N00277:195
Kometographia. Or A discourse concerning comets; wherein the nature of blazing stars is enquired…
Kometographia. Or A discourse concerning comets; wherein the nature of blazing stars is enquired into: with an historical account of all the comets which have appeared from the beginning of the world unto this present year, M.DC.LXXXIII. : Expressing the place in the heavens, where they were seen, their motion, forms, duration; and the remarkable events which have followed in the world, so far as they have been by learned men observed. : As also two sermons occasioned by the late blazing stars. / By Mr. Increase Mather, teacher of a church at Boston in New-England. ; [Three lines of Scripture texts]Kometographia. Or A discourse concerning comets; wherein the nature of blazing stars is enquired into: with an historical account of all the comets which have appeared from the beginning of the world unto this present year, M.DC.LXXXIII. : Expressing the place in the heavens, where they were seen, their motion, forms, duration; and the remarkable events which have followed in the world, so far as thay have been by learned men observed. : As also two sermons occasioned by the late blazing stars. / By Mr. Increase Mather, teacher of a church at Boston in New-England. ; [Three lines of Scripture texts]
printed by S.G. for S.S. i.e, 1683
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
A D. 1530. A hComet was observed. And again the next year in August and September, having its motion from the beginning of Leo unto Libra, appearing first in the Morning before Sunrise, ⟨p. 97⟩afterwards in the evening. Again, ithe year following from September 25. to October 20, its motion being from Virgo to Scorpio, and at first a southern, but at last a northern Latitude. The body of the Star was three times as big as the Planet Jupiter; the stream exceeding long, pointing to the South-west. The next year in June, in Gemini; the Star somewhat greater then Jupiter, the figure like a long sword. As for the more remarkable Events, attending those Blazing Stars, thus annually appearing, they were such as these. An Earth-quake in Portugal; above a thousand houses were thrown down thereby. A sore Famine in some Countries. A great Flood or Inundation of Waters in the Netherlands, viz. in Holland, Friesland, and Zealand (no less then four hundred and four Parishes were drowned;) yea and in Poland: Also at Rome the River Tiber overflowed its Banks. Now did the famous Confession of Augsburg come forth, and the name of Protestant was first known. That Confession was put into the form of a Covenant, subscribed by several of the Electoral Princes, who protested they would abide by the Truth, so did the opposers of Popery come to bear the name of Protestants. The World blazed and flamed out with Wars every where. In the East the Persians and Turks were at variance. Also the Turks made ⟨p. 98⟩an irruption upon Christendom. Hungaria was full of Troubles. In Heluetiae there was an unhappy War, wherein Zuinglius (that Star of the first magnitude) lost his life. In Westphalia, the Munsterian Anabaptists brought all to confusion. In Denmark, the Popish party designing to suppress the Protestants, involved that Kingdom in War and Blood. In Africa, the Kingdom of Tunis was put into a flame by Barbarossa. Great mutations happened in England which filled the World with discourse and wonderment, for King Henry VIII. cast off the Popes Supremacy, and turned the Monks and Friars out of doors, disposing of the Church-lands to whom he pleased. By all which things it appears, that the Blazing Stars mentioned were not seen for nothing.