Chapter LXXI: French

La Tour Marine troisfois prise & reprise,
Par _Espagnols_, _Barbares_, _Ligurins_,
_Marseille_ & _Aix_, _Arles_ par ceux de _Pise_,
Vast, feu, fer, pille, _Avignon_ des _Thurins_.

English.

The Sea-tower three times taken and retaken,
By _Spaniards_, _Barbarians_, and _Ligurians_,
_Marseilles_ and _Aix_, _Arles_ by those of _Pisa_,
Wast, fire, Iron, plunder, _Avignon_ of _Thurins_.

ANNOT.

It is hard to guess what this Sea Tower is, which was taken and retaken three times; first by the _Spaniards_, next by the _Barbarians_, and then by the _Ligurians_, that is, either the _Genoeses_, or those of _Ligorne_, unless he meaneth the _Pignon de Velez_ in _Africa_, first taken by _Charles_ the V. upon the _Barbarians_, then retaken again by them, taken again by the _Spaniards_, by the help of the _Genoeses_. In the third Verse _Marseille_, _Aix_, and _Arles_, are threatned by those of _Pisa_, that is the _Florentines_, of being ruinated by Fire and Sword, and to be plundered, as also _Avignon_ by those of _Piemont_.

LXXII.

French.

Du tout _Marseille_ des habitans changee,
Course & poursuite jusques pres de _Lion_,
_Narbon_, _Tholoze_ par _Bourdeaux_ outragée,
Tuez, Captifs presque d’un Milion.

English.

_Marseille_ shall wholly change her Inhabitants
These shall run and be pursued as far as _Lion_,
_Narbon_, _Tholoze_ shall wrong _Bourdeaux_,
There shall be killed and taken prisoner almost a Milion.

ANNOT.

_Marseilles_ is a Sea-Town in _Provence_, _Narbon_, and _Tholoze_ are Cities of _Languedoc_, and _Bourdeaux_ is the chief Town in _Gascony_, the rest is easie to be understood.

LXXIII.

French.

_France_ a cinq parts par neglect assaillie,
_Tunis_, _Argier_, esmeus par _Persiens_,
_Leon_, _Seville_, _Barcelonne_ faillie,
N’aura la chasse par les _Venetiens_.

English.

_France_ by a neglect shall be assaulted on five sides,
_Tunis_, _Argier_ shall be moved by the _Persians_,
_Leon_, _Sevil_, _Barcelone_ shall be missed,
And not be pursued by the _Venetians_.

ANNOT.

This Stanza is concerning as many Countreys, as there are Verses: the first is _France_, which by neglect and carelesness of her in Inhabitants, _shall be assaulted on five several sides_. The second is concerning _Tunis_ and _Argier_, Cities of _Barbary_, _which shall be stirred and moved_ (I suppose) to rebel. The third regardeth _Leon_, _Sevil_, _Barselona_, Cities in _Spain_, and the fourth the _Venetians_.

LXXIV.

French.

Apres sejourné vogueront en Empire,
Le grand secours viendra vers _Antioche_,
Le noir poil crespe tendra fort a l’Empire,
Barbe d’Airain se rostira en broche.

English.

After a stay, they shall Sail towards an Empire,
The great succours shall come towards _Antioch_,
The Black Hair Curled, shall aim much to the Empire,
The Brazen Beard shall be roasted on a Spit.

ANNOT.

There is no difficulty in this, but in the last Verse, which I had rather leave to the judgment of the judicious Reader, than to offer any thing that might make me ridiculous.

LXXV.

French.

Le Tyran _Sienne_ occupera _Savone_,
Le fort gaigné tiendra classe Marine,
Les deux Armées par la marque d’_Ancone_,
Par effrayeur le chef sen examine.

English.

The Tyrant _Sienna_ shall occupy _Savona_;
The Fort being won, shall hold a Fleet,
The two Armies shall go in the mark of _Ancona_,
By fear the chief shall be examined.

ANNOT.

For the explication of this Stanza, you must understand that _Sienna_ is a City in _Italy_, now under the Dominion of the Duke of _Tuscany_, who shall occupy _Savona_, a City now under the Dominion of the Common-wealth of _Genoa_; the rest is plain enough.

LXXVI.

French.

D’un nom farouche tel proferé sera.
Que les trois Sœurs auront _Fato_ le nom,
Puis grand peuple par langue & fait dira,
Plus que nul autre aura bruit & renom.

English.

By a wild name one shall be called
So that the three Sisters shall have the name of _Fato_,
Afterwards a great people by Tongue and Deeds, shall say,
He shall have fame and renown more than any other.

ANNOT.

By the three Sisters, he meaneth the three Destinies, _viz._ _Clotho_, _Lachesis_ and _Atropos_, which the Poets have fained to Spin every mans destiny, which he calleth here _Fato_, from the Latin word _Fatum_. The rest may be interpreted as well by the Reader, as by my self.