Forraign and domestick prophesies

BOOK II. Europes Calamity, Englands Glory.

Now follow certain Prophesies out of Max∣wels Collections, delivered by Out∣landish Prophets and Prophetesses, to confirm what hath been said by our own, touching the downfall of the Church of Rome, the reformation of the Church, and also of the Person or Instrument which shall bring these glorious works to passe.

Out of Maxwels 5 section, fol. 31.

THere is a certain prediction written about 600 years ago, had out of the Library of S. Victor, which be∣ginneth, Vae tibi Civitat septicolis, &c. Wo unto thee thou seven-hilled City, when the letter R shall threaten thy walls; for then the fall and destruct on of thy mighty men is at hand. Wo unto the City of blood, full of lying, falshood and violence; the voice of the scourge, of the whe••l, and of the warlike horse, the voice of viol nce and spoil shall not depart from thee; the g••ld of Gods word is obscu ed, and Religion, which is the wo••shipping of God according to his word, is pi••ifu ly corrup••ed: the first Wo is past, behold ••n∣other wo is at hand; let us flye away secretly from before his face, because the afflictions of our faces do begin; let us run,

and let us not look behinde us, because from the North all Plagues are displayed: I beseech thee, good Lord, send him whom thou art to send.

Out of his 15 section, fol. 83.

Johannes Wolfius, in the second Tome of his memorable things, which beginneth thus: A certain Wight, ••quita••le and upright, born in Europe, shall be the chief Pastor or Bishop of Christendom; such a one as shall manage and govern the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven, and not the Scepters of the king∣domes of the earth, then there shall be peace and concord in the whole world, one faith and religion, and one Prince impe∣rially reigning over all.

Out of his 16 section, fol. 84, 85, 86, 87.

According to the confession of the Italian Jesuite Hierony∣mus Platus, in his second book of the Religious Life, and 30 Chap. England hath been more fertile of Converters of Coun∣tries, and Nations to the Christian faith, then any other Land else: so is it not unlikely, but that God will have the same Countrey to be more fertile of Reformers of other corrupt Churches, especially of that of Rome, then any other Land whatsoever; and that as there is in no Countrey or Nation of the world to be found so many compleat Divines, for Judicious∣ness, Ingeniousness, and moderation, and for fitness to deserve well of the peace of the Church, as there is in England: so it may well be, that God will honour this same Island with the reformation of the Church of Rome, and her daughters, by f••nding forth from thence such godly, judicious, zealous, and moderate men, as shall reclaim them from their abuses and cor∣ruption, and restore unto them their primitive purity and inte∣grity, such as it was in the daies of Constantine the Great, born in Great Brittain.

And so much seemeth to be imported by that prediction of Nostrodamus, which beareth that Rome shall be ruled by the Brittonish head.

In his first Century he saith, That the new King that joyns the lower and Northern Countries of Europe, shall be the in∣strum••nt of losse to the Church of Rome; and that the Bishop of Rome, together with his Clergy (except they shew themselvs willing to be reformed) shall be made to spit blood, when the Rose shall flourish.

And in his 8 and 10 Centuries▪ That the ruine of Rome draw∣eth near, not of her walls, but of her substance and blood, by the means of a learned Prince of sharp understanding: And, to be short,

He promiseth in his 5 Century, That of the Trojan blood shall spring a Prince of a daughty-Dutch heart, who shall attain unto so high a degree, that he shall both chase farr away the Arabick or Mahumetane multitudes, and likewise return to the Church her antient eminency and sincerity.

Likewise out of the Library of S. Victor, there is a prediction ci••ed by the Abbot of Cluny, attributed to Abbot Ioachim, which saith, That the Red Roses should send forth the sweet water that shall pur••fi•• and cleanse the Church from her corru∣ptions.

To which agreeth another prophesie of Paracelsus, fore-telling, how that among the Roses should spring up one who should change the sandy foundation into a Rock; a thing (saith he) that shal make many a one to wonder. Agreeable to the same is a certain prognostical verse, found in an ••ld manuscrips, im∣parted to Mr Iames Maxwell by Mr S. George Norrey King at Armes.

Iesse Rosa sunguis Bruti Portat crucem Iesv C••risti.

That is to say, The Rose of England beareth and b ingeth the Crosse of Christ to forraign Lands. Hereunto likewise may be referred that voice, as William of Malmsbury affirmeth in his second book of the Kings, which was uttered in a Vision to holy Brithwald Bishop of Winchester, who lived in the Con∣fessors daies, saying, Regnum Anglorum est Dei, the king∣dome

of England is Gods; meaning that th•• Kingdom & Coun∣trey of England should prove a chief instrument of the propa∣gation of the Gospel and faith of Christ unto forraign Lands.

So that by that which hath been said, it would seem, that from the Rose of England shall proceed or spring the reforma∣tion and purgation of the Church of Rome, like as the same City once received from the same Countrey the first authoriz d pro∣fession of the Christian saith, by the blessed means of Constantine the Great, a Brittain born. Paulus secundus Grebnerus the Germane Astrologian, in his seritum mundi filum, delivers, That the Lyon having the Rose and Lilies in his Armes, shall ut∣terly destroy the Pope, so that there shall be none after that time.

The holy Bishop and Martyr S. Methodius, in his book en∣tituled, Of the last times, hath fore-told, that God shall punish the corrupters of his Church, purge his house, and restore her purity.

For in the last Age of the world, that is (saith he) in the last thousand of six, the sons of Ishmael shall come forth out of the desart, and their coming shall be chastisement without mea∣sure, and without mercy,; and God shall g••ve over into their hands all the kingdoms of the wicked; and further saith, That Spain shall p••rish by the sword, and that the Inhabitants thereof shall be led Captive.

Philippus Boskierus, a learned Franciscan Friar, in his 9 Phil pp ck for the holy Land, writeth, That the kingdome of Spain is in great danger of desolation and destruction at the hands of the Turks and Moors, for their cruelty used against the Americans.

Likewise Nostrodamus in divers of his predictions fore-telleth, that the Turks shall over-run Hungary and Italy; yea, (saith Antonius Torquatus) France shal not be free from the Turkish fury, nor yet Germanie: and Reynardus Lolardus saith, that the Agaren•• shall yet once again gather themselves together, and come ••ut of the desarts in troops into Germany, and that they sh••ll ob••ain the land of the Moon for the space of eight years, they shall subvert Kingdoms and Cities, kill the Priests

in the holy places, prof••ne the holy ••••ss l, d••ssour Christian wo∣men, turn the Churche•• into Stables, and tye their Steeds to the mo••uments of the Saints, because of the wickedness of Christi∣an people in th••se d••••es, and in end th y shall be destroyed, near unto the golden Apple of Agripp••ne, when as there shall be few Christian Pri••ces left to make resistance, and almost none (alass!) saving a cer ain most inv••ncible K••••g of Spain, who in those daies shall kill the last Successor of the Mahometane Duglossius.

So shall the lofty pr••de of the Turks have a fall, th••ir King∣domes shall be brought to the Church; the Turkish Empire of Trapezond shall be br••ught back again to the Partimony or Empire of our crucified Lord, by the hands of the Cross beating servants and souldiers, and then shall the Church grow again into a new sta e of everlasting Charity, C••ncord and Peace, for there shall be a reformation, a new kinde of I••w or religion, bet∣ter t an an the old, together with honesty of conversation both in Clergy and Layti••.

And again saith Reynardus if the Princes of Ger••any▪ do not agree with the great Eagle, but fa••l to the kind••ing of civil warrs amongst themselves. Duglossius heir shall not fail to come, even the fi••teen••h branch of the Turkish tyrannied tree, and waste Poland, Mista, Thuring, Hesse, Prut••n, P••cardie, Brabant, Flanders, and ••u••p sse farre in cru••lty and rage the fi r∣cest beasts against the ••hr••stians of the North W st, but hee shall be kill••d b sid••s the golden A••ple of Agrippine, accor∣ding to the pred••ction of Merl n.

Out of his 8 section, from the Prophesie of St VINCENT.

Then there shall enter i••to Italy three most puiss n•• Armies one from the West, another from ••h East, and th•• third from the N••rth, which shall fight to get her, and there sh••ll be such blood sh d as the l ke ••ath not been seen in Ital•• si••c•• the world began; and th••n ••h E••g••e sha••l ••••k•• the counterf••i•• King, and all things sha l be subdued and made ••b••dient un••o him▪ and

there shall be a new reformation in the world, but wo and wo again shall be then to the shaven Order, for the sect of divisers and attempters shall cease.

Again, saith the same St Vincent, because the understanding of holy Scripture hath borrowed a strange colour from Philo∣sophers; for the most part of preachers now adayes preach not the simplicity of the Gosp••l, but the subtilty of Aristotle; in which words the holy man taxeth the nice and subtile kinde of divinity devised by the School-men: Wee have likewise (saith he) drunk water for money; that is to say, we have been made to buy with our money the holy Sacraments, which are the instruments of Gods free grace signified by the water; for now all our Priests are guilty of Simony.

Out of his 10 section, fol. 44.

S. Brigide foretelleth, how that out of the Western part of the world shall spring a Lily, which shall grow to a thousand thousands in the Virgin land, and shall be strong r than the Ce∣dar, and recover the things that are lost, and with his odour or sweet smell perfume, and as it were bewater the infected and poisoned parts of the world.

S. Cataldus Finius likewise fore-telleth, that among the Li∣lies shall arise a comely Prince, having a near name amongst the Kings of that Countrey, and whose nature and nation shall have a resemblance with his name, unto whom the whole world shall do homage, when the high O••e is fallen, and when he hath stricken down the prickly Bear, (meaning the Turk) happy and blest shall his years be from the West to the East; from the East to the cold Quarter, a••d from the North to the warme South.

This flourishing or flowery Prince bearing the new name, sh••ll plant the Vine of out Saviour: unto whom all Nations shal submit themselves, and the Crown of the East shall be given him to keep.

Out of his 12 section, fol. 55.

S. Methodius fore-told, that the Ishmaelite•• shall possesse from East to West, and from South to North, their yoke shall be heavy upon the neck of all Nations, and that none shall be a∣ble to resist them, until a certain determinate time be past, that they s••all come forth of the desart in the sixt thousand years, and vexe mightily with warr Spain, France, and Germany, and put the Romans to flight and to the edg of the sword. But, saith Reynardus Lolardus, and also Jevenu Anglicus, the Turk shall in the end be overcome and killed at the Golden Apple of A∣grippine.

Paracelsus fore-tells, that when a certain terrible Ecclipse of the Sun is past, together with great inundation or overflowing of waters, that then divers tumults, seditions, battels, burnings, and blood-shedings shall mightily molest the Northern Nati∣ons, n••mely Brabant, Flanders, Zeland and Holland: in those daies (saith he) the Lily shall wither.

Johannes Wolfus in his 16 Century alledgeth a prediction, That when King Henry shall reign, twice made King, beloved both in word and deed, a certain strong man shall pluck the Li∣lies out of the French Garden; the King himself shall fall, and his people; both Clergy and Layty shall perish by the sword, the pl••gue fam••ne, and fire.

N••stradamus in his 1 Century and 49 quadrin, fore-telleth, that the Oriental Nations shall about the year 1700, subdue almost all the Northern corner or quarter of the world; and in his 5 Century and 94 quadrin saith, that the great Duke of Arm••nie shall assault Vienna and Collen; and in his 2 Century and 78 quadrin he saith, that the chief of Scotland, together with six of Germany, shall be taken captive of the Orientals at sea, and carrid through Spain into Persia, and there pr••sented to th••ir new King.

Tha•• in the end (saith Nostradamus) the Northern Nations being confederated together, shall prevail over the Eastern, and that certain Princes of the Trojane, French, and German land, (especially two) whom he calleth brothers, not brothers, shall practise such prowess and martial feats, in bringing down the

Turkish Turbants, with all the Arabian Troops, that the Isle of Rhodes and the City of Constantinople shall be seen to over∣flow with Barbarian blood.

A notable prophesie of the Abbot of Werde in Calabri••, found in his Sepulchre some 300 years and more after his burial.

In the year 1593, in the mean time that his Masons were ca∣sting down an old wall, in his Monastery, and digging deep to lay a new foundation; there they found a Sepulchre of Stone, and therein a Corps almost all consumed, holding in the hand a plate of silver with this inscription:

Cum sancta Civitas fulgebit splendore stellae, Sol iterum me videbit.

Englished, When the holy City shall be enlightened by a bright Starr, then shall the Sun see me again; this is the body of the Abbot of Hydruntum, buried the 27 of October in the year of our Lord 1279; and under the head thereof was found a little marble Chest, and therein a leaden Box containing a certain parchment, wherein was written a prophesie in old characters; a part whereof is thus in English:

In those daies many famous Cities shall p••rish by spoyl both within and without, especially in Italy, and both in the King∣dome of Naples and in Toscany, fearfull and terrible things, more than one would beleeve should come to passe; my native Countrey of Hydruntum shall be destroyed again, and made d••∣solate by the Mahometane Dragon; Rome shall be shaken in a notable manner, so shall Florence, expecting a revenge under her Apostate Duke: the nest of Philosophers (meaning Padua) shall be likewise shaken, and Genua shall incurr tribulation at the enemies hands, for lo hath the Lord revealed unto me.

The Turks with their tongues of fury shall pollute Venice; the whole Kingdome of Sicily shall perish; many Monasteries shall fall through the poyson of the Northern Eagle, and much blood shall be shed because of the two battels of the French and Hollanders.

The Oracle of Sibyll of Cuma foretelleth, that there shall be no peace in the Virginal Land, to wit, in Italy, and in the Ro∣man Church; and the Nation without an head shall bear rule in those daies, and afterwards shall adhere unto the Great Eagle.

That the Turk shall prevail so farr upon divided Christians, that he shall take unto himself the stile of Emperor of Romanies, together with the Eagle ensign of the Empire, aye until the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah send forth from the wood the roaring Ly∣on to accuse, condemn and destroy the foresaid tyrannical Eagle for his manifold iniquities and cruelties practized upon Gods people. According to the Vision of 4 Esdras 11, 12. the Ery∣threan Sibyll alledged by Abbot Joachim, seemeth to conde∣scend herein; whereas she saith, that after the first Eagle shall come a second with one head (for he shall be Emperour of East and West united in one) having threescore feet; for his Empire shall consist of 60 Kingdomes, with the colour and spight of a Panther, the subtilty and craft of a Fox, with the terrour and fiercenesse of a Lyon.

The Eagle then which should be overcome of the Lyon, is either the Turk, having through the discord of Christians got into his hands the residue of the Romane Empire, or else it is that Romane Emperour whom the Pope shall create of his own ac∣cord, whom Severus calleth the black Eagle of Ligurgie, or he of whom Nostradamus fore-telleth, that shall be born near Italy.

Another Oracle of Sibylla aforesaid, fol. 69.

Which beareth, that God shall send into the world an Em∣perour or King, that shall refresh all the world from bloody warr, having rooted out some, and contracted a league of Ami∣ty with other some; neither shall he dispose of things accord∣ing to his own private fancy, but in his proceedings he shall fol∣low the venerable Decrees and Ordinances of the Lord, and then shall the beloved people of the great God flourish again.

Another old Prophesie agreeable to the same, had out of the Library of the Abbot of Cluneis in France, writ∣ten near 600 years ago, fol. 70.

In the latter daies, highly shall ascend a certain weight pre∣v••nted with double honour, a lover of our crucified Lord, an entertainer and cherisher of peace, and of an excellent wit, and yet those excellent things which he doth intend, shall not be brought to passe; he shall make high things to fall, and low things to be exalted; he shall beautifie the heaven, (to wit the Church) shall cut down we woods and groves, reach forth his hands to the poor, and be as a husband to the widowes.

And then take heed thou black turning Sphere, (meaning the corrupt Church of Rome) least thou be vexed with a winde from the North; in thy tribulation defend thy self with the Crosse.

The man coming from the obscure Center, that is, from a cer∣tain Countrey of small account, behold, he ascendeth to double honours, even he that bringeth to concord and union such as are at discord ••nd division, that turneth about the moon.

And again, O thou Prince of ripe understanding, thou art cal∣led unto high things, why art thou thus in an agony within thy self? be strong, kill Nero, to wit, the tyrannic••l Turk, and thou shalt be without fear; heal the wounded, take a scourge into thy hands, and kill the flies, cast such as do sell, out of Gods Temple, take unto thee the clear enlightened doctrine, preach the Just one, (meaning Christ Jesus unto the Jewes) invite the circumcised ones, direct the Dove, and slaken those that be a∣thirst.

Another out of the Abbot of Cluneis Library, fol. 72.

A certain Prince shall call a general Council, for the clearing of the obscured trueth, and the reforming of the Church.

And the red Flowers shall distill or drop down a sweet fa∣voury water, (meaning from the Isle of Brittany) especially from the most happy Countrey of England, whose royal Ensign

is the united White Red-Rose, and as it were from the mode∣rate and judicious heads and hearts of her reverend Prelates and D••ctros, shall flow and spring the sweet water of sound do∣ctrine and discipline, and that shall purifie and cleanse the Church of Rome from all her corruptions and spots.

A prediction of Parac••l••us touching the renovat••on of the Church, in such a time when some 60 may be num∣bered from such a year, fol. 76.

A great alteration and renovation shall be made, when some 60 may be numbered from such a year; then he pointeth at a certain Prince exceedingly affected towards the concord of Christ••ans, and the refo••mation of the Church in these words: Thou hast taken great pains to make a golden age, and therefore having finish••d any task, take thy rest; no man shall overcome thee, y••a, there shall be no man to stirr thee up, or to awake thee from the sleep of thy rest or peace; so long as the number of years is not doubled, which thine enemies have numbered from thy nest.

A Vision of Hieronymus Savanacola the Dominican Friar, out of the same sect. 14. fol. 81.

Savanacola saw in a Vision in the year of our Lord 1482, two Crosses; the one was black, planted in the midst of the City of Rome, spreading (as it were) the Armes over the whole earth, and with the top touching the heaven, where∣on was written these words, Crux Irae Dei, the Crosse of Gods anger or wrath: which having seen, behold (faith hee) incontinent I beheld and saw the aire darkened and troubled with tempestuous clouds, windes, lightening, darts, swords, fire, and haile; and me thought I saw innumerable number of men destroyed through the force and violence there∣of, so that few were left behinde unslain.

Afterwards, I saw a sweet, fair, and a clear time ensuing; and lo, I beheld and saw (as it were) a golden Crosse in the midst of

Jerusalem, of the bigness and height of the former, so bright, that it d••d enlighten the whole world, and filled the same with new gladness and joy, and it had written upon it, Crux Mise∣ricordiae Dei, the Crosse of the mercy and favour of God.

And lo, incontinent and on a sudden all the Nations of the world of both sexes came in troops from all parts to behold and embrace it; by the which the holy man was f••re-warned of the future cast gation and renovation of the Church of Rome, & how that the Aposto••ical sea should be removed from thence to Jerusalem; which is likewise according to the prediction of the Francisean Friar Iohannes de Rupe scissa.

Whereunto may be referred the prediction of Merlin Cale∣donius, which is thus, I rejoyced of those things that were re∣vealed unto me; for after a long tribulation of Christians, and an exceeding effusion or spilling of innocent blood, the prospe∣rity and peace of God shall come to a desolate Nation; for God will send a Reformer and Co••querour, who shall rectifie and redresse all things amisse both in the East and West Church, and bring all things according to the form of the primitive Church; then one Faith or Religion will be in force, then there shall be one Pastor, and one Law; for Christ Jesus shall redresse and bring into good order all things amisse.

Out of the Appendix of the same, fol. 117.

The Revelation of Reynardus saith, That after ten years past in after-times, a great Eagle shall arise, which shall chastise ma∣ny, and make the inhabitants of the seas to mourn. Who can resist him (saith he) seeing he hath power from the most High? he shall carry away with him 3 kingdomes, and the people shall cry Alas, alas, wo, wo: the same is the great Eagle, which af∣ter 5 years sleep, shall begin to talk familiarly with the Lily, and afterwards shall make it to tremble, together with other lofty mountaines; Cities and Castles he shall astonish with the noise of his wings, and there shall be a great and bitter mourning, such as hath not been heard of of old, amongst the Inhabitants of the West sea, and in the Virginal land, he shall spoil the Lilies.

In the which predictions, the great Eagle seemeth to be the Turk, who should subdue the rest of the Empire, and mighti∣ly subdue the Countries of the West, especially the most noble Countrey of France, according to some other predictions for∣merly alledged.

A prophesie of S. Bridgide out of the same, fol. 118.

Surgat Rex pudicus f••ri, &c. that is to say, There shall a∣rise a King of a shamefast countenance, who shall reigne over all; and entering into the h••use of the mother Eagle, shall hold the Monarchy from East to West.

Reynardus again fore-telleth, That the children of the low Countries of Dutch-land shall be a prey to the Fowles of hea∣ven, and to the beasts of the earth; so shall those under the heart of Virgo, and of Scorpio; they shall fall before the mouth of the sword, and the habitation of the Western people and of the Scorpionists shall be defart.

The Lord (saith he) shall unsheath the sword of warr and of extream desolation upon those of Picardie, Flanders, and the neighbouring-Countries; afterwards those of Bavier shall be brought under his Scepter, and many beams of the Church shall be darkened both in Germany and France, because the coming of that King shall be sudden and unexpected, in the midst of security and peace.

It is not amiss, for memories sake, to give you a brief summ of the principal subjects handled in those prophetical Collections.

First, you have two grand Tryals, and the Defendant or Brit∣tish Conquerour maintained by prophesie to be a Brittain by the Paternal line or descent, and an Englishman born.

2. Said to come in the first-born after Edward the Sixt.

3. Said to descend from 7 Ancestors by expresse names.

4. Said to strike or maintain warrs with the blood of Ʋrien.

5. Said to beat down the standard of a Scottish C. or Charls.

6. Said to have his descent from Blethin ap Cynvin Prince of Powis.

7. Said to make a full Conquest of what the Brittains for∣••erly enjoyed.

The Plaintiff likewise is maintained to be of the Scottish race.

2. Of the race of Griffith.

3. Of the race of Llewelin.

4. Of the race of Ʋrien.

5. To bear the name of a Charles.

Now followeth the Judgwents of learned and famous Divines, Astrologers, and Astronomers, touching a great change in the world amongst Kings, Prin∣ces, and Emperours, at certain times and yeares probably to fall out.

In the year of the World 3665, Ptolomaeus Ph'ladelphus reigning in Egypt, some 469 yeares after the budding of Rome, there lived one Hiparchus, a famous Astrolo••er, who reports, That in his time the Starr, commonly called Stella Polaris, which is in the Tayle of the lesser Bear, was 12 degrees and 2 firsts distant from the Poles of the Equator.

This Starr from age hath insensibly still crept nearer to the Pole; whence it appears, that the Poles of the Equator are moveable. It was not in the time of Peter du Moulin (the ob∣server hereof) past 3 degrees distant from the Poles of the E∣quator.

When this Start therefore shall come to touch the Po••e, there being no further space l••ft for it to go forward (which may well enough come to passe within 5 or 600 yeares) it seemet•• that then there shall be a great change of things, and that this time is the period which God hath prefixed to Nature. Du Moulin in his accomplishment of Prophesies, fol. 251.

Learned Brightman in his exposition of the 12th Chapter of Daniel, ver. 12. concludes, That the two grand enemies of Christ (viz. the Turk and the Pope) shall be destroyed, and the dispersed Jews called in to the Christian faith, with a flourishing time of Christianity, by the year of Christ 1

Henricus Alstedius concludes these happy and desi∣red events, together with Christs personal reign on earth in Anno 1694

Nicholas Culpepper his Annotations and Predictions upon the ecclipse of the Sun, March 29. 1652.

It is a remarkable thing, the two superiour bodies Saturn and Jupiter, who alwaies use to make a Conjunction in one and the same triplicity, should the last time anticipate and make the third in the watry triplicity, having made but two in the fiery, their last being in the weakest and meanest signe of the Zodi∣ack.

This I can neither reade nor believe they did since the creati∣on of the world, until these our daies; for we are brought forth to live in those dares, in which the kingdomes of the world shall become the kingdomes of our God and of our Lord Christ, blessed be his holy name for it.

However, by this conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter, God manifesteth by the book of the Scripture, That hee will pu••l dow••••ne lofty, and exalt the humble and meek; and this you may reade in them, and the time when, without a pair of Spe∣ctacles, if you are of the number of the men of Issachar, 1 Chron. 12. or of their spirit, to annoint your spiritual David King, who had skill to teach Israel what to do: I tell you, and I tell you but the trueth, the yeat 1655 shall not passe over your heads but you shall acknowledg one knowing man of Issachar to be of more worth then all Sion Colledg, and King Henries the Se∣venth Chappel to boot.

Yea, so indulgent is the great God of heaven and earth over proud, infulting, and domineering Kings and Priests, that he will give them more significations then one or two by the book of the Creatures, even those great Ecclipses of the Sun: this I now handle, and that other, An. 1654 upon the second of Au∣gust; then which, to our e••es, nor the eyes of our Fathers, Grandfathers, nor great Grandfath rs, never saw greater nor more terrible.

Johannes Henricus Alsted••us, taking occasion to speak of the last conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter, saith, It would bring a new Government into the world, different from Kingly Government; prognosticating the ruine of Kings, Princes, all Governots, even from the Emperour to the Constable, G••ne∣ral of Armes, &c. and that all the Princes of Europe, nay all those of the world are threatened by it.

Hitherto you have heard by sundry Prophesies, both for∣reign and domestick, how that the Turk and Pope shall come to their end, as well as the rest of the Kings, Princes and Emperours of the earth, and that by power of the sword. Now you shall have learned Brightmans judgment of the last period of the Turkish Empire.

Brightmans Commentary on chap. 9. Apoc. fol. 104. How long time this power that is here given to the Turks should last, it is declared in the n••xt words, which were prepared at an hour and a day, a moneth and a year; the which so exquisite a description serveth to comfort the godly, to whom the holy Ghost would have it known, that this most grievous calamity hath his appointed termes and limits, even to the last moment, beyond which it should not be prolonged; the which sp••ce seemeth to be for 396 years, every day being taken for a year, after that manner as we did interpret the moneths before. Now a year here put simply is understood to be a vulgar and usual Julian year, that consists of 365 dayes, and some houres; all which time being numbred from the year 1300, shall expire at

last about the year 1696, which is the last term of the Turkish name, as other Scriptures also do prove with a marvellous con∣sent; in the mean time wee must know, that the strength of the Turks shall not stand entire, and unshaken during this term, but shall totter, and waxe towards the ruine thereof about 40 years be ore that their utter destruct on shall come.

Now followeth a Prophesie of St Hildegard a devout and religious Abbatesse, uttered about the year of Christ 1146, 60 years before the begging Fryars were born; clearly fore-telling their manifold abuses, yea, so l vely as if shee had lived in their daies.

You shall have it verbatim out of the Commentary of learned Brightman on Dan. 9. fol. 101.

The preamble of learned Brightman, I have a good minde (saith he) to adde to all that hath been said, in stead of a conclu∣sion, the Prophesie of Hildegard the Abbatesse; both because I have often made mention of it, as also because I think it is not easily come by, and it doth serve to give much light to the matter in hand. That worthy man John Fox, and Gountrey∣man of blessed memory, hath set this same down in his book of the Acts and Monuments of the Church.

The Prophesie.

In those daies there shall rise up a sort of blockish fellowes, proud, covetous, perfidious, and crafty, that shall eat up the sins of the common people, carrying a certain shew of foolish su∣perstion, under a feigned coverture of beggery; preferring themselves before all other men, by reason of a counterfeit reli∣gion.

Men of an arrogant disposition and feigned holiness, void of all shame, or fear of God, in inventing many new mischiefs,

strong and stout; but all prudent men and faithfull Christians shall curse this pestilent order. Men who will shun labour, and give themselves holy to idlenesse, rather choosing to get their li∣ving by flattery and beggery, and that will bend themselvs with all their might every way they can, perversly to resist the teach∣ers of the truth, and hinder them; and for this end they will fl••t∣ter Noblemen, that may assist them in this purpose. They shall also deceive the Nobles, and draw them into error, that they may furnish them with all necessaries, yea with all the delights and pleasures of this world; for the devil shall engraft these four principal vices into their mindes, Flattery, Envy, Hypocri∣sie and Slander; flattery, where with to purchase great matters to themselvs; envy; when they shall see benefits bestowed upon others besides themselves; hypocrisie, whereby they shall seek to please men by means of a counterfeit dissembling; slander, whereby they shall extoll and set out themselves with praises, by derogating from others, that they alone might be renowned among men, specially the simpler sort that are deceived by them.

They shall preach indeed diligently, but without all sense of piety, and not after the manner of the holy Martyrs of old; they shall derogate from the secular Princes, they shall take a∣way the Sacraments from the true Pastors, and shall take almes of those that are very sick and miserable, insinuating and by little and little winding themselves into the hearts of the common people.

They shall have familiarity with women, teaching them how to deceive their husbands and friends with sugered and dissem∣bling words; how to rob them of their goods, and then to give the same, being thus purloyned, unto these their teachers; for they shall lay hold on whatsoever men get, or howsoever it be gotten, by stealth, robbery, or by any legerdemain; and will say to them, Give it unto us, and we will pray for you; so that labouring to cover other mens sins, they shall quite forget their own.

And (alas!) they shall receive any thing from rogues, filchers, theeves, robbers that steal by the high-way side, sacrilegious per∣sons,

userers, adulterers, hereticks, schismatick, apestats, wheres and bawds of Noblemen, perjured-merchants, corrupt Judges, souldiers, Tyrants, or from any that live contrary to Gods law.

Perverse and wicked men they shall be, embracing the per∣swasion of the devil, the sweetnesse of sin, a soft a••d delicate life; and a certain fulnesse and abundance of all worldly things, though it be to their own eternal damnation: and all these things shall manifestly appear to be in them, and they shall every day wax•• more wicked, and that with mindes more and more obdurate.

But, when as once their crafty conveyances shall be found out & all their other wickedness, then shal their large gif••s cease, and they shall go from house like hunger-bitten and m••d dogs, looking down upon the earth, and drawing in their necks like doves, and all to get their fill of bread.

Then shall the people pursue them with this out-cry, Wo be unto you miserable wretches, that are ordeined to sorrow; the the world hath deceived you, the devil hath guided you with his reines hitherto, your flesh is frail, your heart is altogether without wit, graces or wisedom, your mindes are unstable and wavering, and your eies are blinded with much vanity and fol∣ly, your idle bellies have lusted after delicate d••shes of meat, and your feet have been swift to wickednesse.

Remember the time when you were in fight happy, yet pri∣vily envious; p••or abroad, but rich at home; courteous in shew, but great flatterers indeed; unfaithfull, treacherous, per∣verse, back-biters, holy hypocrites, supplanters of the trueth, immoderately just, proud, unchaste, unconstant teachers, deli∣cate martyrs, gain-thirsty confessors; gentle, but yet slander∣ers; religious, but yet covetous; humble, but yet proud; mercifull, but yet impudent lyars; pleasant fla terers, peace-ma∣king persecutors, oppressors of the poor, bringers in of men-sects devised by your selves; min that were counted mercifull, but are found out to be wicked wretches, lovers of the world, conjurers, drunkards, ambitious, patrones of wicked facts, the polers and pillers of the whole world; unsatiable preachers, that

seek to please men, and to deceive women; sowers of discord, of whom that famous Prophet Moses spake wisely in his Song, A people without counsel and understanding; would to God they had knowledg and understanding, and could have fore-seen their latter end.

Yee have built your nests on high indeed; and when yee could rise up no higher, ye fell down like as did Simon Magus, whom God destroyed and smote with a mighty plague; so shall you be thrown down upon the earth out of the clouds, and that by means of your false doctrines, your wickednesse, lyes, slanders, and detestable facts.

Then the people shall say unto them, Out upon you, get yee packing hence, you Captaines of mischief, over-turners of trueth. ye Shunamitish brethren, fathers of heresies, false Apo∣stles, that counterfeited the lives of the Apostles, whereof yee have not be••n imitators by no means: you sons of iniquity, wee will not follow the manner of your waies.

For Pride and arrogancy have seduced you, and insatiable co∣vetousnesse hath entangled your erring mindes; and seeing that you would needs ascend up higher then was meet and equal for you, yee are fallen back headlong into everlasting shame and reproach by Gods just judgment.

And so farr Hildegards Prophesie of the abominable abu∣ses of the Church of Rome, and her wicked and counterfeit crew of Jesuites and Fryars; which lear∣ned Brightman brought in to clear his exposition afore∣said: whereby it may appear in what high esteem and credit prophesies were and are still amongst the lear∣ned.

From which Prophesie may be gathered, first the corruption of the said Church and Priests; secondly, the downfall of both predicted in plain terms:

The Turks have a prophesie amongst themselves, That their Emperour should win the Red A••ple of Constantinople; and in the sixth year after, if they did not defend th••mselves brave∣ly, th•• Christians should overcome them; but howsoever in the twelfth, they should at furthest be overcomed by the Christians, then their fatal destruction not to passe the twelfth year, makes them in the mean while use the Christians as their future de∣stroyers, with much hostili••y, as a revenge anticipate.

Sibylla Tiburtina's Prophesie of the Birth of our Saviour Christ.

God toucht my tongue with a prop••••ri••k spiri••, Infallability to speak of a Virgins merit. In Nazareth shee shall conceive a Son, Bethlem shall behold with admiration. O heavenly Maid! happy beyond all measure, Whose fruitfull breasts bring up so rich a treasure:

More of the Oracles of Sibylla (according to Castalio) against Rome and her pretended holy Father the Pope.

There shall of men the tenth age then arise, VVhen God who did the heavens high devise: At whose presence the earth doth quake and move, Of Imagerie extinquish shall the love. And shall of Rome raised on her hills seven, The People shake: then be is the strength down driven Of her riches, while Vulcane in his ire Oft shall on her send furious flames of fire.

Out of her first book at this part: De Cœlo veniet Sidus magnum in mare magnum, &c.

From heaven there fell a great Starr in the Sie, And burnt it up although both great and hie, So Be••s burnt up, and shall no longer stand, Thou Babylon of Italy the Land, VVho mu••thereth Saints, and many faithfull Jew, Temples tread down that did the trueth avow. Yet thou O mischant suffer shalt great pain, As thou deservest, desert shalt thou remain; Remain shalt th••u desert for evermore, Thy native soyle henceforth thou shalt abhore, For thou in poison hath delighted thee, Mother of whoredom and adulterie. As widow-hood, and viper venemous, Ʋpon thy banks thou shalt sit dolorous; And Tyber stood for thee his Spouse shall mourn. Thy minde is mad, thy heart for blood doth burn. Thou doest misknow Gods minde and might; for why, Only I am (sayst thou) and who but I? Eternal God now wrack shall thee and thine, In all the earth shall not resist but ruine, A monument, or yet a mark of thee, VVhich thou haast when God gave prosperity; Thou mischant now sit solitar alone, Hurld fyne to hell with many grievous groan: VVhere thou shalt bide burning both bone and lyre Into that lake of furious flaming fire.

Out of the same fift book at this part: Italia infelix, deserta, infleta manebis, &c.

O cursed and unhappy Italy. Ʋnmeind or mournd for, barren shalt thou be, To ground as green, as wildernesse unwrought, To woods wilde and bushes beis thou brought.

Out of the seventh Book.

Rome, when thou thinkest thee in thy highest hight, God shall tread down thy sturdy strength and might. The second time (O Rome) again to thee Hereafter yet I will speak secondle.

Out of the eighth Book.

O Rome up raised now with thy Tops high, The like ruine from heaven shall fall on thee: Plain beis thou made, down shall thy tops turn, And flaming fire all wholely shall thee burn. Far shalt th••u flyt into an uncoubt land, Thy riches shall be reft out of thine hand. In thy wall steeds shall wolves and toads convene, VVaste shalt thou be, as thou had never been, VVhere then shall be thy Oracles divine? VVhat golden Gads shall keep or save thee fyne? VVhat God (I say) of Copper or of Stone, VVhere then shall be thy consultation Of thy Senate? what helps thy noble case, Of Saturn, Jove, or Rhea in this case, VVhose sensless souls or idols thou before Religiously did worship and adore: Of whose green graves, unhappy Creet avants, Their figures dead, up d••st thou set like sants.

Then followeth immediately of the Pope.

When Rung in thee hath fifteen Emperours, Of all the world that hath been conquerours, Then comes a King, a manifold Crown to bear, VVhose name shall be to Ponti very near. His wicked foot the world shall visitate, Great gifts and goods then shall hee impetrate, Discovered things he shall loose and remit, Of Magick art well shall hee know and wit, The Mysteries and secret Sorcery, The mighty God hee makes a babe to be, And down he shall tread all true wo ship in, And at chief heads of Errors first begin. His Mysteries to all he shall expone, Then comes the time of mourning and of moan; For in a Rope his ending shall he make, The potent people, and the town shall wrack: Thus shall they say, wee know, and hope a day, Sometime on us should come this bitter day. The Fathers old; and Babes shall mourn for thee, Beholding then thy dolorous destiny. On Tyber bank lamenting sore thy case, Sad shall they sit, within any loud alase.

And shortly after followeth, out of the same.

Lament shall you and mourn, laying aside Thy purple weed, Imperial robes of Pride, And into sackcloth, siting sorrowfull; Repeat shalt thou thy plaintes pitifull, O Royal Rome, thou bragging Prince but Peer, Of l••te in land, the only daughter deer; Thy pride but pomp, ruined shall remain, Thou once trod down, shalt never rise again;

For gone shall be the glory of that Army, That beareth the Eagles in their Ensignie: To whenee then shall thy forces forward fair? VVhat Land with Armes shall help thee any mair?

Then followeth,

Then ends the world, then comes the later light, Then God shall come to judg his folk aright, But first shall fall on Rome but resistance, Of Gods wrath the wofull vengeance, A wofull life, a bloody time shall be, Oh, people rude! oh, Land of cruelty! Thou little lookest, nor doest regard aright, How poor and bare thou first came in the light, That to the like again you should return, And last before a dreadfull judg should mirn.