And has not he point-blank foretold Sir Edward Walker's Hiftorical Collections. Published 1707. P. 227, &c. . 174. And Caftles taken yet in th' Air ?] A Sneer probably upon the Report publish'd in 1642, in a Tract, intitled, A great Wonder in Heaven, fhewing the late Apparitions and prodigious Noifes of War and Battles feen at Edge-Hill, near Keinton in Northamptonshire-Certified under the Hands of William Wood, Efq; fuftice of the Peace in the faid County: Samuel Marshall, Preacher of God's Word at Keinton, and other Perfons of Quality. London, printed for Thomas Jackson, Jan. 23, Anno Dom. 1642, penes me. In the 36th Year of the Reign of Edward the Third, Ralph Higden says (fee Polychronicon tranflated by Treviza, Lib. Ult. chap. 1. fol. 317. b.) there appear'd both in England and France, and many other Places, two Caftles in the Air, out of which iffued two Hofts of armed Men, the one clothed in white, the other in black. . 179, 180. And has not be point-blank foretold-Whatf'e'er the clofe Committee would?] The Parliament took a fure Way to fecure all Prophecies, Prodigies, and Almanack-News from Stars, &c. in Favour of their own Side, by appointing a Licenser thereof, and strictly forbidding and punishing all fuch as were not licenfed. Their Man for this Purpose was the famous Booker, an Aftrologer, Fortune-Teller, Almanack-Maker, &c. See . 1093 of this Canto, and the Note thereon. See alfo Note upon Part I. Canto II. . 650. The Words of his License in Rushworth,— are very remarkable. For Mathematicks, Almanacks, and Prognoftications. If we may believe Lilly, both he and Booker did conjure and prognofticate well for their Friends the Parliament. He tells us, "When he applied for a License for his Merlinus Anglicus Junior, (in April 1644.) Booker wonder'd at the Book, made "many impertinent Obliterations, framed many Objections, and "wore it was not poffible to distinguish between a King and "Parliament, and at laft licens'd it according to his own Fancy. Lilly deliver'd it to the Printer, who being an Arch-Prefbyterian, "had five of the Minifters to inspect it, who could make nothing VOL. II. B 66 " of 185 The Scorpion take the Proteftation, Quoth Hudibras, the Cafe is clear, Men's Principles, by what they do. "of it, but faid it might be printed: For in that he meddled "not with their Dagon," (Lilly's Life, p. 44.) Which Oppofition to Lilly's Book arose from a Jealoufy, that he was not then thoroughly in the Parliament's Intereft: Which was true; for he frankly confesses, "That till the Year 1645, he was more Ca"valier than Roundhead, and fo taken Notice of: But after that, he engaged Body and Soul in the Caufe of the Parliament." (Life, p. 45.) Afterwards we find (among other curious Particulars) that when there was a Difference between the Army and Parliament, he and Booker were carried in a Coach with four Horfes to Windfor, (where the Army's head Quarters then were). were feafted in a Garden, where general Fairfax lodg'd, who bid them kindly welcome, and entred into a Conference with them: (Life, p. 57.) That when Colchester was befieg'd Booker and himself were fent for, where they encouraged the Soldiers, affuring them (by Figures) that the Town would fhortly surrender; that they were well entertain'd at the head Quarters two Days. (Life, p. 67, 68.) That in Oliver's Protectorship, all the Soldiers. were Friends to Lilly; and the Day of one of their Fights in Scotland, a Soldier ftood up with his Anglicus in his Hand, and as the Troops pafs'd by him, read that Month's Prediction aloud, faying, Lo! Hear what Lilly faith, you are in this Month promifed Victory; Fight it out, brave Boys. (Lilly's Life, p. 83.) (Mr. B.) Purfue, or wave this Enterprize. This faid, he turn'd about his Steed, 200 And eftfoons on th' Adventure rid Where leave we Him and Ralph a While, What's useful of him, before-hand. 205 He had been long t'wards Mathematicks, Opticks, Philofophy, and Staticks, Magick, Horoscopy, Aftrology, And was old Dog at Phyfiology: But, as a Dog that turns the Spit, 210 Beftirs himself, and plies his Feet 181, 187. Made Mars, &c.-Made all the Royal Stars recant.] The hidden Satire of this is extremely fine; by the feveral Planets and Signs here recapitulated, are meant the feveral Leaders of the Parliament-Army who took the Covenant. As Effex and Fairfax, by Mars and Saturn. But the last made all the Royal Stars recant, &c. evidently alludes to Charles, Elector Palatine of the Rhine, and King Charles the Second, who both took the Covenant. (Mr. W.) . 196. Gymnofophift.] Vide Jo. & Fra. Pici Mirandule op. paffim. Chambers's Cyclopædia: And their Method of educating their Disciples, Spectator, No 337. . 205. He had been long t'wards Mathematicks.] See J. Taylor's Poem, intitled, A Figure-Flinger, or Couzning-cunning Man, Works, p. 12. Gruteri Fax Art, tom. 6. par. 2. p. 536, 537. . 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214. But, as a Dog that turns the Spit,-Beftirs himself, and plies his Feet-To climb the Wheel, but all in vain,-His own Weight brings him down again:—And ftill he's in the felf-fame Place-Where at his fetting out he was:] Mr. Prior's Imitation of this Simile is very beautiful; and I think an Improvement of it. Dear Thomas, didst thou never pop To climb the Wheel, but all in vain, And ftill he's in the felf-fame Place Where at his fetting out he was: 215 So in the Circle of the Arts, Did he advance his nat'ral Parts ; Till falling back ftill, for Retreat, Ib. There Thomas didft thou never fee, Mov'd in the Orb, pleas'd with the Chimes, (Mr. B.) *. 224. Since old Hodg Bacon, &c.]*Roger Bacon, commonly called Fryar Bacon, liv'd in the Reign of our Edward the Firft, and for fome little Skill he had in the Mathematicks, was by the Rabble accounted a Conjurer, and had the sottish Story of the Brazen Head father'd upon him, by the ignorant Monks of those Days. And Bob Grofted.] Bishop Grofted was Bishop of Lincoln, 20. Henry the Third, A. D. 1235. "He was fufpected by the Clergy to be a Conjurer; for which Crime (the printed Notes obferve) he was deprived by Pope Innocent the Fourth, and fummon'd to appear at Rome." But this is a Mistake; for the Pope's Antipathy to him was occafion'd by his frankly expoftulating with him (both perfonally, and by Letter) his Encroachments upon the English Church, and Monarchy. He was perfecuted by Pope Innocent, but it is not certain that he was deprived, tho' Bale thinks he was: The Pope 66 Yet none a deeper Knowledge boasted, Since old Hodg Bacon, and Bob Grofted. 225 Th' Intelligible World he knew, And all Men dream on't to be true: Nor can there on the Face of Ground 230 An individual Beard be found, That has not in that Foreign Nation, was inclined to have had his Body dug up, but was diffuaded from it: He was a Man of great Learning, confidering the Time in which he liv'd, and wrote Books to the Number of almost two hundred. (See Bishop Godwin's Catalogue of Bishops, edit. 1615. p. 298, &c. Fabyan's Chronicle, part 2. folio 25.) He fupprefs'd an idle Practice in that Church, in keeping the Feast of Fools, (which was likewife fupprefs'd in the College of Beverley in the Year 1391. See Mr. Anftis's Regifter of the Garter, vol. 1. p. 309.) Quapropter vobis mandamus, in virtute obedientiæ firmiter injungentes: quatenus feftum ftultorum, cum fit vanitate plenum, & voluptatibus fpurcum, Deo odibile, & dæmonibus amabile, de cætero in ecclefiâ Lincoln. Die venerandæ folennitatis circumcifionis Domini, nullatenus permittatis fieri. Vide Opufcul. Ro. Groffeteft, Append. Fafcicul. Rer. expetendar. & fugiendar. epift. 32. p. 331. This Feaft was contiued in France till about the Year 1444. See an Account of it, Mezeray's Hiftory of France, tranflated by Bulteel, p. 293. 225. Th' intelligible World he knew.] See Norris's Ideal World. *. 233. So cut, so colour'd, &c.] Dr. Bulwer observes from Strabo, (Artificial Changeling, fcen. 12. p. 212.) "That in Cathea "the Men for an Ornament dye their Beards with many and "diverse Colours, and many of the Indians do it; for the Re"gion bears admirable Colours for the Tincture of their Hairs. See more, p. 213, 214. |