chauÌ„ced after the death of Christ And throughe Titus Vespasianus they were brought vnder the subiection of the Emperour of Rome And nowe I truste through the goodnes of almightie God that it shal be aswel declared vnto the Iewes / as it hath bene beleued of the ChristiaÌ„s / that Messias is come alredy So that then after the destructyon of the Turkes they shal be all conuerted vnto the christeÌ„ belefe / the Gospel shal be receaued with all diligeÌ„ce And this is the good will mynde / of the most redoubted Emperour and godly prince Charles / that not onely in worde / but also in harte dede For thys purpose hath the almyghtie God ordeyned so many godly and excellent coÌ„treys vnderneth his gouuernauÌ„ce / to the inteÌ„t that the pure and vndefyled worde of god might be preached and syncerely taught / thorow out all his landes / to the honoure of God saluacioÌ„ of maÌ„kynde Wherby it shal appeare I truste to all his true subiectes / to cause them to take the more courage / to the further encrease of vertue / and preseruacyoÌ„ of his excelleÌ„t maiestie Blessed be that houre when this shal come to passe / and blessed be all they which shall aduauÌ„ce set forwarde these thinges before rehearced vnto all nacyons For the whiche let vs all praye with one harte mynde / that this Gods honour and our saluacion maye be obteyned / peace encreased / and al consciences quyeted For the Lorde knoweth what creatures we be / sayinge / We are but asshes / to asshes shal we retourne agayn / and as we brought nothing into this worlde / so shall we cary nothing away with vs. GenÌ„ iij Ezechi xvij Here with I make an ende / and take my leaue / neuer more entendyng after this to ê“nosticate / but wil counsell all men in the steade of pronostications to imbreace Godes worde / which is able to saue youre sowles / according to the sayeng of the apostell Iaâ—â— i. And all though in this pronosticacioÌ„ / I speake moste specially of those thinges / whiche are lyke to chaunce by the natural inclinacioÌ„s of the planetes in douchelande / yet were it good for all other landes realmes / here with to be admonisshed and take good heade / for where so euer the Lorde is most dishonoured his word resisted / ther will he first strike plage / and yf ther be any as ê‘chauÌ„ce ther wyll be some which wil saye tush this ê“nosticator is no wiser then mad Marlyn soche other false and prophane fabelers / as he dothe here in alleage theÌ„ for his authors / wel / admit that bothe thei and I were liars as in deade we are no other yet is the Lord rightuous and trwe / whiche wyll smyte the worlde withe his staffe and rodde / and with the breath of his mouth / he will destroy the wicked Genes xlix But here will some men peradueÌ„ture obiect and saye / that these great threates and plages of god before rehersed and spoken of by the prophetes / were prophecyed agaynste the wicked and disobedieÌ„t Iewes / agaynst Sodoma and Gomorra / agaynst their princes preistes cyties and couÌ„tres / which thinges were fulfilled many honderd yeares paste / as at the destruction of Hierusalem soche other Well / agaynst all soch that thus arrogaÌ„tly wyll reason agaynste the Lorde / will he him selfe whette his swearde / bende his bowe / and make redy his arowes / to shoote at those disobedieÌ„t people / which coÌ„tinewe still in their synnes with moche more abhominatioÌ„ / theÌ„ euer did these heatheÌ„ or vngodly Iewes And let no man thynke / that his swerde is any shorter at this tyme ageynste them that wyll not repeÌ„te and ameÌ„de / then it was in time paste For trwly / the synnes which raygne at this daye in the world / do greatly ê“uoke the plages vengeaunce of god to come shortlye vpoÌ„ vs. And thoughe owr gracious god be a loÌ„ge sufferyng god / yet at lengthe he punissheth / and that with great violeÌ„ce / accordinge to the sayinge of the ê“phet Naum / where he sayth NauÌ„ i. The Lorde taketh veÌ„geauÌ„ce vpon his enemies / reserueth displeasure for his aduersaries / there is no power nor prince / that can withstaÌ„de the Lorde of hostes / for loke what he saieth / it is done / and what he coÌ„maundeth / it standeth faste Psalm xxxij There is no counsell whiche shall loÌ„ge preuayle / if it be agaynst the Lorde / accordinge to the sayinge of the prophet Dauid / speakinge on this wise The Lorde bringeth the counsell of the vnfaithfull to naught / and turneth the deuices of the people / but the counsell of the Lorde endureth / and the thoughtes of his harte / froÌ„ generatioÌ„ to generatioÌ„ A kynge is not holpeÌ„ sayeth he by his owne great hooste / nether is a GiauÌ„t saued throuh the might of his owne streangth Psalm xxxiij NauÌ„ i. Let vs now therfore feare the Lorde / for at the sight of his displeasure / all the worlde shall shake and tremble for feare who may abide his displeasue / or ones flee from his indignacion his anger taketh on like fire / so that the harde rockes sayeth the prophet at his displeasure braste in sonder Esa xi Therfore all trew and faithfull christians / lameÌ„t and morne / for the day of the lorde is at haÌ„de / which coÌ„meth as a distroyer froÌ„ the almighty Esaye xiij TheÌ„ shal all haÌ„des be letteÌ„ down and all meÌ„nes hertes shal melte away / carefulnes sorow shall come vpon theÌ„ / their faces shal burne like the flaÌ„me / because saieth the ê“phet the day of the Lord shal be so terrible / that his indignacioÌ„ and wrath shal be caste vpon the face of th earth / to make it waste / to root out the synne therof Heare what the Lorde saieth / by the mouth of his ê“phet / Wo be to all theÌ„ saieth he that make vnrightuous lawes / Esai x. deuisinge thinges to harde to be kept / wherby the pore are oppÌ„ssed on euery syde / and the innoceÌ„t people ar therwith robbed of iugemeÌ„t / the widowes made a pray / so that the fathirles be spoyled of their goodis Iob. xij This may almeÌ„ see how the godly and innoceÌ„t be entreated and laughed to scorne / and the houses of robbers be in wealth and prosperite The Lorde euerlasting / which hath the hertes of all kinges and princes in his haÌ„de / to turne theÌ„ where euer he will / preserue the Emperours most noble maieste / with all kinges and princes and stablisshe theÌ„ with great honour loÌ„ge lyfe / to ê“mote the gospel of Chryst AmeÌ„ Let euery man fear the day of the Lorde / for it is harde at hande Esaye xiij Anno. M.D.xliij in Maye
A wounderfull Prophecie or pronosticatioÌ„ begynnynge from the yere of oure Lorde M.D.XXXI to the lawde and prayse of the moost victoryous Emperowre Charles the fyfthe of that name / borne within the triumphaÌ„t towne of Gandt / in the golden yere M.D. vppoÌ„ the .xxiiij. daye of February / whiche daye is neyther named nor noÌ„bred / because it was in the leape yere Pronostycate by Master Salomon the Iewe / Physician greatly soundynge to the honour of God and lawde of the famous towne of Gandt The prologe Pro. i. FOr asmoche as the feare of god is the begynnynge of wysedome / Iaco. i. And that euery good and parfett gyfte / is geueÌ„ from aboue / to as manye as aske it in faithe / according to the sayinge of the Apostle I therfore hauynge thys feare of the Lorde before myn eyes desyre of him / thorowe hys allmyghtye power and endeles mercye / to derecte my penne a ryght / that thys my lytell laboure and worke / maye so procede accordyng to his moost godly will and pleasure that I in no wyse erre froÌ„ the ryght waye of truethe For I haue here taken in hande throughe Gods permissyon to pronosticate / of the very zeale and loue / whyche I beare vnto the trueth Takynge my grounde and foundacioÌ„ / oute of the prophecyes of Esay / Iermy / Ezechiel / Esdras / with diuers other / not omittyng that pryncely prophet Dauid / lyke as I haue done three yeres paste / but I entende not to passe ouer so lyghtlye FYrst we saye / throughe the mouthe of the ê“phet Esdras BabyloÌ„ signifyeth a place of sin Asia is takeÌ„ for the .iij. parte of the worlde stretchiÌ„g froÌ„ the northeast / vnto egypte Egipte signifyeth the whole worlde so that iÌ„ this prophecye I do as well coÌ„preheÌ„de the turkes as xpÌ„ians Wo be vnto the o Babilon and Asia / wo be vnto the o Egypte Syria gyrde yowre selues wyth clothes of sacke heare / moorne for youre chyldreÌ„ / be sory I saye for youre destruccion is at haÌ„de A swerde is sent vppoÌ„ you / who wyl torne it backe A fyre is kindeled agaynst you / of the fearce vengeauÌ„ce of God / and who wyl queÌ„tche it Beholde sayeth the prophet They take the worde of God but for a scorne / and haue no luste ther vnto Therfore I am sayth he so ful of thyne indignacioÌ„ Oh Lorde / that I may suffer it no loÌ„ger For froÌ„ the leaste vnto the most they hange depende all vppon couetuousnes / froÌ„ the prophet vnto the preste / they go all about with falshead lyes Agayne / saith Esdras / wheÌ„ men shal thynke to haue peace vnytie and concorde / that all maner of vittaylles shall be habondaunt / so good cheape vppoÌ„ earth / that meÌ„ shall thynke theÌ„ selues to be in good case / eueÌ„ then shall the great myschefe vengeaunce of the Lorde falle vppoÌ„ theÌ„ / with warres / death / dearthe pestylences and great disquyetnes / whiche are but the begynnyng of moornyngis and sorrowes / In somoche that the people shall tremble for feare / Ioel. ij sayinge nowe the Lorde commeth is harde at hande / A darke daye a gloomynge daye / a clowdye daye / a stormy daye shall appeare Amos. viij The songes of the people shall be turned to sorowe / Soche a honger will I sende vppoÌ„ the earthe sayth the Lorde that no man shall be able to stoppe it / in soche a maner that all meÌ„ may well saye / Psal c.xxxviij where shall I hyde me from the wrath of God yea they shall saye syttinge by the waters of Babilon and weape we will haÌ„ge our harpes vppoÌ„ the trees that are therin / as oft as we remembre Syon For who escape the warre / shall fele the plage of pestilence / and he that is quyte of the one / shal not escape the daÌ„ger of the other And soche small loue shall they re be / that one maÌ„ shall fynde no maner of comforte at the hande of an other Lett no man merueyll at these plages that be to come / seynge they shal be sent of God as scourges for the punisshemeÌ„t of synne S. Bernardes saying S. Bernarde as it were in the person of Chryst sayethe O thowe man tell me the cause af thy mysfortune and chaunce whiche thowe haste in thy goodes / bodye / soule / Thow seruest the deuell / and not me He hathe not created made the of nought / neyther hath he saued the / wheÌ„ thowe wast loste / Chryst him selfe dyd not redeme the with the sonne / moone / sterres and planetes / but with his precyous bloude through deathe Therfore saythe the prophet Ieremye / I am coÌ„strayned to make my coÌ„playnt vppon yowe / and vppon yowre chyldren Iere. ij Oh ye cursed synners / howe wofull a thinge will it be vnto yowe / whiche haue forsaken the trewe God / fallynge to synne / the deuell and all vanyties What vnfaythfulnes haue yowe fouÌ„de in me / saithe the Lorde / yowr owne conscience shall accuse you / and yowr own wickednes shal condempne yow Agayne we speake vnto yow / throughe the mouthe of the ê“phet Esaye Esay i. Heare oh heauen / harken O earthe / for the Lorde speaketh / I haue nourysshed and broughte vp chyldren / and thei are fallen away from me An oxe knoweth his owner / and an asse his masters stable / but my people knowe me not Expert they be in blasphemies / falshed / and lyes / moost lyke a frowarde generation and vnnaturall chyldren / as it apeareth euydently ynoughe / with what othes they blasphemye God / in euerye place / as at weddynges / maryages / banckettes / feastes / tauernes / markettes / in many other pastymes / playes / games / and soche other thynges / that by soche deuyllysshnes the deuyne name of God is openly detracted / sclaundered blasphemed Yea in so moche that it is so derided mocked withall / none other wyse / then as men shulde eyther putte oute their lyppes or poynt it withe their formust fynger / with soche dyshonestie and abhomynable vyces and synnes / whiche at this tyme I shame to rehearce / so that ther be at this present daye / many more people lyuynge beastelye fylthelye / then soberly honestly or vertuously It neadeth no probacyon of scripture / seynge the actes be to manyfest as wel to the rulers temporall as spirituall In so moche that the confessyon of fayth / true repentaunce / and godly Sacramentes with the pure preachinge of the Gospell / is so moche neglected dispysed / that me thynke it is greatly to be lamented that it is so longe vnpunysshed / for dyshonestie withe dysobedience is so greatly engeÌ„dred to soche maner of vnshamefaste boldenes / that in a maner it is to late to be reformed And it is to be feared that there be many sturdy vylleynes /
vnder the coloure and pretence of beggynge / wyll do moche more harme / than eyther Iewes / Turkes / Agarenes or any maner of kynde of beggers / so that they wyll not onely be cōtent / to begge in the open and cōmen streates of townes and Cyties / as do the lame / dome / and crepell / nor yet to stande at the churche doores porches / but withoute any shame wyll entre boldelye into mēnes houses and tauernes And some there be of the other partie / that appere to the people lame / halt and no lesse then crepell in dede / that withoute the townes and Cyties / in the feldes will take them to their fete / layinge awaye their cruches / some tyme vppon their shulders / moch more redyer to take a purse violently / then to aske for Christus sake charytablye Thus see yowe two maner of beggers / bothe worthely to be reprehēded and amended For whan the one kynde of them hathe before none / brought home their prouender / and fylled not onelye their bellye 's full / but euen crōmed them vp to the throtes / yet must they agayne at after none / seke agayne in the streates / where they maye haue their bagges full agaynst the next daye / so that they go gulpyng lyke brute beastes / neuer satisfyed The other sorte bolle swyll all that euer they cā gett The lorde which seeth from aboue / and knoweth that all these thynges are trewe / shall ones iudge that these be euen the shepe withoute wolle Althoughe there is no man that taketh hede of them / yet is it not suffycyent that both theis kyndes of people lyue thus myserablye ydelly and wredchedlye / from whome commeth skante one good woorde oute of their mouthes And it is not a lytle to be maruayled at / that these enormyties be vnpunysshed / seynge they so great and intollerable But euen lyke as the lynke of one chayne draweth after hym an other / so dothe one myschefe and synne drawe an other after hym For ther is no great synne that cōmeth alone / but draweth by certeyn occasyons many other euelles after hym / by the whyche the great indignacyon from the Lorde / is caste as a plage to come vppō the dysobedyent / of whome the Prophet Dauid speaketh They reioyce when they do euell / hauyng delyte and pleasure in they re euell dedes For the wycked when he commeth into the daunger and deapthe of synne / he passeth nothyng at all for it / so that Rom. i. S. Paull sayeth / that God hath geuen all soche people vp into they re hartes lustes / and vnto all lewde mynde to do soch thynges whiche be not comely / beyng full of all vnryghtuous doynges / folowynge the foote paithes and steppes of Caym and Iudas / with that styfnecked stony harted Pharo Notwithstandynge the goodnes great lyberalyte of God forgeueth the synner so ofte as he falleth / to the intent he shulde repent amende Therfore nowe ye Christen mē aryse from youre synnes / and open youre eares vnderstand with youre hartes the wordes of the Prophet / whiche sayeth I am so full of thy indygnation Iere. vi O Lorde / that I can suffre it no lenger They take thy worde but for a scorne / tredinge it vnder their fete / hauyng no luste thervnto Powre out thy wrath vppō the childrē that are without thy worde / that the mā may be takē prysoner with the wyse / the aged with the crepell For what with the intollerable burdēs of the scrybes pharizees / the insaciable beastly desyres of the adulters fornicatours / with the vnmeasurable couetuousnes / falsehead / frawde deceyte of dyuers straūge sortes of people / the churche is become I feare me a very denne of theues robbers bloudy murtherers Therfore sayth the Lord by hys Prophet / vppō all soche shall rayne solphur / fyre brymstone with wyndes bothe troublous and tempestious and all other plages / no lesse then it was sene vppon Sodoma and Gomorra Genes xix Ezechi xvi Iere. vi Esa xxi Ezechi xxxviij Psalm xcviij And agayn speakith the Lorde by the mouthe of his prophet Esaye I will powre out vppon yowe saythe he my wrathe / and I will caste downe vppon yow the fyre of my vengeaunce and indignation / withe thonder / lyghteninge / hayle and darkenes So that there shall go a fyre before the Lorde / whiche shall consume and burne vp his enymyes on euery syde Therfore clothe yowr selfes with sacke clothe / caste asshes vppon yowre heades / faste and praye / lament and repente yowe of yowre synfull lyuynge Ionas iij. For the dayes of the Lorde are at hande / so that euerye thynge whiche hathe bene prophecyed shal be fulfylled Ezechi xij Remembre what great pytie and mercy / the Lorde had ouer the Niniuytes / after that they withe longe lamentation / repentaunce and feruent supplicacyon / submitted them selues wholy to hym Also not withstandinge that these .iij. men / Moyses Aarō and Samuel / offended agaynste the Lorde / yet when they repented and prayed hertelye / the Lorde hearde them / yet punisshed he their trāsgressions / as it appeareth by Moyses whiche synned at the water of Stryfe / by reason wherof he myghte not entre into the lande of promys Nūe ij Lykewyse when Aaron made a goldē calfe vnto the lordes people Exodi xxxij i. Regū viij cha And Samuel synned beynge negligēt in teaching of his chyldrē Yf God haue not spared soche mē / we then ought to take good hede / howe we walke in the p̄sence of God Therfore sayth the prophet / beware of the plage / and pestylence of darkenes / which is a syckenes that dystroyeth the lyght of the daye And if ye will not turne and amende / then the dayes of sorrowe shall sodenly come / from whose face thowe shalt not flee Genes vij Psal ij Thowe shalte call vppō the flowdes of the waters / with the hyghenes of the mountaynes to hyde the. There shal be soche a cryinge and waylyng amongest the chrystians / that the one shall saye to the other / it were good that we neuer had bene borne Insomoche that some shall dysdayne the wordes of this prophet / yet is there nothyng more truer / then that whiche is spoken of before So that greate heauynes and sorowes shall chaunce / aswel vppon other staungers and alyaunt naciōs as vppon the dowche lande / wherfore it behouethe me some thynge to speake therof / that men perceauynge the lytle shyppe of Peter throughe discorde and disobedience to be rent and broken in peces / agaynst the harde stony rockes / shall then the more easyer see these thinges to be true no fables And thoughe ther be many whiche thynke the naturall inclinacions of the elementes to be but fantasticall and worthy of no credyte / yet can they not but graunt the ordenaunce
outwarde vayne glorious pompe and pryde / aswell in externall lyghtnes of raymeÌ„t apparell bothe of men women / as also the superfluytie of Golde / Syluer / pearles / precious stones / and soche lyke / so that he shall wyll euery man womaÌ„ accordynge to their vocacyon and callyng to go soberly apparelled / as it becoÌ„meth the true membres of Christ IteÌ„ he shall coÌ„maunde the Gospel of Iesus Christ to be preached / throughe oute all the worlde / rebukyng all synfull vicious lyuinge of the people but he shall not longe contynewe Aboute this tyme shal ther be hearde of a great fall and destruccioÌ„ of the Turkes / amongest whom ther shal be a great insurreccion / by the reason wherof thei shal be troubled with moche myserie calamitie For the styrringe vp of Saturnus shall worke woundersly wythe them / to their great mysfortune chaunce / so that the Turke shall haue but lytell courage and comforte to make warre agaynst the christians The spyritualtie agayne on the other partie / shal be at no small variauÌ„ce and dyscorde amongest them selues / by the reason wherof many Kynges and prynces shall take good occasyon to reforme many enormyties / lytle to their ease and proffyt For many of them whiche thynke to buyld vppon a foundacyon as hard as any rocke / shall fynde that it is but a very slypperishe sande Nowe if meÌ„ of power and renowne / wyll buylde vppoÌ„ these foundacions so vncertayne and vnsure / yt ys no marueyll / thoughe God do plage them for their wyckednes / that so wylfully resyste and nothinge at all regarde these his godly admonissions / whiche shulde moue and sterre all christen men to repentaunce O Lorde how shorte is the time of mercy / and howe feaw be there that require it at thy handes in tyme / which thinge obteyned / we shal euer liue / and neuer dye Math. xv The woman of canane / called to Christe for mercye / and by and by her doughter was made hole Also Iob saithe / that the earthe is not onely full of mercy / but heauen and hell / for who hathe euer called vpoÌ„ Christe for mercye / whiche hath not receiued it of him / so that he haue asked it in faithe And vnderstaÌ„de that the Emperours maieste Charles the fyfte shal worke the Turke more sorow theÌ„ any prince hath done these CCCC yeres / so that thei whiche are vnder the signe of sagittarius / shall preuayll and haue great victory / which shal be the Emperour hym selfe / or one of his bloude And where I might here speke more of the Emperours maieste / and of diuers thinges / which shal be done by him his nobles / let no man thinke the coÌ„trary / but his actes shal excell and passe all other princes / if he be not hindered by the perswasyons of the prelates of the Romayne empyre The ê“phecye of Cibilla cumana Vnderstande by those letters / F E / A and G / the dnÌ„icall and the leap yeare Math. xxiiij And to this dothe agree Cibilla Cumana / speakinge owt of the spirite of prophecie / affirminge it to chaunche betwixt F and E / A and G. Whiche prophecie endeth at .xlviij. yeares / or sone after Before that time there shall be great chaunge in the world / and straunge woÌ„ders shal be hearde of / that shal be trewe / althoughe thei shal apeare to many / very vncredible And theÌ„ more thingis shall chaunche in a verye shorte tyme / then hathe bene seene many yeares before And the laste signe and token after these / there shal be so great persecution and tribulatioÌ„ / as hathe not bene seene nor hearde of / syns the beginning of the world And after this persecutioÌ„ / shall the sonne be darkened / and the mone shall not geue her light / in so moche that I do fynde especially two fearefull Eclypses of the moone / in so moch that she shall lose her lighte verye greatlye with in one yeare / and shal be darkened from aboue to benethe / and these Eclipsis shal giue vnto all nacyoÌ„s / a great admonition and warninge For the operation of bothe these Eclypsis / shall chaunche betweene the yeare xxxvij and .xlviij. signifying to vs / so great trouble heauynes to chaunce vnto the spiritualtie / that I wyll lett passe to name the houre and daye / referringe it vnto the iudgement of the Lorde And so farre as thys cirkell doth stretch / so farre shall ther great disquietnes be Apoca. xiij So that I wolde men shuld note these two figures folowiÌ„g in the Apocalipse The fyrst is / I sawe a beaste rysyng out of the sea / hauing .vij. heades .x. hornes and vppon his hornes .x. crownes / vppon his heade the name of blasphemy / by which beaste I vnderstande that vsurper of Gods lawes / wicked tyrauÌ„te Antechriste / whiche hath most beastly lyued and taught the people most wycked and beastly doctryne / whiche hath draweÌ„ vnderneth his subieccioÌ„ vij the most noblest Realmes of the whole worlde / he that hathe cares / let hym heare And I behelde an other beaste coÌ„minge out of the earth / he had .ij. hornes lyke a laÌ„be / he spake as great thingis as dyd the first / and caused the people which dwelled in the earthe to worshippe the firste beaste / whose deadly wouÌ„des was healed by him / let him that redeth vnderstande These prophecies are bothe chaunced fulfylled / we truste by the helpe of God / that these thingis shal be redressed by the Emperours mayestie / Charles the .v. his assistentes After this shall come a good tyme / for there shall be a newe reformacion / whiche shall continewe longe / so that the name of the great Turke shal be no more hearde of In this tyme shal other fearfull thinges be sene in the sonne / for vppon the second wensdaye after easter at .v. of the clocke in the mornynge / in the .xxvij. degree / the sygne beynge in Aries Ther shal be soche darknes as hath not bene sene in many yeres before / which signifieth that many princes kynges shal rule to gether in one realm Miche iiij Then saieth the ê“phet shall they make of theyr swerdes ploweshares / and sythes of their speares / euery maÌ„ shall syt vnder hys vynearde and fygge tree / so that one people shall not lyft vp his weapen agaynst an other / nether shall they froÌ„ thens forthe learne to fyght Esa ij After that shall the blynde Iewes knowe by the declaracyon of the prophecies of Iacob / that the true Messyas hath bene borne longe many yeres agone / which thei vnto this daye / haue loked for his coÌ„mynge Genes lxxi Whiche ê“phecie sayeth thus when messias shal be borne then shal be taken froÌ„ the Iewes their scepter and crown / and thei shal be ruled of the Romysshe Empyre which so