DAY-FATALITY:

OR, SOME OBSERVATIONS OF DAYS

LUCKY AND UNLUCKY.

LUC. xix. 43.

In hoc die tuo: In this thy day.

HAT there be good and evil times, not only the sacred scriptures, but prophane authors mention see 1 Sam. 25, 8. Esther 8, 17. and 9, 19, 22. Ecclus. 14. 14.

The fourteenth day of the first month was a memorable and blessed day amongst the children of Israel: see Exod. 12, 18, 40, 41, 42, 51. Levit. 23, 5. Numb. 28, 16. Four hundred and thirty years being expired of their dwelling in Egypt, even in the self same day departed they thence.

A thing something parallel to this we read in the Roman histories: that, that very day four years, that the

civil wars were begun by Pompey the father, Cæsar made an end of them with his sons; Cneius Pompeius being then slain, and it being also the last battle Cæsar was ever in. (Heylin in the kingdom of Corduba.) The calendar to Ovid's Fastorum, says, Aprilis erat mensis Græcis auspicatisimus, a most auspicious month among the Græcians.

As to evil days and times; see Amos 5, 13. and 6, 3. Eccles. 9, 12. Psal. 37, 19. Obad. 12. Jer. 46, 21. And Job hints it, in cursing his birth-day. 10, 11. See Weever, p. 458.

Cap. 3, v. 1,

Early in a morning

In an evil tyming,

Went they from Dunbar.

Horace, lib. 2. Ode 13. Cursing the tree that had like to have fallen upon him, says, Ille nefasto te posuit die; intimating that it was planted in an unlucky day.

The Romans counted Feb. 13, an unlucky day, and therefore then never attempted any business of importance; for on that day they were overthrown at Allia by the Gauls; and the Fabii attacking the city of the Veii, were all slain, save one. (Heylin, speaking of St. Peter's patrimony.) And see the calendar annext to Ovid's Fastorum, as to the last circumstance.

The Jews accounted August 10, an unfortunate day ; for on that day the Temple was destroyed by Titus, the son of Vespasian; on which day also the first Temple was

consumed with fire by Nebuchadnezzar. (Heylin.) The treasury of the times says the eighth of Loyon (August) the very same day 679 years one after another.

And not only among the Romans and Jews, but also among Christians, a like custom of observing such days is used, especially Childermas or Innocent's day. Comines tells us, that Lewis XI. used not to debate any matter, but accounted it a sign of great misfortune towards him, if any man communed with him of his affairs; and would be very angry with those about him, if they troubled him with any matter whatsoever upon that day.

But I will descend to more particular instances of lucky and unlucky days.

Upon the sixth of April, Alexander the Great was born. Upon the same day he conquered Darius, won a great victory at sea, and died the same day.

Neither was this day less fortunate to his father Philip; for on the same day he took Potidea; Parmenio, his General, gave a great overthrow to the Illyrians; and his horse was victor at the Olympic Games. Therefore, his prophets foretold to him, Filium cujus natalis, &c. That a son whose birth-day was accompanied with three victories, should prove invincible. Pezelius in melificio historico.

Upon the thirtieth of September, Pompey the Great was born: upon that day he triumphed for his Asian conquest, and on that day he died.

The nineteenth of August was the day of Augustus his adoption on the same day he began his consulship: he conquered the Triumviri, and on the same day he died. Hitherto out of the memories of King Charles I's. heroes.

If Solomon counts the day of one's death better than the day of one's birth, there can be no objection why that also may not be reckoned amongst one's remarkable and happy days. And therefore I will insert here, that the eleventh of February was the noted day of Elizabeth, wife to Henry VII. who was born and died that day. Weever, p. 476. Brooke, in Henry VII. marriage. Stow, in Anno 1466, 1503.

As also that the twenty-third of November was the observable day of Francis, Duke of Lunenburgh, who was born on that day, and died upon the same, 1549, as says the French author of the Journal History, who adds upon particular remark and observable curiosity.

Ipsa dies vitam contulit, ipsa necem.
The same day life did give,

And made him cease to live.

Sir Kenelm Digby, that renowned knight, great linguist, and magazine of arts, was born and died on the eleventh of June, and also fought fortunately at Scanderoon the same day. Here his epitaph, composed by Mr. Ferrar, and recited in the aforesaid Memoirs :

Under this stone the matchless Digby lies,
Digby the great, the valiant and the wise:
This age's wonder for his noble parts;

Skill'd in six tongues, and learn'd in all the arts.
Born on the day he died, th' eleventh of June,
On which he bravely fought at Scanderoon.
'Tis rare that one and self-same day should be
His day of birth, of death, of victory.

I had a maternal uncle, that died the third of March, 1678, which was the anniversary day of his birth; and (which is a truth exceeding strange) many years ago he foretold the day of his death to be that of his birth; and he also averred the same but about the week before his departure. The third of March is the day of St. Eutropius; and as to my uncle it was significative; it turned well to him, according to that of Rev. 14, 13. Blessed are the dead, &c. and that of Ovid Metam. lib. 3.

-Dicique beatus,

Ante obitum nemo supremaque funera debet.-
-None happy call

Before their death, and final funeral.

The sixth of January was five times auspicious to Charles, Duke of Anjou. Ibid. in the life of the Earl of Sunderland.

The twenty-fourth of February was happy to Charles V. four times. (Ibid.) Heylin, speaking of the Temple of Jerusalem, hints three of these four; his birth, taking of