The true prophecies or prognostications of Michael Nostradamus, physician to Henry II, Francis II, and Charles IX, kings of France and one of the best astronomers that ever were a work full of curiosity and learning / translated and commented by Theophilvs de Garencieres ...

THE PROPHECIES OF Michael Nostradamus.

CENTURY VIII.

I. French.

PAu, Nay, Loron, plus feu qu'a sang sera, Laude nager, fuir grands aux Surrez, Les Agassas entrée refusera, P ampon, Durance, les tiendront enserrez.

English.

Pau, Nay, Loron, more in fire then blood shall be, Lauda to swim, great ones run to the Surrez, The Agassas shall refuse the entry, Pampon, Durance shall keep them enclosed.

ANNOT.

The Prophecies of this, and of the remaining Centuries being for the most part so obscure, as no man is able to make any sense of them, the judicious Reader must not expect from me, what no man else can do; let him suffice if I give him as much light as I can, and leave the rest to his own judgement and industry.

Pau is the chief Town of the Province of Bearn, in the Kingdom of Navarre, where Henry the IV. King of France and Navarre was born. Nay and Loron are barbarous words, so are Surrez, Agassas and Pampon. Durance is a River of France.

II. French.

Condon & Aux, & autour de Mirande, Je voy du Ciel feu qui les environne, Sol, Mars, conjoint au Lion, puis Marmande, Foudre, grand guerre, mur tomber dans Garonne.

English.

Condon and Aux, and about Mirande, I see a fire from Heaven that encompasseth them, Sol, Mars, in conjunction with the Lion, and then Marmande, Lightning, great War, Wall falls into the Garonne.

ANNOT.

Condon, Aux, Mirande, and Marmande are Towns in the Province of Guyenne and Languedoc, Garonne is the River of Bourdeaux.

III French.

Au fort Chasteau de Vigilanne & Resviers, Sera serré les puisnay de Nancy, Dedans Turin seront ards les premiers, Lors que de dueil Lyon sera transy.

English.

In the strong Castle of Vigilanne and Resviers, Shall be kept close the youngest son of Nancy, Within Turin the first shall be burnt up, When Lyon shall be overwhelmed with sorrow.

ANNOT.

Vigilanne and Resviere being falsly writen here, it must be set down Veillane and Riniere, which are two strong Castles, the first being seated in Piemont, and the last in Burgundy.

Nancy is the chief Town of Lorrain, and Turin of Piemont, Lyon is a famous City in France, so that the sense of this Prophecy seemeth to be, that the youngest Son of Nancy, (that is of Lorrain) shall be kept close Prisoner in those two Castles of Veillane and Riniera, and that the chief men of Turin shall be burnt, when the City of Lyon shall be oppressed with sorrow.

IV. French.

Dedans Monech le Coq sera receu, Le Cardinal de France apparoistra, Par Logarion Romain sera deceu, Foiblesse a l'Aigle, & force au Coq croistra:

English.

Within Monech the Cock shall be admitted, The Cardinal of France shall appear, By Logarion, Roman shall be deceived, Weakness to the Eagle, and strength to the Cock shall grow.

ANNOT.

Monech is false written here, it must be Monaco, which is a Principality and Town in Italy by Genoa, belonging to the House of the Grimaldi, wherein the French were admitted by the policy of Cardinal Richelieu, during the Wars between France and Spain.

Logarion is a Barbarous name, by which he meaneth some body unknown to us.

By the Eagle is meant the Emperour, who was very low at that time, and by the Cock, the King of France, who was very powerful, where it is to be observed, that by the Eagle the Emperour is always understood, because it is his Arms, and by the Cock is meant the King of France, because a Frenchman is called in Latine Gallus, which also signifieth a Cock.

V. French.

Apparoistra Temple luisant orné, La Lampe & Cierge a Borne & Bretueil, Pour la Lucerne le Canton destourné, Quand on verra le grand Coq au Cercueil.

English.

A shining adorned Temple shall appear, The Lamp and wax Candle at Borne and Bretueil, For Lucerne the Canton turned of, When the great Cock shall be seen in his Coffin.

ANNOT.

Borne and Bretueil are two particular places, the first is one of the four Baronies of the River Mase, viz. Petersem, Steen, Horne, Borne, the other is a little Town in Britany.

Lucerne is one of the Cantons of Switzerland. VVe have said before what is meant by the great Cock, viz. the King of France. Let the Reader make up the rest, according to his fancy.

VI. French.

Charté fulgure a Lyon apparente, Luysant, print Malte, subit sera estainte, Sardon, Mauris traitera decevante, Geneve a Londres, a Coq trahison feinte.

English.

A thundering light at Lyons appearing, Bright, took Maltha, instantly shall be put out, Sardon shall treat Mauris deceitfully, To Geneva, London, and the Cock a fained treason.

ANNOT.

Maltha is an Island in the Mediterranean Sea, famous for the Knights that inhabit it, and take their name from thence. Sardon and Mauris are barbarous words.

VII. French.

Verceil, Milan donra intelligence, Dedans Tycin sera faite la paye, Courir par Seine eau, sang, feu par Florence, Unique choir d'hault en bas faisant maye.

English.

Verceil, Milan shall give intelligence, In the Tycin shall the Peace be made, Run through Seine water, blood, fire through Florence, The only one shall fall from top to bottom making maye.

ANNOT.

Verceil and Milan are two Cities in Italy, the Tycin, or rather Thesin is a River of the same Countrey; Seine is the River that runneth at Paris. Florence is a famous City in Italy, and maye a barbarous word, foisted up to patch up his Rime.

VIII. French.

Pres de Linterne dans des tonnes sermez, Chivas fera pour l'Aigle la menée, L'Esleu cassé, luy ses ges enfermez, Dedans Turin rapt espouse emmenée.

English.

Near Linterne, enclosed within Tuns, Chivas shall drive the plot for the Eagle, The Elect cashiered, he and his men shut up, Within Turin, arape, and Bride carried away.

ANNOT.

Linterne is a small Town in Italy; by Tuns are meant woodden Vessels, such as they put Rhenish wines and others in.

Chivas is a Town in Piemont, and Turin the chief Town of the said Countrey.

IX. French.

Pendant que l'Aigle & le Coq a Savone, Seront unis, Mer, Levant & Hongrie, L'Armée a Naples, Palerme, Marque d'Ancone, Rome, Venise, par barbe horrible crie.

English.

Whilst the Eagle and the Cock at Savona, Shall be united, Sea, Levant, and Hungary, Army at Naples, Palermo, Mark of Ancona, Rome, Venice, cry because of a horrid beard.

ANNOT.

By the Eagle is meant the Emperour, and by the Cock the King of France; the rest is easie.

X. French.

Punateur grande sortira de Lausane, Qu'on ne scaura l'origine du fait, L'on mettra hors toute la gent loingtaine, Feu veu au Ciel peuple estranger deffait.

English.

A great stink shall come forth out of Lausane, So that no body shall know the of spring of it, They shall put out all the Forreiners, Fire seen in Heaven, a strange people defeated.

ANNOT.

Lausane is a City situated in Savoy, by the Lake of Geneva, but now as I take it in the possession of the Switzers.

XI. French.

Peuple infiny paroistre a Vicence, Sans force seu brusler la Basilique, Pres de Lunage des fait grand de Valence, Lors que Venise par morte prendre pique.

English.

Infinite deal of people shall appear at Vicence, Without force, fire shall burn in the Basilick, Near Lunage the great one of Valence shall be defeated, When Venice by death shall take the pique.

ANNOT.

Vicenza is a Town in Italy, under the dominion of the Venetians. Basilick is the name of the biggest sort of Canons or pieces of Ordinance. As for Valence there is three Cities of that name, one is Spain, the second in France, and the third in Italy; instead of Lunage, it must be Lignago which is a Town in Italy.

XII. French.

Apparoistra aupres du Bufalore, L'haut & procere entré dedans Milan, L'Abbé de Foix avec ceux de Saint Maure, Feront la fourbe habillez en vilain.

English.

Near the Bufalore shall appear, The high and tall, come into Milan, The Abbot of Foix with those of Saint Maure, Shall make the trumpery being cloathed like rogues.

ANNOT.

Bufalore is a barbarous word; Foix is a Countrey in France, and St. Maure a lit∣tle Town in the said Countrey.

XIII. French.

Le croisé Frere par amour effrenée, Fera par Praytus Bellerophon mourir, Classe a mil ans, la femme forcenée, Beu le breueage, tous deux apres perir.

English.

The crossed Brother through unbridled love, Shall cause Bellerophon to be killed by Praytus, Fleet to thousand years, the woman out of her wit, The drink being drunk, both after that, perish.

ANNOT.

Bellerophon and Praytus are two supposed and fictitious names.

XIV. French.

Le grand credit, d'or, d'argent l'abundance, Aveuglera par Libide l'honneur, Cogneu sera d'adultere l'offence, Qui parviendra a son grand deshonneur.

English.

The great credit, the abundance of Gold and Silver, Shall blind honour by lust, The offence of the Adulterer shall be known, Which shall come to his great dishonour.

ANNOT.

This is easie to be understood; for it is frequently seen, that Honour is made blind by lust, and chiefly if that lust be propped up with credit; and abundance of Gold and Silver,

XV. French.

Vers Aquilon grands efforts par hommasse, Presque l'Europe, l'Univers vexer, Les deux Eclipses mettra en telle chassé, Et aux P'annons vie & mort renforcer.

English.

Towards the North great endeavours by a manly woman, To trouble Europe, and almost all the world, She Shall put to flight the two Eclipses, And shall re-inforce life and death to the Pannons.

ANNOT.

By the Pannons is meant the Hungarians. The rest is easie.

XVI French.

Au lieu que Hieson fit sa nef fabriquer, Si grand Deluge sera & si subite, Qu' on n'aura lieu ne Terre sattaquer, L'onde monter Fesulan Olympique.

English.

In the place where Jason caused his Ship to be built, So great a Flood shall be, and so sudden, That there shall be neither place nor Land to save themselves, The Waves shall climb upon the Olympick Fesulan.

ANNOT.

Jason was Son to King Aeson, who built a Ship called Argos, in which he went to Colchos, to Conquer the Golden Fleece.

Fesulan here is to be understood of some high and eminent place, which there∣fore he calleth Olympick, from Olympus a high Mountain in Grecias The place where Jason builded his Ship.

XVII. French.

Les bien aisez subit seront desmis, Le monde mis par les trois freres en trouble, Cité Marine saisiront ennemis, Faim, feu, sang, peste, & de tous maux le double.

English.

Those that were at ease shall be put down, The world shall be put in trouble by three Brothers, The Maritine City shall be seized by its enemies, Hunger, fire, blood, plague, and the double of all evils.

ANNOT.

It is not easie to tell what them three Brothers have been, or shall be, nor that Maritine or Sea City, therefore we leave it to the liberty of every ones judgement, the words being plain enough.

XVIII French.

De Flore issue de sa mort sera cause, Un temps devant par jeusne & vieille bueyre, Car les trois lis luy feront telle pause, Par son fruit sauve comme chair crüe mueyre.

English.

Issued from Flora shall be the cause of her own death, One time before, through fasting and old drink, For the three Lillies shall make her such a pause, Saved by her fruit, as raw flesh dead.

ANNOT.

This is one of those, wherein the Author would not be understood, and may be did not understand himself.

XVIX. French.

A soustenir la grand cappe troublée, Pour l'esclaireir les rouges marcheront, De mort famille sera presqu'accablée, Les rouges rouges, le rouge assommeront.

English.

To maintain up the great troubled Cloak, The red ones shall march for to cler it, A family shall be almost crushed to death, The red, the red, shall knock down the red one.

ANNOT.

This seemeth to carry no other sense than a conspiracy of the Cardinals, called here by the name of the Red, the Red against the Pope, who is called the Red one.

XX. French.

Le faux message par election feinte, Courir par Urbem rompue pache arreste, Voix acheptées de sang chappelle teinte, Et a un autre qui l'Empire conteste.

English.

The contract broken, stoppeth the message, From going about the Town, by a fained election, Voices shall be bought, and a Chappel died with blood, By another, who challengeth the Empire.

ANNOT.

This was so falsely printed, and so preposterously set in order, that I had much ado to pick out this little sense of it, which amounteth to no more, than that by reason of an agreement broken, the Messenger, that went to publish a saigned election (it seemeth of the Empire) shall be hindred, and that one of the Com∣petitors to the said Empire, shall be killed in or near a Chappel, that shall be soil∣ed by his Blood.

XXI. French.

Au port de Agde trois fustes entreront, Portant infection avec soy, pestilence, Passant le pont mil milles embleront, Et le pont rompre a tierce resistance.

English.

Three Galleys shall come into the harbour of Agde, Carrying with them infection and Pestilence, Going beyond the Bridge, they shall carry away thousands, At the third resistance the Bridge shall be broken

ANNOT.

Agde is a Sea Town in France upon the Mediterranean Sea, which is threatned here of three Galleys, that shall come into the Harbour of it, and shall bring with them infection and Plague; and besides carry away thousands of Captives, by which it seemeth, that these should be Turkish Galleys, till at last upon the third resistance of the Townsmen the Bridge shall be broken.

XXII. French.

Gorfan, Narbonne, par le Sel advercir, Tucham, la Grace Perpignan trahie, La ville rouge ny voudra consentir, Par haute Voldrap, Gris vie faillie.

English.

Gorsan, Narbonne, by the Salt shall give notice, To Tucham, the Grace Perpignan betrayed, The rek Town will not give consent to it, By high Woldrap, Gray, life ended.

ANNOT.

This is another, wherein my best skill faileth me; for take away Narbonne, which is a City of France, in the Province of Langucdoc, and Perpignan, which is another in the County of Roussilon near Spain. The rest are either barbarous words or nonsensical to me.

XXIII. French.

Lettres trouvées de la Reyne les Coffres, Point de subscrit, sans aucun nom d'Autheur, Par la police seront cachez les offres, Qu'on ne scaura qui sera lamateur.

English.

Letters found in the Queens Coffers, No superscription, no name of the Author, By policy shall be concealed the offers, So that no body shall know who shall be the lover.

ANNOT.

This needeth no great explication, being pretty plain, and foretelleth only that a Queens Trunks shall be opened, wherein many love Letters shall be found with∣out subscription, with many great offers, which by policy being suppressed, or no notice taken of. The lover was never known.

XXIV. French.

Le Lieutenant a l'entrée l'huis, Assommera le grand de Perpignan, En se cuidant sauver a Montpertuis, Sera deceu Bastard de Lusignan.

English.

The Lieutenant shall at the doors entry, Knock down the great one of Perpignan And the Bastard of Lusignan shall be deceived, Thinking to save himself at Montpertuis.

ANNOT.

The words and the sense are clear, though the meaning is hard to be understood:

XXV. French.

Coeur de l'Amant ouvert d'amour furtive, Dans le ruisseau sera ravir la Dame, Le demy mal contrefaira laseive, Le Pere a deux privera corps de l'Ame.

English.

The Lovers heart being by a stoln love, Shall cause the Dame to be ravished in the Brook, The lascivious shall counterfeit half a discontent, The Father shall deprive the bodies of both of their souls.

ANNOT.

This signifieth nothing but a Lover, who meeting in or by a Brook, his Mistress shall enjoy her, for which she shall fain a little discontent, as if she had been ravished against her will, but her jealous Father not contented therewith, shall kill them both, which is an ordinary Italian trick.

XXVI. French.

De Carones trouvez en Barcelonne, Mys descouvers, lieu terrouers & ruine, Le grand qui tient ne voudra Pampelone, Par l'Abbaye de Montferrat bruine.

English.

The Carones fond in Barcelona, Put discovered, place soil and ruine, The great that hold will not Pampelona, By the Abbaye of Montferrat, mist.

ANNOT.

Barcelona is a Town of a Province in Spain, called Catalonia. Pampelona is the chief Town of the Kingdom of Navarre. Montferrat is an Abbaye in the Mountains of Catalonia; the rest is insignificant.

XXVII. French.

La voye Auxelle l'un sur l'autre fornix, Du muy de fer hors mis brave & genest, L'Escrit d'Empereur la Phoenix, Veu en celuy ce qu'a nul autre nest.

English.

The way Auxelle, one Arch upon another, Being brave and gallant put out of the Iron vessel, The writing of the Emperour the Phoenix, In it shall be seen, what no where else is.

ANNOT.

I can find nothing in this worth interpretation.

XXVIII. French.

Les Simulachres d'or & d'argent enflez, Qu'apres le rapt, Lac au feu furent jettez, Au descouvert estaints tous & troublez, Au Marbre escripts, prescripts interjettez.

English.

The Images sweld with Gold and Silver, Which after the rape were thrown into the Lake and fire, Being discovered after the putting out of the fire, Shall be written in Marble, prescripts being intermixed.

ANNOT.

It seemeth that this gold and silver Idols having been stoln, were afterwards thrown into a Lake and a fire, which fire being put out, those Idols were found, and the me∣morial engraven in Marble.

XXIX. French.

Au quart pilier ou l'on sacre a Saturne, Pat tremblant Terre & Deluge fendu, Soubs l'edifice Saturnin trouvée Urne, D'or Capion, ravy puis tost rendu.

English.

At the fourth Pillar where they sacrifice to Saturn, Cloven by an Earth-quake and a Flood, An Urne shall be found under that Saturnian building, Full of Capion gold stoln, and then restored.

ANNOT.

This foretelleth, that at the fourth Pillar of a Temple that was dedicated to Sa∣turn, which Pillar shall be split by an Earth-quake and a Flood, there shall be found an Urne, (which is an Earthen Vessel, wherein the ancient Romans used to keep the ashes of their dead friends) full of gold, that shall be carried away, and then restored.

XXX. French.

Dedans Tholose non loin de Beluzer, Faisant un puis loing Palais d'espectacle, Thresor trouvé un chacun ira vexer, Et en deux locs tout aupres des Vesacle.

English.

Within Tholose not far from Beluzer, Digging a Well, for the Pallace of spectacle, A treasure found that shall vex every one, In two parcels, in, and near the Basacle.

ANNOT.

Tholose is the chief City of Languedoc, Beluzer is a private place within its pre∣cinct, Spectacle is insignificant, and is onely foisted in, to Rime with Basacle, which is a place in Tholose, where there is aboundance of Water-mills, that make a hideous and fearful noise.

XXXI. French.

Premier grand fruit le prince de Pesquiere, Mais puis viendra bien & cruel malin, Dedans Venise perdra sa glorie fiere, Et mis a mal par plus joyve Celin.

English.

The first great fruit the Prince of Pesquiere, But he shall become very cruel and malicious, He shall loose his fierce pride in Venice, And shall be put to evil by the younger Celin

ANNOT.

Pescaire is a Town in the Kingdom of Naples, belonging to the noble Spanish Fa∣mily of Avalos, of which it seemeth one shall prove cruel and malicious; but he shall be killed in Venice by one young Celin, by which formerly, and in other places the Author understandeth the Turk.

XXXII. French.

Garde toy Roy Gaulois de ton Nepveu, Qui fera tant que ton unique filz, Sera meurtry a Venus faisant voeu, Accompagné de nuit que trois & six.

English.

Take heed O French King of thy Nephew, Who shall cause that thine only Son Shall be murdered making a vow to Venus, Accompanied with three and six.

ANNOT.

This is a plain warning to a French King to beware of his Nephew, who accom∣panied with nine others, shall cause his Son to be murdered when he went about some venereal employment.

XXXIII. French.

Le grand naistra de Verone & Vicence, Qui portera un surnom bien indigne, Qui a Venise voudra faire vengeance, Luy mesme prins homme du guet & signe.

English.

The great one of Verona and Vicenza shall be born, Who shall bear a very unworthy surname, Who shall cndeavour at Venice to avenge himself, But he shall be taken by a Watch-man.

ANNOT.

Verona and Vicenza are two famous Cities in Italy, under the dominion of the Ve∣netians; the rest is easie.

XXXIV. French.

Apres victoire du Lion au Lion, Sur la Montagne de Jura Secatombe, Delues, & Brodes septiesme milion, Lyon Ulme a Mausol mort & tombe.

English.

After the Victory of the Lion against the Lion, Upon the Mountain Jura Secatomb, Delues, and Brodes the seventh Million, Lyons, Ulme fall dead at Mausol.

ANNOT.

The Mount Jura is in Switzerland; Lyon is a great City in France; and Ulme ano∣ther in Germany; the rest is either barbarous or insignificant.

XXXV. French.

Dedans l'entree de Garonne & Blaye, Et la Forest non loing de Damazan, De Marsaves gelées, puis gresle & Bize, Dordonois gelé par erreur de Mezan.

English.

Within the entrance of Garonne and Blaye, And the Forrest not far from Damazan, Of Marsaves frosts, then Hail and North wind, Dordonois frozen by the error of Mezan.

ANNOT.

Garonne is the River that runneth at Bourdeaux, and Blaye is the Port Town that lieth at the mouth of it: I should think that instead of Dordonois, it should be Printed Dordone, which is another River thereabouts, and is here threatned to be frozen.

XXXVI. French.

Sera commis contre Oinde a Duché De Saulne, & Saint Aubin, & Beloeuvre, Paver de Marbre, de tours loing pluche, Non Bleteran resister & chef d'oeuvre.

English.

A Dukedom shall be committed against Oinde, Of Saulne, and Saint Aubin, and Beloeuvre, To pave with Marble, and of Towers well pickt, Not Bleteran to resist, and master-piece.

ANNOT.

I confess my Ignorance, and should be glad that a better Oedipus than I would undertake this.

XXXVII French.

La forteresse aupres de la Thamise, Cherra par lors, le Roy dedans serró, Aupres du pont sera veu en chemise, Un devant mort, puis dans le fort barré.

English.

The strong Fort near the Thames Shall fall then, the King that was kept within, Shall be seen near the Bridge in his Shirt, One dead before, then in the Fort kept close.

ANNOT.

The Dream be to them that hate thee, and the Interpretation thereof to thine Enemies, Dan. 4, v. 10.

XXXVIII. French.

Le Roy de Blois dans Avignon regner, Un autrefois le peuple emonopole, Dedans le Rhosne par murs fera baigner, Jusques a cinq, le dernier pres de Nole.

English.

The King of Blois in Avignon shall Reign Another time the people do murmur, He shall cause in the Rhosne to be bathed through the Walls, As many as five, the last shall be near Nole.

ANNOT.

This foretelleth that a King of France shall take Avignon, which is a City in France belonging to the Pope. And that some of the people beginning to murmur and mutiny, he shall cause five of them to be thrown over the Walls into the Rhosne, which is a swift River that passeth by. Nole must be some place thereabouts.

XXXIX. French.

Qu'aura esté par Prince Bizantin, Sera to llu par Prince de Tholose, La foy de Foix, par le chef Tholentin, Luy faillira ne resusant l'espouse.

English.

What shall have been by a Bazantin Prince, Shall be taken away by the Prince of Tholose, The faith of Foix by the chief Tholentin, Shall fail him, not refusing the Spouse.

ANNOT.

I can understand nothing else by Prince Bizantin, but some Prince of the house of Gonzagne, who derive their pedigree from that of the Palaeologues, formerly Empe∣rours of Constantinople, called in ancient time Bizantium. As for the Prince of Tho∣lose, there having been none this two or three hundred years since that Country was devolved to the Crown of France; but the King himself, I suppose he must be un∣derstood here; so that the sense of this Prophecie, (if any be) is, that the King of France shall take something from the Duke of Mantua, who is the head of the Gon∣zagues, as he hath done formerly several times.

By the faith of Foix, is understood the late Duke of Rohan, who descended from the house of Foix, and who did war against the said Duke of Mantua at that time, when the King of France, Lewis XIII. would not suffer his Brother the Duke of Orleans to Marry the Princess Mary, Daughter of the Duke of Nevers, of the house of Gon∣zague, and lately Queen of Poland.

XL French.

Le sang du juste par Taur & la Dorade, Pour se vanger contre les Saturnins, Au nouveau Lac plongeront la Mainade, Puis marcheront contre les Albanins.

English.

The blood of the just by Taur and Dorade, To avenge themselves against the Saturnins, In the new Lake shall sink the Mainade, Then shall go forth against the Albanins.

ANNOT.

Here the Author hath kept his mind to himself, as for my part, being ignorant of his barbarous words, I had rather leave the sense of this to the judgement of the Reader, than by an incongruous and far fetched interpretation make my self ridi∣culous.

XLI. French.

Esleu sera Renard ne sonnant mot, Faisant le Saint public, vivant pain d'orge, Tyranniser apres tant a un cop, Mettant le pied des plus grands sur la gorge.

English.

A Fox shall be elected that said nothing, Making a publick Saint, living with Barley bread, Shall tyrannise after upon a sudden, And put his foot upon the Throat of the greatest.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy seemeth to regard particularly the Pope, who having played the Hypocrite before his Election, eating nothing but Barley bread, that he might be reputed a Saint, shall after his Election tyrannise upon a sudden, and trample upon the Throat of the greatest Monarchs, as they have done formerly, and would do yet if they could.

XLII. French.

Par avarice, par force & violence, Viendra vexer les siens chess d'Orleans, Prez Saint Memire assaut & resistance, Mort dans sa Tente, diront quil dort leans.

English.

By avarice, by force and violence, Shall come to vex his own chief of Orleans, Near Saint Memire assault and resistance, Dead in his Tent, they'l say he sleepeth there.

ANNOT.

The construction of this must be thus made. The Chiefs of Orleans, (which is a famous Town in France) shall come to vex their own (I suppose) Citizens And near that place called Saint Memire, shall be a fight, where one of those chief ones shall be killed, or die in his Tent, and shall be denyed under pretence of being asleep:

XLIII. French.

Par le decide de deux choses Bastars, Nepveu du sang occupera le Regne, Dedans Lectoure seront les coups de dards, Nepveu par peur pleira l'Enseigne.

English.

By the decision of two things, Bastards, Nephew of the Blood shall occupy the Kingdom, Within Lectoure shall be strokes of Darts, Nephew through fear shall fold up his Ensign.

ANNOT.

I think that instead of decision it should be division, and then the sense is easily made up, thus; that through the division of two Bastards, the Nephew of the Blood shall occupy the Kingdom, which Nephew afterwards in a fight at Lectoure, (which is a strong Town in Gascony) shall be put to the worst, and compelled to fold up his Ensigns.

XLIV. French.

Le procrée naturel d'Ogmion, De sept a neuf du chemin destourner, A Roy de longue & amy au my hom, Doit a Navarre fort de Pau prosterner.

English.

The natural begotten of Ogmyon, From seven to nine shall put out of the way, To King of long, and friend to the half man, Ought to Navarre prostrate the fort of Pau.

ANNOT.

A man needeth a good pair of Spectacles to see through all this, what I under∣stand in it is that this Bastard of Ogmyon, by whom he meaneth the King of France, ought to submit the Fort of Pau to Navarre, and good reason too; for Navarre is the Kingdom, and Pau only the chief Town of one Province of it, called Bearn.

XLV. French.

La main escharpe & la jambe bandée, Louis puisné de Palais partira, Au mot du guet la mort sera tardée, Puis dans le Temple a Pasques seignera.

English.

The hand on a Scarf, and the leg swadled, The younger Lewis shall go from Palais, At the Watch word his death shall be protracted, Then afterwards at Easter he shall bleed in the Temple.

ANNOT.

The Prince of Condè, whose name was Lewis, and the youngest of the Children of Charles of Bourbon, the first Duke of Vendosme, father to Anthony of Bourbon, King of Navarre, went away from the Court in the time of Francis the second King of France, and came into Bearn to the King his Brother. He was summoned many times by Francis II. to come to Court; but finding his name to be amongst those that intended to suprise Lion, he durst not venture.

Nevertheless he was perswaded by his Uncle the Cardinal of Bourbon, and came to the Court at Orleans. It is easie to believe that he fained himself to be hurt by a fall from his Horse, or that really he was so; having his Arm in a Scarf, and his Leg swadled up, in which posture he came to testifie his obedience to the Kings commands.

In this posture of a wounded man, whether really and fictitiously he came from Palais, which by mistake is printed Calais; the Printer being ignorant, that in Bearn, where the Prince had sheltered himself, there is a Castle called Palais, which was the place that the Prince used to live in.

Being come to Court he was presently arrested, arraigned and condemned to death. Nevertheless the Kings sickness proving mortal, the execution was suspen∣ded, and his life saved. After that the Prince sought all o••casions to revenge him∣self, and began about Easter in April following. It was not by an open Rebellion against the King, but under pretence to maintain the Protestant Religion: there∣fore the Author saith, that this life saved shall bleed in the Temple; because the Princes pretext was the Temple and the Church; that is Religion. Hence the fourth Verse is clearly understood. Resteth the third Verse, which saith, that his life was differred till the Watch word; because the Queen seeing the King her Son upon his death bed, caused secretly the execution of the Sentence to be differred, that she might make use of the King of Navarre, and of the Prince his Brothers favour, against the house of Guise, for the obtaining of the Regency.

Moreover I observe, that in the year 1562. the Prince of Condè began openly to rebel, surprising the City of Orleans the 29 of March, which was Easter day that year, which sheweth the truth of the fourth Verse.

XLVI. French.

Pol Mensolee mourra trois lieues du Rhosne, Fuis les deux prochains Tarare destrois, Car Mars fera le plus horrible Throsne, De Coq & d'Aigle, de France frere trois.

English.

Paul Mensolée Shall die three Leagues from the Rhosne, Avoid the two straights near the Tarare; For Mars shall keep such a horrible Throsne, Of Cock and Eagle, of France three Brothers.

ANNOT.

By this Pol Mensolée, he meaneth some proper name. Tarare is a great Moun∣tain near the City of Lions, that hath two principal ways to go through, which here he calleth Straights; for indeed they are very dangerous for Thieves and Mur∣derers. The rest is but a threating of War between the Emperour and France, when there shall be three Brothers in France.

XLVII. French.

Lac Trasmenien portera tesmoignage, Des conjurez ferrez dedans Perouse, Un Despolle contrefera le••sage, Tuant Tedesque de Sterne & Minuse.

English.

Trasmenian Lake shall bear witness Of the Conspirators shut up in Perugia, A Despolle shall counterfeit the wise, Killing Tedesque of Sterne and Minuse.

ANNOT.

I think that the Impression is false here; for instead of Despolle, which is a bar∣barous word, and signifieth nothing, I would have it in French Despoville, in English robbed of all; so that Trasmenian Lake is that Lake in Italy not far from the Town of Perugia, where Hannibal gave that notable overthrow to the Romans, and killed above 20000. of them, with their consul Flaminius.

That man whom he calleth here robbed of all, shall kill some Germans; for Tu∣desco in Italian, is a German, the two last words are barbarous.

XLVII. French.

Saturne en Cancer, Jupiter avec Mars, Dedans Fevrier Caldondon, Salvaterre, Sault, Castalon, assailly de trois parts, Pres de Verbiesque, conflict mortelle guerre.

English.

Saturn in Cancer, Jupiter with Mars, In February Caldondon, Salvaterre, Sault, Castalon, assaulted on three sides, Near Verbiesque, fight and mortal War.

ANNOT.

The multiplicity of barbarous and insignificant words, makes this incapable of any construction, if any body will exercise his wit thereupon, I shall willingly lend him my ear.

XLIX. French.

Satur au Boeuf, Jove en l'Eau, Mars en fleche, Six de Fevrier mortalité donra, Ceux de Tardaigne a Bruges si grand breche Qu'a Ponterose chef Barbarin mourra.

English.

Satur in Ox, Jupiter in water, Mars in arrow, The sixth of February shall give mortality, Those of Tardaigne shall make in Bruges so great a breach. That the chief Barbarin shall die at Pontrose.

ANNOT.

Satur in Oxe; that is, Saturn in Taurus, Jupiter in Water; that is, Jupiter in Aqua∣rius; Mars in arrow, is Mars in Sagitarius; when these things shall happen. The sixth day of February shall bring a great mortality. Tardaigne is a fictitious name, un∣less he intended Sardaigne. Bruges is a Town in Flander, Ponterose is some place, where he saith, that the chief Barbarin shall die, the chief Barbare was the Pope Urban the eighth; but because I do not know the particularities of his death, and the place of it. I cannot make the rest good.

L. French.

La Pestilence lentour de Capadille, Un autre faim pres de Sagunt sapreste, La Chevalier Bastard de bon senille, Au grand de Thunes fera trancher la teste.

English.

The Plague shall be round about Capadille, Another famine cometh near to that of Sagunce, The Knight Bastard of the good old man, Shall cause the great one of Tunis to be beheaded.

ANNOT.

The difficulty here, is what is meant by that word Cappadille, for my part I think he meaneth Italy, for some times the Italians use by way of admiration to say Capoli, or Capadillo. Sagunce is a Town in Spain, which for the love of the Carthaginians withstood the Romans a great while, till they were brought to an extremity of famine, and then set fire in their Town.

LI. French.

Le Bizantin faisant oblation, Apres avoir Cordube a soy reprinse, Son chemin long, repos, pamplation, Mer passant proye par la Cologne a prinse.

English.

The Bizantin, making an offering, After he hath taken Cordua to himself again, His way l ng, rest, contemplation, Crossing the Sea hath taken a prey by Cologne.

ANNOT.

This is an express delineation of Charles the V. Empire, who at the latter end of his days retired into a Monastery, reserving unto himself for his subsistance the re∣venue of the Kingdom of Castille, expressed here by Cordua, which is a City of Spain.

LII. French.

Le Roy de Blois dans Avignon Regner, D'Amboise & Seme viendra le long de Lindre. Ongole a Poitiers Saintes aisles ruiner, Devant Bony:

English.

The King of Blois shall Reign in Avignon, He shall come from Amboise and Seme, along the Linder, A Nail at Poitiers shall ruine the Holy Wings, Before Bony.

ANNOT.

The first Verse and the interpretation is easie.

Amboise is a Town in France upon the River of Loire.

The two last Verses being inperfect, admits of no interpretation, onely to let the Reader know that Poitiers is a very great City in France, and Capital of the Province of Poitou.

LIII. French.

Dedans Boulogne voudra laver ses fautes, Il ne poura au Temple du Soleil, Il volera faisant choses si hautes, En Hierarchie n'en fut onc un pareil.

English.

He shall desire to wash his faultes in Bulloin, In the Church of the Sun, but he shall not be able, He shall fly doing so high things, That the like was never in Hierarchy.

ANNOT.

There is two Towns called Bolloin, one is in Italy, the other in France, the last is that which is meant here; for Cardinal Richelieu who is the man that did so high things, and the like of which was never in Hierarchy (that is in the Clergy) a little afore his death had vowed if he recovered his health to go in Pilgrimage to Bulloin, where there is a famous Temple for Miracles, (as they say) dedicated to our Lady, which is called here the Sun, by an allusion to that passage of the Revelation: And there appeared a Woman cloathed with the Sun; but the said Cardinal was prevented by death.

LIV. French.

Soubs la couleur du traité mariage, Fait magnanime par grand Chiren Selin, Quintin, Arras, recouvrez au voiage, D'Espagnols fait second banc Macelin.

English.

Under pretence of a Treaty of Marriage, A Magnanimous act shall be done by the great Cheiren Selin, Quintin, Arras recovered in the journey, Of Spaniards shall be made a second Macelin Bench.

ANNOT.

This is a Prognostication concerning a King of France, meant here by the great Cheiren Selin, who under pretence of a Treaty of Marriage, shall recover in his jour∣ney these two Towns Saint Quintin and Arras, for the Shambles are called in Latine Macellum. Quodilimactentur pectora quae mercatoribus venundantur.

LV. French.

Entre deux Fleuves se verra enserré, Tonneaux & caques unis a passer outre, Huit Pont rompus chef a tant enferré, Enfans parfaits sont jugulez en coultre.

English.

Between two Rivers he shall find himself shut up, Tuns and Barrels put together to pass over, Eight Bridges broken, the chief at last in Prison, Compleat children shall have their throat cut.

ANNOT.

It is an accident that hath often happened to a Commander of an Army, to find himself either by his own oversight, or by the policy of his enemies, shut up between two Rivers, having upon neither of them a Bridge at his command; as it did hap∣pen once to the Prince of Condé, the Grandfather of this, in the time of the Civil war for Religion, who was forced by it to dissolve his Army, and bid every one shift for himself, so that they almost all escaped by several small parties, some going one way some another, at such time it is an ordinary shift to make use of empty Vessels and Caskes to make a Bridge, as our Author doth mention here.

LVI. French.

La bande foible la Terre occupera, Ceux du haut lieu feront horribles cris, Le gros troupeau d'estre coin troublera, Tombe pres D. nebro descouvert les escrits.

English.

The weak party shall occupy the ground, Those of the high places shall make fearful cries, It shall trouble the great flock in the right corner, He falleth near D. nebro discovereth the writings.

ANNOT.

I dare not comment upon this, for fear it should be said of me, what was said of the Glose of Accurtius; obscura per obscurius.

LVII. French.

De Soldat simple parviendra en Empire, De Robe courte parviendra a la longue, Vaillant aux Armes, en Eglise ou plus pire, Vexer les Prestres comme l'eau fait l'esponge.

English.

From a simple Souldier he shall come to have the supreme command, From a short Gown he shall come to the long one, Vaillant in Arms, no worse man in the Church, He shall vex the Priests, as water doth a Spunge.

ANNOT.

I never knew nor heard of any body to whom this Stanza might be better applied, then to the late Usurper Cromwel, for from a simple Souldier, he be

came to be Lord Protector, and from a Student in the University he became a gra∣duate in Oxford, he was valliant in Arms, and the worse Churchman that could be found; as for vexing the Priests, I mean the Prelatical Clergy, I believe none went beyond him.

LVIII French.

Regne en querelle aux freres divisé, Prendre les Armes & les nom Britannique, Tiltre Anglican sera tard advisé Surprins de nuit, mener a l'air Gallique.

English.

A Kingdom in dispute, and divided between the Brothers, To take the Arms and the Britannick name, And the English title, he shall advise himself late, Surprised in the night and carried into the French air.

ANNOT.

This prognosticateth a great division in England between Brothers, about the Title and Kingdom of England, insomuch, that in conclusion one shall be surprised by night, and carried away into France.

LIX. French.

Par deux fois haut, par deux fois mis a bas, L'Orient aussi l'Occident foiblira, Son adversaire apres plusieurs combats, Par Mer chassé au besoin faillira.

English.

Twice set up high, and twice brought down, The East also the West shall weaken, His adversary after many fights, Expelled by Sea, shall fail in need.

ANNOT.

This foretelleth of some considerable person, who shall be twice set up, and brought down again. The second Verse is pronounced after the manner of the old Oracles, as ••iote Aeacida Romanos vincere posse,

For no body can tell here whither the East shall weaken the West, or otherways. The last two Verses are easie.

LX. French.

Premier en Gaule, premier en Romanie, Par Mer & Terre aux Anglois & Paris, Merveilleux faits par cette grand mesgnie, Violant, Terax perdra le Norlaris.

English.

The first in France, the first in Romania, By Sea and Land to the English and Paris, Wonderful deeds by that great company, By ravishing, Terax shall spoil the Norlaris.

ANNOT.

The first in France is the King, the first in Romania is the Pope, who it seemeth shall joyn together by Sea and Land, and come against Paris, who shall call the En∣glish to its help, insomuch, that strange deeds shall be done by that great company. As for Terax, it seemeth to be the proper name of some man, who by ravishing a woman called here the Norlaris, shall spoil her and cause sad consequences. Norlaris by transposition of Letters is Lorrain.

LXI. French.

Jamais par le decouvrement du jour, Ne parviendra au signe Sceptrifere, Que tous Sieges ne soient en sejour, Portant au Coq don du Tag a misere.

English.

Never by the discovering of the day, He shall attain to the Sceptriferous sign, Till all his seats be settled, Carrying to the Cock a gift from the Tag to misery.

ANNOT.

This signifieth that one pretending to a Kingdom, shall never attain to it by often removing his place, until all his seats be settled, that is, untill his wandring be cea∣sed. And a gift brought by him to the King of France from Portugal, signified here by the Tag, which is the River of Lisbon the Capital City of it, from which gift shall proceed misery.

LXII. French.

Lors qu'on verra expiler le Saint Temple, Plus grand du Rhosne, & sacres prophaner: Par eux naistra pestilence si grande, Roy fait injuste ne fera condamner.

English.

When one shall see spoiled the Holy Temple, The greatest of the Rhosne, and sacred things prophaned, From them shall come so great a pestilence, That the King being unjust shall not condemn them.

ANNOT.

The greatest Temple of the Rhosne, is that of the City of Lion, which is seated upon that River of Rhosne, which when it shall be robbed and spoiled, then shall come a horrid Pestilence, which our Author attributeth to the injustice of the King then Reigning, who shall neglect to punish those Sacriledges.

LXIII. French.

Quand l'adultere blessé sans coup aura, Meurdry la femme & le fils par depit, Femme assomée l'Enfant estranglera, Huit captifs prins sestoufer sans respit.

English.

When the Adulterer wounded without a blow, Shall have murdered the wife and son by spight, The woman knocked down, shall strangle the child, Eight taken prisoners, and stifled without tarrying.

ANNOT.

This is the description of a sad Tragedy, which to understand, you must joyn all the Verses together, and make it one sense. The Adulterer wounded without a blow, is one that shall get a disease, (suppose the Pox) his wife finding fault with it, he shall murder her, and her Son; she not being quite dead shall strangle another Child (which it seemeth she had by this Adulterer) and for this fact eight shall be taken pri∣soners and immediately hanged, by which you must suppose the fact to be done in France, for there they Judge and Hang immediately, whereby in England they must stay till Sessions-time.

LXIV French.

Dedans les Isles les enfans transportez, Les deux de sept seront en desespoir, Ceux de terroüer en seront supportez, Nompelle prins, des ligues fuy l'espoir.

English.

In the Islands the Children shall be transported, The two of seven shall be in despair, Those of the Countrey shall be supported by, Nompelle taken, avoid the hope of the League.

ANNOT.

This seemeth to have a great relation to our late unhappy troubles in England, when the Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Glocester were transported into the Isle of Wight, which are the two of the seven, (for the Queen hath had seven children) and the Kings Majesty and his Highness the Duke of York, were driven into the Low-Countreis, being in a manner in dispair of ever coming again, and those Coun∣treys were much the better for the harbouring of them; in the last Verse by Nompelle I understand Anagrammatically Monpelier, which being taken, there is no more

hope in the League, as it did happen in the time of Henry the IV. King of France, who never saw the League or Covenant quite routed, till that Town was taken; for it is familiar enough to those kind of Prophets to make an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and joyn things past, to those that are to come, to darken the Readers understanding, and as the Scripture saith, Us videntes non videant.

LXV French.

Le vieux frustré du principal espoir, Il parviendra au chef de son Empire, Vingt mois tiendra le Regne a grand pouvoir, Tyra••••, cruel en delaissant un pire.

English.

The old man frustrated of his chief hope, He shall attain to the head of his Empire, Twenty months he shall keep the Kingdom with great power, Tyrant, cruel, and leaving a worse one.

ANNOT.

The words of this Prophecy are plain enough, and because I cannot learn in Hi∣story that such things have come to pass yet, therefore I reckon it among those de future.

LXVI. French.

Quand l'Escriture D. M. trouvée, Et Cave antique a Lampe descouverte, Loy, Roy, & Prince Vlpian esprouvée, Pavillon, Royne & Duc soubs la couverte.

English.

When the writing D. M. shall be found, And an ancient Cave discovered with a Lamp, Law, King, and Prince Ulpian tried, Tent, Queen and Duke under the rugge.

ANNOT.

In the year 1555. Ferdinand Alvaro of Toledo Duke of Alba, being sent by Charles the V. into Italy to resist the French, arrived in June at Milan, and having gathered together, all his Forces, Besieged the Town St. Jago, but Henry II. King of France sending some succours by the Duke of Aumale, he raised up his siege, and put his Army into Garrisons. The Duke of Alba leaving the Field in this manner, the Duke of Aumale besieged Vulpian, wherein were 1000. souldiers in Garrison, under the command of Caesar of Naples, besides the Inhabitants. Never was a place so su∣riously assaulted, and so manfully defended, so that the French were many times beaten back; but at last after 24 days siege the Duke of Aumale did gloriously take it.

The Author foretelling the time of this victory, said it was when the writing D M. in big letters was found, that is to say, about the II. of September after the Equinox, because in the Ephemerides, the Meridional descension of the Planets,

and chiefly of Sol, Venus, and Mercury is marked with these two Letters D. M. which descension cometh to pass after the Equinox of Autumn towards the end of Septem∣ber. At the same time was discovered an ancient Cave, wherein was found one of those Lamps, that cannot be put out, and burns continually without any addition of Oil, by an invention that is lost. Such another was found in the time of Alexander the VI. and Adrian the VI.

The Town of Vulpian was at that time tried by a King and a Prince, viz. Henry the II. and the Duke of Aumale Prince of Lorrain, and Brother to the Cardinal of Lor∣rain, and to the Duke of Guise.

The Author addeth, that besides these three things, viz. the finding of the letters D. M. The Cave discovered the siege of Vulpian; there happened a fourth one, viz. that a Queen and a Duke should consult together in a Summer-house, about the im∣portant affairs of the Kingdom. To understand this, we must suppose that Pope Paul the IV. willing to secure his own person and the Ecclesiastical State against the Spa∣nish faction, and that of the Colonese, did seize upon many places belonging to the said Colonese, and knowing besides that the Spaniards being of the Coloneses party, would not fail to come upon him, he disposed the King of France to come to his suc∣cours, so that the Queen having a particular confidence in the Duke of Guise, did consult with him about this business in some Summer-house, which the French call a Pavillon,

LXVII. French.

Par. Car. nersaf, a ruine grand discorde, Ne l'un ne l'autre n'aura election, Nersaf du peuple aura a mour & concorde, Ferrare, Collonne grande protection.

English.

Par. Car. Nersaf, to ruine great discord, Neither one nor the other shall be Elected, Nersaf, shall have of the people love and concord, Ferrare, Colonna, great protection.

ANNOT.

It is very hard to say what the Author meaneth by these disjunctives Par. Car. Nersaf, all what can be gathered by what follows, is, that there shall be a great va∣riance and strife about an Election, (I suppose of a Pope as it useth to be) and that Nersaf shall have the good will of the people, and yet none of them shall be Elected.

As for the fourth Verse, it is to be noted first that Ferrara is a strong Town in Italy belonging to the Pope, and Colonna is the ••••me of the chief Family in Rome, now whether Ferrara shall be a protection to Colonna, or Colonna to Ferrara, we leave it to the Reader to judge, because the Verse hath a double sense.

LXVIII. French.

Vieux Cardinal par le jeune deceu, Hors de sa charge se verra desarmé, Arles ne monstres double fort apperceu, Et l'Aqueduct & le Prince embaumé.

English.

An old Cardinal shall be cheated by a young one, And shall see himself out of his imployment, Arles do not show, a double fort perceived, And the Aqueduct, and the embalmed Prince.

ANNOT.

The two first Verses are very plain, the two last not so; therefore observe that Arles is a City in France, in the Countrey of Danphine or Provence, famous for anti∣quity, which is forwarned here not to shew its Forts, nor its Aqueducts, (which are buildings to convey water, nor its embalmed Prince, which it seemeth lyeth there∣about buried. The Author hath deprived here the Author of the reasons for why?

LXIX. French.

Aupres du jeune se vieux Ange baiser, Et le viendra surmonter a la fin, Dix ans esgaux aux plus vieux rabaisser, De trois deux l'un huitiesme Seraphin,

English.

Near the young one the old Angel shall bowe, And shall at last overcome him, Ten years equal, to make the old one stoop, Of three, two, one, the eight a Seraphin.

ANNOT.

This is the description of a grand Cheat, when an old man called here Angel, shall stoop before a young one, whom he shall overcome at last, after they have been ten years equal. The last Verse is Mistical, for there is four numbers, three, two, one, which make six; and eight, which he calleth Seraphin, whether by allusion to that Quire of Angels, which some call the eight, or whether to the Order of St. Francis, who calleth it self Seraphical, is not easie to determine.

LXX. French.

Il entrera vilain, meschant, infame, Tyrannisant la Mesopotamie, Tous amis fait d'Adulterine Dame, Tetre horrible noir de Physiognomie.

English.

He shall come in villaen, wicked, infamous, To tyranise Mesopotamia, He maketh all friends by an adulteress Lady, Foul, horrid, black in his Physiognomie.

ANNOT.

Mesopotamia is a Greek word, signifying a Countrey between two Rivers; and though there be many Countreys so seated, yet to this day, it properly belongeth to that Countrey, that lyeth between the two famous Rivers Tigris and Euphrates near Babylon; the rest is easie.

LXXI. French.

Croistra le nombre si grand des Astronomes, Chassez bannis & livres censureq L'An mil six cens & sept par sacrez glomes, Que nul au sacres ne seront asseurez.

English.

The number of Astronomers shall grow so great, Driven away, bannished, Books censured, The year one thousand six hundred and seven by sacred glomes, That none shall be secure in the sacred places.

ANNOT.

The sense of this is clear, viz. that about the year 1607. the number of Astrono∣mers shall grow very great, of which some shall be expelled and banished, and their Books censured and suppressed: the rest is insignisicant to me.

LXXII. French.

Champ Perusin O l'Enorme deffaite, Et le conflict tout aupres de Ravenne, Passage sacra lors qu'on fera la seste, Vaincueur vaincu, Cheval mange L'avenne.

English.

Perugian Fi••l••, O the excessive rout, And the fight about Ravenna, Sacred passage when the Feast shall be celebrated, The victorious vanquished, the Horse to cat up his Oats.

ANNOT.

Perugia is a City in Italy, and so is Ravenna, by which it seemeth there shall be a notable Battle fought, as was once before in the time of Lewis the XII King of France between Gaston de Foix his Nephew, and Don Raimond de Cardonne Vice-roy of Na∣ples, for there the French got the Battle; in conciusion of which, the said Gaston de Foix pursuing a Troop of Spaniards that were reti••ing, was unfortunately kill'd, and so the victorious were vanquished.

LXXIII. French.

Soldat Barbare le grand Roy frapera, Injustement non eslogine de mort, L'Avare Mere du fait cause sera, Conjurateur & Regne en grand remort.

English.

A Barbarous Souldier shall strike the King, Unjustly, not far from death, The covetous Mother shall be the cause of it, The Conspirator and Kingdom in great remorse.

ANNOT.

These words are so plain that they need no interpretation.

LXXIV. French.

En Terre neuve bien avant Roy entré, Pendant subjects luy viendront faire accueil, Sa parfidie aura tel rencontré, Qu'aux Citadins lieu de feste & recueil.

English.

A King being entered far into a new Countrey, Whilst his Subjects shall come to welcom him, His perfidiousness shall find such an encounter, That to the Citizens it shall be instead of feast and Welcom.

ANNOT.

The sense of this seemeth to be, that a certain King being far got into a new con∣quered Countrey, where he shall deal perfidiously with his Subjects, that then he shall meet with such an accident, as to his Citizens shall be instead of feast & welcom

LXXV. French.

Le Pere & fils seront meurtris ensemble, Le Presecteur dedans son Pavillon, La Mere a Tours du fils ventre aura enfle, Cache verdure de fueilles papillon.

English.

The Father and Son shall be murdered together, The Governour shall be so in his Tent, At Tours the Mother shall be got with child by her son, Hide the greenness with leaves Butter-flye.

ANNOT.

There is nothing hard here but the last Verse, whereby it is signified, that after such an incest of the Mother with the Son in the City of Tours (wich is a Town in France) the fruit of it shall be secretly buryed, and green Turfs laid upon the place, and Leaves upon them, to take away the knowledge of it.

LXXVI. French.

Plus Macelin que Roy en Angleterre, Lieu obscur ne par force aura l'Empire, Lasche, sans foy, fans loy, seignera Terre, Son temps s'aproche si presque je souspire.

English.

More Macelin then King in England, Born in obscure place, by force shall reign, Of loose disposition, without faith, without Law, the ground shall bleed, His time is drawing so near that I sight for it.

ANNOT.

Macelin, is a Butcher or cruel man, from the Latine word Macellum, which signi∣fieth the Shambles, it is without contradiction that by this Prophecy is plain con∣cerning the late tyrant Cromwel, and his unlawful Government.

LXXVII. French.

L'Antechrist bien tost trois annichilez, Vingt & sept ans durera sa guerre, Les Heretiques morts; captifs exilez, Sang corps humain eau rougie, gresler Terre

English.

By Antichrist three shall shortly be brought to nothing, His War shall last seven and twenty years, The Hereticks dead, Prisoners banished. Blood, humane body, water made red, E••rth hailed.

ANNOT.

What he meaneth here by Antichrist is not easie to determine, for he cannot mean the Pope, himself being a Papist, nor the great Antichrist, whose Reign, ac∣cording to the Scripture, shall last but three years and a half, it is more likely then that this Stanza hath coherence with the precedent, and that by it he meaneth Henry the VIII. who for the space of about 27 years before he dyed, did handle something roughly the Clergy and Clergy-men.

LXXVIII. French.

Un Bragamas avcc la langue torte, Viendra des dieux rompre le Sanctuaire, Aux Heretiques il ouvrira la porte, En suscitant l'Eglise Militaire.

English.

A Bragamas with his crooked Tongue, Shall come and break the Gods Sanctuary, He shall open the Gates unto Hereticks, By raising the Militant Church.

ANNOT.

Bragamas is the same thing that we call now Bragadocio. By the Gods Sanctuary, he meaneth the Temples of the Romish Religion, who are reputed Sanctuaries, and are full of Images, which they worship as Gods, praying and offering Incense to them.

LXXIX. French.

Qui par fer pere perdra, nay de Nonnaire, De Gorgon sur la fin sera sang perferant, En Terre estrange fera si tout de taire, Qu'il bruslera luy mesme & son entant.

English.

He that by Iron shall destroy his Father, born in Nonnaire, Shall in the end carry the blood of Gorgon, Shall in a strange Countrey make all so silent, That he shall burn himself and his intent.

ANNOT.

Nonnaire and Gorgon are two barbarous words, as for the sense of that and the rest, he that shall be able to read the words, shall be as wise as my self.

LXXX. French.

Des innocens le sang de Vefue & Vierge, Tant de maux faits par moiens ce grand Roge, Saints simulachres trempez en ardant cierge, De frayeur crainte ne verra nul que boge.

English.

The blood of the innocent Widow and Virgin, So many evils committed by the means of that great Rogue, Holy Images, dipt in burning wax Candles, For fear no body shall be seen to stir.

ANNOT.

What he meaneth by the great Rogue is not obvious, but the main drift of this Stanza seemeth to be, to foretel the abuses that should be offered to the Popish Ima∣ges by the Protestant party, as it was done in the time of the Civil VVars of France, and a little while after our Author had written his Prophecies.

By the great Rogue, he meaneth some chief Commander of the Protestant party, that were in those days, as the Prince of Conde, the Admiral of Castilon, or his Bro∣ther Dandelot.

LXXXI. French.

Le neuf Empire en desolation, Sera changé du Pole Aquilonaire, De la Sicile viendra l'emotion, Troubler l'Emprise a Philip tributaire.

English.

The new Empire in desolation, Shall be changed from the Northern Pole, The commotion shall come from Sicily, To trouble the undertaking, tributary to Philip.

ANNOT.

This threatneth the Empire that now is in Germany, of a great desolation, and to be removed from its place, and threatneth also the Island of Sicily of a fearful commotion, which shall trouble the undertakings of Philip, that is, King of Spain, because they usually are called by that name.

LXXXII. French.

Ronge long, sec, faisant du bon valet, A la par fin n'aura que son congie, Poignant poison & Lettres au colet Sera saisy, eschapé, en dangié.

English.

Long gnawer, dry, cringing and fawning, In conclusion shall have nothing but leave to be gone, Piercing poison and Letters in his Collar, Shall be seised, escape, and in danger.

ANNOT.

The words of this are easie to be understood, but not who should be that man to whom he giveth these four famous Epithetes of Long-gnawer, dry, cringing and fawning.

LXXXIII. French.

Le plus grand voile hors du port de Zara; Pres de Bizance fera son entreprise, D'Ennemy perte & l'amy ne sera, Le tiers a deux fera grand pille & prise.

English.

The greatest Sail out of the Port of Zara, Near Bizance shall make his undertaking, There shall be no loss of foes or friends, The third shall make a great pillage upon the two.

ANNOT.

By Zara I suppose that the Venetians are meant, who have a very strong Town of that name, situated in Dalmatia. Bizance is Constantinople, as we have said before; now whether this Prophecy was fulfilled when the Venetians took the Island of Te∣nedos, some 20 years ago, which is not far from Constantinople, or whether it is to come, I dare not assert.

LXXXIV. French.

Paterne aura de la Sicile crie, Tous les aprests du Gouphre de Trieste, Qui s'entendra jusques a la Trinacrie, De tant de voiles, fuy, fuy, l'horrible peste.

English.

Paterne shall have out of Sicily a cry, All the preparations of the Gulph of Trieste, That shall be heard as far as Trinacry, Of so many Sails, fly, fly, the horrid plague.

ANNOT.

It hath been impossible for me to make any sense of this, and therefore I believe that it is falsely printed, and that instead of Paterne, it should be Palerme, which is the chief Town in Sicily. Trinacry is Sicily it self, so called, quod tria habeat, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 seu promontoria.

LXXXV. French.

Entre Bayonne & a Sainct Jean de Lux, Sera posé de Mars la promottoire, Aux Hanix d'Aquilon, Nanar hostera Lux, Puis suffoque au lit sans adjoutoire.

English.

Between Bayonne and Saint John de Lux, Shall be put down the promoting of Mars, From the Hunix of the North, Nanar shall take away Lux, Then shall be suffocated in his bed without help.

ANNOT.

Bayonne is a Town in France, upon the stontiers of Spain, and Saint John de Lux is the utmost frontiere of France, that way, (that being supposed) he saith, that about Saint John de Lux, the promoting of the war shall be set down; that is, that peace shall be made, as it was about seven or eight years ago between France and Spain, and the Marriage concluded between the King and the Infanta. The two last Verses are nonsensical, and only set down to make up the rhime.

LXXXVI: French.

Par Arnani, Tholose, & Villefranque, Bande infinie par le Mont Adrian, Passe Riviere, hutin par pont la planque, Bayonne entrer tous Bichoro criant.

English.

By Arnani, Tholose, and Villefranche, An infinite deal of people by the Aprian, Cross Rivers, noise upon the Bridge and plank, Come all into Bayonne crying Bichoro.

ANNOT.

Arnani, Tholose, and Villefranche are Towns of a Province in France called Lan∣guedoc. Mont Adrian is a Mountain thereabout, and Hutin is an old French word, signifying noise and strife, the sense then of this Prophecy is, that by those Towns and Mountains, shall pass an infinite multitude of people, with a great noise and strite, and shall come and enter into Bayonne, every one crying in that Countrey Language Bichoro, which is as much as to say, Victory.

LXXXVII. French.

Mort conspirée viendra en plein effet, Charge donnée & voyage de mort, Esseu, crée, receus, par siens desfait, Sang d'innocence devant soy par remort.

English.

A conspired death shall come to an effect, Charge given, and a journey of death. Elected, created, received, by his own defeated, Blood of Innocency before him by remorse.

ANNOT.

There is no mistical sense in this, and the words are plain, although of crabbid construction.

LXXXVIII. French.

Dans la Sardaigne un noble Roy viendra, Qui ne tiendra que trois ans le Royaume, Plusieurs couleurs avec soy conjoindra, Luy mesme apres soin sommeil Matrirscome.

English.

A noble King shall come into Sardinia Who shall hold the Kingdom only three years, He shall joyn many Colours to his own, Himself afterwards, care, sleep matrirscome.

ANNOT.

Sardinia is an Island in the Mediterranean Sea, now in the possession of the Spa∣paniard, since he took the Kingdom of Naples, the three first Verses are something intelligible, the last is altogether impossible and barbarous.

LXXXIX. French.

Pour ne tomber entre mains de son oncle, Qui ses enfans par regner trucidez, Orant au peuple mettant pied sur Peloncle, Mort & traisné entre Chevaux bardez.

English.

That he might not fall into the hands of his Uncle, That had murdered his Children for to rule, Taking away from the people, and putting his foot upon Peloncle, Dead and drawn among armed Horses.

ANNOT.

This signifieth that an Uncle shall murder his Nephews Children, that he may Reign, and that the said Nephew shall withdraw, and save himself from the said Uncle. The rest is altogether obscure, if not absurd.

XC. French.

Quand des croisez un trouvé de sens trouble, En lieu du sacre verra un Boeuf cornu, Par vierge porc son lieu lors sera double, Par Roy plus ordre ne sera soustenu.

English.

When of the crossed, one of a troubled mind, In a sacred place shall see a horny Oxe, By Virgin Pork then shall his place be double, By King no henceforth, order shall be maintained.

ANNOT.

By the crossed is understood some order of Knight-hood, who for the most part wear that Badge, one of which being mad, and seeing in a Church a Horny Oxe come, by a Virgin Hog shall be kept from harm, or rescued by a Hog or Sow that was a Virgin, and it seems crossed the said Oxe, that he should not gore the Knight, that then such order of Knighthood shall be no more maintained nor up∣held by the King of that Countrey, wherein such thing shall happen.

XCI. French.

Parmy les Champs des Rhodanes entrées, Ou les croisez seront presques unis, Les deux Brassiers en Pisces rencontrées, Et un grand nombre par Deluge punis.

English.

Through the Fields of the Rhodanes comings in, Where the crossed shall be almost united, The two Brassiers met in Pisces, And a great number punished by a Flood.

ANNOT.

Rhodanus in Latine is the River ef Rhosne, which cometh from Switzerland, and passing through the Lake of Geneva, runneth to Lyon, it seemeth then that in those Fields that are about that River there, will be a fearful inundation, when the Bras∣siers (or rather Croziers, which is a constellation so called) shall meet in Pisces, which is one of the twelve Signs of the Zodiack.

XCII. French.

Loin hors du Regne mis en hazard voiage, Grand Ost duyra, pour soy l'occupera, Le Roy tiendra les siens captif, ostage, A son retour tout Pais pillera.

English.

Far from the Kingdom a hazardous journey undertaken, He shall lead a great Army, which he shall make his own, The King shall keep his prisoners, and pledges, At his return he shall plunder all the Countrey.

ANNOT.

These obscure words signifie no more but that a King shall send a great Army far from his Kingdom, the Commander of which Army shall make the Army his own, which the King hearing, shall seize upon the Commanders Relations, and keep them Prisoners and Hostages, for which the said General being angry, shall at his return spoil the Countrey.

XCIII. French.

Sept mois sans plus obtiendra prelature, Par son decez grand schisme fera naistre Sept mois tiendra un autre la Preture, Pres de Venise paix union renaistre.

English.

Seaven months and no more, he shall obtain the Prelacy, By his decease he shall cause a great Schisme, Another shall be seven months chief Justice, Near Venice peace and union shall grow again.

ANNOT.

By this Prophecy three things are foretold, the first is of a Pope that shall fit but seven months, at whose death there will be a great Schisme; the second is of a great Governour or Chief Justice, such as were called by the ancient Romans Praetores, shall be in authority also but seven months; and the third, that hard by Venice all these differences shall be composed, and peace made again.

XCIV. French.

Devant la Lac ou plus cher fut getté, De sopt mois & son Ost desconfit, Seront Hispans par Albanois gastez, Par delay perte en donnant le conflict.

English.

Before the Lake wherein most dear was thrown, Of seven months, and his Army overthrown, Spaniards shall be spoiled by Albaneses, By delaying; loss in giving the Battle.

ANNOT.

It is very difficult, if not impossible to tell what our Author meaneth by the Lake, wherein the most dear was thrown, and lost his Army. The Albaneses are a Nation between the Venetians and Greece, now for the most part subject to the said Venetians.

XCV. French.

Le Seducteur sera mis dans la Fosse, Et estaché jusques a quelque temps, Le Clerc uny, le Chef avec sa Crosse, Pycante droite attraira les contems.

English.

The Deceiver shall be put into the Dungeon, And bound fast for a while, The Clerk united, the head with his Crosierstaf, Pricking upright, shall draw in the contented.

ANNOT.

The two first Verses are plain, the two last Verses not so, which seemeth to fore∣tell of a great union among the Clergy, which shall draw to them those that were peaceably affected.

XCVI. French.

La Synagogue sterile sans nul fruit, Sera receue entre les Infideles, De Babylon la fille du poursuit, Misere & triste luy trenchera les Aisles.

English.

The Synagogue barren, without fruit, Shall be received among the Infidels, In Babylon, the daughter of the persecuted, Miserable and sad shall cut her wings.

ANNOT.

A Synagogue is a place where the Jews assemble for Divine VVorship, as the Christians do in Churches or Temples, the said Jews Synagogue is threatned here to be unfruitful and barren, and chiefly in Babylon, by the means of a woman, daughter of one persecuted; belike of some of their own tribe, whom the rest did persecute.

XCVII. French.

Au sins du Var changer le Pompotans, Pres du Rivage, les trois beaux enfans naistre, Ruine au peuple par Aage competans, Regne au Pais changer plus voir croistre.

English.

At the ends of the Var to change the Pompotans, Near the Shore shall three fair Children be born, Ruine to the people, by competent Age, To change that Countreys Kingdom, and see it grow no more.

ANNOT.

The first Verse being made of insignificant words, as Var and Pompotans cannot be understood; the other three doth foretel of three handsom Children, that shall be born near the Shore, which when they have attained a competent Age, shall change the Kingdom of that Countrey, and suppess it.

XCVII. French.

Des gens d'Eglise sang sera espanche, Comme de l'eau en si grande abundance, Et de long temps ne sera retranché, Veüe au Clerc ruine & doleance.

English.

The blood of Churchmen shall be spilt, As water in such abundance, And for a good while shall not be stayed, Ruine and grievance shall be seen to the Clerk.

ANNOT.

This is easie to be understood, which foretelleth a very great persecuti∣on to the Clergy-men, viz. Papists, of which Religion our Author was, if this be not already past in the Civil Wars of France, that were made for Religion, in the be∣ginning of Reformation, where abundance of Clergy-men did perish on both sides.

XCIX. French.

Par la puissance des trois Rois temporels, En autre lieu sera mis la Saint Siege, Ou la substance de l'Esprit corporel, Sera remis & receu pour vray Siege.

English.

By the power of three Temporal Kings, The Holy See shall be put in another place, Where the substance of the Corporeal spirit, Shall be restored, and admitted for a true seat.

ANNOT.

This Stanza is very remarkable, for the thing it foretelleth, viz. a transla∣tion of the See of Rome, that is, the Popedom into another place by three Temporal Kings, and not only that, but it seemeth by the sense of the last two Verses, that these will keep the Ecclesiastical authority to themselves.

C. French.

Pour l'abundance de l'Armé respandue, Du haut en bas, par le bas au plus haut, Trop grande foy par jeu vie perdue, De soif mourir par abondant defaut.

English.

Through the abundance of the Army scattered, High and low, low and high, Too great a belief a life lost in jesting, To die by thirst, through abundance of want.

ANNOT.

The sense of this is, that by reason of a great Army that shall be much scattered, and occupy a great deal of room, water will be so scarce, that some shall die for thirst, it is that he calleth here, To die by thirst, through abundance of want.

Other Stanza's heretofore Printed, under the VIII. CENTURY.

I. French.

SEront confus plusieurs de leur attente, Aux habitans ne sera pardonné, Qui bien pensoint perseveret l'attente, Mais grand loisir ne leur sera donné

English.

Many shall be confounded in their expectation, The Citizens shall not be forgiven, Who thought to persevere in their resolution, But there shall not be given them a great leisure for it.

ANNOT.

This is plain, and needeth no interpretation.

II. French.

Plusieurs viendront & parleront de Paix, Entre Monarques & Seigneurs bien puissans, Mais ne sera accordé de sipres, Que ne se rendent plus qu'autres obeissans.

English.

Many shall come and shall talk of Peace, Between Monarchs and Lords very powerful, But it shall not be agreed to it so soon, If they do not shew themselves more obedient then others.

ANNOT.

VVe are just now at the Eve of this Prophecy, when so many Princes and Poten∣tates do busie themselves about a Mediation between the two Crowns of France and Spain, &c.

III. French.

Las quelle fureur, helas quelle pitié, Il y aura entre beaucoup de gens, On ne vit onc une tell amitie, Qu'auront les Loups a courir diligens.

English.

Ha! what fury, alas what pitty, There shall be betwixt many people, There was never seen such a friendship, As the Wolfs shall have in being diligent to run

ANNOT.

It is indeed a great fury and pity to see how wicked people, and chiefly Usurers and false dealers, (understood here by the name of VVolfs) are diligent in doing mischief, and to make good the old Proverb, Homo homini ••upus, there being no other Creature but the VVolf that devours those of his own kind.

IV. French.

Beaucoup de gens viendront parlementer, Aux grand Seigneurs qui leur feront la guerre, On ne voudra en rien les escouter, Helas! si Dren n'envoie Paix en Terre.

English.

Many folks shall come to speak, To great Lords that shall make War against them, They shall not be admitted to a hearing, Alas! if God doth not send Peace upon Earth.

ANNOT.

This carrieth its sense with it, and is plain.

V. French.

Plusieurs secours viendront detous costez, De gens lointains qui voudront resister, Ils seront tout a coup bien hastez, Mais ne pourront pour cette heure assister.

English.

Many helps shall come on all sides, Of people far off, that would fain to resist, They shall be upon a sudden all very hasty, But for the present they shall not be able to assist.

ANNOT.

This seemeth to point at this present conjuncture of affairs, where there is so many buisying themselves about the relief of Flanders, of which I see no great likelihood.

VI. French.

Las quel plaisir ont Princes estrangers, Garde toy bien qu'en ton Pais ne Vienne, Il y auroit de terribles dangers, Et en maintes Contrées, mesme en la Vienne,

English.

Ha! what pleasure take Forrain Princes? Take heed least any should come into thy Countrey, There should be terrible dangers, In several Countreys, and chiefly in Vienna.

ANNOT.

There is two Towns called Vienna's, one is in Germany, in the Province of Austria, and is the Emperours Seat, the other in France, a metter of twenty miles beyond Lion, the rest is easie.

THE PROPHECIES OF Michael Nostradamus. CENTURY IX.

I. French.

DAns la maison du Traducteur de Boure, Seront les lettres trouvées sur la Table, Borgne, roux blanc, chenu tiendra de cours, Qui changera au nouveau Connestable.

English.

In the House of the Translator of Boure, The Letters shall be found upon the Table, Blind of one eye, red white, hoary, shall keep its course, Which shall change at the coming of the new Constable.

ANNOT.

It is not easie to understand what he meaneth by the Translator of Boure, unless it be some mean and pittiful fellow, that lived by Translating things from one language into another, because the French use to call a man that is inconsiderable, un homme du boure, that is a man of Flocks, and so much the more I am of this opinion, because of the scurvy Epithetes, he attributeth to the same person, by which he might easily be known as of blind of one eye, red, white, beary, &c.

II. French.

Du haut du Mont Aventin voix ouye, Vuidez, vuidez de tous les deux costez, Du sang des ro••ges sera l'Ire assouvie, D'Arimin, Prato, Columna debotez.

English.

From the top of Mount Aventin, a voice was heard, Get you gone, get you gone on all sides, The Choler shall be fed with the blood of the red ones, From Arimini and Prato, the Colonnas shall be driven away.

ANNOT.

Mount Aventine is one of the seven Mountains of Rome, from the top of which our Author saith that a voice was heard crying and repeating, get you gone, and the reason is, because choler and anger shall feed upon the blood of the Cardinals, understood here by the name of red ones.

Arimini and Prato are two Cities in Italy.

The Colonna is the chiefest and ancientest family of Rome.

III French.

Le magna vaqua a Ravenne grand trouble, Conduits par quinze enserrez a Fornase, A Rome naistra deux Monstres a teste double, Sang; feu, deluge, les plus grands a l'espase,

English.

The Magna vaqua great trouble at Ravenna, Conducted by fifteen, shut up at Fornase, At Rome shall be born two Monsters with a double head, Blood, fire, Flood, the greater ones astonished.

ANNOT.

This word of Magna vaqua is either falsly printed, or altogether barbarous and insignificant, and so is that of Fornase, which maketh the two first Verses incapable of translation; the other are easie.

IV. French.

L'An ensuivant descouverts par Deluge, Deux chefs esleus, le premier ne tiendra, De fuyr ombre a l'un deux le refuge, Saccagee case qui premier maintiendra

English.

The year following being discovered by a Flood, Two Chiefs elected, the first shall not hold, To fly from shade, to one shall be a refuge That house shall be plundered which shall maintain the first.

ANNOT.

Our Author meaneth, that the year after the former Prophecy is come to pass, this shall also be fulfilled, whereby two Chief Commanders shall be chosen, the first of which shall not stand, but shall be compelled to run away, and to seek his security in the open Fields, and that house that did uphold the first shall be plundered.

V. French.

Tiers doigt du pied au premier semblera, A un nouveau Monarque de bas haut, Qui Pise & Luiques tyran occupera, Du precedent corriger le defaut.

English.

The third toe of the foot shall be like the first, To a new high Monarch come from low estate, Who being a Tyrant shall cease upon Pise and Luica, To correct the faults of him that preceded him.

ANNOT.

The meaning of this is, that some body pretending to mend the Government of those two places that are in Italy, shall tyrannically make himself Master of them.

VI. French.

Par la Guyenne infinite d'Anglois, Occuperont par nom d'Angle Aquitaine, Du Languedoc. I. palme Bourdelois, Quils nommeront apres Barboxitaine.

English.

There shall be in Guyenna an infinite number of English, Who shall occupy it by the name of Angle Aquitaine, Of Languedoc, I by the Land of Bourdeaux, Which afterwards they shall call Barboxitaine.

ANNOT.

Here is foretold a famous invasion, that shall be made by the English upon that part of France called Guyenne, and in Latine Aquitania, of which Bourdeaux is the chief City, insomuch, that the English afterwards shall call that Countrey Angl'Aqui∣taine.

VII. French.

Qui ouvrira le Monument trouvé, Et ne viendra le serrer promptement, Mal luy viendra & ne poura prouvé, Si mieux doibt estre Roy Breton ou Normand.

English.

He that shall open the Sepulchre found, And shall not close it up again presently, Evil will befall him, and he shall not be able to prove Whether is best a Britain or Norman King.

ANNOT.

The sense of this is perspicuous.

VIII. French.

Puisnay Roy fait son pere mettre a mort, Apres conflict de mort tres in honeste, Escrit trouvé soupcon, doura, remort, Quand loup chassé pose sur la couchete.

English.

A younger King causeth his father to be put To a dishonest death, after a Battle, Writing shall be found, that shall give suspicion and remorse, When a hunted Wolf shall rest upon a truckle bed.

ANNOT.

The words and sense are plain.

IX. French.

Quand Lampe ardente de feu inextinguible, Sera trouvee au Temple des Vestales, Enfant trouvée, feu, eau passant par crible, Nismes eau perir, Tholon••e chcoi•• les Halles.

English.

When a Lamp burning with unquenchable fire, Shall be found in the Temple of the Vestals, A Child shall be found, Water running through a Sieve, Nismes to perish by Water, the Market-hall shall fall at Tholouse.

ANNOT.

The ancient Vestals, were a Kind of Religious Virgins in the ancient Romans time, who if they did forfeit their honour, were buried alive in a Cave, with a little Bread and Water, and a Lamp burning, our Author would have, that when a Lamp shall be found lighted with an unquenchable fire, in that place where then their

Temple was, that then Nismes (which is a City of Languedoc, shall perish by Water, and the Market-hall of Tholouse shall fall, whether such a Lamp may be contrived as to burn with an unquenchable fire, is too long and tedious a discourse to be disputed here.

X. French.

Moine, Moinesse d'Enfant mort expose, Mourir par Ourse & ravy par verrier, Par Foix & Panniers le Camp sera posé, Contre Tholose, Carcas, dresser forrier.

English.

Monk and Nun having exposed a dead Child, To be killed by a she Bear, and snatcht away by a Glazier, The Camp shall be set by Foix and Panniers, And against Tholouse, Carcas shall raise a Harbinger.

ANNOT.

Foix and Panniers are two Towns in Languedoc, and so are Tholouse and Carassonne, called here Carcas, for the abbreviation of the Verse, the sense then of this prophecy is, that when the two first Verses shall come to pass, that then an Army shall lie about those Towns, and Carcassonne shall be against Thoulouse.

XI. French.

Le juste a tort a mort l'on viendra mettre, Publiquement, & du milieu estaint, Si grande Peste en ce lieu viendra naistre, Que les Jugeans fouyr seront contraints.

English.

The just shall be put to death wrongfully, Publickly, and being taken out of the midst, So great a Plague shall break into that place, That the Judges shall be compelled to run away.

ANNOT.

Many understand this of the late King, and last Plague.

XII. French.

Le tant d'argent de Diane & Mercure, Les simulachres au Lac seront trouvez, Le Figulier cherchant argille neuve, Luy & les siens, d'or seront abreuvez.

English.

The so much Silver of Diana and Mercury The Statues shall be found in the Lake, The Potter seeking for new clay, He and his shall be filled with Gold.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy is concerning a Potter, who seeking and digging for new Clay, shall find in a drained Lake the Statues of Diana and Mercury all of silver, besides other great riches; seeing this Prophecy is not come to pass yet (that I know) it will not be amiss, for the divertisement of the Reader, to relate here a notable and au∣thentical History of a Potter that hath much ressemblance with this, and will be a convincing Argument, that Mines grow in the Earth as Turfs do, and as Virgil sayeth of the golden branch:

Uno avulso non deficit alter.

It is written by Doctor de Rochas, Physitian to the present Chancellor of France, who was upon the place, and an eye witness of the circumstances of it, having also an interest in it, in the behalf of his Father, who was overseer of the Mines in that Province, therefore I shall relate it in his own words, as they are in his Book of Mine∣ral Waters.

In Provence near Thoulon, is a Mountain called Carquairené, at the foot of which and near the brim of the Sea, there dwelled a Potter with all histools about * 1.1 him; It chanced that on a day as he went to fetch Wood in that Mountain, to bake his wares, he heard a voice of a little Kid, which some Shepherd had left behind them unawares, and was fallen in a little hole that answered to natural, great and deep Caves; this man seeing no Shepherds about him, thought presently it was a strayed Kid, therefore he followed the cry with his ear so direct∣ly, that he came by the orifice of that hole, where he heard and saw the Kid, which he resolved to carry away with his Wood, therefore he took the Cords that were at his Mules Saddle, and that he used to bind his Load with, and with the help of them, and of some big pieces of VVood he got down, where, he did observe round about him many other Caves, contiguous and separated from this, which his curiosi∣ty caused him to view, and found in the chief of these Caves a great quantity of stones heaped upon one another, & of a substance and colour of Brass, and among the rest there was one that came forth out of the Rock, about the bigness, shape, and length of a mans arm, when it is stretched out; he did apparently judge that the weight and brittleness of that matter had caused those stones to fall down, and that the same that he saw come out of the Rock in this manner, was already loose and like to fall; this man finding himself among such an abundance of rich Lingots, which fortune did offer him, did not know the value of them, but did like the Cock of Aesop which left the precious Pearl to take the Corn of VVheat; thus this Jason took very little of this Golden Fleece, and only a small piece, which he broke from a big∣ger with one of his Tools, and imployed all his industry to carry away his Kid, which at last with much ado he got out, and carried upon his Mule, believing certainly that this provision would be more profitable to him and his Family, then the yellow stone which he had in his pocket, weighing about five pounds, and which he intended to give to a Tinker of Thoulon, his Gossip and good friend, in hope that for the same he might be presented with a bottle of VVine, to keep company to his Kid; and accordingly the next morning by break of day he went to Thoulon, and stayed in the Shop of his friend, who did look with admiration upon so resplendent Brass; a

Gold-smith who lodged over the way, and observed the splendor of that Divine mettal, drew near, and presently would have bargained for it, with a great deal of transportation and alteration. The Potter asked him only twenty pence, which the Gold-smith would have given him presently, but the Tinker making sign to him to retract his words, he put his lingot in his pocket again, with protestation that he would not part with it, unless he had something that were worth the pains of going where he had it; in conclusion, after many contestations and disputes, the Potter who did suspect that it might be gold, would not sell nor deliver it under the sum of thirty Crowns, which the Gold-smith paid him presently, and which he carried away with more joy, then if he had been possessor of greater riches; the Gold-smith on the other side, who thought that his profit would be above a hundred pounds ster∣lings, did refine this stone, that was about five pound weight, out of which he drew four pound weight, of very good and pure gold, the rest was a kind of dross, that made it thus brittle; one ought not to think that the Mine is all of the same perfe∣ction, but it purifieth it self, according as nature thrusteth it out of the Rock, as we see that Rubies and Emeralds are purer, then the Rock from whence they come. This Gold-smith having found such fortune, and being resolved to make the best use of it, went to the Lord Scaravaque, then Governour of the Town, and imparted unto him this new discovery, that he might have his afsistance and favour in it, and that under his power and authority he might follow and wait upon this precious business without being disturbed by any body, to which the Governour did so much the easier consent, that this Tradesman did obli••ge himself to give him the best part of the pro∣fit that should arise from thence, and that should exceed any Travels into the Indies or Peru.

In the mean time the Potter was not asleep, the Gold-smiths money had stirred his appetite, and the charm of this witchcraft that worketh generally upon all spirits, did put him upon new hopes. He went into the Mountain with his wife, and with the help of a rope Ladder, which he had provided, and some Iron tools, wherewith he had loaded his Mule, he went down into the Caves, and with much endeavour did at last break that piece, that came out of the Rock like a mans arm, because all the other that were tumbled upon the ground, were so big and heavy that he could not remove them, when he had broken it down, though it were about fourscore and two pounds weight, nevertheless with the help of his wife and of his Ropes and Ladder he got out again, and stopt the hole with a large stone, and some Earth, upon which he planted some small Bushes so ingeniously, that this hole could never be found out again.

The Lord Scaravaque who was most imptaient, to conquer like another Jason this Golden Fleece, and who was set on by the persuasions of the Gold-smith, sent for the Potter, under pretence to employ him in the making and furnishing of some Tiles and other small commoditeis that depended on his art. The Potter obeyed pre∣sently, drawn by the hopes to sell his wares well, and mistrusting nothing at all what they would ask him. As soon as he came, the Governour asked him and perswaded him with the best and most flattering words he could, to tell where he had the yellow stone that he sold to the Gold smith? The Potter who more and more began to know the value of this rare Treasure, invented presently a lie, to free himself of the importunity of them that would have deceived him; therefore with an ingenuity, as simple as artificial he answered, he had found it upon the brim of the Sea, where may be some Ship had been cast away, or the Waves had cast it upon the shore.

The Governour answered that this could not be, and therefore threatned him of violence, and to send for all that he had in his House, which put the fellow into a great perplexity, because of the other stone that should be found there, therefore he chose rather to give it them out of his good will, then to put himself in danger of

loosing all, and perchance of being abused to boot, without any more ado, he inge∣nuously confessed he had another piece of the same stuff as the former in his House, which he had likewise found in the same place, which he was ready to put into their hands, provided he might have his share of it, and be suffered to get his livelihood peaceably. The Lord Scaravaque did promise him all what he desired, and gave him some men to keep him company, with command to bring him back again, and to take special care he should not make an escape. At last this poor man came back again with that piece, which did more inflame the passion that the Governour had to know the place whence came that rich treasure; but neither for prayers, promises, or threats he would never reveal it, which did oblige the Governour to shut him up close in a Chamber, where nevertheless they gave him Victuals and made ready a Bed, but he refused both, and by an extraordinary sadness, gave shew that some noto∣rious mischance was waiting on him, which proved true, for he was found dead in the Morning; which did put the Lord Scaravaque in a grief unexpressible, to see himself deprived by this accident, of the fruit that his hopes had made him conceive. He had recourse to the Potters wise for this discovery, but she could never attain to it, whatsoever exact searches she could make: yea, and after she was married again with a young man, who had spent in that search most of his time. The Lord Scaravaque and other persons of quality have employed all their skills and endeavours, but all their industry and charges have been without effect, as well as of many others, who attempted the same; about that time my Father who was overseer of the Mines in Provence, having received the news of a business of such consequence, that did con∣cern his place, went presently unto that Mountain, to see if he could discover those wonders, I was then in his company, as also that woman, viz. the Potters wife, who carried us in several places for many days, without any success at all, although she gave noti••e that she could here the Waves of the Sea, when she was in the Cave with her first Husband, so that all our endeavours proved fruitless and unprofitable, because my Father fell sick, which made us forsake our quest, which is of such a conse∣quence as not to be neglected.

During the time of our painful visiting that Mountain, I did consider the parti∣cularities of that rich Mountain, and observed that the top of it was almost all Az••r, which tokens are the beams of that golden Sun and are the hairs of that fair goodness, under whose feet all things submit; in a word, are the true and infallible signs that underneath are Mines of Gold and Silver. And as I have directed all my thoughts many times to find out the means to compass so excellent a work, whose profit would surpass all what the Indies furnish unto strangers, and that with so much less charges and danger, that there is no need of Ships or Fleet to cross over the Sea, from one Pole to the other, nor fight against any enemies: at last I have attained to a certain knowledge▪ which putteth me in hope, and makes me promise and engage my word, that at least I shall find a thred of that golden Mine, which may chance to lead us to the Centre of all these Treasures, but the Royal Authority being necessary to prop up this design, it belongeth to his Majesty to take what course he thinketh best for this, and to me to obey, execute his will. This digression which is an assured expe∣riment, (that is a certain truth, is not come into this discourse, but only to prove that Mines grow by augmentation, in converting into their own nature the more subtle parts of the Neighbouring Earth. Thus far Doctor de Rochas.

XIII. French.

Les Exilez autour de la Sologne, Conduits de nuict pour marcher en l'Auxois, Deux de Modene truculent de Bologne, Mis discouverts par feu de Burancois.

English.

The banished about Sologne, Being conducted by night to go into Auxois, Two of Modena, the cruel of Bolonia, Shall be discovered by the fire of Burancois.

ANNOT.

Sologne is a Province in France, between the Perche and the Main. Auxois is a Countrey in the South of France, so called of its chief Town called Auch, the seat of an Archbishop. Modena is a Town in Italy, and Bolonia another not far from it. Bu∣ranceis is a part of the Province of Dauphini. The meaning then of this Prophecy is, this being known, the Reader may easily find out the rest of the sense.

XIV. French.

Mis en planure chauderon d'Infecteurs, Vin miel en huile & bastis sur Fourneaux, Seront plongez sans mal dit malfacteurs, Sept. fum. extaint au Canon des Borneaux.

English.

A Dyers Kettle being put an a Plein, With Wine, Honey and Oil, and built upon Furnace, Shall be dipt, without evil, called Malefactors, Seven. fum. put out at the Canon of Borneaux.

ANNOT.

This hath a relation to the punishment, which in some parts of France and Flanders is inflicted upon false Coiners, which are commonly boiled in Oil, in a great Kettle, such as our Author here saith belong to Dyers. The Author then will have that the time shall come, when seven of that gang shall be so punished together in a Plain, where a great Kettle shall be set for that purpose upon a Furnace.

XV. French.

Pres de Parpan les rouges detenus, Ceux du milieu parfondrez menez loing, Trois mis en pieces, & cinq mal soustenus, Pour le Seigneur & Prelat de Bourgoing.

English.

Near unto Parpan the red ones detained, Those of the middle sunk and carried far off, Three cut in pieces, and five ill backed, For the Lord and Prelate of Burgoing.

ANNOT.

Parpan is either a barbarous or fained name, by the red ones, he hath hitherto un∣derstood some Cardinals, the Reader may expound the rest according to his fancy.

XVI. French.

De Castel Franco sortira l'assemblée, L'Ambassadeur non plaisant fera Schisme, Ceux de Riviere seront en la meslée, Et au grand Goulphre desnieront l'entrée.

English.

Out of Castel Franco shall come the Assembly, The Embassador not pleased, shall make a Schisme, Those of Riviere shall be in the medley, And shall deny the entry of the great Gulf.

ANNOT.

Castel France is a Town in Piemont; Riviere is a strong Castle in Burgundy, but what he meaneth by the great Gulfe, is more then I can tell.

XVII. French.

Le tiers premier, pis que ne fit Neron, Vuidez vaillant que sang humain respandre, Redifier fera le Forneron, Siecle d'or mort, nouveau Roy grand esclandre.

English.

The third first, worse then ever did Nero, Go out valliant, he shall spill much humane blood, He shall cause the Forneron to be builded again, Golden Age dead, new King great troubles.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy pointeth directly at our Authors Master Charles the IX. King of France, whom he calleth he the third first, because he was the third son to Henry II. and came to be King, using more cruelties then ever Nero did, for he was the cause of the Massacre of the Protestants in France in the year 1572. where above a hundred thousand people were murdered. Forneron is a barbarous word, put here to make a Verse, and to rhime with Neron. At that time he saith the Golden Age was dead, and upon the coming of a new King, who was Henry III. great tumults did happen, and great Wars, as is to be seen in the French History.

XVIII. French.

Le Lys Dauffois portera dans Nancy, Jusques en Flanders Electeur de l'Empire, Neufve obturée au grand Montmorency, Hors lieux pronez delivre a cle%e peyne.

English.

Dauffois shall carry the Lillie into Nancy, As far as Flanders the Elector of the Empire, New hinderance to great Montmorency, Out of proved places, delivered to a clear pain.

ANNOT.

Although the words and sense of this Prophecy be most obscure, nevertheless we shall endeavour as much as we can to render them something intelligible to the Reader.

By the first Verse is to be understood that Dauffois, or rather Dauphinois, which is the Title of the Kings of France eldest Son shall carry the Lillie, which is the Arms of France into Nancy, the chief Town in Lorrain, which came to pass in the time of the last King Lewis the XIII.

By the second Verse is understood the Elector of Triers, who was taken by the Spaniards in his own Town, and carried prisoner to Bruxelles.

By the third and fourth is expressed the ill luck of the Duke of Montmorency, who having taken part with the Duke of Lorrain, and the Duke of Orleans the Kings Bro∣ther, was routed in a Battle, taken prisoner, and afterwards beheaded at Thoulouse.

XIX. French.

Dans le milieu de la Forest Mayenne, Sol au Lion la Foudre tombera, Le grand Bastard issu du grand du Maine, Ce jour Fougeres pointe en sang entrera.

English.

In the middle of the Forrest of Mayenne, Sol being in Leo the Lightning shall fall, The great Bastard begot by the great du Main, That day Fougeres shall enter its point into blood.

ANNOT.

Fougeres is either the name of a Town in little Britanny, or that of a Noble House, the words are very plain, therefore I leave the sense to every ones capacity.

XX. French.

De nuit viendra par la Forest de Rennes, Deux parts Voltorte Herne, la pierre blanche, Le Moine noir en gris dedans Varennes, Esleu Cap. cause tempeste, feu, sang tranche.

English.

By night shall come through the Forrest of Rennis, Two parts Voltorte Herne, the white stone, The black Monk in gray within Varennes, Elected Cap. causeth tempest, fire, blood cutteth.

ANNOT.

Rennes is the chief Town of little Britanny; the second Verse being made of barba∣rous words, is impossible to be understood. The third and fourth Verse signifieth, that when a black Monk in that Town of Varennes shall put on a gray sute, he shall be elected Captain, and cause a great tempest or broils by fire and blood.

XXI. French.

Au Temple hault de Blois sacre Salonne, Nuict Pont de Loire, Prelat, Roy pernicant: Cuiseur victoire aux marests de la Lone, D'ou Prelature de blancs abormeant?

English.

At the high Temple of Blois sacred Salonne, In the night the Bridge of Loire, Prelat, King mischievous. A smarting Victory in the Marsh of Lone, Whence Prelature of white ones shall be abortive.

ANNOT.

There is a mistake in the first Verse, for instead of Salonne, it must be written Sou∣laire, which is a Priory and Church at the top of Blois, all the rest signifieth that in one night these shall happen, viz. that the Bridge, the Prelat, and a pernicious King with a smart victory shall perish, whence the Prelature, that is the place of Command upon the white ones, viz. Canons and Prebends in their Surplices) shall be void and empty.

XXII. French.

Roy & sa Cour au lieu de la langue halbe, Dedans le Temple vis a vis du Palais, Dans le Jardin Duc de Montor & d'Albe, Albe & Mantor, poignard, langue, en Palais.

English.

King and his Court in the place of langue halbe, Within the Church over against the Pallace, In the Garden Duke of Montor and Albe, Albe and Mantor, dagger, tongue and Pallate.

ANNOT.

This Stanza is very obscure, for, first no body can tell what he meaneth by langue halbe, which is the foundation of all the rest of the sense; Secondly, what this Duke of Montor and Mantor should be, which has been unknown in the Histories hither to;

and thirdly, what construction and sense can be made of these disjunctives: Albe, Mantor, Dagger, Tongue, Palate, Therefore i'le leave it free to every bodies opinion to make his construction.

XXIII. French.

Puisnay jouant au fresch dessous la tonne, Le haut du toit du milieu sur la teste, Le Pere Roy au Temple Saint Solonne, Sacrifiant sacrera fum de feste.

English.

The youngest Son playing under the tun, The top of the House shall fall upon his head, The King his Father in the Temple of Saint Soulaine, Sacrificing shall make festival smoak.

ANNOT.

By this is meant, that the youngest Son of a King, shall be knocked in the head, while he is a playing under a tun; his Father being at the same time in the Temple of Saint Soulaine at Mass.

XXIV. French.

Sur le Palais au Rocher des Fenestres, Seront ravis les deux petits Roiaux, Passer Aurelle, Lutece, Denis cloistres, Nonnain, Mollods avaler verts noiaux.

English.

Upon the Pallace at the Rock of the Windows; Shall be carried the two little Royal ones, To pass Aurele, Lutece, Denis Cloisters, Nonnain, Mollods to swallow green stones of fruit.

ANNOT.

These two or three last Stanzas have been concerning the City of Blois, to which it seemeth that this hath also relation, for he saith that two little Royal Children shall be carried at the top of the Castle, and shall be conveyed beyond Aurelle (which is Orleans in Latine Aurelianum) Lutece, which is Paris; S. Denis Cloisters, which is beyond Paris, and a Nunnery besides, where it is like they shall be left to eat green stones of fruit, which is not easie to be understood, no more then the word Mollods.

XXV. French.

Passant les Ponts, venir prez de Roziers, Tard arrivé plustost quil cuidera, Viendront les noves Espagnols a Beziers, Qui icelle chasse emprinse cassera.

English.

Going over the Bridge, to come near the Rose-trees, Come late, and sooner then he thought, The new Spaniards shall come to Beziers, Who shall cashiere this new undertaken hunting.

ANNOT.

Beziers is a City in Languedoc; the rest may be construed by the meanest capa∣city.

XXVI. French.

Nise sortie sur nom des Lettres aspres, La grande Cappe fera present non sien, Proche de Vultry aux murs des vertes capres, Apres Plombin le vent a bon e••cient.

English.

A silly going out, caused by shardp Letters, The great Cap shall give what is not his, Near Vultry by the Walls of green Capers, About Piombino the wind shall be in good earnest.

ANNOT.

This signifieth that there shall be a silly surrendring of a Town, caused by sharp and threatning Letters that shall be sent into it. By the great Cap he useth to un∣derstand the Pope, who he faith shall give what is not it, as he hath done many times Vultry, in Latine Velitrum, and Piombino are two Cities in Italy, which are threatned here with mighty winds.

XXVII. French.

De bois la garde vent clos ront Pont sera, Haut le receu frappera le Dauphin, Le vieux Teccon bois unis passera, Passant plus outre du Duc le droit confin.

English.

The Fence being of Woo••, close Wind Bridge shall be broken, He that's received high, shall strike at the Dolphin, The old Teccon shall pass over smooth Wood, Going over the right confines of the Duke.

ANNOT.

The first Verse signifieth that a woodden Bridge shall be broken by a close wind, as did happen to the Millers Bridge, and the Birds Bridge in Paris.

The second Verse seemeth to foretel the conspiracy of the Mareshal of Biron, against Henry IV. his Dolphin and Estate.

The third and fourth, the Wars and Conquest which the said King (whom he cal∣led old Teccon, made upon the Duke of savoy, who had corrupted the said Marshal of Biron.

XXVIII. French.

Voile Symacle, Port Massiliolique, Dans Venise Port marcher aux Pannons, Partir du Goulfre & sinus Illirique, Vast a Sicile, Ligurs coups de Canon.

English.

Symaclian Sail, Massilian Port, In Venice to march towards the Hungarians, To go away from the Gulf and Illirick Sea, Toward Sicily, the Genoeses with Cannon shots.

ANNOT.

What he meaneth by Symaclian Sail, is not easie to determine; Massilian Port is that of Marseilles in France, called in Latine Massilia, the sense of this Prophecy then if any be, is, that a great Fleet shall go from thence to Venice, to carry succours to the Hungarians, who it seemeth shall be much distressed at that time by the Turks, and that Sicily and Genoa shall add to this Fleet a considerable succour of Men, and War∣like Munition.

XXIX. French.

Lors que celuy qu'a nul ne donne lieu, Abandonner voudra lieu prins non pris, Feu, Nef, par saignes, bitument a Charlieu, Seront Quintin, Bales repris.

English.

When he that giveth place to no body, Shall forsake the place taken, and not taken, Fire, Ship, by bleeding bituminous at Charlieu, Then Quintin and Bales shall be taken again.

ANNOT.

He that giveth place to no body is the Pope; as for the last Verse, I had rather read St. Quintin and Cales, which are two considerable Towns in France, then otherwise.

That place taken, not taken was the City of N••yon in Picardy, which was taken by the Spanish Cavalry, cloathed after the French Mode, which stratagem deceived the Citizens and Soldiers that defended it: so he saith taken, because it fell into the hands of the Spaniards, and not taken, because it was by a stratagem or deceit.

XXX. French.

Au Port de Puola & de St. Nicolas, Perir Norn••ande au Gou••••••e Phanatique, Cap de Bizance rues crier Helas! Secours de Gaddes & du grand Philippique.

English.

At the Harbour of Puola and of St. Nicolas, A Norman Ship shall perish in the Phanatick Gulf, At the Cape of Byzantium the streets shall cry Alas! Succours from Cadis and from the great Philippe.

ANNOT.

Puola is for Paulo here, and by it is understood the Port of Malta, which being Besieged by the Turks, Philip the II. King of Spain, sent an Army to relieve it, which made those of Byzantium (which is Constantinople) cry alas, &c.

XXXI. French.

Le tremblement de Terre a Mortara, Cassich, St. George a demy perfondrez, Paix assoupie la guerre esuaillera, Dans Temple a Pasques abysmes enfondrez.

English.

There shall be an Earthquake at Mortara, Cassich, St. George shall be half swallowed up, The War shall awake the sleeping pace, Upon Easterday shall be a great hole sunk in the Church.

ANNOT.

Mortara is a Town in Italy, by Cassich and St. George he meaneth two other places.

XXXII. French.

De fin Porphire Profond Collon trouvée, Dessoubs la laze escrits Capitolin, Os, poil retors, Romain force prouvée, Classe agiter au Port de Methelin.

English.

A deep Column of fine Porphyry shall be found, Under whose Basis shall be Roman writings, Bones, haires twisted, Roman force tried, A Fleet a gathering about the Port of Methelin.

ANNOT.

Porphir•• is a kind of hard red Marble speckled with white spots, which is very scarce, and chiefly in great pieces; our Author then faieth that a great Colomn of that stuff shall be found, and about the Basis of it some words in Roman Characters, and that about that time a great Fleet shall be a gathering at the Port of Methelin, which is an Island in the Archipelago, belonging now to the Turks; as for the third Verse, I cannot tell what to make of it.

XXXIII. French.

Hercules Roy de Rome & Dannemark, De Gaule trois Gayon surnommé, Trembler l'Itale & l'un de Saint Marc, Premier sur tous Monarque renommée.

English.

Hercules King of Rome, and Denmark, Of France three Guyon surnamed, Shall cause Italy to quake and one of St. Marck, He shall be above all a famous Monarch.

ANNOT.

All these intricated words and sense foretell that, when a King of Denmarck na∣med Hercules shall be made King of the Romans, that then Italy and Venice it self shall stand in great fear of him; and that he shall be as great a Prince or Monarch as ever was in Europe; and that very likely, for by his dignity of King of the Romans he consequently shall attain to the Empire.

XXXIV French.

Le part solus Mary sera Mitré; Retour conflict passera sur la tuille, Par cinq cens un trahir sera tultré, Narbon & Saulce par coutaux avons d'huile.

English.

The separated Husband shall wear a Miter, Returning, Battle, he shall go over the Tyle, By five hundred one dignified shall be betrayed, Narbon and Salces shall have Oil by the Quintal.

ANNOT.

The first Verse signifieth, that some certain man who was married; shall be parted from his wife, and shall attain to some great Ecclesiastical Dignity.

The second Verse is, that in coming back from some place or entreprise, he shall be met and fought with, and compelled to escape over the Tyles of a House.

The third Verse is, that a man of great account shall be betrayed by five hundred of his men.

And the last, that when these things shall come t•• pass, Narbon and Salcer, which are two Cities of Languedoc, shall reap and make a great deal of Oil.

XXXV. French.

Et Ferdinand blonde sera descorte, Quitter la fleur suivre le Macedon, Au grand besoing defaillira sa routte, Et marchera contre le Myrmidon.

English.

And Ferdinand having a Troop of faire men, Shall leave the flower to follow the Macedonian, At his great need his way shall fail him, And he shall go against the Myrmidon.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy ought to be understood of an Emperour of Germany, whose name shall be Ferdinand, who being accompanied with many Germans, that for the most part are faire haired people shall come and War against Gracia, which is expressed here by the names of Macedon and Myrmidon, the first of which is a Countrey, and the last •• Nation, both in Graecia.

XXXVI. French.

Un grand Roy prins entre les mains d'un jeune, Non loin de Pasques confusion, coup cultre: Perpet. cattif temps que foudre en la Hune, Trois Freres lors se blesseront & meurtre.

English.

A great King taken in the hands of a young one, Not far from Easter, confusion, stroke of a knife, Shall commit, pittiful time, the fire at the top of the Mast, Three Brothers then shall wound one another, and murder done.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy was fulfilled in the year 1560. when Antony of Bourbon King of Navarre, and his Brother Lewis of Bourbon Prince of Condé, coming to King Francis W. at Orleans, upon the 29. of October, the Prince of Condé was put in prison, and the King of Navarre arrested. The Lord And••ew Fauyn in his History of Navarre, saith, that the opinion of the Councel was, that the Prince of Condee should be beheaded, for having been the chief of the conspiracy at Amboise, and the King of Navarre should be stabbed in the Kings Chamber by the King himself, assisted by others for that purpose. The Lady of Montpensier gave notice of it to the King of Navarre, who be∣ing sent for by the King, charged expresly Cattin his waiting man and an old servant of his Father to take a care and preserve his bloody shirt after his death, till his son came to Age, to revenge it upon the murderers God be thanked this came not to pass, for the King having called him, and going about to provoke him with ••oul words, he answered so meekly and humbly, that the Kings anger was appeased, where upon the Duke of Guise going out of the room, said, O what a cowardly Prince is this. These things are expressed in the first and second Verse, when he saith that a great King should be put in Prison by a young one, because Antony of Bourbon, though he was not a great King in Lands, yet he was a great one in courage and prudence. And it was not far from Easter, sith it was but five months before, viz. from the beginning of November, to the sixth of April 1591. which was Easterday, the Author putteth in this circumstance, because the next Easter after, the King of Navarre was made General of France under the Queen Regent.

He addeth the blow of a Knife, as we have shewed; he also saith a lasting bad time, which proved very true, moreover, he saith, what lightning in the Hune o•• Topmast,

because King Francis died presently after. In the fourth Verse he saith, that three Brothers shall be hurt and killed, those three Brothers were Antony of Bourbon King of Navarre, killed at the Siege at Rouen, the Cardinal of Bourbon, and Lewis of Bourbon Prince of Conde, killed at the Battle of ••arnac.

XXXVII. French.

Pont & Molins en December versez, En si haut lieu montera la Garonne: Murs, Edifice, Thoulouse renversez, ••u on ne scaura son lieu coutant matrone.

English.

Bridges and Mills in December overturned, In so high a place the Garonne shall come, Walls, Building, Thoulose overturned, So that none shall know its place, so much Matrone.

ANNOT.

Here is foretold a prodigious inundation of the River Caronne, in the month of December, by which the Walls, Building, and the City of Thoulouse is threatned to be overturned. The last word of all is barbarous, and added to make up the rhime.

XXXVIII. French.

L'Entrée de Blaye par Rochelle & l'Anglios, Passera outre le grand Aemathien: Non loing d'Agen attendra le Gaulois, Secours Narbonne deceu par entretien.

English.

The coming in at Blaye by Rochel and the English, Shall go beyond the great Aemathien, Not far from Agen shall expect the French, Help from Narbonne deceived by entertainment.

ANNOT.

For the better understanding of this, the hard words must first be made plain; Blaye is a City upon the River Garonne, and the Port-Town to Bourdeaux; Rochel is a City upon the same Coast; Agen is a City in Gascony not far frm Bourdeaux, and Narbonne is a City in Languedoc, by the Mediterranean Sea; Aemathian was for∣merly the Countrey of Macedonia, wherein Julius Caesar and C. Pompeius fought their last Battle in the Pharsalian Fields, and therefore saith the Latine Poet Lucanus:

Bella per Aemathios plusquam civilia campos.

These things being considered the sense is, that there shall be an Invasion made by the English, to whom those of Rochel shall joyn, upon the Town of Blaye, which shall proceed as far as Age••, and that thereabout will be a bloody Encounter between the English and French, beyond that which was fought in the Aemathian Fields, and that the succours that should come from Narbonne to the French, shall be deluded and hin∣dered by the speech and discourse of some.

XXXIX. French.

En Arbissella, Vezema & Crevari, De nuit conduits pour Savenne atraper, Le vif Gascon, Giury, & la Charry, Derrier Mur vieux & neuf Palais grapper.

English.

In Arbissella, Vezema and Crevari, Being conducted by night to take Savona, The quick Gascon, Giury and the Charry, Behind old Walls and new Pallace to graples.

ANNOT.

Arbissella is a Town situated by the Sea-side above Savona, going towards Genoa. Vezema and Crevari are in the Inland Countrey, and a li••t••e further remoted from the Sea then Arbissella. The quick Gascon was Blasius of Monluc, one of the Valliantest men of his time, who came from a single Souldier to be Marshal of France. Guiry and la Charry were two of his Companions. This Stanza doth Prophetically foretell two things, one is, the design that the Marshal of Brissac, then Governour of Piemont had upon Savona: the other, the taking of Pianca by Blasius of Monluc, as to the first, the Lord of Villars writeth in his Memorials, that the Lord Damzay sent advice to the King, that the taking of Savona was more probable then any other design, which signifieth that the Marshal of Brissac had of a long time eyed that Town, and therefore he sent by night some Troops into those three little Towns, to see if they could surprise Savona, but the design did not succeed: The Histories only mention that the Marshal of Brissac went from Court in the year 1557. with a design to take Savona; but this Stanza speaketh of the same design 1556.

At the same time in the year 1556. the 29. of June Blasius of Monluc, as he relateth in his Commentaries, did surprise the Town and Fort of Piance, called in Latine Cor∣••in••••••••••, he had with him the Captain la Charry the Captain Bartholomew of ••ezero, and the son of Captain Luzzan. At first the French were beaten back, but the val∣liant Mo••lu•• did encourage them again by his example, going the first in, and saying only, follow your Captain.

Which having said, he thrust himself under the Gate, where three or four men might stand sheltered by the planks of the Fort, and having his Sword in the left hand, and his dagger in the right, he began to break and cut the Brick and made a hole, which opening by degrees, he thrust his arm through, and pulled the gap so strongly, that he caused all the Wall to fall down upon himself, without being hurt by it. This is the meaning of the Author in the fourth Verse, when he saith, the quick Gascon was behind the Wall; In prosecution of this, the Switzers did beat down the rest of the Wall, and all came into the Town crying, France, France, Monluc ran presently to the Fort, and with the help of His men took it, that is the meaning of the Author, when he saith, old and new Pallace to graple. The old Pallace was adjoining to the Market-place of the Town, in which the French were prisoners with the Cap∣tain Gourgues, to the number of fifty or sixty tied two and two, and so kept by twenty Souldiers, whom they did kill as we have said. The new Pallace was the Fo••t. The Author used that ancient word grapper, which in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 languague sig∣nifieth, to pull down with ones hands, and in the contrary sense, to shut and plaister so well some thing, that there will be a necessity of the help of the hands to open what was shut up.

XL. French.

Pres de Quentin dans la Forest Bourlis, Dans l'Abbaye seront Flamands tranchez, Les deux puisnez de coups my estourdis, Suitte appressée & gardes tous hachez.

English.

Near Quentin in the Forrest Bourlis, In the Abby the Flemmings shall be slashed, The two younger sons half a stonished with blows, The followers oppressed, and the Guards all cut in pieces.

ANNOT.

This is a peculiar accident that happened before the taking of the Town of Saint Quentin by the Spaniard in the year 1557 and fell out thus. News being come to the King of France, that the pow••rful Army of the Spaniard was gone to Besiege St. Quentin, he made all imaginable diligence to succour it; the Spaniards to hinder the relief had seized upon an ancient Abby of the Vermandois, which is in the next For∣rest, that was anciently called the Forrest Bourlis, and is at present called the Forrest of the Abbay Vermandois, called in Latine Augusta Veromanduorum, builded by an an∣cient Hungarian Captain called Vermandig. In process of time it was all ruinated, and only one Abby left, wherein was the Episcopal See, which afterwards was trans∣ferred into the City of Noyon. After the ruine of this Town, that of St. Quentin next to it became the chief City of Vermandois; It was named St. Quentin, because the Emperor Dioclesian having sent St. Quentin a Roman Senator to be Governour of it, he did convert the Inhabitants to the Christian Faith, and after he himself did suffer there Martyrdom.

In that Abby a great many Flemmings had i••tranched themselves, but the French going to relieve the Town, did force their Trenches and Fortifications, and in the heat of the fight the two younger Sons of the Captain being armed Cap a pée, though they were not killed, yet were astonished with blows they did receive upon their heads, their followers and Guards being all cut in pieces.

XLI. French

Le grand Chyren soy saisir d'Avignon, De Rome Lettres en miel plein d'amertume, Lettre, Ambassade partir de Chanignon, Carpentras pris par Duke noir, rouge plume.

English.

The great Cheyren shall seize upon Avignon, Letters from Rome shall come full of bitterness, Letters and Embassies shall go from Chanignon, Carpentras taken by a black Duke with a red Feather.

ANNOT.

This did happen lately, viz. some five or six years ago, when the Duke of Crequy Embassadour at Rome was affronted by the Corses, which are the Popes Guard: for which the King of France demanded reparation, and seized upon Avignon, till the Pope granted him that all the said Corses should be banished, and a Pyramis erected in Rome to the perpetual infamy of that Nation.

XLII. French.

De Barcelonne, de Gennes & Venise, De la Sicile pres Monaco unis, Contre Barbare classe prendront la vise, Barbar poulsé bien loing jusqu'a Thunis.

English.

From Barcelona, from Genoa and Venice, From Sicily near Manaco united, Against the Barbarian the fleet shall take her aim, The Barbarian shall be driven back as far as Thunis.

ANNOT.

The sense of these words is very plain and signifieth onely, that there will be an union and League between these Towns, viz. Barcelona, Genoa, Vinice, and the King∣dom of Sicily against the Turks, whom they shall encounter near Monaco, and put them to flight, and follow them as far as Tunis.

XLIII. French.

Proche a descentre l'Armée Crucigere, Sera guettée par les Ismaelites, De tous costez battus par nef Raviere, Prompt assailies de dix Galeres d'eslite.

English.

The Crucigere Army being about to Land, Shall be watched by the Ismaelites, Being beaten on all sides by the Ship Raviere, Presently assaulted by ten chosen Galleys.

ANNOT.

By the Crucigere Army is understood the Christian Army, because the word Crucigere signifieth one that beareth a Cross, from the two Latine words Crux and gero; the Ismaelites are the Turks, who boast themselves to be descended from Ismael, the son of Abraham and Agar, the meaning of this is, that the Christians going a∣bout to attempt some landing place, the Turks shall watch them, and set upon them by Land and Sea, in which Sea fight he mentioneth only ten choice Galleys, and a notable Ship called Raviere, (if it be not false printed) I am much of an opinion that this came to pass when Philip the II. King of Spain made an attempt upon Algeirs, by his Admiral André d'Oria, who had to do with the Moores upon the Land, ready to re∣ceive him, and some part of their Fleet that watched him, but cross and contrary winds caused him to return re infecta.

XLIV. French.

Migrez, migrez de Geneve tretous, Saturne d'Or en Fer se changera, Le contre Raypoz exterminera tous, Avant l'advent le Ciel signes fera.

English.

Go forth, go forth out of Geneva all, Saturn of gold, shall be changed into Iron, They against Raypos shall extermine them all, Before it happeneth, the Heavens will shew signs.

ANNOT.

This is a Prophecy concerning Geneva, out of which he warneth every one to come; his reason is, that the golden Age of that Town shall be changed into an Iron one; and that there shall be one against Raypos, that shall extermine them all, before which there shall appear some signs in Heaven. Now the Author being a rank Papist, it is to be sup∣posed that he warneth out of Geneva all those of his Faith, because of * 1.2 the coming of Calvin, whom he foresaw was to come into that Town, and to change the Government thereof, and to extermine them all, which is to be understood, in point of Religion, as for what prodigies did precede that change; I had no time to consult Authors upon it, the judicious Reader may chance to find them in those that have written of this matter.

XLV. French.

Ne sera soul jamais de demander, Grand Mendosus obtiendra son Empire, Loing de la Cour fera contremander, Piemont, Picard, Paris, Tyrhen le pire.

English.

He shall never be weary of asking, Great Mendosus shall obtain his dominion, Far from the Court be shall cause him to be countermanded, Piemont, Picardy, Paris, Tyrhen the worse.

ANNOT.

By Mendosus, is Anagrammatically to be understood Vendosme; but who is that shall never be weary of asking, or whose Dominion Vendosme shall have, or what is meant by the last two Verses, passeth my understanding.

XLVI. French.

Vuidez fuyez de Thoulouse les rouges, Du Sacrifice faire expiation, Le Chef du mal dessoubs l'ombre des courges, Mort estrangler carne omination.

English.

Get you gone, run away from Thoulouse ye red ones, There shall expiation be made of the Sacrifice, The chief cause of the evil under the shade of gourdes, Shall be strangled, a presage of the destruction of much flesh.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy doth onely and properly belong to the City of Thoulouse; and by it are warned all the red ones, that is, all those that usually wear Red or Scarlet Gowns, as those of the Parliament and the Capitols to come out of it, because saith he, i here shall an expiation be made of the Sacrifice, meaning that there shall be a great slaughter among the Citizens, as it did happen at several times, the first Anno 1563. another time when the first President Durauti, and several other of the red Gowns were put to death, &c. The two last Verses signifie, that the chief contriver of this uproar shall be strangled, and many others besides him.

XLVII. French.

Les soubsignez d'indigne deliverance, Et de la multe auront contre advis, Change Monarque mis en perrille pence, Serrez en cage se verront vis a vis.

English.

The underwritten to an unworthy deliverance, Shall have from the multitude a contrary advice, They shall change their Monarch and put him in peril, They shall see themselves shut up in a Cage over against,

ANNOT.

This is plainly to be understood of those Traytors, that delivered and signed the death of King Charles the I. of blessed Memory, against the sense and advise of at least three parts of four of the Nation, and who afterward saw themselves for the most part shut in Prison for this fact, and brought to a shameful end.

XLVIII. French.

La grand Cité d'Occean Maritime, Environnée de Marests en Crystal, Dans le Solstice hyemal & la prime, Sera tentée de vent espouvental.

English.

The great Maritime City of the Ocean, Encompassed with Chrystaline Fens, In the Winter Solstice and in the spring, Shall be tempted with fearful wind.

ANNOT.

By the great Maritime City of the Ocean, Encompassed with Crystaline Fens, is ot be understood the City of London, for as for that of Venice, it is situated upon the Me∣diterranean or rather Adriatick Sea: London then is threatned here of a fearful wind, which whether the Author meaneth for the time that is past now, and that shall come hereafter I know not, sure I am, that I have within this fifteen years seen two such winds in London, as I never saw the like any where else; the first was that day that Olivier the Usurpator died, the other was about six or seven years ago, caused by the lightning that fell in Hereford-shire, and did mix with a Western wind and came as far as London, carrying the tops of houses, and doing then for above 10000, pounds dammage.

XLIX. French.

Gand & Bruxelles marcheront contre Anvers, Senat de Londres mettront a mort leur Roy, Le Sel & Vin luy seront a l'envers, Pour eux avoir le Regne or desarroy.

English.

Gand and Bruxelles shall go against Antwerp, The Senat of London shall put their King to death, The Salt and Wine shall not be able to do him good, That they may have the Kingdom into ruine.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy taken with all its circumstances, and the subject it treateth of, is the most remarkable of all those that ever Nostradamus was Author of, for here we see a concatenation of circumstances linked together, to make it true to any bodies eyes, for first the number of this Stanza being 49. signifieth the year wherein the King died, for although by the English account, who begin their year at the 25. of March, it may be said it was in 48, because it did happen upon the 30th. of January, yet ac∣cording to the general account of the most part of the World, the year begin upon the first day of January, so that the King dying on the 30th. of January, it may be said it was in the year 1649.

The first Verse signifieth, that at that time there was no good intelligence between the Cities of Flanders and Brabant, as I remember very well that there was not, but upon what score, I have forgotten.

The second Verse is plain to any body that can either read or hear it.

The third Verse by the Salt and Wine, understandeth France, who was then in War with the Spaniard, and in some divisions among themselves, so that they could not take the Kings part as to relieve and free him by force, but sent Embassadours to me∣diate a composure of the difference.

The fourth Verse intimateth that by reason of the said Wars that were in France, the said murdering Parliament had liberty to do what they lifted for the bringing the Kingdom into ruine.

L. French.

Mensodus tost viendra a son ha〈…〉〈…〉t Regne, Mettant arriere un peu le Norlaris, Le rouge blesme, le masle a l'interregne, Le jeune crainte & frayeur Barbaris.

English.

Mensodus shall soon come to his high Government, Putting a little aside the Norlaris, The red, pale, the Male at the interreigne, The young fear, and dread barbarisme.

ANNOT.

Mensodus is the Anagramme of Vendosme, by which is meant Antony of Bourbon Duke of Vendosme, brother to the then Prince of Condé, and father to Henry IV. Norlaris is the Anagram of Lorrain; now any body that understandeth any thing in History, knoweth what dissention and seud there was between the House of Bourbon, and that of Lorrain in the time of Francis the II. for the House of Bourbon, though next to the Royal blood, was the least in favour, and those of the House of Lorrain did Govern all, and had so far prevailed as to have got the Prince of Condé into their hands, and had him condemned to have his head cut of, which would have been exe∣cuted, had not the King that very day fallen sick of the disease he died of. Now this being understood our Author will have that Mensodus, which is Vendosme shall lay aside the Norlaris, that is Lorrein. By the red pale is meant the Cardinal of Lorrain, bro∣ther to the Duke of Guise, who grew pale at this. By the male at the interreigne is so obscure, that we leave it to the judgement of the Reader.

LI French.

Contre les rouges Sectes se banderont, Feu, eau, fer, corde, par paix se minera, Au point mourir ceux qui machineront, Fors un que monde sur tout ruinera,

English.

Against the red, Sects shall gather themselves, Fire, water, iron, rope, by peace it shall be destroyed, Those that shall conspire shall not be put to death, Except one, who above all shall undo the World.

ANNOT.

The name of red Sects, may very well be applied to the Protestants of France, a∣gainst whom in those days it seemed that fire, Water, Iron and Rope had conspired, for they were put to death by each one of those fatal instruments for their Religion sake. This is a lively expression of the unhappy Massacre of the Protestants in France upon St. Batholomews day 1572.

The two last Verses signifie, that all the Contrivers of that Councel, were of opinion at first to proceed some other way, but only the Duke of Guise, who was the principal actor in it, and whom our Author saith, did undo the world; for he was the cause of mischief, not only then, but afterwards.

LII. French.

La paix sapproche d'un costé & la guerre, Oncques ne fut la poursuite fi grande, Plaindre homme & femmene sang Innocent par Terre, Et ce fera de France a toute bande.

English.

Peace is coming on one side, and War on the other, There was never so great a pursuing, Man, Woman shall bemoan, Innocent blood shall be spilt, It shall be in France on all sides.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy was fulfilled in the Reign of Charles the IX. in the year 1558. when the peace was treated of, and concluded the year after 1559. the VVar on the other side begun to appear by the raising of the Protestants, who begun publickly their opinion in the time of Francis the II. and Charles the IX.

There was never seen such a prosecution of VVar and of Peace together; for there was never an estate more embroiled in VVars than that of Charles the IX. was, nor where Peace was more sought after; for there was nothing but VVars and trea∣ties of Peace, Men and VVomen did complain on all sides, for the wrong and dam∣mages they received from both parties, the Protestants believing to do God a good service in destroying Images, and killing Priests and Monks. And the Papists on the other side thinking to make a sweet Sacrifice unto God, in practising the same cruelties upon the Protestants, and so in all corners of France every one did set him∣self to do evil.

LIII. French.

Le Neron jeune dans les trois Cheminées, Fera de Pages vifs pour ardoir ietter, Heureux qui loin sera de tels menées, Trois de son sang le feront mort guetter.

English.

The young Nero in the three Chimneys. Shall cause Pages to be thrown to be burnt alive, Happy shall he be who shall be far from this doing, Three of his own blood shall cause him to be put to death.

ANNOT.

A young Tyrant called here Nero, shall cause some Pages to be burnt alive in three Chimneys, and afterwards himself shall be put to death by three of his own blood, this fact savoureth so much of bestial cruelty, that I cannot belive any Christi∣an Prince can ever be guilty of it.

LIV. French.

Arrivera au port de Corsibonne, Pres de Ravenne, qui pillera la Dame, En Mer profonde legat de Ʋlisbone; Soubs Roc cachez raviront septante ames.

English.

There shall come into the Port of Corsibonne, Near Ravenna, those that shall plunder the Lady, In the deep Sea shall be the Embassador of Lisbonne, The hidden under the Rock shall carry away seventy Souls.

ANNOT.

The Port of Corsibonne, must of necessity be that of Ancona; first because there is no Port of the former name near the City of Ravenna. Secondly, because Ancona is near Ravenna.

By the Lady is meant the Chappel or Church of our Lady of Loretto, which is threatned here to be plundred by some Turks or Pyrates, inticed thereunto by the manifold riches that are said to be therein.

The third Verse speaketh of a Portugues Embassador, who it seemeth shall be drowned or buried in the main Sea.

The fourth Verse giveth warning of some Robbers and Pyrates, very like to be Turks, who being in Ambuscado, and shrouded among the Rocks by the Sea side, shall carry away seventy Souls.

LV French.

L'Horrible guerre qu'en Occident s'appreste, L'An ensuivant viendra la Pestilence, Si fort terrible, que jeune, viel, ne beste, Sang, feu, Mercu. Mars, Jupiter en France.

English.

An horrid War is a preparing in the West, The next year shall come the Plague, So strangly terrible, that neither young nor old, nor beast shall escape Blood, fire, Mercu. Mars, Jupiter in France.

ANNOT.

That word a preparing in the first Verse, signifieth that he speaketh of a time, wherein War was a making ready, when he was a writing.

The West, of which our Author speaketh, is not formerly the West which is Spain, but is the West respectively to his Countrey of Provence, which is Picardy, Lorrain, and the Countrey of Mets, in all these Places that are VVesterly from Provence, there was great VVars in the year 1557 in Picardy in the year 1558. at Calais and Thion∣ville, and at last from the middle of that year to the end of it, were seen two great Ar∣mies of both Kings, which threatned a horrid slaughter, had not God Almighty pro∣vided against it by the treaty of Peace of the 3d. of April 1559 the year following, which was 1559. there did happen what he foretelleth, viz. the Plague so strangely terrible to Young, Old, and Beasts, &c.

And in those quarters there was nothing but Fire and Blood; that is, Massacres and ruines of all sorts, then did Rule in France, the three Planets of Jupiter, Mars and Mercury, Jupiter and Mercury, for the peace that was then concluded, and Mars for the VVar that was then on foot.

The History of Provence mentioneth, that that Pestilence was called by the Phy∣sitians, Febris erratica, by which within the space of five or six Months, died almost an infinite number of people.

LVI. French.

Camp prés de Noudam passera Goussanville, Et a Maiotes laissera son enseigne, Convertira en instant plus de mille, Cherchant le deux remettre en chaine & legne.

English.

A Camp shall by Noudam go beyond Goussanville, And shall leave its Ensign at Maiotes, And shall in an instant convert above a thousand, Seeking to put the two parties in good understanding together.

ANNOT.

These three words of Noudam, Gaussanville, and Maiotes are three little inconside∣rable Countrey Towns, situated near one another; the meaning then of it is, that an Army near Noudam, shall go through Goussanville; and shall in an instant convert, that is, draw to his party above a thousand of the contrary party, the business being about the procuring of a good understanding and amity between two great ones.

LVII. French.

Au lieu de Drux un Roy reposera, Et cherchera Loy changeant d'Anatheme, Pendant le Ciel ••itresfort Tonnera, Portée neufve Roy tuera soy mesme.

English.

In the place of Drux a King shall rest himself, And shall seek a Law changing Anatheme, In the mean while the Heaven shall Thunder so strongely, That a new gate shall kill the King him self.

ANNOT.

Drux is a City in Normady, near which Henry the IV. got a memorable victory: It is said that in that place a King shall rest himself, and shall endeavour to change Religion; but at that time it shall Thunder and Lighten so much, that by the fall of a new ga••••, the King himself shall be killed.

LVIII. French.

Au costé gauche a lendroit de Vitry; Seront guettez les trois rouges de France, Tous assommez rouge, noir non meurdry, Par les Bretons remis en asseurance.

English.

On the left hand over against Vitry, The three red ones of France shall be watched for, All the red shall be knockt dead, the black not murdered, By the Britains set up again in security.

ANNOT.

What is meant here by the three red ones of France is hard to decide, whether they be Cardinals or Judges; because both wear commonly Scarlet Gowns, or some Noblemen cloathed in Scarlet; but it seemeth by this that there shall be a lying in wait for four men, three of which shall be cloathed in Red, and one in Black, those in Red shall be knockt down dead, but he in Black shall not, and this is to be done on the left hand, over against Vitry, which is a City in Champagne.

LIX French.

A la Ferté prendra la Vidame, Nicol tenu rouge quavoit produit la vie, La grand Loyse naistra qui fera clame, Donnant Bourgongne a Bretons par envie.

English.

In the Ferté the Vidame shall take Nicol, reputed red, whom life hath produced, The great Lewis shall be born, who shall lay claim, Giving Burgundy to the Britains, through envy.

ANNOT.

This Stanza wanting both quantity in the Cadence of the Verse, and Con∣nexion in the sense, sheweth that it is either falsly printed, or else the Author had no mind it should be understood; we shall only say, the Ferté is a Town in Champagne. Vidame is a Lords Title in France, of which there are but four of that sort, and are called in Civil Law Vicedominus, who by his first Institution, was temporal Judge of the Bishop; the first of those Vidames, or Vicedomini in France, is that of Amiens, the second of Chartres, the third of Rhemes, and the fourth of Gerberon.

LX. French.

Conflict Barbare en la Cornere noire, Sang espandu trembler la Dalmatie, Grand Ismael mettra son promontoire, Ranes trembler, secours Lusitanie.

English.

A Barbarian fight in the black Corner, Blood shall be split, Dalmatia shall tremble for fear, Great Ismael shall set up his promontory, Frogs shall tremble, Portugal shall bring succour.

ANNOT.

This Prochecie foretelleth divers accidents in several places, without determinati∣on of any precise time; as for example, I understand by that Barbarian conflict, near the black Corner, to be some famous Battle among the Infidels themselves, some were about the Black Sea; then he saith, that abundance of Blood shall be split, and Dalmatia shall tremble, which is a Province belonging to the Venetians, and bordering upon Gracia; by great Ismael he understandeth the great Sophy of Persia, whose name hath been often so. By the Frogs it is not easie to know whether he meaneth France or Spain, for both abound in that kind of Insects.

LXI. French.

La pille faite a la Coste Marine, Incita nova & parens amenez, Plusieurs de Malthe par le fait de Messine, Estroit serrez seront mal guerdonnez.

English.

The plunder made upon the Sea Coast, Incita nova and friends brought up, Many of Maltha, for the fact of Messina, Being close kept, shall be ill rewarded.

ANNOT.

It seemeth that this Plunder made upon the Sea Coast, shall be about Messina, by the Maltheses, who afterwards shall rue for it, being taken Prisoners, and severely punished.

As for the expression Incita nova, it is a barbarous derivation of the Latine, to sig∣nifie the stirring of new troubles.

LXII. French.

Au grand de Cheramonagora, Seront croisez par rangs tous attachez, Le Pertinax Oppi, & Mandragora, Raugon d'Octobre le tiers seront laschez.

English.

To the great one of Cheramonagora, Shall be crossed by Ranges, all tyed up, The Pertinax Oppi, and Mandragora, Raugon the third of October shall be set loose.

ANNOT.

The word Cheramonagora, is either altogether barbarous and insignificant, or must be derived from these three Greek words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 manus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, solus, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, duco, and so it may signifie one that leadeth along by the hand, in which sense may be un∣derstood the King of France, who alone leadeth his people by the hand, without any help of Councel.

The second Verse signifieth the Oppositions he shall meet with among his Neighbours, combined together to hinder him.

By Oppi, he meaneth here Opium the Juice of Poppies, which he calleth here Pertinax; because of its pertinacious quality in procuring sleep, as also Man∣dragora.

By Raugon, he meaneth some other soporiferous Herb; so that it seemeth that those three things shall be given upon the third of October to some body, it seemeth to that Cheramonagora, by whom some understand the King of France, others Oliver the last usurpator.

LXIII. French.

Plaintes, & pleurs, cris, & grands hurlemens, Pres de Narbonne, a Bayonne & en Foix, O quels horribles, calamitez, changemens, Avant que Mars revoluquelquesois.

English.

Complaints and tears, cries, and great howlings, Near Narbonne, Bayonne and in Foix, O what horrid calamities and changes, Before Mars hath made sometimes his revolution.

ANNOT.

Narbonne, Bayonne, and Foix are Towns of Languedoc, a Province in France; the rest is easie.

LXIV. French.

L'Aemathien passer Monts Pyrené••s, En Mars Narbon ne fera resistance, Par Mer & Terre fera si grand menee, Cap n'ayant Terre seure pour demeurance.

English.

The Aemathian shall pass by the Pyrenean Mountains, In March Narbon shall make no resistance, By Sea and Land he shall make so much ado, Cap. shall not have safe ground to live in.

ANNOT.

The Aemathian properly should be the Macedonian, but by it is understood here the Spaniard, whose Countrey is on one side fenced by the Pyrenean Mountains; the rest is plain.

LXV. French.

Dedans le coing de Luna viendra rendre, Ou sera prins & mis en Terre estrange, Les fruits immeurs seront a grand esclandre, Grand vitupere, a l'un grande loüange.

English.

He shall come into the corner of Luna. Where he shall be taken and put in a strange Land, The green fruits shall be in great disorder, A great shame, to one shall be great praise.

ANNOT.

This Stanza hath relation and connexion to the precedent, and by it ought to eb understood, that the said Aemathian or Spaniard shall come as far as the corner of Luna, wherein he shall be taken and sent into a strange Countrey, at which time the green Fruits and Grass shall be much damaged, for which one of the parties shall re∣ceive great shame, and the other great praise. But what he meaneth by the Corner of Luna, I must leave the judgment of it to the Reader, for I do ingeniously confess that I neither know City nor Countrey of that name.

XLVI. French.

Paix, union, sera & changement, Estats, Offices, bas hault, & hault bien bas, Dresser voiages, le fruit premier, torment, Guerre cesser, civils proces, debats,

English.

Peace, union, shall be, and mutation, States, and Offices, low high, and high low, A journey shall be prepared for, the first fruit, pains, War shall cease, as also, civil suits, and strifes.

ANNOT.

This is easie to be understood, many interpret it of the downfall of Rome, at which time all quarrels both of Religion and States would be laid aside, if the world were all of one mind.

LXVII. French.

Du haut des Monts a lentour de Dizere, Port a la Roche Valent. cent assemblez, De Chastean-Neuf, Pierrelate, en Donzere, Contre le Crest, Romans soy assemblez.

English.

From the top of the Mountains about Dizere Gate at the Rock Valence, a hundred gathered together, From Chasteau-Neuf, Pierrelate, in Douzere Against the Crest, Romans, shall be gathered.

ANNOT.

This is a peculiar Prophecy for the Provinces of Dauphiné and Languedoc, in which all the Towns and Rivers here mentioned are situated.

LXVIII. French.

Du Mont Aymar sera noble obscurcie, Le mal viendra au joint de Saone & Rhosne, Dans bois cachez Soldats jour de Lucie, Qui ne fut onc un si horrible Throsne.

English.

From Mount Aymar shall proceed a Noble obscurity, The evil shall come to the joyning of the Saone and Rhosne, Soldiers shall be hid in the Wood on St. Lucy's day, So that there was never such an horrid Throne.

ANNOT.

There is a notable fault in the impression of the first Verse of this Stanza, for instead of Mount Aymar, it must be Montlimar, which is a Town in Provence or Languedoc, situated by the River Rhosne, the sense therefore of this, is, that from Mont∣limar shall proceed some notable and obscure design, and that shall reach as far as Lyons, which is the City where the Saone and the Rhosne meet, and that for that pur∣pose, there shall be hidden a great many Souldiers in a Wood on St. Lucy's day, which is the 13th. of December.

LXIX. French.

Sur le Mont de Bailly & la Bresse, Seront cachez de Grenoble les fiers, Outre Lyon, Vien. cula si grand gresle, Langoult en Terre n'en cessara un tiers.

English.

Upon the Mount of Bailly, and the Countrey of Bresse, Shall be hidden the fierce ones of Grenoble, Beyond Lyons, Vienna, upon them shall fall such a hail, That lauguishing upon the ground, the third part shall not be left.

ANNOT.

The Mount Bailly, and the Countrey of Bressia, are by Savoy, in which place (our Author saith) the fierce ones; that is, stout men of Grenoble, the chief Town of Dauphiné, shall be hidden, and that such a Hail shall fall upon them, as not one third part shall be left.

LXX. French.

Harno is trenchans dans les flambeaux cachez, Dedans Lyon le jour du Sacrement, Ceux de Vienne seront tretous hachez, Par les Cantons Latins, Mascon eront.

English.

Sharp Weapons shall be hidden in burning Torches, In Lyons the day of the Sacrament, Those of Vienna shall be all cut to pieces, By the Latin Cantons, after the example of Mascon.

ANNOT.

This foretelleth a notable Treason that shall be acted at Lyons, upon the Sacra∣ments day, otherwise called Corpus Christi day, upon which the Roman Catholicks are wont to make a Procession with the Sacrament about the Town, with abundance of burning Torches, of fearful bigness, insomuch that some (as at Angeirs) require 20 or 24 men to carry them, in those Torches (our Author saith) shall VVeapons be hidden, by means of which the fact shall be committed. The rest is easie.

LXXI. French.

Au lieux Sacrés, animaux veus a Trixe, Avec celuy qui nosera le jour, A Carcassonne pour disgrace propice, Sera pose pour plus ample sejonr.

English.

In the Sacred places, Animals shall be seen at Trixe, With him that shall not dare in the day, In Carcassonne for a favourable disgrace, He shall be set to make a longer stay.

ANNOT.

Whether the Author did understand himself here I know not, I am sure I do not; Carcassonne is a City of Languedoc, and Trixe is a barbarous word.

LXXII. French.

Encor seront les Saints Temples pollus, Et expilez par Senat Tholosain, Saturne deux trois Siecles revolus, Dans Auril, May, gens de nouveau Levain.

English.

Once more shall the Holy Temples be polluted, And depredated by the Senate of Thoulouze, Saturn two three Ages finished, In April, May, people of a new Leaven.

ANNOT.

This is, when the Planet Saturn hath finished twice three Ages; that is, 600 years from the time that this Prophecy was written, then the Senates of Thoulouze, being men of a new Leaven (meaning being Protestants) shall cause the Ro∣mish Churches to be polluted and depredated in the Months of April and May.

LXXIII. French

Dans Foix entrez Roy Cerulée Turban, Et regnera moins evolu Saturne, Roy Turban Blanc, Bizance coeur ban, Sol, Mars, Mercure, pres la Hurne.

English.

In Foix shall come a King with a Blew Turbant, And shall Reign before Saturn is revolved, Then a King with a White Turbant shall make Bizance to quake, Sol, Mars Mercury, being near the top of the Mast.

ANNOT.

Foix is a Countrey of France, near Gascony, where the Author saith, a King with a Blew Turbant shall come, and shall govern less then an Age, that is 100 years, after which another King with a VVhite Turbant shall come, and shall Conquer Bi∣zance (which in Latine is Constantinople) the Blew or Green Turbant is attributed to the great Turk, and the VVhite one to the King of France, by whom the Turks have a Prophecie, their Monarchy shall be subverted.

LXXIV. French.

Dans la Cité de Fertsod homicide, Fait & fait multe Boeuf arant ne macter, Retour encore aux honneurs d'Artemide, Et a Vulcan corps morts ••epulturer.

English.

In the City of Fertsod one murdered, Causeth a Fine to be laid for killing a plowing Oxe, There shall be a return of the honours due to Artemide, And Vulcan shall bury dead bodies

ANNOT.

VVhat is that City of Fertsod, is hard to guess, there being none of this name in Europe that I know. The rest of the words are plain, though the sense be abst••uce enough, therefore we shall leave them to the liberty of the Reader.

LXXV: French.

De l'Ambraxie & du pais de Thrace, Peuple par Mer, Mal, & secours Gaulois, Perpetuelle en Provence la Trace, Avec vestiges de leur Coustumes & Loix.

English.

From Ambraxia, and from the Countrey of Thracia, People by Sea, Evil, and French succours, The Trace of it shall be perpetual in Provence, The footsteps of their Customs and Laws remaining.

ANNOT.

VVhat Countrey this Ambraxia should be, is yet unknown, for my part I take it to be a forged word, as for Thracia it is a Countrey between Hungary and Greece.

Observe here that Evil is not an Epithete, to either People or Sea, but a word of admiration by it self, as malum in Latine, which is called vox admirantis.

LXXVI. French.

Avec le noir Rapax & sanguinaire, Yssu du peaultre de l'inhumain Neron, Emmy deux Fleuves main gauche Militaire, Sera meurtry par Joyn Chaulveron.

English.

With the Black and bloody Rapax, Descended from the paultry of the inhumane Nero, Between two Rivers, on the left Military hand, He shall be murdered by Joyne Caulveron.

ANNOT.

This Prophecie portendeth the death of a black, bloody, and ravenous man (which in Latine is Rapax) who shall be murdered between two Rivers, by one whose proper name shall be Joyne Chaulveron.

LXXVII. French.

Le Regne prins le Roy conviera, La Dame prinse a mort jurez a sort, La vie a Royne Fils on desniera, Et la pellix au fort de la consort.

English.

The Kingdom being taken, the King shall invite, The Lady taken to death, The Life shall be denyed unto the Queens Son, And the Pellix shall be at the height of the Consort.

ANNOT.

You must observe, that there is a word false printed, which is Pellix, instead of which should be Pellex, which in Latine signifieth a Whore or Concubine.

The sense therefore of this is, that a certain King having taken another Kingdom, shall put the Queen of it to death, as also her own Son, after which, he shall make his Concubine Queen.

LXXVIII. French.

La Dame Grecque de Beaute laydique, Heureuse faite de proces innumerable, Hors translatée au Regne Hispanique, Captive prinse mourir mort miserable.

English.

The Graecian Lady of exquisite Beauty, Made happy from innumerable quarrels, Being translated into the Spanish Kingdom, Shall be made a Prisoner, and die a miserable death.

ANNOT.

This Stanza is concerning the Lady Elizabeth of France, Daughter to Henry the II. and Sister to Charles the IX. who being promised first to Don Carlo Infante of Spain, was afterwards Married to his Father Philip the II. at which the young man being vexed and discontented, began to raise combustions in the State, for which, and his too much familiarity with his Mother in Law, he was strangled by his Fathers com∣mand, and she poisoned.

LXXIX. French.

Le Chef de Classe par fraude, stratageme, Fera timides sortir de leurs Galeres, Sortis meurdris chef renieux de Cresme, Puis par l'Embusche luy rendront les salaires

English.

The Commander of a Fleet by fraud and stratagem, Shall cause the fearful ones to come forth of their Galleys, Come out murdered, chief renouncer of Baptism, After that by an Ambuscado they'l give him again his salary

ANNOT.

The two first Verses are plain, the third signifieth, that these fearful ones being come out of their Galleys, part of them shall be murdered, and among them the Captain, a renouncer of his Baptism, or Renegado, and the rest afterwards by an Am∣buscado, shall requite in the same Coin those that had used them so.

LXXX French.

Le Duc voudra les siens exterminer, Envoyera les plus forts, lieux estranges, Par tyrannie Bize & Luc ruiner, Puis les Barbares sans Vin feront Vendanges.

English.

The Duke shall endeavour to exterminate his own, And shall send away the strongest of them into remote places, He shall also ruinate Bize and Luc, The Barbarians shall make Vintage without Wine.

ANNOT.

There is a great fault in the impression of the French Copy in this Stanza, which maketh the sense altogether inexplicable, it must then in stead of Bize and Luc, be written Pise and Lucques, which are two Towns in Italy, near the Duke of Florence's Dominions; one of these Towns, viz. Pisa he hath taken already, and from a Com∣mon-Wealth made it subject to himself; the other though several times attempted by him, hath preserved its liberty to this day. The last Verse signifieth, that after this is come to pass, the Barbarians, that is, the Florentins shall make Vintage without Wine; that is, shall plunder and spoil at their pleasure.

LXXXI. French.

Le Roy rusé entendra ses Embusches, De trois quartiers Ennemis assaillir, Un nombre estrange Larmes de coqueluches, Viendra Lamprin du traducteur faillir.

English.

The crafty King shall hear of his Ambuscadoes, And shall assail his Enemies on three sides, A strange number of Friers, mens Tears, Shall cause Lamprin to desert the Traitor.

ANNOT.

The only difficulty here is to know who that Lamprin should be, who shall be di∣verted from following a Traitor (which he meaneth here by the French word Tra∣ducteur) and shall be diverted from it by the Tears of Fryers, which are meant here by the ancient French word Coqueluches, which signifieth a Fryers Cool or Ca∣puchon.

LXXXII. French.

Par le Deluge & pestilence forte, La Cité grande de long temps Assregée, La Sentinelle & Garde de main morte, Subite prinse mais de nul outragée.

English.

The great City having been long Besieged, By an Innundation and violent Plague, The Sentinal and Watch being surprised, Shall be taken on a sudden, but hurt by no body.

ANNOT.

This is very plain, if by the great City you understand Paris, who is subject to fre∣quent Innundations and Plagues.

LXXXIII. French.

Sol Vingt de Taurus, si fort terre tremblera, Le grand Theatre remply ruinera, L'Air, Ciel, & Terre, obscurcir & troubler, Lors l'Infidele Dieu, & Saints voguera.

English.

The Sun being in the 20th of Taurus, the Earth shall so quake, That it shall fill and ruinate the great Theater The Air, the Heaven, & the Earth shall be so darkened, and troubled, That the unbelievers shall call upon God, and his Saints.

ANNOT.

This famous Earth-quake having not yet happened in Europe, it is like to happen within few years, for our Authors Prophecies (by his own confession) do not extend further than the year 1700.

LXXXIV. French.

Roy exposé parfaira l'Hecatombe, Apres avoir trouve son Origine, Torrent ouvrir de Marbre & Plomb la Tombe, D'un grand Romain d'Enseigne Medusin.

English.

The King exposed shall fulfill the Hecatombe, After he hath found out his Offspring, A Torrent shall open the Sepulcher, made of Marble and Lead, Of a great Roman, with a Medusean Ensign,

ANNOT.

This Prophecie is divided into two parts,: The first two Verses are concerning a King, who shall perform the Funeral Rites and Ceremonies to his Parents, when he is come to the knowledge of them, having been exposed for lost before.

The two last Verses are concerning an ancient Sepulcher of a Roman, that shall be digged up and found out by a Torrent, and the Arms of the said Roman shall be something like the head of Medusa, whose Hairs were Serpents, and was so fearful to behold, that by seeing of it, the beholders were turned into stones.

LXXXV. French.

Passer Guenne, Languedoc, & le Rhosne, D'Agen tenants, de Marmande & la Reole, D'Ouvrir par foy parroy, Phocen tiendra son Throne, Conflict aupres Saint Pol de Manseole.

English.

They shall pass over Gascony, Languedoc, and the Rhosne, From Agen keeping Marmande, and the Reole, To open the Wall by Faith, Phocen shall keep his Throne, A Battle shall be by St. Paul of Manseole.

ANNOT.

The whole of this Prophecie signifieth no more, but that an Army shall pass through all these places, and that at last there will be a Battle sought by that place, called St. Paul de Manseole.

LXXXVI. French.

Du Bourg la Reyne parviendront droit a Chartres, Et feront pres du Pont Antony pose, Sept pour la paix cauteleux comme Martres, Feront entrée d'Armée a Paris clause.

English.

From Bourg la Reyne they shall come straight to Chartres, And shall make a stand near Pont Antony, Seven for Peace as crafty as Martres, They shall enter in Paris besieged with an Army.

ANNOT.

Bourg lai Reyne is a little town within six Miles of Paris, Chartres is the chief City of the Province Beausse, Pont Antony is a little Town between them both, so that the sense of the whole is this, that seaven men, crafty like Martres (which are those Russia Foxes that afford the richest Furres, called Martres Zibellines) shall go from Bourg la Reyne to Chartres, making a little stay at Pont Antony, and then shall come with an Army into Paris, which shall be besieged at that time, I believe this Pro∣phecy is come to pass already in the time of the Civil VVars of France; but for want of the History I could not quote the time.

LXXXVII. French.

Par la Forest du Touphon essartée Par Hermitage sera pose le Temple, Le Duc d'Estampes par sa ruse inventée, Du Montlehery Prelat donra exemple.

English.

By the Forrest Touphon cut off, By the Hermitage shall the Temple be The Duke of Estampes by his inventea trick, Shall give example to the Prelat of Montlehery.

ANNOT.

Here is a fault in the Impression, for instead of Touphon, it must be written Torsou, which is a Forrest some 30 Miles from Paris towards Beausse, near which is seated the Town of Montlebery, in the the said Forrest is seated an Hermitage, and not far from thence the City of Estampes, which carryeth the Title of Dutchy; so that the sense of it is this, that this Forrest being cut off (as it is now for the most part) in the place where that Hermitage was, shall be built a Church or Convent, as it is now Coelestins friars, called Marcoussy, and that the said Hermitage shall be taken from the jurisdi∣ction of the Town of Montlehery, under which it was before.

LXXXVIII. French.

Calais, Arras, secours a Theroanne, Paix & semblant simulera l'escoute, Soulde d'Allobrox descendre par Roane, Destornay peuple qui defera la routte.

English.

Calais, Arras, shall give succours to Theroanne, Peace or the like, shall dissemble the hearing; Souldiers of Allobrox shall descend by Roane, People perswaded, shall spoil the March.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy did happen in the time of Henry the II. King of Fra••ce, about the year 1559.

The last Verse saith, that those two Towns Calais and Arras gave succours to 〈…〉〈…〉roane, that is to the Countrey where Theron••nne was seated, which was destroyed by Charles the V. Emperour. This Countrey was called Ponthieu, of which The∣rouenne was the chief Town.

The second Verse doth determine the time where about this came to pass, when he saith, peace or the like shall dissemble the hearing; because in the year 1556. in the beginning of February there was a Truce for five years between the two Crowns of France and Spain, concerning the Low Countreys, and this Truce signified not much, nor was well cemented, so that the Author saith, Peace or the like shall dissemble the hearing; that is, shall fain not to hear that the Cardinal Caraffa did endeavour in France to have the Truce broken.

The third Verse is obscure, because of a fault in the Impression, wherein they have put Rouane instead of Noanne, that is Hannone by transposition of letters, but that being corrected, the Verse is clear, supposing that Philibertus Emanuel Duke of Savoy was General of the Army, against France in the Low-Countreis, and wandering about to do some notable exploit, he came down through the Province of Hainault, called in Latine Hannonia, and came to Mariembourg, as if he would have Besieged it, but after some light skirmishes he laid Siege to Rocroy, and this is the meaning of the third Verse, when he saith, Souldiers of Allobrox shall descend by Noanne, that is, Souldiers in the Army of the Duke of Savoy, which in Latine is Allobrox, came down to Mariembourg, and turned back again to Rocroy.

The fourth Verse mentioneth what did happen at the Siege of Rocroy; that place being not yet very well fortified; the King was unwilling to put any of his best Soul∣diers therein, but the Duke of Nevers undertook the defence of it, which he did really and gloriously perform, in so much, that the Duke of Savoy was compelled to raise up the Siege, and going back towards St. Quentin, he took Vervins by storm, and gave the booty of it to his Souldiers, who took heart upon it, having been much discouraged before by the resistance of the Duke of Nevors. This is the sense of the fourth Verse, People persuaded shall poil the march; that is, the people of Recroy per∣suaded to hold out by the courage and presence of the Duke of Nevers, spoiled the march that the Duke of Savoy had propounded to himself, insomuch, that raising the Siege he went to Vervins, and from thence to St. Quentin.

LXXXIX. French.

Sept ans Philip fortune prospere, Rabaifsera des Barbares l'effort, Puis son midy perplex rebours affaire, seune Ogmion abysmera son fort.

English.

Philip shall have seven years of prosperous fortune, Shall beat down the attempt of the Barbarians, Then in his Noon be shall be perplexed and have untoward business, Young Ogmion shall pull down his strength.

ANNOT.

This Stanza was made concerning Philip the II. King of Spain, who for the first seven years that he came to his Crown, had prosperous fortune, did brave exploits against the Barbarians, and chiefly in the person of his Brother Don Juan of Austria, who got the memorable Battle of Lapantho against the Turks, but in the middle of his Noon, that is of his Age, fell into great perplexities and cross businesses, being constrained to put his onely son Don Carla to death, and to poison his wife, and after that never prospered, when young Ogmion (that is Henry IV. King of France) came to the Crown.

XC. French.

Un Capitaine de la grand Germanie, Se viendra rendre par simulé secours, Au Roy des Roys, aide de Pannonie, Que sa revolte fera de sand grand cours.

English.

A Captain of the great Germany, Shall come to yield himself with a fained help, Unto the King of Kings, help of Hungary, So that his revolt shall cause a great bloodshed.

ANNOT.

Pannonia in Latine is Hungary, there is nothing hard in this, unless it be what he meaneth by the King of Kings, whether it be the great Turk or the Emperour.

XCI. French.

L'Horrible peste Perynthe & Nicopole, Le Chersonese tiendra & Marceloine, La Thessalie naistera l'Amphipole, Mal incogneu & le refus d'Antoine,

English.

The horrid pestilence shall seize upon Perynthe and Nicopolis, The Chersonese and Marceloine, It shall waste Thessalia and Amphipolis, An unknown evil and the refusal of Antony.

ANNOT.

There is several faults in the impression here, for instead of Perynthe, it must be Corinthe. For Marceloine, it must be Macedoine: the substance of the whole is, that there shall be a great plague in all these Countries of Asia. The refusal of Antony is foisted here to make up the rime with Macedony.

XCII. French.

Le Roy voudra dans Cité neufve entrer, Par ennemis expugner l'on viendra, Captif libere, faulx dire & perpetrer, Roy dehors estre, loin d'ennemis tiendra.

English.

The King shall desire to enter into the new City, With foes they shall come to overcome it, The Prisoner being free, shall speak and act falsly, The King being gotten out, shall keep f••r from enemies.

ANNOT.

The sense of all these words so ill jointed, is no more but that a certain King sna••l desire to enter into a new City, and there they shall come and Besiege him, where he shall both act and speak deceitfully to get his liberty, which he having obtained, shall keep far from his foes.

XCIII. French.

Les ennemis du Fort bien esloignez, Par Chariots conduits le Bastion, Par sur les Murs de Bourges esgrongnez, Quand Hercules battra l'Haemathion.

English.

The enemies being a good way from the Fort, Shall upon Wagons be conducted to the Bulwark, From the top of Bourges Walls they shall be cut less, When Hercules shall beat the Haemathion.

ANNOT.

Bourges is the chief City of a Province in France called Berry.

There is nothing difficult in this, but onely what he meaneth by Hercules beating the Aemathion, unless by Hercules he meaneth the French, and by Aemathion the Spaniard.

XCIV. French.

Foibles Galeres seront unis ensemble, Ennemis faux, le plus fort en rempart, Foible assailies Wratislavie tremble; Lubeck & Mysne tiendront Barbare part.

English.

Weak Galleys shall be united together, False enemies, the strongest shall be fortified, Weak assaults, and yet Breslaw quaketh for fear, Lubeck and Misne shall take the part of the Barbarians.

ANNOT.

Breslaw, Lubeck and Misne, are three Cities of Germany; the rest is plain.

XCV. French.

Le nouveau fait conduira l'exercite, Proche apamé jusque aupres du Rivage, Tendant secours de Melanoise eslite, Duc yeux privé, a Milan fer de Cage.

English.

The new man shall lead up the Army, Near Apamé, till near the Bank, Carrying succours of choice Forces from Milan, The Duke deprived of his eyes, and an Iron Cage at Milan.

ANNOT.

Apamé is a barbarous word, at least I cannot tell what language it is, the rest is plain enough, and signifieth that a Duke shall be deprived of his eyes, and shall be put in an Iron Cage at Milan.

XCVI. French.

Dans Cité entrer exercite desniée, Duc entrera par persuasion, Aux foibles portes clam Armee amenée, Mettront feu, mort, de sang effusion.

English.

The Army being denied the entrance of the City, The Duke shall enter by persuasion, To the weak Gates, clam the Army being brought, Shall put all to fire and sword.

ANNOT.

Clam here is in Latine praeposition, signifying secretly; the rest is easie:

XCVII. French.

De Mer Copies en trois parts divisées, A la seconde les Vivres failliront, Desesperez cherchant Champs Elisées, Premiers en breche entrez victoire auront.

English.

A Fleet being divided into three parts, The victuals will fail the second part, Being in despaire they'l seek the Elyfian Fields, And entring the breach first, shall obtain victory.

ANNOT.

A Fleet being divided into three parts, the second division shall fall into want of victuals, for which being desperate, they shall attempt the Town of the enemy, and shall enter it by the breach, and get the victory.

XCVIII. French

Les affligez par faute d'un seul taint, Contremenant a partie opposite, Aux Lygonois mandera que contraint, Seront de rendre le grand chef de Molite.

English.

The afflicted want of one only died, Carrying against the opposite part, Shall send word to those of Lyon, they shall be compelled, To surrender the great chief of Molite.

ANNOT.

This is the most nonsensical thing that is in all the Book, for neither the words nor the connexion is intelligible, therefore it being so much out of the common road of our Author, I am apt to believe that it was at first very falsly printed, and that those that came after, were loth to alter it for the respect of antiquity.

XCIX. French.

Vent Aquilon fera partir le Siege, Par murs jetter cendres, chaulx, & poussiere, Par pluye apres qui leur sera bien piege, Dernier secours encontre leur Frontiere.

English.

The North wind shall cause the Siege to be raised, They shall throw ashes, lime, and dust, By a rain after that shall be a trap to them, It shall be the last succours against their Frontiere.

ANNOT.

Here is described a notable stratagem of a Besieged Town, who against rainy weather cast so much ashes, lime and dust, that the rain coming thereupon, it made such a mire, as the Besiegers were not able to assault it.

C. French.

Navale pugne nuict sera superée, Le feu, aux Naves a l'Occident ruine, Rubriche neuve, la grand néf colorée, Ire a vaincu, & victoire en bruine.

English.

In a Sea-fight, night shall be overcome, By fire, to the Ships of the West ruine shall happen, A new stratagem, the great Ship coloured, Anger to the vanquished, and victory in a Mist.

ANNOT.

He foretelleth of a Sea-fight in the night, wherein by the light of the burning Ships night shall be overcome, the Ships that came from the West shall be worsted, and by a stratagem of a great Ship painted in colours, anger shall remain to the van∣quished, and the victory shall be got in a Mist.

THE PROPHECIES OF Michael Nostradamus. CENTURY X.

I. French.

Al'Ennemy, l'ennemy for promise, Ne se tiendra, les captifs retenus, Prins preme mort & le reste en chemise, Donnant le reste pour estre secourus.

English.

To the enemy, the enemy faith promised, Shall not be kept, the prisoners shall be detained, The first taken, put to death, and the rest stripped, Giving the remnant that they may be succoured.

ANNOT.

These words are plain, though the sense be a little intricated, and the contents being of small concernments, deserve no further explanation.

II. French.

Voile Gallere Voile nef Cachera, La grand Classe viendra sortir la moindre, Dix Naves proches le tourneront poulser, Grand vaincüe, unies a soy joindre.

English.

The Galley and the Ship shall hide their Sails, The great Fleet shall make the little one to come out, Ten Ships near hand, shall turn and push at it, The great being vanquished, they shall unite together.

ANNOT.

These are some particularities of a Sea fight between a great Fleet and a small one, wherein he saith, that some had hid their Sails, belike they were unwilling to come out of the Harbour and to fight; but he saith, that the great Fleet will compel the little one to come out; but ten great Ships will come to help the little Fleet, and after the great one hath been overcome, will joyn themselves to the little Fleet.

III. French.

En apres cinq troupeau ne mettra hors, Un fuitif pour Penclon laschera, Faux murmurer secours venir par lors, Le Chef le Siege lors abandonnera.

English.

After that, five shall not put out his flock, He'l let loose a runnaway for Penelon, There shall be a false rumour, succours shall come then, The Commander shall for sake the Siege.

ANNOT.

This Stanza is either nonsensical or falsely printed, and what he meaneth by Pe∣nelon, is utterly unknown.

IV. French.

Sur la minuit conducteur de l'Armée, Se sauvera subit esvanovy, Sept ans apres la fame non blasmée, A son retour ne dira oncq ouy.

English.

About midnight the leader of the Army, Shall save himself, vanishing suddenly, Seven years after his fame shall not be blamed And at his return he shall never say yea.

ANNOT.

This is plain of a General of an Army, who shall for sake his Army, and save him∣self, and yet seven years after when he cometh back, his reputation shall be as clear, as if he never had committed such an errour.

V. French.

Albi & Castres feront nouvelle ligue, Neuf Arriens, Lisbonne, & Portuguez, Carcas. Thoulouze, consumeront leur brigue Quand chef neuf monstre de Lauraguez.

English.

Albi and Castres shall make a new league, Nine Arriens, Lisbonne, and Portuguez, Carcas. Thoulouse, shall make an end of their confederacy, When the new chief shall come from Lauragais.

ANNOT.

Albi, Castres, Carcassonne, and Thoulonse, are Cities of Lang••edock, which our Au∣thor saith, will enter into a confede racy among themselves, and joyn with Lisbon and the Portuguez, and this shall happen when the general of the Army, shall be one born in Lauragais, which is another of the same Province.

VI. French.

Gardon a Nismes eaux si haut desborderont, Qu'on cuidera Deucalion renaistre, Dans le Colosse la pluspart fuiront, Vesta Sepulchre feu esteint apparoistre.

English.

Gardon at Nismes, waters shall overslow so high, That they'l think that Deucalion is born again, Most of them will run into the Colossus, And a Sepulchre, and fire extinguished, shall appear.

ANNOT.

Near Nismes there is the River called Gardon, which cometh from St. Romans, and dischargeth it self into the Rhosne at Beaucaire, there is to be seen in that City abundance of Antiquitez, which the Goths had built 1150. years before; there is also many Roman Antiquities, as an Amphitheater, so well builded that neither the Goths nor the Saracens, nor Attila, nor Charles Martel, with all their power, could not utter∣ly demolish it. The Author nameth it Colossus, because its building appeared like a Colossus for solidity.

There is also an ancient Temple which is called the Fountain, builded as a Qua∣drangle, and supported by two rows of great Pillars, which at present is a Church of Nuns.

This being supposed, the River of Gardon did overflow so much, that its VVaters joyning with that of a Flood that happened there the ninth of September 1577. every one thought that Dencalion had been born again. The Author saith this; because

in the fables of the ancients. Deucalion is thought to be the Author of the Flood which Ovid mentioneth. During this Flood which was like to overflow the Town, as well as the Countrey, many did retire themselves into that Amphitheater.

And in that ancient Temple of the Fountain, the VVaters overthrowing a great many old buildings did discover abundance of Antiquities, and amongst the rest one of those Lamps that burneth always, in the Sepulchre of a Vestal, which went out as soon as it felt the fresh Air.

In confirmation of this, the History of Provence saith, that the storm began about five of the Clock in the Morning, and lasted till Eight of the Clock at night, and that these waters did uncover abundance of Antiquities that were hidden 1100. years before, as Pillars, Portico's, Med••ls, Jasper stones, and serpentine-stones, pieces of broken Vessels, Epitaphs, lodging Rooms, and Caves, and all other things that use to be found in the ruines of a Palace.

There was also heard in the Air Dogs barking, Pillars of fire, Armed men fight∣ing, and were seen two suns in the Clouds of the Colour of Blood, all which were the sad presages of the Civil VVars of France presently after, and chiefly that of Provence.

The ninth Century in the ninth stanza, speaketh almost the same, and sheweth that Nismes shall perish by VVater.

VII. French.

Le grand conflict qu'on appreste a Nancy, L'Aemathien dira tout je soubmets, L'Isle Britane par Vin Sel••en solcy, Hem. mi. deux Phi. long temps ne tiendra Mets.

English.

A great War is preparing at Nancy, The Aemathien shall say I submit to all, The British Island shall be put in care by Salt and Wine, Hem. mi. two Phi. shall not keep Mets long.

ANNOT.

Nancy is the chief City of Lorrain, and by the Aemathien is understood the French, the British Isle is England, which is said here, shall come into great distress by Salt and VVine, because the Countrey aboundeth in those two Commodities. The last Verse I do not understand, save that Mets is a great City in Lorrain.

VIII French.

Index & Poulse parfondera le front De Senegalia le Comte a son Fils propre, La Myrnamée par plusieurs de plain front, Trois dans sept jours blessez more.

English.

Index and Poulse shall break the forehead, Of the Son of the Earl of Senegalia, The Myrnamée by many at a full bout, Three within seven days shall be wounded to death.

ANNOT.

Senegalia is a Town in Italy, all what can be gathered out of the obscurity of this Stanza, is, that the son of the Earl of that Town shall have his forehead broken, and within seven days after, three more shall be wounded to death.

IX. French.

De Castilon figuieres jour de brune, De semme infame naistra Souverain Prince, Surnum de chausses per hume luy posthume, On•• Roy ne fut si pire en sa Province.

English.

Out of Castilon figuieres upon a misty day, From an infamous woman shall be born a Soveraign Prince, His surname shall be from Breeches, himself a posthume, Never a King was worse in his Province.

ANNOT.

Castilon figuieres is a petty Town in Provence, in which he saith that a Severaign Prince shall be born of an infamous Woman, and shall be a posthume, which in La∣tine signifieth one that is born after his Fathers death; he saith also that his name shall be derived from Breeches, and that never a King was worse in his Countrey, whether by worse, he meaneth in manners or fortune, I know not.

X. French.

Tasche de murdre, enormes Adulteres, Grand ennemy de tout le genre humain, Que sera pire qu'ayeulx. Oncles ne Pere, En fer, feu, eau, sanguin & inhumain.

English.

Endeavour of Murder, enormous Adulteries, A great enemy of all mankind, That shall be worse then Grand-father, Unvle, or Father, In Iron, fire, water, bloody and inhumane.

ANNOT.

This Stanza as well as the next hath relation to the precedent, making mention what a wicked person shall that Posthume be of which he spoke before.

XI. French.

Dessoubs Jonchere du dangereux passage, Fera passer le posthume sa bande, Les Monts Pyrens passer hors son bagage, De Parpignan courira Duc a Tende.

English.

Below Joncheres dangerous passage, The posthume shall cause his Army to go over, And his Baggage to go over the Pyrenean Mountains, A Duke shall run from Perpignan to Tende.

ANNOT.

This is still concerning the same posthume or Bastard, who shall cause his Army to pass at Jonchere, and his Bagage to go over the Pyrenean Mountains, which parts Spain from France, and that upon the fear of him a Duke shall run from Perpignan, which is the chief City of R••ussillon to Tende, which is a little Town in Provence.

XII. French.

Esleu en Pape, d'Esleu sera mocqué, Subit soudain, esmeu prompt & timide, Par trop bon doux a mourir provoqué, Crainte estainte la nuit de sa mort guide.

English.

Elected for a Pope, from Elected shall be baffled, Upon a sudden, moved quick and fearful, By too much sweetness provooked to die, His fear being out in the night shall be Leader to his death.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy was fulfilled in the person of the Cardinal Santa Severina, who in the Conclave of Cardinals after the death of Pope Innocent IX was Elected Pope, and presently after was baffled by the same Cardinals, and Clement the VIII. chosen in his place, for which the other a little while after died for grief.

XIII French.

Soubs la pasture d'animaux ruminans, Par eux conduits au ventre Herbi-polique, Soldats cachez, les armes bruit menants, Non loin tentez de Cité Antipolique.

English.

Under the pasture of Beasts chewing the cud, Conducted by them to the Herbi-polique belly, Souldiers hidden, the Weapons making a noise, Shall be attempted not far from Antipolick City,

ANNOT.

The sense of this is, that some Souldiers disguised like Herds-men, shall lead Oxen into a place where were hidden before Weapons in the Grass, but the Wea∣pons making a noise by their clashing they shall be discovered, not far from a place that he calleth here Antipolique, purposely to rime with Herbipolique in French, which word Herbipolique signifieth a Town of Pasture.

XIV. French.

Urnel, Vaucile, sans conseil de soy mesmes, Hardy, timide par crainte prins vaincu, Accompagré de plusieurs putains, blesme, A Barcelonne aux Chartreux convaincu.

English.

Urnel, Vaucile, without advice of his own, Stout and fearful, by fear taken and overcome, Pale, and in company of many Whores, Shall be convicted at Barcelone by the Charterhouse.

ANNOT.

This Stanza is an Horoscope, which the Author made upon that Gentleman named Urnel Vaucille, and signifieth that the said man should find himself in such perplexity that he could not be able to take advice what to do, and that fear should make him hide himself, to be apprehended, in a place where he should be taken.

When he was taken, he was presently convicted of those crimes that he was accu∣sed of: therefore the Officers of Justice did conduct him to the Charter-house of Barcelone, which is four miles from the said Town, in a place called Campoalegre, for the beauty and situation of it, to that place many Whores did accompany him to re∣ceive the punishment they had deserved, therefore the Author saith that he went thither pale, as foreseeing the terrour of the punishment he was to undergo.

XV. French.

Pere Duc vieux d'ans & de soif chargé, Au jour extreme fils desniant l'esguiere, Dedans le puis vif, mort viendra plonge, Senat au fils la mort longue & legere.

English.

A Father Duke, aged and very thirsty, In his extremity, his son denying him the Ewer, Alive into a Well, where he shall be drowned, For which the Senate shall give the son a long and easie death.

ANNOT.

It is a Duke very aged who shall die of a Dropsie, or of some other burning disease, which will make him very thirsty, the Physitians shall forbid any water to be given him, therefore this Duke shall press his son very much to give him the Ewer, that he may drink his fill, but his son refusing, the Father shall fall into such a rage, that being alone he will go and throw himself into a Well, where he shall be drowned.

This unhappy death will be the cause of much murmuring, and the Senate or Par∣liament of that place will make enquiry after it, by which enquiry the son will be found guilty, therefore for his punishment, he shall be condemned to a long and easie death, as to live all his days in some Monastery.

XVI. French.

Heureux au Regne de France heureux de vie, Ignorant sang, mort, fureur, rapine, Par non flatteurs seras mis en envie, Roy desrobé, trop de foy en cuisine.

English.

Happy in the Kingdom of France, happy in his Life, Ignorant of blood, death, fury, of taking by force, By no flatterers shall be envied, King robbed, too much faith in Kitchin.

ANNOT.

This is a prognostication of a King of France, who though happy in his Reign and Life, and being given to no great vices, as blood, fury, or taking by force, yet shall be much envied and robbed by his Subjects, and chiefly by those he ••rusteth about his Kitchin.

XVII. French.

La Reyne Ergaste voiant sa fille blesme, Par un regret dans l'estomach enclos, Cris lamentables seront lors d'Angolesme, Et au germain mariage forclos.

English.

Queen Ergaste seeing her Daughter pale, By a regret contained in her Breast, Then shall great cries come out of Angolesme, And the Marriage shall be denyed to the Cousin German.

ANNOT.

It is unknown what Queen he meaneth by the name of Ergaste; the rest is easie. Angolesme is a City of Gascony or Languedoc.

XVIII. French.

Le rang Lorrain fera place a Vendosme, Le haut mis bas, & le bas mis en haut, Le fils d'Hamon sera esleu dans Rome, Et les deux grands seront mis en defaut.

English.

The House of Lorrain shall give place to Vendosme, The high pulled down, the low raised up, The son of Hamon shall be Elected into Rome, And the two great ones shall not appear.

ANNOT.

The two first Verses of this Prophecy were fulfilled in the time of Henry the third King of France, in whose time the Duke of Guise, and House of Lorrain were grown so powerful in France, that they drove the King from Paris, and assumed themselves a rank and authority over the Princes of the Blood, so that the King was forced to cause them to be slain, after which Henry IV. who was King of Navarre and Duke of Vendosme took his place again as first Prince of the Blood.

The two last Verses are too obscure to be interpreted, and I believe were onely forced by our Author to make up his Rime, as he hath done in several other places.

XIX. French.

Jour que sera pour Roine saluée, Le jour apres le salut, la Priere, Le compte sait raison & valbuée, Par avant humble oncques ne fut si siere.

English.

The day that she shall be saluted Queen, The next day after the Evening Prayer, All accompts being summoned and cast up, She that was humble before, never was one so proud.

ANNOT.

It is a woman (be like of a small Fortune) who coming to be a Queen by her hu∣mility, the next day after Evening Prayer she shall appear so proud, as the like was never seen.

XX French.

Tous les amis qu'auront tenu party, Pour rude en lettres mis mort & saccage, Biens publiez par sixe, grand neanty, Onc Romain peuple ne fut tant outrage.

English.

All the friends that shall have taken the part Of the Unlearned, put to death and robbed, Good sold publickly by proclamation, a great man seized of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Never Roman people was so much abused.

ANNOT.

The sense of this is, that a great man that took part with all those that were unlearned shall be put to death, and their goods praised and sold publickly, upon which goods another great man shall seize, and this is to be done in Rome.

There is fault in the Impression of the third French Verse, for instead of fixe it must be fisc, and instead of Neanty it must be Nancy.

XXI. French.

Par le despit du Roy soustenant moindre, Sera meurdry luy presentant les bagues, Le Pere & Fils voulant Noblesse poindre, Fait comme a Perse jadis firent les Magues.

English.

To spite the King, who took the part of the weaker, He shall be murdered, presenting to him Jewels, The Father and the Son going to vex the Nobility, It shall be done to them as the Magi did in Persia.

ANNOT.

This is a King who with his son taking the peoples part against the Nobility shall be killed, in presenting to him Jewels, and he and his son shall be dealt with all as the Magi, that is the Grandees of Persia used to do with their Kings, whom they were wont to murder, or depose.

XXII. French.

Pour ne vouloir consentir au divorce, Qui puis apres sera cogneu indigne, Le Roy des Isles sera chassé par force, Mis a son lien qui de Roy n'aura signe.

English.

For not consenting to the divorce, Which afterwards shall be acknowledged unworthy, The King of the Island shall be expelled by force, And another subrogated, who shall have no mark of a King.

ANNOT.

This is plain concerning England and the late calamities thereof, when our gra∣cious King for not consenting to the wicked factions of the Parliament then, and that have been acknowledged so since, was expelled by force, and an Usurpator that had not the least sign of a King sat in his place.

XXIII. French.

Au peuple ingrat faites les remonstrances, Par lors l'Armée se saisira d'Antibe, Dans larc Monech feront les doleances, Et a Freius l'un l'autre prendra ribe.

English.

The remonstrances being made to the ungrateful people, At that time the Army shall seize upon Antibe, In the River of Monaco they shall make their complaints, And at Freius both of them shall take their share.

ANNOT.

This signifieth that at the same time that the remonstrances shall be made to an ungrateful people; the Army shall seize upon the Town of Antibe, which is a Sea Town between France and Italy, and that there shall be great complaints at Monaco, which is another Sea-Town near it, and at the place called Freius, both parties shall either agree, or divide their shares.

XXIV. French.

Le captif Prince aux Itales vaincu, Passera Gennes par Mer jusque a Marseille, Par grand effort des forens survaincu, Sauf coup de feu, barril liqueur d'Abeille.

English.

The captive Prince vanquished in Italy, Shall pass by Sea through Genoa to Marseilles, By great endeavours of forrain forces overcome, But that a Barrel of Honey shall save him from the fire.

ANNOT.

A Prince vanquished in Italy, and taken Prisoner shall come through Genoa to Marseilles, where he shall be once more overcome by strangers, but that a Barrel of Honey shall save him from being burnt. This is the sense of the words as near as I can judge, the judicious Reader may make what construction he pleaseth upon them.

XXV. French.

Par Nebro ouvrir de Brisanne passage, Bien esloignez el tago faramuestra, Dans Pelligouxe sera commis l'outrage, De la grand Dame assise sur l'Orchestra.

English.

By Nebro to open the passage of Brisanne, A great way off, el tago fara muestra, In Pelligouxe the wrong shall be done, Of the great Lady sitting in the Orchestra.

ANNOT.

Here once more I lost my Spectacles, and could not see through, therefore I had rather be silent then coin lies, I shall only tell you, that Orchestra in Latine is the seat wherein noble Personages sit at the beholding of Stage-plays.

XXVI. French.

Le successeur vengera son Beau frere, Occuper Regne soubs ombre de vengeance, Occis obstacle son sang mort vitupere, Long temps Bretagne tiendra avec la France.

English.

The Successour shall avenge his Brother in Law, Shall hold by force the Kingdom, upon pretence of revenge, That hinderance shall be killed, his dead blood ashamed, A long time shall Brittany hold with France.

ANNOT.

This is plain enough of it self, without any interpretation.

XXVII. French.

Charle cinquiesme & un grand Hercules, Viendront le Temple ouvrir de main bellique, Une Colonne, Jules & Ascan reculez, L'Espagne, clef, Aigle neurent onc si grand pique.

English.

Charles the Fifth, and one great Hercules, Shall open the Temple with a Warlike hand, One Colonne, Julius and Ascan put back, Spain, the Key, Eagle were never at such variance.

ANNOT.

Charles the V. was the Emperour, and that great Hercules was Henry the II. King of France, whom he calleth Hercules, because he was King of France, and the Author nameth often in his Stanza's the Kings of France Hercules or Ogmions, because that great Captain of the Antiquity left his name glorious in the Gaules, whence the an∣cient Historians have given him the name of Hercules Gallicus. Henry the II. also was not only an Hercules by being King of France, but also a great Hercules, because of his Warlike humour, and for his great feats in Arms.

To open the Temple, signifieth to make War, because the Romans in ancient time were wont to shut the Temple of Janus in time of Peace, and kept it open during the War. Caesar Augustus did shut that Temple once in his time, which was never done before but twice, the first under Numa Pompilius, the second after the overcoming of Charthage.

XXVIII. French.

Second & tiers qui font prime Musique, Sera par Roy en honneur sublimée, Par grasse & maigre presque a deny etique, Rapport de Venus faux rendra deprimée.

English.

Second and third that make prime Musick, Shall by the King be exalted to honour, By a fat one, and a lean one, one in consumption, A false report of Venus shall pull her down.

ANNOT.

Notwithstanding the obscurity of this sense, and the bad connexion of the words, we may perceive that by this Stanza is meant, that a King having two Mistresses shall exalt them in great honour, till by a report made by a fat woman and a lean one, that is in a consumption, that the said Ladies prove unfaithful to the King, he will depress them as low as they were before.

XXIX. French.

De Pol Mansol dans Caverne caprine, Caché & pris extrait hors par la barbe, Captif mené comme beste mastine, Par Begourdans amenée pres de Tarbe.

English.

From Pol Mansol in a Goats Den, Hidden and taken, drawn out by the beard Prisoner, led as a Mastiff, By Begourdans shall be brought near to Tarbe.

ANNOT.

Here and in some other places of this work is to be observed, that the Author doth sometimes put two Towns instead of one, that he may distinguish it from others of the same name, as here he calleth Pol Mansol to distinguish the Town of St. Paul, which is three Leagues from the Rhosne, over against the Town of Pont St. Esprit, from that which is in the lower parts of Provence.

The sense therefore of this Stanza is, that this Begourdans (a proper name of a man) shall pull out another by the beard, that was hidden in a Goats Den, and shall lead him captive as far as Tarbe, which is another Town of Provence.

XXX. French.

Nepveu & sang du St. nouveau venu, Par le surnom soustient arcs & couvert, Seront chassez mis a mort chassez nu, En rouge & noir convertiront leur vert.

English.

Nephew and blood of the Saint newly come, By the surname upholdeth Vaults and Covering, They shall be driven, put to death, and driven out naked. They shall change their red and black into green.

ANNOT.

Here I confess to be at a loss, as may be a wiser man then I.

XXXI. French.

Le Sainct Empire viendra en Germanie, Ismaelites trouveront lieux ouverts, Asnes viendront aussy de la Caramanie, Les soustenans de Terre tous couverts.

English.

The Holy Empire shall come into Germany, The Ismaelites shall find open places, Asses shall also come out of Caramania, Taking their part, and covering the Earth.

ANNOT.

By the Ismaelites he meaneth the Turks, who brag to be descended from Ismael. Caramania is a Province of Turky, so that the sense of this Stanza is, that there shall be a great Invasion of the Turks into Germany, and that those of Caramania with their Asses shall come to their help, and shall be in such numbers, as that the Earth shall be covered with them.

XXXII. French.

Le grand Empire chascun en devoit estre, Un sur les autres le viendra obtenir, Mais peu de temps sera son Regne & estre, Deux ans aux Naves se pourra soustenir.

English.

The great Empire, every one would be of it, One above the rest shall obtain it, But his time and his Reign shall last little, He may maintain himself two years in his Shipping.

ANNOT.

This is plain enough without interpretation.

XXXIII. French.

La faction cruelle a Robe longue, Viendra cacher soubs les pointus Poignards, Saisir Florence, le Duc & le Diphlongue, Sa discouverte par Immeurs & Flagnards.

English.

The cruel faction of long Robe, Shall come and hide under the sharp Daggers, Seize upon Florence, the Duke and the Diphlongue, The discovery of it shall be by Countrey fellows.

ANNOT.

This is the Prognostication of a conspiracy against the Duke and City of Flo∣rence, by those of the long Gown, which shall be discovered by Countrey fellows, that live in places without Walls.

XXXIV. French.

Gaulois qu'Empire par Guerre occupera, Par son Beau-frere mineur sera trahi, Par Cheval rude voltigeant trainera, Du fait le frere long temps sera hay.

English.

A Frenchman who shall occupy an Empire by War, Shall be betrayed by his Brother in Law a Pupil, He shall be drawn by a rude prancing Horse, For which fact his brother shall be long hated.

ANNOT.

This foretelleth of a Frenchman, who shall by War obtain an Empire or Kingdom, and shall be betrayed by his Brother in Law a Pupil, whom afterwards he shall treacherously cause to mount a fierce prancing Horse, who shall throw him down and drag him, for which the said King shall be hated long after.

XXXV. French.

Puisné Roial flagrant d'ardant libide, Pour se jouir de cousine Germaine, Habit de femme au Temple d'Artemide, Allant murdry par incogneu du Marne.

English.

The Kingly youngest son heated with burning lust, For to enjoy his Cosen German, Shall in womans apparrel go to the Temple of Artemis; Going, shall be murdered by unknown du Marne.

ANNOT.

This is concerning the younger son of a King, who being extreamly in love with his Cosen German, shall disguise himself in a womans apparel, and shall go so disguised to the Temple of Artemide, (that is of some Church Dedicated to the Virgin Mary) to meet her, but in going, shall be murdered by an unknown man named du Marne.

XXXVI. French.

Apres le Roy du Sud guerres parlant, L'Isle Harmotique le tiendra a mespris, Quelques ans bons rongeant un & pillant, Par tyrannie a l'Isle changeant pris.

English.

After that the King of the South shall have talked of Wars, The Harmotick Island shall despise him, Some good years gnawing one and plundering, And by tyranny shall change the price of the Island.

ANNOT.

The two first Verses are concerning Philip the II. King of Spain, who is called here the King of the South, whom after his vain and frustrated Invasion of 88. the Harmo∣tique Island (that is England) shall deride, and he after that shall have some good years, that is of Peace, still pillaging and plundering his Subjects, and shall change the price of England, that is, make it of a higher value, and more flourishing then ever it was before, as it did prove in Queen Elizabeth's time.

XXXVII. French.

Grande assemblée pres du Lac du Borget, Se rallieront pres de Montmelian, Passants plus outre pensifs feront projet, Chambray, Morienne, combat Saint Julian.

English.

A great assembly of people near the Lake of Borget, Will go and gather themselves about Montmelian, Going beyond, they shall make an enterprize, Upon Chambery, Moriene, and shall fight at St. Julian.

ANNOT.

This Lake of Borget is in Savoy, as also Montmelian Chambery, Moriene, and St. Julian; the meaning of it then is, that a great Army shall be gathered about that Lake, which shall go through Chambery, Moriene, and Montmelian, and shall fight at St. Julian.

XXXVIII. French.

Amour alegre non loin pose le Siege, Au Saint Barbar seront les Garnisons, Ursins, Hadrie pour Gaulois feront plaige, Pour peur rendus de l'Armée, aux Grisons.

English.

Cheerful love doth lay Siege not far, The Garrisons shall be at Saint Barbar, Ursini, Hadria shall be sureties for the French, And many for fear shall go from the Army to the Grisons.

ANNOT.

The first two Verses are inexplicable; the two last signifie that there shall be an Army of Frem, with whom Hadria (that is Venice) and the Ursini the noblest Family in Italy shall take part, insomuch, that many of the contrary party shall run for fear to the Grisons, which is a Nation dwelling in the Valteline and other Countreis there about, between the Venetians and the Switzers.

XXXIX. French.

Premier fils veufve malheureux mariage, Sans nuls enfans deux Isles en discord, Avant dixhuit incompetant Aage, De l'autre pres plus bas sera l'accord.

English.

Of the first son a widow, an unhappy match, Without any Children, two Islands at variance, Before eighteen an incompetant Age, Of the other lower shall be the agreement.

ANNOT.

Although the words be intricate, nevertheless the sense is plain, concerning Fran∣cis the II. King of France, who being married young, and before he was 18. years of Age, to Mary Stuart Queen of Scotland, died presently after, and left her a widow, and also England and Scotland (which he calleth here two Islands) at variance among themselves; of the last Verse the sense is very obscure, and hath relation to what did happen afterwards to the said Mary Queen of Scots and Dowager of France.

XL French.

Le jeune nay au Regne Britannique, Qu'aura le Pere mourant recommandé, Iceluy mort Londre donra topique, Et a son fils le Regne demandé.

English.

The young man born to the Kingdom of Britanny, Whom his Father dying shall have recommended, After his death London shall give him a topick, And shall ask the Kingdom from his son,

ANNOT.

This Prophecy is plain, concerning his Majesty King Charles II. now Reigning, who having been recommended by his dying Father to his Subjects, presently after his death they turned tail, and took the Kingdom from him for a good while.

XLI. French.

En la frontiere de Caussade & Charlus, Non gueres loing du fond de la valée, De Ville Franche Musique a son de Luths, Environnez Combouls & grand myrtée.

English.

Upon the Frontiere of Caussade and Charlus, Not far from the bottom of the Valley, Of Ville Franche there shall be Musick of Lutes, Great dancing and great company of people met together

ANNOT.

Caussade, Charlus, and Villefranche are little Towns in Provence, not far one from another; the rest is easie.

XLII. French.

Le Regne humain d'Angelique geniture, Fera son Regne, paix, union tenir, Captive guerre demy de sa closture, Long temps la paix leur fera maintenir.

English.

The humane Reign of an Angelical brood, Shall cause his Reign to be in peace and union, Shall make War, captive shutting it half up, He shall cause them to keep peace a great while.

ANNOT.

This is only a foretelling of some Gallant Prince, who shall maintain his Subjects in great peace and tranquility.

XLIII. French.

Le trop bon temps, trop de bonté Roiale, Faits & desfaits prompt, subit, negligence, Leger croira faux, despouse loiale, Luy mis a mort par sa benevolence.

English.

The time too good, too much of Royal bounty, Made and unmade, nimble, quick, negligence, Fickle shall believe false of his loyal Spouse, He shall be put to death for his good will.

ANNOT.

This is concerning another King, who through his too much goodness, simplicity and negligence, shall make and unmake those about him, and being fickle, shall believe false reports, made concerning his own wife; and at last by his to much goodness, shall be put to death.

XLIV. French.

Par lors qu'un Roy sera contre les siens, Natif de Blois subjuguera Ligneres, Mammel. Cordube, & les Dalmatiens, Des sept puis l'ombre a Roy estrennes & Lemures,

English.

At that time that a King shall be against his own, One born at Blois shall subdue the Ligures, Mammel. Cordua and the Dalmatians, After that the shadow of the seven shall be to the King a new∣years gift and Hoggoblins.

ANNOT.

Blois is a City in France; Ligures are the Genoeses, in Latine called Ligures; as for Mammel I cannot tell what to make of it; Cordua is a City of Spain, and the Dalma∣tians is a Nation near the Adriatick Sea, and under the Venetians; I leave the inter∣pretation of the last Verse to the ingenious Reader.

XLV. French.

Lombre du Regne de Navarre non vray, Fera la vie de sort illegitime, La veu promis incertain de Cambray, Roy d'Orleans donra mur legitime.

English.

The shadow of the Reign of Navarre not true, Shall make the life of illigitimate chance, The uncertain allowance from Cambray, King of Orleans shall give a lawfull Wall.

ANNOT.

The Reign or Kingdom of Navarre is called not true, because the King of Spain doth possess it, and not the King of France, who is the lawful King thereof, as also in regard of the Kings of France, and before of Jane of Albret, and Antony of Bourbon.

This Kingdom being not true in regard of the said ones, the title and quality is cal∣led here shadow. The Author saith that the quality of the King of Navarre shall make the life of illigitimate chance, because after the death of Francis the II Catherine of Medicis being not opposed in the Regence by Antony of Bourbon King of Navarre, she was willing to gratifie him in what she could.

And because his Brother Lewis Prince of Condé had been condemned to death, and not executed, it was a fair occasion for her to shew the King of Navarre how much she did defer to him. Therefore twelve days after the death of King Francis, he was freed out of Prison, and was admitted to justifie himself under the King of Navarre's Bail.

Thus the shadow of the Kingdom of Navarre not true, did cause the life of a Prince to be saved, but that life was illegitimate, and that Kingdom not true by chance, that is, by accident, because of the death of King Francis.

Leaving off the third Verse to be explained after the fourth; King (saith the Au∣thor) shall give Orleans for legitimate, because Cha les the IX. who during the life of Francis the II. did bear the title of Duke of Orleans, did succeed his Brother; thus the Verse saith that Orleans shall give a King for legitimate.

Now for the third Verse, you must suppose that by the Treaty at Madrid 1526. and after this by that of Cambray, the King Francis the I. did part with the Sovereign∣ty of Flanders, and of all the Low-Countreis in favour of Charles the V. Emperour,

it is of that uncertain allowance of Cambray, of which the Author talketh here, and saith, that in that time viz. of the death of Francis the II. that allowance shall be uncer∣tain, because Francis the I. having no power of himself to renounce the rights and dependance of the Crown of France, the Parliament that was assembled then, would have made void that allowance without breaking the Peace, declaring that the Kings of France ought to preserve the right they had upon the Low-Countreis, and to re∣quire them again upon any occasion, and upon that France did not refuse the Election which the Low-Courtreis made of the Duke of Alencon for their Sovereign Prince and Duke of Brabant.

XLVI. French.

Vif sort mort de l'or vilain indigne, Sera de Saxe non nouveau Electeur, De Brunsvick mandra d'amour signe, Faux le rendant au peuple seducteur.

English.

The living receives his death from Gold, infamous slut•• Shall be of Saxony not the new Elector, From Brunswick shal•• come a sign of love, Falsly persuading the people that he is a seductor.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy is concerning an old Elector of Saxony, who being in health before, shall die suddenly, being poisoned in a golden Cup by a woman, whom he calleth here infamous slut.

And that from Brunswick (a Countrey adjacent to Saxony) shall come a Messenger, upon pretence of Love, who shall persuade the people that the said Elector was a Seducer.

XLVII. French.

De Bourze Ville a la Dame Guyrlande, L'on mettra sus par la trahison faite, Le grand Prelat de Leon par Formande, Faux Pellerins & Rauisseurs deffaite.

English.

From Bourze City belonging to the Lady Garlant, They shall impose by a set treason, The great Prelate of Leon by Formande, False Pilgrims and Ravishers destroyed.

ANNOT.

I believe that there is a fault here in the impression, and that instead of Bourze it must be Bourges, which is a famous City in France, and Capitol of the Province of Berry, for I do not know any Town in Europe called Bourze. What he meaneth by the Lady Garlant is unknown. I believe also that instead of Leon it should be Lyon, which is another famous City, and the first Archbishoprick of the said Kingdom. Formande is a barbarous word, and I believe put in only to make up the Rime, as he

hath done in several other places, as much then as can be gathered out of the sense is this, that from that City Bourges, which usually is a Dowry for a Queen of France, which is called here Garlant, shall a treason be hatched against the Arch∣bishop of Lion, which I suppose came to pass in the time of Henry the III. when Peter of Pinac Archbishop of the said Lion, being accused by the Deputies of Bourges for siding with the League, escaped narrowly to be killed, when the Duke of Guise and the Cardinal his brother were. Queen Catherine of Medicis the Kings Mother ha∣ving then the said Province and Town of Bourges for her jointure.

The last Verse hath no relation to the three foremost, and hath its interpretation by it self, which is plain enough.

XLVIII. French.

Du plus profond de l'Espagne ancienne, Sortants du bout & des fins de l'Europe, Trouble passant aupres du Pont de Laigne, Sera deffaits par bande sa grand troppe.

English.

From the utmost part of old Spain, Going out of the extremities of Europe, He that troubled the travellers by the Bridge of Laigne, Shall have his great Troop defeated by another.

ANNOT.

Every Traveller knoweth that Castille (which is taken here for Spain) is divided into two parts viz. Castilia la Vecchia, and Castilia la Nuova, our Author then saith that out of Castilia la Vecchia, which is situated at the further end of Europe on that side, shall come a band of men, who shall destroy the Thieves that robbed and vexed the Travellers by the Bridge of Laigne, which it seemeth was an infamous place for robbing.

XLIX. French.

Jardin du Monde aupres de Cité neufve, Dans le chemin des Montagnes cavées, Sera saisi & plongé dans la Cuve, Beuvant par force eaux Soulphre envenimées.

English.

Garden of the World, near the new City, In the way of the digged Mountains, Shall be seized on, and thrown into the Tub, Being forced to drink Sulphurous poisoned waters.

ANNOT.

This word Garden of the World, doth signifie a particular person, seeing that this Garden of the World was seized on and poisoned in a Tub of Sulphurous water, in which he was thrown.

The History may be this, that Nostradamus passing for a Prophet and a great Astro∣loger in his time, abundance of people came to him to know their Fortunes, and

chiefly the Fathers to know that of their Children, as did Mr. Lasnier, and Mr. Cot∣ton, Father of that renowned Jesuit of the same name, very like then that Mr. du Jardin having a son did ask Nostradamus what should become of him, and because his son was named Cosmus, which in Greek signifieth the World, he answered him with these four Verses

Garden of the World, for Cosmus of the Garden, In his travels shall be taken hard by the New City, in a way that hath been digged between the Mountains, and there shall be thrown into a Tub of poisoned Sulphurous water to cause him to die, being forced to drink that water which those rogues had prepared for him.

Those that have learned the truth of this History, may observe it here. This ought to have come to pass in the last Age, seeing that the party mentioned was then born when this Stanza was written, and this unhappy man being dead of a violent death, there is great likelyhood, that he was not above forty years old.

There is another difficulty, to know which is that new City, there being many of that name in Europe, nevertheless the more probable is, that there being many Knights of Maltha born in Provence (the native Countrey of our Author) it may be believed that by the new City he meaneth the new City of Maltha called la Valete, hard by which there is paths and ways digged in the Mountains, which Mountains are as if it were a Fence and a Barricado against the Sea, or else this Cosmus might have been taken by Pyrats of Algiers, and there in the new City of the Goulette be put to death in the manner aforesaid.

L. French.

La Meuse au jour Terre de Luxembourg, Descouvrira Saturne & trois en Lurne, Montaigne & plaine, Ville, Cité & Bourg, Lorrain Deluge, trahison par grand hurne.

English.

The Maes by day in the Land of Luxembourg. Shall discover Saturn, and three in the Lurne, Mountain and plain Town, City, and Countrey Town, A Lorrain flood, treason by a great hurne.

ANNOT.

The Maes is a River that runneth through a part of Lorrain and Luxembourg; as for the words Lurne and hurne I do not understand them, neither do I think they are to be found in all the French Language, both obsolete and modern; all what I can gather out of this, is, that a great overflowing of the River Maes, shall be both in Luxembourg and Lorrain, insomuch that three Leaden Mines (which is meant here by Saturn) shall be discovered, and after that, a great Treason shall happen in the said Lorrain.

LI. French.

Des lieux plus bas du Pais de Lorraine, Seront des basses Allemagnes unis, Par ceux du Siege Picards, Normans, du Maine, Et aux Cantons se seront reunis.

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ANNOT.

The sense of this is, that the lower Lorrain and Germany being united together, shall have War with the other three Nations, of Picards, Normans, and Manceaux, which having Besieged a Town, shall constrain the Lorrainers and Low germans, to unite themselves with the Cantons of Switzerland.

LII. French.

Au lieu ou Laye & Scelde se marient, Seront les Nopces de long temps mamée, Au lieu d'Anvers ou la grappe charient, Jeune vieillesse conforte intammée.

English.

In the place where Laye and Scelde are united, Shall the Nuptials be, that were long a doing. In the place of Antwerp where they draw the grape, The young unspotted will comfort the old Age.

ANNOT.

There is fault in the Impression, for instead of Laye it must be Lis, which is a Ri∣ver that runneth through Flanders, and dischargeth it self into the Scelde, which is the River that passeth at Antwerp, the sense therefore of this Prophecy is, that in the place where the River of Lis joyneth with the Scelde, there shall the Nuptials be consummated that were long a doing, and the place of Antwerp, where they unload the Wines, there shall a young unspotted Lady Marry, and comfort an old man.

LIII. French.

Les trois Pellices de loing s'entrebattront, La plus grand moindre demeurera a l'ecoute, Le grand Selin n'en sera plus patron, Le nommera feu, pelte, blanche, route.

English.

The three Concubines shall fight one with another a far off, The greatest less shall remain watching, The great Selin shall be no more their Patron, And shall call it fire, pelte, white, route,

ANNOT.

This Prophecy is concerning the Turkish Empire, where three of the great Turks Concubines, which in Latine are called Pellices, shall make War one against another, the great Turk himself favouring neither party.

LIV. French.

Née en ce Monde par Concubine furtive, A deux hault mise par les tristes nouvelles, Entre Ennemis sera prinse Captive, Et amenée a Malines & Bruxelles.

English.

Born in this world from a stollen Concubine, Set up at two heights by the sad news, Shall be taken Prisoner among the Enemies, And brought to Malines and Bruxelles.

ANNOT.

This is concerning some Lady of quality, born of a Concubine, who shall be set up by reason of some sad news that shall be brought, and afterwards shall be taken Prisoner, and carryed to Malines and Bruxelles, two Cities of the Low-Coun∣treys.

LV. French.

Les malheureuses Nopces celebreront En grande joye mais la fin malheureuse, Mary & Mere Nore desdaigneront, Le Phibe mort, & Nore plus piteuse.

English.

The unhappy Nuptials shall be celebrated, With great joy, but the end shall be unhappy, Husband and Mother shall scorn Nore The Phybe dead, and Nore more pitifull.

ANNOT.

If by Phybe we understand the Admiral of Chastillon, and by Nore, Queen Mar∣garet of Valois, the rest will be easie. For in the year 1572. a Match was made be∣tween Henry the IV. then King of Navarre, chief of the Protestant party, and Mar∣garet of Valois, Sister to Charles the IX. to this Wedding were the chief of the Pro∣testant party invited, who were there Massacred, and among the rest Gaspard of Coligny, Lord of Chastillon, and Admiral of France, whom he calleth here Phybe. And when he saith, that Husband and Mother shall scorn Nore, he sheweth the slight Opinion and regard that the Queen Mother had for her Daughter, and Henry the IV. for his Wife, whom he after repudiated.

LVI. French.

Prelat Roial soy baissant trop tiré, Grand Flux de Sang sortira par sa bouche, Le Regne Anglicque par Regne respire, Long temps mort vif en Tunis comme souche.

English.

Royal Prelate bowing himself too much, A great flood of Blood shall come out of his mouth, The English Reign by Reign respited, A great while dead, alive in Tunis like a Log.

ANNOT.

A Prelate, is a man of eminent dignity in the Church, the Royal Prelate must be a Churchman of the Royal Blood, who bowing himself too much, shall fall into an Haemorhagie or Flux of Blood at his Mouth. The third Verse signifieth, that the Kingdom of England shall be relieved from some distress by another Kingdom or Prince that had been a Slave a great while at Tunis, and lyen there, dead alive like a Log of Wood.

LVII French.

Le sublevé ne cognoistra son Sceptre, Les enfans jeunes des plus grands honnira, Oncques ne fut un plus ord cruel estre, Pour leur Espouses a mort noir bannera.

English.

The exalted shall not know his Scepter He shall put to shame the young Children of the greatest, Never was one more dirty and cruel, He shall banish to Black death their Spouses.

ANNOT.

This is concerning a great Tyrant, who being exalted to the dignity of a King, shall not know how to govern; but shall slight and put to shame the Children of the greatest Nobility, and shall banish their Wives out of the Land; this hath a relation to the late Tyrant Cromwell.

LVIII. French.

Au temps du dueil que le Selin Monarque, ••uerroiera le jeune Aemathien, Gaule bransler, pericliter la barque, Tenter Phocens au ponant entretien.

English.

In the time of mourning, when the Monarch Selin, Shall make War against the young Aemathien, France shall quake, the Ship shall be in danger, Phocens shall be attempted, the business shall be in the West.

ANNOT.

You must observe here, that by Aemathien the Author meaneth the King of France, as he doth in many other places; and by Selin, he meaneth the great Turk, because such was the name of him that lived in his time, this being presupposed the meaning of this is, that the great Turk shall fight against the King of France, and shall attempt Phocens, which is Marseilles, as being a Colony of the old Phocenses in Graecia, which shall cause all France to quake, and the Ship to be in danger, which is Paris, who beareth a Ship for its Arms.

LIX. French.

Dedans Lion vingt & cinq d'une haleine, Cinq Citoyens Germains, Bressans, Latines, Par dessous Noble conduiront longue traine, Et descouvers par abboy de Mastins.

English.

In Lyons five and twenty of a breadth Five Citizens Germans, Bressans, Latines, Under Noblemen shall conduct a long Train, And shall be discovered by the barking of Mastiffs.

ANNOT.

The Marshal of St. André, Governour of Lyon being absent, the Protestants undertook the taking of it, at the sollicitation of some principal Lords at Court, among whom were named the Prince of Condé, and the Vidame of Chartres, Francis of Vendosme, Knight of the Order. The Abbot of Savigny, who did supply the place of the Governour, and was named Antony of Albon, since that Archbishop of Arles, having discovered this Conspiracy, went to surprise the undertakers, but as he was going upon the night of the 5 of September, he met with some of the con∣federates upon the Bridge of Saone, which made him retreat with some loss.

The next day having gathered moreForces, he took three of them that were stran∣gers and young, the rest escaping, those three were hanged the next Saturday, which was the 7 of that Month.

The Marshal being come to Town, there was Execution made upon some of the Inhabitants, to the number of 4 that were hanged.

After that there were informations made concerning the Authors and Abettors of the said conspiracy, and many other Citizens and strangers were put to Prison, and besides them the Vidame of Chartres, who was carryed to Paris, and put into the Bastille, and after that in the Tournelles, where he died before his process was ended, the 23 December 1560.

It is what our Author saith in this stanza; in the first Verse he saith, that there were five and twenty of a breadth, of whose five and twenty there was five Citizens of the Town, and the rest were Germans, Bressans and Italians, of these Citizens 4 were hanged, and three of the strangers.

Those 25 undertakers, of which the Author saith, that under Noblemen they shall conduct a long Train; that is, that under the support and favour of many Noblemen, they would undertake a thing that should not end so soon as it proved afterwards; for although this enterprise did fail, yet was the beginning of horrid combustions that followed afterwards.

This enterprise it seemeth was discovered by barking of Mastiffs.

The Apology for the City of Lyon treateth at large of this, and nameth all those conspirators, who for the most part were of Germany and Geneva.

LX French.

Je pleure Nice, Monaco, Pise, Genes, Savone, Sienne, Capoue, Modene, Malthe, Le dessus sang & glaive par estrenes, Feu, trembler Terre, eau, malheureuse nolte.

English.

I bewail Nice, Monaco, Pisa, Genoa, Savona, Sienna, Capoua, Modena, Maltha, Upon them blood and sword for a new years-gift, Fire, Earth-quake, water, unhappy nolte.

ANNOT.

All these Cities are situated by the Mediterranean Sea, and most of them upon that part of it, which is called the River of Genoa, and are threatned here by all the plagues above mentioned,; as for the word nolte it is a barbarous one, forced here to make up the Rime in French.

LXI. French.

Betta, Vienne, Comorre, Sacarbance, Voudront livrer aux Barbares Pannone, Par picque et feu, enorme violence, Les conjurez d'escouverts par Matrone.

English.

Betta, Vienna, Comorre, Sacarbance, Shall endeavour to deliver Pannone to the Barbarians, By Pike, and fire, extraordinary violence! The Conspirators discovered by a Matron.

ANNOT.

It seemeth that there will be a conspiracy of some men out of all the above men∣tioned Cities, to surrender Hungary (which in Latine is called Pannonia) to the great Turk, but that conspiracy shall be discovered by a Matron, that is, a grave ancient Woman.

LXII. French.

Pres de Sorbin pour assaillir Hongrie, L'Heraut de Bude le viendra advertir, Chef Bizantin, Sallon de Sclavonie, A Loy d'Arabes les viendra convertir,

English.

Near Sorbin, to invade Hungary, The Herald of Buda shall come to give them notice of it, Chief Bizantin, Sallon of Sclavonia, Shall come to turn them to the Arabian Religion.

ANNOT.

This seemeth to have a relation to the precedent, and that near that place he cal∣leth Sorbin, preparations shall be made to Invade Hungary, but they shall have notice of it by some body of Buda.

He that is called here Chief Bizantin, is the great Turk or his grand Vizir, who hath his abode in Constaninople, anciently called Bizantium.

LXIII. French.

Cydron, Ragusa, la Cité au Sainct Hieron, Reverdira le medicant secours, Mort fils de Roy part mort de deux Heron, L'Arabe, Hongrie, feront un mesme cours.

English.

Cydron, Raguse, the City of Saint Hieron, Shall make green again the Physical help, The Kings Son dead, by the death of two Herons, Arabia and Hungary shall go the same way.

ANNOT.

The meaning of this is, that when those three Cities named in the first Verse shall have need of succours, and that a Kings Son shall die in flying two Herons, then shall Arabia and Hungary be under the same Master.

LXIV. French.

Pleure Milan, pleure Lucques, Florence, Que ton grand Duc sur le Char montera, Changer le Siege pres de Venise s'advance, Lors que Colonne a Rome changera.

English.

Weep Milan, weep Lucques, and Florence, When the great Duke shall go upon the Chariot, To change the Siege near Venice he goeth about, When Colonne shall change at Rome.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy seemeth to portend the change of the See of Rome in some place near to Venice, and this is to happen when the great Duke of Tuscany shall ascend up∣on a Triumphant Chariot, and that the House of Colonne (which is the more power∣full in Rome) shall take his part.

LXV. French.

O vaste Rome ta ruine s'aproche, Non de tes Murs, de ton sang, & substance, L'aspre par lettres sera si horrible coche, Fer pointu mis a tous jusques au manche.

English.

O great Rome thy ruine draweth near, Not of thy Walls, of thy blood and substance, The sharp by Letters shall make so horrid a notch, Sharp Iron thrust in all to the hast.

ANNOT.

This is a confirmation of the foregoing Prophecy, by which it is said that the de∣struction of Rome shall not be in her Walls, blood or substance, but onely by Letters or Doctrine that shall put quite down the Roman Religion.

LXVI. French.

Le Chef de Londres par Regne l'Americh, L'Isle d'Escosse tempiera par gelée, Roy, Reb. auront un si faux Antechrist, Que les mettra tretous dans la meslée.

English.

The Chief of London by Reign of America, The Island of Scotland shall catch thee by a frost, King and Reb. shall have so false an Antichrist, As will put them altogether by the ears.

ANNOT.

I conceive this Prophecy can be appropriated to no body better then Oli. Crom∣wel, who is called here the Chief of London by Reign of America, that is, by Reign of confusion, whose projects and treasons were all brought to nought, by the victorious Mars of the ever renowned General Monck, who came with his Army from Scotland to London in the VVinter time, he is called also a false Antichrist, because he was an enemy to King and Reb. that is Respublica or Common-wealth.

LXVII. French.

Le tremblement si fort au mois de May, Saturne, Caper, Jupiter, Mercure au Boeuf, Venus aussy, Cancer, Mars en Nonnay, Tombera gresle lors gresse qu'un oeuf.

English.

The Earth-quake shall be so great in the month of May, Saturn, Caper, Jupiter, Mercury in the Bull, Venus also, Cancer, Mars in Nonnay, Then shall fall Hail bigger then an Egge.

ANNOT.

The meaning is, that when all these Coelestial bodies shall be so disposed, that there will be a fearful Earth-quake and Hail.

LXVIII. French.

L'Armée de Mer devant Cité tiendra, Puis partira sans faire longue allée, Citoyens grande proye en Terre prendra, Retourner classe reprendre grand emblée.

English.

The Fleet shall stand before the City, Then shall go away for a little while, And then shall take a great troop of Citizens on Land, Fleet shall come back and recover a great deal.

ANNOT.

It seemeth here he speaketh of two Fleets, one of which shall stand a little while before a Town, and carry a great many Citizens away, but that the other Fleet shall come in the mean time, and redeem them.

LXIX. French.

Le fait luysant de neuf vieux eslevé, Seront si grands par Midy Aquilon, De sa soeur propre grandes alles levé, Fuyant meurdry au buisson d'Ambellon.

English.

The bright actions of new old exalted, Shall be so great through the South and North, By his own Sister great forces shall be raised, Running away he shall be murdered near the bush of Ambellon.

ANNOT.

The question here is, whether this neuf vieux in French or new old in English be the proper name of a man, or be a Metaphor, to express a young man of an ancient Fa∣mily, when the Reader hath satisfied himself upon that, the rest is easie enough.

LXX. French.

L'oeil par objet fera telle excroissance, Tant & ardente que tombera la Neige, Champ arrousé viendra en decroissance, Que le Primat succombera a Rhege.

English.

The eye by the object shall make such an excressency, Because so much, and so burning shall fall the Snow, The Field watered shall come to decay, Insomuch that the Primat shall fall down at Rhege.

ANNOT.

All this is nothing but an extraordinary great Snow that shall fall about Rhegio a City of Italy, whereby the Fields shall be drowned and fall to decay; insomuch, that the chief men, called here Primate shall fall to poverty.

LXXI. French.

La Terre & l'Air geleront si grand eau, Lors qu'on viendra pour Jendy venerer, Ce qui sera jamais ne fut si beau, Des quattre parts le viendront honorer.

English.

The Earth and the Air shall freeze with so much water, When they shall come to worship Thursday, That which shall be never, was so fair, From the four parts they shall come to honour him,

ANNOT.

This signifieth an exceeding great frost, which shall happen on a Holy Thursday, where the ground and sky shall be so clear, that men may come from the four parts (viz. of the Earth) without trouble for to worship.

LXXII. French.

L'an mil neuf cent nonante neuf, sept mois, Du Ciel viendra un grand Roy d'effrayeur, Resusciter le grand Roy d'Angoumois, Avant apres, Mars Regner par bonheur.

English.

In the year a thousand nine hundred ninety nine, and seven months, Frem Heaven a great terrible King, To raise again the great King of Angoulesme, Before and after, Mars shall Reign luckily.

ANNOT.

He that is called here King of Angoulesme was Francis the I. as gallant a Prince as ever France had, who before he was King went by the title of Duke of Angoulesme, the rest is easie.

LXXIII. French.

Le temps present avecque le passé, Sera jugé par grand Jomaliste, Le Monde tard de luy sera lassé, Et desloial par le Clergé juriste.

English.

The time present, together with the past, Shall be judged by a great Jovialiste, The World shall at last be weary of him, And he shall be thought unfaithful by the Canon-Law Clergy.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy concerneth meerly Francis Rabelais, who was the greatest Jovialist, that is, Merry-man that ever was, and did so lash and censure the abuses of every profession, and chiefly of the Clergy, that to this very day he goeth among them for an Atheist, and a Prophaner of Sacred and Civil things.

LXXIV. French.

An revolu du grand nombre septiesme, Apparoistra au temps jeux d'Hecatombe, Non esloignez du grand age milliesme, Que les entrez sortiront de leur Tombe.

English.

The year of the great number seven being past, Shall be seen at that time the sports of Hecatombe, Not far from the great age thousand, That the Buried shall come out of their Graves.

ANNOT.

Hecatombe signifieth a Sacrifice, wherein a hundred beasts were killed.

The sense therefore is this, that when the year a thousand seven hundred is past, that such sport of Hecatombe shall be seen again, not far from the sixth Millenary, when the day shall rise, for it is a common opinion among the Learned, that as God Created the VVorld in six days, and rested the seventh, so when the VVorld hath lasted six thousand years, for a thousand years before God are as one day, there shall be an Eternal Sabbath and a Resurrection, both of the just and unjust.

LXXV. French.

Tant attendu ne reviendra jamais, Dedans l'Europe, en Asia apparoistra, Un de la ligne yssu du grand Hermes, Et sur tous Rois de Orient croistra.

English.

So long expected shall never come Into Europe, in Asia shall appear, One come forth of the line of the great Hermes, And shall grow above all the Kings in the East.

ANNOT.

All is plain, but only this, whether he taketh Hermes as a King of Aegypt, or as the Father of the Hermetick Philosophers.

LXXVI. French.

Le grand Senat decernera la Pompe A un qu'apres sera vaincu chassè, Des adhaerans seront a son de trompe, Biens publiez, ennemy dechassé.

English.

The great Senate will decree a Pomp, To one who after shall be vanquished and expelled, The goods of his partners shall be Publickly sold, and the enemy shall be driven away.

ANNOT.

What Senate and particular man he meaneth, is the only difficulty in this.

LXXVII. French.

Trente adhaerans de l'Ordre des Quirettes, Bannis, leurs biens donnez ses adversaires, Tous leurs bienfaits seront pour demerites, Classe espargie, delivrez aux corsaires.

English.

Thirty associated of the Order of Quirettes, Banished, their goods shall be given to their adversaries, All their good deeds shall be imputed to them as crimes, The Fleet scattered, they shall fall into the hands of Pyrates.

ANNOT.

I could not find any man or Author that knew what is meant here by Quirettes, which is only the difficulty of this Stanza.

LXXVIII. French.

Subite joye en subite tristessé, Sera a Rome aux graces embrassées, Dueil, cris, pleurs, larm, sang, excellent liesse, Contraires bandes surprises & troulsées.

English.

Sudden joy shall turn into a sudden sadness, At Rome to the embraced graces, Mourning, cries, weeping, tears, blood excellent joy, Contrary Troops surprized and carryed away.

ANNOT.

There is nothing difficult here, but what he meaneth by Embraced graces, for my part I believe them some new married Couples, who in the middle of their jollity shall fall into these disasters.

LXXIX. French.

Les vieux chemins seront tous embellis, L'on passera a Memphis somentrées, Le grand Mercure d'Hercule fleur de lys, Faisant trembler Terre, Mer, & Contrées.

English.

The old ways shall be made all fair, There shall be a passage to Memphis Somentrées, The great Mercury of Hercules Flower de luce, Making the Earth, the Sea, and the Countreys to quake.

ANNOT.

This word Somentress, being altogether barbarous, is the reason that neither sense nor construction can be made of all these words.

LXXX French.

Au Regne grand, du grand Regne Regnant, Par force d'armes les grands Portes d'airain, Fera ouvrir le Roy & Duc joignant, Port demoly, nef a fonds jour serain.

English.

In the great Reign, of the great Reign Reigning, By force of Arms the great Brass Gates, He shall cause to be open, the King being joyned with the Duke, Haven demolish'd, Ship sunk on a fair day.

ANNOT.

The words and the sense are plain, though the parties be unknown.

LXXXI. French.

Mis Tresor Temple, Citadins Hesperiques, Dans iceluy retire en secret lieu, Le Temple ouvrir, les liens fameliques, Repris, ravis proye horrible au milieu.

English.

A Treasure put in a Temple by Hesperian Citizens, In the same hid in a secret place, The hungry bonds shall cause the Temple to be open, And take again and ravish, a fearful prey in the middle.

ANNOT.

This is concerning a Treasure hid by Spaniards (called here Hesperian Citizens) in a Church, which the people of a Town being poor, and almost starved, caused to be open, and did ransack it, but in the middle of it they found a strange prey, but what it was God knows.

LXXXII. French.

Cris, pleurs, larmes viendront avec couteaux, Semblant faux donront dernier assaut, L'entour parques planter profons plateaux, Vifs repoussez & meurdris de plain saut.

English.

Cries, weeping, tears, shall come with daggers, With a false seeming they shall give the last assault, Set round about they shall plant deep, Beaten back alive, and murdered upon a sudden.

ANNOT.

This seemeth to have a relation to the Scalado of Geneva, of which you shall have a full account in the 69 Stanza, of the twelfth Century.

LXXXIII. French.

De batailler ne sera donné signe, Du Parc seront contraints de sortir hors, De Gasp. l'entour sera cogneu l'enseigne, Qui fera mettre de tous les siens a mort.

English.

There shall no sign of battle be given, They shall be compelled to come out of the Park, Round about Gasp. shall be known the Ensign, That shall cause all his own to be put to death.

ANNOT.

This Prophecie was fulfilled in the year 1556. by the Marshal of Brissac in Piemont, when he took the Town of Vignal by assault, where 1200. Neapolitans were put to the Sword, who were called the braves of Naples; because they were all very gal∣lantly habited, and the Governour being wounded, cast himself desperately into a Well, whence the Marshal caused him to be taken up, and to be cured of his wounds.

In this conflict there was no sign of Battle given; because it was done by the rash∣ness of a Souldier, Bastard of a Bastard of the house of Boissy, who without expecting the command of the General, went alone upon the breche, and after he had 〈…〉〈…〉o•• against the Enemies, drew his Sword, and did fight a great while hand to hand with∣out being wounded.

Some of his Companions seeing his valour, did follow him, and others came to to their help, and these carryed along with them all those that were appointed to give the assault; insomuch that by a kind of Warlike emulation, all did carry themselves so valliantly, that after a long and stout resistance, they routed the Enemies, and put all the Garrisons to the Sword.

It is what the Author saith in the first and second Verse, seeing that those that were appointed to give Battle, every one in his Regiment or Squadron, were compelled by emulation to come out of their Park; that is, from the Precinct of place wherein they were. The third Verse addeth, that round about the Ensign of

Gasp. shall be known; that is, in the assault the Captain of that place, named Gaspar Pagan, was remarked to fight valliantly every where the French did assault, which the Marshal of Brissac seeing, as also the forwardness of his men commanded the general assault to be given. The Captain seeing the Town taken, though he had above twenty wounds, for marks of his Valour, yet by that despair threw himself into a Well, near which the Marshal passing, heard his voice, and caused him to be drawn out, and cured of his wounds.

This Captain being resolved to perish in this assault, did cause all his own to be put to death, as the fourth Verse saith. The History of this Town was famous, for which the Marshal of Brissac did present Gifts to the most Valiant, and among the rest to this Bastard, after he had put him in jeopardy of his life, for having violated the Military Orders in a matter of such concernment. That Town of Vignal is situated upon a Mountain of the Countrey of Montferrat, of a difficult access, where no pieces of Ordinance can be brought up, but by the help of Mens Arms; after the taking of it, the Marshal did cause it to be raised even to the ground, because it could not be useful to the French, that had many other places to keep, and might have been very beneficial to the Spaniard.

LXXXIV. French.

Le Naturel a si haut, haut non bas, Le tard retour fera marris contens. Le Recloing ne sera sans debats, En emploiant & perdant tout son temps

English.

The Natural to so high, high not low, The late return shall make the sad contented, The Recloing shall not be without strife, In employing and loosing all his time.

ANNOT.

The Recloing, being a forged word, without signification, and being the Key of all this Stanza, no body can tell what to make of it.

LXXXV. French.

Le vieil Tribun au point de la Trehemide, Sera presse Captif ne delivrer, Le vueil non vueil, le mal parlant timide, Par legitime a ses amis livrer.

English.

The old Tribun, at the point of the Trehemide, Shall be much intreated not to deliver the Captain, They will not will, the ill speaking fearful, By legitimate shall deliver to his friends.

ANNOT.

The old Treban is an old Captain or Governour of a Town, who shall be much entreated not to deliver at the end of the Trehemede (that is, three Months) one that he kept prisoner, but will they or not, he shall lawfully deliver him to his friends.

LXXXVI. French.

Comme un Gryphon viendra le Roy d'Europe Accompagne de ceux d'Aquilon, De rouges & blancs conduira grande Troupe, Et Iront contre le Roy de Babylon.

English.

As a Griffin shall come the King of Europe, Accompanied with those of the North, Of red and white shall conduct a great Troop, And they shall go against the King of Babylon.

ANNOT.

This is concerning the King of Swedeland, Gustavus Adolphus, who is called here the King of Europe; because he lived in a part of it, and because he was one, if not the most gallant Prince of his time, who with a great Army of his Subjects, named here those of Aquilon, invaded Germany, and made War against the Emperour, whom he calleth here the King of Babylon, either because he is a great favourer of the Roman Church, or because the Empire, by reason of so many Sovereign Princes in it is like a Babel and confusion.

The great Troop of Red and White, where his own Souldiers, whom he distinguished by their several habits, Clothing them with several Colours, to breed an emulation among them, there being the Red Regiment, the White, the Blew, the Yellow, the Green. &c.

LXXXVII. French.

Grand Roy viendra prendre port pres de Nice, Le grand Empire de la mort si en fera, Aux Antipodes posera son genisse, Par Mer la Pille tout esvanouira.

English.

A great King shall land by Nice, The great Empire of death shall interpose with it. He shall put his Mare in the Antipodes, By Sea all the Pillage shall vanish.

ANNOT.

A great King shall land hard by Nice, which is a Sea Town in Savoy, but he shall have a great loss of his men by death, and the Sea shall swallow all his plunder.

LXXXVIII. French.

Pieds & Cheval a la seconde veille, Feront entrée vastiant tout par Mer, Dedans le Port entrera de Marseille, Pleurs, cris & sang, onc nul temps si amer.

English.

Foot and Horse upon the second Watch, Shall come in destroying all by Sea, They shall come into the Harbour of Marseilles, Tears, cryes and blood, never was so bitter a time.

ANNOT.

This is so clear that it needeth no interpretation.

LXXXIX. French.

De Bricque en Marbre seront les Murs reduits, Sept & cinquante années pacifiques, Joye aux humains renevé l'aqueduct, Santé, grands fruits, joye & temps mellifique,

English.

The Walls shall be turned from Brick into Marble, There shall be peace for seven and fifty years, Joy to mankind, the Aqueduct shall be built again, Health, abundance of fruit, joy and mellifluous time.

ANNOT.

After so many calamities Prognosticated by the Author, he promiseth here seven and fifty year of a golden Age, but when? he maketh no mention.

XC. French.

Cent fois mourra le Tyran inhumain, Mis a son lieu scavant & debonnaire, Tout le Senat sera dessoubs sa main; Fasche sera par malin tcmeraire.

English.

The inhumane tyrant shall die a hundred times, In his place shall be put a Learned and mild man, All the Senate shall be at his command, He shall be made angry by a rash malicious person.

ANNOT.

This Prognostication is easie to be understood, only it is indeterminate, and speci∣fieth neither time nor persons.

XCI. French.

Clergé Romain l'an mil six cens & neuf, Au chef de l'an fera Election, D'un gris & noir de la Campagne yssu, Qui oncques ne fut si malin.

English.

The Roman Clergy in the year a thousand six hundred and nine, In the beginning of the year shall make choice Of a gray and black, come out of the Countrey, Such a one as never a worse was.

ANNOT.

Wanting the Chronology of the Popes, I have not set down who that Pope was, then whom our Author saith there never was a worse, but the time being so punctual∣ly prefixed, it will be an easie matter for the Reader to find out satisfaction in this point:

XCII. French.

Devant le Pere l'Enfant sera tué, Le Pere apres entre cordes de jonc, Genevois peuple sera esvertué, Gisant le Chef au milien comme un tronc.

English.

The Child shall be killed before the Fathers eyes, The Father after shall enter into ropes of rushes, The people of Geneva shall notably stir themselves, The Chief lying in the middle like a log.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy is twofold, the two first Verses foretel of a man that shall have his son killed before his eyes, and himself afterward shall be strangled by a rope made of Rushes.

The two last Verses are concerning the people of Geneva, who (as he faith) shall lustily bestir themselves, while their Captain, Chief, or Commander shall carelesly lie like a log.

XCIII. French.

La Barque neuve recevra les Voiages, La & aupres transfereront l'Empire, Beaucaire, Arles, retiendront les Hostages, Pres deux Colomnes trouvées de Porphyre.

English.

The new Ship shall make journeys Into the place, and thereby where they shall translate the Empire, Beaucaire, Arles, shall keep the Hostages, Near them shall be found two Columns of Porphyry.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy is concerning three things, the first is of a considerable new Ship, that shall sail several times into a place where the Empire shall be translated.

The second is concerning two Towns of Languedot, Beaucaire, and Arles, who shall not surrender the Hostages that they had.

The third is concerning two Columns of Porphiry that shall be found there about.

XCIV. French.

De Nismes, d'Arles, & Vienne contemnet, Nobeyront a ledict Hesperique, Au Labouriez pour le grand condamner, Six eschapez en habit Seraphique.

English.

From Nismes, d'Arles and Vienna contempt, They shall not obey the Spanish Proclamation, To the Labouriez for to condemn the great one, Six escaped in a Seraphical habit.

ANNOT.

It seemeth that those three aforenamed Towns will resuse to obey a Spanish Pro∣clamation, that would compel them to condemn a great man; as for Labouriez it is a barbarous and non-sensical word.

The last Verse signifieth, that six shall escape, cloathed in Franciscan habits, cal∣led here Seraphical, because the Franciscans believe that a Seraphin did appear to St. Francis their Patron, from whence their Order is called by many the Seraphical Order.

XCV. French.

Dans les Espagnes viendra Roy trespuissant, Par Mer & Terre subjugant au Midy, Ce mal fera rabaissant le croissant, Baisser les aisles a ceux de Vendredy.

English.

A most potent King shall come into Spain, Who by Sea and Land shall make great Conquests towards the South, This evil shall beat down the horns of the new Moon, And slack the Wings of those of Friday.

ANNOT.

A great and potent King shall come out of Spain, who by Sea and Land shall make great Conquest towards the South, that is Barbary, which shall be a great prejudice to the Turkish Empire, who hath for his Arms a new Moon; And slack the wings of those of Friday, that is, of the Turks, because they keep the Friday for their Sabbath. This Prophecy was fulfilled by Philip the II. King of Spain, who drove away all the Moores out of the South part of it, and took a great many places in the Coasts of Barbary.

XCVI. French.

Religion du nom des Mers viendra, Contre la Secte fils Adaluncatif, Secte obstinée deplorée craindra, Des deux blessez par Alph & Aleph.

English.

Religion of the name of the Seas shall come, Against the Sect son Adaluncatif, Obstinate Sect deplorate shall be afraid, Of the two wounded by Aleph and Aleph.

ANNOT.

I confess my ignorance in the intelligence of this Stanza.

XCVII. French.

Triremes pleines tout aage captifs, Temps bon a mal, le doux pour amertume, Proye a Barbare trop tost seront hastifs, Cupide de voir plaindre au vent la plume.

English.

Triremes full of Captives of all Age. Time good for evil, the sweet for bitter, Pray to the Barbarian, they shall be too hasty, Desirous to see the feather complain in the wind.

ANNOT.

Triremes are Galleys with three benches of Oares, the rest is much of the nature of the former.

XCVIII. French.

La splendeur clairëa Pucelle joieuse, Ne luira plus, long temps sera sans Sel, Avec Marchans, Ruffiens, Loups, odieuse, Tous pesle mesle monstre universel.

English.

The clear splendour of the merry Maid, Shall shine no more, she shall be a great while without Salt, With Merchants, Ruffans, Wolves, odious, All promiscuously, she shall be an universal Monster.

ANNOT.

This is concerning a famous beauty, who in her latter age shall prostitute her self to all comers.

XCIX French.

A la fin le Loup, le Lion, Boeuf & l'Asne, Timide dama seront avec Mastins, Plus ne cherra a eux la douce Manne, Plus vigilance & custode aux Mastins.

English.

At last the Wolf, the Lion, Oxe and Asse, Fearful Doe, shall be with the Mastiffs, The sweet Manna shall no more fall to them, There shall be no more watching and keeping of Mastiffs.

ANNOT.

This is a Prognostication of a general peace all Europe over.

The sweet Manna shall no more fall to them, signifieth that the Europeans shall be fed no more with Manna, as the Jews were in the Desert, but shall pass to the Land of Promise, that is of peace and quietness.

C. French.

Le grand Empire sera par l'Angleterre, Le Pempotan des ans plus de trois cens, Grandes Copies passer par Mer & Terre, Les Lusitains n'en seront pas contens.

English.

The great Empire shall be in England, The Pempotan for more then three hundred years, Great Armies shall pass through Sea and Land, The Portugueses shall not be contented therewith.

ANNOT.

This is a favourable one for England, for by it the Empire, or the greatest Domi∣nion of Europe is promised to it, for the space of above three hundred years, at which the Portugueses or Spaniards shall much repine.

THE PROPHECIES OF Michael Nostradamus. CENTURY XI.

IX. French.

MEysinier, Manthi, & le tiers qui viendra, Peste & nouveau insult, enclos troubler. Aix & les lieux fureur dedans mordra, Puis les Phocens viendront leur mal doubler.

English.

Meysinier, Manthi, and the third that shall come, Plague and new attempt shall trouble them enclosed, The fury of it shall bite in Aix and the places there about, Then they of Phocens shall come and double their misery.

ANNOT.

These are names of particular persons that are here threatned of the Plague, as al∣so the City of Aix Capital of Province, and the Countrey about it, and after that the City of Marseilles named here Phocens, because they are a Colony of the old Pho∣censes in Greece.

XCVII. French.

Par Ville Franche, Mascon en desarroy, Dans les Fagots seront Soldats cachez, Changer de temps en prime pour le Roy, Par de Chalon & Moulins tous hachez.

English.

By Ville Franche, Mascon shall be put in disorder, In the Faggots shall Souldiers be hidden, The time shall change in prime for the King, By Chalon and Moulins they shall be all hewed to pieces.

ANNOT.

Ville Franche is a Town five Leagues from Lion; and Mascon another about the same distance from Ville Franche, and Chalon from Mascon, and Moulins from Chalon.

The meaning of it is this, that there shall be an attempt from Ville Franche upon Mascon, by Souldiers hidden in Faggots, that shall be cut off by the succours of those Cha••ons and Moulins; which like did happen in the time of the Civil Wars in France, between the King and the League, when the Towns stood one against ano∣ther, but because I can find nothing of it in the History, I suspend my further judge∣ment therein.

THE PROPHECIES OF Michael Nostradamus. CENTURY XII.

V. French.

FEu, flamme, faim, furt, farouche fumée, Fera faillir, froissant fort, foy faucher, Fils de Deité! toute Provence humée, Chasse de Regne, enragé sans crocher.

English.

Fire, flame, hunger, theft, wild smoak, Shall cause to fail, brusing hard, to move Faith, Son of God! all Provence swallowed up? Driven from the Kingdom, raging mad without spitting.

ANNOT.

The curiosity of the Author in striving to begin all his words, in the two first Verses hath made the sense of this Stanza so obscure, that I believe no body ever did or shall truely understand it, all what can be gathered out of it, is great threatning of several calamities, that were to happen upon Provence his native Countrey, as it did a little while after his death, by the Civil Wars for Religion.

XXIV. French.

Le grand secours venu de la Guyenne, S'arrestera tout aupres de Poitiers, Lion rendu par Montluel en Vienne, Et saccagez par tous gens de Mestiers.

English.

The great succours that came from Gascony, Shall stop hard by Poitiers, Lion surrendred by Montluel and Vienna, And ransacked by all kinds of Tradesmen.

ANNOT.

The words and sense of this are plain.

XXXVI. French.

Assault farouche en Cypre se prepare, La larme a l'oeil de ta ruine proche, Bizance Classe Morisque si grand tare, Deux differens le grand vast par la Roche.

English.

A cruel assault is preparing in Cyprus, Tears in my eye, thou art near thy ruine, The Fleet of Constantinople and the Morick so great damage. Two differents the great wast shall be by the Rock.

ANNOT.

A cruel Assault is preparing, signifies the shortness of the time in which it was to happen, for our Author Prophecied 1555. and Cyprus was taken by the Turks in the Month of August 1571. Selymus the II. fifth Emperour of the Turks, where the perfidiousness of the Bassa Mustapha that Besieged it is remarkable, for having the Town delivered him upon Articles; First, that the Inhabitants of the City yet alive should enjoy their lives, liberty, and goods, with free exercise of Christian Religion, that the Governour Bragadinus with the rest of the Captains and Souldiers might in safty depart with Bag and Baggage, and at their departure take with them five pie∣ces of Ordinance, and three Horses, which soever it should please them to make choise of, and that the Turks should safely conduct them into Crete, finding them both Victual and Shipping; yet all these matters agreed upon, and commenced in∣to Writting, as also by solemn Oaths on both side confirmed; the prefidious Basla nevertheless caused Bragadinus to have his Ears cut off, then caused him to be set in a Chair, and his skin to be flain off from him quick, his head to be cut from his dead body, and upon the point of a Spear to be set upon a high place, his skin also stuffed with Chaff, he caused to be hanged up at the Yards Arm, and so to be carried about.

IV. French.

Deux corps un chef, champs divisez en deux, Et puis respondre a quattre non ouys, Petits pour grands a pertius mal pour eux, Tour d'Aigues foudre, pire pour Eussovis.

English.

Two bodies, one head, fields divided into two, And then answer to four unheard ones, Small for great ones, open evil for them, The Tower of Aigues beaten by Lightning, worse for Eussovis.

ANNOT.

Out of this crabbid Stanza we shall pick what we can, and leave the rest to the judgment of the judicious Reader. First,

The two bodies, one head may be understood either a Monster that was so, as it did happen once in Italy, as Pareus witnesseth; or of the union of the two Kingdoms of France and Navarre, under Henry the IV. or of England and Scotland under King James.

The Tower of Aiguemortes was strucken with the Lightning, a while after our Author had put out his Prophecies.

V. French.

Tristes Conseils, desloiaux, cauteleux, Aduis meschant, la loy sera trahie, Le peuple esmeu, farouche, querelleux, Tant Bourg que Ville toute le paix haie.

English.

Sad Councels, unfaithful, malicious, Ill advice the Law shall be betrayed, The people shall be moved, wild & quarrelsome, Both in Countrey and City the peace shall be hated.

ANNOT.

This is plain.

VI. French.

Roy contre Roy, & le Duc contre Prince, Haine entre iceux dissension, horrible, Rage & fureur sera toute Province, France grand guerre & changement terrible.

English.

King against King, and Duke against a Prince, Hatred between them, horrid dissension, Rage and fury shall be in every Province, Great War in France, and horrid changes.

ANNOT.

This is a true picture of the miseries of the Civil Wars in France, when Charles the IX. King of France, was against Henry King of Navarre, and the Duke of Guise against the Prince of Condé.

VII. French.

L'accord & pache sera du tout rompue, Les amitiez pollues par discorde, L'haine euvieille, toute foy corrompue, Et l'esperance, Marseilles sans concorde.

English.

The agreement and contract shall be broken in pieces, The friendships polluted by discord, The hatred shall be old, all faith corrupted, And hope also, Marseilles without concord.

ANNOT.

This is a second part of the foregoing.

VIII. French.

Guerre & debats, a Blois guerre & tumulte, Divers aguets, adveux inopinables, Entrer dedans Chasteau Trompette, insulte, Chasteau du Ha qui en seront coulpables.

English.

War and strifes, at Blois war and tumult, Several lying in wait, acknowledgment unexpected, They shall get into the Chasteau Trompette by assault, And into the Chasteau du Ha, who shall be guilty of it.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy is concerning the Civil Wars of France between the King and the League.

He saith, at Blois War and tumult; because the Duke of Guise, and the Cardinal his Brother were both killed there, at the convention of Estates by the Kings com∣mand, which he calleth here acknowledgment unexpected, because the Kingdom did own the fact.

The last two Verses are concerning the two Castles or Fortresses of Bourdeaux, who in those days were sometimes by one party, and sometimes by another.

LXV. French.

A tenir fort par fureur contraindra, Tout coeur trembler, Langon advent terrible, Le coup de pied mille pieds te rendra, Girond. Garon. ne furent plus horribles.

English.

He shall by fury compel them to hold out, Every heart shall tremble, Langon shall have a terrible event, The kick shall return to thee a thousand kicks, Girond. Garon. are no more horrid.

ANNOT.

The two last Verses seem to have a relation to the foregoing Stanza, and to im∣port, that the Governour of Bourdeaux shall compel them to hold our, and because Langon, a Town 20 or 30 Miles distant from Bourdeanx, was of the contrary party, and did annoy sometimes those of Bourdeaux, it is threatned here to have a thousand kicks for one.

Gironde and Garonne are the two Rivers of Bourdeaux.

LXIX. French.

Eiovas proche, esloigner Lac Leman, Fort grand apprests, retour confusion, Loin des Nepueux, du feu grand Supelman, Tous de leur suyte.

English.

Eiovas near, yet seemeth to be far from the Lake Leman, Very great preparatives, return confusion, Far from the Neveux of the late great Supelman, All of their train.

ANNOT.

This is a notable one, directly foretelling the Enterprise or Scalado made by the Duke of of Savoy, upon Geneva: for the better Intelligence of which, we shall first give the sense word for word, and then set down the whole History as a piece of Cabinet, that the Reader after so much tedious and crabbid reading, may have some field to spatiate and recruit it self.

Eiovas near, Eiovas by Anagram is Savoy, or the Duke of it, who at that time was near Geneva; yet seemeth far from the Lake Leman, which is the Lake that pas∣seth through Geneva, called in Latine Lacus Lemannus. Very great preparatives; because at that time he made great preparations to Scale the Walls of Geneva Return, because he was forced to retire. Confusion; because he was confounded in his un∣dertaking. Far from the Neveux of the great Supelman; that is, an action much unworthy the Kindred of Henry the IV. called here great Supelman, to whom he

was Allied. All of their Train; that is, all that were with him in that undertaking, did partake of his return and confusion. Now the History is thus.

About the latter end of the year 1600. the Duke of Savoy having done before all his endeavours to take the City of Geneva by force, did resolve at last to have it by craft, and stratagem. He did frame a design full of Courage, Understanding, and Conduct, as well as of misfortune; it was long a hatching without being discover∣ed, and although it was known that he caused Ladders to be made, and that he bought every where men of courage and resolution, and had a great number of them alread•• at Chambery, well payed and maintained, waiting for the ripeness of the de∣sign, though Ignorant of it. No body could believe that it was against those of Geneva; because at that time he did treat with them of the manner of living friendly, and of the liberty of Trade, having sent to them for this purpose a few days before the President Rochette, to treat and advise of a manner of living friendly together, for the ease of the people. They did so much hearten and relish his propositions and promises, that although Cities of such condition, do not lightly believe them that have been their Enemies, nevertheless they trusted to that, and grew careless of their own preservation, thinking that there was nothing more powerfull for their security than the treaties of peace between France, Spain, and Savoy, in which they thought themselves included, under the name of the confederate with the Cantons of Switzerland; insomuch that the Dukes Subject; went thither so familiarly, that the day before this Execution some Gentlemen that knew something of the design, being come into the Town to buy some Horses, said they would come again the next day to conclude the Bargain, and others had kept the same Language for other Wares, so fully perswaded were they of a success, though Heaven, who laugheth at the thoughts of the proud, had resolved to humble and abase them.

The Governour of Lion had presently notice that the Duke of Savoy was coming on the side of the Mountain, and carryed with him scaling Ladders, of which he sent notice to the King, and provided what was necessary for the defence of Lion, although the same Advice said it was not for France; yet all this could not hinder the Execution which was in the mean time a doing. D'Albigny Lieutenant General of the Duke in those Countreys he had on this side of the Mountains, had made the Troops to pass, and for that purpose had assigned them of their Quarters in the Towns of Geneva, in several places, that they might not be so soon discovered. The Randezvous was at a place called Chambery, the time of the Execution was re∣served to the prudence of the Leader. The time was not according to the precept of the Parthians, who ever fought by night, nor of the Lacedemonians, who under∣took nothing but in the time of the full Moon; for it was one of the darkest and longest nights of all the year, the Troops began their March about six of the Clock. Brignolet Governour of Bonnes, a small Town in Fossigny, distant three Leagues from Geneva, was the man that had contributed most of his own for the performance of this design, whom he thought so certain, that he said he would die to the world, if he did not live in Geneva. D'Albigny had set up Watches upon all the passes, to stop all Travellers, for fear notice should be given of their coming; and of that of the Duke of Savoy, to whom the Execution had been represented so sure and certain, in that he should be there himself to reap the Honour and profit of it, and to end the Triumph that his Grandfather had begun. He came over the Mountains with five Gentlemen only in his Company, and the same day came to Tremblures▪ a Village distant from Geneva about three Miles; and for all that they could not hinder, but an unknown Trooper did ride as far as the New gate, and asked to speak to him that commanded there, bidding him look to themselves, because the duke of Savay, wished them no good, and so retreated galloping. This News was brought to Blondel, the fourth Syndic of the Town, and who had the

charge of the Guard that year; he answerd, he would provide for that. Another came afterwards, and told him that the Dakes Forces were about the Town, but knew not upon what design, and that himself was at Bonne; he answered, that they were not Birds, and could not fly, Mistrust is not always to be commended; but too much confidence in such business, is exceedingly dangerous.

Those that were to do the Execution, and to get up first upon the Ladders, went along by the River of Albe, that the noise of the Waters might hinder the Sentinals to hear them, Two things did happen, that were an ill Omen for them, they saw in the Skies unusual fires, a Hare did many times cross their way, and gave them a false Alarm, and as many things being considered in the night time, do trou∣ble the imagination, and that fear maketh one think that Bushes are Squadrons, and Thistles Pikes, as it did happen once at the Siege of Paris by the E••rgundians. They did discover about Eleven of the Clock some Posts, to whom the Cloth-workers of Geneva use to nail their Stuffs to dry them. Those that went formost would have Charged them, thinking they had been an Ambuscado; from thence they went all along the Rhosne to the Meadow of Plain Palais. Brignolet, and those that were ordained for the Scalado followed d'Albigny, who led them down into the Town-Ditch, on the side of the Corraterie, without being discovered by the Sentinals, although the Ducks that were in the Ditch, did (for to awake those of Geneva) what the Geese did at Rome against the French. They went over the Ditch upon Hurdles for fear to sink in the Mire, and did set up three Ladders of a wonderful in∣vention; because they could be easily carryed upon Mules, and they could be folded into so many pieces, that they could reach the highest wall that is; and besides that, so strong and firm, that no Ladder of one piece could be more; they had besides that provided Hatchets, Hammers, Pincers, and other such Tools, to cut Iron Chains, break Locks, draw Nails and Bars, they had besides several Petardoes and Petardo-Masters. Fortune, who hath a great power in such undertakings, did fail them in their need, after she had brought them to the middle of the City, and made them masters of the streets for above two hours.

By one of those Ladders went up about two hundred men, Brignolet was the first, followed by d'Attigna•• and Sonas, and did carry himself more valliantly and prudent∣ly; having got over the Wall, he su••prized the Sentinal, and drew from him the Watch-word, and his Life, then threw him over into the Ditch, and stood in his place to stay for the Round, that he might do as much to him, as he did when it came near him to give him the Watch-word. D'Albigny, and one Father Alex∣ander a Scotchman, and a Jusuite, were at the Ladders foot, incouraging those that went up. The Boy that carryed the Lanthorn saved himself, and gave notice to the Court de Garde of what had betallen his Master, at which the Court de Garde was not much moved. This was a doing between One and Two of the Clock, expecting that of four, at the which they had proposed to make their greater attempt, and in the mean while to give time to the succour to draw near, and to the day to break▪ because all Warlike Executions done by night, carry always some confusion with them. No body had gone to bed in the Town with a thought to be awakened so soon, they rested upon the assurance of the Peace. The undertakers had a whole hours time to get up, and as much before they met with any opposition. It d'Albigny had been Within to husband that time better than did Sonas, Brignolet, and d Attig∣nac, they might have cried, the Town is won. About half an hour past two of the Clock, a Sentinal that was in the Mints Tower, having heard some noise in the Ditch, shot off his Gun to give the Alarm, which compelled Brignolet to discover himself, charging all that was in the Court de Garde of the New-gate, that he might Plant the Petard, and make way for the main Body that was in Plain Palais. They got very well the Court de Garde, but against the Rule of War, which commondeth

to kill all, they let one escape that had so much wit as to get up, and to let down the Port-Cullis, to frustrate the effect of the Petard. The Town was at that time full of Cries and horrid Houlings, of which the Savoiards should have made their profit, and increased their courage, as it did weaken that of the Townsmen, that knew not where to run, some crying one way, some another. The under∣takers lost themselves in the appearance of so happy a success, those that were with∣out should have given the Alarm at some other Gate, to divide the Forces of the Town, those that were within made no use of their Hatchets, Hammers and Pin∣cers, they forgot to set some Houses on fire; the spirit of astonishment seized up∣on them, having in their thoughts the Sack and Plunder of the Town, more than the perfection of their Conquest; they made only use of a certain croaking like Frogs, as the Turks use the Bret, Bret, to animate and rally themselves. Brignolet being compelled to discover himself, marched towards the New Gate, distant from that place about 200. Paces, and there was wounded, and died a little after; the Fight began in the dark, and the Court de Garde was dispersed, one Souldier hear∣ing them call for the Petard, got upon the Gate, and cut the Rope that held the Port-Culis, and shut up the Petard between the Port-Culis, and the Gate which they went about to break open, with their Hatchets and Hammers, at the first resistance the Petards Master was killed. The Order is such at Geneva, that in all extraordinary accidents, every Citizen knoweth the place of his Randezvous, and there goeth with his Arms, and the Town House is never destitute of Soul∣diers.

In the mean time the Magistrate cryeth, He that loveth me let him follow me. Some Countrey Fellows of the Neighbouring Towns, who kept their Watch by turns, being led by some Captains and Citizens, did present themselves at the New Gate, where they were stoutly received, and beaten back, and yet the first shot of theirs killed the Petard-Master, who was much troubled with his Tools. This first Charge would not have driven them back, if the body of the Citizens had not come, and Charged them so furiously, that they lost all their Courage; Ne∣cessity which strengthens even those that want Courage, did so animate the Citizens to their defence, that the undertakers were fained to give back. The more nimble went again to their Ladders, which proved useless; because the Canon that was Planted in the Fort of Loye, near the Ditch, had broken them; so that they left four and fifty dead upon the place, and upon the Curtain of the Corraterie, and thirteen that were taken alive. If the Town had had Souldiers in readiness to make a Sally in that And••b••tism, the night being sometimes favourable to such expe∣ditions, those that were at Plain Palais, would not have retreated in so good an Order.

There were thirteen taken alive, among whom were the Baron of Attignac, the Lord Sonas, the Lord Chaffardon, upon promise of their Lives, and to be Prisoners of War, or else they had preserved an Honourable death to all the promises, to be spared in laying down their Arms; among them was d'Attignac, who fought vali∣antly, and gave his Order of St. Maurice to his man, bidding him save himself, being resolved to die with his Sword in his hand.

The Lords of Geneva would not use them as Prisoners of War; but as Thieves and Robbers come into the City over the Walls. They said that the Duke was too generous a Prince for so wicked and perfidious an action: there was several Opinions concerning their Sentence of Death, the more moderate would have them be put to Ransom, others would have them be kept Prisoners, that they might serve for exchange, if some of the Town were taken in the continuation of the War; but the more violent did stir the people, in representing unto them the loss of their Religion, the ravishing of their Wives and Maids, the Massacre, the Sack

and Plunder of the Town, and their perpetual slavery, and the complaints of the Widows and Children of those that had been killed, were so much considered, that the more moderate Opinions did not appear injust, but in how much they tended to Death. They were Condemned to be Hanged, which is thought the most Ig∣nominious Death: they desired to have their Heads cut off as Gentlemen, which was granted, but it was after they were Hanged. Fifty nine were found killed and wounded, who had all their Heads cut off. In the Ditch there were some Arms found, thirty dead, and four wounded, all their Heads were cut off, and set with the rest upon the Gallows. Of the Citizens of the Town there were seventeen found dead, most of them killed by their Companions in the dark. Their Names were John Canal, one of the Lords of the Councel, Lewis Baudiere, John Vandel, Lewis Galatin, Peter Cabriol, Mark Cambiagua, Nicolas Ba••gueret, James Mercier, Abraham de Baptista, Daniel Humbert, Martin de Bolo, Michael Monard, Philip Potier, Francis Bouzesel, John Buignet, James Petit, Gerrard Muzy, and about twenty wounded. The Sunday after Dinner, about two of the Clock, 67 Heads, as well of those that were killed, as of those that were Hanged, were fastened upon the Gallows, and the Bodies thrown into the Rhosne. The next Tuesday there was a solemn Fasting day kept, and they began to publish every where the wonders of this Deliverance.

Here followeth the Copy of their Letter, to the Governour of Lion.

My Lord,

You have known before this by many of your Letters, how his Highness of Savoy; notwithstanding he knew, and had confessed that we were included in the Peace made in the year 1600 between his Royal Majesty of France, and him; hath neverth∣less divers times oppressed us, by detaining our Rents, prohibiting of Trade, other vio∣lences and extorsions, refusing to hearken to the just and pressing remanstrances, which his Majesty hath made him several times in our behalf; but hath also contrived many de∣figns to surprise us in time of Peace. Now it is so, that for the encompasing his pernicious design, the Lord d'Albigny, Saturday last, the Eleventh of this Month, did bring be∣fore our Town, on the side of Plain Palais, about two Thousand men, Horse and Foot, all choice men, and hath caused to pass about 200. of them over our Ditch, by the Corra∣terie, and having set up Ladders one within another, hatb caused them to come into our Town about three of the Clock in the Morning, upon Sunday the Twelfth of this Month, encouraging them himself, b••ing in the Ditch; so that being come down into the Town, some went towards our New Gate to force it open, and give entrance to their Companions, who were in the ••lain of Plain Palais, others went towards the Mint Gate, that they might by this means come into the middle of the Town. But i•• hath pleased God to look upon us with his favourable Eye, and to give such a Heart to the Citizens, that they beat them back, and killed the best part of them taken upon the place, the rest hath been taken, and since that Hanged by our Order, the rest threw themselves down from the wall; so that we hear, many of them are either dead or grievously wounded. It is a wonderfull deliverance of our God, for which we are particularly bound to Praise him. But as it is probable, that the said Lord d'Albigny will continue his ill designs, by so much the more that we hear his Highness is not far from us, we do intreat and request by all our affection, that you would be pleased to consider what prejudice the taking of this place would be to his Majesty, and to continue us your favour, and assist us with our wise and prudent advise, &c.

Many did judge of the success of this enterprise by the beginning, and were more for∣ward to write, than to perform well. The King had notice that the Duke was Master of the Town, and the manner of doing was represented with so much felicity and facility, that there was less reason to doubt of it than believe it. The Truth was not known, but by the advise of the Governour of Lion, which came before any discourse that the Town did pub∣lish after its deliverance:

The Duke went Post back again over the Mountains, and left his Troops within three miles of Geneva in three places, at Tournon, Fossigny, and Ternier, he caused his Embassadours to say to the Lords of Be••ne, that he had not made that enterprise to trouble the Peace of the Cantons; but to prevent l'Esdiguieres to seize upon it for the King of of France, who should have been so powerfull a Neighbour, as would have given them great occasion of fears and jealousies.

The success of this undertaking made it appear, that God will not have those Treaties to the assurance of which his name hath been called for a Witness, to be violated, whatsoever appeararance or pretext of Religion there be.

Thus Gentle Reader thou seest by all these Circumstances the Truth of our Authors Prognostication.

LXXI. French.

Fleuves, Rivieres, de mal seront obstacles, La vielle flame d'ire non appaisee, Courir en France, cecy come d'Oracles, Maisons, Manoirs, Palais, secte rasée.

English.

Brooks and Rivers shall be a stopping to cvil, The old flame of anger being not yet ceased, Shall run through France, take this as an Oracle, Houses, Mannors, Palaces, Sect shall be raced.

ANNOT.

This hath a perfect relation to the miseries that followed the general Massacre of the Protestants in France in the year 1572. when the Rivers were a stop to the cruel∣ty of the Persecutors, and when so many Houses, Mannors and Palaces belonging to those of the reformed Religion were demolished, and to signifie the certainty thereof, he saith in the third Verse, take this as an oracle.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A notable History.
• * 1.2

  Called here a∣gainst Raypos.