The Prophecies

by Nostradamus

  Aux procréés sceu la quadrangulaire :

  Au faict Royal le comment sera sceu,

  Corps veu pendu au veu du populaire.

  7.2

  Par Mars ouvert Arles ne donra guerre,

  De nuict seront les soldartz estonnés :

  Noir, blanc à l’inde dissimulés en terre,

  Souz la faincte umbre traistres verez & sonnés.

  7.3

  Après de France la victoire navale,

  Les Barchinons, Saillinons, les Phocens,

  Lierre d’or, l’enclume serré dedans la basle,

  Ceux de Ptolon au fraud seront concens.

  7.4

  Le duc de Langres assiegé dedans Dolle,

  Accompaigné d’Ostun & Lyonnois :

  Geneve, Auspour, joincts ceux de Mirandole,

  Passer les monts contre les Anconnois.

  7.5

  Vin sur la table en sera respandu,

  Le tiers n’aura celle qu’il pretendoit :

  Deux fois du noir de Parme descendu,

  Perouse à Pize fera ce qu’il cuidoit.

  7.6

  Naples, Palerme, & toute la Secille,

  Par main barbare sera inhabitée,

  Corsicq, Salerne & de Sardeigne l’isle,

  Faim, peste, guerre fin de maux intemptée.

  7.7

  Sur le combat des grans chevaux legiers,

  On criera le grand croissant confond :

  De nuict tuer, monts, habits de bergiers,

  Abismes rouges dans le fossé profond.

  7.8

  Flora fuis, fuis le plus proche Romain,

  Au fesulan sera conflict donné:

  Sang espandu les plus grans prins à main,

  Temple ne sexe ne sera pardonné.

  7.9

  Dame à l’absence de son grand capitaine,

  Sera priée d’amours du Viceroy :

  Faincte promesse & malheureuse estraine,

  Entre les mains du grand prince Barrois.

  7.10

  Par le grand prince limitrophe du Mans,

  Preux & vaillant chef de grand exercite :

  Par mer & terre de Gallotz & Normans,

  Calpre passer, Barcelone pillé isle.

  7.11

  L’enfant Royal contemnera la mere,

  Oeil, piedz blessés, rude, inobeissant :

  Nouvelle à dame estrange & bien amere,

  Seront tués des siens plus de cinq cens.

  7.12

  Le grand puisné fera fin de la guerre,

  Aux dieux assemble les excusés :

  Cahors, Moissac iront long de la serre,

  Reffus Lectore, les Agenois razés.

  7.13

  De la cité marine & tributaire,

  La teste raze prendra la satrapie :

  Chasser sordide qui puis sera contraire,

  Par quatorze ans tiendra la tyrannie.

  7.14

  Faux exposer viendra topographie,

  Seront les cruches des monuments ouvertes :

  Pulluler secte, faincte philosophie,

  Pour blanches, noires, & pour antiques vertes.

  7.15

  Devant cité de l’Insubre contrée,

  Sept ans sera le siege devant mis :

  Le tresgrand Roy y fera son entrée,

  Cité, puis libre hors de ses ennemis.

  7.16

  Entrée profonde par la grand Royne faicte

  Rendra le lieu puissant inaccessible :

  L’armée des trois lyons sera deffaite,

  Faisant dedans cas hideux & terrible.

  7.17

  Le prince rare de pitié & clemence,

  Viendra changer par mort grand cognoissance :

  Par grand repos le regne travaillé,

  Lors que le grand tost sera estrillé.

  7.18

  Les assiégés couloureront leurs paches,

  Sept jours après feront cruelle issue :

  Dans repoulsés, feu, sang, sept mis à l’hache,

  Dame captive qu’avoit la paix tissue.

  7.19

  Le fort Nicene ne sera combatu,

  Vaincu sera par rutilant metal :

  Son faict sera un long temps debatu,

  Aux citadins estrange espouvantal.

  7.20

  Ambassadeurs de la Toscane langue,

  Avril & May Alpes & mer passer :

  Celuy de veau expoussera l’harangue,

  Vie Gauloise ne venant effacer.

  7.21

  Par pestilente inimitié Volsicque,

  Dissimulée chassera le tyrant :

  Au pont de Sorgues se fera la traffique,

  De mettre à mort luy & son adherant.

  7.22

  Les citoyens de Mesopotamie,

  Yrés encontre amis de Tarracone,

  Jeux, ritz, banquetz, toute gent endormie,

  Vicaire au Rosne, prins cité, ceux d’Ausone.

  7.23

  Le Royal sceptre sera contrainct de prendre,

  Ce que ses predecesseurs avoient engaigé:

  Puis que l’aneau on fera mal entendre,

  Lors qu’on viendra le palays saccager.

  7.24

  L’ensevely sortyra du tombeau,

  Fera de chaines lier le fort du pont :

  Empoysonné avec œuf de barbeau,

  Grand de Lorraine par le Marquis du Pont.

  7.25

  Par guerre longue, l’exercite expuiser,

  Que pour souldartz ne trouveront pecune :

  Lieu d’or, d’argent, cuir on viendra cuser,

  Gaulois ærain, signe croissant de Lune.

  7.26

  Fustes & gallées autour de sept navires,

  Sera livrée une mortelle guerre :

  Chef de Madric recevra coup de vires,

  Deux eschapées & cinq menées à terre.

  7.27

  Au cainct de Vast la grand cavalerie,

  Proche à Ferrage empeschée au bagaige :

  Promt à Turin feront tel volerie,

  Que dans le fort raviront leur hostaige.

  7.28

  Le capitaine conduira grande proye,

  Sur la montaigne des ennemis plus proche :

  Environné, par feu fera tel voye,

  Tous eschappez or trente mis en broche.

  7.29

  Le grand duc d’Albe se viendra rebeller

  A ses grans peres fera le tradiment :

  Le grand de Guise le viendra debeller,

  Captif mené & dressé monument.

  7.30

  Le sac s’approche, feu, grand sang espandu,

  Po, grand au fleuve, aux bouviers l’entreprise,

  De Gennes, Nice, après long attendu,

  Foussan, Turin, à Savillan la prinse.

  7.31

  De Languedoc, & Guienne plus de dix,

  Mille voudront les Alpes repasser :

  Grans Allobroges marcher contre Brundis,

  Aquin & Bresse les viendront recasser.

  7.32

  Du mont Royal naistra d’une casane,

  Qui cave et compte viendra tyranniser,

  Dresser copie de la marche Millane,

  Favene, Flora d’or & gents espuiser.

  7.33

  Par fraude, regne, forces expolier,

  La classe obsesse, passages à l’espie :

  Deux fainctz amys se viendront rallier,

  Esveiller hayne de long temps assoupie.

  7.34

  En grand regret sera la gent Gauloise,

  Cœur vain, legier, croira temerité:

  Pain, sel, ne vin, eaue, venin ne cervoise,

  Plus grand captif, faim, froit, necessité.

  7.35

  La grande pesche viendra plaindre, plorer,

  D’avoir esleu, trompés seront en l’aage :

  Guiere avec eux ne voudra demourer,

  Deçeu sera par ceux de son langaige.

  7.36

  Dieu, le ciel, tout le d
ivin verbe à l’unde,

  Pourté par rouges sept razes à Bizance :

  Contre les oingz trois cens de Trebisconde,

  Deux loix mettront, & horreur, puis credence.

  7.37

  Dix envoyés, chef de nef mettre à mort,

  D’un averty, en classe guerre ouverte :

  Confusion, chef, l’un se picque & mord,

  Leryn, Stecades, nefz cap dedans la nerte.

  7.38

  L’aisné Royal sur coursier voltigeant,

  Picquer viendra, si rudement courir :

  Gueulle, lipée, pied sans l’estrein pleigeant,

  Trainé, tiré, horriblement mourir.

  7.39

  Le conducteur de l’armée Françoise,

  Cuidant perdre le principal phalange :

  Par sus pavé de lavaigne & d’ardoise,

  Soy parfondra par Gennes gent estrange.

  7.40

  Dedans tonneaux hors oingz d’huille & gresse,

  Seront vingt un devant le port fermés

  Au second guet par mort feront prouesse :

  Gaigner les portes & du guet assommés.

  7.41

  Les oz des piedz & des mains enserrés,

  Par bruit maison longtemps inhabitée :

  Seront par songes concavant deterrés,

  Maison salubre & sans bruyt habitée.

  7.42

  Deux de poison saisiz nouveau venuz,

  Dans la cuisine du grand Prince verser :

  Par le souillard tous deux au faict congneuz,

  Prins qui cuidoit de mort l’aisné vexer.

  To the Most Invincible,

  Most Powerful, and

  Most Christian Henri King of

  France the Second;

  Michel Nostradamus his most humble,

  most obedient servant & subject,

  Victory & Felicity.

  With that sovereign respect which I have experienced, O most Christian & victorious King, ever since my long-obscured face has presented itself before the deity of Your Immeasurable Majesty, ever since then have I remained perpetually dazzled, never ceasing to honor & worthily venerate that day when I first presented myself before a Majesty so unique & so humane.

  Now, searching for some occasion whereby I might manifest my goodness & openness of heart, so that I might thereby amply extend my gratitude to Your Most Serene Majesty.

  Now, seeing that to declare this by my deeds was impossible, combined with my singular desire to be transported from my all too protracted darkness & obscurity & suddenly be illumined before the face of the sovereign Eye & Prime Monarch of the World, I was therefore long in doubt to whom I should dedicate these three Centuries of my remaining Prophecies that round off the thousand, & having long meditated this act of such rash audacity, I have ventured to address Your Majesty, not daunted like those mentioned by that most eminent author Plutarch (in his Life of Lycurgus), who were so astounded by the cost of the offerings & gifts brought as sacrifices to the temples of the immortal gods of those times that, fearing the expense, they dared not present themselves at the temples.

  This notwithstanding, seeing your Royal Splendor to be accompanied by such incomparable humanity, I have ventured an address to you, not as to those Kings of Persia whom it was absolutely forbidden to stand before, much less approach.

  But it is to a Prince most prudent & wise that I have dedicated my nocturnal & prophetic computations, composed out of natural instinct & accompanied by poetic furor rather than according to the rules of poetry, & most of them composed in accord with Astronomical calculations corresponding to the years, months & weeks of the regions, countries, & most of the towns & cities of all Europe, including Africa & a portion of Asia, as these regions change & approach their various latitudes, & all this composed in a natural manner: someone who might do well to wipe his nose could retort that their rhythm is as facile as their meaning is difficult.

  That, O Most Humane King, is because most of these prophetic quatrains are so knotty that people cannot make their way through them, much less interpret them, nonetheless, wanting to set out in writing the years, towns, cities, regions where most of them will occur, especially those of the year 1585 & of the year 1606, reckoning from the present time, which is the fourteenth of March 1557, & extending far beyond the advent of the beginning of the seventh millennium (as carefully worked out by computation), when, insofar as my astronomic calculations & other knowledge manage to reach that far, the adversaries of Jesus Christ & his Church shall become legion, all of which has been composed & calculated in days & hours carefully chosen & set out as accurately as I could.

  And all of this when Minerva was free & well-disposed, by calculating almost as many of the events of future times as of ages past, comprehending the present & what everywhere over the course of time shall come to be recognized as the future, precisely as is written, with nothing superfluous added, although some might say: As for the future, the truth cannot entirely be determined.

  It is true, Sire, by that natural instinct of mine which was bequeathed to me by my ancestors, not intending to prophesy but adjusting & according this natural instinct with my lengthy computations, & emptying my soul, mind & heart of all care, worry & disquiet through mental calm & tranquillity.

  All of which was brought into accord & foretold by means of the bronze tripod.

  Although there are many who would attribute to me what is as much mine as it is nothing of the kind, for Eternal God alone (who is the thorough examiner of human hearts, holy, just & merciful) is the true judge of this & to whom I pray that he defend me from the calumny of wicked men who, in their own slanderous fashion, would likewise also want to inquire how all your most venerable ancestors among the Kings of France cured people of scrofula, while those of other nations cured snake bites, & yet others had a certain instinct for the divinatory arts, & other examples too long to recount here.

  Notwithstanding those in whom the malignity of the evil spirit shall be apprehended over the course of time after my earthly extinction, my writings shall fare better than during my own lifetime, even if I have made errors in my computation of ages or prove unable to please all persons.

  May it please your more than Imperial Majesty to forgive me, for I protest before God & his Saints that I do not claim to put anything into writing in the present epistle which might go against the true Catholic faith, devising my Astronomic calculations to the best of my ability: for the extent of time of our ancestors is such (deferring to the correction of sounder judgment) that Adam the first man preceded Noah by about a thousand two hundred years (not reckoning by such Gentile calculations as Varro committed to writing, but solely by the Holy Scriptures, & according to my feeble understanding of my own Astronomic calculations).

  About a thousand eighty years after Noah & the universal flood came Abraham who, according to some, was a masterful Astrologer, the first inventor of the Chaldean alphabet: after him came Moses some five hundred fifteen or sixteen years later, & between his time & that of David some five hundred seventy years elapsed.

  Then, between the time of David & the time of our savior & redeemer Jesus Christ, born of the unique virgin, one thousand three hundred fifty years elapsed (according to some chronographers): some may object that this calculation cannot be true, because it differs from that of Eusebius.

  And from the time of human redemption until the loathsome blandishments of the Saracens there were six hundred twenty-one years or thereabouts, from which one can easily adduce the amount of time gone by, if my computations hold good for all nations, for everything has been calculated according to the movements of the heavens, combined with the emotions, handed down to me by my ancestors, which come over me at certain forsaken hours.

  But the danger of these times requires, O Most Serene King, that such secret events be expressed only in enigmatic terms which however have only one sense & single meaning, with no ambiguity or amphibiological calculation thrown in: but rather under a clo
ud of obscurity, with a natural infusion approximating the phrasing of one of the thousand & two Prophets who have existed since the creation of the world, according to the computations & Punic Chronicle of Joel: I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; & your sons & your daughters shall prophesy.

  But such prophecy proceeded from the mouth of the Holy Ghost who was the sovereign & eternal power, in conjunction with the celestial bodies, & some of this prophetic company predicted great & marvelous happenings: as concerns me here, I would never claim such a title, never, please God, I readily admit that everything proceeds from God, & I render Him thanks, honor & everlasting praise, without having adulterated it with anything that might have proceeded from prophetic utterance, but from God, from nature, & most of this accompanied by the movement of the heavens, much like seeing in a flaming mirror (as with clouded vision) those immense events (so sad & prodigious) & calamities that now begin to draw nigh on account of the ruling religious factions.

  These shall befall, first, the temples of God, then, second, those who depend on the land, who shall fall into such decline, together with a thousand other calamities, which shall come to be known to occur in due time.

  For God shall look upon the long-barren Great Lady, who thereupon shall produce two principal children: but she being at risk, the girl-child to whom she shall have given birth shall, by the foolhardiness of her age, be in danger of dying in her eighteenth year, & shall be unable to live beyond her thirty-sixth year, so that Great Lady shall leave behind three males & one female, & two of these shall not have had the same father, & among the three brothers there shall be such differences, but then they shall be so reunited & so in accord that the third & fourth parts of Europe shall tremble: the youngest in age shall sustain & augment the Christian monarchy: sects elevated & suddenly repressed, Arabs retreating, Kingdoms united, new Laws promulgated: among the other children, the oldest one shall rule the land whose escutcheon is furious crowned Lions, their paws on the intrepid coat of arms.