[DUTCH]

Explanation on the Comet-star, Seen in the Year MDCLXIV.

[Hollantze Mercurius XV (1665)]

On November 27, in the morning at half 4 one has first spotted a Comet Star at Saerdam South-East of South, of a little red though bright shape, the tail alongside South-West stretching, was pale of color, coming up in Virgo, stayed, if not covered by misty night, for 14 days, wherefore some thought that no Comet was seen.
On December 13 it appeared very low alongside the Horizon, on the stealing Raven, ran very fast to the west, disappeared again 6:30, its rising to 3 hours under the Libra being the same sign wherein the Comet Anno 1618. appeared, had a sad shining, then the tail east and west was long, the color like the Northern morning sky: Came thus over Hydra on the Mast and the Flag of the Ship, then the misty and rainy weather prevented her long to shine: If one had seen it then two mornings in Holland on the Lucida Hydra, one saw it on December 21, at night against 3 o'clock with such a wide tail that, though because of its long distance already very weak, nevertheless absolutely spanned the Sky from South to South-West: Never it's shown bigger into our face.

On December 30, one saw it near the Lepus or Hare, pretty small, and the Moon took its tails' shining. On December 31 it left, at the same time, the Hare, the Year and its tail, since it appeared as a dark sad light, and came up on the Eridanus, such that it on January 2, 1665 at night at 9 o'clock, since the Moon waned, showed itself with a little beam, though now with it's tail to the West, and that out of the tongue of the big Whale.

On January 3 it had at half 8 on the tongue of the Whale a very long sharp tail to the West right over the shoulder of the Orion. From the accompanying stars it stayed constantly in its sight, thus it looked as if it wanted to crawl in the Whale. January 4, it was dark weather: Then January 5 at 10 o'clock in the evening the Sky clearing, saw that the comet became a lot smaller and also walked past the jaws of the Whale.

Thus far the Comet ran its course till January 7, 1665 over Africa, East and West Indies, especially over the Great Moguls Realm, the Cape Buone Esperance, Goa, Suratte and Madagascar, also over Borneo, and Japan, China, and one could see it from almost the Northern Poles as far as the South, as those of Batavia and of the Magellanes will witness: Those of Portugael have seen it till February 4, 1665, going over them blood-red: Those of Spangen and Romen, Venetien and entire Italien likewise: Constantinopolen and entire Turckyen, Smyrna and the Pouille, where it also has rained blood, have it also, but not as pale as here, but seen it blood-tainted: Engelant, Yrlant, Schotlant, have seen it very long and wide and red-tainted: In Hollandt it is seen very surprising, to know, after December 31, before which time it was very low on the Horizon, but after that in its rise at the east with a tail an elle long, and passing to the south of the Netherlands, had with a clear sky not as only sprinkle, sometimes some little rays, as it was clear, but in its setting, at Night at two o'clock, was its tail around s long as the entire City-hall of Haerlem, calculated on the eye: And after that is disappeared like daily because of the Clouds setting in: Those of nieu Nederlant in the Caribbean Islands and to the South of the Amasones, have seen them all very big, but not longer then to December 30, when it lost its tail, and one day appeared as a sad Star without tail, and after that with a tail which spread to the east, however looking very like a little rod.

You could see it's course very well in the opposite figure, on the bottom most Line, in Virgo the Virgin beginning, and finishing in Aries the Ram: When its tail has stood on the Crater, the Canis, Unicornus, though never on Orion, which above our Horizon with its 3 Stars was continuously near the Comeet until it in Aries out of the Whale came: Higher you see its Size it had on December 30, east and North East the tail: Below you will see its way of doing from December 27, and also that of the year 1618. which stood out as bright ands sharp but didn't stretch in many 100. mijlen as this one did.

Very remarkable in this matter was, that the present Comet ran its course over the robbery Raven, over de Flag of the Ship, (as Cromwel A^o. 1652. started the War with Hollant, and Engeland now again in this year 1665. in order to be the leader of the Sea [literally it says: to lead the Flag of the Sea], set war on and robbed Hollandt,) thereafter over the Gallus the Cock, with which Vranckrijck [France] is meant: On the fearful Hare: On the Water-Snake, the River Eridanus, and the Whale: All Sea and Water-signs.

While we are busy then with this Story, comes out for one more time the Comet, which showed itself for the first time on April 6, 1665 above our Horizon, rising in the morning at 2 o'clock in the North, it's course lasting till 4 o'clock, is not high east, but it's Tail which is wide and long, however white, stands South East. And located on April 13, more North East and stretches lower on our Horizon, standing on the Equus, with which all dabblers could calculate its height.

Many will meddle themselves easily to prophesize by this 3 Comet stars, and foolish people will easily believe it, as nonetheless the Human Being to get to know future things, not is given the property, other than being able to decide from Things past to the coming ones, further completely dangling. It is the Almighty the All-knowing Lord Who thus shows us in 5 Months 3 Comets besides the many other Heavenly signs, what one doesn't find ever will happen: It seems to us that the same could do its effects in the miraculous Year 1666. of which so many Years is predicted: Godt the Lord lets us experience everything in His blissfulness, so that we can behold His delightful Creatures not in the Sky, but in Heaven eternally.

In Haerlem, this April 14, 1665.