Merlini Liberati Errata: OR, THE PROPHECIES and PREDICTIONS OF John Partridge, For the Year of our Lord, 1690, &c.  
With useful Annotations on them. TOGETHER With an Epistle touching his Respect to those Glorious Martyrs of the People, King Charles I. AND Arch-Bishop LAUD.  
By an earnest Honourer of his King and Country, and faithful Votary to a True Astrology.  

December 31. 1692.  
Imprimatur,  
edmond Bohun.   
Seria mixta Jocis:  
Si Populus vult decipi, decipiatur.  
LONDON. Printed for G. C. at the Blew-Ball in Thames-street. 1692.   

To the Judicious READER.  
I Here Present you with a short Specimen of J. P's skill in Astrology, showing how fit he is to set up for an Interpreter of the Stars. Brutish Baulings and Beastly Language, are his prime Talents; and noisy lies, Scandals and Nonsense, the Natural Products of his virulent Pen. Deprive the Man of this Furniture, and his Almanack's like a Room Unhung, will be purely Naked. He labours to approve himself a Man of Design; and stretches all the little Art he's Master of, to lessen Monarchy and Religion. Hence he boldly Exclaims,—  A Common-wealth's the thing that Kingdoms want. 
But woe the time! That the Church and State should suffer themselves to be Corrected and Underlay'd by so Artless a Wight! Howbeit, that this is his grand Bent, conspicuously appears, by the many daring Scandals he constantly is casting upon sundry Illustrious Branches of the Royal Family, and on several of the Sacred Order. View his Chronology of this Year, 1692. and observe how he deals by K. Charles I. and Arch-Bishop Laud.  
I. He makes that Glorious King and Martyr, to be Author of the late Intestine Bloody War; affirming him to have Refused Propositions for Peace; when as it is manifest, That Pious peaceable Monarch, did so far comply and stoop even below the Dignity of Himself, as a King, that he sent Forty Messages to the Parliament, to procure the Quiet of his Bleeding Kingdoms. All which were Rejected! Alas! the Rebels( non obstante their Godly Pretences) designed not his Re-establishment, nor to make him a Glorious King, as they promised; their aim being at the Ruin of his Honor, Crown and Life. As you may find by reading his own Excellent Book: Also by Sir W. Sanderson's History of that good Prince. Mr. Hobbs's, Behemoth, and the Learned Dr. Hollingworth's, and Mr. Long's late Admirable Defences of that Divine Monarch.  
II. This Impious Man is not ashamed to charge the most Reverend Bishop Laud, with bringing in Popery, &c. A Scandal so horribly false, that nothing can Equal it, but it's Author. For Popery, all the World knows, was not brought in while that good Prelate was Metropolitan; neither is it yet. Nor, was it likely that this Pious Bishop ever designed any such thing, unless we can believe, the proper way to introduce Popery, be strenuously to Oppose it? His Learned Treatise against the Jesuit Fisher, still Lives, and will ever Live to confute this Hellish Calumny.  
I hope some able Polite Pen of the Church of England, will undertake the further Defence of our murdered Prince, and martyred Bishop,( who both of them suffered under the Rage and for the Sins of a Rebellious Headstrong People) and Chastise this Calumniating Libertine, and not suffer him to pass without Reproof for these his horrid Scandals; he having thereby as far as in him lies, murdered those Sacred Persons a second time.   

Merlini Liberati Errata: OR, THE PROPHECIES and PREDICTIONS OF John Partridge. For 1690, &c. With some Brief Notes upon them.  
AS the Worthy Author of Cometomantia, and others very Learned, give their Suffrage for Astrology, on condition it were separated from the Errors and Falshoods it is too commonly made to patronise: In the same Sense do I pretend to own and defend it. When I meet with Railing and Reviling Language in Books treating of the Stars, I look on them only as Glasses wherein to see Devils; and their Authors to be as far distant from the Philosophy of the Stars and Christianity, as if they had never heard of either. I shall therefore keep myself within the bounds of Verity in my Examen of J. P's almanac for 1690, lately come to my hand: And if in any thing I deviate from this prescribed Rule, it will be only when constrained thereunto by some monstrous Excursions of the Author I have to do withal. And methinks I already find many begin to Pity me, in relation to this undertaken Task. For,  
Dura nimis est ingenuae cum Meretrice contestatio. It is a difficult Task for an Honest Woman to combat it with a common Scold; instead of Argument, she shall meet with nothing but Huff, Claw and Ruffle. Albeit, for the sake of Urania, I have at all this Brutish Odds, cast aside my serious Reservedness for a time, to entertain a Literary War with one that under pretence of Art, runs on Railing at all sorts of Persons, not sparing crwoned Heads, Bishops, &c. Nor yet the Master that taught him; and thinks to bear all down before him with Clamorous Noise and Impudence.  
In his Epistle to this almanac of 1690. he accosts us with a very uncouth Passage, viz. This little Book will run the whole Nation through. 'tis a Tool, it seems as Sharp as its Author, and all out as Dangerous. The Nation had best be provided of a Surgeon, lest it Languish of the Wounds designed it by this terrible Sir Guy. To run the whole Nation through, is a mighty Task, such as none of the best Masters of Defence dare attempt. No! 'tis our blustering Partridge is the only Gladiator in Fashion, and can Run Nations through! So that those single Persons he is pleased to wound, are honoured by this daring Dueller of Nations. He formerly contended with Universities, and now's become a Combatant for Kingdoms. What will this Don Quixot come to at last? Let the Wind-Mills beware of him.  
But passing the quaintness of his style, I will now make himself Judge, Whether it had not been better and truer English, to have said, This Book shall run through the Nation, than that it should Run the whole Nation through? This later being a ridiculous Menace; the former carrying in it some savour of Sense.  
In the conclusion of his Epistle, he threatens to be a Goad in his Masters side, as long as he Lives: A most grateful Resolution! And yet within a few Lines affirms, He knows no cause of a Difference. Sure the Man is Acted by the Devil, to deal thus by him, that hath done more for him than ever his Parents were able, and unto whom he ought constantly to be paying Duty. But I shall leave him to be accounted with for this, by the Person he threatens; who will certainly requited him as he deserves, if the thoughts of an Impar Congressus prevent not. But alas! if all his Goads were Awls, his Tutor need not to put on Mabury's Bodies to secure him from the Danger. So I pass from his Epistle, to what he calls, His Monthly Judgments.  

january, 1690.  
OUr Merlin Salutes us thus. At the New ☽ there were no material Rays nor Positions, and therefore he judges, that things are preparing for some. Here we have a high strain of Art, even to Cracking: For that New ☽ was accompanied with as many Rays, as any New ☽ ever was, if he mean Planetary Rays. If he mean other Rays, he should have  told us what. But the Man mentions Rays or Positions. If by Positions he mean the Planets Places, they are for number the same, as in any other Lunation. Seven Planets must always have seven Places. If he mean by Positions or Rays, the Planets Aspecting each other, &c. he forces us to a Smile; for that New ☽ shows us 1. The ☉ ☽ ☿ to be all in ✶ ♄.( 2.) A ✶ ♂ ♃( 3.) ♂ ☿ in △.( 4.) A ✶ ♃ ☿. And yet this Sublicium Caput, complains for want of Rays or Positions: Whereas in this Sense, very few New ☽ 's afford so great variety of Rays or Positions. So that his Complaint being False, his Judgments must be Idle.   

February, 1690.  
The Man talks of a Popish Plot. We will tell you upon what Planetary Authority, when he tells us. 'tis wonder he did not make one, as well as Predict it. He hath been well known to many Plot-makers, viz. Tongue, Mansel, Hunt, &c. But here's the Mischief on't, Partridge can't Ride! as 'twas Sworn against him in the History of the Rye-House Conspiracy. But leaving this, he tells us of a Town taken by surprise. Of which Town so Taken, none ever heard. This therefore must pass for one of his Airy Castles.— He assures us, that ♄ Stationary on the— Ascendant, and in □ of his M. C. gives him loss of Honor, Treachery, &c.— I will not contrast it with him, whether loss of Honor, &c. be a Gift? Tho Gain is commonly opposed to Loss; yet were I as the Native he mentions, I would desire ♄ if he have no other Favours to bestow, to keep them to himself. But, what if ♄ hath not given such Loss of Honor, &c. as this Man talks of? And is not within 4 Deg. of the Horoscope he mentions, and near 3 times 4 distant from a □ to the M. C? Why then our blustering Anglo-Battavian is Mistaken, and we are never the Wiser.   

March, 1690.  
Here our Man of Art tells us— The great congress of the Planets in ♓ 6 of the 7,[ not minding ♄ to be in ♏ and ♂ in ♊] show great Meetings an Association. &c. with a repetition of the lies about ♄ 's Transit in the last Month. But there was no such Meeting, nor no Association at all, as he idly conceited of. The rest of this Month's Presages are such nonsensical ridiculous stuff, that I cannot make any fit Company for my Understanding, and therefore leave them for his own use.   

April, 1690.  
Now our Merlin breaths forth mighty things, and tells us— That the ♂ ♃ ☿ in ♓ is of eminent Service to the Affairs of Britain. And why so? Because Britain is under ♈ Ergo a ♂ ♃ ☿ in ♓ must Befriend them. I have heard of a Chirurgeon that pretended to Cure the Gout in the great to, by laying a plaster to the Nose: Bet saith our Seer, the □ ♂ ☿ doth give the Undoing of a Merchant or Banker, &c.[ A Pox of its courtesy, may the Merchant or Banker cry] and the ☍ ♄ ♀ gives danger of Death to a Great Lady. And the ☍ ☉ ♄ gives danger of Death by reason of the Gout, to some great and eminent Man, &c. Pray who of any Sense, would say, Thank ye for such Gifts? To the Merchant or Banker ready Cash had been better; to the Great Lady, a Coach and Six; to the Great Man, Claret and Good Company had been Presents more Welcome. But for such kind of Gifts as this Man makes the Planets to deal among Mortals, none are obliged to them. To be serious, in what Author doth our Merlin meet such a Term of Art, as for the Planets to Give? Astrologers tell us, that Planets may Presage, or Produce, &c. But for to Give, is no Astrological Phrase; nor have the Planets any Hands given them for any such Purpose.  
To Expostulate a little with our liberal Merlin, Why should the ☍ ♄ ♀ give Death to a Great Lady? It falls in Friendly terms; and which of them doth signify the Great Lady? If ♀ she is strong and preserves Life. If ♄ he's Peregrine, and cannot signify a Great Lady. Surely he dreamt of some sibyl of the kitchen, who upon the loss of her Corydon might grow Crop sick upon that ☍ ♄ ♀ for such a one might pass with him for a Lady Great, or a Great Lady; to use one of Sir Roger's Tropes to him, his Conversation reaching but very little higher. And why should an ☍ ♄ ☉, Give danger of Death by the Gout? Since like the former, it is made from saluriferous parts of Heaven. But I put too great a Price upon an Ass's-head, when I expect Reason thence to issue.   

May, 1690.  
In May he tells us what no Man could ever do, without his Inspired Genius, viz. That Ireland is Impoverished and ruined by the Ruinous Courses it hath long lain under. A notable Prediction! He saw that Kingdom labouring under the burden of War, and pretends from the Stars to Predict its Ruin. But his Phrase of Ruinous Courses, is somewhat obscure; and I would fain be informed, what Ruinous Courses he means, this being another Ignote term of Art, like that of the Planets Giving. Sure he can't mean Physical Courses, for such well-directed, Cure, and not Destroy. Nor yet, Courses after an Hare or Buck, Hunting being a great advantage to Human Life. But, be they what Courses he please, I am sure he paums Course English and Art upon us.  
And see now how he goes about to requited us. ☿ By Position in the Figure.( What Figure Sir? You have name none:) hath particular Signification of the Affairs of France and Ireland; and the Tyrant is ill and out of Order; partly with Melancholy and Vexing, &c. This ☿ is a notable Spark when he sets on it, and can as easily constrain our Merlin to utter lies, as compel the Tyrant to Vex, &c. But since he mentions no Figure, let us( in imitation of Capt. Bessus, suppose a Sword.) Suppose one. I then desire to know, how he would place ☿ herein to signify the Affairs of France and Ireland? For ☿ at the New ☽ is in ♊ and so most of the Month; tho some days hereof in ♉ or ♋. And what have these Signs to do with France or Ireland? Why, if you would know the truth, his Merlin would not Sell without such kind of Fictitious stuff, there being in all Countries more goose than Swans, viz. More Fools to admire a hare-brained Fellow, than Wise Men that will be at the pains to Correct him.   

june 1690.  
Here our Sapiens Octavus tells us,— That a Soldier for his Merit, receives considerable Honor and Preferment, but he thinks he does not keep it without some Blemish by ill report; and it is well if he doth not deserve it too. But, who ever heard of any such Soldier?— He goes on, the △ ☉ ♄ gives Life to some old Gentleman. The Favour is not much, if the Prediction had been true. Had it been to a young Gentleman, and had continued it to him till he had been Old, it might have merited Thanks. This Merlin tells us also, that △ gives some Embassy. I have often red, of ☿ 's being a Messenger to the Gods, but never ♄: It seems nimble ☿ is abdicated that Office, and Gouty ♄ turned Currier in his room.   

july, 1690.  
Our Merlin after his wonted rate of Truth, tells us, This Lunation falls in ♋ the Ascendent of Holland and Scotland, and the two Lights are in direct Parallel Mundane with ♃. But this Month exhibits no such thing; for the Lunation, viz. the New ☽ falls not in ♋ but ♌ and the Luminaries then are in no Mundane Parallel with ♃ but in Platick △ of him. He further says,— The △ ☉ ♃ gives Honor to the Law and its Professors. But then nothing of that kind happened, it being the Dead Vacation time. He proceeds,— ♃ Stationary, Advanceth the Interest of England. What must ♃ 's going backward signify the Nation's going forward? He also says,— We may expect Foreign Ambassadors. But then none came. Last Month, he sent ♄ on his Errand: Now Commissonates ♃ his Envoy. And is not this a fit Fellow to Divine, and Steer the Fate of Nations, that understands nothing truly either of the Stars or Mythology?   

August, 1690.  
In August Monsieur Merlin tells us,— That ☿ seems Employed to the purpose, as if there were something of great and eminent Weight in hand, that requires Intelligence, &c. It is very considerable because he's not only Angular, but in ♋ a Tropical Sign, in the Angle of War and Contention. Now, would you not expect some great Matter, from this Canting Harrangue; but to ease your Longing, ☿ is so far from being in ♋ in that Month, that he enters ♌ the first day thereof, as his own almanac proves against him. And, had he not said that ☿ 's □ to ♄ is not very Welcome, &c. He had been a very ☿ himself, and had not spoken one true word of his Brother ☿; but no matter for Truth or Art, he can make his Book without them.   

September, 1690.  
The Man Accosts us here in his wonted way of Veracity, thus, At the last New ☽ the first application of the ☽ was to the ☌ ♂ and ☍ ♃ and they two the only Angular Stars at that time. But there's scarce one Syllable of Truth in all this, for the ☽ then defluxed from her ☌ ☉ to a ✶ ♄ and reached not the ☌ ♂ until the next day at Midnight. Nor is ♂ Angular in that Lunation, if he mean locally and virtually so; and other Angularity is of no force. But ♀ is Angular, which our Liberate Merlin could not see. He that makes a lie the Basis of his Judgments, is not likely to befriend us with Truth in his Predicting Futurities. But thus doth J. P. Ergo, &c.   

October, 1690.  
Our mendacious Seer, as if he were prime Favourite to the Father of lies, begins October with such a swindger, as would make a Modest Man blushy to red, viz. Here are no less than five violent Lunations that do successively follow one another, and most of them in ♎, a Cardinal Sign. If the Man mean by Lunations, as other Astrologers, the ☌ ☍ and □ 's of ☉ and ☽, there are but 4 such in the whole Month; and but one of them happens, while the ☉ is in ♎, and that is the Full ☽ Neither are those Lunations so Violent as he falsely depaints them; for at the latter □ of ☉ ☽ which happens the 14th. day,( not made in ♎ but from ♏ and ♌) the ☽ is in △ ♃, not a Violent, but a Vital and Preserving Aspect. Moreover, there is not one marshal mutual Aspect in the whole Month, to irritate any violent Effects.  
He marches on, telling us,— There's a ☌ ☉ ♂, but October affords us no such {αβγδ}, tho September indeed did. But this being a venial slip, we'll Pardon him.   

November, 1690.  
The last Month's Mendacities, meet with fit and suitable Company in this: For he tells us, The Configurations of the Month, inclines to Peace. And yet in the same Breath, assures us, The ☌ ☉ ♄, the ☌ ☉ ☿, the ☌ ♂ ☿, &c. show Councils divided, &c. And the ☌ ♄ ♂ will much advance those bad wretched Effects before spoken of.[ I omit their mention, as being both Idle and Wicked.] I wish he could make out his bad wretched Effects to be agreeable to Art and Sense: Every Artist knows, that where ♂ commands the Jury, the Verdict seldom goes against him. It behoves him therefore to make it appear, how his bad wretched Effects are made good. And if he please, from his great skill in Anglicisms, let him acquaint us when he ever knew any Good wretched Effects? I am sure this wretched Fellow torments his Readers with very wretched English, and more wretched Art.   

December, 1690.  
He wretchedly begins December thus,— The many and various Aspects of the last Month, will mightily sway the public and Private Affairs of this: But above all, the ☌ ♂ ♄ in 23 of that traitorous Sign ♏. Significat Bellum& effusionem Sanguinis, ac multitudinem febrium.[ You are to observe, that he is Damning a Great Man that doth not please him.] And it is pleasant enough to observe how a ☌ of Anger and Ignorance prevail in him. For this very Text he Quotes from holy, treating de generalibus Accidentibus Mundi, and wisely applies it to a Genethlical purpose. Let us examine it a little, How can War and Blood  shed be the Portion of a Single Person, as such? And this to proceed from a ☌ of two of the Superiors, which evermore relate to Kingdoms, Nations, &c. And what need of a multitude of Fevers, When one alone is sufficient to destroy the Life of the greatest Mortal Breathing? This is such Astrology as the Ancients never dreamed of. Well may he slight the Sager Documents of our Pristine Astrologers, when he shall dare to advance such Trash as this.  
But the confident Man goes on thus,— There is now great News discoursed of from the Territories of France. A wonderful Prediction! I dare lay him Two to one, that it will be so every Month of the Year, and let the Exchange be Judge. But he proceeds,— There seems to be some Petticoat Ambassador employed in the Work too. Pray Sir, what reason have you in your Art for all this? And how long have Petticoat Ambassadors been in request? And make us to under stand( if you please) to what Gender an Ambassador doth belong, when joined with the Petticoat? If ever Ignorance should be honoured with the laurel, let our black-thumb'd Merlin have the Chair.  
And so having briefly ran over the Barbarities, Falshoods, Nonsense and Contradictions in his Monthly Judgments, I come to give you   

A Brief Examen of what he calls his General Judgments.  
YOu have seen what a Fruitful Harvest his Monthly Pages have afforded us. And his General Judgments will furnish us with a suitable Crop of the same Commodities. And to prove them, we shall begin with  

The Winter Quarter, 1690.  
Which, as he tells us begins at the ☉ 's entering ♑, 1689. December the 11th. 45′. 30″. past 1 in the Morning; And that the ☽ is hasting to a Mundane Parallel of ♂ But indeed she is strongly applying to his ☌ as himself afterwards confesseth. What, will he make ☌ 's to be Parallels? To what then are they so? But he goes on and assures us, that the ☽ passes from the Mundane Parallel of ♂ to the Mundane □ ☉. Whereas it is apparent, that ☽ defluxes from a ☌ ♂ to a ✶ ♃, and thence to a △ ☉: Then doth he constitute the ☉ Ruler of the Mid-heaven, and ♃ Lord of the 5th. and makes ♄ to cast a △ to the M. C. But by his favour, if the ☉ be Lord of the Mid-heaven, then cannot ♄ behold it by a △. But □ rather, in truth, according to his time, not the ☉, but the ☽ governs the M. C. and not ♃, but ♄ hath Dominion in the 5th Angle ♋ being on the one, and ♒ passing the other. Yet, such Trash as this he presents us for Mathematical truths. But I'll hasten from his Winter skill, and proceed to   

The Spring Quarter, 1690.  
Our profound Merlin would force it into our Creed, That the Spring commenceth on March 9th. 15h . 25′. P. M. and that ♏ 24. Culminates, and ♑ 19. Ascends. But if his own almanac may be Umpire in the Matter, 'twill be found vastly different, for by that ♎ 29. Culminates, and ♐ 24. rises in the Horoscope, of which let him consider at his Leisure.  
But notwithstanding this his pretended exactness in a Falsity, he affirms, There can be no ezact Figure of Heaven obtained at any Ingress, either to a Degree, or yet to a Sign, two or three sometimes: generously conceded! But if this be true, why doth he trouble us with the Planets Angularities, Mundane Parallels, &c. in such and such Houses, as lately you heard him? Albeit at this incertainty, he talks of some effusion of Blood, because ♂ is in a human Sign, and tells us, the Mundane Parallel between ♄ and ♂( the one in ♏ the other in ♊) is from the 4th. and 9th. Houses.( tho a little before he said from the 5th. and 9th: opertet mendacem, &c. But we will not stand with him for a small matter, because we would keep his Custom.) Pray Sir, make us so wise as to understand you: For, if as you affirm, we are liable to be Mistaken, a Sign two or three in the Horoscope, what will become of your Mundane Parallels in such and such Angles? &c.  
But, be his Figure attainable or not, he confidently goes on, and says, That ♂ hastens to a □ ☿. Doth he understand what ♂ is? Or what himself says? When did he ever know a Superior Planet to forget his State, and sneakingly apply to an Inferior? Chiefly when direct in Motion; as ♂ now is. This Fellow forgets his Hornbook in Astrology, and must go to School again. But let his Figures be right or wrong, Superiors apply to Inferiors, or not. He adventures to give judgement upon them.( His name should have been {αβγδ}, I think) and pretends on a □ ♃ ♂ from holy to tell us,— that there shall be many, and those great Offences committed, and these done in Secret, and also under pretence of Liberty and Conscience, but indeed it is intended for Rebellion, &c. And thus the Wheel-barrow Rumbles. But with what Conscience can you father this simplo Stuff upon holy? Where hath holy any such Judgments on a □ ♃ ♂? Can you tell? He goes on( there's no stoping him) and says. This Aspect signifies some effusion of Blood; and this the rather, because ♄ is going to a Mundane Parallel of ♂ from Active and Malignant parts of Heaven, and ♂ also in a human Sign.[ Here he makes a Superior to apply again; he'll Establish a Common-wealth among the Stars, or it shall scape him hard.] And this Mundane Parallel is from the 4th. and 9th Houses.  
The vain Seer forgets his former Concession,( i.e.) That 'tis impossible to obtain a true Horoscope to a Sign two or three: And yet hath the Impudence to Menace the World with his Parallels made from the 4th. and 9th Houses. Where or how shall we fix this wandring ☿? He refuses you see, to abide by his own Principles. And yet is so scandalously Bold, and not without some Nonsense, to writ,— If you but consider from whence this Ray is made, and they are from[ that perfidious treacherous G— an Sign] scorpion and geminy, and from the 9th House. Say Reader! Are you not weary of reading such Barbarous Art as this? I am sure I am of Transcribing it. My God! that such stuff as this, which is neither true Art or English, should yet pass for Oraculous! This Ray is made, and they are from, &c. still speaking of the same thing, which must sometimes be in the Singular Number, and( for the greater security of Sense) presently in the Plural, with him. I appeal to all Men of Letters, whether he doth not well deserve the Lash? The Ferula being too gentle a Punishment for such his miserable lying Gibberish. As for his Scandal upon ♏, I refer him to the Person concerned for an Answer, which he may find in his Obsequium Rationabile, wherein are variety of Arguments and Instances, in defence of that worthy, but basely abused Sign, too powerful for his Billingsgate Muse to grapple with.   

Of the Summer, 1690.  
ALtho we have had Mr. Merlin's Confession, that an Ingressional Scheme cannot be obtained to a Sign, two or three, upon the Horoscope. Yet is he so confident here, as to tell us,— That 12 ♋ Ascends, and 9 of ♓ Culminates. Whereas, if we appeal to his own almanac, not ♋ but ♊ Ascends, and not ♓ but, ♒ Culminates. And thus he presumes to present us with a Figure of the Ingress; which he not only owns impossible to be found, but totally disowned by his own Book. Howbeit, from these Fallacious Positions, he can boldly Predict. Predict! What? Why, nothing more than some Hostility of the mob.— Nothing more! you Wretch! the least of such a Mischief, is by many Degrees too much. But, blessed be God, he hath lived to see himself deceived; and I hope, as to such Presages ever will.  
Now, he proceeds from his Impossible Scheme, to tell us, The Destruction of Mankind, where Armies are near and in the Field, &c. Did he ever know of Armies in a House? But passing such Niceties, I must tell him, This is a very secure Prediction, and much to his Honor. This, no more now, Sublicium Caput, as I before ignorantly termed him, but a right Heir of Lapland! A true bread Diviner! that can breath forth such an unerring Oracle, as the Destruction of Mankind, where Armies are near, and in the Field, &c. But, what if those Armies should not Fight? Or else should prove Friends, and engaged in the same Common Cause? Why, should it so fall out; our blustering Merlin is Mistaken, and there's an end on't.   

Of Autumn, 1690.  
Our high Flying Merlin tells us, This Season begins September 12. 6h . 14′. 36″. P. M. and that ♈ Ascends in the Scheme, and ♃▪ in it, &c. And what think you of all this Preciseness? 'tis only to set him and his almanac together by the Ears; for herein the Ingress is an Hour and half-later; and that not ♈, but ♉ will Horoscopize; and ♃ will be not in the Ascendent, but 12th Angle. And herein do most of our English Calendariographers accord. But what need any other Proof against him than his own Book? If he will not be true to the Brat of his own Brain, what will he ever be true to? I dare affirm, not to his Wife, if he mary: I say, not to his Wife, &c. any more than to his Master that first taught him to get his Bread; of which, somewhat before: And perhaps somewhat more may be said anon.  
Howbeit, from his pretended Scheme he affirms,— It shows a sort of Men knit together, in a Lawless Employment, called Coining, Clipping, &c. I will not Dispute it with him, whether Coining be a Lawful Employment;( and yet I know the Parliament have Excluded it the Act against Monopolies;) but will suppose he means, Men knit together in a Confederacy to Coin moneys contrary to Law. And some of this sort are Discovered in every Month almost, whatever Stars do Reign. But now, if instead of Coining False money, he had said, False Books,( an Employment altogether as Lawless and Dangerous) himself had certainly been found in the Association. And so I have done with some of his Noise and Nonsense interspersed in the four Quarters of the Year, 1690. And shall next Journey to take an account   

Of his Eclipses Anno 1690.  
And the first he tells us, Is of the ☉ February 28, at Ten at Night, in the last part of ♓; and yet confidently affirms in the Month of February, that the New ☽ was at Eleven o Clock at Night. As if the Eclipse and New ☽ had been two different Phaenomena's. But hang an Hour among Friends! It can make odds in his Astronomy. He says this Eclipse Gives damage to Rivers and Fountains, and all things therein, &c.( I have reckoned with him formerly for the Gifts of the Stars.) He Quotes ptolemy for this Donation; but the words are not Ptolomy's, but Proclus's. But Proclus may be ptolemy, and ptolemy Proclus, 'tis all one to our Battavian Merlin.  
The Second Eclipse he says, Is of the ☽, on March 14th. at Ten at Night; at which time almost three parts of the ☽ 's Body will be darkened. Almost we say, saves many a lie; but it will not do so here: For all the Annual Writers, except himself, who undertake to determine the Eclipsed Digits, affirm, that not one half of the ☽ 's Body would be Obscured. And so indeed the Event proved. And the Author from whom Partridge Pilsers this Eclipse doth not determine the quantity of Darkness. So that it is apparent, he writes thereof at Random, and not by Skill. Can you believe without a serious Examination, that a Man so empty of Art should be so full of Impudence! But let the hollow Tub Sound; that's all 'tis good for.  
He tells us, The Third Eclipse is of the Sun, August 24, about One in the Morning, in 11 ♍ and brings in Junctine to say,— It gives Famine, Plague, Sedition, &c. But good Sir, show us where Junctine says so! Of himself we are sure he says no such thing. But Proclus whom he Quotes, doth say, when the ☉ shall be Eclipsed in Decano Secundo ♍ famem, pestem, &c. But our Merlin as blind as a Mole, can't see when his Author speaks of himself, or from another. He proceeds,— It gives Destruction to Mankind, because it is in a human Sign. And in this he hath shown his Skill, viz. In placing the energy of this Eclipse upon Men, that himself being Brute all over, might happily escape the Danger.  
The Fourth, Is of the ☽ September the 8th, at Two a Clock in the Morning,( as he says) in 26 ♍, of which he makes Junctine to say, It threatens Poets,( and they, saith he, of all Men, have the least need of it;) and gives Banishment and Slaughter. A very formal Story! But where doth Junctine say this upon an Eclipse of the ☽ in 26 ♍. Sure you yourself are turned Doggrel Poetaster, that can thus forget and Feign at pleasure. The Man hath only mistaken the Judgments,( not of Junctine) but of Proclus on a Solar Eclipse in 26 ♍, for those of a Lunar one in ♓( this being such) as is plain to any that reads Proclus, as Quoted by Junctine.  
Lo! what an All sufficient Astrologer have we here! Certainly if ever any Man deservedly came under the Poets Lash, our Impudent Merlin merits to run the Gantlope through them all. I greatly pity the Disciples of this insolent Fellow,( if at least he have any;) to think how sadly and Extravagantly they'll be Taught; this their Tutor being so brim full of Ignorance, and withal so empty of all true Art and English.   

A short Glance upon his N. B. or Nota been.  
I Had resolved to pass by his Nota been wholly; but occasionally taking a strict view thereof, and finding him herein to set his small skill in Art upon the Tenters, I thought fit to touch thereon a little. And( 1.) He observes as idly as Ironically.— An excellent Direction for Mischief to a great Person in Ireland; and that is ☉ ad ☍ ♃, per Arcum Obscurum. It toucheth about the middle of July, 1690, &c. But this Direction he vainly vaunts of, proved but a harmless Dart as to Life, tho shot with Malice enough out of his Invisible Bow.( 2.) He after the same rate for Truth, tells us, That the French Tyrant hath also this Year his ☉ come by Direction to □ ♄ in Zodiaco, &c. But because all Directions of the ☉ do touch six Months before the Measure of time expires;( A goodly measure of time the while!) Therefore we may judge the first to operate the most part of the Summer, and this last of the French-man's in July, when ♄ comes to be Stationary on his Ascendant, and in □ to ☉ in ♌, on the Radical place of his ☽. Where by the way I must tell him he talks at Rovers; For he mentioned no First of the French-man's: And every Relative that is robbed of its Correlate, may bring his Indictment against the Thief. Then for that quaint term of Art, of his measure of time to Expire; I perceive his Measure of time is not Immortal, but must Die even as its Author. Whereas, a true Measure of Time, is as Immortal as Time or Truth itself.  
But,( 3.) He makes a bustle about Hopes and Fears, &c. But I must tell him, we value neither his Hopes or Fears; nor yet shall we trouble ourself with what he appoints ♄ to do with the worshipful French-man,( as he wittily phrases it) having as little Respect for any of England's Enemies, as any Addleheaded Merlin whatever. But what is such stuff as this to the Nonsense and falsehood he pops upon us in every page.? And now Mr. Merlin, pray Answer us, if you can. Where do you find ☉ upon ☽ 's Radical place in the French-man's Geniture, at the □ ☉ ♄? Wipe your Partial Eyes, and then you'll plainly see ☉ at that time distant from his ☽ no less than 9 Degrees.  
But you are a great Latitudinarian I perceive: And since I find you such, as well to Truth as Sense, and value yourself chiefly upon your Talents of Ranting, Huffing, and speaking high swelling words of Vanity. I will set a better Price therefore upon my precious Minutes, at this time however, than to waste any more of them upon the rest of your Ridiculous Scurrile Merlins. Indeed, this may well stand for an Answer to them all. As also, for a Reply to any thing else you may happen to Publish hereafter.     

POSTSCIPT.  
SInce the Writing hereof, I am informed, That non obstante our Merlin's Menaces to Monsieur, &c.( and let him heap upon him as many hard Presages as he can, for me, I shall never be concerned thereat.) This is that very J. Partridge who in 1680 fluttered so much on his behalf; then Publishing his Nativity, which was Printed by N. T. by the token it was never yet paid for.  
In that Nativity page. 15, he thus Writes, That ☉ casting ✶ to his Horoscope, makes him perform all his Actions with greatness and princely Glory, suitable to the quality of his Birth, And that ☽ in ☌ ♀ and ☉ within Orbs ✶ ♃ affords him divers admirable Qualifications, and so lofty a Spirit, that he scorns to trample on a conquered Enemy. And page. 17, 18. The Natives Enemies are signified by ♀ in ♂ ☽ near the Presope and Aselli, in ☍ ♄ and □ ♃: And therefore for his public Enemies abroad, the ☍ ♄ infatuatet them, and possesseth them of many strange Fears; so that they are but like a lion in a Lambs skin, having the name, but not the nature of Enemies. And page. 19. The ☉ well placed in the Tenth House, gives great Power: to which we may add the ✶ of ♃ to ☉, and to the Cusp of the M. C. almost, with the Cor Leonis, a Regal fixed Star Culminant. All which are Arguments of Honor and splendour, and that to his Lifes end. Thus Partridge Flatteringly scribbled, 1680.  
Now, what strange Misfortune hath blinded his Understanding, that he could not call this to mind before he had wrote his opposite Predictions hereunto? But his business is not to study Self-Consistency, and therefore hath made one of his Babel Works a Glass to the rest, wherein they appear with their Heels upward.  
Lastly, I say once more, let him lessen England's Enemies as much as he can, so he proceed upon just and laudable Measures, in so doing, I shall really be of his side. I own it my Duty to Serve our King and Country, even to my utmost ability, either in Purse or Person, or both, and this I resolve cordially to do against any encroaching Enemy, either Abroad or at Home. While this Partridge notwithstanding all his Boastings, under pretence of a counterfeit Duty to it( if he dare own his own words) in bawling Anti monarchically,( A Commonwealth's the thing that Kingdoms want) Doth mutinously Clamour against it And I can't hear he ever Recanted this Treasonous Republican Position; the which he ought most fully to do, if he would be thought a Friend to the English Monarchy, or a true Subject to the thrice Valiant and Warlike present Sovereign thereof: Whom God long Preserve, &c.  

1. Advertisement.  
AS Parting between Friends, is attended with some ardent Valediction, so shall mine be with J. P. 'tis pleasant to note how he labours to acquit himself from a Contradiction he owned. 1690. He knew no ground of a Difference with his Tutor: And now in 1693, pretends to find one. The Fellow, juggler like, plays Fast and Loose; we know not where to have him. In the Epistle to his mean Tekel, 2d Part. He owns a Conversation with Mr. G. from 1665. to 1680. And then( says he) The Strangeness began about Popery.( A wrethed lie!) If the Quarrel, or Strangeness began in 1680, and upon so strange a ground too: It is strange it should not beknown to him in 1690. And if it was known to him in 1690,( which he both Owns and Disowns:) Then his pretended Ground thereof in 1693, picked out of a Reply to him in 1687, is a mere Prevarication, and like himself, without Truth or Conscience. And yet therein he complains of many ill-sounding Epithets cast on him in that Reply; and some of them no less than 158, or 160 times over.( That Reply sticks in his Stomach.) Now will I really abate him 150 in either Sum, on Condition he'll make the residue good. But the Man makes lies his Refuge. And for the epithets he musters up, had his Provocations been set by them, they would have appeared Roses, and not Thorns: And yet it is hard to Cope with a dirty black-thumb'd Author, and not contract some of his Filth. None that touch Pitch can escape Defilement, in tanto, at least.  
But Mr. Merlin is much troubled at an Anagram which Visits the City and Country, and would fasten it upon J. G. as the Author. I can assure him, J. G's Faculty lies not that way, albeit, it is probable he may have had that Anagram, and also have friendly imparted it to some that have made an Invidious use of the Civility. But since J. P. hath been so simplo, as to tell an idle Tale about it, I give it you here, viz.  

JOHN PARTRIDGE.  
TI ROPE, GRIN HARD.   

'T ispity of thy Fate thou be debarred:  
Some of you Sons of catch, Ti Rope, Grin Hard.   
I shall hearty pray God to bless the Man from so sad a Destiny. Yet his spurring on so Zealously towards it, makes me suspect my Prayers are like to be spent in vain. But there's hopes yet at the last Hour, &c.   

2 Advertisement.  
☞ I Am to acquaint my Reader, that I have just now met with a New Piece of J. P's Astrology, as like the Dad as ever it can stare; It rather excels, than falls short of his other Bedlam Prints in Ignorance, loud Railing, and superlative Impudence, &c. yet demonstrates his Nurses care of him in his Infancy; for it appears he is neither Pen nor Tongue-ty'd. He is so bold herein, as to denounce a War, not only against the Person that first taught him to get his Bread, but also against almost all Astrologers, both Ancient and Modern. So that you see, this Terrae Filius, is ashamed of nothing, be it never so Ridiculous.  
Albeit,( tho by his many idle Concessions, and obvious Contradictions, he hath answered himself.) Yet, I dare engage, on condition that he first disrobe his beastly Tract of all its Railings against Religion, Kings, Princes and Nobles, &c. and Re-print it in such a Dress as may show him a Man that deserves some reasonable notice, he shall have a Reply. But for a Beast that Brays! and a Bedlamist that Raves! can any one that is compos Mentis, think such fit for any Sober Man to Cope with? He must be a grand Enemy to Art and Reason both, that shall Prostitue either to any irrational or unwarrantable Purpose.  
As for Mr. G.( the only Man that raised him to what he is) I am of an Opinion, he's wiser than to be concerned with his great heap of Billings gate Stuff, but will rather own himself overcome by his Ribaldry than Reason; and silenced more with his Acrimony than Arguments. And for the wicked Scandals wherewith he Defames Mr. G: had they been true, how comes it that he hath escaped the Law all this while? And wherefore is it, he holds so clear a Credit among his Neighbours? But J. P's. Pen( or Tongue) is no Slander.  
To conclude, Mr. J. P. your terming the two late Reigns Bloody, &c. and taxing that Glorious Monarch, K. Charles II. with breaking his Coronation Oath; your dirty ridiculing his serious Devotions at Breda, when under his greatest Afflictions; and your dangerous Story of Scandalum Magnatum's,( I wish that you, &c. find it not so) are no Arguments in any Man's Astrology, save yours. But you have laboured hard, Sir, to approve yourself another Stephen college, and been guilty of as many antimonarchical Gim cracks,( tho not in the same way) and have presented the World with as many Raree-Shows. God bless you from his End, for you are not much in Person unlike him.— Sero sapit Ingratus.  
☞ A Discourse entitled, The Ungrateful Daemon dispossessed wherein the Manners and Skill of J. Partridge, is more largely Exemplefied, will shortly be made public by his Tutor.   
FINIS.