THEPREFACETO THEREADER.
READER,
Before I speak any thing of the Author, or of his Works, I think it convenient to speak somthing of my self, and of my intention in setting out this Translation, with my Annotations.
The Reputation that this Book hath amongst all theEuropeans, since its first coming out, which was in the year 1555. and the curiosity that from time to time the learned have had to see the Mysteries contained in it, unfolded: is a sufficient warrant for my undertaking.
Many better Pens (I confess) could have performed this work with better success, but not with greater facility than I, having from my youth been conversant with those that pretended or endeavered to know somthing in it. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for a man of my profession to wade through it. This Book was the first after my Primmer, wherein I did learn to read, it being then the Custom inFrance, about the year 1618. to initiate Children by that Book; First, because of the crabbidness of the words; Secondly, that they might be acquainted with the old and absoleteFrench, such as is now used in theEnglishLaw; and Thirdly, for the delightfulness and variety of the matter, so that this Book in those days was printed every year like an Almanack, or a Primer for Children. From that time, without any other Study than reading of History, and observing the events of the world, and conversing with those that made it their Study, (some of which were like to run mad about it) I have attained to so much Knowledge, as to bring it into a Volume.
The Book is written in the Nature of Prophecies, digested into oldFrenchVerses, most of which are very hard to be understood, and others impossible at all, whether the Author did affect obscurity, or else wanted the faculty to express himself, which is the cause that it could not be rendred intoEnglishVerses, it being troublesome enough to be understood in Prose, as the Reader will find. That’s the reason that I have translated it almost word for word, to make it as plain as I could; as also because the Reader (if curious of it) may benefit himself in the knowledge of theFrenchTongue, by comparing theEnglishandFrenchtogether. The rest that can be said upon this subject, you shall find either in the Authors Life, or in the Appology made for him.
And because I have told you before, that many have been like to run mad by over-studying these, and other Prophecies, give me leave to give you this advice, that in vain, or at least without any great profit, thou shalt bestow thy time, care, and study upon it: for which I will give thee the chief reasons, that have disswaded me from it.
The first is, that the thing it self, which you may think to understand, is not certain in it self; because the Author disguiseth it in several manners, sometimes speaking a double sense, as that of the ancient Oracle.
Aio te Æacida Romanos vincere posse.
Aio te Æacida Romanos vincere posse.
Aio te Æacida Romanos vincere posse.
Aio te Æacida Romanos vincere posse.
Which is to be understood two ways, and cannot be determinated, till the event of it be past.
It is true, that the Author doth mark so many particular Circumstances, that when the thing is come to pass, every one may clearly see that he pretended to Prophecie that particular thing. And besides he doth sometimes deliver the thing in so obscure terms, that without a peculiarGenius, it is almost impossible to understand it.
The second is, that though the Prophecie be true in it self, yet no body knoweth, neither the time, nor how: For example, he plainly foretelleth, that the Parliament ofEnglandshould put their King to death; nevertheless no body could tell, nor when, nor how, till the thing was come to pass, nor what King it should be, till we had seen it.
The third is, that he marketh the times with Astrological terms,viz.when such and such Planets, shall be in such and such Signs; but as those Planets are often here, and go out of it, and come there again, no certain judgement can be made of it.
The fourth is, that many times he giveth some peculiar Circumstances to those he speaketh of, which may be found in others. Thusthe Royal first bornmight have been applied toLewisthe XIII. toLewisthe XIV. to the first born ofPhilipthe II. andPhilipthe III. King ofSpain, and to Kings ofEngland, Father and Son. Nevertheless we find that this wordRoyal first born, was intended forHenryIV. Grandfather on his Mothers side, as we shall shew hereafter. This being so, it cannot be expounded, but after the event.
The fifth is, that the knowledge of future things, belongeth to God alone, and no body can pretend by any study, to have a certain acquisition of it in all its Circumstances.
The sixth is, that the orders of Gods providence, which cause the several events in all States, will not permit that men should have a publick notion of his designs, sometimes he revealeth them to his Servants, or to some particular man as he pleaseth, but he will not have them to be known among the common sort of men.
The seventh, is the experience we have had of many, who pretending to understand the Author, have made a quantity of false Prophecies, expounding the Stanza’s according to their fancy, as if God had given them the same understanding that he gave the Author, and what ought to confirm us more in this point, is, that they have expounded some Prophecies, as if they were to come to pass, which were past already, by which we see the darkness of humane wit, who without authority pretendeth to bite into the forbidden fruit of knowledge.
The eighth is, that this knowledge is no way profitable for the Vulgar; because those things being decreed by God, they shall come to pass without forceing our liberty, nor hindering the contingency of sublunary things, where we must observe that the Prophecies which were revealed to men, are many times conditional, as we see in that ofJonasagainstNinive, but those that they have left in writing for the times that should come after them, are absolutely true, and shall infallibly come to pass, as they have foretold them. This no ways hindereth, but God may reveal some secrets of his to private men, for their benefit, and that of their friends, without imparting it to the Vulgar, who may be, should laugh at them.
The ninth is, that God hath peculiarly reserved to himself the knowledge of times.Daniel, by a special favour, knew the end of theBabylonianCaptivity, and the time of theMessiah’s birth, and yet the interpreters can scarce yet expound clearly the meaning of the seventy weeks ofDaniel, and we see, that since 1600 years ago, holy men, from age to age, have foretold the proximity of Dooms-day, and the coming of Antichrist.
The tenth is, that the foretelling of future things in this Author, is for the most part included in business of State, and one might be guilty of a criminal temerity, if he would discover things that concern us not, and the concealing of which, is commended by all prudent persons, seeing that we owe respect, love, and submission to those that bear rule over us.
For these reasons (dear Reader) I would not have thee intangle thy self in the pretentions of knowing future things. If you have light concerning them, keep thine own secret, and make use of it for thy self: Preserve peace, and let the Almighty govern the World: for he can turn all things to his Glory, and may when he pleaseth, raise up some Wits that will make known unto us, what we desire, without any further trouble to our selves. Before I make an end, I cannot but acquaint thee for gratitude sake, of my Obligation to several persons, which have lent me Books, to help me towards the finishing of this work, as namely that worthy Gentleman, and the Honour of his profession Mr.Francis Bernard, Apothecary to St.BartholemewsHospital, and Mr.Philip AubertonGentleman, belonging to the Right Honourable the Earl ofBridgwater. Farewell.