A Commentary on the Song of Solomon, Part
Firſt Paulus Secundus and Grebnerus of Miſma the Germane Aſtrologian.
He foretelling divers ſtrange things which have ſince come to paſſe. As the deſtuction and diſſipation of the Spaniſh fleete in 88. The murther of Henry the third of France: the preferment of Henry the fourth to the crown. The beſieging and winning of Grooning in Friezland and the death of Philip the ſecond King of Spaine in his Sericum mundi filum. He alſo doeth deliver that the Lyon having the roſe and the lillies on his armes ſhall utterly deſtroy the Pope: ſo that afterward there ſhall never be any more Pope.
Thus farre Maxwell out of Grebnerus.
This that follows of Greb…er…s is taken out of the Originall, in Trinity Library, Banner. 173.
The Romane Scepter and Diademe being laid down or taken away from the houſe of Auſtria by fatall neceſſity, being oppreſſed of the Germanes, and Forraigners, French, Engliſh, Daniſh, and Swevians, flocking and flowing together hence and thence. Whence ſhall a horrible, bloody and moſt ſharp battell ariſe, wherewith all Europe (being grievouſly ſhaken) ſhall tremble: and being ſundry waies rent and waſted, it ſhall be obnoxious to notable mutations and changes. To this battaile, (and to the making of eruptions into the provinces of the Pomeranes, Megapolenſians, and Danes) the King of Swevia of that time ſhall be invited and drawne by the writings of the Legate of the Romane Sea: to which, if he ſhall obey, he becomes the neereſt Companion or fellow of War: but evilly and unluckily, by that propinquity or …eereneſſe. Wherefore I counſell him to leave Suevia in that ſtate he had received it. So himſ…e, his ſtocke and Poſterity ſhall quietly and peaceably enjoy it, being content with their own condition: Wherewith they do Governe, they ſhall preſerve▪their Nation and Subjects, and keep them bo…nd to them in duty. But if he ſhall determine▪ with his heart to perſwade his people, and to draw them from the way, the Lord ſhall take him away by death. And ſo of or from a Charles, a Great Charles reigning, is made, who with great ſucceſſe and fortune ſhall rule the Northerne people, and as an Enemie fight luckily with hi… Navie againſt the Spaniſh power and Tyranny, and their Navie or Armado. And together with other Chriſtian forces conjoyned ſhall fight ſtoutly and fiercely. But God doth call out of this life the Popiſh wife of the King, from whence the Romane High Prieſt ſhall con…eive great …errour, which ſhall the more m…reaſe and preſſe when Charles the King himſelf ſhall oppoſe Antichriſt, and bee adverſe unto him, and ſhall joyne his forces to the Bands of the Germanes and other neighbours, and oppugne or fight againſt the Spaniſh Diademe▪ And then the Swevian ſhall uſe his Navie with moſt happie ſucceſſe, and his people by Land, and by Sea, againſt the Enemie.
Bohemia doth fe…le tumults and warlike noyſes, with a great falling away of her people. At that time, the laſt Caeſar of the houſe of Auſtria, ſhall put on the noſe of the Elector of Saxonie, Spaniſh, ſra…dulent, deceiptfull, flattering▪ and treacherous Spectacles. The nature of▪ which ſpectacles at laft he knowes and by experience is taught, that theſe ſpectacles of the houſe of Auſtria, are colloguing or flattering and glorious words, wicked and treacherous practiſes. And if he go on further to give credit unto them: he ſhall caſt head-long himſelfe, wife, and children, and all the confederates of Chriſtendome into pernicious deſtruction, whence the Pope of Rome ſhall take up a great laughter. But the Lord doth raiſe up an Elector which ſhall throw down and raze out the Romane Antichriſt with all his members and ayders.
In this violent, head-long and Sea-tumult, and in the ſong of deſpaire of the Romane Caeſar, the Exiles of all the Kings and Princes of Europe; the Bavarians, the Bohemians, Burgundians, and Portingalls. ſhall be reſtored to their former eſtate. And a noble and ſtout Bohemian Lord doth poſſeſſe and recover his juriſdiction.
They that have not ſeene the deſtruction, the meeting together of Armes, and the diſſipation: theſe being expelled, ſhall plot or ſeeke their recovery. And the heires of them ſhall contend and labour, that by the bounty of the laſt Emperour of Germanie they may be ſet againe in the place of their Anceſtors.
There ariſeth now a fortunate Bohemian Ziſca for the Bohemian Warre. And a certaine Germane Ziſca, moſt powerfull and famous: who ſhall bruiſe and breake the heads of the Ieſuites in Germany. He ſhall drive and baniſh them out of Bohemia and Auſtria, and ſhall ſubdue to himſelfe the Bohemians and all that thorow Auſtria and Pannonia even to Conſtantinople, and all thoſe people. And therefore it is meete and juſt, that a glittering and precious golden crowne, burning, be ſet on the head of this Teutonicall or Germane Ziſca, or on the head of the Storke, who being a great and ſtout Warriour doth come forth out of the ſtock of Mars.
And he ſhall be called a worthy noble man. He ſhall ruſe victoriouſly, which ſhall doe theſe famous things and happily finiſh them with his other Captaines of Ziſca. After theſe changes, a ſubtile exerciſed interpretor of the Revelation of Saint Iohn, may more eaſily underſtand, and more lively decipher the ſame, the ninths being paſt by little and little betweene the 606. There ſhall be a more lively explication of thoſe things which Ezechiel and Daniel have Propheſied of the laſt Act of the age of the world.
Paulus Grebnerus his ſilken thread of the world perfected at Magdeburgh. Anno. 1574.
This booke was found in the Cloſet of Queen Elizabeth at her death by Doctor Nevill, &c.
Alſo a Propheſie of Capiſtranus in the Records of Canterbury.
The Lyon of the houſe of Burgundy having got the Empire, will ſeeke to build a ſure neſt for his young: but it ſhall not be▪ for there ariſeth a certaine grave and conſtant man, neere Aquiſgrave of the Rheine, who being choſen, ſhall reſtore the Apoſtolicall diſcipline. And in the third incurſion of time ſhall prevaile and do great things, and there ſhall be of his race to the day of jadgement.
This Capiſtranus was a Franciſcan Minorite Fryer, and prayed for the Souldiers under Huniades at the ſiege of Belgrade by the Turke Anno 1454. ſaith Symonds, fol. 224. He is alſo one of Maxwells Prophets.
Alſo Noſtrodamus ſaith▪ that Rome ſhall be ruled by her old Brit…niſh head.
Thoſe 10. Kings which were to riſe with the beaſt and gave their power to her, and which ſhall alſo hate the Whore and make her deſolate. Bale reckons them as before, ſeven in England, the other three in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. Theſe, ſaith he▪ roſe with the Beaſt, and firſt gave their power to the Beaſt, and did h…m homage, paying him Peter pence as a ſervice. This was Anno 433. This kingdome was afterward reduced into a Monarchy by Aluredus, Anno D…m. 687.
But I rather like Grebnerus judgement, who reckons them thu… ▪ The French, the Engliſh, the Danes, the Swetians and the Germanes; for they begin to combine prettily together at this time.
Savanorolla ſaith that one ſhould come over the Alpes like to Cyrus, which ſhould ſubvert and deſtroy Jtaly and Rome. He lived about, Anno 1496. ſaith Lanquet.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Brightman, A Commentary on the Song of Solomon (1644)