Merlinus democritus;: or, The merry-conceited prognosticator : containing, a general judgment of the state of Great Brittain, France, and Ireland; and the great change and revolu[t]ion that will happen in the year of our Lord, 1655. Namely, the turning round of the wheel of fortune, and the calculating of every thing in its own proper center, the setting up of heaven vice-gerent, and the administering of truth in the equal scale of justice, the purging of the Commonwealth from caterpillars, the discarding of knaves, and the putting of honest men in their places, the reclaiming of lawyers from taking of fees, and an antidote prescribed for brokers and usurers, to cleer them of their extortionable malady of shaking whole lordships into a consumption. With the great and ominous eclipses that will be this year visible in our horizon, and the effects thereof. / By W. Liby, student in Astrologie.

Merlinus Democritus, &c.

NOw the Genius of the World protect me, or I shall slide to Heaven in amazement; come all ye learned Astrologers, and the whole Society of Weather-Witches, and tell me what terrible Comet that is that hangs over Highgate Hill; what shall I call it, Cometa, Barba••a; or Argyricomus, (that word had almost strangled me) By the faith of a Broker I'le come no more there: But what name then shall I bestow, for in-good deed law, it changes more shapes, then Pythagoras his soul shifted Lodgings; our Moderns are silent, it is their modesty I perceive; let us hearken then to the Ancients, Haly Rhadoan (with whom all the Roapmakers agree) is of opinion, that a Rhetrograde Comet, signifies Heresies, Herrings, & legum Turbas, Long Turneps; but Junctinus saith, that Comets are very fortunate things portending life to Princes, and great tranquility to Kingdomes, and Common∣wealths; but experience tels us the contrary, for, Anno Dom. 1630. there was a Comet (with bush hair, like Barneviles Perewig) and what follow'd, marry the very next year Hales my Lord Mayors Cook gave up the Ghost. And in the year 1646. there was an eclipse of the Sun,

[illustration] personification of a solar eclipse

and soon after two Hectors, alias, High-way men, were detected neer White Hall and sent prisoners to Newgate. Nay more, in the year 1639. there was an Eclipse of the Moon,

[illustration] personification of a lunar eclipse

and Barkeham the Broker hanged himself in his own Garters, having so great and vast a breach in his Conscience, for his intollerable extortion, that it was almost possible to drive a Coach and six Flanders Mares through the Intervale, was it not for indangering an Overturn to the Coachman; since which time, some of the most refined stamp, have cryed out fire, fire, O let's have a Reforma∣tion, Otherwise, for ought I know, the Devil might have given them the same

Law both in Longlane, and Hounshitch; as he did to D^r Faustus at Wittenbergh in Germany, whose Lease being expired, and the clock striving 12, he immediatly in a great thunder, and flame of fire, fetcht him away bodily, dashing his braines against the wall: A good Memento for Usurers.

In the year 1640. when the world began to turn round into the Antipodes, there was another Eclipse of the Moon,

[illustration] personification of a lunar eclipse

at which time began an excellent Conclave in Europe, and even at that instant began the Act for Sacriledge against S^r. Thomas Tickletail, who was beheaded on Pauls steeple. And likewise in the year 1653 was that great and fatal Eclipse of the Moon,

[illustration] diagram of lunar eclipse

a little before which time, Wil. Lilly found a huge Tur—at his dore; and com∣ing to Southamptons house to view the effects of it, vow'd to be reveng'd upon the Stars and Planets,

Had not Sir Arthur Coodcole hang'd his Dog in fury, And call'd Sir William to sit as Judge and Jury.

Well Gentlemen! these things portend most strange Concavities doubtless, beshrew me, if I fear not a Consumption of the purse, even with those Loyall hearts that deserve most; and a great increase of Treasure in the pockets of those that deserve least. But the best on't is, this world will not last alwayes; the Wheel of Fortune is now upon turning, that Knaves must be discarded, and honest men enjoy their places. For, have we not a Prospective at Westminster, that begins to discern and find out the Caterpillars of this Nation? Yes, yes, they are now determin'd to winnow and unkenel them, and to call to an Ac∣count

the Excizemen, Treasurers, and Commissioners, that so they may give a just account of their Stewardship, or else be h—.

Beat Drums, sound Trumpets, here's hopes of a Reformation: Justice shall flow, and Righteousness shall stream in every angle of the whole City, the Con∣duits shall run with Cream, that's rare, and your Citizens wives shall never be known to stir abroad, or have private meetings, or to make the Beast with two Backs with any save their own beloved husbands. The honest Lawyer (a Title somewhat strange) shall undertake their Clyents cause for nothing, nor shall it be possible for any man to compel them to take money: Bribery shall be laid aside as impiou••, and a Janus face be pelted with addle Eggs, and rotten Oran∣ges by all the Attornies, and Attornies Clerks. Brokers shall become honest, and Usurers free-hearted, that's a wonder. If not, I shall give him this Character, and leave it upon Record to Posterity▪ viz. That an U••urer must be drawn like to those pictures that have a double aspect, which if you behold one way seems to be a man, but the other way a Devil. He grounds the lawfulness of his Usury from the parable, wherein the servant was not approv'd of, that had not im∣prov'd his Talent; he'l be sure therefore not to hide his, but make the best use of it. He gets into mens estates, as Cut purses get Cloaks in the night; if he can but wind himself into a piece of it, he'l be sure to get it all at last. Or like an Essex Ague, will shake whole Lordships into a Consumption. H••'s an excel••ent Cook to dress a young Heir, for he first plucks off his feathe••s, and afterwards serves him up to the world with Woodcock sawce All his life is a golden dream, and this red earth is his Heaven. For his estate is raised out of the ruines of whole Families, which first sends him in ill getting it, and afterwards his sonne in ill spending it, both to the Devil, and there I leave them.

A general conflagration attends the effects of this years Revolution, yet very much tranquility seems to arrive the years both of Prince and people. Reli∣gion will still be made a Cloak for Knavery, and Gods Word and Providence a Lacquey to the devil on horseback. Verily this year produceth notable things. O Heavens! is not thy Viceger••nt the equal Scale? where is then the perfect administration of true Justice? when shall we partake and center on those Golden Reins of Government so long contended for? What! must the weakest alwayes go to the wall, and might overcome right? No, no, there is a day of re∣demption coming, wherein some great ones will be forced to rectifie their evill practises, and constrained to give an account of their stewardships; and reason good, they may in time be fatted for the slaughter. Certainly, the rash actions of some in Authority, wil produce (in process of time) the greatest Catastrophe that ever hapned in England: We are threatned this month, and strange news comes from France; beware an invasion for the Indies.

The Stars have of late been so cut out into paper clouts, and black patches, by a Rapsody of Fiskin Starguisers, that poor Merlin knows not where to find so much as a piece of a Planet; but I pray Domine Fisk who was Lord of the Ascendant, when you leapt into the Wire-drawers saddle, Mars erected, and Ve∣nus Rampant on the top of the bed? who is that there that is cleansing of his jawes with a Scotch pick-tooth,—Ha, ha, sir, the stars tell me, that while some su••'d Gowns are feeding in fair pasture at home, their Madams shall ramble a∣broad for larger commons: Will ye be alwayes wanton ye whim-crown'd Wagtails? what a madage is this, that any man may chew the cud upon sacri∣ledge, without fear of choaking. But to be serious, old sores will break forth, unless throughly searched by a long sword; and the souldiery will maintain their Superiors as long as they can, yet at last the Magistracy will be handled by Jupiter; and there's great hopes that the Nobles will advance the good of the Commons; 'tis high time, too long has their freedoms been captivated; and that ere long their priviledges will receive an absolute exaltation in its own Center and Hemisphere. Which will be upon the diametrical interposition of the earth betwixt the Sun and Moon, when these two Eclipses shall happen, ac∣cording to the Type following.

[illustration] diagram explaining calculation of solar eclipses

[illustration] chart explaining calculation of lunar eclipses

A very notable Scene attends the National Affairs, and great acts are brought upon the Stage: withdraw but the Curtain, and you may discern the motion

of the Puppits, even unto the Netherlands, where the Belgick Lyon begins to roar, and once more to hang forth the skarlet streamers upon the B••ittish Oce∣an. Very good, I shall I then unravel the mystery, and tell you in plain English, that the Dutch begin new Contingencies, and their Whimsie pated Noddles, are altogether elevated with strange Chimera's; wonderful speculation! Rare invention! the Design being founded upon the Element of water, although the Constitution hangs most magically in the ayr, like the Tombe of Mahomet, by the vertue and phantfie of some magnetical Boar, o•• Coxcomb. Well! admit this; nevertheless, our Commonwealth stands in a gallant posture; and is rea∣dy to receive the enemy, beyond the credit of succeeding Ages.

Nevertheless, some in Authority now think to vaump up an old fashion of Gubernation; and promise much, but perform little, that's no news; The people seem to be merry, but they have small cause; for when they think Authority will alter something that may prove beneficial, loe it is but an establishing of what they count obnoxious; insomuch, that the Commonalty are unsatisfied, and many Paper-kites takes their flights up and down the countries, which in∣cites the people to a unanimons petitioning for the abatement of Taxes, I wish it unfeignedly; O what a sweet harmony would English-men sing, if every man might enjoy his own.

Indeed, a most excellent Harmony attends the actions of the English; and exceedingly wil they in large their Dominions; he French tremble, and are like to suffer extreamly; the Spaniards quake, and Royal Phoebus cuts the Aequa∣tor line in the West-Indies, which presageth notorious actions, and direful things, pest'ring the Commons, even as many hath done their Kings.

Hey-da! great Ones cannot agree, by reason of the Aphelion of Mars; & bad ones are taken away, but worse put into their room: H••re's Virtue punished, & Vice let go; beware the questioning of a great man! sure I am that De••th seizes of a mighty woman: some Parasi••e flatters a great man in Authority, & makes him believe wonders; but being discovered, it will appear evident, that he hath been Author of more mischief then a hundred thousand treacherous Scots, put all together.

Yet methinks I hear an Eccho, thu••: We might expect some gracious Act or Ordinance to befall the people; but the excellency thereof will soon receive an Over-turn for some space of time; yet at length its glorious splendor will shine forth in streams throughout all the dark corners of the Nation, and speak brave English to the long oppressed Commoner: At which time; young Charles is much talked of, and very good and pleasing intelligence delights our Eares from Scotland. But the Merchants are like to suffer much at sea, not onely by Pyracie, but also by ship wrack. London beware, violent Feavers, Dropsies, Bell∣aches,

threaten thy inhabitants: O cast off thy rebellious disputes, and maintain no longer thy Worm-eaten Opinions. For if we could but contract the Ele∣ments, we should find the Planets favourable in their Aspects, promising great happiness and tranquility, both to City and Countrey. Therefore, beware Hol∣land, and have a care thou violate not thy Oath of Allegiance; if thou do'st, ex∣pect no more mercy then the Devil would afford a Serjeant upon his in gross into Hell. The year ends merrily, and as the Angels chaunt above, and sing tryumphant praise to the Man-God King; so let the people conspire in one mixt harmony below, that a Saviour is born.

And to divulge our cordial zeal the more, Make every Kitchin sweat to feast the Poor.

Thus drawing to a conclusion of the year, I shall in like manner put a period to the Regal Table of Kings, though dreading the attempt of wading through purple Ponds, and merrily wind up all with this ensuing Clew:

Kings have their evil Stars as well as I, And Monarchs travel to Eternitie Like other Mortals; onely here's the odds, They are chastis'd with Axes, we with Rodds.

FINIS.