Lilly

Lilly, William (1602-81), the astrologer, the Sidrophel of Hndibras, was the son of a small farmer of Leicestershire. In 1620 he went to London, and seven years later married the widow of Wright, his employer, and inherited his property. He first turned his attention to astrology in 1632, and in 1644 published the first of his 36 annual almanacks containing predictions of the events of the year. He brought out a "nativity" of Prince Rupert in 1645, of Strafford and Laud in 1646, and of the King of Sweden in 1659. Some of these almanacs were translated into German, Dutch, and Danish. Lilly pretended to be a Parliamentarian, and in 1648 was asked to attend the siege of Colchester in order to encourage the Parliamentary soldiers by his predictions. In 1651 his Monarchy and no Monarchy declared that England should no more be governed by a king; but he got into some trouble two years later by predicting that the Commons and soldiers would combine to overthrow Parliament. At the Restoration he was taken into custody and examined by a committee of the Commons as to his knowledge of the particulars of Charles I.'s execution, but was soon set at liberty. From 1670 till his death Lilly practised medicine.