Chapter XXV: French

Par _Mars_ contraire sera la Monarchie,
Du grand Pescheur en trouble ruineux,
Jeune, noir, rouge prendra la Hierarchie,
Les proditeurs iront jour bruineux.

English.

By _Mars_ contrary shall the Monarchy
Of the great Fisherman, be brought into ruinous trouble,
A young, black, red shall possess himself of the Hierarchy,
The Traitors shall undertake it on a misty day.

ANNOT.

This Prophecie is concerning a certain Pope, signified here by the word of great _Fisherman_; because in his Seal is graven a Fisherman, and therefore in all his Bulls and Expeditions, it is always written, _Datum Romæ sub sigillo piscatoris_: this Pope then it seemeth, shall be brought to ruine, and another it seemeth shall succeed him, having here three Epithetes, _viz._ _Young_, _Black_, and _Red_, which signifieth, that against the common election of Popes, he shall be elected young, and shall be Black in his complexion, and Red in Cloaths, _viz._ a Cardinal. _Hierarchy_ is a Greek word, signifying Dominion over the Church. The last Verse needeth no explication, being plain enough of it self.

XXVI.

French.

Quattre ans le siege quelque peu bien tiendra,
Un surviendra libidineux de vie,
_Ravenna_, & _Pise_, _Verone_ soustiendront,
Pour eslever la Croix de Pape envie.

English.

Four years he shall keep the Papal seat pretty well,
Then shall succeed one of a libidinous life,
_Ravenna_, _Pisa_, shall take _Verona_’s part,
To raise up the Popes Cross to Life.

ANNOT.

This Prediction seemeth to have not only a relation to the foregoing, but also a connexion; for the Author still handleth the matter of the Popedome, and saith, that after that Pope shall have Reigned four years, there shall succeed one that shall be notorious for debauchedness and lechery, and that those Towns he mentioneth here (which are all in _Italy_) shall take the Popes part.

XXVII.

French.

Dedans les Isles de cinq fleuves a un,
Par le croissant du grand _Chyren Selin_,
Par les bruynes de l’air fureur de l’un,
Six eschapez, chachez fardeaux de lin.

English.

In the Islands from five Rivers to one,
By the increase of great _Chyren Selin_,
By the Frost of the Air one shall under furious,
Six shall escape, hidden within bundles of Flax.

ANNOT.

_Chyren_ by transposition is taken for _Henry_, and _Selin_ for a King called so; because it is the name of a _Turkish_ Emperour: So that by this Stanza I suppose he means _Henry_ II. his Master, King of _France_. The rest is plain.

XXVIII.

French.

Le grand _Celtique_ entrera dedans _Rome_,
Menant amas d’exilez & bannis,
Le grand Pasteur mettra a mort tout homme,
Qui pour le Coq estoient aux _Alpes_ unis.

English.

The great _Celtique_ shall enter into _Rome_,
Leading with him a great number of banished men,
The great Shepheard shall put to death every man,
That was united for the Cock near the _Alpes_.

ANNOT.

Because this word _Celtique_ is often repeated in this Book, it would not be amiss to satisfie the Reader of the meaning of it; it is properly the Nation of the _Flemings_, and some others of the Low-Countreys as far as the _Mase_ and the _Rhyne_, which anciently were called _Galli Celtæ_. By _the great Shepheard_, is meant the Pope, and by the _Cock_ is meant the _French_ Nation. The rest is easie.

XXIX.

French.

La Veufve Sainte entendant les nouvelles,
De ses rameaux mis en perplex & trouble,
Qui sera duit appaiser les querelles,
Par son pourchas des Razes sera comble.

English.

The holy Widow hearing the News
Of her Branches put in perplexity or trouble,
That shall be skilfull in appeasing of quarrels,
By his purchase shall make a heap of shaven heads.

ANNOT.

By the _holy Widow_, is meant the City of _Rome_, which is called in _Italian_, _Roma la santa_, because of the blood of so many Martyrs that hath been shed there, for the maintenance of the Christian Religion, he calleth it a _Widow_; because at that time there will be no Pope elected, and there shall be a kind of _interregnum_, as it always happens when a Pope is dead, until the new one be elected. What he calleth here Branches, are the Clergy men, and the shaven heads the Priests.

XXX.

French.

Par l’apparence de feinte Saincteté,
Sera trahy aux ennemis le siege,
Nuit qu’on croioid dormir en seureté,
Pres de _Brabant_ marcheront ceux de _Liege_.

English.

By the appearance of a feigned holiness,
The siege shall be betrayed to the enemies,
In a night that every one thought to be secure,
Near _Brabant_ shall march those of _Liege_.

ANNOT.

_Brabant_ is one of the seventeen Provinces, and _Liege_ is a great City upon the River of _Maze_. The rest is not difficult.

XXXI.

French.

Roy trouvera ce quil desiroit tant,
Quand le Prelat sera repris a tort,
Response au Duc le rendra mal content,
Qui dans _Milan_ mettra plusieurs a mort.

English.

A King shall find what he so much longed for,
When a Prelate shall be censured wrongfully,
An answer to the Duke will make him discontented,
Who in _Milan_ shall put many to death.

ANNOT.

This Prophecie is too indefinite, to admit of a particular sense; for there be so many Prelates, so many Kings, so many Dukes, that it is not easie to fix upon any particular one, and therefore we must leave this Stanza in _Democritus_’s Well.

XXXII.

French.

Par trahison de verges a mort battu,
Puis surmonté sera par son desordre,
Conseil frivole au grand captif sentu,
Nez par fureur quand _Berich_ viendra mordre.

English.

By Treason one shall be beaten with rods to death,
Then the Traitor shall be overcome by his disorder,
The great Prisoner shall try a frivilous Counsel,
When _Berich_ shall bite anothers nose through anger.

ANNOT.

The words are so plain, that every one may make his own interpretation of them.

XXXIII.

French.

Sa main derniere par _Alus_ sanguinaire,
Ne le pourra par la Mer garentir,
Entre deux fleuves craindra main militaire,
Le noir l’Ireux le fera repentir.

English.

His last hand bloody through _Alus_,
Shall not save him by Sea,
Between two Rivers he shall fear the military hand,
The black and Cholerick one shall make him repent.

ANNOT.

This seemeth to be concerning a bloody man, that had killed one _Alus_, and sought to save himself by Sea; but was taken between two Rivers, and put to death by the command of one that was a black and Cholerick man.

XXXIV.

French.

De feu volant la machination,
Viendra troubler le Chef des Assiegez,
Dedans sera telle sedition,
Qu’en desespoir seront les profligez.

English.

The device of flying fire
Shall trouble so much the Captain of the Besieged,
And within shall be such mutiny,
That the Besieged shall be in despair.

ANNOT.

It is a Fort or Town besieged by an Enemy, who shall torment the besieged so much with Bombs and Granadoes, and other flying fire, that they shall despair to escape.

XXXV.

French.

Pres de _Rion_ & proche _Blanchelaine_,
_Aries_, _Taurus_, _Cancer_, _Leo_, _La Vierge_,
_Mars_, _Jupiter_, le _Sol_ ardra grand plaine,
Bois & Citez, Lettres cachez au Cierge.

English.

Near _Rion_ going to _Blanchelaine_,
_Aries_, _Taurus_, _Cancer_, _Leo_, _Virgo_,
_Mars_, _Jupiter_, _Sol_ shall burn a great Plain,
Woods and Cities, Letters hidden in a wax Candle.

ANNOT.

The meaning of it is, that when by the virtues and meetings of the said Constellations, a great plain shall be burnt by _Rion_ (which is a City in _Auvergne_) that then Letters shall be found hidden in a wax Candle.

XXXVI.

French.

Ne bien ne mal par bataille terrestre,
Ne parviendra au confins de perouse,
Rebeller pise, _Florence_ voir mal estre,
Roy nuit blessé sur mulet a noire house.

English.

Neither good nor evil by a Land-fight,
Shall reach to the Borders of _Perusa_,
_Pisa_ shall rebel, _Florence_ shall be in an ill case,
A King being upon his Mule shall be wounded in the night time.

ANNOT.

_Perusa_, _Pisa_, and _Florence_ are Cities in Italy; the rest is plain.

XXXVII.

French.

L’œuvre ancienne se parachevera,
Du toit cherra sur le grand mal ruine,
Innocent fait, mort on accusera,
Nocent caché taillis a bruine.

English.

The ancient work shall be finished,
From the tiling shall fall upon the great one an evil ruine,
The innocent declared to be so, shall be accused after his death,
The guilty shall be hidden in a wood in a misty weather.

ANNOT.

By the first Verse is understood an ancient building, which shall be finished and brought to perfection, I suppose it to be the _Louvere_, which hath been a building in the Reign of seven Kings. But before it be throughly finished, some ruine shall fall upon a great man and kill him; one declared innocent of the fact shall be accused of it after his death, and he that shall be guilty of it shall escape by hiding himself in a Wood in misty weather.

XXXVIII.

French.

Aux profligez de Paix les ennemis,
Apres avoir l’_Italie_ superée,
Noir sanguinaire, rouge sera commis,
Feu, sang verser, eau de sang colorée.

English.

To the vanquished the enemies of peace,
After they shall have overcome _Italy_,
A bloody black one shall be committed,
Fire and blood shall be powerd, and water coloured with blood.

ANNOT.

A bloody black man shall be put into the hands of the vanquished, by those that were enemies to peace, after they have conquered _Italy_, whence shall proceed fire and blood, and water coloured with blood.

XXXIX.

French.

L’Enfant du Regne par Paternelle prinse,
Expolier sera pour delivrer,
Aupres du Lac _Trasym_ en la Tour prinse,
La troupe hostage pour trop fort s’enyvrer.

English.

The Child of the Kingdom, through his Fathers imprisonement,
Shall be deprived of his Kingdom for the delivering of his father,
Near the Lake _Trasymene_ shall be taken in a Tower,
The troop that was in Hostage, being drunk.

ANNOT.

The Lake _Trasymene_ in _Italy_, is that near which _Annibal_ got that famous Battle upon the _Romans_. The rest is as plain as the words can bear.

XL.

French.

Grand de _Mogonce_ pour grande soif esteindre,
Sera privé de sa grand dignité,
Ceux de _Cologne_ si fort le viendront plaindre,
Que le grand _Groppe_ au _Rhin_ sera jetté.

English.

The great one of _Ments_ for to quench a great thirst,
Shall be deprived of his high dignity,
Those of _Colen_ shall bemoan him so much.
That the great _Groppe_ shall be thrown into the _Rhine_.

ANNOT.

This foretelleth the fall of an Archbishop of _Ments_, in Latine _Moguntia_, who is the first Ecclesiastical Elector, and shall be deprived of his dignity by a covetous and powerful Prince to satisfie his covetousness, at which those of _Colen_ his neighbours shall be so incensed, that they shall throw that covetous person into the _Rhine_.

XLI.

French.

Les second Chef du Regne _Dannemark_,
Par ceux de _Frize_ & l’Isle _Britannique_,
Fera despendre plus de cent mille mark,
Vain exploiter voiage en _Italique_.

English.

The second head of the Kingdom of _Dannemark_,
By those of _Friezeland_, and the _Brittish_ Island,
Shall cause to be spent above 100000. Mark,
Vainly endeavouring a journey into _Italy_.

ANNOT.

This signifieth onely a conjunction of the _Dutch_, _Danish_, and _English_ Forces, to attempt something in _Italy_, which shall prove fruitless, and cost a great deal of Money.

XLII.

French.

A l’_Ogmion_ sera laissé le Regne,
Du grand _Selin_, qui plus fera de fait,
Par l’_Italie_ estendra son enseigne,
Regira par prudent contrefait.

English.

Unto l’_Ogmion_ shall be left the Kingdom,
Of great _Selyn_, who shall do more then the rest,
Through _Italy_ he shall spread his Ensigns,
He shall govern by a prudent dissimulation.

ANNOT.

We have said before, that when ever the Author speaks of _Ognion_, he meaneth the King of _France_, the meaning therefore of this whole Stanza is, that _Henry_ the II. Son to _Francis_ the I. whom he calls here great _Selin_, shall do more in _Italy_ then his Predecessors had done, which proved true, and he governed his Kingdom with a prudent dissimulation.

XLIII.

French.

Long temps sera sans estre habitée,
Ou _Siene_ & _Marne_ autour vient arrouser,
De la _Thamise_ & Martiaux tentée,
Deceus les gardes en evidant repousser.

English.

A great while shall be unhabited,
Where _Seine_, and _Marne_ comes to water about,
Being attempted by the _Thames_ and Martial people,
The Guards deceived in thinking to resist.

ANNOT.

By the two first Verses, he meaneth without doubt the City of _Paris_, for it is watered by those two Rivers the _Seine_ and _Marne_, that joyn together at the head of it, but how this City should become unhabited is the great question, and chiefly by the means here alledged, _viz._ of the _English_ signified by the _Thames_, and other Martial people, _the Guards deceived in thinking to repulse_ the enemy.

XLIV.

French.

De nuict par _Nantes_ l’Iris apparoistra,
Des Arcs Marins susciteront la pluye:
_Arabique_ Goulfre grand classe parfondra,
Un Monstre en _Saxe_ naistre d’Ours & Truye.

English.

By night in _Nantes_ the Rain-bow shall appear,
Sea Rain-bows shall cause Rain;
The _Arabian_ Gulf shall drownd a great Fleet,
A Monster shall be in _Saxony_ from a Bear and a Sow.

ANNOT.

_Nantes_ is a City in _France_, _Iris_ is the Rainbow, _Saxony_ is a Province in _Germany_; the rest is plain.

XLV.

French.

Le Governeur du Regne bien scavent,
Ne consentir voulant au faict Royal:
Medite classe par le contraire vent,
Le remettra a son plus desloyal.

English.

The Governour of the Kingdom being learned,
Shall not consent to the Kings will:
He shall intend to set out a Fleet by a contrary Wind,
Which he shall put into the hands of the most disloyal.

ANNOT.

This signifies that the Governour or Vice-Roy of a Kingdom shall refuse to consent to his Kings Deeds; the rest needeth no interpretation.

XLVI.

French.

Unjuste sera en exil Anvoyé,
Par pestilance aux confins de non seggle,
Response au rouge le fera desvoye,
Roy retirant a la Rane & a l’Aigle.

English.

A just person shall be banished,
By plague to the Borders of Non seggle,
The answer to the red one shall make him deviate,
Retiring himself to the Frog and the Eagle.

ANNOT.

I cannot find what he meaneth by _Non-seggle_; by the Eagle he meaneth the Emperour, and by the Frog the King of _France_, for before he took the Flower de Luce, the _French_ bore three Frogs.

XLVII.

French.

Entre deux Monts les deux grands Assemblez,
De laisseront leur simulte secrete,
_Bruxelle_ & _Dolle_ par _Langres_ accablez,
Pour a _Maline_ executer leur peste.

English.

Between two Mountains the two great ones shall meet,
They shall forsake their secret enmity,
_Brusselle_ and _Dolle_ shall be crushed by _Langres_,
To put their plague in Execution at _Maline_.

ANNOT.

_Brussel_ is a Town of _Brabant_, and so is _Maline_; _Dolle_ is one of _Burgundy_; and _Langres_ another of _France_.

XLVIII.

French.

La saincteté trop faincte & seductive,
Accompagne d’une langue diserte,
La Cité vieille, & _Parme_ trop nastive,
_Florence_ & _Sienne_ rendront plus desertes.

English.

The fained and seducing holiness,
Accompanied with a fluent tongue,
Shall cause the old City, and too hasty _Parma_,
_Florence_ and _Sienna_ to be more desert.

ANNOT.

I know not what he means by the old City, unless it be _Rome_, by reason of its antiquity.

XLIX.

French.

De la partie de _Mammer_ grand Pontife,
Subjuguera les confins du _Danube_,
Chasser les croix, par fer raffe ne riffe,
Captifs, Or, bagues, plus de cent mille Rubles.

English.

From the party of _Mammer_ high Priest,
They shall subdue the borders of _Danubius_,
They shall expel crosses, by Sword topse-turvy,
Slaves, Gold, Jewels, more than 100000. Rubles.

ANNOT.

Some parties of the Popes side, shall subdue those bordering upon _Danubius_, and drive away the Priests, turn all things topse-turvy, make slaves, and take a booty above the value of 100000. Rubles. A Ruble is a piece of Gold of the great _Mogul_, worth two or three pound sterling.

L.

French.

Dedans le puis seront trouvez les os,
Se l’inceste commis par la Marastre,
L’estat changé, en fera bruit des os,
Et aura _Mars_ ascendant pour son astre.

English.

In the Well shall be found the bones,
Incest shall be committed by the Stepmother,
The case being altered, there shall be great stir about the bones,
And she shall have _Mars_ for her ascending Planet.

ANNOT.

It is the strange wickedness of a woman, that shall incestuously be got with Child by her Son in Law, and when she is delivered, shall kill her Child, and throw him into a Well; a while after the water beginning to corrupt, a search shall be made of the cause, and then the Childs Bones shall be found, which shall cause a great stir, and for to know this wicked woman, he saith, that the Planet of _Mars_ shall be the ascendant in her Horoscope.

LI.

French.

Peuple assemble voir nouveau spectacle,
Princes & Roys par plusieurs assistans,
Piliers faillir, murs, mais comme miracle,
Le Roy fauve & trente des instans.

English.

People assembled to see a new show,
Princes and Kings, with many assistants,
Pillars shall fail, walls also, but as a miracle,
The King saved, and thirty of the standers by.

ANNOT.

The words of this prediction are plain and easie, and signifie no more than what often happeneth, and may happen yet, _viz._ that where a concourse of people shall be to see a new show, the Pillars and walls of the Building shall fall, and people perish by the ruine, (as if it were by a Miracle) the King and thirty of the spectators shall be preserved.

LII.

French.

En lieu du grand qui sera condamné,
De prison hors, son amy en sa place,
L’espoir _Troyen_ en six mois joinct, mort né,
Le _Sol_ a l’_Vurne_ seront prins fleuves en glace.

English.

Instead of the great one that shall be condemned
And put out of Prison, his friend being in his place,
The _Trojan_ hope in six months joyn, still born,
The _Sun_ in _Aquarius_, then Rivers shall be frozen.

ANNOT.

By the _Trojan_ hope, is meant a King of _France_, who after he hath been marryed six Months, shall have a Child still born.

LIII.

French.

Le grand Prelat _Celtique_ a Roy suspect,
De nuict par cours sortira hors du Regne,
Par Duc fertile a son grand Roy _Bretagne_,
_Bisance_ a _Cypres_, & _Tunis_ insuspect.

English.

The great _Celtique_ Prelate suspected by his King,
Shall in hast by night go out of the Kingdom
By the means of a Duke the fruitful _Britanie_,
_Bisance_ by _Cyprus_, and _Tunis_ shall be unsuspected.

ANNOT.

The great _Celtique_ Prelate, was the Cardinal of _Lorrain_, Brother to the Duke of _Guizse_, who being suspected by the King, went away by night to _Rome_.

By fruitfull _Brittain_, is understood the province of that name in _France_, which by the means of the Duke of _Mercure_, her Governour shall be unsuspected by the King.

LIV.

French.

Au point du jours au second chant du Coq,
Ceux de _Tunes_, de _Fez_, & de _Bugie_,
Par les _Arabes_ captif le Roy _Maroq_,
L’an mil six cens & sept, de Liturgie.

English.

At the break of day, at the second crowing of the Cock,
Those of _Tunis_, and _Fez_, and _Bugia_,
By means of the _Arabians_, shall take Prisoner the King of _Morocco_,
In the year 1607. by Liturgie.

ANNOT.

By _Liturgie_, I suppose he meaneth under pretext of Religion. The rest is easie to be understood.

LV.

French.

Au _Chelme_ Duc, en arrachant l’esponce,
Voile _Arabesque_ voir, subit descouverte:
_Tripolis_, _Chio_, & ceux de _Trapesonce_,
Duc prins, _Marnegro_, & la Cité deserte.

English.

The _Chelme_ Duke, in pulling a spunge,
Shall see _Arabian_ Sails suddenly discovered:
_Tripolis_, _Chios_, and those of _Trapesan_,
The Duke shall be taken, _Marnegro_ and the City shall be desert.

ANNOT.

_Chelme_ is a _German_ word, that signifies a Rogue. By _Marnegro_, is meant the Black Sea, or _Nigropont_. By pulling a Spunge, I suppose the great quantity of Spunges that stick to the Rocks in that Sea.

_Tripolis_, _Chios_, and _Trapezon_, are places in the _Turkish_ Dominions.

LVI.

French.

La crainte Armée de l’ennemy _Narbon_,
Effroyera si fort les _Hesperiques_,
_Parpignan_ vuide par l’aveugle d’_Arbon_,
Lors _Barcelon_ par Mer donra les piques.

English.

The feared Army of the enemy _Narbon_,
Shall so much terrifie the _Spaniards_,
That _Parpignan_ shall be left empty by the blind d’_Arbon_,
Then _Barcelon_ by Sea shall give the Chase.

ANNOT.

A great Army gathered about _Narbon_, shall so much terrifie the _Spaniards_, that _Parpignan_ a Town of theirs shall be desolate, and left empty by the Governour, here called _the blind d’Arbon_, then _Barcelon_, which is a Sea-Town in _Catalonio_, belonging to the _Spaniards_ shall come to its succours, and chase the enemy by Sea.

LVII.

French.

Celuy qu’estoit bien avant dans le Regne,
Ayant Chef rouge proche a la Hierarchie,
Aspre & cruel, & se fera tant craindre,
Succedera a sacrée Monarchie.

English.

He that was a great way in the Kingdom,
Having a red head and near the Hierarchy,
Harsh and cruel, shall make himself so dreadful,
That he shall succeed to the Sacred Monarchy.

ANNOT.

This is a person of great quality, and near of blood to a King, who being a Cardinal, cruel and dreadful, shall be Elected Pope, I suppose _Clement_ the VII.

LVIII.

French.

Entre les deux Monarques esloignez,
Lors que le Sol par _Selin_ clair perdue:
Simulté grande entre deux indignez,
Qu’aux Isles & _Sienne_ la liberté renduë.

English.

Between the two Monarchs that live far one from the other,
When the Sun shall be Ecclipsed by _Selene_,
Great enmity shall be between them two,
So that liberty shall be restored to the Isles and _Sienne_.

ANNOT.

Here is nothing difficult but the word _Selene_, which is the Moon from the Greek σεληνη.

The meaning is, that at such a time when the Sun is Ecclipsed by the Moon, _Sienna_ and the Islands about it shall be at liberty.

LIX.

French.

Dame en fureur par rage d’adultere,
Viendra a son Prince conjurer non dire,
Mais bref cogneu sera le vitupere,
Que seront mis dixsept a Martyre.

English.

A Lady in fury by rage of an Adultery,
Shall come to her Prince and conjure him to say nothing,
But shortly shall the shameful thing be known,
So that seventeen shall be put to death.

ANNOT.

The sense of this Stanza and the words are plain.

LX.

French.

Le Prince hors de son Terroir _Celtique_,
Sera trahy, deceu par interprete,
_Rouen_, _Rochelle_, par ceux de l’_Armorique_,
Au Port de _Blavet_ deceux par Moin & Prestre.

English.

That Prince being out of his _Celtick_ Countrey,
Shall be betrayed and deceived by an Interpreter,
_Rouen_, _Rochel_, by those of _Gascony_,
At the Port of _Blavet_ shall be deceived by Monk and Priest.

ANNOT.

We have said many times before, what is meant by the word _Celtique_. The Port of _Blavet_ is that of the River of _Bordeaux_.

LXI.

French.

Le grand Tapis plié ne monstrera,
Fors qu’a demy la pluspart de l’Histoire,
Chassé du Regne aspre loin paroistra,
Au fait Bellique chacun le viendra croire.

English.

The great Carpet folded shall not shew,
But by half the greatest part of the History,
The driven out of the Kingdom shall appear sharp afar off,
In Warlike matters every one shall believe him.

ANNOT.

This needeth no interpretation.

LXII.

French.

Trop tard tous deux les fleurs seront perdües,
Contre lay loy Serpent ne voudra faire,
Des ligueurs forces par gallops confondues,
_Savone_, _Albingue_, par _Monech_ grand martyre.

English.

Both the flowers shall be lost too late,
Against the Law the Serpent will do nothing,
The forces of the Leaguers by gallops shall be confounded,
_Savone_, _Albingue_, by _Monech_ shall suffer great pain.

ANNOT.

The two first verses are too mistical for me; the third signifieth, that by gallops; that is, by Troops of Horses, the Leaguers, _viz._ those that held the party of the League, shall be routed by the Kings Cavalry. The fourth, that _Savone_ and _Albingue_, two Towns of the _Genoeses_, shall be put to much trouble by those of _Monech_ and _Monaco_, another Town near them, belonging to the Prince of _Monaco_, a _Genoese_ of the house of _Grimald_.