Extraordinary newes from Conſtantinople, Novemb. 27. 1641 being a Letter ſent from thence to the Lord Dominico, Mugliano, Florantino, dated the ſecond of Septemb. 6. 1641.

IT is a wonder to all the world, that in the ſelfeſame time, that the Imperiall Councell was in Labour to Accommodate the King of Hungary with the great Turke, there were publiſhed throughout all Germany, Prognoſtications of the Ruine of the Turkiſh Empire, by that of Germany, ſome tooke theſe impreſſions at the firſt ſight, onely for dreames, as their whimſie braines ap­prehend it, and their bould Intepretations accompanyed with ſo many circumſtances, of which wee have received other newes, but by the ſelfe ſame writing, ſo that many imputed all to be but the Ruings of ſome cract braines, But the moſt aviſed believed that it was an Artifice, though ſomething groſſe, to appeaſe the diſcontentment of thoſe who found it ſtrange to reduce and unite the King of Hungary to the Turke, to oppoſe which as here­tofore it hath beene ſaid, the Empire was Eſtabliſhed: be it what it will, Italy and Germany, having both had their2 part in this newes, I will give it you, ſuch as it was ſent to us under the name of a Letter from Conſtantinople, to the Lord Dominico, Mugliano, Florantino, dated the ſecond of September 1641.

From the tenth of Auguſt laſt, to the 13. of the ſame Moneth there was ſo furious a winde in the plaines neere unto Conſtantinople, that it did diſroote and blow up many Trees, and ruinated a great number of ſtately Edifices, and amongſt thoſe perſons who received great loſſe, it is per­ticularly obſerved, that foure of the Turkes grand Couri­lers, and a Captaine of his Troopes, were by the vio­ence of this Tempeſt, throwne into deepe precipices, and were never ſince ſeene: This turbulent ſtorme was ac­companied with ſo many fearefull Thunders and Light­nings, that it killed many of his Ianizaryes, not farre from his owne Seraglio, and this Lightning and Thunder was followed with ſo great a Raine, that a good part of the Territories of Conſtantinople were ſwallowed up, and the fi•lds converted into a Marſh or Bog; all this was made the more fearefull and deſtroyable by the Aſpect of two Commetts or blaſing ſtarres with double tailes, or forked poſteriums.

The one of which appeared from two of the clocke in the morning untill midnight, juſt over againſt the great Turkes Seraglio, and the other over the Church or Moſque of Sancta Sophia, from three of the clocke in the afternoone till five a clocke the next morning: theſe ſtrange ſights did affright and amaze all the Turkes in generall, but now behold what more troubled the great Turke in particu­lar.

The Twelft of the ſame moneth, about three of the clocke in the Morning, the great Turke dreamt, that hee was ſeized upon by many Lyons, the greateſt of which ha­ving3 bitten him upon the breaſt, his excellency made ſo great a cry and noiſe, that all his guardes run up to him in Armes, beleeving that ſome ſuddaine diſaſter or miſfor­tune had befallen him; But the great Turke commanded them all to retire, after he had aſſured them, that he had received no harme, and ſo his excellency pleaſed to fall aſleepe againe, but upon breake of day he had a ſecond vi­ſion of many Centaures, who made and fought a bloody Battell one againſt the other, after this there came from the Eaſt a great number of Griffens, who fell upon the Cen­taures with ſuch a fury, that they put them all to flight, one part of them retired into Pits, and Caves to hid them­ſelves, and the other joyning themſelves unto the Griſſens, killing the moſt part of the Centaures, who had retired themſelves into pitts and Caves, the grand Turke ſeeing this diſorder, would needes aſſiſt them, with a flaming ſword in his hand, but as he lift up his ſword againſt the Griffens, the Eagle conducting them, diſarmed him, upon which the great Turke being ſurpriſed, awakens with ſo great confuſion and trouble, at theſe viſions and apparari­ons, that he muſt needes know the ſignification of theſe, and the foregoeing commets, for the accompliſhment of which he commandes, all his Divines, Aſtrologers, and Magicians, and other the wifeſt men of his confines, who undertake to forefee thinges to come, to make their ad­dreſſe to Coustantinople, within tenne dayes after the publi­cation of this his decree, under paine of perpetuall baniſh­ment from out his Empire, which Divines came at the time prefixt, in great numbers, unto whom his excellency having deelared punctually his viſions, and the appearing of the two blazing commetts.

Hee expresſly commanded them, to tell the explicati­on4 on within three dayes, without any diſguiſing of the truth, although he ſhould wiſh the contrary, if it might prove againſt himſelfe, at laſt they all aſſembled upon that ſubject, where after long time ſpent in the conference and diſpute, they withdrew themſelves, each apart, the bet­ter to recollect their thoughts, then conveening the ſe­cond time, they found themſelves all of one opinion, whereupon they made choice of one of the moſt ancient, and the moſt graveſt amongſt them, named Moſſa Egypſi­ano, to give a true accompt to the grand Turke, of the In­terpretation which they had agreed upon of his dreames, ſo that the third day being expired, the fornamed Moſſa Egypſiano, come to make his report to his excellency, which he did after this manner.

Our thrice invincible Lord, thy highneſſe having per­mitted us to relate unto you without diſimulation, the true explication, of the two cometts and viſions, which thou haſt propounded unto us, after we had exactly conſidered, and calculated the conjunction of the pla­nets, with thy excellencies, Nativity, which gave us no ſmall in ſight in this our divination.

Let thy highneſſe know, but be not aſtoniſhed, ſince that the evill influences of the ſtarres, may yet be our ma­ſterd by thy wiſdome) that the preſent eſtate of the Caele­ſtiall ſignes, following the opinion, of Ptolomee, and of all the Aſtrologers, who joyntly accord, it to ſignifie a dimu­nition of thy ſtates, and a rebellion of thy ſubjects.

Firſt, For the Lions which thou ſaweſt in thy ſleepe, they repreſent the Chriſtians, who joyning themſelves together, ſhall unanimouſly oppoſe themſelves againſt thy highneſſe, and ſhall become Maſters in a ſhort time of the moſt part of thy Kingdomes.

Secondly, The Lion which ſeized upon thy breaſt, ſhall5 be an Emperour of the Chriſtians, who ſhall chaſe the from thy throne.

Thirdly, That the Centaures, which fought each againſt another, doth demonſtrate thy ſubjects, who ſhall beate one, another, and ſhall deſtroy themſelves by rebellious and civill warre.

Fourthly, that the Griffens ſignifie, a great army of the ſame Chriſtians, who ſhall overclog, and ſuppreſſe thee, The head and Cheiftaine of which, repreſented by the Eagle, who hath taken away thy ſword, which thou didſt hold in thy hand, ſhall deprive the of thy Imperiall ſeate.

Fiftly, that the two commets with their double Tailes, repreſent the power of the ſame Emperour.

And that which yet more confirmes us in this opinion is, that they have appeared over thy Seraglia, and over the principall Moſca of this City.

Know then thrice Clement Prince, that all our Ance­ſtours have beleeved, as we alſo beleeve our ſelves, that thy raigne ſhall be the laſt of the Turkes.

To which muſt be added to this divination of his ſages, that as the Monarchy of the Turkes, tooke his beginning from the yeate 1300. Vnder Albert the firſt Emperour of the houſe of Auſtria, ſo it ſhall end under an Emperour of the ſame houſe, which they ſay is the King of Hungary, the moſt powerfull and the moſt happy that the Romanes have had ſince Iuliuss Caeſar.

The newes in the letter addes thus much, that after this interpretation, and Paranymphe of the King of Hungary, the Diviners withdrawing themſelves, the great Turke fell into a profound meditation, & amazement upon this their ſad ſentence, and ſo riſing from his ſeate, he commanded that theſe diviners ſhould be ſpeedily recalled, whom he6 inſtantly cauſed to be impriſoned; and that the next mor­ning they ſhould make many litle houſes of ſtraw, in the forme of a Cage without a bottome; into which he ſeve­rally made them all be put, and ſoone after cauſed every one of theſe Cages to be drawn up into the Aire by foure ſtrong men; and putting fire with powder, and pitch, he made them paſſe and repaſſe many times, burning as they were upon the heades of thoſe miſerable diviners, and A­ſtrologians, who notwithſtanding were not at all hurt, no not ſo much as blackt, or ſinged by the ſmoake of the Powder, or flame of the Pitch; all which being beheld by the inhabitants of Conſtantinople, they were greatly aſto­niſhed at this miracle, inſomuch that ſome of them pro­cured themſelves to be baptized, but privately, neverthe­leſſe the grand Turke was in ſuch ſort ſurpriſed and ama­zed, that he was three dayes without giving audience, and diſpatched many poſts throughout his dominions to raiſe and Leavy men of warre, fearing leaſt the Imperialls ſhould hereafter come upon notice of this newes, to re­voke and call in queſtion, our faith and mahometan be­leife.