Mr. lilies New prophesy OF THE WHITE-EASTER And its Effects.  
With an Account of the New BLAZING-STA● Being a full Account of a Strange Comet lately seen in the Heavens, its shape, place in the zodiac, Motion, their time of Continuance and Probable Portents or Matters thereby Signified to Happen in the World.  
Comets, the Blazing Beacons of the Sky,  
Forewarn the s●●● World of Misery;  
When 〈◇〉 with such dreadful Torches burn,  
It lights some State or Kingom to its Ur●.  
— Et Terris mutantem Regna Cometen.  
 woodcut of shooting star  
London, Printed for Phillip Brooksby, next 〈…〉 West-Smith-field, near the Hospit●● 〈…〉   

THE NEW Blazing Star, &c.  
VArious and Strangely different have been, and still are, the conceits of the most Learned Naturalists, concerning the Matter & Generation of Comets, and so fond is each man of his own Darling Opinion, and eager in defending it, that we may as Rationally imagine to Unite the Two Poles of Heaven, or Conclude a Peace between the Wind and the Waves, as hope to Reconcile all their jarring Sentiments.  
Aristotle( heretofore esteemed the philosophers Pope, whose Ipso Dixit durst vie credit in the Schools with a Demonstration) Affirms the Matterial Cause of Comets to be, An Exhalation Hot and Dry, yet Participating of a certain Unctious Moisture that renders it fat and clammy, drawn up from Moist and Hot places of the Earth, into the Highest part of the Air, and sometimes into the Starry Region, where by reason of continual supplies from below, as long as there is a working power to attract, it becomes a great mass or L●mp closely compact together: And in Convenient time, by the Excessive Heat, is there set on fire, and continues Blazing a Longer or Shorter time, according to the Scarcity or Plenty of the Ma●ter whereof it is Composed.  
Paracelsus( the Glory of Germany, and Wonder of his Age for Mysterious Learning) confidently asserts Comets not to be produced by any Physical Generation, and that therefore we search for them in vain amongst Causes purely Natural, but says; They are, Crescentia Singularia, Extraordinanily formed and composed by Spirits or Angels, to Premonish Mankind of some Grand Events, Good or Evil, impending and ready to break forth into Act.  
For these Courteous Intelligences discovering the Dire Catastrophes that are to come to pass, whilst yet they are but in the bosom of their Causes, out of a kindness they have for Humanity, and Charitable good will towards their Fellow Creatures, of which we cannot suppose these Blessed Essences to be destitute, do thereupon form or ordain a Comet or Blazing-Star( as we vulgarly call it) and give it such figure or shape as they please, and then hurry and attract more swift or slowly, lower or higher, through the Air; that Mortals beholding it, may the more remarkably be possessed with its Portents and Significations, and by Repentance and Amendment of Life prevent, or the better prepare themselves to suffer the Judgements threatened.  
But what ever the Matterial Cause of Comets may be, this we are more then confident of: That their final Cause, or the end whereunto they are Created or made, is to forewarn the Inhabitants of the World of some Eminent Calamities; as Wars, Plagues, Famines, Death of Rulers, overthrow of long established Governments, &c. Upon, or amongst some People or Nations, for their Sins and Rebellions against God, who does, we may perceive, make use of these Blazing-Stars,( though possibly in themselves mere Natural Means) to the Terror and Amendment of some Mortals; Even as he uses the Rainbow, to signify the Covenant heretofore made betwixt Himself and Mankind.  
Of Comets the Learned have reckoned up about One Hundred and Sixty, to have appeared since Noahs Flood, whereof some have been very Terrible and Astonishing: but all the Messengers of some Considerable ▪ Mutations or Destruction; not that they are Causes of such Effects, but onely the Antecedents or Forerunners of them, the●r Office being, like Beacons, to give warning to the Sin-besotted World, of approaching dangers: and are certain signs( but not Causes) of very eminent Catastrophes.  
We now Approach to ☉ entrance into ♈ and those Astrological Judgements, deducible from thence, it imports the Assemblys of many worthy persons in Europe, wholly endeavouring to salue up the last years Breaches, the Weather inclines to hard Frost, misty Foggy deluges, and inundations follow, most uncomfortable weather for the Feast.  
Not a few there are yet alive, that can well remember the prodigious Comet in 1618. The Harbinger of the German Desolation, and most unhappy Wars soon after in our own country.  
Its Streaming Blaze did fix our blood-shot Eyes,  
With Wonder and Amazement to the Skies;  
The sight was dreadful, but much more those things  
It did Denote, to Nations and to Kings.  
In 1652. Another Comet appeared, whose significations were not completed, nor its Errand dispatched, before three more Celestial Heralds( we mean the Comets in 1664, and 1665.) are sent to proclaim War, and denounce Vengeance against contumatious sinners.  
What Superlative Actions have been since these years on the Mundane Stage, and what Vials of Divine Wrath poured forth on several parts of this Inhabitable Globe, we suppose unknown to few, and may with grief of heart be long remembered by many.  
The Judicious M. lily( to whose Studies our Nation hath been so eminently obliged for the Restoration of Astrology) amongst other his now Verified Predictions on that Comet in 1652. Acquainted the Inhabitants of Europe, that about the year 1672. they might again expect to behold a New Star or Comet appear.  
Nor was this Famous Man( though in so dubious a matter, and Predicted almost twenty years beforehand) mistaken; For behold, towards the beginning of this present year, 1672. A Comet did accordingly manifest itself, and for many Nights together was visible in our Horizon.  
That this is no framed story raised by malcontents to varnish any Design, nor Ignorant mistake of a Paper-kite, Ignis Fatuus, or false Phoenominon, but a true and real Comet, is evident from the Testimony and Observations of divers Worthy persons, more then ordinary skilful, and curiously acquainted with such matters.  
First, monsieur Hevilius, A person sufficiently known to the Learned World, attests it in a Letter from Dantzick, to that Illustrious Society here in England, deservedly entitled Royal, from whose curious Researches into the Mysteris of Nature, Philosophy may in short time promise itself more Improvement, and greater certainty then ever it could hope for from the empty Terms, and Barren Verbosity of the Schools: To this Learned assembly, thus Writes Hevilius.  
There has been seen here a new Comet, from the Second of March( Stilo Novo) 1672.( which answers to our 21. of February) 'Tis visible both Mornings and Evenings, and seems but little, having at present a Train or Tail not above a Degree and a half long, but it would doubtless appear much bigger, if it were not for the Troy-light, and Neighbourhood of the Moon: It is now about the Stars in the right Arm of Adromeda, tending with a direct Diurnal motion of about two Degrees in its Course. March the 6th. 40 Minutes after 7. it was in 7. Deg. of Aries, with 25. Deg. of North Latitude, &c.  
The same was affirmed in Letters also from Paris.  
And at Fleshche it was seen from the 16th. day, to the 26th. Inclusively, and the reason it was so rarely observed, was because for a good while it was near the Sun, and afterwards obscured by the Moon.  
March the 7th. 1671 / 2. about 8. a Clock at Night, it was observed by an Ingenious, Gentleman in Hampshire, who Communicated his Observations to Mr. lily, it was then about the bigness of a Star of the third Magnitude, Solid but of a Saturnine Complexion, or Leaden colour: Its tail very Conspicuous, tending Eastwards. Its first appearance about the middle of Aries, whence by several observations he traced it through Taurus, till on the 21. it drew near the beginning of geminy, but then seemed very small; Its motion more slow then formerly, and the Moon increasing, it soon after disappeared.  
Mr. lily likewise himself, for several Nights together observed this Comet, to whom it seemed greater then a Star of the second Magnitude, and of Complexion Saturnine and Mercurial.  
The Type or Figure of this new Comet, and its motion, you may see in Mr. lilies almanac for the approaching Year 1673. From which profound and able Artist, we shall presume to Transcribe part of what he there Writes of the Portents, or signification of this late Comet.  
Since Mankind( saith he) would not take sufficient warning, either by that Comet-in 1652. or those in 1664. behold Providence manifests another, beginning in the first Sign of the zodiac, and moving direct according to the succession of the Signs, sometimes swifter, sometimes slower, as if now the great God of Nature were angry, and intended suddenly to proceed to Judgement against those People and Nations which have so slighted and contemned his former Admonitions: let Europe be assured the Portents now signified will be heavy, and of long continuance: The Actions tending thereunto, or the first Causes of them, Sudden, Violent, Unexpected, and surprising. It Manifests the beginning of more Wars and their sorrowful Effects; Viz. The flight of many from their proper Habitations, Poverty, Sudden Alarms, and Astonishments, Piracies, Scarcity of Corn, Slaughters of Mankind, Devastation, and Burning of Cities, and Depopulations of Countries, and all this when and where least suspected; The Countries seeming most obnoxious to these Dire Effect● are Germany, Poland, Holland, Constantinople, several Is●ands in the East and W●st Indies, and some other Countries nearer home, &c.  
Thus Mr. lily in his Anglicus, 1673. Where you may red much more very soberly delivered on this Subject, and the Nature of Comets in general. 'Tis certain, Nunquam impune spectatum esse Cometen. The Noble and Ingenious French-man Du-Bartas has excellently described their Common significations; With which, as Translated by our Country-man, Silvister, we conclude:  
— These Blazing-Stars,  
Threaten the World, with Famine, Plague, and Wars;  
To Princes death, to Kingdoms many crosses,  
To all Estates Inevitable Losses:  
To Herdsmen, Rot; To ploughmen, hapless seasons;  
To sailors, Storms; To Cities, Civil Treasons.  
FINIS.