can fasten this upon no body but upon some Monks which are called here The alone because of their solitary life who shall be punished by a King for having robbed the Church XIII French Le corps sans ame plus n'estre en sacrifice Jour de la mort mis en Nativité L'Esprit Divin fera l'ame foelice Voiant le Verbe en son Eternité English The body without the soul shall be no more admitted in Sacrifice The day of the death shall be put for the Birth-day The Divine Spirit shall make the Soul happy By seeing the Word in its Eternity ANNOT. The first Verse seemed to Prophecy the Reformation of Religion and the change of opinion concerning the Lords Supper which should be no more a Sacrifice as the Roman Church calleth the Mass of a body without a soul but only a commemoration of the Lords death as the second Verse confirmeth saying The day of the death shall be put for the Birth-day seeing that by the commemoration of that death we are renewed into a newness of life and as it were born again The last two Verse are easie XIV French A Tours Gien Gargeau seront yeux penetrans Descouvriront le long de la grande Sereine Elle sa Suite au Port seront entrans Combat poussez Puissance Souveraine English At Tours Gien Gergeau shall be piercing eyes Who shall discover along the great Syren She and her Attendans shall enter into the Port By a fight shall be thrust out the Soveraign Power ANNOT. Tours Gien and Gergeau are Cities upon the River of Loire which is called here the great Syren because of the length of its course the meaning then is that those Cities shall be watchful and stand upon their guard and shall fight against a King which if it hath already come to pass in the Civil Wars or shall happen hereafter I cannot affirm XV. French Un peu devant Monarque trucidé Castor Pollux en nef astre crinite L'Airain public par Terre Mer vuidé Pisa Ast Ferrare Turin Terre interdite English A little before a Monarch be killed Castor and Pollux shall appear and a Comet in the Ship The publick brass by Land and Sea shall be emptyed Pisa Ast Ferrare Turin Countreys forbidden ANNOT. The meaning of this is that a little before a Monarck be killed Castor and Pollux two Meteores so called as also a Comet in that constellation of the Heavens called the Ship of Argos and the Publick Brass that is the Canons by Land and Sea shall be emptied and these Towns of Italy viz. Pisa Ast Ferrare Turin shall be excommunicated by the Pope XVI French Naples Palerme Sicile Syracuse Nouveaux Tyrants fulgures feu Coelestes Force de Londres Gand Bruxelles Sufe Grand Hecatombe Triomphe faire Festes English Naples Palermo Sicily Syracusa New Tyrants Lightnings Celestial fires Army from London Ghent Bruxelles and Suse A great Hecatomb Triumphs and Feasts ANNOT. There is nothing difficult but the word Hecatomb which is a Greek word signifying a Sacrifice of an hundred Oxen. XVII French Le Camp du Temple de la Vierge Vestale Non esloigné d' Ethene Monts Pyrenées Le grand conduit est chassée dans la Male North gettez Fleuves Vignes mastinées English The Camp of the Temple of the Vestal Virgin Not far from Ethene and the Pyrenean Mountains The great Conduit is driven in the Clock-bag Rivers overflown in the North and the Vines spoiled ANNOT. There is so many faults in the impression of this and so hard to be rectified that I had rather leave it to the liberty of the judicious Reader then make my self ridiculous in not giving him satisfaction XVIII French Nouvelle Pluie subite impetueuse Empeschera subit deux excercites Pierre Ciel Feux faire la Mer pierreuse La mort de sept Terre Marin subites English A new Rain sudden impetuous Shall suddenly hinder two Armies Stone Heaven fire shall make the Sea stony The death of seven shall be sudden upon Land and Sea ANNOT. The first two Verses signifie that a sudden and impetuous Rain shall hinder two Armies from fighting The two last Verses foretell several Prodigies the which happening seven persons shall suddenly die upon the Sea and Land XIX French Nouveaux venus lieu basty sans defence Occuper place pour lors inhabitable Prez Maisons Champs Villes prendre a plaisance Faim Peste Guerre arpent long labourable English New comers shall build a place without fence And shall occupy a place that was not then habitable They shall at their pleasure take Fields Houses and Towns There shall be Famine Plague War and a long arable field ANNOT. This is so plain that it needeth no Interpretation XX. French Freres Soeurs en divers lieux captifs Se trouveront passer pres du Monarque Les contempler ses deux yeux ententifs Des plaisant vont Menton Front Nez les marques English Brothers and Sisters shall be made slaves in divers places And shall pass before the Monarck Who shall look upon them with attentive eyes They shall go in heaviness witness their Chin Forehead and Nose ANNOT. This is obvious to the meanest capacity XXI French L'Ambassadeur envoié par Biremes A my chemin incogneus repoulsez De Sel renfort viendront quatre triremes Cordes Chaines en Negrepont troussez English The Embassadour that was sent in Biremes In the midleway shall be repulsed by unknown Men From the Salt to his succours shall come four triremes Ropes and Chains shall be carried to Negrepont ANNOT. Bireme is a Galley that hath two ranges of Oares Trireme is one that hath three ranges The meaning then of this is that an Embassadour shall be sent in a Galley with two ranges of Oares and that he shall be met in his way by unknown men that is Pyrates there shall come to his succours from the Salt that is from the French four Triremes that is four Galleys every one having three ranges of Oares but they shall all be carried to Negrepont an Island belonging to the Turk XXII French Le Camp Ascop d'Europe partira Sadioignant proche de l'Isle submergee D' Arton classe Phalange partira Nombril du Monde plus grand voix subrogée English The Camp Ascop shall go from Europe And shall come near the drowned Island From Arton shall go an Army by Sea and Land By the Navel of the World a greater vice shall be substituted ANNOT. The Author hath darkned this Stanza with so many barbarous words as Camp Ascop drowned Island Darton Navel of the World that it is very like either he did not understand himself or would not be understood by others XXIII French Palaces Oiseaux par Oiseau dechassé Bien tost apres le Prince parvenu Combien qu'hors Fleuve ennemy repoulsé Dehors saisy trait d'Oiseau soustenu English Palais Birds driven away by a Bird Soon after that the Prince is come to his own Although the
Reporter of the Process He was not moved at these words attainted and convicted of high Treason but at these against the Person of the King he fell into a rage and Swearing as he had done many times before and shall do hereafter with great Oaths and Imprecations there is no such thing said he to the Recorder it is false blot out that he was also very angry hearing that he was to be executed in the place of Greve thinking that for several respects he was to be distinguished from the common sort of people and Swore again that he would not go thither and that he had rather to be torn in pieces by wild Horses and that it was not in the power of all those that stood by to carry him thither then he was a little appeased when Voisin told him that the King had done him that favour to change the place of Execution and that it was to be done in the Bastille The confiscation of his Goods and the revenues of the Dukedom of Biron to the Crown was the last point of the Sentence that vexed him What said he doth the King intend to grow rich out of my poverty The Lordship of Biron cannot be confiscated I only possessed it by substitution of my Brethren what shall my Brethren do the King ought to have been satisfied with the loss of my life The Sentence being pronounced Voisin did exhort him again to renounce all the vanities of the world to take no other care but of the Salvation of his Soul which was to be first by reconciling himself to God Almighty and that there was two Divines for that purpose and that according to the usual forms of Executions he would be pleased to suffer himself to be bound That word of Execution did seem so horrid to him that he fell into a new rage Swearing that he would never permit so infamous a person to touch him otherwise than with the Sword and that he had rather be hewen in pieces To keep him from falling into a further despair Vois 〈…〉 left him with his Divines viz. Garnier Almonec and Confessor to the King and after that Bishop of Montpelier and Magnan Curate of St. Nicolas in the fields at Paris who began to talk boldly to him of his death and to disvest himself of all his thoughts as he had done of his Goods and to take no other care than that of his Soul whereupon he fell into a passion again Let me alone said he it is I that must think upon my Soul you have nothing to do with it I had no need of you you shall not be troubled to hear my confession what I speak aloud is my confession I have been these eight days a confessing my self and the last night me thought I saw the Heavens opened and that God lent me his Hand my Keepers heard me laugh for joy in my sleep The Divines did not loose Courage for all that but more and more intreated him to consider that he was no more what he had been before that within one or two hours he should be no more that he must change to be for evermore that his Soul was ready to appear before the fearfull Throne of the living God to be rewarded with a more happy life than that he had hitherto passed or be condemned to an Eternal pain and that in comparison of that which he was to suffer now it was no more than the slight pricking of a Pin and having in some measure appeased him they left him to examine his Conscience while Voisin went to give notice of his refusing to be bound the Chancellor doubted whether he should be compelled to it the first President said that it was dangerous to let him loose Sellery having learned of Voisin that the Prisoner was at that time very quiet said that if they went about to bind him he would break all the bonds of Patience and should never be brought to Execution but in a rage and dispair according to that opinion he was left free in his body that he might be the more free in â—â—is thoughts Which were more to the World and to the setling of his affairs than to the saving of his Soul which he had neglected all his life time and shewed himself utterly ignorant of the principles of his Religion for which he said a little before he was put to death and those that were present related that his Prayers made him appear more a Souldier than a Christian he prayed in commanding and commanded in praying His Confession being ended he walked in the Chappel with one hand upon his side and with the other holding the strings of his Shirt did unbutton and button again his Doublet Vois 〈…〉 being come back told him that the Chancellor and the first President were very glad to hear of his Patience and of his constant resolution to die He talked much of the Money he had at Dijon of the worth of his Jewels and of what was owing to him and what himself did owe he desired that some Sums of Money should be paid to certain Gentlemen that had no Obligation for it But still he broke forth into exclamations concerning his Innocency and execrations against la Fin asking if it should not be lawfull for his Brothers to prosecute him and to cause him to be burnt Upon this those that kept him during his Imprisonment came to take their leave of him every one having his left hand upon the handle of his Sword and Tears in his Eyes he moved them to compassion by the sight of his present condition and exhorted them to serve the King faithfully against whom he had said he had done nothing amiss and complained that he could find no Mercy at his Hands intreated them to pray to God for him and to oblige them to that distributed among them all his Cloaths and linnen and Watches he desired also the Knight of the Watch to tell the King that his Servants knew nothing of his Affairs that the Earl of Auvergne was not to be questioned upon that account He intreated much one exempt of the Guards to go to the said Earl and tell him he had laid nothing to his charge and that he went to die without any grief but of the loss of his friendship and that the shortness of his life would not give him leave to shew in effect how much he was his servant The Earl sent him word that he did accept of his farewell as of an intimate friend and that he remained behind to lament all the days of his life the loss he suffered in him intreated him to leave him his Bastard Son to have him brought up with his own Children After this the Prisoner saw a Gentleman belonging to the Duke of Mayene and entreated him to tell his Master that if ever in his life he had given him some occasion not to love him that he prayed to believe that he would die his servant as also of
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
of Mind when he saith Sitting by night Because a troubled Mind cannot see clearly the Things it is busie about no more than tossed Waters can distinctly represent the Objects that are opposed to them Thus we read in the Scripture that the Prophet Elishah being transported with Zeal against Joram King of Israel and nevertheless willing to consult God concerning the event of the Warr against the Moabites called for a Minstrel that the Harmony of the Instrument might quiet his Mind as it did happen And it came to pass when the Minstrel played that the Hand of the Lord came upon him 2 Kings chap. 3. ver 15. The Author in his Dedicatory Epistle to his Son Caesar calleth this Tranquility of Mind A long Melancholick Inspiration because the Melancholick Humour and Mind sequestreth a Man from the concerns of worldly things and maketh him present to himself so that his Understanding is not darkned by a multitude of Species that troubles its Operation The Second Disposition was the Silence of the Night For Man who is compounded of Body and Soul doth notably intricate himself in External things by the commerce of the Senses with the Objects which obligeth him to withdraw himself from visible things when he intends to apply himself to some serious Study And as the silence of the Night causeth in the Universe a cessation of noises and clashings in Business Visits and Colloquies the Mind is then more at rest Besides that Night covering with her Darkness our Hemisphere our Senses are less distracted and our Internal Faculties are more united to serve the Operations of the Understanding Therefore the Author in his two Liminary Epistles makes often mention of his continual Nocturnal Watchings of his Sweet-smelling nocturnal Studies and of his Nocturnal and Prophetical Calculations The Third Disposition was Solitariness that is having no other Conversation then that of his Books being retired in his Study Alone For it seemeth that God commonly maketh use of Solitariness when he doth impart himself to Men and revealeth them his Oracles And the Sybils were chosen to be Prophets as much for their Solitariness as for their Chastity The Author saith that with those three Dispositions he raised himself to the knowledge of future things which is signified by those words Resting upon the Brazen Stool Servius in his Commentaries upon Virgil speaking of this Brazen Stool saith two things of it The First that this Stool was a Table set upon a Trevet called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the Latines Tripus The Second is that the Sybils or the Priests of the Delphick Temple of Apollo got upon that Table when they went about to pronounce their Oracles Pliny in his 33. Book Chap. 3. saith that they called those Tables Cortinas and that some were made of Brass for the use aforesaid From the use of that Brazen Trevet is come the Proverb Ex tripode loqui When one speaketh like an Oracle Thus the Author willing to express that being in his Stuâ—y in the solitariness of the Night he raised himself to the Knowledge of Future things to write them and transmit them to Posterity he saith He was sitting or resting upon the Brazen Stool Thus raising himself and taking his Pen in hand to write what he should learn he saith in the Third Verse that A slight Flame or small Light did insinuate it self in his understanding by whose splendor and brightness he saw future things The Author in his Epistle to Caesar his Son expoundeth always this Prophetical Light by the comparison of a shining Flame and calleth it rather a Flame than a pure Light because this Light doth not only discover the Mysteries but more-over it lightens in us a certain Heat and Prophetical Power as himself terms it as if we should say a Sacred Enthusiasm even saith he as the Sun coming near us with his Light not only darteth upon all Elementary things the brightness of his Beams but withal infuseth in them a certain quickning heat which causeth the Vegetables to grow and upholdeth the Being of all other natural things Even so saith he this good Genius as the Ancients term it or as we Christians say that Divine Spirit of Prophecy coming near our understandings not only importeth a Light to them but moreover a certain heat and Prophetical Power which strenghteneth them in the knowledge of the aforesaid things and causeth them to breath out as by a Sacred Enthusiasm some Prophetical Verses Which happeneth to them saith the Author coming out of Solitude that is to fay when their Spirit stoopeth down and by degrees cometh down from that sublime Region and high elevation taking the Pen to write down the future time Therefore he with his dispositions participating of that slight flame coming out of his solitude began to write and to utter What is not in vain to believe The things that the Author hath written shall not be unprofitable as we have proved already and the time will come when by the means of Divine Providence the Church shall receive the fruit thereof at which we ought not to wonder seeing that God saith of himself in Isaiah Chap. 48. Ver. 17. I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit The Author foretelleth many wonders of which we ought to be certain by the verification of those that are already past seeing that it is the same Spirit that shewed them all The same Prophecies are also profitable in that every where the Author condemneth Seditious and Rebellious persons and Prophecieth the Churches Victory over her Enemies They are also profitable for particular Men that understand the meaning of them for by it they may provide for their own business according to the storm undertaking nothing but upon sure grounds following always the best party and disposing themselves to patience when the calamities are general and involve together the guilty and guiltless Therefore our Author saith well A slight flame breaking forth out of that solitude makes me utter what is not in vain to believe II. French La Verge en main mise au milieu des Branches De l'Onde je moüille le Limbe le Pied En peur j'escris fremissant par les manches Splendeur Divine le Divine prez s'assied English With Rod in hand set in the middle of the Branches With water I wet the Limb and the Foot In fear I writ quaking in my sleeves Divine splendor the Divine sitteth by ANNOT. Amongst the customs the Ancients observed before they pronounced their Oracles one was to take a Tuffie Branch of Laurel and with it dipt in water to sprinkle the edges and Columns of the Table that was upon the Brazen Trevet by which ceremonies they procured credit to their Oracles The Author willing to let us know that his Verses were not only a simple writing ing but also Prophetical and full of Oracles doth represent them to us by this Metaphore of the Ancients when they did amuse
pass in the year 1556. for the Countrey about Rome was vexed by the French Nation who went about then to take the places which the Duke of Alba had taken from the Pope and thereby caused those disorders which commonly are incident to War The second Verse saith the Countrey shall be too much vexed and not a little because Monluc whom the Author calleth the quick Gascon did continually torment the Enemies which could not be done without a great prejudice to the Countrey Moreover his Troops being for the most part Gascons and consequently active men the Soldiers did more harm than ordinary In the first Verse he saith that this Countrey about Rome was marked by an Augury to be the place upon which the sad effect of the Augury should fall which proved true for the first of March 1556. appeared a Blazing Star which did presage to that Countrey of Rome its disaster Roman Countrey in which the Augur did interpret that is to say which the Augur did signifie and presage should be vexed by the French Nation Afterwards the Author saith that the same French Nation or Celtique shall fear the hour when Boreas should drive to far the Fleet that is to say shall fear much when the Baron de la Garde was so troubled with the storm as we have said and in truth it was Boreas or the Northwind that drove him into St. Florents road C. French Dedans les Isles si horrible tumulte Rien on n'orra qu'une bellique brigue Tant grand sera des predareurs l'Insult Qu'on se viendra ranger a la grand ligue English In the Islands shall be so horrid tumults That nothing shall be heard but a Warlike surprise So great shall be the insult of the Robbers That every one shall shelter himself under the great League ANNOT. This is plain if by the the great League you understand the soundest and most powerful party THE PROPHECIES OF Michael Nostradamus CENTURY III. I. French APres Combat Bataille Navale Le grand Neptune a son plus haut beffroy Rouge adversaire de peur de viendra pasle Mettant le grand Occean en effroy English After the fight and Sea Battle The great Neptune in his highest Steeple The red adversary shall wax pale for fear Putting the great Occean in a fright ANNOT. I find no my stical sence in this unless by the red adversary he should understand the Pope because clothed in Scarlet Therefore I leave the explication to the judgement of every particular Reader II. French Le Divin Verbe donra a la substance Compris Ciel Terre or occult au lait mystique Corps Ame Esprit ayant toute puissance Tant sous ses pieds comme au Siege Celique English The Divine Word shall give to the substance Heaven and Earth and Gold hid in the mystical milk Body Soul Spirit having all power As well under his feet as in the Heavenly Seat ANNOT. I desire the judicious Reader and chiefly if he be given to the Hermetick Philosophy to take a special notice of this Stanza for in it is contained the secret of the Elixir or Philosophers Stone more clearly and plainly then in the Tabula Smaragdina of Hermes which to make appearent we shall expound it Verse by Verse The Divine Word shall give to the substance by the Divine word you must not understand the second person of the Trinity but a Doctor in Divinity or a Theologian called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Divine word who shall be an Adeptus a Disciple of Hermes and one that shall attain to the secret of the Philosophers stone That man shall give to the substance that is to Gold Heaven and Earth and gold hid in the mystical Milk Heaven and Earth that is all the Celestial and Terrestrial qualities lurking in the Gold which is hid in the mystical milk that is in the Azoth or Mercury of the Philosophers Body Soul Spirit having all Power that is the three principles of which the Philosophers say their stone is compounded viz. Body Soul and Spirit Having all Power that is having the power to transmute all Mettals into its kind as also having all the powers from above and below as Hermes saith Pater ejus est Sol Mater vero Luna Terra nutrix ejus Which is confirmed by the last Verse As well under his feet as in the Heavenly Seat III. French Mars Mercure Largent joint ensemble Vers le Midy extreme siccité Au fond d' Asie on dira Terre tremble Corinthe Ephese lors en perplexite English Mars and Mercury and Silver joyned together Towards the South a great drought In the bottome of Asia shall be an Earth-quake Corinth and Ephesus shall then be in perplexity ANNOT. After the Author hath in the foregoing Stanza expressed the mistery of the Philosophers stone he seemeth to give here a receit though Sophistical for the relief of the Inquisitors and as it were a Viaticum for them to subsist till they can attain to the perfection as Basilius Valentinus hath done since to his disciples He saith then that with Mars that is Iron Mercury and Silver joyned together some thing may be done if you beware of a drought in the South that is in the middle of the operation and this is concerning the two first Verses Those that shall desire to be better and further informed may come to me and they shall have all the satisfaction I can afford them The two last Verses have no relation to the first two and foretel onely a great Earth-quake in Asia by which those two Towns Corinth and Ephesus shall be in great perplexity IV. French Quand seront proches le defaut des Lunaires De l'un a lautre ne distant grandement Froid siccité dangers vers les frontieres Mesme ou l'Oracle a pris commencement English When the want of the Luminaries shall be near Not being far distant one from another Cold drought danger towards the Frontiers Even where the Oracle had his beginning ANNOT. The word near sheweth that the two Eclipses one of the Sun and the other of the Moon shall be near one another The Ephemerides of John Stadius teach us that in the year 1556 in the Month of November these two Eclipses did meet That of the Sun upon the first of November at 17 hours as the Astrologers reckon and 53 Minutes That of the Moon at 12 hours and 43 Scruples and thus the two last Verses are plain Concerning the other two Belleforest teacheth us two things the first that the same year was extraordinary dry in so much that from April to October it did not rain but only upon the Eve of St. John the Baptist and that the Vintage was made in August the Wine proving excellent The second is that in the Month of December began a horrid Frost which lasted a great while Thus there was Cold and drought Concerning the dangers towards the Frontiers Belleforest saith
thousands At the third resistance the Bridge shall be broken ANNOT. Agde is a Sea Town in France upon the Mediterranean Sea which is threatned here of three Galleys that shall come into the Harbour of it and shall bring with them infection and Plague and besides carry away thousands of Captives by which it seemeth that these should be Turkish Galleys till at last upon the third resistance of the Townsmen the Bridge shall be broken XXII French Gorfan Narbonne par le Sel advercir Tucham la Grace Perpignan trahie La ville rouge ny voudra consentir Par haute Voldrap Gris vie faillie English Gorsan Narbonne by the Salt shall give notice To Tucham the Grace Perpignan betrayed The rek Town will not give consent to it By high Woldrap Gray life ended ANNOT. This is another wherein my best skill faileth me for take away Narbonne which is a City of France in the Province of Langucdoc and Perpignan which is another in the County of Roussilon near Spain The rest are either barbarous words or nonsensical to me XXIII French Lettres trouvées de la Reyne les Coffres Point de subscrit sans aucun nom d'Autheur Par la police seront cachez les offres Qu'on ne scaura qui sera lamateur English Letters found in the Queens Coffers No superscription no name of the Author By policy shall be concealed the offers So that no body shall know who shall be the lover ANNOT. This needeth no great explication being pretty plain and foretelleth only that a Queens Trunks shall be opened wherein many love Letters shall be found without subscription with many great offers which by policy being suppressed or no notice taken of The lover was never known XXIV French Le Lieutenant a l'entrée l'huis Assommera le grand de Perpignan En se cuidant sauver a Montpertuis Sera deceu Bastard de Lusignan English The Lieutenant shall at the doors entry Knock down the great one of Perpignan And the Bastard of Lusignan shall be deceived Thinking to save himself at Montpertuis ANNOT. The words and the sense are clear though the meaning is hard to be understood XXV French Coeur de l'Amant ouvert d'amour furtive Dans le ruisseau sera ravir la Dame Le demy mal contrefaira laseive Le Pere a deux privera corps de l'Ame English The Lovers heart being by a stoln love Shall cause the Dame to be ravished in the Brook The lascivious shall counterfeit half a discontent The Father shall deprive the bodies of both of their souls ANNOT. This signifieth nothing but a Lover who meeting in or by a Brook his Mistress shall enjoy her for which she shall fain a little discontent as if she had been ravished against her will but her jealous Father not contented therewith shall kill them both which is an ordinary Italian trick XXVI French De Carones trouvez en Barcelonne Mys descouvers lieu terrouers ruine Le grand qui tient ne voudra Pampelone Par l'Abbaye de Montferrat bruine English The Carones fond in Barcelona Put discovered place soil and ruine The great that hold will not Pampelona By the Abbaye of Montferrat mist ANNOT. Barcelona is a Town of a Province in Spain called Catalonia Pampelona is the chief Town of the Kingdom of Navarre Montferrat is an Abbaye in the Mountains of Catalonia the rest is insignificant XXVII French La voye Auxelle l'un sur l'autre fornix Du muy de fer hors mis brave genest L'Escrit d'Empereur la Phoenix Veu en celuy ce qu'a nul autre nest English The way Auxelle one Arch upon another Being brave and gallant put out of the Iron vessel The writing of the Emperour the Phoenix In it shall be seen what no where else is ANNOT. I can find nothing in this worth interpretation XXVIII French Les Simulachres d'or d'argent enflez Qu'apres le rapt Lac au feu furent jettez Au descouvert estaints tous troublez Au Marbre escripts prescripts interjettez English The Images sweld with Gold and Silver Which after the rape were thrown into the Lake and fire Being discovered after the putting out of the fire Shall be written in Marble prescripts being intermixed ANNOT. It seemeth that this gold and silver Idols having been stoln were afterwards thrown into a Lake and a fire which fire being put out those Idols were found and the memorial engraven in Marble XXIX French Au quart pilier ou l'on sacre a Saturne Pat tremblant Terre Deluge fendu Soubs l'edifice Saturnin trouvée Urne D'or Capion ravy puis tost rendu English At the fourth Pillar where they sacrifice to Saturn Cloven by an Earth-quake and a Flood An Urne shall be found under that Saturnian building Full of Capion gold stoln and then restored ANNOT. This foretelleth that at the fourth Pillar of a Temple that was dedicated to Saturn which Pillar shall be split by an Earth-quake and a Flood there shall be found an Urne which is an Earthen Vessel wherein the ancient Romans used to keep the ashes of their dead friends full of gold that shall be carried away and then restored XXX French Dedans Tholose non loin de Beluzer Faisant un puis loing Palais d'espectacle Thresor trouvé un chacun ira vexer Et en deux locs tout aupres des Vesacle English Within Tholose not far from Beluzer Digging a Well for the Pallace of spectacle A treasure found that shall vex every one In two parcels in and near the Basacle ANNOT. Tholose is the chief City of Languedoc Beluzer is a private place within its precinct Spectacle is insignificant and is onely foisted in to Rime with Basacle which is a place in Tholose where there is aboundance of Water-mills that make a hideous and fearful noise XXXI French Premier grand fruit le prince de Pesquiere Mais puis viendra bien cruel malin Dedans Venise perdra sa glorie fiere Et mis a mal par plus joyve Celin English The first great fruit the Prince of Pesquiere But he shall become very cruel and malicious He shall loose his fierce pride in Venice And shall be put to evil by the younger Celin ANNOT. Pescaire is a Town in the Kingdom of Naples belonging to the noble Spanish Family of Avalos of which it seemeth one shall prove cruel and malicious but he shall be killed in Venice by one young Celin by which formerly and in other places the Author understandeth the Turk XXXII French Garde toy Roy Gaulois de ton Nepveu Qui fera tant que ton unique filz Sera meurtry a Venus faisant voeu Accompagné de nuit que trois six English Take heed O French King of thy Nephew Who shall cause that thine only Son Shall be murdered making a vow to Venus Accompanied with three and six ANNOT. This is a plain warning to a French King to beware of his Nephew who accompanied with nine others shall
had not made that enterprise to trouble the Peace of the Cantons but to prevent l'Esdiguieres to seize upon it for the King of of France who should have been so powerfull a Neighbour as would have given them great occasion of fears and jealousies The success of this undertaking made it appear that God will not have those Treaties to the assurance of which his name hath been called for a Witness to be violated whatsoever appeararance or pretext of Religion there be Thus Gentle Reader thou seest by all these Circumstances the Truth of our Authors Prognostication LXXI French Fleuves Rivieres de mal seront obstacles La vielle flame d'ire non appaisee Courir en France cecy come d'Oracles Maisons Manoirs Palais secte rasée English Brooks and Rivers shall be a stopping to cvil The old flame of anger being not yet ceased Shall run through France take this as an Oracle Houses Mannors Palaces Sect shall be raced ANNOT. This hath a perfect relation to the miseries that followed the general Massacre of the Protestants in France in the year 1572. when the Rivers were a stop to the cruelty of the Persecutors and when so many Houses Mannors and Palaces belonging to those of the reformed Religion were demolished and to signifie the certainty thereof he saith in the third Verse take this as an oracle To the Curious READER Gentle Reader THou shalt take notice that in this place the covetousness of Booksellers and Printers hath in the modern Copies vented new Prophecies which they call Prognostications drawn out of those of Michael Nostradamus which are so absurd and nonsensical that they have been rejected both by his Son and the best Wits of this age therefore I would not soil the Paper with them for fear to put such a course List upon so fine a Cloth but shall proceed on to give you the rest of those Prophecies which truly and undoubtedly belong to our Author Wonderful Prognostications for the Age 1600. Gathered out of the Notes of Mr. Michael Nostradamus Physitian to King CHARLES the IX and one of the most excellent Astronomers that ever were PRESENTED To the Most Victorious and Merciful PRINCE HENRY the IV. King of FRANCE and NAVARRE at Chantilly the Constable of Montmorency's House the 15th of March 1605. By Vincent Seve of the Town of Beaucaire in Languedoc To the King Sir HAving some years ago recovered certain Prophecies or Prognostications made by the lately Deceased Michael Nostradamus from the hands of Henry Nostradamus his Nephew which he gave me before his death and which I have kept secret till now that I saw they treated of the affairs of your Estate and particularly of your Person and Successors as your self may see if you please tó take the pains to look upon and wherein you shall find things worâ—â—y of admiration I have taken the boldness though unworthy to present them to you transcribed in this little Book no less wonderful then the other two which he made for in it he hath treated of what shall happen in this Age 1600 not so obscurely as he hath done formerly but by aenigmes specifying so clearly the things he speaketh of that one may certainly judge of them as of things that are already come to pass Being therefore desirous that your Majesty should have the first notice thereof I thought to discharge my duty in this as one of your most obedient and faithful Subjects which I intreat your Majesty would be pleased to agree obliging so not onely the body of one of your faithful Subjects already yours but also the Soul who shall continue to pray for the health and prosperity of your Majesty and of all those that have relation to it as one that is and shall ever be SIR Your most humble most obedient and faithful Servant and Subject SEVE From your Town of Beaucairâ— in Languedoc OTHER PROPHECIES OF Michael Nostradamus For the Years of this Age 1600. 1. French SIecle nouveau alliance nouvelle Un Marquisat mis dedans la Nacelle A qui plus fort des deux l'emportera D'un Duc d'un Roy Gallere de Florence Port de Marscille Pucelle dans la France De Catherine Fort Chef on rasera English New Age new Alliance A Markdom put into a Boat Who shall be the strongest of the two to carry it Of a Duke or of a King Galley of Florence In the Port of Marseilles a Maid in France Of the Fort Catherine the Head shall be demolished ANNOT. By New Age is meant the Age 1600. to the end of the Century each age containing a hundred years The new Alliance was the match between Henry the IV. and Catherine of Medicis made and celebrated that year A Markdom put into a Boat was the Markdom of Saluces in Italy which the Duke of Savoy had surrepticiously taken from the Crown of France in the time of the Civil Wars and would not restore it for which there was great Wars between the King of France and the Duke of Savoy till at last they agreed that the Duke of Savoy should give in exchange of it the Countrey of Brescia and this is the sense of the second third and half the fourth Verse Galley of Florence in the Port of Marseilles a Maid in France signifieth the arrival of Mary of Medicis in the Galleys of France and her Landing in the Port of Marseilles Of the Fort Catherine the head shall be demolished the Duke of Savoy to plague and bridle those of Geneva upon whom he hath had always pretentions had built a strong Fort two leagues from Geneva called the Fort St. Catherine which did so annoy the Town that they made their addresses to Henry the IV. who was then in War with the Duke of Savoy representing to him that they were not able to relieve his Army with Victuals because of the said Fort whereupon Henry the IV. took it and demolished it to the ground II. French Que d'or d'argent fera de pendre Quand Comte voudra Ville prendre Tant de mille mille Soldats Tuez noiez sans y rien faire Dans plus forte mettra pied terre Pigme'e aidé des Censuarts English How much Gold and Silver shall be spent When Earl shall go about to take a Town So many thousands and thousands of Soldiers Killed drowned without doing any thing In a stronger he shall put his foot on ground A Pygmie helped by the Censuarts ANNOT. This Stanza and the next are concerning the Town of Ostend which was Besieged by the Arch-duke and defended by the States of Holland under the conduct of Earl Maurice of Nassaw In a stronger he shall put his foot on ground signifieth that Earl Maurice during the said Siege took the Sluys another Town of the Spaniards thought stronger then Ostend A Pygmie helpeld by the Censuarts signifieth that Prince Maurice whom he calleth here a Pygmie in comparison of the Arch-duke was helped by the French and English whom he calleth
rendra sa gloire memorable English The Phoenix of the old Charon shall be seen To be the first and last of the Sons To shine in France beloved of every one To Reign a great while with all the honours That ever his Predecessors had By which he shall make his glory memorable ANNOT. No doubt but this is meant of some King of France which is to come XLIX French Venus Sol Jupiter Mercure Augmenteront le genre de nature Grande Alliance en France se fera Et du Midy la Sangsue de mesme Le feu esteint par ce remede extreme En Terre ferme Olivier plantera English Venus and So Jupiter and Mercury Shall augment humane kind A great Alliance shall be made in France And on the South the Leech shall do the same The fire extinguished by this extreme remedy Shall plant the Olive-Tree in a firm ground ANNOT. By the consent of all Astronomers those four benigne Planets augment generation That great Alliance mentioned here by which the fire was extinguished and the Olive-Tree planted in a firm ground is the Marriage of the present King of France Lewis the XIV with the Infanta of Spain by which all differences were composed and the Peace firmly settled L. French Un peu devant ou apres l' Angleterre Par mort de Loup mise aussy bas que terre Verra le feu resister contre l'eau Le rallumant avecque telle force Du sang humain dessus l'humaine escorce Faute de pain bondance de cousteau English A little while before or after England By the death of the Wolf being put as low as the ground Shall sec the fire resist against the water Kindling it again with such force Of humane blood upon the humane bark That want of bread and abundance of knives shall be ANNOT. The meaning is that a little while after or before the said match mentioned in the foregoing England was or should be brought as low as the ground and that there should be abundance of humane blood spilled and a great decay of Trade with Wars which is that he calleth Want of Bread and abundance of knives LI. French La Ville qu'avoit en ses ans Combatu l'Injure du temps Qui de son Vainqueur tient la vie Celuy qui premier la surprit Que peu apres Francois reprit Par Combats encore affoible English The City that had in her years Resisted the injury of the times And oweth her life to him that overcame her Being the first that surprised it Which a little while after Francis took again Being yet weâ—kened with fightings LII French La grand Cité qui n'a Pain a demy Encor un coup la saint Barthelemy Engravera au profond de son Ame Nismes Rochelle Geneve Montpelier Castres Lion Mars entrant au Belier S'entrebattront le tout pour une Dame English The great City that hath not bread half enough Shall once more engrave In the bottom of her soul St. Bartholomew's day Nismes Rochel Geneva and Montpelier Castres Lion Mars coming into Aries Shall fight one against another and all for a Lady ANNOT. That great City mentioned here is Paris which is threatned of another St. Bartholomew's day which was fatal to the Protestants in France for upon that day in the year 1572. there was a general Massacre made of them through all France insomuch that in Paris alone there was above ten thousand slain As for those Towns here named that are to fight about a Lady I cannot guess what Lady it should be unless he meaneth the Roman Church LIII French Plusieurs mourront avant que Phoenix meure Jusques six cens septante est sa demeure Passé quinze ans vingt un trente neus Le premier est Subjet a maladie Et le second au fer danger de vie Au seu a l'eau est subjet a trenteneus English Many shall die before that Phoenix dieth Till six hundred and seventy he shall remain Above fifteen years one and twenty thirty nine The first shall be subject to sickness And the second to Iron a danger of life Thirty nine shall be subject to fire and water ANNOT. By the Phoenix is meant a Pope because there is but one of that kind at once the meaning of the rest is unknow to me LIV. French Six cens quinze vingt grand Dame mourra Et peu apres un fort long temps pleuvra Plusieurs Pais Flandres l' Angleterre Seront par seu par fer affligez De leurs Voisins longuement affiegez Contraints seront de leur faire la Guerre English Six hundred and fifteen and twenty a great Lady shall die And a little after it shall rain for a great while Many Countreys as Flanders and England Shall by fire and Iron be afflicted And a good while Besieged by their Neighbours So that they shall be constrained to make War against them ANNOT. What that great Lady was that should die in the year 635. is not easie to guess there being many in every Countrey that died that year The rest is easie and we have seen the truth of it in our days and may see it hereafter LV. French Un peu devant ou apres tres-grand Dame Son ame au Ciel son corps soubs la lame De plusieurs gens regretée sera Tous ses parens seront en grand tristesse Pleurs souspirs d'une Dame en jeunesse Et a deux grands le dueil delaissera English A little while before or after a very great Lady Her soul in Heaven and her body in the Grave Shall be lamented by many All her kindred shall be in great mourning Tears and sighs of a Lady in her youth And shall leave the mourning to two great ones ANNOT. This may be understood of the death of Anna of Austria Queen of France who left in mourning two great ones viz. her two Sons Lewis the XIV King of France and Philip of Bourbon Duke of Orleans Or of the death of the Queen Dowager of England Henrietta Maria who also was much lamented and left in mourning two great ones viz. Charles the II. King of England and James Duke of York his Brother LVI French Tost l'Elephant de toutes parts verra Quand Pourvoyeur au Griffon se joindra Sa ruine proche Mars qui tousiour gronde Fera grands faits aupres de Terre Sainte Grands Estendars sur la Terre sur l'Onde Si la Nef a esté de deux frere enceinte English Shortly the Elephant on all sides shall see When the Purveyor shall joyn with the Griffin His ruine at hand and Mars which always grumbleth Shall do great feats near the Holy Land Great Standarts upon the Earth and the Sea If the Ship hath been with Child of two Brothers ANNOT. The Elephant is the Emperor the Purveyor the King of France the Griffin the Hollanders the meaning then is that the Emperor shall go to ruine when the French and the Hollanders shall joyn together And that there shall be great Wars and Fightings in the Holy Lands both by Sea and Land when two Brothers of great quality shall go in one Ship LVII French Peu apres l'Alliance faite Avant solemnises la Feste L'Empereur le tout troublera Et la nouvelle Mariée Au Franc Païs par sort liée Dans peu de temps apres mourra English A little after the Alliance made Before the Feast be Solemnized The Emperor shall trouble all And the new Bride Being by fate tied to the French Countrey A little while after shall die ANNOT. This is concerning a match that shall be made between the French King and some Lady of another Countrey which Match shall be disturbed by the Emperour and the Bride shall die a little while after her Marriage LVIII French Sangsue en peu de temps mourra Sa mort bon signe nous donra Pour l'accroissement de la France Alliances se trouveront Deux grands Roiaumes se joindront Francois aura sur eux puissance English The Leech within a little while shall die His death shall be a good sign to us For the augmentation of France Alliances shall be found Two great Kingdoms shall joyn together The French shall have power over them ANNOT. The Leech was Philip the IV. the last King of Spain who died a little while after he had Married his Daughter to Lewis the XIV now King of France by which Marriage the Peace was made between the two Kingdoms in the Island of the Conference upon the Borders of France and Spain By his death and that Match is foretold the encrease and happy condition of the Kingdom of France FINIS