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.

POSTSCIPT.

SInce the Writing hereof, I am informed, That non obstante our Merlin's Menaces to Monsieur, &c. (and let him heap upon him as many hard Presages as he can, for me, I shall never be con∣cerned thereat.) This is that very J. Partridge who in 1680 flut∣ter'd so much on his behalf; then Publishing his Nativity, which was Printed by N. T. by the token it was never yet paid for.

In that Nativity Page 15, he thus Writes, That ☉ casting ✶ to his Horoscope, makes him perform all his Actions with greatness and prince∣ly Glory, suitable to the quality of his Birth, And that ☽ in ☌ ♀ and ☉ within Orbs ✶ ♃ affords him divers admirable Qualifications, and so lofty a Spirit, that he scorns to trample on a Conquer'd Enemy. And Page 17, 18. The Natives Enemies are signified by ♀ in ♂ ☽ near the Presope and Aselli, in ☍ ♄ and □ ♃: And therefore for his publick Enemies abroad, the ☍ ♄ infatuatet them, and possesseth them of many strange Fears; so that they are but like a Lyon in a Lambs skin, having the name, but not the nature of Enemies. And Page 19. The ☉ well placed in the Tenth House, gives great Power: to which we may add the ✶ of ♃ to ☉, and to the Cusp of the M. C. almost, with the Cor Leonis, a Regal fixed Star Culminant. All which are Arguments of Honor and Splendor, and that to his Lifes end. Thus Partridge Flatteringly Scribled, 1680.

Now, what strange Misfortune hath blinded his Understanding, that he could not call this to mind before he had wrote his opposite Predictions hereunto? But his business is not to study Self-Consistency, and therefore hath made one of his Babel Works a Glass to the rest, wherein they appear with their Heels upward.

Lastly, I say once more, let him lessen England's Enemies as much as he can, so he proceed upon just and laudable Measures, in so do∣ing, I shall really be of his side. I own it my Duty to Serve our King and Country, even to my utmost ability, either in Purse or Person, or both, and this I resolve cordially to do against any en∣croaching Enemy, either Abroad or at Home. While this Partridge notwithstanding all his Boastings, under pretence of a counterfeit Duty to it (if he dare own his own words) in bauling Anti monarchi∣cally, (A Commonwealth's the thing that Kingdoms want) Doth muti∣nously Clamour against it And I can't hear he ever Recanted this Treasonous Republican Position; the which he ought most fully to do, if he would be thought a Friend to the English Monarchy, or a true Subject to the thrice Valiant and Warlike present Sovereign thereof: Whom God long Preserve, &c.

1. Advertisement.

AS Parting between Friends, is attended with some ardent Valediction, so shall mine be with J. P. 'Tis pleasant to note how he labours to acquit himself from a Contradiction he own'd. 1690. He knew no ground of a Difference with his Tutor: And now in 1693, pretends to find one. The Fellow, Jugler like, plays Fast and Loose; we know not where to have him. In the Epistle to his Mene Tekel, 2d Part. He owns a Conversation with Mr. G. from 1665. to 1680. And then (says he) The Strangeness began about Po∣pery. (A wrethed Lye!) If the Quarrel, or Strangeness began in 1680, and upon so strange a ground too: It is strange it should not beknown to him in 1690. And if it was known to him in 1690, (which he both Owns and Disowns:) Then his pretended Ground thereof in 1693, pickt out of a Re∣ply to him in 1687, is a meer Prevarication, and like himself, without Truth or Conscience. And yet therein he complains of many ill-sounding Epithets cast on him in that Reply; and some of them no less than 158, or 160 times over. (That Reply sticks in his Stomach.) Now will I really abate him 150 in either Sum, on Con∣dition he'll make the residue good. But the Man makes Lyes his Refuge. And for the Epithetes he musters up, had his Provocations been set by them, they would have appeared Roses, and not Thorns: And yet it is hard to Cope with a dirty black-thumb'd Author, and not contract some of his Filth. None that touch Pitch can 'scape Defilement, in tanto, at least.

But Mr. Merlin is much troubled at an Anagram which Visits the City and Country, and would fasten it upon J. G. as the Author. I can assure him, J. G's Faculty lyes not that way, albeit, it is probable he may have had that Anagram, and also have friendly imparted it to some that have made an Invidious use of the Civility. But since J. P. hath been so simple, as to tell an idle Tale about it, I give it you here, viz.

• ...JOHN PARTRIDGE.
• TI ROPE, GRIN HARD.

'Tis pity of thy Fate thou be debarr'd: Some of you Sons of KETCH, Ti Rope, Grin Hard.

I shall heartily pray God to bless the Man from so sad a Destiny. Yet his spurring on so Zealously towards it, makes me suspect my Prayers are like to be spent in vain. But there's hopes yet at the last Hour, &c.

2 Advertisement.

☞ I Am to acquaint my Reader, that I have just now met with a New Piece of J. P's Astrology, as like the Dad as ever it can stare; It rather excels, than falls short of his other Bedlam Prints in Ignorance, loud Railing, and superlative Impudence, &c. yet demon∣strates his Nurses care of him in his Infancy; for it appears he is nei∣ther Pen nor Tongue-ty'd. He is so bold herein, as to denounce a War, not only against the Person that first taught him to get his Bread, but also against almost all Astrologers, both Ancient and Modern. So that you see, this Terrae Filius, is ashamed of nothing, be it never so Ridiculous.

Albeit, (tho by his many idle Concessions, and obvious Contra∣dictions, he hath Answer'd himself.) Yet, I dare engage, on condi∣tion that he first disrobe his beastly Tract of all its Railings against Religion, Kings, Princes and Nobles, &c. and Re-print it in such a Dress as may shew him a Man that deserves some reasonable notice, he shall have a Reply. But for a Beast that Brays! and a Bedlamist that Raves! can any one that is compos Mentis, think such fit for any Sober Man to Cope with? He must be a grand Enemy to Art and Reason both, that shall Prostitue either to any irrational or unwarrantable Purpose.

As for Mr. G. (the only Man that rais'd him to what he is) I am of an Opinion, he's wiser than to be concern'd with his great heap of Billings gate Stuff, but will rather own himself overcome by his Ribaldry than Reason; and Silenc'd more with his Acrimony than Ar∣guments. And for the wicked Scandals wherewith he Defames Mr. G: had they been true, how comes it that he hath escaped the Law all this while? And wherefore is it, he holds so clear a Credit among his Neighbours? But J. P's. Pen (or Tongue) is no Slander.

To conclude, Mr. J. P. your terming the two late Reigns Bloody, &c. and taxing that Glorious Monarch, K. Charles II. with break∣ing his Coronation Oath; your dirty ridiculing his serious Devotions at Breda, when under his greatest Afflictions; and your dangerous Story of Scandalum Magnatum's, (I wish that you, &c. find it not so) are no Arguments in any Man's Astrology, save yours. But you have Labour'd hard, Sir, to approve your self another Stephen Colledge, and been guilty of as many Anti-Monarchical Gim cracks, (tho not in the same way) and have presented the World with as many Raree-Shows. God bless you from his End, for you are not much in Person unlike him.—Sero sapit Ingratus.

☞ A Discourse Intituled, The Ungrateful Daemon Dispossess'd wherein the Manners and Skill of J. Partridge, is more largely Exemple∣fied, will shortly be made Publick by his Tutor.

FINIS.