behaviour, that he might be assured there was nothing of imposture in him. This gentleman kept Nixon locked up, and going in a hurry with the King to Theobalds, he forgot to take care of him, and leave him provisions till his return, by which means he was starved to death. It must be observed that Nixon could not speak, except it was immediately after he came out of his trance, and never could be brought to pronounce a sensible word more than ay or no, as hath been said, unless when he was pronouncing his oracles.

There happened something with respect to Nixon and his going to court, like what I met with in the pamphlet you sent me, called The Drummer of Tedworth; for, as that drummer left beating when King Charles's courtiers came to be upon the watch with him, and would not satisfy their curiosity; so our clown of a prophet, after he came to court, was entirely dumb, and pronounced no more prophecies. It is said he was not long there before he was starved to death.

Nixon was very grateful to his master Cholmondeley; he prophesied that the heir to be born to the family, threescore and ten years after, should be endowed with very eminent qualifications, and arrive at greater honours than any of his ancestors had done; that he should distinguish himself by his loyalty and services to the king then reigning; and that, after the happy settlement which would succeed the

struggle, the peace would be lasting, with a continued series of honours and glory to the nation. This child, said Nixon, shall be known by the appearance of an eagle at the time of his birth, with the circumstances mentioned in your prophecy. A long time before the eagle appeared, the country people used to look out for it; and as often as the lady of Vale Royal lay in, they would cry, Where is the eagle? When will Nixon's heir be born? The appearance of the eagle was about five and twenty years ago: the lady who lay in was aunt to Henry St. John, late Lord Bolingbroke; when she was in labour she heard great shoutings and acclamations of joy ; and inquiring the reason, was told, The eagle, so long talked of, is come. Upon which her sister and Mr. J. S. who are both living, went to the window, saw the eagle sitting on the bough, and looked at it above a quarter of an hour. It was seen also by several thousands of people, and is such a confirmation of Nixon's prophecy, that the truth of it is no where doubted of, either by gentle or simple. There is some variation in the original prophecy from what is mentioned in your prophecy about the competitors for the kingdom; the Germans, Dutch, and Danes, are to conquer those that bring fire and famine, plague and murder, in the folds of their garments; and we can understand none but the French by such bloody invaders; none but French Papists would

bring such destruction among Protestants. As for the miller Peter, he was born about the time of the Revolution; and Nixon prophesied that he should have two heels on one foot, and be knighted; the two heels he hath already, but the spurs are not come to his lot. Yet, however, the country people in this neighbourhood have made a knight of him these many years, and honest Peter, the miller, is Sir Peter in every one's mouth.

I must here correct an error of Mr. Addison, in his Freeholder, who has not read your prophecy with that attention and regard which a thing of such importance deserves; for he gives the miller two thumbs, whereas Nixon gives him two heels. A mistake in the text of a prophecy is of a very dangerous consequence; and I doubt not, but upon this notice, in future editions this error will be corrected, and justice done to honest Peter the miller.

I am, sir, yours,

W. E.

Tillotson's Sermons; edited by R. Barker, D. D. vol. 2. p. 321, being the second Sermon from Rev. xiv. 13. written about 1687-8, at the time of the Persecution of the Protestants in France.

THE consideration of the extreme sufferings which are to fall upon the faithful servants of Christ in the last times, and which seem now to be begun in the world, should make us very contented to leave this world, and glad of any fair opportunity and excuse to take our leave of it, and to be out of the reach and danger of those violent and more than human temptations, with which our faith and constancy may be assailed; nay, to esteem it a particular grace and favour of God to us, to be taken away from the evil to come, and to prevent, if God sees it good, those extremities of sufferings which are coming upon the world.

These seem now to be begun in some part of it: they, in our neighbour nation, have a bitter cup* put into their hands; a cup of astonishment to all those that hear of it. Whether this be that last and extreme persecution spoken of here by St. John, I shall not pretend positively to determine. It is plainly distinguished in the visions from that under the first beast, described

*The revocation of the edict of Nantz.

Rev. xiii. from verse 1 to 11. And chap. xvii.there is a description of the beast upon which the woman sitteth, on whose forehead is a name written," Mystery, Babylon the Great." And this beast is there said to have seven heads and ten horns, which are thus explained by St. John, xvii. 9, 10. "And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, upon which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings;" that is, (as is generally agreed by interpreters), a succession of seven governments. And verse 12, 13, 14. "And the ten horns which thou sawest, are ten kings, which have received no kingdoms as yet, but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast, and shall make war with the Lamb." And verse 18. "And the woman which thou sawest, is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth."

So that this beast is plainly the Roman empire; and the woman that sitteth upon her is the great city standing upon seven mountains, which reigneth over the kings of the earth; which can be no other than Rome, as is agreed by interpreters on all sides. Bellarmine (1. 2. c. 2. de Rom. Pontif.) confesseth that St. John, in the Revelations, every where calleth Rome Babylon, as Tertullian, saith he, hath noted, and as is plain from chap. xvii. where Babylon is said to be seated on

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