Miscellanies upon Various Subjects | Page 7

Edward VI. on
Thursday, July 6. Queen Mary on Thursday, November 17. Queen
Elizabeth on Thursday, March 24.
Saturday (or the Jewish Sabbath) was fatal to Jerusalem Temple; for on
that day it was taken by Pompey, Herod and Titus, successively.
Heylin.
Hitherto by way of prologue. And be pleased to take notice, as to the
days of the month, I have taken such care, that all are according to the
Julian or old account, used by us here in England. (See Partridge's
almanack, preface to the reader) Pope Gregory XIII. brought in his new
stile (generally used beyond sea) anno 1585, in October, as asserts the
Journal History before recited.
An old proverb.
When Easter falls in our lady's lap, Then let England beware a rap.
Easter falls on March 25, when the Sunday letter is G, and the golden
number 5, 13, or 16. As in the late years, 1459,1638,1649.
1459, King Henry VI. was deposed and murdered. 1638, The Scottish
troubles began, on which ensued the great rebellion. 1648-9, King
Charles I. murdered.
I think it will not happen so again till the year 1991.
Now for epilogue and remarkable reflection.

Turning over our annals, I chanced upon a two-fold circumstance: I
will not say, that none else hath observed the same; but I protest, ("Ita,
me Deus amet, ut verum loquor") I do not know of any that have; and
therefore must justly claim to be acquitted from the least suspicion of
plagiarism, or plowing with others heifers.
The first is, of William the Conqueror. The second, of Edward III. (I
need not say any thing of the eminency of these two; every one knows
what great things they did.) And making reflection upon the auspicious
birth-day of His Royal Highness the Duke of York, I adventured upon
the following composure. (I cannot be proud of my poetry; but I cannot
but be glad of my Bon Heur, "d'avoir (en lisant) tombe si fortuement
sur les evenements d'un si Bon Jour".)
Ad Illustrissimum & Celsissimum Principem, Jacobum Ducem
Eboracensem, de Natali suo Auspicatissimo Octobris XIV. Anno 1633.
"--Deus Anna nefasto te posuit die?" Hor. lib. 2. ode 13.
Oct. "Decimo quarto Normannus Haraldum Dux superavit, & Hinc
Regia sceptra tulit. Tertius Edwardus, capto pernice Caleto, (Gallica
quo Regna sunt resarata sibi) Ire domum tentans, diris turbinibus actus
In pelago, Vitae magna pericla subit." Oct. Decimo quarto, tamen
appulit Oras Nativas. (His quam prosperus ille dies !) Natali laetare tuo,
guam Maxime Princeps; Fausta velut sunt haec, Omnia semper habe."
October's fourteenth gave the Norman Duke That victory, whence he
Englands sceptre took.* Third Edward, after he had Calais won, (The
mean whereby he France did over-run) Returning home, by raging
tempests tost, (And near his life (so fortunes) to have lost)** Arrived
safe on shore the self-same date. (This day to them afforded so fair fate.)
Great Duke, rejoice in this your day of birth; And may such omens still
encrease your mirth.
* Stow, in anno 1066. ** Stow, in anno 1347.
The Verses I presented in anno 1672, to a most honourable Peer of the
land, and of great place near his Royal Highness.

Since which time, old Fabian's chronicle coming into my hands, from
him I got knowledge, that that advantagious peace, mentioned by Stow,
anno 1360, (concluded between the forementioned King Edward III.
And the French King) was acted upon the fourteenth of October, with
grand solemnity.
The two former circumstances must needs fall out providentially:
whether this last of anno 1360, was designed by Edward III. or no, (as
remembering his former good hap) may be some question: I am of
opinion not. Where things are under a man's peculiar concern, he may
fix a time; but here was the French King concerned equally with the
English, and many other great personages interested. To have tied them
up to his own auspicious conceit of the day, had been an unkind
oppression, and would have brought the judgment of so wise a Prince
into question; we may conclude then, it was meerly fortuitous. And
therefore to the former observation concerning this famous Edward,
give me leave to add,
"Insuper hoc ipso die (sibi commoda) Grandis Rex cum Galligenis,
foedera fecit idem",
An advantageous peace, on day self-same, This mighty Prince did with
the Frenchmen frame.
A memorable peace (foretold by Nostradamus) much conducing to the
saving of Christian blood, was made upon the fourteenth of October
1557, between Pope Paul IV. Henry II. of France, and Philip II. of
Spain. Nostradamus says, these great Princes were "frappez du ciel",
moved from Heaven to make this peace. See Garencier's Comment on
Nostradamus, p. 76.
A lucky day this, not only to the Princes of England, but auspicious to
the welfare of Europe. John Gibbon, 1678.