Artic. 2. Of the Comets signification.
MEn say, it is a fore-runner of Calamities, if we look upon the Judgment; and it is found so to be. It foreshew'd Vespasian's death; Romes Captivity by Alaricus; the miserable end of Mauri∣tius; the destruction of Mahomet; the destructive diminution of the Emperours of Rome; the end of Charles the Great; the Excursion of the Tartars into Silesia, and the cutting off of Lugs. Records say, that Charles the Great when he saw it, was frighted; and reasoning with Eginhartus, he said it foreshew'd the death of a Prince. And when he, lest he should be sad at it, said, Be not afraid at the signs in the Hea∣vens; He replyed, We must fear none but him who created us, and the Stars also: but we are bound to praise his Clemency, who will vouchsafe to admonish our sluggishnesse with such signs, Alsted▪ in Chronol. One was held to be fortunate, which appeared to Augustus, when he prepared Plays for his Genitrix Venus. These are his words, Pliny l. 2. c. 25. The very same dayes I had my pastimes, a hairy Star ap∣peared for seven dayes in the Region of Heaven, which is under the North Star. It rose about the 11th hour of the day, and was clear to be seen in all Lands; The people believed that that Star signified, that Caesar's Soul must be received amongst the immortall Gods, upon which account that Ensign was added to the Image of an head, which presently was consecrated by us in the publick Judicature. In the one side of an old Roman penny, Caesar's Image was to be seen, with these Letters, Imp: Caes: Divi, 111. Vir: R.R.C. on the other side the forepart of Venus Temple with a Star, and Caesar's