A famous PREDICTION of MERLIN, the British Wizard *. Written above a thousand years ago, and relating to the year 1709. L With explanatory notes, by T. N. Philomath... AST Written in the year 1709. year was published a paper of predictions, pretended to be written by one Ifaac Bickerstaff, Efq; but the true defign of it was to ridicule the art of aftrology, and expofe its profeffors as ignorant or impoftors. Against this imputation, Dr. Partridge hath learnedly vindicated himfelf in his almanack for that year. For * Dr. Swift in his preface to this piece would infinuate, that what he publishes to the world is a tranflation of Merlin's prophecy two hundred years old. The main defign of the Doctor in this prediCtion, if he was really in earnest, (which I'verily believe he was not› as I am perfuaded that he only writ this prophecy in order to vex the Whigs, and to fret that ungrateful ministry which had forgotten the obligations he had conferred upon them), was, to encourage Q. Anne to a fecond marriage, in order that her majesty might repair, if poffible, that infinite lofs fhe had fuftained by the Duke of Glocefter, who, by all accounts, was one of the fincft princes that ever was born in England, and accordiugly was univerfally regretted by the whole nation, the fanatical party and all their black adherents only excepted. This appears from the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th lines of the prophecy, And without difpute, as in England there were many thousands, who were defirous to fee a prince defcended from a Queen whom they loved with fuch ardour and affection; fo, in the wildaefs of their imagination, they endeavoured to perfuade her Majefty at the age of about forty-five to marry a fecond time. But whether it was owing E63 For a farther vindication of this famous art, I have thought fit to prefent the world with the following prophecy. The original is faid to be of the famous Merlin, who lived about a thousand years ago; and the following translation is two hundred years old; for it seems to be written near the end of Henry the seventh's reign. I found it in an old edition of Merlin's prophecies, imprinted at London by John Hawkins in the year 1530, page 39. I fet it down word for word in the old orthography, and fhall take leave to fubjoin a few explanatory notes. Seven and ten addyd to nine, Of Fraunce her woe this is the fygne, Walke fans wetying fhoes ne hozen. Then comyth foorthe, ich understonde, From Towne of Stoffe to fattyn Londe, 5 owing to that exceffive regard which the bore unto the memory of her beloved, the Prince of Denmark; or whether it was because she never had a child after the age of five or fix and twenty; or whether it was for fome political reason or other, she refufed in this respect to gratify the inclinations of her people; which however, as animofities and factions were then rifing to an exceffive height, she had caufe to repent of before the time of her decease. For, as the Queen was driven to fach inexpressible straits by the fury and machinations of the contending parties, that, with all her experience in government, fhe knew not whom to truft; if she had married fome wise and thoughtful prince, entirely remote from all pretenfions to the crown, (fuppofing that fuch a one could have been found in Europe at that time), fhe might have paffed the remainder of her life with more cafe and tranquillity. For as a prince in that situation would have had nothing more to do, than to have made the Queen happy and her reign glorious, he might have acted as moderator between both parties, fecured unto himself the esteem of all the wife and vir. tuous, and perhaps, after the decease of the Queen, might have been highly regarded by her fucceffor during the remainder of his life. But alas! party-rage carried all before it, and every scheme of accommodation was equally rejected by Whigs and Tories. Swift. An An herdie Chyftan, woe the morne * And Norway's pryd again fhall marrey. Explanatory notes. Seven and ten. This line defcribes the year when these events fhall happen. Seven and ten makes feventeen,which I explain seventeen hundred, and this number added to nine, makes the year we are now in; for it mustbe understood of the natural year, which begins the first of January. Tamys rivere wys, &c. The river Thames frozen twice in one year, fo as man cuold walk on it, is a very. fignal accident, which perhaps hath not fallen out for feveral hundred years before, and is the reason why fome aftrologers have thought, that this prophecy could never be fulfilled, because they imagined fuch a thing would never happen in our climate. From town of Stoffe, &c. This is a plain defignation of the Duke of Marlborough: one kind of stuff used to fatten land is called Marle, and every body knows that Borough is a name for a town; and this way of expreffi on is after the ufual dark manner of old aftrological predictions. Q. Anne is called Norway's pryd, because she had vouchfafed to marry the Prince of Denmark; and we all know, that Norway is part of the dominion belonging to that crown. Swift. Then fhall the fyfhe, &c. By the fish, is understood the Dauphin of France, as their kings eldest fons are called: it is here faid, he thall lanient the loss of the Duke of Burgundy, called the Boffe, which is an old English word for hump-fhoulder, or crook-back, as that Duke is known to be; and the prophecy feems to mean, that be fhould be overcome or flain. By the green berrys, in the next line, is meant the young Duke of Berry, the Dauphin's third fon, who thall not have valour or fortune enough to fupply the lofs of his eldest brother.* Young Symnele, &c. By Symnele is meant the pretended Prince of Wales, who, if he offers to attempt any thing against England, fhall mifcarry as he did before. Lambert Symnel is the name of a young man, noted in our hiftories for perfonating the fon (as I remember) of Edward IV. And Norway's pryd, &c, I cannot guess who is meant by Norway's pride; perhaps the reader may, as well as the fenfe of the two following lines. Reaums fhall, &c. Reaums, or, as the word is now, realms, is the old name for kingdoms: and this is a very plain prediction of our happy union, with the felicities that fhall attend it. It is added that Old England shall be no more, and yet no man shall be forry for it. And indeed, properly fpeaking, England is now no more, for the whole island is one kingdom under the name of Britain. : Geryon fhall, &c. This prediction, though fomewhat obfcure, is wonderfully adapted. Geryon is faid to have been a king of Spain, whom Hercules flew. It was a fiction of the poets, that he had three heads, which the author fays he fhall have again: that is, Spain fhall have three kings which is now wonderfully verified; for befides the King of Portugal, which properly is part of Spain, there are now two rivals for Spain, Charles and Philip but Charles being defcended from the count of Hapfburgh, founder of the Auftrian family, fhall foon make thofe heads but two, by overturning Philip, and driving him out of Spain. Some of thefe predictions are already fulfilled; and it is highly probable the reft may be in due time; and I * Queen Anne. 1 think I have not forced the words by my explication,into any other sense than what they will naturally bear. If this be granted, I am fure it must be alfo allowed, that the author (whoever he were) was a perfon of extraordinary fagacity; and that aftrology brought to fuch® perfection as this, is by no means an art to be despised, whatever Mr. Bickerstaff, or other merry gentlemen are pleafed to think. As to the tradition of thefe lines having been writ in the original by Merlin, I confefs I lay not much weight upon it; but it is enough to justify their authority, that the book from whence I have transcribed them, was printed 170 years ago, as appears by the titlepage. For the fatisfaction of any gentleman, who may be either doubtful of the truth, or curious to be informed, I fhall give order to have the very book fent to the prin ter of this paper, with directions to let any body see it that pleafes, because I believe it is very scarce. The |