Paul Grebners PROPHECY Concerning These TIMES. WRITTEN In the Reign of Queen ELIZABETH, Anno 1582. Taken out of the Original Copy from Trinity Colledge in CAMBRIDGE. with a Paraphrase thereupon, By a Person of Honour.

READER,

THIS Prophecy received from an Honourable Person, coming so opportunely to my Hand, I thought it but Duty to transfer it to the publick View; not daring to commit so great a Sin in the secret Concealment of a business of so general a Con­cernment.

Touching the Author Paulus Grebnerus, he was a great Astronomer, and a man of sur­passing Piety, and known Integrity, whose Erudition likewise and excellent Endowments, have received a publick Character from this and other Kingdoms.

His Prophecy here need no Panegyrick; and a farther Amplification, by way of Apology, would prove impertinent where so many thousands have been so throughly prepossest in the Truth of his Predictions.

In a word, Schismaticks (that speak evil of Dignities and despise Prophesies) may per­chance persist still obstinate; I am sure all Royallists will rest here well satisfied.

For my part, I shall therefore pray for the Conversion of the First, and Confirmation of the Last; wishing the one more Faith, and the other better Fortune.

Farewel.

Grebners's Prophecy.

PAulus Grebnerus was here in England with Queen Elizabeth, Anno 1582. and pre­sented her with a fair Manuscript in Latine, describing therein the future History of Europe, here and there limming in Water-Colours some principal Passages.

Dr. Nevil, Clerk of the Closet, being in favour with the Queen obtained this Book of her, and bestowed it on the Library of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge, where it hath been published to the view of all persons, till about five or six years ago, by much perusing and ill handling it was much slurred and defaced.

In his Predictions,

He describeth the Troubles of Russia, and the Election of a Swedish King SIGISMƲND by name, to be King of Polonia, by which he shall irrecoverably lose his own Inheritance.

That of the Swedish Race there should be one GƲSTAVƲS ADOLPHƲS by Name, that should take heart from the Distractions of Germany to invade the Empire with a small Army; fight many Battels prosperously, but should at last perish in a pitcht Field.

[Page 2] That about that time should Reign Rex Septentrionalis nomine CAROLUS, qui du­cit Ʋxorem Mariam Papisticam, ex quo evadet Regum infelicissimus. Tunc populus ipsius Ditionis eliget sibi alium Imperatorem, Comitem; qui durabit in Imperio tres annos aut circi­ter. At postea idem Populus eliget alium Imperatorem Equitem, non ejusdem Familiae nec Dig­nitatis, qui detrudet omnia sub pedibus suis: durabit aliquantò longiore tempore: & post hunc eliget nullum.

Post hunc apparebit quidam CAROLUS è CAROLO descendens, cum immensâ Clas­se in Litore Ditionis Patris sui, & cum Auxiliariis Danicis, Suedicis, Holandicis, Fran­cicis posternet Adversarios suos, & administrabit Imperium perfelicissimè, & longè latéque dominabitur, & erit CAROLO Magno major.

Englished thus,

About that time a Northern King shall Reign, CHARLES by Name, who shall take to Wife MARY of the Popish Religion; whereupon he shall be a most unfortunate Prince. Then the People of his Dominion shall chuse to themselves another Command­er [or Governour] viz. an Earl; whose Government shall last three years or there about. And afterwards the same People shall chuse another Commander [or Gov [...]r] viz. a Knight not of the same Family nor Dignity, who shall trample all things under his Feet: He shall endure somewhat longer time: and after him they shall chuse none at all.

After him shall appear one CHARLES descending from CHALES, with a mighty Na­vy, on the Shore of his Father's Kingdom; and with Aid from Denmark, Swedeland, Holland, France, shall overthrow his Adversaries, and shall govern his Kingdom won­derful happily, and shall bear Rule far and near: and shall be Greater than CHARLES the Great.

A Short Paraphrase on the Fore-going Prophecy.

HOw well could Grebner in those blind Times see!
And in these seeing-Times how blind are we?
Our New-found-Lights are lost; those squint-ey'd-elves,
And purblind Seekers, may now seek themselves;
Who have thus err'd, imagining Prediction
Of Sacred Prophesie, but some feign'd Fiction.
But we (blest Grebner!) who have still admir'd,
And look't upon thee as some Soul inspir'd;
Will hold thy Saws no longer in Suspense,
Which now w'have reach't with th' Opticks of our Sense;
Since what was once Apocalyps is known
The unridl'd Truth of Revelation.
Those two grand Champions (that trode on the Neck
Of Nations, and had Kingdoms at their Beck)
Are both extinct; and Fame can only give
A bare Relation that they once did live.
But Thou Renowned Charles, whose matchless Fate
Design'd Thee a Victim to the Peoples Hate;
(Maugre the Malice of Thy Foes) wer't hurl'd
With Hallelujahs from the wondring World,
A Conqueror o're thy doom; from whence we may
Infer, thou only livd'st, we di'd that day.
And now look back, look back, and have recourse,
From whence these streams of mischief had their sourse,
Whiles those promiscuous Hodg-podg-powers oppose,
Like high-swoln floods that River whence they rose.
The Eagle thus dislodg'd; a Wren-like race
Of Dunghil-Dors soon pierch't up in His place.
And Lapwing-Liberty e're fledg'd takes Flight,
First hath her Champion-Earl, the next a Knight,
Whose heavy pressure hath so imp'd her Wings,
She hath lost by Consuls what she got by Kings.
And now (but Life's in Prophesie) we might
Die, and despair to see thy Second Light,
Great Charles who like the Bridegroom of the day,
Shalt gild sad Britain with thy glorious Ray;
Whiles all those Shower-shot Mushroms, and those new
Created Brats melt like the Morning Dew;
And all those Ignes Fatui shrink and run
Like Exhalations at the Rising Sun.
This is the Wish Great King and Pious Care
Of those who piece-forth Prophesie with their Prayer;
O may Blest Grebner be added to the Small
Prophets! and prove each Line Canonical;
Whiles what in th' old Queen's Reign he did divine,
May be fulfil'd and ratifi'd in Thine:
O may'st thou Reign in thy known Realms who art
Inthron'd already in thy Peoples Heart!
O may'st thou rule! and spend thy Fame through th' whole
Earth; from the Artick to th' Antartick Pole.
Till the just World with Grebner shall maintain
Thee a mightier Monarch than brave Charlemain.
FINIS.

London, Printed for Thomas Burrel, 1680

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