Merlini liberati errata: or, The prophecies and predictions of John Partridge, for the year of our Lord, 1690, &c. With useful annotations on them. Together with an epistle touching his respect to those glorious martyrs of the people, King Charles I. and Arch-Bishop Laud. By an earnest honourer of his King and country, and faithful votary to a true astrology. December 31. 1692. Imprimatur, Edmund Bohun.

A Brief Examen of what he calls his General Judgments.

YOu have seen what a Fruitful Harvest his Monthly Pages have afforded us. And his General Judgments will furnish us with a suitable Crop of the same Commodities. And to prove them, we shall begin with

The Winter Quarter, 1690.

Which, as he tells us begins at the ☉'s entring ♑, 1689. Decem∣ber the 11th. 45′. 30″. past 1 in the Morning; And that the ☽ is hasting to a Mundane Parallel of ♂ But indeed she is strongly apply∣ing to his ☌ as himself afterwards confesseth. What, will he make ☌'s to be Parallels? To what then are they so? But he goes on and assures us, that the ☽ passes from the Mundane Parallel of ♂ to the Mundane □ ☉. Whereas it is apparent, that ☽ defluxes from a ☌ ♂ to a ✶ ♃, and thence to a △ ☉: Then doth he constitute the ☉ Ruler of the Mid-heaven, and ♃ Lord of the 5th. and makes ♄ to cast a △ to the M. C. But by his favour, if the ☉ be Lord of the Mid-heaven, then cannot ♄ behold it by a △. But □ rather, in truth, according to his time, not the ☉, but the ☽ governs the M. C. and not ♃, but ♄ hath Dominion in the 5th Angle ♋ being on the one, and ♒ passing the other. Yet, such Trash as this he presents us for Mathematical truths. But I'll hasten from his Winter skill, and proceed to

The Spring Quarter, 1690.

Our profound Merlin would force it into our Creed, That the Spring commenceth on March 9th. 15^h. 25′. P. M. and that ♏ 24. Culminates, and ♑ 19. Ascends. But if his own Almanack may be Umpire in the Matter, 'twill be found vastly different, for by that ♎ 29. Culminates, and ♐ 24. rises in the Horoscope, of which let him consider at his Leisure.

But notwithstanding this his pretended exactness in a Falsity, he af∣firms, There can be no ezact Figure of Heaven obtain'd at any Ingress, either to a Degree, or yet to a Sign, two or three sometimes: generously conceded! But if this be true, why doth he trouble us with the Planets Angulari∣ties, Mundane Parallels, &c. in such and such Houses, as lately you heard him? Albeit at this incertainty, he talks of some effusion of Blood, because ♂ is in a Humane Sign, and tells us, the Mundane Parallel be∣tween ♄ and ♂ (the one in ♏ the other in ♊) is from the 4th. and

9th. Houses. (tho a little before he said from the 5th. and 9th: oper∣tet mendacem, &c. But we will not stand with him for a small mat∣ter, because we would keep his Custom.) Pray Sir, make us so wise as to understand you: For, if as you affirm, we are liable to be Mistaken, a Sign two or three in the Horoscope, what will become of your Mundane Parallels in such and such Angles? &c.

But, be his Figure attainable or not, he confidently goes on, and says, That ♂ hastens to a □ ☿. Doth he understand what ♂ is? Or what himself says? When did he ever know a Superior Planet to forget his State, and sneakingly apply to an Inferior? Chiefly when direct in Motion; as ♂ now is. This Fellow forgets his Horn∣book in Astrology, and must go to School again. But let his Figures be right or wrong, Superiors apply to Inferiors, or not. He adven∣tures to give Judgment upon them. (His name should have been 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, I think) and pretends on a □ ♃ ♂ from Haly to tell us,—that there shall be many, and those great Offences committed, and these done in Secret, and also under pretence of Liberty and Conscience, but indeed it is intended for Rebellion, &c. And thus the Wheel-barrow Rumbles. But with what Conscience can you father this simple Stuff upon Haly? Where hath Haly any such Judgments on a □ ♃ ♂? Can you tell? He goes on (there's no stopping him) and says. This Aspect signifies some effusion of Blood; and this the rather, because ♄ is going to a Mundane Parallel of ♂ from Active and Malignant parts of Heaven, and ♂ also in a Humane Sign. [Here he makes a Superior to apply again; he'll Establish a Common-wealth among the Stars, or it shall scape him hard.] And this Mundane Parallel is from the 4th. and 9th Houses.

The vain Seer forgets his former Concession, (i. e.) That 'tis impossible to obtain a true Horoscope to a Sign two or three: And yet hath the Impudence to Menace the World with his Parallels made from the 4th. and 9th Houses. Where or how shall we fix this wan∣dring ☿? He refuses you see, to abide by his own Principles. And yet is so scandalously Bold, and not without some Nonsense, to Write,—If you but consider from whence this Ray is made, and they are from [that perfidious treacherous G—an Sign] Scorpio and Gemini, and from the 9th House. Say Reader! Are you not weary of read∣ing such Barbarous Art as this? I am sure I am of Transcribing it. My God! that such stuff as this, which is neither true Art or English, should yet pass for Oraculous! This Ray is made, and they are from, &c. still speaking of the same thing, which must sometimes be in the Singular Number, and (for the greater security of Sense) presently in the Plural, with him. I appeal to all Men of Letters,

whether he doth not well deserve the Lash? The Ferula being too gentle a Punishment for such his miserable lying Gibberish. As for his Scandal upon ♏, I refer him to the Person concerned for an Answer, which he may find in his Obsequium Rationabile, wherein are variety of Arguments and Instances, in defence of that wor∣thy, but basely abused Sign, too powerful for his Billingsgate Muse to grapple with.

Of the Summer, 1690.

ALtho we have had Mr. Merlin's Confession, that an Ingressio∣nal Scheme cannot be obtain'd to a Sign, two or three, up∣on the Horoscope. Yet is he so confident here, as to tell us,—That 12 ♋ Ascends, and 9 of ♓ Culminates. Whereas, if we appeal to his own Almanack, not ♋ but ♊ Ascends, and not ♓ but, ♒ Culminates. And thus he presumes to present us with a Figure of the Ingress; which he not only owns impossible to be found, but totally disown'd by his own Book. Howbeit, from these Falla∣cious Positions, he can boldly Predict. Predict! What? Why, no∣thing more than some Hostility of the Mobb.—Nothing more! you Wretch! the least of such a Mischief, is by many Degrees too much. But, blessed be God, he hath lived to see himself Deceiv'd; and I hope, as to such Presages ever will.

Now, he proceeds from his Impossible Scheme, to tell us, The Destruction of Mankind, where Armies are near and in the Field, &c. Did he ever know of Armies in a House? But passing such Niceties, I must tell him, This is a very secure Prediction, and much to his Honor. This, no more now, Sublicium Caput, as I before ignorantly termed him, but a right Heir of Lapland! A true bred Diviner! that can breath forth such an unerring Oracle, as the Destruction of Mankind, where Armies are near, and in the Field, &c. But, what if those Armies should not Fight? Or else should prove Friends, and engag'd in the same Common Cause? Why, should it so fall out; our blustring Merlin is Mistaken, and there's an end on't.

Of Autumn, 1690.

Our high Flying Merlin tells us, This Season begins September 12. 6^h. 14′. 36″. P. M. and that ♈ Ascends in the Scheme, and ♃▪ in it, &c. And what think you of all this Preciseness? 'tis only to set him and his Almanack together by the Ears; for herein the Ingress is an Hour and half-later; and that not ♈, but ♉ will Horoscopize;

and ♃ will be not in the Ascendent, but 12th Angle. And herein do most of our English Calendariographers accord. But what need any other Proof against him than his own Book? If he will not be true to the Brat of his own Brain, what will he ever be true to? I dare affirm, not to his Wife, if he Marry: I say, not to his Wife, &c. any more than to his Master that first taught him to get his Bread; of which, somewhat before: And perhaps somewhat more may be said anon.

Howbeit, from his pretended Scheme he affirms,—It shews a sort of Men knit together, in a Lawless Employment, called Coining, Clipping, &c. I will not Dispute it with him, whether Coining be a Lawful Employment; (and yet I know the Parliament have Excluded it the Act against Monopolies;) but will suppose he means, Men knit together in a Confederacy to Coin Monies contrary to Law. And some of this sort are Discovered in every Month almost, what∣ever Stars do Reign. But now, if instead of Coining False Mony, he had said, False Books, (an Employment altogether as Lawless and Dangerous) himself had certainly been found in the Association. And so I have done with some of his Noise and Nonsense interspers'd in the four Quarters of the Year, 1690. And shall next Journey to take an account

Of his Eclipses Anno 1690.

And the first he tells us, Is of the ☉ February 28, at Ten at Night, in the last part of ♓; and yet confidently affirms in the Month of February, that the New ☽ was at Eleven o Clock at Night. As if the Eclipse and New ☽ had been two different Phaenomena's. But hang an Hour among Friends! It can make odds in his Astrono∣my. He says this Eclipse Gives damage to Rivers and Fountains, and all things therein, &c. (I have reckon'd with him formerly for the Gifts of the Stars.) He Quotes Ptolomy for this Donation; but the words are not Ptolomy's, but Proclus's. But Proclus may be Ptolomy, and Ptolomy Proclus, 'tis all one to our Battavian Merlin.

The Second Eclipse he says, Is of the ☽, on March 14th. at Ten at Night; at which time almost three parts of the ☽'s Body will be dark∣ned. Almost we say, saves many a Lye; but it will not do so here: For all the Annual Writers, except himself, who undertake to determin the Eclipsed Digits, affirm, that not one half of the ☽'s Body would be Obscured. And so indeed the Event proved. And the Author from whom Partridge Pilsers this Eclipse doth not determin the quantity of Darkness. So that it is apparent, he writes thereof

at Random, and not by Skill. Can you believe without a serious Examination, that a Man so empty of Art should be so full of Impudence! But let the hollow Tub Sound; that's all 'tis good for.

He tells us, The Third Eclipse is of the Sun, August 24, about One in the Morning, in 11 ♍ and brings in Junctine to say,—It gives Famine, Plague, Sedition, &c. But good Sir, shew us where Junctine says so! Of himself we are sure he says no such thing. But Pro∣clus whom he Quotes, doth say, when the ☉ shall be Eclipsed in De∣cano Secundo ♍ famem, pestem, &c. But our Merlin as blind as a Mole, can't see when his Author speaks of himself, or from another. He proceeds,—It gives Destruction to Mankind, because it is in a Hu∣mane Sign. And in this he hath shewn his Skill, viz. In placing the Energie of this Eclipse upon Men, that himself being Brute all over, might happily escape the Danger.

The Fourth, Is of the ☽ September the 8th, at Two a Clock in the Morning, (as he says) in 26 ♍, of which he makes Junctine to say, It threatens Poets, (and they, saith he, of all Men, have the least need of it;) and gives Banishment and Slaughter. A very formal Story! But where doth Junctine say this upon an Eclipse of the ☽ in 26 ♍. Sure you your self are turn'd Doggrel Poetaster, that can thus forget and Feign at pleasure. The Man hath only mistaken the Judg¦ments, (not of Junctine) but of Proclus on a Solar Eclipse in 26 ♍, for those of a Lunar one in ♓ (this being such) as is plain to any that reads Proclus, as Quoted by Junctine.

Lo! what an All sufficient Astrologer have we here! Certainly if ever any Man deservedly came under the Poets Lash, our Im∣pudent Merlin merits to run the Gantlope through them all. I great∣ly pity the Disciples of this insolent Fellow, (if at least he have any;) to think how sadly and Extravagantly they'll be Taught; this their Tutor being so brim full of Ignorance, and withal so empty of all true Art and English.

A short Glance upon his N. B. or Nota Bene.

I Had resolv'd to pass by his Nota Bene wholly; but occasionally taking a strict view thereof, and finding him herein to set his small skill in Art upon the Tenters, I thought fit to touch thereon a little.

And (1.) He observes as idly as Ironically.—An excellent Direct∣ion for Mischief to a great Person in Ireland; and that is ☉ ad ☍ ♃, per Arcum Obscurum. It toucheth about the middle of July, 1690, &c. But this Direction he vainly vaunts of, proved but a harmless Dart as to Life, tho shot with Malice enough out of his Invisible Bow. (2.) He after the same rate for Truth, tells us, That the French Tyrant hath also this Year his ☉ come by Direction to □ ♄ in Zodiaco, &c. But because all Directions of the ☉ do touch six Months before the Mea∣sure of time expires; (A goodly measure of time the while!) There∣fore we may judge the first to operate the most part of the Summer, and this last of the French-man's in July, when ♄ comes to be Stationary on his Ascendant, and in □ to ☉ in ♌, on the Radical place of his ☽. Where by the way I must tell him he talks at Rovers; For he mentioned no First of the French-man's: And every Relative that is robb'd of its Correlate, may bring his Indictment against the Thief. Then for that quaint term of Art, of his measure of time to Expire; I perceive his Measure of time is not Immortal, but must Die even as its Author. Whereas, a true Measure of Time, is as Immortal as Time or Truth it self.

But, (3.) He makes a bustle about Hopes and Fears, &c. But I must tell him, we value neither his Hopes or Fears; nor yet shall we trouble our self with what he appoints ♄ to do with the wor∣shipful French-man, (as he wittily phrases it) having as little Re∣spect for any of England's Enemies, as any Addleheaded Merlin what∣ever. But what is such stuff as this to the Nonsense and Falshood he pops upon us in every Page? And now Mr. Merlin, pray An∣swer us, if you can. Where do you find ☉ upon ☽'s Radical place in the French-man's Geniture, at the □ ☉ ♄? Wipe your Partial Eyes, and then you'll plainly see ☉ at that time distant from his ☽ no less than 9 Degrees.

But you are a great Latitudinarian I perceive: And since I find you such, as well to Truth as Sense, and value your self chiefly upon your Talents of Ranting, Huffing, and speaking high swelling words of Vanity. I will set a better Price therefore upon my preci∣ous Minutes, at this time however, than to waste any more of them upon the rest of your Ridiculous Scurrile Merlins. Indeed, this may well stand for an Answer to them all. As also, for a Reply to any thing else yov may happen to Publish hereafter.