Astrognome Scrapbook King James I and the comet of 1618

King James and the poem of the comet

The great comet of 1618 was one of the most spectacular comets in history. It was reported to have a tail over 100 degrees long and to be reddish in colour and was visible in the day time. As with the great comet of 1843 it was discovered by many observers.

King James and the poem of the comet

The great comet of 1618 was one of the most spectacular comets in history. It was reported to have a tail over 100 degrees long and to be reddish in colour and was visible in the day time. As with the great comet of 1843 it was discovered by many observers.

King James I

The comet was so visible in the sky that King James 1 who was so interested in it wrote a poem about the comet.

“King James on the blazeing starr: Octo: 28: 1618”

You men of Britaine, wherefore gaze yee so

Uppon an Angry starr, whenh as yee know

The sun shall turne to darknesse, the Moon to blood

And then twill be to late for to turne good

O be so happy then while time doth last

As to remember Dooms day is not past

And misinterpret not, with vaine Conceit

The Caracter you see on Heaven gate.

Which though it bring the world some news from fate

The letters such as no man can translate

And for to guesse at God Almightys minde

Where such a thing might Cozen all mankinde

Wherfore I wish the Curious man to keep

His rash Imaginations till he sleepe

Then let him dreame of Famine plague & war

And thinke the match with spaine hath causd this star

Or let them thinke that if their Prince my Minion

Will shortly chang, or which is worse religion

And that he may have nothing elce to feare

Let him walke Pauls, and meet the Devills there

And if he be a Puritan, and scapes

Jesuites, salute them in their proper shapes

These Jealousys I would not have a Treason

In him whose Fancy overrules his Reason

Yet to be sure It did no harme, Twere fit

He would be bold to pray for no more witt

But onely to Conceale his dreame, for there

Be those that will beleive what he dares feare.

I wonder how many other monarchs wrote poems about astronomical events?