Chapter XVI: French

La Cité franche de liberté fait serue,
Des profligés & resueurs fait azyle,
Le Roy changé a eux non si proterue,
De cent seront devenus plus de Mille.

English.

The free City from a free one shall become slave,
And of the banished and dreamers shall be a retreat,
The King changed in mind, shall not be so froward to them.
Of one hundred they shall become more than a thousand.

ANNOT.

Here you must observe that the Author being a Papist, speaketh this concerning the City of _Geneva_, which he saith from a free City became a slave, when it shook off the Duke of _Savoy_’s domination, and became a retreat to the Protestants, whom he called the _banished_ and _dreamers_.

In the third Verse, by _the King changed in his mind that shall not be so froward to them_, he meaneth, _Henry_ IV. who having changed the Protestant Religion, to be a _Roman_ Catholick, did undertake their protection against the Duke of _Savoy_ their Prince.

Hence followeth the explication of the fourth Verse, when he saith, that _of one hundred they shall become more than a thousand_; for in few years the Protestants became so numerous, that they drove the _Roman_ Catholicks wholly out of the Town, and so have remained to this day Masters of it.

XVII.

French.

Changer a _Beaune_, _Nuis_, _Chalons_, & _Dijon_,
Le Duc voulant amender la barrée,
Marchant pres Fleuve, Poisson, bec de plongeon,
Verra la queüe: Porte sera serrée.

English.

There shall be a change at _Beaune_, _Nuis_, _Chalons_, _Dijon_,
The Duke going about to raise Taxes,
The Merchant near the River shall see the tail
Of a Fish, having the Bill of a Cormorant: the door shall be shut.

ANNOT.

_Beaune_, _Chalons_, and _Dijon_, are Cities in _France_, _Nuis_ is a Town in _Germany_ near the _Rhyne_, three or four Leagues below _Colen_.

For the rest, every one may make his own interpretation, for it is hard to guess who this Duke should be, or that Fish either, that shall have a Cormorants Bill after whom the door shall be shut.

XVIII.

French.

Les plus Lettrez dessus les faits Cœlestes,
Seront par Princes ignorans reprouvez,
Punis d’Edict, chassez comme scelestes,
Et mis a mort la ou seront trouvez.

English.

The most Learned in the Celestial sciences,
Shall be found fault with, by ignorant Princes.
Punished by proclamation, chased away as wicked,
And put to death where they shall be found.

ANNOT.

This is plain, and signifieth no more then a persecution against the Professors of Heavenly sciences, such as are Astrologers, Astronomers, _&c._

XIX.

French.

Devant _Rouan_ d’_Insubres_ mis le Siege,
Par Terre & Mer enfermez les passages,
D’_Hainaut_, de _Flandres_ de _Gand_ & ceux de _Liege_,
Par leurs levées raviront les Rivages.

English.

Before _Rouan_ a Siege shall be laid by the _Insubrians_.
By Sea and Land the passages shall be shut up,
Those of _Hainaut_, _Flanders_, _Ghent_, and _Liege_,
With their Troops shall plunder the Sea-shore.

ANNOT.

This is still concerning the Duke of _Parma_’s Army, when he came into _France_ against _Henry_ the IV. in favour of the League, for his Army wherewith he Besieged _Rouen_, was compounded of all those Nations; the greatest part of which were _Italians_, called here _Insubrians_, from the Latin word _Insubria_, which signifieth the Countreys of _Savoy_ and _Piemont_.

XX.

French.

Paix uberté long temps on ne loüera,
Part tout son Regne desert la fleur de Lis,
Corps mort d’Eau, Terre on apportera,
Sperants vain heur d’estre la ensevelis.

English.

Peace and plenty shall not be long praised,
All the time of his Reign the Flower de Luce shall be deserted,
Bodies shall die by water, Earth shall be brought,
Hoping vainly to be there Buried.

ANNOT.

This only foretelleth a great Famine and Inundation in _France_, signified here by the _Flower de Luce_.

XXI.

French.

Le changement sera fort difficile,
Cité Province au change gain fera,
Cœur haut, prudent mis, chassé l’Inhabile,
Mer, Terre, Peuple, son estat changera.

English.

The change shall be very hard,
The City and Countrey shall gain by the change,
A high prudent heart shall be put in, the unworthy expelled,
Sea, Land, People shall change its condition.

ANNOT.

This needeth no Interpretation.

XXII.

French.

La grand Copie qui sera dechassée,
Dans un moment fera besoing au Roy,
La Foy promise de loing sera faucée,
Nud se verra en piteux defarroy.

English.

The great Army that shall be rejected,
In a moment shall be wanted by the King.
The faith promised a far off shall be broken,
So that he shall be left naked in a pitiful case.

ANNOT.

This is plain.