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.