Chapter IV: French

Quand seront proches le defaut des Lunaires,
De l’un a lautre ne distant grandement,
Froid, siccité, dangers vers les frontieres,
Mesme ou l’Oracle a pris commencement.

English.

When the want of the Luminaries shall be near,
Not being far distant one from another,
Cold, drought, danger towards the Frontiers,
Even where the Oracle had his beginning.

ANNOT.

The word _near_, sheweth that the two Eclipses, one of the Sun and the other of the Moon, shall be near one another.

The Ephemerides of _John Stadius_, teach us, that in the year 1556 in the Month of _November_, these two Eclipses did meet. That of the Sun upon the first of _November_, at 17 hours (as the Astrologers reckon) and 53 Minutes. That of the Moon at 12 hours and 43 Scruples; and thus the two last Verses are plain.

Concerning the other two: _Belleforest_ teacheth us two things; the first, that the same year was extraordinary dry, in so much that from _April_ to _October_ it did not rain, but only upon the Eve of St. _John_ the Baptist, and that the Vintage was made in _August_, the Wine proving excellent. The second is, that in the Month of _December_ began a horrid Frost, which lasted a great while. Thus there was _Cold and drought_.

Concerning the dangers towards the Frontiers, _Belleforest_ saith, that towards _Pickardy_ the _Spaniard_ began to break the truce, making inrodes about _Abbeville_, St. _Spirit_ of _Rue_, _la Chapele_, _Rozoy_, _Thierasse_, and _Aubenton_.

When complaints were made of it, they alledged their necessity and want of Victuals; which did oblige the Lord Admiral to permit the Souldiers retaliation; and in this manner, _there was danger towards the Frontiers_.

As for the Town where the _Oracle_ (that is, our Author) had his beginning or birth, whether it be that of St. _Remy_ or _Salon de Craux_. The dangers that were there, proceeded from the Civil Wars between the Protestants and the _Roman_ Catholicks.

V.

French.

Pres le defaut des deux grands luminaires,
Qui surviendra entre l’_Avril_ & _Mars_,
O quel cherté! mais deux grands debonnaires,
Par Terre & Mer secourront toutes parts.

English.

Near the Ecclipses of the two great Luminaries,
Which shall happen between _April_ and _March_,
O what a dearth! but two great ones bountiful,
By Land and Sea shall succour them on all sides.

ANNOT.

There shall happen two great Ecclipses between _March_ and _April_, one of the Sun, and the other of the Moon; then shall be a great dearth, but the afflicted shall be relieved by the two powerful Princes of a good Nature.

VI.

French.

Dans Temple clos le foudre y entrera.
Des Citadins dedans leur fort grevez,
Chevaux, Bœufs, Hommes, l’Onde mur touchera,
Par faim, soif, soubs les plus foibles armez.

English.

Into a close Church the lightning shall fall,
The Citizens shall be distressed in their Fort,
Horses, Oxen, Men, the Water shall touch the Wall,
By hunger, thirst, down shall come the worst provided.

ANNOT.

This is plain.

VII.

French.

Les fugitifs, feu du Ciel sur les Piques,
Conflit prochain des Corbeaux sesbatans,
De Terre on crie, aide, secours Celiques,
Quand pres des murs seront les combatans.

English.

The runaways, fire of Heaven upon the Pikes,
A fight near hand, the Ravens sporting,
They cry from the Land, succours O Heavenly powers
When near the walls shall be the fighting men.

ANNOT.

The first Verse signifieth, that there shall be some _Fugitives_, upon whose _Pikes_ the Lightning shall fall.

The second, that when a multitude of _Ravens shall be sporting_, a great fight shall be near hand.

The third, that there shall be a great exclamation and prayers, when the Souldiers shall come near the wall to give an assault.

VIII.

French.

Les _Cimbres_ joints avecques leurs voisins,
Depopuler viendront presque l’_Espagne_,
Gens ramassez, _Guienne_ & _Limosins_,
Seront en ligue & leur feront Compagne.

English.

The _Cimbres_ joyned with their neighbours,
Shall come to depopulate almost all _Spain_,
People gathered from _Guienna_ and _Limosin_,
Shall be in league with them, and keep them Company.

ANNOT.

The _Cimbres_ and _Teutons_ were a Northern people, _viz_: the _Swedes_ and _Danes_, who came once out of their Countrey to sack _Rome_, and were overcome by _Marius_, near the Town of _Orenge_, in a place where his Triumphal Arch is seen to this day. The rest is easie.

IX.

French.

_Bourdeaux_, _Rouan_ & la _Rochelle_ joints,
Tiendront autour la grand Mer Occeane,
_Anglois Bretons_, & les _Flamans_ conjoints,
Les chasseront jusque aupres de _Rouane_.

English.

_Bourdeaux_, _Rouan_, and _Rochel_ joyned together,
Will range about upon the great Ocean,
_English Brittans_, and _Flemings_ joyned together,
Shall drive them away as far as _Rouane_.

ANNOT.

By mentioning _Bourdeaux_, _Rouan_, and _Rochel_, the Author understandeth the whole Naval forces of _France_, which (he saith) shall be defeated, by the _English_, _Brittains_, and _Hollanders_, and pursued as far as _Rouane_, which is a Town at the head of the River _Loire_, from whence it runneth down for the space of 500 Miles to _Nantes_, and a while after dischargeth it self into the Ocean.

X.

French.

De sang & faim plus grand calamité,
Sept fois sapreste a la Marine plage,
_Monech_ de faim, lieu pris, captivité,
Le grand mené, _Croc_, enserré en cage.

English.

Of blood and famine, what a great calamity!
Seven times is ready to come upon the Sea Coast,
_Monech_ by hunger, the place taken, captivity,
The great one carried away, _Croc_, shut up in a Cage.

ANNOT.

_Monech_ or _Monaco_ is a Town and Principality belonging to the Family of the _Grimaldi_ of _Genua_, and is seated by the Sea side, between _Provence_ and _Genoa_; that place is threatned here with many afflictions, as is plain in this Stanza.

XI.

French.

Les Armées battre au Ciel longue saison,
L’Arbre au milieu de la Cité tombé,
Vermine, Rogne, Glaive en face tison,
Lors le Monarque d’_Adrie_ succombé.

English.

Armies shall fight in the Air a great while,
The tree shall fall in the middle of the City,
Vermin, Scabs, Sword, fire-brand in the face,
When the Monarck of _Adria_ shall fall.

ANNOT.

The three first Verses contain several prodigies, that shall happen before the death of the Duke of _Venice_, or rather (because he is no Monarck) before the fall of that Monarchy or Common-wealth.

XII.

French.

Par la tumeur du _Heb._ _Po._ _Tag._ _Tibre_ de _Rome_,
Et par lestang _Leman_ & _Aretin_,
Les deux grands chefs, & Citez de _Garonne_,
Prins, Morts, Noiez. Partir humain butin.

English.

By the swelling of _Heb._ _Po._ _Tag._ _Tiber_ of _Rome_,
And by the Lake _Leman_ and _Aretin_,
The two great Heads, and Cities of _Garonne_,
Taken, Dead, Drowned. The human booty shall be divided.

ANNOT.

_Heb._ is the River _Hebrus_ in _Thracia_, _Po_, is the great River of _Italy_, _Tag._ is _Tagus_, the River of _Lisbonne_; the rest is plain.

XIII.

French.

Par Foudre en Arche Or & Argent fondu,
De deux Captifs l’un l’autre mangera,
De la Cité le plus grand estendu,
Quand submergée la Classe nagera.

English.

By Lightning shall gold and silver be melted in the Arch,
Of two Prisoners one shall eat up the other,
The greatest of the City shall be laid down,
When the Navy that was drowned shall swim.

ANNOT.

The words and the sense are plain.

XIV.

French.

Par le Rameau du vaillant personage,
De _France_ infirme, par le Pere infelice,
Honeurs, Richesses, travail en son viel Age,
Pour avoir creu le conseil d’homme nice.

English.

By the Bow of the valliant men,
Of weak _France_, by the unfortunate Father,
Honours, Riches, labour in his old age,
For having believed the councel of a nice man.

ANNOT.

Every body may understand this as well as I do.

XV.

French.

Cœur, vigueur, gloire, le Regne changera,
De tous points contre, ayant son adversaire,
Lors _France_ enfance par mort subjuguera,
Un grand Regent sera lors plus contraire.

English.

Heart, vigour, and glory shall change the Kingdom,
In all points, having an adversary against it,
Then shall _France_ overcome Childhood by death,
A great Regent shall then be more adversary to it.

ANNOT.

The two first Verses seem to have foretold of the late Tyrant _Cromwel_.

The two last Verses may be applied to _France_, when the Infant of _Spain_ _Don Balthazar_ died, _&c._

XVI.

French.

Un Prince _Anglois_ _Mars_ a son cœur du Ciel,
Voudra poursuivre sa fortune prospere,
Des deux duelles l’un percera le fiel,
Hay de luy, bien aymé de sa Mere.

English.

An _English_ Prince _Mars_ hath his heart from Heaven,
Will follow his prosperous fortune,
Of two Duels one shall pierce the gall,
Being hated of him, and beloved of his Mother.

ANNOT.

By this Stanza is promised to _England_ a Martial Prince, who shall have his heart from Heaven, and with all endeavours follow his prosperous fortune, which is a remarkable and commendable part in a man.

By the last two Verses, it seemeth that this Prince shall have a Son, who shall fight two duels, for one of which his Father shall be angry and hate him, but his Mother shall love him for it.

XVII.

French.

Mont _Aventine_ brusler nuit sera veu,
Le Ciel obscur tout a un coup en _Flandres_,
Quand le Monarque chassera son Neveu,
Lors gens d’Eglise commettront les esclandres.

English.

Mount _Aventine_ shall be seen to burn in the night,
The Heaven shall be darkned upon a sudden in _Flanders_,
When the Monarch shall expel his Neveu,
Then Churchmen shall commit scandals.

ANNOT.

Mount-_Aventine_ is one of the seven Mountains in _Rome_. The rest is plain.

XVIII.

French.

Apres la pluye de lait assez longuette,
En plusieurs lieux de _Rheims_ le Ciel touché,
O quel conflit de sang pres deux lapreste,
Pere & Fils Rois, noseront approché.

English.

After a pretty long rain of Milk,
In many places of _Rhemes_ the lightning shall fall,
O what a bloody fight is making ready near them,
Father and Son, both Kings, shall not dare to come near.

ANNOT.

_Rhemes_ is a City in _France_. The rest is easie.