_when ~Mars~ shall be near the German corner_; the other, _when he shall
be in the Territory of the Mantuan people_, and the War was then in that
Territory; for the Duke of _Ferrara_ to shew he would not stand still,
sent his son _Alphonso d’Este_ to make incursions there, and to take some
places.
Moreover the War was then near the _German corner_, which is _Lorrain_,
when _Henry_ II. besieged _Thionville_ in the year 1558. _Paradin_
sheweth, that _Mars_ was in the _German corner_ two years before, sith
about the end of the year 1555; the Duke of _Nevers_ by an extraordinary
endeavour in the middle of the Winter, did relieve _Mariembourg_: and
the following years the _French_ Garrisons kept the fields to avoid
surprises. And in the year 1557. when the Duke of _Guise_ fought in
_Italy_, the Duke of _Savoy_ brought his Army against _Mariembourg_; so
it proved true that _Mars_, _viz._ the War was in the _German corner_;
for that Town is in the borders of _Germany_, and was in that corner till
the taking of _Thionville_.
XXXIII.
French.
En la Cité ou le loup entrera,
Bien pres de la les ennemis seront,
Copie estrange grand pais gastera,
Aux Monts des _Alpes_ les amis passeront.
English.
In the City wherein the Wolf shall go,
Near that place the enemies shall be,
An Army of strangers shall spoil a great Countrey,
The friends shall go over the Mountains of the _Alpes_.
ANNOT.
The two last Verses make me think that this Prophesie was fulfilled in
the time of _Henry_ II. King of _France_, because the _French_ being then
friends to the Pope, went over the _Alpes_ to serve him.
This Stanza might also be applyed to _Lewis_ 13, who caused his Army to
go beyond the _Alpes_, but that word _Friends_ is more convenient to the
time of _Henry_ II. because the _French_ went then over the _Alpes_ in
quality of friends to serve the Pope.
According to this conjecture, the _wolf_ which signifieth the _Spaniard_,
came _anno_ 1556. into many Towns, which the Duke of _Alba_ took, as we
have said in another place, and because among those Towns _Neptune_ was
one of the most considerable, being seated by the Sea side near _Rome_: I
believe that by this word _City_ he meaneth that Town which belonged to
the _Colonese_.
And to say truth, the _French_ were then very near it, to endeavour the
relief of it.
Afterwards came the Duke of _Guise_’s Army, which is named by the Author,
_an Army of strangers_, because the _French_ and _Germans_ are strangers
to _Italy_. _This Army shall spoil a great Countrey_; for in that year it
went through all _Italy_, and where an Army passeth, nothing but ruine
can be expected.
XXXIV.
French.
Quand le defaut du Soleil lors sera,
Sur le plein jour le Monstre sera veu,
Tout autrement on l’Interpretera,
Cherté na garde, nul ny aura pourveu.
English.
When the Ecclipse of the Sun shall be
At noon day, the Monster shall be seen,
It shall be interperted otherways,
Then for a dearth, because no body hath provided against it.
ANNOT.
The sense of this is, that when the Sun shall be Eclipsed at noon, a
Monster shall be born, which shall presage a dearth, though no body will
believe it, because they were unprovided against it.
XXXV.
French.
Du plus profond de l’Occident d’_Europe_,
De pauvre gens un jeune enfant naistra,
Qui par sa langue seduira grande troupe,
Son bruit au Regne d’Orient plus croistra.
English.
Out of the deepest part of the West of _Europe_,
From poor people a young child shall be born,
Who with his tongue shall seduce many people,
His fame shall increase in the Eastern Kingdom.
ANNOT.
This needeth no explication.
XXXVI.
French.
Ensevely non mort Apoplectique,
Sera trouvé avoir les mains mangees,
Quand la Cité damnera l’Heretique,
Qu’avoit leur Loix ce leur sembloit changees.
English.
One buried, not dead, but Apoplectical,
Shall be found to have eaten up his hands,
When the City shall blame the heretical man,
Who as they thought had changed their Laws.
ANNOT.
Many persons (according to Histories being only in a fit of Apoplexy)
have been buried for dead, and being afterwards taken out of the ground,
have been found to have eaten up their hands, as I my self have seen one
digged out of Saint _Bartholomews_ Church-yard, about the time that the
City of _London_ began to be weary of _Cromwels_ devices and Tyranny, yet
I would not here definitively assert, he was the man here pointed at by
the Title and Epithete of Heretical man, unless it were in the point of
government.
XXXVII.
French.
Avant l’assault l’Oraison pronouncée,
_Milan_ prins l’Aigle, par embusche deceus,
Muraille antique par Canons enfonsée,
Par feu & sang a mercy peu receus.
English.
Before the assault the Prayer shall be said,
An Eagle shall take a Kite, they shall be deceived by an Embuscado.
The ancient wall shall be beaten down with Canons,
By fire and blood, few shall have quarter.
ANNOT.
The sense of this is easie.
XXXVIII.
French.
La gent _Gauloise_ & Nation estrange,
Outre les Monts, morts pris & profligez,
Au mois contraire & proche de vendange,
Par les Seigneurs en accord redigez.
English.
The _French_ Nation, and another Nation,
Being over the Mountains, shall die, and be taken,
In a month contrary to them, and near the vintage,
By the Lords agreed together.
ANNOT.
Two kind of Nations were led into _Italy_ by the Duke of _Guise_ to
succour the Pope, _viz._ _French_ and _Germans_, meaning by the _Germans_
all those that use the _German_ Tongue, as _Switzers_, &c.
The Author saith, these two Nations were led beyond the Mountains,
because they went beyond the _Apennine Alpes_, to come down into the
Champion Countrey of _Italy_, where some of them died by the Sword,
others by famine and sickness; others lost their liberty, being made
prisoners of War, others were exposed to the inconveniences that attend a
ruined Army. He addeth, that these accidents shall befall them in a Month
near the _Vintage_, that Month is _September_: He calleth it _Contrary_,
because the Grapes being ripe, the starved Souldiers did eat abundance of
them, and so fell into a bloody flux. The _Pope_’s Tenants made use of
this Stratagem to ruine that Army.
The _Spaniard_ had his revenge the year following, for the Duke of
_Guise_ having missed his design, and being stept before _Civitella_,
and incensed that the _Pope_ did not keep his word with him, he resolved
to go back again into _France_, and so the _Pope_ did by the means of
the Common-wealth of _Venice_, and of the Duke of _Florence_, it was
concluded and signed with the 23 of _September_.
This is the Authors meaning in the 4 Verse, that all the misfortune
which befell the _French_, was by reason of that peace; for the _Pope_
disbanded his Troops, consisting most of _French_ and _Switzers_, the
greatest part of whom fell into the hands of their enemies, and of the
Countrey people, others died of sickness. It is true, that the Duke of
_Guise_ brought his own Army back without much loss, but the Author
speaketh here of the _Gascons_ and _Switzers_, that were in the _Pope_’s
service, under the command of Marshal _Strozzy_, _Monluc_, Cardinal
_Caraffa_, and others.
The time of this peace agreeth with the Prophesie, for it was concluded
on the 23 of _September_, which is a Month near the _Vintage_.
XXXIX.
French.
Les sept en trois Mois en concorde,
Pour subjuger les _Alpes Apeninnes_,
Mais la tempeste & _Ligure_ coüarde,
Les profligent en subites ruines.
English.
The seven shall agree together within three Months,
To conquer the _Apennine Alpes_,
But the tempest, and coward _Genoese_,
Shall sink them into sudden ruines.
ANNOT.
There shall be seven persons, who shall be three Months in making an
agreement to go beyond the _Apennines_, but they shall be hindred by a
tempest, and by the cowardliness of the _Genoeses_.
XL.
French.
Le grand Theatre se viendra redresser,
Les dez jettez & les rets ia tendus,
Trop le premier en glaz viendra lasser,
Par arc prostrais de long temps ia fendus.
English.
The great Theatre shall be raised up again,
The Dice being cast, and the nest spread,
The first shall too much in Glass.
Beaten down by Bows, who long before were split.
ANNOT.
This must be put among _Insolubilia de Alliaco_.
XLI.
French.
Bossu sera esleu par le Conseil,
Plus hideux Monstre en Terre napperceu,
Le coup volant luy crevera un œil,
Le traistre au Roy pour fidele receu.
English.
Crook-back shall be chosen by the Councel,
A more hideous Monster I never saw upon Earth.
The flying blow shall put out one of his eyes,
The Traitor to the King, shall be admited as faithful.
ANNOT.
This needs no explication.
XLII.
French.
L’Enfant naistra a deux dents en la gorge,
Purres en _Tuscie_ par pluie tomberont,
peu d’ans apres ne sera Bled ny Orge,
pour saouler ceux qui de faim failleront.
English.
A Child shall be born with two Teeth in his mouth.
It shall rain stones in _Tuscany_,
A few years after there shall be neither Wheat nor Barley
To feed those that shall faint for hunger.
ANNOT.
Those two Prodigies mentioned in the two first Verses, do presage a great
Famine that shall ensue a few years after.
XLIII.
French.
Gens d’alentour du _Tar_, _Lot_, & _Garonne_,
Gardez les Monts _Apennins_ de passer,
Vostre tombeou pres de _Rome_ & d’_Ancone_,
Le noir poil crespe fera Trophée dresser.
English.
People that live about the _Tar_, _Lot_, and _Garonne_,
Take heed to go over the _Apennine_ Mountains,
Your Grave is near _Rome_ and _Ancona_,
The black frisled hair shall dress a Trophy of you.
ANNOT.
The _Tar_, the _Lot_, and the _Garone_, are three Rivers of _Gascony_,
the Inhabitants of which are forewarned not to go over the _Apennine_
Mountains, or else they shall meet with their Graves near _Rome_ and
_Ancona_. This hath relation to the 38 Stanza, and to the interpretation
thereof, therefore _vide_.
XLIV.
French.
Quand l’Animal a l’Homme domestique,
Apres grands peines & sauts viendra parler,
Le foudre a vierge sera si malefique,
De Terre prinse & suspendue en l’Air.
English.
When the Beast familiar to Mankind,
After great labour, and leaping shall come to speak,
The Lightning shall be so hurtful to a Virgin,
That she shall be taken from the Earth, and suspended in the Air.
ANNOT.
It is a Dog that shall come howling and leaping to his Mistresses
friends; because she was killed and suspended in the Air by the Lightning.
XLV.
French.
Les cinq estranges entrez dedans le Temple,
Leur sang viendra la Terre prophaner,
Aux _Thoulousain_ sera bien dur exemple,
D’un qui viendra ses loix exterminer.
English.
The five strangers having come into the Church,
The blood shall prophane the ground,
It shall be a hard example to those of _Thoulouse_,
Concerning one that came to break their Laws.
ANNOT.
I suppose these _five strangers_ to be _five Commissioners_, for the
altering something in the Government of _Thoulouse_, who shall be all
killed in a Church, and the ground prophaned by their blood, according to
the _Romish_ opinion.
XLVI.
French.
Le Ciel (de _Plancus_ la Cité) nous presage,
Par clercs insignes & par estoiles fixes,
Que de son change subit saproche lage,
Ne pour son bien, ne pour ses malefices.
English.
The Heaven foretelleth concerning the City of _Plancus_,
By famous Clerks, and fixed Stars,
That the time of her sudden change is near hand,
Neither because of her goodness, or wickedness.
ANNOT.
The City of _Plancus_ is _Lion_, because he was the Founder of it. That
City is threatned here of a sudden change, caused neither by her goodness
or wickedness, but by a certain position and aspect of the fixed Stars,
which makes it fatal.
XLVII.
French.
Le vieux Monarque dechassé de son Regne,
Aux Orients son secours ira querre,
Pour peur des Croix ploiera son Enseigne,
En _Mitylene_ ira par Mer & par Terre.
English.
The old Monarch being expelled out of his Kingdom,
Shall go into the East to get succours,
For fear of the Crosses he shall fold up his Colours,
He shall go into _Mitylene_ by Sea and Land.
ANNOT.
_Mitylene_ is an Island of the _Archipelago_, belonging to the Turk.
XLVIII.
French.
Sept cens Captifs attachez rudement,
Pour la moitie meurtrir, donné le sort,
Le proche espoir viendra si promptement,
Mais non si tost qu’une quinziesme mort.
English.
Seven hundred prisoners shall be tied together,
To murder half of them, the lot being cast,
The next hope shall come quickly,
And not so quickly, but fifteen shall be dead before.
ANNOT.
By the next hope, he meaneth the reprieve. The rest is clear.
XLIX.
French.
Regne _Gaulois_ tu seras bien changé,
En lieu estrange est translaté l’Empire,
En autre mœurs & Lois seras rangé,
_Rouan_ & _Chartres_ te feront bien du pire.
English.
_French_ Kingdom thou shalt be much changed,
The Empire is translated in another place,
Thou shalt be put into other manners and Laws,
_Rouan_ and _Chartres_ shall do the worse they can to thee.
ANNOT.
_Rouan_ is the chief City of the Province of _Normandie_, and _Chartres_
the chief City of that of _Beausse_.
L.
French.
La Republique de la grande Cité,
A grand rigueur ne voudra consentir,
Roy sortir hors par Trompette Cité,
L’Eschelle au Mur la Cité repentir.
English.
The Common-wealth of the great City,
With great harshness shall not consent,
That the King should go out being summoned by a Trumpet,
The Ladder shall be put to the Wall, and the City repent.
ANNOT.
It is hard to know what he meaneth by the great City wherein there is a
Common-wealth, whether it be _Venice_, _Genoa_, _Geneva_, _Luca_, or some
of the Cities of _Switzerland_; but it seemeth that a King shall take
shelter in it, who shall be summoned by a Trumpet to come out, but the
City will not suffer it, for which the said City shall be scaled, and
repent.
LI.
French.
_Paris_ conjure un grand meurtre commettre,
_Blois_ le fera sortir en plein effet,
Ceux d’_Orleans_ voudront leur Chef remettre,
_Angers_, _Troyes_, _Langres_, leur seront un mes fait.
English.
_Paris_ conspireth to commit a great murder,
_Blois_ will cause it to come to pass,
Those of _Orleans_ will set up their head again,
_Angers_, _Troyes_, _Langres_ will do them a mischief.
ANNOT.
The Prophecy contained in the two first Verses came to pass in the time
of _Henry_ the III. King of _France_, when the _Parisians_ did rebel
against him, and made Barricadoes in the streets, thinking to have taken
him, who was compelled to run away for his life, and fly to _Chartres_.
This rebellion was raised and fomented by _Henry_ of _Lorraine_ Duke
of _Guise_, whom the King afterwards caused to be murdered, with his
brother the Cardinal of _Lorraine_, at the Convention of the three
Estates kept at _Blois_.
_Orleans_, _Angers_, _Troyes_, _Langres_, are remarkable Cities in
_France_.
LII.
French.
En la _Campagne_ sera si longue pluye,
Et en l’_Apoville_ si grande siccité,
Coq verra l’Aigle l’aisle mal accomplie,
Par Lion mise sera en extremité.
English.
In _Campania_ shall be so long a rain,
And in _Apulia_ so great a drought,
The Cock shall see the Eagle with his wing disordered,
And by the Lion brought to extremity.
ANNOT.
_Campania_, and _Apulia_ are two Provinces of the Kingdom of _Naples_.
The last two Verses of the Prophecy came to pass about the years 1630 and
1631. when _Gustavus Adolphus_ King of _Swedeland_, called here the Lion,
brought the Empire (signified by the Eagle) to extremity; the King of
_France_ signified by the Cock, looking upon, and underhand assisting him.
LIII.
French.
Quand le plus grand emportera le prix,
De _Nuremberg_, d’_Ausbourg_, & ceux de _Basle_,
Par _Agripine_ Chef de _Frankfort_ repris,
Traverseront par _Flandres_ jusqu’en _Gale_.
English.
When the great one shall carry the prize,
Of _Nuremberg_, _Ausbourg_, and _Basil_,
By _Agrippina_ the Chief of _Frankfort_ shall be taken,
They shall go through _Flanders_ as far as _France_.
ANNOT.
_Nuremberg_, _Ausbourg_, and _Basil_ are Cities of _Germany_.
By _Agrippine_ is understood the City of _Cologne_, called in Latine
_Colonia Agrippina_, from the Founderess of it _Agrippina_, Mother of the
Emperour _Nero_, or from _M. Agrippa_ favourite of _Augustus Cæsar_.
LIV.
French.
L’un des plus grands fuira aux _Espagnes_,
Qu’en longue playe apres viendra seigner,
Passant Copies par les hautes Montagnes,
Devastant tout, & puis apres regner.
English.
One of the greatest shall run away into _Spain_,
That shall cause a wound to bleed long,
Leading Armies over the high Mountains,
Destroying all, and afterwards shall Raign.
ANNOT.
This is so plain, that it needeth no interpretation.
LV.
French.
En l’an qu’un œil en _France_ Regnera,
La Cour sera en un bien fascheux trouble,
Le grand de _Blois_ son amy tuera,
Le Regne mis en mal & doubte double.
English.
In the year that one eye shall Reign in _France_,
The Court shall be in a very hard trouble,
The great one of _Blois_ shall kill his friend,
The Kingdom shall be in an ill case, and double doubt.
ANNOT.
The meaning of the first Verse is, when a King having but one eye shall
Reign in _France_.
_Blois_ is a City in _France_ upon the River _Loire_.
LVI.
French.
_Montauban_, _Nismes_, _Avignon_ & _Besier_,
Peste, Tonnerre & Gresle a fin de _Mars_,
De _Paris_ Pont, de _Lion_ Mur, _Monpelier_,
Depuis six cens & sept vingt, trois parts.
English.
_Montauban_, _Nismes_, _Avignon_ and _Besier_,
Plague, Lightning and Hail at the end of _March_,
The Bridge of _Paris_, the Wall of _Lion_, and _Monpelier_, shall fall,
From six hundred and seven score, three parts.
ANNOT.
_Montauban_ is a Town in _Gascony_, _Nismes_ and _Besiers_ are Towns in
_Languedoc_; _Avignon_ is a Town in _France_ belonging to the Pope, which
shall suffer these damages by Lightning at the end of _March_.
LVII.
French.
Sept fois changer verrez gens _Britanique_,
Teints en sang en deux cens nonante an,
_France_ non point par appuy _Germanique_,
_Aries_ double son Pope _Bistarnan_.
English.
Seven times you shall see the _English_ to change,
Died in blood, in two hundred ninety year,
Not _France_, by the _German_ support,
_Aries_ doubleth his _Bastarnan_ Pole.
ANNOT.
The two first Verses concern _England_; the third _France_; the fourth
marketh the time by the motion of the Sign of _Aries_, which shall be
favourable to _France_.
We shall leave the two first Verses to be interpreted by the _English_
Nation, which is most concerned in it, and come to the last two, which
concern _France_.
The third Verse saith that _France_ shall not change as _England_, by
reason of the help it shall have from _Germany_, which hath been made
good already for these hundred years, notwithstanding the Wars between
_Henry_ II. and the _Spaniard_; the Conspiracy of the Protestant party
against _Francis_ the II. at _Amboise_; the civil Wars under _Charles_
the IX. the League under _Henry_ III. and _Henry_ IV. the Forrain Wars
under _Lewis_ XIII. and _Lewis_ XIV. now Reigning.
The Authors meaning by these words, _but France not_, is, you shall not
see _France_ change seven times in two hundred ninety years, as the
_Brittish_ nation, and then he giveth the reason of it, _by German help_,
that is to say, that _France_ shall have help from _Germany_.
The fourth Verse saith, that during those two hundred ninety years,
_Aries doubleth his Bastarnan Pole_, to understand this, we must suppose
first that the Sign of _Aries_ ruleth over _France_, _Palestine_,
_Bastarnia_, &c.
Secondly, we must learn from _Ptolomy_ and other Geographers, that
_Bastarnia_ containeth the people that are towards _Sarmatia_ or
_Poland_, which were called by the Ancients, the people of _Admone_,
_Sidane_, _Roxolane_, and by others _Peucins_, from the Island _Peuce_,
which is in _Istria_.
Thirdly, we must suppose, that the Sign of _Aries_ hath two Poles, the
first is that of the Æquinoctial Line, and the second, that of the
_Eccliptick_, because the Sign of _Aries_ beginneth just in the Line of
the _Equator_, and afterwards stretcheth towards the North. Now it is so
that the place where its extension endeth in the Eccliptical Line of the
Sun, is called by the Author the _Bastarnan Pole_.
It is a _Pole_ sith in the constellations of Heaven, we call _Poles_,
the two ends or extremities of them, and in the constellations of the
Zodiack, we call the first Pole that which is next to the Equator, and
the second Pole that which stretcheth towards the North, or towards the
South in the Eccliptical Line.
In this sense, the first Pole of the Sign of _Aries_, is that which hath
its first degree in the Equator; the second is, that which stretcheth
towards the North in the Eccliptick, and this last Pole is called
_Bastarnan_, because it is Vertical to _Bastarnia_, as the Astrologers
set down their Climates, Kingdoms, Provinces and Towns under the twelve
Signs.
Fourthly, We must suppose that this word _to double_, may signifie three
things. 1. In Sea-mens tearms; it signifieth to go beyond some place,
as to double the Cape of _bona Speranza_, which is called in _Italian_,
_Tramontare_; that is, to go beyond. 2. It signifieth to do twice the
same thing, as _Jacob_ did double his service for _Rachel_, &c. 3. In
matter of traveling; it signifieth to go twice as far as is requisite.
_To double_, in this place cannot be understood in the first sense;
because the constellations never stretcht out of their compasses, though
the Stars of which they are compounded, have their peculiar motions.
To understand this, we must know that the Stars of the Firmament
have their peculiar motions from West to East, upon the Pole of the
Eccliptick, and that they go that way a matter of one Degree, in the
space of about 100 years, and consequently the Stars do retrograde
every year in the Eccliptick from West to East 52 Seconds. _Ptolomeus_
holdeth this opinion, but other renowned Astrologers give them more:
For my part I am of _Tychobrahe_’s opinion, who allowed them one Degree
of retrogradation in 70 years and 7 Months, and consequently 51 Seconds
every year.
According to this Doctrine the Star that is in the Horn of _Aries_, was
observed by _Tymocharis_ in 2d Degree; 150 years after, _Hipparchus_
observed it in the first; 265 years after, _Ptolomeus_ saw it in the 6
Degree; 740 years after, _Albathognius_ observed it in the 18 Degree; 304
years after, _Alphonsus_ King of _Spain_, found it in the 6 Degree; 265
years after, _Copernicus_ did observe it to be in the 27 Degree and two
Minutes; 61 years after, _Tychobrahe_ saw it in the 27 Degree, and above
37 Minutes; so that in the space of 61 years it had gone 35 Minutes.
By this Doctrine we see that the whole constellations do not go beyond
their Poles, though the Stars that Compound them change their Poles every
year of 51 Seconds.
To double, then here cannot be taken in the first sense, nor in the third
sense, for the first reason, it must then be in the second sense; and
thus _Aries doubleth his Bastarnan Pole_; that is, _Aries_ maketh twice
his Pole, which answereth to _Bastarnia_.
If you ask how it cometh to pass that _Aries_ doubleth this Pole, and
in what place of Heaven we set this _Bastarnan Pole_. I answer to the
first, that _Aries_ doubleth his Pole, when one of those 13 Stars cometh
to that point, which is a Northern or Western Pole to that sign in the
Eccliptick. As to the second: I answer, that the place ought to be its
last Degree, _viz._ the end of the 30 Degree.
Why? (will you say) did the Author mark that difference of the Sign of
_Aries_, rather than that of _Taurus_, or of another?
I answer, that it was in favour of _France_; because _Aries_ doth govern
in _France_, and if it hath been favourable to it, when it came first to
the _Bastarnan Pole_, it will be so too when it doubleth the same Pole,
seeing that it will have the same position and Aspect. Now we see, that
in the space of these 100 years, _France_ was not overcome, much less
shall it be hereafter, seeing that the Stars do promise its exaltation
for a long continuance.
If I were a great Astrologer, I should observe exactly by this, that
within the space of 290 years, _Aries shall double his Cape Bastarnan_,
and consequently _Aries_ should come to that Pole just in the year 1845.
which is according to that we have said.
LVIII.
French.
Aupres du _Rhin_ des Montagnes _Noriques_,
Naistra un grand de gens trop tard venu,
Qui defendra _Sarmates_ & _Pannoniques_,
Qu’on ne scaura quil sera devenu.
English.