Chapter XL: French

Pres de _Quentin_ dans la Forest _Bourlis_,
Dans l’Abbaye seront _Flamands_ tranchez,
Les deux puisnez de coups my estourdis,
Suitte appressée & gardes tous hachez.

English.

Near _Quentin_ in the Forrest _Bourlis_,
In the Abby the _Flemmings_ shall be slashed,
The two younger sons half a stonished with blows,
The followers oppressed, and the Guards all cut in pieces.

ANNOT.

This is a peculiar accident that happened before the taking of the Town of Saint _Quentin_ by the _Spaniard_ in the year 1557. and fell out thus. News being come to the King of _France_, that the powerful Army of the _Spaniard_ was gone to Besiege St. _Quentin_, he made all imaginable diligence to succour it; the _Spaniards_ to hinder the relief had seized upon an ancient Abby of the _Vermandois_, which is in the next Forrest, that was anciently called the Forrest _Bourlis_, and is at present called the Forrest of the _Abbay Vermandois_, called in Latine _Augusta Veromanduorum_, builded by an ancient _Hungarian_ Captain called _Vermandig_. In process of time it was all ruinated, and only one Abby left, wherein was the Episcopal See, which afterwards was transferred into the City of _Noyon_. After the ruine of this Town, that of St. _Quentin_ next to it became the chief City of _Vermandois_; It was named St. _Quentin_, because the Emperor _Dioclesian_ having sent St. _Quentin_ a _Roman_ Senator to be Governour of it, he did convert the Inhabitants to the Christian Faith, and after he himself did suffer there Martyrdom.

In that Abby a great many _Flemmings_ had intranched themselves, but the _French_ going to relieve the Town, did force their Trenches and Fortifications, and in the heat of the fight the two younger Sons of the Captain being armed _Cap a pée_, though they were not killed, yet were astonished with blows they did receive upon their heads, their followers and Guards being all cut in pieces.

XLI.

French.

Le grand _Chyren_ soy saisir d’_Avignon_,
De _Rome_ Lettres en miel plein d’amertume,
Lettre, Ambassade partir de _Chanignon_,
_Carpentras_ pris par Duke noir, rouge plume.

English.

The great _Cheyren_ shall seize upon _Avignon_,
Letters from _Rome_ shall come full of bitterness,
Letters and Embassies shall go from _Chanignon_,
_Carpentras_ taken by a black Duke with a red Feather.

ANNOT.

This did happen lately, _viz._ some five or six years ago, when the Duke of _Crequy_ Embassadour at _Rome_ was affronted by the _Corses_, which are the Popes Guard: for which the King of _France_ demanded reparation, and seized upon _Avignon_, till the Pope granted him that all the said _Corses_ should be banished, and a Pyramis erected in _Rome_ to the perpetual infamy of that Nation.

XLII.

French.

De _Barcelonne_, de _Gennes_ & _Venise_,
De la _Sicile_ pres _Monaco_ unis,
Contre Barbare classe prendront la vise,
Barbar poulsé bien loing jusqu’a _Thunis_.

English.

From _Barcelona_, from _Genoa_ and _Venice_,
From _Sicily_ near _Manaco_ united,
Against the Barbarian the fleet shall take her aim,
The Barbarian shall be driven back as far as _Thunis_.

ANNOT.

The sense of these words is very plain and signifieth onely, that there will be an union and League between these Towns, _viz._ _Barcelona_, _Genoa_, _Vinice_, and the Kingdom of _Sicily_ against the Turks, whom they shall encounter near _Monaco_, and put them to flight, and follow them as far as _Tunis_.