would be there such a day; I elected a day and hour when to receive the Commissioners and propositions; and as soon as the propositions were read, to sign them, and make haste with all speed to come up with the Commissioners to London.  The army being then far distant from London, and the city enraged stoutly against them, he promised he would do so.  That night the Commissioners came, and old Sea and his Majesty had private conference till one in the morning:  the King acquaints Sea with his intention, who clearly dissuaded him from signing the propositions, telling him they were not fit for him to sign; that he had many friends in the House of Lords, and some in the House of Commons; that he would procure more, and then they would frame more easy propositions.  This flattery of this unfortunate Lord occasioned his Majesty to wave the advice I and some others that wished his prosperity had given, in expectation of that which afterwards could never be gained.  The army having some notice hereof from one of the Commissioners, who had an eye upon old Sea, hasted unto London, and made the citizens very quiet; and besides, the Parliament and army kept a better correspondency afterwards with each other.

Whilst the King was at Windsor-Castle, once walking upon the leads there, he looked upon Captain Wharton’s Almanack:  ‘My book,’ saith he, ‘speaks well as to the weather:’  One William Allen standing by; ‘what,’ saith he, ‘saith his antagonist, Mr. Lilly?’ ‘I do not care for Lilly,’ said his Majesty, ‘he hath been always against me,’ and became a little bitter in his expressions.  ‘Sir,’ saith Allen, ’the man is an honest man, and writes but what his art informs him.’  ‘I believe it,’ said his Majesty, ’and that Lilly understands astrology as well as any man in Europe.’ Exit Rex Carolus.

In 1648 I published a Treatise of the Three Suns, seen the winter preceding; as also an Astrological Judgment upon a Conjunction of Saturn and Mars 28 June, in 11 degrees 8 minutes of Gemini.

I commend unto your perusal that book and the Prophetical Merlin, which, seriously considered, (Oh worthy Esquire) will more instruct your judgement (De generalibus contingentibus Mundi) than all the authors you yet ever met with.

In this year, for very great considerations, the Council of State gave me in money fifty pounds, and a pension of one hundred pounds per Annum, which for two years I received, but no more:  upon some discontents I after would not or did require it.  The cause moving them was this; they could get no intelligence out of France, although they had several agents there for that purpose.  I had formerly acquaintance with a secular priest, at this time confessor to one of the Secretaries; unto him I wrote, and by that means had perfect knowledge of the chiefest concernments of France, at which they admired; but I never yet, until this day, revealed the name of the person.