APPENDIX. No. I. LETTERS FROM THE ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM. LETTER I. R. KNIGHT to WILLIAM LILLY,* the Astrologer. Consultation relative to the probability of a Marriage.. September ye 8th, at half an hour after 4 in the afternoon. SIR, HAVINGE been with you divers times, as upon the 24 of December, 1647, and upon the 27 of Sept. 1648, and twise in the latter end of Aprill last, at all which times I made bould to desire your judgement concerninge some * William Lilly was born at Diseworth, in Leicestershire, in 1602, and died in 1681. His "History of his Life and Times," affords many curious instances of credulity and imposture, A portrait of him is preserved in the Ashmolean Museum, thinges I then propounded unto you, wherein you were pleased to give me some satisfaction. You may happily remember me by this character: I was borne three weekes before my time, neare Newberry, on the 16th of August, 1619; but what houre I cannot learne, I am very tall of stature, goeing stoopinge a little at the shoulders, I am leane, havinge thinne flaxen haire, of a longish visage and a pale complexion, gray eyed, havinge some impediment in my upper lippe, which hath a small mole on the right side thereof: I have allsoe on the right side of my forehead an other little mole, I am of a mellancholly disposition, havinge beene all the course of my life in an unsetled condition. When I was last with you I was very desirous to knowe your judgment about what time you did thinke I might be setled, and I did then acquaint you that there was a match propounded unto my father for me unto a gentlewoman who lived south from the place of my usuall residence; she was borne neare Worcester, in May, 1613, but for the most part of her life had lived south or southwest from me. She is an Ayresse, of a reasonable tall stature, of a brownish haire, of an ovall visage, and a saturnine complexion, very discreete, and excellent well spoken, all which when I was with you, you described unto me, and told me that possibly I might succeed in the businesse, if she were not preingaged which I should knowe before the 10th of Maye then followeinge, and in case it did come to any thinge, it should notwithstandinge goe but slowely on at the first, and that I should have many rubbs and delayes, duringe the time of Mercury his beinge retrograde, but at his comming to be direct all thinges should goe fairely on; but however this business did succeed you did assure me that I should be settled before the 20th of November next. Nowe, Sir, to acquaint you howe much of your judgement proved true, I refrained to make any addresse unto her untill those aspects were over in the 9th of May, but afterwards I went unto her, when with some difficulty I obtained leave to waite on her, and at last procured of her to thinke of a treaty of marriage, which she did, and appointed it three several times, duringe the time of Mercury, his last beinge R. but still by severall accidents unexpectedly put of, yet at last it was appointed to be the 22cond or 23d of August, soe my father, with my selfe and some other friends set out towards the place appointed for the treaty, (which was southwest from us, and west from the gentlewoman) on Munday the 20th of August, at halfe an houre after twelye, and on Thursday, at the place appointed, the treaty beganne between 2 and 3 of clocke, P.M. at which time they could not come to an agreement, but proposalls were tendered by my father, the which were by her commissioner to be delivered, or sent unto her, and after she a little had deli |