Chapter LXVII: French

_Par._ _Car._ _nersaf_, a ruine grand discorde,
Ne l’un ne l’autre n’aura election,
_Nersaf_ du peuple aura amour & concorde,
_Ferrare_, _Collonne_ grande protection.

English.

_Par._ _Car._ _Nersaf_, to ruine great discord,
Neither one nor the other shall be Elected,
_Nersaf_, shall have of the people love and concord,
_Ferrare_, _Colonna_, great protection.

ANNOT.

It is very hard to say what the Author meaneth by these disjunctives _Par._ _Car._ _Nersaf_, all what can be gathered by what follows, is, that there shall be a great variance and strife about an Election, (I suppose of a Pope as it useth to be) and that _Nersaf_ shall have the good will of the people, and yet none of them shall be Elected.

As for the fourth Verse, it is to be noted first that _Ferrara_ is a strong Town in _Italy_ belonging to the Pope, and _Colonna_ is the name of the chief Family in _Rome_, now whether _Ferrara_ shall be a protection to _Colonna_, or _Colonna_ to _Ferrara_, we leave it to the Reader to judge, because the Verse hath a double sense.

LXVIII.

French.

Vieux Cardinal par le jeune deceu,
Hors de sa charge se verra desarmé,
_Arles_ ne monstres double fort apperceu,
Et l’_Aqueduct_ & le Prince embaumé.

English.

An old Cardinal shall be cheated by a young one,
And shall see himself out of his imployment,
_Arles_ do not show, a double fort perceived,
And the _Aqueduct_, and the embalmed Prince.

ANNOT.

The two first Verses are very plain, the two last not so; therefore observe that _Arles_ is a City in _France_, in the Countrey of _Dauphine_ or _Provence_, famous for antiquity, which is forwarned here not to shew its Fords, nor its Aqueducts, (which are buildings to convey water), nor its embalmed Prince, which it seemeth lyeth thereabout buried. The Author hath deprived here the Author of the reasons for why.

LXIX.

French.

Aupres du jeune se vieux Ange baiser,
Et le viendra surmonter a la fin,
Dix ans esgaux aux plus vieux rabaisser,
De trois deux l’un huitiesme _Seraphin_.

English.

Near the young one the old Angel shall bowe,
And shall at last overcome him,
Ten years equal, to make the old one stoop,
Of three, two, one, the eighth a _Seraphin_.

ANNOT.

This is the description of a grand Cheat, when an old man called here Angel, shall stoop before a young one, whom he shall overcome at last, after they have been ten years equal. The last Verse is Mistical, for there is four numbers, three, two, one, which make six; and eight, which he calleth _Seraphin_, whether by allusion to that Quire of Angels, which some call the eight, or whether to the Order of St. _Francis_, who calleth it self _Seraphical_, is not easie to determine.

LXX.

French.

Il entrera vilain, meschant, infame,
Tyrannisant la _Mesopotamie_,
Tous amis fait d’Adulterine Dame,
Tetre horrible noir de _Physiognomie_.

English.

He shall come in villaen, wicked, infamous,
To tyranise _Mesopotamia_,
He maketh all friends by an adulteress Lady,
Foul, horrid, black in his _Physiognomie_.

ANNOT.

_Mesopotamia_ is a Greek word, signifying a Countrey between two Rivers; and though there be many Countreys so seated, yet to this day, it properly belongeth to that Countrey, that lyeth between the two famous Rivers _Tigris_ and _Euphrates_ near _Babylon_; the rest is easie.

LXXI.

French.

Croistra le nombre si grand des Astronomes,
Chassez bannis & livres censureq,
L’An mil six cens & sept par sacrez glomes,
Que nul au sacres ne seront asseurez.

English.

The number of Astronomers shall grow so great,
Driven away, bannished, Books censured,
The year one thousand six hundred and seven by sacred glomes,
That none shall be secure in the sacred places.

ANNOT.

The sense of this is clear, _viz._ that about the year 1607. the number of Astronomers shall grow very great, of which some shall be expelled and banished, and their Books censured and suppressed: the rest is insignificant to me.

LXXII.

French.

Champ _Perusin_ O l’Enorme deffaite,
Et le conflict tout aupres de _Ravenne_,
Passage sacra lors qu’on fera la feste,
Vaincueur vaincu, Cheval mange L’avenne.

English.

_Perugian_ Field, O the excessive rout,
And the fight about _Ravenna_,
Sacred passage when the Feast shall be celebrated,
The victorious vanquished, the Horse to eat up his Oats.

ANNOT.

_Perugia_ is a City in _Italy_, and so is _Ravenna_, by which it seemeth there shall be a notable Battle fought, as was once before in the time at _Lewis_ the XII. King of _France_ between _Gaston de Foix_ his Nephew, and _Don Raimond de Cardonne_ Vice-roy of _Naples_, for there the _French_ got the Battle; in conclusion of which, the said _Gaston de Foix_ pursuing a Troop of _Spaniards_ that were retiring, was unfortunately kill’d, and so the victorious were vanquished.

LXXIII.

French.

Soldat Barbare le grand Roy frapera,
Injustement non esloigné de mort,
L’Avare Mere du fait cause sera,
Conjurateur & Regne en grand remort.

English.

A Barbarous Souldier shall strike the King,
Unjustly, not far from death,
The covetous Mother shall be the cause of it,
The Conspirator and Kingdom in great remorse.

ANNOT.

These words are so plain that they need no interpretation.

LXXIV.

French.

En Terre neuve bien avant Roy entré,
Pendant subjects luy viendront faire accueil,
Sa parfidie aura tel rencontré,
Qu’aux Citadins lieu de feste & recueil.

English.

A King being entered far into a new Countrey,
Whilst his Subjects shall come to welcom him,
His perfidiousness shall find such an encounter,
That to the Citizens it shall be instead of feast and welcom.

ANNOT.

The sense of this seemeth to be, that a certain King being far got into a new conquered Countrey, where he shall deal perfidiously with his Subjects, that then he shall meet with such an accident, as to his Citizens shall be instead of feast & welcom.

LXXV.

French.

Le Pere & fils seront meurtris ensemble,
Le Prefecteur dedans son Pavillon,
La Mere a _Tours_ du fils ventre aura enfle,
Cache verdure de fueilles papillon.

English.

The Father and Son shall be murdered together,
The Governour shall be so in his Tent,
At _Tours_ the Mother shall be got with child by her son,
Hide the greenness with leaves Butter-flye.

ANNOT.

There is nothing hard here but the last Verse, whereby it is signified, that after such an incest of the Mother with the Son in the City of _Tours_ (which is a Town in _France_) the fruit of it shall be secretly buryed, and green Turfs laid upon the place, and Leaves upon them, to take away the knowledge of it.

LXXVI.

French.

Plus _Macelin_ que Roy en _Angleterre_,
Lieu obscur ne par force aura l’Empire,
Lasche, sans foy, sans loy, seignera Terre,
Son temps s’aproche si presque je souspire.

English.

More _Macelin_ then King in _England_,
Born in obscure place, by force shall reign,
Of loose disposition, without faith, without Law, the ground shall
bleed,
His time is drawing so near that I sigh for it.

ANNOT.

_Macelin_, is a Butcher or cruel man, from the Latine word _Macellum_, which signifieth the Shambles, it is without contradiction that by this Prophecy is plain concerning the late tyrant _Cromwel_, and his unlawful Government.

LXXVII.

French.

L’Antechrist bien tost trois annichilez,
Vingt & sept ans durera sa guerre,
Les Heretiques morts; captifs exilez,
Sang corps humain eau rougie, gresler Terre.

English.

By Antichrist three shall shortly be brought to nothing,
His War shall last seven and twenty years,
The Hereticks dead, Prisoners banished,
Blood, humane body, water made red, Earth hailed.

ANNOT.

What he meaneth here by Antichrist is not easie to determine, for he cannot mean the Pope, himself being a Papist, nor the great Antichrist, whose Reign, according to the Scripture, shall last but three years and a half, it is more likely then that this Stanza hath coherence with the precedent, and that by it he meaneth _Henry_ the VIII. who for the space of about 27 years before he dyed, did handle something roughly the Clergy and Clergy-men.

LXXVIII.

French.

Un _Bragamas_ avec la langue torte,
Viendra des dieux rompre le Sanctuaire,
Aux Heretiques il ouvrira la porte,
En suscitant l’Eglise Militaire.

English.

A _Bragamas_ with his crooked Tongue,
Shall come and break the Gods Sanctuary,
He shall open the Gates unto Hereticks,
By raising the Militant Church.

ANNOT.

_Bragamas_ is the same thing that we call now _Bragadocio_. By the Gods Sanctuary, he meaneth the Temples of the _Romish_ Religion, who are reputed Sanctuaries, and are full of Images, which they worship as Gods, praying and offering Incense to them.

LXXIX.

French.

Qui par fer pere perdra, nay de _Nonnaire_,
De _Gorgon_ sur la fin sera sang perferant,
En Terre estrange fera si tout de taire,
Qu’il bruslera luy mesme & son entant.

English.

He that by Iron shall destroy his Father, born in _Nonnaire_,
Shall in the end carry the blood of _Gorgon_,
Shall in a strange Countrey make all so silent,
That he shall burn himself and his intent.

ANNOT.

_Nonnaire_ and _Gorgon_ are two barbarous words, as for the sense of that and the rest, he that shall be able to read the words, shall be as wise as my self.

LXXX.

French.

Des innocens le sang de Vefue & Vierge,
Tant de maux faits par moiens ce grand Roge,
Saints simulachres trempez en ardant cierge,
De frayeur crainte ne verra nul que boge.

English.

The blood of the innocent Widow and Virgin,
So many evils committed by the means of that great Rogue,
Holy Images, dipt in burning wax Candles,
For fear no body shall be seen to stir.

ANNOT.

What he meaneth by the great Rogue is not obvious, but the main drift of this Stanza seemeth to be, to foretel the abuses that should be offered to the Popish Images by the Protestant party, as it was done in the time of the Civil Wars of _France_, and a little while after our Author had written his Prophecies.

By the great Rogue, he meaneth some chief Commander of the Protestant party, that were in those days, as the Prince of _Condé_, the Admiral of _Castilon_, or his Brother _Dandelot_.

LXXXI.

French.

Le neuf Empire en desolation,
Sera changé du Pole Aquilonaire,
De la _Sicile_ viendra l’emotion,
Troubler l’Emprise a _Philip_ tributaire.

English.

The new Empire in desolation,
Shall be changed from the Northern Pole,
The commotion shall come from _Sicily_,
To trouble the undertaking, tributary to _Philip_.

ANNOT.

This threatneth the Empire that now is in _Germany_, of a great desolation, and to be removed from its place, and threatneth also the Island of _Sicily_ of a fearful commotion, which shall trouble the undertakings of _Philip_, that is, King of _Spain_, because they usually are called by that name.

LXXXII.

French.

Ronge long, sec, faisant du bon valet,
A la par fin n’aura que son congie,
Poignant poison & Lettres au colet,
Sera saisy, eschapé, en dangié.

English.

Long gnawer, dry, cringing and fawning,
In conclusion shall have nothing but leave to be gone,
Piercing poison and Letters in his Collar,
Shall be seised, escape, and in danger.

ANNOT.

The words of this are easie to be understood, but not who should be that man to whom he giveth these four famous Epithetes of _Long-gnawer_, _dry_, _cringing_ and _fawning_.

LXXXIII.

French.

Le plus grand voile hors du port de _Zara_,
Pres de _Bizance_ fera son entreprise,
D’Ennemy perte & l’amy ne séra,
Le tiers a deux fera grand pille & prise.

English.

The greatest Sail out of the Port of _Zara_,
Near _Bizance_ shall make his undertaking,
There shall be no loss of foes or friends,
The third shall make a great pillage upon the two.

ANNOT.

By _Zara_ I suppose that the _Venetians_ are meant, who have a very strong Town of that name, situated in _Dalmatia_. _Bizance_ is _Constantinople_, as we have said before; now whether this Prophecy was fulfilled when the _Venetians_ took the Island of _Tenedos_, some 20 years ago, which is not far from _Constantinople_, or whether it is to come, I dare not assert.

LXXXIV.

French.

_Paterne_ aura de la _Sicile_ crie,
Tous les aprests du Gouphre de _Trieste_,
Qui s’entendra jusques a la _Trinacrie_,
De tant de voiles, fuy, fuy, l’horrible peste.

English.

_Paterne_ shall have out of _Sicily_ a cry,
All the preparations of the Gulph of _Trieste_,
That shall be heard as far as _Trinacry_,
Of so many Sails, fly, fly, the horrid plague.

ANNOT.

It hath been impossible for me to make any sense of this, and therefore I believe that it is falsely printed, and that instead of _Paterne_, it should be _Palerme_, which is the chief Town in _Sicily_. _Trinacry_ is _Sicily_ it self, so called, _quod tria habeat, άκρα seu promontoria_.

LXXXV.

French.

Entre _Bayonne_ & a Sainct _Jean de Lux_,
Sera posé de _Mars_ la promottoire,
Aux _Hanix_ d’Aquilon, _Nanar_ hostera _Lux_,
Puis suffoque au lit sans adjoutoire.

English.

Between _Bayonne_ and Saint _John de Lux_,
Shall be put down the promoting of _Mars_,
From the _Hunix_ of the North, _Nanar_ shall take away _Lux_,
Then shall be suffocated in his bed without help.

ANNOT.

_Bayonne_ is a Town in _France_, upon the frontiers of _Spain_, and Saint _John de Lux_ is the utmost frontiere of _France_, that way, (that being supposed) he saith, that about Saint _John de Lux_, the promoting of the war shall be set down; that is, that peace shall be made, as it was about seven or eight years ago between _France_ and _Spain_, and the Marriage concluded between the King and the _Infanta_. The two last Verses are nonsensical, and only set down to make up the rhime.

LXXXVI.

French.

Par _Arnani_, _Tholose_, & _Villefranque_,
Bande infinie par le Mont _Adrian_,
Passe Riviere, hutin par pont la planque,
_Bayonne_ entrer tous _Bichoro_ criant.

English.

By _Arnani_, _Tholose_, and _Villefranche_,
An infinite deal of people by the _Aprian_,
Cross Rivers, noise upon the Bridge and plank,
Come all into _Bayonne_ crying _Bichoro_.

ANNOT.

_Arnani_, _Tholose_, and _Villefranche_ are Towns of a Province in _France_ called _Languedoc_. Mont _Adrian_ is a Mountain thereabout, and _Hutin_ is an old _French_ word, signifying noise and strife, the sense then of this Prophecy is, that by those Towns and Mountains, shall pass an infinite multitude of people, with a great noise and strife, and shall come and enter into _Bayonne_, every one crying in that Countrey Language _Bichoro_, which is as much as to say, _Victory_.