Chapter XXVII: French

_Charle_ cinquiesme & un grand _Hercules_,
Viendront le Temple ouvrir de main bellique,
Une Colonne, _Jules_ & _Ascan_ reculez,
L’_E’pagne_, clef, Aigle neurent onc si grand pique.

English.

_Charles_ the Fifth, and one great _Hercules_,
Shall open the Temple with a Warlike hand,
One Colonne, _Julius_ and _Ascan_ put back,
_Spain_, the Key, Eagle were never at such variance.

ANNOT.

_Charles_ the V. was the Emperour, and that great _Hercules_ was _Henry_ the II. King of _France_, whom he calleth _Hercules_, because he was King of _France_, and the Author nameth often in his Stanzas the Kings of _France Hercules_ or _Ogmions_, because that great Captain of the Antiquity left his name glorious in the _Gaules_, whence the ancient Historians have given him the name of _Hercules Gallicus_. _Henry_ the II. also was not only an _Hercules_ by being King of _France_, but also a great _Hercules_, because of his Warlike humour, and for his great feats in Arms.

_To open the Temple_, signifieth to make War, because the _Romans_ in ancient time were wont to shut the Temple of _Janus_ in time of Peace, and kept it open during the War. _Cæsar Augustus_ did shut that Temple once in his time, which was never done before but twice, the first under _Numa Pompilius_, the second after the overcoming of _Charthage_.

XXVIII.

French.

Second & tiers qui font prime Musique,
Sera par Roy en honneur sublimée,
Par grasse & maigre presque a deny etique;
Rapport de _Venus_ faux rendra deprimée.

English.

Second and third that make prime Musick,
Shall by the King be exalted to honour,
By a fat one, and a lean one, one in consumption,
A false report of _Venus_ shall pull her down.

ANNOT.

Notwithstanding the obscurity of this sense, and the bad connexion of the words, we may perceive that by this Stanza is meant, that a King having two Mistresses shall exalt them in great honour, till by a report made by a fat woman and a lean one, that is in a consumption, that the said Ladies prove unfaithful to the King, he will depress them as low as they were before.

XXIX.

French.

De _Pol Mansol_ dans Caverne caprine,
Caché & pris extrait hors par la barbe,
Captif mené comme beste mastine,
Par _Begourdans_ amenée pres de _Tarbe_.

English.

From _Pol Mansol_ in a Goats Den,
Hidden and taken, drawn out by the beard
Prisoner, led as a Mastiff,
By _Begourdans_ shall be brought near to _Tarbe_.

ANNOT.

Here and in some other places of this work is to be observed, that the Author doth sometimes put two Towns instead of one, that he may distinguish it from others of the same name, as here he calleth _Pol Mansol_ to distinguish the Town of St. _Paul_, which is three Leagues from the _Rhosne_, over against the Town of _Pont St. Esprit_, from that which is in the lower parts of _Provence_.

The sense therefore of this Stanza is, that this _Begourdans_ (a proper name of a man) shall pull out another by the beard, that was hidden in a Goats Den, and shall lead him captive as far as _Tarbe_, which is another Town of _Provence_.

XXX.

French.

Nepveu & sang du St. nouveau venu,
Par le surnom soustient arcs & couvert,
Seront chassez mis a mort chassez nu,
En rouge & noir convertiront leur vert.

English.

Nephew and blood of the Saint newly come,
By the surname upholdeth Vaults and Covering,
They shall be driven, put to death, and driven out naked.
They shall change their red and black into green.

ANNOT.

Here I confess to be at a loss, as may be a wiser man then I.

XXXI.

French.

Le Sainct Empire viendra en _Germanie_,
_Ismaelites_ trouveront lieux ouverts,
Asnes viendront aussy de la _Caramanie_,
Les soustenans de Terre tous couverts.

English.

The Holy Empire shall come into _Germany_,
The _Ismaelites_ shall find open places,
Asses shall also come out of _Caramania_,
Taking their part, and covering the Earth.

ANNOT.

By the _Ismaelites_ he meaneth the _Turks_, who brag to be descended from _Ismael_.

_Caramania_ is a Province of _Turky_, so that the sense of this Stanza is, that there shall be a great Invasion of the _Turks_ into _Germany_, and that those of _Caramania_ with their Asses shall come to their help, and shall be in such numbers, as that the Earth shall be covered with them.

XXXII.

French.

Le grand Empire chascun en devoit estre,
Un sur les autres le viendra obtenir,
Mais peu de temps sera son Regne & estre,
Deux ans aux Naves se pourra soustenir.

English.

The great Empire, every one would be of it,
One above the rest shall obtain it,
But his time and his Reign shall last little,
He may maintain himself two years in his Shipping.

ANNOT.

This is plain enough without interpretation.

XXXIII.

French.

La faction cruelle a Robe longue,
Viendra cacher soubs les pointus Poignards,
Saisir _Florence_, le Duc & le _Diphlongue_,
Sa discouverte par Immeurs & Flagnards.

English.

The cruel faction of long Robe,
Shall come and hide under the sharp Daggers,
Seize upon _Florence_, the Duke and the _Diphlongue_,
The discovery of it shall be by Countrey fellows.

ANNOT.

This is the Prognostication of a conspiracy against the Duke and City of _Florence_, by those of the long Gown, which shall be discovered by Countrey fellows, that live in places without Walls.

XXXIV.

French.

_Gaulois_ qu’Empire par Guerre occupera,
Par son Beau-frere mineur sera trahi,
Par Cheval rude voltigeant trainera,
Du fait le frere long temps sera hay.

English.

A _Frenchman_ who shall occupy an Empire by War,
Shall be betrayed by his Brother in Law a Pupil,
He shall be drawn by a rude prancing Horse,
For which fact his brother shall be long hated.

ANNOT.

This foretelleth of a _Frenchman_, who shall by War obtain an Empire or Kingdom, and shall be betrayed by his Brother in Law a Pupil, whom afterwards he shall treacherously cause to mount a fierce prancing Horse, who shall throw him down and drag him, for which the said King shall be hated long after.

XXXV.

French.

Puisné Roial flagrant d’ardant libide,
Pour se jouir de cousine _Germaine_,
Habit de femme au Temple d’_Artemide_,
Allant murdry par incogneu _du Marne_.

English.

The Kingly youngest son heated with burning lust,
For to enjoy his Cosen German,
Shall in womans apparrel go to the Temple of _Artemis_;
Going, shall be murdered by unknown _du Marne_.

ANNOT.

This is concerning the younger son of a King, who being extreamly in love with his Cosen German, shall disguise himself in a womans apparel, and shall go so disguised to the Temple of _Artemide_ (that is of some Church Dedicated to the Virgin _Mary_) to meet her, but in going, shall be murdered by an unknown man named _du Marne_.

XXXVI.

French.

Apres le Roy du Sud guerres parlant,
L’Isle _Harmotique_ le tiendra a mespris,
Quelques ans bons rongeant un & pillant,
Par tyrannie a l’Isle changeant pris.

English.

After that the King of the South shall have talked of Wars,
The _Harmotick_ Island shall despise him,
Some good years gnawing one and plundering,
And by tyranny shall change the price of the Island.

ANNOT.

The two first Verses are concerning _Philip_ the II. King of _Spain_, who is called here the King of the _South_, whom after his vain and frustrated Invasion of 88. the _Harmotique_ Island (that is _England_) shall deride, and he after that shall have some good years, that is of Peace, still pillaging and plundering his Subjects, and shall change the price of _England_, that is, make it of a higher value, and more flourishing then ever it was before, as it did prove in Queen _Elizabeth_’s time.

XXXVII.

French.

Grande assemblée pres du Lac du _Borget_,
Se rallieront pres de _Montmelian_,
Passants plus outre pensifs feront projet,
_Chambray_, _Morienne_, combat Saint _Julian_.

English.

A great assembly of people near the Lake of _Borget_,
Will go and gather themselves about _Montmelian_,
Going beyond, they shall make an enterprize,
Upon _Chambery_, _Moriene_, and shall fight at St. _Julian_.

ANNOT.

This Lake of _Borget_ is in _Savoy_, as also _Montmelian_, _Chambery_, _Moriene_, and St. _Julian_; the meaning of it then is, that a great Army shall be gathered about that Lake, which shall go through _Chambery_, _Moriene_, and _Montmelian_, and shall fight at St. _Julian_.

XXXVIII.

French.

Amour alegre non loin pose le Siege,
Au Saint _Barbar_ seront les Garnisons,
_Ursins_, _Hadrie_ pour _Gaulois_ feront plaige.
Pour peur rendus de l’Armée, aux _Grisons_.

English.

Cheerful love doth lay Siege not far,
The Garrisons shall be at Saint _Barbar_,
_Ursini_, _Hadria_ shall be sureties for the _French_,
And many for fear shall go from the Army to the _Grisons_.

ANNOT.

The first two Verses are inexplicable; the two last signifie that there shall be an Army of _Frens_, with whom _Hadria_ (that is _Venice_) and the _Ursini_ the noblest Family in _Italy_ shall take part, insomuch, that many of the contrary party shall run for fear to the _Grisons_, which is a Nation dwelling in the _Valteline_ and other Countreis there about, between the _Venetians_ and the _Switzers_.

XXXIX.

French.

Premier fils veusve malheureux mariage,
Sans nuls enfans deux Isles en discord,
Avant dixhuit incompetant Aage,
De l’autre pres plus bas sera l’accord.

English.

Of the first son a widow, an unhappy match,
Without any Children, two Islands at variance,
Before eighteen an incompetant Age,
Of the other lower shall be the agreement.

ANNOT.

Although the words be intricate, nevertheless the sense is plain, concerning _Francis_ the II. King of _France_, who being married young, and before he was 18. years of Age, to _Mary Stuart_ Queen of _Scotland_, died presently after, and left her a widow, and also _England_ and _Scotland_ (which he calleth here two Islands) at variance among themselves; of the last Verse the sense is very obscure, and hath relation to what did happen afterwards to the said _Mary_ Queen of _Scots_ and Dowager of _France_.

XL.

French.

Le jeune nay au Regne _Britannique_,
Qu’aura le Pere mourant recommandé,
Iceluy mort _Londre_ donra topique,
Et a son fils le Regne demandé.

English.

The young man born to the Kingdom of _Britanny_,
Whom his Father dying shall have recommended,
After his death _London_ shall give him a topick,
And shall ask the Kingdom from his son.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy is plain, concerning his Majesty King _Charles_ II. now Reigning, who having been recommended by his dying Father to his Subjects, presently after his death they turned tail, and took the Kingdom from him for a good while.

XLI.

French.

En la frontiere de _Caussade_ & _Charlus_,
Non gueres loing du fond de la valée,
De _Ville Franche_ Musique a son de Luths,
Environnez Combouls & grand myrtée.

English.

Upon the Frontiere of _Caussade_ and _Charlus_,
Not far from the bottom of the Valley,
Of _Ville Franche_ there shall be Musick of Lutes,
Great dancing and great company of people met together.

ANNOT.

_Caussade_, _Charlus_, and _Villefranche_ are little Towns in _Provence_, not far one from another; the rest is easie.

XLII.

French.

Le Regne humain d’Angelique geniture,
Fera son Regne, paix, union tenir,
Captive guerre demy de sa closture,
Long temps la paix leur fera maintenir.

English.

The humane Reign of an Angelical brood,
Shall cause his Reign to be in peace and union,
Shall make War, captive shutting it half up,
He shall cause them to keep peace a great while.

ANNOT.

This is only a foretelling of some Gallant Prince, who shall maintain his Subjects in great peace and tranquility.

XLIII.

French.

Le trop bon temps, trop de bonté Roiale,
Faits & desfaits prompt, subit, negligence,
Leger croira faux, despouse loiale,
Luy mis a mort par sa benevolence.

English.

The time too good, too much of Royal bounty,
Made and unmade, nimble, quick, negligence,
Fickle shall believe false o’ his loyal Spouse,
He shall be put to death for his good will.

ANNOT.

This is concerning another King, who through his too much goodness, simplicity and negligence, shall make and unmake those about him, and being fickle, shall believe false reports, made concerning his own wife; and at last by his to much goodness, shall be put to death.

XLIV.

French.

Par lors qu’un Roy sera contre les siens;
Natif de _Blois_ subjuguera _Ligueres_,
_Mammel_, _Cordube_, & les _Dalmatiens_,
Des sept puis l’ombre a Roy estrennes & _Lemures_.

English.

At that time that a King shall be against his own,
One born at Blois shall subdue the _Ligures_,
_Mammel_, _Cordua_ and the _Dalmatians_,
After that the shadow of the seven shall be to the King a new-years
gift and Hoggoblins.

ANNOT.

_Blois_ is a City in _France_; _Ligures_ are the _Genoeses_, in Latine called _Ligures_; as for _Mammel_ I cannot tell what to make of it; _Cordua_ is a City of _Spain_, and the _Dalmatians_ is a Nation near the _Adriatick_ Sea, and under the _Venetians_; I leave the interpretation of the last Verse to the ingenious Reader.