The true prophecies or prognostications of Michael Nostradamus, physician to Henry II. Francis II. and Charles IX. Kings of France, and one of the best astronomers that ever were. / A work full of curiosity and learning. Translated and commented by Theophilus de Garencieres, Doctor in Physick Colleg. Lond.

by Nostradamus

LXXVIII.

French.

Le grand Neptune du profond de la Mer,

De sang punique & sang Gaulois meslé,

Les Isles a sang pour le tardif ramer,

Plus luy nuira que loccult mal celé.

English.

The great Neptune in the middle of the Sea,

Having joyned African and French blood,

The Islands shall be put to the Sword, and the slow rowing

Shall do them more prejudice, than the concealed evil.

ANNOT.

To understand this, you must know that Henry the II. King of France, having renewed his Alliance with the Grand Seignior Sultan Solyman, he asked him succours for to take Nice, which he pretended to belong to the Earldom of Provence. To that purpose the Marshal of Brissac went from Court with the Kings Army in the year 1557. to set upon Nice, Savona, and Genoa, and so to hinder the Spaniard from coming by Sea in Piemont, and the Milanese. The Turk sent him a good Fleet, consisting of 105. Galleys, and 14. Galliots.

The French Fleet consisted of 26 Galleys, of which the great Prior was Admiral, who went with them from the Castle of Yf, the 9. of June 1558.

Being at Sea, and not knowing where the Turkish Fleet was, he went to and fro to seek it out, at last he found it pillaging and plundering the Island of Minorica. The Turks had already taken the chief Town, where 800. Turks were killed, which so incensed the rest, that they set the Town on fire; then going up and down the Countrey, they took 5000. Prisoners, and if the Lords of Carces and Vence had not stayed them, they would have ruinated the whole Island.

Then forsaking the Island, they joyned with the French, but the perfidious Bassa being bribed by the Genoeses, and those of Nice, went slowly to work, and at last retreated without doing any thing for the French. This is the relation of Cæsar Nostradamus, in his History of Provence under Henry the II. and according to this the Author saith, that the great Neptune in the middle of the Sea, shall joyn French and African blood. Neptune signifieth the Mediterranean Sea.

The Islands shall be put to the Sword, by the taking of Minorica, after which the Turks being bribed, went slowly to work, and in conclusion did nothing of consequence.

The third and fourth Verse adds, that this Bassa’s slow rowing, shall do them more prejudice then the concealed evil; that is, shall do more damage to the French by his hidden design of the Bassa of not serving the French; because this slowness of the Bassa spoiled the French activity, lessened their provisions, and at last discouraged them; whereas if the Turks had not come, the French Galleys alone were able to take Nice.