A PEPYSIAN GARLAND - online book

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	CALEB SHILLOCK'S PROPHECY Ninthlie, there will also arise great Earth-quakes, whereby diuers goodly buildings & high houses, are like to be ouerthrowne and ruinated. Lasdie, there will be great remoouings of the earth in diuers places, so that for feare thereof, many people will be in a strange amazement and terror. These punishments are prognosticated by this learned Jew, to fall vppon the whole world by reason of sinne, wherefore it behooueth all Christian [sic] to amend their euill liues, and to pray earnesdy vnto GOD to withhold these calamities from vs, and to conuart our harts wholy to him, whereby we may find fauour in our time of neede, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Certain scholars have suggested that from this pamphlet Shakespeare got the name Sky lock for his Merchant of Venice (Sir A. W. Ward, History of English Dramatic Literature, n, 107). For the tune cf. the notes to No. 49. To the tune of Bragandarie. 1 TO Caleb Shillocks Prophesies, Who list to lend an eare, Of griefe, and great calamities¹, A sad Discourse shall heare: Of Plagues (for sinne) shall soone ensew Prognosticated by this lew: O Lord, Lord in thy mercy, Hold thy heauy hand. 1 And first, within this present yeere, Beeing Sixteene hundreth seau'n: The Prince of Planets shall appeare, Like flaming Fire in heau'n, Like flaming Fire his radiant rayes To all shall seeme (old Shillock sayes.) O Lord, Lord in thy mercie, Hold thy heauie hand. ¹ Text calamitie. 18