Chapter LXXXVII: French

L’An que _Saturne_ hors de servage,
Au franc terroir sera d’eau inondé,
De sang _Troien_ sera son mariage,
Et sera seur d’_Espagnols_ circondé.

English.

In the year that _Saturn_ out of slavery,
In the free Countrey shall be drowned by water,
With _Troian_ blood his marriage shall be,
And for certain he shall be hedged about with _Spaniards_.

ANNOT.

By _Troian_ blood is understood the _French_ Nation, the meaning therefore is, that in the year that a great Inundation shall be in _France_, then shall a notable marriage be made, by which the _French_ shall be hedged about, or fenced by _Spaniards_.

LXXXVIII.

French.

Sur le Sablon par un hideux Deluge,
Des autres Mers trouvé Monstre Marin,
Proche de lieu sera fait un refuge,
Tenant _Savone_ esclave de _Turin_.

English.

Upon the sand through an hideous Deluge
Of other Seas, shall be found a Sea Monster,
Near to that place shall be made a Sanctuary,
Which shall make _Savone_ a slave to _Turin_.

ANNOT.

When by the overflowing of the Neighbouring Seas, a Sea Monster shall be cast upon the Sand, near to that Place shall be built a Fort, that shall make _Savona_ a slave to _Turin_.

_Savona_ is a Town by the Sea side, belonging to the _Genoese_, _Turin_ is the chief City of _Piemont_, belonging to the Duke of _Savoy_.

LXXXIX.

French.

Dedans _Hongrie_ par _Boheme_, _Navarre_,
Et par Banieres feintes seditious,
Par fleurs de Lis paix portant la barre,
Contre _Orleans_ fera esmotions.

English.

In _Hungaria_, through _Bohemia_ and _Navarre_,
And by banners fained seditions,
Through flower de Luce the Countrey that wears the Bar,
Against _Orleans_ shall make commotions.

ANNOT.

This Stanza is divided into two parts; the two first Verses foretell the troubles that were to happen in _Hungaria_, _Bohemia_, and _Navarre_ for Religion sake. The two last ones were fulfilled, when the Prince of _Condé_, who in his Arms wears the flower de Luce with the Bar, did seize upon _Orleans_ for the Protestant party.

XC.

French.

Dans les _Cyclades_, en _Corinthe_, & _Larisse_,
Dedans _Sparte_ tout le _Peloponese_,
Si grand famine peste far faux conisse,
Neuf mois tiendra & tout le _Cherronesse_.

English.

In the _Cyclades_, in _Corinthe_, and _Larisse_,
In _Sparta_, and all _Peloponesus_,
There shall be so great a famine and plague by false arts,
That shall last nine months in _Chersonesus_.

ANNOT.

_Cyclades_ are the Islands in the _Ægean_ Sea; _Corinth_, _Larissa_, _Sparta_, _Peloponesus_, and _Chersonesus_, are Countreys of _Grecia_.

XCI.

French.

Au grand marché qu’on dit des mensongers,
De tout _Torrent_ & Champ _Athenien_,
Seront surpris par les Chevaux legers,
Des _Albanois_, _Mars_, _Leo_, _Sat._ au _Versien_.

English.

In the great Market called of the Liars,
Which is all _Torrent_ and _Athenian_ Field,
They shall be surprised by the light Horse,
Of the _Albanese_, _Mars_ in _Leo_, _Saturn_ in _Aquarius_.

ANNOT.

When _Mars_ shall be in the sign of _Leo_, and _Saturn_ in that of _Aquarius_, then the Countrey of _Athens_ shall be over-run by light Horsemen of _Albania_.

XCII.

French.

Apres le siege tenu dixsept ans
Cinq changeront en tel revolu terme,
Puis sera l’un esleu de mesme temps,
Qui des _Romains_ ne sera trop conforme.

English.

After the seat possessed seventeen years,
Five shall change in such a space of time;
After that, one shall be elected at the same time,
Who shall not be very conformable to the _Romans_.

ANNOT.

The meaning is, that when a Pope shall have sat in the Chair, for the space of 17 years, within the same space of 17 years, five others shall be elected; and after them another, that shall not be well approved of by the _Roman_ Clergy, and Nobility. If my memory doth not fail me, this is come to pass already; but wanting the Popes Chronology, I could not make it good.

XCIII.

French.

Soubs le terroir du rond Globe Lunaire,
Lors que sera dominateur _Mercure_,
L’Isle d’_Escosse_ fera un Lumenaire,
Que les _Anglois_ mettra a desconfiture.

English.

Under the Territory of the round Lunary Globe,
When _Mercury_ shall be Lord of the ascendant;
The Island of _Scotland_ shall make a Luminary,
That shall put the _English_ to an overthrow.

ANNOT.

This Prophecie must of necessity be past; for since the union of both Kingdom under one King, such a thing hath not happened, nor is it likely it should be hereafter.

XCIV.

French.

Translatera en la grand _Germanie_,
_Brabant_ & _Flanders_, _Gand_, _Bruges_ & _Bologne_,
La trefue fainte le grand Duc d’_Armenie_,
Assailera _Vienne_ & la _Coloigne_.

English.

He shall translate into the great _Germany_,
_Brabant_, _Flanders_, _Gand_, _Bruges_, and _Bullen_,
The truce fained, the great Duke of _Armenia_,
Shall assault _Vienna_ and _Colen_.

ANNOT.

It is concerning an Emperour that shall add all those Countreys to the Empire of _Germany_.

XCV.

French.

Nautique rame invitera les umbres,
Du grand Empire lors viendra conciter,
La mer _Ægee_ des lignes des Encombres,
Empeschant londe _Tirrhene_ de fletter.

English.

The Sea Oare shall invite the shades,
Of the great Empire, then shall it come to stir,
The _Ægean_ Sea, with lines of Encumbers,
Hindering the _Tirrhene_ Sea to roll.

ANNOT.

This is either Mistical or Metaphorical, or I understand it not.

XCVI.

French.

Sur le milieu du grand monde la Rose,
Pour nouveaux faits sang public espandu,
A dire uray on aura bouche close,
Lors au besoing viendra tard lattendu.

English.

The Rose shall be in the middle of the great world,
Blood shall be publickly spilt for new deeds;
To say the truth, every one shall stop his mouth,
Then at the time of need shall come long looked for.

ANNOT.

The words are plain, out of which every one may make what construction he pleaseth.

XCVII.

French.

Le na difforme par horreur suffoqué,
Dans la Cité du grand Roy habitable,
L’edit severy des captifs revoqué,
Gresle & Tonnerre, _Condon_ inestimable.

English.

The deformed born shall through horror be suffocated,
In the habitable City of the great King,
The severe Proclamation against banished shall be recalled,
Hail and Thunder shall do inestimable harm at _Condon_.

ANNOT.

_Condon_ is a Town in _France_; the rest is plain.

XCVIII.

French.

A quarante huit degré Climacterique,
A fin de _Cancer_ si grande secheresse,
Poisson en Mer, Fleuve, Lac cuit hectique,
_Bearn_, _Bigorre_, par feu Ciel en detresse.

English.

At the Climacterical degree of eight and fourty,
At the end of _Cancer_, shall be such a drougth,
That Fish in the Sea, River, and Lake shall be boiled to a consumption,
_Bearn_ and _Bigorre_ by Heavenly fire shall be in distress.

ANNOT.

_Bearn_ and _Bigorre_ are two Provinces of _France_; the rest is plain.

XCIX.

French.

_Milan_, _Ferrare_, _Turin_ & _Aquilee_,
_Capne_, _Brundis_ vexez par gent _Celtique_,
Par le Lion & Phalange _Aquilee_,
Quand _Rome_ aura le chef vieux _Britannique_.

English.

_Milan_, _Ferrara_, _Turin_, and _Aquileia_,
_Capne_, _Brundis_, shall be vexed by the _French_,
By the Lion and troop of _Aquileia_,
When _Rome_ shall have an old _Brittanick_ Head.

ANNOT.

The Cities here mentioned are all in _Italy_.

C.

French.

Le boutefeu par son feu attrapé,
Du feu du Ciel a _Tartas_ & _Comminge_,
_Foix_, _Aux_, _Mazere_, haut vieillard escapé,
Par ceux de _Hess_, de _Saxe_ & de _Turinge_.

English.

The incendiary shall be overtaken by his own fire,
Heavenly fire shall fall at _Tartas_ and _Cominge_,
_Foix_, _Auch_, _Mazerre_, a tall old man shall escape,
By the means of those of _Hessia_, _Saxony_, and _Turinge_.

ANNOT.

_Tartas_, _Cominge_, _Foix_, _Auch_, _Mazere_ are Towns in _France_. _Hessia_, _Saxony_, and _Turinge_ are Provinces of _Germany_.

THE PROPHECIES OF Michael Nostradamus.

_CENTURY_ VI.

I.

French.

Autour des Monts _Pyrenees_ grand amas,
De gent estrange secourir Roy nouveau,
Pres de _Garonne_ du grand Temple du _Mas_,
Un _Romain_ Chef le craindra dedans l’Eau.

English.

About the _Pyrenean_ Mountains there shall be a great gathering
Of strange Nations to succour a new King;
Near _Garonne_ and the great Temple of _Mas_,
A _Roman_ Captain shall fear him in the Water.

ANNOT.

The _Pyrenean_ Mountains are those that part _Spain_ from _France_; _Garonne_ is the River that runneth at _Bourdeaux_, it seemeth then, that upon that River a _Roman_ Captain shall stand in much fear of the new King before mentioned.

II.

French.

En la cinq cens octante plus & moins,
On attendra le siecle bien estrange,
En l’an sept cens & trois (cieux en tesmoins),
Regnes plusieurs un a cinq feront change.

English.

In the year five hundred fourscore more or less,
There shall be a strange Age,
In the year seven hundred and three (witness Heaven),
Many Kingdoms, one to five shall be changed.

ANNOT.

What strange age it was in the year 1580. every one may satisfie himself by History. As for the year 1703. our Author saith there will be great wonders, chiefly there shall many changes be in Kingdoms, insomuch, that one shall be divided into five.

III.

French.

Fleuve qu’esproune le nouveau nay _Celtique_,
Sera en grande de l’Empire discorde:
Le jeune Prince par gent Ecclesiastique,
Le Sceptre osté Corone de concorde.

English.

The River that makes tryal of the new born _Celtick_,
Shall be at great variance with the Empire,
The young Prince shall be an Ecclesiastical person,
And have his Scepter taken off, and the Crown of concord.

ANNOT.

This River is the River of _Rhyne_, because the ancient _French_ when they had a King newly born, they used to put him upon a Target, to make him swim upon that River, to try whether by his swimming he was lawfully begotten or no; the meaning therefore is, that this new born _Celtique_ or _French_ King shall be at variance with the Empire, and that in his young years the Clergy shall take his Scepter and Crown from him.

IV.

French.

Fleuve _Celtique_ changera de Rivage,
Plus ne tiendra la Cité d’_Agripine_,
Tout transmué horsmis le viel Language,
_Saturn_, _Leo_, _Mars_, _Cancer_ en rapine.

English.

The River of the Low-Countreys shall change her Shoare,
It shall touch no more the City of _Agrippina_,
All shall be transformed, except the old Language,
_Saturn_, _Leo_, _Mars_, _Cancer_ in _Rapine_.

ANNOT.

This is a strange prediction, if it should prove true, that the _Rhine_ should change its course, and should touch no more the City of _Colen_, which is here called _Agrippina_; because its name in Latine is _Colonia Agrippina_, being a Colony of the _Romans_, built by _M. Agrippa_, son in Law to _Augustus_; others say by _Agrippina_, Mother to the Emperour _Nero_.

The last Verse signifieth no more than an unfortunate position and Aspect of the two Planets, _Saturn_ and _Mars_, and of the two Signs, _Leo_ and _Cancer_.

V.

French.

Si grand famine par une pestifere,
Par pluye longue le long du Pole _Artique_.
_Samarobryn_ cent lieux de l’Hemisphere,
Vivront sans loy exempt de politique.

English.

So great a famine with a plague,
Through a long Rain shall come along the _Artick_ Pole,
_Samarobryn_ a hundred Leagues from the Hemisphere,
Shall live without Law, exempt from pollicy.

ANNOT.

The two last Verses foretel a great Plague and Famine that shall come from the North, by the means of the long Rain.

_Samarobryn_ he calls a people, that shall be a hundred Leagues from our Hemisphere, and shall live without Law and Policy.

VI.

French.

Apparoistra vers le septentrion,
Non loing de _Cancer_ l’estoille cheveluë,
_Suze_, _Sienne_, _Boëce_, _Eretrion_,
Mourra de _Rome_ grand, la nuict disperuë.

English.

Towards the North shall appear,
Not far from _Cancer_ a blazing Star,
_Suza_, _Sienna_, _Boëce_, _Eretrion_,
There shall die at _Rome_ a great man, the night being past.

ANNOT.

Here he foretelleth the apparition of a Commet that shall be vertical to the Cities here named, and not far from the Sign of _Cancer_, at which time a great person shall die at _Rome_, about the dawning of the day.

VII.

French.

_Norvege_ & _Dace_, & l’Isle _Britannique_,
Par les unes freres seront vexées,
Le chef _Romain_ issu du sang _Gallique_,
Et les copies aux forests repousées.

English.

_Norvegia_, and _Dacia_, and the _Brittish_ Island,
Shall be vexed by the Brothers united.
The _Roman_ Captain issued from _French_ blood,
His Forces shall be beaten back to the Forrest.

ANNOT.

The difficulty lyes in the word _Brothers_, which I suppose to be the United Provinces. The rest is plain.

VIII.

French.

Ceux qui estoient en regne pour scavoir,
Au Royal change deviendront a pauvris,
Uns exilez sans appuy, Or navoir,
Lettréz & lettres ne seront a grand pris.

English.

Those that were in esteem for their learning,
Upon the change of a King shall become poor,
Some banished, without help, having no Gold,
Learned and learning shall not be much valued.

ANNOT.

This Prophecie is clear enough, and here the Author hath said nothing, but what doth commonly happen.