But within one week after, I was likely to have had worse success, but that the before-named gentlemen stoutly befriended me.  In my Epistle of the Starry Messenger, I had been a little too plain with the committee of Leicestershire; who thereof made complaint unto Sir Arthur Hazelrigg, Knight for that county; he was a furious person, and made a motion in the House of Commons against me, and the business was committed to that committee, whereof Baron Rigby was chairman.  A day was assigned to hear the matter; in the morning whereof, as I passed by Mr. Pullen’s shop in St. Paul’s Church-yard, Pullen bad ‘God be with you,’ and named me by name.  Mr. Selden being there, and hearing my name, gave direction to call me unto him, where he acquaints me with Hazelrigg’s humour and malice towards me, called for the Starry Messenger, and having read over the words mentioning that committee, he asked me how I would answer them?  I related what I would have said, but he contradicted me, and acquainted me what to say, and how to answer.  In the afternoon I went to appear, but there was no committee set, or would sit; for both Mr. Reynolds and Sir Philip Stapleton, and my other friends, had fully acquainted Baron Rigby with the business, and desired him not to call upon me until they appeared; for the matter and charge intended against me was very frivolous, and only presented by a cholerick person to please a company of clowns, meaning the committee of Leicester.  Baron Rigby said, if it were so he would not meddle with the matter, but exceedingly desired to see me.  Not long after he met Sir Arthur, and acquainting him what friends appeared for me, said, ’I will then prosecute him no further.’

All the ancient astrologers of England were much startled and confounded at my manner of writing, especially old Mr. William Hodges, who lived near Wolverhampton in Staffordshire, and many others who understood astrology competently well, as they thought.  Hodges swore I did more by astrology than he could by the crystal, and use thereof, which indeed he understood as perfectly as any one in England.  He was a great royalist, but could never hit any thing right for that party, though he much desired it:  he resolved questions astrologically; nativities he meddled not with; in things of other nature, which required more curiosity, he repaired to the crystal:  his angels were Raphael, Gabriel, and Uriel:  his life answered not in holiness and sanctity to what it should, having to deal with those holy angels.  Being contemporary with me, I shall relate what my partner John Scott, the same Scott as is before-mentioned, affirmed of him.  John Scott was a little skilful in surgery and physick, so was Will Hodges, and had formerly been a school-master.  Scott having some occasions into Staffordshire, addressed himself for a month or six weeks to Hodges, assisted him to dress his patients, let blood, &c.  Being to return to London, he desired Hodges to shew him the person and feature