Catastrophe mundi, or, Europe's many mutations until the year 1701 being an astrological treatise of the effects of the triple conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter 1682 and 1683, and of the comets 1680 and 1682, and other configurations concomitant : wherein the fate of Europe for these next 20 years is ... more than probably conjectured ... : also, an ephimeris [sic] of all the comets that have appeared from ... 1603 to the year 1682 ... : whereunto is annexed the hieroglyphicks of Nostrodamus ... / by John Holwell.

CHAP. X. Of the Probable effects that attend these Comets in Ge∣neral.

COmets hath always been known to be the Antecedents of Tragical Events, and Astrologers have endeavoured to give us Rules to Judge the Quality thereof. First, By its motion in the Sign of the Zodiack, whether it be. Direct or Retrograde. Secondly, By its Magnitude and Colour, and Thirdld by the part of Heaven, unto which their Stream doth point; I shall say but little of the Comets 1664, and 1665. Nor of the Comet 1671/2. Most if not all the evil that was presignified by them, being all by-past, for had we not a devouring Plague, 1665. As also a War with Dutch and French: and in the year 1666. was not Lon∣don almost destroyed by Fire, had we not also an Invasion by the Dutch in Kent, and sustained great loss by them, besides the great Calamity a great many more parts of Europe had about those times; and after the appearance of the Comet, 1671/2 had we not a great Scarcity in the North Parts of England, as also a War with the Hollander? Did not the French and English Invade Hol∣land, to the loss of a great many Men and Towns? And has not that War been prejudicial to Germany ever since? who is he that is not sensible of the many brave Towns that has been destroyed by that War, to the undoing of a many thousand Families?

And what Man is he that dare presume to say that Comets are not the Premonisher to Men-kind, of some more than ordinary Judgment to fall upon them for their sins? But such hath been the secury of our Ages, that unless the Judgment falls upon them, so soon as these Signs of Heaven appear, they cannot be made to beleive that those Signs signifie any thing at all: but let those rest themselves (as they beleive) secure, but let them remember that security dwell next door to destruction. For should any one have said to any of those People, dwelling upon the Ryne, in Al∣satio, in the year 1670. that they should have so many of their

Towns destroyed by a Forreign Invador, they would hardly a believed you, but did rest themselves as secure as we or any one could do, but this by the by, the Comets of whose effects we have had little or no many festation as yet, is the Comet that appeared 1680 and the Comet that appeared the while we were a Writing hereof: Now the Comet that appeared 1680 did first appear in the Morning on the 7th day of November in or near 6 deg of Libra, but was not seen to any purpose till it appeared in Caprieorn, and did continually appear until it had moved into Taurus, and near the 20 degrees thereof it disappeared. Now Authors tell us that the Motion of a Comet out of one Sign into another doth manifest also an Hostile Motion of an Enemy from one Region or Country into another. Now by these Comets (viz.) 1680, and 1682, manifests the beginning of more Wars, and the sor∣rowful effects subsequent unto those Wars. (viz.) the flight of many from their proper habitations, banishment of others, death of great Men of the World, poverty and want to others, suddain terrour or astonishment to all sorrs of people, unushal. Tempests, obscure Weather, many Shipwracks, great store of Snow in its Season, great Floods and mighty Inundations, and forasmuch as both the heads of these Comers was of a Saturn Co∣lour, from whence may be expected Plagnes and Famine to a great many places; great Frost and Snow.

Now as to principal places that is like to be sufferers in these calamities, are those places that both these Comets passed through, and those places that are under those Signs that Rise all the time that both these Comets was visible, now the Comet in 1680 pas∣sed through Libra, Scorpio, Sagitary, Capricorn, Aquaries, and Pisces, Aries, Taurus, now while the Comet passed through Scorpio and Sagitary, it was so near the Sun that it could not be seen there, for those places are the least concerned in the effects of this Co∣met.

And during the time of this Comets appearing every Evening, Cancer and Leo did Ascend, therefore those places under those Signs must expect to have a great share, if not the greatest of the Calamity that this Comet doth signifie.

Under Libra are Austria, Alsatia, Livonia, Sabandia, Delphinat, Dastrina, Caspia, Thebaida, Sundgova, Cities, Lysbon, Friburgh, Spiers, Frankford, upon Menc, Halum, Suenorum, Heilbran, Fri∣sing, Vienna in Austria, Antwerp. Under Scorpio, Norway, Bavaria, Matagony, Catalonia, Cities, Algiers, Valentia in Spain, Messana, Vienna, in Holland; Gaunt, in Flanders, Frankford upon Odor.

Sagitary, Spain, Dalmatia, Sclavonia, Hungaria, Moravia, Mis∣nia, Cities; Toledo, Studgard, Rotenburg, Buda, Gascovis.

Capricorn, Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Mascovia, Litua∣nia, Saxony, Hussia, Cities; Oxford, Mechlin, Berga, Brandenburg, Vilna.

Aquares, Muscovia, Sweadland, Westphalia, Mosel, Piemont, Ba∣varia, part Cities, Hamburgh, Bremc, Trent, Salizburgh, In∣golstaec.

Pisces, Portugal, Galitia, Normandy, Cities, Alexandria, Hispolis, Rhemes, Vorines, Rutisponc.

Under Aries are, England, France, Germany, Selesia, the Highest Polonia, part Burgundy, Denmark, Cities, Naples, Capua, Ferrara, Utrecht, Crackow.

Taurus, Russia, Sweadland, North part; Lorraign, Franconia, Ireland, Cities; Banonia, Mantua, Nants, Leipsig. Some of which Countries, the War is already apparent, what is remaining, the next 20 years will make manifest.

Neither can it be expected that any of the places should un∣dergo all the Calamities that this Comet is the premonisher of: some places shall suffer by War, others by Plagues; others by Famine; for the Comet will opperate variously upon various places.

When this Comet first appeared, it appeared in the very pla∣ces of Mars, in the great Conjunction, 1603. and Mars at the time of the Comets appearance: was in Virgo, in Quartile to the Sun, in that Conjunction, hence may War be expected: Mars is Lord of the grand Seigniors Nativity, and he afflicts Sagitary, and Gemini, and Pisces; therefore those places will be the first that suffers by War, and that by the great Turk; the last Comet that appeared, had its beginning about the middle of Cancer, and passed

through Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, and ended in Scorpio, and during of this Comets appearing in the Evening, Aries did ascend, therefore those places under that Sign, shall be the greatest sharers in the Calamities that this Comet doth foreshew, (viz.) Wars, Plagues, and scarcity of Grain, and the like, when this Comet first appea∣red, it did appear near the place Saturn, of the first appearance of the Comet 1680. therefore shall this Comet have saturnal ef∣fects unto those places under Cancer and Aries, those places under Cancer shall be subject to great Inundations, and those un∣der Aries, Plagues and Wars, the Comets having so swift a mo∣tion through those Signs it appeared in, doth denote the siddain∣ness of the action that shall follow, and for as much that it did not set at its first appearance, therefore are these Northern parts of Europe, most concerned in the effects thereof, among which places, let Scotland beware, I also fear London will be sensible of the ef∣fects of this Comet, and before the year 1683. be quite over, I fear a great Plague, from which good Lord deliver us; for all those places are concerned in the effects of this Comet where it was visible, if we will pertake of the Sins, we must pertake of the Punishment; I pray God keep the people of England in peace.

The New Moon following the appearance of this Comet, we shall find Capricorn ascending, and Saturn, Jupiter, and Mercury in the 7th House, and the Comet, and the Sun and Moon, in the 8th, the Comets being in the 8th, should shew a Mortality to those people under Capricorn and Cancer: but the principal signification of this Comet declares War, the destruction of Cities, the ruin and downfal of Kingdoms, the slaughters of Mankind, and a ma∣ny other tragical evils, experience confirmed by many Ages, and from thence observed, doth inform us, that the Comets seen in the Air have evident effects, but for the better informing of those that are curious inquirers into the nature of Comets, I have Incerted a Catalogue of all the Comets that has appeared since the coming of Christ.

• Anno Domini 66 A Comet appeared for 6 Months.
• Anno Domini 70 A Comet appeared, a great one.
• Anno Domini 213 Another great Comet appeared.
• Anno Domini 363 Another Comet appeared.
• Anno Domini 454 A Comet appeared 10 Weeks together.
• Anno Domini 571 A Comet of a great magnitude appeared.
• Anno Domini 814 A great Comet appeared.
• Anno Domini 839 A great Comet appeared.
• Anno Domini 983 A great Comet was seen.
• Anno Domini From the year 983 we have no Account of any Comets till the year 1106.
• Anno Domini 1106 A great Comet appeared.
• Anno Domini 1169 Another Comet was seen.
• Anno Domini 1214 A Comet appeared for 18 days.
• Anno Domini 1301 A Comet of wonderful Magnitude appeard.
• Anno Domini 1341 A Terrible Comet was seen in the Heavens.
• Anno Domini 1375 A Comet with a Beard was seen many Nights together in the Heavens.
• Anno Domini 1390 A Great Comet Appeard.
• Anno Domini 1402 A Mighty Comet was seen in the Heavens.
• Anno Domini 1421 Another Comet appears in the Heavens.
• Anno Domini 1440 A Great Comet was seen.
• Anno Domini 1450 Another Comet Appeared.
• Anno Domini 1456 A Comet appeared in the Month of June in Cancer.
• Anno Domini 1457 Another appeared in June in Pisces.
• Anno Domini 1460 A terrible Comet appeared to sight.
• Anno Domini 1477 A Comet appeared of the Colour of Saturn.
• Anno Domini 1442 A Comet appeared for two Months.
• Anno Domini 1500 A Comet of a wonderful magnitude was seen in April for 18 days together in the sign Capricorn.
• Anno Domini 1506 There appeared two Comets, the first in April the 11th and lasted but five days, the second was in August following.
• Anno Domini 1512 A Comet appeared in Leo.

• Anno 1521 Another Comet appeared.
• Anno 1530 There appeared a Comet that passed through Cancer, Leo and Virgo, and lasted a Moneth.
• Anno 1533 A Comet appeared, a great one, and it did move Retro∣grade through Gemini, Taurus and Aries.
• Anno 1538 A Fiery Comet appeared in the Sigd Pisces, with a very long Tail.
• Anno 1545. A Comet appeared in the West in colour like Bloud.
• Anno 1558 A Comet appeared in form of a Spit in the Moneth of Au∣gust, of the colour of Saturn.
• Anno 1569 A Comet appeared in 12 degrees of Capricorn, at the setting of the Sun.
• Anno 1572 The Comet or New Star appeared in the Chair of Cassiopaeia, and continued above a whole Year, of which Star that famous Tycho Brah wrote of.
• Anno 1577 Another Comet appeared of a great Magnitude.
• Anno 1585 A Comet appeared many Weeks together.
• Anno 1602 A Comet appeared.
• Anno 1607 Another Comet appeared.
• Anno 1618 A Comet appeared from the 26 of November to the end of December, and passed Scorpio, Libra and Virgo Retro∣grade.
• Anno 1652 A Comet appeared in the Sign Gemini, and ended in Tau∣rus.
• Anno 1664 A Comet appeared in Libra, and passed through Libra, Vir∣go, Leo, Gemini, and ended in Taurus, and was of a Sa∣turn colour, and had a Retrograde Motion.
• Anno 1665 A Comet appeared in April in Pisces, and moved direct through Pisces, Aries, and ended in Taurus.
• Anno 1671/2 A Comet appeared in February in the Sign Aries, and passed through Aries, Taurus, and had ended in the be∣ginning of Gemini.
• Anno 1677 A Comet appeared on the 23d. of April in the Sign Tau∣rus.
• Anno 1680 A Comet appeared in Libra, and passed through Libra, Scor∣pio, Sagitarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, and ended in Taurus, near the place of the Comet 1677.
• Anno 1682 A Comet appeared in Cancer about the 14th day of August, and passed through Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, and ended

• in Scorpio, in Opposition to the ending of the two last Comets.

Any one that has a mind to be versed in the Quality of the events of Comets, must look back into History, and he shall inform his Judgment very much; yet for the instruction of the young Ar∣tist, I shall recite a few Examples which I hope will not be taken amiss.

1402 The Comet that appeared then was the fore-runner of Tam∣berlain's entrance into Asia, calling himself the Wrath of God, and the destruction of the Earth, kills 200000 Turks, takes Bajazet Pri∣soner, binds him with Fetters of Gold, and put him in an Iron Cage, and carrys him Captive through all Asia, making him a Foot-stool when he ascended his Horse.

That which follow'd the Comet 1520 that passed through Cancer, Leo and Virgo, was no less than 404 Parishes drowned by an Inun∣dation, with all their People and Cattel. The Turks take Buday in Hungary.

That which followed the Comet 1558, was the death of Empe∣rour Charles V. and 3 Kings, 2 Queens, 2 Dukes, 15 Cardinals; besides a many more pety Princes and one Pope.

That which followed the Comet 1559, was a great Famine in Au∣stria, Swavia, Bohemia, Bavaria, Russia, Lituania; also a very great In∣undation in Flanders and Holland, no less than 400000 People be∣sides Cattel.

And that which followed the Comet 1618, the long War in Ger∣many by the Bohemians; the death of the Emperour and Queen Ann, with a many more eminent Mutations in all parts of Europe, and so much shall serve at this time for the Judgment of these Comets.