A jews Prophecy, WITH News from Rome. Of two mighty Armies, aswell footmen as horsemen: The first of the great Sophy, the other of an Hebrew people, till this time not discovered, coming from the Mountains of Caspij, who pretend their war is to recover the Land of Promise, & expel the Turks out of Christendom. Translated out of Italian into English, by W. W. 1607.  
Printed by W. I. for Henry Gosson, and are to be sold in Pater noster row at the sign of the Sun.   

❧ To the renowned Lord, Don Mathias de Rensie of Venice.  
AFter the particular things alleged in my former writings unto your Lordship, I thought it good and convenient by this my Letter, to advertise your Lordship, of certain great, horrible, and fearful things that happened in this quarter.  
Purposing to certify your Lordship of the pomp and great triumph at the presenting of the Captains of the Sea, unto the great Turk: the misery and unhappiness of the poor prisoners: the discord & contention that came by the son of the Vice Roy of Naples, being prisoner: the threatenings made to the Christians: the receiving of the Ambassadors of the Soffy: the pomps, triumphs, and entertainments made unto them, and yet dissembled enough, with mocking one the other at their departing: the presents given: the going of the great Turk a hunting, and all other things written at large, as your Lordship shall understand.  
But now your Lordship shall understand at this time, the greatest, the most wonderful, and most strange thing that ever was heard of. The which partly hath so troubled the great Turk, and all the rest, that they have left of all other affairs, to provide for the peril and danger that at this time hangeth over their heads.  
Your Lordships to use, signor Valesco.   

The jews prophesy.  
THe news are come that the king of Hungary waketh a great Army, which shall have for his aid the gailies of Buda, and of many other Princes of Christendom. And they say moreover, that the King of Bohemia will help therein, and that the most part of Christian Princes will come and aid him in this enterprise against the Turk, except the Signory of Venice, which meddleth nothing at all in it. These reporters of news affirm, that there shall come above a hundred galleys, besides other Barks, ships, & Hulks without number, which is occasion that they hasten the War the more. Notwithstanding, men esteem not so much hereof, as of the war that is made beyond the Mountains▪ as you shall understand not without wondering at it. The Tartars make friends upon the greater Sea, & have made a league and friendship with the great Turk, requiring aid, for they are molested with war by the great Emperor of moscovia, & Prince of Sagodie, of Pogore, of Smelengy, of Drossy, of Gazam, of Virgolosam, of Tartary, of Cham, and of divers other people and regions lying toward the South: they say that this Emperor or Duke hath two Armies, and is called john Dwatillo, a young Man, of the age of xxiiii. years, noble and valiant, and a Christian, after the institution of the greeks, and presumeth that by reason of his blood, the Empire of Constantinople doth belong to him. And these two Armies are about a two hundred thousand horse.  
They were not wont in times past to be so strong, nor so feared of the Turks, for they had not the use of artillery in the war: but now they have marvelous great preparation in their war. He hath in wages certain Dutch Captains, and about ten thousand Master gunner's, and is marvelous well furnished with harquebuses and artillery, and because men understand that he hath so vanquished the Tartarians, and brought them to such a state, that they cannot much more resist him and that if the said▪ Muscovite should bemaisters over the Tartars, they should consequently be Rulers of the great sea, & the way should be open and easy for them to come, not only to Constantinoble, but also to drive the Turk out of Europe: And because that the said great Turk is assured of this enterprise and commotion of the greeks: he hath concluded and determined, to send to the said Tartars a good assistance of fifteen thousand fight men, and also for this purpose, he hath sent to the Sea ten Galleys to pass them over.  
Men make mention and doubt of Mondaccio, which is a great Prince and Ruler, and able to make fourscore, or a hundred thousand Horse: and yet men are uncertain whose part he will take, because he is a tributary unto the great Turk.  
There is news also from Africa, that the King of Bugien, the King Tramece, the King of Tunis, the Children of Serif; the Lord of Murocho, and of Gran, with the Arabians & other, have taken in hand to drive and expulse the Turk wholly out of Africa, & to endamage him as much as they may. Men know not yet in what place they will war, but we shall know it shortly. The news also is, that the Soffie is in Camp with a great Army, and hath the Medes to help him, which border upon 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 harbour upon the Indians, & likewise with the King of Bosphorus, all being people marvelous swift and nimble. In this so mighty an host and army, is also Bascet the Son of the great Turk, by means whereof all in those parts is in great trouble, as well as here. It seemeth that the janissaries bring him the lot of Turkey, as Baduget, Zermonia, Aleppo, and all the Regions lying near to the Sossi is revolted, all the which particularities shall be understood more at large.  
This news is great, & hath made the great Turk to muse enough upon it, but above all these marvelous and dreadful news which are happened, there is yet chanced another, which hath greatly feared and abashed all men, which although it seemeth to be incredible, yet upon my credit it is most true, and that is, that a people heretofore unknown, mighty, swift, & marvelous nimble, hath taken weapon in hand, to the disadvantage and loss of the house of Ottoman. They say that Alexander the great did in times past drive beyond the mountain Caspe nine tribes and a half of the hebrews which worshipped the Calf & Serpent of Gold and drove them away, that never since there was no news of them, neither knew any man if they were in the World or not: because the Sea of sand, or the sandy Sea, by a certain inconvenience of sand Gravel or Beech, swelled and rose so high, that it utterly took from them the way into this our Region. But now by the mean of the new Navigation that the Pollanders have made, they are arrived in their country, and have espied out all their doings: and after that the said Hollanders had instructed and taught them in the science and knowledge to artillery, and gunpowder for Harquebusses & dags, whereunto they are marvelous apt and ready, they are become in all things very perfect. After this they egged them forward▪ to take weapon in hand, and pass the said Mountain by Land. And because the sandy Sea did hinder their passage, it appeareth that some Dutchman or Italian, which yet men knew not, but notwithstanding some great Astrologian or Cosmographer taught them the way, making some hill plain with fire, whereby they might easily pass, which is a thing of great wonder.  
These people have two mighty great armies, and infinite store of victuals, by reason of the fruitfulness of their Country, they are also well provided of all manner of preparation for war, and cunning in the practice of their Weapons. They say they will come & recover the land of Promise, towards the which the first army is already very near, to the great terror and dread of every man which hath either seen or heard of them. The spies which have been sent out by the great Turk to descry them, do affirm, that beside a hundred and two Armies, there follow an infinite number of people, as well footmen as horsemen, and their first army is already arrived upon the limits of Turkey, putting all to fire and sword. Their language is bastard Hebrew: and because men speak much of it here, I will not forget to speak also something thereof worthy to be noted, and well understood: The Hebrews of Constantinople say, that they have certain prophecies, among the which one maketh mention, that from the four parts of the world, shall rise a people, and come into Gog and Magog, and then shall appear (as they persuade themselves) their Messias in might and power, and then they shall have dominion and rule in the world, whereof they secretly rejoice, and are wondrous glad. They say moreover, that there is a prophecy graven in a pillar set at Podromo which saith thus: A mighty Prince shall rise, whose beginning shall be of small reputation, who by his Issue shall wax of such force and strength (with the help 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 believe all that two shall be this Emperor and duke of Muscovia. which is already in great estimation among the Greeks.  
The Turks have a prophecy, which they sing often and weep bitterly the while, for it betokeneth and denounceth unto them, their utter ruin and destruction. And although it seem strange, to say that the Turks have prophecies, it is no marvel: for Balam was a false Prophet: the Sybils also prophesied and were Pagans. For all these causes the great Turk hath forbidden wine, & will that all men go five times in a day to the Moschea, and pray to GOD for their health and safety. And so he prepareth three great armies, one against the Muscovites, another against the Soffie, and the third for to go against the hebrews of the Mountains of Caspij. Within these few days you shall have other news, wherefore thus making an end, I commend me unto your good Lordship: From Rome, the first day of june, 1606. Your faithful and trusty servant, signor Valesco.  

The description of the first Army, conducted by Zoroam a jew, Captain general of the Armies.  
FIrst of all a jew of very great stature, of a fleshly colour, more red than otherwise, with broad eyes, called Zoroam, is Captain general of all the Armies, he leadeth under his Ensign twelve thousand horse, and twenty thousand footmen. The horsemen are armed after a light sort, but very good Harness, almost aftet our fashion: they carry Lances of long Reeds, very hard and light, yet so sharp pointed, that they pass thorough a thing with incredible lightness: they carry also shields or targets of bone, and in steed of swords, they use certain Courtilaxes.  
They are appareled with the colour of their Ensign, and all clothed with silk: the footmen carry Pikes of the same sort, with Helmet and Habergin: their Ensign is of black silk and blue, with a Dog following a Hart, or Buck, and a saying written in it, which is in our language thus: Either quick or dead.   

2. Of the Army of Don Phares.  
THere is one called Phares, which is an Carl, young and valiant, not regarding this present life: this man hath under his command fifteen hundred Horsemen armed lightly, only on the forepart and headpiece: yet this Armour is so well tempered and wrought, that it keepeth out a Lance and Harquebus shot.  
This manner of arming themselves, is to the intent they may never turn their back to run away: they have also fierce and light horses: they are eighteen thousand footmen, appareled with a kind of sodden leather, made of the skin of a certain Beast, so that no pike nor Harquebus can pierce it. These men are beastly people, and will never fly for any thing, they are very obedient and subject unto their Prince, and their ordinary apparel is Silk. The Ensign that they bear, is a falcon pecking or billing with another Bird, with a sentence that saith, Either thine of mine shall break.   

3 Of the marquess of Galair.  
THere is a marquess of Galair called Goes, this man leadeth fifteen hundred men of arms, 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 seventeen thousand soldiers, very well appointed with Lance and harquebus: their Ensign or arms is a red field, with a maid clothed in green, 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 under his conduct xx. thousand footmen, armed with a certain metal like iron, but it is light and hard, they have many good swords, lances, and otherforce, harquebuses, and wifflers: their Ensign or arms, is a mermaid in a black field, and the devise thus, My singing shall not cease until the end.   

The description of the Army conducted by Captain Navison:  
THere is a captain called Navison, which hath under him xx. thousand men, appointed and armed with the skin of a serpent, most hard & stiff, they have Axes, poleaxes, pikes, harquebuses, and other kind of weapons: their Ensign or arms, is a white snail in a black seld, with a devise about it, By little and little men go very far.  
Of the tribe of Simeon there is a Prince of Arsay, whose name is not yet known, but they say he is a devil, great, gross, & thick beyond measure, with a flat nose, and both he and his men are of the stature of Giants: he leadeth with him xx. thousand footmen, almost all Alfiers, which are also so swift & nimble, that they will take horses running: they make a marvelous noise, such as no people use: their Ensign is, an Eute in a black field, and have for their posy, Such is my government.   

6 Of the Duke of Barsalda.  
THere is a duke of Barsalda, and he is the conducts of xiii. thousand footmen, which are all Harquebushers, & carry no fire matches, but strike it with a stone: they are appareled & armed with such a hard kind of leather, and so enchanted, that no iron weapon in the world is able to pierce it thorough. They be also very swift and light: their Ensign or arms, is a dry tree in a blue field, and their devise thus, I hope to spread, and be green again.   

7 Of the Army of the Duke Pasill.  
THere is a duke of Pasill called Abia, he hath under his conduct a thousand footmen, very cruel, having all kind of weapons to push or prick far off, and to strike night, but far different from ours, they are very expert in artificial fire, and make the greatest and most dreadful things with all that a man can imagine: they do it either by art or enchauntmen, so that it seemeth that it reigneth fire upon their enemies, and yet notwithstanding hurteth not themselves at all, by reason they are appareled with a certain Serpent's skin which preserveth them. Their Ensign is a Cat holding a Rat in her paw in a black seld; and their posy thus, Even so happeneth it to him that is not governed.   

8 Of the Army conducted by the Earl  
THere is an Earl of Albary called Orut, which hath under his governance a thousand Horsemen with Crossbows, some of them wear certain light armour of a kind of hard metal, with Rapiers and daggers after their manner, they sight always running, and their horses are so swift that it is wonderful. This man also hath xx. thousand horses barbed with very fine leather. Some carry pikes and Partisans, & such like weapons. Their Ensign or arms is a man in chains, in a field parted half with green and Purple, and this devise withal, My chains shall bind another man.   

9 Of the marquess of Vorio.  
THere is a Marquis of Vorio called Manasses, who hath under his conduct xvii. thousand footmen, Armed with a very hard & strong leather, which men believe to be enchanted, because that no weapon nor harquebus is able to pierce it thorough, yet it is as light as Linen cloth, and a thing very fair to see to. These now have all sorts of weapons that an Army may have: and they are divided and set in a very fair, comely, and decent order: their Ensign is an old man in a chariot, in a black field, saying thus, After a long journey I shall be happy.   

Caleb Shilock his prophesy, for the year, 1607.  
BE it known unro all men, that in the year 1607. when as the Moon is in the Watery sign, the world is like to be in great danger: for a learned jew, named Caleb Shilock, doth write that in the foresaid year, the Sun shall be covered with the Dragon in the morning, from five of the clock until nine, and will appear like fire: therefore it is not good that any man do behold the same, for by beholding thereof, he may lose his sight.  
Secondly, there shall come in the same year a marvelous great flood of water, to the great terror and amazement of many people.  
Thirdly, there shall arise a marvelous great wind, and for fear thereof many people shall be consumed or distraughted of their wits.  
Fourthly the same year, about the month of May, will arise another wonderful great flood, and so great as no man hath seen since Noyes flood, which will continue three days, and three nights, whereby many Cities and Towns which standeth upon Sandie ground will be in great danger.  
Fiftly, Infidels and Heretics, through great fear and dread, will fly and gather together, and as much as in them lies, make war against Christian princes.  
Sixtly, in the same year after the great waters be past, about the end of the year will be very great and fearful Sicknesses: so that many people are like to die by the infection of strange diseases.  
seventhly, there will be throughout the World great trouble and contention about matters of Religion, and wonderful strange news unto all people, as concerning the same.  
Eightly, the Turk with his God Mahomet shall be in danger to lose his Sceptre, through the great change and alteration in his Regiment, by reason of famine and wars, so that the most part of his people will rather seek relief from the Christian, then from him.  
Ninethly, there will also arise great Earthquakes, whereby divers goodly buildings & high houses, are like to be overthrown and ruinated.  
lastly, there will be great removing of the earth in divers places, so that for fear thereof, many people will be in a strange amazement and terror.  
These punishments are prognosticated by this learned jew, to fall upon the whole World by reason of sin, wherefore it behoveth all Christians to amend their evil lives, and to pray earnestly unto GOD to withhold these calamities from us, and to convert our hearts wholly to him, whereby we may sinned favour in our time of need, through jesus Christ our Lord.  
Amen.   
FINIS.