shall have a full account in the 69 Stanza, of the twelfth Century.
LXXXIII.
French.
De batailler ne sera donné signe,
Du Parc seront contraints de sortir hors,
De _Gasp_ l’entour sera cogneu l’enseigne,
Qui fera mettre de tous les siens a mort.
English.
There shall no sign of battle be given,
They shall be compelled to come out of the Park,
Round about _Gasp_ shall be known the Ensign,
That shall cause all his own to be put to death.
ANNOT.
This Prophecie was fulfilled in the year 1556. by the Marshal of _Brissac_
in _Piemont_, when he took the Town of _Vignal_ by assault, where 1200.
_Neapolitans_ were put to the Sword, who were called the braves of
_Naples_; because they were all very gallantly habited, and the Governour
being wounded, cast himself desperately into a Well, whence the Marshal
caused him to be taken up, and to be cured of his wounds.
In this conflict _there was no sign of Battle given_; because it was
done by the rashness of a Souldier, Bastard of a Bastard of the house
of _Boissy_, who without expecting the command of the General, went
alone upon the breche, and after he had [Transcriber’s Note: the text
is illegible here with 1-2 words missing] against the Enemies, drew his
Sword, and did fight a great while hand to hand without being wounded.
Some of his Companions seeing his valour, did follow him, and others
came to their help, and these carryed along with them all those that
were appointed to give the assault; insomuch that by a kind of Warlike
emulation, all did carry themselves so valliantly, that after a long and
stout resistance, they routed the Enemies, and put all the Garrisons to
the Sword.
It is what the Author saith in the first and second Verse, seeing that
those that were appointed to give Battle, every one in his Regiment or
Squadron, were compelled by emulation to come out of their _Park_; that
is, from the Precinct of place wherein they were. The third Verse addeth,
that _round about the Ensign of ~Gasp.~ shall be known_; that is, in the
assault the Captain of that place, named _Gaspar Pagan_, was remarked to
fight valliantly every where the _French_ did assault, which the Marshal
of _Brissac_ seeing, as also the forwardness of his men commanded the
general assault to be given. The Captain seeing the Town taken, though
he had above twenty wounds, for marks of his Valour, yet by that despair
threw himself into a Well, near which the Marshal passing, heard his
voice, and caused him to be drawn out, and cured of his wounds.
This Captain being resolved to perish in this assault, _did cause all his
own to be put to death_, as the fourth Verse saith. The History of this
Town was famous, for which the Marshal of _Brissac_ did present Gifts to
the most Valiant, and among the rest to this Bastard, after he had put
him in jeopardy of his life, for having violated the Military Orders in
a matter of such concernment. That Town of _Vignal_ is situated upon a
Mountain of the Countrey of _Montserrat_, of a difficult access, where
no pieces of Ordinance can be brought up, but by the help of Mens Arms;
after the taking of it, the Marshal did cause it to be raised even to
the ground, because it could not be useful to the _French_, that had
many other places to keep, and might have been very beneficial to the
_Spaniard_.
LXXXIV.
French.
Le Naturel a si haut, haut non bas,
Le tard retour sera marris contens.
Le _Recloing_ ne sera sans debats,
En emploiant & perdant tout son temps.
English.
The Natural to so high, high not low,
The late return shall make the sad contented,
The _Recloing_ shall not be without strife,
In employing and loosing all his time.
ANNOT.
The _Recloing_, being a forged word, without signification, and being the
Key of all this Stanza, no body can tell what to make of it.
LXXXV.
French.
Le vieil _Tribun_ au point de la _Trehemide_,
Sera presse Captif ne delivrer,
Le vueil non vueil, le mal parlant timide.
Par legitime a ses amis livrer.
English.
The old _Tribun_, at the point of the _Trehemide_,
Shall be much intreated not to deliver the Captain,
They will not will, the ill speaking fearful,
By legitimate shall deliver to his friends.
ANNOT.
The old _Treban_ is an old Captain or Governour of a Town, who shall be
much entreated not to deliver at the end of the _Trehemede_ (that is,
three Months) one that he kept prisoner, but will they or not, he shall
lawfully deliver him to his friends.
LXXXVI.
French.
Comme un Gryphon viendra le Roy d’_Europe_,
Accompagne de ceux d’Aquilon,
De rouges & blancs conduira grande Troupe,
Et Iront contre le Roy de _Babylon_.
English.
As a Griffin shall come the King of _Europe_,
Accompanied with those of the North,
Of red and white shall conduct a great Troop,
And they shall go against the King of _Babylon_.
ANNOT.
This is concerning the King of _Swedeland_, _Gustavus Adolphus_, who is
called here the King of _Europe_; because he lived in a part of it, and
because he was one, if not the most gallant Prince of his time, who with
a great Army of his Subjects, named here those of _Aquilon_, invaded
_Germany_, and made War against the Emperour, whom he calleth here the
King of _Babylon_, either because he is a great favourer of the _Roman_
Church, or because the Empire, by reason of so many sovereign Princes in
it is like a _Babel_ and confusion.
_The great Troop of Red and White_, were his own Souldiers, whom he
distinguished by their several habits. Clothing them with several
Colours, to breed an emulation among them, there being the Red Regiment,
the White, the Blew, the Yellow, the Green, _&c._
LXXXVII.
French.
Grand Roy viendra prendre port pres de _Nice_,
Le grand Empire de la mort si en fera
Aux _Antipodes_ posera son genisse,
Par Mer la Pille tout esvanouira.
English.
A great King shall land by _Nice_,
The great Empire of death shall interpose with it.
He shall put his Mare in the _Antipodes_,
By Sea all the Pillage shall vanish.
ANNOT.
A great King shall land hard by _Nice_, which is a Sea Town in _Savoy_,
but he shall have a great loss of his men by death, and the Sea shall
swallow all his plunder.
LXXXVIII.
French.
Pieds & Cheval a la seconde veille,
Feront entrée vastiant tout par Mer,
Dedans le Port entrera de _Marseille_,
Pleurs, cris & sang, onc nul temps si amer.
English.
Foot and Horse upon the second Watch,
Shall come in destroying all by Sea,
They shall come into the Harbour of _Marseilles_,
Tears, cryes and blood, never was so bitter a time.
ANNOT.
This is so clear that it needeth no interpretation.
LXXXIX.
French.
De Bricque en Marbre seront les Murs reduits,
Sept & cinquante années pacifiques,
Joye aux humains renevé l’aqueduct,
Santé, grands fruits, joye & temps mellifique.
English.
The Walls shall be turned from Brick into Marble,
There shall be peace for seven and fifty years,
Joy to mankind, the Aqueduct shall be built again,
Health, abundance of fruit, joy and mellifluous time.
ANNOT.
After so many calamities Prognosticated by the Author, he promiseth here
seven and fifty year of a golden Age, but when? he maketh no mention.
XC.
French.
Cent fois mourra le Tyran inhumain,
Mis a son lieu scavant & debonnaire,
Tout le Senat sera dessoubs sa main;
Fasche sera par malin temeraire.
English.
The inhumane tyrant shall die a hundred times,
In his place shall be put a Learned and mild man,
All the Senate shall be at his command,
He shall be made angry by a rash malicious person.
ANNOT.
This Prognostication is easie to be understood, only it is indeterminate,
and specifieth neither time nor persons.
XCI.
French.
Clergé _Romain_ l’an mil six cens & neuf,
Au chef de l’an fera Election,
D’un gris & noir de la Campagne yssu,
Qui oncques ne fut si malin.
English.
The _Roman_ Clergy in the year a thousand six hundred and nine,
In the beginning of the year shall make choice
Of a gray and black, come out of the Countrey,
Such a one as never a worse was.
ANNOT.
Wanting the Chronology of the Popes, I have not set down who that Pope
was, then whom our Author saith there never was a worse, but the time
being so punctually prefixed, it will be an easie matter for the Reader
to find out satisfaction in this point.
XCII.
French.
Devant le Pere l’Enfant sera tué,
Le Pere apres entre cordes de jonc,
_Genevois_ peuple sera esvertué,
Gisant le Chef au milieu comme un tronc.
English.
The Child shall be killed before the Fathers eyes,
The Father after shall enter into ropes of rushes,
The people of _Geneva_ shall notably stir themselves,
The Chief lying in the middle like a log.
ANNOT.
This Prophecy is twofold, the two first Verses foretel of a man that
shall have his Son killed before his eyes, and himself afterward shall be
strangled by a rope made of Rushes.
The two last Verses are concerning the people of _Geneva_, who (as he
saith) shall lustily bestir themselves, while their Captain, Chief, or
Commander shall carelesly lie like a log.
XCIII.
French.
La Barque neuve recevra les Voiages,
La & aupres transfereront l’Empire,
_Beaucaire_, _Arles_, retiendront les Hostages,
Pres deux Colomnes trouvées de _Porphyre_.
English.
The new Ship shall make journeys
Into the place, and thereby where they shall translate the Empire,
_Beaucaire_, _Arles_, shall keep the Hostages,
Near them shall be found two Columns of _Porphyry_.
ANNOT.
This Prophecy is concerning three things, the first is of a considerable
new Ship, that shall sail several times into a place where the Empire
shall be translated.
The second is concerning two Towns of _Languedoc_, _Beaucaire_, and
_Arles_, who shall not surrender the Hostages that they had.
The third is concerning two Columns of _Porphiry_ that shall be found
there about.
XCIV.
French.
De _Nismes_, d’_Arles_, & _Vienne_ contemner,
Nobeyront a ledict _Hesperique_,
Au _Labouriez_ pour le grand condamner,
Six eschapez en habit _Seraphique_.
English.
From _Nismes_, d’_Arles_ and _Vienna_ contempt,
They shall not obey the _Spanish_ Proclamation,
To the _Labouriez_ for to condemn the great one,
Six escaped in a _Seraphical_ habit.
ANNOT.
It seemeth that those three aforenamed Towns will refuse to obey a
_Spanish_ Proclamation, that would compel them to condemn a great man; as
for _Labouriez_ it is a barbarous and non-sensical word.
The last Verse signifieth, that six shall escape, cloathed in
_Franciscan_ habits, called here _Seraphical_, because the Franciscans
believe that a _Seraphin_ did appear to St. _Francis_ their Patron, from
whence their Order is called by many the _Seraphical_ Order.
XCV.
French.
Dans les _Espagnes_ viendra Roy trespuissant,
Par Mer & Terre subjugant au Midy,
Ce mal sera rabaissant le croissant,
Baisser les aisles a ceux de _Vendredy_.
English.
A most potent King shall come into _Spain_,
Who by Sea and Land shall make great Conquests towards the South,
This evil shall beat down the horns of the new Moon,
And slack the Wings of those of _Friday_.
ANNOT.
_A great and potent King shall come out of ~Spain~, who by Sea and Land
shall make great Conquest towards the South_, that is _Barbary_, which
shall be a great prejudice to the _Turkish_ Empire, who hath for his Arms
a new Moon; _And slack the wings of those of ~Friday~_, that is, of the
Turks, because they keep the _Friday_ for their _Sabbath_. This Prophecy
was fulfilled by _Philip_ the II. King of _Spain_, who drove away all the
_Moores_ out of the South part of it, and took a great many places in the
Coasts of _Barbary_.
XCVI.
French.
Religion du nom des Mers viendra,
Contre la Secte fils _Adaluncatif_,
Secte obstinée deplorée craindra,
Des deux blessez par _Aleph_ & _Aleph_.
English.
Religion of the name of the Seas shall come,
Against the Sect son _Adaluncatif_,
Obstinate Sect deplorate shall be afraid,
Of the two wounded by _Aleph_ and _Aleph_.
ANNOT.
I confess my ignorance in the intelligence of this Stanza.
XCVII.
French.
_Triremes_ pleines tout aage captifs,
Temps bon a mal, le doux pour amertume,
Proye a _Barbare_ trop tost seront hastifs,
Cupide de voir plaindre au vent la plume.
English.
_Triremes_ full of Captives of all Age.
Time good for evil, the sweet for bitter,
Pray to the _Barbarian_, they shall be too hasty,
Desirous to see the feather complain in the wind.
ANNOT.
Triremes are Galleys with three benches of Oares, the rest is much of the
nature of the former.
XCVIII.
French.
La splendeur clairëa Pucelle joieuse,
Ne luira plus, long temps sera sans Sel,
Avec Marchans, Ruffiens, Loups, odieuse,
Tous pesle mesle monstre universel.
English.
The clear splendour of the merry Maid,
Shall shine no more, she shall be a great while without Salt,
With Merchants, Ruffans, Wolves, odious,
All promiscuously, she shall be an universal Monster.
ANNOT.
This is concerning a famous beauty, who in her latter age shall
prostitute her self to all comers.
XCIX.
French.
A la fin le Loup, le Lion, Bœuf & l’Asne,
Timide dama seront avec Mastins,
Plus ne cherra a eux la douce Manne,
Plus vigilance & custode aux Mastins.
English.
At last the Wolf, the Lion, Oxe and Asse,
Fearful Doe, shall be with the Mastiffs,
The sweet Manna shall no more fall to them,
There shall be no more watching and keeping of Mastiffs.
ANNOT.
This is a Prognostication of a general peace all _Europe_ over.
_The sweet Manna shall no more fall to them_, signifieth that the
_Europeans_ shall be fed no more with Manna, as the Jews were in the
Desert, but shall pass to the Land of Promise, that is of peace and
quietness.
C.
French.
Le grand Empire sera par l’_Angleterre_,
Le _Pempotan_ des ans plus de trois cens,
Grandes Copies passer par Mer & Terre,
Les _Lusitains_ n’en seront pas contens.
English.
The great Empire shall be in _England_,
The _Pempotan_ for more then three hundred years,
Great Armies shall pass through Sea and Land,
The _Portugueses_ shall not be contented therewith.
ANNOT.
This is a favourable one for _England_, for by it the Empire, or the
greatest Dominion of _Europe_ is promised to it, for the space of above
three hundred years, at which the _Portugueses_ or _Spaniards_ shall much
repine.
THE PROPHECIES OF Michael Nostradamus.
_CENTURY_ XI.
IX.
French.
_Meysinier_, _Manthi_, & le tiers qui viendra,
Peste & nouveau insult, enclos troubler.
_Aix_ & les lieux fureur dedans mordra,
Puis les _Phocens_ viendront leur mal doubler.
English.
_Meysinier_, _Manthi_, and the third that shall come,
Plague and new attempt shall trouble them enclosed,
The fury of it shall bite in _Aix_ and the places there about,
Then they of _Phocens_ shall come and double their misery.
ANNOT.
These are names of particular persons that are here threatned of the
Plague, as also the City of _Aix_ Capital of _Provence_, and the Countrey
about it, and after that the City of _Marseilles_ named here _Phocens_,
because they are a Colony of the old _Phocenses_ in _Greece_.
XCVII.
French.
Par _Ville Franche_, _Mascon_ en desarroy,
Dans les Fagots seront Soldats cachez,
Changer de temps en prime pour le Roy,
Par de _Chalon_ & _Moulins_ tous hachez.
English.
By _Ville Franche_, _Mascon_ shall be put in disorder,
In the Faggots shall Souldiers be hidden,
The time shall change in prime for the King,
By _Chalon_ and _Moulins_ they shall be all hewed to pieces.
ANNOT.
_Ville Franche_ is a Town five Leagues from _Lion_; and _Mascon_ another
about the same distance from _Ville Franche_, and _Chalon_ from _Mascon_,
and _Moulins_ from _Chalon_.
The meaning of it is this, that there shall be an attempt from _Ville
Franche_ upon _Mascon_, by Souldiers hidden in Faggots, that shall be
cut off by the succours of those _Chalons_ and _Moulins_; which like
did happen in the time of the Civil Wars in _France_, between the King
and the League, when the Towns stood one against another, but because I
can find nothing of it in the History, I suspend my further judgement
therein.
THE PROPHECIES OF Michael Nostradamus.
_CENTURY_ XII.
V.
French.
Feu, flamme, faim, furt, farouche fumée,
Fera faillir, froissant fort, soy faucher,
Fils de Deité! toute _Provence_ humée,
Chasse de Regne, enragé sans crocher.
English.
Fire, flame, hunger, theft, wild smoak,
Shall cause to fail, brusing hard, to move Faith,
Son of God! all _Provence_ swallowed up?
Driven from the Kingdom, raging mad without spitting.
ANNOT.
The curiosity of the Author in striving to begin all his words, in the
two first Verses hath made the tense of this Stanza so obscure, that I
believe no body ever did or shall truely understand it, all what can be
gathered out of it, is great threatning of several calamities, that were
to happen upon _Provence_ his native Countrey, as it did a little while
after his death, by the Civil Wars for Religion.
XXIV.
French.
Le grand secours venu de la _Guyenne_,
S’arrestera tout aupres de _Poitiers_,
_Lion_ rendu par _Montluel_ en _Vienne_,
Et saccagez par tous gens de Mestiers.
English.
The great succours that came from _Gascony_,
Shall stop hard by _Poitiers_,
_Lion_ surrendred by _Montluel_ and _Vienna_,
And ransacked by all kinds of Tradesmen.
ANNOT.
The words and sense of this are plain.
XXXVI.
French.
Assault farouche en _Cypre_ se prepare,
La larme a l’œil de ta ruine proche,
_Bizance_ Classe _Morisque_ si grand tare,
Deux differens le grand vast par la Roche.
English.
A cruel assault is preparing in _Cyprus_,
Tears in my eye, thou art near thy ruine,
The Fleet of _Constantinople_ and the _Morick_ so great damage.
Two differents the great wast shall be by the Rock.
ANNOT.
_A cruel assault is preparing_, signifies the shortness of the time in
which it was to happen, for our Author Prophecied 1555. and _Cyprus_ was
taken by the _Turks_ in the Month of _August_ 1571. _Selymus_ the II.
fifth Emperour of the _Turks_, where the perfidiousness of the Bassa
_Mustapha_ that Besieged it is remarkable, for having the Town delivered
him upon Articles; First, that the Inhabitants of the City yet alive
should enjoy their lives, liberty, and goods, with free exercise of
Christian Religion, that the Governour _Bragadinus_ with the rest of the
Captains and Souldiers might in safty depart with Bag and Baggage, and
at their departure take with them five pieces of Ordinance, and three
Horses, which soever it should please them to make choise of, and that
the _Turks_ should safely conduct them into _Crete_, finding them both
Victual and Shipping; yet all these matters agreed upon, and commenced
into Writting, as also by solemn Oaths on both side confirmed; the
perfidious Bassa nevertheless caused _Bragadinus_ to have his Ears cut
off, then caused him to be set in a Chair, and his skin to be flain off
from him quick, his head to be cut from his dead body, and upon the point
of a Spear to be set upon a high place, his skin also stuffed with Chaff,
he caused to be hanged up at the Yards Arm, and so to be carried about.
IV.
French.
Deux corps un chef, champs divisez en deux,
Et puis respondre a quattre non ouys,
Petits pour grands a pertius mal pour eux,
Tour d’_Aigues_ foudre, pire pour _Eussovis_.
English.
Two bodies, one head, fields divided into two,
And then answer to four unheard ones,
Small for great ones, open evil for them,
The Tower of _Aigues_ beaten by Lightning, worse for _Eussovis_.
ANNOT.
Out of this crabbid Stanza we shall pick what we can, and leave the rest
to the judgment of the judicious Reader. First,
_The two bodies, one head_ may be understood either a Monster that was
so, as it did happen once in _Italy_, as _Pareus_ witnesseth; or of the
union of the two Kingdoms of _France_ and _Navarre_, under _Henry_ the
IV. or of _England_ and _Scotland_ under King _James_.
The Tower of _Aiguemortes_ was strucken with the Lightning, a while after
our Author had put out his Prophecies.
V.
French.
Tristes Conseils, desloiaux, cauteleux,
Aduis meschant, la loy sera trahie,
Le peuple esmeu, farouche, querelleux,
Tant Bourg que Ville toute le paix haie.
English.
Sad Councels, unfaithful, malicious,
Ill advice the Law shall be betrayed,
The people shall be moved, wild & quarrelsome,
Both in Countrey and City the peace shall be hated.
ANNOT.
This is plain.
VI.
French.
Roy contre Roy, & le Duc contre Prince,
Haine entre iceux dissension, horrible,
Rage & fureur sera toute Province,
_France_ grand guerre & changement terrible.
English.
King against King, and Duke against a Prince,
Hatred between them, horrid dissension,
Rage and fury shall be in every Province,
Great War in _France_, and horrid changes.
ANNOT.
This is a true picture of the miseries of the Civil Wars in _France_,
when _Charles_ the IX. King of _France_, was against _Henry_ King of
_Navarre_, and the Duke of _Guise_ against the Prince of _Condé_.
VII.
French.
L’accord & pache sera du tout rompue,
Les amitiez pollues par discorde,
L’haine euvieille, toute foy corrompue,
Et l’esperance, _Marseilles_ sans concorde.
English.
The agreement and contract shall be broken in pieces,
The friendships polluted by discord,
The hatred shall be old, all faith corrupted,
And hope also, _Marseilles_ without concord.
ANNOT.
This is a second part of the foregoing.
VIII.
French.
Guerre & debats, a _Blois_ guerre & tumulte,
Divers aguets, adveux inopinables,
Entrer dedans _Chasteau Trompette_, insulte,
_Chasteau du Ha_ qui en seront coulpables.
English.
War and strifes, at _Blois_ war and tumult,
Several lying in wait, acknowledgment unexpected,
They shall get into the _Chasteau Trompette_ by assault,
And into the _Chasteau du Ha_, who shall be guilty of it.
ANNOT.
This Prophecy is concerning the Civil Wars of _France_ between the King
and the League.
He saith, _at ~Blois~ war and tumult_; because the Duke of _Guise_,
and the Cardinal his Brother were both killed there, at the convention
of Estates by the Kings command, which he calleth here _acknowledgment
unexpected_, because the Kingdom did own the fact.
The last two Verses are concerning the two Castles or Fortresses of
_Bourdeaux_, who in those days were sometimes by one party, and sometimes
by another.
LXV.
French.
A tenir fort par fureur contraindra,
Tout cœur trembler, _Langon_ advent terrible,
Le coup de pied mille pieds te rendra,
_Girond._ _Garon._ ne furent plus horribles.
English.
He shall by fury compel them to hold out,
Every heart shall tremble, _Langon_ shall have a terrible event,
The kick shall return to thee a thousand kicks,
_Girond._ _Garon._ are no more horrid.
ANNOT.
The two last Verses seem to have a relation to the foregoing Stanza,
and to import, that the Governour of _Bourdeaux_ shall compel them to
hold out, and because _Langon_, a Town 20 or 30 Miles distant from
_Bourdeaux_, was of the contrary party, and did annoy sometimes those of
_Bourdeaux_, it is threatned here to have a thousand kicks for one.
_Gironde_ and _Garonne_ are the two Rivers of _Bourdeaux_.
LXIX.
French.
_Eiovas_ proche, esloigner Lac _Leman_,
Fort grand apprests, retour confusion,
Loin des _Nepueux_, du feu grand _Supelman_,
Tous de leur suyte.
English.
_Eiovas_ near, yet seemeth to be far from the Lake _Leman_,
Very great preparatives, return confusion,
Far from the _Neveux_ of the late great _Supelman_,
All of their train.
ANNOT.
This is a notable one, directly foretelling the Enterprise or Scalado
made by the Duke of _Savoy_, upon _Geneva_: for the better Intelligence
of which, we shall first give the sense word for word, and then set down
the whole History as a piece of Cabinet, that the Reader after so much
tedious and crabbid reading, may have some field to spatiate and recruit
it self.
_Eiovas near_, _Eiovas_ by Anagram is _Savoy_, or the Duke of it, who at
that time was near _Geneva_; _yet seemeth far from the Lake ~Leman~_,
which is the Lake that passeth through _Geneva_, called in Latine _Lacus
Lemannus_. _Very great preparatives_; because at that time he made
great preparations to Scale the Walls of _Geneva_. _Return_; because
he was forced to retire. _Confusion_; because he was confounded in his
undertaking. _Far from the ~Neveux~ of the great ~Supelman~_; that is,
an action much unworthy the Kindred of _Henry_ the IV. called here great
_Supelman_, to whom he was Allied. _All of their Train_; that is, all
that were with him in that undertaking, did partake of his return and
confusion. Now the History is thus.