A strange and wonderful PROPHESIE OF Mr. Douglas a Scotchman; written by his own Hand, and sent to their young King, full of wonder and admiration: wherein he foretels the great things that shall befall his Person, this present year 651. VVith a great Battel to be fought on the 15. of May next, between the English and the Scots, the event and success thereof 20. Lords to b [...]beheaded and 20000 Horse and foot totally vanquished and subdued, and what man happen upon the obtaining this great Victory. Also the Scots Kings Dream, the same night, after he was crowned, concerning England, Scotland, and Ireland, and by himself interpreted, and delivered to the Lord of his privie Councel; VVith the strange Apparation that appeared to him in the said Dream, and the Lord Ogleby his Speech touching the same.
Signed by James Douglas, the Authour of these prophetical Observations, and Licensed according to Order.
Behold, and reade.
For Loyalty, tis now I die.
LONDON, Printed by J.C. 1651.
A strange and wonderful Prophesie of Mr. James Douglas, a Scotchman, &c.
SCotland being the Seat of VVarre, on which all Europe (at this present) have fixt a most stedfast and vigilent eye; and considering that there are many things of great concernment and pertinency, that have not as yet been presented to publick view: I shall therefore endeavour to represent thee with a most faithful and infallible Narrative in relation thereunto, and the first thing that I insist upon shall be, the strange and wonderful Prophesie of a dumb Scot, living in the Town of Sterling, aged about 50. and written with his own hand, which followeth in these words, viz.
For the beginning of the moneth of May, 165 1. a great battel shall be fought between the English and the Scots, and that for the space of 10 hours, the Victory shall seem both dublous and doubtful; but at last it shall fall to the English, and their heads shall be crowned with the Trophies thereof; insomuch, that above 20000 Scots shall be totally subdued, their Lieut. Gen. and many other Officers of note, taken and killed; and their King himself enforced to a poor Cottage in the North Islands with a small party, where shall come an old woman with an Axe, and shall say to him, what art thou? and he shall answer and say, with tears trick [...]ing upon his cheeks, I am the King of Scots: Then shall she make this reply, make haste and be gone for thy enemies are near at hand, and betake thy self to the Islands of Orkney, where a strong Band of men shall unite together for thy safegard and security: This being done, he shall them attempt to take the field again, which shall prove more fatal then the former; insomuch, that treachery, either by Sword or Bullet, threatens to take him off, and above 20. Noblemen shall loose their heads. Then shall the English summon Sterling Castle; and towards the latter end of June, it shall be surrendred: After this St. Johnstons shall yield, and many other formidable Castles in the North; but the Quarrel disputable till August, at which time an agreement shall be made, and the whole Confines of Scotland, become subject and obedient to the Parl. of England; the Scotch King shall end his days in the field, and none of that race or Family for the future, shall annoy either England, Scotland, or Ireland.
And further, this dumb Prophet verifies at what time this great Battel shall be fought, which verses with great Art, he inclosed in a paper, and sent to the King, a Copy whereof followetn.
These lines were written by the Authour, and his name with this furth reposition prefixed.
The young King had no sooner perused these despicable lines, but he waxed exceeding wroth, giving strict charge and Command, that he should forthwith be committed to safe Custody; and accordingly he was with great rigour sent to Sterling Castle, where he now remains close prisoner; but by the help of some friends, promising Pen, Ink, and Paper, wrote this ensuing Declaration.
God the absolute Soveraign Lord and King of all things in Heaven and Earth, the original Fountain and cause of all causes, who is circumscribed, governed, and limitted by no Rules, but doth all things merely and only by his Soveraign will and unlimited good pleasure, who made the world, and all things therein, for his own glory, and who by his own will and pleasure gave man (his mere Creature) the soveraignty (under himself) over all the rest of his Creatures, and endued him with a rational soul or understanding, and thereby created him after his own Image, and by his Soveraign and absolute creating power, made a female or woman, called Eve, which two, and the earthly original Fountain, as begetters, and bringers forth of all and every particular and individual man, and woman, that ever breathed in the world sinck, who are and were by nature all alike in power, dignity, Authority, and Majesty, none of them having any Authority, Dominion, or Magisterial Power, one over or above another, but by instituon or Donation, that is to say, by mutual agreement or consent given, derived or assumed by mutual consent and agreement, for the good, benefit, and comfort each of other, and not for the mischief, hurt, or damage of any, it being unnatural, irrational, sinful, wicked, and unjust for any man or men whatsoever, to part with so much of their power, as shall inable a Prince to destroy and undo them therewith.
And unnatural, irrational, sinful, wicked, unjust, divelish, and tyranical; it is for a Prince to appropriate and assume unto himself, a Power, Authority and jurisdiction to unite, govern, or raign over any sort of men in the world, without their free consent; and he that doth it, does thereby as much as in him lies, endeavour to appropriate and assume unto himself the Office and Soveraignty of GOD, who alone doth, and is to rule by his will and pleasure. And wickedness [in the highest] it is for any King to raign and govern by his Prerogative, will and pleasure; although his late Father Charles the first, would needs maintain this erroneous maxime, That Kingdoms are Kings own, and that they may do with them what they will; as if Kingdoms were for them, and not they for their Kingdoms: Therefore again, I say, that their ways are wicked, unjust, and tyranical; and as it is a great wickedness for any sort of men o [...]suffer them so to do, so it is a great sin and presumption of all Gods Saints, if they do not use all possible means for the casting off the yoke of usurpation and tyranny.
Since the writing of this Declaration, the prophetical Scot having received advertisement, that the King was crowned, desired to speak with his Keeper, who coming to him, took him by the hand, uttering these words.
I Understond that your good Stuart is crowned, and that he intends to cause a great Army forthwith, to march against the English Saints; but I tell thee, he hath had such a Dream, in relation to them, that his Majestical spirits are not a little danted; and withall, take notice, that when he marcheth over Sterling-Bridge, to give them battel, the tame and domestigne fowls, as Hens, Geese, Peacocks, and the like, shall all vanish, and fly to the Mountains, and become exceeding [Page 5]wild; but after the fight is over, they shall all of them return again to their respective places, where formerly they were bred up. The Goaler hearing this, reproved him, and swore by his soul he was a mad man; and so lockt the doors and departed; but within two days after, he came to him again, having heard what the dream was, and asked him, whether he could expound the Kings Dream, which he formerly told him of; he answered yes: well, pray let me hear it then, quoth the Goaler; why, said Prophet Douglas, the same night following that he was crowned, falling into a slumber, he dreamed, that he should never wear the Crown of England, and Ireland, &c.
VVith that the Goaler shooke his head and departed, and acquainted the Governour with the miraculous things, revealed by the Prophet; insomuch, that the said Governour seemed to be very well satisfied therewith, and ordered him fire and other Provisions, which before he was restrained of; but it is with as much secresie that may be.
The Dream before hinted at is said to be thus. That on the second of Jan. in the morning, many of the Nobles of Scotland, went to give the King a visit, and coming into his Bed-chamber, according to their usual Custome, said, Good morrow my Liege for all day; but finding him to be somewhat sad, the Lord Ogleby asked him the reason and cause of his melancholy humour; who replyed, That he was much troubled the last night, and that in a slumber he fell into a Dream, at which instance, he espyed a poor Spider, with one Crown, as it were hanging over its head, transcending and working her self lower and lower by a Cobweb-thread, and at last he espyed two other Crowns at the end of the thread; and the Spider endeavouring to work her self down to them, imediately fell and lost all; upon which, awaking, he began to meditate and commune with himself, what had been suggested to him, by apparation in a Dream; and upon serious cogitancy thereupon, these thoughts possessed him, That upon the adventuring one Crown, to gain two, he was very doubtful he should hazard the losse of three, &c.
But the Lord Ogleby put it off with a laughter, saying, that Dreams were but fables, &c.
The Scot is now more full of prophetical Predictions, then Martial actions; for another of their gude Lairds hath foretold, the dread and terrour that shall befall them this year, 16 [...]5. by the English; and moreover, he doth further affirm, That the Son of the Eagle, shall in this ensuing year, have his wings so close cut, by an English Rampart, that he shall be wholly subdued and utterly discomfited, and deprived of all earthly bliss and happiness, and that after three Battels fought for the faith, the Land shall be quite over-run and conquered, and then there shall be a firm and universal peace, throughout three Nations of Scotland, England, and Ireland.