Chapter XVIII: French

De _Flore_ issue de sa mort sera cause,
Un temps devant par jeusne & vieille bueyre,
Car les trois lis luy feront telle pause,
Par son fruit sauve comme chair crüe mueyre.

English.

Issued from _Flora_ shall be the cause of her own death,
One time before, through fasting and old drink,
For the three Lillies shall make her such a pause,
Saved by her fruit, as raw flesh dead.

ANNOT.

This is one of those, wherein the Author would not be understood, and may be did not understand himself.

XVIX.

French.

A soustenir la grand cappe troublée,
Pour l’esclaireir les rouges marcheront,
De mort famille sera presqu’accablée,
Les rouges rouges, le rouge assommeront.

English.

To maintain up the great troubled Cloak,
The red ones shall march for to clear it,
A family shall be almost crushed to death,
The red, the red, shall knock down the red one.

ANNOT.

This seemeth to carry no other sense than a conspiracy of the Cardinals, called here by the name of the _Red_, the _Red_ against the Pope, who is called the _Red one_.

XX.

French.

Le faux message par election feinte,
Courir par Urbem rompue pache arreste,
Voix acheptées de sang chappelle teinte,
Et a un autre qui l’Empire conteste.

English.

The contract broken, stoppeth the message,
From going about the Town, by a fained election,
Voices shall be bought, and a Chappel died with blood,
By another, who challengeth the Empire.

ANNOT.

This was so falsely printed, and so preposterously set in order, that I had much ado to pick out this little sense of it, which amounteth to no more, than that by reason of an agreement broken, the Messenger, that went to publish a faigned election (it seemeth of the Empire) shall be hindred, and that one of the Competitors to the said Empire, shall be killed in or near a Chappel, that shall be soiled by his Blood.

XXI.

French.

Au port de _Agde_ trois fustes entreront,
Portant infection avec soy, pestilence,
Passant le pont mil milles embleront,
Et le pont rompre a tierce resistance.

English.

Three Galleys shall come into the harbour of _Agde_,
Carrying with them infection and Pestilence,
Going beyond the Bridge, they shall carry away thousands,
At the third resistance the Bridge shall be broken.

ANNOT.

_Agde_ is a Sea Town in _France_ upon the _Mediterranean_ Sea, which is threatned here of three Galleys, that shall come into the Harbour of it, and shall bring with them infection and Plague; and besides carry away thousands of Captives, by which it seemeth, that these should be _Turkish_ Galleys, till at last upon the third resistance of the Townsmen the Bridge shall be broken.

XXII.

French.

_Gorsan_, _Narbonne_, par le Sel advertir,
_Tucham_, la Grace _Perpignan_ trahie,
La ville rouge ny voudra consentir,
Par haute _Voldrap_, Gris vie faillie.

English.

_Gorsan_, _Narbonne_, by the Salt shall give notice,
To _Tucham_, the Grace _Perpignan_ betrayed,
The red Town will not give consent to it,
By high _Woldrap_, Gray, life ended.

ANNOT.

This is another, wherein my best skill faileth me; for take away _Narbonne_, which is a City of _France_, in the Province of _Languedoc_, and _Perpignan_, which is another in the County of _Roussilon_ near _Spain_. The rest are either barbarous words or nonsensical to me.

XXIII.

French.

Lettres trouvées de la Reyne les Coffres,
Point de subscrit, sans aucun nom d’Autheur,
Par la police seront cachez les offres,
Qu’on ne scaura qui sera lamateur.

English.

Letters found in the Queens Coffers,
No superscription, no name of the Author,
By policy shall be concealed the offers,
So that no body shall know who shall be the lover.

ANNOT.

This needeth no great explication, being pretty plain, and foretelleth only that a Queens Trunks shall be opened, wherein many love Letters shall be found without subscription, with many great offers, which by policy being suppressed, or no notice taken of. The lover was never known.

XXIV.

French.

Le Lieutenant a l’entrée l’huis,
Assommera le grand de _Perpignan_,
En se cuidant sauver a _Montpertuis_,
Sera deceu Bastard de _Lusignan_.

English.

The Lieutenant shall at the doors entry.
Knock down the great one of _Perpignan_:
And the Bastard of _Lusignan_ shall be deceived,
Thinking to save himself at _Montpertuis_.

ANNOT.

The words and the sense are clear, though the meaning is hard to be understood.

XXV.

French.

Cœur de l’Amant ouvert d’amour furtive,
Dans le ruisseau sera ravir la Dame,
Le demy mal contrefaira lascive,
Le Pere a deux privera corps de l’Ame.

English.

The Lovers heart being by a stoln love,
Shall cause the Dame to be ravished in the Brook,
The lascivious shall counterfeit half a discontent,
The Father shall deprive the bodies of both of their souls.

ANNOT.

This signifieth nothing but a Lover, who meeting in or by a Brook, his Mistress shall enjoy her, for which she shall fain a little discontent, as if she had been ravished against her will, but her jealous Father not contented therewith, shall kill them both, which is an ordinary _Italian_ trick.

XXVI.

French.

De _Carones_ trouvez en _Barcelonne_,
Mys descouvers, lieu terrouers & ruine,
Le grand qui tient ne voudra _Pampelone_,
Par l’Abbaye de _Montferrat_ bruine.

English.

The _Carones_ fond in _Barcelona_,
Put discovered, place soil and ruine,
The great that hold will not _Pampelona_,
By the Abbaye of _Montferrat_, mist.

ANNOT.

_Barcelona_ is a Town of a Province in _Spain_, called _Catalonia_. _Pampelona_ is the chief Town of the Kingdom of _Navarre_. _Montferrat_ is an Abbaye in the Mountains of _Catalonia_; the rest is insignificant.

XXVII.

French.

La voye _Auxelle_ l’un sur l’autre fornix,
Du muy de fer hors mis brave & genest,
L’Escrit d’Empereur la Phœnix,
Veu en celuy ce qu’a nul autre nest.

English.

The way _Auxelle_, one Arch upon another,
Being brave and gallant put out of the Iron vessel,
The writing of the Emperour the Phœnix,
In it shall be seen, what no where else is.

ANNOT.

I can find nothing in this worth interpretation.

XXVIII.

French.

Les Simulachres d’or & d’argent enflez,
Qu’apres le rapt, Lac au feu furent jettez,
Au descouvert estaints tous & troublez,
Au Marbre escripts, prescripts interjettez.

English.

The Images sweld with Gold and Silver,
Which after the rape were thrown into the Lake and fire,
Being discovered after the putting out of the fire,
Shall be written in Marble, prescripts being intermixed.

ANNOT.

It seemeth that this gold and silver Idols having been stoln, were afterwards thrown into a Lake and a fire, which fire being put out, those Idols were found, and the memorial engraven in Marble.

XXIX.

French.

Au quart pilier ou l’on sacre a _Saturne_,
Par tremblant Terre & Deluge fendu,
Soubs l’edifice _Saturnin_ trouvée Urne,
D’or _Capion_, ravy puis tost rendu.

English.

At the fourth Pillar where they sacrifice to _Saturn_,
Cloven by an Earth-quake and a Flood,
An Urne shall be found under that _Saturnian_ building,
Full of _Capion_ gold stoln, and then restored.

ANNOT.

This foretelleth, that at the fourth Pillar of a Temple that was dedicated to _Saturn_, which Pillar shall be split by an Earth-quake and a Flood, there shall be found an Urne, (which is an Earthen Vessel, wherein the ancient _Romans_ used to keep the ashes of their dead friends) full of gold, that shall be carried away, and then restored.

XXX.

French.

Dedans _Tholose_ non loin de _Beluzer_,
Faisant un puis loing Palais d’espectacle,
Thresor trouvé un chacun ira vexer,
Et en deux locs tout aupres des _Vesacle_.

English.

Within _Tholose_ not far from _Beluzer_,
Digging a Well, for the Pallace of spectacle,
A treasure found that shall vex every one,
In two parcels, in, and near the _Basacle_.

ANNOT.

_Tholose_ is the chief City of _Languedoc_, _Beluzer_ is a private place within its precinct, Spectacle is insignificant, and is onely foisted in, to Rime with _Basacle_, which is a place in _Tholose_, where there is aboundance of Water-mills, that make a hideous and fearful noise.

XXXI.

French.

Premier grand fruit le Prince de _Pesquiere_,
Mais puis viendra bien & cruel malin,
Dedans _Venise_ perdra sa gloire fiere,
Et mis a mal par plus joyve _Celin_.

English.

The first great fruit the Prince of _Pesquiere_,
But he shall become very cruel and malicious,
He shall loose his fierce pride in _Venice_,
And shall be put to evil by the younger _Celin_.

ANNOT.

_Pescaire_ is a Town in the Kingdom of _Naples_, belonging to the noble _Spanish_ Family of _Avalos_, of which it seemeth one shall prove cruel and malicious; but he shall be killed in _Venice_ by one young _Celin_, by which formerly, and in other places the Author understandeth the _Turk_.

XXXII.

French.

Garde toy Roy _Gaulois_ de ton Nepveu,
Qui fera tant que ton unique filz,
Sera meurtry a _Venus_ faisant vœu,
Accompagné de nuit que trois & six.

English.

Take heed O _French_ King of thy Nephew,
Who shall cause that thine only Son
Shall be murdered making a vow to _Venus_,
Accompanied with three and six.

ANNOT.

This is a plain warning to a _French_ King to beware of his Nephew, who accompanied with nine others, shall cause his Son to be murdered when he went about some venereal employment.

XXXIII.

French.

Le grand naistra de _Verone_ & _Vicence_,
Qui portera un surnom bien indigne,
Qui a _Venise_ voudra faire vengeance,
Luy mesme prins homme du guet & signe.

English.

The great one of _Verona_ and _Vicenza_ shall be born,
Who shall bear a very unworthy surname,
Who shall endeavour at _Venice_ to avenge himself,
But he shall be taken by a Watch-man.

ANNOT.

_Verona_ and _Vicenza_ are two famous Cities in _Italy_, under the dominion of the _Venetians_; the rest is easie.

XXXIV.

French.

Apres victoire du Lion au Lion,
Sur la Montagne de _Jura Secatombe_,
_Delues_, & _Brodes_ septiesme milion,
_Lyon_ Ulme a _Mausol_ mort & tombe.

English.

After the Victory of the Lion against the Lion,
Upon the Mountain _Jura Secatomb_,
_Delues_, and _Brodes_ the seventh Million,
_Lyons_, Ulme fall dead at _Mausol_.

ANNOT.

The Mount _Jura_ is in _Switzerland_; _Lyon_ is a great City in _France_; and _Ulme_ another in _Germany_; the rest is either barbarous or insignificant.

XXXV.

French.

Dedans l’entree de _Garonne_ & _Blaye_,
Et la Forest non loing de _Damazan_,
De _Marsaves_ gelées, puis gresle & _Bize_,
_Dordonois_ gelé par erreur de _Mezan_.

English.

Within the entrance of _Garonne_ and _Blaye_,
And the Forrest not far from _Damazan_,
Of _Marsaves_ frosts, then Hail and North wind,
_Dordonois_ frozen by the error of _Mezan_.

ANNOT.

_Garonne_ is the River that runneth at _Bourdeaux_, and _Blaye_ is the Port Town that lieth at the mouth of it; I should think that instead of _Dordonois_, it should be Printed _Dordone_, which is another River thereabouts, and is here threatned to be frozen.

XXXVI.

French.

Sera commis contre _Oinde_ a Duché
De _Saulne_, & Saint _Aubin_, & _Belœuvre_,
Paver de Marbre, de tours loing pluche,
Non _Bleteran_ resister & chef d’œuvre.

English.

A Dukedom shall be committed against _Oinde_,
Of _Saulne_, and Saint _Aubin_, and _Belœuvre_,
To pave with Marble, and of Towers well pickt,
Not _Bleteran_ to resist, and master-piece.

ANNOT.

I confess my Ignorance, and should be glad that a better _Oedipus_ than I would undertake this.

XXXVII.

French.

La forteresse aupres de la _Thamise_,
Cherra par lors, le Roy dedans serré,
Aupres du pont sera veu en chemise,
Un devant mort, puis dans le fort barré.

English.

The strong Fort near the _Thames_
Shall fall then, the King that was kept within,
Shall be seen near the Bridge in his Shirt,
One dead before, then in the Fort kept close.

ANNOT.

_The Dream be to them that hate thee, and the Interpretation thereof to thine Enemies_, Dan. 4, v. 10.

XXXVIII.

French.

Le Roy de _Blois_ dans _Avignon_ regner,
Un autrefois le peuple emonopole,
Dedans le _Rhosne_ par murs fera baigner,
Jusques a cinq, le dernier pres de _Nole_.

English.

The King of _Blois_ in _Avignon_ shall Reign
Another time the people do murmur,
He shall cause in the _Rhosne_ to be bathed through the Walls,
As many as five, the last shall be near _Nole_.

ANNOT.

This foretelleth that a King of _France_ shall take _Avignon_, which is a City in _France_ belonging to the Pope. And that some of the people beginning to murmur and mutiny, he shall cause five of them to be thrown over the Walls into the _Rhosne_, which is a swift River that passeth by. _Nole_ must be some place thereabouts.