Chapter III: French

Quand la littiere du tourbillon versée,
Et seront faces de leurs Manteaux couvers,
La Republique par gens nouveaux vexée,
Lors blancs & rouges jugeront a l’envers.

English.

When the litter shall be overthrown by a gust of wind,
And faces shall be covered with Cloaks,
The Common-wealth shall be troubled with a new kind of men,
Then white and red shall judge amiss.

ANNOT.

The two first Verses signifie that a great tempestuous wind was to happen, in which a litter should be overturned, and every one should muffle his face in his Cloak, for the fierceness of the wind.

And that presently after the Common-wealth should be troubled with new Sects and Opinions, which may be understood of the beginning of Reformation by _Luther_ and _Calvin_, which was about that time.

The last Verse by the white and red signifieth here (as it doth thorough all the Book) the _French_ and the _Spaniards_, because the _French_ wear white Scarfes, and the _Spaniards_ red ones: and consequently the troubles and jars that happened presently between those two Nations.

IV.

French.

Par l’Univers sera fait un Monarque,
Qu’en paix & vie ne sera longuement,
Lors se perdra la Piscature Barque,
Sera regie en plus grand detriment.

English.

In the World shall be one Monarch,
Who shall be not long alive, nor in peace,
Then shall be lost the Fishing Boat,
And be governed with worse detriment.

ANNOT.

That Monarch was _Henry_ the II. King of _France_, who did not Reign long, but was unfortunately slain, running at Tilt against the Earl of _Montgomery_ (as we shall see hereafter) and almost during all his Reign had Wars with _Charles_ the V. Emperour, and his Son _Philip_ the II. King of _Spain_; the said Emperour in that time did sack _Rome_, took the Pope _Clement_ the VII. prisoner, which is signified here; as also in several other places by the loss of the _Fishing Boat_; the Roman Church being often compared to a Ship or Boat.

V.

French.

Chassez seront sans faire long combat.
Par le Païs seront plus fort grevez,
Bourg & Cité auront plus grand debat,
_Carcas_, _Narbonne_ auront cœurs esprouvez.

English.

They shall be driven away without great fighting,
Those of the Countrey shall be more grieved,
Town and City shall have a greater debate,
_Carcas_, _Narbonne_ shall have their hearts tryed.

ANNOT.

Herein is nothing mystical, the meaning is that some of the Protestant party intending to take or vex the Cities of _Carcassone_ and _Narbonne_ in _Languedoc_, shall be easily repulsed, and shall afterward fall upon the Countrey round about, which shall suffer for.

VI.

French.

L’œil de _Ravenne_ sera destitué,
Quand a ses pieds les aisles sailliront;
Les deux de _Bresse_ auront constitué,
_Turin_, _Verceil_, que _Gaulois_ fouleront.

English.

The eye of _Ravenna_ shall be forsaken,
When the wings shall rise at his feet,
The two of _Brescia_ shall have constituted,
_Turin_, _Verceil_, which the French shall tread upon.

ANNOT.

This is a confirmation of the fourth Stanza, concerning the loss of the Pope, _Clement_ the VII. who is called here the eye of _Ravenna_, because he is Lord of that famous City, which was once an Exarchat of the Empire.

The wings that shall rise at, or against his feet, shall be those of the Eagle, which are the Arms of the Emperour.

The two of _Brescia_ were the Governour and Proveditor of _Venice_ in that place, who would at that time have endeavoured to seize upon _Turin_ and _Verceil_, the two chiefest Towns of _Piemont_, but were prevented by the _French_.

VII.

French.

Tard arrivé, l’execution faite,
Le Vent contrare, Lettres au chemin prinses,
Les Conjurez quatorze d’une Secte,
Par le Rousseau seront les entreprinses.

English.

One coming too late, the execution shall be done,
The Wind being contrary, and Letters intercepted by the way,
The Conspirators fourteen of a Sect,
By the Red-hair’d Man the undertaking shall be made.

ANNOT.

The sense of the whole is this, there shall be fourteen Conspirators of one mind, and their Ring-leader, a Red-haired man, who shall be put to death, because their Reprieve could not come timely enough, being hindered by cross winds, and Letters intercepted. I could find no particular things in History concerning this.

VIII.

French.

Combien de fois prinse Cité Solaire,
Seras, changeant les Loix barbares & vaines,
Ton mal s’approche, plus seras tributaire,
Le grand _Adrie_ recouvrira tes veines.

English.

How often taken O solar City,
Shalt thou be? changing the barbarian and vain Laws,
Thy evil growth nigh, thou shalt be more tributary,
The great _Adria_ shall recover thy veins.

ANNOT.

It is hard to judge what he meaneth by the Solar City that shall be so often taken.

As by _Adria_, it is certain he meaneth _Venice_, that was so called anciently, because of its scituation in the _Adriatick_ Sea.