★ Behold! Newes from Heaven, or, Wonderfull signes, and fearfull predictions: containing a brief of the best judgements of the most exact and profound astrologers of these times, concerning that grand and terrible eclipse of the sun, happening the twenty ninth of March, 1652. beginning forty eight minutes after eight in the morning, and ending seventeen minutes after eleven. With the strange Effects happening after the time of the Eclypse Threatning the downfall of divers Great Persons in Authoritie, New Dissentions about Religion, Warrs, Bloodshed, Rapines, Depopulations, Devastations, Heart-burnings, House-burnings, Robberies, Thefts, Plundering and Pillages, Deceipts, Treacheries, Oathes, Perjuries, Combinations, fidings, &c. and at last, violent and unespected Deaths by severall Plagues, Famines, Inundations of Waters, Earth-quakes, Blasings and Burnings. With every moneths predictions for this present Year, 1652. Also all the strange Wonders that have been seen in England in these last Times. London, Printed by J.C. and T.W., 1652.
In 4° (19 cm), A4, pp. [1-2] 3-8. Verso del titolo bianco.
E’ una delle non infrequenti opere che rivelano preoccupazione per l’eclissi di Sole prevista per il 29 marzo 1652 (il cosiddetto Black Monday). Fosche previsioni furono fatte al riguardo da William Lilly, pare, da Booker, Ramesey, Laurence Price, Vicars, da un anonimo con Good and joyful news for England, da altro anonimo (R.N.) con Strange newes of the sad effects, da John Napier nel 1651 e da William Knight nel 1699.
Quanto specificamente a questa rarissima plaquette, c’è poco da aggiungere al titolo, che, se letto pazientemente per intero, riassume con efficacia il contenuto delle previsioni dell’anonimo astrologo catastrofista.
Esemplari: National Library of Scotland.