the bare title of Victorieux when he had undertaken the protection of the German Princes against the Emperour Charles the V. LXXI French Quand on viendra le grand Roy parenter Avant quil ait du tout l'Ame rendue On le verra bien tost apparenter D' Aigles Lions Croix Courone de Rüe English When they shall come to celebrate the obsequies of the great King A day before he be quite dead He shall be seen presently to be allyed With Eagles Lions Crosses Crowns of Rüe ANNOT. In the general Peace made Anno 1559. two Marriages were concluded one of Elizabeth of France daughter to Henry II. King of France with Philip II. King of Spain which was Celebrated at Paris with an extraordinary magnificence in the presence of the Duke of Alba the Prince of Orenge and the Earl of Egmont who came to fetch the Princess In the Celebrating of these Nuptials happened the unfortunate death of Henry II. This brought such a sadness to the Court that the second match which was between Margaret of France Daughter to Francis I. and the Duke of Savoy was Celebrated without solemnity VVe must add to this that the Duke weareth in his Coat of Arms some Eagles some Lions some Crosses and a Crown of Rue by this we understand this Stanza which saith that the King being mortally wounded every one was preparing himself to render him the last duties which the Author calleth to Parante from the Latine word Parentare which signifieth to Celebrate the Funeral duties of a man Thus the second Verse saith before the day that he yieldeth up his Soul in hast was the Marriage Celebrated between the Lady Margaret of France and the Duke of Savoy who beareth for his Arms some Eagles some Lions some Crosses and a Crown of Rue LXXII French Par fureur feinte devotion Divine ' Sera la femme du grand fort violée Judges voulants damner telle Doctrine Victime au peuple ignorant immolée English By a faigned fury of Divine inspiration The wife of the great one shall be ravished Judges willing to condemn such a Doctrine A Victinto shall be sacrifised to the ignorant people ANNOT. Of this fact and others as bad have been seen strange examples formerly done by those called Enthousiastes who have committed horrible villanies under pretence of divine inspiration some commiting Incests others rapes others murders as may be seen at large in the History of John de Leiden and other desperate Anabaptists too tedious to be inserted here I shall only relate here a little remarkable History in confirmation of this to discover the Wiles of the spirits of error transformed into an Angel of Light The 7 day of February 1526. two Brothers Thomas and Leonard Schyker living near the Town of St. Gal in Switzerland did assemble together with some other Anabaptists in their fathers house where they passed the most part of the night in discourses making of faces and relating of Visions which every one said he had seen The next day upon break of day Thomas did lay hold on his Brother Leonard and dragged him in the middle of the company bid him kneel in the presence of his Father and Mother and of all the rest there present and as all the rest of the Company bid him take heed to do any thing amiss he answered that there was no need to fear and that in this business nothing could be done against the Will of the Father thereupon he drew his Sword and cut off the head of his Brother who was on his knees all besotted before this murderer All the rest being astonished and besides their wits for this furious blow and lamenting the dead Thomas ran towards the Town with a fearful Countinance as a Phanatick besides himself without Shooes and having no Cloaths but his Shirt and Breeches At that time the Buâ—g-master of St Gal was Joachim Vadian a wise and learned person before whom the said Thomas stood crying a loud with a fearful Countenance that the day of Judgment was near saying besides that strange things had come to pass without telling what that the will of his Father was done for his part The Burg-master after he had reprehended him very much for his madness and insolent carriage commanded a Cloak to be put upon him and to lead him home softly back again But in the mean time news was brought of his detestable murder whereupon he was apprehended examined convicted and executed The like hath been done many times for Rapes and Incests What is particular here is that our Author saith that the Judges being willing to punish such Villanies yet that unhappy accident shall fall that an innocent person shall be put to death belike instead of the guilty to please the people LXXIII French En Cité grande en moyne artisan Pres de la porte logez aux murailles Contre modene secret Cave disant Trahis pour faire sous couleur d'espousailles English In a great City a Monk and an Artificer Dwelling near the Gate and the Walls Near an old woman 't is a secret saying Cave A Treasâ—n shall be plotted under pretence of a Marriage ANNOT. Paradin maketh mention that in the year 1552. a Monk deceived the Marshal of Brissac making him believe that he would put him in possession of the Town of Quizres if he would give him so much for reward The Marshal used all the Caution possible not to be deceived by that Imposter who took Money on both sides viz. the French and the Spaniards nevertheless the Monk plaid the Knave with him and the undertakings proved prejudicial to the French though not considerably by reason of the precaution of the said Marshal The same Author writes that in the year 1555. the 17 of August the Spaniard had designed to retake Cazal the same way that the French had surprised it First they had got a Widow in the Town who received the undertakers in her house which was near the Gate and the Wall Secondly there was a Marriage to be made between two persons of quality where great Cheer and rejoycings were to be Thirdly they got a woman that carryed Herbs to sell in the Town and under the Herbs the Letters were hidden The Author says likewise that there was a Monk and a Tradesman that lodged at this VVidows house those two actors in this business viz. the Monk said Tradseman said secretly to the woman that sold Herbs Cave which signifies take heed they said these words secretly near Matrone that is they whisperd in her ear Cave Their design was to betray the Town under pretence of a Marriage but it did not succeed because the Letters in the womans Basket were intercepted the Vulgar impression hath a fault in the third Verse where there is Modene instead of Matrone and another in the fourth Verse when instead of Treason they have put for betrayed The History obligeth us to correct it as we have done LXXIV French
a thousand ANNOT. Here you must observe that the Author being a Papist speaketh this concerning the City of Geneva which he saith from a free City became a slave when it shook off the Duke of Savoy's domination and became a retreat to the Protestants whom he called the banished and dreamers In the third Verse by the King changed in his mind that shall not be so froward to them he meaneth Henry IV. who having changed the Protestant Religion to be a Roman Catholick did undertake their protection against the Duke of Savoy their Prince Hence followeth the explication of the fourth Verse when he saith that of one hundred they shall become more than a thousand for in few years the Protestants became so numerous that they drove the Roman Catholicks wholly out of the Town and so have remained to this day Masters of it XVII French Changer a Beaune Nuis Chalons Dijon Le Duc voulant amender la barrée Marchant pres Fleuve Poisson bec de plongeon Verra la queüe Porte sera serrée English There shall be a change at Beaume Nuis Chalons Dijon The Duke going about to raise Taxes The Merchant near the River shall see the tail Of a Fish having the Bill of a Cormorant the door shall be shut ANNOT. Beaune Chalons and Dijon are Cities in France Nuis is a Town in Germany near the Rhyne three or four Leagues below Colen For the rest every one may make his own interpretation for it is hard to guess who this Duke should be or that Fish either that shall have a Cormorants Bill after whom the door shall be shut XVIII French Les plus Lettrez dessus les faits Coelestes Seront par Princes ignorans reprouvez Punis d'Edict chassez comme scelestes Et mis a mort la ou seront trouvez English The most Learned in the Celestial sciences Shall be found fault with by ignorant Princes Punished by proclamation chased away as wicked And put to death where they shall be found ANNOT. This is plain and signifieth no more then a persecution against the Professors of Heavenly sciences such as are Astrologers Astronomers c. XIX French Devant Rouan d' Insubres mis le Siege Par Terre Mer enfermez les passages D' Hainaut de Flandres de Gand ceux de Liege Par leurs levées raviront les Rivages English Before Rouan a Siege shall be laid by the Insubrians By Sea and Land the passages shall be shut up Those of Hainaut Flanders Ghent and Liege With their Troops shall plunder the Sea-shore ANNOT. This is still concerning the Duke of Parma's Army when he came into France against Henry the IV. in favour of the League for his Army wherewith he Besieged Rouen was compounded of all those Nations the greatest part of which were Italians called here Insubrians from the Latin word Insubria which signifieth the Countreys of Savoy and Piemont XX. French Paix uberté long temps on ne loüera Part tout son Regne desert la fleur de Lis Corps mort d'Eau Terre on apportera Sperants vain heur d'estre la ensevelis English Peace and plenty shall not be long praised All the time of his Reign the Flower de Luce shall be deserted Bodies shall die by water Earth shall be brought Hoping vainly to be there Buried ANNOT. This only foretelleth a great Famine and Inundation in France signified here by the Flower de Luce. XXI French Le changement sera fort difficile Cité Province au change gain fera Coeur haut prudent mis chassé Inhabile Mer Terre Peuple son estat changera English The change shall be very hard The City and Countrey shall gain by the change A high prudent heart shall be put in the unworthy expelled Sea Land People shall change its condition ANNOT. This needeth no Interpretation XXII French La grand Copie qui sera dechassée Dans un moment fera besoing au Roy La Foy promise de loing sera faucée Nud se verra en piteux desarroy English The great Army that shall be rejected In a moment shall be wanted by the King The faith promised a far off shall be broken So that he shall be left naked in a pitiful case ANNOT. This is plain XXIII French La Legion dans la Marine classe Calcine Magnes Souphre Poix bruslera Le long repos de l'asseurée place Port Selin chercher feu les consumera English The Legion in the Maritine Fleet Calcineth Magnes shall burn Brimstone and Pitch The long rest of the secure place They shall seek Port Selyn but fire shall consume them ANNOT. Here we must observe four things the first is that Calais is called by the Author The long rest of the secure place Because then viz. in the year 1555. it was yet in the power of the King of England and had been quietly before for the space of 287. years that is from the year 1347. till the year 1555. and was so still till the year 1557. when the Duke of Guise took it whence we gather that it was a secure place that had enjoyed so long a rest The second is that those of Diepe did watch for the Spaniards in the passage between Dover and Calais therefore the Author saith They shall seek Port Selyn Selyn Port or Harbour is always taken by the Author for an Harbour in the Ocean The third is that the great fight between the French and the Spaniards was by fire so that most part of the Ships on each side were burnt and the Spanish and French Souldiers die cast themselves into the Sea to save their lives in their enemies Ships where they were slain The fourth is that those of Diepe being extraordinary skilsul in Sea-fights had made great quantity of artificial fires to cast into the Spanish Ships but the Ships grapling one with another they were burnt on both sides Upon those four circumstances the two first Verses say that the Legion in the Fleet Galcineth magnes that is Loadstone burnt and shall burn Pitch and Brimstone to make Artificial fires The third and fourth Verse say that this Sea Legion shall seek an Harbour in the Ocean which shall be a secure place by a long rest that is Calais She will seek that Selyn Harbour to shelter her self because Calais did then belong to the English but by reason of the narrowness of the Sea the French watched for the Spaniards there and to shew that they sought onely for Calais to meet the Spaniards they carried the Spanish Ships which they took into Diepe and not into Calais The French Impression hath a fault here putting Port Hercle instead of Port Selyn which is a manifest error for the taking of Port Hercle by the Florentines the 14. of June 1â—â—5 was by a Land Army besides that Port Selyn is always taken by the Author for a Port in the Ocean XXIV French Ouy soubs Terre Sainte Dame voix feinte Humaine flamme pour Divine voir
shut up in a pack Those of Toulon to the fraud shall consent ANNOT. This foretelleth a Naval victory to the French against the Turks by the means of a Granado called Anvil that shall be shut up in a Barrel by a plot to which those of Toulou shall be privy IV. French Le Duc de Langres assiegé dedans Dole Accompagné d' Authun Lionnois Geneve Auspourg ceux de la Mirandole Passer les Monts contre les Anconois English The Duke of Langres shall be besieged in Dole Being in company with those of Autun and Lion Geneva Auspourg those of Mirandola Shall go over the Mountains against those of Ancona ANNOT. Langres is a City in France whose Bishop is a Duke and a Peer of the Kingdom Dole is a City in Burgundy so is Autun and Lion Geneva is a City by Savoy Auspourg another in Germany Mirandola is a Countrey in Italy so is Ancona V. French Vin sur la Table en sera respandu Le tiers naura celle quil pretendoit Deux sois du noir de Parme descendu Perouse Pise fera ce quil cuidoit English Wine shall be spilt upon the Table By reason that a third man shall not have her whom he intended Twice the black one descended from Parma Shall do to Perusa and Pisa what be intended ANNOT. Perusa Pisa and Parma are three Cities in Italy VI. French Naples Palerme toute la Sicile Par main Barbare sera inhabitée Corsique Salerne de Sardaigne l'Isle Faim peste guerre fin de maux intemptée English Naples Palermo and all Sicily By barbarous hands shall be depopulated Corsica Salerno and the Island of Sardania In them shall be famine plague war and endless evils ANNOT. Naples is a City in Italy Palermo is a City in the Island of Sicily Corsica an Island in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to the Genoese Salerno is a Town in Italy Sardinia an Island in the Mediterranean The Reader may easily make an interpretation of the rest VII French Sur le combat des grands chevaux legers On criera le grand croissant confond De nuit tuer Moutons Brebis Bergers Abysmes rouges dans le fossé profond English At the fight of the great light Horsmen They shall cry out confound the great half Moon By night they shall kill Sheep Ewes and Shepherds Red pits shall be in the deep ditch ANNOT. By the great half Moon is understood the Turk VIII French Flora fuis fuis le plus proche Romain Au Fesulan sera conflict donné Sang espandu les plus grands pris en main Temple ne Sexe ne sera pardonné English Flora fly fly from the next Roman In the Fesulan shall be the fight Blood shall be spilt the greatest shall be taken Temple nor Sex shall be spared ANNOT. Fesulan is a Countrey in Italy Flora is the Goddess of Flowers the rest is easie IX French Dame en l'absence de son grand Capitaine Sera priée d'amour du Viceroy Feinte promesse malheureuse estreine Entre les mains du grand Prince Barroy English A Lady in the absence of her great Captain Shall be intreated of love by the Viceroy Aâ—fained promise and unhappy new years gift In the hand of the great Prince of Bar. ANNOT. Bar is a principality joyning to Lorrain which Henry IV. King of France gave for a Portion to his Sister Catharine when she married the Duke of Lorrains Son The rest is plain X. French Par le grand Prince limitrophe du Mans Preux vaillant chef de grand exercite Par Mer Terre de Galois Normans Cap passer Barcelonne pillé l'Isle English The great Prince dwelling near the Mans Stout and valiant General of a great Army Of Welchmen and Normans by Sea and Land Shall pass the Cape Barcelone and plunder the Island ANNOT. Mans is a City in France chief of the Province called le Main The rest is plain XI French L'Enfant Roial contemnera la Mere Oeil pieds blessez rude inobeissant Nouvelle a Dame estrange bien amere Seront tuez des siens plus de cinq cens English The Royal Child shall despise his Mother Eye feet wounded rude disobedient News to a Lady very strange and bitter There shall be killed of hers above five hundred ANNOT. This was fulfilled about the year 1615. when Lewis XIII King of France being then about 15 years of age by the perswasion of some Grandees about him made VVar against his own Mother Mary of Medicis then Regent of the Kingdom whereupon was fought between them the Battle du pont de say where above five hundred on the Queens side were slain whereupon it was a good Jest of the Prince of Guimena who being required by the Queen Anna of Austria to lay his hand upon her side and to feel her Child now Lewis XIV stirring after he had felt now I know said he he is a true Son of Bourbon for he beginneth to kick his Mother XII French Le grand puisnay fera fin de la guerre En deux lieux assemble les excusez Cahors Moissac iront loing de la serre Rufec Lectoure les Agenois rasez English The great younger Brother shall make an end of the War It two places he shall gather the excused Cahors Moissac shall go out of his clutches Ruffec Lectoure and those of Agen shall be cut off ANNOT. Cahors Moissac Ruffec Lectonre Agen are all Cities of the Province of Guyenne in France XIII French De la Cité Marine tributaire La testâ— rase prendra la Satrapie Chasser sordide qui puis sera contraire Par quatorze and tiendra la Tyrannie English Of the City Maritine and tributary The shaven head shall take the Government He shall turn out a base man who shall be against him During fourteen years he will keep the tyranny ANNOT. This is positive concerning the Cardinal of Richelieu who made himself Governor of Havre de Grace called here the Maritine City and there kept his Treasure and tyrannised for the space of about fourteen years XIV French Faux exposer viendra Topographie Seront les Urnes des Monuments ouvertes Pulluler Sectes sainte Philosophie Pour blanches noires pour antiques vertes English They shall expound Topography falsly The Urnes of the Monuments shall be open Sects shall multiply and holy Philosophy Shall give black for white and green for old ANNOT. This is a perfect description of our late miserable estate in England when there was such multiplicity of Sects and such a Prophanation of sacred things XV. French Devant Cité de l' Insubre Countrée Sept ans sera le Siege devant mis Le tres-grand Roy fera son entrée Cité puis libre hors de ses ennemis English Before a City of Piemont Seven years the Siege shall be laid The most great King shall make his entry into it Then the City shall be free being out of the enemies hand ANNOT. This needeth no
interpretation XVL. French Entrée profonde par la grande Roine faite Rendra le lieu puissant inaccessible L'Armée de trois Lions sera défaite Faisant dedans cas hideux terrible English The deep entry made by the Queen Shall make the place powerful and inaccessible The Army of the three Lions shall be routed Doing within an hideous and terrible thing ANNOT. A Queen shall cause such a deep Trench to be made before a Town that it shall be impregnable and the Army of Lions that is either Generals or of a Prince that shall bear three Lions in his Arms shall be routed XVII French Le Prince rare en pitié clemence Apres avoir la paix aux siens baillé Viendra changer par mort grand cognoissance Apres grand repos le regne travaille English The Prince rare in pity and Clemency After he shall have given peace to his Subjects Shall by death change his great knowledge After great rest the Kingdom shall be troubled ANNOT. This positively concerneth Henry the IV. King of France who after he had by many Battles and dangers given peace to his Kingdom was by a Murderer snatched away and the Kingdom put into new troubles by the war that the Princes had among themselves XVIII French Les Assiegez couloureront leurs paches Sept jours apres feront cruelle issüe Dans repoulsez feu sang sept mis a l'hache Dame captive qu'avoit la paix issüe English The Besieged shall dawb their Articles Seven days after they shall make a cruel event They shall be beaten back fire blood seven put to death The Lady shall be Prisoner who endeavoured to make peace ANNOT. This needeth no interpretation XIX French Le Fort Nicene ne sera combatu Vaincu sera par rutilant metal Son fait sera un long temps debatu Aux Ciâ—adins estrange espouvental English The Fort Nicene shall not be fought against By shining metal it shall be overcome The doing of it shall be long and debating It shall be a strange fearful thing to the Citizens ANNOT. Nice is a Town in Piemont situated by the Sea side now whether this Prophecy came to pass in the time of the Wars between France and Savoy or shall come to pass hereafter it is more then I can tell As for winning of it by glistering Metal it is no new thing or practice witness Philippus of Macedon who said no City was impregnable wherein might enter an Ass loaded with gold XX. French Ambassadeurs de la Toscane langue Avril May Alpes Mer passer Celuy de Veau exposera l'harangue Vie Gauloise en voulant effacer English The Embassadors of the Tuscan tongue In April and May shall go over the Alpes and the Sea One like a Caif shall make a speech Attempting to defame the French customes ANNOT. The sense and the words are plain XXI French Par pestilente inimitie Volsicque Dissimulée chassera le Tyran Au Pont de Sorgues se fera la trafique De mettre a mort luy son adherent English By a pestilent Italian enmity The dissembler shall expel the Tyrant The bargain shall be made at Sorgues Bridge To put him and his adherent to death ANNOT. There is no difficulty in this XXII French Les Citoiens de Mesopotamie Irez encontre amis de Tarragone Jeux Ris Banquets toute gent endormie Vicaire au Prone pris Cité ceux d' Ausone English The Citizens of Mesopotamia Being angry with the friends of Tarragone Playes laughter feasts every body being asleep The Vicar being in the Pulpit City taken by those of Ausone ANNOT. By the Citizens of Mesopotamia is understood a people that live between two Rivers from the the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rest is easie We have said before that by Ausone the Author understands the City of Bourdeaux which he called Ausone from the Poet and Consul of Rome Ausonius who was born there XXIII French Le Roial Sceptre sera contraint de prendre Ce que ses Predecesseurs voient engagé Puis a Laigneau on fera mal entendre Lors qu'on viendra le Palais saccager English The Royal Scepter shall be constrained to take What his Predecessors had morgaged After that they shall mis-inform the Lamb When they shall come to plunder the Palace ANNOT. This is obvious to every body's capacity XXIV French L' Ensevely sortira du tombeau Fera de chaisnes lier le fort du pont Empoisoné avec oeufs de Barbeau Grand de Lorrain par le Marquis du pont English The buried shall come out of his Grave He shall cause the fort of the Bridge to be tied with Chains Poisoned with Barbels hard Row Shall a great one of Lorrain be by the Marques du pont ANNOT. This Prophecie is divided in two parts The first two Verses talk of a man that shall be taken out of his Grave alive The two last speak that a great man of Lorrain shall be poisoned by the Marques de pont in the Row of a Barbel which according to Physitians is a dangerous meat of it self and chiefly if it be Stewed the Poisoner himself seemeth to be no other than a Duke of Lorrain or one of his Sons for he stileth himself N. Duke of Lorrain Prince of Bar and Marques du pont XXV French Par guerre longue tout l'exercite espuiser Que pour Soldats ne trouveront pecune Lieu d'Or d'Argent cair on viendra cuser Gaulois Aerain signe croissant de Lune English By a long War all the Army drained dry So that to raise Souldiers they shall find no Money Instead of Gold and Silver they shall stamp Leather The French Copper the mark of the stamp the new Moon ANNOT. This maketh me remember the miserable condition of many Kingdoms before the West-Indies were discovered for in Spain Lead was stamped for Money and so in France in the time of King Dagobert and it seemeth by this Stanza that the like is to come again by reason of a long and tedious War XXVI French Fustes Galées autour de sept Navires Sera livree une mortelle guerre Chef de Madrid recevra coups de vires Deux eschapées cinq menez a Terre English Fly-boats and Galleys round about seven Ships A mortal War there shall be The chief of Madrid shall receive blows of Oars Two shall escape and five carried to Land ANNOT. Paradin saith in his History that in the year 1555. towards the end of August those of Diepe had permission from the King to fight a Fleet of the Spaniards which was coming into Flanders and brought Men Money and several Merchandises They went to Sea and after much searching they discovered the Fleet wherein were 22 great Ships The Diepois had but 19 men of War and five or six Pinnaces with which they set upon them between Calais and Dover The fight was very bloody almost all the
against Brundis in Latine Brundusium but shall be beaten back by Aquin and Bresses Cities belonging to the Venetians XXXII French Du Mont Royal naistra d'une Casane Qui Duc Compte viendra tyranniser Dresser Copie de la marche Millane Favence Florence d'or gens espuiser English Out of the Royal Mount shall be born in a Cottage One that shall tyranise over Duke and Earl He shall raise an Army in the Land of Millan He shall exhaust Favence and Florence of their gold ANNOT. This needeth no Interpretation XXXIII French Par fraude Regne forces expolier La classe obsesse passages a l'espie Deux faincts amis se viendront r'allier Esueiller haine de long temps assoupie English By fraud a Kingdom and an Army shall be spoilt The Fleet shall be put to a strait passages shall be made to the spies Two feigned friends shall agree together They shall raise up a hatred that had been long dormant ANNOT. The words are plain XXXIV French En grand regret sera la gent Gauloise Coeur vain leger croira temerité Pain sel ne vin eau venin ne cervoise Plus grand captif faim froid necessite English In great regreet shall the French Nation be Their vain and light heart shall believe rashly They shall have neither Bread Salt Wine nor Beer Moreover they shall be Prisoners and shall suffer hunger cold and need ANNOT. The words are plain and the onely question is whither this distress threatned here to France is past or to come XXXV French La grand poche viendra plaindre pleurer D'avoir esleu trompez seront en l'Aage Guâ—ere avec eux ne voudra demeurer Deceu sera par ceux de son langage English The great Pocket shall bewaile and bemoan For having Elected one they shall be deceived in his Age He shall not stay long with them He shall be deceived by those of his own language ANNOT. The great Pocket which is the Key of this Stanza being obscure forceth me to leave the rest unperfect XXXVI French Dieu le Ciel tout le Divin Verbe a l'Onde Porté par rouges sept razes a Bizance Contre les oingts trois cens de Trebisonde Deux Loix mettront horreur puis credence English God Heaven all the Divine Word in water Carryed by red ones seven shaved heads at Bisantium Against the anointed three hundred of Trebisond They shall put two Laws and horror and afterwards believe ANNOT. This seemeth to foretel that the Sacrament according to the Roman Church shall be carried by Cardinals and seven Priests to Constantinople against which three hundred of Trebison shall dispute who shall compare the two Laws with horror and afterwards believe XXXVII French Dix envoyez chef de nef mettre a mort D'un adverty en classe guerre ouverte Confusion chef l'un se picque mord Leryn Stecades ness cap dedans la nerte English Ten shall be sent to put the Captain of the Ship to death He shall have notice by one the Fleet shall be in open War A confusion shall be amongst the Chief one pricks and bites Leryn Stecades nefs caps dedans la nerte ANNOT. The three first Verses are plain as for the fourth I believe it to be the Language of the Antipodes for I think no man can understand it XXXVIII French L'Aisné Roial sur courfier voltigeant Picquer viendra si rudement courir Gueule lipée pied dans l'Estrein pleignant Traine tiré horriblement mourir English The eldest Royal prancing upon a Horse Shall spur and run very fiercely Open mouth the foot in the Stirrup complaining Drawn pulled die horribly ANNOT. This foretelleth of the eldest Son of a King who prancing upon his Horse shall Spur and run so fiercely that his foot being intangled in the Stirrup he shall be dragged and pulled and die a fearful death In the year 1555. upon the 25. of May this came to pass in the person of Henry of Albret the second of that name King of Navarre This Prince Henry II. the eldest Royal riding upon a horse did spur him so hard that he ran away with him so that he perceiving the danger he was in pulled the Bridle so hard that the horse's mouth was broken the pain did not stop the horse but contrariwise he grew the more untoward that Henry fell down and in falling one of his feet hung in the stirrup so that he was drawn and died a horrid death This I found in the History of Naples XXXIX French Le conducteur le l'Armée Francoise Cuidant perdre le principal Phalange Par sus pavé de l' Avaigne Ardoise Soy parfondra par Gennes gent estrange English The leader of the French Army Thinking to rout the chiefest Phalange Upon the Pavement of Avaigne and Slate Shall sink in the ground by Gennes a strange Nation ANNOT. It seemeth that a French General thinking to rout and overcome the chiefest strength of his enemy and going upon a brittle Pavement made of Slate shall sink in the ground not far from Genoa which he calleth a strange Nation to the French XL French Dedans tonneaux hors oingts d'huile graisse Seront vingt un devant le port fermez Au second guet feront par mort prouesses Gaigner les portes du quet assommez English With Pipes annointed without with Oyl and Grease Before the harbour one and twenty shall be shut At the second Watch by death they shall do great feats of Arms To win the Gates and be killed by the Watch. ANNOT. The words and sense of this Stanza are plain XLI French Les os des pieds des mains enferrez Par bruit maison long temps inhabitée Seront par songes concavant deterrez Maison salubre sans bruit habitée English The bones of the feet and of the hands in shackles By a noise a house shall be a long time deserted By a dream the buried shall be taken out of the ground The house shall be healthful and inhabited without noise ANNOT. I have found the truth of this Stanza upon the place in my going to Lion it was my fortune to lye at a Town four Leagues on this side of it called Lapacodier where this Story was told me to have happened few days before It chanced that a Company of Foot was to lie in the Town and distressed for quarter they enquired why such a house was empty and were told it was not inhabited by reason of a noise heard there every night The Captain of the Troop resolved since he feared not the living not to fear the dead and thereupon lay in the house that night where Beds were provided for him and about half a Dozen of his stoutest Souldiers so they laid down their weapons on the Table and began to be merry at Cards and Dice expecting the event The door being fast locked about twelve and one they heard as though some body knockt at the door one of the Souldiers by
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
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
entre iceux dissension horrible Rage fureur sera toute Province France grand guerre changement terrible English King against King and Duke against a Prince Hatred between them horrid dissension Rage and fury shall be in every Province Great War in France and horrid changes ANNOT. This is a true picture of the miseries of the Civil Wars in France when Charles the IX King of France was against Henry King of Navarre and the Duke of Guise against the Prince of Condé VII French L'accord pache sera du tout rompue Les amitiez pollues par discorde L'haine euvieille toute foy corrompue Et l'esperance Marseilles sans concorde English The agreement and contract shall be broken in pieces The friendships polluted by discord The hatred shall be old all faith corrupted And hope also Marseilles without concord ANNOT. This is a second part of the foregoing VIII French Guerre debats a Blois guerre tumulte Divers aguets adveux inopinables Entrer dedans Chasteau Trompette insulte Chasteau du Ha qui en seront coulpables English War and strifes at Blois war and tumult Several lying in wait acknowledgment unexpected They shall get into the Chasteau Trompette by assault And into the Chasteau du Ha who shall be guilty of it ANNOT. This Prophecy is concerning the Civil Wars of France between the King and the League He saith at Blois War and tumult because the Duke of Guise and the Cardinal his Brother were both killed there at the convention of Estates by the Kings command which he calleth here acknowledgment unexpected because the Kingdom did own the fact The last two Verses are concerning the two Castles or Fortresses of Bourdeaux who in those days were sometimes by one party and sometimes by another LXV French A tenir fort par fureur contraindra Tout coeur trembler Langon advent terrible Le coup de pied mille pieds te rendra Girond Garon ne furent plus horribles English He shall by fury compel them to hold out Every heart shall tremble Langon shall have a terrible event The kick shall return to thee a thousand kicks Girond Garon are no more horrid ANNOT. The two last Verses seem to have a relation to the foregoing Stanza and to import that the Governour of Bourdeaux shall compel them to hold our and because Langon a Town 20 or 30 Miles distant from Bourdeanx was of the contrary party and did annoy sometimes those of Bourdeaux it is threatned here to have a thousand kicks for one Gironde and Garonne are the two Rivers of Bourdeaux LXIX French Eiovas proche esloigner Lac Leman Fort grand apprests retour confusion Loin des Nepueux du feu grand Supelman Tous de leur suyte English Eiovas near yet seemeth to be far from the Lake Leman Very great preparatives return confusion Far from the Neveux of the late great Supelman All of their train ANNOT. This is a notable one directly foretelling the Enterprise or Scalado made by the Duke of of Savoy upon Geneva for the better Intelligence of which we shall first give the sense word for word and then set down the whole History as a piece of Cabinet that the Reader after so much tedious and crabbid reading may have some field to spatiate and recruit it self Eiovas near Eiovas by Anagram is Savoy or the Duke of it who at that time was near Geneva yet seemeth far from the Lake Leman which is the Lake that passeth through Geneva called in Latine Lacus Lemannus Very great preparatives because at that time he made great preparations to Scale the Walls of Geneva Return because he was forced to retire Confusion because he was confounded in his undertaking Far from the Neveux of the great Supelman that is an action much unworthy the Kindred of Henry the IV. called here great Supelman to whom he was Allied All of their Train that is all that were with him in that undertaking did partake of his return and confusion Now the History is thus About the latter end of the year 1600. the Duke of Savoy having done before all his endeavours to take the City of Geneva by force did resolve at last to have it by craft and stratagem He did frame a design full of Courage Understanding and Conduct as well as of misfortune it was long a hatching without being discovered and although it was known that he caused Ladders to be made and that he bought every where men of courage and resolution and had a great number of them alread◠at Chambery well payed and maintained waiting for the ripeness of the design though Ignorant of it No body could believe that it was against those of Geneva because at that time he did treat with them of the manner of living friendly and of the liberty of Trade having sent to them for this purpose a few days before the President Rochette to treat and advise of a manner of living friendly together for the ease of the people They did so much hearten and relish his propositions and promises that although Cities of such condition do not lightly believe them that have been their Enemies nevertheless they trusted to that and grew careless of their own preservation thinking that there was nothing more powerfull for their security than the treaties of peace between France Spain and Savoy in which they thought themselves included under the name of the confederate with the Cantons of Switzerland insomuch that the Dukes Subject went thither so familiarly that the day before this Execution some Gentlemen that knew something of the design being come into the Town to buy some Horses said they would come again the next day to conclude the Bargain and others had kept the same Language for other Wares so fully perswaded were they of a success though Heaven who laugheth at the thoughts of the proud had resolved to humble and abase them The Governour of Lion had presently notice that the Duke of Savoy was coming on the side of the Mountain and carryed with him scaling Ladders of which he sent notice to the King and provided what was necessary for the defence of Lion although the same Advice said it was not for France yet all this could not hinder the Execution which was in the mean time a doing D'Albigny Lieutenant General of the Duke in those Countreys he had on this side of the Mountains had made the Troops to pass and for that purpose had assigned them of their Quarters in the Towns of Geneva in several places that they might not be so soon discovered The Randezvous was at a place called Chambery the time of the Execution was reserved to the prudence of the Leader The time was not according to the precept of the Parthians who ever fought by night nor of the Lacedemonians who undertook nothing but in the time of the full Moon for it was one of the darkest and longest nights of all the year the Troops began their March about six
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
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
in Land and Water called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be cast upon the Sand by a storm then a little while after that Town which lieth near to that place where the Fish was cast shall be Besieged by her Enemies who shall come by Sea XXX La Nef estrange par le tourment Marin Abordera ptes le Port incognu Nonobstant signs du rameau palmerin Apres mort pille bon advis tard venu English The Outlandish Ship by a Sea storm Shall come near the unknown Haven Notwitstanding the signs given to it with Bows It shall die be plundered a good advice come too late ANNOT. It is a Forrein Ship which by a storm shall be driven to an unknown Harbour and notwithstanding the signs that shall be made to it with Branches by those that are upon the Land to beware of the entrance of the Harbour it shall be cast away and plundered thus a good advice shall come too late XXXI French Tant d'ans les guerres en Gaule dureront Outre la course du Castulon Monarque Victoire incerte trois grands couroneront Aigle Coq Lune Lion Soleil en marque English So many years the Wars shall last in France Beyond the course of the Castulon Monarque An uncertain Victory three great ones shall Crown The Eagle the Cock the Moon the Lion having the Sun in its mark ANNOT. That is the Wars shall last so long in France after the death of one King of Spain till three great ones shall challenge an uncertain Victory these three great ones are the Emperour designed by the Aigle the King of France by the Cock and the Turk by the Moon and this shall happen when the Sun is in the sign of the Lion I suppose that came to pass in the time of Charles the V. Henry the II. and Soliman For the Turk had no great odds upon the Emperour nor he upon the King of France XXXII French La grand Empire sera tost translaté En lieu petit qui bien tost viendra croistre Lieu bien infime d'exigue Comté Ou au milieu viendra poser son Scepter English The great Empire shall soon be translated Into a little place which shall soon grow afterwards An inferiour place of a small County In the middle of which he shall come to lay down his Scepter ANNOT. This is concernig the same Charles the V. Emperour who about three years before his death being weary of the World resigned his Dominions of Spain and of the Low-Countries to his Son Philip the II. and his Empire to his Brother Ferdinand and retired himself into a Monastery of Castile called l'Escurial which after his death was much enlarged and beautified by his Son Philip and that is the meaning of our Author when he saith Into a little place which shall soon grow afterwards An inferiour place of a small County For this Escurial being seated in a Desert place of a County of Spain called Castilia which the Spanish vanity calleth a Kingdom whose Use Fruit or Revenues the said Charles only reserved for his maintenance is now by the Spaniards accounted to be the eight wonder of the World XXXIII French Pres d'un grand Pont de plaine spacieuse Le grand Lion par force Cesarées Fera abatre hors Cité rigoureuse Par effroy portes luy seront reserrées English A great Bridge near a spacious Plain The great Lion by Caesarean Forces Shall cause to be pulled down without the rigorous City For fear of which the Gates shall be shut to him ANNOT. The meaning of this is that a great Captain Commander of the Imperial Forces shall cause a Bridge that was built near a spacious Plain to be thrown down The City near the Bridge being terrified at it shall shut up their Gates against him XXXIV French L'Oiseau de proye volant a la Fenestre Avant conflict fait au Francois parure L'un bon prendra l'autre ambigue sinistre La partie foible tiendra pour bonne augure English The Bird of Prey flying to the Window Before Battle shall appear to the French One shall take a good omen of it the other a bad one The weaker part shall hold it for a good sign ANNOT. It is a Hawk which in presence of two Armies ready to give Battle shall fly to a window and perch upon it in the presence of them all one of the Armies shall take it for a good sign and the other for an ambiguous and sinister one In Conclusion the weaker party shall get the Victory XXXV French Le Lion jeune le vieux surmontera En champ bellique par singulier Duelle Dans Cage dor Loeil il lui crevera Deux playes une puis mourir mort cruelle English The young Lion shall overcome the old one In Martial field by a single Duel In a Golden Cage he shall put out his Eye Two wounds from one then he shall die a cruel death ANNOT. This is one of the Prophecies that hath put our Author in credit as well for the clearness as for the true event of it Caessar No stradamus our Authors son in his History of Provence writeth that by this Stanza his father intended to foretell the manner of Henry the second 's death The French Histories relate that this great Prince desiring to honour the Nuptial of his Daughter Elizabeth married to Philip II. King of Spain did appoint a Tournament to be kept in St. Anthony's street in Paris where himself would be one of the Defendants against all comers and for that purpose chose for his companions and associates Don Alfonso d'Este Duke of Ferrara and Francis of Lorrain Duke of Guise The Tornament being almost ended in which the King had shewed much Valour being mounted upon a Horse of the Duke of Savoy Philibert's Emanuel his Brother in Law this Duke intreated the King to leave off because he had got the Victory and the weather was hot and the night drawing on But this Martial King would need break one Launce more and commanded the Captain Gabriel de Lorges to be called a young and valiant Lord and Captain of the Scottish Guard Being come the King commanded him to run against him which he refused a great while but the King waxing angry he obeyed and set Spurs to his Horse he did hit the King in the lower part of his Beaver the Launce was broken into shivers and the mean stump lifting up the Beaver a splinter got in and wounded the King a little above the right Eye where finding the Bone too hard it went very deep under the said Eye and broke some Veins belonging to the Membrane called Pia Mater The blow was so violent that the King bended his head towards the lists and fell into a Swound being presently disarmed they perceived the splinter of the Launce in his Eye and his face all bloody He lived ten days after and died with great Convulsions because the Sinews were offended whereupon
History is that the Duke of Nemours Son was one of the chief ringleaders of the League against Henry IV and did what he could before he dyed to get the Kingdom of France endeavouring first to make himself Sovereign Prince of Lion Forrest and Beaucolois The fourth History is that at the latter end of the year 1555. the Lord la Mole carrying to Rome the Cardinals of Tournon and Lorrain went directly to the Island of Corsica whence he drew some Forces which he joyned to his and to those of Monluc and would not Land at Monaco for some reasons but went directly to Civita Vecchia By this we understand that Verse of the Stanza The Ship of the Mole shall notcome near Monaco XCII French Teste trenchée du vaillant Capitaine Sera jettée devant son adversaire Son corps pendu de la Classe a l'Antenne Confus fuira par rames avent contraire English The head cut off the valliant Captain Shall be thrown down before his adversary His body hanged at the Sails Yard Confused they shall fly with Oars against the Wind. ANNOT. These words are plain enough though no body can tell whether the thing is past already or shall come to pass hereafter XCIII French Un Serpent veu proche du lict Royal Sera par Dame nuict chien n'abageronts Lors nastre en France un Prince tant Royal Du Ciel venu tous les Princes verront English A Serpent shall be seen near the Royal bed By a Lady in the night the Dogs shall not bark Then shall be born in France a Prince so Royal Come from Heaven all the Princes shall see it ANNOT. This seemeth to be an allusion to the Birth of Alexander the great for it is said that when his mother Olympia proved with Child of him there was seen in her Bed and about her Bed a great Serpent which was the presage of his future greatnesâ— therefore our Author also will have that when such a Prodigie shall appear in France that then shall be born such a Prince as he mentioneth here the circumstances are that this Serpent shall be seen by a Lady in the night time and that the Dogs of the house shall not bark at him XCIV French Deux grand freres seront chassez d' Espagne Laisné vaincu soubs les Monts Pyraenaecs Rougis Mer Rhosne sang Leman d' Alemagne Narbon Blyterre d' Agath contaminées English Two great Brothers shall be driven from Spain The elder of them shall be overcome under the Pyrenean Mountains Bloody Sea Rhosne Blood Leman of Germany Narbon Bliterre of Agath polâ—uted ANNOT. The two first Verses are easily understood by those that know the Pyrenean Mountains to be those that part Spain from France The two last Verses signifie there shall be bloody VVars in those places the Rhosne is a swift River of France that passeth through the City of Lyons Leman is the Lake of Geneva and Narbon is a City of Languedock XCV French Le Regne a deux laissé bien peu tiendront Trois ans sept mois passez feront la guerre Les deux vestales contre rebelleront Victor puisnay en Armorique Terre English The Kingdom being left to two they shall keep it but a little while Three years and seven months being past they shall make War The two Vestals shall rebel against them The youngest shall be Conquerour in the Armorick Countrey ANNOT. This signifies that a Kingdom shall be left to two who shall keep it but a little while about the space before mentioned By the two Vestals that shall rebel are to be understood two Nuns who having Interest in the state by their nearness of blood shall challenge a title in the Kingdom The last Verse signifies that the youngest that contended for the Kingdom shall overcome the eldest in the Province of Gascony XCVI French La soeur aisnèe de l'Isle Britannique Quinze ans devant le frere aura naissance Par son promis moyenant verifique Succedera au Regne de Balance English The eldest Sister of the Brittain Island Shall be born fifteen years before her Brother By what is promised her and help of the truth She shall succeed in the Kingdom of Libra ANNOT. This signifies that the Princess born so long after her Brother shall be married to a King of France which is understood here by the Kingdom of Libra therefore the last King Lewis the XIII was called the Just because born under the Sign of Libra XCVII French L'An que Mercure Mars Venus retrograde Du grand Monarque la ligne ne faillit Esleu du peuple Lusitant pres de Pactole Qu'en Paix Regne viendra fort enveillir English When Mercury Mars and Venus shall retrograde The Line of the great Monarch shall be wanting He shall be elected by the Lusitanians near Pactole And shall Reign in Peace a good while ANNOT. This signifies the late change of state in Portugal when they threw off the Spanish yoke and chose a King amongst themselves John the IV. Duke of Branganza Father to the present Queen of England for by the Lusitanians are meant the Portugals so called from their Countreys name Lusitania Pactoles is the River that runs by Lisbonne otherwise called Tagus in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Sands XCVIII French Les Albanois passeront dedans Rome Moyennant Langres demipiler affubles Marquis Duc ne pardonnes a l'homme Feu sang morbilles point d'eau faillir les ble's English The Albanians shall pass through Rome By the means of Langres covered with half Helmets Marquess and Duke shall spare no man Fire blood small Pox Water shall fail us also Corn. ANNOT. The meaning is that when the people of Albania lying between the Venetian Territories and Grecia shall come to Rome by the means of a Bishop of Langres who is a Duke and Peer of France being covered with half Helmets a kind of a Cap that they wear in War then shall be fire blood small Pox and want of Corn. XCIX French L'Aisnè vaillant de la fille du Roy Repoussera si profond les Celtiques Qu'il mettra Foudres combien en tel arroy Peu loing puis profond es Hesperiques English The valliant eldest son of the daughter of the King Shall beat back so far those of Flanders That he will cast Lightnings O how many in such orders Little and far after shall go deep in Spain ANNOT. This is scarce to be understood of any body but the present King of France Lewis the XIV who was the elder son and born of Queen Ann Daughter to the King of Spain who by his valour and fortune made last year such progress in the Conqueâ— of Flanders that it hath caused admiration in every body insomuch that if he do the like this year it may be propably suspected he will afterwards go deep into Spain according to the contents of this Prophecy C. French Du feu Celeste au Royal
Contre leur Chef seront denuit fer livre Ennemy d' Albe doibt par main furieuse Lors vexer Rome principaux seduire English When the seditious fury of the Souldiers Against their Chief shall make the Iron shine by night The enemy d'Albe shall by a furious hand Then vex Rome and seduce the principal one ANNOT. The Lord de Thou doth judiciously observe that the Pope being unacquainted with things belonging to War as to Money Victuals and Ammunition was easily persuaded by Cardinal caraffa to make war against Spain for without being provided oâ— all these things he put his Armies into the Field nec satis perpendens quám a pecuniâ milite ac caeteris rebus ad bellum necessariis imparatus intempestive arma sumeret In the 15. Book of his History the Duke of Urbin had commission to raise 6000 Foot and 300. Horses in the Dukedom of Spoleto and in Mark of Ancona John Caraffe the Popes Nephew was made General of the Army and being but Earl of Mortor was Created Duke of Palliano by the confiscation of the goods of Mark Anâ—ony Colonna Camillo Ursini was made General of the Forces in Rome and in the Territory thereof Blasius of Monluc the Mars of his time and by birth a Gascon was sent by the King to help with his advice and courage the Romans who are always fitter for the Breviary then for the Sword Besides these Forces raised within the Church Dominions Charles Caraffa gathered all the Bandittes of Naples and Florence and raised some Regiments of Switzers that came to succour the Pope With these Troops the Pope seized upon the most important places and persons belonging to the Spanish party as the Coloneses and the Vitelly These asked succours of the Emperour Charles the V. who presently commanded Ferdinand of Toledo Duke of Alba to succour them He was then tasked in the Piemont and Milanes to resist the French that were then under the conduct of the Marshal of Brissac To conclude his design the better he wrote many Letters to the Pope and the Colledge of Cardinals full of respect and submission desiring them to moderate their passion against the Spanish party but the Pope being angry by several reports answered him complaining of many things which made the Duke resolve to the war and to be there in person He took his occasion as a prudent Captain when the news was brought to him that the Popes Forces were in mutiny against their General for want of pay and made a great tumult in the night hearing that he was approaching with a great train of Artillery Bzovius saith that the Earl of Montor regarded more his profit then the Popes Interest and kept back a great part of the money that was to pay the Souldiers whence proceeded this tumult which helped much the Duke of Alva's business This is the explanation of the two first Verses of this Stanza concerning the mutiny of the Souldiers that were in the Popes service during which mutiny the enemy d' Alba did not fail to vex Rome this word the enemy d' Alba doth not signifie the enemy of the Duke of Alba as if one should say in Latine Hostis Albanus He did then vex Rome for in a short time he took Ponte Corvino Frusino Anagnia Marino Lavaci Prâ—â—neste Tivoli Ostia Neptuno Alba Vico-Varro Monte Fortino and almost all the places of the Roman Territory This did streighten Rome so much that the General Camillo ursini made several Trenches within the VValls of Rome instead of preserving the outworks as Montluâ— would have persuaded him to do the alarums were so great at Rome that Montluâ— was fain to encourage the Romans and to make a VVarlike Speech to them which is inserted in his VVorks Moreover the same Duke began to seduce the Principals of Rome by his friends that he had in it but particularly by the cheat that he put upon the Pope for his design being to prevent the French Forces and to surprize the Pope he resolved to go streight to Rome and to bring his design the better to pass he sent Pyrrbus Coffrede to the Pope to see if there was any way of agreement to the end that upon this porposition the Pope should mistrust nothing In the mean time the Duke of Alba was coming near Rome at which the Pope was so angry that he put this Embassadour in Prison where he was kept till the conclusion of the Peace in this sort were the principal men of Rome seduced having no thought of the Spaniards approaches this is the relation of the Lord de Thou Lib. 16. LXIX French La grand pitie sera sans long tarder Ceux qui donnoient seront contraints de prendre Nuds affamez de froid soif soy bander Passer les Monts en saisant grand esclandre English What a great pitty will it be t' re-long Those that did give shall be constrained to receive Naked famished with cold thirst to mutiny To go over the Mountains making great disorders ANNOT. The words of the first Verse before it be long is the Key of the Stanza because we infer from thence it was shortly to happen as in truth it did at the latter end of the year 1556. when the Duke of Guise came into Piemont to joyn with the Marshal of Brissac Then the troops of the Marshal seeing those of the Duke better paid then they were forsook the Marshal the History saith there was above 1500. of them and that the Marshal paid the Souldiers of his own money to stay them The great pitty was when he had no more to give he was compelled by the Kings order it self and against his own inclination to raise some moneys upon the Countreys Secondly to take some Towns and give the plunder to the Souldiers Thirdly to permit the Souldiers to pillage the Countrey The Author was willing to foretell this because there was never a man more strict in keeping the Martial discipline then this General was The Marshal of Brissac being thus abused some of his troops forsook him to follow the Duke of Guise being for the most part naked and starved with cold hunger and thirst which makes the Author to specifie hunger cold and thirst want having compelled them to disband they went over the Mountains not of Piemont but the Apennines of Montferrdt and whatsoever thing they found was a Fish for their Net LXX French Un Chef du Monde le grand Cheiâ—en sera Plus outre apres aime craint redoute Son bruit los les Cieux surpassera Et du seul titre Victeur fort contente English A Chief of the World the great Cheiren shall be Moreover beloved afterwards feared dreaded His same and praise shall go beyond the Heavens And shall be contented with the only title of Victor ANNOT. VVe have said already before that the Author by the word Cheyren meaneth Henry the II. his Master by transposition of Letters who as he saith was contented with