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. (part 3 of 4)

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. (part 3 of 4)

In the 15. Book of his History: the Duke of Vrbin had commission to raise 6000. Foot and 300. Horses in the Dukedom of Spoleto, and in Mark of Ancona. John Caraffe the Popes Nephew was made General of the Army, and being but Earl of Mortor, was Created Duke of Palliano, by the confiscation of the goods of Mark Antony Colonna. Camillo Ursini was made General of the Forces in Rome, and in the Territory thereof; Blasius of Monluc, the Mars of his time, and by birth a Gascon, was sent by the King to help (with his advice and courage) the Romans, who are always fitter for the Breviary, then for the Sword.

Besides these Forces raised within the Church Dominions, Charles Caraffa gathered all the Bandittes of Naples and Florence, and raised some Regiments of Switzers that came to succour the Pope.

With these Troops the Pope seized upon the most important places and persons belonging to the Spanish party, as the Coloneses and the Vitelly.

These asked succours of the Emperour Charles the V. who presently commanded Ferdinand of Toledo Duke of Alba to succour them. He was then tasked in the Piemont and Milanes, to resist the French that were then under the conduct of the Marshal of Brissac.

To conclude his design the better, he wrote many Letters to the Pope and the Colledge of Cardinals, full of respect and submission, desiring them to moderate their passion against the Spanish party, but the Pope being angry by several reports, answered him, complaining of many things, which made the Duke resolve to the war, and to be there in person.

He took his occasion as a prudent Captain, when the news was brought to him that the Popes Forces were in mutiny against their General for want of pay, and made a great tumult in the night, hearing that he was approaching with a great train of Artillery. Bzovius saith, that the Earl of Montor regarded more his profit then the Popes Interest, and kept back a great part of the money that was to pay the Souldiers, whence proceeded this tumult, which helped much the Duke of Alva’s business.

This is the explanation of the two first Verses of this Stanza, concerning the mutiny of the Souldiers that were in the Popes service, during which mutiny the enemy d’Alba did not fail to vex Rome; this word the enemy d’Alba doth not signifie the enemy of the Duke of Alba, as if one should say in Latine Hostis Albanus. He did then vex Rome; for in a short time he took Ponte Corvino, Frusino Anagnia, Marino, Lavaci, Prœneste, Tivoli, Ostia, Neptuno, Alba Vico-Varro, Monte Fortino, and almost all the places of the Roman Territory.

This did streighten Rome so much, that the General Camillo Ursini made several Trenches within the Walls of Rome, instead of preserving the outworks, as Montluc would have persuaded him to do; the alarums were so great at Rome, that Montluc was fain to encourage the Romans, and to make a Warlike Speech to them, which is inserted in his Works.

Moreover, the same Duke began to seduce the Principals of Rome by his friends that he had in it, but particularly by the cheat that he put upon the Pope; for his design being to prevent the French Forces, and to surprize the Pope, he resolved to go streight to Rome, and to bring his design the better to pass, he sent Pyrrhus Coffrede to the Pope, to see if there was any way of agreement, to the end that upon this proposition the Pope should mistrust nothing. In the mean time the Duke of Alba was coming near Rome, at which the Pope was so angry, that he put this Embassadour in Prison, where he was kept till the conclusion of the Peace; in this sort were the principal men of Rome seduced, having no thought of the Spaniards approaches, this is the relation of the Lord de Thou, Lib. 16.

LXIX.

French.

La grand pitie sera sans long tarder, Ceux qui donnoient seront contraints de prendre Nuds affamez, de froid, soif, soy bander, Passer les Monts en faisant grand esclandre.

English.

What a great pitty will it be e’re-long, Those that did give shall be constrained to receive, Naked, famished with cold, thirst, to mutiny, To go over the Mountains making great disorders.

ANNOT.

The words of the first Verse, before it be long, is the Key of the Stanza, because we infer from thence it was shortly to happen, as in truth it did at the latter end of the year 1556. when the Duke of Guise came into Piemont to joyn with the Marshal of Brissac. Then the troops of the Marshal seeing those of the Duke better paid then they were, forsook the Marshal, the History saith there was above 1500. of them, and that the Marshal paid the Souldiers of his own money to stay them.

The great pitty was, when he had no more to give, he was compelled by the Kings order it self, and against his own inclination to raise some moneys upon the Countreys. Secondly, to take some Towns and give the plunder to the Souldiers. Thirdly, to permit the Souldiers to pillage the Countrey.

The Author was willing to foretell this, because there was never a man more strict in keeping the Martial discipline, then this General was.

The Marshal of Brissac being thus abused, some of his troops forsook him to follow the Duke of Guise, being for the most part naked and starved with cold, hunger and thirst, which makes the Author to specifie hunger, cold and thirst; want having compelled them to disband, they went over the Mountains, not of Piemont, but the Apennines of Montserrat, and whatsoever thing they found was a Fish for their Net.

LXX.

French.

Un Chef du Monde le grand Cheiren sera, Plus outre, apres aime, craint, redouté, Son bruit & los les Cieux surpassera, Et du seul titre Victeur sort contente.

English.

A Chief of the World the great Cheiren shall be, Moreover, beloved afterwards, feared, dreaded, His fame and praise shall go beyond the Heavens, And shall be contented with the only title of Victor.

ANNOT.

We have said already before, that the Author by the word Cheyren meaneth Henry the II. his Master, by transposition of Letters, who as he saith was contented with the bare title of Victorieux, when he had undertaken the protection of the German Princes against the Emperour Charles the V.

LXXI.

French.

Quand on viendra le grand Roy parenter, Avant quil ait du tout l’Ame rendue, On le verra bien tost apparenter, D’Aigles, Lions, Croix, Courone de Rüe.

English.

When they shall come to celebrate the obsequies of the great King, A day before he be quite dead, He shall be seen presently to be allyed With Eagles, Lions, Crosses, Crowns of Rüe.

ANNOT.

In the general Peace made Anno 1559. two Marriages were concluded, one of Elizabeth of France, daughter to Henry II. King of France, with Philip II. King of Spain, which was Celebrated at Paris with an extraordinary magnificence, in the presence of the Duke of Alba, the Prince of Orenge, and the Earl of Egmont, who came to fetch the Princess.

In the Celebrating of these Nuptials happened the unfortunate death of Henry II. This brought such a sadness to the Court, that the second match which was between Margaret of France, Daughter to Francis I. and the Duke of Savoy was Celebrated without solemnity.

We must add to this, that the Duke weareth in his Coat of Arms some Eagles, some Lions, some Crosses, and a Crown of Rue; by this, we understand this Stanza, which saith, that the King being mortally wounded, every one was preparing himself to render him the last duties, which the Author calleth to Parante, from the Latine word Parentare, which signifieth to Celebrate the Funeral duties of a man. Thus the second Verse saith, before the day that he yieldeth up his Soul, in hast was the Marriage Celebrated, between the Lady Margaret of France, and the Duke of Savoy, who beareth for his Arms some Eagles, some Lions, some Crosses, and a Crown of Rue.

LXXII.

French.

Par fureur feinte devotion Divine, Sera la femme du grand fort violée, Judges voulants damner telle Doctrine, Victime au peuple ignorant immolée.

English.

By a faigned fury of Divine inspiration, The wife of the great one shall be ravished, Judges willing to condemn such a Doctrine, A Victimo shall be sacrificed to the ignorant people.

ANNOT.

Of this fact and others as bad, have been seen strange examples, formerly done by those called Enthousiastes, who have committed horrible villanies, under pretence of divine inspiration, some commiting Incests, others rapes, others murders, as may be seen at large in the History of John de Leiden, and other desperate Anabaptists, too tedious to be inserted here; I shall only relate here a little remarkable History, in confirmation of this, to discover the Wiles of the spirits of error, transformed into an Angel of Light.

The 7 day of February 1526. two Brothers, Thomas and Leonard Schyker, living near the Town of St. Gal in Switzerland, did assemble together with some other Anabaptists, in their fathers house, where they passed the most part of the night in discourses, making of faces, and relating of Visions, which every one said he had seen. The next day, upon break of day; Thomas did lay hold on his Brother Leonard, and dragged him in the middle of the company, bid him kneel in the presence of his Father and Mother, and of all the rest there present, and as all the rest of the Company bid him take heed to do any thing amiss; he answered, that there was no need to fear, and that in this business, nothing could be done against the Will of the Father; thereupon he drew his Sword, and cut off the head of his Brother, who was on his knees, all besotted before this murderer. All the rest being astonished, and besides their wits for this furious blow, and lamenting the dead, Thomas ran towards the Town with a fearful Countinance, as a Phanatick besides himself, without Shooes; and having no Cloaths but his Shirt and Breeches. At that time the Burg-master of St. Gal was Joachim Vadian, a wise and learned person, before whom the said Thomas stood, crying aloud with a fearful Countenance, that the day of Judgment was near; saying besides, that strange things had come to pass, (without telling what) that the will of his Father was done for his part. The Burg-master after he had reprehended him very much for his madness, and insolent carriage, commanded a Cloak to be put upon him, and to lead him home softly back again. But in the mean time, news was brought of his detestable murder, whereupon he was apprehended, examined, convicted, and executed. The like hath been done many times for Rapes and Incests: What is particular here, is, that our Author saith, that the Judges being willing to punish such Villanies, yet that unhappy accident shall fall, that an innocent person shall be put to death (belike) instead of the guilty, to please the people.

LXXIII.

French.

En Cité grande en moyne & artisan, Pres de la porte logez & aux murailles, Contre modene secret, Cave disant, Trahis pour faire sous couleur d’espousailles.

English.

In a great City a Monk and an Artificer, Dwelling near the Gate, and the Walls, Near an old woman, ’tis a secret saying Cave, A Treason shall be plotted under pretence of a Marriage.

ANNOT.

Paradin maketh mention, that in the year 1552. a Monk deceived the Marshal of Brissac, making him believe that he would put him in possession of the Town of Quizres, if he would give him so much for reward. The Marshal used all the Caution possible, not to be deceived by that Imposter, who took Money on both sides, viz. the French and the Spaniards; nevertheless the Monk plaid the Knave with him, and the undertakings proved prejudicial to the French, though not considerably by reason of the precaution of the said Marshal.

The same Author writes, that in the year 1555. the 17 of August, the Spaniard had designed to retake Cazal, the same way that the French had surprised it. First, they had got a Widow in the Town, who received the undertakers in her house, which was near the Gate, and the Wall. Secondly there was a Marriage to be made between two persons of quality, where great Cheer and rejoycings were to be. Thirdly they got a woman that carryed Herbs to sell in the Town, and under the Herbs the Letters were hidden. The Author says likewise, that there was a Monk and a Tradesman, that lodged at this Widows house, those two actors in this business, viz. the Monk said Tradesman, ane secretly to the woman that sold Herbs, Cave, which signifies take heed, they said these words secretly near Matrone, that is, they whisperd in her ear Cave. Their design was to betray the Town, under pretence of a Marriage, but it did not succeed; because the Letters in the womans Basket were intercepted, the Vulgar impression hath a fault in the third Verse, where there is Modene instead of Matrone, and another in the fourth Verse, when instead of Treason, they have put for betrayed. The History obligeth us to correct it, as we have done.

LXXIV.

French.

Le dechassé au regne tournera, Ses ennemis trouvez des conjurez, Plus que jamais son temps triomphera, Trois & septante a mort trop asseurez.

English.

The expelled shall come again to the Kingdom, Her enemies shall be found to be the Conspirators, More than ever his time shall triumph, Three and seventy appointed for death.

ANNOT.

This is a clear and express prediction of the happy restauration of his sacred Majesty, and our dread Sovereign Charles II. now Reigning, who after a long exile is come again to enjoy his own Kingdom, and to flourish more than ever he did before, by these seventy appointed to death, are meant the Judges and murderers of his Father, who with some few others of the same gang made about that number, and some of which have payed their shot by the hand of publick Justice, others have prevented their shame by dying before hand, others have been their own Executioners, and those that remain, lead a life worse then death it self; so true it is that vengeance dances the round.

LXXV.

French.

Le grand Pilot sera par Roy mandé, Laisser la classe pour plus haut lieu atteindre, Sept ans apres sera contrebandé, Barbare Armée viendra Venise craindre.

English.

The great Pilot shall be sent for by the King, To leave the Fleet, and be preferred to a higher place, Seven years after he shall be countermanded, A Barbarian Army shall put Venice to a fright.

ANNOT.

This needeth no further explanation.

LXXVI.

French.

La Cité antique d’Antenorée forge, Plus ne pouvant le Tyran supporter, Le manche feint au Temple couper gorge, Les siens le peuple a mort viendra bouter.

English.

The ancient City founded by Antenor, Being not able to bear the Tyrant any longer, With a fained haft, in the Church cut a throat, The people will come to put his servants to death.

ANNOT.

The City founded by Antenor (who was Companion and came into Italy with Æneas) is Padua, a University of the Venetians, of which it is said here, that being no longer able to bear a Tyrant, the said Tyrant shall be murdered in the Church with a knife hidden in a haft, and all his Men and Servants killed by the people of the Town.

LXXVII.

French.

Par la victoire du deceu fraudulente, Deux classes une, la revolte Germaine, La Chef meurtry & son fils dans la Tente, Florence, Imole pourchassez dans Romaine.

English.

By the deceitful victory of the deceived, One of the two Fleets shall revolt to the Germans, The Chief and his Son murdered in their Tent, Florence, Imole persecuted in Romania.

ANNOT.

The three first Verses are plain. Florence and Imole are two Cities of Italy, seated in the Province of Romania.

LXXVIII.

French.

Crier victoire du grand Selin croissant, Par les Romains sera l’Aigle clamé, Ticin, Milan, & Gennesny consent Puis par eux mesmes Basil grand reclamé.

English.

They shall cry up the victory of the great Selins half Moon, By the Romans the Eagle shall be claimed, Ticin, Milan and Genoa, consent not, Then by themselves the great Basil shall be claimed.

ANNOT.

The first Verse foretelleth some conquests of the Turks, whose Arms is the half Moon. The second Verse signifies, the Romans shall move the Emperour to succour them, which is the Eagle. Ticin, Milan and Genoa shall refuse to give help, and afterwards they shall call the great Basil (which in Greek signifies the great King, from βασίλευς) to their help.

LXXIX.

French.

Pres de Tesin les habitants de Logre, Garonne & Saone, Seine, Tar, & Gironde: Outre les Monts dresseront promonitoire, Conflict donné, Pau franchi, submerge onde.

English.

Near the Tesin the Inhabitants of Logre, Garonne and Saone, Seine, Tar and Gironde, Shall erect a promontory beyond the Mountains, A Battle shall be fought, the Po shall be passed over, some shall be drowned in it.

ANNOT.

Tesin is the River that passeth by Milan. Garonne, Saone, Seine, Tar, and Gironde are Rivers of France. Po is the greatest River of Italy.

LXXX.

French.

De Fez le Regne parviendra a ceux d’Europe, Feu leur Cité, & Lame tranchera, Le grand d’Asie Terre & Mer a grand troupe, Que bleux, pars, Croix a mort dechassera.

English.

The Kingdom of Fez shall come to those of Europe, Fire and Sword shall destroy their City, The great one of Asia by Land and Sea with a great troop, So that blews, greens, Crosses to death he shall drive.

ANNOT.

This is strange Prophecy if it prove true, viz. that the Kingdom of Fez (which is in Africa) shall be taken by those of Europe, and the Town put to Fire and Sword, after which the great one of Asia (meaning the great Turk) shall come by Land and by Sea with an innumerable Army, and shall drive and destroy all before him.

LXXXI.

French.

Pleurs, cris & plaincts, heurlemens, effrayeur, Cœur inhumain, cruel, noir & transy: Leman, les Isles de Gennes les majeurs, Sang espancher, tochsain, a nul mercy.

English.

Tears, cryes and complaints, howlings, fear, An inhumane heart, cruel, black, astonished, Leman, the Islands the great ones of Genoa, Shall spill blood, the Bell shall ring out, no mercy shall be given.

ANNOT.

This foretels bloody Wars only, and needs no interpretation.

LXXXII.

French.

Par les Deserts de lieu libre & farouche, Viendra errer Neveu du grand Pontife, Assomme a sept avec lourde souche, Par ceux qu’apres occuperont le Scyphe.

English.

Through the Deserts of a free and ragged place, The Nephew of the Pope shall come to wander, Knockt in the head by seven with a heavy Club, By those who after shall obtain the Scyphe.

ANNOT.

This signifies that the Nephew of a Pope shall be driven away, and shall wander in a desert place, where he shall be knockt in the head by seven men, one of which shall afterwards enjoy the Papacy; for Scyphe is a Latine word, signifying a Cup or Chalue, such as the Romish Priests say Mass with, and take the Sacrament.

LXXXIII.

French.

Celuy qu’aura tant d’honneurs & caresses, A son entrée en la Gaule Belgique, Un temps apres sera tant de rudesses, Et sera contre a la fleur tant bellique.

English.

He that shall have had so many honours and welcoms, At his going into Flanders, A while after shall commit so many rudenesses, And shall be against the warlike flower.

ANNOT.

This is positively concerning the Duke of Alencon, Brother to Henry III. King of France, who having been sent for by the States of the Low-Countreys, and received with much honour to be their General and Governour against the Spaniard, did most unworthily break his trust, and being come to Antwerp, he was so ravished with the beauty and riches of the Town, that he seized upon it for himself, but was beaten out by the Citizens, and most of his men killed.

The fourth Verse saith. He shall be against the warlike flower; that is, his action shall be against Military Honour, and common practice of Honourable Souldiers.

LXXXIV.

French.

Celuy qu’en Sparte Claude ne veut regner, Il fera tant par voye seductive, Que du court, long, le sera arraigner, Que contre Roy fera sa perspective.

English.

He that Claudius will not have to reign in Sparta, The same shall do so much by a deceitful way, That he shall cause him to be arraigned short and long, As if he had made his prospect upon the King.

ANNOT.

I believe the words of Claudius and Sparta here are Metaphorical, and the Author was unwilling they should be known.

The sense is, one shall be hindred from Reigning by another, whom he shall accuse of Treason against the King.

LXXXV.

French.

La grand Cité de Tharse par Gaulois, Sera d’estriute captifs tous a Turban, Secours par Mer du grand Portugalois, Premier d’esté le jour du sacre Vrban.

English.

The great City of Tharsis shall be taken by the French, All those that were at Turban shall be made slaves, Succours by Sea from the great Portugals, The first day of the Summer, and of the installation of Urban.

ANNOT.

Here are two difficulties in this Stanza; the first is, what the Author means by the great City Tharsis; the second is in the last Verse, what he meaneth by the Installation of Vrban, I believe he meaneth no more then the election of a Pope, whose name shall be Urban.

LXXXVI.

French.

Le grand Prelat un jour apres son songe, Interprete au rebours de son sens, De la Gascogne luy surviendra un Monge, Qui fera eslire le grand Prelat de Sens.

English.

The great Prelate the next day after his dream, Interpreted contrary to his sense, From Gascony shall come to him a Monge, That shall cause the great Prelate of Sens to be elected.

ANNOT.

Monge is a Barbarous word, that hath no relation to any Language in the world, (that I know) unless it signifies a Monk. Sens is a fine City, about threescore Miles beyond Paris, towards the South, and the Seat of an Arch-Bishop, who it seemeth shall be elected into some eminent place, the next day after he that was in it shall dream a dream, that shall be interpreted contrary to the sense and meaning of it.

LXXXVII.

French.

L’election faicte dans Francfort, N’aura nul lieu, Milan s’opposera, Le sien plus proche semblera si grand fort, Qu’oute le Rhin Marais les chassera.

English.

The election made at Francford, Shall be void, Milan shall oppose it, He of the Milan party shall be so strong, As to drive the other beyond the Marshes of the Rhine.

ANNOT.

The Election of Francford is concerning an Emperour; for there they are elected, Crowned. The rest is plain.

LXXXVIII.

French.

Un Regne grand demourra desolé, Aupres de l’Hebro se seront assemblées, Monts Pyrenees le rendront consolé, Lors que dans May seront Terres tremblées.

English.

A great Kingdom shall be left desolate, Near the River Hebrus an assembly shall be made, The Pyrenean Mountains shall comfort him, When in May shall be an Earth-quake.

ANNOT.

This needeth no interpretation, but what any one may give that knoweth where the River Hebrus is.

LXXXIX.

French.

Entre deux cymbes pieds & mains attachez, De miel face oingt & de laict substante, Guespes & mouches feront amour fachez, Poccilateurs faucer, Scyphe tente.

English.

Between two Boats one shall be tyed hand and foot, His face annointed with Honey, and he nourished with Milk, Wasps and Bees shall make much of him in anger, For being treacherous Cup-bearers, and poisoning the Cup.

ANNOT.

This is a description of the punishment which the Persians use to afflict upon poisoners; for they were put between two Troughs, which are here called Boats, from their likeness to them, with their face only uncovered, which was daubed with Honey, that the Wasps and Bees might be drawn to it and torment them, they were fed with Milk, which if they refused to do, and had rather dye than be so tormented, then did the Tormenter prick their Eyes with Needles to force them to their diet, and so were they left, till the Vermin eat them up. We have an example of this in the Life of Artaxerxes King of Persia.

XC.

French.

L’honnessement puant abominable, Apres la faict sera felicité, Grand excusé, pour n’estre favorable, Qu’a paix Neptune ne sera incité.

English.

The stinking and abominable defiling After the secret shall succeed well, The great one shall be excused for not being favourable, That Neptune might be perswaded to peace.

ANNOT.

By the two first Verses it seemeth that some abominable action, after its effect shall succeed well; the two last signifie, that a great person shall be excused for not permitting the Fleet to be at peace.

XCI.

French.

Le conducteur de la guerre Navale, Rouge effrené, severe horrible grippe, Captif eschapé de l’aisné dans la baste, Quand il naistra du grand un Fils Agrippe.

English.

The leader of the naval forces, Red, rash, severe, horrible extortioner, Being slave, shall escape, hidden amongst the Harnesses, When a Son named Agrippa, shall be born to the great one.

ANNOT.

This needeth no Interpretation, the words being so plain.

XCII.

French.

Princesse de beauté tant venuste, Au chef menée, le second faict trahy, La Cité au Glaive poudre face aduste, Par trop grand meurtre le chef du Roy hay.

English.

A Princess of an exquisite beauty, Shall be brought to the General, the second time the fact shall be betrayed, The City shall be given to the Sword and fire, By two great a murder the chief Person about the King shall be hated.

ANNOT.

The only difficulty lyes in what City he doth mean.

XCIII.

French.

Prelat avare, d’ambition trompé, Rien ne fera que trop cuider viendra, Ses Messagers, & luy bien attrapé, Tout au rebours voir qui les bois fendra.

English.

A covetous Prelate, deceived by ambition, Shall do nothing but covet too much, His messengers and he shall be trapt, When they shall see one cleave the Wood the contrary way.

ANNOT.

This needeth no Annotation.

XCIV.

French.

Un Roy iré sera aux sedifragues, Quand interdicts seront harnois de guerre, La poison taincte au succre par les fragues, Par eaux meurtris, morts, disant, serre, serre.

English.

A King shall be angry against the Covenant-breakers, When the Warlike Armour shall be forbidden, The Poison with Sugar shall be put in the Strawberries, They shall be murdered and die, saying, close, close.

ANNOT.

The words are plain.

XCV.

French.

Par detracteur calomnié puis nay, Quand istront faicts enormes & martiaux, La moindre part dubieuse a l’aisné, Et tost au Regne seront faicts partiaux.

English.

The youngest Son shall be calumniated by a slanderer, When enormous and Martial deeds shall be done, The least part shall be left doubtfull to the Eldest, and soon after they shall be both equal in the Kingdom.

ANNOT.

This lacketh no interpretation.

XCVI.

French.

Grand Cité a Soldats abandonnée, Onc ny eut mortel tumult si proche, O quelle hideuse calamités approche, Fors une offence n’y sera pardonnée.

English.

A great City shall be given up to the Souldiers, There was never a mortal tumult so near, Oh! what a hideous calamity draws near, Except one offence nothing shall be spared.

ANNOT.

This is concerning the taking of the Town of St. Quentin in 1557. because the Author saith, no tumult was like this, so near the year 1555. when our Author writ.

He calleth it great City; because it is one of the most considerable in France, therefore it was besieged by the King of Spain with 37000. men, and 12000. Horses and 8000. English. The plunder was given to the Souldiers; for it was taken by assault.

There was never a mortal tumult so near; for the Souldiers taking revenge upon the Inhabitants, and Garrison, put all to the Sword; the Admiral having much ado to save himself.

In consequence of this our Prophet cryeth, O what a fearfull calamity; because the taking of this Town joyned with the loss of St. Laurence did almost ruine France. He addeth, except one offence nothing shall be forgiven; that is, the Town should be afflicted in all respects, except that it should not be burnt. The taking of this Town was upon the 27 of August, 17 days after the Battle of St. Laurence.

The loss was so great to France, that the King was fained to call the Duke of Guise back from Italy, and Charles V. hearing this news, asked presently if his Son Philip was not in Paris, as much as to say, it was a thing he ought to have done.

But God permitted that the King of Spain went another way, and in the mean time, the King of France strengthned himself, and the Duke of Guise took from the English, Calais, Guines, and the County of d’Oye. The Spanish History saith, that Philip had forbidden to touch any old people, Children and Ecclesiastical persons; but above all St. Quentins reliques.

XCVII.

French.

Cinq & quarante degrez ciel bruslera, Feu approcher de la grand Cité neuve, Instant grand flamme esparse sautera, Quand on voudra des Normans faire preuve.

English.

The Heaven shall burn at five and forty degrees, The fire shall come near the great new City, In an instant a great flame dispersed shall burst out, When they shall make a trial of the Normans.

ANNOT.

This signifies some extraordinary lightning under five and forty degrees, which is about the Southern part of France.

It is not easie to guess what he meaneth by the great new City, unless it be one in the Authors Countrey, called Villa Nova.

The last Verse seemeth to intimate, that this shall happen when an Army of Normandie shall be raised.

XCVIII.

French.

Ruyne aux Volsques de peur si fort terribles, Leur grand Cité taincte, faict pestilent: Piller Sol, Lune, & violer leur Temples, Et les deux Fleuves rougir de sang coulant.

English.

A ruine shall happen to the Volsques that are so terrible, Their great City shall be dyed, a pestilent deed: They shall plunder Sun and Moon, and violate their Temples, And the two Rivers shall be red with running blood.

ANNOT.

The Volsi were a warlike people of Italy joyning to Rome, which makes me believe that by the great City he meaneth Rome, which was plundered and sackt by the Duke of Burgondy and the Prince of Orange, Generals of the Emperour Charles V.

XCIX.

French.

L’Ennemy docte se tournera confus, Grand Camp malade, & de faict par embusches Monts Pyrenees luy seront faicts refus. Roche du Fleuve descouvrant antique ruches.

English.

The learned enemy shall go back confounded, A great Camp shall be sick, and in effect through ambush, The Pyrenean Mountains shall refuse him. Near the River discovering the ancient Hives.

ANNOT.

The words are plain, though the sense be too obscure, and I shall not endeavour to give an interpretation, when every one may make one himself.

C.

French.

Fill de Laure, asyle du mal sain, Ou jusqu’au Ciel se void l’Amphitheatre: Prodige veu, ton mal est fort prochain, Seras captive, & des fois plus de quatre.

English.

Daughter of Laura, Sanctuary of the sick, Where to the Heavens is seen the Amphitheatre, A prodigy being seen, the danger is near, Thou shalt be taken captive above four times.

ANNOT.

This is an ingenious Stanza, concerning the City of Nismes in Languedoc, famous for its Amphitheatre built by the Romans, and remaining to this day, which Town he calleth Daughter of Laura, because the Lady Laura, Mistress to the famous Poet Petrarche was born thereabout; he also calleth it Sanctuary of the sick, for the salubrity of the air.

The meaning of the two last Verses is, that when a prodigy shall be seen, viz. Civil War in France, it shall be taken above four times, as it hath happened by one party or other.

Legis cautio contra ineptos Criticos.

Qui legent hos versus, maturè censunto: Prophanum vulgus & inscium ne attrectato: Omnesque Astrologi, Blenni, Barbari procul sunto, Qui aliter faxit, is rite sacer esto.

THE PROPHECIES OF Michael Nostradamus.

CENTURY VII.

I.

French.

L’Arc du Thresor par Achilles deceu, Aux procrées sceu le Quadrangulaire, Au fait Roial le comment sera sceu, Corps veu pendu au Sceu du populaire.

English.

The bow of the Treasure by Achilles deceived, Shall shew to posterity the Quadrangulary, In the Royal deed the Comment shall be known, The body shall be seen hanged in the knowledge of the people.

ANNOT.

By the bow of the Treasure, is understood the Marshal d’Ancre, Favorite to the Queen Regent of France Mary of Medicis, who was first complained of, for his maleversations by Achilles de Harlay President of Paris, whence followed his death being Pistolled in the Quadrangle of the Louvre, by the command of Lewis XIII. and his body afterwards dragged through the streets, and hanged publickly by the people upon the new Bridge.

II.

French.

Par Mars ouvert Arles ne donra guerre, De nuit seront les Soldats estonnez, Noir, blanc, a l’Inde dissimulez en terre. Soubs la feinte ombre traistre verrez sonnez.

English.

Arles shall not proceed by open War, By night the Souldiers shall be astonished, Black, white, and blew, dissembled upon the ground. Under the fained shadow you shall see them proclaimed Traitors.

ANNOT.

Arles is a considerable City in France; the rest is plain.

III.

French.

Apres de France la victoire Navale, Les Barchinons, Salinons, les Phocens, Lierre d’or, l’Enclume serré dans balle, Ceux de Toulon au fraud seront consents.

English.

After the Naval victory of the French, Upon those of Tunis, Sally, and the Phocens, A golden Juy the Anvil shut up in a pack, Those of Toulon to the fraud shall consent.

ANNOT.

This foretelleth a Naval victory to the French against the Turks, by the means of a Granado, called Anvil, that shall be shut up in a Barrel by a plot, to which those of Toulon shall be privy.

IV.

French.

Le Duc de Langres assiegé dedans Dole, Accompagné d’Authun & Lionnois, Geneve, Auspourg, ceux de la Mirandole, Passer les Monts contre les Anconois.

English.

The Duke of Langres shall be besieged in Dole, Being in company with those of Autun and Lion, Geneva, Auspourg, those of Mirandola, Shall go over the Mountains against those of Ancona.

ANNOT.

Langres is a City in France, whose Bishop is a Duke and a Peer of the Kingdom; Dole is a City in Burgundy, so is Autun and Lion, Geneva is a City by Savoy, Auspourg, another in Germany, Mirandola is a Countrey in Italy, so is Ancona.

V.

French.

Vin sur la Table en sera respandu, Le tiers naura celle quil pretendoit, Deux fois du noir de Parme descendu, Perouse & Pise fera ce quil cuidoit.

English.

Wine shall be spilt upon the Table, By reason that a third man shall not have her whom he intended, Twice the black one descended from Parma, Shall do to Perusa and Pisa what he intended.

ANNOT.

Perusa, Pisa, and Parma, are three Cities in Italy.

VI.

French.

Naples, Palerme, & toute la Sicile, Par main Barbare sera inhabitée, Corsique, Salerne & de Sardaigne l’Isle, Faim, peste, guerre, fin de maux intemptée.

English.

Naples, Palermo, and all Sicily, By barbarous hands shall be depopulated, Corsica, Salerno, and the Island of Sardinia, In them shall be famine, plague, war, and endless evils.

ANNOT.

Naples is a City in Italy, Palermo is a City in the Island of Sicily. Corsica, an Island in the Mediterranean Sea, belonging to the Genoese; Salerno is a Town in Italy; Sardinia an Island in the Mediterranean. The Reader may easily make an interpretation of the rest.

VII.

French.

Sur le combat des grands chevaux legers, On criera le grand croissant confond, De nuit tuer Moutons, Brebis, Bergers, Abysmes rouges dans le fossé profond.

English.

At the fight of the great light Horsmen, They shall cry out, confound the great half Moon, By night they shall kill Sheep, Ewes, and Shepherds, Red pits shall be in the deep ditch.

ANNOT.

By the great half Moon, is understood the Turk.

VIII.

French.

Flora fuis, fuis le plus proche Romain, Au Fesulan sera conflict donné, Sang espandu les plus grands pris en main, Temple ne Sexe ne sera pardonné.

English.

Flora fly, fly from the next Roman, In the Fesulan shall be the fight, Blood shall be spilt, the greatest shall be taken, Temple nor Sex shall be spared.

ANNOT.

Fesulan is a Countrey in Italy. Flora is the Goddess of Flowers, the rest is easie.

IX.

French.

Dame en l’absence de son grand Capitaine, Sera priée d’amour du Viceroy, Feinte promesse & malheureuse estreine, Entre les mains du grand Prince Barroy.

English.

A Lady in the absence of her great Captain, Shall be intreated of love by the Viceroy, A fained promise, and unhappy new years gift, In the hand of the great Prince of Bar.

ANNOT.

Bar is a principality joyning to Lorrain, which Henry IV. King of France gave for a Portion to his Sister Catharine, when she married the Duke of Lorrains Son. The rest is plain.

X.

French.

Par le grand Prince limitrophe du Mans, Preux & vaillant chef de grand exercite, Par Mer & Terre de Galois & Normans, Cap passer Barcelonne pillé l’Isle.

English.

The great Prince dwelling near the Mans, Stout and valiant, General of a great Army, Of Welchmen and Normans by Sea and Land, Shall pass the Cape Barcelone, and plunder the Island.

ANNOT.

Mans is a City in France, chief of the Province called le Main. The rest is plain.

XI.

French.

L’Enfant Roial contemnera la Mere, Oeil, pieds blessez, rude inobeissant, Nouvelle a Dame estrange & bien amere, Seront tuez des siens plus de cinq cens.

English.

The Royal Child shall despise his Mother, Eye, feet wounded, rude disobedient, News to a Lady very strange and bitter, There shall be killed of hers above five hundred.

ANNOT.

This was fulfilled about the year 1615. when Lewis XIII. King of France, being then about 15 years of age, by the perswasion of some Grandees about him, made War against his own Mother Mary of Medicis, then Regent of the Kingdom, whereupon was fought between them the Battle du pont de say, where above five hundred on the Queens side were slain, whereupon it was a good Jest of the Prince of Guimena, who being required by the Queen Anna of Austria, to lay his hand upon her side; and to feel her Child (now Lewis XIV.) stirring, after he had felt; now I know, said he, he is a true Son of Bourbon; for he beginneth to kick his Mother.

XII.

French.

Le grand puisnay fera fin de la guerre, En deux lieux assemble les excusez, Cahors, Moissac, iront loing de la serre, Rufec, Lectoure, les Agenois rasez.

English.

The great younger Brother shall make an end of the War, In two places he shall gather the excused, Cahors, Moissac, shall go out of his clutches, Ruffec, Lectoure, and those of Agen shall be cut off.

ANNOT.

Cahors, Moissac, Ruffec, Lectoure, Agen, are all Cities of the Province of Guyenne in France.

XIII.

French.

De la Cité Marine & tributaire, La teste rase prendra la Satrapie, Chasser sordide qui puis sera contraire, Par quatorze and tiendra la Tyrannie.

English.

Of the City Maritine and tributary, The shaven head shall take the Government, He shall turn out a base man who shall be against him, During fourteen years he will keep the tyranny.

ANNOT.

This is positive concerning the Cardinal of Richelieu, who made himself Governor of Havre de Grace, called here the Maritine City, and there kept his Treasure, and tyrannised for the space of about fourteen years.

XIV.

French.

Faux exposer viendra Topographie, Seront les Urnes des Monuments ouvertes, Pulluler Sectes, sainte Philosophie, Pour blanches noires, & pour antiques vertes.

English.

They shall expound Topography falsly, The Urnes of the Monuments shall be open, Sects shall multiply, and holy Philosophy Shall give black for white, and green for old.

ANNOT.

This is a perfect description of our late miserable estate in England, when there was such multiplicity of Sects, and such a Prophanation of sacred things.

XV.

French.

Devant Cité de l’Insubre Countrée, Sept ans sera le Siege devant mis, Le tres-grand Roy fera son entrée, Cité puis libre hors de ses ennemis.

English.

Before a City of Piemont, Seven years the Siege shall be laid, The most great King shall make his entry into it, Then the City shall be free being out of the enemies hand.

ANNOT.

This needeth no interpretation.

XVI.

French.

Entrée profonde par la grande Roine faite, Rendra le lieu puissant inaccessible, L’Armée de trois Lions sera défaite, Faisant dedans cas hideux & terrible.

English.

The deep entry made by the Queen, Shall make the place powerful and inaccessible, The Army of the three Lions shall be routed, Doing within an hideous and terrible thing.

ANNOT.

A Queen shall cause such a deep Trench to be made before a Town, that it shall be impregnable, and the Army of Lions, that is either Generals, or of a Prince that shall bear three Lions in his Arms, shall be routed.

XVII.

French.

Le Prince rare en pitié & clemence, Apres avoir la paix aux siens baillé, Viendra changer par mort grand cognoissance, Apres grand repos le regne travaillé.

English.

The Prince rare in pity and Clemency, After he shall have given peace to his Subjects, Shall by death change his great knowledge, After great rest the Kingdom shall be troubled.

ANNOT.

This positively concerneth Henry the IV. King of France; who after he had by many Battles and dangers given peace to his Kingdom, was by a Murderer snatched away, and the Kingdom put into new troubles, by the war that the Princes had among themselves.

XVIII.

French.

Les Assiegez couloureront leurs paches, Sept jours apres feront cruelle issüe, Dans repoulsez, feu, sang, sept mis a l’hache, Dame captive qu’avoit la paix issüe.

English.

The Besieged shall dawb their Articles, Seven days after they shall make a cruel event, They shall be beaten back, fire, blood, seven put to death, The Lady shall be Prisoner who endeavoured to make peace.

ANNOT.

This needeth no interpretation.

XIX.

French.

Le Fort Nicene ne sera combatu, Vaincu sera par rutilant metal, Son fait sera un long temps debatu, Aux Citadins estrange espouvental.

English.

The Fort Nicene shall not be fought against, By shining metal it shall be overcome, The doing of it shall be long and debating, It shall be a strange fearful thing to the Citizens.

ANNOT.

Nice is a Town in Piemont, situated by the Sea side, now whether this Prophecy came to pass in the time of the Wars between France and Savoy, or shall come to pass hereafter, it is more then I can tell. As for winning of it by glistering Metal, it is no new thing or practice, witness Philippus of Macedon, who said no City was impregnable, wherein might enter an Ass loaded with gold.

XX.

French.

Ambassadeurs de la Toscane langue, Avril & May Alpes & Mer passer, Celuy de Veau exposera l’harangue, Vie Gauloise en voulant effacer.

English.

The Embassadors of the Tuscan tongue, In April and May, shall go over the Alpes and the Sea, One like a Calf shall make a speech: Attempting to defame the French customes.

ANNOT.

The sense and the words are plain.

XXI.

French.

Par pestilente inimitie Volsicque, Dissimulée chassera le Tyran, Au Pont de Sorgues se fera la trafique, De mettre a mort luy & son adherent.

English.

By a pestilent Italian enmity, The dissembler shall expel the Tyrant, The bargain shall be made at Sorgues Bridge, To put him and his adherent to death.

ANNOT.

There is no difficulty in this.

XXII.

French.

Les Citoiens de Mesopotamie, Irez encontre amis de Tarragone, Jeux, Ris, Banquets toute gent endormie, Vicaire au Prone, pris Cité, ceux d’Ausone.

English.

The Citizens of Mesopotamia, Being angry with the friends of Tarragone, Playes, laughter, feasts, every body being asleep, The Vicar being in the Pulpit, City taken by those of Ausone.

ANNOT.

By the Citizens of Mesopotamia, is understood a people that live between two Rivers, from the Greek words μέσος and ποταμὸς, the rest is easie. We have said before, that by Ausone the Author understands the City of Bourdeaux, which he called Ausone, from the Poet and Consul of Rome Ausonius who was born there.

XXIII.

French.

Le Roial Sceptre sera contraint de prendre, Ce que ses Predecesseurs voient engagé, Puis a Laigneau on fera mal entendre, Lors qu’on viendra le Palais saccager.

English.

The Royal Scepter shall be constrained to take What his Predecessors had morgaged; After that, they shall mis-inform the Lamb, When they shall come to plunder the Palace.

ANNOT.

This is obvious to every body’s capacity.

XXIV.

French.

L’Ensevely sortira du tombeau, Fera de chaisnes lier le fort du pont, Empoisoné avec œufs de Barbeau, Grand de Lorrain par le Marquis du pont.

English.

The buried shall come out of his Grave, He shall cause the fort of the Bridge to be tied with Chains, Poisoned with Barbels hard Row, Shall a great one of Lorrain be by the Marques du pont.

ANNOT.

This Prophecie is divided in two parts. The first two Verses talk of a man that shall be taken out of his Grave alive. The two last speak, that a great man of Lorrain shall be poisoned by the Marques de pont, in the Row of a Barbel, which according to Physitians, is a dangerous meat of it self, and chiefly if it be Stewed, the Poisoner himself seemeth to be no other than a Duke of Lorrain, or one of his Sons, for he stileth himself N. Duke of Lorrain, Prince of Bar, and Marques du Pont.

XXV.

French.

Par guerre longue tout l’exercite espuiser, Que pour Soldats ne trouveront pecune, Lieu d’Or, d’Argent cair on viendra cuser, Gaulois Ærain, signe croissant de Lune.

English.

By a long War, all the Army drained dry, So that to raise Souldiers they shall find no Money, Instead of Gold and Silver, they shall stamp Leather, The French Copper, the mark of the stamp the new Moon.

ANNOT.

This maketh me remember the miserable condition of many Kingdoms, before the west-Indies were discovered; for in Spain Lead was stamped for Money, and so in France in the time of King Dagobert, and it seemeth by this Stanza, that the like is to come again, by reason of a long and tedious War.

XXVI.

French.

Fustes Galées autour de sept Navires, Sera livrée une mortelle guerre, Chef de Madrid recevra coups de vires, Deux eschapées & cinq menez a Terre.

English.

Fly-boats and Galleys round about seven Ships, A mortal War there shall be, The chief of Madrid shall receive blows of Oars, Two shall escape, and five carried to Land.

ANNOT.

Paradin saith in his History, that in the year 1555. towards the end of August, those of Diepe had permission from the King to fight a Fleet of the Spaniards, which was coming into Flanders, and brought Men, Money, and several Merchandises. They went to Sea, and after much searching, they discovered the Fleet, wherein were 22 great Ships.

The Diepois had but 19 men of War, and five or six Pinnaces, with which they set upon them between Calais and Dover. The fight was very bloody, almost all the Ships grapled one with another, and being so close together, represented a Land fight.

The French at last did their utmost endeavour against the Admiral, which was succoured by six other Ships, of which two were taken with the Admiral, and carryed to Diepe; this is the Authors meaning, when he saith, Fly-boats and Galleys about seven Ships. He nameth the Admiral Chief of Madrid; that is, chief Spaniard, which received blows of Oars, whose Ship was taken, and four more of his Company, which were brought to Diepe. In this agree the Historians on both sides.

XXVII.

French.

Au coin de Vast la grand Cavalerie, Proche a Ferrare empeschée au Bagage, Pompe a Turin front telle volerie, Que dans le fort raviront leur hostage.

English.

In the corner of Vast the great Troop of Horse, Near Ferrara, shall be busied about the baggage, Pompe at Turin, they shall make such a robbery, That in the Fort they shall ravish their hostage.

ANNOT.

I could not find what he meaneth by this place Vast, which being the Key of all the rest, I could proceed no further, but am constrained to go to bed, and leave this for to night, among Insolubilia de Alliaco.

XXVIII.

French.

Le Capitaine conduira grande proye, Sur la Montagne des ennemis plus proche, Environné par feu fera telle voye, Tous eschapez, or trente mis en broche.

English.

The Captain shall lead a great Prey Upon the Mountain, that shall be nearest to the Enemies, Being encompassed with fire, he shall make such a way, That all shall escape, but thirty that shall be spitted.

ANNOT.

The two first Verses are plain.

The meaning of the last two is, that the said Captain being encompassed with Fire, shall make himself such a way, that all his men shall escape, but thirty that shall be spitted by the enemies.

XXIX.

French.

Le grand Duc d’Albe se viendra rebeller, A ses grands peres fera le tradiment, Le grand de Guise le viendra debeller, Captif mené & dresse monument.

English.

The great Duke of Alba shall rebel, To his Grandfathers he shall make the Plot, The great Guise shall vanquish him, Led Prisoner, and a Monument erected.

ANNOT.

Ferdinand of Toledo, Duke of Alba in Spain, a faithfull servant of Charles V. and Philip II. his Son, after he had made several proofs of his Valour, and prudence in the affairs of Piemont and Milanese, was commanded to go to Naples and Rome, to succour the Colonesse, and others of the Spanish party; to obey this command, the Author saith, He went about to rebel, not against his Prince, but his Grandfathers, viz. the Pope and the Cardinals, upon which the Senate of Venice wrote to him, desiring that he would not trouble the Pope, seeing that all his Predecessors had fought for him, as the Lord of Thou saith in his sixteenth Book; but he answered, that it was the Pope himself that was the cause of it, and that he was bound to oppose him.

During that rebellion to his great fathers, as the Author calleth it, the great de Guise, came with his Troops, and compelled him to a diversion, and to let alone Marshal Strozzy, the Cardinal Caraffa, Captain Montluc, Camillo Ursini, Captain Charry, and others; so that all the Countrey about Rome was freed, and thus the Author saith, the great de Guise shall come to quell him.

The fourth Verse addeth two things, that a Prisoner was carryed away, and that a Monument was erected. History makes no mention of the Prisoner, unless it were that Captain Montluc, having taken by assault the Town of Pianea or Corsmian, by a sink which he broke; the Captain Gougues a Gascon being a Prisoner of War in the Town, with many others, and hearing the cries of France, France, perswaded his Comrades to fall upon their Keepers, and to kill them with their own weapons and this Prisoner that was taken at Montisel, was brought back again into France, as well for his known Valour, as for his Warlike deliverance, and since that made himself famous in Florida.

As for the Monument erected, makes me think he meaneth the Constable of France, who was taken Prisoner at the Battle of St. Quentin, and by the Monument, he meaneth the Escurial, which Philip the II. caused to be built in memory of that Victory, which obliged Henry the II. to call back again in all hast the Duke of Guise with all his Forces, or else France had been in danger to be lost.

XXX.

French.

Le sac sapproche, feu, grand sang espandu, Pau grand Fleuve, aux Bouviers l’entreprise, De Genes, Nice apres long temps attendu, Fossan, Thurin, a Savillan la prise.

English.

The plundering draws near, fire, abundance of blood spilt, Pau a great River, an enterprise by Herdsmen, Of Genes, Nice after they shall have staid long, Fossan, Thurin, the prize shall be at Savillan.

ANNOT.

The plundering draweth near, here the Author speaketh of things that should happen in his days. He writ this the first of March 1555. and History mentioneth that from the first of March 1555. till the beginning of 1559. the plundering of Piemont in Italy was very great, since the taking of Cazal by the French, for there was nothing but continual fightings, taking and retaking Towns, Skirmishes and Battles, and most of them by the River Pau, the greatest of Italy. The rest of the second Verse, and the beginning of the third saith, that the undertaking of Genoa shall be by the Herdsmen, by whom he meaneth the Turks, who being called by the French to help them in the taking of Nice, made an action fit for Herdsmen and villanous Traitors, doing nothing, because they had been bribed by the Genoeses.

This was done after the French had stay’d long for this infidel, who endeavoured to delude the French, and take all for himself; and this is the meaning of, After Nice had stayed long. In the mean time the Spaniards increased their Victories, as the fourth Verse witnesseth to the taking of Fossan, Thurin, and Savillan.

Fossan is a Town of Piemont, which that it might be distinguished from Marseilles, which the Author often calleth Fossen or Phocen, he putteth in the Epithete of Thurin, to signifie he meaneth Fossan in Piemont.

He saith that Fossan of Piemont shall have the taking towards Savillan, that is, this Fossan which belongeth to the Spaniards, will take some Towns near Sivillan.

XXXI.

French.

De Languedoc, & Guienna plus de dix Mille, voudront les Alpes repasser. Grans Allobroges marcher contre Brundis, Aquin & Bresse les viendront recasser.

English.

From Languedoc, and Guienna more then 10000. Would be glad to come back over the Alpes. Great Allobroges shall march against Brundis, Aquin and Bresse shall beat them back.

ANNOT.

Languedoc and Guienne are two Provinces in France, from whence many Souldiers shall be raised to go into Italy, but being distressed, shall wish to come back again over the Alpes. By the great Allobroges, I understand those of Savoy and Piemont, who shall go against Brundis, in Latine Brundusium, but shall be beaten back by Aquin and Bresses, Cities belonging to the Venetians.

XXXII.

French.

Du Mont Royal naistra d’une Casane, Qui Duc, & Compte viendra tyranniser, Dresser Copie de la marche Millane, Favence, Florence d’or & gens espuiser.

English.

Out of the Royal Mount shall be born in a Cottage, One that shall tyranise over Duke and Earl, He shall raise an Army in the Land of Millan, He shall exhaust Favence and Florence of their gold.

ANNOT.

This needeth no Interpretation.

XXXIII.

French.

Par fraude Regne, forces expolier, La classe obsesse, passages a l’espie, Deux faincts amis se viendront r’allier, Esueiller haine de long temps assoupie.

English.

By fraud a Kingdom and an Army shall be spoilt, The Fleet shall be put to a strait, passages shall be made to the spies, Two feigned friends shall agree together, They shall raise up a hatred that had been long dormant.

ANNOT.

The words are plain.

XXXIV.

French.

En grand regret sera la gent Gauloise, Cœur vain, leger croira temerité, Pain, sel, ne vin eau venin ne cervoise, Plus grand captif, faim, froid, necessité.

English.

In great regret shall the French Nation be. Their vain and light heart shall believe rashly. They shall have neither Bread, Salt, Wine, nor Beer, Moreover they shall be Prisoners, and shall suffer hunger, cold, and need.

ANNOT.

The words are plain, and the onely question is whither this distress threatned here to France is past or to come.

XXXV.

French.

La grand poche viendra plaindre pleurer, D’avoir esleu, trompez seront en l’Aage, Guiere avec eux ne voudra demeurer, Deceu sera par ceux de son langage.

English.

The great Pocket shall bewaile and bemoan, For having Elected one, they shall be deceived in his Age, He shall not stay long with them, He shall be deceived by those of his own language.

ANNOT.

The great Pocket which is the Key of this Stanza being obscure, forceth me to leave the rest unperfect.

XXXVI.

French.

Dieu, le Ciel tout le Divin Verbe a l’Onde, Porté par rouges sept razes a Bizance, Contre les oingts trois cens de Trebisonde, Deux Loix mettront, & horreur, puis credence.

English.

God, Heaven, all the Divine Word in water, Carryed by red ones, seven shaved heads at Bisantium, Against the anointed three hundred of Trebisond, They shall put two Laws, and horror, and afterwards believe.

ANNOT.

This seemeth to foretel that the Sacrament according to the Roman Church, shall be carried by Cardinals and seven Priests to Constantinople, against which three hundred of Trebison shall dispute, who shall compare the two Laws with horror, and afterwards believe.

XXXVII.

French.

Dix envoyez, chef de nef mettre a mort, D’un adverty, en classe guerre ouverte, Confusion chef, l’un se picque & mord, Leryn, Stecades nefs, cap dedans la nerte.

English.

Ten shall be sent to put the Captain of the Ship to death, He shall have notice by one, the Fleet shall be in open War, A confusion shall be amongst the Chief, one pricks and bites, Leryn, Stecades nefs, caps dedans la nerte.

ANNOT.

The three first Verses are plain; as for the fourth I believe it to be the Language of the Antipodes, for I think no man can understand it.

XXXVIII.

French.

L’Aisné Roial sur coursier voltigeant, Picquer viendra si rudement courir, Gueule lipée, pied dans l’Estrein pleignant, Traine, tiré, horriblement mourir.

English.

The eldest Royal prancing upon a Horse, Shall spur, and run very fiercely Open mouth, the foot in the Stirrup, complaining, Drawn, pulled, die horribly.

ANNOT.

This foretelleth of the eldest Son of a King, who prancing upon his Horse, shall Spur and run so fiercely, that his foot being intangled in the Stirrup he shall be dragged and pulled, and die a fearful death.

In the year 1555. upon the 25 of May, this came to pass in the person of Henry of Albret, the second of that name, King of Navarre.

This Prince Henry II. the eldest Royal riding upon a horse did spur him so hard, that he ran away with him, so that he perceiving the danger he was in, pulled the Bridle so hard that the horse’s mouth was broken; the pain did not stop the horse, but contrariwise, he grew the more untoward, that Henry fell down, and in falling one of his feet hung in the stirrup, so that he was drawn, and died a horrid death. This I found in the History of Naples.

XXXIX.

French.

Le conducteur de l’Armée Francoise, Cuidant perdre le principal Phalange, Par sus pavé de l’Avaigne & Ardoise, Soy parfondra par Gennes gent estrange.

English.

The leader of the French Army, Thinking to rout the chiefest Phalange, Upon the Pavement of Avaigne, and Slate, Shall sink in the ground by Gennes, a strange Nation.

ANNOT.

It seemeth that a French General, thinking to rout and overcome the chiefest strength of his enemy, and going upon a brittle Pavement, made of Slate, shall sink in the ground not far from Genoa, which he calleth a strange Nation to the French.

XL.

French.

Dedans tonneaux hors oingts d’huile & graisse, Seront vingt un devant le port fermez, Au second guet feront par mort prouesses, Gaigner les portes & du quet assommez.

English.

With Pipes annointed without with Oyl and Grease, Before the harbour, one and twenty shall be shut, At the second Watch, by death, they shall do great feats of Arms, To win the Gates, and be killed by the Watch.

ANNOT.

The words and sense of this Stanza are plain.

XLI.

French.

Les os des pieds, & des mains enferrez, Par bruit maison long temps inhabitée, Seront par songes concavant deterrez, Maison salubre & sans bruit habitée.

English.

The bones of the feet and of the hands in shackles, By a noise a house shall be a long time deserted, By a dream the buried shall be taken out of the ground, The house shall be healthful, and inhabited without noise.

ANNOT.

I have found the truth of this Stanza upon the place, in my going to Lion, it was my fortune to lye at a Town four Leagues on this side of it, called Lapacodier, where this Story was told me to have happened few days before.

It chanced that a Company of Foot was to lie in the Town, and distressed for quarter, they enquired why such a house was empty, and were told it was not inhabited by reason of a noise heard there every night. The Captain of the Troop resolved, since he feared not the living, not to fear the dead, and thereupon lay in the house that night, where Beds were provided for him, and about half a Dozen of his stoutest Souldiers; so they laid down their weapons on the Table, and began to be merry at Cards and Dice, expecting the event. The door being fast locked, about twelve and one they heard as though some body knockt at the door, one of the Souldiers by the Captains command, with a Pistol in his hand, and a Candle, opened the door, then appeared to them a Phantasm, in the shape of an old man, loaded with Chains, that made a great noise, this Phantasm beckened to the Captain at the Table to come to him, the Captain also rising, beckened to the Phantasm to come to him, this lasted for a while, till the Captain resolved to go to him, and so taking a Candle in one hand, and a Pistol in the other, bid his Souldiers follow him hand in hand with their Arms, then taking the Phantasm by the hand, which was exceeding cold, he led them into the Cellar, and through many turnings, till at last the Phantasm vanished, and the Candles went out, then were they constrained to remain there till day light, when perceiving where they were, and having taken notice of the Place where the Phantasm left them, they went out, and related the story to the Townsmen; so afterwards they digged in that place, where they found a kind of a Trunk, and the bones of a man in it shackled, they buryed the body in a Church-yard, and no noise was heard afterwards in that house, this came to pass about 1624.

XLII.

French.

Quand Innocent tiendra le lieu de Pierre, Le Nizaram Sicilian se verra, En grands honneurs, mais apres il cherra, Dans le bourbier d’une Civile guerre.

English.

When Innocent shall hold the place of Peter, The Sicilian Nizaram shall see himself In great honours, but after that he shall fall Into the dirt of a Civil war.

ANNOT.

Nothing can be more plain and true than this Prophecie, and those that deny it, may also deny the light of the Sun, but to make it more evident, we will examine it Verse by Verse.

When ~Innocent~ shall hold the place of ~Peter~; that is, when one named Innocent shall be Pope, as he was that preceded the last.

The ~Sicilian Nizaram~ shall see himself in great honours; that is, the Sicilian Nizarim, for Nizaram, is the Annagramme of Mazarin, letter for letter, who was born in Sicily, shall see himself in great honours, as he did; for he was then in his greatest splendor.

But after that he shall fall into the dirt of a Civil war; As every one knows he did, having put in Prison the Prince of Condé, the Prince of Conty, and the Duke of Congueiulle, can any thing be more plain, and yet when I read this forty years ago, I took it to be ridiculous.

XLIII.

French.

Lutece en Mars, Senateurs en credit, Par une nuict Gaule sera troublée, Du grand Cræsus l’Horoscope predit, Par Saturnus, sa puissance exillée.

English.

Lutetia in Mars, Senators shall be in credit. In a night France shall be troubled, The Horoscope of the great Cræsus foretelleth, That by Saturn his power shall be put down.

ANNOT.

Lutetia in Latine is the City of Paris, after the death of Henry IV. the Parliament of Paris began to prick up their ears, and to go about to call the great ones to account, amongst whom was the Marquess d’Ancre, favourite of the Queen Regent, that had gathered great riches, and therefore is called here Cræsus, our Author saith, that his power shall be put down by Saturnus, which must here be understood mistically, which proved true, for by the Kings command, then Lewis XIII. he was shot with three Pistols in the Louvre.

XLIV.

French.

Deux de poison saisis nouveaux Venus Dans la cuisine du grand Prince verser, Par le souillard tous deux au fait cogneus, Prins qui cuidoit de mort l’aisné vexer.

English.

Two newly come being provided with poison, To pour in the Kitchin of the great Prince, By the Cooks Boy the fact shall be known, And he taken, that thought by death to vex the elder.

ANNOT.

This came to pass in the time of Henry IV. who was poisoned at Melan, by two unknown men, who were discovered by the Cooks Boy in the doing of it, and were both taken, the History is at large in Peter Matthew his Historiographer, which I could not insert here for the satisfaction of the Reader; because I could not get the Book, the Reader may satisfie himself upon the place.

Other Stanzas, taken out of twelve, under the seventh Century, out of which eight have been rejected, because they were found in the foregoing Centuries.

LXXIII.

French.

Renfort de Sieges manubis & maniples, Changez le sacre & passe sur le pronsne, Prins & captifs n’arreste les prez triples, Plus par fonds mis elevé, mis au Trosne.

English.

Recruit of Sieges, spoils and prizes, Corpus Christi day shall be changed, and the pronsne slighted, They shall be taken and made Prisoners, do not stay in the threefold Field, Moreover, one put in the bottom shall be raised to the Throne.

LXXX.

French.

L’Occident libre les Isles Britanniques, Le recogneu passer le bas, puis haut, Ne content triste Rebel corss. Escotiques, Puis rebeller par plui & par nuict chaut.

English.

The West shall be free, and the Brittish Islands, The discovered shall pass low, then high, Scottish Pirates shall be, who shall rebel, In a rainy and hot night.

LXXXII.

French.

La stratageme simulte sera rare, La Mort en voye rebelle par contrée, Par le retour du voyage Barbare, Exalteront la potestante entrée.

English.

The stratagem and grudge shall be scarce, Death shall be in a rebellious way through the Countrey, By the return from a Barbarian travel, They shall exalt the Protestant entrance.

LXXXIII.

French.

Vent chaut, conseil, pleurs, timidité, De nuict au lict assailly sans les Armes: D’oppression grand calamité, L’Epithalame converty pleurs & larmes.

English.

Hot wind, councel, tears, fearfulness, He shall be assaulted in his bed by night without Arms, From that oppression shall be raised a great calamity, The Epithalamium shall be converted into tears.

ANNOT.

The reason why I have put no Annotations to these, as I have done to the rest, is, because according to my judgement, and that of the most Learned, they are spurious.

TO THE READER.

Friendly Reader,

Before you Read the following Epistle, I would have you be warned of a few things: One is, that according to my opinion, it is very obscure and intelligible in most places, being without any just connection, and besides the obscurity of the sense, the crabbedness of the expression is such, that had not the importunity of the Bookseller prevailed, I would have left it out, but considering the respect due to Antiquity, the satisfaction we owe to curious persons, who would perhaps have thought the Book imperfect without it, we let it go, trusting to your Candor and Ingenuity.

Farewell.

THE PROPHECIES OF Michael Nostradamus.

CENTURY VIII. IX. & X.

That had not been Printed before, and are in the same Edition of 1568.

TO THE

Most Invincible, most High, and most Christian King of ~France~ ~HENRY~ the Second; ~Michael Nostradamus~ his most obedient Servant and Subject, wisheth Victory and Happiness.

By reason of that singular observation, I had O most Christian and Victorious King, since my Face, who had been cloudy a great while, did present it self before your immeasurable Majesty. I have been ever since perpetually dazled, continually honouring and worshipping that day, in which I presented my self before it, as before a singular humane Majesty; now seeking after some occasion, whereby I might make appear the goodness and sincerity of my heart, and extend my acquaintance towards your most Excellent Majesty; and seeing that it was impossible for me to declare it by effects, as well because of the darkness and obscurity of my mind, as for the enlightning it did receive from the face of the greatest Monarch in the World; I was a great while before I could resolve to whom I should Dedicate these three last Centuries of my Prophecies, which make the compleat thousand, and after I had a long time considered, I have with a great temerity made my address to your Majesty, being no ways dainted by it, as the grave Author Plutarch related in the Life of Lycurgus, that seeing the offerings and gifts that were Sacrificed in the Temples of their Heathen Gods, durst not come thither no more, least the people should wonder at the costs and charges. Notwithstanding, seeing your Royal Splendour joyned with an incomparable Humanity, I have made my address to it, not as to the Kings of Persia, of whom to come near, it was forbidden, but to a most Prudent and Wise Prince I have Dedicated my Nocturnal and Prophetical Supputations, written rather by a natural instinct, and Poetical furour, then by any rules of Poetry; and most part of it written and agreeing with the Years, Months and Weeks, of the Regions, Countreys and most part of the Towns and Cities in Europe; touching also some thing of Africa, and of a part of Asia, by the change of Regions that come near to those Climats, and compounded of natural faction. But some body may answer (who hath need to blow his Nose) the Rime to be as easie to be understood, as the intelligence of the sence is hard and difficult, and therefore O most humane King, most of the Prophetical Stanza’s are so difficult, that there is no way to be found for the Interpretation of them; nevertheless being in hope of setting down the Towns, Cities, and Regions, wherein most of those shall happen, especially in the year 1585. and in the year 1606. beginning from this present time, which is the 14. of March 1557. and going further to the fulfilling of those things, which shall be in the beginning of the seventh Millenary, according as my Astronomical Calculation, and other Learning could reach, at which time the adversaries of Christ and of his Church shall begin to multiply; all hath been composed and calculated in days and hours of Election, and well disposed, and all as accurately as was possible for me to do. And the whole Minerva libera & non invita, Calculating almost as much of the time that is come, as of that which is past, comprehending it in the present time, and what by the course of the said time shall be known to happen in all Regions punctually as it is here written, adding nothing superfluous to it, although it be said; Quod de futuris contingentibus, non est determinata omnino veritas. It is very true Sir, that by my natural instinct given me by my Progenitors, I did think I could foretel any thing; but having made an agreement between this said instinct of mine, and a long Calculation of Art, and by a great tranquility and repose of mind, emptied my Soul of all care and carefulness, I have foretold most part of these ex tripode æneo, though there be many who attribute to me some things that are no more mine, then what is nothing at all. The only Eternal God, who is the searcher of men’s hearts, being pious, just, and merciful, is the true Judge of it, whom I beseech to defend me from the calumny of the wicked men, who would as willing calumniously inquire for what reason all your ancient Progenitors Kings of France have healed the disease called the Kings-evil, and some other Nations have cured the biting of venomous Beasts; others have had a certain instinct to foretell things that are to come, and of several others, too tedious to be here inserted; notwithstanding those in whom the malignancy of the wicked spirit shall not be suppressed by length of time; after my decease my work shall be in more esteem, then when I was alive; nevertheless if I should fail in the supputation of times, or could not please some, may it please your most Imperial Majesty to forgive me, protesting before God and his Saints, that I do not intend to insert any thing by writing in this present Epistle, that may be contrary to the true Catholick Faith, in conferring the Astronomical Calculation, according to my learning; for the space of times of our Fathers that have been before us, are such, submitting my self to the correction of the most Learned, that the first man Adam was before Noah, about one thousand two hundred forty two years, not computing the time according to the supputation of the Gentiles, as Varro did, but onely according to the Sacred Scriptures, and the weakness of my wit in my Astronomical Calculations. After Noah and the universal Flood about a thousand and fourscore years came Abraham, who was a supreme Astrologer, according to most mens opinion, and did first invent the Chaldæan Letters; after that came Moses, viz. some five hundred and fifteen or sixteen years after, and between the time of David and Moses have passed about 570. years. After which between the time of David and that of our Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, have passed (according to some Chronographers) a thousand three hundred and fifty years. Some body may object, that this supputation is not true; because it differeth from that of Eusebius. And from the time of humane redemption, to that of the execrable seduction of the Saracens, have passed six hundred and four and twenty years, or thereabouts. From that time hitherto, it is easie to collect what times are past, if my supputation be not good among all Nations; because all hath been calculated by the course of the Cœlestial bodies, joyned with motion, infused in me at certain loose hours, by the motion of my ancient Progenitors; but the injury of the time (most excellent King) requireth, that such secret events should not be manifested, but by an enigmatical Sentence, having the only sense, and one only intelligence, without having mixed with it any ambiguous or amphibological calculation, but rather under a Cloudy obscurity, through a natural infusion, coming near to the Sentence of one of the Thousand and two Prophets, that have been since the Creation of the World, according to the supputation and punical Chronick of Joel. Effundam spiritum meum super omnem, & carnem & prophetabunt filli vestri & filiæ vestræ: But such a Prophecy did proceed from the mouth of the Holy Ghost, who was the Supreme and eternal Power, which being come with that of the Cœlestial bodies, hath caused some of them to foretel great and wonderful things; as for my part I challenge no such thing in this place, God forbid, I confess truly, that all cometh from God, for which I give him thanks, honour, and praise, without having mixed any thing of that divination, which proceedeth a Fato, but only of that which proceedeth a Deo & Natura, and most of it joyned with the motion and course of the Cœlestial Bodies; insomuch that seeing as in a burning Glass, and through a Cloudy Vision, the great and sad events, the prodigious and calamitous accidents, that shall befall the Worshippers, first of God, and secondly, those that are Earthly propped up, with a thousand other calamitous accidents, which shall be known in course of time; for God will take notice of the long barrenness of the great Dame, who afterwards shall conceive two principal Children: But being in danger, she that shall be added to her by the temerity of age, running a danger in the 18, and not able to go beyond the 36, shall leave behind her three females, and he shall have two that never had any of the same father, the differences between the three Brothers shall be such, and then shall they be united and agreed, insomuch that the three and four parts of Europe shall quake: by the lesser in years shall the Christian Monarchy be upheld and augmented, Sects shall rise, and presently be put down again, the Arabians shall be put back, Kingdoms shall be united, and new Laws made. Concerning the other Children; the first shall possess the furious Crowned Lions, holding their Paws upon the Escutcheons. The second, well attended, will go so deep among the Lions, that the second way shall be open, all trembling and furious going down, to get upon the Pyrenæan Mountains. The ancient Monarchy shall not be transferred, the third innundation of humane blood shall happen, and for a good while Mars shall not be in Lent. And the Daughter shall be given for the preservation of the Church, the Dominator of it falling into the Pagan Forces of the new unbelievers, she shall have two Children, one from faithfulness, and the other from unfaithfulness, for the confirmation of the Catholick Church; and the other, who to his confusion and late repentance, shall go about to ruine her. There shall be three Regions by the extreme differences of the leagues, viz. the Roman, the German, and the Spanish, who by a Military hand shall make divers Sects, forsaking the 50 and 52 degrees of altitude, and all those of remote Regions shall do homage to the Regions of Europe, and of the North of 40 Degrees Altitude, who by a vain fright shall quake, after that those of the West, South, and East shall quake because of their power, insomuch that what shall be done, cannot be undone by Warlike power. They shall be equal in Nature, but much different in Faith. After this, the barren Dame of a greater power then the second, shall be admitted by two people, by the first obstinate that had power over the others; by the second, and by the third, that shall extend his Circuit of the East of Europe, as far as the Hungarians, vanquished and overcome, and by a Maritine Sail, shall make his excursions into the Trinarrian and Adriatick Sea, by his Mirmidons, and Germany shall fall, and the Barbarian Sect shall be wholly driven from among the Latines. Then the great Empire of Antichrist shall begin in the Attila, and Xerxes to come down with an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that the coming of the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the 48 Degree, shall transmigrate, driving away the abomination of the Antichrist, who made War against the Royal, who shall be the great Vicar of I. C. and against his Church, and his Kingdom, per tempus, & in occasione temporis, and before this shall precede a Solar Eclipse, the most dark and obscure that was since the Creation of the World, till the death and passion of I. C. and from him till then, and it shall be in the Month of October, when such a great Translation shall be made, that every body will think that the weight of the Earth, shall have lost its natural motion, and be swallowed up in perpetual darkness. In the Spring before and after this, shall happen extraordinary changes, mutations of Kingdoms, and great Earth-quakes, with pullulation of the new Babylons miserable daughter, increased by the abomination of the first Holocaust, and shall last only 73 years and 7 Months, then from that Stock she that had been long time barren, proceeding from the fifth Degree, who shall renew all the Christian Church, and then shall be a great Peace, Union and Concord, between one of the Children of the wandring and seperated foreheads by divers Kingdoms, and such Peace shall be made, that the Instigator and Promoter of Military function, by diversity of Religions, shall be tied to the bottom of the deep, and the Kingdom of the Rabious, who shall counterfeit the wise, shall be united. And the Countreys, Towns, Cities and Provinces, that had deserted their first ways to free themselves, captivating themselves more deeply, shall be secretly angry at their liberty and Religion lost, and shall begin to strike from the left, to turn to the right, restoring the holiness beaten down long before with their former writing; so that after the great Dog, shall come forth the biggest Mastif, who shall destroy all that was done formerly, then Churches shall be built up again as before, the Clergy shall be restored to its former state, and shall begin to Whore, and Luxuriate, and to commit a Thousand Crimes. And being near unto another desolation, when she shall be in her higher and more sublime dignity, there shall rise powers and Military hands, who shall take away from her the two Swords, and leave her only the Ensigns, from which by the means of the crookedness that draweth them, the people causing it to go straight, and not willing to submit unto them by the end opposite to the sharp hand that toucheth the Ground, they shall provoke till that a branch shall proceed from the barren, which shall deliver the people of the World from that meek and voluntary slavery, putting themselves under the protection of Mars, depriving Jupiter of all his honours and dignities, for the free City established and seated in another little Mesopotamia. And the chief Governour shall be thrust out of the middle, and set in the high place of the Air, being ignorant of the conspiracy of the Conspirators, with the second Thrasibulus, who long before did manage this thing, then shall the impurities and abominations be objected with great shame, and made manifest to the darknes of the darkened light, and shall cease towards the end of the change of his Kingdom, the chief men of the Church shall be put back from the love of God, and many of them shall apostatise from the true faith, and from the true Sects, the middlemost of which by her worshippers, be a little put into ruine; the first, wholly in all Europe, and most part of Africa undone by the third, by the means of the poor in Spirit, who by madness elevated, shall through libidinous luxury, commit adultery. The people will rise and maintain it, and shall drive away those that did adhere to the Legislators, and shall seem by the Kingdoms spoiled by the Eastern men, that God the Creator hath loosed Satan from his Infernal Prison, to cause to be born the great Dog and Doham, who shall make so great and abominable a fraction in the Churches, that the Red nor the White, without Eyes and without Hands, shall not judge of it, and their power shall be taken away from them. Then shall be a greater persecution against the Church than ever was, and in the mean time shall be so great a Plague, that two parts of three in the world shall fail, insomuch that no body shall be able to know the true owners of fields and houses, and there shall happen a total desolation unto the Clergy, and the Martial men shall usurpe what shall come back from the City of the Sun, and from Molita, and the Stæchades Islands, and the great Chain of that Port shall be open, which taketh its denomination from a Sea Oxe, and a new incursion shall be made through the Sea Coasts, willing to deliver the Castulan Leap from the first Mahometan taking, and the assaulting shall not altogether be in vain, and that place where the habitation of Abraham was, shall be assaulted by those, who shall have a respect for the Jovials. And that City of Achem, shall be encompassed and assaulted on all sides, by a great power of Armed men; their Sea Forces shall be weakened by the Western men, and to that Kingdom shall happen great desolation, and the great Cities shall be depopulated, and those that shall come in, shall be comprehended within the vengeance of the wrath of God, and the Sepulchre held in so great veneration, shall remain a great while open to the universal Aspect of the Heavens, Sun and Moon, and the sacred place shall be converted into a Stable for small and great Cattle, and put to prophane uses. O what a calamitous affliction shall be then for women with Child, and chiefly by the principal Easterly head, being for the most part moved by the Northern and Westerly men, vanquished and put to death, beaten, and all the rest put to flight, and the Children he had by many women, put in Prison, then shall be fulfilled the Prophecy of the Kingly Prophet. Ut audiret gemitus compeditorum, ut solveret filios interemptorum, what great oppression shall be made then upon the Princes and Governours of Kingdoms, and especially of those that shall live Eastward and near the Sea, and their Languages inter-mixed very sociably. The Language of the Arabians and Latines by the African communication, and all the Eastern Kings shall be driven away, beaten and brought to nothing, not altogether by the means of the strength of the Kings of the North, and by the drawing near of our age, by the means of three secretly united, seeking for death by ambushes one against another. And the renewing of the Triumvirate shall last seven years, while the fame of such a sect shall be spread all the world over, and the Sacrifice of the Holy and immaculate Host shall be upheld: And then shall the Lords be two in number victorious in the North against the Eastern ones, and there shall be such a great noise and Warlike tumult, that all the East shall quake for fear of those two Brothers, not Northern Brothers. And because, Sir, by this discourse, I put all things confusedly in these predictions, as well concerning the event of them, as for the account of the time which followeth, which is not at all, or very little conformable to that I have done before, as well by Astronomical way, as other of the sacred Scriptures which cannot erre, I could have set down to every quatrain the time in which they shall happen, but it would not please every body, much less the interpretation of them, till, Sir, your Majesty hath granted me full power so to do, that my Calumniators may have nothing to say against me. Nevertheless reckoning the years since the Creation of the World to the Birth of Noah have passed 1506. years, and from the Birth of Noah to the perfect building of the Ark near the universal Flood have passed 600. years, whither solary, or lunary, or mixed, for my part according to the Scriptures, I hold that they were solary. And at the end of those 600. years Noah entered into the Ark, to save himself from the Flood, which Flood was universal upon the Earth, and lasted a year and two months; and from the end of the Flood, to the birth of Abraham did pass the number of 295. years; and from the birth of Abraham to that of Isaac did pass 100. years, and from Isaac to Jacob 60. years; and from the time that he went into Ægypt till he came out of it, did pass 130. years; and from the time that Jacob went into Ægypt till his posterity came out of it did pass 430. years; and from the coming out of Ægypt to the building of Salomon’s Temple in the fourth year of his Reign did pass 480. years; and from the building of the Temple till Jesus Christ, according to the supputation of the Chronographers, did pass 490. years; and so by this supputation, which I have gathered out of the Holy Scriptures, the whole cometh to about 4173. years, eight Months more or less. But since the time of I. C. hitherto, I leave it because of the diversity of Opinions. And having calculated these present Prophecies according to the order of the Chain, which containeth the revolution, and all by Astronomical Doctrine, and according to my natural instinct, and after some time, and in it comprehending since the time that Saturn shall turn to come in on the 7 of the Month of April, till the 25 of August; Jupiter from the 14 of June to the 7 of October; Mars from the 27 of April till 22 of June; Venus from the 9 of April to the 22 of May; Mercury from the 3 of February till the 24 of the same; afterwards from the 1 of June till the 24 of the same; and from the 25 of September till the 16 of October, Saturn in Capricorn, Jupiter in Aquarius, Mars in Scorpio, Venus in Pisces, Mercury within a Month in Capricorn, Aquarius in Pisces, Luna in Aquarius, the Dragons head in Libra, the Tail opposite to her sign according to a Conjunction of Jupiter and Mercury, with a quadrin Aspect of Mars to Mercury, and the head of the Dragon shall be with a Conjunction of Sol and Jupiter: the year shall be peacefull without Eclipse, and in the beginning of that year shall be a greater persecution against the Christian Church than ever was in Affrica, and it shall last till the year 1792. at which time every body will think it a renovation of Age. After that the Roman people shall begin to stand upright again, and to put away some obscure darknesses, receiving some of its former light, but not without great divisions, and continual changes. Venice after that with great strength and power shall lift up her Wings so high, that she will not be much inferiour to the strength of the old Rome, and in that time great Bizantine Sails, joyned with the Ligustiques, by the Northern help and power shall give some hinderance, whereby those of Crete shall not keep their faith, the Arches built by the antient Martial men, will keep company together with Neptun’s Waves. In the Adriatick shall be a great discord, what was united shall be parted asunder, and what was before, and is a great City, will go near to becom a house, including the Pempotan, and the Mesopotamia of Europe to 45, and others to 41, 42, and 37. And in that time, and Countrey, the Infernal power shall rise against the Church of I. C. with the power of the Enemies to his Law, which shall be the second Antechrist, who shall persecute the said Church and its Vicar by the means of the power of Temporal Kings, who through their Ignorance shall be seduced by Tongues more sharp than any Sword in the hands of a mad man. The said Reign of Antichrist shall not last but till the ending of him, born by Age, and of the other in the City of Plancus, accompanied by the Elect of Modone, Fulcy by Ferrara, maintained by Adriatick, Liguriens, and the proximity of the great Trinacria, and after that shall pass over the Mount Jovis. The Gallique Ogmyon followed with such a number, that even from afar off the Empire of the great Law, shall be presented to him, and then, and after shall be profusedly spilled the blood of the Innocent by the Nocent, raised on high; then by great Floods the memory of those things contained by such Instruments, shall receive an innumerable loss, as also shall learning towards the North by the Divine Will, Satan bound once more, and an universal Peace shall be among men, and the Church of I. C. shall be free from all tribulation, although the Azosrains would fain mix among it the Honey of their pestilent seduction, and this shall happen about the seventh Millinary; so that the Sanctuary of I. C. shall be no more trodden down by the unbelievers that shall come from the North, the world being near to some conflagration, although by my supputations in my Prophecies, the course of the time goeth much further. In the Epistle that within the late years I have dedicated to my Son Cæsar Nostradamus, I have openly enough declared some things, without prognosticating. But here (Sir) are comprehended many great and wonderful events, which those that come after us shall see. And during the said Astrological supputation, conferred with the sacred Scripture, the persecution of the Clergy shall have its beginning from the power of Northern Kings, joyned with the Eastern ones; that persecution shall last Eleven years and a little less, at which time the chief Northern King shall fail, which years being ended, shall come in his united Southern one, who shall yet more violently persecute the Clergy by the Apostatical seduction of one that shall have the absolute power over the Militant Church of God: And the Holy people of God and keeper of his Law, and all order of Religion shall be grievously persecuted and afflicted, insomuch that the blood of the true Ecclesiastical men shall float all over, and unto one of those horrid Kings this praise shall be given by his followers to have spilt more humane blood of the Innocent Clergymen, than any body can do Wine, and the said King shall commit incredible crimes against the Church; humane blood shall run through publick streets and Churches, as water coming from an impetuous Rain, and the next Rivers shall be red with blood, and by another Sea fight the Sea shall be red, insomuch that one King shall say to another, Bellis rubuit navalibus æquor. After that in the same year, & those that follow, shall happen the most horrid Plague, caused by the precedent famine, and so great tribulations as ever did happen since the first foundation of the Christian Church through all the Latine Regions; some marks of it remaining in some Countreys of Spain. At that time the Northern King hearing the complaint of the people of his principal title, shall raise up so great an Army, and shall go through the straights of his last Ancestors and Progenitors, that he will set up all again in their first state, and the great Vicar of the Cope, shall be restored in his former estate, but desolate and altogether forsaken, and then shall the Sancta sanctorum be destroyed by Paganism, and the old and New Testament be thrust out and burnt, after that shall Antechrist be the infernal Prince, and once more for the last all the Kingdoms of Christendom and also of the unbelievers shall quake for the space of 25 years, and there shall be more grievous Wars and Battles, and Towns, Cities, Castles and other buildings shall be burnt, desolate, and destroyed with a great effusion of Vestal blood, Married Women and Widows ravished, sucking Children dashed against the Walls of the Towns, and so many evils shall be committed by the means of the Infernal prince Satan, that almost the universal world shall be undone and desolate, and before these events many unusual Birds shall cry through the Air, Huy, Huy, and a little while after shall vanish away: And after that time shall have lasted a good while, there shall be renewed a Kingdom of Saturn and Golden Age. God the Creator shall say, hearing the affliction of his people, Satan shall be put, and tied in the bottom of the deep, and there shall begin an universal peace between God and men, and the Ecclesiastical power shall be in its greater force, and Satan shall be left bound for the space of a thousand years, and then shall be loosed again. All these Figures are justly fitted by the sacred Scripture, to the visible Cœlestial things, viz. Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars, and others joyned with them, as more at large may be seen in some of my Stanza’s. I would have calculated it more deeply, and compared one with the other, but seeing (most excellent King) that some stand ready to censure me, I shall withdraw my Pen to its Nocturnal repose. Multa etiam O Rex potentissime præclara, & sane in brevi ventura, sed omnia in hac tua Epistola innectere non possumus, nec volumus, sed ad intelligenda quedam facta, horrida fata pauca libanda sunt, quamvis tanta sit in omnes tua amplitudo & humanitas homines, deosque pietas, ut solus amplissimo & Christianissimo regis nomine, & ad quem summa totius Religionis authoritas deferatur, dignus esse videare. But only I shall beseech you O most Merciful King, through your singular and prudent goodness, to understand rather the desire of my Heart, and the earnest desire I have to obey your most excellent Majesty, since my Eyes were so near your Royal Splendor, than the greatness of my work can deserve or require.

From ~Selin~ this 27 ~June~, 1558.

Faciebat ~Michael Nostradamus~, ~Salonæ Petreæ~, Provinciæ.

THE PROPHECIES OF Michael Nostradamus.

CENTURY VIII.

I.

French.

Pau, Nay, Loron, plus feu qu’a sang sera, Laude nager, fuir grands aux Surrez, Les Agassas entrée refusera, Pampon, Durance, les tiendront enserrez.

English.

Pau, Nay, Loron, more in fire then blood shall be, Lauda to swim, great ones run to the Surrez, The Agassas shall refuse the entry, Pampon, Durance shall keep them enclosed.

ANNOT.

The Prophecies of this, and of the remaining Centuries being for the most part so obscure, as no man is able to make any sense of them, the judicious Reader must not expect from me, what no man else can do; let him suffice if I give him as much light as I can, and leave the rest to his own judgement and industry.

Pau is the chief Town of the Province of Bearn, in the Kingdom of Navarre, where Henry the IV. King of France and Navarre was born. Nay and Loron are barbarous words, so are Surrez, Agassas and Pampon. Durance is a River of France.

II.

French.

Condon & Aux, & autour de Mirande, Je voy du Ciel feu qui les environne, Sol, Mars, conjoint au Lion, puis Marmande, Foudre, grand guerre, mur tomber dans Garonne.

English.

Condon and Aux, and about Mirande, I see a fire from Heaven that encompasseth them, Sol, Mars, in conjunction with the Lion, and then Marmande, Lightning, great War, Wall falls into the Garonne.

ANNOT.

Condon, Aux, Mirande, and Marmande are Towns in the Province of Guyenne and Languedoc, Garonne is the River of Bourdeaux.

III.

French.

Au fort Chasteau de Vigilanne & Resviers, Sera serré les puisnay de Nancy, Dedans Turin seront ards les premiers, Lors que de dueil Lyon sera transy.

English.

In the strong Castle of Vigilanne and Resviers, Shall be kept close the youngest son of Nancy, Within Turin the first shall be burnt up, When Lyon shall be overwhelmed with sorrow.

ANNOT.

Vigilanne and Resviere being falsly writen here, it must be set down Veillane and Riuiere, which are two strong Castles, the first being seated in Piemont, and the last in Burgundy.

Nancy is the chief Town of Lorrain, and Turin of Piemont, Lyon is a famous City in France, so that the sense of this Prophecy seemeth to be, that the youngest Son of Nancy, (that is of Lorrain) shall be kept close Prisoner in those two Castles of Veillane and Riuiera, and that the chief men of Turin shall be burnt, when the City of Lyon shall be oppressed with sorrow.

IV.

French.

Dedans Monech le Coq sera receu, Le Cardinal de France apparoistra, Par Logarion Romain sera deceu, Foiblesse a l’Aigle, & force au Coq croistra.

English.

Within Monech the Cock shall be admitted, The Cardinal of France shall appear, By Logarion, Roman shall be deceived, Weakness to the Eagle, and strength to the Cock shall grow.

ANNOT.

Monech is false written here, it must be Monaco, which is a Principality and Town in Italy by Genoa, belonging to the House of the Grimaldi, wherein the French were admitted by the policy of Cardinal Richelieu, during the Wars between France and Spain.

Logarion is a Barbarous name, by which he meaneth some body unknown to us.

By the Eagle is meant the Emperour, who was very low at that time, and by the Cock, the King of France, who was very powerful, where it is to be observed, that by the Eagle the Emperour is always understood, because it is his Arms, and by the Cock is meant the King of France, because a Frenchman is called in Latine Galius, which also signifieth a Cock.

V.

French.

Apparoistra Temple luisant orné, La Lampe & Cierge a Borne & Bretueil, Pour la Lucerne le Canton destourné, Quand on verra le grand Coq au Cercueil.

English.

A shining adorned Temple shall appear, The Lamp and wax Candle at Borne and Bretueil, For Lucerne the Canton turned of, When the great Cock shall be seen in his Coffin.

ANNOT.

Borne and Bretueil are two particular places, the first is one of the four Baronies of the River Mase, viz. Petersem, Steen, Horne, Borne, the other is a little Town in Britany.

Lucerne is one of the Cantons of Switzerland. We have said before what is meant by the great Cock, viz. the King of France. Let the Reader make up the rest, according to his fancy.

VI.

French.

Charté fulgure a Lyon apparente, Luysant, print Malte, subit sera estainte, Sardon, Mauris traitera decevante, Geneve a Londres, a Coq trahison feinte.

English.

A thundering light at Lyons appearing, Bright, took Maltha, instantly shall be put out, Sardon shall treat Mauris deceitfully, To Geneva, London, and the Cock a fained treason.

ANNOT.

Maltha is an Island in the Mediterranean Sea, famous for the Knights that inhabit it, and take their name from thence. Sardon and Mauris are barbarous words.

VII.

French.

Verceil, Milan donra intelligence, Dedans Tycin sera faite la paye, Courir par Seine eau, sang, feu par Florence, Unique choir d’hault en bas faisant maye.

English.

Verceil, Milan shall give intelligence, In the Tycin shall the Peace be made, Run through Seine water, blood, fire through Florence, The only one shall fall from top to bottom making maye.

ANNOT.

Verceil and Milan are two Cities in Italy, the Tycin, or rather Thesin is a River of the same Countrey; Seine is the River that runneth at Paris. Florence is a famous City in Italy, and maye a barbarous word, foisted up to patch up his Rime.

VIII.

French.

Pres de Linterne dans des tonnes fermez, Chivas fera pour l’Aigle la menée, L’Esleu cassé, luy ses ges enfermez, Dedans Turin rapt espouse emmenée.

English.

Near Linterne, enclosed within Tuns, Chivas shall drive the plot for the Eagle, The Elect cashiered, he and his men shut up, Within Turin, a rape, and Bride carried away.

ANNOT.

Linterne is a small Town in Italy; by Tuns are meant woodden Vessels, such as they put Rhenish wines and others in.

Chivas is a Town in Piemont, and Turin the chief Town of the said Countrey.

IX.

French.

Pendant que l’Aigle & le Coq a Savone, Seront unis, Mer, Levant & Hongrie, L’Armée a Naples, Palerme, Marque d’Ancone, Rome, Venise, par barbe horrible crie.

English.

Whilst the Eagle and the Cock at Savona, Shall be united, Sea, Levant, and Hungary, Army at Naples, Palermo, Mark of Ancona, Rome, Venice, cry because of a horrid beard.

ANNOT.

By the Eagle is meant the Emperour, and by the Cock the King of France; the rest is easie.

X.

French.

Puanteur grande sortira de Lausane, Qu’on ne scaura l’origine du fait, L’on mettra hors toute la gent loingtaine, Feu veu au Ciel peuple estranger deffait.

English.

A great stink shall come forth out of Lausane, So that no body shall know the ofspring of it, They shall put out all the Forreiners, Fire seen in Heaven, a strange people defeated.

ANNOT.

Lausane is a City situated in Savoy, by the Lake of Geneva, but now as I take it in the possession of the Switzers.

XI.

French.

Peuple infiny paroistre a Vicence, Sans force feu brusler la Basilique, Pres de Lunage des fait grand de Valence, Lors que Venise par morte prendre pique.

English.

Infinite deal of people shall appear at Vicence, Without force, fire shall burn in the Basilick, Near Lunage the great one of Valence shall be defeated, When Venice by death shall take the pique.

ANNOT.

Vicenza is a Town in Italy, under the dominion of the Venetians. Basilick is the name of the biggest sort of Canons or pieces of Ordinance. As for Valence there is three Cities of that name, one in Spain, the second in France, and the third in Italy; instead of Lunage, it must be Lignago which is a Town in Italy.

XII.

French.

Apparoistra aupres du Bufalore, L’haut & procere entré dedans Milan, L’Abbé de Foix avec ceux de Saint Maure, Feront la fourbe habillez en vilain.

English.

Near the Bufalore shall appear, The high and tall, come into Milan, The Abbot of Foix with those of Saint Maure, Shall make the trumpery being cloathed like rogues.

ANNOT.

Bufalore is a barbarous word; Foix is a Countrey in France, and St. Maure a little Town in the said Countrey.

XIII.

French.

Le croisé Frere par amour effrenée, Fera par Praytus Bellerophon mourir, Classe a mil ans, la femme forcenée, Beu le breueage, tous deux apres perir.

English.

The crossed Brother through unbridled love, Shall cause Bellerophon to be killed by Praytus, Fleet to thousand years, the woman out of her wit, The drink being drunk, both after that, perish.

ANNOT.

Bellerophon and Praytus are two supposed and fictitious names.

XIV.

French.

Le grand credit, d’or, d’argent l’abundance, Aveuglera par Libide l’honneur, Cogneu sera d’adultere l’offence, Qui parviendra a son grand deshonneur.

English.

The great credit, the abundance of Gold and Silver Shall blind honour by lust, The offence of the Adulterer shall be known, Which shall come to his great dishonour.

ANNOT.

This is easie to be understood; for it is frequently seen, that Honour is made blind by lust, and chiefly if that lust be propped up with credit; and abundance of Gold and Silver.

XV.

French.

Vers Aquilon grands efforts par hommasse, Presque l’Europe, l’Univers vexer, Les deux Eclipses mettra en telle chassé, Et aux Pannons vie & mort renforcer.

English.

Towards the North great endeavours by a manly woman, To trouble Europe, and almost all the world, She shall put to flight the two Eclipses, And shall re-inforce life and death to the Pannons.

ANNOT.

By the Pannons is meant the Hungarians. The rest is easie.

XVI.

French.

Au lieu que Hieson fit sa nef fabriquer, Si grand Deluge sera & si subite, Qu’on n’aura lieu ne Terre sattaquer, L’onde monter Fesulan Olympique.

English.

In the place where Jason caused his Ship to be built, So great a Flood shall be, and so sudden, That there shall be neither place nor Land to save themselves, The Waves shall climb upon the Olympick Fesulan.

ANNOT.

Jason was Son to King Æson, who built a Ship called Argos, in which he went to Colchos, to Conquer the Golden Fleece.

Fesulan here is to be understood of some high and eminent place, which therefore he calleth Olympick, from Olympus a high Mountain in Grecia. The place where Jason builded his Ship.

XVII.

French.

Les bien aisez subit seront desmis, Le monde mis par les trois freres en trouble, Cité Marine saisiront ennemis, Faim, feu, sang, peste, & de tous maux le double.

English.

Those that were at ease shall be put down, The world shall be put in trouble by three Brothers, The Maritine City shall be seized by its enemies, Hunger, fire, blood, plague, and the double of all evils.

ANNOT.

It is not easie to tell what them three Brothers have been, or shall be, nor that Maritine or Sea City, therefore we leave it to the liberty of every ones judgement, the words being plain enough.

XVIII.

French.

De Flore issue de sa mort sera cause, Un temps devant par jeusne & vieille bueyre, Car les trois lis luy feront telle pause, Par son fruit sauve comme chair crüe mueyre.

English.

Issued from Flora shall be the cause of her own death, One time before, through fasting and old drink, For the three Lillies shall make her such a pause, Saved by her fruit, as raw flesh dead.

ANNOT.

This is one of those, wherein the Author would not be understood, and may be did not understand himself.

XVIX.

French.

A soustenir la grand cappe troublée, Pour l’esclaireir les rouges marcheront, De mort famille sera presqu’accablée, Les rouges rouges, le rouge assommeront.

English.

To maintain up the great troubled Cloak, The red ones shall march for to clear it, A family shall be almost crushed to death, The red, the red, shall knock down the red one.

ANNOT.

This seemeth to carry no other sense than a conspiracy of the Cardinals, called here by the name of the Red, the Red against the Pope, who is called the Red one.

XX.

French.

Le faux message par election feinte, Courir par Urbem rompue pache arreste, Voix acheptées de sang chappelle teinte, Et a un autre qui l’Empire conteste.

English.

The contract broken, stoppeth the message, From going about the Town, by a fained election, Voices shall be bought, and a Chappel died with blood, By another, who challengeth the Empire.

ANNOT.

This was so falsely printed, and so preposterously set in order, that I had much ado to pick out this little sense of it, which amounteth to no more, than that by reason of an agreement broken, the Messenger, that went to publish a faigned election (it seemeth of the Empire) shall be hindred, and that one of the Competitors to the said Empire, shall be killed in or near a Chappel, that shall be soiled by his Blood.

XXI.

French.

Au port de Agde trois fustes entreront, Portant infection avec soy, pestilence, Passant le pont mil milles embleront, Et le pont rompre a tierce resistance.

English.

Three Galleys shall come into the harbour of Agde, Carrying with them infection and Pestilence, Going beyond the Bridge, they shall carry away 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.

Gorsan, Narbonne, par le Sel advertir, 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 red 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 Languedoc, 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.

Cœur de l’Amant ouvert d’amour furtive, Dans le ruisseau sera ravir la Dame, Le demy mal contrefaira lascive, 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 Phœnix, 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 Phœnix, 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, Par 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 gloire 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 vœu, 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 cause his Son to be murdered when he went about some venereal employment.

XXXIII.

French.

Le grand naistra de Verone & Vicence, Qui portera un surnom bien indigne, Qui a Venise voudra faire vengeance, Luy mesme prins homme du guet & signe.

English.

The great one of Verona and Vicenza shall be born, Who shall bear a very unworthy surname, Who shall endeavour at Venice to avenge himself, But he shall be taken by a Watch-man.

ANNOT.

Verona and Vicenza are two famous Cities in Italy, under the dominion of the Venetians; the rest is easie.

XXXIV.

French.

Apres victoire du Lion au Lion, Sur la Montagne de Jura Secatombe, Delues, & Brodes septiesme milion, Lyon Ulme a Mausol mort & tombe.

English.

After the Victory of the Lion against the Lion, Upon the Mountain Jura Secatomb, Delues, and Brodes the seventh Million, Lyons, Ulme fall dead at Mausol.

ANNOT.

The Mount Jura is in Switzerland; Lyon is a great City in France; and Ulme another in Germany; the rest is either barbarous or insignificant.

XXXV.

French.

Dedans l’entree de Garonne & Blaye, Et la Forest non loing de Damazan, De Marsaves gelées, puis gresle & Bize, Dordonois gelé par erreur de Mezan.

English.

Within the entrance of Garonne and Blaye, And the Forrest not far from Damazan, Of Marsaves frosts, then Hail and North wind, Dordonois frozen by the error of Mezan.

ANNOT.

Garonne is the River that runneth at Bourdeaux, and Blaye is the Port Town that lieth at the mouth of it; I should think that instead of Dordonois, it should be Printed Dordone, which is another River thereabouts, and is here threatned to be frozen.

XXXVI.

French.

Sera commis contre Oinde a Duché De Saulne, & Saint Aubin, & Belœuvre, Paver de Marbre, de tours loing pluche, Non Bleteran resister & chef d’œuvre.

English.

A Dukedom shall be committed against Oinde, Of Saulne, and Saint Aubin, and Belœuvre, To pave with Marble, and of Towers well pickt, Not Bleteran to resist, and master-piece.

ANNOT.

I confess my Ignorance, and should be glad that a better Oedipus than I would undertake this.

XXXVII.

French.

La forteresse aupres de la Thamise, Cherra par lors, le Roy dedans serré, Aupres du pont sera veu en chemise, Un devant mort, puis dans le fort barré.

English.

The strong Fort near the Thames Shall fall then, the King that was kept within, Shall be seen near the Bridge in his Shirt, One dead before, then in the Fort kept close.

ANNOT.

The Dream be to them that hate thee, and the Interpretation thereof to thine Enemies, Dan. 4, v. 10.

XXXVIII.

French.

Le Roy de Blois dans Avignon regner, Un autrefois le peuple emonopole, Dedans le Rhosne par murs fera baigner, Jusques a cinq, le dernier pres de Nole.

English.

The King of Blois in Avignon shall Reign Another time the people do murmur, He shall cause in the Rhosne to be bathed through the Walls, As many as five, the last shall be near Nole.

ANNOT.

This foretelleth that a King of France shall take Avignon, which is a City in France belonging to the Pope. And that some of the people beginning to murmur and mutiny, he shall cause five of them to be thrown over the Walls into the Rhosne, which is a swift River that passeth by. Nole must be some place thereabouts.

XXXIX.

French.

Qu’aura esté par Prince Bizantin, Sera tollu par Prince de Tholose, La foy de Foix, par le chef Tholentin, Luy faillira ne refusant l’espouse.

English.

What shall have been by a Bizantin Prince, Shall be taken away by the Prince of Tholose, The faith of Foix by the chief Tholentin, Shall fail him, not refusing the Spouse.

ANNOT.

I can understand nothing else by Prince Bizantin, but some Prince of the house of Gonzague, who derive their pedigree from that of the Palæologues, formerly Emperours of Constantinople, called in ancient time Bizantium. As for the Prince of Tholose, there having been none this two or three hundred years since that Country was devolved to the Crown of France; but the King himself, I suppose he must be understood here; so that the sense of this Prophecie, (if any be) is, that the King of France shall take something from the Duke of Mantua, who is the head of the Gonzagues, as he hath done formerly several times.

By the faith of Foix, is understood the late Duke of Rohan, who descended from the house of Foix, and who did war against the said Duke of Mantua at that time, when the King of France, Lewis XIII. would not suffer his Brother the Duke of Orleans to Marry the Princess Mary, Daughter of the Duke of Nevers, of the house of Gonzague, and lately Queen of Poland.

XL.

French.

Le sang du juste par Taur & la Dorade, Pour se vanger contre les Saturnins, Au nouveau Lac plongeront la Mainade, Puis marcheront contre les Albanins.

English.

The blood of the just by Taur and Dorade, To avenge themselves against the Saturnins, In the new Lake shall sink the Mainade, Then shall go forth against the Albanins.

ANNOT.

Here the Author hath kept his mind to himself, as for my part, being ignorant of his barbarous words, I had rather leave the sense of this to the judgment of the Reader, than by an incongruous and far fetched interpretation make my self ridiculous.

XLI.

French.

Esleu sera Renard ne sonnant mot, Faisant le Saint public, vivant pain d’orge, Tyranniser apres tant a un cop, Mettant le pied des plus grands sur la gorge.

English.

A Fox shall be elected that said nothing, Making a publick Saint, living with Barley bread, Shall tyrannise after upon a sudden, And put his foot upon the Throat of the greatest.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy seemeth to regard particularly the Pope, who having played the Hypocrite before his Election, eating nothing but Barley bread, that he might be reputed a Spaint, shall after his Election shall tyrannise upon a sudden, and trample upon the Throat of the greatest Monarchs, as they have done formerly, and would do yet if they could.

XLII.

French.

Par avarice, par force & violence, Viendra vexer les siens chefs d’Orleans, Prez Saint Memire assaut & resistance, Mort dans sa Tente, diront quil dort leans.

English.

By avarice, by force and violence, Shall come to vex his own chief of Orleans, Near Saint Memire assault and resistance, Dead in his Tent, they’l say he sleepeth there.

ANNOT.

The construction of this must be thus made. The Chiefs of Orleans, (which is a famous Town in France) shall come to vex their own (I suppose) Citizens. And near that place called Saint Memire, shall be a fight, where one of those chief ones shall be killed, or die in his Tent, and shall be denyed under pretence of being asleep.

XLIII.

French.

Par le decide de deux choses Bastars, Nepveu du sang occupera le Regne, Dedans Lectoure seront les coups de dards, Nepveu par peur pleira l’Enseigne.

English.

By the decision of two things, Bastards, Nephew of the Blood shall occupy the Kingdom, Within Lectoure shall be strokes of Darts, Nephew through fear shall fold up his Ensign.

ANNOT.

I think that instead of decision it should be division, and then the sense is easily made up, thus; that through the division of two Bastards, the Nephew of the Blood shall occupy the Kingdom, which Nephew afterwards in a fight at Lectoure, (which is a strong Town in Gascony) shall be put to the worst, and compelled to fold up his Ensigns.

XLIV.

French.

Le procrée naturel d’Ogmion, De sept a neuf du chemin destourner, A Roy de longue & amy au my hom, Doit a Navarre fort de Pau prosterner.

English.

The natural begotten of Ogmyon, From seven to nine shall put out of the way, To King of long, and friend to the half man, Ought to Navarre prostrate the fort of Pau.

ANNOT.

A man needeth a good pair of Spectacles to see through all this, what I understand in it is that this Bastard of Ogmyon, by whom he meaneth the King of France, ought to submit the Fort of Pau to Navarre, and good reason too; for Navarre is the Kingdom, and Pau only the chief Town of one Province of it, called Bearn.

XLV.

French.

La main escharpe & la jambe bandée, Louis puisné de Palais partira, Au mot du guet la mort sera tardée, Puis dans le Temple a Pasques seignera.

English.

The hand on a Scarf, and the leg swadled, The younger Lewis shall go from Palais, At the Watch word his death shall be protracted, Then afterwards at Easter he shall bleed in the Temple.

ANNOT.

The Prince of Condé, whose name was Lewis, and the youngest of the Children of Charles of Bourbon, the first Duke of Vendosme, father to Anthony of Bourbon, King of Navarre, went away from the Court in the time of Francis the second King of France, and came into Bearn to the King his Brother. He was summoned many times by Francis II. to come to Court; but finding his name to be amongst those that intended to surprise Lion, he durst not venture.

Nevertheless he was perswaded by his Uncle the Cardinal of Bourbon, and came to the Court at Orleans. It is easie to believe that he fained himself to be hurt by a fall from his Horse, or that really he was so; having his Arm in a Scarf, and his Leg swadled up, in which posture he came to testifie his obedience to the Kings commands.

In this posture of a wounded man, whether really and fictitiously he came from Palais, which by mistake is printed Calais; the Printer being ignorant, that in Bearn, where the Prince had sheltered himself, there is a Castle called Palais, which was the place that the Prince used to live in.

Being come to Court he was presently arrested, arraigned and condemned to death. Nevertheless the Kings sickness proving mortal, the execution was suspended, and his life saved. After that the Prince sought all occasions to revenge himself, and began about Easter in April following. It was not by an open Rebellion against the King, but under pretence to maintain the Protestant Religion: therefore the Author saith, that this life saved shall bleed in the Temple; because the Princes pretext was the Temple and the Church; that is Religion. Hence the fourth Verse is clearly understood. Resteth the third Verse, which saith, that his life was differred till the Watch word; because the Queen seeing the King her Son upon his death bed, caused secretly the execution of the Sentence to be differred, that she might make use of the King of Navarre, and of the Prince his Brothers favour, against the house of Guise, for the obtaining of the Regency.

Moreover I observe, that in the year 1562. the Prince of Condé began openly to rebel, surprising the City of Orleans the 29 of March, which was Easter day that year, which sheweth the truth of the fourth Verse.

XLVI.

French.

Pol Mensolée mourra trois lieues du Rhosne, Fuis les deux prochains Tarare destrois, Car Mars sera le plus horrible Throsne, De Coq & d’Aigle, de France frere trois.

English.

Paul Mensolée Shall die three Leagues from the Rhosne, Avoid the two straights near the Tarare; For Mars shall keep such a horrible throsne, Of Cock and Eagle, of France three Brothers.

ANNOT.

By this Pol Mensolée, he meaneth some proper name. Tarare is a great Mountain near the City of Lions, that hath two principal ways to go through, which here he calleth Straights; for indeed they are very dangerous for Thieves and Murderers. The rest is but a threating of War between the Emperour and France, when there shall be three Brothers in France.

XLVII.

French.

Lac Trasmenien portera tesmoignage, Des conjurez ferrez dedans Perouse, Un Despolle contrefera le sage, Tuant Tedesque de Sterne & Minuse.

English.

Trasmenian Lake shall bear witness Of the Conspirators shut up in Perugia, A Despolle shall counterfeit the wise, Killing Tedesque of Sterne and Minuse.

ANNOT.

I think that the Impression is false here; for instead of Despolle, which is a barbarous word, and signifieth nothing, I would have it in French Despoville, in English robbed of all; so that Trasmenian Lake is that Lake in Italy not far from the Town of Perugia, where Hannibal gave that notable overthrow to the Romans, and killed above 20000. of them, with their consul Flaminius.

That man whom he calleth here robbed of all, shall kill some Germans; for Tudesco in Italian, is a German, the two last words are barbarous.

XLVIII.

French.

Saturne en Cancer, Jupiter avec Mars, Dedans Fevrier Caldondon, Salvaterre, Sault, Castalan, assailly des trois parts, Pres de Verbiesque, conflict mortelle guerre.

English.

Saturn in Cancer, Jupiter with Mars, In February Caldondon, Salvaterre, Sault, Castalon, assaulted on three sides, Near Verbiesque, fight and mortal War.

ANNOT.

The multiplicity of barbarous and insignificant words, makes this incapable of any construction, if any body will exercise his wit thereupon, I shall willingly lend him my ear.

XLIX.

French.

Satur au Bœuf, Jove en l’Eau, Mars en fleche, Six de Fevrier mortalité donra, Ceux de Tardaigne a Bruges si grand breche Qu’a Ponterose chef Barbarin mourra.

English.

Satur in Ox, Jupiter in water, Mars in arrow, The sixth of February shall give mortality, Those of Tardaigne shall make in Bruges so great a breach, That the chief Barbarin shall die at Pontrose.

ANNOT.

Satur in Ox; that is, Saturn in Taurus, Jupiter in Water; that is, Jupiter in Aquarius; Mars in arrow, is Mars in Sagitarius; when these things shall happen. The sixth day of ~February~ shall bring a great mortality. Tardaigne is a fictitious name, unless he intended Sardaigne. Bruges is a Town in Flander, Ponterose is some place, where he saith, that the chief Barbarin shall die, the chief Barbare was the Pope Urban the eighth; but because I do not know the particularities of his death, and the place of it, I cannot make the rest good.

L.

French.

La Pestilence lentour de Capadille, Un autre faim pres de Sagunt sapreste, La Chevalier Bastard de bon senille, Au grand de Thunes fera trancher la teste.

English.

The Plague shall be round about Capadille, Another famine cometh near to that of Sagunce, The Knight Bastard of the good old man, Shall cause the great one of Tunis to be beheaded.

ANNOT.

The difficulty here, is what is meant by that word Cappadille, for my part I think he meaneth Italy, for some times the Italians use by way of admiration to say Capoli, or Capadillo. Sagunce is a Town in Spain, which for the love of the Carthaginians withstood the Romans a great while, till they were brought to an extremity of famine, and then set fire in their Town.

LI.

French.

Le Bizantin faisant oblation, Apres avoir Cordube a soy reprinse, Son chemin long, repos, pamplation, Mer passant proye par la Cologne a prinse.

English.

The Bizantin, making an offering, After he hath taken Cordua to himself again, His way long, rest, contemplation, Crossing the Sea hath taken a prey by Cologne.

ANNOT.

This is an express delineation of Charles the V. Empire, who at the latter end of his days retired into a Monastery, reserving unto himself for his subsistance the revenue of the Kingdom of Castille, expressed here by Cordua, which is a City of Spain.

LII.

French.

Le Roy de Blois dans Avignon Regner, D’Amboise & Seme viendra le long de Lindre. Ongle a Poitiers Saintes aisles ruiner, Devant Bony.

English.

The King of Blois shall Reign in Avignon, He shall come from Amboise and Seme, along the Linder, A Nail at Poitiers shall ruine the Holy Wings, Before Bony.

ANNOT.

The first Verse and the interpretation is easie.

Amboise is a Town in France upon the River of Loire.

The two last Verses being inperfect, admits of no interpretation, onely to let the Reader know that Poitiers is a very great City in France, and Capital of the Province of Poitou.

LIII.

French.

Dedans Boulogne voudra laver ses fautes, Il ne poura au Temple du Soleil, Il volera faisant choses si hautes, En Hierarchie n’en fut onc un pareil.

English.

He shall desire to wash his faultes in Bulloin, In the Church of the Sun, but he shall not be able, He shall fly doing so high things, That the like was never in Hierarchy.

ANNOT.

There is two Towns called Bolloin, one is in Italy, the other in France, the last is that which is meant here; for Cardinal Richelieu who is the man that did so high things, and the like of which was never in Hierarchy (that is in the Clergy) a little afore his death had vowed if he recovered his health to go in Pilgrimage to Bulloin, where there is a famous Temple for Miracles, (as they say) dedicated to our Lady, which is called here the Sun, by an allusion to that passage of the Revelation: And there appeared a Woman cloathed with the Sun; but the said Cardinal was prevented by death.

LIV.

French.

Soubs la couleur du traité mariage, Fait magnanime par grand Chiren Selin, Quintin, Arras, recouvrez au voiage, D’Espagnols fait second banc Macelin.

English.

Under pretence of a Treaty of Marriage, A Magnanimous act shall be done by the great Cheiren Selin, Quintin, Arras recovered in the journey, Of Spaniards shall be made a second Macelin Bench.

ANNOT.

This is a Prognostication concerning a King of France, meant here by the great Cheiren Selin, who under pretence of a Treaty of Marriage, shall recover in his journey these two Towns Saint Quintin and Arras, for the Shambles are called in Latine Macellum. Quod ibi mactentur pectora quæ mercatoribus venundantur.

LV.

French.

Entre deux Fleuves se verra enserré, Tonneaux & caques unis a passer outre, Huit Pont rompus chef a tant enferré, Enfans parfaits sont jugulez en coultre.

English.

Between two Rivers he shall find himself shut up, Tuns and Barrels put together to pass over, Eight Bridges broken, the chief at last in Prison, Compleat children shall have their throat cut.

ANNOT.

It is an accident that hath often happened to a Commander of an Army, to find himself either by his own oversight, or by the policy of his enemies, shut up between two Rivers, having upon neither of them a Bridge at his command; as it did happen once to the Prince of Condé, the Grandfather of this, in the time of the Civil war for Religion, who was forced by it to dissolve his Army, and bid every one shift for himself, so that they almost all escaped by several small parties, some going one way some another, at such time it is an ordinary shift to make use of empty Vessels and Caskes to make a Bridge, as our Author doth mention here.

LVI.

French.

La bande foible la Terre occupera, Ceux du haut lieu feront horribles cris, Le gros troupeau d’estre coin troublera, Tombe pres D. nebro descouvert les escrits.

English.

The weak party shall occupy the ground, Those of the high places shall make fearful cries, It shall trouble the great flock in the right corner, He falleth near D. nebro discovereth the writings.

ANNOT.

I dare not comment upon this, for fear it should be said of me, what was said of the Glose of Accurtius; obscura per obscurius.

LVII.

French.

De Soldat simple parviendra en Empire, De Robe courte parviendra a la longue, Vaillant aux Armes, en Eglise ou plus pire, Vexer les Prestres comme l’eau fait l’esponge.

English.

From a simple Souldier he shall come to have the supreme command, From a short Gown he shall come to the long one, Vaillant in Arms, no worse man in the Church, He shall vex the Priests, as water doth a Spunge.

ANNOT.

I never knew nor heard of any body to whom this Stanza might be better applied, then to the late Usurper Cromwel, for from a simple Souldier, he became to be Lord Protector, and from a Student in the University he became a graduate in Oxford, he was valliant in Arms, and the worse Churchman that could be found; as for vexing the Priests, I mean the Prelatical Clergy, I believe none went beyond him.

LVIII.

French.

Regne en querelle aux freres divisé, Prendre les Armes & les nom Britannique, Tiltre Anglican sera tard advisé, Surprins de nuit, mener a l’air Gallique.

English.

A Kingdom in dispute, and divided between the Brothers, To take the Arms and the Britannick name, And the English title, he shall advise himself late, Surprised in the night and carried into the French air.

ANNOT.

This prognosticateth a great division in England between Brothers, about the Title and Kingdom of England, insomuch, that in conclusion one shall be surprised by night, and carried away into France.

LIX.

French.

Par deux fois haut, par deux fois mis a bas, L’Orient aussi l’Occident foiblira, Son adversaire apres plusieurs combats, Par Mer chassé au besoin faillira.

English.

Twice set up high, and twice brought down, The East also the West shall weaken, His adversary after many fights, Expelled by Sea, shall fail in need.

ANNOT.

This foretelleth of some considerable person, who shall be twice set up, and brought down again. The second Verse is pronounced after the manner of the old Oracles, as

Aio te Æacida Romanos vincere posse,

For no body can tell here whither the East shall weaken the West, or otherways. The last two Verses are easie.

LX.

French.

Premier en Gaule, premier en Romanie, Par Mer & Terre aux Anglois & Paris, Merveilleux faits par cette grand mesgnie, Violant, Terax perdra le Norlaris.

English.

The first in France, the first in Romania, By Sea and Land to the English and Paris, Wonderful deeds by that great company, By ravishing, Terax shall spoil the Norlaris.

ANNOT.

The first in France is the King, the first in Romania is the Pope, who it seemeth shall joyn together by Sea and Land, and come against Paris, who shall call the English to its help, insomuch, that strange deeds shall be done by that great company. As for Terax, it seemeth to be the proper name of some man, who by ravishing a woman called here the Norlaris, shall spoil her and cause sad consequences. Norlaris by transposition of Letters is Lorrain.

LXI.

French.

Jamais par le decouvrement du jour, Ne parviendra au signe Sceptrifere, Que tous Sieges ne soient en sejour, Portant au Coq don du Tag a misere.

English.

Never by the discovering of the day, He shall attain to the Sceptriferous sign, Till all his seats be settled, Carrying to the Cock a gift from the Tag to misery.

ANNOT.

This signifieth that one pretending to a Kingdom, shall never attain to it by often removing his place, until all his seats be settled, that is, untill his wandring be ceased. And a gift brought by him to the King of France from Portugal, signified here by the Tag, which is the River of Lisbon the Capital City of it, from which gift shall proceed misery.

LXII.

French.

Lors qu’on verra expiler le Saint Temple, Plus grand du Rhosne, & sacres prophaner: Par eux naistra pestilence si grande, Roy fait injuste ne sera condamner.

English.

When one shall see spoiled the Holy Temple, The greatest of the Rhosne, and sacred things prophaned, from them shall come so great a pestilence, That the King being unjust shall not condemn them.

ANNOT.

The greatest Temple of the Rhosne, is that of the City of Lion, which is seated upon that River of Rhosne, which when it shall be robbed and spoiled, then shall come a horrid Pestilence, which our Author attributeth to the injustice of the King then Reigning, who shall neglect to punish those Sacriledges.

LXIII.

French.

Quand l’adultere blessé sans coup aura, Meurdry la femme & le fils par depit, Femme assomée l’Enfant estranglera, Huit captifs prins sestoufer sans respit.

English.

When the Adulterer wounded without a blow, Shall have murdered the wife and son by spight, The woman knocked down, shall strangle the child, Eight taken prisoners, and stifled without tarrying.

ANNOT.

This is the description of a sad Tragedy, which to understand, you must joyn all the Verses together, and make it one sense. The Adulterer wounded without a blow, is one that shall get a disease, (suppose the Pox) his wife finding fault with it, he shall murder her, and her Son; she not being quite dead shall strangle another Child (which it seemeth she had by this Adulterer) and for this fact eight shall be taken prisoners and immediately hanged, by which you must suppose the fact to be done in France, for there they Judge and Hang immediately, whereby in England they must stay till Sessions-time.

LXIV.

French.

Dedans les Isles les enfans transportez, Les deux de sept seront en desespoir, Ceux de terrouer en seront supportez, Nompelle prins, des ligues fuy l’espoir.

English.

In the Islands the Children shall be transported, The two of seven shall be in despair, Those of the Countrey shall be supported by, Nompelle taken, avoid the hope of the League.

ANNOT.

This seemeth to have a great relation to our late unhappy troubles in England, when the Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Glocester were transported into the Isle of Wight, which are the two of the seven, (for the Queen hath had seven children) and the Kings Majesty and his Highness the Duke of York, were driven into the Low-Countreis, being in a manner in dispair of ever coming again, and those Countreys were much the better for the harbouring of them; in the last Verse by Nompelle I understand Anagrammatically Monpelier, which being taken, there is no more hope in the League, as it did happen in the time of Henry the IV. King of France, who never saw the League or Covenant quite routed, till that Town was taken; for it is familiar enough to those kind of Prophets to make an ὕστερον πρώτερον, and joyn things past, to those that are to come, to darken the Readers understanding, and as the Scripture saith, Ut videntes non videant.

LXV.

French.

Le vieux frustré du principal espoir, Il parviendra au chef de son Empire, Vingt mois tiendra le Regne a grand pouvoir, Tyran, cruel en delaissant un pire.

English.

The old man frustrated of his chief hope, He shall attain to the head of his Empire, Twenty months he shall keep the Kingdom with great power, Tyrant, cruel, and having a worse one.

ANNOT.

The words of this Prophecy are plain enough, and because I cannot learn in History that such things have come to pass yet, therefore I reckon it among those de futuro.

LXVI.

French.

Quand l’Escriture D. M. trouvée, Et Cave antique a Lampe descouverte, Loy, Roy, & Prince Vlpian esprouvée, Pavillon, Royne & Duc soubs la couverte.

English.

When the writing D. M. shall be found, And an ancient Cave discovered with a Lamp, Law, King, and Prince Ulpian tried, Tent, Queen and Duke under the rugge.

ANNOT.

In the year 1555. Ferdinand Alvaro of Toledo Duke of Alba, being sent by Charles the V. into Italy to resist the French, arrived in June at Milan, and having gathered together, all his Forces, Besieged the Town St. Jago, but Henry II. King of France sending some succours by the Duke of Aumale, he raised up his siege, and put his Army into Garrisons. The Duke of Alba leaving the Field in this manner, the Duke of Aumale besieged Vulpian, wherein were 1000. souldiers in Garrison, under the command of Cæsar of Naples, besides the Inhabitants. Never was a place so furiously assaulted, and so manfully defended, so that the French were many times beaten back; but at last after 24. days siege the Duke of Aumale did gloriously take it.

The Author foretelling the time of this victory, said it was when the writing D. M. in big letters was found, that is to say, about the 11. of September after the Equinox, because in the Ephemerides, the Meridional descension of the Planets, and chiefly of Sol, Venus, and Mercury is marked with these two Letters D. M. which descension cometh to pass after the Equinox of Autumn towards the end of September. At the same time was discovered an ancient Cave, wherein was found one of those Lamps, that cannot be put out, and burns continually without any addition of Oil, by an invention that is lost. Such another was found in the time of Alexander the VI. and Adrian the VI.

The Town of Vulpian was at that time tried by a King and a Prince, viz. Henry the II. and the Duke of Aumale Prince of Lorrain, and Brother to the Cardinal of Lorrain, and to the Duke of Guise.

The Author addeth, that besides these three things, viz. the finding of the letters D. M. The Cave discovered the siege of Vulpian; there happened a fourth one, viz. that a Queen and a Duke should consult together in a Summer-house, about the important affairs of the Kingdom. To understand this, we must suppose that Pope Paul the IV. willing to secure his own person and the Ecclesiastical State against the Spanish faction, and that of the Colonese, did seize upon many places belonging to the said Colonese, and knowing besides that the Spaniards being of the Coloneses party, would not fail to come upon him, he disposed the King of France to come to his succours, so that the Queen having a particular confidence in the Duke of Guise, did consult with him about this business in some Summer-house, which the French call a Pavillon.

LXVII.

French.

Par. Car. nersaf, a ruine grand discorde, Ne l’un ne l’autre n’aura election, Nersaf du peuple aura amour & concorde, Ferrare, Collonne grande protection.

English.

Par. Car. Nersaf, to ruine great discord, Neither one nor the other shall be Elected, Nersaf, shall have of the people love and concord, Ferrare, Colonna, great protection.

ANNOT.

It is very hard to say what the Author meaneth by these disjunctives Par. Car. Nersaf, all what can be gathered by what follows, is, that there shall be a great variance and strife about an Election, (I suppose of a Pope as it useth to be) and that Nersaf shall have the good will of the people, and yet none of them shall be Elected.

As for the fourth Verse, it is to be noted first that Ferrara is a strong Town in Italy belonging to the Pope, and Colonna is the name of the chief Family in Rome, now whether Ferrara shall be a protection to Colonna, or Colonna to Ferrara, we leave it to the Reader to judge, because the Verse hath a double sense.

LXVIII.

French.

Vieux Cardinal par le jeune deceu, Hors de sa charge se verra desarmé, Arles ne monstres double fort apperceu, Et l’Aqueduct & le Prince embaumé.

English.

An old Cardinal shall be cheated by a young one, And shall see himself out of his imployment, Arles do not show, a double fort perceived, And the Aqueduct, and the embalmed Prince.

ANNOT.

The two first Verses are very plain, the two last not so; therefore observe that Arles is a City in France, in the Countrey of Dauphine or Provence, famous for antiquity, which is forwarned here not to shew its Fords, nor its Aqueducts, (which are buildings to convey water), nor its embalmed Prince, which it seemeth lyeth thereabout buried. The Author hath deprived here the Author of the reasons for why.

LXIX.

French.

Aupres du jeune se vieux Ange baiser, Et le viendra surmonter a la fin, Dix ans esgaux aux plus vieux rabaisser, De trois deux l’un huitiesme Seraphin.

English.

Near the young one the old Angel shall bowe, And shall at last overcome him, Ten years equal, to make the old one stoop, Of three, two, one, the eighth a Seraphin.

ANNOT.

This is the description of a grand Cheat, when an old man called here Angel, shall stoop before a young one, whom he shall overcome at last, after they have been ten years equal. The last Verse is Mistical, for there is four numbers, three, two, one, which make six; and eight, which he calleth Seraphin, whether by allusion to that Quire of Angels, which some call the eight, or whether to the Order of St. Francis, who calleth it self Seraphical, is not easie to determine.

LXX.

French.

Il entrera vilain, meschant, infame, Tyrannisant la Mesopotamie, Tous amis fait d’Adulterine Dame, Tetre horrible noir de Physiognomie.

English.

He shall come in villaen, wicked, infamous, To tyranise Mesopotamia, He maketh all friends by an adulteress Lady, Foul, horrid, black in his Physiognomie.

ANNOT.

Mesopotamia is a Greek word, signifying a Countrey between two Rivers; and though there be many Countreys so seated, yet to this day, it properly belongeth to that Countrey, that lyeth between the two famous Rivers Tigris and Euphrates near Babylon; the rest is easie.

LXXI.

French.

Croistra le nombre si grand des Astronomes, Chassez bannis & livres censureq, L’An mil six cens & sept par sacrez glomes, Que nul au sacres ne seront asseurez.

English.

The number of Astronomers shall grow so great, Driven away, bannished, Books censured, The year one thousand six hundred and seven by sacred glomes, That none shall be secure in the sacred places.

ANNOT.

The sense of this is clear, viz. that about the year 1607. the number of Astronomers shall grow very great, of which some shall be expelled and banished, and their Books censured and suppressed: the rest is insignificant to me.

LXXII.

French.

Champ Perusin O l’Enorme deffaite, Et le conflict tout aupres de Ravenne, Passage sacra lors qu’on fera la feste, Vaincueur vaincu, Cheval mange L’avenne.

English.

Perugian Field, O the excessive rout, And the fight about Ravenna, Sacred passage when the Feast shall be celebrated, The victorious vanquished, the Horse to eat up his Oats.

ANNOT.

Perugia is a City in Italy, and so is Ravenna, by which it seemeth there shall be a notable Battle fought, as was once before in the time at Lewis the XII. King of France between Gaston de Foix his Nephew, and Don Raimond de Cardonne Vice-roy of Naples, for there the French got the Battle; in conclusion of which, the said Gaston de Foix pursuing a Troop of Spaniards that were retiring, was unfortunately kill’d, and so the victorious were vanquished.

LXXIII.

French.

Soldat Barbare le grand Roy frapera, Injustement non esloigné de mort, L’Avare Mere du fait cause sera, Conjurateur & Regne en grand remort.

English.

A Barbarous Souldier shall strike the King, Unjustly, not far from death, The covetous Mother shall be the cause of it, The Conspirator and Kingdom in great remorse.

ANNOT.

These words are so plain that they need no interpretation.

LXXIV.

French.

En Terre neuve bien avant Roy entré, Pendant subjects luy viendront faire accueil, Sa parfidie aura tel rencontré, Qu’aux Citadins lieu de feste & recueil.

English.

A King being entered far into a new Countrey, Whilst his Subjects shall come to welcom him, His perfidiousness shall find such an encounter, That to the Citizens it shall be instead of feast and welcom.

ANNOT.

The sense of this seemeth to be, that a certain King being far got into a new conquered Countrey, where he shall deal perfidiously with his Subjects, that then he shall meet with such an accident, as to his Citizens shall be instead of feast & welcom.

LXXV.

French.

Le Pere & fils seront meurtris ensemble, Le Prefecteur dedans son Pavillon, La Mere a Tours du fils ventre aura enfle, Cache verdure de fueilles papillon.

English.

The Father and Son shall be murdered together, The Governour shall be so in his Tent, At Tours the Mother shall be got with child by her son, Hide the greenness with leaves Butter-flye.

ANNOT.

There is nothing hard here but the last Verse, whereby it is signified, that after such an incest of the Mother with the Son in the City of Tours (which is a Town in France) the fruit of it shall be secretly buryed, and green Turfs laid upon the place, and Leaves upon them, to take away the knowledge of it.

LXXVI.

French.

Plus Macelin que Roy en Angleterre, Lieu obscur ne par force aura l’Empire, Lasche, sans foy, sans loy, seignera Terre, Son temps s’aproche si presque je souspire.

English.

More Macelin then King in England, Born in obscure place, by force shall reign, Of loose disposition, without faith, without Law, the ground shall bleed, His time is drawing so near that I sigh for it.

ANNOT.

Macelin, is a Butcher or cruel man, from the Latine word Macellum, which signifieth the Shambles, it is without contradiction that by this Prophecy is plain concerning the late tyrant Cromwel, and his unlawful Government.

LXXVII.

French.

L’Antechrist bien tost trois annichilez, Vingt & sept ans durera sa guerre, Les Heretiques morts; captifs exilez, Sang corps humain eau rougie, gresler Terre.

English.

By Antichrist three shall shortly be brought to nothing, His War shall last seven and twenty years, The Hereticks dead, Prisoners banished, Blood, humane body, water made red, Earth hailed.

ANNOT.

What he meaneth here by Antichrist is not easie to determine, for he cannot mean the Pope, himself being a Papist, nor the great Antichrist, whose Reign, according to the Scripture, shall last but three years and a half, it is more likely then that this Stanza hath coherence with the precedent, and that by it he meaneth Henry the VIII. who for the space of about 27 years before he dyed, did handle something roughly the Clergy and Clergy-men.

LXXVIII.

French.

Un Bragamas avec la langue torte, Viendra des dieux rompre le Sanctuaire, Aux Heretiques il ouvrira la porte, En suscitant l’Eglise Militaire.

English.

A Bragamas with his crooked Tongue, Shall come and break the Gods Sanctuary, He shall open the Gates unto Hereticks, By raising the Militant Church.

ANNOT.

Bragamas is the same thing that we call now Bragadocio. By the Gods Sanctuary, he meaneth the Temples of the Romish Religion, who are reputed Sanctuaries, and are full of Images, which they worship as Gods, praying and offering Incense to them.

LXXIX.

French.

Qui par fer pere perdra, nay de Nonnaire, De Gorgon sur la fin sera sang perferant, En Terre estrange fera si tout de taire, Qu’il bruslera luy mesme & son entant.

English.

He that by Iron shall destroy his Father, born in Nonnaire, Shall in the end carry the blood of Gorgon, Shall in a strange Countrey make all so silent, That he shall burn himself and his intent.

ANNOT.

Nonnaire and Gorgon are two barbarous words, as for the sense of that and the rest, he that shall be able to read the words, shall be as wise as my self.

LXXX.

French.

Des innocens le sang de Vefue & Vierge, Tant de maux faits par moiens ce grand Roge, Saints simulachres trempez en ardant cierge, De frayeur crainte ne verra nul que boge.

English.

The blood of the innocent Widow and Virgin, So many evils committed by the means of that great Rogue, Holy Images, dipt in burning wax Candles, For fear no body shall be seen to stir.

ANNOT.

What he meaneth by the great Rogue is not obvious, but the main drift of this Stanza seemeth to be, to foretel the abuses that should be offered to the Popish Images by the Protestant party, as it was done in the time of the Civil Wars of France, and a little while after our Author had written his Prophecies.

By the great Rogue, he meaneth some chief Commander of the Protestant party, that were in those days, as the Prince of Condé, the Admiral of Castilon, or his Brother Dandelot.

LXXXI.

French.

Le neuf Empire en desolation, Sera changé du Pole Aquilonaire, De la Sicile viendra l’emotion, Troubler l’Emprise a Philip tributaire.

English.

The new Empire in desolation, Shall be changed from the Northern Pole, The commotion shall come from Sicily, To trouble the undertaking, tributary to Philip.

ANNOT.

This threatneth the Empire that now is in Germany, of a great desolation, and to be removed from its place, and threatneth also the Island of Sicily of a fearful commotion, which shall trouble the undertakings of Philip, that is, King of Spain, because they usually are called by that name.

LXXXII.

French.

Ronge long, sec, faisant du bon valet, A la par fin n’aura que son congie, Poignant poison & Lettres au colet, Sera saisy, eschapé, en dangié.

English.

Long gnawer, dry, cringing and fawning, In conclusion shall have nothing but leave to be gone, Piercing poison and Letters in his Collar, Shall be seised, escape, and in danger.

ANNOT.

The words of this are easie to be understood, but not who should be that man to whom he giveth these four famous Epithetes of Long-gnawer, dry, cringing and fawning.

LXXXIII.

French.

Le plus grand voile hors du port de Zara, Pres de Bizance fera son entreprise, D’Ennemy perte & l’amy ne séra, Le tiers a deux fera grand pille & prise.

English.

The greatest Sail out of the Port of Zara, Near Bizance shall make his undertaking, There shall be no loss of foes or friends, The third shall make a great pillage upon the two.

ANNOT.

By Zara I suppose that the Venetians are meant, who have a very strong Town of that name, situated in Dalmatia. Bizance is Constantinople, as we have said before; now whether this Prophecy was fulfilled when the Venetians took the Island of Tenedos, some 20 years ago, which is not far from Constantinople, or whether it is to come, I dare not assert.

LXXXIV.

French.

Paterne aura de la Sicile crie, Tous les aprests du Gouphre de Trieste, Qui s’entendra jusques a la Trinacrie, De tant de voiles, fuy, fuy, l’horrible peste.

English.

Paterne shall have out of Sicily a cry, All the preparations of the Gulph of Trieste, That shall be heard as far as Trinacry, Of so many Sails, fly, fly, the horrid plague.

ANNOT.

It hath been impossible for me to make any sense of this, and therefore I believe that it is falsely printed, and that instead of Paterne, it should be Palerme, which is the chief Town in Sicily. Trinacry is Sicily it self, so called, quod tria habeat, άκρα seu promontoria.

LXXXV.

French.

Entre Bayonne & a Sainct Jean de Lux, Sera posé de Mars la promottoire, Aux Hanix d’Aquilon, Nanar hostera Lux, Puis suffoque au lit sans adjoutoire.

English.

Between Bayonne and Saint John de Lux, Shall be put down the promoting of Mars, From the Hunix of the North, Nanar shall take away Lux, Then shall be suffocated in his bed without help.

ANNOT.

Bayonne is a Town in France, upon the frontiers of Spain, and Saint John de Lux is the utmost frontiere of France, that way, (that being supposed) he saith, that about Saint John de Lux, the promoting of the war shall be set down; that is, that peace shall be made, as it was about seven or eight years ago between France and Spain, and the Marriage concluded between the King and the Infanta. The two last Verses are nonsensical, and only set down to make up the rhime.

LXXXVI.

French.

Par Arnani, Tholose, & Villefranque, Bande infinie par le Mont Adrian, Passe Riviere, hutin par pont la planque, Bayonne entrer tous Bichoro criant.

English.

By Arnani, Tholose, and Villefranche, An infinite deal of people by the Aprian, Cross Rivers, noise upon the Bridge and plank, Come all into Bayonne crying Bichoro.

ANNOT.

Arnani, Tholose, and Villefranche are Towns of a Province in France called Languedoc. Mont Adrian is a Mountain thereabout, and Hutin is an old French word, signifying noise and strife, the sense then of this Prophecy is, that by those Towns and Mountains, shall pass an infinite multitude of people, with a great noise and strife, and shall come and enter into Bayonne, every one crying in that Countrey Language Bichoro, which is as much as to say, Victory.

LXXXVII.

French.

Mort conspirée viendra en plein effet, Charge donnée & voyage de mort, Esleu, crée, receus, par siens desfait, Sang d’innocence devant soy par remort.

English.

A conspired death shall come to an effect, Charge given, and a journey of death, Elected, created, received, by his own defeated, Blood of Innocency before him by remorse.

ANNOT.

There is no mistical sense in this, and the words are plain, although of a crabbid construction.

LXXXVIII.

French.

Dans la Sardaigne un noble Roy viendra, Qui ne tiendra que trois ans le Royaume, Plusieurs couleurs avec soy conjoindra, Luy mesme apres soin sommeil Matrirscome.

English.

A noble King shall come into Sardinia, Who shall hold the Kingdom only three years, He shall joyn many Colours to his own, Himself afterwards, care, sleep matrirscome.

ANNOT.

Sardinia is an Island in the Mediterranean Sea, now in the possession of the Spaniard, since he took the Kingdom of Naples, the three first Verses are something intelligible, the last is altogether impossible and barbarous.

LXXXIX.

French.

Pour ne tomber entre mains de son oncle, Qui ses enfans par regner trucidez, Orant au peuple mettant pied sur Peloncle, Mort & traisné entre Chevaux bardez.

English.

That he might not fall into the hands of his Uncle, That had murdered his Children for to rule, Taking away from the people, and putting his foot upon Peloncle, Dead and drawn among armed Horses.

ANNOT.

This signifieth that an Uncle shall murder his Nephews Children, that he may Reign, and that the said Nephew shall withdraw, and save himself from the said Uncle. The rest is altogether obscure, if not absurd.

XC.

French.

Quand des croisez un trouvé de sens trouble, En lieu du sacre verra un Bœuf cornu, Par vierge porc son lieu lors sera double, Par Roy plus ordre ne sera soustenu.

English.

When of the crossed, one of a troubled mind, In a sacred place shall see a horny Oxe, By Virgin Pork then shall his place be double, By King no henceforth, order shall be maintained.

ANNOT.

By the crossed is understood some order of Knight-hood, who for the most part wear that Badge, one of which being mad, and seeing in a Church a Horny Oxe come, by a Virgin Hog shall be kept from harm, or rescued by a Hog or Sow that was a Virgin, and it seems crossed the said Oxe, that he should not gore the Knight, that then such order of Knighthood shall be no more maintained nor upheld by the King of that Countrey, wherein such thing shall happen.

XCI.

French.

Parmy les Champs des Rhodanes entrées, Ou les croisez seront presques unis, Les deux Brassiers en Pisces rencontrées, Et un grand nombre par Deluge punis.

English.

Through the Fields of the Rhodanes comings in, Where the crossed shall be almost united, The two Brassiers met in Pisces, And a great number punished by a Flood.

ANNOT.

Rhodanus in Latine is the River of Rhosne, which cometh from Switzerland, and passing through the Lake of Geneva, runneth to Lyon, it seemeth then that in those Fields that are about that River there, will be a fearful inundation, when the Brassiers (or rather Croziers, which is a constellation so called) shall meet in Pisces, which is one of the twelve Signs of the Zodiack.

XCII.

French.

Loin hors du Regne mis en hazard voiage, Grand Ost duyra, pour soy l’occupera, Le Roy tiendra les siens captif, ostage, A son retour tout Pais pillera.

English.

Far from the Kingdom a hazardous journey undertaken, He shall lead a great Army, which he shall make his own, The King shall keep his prisoners, and pledges, At his return he shall plunder all the Countrey.

ANNOT.

These obscure words signifie no more but that a King shall send a great Army far from his Kingdom, the Commander of which Army shall make the Army his own, which the King hearing, shall seize upon the Commanders Relations, and keep them Prisoners and Hostages, for which the said General being angry, shall at his return spoil the Countrey.

XCIII.

French.

Sept mois sans plus obtiendra prelature, Par son decez grand schisme fera naistre, Sept mois tiendra un autre la Preture, Pres de Venise paix union renaistre.

English.

Seven months and no more, he shall obtain the Prelacy, By his decease he shall cause a great Schisme, Another shall be seven months chief Justice, Near Venice peace and union shall grow again.

ANNOT.

By this Prophecy three things are foretold, the first is of a Pope that shall sit but seven months, at whose death there will be a great Schisme; the second is of a great Governour or Chief Justice, such as were called by the ancient Romans Prætores, shall be in authority also but seven months; and the third, that hard by Venice all these differences shall be composed, and peace made again.

XCIV.

French.

Devant la Lac ou plus cher fut getté, De sept mois & son Ost desconfit, Seront Hispans par Albanois gastez, Par delay perte en donnant le conflict.

English.

Before the Lake wherein most dear was thrown, Of seven months, and his Army overthrown, Spaniards shall be spoiled by Albaneses, By delaying; loss in giving the Battle.

ANNOT.

It is very difficult, if not impossible to tell what our Author meaneth by the Lake, wherein the most dear was thrown, and lost his Army. The Albaneses are a Nation between the Venetians and Greece, now for the most part subject to the said Venetians.

XCV.

French.

Le Seducteur sera mis dans la Fosse, Et estaché jusques a quelque temps, Le Clerc uny, le Chef avec sa Crosse, Pycante droite attraira les contems.

English.

The Deceiver shall be put into the Dungeon, And bound fast for a while, The Clerk united, the head with his Crosierstaf, Pricking upright, shall draw in the contented.

ANNOT.

The two first Verses are plain, the two last Verses not so, which seemeth to foretell of a great union among the Clergy, which shall draw to them those that were peaceably affected.

XCVI.

French.

La Synagogue sterile sans nul fruit, Sera receue entre les Infideles, De Babylon la fille du poursuit, Misere & triste luy trenchera les Aisles.

English.

The Synagogue barren, without fruit, Shall be received among the Infidels, In Babylon, the daughter of the persecuted, Miserable and sad shall cut her wings.

ANNOT.

A Synagogue is a place where the Jews assemble for Divine Worship, as the Christians do in Churches or Temples, the said Jews Synagogue is threatned here to be unfruitful and barren, and chiefly in Babylon, by the means of a woman, daughter of one persecuted; belike of some of their own tribe, whom the rest did persecute.

XCVII.

French.

Au fins du Var changer le Pompotans, Pres du Rivage, les trois beaux enfans naistre, Ruine au peuple par Aage competans, Regne au Pais changer plus voir croistre.

English.

At the ends of the Var to change the Pompotans, Near the Shore shall three fair Children be born, Ruine to the people by competent Age, To change that Countreys Kingdom, and see it grow no more.

ANNOT.

The first Verse being made of insignificant words, as Var and Pompotans cannot be understood; the other three doth foretel of three handsom Children, that shall be born near the Shore, which when they have attained a competent Age, shall change the Kingdom of that Countrey, and suppress it.

XCVIII.

French.

Des gens d’Eglise sang sera espanché, Comme de l’eau en si grande abundance, Et de long temps ne sera retranché, Veüe au Clerc ruine & doleance.

English.

The blood of Churchmen shall be spilt, As water in such abundance, And for a good while shall not be stayed, Ruine and grievance shall be seen to the Clerk.

ANNOT.

This is easie to be understood, which foretelleth a very great persecution to the Clergy-men, viz. Papists, of which Religion our Author was, if this be not already past in the Civil Wars of France, that were made for Religion, in the beginning of Reformation, where abundance of Clergy-men did perish on both sides.

XCIX.

French.

Par la puissance des trois Rois temporels, En autre lieu sera mis la Saint Siege, Ou la substance de l’Esprit corporel, Sera remis & receu pour vray Siege.

English.

By the power of three Temporal Kings, The Holy See shall be put in another place, Where the substance of the Corporeal Spirit, Shall be restored and admitted for a true seat.

ANNOT.

This Stanza is very remarkable, for the thing it foretelleth, viz. a translation of the See of Rome, that is, the Popedom into another place by three Temporal Kings, and not onely that, but it seemeth by the sense of the last two Verses, that these will keep the Ecclesiastical authority to themselves.

C.

French.

Pour l’abundance de l’Armée respandue, Du haut en bas, par le bas au plus haut, Trop grande foy par jeu vie perdue, De soif mourir par abondant defaut.

English.

Through the abundance of the Army scattered, High and low, low and high, Too great a belief a life lost in jesting, To die by thirst, through abundance of want.

ANNOT.

The sense of this is, that by reason of a great Army that shall be much scattered, and occupy a great deal of room, water will be so scarce, that some shall die for thirst, it is that he calleth here, To die by thirst, through abundance of want.

Other Stanza’s heretofore Printed, under the VIII. CENTURY.

I.

French.

Seront confus plusieurs de leur attente, Aux habitans ne sera pardonné, Qui bien pensoint perseverer l’attente, Mais grand loisir ne leur sera donné.

English.

Many shall be confounded in their expectation, The Citizens shall not be forgiven, Who thought to persevere in their resolution, But there shall not be given them a great leisure for it.

ANNOT.

This is plain, and needeth no interpretation.

II.

French.

Plusieurs viendront & parleront de Paix, Entre Monarques & Seigneurs bien puissans, Mais ne sera accordé de si pres, Que ne se rendent plus qu’autres obeissans.

English.

Many shall come and shall talk of Peace, Between Monarchs and Lords very powerful, But it shall not be agreed to it so soon, If they do not shew themselves more obedient then others.

ANNOT.

We are just now at the Eve of this Prophecy, when so many Princes and Potentates do busie themselves about a Mediation between the two Crowns of France and Spain, &c.

III.

French.

Las quelle fureur, helas quelle pitie, Il y aura entre beaucoup de gens, On ne vit onc une tell amitié, Qu’auront les Loups a courir diligens.

English.

Ha! what fury, alas what pitty, There shall be betwixt many people, There was never seen such a friendship, As the Wolfs shall have in being diligent to run.

ANNOT.

It is indeed a great fury and pity to see how wicked people, and chiefly Usurers and false dealers, (understood here by the name of Wolfs) are diligent in doing mischief, and to make good the old Proverb, Homo homini Lupus, there being no other Creature but the Wolf that devours those of his own kind.

IV.

French.

Beaucoup de gens viendront parlementer, Aux grand Seigneurs qui leur feront la guerre, On ne voudra en rien les escouter, Helas! si Dieu n’envoie Paix en Terre.

English.

Many folks shall come to speak, To great Lords that shall make War against them, They shall not be admitted to a hearing, Alas! if God doth not send Peace upon Earth.

ANNOT.

This carrieth its sense with it, and is plain.

V.

French.

Plusieurs secours viendront de tous costez, De gens lointains qui voudront resister, Ils seront tout a coup bien hastez, Mais ne pourront pour cette heure assister.

English.

Many helps shall come on all sides, Of people far off, that would fain to resist, They shall be upon a sudden all very hasty, But for the present they shall not be able to assist.

ANNOT.

This seemeth to point at this present conjuncture of affairs, where there is so many buisying themselves about the relief of Flanders, of which I see no great likelihood.

VI.

French.

Las quel plaisir ont Princes estrangers, Garde toy bien qu’en ton Pais ne Vienne, Il y auroit de terribles dangers, Et en maintes Contrées, mesme en la Vienne.

English.

Ha! what pleasure take Forrain Princes? Take heed least any should come into thy Countrey, There should be terrible dangers, In several Countreys, and chiefly in Vienna.

ANNOT.

There is two Towns called Vienna’s, one is in Germany, in the Province of Austria, and is the Emperours Seat, the other in France, a metter of twenty miles beyond Lion, the rest is easie.

THE PROPHECIES OF Michael Nostradamus.

CENTURY IX.

I.

French.

Dans la maison du Traducteur de Boure, Seront les lettres trouvées sur la Table, Borgne, roux blanc, chenu, tiendra de cours, Qui changera au nouveau Connestable.

English.

In the house of the Translator of Boure, The Letters shall be found upon the Table, Blind of one eye, red, white, hoary, shall keep its course, Which shall change at the coming of the new Constable.

ANNOT.

It is not easie to understand what he meaneth by the Translator of Boure, unless it be some mean and pittiful fellow, that lived by Translating things from one language into another, because the French use to call a man that is inconsiderable, un homme du boure, that is a man of Flocks; and so much the more I am of this opinion, because of the scurvy Epithetes, he attributeth to the same person, by which he might easily be known as blind of one eye, red, white, hoary, &c.

II.

French.

Du haut du Mont Aventin voix ouye, Vuidez, vuidez de tous les deux costez, Du sang des rouges sera l’Ire assouvie, D’Arimin, Prato, Columna debotez.

English.

From the top of Mount Aventin, a voice was heard, Get you gone, get you gone on all sides, The Choler shall be fed with the blood of the red ones, From Arimini and Prato, the Colonnas shall be driven away.

ANNOT.

Mount Aventine is one of the seven Mountains of Rome, from the top of which our Author saith that a voice was heard crying and repeating, get you gone, and the reason is, because choler and anger shall feed upon the blood of the Cardinals, understood here by the name of red ones.

Arimini and Prato are two cities in Italy.

The Colonna is the chiefest and ancientest family of Rome.

III.

French.

Le magna vaqua a Ravenne grand trouble, Conduits par quinze enserrez a Fornase, A Rome naistra deux Monstres a teste double, Sang, feu, deluge, les plus grands a l’espase.

English.

The Magna vaqua great trouble at Ravenna, Conducted by fifteen, shut up at Fornase, At Rome shall be born two Monsters with a double head, Blood, fire, Flood, the greater ones astonished.

ANNOT.

This word of Magna vaqua is either falsly printed, or altogether barbarous and insignificant, and so is that of Fornase, which maketh the two first Verses incapable of translation; the other are easie.

IV.

French.

L’An ensuivant descouverts par Deluge, Deux chefs esleus, le premier ne tiendra, De fuyr ombre a l’un deux le refuge, Saccagée case qui premier maintiendra.

English.

The year following being discovered by a Flood, Two Chiefs elected, the first shall not hold, To fly from shade, to one shall be a refuge, That house shall be plundered which shall maintain the first.

ANNOT.

Our Author meaneth, that the year after the former Prophecy is come to pass, this shall also be fulfilled, whereby two Chief Commanders shall be chosen, the first of which shall not stand, but shall be compelled to run away, and to seek his security in the open Fields, and that house that did uphold the first shall be plundered.

V.

French.

Tiers doigt du pied au premier semblera, A un nouveau Monarque de bas haut, Qui Pise & Luiques tyran occupera, Du precedent corriger le defaut.

English.

The third toe of the foot shall be like the first, To a new high Monarch come from low estate, Who being a Tyrant shall cease upon Pise and Luica, To correct the faults of him that preceded him.

ANNOT.

The meaning of this is, that some body pretending to mend the Government of those two places that are in Italy, shall tyrannically make himself Master of them.

VI.

French.

Par la Guyenne infinité d’Anglois, Occuperont par nom d’Angle Aquitaine, Du Languedoc. I. palme Bourdelois, Quils nommeront apres Barboxitaine.

English.

There shall be in Guyenna an infinite number of English, Who shall occupy it by the name of Angle Aquitaine, Of Languedoc, I by the Land of Bourdeaux, Which afterwards they shall call Barboxitaine.

ANNOT.

Here is foretold a famous invasion, that shall be made by the English upon that part of France called Guyenne, and in Latine Aquitania, of which Bourdeaux is the chief City, insomuch, that the English afterwards shall call that Countrey Angl’ Aquitaine.

VII.

French.

Qui ouvrira le Monument trouvé, Et ne viendra le serrer promptement, Mal luy viendra & ne poura prouvé, Si mieux doibt estre Roy Breton ou Normand.

English.

He that shall open the Sepulchre found, And shall not close it up again presently, Evil will befall him, and he shall not be able to prove Whether is best a Britain or Norman King.

ANNOT.

The sense of this is perspicuous.

VIII.

French.

Puisnay Roy fait son pere mettre a mort, Apres conflict de mort tres in honeste, Escrit trouvé soupcon, donra, remort, Quand loup chassé pose sur la couchete.

English.

A younger King causeth his father to be put To a dishonest death, after a Battle, Writing shall be found, that shall give suspicion and remorse, When a hunted Wolf shall rest upon a truckle bed.

ANNOT.

The words and sense are plain.

IX.

French.

Quand Lampe ardente de feu inextinguible, Sera trouvée au Temple des Vestales, Enfant trouvée, feu, eau passant par crible, Nismes eau perir, Tholouse cheoir les Halles.

English.

When a Lamp burning with unquenchable fire, Shall be found in the Temple of the Vestals, A Child shall be found, Water running through a Sieve, Nismes to perish by Water, the Market-hall shall fall at Tholouse.

ANNOT.

The ancient Vestals, were a Kind of Religious Virgins in the ancient Romans time, who if they did forfeit their honour, were buried alive in a Cave, with a little Bread and Water, and a Lamp burning, our Author would have, that when a Lamp shall be found lighted with an unquenchable fire, in that place where then their Temple was, that then Nismes (which is a City of Languedoc), shall perish by Water, and the Market-hall of Tholouse shall fall, whether such a Lamp may be contrived as to burn with an unquenchable fire, is too long and tedious a discourse to be disputed here.

X.

French.

Moine, Moinesse d’Enfant mort exposé, Mourir par Ourse & ravy par verrier, Par Foix & Panniers le Camp sera posé, Contre Tholose, Carcas, dresser forrier.

English.

Monk and Nun having exposed a dead Child, To be killed by a she Bear, and snatcht away by a Glazier, The Camp shall be set by Foix and Panniers, And against Tholouse, Carcas shall raise a Harbinger.

ANNOT.

Foix and Panniers are two Towns in Languedoc, and so are Tholouse and Carcassonne, called here Carcas, for the abbreviation of the Verse, the sense then of this prophecy is, that when the two first Verses shall come to pass, that then an Army shall lie about those Towns, and Carcassonne shall be against Thoulouse.

XI.

French.

Le juste a tort a mort l’on viendra mettre, Publiquement, & du milieu estaint, Si grande Peste en ce lieu viendra naistre, Que les Jugeans fouyr seront contraints.

English.

The just shall be put to death wrongfully, Publickly, and being taken out of the midst, So great a Plague shall break into that place, That the Judges shall be compelled to run away.

ANNOT.

Many understand this of the late King, and last Plague.

XII.

French.

Le tant d’argent de Diane & Mercure, Les simulachres au Lac seront trouvez, Le Figulier cherchant argille neuve, Luy & les siens, d’or seront abreuvez.

English.

The so much Silver of Diana and Mercury, The Statues shall be found in the Lake, The Potter seeking for new clay, He and his shall be filled with Gold.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy is concerning a Potter, who seeking and digging for new Clay, shall find in a drained Lake the Statues of Diana and Mercury all of silver, besides other great riches; seeing this Prophecy is not come to pass yet (that I know) it will not be amiss, for the divertisement of the Reader, to relate here a notable and authentical History of a Potter that hath much ressemblance with this, and will be a convincing Argument, that Mines grow in the Earth as Turfs do, and as Virgil sayeth of the golden branch:

Uno avulso non deficit alter.

It is written by Doctor de Rochas, Physitian to the present Chancellor or France, who was upon the place, and an eye witness of the circumstances of it, having also an interest in it, in the behalf of his Father, who was overseer of the Mines in that Province, therefore I shall relate it in his own words, as they are in his Book of Mineral Waters.

[Sidenote: A notable History.]

In Provence near Thoulon, is a Mountain called Carquairené, at the foot of which and near the brim of the Sea, there dwelled a Potter with all his tools about him; It chanced that on a day as he went to fetch Wood in that Mountain, to bake his wares, he heard a voice of a little Kid, which some Shepherd had left behind them unawares, and was fallen in a little hole that answered to natural, great and deep Caves; this man seeing no Shepherds about him, thought presently it was a strayed Kid, therefore he followed the cry with his ear so directly, that he came by the orifice of that hole, where he heard and saw the Kid, which he resolved to carry away with his Wood, therefore he took the Cords that were at his Mules Saddle, and that he used to bind his Load with, and with the help of them, and of some big pieces of Wood he got down, where, he did observe round about him many other Caves, contiguous and separated from this, which his curiosity caused him to view, and found in the chief of these Caves a great quantity of stones heaped upon one another, & of a substance and colour of Brass, and among the rest there was one that came forth out of the Rock, about the bigness, shape, and length of a mans arm, when it is stretched out; he did apparently judge that the weight and brittleness of that matter had caused those stones to fall down, and that the same that he saw come out of the Rock in this manner, was already loose and like to fall; this man finding himself among such an abundance of rich Lingots, which fortune did offer him, did not know the value of them, but did like the Cock of Æsop which left the precious Pearl to take the Corn of Wheat; thus this Jason took very little of this Golden Fleece, and only a small piece, which he broke from a bigger with one of his Tools, and imployed all his industry to carry away his Kid, which at last with much ado he got out, and carried upon his Mule, believing certainly that this provision would be more profitable to him and his Family, then the yellow stone which he had in his pocket, weighing about five pounds, and which he intended to give to a Tinker of Thoulon, his Gossip and good friend, in hope that for the same he might be presented with a bottle of Wine, to keep company to his Kid; and accordingly the next morning by break of day he went to Thoulon and stayed in the Shop of his friend, who did look with admiration upon so resplendent Brass; a Gold-smith who lodged over the way, and observed the splendor of that Divine mettal, drew near, and presently would have bargained for it, with a great deal of transportation and alteration. The Potter asked him only twenty pence, which the Gold-Smith would have given him presently, but the Tinker making sign to him to retract his words, he put his lingot in his pocket again, with protestation that he would not part with it, unless he had something that were worth the pains of going where he had it; in conclusion, after many contestations and disputes, the Potter who did suspect that it might be gold, would not sell nor deliver it under the sum of thirty Crowns, which the Gold-Smith paid him presently, and which he carried away with more joy, then if he had been possessor of greater riches; the Gold-smith on the other side, who thought that his profit would be above a hundred pounds sterlings, did refine this stone, that was about five pound weight, out of which he drew four pound weight, of very good and pure gold, the rest was a kind of dross, that made it thus brittle; one ought not to think that the Mine is all of the same perfection, but it purifieth it self, according as nature thrusteth it out of the Rock, as we see that Rubies and Emeralds are purer, then the Rock from whence they come. This Gold-Smith having found such fortune, and being resolved to make the best use of it, went to the Lord Scaravaque, then Governour of the Town, and imparted unto him this new discovery, that he might have his assistance and favour in it, and that under his power and authority he might follow and wait upon this precious business without being disturbed by any body, to which the Governour did so much the easier consent, that this Tradesman did oblidge himself to give him the best part of the profit that should arise from thence, and that should exceed any Travels into the Indies or Peru.

In the mean time the Potter was not asleep, the Gold-smiths money had stirred his appetite, and the charm of this witchcraft that worketh generally upon all spirits, did put him upon new hopes. He went into the Mountain with his wife, and with the help of a rope Ladder, which he had provided, and some Iron tools, wherewith he had loaded his Mule, he went down into the Caves, and with much endeavour did at last break that piece, that came out of the Rock like a mans arm, because all the other that were tumbled upon the ground, were so big and heavy that he could not remove them, when he had broken it down, though it were about fourscore and two pounds weight, nevertheless with the help of his wife and of his Ropes and Ladder he got out again, and stopt the hole with a large stone, and some Earth, upon which he planted some small Bushes so ingeniously, that this hole could never be found out again.

The Lord Scaravaque who was most impatient, to conquer like another Jason this Golden Fleece, and who was set on by the persuasions of the Gold-smith, sent for the Potter, under pretence to employ him in the making and furnishing of some Tiles and other small commodities that depended on his art. The Potter obeyed presently, drawn by the hopes to sell his wares well, and mistrusting nothing at all what they would ask him. As soon as he came, the Governour asked him and perswaded him with the best and most flattering words he could, to tell where he had the yellow stone that he sold to the Gold-smith. The Potter who more and more began to know the value of this rare Treasure, invented presently a lie, to free himself of the importunity of them that would have deceived him; therefore with an ingenuity, as simple as artificial he answered, he had found it upon the brim of the Sea, where may be some Ship had been cast away, or the Waves had cast it upon the shore.

The Governour answered that this could not be, and therefore threatned him of violence, and to send for all that he had in his House, which put the fellow into a great perplexity, because of the other stone that should be found there, therefore he chose rather to give it them out of his good will, then to put himself in danger of loosing all, and perchance of being abused to boot, without any more ado, he ingenuously confessed he had another piece of the same stuff as the former in his House, which he had likewise found in the same place, which he was ready to put into their hands, provided he might have his share of it, and be suffered to get his livelihood peaceably. The Lord Scaravaque did promise him all what he desired, and gave him some men to keep him company, with command to bring him back again, and to take special care he should not make an escape. At last this poor man came back again with that piece, which did more inflame the passion that the Governour had to know the place whence came that rich treasure; but neither for prayers, promises, or threats he would never reveal it, which did oblige the Governour to shut him up close in a Chamber, where nevertheless they gave him Victuals and made ready a Bed, but he refused both, and by an extraordinary sadness, gave shew that some notorious mischance was waiting on him, which proved true, for he was found dead in the Morning; which did put the Lord Scaravaque in a grief unexpressible, to see himself deprived by this accident, of the fruit that his hopes had made him conceive. He had recourse to the Potters wife for this discovery, but she could never attain to it, whatsoever exact searches she could make: yea, and after she was married again with a young man, who had spent in that search most of his time. The Lord Scaravaque and other persons of quality have employed all their skills and endeavours, but all their industry and charges have been without effect, as well as of many others, who attempted the same; about that time my Father who was overseer of the Mines in Provence, having received the news of a business of such consequence, that did concern his place, went presently unto that Mountain, to see if he could discover those wonders, I was then in his company, as also that woman, viz. the Potters wife, who carried us in several places for many days, without any success at all, although she gave notice that she could here the Waves of the Sea, when she was in the Cave with her first Husband, so that all our endeavours proved fruitless and unprofitable, because my Father fell sick, which made us forsake our quest, which is of such a consequence as not to be neglected.

During the time of our painful visiting that Mountain, I did consider the particularities of that rich Mountain, and observed that the top of it was almost all Azur, which tokens are the beams of that golden Sun and are the hairs of that fair goodness, under whose feet all things submit; in a word, are the true and infallible signs that underneath are Mines of Gold and Silver. And as I have directed all my thoughts many times to find out the means to compass so excellent a work, whose profit would surpass all what the Indies furnish unto strangers, and that with so much less charges and danger, that there is no heed of Ships or Fleet to cross over the Sea, from one Pole to the other, nor fight against any enemies: at last I have attained to a certain knowledge, which putteth me in hope, and makes me promise and engage my word, that at least I shall find a thred of that golden Mine, which may chance to lead us to the Centre of all these Treasures, but the Royal Authority being necessary to prop up this design, it belongeth to his Majesty to take what course he thinketh best for this, and to me to obey, execute his will. This digression which is an assured experiment, (that is a certain truth), is not come into this discourse, but only to prove that Mines grow by augmentation, in converting into their own nature the more subtle parts of the Neighbouring Earth. Thus far Doctor de Rochas.

XIII.

French.

Les Exilez autour de la Sologne, Conduits de nuict pour marcher en l’Auxois, Deux de Modene truculent de Bologne, Mis discouverts par feu de Burancois.

English.

The banished about Sologne, Being conducted by night to go into Auxois, Two of Modena, the cruel of Bolonia, Shall be discovered by the fire of Burancois.

ANNOT.

Sologne is a Province in France, between the Perche and the Main. Auxois is a Countrey in the South of France, so called of its chief Town called Auch, the seat of an Archbishop. Modena is a Town in Italy, and Bolonia another not far from it. Burancois is a part of the Province of Dauphiné. The meaning then of this Prophecy is, this being known, the Reader may easily find out the rest of the sense.

XIV.

French.

Mis en planure chauderon d’Infecteurs, Vin miel en huile & bastis sur Fourneaux, Seront plongez sans mal dit malfacteurs, Sept. fum. extaint au Canon des Borneaux.

English.

A Dyers Kettle being put an a Plein, With Wine, Honey and Oil, and built upon Furnace, Shall be dipt, without evil, called Malefactors, Seven. fum. put out at the Canon of Borneaux.

ANNOT.

This hath a relation to the punishment, which in some parts of France and Flanders is inflicted upon false Coiners, which are commonly boiled in Oil, in a great Kettle, such as our Author here saith belong to Dyers. The Author then will have that the time shall come, when seven of that gang shall be so punished together in a Plain, where a great Kettle shall be set for that purpose upon a Furnace.

XV.

French.

Pres de Parpan les rouges detenus, Ceux du milieu parfondrez menez loing, Trois mis en pieces, & cinq mal soustenus, Pour le Seigneur & Prelat de Bourgoing.

English.

Near unto Parpan the red ones detained, Those of the middle sunk and carried far off, Three cut in pieces, and five ill backed, For the Lord and Prelate of Burgoing.

ANNOT.

Parpan is either a barbarous or fained name, by the red ones, he hath hitherto understood some Cardinals, the Reader may expound the rest according to his fancy.

XVI.

French.

De Castel Franco sortira l’assemblée, L’Ambassadeur non plaisant fera Schisme, Ceux de Riviere seront en la meslée, Et au grand Goulphre desnieront l’entrée.

English.

Out of Castel Franco shall come the Assembly, The Embassador not pleased, shall make a Schisme, Those of Riviere shall be in the medley, And shall deny the entry of the great Gulf.

ANNOT.

Castel Franco is a Town in Piemont; Riviere is a strong Castle in Burgundy, but what he meaneth by the great Gulfe, is more then I can tell.

XVII.

French.

Le tiers premier, pis que ne fit Neron, Vuidez vaillant que sang humain respandre, Redifier fera le Forneron, Siecle d’or mort, nouveau Roy grand esclandre.

English.

The third first, worse than ever did Nero, Go out valliant, he shall spill much humane blood, He shall cause the Forneron to be builded again, Golden Age dead, new King great troubles.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy pointeth directly at our Authors Master Charles the IX. King of France, whom he calleth he the third first, because he was the third son to Henry II. and came to be King, using more cruelties then ever Nero did, for he was the cause of the Massacre of the Protestants in France in the year 1572. where above a hundred thousand people were murdered. Forneron is a barbarous word, put here to make a Verse, and to rhime with Neron. At that time he saith the Golden Age was dead, and upon the coming of a new King, who was Henry III. great tumults did happen, and great Wars, as is to be seen in the French History.

XVIII.

French.

Le Lys Dauffois portera dans Nancy, Jusques en Flanders Electeur de l’Empire, Neusve obturée au grand Montmorency, Hors lieux pronez delivre a clere peyne.

English.

Dauffois shall carry the Lillie into Nancy, As far as Flanders the Elector of the Empire, New hinderance to great Montmorency, Out of proved places, delivered to a clear pain.

ANNOT.

Although the words and sense of this Prophecy be most obscure, nevertheless we shall endeavour as much as we can to render them something intelligible to the Reader.

By the first Verse is to be understood that Dauffois, or rather Dauphinois, which is the Title of the Kings of France eldest Son shall carry the Lillie, which is the Arms of France into Nancy, the chief Town in Lorrain, which came to pass in the time of the last King Lewis the XIII.

By the second Verse is understood the Elector of Triers, who was taken by the Spaniards in his own Town, and carried prisoner to Bruxelles.

By the third and fourth is expressed the ill luck of the Duke of Montmorency, who having taken part with the Duke of Lorrain, and the Duke of Orleans the Kings Brother, was routed in a Battle, taken prisoner, and afterwards beheaded at Thoulouse.

XIX.

French.

Dans le milieu de la Forest Mayenne, Sol au Lion la Foudre tombera, Le grand Bastard issu du grand du Maine, Ce jour Fougeres pointe en sang entrera.

English.

In the middle of the Forrest of Mayenne, Sol being in Leo the Lightning shall fall, The great Bastard begot by the great du Main, That day Fougeres shall enter its point into blood.

ANNOT.

Fougeres is either the name of a Town in little Britanny, or that of a Noble House, the words are very plain, therefore I leave the sense to every ones capacity.

XX.

French.

De nuit viendra par la Forest de Rennes, Deux parts Voltorte Herne, la pierre blanche, Le Moine noir en gris dedans Varennes, Esleu Cap. cause tempeste, feu, sang tranche.

English.

By night shall come through the Forrest of Rennis, Two parts Voltorte Herne, the white stone, The black Monk in gray within Varennes, Elected Cap. causeth tempest, fire, blood cutteth.

ANNOT.

Rennes is the chief Town of little Britanny; the second Verse being made of barbarous words, is impossible to be understood. The third and fourth Verse signifieth, that when a black Monk in that Town of Varennes shall put on a gray sute, he shall be elected Captain, and cause a great tempest or broils by fire and blood.

XXI.

French.

Au Temple hault de Blois sacre Salonne, Nuict Pont de Loire, Prelat, Roy pernicant, Cuiseur victoire aux marests de la Lone, D’ou Prelature de blancs abormeant?

English.

At the high Temple of Blois sacred Salonne, In the night the Bridge of Loire, Prelat, King mischievous, A smarting Victory in the Marsh of Lone, Whence Prelature of white ones shall be abortive.

ANNOT.

There is a mistake in the first Verse, for instead of Salonne, it must be written Soulaire, which is a Priory and Church at the top of Blois, all the rest signifieth that in one night these shall happen, viz. that the Bridge, the Prelat, and a pernicious King with a smart victory shall perish, whence the Prelature, that is the place of Command upon the white ones, viz. Canons and Prebends in their Surplices, shall be void and empty.

XXII.

French.

Roy & sa Cour au lieu de la langue halbe, Dedans le Temple vis a vis du Palais, Dans le Jardin Duc de Montor & d’Albe, Albe & Mantor, poignard, langue, en Palais.

English.

King and his Court in the place of langue halbe, Within the Church over against the Pallace, In the Garden Duke of Montor and Albe, Albe and Mantor, dagger, tongue and Pallate.

ANNOT.

This Stanza is very obscure, for, first no body can tell what he meaneth by langue halbe, which is the foundation of all the rest of the sense; Secondly, what this Duke of Montor and Mantor should be, which has been unknown in the Histories hitherto; and thirdly, what construction and sense can be made of these disjunctives: Albe, Mantor, Dagger, Tongue, Palate. Therefore i’le leave it free to every bodies opinion to make his construction.

XXIII.

French.

Puisnay jouant au fresch dessous la tonne, Le haut du toit du milieu sur la teste, Le Pere Roy au Temple Saint Solonne, Sacrifiant sacrera sum de feste.

English.

The youngest Son playing under the tun, The top of the House shall fall upon his head, The King his Father in the Temple of Saint Soulaine, Sacrificing shall make festival smoak.

ANNOT.

By this is meant, that the youngest Son of a King, shall be knocked in the head, while he is a playing under a tun; his Father being at the same time in the Temple of Saint Soulaine at Mass.

XXIV.

French.

Sur le Palais au Rocher des Fenestres, Seront ravis les deux petits Roiaux, Passer Aurelle, Lutece, Denis cloistres, Nonnain, Mollods avaler verts noiaux.

English.

Upon the Pallace at the Rock of the Windows; Shall be carried the two little Royal ones, To pass Aurele, Lutece, Denis Cloisters, Nonnain, Mollods to swallow green stones of fruit.

ANNOT.

These two or three last Stanzas have been concerning the City of Blois, to which it seemeth that this hath also relation, for he saith that two little Royal Children shall be carried at the top of the Castle, and shall be conveyed beyond Aurelle (which is Orleans in Latine Aurelianum) Lutece, which is Paris; S. Denis Cloisters, which is beyond Paris, and a Nunnery besides, where it is like they shall be left to eat green stones of fruit, which is not easie to be understood, no more then the word Mollods.

XXV.

French.

Passant les Ponts, venir prez de Roziers, Tard arrivé plustost quil cuidera, Viendront les noves Espagnols a Beziers, Qui icelle chasse emprinse cassera.

English.

Going over the Bridge to come near the Rose-trees, Come late, and sooner then he thought, The new Spaniards shall come to Beziers, Who shall cashiere this new undertaken hunting.

ANNOT.

Beziers is a City in Languedoc; the rest may be construed by the meanest capacity.

XXVI.

French.

Nise sortie sur nom des Lettres aspres, La grande Cappe fera present non sien, Proche de Vultry aux murs des vertes capres, Apres Plombin le vent a bon escient.

English.

A silly going out, caused by sharp Letters The great Cap shall give what is not his, Near Vultry by the Walls of green Capers, About Piombino the wind shall be in good earnest.

ANNOT.

This signifieth that there shall be a silly surrendring of a Town, caused by sharp and threatning Letters that shall be sent into it. By the great Cap he useth to understand the Pope, who he saith shall give what is not it, as he hath done many times; Vultry, in Latine Velitrum, and Piombino are two Cities in Italy, which are threatned here with mighty winds.

XXVII.

French.

De bois la garde vent clos ront Pont sera, Haut le receu frappera le Dauphin, Le vieux Teccon bois unis passera, Passant plus outre du Duc le droit confin.

English.

The Fence being of Wood, close Wind, Bridge shall be broken, He that’s received high, shall strike at the Dolphin, The old Teccon shall pass over smooth Wood, Going over the right confines of the Duke.

ANNOT.

The first Verse signifieth that a woodden Bridge shall be broken by a close wind, as did happen to the Millers Bridge, and the Birds Bridge in Paris.

The second Verse seemeth to foretel the conspiracy of the Mareshal of Biron, against Henry IV. his Dolphin and Estate.

The third and fourth, the Wars and Conquest which the said King (whom he called old Teccon), made upon the Duke of Savoy, who had corrupted the said Marshal of Biron.

XXVIII.

French.

Voile Symacle, Port Massiliolique, Dans Venise Port marcher aux Pannons, Partir du Goulfre & sinus Illirique, Vast a Sicile, Ligurs coups de Canon.

English.

Symaclian Sail, Massilian Port, In Venice to march towards the Hungarians, To go away from the Gulf and Illirick Sea, Toward Sicily, the Genoeses with Cannon shots.

ANNOT.

What he meaneth by Symaclian Sail, is not easie to determine; Massilian Port is that of Marseilles in France, called in Latine Massilia, the sense of this Prophecy then if any be, is, that a great Fleet shall go from thence to Venice, to carry succours to the Hungarians, who it seemeth shall be much distressed at that time by the Turks, and that Sicily and Genoa shall add to this Fleet a considerable succour of Men, and Warlike Munition.

XXIX.

French.

Lors que celuy qu’a nul ne donne lieu, Abandonner voudra lieu prins non pris, Feu, Nef, par faignes, bitument a Charlieu, Seront Quintin, Bales repris.

English.

When he that giveth place to no body, Shall forsake the place taken, and not taken, Fire, Ship, by bleeding bituminous at Charlieu, Then Quintin and Bales shall be taken again.

ANNOT.

He that giveth place to no body is the Pope; as for the last Verse, I had rather read St. Quintin and Gales, which are two considerable Towns in France, then otherwise.

That place taken, not taken was the City of Noyon in Picardy, which was taken by the Spanish Cavalry, cloathed after the French Mode, which stratagem deceived the Citizens and Soldiers that defended it: so he saith taken, because it fell into the hands of the Spaniards, and not taken, because it was by a stratagem or deceit.

XXX.

French.

Au Port de Puola & de St. Nicolas, Perir Normande au Gouffre Phanatique, Cap de Bizance rues crier Helas! Secours de Gaddes & du grand Philippique.

English.

At the Harbour of Puola and of St. Nicolas, A Norman Ship shall perish in the Phanatick Gulf, At the Cape of Byzantium the streets shall cry Alas! Succours from Cadis and from the great Philippe.

ANNOT.

Puola is for Paulo here, and by it is understood the port of Malta, which being Besieged by the Turks, Philip the II. King of Spain, sent an Army to relieve it, which made those of Byzantium (which is Constantinople) cry alas, &c.

XXXI.

French.

Le tremblement de Terre a Mortara, Cassich, St. George a demy perfondrez, Paix assoupie la guerre esuaillera, Dans Temple a Pasques abysmes enfondrez.

English.

There shall be an Earthquake at Mortara, Cassich, St. George shall be half swallowed up, The War shall awake the sleeping pace, Upon Easterday shall be a great hole sunk in the Church.

ANNOT.

Mortara is a Town in Italy, by Cassich and St. George he meaneth two other places.

XXXII.

French.

De fin Porphire profond Collon trouvée Dessoubs la laze escrits Capitolin, Os, poil retors, Romain force prouvée, Classe agiter au Port de Methelin.

English.

A deep Column of fine Porphyry shall be found, Under whose Basis shall be Roman writings, Bones, haires twisted, Roman force tried, A Fleet a gathering about the Port of Methelin.

ANNOT.

Porphiry is a kind of hard red Marble speckled with white spots, which is very scarce, and chiefly in great pieces; our Author then saieth that a great Colomn of that stuff shall be found, and about the Basis of it some words in Roman Characters, and that about that time a great Fleet shall be a gathering at the Port of Methelin, which is an Island in the Archipelago, belonging now to the Turks, as for the third Verse, I cannot tell what to make of it.

XXXIII.

French.

Hercules Roy de Rome & Dannemark, De Gaule trois Gayon surnommé, Trembler l’Itale & l’un de Saint Marc, Premier sur tous Monarque renommée.

English.

Hercules King of Rome, and Denmark, Of France three Guyon surnamed, Shall cause Italy to quake and one of St. Marck, He shall be above all a famous Monarch.

ANNOT.

All these intricated words and sense foretell that, when a King of Danmarck named Hercules shall be made King of the Romans, that then Italy and Venice it self shall stand in great fear of him; and that he shall be as great a Prince or Monarch as ever was in Europe; and that very likely, for by his dignity of King of the Romans he consequently shall attain to the Empire.

XXXIV.

French.

Le part solus Mary sera Mitré; Retour conflict passera sur la tuille, Par cinq cens un trahir sera tultré, Narbon & Saulce par coutaux avons d’huile.

English.

The separated Husband shall wear a Miter, Returning, Battle he shall go over the Tyle, By five hundred one dignified shall be betrayed, Narbon and Salces shall have Oil by the Quintal.

ANNOT.

The first Verse signifieth, that some certain man who was married, shall be parted from his wife, and shall attain to some great Ecclesiastical Dignity.

The second Verse is, that in coming back from some place or entreprise, he shall be met and fought with, and compelled to escape over the Tyles of a House.

The third Verse is, that a man of great account shall be betrayed by five hundred of his men.

And the last, that when these things shall come te pass, Narbon and Salces, which are two Cities of Languedoc, shall reap and make a great deal of Oil.

XXXV.

French.

Et Ferdinand blonde sera descorte, Quitter la fleur suivre le Macedon, Au grand besoing defaillira sa routte, Et marchera contre le Myrmidon.

English.

And Ferdinand, having a Troop of faire men, Shall leave the flower to follow the Macedonian, At his great need his way shall fail him, And he shall go against the Myrmidon.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy ought to be understood of an Emperour of Germany, whose name shall be Ferdinand, who being accompanied with many Germans, that for the most part are faire haired people shall come and War against Græcia, which is expressed here by the names of Macedon and Myrmidon, the first of which is a Countrey, and the last a Nation, both in Græcia.

XXXVI.

French.

Un grand Roy prins entre les mains d’un jeune, Non loin de Palques confusion, coup cultre: Perpet. cattif temps que foudre en la Hune, Trois Freres lors se blesseront & meurtre.

English.

A great King taken in the hands of a young one, Not far from Easter, confusion, stroke of a knife, Shall commit, pittiful time, the fire at the top of the Mast, Three Brothers then shall wound one another, and murder done.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy was fulfilled in the year 1560. when Antony of Bourbon King of Navarre, and his Brother Lewis of Bourbon Prince of Condé, coming to King Francis II. at Orleans, upon the 29. of October, the Prince of Condé was put in prison, and the King of Navarre arrested. The Lord Andrew Fauyn in his History of Navarre, saith, that the opinion of the Councel was, that the Prince of Condé should be beheaded, for having been the chief of the conspiracy at Amboise, and the King of Navarre should be stabbed in the Kings Chamber by the King himself, assisted by others for that purpose. The Lady of Montpensier gave notice of it to the King of Navarre, who being sent for by the King, charged expresly Cattin his waiting man and an old servant of his Father take a care and preserve his bloody shirt after his death till his son came to Age, to revenge it upon the murderers. God be thanked this came not to pass, for the King having called him, and going about to provoke him with foul words, he answered so meekly and humbly, that the Kings anger was appeased, where upon the Duke of Guise going out of the room said, O what a cowardly Prince is this. These things are expressed in the first and second Verse, when he saith that a great King should be put in Prison by a young one, because Antony of Bourbon, though he was not a great King in Lands, yet he was a great one in courage and prudence. And it was not far from Easter, sith it was but five months before, viz. from the beginning of November, to the sixth of April 1591 which was Easterday; the Author putteth in this circumstance, because the next Easter after, the King of Navarre was made General of France under the Queen Regent.

He addeth the blow of a Knife, as we have shewed; he also saith a lasting bad time, which proved very true; moreover, he saith, what lightning in the Hunt or Topmast, because King Francis died presently after. In the fourth Verse he saith, that three Brothers shall be hurt and killed, those three Brothers were Antony of Bourbon King of Navarre, killed at the Siege at Rouen, the Cardinal of Bourbon, and Lewis of Bourbon Prince of Condé, killed at the Battle of Jarnac.

XXXVII.

French.

Pont & Molins en December versez, En si haut lieu montera la Garonne: Murs, Edifice, Thoulouse renversez, Qu’on ne scaura son lieu coutant matrone.

English.

Bridges and Mills in December overturned, In so high a place the Garonne shall come, Walls, Building, Thoulose overturned, So that none shall know its place, so much Matrone.

ANNOT.

Here is foretold a prodigious inundation of the River Garonne, in the month of December, by which the Walls, Building, and the City of Thoulouse is threatned to be overturned. The last word of all is barbarous, and added to make up the rhime.

XXXVIII.

French.

L’Entrée de Blaye par Rochelle & l’Anglios, Passera outre le grand Æmathien: Non loing d’Agen attendra le Gaulois, Secours Narbonne deceu par entretien.

English.

The coming in at Blaye by Rochel and the English, Shall go beyond the great Æmathien, Not far from Agen shall expect the French, Help from Narbonne deceived by entertainment.

ANNOT.

For the better understanding of this, the hard words must first be made plain; Blaye is a City upon the River Garonne, and the Port-Town to Bourdeaux; Rochel is a City upon the same Coast; Agen is a City in Gascony not far from Bourdeaux, and Narbonne is a City in Languedoc, by the Mediterranean Sea; Æmathian was formerly the Countrey of Macedonia, wherein Julius Cæsar and C. Pompeius fought their last Battle in the Pharsalian Fields, and therefore saith the Latine Poet Lucanus:

Bella per Æmathios plusquam civilia campos.

These things being considered the sense is, that there shall be an Invasion made by the English, to whom those of Rochel shall joyn, upon the Town of Blaye, which shall proceed as far as Agen, and that thereabout will be a bloody Encounter between the English and French, beyond that which was fought in the Æmathian Fields, and that the succours that should come from Narbonne to the French, shall be deluded and hindered by the speech and discourse of some.

XXXIX.

French.

En Arbissella, Vezema & Crevari, De nuit conduits pour Savonne atraper, Le vif Gascon, Giury, & la Charry, Derrier Mur vieux & neuf Palais grapper.

English.

In Arbissella, Vezema and Crevari, Being conducted by night to take Savona, The quick Gascon, Giury and the Charry, Behind old Walls and new Pallace to graple.

ANNOT.

Arbissella is a Town situated by the Sea-side above Savona, going towards Genoa. Vezema and Crevari are in the Inland Countrey, and a little further remoted from the Sea then Arbissella. The quick Gascon was Blasius of Monluc, one of the Valliantest men of his time, who came from a single Souldier to be Marshal of France. Guiry and la Charry were two of his Companions. This Stanza doth Prophetically foretell two things, one is, the design that the Marshal of Brissac, then Governour of Piemont had upon Savona: the other, the taking of Pianca by Blasius of Monluc, as to the first, the Lord of Villars writeth in his Memorials, that the Lord Damzay sent advice to the King, that the taking of Savona was more probable then any other design, which signifieth that the Marshal of Brissac had of a long time eyed that Town, and therefore he sent by night some Troops into those three little Towns, to see if they could surprise Savona, but the design did not succeed. The Histories only mention that the Marshal of Brissac went from Court in the year 1557. with a design to take Savona; but this stanza speaketh of the same design 1556.

At the same time in the year 1556. the 29. of June Blasius of Monluc, as he relateth in his Commentaries, did surprise the Town and Fort of Piance, called in Latine Corsinianum, he had with him the Captain la Charry, the Captain Bartholomew of Pezero, and the son of Captain Luzzan. At first the French were beaten back, but the valliant Monluc did encourage them again by his example, going the first in, and saying only, follow your Captain.

Which having said, he thrust himself under the Gate, where three or four men might stand sheltered by the planks of the Fort, and having his Sword in the left hand, and his dagger in the right, he began to break and cut the Brick and made a hole, which opening by degrees, he thrust his arm through, and pulled the gap so strongly, that he caused all the Wall to fall down upon himself, without being hurt by it. This is the meaning of the Author in the fourth Verse; when he saith, the quick Gascon was behind the Wall; In prosecution of this, the Switzers did beat down the rest of the Wall, and all came into the Town crying, France, France. Monluc ran presently to the Fort, and with the help of his men took it, that is the meaning of the Author, when he saith, old and new Pallace to graple. The old Pallace was adjoining to the Market-place of the Town, in which the French were prisoners with the Captain Gourgues, to the number of fifty or sixty tied two and two, and so kept by twenty Souldiers, whom they did kill as we have said. The new Pallace was the Fort. The Author used that ancient word grapper, which in the Provencal languague signifieth, to pull down with ones hands, and in the contrary sense, to shut and plaister so well some thing, that there will be a necessity of the help of the hands to open what was shut up.

XL.

French.

Pres de Quentin dans la Forest Bourlis, Dans l’Abbaye seront Flamands tranchez, Les deux puisnez de coups my estourdis, Suitte appressée & gardes tous hachez.

English.

Near Quentin in the Forrest Bourlis, In the Abby the Flemmings shall be slashed, The two younger sons half a stonished with blows, The followers oppressed, and the Guards all cut in pieces.

ANNOT.

This is a peculiar accident that happened before the taking of the Town of Saint Quentin by the Spaniard in the year 1557. and fell out thus. News being come to the King of France, that the powerful Army of the Spaniard was gone to Besiege St. Quentin, he made all imaginable diligence to succour it; the Spaniards to hinder the relief had seized upon an ancient Abby of the Vermandois, which is in the next Forrest, that was anciently called the Forrest Bourlis, and is at present called the Forrest of the Abbay Vermandois, called in Latine Augusta Veromanduorum, builded by an ancient Hungarian Captain called Vermandig. In process of time it was all ruinated, and only one Abby left, wherein was the Episcopal See, which afterwards was transferred into the City of Noyon. After the ruine of this Town, that of St. Quentin next to it became the chief City of Vermandois; It was named St. Quentin, because the Emperor Dioclesian having sent St. Quentin a Roman Senator to be Governour of it, he did convert the Inhabitants to the Christian Faith, and after he himself did suffer there Martyrdom.

In that Abby a great many Flemmings had intranched themselves, but the French going to relieve the Town, did force their Trenches and Fortifications, and in the heat of the fight the two younger Sons of the Captain being armed Cap a pée, though they were not killed, yet were astonished with blows they did receive upon their heads, their followers and Guards being all cut in pieces.

XLI.

French.

Le grand Chyren soy saisir d’Avignon, De Rome Lettres en miel plein d’amertume, Lettre, Ambassade partir de Chanignon, Carpentras pris par Duke noir, rouge plume.

English.

The great Cheyren shall seize upon Avignon, Letters from Rome shall come full of bitterness, Letters and Embassies shall go from Chanignon, Carpentras taken by a black Duke with a red Feather.

ANNOT.

This did happen lately, viz. some five or six years ago, when the Duke of Crequy Embassadour at Rome was affronted by the Corses, which are the Popes Guard: for which the King of France demanded reparation, and seized upon Avignon, till the Pope granted him that all the said Corses should be banished, and a Pyramis erected in Rome to the perpetual infamy of that Nation.

XLII.

French.

De Barcelonne, de Gennes & Venise, De la Sicile pres Monaco unis, Contre Barbare classe prendront la vise, Barbar poulsé bien loing jusqu’a Thunis.

English.

From Barcelona, from Genoa and Venice, From Sicily near Manaco united, Against the Barbarian the fleet shall take her aim, The Barbarian shall be driven back as far as Thunis.

ANNOT.

The sense of these words is very plain and signifieth onely, that there will be an union and League between these Towns, viz. Barcelona, Genoa, Vinice, and the Kingdom of Sicily against the Turks, whom they shall encounter near Monaco, and put them to flight, and follow them as far as Tunis.

XLIII.

French.

Proche a descendre l’Armée Crucigere, Sera guettée par les Ismaelites, De tous costez battus par nef Raviere, Prompt assailies de dix Galeres d’eslite.

English.

The Crucigere Army being about to Land, Shall be watched by the Ismaelites, Being beaten on all sides by the Ship Raviere, Presently assaulted by ten chosen Galleys.

ANNOT.

By the Crucigere Army is understood the Christian Army, because the word Crucigere signifieth one that beareth a Cross, from the two Latine words Crux and gero; the Ismaelites are the Turks, who boast themselves to be descended from Ismael, the son of Abraham and Agar, the meaning of this is, that the Christians going about to attempt some landing place, the Turks shall watch them, and set upon them by Land and Sea, in which Sea fight he mentioneth only ten choice Galleys, and a notable Ship called Raviere, (if it be not false printed) I am much of an opinion that this came to pass when Philip the II. King of Spain made an attempt upon Algiers, by his Admiral André d’Oria, who had to do with the Moores upon the Land, ready to receive him, and some part of their fleet that watched him, but cross and contrary winds caused him to return re infecta.

XLIV.

French.

Migrez, migrez de Geneve tretous, Saturne d’Or en Fer se changera, Le contre Raypoz exterminera tous, Avant l’advent le Ciel signes sera.

English.

Go forth, go forth out of Geneva all, Saturn of gold, shall be changed into Iron, They against Raypos shall extermine them all, Before it happeneth, the Heavens will shew signs.

ANNOT.

[Sidenote: Called here against Raypos.]

This is a Prophecy concerning Geneva, out of which he warneth every one to come; his reason is, that the golden Age of that Town shall be changed into an Iron one; and that there shall be one against Raypos, that shall extermine them all, before which there shall appear some signs in Heaven. Now the Author being a rank Papist, it is to be supposed that he warneth out of Geneva all those of his Faith, because of the coming of Calvin, whom he foresaw was to come into that Town, and to change the Government thereof, and to extermine them all, which is to be understood, in point of Religion, as for what prodigies did precede that change; I had no time to consult Authors upon it, the judicious Reader may chance to find them in those that have written of this matter.

XLV.

French.

Ne sera soul jamais de demander, Grand Mendosus obtiendra son Empire, Loing de la Cour fera contremander, Piemont, Picard, Paris, Tyrhen le pire.

English.

He shall never be weary of asking, Great Mendosus shall obtain his dominion, Far from the Court he shall cause him to be countermanded, Piemont, Picardy, Paris, Tyrhen the worse.

ANNOT.

By Mendosus, is Anagrammatically to be understood Vendosme; but who is that shall never be weary of asking, or whose Dominion Vendosme shall have, or what is meant by the last two Verses, passeth my understanding.

XLVI.

French.

Vuidez fuyez de Thoulouse les rouges, Du Sacrifice faire expiation, Le Chef du mal dessoubs l’ombre des courges, Mort estrangler carne omination.

English.

Get you gone, run away from Thoulouse ye red ones, There shall expiation be made of the Sacrifice, The chief cause of the evil under the shade of gourdes, Shall be strangled, a presage of the destruction of much flesh.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy doth onely and properly belong to the City of Thoulouse; and by it are warned all the red ones, that is, all those that usually wear Red or Scarlet Gowns, as those of the Parliament and the Capitols to come out of it, because saith he, There shall an expiation be made of the Sacrifice, meaning that there shall be a great slaughter among the Citizens, as it did happen at several times, the first Anno 1563. another time when the first President Durauti, and several other of the red Gowns were put to death, &c. The two last Verses signifie, that the chief contriver of this uproar shall be strangled, and many others besides him.

XLVII.

French.

Les soubsignez d’indigne deliverance, Et de la multe auront contre advis, Change Monarque mis en perrille pence, Serrez en cage se verront vis a vis.

English.

The underwritten to an unworthy deliverance, Shall have from the multitude a contrary advice, They shall change their Monarch and put him in peril, They shall see themselves shut up in a Cage over against.

ANNOT.

This is plainly to be understood of those Traytors, the delivered and signed the death of King Charles the I. of blessed Memory, against the sense and advise of at least three parts of four of the Nation, and who afterward saw themselves for the most part shut in Prison for this fact and brought to a shameful end.

XLVIII.

French.

La grand Cité d’Occean Maritime, Environnée de Marests en Crystal, Dans le Solstice hyemal & la prime, Sera tentée de vent espouvental.

English.

The great Maritime City of the Ocean, Encompassed with Chrystaline Fens, In the Winter Solstice and in the spring, Shall be tempted with fearful wind.

ANNOT.

By the great Maritime City of the Ocean, Encompassed with Crystaline Fens, is to be understood the City of London, for as for that of Venice, it is situated upon the Mediterranean or rather Adriatick Sea: London then is threatned here of a fearful wind, which whether the Author meaneth for the time that is past now, and that shall come hereafter I know not, sure I am, that I have within this fifteen years seen two such winds in London, as I never saw the like any where else; the first was that day that Olivier the Usurpator died, the other was about six or seven years ago, caused by the lightning that fell in Hereford-shire, and did mix with a Western wind and came as far as London, carrying the tops of houses, and doing then for above 10000. pounds dammage.

XLIX.

French.

Gand & Bruxelles marcheront contre Anvers, Senat de Londres mettront a mort leur Roy, Le Sel & Vin luy seront a l’envers, Pour eux avoir le Regne or desarroy.

English.

Gand and Bruxelles shall go against Antwerp, The Senat of London shall put their King to death, The Salt and Wine shall not be able to do him good, That they may have the Kingdom into ruine.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy taken with all its circumstances, and the subject it treateth of, is the most remarkable of all those that ever Nostradamus was Author of, for here we see a concatenation of circumstances linked together, to make it true to any bodies eyes, for first the number of this Stanza being 49, signifieth the year wherein the King died, for although by the English account, who begin their year at the 25. of March, it may be said it was in 48, because it did happen upon the 30_th._ of January, yet according to the general account of the most part of the World, the year begin upon the first day of January, so that the King dying on the 30_th._ of January, it may be said it was in the year 1649.

The first Verse signifieth, that at that time there was no good intelligence between the Cities of Flanders and Brabant, as I remember very well that there was not, but upon what score, I have forgotten.

The second Verse is plain to any body that can either read or hear it.

The third Verse by the Salt and Wine, understandeth France, who was then in War with the Spaniard, and in some divisions among themselves, so that they could not take the Kings part as to relieve and free him by force, but sent Embassadours to mediate a composure of the difference.

The fourth Verse intimateth that by reason of the said Wars that were in France, the said murdering Parliament had liberty to do what they listed for the bringing the Kingdom into ruine.

L.

French.

Mensodus tost viendra a son haut Regne, Mettant arriere un peu le Norlaris, Le rouge blesme, le masle a l’interregne, Le jeune crainte & frayeur Barbaris.

English.

Mensodus shall soon come to his high Government, Putting a little aside the Norlaris, The red, pale, the Male at the interreigne, The young fear, and dread barbarisme.

ANNOT.

Mensodus is the Anagramme of Vendosme, by which is meant Antony of Bourbon Duke of Vendosme, brother to the then Prince of Condé, and father to Henry IV. Norlaris is the Anagram of Lorrain; now any body that understandeth any thing in History, knoweth what dissention and feud there was between the House of Bourbon, and that of Lorrain in the time of Francis the II. for the House of Bourbon, though next to the Royal blood, was the least in favour, and those of the House of Lorrain did Govern all, and had so far prevailed as to have got the Prince of Condé into their hands, and had him condemned to have his head cut of, which would have been executed, had not the King that very day fallen sick of the disease he died of. Now this being understood our Author will have that Mensodus, which is Vendosme shall lay aside the Norlaris, that is Lorrein. By the red pale is meant the Cardinal of Lorrain, brother to the Duke of Guise, who grew pale at this. By the male at the interreigne is so obscure, that we leave it to the judgement of the Reader.

LI.

French.

Contre les rouges Sectes se banderont, Feu, eau, fer, corde, par paix se minera, Au point mourir ceux qui machineront, Fors un que monde sur tout ruinera.

English.

Against the red, Sects shall gather themselves, Fire, water, iron, rope, by peace it shall de destroyed, Those that shall conspire shall not be put to death, Except one, who above all shall undo the World.

ANNOT.

The name of red Sects, may very well be applied to the Protestants of France, against whom in those days it seemed that fire, Water, Iron and Rope had conspired, for they were put to death by each one of those fatal instruments for their Religion sake. This is a lively expression of the unhappy Massacre of the Protestants in France upon St. Bartholomews day 1572.

The two last Verses signifie, that all the Contrivers of that Councel, were of opinion at first to proceed some other way, but only the Duke of Guise, who was the principal actor in it, and whom our Author saith, did undo the world; for he was the cause of mischief, not only then but ofterwards.

LII.

French.

La paix sapproche d’un cosié & la guerre, Oncques ne fut la poursuite fi grande, Plaindre homme & femmene sang Innocent par Terre, Et ce sera de France a toute bande.

English.

Peace is coming on one side and War on the other, There was never so great a pursuing, Man, Woman shall bemoan, Innocent blood shall be spilt, It shall be in France on all sides.

ANNOT.

This Prophecy was fulfilled in the Reign of Charles the IX. in the year 1558. when the peace was treated of, and concluded the year after 1559. the War on the other side begun to appear by the raising of the Protestants, who begun publickly their opinion in the time of Francis the II. and Charles the IX.

There was never seen such a prosecution of War and of Peace together; for there was never an estate more embroiled in Wars than that of Charles the IX. was, nor where Peace was more sought after; for there was nothing but Wars and treaties of Peace, Men and Women did complain on all sides, for the wrong and dammages they received from both parties, the Protestants believing to do God a good service in destroying Images, and killing Priests and Monks. And the Papists on the other side thinking to make a sweet Sacrifice unto God, in practising the same cruelties upon the Protestants, and so in all corners of France every one did set himself to do evil.

LIII.

French.

Le Neron jeune dans les trois Cheminées, Sera de Pages vifs pour ardoir ietter, Heureux qui loin sera de tels menées, Trois de son sang le feront mort guetter.

English.

The young Nero in the three Chimneys. Shall cause Pages to be thrown to be burnt alive, Happy shall he be who shall be far from this doing, Three of his own blood shall cause him to be put to death.

ANNOT.

A young Tyrant called here Nero, shall cause some Pages to be burnt alive in three Chimneys, and afterwards himself shall be put to death by three of his own blood, this fact savoureth so much of bestial cruelty, that I cannot belive any Christian Prince can ever be guilty of it.

LIV.

French.

Arrivera au port de Corsibonne, Pres de Ravenne, qui pillera la Dame, En Mer profonde legat de Ulisbone, Soubs Roc cachez raviront septante ames.

English.

There shall come into the Port of Corsibonne, Near Ravenna, those that shall plunder the Lady, In the deep Sea shall be the Embassador of Lisbonne, The hidden under the Rock, shall carry away seventy Souls.

ANNOT.

The Port of Corsibonne, must of necessity be that of Ancona; first because there is no Port of the former name near the City of Ravenna. Secondly, because Ancona is near Ravenna.

By the Lady is meant the Chappel or Church of our Lady of Loretto, which is threatned here to be plundred by some Turks or Pyrates, inticed thereunto by the manifold riches that are said to be therein.

The third Verse speaketh of a Portugues Embassador, who it seemeth shall be drowned or buried in the main Sea.

The fourth Verse giveth warning of some Robbers and Pyrates, very like to be Turks, who being in Ambuscado, and shrouded among the Rocks by the Sea side, shall carry away seventy Souls.

LV.

French.

L’Horrible guerre qu’en Occident s’appreste, L’An ensuivant viendra la Pestilence, Si fort terrible, que jeune, viel, ne beste, Sang, feu, Mercu. Mars, Jupiter en France.

English.

An horrid War is a preparing in the West, The next year shall come the Plague, So strangly terrible, that neither young nor old, nor beast shall escape Blood, fire, Mercu. Mars, Jupiter in France.

ANNOT.

That word a preparing in the first Verse, signifieth that he speaketh of a time, wherein War was a making ready, when he was a writing.

The West, of which our Author speaketh, is not formerly the West which is Spain, but is the West respectively to his Countrey of Provence, which is Picardy, Lorrain, and the Countrey of Mets, in all these Places that are Westerly from Provence, there was great Wars in the year 1557 in Picardy in the year 1558. at Calais and Thionville, and at last from the middle of that year to the end of it, were seen two great Armies of both Kings, which threatned a horrid slaughter, had not God Almighty provided against it by the treaty of Peace of the 3d. of April 1559 the year following, which was 1559. there did happen what he foretelleth, viz., the Plague so strangely terrible to Young, Old, and Beasts &c.

And in those quarters there was nothing but Fire and Blood; that is, Massacres and ruines of all sorts, then did Rule in France, the three Planets of Jupiter, Mars and Mercury, Jupiter and Mercury, for the peace that was then concluded, and Mars for the War that was then on foot.

The History of Provence mentioneth, that that Pestilence was called by the Physitians, Febris erratica, by which within the space of five or six Months, died almost an infinite number of people.

LVI.

French.

Camp prés de Noudam pasiera Goussanville, Et a Maiotes laissera son enseigne, Convertira en instant plus de mille, Cherchant le deux remettre en chaine & legne.

English.

A Camp shall by Noudam go beyond Goussanville, And shall leave its Ensign at Maiotes, And shall in an instant convert above a thousand, Seeking to put the two parties in good understanding together.

ANNOT.

These three words of Noudam, Goussanville, and Maiotes are three little inconsiderable Countrey Towns, situated near one another; the meaning then of it is, that an Army near Noudam, shall go through Goussanville, and shall in an instant convert, that is, draw to his party above a thousand of the contrary party, the business being about the procuring of a good understanding and amity between two great ones.

LVII.

French.

Au lieu de Drux un Roy reposera, Et cherchera Loy changeant d’Anatheme, Pendant le Ciel si tresfort Tonnera, Portée neufve Roy tuera soy mesme.

English.

In the place of Drux a King shall rest himself, And shall seek Law changing Anatheme, In the mean while the Heaven shall Thunder so strongly, That a new gate shall kill the King him self.

ANNOT.

Drux is a City in Normandy, near which Henry the IV. got a memorable victory.

It is said that in that place a King shall rest himself, and shall endeavour to change Religion, but at that time it shall Thunder and Lighten so much, that by the fall of a new gate, the King himself shall be killed.

LVIII.

French.

Au costé gauche a lendroit de Vitry, Seront guettez les trois rouges de France, Tous assommez rouge, noir non meurdry, Par les Bretons remis en asseurance.

English.

On the left hand over against Vitry, The three red ones of France shall be watched for, All the red shall be knockt dead, the black not murdered, By the Britains set up again in security.

ANNOT.

What is meant here by the three red ones of France is hard to decide, whether they be Cardinals or Judges; because both wear commonly Scarlet Gowns, or some Noblemen cloathed in Scarlet, but it seemeth by this that there shall be a lying in wait for four men, three of which shall be cloathed in Red, and one in Black, those in Red shall be knockt down dead, but he in Black shall not, and this is to be done on the left hand, over against Vitry, which is a City in Champagne.

LIX.

French.

A la Ferté prendra la Vidame, Nicol tenu rouge quavoit produit la vie, La grand Loyse naistra qui fera clame, Donnant Bourgongne a Bretons par envie.

English.

In the Ferté the Vidame shall take Nicol, reputed red, whom life hath produced, The great Lewis shall be born, who shall lay claim, Giving Burgundy to the Britains, through envy.

ANNOT.

This Stanza wanting both quantity in the Cadence of the Verse, and Connexion in the sense, sheweth that it is either falsly printed, or else the Author had no mind it should be understood; we shall only say, the Ferté is a Town in Champagne. Vidame is a Lords Title in France, of which there are but four of that sort, and are called in Civil Law Vicedominus, who by his first Institution, was temporal Judge of the Bishop; the first of those Vidames or Vicedomini in France, is that of Amiens, the second of Chartres, the third of Rhemes, and the fourth of Gerberon.

LX.

French.

Conflict Barbare en la Cornere noire, Sang espandu trembler la Dalmatie, Grand Ismael mettra son promontoire, Ranes trembler, secours Lusitanie.

English.

A Barbarian fight in the black Corner, Blood shall be spilt, Dalmatia shall tremble for fear, Great Ismael shall set up his promontory, Frogs shall tremble, Portugal shall bring succour.

ANNOT.

This Prophecie foretelleth divers accidents in several places, without determination of any precise time; as for example, I understand by that Barbarian conflict, near the black Corner, to be some famous Battle among the Infidels themselves, some where about the Black Sea; then he saith, that abundance of Blood shall be spilt, and ~Dalmatia~ shall tremble, which is a Province belonging to the Venetians, and bordering upon Græcia; by great Ismael he understandeth the great Sophy of Persia, whose name hath been often so. By the Frogs it is not easie to know whether he meaneth France or Spain, for both abound in that kind of Insects.

LXI.

French.

La pille faite a la Coste Marine, Incita nova & parens amenez, Plusieurs de Malthe par le fait de Messine, Estroit serrez seront mal guerdonnez.

English.

The plunder made upon the Sea Coast, Incita nova and friends brought up, Many of Maltha, for the fact of Messina, Being close kept, shall be ill rewarded.

ANNOT.

It seemeth that this Plunder made upon the Sea Coast, shall be about Messina, by the Maltheses, who afterwards shall rue for it, being taken Prisoners, and severely punished.

As for the expression Incita nova, it is a barbarous derivation of the Latine, to signifie the stirring of new troubles.

LXII.

French.

Au grand de Cheramonagora, Seront croisez par rangs tous attachez, Le Pertinax Oppi, & Mandragora, Raugon d’Octobre le tiers seront laschez.

English.

To the great one of Cheramonagora, Shall be crossed by Ranges, all tyed up, the Pertinax Oppi, and Mandragora, Raugon the third of October shall be set loose.

ANNOT.

The word Cheramonagora, is either altogether barbarous and insignificant, or must be derived from these three Greek words, χεὶρ, manus, μόνος, folus, and ἄγω, duco, and so it may signifie one than leadeth along by the hand, in which sense may be understood the King of France, who alone leadeth his people by the hand, without any help of Councel.

The second Verse signifieth the Oppositions he shall meet with among his Neighbours, combined together to hinder him.

By Oppi, he meaneth here Opium, the Juice of Poppies, which he calleth here Pertinax; because of its pertinacious quality in procuring sleep, as also Mandragora.

By Raugon, he meaneth some other soporiferous Herb; so that it seemeth that those three things shall be given upon the third of October to some body, it seemeth to that Cheramonagora, by whom some understand the King of France, others Oliver the last usurpator.

LXIII.

French.

Plaintes, & pleurs, cris, & grands hurlemens, Pres de Narbonne, a Bayonne & en Foix, O quels horribles, calamitez, changemens, Avant que Mars revolu quelquefois.

English.

Complaints and tears, cries, and great howlings, Near Narbonne, Bayonne and in Foix, O what horrid calamities and changes, Before Mars hath made sometimes his revolution.

ANNOT.

Narbonne, Bayonne, and Foix are Towns of Languedoc, a Province in France; the rest is easie.

LXIV.

French.

L’Æmathian passer Monts Pyrenées, En Mars Narbon ne fera resistance, Par Mer & Terre sera si grand menée, Cap. n’ayant Terre seure pour demeurance.

English.

The Æmathian shall pass by the Pyrenean Mountains, In March Narbon shall make no resistance, By Sea and Land he shall make so much ado, Cap. shall not have safe ground to live in.

ANNOT.

The Æmathian properly should be the Macedonian, but by it is understood here the Spaniard, whose Countrey is on one side fenced by the Pyrenean Mountains; the rest is plain.

LXV.

French.

Dedans le coing de Luna viendra rendre, Ou sera prins & mis en Terre estrange, Les fruits immeurs seront a grand esclandre, Grand vitupere, a l’un grande loüange.

English.

He shall come into the corner of Luna, Where he shall be taken and put in a strange Land, The green fruits shall be in great disorder, A great shame, to one shall be great praise.

ANNOT.

This Stanza hath relation and connexion to the precedent, and by it ought to be understood, that the said Æmathian or Spaniard shall come as far as the corner of Luna, wherein he shall be taken and sent into a strange Countrey, at which time the green Fruits and Grass shall be much damaged, for which one of the parties shall receive great shame, and the other great praise. But what he meaneth by the Corner of Luna, I must leave the judgement of it to the Reader, for I do ingeniously confess that I neither know City nor Countrey of that name.

XLVI.

French.

Paix, union, sera & changement, Estats, Offices, bas hault, & hault bien bas, Dresser voiages, le fruit premier, torment, Guerre cesser, civils proces, debats.

English.

Peace, union, shall be, and mutation, States, and Offices, low high, and high low, A journey shall be prepared for, the first fruit, pains, War shall cease, as also, civil suits, and strifes.

ANNOT.

This is easie to be understood, many interpret it of the downfall of Rome, at which time all quarrels both of Religion and States would be laid aside, if the world were all of one mind.

LXVII.

French.

Du haut des Monts a lentour de Dizere, Port a la Roche Valent, cent assemblez, De Chasteau-Neuf, Pierrelate, en Douzere, Contre le Crest, Romans soy assemblez.

English.

From the top of the Mountains about Dizere Gate at the Rock Valence, a hundred gathered together, From Chasteau-Neuf, Pierrelate, in Douzere Against the Crest, Romans, shall be gathered.

ANNOT.

This is a peculiar Prophecy for the Provinces of Dauphiné and Languedoc, in which all the Towns and Rivers here mentioned are situated.

LXVIII.

French.

Du Mont Aymar sera noble obscurcie, Le mal viendra au joint de Saone & Rhosne, Dans bois cachez Soldats jour de Lucie, Qui ne fut onc un si horrible Throsne.

English.

From Mount Aymar shall proceed a Noble obscurity, The evil shall come to the joyning of the Saone and Rhosne, Soldiers shall be hid in the Wood on St. Lucy’s day, So that there was never such an horrid Throne.

ANNOT.

There is a notable fault in the impression of the first Verse of this Stanza, for instead of Mount Aymar, it must be Montlimar, which is a Town in Provence or Languedoc, situated by the River Rhosne, the sense therefore of this, is, that from Montlimar shall proceed some notable and obscure design, and that shall reach as far as Lyons, which is the City where the Saone and Rhosne meet, and that for that purpose, there shall be hidden a great many Souldiers in a Wood on St. Lucy’s day, which is the 13th. of December.

LXIX.

French.

Sur le Mont de Bailly & la Bresse, Seront cachez de Grenoble les fiers, Outre Lyon, Vien. cula si grand gresle, Langoult en Terre n’en cessara un tiers.

English.

Upon the Mount of Bailly, and the Countrey of Bresse, Shall be hidden the fierce ones of Grenoble, Beyond Lyons, Vienna, upon them shall fall such a hail, That languishing upon the ground, the third part shall not be left.

ANNOT.

The Mount Bailly, and the Countrey of Bressia, are by Savoy, in which place (our Author saith) the fierce ones; that is, the stout men of Grenoble, the chief Town of Dauphiné, shall be hidden, and that such a Hail shall fall upon them, as not one third part shall be left.

LXX.

French.

Harnois trenchans dans les flambeaux cachez, Dedans Lyon le jour du Sacrement, Ceux de Vienne seront tretous hachez, Par les Cantons Latins, Mascon eront.

English.

Sharp Weapons shall be hidden in burning Torches, In Lyons the day of the Sacrament, Those of Vienna shall be all cut to pieces, By the Latin Cantons, after the example of Mascon.

ANNOT.

This foretelleth a notable Treason that shall be acted at Lyons, upon the Sacraments day, otherwise called Corpus Christi day, upon which the Roman Catholicks are wont to make a Procession with the Sacrament about the Town, with abundance of burning Torches, of fearful bigness, insomuch that some (as at Angeirs) require 20 or 24 men to carry them, in those Torches (our Author saith) shall Weapons be hidden, by means of which the fact shall be committed. The rest is easie.

LXXI.

French.

Au lieux Sacrés, animaux veus a Trixe, Avec celuy qui nosera le jour, A Carcassonne pour disgrace propice, Sera posé pour plus ample sejonr.

English.

In the Sacred places, Animals shall be seen at Trixe, With him that shall not dare in the day, In Carcassonne for a favourable disgrace, He shall be set to make a longer stay.

ANNOT.

Whether the Author did understand himself here I know not, I am sure I do not; Carcassonne is a City of Languedoc, and Trixe is a barbarous word.

LXXII.

French.

Encor seront les Saints Temples pollus, Et expilez par Senat Tholosain, Saturne deux trois Siecles revolus, Dans Auril, May, gens de nouveau Levain.

English.

Once more shall the Holy Temples be polluted, And depredated by the Senate of Thoulouze, Saturn two three Ages finished, In April, May, people of a new Leaven.

ANNOT.

This is, when the Planet Saturn hath finished twice three Ages; that is, 600 years from the time that this Prophecy was written, then the Senates of Thoulouze, being men of a new Leaven (meaning being Protestants) shall cause the Romish Churches to be polluted and depredated in the Months of April and May.

LXXIII.

French.

Dans Foix entrez Roy Cerulée Turban, Et regnera moins evolu Saturne, Roy Turban Blanc, Bizance cœur ban, Sol, Mars, Mercure, pres la Hurne.

English.

In Foix shall come a King with a Blew Turbant, And shall Reign before Saturn is revolved, Then a King with a White Turbant shall make Bizance to quake, Sol, Mars, Mercury, being near the top of the Mast.

ANNOT.

Foix is a Countrey of France, near Gascony, where the Author saith, a King with a Blew Turbant shall come, and shall govern less then an Age, that is 100 years, after which another King with a White Turbant shall come, and shall Conquer Bizance (which in Latine is Constantinople) the Blew or Green Turbant is attributed to the great Turk, and the White one to the King of France, by whom the Turks have a Prophecie, their Monarchy shall be subverted.

LXXIV.

French.

Dans la Cité de Fertsod homicide, Fait & fait multe Bœuf arant ne macter, Retour encore aux honneurs d’Artemide, Et a Vulcan corps morts sepulturer.

English.

In the City of Fertsod one murdered, Causeth a Fine to be laid for killing a plowing Oxe, There shall be a return of the honours due to Artemide, And Vulcan shall bury dead bodies.

ANNOT.

What is that City of Fertsod, is hard to guess, there being none of this name in Europe that I know. The rest of the words are plain, though the sense be abstruce enough, therefore we shall leave them to the liberty of the Reader.

LXXV.

French.

De l’Ambraxie & du pais de Thrace, Peuple par Mer, Mal, & secours Gaulois, Perpetuelle en Provence la Trace, Avec vestiges de leur Coustumes & Loix.

English.

From Ambraxia, and from the Countrey of Thracia, People by Sea, Evil, and French succours, The Trace of it shall be perpetual in Provence, The footsteps of their Customs and Laws remaining.

ANNOT.

What Countrey this Ambraxia should be, is yet unknown, for my part I take it to be a forged word, as for Thracia it is a Countrey between Hungary and Greece.

Observe here that Evil is not an Epithete, to either People or Sea, but a word of admiration by it self, as malum in Latine, which is called vox admirantis.

LXXVI.

French.

Avec le noir Rapax & sanguinaire, Yssu du peaultre de l’inhumain Neron, Emmy deux Fleuves main gauche Militaire, Sera meurtry par Joyn Chaulveron.

English.

With the Black and bloody Rapax, Descended from the paultry of the inhumane Nero, Between two Rivers, on the left Military hand, He shall be murdered by Joyne Caulveron.

ANNOT.

This Prophecie portendeth the death of a black, bloody, and ravenous man (which in Latine is Rapax) who shall be murdered between two Rivers, by one whose proper name shall be Joyne Chaulveron.

LXXVII.

French.

Le Regne prins le Roy conviera, La Dame prinse a mort jurez a sort, La vie a Royne Fils on desniera, Et la pellix au fort de la consort.

English.

The Kingdom being taken, the King shall invite, The Lady taken to death, The Life shall be denyed unto the Queens Son, And the Pellix shall be at the height of the Consort.

ANNOT.

You must observe, that there is a word false printed, which is Pellix, instead of which should be Pellex, which in Latine signifieth a Whore or Concubine.

The sense therefore of this is, that a certain King having taken another Kingdom, shall put the Queen of it to death, as also her own Son, after which, he shall make his Concubine Queen.

LXXVIII.

French.

La Dame Grecque de Beauté laydique, Heureuse faite de proces innumerable, Hors translatée au Regne Hispanique, Captive prinse mourir mort miserable.

English.

The Græcian Lady of exquisite Beauty, Made happy from innumerable quarrels, Being translated into the Spanish Kingdom, Shall be made a Prisoner, and die a miserable death.

ANNOT.

This Stanza is concerning the Lady Elizabeth of France, Daughter to Henry the II. and Sister to Charles the IX. who being promised first to Don Carlo Infante of Spain, was afterwards Married to his Father Philip the II. at which the young man being vexed and discontented, began to raise combustions in the State, for which, and his too much familiarity with his Mother in Law, he was strangled by his Fathers command, and she poisoned.

LXXIX.

French.

Le Chef de Classe par fraude, stratageme, Fera timides sortir de leurs Galeres, Sortis meurdris chef renieux de Cresme, Puis par l’Embusche luy rendront les salaires.

English.

The Commander of a Fleet by fraud and stratagem, Shall cause the fearful ones to come forth of their Galleys, Come out murdered, chief renouncer of Baptism, After that by an Ambuscado they’l give him again his salary.

ANNOT.

The two first Verses are plain, the third signifieth, that these fearful ones being come out of their Galleys, part of them shall be murdered, and among them the Captain, a renouncer of his Baptism, or Renegado, and the rest afterwards by an Ambuscado, shall requite in the same Coin those that had used them so.

LXXX.

French.

Le Duc voudra les siens exterminer, Envoyera les plus forts, lieux estranges, Par tyrannie Bize & Luc ruiner, Puis les Barbares sans Vin feront Vendanges.

English.

The Duke shall endeavour to exterminate his own, And shall send away the strongest of them into remote places, He shall also ruinate Bize and Luc, The Barbarians shall make Vintage without Wine.

ANNOT.

There is a great fault in the impression of the French Copy in this Stanza, which maketh the sense altogether inexplicable, it must then in stead of Bize and Luc, be written Pise and Lucques, which are two Towns in Italy, near the Duke of Florence’s Dominions; one of these Towns, viz. Pisa he hath taken already, and from a Common-Wealth made it subject to himself; the other though several times attempted by him, hath preserved its liberty to this day. The last Verse signifieth, that after this is come to pass, the Barbarians, that is, the Florentins shall make Vintage without Wine; that is, shall plunder and spoil at their pleasure.

LXXXI.

French.

LeRoy rusé entendra ses Embusches, De trois quartiers Ennemis assaillir, Un nombre estrange Larmes de coqueluches, Viendra Lamprin du traducteur faillir.

English.

The crafty King shall hear of his Ambuscadoes, And shall assail his Enemies on three sides, A strange number of Friers, mens Tears, Shall cause Lamprin to desert the Traitor.

ANNOT.

The only difficulty here is to know who that Lamprin should be, who shall be diverted from following a Traitor (which he meaneth here by the French word Traducteur) and shall be diverted from it by the Tears of Fryers, which are meant here by the ancient French word Coqueluches, which signifieth a Fryers Cool or Capuchon.

LXXXII.

French.

Par le Deluge & pestilence forte, La Cité grande de long temps Assiegée, La Sentinelle & Garde de main morte, Subite prinse mais de nul outragée.

English.

The great City having been long Besieged, By an Innundation and violent Plague, The Sentinal and Watch being surprised, Shall be taken on a sudden, but hurt by no body.

ANNOT.

This is very plain, if by the great City you understand Paris, who is subject to frequent Innundations and Plagues.

LXXXIII.

French.

Sol Vingt de Taurus, si fort terre tremblera, Le grand Theatre remply ruinera, L’Air, Ciel, & Terre, obscurcir & troubler, Lors l’Infidele Dieu, & Saints voguera.

English.

The Sun being in the 20th of Taurus, the Earth shall so quake, That it shall fill and ruinate the great Theater The Air, the Heaven, & the Earth shall be so darkened, and troubled, That the unbelievers shall call upon God, and his Saints.

ANNOT.

This famous Earth-quake having not yet happened in Europe, it is like to happen within few years, for our Authors Prophecies (by his own confession) do not extend further than the year 1700.

LXXXIV.

French.

Roy exposé parfaira l’Hecatombe, Apres avoir trouve son Origine, Torrent ouvrir de Marbre & Plomb la Tombe, D’un grand Romain d’Enseigne Medusin.

English.

The King exposed shall fulfill the Hecatombe, After he hath found out his Offspring, A Torrent shall open the Sepulcher, made of Marble and Lead, Of a great Roman, with a Medusean Ensign.

ANNOT.

This Prophecie is divided into two parts, The first two Verses are concerning a King, who shall perform the Funeral Rites and Ceremonies to his Parents, when he is come to the knowledge of them, having been exposed for lost before.

The two last Verses are concerning an ancient Sepulcher of a Roman, that shall be digged up and found out by a Torrent, and the Arms of the said Roman shall be something like the head of Medusa, whose Hairs were Serpents, and was so fearful to behold, that by seeing of it, the beholders were turned into stones.

LXXXV.

French.

Passer Guenne, Languedoc, & le Rhosne, D’Agen tenants, de Marmande & la Reole, D’Ouvrir par foy parroy, Phocen tiendra son Throne, Conflict aupres Saint Pol de Manseole.

English.

They shall pass over Gascony, Languedoc, and the Rhosne, From Agen keeping Marmande, and the Reole, To open the Wall by Faith, Phocen shall keep his Throne, A Battle shall be by St. Paul of Manseole.

ANNOT.

The whole of this Prophecie signifieth no more, but that an Army shall pass through all these places, and that at last there will be a Battle fought by that place, called St. Paul de Manseole.

LXXXVI.

French.

Du Bourg la Reyne parviendront droit a Chartres, Et feront pres du Pont Antony pose, Sept pour la paix cauteleux comme Martres, Feront entrée d’Armée a Paris clause.

English.

From Bourg la Reyne they shall come straight to Chartres, And shall make a stand near Pont Antony, Seven for Peace as crafty as Martres, They shall enter in Paris besieged with an Army.

ANNOT.

Bourg la Reyne is a little town within six Miles of Paris, Chartres is the chief City of the Province Beausse, Pont Antony is a little Town between them both, so that the sense of the whole is this, that seven men, crafty like Martres (which are those Russia Foxes that afford the richest Furres, called Martres Zibellines) shall go from Bourg la Reyne to Chartres, making a little stay at Pont Antony, and then shall come with an Army into Paris, which shall be besieged at that time, I believe this Prophecy is come to pass already in the time of the Civil Wars of France; but for want of the History I could not quote the time.

LXXXVII.

French.

Par la Forest du Touphon essartée Par Hermitage sera posé le Temple, Le Duc d’Estampes par sa ruse inventée, Du Montlehery Prelat donra exemple.

English.

By the Forrest Touphon cut off, By the Hermitage shall the Temple be set, The Duke of Estampes by his invented trick, Shall give example to the Prelat of Montlehery.

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.

French.

Calais, Arras, secours a Theroanne, Paix & semblant simulera l’escoute, Soulde d’Allobrox descendra par Roane, Destornay peuple qui defera la routte.

English.

Calais, Arras, shall give succours to Theroanne, Peace or the like, shall dissemble the hearing, Souldiers of Allobrox shall descend by Roane, People perswaded, shall spoil the March.

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.

French.

Sept ans Philip fortune prospere, Rabaissera des Barbares l’effort, Puis son midy perplex rebours affaire, Jeune Ogmion abysmera son fort.

English.

Philip shall have seven years of prosperous fortune, Shall beat down the attempt of the Barbarians, Then in his Noon he shall be perplexed and have untoward business, Young Ogmion shall pull down his strength.

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.

French.

Un Capitaine de la grand Germanie, Se viendra rendre par simulé secours, Au Roy des Roys, aide de Pannonie, Que sa revoke fera de sang grand cours.

English.

A Captain of the great Germany, Shall come to yield himself with a fained help, Unto the King of Kings, help of Hungary, So that his revolt shall cause a great bloodshed.

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.

French.

L’Horrible peste Perynthe & Nicopole, Le Chersonese tiendra & Marceloine, La Thessalie naistera l’Amphipole, Mal incogneu & le refus d’Antoine.

English.

The horrid pestilence shall seize upon Perynthe and Nicopolis, The Chersonese and Marceloine, It shall waste Thessalia and Amphipolis, An unknown evil and the refusal of Antony.

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.

French.

Le Roy voudra dans Cité neufve entrer, Par ennemis expugner l’on viendra, Captif libere, faulx dire & perpetrer, Roy dehors estre, loin d’ennemis tiendra.

English.

The King shall desire to enter into the new City, With foes they shall come to overcome it, The Prisoner being free, shall speak and act falsly, The King being gotten out, shall keep far from enemies.

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.

French.

Les ennemis du Fort bien esloignez, Par Chariots conduits le Bastion, Par sur les Murs de Bourges esgrongnez, Quand Hercules battra l’Hæmathion.

English.

The enemies being a good way from the Fort, Shall upon Wagons be conducted to the Bulwark, From the top of Bourges Walls they shall be cut less, When Hercules shall beat the Hæmathion.

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.

French.

Foibles Galeres seront unis ensemble, Ennemis faux, le plus fort en rempart, Foible assailies Wratislavie tremble; Lubeck & Mysne tiendront Barbare part.

English.

Weak Galleys shall be united together, False enemies, the strongest shall be fortified, Weak assaults, and yet Breslaw quaketh for fear, Lubeck and Misne shall take the part of the Barbarians.

ANNOT.

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

XCV.

French.

Le nouveau fait conduira l’exercite, Proche apamé jusque aupres du Rivage, Tendant secours de Melanoise eslite, Duc yeux privé, a Milan fer de Cage.

English.

The new man shall lead up the Army, Near Apamé, till near the Bank, Carrying succours of choice Forces from Milan, The Duke deprived of his eyes, and an Iron Cage at Milan.

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.

French.

Dans Cité entrer exercite desniée, Duc entrera par persuasion, Aux foibles portes clam Armée amenée, Mettront feu, mort, de sang effusion.

English.

The Army being denied the entrance of the City, The Duke shall enter by persuasion, To the weak Gates, clam the Army being brought, Shall put all to fire and sword.

ANNOT.

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

XCVII.

French.

De Mer Copies en trois parts divisées, A la seconde les Vivres failliront, Desesperez cherchant Champs Elisées, Premiers en breche entrez victoire auront.

English.

A Fleet being divided into three parts, The victuals will fail the second part, Being in despaire they’l seek the Elysian Fields, And entring the breach first, shall obtain victory.

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.

French.

Les affligez par faute d’un seul taint, Contremenant a partie opposite, Aux Lygonois mandera que contraint, Seront de rendre le grand chef de Molite.

English.

The afflicted want of one only died, Carrying against the opposite part, Shall send word to those of Lyon, they shall be compelled, To surrender the great chief of Molite.

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.

French.

Vent Aquilon fera partir le Siege, Par murs jetter cendres, chaulx, & poussiere, Par pluye apres qui leur sera bien piege, Dernier secours encontre leur Frontiere.

English.

The North wind shall cause the Siege to be raised, They shall throw ashes, lime, and dust, By a rain after that shall be a trap to them, It shall be the last succours against their Frontiere.

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.

French.

Navale pugne nuict sera superée, Le feu, aux Naves a l’Occident ruine, Rubriche neuve, la grand néf colorée, Ire a vaincu, & victoire en bruine.

English.

In a Sea-fight, night shall be overcome, By fire, to the Ships of the West ruine shall happen, A new stratagem, the great Ship coloured, Anger to the vanquished, and victory in a Mist.

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.

THE PROPHECIES OF Michael Nostradamus.

CENTURY X.

I.

French.

A l’Ennemy, l’ennemy foy promise, Ne se tiendra, les captifs retenus, Prins preme mort & le reste en chemise, Donnant le reste pour estre secourus.

English.

To the enemy, the enemy faith promised, Shall not be kept, the prisoners shall be detained, The first taken, put to death, and the rest stripped, Giving the remnant that they may be succoured.

ANNOT.

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

II.

French.

Voile Gallere Voile nef Cachera, La grand Classe viendra sortir la moindre, Dix Naves proches le tourneront poulser, Grand vaincüe, unies a soy joindre.

English.

The Galley and the Ship shall hide their Sails, The great Fleet shall make the little one to come out, Ten Ships near hand, shall turn and push at it, The great being vanquished, they shall unite together.

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.

French.

En apres cinq troupeau ne mettra hors, Un fuitif pour Penelon laschera, Faux murmurer secours venir par lors, Le Chef le Siege lors abandonnera.

English.

After that, five shall not put out his flock, He’l let loose a runnaway for Penelon, There shall be a false rumour, succours shall come then, The Commander shall forsake the Siege.

ANNOT.

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

IV.

French.

Sur la minuit conducteur de l’Armée, Se sauvera subit esvanovy, Sept ans apres la fame non blasmée, A son retour ne dira oncq ouy.

English.

About midnight the leader of the Army, Shall save himself, vanishing suddenly, Seven years after his fame shall not be blamed And at his return he shall never say yea.

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.

French.

Albi & Castres feront nouvelle ligue, Neuf Arriens, Lisbonne, & Portuguez, Carcas. Thoulouze, consumeront leur brigue Quand chef neuf monstre de Lauraguez.

English.

Albi and Castres shall make a new league, Nine Arriens, Lisbonne, and Portuguez, Carcas. Thoulouse, shall make an end of their confederacy; When the new chief shall come from Lauragais.

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.

French.

Gardon a Nismes eaux si haut desborderont, Qu’on cuidera Deucalion renaistre, Dans le Colosse la pluspart fuiront, Vesta Sepulchre feu esteint apparoistre.

English.

Gardon at Nismes, waters shall overflow so high, That they’l think that Deucalion is born again, Most of them will run into the Colossus, And a Sepulchre, and fire extinguished, shall appear.

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.

French.

Le grand conflict qu’on appreste a Nancy, L’Æmathien dira tout je soubmets, L’Isle Britane par Vin Sel en solcy, Hem. mi. deux Phi. long temps ne tiendra Mets.