'Prophecy of Merlin (1622-1623)'

101r

Left margin: Merlin in Latine hath nothing that is like hitherto This following prophecie is said to be Merlins who was famous about the yeere of Chr. 433 see Fascicul[us] temporu[m] betw. 423 & 433. It seemes that Mr. I. Malcomb. Scot[us] had relation to this prohecie in his verses before the kings expositio[n] of Reuel. 20. v.7-10 printed at Edenburgh. 1588 & since reprinted in England.

A Prince out of the North shall come, King borne, Crownde babe, his brest vpon a lyon rampant strange to see, & C I S shall cleped be Right margin: Charles Iames Stuart. the K. of Fr. named him Ch. & Queene Eliz. James. borne in a Country rude & stony, yet he Couragious wise & holie. At beste of strength his Fortunes beste he shall receiue, & then in reste couche as a Lyon in his denne, & reste in peace so long, till men Right margin: live shall wonder, & all Christendome thinke the time long, both all & some At last he calles a Parliament, & breakes it vp in discontent. And shortelie then shall rouzed be, by enemie beyonde the sea; But when in wrath he drawes his sworde, woe, that the sleeping Lyon stird'e. Right margin: woe him The Valiant acts he then shall doe, Right margin: For ere he sheates the same againe he puttes his foes to mickle paine Left margin: a greate Alexanders fame out-goe. He passeth seas & fame doth winne, till many Princes ioyne with him, & chuse him for theire Governor, & crowne him Westerne Emperor. And after a while he shall begirte, the City auncient oulde & greate, which on seaven hilles is scituate, till he her walles hath ruinate. Then shall a foe &c./turne101v Then shall a foe from Easte appeere Left margin: b the brinke of one greate river neere, The Lyon rampant shall him meete, & if on this side they shall fight Right margin: mollius pronu[n]ciandu[s]. the day is loste, but he shall crosse the river greate, & being paste shall in the strength of his greate god, be to his foes a scourging rodde. Left margin: c Right margin: causing him thence to take his flight of Easterne kings succour to seeke Then shall he be in an hower of East & west crownde Emperour. Then shall the foe in fury burne, & from the Easte in haste returne, with aide of Kings & Princes greate, into the vale of Iehoshaphat. There shall he meete the Lyon strong, Who in a battaile fierce & long shall foile his foes. Then cruell death shall take away his aged breathe. Right margin: vide Merlins p[ro]phecie.

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I haue seene another Copie agreeing with this, sauing that at /a/ it hath not those ij verses but ij other in steade of the[m] thus

For yere he sheathes the same againe Left margin: a he puttes his foes to mickle paine

a /b/ 'tis thus

Left margin: b Then shall a foe from seas appeere

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the brinke of our great riuer neere

which causeth alteratio[n] after

the day is lost but he shall crosse the seas & being past

this staffe is lame you see.

causing him thence to take his flight of Easterne kings succour to seeke Then shall he be in an hower of Easte & West crowned Emperor Right margin: All these 4 are inserted at /c/ in the other copie.

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In the beginning of Merlins p[ro]phecie which I bought, there was written this p[ro]phecie, conteining as much as both these copies & no more.

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The Scottes talke of one Thomas the Rymer or Ritchner, fro[m] whom this Iacobus Iacobi Iacobo Iacobum Iacobe Iacoboq[ue] Sexto, filius Dac{} regnabit in eternum. Left margin: Of Thomas the Rimer mention is made in Speeds chron. 635 a.