Chapter LXXI: French

Fleuves, Rivieres, de mal seront obstacles,
La vielle flame d’ire non appaisée,
Courir en _France_, cecy come d’Oracles,
Maisons, Manoirs, Palais, secte rasée.

English.

Brooks and Rivers shall be a stopping to evil,
The old flame of anger being not yet ceased,
Shall run through _France_, take this as an Oracle,
Houses, Mannors, Palaces, Sect shall be raced.

ANNOT.

This hath a perfect relation to the miseries that followed the general Massacre of the Protestants in _France_ in the year 1572. when the Rivers were a stop to the cruelty of the Persecutors, and when so many Houses, Mannors and Palaces belonging to those of the reformed Religion were demolished, and to signifie the certainty thereof, he saith in the third Verse, _take this as an Oracle_.

To the Curious

READER

Gentle Reader,

_Thou shalt take notice, that in this place the covetousness of Booksellers and Printers, hath in the modern Copies vented new Prophecies, which they call Prognostications, drawn out of those of ~Michael Nostradamus~, which are so absurd and nonsensical, that they have been rejected, both by his Son, and the best Wits of this age; therefore I would not soil the Paper with them, for fear to put such a course List upon so fine a Cloth, but shall proceed on to give you the rest of those Prophecies, which truly and undoubtedly belong to our Author._

Wonderful Prognostications for the Age 1600.

Gathered out of the Notes of _Mr._

Michael Nostradamus,

Physitian to King CHARLES the IX. and one of the most excellent Astronomers that ever were.

PRESENTED

To the Most Victorious and Merciful PRINCE HENRY the IV.

King of FRANCE and NAVARRE, at _Chantilly_ the Constable of _Montmorency_’s House the _19th_. of _March_ 1605.

By _Vincent Seve_ of the Town of _Beaucaire_ in _Languedoc_.

To the King.

Sir,

_Having some years ago recovered certain Prophecies, or Prognostications, made by the lately Deceased ~Michael Nostradamus~, from the hands of ~Henry Nostradamus~ his Nephew, which he gave me before his death, and which I have kept secret till now, that I saw they treated of the affairs of your Estate, and particularly of your Person and Successors, as your self may see if you please to take the pains to look upon, and wherein you shall find things worthy of admiration. I have taken the boldness (though unworthy) to present them to you, transcribed in this little Book, no less wonderful then the other two which he made, for in it he hath treated of what shall happen in this Age 1600. not so obscurely as he hath done formerly but by ~ænigmes~, specifying so clearly the things he speaketh of, that one may certainly judge of them, as of things that are already come to pass. Being therefore desirous that your Majesty should have the first notice thereof, I thought to discharge my duty in this as one of your most obedient and faithful Subjects, which I intreat your Majesty would be pleased to agree, obliging so not onely the body of one of your faithful Subjects already yours, but also the Soul who shall continue to pray for the health and prosperity of your Majesty, and of all those that have relation to it, as one that is, and shall ever be_,

SIR,

Your most humble, most obedient and faithful Servant and Subject,

SEVE.

_From your Town of ~Beaucaire~ in ~Languedoc~._

OTHER

PROPHECIES

OF

Michael Nostradamus.

For the Years of this Age 1600.