nature the more subtle parts of the Neighbouring Earth Thus far Doctor de Rochas XIII French Les Exilez autour de la Sologne Conduits de nuict pour marcher en l' Auxois Deux de Modene truculent de Bologne Mis discouverts par feu de Burancois English The banished about Sologne Being conducted by night to go into Auxois Two of Modena the cruel of Bolonia Shall be discovered by the fire of Burancois ANNOT. Sologne is a Province in France between the Perche and the Main Auxois is a Countrey in the South of France so called of its chief Town called Auch the seat of an Archbishop Modena is a Town in Italy and Bolonia another not far from it Buranceis is a part of the Province of Dauphini The meaning then of this Prophecy is this being known the Reader may easily find out the rest of the sense XIV French Mis en planure chauderon d'Infecteurs Vin miel en huile bastis sur Fourneaux Seront plongez sans mal dit malfacteurs Sept. fum extaint au Canon des Borneaux English A Dyers Kettle being put an a Plein With Wine Honey and Oil and built upon Furnace Shall be dipt without evil called Malefactors Seven fum put out at the Canon of Borneaux ANNOT. This hath a relation to the punishment which in some parts of France and Flanders is inflicted upon false Coiners which are commonly boiled in Oil in a great Kettle such as our Author here saith belong to Dyers The Author then will have that the time shall come when seven of that gang shall be so punished together in a Plain where a great Kettle shall be set for that purpose upon a Furnace XV. French Pres de Parpan les rouges detenus Ceux du milieu parfondrez menez loing Trois mis en pieces cinq mal soustenus Pour le Seigneur Prelat de Bourgoing English Near unto Parpan the red ones detained Those of the middle sunk and carried far off Three cut in pieces and five ill backed For the Lord and Prelate of Burgoing ANNOT. Parpan is either a barbarous or fained name by the red ones he hath hitherto understood some Cardinals the Reader may expound the rest according to his fancy XVI French De Castel Franco sortira l'assemblée L'Ambassadeur non plaisant fera Schisme Ceux de Riviere seront en la meslée Et au grand Goulphre desnieront l'entrée English Out of Castel Franco shall come the Assembly The Embassador not pleased shall make a Schisme Those of Riviere shall be in the medley And shall deny the entry of the great Gulf. ANNOT. Castel France is a Town in Piemont Riviere is a strong Castle in Burgundy but what he meaneth by the great Gulfe is more then I can tell XVII French Le tiers premier pis que ne fit Neron Vuidez vaillant que sang humain respandre Redifier fera le Forneron Siecle d'or mort nouveau Roy grand esclandre English The third first worse then ever did Nero Go out valliant he shall spill much humane blood He shall cause the Forneron to be builded again Golden Age dead new King great troubles ANNOT. This Prophecy pointeth directly at our Authors Master Charles the IX King of France whom he calleth he the third first because he was the third son to Henry II. and came to be King using more cruelties then ever Nero did for he was the cause of the Massacre of the Protestants in France in the year 1572. where above a hundred thousand people were murdered Forneron is a barbarous word put here to make a Verse and to rhime with Neron At that time he saith the Golden Age was dead and upon the coming of a new King who was Henry III. great tumults did happen and great Wars as is to be seen in the French History XVIII French Le Lys Dauffois portera dans Nancy Jusques en Flanders Electeur de l'Empire Neufve obturée au grand Montmorency Hors lieux pronez delivre a cle%e peyne English Dauffois shall carry the Lillie into Nancy As far as Flanders the Elector of the Empire New hinderance to great Montmorency Out of proved places delivered to a clear pain ANNOT. Although the words and sense of this Prophecy be most obscure nevertheless we shall endeavour as much as we can to render them something intelligible to the Reader By the first Verse is to be understood that Dauffois or rather Dauphinois which is the Title of the Kings of France eldest Son shall carry the Lillie which is the Arms of France into Nancy the chief Town in Lorrain which came to pass in the time of the last King Lewis the XIII By the second Verse is understood the Elector of Triers who was taken by the Spaniards in his own Town and carried prisoner to Bruxelles By the third and fourth is expressed the ill luck of the Duke of Montmorency who having taken part with the Duke of Lorrain and the Duke of Orleans the Kings Brother was routed in a Battle taken prisoner and afterwards beheaded at Thoulouse XIX French Dans le milieu de la Forest Mayenne Sol au Lion la Foudre tombera Le grand Bastard issu du grand du Maine Ce jour Fougeres pointe en sang entrera English In the middle of the Forrest of Mayenne Sol being in Leo the Lightning shall fall The great Bastard begot by the great du Main That day Fougeres shall enter its point into blood ANNOT. Fougeres is either the name of a Town in little Britanny or that of a Noble House the words are very plain therefore I leave the sense to every ones capacity XX. French De nuit viendra par la Forest de Rennes Deux parts Voltorte Herne la pierre blanche Le Moine noir en gris dedans Varennes Esleu Cap. cause tempeste feu sang tranche English By night shall come through the Forrest of Rennis Two parts Voltorte Herne the white stone The black Monk in gray within Varennes Elected Cap. causeth tempest fire blood cutteth ANNOT. Rennes is the chief Town of little Britanny the second Verse being made of barbarous words is impossible to be understood The third and fourth Verse signifieth that when a black Monk in that Town of Varennes shall put on a gray sute he shall be elected Captain and cause a great tempest or broils by fire and blood XXI French Au Temple hault de Blois sacre Salonne Nuict Pont de Loire Prelat Roy pernicant Cuiseur victoire aux marests de la Lone D'ou Prelature de blancs abormeant English At the high Temple of Blois sacred Salonne In the night the Bridge of Loire Prelat King mischievous A smarting Victory in the Marsh of Lone Whence Prelature of white ones shall be abortive ANNOT. There is a mistake in the first Verse for instead of Salonne it must be written Soulaire which is a Priory and Church at the top of Blois all the rest signifieth that in one night
by a Bacchant fury or Lymphatick motion but by Astronomical affections Soli numine Divino afflati praesagiunt Spiritu Prophetico particularia Although I have often foretold long before what hath afterwards come to pass and in particular Regions acknowledging all to have been done by Divine Vertue and Inspiration being willing to hold my peace by reason of the injury not onely of the present time but also of the future and to put them in Writing because the Kingdoms Sects and Regions shall be so Diametrically opposed that if I should relate what shall happen hereafter those of the present Reign Sect Religion and Faith would find it so disagreeing with their fances that they would condemn that which future Ages shall find and know to be true considering also the saying of our Saviour Nalite Sanctum dare canibus ne conculcent pedibus conversi discumpant vos which hath been the cause that I have withdrawn my tongue from the Vulgar and my Pen from Paper But afterwards I was willing for the common good to enlarge my self in dark and abstruse Sentences declaring the future Events chiefly the most urgent and those which I foresaw what ever humane mutation happened would not offend the hearers all under dark figures more then Prophetical for although Abscondisti haec a sapentibus prudentibus i. e. potentibus Regibus enucleasti ea exiguis tenuibus and the Prophets by means onely of the immortal God and good Angels have received the Spirit of Vaticination by which they foresee things and foretel future events for nothing is perfect without him whose power and goodness is so great to his Creatures that though they are but men nevertheless by the likeness of our good Genius to the Angels this heat and Prophetical power draws near us as it happens by the Beams of the Sun which cast their influence both on Elementary and not Elementary bodies as for us who are men we cannot attain any thing by our natural knowledge of the secrets of God our Creator Quia non est nostrum nosse tempora nec momenta c. Besides although there is or may come some persons to whom God Almighty will reveal by impressions made on his understanding some secrets of the future according to the Judicial Astrology as it hath happened in former times that a certain power and voluntary faculty possessed them as a flame of fire so that by his inspiration they were able to judge of Divine and Humane things for the Divine works that are absolutely necessary God will end But my son I speak to thee too obscurely but as for the secrets that are received by the subtle Spirit of fire by which the understanding being moved doth contemplate the highest Celestial Bodies as being active and vigilant to the very pronunciation without fear or any shameful loquacity all which proceeded from the Divine Power of the Eternal God from whom all goodness floweth Now my son although I have inserted the name of Prophet here I will not attribute to my self so sublime a Title for qui Propheta dicitur bodie olim vocabatur videns and Prophets are those properly my Son that see things remote from the natural knowledge of Men but put the case the Prophets by the means of the perfect light of Prophecy may see as well Divine things as Humane which cannot be seeing the effects of future predictions do extend a great way for the secrets of God are incomprehensible and the efficient power moveth afar off the natural knowledge taking their beginning at the free will cause those things to appear which otherwise could not be known neither by humane auguries or any hidden knowledge or secret virtue under Heaven but only by the means of some indivisible Eternal being or Comitial and Herculean agitation the causes come to be known by the Coelestial motion I say not therefore my Son that you may not understand me well because the knowledge of this matter cannot yet be imprinted in thy weak brain but that future causes afar off are subject to the knowledge of humane Creatures if notwithstanding the Creature things present and future were neither obscure nor hidden from the intellectual seal but the perfect knowledge of the cause of things cannot be acquired without the Divine Inspiration seeing that all Prophetical Inspiration received hath its original principle from God the Creator next from good Luck and afterwards from Nature therefore cases indifferently produced or not produced the Prophecy partly happens where it hath been foretold for the understanding being intellectually created cannot see occult things unless it be by the voice coming from the Lymbo by the means of the thin flame to which the knowledge of future causes is inclined and also my Son I intreat thee not to bestow thy understanding on such fopperies which drie up the Body and damn the Soul bringing vexation to the Senses chiefly abhor the vanity of the execrable Magick forbidden by the Sacred Scriptures and by the Canons of the Church in the first of which is excepted Judicial Astrology by which and by the means of Divine Inspiration with continual supputations we have put in writing our Prophecies And although this occult Philosophy was not forbidden I could never be persuaded to meddle with it although many Volums concerning that Art which hath been concealed a great while were presented to me but fearing what might happen after I had read them I presented them to Vulcan who while he was a devouring them the flame mixing with the Air made an unwonted light more bright then the usual flame and as if it had been a Lightning shining all the house over as if it had been all in a flame therefore that henceforth you might not be abused in the search of the perfect Transformation as much selene as folar and to seek in the waters uncorruptible mettal I have burnt them all to ashes but as to the judgement which cometh to be perfected by the help of the Coelestial Judgement I will manifest to you that you may have knowledge of future things rejecting the fantastical imaginations that should happen by the limiting the particularity of Places by Divine inspiration supernatural according to the Coelestial figures the places and a part of the time by an occult property and by a Divine virtue power and faculty in the presence of which the three times are comprehended by Eternity revolution being tyed to the cause that is past present and future Quia omnia sunt Nuda aperta c. therefore my Son thou mayst not withstanding thy tender brain comprehend things that shall happen hereafter and may be foretold by coelestial natural lights and by the Spirit of Prophecy not that I will attribute to my self the name of a Prophet but as a mortal man being no farther from Heaven by my sence then I am from Earth by my Feet possum errare falli decipi I am the greatest Sinner of the World
between the Emperour and the Duke of Mantua between Urban VIII and the Duke of Parma between the Venetians and the Florentines by the revolt of the Kingdom of Naptes under the conduct of the Duke of Guise England hath had its share of it under Queen Elizabeth by the revolt of Yorkshire and some other Provinces by the Spanish fleet of 88. By the death of Queen Mary by the revolt of the Kingdom against Charles I. And by the horrid perfidiousness of Cromwel Germany hath made it good by the War against the Turks the Protestants and the Swedes Poland hath done the same against the Russians Tartars Turks Cassaks and Swedes And Venice against the Turk for the Islands of Cyprus and Candia the Battle of Lepanto and the Wars of Dalmatia This Mars besides presageth two contrary things one is the Auge or Exaltation the other the ruine of the clergy where it is to be observed the Auge in tearms of Astrology signifieth mounting or ascending and cometh from the Latin verbe augere which signifieth to augment or increase This augmentation and ruine of the Clergy is made good by the several changes that have been in the Ecclesiastical estate in France England Low-Countreys Denmark Swede Poland Hungary Valachia Transylvania Moldavia Dalmatia Geneva Switzerland c. The fourth Verse saith By those that will hear nothing from them that is by the Protestants that will hear nothing from the Roman Catholicks XVI French Faux a l'Estang joint vers la Sagittaire En son haut Auge de l'Exaltation Peste Famine mort de main Militaire Le Siecle approcher de renovation English The Sith to the Fish-pond joyned to Sagittarius In the highest Auge of the Exaltation Plague Famine Death by a Military hand The age groweth near to its renovation ANNOT. The sense of all this is that when a Meadow that was a Fish-pond before shall be Mowed the Sign of Sagittarius being in its Auge or ascendant then shall Plague Famine and War Reign and that age which a Century of years shall be near its end and renovation viz. of another Century XVII French Par quarante ans l'Iris n'apparoistra Par quarante ans tous les jours sera veu La Terre aride en siccité croistra Et grand deluge quand sera apparceu English During fourty years the Rainbow shall not appear During fourty years it shall be seen every day The parched Earth shall wax dryer and dryer And great Flouds shall be when it shall appear ANNOT. The Interpretation of this is easie and signifieth nothing else but that during 40. years the Rainbow shall not be seen and during that time there shall be an exceeding great drought upon the Earth and that for 40. years after the Rainbow shall be seen every day which shall cause great flouds and innundations XVIII French Par la discorde negligence Gauloise Sera passage a Mahomet ouvert De sang trempé la Terre Mer Senoise Le Port Phocen de Voiles Nefs couvert English Through the discord and negligence of the French A passage shall be opened to Mahomet The Land and Sea of Sienna shall be bloody The Phocen Haven shall be covered with Sails and Ships ANNOT. In the year 1559. Sultan Solyman called Leonclavius according to the alliance made between him and Francis I. King of France was desired by Henry II. his Son to send him some succours Whereupon he sent some of his Gallies to scour the Tyrrhenean Sea otherwise the Sea of Tuscany to give a diversion to the Spanish forces in Italy while the King by the means of the Marshal of Brissac should continue his Conquests in the Piemont and Milanese All what this Turkish Fleet did was to plunder and over-run the Island of Elbe and to attempt Piombino without effect and because these places were seated upon the Sea of Sienna called in Latin Mare Tirrhenum the Author saith that both the Land and Sea of Sienna shall be died with Blood and at that time the Heaven of Marseilles which was called by the Ancients Port Phocen was full of Sales and Ships as well to go into the Island of Corse as for other designs This History makes good that Stanza which saith that through the discord and negligence of the French a passage shall be opened to Mahomet wherein it is to be observed that the Marshal of Brissac doing wonders for the King in Piemont his virtue got him abundance of enviers and enemies in the Kings Councel which was the cause of a great discord among them by the diversity of opinions and this diversity was the cause of a prodigious negligence in sending to him relief as Turpin witnesseth in his History of Naples and Paradin in the continuation of his History By this discord and negligence a passage was opened to Mahomet his Fleet going freely upon the Mediterranean Sea 〈…〉 ar the Coasts of France And the reason of it was because this discord and negligence did compel Henry the II. to ask succours of Solyman that the Spaniard might be compelled to divide his Forces in sending some to the Sea-Towns and so should not be so strong in Piemont and thus must be understood the French discord and negligence in the first and second Verse As for the many Sails and Ships that were then in the Haven of Marseillés to go into the Island of Cersica the following Stanza's are full of predictions concerning it XIX French Lors que Serpens viendront circuir l'Air Le sang Troien versé par les Espagnes Par eux grand nombre en sera fait tare Chef fuit caché aux Marets dans les saignes English When Serpents shall come to encompass the Are The Trojan blood shall be vexed by Spain By them a great number shall perish Chief runneth away and is hid in the rushes of the Marishes ANNOT. By the Serpents the Author being a Roman Catholick meaneth the Protestants who then began to appear numerous in the Reigns of Francis the I. and Henry the II. in whose time the Admiral Coligny was the chief among them for his great seats in War These Serpents or Protestants begun to encompass the Are that is to say the Church and the Altar which in Latin is called Ara. And that happened when the Trojan-blood was vexed by Spain By the Trojan-blood the Author meaneth the French blood according to the vulgar opinion that the French are descended from the Trojans The French were then vexed by the Spaniards at the Battle of St. Laurence and at the taking of St. Quentin and other places in the Year 1557. The third Verse saith by them that is by the Protestants a great number shall perish that is to say a great number of French Among whom the Admiral of Chatillon having done what was possible to be done at the defence of St. Quentin and seeing the Town taken run away with three more and hid himself among the Rushes that are in the Boggs about the Town where he
be murdered and burnt LX. French Un Empereur naistra pres d' Italie Qui a l'Empire sera vendu bien cher Diront avec quels gens il se ralie Qu'on trouvera moins Prince que Boucher English An Emperour shall be born near Italy Who shall cost dear to the Empire They shall say with what people he keepeth company He shall be found less a Prince than a Butcher ANNOT. This Prophecy is for the future for since Nostradamus's time till now such an Emperour was not heard of that was born near Italy that cost the Empire so dear and proved more a Butcher than a Prince LXI French La Republique miserable infelice Sera vastée du nouveau Magistrat Leur grand amas de l'exil malefice Fera Suede ravir leur grand contract English The miserable and unhappy Common-wealth Shall be wasted by the new Magistrate Their great gathering from exiled persons Shall cause Swedeland to break her Contract ANNOT. The two first Verses foretell what hath happened to England under the Government of a Common-wealth and how their new Magistrate Cromwel made a havock of them The third and fourth Verses mention what great sums they exacted from those of the Kings party and how for that cause Swedeland foresook their friendship LXII French La grande perte las que feront les Lettres Avant le Circle de Latona parfait Feu grand Deluge plus par ignares Sceptres Que de long siecle ne se verra refait English Alas what a great loss shall learning suffer Before the Circle of the Moon be accomplished Fire great flood and more by ignorant Scepters Then can be made good again in a long age ANNOT. Here the Author bemoaneth the loss of one eminent person in Learning be like of Julius Scaliger who lived in his time and was once his intimate friend the two last Verses that great miseries as Fire and Flood shall happen by the ignorance of Princes LXIII French Les Fleaux passez diminué le Monde Long temps la Paix Terres inhabitées Seur marchera par le Ciel Terre Mer Onde Puis de nouveau les Guerres suscitées English The Scourges being past the World shall be diminished Peace for a great while Lands inhabited Every one safe shall go by Heaven Land and Sea And then the Wars shall begin a fresh ANNOT. This foretelleth a great tranquillity every where and after that Wars again LXIV French De nuit Soleil penseront avoir veu Quand le Pourceau demy homme on verra Bruit Chant Bataille au Ciel battre apperceu Et bestes brutes a parler on orra English They shall think to have seen the Sun in the night When the Hog half a man shall be seen Noise Singing Battles in Heaven shall be seen to fight And brute beasts shall be heard to speak ANNOT. This Stanza is full of prodigies that are to happen and for that in the last Verse it is no great wonder for many brute beasts have spoken speak now a days and shall speak hereafter LXV French Enfant sans mains jamais veu si grand Foudre L'Enfant Royal au jeu d'esteuf blessé Au puy brisez fulgures allant moudre Trois sur les champs par le milieu troussez English A child without hands so great Lightning never seen The Royal Child wounded at Tennis Bruised at the Well Lightnings going to grind Three shall be strucken by the middle ANNOT. The meaning of all this is that when a child shall be born without hands there shall be fearful Lightning a Royal child shall be hurt at Tennes and by that Lightning some shall be bruised by a Well and in a Mill and three in the Field shall be killed LXVI French Celuy qui lors portera les nouvelles Apres un peu il viendra respirer Viviers Tournon Montferrand Pradelles Gresle tempeste les fera souspirer English He that then shall carry the news A little while after shall draw his breath Viviers Tournon Montferrant and Pradelles Hail and storm shall make them sigh ANNOT. This Stanza hath a connexion with the foregoing for the two first Verses signifie that he who shall carry the news of that fearful Lightning and of the mischief done by it shall have much ado to recover his breath In the last two Verses the Towns are named which shall suffer most by that storm and chiefly by the Hail and the Wind. French LXVII La grand famine que je vois approcher Souvent tourner puis estre universelle Sigrande longue qu'on viendra arracher Du Bois racine I'Enfant de mamelle English What a great famine do I see drawing near To turn one way then another and then become universal So great and long that they shall come to pluck The root from the Wood and the child from the breast ANNOT. The words and sense of this are plain and foretell a great famine which being first in one Countrey and then in another shall at last become general and last so long that people shall pluck the Roots from the Trees and the children from the breast to feed upon LXVIII French O quel horrible malheureux tourment Trois innocens qu'on viendra a livrer Poison suspect mal garde tradiment Mis en horreur par Bourreaux enyvrez English O to what a horrid and unhappy torment Shall be put three Innocents Poison shall be suspected evil Keepers shall betray them They shall be put to horrour by drunken Executioners ANNOT. This is very plain concerning three innocent persons who shall be delivered up by their unfaithful keepers and shall be put to great torments by drunken Executioners which torments shall be suspected to come by poison LXIX French La grand Montagne ronde de sept Stades Apres Paix Guerre Faim Inondation Roulera loing abisuant grand contrades Mesmes antiques grand Fondation English The great Mount in compass seven Stades After Peace War Famine and Innundation Shall tumble a great way sinking great Countries Yea ancient Buildings and great Foundation ANNOT. A Stade cometh from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because Hercules did overrun so much ground at one breath but what space of ground the Author meaneth by seven Stades is unknown to me The rest of the Prophecy may very well be appropriated to the last fearful eruption of Mount Aetna which sunk so many Towns and Buildings and the relation of which is so handsomly and truly made by the most honourable the Earl of Winchelsey who was an eye witness to it in his return from his Embassy at Constantinople LXX French Pluye Faim Guerre en Perse non cessée La foy trop grande trahira le Monarque Par la finie en Gaule commencée Secret augure pour a un estre parque English The Rain Famine War in Persia being not ceased Too great credulity shall betray the Monarque Being ended there it shall begin in France A secret Omen to one that he shall
Churches and other barbarous actions it hath been seen so often in France in the time of the Civil VVars for Religion that it needeth no confirmation The last Verse concerning a peace between the Turks and the Polonians was fulfilled in the year 1623. when Sigismundus King of Poland by his Embassador the Duke Sbarasky and by the mediation of the English Embassador concluded a Peace with the great Turk Mustapha the Articles of which you may read at large in the Turkish History LXXIV French De sang Trojen naistra coeur Germanique Qui deviendra en si haute puissance Hors chassera gent estrange Arabique Tonrnant l'Eglise en pristine préeminence English Of Trojan blood shall be born a German heart Who shall attain to so high a power That he shall drive away the strange Arrabian Nation Restoring the Church to her former splendor ANNOT. It seemeth to signifie that by Alliance made between a German Emperour and a Daughter of France which derive their Pedigree from the Trojans a Prince shall be born of so stout and valiant a heart as shall drive away all the Turkish power out of Germany and shall restore the Church to her former splendor LXXV French Montera haut sur le bien plus a dextre Demourra assis sur la pierre carrée Vers le midy posé a la senestre Baston tortu en main bouche serrée English He shall go up upon the good more on the right hand He shall stay sitting upon the square stone Towards the South being set on the left hand A crooked stick in his hand and his mouth shut ANNOT. I do acknowledge my Ignorance in this LXXVI French En lieu libere tendra son Pavillon Et ne voudra en Citez prendre place Aix Carpentras Lisle Volce Mont Cavaillon Par tous ces lieux abolira sa trace English He shall pitch his Tent in the open air Refusing to lodge in the City Aix Carpentras Lisle Volce Mont Cavaillon In all those places he shall abolish his trace ANNOT. Aix Carpentras Lisle Volce Mont Cavaillon are Cities of Provence LXXVII French Tous les degres d'honneur Ecclesiastique Seront changez en Dial Quirinal En Martial quirinal Flaminique Puis un Roy de France le rendra Vulcanal English All the degrees of Ecclesiastical honour Shall be changed into a Dial Quirinal Into Martial Quirinal Flaminick After that a King of France shall make it Vulcanal ANNOT. All what I can say upon this is that Dialis in Latine is a Priest of Jupiter and Quirinal is a Priest of Romulus Martial Flamen is a Priest of Mars Vulcanal is a Priest of Vulcan let the ingenious Reader make of all these the best construction he can LXXVIII French Les deux unis ne tiendront longuement Et dans treize ans au Barbare Satrape Aux deux costez feront tel perdement Qu'un benira la Barque sa cappe English The two united shall not hold long Within thirteen years to the Barbarian Satrape They shall cause such loss on both sides That one shall bless the Boat and its covering ANNOT. The word Satrape is a Persian word signifying one of the Grandees at Court. By the last Verse is meant one that shall save his life and make his escape by the means of a covered Boat or Barge LXXIX French La sacree Pompe viendra baisser les aisles Par la venue de grand Legislateur Humble haussera vexera les rebelles Naistra sur Terre aucun Aemulateur English The sacred Pomp shall bow down her wings At the coming of the great Lawgiver He shall raise the humble and vex the rebellious No Emulator of his shall be born ANNOT. This seemeth to have a relation to the birth of Christ or Christmas-day LXXX French L' Ogmion grande Bizance approchera Chassée sera la Barbarique ligue Des deux Loix l'une unique lachera Barbare France en perpetuelle brigue English The Ogmion shall come near great Bizance And shall expel the Barbarian League Of the two Laws the wicked one shall yeild The Barbarian and the French shall be in perpetual jar ANNOT. By the word Ogmion every where in his Book the Author meaneth the King of France who according to his words shall come near Constantinople and shall break the Barbarian League and of the two Laws that is the Christian and the Mahometan the Mohometan shall yield to the other LXXXI French L'Oyseau Royal sur la Cité solaire Sept mois devant fera nocturne augure Mur d'Orient cherra Tonnerre esclaire Sept jours aux Portes les ennemies a l'heure English The Royal Bird upon the solar City Seven Months together shall make a nocturn angury The Eastern Wall shall fall the Lightning shall shine Then the enemies shall be at the Gate for seven days ANNOT. By the Royal Bird is meant an Eagle which for seven days together shall be observed upon some Eastern City and shall be taken for a presage that the Eastern Wall of that City shall fall by Lightning at which time the enemies shall be at the Gate for seven days together LXXXII French Au conclud pache hors de la Forteresse Ne sortira celuy en desespoir mis Quand ceux d' Arbois de Langres contre Bresse Auront mis Dolle bouscade d'ennemis English Upon the agreement made out of the Fort Shall not come he that was in despair When those of Arbois of Langres against Bresse Shall have put in Dolle an Ambuscado of foes ANNOT. The sense is that according to the Articles or agreement made between the Besieger of a Fort and the Governour of it the said Governour by despair will not come out and this shall happen when those of Arbois and Langres shall be against those of Bressia and shall have put an Ambuscado in the City of Dolle LXXXIII French Ceux qui auront entreprins subvertir Nompareil Regne puissant invincible Feront par fraude nuicts trois advertir Quand le plus grand a Table lira Bible English Those that shall have undertaken to subvert The Kingdom that hath no equal in power and victories Shall cause by fraud notice to be given for three nights together When the greatest shall be reading a Bible at the Table ANNOT. What place is meant by the unparalell'd Kingdom the Author hath hid as well from me as the Reader LXXXIV French Naistre du Gouphre Cité immesurée Nay de parens obscurs tenebreux Qui la puissance du grand Roy reverée Voudra destruire par Rouen Eureux English One shall be born out of the Gulf and the unmeasurable City Born of Parents obscure and dark Who by the means of Rouen and Eureux Will go about to destroy the power of the great King ANNOT. VVithout doubt by this Gulf and unmeasured City the Author means Paris by reason of its greatness and the multitude of its Inhabitants LXXXV French Par les Sueves lieux circonvoisins Seront en guerre pour cause des
the Duke of Aiguillon and Earl of Sommerive his Children he likewise intreated Arnaut Secretary to the Marquess of Rhosny to remember his last commendations to his Master and desire him to remember not so much him that went to die as his Brethren whom he left behind that he had him in opinion of a good and usefull servant to the King and repented much he had not believed his Councel About three of the Clock the Chancellor and the first President went up again into the Chappel and finding him in a good disposition did fortifie his resolution by their discourses and desiring to know more particularities from his own mouth sent all the standers by away except the Divines and the Recorder They did exhort him to consider that the days of man are limited that the end of his days depended from the Providence of the Almighty who would take him out of this world before some great and long misery should make him weary of it He answered no no my Lords do not trouble you about comforting me and strengthning me against the fear of death I have not been afraid of it these 20 years you have given me 40 days to study it but I could not believe that having not been in the power of my Enemies to take away my life I should be so miserable as to loose it by the consent of my friends having said this they left him and took their leaves of him with Tears in their Eyes he would not suffer them to depart till they had received a new Protastation of his that he never had attempted any thing against the King Swearing that if he would have done it the King should not have been alive three years ago As they were going out of the Bastille with Sillery he sent the Knight of the Watch to intreat the Chancellor that his Body might be buried at Eiron in the Sepulchre of his Ancestors and that he would desire the King to give to his younger Brother some Office in the house of the Dolphin and shewing by his Countenance Carryage and Words to care as little for death as one that is a great way from it gave cause to suspect that he was not out of hope to obtain his pardon from the King o 〈…〉 to escape by some extraordinary means The Divines did exhort him to keep nothing back of what might serve for the discharging of his Conscience and to consider that they could give him absolut 〈…〉 on for no more than what he did confess Although said he the King causeth me to die unjustly nevertheless I have served him with so much affection and obedience and I have near my death so much good will and affection for him that if I knew any thing against his Person or State I would tell it freely and upon that whispered some things to his Confessors which Voisin did presently write Being about five of the Clock Baranton was sent to tell him it was time to go let us go said he seeing I must die and desired he would charge his Brothers from him to remain faithful to the King and not to go to Court till time had blotted or at least le 〈…〉 ened the shame of his death He kneeled before the Altar and having ended his Prayer he desired the Company to pray for him Coming out of the Chappel he met the Executioner who offered to follow him and he thinking it was to bind him keep off said he and do not touch me till it be time I shall go willingly to die without troubling any body but it shall never be said that I am dead like a Slave or a Thief and swore by God that if he came near him he would strangle him The Divines exhorted him going down the stairs to resist those impaciencies and temptations of the Devil who striveth most to deviate the Soul from her Salvation when as he hath most need of the Divine assistance to withstand his assaults remonstrating also unto him that all his violences and passions could not hinder the Soul to depart from a place where she was but a Tenant at Will He hearkened to them and saying three times ah ah ah raâ—sing his voice at every one he said is there no Mercy in the world I see to day that all the world hath forsaken me He came into the Yard and seeing the Lieutenant of the City in whose house the King had put la Fin to secure him from all attempts My Lord Lieutenant said he I am very much your friend take heed to have any thing to do with that Witch and Magician that lyeth at your house if you meddle with him he will undo you The Scâ—â—ffold was set up in the corner of the Yard over against the Garden gate six foot high and seven long without any Ornament ordistinction He kneeled upon the first step lifted up his Eyes to Heaven and made a short Prayer like a Souldier and went up as couragiously as if he had gone to an assault clad in a Gray Taffety Suit with a black Hat on his Head but as soon as he saw the Executioner he looked furiously upon him and bid him staud aside till he were ready to receive the last stroke He threw his Hat his Handkarchief and Doublet to the first that would take it nevertheless one of the Executioners men was nimbler than all the rest and looking upon the Souldiers that kept the Gate armed with Musquets and Fire-locks Ah! said he mucst I die is there no pardon if at least some of those good fellows would shut me opening his Breast he should oblige my very much what pity is it to die so miserably and of so shameful ablow then directing his speech to the Spectators he said I have put my Soul into such a state as she ought to be to appear before the race of Almighty God but I pity that of the King who causeth the to die unjustfy I have erred I confess but I never attempted any thing against the Kings Person he should have been dead ten years ago if I would have believed the evil Councel that was given me concerning that the trouble and distress of his Soul was so great that a little while before he said three years and now he says ten the Divines having setled him a little once more he received their absolution The Executioner then presented unto him a Frontler but it proved to him a new wound an increase of grief and swore if he toucht him any other way than with the Sword he would strangle him thereupon he asked again for his own Handkarchief to make use of it his hollow and gastly Eyes shewed he was not in his right mind Voisin intreated him to be patient and to raise his thoughts to the place where his Soul was to go and to be attentive to the reading of his Sentence He was unwilling to hear the repetition of his Crimes and to have occasion to exclaim again against the Iniquitie
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
that some Souldiers disguised like Herds-men shall lead Oxen into a place where were hidden before Weapons in the Grass but the Weapons making a noise by their clashing they shall be discovered not far from a place that he calleth here Antipolique purposely to rime with Herbipolique in French which word Herbipolique signifieth a Town of Pasture XIV French Urnel Vaucile sans conseil de soy mesmes Hardy timide par crainte prins vaincu Accompagré de plusieurs putains blesme A Barcelonne aux Chartreux convaincu English Urnel Vaucile without advice of his own Stout and fearful by fear taken and overcome Pale and in company of many Whores Shall be convicted at Barcelone by the Charterhouse ANNOT. This Stanza is an Horoscope which the Author made upon that Gentleman named Urnel Vaucille and signifieth that the said man should find himself in such perplexity that he could not be able to take advice what to do and that fear should make him hide himself to be apprehended in a place where he should be taken When he was taken he was presently convicted of those crimes that he was accused of therefore the Officers of Justice did conduct him to the Charter-house of Barcelone which is four miles from the said Town in a place called Campoalegre for the beauty and situation of it to that place many Whores did accompany him to receive the punishment they had deserved therefore the Author saith that he went thither pale as foreseeing the terrour of the punishment he was to undergo XV. French Pere Duc vieux d'ans de soif chargé Au jour extreme fils desniant l'esguiere Dedans le puis vif mort viendra plonge Senat au fils la mort longue legere English A Father Duke aged and very thirsty In his extremity his son denying him the Ewer Alive into a Well where he shall be drowned For which the Senate shall give the son a long and easie death ANNOT. It is a Duke very aged who shall die of a Dropsie or of some other burning disease which will make him very thirsty the Physitians shall forbid any water to be given him therefore this Duke shall press his son very much to give him the Ewer that he may drink his fill but his son refusing the Father shall fall into such a rage that being alone he will go and throw himself into a Well where he shall be drowned This unhappy death will be the cause of much murmuring and the Senate or Parliament of that place will make enquiry after it by which enquiry the son will be found guilty therefore for his punishment he shall be condemned to a long and easie death as to live all his days in some Monastery XVI French Heureux au Regne de France heureux de vie Ignorant sang mort fureur rapine Par non flatteurs seras mis en envie Roy desrobé trop de foy en cuisine English Happy in the Kingdom of France happy in his Life Ignorant of blood death fury of taking by force By no flatterers shall be envied King robbed too much faith in Kitchin ANNOT. This is a prognostication of a King of France who though happy in his Reign and Life and being given to no great vices as blood fury or taking by force yet shall be much envied and robbed by his Subjects and chiefly by those he â—rusteth about his Kitchin XVII French La Reyne Ergaste voiant sa fille blesme Par un regret dans l'estomach enclos Cris lamentables seront lors d' Angolesme Et au germain mariage forclos English Queen Ergaste seeing her Daughter pale By a regret contained in her Breast Then shall great cries come out of Angolesme And the Marriage shall be denyed to the Cousin German ANNOT. It is unknown what Queen he meaneth by the name of Ergaste the rest is easie Angolesme is a City of Gascony or Languedoc XVIII French Le rang Lorrain fera place a Vendosme Le haut mis bas le bas mis en haut Le fils d' Hamon sera esleu dans Rome Et les deux grands seront mis en defaut English The House of Lorrain shall give place to Vendosme The high pulled down the low raised up The son of Hamon shall be Elected into Rome And the two great ones shall not appear ANNOT. The two first Verses of this Prophecy were fulfilled in the time of Henry the third King of France in whose time the Duke of Guise and House of Lorrain were grown so powerful in France that they drove the King from Paris and assumed themselves a rank and authority over the Princes of the Blood so that the King was forced to cause them to be slain after which Henry IV. who was King of Navarre and Duke of Vendosme took his place again as first Prince of the Blood The two last Verses are too obscure to be interpreted and I believe were onely forced by our Author to make up his Rime as he hath done in several other places XIX French Jour que sera pour Roine saluée Le jour apres le salut la Priere Le compte sait raison valbuée Par avant humble oncques ne fut si siere English The day that she shall be saluted Queen The next day after the Evening Prayer All accompts being summoned and cast up She that was humble before never was one so proud ANNOT. It is a woman be like of a small Fortune who coming to be a Queen by her humility the next day after Evening Prayer she shall appear so proud as the like was never seen XX French Tous les amis qu'auront tenu party Pour rude en lettres mis mort saccage Biens publiez par sixe grand neanty Onc Romain peuple ne fut tant outrage English All the friends that shall have taken the part Of the Unlearned put to death and robbed Good sold publickly by proclamation a great man seized of 〈◊〉 Never Roman people was so much abused ANNOT. The sense of this is that a great man that took part with all those that were unlearned shall be put to death and their goods praised and sold publickly upon which goods another great man shall seize and this is to be done in Rome There is fault in the Impression of the third French Verse for instead of fixe it must be fisc and instead of Neanty it must be Nancy XXI French Par le despit du Roy soustenant moindre Sera meurdry luy presentant les bagues Le Pere Fils voulant Noblesse poindre Fait comme a Perse jadis firent les Magues English To spite the King who took the part of the weaker He shall be murdered presenting to him Jewels The Father and the Son going to vex the Nobility It shall be done to them as the Magi did in Persia ANNOT. This is a King who with his son taking the peoples part against the Nobility shall be killed in presenting to