Now for epilogue and remarkable reflection.
Turning over our annals, I chanced upon a two-fold circumstance: I
will not say, that none else hath observed the same; but I protest,
("Ita, me Deus amet, ut verum loquor") I do not know of any that have;
and therefore must justly claim to be acquitted from the least
suspicion of plagiarism, or plowing with others heifers.
The first is, of William the Conqueror. The second, of Edward III.
(I need not say any thing of the eminency of these two; every one
knows what great things they did.) And making reflection upon the
auspicious birth-day of His Royal Highness the Duke of York, I
adventured upon the following composure. (I cannot be proud of my
poetry; but I cannot but be glad of my Bon Heur, "d'avoir (en lisant)
tombe si fortuement sur les evenements d'un si Bon Jour".)
Ad Illustrissimum & Celsissimum Principem, Jacobum Ducem Eboracensem,
de Natali suo Auspicatissimo Octobris XIV. Anno 1633.
"--Deus
Anna nefasto te posuit die?" Hor. lib. 2. ode 13.
Oct. "Decimo quarto Normannus Haraldum
Dux superavit, & Hinc Regia sceptra tulit.
Tertius Edwardus, capto pernice Caleto,
(Gallica quo Regna sunt resarata sibi)
Ire domum tentans, diris turbinibus actus
In pelago, Vitae magna pericla subit."
Oct. Decimo quarto, tamen appulit Oras
Nativas. (His quam prosperus ille dies !)
Natali laetare tuo, guam Maxime Princeps;
Fausta velut sunt haec, Omnia semper habe."
October's fourteenth gave the Norman Duke
That victory, whence he Englands sceptre took.*
Third Edward, after he had Calais won,
(The mean whereby he France did over-run)
Returning home, by raging tempests tost,
(And near his life (so fortunes) to have lost)**
Arrived safe on shore the self-same date.
(This day to them afforded so fair fate.)
Great Duke, rejoice in this your day of birth;
And may such omens still encrease your mirth.
* Stow, in anno 1066.
** Stow, in anno 1347.
The Verses I presented in anno 1672, to a most honourable Peer of the
land, and of great place near his Royal Highness.
Since which time, old Fabian's chronicle coming into my hands, from
him I got knowledge, that that advantagious peace, mentioned by Stow,
anno 1360, (concluded between the forementioned King Edward III. And
the French King) was acted upon the fourteenth of October, with grand
solemnity.
The two former circumstances must needs fall out providentially:
whether this last of anno 1360, was designed by Edward III. or no, (as
remembering his former good hap) may be some question: I am of
opinion not. Where things are under a man's peculiar concern, he may
fix a time; but here was the French King concerned equally with the
English, and many other great personages interested. To have tied them
up to his own auspicious conceit of the day, had been an unkind
oppression, and would have brought the judgment of so wise a Prince
into question; we may conclude then, it was meerly fortuitous.
And therefore to the former observation concerning this famous Edward,
give me leave to add,
"Insuper hoc ipso die (sibi commoda) Grandis
Rex cum Galligenis, foedera fecit idem",
An advantageous peace, on day self-same,
This mighty Prince did with the Frenchmen frame.
A memorable peace (foretold by Nostradamus) much conducing to the
saving of Christian blood, was made upon the fourteenth of October
1557, between Pope Paul IV. Henry II. of France, and Philip II. of
Spain. Nostradamus says, these great Princes were "frappez du ciel",
moved from Heaven to make this peace. See Garencier's Comment on
Nostradamus, p. 76.
A lucky day this, not only to the Princes of England, but auspicious
to the welfare of Europe. John Gibbon, 1678.
Thus far Mr. John Gibbon. The Latin verses of the twelve months quoted
by him out of an old manuscript, I have seen in several mass-books;
and they are printed in the calendar to the works of the Venerable
Bede. 'Tis to be presumed, that they were grounded upon experience;
but we have no instances left us of the memorables of those days. As
for the third and tenth of September, I have here set down some
extractions from a little book called The Historian's Guide: or,
Britain's Remembrancer; which was carefully collected by a club. It
begins at the year 1600, and is continued to 1690. There cannot be
found in all the time aforesaid, the like instances.
"Tertia Septembris, & denus fere mala membris".
September 3,1641. The Parliament adjourned to the 20th of October
next, and the Irish rebellion broke out, where were 20,000 persons
barbarously murdered.
September 3, 1643. Biddeford, Appleford, and Barnstable surrendered to
the King.
September 3, 1650. Dunbar fight.
September 3, 1651. Worcester fight.
September 3, 1651. Earl of Derby defeated at Preston.
September 3,1654. A third Parliament at Westminster.
September 3, 1658. Oliver, Protector died.
September 3, 1675. The town of Northampton near burnt down to the
ground by accidental fire.
September 3, 1662. William Lenthal, Speaker of the House of Commons,
died.
September 3, 4, 1665. Four Dutch men of war, two East-India ships, and
several merchant-men taken by the Earl of Sandwich, with the loss only
of the Hector.
September 2, 1644. The Earl of Essex fled to Plymouth, and the army
submitted to the King.
September 2, 1645. The Scots raised the siege from before Hereford.
September 2, 1653. The Londoners petition the Parliament to continue
tythes.
September 2, 1685. The Lady Lisle beheaded at Winchester, for
harbouring Hicks, a rebel..
September 4, 1643. Exeter taken by Prince Maurice.
September 4, 1653. General Blake buried at Westminster.
September 5, 1652. The French fleet beaten by the English.
**Memorables on September the tenth.
September 10, 1643. The siege of Gloucester raised. I remember over
that gate which leads to Nymphs-field was this following inscription
in free-stone: the walls are now pulled down.
Always remember,
The tenth of September,
One thousand six hundred forty three,
And give God the glory.
September 10, 1645. Bristol surrendered to the Parliament.
September 10, 1649. Drogheda taken, as appears by Cromwell's letter to
the Speaker Lenthal.
September 10, 1660. Peace with Spain proclaimed.
September 10, 1670. Peace concluded between England and Spain in
America, was this day ratified at Madrid.
19 September 10, 1673. This day his majesty commanded the Earl of
Ossory to take the command of the fleet at the Buoy in the Nore, in
the absence of Prince Rupert.
September 12, 1679. The King takes from the Duke of Monmouth his
commission of General.
September 12, 1680. Mrs. Cellier tried at the Old Bailey, for
publishing a book called Malice Defeated, &c. and found guilty.
September 12, 1683. The siege of Vienna raised (after the besieged had
lost 10,000 men, and the besiegers 70,000) by the King of Poland, and
the Duke of Lorrain.
May 29, 1630. King Charles II. born.
May 29, 1660. Restored.
May 29, 1672. The fleet beaten by the Dutch.
May 29, 1679. A rebellion broke out in the west of Scotland, where
they proclaimed the covenant, and put forth a declaration.
The Emperor Charles V. was born on February 24, 1500.
He won the battle of Pavia, February 24, 1525.
Clement VII. crowned him Emperor, February 24, 1530.
Raphael d'Urbino (the famous painter) was born on Good-Friday, and
died on Good-Friday. At Feltwell in Norfolk (which lies east and west)
a fire happened to break out at the west end, which the west wind blew
and burned all the street: on that day twenty years, another fire
happened there, which began at the east end, and burned it to the
ground again. This I had from a reverend divine. Quaere de hoc.
Colonel Hugh Grove of Wiltshire, was beheaded at Exeter (together with
Colonel John Penruddock) on the ninth day of May 1655. On that very
day three years, his son and heir died at London of a malignant fever,
and about the same hour of the day.
A very good friend of mine and old acquaintance was born on the 15th
of November: his eldest son was born on the 15th of November, and his
second son's first son on the 15th of November.
At thee hour of prime, April 6, 1327, Petrarch first saw his mistress
Laura in the Church of Saint Clara in Avignon. In the same city, same
month, same hour, 1348, she died. 'Tis his own remark. Petrarcha
Redivivus, 242.
DAY FATALITY OF ROME,
**Written by Mr. JOHN PELL, D.D. from whom I had it.
THEY that called the city of Rome, "Urbs AEterna", seemed to believe
that Rome could never be destroyed. But there have been great numbers
of men, that did verily believe, that it shall have an irrecoverable
over-throw. Writers have proceeded so far, as to foretell the time of
Rome's final ruin. Some said that Rome's perdition should happen in
the year of Christ 1670, they have now been decried nine whole years:
so that few take care to know what reasons moved them to pitch upon
that number.
A Lutheran historian, anno 1656, wrote thus, "Finem Jubileorum
Ecclesiasticorum omniumque temporum in Scriptura revelatorum, desinere
in Annum Christi Millesimum sexcentesimum & septuagesimum, antehac
observavit Beatus Gerhardus cum Philippo Nicolao". But all men are not
of Dr. Gerhard's opinion. Many men believe, that some of the
prophecies in the Revelations do reach far beyond our times, and that
the events of future times will unclasp and unseal a considerable
portion of the Apocalypse. One of the reasons, that recommended the
number of 1670, was because it is the sum of 410, and 1260.
Historians agree, that in the year of Christ 410, in the month of
August, Rome was trampled under foot, and her heathen inhabitants were
miserably slaughtered by the victorious army of Alaric, a Christian
King of the Goths. Paulus Diaconus saith, August the 24th was the day
of King Alaric's taking Rome. Kedrenus saith, it was August the 26th,
perhaps the army first entered the 24th, and the King followed not
till two days after.
As for the other number 1260. It is twice found
in the Revelations of St. John, ch. 11, 3. "My two witnesses shall
prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days." And chap. 12, 6. "
Should feed the woman in the Wilderness, a thousand two hundred and
threescore days. "And it is there expressed in another form, (42 times
30) chap. 11, 2. "The Gentiles shall tread the holy city under foot
forty and two months." Chap. 13, 5. "Power was given to the
blasphemous beast to continue forty and two months." Chap. 12, 14.
"The woman is nourished in the Wilderness for ({Greek text: Kairon kai
kaironos kai hemisu kairon}) a season and seasons, and half a season."
See Act. 1, 7. 360 and 720, and 180 are equal to 1260. So it seems
every {Greek text: kaipo} hath 360 days, or twelve months at thirty
days to a month. No doubt Daniel had given occasion to this
expression, chap. 7, 25. " A time, and times, and the dividing of
time." No man can ground any distinct reasoning upon such general
words. But yet it is not tied to a just number of days, (as 360) but
is capable of various interpretations in several prophecies. Daniel
useth a plural in both places, and not a dual, (two times and two
seasons) nor doth John say, two seasons: but by his Numeral
Illustration, he teaches us to understand him, as if he had said,
(chap. 12, 14). " For three seasons and half a season:" I say Numeral
Illustration. For I take it to be no other than an easy example (12
and 24 and 6 are 42) to direct the sons of the prophets not yet
arrived to the skill of dealing with difficult supputations of numbers
not then discoverable. As Revel. 13, 18. "Here is wisdom, let him that
hath understanding count the number of the beast."
By 1260 days, almost all the interpreters understand so many years,
but not a year of 360 days; because they find no nation that hath so
short a year. The Egyptians had a year of just 365 days; but before
St. John was born, the Romans had forced them to allow 365 1/4 as
we use now in England.
In an enquiry concerning Rome, it is fit to consider the
length of a Roman year. (I may justly say a Roman-Moyed; for no city
ever had their year's length and form of a calendar determined,
settled, and commanded with so much absolute authority as Rome had)
Julius Caesar by an edict commanded that number of 365 1/4
to be observed, and therefore it is called a Julian year. Three
Julians and an half have days 1278 3/8, but Julian years 1378 3/8
are 1278 Julian years, and days 136 31/32; or almost 137 days.
Almost 100 years ago, Pope Gregory the XIII by a papal bull introduced
a calendar wherein the year's length is supposed to have days 365
97/500 Then three Gregorian years and an half have days 1278 279/800
But Gregorian years 1278 279/800 are 1278 Julian years, and days
almost 118. Wherefore instead of adding 1260, add 1278, add 137 days
to the year of our Lord 410, August 26. The sum shews the year of our
Lord 1688, August 163, that is, ten days after the end of December
1688 old stile. This is the utmost, or farthest day, beyond which no
Apocalypse account (reckoning from Alaric) can point out a time for
the final destruction of the city of Rome.
Again (instead of adding 1260) add 1278 years, and days 118 to the
year of our Lord 410, August 24. The sum shews the year of our Lord
1688, August 142, that is, eleven days before the end of December 1688
old stile. This (December 20) is the nearest or soonest day that can
be gathered by Apocalyptic account (reckoning from Alaric) to point
out the time of Rome's final ruin. But if it happens not before the
eleventh of January, men will make no more reckoning of Alaric; but
begin a new account from Attila, in the year of Christ, 453.
Calculation to a day (when we can do it) may be defended by a great
example. Exod. 12, 41. "At the end of 430 years, even the self-same
day, &c." John Pell.
Dr. Pell told me, that St. Augustin writes
somewhere, to this purpose, viz. "That it were to be wished, that
some skilful mathematician would take the pains to examine and
consider the mathematical parts of the holy scripture."
OF FATALITIES OF FAMILIES
AND PLACES.
THE Lord Chancellor Bacon says,* " As for nobility in particular
persons, it is a reverend thing to see an antient castle or building
not in decay: or to see a fair timber tree sound and perfect; how much
more to behold an antient noble family, which hath stood against the
waves and weathers of time: for new nobility is but the act of power;
but antient nobility is the act of time."
*Essay XIV. of Nobility.
But "Omnium rerum est vicissitudo": families and places have their
fatalities, according to that of Ovid.
"Fors sua cuique loco est". Fast. lib. 4.
This piece of a verse puts me in mind of several places in Wiltshire,
and elsewhere, that are, or have been fortunate to their owners: and
e contra.
Stourton, (the seat of the Lord Stourton) was belonging to this family
before the conquest. They say, that after the victory at Battaile,
William the Conqueror came in person into the west, to receive their
rendition; that the Lord Abbot of Glastonbury, and the rest of the
Lords and Grandees of the western parts waited upon the Conqueror at
Stourton-house; where the family continue to this day.
The honourable family of the Hungerfords, is probably of as great
antiquity as any in the county of Wilts. Hungerford, (the place of the
barony) was sold but lately by Sir Edward Hungerford, Knight of the
Bath; as also the noble and ancient seat of Farleigh-Castle, about
anno 167-. But that this estate should so long continue is not very
strange; for it being so vast, 'twas able to make several
withstandings against the shock of fortune.
The family of Gawen, have been long at Norington, in the parish of
Alvideston in Wiltshire. It was sold by --- Gawen, Esq. to Sir Wadham
Wyndham, one of the Judges of the King's Bench, about 1665. They
continued in this place four hundred fifty and odd years. Then also
was sold their estate in Broad-Chalk, which they had as long, or
perhaps longer. On the south down of the farm of Broad-Chalk, is a
little barrow, called Gawen's Barrow (which must be before
ecclesiastical canons were constituted; for since, burials are only
in consecrated ground). King Edgar gave the manor and farm of Broad-
Chalk to the nuns of Wilton-Abby, which is 900 years ago.
Mr. Thynne, in his explanation of the hard words in Chaucer, writes
thus, Gawen, fol. 23, p. 1. This Gawyn was sisters son to Arthur the
Great, King of the Britains, a famous man in war, and in all manner
of civility; as in the acts of the Britains we may read. In the year
1082, in a province of Wales, called Rose, was his sepulchre found.
Chaucer, in the Squire's Tale.
This straunger night that came thus sodenly
All armed, save his head, full royally
Salued the King, and Queen, and Lordes all
By order as they sitten in the Hall
With so high Reverence and Obeisaunce
As well in Speech as in Countenaunce,
That Gawain with his old Courtesie,
Though he came again out of Fairie,
He could him not amend of no word.
Sir William Button of Tockenham, Baronet, (the father) told me that
his ancestors had the lease of Alton-farm (400. per annum) in Wilts,
(which anciently belonged to Hyde-Abby juxta Winton) four hundred
years. Sir William's lease expired about 1652, and so fell into the
hands of the Earl of Pembroke.
Clavel, of Smedmore, in the Isle of Purbec, in the county of Dorset,
was in that place before the conquest, as appears by Dooms-day book.
The like is said of Hampden, of Hampden in Bucks: their pedigree says,
that one of that family had the conduct of that county in two
invasions of the Danes. Also Pen of Pen, in that county, was before
the conquest, as by Dooms-day book.
Contrariwise, there are several places unlucky to their possessors,
e. g. Charter-house, on Mendip in Somersetshire, never passed yet to
the third generation. The manor of Butleigh near Glastonbury, never
went yet to the third generation.
Bletchington, in Oxfordshire, continued in the family of the Panures,
for about 300 years: it was alienated by --- Panure, to Sir John
Lenthal, about the year 1630, who sold it again to Sir Thomas Coghill,
about 1635. He sold it to William Lewis, Esq. whose relict made it
over to the Duke of Richmond and Lenox, about the year 166-. His Grace
sold it to Arthur, Earl of Anglesey, about the year 166-.
Fatality of proper names of Princes, e. g. Augustus, the first Roman
Emperor, and Augustulus the last. Constantine, the first Grecian
Emperor, and Constantine the last. The like is observed of the first
and last Mexican Emperors. And the Turks have a prophesy that the last
Emperor will be a Mahomet.
John hath been an unfortunate name to Kings. All the second Kings
since the conquest have been unfortunate.
London-Derry was the first town in Ireland that declared for the
Parliament against King Charles I. and for the Prince of Orange
against King James II. It was closely besieged both times without
effect. The King's party were once masters of all the kingdom, except
London-Derry and Dublin, and King James had all in his power but
London-Derry and Inniskilling. One Taylor, a minister, was as famous
for his martial feats in the first siege, as Walker in the last.
'Tis certain, that there are some houses unlucky to their inhabitants,
which the reverend and pious Dr. Nepier could acknowledge. See Tobit,
chap. 3, v. 8. "That she had been married to seven husbands, whom
Asmodasus, the evil spirit, had killed, before they had lain with her."
The Fleece-tavern, in Covent-garden, (in York-street) was very
unfortunate for Homicides:* there have been several killed, three in
my time. It is now (1692) a private house.
"Clifton the master of the house, hanged himself, having perjured
himself." MS. Note in a copy of the Miscellanies in the Library of the
Royal Society.
A handsome brick house on the south side of Clerkenwell church-yard
had been so unlucky for at least forty years, that it was seldom
tenanted; and at last, no body would adventure to take it. Also a
handsome house in Holborn, that looked towards the fields; the tenants
of it did not prosper, several, about six.
At the sign of--- over against Northumberland house, near Charing-
Cross, died the Lady Baynton, (eldest daughter of Sir John Danvers of
Dansey.) Some years after in the same house, died my Lady Hobbey (her
sister) of the small-pox, and about twenty years after, died their
nephew Henry Danvers, Esq. of the small-pox, aged twenty-one, wanting
two weeks. He was nephew and heir to the Right Honourable Henry
Danvers, Earl of Danby.
Edmund Wild, Esq. hath had more Deodands from his manor of Totham in
Essex, than from all his estate besides: two mischiefs happened in
one ground there. Disinheriting the eldest son is forbid in the holy
scripture, and estates disinherited are observed to be unfortunate;
of which one might make a large catalogue. See Dr. Saunderson's
Sermon, where he discourses of this subject.
**Periodical Small-Poxes.
The small-pox is usually in all great towns:* but it is observed at
Taunton in Somersetshire, and at Sherborne in Dorsetshire, that at one
of them at every seventh year, and at the other at every ninth year
comes a small-pox, which the physicians cannot master, e. g.
* This account, I had from Mr. Thomas Ax.
Small-pox in Sherborne ** during the year 1626.
And during the year 1634.
>From Michaelmas 1642, to Mich. 1643.
>From Michaelmas 1649, to Mich. 1650.
>From Michaelmas 1657, to Midi. 1658.
In the year 1667, from Jan. to Sept. 1667.
Mr. Ax promised me to enquire the years it happened there after
1670, and 1680; but death prevented him.
** Extracted out of the register-book.