de use of the King's nativity,
and finding that his ascendant was approaching to the quadrature of
Mars, about June, 1645, I gave this unlucky judgment; 'If now we fight,
a victory stealeth upon us;' and so it did in June, 1645, at Naseby, the
most fatal overthrow he ever had.

In this year, 1645, I published a treatise called the _Starry
Messenger_, with an interpretation of three suns seen in London, 29th
May, 1644, being Charles the Second's birthday: in that book I also put
forth an astrological judgment concerning the effects of a solar
eclipse, visible the 11th of August, 1645. Two days before its
publishing, my antagonist, Captain Wharton, having given his
astronomical judgment upon his Majesty's present march from Oxford;
therein again fell foul against me and John Booker: Sir Samuel Luke,
Governor of Newportpagnel, had the thing came to his garrison from
Oxford, which presently was presented unto my view. I had but twelve
hours, or thereabout, to answer it, which I did with such success as is
incredible; and the printer printed both the _March_ and my answer unto
it, and produced it to sight, with my _Starry Messenger_, which came
forth and was made publick the very day of the Parliament's great
victory obtained against his Majesty in person at Naseby, under the
conduct of the Lord Thomas Fairfax.

That book no sooner appeared, but within fourteen days complaint was
made to the committee of examinations, Miles Corbet then being Chairman,
my mortal enemy, he who after was hanged, drawn, and quartered, for
being one of the King's Judges; he grants his warrant, and a messenger
to the Serjeant at Arms seizeth my person. As I was going to Westminster
with the messenger, I met Sir Philip Stapleton, Sir Christopher Wray,
Mr. Denzil Hollis, Mr. Robert Reynolds, who, by great fortune, had the
_Starry Messenger_ sheet by sheet from me as it came from the press.
They presently fell a smiling at me; 'Miles Corbet, Lilly, will punish
thee soundly; but fear nothing, we will dine, and make haste to be at
the committee time enough to do the business;' and so they most
honourably performed; for they, as soon as they came, sat down, and put
Mr. Reynolds purposely into the chair, and I was called in; but Corbet
being not there, they bid me withdraw until he came; which when he did,
I was commanded to appear, and Corbet desired to give the cause of my
being in restraint, and of the committee's order. Mr. Reynolds was
purposely p