Prognostication for the Year 1495

or his ordinances, he will seem to emerge or survive, with things impeded hereafter, and especially at that time when he had ordered to obtain the empire completely, or his state which he will detain this year by doing what has been said. Nevertheless, he will give a strong start to a great thing with generosity. Truly, the rest regarding his majesty are held in the general chapters above.

¶ Carolus Charles VIII of France, the most Christian King of the Francorum French: whose nativity would that it were held unchanged: as I am ashamed to have said otherwise. But let us yield to the will of the highest craftsman. Truly, as we are able to feel, we now do: that his mind and thought will be admirable among the nations. And his name will be feared through the world, not only by neighbors with the submission of some, but by certain distant great ones. However, not a few powerful ones will labor to impede the increase of his strengths, state, and power. Although some other princes ought to honor and observe him with fear. And the effects of these hereafter, where then many will order through various and distant modes, having oblique ways and closed means, finally having a result corresponding to this so that his great vows, strengths, and trophies may be cut short: if he returns home, he becomes inglorious in the end or a fugitive. Whence let him fear. The King himself will do more regarding the clergy by certain modes and order and the provision of some, and will order better than [if] he could avoid battles and conflicts later, and to follow this way with a mode of besieging or through treaties: it would conduct him more: because open battles are dangerous for him, and he is disposed very easily from the stars to be in danger in conflict and struggle. And this with his own. Truly, his affairs will be great altogether: but far more in appearance and opinion than in strong permanence. He will be, therefore, this year, with strengths, altogether great and, because of fortitude, formidable to princes and cities: from which, with certain strengths and peoples subdued to his wish, he will evolve great things in the world, and he himself will be alone for now: but afterwards in these wars he will be changed by opinion and the mind will be directed elsewhere. One thing, however, before all must be observed by him: that he does not expose his person versus enemies: since by his very nativity he is disposed very easily to fall into their hands: or in the end to provide the victory to enemies besides himself. Whence let him use diligence regarding this in this year and in the rest so that he may be saved: