The foreste or Collection of histories no lesse profitable, then pleasant and necessarie, dooen out of Frenche into Englishe, by Thomas Fortescue.

¶ What maner of women the Sibylles were, how many in number and of their prophecies, but especially of those that concerned Christ, and his commyng. Chapt. 2.

THe history of the Sibylles is general∣ly aucthorised of all menne, ther lear∣nyng, and prophecies verie well kno∣wen, but perticulerly to intreate whē and what thei were, whereof thei Prophecied, and at what tyme, that onely knoweth he, that hath spente some time in old, and auncient histories. Wherefore my desire was, some thyng of them to gather, especially con∣sideryng the meruailous gifte of Prophecie, whiche God in sunderie wise bestowed at tymes on theim, and princi∣pally to fore saie, of the cummyng of his sonne, of his life, and passion, with other many misteries of our belefe, and faithe, of whiche wee shall some thyng, in this place re∣mēber, to the intente the Ethnicke, & Panime, that will aucthorise nothyng, but their owne proper writinges, might no better haue to excuse hymself, then the perfecte Iewe whiche affiyng in his owne, neither liketh, or ac∣cepteth, the true faithe, or religiō. And this saie I, for that by common admission, and consente, such bookes were of all the Gentiles receiued, & these Sibylles also credited, but especially of the Romaines, whiche in euery their af∣faires, or necessities whatsoeuer, had their due recourse to the Prophecies of these Sibylles, conferring, and con∣sultyng of all thynges, by them written. But for that so many, as well Grekes, as Latines, haue in suche sorte, so fully discourste, and written of theim, wee shall here followe, and imitate the beste, not greuyng, or weriyng the reader, with any others. Diodorus Siculus, Plinius, Solinus, Seruius, Marcianus Capellus, Lactantius Firmi∣anus, Elianus, Suidas, Strabo, Marcus Vario, and Virgill also, with the better parte of Poetes, Sainct Augustine, Eusebius, Orosius, with the moste parte of all good histo∣rians, haue some thyng written, and discourste of these Sibylles. Diodorus saith, that this worde Sibylla, signi∣fieth nothing els, but a woman Prophetesse, and one ful

of God. Seruius, as also Lactantius, in his fowerth booke of diuine institutiōs, nameth them none otherwise, then the counsaile of God: Suidas, women Prophetes. The o∣thers disagree, as well about the number of them, as al∣so when thei were. Some nombryng more, some lesse but as thereof vncertaine. Marcianus Capella, mindeth vs of twoo onely, others some of fower, as chiefly Elianus in his variable histories. Marcus Varro remembreth no lesse then tenne, with whom Lactantius Firmianus occor∣deth in his firste booke, whom I haue determined in this place to followe. The firste was of Persia, called Samber∣ta, of whom Nicanor maketh mention, the same that wrote the renoumed gestes of Alexander, others write, that she was of Chaldea, others a Jewe, borne in the toune of Noe, nigh the redde sea, whose father hight Be∣rosus, & her mother Erimanta: this woman wrote twen∣ty fower bookes in vearses, in which she disclosed straūge and wounderfull matters, concernyng the commyng of Christe, his miracles, and his life, though secretly, and as shadowed, not to be vnderstode of all men. With whom all the other Sibylles vniformely accorde, in suche sorte that Lactantius Firmianus, as well in his fowerth boke, as in sunderie other places, leaueth vs their perticuler Prophesies of Christe. And Saincte Augustine also hath lefte vs, a brief, or shorte summarie, of some certain, and principall matters, whiche as well this, as the others al∣so haue Prophesied, especially of the death, and passion of our Sauiour, and emong others these woordes by order. After this he shall bée apprehended, by the handes of In∣fidels, thei also shall beate, and buffette hym aboute the face, with their impure, and sacrilegious handes, with their mouthes accursed, and blasphemous shal thei spitte on hym, he shall geue theim his bodie, as contented to be whipte theron, he shall loue silence, and vtter fewe wor∣des, so that whence hée speaketh fewe menne at all shall knowe, semblably he shall be crouned with shearpe, and

pearsing thornes, Gaule shall thei geue hym to eate, and sower Vineager to drincke. See here the banket that these men shall make hym: so that thou O Nation bothe ignorant, and blinde, shalte not knowe thy GOD, here present and with thée, but tyrannously shalt croune hym (as is fore saide) with thornes, medling Gaule, and vine∣ger together (a potion) for hym. After this the Veale of the Temple shall sundre, and the midle of that daie shall be darckned as the night, by the whole space of three full howres, so then shall the iuste die, who shall lie deade, or sleape onely thrée daies, and hauyng paste through Hell shall rise, or reuiue, neuer to die againe. These woordes are suche, so plaine, and so euidente, that thei in nothyng differ, from these of the Euangelistes, cōcernyng Christ, our maister, and Messias: or otherwise, from these, of the holy prophetes, but emōg the others principally of Esaie, whiche the Churche also this daie doeth holde, and shall doe euer. And these Prophesies are recorded, some by La∣ctantius Firmianus, some by sainct Augustine, and others some by others, as by Cicero, Marcus Varro, and o∣thers, Gentiles all deade before the birthe, and natiuitee of our Sauiour, as is bothe plaine, and manifeste by the saied Lactantius, who farther of these Sibylles, addeth al∣so this muche: he shall raise the dedde, the impotente, and the weake by hym again shall goe, the deafe shall heare, the blinde sée, the dombe shall speake, and laude his name freely, and againe somwhat before, with fiue loaues, and twoo fishes, he shall fede fiue thousande menne in the de∣serte, and that whiche shall remaine, shall also refreashe the hungerie nede of others. The seconde by report, was borne in Libya, of whom mention is made by Euripides, in his Prologue of Lamia. The thirde hight Themis, and was surnamed Delphica, for that she was borne in the Citée Delphos, of whom remembreth Chrysippus, in his booke of Diuination. Vnto this woman, the Romaines erected an Image, whiche was, as recordeth Plinie, be∣fore

the destruction of Troie, so that Homere in his wor∣kes, hath sundrie, and diuers of her vearses, as is euident. Diodorus Siculus saith, that this was Daphne, the dough∣ter of Tiresias, whō, when the Grekes had subdued The∣bes, thei sent her foorthe immediately, and without staie to Delphos, where she after became a prophetesse, in the Oracle of Apollo, so that she thence (as he supposeth) and not otherwise, gatte the name of Delphica. The fowerth had to name Cumea, or Italienna, and not Cumana A∣maltea, she was borne in Cimeria, a toune of Campania, adioinyng vnto Cumae, whose prophesies are written, as well by Neuyus in his bookes Punici, as also by Pison in his annalies, and briefly remembred by Lactantius, by Virgil also in his Eglogue this beginning, Scicilides musae. The first was that famous Erythrea, whiche by the espe∣ciall grace of God, so plainly prophesied of the greateste misteries of our religion, wherefore as hath Lactantius, the Gentiles in the ages paste, supposyng it impossible, that a virgine, should heare a childe, as also other thyn∣ges supernaturall, whiche thei in like sorte wrote, re∣membred as well, by old Poetes, as also in aunciente hi∣stories, accompted of these vearses, none otherwise, thē of light, vain, and fonde matters, Apolodorus writeth of this Sibyll, that she fore saied to the Grekes, that thei assuredly should sacke, and ouer runne Troie, whence moste suppose, she was before the destruction thereof. How be it Eusebius contrariwise thinketh, that she liued in the tyme of Romulus. Strabo againe in the daies of A∣lexander. Of this Erythrea were these woordes, recited by Eusebius, whiche in order translated, sounde in En∣glishe this muche, Iesus Christe the soonne of God, and Sauiour. Whiche was in deede no lesse straunge, then meruailous. Others also wrote she, whiche Sainct Au∣gustine gathereth in his eightenth De ciuitate dei, which dooen by hym into Latine, maie in our tongue saie this muche: The yearth shall sweate, an assured signe of iud∣gemente,

from heauen shall come a kyng, whiche shalbe kyng continually, but cladde in mannes fleshe, to the in∣tente he maie iudge the worlde, so shall the incredulous see, aswell, as shall the faithfull, and with their iyes shall boholde, God hymself aduaunced in the middle of his an∣gelles: and in the ende of this worlde, the soules of men shall appeare, with their owne proper bodies, whiche all hym self shall iudge presente then in persone, at whiche tyme the yearth shall bee brused, and disordered. Menne shall then destroie bothe Images, and Idolles, their iuels eke, and treasures shall thei not accompte of, he shall goe doune into helle, and breake vp the infernall gates, then to the iuste shall ioye, and peace bee lotted, and fire shall tormente still the reprobate, and impious. All secretes shall in this daie bee discouered, euery man shall knowe the thoughtes of an other, God then shall laie open the hartes, and consciences of all fleshe: there shall bee wee∣pyng, and gnashyng of teethe, the Sunne; and the Star∣res, in that daie shall bee darkened, the heauens them sel∣ues shall breake, and the Moone shall lose her lighte, the mountaines shall fall doune, and the valies shall lie euen with the swellyng hilles, nothyng in the whole worlde shall higher bee then other, bothe mountaines, and va∣laies shall be reduced, into plaines, eche thyng hauyng in that daie his endyng: the yearth shall be skorchte vp, and brought then to pouder, bothe riuers, and sprynges shall in that daie burne, and with that fire also the yearth it self, the sea, and the aire shall be consumed, a trumpette then from heauen, moste terriblie shall sounde, at which voice the yearth incontinentely shall open, discoueryng the obscure, and disordered face of helle, the paines eke, and the smartes of the damned soules therein. By this Sibyll these, and many others were written at large in vearse, plainly declaryng Christe hym selfe incarnate, with the resurrection of the dedde, and the finall iudge∣mente. But these thynges, before thei came to passe in

déede of fewe might, or could in any wise bee vnderstode, reputed for meare follie of the Panimes, and the Gen∣tiles. Notwithstandyng Erithrea, well knowyng what was to come, lefte not this muche to saie, in like sorte of her self: vaine shall thei accoumpte me, a light, and liyng dame. But when these thynges shall bee accomplished, then shall thei remember me againe, not as a detyng, or as a senslis wight, but as a true southsaier, or prophetisse of the higheste. From this Sibyl Erithrea, the Romaines at tymes receiued many vearses, whiche Fenestella with silence passeth not in his fiftene Forces, saiyng, that by ordinaunce of the Senate, thei sente Ambassadours vnto her, onely to haue (if it so might please her) of her prophe∣sies, whiche frō her brought backe papers in greate num∣ber, whiche were bothe carefully, and curiously reserued in the Capitoll, emongste others some, whiche thei also had receiued before. This womā was of Erithrea, a toune of Ionyum, in the Prouince of the lesse Asia, adioinyng vnto Caria, whiche I would the reader should certainlie vnderstande, for that many other tounes are also of this name, as one in Libia, an other in Boecia, the third in Lo∣cris, the fowerth in Cyprus, but to assure vs that she was of this Erithrea in Ionyū, Strabo maie onely in this place suffice. The sixt Sibyll was of Phytō, a toune in the Isle of Samos, inuironed with the sea Egeum, borderyng on Thrace, or as others some suppose, in that other Isle of Samos cōpassed with the saied sea, right against Ephesus, for which cause she had to name Silia Samia, of which re∣membreth E••atosthenes. The seuenth was Cumana, o∣therwise Amaltea, how bee it, some others gaue her to name Demophila. Suidas termeth her Hierophila: neuer the lesse Cumana was she called, for that she bothe dwelt and prophesied in the toune of Cumas in Italie, not farre of from Baias. Of this woman writeth Dyonisius, Hali∣carnasleus, Solinus, Aulus Gellius, & Seruius, she brought to be sold to Tarquine the proude, kyng of the Romaines

nine bookes (though Suidas otherwise suppose, that it was to Tarquimus Priscus) for whiche she demaunded three hundred Crounes, or other peeces of golde, suche as might be, or was, in Rome at that tyme moste currante, but for that the kyng thought her therein vnreasonable, he refused vtterly these her offered marchaundises, by meanes whereof incontinently, she did three of theim in his presence to be burned, not leauyng therefore, to aske againe the whole price, for the other sixe, whiche thyng the kyng disdainyng more then, then at the firste, began to deride her, chargyng her with follie, whence she again taketh others three, and as the first, so burned them im∣mediatly, demaunding for the remnante, the whole price of the nine, where at, and at whose constancie, the kyng then muche amased, imagining that thei contained some straunge, and hidden misteries, bought these three, at the price of all the others, whiche afterwarde were laied vp, and reserued in the Capitoll, in meruailous honour, and reuerence of all the people. Plinie writeth that she had but thre in all, of whiche she burned, as he reporteth twoo receiuing notwithstanding for the third, the value of thē all, but how so euer it were, it sufficeth that these bookes were had in suche greate reuerence, so kepte, and reser∣ued, with these of the other Sibylles. For as M. Varro alleageth out of Lactantius, the Romaines with inces∣sant paine, sought throughout all Grece, and Italie, tho∣rowe Asia also, and euery parte thereof, for all bookes, vearses, or prophesies whatsoeuer, that might, or could be founde any where of these Sibylles, and especially emōg the others of that excellent Erithrea, for accomplishemēt whereof, and more expedite gatheryng of these foresaied papers, fiftene menne of honour, were charged with this busines, none medlyng, or dealyng besides them in these matters. Fenistella recordeth, that whē the Capitoll was burned, the Senate sente backe againe to Erithrea, hum∣blie requestyng her, to inriche them ones again, with her

bookes, if it so •…•…ight please her. Whence it maie be pre∣sumed, that thei had not Cumanaes verses onely, but eue¦ry the prophesies of eche, and al the others: and that, that Sibyll, of whiche Virgil maketh mention in the begin∣nyng, or entrie, of his sixt of Aeneydos, which then dwelt or continued in Cumas, where he affirmeth that Aeneas imbarkte hym self, should bee some other Cumana, not this of whiche we now haue spokē, by common accompt, and reckning, the seuenth of that order: for it hardly may be thought, that Virgil knew of any Sibyll, at that time, when Aeneas firste entered into Italie, ne yet that she liued in the daies, of the fifte kyng of Rome. And Seruius interpretyng thesame place, saieth: of necessitie it nedes muste be, that she, that solde these bookes, should also bee called Cumana, though in trothe her name were nothing so at all, this woman also died in the said toune of Cumas. The eight was borne within the territorie of Troie, in the toune of Marmisa, suche, and so auncient, that as He∣raclides Ponticus writeth, she liued in the tyme of Solon the Philosopher, and of that greate, and mightie Cyrus. The ninthe was borne in Phrigia, and Prophesied dwel∣lyng in the toune of Ancira. The tenthe hight Albunea, borne at Tibur sixtene mile from Rome, whens also she is called some tymes Tiburtina. So these Sibylles, lefte many bokes and verses, in whiche thei Prophesied, of sundrie thynges to come, but principally of the prospe∣rous, or aduerse state of Rome: so that the Romaines, in euery their affaires, diligently perused, and with reue∣rence all their bookes, or papers, orderyng, and directing them selues, continually by thē. And as when we would be credited, and be thought to speake a truthe, we vsual∣ly will saie, it is written in the Gospell, so also saied thei in like sort of the Sibylles, suche was their affiaunce, or greate truste in these women. For proofe whereof Iuue∣nal passeth such a vearse, Credite me vobis folium recita∣re Sibyllae, whiche he so saied, for that these women, gaue

foorthe their Prophesies, written in leaues of trees, as Virgil well witnesseth in his sixt of his Aeneydos. Cicero with great reuerence speaketh also of them, especially in his booke De diuinatione, where he thus muche saith, as we tofore haue saied, that out of their firste, & greate let∣ters of euery vearse, senteēces of weight, & great matters stil were drawen. Among other thinges manie, eche one of theim haue spoken, of our faithe, and of the Christian religion, of the birth, the life, and of the death of Christe, as we eftesones tofore haue also specified: as among the others, the Sibyll Delphica also saide. A Prophete shall be borne of a woman not knowyng man: and an other this, he that yet is to come, shall here after come, he shall raigne in pouertie, his greate & mightie force shall he to fewe discouer, out of a virgines woumbe shall he also bée borne. Iosephus againe (a Iewe though he were by race, and eake by his profession) speakyng of the tower of Ba∣bilon this much reporteth, that a certaine Sibyl remem∣beryng when firste men spake but one language, saithe, that thei builte to theim a proude, and haute Tower, as if by the same thei should haue entered in to heauen, but God sente fourth greate windes to rase, & to subuerte it, as also diuers tongues, the spring of deuision, and discord among the people, whence this Tower gained the fitte name of Babilon. These thinges and others, the sembla∣ble, writen by these Sibylles, haue well been recorded by Christians, Iewes, and Gentiles, whiche the Gentiles repleate with sinne colde neuer yet vnderstande: but the Christians as soone, as these Prophesies came to their handes, as well recorde Lactantius Firmianus, Eusebius, and Saincte Augustine, with others, gathered thence greate fruict, and comforte immediatly, the Panym, and the Gentile neglectyng theim to their confusion. Besides these were yet some others, that also were called Sibyl∣les, reputed as fore shewers, or fore saiers of thinges to come, as Cassandra the doughter of Priamus, Campusia

Celofonia the doughter of Calcas, Manta Thessalica the doughter of ••iresias the Thebane, but all histories, onely accorde on the aboue saide tenne.

Notes

• The first Sam∣berta.
• Lact. li. 4. ca. 15.
• The second li∣byca.
• The third Del∣phica.
• The fowerth Cumea.
• The first Ery∣threa.
• Strabo lib. 4. The sixt Samia
• The seuenth Cumana.
• The eight Hel Iespontia.
• The ninth Phrigia. The tenth Al∣bunea or Ty∣burtina.