Perfidious Mars long plighted leagues divides,
And o’er the wasted world in triumph rides;
The peaceful peasants to the war are prest,
The fields lie fallow in inglorious rest,
The plain no pasture to the flock affords,
The crooked scythes are straighten’d into swords;
Now impious arms from ev’ry part resound,
And, like a deluge, cover all the ground.
The time does not yet appear arrived when the nations of the world shall
learn war no more, nor beat their swords into plowshares, nor their
spears into pruning hooks.
“How pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” was the
observation of the Psalmist of old. And the command of the great
Lawgiver is, “Hear, O Israel; the Lord thy God is one Lord:” and “Thou
shalt love the Lord with all thy heart, and with all thy strength, and
with all thy mind, and with all thy soul; and the second is like unto
this: thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Was this practical
truth observed more, we should then soon see what most people are so
earnestly desiring; namely, better times; the world would soon bear
another aspect, and all would be harmony and peace.
The Almighty God of all principalities and powers, by his infinite wisdom
and all-seeing providence, hath intended and proposed, and by these his
glorious and powerful instruments, declares and presignifies such notable
events and transactions, such unexpected commotions and various mutations
to happen to many of the principal kingdoms and nations in the world; for
the affairs thereof seem to be in a hurry and confusion, and to be acted
by such a ferment as is not usual; their passions and fury rise higher;
and the ill success of the advocates of power and tyranny is an
encouragement to the friends of liberty, both civil and religious, to go
on. In the Eastern part of the world, a nation or country is near being
swallowed up more fatally than Jonas in the whale’s belly. The Turks are
eminently pointed at by these celestial messengers. War and desolation
has already invaded their territories. The Ottoman empire must be
weakened, and Antichrist must be destroyed; France and Italy, more
especially Lorrain and Naples, will meet with new troubles. New troubles
and misfortunes arise in the North. The King of P— will suffer by
sickness, or some other calamity; but however he will gain some military
honours and advantages this year. A great General stoops to fate. Death
alone convinces us, that all men are vanity. Some losses or misfortunes
seem to threaten Portugal; and Spain is not past the vortex of ill
fortune. One loss comes upon the back of another, which at last brings
her to reason, and will pave the way to liberty. Here now follows one of
Michael Nostrodamus’s Prophecies, which is now fulfilling, or near these
times.
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 Britain set up again in security.