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

XV.

French.

Mars nous menace par la force bellique,

Septante fois fera le sang respandre,

Auge & ruine de l’Ecclesiastique,

Et par ceux qui d’eux rien ne voudront entendre.

English.

Mars threatneth us of a Warlike force,

Seventy times he shall cause blood to be shed,

The flourishing and ruine of the Clergy,

And by those that will hear nothing from them.

ANNOT.

The Author having premonished us in his Preface, that God having imparted to him the knowledge of many future things, he was curious to know if his Divine Majesty had written the same thing in the Cœlestial Book, as concerning the States, Empires, Monarchies, Provinces and Cities, and he found that it was even so as it had been revealed to him, so that the Book of Heaven, written with Gods own hand, in so many shining Characters, might serve to studious men for a light and a Torch to discover very near the common estate of the world.

He then having learned from God in his solitariness, the prosperities and afflictions of the Clergy, from the beginning of the year 1555. to the end of the world; he found that there was an agreement between his prophetical Knowledge, and the motion of the Heavenly Bodies; because having made the Systeme of the years after 1550. he found that Mars was in a dangerous Aspect to the Ecclesiastical estate, and found that this Planet by its position did presage a long, bloody and horrid Catastrophe in the world, by which the Ecclesiastical estate should suffer much.

To make good this prediction, the Author doth assure us in his Preface, that he had considered the disposition of this Planet, not only in the year 1555. but also in the years following, and joyning together all that he had found in his Ephemerides, he found that this Planet did on all sides presage most bloody actions. Although, saith he, the Planet of Mars maketh an end of its course, and is come to its last Period: nevertheless it will begin it again, but some gathered in Aquarius for many years, and others by long and continual years.

As if he would say that his prediction ought not to be rejected; because Mars ended his course, and cometh to its late period; for it would take again its Exaltation and Dominion with a worse conjunction, having his Astronomical dignities, with the Conjunction of other Planets in the Sign of Aquarius during many years, and in the Sign of Cancer for many years more.

Which maketh the Author conclude, that within the space of 177. years, three months and eleven dayes, the world shall be afflicted with Wars, Plagues, Famines and Innundations, that scarce any body shall be left to Till the Ground. By which prediction we learn that those evils began in the year 1555. the first of March, which is the date of the Authors Book, and shall last till the second of June 1732. abating the ten days of the Gregorian Calender.

During which time, he saith, that Mars threatneth us with bloody Wars that shall be reiterated 70 times.

This word seventy doth not signifie a determinate number, but a great number indeterminated according to the Phrase of the Scripture, which by the number of seven signifieth many times, and by that of seventy incomparably many times more. Thus the Scripture saith, that the just man falleth seven times in one day, that is many times, and our Saviour saith to St. Peter, that we ought to forgive our Enemies, not only seven times, but seventy times seven; that is innumerable times.

We have found the truth of this Prophecie to this very day. 1. In France, by the Wars between Henry II. and Charles V. and Philip II. 2. By the Wars of Charles IX. against the Protestants, wherein so much blood was spilt on both sides. 3. By Henry III. against the same Protestants, and factions of his time, and then against the Parisians and others of their league. 4. Between Henry IV. and those of the league in his revolted Kingdom. 5. By the Wars of Lewis XIII. against the Protestants, against the Duke of Savoy, in the Valteline, in Piemont, in Lorrain, in Alsatia, in Catalonia, in Franche-Conty, in Flanders, and for the defence of Portugal, which have been continued by his successor Lewis XIV. now Reigning.

Italy did also find the truth of this prophecie, by the Wars between Paul IV. and the Spaniard, between Pius V. and the Turks, between Clement VIII. and the Duke of Ferrara, between the Emperour and the Duke of Mantua, between Urban VIII. and the Duke of Parma, between the Venetians and the Florentines, by the revolt of the Kingdom of Naples, under the conduct of the Duke of Guise.

England hath had its share of it under Queen Elizabeth, by the revolt of Yorkshire, and some other Provinces, by the Spanish fleet of 88.

By the death of Queen Mary, by the revolt of the Kingdom against Charles I. And by the horrid perfidiousness of Cromwel.

Germany hath made it good by the War against the Turks, the Protestants and the Swedes.

Poland hath done the same against the Russians, Tartars, Turks, Cassaks and Swedes.

And Venice against the Turk, for the Islands of Cyprus and Candia, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Wars of Dalmatia.

This Mars besides presageth two contrary things, one is the Auge or Exaltation, the other the ruine of the Clergy: where it is to be observed, the Auge in tearms of Astrology signifieth mounting or ascending, and cometh from the Latin verbe augere, which signifieth to augment or increase. This augmentation and ruine of the Clergy is made good by the several changes that have been in the Ecclesiastical estate, in France, England, Low-Countreys, Denmark, Swede, Poland, Hungary, Valachia, Transylvania, Moldavia, Dalmatia, Geneva, Switzerland, &c.

The fourth Verse saith. By those that will hear nothing from them: that is, by the Protestants that will hear nothing from the Roman Catholicks.