CENTURY IV.
Theophilus Garencières translation
I.
French. Sera du reste de sang non espandu, Venice quiert secours estre donné, Apres avoir bien lon temps attendu, Cité livrée au premier Cor sonné. English. There shall be a remnant of blood unspilt, Venice shall seek for succours, After having long waited for it, The City shall be surrendred at the first sound of the Trumpet.
ANNOT.
This to my judgement is concerning the Siege of Candia, in which the Venetians for the space of about twenty years desired and expected succours from the Christian Princes, which came so slowly, that the City was fained to surrender upon honorable terms, which is the meaning of the first Verse, There shall be a remnant of blood unspilt.
II.
French. Par mort la France prendra voiage a faire, Classe par Mer, marcher Monts Pyrenées, Espagne en trouble marcher gent militaire, Des plus grands Dames en France emmenées. English. By reason of a death, France shall undertake a Journey, They shall have a Fleet at Sea, and march towards the Pyrenes, Spain shall be in trouble by an Army, Some of the greatest Ladies in France carried away
ANNOT.
The whole sense of this is, that by reason of some bodies death, France shall make war against Spain by Sea and Land, and put Spain in great trouble.
The fourth Verse saith, that some of the greatest Ladies in France shall be carried away, but the question is, whether by the Spaniards, or (which is more probable) by their own Husbands going to war against Spain.
III.
French. D’Arras & Bourges de Brodes grands enseignes, Un plus grand nombre de Gascons battre a pied, Ceux long du Rhosne saigneront les Espagnes, Proche du Mont ou Sagunte sassied. English. From Arras and Bourges many colours of black men shall come, A greater number of Gascons shall go on foot, Those along the Rhosne shall let Spain blood, Near the Mountain where Saguntus is seated.
ANNOT.
Arras and Bourges are Cities of France. As for brodes, we have said before that it signifie brown men, such as are the Gascoins, inhabiting the Province of Aquitania near Spain.
Saguntus is a City in Spain, that was destroyed by the Romans.
IV.
French. L’Important Prince fasché, plaint & querelle, De rapts & pillé par Coqs & par Libiques, Grand & par Terre, par Mer infinis Voiles, Seule Italie sera chassant Celtiques. English. The considerable Prince vexed, complaineth and quarelleth, Concerning rapes and plunderings done by the Cocks and Libiques Great trouble by Land, by Sea infinite Sails, Italy alone shall drive away the French.
ANNOT.
This considerable Prince was Philip the II. King of Spain, who was vexed to see the Cocks, that is the French, and Libiques that is the Turks joyned together, under Barbarossa to commit so many Rapes and violences upon his Subjects.
V.
French. Croix Paix, soubs un accomply Divin Verbe, L’Espagne & Gaules seront unis ensemble, Grand clade proche & combat tresacerbe, Cœur si hardy ne sera qui ne tremble. English. The Cross shall have peace, under an accomplished Divine Word, Spain and France shall be united together, A great Battle near hand, and a most sharp fight, No heart so stout but shall tremble.
ANNOT.
We have said before that by Divine Word, we must not understand the second person of the Trinity, but a Divine or Theologian, called in Greek θεόλογος, which also signifieth Divine Word. Therefore the meaning of the first Verse is, that under the Goverment of some eminent Divine, (be like a good Pope) the Cross shall have peace, that is, the Christian Religion shall be in Peace, and persecution shall cease. The last three Verses are plain.
VI.
French. D’Habits nouveaux apres faite la treuve, Malice, trame, & machination, Premier mourra qui en fera la preuve, Couleur Venise, insidiation. English. After the new Cloaths shall be found out, There shall be malice, plotting and machination, He shall die the first that shall make trial of it, Under colour of Venice, shall be a conspiracy.
ANNOT.
Everybody may be as wise as I in the interpretation of this.
VII.
French. Le fils mineur du grand & hay Prince, De Lepre aura a vingt ans grande tache, De dueil mourra triste & mince, Et il mourra la ou tombe chair lache. English. The younger Son of the great and hated Prince, Being twenty years, old shall have a great touch of Leprosie, His mother shall die for grief, very sad and lean, And he shall die of the disease loose flesh.
ANNOT.
This is easie to be understood, if we remember that Charles IX. King of France, younger son to Henry II. died of a foul disease, and his Mother Catharine of Medicis died of grief.
VIII.
French. La grand Cité dassaut prompt repentin Surpris de nuit, gardes interrompus, Les Excubies & veilles Saint Quentin, Trucidez gardes, & les Portails rompus. English. The great City shall be taken by a sudden assault, Being surprised by night, the Watch being beaten, The Court of Guard and Watch of Saint Quentin Shall be killed, and the Gates broken.
ANNOT.
This great City was the City of St. Quentin in Picardy, taken by assault by Philip the II. Anno 1557.
IX.
French. Le Chef du Camp au milieu de la presse, D’un coup de flesche sera blessé aux cuisses, Lors que Geneve en larmes & destresse, Sera trahie par Lozanne & Souisses. English. The Chief of the Camp in the middle of the crowd, Shall be wounded with an Arrow through both his thighs, When Geneva being in tears and distress, Shall be betrayed by Lozane and the Switzers.
ANNOT.
The words and sense are plain.
X.
French. Le jeune Prince accusé faucement, Mettra le camp en trouble & en querelles, Meurtry le chef par le souslevement, Sceptre appaiser, puis guerir escroüelles. English. The young Prince being falsely accused, Shall put the Camp in trouble, and in quarrele, The chief shall be murdered by the tumult, The Scepter shall be appeased, and after cure the Kings-evil.
ANNOT.
This Prophecie must needs be concerning England or France; for there is but those two Kings that challenge the cure of the Kings-evil.
XI.
French. Celuy quaura couvert de la grand Cappe, Sera induit a quelque cas patrer, Les douze rouges viendront soüiller la nappe, Soubs meurtre, meurtre se viendra perpetrer. English. He that shall be covered with a great Cloak, Shall be induced to commit some great fact, The twelve red ones shall Soil the Table-cloth, Under murder, murder shall be committed.
ANNOT.
Every one may interpret this as well as I, provided that by the twelve red ones, he understandeth twelve Cardinals.
XII.
French. Le Camp plus grand de route mis ensuite, Gueres plus outre ne sera pourchassé, Ost recampé & legion reduite, Puis hors, des Gaules du tout sera chassé. English. The greatest Camp being in disorder, shall be routed, And shall be pursued not much after, The Army shall incamp again, and the Troops set in order, Then afterwards, they shall be wholly driven out of France.
ANNOT.
This Prophecie is concerning an out-landish Army that shall invade France, and though numerous, yet shall be put to flight, and shall not be much pursued: therefore it shall incamp again, and collect and gather again its Troops, and afterwards shall be wholly driven out of France.
I am much mistaken if this Prophecie came not to pass, when the Duke of Parma at the head of a Spanish numerous Army came into France in favour of the League; for Henry IV. met him at the siege of Roven, beat him off, and suffered him to retire quietly, and as the common saying is, made him a Golden Bridge, to retreat into the Low-Countries again.
XIII.
French. De plus grand perte nouvelles rapportées, Le rapport fait le camp festonnera, Bandes unies encontre revoltées, Double Phalange, grand abandonnera. English. News being brought of a great loss, The report divulged, the Camp shall be astonished, Troops being united and revolted, The double Phalange shall forsake the great one.
ANNOT.
This hath a connexion with the precedent; for while the Prince of Parma was busied in France, news was brought to his Camp, that the Hollanders had taken Antwerp, which discouraged his whole Host, and made him retire with all speed.
The Word Phalange signifieth a Battailion or part of an Army, which being expressed here by the word double Phalange, signifieth, that both Horse and Foot deserted the Duke of Parma upon the hearing of this news.
XIV.
French. La mort subite du premier personage, Aura changé & mis un autre au Regne, Tost, tard venu a si haut & basage, Que Terre & mer faudra que lon le craigne. English. The sudden death of the chief man, Shall cause a change, and put another in the Raign, Soon, late come to so high a degree, in a low age, So that by Land and Sea he must be feared.
ANNOT.
The two first Verses are plain.
The two last signifie, that a youth shall come to the Kingdom, soon, that is, by reason of the sudden death of the chief man, and late; because being but young, he shall Reign so long, that he shall be famous, and feared by Sea and Land.
XV.
French. D’ou pensera faire venir famine, De la viendra le rassasiement, L’œil de la Mer par avare canine, Pour de l’un lautre donra Huile, Froment. English. Whence one thought to make famine to come, Thence shall come the fulness, The eye of the Sea through a doggish covetousness, Shall give to both Oyl and Wheat.
ANNOT.
This Prophecie was fulfilled at the famous Siege of Ostend, which lasted three years and three Months; for the Hollanders that brought relief to the Town, did for covetousness sell the ammunition to the Spaniards that besieged it, for which complaint being made by the States to the Prince of Orenge, Maurice of Nassaw, as also that they did the like to Newport, which he had besieged; he replyed smartly, do you not know that your Countrey men would Sail into Hell, were it not for fear to have their Sails burnt.
XVI.
French. La Cité franche de liberté fait serue, Des profligés & resueurs fait azyle, Le Roy changé a eux non si proterue, De cent seront devenus plus de Mille. English. The free City from a free one shall become slave, And of the banished and dreamers shall be a retreat, The King changed in mind, shall not be so froward to them. Of one hundred they shall become more than a thousand.
ANNOT.
Here you must observe that the Author being a Papist, speaketh this concerning the City of Geneva, which he saith from a free City became a slave, when it shook off the Duke of Savoy’s domination, and became a retreat to the Protestants, whom he called the banished and dreamers.
In the third Verse, by the King changed in his mind that shall not be so froward to them, he meaneth, Henry IV. who having changed the Protestant Religion, to be a Roman Catholick, did undertake their protection against the Duke of Savoy their Prince.
Hence followeth the explication of the fourth Verse, when he saith, that of one hundred they shall become more than a thousand; for in few years the Protestants became so numerous, that they drove the Roman Catholicks wholly out of the Town, and so have remained to this day Masters of it.
XVII.
French. Changer a Beaune, Nuis, Chalons, & Dijon, Le Duc voulant amender la barrée, Marchant pres Fleuve, Poisson, bec de plongeon, Verra la queüe: Porte sera serrée. English. There shall be a change at Beaune, Nuis, Chalons, Dijon, The Duke going about to raise Taxes, The Merchant near the River shall see the tail Of a Fish, having the Bill of a Cormorant: the door shall be shut.
ANNOT.
Beaune, Chalons, and Dijon, are Cities in France, Nuis is a Town in Germany near the Rhyne, three or four Leagues below Colen.
For the rest, every one may make his own interpretation, for it is hard to guess who this Duke should be, or that Fish either, that shall have a Cormorants Bill after whom the door shall be shut.
XVIII.
French. Les plus Lettrez dessus les faits Cœlestes, Seront par Princes ignorans reprouvez, Punis d’Edict, chassez comme scelestes, Et mis a mort la ou seront trouvez. English. The most Learned in the Celestial sciences, Shall be found fault with, by ignorant Princes. Punished by proclamation, chased away as wicked, And put to death where they shall be found.
ANNOT.
This is plain, and signifieth no more then a persecution against the Professors of Heavenly sciences, such as are Astrologers, Astronomers, &c.
XIX.
French. Devant Rouan d’Insubres mis le Siege, Par Terre & Mer enfermez les passages, D’Hainaut, de Flandres de Gand & ceux de Liege, Par leurs levées raviront les Rivages. English. Before Rouan a Siege shall be laid by the Insubrians. By Sea and Land the passages shall be shut up, Those of Hainaut, Flanders, Ghent, and Liege, With their Troops shall plunder the Sea-shore.
ANNOT.
This is still concerning the Duke of Parma’s Army, when he came into France against Henry the IV. in favour of the League, for his Army wherewith he Besieged Rouen, was compounded of all those Nations; the greatest part of which were Italians, called here Insubrians, from the Latin word Insubria, which signifieth the Countreys of Savoy and Piemont.
XX.
French. Paix uberté long temps on ne loüera, Part tout son Regne desert la fleur de Lis, Corps mort d’Eau, Terre on apportera, Sperants vain heur d’estre la ensevelis. English. Peace and plenty shall not be long praised, All the time of his Reign the Flower de Luce shall be deserted, Bodies shall die by water, Earth shall be brought, Hoping vainly to be there Buried.
ANNOT.
This only foretelleth a great Famine and Inundation in France, signified here by the Flower de Luce.
XXI.
French. Le changement sera fort difficile, Cité Province au change gain fera, Cœur haut, prudent mis, chassé l’Inhabile, Mer, Terre, Peuple, son estat changera. English. The change shall be very hard, The City and Countrey shall gain by the change, A high prudent heart shall be put in, the unworthy expelled, Sea, Land, People shall change its condition.
ANNOT.
This needeth no Interpretation.
XXII.
French. La grand Copie qui sera dechassée, Dans un moment fera besoing au Roy, La Foy promise de loing sera faucée, Nud se verra en piteux defarroy. English. The great Army that shall be rejected, In a moment shall be wanted by the King. The faith promised a far off shall be broken, So that he shall be left naked in a pitiful case.
ANNOT.
This is plain.
XXIII.
French. La Legion dans la Marine classe, Calcine Magnes, Souphre & Poix bruslera, Le long repos de l’asseurée place, Port Selin chercher, feu les consumera. English. The Legion in the Maritine Fleet, Calcineth Magnes, shall burn Brimstone and Pitch, The long rest of the secure place, They shall seek Port Selyn, but fire shall consume them.
ANNOT.
Here we must observe four things, the first is, that Calais is called by the Author, The long rest of the secure place. Because then viz. in the year 1555. it was yet in the power of the King of England, and had been quietly before, for the space of 287. years, that is, from the year 1347. till the year 1555. and was so still, till the year 1557. when the Duke of Guise took it, whence we gather that it was a secure place that had enjoyed so long a rest.
The second is, that those of Diepe did watch for the Spaniards, in the passage between Dover and Calais, therefore the Author saith, They shall seek Port Selyn, Selyn Port or Harbour is always taken by the Author for an Harbour in the Ocean.
The third is, that the great fight between the French and the Spaniards was by fire, so that most part of the Ships on each side were burnt, and the Spanish and French Souldiers did cast themselves into the Sea, to save their lives in their enemies Ships, where they were slain.
The fourth is, that those of Diepe being extraordinary skilful in Sea-fights had made great quantity of artificial fires, to cast into the Spanish Ships, but the Ships grapling one with another, they were burnt on both sides.
Upon those four circumstances the two first Verses say, that the Legion in the Fleet Calcineth magnes, that is Loadstone burnt, and shall burn Pitch and Brimstone, to make Artificial fires.
The third and fourth Verse say, that this Sea Legion shall seek an Harbour in the Ocean, which shall be a secure place, by a long rest, that is Calais. She will seek that Selyn Harbour to shelter her self, because Calais did then belong to the English, but by reason of the narrowness of the Sea, the French watched for the Spaniards there, and to shew that they sought onely for Calais to meet the Spaniards, they carried the Spanish Ships which they took into Diepe, and not into Calais.
The French Impression hath a fault here, putting Port Hercle instead of Port Selyn, which is a manifest error, for the taking of Port Hercle by the Florentines the 14. of June 1555. was by a Land Army, besides, that Port Selyn is always taken by the Author for a Port in the Ocean.
XXIV.
French. Ouy soubs Terre Sainte Dame voix feinte, Humaine flamme pour Divine voir luire, Fera des sœurs de leur sang Terre tainte, Et les Saints Temples par les impurs destruire. English. Under ground shall be heard the fained voice of a Holy Dame, An humane flame to see a Divine one, Shall cause the ground to be died with the sisters blood, And the Holy Temples to be destroyed by the wicked.
ANNOT.
Every one may understand this as well as I.
XXV.
French. Corps sublimes sans fin a l’œil visibles, Obnubiler viendront par ces raisons, Corps, front compris, sens & chef invisibles, Diminuant les Sacrées Oraisons. English. The Celestial bodies that are always visible to the eye, Shall be darkened for these reasons, The body with the forehead sense and head invincible. Diminishing the Sacred Prayers.
ANNOT.
This is of the same nature as the foregoing.
XXVI.
French. Lou grand Cyssame se levera d’abelhos, Que non lauran don te siegen venguddos, Denuech lenbousq, lun gach dessous las treilhos, Ciutad trahido per cinq lengos non nudos. English. The great swarm of Bees shall rise, And it shall not be known whence they come, Towards the Ambush so the Jay shall be under a Vine, A City shall be betray’d by five tongues not naked.
ANNOT.
The Author having made this Stanza in the Provencal Language, that was his Mother Tongue, which hath very little relation to the rest of the French tongue, hath put me to some trouble to understand it; at last I found the meaning to be this, that when a great swarm of Bees shall light on some place, and it shall not be known whence they came, then shall be seen a Jay under a Vine, and a City shall be betrayed by five several Nations.
XXVII.
French. Salon, Mansol, Tarascon, de Sex, Larc, Ou est debout encor la Pyramide, Viendront livrer le Prince Denemark, Rachat honny au Temple d’Artemide. English. Salon, Mansol, Tarascon, Desex, the arche, Where to this day standeth the Pyramis, Shall come to deliver the Prince of Denmark, A shameful ransom shall be paid in the Temple of Artemis.
ANNOT.
Salon, Mansol, Tarascon, Desex, are Towns in Provence and Languedo.
By the Arch, here is meant the Triumphal Arch of Caius Marius, which he erected after the defeat of the Cimbres and Teutons, and remaineth to this day in that Province, within two or three Leagues off the Town of Orenge.
Artemis is an Epethete of Diana, so called ’πο τοῦ ἀερὰ τεμνειν, a secando aerem.
XXVIII.
French. Lors que Venus du Sol sera couvert, Soubs la splendeur sera la forme occulte, Mercure au feu les aura descouvert, Par bruit Bellique sera mis a l’Insulte. English. When Venus shall be covered by the Sun, Under the splendor of it shall be an occult form, Mercury in the fire shall discover them, And by a Warlike rumor shall be provoked.
ANNOT.
If this Book cometh ever into the hands of Hermes’s Disciples, I shall desire they would consider diligently this Stanza, and the three following; for they are all concerning the Elixir of the Philosophers, or the making of the Philosophers stone. To begin with this:
When Venus shall be covered by the Sun.
This is the Astral point, so much sought after by the Philosophers, for the beginning of their work, without the knowledge of which they cannot begin their work, or come to any good.
Under the splendor of it shall be an occult form, that is, under that conjunction lyeth a great mystery.
Mercury in the fire shall discover them, viz. Mercury of the Philosophers, made by Cœlestial fire.
And by a Warlike rumor shall be provoked; that is, the Planet of Mercury shall be provoked to mix his variable and changable disposition with theirs, by his Aspects, Oppositions, Conjunctions, &c. It is not possible to speak more plainly.
XXIX.
French. Le Sol caché, eclipsé par Mercure, Ne sera mis que pour le Ciel second, De Vulcan Hermes sera faite Pasture, Sol sera veu pur, rutilant & blond. English. The Sun shall be hid and eclipsed by Mercury, And shall not be set but for the second Heaven, Hermes shall be made a prey to Vulcan, And after that the Sun shall be seen pure, shining and yellow.
ANNOT.
Here I must lead the Reader with Ariadnes Thread, that he may extrecate himself out of this Labyrinth.
The Sun shall be hid and Eclipsed by Mercury; that is, Gold shall be Eclipsed and dissolved by the Philosophers Mercury, which is the Key and foundation of all the work.
And shall not be set but for the second Heaven; that is, shall not be used till you come to the second part of the work, which is that of the Furnace.
Hermes shall be made a prey to Vulcan; that is, the matter and composition of the Elixir, shall be put upon the fire in a Furnace.
And after that the Sun shall be seen pure, shining, yellow; that is, in conclusion after projection made, thou shalt see pure, shining, and Yellow Gold.
XXX.
French. Plus d’unze fois Luna Sol ne voudra, Tous augmentes & baissez de degre, Et si bas mis que peu d’Or on coudra, Qu’apres faim, peste, descouvert le secret. English. The Moon will not have the Sun above eleven times, Then both shall be encreased and lessened in degree, And put so low, that a little Gold shall be sowed up, So that after hunger and plague, the secret shall be discovered.
ANNOT.
The Moon will not have the Sun above eleven times; that is, the Moon of the Philosophers will not imbibe their Sun above Eleven times.
Then both shall be encreased and lessened in degree; that is, both shall be encreased in quality, and lessened in quantity.
And put so low that a little Gold shall be sowed up; that is, the powder of projection, or Philosophers stone shall be so small in Bulk, that one may sow it about him, and hide it in his Cloths.
After famine and plague the secret shall be discovered; that is, somebody shall die, with famine or plague, about which the secret shall be found and discovered.
XXXI.
French. La Lune au plain de nuit sur le haut Mont, Le nouveau Sophe d’Un seul cerveau la veu, Par ses Disciples estre immortel semond, Yeux au Midy, enfin, mains corps au feu. English. The Moon at full by night upon the high Mount, The new Sophe with one onely Brain hath seen it, Invited by his Disciples to become immortal, His eyes to the South, conclusion, his hands and body to the fire.
ANNOT.
Sophe in Greek signifieth a wise man or Philosopher, who shall find the Philosophers stone, when the Moon shall come to the full in the night upon a high Mount. His Disciples shall perswade him to make himself immortal, they being perswaded that the Elixir cureth all diseases.
The last Verse saith, His eyes to the South, his hands and body to the fire; that is, this Chymist or Adeptus, shall retire into some Southern Countrey to work.
I cannot omit here that a conceited Chymist in Paris, whose name was Haumont, in English, Highmount, could not be disswaded but our Author spake of him in this Stanza, and that he could not die till he had got the Philosophers stone, but to other matters.
XXXII.
French. Es lieux & temps chair au poisson donra lieu, La loy commune sera faite au contraire, Vieux tiendra fort puis osté du milieu, Le Panta, Choina, Philon mis fort arriere. English. In places and times, flesh shall give place to fish, The common Law shall be made against it, The old man shall stand fast, then being taken away The Panta, Choina, Philon, shall be set aside.
ANNOT.
Panta, Choina, Philon, are three Greek words, παντὰ χοινα φιλῶν, which signifie in Latine, omnia inter amicos communia, and in English, all things are common among friends. The rest is easie.
XXXIII.
French. Jupiter joint plus Venus qu’a la Lune, Apparoissant de plenitude blanche, Venus cachée soubs la blancheur Neptune, De Mars frappée par la gravée branche. English. Jupiter being more joyned to Venus then to the Moon, Appearing in a full whiteness, Venus being hid under the whiteness of Neptune, Stricken by Mars through the ingraved branch.
ANNOT.
These terms being Astronomical and Astrological, it is hard to guess at the Authors mind.
XXXIV.
French. Le grand mené captif d’estrange Terre; Dor enchainé au Roy Cheyren offert, Qui dans Ausonne, Milan perdra la Guerre, Et tout son Ost mis a Feu & a Fer. English. The great one brought Prisoner from a far Countrey, And chained with Gold, shall be presented to the King Chyren, Being then at Ausone. Milan shall loose the War. And all its Host shall be put to fire and sword.
ANNOT.
The meaning of this is, that when a great one from a far Countrey, shall be brought Prisoner chained with gold, and presented to a King called Henry (for Cheyren by transposition of letters is Henry) who then shall beat Bordeaux; Milan shall loose a great Army.
XXXV.
French. Le feu esteint, les vierges trahiront, La plus grand part de la bande nouvelle, Pouldre a feu les seuls Rois garderont, Hetrusque & Corse, de nuit, gorge alumelle. English. The fire being put out, the Virgins shall betray, The greatest part of the new troup, Gunpowder, Lance, shall keep only the Kings, In Hetruria and Corsica by night throats shall be cut.
ANNOT.
Hetruria is the Country Tuscany now under the Duke of Florence, and Corsica is an Island in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to the Genoese. The rest is plain.
XXXVI.
French. Les jeux nouveaux en Gaule redressez, Apres Victoire de l’Insubre Campagne, Monts d’Hesperie, les grands liez troussez, De peur trembler la Romagne & l’Espagne. English. The new plays shall be set up again in France, After the Victory obtained in Piemont, Mountains of Spain, the great ones tied, carried away, Romania and Spain shall quake for fear.
ANNOT.
This is a Prognostication of the rejoycing that should be in France, after the winning of that famous battle Serizoles in Piemont, against the Armies of the Emperour and the King of Spain.
XXXVII.
French. Gaulois par saults Monts viendra penetrer, Occupera le grand Mont de l’Insubre, Au plus profond son Ost sera entrer, Genes, Monech pousseront classe rubre. English. The French by leaping shall go over the Mountains, And shall seize upon the great Mount of the Savoyard, He shall cause his Army to go to the furthermost, Genoa, and Monaco shall set out their red Fleet.
ANNOT.
This Prophecy is concerning Henry the IV. King of France, who went over the Alpes and conquered the Duke of Savoy’s Countrey, because he would not restore the Markdom of Salvees. Genoa and Monaco are Cities near Savoy.
XXXVIII.
French. Pendant que Duc, Roy, Roine occupera, Chef Bizantin captif en Samothrace, Avant lassault l’un l’autre mangera, Rebours ferré suivra du sang la trace. English. While the Duke shall busie the King and the Queen, A great man of Constantinople shall be prisoner in Samothracia, Before the assault one shall eat up the other, Rebours shod shall trace one by the blood.
ANNOT.
The three first Verses are plain, as for the fourth, either it is falsly Printed, or I must confess I understand it not.
XXXIX.
French. Les Rhodiens demanderont secours, Par le neglect de ses hoirs delaissée, L’Empire Arabe ravalera son cours, Par Hesperie la cause redressée. English. The Rhodiens shall ask for succours, Being forsaken by the neglect of her Heirs, The Arrabian Empire shall slack his course, By the means of Spain the case shall be mended.
ANNOT.
By the Rhodians are understood the Knights of Maltha, because they dwelt first at Rhodes.
By the second Verse it is said, it was the neglect of her Heirs, that is of the Heirs of Rhodes the Knights of Maltha, who being careless of themselves, were besieged by Solyman, which constrained them to ask succours of all the Christian Princes, which came very slowly, at last Dom Garcia Viceroy of Sicily relieved them, and drove away the Turks that had suffered great loss, therefore the Author saith in the third Verse, The Arabian Empire shall slack his course.
XL.
French. Les Forteresses des Assiegez serrez, Par poudre a feu profondez en abysme, Les proditeurs seront tous vifs serrez, Onc aux Sacristes navint si piteux schisme. English. The strong places of the Besieged shall be straightned, By Gunpowder they shall be plonged into a pit, The Traytors shall be shut up alive, Never did happen so pitiful schisme to the Sacristes.
ANNOT.
By the Sacristes, he understandeth the Clergy of the Roman Religion.
XLI.
French. Gynique Sexe captive par Hostage, Viendra de nuit custodes decevoir, Le Chef du Camp deceu par son language, Lairra la gente, sera piteux a voir. English. Gynical sexe being captive by Hostage, Shall come by night to deceive her keepers, The Chief of the Camp being deceived by her Language, Shall leave her folks, a thing pitiful to behold.
ANNOT.
Gynical Sex is a woman from the Greek word γυνὴ, which signifieth a woman.
The meaning then of this Stanza is, that a woman being given in Hostage, and made prisoner, shall deceive her keepers, and among the rest, the chief Captain who shall forsake his Troops and run away with her.
XLII.
French. Geneve & Langres par ceux de Chartre & Dole, Et par Grenoble captif au Montlimar, Seysset, Lausane, par fraudulente dole, Les trahiront pour Or soixante mark. English. Geneve and Langres by those of Chartres and Dole, And by one of Grenoble captive at Montlimar, Seisset, Lozanne by a fraudulent deceit, Shall betray them for thirty pounds weight of Gold.
ANNOT.
All those Towns are in France, the sense is plain.
XLIII.
French. Seont ouis au Ciel les Armes battre, Celuy an mesme les Divins ennemis, Voudront Loix Saintes injustement debatre, Par Foudre & guerre bien croians a mort mis. English. There shall be heard in the Air noise of Weapons, And in that same year the Divines shall be enemies, They shall unjustly put down the Holy Laws, And by the Thunder and the War true believers shall die.
ANNOT.
There is no obscurity in this.
XLIV.
French. Deux gros de Mende, de Rhodez, & Millaud, Cahors, Limoges, Castre, malo sepmano, De nuech l’intrado, de Bourdeaux an cailhau, Par Perigort au toc de la Campano. English. Two great ones of Mende, of Rhodez and Milliaud, Cahors, Limoges, Castres an evil week, By night the entry shall be from Bourdeaux one cailhau, Through Perigort at the ringing of the Bell.
ANNOT.
This Stanza is half French and half Provencal language.
All the Cities named here, Mende, Rhodez, Milliaud, Cahors, Limoges, Castres, Bourdeaux, Perigort, are Cities of France, bordering upon Provence, which is the Countrey wherein our Author was born.
The meaning of it is, that all those Cities shall rise against the Collectors of the Kings Taxes, and shall set upon them by the sound of the Bell, which is already come to pass, and may come to pass yet.
XLV.
French. Par conflict, Roy Regne abandonera, Le plus grand Chef faillira au besoing, Morts, profligez peu en rechapera, Tous destrenchez un en sera tesmoin. English. By a Battle the King shall forsake his Kingdom, The greatest Commander, shall fail in time of need, They shall be killed and routed, few shall escape, They shall be cut off, one only shall be left for a witness.
ANNOT.
This is a Prognostication of a great Battle, by the loss of which a King shall forsake his Kingdom, his chief Commander having deserted him in time of need. The slaughter shall be so great, that none shall be left but one for a witness.
XLVI.
French. Bien defendu le fait par excellence, Garde toy Tours de ta proche ruine, Londres & Nantes par Rheims fera defence, Ne passes outre au temps de la bruine. English. The fact shall be defended excellently well Tours beware of thy approaching ruine, London and Nantes by Rhemes shall stand upon their defence, Do not go further in foggy weather.
ANNOT.
Tours is the chief City of a Province in France, called Touraine, which is commended here for having resisted excellently well; but is forewarned to look to her self after that, and to beware of her approaching ruine.
XLVII.
French. Le noir farouche quand aura essayé, Sa main sanguine par feu, fer, arcs tendus, Trestout le peuple sera tant effrayé, Voir les plus grands par col & pieds pendus. English. The wild black one, after he shall have tryed, His bloody hand by fire, Sword, bended Bows, All the people shall be so frighted, To see the greatest hanged by the neck and feet.
ANNOT.
It is a description of a Tyrant, who after he shall have tryed his bloody hand by Fire, Sword, and bent Bows, shall cause his chief men to be hanged by the neck and feet. Since the Author did write there had been such a Tyrant in the world, namely, John Basilides, great Duke of Russia, in the year 1572. Read Paul Osburne in his Life.
XLVIII.
French. Planure Ausone fertile spacieuse, Produira taons, & tant de sauterelles, Clarte solairé deviendra nubilense, Ronger le rout, grand peste venir delles. English. The Plain about Bourdeaux fruitful and spacious, Shall produce so many Hornets and so many Grashopers, That the light of the Sun shall be darkened, They shall crap all, a great plague shall come from them.
ANNOT.
I cannot find in History that this hath yet happened, since the writing of these Prophecies, therefore I reckon it de futuro.
XLIX.
French. Devant le peuple sang sera respandu, Qui du haut Ciel ne viendra esloigner, Mais d’un long temps ne sera entendu, L’Esprit d’un seul le viendra tesmoigner. English. Before the people blood shall be spilt, Who Shall not come far from the high Heaven, But it shall not be heard of for a great while, The Spirit of one shall come to witness it.
ANNOT.
This Prophecie is concerning some just person, that shall be murdered openly: His blood shall cry to Heaven, but shall not be heard for a good while, till at last it shall be discovered by some body.
L.
French. Libra verra regner les Hesperies, De Ciel & Terre tenir la Monarchie, D’Asie forces nul ne verra peries, Que sept ne tiennent par rang la Hierarchie. English. Libra shall see Spain to Reign, And have the Monarchy of Heaven and Earth, No body shall see the forces of Asia to perish, Till seven have kept the Hierarchy successively.
ANNOT.
Libra is one of the twelve signs of the Zodiack, which is favourable to Spain, so that the meaning of this is, that Libra shall see Spain to Reign.
And besides that, to have the Monarchy of Heaven and Earth; that is, to have the command of the Pope, and of the best part of Europe. So that no Asian or Turkish forces shall receive damage by the Christians, till seven Popes of the Spanish faction have Reigned successively, and one after another.
LI.
French. Un Duc cupide son ennemy poursuivre, Dans entrera empeschant la Phalange, Hastez a pied si pres viendront poursuivre, Que la journée conflite aupres du Gange. English. A Duke being earnest in the pursute of his enemy Shall come in, hindering the Phalange, Hastened on foot shall follow them so close, That the day of the Battle shall be near Ganges.
ANNOT.
A Phalange, in Latine Phalanx, is a Squadron of Souldiers, which word was anciently proper only to the Macedonians. Ganges is a River in India.
LII.
French. En Cité obsesse aux murs hommes & femmes, Ennemis hors, le chef prest a soy rendre, Vent sera fort encontre les gens darmes, Chassez seront par chaux, poussiere & cendre. English. In a besieged City, men and women being upon the walls, The enemies without, the Governour ready to surrender, The Wind shall be strong against the Souldiers, They shall be driven away by lime, dust, and ashes.
ANNOT.
This is a peculiar and remarkable accident, wherein the besiegers of a City shall be driven away from their enterprise, by Lime, Dust, and Ashes, scattered and dispersed against them by a mighty wind.
LIII.
French. Les fugitifs & bannis revoqués, Peres & Fils garnissant les hauts puits, Le cruel pere & les tiens suffoquez, Son Fils plus pire submergé dans le puits. English. The runnaways and banished men being recalled, Fathers and Sons garnishing the high wells, The cruel father and his retinue shall be suffocated, His Son being worse, shall be drowned in the Well.
ANNOT.
The words are plain, out of which every one may make his own sense.
LIV.
French. Du nom qui on ne fut au Roy Gaulois, Jamais ne fut un Foudre si craintif, Tremblant l’Italie, l’Espagne, & les Anglois, De femmes estrangeres grandement attentif. English. Of the name that a French King never was, There was never a Lightning so much feared, Italy shall tremble, Spain and the English, He shall be much taken with women strangers.
ANNOT.
This foretelleth that when a French King shall have a name that never any of his Predecessors had, he shall be so much feared as that Italy, Spain, and England shall tremble, and that besides he shall be much given to women.
LV.
French. Quand la Corneille sur Tour de Brique jointe, Durant sept heures ne fera que crier, Mort presagée, de sang Statue teinte, Tyran meurdry, aux Dieux peuple prier. English. When the Crow upon a Tower made of Brick, For seven hours shall do nothing but cry, Death shall be foretold, and the Statue died with blood, Tyrant shall be murdered, and the people pray to the Gods.
ANNOT.
This extraordinary Prodigy of a Crow crying for seven hours together upon a Brick Tower, foretelleth that some notorious Tyrant shall be put to death, and his statue sprinkled with blood, and withall, that the people either for joy or fear shall be much given to prayer.
LVI.
French. Apres Victoire de rabieuse Langue, L’Esprit tempté, en tranquil & repos, Victeur sauguin par conflict, fait Harangue, Roustir la Langue, & la Chair & les Os. English. After the Victory got over a raging tongue, The mind that was tempted, shall be in tranquility and rest, The bloody Conqueror by Battle shall make a Speech, And roast the tongue, the flesh, and the bones.
ANNOT.
It is a Conquerour who having been much railed at by his enemies, shall in conclusion after he hath overcome them, take a severe vengeance of them.
LVII.
French. Ignare envie au grand Roy supportée, Tiendra propos deffendre les escrits, Sa femme non femme par un autre tentée, Plus double deux ira au fort de cris. English. Ignorant envy being supported by the great King, Shall talk of prohibiting the writtings, His wife no wife, being tempted by another, Shall more then they two prevail by crying.
ANNOT.
Some ignorant envious person being in favour with the King, shall go about to suppress learning, but the Kings wife no wife, that is his Concubine, shall persuade him to the contrary, and shall prevail.
LVIII.
French. Soleil ardent dans la gosier couler, De sang humain arrouser Terre Etrusque, Chef seille d’eau, mener son fils filer, Captive Dame conduite Terre Turque. English. Burning Sun shall be poured into the throat, This human blood shall wet the Hetrurian ground, The chief pale of water, shall lead his son to Spin, A captive Lady shall be carried into the Turkish Countrey.
ANNOT.
By burning Sun must be understood melted gold, which shall be poured into ones throat, in the Hetrurian ground, that is in Tuscany.
By the chief Pale of water is to be understood, some Water-bearer, who shall make his son an Eunuch to make benefit on’t. The fourth Verse is plain.
LIX.
French. Deux assiegez en ardante ferveur, De soif estaints pour deux plaines Tasses; Le fort limé & un vieillard resueur, Au Genois, de Nizza monstrera trace. English. Two besieged, being in a burning heat, Shall die for thirst, want of two Bowls full, The Fort being filed, an old doting man, Shall show to the Genoese the way to Nizza.
ANNOT.
The two first Verses are plain. The two last Verses signifie that an old doting man shall shew to the Genoeses the way how to take Nizza, a Town hard by them, by filing some Iron Grates, by which they shall get into the Town.
LX.
French. Les sept enfans en Hostage laissez, Le tiers viendra son enfant trucider, Deux par son fils seront d’estoc percez, Genes, Florence les viendra seconder. English. The seven Children being left in Hostage, The third shall come to kill his child, Two by their sons shall be run through, Genoa and Florence shall second them.
ANNOT.
The words being so plain, every body may give as good an interpretation as I.
LXI.
French. Le vieux mocqué & privé de sa place, Par l’Estranger qui le subornera, Mais de son filz mangé devant sa face, Le Frere a Chartres. Orl. Rouen trahira. English. The old man shall be baffled and deprived of his place, By the stranger that shall suborn him, But of his son shall be eaten before his face, The Brother at Chartres. Orl. shall betray Rouen.
ANNOT.
This Stanza is divided into two parts. The first part runneth from the first Verse to the middle of the fourth. The meaning is, that an old man shall be baffled and deprived of his place by a stranger that shall suborn him, but that strangers sons brother shall be eaten up before his face in the Town of Chartres; what he meaneth by eaten up, is hard to guess, whether it be by poverty, sutes at Law, Envy, Lice, &c.
The Hemisthikion of the last Verse, Orl. shall betray Rouen, signifieth, that Orleans shall betray Rouen.
LXII.
French. Un Coronel machine ambition, Se saisira de la plus grande Armée, Contre son Prince feinte invention, Et descouvert sera soubs sa ramée. English. A Colonel deviseth a plot by his ambition, He shall seize upon the best part of the Army, Against his Prince he shall have a fained invention, And shall be discovered under the Harbour of the Vine.
ANNOT.
I never saw the last Tyrant Cromwel better painted to the life, then in the three first Verses.
As for the fourth, it is certain that his intention among his Camerades was first discovered by him unto them at the Star Tavern in Coleman-street, which is the place that the Author calleth the Harbour of the Vine.
LXIII.
French. L’Armée Celtique contre les Montagnars, Qui seront sus & pris a la pipée, Paisants irez pulseront tost faugnars, Precipitez tous au fil de l’Espée. English. The Celtique Army shall go against the Highlanders, Who shall stand upon their guard, and be taken with Bird-lime twigs, The Peasant being angry, shall roll down the stones, They shall be all put to the edge of the sword.
ANNOT.
This is a description of the attempt made by the French upon Savoy, which Countrey lieth in the Mountains of the Alpes, therefore called here Highlanders; where the Peasants being incensed for the loss of their goods and the ruine of their Countrey, rolled stones from the top of the Mountains against the French Army, which could not hinder them from being destroyed; this came to pass under Henry the IV. King of France, in the year 1662.
LXIV.
French. Le defaillant en habit de Bourgeois, Viendra le Roy tenter de son offence, Quinze Soldats la pluspart Villageois, Vie derniere & chef de sa chevance. English. The guilty, in a Citizens habit, Shall come to tempt the King concerning his offence, Fifteen Soldiers the most part Countrey men, The last shall be his life, and the best part of his Estate.
ANNOT.
This signifieth that a great man having committed an offence against the King, shall come to him in a mean habit, to sue for his Pardon, and shall be carried away by fifteen Souldiers, the most part Countrey fellows; and in conclusion he shall have his life saved, and the best part of his Estate.
LXV.
French. Au deserteur de la grand Forteresse, Apres qu’aura son lieu abandonné, Son adversaire fera si grand provesse, L’Empereur tost mort sera condamné. English. After that the desertor of the great Fort, Shall have forsaken his place, His adversary shall do so great feats, That the Emperor, shall soon be condemned to death.
ANNOT.
This is plain.
LXVI.
French. Soubs couleur feinte de sept testes rasées, Seront formez divers explorateurs, Puits & Fontains de poison arrousées, Au Fort de Genes humains devorateurs. English. Under the fained colour of seven shaven heads, Shall divers spies be framed, Wells and Fountains shall be sprinkled with poison, In the Fort of Genoa shall be humane devourers.
ANNOT.
The three first Verses belong to the same sense; viz. that seven men shall be spies, under pretence to be Priests or Monks, (which is the meaning of the shaven heads) and shall poison the Wells and Springs.
The last Verse signifieth that in the Fort of Genoa, their shall be devourers of men, that is, Usurers and Extortioners, which is no new thing in that Nation.
LXVII.
French. L’An que Saturne & Mars esgaux combust, L’Air fort seiché, longue trajection, Par feux secrets d’ardeur grands lieux adust, Peu pluye, Vent chauds, Guerres, Incursions. English. In the year that Saturn and Mars shall be fiery, The Air shall be very dry, in many Countreys, By secret fires, many places shall be burnt with heat, There shall be scarcity of Rain, hot Winds, Wars, in-roads.
ANNOT.
This is the Prognostication of a mighty dry season, and other accidents that shall happen when Saturn and Mars shall be in a fiery disposition, which whether it be by Opposition, Conjunction, Aspect, &c. Let the Astrologers judge.
LXVIII.
French. En l’an bien proche non esloigné de Venus, Les deux plus grands de l’Asie & d’Affrique, Du Rhine & Ister qu’on dira sont venus, Cris, pleurs a Malthe, & coste Ligustique. English. In a year that is to come shortly, and not far from Venus, The two greatest ones of Asia and Affrica, Shall be said to come from the Rhine and Ister, Crying, and tears shall be at Maltha and in the Ligurian shore.
ANNOT.
The Rhine is a River in Germany, Ister is another in the Countrey of Istria, belonging to the Venetians.
By the first Verse, I conclude that this Prophecy came to pass a little while after the Author wrote this Book, when the grand Segnor Solyman besieged Maltha, and put in fear all the Ligurian Coast, which is that of Genoa.
LXIX.
French. La Cité grande les exilez tiendront, Les Citadins morts, meurtris & chassez, Ceux d’Aquilee a Parme promettront, Monstrer l’entrée par les lieux non tracez. English. The banished shall keep the great City, The Citizens being dead, murdered and expelled, Those of Aquileia shall promise to Parma, To shew the entrance by unknown paths.
ANNOT.
Aquileia and Parma are two Cities in Italy. The rest is easie.
LXX.
French. Bien contigu des grands Monts Pyrenées, Un contre l’Aigle grand copie, adresser, Ouvertes veines, forces exterminées, Que jusqu’au Pau le chief viendra chasser. English. Near the great Pyrenean Mountains, One shall raise a great Army against the Eagle, Veins shall be opened, forces driven out, So that the chief shall be driven as far as the Pau.
ANNOT.
By the Eagle here is understood the Empire; because his Ensign is an Eagle.
LXXI.
French. En lieu d’Espouse les Filles trucidées, Meurtre a grand faute, ne sera superstite, Dedans le puis vestues inondées, L’Espouse esteinte par haut d’Aconite. English. Instead of the Bride, the Maid shall be killed, The murder shall be a great fault, none shall be surviving, In the Well they shall be drowned with their Cloaths, The Bride shall be extinguished by an high Aconite.
ANNOT.
This is a Prophecie of a Tragical Nuptial, where all the Maids shall be drowned with their Cloaths in a Well, insomuch that none shall survive, and the Bride shall be poisoned, and die by Aconite, which is one of the most poisonous herbs that is, witness Juvinal: Lurida terribiles miscent asonita novercæ.
LXXII.
French. Les Artomiques par Agen & Lectoure, A saint Felix feront leur Parliament, Ceux de Bazas viendront a la malhoure, Saisir Condon & Marsan promptement. English. The Artomiques through Agen and Lectoure, Shall keep their Parliament at Saint Fœlix, These of Bazas shall come in an unhappy hour, To seize upon Condon and Marsan speedily.
ANNOT.
By the Artomiques he meaneth the Protestants; because they take the Communion with leavened Bread, which in Greek is called Artos.
Agen, Lectoure, saint Fœlix, Bazas, Condon and Marzan, are Cities of Gascony. The rest is plain.
LXXIII.
French. Le neveu grand par force prouvera, Le peche fait de Cœur pusillanime, Ferrare & Ast le Duc esprouvera, Par lors qu’au soir sera le Pantomime. English. The great nephew by force shall provoke, The sin committed by the pusillanimous heart, Ferrara and Ast shall make tryal of the Duke, When the Pantomime shall be in the evening.
ANNOT.
To understand the whole sense of this, we must first know what is meant by the particular terms.
The great Nephew is the Brother or Sisters son of some great person, who by force shall discover the Treason or Cowardise, committed by some pusillanimous or fearful man.
Ferrara and Ast are two towns in Italy, shall make tryal of a Duke, by being either taken or assaulted.
When the Pantomime shall be in the evening; that is, when the Comedy shall be acted; for Pantomime in Greek signifieth a Comedian.
LXXIV.
French. Du lac Leman & ceux des Brannonices, Tous assemblez contre ceux d’Aquitaine, Germans beaucoup encores plus Sovisses, Seronts des faits avec ceux du Maine. English. From lake Leman, and from the Brannonues, They shall be gathered against those of Aquitania, Great many Germans, and many more Switzers, Shall be routed together with those of Maine.
ANNOT.
Lake Leman, is the Lake of Geneva. The Brannonices are those of Sens, so called; because they took Rome under the Conduct of their Captain Brennus, and afterwards built Brenona, a Town belonging since to the Venetians, who calls it Verona.
Aquitania is that Province of France, called now Gascony. Maine is a Province in France. The rest needeth no explication.
LXXV.
French. Prest a combattre fera defection, Chef adversaire obtiendra la victoire, Larriere garde fera defension, Les defaillans morts au blanc terretoire. English. One being ready to fight, shall faint, The chief of the adverse party shall obtain the victory, The rearegard, shall withstand it out, Those that fall away shall die in the white Terretory.
ANNOT.
There is nothing difficult here, but what he meaneth by the white Terretory, whether it be positive, or Allegorical, I leave the judgement of it to the Reader.
LXXVI.
French. Les Nictobriges par ceux de Perigort, Seront vexez tenants jusques au Rhosne, L’Associé de Gascons & Bigorre, Trahir le Temple le prestre estant au Prosne. English. The Nictobriges by those of Perigort, Shall be vexed as far as the Rhosne, The associate of the Gascons and Bigorre, Shall betray the Church while the Priest is in his Pulpit.
ANNOT.
Nictobriges in Greek signifieth a people living in a dark and moist Countrey. Perigort and Bigorre are two Towns in France. The rest is plain.
LXXVII.
French. Selyn Monarque, l’Italie pacifique, Regnes unis, Roy Chrestien du monde, Mourant voudra coucher en Terre Blesique, Apres Pyrates avoir chassé de L’onde. English. Selyn being Monarch, Italy shall be in peace, Kingdoms shall be united, a Christian King of the world, Dying, shall desire to be buried in the Countrey of Blois, After he shall have driven the Pyrates from the Sea.
ANNOT.
Selyn is the name of a Turkish Emperour, the meaning therefore of this, is, that under the Reign of one Selyn a Turkish Emperour, Italy shall be in peace, and all the Christian Princes united.
LXXVIII.
French. La grand Armée de la pugne civile, Pour de nuit Parme a l’Estranger trouvée, Septante neuf meurtris dedans la Ville, Les estrangers passez tous a l’Espée. English. The great Army belonging to the Civil War, Having found by night Parma possessed by Strangers, Shall kill seventy nine in the Town, And put all the Strangers to the Sword.
ANNOT.
Parma is a City in Italy. The rest is plain.
LXXIX.
French. Sang Royal fuis, Monheurt, Mars. Aiguillon, Remplis seront de Bourdelois les Landes. Navarre, Bigorre, pointes & Aiguillons, Profonds de faim, vorer de Liege, Glandes. English. Royal blood run away from Monheurt, Marsan, Aiguillon, The Landes shall be full of Bourdeloir, Navarre, Bigorre, shall have points and Pricks. Being deep in hunger, they shall devour the Cork and Akorns.
ANNOT.
Monheurt, Marsan, Aiguillon, are Towns in Gascony.
Landes is a desert Countrey, wherein nothing groweth but Pine-trees, Bourdelois are those of Bourdeaux.
Navarre is a Kingdom, and Begorre a Province joyning to those Landes, or Pine-trees Countrey.
LXXX.
French. Pres du grand Fleuve, grand fosse, terre egeste, En quinze parts l’eau sera divisée, La Cité prinse, feu, sang, cris, conflict mettre, Et la plus part concerne au collisée. English. Near the great River, a great pit, Earth digged out, In fifteen parts the Water shall be divided, The City taken, fire, blood, cries, fighting, And the greatest part concerneth the Collisés.
ANNOT.
This Prophecy was fulfilled, when Rome was taken and sacked by Charles Duke of Bourbon, and Philibert of Chalon Prince of Orenge, Generals of the Emperour Charles the V. with such cruelties, as never was committed by the bloody Goths and Vandales, and to shew that the Author intended Rome, is apparant by two instances. The first is by the great River, which is the Tyber, which though not very great in its Channel and depth, yet is very great, yea, the greatest in Europe by its fame. The other is the word Colisée, which is that famous Arch of Traian in Rome, remaining yet to this day.
LXXXI.
French. Pont on fera promptement de nacelles, Passer l’Armée du grand Prince Belgique, Dans profondres, & non loing de Bruxelles, Outrepassez detrenchez sept a picque. English. A Bridge of Boats shall suddenly be made, To pass over the Army of the great Belgick Prince, In deep places, and not far from Bruxelles, Being gone over, there shall be seven cut with a Pike.
ANNOT.
This is concerning the Siege of Antwerp by the Prince of Parma, Governour of the Low-Countreys for the King of Spain, who having besieged, caused a Bridge of Boats to be made upon the River Scheld, to hinder the succours of the Hollanders, who by that means were constrained to surrender it.
LXXXII.
French. Amas sapproche venant d’Esclavonie, L’Olestant vieux Cité ruinera, Fort desolée verra sa Romanie, Puis la grand flamme estaindre ne scaura. English. A great troop gathered, shall come from Sclavonia, The old Olestant shall ruine a City, He shall see his Romania very desolate, And after that, shall not be able to quench that great flame.
ANNOT.
That great troop from Sclavonia shall be the Venetians, because they possess most part of that Countrey. The old Olestant is their Duke, because he is not chosen unless he be very old, by Romania is understood what the Venetians possess in that Countrey.
LXXXIII.
French. Combat nocturne le vaillant Capitaine, Vaincu fuira, peu de gens profligé, Son peuple esmeu, sedition non vain, Son propre fils le tiendra assiegé. English. In a fight by night, the valliant Captain, Being vanquished shall run away, overcome by few, His people being moved, shall make no small mutiny, His own son shall besiege him.
ANNOT.
This needeth no interpretation.
LXXXIV.
French. Un grand d’Auxerre mourra bien miserable, Chassé de ceux qui soubs luy ont esté. Serré de chaines, apres d’un rude cable, En l’an que Mars, Venus & Sol mis en Esté. English. A great man of Auxerre shall die very miserably, Being expelled by those that have been under him, Bound with Chains, and after that with a strong Cable, In the year that Mars, Venus, and Sol shall be in a conjunction in the Summer.
ANNOT.
Auxerre is a City of France, distant from Paris 40. leagues to the Southward.
LXXXV.
French. Le Charbon blanc du noir sera chassé, Prisonier fait, mené au Tombereau, More Chameau sus pieds entrelassez, Lors le puisné fillera l’Aubereau. English. The white Coal shall be expelled by the black one, He shall be made Prisoner, carried in a Dung-cart, His feet twisted upon a black Camel, Then the youngest, shall suffer the Hobby to have more thread.
ANNOT.
The first Verse is altogether Allegorical and Metaphorical, therefore I leave it to the judgement of every Reader. I shall only deliver my opinion upon the whole: I take it to be some white Prince, that shall be overcome by a black one, put in a Dungcart, after that, tied upon a black Camel, and then the younger son of that black Prince shall give the prisonner a little more liberty.
LXXXVI.
French. L’An que Saturne en eau sera conjoint, Avecques Sol le Roy fort & puissant, A Rheims & Aix sera receu & oingt, Apres Conquestes meurtrira innocens. English. In the year that Saturn in Aquarius shall be in conjunction With Sol, the King being strong and powerful, Shall be received and Anointed at Rheines and Aix, After Conquest he shall murder innocent persons.
ANNOT.
This Prophecy is remarkable for the things that it foretelleth, viz. that in the year that Saturn shall be in conjunction with Sol in the Sign of Aquarius, a King of France shall be annointed both at Rhemes and Aix, for Rhemes is a City in France, where the Kings use to be Annointed and Crowned, and Aix is another in Germany, where the Emperours use to be so. But the last Verse is ominous, where he saith, that after his Conquests he shall murder innocent persons.
LXXXVII.
French. Un fils de Roy tant de Langues apprins, A son Aisné au Regne different, Son Pere beau au plus grand fils comprins, Fera perir principal adherent. English. A son of a King having learned divers Languages, Shall fall out with his elder Brother for the Kingdom, His father in Law being more concerned with his elder son, Shall cause the principal adherent to perish.
ANNOT.
One King shall have two Sons, the eldest shall succeed him in the Kingdom, the youngest having been well brought up and educated, shall raise troubles, against the King his Brother; but he shall be destroyed by the means of his own Father in Law.
LXXXVIII.
French. La grand Antoine du nom de fait sordide, De Phtyriase a son dernier rongé, Un qui de plomb voudra este cupide, Passant le port d’Esleu sera plongé. English. The great Antony by name, but in effect sordid, Of Phtyriasis shall at last be eaten up, One that shall be covetous of Lead, Going upon Port d’Esleu shall fall into the Water.
ANNOT.
Phtyriasis in Greek is the disease called by the Latines Morbus pedicularis, when one is devoured by Lice, as were Herodes, Sylla, Pherecydes, and Philip II. King of Spain, &c.
As for Port d’Esleu, the question is, whether it be the proper name of a place, or the name of a man, that shall throw another in the water.
LXXXIX.
French. Trente de Londres secret conjureront, Contre Leur Roy, sur le pont l’Entreprise, Les Satellites la mort desgouteront, Un Roy esleu blond & natif de Frize. English. Thirty of London shall secretly conspire, Against their King, upon the Bridge the Plot shall be made, These Satellites shall taste of death, A King shall be elected, fair, and born in Friezeland.
ANNOT.
Here may be alleadged that passage of Scripture, There is nothing so secret but shall be revealed; for here is plainly told the number of those wicked persons, who conspired against their lawful Sovereign King Charles I. of blessed memory, as also the place where the Plot was first laid; for it is well known that they used to assemble at the Bear at the Bridge foot.
XC.
French. Les deux copies au murs ne pourront joindre, Dans cet instant trembler Milan, Thesin, Faim soif, doutance si fort les viendront prendre, Chair, pain, ne vivres nauront un seul boucin. English. The two Armies shall not be able to joyn by the Walls, At that instant Milan and Thesin shall tremble, Hunger, thirst, and fear shall so seize upon them, They shall not have a bit of meat, bread, nor victuals.
ANNOT.
Milan is a City in Italy, and Thesin is the River that passeth by it.
XCI.
French. Au Duc Gaulois contraint battre au Duelle, La nef de Mole, Monech naprochera, Tort accuse, prison perpetuelle, Son Fils regner avant mort taschera. English. A French Duke compelled to fight a Duel, The Ship of Mole shall not come near Monaco, Wrongfully accused shall have a perpetual Prison, His son shall endeavour to Reign before his death.
ANNOT.
To understand this Stanza, we must suppose four Histories, Paradin relateth the first, which is, that the French and Spanish Armies having their Winter quarters in the Dukedome of Milan, Anno 1555.
The Marquess of Pescaire, sent word to the Duke of Nemours, by a French Gentleman, that he and three more desired to break a Lance with him upon the borders of Ast.
The Duke accepted the challenge, without giving notice to the Marquess of Brissac, then General of the French Army, who was very angry at it, nevertheless he advised the Duke to go, but not with a Guilt and light Armour, but with a wrong one, such as became a Cavaliero, which he did not do, nor the other three that went with him: whence it came, that the Lord Classe a French man, running against Malespine, was wounded to death in the shoulder; nevertheless one of the seconds to the Duke of Nemours, the Lord Moncha killed upon the place Carassa, Nephew to pope Marcel II. and the Lord Manoa, one of the Duke of Nemours party, falling from his Horse a little wounded, broke his neck.
As for the Duke of Nemours, he ran twice against the said Marquess, without hitting one another, but at the third time they both brake their Lances, without doing any harm. Thus, the French Duke was compelled to fight a Duel.
We have the second History from Turpin, and many others, which is, that the Marquess of Masseran, having put himself into the King of France’s service, in hopes to have the Government of Bielais; and proving a Traitor, the Marshal of Brissac, who had discovered his perfidiousness, resolved to take him in his house of Gaillany, which he had fortified to secure his retreat after his Treason.
The Lord de Termes was commanded to do it, which he did so dexterously, that he took him into his house after dinner, and then compelled him presently to surrender the Castle of Jamaglia, the Marquess obeying, sent thither presently his son Claudius, to put it into the hands of the Lords de la Mante, and of Villars.
These two viewing the Castle, to observe the places that might be fortified, and going from room to room, heard a lamentable voice, crying. Have mercy upon me. They caused presently the Prison doors to be opened, and found a poor Gentleman of Vercelle, whom the Marquess had detained there 18 years, for endeavouring to serve an execution against him, in the Duke of Savoy’s behalf.
And it is remarkable that his Imprisonment was all this while concealed, so that no body ever heard of it, in so much that his friends suspecting he had been killed by one of his enemies, they prosecuted him so hard, that after much tortering, he confessed what he had not done, and was consequently put to death in the presence of the said Marquess of Masseran, who knew the Countrey. Thus we see one wrongfully accused that was executed, and this Gentlemans Imprisonment, which was to be perpetual.
After this, they carryed the poor Gentleman almost all naked, and being nothing but skin and bones, to the Lord of Termes, who caused him to be clothed, and gave him Money to go back to his friends.
The third History is, that the Duke of Nemours Son was one of the chief ring-leaders of the League against Henry IV. and did what he could before he dyed to get the Kingdom of France, endeavouring first to make himself Sovereign Prince of Lion, Forrest, and Beaucolois.
The fourth History is, that at the latter end of the year 1555. the Lord la Mole carrying to Rome the Cardinals of Tournon and Lorrain, went directly to the Island of Corsica, whence he drew some Forces, which he joyned to his, and to those of Monluc, and would not Land at Monaco for some reasons, but went directly to Civita Vecchia. By this we understand that Verse of the Stanza. The Ship of the Mole shall not come near Monaco.
XCII.
French. Teste trenchée du vaillant Capitaine, Sera jettée devant son adversaire, Son corps pendu de la Classe a l’Antenne, Confus fuira par rames avent contraire. English. The head cut off the valliant Captain Shall be thrown down before his adversary, His body hanged at the Sails Yard, Confused, they shall fly with Oars against the Wind.
ANNOT.
These words are plain enough, though no body can tell whether the thing is past already, or shall come to pass hereafter.
XCIII.
French. Un Serpent veu proche du lict Royal, Sera par Dame nuict chien n’abageronts Lors nastre en France un Prince tant Royal, Du Ciel venu tous les Princes verront. English. A Serpent shall be seen near the Royal bed, By a Lady in the night, the Dogs shall not bark, Then shall be born in France a Prince so Royal, Come from Heaven all the Princes shall see it.
ANNOT.
This seemeth to be an allusion to the Birth of Alexander the great; for it is said, that when his mother Olympia proved with Child of him, there was seen in her Bed, and about her Bed a great Serpent, which was the presage of his future greatness: therefore our Author also will have, that when such a Prodigie shall appear in France, that then shall be born such a Prince as he mentioneth here: the circumstances are, that this Serpent shall be seen by a Lady in the night time, and that the Dogs of the house shall not bark at him.
XCIV.
French. Deux grand, freres seront chassez d’Espagne, Laisné vaincu soubs les Monts Pyrænæes, Rougis Mer, Rhosne, sang Leman, d’Alemagne, Narbon, Blyterre, d’Agath contaminées. English. Two great Brothers shall be driven from Spain, The elder of them shall be overcome under the Pyrenean Mountains Bloody Sea, Rhosne, Blood Leman of Germany, Narbon, Bliterre of Agath polluted.
ANNOT.
The two first Verses are easily understood by those that know the Pyrenean Mountains, to be those that part Spain from France. The two last Verses signifie there shall be bloody Wars in those places; the Rhosne is a swift River of France, that passeth through the City of Lyons; Leman is the Lake of Geneva, and Narbon is a City of Languedock.
XCV.
French. Le Regne a deux laissé bien peu tiendront, Trois ans sept mois passez feront la guerre, Les deux vestales contre rebelleront, Victor puisnay en Armorique Terre. English. The Kingdom being left to two, they shall keep it but a little while, Three years and seven months being past, they shall make War, The two Vestals shall rebel against them, The youngest shall be Conquerour in the Armorick Countrey.
ANNOT.
This signifies, that a Kingdom shall be left to two, who shall keep it but a little while, about the space before mentioned.
By the two Vestals that shall rebel, are to be understood two Nuns, who having Interest in the state by their nearness of blood, shall challenge a title in the Kingdom. The last Verse signifies, that the youngest that contended for the Kingdom, shall overcome the eldest, in the Province of Gascony.
XCVI.
French. La sœur aisnée de l’Isle Britannique, Quinze ans devant le frere aura naissance, Par son promis moyenant verifique, Succedera au Regne de Balance. English. The eldest Sister of the Brittain Island, Shall be born fifteen years before her Brother, By what is promised her, and help of the truth, She shall succeed in the Kingdom of Libra.
ANNOT.
This signifies, that the Princess born so long after her Brother, shall be married to a King of France, which is understood here by the Kingdom of Libra; therefore the last King Lewis the XIII. was called the Just, because born under the Sign of Libra.
XCVII.
French. L’An que Mercure, Mars, Venus retrograde, Du grand Monarque la ligne ne faillit, Esleu du peuple Lusitant pres de Pactole, Qu’en Paix & Regne viendra fort enveillir. English. When Mercury, Mars and Venus shall retrograde, The Line of the great Monarch shall be wanting, He shall be elected by the Lusitanians near Pactole, And shall Reign in Peace a good while.
ANNOT.
This signifies the late change of state in Portugal, when they threw off the Spanish yoke, and chose a King amongst themselves, John the IV. Duke of Branganza, Father to the present Queen of England; for by the Lusitanians are meant the Portugals, so called from their Countreys name Lusitania; Pactoles is the River that runs by Lisbonne, otherwise called Tagus, in Greek χροσοροος from the Sands.
XCVIII.
French. Les Albanois passeront dedans Rome, Moyennant Langres demipiler affubles, Marquis & Duc ne pardonnes a l’homme, Feu, sang, morbilles point d’eau, faillir les blés. English. The Albanians shall pass through Rome, By the means of Langres covered with half Helmets, Marquess and Duke shall spare no man, Fire, blood, small Pox, Water shall fail us, also Corn.
ANNOT.
The meaning is, that when the people of Albania lying between the Venetian Territories, and Grecia, shall come to Rome, by the means of a Bishop of Langres, who is a Duke and Peer of France; being covered with half Helmets, a kind of a Cap that they wear in War; then shall be fire, blood, small Pox, and want of Corn.
XCIX.
French. L’Aisné vaillant de la fille du Roy, Repoussera si profond les Celtiques, Qu’il mettra Foudres, combien en tel arroy, Peu & loing puis profond es Hesperiques. English. The valliant eldest son of the daughter of the King, Shall beat back so far those of Flanders, That he will cast Lightnings, O how many in such orders Little and far, after shall go deep in Spain.
ANNOT.
This is scarce to be understood of any body, but the present King of France Lewis the XIV. who was the elder son, and born of Queen Ann, Daughter to the King of Spain, who by his valour and fortune made last year such progress in the Conquest of Flanders, that it hath caused admiration in every body; insomuch that is he do the like this year, it may be probably suspected, he will afterwards go deep into Spain according to the contents of this Prophecy.
C.
French. Du feu Celeste au Royal edifice, Quand la lumiere de Mars defaillira, Sept mois grand Guerre, mort gent de malefice, Rouen, Eureux au Roy ne faillira. English. Fire shall fall from the skies on the Kings Palace, When Mars’s light shall be Ecclipsed, A great War shall be for seven months, people shall die by witchcraft. Rouen, and Eureux shall not be wanting to the King.
ANNOT.
The meaning is, that when Mars is Ecclipsed, the Lightning shall fall on some of the King of Frances Palaces, then shall be a great War, for the space of seven Months, and many shall die by witchcraft; and Rouen the chief City of Normandy, and Eureux another of the same province, shall stick fast to the Kings Interest.
