you now (although it be out of course) when the Moon is Lady of the Ascendant, and Eclipseth the Sun in the Tenth; Such, as the Magnates for want of better breeding, or more know∣ledge of God, or humble-wort growing in their gardens) call vile, Plebeian, and evil men; such as they could crush to peices (if they knew but how) will rise up, both against Magistrates, and a∣gainst their Rulers, and handle them without Mittens, as they have handled them before; Kingdomes will be changed, and Beggars will get on horse-back; let them have a care how they ride. I hope I have not transgressed.

The Moon is to the Sun, as an Ambassador is to a Prince: the Sun gives her power and governs her, and supplies her both with light and strength, from the time of the Conjunction to the Opposition: in her Opposition, she is so proud, she thwarts him; then he diminisheth her light, and takes away from her, what she borrowed of him before; just as when a King sends out an Am∣bassador to some people or Nation, the Ambassador grows proud, and looks upon himself as an absolute King; The King quickly knows how to make him know himself: even so the Sun with∣draws his light againe, brings her to nothing at all, and bids her look to the rock from whence she was hewen.

But I pray you now, when the Moon is in her full power, and then Eclipsed, must this Eclipse signifie nothing? We will take her signification to be a Queen, the governess of the night, and a governess both over sea and land.

There remaines but one thing more, which is to shew you what what an Eclipse of the Moon is; for which, take this defini∣tion.

An Eclipse of the Moon, is a diametrical interposition of the body of the earth, between the Sun and Moon, whereby the light of the Sun, is hindered from the body of the Moon.

I have done with this Chapter, if you will be pleased but to take notice, that the Moon may be totally obscured in the same Hemisphear, because the magnitude of the body of the earth, is greater then the magnitude of the Moon; only take notice, that the farther Eastward people in the same Hemisphear live, the sooner to them will the Eclipse appear.