A Iewes prophesy, with newes from Rome of two mightie armies, aswell footemen as horsmen, the first of the great Sophy, the other of an Hebrew people, till this time not discouered, comming from the mountaines of Caspij, who pretend their warre is to recouer the land of promise, & expell the Turks out of Christendome / translated out of Italian into English by W.W. 1607.

The Iewes Propheſie.

THe newes are come that the king of Hungarie waketh a great Army, which ſhall haue for his ayde the gailies of Buda, and of many other Princes of Chriſtendome. And they ſay moreouer, that the King of Bohemia will helpe therein, and that the moſt part of Chriſtian Princes will come and ayde him in this enterprize againſt the Turke, except the Signorie of Venice, which meddleth nothing at all in it. Theſe reporters of newes affirme, that there ſhall come aboue a hundred gallies, beſides other Barks, ſhips, & Hulkes without number, which is occaſion that they haſten the Warre the more. Notwithſtanding, men eſteeme not ſo much hereof, as of the war that is made beyond the Mountaines▪ as you ſhall vnderſtand not without wondering at it. The Tartars make friendes vpon the greater Sea, & haue made a league and friendſhip with the great Turke, requiring ayde, for they are moleſted with war by the great Emperor of Moſcouia, & Prince of Sagodie, of Pogore, of Sme •• ngie, of Droſſy, of Gazam, of Virgoloſam, of Tartarie, of Cham, and of diuers other people and regions lying toward the South: they ſay that this Emperor or Duke hath two Armies, and is called Iohn Dwatillo, a young Man, of the age of xxiiii. yeares, noble and valiant, and a Chriſtian, after the inſtitution of the Greekes, and preſumeth that by reaſon of his bloud, the Empire of Conſtantinople doth belong to him. And theſe two Armies are about a two hundered thouſand horſe.

They were not wont in times paſt to be ſo ſtrong, nor ſo feared of the Turkes, for they had not the vſe of artillary in the warre: but nowe they haue maruailous great preparation in theyr warre. Hee hath in wages certaine Dutch Captaines, and about tenne thouſand Maiſter gunners, and is maruailous well furniſhed with harquebuſhes and artillery, and becauſe men vnderſtand that hee hath ſo vanquiſht the Tartarians, and brought thē to ſuch a ſtate, that they cannot much more reſiſt him and that if the ſaide▪ Muſcouite ſhould bemaiſters ouer the Tartars, they ſhould conſequently be Rulers of the great ſea, & the way ſhould be open and eaſie for them to come, not onely to Conſtantinoble, but alſo to driue the Turke out of Europe: And becauſe that the ſaide great Turke is aſſured of this enterprize and commotion of the Greekes: he hath cō cluded and determined, to ſend to the ſayde Tartars a good aſſyſtance of fifteene thouſand fighting men, and alſo for this purpoſe, he hath ſent to the Sea ten Gallies to paſſe them ouer.

Men make mention and doubt of Mondaccio, which is a great Prince and Ruler, and able to make foureſcore, or a hundred thouſand Horſe: and yet men are vncertaine whoſe part he will take, becauſe he is a tributary vnto the great Turke.

There is newes alſo from Affrica, that the King of Bugien, the King Tramece, the King of Tunis, the Children of Serif; the Lorde of Murocho, and of Gran, with the Arabians & other, haue taken in hand to dryue and expulſe the Turke wholy out of Affrica, & to endomage him as much as they may. Men know not yet in what place they will war, but we ſhall know it ſhortly. The newes alſo is, that the Soffie is in Campe with a great Army, and hath the Medes to helpe him, which border vppon the Caſpian Sea, and of one ſide neighbur to the Hircans, called at this day Correxans and Zecatans, with whom he hath made a league and peace. There are on his ſide alſo the Ibeans and Albians, and alſo the people of Mel •• ar, which harbor vpon the Indians, & likewiſe with the King of Boſphorus, all beeing people maruailous ſwift and nimble. In this ſo mighty an hoſt and armie, is alſo Baſcet the Sonne of the great Turke, by meanes whereof all in thoſe partes is in great trouble, as well as heere. It ſeemeth that the Ianiſſaries bring him the lot of Turkie, as Baduget, Zermonia, Alepo, and all the Regions lying neere to the Soſſi is reuolted, all the which particularities ſhall be vnderſtood more at large.

This newes is great, & hath made the great Turk to muſe enough vpon it, but aboue all theſe maruelous and dreadfull newes which are hapned, there is yet chanced another, which hath greatly feared and abaſhed all men, which although it ſeemeth to bee incredible, yet vpon my credit it is moſt true, and that is, that a people heretofore vnknowne, mighty, ſwift, & marueilous nimble, hath taken weapon in hand, to the diſaduantage and loſſe of the houſe of Ottoman. They ſaye that Alexander the great did in times paſt driue beyond the mountaine Caſpe nine tribes and a halfe of the Haebrewes which worſhipped the Calfe & Serpent of Gold and draue them away, that neuer ſince there was no newes of them, neither knew any man if they were in the Worlde or not: becauſe the Sea of ſande, or the ſandy Sea, by a certaine inconuenience of ſand Grauel or Beche, ſwelled and roſe ſo high, that it vtterly took from them the way into this our Region. But now by the meane of the new Nauigation that the Pollanders haue made, they are arriued in their country, and haue eſpied out all their dooings: and after yt the ſayd Hollanders had inſtructed and taught them in the ſcience and knowledge to artillery, and gun-powder for Harquebuſhes & dags, whereunto they are maruelous apt and ready, they are become in all thinges very perfit. After this they egged them forward▪ to take weapon in hand, and paſſe the ſayd Mountaine by Land. And becauſe the ſandy Sea did hinder their paſſage, it appeareth yt ſome Dutchman or Italian, which yet men knewe not, but notwithſtanding ſome great Aſtrologian or Coſmographer taught them the way, making ſome hill plaine with fire, whereby they might eaſilye paſſe, which is a thing of great wonder.

Theſe people haue two mighty great armies, and infinite ſtore of victualles, by reaſon of the fruitfulneſſe of their Country, they are alſo well prouided of all maner of preparation for war, and cunning in the practiſe of their Weapons. They ſay they will come & recouer the land of Promiſe, towards the which the firſt army is already very neere, to the great terror and dread of euery man which hath either ſeene or hearde of them. The ſpyes which haue beene ſent out by the great Turke to deſcry them, do affirme, that beſide a hundred and two Armies, there followe an infinite number of people, as well foot-men as horſe-men, and theyr firſt army is already arriued vppon the limmits of Turky, putting all to fire and ſword. Theyr language is baſtard Hebrew: and becauſe men ſpeake much of it here, I will not forgette to ſpeake alſo ſomething thereof woorthy to bee noted, and well vnderſtoode: The Hebrewes of Conſtantinople ſay, that they haue certaine propheſies, among the which one maketh mention, that ftom the foure parts of the world, ſhall riſe a people, and come into Gog and Magog, and then ſhall appeare (as they perſwade themſelues) their Meſsias in might and power, and then they ſhall haue dominion and rule in the world, whereof they ſecretly reioyce, and are wonderous glad. They ſay moreouer, that there is a prophecie grauen in a piller ſet at Podromo which ſaith thus: A mighty Prince ſhall riſe, whoſe beginning ſhall be of ſmal reputation, who by his Iſſue ſhal wax of ſuch force and ſtrength (with the helpe of God) that he ſhall bring to nothing, the empire and rule of Ottoman, and ſhall be the right poſſeſſor and inheritor of the Empire of Conſtantinople, & they beleeue all that ii ſhall be this Emperor and duke of Muſcouia. which is already in great eſtimation among the Greeks.

The Turkes haue a prophecie, which they ſing often and weepe bitterly the while, for it betokeneth and denounceth vnto them, their vtter ruine and deſtruction. And although it ſeeme ſtraunge, to ſay that the Turkes haue prophecies, it is no meruaile: for Balam was a falſe Prophet: the Sybilles alſo prophecied and were Pagans. For all theſe cauſes the great Turke hath forbidden wine, & will that all men goe fiue times in a day to the Moſchea, and pray to GOD for theyr helth and ſafetie. And ſo he prepareth three great armies, one againſt the Muſcouites, another againſte the Soffie, and the third for to goe againſt the Haebrewes of the Mountaines of Caſpij. Within theſe fewe dayes you ſhal haue other newes, wherefore thus making an end, I commend me vnto your good Lordſhip: From Rome, the firſt day of Iune, 1606. Your faithfull and truſty ſeruant, Signior Valeſco.

The deſcription of the first Armie, conducted by Zoroam a Iew, Captaine generall of the Armies.

FIrſt of all a Iew of verie great ſtature, of a fleſhlie colour, more red then otherwiſe, with broad eyes, called Zoroam, is Captaine generall of all the Armies, hee leadeth vnder his Enſigne twelue thouſand horſe, and twenty thouſand footmen. The horſe-men are armed after a light ſort, but very good Harnes, almoſt aftet our faſhion: they carrie Launces of longe Reedes, very hard and light, yet ſo ſharpe pointed, that they paſſe thorowe a thing with incredible lightneſſe: they carry alſo ſhields or targets of bone, and in ſteede of ſwords, they vſe certaine Courtilaxes.

They are apparrelled with the colour of their Enſigne, and all clothed with ſilke: the foote-men carrie Pikes of the ſame ſort, with Helmet and Habergin: their Enſigne is of blacke ſilke and blewe, with a Dog following a Hart, or Bucke, and a ſaying written in it, which is in our language thus: Either quick or dead.

2. Of the Armie of Don Phares.

THere is one called Phares, which is an Carle, yong and valiant, not regarding this preſent life: this man hath vnder his commaund fifteene hundred Horſemen armed lightly, onely on the fore-part and head-peece: yet this Armour is ſo well tempered and wrought, that it keepeth out a Launce and Harquebuſh ſhot.

This manner of arming themſelues, is to the intent they may neuer turne their backe to runne away: they haue alſo fierce and light horſes: they are eighteene thouſand footemen, apparrelled with a kinde of ſodden leather, made of the ſkinne of a certaine Beaſt, ſo that no pike nor Harquebuſh can pearſe it. Theſe men are beaſtly people, and wil neuer flie for any thing, they are very obedient and ſubiect vnto their Prince, and their ordinary apparrel is Silke. The Enſigne that they beare, is a falcon pecking or billing with another Byrde, with a ſentence that ſaith, Either thine of mine ſhall breake.

3 Of the Marqueſſe of Galair.

THere is a Marqueſſe of Galair called Goes, this man leadeth fifteen hūdred men of armes, which be all exceeding well armed and ſtout, ſtrong, and rebuſt men: their horſes be moriſkes, the greateſt, the ſtrongeſt, the faireſt, and the beſt that be in the world: there are alſo ſeuenteene thouſand ſouldiors, very wel appointed with Launce and harquebuſh: theyr Enſigne or armes is a redde field, with a maide clothed in greene, holding a Lion in her hand, with theſe words, I hope to ſubdue a greater thing.

4 Of the Duke of Falach.

THere is a Duke of Falach, called Obeth, who hath vnder his conduct xx. thouſand footmen, armed with a certaine mettall like yron, but it is light and hard, they haue many good ſwords, launces, and otherforce, harquebuſhes, and wiflers: their Enſigne or armes, is a mermaid in a blacke field, and the deuiſe thus, My ſinging ſhall not ceaſe vntill the end.

The deſcription of the Armie conducted by Captaine Nauiſon:

THere is a captaine called Nauiſon, which hath vnder him xx. thouſand men, appointed and armed with the ſkin of a ſerpent, moſt hard & ſtiffe, they haue Axes, pollaxes, pikes, harquebuſhes, and other kind of weapons: their Enſigne or armes, is a white ſnaile in a blacke ſielde, with a deuiſe about it, By litle and little men go very farre.

Of the tribe of Simeon there is a Prince of Arſay, whoſe name is not yet known, but they ſay he is a deuill, great, groſſe, & thicke beyond meaſure, with a flat noſe, and both he and his men are of the ſtature of Giants: he leadeth with him xx. thouſand footemen, almoſt all Alfiers, which are alſo ſo ſwift & nimble, that they will take horſes running: they make a meruailous noiſe, ſuch as no people vſe: their Enſigne is, an Eute in a blacke field, and hane for their poſye, Such is my gouernment.

6 Of the Duke of Barſalda.

THere is a duke of Barſalda, and he is the conductes of xiii. thouſand footmen, which are all Harquebuſhers, & carry no fire matches, but ſtrike it with a ſtone: they are apparrelled & armed with ſuch a hard kinde of leather, and ſo enchaunted, that no yron weapon in the world is able to perſe it thorow. They bee alſo very ſwift and light: their Enſigne or armes, is a dry tree in a blew field, and their deuiſe thus, I hope to ſpread, and be greene againe.

7 Of the Armie of the Duke Paſill.

THere is a duke of Paſill called Abia, he hath vnder his conduct a thouſand footemen, very cruell, hauing all kind of weapons to puſh or pricke far off, and to ſtrike night, but farre different from ours, they are very expert in artificiall fire, and make the greateſt and moſt dreadfull thinges with all yt a man can imagin: they do it either by arte or enchauntmen, ſo that it ſeemeth that it raigneth fire vpon their enemies, and yet notwithſtanding hurteth not themſelues at all, by reaſon they are apparrelled with a certaine Serpents ſkin which preſerueth them. Their Enſigne is a Cat holding a Rat in her paw in a blacke ſielde; and their poſy thus, Euen ſo hapneth it to him that is not gouerned.

8 Of the Army conducted by the Earle

THere is an Earle of Albary caled Orut, which hath vnder his gouernaunce a thouſand Horſe-men with Croſſe-bowes, ſome of them weare certaine light armour of a kind of hard mettall, with Rapyers and daggers after theyr manner, they ſight alwayes running, and their horſes are ſo ſwift that it is wonderfull. This man alſo hath xx. thouſand horſes barbed with very fine leather. Some cary pikes and Partiſans, & ſuch like weapons. Their Enſigne or armes is a man in chaines, in a field parted halfe with greene and Purple, and this deuiſe withall, My chaines ſhall bind another man.

9 Of the Marqueſſe of Vorio.

THere is a Marques of Vorio called Manaſſes, who hath vnder his conduct xvii. thouſand footemen, Armed with a very hard & ſtrong leather, which men beleeue to be enchaunted, becauſe that no weapon nor harquebuſh is able to perſe it thorowe, yet it is as light as Linnen cloth, and a thing very fayre to ſee to. Theſe now haue all ſorts of weapons that an Armie may haue: and they are diuided and ſet in a very faire, comely, and decent order: their Enſigne is an old man in a chariot, in a blacke fielde, ſaying thus, After a long iourney I ſhall be happy.

Caleb Shilock his propheſie, for the yeere, 1607.

BE it knowne vnro all men, that in the yeare 1607. when as the Moone is in the Watrye ſigne, the world is like to bee in great danger: for a learned Iew, named Caleb Shilock, doth write that in the foreſaid yeere, the Sun ſhall be couered with the Dragon in the morning, from fiue of the clocke vntill nine, and will appeare like fire: therefore it is not good that any man do behold the ſame, for by beholding thereof, hee may loſe his ſight.

Secondly, there ſhall come in the ſame yeare a meruailous great flood of water, to the great terror and amazement uf many people.

Thirdly, there ſhall ariſe a meruailous great wind, and for feare thereof many people ſhall be conſumed or diſtraughted of their wits.

Fourthly the ſame yeare, about the month of May, will ariſe another wonderfull great flood, and ſo great as no man hath ſeene ſince Noyes flood, which wil continue three daies, and three nightes, whereby many Citties and Townes which ſtandeth vppon Sandie ground will be in great danger.

Fiftly, Infidels and Hereticks, through great feare and dread, will flye and gather together, and aſmuch as in them lies, make war againſt Chriſtian princes.

Sixtly, in the ſame yeare after the great waters be paſt, about the end of the yeere will be very great and fearefull Sickneſſes: ſo that many people are like to die by the infection of ſtrange diſeaſes.

Seauenthly, there will be throughout the Worlde great trouble and contention about matters of Religion, and wonderfull ſtrange newes vnto all people, as concerning the ſame.

Eightly, the Turke with his God Mahomet ſhall bee in daunger to looſe his Septer, through the great change and alteration in his Regiment, by reaſon of famine and warres, ſo that the moſt part of his people will rather ſeeke reliefe from the Chriſtian, then from him.

Ninthlie, there will alſo ariſe great Earth-quakes, whereby diuers goodly buildings & high houſes, are like to be ouerthrowne and ruinated.

Laſtlie, there will be great remoouings of the earth in diuers places, ſo that for feare thereof, many people will be in a ſtrange amazement and terror.

Theſe puniſhments are prognoſticated by this lerned Iew, to fall vpon the whole Worlde by reaſon of ſinne, wherefore it behoueth all Chriſtians to amende their euill liues, and to pray earneſtly vnto GOD to with-hold theſe calamities from vs, and to conuart our harts wholy to him, whereby we may ſind fauour in our time of neede, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord.

Amen.

FINIS.