Chapter XLIII: French

Durant l’estoile cheuelue apparente,
Les trois grand Princes seront faits ennemis,
Frappez du Ciel, Paix, Terre tremulente,
_Arne_, _Tibre_, undans Serpent sur le bord mis.

English.

During the hairy apparent Star,
The three great Princes shall be made Enemies,
Struck from Heaven, Peace, quaking Earth,
_Arne_, _Tyber_, full of Surges, Serpent cast upon the Shore.

ANNOT.

In the year 1556. upon the first day of _March_ appeared a blazing Star which lasted three Months, and in that year the three great Princes were made Enemies, _viz._ _Paul_ IV. Pope, _Henry_ II. King of _France_, and _Philip_ II. King of _Spain_, about the breaking of the Truce by _Henry_ II.

The Affairs not succeeding according to the Pope’s, and the King of _France_’s desire, they made Peace with the _Spaniard_ the 14th of _October_ 1557. and because it was an effect of Gods Providence, which moved the Pope’s, and the Kings hearts; the Author saith, they were _struck from Heaven_.

After this _Peace_ the Author mentions an _Earth-quake_, which is very likely considering the overflowing of the _Tyber_, which followed immediately.

The night after, that _Peace_ was proclaimed at _Rome_, on a _Tuesday_ the _Tyber_ did so overflow his Banks, that the inundation was thought the greatest that ever was, yea greater than that which happened in the year 1530. under _Clement_ VII.

There were ten or twelve Mills carried away, all the Vine-yards along the _Tyber_, from _Pontemole_ to St. _Peters_ Church, were buried under the Sands, that the water carried.

Abundance of Houses fell to the ground. In _Rome_ many Gardens and houses of pleasure were destroyed, the loss of the Wines, Hay, Wood, and Corn could not be valued.

In _Florence_ the River of _Arno_ did more mischief than the _Tyber_ at _Rome_, the History of the Genealogy of the house of _Medicis_, made by _Peter de Boissat_, mentioneth, that in some places of the City of _Florence_, the water overflowed to the heigth of eight Fathoms, and covered all the valley of _Arne_.

The damage was yet greater at _Empoly_, a Town in _Tuscany_, where, of three thousand people, there escaped but eighteen.

But to return to _Tyber_, its waters being retired into their Channel, left so much mud, where it had overflowed, that no body could walk upon it, and upon that mud near the _Tyber_, was a Serpent seen of a prodigious bigness, which was killed by the Countrey people.

This is the Authors meaning in the last Verse, _Arne, Tyber, full of Surges, Serpent cast upon the Shore_.

In the third Verse he saith, those three Princes were struck or moved from Heaven to make _Peace_, that is, from God; every one considering that this War was only for their mutual distruction.

The Vulgar impression putteth in the fourth Verse, _Pau_, _Tyber_, in stead of _Arne_, _Tyber_, which is a visible fault; for the History mentioneth only the inundation of those two Rivers in _Italy_, it may be that the likeness of those words, _Pau_ and _Arne_, is the cause of the mistake; as also because the name of _Pau_, which is the biggest River in _Italy_, is more famous in History than that of _Arne_, which is the River that passeth through _Florence_.

XLIV.

French.

L’Aigles poussée entour de Pavillons,
Par autre oiseaux d’Entour sera chassé,
Quand bruit de Timbres, Tubes, & Sonaillons,
Rendront le sens de la Dame insensée.

English.

The Eagle flying among the Tents,
By other Birds shall be driven away,
When noise of Cymbals, Trumpets, and Bells,
Shall render the sense to the Lady that was without it.

ANNOT.

It is an Eagle driven from the Tents by other Birds, when a mad Lady shall recover her senses by the noise of Cymbals, Trumpets, and Bells.

XLV.

French.

Trop le Ciel pleure l’_Androgyn_ procrée,
Pres de Ciel sang humain respandu,
Par mort trop tard grand peuple recrée,
Tard & tost vient le secours attendu.

English.

The Heaven bemoaneth too much the _Androgyn_ born,
Near Heaven humane blood shall be spilt,
By death too late a great people shall be refreshed,
Late and soon cometh the succours expected.

ANNOT.

_Androgyn_, is one that is Male and Female, from the Greek word ἀνηρ, which signifieth a Male, and γυνή, which signifieth a Female; the meaning then of the first Verse is, that some great persons, suppose a King and Queen, which he calleth Heaven, by reason of their exaltation above the common sort of people, shall bemoan too long one of their Children, that was, or shall be born Male and Female.

The second Verse is easie to be understood, if you take Heaven in the same sense that we have said. The last two Verses are plain.

XLVI.

French.

Apres grand troche humain, plus grand sapreste,
Le grand Moteur les siecles renouvelle,
Pluye, Sang, Lait, Famine, Fer & Peste,
Au Ciel veu feu courant longue estincelle.

English.

After a great humane change, another greater is nigh at hand,
The great Motor reneweth the Ages,
Rain, Blood, Milk, Famine, Sword, Plague,
In the Heaven shall be seen a running fire with long sparks.

ANNOT.

_Troche_ in Greek is a Pulley, the meaning therefore of the Author, that after a great mutation, God shall renew the Ages, and according to his promise shall create a new Heaven, and a new Earth.

By those prodigies related in the two last Verses, it seemeth the Author intendeth to speak of the last day, and of the fore-runners of it.