Chapter XXIII: French

Si _France_ passe outre Mer _Liquistique_,
Tu te verras en Isles & Mers enclos,
Mahomet contraire plus Mer l’_Adriatique_,
Chevaux & Asnes tu rongeras les os.

English.

If _France_ goeth beyond the _Ligustick_ Sea,
Thou shall see thy self inclosed with Islands and Seas,
_Mahomet_, against thee besides the _Adriatick_ Sea,
Of Horses and Asses thou shalt gnaw the bones.

ANNOT.

This is concerning the miseries which the _French_ were to suffer in the Island of _Corsica_, till the peace was concluded in the year 1559. The Author directeth his speech to the _French_ Fleet that went to _Corsica_ in the year 1555.

He saith in the first Verse, _If France goeth beyond the Ligustik Sea_; that is, if thou goest to _Corsica_, which is beyond the _Ligustik_ Sea towards _Africa_. _Thou shalt see thy self enclosed with Islands and Seas_; that is, thou shalt be constrained to keep within those two Towns which thou hast there, without going out either by Land or Sea; not by Sea for want of Ships, nor by Land the Garrisons being weak, because the King had then so much business that he could not suffice all.

Moreover the Author addeth that _Mahomet shall be contrary_; not that he was an Enemy to _France_, but because he was then Master of the _Adriatick_ Sea; so that the _Venetians_, which were then friends to the _French_, could not succour them.

And thus the news of the peace being brought, the _French_ did eat their Horses and Asses, and there was never a peace so well come as to the _French_ that were in _Corsica_.

XXIV.

French.

De l’Entreprise grande confusion,
Perte de gens Thresor innumerable,
Tu ny doibs faire encore tension,
_France_ a mon dire fais que sois recordable.

English.

From the undertaking great confusion,
Loss of people and innumerable Treasury,
Thou oughtest not yet to tend that way,
_France_ endeavour to remember my saying.

ANNOT.

This is annexed and hath relation to the precedent, therefore needeth no other interpretation.

XXV.

French.

Qui au Royaume _Navarrois_ parviendra,
Quand la _Sicile_ & _Naples_ seront joints,
_Bigorre_ & _Landes_ par _Foix_ lors on tiendra,
D’Un qui d’_Espagne_ sera par trop conjoint.

English.

He that shall obtain the Kingdom of _Navarre_,
When _Sicily_ and _Naples_ shall be joyned,
_Bigorre_ and _Landes_ then by _Foix_ shall beheld
Of one who shall too much be joyned to _Spain_.

ANNOT.

_Bigorre_ is a Town in _Gascony_, the _Landes_ is a desert Countrey about _Bourdeaux_ wherein nothing groweth but _Pine-Trees_, _Foix_ is a Country of _Gascony_, called the County, of _Foix_. The rest is easie.

XXVI.

French.

Des Rois & Princes dresseront simulachres,
Augures, creux eslevez aruspices:
Corne victime dorée, & d’_Azur_ & de Nacre,
Intrepretez seront les extispisces.

English.

Some Kings and Princes shall set up Idols,
Divinations and hollow raised Divinators,
Victim with gilded Horns, and set with _Azur_ and Mother of Pearl
The looking into the Entrals shall be interpreted.

ANNOT.

I can find nothing in this but a description of the Heathens sacrifices in ancient times, where they brought the Victim, that is, the beast that was to be sacrificed, trimmed in a gallant manner, having the Horns gilded, and set with Azure and Mother of Pearl, and after the Entrals were taken out, by the inspection of them they practised their Soothsaying. This inspection of Entrals was called by the Latines _Extispicium_, from the word _Exta_ which signifieth Entrals, and _specto_ which signifieth to look.

XXVII.

French.

Prince _Libique_ puissant en Occident,
_Francois_ d’_Arabe_ viendra tant enflammer,
Scavant aux Lettres sera condescendent
La Langue _Arabe_ en _Francois_ translater.

English.

A _Libian_ Prince being powerful in the West,
The _French_ shall love so much the _Arabian_ Language,
That he being a Learned man shall condescend,
To have the _Arabian_ tongue translated into _French_.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy is _de Futuro_, and is concerning a _Libian_ Prince (now _Libia_ is a Kingdom of _Africa_) who shall be a powerful man in the West, and being a lover of learning shall condescend to have the _Arabian_ Language translated into _French_, because the _French_ at that time shall be much in love with it.

XXVIII.

French.

De Terre foible & pauvre parentale,
Par boute & paix parviendra a l’Empire,
Long temps regner une jeune femelle,
Qu’oncques en Regne nen survint un si pire.

English.

One weak in Lands and of poor Kindred,
By thrusting, and peace shall attain to the Empire,
Long time shall Reign a young woman,
Such as in a Reign was never a worse.

ANNOT.

The words are so plain, that every body may interpret them.

XXIX.

French.

Les deux Neveux en divers lieux nourris,
Navale pugne, Terre peres tombez,
Viendront si haut eslevez aguerris,
Venger l’Injure ennemis succombez.

English.

The two Nephews brought up in divers places,
A Sea fight, fathers fallen to the Earth,
They shall came highly educated, and expert in Arms,
To avenge the injury, their enemies shall fall down under them.

ANNOT.

This is concerning two _Nephews_, who shall be educated in divers places, and grow expert in Arms, their Fathers shall be killed, but those _Nephews_ shall come, and having fought at Sea, shall revenge the injury done to them, overcoming their enemies.

XXX.

French.

Celuy qu’en luitte & fer au fait Bellique,
Aura porte plus grand que luy le prix,
De nuit au lit six luy feront la pique,
Nud sans harnois subit sera surprins.

English.

He who in Wrestling and Martial affairs,
Had carried the prize before his better,
By night Six shall abuse him in his bed,
Being naked, and without harness, he shall suddenly be surprised.

ANNOT.

Many attribute this to the Earl of _Montgomery_ in _France_, who having run a tilt against _Henry_ II. unfortunately killed him, for which, and for being of the Protestant party, he was afterwards beheaded, though quarter had been given him.

XXXI.

French.

Aux Champs de _Mede_, d’_Arabe_, & d’_Armenie_,
Deux grands Copies trois fois sassembleront,
Pres du Rivage d’_Araxes_ la mesgnie,
Du grand _Soliman_ en Terre tomberont.

English.

In the fields of _Media_, _Arabia_, and _Armenia_,
Two great Armies shall meet thrice,
Near the Shore of _Araxes_, the people
Of great _Solyman_ shall fall down.

ANNOT.

This signifieth no more, but the loss of three famous Battles on the _Turks_ side, against the _Persians_.

The first that I find after the coming out of these Prophesies, is the Battle of _Sancazan_, seven miles from _Tauris_, and hard by the River _Araxes_, where 20000 _Turks_ were slain, without any considerable loss of the _Persians_; this was in the time of _Amurath_ the III. Emperour of the _Turks_, and son to _Selyman_ the second. The other two Battles I could not make good, because I want the supplement of the _Turkish_ History, as also because they have not yet happened.