Chapter XXX: French

Le sac sapproche, feu, grand sang espandu,
_Pau_ grand Fleuve, aux Bouviers l’entreprise,
De _Genes_, _Nice_ apres long temps attendu,
_Fossan_, _Thurin_, a _Savillan_ la prise.

English.

The plundering draws near, fire, abundance of blood spilt,
_Pau_ a great River, an enterprise by Herdsmen,
Of _Genes_, _Nice_ after they shall have staid long,
_Fossan_, _Thurin_, the prize shall be at _Savillan_.

ANNOT.

The plundering draweth near, here the Author speaketh of things that should happen in his days. He writ this the first of _March_ 1555. and History mentioneth that from the first of _March_ 1555. till the beginning of 1559. the plundering of _Piemont_ in _Italy_ was very great, since the taking of _Cazal_ by the _French_, for there was nothing but continual fightings, taking and retaking Towns, Skirmishes and Battles, and most of them by the River _Pau_, the greatest of _Italy_. The rest of the second Verse, and the beginning of the third saith, that the undertaking of _Genoa_ shall be by the Herdsmen, by whom he meaneth the _Turks_, who being called by the _French_ to help them in the taking of _Nice_, made an action fit for Herdsmen and villanous Traitors, doing nothing, because they had been bribed by the _Genoeses_.

This was done after the _French_ had stay’d long for this infidel, who endeavoured to delude the _French_, and take all for himself; and this is the meaning of, _After Nice had stayed long_. In the mean time the _Spaniards_ increased their Victories, as the fourth Verse witnesseth to the taking of _Fossan_, _Thurin_, and _Savillan_.

_Fossan_ is a Town of _Piemont_, which that it might be distinguished from _Marseilles_, which the Author often calleth _Fossen_ or _Phocen_, he putteth in the Epithete of _Thurin_, to signifie he meaneth _Fossan_ in _Piemont_.

He saith that _Fossan_ of _Piemont_ shall have the taking towards _Savillan_, that is, this _Fossan_ which belongeth to the _Spaniards_, will take some Towns near _Sivillan_.

XXXI.

French.

De _Languedoc_, & _Guienna_ plus de dix
Mille, voudront les _Alpes_ repasser.
Grans _Allobroges_ marcher contre _Brundis_,
_Aquin_ & _Bresse_ les viendront recasser.

English.

From _Languedoc_, and _Guienna_ more then 10000.
Would be glad to come back over the _Alpes_.
Great _Allobroges_ shall march against _Brundis_,
_Aquin_ and _Bresse_ shall beat them back.

ANNOT.

_Languedoc_ and _Guienne_ are two Provinces in _France_, from whence many Souldiers shall be raised to go into _Italy_, but being distressed, shall wish to come back again over the _Alpes_. By the great _Allobroges_, I understand those of _Savoy_ and _Piemont_, who shall go against _Brundis_, in Latine _Brundusium_, but shall be beaten back by _Aquin_ and _Bresses_, Cities belonging to the _Venetians_.

XXXII.

French.

Du Mont Royal naistra d’une Casane,
Qui Duc, & Compte viendra tyranniser,
Dresser Copie de la marche _Millane_,
_Favence_, _Florence_ d’or & gens espuiser.

English.

Out of the Royal Mount shall be born in a Cottage,
One that shall tyranise over Duke and Earl,
He shall raise an Army in the Land of _Millan_,
He shall exhaust _Favence_ and _Florence_ of their gold.

ANNOT.

This needeth no Interpretation.

XXXIII.

French.

Par fraude Regne, forces expolier,
La classe obsesse, passages a l’espie,
Deux faincts amis se viendront r’allier,
Esueiller haine de long temps assoupie.

English.

By fraud a Kingdom and an Army shall be spoilt,
The Fleet shall be put to a strait, passages shall be made to the
spies,
Two feigned friends shall agree together,
They shall raise up a hatred that had been long dormant.

ANNOT.

The words are plain.

XXXIV.

French.

En grand regret sera la gent _Gauloise_,
Cœur vain, leger croira temerité,
Pain, sel, ne vin eau venin ne cervoise,
Plus grand captif, faim, froid, necessité.

English.

In great regret shall the _French_ Nation be.
Their vain and light heart shall believe rashly.
They shall have neither Bread, Salt, Wine, nor Beer,
Moreover they shall be Prisoners, and shall suffer hunger, cold,
and need.

ANNOT.

The words are plain, and the onely question is whither this distress threatned here to _France_ is past or to come.

XXXV.

French.

La grand poche viendra plaindre pleurer,
D’avoir esleu, trompez seront en l’Aage,
Guiere avec eux ne voudra demeurer,
Deceu sera par ceux de son langage.

English.

The great Pocket shall bewaile and bemoan,
For having Elected one, they shall be deceived in his Age,
He shall not stay long with them,
He shall be deceived by those of his own language.

ANNOT.

The great Pocket which is the Key of this Stanza being obscure, forceth me to leave the rest unperfect.

XXXVI.

French.

Dieu, le Ciel tout le Divin Verbe a l’Onde,
Porté par rouges sept razes a _Bizance_,
Contre les oingts trois cens de _Trebisonde_,
Deux Loix mettront, & horreur, puis credence.

English.

God, Heaven, all the Divine Word in water,
Carryed by red ones, seven shaved heads at _Bisantium_,
Against the anointed three hundred of _Trebisond_,
They shall put two Laws, and horror, and afterwards believe.

ANNOT.

This seemeth to foretel that the Sacrament according to the _Roman_ Church, shall be carried by Cardinals and seven Priests to _Constantinople_, against which three hundred of _Trebison_ shall dispute, who shall compare the two Laws with horror, and afterwards believe.

XXXVII.

French.

Dix envoyez, chef de nef mettre a mort,
D’un adverty, en classe guerre ouverte,
Confusion chef, l’un se picque & mord,
_Leryn_, _Stecades_ nefs, cap dedans la nerte.

English.

Ten shall be sent to put the Captain of the Ship to death,
He shall have notice by one, the Fleet shall be in open War,
A confusion shall be amongst the Chief, one pricks and bites,
_Leryn_, _Stecades_ nefs, caps dedans la nerte.

ANNOT.

The three first Verses are plain; as for the fourth I believe it to be the Language of the _Antipodes_, for I think no man can understand it.