Catastasis mundi, or, The true state, vigor, and growing greatness of Christendom, under the influences of the last triple conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in Leo, the late comet, &c. together with the true genitures of Mahomet the imposter, the Grand Seignior, the German Emperour, the French monarch : proving thence that the Turks will be defeated in all their attempts against Christendom, &c., notwithstanding Mr. Holwel's menaces to the contrary in his Catastrophe mundi, and his appendix thereunto : also the said Holwel's monstrous falshoods and errours discovered, retorted, and confuted, and himself remitted to the Turks, to comfort them now after their losses before Vienna / by John Merrifield ...

CHAP V.

Treating of the Nativity of the most Christian King of France, LEWIS the Fourteenth.

[illustration]

September 5. 11 h. 11▪ AM 1638. Sub Lat. 49 d.

THis Scheme of the Nativity of the most Christian King of France, is the same which Morinus, Physician to the King of France, af∣firms to be the true one; and I suppose nearer the truth than that which Mr. Holwel inserts in his Appendix: This Scheme may be seen in Morinus's Astrologia Gal∣lica, fol. 555. as Mr. Gadbury hath assured me, and also printed it in defence of Scorpio.

In Mr. Holwels Appendix in the King of France's Nativity, he predicteth that most Christian King to become one of the mise∣rablest Princes in the world, because, saith he, he hath many ill Directions. But we will first consider the general Fate, (which is most to be regarded) and then proceed to particulars: but here I will shew you how there is some small difference between Mr. Holwels Judgment and mine of the time; for I, with Morinus affirm, that he hath 14. degrees and 45. Minutes of Scorpio on the Horo∣scope, and Mr. Holwel saith 22 degrees; no great difference in the general fate, but in the particular it will in some directions differ ten years of time: so that the Accidents which are produ∣ced by either the Ascendent or Mid-heaven, by Mr. Holwels Scheme, will not come by Morinus until ten years after, which is a great difference in time.

But we have here in our Scheme the Regal Sign Leo on the Medium Coeli, and the Sun Lord thereof posited in the Mid-heaven;

also Mercury in his own house in the Mid-heaven, which are ab∣solute testimonies of durable Honour: he hath also the part of Fortune in the eleventh house, declaring that he shall be much advantaged by his professed Friends, and that he shall have many Friends: likewise the Moon is in Conjunction of Venus, Lady of the Eleventh House, the House of Friendship, but Venus is Lady of the Twelfth House, also the House of private Enemies; so she is likewise Lady of the Seventh House, the House of publick Ene∣mies: but inasmuch as Mars Lord of the Ascendent, is stronger than Venus Lady of the Seventh and Twelfth, it is an eminent token that his Enemies either publick or private shall not prevail against him, neither will they be very apt to quarrel with him; but those that will contend with him, let them be sure to look to come off with loss and damage, for they will not be able to withstand him.

But I suppose the main thing that caused Mr. Holwel to predict of the miserable poverty of this great Monarch, might proceed from the position of Mars, and the Dragons Tail in the Second House of his Scheme; for these are commonly testimonies of waste of substance: but Mr. Holwel doth mistake the Dragons Tail is not in the Second House, as he hath placed him in his Figure, but in the Eighth House, and the Dragons Head is in the Second House.

And if we consider that Mars is Lord of the Ascendent, we need not judge him a testimony of Poverty, but rather of Riches; which is much augmented by the position of the Dragons Head in the second House; for Authors say, the Lord of the Ascendent posited in the second House, shews a great increase of Riches by the Natives own labour and industry, the rather being in Recep∣tion with the Lord of the second. And pray what Prince in the World now living, hath laboured more, and used greater industry to increase his Riches, and to enlarge his Territories, than the pre∣sent King of France hath done? neither hath any Prince had grea∣ter success than he. And thus I shall leave the general, and pro∣ceed to the particulars.

Whereas Mr. Holwel desireth any one that will, to run down the Directions of this Mighty Monarch, I have taken his advice, and have run down the Directions of his Figure, and I find that the Sun came not to the square of Mars until Twelve years of age, (but Mr. Holwel saith at Nine) therefore unlike the Sun to the Square of Mars should give the Small Pox at Nine years of age: Neither do I hold any Direction of either the Sun or Moon a safe Rule

whereby to prove any Nativity by, but rather by the Ascendent or Mid-heaven; yet I do not say but the Directions of the Sun or Moon may operate as forcibly as the other, according to their nature, though not to prove the time of birth by.

But according to Morinus's Figure, which I suppose to be near∣est the truth, he had between three and four years of age the Mid∣heaven to the Sextile of Jupiter, about which time the French Kings Father died, and he stiled King of France: about twelve years of age, he had the Mid-heaven directed to the Conjunction of the Sun; under this Direction he received his Crown; about thirteen or fourteen he had the Sun to the Square of Mars, and then he had troubles in France; and at Paris they shut the Gates against him. About two or three and twenty, he had the Sun directed to the Sextil of both Venus and the Moon; under these Di∣rections he was married to Maria Tiresia d'Austria, Infanta of Spain, which was on the Ninth of September 1660. And Mr. Hol∣wel saith, the French King hath lately had the Midheaven to the Sextil of Mars, and that caused him to be prosperous in Arms; but I say he hath not yet had that Direction; but he hath lately had the Sun to the Sextil of Mars, and the Ascendent to the Cusp of the second House, this caused him to be prosperous in Arms, and thereby to increase his Substance and Territories.

And Mr. Holwel also saith, that the French King in August 1683. shall have many Miseries, both in Body, Mind, and Fortune, and that then his own Subjects will rebel against him; and that he would be in danger of Fire and Gunshot, also Stabbing and Im∣prisonment; and that he should be in danger of being cheated of his Life; and then, saith he, if this happen, one may say there is some truth in Art. But I am assured, that as this hath not yet hapned, and though it never do (as I am perswaded it never will) yet there is more Truth in Art than there is honesty in Mr. Hol∣wel, or truth in such Artists; for such nonsensical boasters of Art are but abusers of Art, and therefore not worthy to bear the Name or Title of an Artist.

He saith moreover about the same time, the French King should lose all his former Honour both by Sea and Land, (but sure he meaneth this of himself) and that all he takes in hand for seven years space will prosper ill, if he lives so long, and that he will soon come to be imprisoned or Banished, and be one of the mise∣rablest Princes in the World.

But none of these things have yet hapned, neither can I find according to the Rules of Astrology, that such Calamities will at all happen to this most Christian Prince; for certainly he is not a Prince born to Misfortune, Disgrace nor Poverty, as an inge∣nious Artist may well perceive by his Nativity, but to be the Glory of his Nation, and a Terror to his Enemies: and as for those Di∣rections which Mr. Holwel pretends should bring such afflictions on this most Christian King, are not yet come, neither will they for many years; and when they do come, they will not be so vi∣olent as he speaketh of; for he considereth not that about the same time that there happeneth evil Directions, there also happeneth good ones; for about the year of our Lord Christ 1690. the As∣cendent comes to the Square of Mercury, Lord of the eighth and tenth Houses, which might shew some danger both of Life and Honour; but at the same time the Sun comes to the body of Ju∣piter, Lord of the seventh and eleventh Houses, thereby raising Friends unto the Native, and bringing even his Enemies to be at peace with him, and thus abating the evil threatned by Mercury. And about the year 1692. the Ascendent will be directed to the body of Mars, Lord of the sixth House, which may give some afflictions of body, and at the same time the Mid-heaven comes to the Sextile of Mars, mitigating the evil influence of Mars to the Ascendent; yet I suppose about the year 1690. or between that and the year 1693. he may have some affliction of body that will be very violent, which if he escape, he may (favente Deo) live ma∣ny years.

Mr. Holwel also saith, that in a short time the Commons of France will be in Arms against their present King, and that if he should live but two years (that would be but to the year 1685,) he would be driven from his Throne by his own Subjects, and if he die before, then the next King will be served so: but what reason he hath for any of this, I think that neither himself, nor any rational man can tell; but especially whereby he judgeth the fate of the next King, by this present Kings Nativity; nay he is not content therewith, but he addeth more nonsensical stuff; for in the same Nativity he saith, the Turks shall over-run France, Spain, Italy, Rome, Venice, Muscovia and Poland, destroying it with Fire and Sword; and that the Key of Christendom shall be lost; (but it were better a thousand such Predictors were served as Baals Prophets were, that we might have no more such Christian Turks amongst us to dishearten us with lies) but I shall forbear to men∣tion

any more of these fooleries, and certifie my Readers, that the ruine of these Kingdoms and Countries cannot by the Rules of Astrology be predicted of from this Nativity; therefore this is like the rest of his false nonsensical stuff, and Time will manifest it so to be; and then let Mr. Holwel be sure that he will be deri∣ded, not only by Artists, but by every one wholly ignorant of Art, that hath, or shall chance to read his Books, which will be to him a greater Disgrace, than ever his Books procured him Fame or Profit; thus he hath used his endeavour to dishearten all Chri∣stendom, and to incourage the Turks and Heathens with false Predictions. But I will advise Mr. Holwel, not to disoblige the King of England, nor the Laws of our Land, for he hath disobli∣ged almost all Christendom, and belied the Turks; and if he should have a fansie, or be forced to travel, I would have him well con∣sider, into what Kingdom or Country, he may be the most wel∣come; if to the Turks he go, let him have a care of strangling, for he hath been to them an abominable lying Prophet, if to the Kingdom of France, the Bastile is the way to the Wheel, on which they break all impudent Impostors, for he hath frighted that Country (if at least any among them be so senseless, to be fright∣ed with his absurd Crudities) with false Fears, more than enow. If to any other Country of Christendom, they'l quickly smell out an Ass under the Skin of a Lyon, and bait him accordingly; my Advice therefore is, that he keep himself at home, with the Catastrophe Mundi, and Appendix of his own addle Writing, there being no∣thing in them, but what is become most notorious and loathsome to all sober men.