Good and Joyful NEWS FOR ENGLAND: OR, THE PROPHECY Of the Renowned Michael Nostradamus', THAT Charles the II. Of Great Britain, France and Ireland KING, Defender of the Faith, etc. Shall have a SON of his own Body lawfully begotten, that shall succeed him in the Imperial Throne of Great Britain, and all other his Dominions; and Reign long after his Father, most fortunately and well beloved.  
As it was taken out of the Translations of Dr. Theo. Garencieres, M. D. Col. Lond. Printed 1672. in Fol.  
With Observations concerning the present BLAZING-COMET:  
By J. B. Philalelos, a true and faithful Protestant, of the first and best Rate and Rank.  
LONDON: Printed for Allen Banks, 1681.   

§. 1. THis Michael Nostradamus' was a Physician, a Frenchman, and a Papist; and yet was a man of a sober conversation, and spoke of many things that are utterly opposite both to the French and Popish Interest; and so by consequence of his own too, and therefore may so much the more aptly be credited, in those things at lest which appear to be so.  
§. 2. What is the Reputation of his Prophecies for matter of the verity of them, is so well known all over Europe, and especially among the Learned who read what is written, that it needs not my Commendations or Testimony. It is observed unto admiration by all that have read him, how strangely he has forewarned of all the great things that of late years have been acted among us.  
§. 3. The Late Wars, the Treachery of the Scots in betraying the King, 
〈…〉 .10. 〈…〉 0,54. 〈…〉 .10. 〈…〉 6. 〈…〉 4.89. 〈…〉 49. 〈…〉 .10. 〈…〉 6.46 〈…〉 7.13. 〈…〉 6.74. 〈…〉 84. 〈…〉 .9.2. 〈…〉 53. 〈…〉 .2.51.  he has noted: Also how the Senate of London should put their King to death, and banish his Son; and after be Tributary to one with a bald head, for fourteen years; how the King should be restored; and how there would come Plague and Fire in London, because of the Just man that was put to death: And many other such like things he hath written of, which have all proved very true; the most of which, woeful experience is able to testify: And some indeed are such as we may justly remember with great joy.  
§. 4. True it is indeed, that many of his Prophecies are written in mystical and close Riddles, not to be understood as a man runs and reads: But yet are they such as a man who understands History, State-affairs, and something of Astrology, and indeed a taste of all sorts of Learning, may aptly (with labour and industry) unlock the greatest scrutinies thereof; and when they are opened, they are as plain and easy as the King's Highway.  
§. 5. And whether it was Naturally or Divinely that the man came by these things, God knows; but certain it is, he has been so very lucky in all his predictions, that I could never hear of any one saying of his, that was certainly fathered by him, and allowed by his Executors, and that was rightly understood, that ever was found faulty. And now having thus far bespoken my Author, come we to his Prophecies: And first, see what he says in general of our Kingdom of England. Cent. 10. Stanza 100 
The great Empire shall be in England,  
The Pempoton, for more than 300 year:  
Great Armies shall pass through Sea and Land,  
The Lusitanians shall not be contented there.  Here the only hard words are but two, whereof Pempoton shall seem to signify a Toss-pot, or Goodfellow; and by Lusitanians, which do properly signify the Portugals, may seem to be meant of the Spaniards, for so is his way, by some portion thereof to speak of a whole Country. The rest is plain, according to the literal sense.  
§. 6. Next see what he says of his own Country and Kingdom, in relation unto us. Cent. 3. St. 49. Cent. 9 St. 6. 
There shall be in Guienne an infinite number of English,  
Who shall occupy it by the name of Angle-Aquitain,  
Of Languedoc; I, by the Land of Bordeaux,  
Which afterwards they shall call Bardoxitane.  And again, Cent. 6. St. 43. Cent. 9 St. 38. 
The coming in at Blay by Rochel, and the English  
Shall go beyond the great Aemathien:  
Not far from Again, shall expect the French,  
Help from Narbonne, deceived by Entertainment.  We see here, how plainly this man forewarns his own Countrymen, that they shall be utterly conquered and overrun by the English. He names how they shall Land at Blay by Rochel, and shall possess all the Country of Guienne, and people it with Englishmen, and shall have Languedoc, and the Island called I, and all the Country as far as the great Aemathien, by which he means Germany, as he usually calls the Empire by that name. And many more sayings to the same purpose I could bring, to show and confirm the same thing; 
Cent. 3 St. 49. Cent. 6. St. 43. Cent. 6.7 & 1.84. Cent. 7. 1● & 3.8. Cent. 8. & 2.87. & 6.12.  and that it is to be done in this Age, by our present King, And I can further show out of the same Author, that the same Prince shall conquer Spain, and be Emperor of all Europe, and dethrone the Pope, and advance the true ancient Catholic and Apostolic Faith all over Christendom. But my business at present is to comfort my Countrymen, against their present sorrows and amazements, and to rid them of their fears of Popery, by reason of his Royal Highness the Duke of York, whom they generally fear to be a Papist. Now what Religion the Duke is really of, I am not to examine; only this I say, that so far as the credit of the famous Nostradamus' is able to warrant, his present Majesty Charles the II. of Great Britain, France and Ireland King, Defender of the true ancient Catholic and Apostolic Faith, will have an Heir of his own Body lawfully begotten, as appears by this following Stanza. Prophecies of the year 1600. St. 4. 
Du rond d'un Lis naistra un si grand Prince,  
Bien toast & tard venu dans sa Province,  
Saturn en Libra en Exaltation,  
Maison de Venus, en descroisante force,  
Dame en apres Masculine soubs l'Escorie,  
Pour maintenir l'heureux sang de Bourbon.  In English thus: 
From the round of the Lily shall be born a great Prince,  
Soon and late come into his Province,  
Saturn in Libra being in Exaltation,  
The House of Venus, being in a decreasing strength:  
A Woman afterwards with a Male under the Bark,  
To maintain the happy blood of Bourbon.   
§. 7. In this Prophecy we are to consider, first, who is this so great Prince born, as the Prophet calls him; and next, who shall be his Heir. As for the so great Prince born; true it is he is not called by name, but yet is he described by a character as sure as if he were so. He is to be one who was to be born when the Planet Saturn should be in the Sign called Libra, which is a Sign of the House of Venus, and Exaltation of Saturn. Next, he must be born too at such time as Saturn in Libra shall be decreasing in strength. 3ly. He must be of the Royal Blood of France, signified by the Round of the Lily, or the Lily in its Round; according to the manner of Coat-armour, where the Lilies are drawn or painted in a certain Circle, as they are with us in a Round Garter. 4ly. He must be such an one as in one sense should come late, and in another shall come soon into his Province. And lastly, He must be one of the Blood of the House of Bourbon.  
§. 8. Now all these marks or characters are true of our Sovereign Lord King Charles the II. and of no man but of him alone:  
For 1st. without any thing of calculating the King's Nativity, it is well known generally that his Majesty was born on the 29th. day of May, 1630. at what time the Planet Saturn was in the Sign Libra, which is the exaltation of Saturn, and House of Venus, wherein both of them are greatly dignified. But then, 2dly. withal, Saturn was at that time so placed there, at the very end of Libra, and Retrograde, that though he was essentially dignified in Libra, yet was it under a decreasing force or strength, or an abatement to his fortitude therein. 3dly. He is rightly descended by his Mother from the round of the Lily, which is called a round, because of his Garter about it. 4ly. He came soon or too soon to his Right to Reign, and yet late or very late in respect of his enjoyment. And lastly, He is by his Mother of the Blood of Bourbon. And as this is true of our King, so is it not true of any Prince besides, of the Royal Blood of France, and of the House of Bourbon.  
§. 9 Now to prove this Negative, we must note, that by the Blood of Bourbon and the Lily, are to be understood some great Princes descended from that Branch, of the Royal House of France, which was Duke of Bourbon in France. From the first Duke of Bourbon of the Royal Blood, are descended many noble Families; but of these many of them are out of capacity to be comprehended under this our Mark, which the Prophet names. And thus are all these Families which are obscure, and therefore such as cannot be called Princes born; and thus also are all that are born or descended of illegitimate Branches; and thus again are all those who though they are otherwise noble Families, yet are not born great Princes. Next we are to consider, that this great Prince must be one born since the writing of this Prophecy, and one who has left behind him a posthume Heir. And be sure from Nostradamus' time until this our Age, there was never yet any such posthume Heir left who became so great a Prince's for whereas Nostradamus' wrote in the time of Henry the II. of that Name French King; at what time Anthony Duke of Bourbon was a young Child then born, who afterwards became King of Navarr. And his Son was Henry the iv French King, who was the first of the House of Bourbon that became any thing of a great Prince, but was not born so, neither was he a posthume. His Son was Lewis the XIII. French King, born a great Prince, but no posthume. His Son is Lewis the XIV. the present French King, and born a great Prince, but no posthume, neither had he Saturn in Libra at his birth, but in the Sign Aquarius; and therefore no Child of his, though it should prove a posthume, can make him the man. Nor yet can the Dauphin his Son be that Prince, because at his birth Saturn was in Scorpio. Nor can the present King of Spain, who also is of Bourbon, be the man, who had Saturn in Scorpio too at his birth. Nor can the present Duke of Orleans be the person intended, at whose birth Saturn was in Aquarius. The Prince of Conde, and his Son the Duke of Enguien are of the House of Bourbon, but cannot properly be said to be born great Princes, and besides neither of them had Saturn at birth in the Sign Libra. The Duke of Savoy also is of this Blood, but no great Prince born. Lastly, To come unto the Issue of our late Queen Henrietta Maria, his Royal Highness James Duke of York was born when Saturn was in the Sign Sagittary, and the Prince of Crange when Saturn was in Cancer; so as neither of them also are in this capacity. And now having named all Princes of the Blood of Bourbon, that are in any capacity to be concerned in this Prophecy, and finding none of them under these Marks besides, I make account it is most clearly true, that it is our present Sovereign King Charles the II. of whom this Prophecy is verily intended; for after him of any it cannot be expected, becan se in him all the Marks and Characters are so fully agreed.  
§. 10. Next come we to treat of the Heir therefore, who is to succeed this great Prince. Of whom it is said, [A Woman or Wife afterwards with a Male under the bark or skin] which is as much as to say, with a male-Child in her womb, who shall maintain the happy Blood of Bourbon. Intimating, that his Majesty in his elder years shall be married again to a second Queen, who being a young fruitful Woman, shall be great with Child and shall bring forth a Son, that shall make happy the Blood of Bourbon. From whence that Son shall claim, by the Father's side, our King being the eldest Son of Henrietta Maria, who was the youngest Daughter of Henry the iv French King, who was the Son of Anthony, King of Navarr, and Duke of Bourbon.  
§: 11. And thus have I shown according to Nostradamus', (whose Prophecies I have never yet heard of to have failed) that our Sovereign Lord, our present King Charles the II. shall have lawful Issue-male of his own body begotten, to succeed him in the Empereal Throne of this Kingdom. Which may be a good heartening at least unto all honest Englishmen, who do sincerely mean well, and intent not to raise any factions or stirs without cause, because that our dangers of Popery approaching upon us by means of his Royal Highness being a Papist, are not so great as is generally expected.  
§. 12. And the truth is, it's a strange thing, this Prophecy, considering that in the life-time of this Michael Nostradamus', neither the House of Bourbon, nor this Family of our Sovereign, were in any likelihood to be Kings either of England or of France; and yet see how strangely things are come to pass, onwards of what he hath said. But let us add one Stanza more of the Fate of this posthume Prince, which is expected to be our King's next Heir. St. 48. of Proph. in 1600. 
The Phoenix of the old Charon shall be seen  
To be the first and last of the Sons:  
To shine in France beloved of every one;  
To reign a great while, with all the Honours  
That ever his Predecessors had;  
By which he shall make his Glory memorable.  Lo here a young Son, of an old Father, being all the Sons he shall ever have, (that is, of lawful birth) inheriting the Crown of France, which his Father shall conquer and leave unto him, and he shall enjoy it long, and with much good liking of all. The present Dauphine is an only Son, but not all the Sons his Father ever had; nor is he a Phoenix that is sprung up out of his Father's Ashes, or after his death, as uses to be said of the Phoenix: nor shall he therefore reign long, if at all.  
God save the King. Amen.   

The Author's Prophetical Wish.  
Let his Royal Highness James Duke of York live, and become as good a Protestant as any is in England; and let him enjoy greater Honours elsewhere, than the Crown of England is, at this day, worth.  
But let Charles the Third, who is to be the lawful Son of Charles the Second, inherit the Empire of Europe, which his Father shall leave him; and let J. B. live to see it happily performed. Amen. Amen.  
FINIS.   

A Word or two concerning the present COMET, or BLAZING-STAR.  
BEfore ever this prodigious Meteor was visible in England, we had notice of its appearing in several Parts beyond the Seas, by sundry Letters from Eminent Merchants, and persons of other (or some of greater) Qualities, some whereof were Printed in our Gazette, or News-Book: But it first was visible to us in this Island of Great Britain, on Friday December the 10th. about half an hour past four of the Clock, P. M. or Afternoon. It appeared of a pale dusky Colour, with a very prodigious Stream, at the least 35 Degrees in length. It's signification cannot be good, because it is purely Saturnine; And Saturn is a Star, as the Philosophical Satyrs represent him.— 
Pale, and of ashy Colour, Malcontent;  
A Catiline to mortal Temperament;  
That would blow up the capital of Man  
With envious Influence! Melancholy, Wan!  
And if their hate be in an heavenly Breast,  
This Planet with that Fury is possessed.  Howbeit, forasmuch as this Comet rises in the South-west, and its Bush or Tail points directly North East from England, it cannot be of any malefique signification unto us, but rather (as it shall and doth happen to menace great Prejudice, Calamity and Misfortunes to befall such People or Nations, that may envy our approaching happiness, after the passing over of our great Cloud of Troubles by the late Accursed PLOT, and the nefarious Projectors thereof) be of a consequential Good unto these British Islands, which God of his great Mercy grant. Amen.  
Comets are sometimes the Messengers of good to some Nations, and not always the Denuntiators of Evil; according to Cabeus, Restus and other Meteorologists. And indeed there can be nothing so pernicious to one sort of People, but may be profitable to another.