William Lilly's History of His Life and Times by William Lilly

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His Majesty had many misfortunes ever attending him, during his abode at
Oxford; some by reason of that great animosity betwixt Prince Rupert and
the Lord Digby, each endeavouring to cross one another; but the worst of
all was by treachery of several officers under his command, and in his
service; for the Parliament had in continual pay one Colonel of the
King's Council of War; one Lieutenant-Colonel; one Captain; one Ensign;
one or two Serjeants; several Corporals, who had constant pay, and duly
paid them every month, according to the capacity of their officers and
places, and yet none of these knew any thing of each other's being so
employed. There were several well-wishers unto the Parliament in Oxford,
where each left his letter, putting it in at the hole of a glass-window,
as he made water in the street. What was put in at the window in any of
those houses, was the same day conveyed two miles off by some in the
habit of town-gardeners, to the side of a ditch, where one or more were
ever ready to give the intelligence to the next Parliament garrison: I
was then familiar with all the spies that constantly went in and out to
Oxford.

But once more to my own actions. I had, in 1652 and 1653 and 1654, much
contention with Mr. Gatacre of Rotherhithe, a man endued with all kind
of learning, and the ablest man of the whole synod of divines in the
Oriental tongues.

The synod had concluded to make an exposition upon the bible; some
undertook one book, some another. Gatacre fell upon _Jeremy_. Upon
making his exposition on the 2d verse of the 10th chapter,

'Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of
heaven, for the heathen are dismayed at them.'

In his _Annotations_ thereupon, he makes a scandalous exposition; and in
express terms, hints at me, repeating _verbatim_, ten or twelve times,
an _Epistle_ of mine in one of my former _Anglicus_.

The substance of my _Epistle_ was, that I did conceive the good angels
of God did first reveal astrology unto mankind, &c. but he in his
_Annotations_ calls me blind buzzard, &c.

Having now liberty of the press, and hearing the old man was very
cholerick, I thought fit to raise it up--and only wrote--I referred my
discourse then in hand to the discussion and judgment of sober persons,
but not unto Thomas Wiseacre, for _Senes bis pueri_: These very words
begot the writing of forty-two sheets against myself and astrology. The
next year I quibbled again in three or four lines against him, then he
printed twenty-two sheets against me. I was persuaded by Dr. Gauden,
late Bishop of Exeter, to let him alone; but in my next year's
_Anglicus_, in August observations, I wrote, _Hac in tumba jacet
Presbyter & Nebulo_, in which very month he died.

Several divines applied themselves unto me, desiring me to forbear any
further vexing of Mr. Gatacre; but all of them did as much condemn him
of indiscretion, that in so sober a piece of work as that was, viz. in
an _Annotation_ upon a sacred text of scripture to particularize me and
in that dirty language: they pitied him, that he had not better
considered with himself ere he published it.

Dean Owen of Christ's-Church in Oxford, also in his sermons had sharp
invectives against me and astrology; I cried quittance with him, by
urging Abbot Panormitan's judgment of astrology contrary to Owen's, and
concluded, 'An Abbot was an ace above a Dean.'

One Mr. Nye of the assembly of divines, a Jesuitical Presbyterian,
bleated forth his judgment publickly against me and astrology: to be
quit with him, I urged Causinus the Jesuit's approbation of astrology,
and concluded, _Sic canibus catulos, &c_.

In some time after the Dutch Ambassador being offended with some things
in _Anglicus_, presented a memorial to the Council of State, that
_Merlinus Anglicus_ might be considered, and the abuses against their
nation examined; but his paper was not accepted of, or I any way
molested.

In Oliver's Protectorship, I wrote freely and satyrical enough: he was
now become Independant, and all the soldiery my friends; for when he was
in Scotland, the day of one of their fights, a soldier stood with
_Anglicus_ in his hand; and as the several troops passed by him, 'Lo,
hear what Lilly saith; you are in this month promised victory, fight it
out, brave boys;' and then read that month's prediction.

I had long before predicted the downfall of Presbytery, as you (most
honoured Sir) in the figure thereof, in my _Introduction_, may observe;
and it was upon this occasion. Sir Thomas Middleton of Chark Castle,
enemy to Presbytery, seeing they much prevailed, being a member of the
House, seriously demanded my judgment, if Presbytery should prevail, or
not, in England? The figure printed in my _Introduction_, will best give
you an account, long before it happened, of the sinking and failing of
Presbytery; so will the second page of my _Hieroglyphicks_. Those men,
to be serious, would preach well; but they were more lordly than
Bishops, and usually, in their parishes, more tyrannical than the Great
Turk.

* * * * *

OF THE YEAR 1660; THE ACTIONS WHEREOF, AS THEY WERE REMARKABLE IN
ENGLAND, SO WERE THEY NO LESS MEMORABLE AS TO MY PARTICULAR FORTUNE AND
PERSON.

Upon the Lord General Monk's returning from Scotland with his army into
England, suddenly after his coming to London, Richard Cromwell, the then
Protector's, authority was laid aside, and the old Parliament restored;
the Council of State sat as formerly. The first act they put the General
upon was, to take down the city gates and portcullisses, an act which,
the General said, was fitter for a Janizary to do than for a General;
yet he effected the commands received, and then lodged in the city with
his army. The citizens took this pulling down of their gates so
heinously, that one night the ruder sort of them procured all the rumps
of beef, and other baggage, and publickly burnt them in the streets, in
derision of the then Parliament, calling them that now sat, The Rump.
This hurly-burly was managed as well by the General's soldiers as the
citizens. The King's health was publickly drank all over the city, to
the confusion of the Parliament. The matter continued until midnight, or
longer. The Council of State, sitting at White-Hall, had hereof no
knowledge, until Sir Martin Noell, a discreet citizen, came about nine
at night, and then first informed them thereof. The Council could not
believe it, until they had sent some ministers of their own, who
affirmed the verity thereof. They were at a stand, and could not resolve
what to do; at last Nevil Smith came, being one of them, and publickly
protested there was but one way to regain their authority, and to be
revenged of this affront, and to overthrow the Lord General Monk, whom
they now perceived intended otherways than he had pretended; his council
was, to take away Monk's commission, and to give a present commission to
Major-General Lambert to be their General; which counsel of his, if they
would take and put it speedily in execution, would put an end unto all
the present mischiefs. The Council in general did all very well approve
Nevil Smith's judgment; but presently up starts Sir Arthur Hazellrigg,
and makes a sharp invective against Lambert, and concluded, he would
rather perish under the King of Scot's power, than that Lambert should
ever any more have command under the Parliament.

The Lord General suddenly after brings in the long excluded Members to
sit in Parliament, being persons of great judgment, and formerly
enforced from sitting therein by the soldiery, and connivance of those
who stiled themselves the godly part of the Parliament. These honourable
patriots presently voted his Majesty's coming into England, and so he
did in May 1660. But because Charles the Second, now (1667) King of
England, Son of Charles the First, grandchild to James the First, King
of Great Britany, was so miraculously restored, and so many hundreds of
years since prophesied of by Ambrose Merlin, it will not be impertinent
to mention the prophecies themselves, the rather because we have seen
their verification.

AMBROSE MERLIN'S PROPHECY WROTE ABOUT 990 YEARS SINCE.

He calls King James, The Lion of Righteousness; and saith, when he died,
or was dead, there would reign a noble White King; this was Charles the
First. The prophet discovers all his troubles, his flying up and down,
his imprisonment, his death; and calls him Aquila. What concerns Charles
the Second, is the subject of our discourse: in the Latin copy it is
thus:

_Deinde ab Austro veniet cum Sole super ligneos equos, & super spumantem
inundationem maris, Pullus Aquilae navigans in Britanniam._

_Et applicans statim tunc altam domum Aquilae sitiens, & cito aliam
sitiet._

_Deinde Pullus Aquilae nidificabit in summa rupe totius Britanniae: nec
juvenis occidet, nec ad senem vivet._

This, in an old copy, is Englished thus:

'After then, shall come through the south with the sun, on horse of
tree, and upon all waves of the sea, the Chicken of the Eagle, sailing
into Britain, and arriving anon to the house of the Eagle, he shall shew
fellowship to them beasts.

'After, the Chicken of the Eagle shall nestle in the highest rock of all
Britain: nay, he shall nought be slain young; nay, he nought come old.'

Another Latin copy renders the last verse thus:

_Deinde pullus Aquilae nidificabit in summo rupium, nec juvenis
occidetur, nec ad senium perveniet._ There is after this, _percificato
regno omnes occidet_; which is intended of those persons put to death,
that sat as Judges upon his father's death.

THE VERIFICATION.

His Majesty being in the Low-Countries when the Lord General had
restored the secluded Members, the Parliament sent part of the Royal
Navy to bring him for England, which they did in May 1660. Holland is
East from England, so he came with the sun; but he landed at Dover, a
port in the south part of England. Wooden-horses, are the English ships.

_Tunc nidificabit in summo rupium._

The Lord General, and most of the gentry in England, met him in Kent,
and brought him unto London, then to White-hall.

Here, by the highest Rooch, (some write Rock,) is intended London, being
the metropolis of all England.

Since which time, unto this very day I write this story, he hath reigned
in England, and long may he do hereafter. 10th December, 1667.

Had I leisure, I might verify the whole preceding part concerning King
Charles. Much of the verification thereof is mentioned in my _Collection
of Prophecies_, printed 1645. But his Majesty being then alive, I
forbore much of that subject, not willing to give offence. I dedicated
that book unto him; and, in the conclusion thereof, I advised his return
unto Parliament, with these words, _Fac hoc & vives_.

There was also a _Prophecy_ printed 1588, in Greek characters, exactly
decyphering the long troubles the English nation had from 1641 until
1660; and then it ended thus:

'And after that shall come a dreadful dead man, and with him a Royal G.'
[it is Gamma in the Greek, intending C. in the Latin, being the third
letter in the alphabet,] 'of the best blood in the world, and he shall
have the Crown, and shall set England on the right way, and put out all
heresies.'

Monkery being extinguished above eighty or ninety years, and the Lord
General's name being Monk, is the Dead Man. The Royal G. or C. is
Charles the Second, who, for his extraction, may be said to be of the
best blood in the world.

These two prophecies were not given vocally by the angels, but by
inspection of the crystal in types and figures, or by apparition the
circular way, where, at some distance, the angels appear, representing
by forms, shapes, and creatures, what is demanded. It is very rare, yea,
even in our days, for any operator or master to have the angels speak
articulately; when they do speak, it is like the Irish, much in the
throat.

What further concerns his Majesty, will more fully be evident about 1672
or 1674, or, at farthest, in 1676. And now unto my own actions in 1660.

In the first place, my fee-farm rents, being of the yearly value of one
hundred and twenty pounds, were all lost by his Majesty's coming to his
restoration: but I do say truly, the loss thereof did never trouble me,
or did I repine thereat.

In June of that year, a new Parliament was called, whereunto I was
unwillingly invited by two messengers of the Serjeant at Arms. The
matter whereupon I was taken into custody was, to examine me concerning
the person who cut off the King's head, viz. the late King's.

Sir Daniel Harvey, of Surry, got the business moved against me in great
displeasure, because, at the election of new knights for Surrey, I
procured the whole town of Walton to stand, and give their voices for
Sir Richard Onslow. The Committee to examine me, were Mr. Prinn, one
Colonel King, and Mr. Richard Weston of Gray's-Inn.

God's providence appeared very much for me that day, for walking in
Westminster-Hall, Mr. Richard Pennington, son to my old friend Mr.
William Pennington, met me, and enquiring the cause of my being there,
said no more, but walked up and down the hall, and related my kindness
to his father unto very many Parliament men of Cheshire and Lancashire,
Yorkshire, Cumberland, and those northern countries, who numerously came
up into the Speaker's chamber, and bade me be of good comfort: at last
he meets Mr. Weston, one of the three unto whom my matter was referred
for examination, who told Mr. Pennington, that he came purposely to
punish me; and would be bitter against me; but hearing it related, viz.
my singular kindness and preservation of old Mr. Pennington's estate to
the value of six or seven thousand pounds, 'I will do him all the good I
can,' says he. 'I thought he had never done any good; let me see him,
and let him stand behind me where I sit:' I did so. At my first
appearance, many of the young members affronted me highly, and demanded
several scurrilous questions. Mr. Weston held a paper before his mouth;
bade me answer nobody but Mr. Prinn; I obeyed his command, and saved
myself much trouble thereby; and when Mr. Prinn put any difficult or
doubtful query unto me, Mr. Weston prompted me with a fit answer. At
last, after almost one hour's tugging, I desired to be fully heard what
I could say as to the person who cut Charles the First's head off.
Liberty being given me to speak, I related what follows, viz.

That the next Sunday but one after Charles the First was beheaded,
Robert Spavin, Secretary unto Lieutenant-General Cromwell at that time,
invited himself to dine with me, and brought Anthony Peirson, and
several others, along with him to dinner: that their principal discourse
all dinner-time was only, who it was that beheaded the King; one said it
was the common hangman; another, Hugh Peters; others also were
nominated, but none concluded. Robert Spavin, so soon as dinner was
done, took me by the hand, and carried me to the south window: saith he,
'These are all mistaken, they have not named the man that did the fact:
it was Lieutenant-Colonel JOICE; I was in the room when he fitted
himself for the work, stood behind him when he did it; when done, went
in again with him: there is no man knows this but my master, viz.
Cromwell, Commissary Ireton, and myself.' 'Doth not Mr. Rushworth know
it?' said I. 'No, he doth not know it,' saith Spavin. The same thing
Spavin since had often related unto me when we were alone. Mr. Prinn
did, with much civility, make a report hereof in the House; yet Norfolk
the Serjeant, after my discharge, kept me two days longer in arrest,
purposely to get money of me. He had six pounds, and his Messenger forty
shillings; and yet I was attached but upon Sunday, examined on Tuesday,
and then discharged, though the covetous Serjeant detained me until
Thursday. By means of a friend, I cried quittance with Norfolk, which
friend was to pay him his salary at that time, and abated Norfolk three
pounds, which we spent every penny at one dinner, without inviting the
wretched Serjeant: but in the latter end of the year, when the King's
Judges were arraigned at the Old-Bailey, Norfolk warned me to attend,
believing I could give information concerning Hugh Peters. At the
sessions I attended during its continuance, but was never called or
examined. There I heard Harrison, Scott, Clement, Peters, Hacker,
Scroop, and others of the King's Judges, and Cook the Sollicitor, who
excellently defended himself; I say, I did hear what they could say for
themselves, and after heard the sentence of condemnation pronounced
against them by the incomparably modest and learned Judge Bridgman, now
Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England.

One would think my troubles for that year had been ended; but in January
1662, one Everard, a Justice of Peace in Westminster, ere I was
stirring, sent a Serjeant and thirty four musqueteers for me to
White-Hall: he had twice that night seized about sixty persons, supposed
fanaticks, very despicable persons, many whereof were aged, some were
water-bearers, and had been Parliament-soldiers; others, of ordinary
callings: all these were guarded unto White-Hall, into a large room,
until day-light, and then committed to the Gate-House; I was had into
the guard-room, which I thought to be hell; some therein were sleeping,
others swearing, others smoaking tobacco. In the chimney of the room I
believe there was two bushels of broken tobacco-pipes, almost half one
load of ashes. Everard, about nine in the morning, comes, writes my
mittimus for the Gate-House, then shews it me: I must be contented. I
desired no other courtesy, but that I might be privately carried unto
the Gate-House by two soldiers; that was denied. Among the miserable
crew of people, with a whole company of soldiers, I marched to prison,
and there for three hours was in the open air upon the ground, where the
common house of office came down. After three hours, I was advanced from
this stinking place up the stairs, where there was on one side a company
of rude swearing persons; on the other side many Quakers, who lovingly
entertained me. As soon as I was fixed, I wrote to my old friend Sir
Edward Walker, Garter King at Arms, who presently went to Mr. Secretary
Nicholas, and acquainted him with my condition. He ordered Sir Edward to
write to Everard to release me, unless he had any particular information
against me, which he had not. He further said, it was not his Majesty's
pleasure that any of his subjects should be thus had to prison without
good cause shewed before. Upon receipt of Sir Edward's letter, Everard
discharged me, I taking the oaths of allegiance and supremacy. This
day's work cost me thirty-seven shillings. Afterwards Everard stood to
be Burgess for Westminster; sent me to procure him voices. I returned
answer, that of all men living he deserved no courtesy from me, nor
should have any.

In this year 1660, I sued out my pardon under the Broad Seal of England,
being so advised by good counsel, because there should be no
obstruction; I passed as William Lilly, Citizen and Salter of London; it
cost me thirteen pounds six shillings and eight pence.

There happened a verification of an astrological judgment of mine in
this year, 1660, which, because it was predicted sixteen years before it
came to pass, and the year expressly nominated, I thought fit to
mention.

In page 111 of my _Prophetical Merlin_, upon three sextile Aspects of
Saturn and Jupiter, made in 1659 and 1660, I wrote thus--

'This their friendly salutation comforts us in England, every man now
possesses his own vineyard; our young youth grow up unto man's estate,
and our old men live their full years; our nobles and gentlemen root
again; our yeomanry, many years disconsolated, now take pleasure in
their husbandry. The merchant sends out ships, and hath prosperous
returns; the mechanick hath quick trading: here is almost a new world;
new laws, new Lords. Now my country of England shall shed no more tears,
but rejoice with, and in the many blessings God gives or affords her
annually.'

And in the same book, page 118, over-against the year 1660, you shall
find, A bonny Scot acts his part.

The long Parliament would give Charles the Second no other title than
King of Scots.

I also wrote to Sir Edward Walker, Kt. Garter King at Arms in 1659, he
then being in Holland--

_Tu, Dominusque vester videbitis Angliam, infra duos annos_.--For in
1662, his moon came by direction to the body of the sun.

But he came in upon the ascendant directed unto the trine of Sol and
antiscion of Jupiter.

And happy it was for the nation he did come in, and long and
prosperously may he reign amongst us.

In 1663 and 1664, I had along and tedious law-suit in Chancery, M.C.
coming to quartile of Saturn; and the occasion of that suit, was
concerning houses; and my enemy, though aged, had no beard, was really
saturnine. We came unto a hearing Feb. 1664, before the Master of the
Rolls, Sir Harbottle Grimston, where I had the victory, but no costs
given me.

My adversary, not satisfied with that judgment, petitioned that most
just and honourable man, the Lord Chancellor Hyde, for a re-hearing his
cause before him.

It was granted, and the 13th June, 1664, my M.C. then directed to
quartile of Venus and Sol. His Lordship most judiciously heard it with
much attention, and when my adversary's counsel had urged those
depositions which they had against me, his Lordship stood up, and said,

'Here is not one word against Mr. Lilly.'--

I replied, 'My Lord, I hope I shall have costs.'

'Very good reason,' saith he; and so I had: and, at my departure out of
court, put off his hat, and bid 'God be with you.'

This is the month of Dec. 1667, wherein, by misfortune, he is much
traduced and highly persecuted by his enemies: is also retired, however
not in the least questioned for any indirect judgment as Chancellor, in
the Chancery; [but in other things he hath been very foul, as in the
articles drawn up by the Parliament against him, it appears. Which
articles I presume you have not seen, otherwise you would have been of
another mind, A W] for there was never any person sat in that place, who
executed justice with more uprightness, or judgment, or quickness for
dispatch, than this very noble Lord. God, I hope, in mercy will preserve
his person from his enemies, and in good time restore him unto all his
honours again: from my soul I wish it, and hope I shall live to see it.
Amen: _Fiat oh tu Deus justitiae_.

In 1663 and 1664, I was made churchwarden of Walton upon Thames,
settling as well as I could the affairs of that distracted parish, upon
my own charges; and upon my leaving the place, forgave them seven pounds
odd money due unto me.

In 1664, I had another law-suit with Captain Colborn, Lord of the manor
of Esher, concerning the rights of the parish of Walton. He had newly
purchased that manor, and having one hundred and fifty acres of ground,
formerly park and wood ground lying in our parish, conceived, he had
right of common in our parish of Walton: thereupon, he puts three
hundred sheep upon the common; part whereof I impounded: he replevins
them, and gave me a declaration. I answered it. The trial was to be at
the Assizes at Kingston in April 1664. When the day of trial came, he
had not one witness in his cause, I had many; whereupon upon conference,
and by mediation, he gave me eleven pounds for my charges sustained in
that suit, whereof I returned him back again fifty shillings: forty
shillings for himself, and ten shillings for the poor of the parish he
lived in.

This I did at my own cost and charges, not one parishioner joining with
me. I had now M.C. under quartile of Venus and Sol--both in my second,
ergo, I got money by this thing, or suit. Sir Bolstrode Whitlock gave me
counsel.

Now I come unto the year 1665, wherein that horrible and devouring
plague so extreamly raged in the city of London. 27th of June 1665, I
retired into the country to my wife and family, where since I have
wholly continued, and so intend by permission of God. I had, before I
came away, very many people of the poorer sort frequented my lodging,
many whereof were so civil, as when they brought waters, viz. urines,
from infected people, they would stand purposely at a distance. I
ordered those infected, and not like to die, cordials, and caused them
to sweat, whereby many recovered. My landlord of the house was afraid of
those poor people, I nothing at all. He was desirous I should be gone.
He had four children: I took them with me into the country and provided
for them. Six weeks after I departed, he, his wife, and man-servant died
of the plague.

In _Monarchy or no Monarchy_, printed 1651, I had framed an
Hieroglyphick, which you may see in page the 7th, representing a great
sickness and mortality; wherein you may see the representation of people
in their winding-sheets, persons digging graves and sepultures, coffins,
&c. All this was performed by the more secret _Key of Astrology_, or
_Prophetical Astrology_.

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