The works of that late most excellent philosopher and astronomer, Sir George Wharton, bar. collected into one volume / by John Gadbvry ...

3. The Number of Comets at one time.

THat there have been several Comets at one time▪ Aristotle witnesses, Lib. 1. Meteor. Cap. 6. Pal∣merinus (in Chronico) Records two Comets that ap∣peared in the Year 729. both in the Month of Ja∣nuary, for the space of fifteen days, one in the Morn∣ing, the other in the Evening: The like in the Year of Christ 761.

And the Scotch History tells us, that in the Year 1214. there were two Comets seen at a time, one in the Morning going before the Sun, the other in the Evening following after. Anno 1529. there were four seen. Anno 1337. in May, there appeared a Comet, and soon after another, which joyned its self to the former, both which were very conspicuous all the June, July, and August following.

Scaliger (Exer. 79. in Cardan.) tells us, that at what time the French King Invaded Italy, there was a Comet seen at Sun-set, which in few days after over∣took and conducted him: And withal addeth, Nos duos simul videmus, alterum matutinum, alterum ves∣pertinum, multis diebus, diversa latitudine haud ita multis abhinc annis. I my self (saith he) saw two at once, not many Years since, one in the Morning, the other in the Evening, for many days together. But in the Year 1618. there were two infallibly seen at once in the Morning in India and Persia. Never∣theless, it hath sometimes fallen out, that when indeed there hath been but one Comet, yet (because per∣haps it was first seen in the Morning before Sun-rise, and afterwards became Vespertine, its Declination and

Right Ascention being changed) the same hath been mistaken for two, as both Apian and Fracostorius ob∣served of the Comets in 1531. and 1532.

Moreover, Aristotle informs us, lib. 1. Meteor. cap. 6. that in the 450 Year before Christ, or thereabouts, Democritus saw a Comet dissolved into many Stars; and Ephorus the Historian affirms, that the great Co∣met, Anno 372. before Christ, (which preceded the sad Fate of Helice and Bura, two Cities in Achaia, both swallowed up of the Sea,) divided it self into two unknown Stars.

So Dio testifies, that the Comet which hover'd so long over Rome, Anno 13. before Christ, was after∣wards dissolved into many Faces or Stars; and Kepler thinks no otherwise of the two Comets by him observed, Anno 1618.

But Nicephorus (lib. 12. Hist. Eccl. cap. 37.) re∣cords the quite contrary of that great Star or Comet in his time: For, (saith he) Paulatim ad eam velut apes ad ducem suum ingens aliarum Stellarum vis aggrega∣batur. A mighty power of other Stars by little and little assembled unto it, as Bees to their Prince or Cap∣tain.