“The witt,” i. e. the Meaning; alluding probably to the Interpretation given of this part of the Prophecy by Alanus de Insulis, who supposes the then reigning King Henry II. and his Sons to be intended; his Words are[91]:—
Henricus qui nunc in Anglia regnat, quinque filios suscepit ex Regina conjuge sua, quorum unus mortuus est, quatuor vero supersunt. Habuit et sextum ex concubina, qui clericus est, magnæ, ut aiunt, juxta ætatem, probitatis. Hic itaque vel sextus dicetur Henrici Regis filius, si mortuus ille quem habuit ex Regina inter alios computetur, vel quintus, si soli superstites a propheta numerantur, et alius adhuc expectandus, quem hic Sextum appellat. Possumus tamen sextum istum intelligere, qui in Anglia regnaturus sit post quatuor istos, et alium quintum quicunque ille sit, hoc est sive istorum frater, sive non, de quo dicitur quod Hyberniæ sit mænia subversurus, excisurus nemora, et in planitiem mutaturus diversas portiones, id est regna diversa, non est enim unum regnum, sed plura, ad unum regnum reducturus, ejusque coronam, assumpta feritate et fortitudine leonina, suo capite impositurus.
[Ibid.] line 9.
Sibille acordiþ herto.
The Verses of “Sibille” here quoted are to be found in a large Collection of other Prophecies of the same character, in a Manuscript[92] of the fourteenth Century, preserved in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin. The Editor is also enabled, through the Kindness of Mr. Holmes, to give here a complete Copy of them from the Cotton MS. Claud. B. vii., collated with the Arundel MS. 57, fol. In this latter MS. which is written, as Mr. Holmes conjectures, in a Hand of about the Year 1350, and also in the Dublin MS. the Line Terræ motus, &c. comes immediately before the Line Millenis ducentenis. The other various Readings are given in the Margin; A. denoting the Arundel, and D. the Dublin Manuscript.
“Sybilla de eventibus regnorum et eorum Regum ante finem mundi.”[93]
Gallorum lenitas Germanos iustificabit,
Italiæ gravitas Gallos confusa necabit.