NAMOVE ERIT ILLE MIHI VIRE ECLOâ—PAI MICHAEL NOSTRADAMVS EX ANTIQVITATE RENASCOR Gallica quem genuit relinetque Britannica lellus Callinf Hermeâ—s quicquid in arte fuit THE TRUE PROPHECIES OR Prognostications OF Michael Nostradamus PHYSICIAN TO Henry II. Francis II. and Charles IX KINGS of FRANCE And one of the best ASTRONOMERS that ever were A WORK full of CURIOSITY and LEARNING Translated and Commented by THEOPHILUS GARENCIERES Doctor in Physick Colleg. Lond. LONDON Printed and are to be Sold by John Salusbury at the Sign of the Atlas in Cornhill 1685. To his most Honoured Friend NATHANIEL PARKER OF Grayes-Inne Esq THEOPHILUS de GARENCIERES D. Med. Colleg. Lond. Humbly Dedicateth this Book Namque erit ille mihi c. Virg EccI 1. TO THE Courteous Reader Reader BEfore thou goest on further to the perusing of this Work thou art humbly intreated by the Authour to forgive him his Anglicisme for being born a Forreigner and having had no body to help him to the polishing of it for several reasons it cannot be expected he should please thine Ears so much as he may perhaps do thy Fancy Every Exotick Plant can hardly become Domestical under one or two Generations Besides that the Crabbedness of the Original in his own Idiome can scarce admit a Polite Eloquency in another The very Antient English Language in this refined Age is become both obsolete and unintelligible as we may see in Chaucer Gower and others If you adde to this that the Authours Nation hath been alwayes famous for its Civility to those that were Strangers to their Language as not onely to abstain from laughing at them when they spoke amiss but also in redressing them charitably to the best of their power I may probably expect you will measure me with the same measure as you would be if you were in my case As for the Errataes of the Press I could not help them being out of Town most part of the time that the Book was a Printing when you meet with any I hope your Charitable Pen will either mend or obliterate them and not lay another mans fault upon me who neither for pride nor ostentation undertook this laborious Work but that I might give some Satisfaction and Recreation to the Learned and Curious who have had a longing for it ever since its Birth Farewell IN Explicatum à doctissimo sagacissimoque Viro Domino De GARENCIERES FAMOSI Nostradami Vaticinium ABdita qui medici legit praesagia Vatis Non valet hoc quisquam pandere carmen ait Falleris en Medicus merito quoque nomine Vates Invia luminibus permeat antra novis Sâ—d minus ingenio tantum mirere laborent Id succisivo tempore fecit opus Petrus Cotterean Aliud PRaeteritos in vate tuo cognoscere casus Vix licet a st etiam nota futura tibi Si potes è mediis lucem proferre tenebris Ipsa metallornm semina te-ne latent Nulla tuum fugiunt naturae arcana cerebrum Per quem Nostradami Pythica verba patent Idem Perenni Famae Doctissimi Viri Theophili de Garencieres Doctoris Medici Colleg. Lond. de Interpretatione NOSTRADAMI Fatidici Tetrastichon hoc dicavit Dudleyus dimidia pars ipsius animae QUae prinmus fecit facit illa secundus Apollo Conjungens medicis oracula sacra triumphis Quis major rogitas facile est discerncre noris Si Latonigenae cessare oracula Phoebi By the same To the Author of this and a more Excellent Work Mystically THe God of Arts that gives thee Light as clear As his that thou might'st be his Agent here In all his Secrets courts thee to go on Till thou hast made thy self another Sun Aeternum vivant si vera Oracula Phoebi Nostradami vivent Patris illa mei Petrus THE PREFACE TO THE READER READER BEfore I speak any thing of the Author or of his Works I think it convenient to speak something of my self and of my intention in setting out this Translation with my Annotations The Reputation that this Book hath amongst all the Europeans since its first coming out which was in the year 1555. and the curiosity that from time to time the learned have had to see the Mysteries contained in it unfolded is a sufficient warrant for my undertaking Many better Pens I confess could have performed this work with better success but not with greater facility than I having from my youth been conversant with those that pretended or endeavered to know something in it Otherwise it would have been impossible for a man of my profession to wade through it This Book was the first after my Primmer wherein I did learn to read it being then the Custom in France about the year 1618. to initiate Children by that Book First because of the crabbidness of the words Secondly that they might be acquainted with the old and absolete French such as is now used in the English Law and Thirdly for the delightfulness and variety of the matter so that this Book in those days was printed every year like an Almanack or a Primer for Children From that time without any other Study than reading of History and observing the events of the world and conversing with those that made it their Study some of which were like to run mad about it I have attained to so much Knowledge as to bring it into a Volume The Book is written in the Nature of Prophecies digested into old French Verses most of which are very hard to be understood and others impossible at all whether the Author did affect obscurity or else wanted the faculty to express himself which is the cause that it could not be rendred into English Verses it being troublesome enough to be understood in Prose as the Reader will find That 's the reason that I have translated it almost word for word to make it as plain as I could as also because the Reader if curious of it may benefit himself in the knowledge of the French Tongue by comparing the English and French together The rest that can be said upon this subject you shall find either in the Authors Life or in the Appology made for him And because I have told you before that many have been like to run mad by over-studying these and other Prophecies give me leave to give you this advice that in vain or at least without any great profit thou shalt bestow thy time care and study upon it for which I will give thee the chief reasons that have disswaded me from it The first is that the thing it self which you may think to understand is not certain in it self because the Author disguiseth it in several manners sometimes speaking a double sense as that of the ancient Oracle Aio te Aeacida Rontanos vincere posse Which is to be understood two ways and cannot be determinated till the event of it be past It is true that the Author doth mark so many particular Circumstances that when
gave him Thence he went to Salon de Craux a City distant from Aix one dayes Journey and in the middle way between Avignon and Marseille there he Married his second Wife Anna Ponce Genelle by whom he had three Sons and one Daughter the eldest was Michael Nostradamus who hath written some pieces of Astrology Printed at Paris in the year 1563. The second was Caesar Nostradamus who hath deserved to be numbred among the French Historians by reason of the great Volume be hath written of Provence The third was a Capuchine Frier Caesar did insert in his History the propagation of that Order in Provence The fourth was a Daughter Nostradamus having found by experience that the perfect knowledge of Physick dependeth from that of Astrology he addicted himself to it and as this science wanteth no allurement and that besides his Genius he had a peculiar disposition and inclination to it he made such a progress in it that he hath deserved the Title of the most illustrious one in France insomuch that making some Almanacks for recreation sake he did so admirably hit the conjuncture of events that he was sought for far and near This success was the cause of an extraordinary diminution of his fame for the Printers and Booksellers seeing his same did print and vent abundance of false Almanacks under his name for lucre sake whence it came that his reputation suffered by it and was the cause that the Lord Pavillon wrote against him and that the Poet Jodele made this bitter Distichon Nostra damus cum falsa damus nam fallere nostrumest Et cum falsa damus nil nisi Nostra damus To which may be answered Nostra damus cum verba damus quae Nostradamus dat Nam quacunque dedit nil nisi vera dedit Or thus Vera damus cum verba damus quae Nostradamus dat Sed cum Nostra damus nil nisi falsa damus Nevertheless the Beams of Truth did shine through the Clouds of Calumny for he was singularly esteemed of by the Grandees Queen Katharine of Medicis who had a natural inclination to know furture things And Henry the II King of France who sent for him to come to the Court in the year 1556. and having had private conference with him about things of great concernment sent him honourably back again with many gifts He went from Salon to the Court upon the 14 of July in the year 1555. and came to Paris upon the 15 of August Assoon as he was come to Town the Lord Constable of Montmorency went to see him at his Inn and presented him to the King who received him with much satisfaction and commanded that his lodging should be at the Palace of the Cardinal of Bourbon Archbishop of Sens. There he was taken with the Gout for ten or twelve days after which his Majesty sent him one hundred Crowns in Gold in a Velvet Purse and the Queen as much Their Majesties desired him to go to Blios to see the Princes their Children and to tell them his opinion of them It is certain that he did not tell them what he thought considering the Tragical end of those three Princes viz. Francis the II. Charles the IX and Henry the III. Having been so much honoured at Court he went back again to Salon where he made an end of his last Centuries two years after he dedicated them to the King Henry the II. in the year 1557. and in his Luminary Epistle discovereth unto him the future events that shall happen from the Birth of Lewis the XIV now Reigning till the coming of Antichrist While he was at Salon he received there the Duke of Savoy and the Lady Margaret of France Sister to Henry the II. who was to Marry the said Duke according to the treaty of the general Peace made at Cambresis both entertained him very familiarly and honoured him often with their presence The Duke came in October and the Lady in December When Charles the IX went a progress through his Kingdom he came into Provence and did fail not to go to Salon to visit our Author who in the name of the Town went to salute him and make a Speech this was in the year 1564. the 17 of November The extraordinary satisfaction that the King and the Queen Mother received from him was such that being both at Lion they sent for him again and the King gave him 200 Crowns in Gold and the Queen almost as much with the quality of Physician in Ordinary to the King with the Salaries and profits thereunto appertaining Being come back to Salon he lived about 16 Months longer and died upon the 2 of July 1566. in his Climacterical year of 63. having all his Senses about him His Disease was a Gout at first which turned into a Dropsie the time of his death it seemeth was known to him for a friend of his witnesseth that at the end of June in the said year he had writen with his own hand upon the Ephemerides of John Stavius those Latine words Hic prope mors est that is near here is my death and the day before his death that friend of his having waited on him till very late took his leave saying I shall see you again to morrow morning you shall not see me alive when the Sun riseth which proved true He died a Roman Catholick having received all his Sacraments and was solemnly buried in the Church of the Franciscan Friers at Salon on the left hand of the Church door where his Widow erected him a Marble Table fastened in the Wall with this Epitaph with his Figure to the Life and his Arms above it The Inscription of his EPITAPH is in imitation of that of Titus Livius and is thus D. M. Ossa clarissimi Michaelis Nostradami unius omnium pene mortalium digni cujus Divino calamo totius Orbis ex astrorum influxu futuri eventus conscriberentur Vixit annos LXII menses VI. dies X. Obiit Salonae CIâ— Iâ—LXVI Anna Pontia Gemella conjugi optimo V. E. Which may be rendred thus Here lies the Bones of the most famous Nostradamus one who among Men hath deserved by the opinion of all to set down in writting with a Quill almost Divine the future Events of all the Universe caused by the Coelestial influences he lived 62 years 6. Months and 10. days he died at Salon in the year 1566. O Posterity do not grudge at his rest Anna Pontia Gemella wisheth to her most loving Husband the true Happiness He had a Brother named John Nostradamus famous for several Works that he hath witten the Catalogue of which is in the Book of Mr. du Maine de la Croix Intitled the Library As for our our Author he hath left several Works among which is a Book of Receits for the preservation of health Printed at Poitiers in the year 1556. Another concerning the means of beautifying the Face and the Body that was Printed at Antwerp by Plantin in the year 1557.
Admiral in the Battle of Lepanto five Ships taken from the Spaniard by those of Diepe under Henry II. nine hundred thousands Mores that went out of Spain under Henry IV. three hundred and fifty thousands killed under Charles IX and Henry III. three saved at the taking of a Town in Hungary by the Turks nine separated from the company of Seditious that were to be put to death three Princes of Turky Massacred and the fourth being the youngest saved thirty Conspirators upon London Bridge against the Majesty of King Charles I. and such like Thirdly We find in these Prophecies the Prodigies that have no other causes in nature then the meer will of God such as Comets are the casting of monstrous Fishes by the Sea upon the Land the Armies in the Air the speaking of Dogs the birth of Monsters and such like Fourthtly We find in those Prophecies those actions that are purely indifferent for example that the King of England did appear upon a Scaffold without his Doublet that in the place where he was beheaded another man had been killed three days before that Libertat went a Hunting with a Greyhond and a Blood-hond that the two little Royals were conducted to St. Germain rather then to any other place and such like Fifthly We find the Birth of several particular persons that were born after his death Sixthly The Governments of Places given by the free will of Kings to such and such All these things cannot be known by judicial Astrology seeing that in Heaven there is neither Names nor Numbers nor extraordinary Prodigies seeing also that judicial Astrology presupposeth the Birth of persons that one may foretel their future actions the same things are also unknown to Satan for the Angelical species know nothing of individual things but under the notion of possible and not of future Whence I conclude with this irrefragable Argument that the Author hath known many several things that are not written in the Heavenly Book nor represented to him by Angelical Species therefore he hath known them from God himself The Author himself in his Epistle to his Son Caesar Nostradamus confesseth that he hath foretold many things by Divine Virtue and Inspiration And a little after he saith that the knowledge of those things which meerly depends from free will cannot be had either by humane auguries nor by any other humane knowledge nor by any secret virtue that belongeth to sublunary things but only by a Light belonging to the Order of Eternity This is not a small Argument to confirm what we have said and to prove that the Author hath evidently been conscious that his knowledge came from Heaven and that Gods goodness did him that grace for having rejected and abhorred other means that Impostors make use of for foretelling something He writteth all these things of himself First in his Liminary Epistle to his Son Caesar he conjureth him that when he should go about to study the foretelling of future things by Astrology to avoid all kind of Magick prohibited by the Holy Scripture and the Canons of the Church and to encourage him the more to it he relateth what happened to him viz. that having been Divinely enlightned and fully persuaded that God only can give the knowledge of future things which absolutely depends of the free will of men he did burn abundance of Writings wherein was taught the Art of Prophecying and as they were a burning there came out a great flame which was like he thought to burn his House all to ashes by which accident he understood the falsity of such Writings and that the Devil was vexed to see his plots discovered besides that he confesleth that being the greatest Sinner of the World nevertheless he got that favour from Heaven by a Divine Inspiration and because no body should doubt of it he learnedly expoundeth wherein consisteth that inspired Revelation he faith that it is A participation of the Eternal Divinity by which we come to judge of what the Holy Ghost imparteth to us by that participation of Eternity the Author doth not understand a communication of the continuance of the Divine being but a participation of the Divine knowledge measured by its Eternity as the Schools terms it Effectively the Author compareth this participation to a glistering flame which createth a new day in our understanding which flame proceeding from Gods infinite knowledge who seeth and comprehendeth what is Eternity doth impart unto us what is inclosed in the volubility of the Heavens After this testimony which wholly destroyeth the Sinister opinions that men had of his Prophecies he sheweth how Judicial Astrology may agree with the knowledge of that which proceedeth from a Prophetical Spirit It is true faith he that sometimes God imparteth this Light not only to the unlearned and to his Holy Prophets but also to those that are versed in Judicial Astrology making that instrumental for the confirmation of his inspired truths As we see that natural Sciences help the light of the Faith and make a certain disposition in the mind fitter then ordinary to receive those Divine impressions Thus saith he in the beginning of the Epistle God did supernaturaly inspire me not by any Bacchick fury nor by Lymphatical motions as he did the Sybilles but by Astronomical assertions that is to say that God gave him that grace not by any Extasy but by studying those rules which Astrology teacheth The same things he saith again a little after in this manner the Astrologer being in his Study and consulting the Astronomical Rules upon the motions of the Heavens the Conjunction and several Aspects of the Planets he guesseth at some future events of which being not certain this Divine Light riseth in his mind and imparteth clearly to him what he knew before only Aenigmatically and obscurely and in the shade of that natural light Sometimes also saith he this Light cometh the first into the Astrologers mind and he afterwards comparing the thing revealed unto him with the Astronomical rules he seeth that they do wholly agree together and this is the method that he hath made use of to know whether the inspired truths were agreeing with the Astronomical Calculations a method that he hath made use of some times but not always for he hath foretold many things which he could not read in the Heavens By these testimonies of the Author himself every one may see how he made use of Judicial Astrology and wherefore he studied it so much how far his knowledge did extend the glory he giveth to God alone for his Prophetical knowledge what horrour he hath always had against unlawful means to attain unto it how much he did value that Grace considering his unworthiness and the manner how the Lord was pleased to gratifie him CHAP. VII Answer to the first Objection against Nostradamus which pretendeth to rank him among the false Prophets LEt us see now what calumny pretendeth for the obscuring this Prophet of our days the knowledge of
made at Nantes the 1. of February 1560. whose chief Ring-leader was the Lord La Renaudie they presently got the King out of Blois and carryed him to Amboise caused the Town to be fortified and set strong Guards upon all the passages The day appointed for the execution of the conspiracy at Blois was the 10th of March But the King being got to Amboise the Conspirators went thither in such great numbers and under such specious pretences that had they not been betrayed no body would have suspected them All the Suburbs and the Countrey Towns thereabouts were full of them the Prince of Condé the Admiral d'Andelot and his Brother the Cardinal were all there Then the Guisians began to fall to work and to set upon the Conspirators on all sides Abundance were taken some in the City some in the Suburbs others in the Countrey round about Most of these were slain before they could come to Town or be carried to Prison And their process was so short that they were hanged in their Boots and Spurs The Scouts did every where kill those they met withall To conclude it proved a very Bloody Tragedy La Renaudie the Chief of the Conspirators was met with by the Lord Pardaillan a Gascon At the first approach La Renaudie killed him but himself was killed by Pardeillan's Servant and his dead body brought and hanged at Amboise The second History is concerning England which palpably makes this Prophecie good if we make reflection upon what hath happened in this last Century of years concerning banished people that have conspired against their King and Countrey as we may see through all the Life of Queen Elizabeth and by that famous Plot of the Gun-powder-Treason in King James's time which must be understood here by the Mine XIV French De gens esclave chansons chants requestes Captifs par Princes Seigneurs aux prisons A l'aduenir par Idiots sans testes Seront receus par divins oraisons English From slavish people Songs Tunes and requests Being kept Prisoners by Princes and Lords For the future by headless Idoits Shall be admitted by divine prayers ANNOT. This is a prognostication of the beginning and increase of the Protestants in France who began to sing their Psalms in French and from time to time presented their request for tolleration The Author being a zealous Papist calleth them Idiots and that notwithstanding the persecution that should be against them being put in Prison by Princes and Lords they should at last be admitted by reason of their often praying to God XV. French Mars nous menace par la force bellique Septante fois fera le sang respandre Auge ruine de l'Ecclesiastique Et par ceux qui d'eux rien ne voudront entendre English Mars threatneth us of a Warlike force Seventy times he shall cause blood to be shed The flourishing and ruine of the Clergy And by those that will hear nothing from them ANNOT. The Author having premonished us in his Preface that God having imparted to him the knowledge of many future things he was curious to know if his Divine Majesty had written the same thing in the Coelestial Book as concerning the States Empires Monarchies Provinces and Cities and he found that it was even so as it had been revealed to him so that the Book of Heaven written with Gods own hand in so many shining Characters might serve to studious men for a light and a Torch to discover very near the common estate of the world He then having learned from God in his solitariness the prosperities and afflictions of the Clergy from the beginning of the year 1555. to the end of the world he found that there was an agreement between his prophetical Knowledge and the motion of the Heavenly Bodies because having made the Systeme of the years after 1550. he found that Mars was in a dangerous Aspect to the Ecclesiastical estate and found that this Planet by its position did presage a long bloody and horrid Catastrophe in the world by which the Ecclesiastical estate should suffer much To make good this prediction the Author doth assure us in his Preface that he had considered the disposition of this Planet not only in the year 1555. but also in the years following and joyning together all that he had found in his Ephemerides he found that this Planet did on all sides presage most bloody actions Although saith he the Planet of Mars maketh an end of its course and is come to its last Period nevertheless it will begin it again but some gathered in Aquarius for many years and others by long and continual years As if he would say that his prediction ought not to be rejected because Mars ended his course and cometh to its late period for it would take again its Exaltation and Dominion with a worse conjunction having his Astronomical dignities with the Conjunction of other Planets in the Sign of Aquarius during many years and in the Sign of Cancer for many years more Which maketh the Author conclude that within the space of 177. years three months and eleven dayes the world shall be afflicted with Wars Plagues Famines and Innundations that scarce any body shall be left to Till the Ground By which prediction we learn that those evils began in the year 1555. the first of March which is the date of the Authors Book and shall last till the second of June 1732. abating the ten days of the Gregorian Calender During which time he saith that Mars threatneth us with bloody Wars that shall be reiterated 70 times This word seventy doth not signifie a determinate number but a great number indeterminated according to the Phrase of the Scripture which by the number of seven signifieth many times and by that of seventy incomparably many times more Thus the Scripture saith that the just man falleth seven times in one day that is many times and our Saviour saith to St. Peter that we ought to forgive our Enemies not only seven times but seventy times seven that is innumerable times We have found the truth of this Prophecie to this very day 1. In France by the Wars between Henry II. and Charles V. and Philip II. 2. By the Wars of Charles IX against the Protestants wherein so much blood was spilt on both sides 3. By Henry III. against the same Protestants and factions of his time and then against the Parisians and others of their league 4. Between Henry IV. and those of the league in his revolted Kingdom 5. By the Wars of Lewis XIII against the Protestants against the Duke of Savoy in the Valteline in Piemont in Lorrain in Alsatia in Catalonia in Franche-Conty in Flanders and for the defence of Portugal which have been continued by his successor Lewis XIV now Reigning Italy did also find the truth of this prophecie by the Wars between Paul IV. and the Spaniard between Pius V. and the Turks between Clement VIII and the Duke of Ferrara
Villageois Vie derniere chef de sa chevance English The guilty in a Citizens habit Shall come to tempt the King concerning his offence Fifteen Soldiers the most part Countrey men The last shall be his life and the best part of his Estate ANNOT. This signifieth that a great man having committed an offence against the King shall come to him in a mean habit to sue for his Pardon and shall be carried away by fifteen Souldiers the most part Countrey fellows and in conclusion he shall have his life saved and the best part of his Estate LXV French Au deserteur de la grand Forteresse Apres qu'aura son lieu abondonné Son adversaire sera si grand provesse L'Empereur tost mort sera condamné English After that the desertor of the great Fort Shall have forsaken his place His adversary shall do so great feats That the Emperor shall soon be condemned to death ANNOT. This is plain LXVI French Soubs couleur feinte de sept testes rasées Seront formez divers explorateurs Puits Fontains de poison arrousées Au Fort de Genes humains devorateurs English Under the fained colour of seven shaven heads Shall divers spies be framed Wells and Fountains shall be sprinkled with poison In the Fort of Genoa shall be humane devourers ANNOT. The three first Verses belong to the same sense viz. that seven men shall be spies under pretence to be Priests or Monks which is the meaning of the shaven heads and shall poison the Wells and springs The last Verse signifieth that in the Fort of Genoa their shall be devourers of men that is Usurers and Extortioners which is no new thing in that Nation LXVII French L'An que Saturne Mars esgaux combust L'Air fort seiché longne trajection Par feux secrets d'ardeur grands lieux adust Peu pluye Vent chauds Guerres Incursions English In the year that Saturn and Mars shall be fiery The Air shall be very dry in many Countreys By secret fires many places shall be burnt with heat There shall be scarcity of Rain hot Winds Wars in-roads ANNOT. This is the Prognostication of a mighty dry season and other accidents that shall happen when Saturn and Mars shall be in a fiery disposition which whether it be by Opposition Conjunction Aspect c. Let the Astrologers judge LXVIII French En l'an bien proche non esloigné de Venus Les deux plus grands de l' Asie d' Affrique Du Rhinc Ister qu'on dira sont venus Cris pleurs a Malthe coste Ligustique English In a year that is to come shortly and not far from Venus The two greatest ones of Asia and Affrica Shall be said to come from the Rhine and Ister Crying and tears shall be at Maltha and in the Ligurian shore ANNOT. The Rhine is a River in Germany Ister is another in the Countrey of Istria belonging to the Venetians By the first Verse I conclude that this Prophecy came to pass a little while after the Author wrote this Book when the grand Segnor Solyman besieged Maltha and put in fear all the Ligurian Coast which is that of Genoa LXIX French La Cité grande les exilez tiendront Les Citadins morts meutris chassez Ceux d' Aquilee a Parme promettront Monstrer l'entrée par les lieux non tracez English The banished shall keep the great City The Citizens being dead murdered and expelled Those of Aquileia shall promise to Parma To shew the entrance by unknown paths ANNOT. Aqueleia and Parma are two Cities in Italy The rest is easie LXX French Bien contigu des grands Monts Pyrenées Un contre l'Aigle grand copie adresser Ouvertes veines forces exterminées Que jusqu'au Pau le chief viendra chasser English Near the great Pyrenean Mountains One shall raise a great Army against the Eagle Veins shall be opened forces driven out So that the chief shall be driven as far as the Pau. ANNOT. By the Eagle here is understood the Empire because his Ensign is an Eagle LXXI French En lieu d'Espouse les Filles trucidées Meurtre a grand faute ne sera superstile Dedans le puis vestues inondées L'Espouse esteinte par haut d'Aconite English Instead of the Bride the Maid shall be killed The murder shall be a great fault none shall be surviving In the Well they shall be drowned with their Cloaths The Bride shall be extinguished by an high Aconite ANNOT. This is a Prophecie of a Tragical Nuptial where all the Maids shall be drowned with their Cloaths in a Well insomuch that none shall survive and the Bride shall be poisoned and die by Aconite which is one of the most poisonous herbs that is witness Juvinal Luridaterribilesâ—miscent asonita novercae LXXII French Les Artomiques par Agen Lectoure A saint Felix feront leur Parliament Ceux de Bazas viendront a la malhoure Saisir Condon Marsan promptement English The Artomiques through Agen and Lectoure Shall keep their Parliament at Saint Foelix These of Bazas shall come in an unhappy hour To seize upon Condon and Marsan speedily ANNOT. By the Artomiques he meaneth the Protestants because they take the Communion with leavened Bread which in Greek is called Artos Agen Lectoure saint Foelix Bazas Condon and Marsan are Cities of Gascony The rest is plain LXXIII French Le neveu grand par force prouvera Le peche fait de Coeur pusillanime Ferrare Ast le Duc esprouvera Par lors qu'au soir sera le Pantomime English The great nephew by force shall provoke The sin committed by the pusillanimons heart Ferrara and Ast shall make tryal of the Duke When the Pantomime shall be in the evening ANNOT. To understand the whole sense of this we must first know what is meant by the particular terms The great Nephew is the Brother or Sisters son of some great person who by force shall discover the Treason or Cowardise committed by some pusillanimous or fearful man Ferrara and Ast are two towns in Italy shall make a tryal of a Duke by being either taken or assaulted When the Pantomine shall be in the evening that is when the Comedy shall be acted for Pantomime in Greek signifieth a Comedian LXXIV French Du lac Leman ceux des Brannonices To us assemblez contre ceux d' Aquitaine Germans beaucoup encores plus Sovisses Seronts des faits avec ceux du Maine English From lake Leman and from the Brannonues They shall be gathered against those of Aquitania Great many Germans and many more Switzers Shall be routed together with those of Maine ANNOT. Lake Leman is the Lake of Geneva The Brannonices are those of Sens so called because they took Rome under the Conduct of their Captain Brennus and afterwards built Brenona a Town belonging since to the Venetians who calls it Verona Aquitania is that Province of France called now Gascony Maine is a Province in France The rest needeth no explication LXXV French
some events that were to happen But what did undo him most was the covetousness of the Printers and Booksellers of his time who seeing his Almanacks so well received did set forth a thousand others under his name that were full of lies and fopperies From that time the Author went for one of those poor Astrologers who get their living by foretelling absurdities and pretend to read in the Heavens that which is only in their foolish imagination CHAP. IV. The third Objection accuseth the Author of medling with the black Art of being a Negromancers and a Disciple of the Devil IF the precedents have been moderate in their censure others have been more severe in delivering their opinion accusing him to have kept acquaintance with the Devil as the Negromancers and other Prestigiators of the ancient times did The reason that made them think so is that seeing so many things come to pass just as the Author had foretold they could not attribute it to the knowledge of judicial Astrology nor to Divine Revelation and consequently concluded that it must of necessity come from Satan They could not attribute it to judicial Astrology either because they had no opinion of it or that the greatest defensors of that Astrology do agree among themselves that it cannot reach so far as to foretell a thousand peculiar circumstances which depend purely from the freedom of Men such as proper names are and the like which nevertheless our Author did foretell They could neither attribute it to Divine Revelation for the reasons alledged in the first objection moreover because he was accused of a thousand falsities and sopperies Printed in those Almanacks that went falsly under his name whence they concluded that it could not come by Divine Revelation seeing that the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Truth It followeth then say they that it must come from the Devil by the help of the Black Art the Lord Florimond de Raimond a very considerable Author was of that opinion in his Book of the Birth of Heresies Chap. 3. CHAP. V. The fourth Objection maketh him the Head of those Seductors and Impostors which are dangerous in a Common-wealth AS Fame doth increase by continuation of time so doth calumny increase by the multiplicity of opinions she was not contented to deflour slightly the Authors reputation by making him pass for some sottish Dreamer and to rank him amongst the false Prophets by accusing him to meddle with the black Art but must needs also sacrifice him to the infernal Furies by making him the Prince of Seductors and Impostors that ought to be banished out of every Common-wealth The fondamental reason of this was the obscurity of his Stanza's where there was neither rime nor reason the obscurity did proceed of abundance of gross fau t s which the Copisters and Printers have inserted in them from the omission of several words from the changing and altering of others and from the addition of some others which did destroy the sense From this great obscurity calumny draweth this argument to ruine utterly the Author charging him to be all at once a false Prophet a dotish Dreamer a Magician and an infamous Seductor of people If God had inspired him what he hath written he would have done it for the good of his Church and true Believers seeing he never granteth this Prophetical Grace to any but to that end as it appeareth in the Holy Scriptures This being so what profit can any body draw from him if the sense of his Stanza's be so obscure as not to be understood and although it should be granted that some accidens that have happened in Christendom may sometimes he found in his Prophecies what fruit hath the Church reaped of it seeing that those accidents that were foretold were never known till they had come to pass and that there was no avoiding of them It cannot therefore be believed that God should have been the Author of his Predictions but rather the subtle Spirit of Satan with whom he was acquainted by such like black Arts. According to those four Objections the Lord Sponde in the third Volume of his Annals made him this Epitaph in the year 1566. Mortâ—us est hoc anno nugax ille toto orbe famosus Michael Nostradamus qui se prâ—scium praesagum eventuum futurorum per astrorum influxum venditavit sub cujus deincept nomine quivis homines ingeniosisuas â—ujusmodi cogitationes protendere consueveruent in quem valde apposite lusit qui dixit Nostra damus cum falsa damus c. In English In the year 1566. died that Triâ—ler so famous through all the World Michael Nostradamus who boasted while he lived to know and foretell future things by the knowledge he had of the influences of the Planets under whose name afterwards many ingenious Men have vented their Imaginations insomuch that he that made that Distick Nostra damus cum falsa dâ—mus c. seemeth to have very well said CHAP. IV. Proofs setting forth evidently that Nostradamus was enlightned by the Holy Ghost IN consequence of these objections forged by calumny Nostradamus name hath been so câ—ied down that I have thought me self oblidged to make his Apology to give the greater credit to his Prophecy the exposition of which I do here undertake and to proove that effectually he was enlightned by the Holy Ghost first by writting the History of his Life as I have done in he beginning of this Book Secondly by answering to all the said Objections Thirdly by alledging the Elogies given him by several Grave and Authentical Authors First I maintain that he was enlightned by the Holy Ghost by an unanswerable reason drawn out the Theology but before we discourse of it let us suppose that Nostradamus hath foretold many things which absolutely depends from the free will of men and cannot be known neither by judicial Astrology nor by Satan himself such are for exemple the proper names of Persons which nevertheless he doth in his Prophecies He nameth the Lord of Monluc the Sprightful Gascon the Captain Charry his Camerade the Lord de â—a Mole Admiral of Henry the II. Galleys Entragues who was beheaded by order of Lewis the XIII the Headsman of the Duke of Montmorency named Clerepegne the Bassa Sinan destroyer of Hungary the Murderer of Henry the III. named Clement the Attorney David the Captain Ampus the Mayor of the City of Puy in Gelay named Rousseau under Henry the IV. Lewis Prince of Condé under Francis II. Sixtus V. calling him the Son of Hamont Gabrielle d'Estrie the Lord Mutonis sent to Paris by those of â—ix under Charles the IX the Lord Chancellor of France named Anâ—ony de Soudis the Queen Leuise Antony of Portugal the Governour of Cazal under Henry II. Secondly The number of things is of the same nature Nostradamus doth often calculate it he reckoneth fourteen Confederates for the service of Henry IV. in the City of Puy ten great Ships prosecuting extreamly the
Work but got his liâ—ing Honourably by his practise of Physick by which we may see that he did write some things which himself understood not unless they were such general ones as might be read in the Heavens CHAP. XII Elogies given to Nostradamus by several Authentical Authors IF several Authors either by envy or ignorance have defamed our Author others of no small repute have taken his defence in hand D' Aurat one of the most excellent Poets of France living at the same time as Nostradamus made a few explications of his Prophecies which as the report goes did please the Readers I am sorry I could not get them it would have been some ease to me for it is easier to add than to invent The first Volume of the Lord la Croix du Main maketh honourable mention of him the same saith that his Motto was Faelix Oviam prior Aetas Happy the first Age that was contented with their Flock shewing by that what esteem he had of frugality and sincerity of manners and what aversion he had against the Vices of his Age the unruliness of manners and consenage of men Ronsard the Prince of the French Poets singeth his praises The Lord Boucher in that great Volume intitled the Mistical Crown in favour of the future Croisade doth vindicate our Author from Calumny and expoundeth some of his Prophecies pretty happily I will not relate here what his Son Caesar Nostradamus writeth modestly of him in his History of Provence under Lewis the XII Henry the II. and Charles the IX his Evidence may be suspected because of the Consanguinity One of the greatest Wits of this last Age who desireth to be nameless giveth him this Character First That God Almighty hath chosen Michael Nostradamus among the common sort of Christians to impart unto him the knowledge of many prodigious and extraordinary future things Secondly He maintaineth that after the Apostles and Canonical Prophets he is the first of all in three things in his certainty and infallibility in the generality and in the quantity As to the first he doth not doubt but the Abbot Joachim ought to give him place for though he hath foretold somethings that have come to pass he hath written a hundred others which are meer fopperies Thirdly He maintaineth that the Emperour Leo in his prophetical Tables is far below him for he doth only aim at those things which regard the Eastern Empire as Theophrastus Paracelsus hath done for the Western Concerning the quantity of things he maintaineth that none of the others can dispute it with him for Nostradamus hath made above a thousand stanza's if we had them all each of which containeth two or three prophetical Truths some of which regard the East others the West others some private Kingdoms and States others private and particuler things and all with Truth and certainty CHAP. XIII What these Stanza's Prophecie of THe Author in his Epistle to King Henry the II. saith that he treatech of things which were to happen in many Cities and Towns of Europe and of a part of Asia and Africa And to say Truth I have found nothing in them concerning the East or West Jappan or China He treateth chiefly of France as of his Native Kingdom and of his own Countrey Provence and that which is next to it viz. Piemont He speaketh amply of the Popes and of Italy Turky and England As for the Empire Spain and Suedeland he doth moderately speak of them Concerning Aethiopia and Africa there is some nine or ten Stanza's In all those places he foretelleth many things not only general for every State but also particular and individual for several persons He also foretelleth many supernatural prodigies in the Heavens the Air the Sea and the Land He hath inserted among his Prophecies four Horoscopes the first of the Grandfather of the Lord l' Ainier in the Province of Anjou the second of one called Urnel Vaucile the third of one Cosme du Jardin and the fourth of one whom he nameth not but describeth him by his stature CHAP. XIV Since what time these Prophecies began IT is certain that they began in January 1555. because he dedicated the first seven Centuries to his Son Caesar the first day of March in the said year and consequently they were made before that time and we cannot allow less than two Months to an Author for the making of 700. Stanza's Nevertheless for a greater manifestation of his prophetical spirit I have not found any of his Prophecies that did come to pass before the first of March 1555. As for the Eight Ninth and Ten Century there is reason to believe that the effect of them doth not begin before the 27 June 1558. which is the date of his Liminary Epistle to Henry the II. Nevertheless he saith in the same Epistle that in a writing by it self he will set down the exposition of his Prophecies beginning the 14 of March 1557. and in the Epistle to Nostradamus his son he saith in general that he hath composed Books of Prophecies each one containing one hundred Stanza's without specifying whether he spoke of the seven that he dedicated to him or of all the others As for my part I believe he had made them all in the year 1555. but that he had not yet examined the three last Centuries according to the Calculation of his Astronomical assertions as he seemeth to indicate often in his Epistle to Henry II. and to say the truth I have found some Stanza's which were fulfilled before the year 1558. though very few As for the extent of his Prophecies it is certain that it is to the end of the World as I shall make it appear in the explication of the 48 the 49 and 56. Stanza's of the first Century and the 72 73 and 94. of the tenth and all according to the Holy Scripture All these things being premised we shall proceed to the explication of the Prophecies setting first the Authors Luminary Epistle to his Son THE PREFACE TO Mr. Michael Nostradamus HIS PROPHECIES Ad Caesarem Nostradamum Filium vita Felicitas THy late coming Caesar Nostradamus my son hath caused me to bestow a great deal of time in continual and nocturnal watchings that I might leave a Memorial of me after my death to the common benefit of Mankind concerning the things which the Divine Essence hath revealed to me by Astronomical Revolutions and since it hath pleased the immortal God that thou are come late into this World and canst not say that thy years that are but few but thy Months are incapable to receive into thy weak understanding what I am forced to define of futurity since it is not possible to leave thee in Writing what might be obliterated by the injury of times for the Hereditary word of occult praedictions shall be lockt up in my brest considering also that the events are definitely uncertain and that all is governed by the power of God who inspired us not
subject to all humane afflictions but being supprised sometimes in the week by a Prophetical humour and by a long Calculation pleasing my self in my Study I have made Books of Prophecies each one containing a hundred Astronomical Stanza's which I have joyned obscurely and are perpetual Vaticinations from this year to the year 3797. at which some perhaps will frown seeing so large an extention of time and that I treat of every thing under the Moon if thou livest the natural Age of a Man thou shalt see in thy Climat and under the Heaven of thy Nativity the future things that have been foretold although God only is he who knoweth the Eternity of his Light proceeding from himself and I say freely to those to whom his incomprehensible greatness hath by a long melancholick inspiration revealed that by the means of this occult cause Divinely manifested chiefly by two principal causes which are comprehended in the understanding of him that is Inspired and Prophecyeth one is that he cleareth the supernatural Light in the person that foretelleth by the Doctrine of the Planets and Prophecyeth by inspired Revelation which is a kind of participation of the Divine Eternity by the means of which the Prophet judgeth of what the Divine Spirit hath given him by the means of God the Creatour and by a natural instigation viz. that what is predicted is true and hath taken its original from above and such light and small flame is of all efficacy and sublimity no less then the natural light makes the Philosophers so secure that by the means of the principles of the first cause they have attained the greatest depth of the profoundest science but that I may not wander too far my Son from the capacity of thy sense as also because I find that Learning would be at a great loss and that before the universal Conflagration shall happen so many great Inundations that there shall scarce be any Land that shall not be covered with water and this shall last so long that except Aenographies and Topographies all shall perish also before and after these Inundations in many Countreys there shall be such scarcety of rain and such a deal of fire and burning stones shall fall from Heaven that nothing unconsumed shall be left and this shall happen a little while before the great conflagration for although the Planet Mars makes an end of his course and is come to the end of his last Period nevertheless he shall begin it again but some shall be gathered in Aquarius for many years others in Cancer also for many years and now we are governed by the Moon under the power of Almighty God which Moon before she hath finished her Circuit the Sun shall come and then Saturn for according to the Coelestial Signs the Reign of Saturn shall come again so that all being Calculated the World draws near to an Anaragonick revolutoin and at this present that I write this before 177. years three Months eleven Days through Pestilence Famine War and for the most part Inundations the World between this and that prefixed time before and after for several times shall be so diminished and the people shall be so few that they shall not find enough to Till the Ground so that they shall remain fallow as long as they have been Tilled although we be in the seventh Millenary which ends all and brings us near the eight where the Firmament of the eighth Sphere is which in a Latitudinary dimention is the place where the great God shall make an end of the revolution where the Coelestial Bodies shall begin to move again By that Superiour motion that maketh the Earth firm and stable non inclinabitur in seculum seculi unless his will be accomplished and no otherwise although by ambiguous opinions exceeding all natural reasons by Mahometical Dreams also sometimes God the Creator by the Ministers of his Messengers of fire and flame shows to our external senses and chiefly to our eyes the causes of future Predictions signifying the future Event that he will manifest to him that Prophecyeth for the Prophecy that is made by the Internal Light comes to judge of the thing partly with and by the means of External Light for although the party which seemeth to have by the eye of understanding what it hath not by the Loesion of its imaginative sense there is no reason why what he foretelleth should come by Divine Inspiration or by the means of an Angelical Spirit inspired into the Phophetick person annointing him with vaticination moving the fore part of his fancy by divers nocturnal apparitions so that by Astronomical administration he Prophecyeth with a Divine certitude joyned to the Holy prediction of the future having no other regard then to the freedom of his mind Come now my Son and understand what I find by my revolutions which are agreeing with the Divine Inspiration viz. that the Swords draws near to us now and the Plague and the War more horrid then hath been seen in the Life of three Men before as also by Famine which shall return often for the Stars agree with the revolution as also he said visitabo in virgâ ferreà iniquitates eorum in verberibus percutiam eos for the Mercies of God shall not be spread a while my Son before most of my Prophecies shall come to pass then oftentimes shall happen sinister storms Conteram ergo said the Lord confringam non miserebor and a thousand other accidents that shall happen by Waters and continual Rains as I have more fully at large declared in my other Prophecies written in solutâ oratione limiting the places times and prefixed terms that men coming after may see and know that those accidents are certainly come to pass as we have marked in other places speaking more clearly although the explication be involved in obscurity sed quando submovenda erit ignorantia the case shall be made more clear making an end here my Son accept of this Gift of thy Father Michael Nostradamus hoping to expound to thee every Prophecy of these Stanza's praying to the Immortal God that he would grant thee a long Life in Felicity From Salon this 1. of March 1555. THE TRUE PROPHECIES OR PROGNOSTICATIONS OF Michael Nostradamus Physician to HENRY II. FRANCIS II. And CHARLES IX Kings of FRANCE and one of the most excellent Astronomers that ever were CENTURY I. I. French EStant assis de nuit secrette estude Seul reposé sur la selle d'airain Flambe exigüe sortant de solitude Fait proferer qui n'est a croire vain English Sitting by Night in my secret Study Alone resting upon the Brazen Stool A slight flame breaking forth out of that solitude Makes me utter what is not in vain to believe ANNOTATION IN this Stanza Nostradamus expresseth those Humane dispositions which he made use of to be favoured of God for the knowledge of future things to the benefit of the Publick The first Disposition was the tranquility
of Mind when he saith Sitting by night Because a troubled Mind cannot see clearly the Things it is busie about no more than tossed Waters can distinctly represent the Objects that are opposed to them Thus we read in the Scripture that the Prophet Elishah being transported with Zeal against Joram King of Israel and nevertheless willing to consult God concerning the event of the Warr against the Moabites called for a Minstrel that the Harmony of the Instrument might quiet his Mind as it did happen And it came to pass when the Minstrel played that the Hand of the Lord came upon him 2 Kings chap. 3. ver 15. The Author in his Dedicatory Epistle to his Son Caesar calleth this Tranquility of Mind A long Melancholick Inspiration because the Melancholick Humour and Mind sequestreth a Man from the concerns of worldly things and maketh him present to himself so that his Understanding is not darkned by a multitude of Species that troubles its Operation The Second Disposition was the Silence of the Night For Man who is compounded of Body and Soul doth notably intricate himself in External things by the commerce of the Senses with the Objects which obligeth him to withdraw himself from visible things when he intends to apply himself to some serious Study And as the silence of the Night causeth in the Universe a cessation of noises and clashings in Business Visits and Colloquies the Mind is then more at rest Besides that Night covering with her Darkness our Hemisphere our Senses are less distracted and our Internal Faculties are more united to serve the Operations of the Understanding Therefore the Author in his two Liminary Epistles makes often mention of his continual Nocturnal Watchings of his Sweet-smelling nocturnal Studies and of his Nocturnal and Prophetical Calculations The Third Disposition was Solitariness that is having no other Conversation then that of his Books being retired in his Study Alone For it seemeth that God commonly maketh use of Solitariness when he doth impart himself to Men and revealeth them his Oracles And the Sybils were chosen to be Prophets as much for their Solitariness as for their Chastity The Author saith that with those three Dispositions he raised himself to the knowledge of future things which is signified by those words Resting upon the Brazen Stool Servius in his Commentaries upon Virgil speaking of this Brazen Stool saith two things of it The First that this Stool was a Table set upon a Trevet called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the Latines Tripus The Second is that the Sybils or the Priests of the Delphick Temple of Apollo got upon that Table when they went about to pronounce their Oracles Pliny in his 33. Book Chap. 3. saith that they called those Tables Cortinas and that some were made of Brass for the use aforesaid From the use of that Brazen Trevet is come the Proverb Ex tripode loqui When one speaketh like an Oracle Thus the Author willing to express that being in his Stuâ—y in the solitariness of the Night he raised himself to the Knowledge of Future things to write them and transmit them to Posterity he saith He was sitting or resting upon the Brazen Stool Thus raising himself and taking his Pen in hand to write what he should learn he saith in the Third Verse that A slight Flame or small Light did insinuate it self in his understanding by whose splendor and brightness he saw future things The Author in his Epistle to Caesar his Son expoundeth always this Prophetical Light by the comparison of a shining Flame and calleth it rather a Flame than a pure Light because this Light doth not only discover the Mysteries but more-over it lightens in us a certain Heat and Prophetical Power as himself terms it as if we should say a Sacred Enthusiasm even saith he as the Sun coming near us with his Light not only darteth upon all Elementary things the brightness of his Beams but withal infuseth in them a certain quickning heat which causeth the Vegetables to grow and upholdeth the Being of all other natural things Even so saith he this good Genius as the Ancients term it or as we Christians say that Divine Spirit of Prophecy coming near our understandings not only importeth a Light to them but moreover a certain heat and Prophetical Power which strenghteneth them in the knowledge of the aforesaid things and causeth them to breath out as by a Sacred Enthusiasm some Prophetical Verses Which happeneth to them saith the Author coming out of Solitude that is to fay when their Spirit stoopeth down and by degrees cometh down from that sublime Region and high elevation taking the Pen to write down the future time Therefore he with his dispositions participating of that slight flame coming out of his solitude began to write and to utter What is not in vain to believe The things that the Author hath written shall not be unprofitable as we have proved already and the time will come when by the means of Divine Providence the Church shall receive the fruit thereof at which we ought not to wonder seeing that God saith of himself in Isaiah Chap. 48. Ver. 17. I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit The Author foretelleth many wonders of which we ought to be certain by the verification of those that are already past seeing that it is the same Spirit that shewed them all The same Prophecies are also profitable in that every where the Author condemneth Seditious and Rebellious persons and Prophecieth the Churches Victory over her Enemies They are also profitable for particular Men that understand the meaning of them for by it they may provide for their own business according to the storm undertaking nothing but upon sure grounds following always the best party and disposing themselves to patience when the calamities are general and involve together the guilty and guiltless Therefore our Author saith well A slight flame breaking forth out of that solitude makes me utter what is not in vain to believe II. French La Verge en main mise au milieu des Branches De l'Onde je moüille le Limbe le Pied En peur j'escris fremissant par les manches Splendeur Divine le Divine prez s'assied English With Rod in hand set in the middle of the Branches With water I wet the Limb and the Foot In fear I writ quaking in my sleeves Divine splendor the Divine sitteth by ANNOT. Amongst the customs the Ancients observed before they pronounced their Oracles one was to take a Tuffie Branch of Laurel and with it dipt in water to sprinkle the edges and Columns of the Table that was upon the Brazen Trevet by which ceremonies they procured credit to their Oracles The Author willing to let us know that his Verses were not only a simple writing ing but also Prophetical and full of Oracles doth represent them to us by this Metaphore of the Ancients when they did amuse
notable supplie from the French to which the Author speaketh now in these tearms French fleet do not come near unto Corsica nor Sardinia which is another Island near Corsica The third Verse giveth the Reason of it ye shall die being frustrated of the help Greigne Greigne is the Provencal Language which was the Maternal one of our Author signifieth a Galley The sense therefore is this you shall be frustrate of the help of the Galleys that are under the command of the Baron de la Grade who carryed unto you men money and ammunition because he shall be then in pursute of the Spanish fleet that were scattered by a storm In the mean time Blood shall swim in the fight of the Baron de la Garde and thou poor Prisoner in that Island Thou shalt not believe me those slaves were they which went in the year 1555. And the Author saying Thou shalt not believe me sheweth that being very famous in Provence for his Prophecies the General of the Army had asked him concerning the success of his Journey and that he did warn him not to undertake it but having an express command from the King his Master he would need go Therefore he saith Poor prisoner thou shalt not believe me We find in this work many examples of those who went to consult with the Author concerning the success of their undertakings as did the Earl of Sommerive before the besieging of Bagnole to whom he answered that he should leave the Trees loaded with a new kind of fruit that is to say of the Rebels whom he caused to be hanged on Trees LXXXVIII French De Barcelone par Mer si grande Armée Toute Marseille de frayeur tremblera Isles saisies de Mer aide fermeé Ton traditeur en Terre nagera English There shall come from Barcelona by Sea so great a fleet That Marseilles shall quake for fear The Islands shall be seized the help by Sea shut up Thy Traitor shall swim to Land ANNOT. Barcelona is a Town in Spain upon the Mediterranean Sea Marseilles is another in France upon the same Sea The rest is easie LXXXIX French En ce temps la sera frustreé Cypre De son secours de ceux de Mer Aegée Vieux trucidez mais par Mesles Lipre Seduit leur Roy Roine plus outragée English At that time Cyprus shall be frustrated Of its succours of those of the Aegean Sea Old ones shall be killed but by Mesles and Lipre Their King shall be seducted and the Queen more wronged ANNOT. The two first Verses are plain the two last have need of an Oedipus XC French Le grand Satyre Tygre d' Hircanie Don presenté a ceux de l'Occean Un chef de Classe istra de Carmanie Qui prendra Terre au Thyrren Phocean English The great Satyr and Tyger of Hircania Shall be a gift presented to those of the Ocean An Admiral of a fleet shall come out of Carmania Who shall Land in the Thyrren Phocean ANNOT. By the great Satyr and Tyger of Hircania is meant the King of Persia who is also King of Hircani a abounding with Tygers That King of Persia shall be made a gift to those of the Ocean that is shall be either drowned in it or do some wonderful things upon it Carmania is a Province in Asia belonging to the Turk The Thyrren Phocean is the City of Marseilles in France so called by the the Author in this Book because it was a Colony of the Phocenses in Greece it is also called Thyrren because it is seated upon the Tyrrhenean Sea as Virgil saith Thyrrenum navigat Aequor XCI French L'Arbre qu'estoit par long temps mort seiché Dans une nuit viendra a reverdir Son Roy malade Prince pied attaché Craint d'ennemis fera Voiles bondir English The Tree that had been long dead and withered In one night shall grow green again His King shall be sick his Prince shall have his foot tied Being feared by his enemies he shall make his Sails to rebound ANNOT. The two first Verses are Metaphorical and are to be understood of a considerable person who having been for a long time despised and under a cloud shall on a sudden rise again and be in repute The two last Verses are intelligible enough XCII French Le monde proche du dernier periode Saturn encor sera tard de retour Translat Empire devers Nations brode L'oeil arraché a Narbon par Autour English The world being near its last period Saturn shall come yet late to his return The Empire shall be translated into brode Nations Narbon shall have her eye pickt out by a Hawk ANNOT. The meaning of the first and second Verses is that the world shall be at an end before 〈…〉 nath performed his whole course which if I do not mistake is thought by the Astronomers to be of 36000. years The third Verse signifieth that before the end of the world the Empire shall be translated or possessed by a black Nation for brode in old French signifieth black whence it cometh that to this day they call a handsom black woman une belle Brode that is a fair black woman Narbon is a famous City in Languedoc and the seat of an Arshbishop XCIII French Dans Avignon tout le Chef de l'Empire Fera arrest pour Paris desole Tricast tiendra l' Annibalique ire Lion par change sera mal console English In Avignon all the Chief of the Empire Shall stay by reason of Paris being desolate Tricast shall stop the Annibalik anger Lion by change shall be ill comforted ANNOT. The first and second Verse signifie that the Pope once more shall keep his seat in Avignon which is a Town in France belonging to the Pope and where formerly they kept their See for the space of above an hundred years As for the word Tricast there must be a foul errour in the impression or else I must confess I understand it not By the Annibalik anger is meant those of Barbary where Annibal was born Lion is a famous Town in France where is kept the greatest trading for Bills of Exchange XCIV French De cinq cens ans plus compte l'on tiendra Celuy qu'estoit l'ornement de son temps Puis a un coup grande clarté donra Que pour ce Siecle les rendra tres-contens English For five hundred years no account shall be made Of him who was the ornament of his time Then on a sudden he shall give so great a light That for that age he shall make them to be most contented ANNOT. The words and the sense are plain XCV French Lu Loy Morique on verra defaillir Apres un autre beaucoup plus seductive Boristhenes premier viendra faillir Par dons langue une plus attractive English We shall see the Morish Law to decline After which another more seducing shall arise Boristhenes shall be the first that shall fall By gifts and tongue
which is the head of wisdom And now is the Rose of the World A Bridge shall be ruinated with its great preeminence It shall be subdued and made a wrack by the Waves ANNOT. He foretelleth the destruction of a famous Bridge in the Countrey of Attica of which Athens is the chief City and because it was always famous for learning he calleth it here the head of VVisdom and that VVisdom the Rose of the VVorld XXXII French Ou tout bon est tout bien Soleil Lune Est aboundant sa ruine s'approche Le Ciel s'advance a changer ta fortune En mesme estat que la septiesme Roche English Where all well is all good O Sun and Moon Is existent his ruine draweth near The Heaven is making hast to change thy fortune Into the same case as the seventh Rockis ANNOT. By this dark Stanza the Author seemeth to foretell the woful condition of a Countrey that was happy before but shall fall to ruine I suspect he intended France because being a Frenchman he did not name it for I think there was never such a change in the world as was in that Kingdom in the time of the Civil VVars between the Roman Catholicks and the Protestants XXXIII French Des principaux de Cité rebellée Qui tiendront fort pour liberté r'avoir Detrencher masles infoelice meslée Cris hurlemens a Nantes pitieux voir English Of the chief men in a rebelled City Who shall stand out to recover their liberty The Males shall be cut in pieces O unhappy quarrel Cries and houlings it shall be pity to see at Nantes ANNOT. The Author applyeth this Prophecie to the City of Nantes in Britany but want of Books that treat of the History of that Countrey I could neither satisfie my self nor the Reader if this hath come to pass already or not XXXIV French Du plus profond de l'occident Anglois Ou est le chef de l'Isle Britanique Entrera classe en Garonne par Blois Par Vin Sel saux cachez aux barriques English From the deepest Westerly part of England Where the chief of the Britain Island is A Fleet shall come into the Garonne by Blaye By Wine and Salt fire shall be hidden in Barrels ANNOT. There is a notable and sensible error in the French Copy and without reforming it the sense is not only obscure but also impossible for instead of Blois which the Author hath put here I suppose to make the rime good it must be written Blaye which is a sea Town of the mouth of the River Garonne and Blois is a mid-Land Town upon the River Loire about a hundred Leagues distant from the other The rest signifieth no more but that there shall be some VVarlike stratagem made use of by the French understood here by the names of Wine and Salt in puting fire into Barrels XXXV French Par Cité franche de la grand Mer Seline Qui porte encor l'estomach la pierre Angloise classe viendra soubs la bruine Prendre un rameau de grand ouverte guerre English By a free City of the Selyne Sea Which carrieth yet the stone in the Stomach An English Fleet shall come under a fog To take a branch of great open War ANNOT. What should the Author mean by the free City of the great Seline Sea that carryeth yet the stone in the stomach is hard to guess for my part I believe it to be Venice First because by the Seline Sea he always understands the Mediterranean because the great Turks name in our Authors time was Selyn who was Master of the greatest part of it Secondly there is no other free City so considerable as this Thirdly by the stone in the Stomach may be understood the Pillars that are in the Piazza of St. Maâ—k and as it were in the Centre of Venice as the stomach is in the Body The sense therefore is this as I take it that a considerable Fleet shall come to Venice or rather to Molamocco which is the Harbour and there take a branch of great open VVar that is to be either against the Venetians or against the Turk in their behalf XXXVI French De Soeur le frere par fimulte feintise Viendra mesler rosee en Mineral Sur la placente donne a vieille tardive Meurt le goustant sera simple rura English The Brother of the Sister with a fained dissimulation Shall mix Dew with Mineral In a Cake given to a slow old woman She dieth tasting of the deed shall be simple and Countrey I ke ANNOT. This foretelleth a notable poisoning that shall be done by a Brother upon his sister which because she died not fast enough according to his mind and therefore called her slow he would set her forward with a poisoned Cake the Poison was Mineral and therefore Arsenick or sublimate mixed with Manna called here Dew because Manna is nothing but a Dew condensed upon the Bark of a certain Tree the Conclusion is that the woman shall die eating of it though the meat seemed to be simple and rural XXXVII French Trois sens seront d'un vouloir accord Qui pour venir au bout de leur attainte Vingt mois apres tous eux leurs records Leur Roy trahy simulant haine feinte English Three hundred shall be of one mind and agreement That they may compass their ends Twenty months after by all them and their partners Their King shall be betrayed by dissembling a fained hatred ANNOT. The difficulty of meeting in any Countrey three hundred men of one mind hath perswaded me that our Author writ this for England but by reason there hath been since a general pardon I will keep my mind to my self XXXVIII French Ce grand Monarque qu'au mort succedera Donnera vie illicite lubrique Par nonchalance a tous concedera Qua la parfin faudra la loy Salique English The great Monarch that shall succeed to the great one Shall lead a Life unlawfull and lecherous By carelesness he shall give to all So that in Conclusion the Salique Law shall fail ANNOT. This hath a Relation to the precedetn Stanza therefore c. XXXIX French Du vray rameau de fleur de Lis issu Mis loge heritier d' Hetrurie Son sang antique de longue main tissu Fera Florence florir en l'Armoirie English Issued out of the true branch of the City He shall be set for Heir of Hetruria His ancient blood waved by a long while Shall cause Florence to flourish in the Scutcheon ANNOT. This is only in commendation of the Family of the Medicis and of their Alliance with the Crown of France for Catharine of Medicis wife to Henry II. was Queen of France when our Author lived XL. French Le sang Roial sera si tresmeslé Contraints seront Gaulois de l' Hesperie On attendra que terme soit coule Et que memoire de la voix soit perie English
back but at last after 24 days siege the Duke of Aumale did gloriously take it The Author foretelling the time of this victory said it was when the writing D M. in big letters was found that is to say about the II. of September after the Equinox because in the Ephemerides the Meridional descension of the Planets and chiefly of Sol Venus and Mercury is marked with these two Letters D. M. which descension cometh to pass after the Equinox of Autumn towards the end of September At the same time was discovered an ancient Cave wherein was found one of those Lamps that cannot be put out and burns continually without any addition of Oil by an invention that is lost Such another was found in the time of Alexander the VI. and Adrian the VI. The Town of Vulpian was at that time tried by a King and a Prince viz. Henry the II. and the Duke of Aumale Prince of Lorrain and Brother to the Cardinal of Lorrain and to the Duke of Guise The Author addeth that besides these three things viz. the finding of the letters D. M. The Cave discovered the siege of Vulpian there happened a fourth one viz. that a Queen and a Duke should consult together in a Summer-house about the important affairs of the Kingdom To understand this we must suppose that Pope Paul the IV. willing to secure his own person and the Ecclesiastical State against the Spanish faction and that of the Colonese did seize upon many places belonging to the said Colonese and knowing besides that the Spaniards being of the Coloneses party would not fail to come upon him he disposed the King of France to come to his succours so that the Queen having a particular confidence in the Duke of Guise did consult with him about this business in some Summer-house which the French call a Pavillon LXVII French Par. Car. nersaf a ruine grand discorde Ne l'un ne l'autre n'aura election Nersaf du peuple aura a mour concorde Ferrare Collonne grande protection English Par. Car. Nersaf to ruine great discord Neither one nor the other shall be Elected Nersaf shall have of the people love and concord Ferrare Colonna great protection ANNOT. It is very hard to say what the Author meaneth by these disjunctives Par. Car. Nersaf all what can be gathered by what follows is that there shall be a great variance and strife about an Election I suppose of a Pope as it useth to be and that Nersaf shall have the good will of the people and yet none of them shall be Elected As for the fourth Verse it is to be noted first that Ferrara is a strong Town in Italy belonging to the Pope and Colonna is the â—â—me of the chief Family in Rome now whether Ferrara shall be a protection to Colonna or Colonna to Ferrara we leave it to the Reader to judge because the Verse hath a double sense LXVIII French Vieux Cardinal par le jeune deceu Hors de sa charge se verra desarmé Arles ne monstres double fort apperceu Et l' Aqueduct le Prince embaumé English An old Cardinal shall be cheated by a young one And shall see himself out of his imployment Arles do not show a double fort perceived And the Aqueduct and the embalmed Prince ANNOT. The two first Verses are very plain the two last not so therefore observe that Arles is a City in France in the Countrey of Danphine or Provence famous for antiquity which is forwarned here not to shew its Forts nor its Aqueducts which are buildings to convey water nor it s embalmed Prince which it seemeth lyeth thereabout buried The Author hath deprived here the Author of the reasons for why LXIX French Aupres du jeune se vieux Ange baiser Et le viendra surmonter a la fin Dix ans esgaux aux plus vieux rabaisser De trois deux l'un huitiesme Seraphin English Near the young one the old Angel shall bowe And shall at last overcome him Ten years equal to make the old one stoop Of three two one the eight a Seraphin ANNOT. This is the description of a grand Cheat when an old man called here Angel shall stoop before a young one whom he shall overcome at last after they have been ten years equal The last Verse is Mistical for there is four numbers three two one which make six and eight which he calleth Seraphin whether by allusion to that Quire of Angels which some call the eight or whether to the Order of St. Francis who calleth it self Seraphical is not easie to determine LXX French Il entrera vilain meschant infame Tyrannisant la Mesopotamie Tous amis fait d'Adulterine Dame Tetre horrible noir de Physiognomie English He shall come in villaen wicked infamous To tyranise Mesopotamia He maketh all friends by an adulteress Lady Foul horrid black in his Physiognomie ANNOT. Mesopotamia is a Greek word signifying a Countrey between two Rivers and though there be many Countreys so seated yet to this day it properly belongeth to that Countrey that lyeth between the two famous Rivers Tigris and Euphrates near Babylon the rest is easie LXXI French Croistra le nombre si grand des Astronomes Chassez bannis livres censureq L'An mil six cens sept par sacrez glomes Que nul au sacres ne seront asseurez English The number of Astronomers shall grow so great Driven away bannished Books censured The year one thousand six hundred and seven by sacred glomes That none shall be secure in the sacred places ANNOT. The sense of this is clear viz. that about the year 1607. the number of Astronomers shall grow very great of which some shall be expelled and banished and their Books censured and suppressed the rest is insignisicant to me LXXII French Champ Perusin O l'Enorme deffaite Et le conflict tout aupres de Ravenne Passage sacra lors qu'on fera la seste Vaincueur vaincu Cheval mange L'avenne English Perugian Fiâ—lâ— O the excessive rout And the fight about Ravenna Sacred passage when the Feast shall be celebrated The victorious vanquished the Horse to cat up his Oats ANNOT. Perugia is a City in Italy and so is Ravenna by which it seemeth there shall be a notable Battle fought as was once before in the time of Lewis the XII King of France between Gaston de Foix his Nephew and Don Raimond de Cardonne Vice-roy of Naples for there the French got the Battle in conciusion of which the said Gaston de Foix pursuing a Troop of Spaniards that were retiâ—ing was unfortunately kill'd and so the victorious were vanquished LXXIII French Soldat Barbare le grand Roy frapera Injustement non eslogine de mort L'Avare Mere du fait cause sera Conjurateur Regne en grand remort English A Barbarous Souldier shall strike the King Unjustly not far from death The covetous Mother shall be the cause of it The Conspirator and Kingdom in