University of Virginia Library

EXTRACTS OF THE SIBYLLAES PROPHESIES OF CHRISTE.

Sibylla Persica.

Thow serpent fraught with craft and crueltie
Shalt by a mightier strength bee troden low,
And on base earth, the high God borne shalbee,
And from a maid the branch of blis shal grow:
And that true woord, vnseene before of all,
Shal now be seene, and shalbe felt withall.

Sibylla Libyca.

In obscure darcknes light shal glistring shyne,
The Synagogs straight bands vnbound shalbee:
The king of lyf be seene of mortal eyen,
And in a maidens lap shal nowrisht bee,
And high aboue the gentils hee shal raigne,
And shal in mercie his estate maintaine.

Sibylla Delphica.

Attend (o earth) thy soueraigne Lord to see,
And know thy God, which is Gods only sonne:
Chyld of the highest, and moste high is hee,
VVhose beeing by no earthly wight begun:
Hee shal the great expexted prophet bee,
Of woorthy greatnesse, and great dignitie.

Sibylla Cumea.

A maid excelling all in sainctitie
And whose cleere beauty shal the starres exceed
Of Chyld (in future tyme) conceau'd shalbe,
And of the rarest sacred blood and seed:
And from the heauens the sweet dew downe shal fal
Into her brests to nowrish him withal.

Sibylla Erithrea.

In later age, high God wil him abase,
And vnto low estate himself inclyne,
Mixing his nature with our humaine race,
His Godheid to our manheid to combyne:
And lo the litle lamb in strawy bed,
Shal of a maid be nowrished and fed.

Sibylla Samia.

O fond Iudea, why do'st thow neglect,
The certaine knowlege of thy very God,
Thy happy dayes why do'st thow so reiect?
O why do'st thow prepare for him a rod?
VVith thorny crowne his head why do'st thow presse?
And for his taste a bitter potion dresse.

Sibylla Cumana.

What tyme the third dayes sleep hath taken end
The tyme prescrybed also end shal take,
Of death, whose rule to that space did extend,
And then as from his sleep shal wax awake,
Hee whose now bringing liues reuyned ioy,
Shal shew how men from death may lyf enioy.

Sibylla Helispontiaca.

Even from the heau'ns moste high & stately throne
The eyes of God the earth shal oueruiew,
And of all creatures take regard of one,
Of modest meeknesse, and moste gratious hew:
And as a man God shal bee borne on earth,
And of an hebrew virgin haue his birth.

Sibylla Phrigia.

The earth shal rent at feareful trumpet sound,
And kinges as vassals at Gods seat appeere,
In iustice all his iudgments shal abound,
Yeilding to men as men deserued heere:
vnto the good, stil during heauenly ioy,
And to the il, long-lasting helles annoy.

Sibylla Tiburtina.

Thow Bethlem arte the birth-place of thy Lord,
That doth from Nazareth assume his name,
O blessed moother, blis doth thee affoord,
His loue, that leaues himself pledge of the same:
O blessed bee that sweet milk-yeilding brest,
To nowrish God, right happely adrest.