Vaticinia seu praedictiones illustrium virorum... Vaticini overo predittioni d' huomini illustri

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...called. From these people emerged the new pastor Pope, who for many lustres five-year periods was nourished in the "scent of the Lilies," meaning near Cardinal Alessandro Farnese. He, with the "prudence of the serpent," which he learned from Gregory XIII—who always employed him and exalted him with various honors and the dignity of a Cardinal—will gladden the Church and destroy the impious.

In the fifth place, the text speaks of Pius V, whose goodness is well known and will never be forgotten as long as the sun moves. He came from and was born in the castle of Bosco, which is very near Alessandria in Lombardy, although his ancestors came from Bologna, where they lived with great nobility. This Pontiff brought great benefit to Christianity, both through the observance he demanded of the Council of Trent and through the league against the Turks, as well as through the persecution of heretics in France and in certain cities of Italy. Therefore, it is very rightly said that the Church will be exalted through him.

Among the barbarians who anciently occupied this poor Italy were the Boii, the Senones, and the Insubres. Coming from beyond the mountains and from the direction of France, they drove out the Tuscans who inhabited it; hence it is now called Lombardy. From the Insubres—that is, from those places which are Milan and its district—came the pastor who was Pius IV. Through the assembly of the holy Council of Trent, he quieted heresies and made the truth more clearly seen against the new heretics. He closed their mouths so that they cannot speak against us Catholics, except in blasphemies. He surrounded the Papal seat with the strength of towers, meaning the sacred Canons church laws and dogmas of the faith, and through the resolution of controversies. He did this with the reform of many abuses that had already crept in among Christians and with other orders necessary for the maintenance of a good life. Or we might say that these towers are the Cardinals created by him in great quantity and chosen with much judgment for the goodness of

their character, for their sciences and doctrines, and for their prudence and knowledge in political government, with which they were adorned.

Under the mitre or Papal triregnum triple crown shone the truly brilliant "Sun" of Urban VII, whose life was always highly esteemed and revered. This was especially true after he was raised to the dignity of the Papacy. In those few days that he held it, he showed himself to be such a man; such rays of goodness, purity of soul, and true and upright intention began to sprout forth that it was clearly seen that the world had a "new Sun" on earth. Being mild of heart and possessed of paternal affection, and showing a desire to govern Christianity, he took the name of Urban, which comes from urbanitate urbanity or courtesy. He did this so that, as he himself said, he might more often be reminded of this purpose which he had already set for himself.

As has been said so many times, the "Dragon" was the coat of arms of the Boncompagni, the family of Gregory XIII. Great things were seen from him during his Papacy. He undertook very important enterprises, with his power corresponding to the length of his Pontificate. Because his biography is to be published soon, I will not bother to recount his deeds one by one. Furthermore, in the second part which is to be made for this book and for the prophecies of the Abbot Joachim, many of these things are written that are omitted here. In that work, the future events which he says will be seen—namely in France, Flanders, Germany, Poland, and Italy—will also be included. Therefore, O Readers, endure until that time, when all things will be shown to you in abundance.

The Poets tell the fable that Parthenope, a Siren of the Mediterranean Sea, gave her name to the city (now Naples) which was built there because she threw herself into those waters. He therefore calls Paul IV, who was Neapolitan, the "Siren." Under his government, the world was disturbed, and damage was done to Spain. Whether because of his own old temperament or by the instigation of his nephews, he moved war