Chapter XXXV: French

Par Cité franche de la grand Mer _Seline_,
Qui porte encor l’estomach la pierre,
_Angloise_ classe viendra soubs la bruine,
Prendre un rameau de grand ouverte guerre.

English.

By a free City of the _Selyne_ Sea,
Which carrieth yet the stone in the Stomach,
An _English_ Fleet shall come under a fog,
To take a branch of great open War.

ANNOT.

What should the Author mean by the free City of the great _Seline_ Sea that carryeth yet the stone in the Stomach, is hard to guess; for my part I believe it to be _Venice_. First, because by the _Seline_ Sea, he always understands the _Mediterranean_; because the great _Turks_ name in our Authors time was _Selyn_, who was Master of the greatest part of it. Secondly, there is no other free City so considerable as this. Thirdly, by the stone in the Stomach, may be understood, the Pillars that are in the _Piazza_ of St. _Mark_, and as it were in the Centre of _Venice_, as the Stomach is in the Body. The sense therefore is this, as I take it, that a considerable _Fleet_ shall come to _Venice_, or rather to _Molamocco_, which is the Harbour, and there take a branch of great open War, that is, to be either against the _Venetians_, or against the _Turk_ in their behalf.

XXXVI.

French.

De Sœur le frere par simulte feintise,
Viendra mesler rosee en Mineral,
Sur la placente donne a vieille tardive,
Meurt le goustant, sera simple rural.

English.

The Brother of the Sister, with a fained dissimulation,
Shall mix Dew with Mineral,
In a Cake given to a slow old woman,
She dieth tasting of, the deed shall be simple, and Countrey like.

ANNOT.

This foretelleth a notable poisoning that shall be done by a Brother upon his Sister, which, because she died not fast enough, according to his mind: and therefore called her _slow_, he would set her forward with a poisoned Cake, the Poison was _Mineral_, and therefore _Arsenick_ or _Sublimate_, mixed with _Manna_, called here _Dew_; because _Manna_ is nothing but a _Dew_, condensed upon the Bark of a certain Tree; the Conclusion is, that the woman shall die eating of it, though the meat seemed to be simple and rural.

XXXVII.

French.

Trois sens seront d’un vouloir & accord,
Qui pour venir au bout de leur attainte,
Vingt mois apres tous eux & leurs records,
Leur Roy trahy simulant haine, feinte.

English.

Three hundred shall be of one mind and agreement,
That they may compass their ends,
twenty months after by all them and their partners,
Their King shall be betrayed, by dissembling a fained hatred.

ANNOT.

The difficulty of meeting in any Countrey three hundred men of one mind, hath perswaded me that our Author writ this for _England_; but by reason there hath been since a general pardon, I will keep my mind to my self.

XXXVIII.

French.

Ce grand Monarque qu’au mort succedera,
Donnera vie illicite & lubrique,
Par nonchalance a tous concedera,
Qua la parfin faudra la loy _Salique_.

English.

The great Monarch that shall succeed to the great one,
Shall lead a Life unlawfull, and lecherous,
By carelesness he shall give to all,
So that in Conclusion the _Salique_ Law shall fail.

ANNOT.

This hath a Relation to the precedent Stanza, therefore, _&c._

XXXIX.

French.

Du vray rameau de fleur de Lis issu,
Mis & loge heritier d’_Hetrurie_,
Son sang antique de longue main tissu,
Fera _Florence_ florir en l’Armoirie.

English.

Issued out of the true branch of the City,
He shall be set for Heir of _Hetruria_,
His ancient blood waved by a long while,
Shall cause _Florence_ to flourish in the Scutcheon.

ANNOT.

This is only in commendation of the Family of the _Medicis_, and of their Alliance with the Crown of _France_; for _Catharine_ of _Medicis_, wife to _Henry_ II. was Queen of _France_ when our Author lived.

XL.

French.

Le sang Roial sera si tresmeslé,
Contraints seront _Gaulois_ de l’_Hesperie_,
On attendra que terme soit coulé,
Et que memoire de la voix soit perie.

English.

The Royal blood shall be so much mixed,
The _French_ shall be constrained by the _Spaniards_,
They shall stay till the term be past,
And the remembrance of the voice be over.

ANNOT.

This only signifieth a strict Union between the _French_ and the _Spaniards_, by several Alliances.

XLI.

French.

Nay soubs les ombres & journée nocturne,
Séra en Regne & bonté Souveraine,
Fera renaistre son sang de l’antique _Urne_,
Renouvelant siecle d’Or pour l’airain.

English.

Being born in the shadows and nocturnal time,
He shall be a Soveraign in Kingdom and bounty,
He shall cause his blood to come again from the ancient _Urn_,
Renewing a golden Age instead of a brazen one.

ANNOT.

This foretelleth the greatness and goodness of a Prince that shall be born in the beginning of the night.

XLII.

French.

_Mars_ eslevé en son plus haut befroy,
Fera retraire les _Allobrox_ de _France_,
La gent _Lombarde_ fera si grand effroy,
A ceux de l’Aigle comprins soubs la _Balance_.

English.

_Mars_ being elevated in its higher Steeple,
Shall cause the _Allobrox_ to retreat from _France_,
The people of _Lombardy_ shall be in so great fear,
Of those of the Eagle comprehended under _Libra_.

ANNOT.

The _Allobrox_ are the people of _Savoy_. Those of the Eagle comprehended under _Libra_, are the subjects of the Empire that use the _French_ tongue.

XLIII.

French.

Le grand ruine des Sacrez ne sesloigne,
_Provence_, _Naples_, _Sicile_, _Seez_ & _Ponce_,
En _Germanie_ au _Rhin_ & la _Coloigne_,
Vexez a mort par tous ceux de _Mogunce_.

English.

The great ruine of the sacred things is not far off,
_Provence_, _Naples_, _Sicily_, _Sez_ and _Ponce_,
In _Germany_ towards the _Rhyne_ and _Colen_,
They shall be vexed to death by those of _Moguntia_.

ANNOT.

He foretelleth the troubles that were to be shortly in those Countreys for Religion.

XLIV.

French.

Par Mer le rouge sera prins the Pyrates,
La paix sera par son moyen troublée,
L’une & l’auare commettra par faincte acte,
Au grand Pontife fera l’Armée d’oublée.

English.

By Sea the red one shall be taken by Pyrates,
The peace by that means shall be troubled,
He shall commit anger and coveteousness by a feigned action,
The High Priest shall have a double Army.

ANNOT.

By the red one is understood some Cardinal that shall be taken by Pyrates, for which the peace shall be in danger to be broken, the same Cardinal shall by a feigned action be guilty of choler and covetousness, and for his recovery and the defending the Rites of the Church, the Pope shall have a double Army granted to him.

XLV.

French.

Le grand Empire fera tost desolé,
Et translate pres d’_Arduenne_ silve,
Les deux batards par l’aisné decollé,
Et Regnera _Ænodarbnez_ de milve.

English.

The great Empire shall soon be made desolate,
And shall be translated near the Forrest of _Arden_,
The two Bastards shall have their heads cut off by the eldest son,
And he that shall reign, shall be _Ænodarbnez_ nosed.

ANNOT.

By the great Empire is meant that of _Germany_, which he says shall be translated near the Forrest of _Ardens_, which is near the borders of _France_. Two Bastards shall be beheaded by command of the elder Brother of the House, and he that shall Reign shall have a reddish beard, and a Hawks nose.

XLVI.

French.

Par Chapeaux rouges querelles & nouveaux schismes,
Quand on aura esleu le _Sabinois_,
On produira contre luy grands sophismes,
Et sera _Rome_ lessée par _Albanois_.

English.

By red Hats, quarrels and new schismes,
When the _Sabin_ shall be Elected,
Great sophismes shall be produced against him,
And _Rome_ shall be endamaged by the _Albanois_.

ANNOT.

By red Hats are understood Cardinals of _Rome_, who shall raise great quarrels and schismes, when a Pope of the Countrey of the _Sabins_ (which is near _Rome_) shall be Elected, against whom many things shall be objected, and that _Rome_ shall be endamaged by the _Albanians_, which are a Warlike people, and for the most part subject to the Common-wealth of _Venice_.

XLVII.

French.

Le grand _Arabe_ marchera bien avant,
Trahy sora par le _Bisantinois_:
L’Antique _Rhodes_ luy viendra au devant,
Et plus grand mal par Austre _Pannonois_.

English.

The great _Arabian_ shall proceed a great way,
He shall be betrayed by the _Bisantines_,
The ancient _Rhodes_ shall come to meet him,
And a greater evil by a South wind from _Hungary_.

ANNOT.

By _Bisantine_ is understood the great Turk, Master of _Constantinople_, formerly called _Bysantium_.

XLVIII.

French.

Apres la grande affliction du Sceptre,
Deux ennemis par eux seront defaicts:
Classes d’_Affrique_ aux _Pannons_ viendra naistre,
Par Mer & Terre seront horribles Faicts.

English.

After the great afflictions of the Scepter,
Two enemies shall be overcome by themselves,
A Fleet of _Affrica_ shall be born to the _Hungarians_.
By Sea and Land shall be horrid facts.

ANNOT.

The words of this Stanza are plain, though the sense be something obscure.

XLIX.

French.

Nul de l’_Espagne_, mais de l’antique _France_,
Sera esleu pour le tremblant nacelle,
A l’ennemy sera faicte fiance,
Qui dans son Regne sera peste cruelle.

English.

None out of _Spain_, but of the ancient _France_,
Shall be Elected to govern the tottering Ship.
The enemy shall be trusted,
Who to his Kingdom shall be a cruel plague.

ANNOT.

The two first Verses foretell a schisme in the Church of _Rome_, understood by a tottering Ship, and that a _French-man_ shall be Elected Pope to remedy it.

The two last Verses are easie to be understood.

L.

French.

L’An que les Freres du Lys seront an Aage,
L’Un d’euz tiendra la grand _Romanie_:
Trembler les Monts ouvert _Latin_ passage,
_Bache_ marcher contre Fort d’_Armenie_.

English.

In the year that the Brethren of the Lillies shall be at Age,
One of them shall hold the great _Romanie_:
The Mountains shall tremble, the _Latine_ passage shall be opened,
A _Bassha_ shall march against the Fort of _Armenia_.

ANNOT.

By the Brethren of the Lillies are meant the Heirs of the Crown of _France_; the rest is plain.

LI.

French.

La gent de _Dace_, d’_Angleterre_, & _Polone_,
Et de _Boësme_ feront nouvelle ligue,
Pour passer outre d’_Hercules_ la Colonne,
_Barcins_, _Thyrrans_ dresser cruelle brigue.

English.

The people of _Dacia_, _England_, and _Poland_,
And of _Bohemia_ shall make a new League,
To go beyond _Hercules_ Pillars,
_Barcins_ and _Thyrrens_ shall make a cruel plot.

ANNOT.

By _Barcins_ he means those of _Carthage_, which is now _Tunis_, and by the _Thyrrens_, those that live near that Sea.

LII.

French.

Un Roy sera qui donra l’opposite,
Les exilez eslevez sur le Regne,
De sang nager la gent caste hyppolite,
Et florira long-temps sous telle enseigne.

English.

A King shall be, who shall be opponent
To the banished persons raised upon the Kingdom,
The chast _Hippolite_ Nation shall swim in blood,
And shall flourish a great while under such an Ensign.

ANNOT.

Here is _Demorritus_’s Well where the truth may be, but I cannot find it.

LIII.

French.

La Loy du _Sol_, & _Venus_ contendans,
Appropriant l’Esprit de Prephetie:
Ne l’un ne l’autre ne seront entendus,
Par _Sol_ tiendra la Loy du grand _Messie_.

English.

The Law of the _Sun_ and _Venus_ contending,
Appropriating the spirit of Prophecy,
Neither one nor the other shall be heard,
By _Sol_ the Law of the great _Messias_ shall subsist.

ANNOT.

This is of the same obscurity with the foregoing one.

LIV.

French.

Du pont _Euxine_, & la grand _Tartarie_,
Un Roy sera qui viendra voir la _Gaule_,
Transpercera _Alane_ & l’_Armenie_,
Et dans Bisance Lairra sanglante _Gaule_.

English.

From the _Euxin_ Sea, and great _Tartaria_,
A King shall come to see _France_,
He shall go through _Alanea_ and _Armenia_,
And shall leave a bloody rod in _Constantinople_.

ANNOT.

This is so plain, that it needeth no interpretation.

LV.

French.

De la felice _Arabie_ contrade,
Maistra puissant de la loy Mahometique,
Vexer l’_Espagne_, conquestre la _Grenade_,
Et plus par Mera la gent _Ligustique_.

English.

Out of the Countrey of _Arabia_ the happy,
Shall be born a powerful man of the Mahometan Law,
Who shall vex _Spain_ and conquer _Grenada_,
And by Sea shall come to the _Ligurian_ Nation.

ANNOT.

The _Ligurian_ Nation are those of _Genoa_.

LVI.

French.

Par le traspas du tres-vieillard Pontife,
Sera esleu _Romain_ de bon aage,
Qui sera dit que le siege debiffe,
Et long tiendra & de picquant courage.

English.

By the death of the very old high-Priest,
Shall be a _Roman_ elected of good age,
Of whom it shall be said, that he dishonoureth the Seat,
And shall live long, and be of a fierce courage.

ANNOT.

The sense and the words are plain.

LVII.

French.

Istra du Mont _Gaulsier_ & _Aventine_,
Qui par le trou advertira l’Armée,
Entre deux Rocs sera prins le butin,
De _Sext._ _Mansol_ faillir la renommée.

English.

One shall go out of the Mountains _Gaulsier_ and _Aventine_,
Who through a hole shall give notice to the Army,
Between two Rocks the booty shall be taken,
Of _Sext._ _Mansol_ shall loose his renown.

ANNOT.

The Mountains of _Gaulsier_ and _Aventine_ are two of the seven Mountains of _Rome_, out of which, it seems, one shall go out to give notice to the Army without, and the Booty of the _Pope_, called _Sextus_, shall be taken.

But what he meaneth by _Mansol_, I am ignorant.

LVIII.

French.

De l’Aqueduct d’_Uticense_, _Gardoing_,
Par le Forest & Mont inaccessible,
Emmy du pont sera taché ou poing,
La chef _Nemans_ qui tant sera terrible.

English.

From the Conduit of _Uticense_ and _Gardoing_,
Through the Forrest and unaccessible Mountain,
In the middle of the Bridge shall be tyed by the Wrist,
The chief _Nemans_, that shall be so terrible.

ANNOT.

By the Conduit of _Gardoing_, he means that of the River _Gardon_, that passeth by _Nismes_, where there is a famous Conduit.

But what he meaneth by the chief _Nemans_, I cannot find.

LIX.

French.

Au chef _Anglois_ a _Nismes_ trop sejour,
Devers l’_Espagne_ au secours Ænobarbe,
Plusieurs mouront par Mars ouvert ce jour,
Quand en _Artois_ faillir estoile en Barbe.

English.

The chief _English_ shall stay too long at _Nismes_,
A red haird man shall go to the succours of _Spain_,
Many shall die by open War that day,
When in _Artois_ the Star shall fail in the Beard.

ANNOT.

All the difficulty lyeth in the last Verse: for my part I believe he meaneth by it a bearded Comet, such as the Latines call _Cometa barbatus_.

LX.

French.

Par teste rase viendra bien mal eslire,
Plus que sa charge ne porte passera,
Si grand fureur & rage fera dire,
Qua feu & sang tout Sexe tranchera.

English.

By a shaven head shall be made an ill choice,
That shall go beyond his commission,
He shall proceed with so great fury and rage,
That he shall put both Sexes to fire and Sword.

ANNOT.

By a shaven head must be understood a Priest of the _Romish_ Religion; because they all have their heads shaven.

LXI.

French.

L’Enfant du grand nestant a sa naissance,
Subjugera les hauts Monts _Apennins_,
Fera trembler tous ceux de la balance,
Depuis Monts _Feurs_ jusques a Mont _Senis_.

English.

The Child of the great man that was not at his birth,
Shall subdue the high _Apennine_ Mountains,
Shall make all those under _Libra_ to quake,
From Mount _Feurs_, as far as Mount _Senis_.

ANNOT.

The _Apennine_ Mountains, are those that divide _Italy_ in two parts.

Those under the Sign of _Libra_ are the people of _France_. _Feurs_ is a City in _France_, in the Province of _Forrest_. Mount _Senis_ is a high Mountain in Savoy.

LXII.

French.

Sur les Rochers sang on verra pleuvoir,
Sol Orient, _Saturne_ Occidental,
Pres d’_Orgon_ Guerre, a _Rome_ grand mal voir,
Nefs parfondrées, & prins le Tridental.

English.

It shall rain blood upon the Rocks,
The Sun being in the East, and _Saturn_ in the West,
War shall be near _Orgon_, and great evil at _Rome_,
Ships shall be cast away, and the Trident be taken.

ANNOT.

I could not find what he meaneth by _Orgon_. As by _the Trident being taken_, I suppose he meaneth a Ship called _Neptune_, because _Neptune_ is always painted with a Trident.

LXIII.

French.

De vaine emprise l’honneur indue plainte,
Galliots errants par _Latins_ froid, faim vagues,
Non loin du _Tybre_ de sang la Terre teinte,
Et sur humains seront diverses plagues.

English.

Honour bringeth a complaint against a vain undertaking,
Galleys shall wander through the _Latin_ Seas, cold, hunger, Waves,
Not far from _Tyber_ the Earth shall be died with blood,
And upon Mankind shall be several plagues.

ANNOT.

_Tyber_ is the River of _Rome_, the rest are several prodigies that shall come to pass.

LXIV.

French.

Les assembles par repos du grand nombre,
Par Terre & Mer conseil contremandé,
Pres de l’_Autonne_, _Genes_, _Nue_, de lombre,
Par Champs & Villes le Chef contrebandé.

English.

The gathered by the rest of the great numbers,
By Land and Sea shall recall their Councel,
Near _Autonne_, _Genes_, and _Nue_ of the shadow,
In Fields and Towns the Chief shall be one against another.

ANNOT.

This passeth my understanding.

LXV.

French.

Subit venu l’effrayeur sera grande,
Des principaux de l’affaire cachés:
Et Dame _Embraise_ plus ne sera en veuë,
Et peu a peu seront le grands fachés.

English.

One coming upon a suddain shall cause a great fear,
To the Chief men that were hidden and concerned in the business,
And the Lady _Ambraise_ shall be seen no more,
And by little and little the great one shall be angry.

ANNOT.

What he meaneth by the lady _Ambraise_, I cannot find, the rest is easie.