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WILLIAM LILLY'S
HISTORY
OF HIS
LIFE AND TIMES,
FROM THE YEAR 1602 TO 1681.
* * * * *
Written by Himself,
IN THE SIXTY-SIXTH YEAR OF HIS AGE, TO HIS WORTHY FRIEND,
ELIAS ASHMOLE, ESQ.
* * * * *
PUBLISHED FROM THE ORIGINAL MS.
_LONDON_, 1715.
* * * * *
LONDON:
RE-PRINTED FOR CHARLES BALDWYN,
NEWGATE STREET.
* * * * *
M.DCCC.XXII.
MAURICE, PRINTER, PENCHURCH-STREET.
LIST OF PLATES.
William Lilly, (from Marshall's Print)
Ditto (from the Picture)
Dr. Simon Forman 34
John Booker 68
Charles the Second 95
Charles the First 107
Hugh Peters 134
Speaker Lenthall 159
Oliver Cromwell 175
Dr. John Dee 223
Edward Kelly 226
Napier of Merchiston 236
ADVERTISEMENT.
PREFIXED TO THE LIVES OF ELIAS ASHMOLE & WILLIAM LILLY.
In 1 vol. 8vo. 1772.
_Although we cannot, with justice, compare Elias Ashmole to that
excellent Antiquary John Leland, or William Lilly to the learned and
indefatigable Thomas Hearne; yet I think we may fairly rank them with
such writers as honest Anthony Wood, whose_ Diary _greatly resembles
that of his cotemporary, and intimate friend, Elias Ashmole._
_Some anecdotes, connected with affairs of state; many particulars
relating to illustrious persons, and antient and noble families; several
occurrences in which the Public is interested, and other matters of a
more private nature, can only be found in works of this kind. History
cannot stoop to the meanness of examining the materials of which_
Memoirs _are generally composed._
_And yet the pleasure and benefit resulting from such books are manifest
to every reader._
_I hope the admirers of the very laborious Thomas Hearne will pardon me,
if I should venture to give it as my opinion, and with much deference to
their judgment, that William Lilly's_ Life and Death of Charles the
first _contains more useful matter of instruction, as well as more
splendid and striking occurrences, than are to be found in several of
those monkish volumes published by that learned Oxonian._
_Lilly affords us many curious particulars relating to the life of that
unfortunate Prince, which are no where else to be found. In delineating
the character of Charles, he seems dispassionate and impartial, and
indeed it agrees perfectly with the general portraiture of him, as it is
drawn by our most authentic historians._
The History of Lilly's Life and Times _is certainly one of the most
entertaining narratives in our language. With respect to the science he
professed of calculating nativities, casting figures, the prediction of
events, and other appendages of astrology, he would fain make us think
that he was a very solemn and serious believer. Indeed, such is the
manner of telling his story, that sometimes the reader may possibly be
induced to suppose Lilly rather an enthusiast than an impostor. He
relates many anecdotes of the pretenders to foretell events, raise
spirits, and other impostures, with such seeming candor, and with such
an artless simplicity of style, that we are almost persuaded to take his
word when he protests such an inviolable respect to truth and
sincerity._
_The powerful genius of Shakespeare could carry him triumphantly through
subjects the most unpromising, and fables the most improbable: we
therefore cannot wonder at the success of such of his plays, where the
magic of witches and the incantation of spirits are described, or where
the power of fairies is introduced; when such was the credulity of the
times respecting these imaginary beings, and when that belief was made a
science of, and kept alive by artful and superstitious, knavish, and
enthusiastic teachers; what Lilly relates of these people, considered
only as matter of fact, is surely very curious._
_To conclude; I know no record but this where we can find so just and so
entertaining a History of Doctor Dee, Doctor Forman, Booker, Winder,
Kelly, Evans, (Lilly's Master,) the famous William Poole, and Captain
Bubb Fiske, Sarah Shelborne, and many others._
_To these we may add, the uncommon effects of the Crystal, the
appearance of Queen Mabb, and other strange and miraculous operations,
which owe their origin to folly, curiosity, superstition, bigotry, and
imposture._
THE
LIFE
OF
WILLIAM LILLY,
STUDENT IN ASTROLOGY.
Wrote by himself in the 66th Year of his Age, at Hersham, in the
Parish of Walton-upon-Thames, in the County of Surry. _Propria
Manu._
I[1] was born in the county of Leicester, in an obscure town, in the
north-west borders thereof, called Diseworth, seven miles south of the
town of Derby, one mile from Castle-Donnington, a town of great
rudeness, wherein it is not remembered that any of the farmers thereof
did ever educate any of their sons to learning, only my grandfather sent
his younger son to Cambridge, whose name was Robert Lilly, and died
Vicar of Cambden in Gloucestershire, about 1640.
[Footnote 1: "William Lilly was a prominent, and, in the opinion
of many of his cotemporaries, a very important personage in the
most eventful period of English history. He was a principal
actor in the farcical scenes which diversified the bloody
tragedy of civil war; and while the King and the Parliament were
striving for mastery in the field, he was deciding their
destinies in the closet. The weak and the credulous of both
parties, who sought to be instructed in 'destiny's dark
counsels,' flocked to consult the 'wily Archimage,' who, with
exemplary impartiality, meted out victory and good fortune to
his clients, according to the extent of their faith, and the
weight of their purses. A few profane Cavaliers might make his
name the burthen of their _malignant_ rhymes--a few of the more
scrupulous among the _Saints_ might keep aloof in sanctified
abhorrence of the 'Stygian sophister'--but the great majority of
the people lent a willing and reverential ear to his prophecies
and prognostications. Nothing was too high or too low--too
mighty or too insignificant, for the grasp of his genius. The
stars, his informants, were as communicative on the most trivial
as on the most important subjects. If a scheme was set on foot
to rescue the king, or to retrieve a stray trinket--to restore
the royal authority, or to make a frail damsel an honest
woman--to cure the nation of anarchy, or a lap-dog of a surfeit,
William Lilly was the oracle to be consulted. His _almanacks_
were spelled over in the tavern and quoted in the senate; they
nerved the arm of the soldier, and rounded the periods of the
orator. The fashionable beauty, dashing along in her calash from
St. James's or the Mall, and the prim, starched dame, from
Watling-street or Bucklersbury, with a staid foot-boy, in a
plush jerkin, plodding behind her--the reigning toast among 'the
men of wit about town,' and the leading groaner in a tabernacle
concert--glided alternately into the study of the trusty wizard,
and poured into his attentive ear strange tales of love, or
trade, or treason. The Roundhead stalked in at one door, whilst
the Cavalier was hurried out at the other.
"The _Confessions_ of a man so variously consulted and trusted,
if written with the candour of a Cardan or a Rousseau, would
indeed be invaluable. The _Memoirs of William Lilly_, though
deficient in this essential ingredient, yet contain a variety of
curious and interesting anecdotes of himself and his
cotemporaries, which, where the vanity of the writer, or the
truth of his art, is not concerned, may be received with
implicit credence.
"The simplicity and apparent candour of his narrative might
induce a hasty reader of this book to believe him a well-meaning
but somewhat silly personage, the dupe of his own
speculations--the deceiver of himself as well as of others. But
an attentive examination of the events of his life, even as
recorded by himself, will not warrant so favourable an
interpretation. His systematic and successful attention to his
own interest--his dexterity in keeping on 'the windy side of the
law'--his perfect political pliability--and his presence of mind
and fertility of resources when entangled in
difficulties--indicate an accomplished impostor, not a crazy
enthusiast. It is very possible and probable, that, at the
outset of his career, he was a real believer in the truth and
lawfulness of his art, and that he afterwards felt no
inclination to part with so pleasant and so profitable a
delusion: like his patron, Cromwell, whose early fanaticism
subsided into hypocrisy, he carefully retained his folly as a
cloak for his knavery. Of his success in deception, the present
narrative exhibits abundant proofs. The number of his dupes was
not confined to the vulgar and illiterate, but included
individuals of real worth and learning, of hostile parties and
sects, who courted his acquaintance and respected his
predictions. His proceedings were deemed of sufficient
importance to be twice made the subject of a parliamentary
inquiry; and even after the Restoration--when a little more
scepticism, if not more wisdom, might have been expected--we
find him examined by a Committee of the House of Commons,
respecting his fore-knowledge of the great fire of London. We
know not whether it 'should more move our anger or our mirth,'
to see an assemblage of British Senators--the cotemporaries of
Hampden and Falkland--of Milton and Clarendon--in an age which
roused into action so many and such mighty energies--gravely
engaged in ascertaining the causes of a great national calamity,
from the prescience of a knavish fortuneteller, and puzzling
their wisdoms to interpret the symbolical flames, which blazed
in the mis-shapen wood-cuts of his oracular publications.
"As a set-off against these honours may be mentioned, the
virulent and unceasing attacks of almost all the party
scribblers of the day; but their abuse he shared in common with
men, whose talents and virtues have outlived the malice of their
cotemporaries, and
'Whose honours with increase of ages grow,
As streams roll down, enlarging as they flow.'"
_Retrospective Review_, Vol. ii. p. 51.]
The town of Diseworth did formerly belong long unto the Lord Seagrave,
for there is one record in the hands of my cousin Melborn Williamson,
which mentions one acre of land abutting north upon the gates of the
Lord Seagrave; and there is one close, called Hall-close, wherein the
ruins of some ancient buildings appear, and particularly where the
dove-house stood; and there is also the ruins of decayed fish-ponds and
other outhouses. This town came at length to be the inheritance of
Margaret, Countess of Richmond, mother of Henry VII. which Margaret gave
this town and lordship of Diseworth unto Christ's College in Cambridge,
the Master and Fellows whereof have ever since, and at present, enjoy
and possess it.
In the church of this town there is but one monument, and that is a
white marble stone, now almost broken to pieces, which was placed there
by Robert Lilly, my grandfather, in memory of Jane his wife, the
daughter of Mr. Poole of Dalby, in the same county, a family now quite
extinguished. My grandmother's brother was Mr. Henry Poole, one of the
Knights of Rhodes, or Templars, who being a soldier at Rhodes at the
taking thereof by Solyman the Magnificent, and escaping with his life,
came afterwards to England, and married the Lady Parron or Perham, of
Oxfordshire, and was called, during his life, Sir Henry Poole. William
Poole the Astrologer knew him very well, and remembers him to have been
a very tall person, and reputed of great strength in his younger years.
The impropriation of this town of Diseworth was formerly the inheritance
of three sisters, whereof two became votaries; one in the nunnery of
Langly in the parish of Diseworth, valued at the suppression, I mean the
whole nunnery, at thirty-two pounds per annum, and this sister's part is
yet enjoyed by the family of the Grayes, who now, and for some years
past, have the enjoyment and possession of all the lands formerly
belonging to the nunnery in the parish of Diseworth, and are at present
of the yearly value of three hundred and fifty pounds per annum. One of
the sisters gave her part of the great tithes unto a religious house in
Bredon upon the Hill; and, as the inhabitants report, became a religious
person afterwards.
The third sister married, and her part of the tithes in succeeding ages
became the Earl of Huntingdon's, who not many years since sold it to one
of his servants.
The donation of the vicarage is in the gift of the Grayes of Langley,
unto whom they pay yearly, (I mean unto the Vicar) as I am informed, six
pounds per annum. Very lately some charitable citizens have purchased
one-third portion of the tithes, and given it for a maintenance of a
preaching minister, and it is now of the value of about fifty pounds per
annum.
There have been two hermitages in this parish; the last hermit was well
remembered by one Thomas Cooke, a very ancient inhabitant, who in my
younger years acquainted me therewith.
This town of Diseworth is divided into three parishes; one part belongs
under Locington, in which part standeth my father's house, over-against
the west end of the steeple, in which I was born: some other farms are
in the parish of Bredon, the rest in the parish of Diseworth.
In this town, but in the parish of Lockington, was I born, the first day
of May 1602.
My father's name was William Lilly, son of Robert, the son of Robert,
the son of Rowland, &c. My mother was Alice, the daughter of Edward
Barham, of Fiskerton Mills, in Nottinghamshire, two miles from Newark
upon Trent: this Edward Barham was born in Norwich, and well remembered
the rebellion of Kett the Tanner, in the days of Edward VI.
Our family have continued many ages in this town as yeomen; besides the
farm my father and his ancestors lived in, both my father and
grandfather had much free land, and many houses in the town, not
belonging to the college, as the farm wherein they were all born doth,
and is now at this present of the value of forty pounds per annum, and
in possession of my brother's son; but the freehold land and houses,
formerly purchased by my ancestors, were all sold by my grandfather and
father; so that now our family depend wholly upon a college lease. Of my
infancy I can speak little, only I do remember that in the fourth year
of my age I had the measles.
I was, during my minority, put to learn at such schools, and of such
masters, as the rudeness of the place and country afforded; my mother
intending I should be a scholar from my infancy, seeing my father's
back-slidings in the world, and no hopes by plain husbandry to recruit a
decayed estate; therefore upon Trinity Tuesday, 1613, my father had me
to Ashby de la Zouch, to be instructed by one Mr. John Brinsley; one, in
those times, of great abilities for instruction of youth in the Latin
and Greek tongues; he was very severe in his life and conversation, and
did breed up many scholars for the universities: in religion he was a
strict Puritan, not conformable wholly to the ceremonies of the Church
of England. In this town of Ashby de la Zouch, for many years together,
Mr. Arthur Hildersham exercised his ministry at my being there; and all
the while I continued at Ashby, he was silenced. This is that famous
Hildersham, who left behind him a commentary on the fifty-first psalm;
as also many sermons upon the fourth of John, both which are printed; he
was an excellent textuary, of exemplary life, pleasant in discourse, a
strong enemy to the Brownists, and dissented not from the Church of
England in any article of faith, but only about wearing the surplice,
baptizing with the cross, and kneeling at the sacrament; most of the
people in town were directed by his judgement, and so continued, and yet
do continue presbyterianly affected; for when the Lord of Loughborough
in 1642, 1643, 1644, and 1645, had his garrison in that town, if by
chance at any time any troops of horse had lodged within the town,
though they came late at night to their quarters; yet would one or other
of the town presently give Sir John Gell of Derby notice, so that ere
next morning most of his Majesty's troops were seized in their lodgings,
which moved the Lord of Loughborough merrily to say, there was not a
fart let in Ashby, but it was presently carried to Derby.
The several authors I there learned were these, viz. _Sententiæ
Pueriles_, _Cato_, _Corderius_, _Æsop's Fables_, _Tully's Offices_,
_Ovid de Tristibus_; lastly, _Virgil_, then _Horace_; as also _Camden's
Greek Grammar_, _Theognis_ and _Homer's Iliads_: I was only entered into
_Udall's Hebrew Grammar_; he never taught logick, but often would say it
was fit to be learned in the universities.
In the fourteenth year of my age, by a fellow scholar of swarth, black
complexion, I had like to have my right eye beaten out as we were at
play; the same year, about Michaelmas, I got a surfeit, and thereupon a
fever, by eating beech-nuts.
In the sixteenth year of my age I was exceedingly troubled in my dreams
concerning my salvation and damnation, and also concerning the safety
and destruction of the souls of my father and mother; in the nights I
frequently wept, prayed and mourned, for fear my sins might offend God.
In the seventeenth year of my age my mother died.
In the eighteenth year of my age my master Brinsley was enforced from
keeping school, being persecuted by the Bishop's officers; he came to
London, and then lectured in London, where he afterwards died. In this
year, by reason of my father's poverty, I was also enforced to leave
school, and so came to my father's house, where I lived in much penury
for one year, and taught school one quarter of a year, until God's
providence provided better for me.
For the two last years of my being at school, I was of the highest form
in the school, and chiefest of that form; I could then speak Latin as
well as English; could make extempore verses upon any theme; all kinds
of verses, hexameter, pentameter, phaleuciacks, iambicks, sapphicks, &c.
so that if any scholars from remote schools came to dispute, I was
ringleader to dispute with them; I could cap verses, &c. If any minister
came to examine us, I was brought forth against him, nor would I argue
with him unless in the Latin tongue, which I found few of them could
well speak without breaking Priscian's head; which, if once they did, I
would complain to my master, _Non bene intelligit linguam Latinam, nec
prorsus loquitur_. In the derivation of words, I found most of them
defective, nor indeed were any of them good grammarians: all and every
of those scholars who were of my form and standing, went to Cambridge
and proved excellent divines, only poor I, William Lilly, was not so
happy; fortune then frowning upon father's present condition, he not in
any capacity to maintain me at the university.
OF THE MANNER HOW I CAME UNTO LONDON.
Worthy sir, I take much delight to recount unto you, even all and every
circumstance of my life, whether good, moderate, or evil; _Deo gloria_.
My father had one Samuel Smatty for his Attorney, unto whom I went
sundry times with letters, who perceiving I was a scholar, and that I
lived miserably in the country, losing my time, nor any ways likely to
do better, if I continued there; pitying my condition, he sent word for
me to come and speak with him, and told me that he had lately been at
London, where there was a gentleman wanted a youth, to attend him and
his wife, who could write, &c.
I acquainted my father with it, who was very willing to be rid of me,
for I could not work, drive the plough, or endure any country labour; my
father oft would say, I was good for nothing.
I had only twenty shillings, and no more, to buy me a new suit, hose,
doublet, &c. my doublet was fustian: I repaired to Mr. Smatty, when I
was accoutred, for a letter to my master, which he gave me.
Upon Monday, April 3, 1620, I departed from Diseworth, and came to
Leicester: but I must acquaint you, that before I came away I visited my
friends, amongst whom I had given me about ten shillings, which was a
great comfort unto me. On Tuesday, April the 4th, I took leave of my
father, then in Leicester gaol for debt, and came along with Bradshaw
the carrier, the same person with whom many of the Duke of Buckingham's
kindred had come up with. Hark how the waggons crack with their rich
lading! It was a very stormy week, cold and uncomfortable: I footed it
all along; we could not reach London until Palm-Sunday, the 9th of
April, about half an hour after three in the afternoon, at which time we
entered Smithfield. When I had gratified the carrier and his servants, I
had seven shillings and sixpence left, and no more; one suit of cloaths
upon my back, two shirts, three bands, one pair of shoes, and as many
stockings. Upon the delivery of my letter my master entertained me, and
next day bought me a new cloak, of which you may imagine (good Esquire)
whether I was not proud of; besides, I saw and eat good white bread,
contrary to our diet in Leicestershire. My master's name was Gilbert
Wright, born at Market Bosworth in Leicestershire; my mistress was born
at Ashby de la Zouch, in the same county, and in the town where I had
gone to school. This Gilbert Wright could neither write nor read: he
lived upon his annual rents, was of no calling or profession; he had for
many years been servant to the Lady Pawlet in Hertfordshire; and when
Serjeant Puckering was made Lord keeper, he made him keeper of his
lodgings at Whitehall. When Sir Thomas Egerton was made Lord Chancellor,
he entertained him in the same place; and when he married a widow in
Newgate Market, the Lord Chancellor recommended him to the company of
Salters, London, to admit him into their company, and so they did, and
my master in 1624, was master of that company; he was a man of excellent
natural parts, and would speak publickly upon any occasion very
rationally and to the purpose. I write this, that the world may know he
was no taylor, or myself of that or any other calling or profession: my
work was to go before my master to church; to attend my master when he
went abroad; to make clean his shoes; sweep the street; help to drive
bucks when he washed; fetch water in a tub from the Thames: I have
helped to carry eighteen tubs of water in one morning; weed the garden;
all manner of drudgeries I willingly performed; scrape trenchers, &c. If
I had any profession, it was of this nature: I should never have denied
being a taylor, had I been one; for there is no calling so base, which
by God's mercy may not afford a livelihood; and had not my master
entertained me, I would have been of a very mean profession ere I would
have returned into the country again; so here ends the actions of
eighteen years of my life.
My master married his second wife for her estate; she was competently
rich; she married him for considerations he performed not, (nocturnal
society) so that they lived very uncomfortably; she was about seventy
years of age, he sixty-six or more; yet never was any woman more jealous
of a husband than she; insomuch, that whensoever he went into London,
she was confident of his going to women; by those means my life was the
more uncomfortable, it being very difficult to please two such opposite
natures: however, as to the things of this world I had enough, and
endured their discontents with much sereneness. My mistress was very
curious to know of such as were then called cunning or wise men, whether
she should bury her husband? She frequently visited such persons, and
this occasion begot in me a little desire to learn something that way,
but wanting money to buy books, I laid aside these motions, and
endeavoured to please both master and mistress.
OF MY MISTRESS'S DEATH, AND OCCASION THEREOF BY MEANS OF A CANCER IN HER
BREAST.
In 1622 she complained of a pain in her left breast, whereon there
appeared at first a hard knob no bigger than a small pea; it increased
in a little time very much, was very hard, and sometimes would look very
red; she took advice of surgeons, had oils, sear-cloths, plates of lead,
and what not: in 1623 it grew very big, and spread all over her breast;
then for many weeks poultices were applied to it, which in continuance
of time broke the skin, and then abundance of watery thin stuff came
from it, but nothing else; at length the matter came to suppuration, but
never any great store issued forth; it was exceeding noisome and
painful; from the beginning of it until she died, she would permit no
surgeon to dress it but only myself; I applied every thing unto it, and
her pains were so great the winter before she died, that I have been
called out of my bed two or three times in one night to dress it and
change plaisters. In 1624 by degrees, with scissars, I cut all the whole
breast away, I mean the sinews, nerves, &c. In one fortnight, or little
more, it appeared, as it were, mere flesh, all raw, so that she could
scarce endure any unguent to be applied.
I remember there was a great cleft through the middle of the breast,
which when that fully appeared she died, which was in September 1624; my
master being then in the country, his kindred in London would willingly
have had mourning for her; but by advice of an especial friend of his I
contradicted them; nor would I permit them to look into any chest or
trunk in the house. She was decently buried, and so fond of me in the
time of her sickness, she would never permit me out of her chamber, gave
me five pounds in old gold, and sent me unto a private trunk of her's at
a friend's house, where she had one hundred pounds in gold; she bid me
bring it away and take it, but when I opened the trunk I found nothing
therein; for a kinsman of hers had been there a few days before, and
carried all away: she was in a great passion at my relating thereof,
because she could not gratify my pains in all her sickness, advised me
to help myself, when she was gone, out of my master's goods, which I
never did.
Courteous Esquire, be not weary of reading hereof, or what followeth.
When my mistress died, she had under her arm-hole a small scarlet bag
full of many things, which, one that was there delivered unto me. There
was in this bag several sigils, some of Jupiter in Trine, others of the
nature of Venus, some of iron, and one of gold, of pure angel-gold, of
the bigness of a thirty-three shilling piece of King James's coin. In
the circumference on one side was engraven, _Vicit Leo de tribu Judæ
Tetragrammaton_ [symbol: cross], within the middle there was engraven a
holy lamb. In the other circumference there was Amraphel and three
[symbol: cross]. In the middle, _Sanctus Petrus_, _Alpha_ and _Omega_.
The occasion of framing this sigil was thus; her former husband
travelling into Sussex, happened to lodge in an inn, and to lie in a
chamber thereof; wherein, not many months before, a country grazier had
lain, and in the night cut his own throat; after this night's lodging,
he was perpetually, and for many years, followed by a spirit, which
vocally and articulately provoked him to cut his throat: he was used
frequently to say, 'I defy thee, I defy thee,' and to spit at the
spirit; this spirit followed him many years, he not making any body
acquainted with it; at last he grew melancholy and discontented; which
being carefully observed by his wife, she many times hearing him
pronounce, 'I defy thee,' &c. she desired him to acquaint her with the
cause of his distemper, which he then did. Away she went to Dr. Simon
Forman, who lived then in Lambeth, and acquaints him with it; who having
framed this sigil, and hanged it about his neck, he wearing it
continually until he died, was never more molested by the spirit: I sold
the sigil for thirty-two shillings, but transcribed the words _verbatim_
as I have related. Sir, you shall now have a story of this Simon Forman,
as his widow, whom I well knew, related it unto me. But before I relate
his death, I shall acquaint you something of the man, as I have gathered
them from some manuscripts of his own writing.
OF DR. SIMON FORMAN
He was a chandler's son in the city of Westminster. He travelled into
Holland for a month, in 1580, purposely to be instructed in astrology,
and other more occult sciences; as also in physick, taking his degree of
Doctor beyond seas: being sufficiently furnished and instructed with
what he desired, he returned into England, towards the latter end of the
reign of Queen Elizabeth, and flourished until that year of King James,
wherein the Countess of Essex, the Earl of Somerset, and Sir Thomas
Overbury's matters were questioned. He lived in Lambeth, with a very
good report of the neighbourhood, especially of the poor, unto whom he
was very charitable. He was a person that in horary questions
(especially thefts) was very judicious and fortunate; so also in
sicknesses, which indeed was his master-piece. In resolving questions
about marriage he had good success: in other questions very moderate. He
was a person of indefatigable pains. I have seen sometimes half one
sheet of paper wrote of his judgment upon one question; in writing
whereof he used much tautology, as you may see yourself, (most excellent
Esquire) if you read a great book of Dr. Flood's, which you have, who
had all that book from the manuscripts of Forman; for I have seen the
same word for word in an English manuscript formerly belonging to Doctor
Willoughby of Gloucestershire. Had Forman lived to have methodized his
own papers, I doubt not but he would have advanced the
Jatro-mathematical part thereof very completely; for he was very
observant, and kept notes of the success of his judgments, as in many of
his figures I have observed. I very well remember to have read, in one
of his manuscripts, what followeth.
'Being in bed one morning,' (says he) 'I was desirous to know whether I
should ever be a Lord, Earl, or Knight, &c. whereupon I set a figure;
and thereupon my judgment:' by which he concluded, that within two years
time he should be a Lord or great man: 'But,' says he, 'before the two
years were expired, the Doctors put me in Newgate, and nothing came.'
Not long after, he was desirous to know the same things concerning his
honour or greatship. Another figure was set, and that promised him to be
a great Lord within one year. But he sets down, that in that year he had
no preferment at all; only 'I became acquainted with a merchant's wife,
by whom I got well.' There is another figure concerning one Sir ----
Ayre his going into Turkey, whether it would be a good voyage or not:
the Doctor repeats all his astrological reasons and musters them
together, and then gave his judgment it would be a fortunate voyage. But
under this figure he concludes, 'this proved not so, for he was taken
prisoner by pirates ere he arrived in Turkey, and lost all.' He set
several questions to know if he should attain the philosophers' stone,
and the figures, according to his straining, did seem to signify as
much; and then he tuggs upon the aspects and configurations, and elected
a fit time to begin his operation; but, by and by, in conclusion, he
adds, 'so the work went very forward; but upon the [symbol: aspect
"squares"] of [symbol: aspect "conjunctions"] the setting-glass broke,
and I lost all my pains:' he sets down five or six such judgments, but
still complains all came to nothing, upon the malignant aspects of
[symbol: Saturn] and [symbol: Mars]. Although some of his astrological
judgments did fail, more particularly those concerning himself, he being
no way capable of such preferment as he ambitiously desired; yet I shall
repeat some other of his judgments, which did not fail, being performed
by conference with spirits. My mistress went once unto him, to know when
her husband, then in Cumberland, would return, he having promised to be
at home near the time of the question; after some consideration, he told
her to this effect: 'Margery,' for so her name was, 'thy husband will
not be at home these eighteen days; his kindred have vexed him, and he
is come away from them in much anger: he is now in Carlisle, and hath
but three-pence in his purse.' And when he came home he confessed all to
be true, and that upon leaving his kindred he had but three-pence in his
purse. I shall relate one story more, and then his death.
One Coleman, clerk to Sir Thomas Beaumont of Leicestershire, having had
some liberal favours both from his lady and her daughters, bragged of
it, &c. The Knight brought him into the star-chamber, had his servant
sentenced to be pilloried, whipped, and afterwards, during life, to be
imprisoned. The sentence was executed in London, and was to be in
Leicestershire: two keepers were to convey Coleman from the Fleet to
Leicester. My mistress taking consideration of Coleman, and the miseries
he was to suffer, went presently to Forman, acquainted him therewith;
who, after consideration, swore Coleman had lain both with mother and
daughters; and besides said, that the old Lady being afflicted with fits
of the mother, called him into her chamber to hold down the fits with
his hands; and that he holding his hands about the breast, she cried
'Lower, lower,' and put his hands below her belly; and then--He also
told my mistress in what posture he lay with the young ladies, &c. and
said, 'they intend in Leicester to whip him to death; but I assure thee,
Margery, he shall never come there; yet they set forward to-morrow,'
says he; and so his two keepers did, Coleman's legs being locked with an
iron chain under the horse's belly. In this nature they travelled the
first and second day; on the third day the two keepers, seeing their
prisoner's civility the two preceding days, did not lock his chain under
the horse's belly as formerly, but locked it only to one side. In this
posture they rode some miles beyond Northampton, when on a sudden, one
of the keepers had a necessity to untruss, and so the other and Coleman
stood still; by and by the other keeper desired Coleman to hold his
horse, for he had occasion also: Coleman immediately took one of their
swords, and ran through two of the horses, killing them stark dead; gets
upon the other, with one of their swords; 'Farewell, gentlemen,' quoth
he, 'tell my master I have no mind to be whipped in Leicestershire,' and
so went his way. The two keepers in all haste went to a gentleman's
house near at hand, complaining of their misfortune, and desired of him
to pursue their prisoner, which he with much civility granted; but ere
the horses could be got ready, the mistress of the house came down, and
enquiring what the matter was, went to the stable, and commanded the
horses to be unsaddled, with this sharp speech--'Let the Lady Beaumont
and her daughters live honestly, none of my horses shall go forth upon
this occasion.'
I could relate many such stories of his performances; as also what he
wrote in a book left behind him, _viz._ 'This I made the devil write
with his own hand in Lambeth Fields 1596, in June or July, as I now
remember.' He professed to his wife there would be much trouble about
Carr and the Countess of Essex, who frequently resorted unto him, and
from whose company he would sometimes lock himself in his study a whole
day. Now we come to his death, which happened as follows: the Sunday
night before he died, his wife and he being at supper in their
garden-house, she being pleasant, told him, that she had been informed
he could resolve, whether man or wife should die first; 'Whether shall
I' (quoth she) 'bury you or no?' 'Oh Trunco,' for so he called her,
'thou wilt bury me, but thou wilt much repent it.' 'Yea, but how long
first?' 'I shall die,' said he, 'ere Thursday night.' Monday came, all
was well. Tuesday came, he not sick. Wednesday came, and still he was
well; with which his impertinent wife did much twit him in his teeth.
Thursday came, and dinner was ended, he very well: he went down to the
water-side, and took a pair of oars to go to some buildings he was in
hand with in Puddle-dock. Being in the middle of the Thames, he
presently fell down, only saying, 'An impost, an impost,' and so died. A
most sad storm of wind immediately following. He died worth one thousand
two hundred pounds, and left only one son called Clement. All his
rarities, secret manuscripts, of what quality soever, Dr. Napper of
Lindford in Buckinghamshire had, who had been a long time his scholar;
and of whom Forman was used to say he would be a dunce: yet in
continuance of time he proved a singular astrologer and physician. Sir
Richard now living, I believe, has all those rarities in possession,
which were Forman's, being kinsman and heir unto Dr. Napper. (His son
Thomas Napper, Esq.; most generously gave most of these manuscripts to
Elias Ashmole, Esq.;) I hope you will pardon this digression.
After my mistress was dead, I lived most comfortably, my master having a
great affection for me.
The year 1625 now comes on, and the plague exceeding violent, I will
relate what I observed the spring before it broke forth. Against our
corner house every night there would come down, about five or six of the
clock, sometime one hundred or more boys, some playing, others as if in
serious discourse, and just as it grew dark would all be gone home; many
succeeding years there was no such, or any concourse, usually no more
than four or five in a company: In the spring of 1625, the boys and
youths of several parishes in like number appeared again, which I
beholding, called Thomas Sanders, my landlord, and told him, that the
youth and young boys of several parishes did in that nature assemble and
play, in the beginning of the year 1625. 'God bless us,' quoth I, 'from
a plague this year;' but then there succeeded one, and the greatest that
ever was in London. In 1625, the visitation encreasing, and my master
having a great charge of money and plate, some of his own, some other
men's, left me and a fellow-servant to keep the house, and himself in
June went into Leicestershire. He was in that year feoffee collector for
twelve poor alms-people living in Clement-Dane's Church-Yard; whose
pensions I in his absence paid weekly, to his and the parish's great
satisfaction. My master was no sooner gone down, but I bought a
bass-viol, and got a master to instruct me; the intervals of time I
spent in bowling in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, with Wat the cobler, Dick the
blacksmith, and such like companions: We have sometimes been at our work
at six in the morning, and so continued till three or four in the
afternoon, many times without bread or drink all that while. Sometimes I
went to church and heard funeral sermons, of which there was then great
plenty. At other times I went early to St. Antholine's in London, where
there was every morning a sermon. The most able people of the whole city
and suburbs were out of town; if any remained, it were such as were
engaged by parish-officers to remain; no habit of a gentleman or woman
continued; the woeful calamity of that year was grievous, people dying
in the open fields and in open streets. At last, in August, the bills of
mortality so encreased, that very few people had thoughts of surviving
the contagion: the Sunday before the great bill came forth, which was of
five thousand and odd hundreds, there was appointed a sacrament at
Clement Dane's; during the destributing whereof I do very well remember
we sang thirteen parts of the one hundred and nineteenth Psalm. One
Jacob, our minister (for we had three that day, the communion was so
great) fell sick as he was giving the sacrament, went home, and was
buried of the plague the Thursday following, Mr. James, another of the
ministers, fell sick ere he had quite finished, had the plague, and was
thirteen weeks ere he recovered. Mr. Whitacre, the last of the three,
escaped not only then, but all the contagion following, without any
sickness at all; though he officiated at every funeral, and buried all
manner of people, whether they died of the plague or not. He was given
to drink, seldom could preach more than one quarter of an hour at a
time, &c. In November my master came home. My fellow-servant's and my
diet came weekly to six shillings and sixpence, sometimes to seven
shillings, so cheap was diet at that time.
In February of that year, my master married again (one who after his
death became my wife.) In the same year he settled upon me, during my
life, twenty pounds per annum, which I have enjoyed ever since, even to
the writing hereof.
May 22, 1627, my master died at the corner house in the Strand, where I
also lived so long. He died intestate; my mistress relinquishing the
administration, it came to his elder brother, who assigned the estate
over to me for payment of my master's debts; which being paid, I
faithfully returned the remaining part unto his administrator; nor had
one penny of the estate more than twenty pounds per annum, which was
allowed me by contract, to undertake the payment of my master's debts.
OF MY MARRIAGE THE FIRST TIME.
My mistress, who had been twice married to old men, was now resolved to
be couzened no more; she was of a brown ruddy complexion, corpulent, of
but mean stature, plain, no education, yet a very provident person, and
of good condition: she had many suitors, old men, whom she declined;
some gentlemen of decayed fortunes, whom she liked not, for she was
covetous and sparing: by my fellow-servant she was observed frequently
to say, she cared not if she married a man that would love her, so that
he had never a penny; and would ordinarily talk of me when she was in
bed: this servant gave me encouragement to give the onset: I was much
perplexed hereat, for should I attempt her, and be slighted, she would
never care for me afterwards; but again, I considered that if I should
attempt and fail, she would never speak of it; or would any believe I
durst be so audacious as to propound such a question, the disproportion
of years and fortune being so great betwixt us: however, all her talk
was of husbands, and in my presence saying one day after dinner, she
respected not wealth, but desired an honest man; I made answer, I
thought I could fit her with such a husband; she asked me, where? I made
no more ado, but presently saluted her, and told her myself was the man:
she replied, I was too young; I said nay; what I had not in wealth, I
would supply in love; and saluted her frequently, which she accepted
lovingly; and next day at dinner made me sit down at dinner with my hat
on my head, and said, she intended to make me her husband; for which I
gave her many salutes, &c.
I was very careful to keep all things secret, for I well knew, if she
should take counsel of any friend, my hopes would be frustrated,
therefore I suddenly procured her consent to marry, unto which she
assented; so that upon the eighth day of September, 1627, at St.
George's church in Southwark, I was married unto her, and for two whole
years we kept it secret. When it was divulged, and some people blamed
her for it, she constantly replied, that she had no kindred; if I proved
kind, and a good husband, she would make me a man; if I proved
otherwise, she only undid herself. In the third and fourth years after
our marriage, we had strong suits of law with her first husband's
kindred, but overthrew them in the end. During all the time of her life,
which was until October, 1633, we lived very lovingly, I frequenting no
company at all; my exercises were sometimes angling, in which I ever
delighted: my companions, two aged men. I then frequented lectures, two
or three in a week; I heard Mr. Sute in Lombard-Street, Mr. Gouge of
Black-Fryars, Dr. Micklethwait of the Temple, Dr. Oldsworth, with
others, the most learned men of these times, and leaned in judgment to
Puritanism. In October, 1627, I was made free of the Salters' company in
London.
HOW I CAME TO STUDY ASTROLOGY.
It happened on one Sunday, 1632, as myself and a Justice of Peace's
clerk were, before service, discoursing of many things, he chanced to
say, that such a person was a great scholar, nay, so learned, that his
could make an Almanack, which to me then was strange: one speech begot
another, till, at last, he said, he could bring me acquainted with one
Evans in Gunpowder-Alley, who had formerly lived in Staffordshire, that
was an excellent wise man, and studied the Black Art. The same week
after we went to see Mr. Evans. When we came to his house, he, having
been drunk the night before, was upon his bed, if it be lawful to call
that a bed whereon he then lay; he roused up himself, and, after some
compliments, he was content to instruct me in astrology; I attended his
best opportunities for seven or eight weeks, in which time I could set a
figure perfectly: books he had not any, except _Haly de judiciis
Astrorum_, and _Orriganus's Ephemerides_; so that as often as I entered
his house, I thought I was in the wilderness. Now something of the man:
he was by birth a Welshman, a Master of Arts, and in sacred orders; he
had formerly had a cure of souls in Staffordshire, but now was come to
try his fortunes at London, being in a manner enforced to fly for some
offences very scandalous, committed by him in these parts, where he had
lately lived; for he gave judgment upon things lost, the only shame of
astrology: he was the most saturnine person my eyes ever beheld, either
before I practised or since; of a middle stature; broad forehead,
beetle-browed, thick shoulders, flat nosed, full lips, down-looked,
black curling stiff hair, splay-footed; to give him his right, he had
the most piercing judgment naturally upon a figure of theft, and many
other questions, that I ever met withal; yet for money he would
willingly give contrary judgments, was much addicted to debauchery, and
then very abusive and quarrelsome, seldom without a black eye, or one
mischief of other: this is the same Evans who made so many antimornal
cups, upon the sale whereof he principally subsisted; he understood
Latin very well, the Greek tongue not at all: he had some arts above,
and beyond astrology, for he was well versed in the nature of spirits,
and had many times used the circular way of invocating, as in the time
of our familiarity he told me. Two of his actions I will relate, as to
me delivered. There was in Staffordshire a young gentlewoman that had,
for her preferment, married an aged rich person, who was desirous to
purchase some lands for his wife's maintenance; but this young
gentlewoman, his wife, was desired to buy the land in the name of a
gentleman, her very dear friend, but for her use: after the aged man was
dead, the widow could by no means procure the deed of purchase from her
friend; whereupon she applies herself to Evans, who, for a sum of money,
promises to have her deed safely delivered into her own hands; the sum
was forty pounds. Evans applies himself to the invocation of the angel
Salmon, of the nature of Mars, reads his Litany in the
_Common-Prayer-Book_ every day, at select hours, wears his surplice,
lives orderly all that time; at the fortnight's end Salmon appeared, and
having received his commands what to do, in a small time returns with
the very deed desired, lays it down gently upon a table where a white
cloth was spread, and then, being dismissed, vanished. The deed was, by
the gentleman who formerly kept it, placed among many other of his
evidences in a large wooden chest, and in a chamber at one end of the
house; but upon Salmon's; removing and bringing away the deed, all that
bay of building was quite blown down, and all his own proper evidences
torn all to pieces. The second story followeth.