In the seventeenth century, comets were often interpreted as divine portents – signs that something important or catastrophic was about to happen. They were seen to anticipate or even bring about natural disasters, such as famines or plagues. Comets could also signal imminent political change, such as the death or accession of a ruler.
Among the texts in the Morley Library, we find The petitioning-comet: or, a brief chronology of all the famous comets, and their events, that have happen’d from the birth of Christ to this very day.
Printed in London by Nathaniel Thompson in 1681, The petitioning-comet provides a chronological list of comets sighted from 13 A.D. through to 1681 A.D. Details of the notable events or calamities associated with each sighting are also given. Comets listed include:
68-69 A comet like a flaming sword hanging over Jerusalem, a portent of the destruction of the city
1066 A comet seen just before the Norman Invasion – as included on the Bayeux Tapestry. The comet was later calculated to be the famous Halley’s Comet and has been recorded every 75 years or so. Last seen in 1986 and due to return around Earth on 2061
1382 A comet signalling plague – possibly a recurrence of the Black Death
1439 A Comet preceded the invention of printing, the following year
1558 Accession of Queen Elizabeth I. A comet was visible, during her residence in Richmond, but she would not look at it. Saying “Jacta eft alea” – “..the die is cast…” A quote originally attributed to Caesar. Elizabeth was implying that God’s will of her accession was above the influence of any comet
1666 Two comets signalling plague and the Great Fire of London