Chapter 10

The jurors for the Lord Protector of the commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, &c. upon their oaths do present, that William Lilly, late of the Parish of St. Clements Danes, in the County of Middlesex, Gent. not having the fear of God before his eyes, but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the devil, the 10th day of July, in the Year of our Lord, 1654, at the Parish aforesaid, in the County aforesaid, wickedly, unlawfully, and deceitfully, did take upon him, the said William Lilly, by inchantment, charm, and sorcery, to tell and declare to one Anne East, the wife of Alexander East, where ten waistcoats, of the value of five pounds, of the goods and chattels of the said Alexander East, then lately before lost and stolen from the said Alexander East, should be found and become; and two shilling and sixpence in monies numbred, of the monies of the said Alexander, from the said Anne East, then and and there unlawfully and deceitfully, he, the said William Lilly, did take, receive, and had, to tell and declare to her the said Anne, where the said goods, so lost and stolen as aforesaid, should be found and become: And also that he, the said William Lilly, on the said tenth day of July, in the Year of our Lord, 1654, and divers other days and times, as well before as afterwards, at the said Parish aforesaid, in the County aforesaid, unlawfully and deceitfully did take upon him, the said William Lilly, by inchantment, charm, and sorcery, to tell and declare to divers other persons, to the said jurors, yet unknown, where divers goods, chattels, and things of the said persons yet unknown, there lately before lost and stolen from the said persons yet unknown, should be found and become; and divers sums of monies of the said persons yet unknown, then and there unlawfully and deceitfully, he the said William Lilly did take, receive, and had, to tell and declare to the said persons yet unknown, where their goods, chattels, and things, so lost and stolen, as aforesaid, should be found and become, in contempt of the laws of England, to the great damage and deceit of the said Alexander and Anne, and of the said other persons yet unknown, to the evil and pernicious example of all others in the like case offending, against the form of the statute in this case made and provided, and against the publick peace, &c.

_Anne East, Emme Spencer, Jane Gold, Katherme Roberts, Susannah Hulinge_.

_Butler's Character of_ WILLIAM LILLY.

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"A cunning man[20], hight SIDROPHEL. That deals in destiny's dark counsels, And sage opinions of the moon sells; To whom all people, far and near, On deep importances repair; When brass and pewter hap to stray, And linen slinks out of the way:

[Footnote 20: _A cunning man, hight_ Sidrophel. 'William Lilly, the famous astrologer of those times, who in his yearly almanacks foretold victories for the parliament with as much certainty as the Preachers did in their sermons; and all or most part of what is ascribed to him by the Poet, the reader will find verified in his "Letter," (if we may believe it) wrote by himself to Elias Ashmole, Esq.' For further curious information respecting William Lilly, the reader may consult _Dr. Grey's Notes to Hudibras_, vol. ii. page 163, &c. Edition 1819, in 3 vols, 8vo.]

When geese and pullen are seduc'd, And sows of sucking pigs are chous'd: When cattle feel indisposition, And need th' opinion of physician; When murrain reigns in hogs or sheep, And chickens languish of the pip; When yeast and outward means do fail, And have no power to work on ale; When butter does refuse to come, And love proves cross and humoursome; To him with questions and with urine, They for discov'ry flock, or curing.

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He had been long t'wards mathematics, Opticks, philosophy, and staticks, Magick, horoscopy, astrology, And was old dog at physiology: But, as a dog that turns the spit, Bestirs himself, and plies his feet To climb the wheel, but all in vain, His own weight brings him down again; And still he's in the self-same place, Where at his setting out he was: So, in the circle of the arts, Did he advance his nat'ral parts: Till falling back still, for retreat, He fell to juggle, cant, and cheat: For as those fowls that live in water Are never wet, he did but smatter: Whate'er he labour'd to appear, His understanding still was clear, Yet none a deeper knowledge boasted, Since old Hodge Bacon, and Bob Grosted,

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Do not our great _Reformers_ use This SIDROPHEL to forebode news? To write of victories next year, And castles taken yet i'th' air? Of battles fought at sea, and ships Sunk, two years hence, the last eclipse? A total o'er throw giv'n the KING In Cornwall, horse and foot, next spring? And has not he point-blank foretold Whatso'er the _Close Committee_ would? Made Mars and Saturn for the _cause_, The Moon for _fundamental laws_; The Ram, the Bull, the Goat, declare Against the _Book of Common Prayer_; The Scorpion take the _Protestation_, And Bear engage for Reformation; Made all the _royal stars_ recant, Compound, and take the covenant."

THE END.

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MAURICE, PRINTER, FENCHURCH STREET.