Yonge Symnele, etc. By Symnele is meant the pretended Prince of
Wales, who, if he offers to attempt anything against England,
shall miscarry as he did before. Lambert Symnele is the name of a
young man, noted in our histories for personating the son (as I
remember) of Edward the fourth.
And Norway's Pryd, etc. I cannot guess who is meant by Norway's
Pride, perhaps the reader may, as well as the sense of the two
following lines.
Reaums shall, etc. Reums, or, as the word is now, realms, is the
old name for kingdoms: And this is a very plain prediction of our
happy Union, with the felicities that shall attend it. It is
added that Old England shall be no more, and yet no man shall be
sorry for it. And indeed, properly speaking, England is now no
more, for the whole island is one Kingdom, under the name of
Britain.
Geryon shall, etc. This prediction, tho' somewhat obscure, is
wonderfully adapt. Geryon is said to have been a king of Spain,
whom Hercules slew. It was a fiction of the poets, that he had
three heads, which the author says he shall have again: That is,
Spain shall have three kings; which is now wonderfully verified;
for besides the King of Portugal, which properly is part of
Spain, there are now two rivals for Spain, Charles and Philip:
But Charles being descended fro the Count of Hapsburgh, founder
of the Austrian family, shall soon make those heads but two; by
overturning Philip, and driving him out of Spain.
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