De cometis

Silver a comet with a silvery or whitish appearance of the nature of Jupiter signifies fertile years in the land where it has appeared, and it will be better with Jupiter existing in an aquatic sign, especially in Pisces, then in Cancer, and finally in Scorpio. In other signs, however, it is something less than this.
Black a dark or gloomy-appearing comet of the nature of Saturn signifies much mortality and death by the sword and beheading.
Rose a reddish or rose-colored comet signifies the death of kings and the wealthy, and of those who are apt for the kingdom, and the arrival of great things, and mundane things will change, and better [things] will come.
Tongs a comet shaped like tongs or pincers signifies the death of middle-class persons and more of the elderly and the religious who wear black clothes, and gravity and frost, and a diminution of grain, and damage in laws and kingdoms.
Spit a comet shaped like a skewer or spike signifies a diminution of fruits and earth-born things, and the death of kings and those who are apt for the kingdom.
Staff a rod-shaped comet signifies a paucity of waters and a defect of grain. And if it is conjoined to any planet, it signifies something of that [planet's nature]. With Saturn, severe mortality. With Jupiter, it signifies according to the disposition of Jupiter regarding kings and those who are apt for the kingdom. With Mars, wars and many killings. With Venus, a diminution of waters and dryness. With Mercury, the death of youths and the wise. With the Moon, the death of the common people.

SUMMARY AND ORDER OF THE SIGNIFICATORS OF COMETS

Earthquake, multitude of winds, dryness, serenity, diminution of waters, ignited impressions: these appear at the same time with the rising of a comet, or a little before, and some a little after. Then follows sterility, the destruction of fruits, or improvement, or fertility, scarcity or abundance, mortality, pestilence, or the health of bodies. Sometimes some of these [happen] with the rising of a comet. These for the most part vanish with time, and are not accustomed to endure. Then follow seditions, battles, killings, depopulations, friendships, pleasures, dances, which are extended for a longer time after the appearance of the comet, according to the slow or quick [willingness] of the souls of men to change. Then, and finally, the institutions of new things, changes of laws, observations of sects, and the cultures of foreign things; with these, the effects of the stars are terminated, nor will anything appear after them except a trace.

1472

SECOND PART IS A PARTICULAR SERMON ON THE COMET APPEARING IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1472

It has been seen that many evil accidents follow the appearance of comets. Wherefore, all who have intruded themselves regarding the significations of the comet appearing in the year of Christ 1472, whose prognostics reached me, announced evil, regarding the radical effect and signification of it, and kept silent about its causes, because they ascribed its nature to another star than its own. But blessed be the glorious majesty of the Creator, who, by his supreme providence, from eternity mercifully provided for each creature, wishing to show us his clemency now at this time, commanded an admirable sign to be placed in the air, by the virtues of the stars, his will thus commanding, which are not bent by penitence. Therefore, I pray to God the Creator, not that he may verify my words, but that he may direct me to the recognition of the truth of his signs.