Chapter VI: French

_Gardon_ a _Nismes_ eaux si haut desborderont,
Qu’on cuidera _Deucalion_ renaistre,
Dans le _Colosse_ la pluspart fuiront,
Vesta Sepulchre feu esteint apparoistre.

English.

_Gardon_ at _Nismes_, waters shall overflow so high,
That they’l think that _Deucalion_ is born again,
Most of them will run into the _Colossus_,
And a Sepulchre, and fire extinguished, shall appear.

ANNOT.

Near _Nismes_ there is the River called _Gardon_, which cometh from St. _Romans_, and dischargeth it self into the _Rhosne_ at _Beaucaire_, there is to be seen in that City abundance of _Antiquitez_, which the _Goths_ had built 1150. years before; there is also many _Roman_ Antiquities, as an _Amphitheater_, so well builded that neither the _Goths_ nor the _Saracens_, nor _Attila_, nor _Charles Martel_, with all their power, could not utterly demolish it. The Author nameth it _Colossus_, because its building appeared like a _Colossus_ for solidity.

There is also an ancient Temple which is called the _Fountain_, builded as a Quadrangle, and supported by two rows of great Pillars, which at present is a Church of Nuns.

This being supposed, the River of _Gardon_ did overflow so much, that its Waters joyning with that of a Flood that happened there the ninth of _September_ 1557. every one thought that _Deucalion_ had been born again. The Author saith this; because in the fables of the ancients. _Deucalion_ is thought to be the Author of the Flood which _Ovid_ mentioneth. During this Flood which was like to overflow the Town, as well as the Countrey, many did retire themselves into that Amphitheater.

And in that ancient Temple of the _Fountain_, the Waters overthrowing a great many old buildings did discover abundance of Antiquities, and amongst the rest one of those Lamps that burneth always, in the Sepulchre of a _Vestal_, which went out as soon as it felt the fresh Air.

In confirmation of this, the History of _Provence_ saith, that the storm began about five of the Clock in the Morning, and lasted till Eight of the Clock at night, and that these waters did uncover abundance of Antiquities that were hidden 1100. years before, as Pillars, Portico’s, Medals, Jasper-stones, and serpentine-stones, pieces of broken Vessels, Epitaphs, lodging Rooms, and Caves, and all other things that use to be found in the ruines of a Palace.

There was also heard in the Air Dogs barking, Pillars of fire, Armed men fighting, and were seen two Suns in the Clouds of the Colour of Blood, all which were the sad presages of the Civil Wars of _France_ presently after, and chiefly that of _Provence_.

The ninth Century in the ninth Stanza, speaketh almost the same, and sheweth that _Nismes_ shall perish by Water.

VII.

French.

Le grand conflict qu’on appreste a _Nancy_,
L’_Æmathien_ dira tout je soubmets,
L’Isle _Britane_ par Vin Sel en solcy,
_Hem. mi._ deux _Phi._ long temps ne tiendra _Mets_.

English.

A great War is preparing at _Nancy_,
The _Æmathien_ shall say I submit to all,
The _British_ Island shall be put in care by Salt and Wine,
_Hem. mi._ two _Phi._ shall not keep _Mets_ long.

ANNOT.

_Nancy_ is the chief City of _Lorrain_, and by the _Æmathien_ is understood the _French_, the _British_ Isle is _England_, which is said here, shall come into great distress by Salt and Wine, because the Countrey aboundeth in those two Commodities. The last Verse I do not understand, save that _Mets_ is a great City in _Lorrain_.

VIII.

French.

_Index_ & _Poulse_ parfondera le front
De _Senegalia_ le Comte a son Fils propre,
La _Myrnamée_ par plusieurs de plain front,
Trois dans sept jours blessez mort.

English.

_Index_ and _Poulse_ shall break the forehead,
Of the Son of the Earl of _Senegalia_,
The _Myrnamée_ by many at a full bout,
Three within seven days shall be wounded to death.

ANNOT.

_Senegalia_ is a Town in _Italy_, all what can be gathered out of the obscurity of this Stanza, is, that the son of the Earl of that Town shall have his forehead broken, and within seven days after, three more shall be wounded to death.

IX.

French.

De _Castilon figuieres_ jour de brune,
De femme infame naistra Souverain Prince,
Surnum de chausses per hume luy posthume,
Onc Roy ne fut si pire en sa Province.

English.

Out of _Castilon figuieres_ upon a misty day,
From an infamous woman shall be born a Soveraign Prince,
His surname shall be from _Breeches_, himself a posthume,
Never a King was worse in his Province.

ANNOT.

_Castilon figuieres_ is a petty Town in _Provence_, in which he saith that a Soveraign Prince shall be born of an infamous Woman, and shall be a posthume, which in Latine signifieth one that is born after his Fathers death; he saith also that his name shall be derived from _Breeches_ and that never a King was worse in his Countrey, whether by worse, he meaneth in manners or fortune, I know not.

X.

French.

Tasche de murdre, enormes Adulteres,
Grand ennemy de tout le genre humain,
Que sera pire qu’ayeulx, Oncles ne Pere,
En fer, feu, eau, sanguin & inhumain.

English.

Endeavour of Murder, enormous Adulteries,
A great enemy of all mankind,
That shall be worse then Grand-father, Uncle, or Father,
In Iron, fire, water, bloody and inhumane.

ANNOT.

This Stanza as well as the next hath relation to the precedent, making mention what a wicked person shall that Posthume be of which he spoke before.

XI.

French.

Dessoubs _Jonchere_ du dangereux passage,
Fera passer le posthume sa bande,
Les Monts _Pyrens_ passer hors son bagage,
De _Parpignan_ courira Duc a _Tende_.

English.

Below _Joncheres_ dangerous passage,
The posthume shall cause his Army to go over,
And his Baggage to go over the _Pyrenean_ Mountains,
A Duke shalt run from _Perpignan_ to _Tende_.

ANNOT.

This is still concerning the same posthume or Bastard, who shall cause his Army to pass at _Jonchere_, and his Bagage to go over the _Pyrenean_ Mountains, which parts _Spain_ from _France_, and that upon the fear of him a Duke shall run from _Perpignan_, which is the chief City of _Roussillon_ to _Tende_, which is a little Town in _Provence_.

XII.

French.

Esleu en Pape, d’Esleu sera mocqué,
Subit soudain, esmeu prompt & timide,
Par trop bon doux a mourir provoqué,
Crainte estainte la nuit de sa mort guide.

English.

Elected for a Pope, from Elected shall be baffled,
Upon a sudden, moved quick and fearful,
By too much sweetness provooked to die,
His fear being out in the night shall be Leader to his death.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy was fulfilled in the person of the Cardinal _Santa Severina_, who in the Conclave of Cardinals after the death of Pope _Innocent_ IX. was Elected Pope, and presently after was baffled by the same Cardinals, and _Clement_ the VIII. chosen in his place, for which the other a little while after died for grief.

XIII.

French.

Soubs la pasture d’animaux ruminans,
Par eux conduits au ventre _Herbi-polique_,
Soldats cachez, les armes bruit menants,
Non loin tentez de Cité _Antipolique_.

English.

Under the pasture of Beasts chewing the cud,
Conducted by them to the _Herbi-polique_ belly,
Souldiers hidden, the Weapons making a noise,
Shall be attempted not far from _Antipolick_ City.

ANNOT.

The sense of this is, that some Souldiers disguised like Herds-men, shall lead Oxen into a place where were hidden before Weapons in the Grass, but the Weapons making a noise by their clashing they shall be discovered, not far from a place that he calleth here _Antipolique_, purposely to rime with _Herbipolique_ in _French_, which word _Herbipolique_ signifieth a Town of Pasture.