HEere these touching the Iron-age, remaines of time, a tast thereof; the Sonnes of the Prophets for their use, needlesse; as into the water to cast a Logg, wherein a sticke cut downe, but thrown sufficeth, or to give a touch, &c. As farre either from building upon others foundation, theirs &c. The lanthorne unusefull, when the Moone gi­ving [Page 8] light at full, not trespassing in that way here, nor borrowing either &c. And so farther of the latter dayes, these even be­ing become drosse changed, even comman­ded these by him.

The Iudge all-sufficient, God able to change all, and them reforme: As doubt­lesse the end, the finall day before of doome refined reformed to bee: to this end com­mended by us, and being high time to make some preparation; the tydings of a trou­blesome time cut of, unfruitfull, &c.

In short shewed, those sharp dayes short­ned, the brittle feete parted those, a warning peece, as followeth.

In peeces broken, destroyed at the last, though nothing than mettle lasting more: That stone then unmoveable invincible, the everlasting Law, as the workemanship of the Creators finger, moreover his heavie hand therewith: None other that great Image but spirituall aspiring BABYLON the fall of both, the other Babell likewise that taken, going before the end of the World; like this dreame the World gone in a moment. And before the worlds depar­ting, not without a Cutt [...]ng blow threat­ned [Page 9] forthwith, as when that hasty Decree sent forth his Proclamation for his owne Nation; those wise men to be destroyed. That first borne Monarchy, Babylons great revolution, visible even in our Horizon, that end or time, closing with the time of the end, and from the hand also a faire signe after to appeare.

And here so much for parallizing of this expensive time, with that time of wanton­nesse, in his reigne not found currant. In which want none found: of weakenesse, willfulnesse begetting, lifted up like the empty Scale, when the full descends: The Sunne like at lowest, making then the long­est shaddow. Thus represented in this Mir­ror of former times, the present age the vis­age thereof, &c. Also, no spare body, unwildy growne and great, every way dangerous division therby unable to stand upon the feete: Not spared by Her, whose song the Worlds farwell these. Disburthen­ed in this ensuing briefe. And plaine to bee in undoing this knot too, the Iron-age done, finished, although this peece difficult to digest, somewhat, &c.

The summe of these words signifie, the Burthen of Gods word in the last dayes, of a truth disclosing the time of the end. And of premisses the conclusion following: So un­expected Iudgements foretold from them: Also made evident the end of time. Here Stone sharpening Iron, and striking fire, High favours (for the most part) not without a heavie hand imparted: like Jacob and his Brother, the unlike twinnes begotten, or the Blessing in one hand, a Rod of correction in the other, and of which fire already kind­led, loving Kindnesse and Iudgement, go­ing hand in hand together, the evill times but touched onely.

The Signe in the feete; So in these last dayes: see here, and behold fulfilled, how that very saying:

By Thee beheld, as much to say, to read a certain Manuscript, the weighty Stone be­come a Booke, not waiting long for Pri­viledge, [Page 11] Imprinted, howsoever soone after.

Certainly; in what yeare testifying the Worlds disolution, Manifested with a hea­vie one: In the yeare One thousand six hun­dred twentie five.

That great Plague yeare, out of Dark­nesse, when the Visions translated of the Man, greatly beloved DANJELL. For the great dayes breaking forth, cleared those clowdy Characters: As delivered not without a token, since made good, the Brit­tle standing of his owne Kingdomes, dedi­cated to the KING of Great BRIT­TAINE, Defendor of the Faith.

And of whose making to justifie here, by whom Published; though hitherto by authority with-stood.

ELEANOR AƲDELEY, hand­mayden of the most high GOD of Heaven, this Booke brought forth by Her, fifth Daughter of GEORGE, Lord of CASTLEHAVEN, Lord AVDLEY, and Tuitchet. NO in­ferior PEERE of this Land, in Ireland the fifth EARLE.

Which name blotted a House or Castle, [Page 12] of late fallen by the ancient of dayes: His Kingdomes misteries displaying, nor cho­sen any obscure Motto. God hath devided thy Kingdome, and numbred, &c.

And farther, of this Stone; of the Builders cast aside: the Summe of this Booke or Sub­ject, besides the day of Iudgement revea­led, even that Some standing here, shall not tast of Death, till they see that day. Herewith fell upon the ROMAN-EMPIRES disola­tion. The World, the great MAN: the disolution ushered with GERMANIES overthrw unexpecting: As moreover one last serving these Feete, great Brittaines foote too, and Germanie divided both be­tweene two opinions, Religions, and Buis­nesses, where never since a Nation such di­stractions. For Plagues and greivances, such inward and outward ones, striving to out­strip one another.

Heere-withall foreshewed, the Furious Progresse of the French and Spannish Forces, with those Leagues not in force now. Not­withstanding corsse Marriages, &c. never before so.

The Kings of the North, by those France [Page 13] signified: Likewise the Kings of the South, the AVSTRIAN Family, these like whirl­winds tossing the World up and downe from this side to that, &c AND for the shutting up of this Treatise, lastly; with a Salutation concluded for the Son of Peace, if he had been there saluted, &c.

Angel land, or ENGLANDS-ILAND, therefore the Arch-angels Name; here the halfe name and abbreviated words, the age or time shortned betokning, &c. And for future things derided their Musique. Da­niels. Prophesie shut up prohibited, this time of trouble, their's come to passe not­withstanding. So passing or poasting to the time, at last of deliverance, the blessed resur­rection. Heere unfolded that treble or three­fold Coard, not easily broken nor altred: Sworne with a high hand, that meeting a Trienniall &c.

For a time and times, and halfe, (or part) from the halfe of Seaven, the hand pointing at the seaventeenth-hundred yeare: That very time, about the halfe but fulfilled of the last [Page 15] Centerie, as five hundred yeares filling up a Period. Lastly, given under the hand lifted up, even five thousand yeares compleate for the age of the World. The Worlds Ages too, parted into three prats, allotted two thousand yeares a peece, or thereabouts. The shortest lot drawne last, for a time and times, and halfe; shortned in the behalfe of His Elect.

From Adam unto Abraham, (offering of his sonne) the first Stage or time; so unto Jeru­salems destruction the second. And the last or third, to the end of the World, the glori­ous Resurrection, &c. And yet farther, for the fortunate figure of five, (Blessed is he that waites and comes▪) &c. Here two hundred and ninety, and three hundred and five and thirty, amounting to six hundred twentie-five, signifying thereby, the yeare wherein unsealed the Booke of the Prophet Daniell, 1625. and 17. yeares current, sithence a time and times and halfe Likewise, this Bookes Resurrection-time also appointed, waiting for the appeasing neere of these stormes and troubles, a Peaceable time: God was not in the Wind, not in the Earthquake, [Page 14] not in the Fire: after the fire, at last, the small still voyce. AND so finished this Booke. (Beyond expectation,) but so came to Passe in the yeare aforesaid, 1625. Shee awake­ned by a voyce from HEAEƲN, in the FIFTH moneth, the 28. of July, early in the Morning, the Heavenly voice uttering these words.

There is Ninteene yeares and a halfe to the day of Judgement, and you as the meek Virgin. These sealed with Virgins state in the Resurrection, when they not giving in Marriage.

And to take heede of Pride, or to that ef­fect spoken or added: But as for the Gol­den number that heeded well or heard: the cleare voice of a Trumpet inclining there­to; and like the chaffe of the Summer-thre­shing-flowre scattered. When the Cittie flying or fled from the Pestilence, that Som­mers great Visitation, the fifth monethes Farwell, July 28. the Heavie hand, in that very weeke, as weekely the number certifi­ed, five thousand deseased of the Plague: Moreover; the ensuing Weeke, gi­ving up the reckoning more full, the num­ber [Page 16] of the dead, amounting to five thousand five hundred and odd, &c. there stoppt or stay'd immediately, as much to say; but a spanne the Worlds age, graven with that deadly Dart, and never to be forgotten, within few dayes how scarce a token? So suddenly ceasing then.

VERS. 36. This is the dreame, and wee will tell the interpretation thereof before the King: thou art this head of gold.

The Iron touched with the Load-stone, turnes towards the North, Great Brittaines foure Crownes or Kingdomes: This gy­ant-Image armed at all points, England, Angel-gold fought the first fight, incount­red Romes Dragon, put to flight his An­ges.

The Reformations Leader, the other inferiour Kingdome, France the Breast and Armes of Silver, sometimes subject to this Ilands-Crowne, beares onely the Lilly argent for Armes, &c.

Another third Kingdome bearing, rule over all: of brasse, Scotland; Bell Mettle, the Belly and Thighes, the Breeches to wit, or blessing wrestled for, having shrunck a sinnew, halting too.

[Page 17] The fourth kingdome of Iron, the feete Ireland bro­ken in peeces by an army, their old customes turn'd into new Lawes, & divided between two Reli­gions, our Ladies & our Lords at strife together: but Woman, what have we to doe with thee, but Potters earth and myrie clay, but water with wine compaird.

And drawing here to the end, or foote of this Image: The fourh Monarchies heavie estate, & that fourth Kingdome weighed both here together, where Princes and Nobles going a begging: The basse set on Horse-backe commanding, with­out doubt the Gentiles their returne, to wallow in the mire, or Heathenisine-covetousnes and Idola­try: this massy peece importing and expressing no lesse. And further, the Iron feete as inferring besides Irelands denominations, the names of Fer­dinand, by whom the devision of these dayes, left for a Legacie to his heires. Also, of that Arch-engin great peeces, Volues of shot where distance of so many miles, not securing with­out hands or mercie in a moment. Towers trodden under foot, and Ships as townes bro­ken in peeces: doubtlesse which cruell Inventi­on among Christians, sounding the Alarum of the day of Judgemeut at hand, by those thunder­bolts discharged. And in dayes of old, had the mighty Volumes bin, those of late Imprinted, out of doubt repented they had, But this Joseph [Page 18] they knew not the holy Scripture. So old dayes pre­sedents made for the future, the Fathers as it were laying up for the Children, & more tolera­ble in the day of Judgement for them, then for these times, and these of that rare Art also of the Presse, as wel as peeces, in an instant performed, drawn within the compasse of this stone, cut out without hands, become a mountain: the Kingdome of heaven at hand, pointing therat to be revealed too.

Lastly, this name of Charles, no small Favou­rites of the Fisher-man taken in his nets, stoop­ing to his unsavorie toe; so come to the French and Spanish Emperours. And Charles the great, since whose daies, a thousand yeares expired neere: Feete of the longest size, of the Ten [...]s. Fowre of his Race succeding in the Westerne Empire, setting in Europes-Ocean that eye of the World, No little one, either the other great toe, Charles the fifth, & of his successors some six of them.

Thus of two thousand and two hundred yeares standing, this great Image; foure stories in height, or a nayle driven to the head: layd upon the Anvill by those, in all Arts so able, that fur­ther āplification ūnecessary, but cōmended these.

DAN, verse 44. And in the daies of these Kings, shall the God of heaven set up a Kingdome, which shall never be destroyed: and the Kingdome shall not be left to other people, it shall break in peeces.

[Page 19] Finally, for a watch word also these, let fall; at the end of twelue monethes, &c. verse, 29 And the end of all these at aimed, either Heavens de­parting: for without some farther mistery, doubtlesse not. Even the not knowne day and houre, shewed about New-yeares-day, when that good time falling, or twelfe-tyde, there then to watch, as those night-watchers, the happie Shepheard, our example.

And Nebuchadnezer for examples sake too, for the future chastised, by whom an Act pub­lished the earth throughout, for those that walke in Pride to beware. And signes and wonders for to observe from above; which some carelesse observing not, othersome not di­scerning not, as blockish. So this sonne of the Morning, walking in his majestie, the heavie sentence falling, as foretold by the Prophet Da­niel, for to avoyd the Tree, whereof the leaves faire, and fruit much; as much to say, a faire Pedigree, Kings and Princes growing thereon. And the axe laid to the trees roote, wherefore to shew mercy at length to the poore: Coun­selled for lengthning of his well-faire and tran­quillity; lest of the lash tasting as well as others.

And upon greatnesse, none to presume, this Daniel penning feigned Tragedies, none sets forth plain this great Assiryan how; taking his [Page 20] Sabbaticall progresse. In all hast driven from his privy Chamber, how doing in the fielde open Pennance, also grazing before his Palace, feeds with his fellow Asse: And like Eagles-plumes, those stareing locks of his overgrown; a heavie crowne or capp, to keepe his head from cold. Also Oxens pushing hornes-like, thereto crook­ed nayles as birds of prey, the inseparable crown and septor so going together: Pride and cruelty here, which Brutish condition before served out, that apprentiship before added excellent Majesty, &c. and Lords seeking to him, constrained to cast those high lookes lower, little dreamed of that estate: sometime who from the Bed to mind calling the grave no doubt, and thoughts in their owne likenes begetting Dreames. By this great Monarch dreamed, thought he saw an Image & a stone of that greatnes, certainly lay thinking, when he gone the way of all flesh, gathered to his fathers, upon some peece in his own likenes some everlasting Monument. From whose sudden awakning and up rising also, the Prophet revealing earthly dominions and Monarches, the heaven therewith passing away in a moment of time, even mortallities change for no other passage this, or place of Scripture. But like these mettels foure, the Elements melting, so live for ever, &c.

DANIEL
J end all.