XIX.

French.

Lors que Serpens viendront circuir l’Air, Le sang _Troien_ versé par les _Espagnes_, Par eux: grand nombre en sera fait tare, Chef fuit, caché aux Marets dans les saignes.

English.

When Serpents shall come to encompass the Are, The _Trojan_ blood shall be vexed by _Spain_, By them, a great number shall perish, Chief runneth away, and is hid in the rushes of the Marishes.

ANNOT.

By the _Serpents_, the Author being a Roman Catholick, meaneth the Protestants, who then began to appear numerous in the Reigns of _Francis_ the I. and _Henry_ the II. in whose time the Admiral _Coligny_ was the chief among them, for his great feats in War.

These Serpents or Protestants begun to encompass the _Are_, that is to say, the Church and the Altar, which in Latin is called _Ara_.

And that happened when _the Trojan-blood was vexed by Spain_. By the _Trojan-blood_, the Author meaneth the _French_ blood, according to the vulgar opinion, that the _French_ are descended from the _Trojans_. The _French_ were then vexed by the _Spaniards_, at the Battle of St. _Laurence_, and at the taking of St. _Quentin_, and other places in the Year 1557.

The third Verse saith _by them_, that is, by the Protestants _a great number shall perish_, that is to say, a great number of _French_. Among whom the Admiral of _Chatillon_ having done what was possible to be done at the defence of St. _Quentin_, and seeing the Town taken, run away with three more, and hid himself among the Rushes that are in the Boggs about the Town, where he 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 _Provencal_ a _Marish_.