Chapter XXXIX: French

Qu’aura esté par Prince _Bizantin_,
Sera tollu par Prince de _Tholose_,
La foy de _Foix_, par le chef _Tholentin_,
Luy faillira ne refusant l’espouse.

English.

What shall have been by a _Bizantin_ Prince,
Shall be taken away by the Prince of _Tholose_,
The faith of _Foix_ by the chief _Tholentin_,
Shall fail him, not refusing the Spouse.

ANNOT.

I can understand nothing else by Prince _Bizantin_, but some Prince of the house of _Gonzague_, who derive their pedigree from that of the _Palæologues_, formerly Emperours of _Constantinople_, called in ancient time _Bizantium_. As for the Prince of _Tholose_, there having been none this two or three hundred years since that Country was devolved to the Crown of _France_; but the King himself, I suppose he must be understood here; so that the sense of this Prophecie, (if any be) is, that the King of _France_ shall take something from the Duke of _Mantua_, who is the head of the _Gonzagues_, as he hath done formerly several times.

By the faith of _Foix_, is understood the late Duke of _Rohan_, who descended from the house of _Foix_, and who did war against the said Duke of _Mantua_ at that time, when the King of _France_, _Lewis_ XIII. would not suffer his Brother the Duke of _Orleans_ to Marry the Princess _Mary_, Daughter of the Duke of _Nevers_, of the house of _Gonzague_, and lately Queen of _Poland_.

XL.

French.

Le sang du juste par _Taur_ & la _Dorade_,
Pour se vanger contre les _Saturnins_,
Au nouveau Lac plongeront la _Mainade_,
Puis marcheront contre les _Albanins_.

English.

The blood of the just by _Taur_ and _Dorade_,
To avenge themselves against the _Saturnins_,
In the new Lake shall sink the _Mainade_,
Then shall go forth against the _Albanins_.

ANNOT.

Here the Author hath kept his mind to himself, as for my part, being ignorant of his barbarous words, I had rather leave the sense of this to the judgment of the Reader, than by an incongruous and far fetched interpretation make my self ridiculous.

XLI.

French.

Esleu sera Renard ne sonnant mot,
Faisant le Saint public, vivant pain d’orge,
Tyranniser apres tant a un cop,
Mettant le pied des plus grands sur la gorge.

English.

A Fox shall be elected that said nothing,
Making a publick Saint, living with Barley bread,
Shall tyrannise after upon a sudden,
And put his foot upon the Throat of the greatest.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy seemeth to regard particularly the Pope, who having played the Hypocrite before his Election, eating nothing but Barley bread, that he might be reputed a Spaint, shall after his Election shall tyrannise upon a sudden, and trample upon the Throat of the greatest Monarchs, as they have done formerly, and would do yet if they could.

XLII.

French.

Par avarice, par force & violence,
Viendra vexer les siens chefs d’_Orleans_,
Prez Saint _Memire_ assaut & resistance,
Mort dans sa Tente, diront quil dort leans.

English.

By avarice, by force and violence,
Shall come to vex his own chief of _Orleans_,
Near Saint _Memire_ assault and resistance,
Dead in his Tent, they’l say he sleepeth there.

ANNOT.

The construction of this must be thus made. The Chiefs of _Orleans_, (which is a famous Town in _France_) shall come to vex their own (I suppose) Citizens. And near that place called Saint _Memire_, shall be a fight, where one of those chief ones shall be killed, or die in his Tent, and shall be denyed under pretence of being asleep.

XLIII.

French.

Par le decide de deux choses Bastars,
Nepveu du sang occupera le Regne,
Dedans _Lectoure_ seront les coups de dards,
Nepveu par peur pleira l’Enseigne.

English.

By the decision of two things, Bastards,
Nephew of the Blood shall occupy the Kingdom,
Within _Lectoure_ shall be strokes of Darts,
Nephew through fear shall fold up his Ensign.

ANNOT.

I think that instead of decision it should be division, and then the sense is easily made up, thus; that through the division of two Bastards, the Nephew of the Blood shall occupy the Kingdom, which Nephew afterwards in a fight at _Lectoure_, (which is a strong Town in _Gascony_) shall be put to the worst, and compelled to fold up his Ensigns.

XLIV.

French.

Le procrée naturel d’_Ogmion_,
De sept a neuf du chemin destourner,
A Roy de longue & amy au my hom,
Doit a _Navarre_ fort de _Pau_ prosterner.

English.

The natural begotten of _Ogmyon_,
From seven to nine shall put out of the way,
To King of long, and friend to the half man,
Ought to _Navarre_ prostrate the fort of _Pau_.

ANNOT.

A man needeth a good pair of Spectacles to see through all this, what I understand in it is that this Bastard of _Ogmyon_, by whom he meaneth the King of _France_, ought to submit the Fort of _Pau_ to _Navarre_, and good reason too; for _Navarre_ is the Kingdom, and _Pau_ only the chief Town of one Province of it, called _Bearn_.