Nostradamus

“ Great Nostradamus thus, his age advis'd, The mob his counsels jeer'd, some bards [K] despis'd Him still, neglecting these his genius fir'd, A king encourag'd, and the world admir'd; Greater (as times great tide increas'd) he grew, When distant ages proved what truths he knew; Thy nobler book a greater king received, Whence I predict, and claim to be believ'd, That by posterity, less fame shall be To Nostradamus granted, than to thee; Thee! whom the best of Kings does so defend, And (myself barring) the best bards commend. ”

“ 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 ”

“ NOSTRADAMUS. Michael Nostradamus, a celebrated astrologer, was born at St. Remi in Provence in the year 1503. He published a Century of Prophecies in obscure and oracular terms and barbarous verse, and other works. In the period in which he lived the pretended art of astrological prediction was in the highest repute; and its professors were sought for by emperors and kings, and entertained with the greatest distinction and honour. ”

“ In the Epistle that within the late years I have dedicated to my Son Cæsar Nostradamus, I have openly enough declared some things, without prognosticating. But here (Sir) are comprehended many great and wonderful events, which those that come after us shall see. And during the said Astrological supputation, conferred with the sacred Scripture, the persecution of the Clergy shall have its beginning from the power of Northern Kings, joyned with the Eastern ones ”

“ In the mean time having some business out of the Kitchin, a young tame Wolf came in, and eat up the Buttocks of the white Pig, that was ready to be rosted; the Cook coming in the mean time, and fearing least his Master should be angry, took the black one, killed it, and drest it, and offered it at Supper. Then the Lord thinking he had got the Victory, not knowing what was befallen, said to Nostradamus, well Sir, we are eating now the white Pigg, and the Wolf shall not touch it. I do not believe it (said Nostradamus) it is the black one that is upon the Table. ”

“ All France telleth several Histories foretold by the Author, but I am unwilling to write any thing without good warrant. His Stanza’s are sufficient to prove the extraordinary Talent he had in foretelling future things.
APOLOGY
FOR
Michael Nostradamus. CHAP. I. It is not unusual for Calumny to follow the best Wits, and those whom God hath endowed with so extraordinary Talent, upon weak and slight grounds. It is not also unusual for Men to side easier with calumny against innocent persons, then with those truths that justifie them ”

“ Thus, my son, notwithstanding your your young brain, you can easily understand that things which are to happen can be prophesied by the lights of the sky at night, which are natural, coupled with the spirit of prophecy. Not that I would assume the name or power of a prophet. It is as a mortal man, whose senses revealed inspiration places no further from Heaven than his feet are from the ground. I cannot fail, err, or be deceived, though I am the greatest sinner in this world, subject to all human affliction. ”

“ The hopes of a life, the ambitions of a life, moved in sombre procession, and things done and things left undone, the sovereignty which Nostradamus had promised, the faces of men he had spared and of men he had not spared—and the face of one woman. ”

“ Indeed, the hereditary gift of prophecy will go to the grave with me.
Events of human origin are uncertain, but all is regulated and governed by the incalcuable power of God, inspiring us not through drunken fury, nor by frantic movement, but through the influences of the stars. Only those divinely inspired can predict particular things in a prophetic spirit.
For a long time I have been making many predictions, far in advance, of events since come to pass, naming the particular locality. I acknowledge all to have been accomplished through divine power and inspiration. ”

“ Secondly, in unfolding to them the future wonders, of which they shall be partakers.
Thirdly, in giving warning how they may attain to them, and shew those accidents that might be an hindrance. Thus God did permit, that for the space of 100. years Nostradamus Prophecies should lie in darkness, and be contemned, but after that time God will raise some body to interpret them, whence the faithful seeing so many things foretold come to pass so exactly, will incourage one another by seing so many wonderful prodigies, of whom they shall be Eye Witnesses. ”

“ A knowledge of optics will often serve to explain with great ease the tricks played by conjurers and impostors on princes and other great people, for their own vile ends. It is well known that Nostradamus, on being consulted by Marie de Médicis on the future destiny of France, was shown by him in a mirror events that left no doubt on her mind that she would one day share the throne of the Bourbons. ”

“ D’Aurat one of the most excellent Poets of France, living at the same time as Nostradamus, made a few explications of his Prophecies, which as the report goes, did please the Readers. I am sorry I could not get them, it would have been some ease to me; for it is easier to add than to invent. ”

“ Thence he went to Salon de Craux, a City distant from Aix one dayes Journey, and in the middle way between Avignon and Marseille; there he Married his second Wife Anna Ponce Genelle, by whom he had three Sons and one Daughter, the eldest was Michael Nostradamus, who hath written some pieces of Astrology, Printed at Paris in the year 1563. ”

“ There ivill be one fold under one shepherd, peace on earth, and goodwill to men. With regard to the Duc de Bordeaux, Comte de Chambord, or Henri V., the prediction of Nostradamus is curious enough. After forty years of exile he is to reign for forty years. ”

“ But so, in fact, it was, as I soon found more clearly by the multitude of questions which he asked me concerning the person who had calculated my nativity, and given the prediction I had mentioned; citing, as he did so, the names of all the astrologers in Europe, from Nostradamus up to Vanoni himself. After a moment, however, he seemed to be conscious that he was exposing himself; and looking up with a forced laugh, "Dreams! dreams!" said he, "my dear Count. How can the stars affect us upon the earth? ”

“ Nostra damus cum falsa damus, &c. In English. In the year 1566. died that Trifler so famous through all the World, Michael Nostradamus who boasted while he lived, to know and foretell future things, by the knowledge he had of the influences of the Planets, under whose name afterwards many ingenious Men have vented their Imaginations, insomuch, that he that made that Distick, Nostra damus cum falsa damus, &c. seemeth to have very well said. ”

“ Cassandra, daughter of King Priam of Troy, was said to have been loved by the god Apollo, who gave her the gift of prophecy. But afterward, offended with her, he rendered the gift unavailing by ordaining that her predictions should never be believed!—Ed.
[5] Michel de Nostradamus, most amazing of all prophets, not only accurately forecast major world events for many hundreds of years but supplemented his prophecies with the exact dates as well as the names of persons and places involved. ”

“ That they may have the Kingdom into ruine. ANNOT. This Prophecy taken with all its circumstances, and the subject it treateth of, is the most remarkable of all those that ever Nostradamus was Author of, for here we see a concatenation of circumstances linked together, to make it true to any bodies eyes, for first the number of this Stanza being 49, signifieth the year wherein the King died, for although by the English account, who begin their year at the 25. ”

“ His Son Cæsar in his History of Provence, saith, that in the Town of Senan in Provence, a Child was born with two heads, and that it was foretold by some that were skilful in Astronomy, by which words I guess he spake of his Father, sith the Astrologers cannot foretel the birth of a particular Monster, and therefore Nostradamus only was able to do it in those days.
He saith in the same place, that it was born in February 1554. and was brought to Salon to be shewed to his Father, and thence was carried to Claudius Earl of Savoy Governour of Provence, who commonly had his residence at Salon. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Qui a l’Empire sera vendu bien cher,
Diront avec quels gens il se ralie,
Qu’on trouvera moins Prince que Boucher. English.
An Emperour shall be born near Italy,
Who shall cost dear to the Empire,
They shall say, what people he keepeth company!
He shall be found less a Prince, than a Butcher. ANNOT. This Prophecy is for the future; for since Nostradamus’s time till now, such an Emperour was not heard of, that was born near Italy, that cost the Empire so dear, and proved more a Butcher, than a Prince.
[39]
LXI.
French. ”

“ The family of Nostradamus was of Jewish extraction, and proclaimed itself descended from Issachar; a personage reputed to have been profoundly versed in chronological science. Michael was born, December 14, 1503, at twelve precisely, in the village of St. Remi, in Provence. He studied at Avignon, where he distinguished himself in rhetoric; then proceeded to Montpellier for the study of medicine. Having attained the degree of Doctor at twenty-six, an unusual occurrence, he was considered the successor of Hippocrates and Galen ”

“ Want of grandeur does not imply any intention to deceive. Modern Freethought effectually breaks down upon a point like this, it almost invariably classifies the weak spiritualist as an impostor. It reasons somewhat thus: “Astrologers are impostors—Nostradamus was an astrologer. Prophets and divines, owing to the spread of sound knowledge in modern times, are no longer to be reckoned as inspired, but as impostors; Nostradamus was a prophet and therefore an impostor. ”

“ Since it has pleased the immortal God that you should have appeared on this earth but recently, and your years cannot yet said to be coupled, your weak understanding is incapable of absorbing that which I must needs record of the future. ”

“ By means of the Immortal God, and his good Angels, they received the spirit of prophecy, by which they see distant things and foresee future events.
For nothing can be accomplished without Him whose power and goodness to His creatures is so great that as long as these dwell in them, much as they may be exposed to other influences, on account of their good genius this prophetic heat and power approaches us. It approaches us like the rays of the sun, which cast their influence on bodies both elementary and non-elementary. ”

“ There is nothing that so upsets the mind as a sudden change in the aspect of familiar things.
The astronomers now took their turn. Those who were absolutely incredulous about Cosmo's prediction, and genuinely desirous of allaying the popular alarm, issued statements in which, with a disingenuousness that may have been unintentional, they tried to sidetrack his arguments.
Professor Pludder led the way with a pronunciamento declaring that "the absurd vaporings of the modern Nostradamus of New York" had now demonstrated their own emptiness. ”

“ I do not say that the knowledge of this matter cannot yet impress itself upon your young mind, nor do I say that very distant events are not within the knowledge of reasoning man. If future events are merely the creation of the intellectual soul out of current events, they are not by any means too greatly hidden from him, nor, on the other hand, can they be said to be revealed at all.
But the perfect knowledge of events cannot be acquired without divine inspiration since all prophetic inspiration receives its prime motivating force from God the Creator, then from good fortune and nature. ”

“ A strange thing that as stout and valiant a man as ever was born, who had so many times cast himself amongst the greatest dangers, without any fear or apprehension, as if there was no death for him, should shew himself now so fearful at the coming of it ”

“ It is possible, my son, that some will raise their eyebrows at seeing such a vast extent of time and treatment of everything under the moon that will happen throughout the earth; but if you attain the natural span of human life; you will come to see, under your own native skies, the fulfillment of future events that I have foreseen. ”

“ You must see now, my son, that I find by my calculations, which are according to revealed inspiration, that the sword of death is now approaching us, in the shape of pestilence, war more horrible than has been known in three lifetimes, and famine. ”

“ Trial, vol. i, p. 144.
[1162] Trial, vol. i, p. 110.
[1163] Trial, vol. i, p. 279 and passim.
[1164] Michel de Nostre-Dame, called Nostradamus (1503-1566) , a Provençal astrologer, whose prophecies were published under the title of "Centuries." He was invited to the French court by Catherine de' Medici, and became the doctor of Charles IX.—W.S.
[1165] The last syllable but one of the surname of the Prophet will Diane take for her day and her rest. Far shall wander that inspired one delivering a great nation from the burden of taxes. ”