136 JEROME CARDAN 



his life he will be found to be steadfast, firm, severe, 

 chaste, intelligent, an observer of righteousness, patient 

 under trouble, mindful both of injuries and benefits, one 

 demanding reverence and seeking his own. He would 

 lust as a man, but would suffer the curse of impotence. 

 He would be wise beyond measure, and thereby win the 

 admiration of the world ; very prudent and high-minded ; 

 fortunate, and indeed a second Solomon." 



Edward VI. died on July 6, 1553, about six months 

 after Cardan had returned to Milan ; and, before the 

 publication of the Geniturarum Exempla in 1554, the 

 author added to the King's horoscope a supplementary 

 note, explaining his conduct thereanent and shedding 

 some light upon the tortuous and sinister intrigues which 

 at that time engaged the ingenuity of the leaders about 

 the English Court. Now that he was safe from the 

 consequences of giving offence, he wrote in terms much 

 less guarded as to the state of English affairs. It must 

 be admitted that his calculations as to the King's length 

 of days, published after death, have no special value as 

 calculations ; but his impressions of the probable drift of 

 events in England are interesting as the view of a 

 foreigner upon English politics, and moreover they 

 exhibit in strong light the sinister designs of Northumber- 

 land. Cardan records his belief that, in the fourth month 

 of his fifteenth year, the King had been in peril of his life 

 from the plottings of those immediately about him. On 

 one occasion a particular disposition of the sun and 

 Mars denoted that he was in danger of plots woven by 

 a wicked minister, nay, there were threatenings even of 

 poison. 1 He does not shrink from affirming that this 

 unfortunate boy met his death by the treachery of those 



1 " Cumque ibi esset nodus etia venenum, quod utina abfuerit." 

 Geniturarum Exempla^ p. 411. 



