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.

ANNOT.

Here is a fault in the Impression, for instead of Touphon, it must be written Torfou, which is a Forrest some 30 Miles from Paris towards Beausse, near which is seated the Town of Montlehery, in the said Forrest is seated an Hermitage, and not far from thence the City of Estampes, which carryeth the Title of Dutchy; so that the sense of it is this, that this Forrest being cut off (as it is now for the most part) in the place where that Hermitage was, shall be built a Church or Convent, as it is now Cælestins friars, called Marcoussy, and that the said Hermitage shall be taken from the jurisdiction of the Town of Montlehery, under which it was before.

LXXXVIII.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy did happen in the time of Henry the II. King of France, about the year 1559.

The last Verse saith, that those two Towns Calais and Arras gave succours to Theroanne, that is to the Countrey where Therouenne was seated, which was destroyed by Charles the V. Emperour. This Countrey was called Ponthieu, of which Therouenne was the chief Town.

The second Verse doth determine the time whereabout this came to pass, when he saith, peace or the like shall dissemble the hearing; because in the year 1556. in the beginning of February there was a Truce for five years between the two Crowns of France and Spain, concerning the Low Countreys, and this Truce signified not much, nor was well cemented, so that the Author saith, Peace or the like shall dissemble the hearing; that is, shall fain not to hear that the Cardinal Caraffa did endeavour in France to have the Truce broken.

The third Verse is obscure, because of a fault in the Impression, wherein they have put Ronane instead of Noanne, that is Hannone by transposition of letters, but that being corrected, the Verse is clear, supposing that Philibertus Emanuel Duke of Savoy was General of the Army, against France in the Low-Countreis, and wandering about to do some notable exploit, he came down through the Province of Hainault, called in Latine Hannonia, and came to Mariembourg, as if he would have Besieged it, but after some light skirmishes he laid Siege to Rocroy, and this is the meaning of the third Verse, when he saith, Souldiers of Allobrox shall descend by Noanne, that is, Souldiers in the Army of the Duke of Savoy, which in Latine is Allobrox, came down to Mariembourg, and turned back again to Rocroy.

The fourth Verse mentioneth what did happen at the Siege of Rocroy; that place being not yet very well fortified; the King was unwilling to put any of his best Souldiers therein, but the Duke of Nevers undertook the defence of it, which he did really and gloriously perform, in so much, that the Duke of Savoy was compelled to raise up the Siege, and going back towards St. Quentin, he took Vervins by storm, and gave the booty of it to his Souldiers, who took heart upon it, having been much discouraged before by the resistance of the Duke of Nevers. This is the sense of the fourth Verse, People persuaded shall spoil the march; that is, the people of Rocroy persuaded to hold out by the courage and presence of the Duke of Nevers, spoiled the march that the Duke of Savoy had propounded to himself, insomuch, that raising the Siege he went to Vervins, and from thence to St. Quentin.

LXXXIX.

ANNOT.

This Stanza was made concerning Philip the II. King of Spain, who for the first seven years that he came to his Crown, had prosperous fortune, did brave exploits against the Barbarians, and chiefly in the person of his Brother Don Juan of Austria, who got the memorable Battle of Lapantho against the Turks, but in the middle of his Noon, that is of his Age, fell into great perplexities and cross businesses, being constrained to put his onely son Don Carla to death, and to poison his wife and after that never prospered, when young Ogmion (that is Henry IV. King of France) came to the Crown.

XC.

ANNOT.

Pannonia in Latine is Hungary, there is nothing hard in this, unless it be what he meaneth by the King of Kings, whether it be the great Turk or the Emperour.

XCI.

ANNOT.

There is several faults in the impression here, for instead of Perynthe, it must be Corinth. For Marceloine, it must be Macedoine: the substance of the whole is, that there shall be a great plague in all these Countries of Asia. The refusal of Antony is foisted here to make up the rime with Macedony.

XCII.

ANNOT.

The sense of all these words so ill jointed, is no more but that a certain King shall desire to enter into a new City, and there they shall come and Besiege him, where he shall both act and speak deceitfully to get his liberty, which having obtained, shall keep far from his foes.

XCIII.

ANNOT.

Bourges is the chief City of a Province in France called Berry.

There is nothing difficult in this, but onely what he meaneth by Hercules beating the Æmathion, unless by Hercules he meaneth the French, and by Æmathion the Spaniard.

XCIV.

ANNOT.

Breslaw, Lubeck and Misne, are three Cities of Germany; the rest is plain.

XCV.

ANNOT.

Apamé is a barbarous word, at least I cannot tell what language it is, the rest is plain enough, and signifieth that a Duke shall be deprived of his eyes, and shall be put in an Iron Cage at Milan.

XCVI.

ANNOT.

Clam here is in Latine præposition, signifying secretly; the rest is easie.

XCVII.

ANNOT.

A Fleet being divided into three parts, the second division shall fall into want of victuals, for which being desperate, they shall attempt the Town of the enemy, and shall enter it by the breach, and get the victory.

XCVIII.

ANNOT.

This is the most nonsensical thing that is in all the Book, for neither the words nor the connexion is intelligible, therefore it being so much out of the common road of our Author, I am apt to believe that it was at first very falsly printed, and that those that came after, were loth to alter it for the respect of antiquity.

XCIX.

ANNOT.

Here is described a notable stratagem of a Besieged Town, who against rainy weather cast so much ashes, lime and dust, that the rain coming thereupon, it made such a mire, as the Besiegers were not able to assault it.

C.

ANNOT.

He foretelleth of a Sea-fight in the night, wherein by the light of the burning Ships night shall be overcome, the Ships that came from the West shall be worsted, and by a stratagem of a great Ship painted in colours, anger shall remain to the vanquished, and the victory shall be got in a Mist.