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. Ult.

What the effects of this Ecclipse are probably like to produce to every particular nation in Europe.

1. IT being taken for granted, that the effects begin to operate July 1652. the reasons of which I gave you before, and are in full force, power, and vigour through∣out the years 1653, and 1654. and decline in the year 1655, you may by this know the time of the sufferings of Europe, an Epidemicall desease called madnesse, possesses the brains of the Princes thereof, the FIFTH MONARCHY of the world is coming, and the effects of this Eclipse make way for him: but he is no Scotch man, no nor English; 'tis he before whose coming, The Heathen shall rage, and the people imagine a vain thing; the kings of the earth shall set themselves together a∣gainst him, &c. Read the second Psalm throughout, and you shall see both what shall antecede his Coronation, and what shall follow it. I cannot but admire at the fol∣ly and sottishnesse of those that prate and scribble of any other Monarchy to succeed amongst the sons of men, when the Scripture speaks exactly, Dan. 2. 44, 45. And in the dayes of these kings, shall the God of heaven set up a kingdome, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdome shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdomes, and it shall stand for e∣ver: Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountaine without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brasse, the clay, the silver and the gold, &c. this is the stone which the builders refused, but God will make the

corner stone,: As also that Dan. 7. 26, 27. But the judgement shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume, and to destroy it unto the end, and the kingdom, and dominion, and the greatnesse of the king dome under the whole heaven shall be gi∣ven to the people of the Saints of the Most High, whose king∣dome is an everlasting kingdome, and all dominion shall serve and obey him; This, this is the MOMARCHY that I expect, if the Lord please to grant me life to see it; yet I expect it not in the effects of this Eclipse, for this Eclipse shall onely make way for it. I am of opinion Grebner in his Prophesie of his Vtopian Monarch, having by art caballistick obtained the two first letters of his name, mistook Charls for CHRIST, well then this is the first, namely a preparative to the fifth Monarchy, and when you see all Europe together by the ears, when you see Kings mad, and their subjects stub∣born; In a word, when you see all Europe in an uproar, then think of these things, and know that he that shal come, will come, and will not tarry.

2. The Germanes are as bad together by the ears as they were in the dayes of that conquering King of Sweden. Bo∣hemia suffers extremely; the truth of it is, I doubt the poor Emperour will be totally routed, and made no Emperour at all.

3. As for England, I cannot sing a quietus est to them as yet, within a few years I shall; Thou hast but one storm to endure, bear that with patience, I hope thy wars are almost at an end, I would thou couldst keep thy own brains from fanaticall furies, and learn to know what belongs to thy peace before it be hid from thine eyes. Thou wilt in the year 1653 be mole∣sted with a consuming pestilence, and troubles, with a change of Government at one and the same time, make thy choice wisely, God will have his owne Government established in thee, whether thou wilt or no; and tell me one thing, and tell mee truly, whether is it fit he should have his will, or thee thine? should he be master, or thee? In making thy choice of thy next Representative, take counsell of God, see what he speaketh to thee (or as it should be translated, in thee;)

so will he speak peace to thy soul, that thou mayest not return AGAIN to folly: For assure thy selfe of this, thou shalt find my words true, as when the Sun is upon the Meridian, thou shalt never be free from plagues, either of war, (or as I rather think) pestilence, or famine, till thou doest submit to such a Government as God intends for thee; the cryes of the poor, whom thou doest tyrannically defraud of their bitthrights, are heard in the ears of the Lord God Almighty. Be pleased to read every morning the. 26 chapter of Leviticus.

4. The Jesuites set all Europe together by the ears, let Pa∣dua in Italy beware of August 1653, lest either the sword, earthquake or pestilence, destroy it. Ah poor University! I mourn for thee, so much goodhast thou done to the world in generall. Lombardy is quite and clean destroyed, and beasts possesse the seates of dead people: The Pope hath got the impudence to outface heaven, to see if his Bulls can out∣roar the thunder.

5. The Turks fall into a part of Italy, which maketh his Holinesse tremble, but he knoweth how to leave Saint Peters keys, and take Saint Pauls sword in hand; the truth is, his fear is more then his harm, its not the Turk shall pull down the Pope, and yet he must fall.

6. The effects of this Eclipse shall shew themselves first of all in their colours in France. Strange massacres, desperate tumults, fire and sword, and whatsoever else is bad, molest that kingdome: and it's his own fault, he carryeth himselfe as like a tyrant over his subjects as a Pome-water is like an Ap∣ple, if about the later end of this year 1652, that poor King is not either knock'd on the head, or forc'd to leave his king∣dome, say I am so ignorant, that I know not a Star from a Hop-pole; let him beware of his Bishops and Jesuites, espe∣cially the Colledge of Sorbon, for fear they have learned a Scotch trick, to sell him to his adversaries for mo∣ney.

7. Let not that Noble and Valiant soul the Prince of Con∣de, aspire to the kingdome: God hath a determination to blast aspiring braines. If ever that Valiant and Wise Prince

come to raign, it shall be, aut nequicquam, aut nequaquam, either not at all, or in vaine; ours was the first Monarchy that was brought to an end, and France shall be the next; the heavens have decreed it, and its vain for man to kick a∣gainst the pricks. Two years shall not passe over thy head, O France, but thy Monarchy shall come to its fatall and finall, catastrophe, and leave thy ruined nation in such a pickle, that thy pleasant and fruitfull land shall be reduced to such a barrennesse, for the wickednesse of those that dwell there∣in, that this present age shall not live to see it recru∣ted.

8. Thou Famous City of Venice, (and famous mightest thou have continued, hadst thou not harboured so many Rogues and Whores) look to thy selfe, I fear before the year 1653 be elapfed, the Turk will have possession of thee; it would grieve a mans heart to see the streets runne down with blood; I wish I may be found a false Prophet in this, yet whether I be or not, it would do thee no harm to make thy peace with God.

9. Its almost a wonder I have forgot the Hollander all this while, who shall neither be the last nor the least sufferer in this Eclipse, a body would have thought that nation had been wise, had they not committed themselves to the protection of the King of France; but when France shall be together by the ears, and more blood spilt there then wine prest, then may the poor Dutch man say, as the Emperour once did, when he trusted to the Pope for some great courtesie, which he thought would make him and his heirs for ever, the Pope playes the man, and dieth (not because he was weary of this wicked world, and made haste to be in another, for hee alwayes loved this world with all his heart, else he had never built a tabernacle in it) the Emperour hearing of the Popes death, now saith he, My cake is dough, I never thought of the Popes dying before: And just in such a pickle will Holland be, when her protecting king is fled for his life: her necessities will be very great, none will succour, nor ma∣ny pity her.

Tenthly, The Monasteries of Germany are like to be made no Monasteries during the effects of this Eclipse. Tru∣ly, by that time the yeer 1654 be elapsed, Popery will breathe its last in Germany. God in heaven grant they set up the truth in its stead; that, like other Nations, they do not (with Esop's fish) leap out of the frying pan, into the fire.

Eleventhly, During the effects of this Eclipse in England, but how soon it will be I know not, either at, or before the beginning of the yeer 1655, (the wiser my brethren of the Communalty carry themselves, for ought I know or be∣leeve, the sooner it may be effected) the Government will come into the hands of the People, and everlasting peace shall we enjoy, and never more Warr shall afflict us. And (if we may trust to a piece of Art Caballistick) in August 1655, Rome falleth, and IESVS CHRIST the Prince of Peace may reign amongst us. I'll say no more to them now. I may have occasion to speak to them here∣after.

Twelfthly, London, beware of a Pestilence 1653; get able Physicians: And though many men tell thee of thy finall Catastrophe, and fright thee with Mother Skiptons pro∣phesie, which, if it come to passe upon thee at all, it will be in the yeer, One thousand six hundred sixty eight. La∣bour thou to be one of the Elect of God, and hold up but thy head till the later end of the yeer One thousand six hundred fifty five, and I am confident, both thy danger and destruction is past.

I could tell the sad things shall afflict thee in the yeer One thousand six hundred fifty three. But when Phaeton foretold of a great fire that should burn up the greatest part of Italy, they got the honest soul, and accused him for setting the world on fire, and drowned him in the River Po. And haply, should I tel London the truth, I might be inhumanely dealt withall my self; for this is an age in which

Obsequium amicus, veritas odium parit. 'Tis flattery that gets men friends: Tell but the truth, all friendship ends.

I give London leave to make the moral of it; however she dealeth with me, I shall not forsake her in her extremities.

13. The rest of the Princes of Europe must fall as sure as a club: and next to France, Poland is like to go to pot, if it be not contemporary with it: Denmark and Sweden happily next; (it is sufficient for us to prognosticate exactly their downfal, though we cannot exactly finde out the time:) and happily Sweden may come to ruine before Denmark, especially if the Queen light of such a HVSBAND as probably she may; let the Child of that valiant Father beware of an unfortunate Match about the begin∣ing of 1653: if not, the ruine of that Kingdom may happen a∣bout the beginning of 1654. In the mean season, let Sweden be ruled by me, to have a care of their Witches, of which, I am very jealous, it contains many thousands, who though they cannot probably bring a destruction upon that Monarchy by their witch∣crafts, yet they may the more provoke the vengeance of God a∣gainst it, who hath said, Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live.

14. The Florentines are as full of Tumults as a Wood is full of Trees: The Cossaks fall into Christendom with fire and sword, and I doubt upon the Territories of Italy.

15. The King of Spain is quite and clean routed out of the West-Indies, or else I am mistaken; as he hath formerly there made Slaves of other people, (nay, he would have served the Ba∣boons so too, could they but have spoken,) so in 1654, the Na∣tives of the place shall be rid of this, and finde another Master, and yet scarce a better. I remember a notable story in the Egyptian Chronicle, when the Turkish Emperor besieged Grand-Cairo, the Inhabitants of that great and populous City refused to give a∣ny assistance to the Mamalukes against the Turk; it is confessed the Mamalukes stood to their tackling like Soldiers, and lost the City by inches, and the Inhabitants got a worse Master, the Turks being more imperious over them then ever the Mama∣lukes were. I am afear'd of the like change to the Inhabitants of the West-Indies, and especially Guiana. But who it shall be, I leave for time to determine.

16. The Nations of Europe flutter to save their Kings, which never did them good, nor never will; even like a Bird brought up

in a Cage, that regardeth not liberty, because it never knew what it was. I remember a pretty story in AEsops Fables, which I care not greatly if I recite; The Frogs desired a King of Iupiter, neither would they be pleased unless they had one: Jupiter (to sa∣tisfie them) threw down a great beam into the water, which af∣ter it had astonish'd them awhile, they began to grow bold with it, and leapt upon it, yea and despised it too, because it was pati∣ent: They fall a croaking to Jupiter again, and they must have a stout King that could fight, I marry must they: Jupiter, to sa∣tisfie their importunity, sends them the Stork, who stalking a∣bout the Pool, as the Frogs came to do obeysance to him, he eat them up. I leave every rational man to make the Moral of it, it is plain enough.

17. An Earthquake is like much to annoy Italy, the Peoples Madness and the Jesuites Knavery much more. Italy! Italy! that ancient Nation where the Poets say Saturn once ruled when he turned Leveller and brought up the Golden-Age, I am sorry for thy sufferings, but cannot help them; I would thou wouldst do thy self so much good, as learn a little more Wit.

18. A Fire threatens Constantinople, so doth Dissention, and something worse then either; the great Turk is either slain, or runs away for his life, if a bow-string stops not his journey: you would laugh to see the Tartarian invade Turkey much a∣bout the year 1654: I will promise him if he do about that time, he will go neer to carry it. I would to God he would learn to be so wise as the noble Tamerlane, who is never to be mention∣ed without an Epethite of Honor.

19. In the year 1654, England begins to grow quiet, and I am glad of that: she enjoys her desired Liberty, which she hath spent so much blood for: the time is coming, it is but two years to it, or but a little more, not quite three: and presently after Holland begins to be pretty secure, after once she hath learned to look to the Rock from whence she was howen.

And thus I had best leave off, whil'st matters go well.