The true prophecies or prognostications of Michael Nostradamus, physician to Henry II. Francis II. and Charles IX. Kings of France, and one of the best astronomers that ever were. / A work full of curiosity and learning. Translated and commented by Theophilus de Garencieres, Doctor in Physick Colleg. Lond.

French.

Cydron, Ragusa, la Cité au Sainct Hieron,

Reverdira le medicant secours,

Mort fils de Roy part mort de deux Heron,

L’Arabe, Hongrie, feront un mesme cours.

English.

Cydron, Raguse, the City of Saint Hieron,

Shall make green again the Physical help,

The Kings Son dead, by the death of two Herons,

Arabia and Hungary shall go the same way.

ANNOT.

The meaning of this is, that when those three Cities named in the first Verse shall have need of succours, and that a Kings Son shall die in flying two Herons, then shall Arabia and Hungary be under the same Master.

LXIV.

French.

Pleure Milan, pleure Lucques, Florence,

Que ton grand Duc sur le Char montera,

Changer le Siege pres de Venise s’advance,

Lors que Colonne a Rome changera.

English.

Weep Milan, weep Lucques, and Florence,

When the great Duke shall go upon the Chariot,

To change the Siege near Venice he goeth about,

When Colonne shall change at Rome.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy seemeth to portend the change of the See of Rome in some place near to Venice, and this is to happen when the great Duke of Tuscany shall ascend upon a Triumphant Chariot, and that the House of Colonne (which is the more powerfull in Rome) shall take his part.

LXV.

French.

O vaste Rome ta ruine s’aproche,

Non de tes Murs, de ton sang, & substance,

L’aspre par lettres fera si horrible coche,

Fer pointu mis a tous jusques au manche.

English.

O great Rome thy ruine draweth near,

Not of thy Walls, of thy blood and substance,

The sharp by Letters shall make so horrid a notch,

Sharp Iron thrust in all to the haft.

ANNOT.

This is a confirmation of the foregoing Prophecy, by which it is said that the destruction of Rome shall not be in her Walls, blood or substance, but onely by Letters or Doctrine that shall put quite down the Roman Religion.

LXVI.

French.

Le Chef de Londres par Regne l’Americh,

L’Isle d’Escosse tempiera par gelée,

Roy, Reb. auront un si faux Antechrist,

Que les mettra tretous dans la meslée.

English.

The Chief of London by Reign of America,

The Island of Scotland shall catch thee by a frost,

King and Reb. shall have so false an Antichrist,

As will put them altogether by the ears.

ANNOT.

I conceive this Prophecy can be appropriated to no body better then Oli. Cromwel, who is called here the Chief of London by Reign of America, that is, by Reign of confusion, whose projects and treasons were all brought to nought, by the victorious Mars of the ever renowned General Monck, who came with his Army from Scotland to London in the Winter time, he is called also a false Antichrist, because he was an enemy to King and Reb. that is Respublica or Common-wealth.

LXVII.

French.

Le tremblement si fort au mois de May,

Saturne, Caper, Jupiter, Mercure au Bœuf,

Venus aussy, Cancer, Mars en Nonnay,

Tombera gresle lors gresse qu’un œuf.

English.

The Earth-quake shall be so great in the month of May,

Saturn, Caper, Jupiter, Mercury in the Bull,

Venus also, Cancer, Mars in Nonnay,

Then shall fall Hail bigger then an Egge.

ANNOT.

The meaning is, that when all these Cœlestial bodies shall be so disposed, that there will be a fearful Earth-quake and Hail.

LXVIII.

French.

L’Armée de Mer devant Cité tiendra,

Puis partira sans faire longue allée,

Citoyens grande proye en Terre prendra,

Retourner classe reprendre grand emblée.

English.

The Fleet shall stand before the City,

Then shall go away for a little while,

And then shall take a great troop of Citizens on Land,

Fleet shall come back and recover a great deal.

ANNOT.

It seemeth here he speaketh of two Fleets, one of which shall stand a little while before a Town, and carry a great many Citizens away, but that the other Fleet shall come in the mean time, and redeem them.

LXIX.

French.

Le fait luysant de neuf vieux eslevé,

Seront si grands par Midy Aquilon,

De sa sœur propre grandes alles levé,

Fuyant meurdry au buisson d’Ambellon.

English.

The bright actions of new old exalted,

Shall be so great through the South and North,

By his own Sister great forces shall be raised,

Running away he shall be murdered near the bush of Ambellon.

ANNOT.

The question here is, whether this neuf vieux in French or new old in English be the proper name of a man, or be a Metaphor, to express a young man of an ancient Family, when the Reader hath satisfied himself upon that, the rest is easie enough.

LXX.

French.

L’œil par objet fera telle excroissance,

Tant & ardente que tombera la Neige,

Champ arrousé viendra en decroissance,

Que le Primat succombera a Rhege.

English.

The eye by the object shall make such an excressency,

Because so much, and so burning shall fall the Snow,

The Field watered shall come to decay

Insomuch that the Primat shall fall down at Rhege.

ANNOT.

All this is nothing but an extraordinary great Snow that shall fall about Rhegio a City of Italy, whereby the Fields shall be drowned and fall to decay; insomuch, that the chief men, called here Primate shall fall to poverty.

LXXI.

French.

La Terre & l’Air geleront si grand eau,

Lors qu’on viendra pour Jeudy venerer,

Ce qui sera jamais ne fut si beau,

Des quattre parts le viendront honorer.

English.

The Earth and the Air shall freeze with so much water,

When they shall come to worship Thursday,

That which shall be never, was so fair,

From the four parts they shall come to honour him.

ANNOT.

This signifieth an exceeding great frost, which shall happen on a Holy Thursday, where the ground and sky shall be so clear, that men may come from the four parts (viz. of the Earth) without trouble for to worship.

LXXII.

French.

L’an mil neuf cent nonante neuf, sept mois,

Du Ciel viendra un grand Roy d’effrayeur,

Resusciter le grand Roy d’Angoumois,

Avant apres, Mars Regner par bonheur.

English.

In the year a thousand nine hundred ninety nine, and seven months,

From Heaven a great terrible King,

To raise again the great King of Angoulesme,

Before and after, Mars shall Reign luckily.

ANNOT.

He that is called here King of Angoulesme was Francis the I. as gallant a Prince as ever France had, who before he was King went by the title of Duke of Angoulesme; the rest is easie.

LXXIII.

French.

Le temps present avecque le passé,

Sera jugé par grand Jovialiste,

Le Monde tard de luy sera lassé,

Et desloial par le Clergé juriste.

English.

The time present, together with the past,

Shall be judged by a great Jovialiste,

The World shall at last be weary of him,

And he shall be thought unfaithful by the Canon-Law Clergy.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy concerneth meerly Francis Rabelais, who was the greatest Jovialist, that is, Merry-man that ever was, and did so lash and censure the abuses of every profession, and chiefly of the Clergy, that to this very day he goeth among them for an Atheist, and a Prophaner of Sacred and Civil things.

LXXIV.

French.

An revolu du grand nombre septiesme,

Apparoistra au temps jeux d’Hecatombe,

Non esloignez du grand age milliesme,

Que les entrez sortiront de leur Tombe.

English.

The year of the great number seven being past,

Shall be seen at that time the sports of Hecatombe,

Not far from the great age thousand,

That the Buried shall come out of their Graves.

ANNOT.

Hecatombe signifieth a Sacrifice, wherein a hundred beasts were killed.

The sense therefore is this, that when the year a thousand seven hundred is past, that such sport of Hecatombe shall be seen again, not far from the sixth Millenary, when the day shall rise, for it is a common opinion among the Learned, that as God Created the World in six days, and rested the seventh, so when the World hath lasted six thousand years, for a thousand years before God are as one day, there shall be an Eternal Sabbath and a Resurrection, both of the just and unjust.

LXXV.

French.

Tant attendu ne reviendra jamais,

Dedans l’Europe, en Asia apparoistra,

Un de la ligne yssu du grand Hermes,

Et sur tous Rois de Orient croistra.

English.

So long expected shall never come

Into Europe, in Asia shall appear,

One come forth of the line of the great Hermes,

And shall grow above all the Kings in the East.

ANNOT.

All is plain, but only this, whether he taketh Hermes as a King of Ægypt, or as the Father of the Hermetick Philosophers.

LXXVI.

French.

Le grand Senat decernera la Pompe,

A un qu’apres sera vaincu chassé,

Des adhærans seront a son de trompe,

Biens publiez, ennemy dechassé.

English.

The great Senate will decree a Pomp,

To one who after shall be vanquished and expelled,

The goods of his partners shall be

Publickly sold, and the enemy shall be driven away.

ANNOT.

What Senate and particular man he meaneth, is the only difficulty in this.

LXXVII.

French.

Trente adhærans de l’Ordre des Quirettes,

Bannis, leurs biens donnez ses adversaires,

Tous leurs bienfaits seront pour demerites,

Classe espargie, delivrez aux corsaires.

English.

Thirty associated of the Order of Quirettes,

Banished, their goods shall be given to their adversaries,

All their good deeds shall be imputed to them as crimes,

The Fleet scattered, they shall fall into the hands of Pyrates.

ANNOT.

I could not find any man or Author that knew what is meant here by Quirettes, which is only the difficulty of this Stanza.

LXXVIII.

French.

Subite joye en subite tristesse,

Sera a Rome aux graces embrassées,

Dueil, cris, pleurs, larm, sang, excellent liesse,

Contraires bandes surprises & troulsées.

English.

Sudden joy shall turn into a sudden sadness,

At Rome to the embraced graces,

Mourning, cries, weeping, tears, blood, excellent joy,

Contrary Troops surprized and carryed away.

ANNOT.

There is nothing difficult here, but what he meaneth by Embraced graces, for my part I believe them some new married Couples, who in the middle of their jollity shall fall into these disasters.

LXXIX.

French.

Les vieux chemins seront tous embellis,

L’on passera a Memphis somentrées,

Le grand Mercure d’Hercule fleur de lys,

Faisant trembler Terre, Mer, & Contrées.

English.

The old ways shall be made all fair,

There shall be a passage to Memphis Somentrées,

The great Mercury of Hercules Flower de luce,

Making the Earth, the Sea, and the Countreys to quake.

ANNOT.

This word Somentrees, being altogether barbarous, is the reason that neither sense nor construction can be made of all these words.

LXXX.

French.

Au Regne grand, du grand Regne Regnant,

Par force d’armes les grands Portes d’airain,

Fera ouvrir le Roy & Duc joignant,

Port demoly, nef a fonds jour serain.

English.

In the great Reign, of the great Reign Reigning,

By force of Arms the great Brass Gates,

He shall cause to be open, the King being joyned with the Duke,

Haven demolish’d, Ship sunk on a fair day.

ANNOT.

The words and the sense are plain, though the parties be unknown.

LXXXI.

French.

Mis Tresor Temple, Citadins Hesperiques,

Dans iceluy retire en secret lieu,

Le Temple ouvrir, les liens fameliques,

Repris, ravis proye horrible au milieu.

English.

A Treasure put in a Temple by Hesperian Citizens,

In the same hid in a secret place,

The hungry bonds shall cause the Temple to be open,

And take again and ravish, a fearful prey in the middle.

ANNOT.

This is concerning a Treasure hid by Spaniards (called here Hesperian Citizens) in a Church, which the people of a Town being poor, and almost starved, caused to be open, and did ransack it, but in the middle of it they found a strange prey, but what it was God knows.

LXXXII.

French.

Cris, pleurs, larmes viendront avec couteaux,

Semblant faux donront dernier assaut,

L’entour parques planter profons plateaux,

Vifs repoussez & meurdris de plain saut.

English.

Cries, weeping, tears, shall come with daggers,

With a false seeming they shall give the last assault,

Set round about they shall plant deep,

Beaten back alive, and murdered upon a sudden.

ANNOT.

This seemeth to have a relation to the Scalado of Geneva, of which you shall have a full account in the 69 Stanza, of the twelfth Century.

LXXXIII.

French.

De batailler ne sera donné signe,

Du Parc seront contraints de sortir hors,

De Gasp l’entour sera cogneu l’enseigne,

Qui fera mettre de tous les siens a mort.

English.

There shall no sign of battle be given,

They shall be compelled to come out of the Park,

Round about Gasp shall be known the Ensign,

That shall cause all his own to be put to death.

ANNOT.

This Prophecie was fulfilled in the year 1556. by the Marshal of Brissac in Piemont, when he took the Town of Vignal by assault, where 1200. Neapolitans were put to the Sword, who were called the braves of Naples; because they were all very gallantly habited, and the Governour being wounded, cast himself desperately into a Well, whence the Marshal caused him to be taken up, and to be cured of his wounds.

In this conflict there was no sign of Battle given; because it was done by the rashness of a Souldier, Bastard of a Bastard of the house of Boissy, who without expecting the command of the General, went alone upon the breche, and after he had [Transcriber’s Note: the text is illegible here with 1-2 words missing] against the Enemies, drew his Sword, and did fight a great while hand to hand without being wounded.

Some of his Companions seeing his valour, did follow him, and others came to their help, and these carryed along with them all those that were appointed to give the assault; insomuch that by a kind of Warlike emulation, all did carry themselves so valliantly, that after a long and stout resistance, they routed the Enemies, and put all the Garrisons to the Sword.

It is what the Author saith in the first and second Verse, seeing that those that were appointed to give Battle, every one in his Regiment or Squadron, were compelled by emulation to come out of their Park; that is, from the Precinct of place wherein they were. The third Verse addeth, that round about the Ensign of Gasp. shall be known; that is, in the assault the Captain of that place, named Gaspar Pagan, was remarked to fight valliantly every where the French did assault, which the Marshal of Brissac seeing, as also the forwardness of his men commanded the general assault to be given. The Captain seeing the Town taken, though he had above twenty wounds, for marks of his Valour, yet by that despair threw himself into a Well, near which the Marshal passing, heard his voice, and caused him to be drawn out, and cured of his wounds.

This Captain being resolved to perish in this assault, did cause all his own to be put to death, as the fourth Verse saith. The History of this Town was famous, for which the Marshal of Brissac did present Gifts to the most Valiant, and among the rest to this Bastard, after he had put him in jeopardy of his life, for having violated the Military Orders in a matter of such concernment. That Town of Vignal is situated upon a Mountain of the Countrey of Montserrat, of a difficult access, where no pieces of Ordinance can be brought up, but by the help of Mens Arms; after the taking of it, the Marshal did cause it to be raised even to the ground, because it could not be useful to the French, that had many other places to keep, and might have been very beneficial to the Spaniard.

LXXXIV.

French.

Le Naturel a si haut, haut non bas,

Le tard retour sera marris contens.

Le Recloing ne sera sans debats,

En emploiant & perdant tout son temps.

English.

The Natural to so high, high not low,

The late return shall make the sad contented,

The Recloing shall not be without strife,

In employing and loosing all his time.

ANNOT.

The Recloing, being a forged word, without signification, and being the Key of all this Stanza, no body can tell what to make of it.

LXXXV.

French.

Le vieil Tribun au point de la Trehemide,

Sera presse Captif ne delivrer,

Le vueil non vueil, le mal parlant timide.

Par legitime a ses amis livrer.

English.

The old Tribun, at the point of the Trehemide,

Shall be much intreated not to deliver the Captain,

They will not will, the ill speaking fearful,

By legitimate shall deliver to his friends.

ANNOT.

The old Treban is an old Captain or Governour of a Town, who shall be much entreated not to deliver at the end of the Trehemede (that is, three Months) one that he kept prisoner, but will they or not, he shall lawfully deliver him to his friends.

LXXXVI.

French.

Comme un Gryphon viendra le Roy d’Europe,

Accompagne de ceux d’Aquilon,

De rouges & blancs conduira grande Troupe,

Et Iront contre le Roy de Babylon.

English.

As a Griffin shall come the King of Europe,

Accompanied with those of the North,

Of red and white shall conduct a great Troop,

And they shall go against the King of Babylon.

ANNOT.

This is concerning the King of Swedeland, Gustavus Adolphus, who is called here the King of Europe; because he lived in a part of it, and because he was one, if not the most gallant Prince of his time, who with a great Army of his Subjects, named here those of Aquilon, invaded Germany, and made War against the Emperour, whom he calleth here the King of Babylon, either because he is a great favourer of the Roman Church, or because the Empire, by reason of so many sovereign Princes in it is like a Babel and confusion.

The great Troop of Red and White, were his own Souldiers, whom he distinguished by their several habits. Clothing them with several Colours, to breed an emulation among them, there being the Red Regiment, the White, the Blew, the Yellow, the Green, &c.

LXXXVII.

French.

Grand Roy viendra prendre port pres de Nice,

Le grand Empire de la mort si en fera

Aux Antipodes posera son genisse,

Par Mer la Pille tout esvanouira.

English.

A great King shall land by Nice,

The great Empire of death shall interpose with it.

He shall put his Mare in the Antipodes,

By Sea all the Pillage shall vanish.

ANNOT.

A great King shall land hard by Nice, which is a Sea Town in Savoy, but he shall have a great loss of his men by death, and the Sea shall swallow all his plunder.

LXXXVIII.

French.

Pieds & Cheval a la seconde veille,

Feront entrée vastiant tout par Mer,

Dedans le Port entrera de Marseille,

Pleurs, cris & sang, onc nul temps si amer.

English.

Foot and Horse upon the second Watch,

Shall come in destroying all by Sea,

They shall come into the Harbour of Marseilles,

Tears, cryes and blood, never was so bitter a time.

ANNOT.

This is so clear that it needeth no interpretation.

LXXXIX.

French.

De Bricque en Marbre seront les Murs reduits,

Sept & cinquante années pacifiques,

Joye aux humains renevé l’aqueduct,

Santé, grands fruits, joye & temps mellifique.

English.

The Walls shall be turned from Brick into Marble,

There shall be peace for seven and fifty years,

Joy to mankind, the Aqueduct shall be built again,

Health, abundance of fruit, joy and mellifluous time.

ANNOT.

After so many calamities Prognosticated by the Author, he promiseth here seven and fifty year of a golden Age, but when? he maketh no mention.

XC.

French.

Cent fois mourra le Tyran inhumain,

Mis a son lieu scavant & debonnaire,

Tout le Senat sera dessoubs sa main;

Fasche sera par malin temeraire.

English.

The inhumane tyrant shall die a hundred times,

In his place shall be put a Learned and mild man,

All the Senate shall be at his command,

He shall be made angry by a rash malicious person.

ANNOT.

This Prognostication is easie to be understood, only it is indeterminate, and specifieth neither time nor persons.

XCI.

French.

Clergé Romain l’an mil six cens & neuf,

Au chef de l’an fera Election,

D’un gris & noir de la Campagne yssu,

Qui oncques ne fut si malin.

English.

The Roman Clergy in the year a thousand six hundred and nine,

In the beginning of the year shall make choice

Of a gray and black, come out of the Countrey,

Such a one as never a worse was.

ANNOT.

Wanting the Chronology of the Popes, I have not set down who that Pope was, then whom our Author saith there never was a worse, but the time being so punctually prefixed, it will be an easie matter for the Reader to find out satisfaction in this point.

XCII.

French.

Devant le Pere l’Enfant sera tué,

Le Pere apres entre cordes de jonc,

Genevois peuple sera esvertué,

Gisant le Chef au milieu comme un tronc.

English.

The Child shall be killed before the Fathers eyes,

The Father after shall enter into ropes of rushes,

The people of Geneva shall notably stir themselves,

The Chief lying in the middle like a log.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy is twofold, the two first Verses foretel of a man that shall have his Son killed before his eyes, and himself afterward shall be strangled by a rope made of Rushes.

The two last Verses are concerning the people of Geneva, who (as he saith) shall lustily bestir themselves, while their Captain, Chief, or Commander shall carelesly lie like a log.

XCIII.

French.

La Barque neuve recevra les Voiages,

La & aupres transfereront l’Empire,

Beaucaire, Arles, retiendront les Hostages,

Pres deux Colomnes trouvées de Porphyre.

English.

The new Ship shall make journeys

Into the place, and thereby where they shall translate the Empire,

Beaucaire, Arles, shall keep the Hostages,

Near them shall be found two Columns of Porphyry.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy is concerning three things, the first is of a considerable new Ship, that shall sail several times into a place where the Empire shall be translated.

The second is concerning two Towns of Languedoc, Beaucaire, and Arles, who shall not surrender the Hostages that they had.

The third is concerning two Columns of Porphiry that shall be found there about.

XCIV.

French.

De Nismes, d’Arles, & Vienne contemner,

Nobeyront a ledict Hesperique,

Au Labouriez pour le grand condamner,

Six eschapez en habit Seraphique.

English.

From Nismes, d’Arles and Vienna contempt,

They shall not obey the Spanish Proclamation,

To the Labouriez for to condemn the great one,

Six escaped in a Seraphical habit.

ANNOT.

It seemeth that those three aforenamed Towns will refuse to obey a Spanish Proclamation, that would compel them to condemn a great man; as for Labouriez it is a barbarous and non-sensical word.

The last Verse signifieth, that six shall escape, cloathed in Franciscan habits, called here Seraphical, because the Franciscans believe that a Seraphin did appear to St. Francis their Patron, from whence their Order is called by many the Seraphical Order.

XCV.

French.

Dans les Espagnes viendra Roy trespuissant,

Par Mer & Terre subjugant au Midy,

Ce mal sera rabaissant le croissant,

Baisser les aisles a ceux de Vendredy.

English.

A most potent King shall come into Spain,

Who by Sea and Land shall make great Conquests towards the South,

This evil shall beat down the horns of the new Moon,

And slack the Wings of those of Friday.

ANNOT.

A great and potent King shall come out of Spain, who by Sea and Land shall make great Conquest towards the South, that is Barbary, which shall be a great prejudice to the Turkish Empire, who hath for his Arms a new Moon; And slack the wings of those of Friday, that is, of the Turks, because they keep the Friday for their Sabbath. This Prophecy was fulfilled by Philip the II. King of Spain, who drove away all the Moores out of the South part of it, and took a great many places in the Coasts of Barbary.

XCVI.

French.

Religion du nom des Mers viendra,

Contre la Secte fils Adaluncatif,

Secte obstinée deplorée craindra,

Des deux blessez par Aleph & Aleph.

English.

Religion of the name of the Seas shall come,

Against the Sect son Adaluncatif,

Obstinate Sect deplorate shall be afraid,

Of the two wounded by Aleph and Aleph.

ANNOT.

I confess my ignorance in the intelligence of this Stanza.

XCVII.

French.

Triremes pleines tout aage captifs,

Temps bon a mal, le doux pour amertume,

Proye a Barbare trop tost seront hastifs,

Cupide de voir plaindre au vent la plume.

English.

Triremes full of Captives of all Age.

Time good for evil, the sweet for bitter,

Pray to the Barbarian, they shall be too hasty,

Desirous to see the feather complain in the wind.

ANNOT.

Triremes are Galleys with three benches of Oares, the rest is much of the nature of the former.

About This Book

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXIV.

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXV.

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXVI.

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXVII.

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXVIII.

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXIX.

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXX.

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXXI.

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXXII.

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXXIII.

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXXIV.

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXXV.

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXXVI.

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXXVII.

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXXVIII.

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXXIX.

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXXX.

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXXXI.

French.

English.

ANNOT.

LXXXII.

French.

English.

ANNOT.