was found and carried Prisoner to the Duke of Savoy who received him very honorably according to his valour and deserts Observe that the word Saignes here signifieth in old Proven al a Marish XX. French Tours Orleans Blois Anger 's Renes Nantes Cités vexée par soudain changement Par Langues estranges seront tendues Tentes Fleuves Darts Rennes Terre Mer tremblement English Tours Orleans Blois Anger 's Renes and Nantes Cities vexed by a sudden change By strange Languages Tents shall be set up Rivers Darts Rennes Land and Sea shall quake ANNOT. All the Cities mentioned in the first Verseare seated by the River of Loire and are threatned here of a sudden change and that some strangers shall set up their Tents against them and chiefly at Rennes there shall be an Earth-quake felt both by Sea and Land XXI French Profonde argile blanche nourrit rocher Qui d'un abysme istra l'acticineuse En vain troublez ne l'oseront toucher Ignorant estre au fond terre argileuse English A deep white clay feedeth a Rock Which clay shall break out of the deep like milk In vain people shall be troubled not daring to touch it Being ignorant that in the bottom there is a milky clay ANNOT. It is a Rock in the middle of the Sea whose Roots are fed by a white clay which is at the foot of this Rock in the bottom of the Sea and therefore called deep This clay being softned and dissolved by the Sea-water shall appear upon the superficies of it like milk about the Rock Those that shall see this wonder being ignorant that in the bottom there is a milky clay shall in vain be troubled at it and shall not dare to touch it XXII French Ce qui vivra n'aura aucun sens Viendra le Fer a mort son artifice Autun Chalons Langres les deux Sens La Guerre la Glasse fera grand malefice English That which shall live and shall have no sence The Lion shall destroy the art of it Autun Chalons Langres and both Sens The War and the Ice shall do great harm ANNOT. This is a great Riddle which was never found out till now and had I not been born in the Countrey where the History did happen it might have been unknown to this day and buried in oblivion In the year of the Lord 1613. which was that of my Birth There was in the Town of Sens a Taylors Wife named Columba Chatry who presently after her marriage conceived and for the space of 28. years persuaded her self to be with Child had all the signs of it in the beginning of her impregnation and having The Histâ—â—â— of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oâ— pâ—trified child gone her compleat time she begun to feel the pains of a woman in Labour with great gripings in the Guts The Urine was suppressed for a while but at last it broke out with a strong current This quantity of water not coming so much out of the Bladder as was supposed as from the womb by the breaking of the Membrane called Amnion seeing that with those serous excrements she avoided some conjealed blood After that her breast begun to fall and the Child had little or no motion her pains being less than they were which caused no small admiration to the Midwifes who expected a safe deliverance For the space of three years after this woman kept her Bed and was brought to Deaths door complaining of gripings and a hard swelling which she desired all the Physitians and Chyrurgeons to feel having lost all appetite but that little which she recovered by the use of sharp things as Verjuice Lemmons c. she was wont to say to her Neighbours that she bare a Child that should be the cause of her death After she was dead her Husband got two experienced Chyrurgeons to open her body who having opened the belly and taken away the Peritonaeum saw the Womb of several colours as the flesh that is about the head and neck of a Turky-cock but as it were of a Horny substance They begun to make an incision in it with a Rasour but finding it resisted the edge they begun to use their Incision knives with all their strength at last one of them by chance hit the Scull and after that some Ribs and then the Shoulder bone by which knowing that there was bones contained in that lump with greater strength they made a deeper Incision and having parted the edges of the womb saw in the bottom of the womb a Child wrapped in the membrane called Allantoides at which the Chyrugeons wondering sent for the Physitians to have their opinion in a thing that is almost beyond belief in the mean time people flocking thither from all parts and troubling the Chyrurgeons in their operation they thought good to take away with their Instruments all that Lump as a Tree from its Roots and to carry it home that they might with more time and leasure examine the whole Anatomy of it In that hasty pulling out of the Child they had no time to observe what Chorion it had what umbilical Vessels and what connexion there was of the Allantoides with the Womb and with the Child chiefly about the right hip the Buttocks and the Back-bone being all grown solid together The scituation of the Child was almost Spherical the face leaning upon the breast and the Nostriâ—s upon the Knees the bones of the Head were but thin but very hard and shining like Horn the skin of the Head was hairy in many places the head did hang so much upon the left arm that the Ear and part of the skull had given way to the Shoulder-bone the Elbow was bent towards the Shoulder stretching only his hand which was so close shut and the fingers sticking so fast to the Palm of it that although they did appear distinct one from another never theless it was all but one and the same stone the right arm did strerch its hand towards the Navel which unadvisedly was broken by the wrist and left in the Mothers Belly the left Thigh Knee and Leg were on the top of the right ones with which they were so entangled that the left heel and the sole of the foot were planted upon the right foot who seemed to have given place to them and were almost inseparably joyned for all such hardness of the matter the body was not less than that of other Children of the same age but kept a perfect fulness and proportion all the internal parts as the Brains the Heart the Liver had their natural shape and were not altogether so hard as the external parts so that to this very day this little body defieth all kind of corruption This Child was kept in my time by one Mr. Michel a Chirurgion of Sens who kindly shewed it to all the strangers that came far and near to see it The Fame of it was so great that Doctor Mayerne coming from Switzerland to
Churches and other barbarous actions it hath been seen so often in France in the time of the Civil VVars for Religion that it needeth no confirmation The last Verse concerning a peace between the Turks and the Polonians was fulfilled in the year 1623. when Sigismundus King of Poland by his Embassador the Duke Sbarasky and by the mediation of the English Embassador concluded a Peace with the great Turk Mustapha the Articles of which you may read at large in the Turkish History LXXIV French De sang Trojen naistra coeur Germanique Qui deviendra en si haute puissance Hors chassera gent estrange Arabique Tonrnant l'Eglise en pristine préeminence English Of Trojan blood shall be born a German heart Who shall attain to so high a power That he shall drive away the strange Arrabian Nation Restoring the Church to her former splendor ANNOT. It seemeth to signifie that by Alliance made between a German Emperour and a Daughter of France which derive their Pedigree from the Trojans a Prince shall be born of so stout and valiant a heart as shall drive away all the Turkish power out of Germany and shall restore the Church to her former splendor LXXV French Montera haut sur le bien plus a dextre Demourra assis sur la pierre carrée Vers le midy posé a la senestre Baston tortu en main bouche serrée English He shall go up upon the good more on the right hand He shall stay sitting upon the square stone Towards the South being set on the left hand A crooked stick in his hand and his mouth shut ANNOT. I do acknowledge my Ignorance in this LXXVI French En lieu libere tendra son Pavillon Et ne voudra en Citez prendre place Aix Carpentras Lisle Volce Mont Cavaillon Par tous ces lieux abolira sa trace English He shall pitch his Tent in the open air Refusing to lodge in the City Aix Carpentras Lisle Volce Mont Cavaillon In all those places he shall abolish his trace ANNOT. Aix Carpentras Lisle Volce Mont Cavaillon are Cities of Provence LXXVII French Tous les degres d'honneur Ecclesiastique Seront changez en Dial Quirinal En Martial quirinal Flaminique Puis un Roy de France le rendra Vulcanal English All the degrees of Ecclesiastical honour Shall be changed into a Dial Quirinal Into Martial Quirinal Flaminick After that a King of France shall make it Vulcanal ANNOT. All what I can say upon this is that Dialis in Latine is a Priest of Jupiter and Quirinal is a Priest of Romulus Martial Flamen is a Priest of Mars Vulcanal is a Priest of Vulcan let the ingenious Reader make of all these the best construction he can LXXVIII French Les deux unis ne tiendront longuement Et dans treize ans au Barbare Satrape Aux deux costez feront tel perdement Qu'un benira la Barque sa cappe English The two united shall not hold long Within thirteen years to the Barbarian Satrape They shall cause such loss on both sides That one shall bless the Boat and its covering ANNOT. The word Satrape is a Persian word signifying one of the Grandees at Court. By the last Verse is meant one that shall save his life and make his escape by the means of a covered Boat or Barge LXXIX French La sacree Pompe viendra baisser les aisles Par la venue de grand Legislateur Humble haussera vexera les rebelles Naistra sur Terre aucun Aemulateur English The sacred Pomp shall bow down her wings At the coming of the great Lawgiver He shall raise the humble and vex the rebellious No Emulator of his shall be born ANNOT. This seemeth to have a relation to the birth of Christ or Christmas-day LXXX French L' Ogmion grande Bizance approchera Chassée sera la Barbarique ligue Des deux Loix l'une unique lachera Barbare France en perpetuelle brigue English The Ogmion shall come near great Bizance And shall expel the Barbarian League Of the two Laws the wicked one shall yeild The Barbarian and the French shall be in perpetual jar ANNOT. By the word Ogmion every where in his Book the Author meaneth the King of France who according to his words shall come near Constantinople and shall break the Barbarian League and of the two Laws that is the Christian and the Mahometan the Mohometan shall yield to the other LXXXI French L'Oyseau Royal sur la Cité solaire Sept mois devant fera nocturne augure Mur d'Orient cherra Tonnerre esclaire Sept jours aux Portes les ennemies a l'heure English The Royal Bird upon the solar City Seven Months together shall make a nocturn angury The Eastern Wall shall fall the Lightning shall shine Then the enemies shall be at the Gate for seven days ANNOT. By the Royal Bird is meant an Eagle which for seven days together shall be observed upon some Eastern City and shall be taken for a presage that the Eastern Wall of that City shall fall by Lightning at which time the enemies shall be at the Gate for seven days together LXXXII French Au conclud pache hors de la Forteresse Ne sortira celuy en desespoir mis Quand ceux d' Arbois de Langres contre Bresse Auront mis Dolle bouscade d'ennemis English Upon the agreement made out of the Fort Shall not come he that was in despair When those of Arbois of Langres against Bresse Shall have put in Dolle an Ambuscado of foes ANNOT. The sense is that according to the Articles or agreement made between the Besieger of a Fort and the Governour of it the said Governour by despair will not come out and this shall happen when those of Arbois and Langres shall be against those of Bressia and shall have put an Ambuscado in the City of Dolle LXXXIII French Ceux qui auront entreprins subvertir Nompareil Regne puissant invincible Feront par fraude nuicts trois advertir Quand le plus grand a Table lira Bible English Those that shall have undertaken to subvert The Kingdom that hath no equal in power and victories Shall cause by fraud notice to be given for three nights together When the greatest shall be reading a Bible at the Table ANNOT. What place is meant by the unparalell'd Kingdom the Author hath hid as well from me as the Reader LXXXIV French Naistre du Gouphre Cité immesurée Nay de parens obscurs tenebreux Qui la puissance du grand Roy reverée Voudra destruire par Rouen Eureux English One shall be born out of the Gulf and the unmeasurable City Born of Parents obscure and dark Who by the means of Rouen and Eureux Will go about to destroy the power of the great King ANNOT. VVithout doubt by this Gulf and unmeasured City the Author means Paris by reason of its greatness and the multitude of its Inhabitants LXXXV French Par les Sueves lieux circonvoisins Seront en
prevented my Life that of my Children and the preservation of my Kingdom are concerned in it I will leave it to the course of Justice you shall see what Judgement shall be given I will contribute what I can to his Innocency I give you leave to do the same till he be found guilty of high Treason for then the Father cannot intercede for the Son nor the Son for the Father the Wife for the Husband nor the Brother for the Brother Do not become odious to me for the love you bear him As for the note of Infamy there is none but himself Have the Constable of St. Paul from whom I derive my Pedigree and the Duke of Nemours of who I am Heir both beheaded left any note of Infamy upon their Posterity should not the Prince of Condé my Uncle have been beheaded the next day if King Francis the II. had not dyed Therefore ye that are Kinsmen to the Duke of Biron cannot be noted with Infamy if you continue in your faithfulness as I assure my self you will And I am so far from depriving you of your Offices that if any new one should fall I would bestow them upon you I am more sorry for his fault than you can be but to conspire against me that am his King and Benefactor is a crime that I cannot forgive without losing my self my Wife my Son and my Estate I know you to be so good French men that you would not have the last and shall take Patience for the first Thus the King dismissed him and sent his Commission to the Court of Parliament to decide the business The Process was framed in the Bastille by the Lords of Achilles de Harlay first President in the Court of Parliament of Paris Nicolas Potier second President Stephen Fleury and Philibert of Thurin Councellors in the same Court They asked him if he did not write in Cyphers he denyed it then were shewed unto him several Letters written and sealed with his own hand which did witness his Intelligences with the Spaniard and the Duke of Savoy and contained advices that he gave of the wants that were in the Kings Army How little Money he had to maintain the War and to satisfie the Switzers of the discontent of the French Nobility and how several French Troops might easily be defeated and that to divert the Kings forces it was necessary to invade Provence and did much press upon the 50000. Crowns and the 4000 men promised or else said all is lost Some of these things he confessed and did so intangle and contradict himself that the Commissioners had pity on his indiscretion He was asked what opinion he had of La Fin he said he took him for an honest Gentleman his Friend and Kinsman his Evidnces being read to him and himself brought face to face he did with the most horrid Imprecations and Blasphemies in the World deny them and charged La Fin with the most horrid Crimes that can be Imagined calling still God for a Witness of his Innocency La Fin stood firm in the confirming of his Evidence and did more particularly declare the whole conspiracy The Duke answered that if Renazé were there he would tell the contrary Renazé who had a little while before escaped his Prison in Piemont was brought before him and confirmed all what La Fin had said Next to that was brought one of the Kings waiting men who witnessed that having lyen in his Chamber by the Kings command the first night of his Imprisonment he had adjured him by several offers and promises of rewards to give notice to his secretaries to be out of the way for some days and to tell the Earl of Roussy his Brother in Law that he should send presently to Dijon to give the same advice to those that were left there and above all that if they were examined they should all constantly deny that ever he did write in Cyphers Thus the business having been thorowly examined it remained only to proceed unto Judgment but the Prisoner being a Peer of France the King having erected the Baroay of Biron into a Dukedom by the Laws the Prisoner could not be judged but by his Peers which being summoned and not appearing the Court of Parlament being authorised by the Kings Commission proceeded to Judgment The 23 of July 1602. the Chancellor with the Maisses and Pontcarré Privy Councellors went to the Parliament where all the Chambers were assembled together There he made known the Kings intention in a business wherein the good of the Kingdom was so much concerned and represented on one part the quality of a Person commendable for his services but on the other the soulness of the Crime for the Judgment of which the King did rely upon the integrity and prudence of the Court The Kings Attorney and Soliciter having represented to the Court that the Peers summoned gave no appearance and that the Prisoners petition who asked for Councel was not to be received The Court proceeded to examine the Evidences whereupon they sat three times after which the Prisoner was brought from the Bastile by Montigny Governour of Paris and Vitry Captain of the Kings Guards in a close Barge covered with Tapistry and followed by two other Barges full of Souldiers and Switzers He entred into the Palace through the Garden of the first President and rested himself in one of the Chambers where he was offered a Breakfast The time being come he was to be heard the Recorder went and called him into the Guild-hall where when he saw one Hundred and twelve Judges before his face he was some thing daunted and was made to sit within the Bar upon a joint stool where he sat in such a posture as stretching forth his right foot and having his Cloak under his arm and his left hand upon his side he kept the right one free either to stretch it forth to Heaven or to smite his brest when occasion served The Chancellor did so frame his discourse that he never named him by his name nor that of his qualities Of many evidences there was five chiefly urged against him The first to have been conversant with one Picotée born in Orleans and refugied in Flanders to keep intelligence with the Arch-duke and to have give him 150. Crowns for two journeys to that end The second to have treated with the Duke of Savoy three days after his arrival to Paris without the Kings leave and to have offered him all assistance and service against any person whatsoever upon the hope or promiss of marrying his third daughter The third to have kept intelligence with the said Duke in taking of the City of Bourg and other places giving him advice how he might defeat the Kings Army and destroy his person with many other circumstances to that purpose The fourth to have sent by Renazée a note to the Governour of the Fort of Saint Catherine promising to bring the King before the said Fort so
Reporter of the Process He was not moved at these words attainted and convicted of high Treason but at these against the Person of the King he fell into a rage and Swearing as he had done many times before and shall do hereafter with great Oaths and Imprecations there is no such thing said he to the Recorder it is false blot out that he was also very angry hearing that he was to be executed in the place of Greve thinking that for several respects he was to be distinguished from the common sort of people and Swore again that he would not go thither and that he had rather to be torn in pieces by wild Horses and that it was not in the power of all those that stood by to carry him thither then he was a little appeased when Voisin told him that the King had done him that favour to change the place of Execution and that it was to be done in the Bastille The confiscation of his Goods and the revenues of the Dukedom of Biron to the Crown was the last point of the Sentence that vexed him What said he doth the King intend to grow rich out of my poverty The Lordship of Biron cannot be confiscated I only possessed it by substitution of my Brethren what shall my Brethren do the King ought to have been satisfied with the loss of my life The Sentence being pronounced Voisin did exhort him again to renounce all the vanities of the world to take no other care but of the Salvation of his Soul which was to be first by reconciling himself to God Almighty and that there was two Divines for that purpose and that according to the usual forms of Executions he would be pleased to suffer himself to be bound That word of Execution did seem so horrid to him that he fell into a new rage Swearing that he would never permit so infamous a person to touch him otherwise than with the Sword and that he had rather be hewen in pieces To keep him from falling into a further despair Vois 〈…〉 left him with his Divines viz. Garnier Almonec and Confessor to the King and after that Bishop of Montpelier and Magnan Curate of St. Nicolas in the fields at Paris who began to talk boldly to him of his death and to disvest himself of all his thoughts as he had done of his Goods and to take no other care than that of his Soul whereupon he fell into a passion again Let me alone said he it is I that must think upon my Soul you have nothing to do with it I had no need of you you shall not be troubled to hear my confession what I speak aloud is my confession I have been these eight days a confessing my self and the last night me thought I saw the Heavens opened and that God lent me his Hand my Keepers heard me laugh for joy in my sleep The Divines did not loose Courage for all that but more and more intreated him to consider that he was no more what he had been before that within one or two hours he should be no more that he must change to be for evermore that his Soul was ready to appear before the fearfull Throne of the living God to be rewarded with a more happy life than that he had hitherto passed or be condemned to an Eternal pain and that in comparison of that which he was to suffer now it was no more than the slight pricking of a Pin and having in some measure appeased him they left him to examine his Conscience while Voisin went to give notice of his refusing to be bound the Chancellor doubted whether he should be compelled to it the first President said that it was dangerous to let him loose Sellery having learned of Voisin that the Prisoner was at that time very quiet said that if they went about to bind him he would break all the bonds of Patience and should never be brought to Execution but in a rage and dispair according to that opinion he was left free in his body that he might be the more free in â—â—is thoughts Which were more to the World and to the setling of his affairs than to the saving of his Soul which he had neglected all his life time and shewed himself utterly ignorant of the principles of his Religion for which he said a little before he was put to death and those that were present related that his Prayers made him appear more a Souldier than a Christian he prayed in commanding and commanded in praying His Confession being ended he walked in the Chappel with one hand upon his side and with the other holding the strings of his Shirt did unbutton and button again his Doublet Vois 〈…〉 being come back told him that the Chancellor and the first President were very glad to hear of his Patience and of his constant resolution to die He talked much of the Money he had at Dijon of the worth of his Jewels and of what was owing to him and what himself did owe he desired that some Sums of Money should be paid to certain Gentlemen that had no Obligation for it But still he broke forth into exclamations concerning his Innocency and execrations against la Fin asking if it should not be lawfull for his Brothers to prosecute him and to cause him to be burnt Upon this those that kept him during his Imprisonment came to take their leave of him every one having his left hand upon the handle of his Sword and Tears in his Eyes he moved them to compassion by the sight of his present condition and exhorted them to serve the King faithfully against whom he had said he had done nothing amiss and complained that he could find no Mercy at his Hands intreated them to pray to God for him and to oblige them to that distributed among them all his Cloaths and linnen and Watches he desired also the Knight of the Watch to tell the King that his Servants knew nothing of his Affairs that the Earl of Auvergne was not to be questioned upon that account He intreated much one exempt of the Guards to go to the said Earl and tell him he had laid nothing to his charge and that he went to die without any grief but of the loss of his friendship and that the shortness of his life would not give him leave to shew in effect how much he was his servant The Earl sent him word that he did accept of his farewell as of an intimate friend and that he remained behind to lament all the days of his life the loss he suffered in him intreated him to leave him his Bastard Son to have him brought up with his own Children After this the Prisoner saw a Gentleman belonging to the Duke of Mayene and entreated him to tell his Master that if ever in his life he had given him some occasion not to love him that he prayed to believe that he would die his servant as also of
in that Kingdom the meaning therefore of this Prophecy is that there should be a great famine in Spain wherein the Spania 〈◊〉 should be constrained to make his application to the French for relief of Corn which should be granted him This happened in the year 1665 for you must understand that most of these last Prophecies were to be fulfilled in the Reign of Henry IV. VIII French Un peu devant l'ouvert commerce Ambassadeur viendra de Perse Nouvelle au Franc Pais porter Mais non receu vaine esperance A son grand Dieu sera l'offense Feignant de le vouloir quitter English A little before that Trade shall be open An Embassador shall come from Persia To bring news into France But he shall not be received O vain hope To his great God shall the offence be Faining that he would leave him ANNOT. In the year 1608. the year before the Truce was concluded between the Spaniard and the Hollanders by which all free Commerce was opened through Europe The King of Persia being then in War with the great Turk sent an Embassador to all the Christian Princes and chiefly into France to move them to make a diversion in so fit a time but he could prevail nothing and went back again re infecta which he thought to be a great injury done to his Prophet Mahomet IX French Deux Estendars du costé de l' Auvergne Senestre pris pour un temps prison regne Et un Dame enfant voudra mener Au Censuart mais discouvert l'affaire Danger de mort murmure sur la Terre Germain Bastille Frere Soeur prisonier English Two Standards in the County of Auvergne The left one taken for a while Prison shall reign And a Lady shall endeavour to carry a child To the Censuart but the plot being discovered Danger of Death murmur upon Earth Own Brother Bastille Brother and Sister prisoners ANNOT. This Stanza being most obscure and difficult cannot be understood so well by parcels as by laying down the whole Synopsis of it which I do the more willingly because I think it will be delightful to the Reader and that the whole being known the meaning of every particular will easily be understood Charles the IX King of France the last of the House of Valois left only one natural Son called the Earl of Auvergne who had a Sister by the Mothers side that was called Henrietta de Balzac Duchess of Verneuil once Mistriss to Henry the IV by whom she had upon promiss of marriage one Son at this time Duke of Vernueil and Governour of Languedoc but this promiss being made void by Act of Parliament Henry IV. married Mary of Medicis by which he had issue Lewis the XIII and other children now upon the discontent of the Marshal of Biron the Dutchess of Verneuil the Earl of Auvergne her Brother and their party joyned with him for the promoting of the Duke of Verneuil's interest to the Crown whereupon the King sent for the Earl of Auvergne who was then in his County a hundred Leagues from Paris but the Earl trusting more the good will of the Citizens of Clermont in Auvergne who loved him then to the Kings Clemency neglected to come whereupon the King sent again the Lord d' Escures with a pardon for what was past he promised to come when he should see his pardon Signed and Sealed in good form the King was offended at his proceeding and took it very ill that a Subject of his would capitulate with him who intended to deal plainly and sincerely the King nevertheless past that over for many considerations one of them was that the Earl was of the blood of France and brother by the Mother to one that had been his Mistress besides that he was a Prince endowed with many good qualities most of which did Sympathise with those of the King thus the King sent him his Pardon as well for what was past as for the present but with this proviso that he should come for all this he did not stir out of Clermont the King seeing that did resolve to have him at any rate there was several propositions made for to take him at Hunting at running of the Ring at some Banquet in the Fields in the City all these ways might be suspected by the Earl but a new one was found out of which he himself was the Author the Troop of the Duke of Vendosme was preparing for to Muster the Earl intreated d' Eurre Lieutenant of the said company that it might be in the Fields by Clermont towards Nonnain because he intended to take revenge in the behalf of a Lady upon the Inhabitants of that place The King sent directions and orders to d' Eurre how he should govern himself in that action and gave him for Associates la Boulaye Lieutenant of the Marquess of Vernueil's Troop and Nerestan Colonel of a Foot Regiment By the Kings advice they imparted the business to the Viscount of Pont du Chasteau to the Baron of Canillac and some others that had authority in that Province and were devoted to the Kings service and all keeping religiously the Laws of silence The 12 of November the Troop met at the Rendezvous the Earl came thither by times with two only of his followers thinking that the Troop should not be ready so soon and so he should have pretext either to go back to Clermont or to go on further to visit his Mistress The prudence and diligence of those that managed the business did prevent him and begot a suspition in him for he was seen to truss up his Cloak and to try whither his sword did not stick to the Scabbard D' Eurre went to him and having complemented him rode on his left hand while the Troop was setting in order Nerestan came to salute him on the other side and rode on his right hand being followed by three stout Souldiers habited like Lackeys and appointed for this action The Viscount of du Pont du Chasteau and his brother rode out of the Troop and encompassed him on all sides One of the Souldiers laid hold on the Horses Bridle d' Eurre at the same time laid hold on his Swords Hilt saying my Lord we are commanded by the King to give him an account of your person and we intreat you to submit unto his Majesties good pleasure that we may have no occasion to use you otherways then we desire Maison-ville and Liâ—erne who were his two followers drew their Swords thinking to make him way to escape but some shot spent upon them made them presently retire and run away He was put upon a Trumpeters Nag as far as Briare and thence conducted to Montargis in a Coach and afterwards by water to Paris and put in the Bastille By this History and the explication of the word Censuart which is an ancient word derived from the Latine word Censor and taken here for the Kingly office the whole Prophecy is easily understood and
a little lower on the right hand a Bench covered with Carpets for the Prelates to sit among which were three Archbishops nine Bishops and three Abbots on the left hand were the Lords of the Councel and before the Altar was the Cardinal of Gondy encompassed with Almoners and Chaplains and a great multitude of Spectators seated upon Benches in form of a Theatre round about the Theatre were the guard of Switzers having every one a Torch in his hand The Dolphin and his Sisters were in their Chambers upon Beds of State with their Robes lined with Hermines and were brought to the quadrangle the waiting Gentlemen going before with Torches in their hands with the Bed Chamber men and Gentlemen of the Chamber five Drums Waits and Trumpeters Heralds and the Knights of the Holy Ghost with the three Honours in the first for the youngest Daughter the Ewer the Bason the Pillow the Wax Taper the Chrisme the Saltseller were carryed by the Baron Son to Marshal de la Chastre by the Lords Montigny la Rochepot Chemerand Liencourt Fervacques and the Lady was carryed by the Marshal of Bois Dauphin followed by Charles Duke of Lorrain Godfather and of Don Juan de Medicis Brother to the great Duke of Tuscaky representing Christian Daughter to the Duke of Lorrain and Wife of the great Duke After that followed the Dutches of Guise the Countesses of Guiche of Saulx the Marchioness Monlaur and other Ladies The Marshals of Laverdin and of la Chastre the Dukes of Silly of Monbazon of Espernon of Esguillon did the same office for the elder Lady The Lord of Ragny carryed her for Diana Dutchess of Angoulesme who did represent the Infanta Clara Eugenta Eusabella Archidutchess or Austria followed by the Dutchess of Rohan Montmorency Mayenne The third Honour for the Dolphin was carried by the Earl of Vaudemont the Knight of Vendosme his elder Brother the Duke of Mensier the Earl of Soissons and the Prince of County all three Princes of the Blood and the Dolphin was carryed by the Lord Souvray his Governour in the room of the Prince of Condé first Prince of the Blood who because of his sickness could do him no other service then to hold him by the hand The Duke of Guise carryed his Train and the Cardinal of Joyouse followed him representing the Pope Paul the V. then followed Eleonor Wife to Vincent Duke of Mantua and the Princess of the Blood all richly attired The Dolphin being brought upon the Table of the quadrangle the Cardinal of Gondy appointed for this Ceremony came near him and having heard him answer pertinently to the questions asked by the Almoner according to the usual forms and to say the Lords Prayer and the Creed in Latine he was exercised appointed and by the Cardinal of Joyouse Legat named Lewis The Ladies were afterwards brought upon the Table and the eldest named Elizabeth by the Dutchess of Angoulesme representing the Archidutchess her Godmother without any Godfather The youngest was named by Don Juan of Medicis representing the great Dutchess Christierne At Supper the King was waited upon by the Princess of his Blood the Prince of Condé served for Pantler the Prince of Compty for Cupbearer the Duke of Monpenfier for Squire Carver the Earl of Soissons for high Steward the Duke of Guise and the Earl of Vaudemont waited upon the Queen and the Duke of Sully waited upon the Legat. The Godfathers sat and after them the Princesses Ladies and Lords of high quality at the great Ball the Duke of Lorrain did precede by the Kings order for the only consideration that he was Godfather The next day there was a runing at the Ring and at night the Duke of Sully caused an artificial Castle to be assaulted with an innumerable quantity of Squibs Chambers Canon shots and other Fire Works but never any thing was seen more incredible or wonderful then the beauty ornament and lustre of the Princesses and Ladies of the Court The Eyes could not stedfastly behold the splendor of the Gold nor the brightness of the Silver nor the glittering of Jewels the Princes and Lords did out vie one another who should be most richly attired among the rest the Duke of Espernon had a Sword valued at 30000. Crowns and upon the Queens Gown were 32000. Pearls and 3000. Diamonds XVII French Au mesme temps un grand endurera Joyeux malsain l'an complet ne verra Et quelques uns qui seront de la feste Feste pour un seulement a ce jour Mais peuapres sans faire long sejour Deux se donront l'un l'autre de la teste English At the same time a great one shall suffer Joyful sickly shall not see the year compleat And some others who shall be of the feast A â—east for one only at that day But a little while after without long delay Two shall knock one another in the head ANNOT. This Stanza hath relation to the precedent for about the time of or a little before that famous Christning died Pope Leo the IX formerly called Cardinal of Florence who did not live a whole year in the Papacy and is called here Joyful Sickly because though infirm he did much rejoyce in the obtaining of it those others that were of the Feast were some Cardinals of his party who died also within the same year The two last Verses signifie the differences that happened between Paul V. his Successor and the Common-wealth of Venice presently after his death XVIII French Considerant la triste Philomele Qu'en pleurs cris sa plainte renouvelle Racourcissant par tel moyen ses jours Six cens cinq elle en verra l'yssue De son tourment ia la toile tissüe Por son moien senestre aura secours English Considering the sad Philomela Who in tears and cries reneweth her complaint Shortning by such means her days Six hundred and five shall see the end Of her torment then the Cloath Woven By her finister means shall have help ANNOT. This sad Philomela was Henrietta of Balzac Daughter to Francis of Balzac Marquess of Entragues and Mistress to Henry the IV. who being found guilty of a Conspiracy against the State was confined to the Abbey of the Nuns of Beaumont lez Tours where she was seven Months after which the King taking pitty of her passed a Declaration wherein in respect of his former Love and of the Children that he had by her he forgave her all what was past did abolish and suppress for ever the Memory of the Crime that she was accused off and did dispense her from appearing before the Parliament who in her absence did Register her Letters of Pardon the 6. of September 1605. Thus Reader you may see how punctual was our Author in his Prognostications XIX French Six cens cinq six cens six sept Nous monstrera jusques l'an dixsept Du boutefeu l'Ire haine envie Soubs l'Olivier d'assez long temps caché Le Crocodil
sur la Terre a caché Ce qui estoit mort sera pour lors en vie English Six hundred and five six hundred and six and seven Will shew us unto the year seventeen The anger of the boutefeu his hatred and envy Under the Olive-Tree a great while hidden The Crocodile upon the ground hath hidden What was dead shall then be alive ANNOT. This Stanza is so difficult signifieth nothing but the confusions that have happened in France from the year 1605. to the year 1917. which would be too tedious and prolix here to relate the Reader may see them in the French History XX. French Celuy qui a par plusieurs fois Tenu la Cage puis les bois Rentre a son premier estre Vie sauve peu apres sortir Ne se scachant encor cognoistre Cherchera subject pour mourir English He that hath many times Been in the Cage and in the Woods Cometh again to his first being And shall go out a little after with his life safe And not able yet to know himself Shall seek a subject to be put to death ANNOT. This is yet concerning the Earl of Auvergne half Brother to the Dutchess of Verneuil who for his misdemeanours having been put several times in the Bastille and set free again nevertheless was attempting still some new thing which might have endangered his life XXI French L'Autheur des maux commencera Regner En l'an six cens sept sans espargner Tous les subjects qui sont a la Sangsüe Et puis apres s'en viendra peu a peu Au franc Païs rallumer son feu S'en retournant d'ou elle est issue English The Author of evils shall begin to Reign In the year six hundred and seven without sparing All the subjects that belong to the Leech And afterwards shall come by little and little To the free Countrey to kindle again his fire Going back again from whence it came ANNOT. The Author being a zealous Roman Catholick calls here the Hollanders the Authors of evils who in the year 1607. and 1608. made a grievous War and had several successes against the Spaniard with the help of the French and English till the year 1609. when by the mediation of the French and English Embassadors the Truce was concluded at Antwerp between the Arch-duke and the States of the United Provinces the Articles of it to the number of 38. were solemnly proclaimed and published the ninth of April and ratified by the King of Spain in the Month of July next ensuing XXII French Cil qui dira descouvrisant l'affaire Comme du mort la mort pourra bien faire Coups de Poniards par un qu'auront induits Sa fin sera pis qu'il n'aura fait faire La fin conduit les hommes sur la Terre Gueté par tout tant le jour que la nuit English He that shall say discovering the business How of the dead can make a death well Strokes of a Dagger by one that hath been induced to it His end shall be worse then he hath caused to be done The end leadeth all men upon the Earth Espied every where as well by day as by night ANNOT. This Stanza is wholly abstruse and Enigmatical therefore I will not pretend to expound it but leave the interpretation to those that have more time and leasure then I. XXIII French Quand la grand Nef la prove Gouvernail Du franc Pais son Esprit vital Descueils flots par la Mer secovée Six cens sept dix coeur assiegé Et des reflux de son corps affiegé Sa vie estant sur ce mal renovée English When the great Ship the Prow and Rudder Of the French Countrey and her vital Spirit Being tossed by Baks and Waves Six hundred and seven and ten a heart beset And by the ebbing of his body afflicted Her life being upon this evil knotted again ANNOT. This Stanza signisieth the great troubles that were in France from the year 1610. in which Henry the IV. died to the year 1617. in which the Marshal d' Ancre was killed This man was named Concino Concini a Florentine born who in a little time was grown very great and from a base extraction had ascended to the dignity of Marshal of France by the favour of the Queen Regent Mary of Medicis and grew so rich that he offered to the King to maintain at his own charge 6000. foot and 800. Horses for four Months together he had made himself Master of many strong Places in Picardy and Normandy went about to buy the Government of several Provinces did dispose of the Kings Exchequer at his pleasure and spent vast sums of money at his Masters charge His insolencies were the cause of his ruine when he thought least of it for he threatned every one with words and deeds so far as to say that he would cause them to eat up their fingérs that should oppose his Will and so caused many Officers and Souldiers of the contrary party to be put to death The King Lewis the XIII was particularly informed of the unsufferable pride and misdemeanors of this Marshal and that his design was to keep up the War in France to continue his Authority and Power therefore the King commanded Vitry the Captain of his Guards to apprehend him This was a difficult thing because that the Marshal besides his Menial servants had always twelve Guards wearing his Livery that were desperate fellows there was also another difficulty because no body could tell when or at what time he would come to the Louvre nevertheless at last he came to it upon the 24. of April 1617. attended with a great Train and his Guards the great Gate was opened to him and presently shut again Vitry drew near to him and holding his staff to him said I arrest you in the Kings name upon these words the Marshal stept back as if it were to make resistance saying Me whereupon those that were with Vitry shot three Pistols at him one did hit him in the Heart the other in the Head and the third in the Belly so that he fell down dead immediately upon his left side a certain Lord that was on his right hand speaking with him fell down also without any hurt but his followers seeing him dead run away This death was the cause of great alterations in the publick Government The body of the said Marshal was buried at St. Germain de l'Auxerrois but the people digged it out and dragged it to the new Bridge where they hanged it by the feet upon a Gibbet having cut off his Nose his Ears and his privy parts then they took him down and dragged him through the Town and afterwards burnt it Thus did perish he that was worth about two Millions of Pounds Sterling and pretended to make his house perpetual and Sovereign The new Officers that had governed the State from the 24 of November to the 24 of
gave him Thence he went to Salon de Craux a City distant from Aix one dayes Journey and in the middle way between Avignon and Marseille there he Married his second Wife Anna Ponce Genelle by whom he had three Sons and one Daughter the eldest was Michael Nostradamus who hath written some pieces of Astrology Printed at Paris in the year 1563. The second was Caesar Nostradamus who hath deserved to be numbred among the French Historians by reason of the great Volume be hath written of Provence The third was a Capuchine Frier Caesar did insert in his History the propagation of that Order in Provence The fourth was a Daughter Nostradamus having found by experience that the perfect knowledge of Physick dependeth from that of Astrology he addicted himself to it and as this science wanteth no allurement and that besides his Genius he had a peculiar disposition and inclination to it he made such a progress in it that he hath deserved the Title of the most illustrious one in France insomuch that making some Almanacks for recreation sake he did so admirably hit the conjuncture of events that he was sought for far and near This success was the cause of an extraordinary diminution of his fame for the Printers and Booksellers seeing his same did print and vent abundance of false Almanacks under his name for lucre sake whence it came that his reputation suffered by it and was the cause that the Lord Pavillon wrote against him and that the Poet Jodele made this bitter Distichon Nostra damus cum falsa damus nam fallere nostrumest Et cum falsa damus nil nisi Nostra damus To which may be answered Nostra damus cum verba damus quae Nostradamus dat Nam quacunque dedit nil nisi vera dedit Or thus Vera damus cum verba damus quae Nostradamus dat Sed cum Nostra damus nil nisi falsa damus Nevertheless the Beams of Truth did shine through the Clouds of Calumny for he was singularly esteemed of by the Grandees Queen Katharine of Medicis who had a natural inclination to know furture things And Henry the II King of France who sent for him to come to the Court in the year 1556. and having had private conference with him about things of great concernment sent him honourably back again with many gifts He went from Salon to the Court upon the 14 of July in the year 1555. and came to Paris upon the 15 of August Assoon as he was come to Town the Lord Constable of Montmorency went to see him at his Inn and presented him to the King who received him with much satisfaction and commanded that his lodging should be at the Palace of the Cardinal of Bourbon Archbishop of Sens. There he was taken with the Gout for ten or twelve days after which his Majesty sent him one hundred Crowns in Gold in a Velvet Purse and the Queen as much Their Majesties desired him to go to Blios to see the Princes their Children and to tell them his opinion of them It is certain that he did not tell them what he thought considering the Tragical end of those three Princes viz. Francis the II. Charles the IX and Henry the III. Having been so much honoured at Court he went back again to Salon where he made an end of his last Centuries two years after he dedicated them to the King Henry the II. in the year 1557. and in his Luminary Epistle discovereth unto him the future events that shall happen from the Birth of Lewis the XIV now Reigning till the coming of Antichrist While he was at Salon he received there the Duke of Savoy and the Lady Margaret of France Sister to Henry the II. who was to Marry the said Duke according to the treaty of the general Peace made at Cambresis both entertained him very familiarly and honoured him often with their presence The Duke came in October and the Lady in December When Charles the IX went a progress through his Kingdom he came into Provence and did fail not to go to Salon to visit our Author who in the name of the Town went to salute him and make a Speech this was in the year 1564. the 17 of November The extraordinary satisfaction that the King and the Queen Mother received from him was such that being both at Lion they sent for him again and the King gave him 200 Crowns in Gold and the Queen almost as much with the quality of Physician in Ordinary to the King with the Salaries and profits thereunto appertaining Being come back to Salon he lived about 16 Months longer and died upon the 2 of July 1566. in his Climacterical year of 63. having all his Senses about him His Disease was a Gout at first which turned into a Dropsie the time of his death it seemeth was known to him for a friend of his witnesseth that at the end of June in the said year he had writen with his own hand upon the Ephemerides of John Stavius those Latine words Hic prope mors est that is near here is my death and the day before his death that friend of his having waited on him till very late took his leave saying I shall see you again to morrow morning you shall not see me alive when the Sun riseth which proved true He died a Roman Catholick having received all his Sacraments and was solemnly buried in the Church of the Franciscan Friers at Salon on the left hand of the Church door where his Widow erected him a Marble Table fastened in the Wall with this Epitaph with his Figure to the Life and his Arms above it The Inscription of his EPITAPH is in imitation of that of Titus Livius and is thus D. M. Ossa clarissimi Michaelis Nostradami unius omnium pene mortalium digni cujus Divino calamo totius Orbis ex astrorum influxu futuri eventus conscriberentur Vixit annos LXII menses VI. dies X. Obiit Salonae CIâ— Iâ—LXVI Anna Pontia Gemella conjugi optimo V. E. Which may be rendred thus Here lies the Bones of the most famous Nostradamus one who among Men hath deserved by the opinion of all to set down in writting with a Quill almost Divine the future Events of all the Universe caused by the Coelestial influences he lived 62 years 6. Months and 10. days he died at Salon in the year 1566. O Posterity do not grudge at his rest Anna Pontia Gemella wisheth to her most loving Husband the true Happiness He had a Brother named John Nostradamus famous for several Works that he hath witten the Catalogue of which is in the Book of Mr. du Maine de la Croix Intitled the Library As for our our Author he hath left several Works among which is a Book of Receits for the preservation of health Printed at Poitiers in the year 1556. Another concerning the means of beautifying the Face and the Body that was Printed at Antwerp by Plantin in the year 1557.
Ce quils seront auteurs de grand conflict Avant ciel veu serain Espée Lance Que vers main gauche sera plus grande affliction English The Gods shall make it appear to Man-kind That they are the Authors of a great War For the Heaven that was Serene shall shew Sword and Lance Signifying that on the left hand the afflication shall be greater ANNOT. He foretelleth here some Prodigies that shall be in the Air as Swords and Lances after fair weather which shall be forerunners of great Wars and chiefly in those Countries that shall be situated on the left hand of these Prodigies XCII French Soubs un la paix par tout sera clemence Mais non long temps pille rebellion Par refus Ville Terre Mer entamée Morts Captifs le liers d'un Million English Under one shall be peace and every where clemency But not a long while then shall be plundering and Rebellion By a denyal shall Town Land and Sea be assaulated There shall be Dead and taken Prisoners the third part of a Million ANNOT. The words and sense are plain XCIII French Terre Italique des Mons tremblera Lion Coq non trop confederez en lieu peur l'un l'autre saidera Seul Catulon Celtes moderez English The Italian Land of the Mountains shall tremble The Lion and the Cock shall not agree very well together Shall for fear help one another The only Catulon and Celtes shall be moderate ANNOT. By the Lion he understandeth the English because of their Arms and by the Cock the French called in Latin Gallus which signifieth a Cock Catulen is the Spaniards as if he should say Castilian the Celtes are the Dutch of the Low-Countries XCIV French Au Port Selyn le Tyrant mis a Mort La liberté non pourtant recouvrée Le nouveau Mars par vindict remort Dame par force de frayeur honorée English In the Port Selyn the Tyrant shall be put to death And yet the liberty shall not be recovered The new Mars by vengeance and remorse Lady by excess of fear honoured ANNOT. By the Port Selyn is meant Constantinople because of several Emperours of the Turks that have been of that name therefore the intention of this Prophecy is that one of the Turkish Emperours shall be put to death at Constantinople which for all that shall not recover her liberty The new Mars be like he is so called that shall put him to death by vengeance without remorse The Lady by excess of fear honoured may be applied to the present great Sultaness Mother to this present Emperour of the Turks who hath hitherto made her self very considerable by a great party which she hath raised against her Son to prevent him from putting his Brothers to death 〈◊〉 is usually practised in that Court XCV French Devant Moustier trouvé enfant besson D'Heroik sang de Moiâ—e vetustique Son bruit per Secte Langue puissance Son Qu'on dira fort eslevé le Vopisque English Before the Minister shall one twin be found From Heroik blood of a Monk and Ancient His fame by Sect Tongue and Power shall be sounded So that they shall say the Vopisk is much raised ANNOT. The meaning of the whole is that a Twin shall be found before a Church begot by a Monk of Illustrious and Ancient Family and shall become very famous So that they shall say the Vopisk is much raised Vopiscus in Latin is that one of the Twins which cometh to perfect Birth XCVI French Celuy qu'aura la charge de destruire Temples Sectes changez par fantaisie Plus aux Rochers qu'aux vivans viendra nuire Par langue ornée d'oreille rassasie English He that shall have charge to destroy Churches and Sects changed by fancy Shall do more harm to the Rocks than to the living By a smooth tongue filling up the Ears ANNOT. As the words of this Stanza are plain so is the sense most obscure and so to be left to the Readers private Judgement XCVII French Ce que fer flamme na sceu parachever La douce langue au conseil viendra faire Par respos songe le Roy fera resuer Plus l'Ennemy en feu sang militaire English What neither Iron nor Fire could compass Shall be done by a smooth tongue in the Councel In sleep a dream shall make the King to think The more the Enemy in fire and Military blood ANNOT. The sense of this is plain though the words be somthing untowardly expressed XCVIII French Le Chef qu'aura conduit peuple infiny Lion de son Ciel de moeurs langue estrange Cinq mille en Crete Thessalie finy Le Chef fuiant sauvé en la Marine Grange English The Captain that shall lead an infinite deal of people Far from their Countrey to one of strange manners and Language Five thousand in Candia and Thessalia finished The Head running away shall be safe in a Barn by the Sea ANNOT. It is some great Commander that shall lead a multitude of people into a strange Countrey far from their own suppose Candia and Thessalia where the said Commander shall be compelled to runaway and to save himself in a Barn by the Sea side XCIX French Le grand Monarque qui fera compagnie Avec deux Rois unis par amitié O quel souspir fera la grand mesgnie Enfans Narbonne alentour quel pitié English The great Monarch shall keep company With two Kings united in friendship O what sights shall be made by their followers Children O what pity shall be about Narbon ANNOT. This Stanza requireth no interpretation more than what every one will be pleased to give himself C. French Long temps au Ciel sera veu gris Oiseau Aupres de Dole de Tuscane Terre Tenant au Bec un verdoiant remeau Mourra tost Grand finira la Guerre English A great while shall be seen in the Air a gray Bird Near Dola and the Tuscan Land Holding in his Bill a green bough Then shall a great one die and the War have and end ANNOT. Dola is a Town in Burgundy The Tuscan Land is that which belongeth to the Duke of Florence THE PROPHECIES OF Michael Nostradamus CENTURY II. I. French VErs Aquitaine par insults Britanniques De par eux mesmes grandes incursions Pluyes Celees feront terroirs iniques Port Selyn fortes fera invasions English Towards Gascony by English assaults By the same shall be made great incursions Rains Frosts shall marre the ground Port Selyn shall make strong Invasions ANNOT. THree Prophecies are contained in this Stanza the first that the English shall make an incursion in Gascony the second that there shall be a great dearth by Rains and Forsts the third that the Turks shall make great Incursion II. French La teste glue fera la teste blanche Autant de mal que France a fait leur bien Mort a l' Anthene grand pendu
edifice Quand la lumiere de Mars defaillira Sept mois grand Guerre mort gent de malefice Rouen Eureux au Roy ne faillira English Fire shall fall from the skies on the Kings Palace When Mars ' s light shall be Ecclipsed A great War shall be for seven months people shall die by witchcraft Rouen and Eureux shall not be wanting to the King ANNOT. The meaning is that when Mars is Ecclipsed the Lightning shall fall on some of the King of Frances Palaces then shall be a great VVar for the space of seven Months and many shall die by witchcraft and Rouen the chief City of Normandy and Eureux another of the 〈◊〉 Province shall stick fast to the Kings Interest THE PROPHECIES OF Michael Nostradamus CENTURY V. I. French AVant venuë de ruine Celtique Dedans le Temple d'eux parlementeront Poignard coeur d'un monté au coursier picque Sans faire bruit le grand enterreront English Before the coming of the ruine of Flanders Two shall discourse together in the Church Dagger in the heart by one on Horse-back and Spurring Without noise they shall bury the great one ANNOT. This is a further specification of the whole ruine of Flanders before which it shall happen saith our Author that two shall talk together in the Church and one shall stabb the other with a Dagger and then take Horse and fly the dead one being buried without Pompe or Ceremony II. French Sept conjurez au Banquet seront luire Contre les trois le Fer hors de Navire L'un les deux classes au grand fera conduire Quand par le mail dernier au front luy tire English Seven Conspirators at a Banquet shall make their Iron glister Against three out of a Ship One shall carry the two Fleets to the great one When in the Palle-malle the last shall shoot him in the forehead ANNOT. The two first Verses foretell a Conspiracy of seven against three one of which seven shall carry both Fleets to some eminent person at which time he shall be shot in the forehead by the last of the seven III. French Le Successeur de la Duché viendra Beaucoup plus outre que la Mer de Toscane Gauloise branche la Florence tiendra Dans son Giron d'accord nautique Rane English The Successor to the Dukedom shall come Far beyond the Tuscane Sea A French branch shall hold Florence In its Lap to which the Sea-frog shall agree ANNOT. By the two first Verses is meant a lawful Successor to the Duke of Tuscany who shall come to recover the said Dukedom which shall then be in the possession of the French It is hard to guess what he means by the Sea-frog unless it be some considerable Prince at Sea which shall then be in League with the French IV. French Le gros Mastin de Cité dechasse Sera fasché de l'estrange Alliance Apres aux Champs avoir le Cerf chassé Le Loup l'Ours se donront defiance English The great Mastif being driven from the City Shall be angry at the strange Alliance After he shall have hunted the Hart in the Fields The Wolf and the Bear shall defie one another ANNOT. By the strange Alliance is meant that which Cromwel had with France to the prejudice of his Majesty of England who is here meant by the Mastif a Creature for which England hath been famous By the VVolf and the Bear are meant the French King and the Switzers or those of Savoy V. French Sous ombre faincte d'oster de servitude Peuple Cité l'usurpera luy-mesme Pire fera par fraus de jeune pute Livré au Champ lisant le faux prcësme English Under the fained shadow of freeing people from slavery He shall usurpe the people and City for himself He shall do worse by the deceit of a young Whore For he shall be betrayed in the field reading a false proem ANNOT. The two first are plain and may be referred to the foregoing Stanza concerning Oliver The last Verses are plain and I leave them to the judicious Reader VI. French Au Roy l' Augur sur le chef le main mettre Viendra prier pour la Paix Italique A la main gauche viendra changer le Sceptre De Roy viendra Empereur pacifique English The Augur shall come to put his hand upon the Kings head And pray for the Peace of Italy In the left hand he shall change the Scepter Of a King he shall become a peaceful Emperour ANNOT. Although the Augur In Latine signifieth one that telleth events of matters by the flying voices or sitting of Birds yet it is taken also as here for a Prelat or Clergy-man who shall put his hand upon a Kings head and pray for the peace of Italy and shall put a Scepter in his hand and install him Emperour what King this should be is easie to be conjectured by the Author being a French-man and setting down a King without any Epithite and this Prophecy is a confirmation of one before of the same nature VII French Du Triumuir seront trouvez les os Cherchant profond Thresor aenigmatique Ceux d'alentour ne seront en repos Ce concaver Marbre plomb Metallique English The bones of the Triumuir shall be found out When they shall seek for a deep and aenigmatical Treasure Those there about shall not be in rest This concavity shall be Marble and Metallick Lead ANNOT. I suppose none so ignorant in the Roman History but knows that there was a combination between Octavius Caesar Mâ—rcus Antonius and Lepidus to make themselves Masters of the Roman Empire and to divide it amongst themselves this Plot being made by three was made by the Triumuiri the meaning then is that when they shall go to seek for a Treasure they shall find the bones of one of those three persons and in that cavity that they shall have digged they shall find Marble and Lead VIII French Sera laissé le feu vif mort caché Dedans les Globes horrible espouventable De nuict a classe Cite en poudre lasché La Cité a feu l'ennemy favourable English The fire shall be left burning the dead man shall be hid Within the Globes terrible and fearful By night the Fleet shall shoot against the City The City shall be on fire the enemy shall be favourable unto it ANNOT. The two Verses signifie that fire shall be hid within Globes I suppose them to be Granado's or a Mine The two last Verses signifie that the Fleet in the Harbour or near it shall set the City on fire and that they shall come out of the Fleet to help to quench the fire and so shall the enemy be favourable IX French Jusques au fond la grand Arche Maluë Par chef Captif l'amy anticipé Naistra de Dame front face cheveluë Lors par astuce Duc a mort attrapé English To the bottom of the great Arch Malüe By a Captain that 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 formerly 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 Ageâ— 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 hindered 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 liâ—tâ—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 Corâ—inâ—â—â—â—â— he had with him the Captain la Charry the Captain Bartholomew of â—ezero and the son of Captain Luzzan At first the French were beaten back but the valliant Moâ—luâ— 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 Captain 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 Foâ—t The Author used that ancient word grapper which in the 〈◊〉 languague signifieth 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 powâ—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 Forrest 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 ancient 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 transferred 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 iâ—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
his own blood this fact savoureth so much of bestial cruelty that I cannot belive any Christian 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 Vlisbone 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 Thionville and at last from the middle of that year to the end of it were seen two great Armies of both Kings which threatned a horrid slaughter had not God Almighty provided 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 Physitians 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 inconsiderable 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 â—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 gaâ—â— 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 Connexion 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 determination of any precise time as for example I understand by that Barbarian conflict near the black Corner to be some famous Battle among
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 Sacraments 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 Romish 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 Bizance 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 â—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 abstâ—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 command 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
with him whose good and bad fortune depended from an answer pleasing his Majesty who bid him once for all to tell what he had done with the Duke of Savoy and the Earl of Fuentes assuring him that his clemency should be greater than his fault The Duke of Biron answered the King more proudly than eyer that it was to pross an honest man too much that he never had any other design but what he had told him already Would to God it were so said the King You will not tell me Farewell good night As he went out of the Closet and had passed the Chamber door he met Vitry who with his right hand seized upon the Hilt of his Sword and with his left upon his right Arm saying The King â—ath commanded me to give him an account of your Person give up your Sword You jeer said the Duke No my Lord he hath so commanded me The Duke of Biron answered I pray thee let me speak to the King No my Lord the King is gone to Bed He saw the Duke of Monbazon and desired him to intreat the King that he might surrender it into his own Hands The King sent word to Vitry to obey his commands The Duke was fained to suffer his Sword to be taken from him saying My Sword that hath done so many good services Yes my Lord give me your Sword said Vitry To me said the Duke that have served the King so well that my Sword should be taken from me my Sword that hath made an end of the War and given Peace to France that my Sword which could not be taken by my Enemies should be taken away by my Friends All these complaints availed nothing he ungirted his Sword with his left hand and gave it to Vitry looking about if he could seize upon any other out care was taken for that When he saw all the Guards in order in the Gallery he thought he should have been Massacred upon the place and cryed to them fellow Souldiers give me a little time to pray to God and let me have some Firebrand or Candlestick in my hand that I may have the Honour to die desending my self He was answered that no Body would offend him that his best defence was to obey the King who commanded to lead him to Bed you see said he how the good Catholicks are used He was carryed into the Arms Closet where he neither slept nor lay down but past the night in blasphemies against God and reviling words against the King Pralin was staying for the Earl of Auvergne at the Castle Gate and when he offered to go out to his lodging stay my Lord you are the Kings Prisoner The Earl astonished answered I I and Pralin answered yes my Lord you I Arrest you by the King and make you his Prisoner give up your Sword take it said the Earl it never killed any thing but Boars if you had given me notice of this I should have been in Bed and asleep two hours ago The next day about dinner time the Duke of Biron sent word to the King that if he did not take care of the Province of Burgundy it would be lost because the Baron of Lux would let in the Spaniards as soon as he should have notice of his detention The King was very much offended at this message and said see the impudence and boldness of the Duke of Biron who sendeth me word that Burgundy is lost if I do not look to it His obstinacy hath undone him if he would have confessed the truth of a thing that I have under his hand he should not be where he is I wish I had paid 200000. Crowns and he had given me the means to forgive him I never loved any man so much I would have trusted him with my Son and my Kingdom 'T is true he hath served me well but he cannot deny but that I have saved his life three times I rescued him once from the hands of the Enemy at Fontain Francoise so wounded and astonished with blows that as I plaid the part of a Souldier to save him I was also fained to make that of a Captain to make the retreat for he told me he was not in a case to do it The Saturday next the prisoners were carryed to Paris by water and put into the Bastille in several Chambers The Duke of Biron was put into that called of the Saints famous for the Prison of the Constable of Saint Paul executed in the time of Lewis the XI and the Earl in the Chamber above him The care the order and vigilancy with which he was guarded did put him in some amazement for his Guards waited on him without Arms and served him with a Knife without a point which made him say that it was the way to the Grave the place of Execution But when he knew that the Hangman of Paris was a Burgundian he remembred that La Brosse an Astrologer had foretold him sometimes seeing his Horoscope which he fained to be that of one of his friends that he should be beheaded and Caesar a Magician that a blow of a Burgundian given behind should hinder him to attain the Kingdom The Arch-Bishop of Bourges went to see him and endeavoured to settle his Conscience and to disswade him from some Atheistical opinions that he had Villeroy and Sillery went also to see him and by the Kings Command and at his request Few days after the King being at St. Mourder Fossez the Lords la Force the Earl of Roussy Brother in Law to the Duke of Biron Saint Blancard his Brother Chasteau-neuf Themines Salignac St. Angel Longuac Friends and Kinsmen of the Duke of Biron went and cast themselves at the Kings feet to implore his Mercy and that he would be pleased to moderate the severity of his Justice requesting that the same clemency which he had shewed to many others that had as grievously offended him would at least save his life and confine him into such a place where he might do no harm that their whole Kindred might not be branded with Insamy and have a regard to his Fathers service and his which though they were not equal to his offence yet at least to consider that he was only guilty for his intention The King bid them rise and told them that their requests were not displeasing to him That he would not be like his Predecessors who would not suffer any body to intercede for those that were guilty o high Treason The King Francis II. would never give a hearing to the Wife of the Prince of Condé my Uncle Concerning the clemency you would have me shew to the Duke of Biron it should not be clemency but cruelty if it were only my particular Interest I would forgive him as I do now with all my heart but my Kingdom and my Children to whom I owe much are concerned in it or they might reproach me hence forwards that I have tollerated an evil which I might have