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.

I.

ANNOT.

These words are plain, though the sense be a little intricated, and the contents being of small concernments, deserve no further explanation.

II.

ANNOT.

These are some particularities of a Sea fight between a great Fleet and a small one, wherein he saith, that some had hid their Sails, belike they were unwilling to come out of the Harbour and to fight; but he saith, that the great Fleet will compel the little one to come out; but ten great Ships will come to help the little Fleet, and after the great one hath been overcome, will joyn themselves to the little Fleet.

III.

ANNOT.

This Stanza is either nonsensical or falsely printed, and what he meaneth by Penelon, is utterly unknown.

IV.

ANNOT.

This is plain of a General of an Army, who shall forsake his Army, and save himself, and yet seven years after when he cometh back, his reputation shall be as clear, as if he never had committed such an errour.

V.

ANNOT.

Albi, Castres, Carcassonne, and Thoulouse, are Cities of Languedock, which our Author saith, will enter into a confederacy among themselves, and joyn with Lisbon and the Portuguez, and this shall happen when the general of the Army, shall be one born in Lauragais, which is another of the same Province.

VI.

ANNOT.

Near Nismes there is the River called Gardon, which cometh from St. Romans, and dischargeth it self into the Rhosne at Beaucaire, there is to be seen in that City abundance of Antiquitez, which the Goths had built 1150. years before; there is also many Roman Antiquities, as an Amphitheater, so well builded that neither the Goths nor the Saracens, nor Attila, nor Charles Martel, with all their power, could not utterly demolish it. The Author nameth it Colossus, because its building appeared like a Colossus for solidity.

There is also an ancient Temple which is called the Fountain, builded as a Quadrangle, and supported by two rows of great Pillars, which at present is a Church of Nuns.

This being supposed, the River of Gardon did overflow so much, that its Waters joyning with that of a Flood that happened there the ninth of September 1557. every one thought that Deucalion had been born again. The Author saith this; because in the fables of the ancients. Deucalion is thought to be the Author of the Flood which Ovid mentioneth. During this Flood which was like to overflow the Town, as well as the Countrey, many did retire themselves into that Amphitheater.

And in that ancient Temple of the Fountain, the Waters overthrowing a great many old buildings did discover abundance of Antiquities, and amongst the rest one of those Lamps that burneth always, in the Sepulchre of a Vestal, which went out as soon as it felt the fresh Air.

In confirmation of this, the History of Provence saith, that the storm began about five of the Clock in the Morning, and lasted till Eight of the Clock at night, and that these waters did uncover abundance of Antiquities that were hidden 1100. years before, as Pillars, Portico’s, Medals, Jasper-stones, and serpentine-stones, pieces of broken Vessels, Epitaphs, lodging Rooms, and Caves, and all other things that use to be found in the ruines of a Palace.

There was also heard in the Air Dogs barking, Pillars of fire, Armed men fighting, and were seen two Suns in the Clouds of the Colour of Blood, all which were the sad presages of the Civil Wars of France presently after, and chiefly that of Provence.

The ninth Century in the ninth Stanza, speaketh almost the same, and sheweth that Nismes shall perish by Water.

VII.

ANNOT.

Nancy is the chief City of Lorrain, and by the Æmathien is understood the French, the British Isle is England, which is said here, shall come into great distress by Salt and Wine, because the Countrey aboundeth in those two Commodities. The last Verse I do not understand, save that Mets is a great City in Lorrain.

VIII.

ANNOT.

Senegalia is a Town in Italy, all what can be gathered out of the obscurity of this Stanza, is, that the son of the Earl of that Town shall have his forehead broken, and within seven days after, three more shall be wounded to death.

IX.

ANNOT.

Castilon figuieres is a petty Town in Provence, in which he saith that a Soveraign Prince shall be born of an infamous Woman, and shall be a posthume, which in Latine signifieth one that is born after his Fathers death; he saith also that his name shall be derived from Breeches and that never a King was worse in his Countrey, whether by worse, he meaneth in manners or fortune, I know not.

X.

ANNOT.

This Stanza as well as the next hath relation to the precedent, making mention what a wicked person shall that Posthume be of which he spoke before.

XI.

ANNOT.

This is still concerning the same posthume or Bastard, who shall cause his Army to pass at Jonchere, and his Bagage to go over the Pyrenean Mountains, which parts Spain from France, and that upon the fear of him a Duke shall run from Perpignan, which is the chief City of Roussillon to Tende, which is a little Town in Provence.

XII.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy was fulfilled in the person of the Cardinal Santa Severina, who in the Conclave of Cardinals after the death of Pope Innocent IX. was Elected Pope, and presently after was baffled by the same Cardinals, and Clement the VIII. chosen in his place, for which the other a little while after died for grief.

XIII.

ANNOT.

The sense of this is, 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.

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 Campo alegre, 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.

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.

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 trusteth about his Kitchin.

XVII.

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.

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.

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.

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.

ANNOT.

This is a King who with his son taking the peoples part against the Nobility shall be killed, in presenting to him Jewels, and he and his son shall be dealt with all as the Magi, that is the Grandees of Persia used to do with their Kings, whom they were wont to murder, or depose.

XXII.

ANNOT.

This is plain concerning England and the late calamities thereof, when our gracious King for not consenting to the wicked factions of the Parliament then, and that have been acknowledged so since, was expelled by force, and an Usurpator that had not the least sign of a King sat in his place.

XXIII.

ANNOT.

This signifieth that at the same time that the remonstrances shall be made to an ungrateful people; the Army shall seize upon the Town of Antibe, which is a Sea Town between France and Italy, and that there shall be great complaints at Monaco, which is another Sea Town near it, and at the place called Freius, both parties shall either agree, or divide their shares.

XXIV.

ANNOT.

A Prince vanquished in Italy, and taken Prisoner shall come through Genoa to Marseilles, where he shall be once more overcome by strangers, but that a Barrel of Honey shall save him from being burnt. This is the sense of the words as near as I can judge, the judicious Reader may make what construction he pleaseth upon them.

XXV.

ANNOT.

Here once more I lost my Spectacles, and could not see through, therefore I had rather be silent then coin lies, I shall only tell you, that orchestra in Latine is the seat wherein noble Personages sit at the beholding of Stage-plays.

XXVI.

ANNOT.

This is plain enough of it self, without any interpretation.

XXVII.

ANNOT.

Charles the V. was the Emperour, and that great Hercules was Henry the II. King of France, whom he calleth Hercules, because he was King of France, and the Author nameth often in his Stanzas the Kings of France Hercules or Ogmions, because that great Captain of the Antiquity left his name glorious in the Gaules, whence the ancient Historians have given him the name of Hercules Gallicus. Henry the II. also was not only an Hercules by being King of France, but also a great Hercules, because of his Warlike humour, and for his great feats in Arms.

To open the Temple, signifieth to make War, because the Romans in ancient time were wont to shut the Temple of Janus in time of Peace, and kept it open during the War. Cæsar Augustus did shut that Temple once in his time, which was never done before but twice, the first under Numa Pompilius, the second after the overcoming of Charthage.

XXVIII.

ANNOT.

Notwithstanding the obscurity of this sense, and the bad connexion of the words, we may perceive that by this Stanza is meant, that a King having two Mistresses shall exalt them in great honour, till by a report made by a fat woman and a lean one, that is in a consumption, that the said Ladies prove unfaithful to the King, he will depress them as low as they were before.

XXIX.

ANNOT.

Here and in some other places of this work is to be observed, that the Author doth sometimes put two Towns instead of one, that he may distinguish it from others of the same name, as here he calleth Pol Mansol to distinguish the Town of St. Paul, which is three Leagues from the Rhosne, over against the Town of Pont St. Esprit, from that which is in the lower parts of Provence.

The sense therefore of this Stanza is, that this Begourdans (a proper name of a man) shall pull out another by the beard, that was hidden in a Goats Den, and shall lead him captive as far as Tarbe, which is another Town of Provence.

XXX.

ANNOT.

Here I confess to be at a loss, as may be a wiser man then I.

XXXI.

ANNOT.

By the Ismaelites he meaneth the Turks, who brag to be descended from Ismael.

Caramania is a Province of Turky, so that the sense of this Stanza is, that there shall be a great Invasion of the Turks into Germany, and that those of Caramania with their Asses shall come to their help, and shall be in such numbers, as that the Earth shall be covered with them.

XXXII.

ANNOT.

This is plain enough without interpretation.

XXXIII.

ANNOT.

This is the Prognostication of a conspiracy against the Duke and City of Florence, by those of the long Gown, which shall be discovered by Countrey fellows, that live in places without Walls.

XXXIV.