Meaning & Analysis
When the mysterious 'black fleet of Norway' has arrived in England and departed, there will be a time of peace, making it safe and prudent for the English to build permanent houses from lime and stone.
Insights
Transition from Turmoil to Peace
The proverb marks a turning point: once the feared threat (the 'black fleet') has passed, a lasting peace is expected, encouraging people to invest in stability and permanence.
Cautious Optimism
It encourages waiting for the resolution of danger before committing to long-term plans, suggesting wisdom in restraint until the risk of upheaval has truly gone.
Historical Symbolism
The 'black fleet of Norway' likely alludes to legendary or historical seaborne invasions—possibly invoking the Norse incursions of earlier centuries, or, in later periods, the looming fear of foreign navies. The phrase's mysteriousness may reflect popular anxieties about unpredictable threats.
Literary and Cultural Resonance
Francis Bacon refers to this as a prophecy of unclear meaning. Its rhythmic, almost incantatory form suggests its role as a folk warning or oracle. The recommendation to build in 'lime and stone' (durable materials) stands in contrast to temporary wooden dwellings, symbolizing confidence in enduring peace.
Psychological Dimensions
Psychologically, the proverb acknowledges the human tendency to delay hope and investment during times of fear or instability. Only when anxieties have fully abated do people feel safe to plan for the future.
Rhetorical Devices
Prophetic Imagery
The use of an enigmatic prophecy and vivid seafaring imagery imbues the proverb with a sense of fate, foreboding, and hope.
Rhyme and Rhythm
The proverb’s rhythmic and rhyming structure ('come and gone' / 'lime and stone' / 'wars you shall have none') aids memorability and lends it an oracular, almost poetic quality.
Antithesis
Contrasts the arrival of the fleet (danger/war) with building permanent homes (peace/security), heightening the sense of transformation.
Transcription
Quotations
There was also another prophecy, before the year of eighty-eight, which I do not well understand. There shall be seen upon a day, Between the Baugh and the May, The black fleet of Norway. When that that is come and gone, England build houses of lime and stone, For after wars shall you have none.
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
Used under CC BY-NC 3.0.