Chapter XXXV: French

Le Lion jeune le vieux surmontera,
En champ bellique par singulier Duelle,
Dans Cage dor Lœil il lui crevera,
Deux playes une puis mourir mort cruelle.

English.

The young Lion shall overcome the old one,
In Martial field by a single Duel,
In a Golden Cage he shall put out his Eye,
Two wounds from one, then he shall die a cruel death.

ANNOT.

This is one of the Prophecies that hath put our Author in credit, as well for the clearness as for the true event of it.

_Cæsar Nostradamus_ our Authors son, in his History of _Provence_, writeth that by this _Stanza_ his father intended to foretell the manner of _Henry_ the second’s death.

The _French_ Histories relate that this great Prince desiring to honour the Nuptial of his Daughter _Elizabeth_, married to _Philip_ II. King of _Spain_, did appoint a Tournament to be kept in St. _Anthony_’s street in _Paris_, where himself would be one of the Defendants against all comers, and for that purpose chose for his companions and associates _Don Alfonso d’Este_ Duke of _Ferrara_, and _Francis_ of _Lorrain_, Duke of _Guise_.

The Tornament being almost ended, in which the King had shewed much Valour being mounted upon a Horse of the Duke of _Savoy_, _Philibert_’s, _Emanuel_ his Brother in Law, this Duke intreated the King to leave off, because he had got the Victory; and the weather was hot, and the night drawing on: But this Martial King would need break one Launce more, and commanded the Captain _Gabriel de Lorges_ to be called, a young and valiant Lord and Captain of the _Scottish_ Guard. Being come, the King commanded him to run against him, which he refused a great while; but the King waxing angry, he obeyed, and set Spurs to his Horse, he did hit the King in the lower part of his Beaver, the Launce was broken into shivers, and the mean stump lifting up the Beaver, a splinter got in, and wounded the King a little above the right _Eye_, where finding the Bone too hard, it went very deep under the said _Eye_, and broke some Veins belonging to the Membrane, called _Pia Mater_.

The blow was so violent that the King bended his head towards the lists, and fell, into a Swound, being presently disarmed, they perceived the splinter of the Launce in his _Eye_, and his face all bloody. He lived ten days after, and died with great Convulsions, because the Sinews were offended, whereupon he suffered grievous Torment.

His death was also foretold by _Luke Gaurick_ a great Astrologer, who being constrained by the Queen _Catharine_ of _Medicis_, to tell her by what kind of death her Husband should end his days, told her it should be in a _Duel_, which made him to be hissed at, Kings being exempted of those accidents.

According to this Narrative the Author calleth the King an old _Lion_, and the Captain _Lorges_, since Earl of _Montgomery_, the _young Lion_; because both fought like _Lions_. The _young Lion_ overcame the old one in _Martial field_, and in a fight of one against one, and consequently a _Duel_.

He overcame him by putting his _Eye_ out in a _Golden Cage_, that is, in his Gilded Helmet.

Of which _Wound_ there came another, because the blood of some broken Veins, creeping into the Brains by the vehement agitation of the head, caused an Impostume there, which could not be remedied: therefore the Author saith _two Wounds_ from one, that is, one wound made two: and the King died of a cruel death, as we have said before.

XXXVI.

French.

Tard le Monarque se viendra repentir,
De navoir mis a Mort son Adversaire,
Mais viendra bien a plus haut consentir,
Que tout son sang par Mort sera deffaire.

English.

The Monarque shall too late repent,
That he hath not put to death his Adversary;
But he shall give his consent to a greater thing than that,
Which is to put to death all his Adversaries Kindred.

ANNOT.

The words of this are plain, though it be questionable whether the thing is come to pass already, or not.

XXXVII.

French.

Un peu devant que le Soleil sabsconse,
Conflict donné, grand peuple dubieux,
Profligez, Port-Marin ne fait responce,
Pont & Sepulchre en deux estranges lieux.

English.

A little before the Sun setteth,
A Battle shall be given, a great people shall be doubtful,
Of being foiled, the Sea-Port maketh no answer,
A Bridge and Sepulchre shall be in two strange places.

ANNOT.

The two first verses I believe are concerning the Battle of Saint _Denis_, which was fought in the Evening hard by _Paris_, and where the Constable of _Montmorency_ was kill’d, which made that great people of _Paris_ to be doubtful.

The other two Verses I leave to the interpretation of the Reader.

XXXVIII.

French.

Le Sol & l’Aigle Victeur paroistront,
Response vain au vaincu lon asseure,
Par Cor ne cris, harnois narresteront,
Vindicte paix, par Mort lacheve a l’heure.

English.

The Sun and the Eagle shall appear to the Victorious,
A vain Answer shall be made good to the vanquished,
By no means Arms shall not be stopped,
Vengeance maketh Peace, by death he then accomplisheth it.

ANNOT.

This Stanza being full of Figures and Equivoques, I will not interpose my Judgement in it, lest I undertake too much, and perform too little.

XXXIX.

French.

De nuit dans le lit le supresme estranglé,
Pour avoir trop suborné blond esleu,
Par trois l’Empire subroge Exancle,
A mort mettra, Carte ne Pacquet leu.

English.

By night in the bed the chief one shall be strangled.
For having too much suborned fair Elect,
By three the Empire subrogate Exancle,
He shall put him to death, reading neither Card nor Packet.

ANNOT.

The Author hath purposely obscured this Prophecie in the third Verse, to take away the Knowledge of it from the Reader; because the parties concerned were then alive, _viz._ _Philip_ II. King of _Spain_, who caused his only son _Don Carlo_ to be strangled in his bed, for suspicion of being too familiar with his wife _Elizabeth_ of _France_, and Daughter to _Henry_ II. The last Verse saith, that he was so implacable, that he would read neither _Card_ nor _Packet_, that is, no requests.

XL.

French.

La tourbe fausse dissimilant folie,
Fera _Bizance_ un changement de loix,
Istra d’_Ægypt_ qui veus que l’on deslie,
Edict, changant Monnoys & alloys.

English.

The false Troup dissembling their folly,
Shall make in _Bizance_ an alteration of _Laws_.
One shall come out of _Ægypt_ who will have untied
The Edict, changing the Coin and allay.

ANNOT.

There is two things in this Prognostication, the first that in _Bizance_, which is _Constantinople_, a _Troop_ of tumultuous persons gathered together, and dissembling their folly, shall cause an alteration in the _Laws_.

The other, that some _Bassa_ come out of _Ægypt_, shall perswade them at _Constantinople_ to alter their _Coin_, and the allay of it.