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

XLI.

French.

Les os des pieds, & des mains enferrez,

Par bruit maison long temps inhabitée,

Seront par songes concavant deterrez,

Maison salubre & sans bruit habitée.

English.

The bones of the feet and of the hands in shackles,

By a noise a house shall be a long time deserted,

By a dream the buried shall be taken out of the ground,

The house shall be healthful, and inhabited without noise.

ANNOT.

I have found the truth of this Stanza upon the place, in my going to Lion, it was my fortune to lye at a Town four Leagues on this side of it, called Lapacodier, where this Story was told me to have happened few days before.

It chanced that a Company of Foot was to lie in the Town, and distressed for quarter, they enquired why such a house was empty, and were told it was not inhabited by reason of a noise heard there every night. The Captain of the Troop resolved, since he feared not the living, not to fear the dead, and thereupon lay in the house that night, where Beds were provided for him, and about half a Dozen of his stoutest Souldiers; so they laid down their weapons on the Table, and began to be merry at Cards and Dice, expecting the event. The door being fast locked, about twelve and one they heard as though some body knockt at the door, one of the Souldiers by the Captains command, with a Pistol in his hand, and a Candle, opened the door, then appeared to them a Phantasm, in the shape of an old man, loaded with Chains, that made a great noise, this Phantasm beckened to the Captain at the Table to come to him, the Captain also rising, beckened to the Phantasm to come to him, this lasted for a while, till the Captain resolved to go to him, and so taking a Candle in one hand, and a Pistol in the other, bid his Souldiers follow him hand in hand with their Arms, then taking the Phantasm by the hand, which was exceeding cold, he led them into the Cellar, and through many turnings, till at last the Phantasm vanished, and the Candles went out, then were they constrained to remain there till day light, when perceiving where they were, and having taken notice of the Place where the Phantasm left them, they went out, and related the story to the Townsmen; so afterwards they digged in that place, where they found a kind of a Trunk, and the bones of a man in it shackled, they buryed the body in a Church-yard, and no noise was heard afterwards in that house, this came to pass about 1624.