In the City wherein the Wolf shall go,
Near that place the enemies shall be,
An Army of strangers shall spoil a great Countrey,
The friends shall go over the Mountains of the Alpes.
ANNOT.
The two last Verses make me think that this Prophesie was fulfilled in the time of Henry II. King of France, because the French being then friends to the Pope, went over the Alpes to serve him.
This Stanza might also be applyed to Lewis 13, who caused his Army to go beyond the Alpes, but that word Friends is more convenient to the time of Henry II. because the French went then over the Alpes in quality of friends to serve the Pope.
According to this conjecture, the wolf which signifieth the Spaniard, came anno 1556. into many Towns, which the Duke of Alba took, as we have said in another place, and because among those Towns Neptune was one of the most considerable, being seated by the Sea side near Rome: I believe that by this word City he meaneth that Town which belonged to the Colonese.
And to say truth, the French were then very near it, to endeavour the relief of it.
Afterwards came the Duke of Guise’s Army, which is named by the Author, an Army of strangers, because the French and Germans are strangers to Italy. This Army shall spoil a great Countrey; for in that year it went through all Italy, and where an Army passeth, nothing but ruine can be expected.