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

XLV.

French.

Lombre du Regne de Navarre non vray,

Fera la vie de sort illegitime,

La vers promis incertain de Cambray,

Roy d’Orleans donra mur legitime

English.

The shadow of the Reign of Navarre not true,

Shall make the life of illegitimate chance,

The uncertain allowance from Cambray,

King of Orleans shall give a lawfull Wall.

ANNOT.

The Reign or Kingdom of Navarre is called not true, because the King of Spain doth possess it, and not the King of France, who is the lawful King thereof, as also in regard of the Kings of France, and before of Jane of Albret, and Antony of Bourbon.

This Kingdom being not true in regard of the said ones, the title and quality is called here shadow. The Author saith that the quality of the King of Navarre shall make the life of illigitimate chance, because after the death of Francis the II Catherine of Medicis being not opposed in the Regence by Antony of Bourbon King of Navarre, she was willing to gratifie him in what she could.

And because his Brother Lewis Prince of Condé had been condemned to death, and not executed, it was a fair occasion for her to shew the King of Navarre how much she did defer to him. Therefore twelve days after the death of King Francis, he was freed out of Prison, and was admitted to justifie himself under the King of Navarre’s Bail.

Thus the shadow of the Kingdom of Navarre not true, did cause the life of a Prince to be saved, but that life was illegitimate, and that Kingdom not true by chance, that is, by accident, because of the death of King Francis.

Leaving off the third Verse to be explained after the fourth; King (saith the Author) shall give Orleans for legitimate, because Charles the IX. who during the life of Francis the II. did bear the title of Duke of Orleans, did succeed his Brother; thus the Verse saith that Orleans shall give a King for legitimate.

Now for the third Verse, you must suppose that by the Treaty at Madrid 1526. and after this by that of Cambray, the King Francis the I. did part with the Sovereignty of Flanders, and of all the Low Countreis in favour of Charles the V. Emperour, it is of that uncertain allowance of Cambray, of which the Author talketh here, and saith, that in that time viz. of the death of Francis the II. that allowance shall be uncertain, because Francis the I. having no power of himself to renounce the rights and dependance of the Crown of France, the Parliament that was assembled then, would have made void that allowance without breaking the Peace, declaring that the Kings of France ought to preserve the right they had upon the Low-Countreis, and to require them again upon any occasion, and upon that France did not refuse the Election which the Low-Countreis made of the Duke of Alencon for their Sovereign Prince and Duke of Brabant.