Chapter XXXVI: French

Assault farouche en _Cypre_ se prepare,
La larme a l’œil de ta ruine proche,
_Bizance_ Classe _Morisque_ si grand tare,
Deux differens le grand vast par la Roche.

English.

A cruel assault is preparing in _Cyprus_,
Tears in my eye, thou art near thy ruine,
The Fleet of _Constantinople_ and the _Morick_ so great damage.
Two differents the great wast shall be by the Rock.

ANNOT.

_A cruel assault is preparing_, signifies the shortness of the time in which it was to happen, for our Author Prophecied 1555. and _Cyprus_ was taken by the _Turks_ in the Month of _August_ 1571. _Selymus_ the II. fifth Emperour of the _Turks_, where the perfidiousness of the Bassa _Mustapha_ that Besieged it is remarkable, for having the Town delivered him upon Articles; First, that the Inhabitants of the City yet alive should enjoy their lives, liberty, and goods, with free exercise of Christian Religion, that the Governour _Bragadinus_ with the rest of the Captains and Souldiers might in safty depart with Bag and Baggage, and at their departure take with them five pieces of Ordinance, and three Horses, which soever it should please them to make choise of, and that the _Turks_ should safely conduct them into _Crete_, finding them both Victual and Shipping; yet all these matters agreed upon, and commenced into Writting, as also by solemn Oaths on both side confirmed; the perfidious Bassa nevertheless caused _Bragadinus_ to have his Ears cut off, then caused him to be set in a Chair, and his skin to be flain off from him quick, his head to be cut from his dead body, and upon the point of a Spear to be set upon a high place, his skin also stuffed with Chaff, he caused to be hanged up at the Yards Arm, and so to be carried about.

IV.

French.

Deux corps un chef, champs divisez en deux,
Et puis respondre a quattre non ouys,
Petits pour grands a pertius mal pour eux,
Tour d’_Aigues_ foudre, pire pour _Eussovis_.

English.

Two bodies, one head, fields divided into two,
And then answer to four unheard ones,
Small for great ones, open evil for them,
The Tower of _Aigues_ beaten by Lightning, worse for _Eussovis_.

ANNOT.

Out of this crabbid Stanza we shall pick what we can, and leave the rest to the judgment of the judicious Reader. First,

_The two bodies, one head_ may be understood either a Monster that was so, as it did happen once in _Italy_, as _Pareus_ witnesseth; or of the union of the two Kingdoms of _France_ and _Navarre_, under _Henry_ the IV. or of _England_ and _Scotland_ under King _James_.

The Tower of _Aiguemortes_ was strucken with the Lightning, a while after our Author had put out his Prophecies.

V.

French.

Tristes Conseils, desloiaux, cauteleux,
Aduis meschant, la loy sera trahie,
Le peuple esmeu, farouche, querelleux,
Tant Bourg que Ville toute le paix haie.

English.

Sad Councels, unfaithful, malicious,
Ill advice the Law shall be betrayed,
The people shall be moved, wild & quarrelsome,
Both in Countrey and City the peace shall be hated.

ANNOT.

This is plain.

VI.

French.

Roy contre Roy, & le Duc contre Prince,
Haine entre iceux dissension, horrible,
Rage & fureur sera toute Province,
_France_ grand guerre & changement terrible.

English.

King against King, and Duke against a Prince,
Hatred between them, horrid dissension,
Rage and fury shall be in every Province,
Great War in _France_, and horrid changes.

ANNOT.

This is a true picture of the miseries of the Civil Wars in _France_, when _Charles_ the IX. King of _France_, was against _Henry_ King of _Navarre_, and the Duke of _Guise_ against the Prince of _Condé_.

VII.

French.

L’accord & pache sera du tout rompue,
Les amitiez pollues par discorde,
L’haine euvieille, toute foy corrompue,
Et l’esperance, _Marseilles_ sans concorde.

English.

The agreement and contract shall be broken in pieces,
The friendships polluted by discord,
The hatred shall be old, all faith corrupted,
And hope also, _Marseilles_ without concord.

ANNOT.

This is a second part of the foregoing.

VIII.

French.

Guerre & debats, a _Blois_ guerre & tumulte,
Divers aguets, adveux inopinables,
Entrer dedans _Chasteau Trompette_, insulte,
_Chasteau du Ha_ qui en seront coulpables.

English.

War and strifes, at _Blois_ war and tumult,
Several lying in wait, acknowledgment unexpected,
They shall get into the _Chasteau Trompette_ by assault,
And into the _Chasteau du Ha_, who shall be guilty of it.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy is concerning the Civil Wars of _France_ between the King and the League.

He saith, _at ~Blois~ war and tumult_; because the Duke of _Guise_, and the Cardinal his Brother were both killed there, at the convention of Estates by the Kings command, which he calleth here _acknowledgment unexpected_, because the Kingdom did own the fact.

The last two Verses are concerning the two Castles or Fortresses of _Bourdeaux_, who in those days were sometimes by one party, and sometimes by another.