Chapter LV: French

Entre deux Fleuves se verra enserré,
Tonneaux & caques unis a passer outre,
Huit Pont rompus chef a tant enferré,
Enfans parfaits sont jugulez en coultre.

English.

Between two Rivers he shall find himself shut up,
Tuns and Barrels put together to pass over,
Eight Bridges broken, the chief at last in Prison,
Compleat children shall have their throat cut.

ANNOT.

It is an accident that hath often happened to a Commander of an Army, to find himself either by his own oversight, or by the policy of his enemies, shut up between two Rivers, having upon neither of them a Bridge at his command; as it did happen once to the Prince of _Condé_, the Grandfather of this, in the time of the Civil war for Religion, who was forced by it to dissolve his Army, and bid every one shift for himself, so that they almost all escaped by several small parties, some going one way some another, at such time it is an ordinary shift to make use of empty Vessels and Caskes to make a Bridge, as our Author doth mention here.

LVI.

French.

La bande foible la Terre occupera,
Ceux du haut lieu feront horribles cris,
Le gros troupeau d’estre coin troublera,
Tombe pres _D. nebro_ descouvert les escrits.

English.

The weak party shall occupy the ground,
Those of the high places shall make fearful cries,
It shall trouble the great flock in the right corner,
He falleth near _D. nebro_ discovereth the writings.

ANNOT.

I dare not comment upon this, for fear it should be said of me, what was said of the Glose of _Accurtius_; _obscura per obscurius_.

LVII.

French.

De Soldat simple parviendra en Empire,
De Robe courte parviendra a la longue,
Vaillant aux Armes, en Eglise ou plus pire,
Vexer les Prestres comme l’eau fait l’esponge.

English.

From a simple Souldier he shall come to have the supreme command,
From a short Gown he shall come to the long one,
Vaillant in Arms, no worse man in the Church,
He shall vex the Priests, as water doth a Spunge.

ANNOT.

I never knew nor heard of any body to whom this Stanza might be better applied, then to the late Usurper _Cromwel_, for from a simple Souldier, he became to be Lord Protector, and from a Student in the University he became a graduate in _Oxford_, he was valliant in Arms, and the worse Churchman that could be found; as for vexing the Priests, I mean the Prelatical Clergy, I believe none went beyond him.

LVIII.

French.

Regne en querelle aux freres divisé,
Prendre les Armes & les nom _Britannique_,
Tiltre _Anglican_ sera tard advisé,
Surprins de nuit, mener a l’air _Gallique_.

English.

A Kingdom in dispute, and divided between the Brothers,
To take the Arms and the _Britannick_ name,
And the _English_ title, he shall advise himself late,
Surprised in the night and carried into the _French_ air.

ANNOT.

This prognosticateth a great division in _England_ between Brothers, about the Title and Kingdom of _England_, insomuch, that in conclusion one shall be surprised by night, and carried away into _France_.

LIX.

French.

Par deux fois haut, par deux fois mis a bas,
L’Orient aussi l’Occident foiblira,
Son adversaire apres plusieurs combats,
Par Mer chassé au besoin faillira.

English.

Twice set up high, and twice brought down,
The East also the West shall weaken,
His adversary after many fights,
Expelled by Sea, shall fail in need.

ANNOT.

This foretelleth of some considerable person, who shall be twice set up, and brought down again. The second Verse is pronounced after the manner of the old Oracles, as

_Aio te Æacida Romanos vincere posse_,

For no body can tell here whither the East shall weaken the West, or otherways. The last two Verses are easie.

LX.

French.

Premier en _Gaule_, premier en _Romanie_,
Par Mer & Terre aux _Anglois_ & _Paris_,
Merveilleux faits par cette grand mesgnie,
Violant, _Terax_ perdra le _Norlaris_.

English.

The first in _France_, the first in _Romania_,
By Sea and Land to the _English_ and _Paris_,
Wonderful deeds by that great company,
By ravishing, _Terax_ shall spoil the _Norlaris_.

ANNOT.

The first in _France_ is the King, the first in _Romania_ is the _Pope_, who it seemeth shall joyn together by Sea and Land, and come against _Paris_, who shall call the _English_ to its help, insomuch, that strange deeds shall be done by that great company. As for _Terax_, it seemeth to be the proper name of some man, who by ravishing a woman called here the _Norlaris_, shall spoil her and cause sad consequences. _Norlaris_ by transposition of Letters is _Lorrain_.

LXI.

French.

Jamais par le decouvrement du jour,
Ne parviendra au signe Sceptrifere,
Que tous Sieges ne soient en sejour,
Portant au Coq don du _Tag_ a misere.

English.

Never by the discovering of the day,
He shall attain to the Sceptriferous sign,
Till all his seats be settled,
Carrying to the Cock a gift from the _Tag_ to misery.

ANNOT.

This signifieth that one pretending to a Kingdom, shall never attain to it by often removing his place, until all his seats be settled, that is, untill his wandring be ceased. And a gift brought by him to the King of _France_ from _Portugal_, signified here by the _Tag_, which is the River of _Lisbon_ the Capital City of it, from which gift shall proceed misery.

LXII.

French.

Lors qu’on verra expiler le Saint Temple,
Plus grand du _Rhosne_, & sacres prophaner:
Par eux naistra pestilence si grande,
Roy fait injuste ne sera condamner.

English.

When one shall see spoiled the Holy Temple,
The greatest of the _Rhosne_, and sacred things prophaned,
from them shall come so great a pestilence,
That the King being unjust shall not condemn them.

ANNOT.

The greatest Temple of the _Rhosne_, is that of the City of _Lion_, which is seated upon that River of _Rhosne_, which when it shall be robbed and spoiled, then shall come a horrid Pestilence, which our Author attributeth to the injustice of the King then Reigning, who shall neglect to punish those Sacriledges.