APOLOGYFORMichael Nostradamus.
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; therefore no body ought to wonder, ifMichael Nostradamushath been so much cried down and defamed by several Authors, being in the number of those extraordinary persons, whom God had priviledged with that grace so much desired by curious Men,viz.the knowledge of future events.
Besides that, there was four things in him, which might have been the grounds of this diffamation.
The first was the vulgar life which he led in the Roman Catholik Religion, which seemed to bear no proportion with such an extraordinary favour of God.
The second was his application to judicial Astrology, which is condemned by many learned Men, and detested by those that pretend to ignorant devotion.
The third was a suspition brought by his enemies, and many devout persons in his time, that he was a Negromancer, and had familiarity with the Angel of darkness.
The fourth was the obscurity of his Stanza’s, which was made worse by the enormous faults of those that first Copied them, and by the carelesness of the Printers.
In consequence of the first Objection, calumny hath endeavoured to place him among the false Prophets, because scarce any body can persuade himself, that there being among the Faithful so many Illustrious persons in Holiness and Learning, the Holy Ghost would have made choice of a common person, and to reveal him so many rare secrets, concerning the future Estate of his Church, and of those Kingdoms that acknowledge her for their Mother, seeing that the Holy Scriptures shew us, that the knowledge of future things (chiefly if it be extraordinary in its extent) is a special Priviledge wherewith God honoureth his most faithful Servants.
And to say truth, when the Holy Fathers and the Interpreters of the Scripture speak of the Prerogatives of the Apostle St.John, they make the chiefest to be that by which being full of Prophetical Spirit, he foretold the future Estate of the Church; and in the Old Testament, so many Prophets were so many Miracles and Prodigies of Holiness, and the only name of Prophet in the Scripture is the most glorious Title that is given to those that were Gods most faithful Servants.
If we find in the Scripture thatBalaamhath Prophesied notwithstanding his perfidiousness, and that the High PriestCaiaphas, notwithstanding his wicked design of murdering Christ, hath also Prophesied; it was only for a few things, and in such cases where God would singularly shew forth his Glory, by those that would have smothered it.
How can we then believe the same ofNostradamus, who had not so much as an extraordinary atom of Christian piety, by which he might have been so much priviledg’d of God, as to know by his Divine Light the future Estate of the Church, her Persecutions and her Victories from the year 1555. to the end of the World.
Can it be possible that a Physician, an Astrologer, and one of the common sort of people should have been chosen of God among so many thousands his betters, to impart unto him those Graces, which have been the reward of the purity and holiness of his Apostles, and of the faithfulness of St.Johnthe Evangelist.
This seemeth altogether improbable to Christian piety.
Some are more moderate in the censuring of this Author, and being unwilling to call him maliciously a false Prophet, would have him to be a foolish Dreamer, who believed his own imaginations, and took pleasure in his own fancies, whence came that Latine Distick of the PoetJodelle,
Nostra damuscum falsa damus, nam fallere nostrum est,Et cum falsa damus, nil nisiNostra damus.
Nostra damuscum falsa damus, nam fallere nostrum est,Et cum falsa damus, nil nisiNostra damus.
Nostra damuscum falsa damus, nam fallere nostrum est,Et cum falsa damus, nil nisiNostra damus.
Nostra damuscum falsa damus, nam fallere nostrum est,
Et cum falsa damus, nil nisiNostra damus.
This Distick was so pleasing to the Wits of the times, that without further inquiry, since that timeNostradamuswent for a Dreamer and a doting fool.
This opinion increased more and more by his making of many Almanacks, wherein every body may see how much he was taken with judicial Astrology; and we see often in his Stanza’s the decision of the times, by the conjunction of the Planets with the Signs, and by the Eclipses, whence sometimes he doth infer some events that were to happen.
But what did undo him most, was the covetousness of the Printers and Booksellers of his time, who seeing his Almanacks so well received, did set forth a thousand others under his name, that were full of lies and fopperies.
From that time the Author went for one of those poor Astrologers, who get their living by foretelling absurdities; and pretend to read in the Heavens, that which is only in their foolish imagination.
If the precedents have been moderate in their censure; others have been more severe in delivering their opinion, accusing him to have kept acquaintance with the Devil, as the Negromancers and other Prestigiators of the ancient times did.
The reason that made them think so is, that seeing so many things come to pass, just as the Author had foretold; they could not attribute it to the knowledge of judicial Astrology, nor to Divine Revelation, and consequently concluded, that it must of necessity come from Satan.
They could not attribute it to judicial Astrology, either because they had no opinion of it, or that the greatest defensors of that Astrology do agree among themselves, that it cannot reach so far as to foretell a thousand peculiar circumstances, which depend purely from the freedom of Men, such as proper names are, and the like, which nevertheless our Author did foretell.
They could neither attribute it to Divine Revelation, for the reasons alledged in the first objection; moreover, because he was accused of a thousand falsities and fopperies, Printed in those Almanacks that went falsly under his name, whence they concluded that it could not come by Divine Revelation, seeing that the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Truth.
It followeth then (say they) that it must come from the Devil, by the help of the Black Art; the LordFlorimond de Raimonda very considerable Author, was of that opinion in his Book of theBirth of Heresies, Chap. 3.
As Fame doth increase by continuation of time, so doth calumny increase by the multiplicity of opinions, she was not contented to deflour slightly the Authors reputation, by making him pass for some sottish Dreamer, and to rank him amongst the false Prophets, by accusing him to meddle with the black Art, but must needs also sacrifice him to the infernal Furies, by making him the Prince of Seductors and Impostors, that ought to be banished out of every Common-wealth. The fondamental reason of this was the obscurity of his Stanza’s, where there was neither rime nor reason; the obscurity did proceed of abundance of gross faults, which the Copisters and Printers have inserted in them, from the omission of several words, from the changing and altering of others, and from the addition of some others, which did destroy the sense.
From this great obscurity, calumny draweth this argument, to ruine utterly the Author, charging him to be all at once a false Prophet, a dotish Dreamer, a Magician, and an infamous Seductor of people.
If God had inspired him what he hath written, he would have done it for the good of his Church and true Believers, seeing he never granteth this Prophetical Grace to any, but to that end as it appeareth in the Holy Scriptures.
This being so, what profit can any body draw from him, if the sense of his Stanza’s be so obscure, as not to be understood? and although it should be granted, that some accidents that have happened in Christendom, may sometimes be found in his Prophecies, what fruit hath the Church reaped of it, seeing that those accidents that were foretold, were never known, till they had come to pass, and that there was no avoiding of them?
It cannot therefore be believed, that God should have been the Author of his Predictions, but rather the Subtle Spirit of Satan, with whom he was acquainted by such like black Arts.
According to those four Objections, the LordSpondein the third Volume of hisAnnals, made him this Epitaph in the year 1566.Mortuus est hoc anno nugax ille toto orbe famosusMichael Nostradamus, qui se præscium & præsagum eventuum futurorum per astrorum influxum venditavit, sub cujus deinceps nomine quivis homines ingeniosi suas hujusmodi cogitationes protendere consueveruent, in quem valde apposite lusit qui dixit.Nostra damuscum falsa damus, &c. InEnglish. In the year 1566. died that Trifler so famous through all the World,Michael Nostradamuswho 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 damuscum falsa damus, &c. seemeth to have very well said.
In consequence of these objections forged by calumny,Nostradamusname hath been so cried down, that I have thought me self oblidged to make his Apology, to give the greater credit to his Prophecy, the exposition of which I do here undertake, and to proove, that effectually he was enlightned by the Holy Ghost: first, by writting the History of his Life, as I have done in the beginning of this Book; Secondly, by answering to all the said Objections; Thirdly, by alledging the Elogies given him by several Grave and Authentical Authors.
First, I maintain that he was enlightned by the Holy Ghost, by an unanswerable reason, drawn out the Theology, but before we discourse of it, let us suppose thatNostradamushath foretold many things, which absolutely depends from the free will of men, and cannot be known, neither by judicial Astrology, nor by Satan himself, such are for exemple the proper names of Persons, which nevertheless he doth in his Prophecies.
He nameth the Lord ofMonluc, the SprightfulGascon, the CaptainCharry, his Camerade, the Lordde la Mole, Admiral ofHenrythe II. Galleys,Entragues, who was beheaded by order ofLewisthe XIII. the Headsman of the Duke ofMontmorency, namedClerepegne; the BassaSinan, destroyer ofHungary; the Murderer ofHenrythe III. namedClement; the AttorneyDavid, the CaptainAmpus; the Mayor of the City ofPuyinGelay, namedRousseau, under Henry the IV.LewisPrince ofCondé, underFrancisII.SixtusV. calling him the Son ofHamont;Gabrielle d’Estrée; the LordMutonissent toParisby those ofAix, underCharlesthe IX. the Lord Chancellor ofFrance, namedAntony de Sourdis; the QueenLeuise:AntonyofPortugal: the Governour ofCazalunderHenryII.
Secondly, The number of things is of the same nature:Nostradamusdoth often calculate it; he reckoneth fourteen Confederates for the service ofHenryIV. in the City ofPuy: ten great Ships prosecuting extreamly the Admiral in the Battle ofLepanto: five Ships taken from theSpaniardby those ofDiepe, underHenryII. nine hundred thousandsMoresthat went out ofSpainunderHenryIV. three hundred and fifty thousands killed underCharlesIX. andHenryIII. three saved at the taking of a Town inHungaryby theTurks: nine separated from the company of Seditious, that were to be put to death, three Princes ofTurkyMassacred, and the fourth being the youngest saved; thirty Conspirators uponLondonBridge, against the Majesty of KingCharlesI. and such like.
Thirdly, We find in these Prophecies, the Prodigies that have no other causes in nature, then the meer will of God; such as Comets are, the casting of monstrous Fishes by the Sea upon the Land, the Armies in the Air, the speaking of Dogs, the birth of Monsters, and such like.
Fourthly, We find in those Prophecies those actions that are purely indifferent; for example, that the King ofEnglanddid appear upon a Scaffold without his Doublet; that in the place where he was beheaded, another man had been killed three days before; thatLibertatwent a Hunting with a Greyhond, and a Blood-hond; that the two little Royals were conducted to St.Germain, rather then to any other place, and such like.
Fifthly, We find the Birth of several particular persons that were born after his death.
Sixthly, The Governments of Places given by the free will of Kings to such and such.
All these things cannot be known by judicial Astrology, seeing that in Heaven there is neither Names, nor Numbers, nor extraordinary Prodigies: seeing also that judicial Astrology presupposeth the Birth of persons, that one may foretel their future actions; the same things are also unknown to Satan, for the Angelical species know nothing of individual things, but under the notion of possible, and not of future.
Whence I conclude with this irrefragable Argument, that the Author hath known many several things that are not written in the Heavenly Book, nor represented to him by Angelical Species, therefore he hath known them from God himself.
The Author himself in his Epistle to his SonCæsar Nostradamusconfesseth, that he hath foretold many things by Divine Virtue and Inspiration.
And a little after he saith, that the knowledge of those things, which meerly depends from free will, cannot be had either by humane auguries, nor by any other humane knowledge, nor by any secret virtue that belongeth to sublunary things, but only by a Light, belonging to the Order of Eternity.
This is not a small Argument, to confirm what we have said, and to prove that the Author hath evidently been conscious, that his knowledge came from Heaven, and that Gods goodness did him that grace; for having rejected and abhorred other means, that Impostors make use of for foretelling something.
He writteth all these things of himself: First, in his Liminary Epistle to his SonCæsar, he conjureth him, that when he should go about to study the foretelling of future things by Astrology, to avoid all kind of Magick, prohibited by the Holy Scripture, and the Canons of the Church; and to encourage him the more to it, he relateth what happened to him,viz.that having been Divinely enlightned, and fully persuaded that God only can give the knowledge of future things, which absolutely depends of the free will of men, he did burn abundance of Writings, wherein was taught the Art of Prophecying, and as they were a burning, there came out a great flame, which was like (he thought) to burn his House all to ashes, by which accident he understood the falsity of such Writings, and that the Devil was vexed to see his plots discovered; besides that, he confesseth that being the greatest Sinner of the World, nevertheless he got that favour from Heaven by a Divine Inspiration; and because no body should doubt of it, he learnedly expoundeth wherein consisteth that inspired Revelation, he saith that it is,A participation of the Eternal Divinity, by which we come to judge of what the Holy Ghost imparteth to us; by that participation of Eternity, the Author doth not understand a communication of the continuance of the Divine being, but a participation of the Divine knowledge, measured by its Eternity, as the Schools terms it.
Effectively, the Author compareth this participation to a glistering flame, which createth a new day in our understanding, which flame proceeding from Gods infinite knowledge, who seeth and comprehendeth what is Eternity, doth impart unto us what is inclosed in the volubility of the Heavens.
After this testimony, which wholly destroyeth the Sinister opinions that men had of his Prophecies, he sheweth how Judicial Astrology may agree with the knowledge of that which proceedeth from a Prophetical Spirit.
It is true, saith he, that sometimes God imparteth this Light not only to the unlearned, and to his Holy Prophets, but also to those that are versed in Judicial Astrology, making that instrumental for the confirmation of his inspired truths: As we see that natural Sciences, help the light of the Faith, and make a certain disposition in the mind fitter then ordinary, to receive those Divine impressions.
Thus (saith he) in the beginning of the Epistle, God did supernaturaly inspire me, not by any Bacchick fury, nor by Lymphatical motions, as he did theSybilles; but by Astronomical assertions; that is to say, that God gave him that grace, not by any Extasy, but by studying those rules, which Astrology teacheth.
The same things he saith again a little after in this manner: the Astrologer being in his Study, and consulting the Astronomical Rules upon the motions of the Heavens, the Conjunction and several Aspects of the Planets, he guesseth at some future events, of which being not certain, this Divine Light riseth in his mind, and imparteth clearly to him what he knew before, onlyÆnigmaticallyand obscurely, and in the shade of that natural light.
Sometimes also (saith he) this Light cometh the first into the Astrologers mind, and he afterwards comparing the thing revealed unto him with the Astronomical rules, he seeth that they do wholly agree together; and this is the method that he hath made use of, to know whether the inspired truths were agreeing with the Astronomical Calculations; a method that he hath made use of some times, but not always, for he hath foretold many things, which he could not read in the Heavens.
By these testimonies of the Author himself, every one may see how he made use of Judicial Astrology, and wherefore he studied it so much; how far his knowledge did extend; the glory he giveth to God alone, for his Prophetical knowledge; what horrour he hath always had against unlawful means to attain unto it; how much he did value that Grace, considering his unworthiness; and the manner how the Lord was pleased to gratifie him.
Let us see now what calumny pretendeth for the obscuring this Prophet of our days; the knowledge of future things (saith she) is a priviledge belonging to the Saints, and to those whom God hath endowed with an eminent vertue. I acknowledge, it is so commonly, and in the ordinary way of Grace, but if God be pleased to impart that priviledge to those that have not attained to that Degree of Holiness, and that it really appeareth by the reasons of Theologie, that they have been gratified with it, we are bound to admire his Royal bounty, which giveth when, and to whom he pleaseth: for example, no body deserveth to be a Marshal ofFrance, but he that hath been in several Battles, and at the taking of many Towns; but if the King be pleased to honour with that Dignity a Gentleman that never Warred but against the Deer, the Kings goodness is to be praised, which extendeth even to those that have not deserved it; it is the same reason here, it is visibly apparent thatNostradamushath been enlightned by the Holy Ghost, and yet he hath not imitated the lifes of those great Saints of the Church: what can be inferred from thence, but that it was Gods pleasure to extend his bounty upon his poor Creatures, which is easie to be granted in this point, because the gift of Prophecy is not a sanctifying Grace, but a supernatural gift, of which a sinner is capable of, as we see inBalaam,Caiaphas, and theSybilles, and much more in a Christian, who observeth Gods Commandments, and endeavoureth to keep himself in his Grace.
But (saith calumny) Christian piety seemeth to be repugnant to this Divine disposition, seeing that inNostradamustime, there were thousands in the Church of God that were capable of this favour, and to prefer to them a Physitian, an Astrologer, and an Almanack-maker, is a thing that the Wits cannot apprehend so well, as to frame a good opinion for this Author.
Hold there Reader, do not enter into the Sanctuary of Gods secret Judgements, you should loose you self, and never find the way out: how many such questions might I ask you? why did God in former times chuse the Family and person of David, and preferred it to so many others of the Children ofIsrael? why did Christ raiseJudasto the dignity of an Apostle, preferring him beforeNathaniel, and so many others that lived Holily.
Bring therefore no more such questions, but say with the Scripture,As it pleased the Lord, so it was done: I will nevertheless give you some satisfaction in that point. There was two things in the Author which might have procured that blessing from God.
The first is, that having in his possession those writtings which promised the knowledge of future things, to which he was much inclined, he slighted and burnt them, being persuaded that God alone was the Author of this Grace; I do esteem that action very Heroical in its circumstance, because being inticed by a vehement curiosity to know future things, and having in his hand the means that opened the way to it, he did Sacrifice them to God, for which perhaps God was willing to gratifie him with this favour.
The second thing that was inNostradamusis, that he had naturally aGeniusfor the knowing of future things, as himself confesseth in two Epistles to KingHenrythe II. and toCæsarhis own Son, and besides thatGenius, the knowledge of Astrology, did smooth him the way to discover many future events. Having those two things, he had a greater disposition then others to receive those Supernatural Lights; and as God is pleased to work sweetly in his Creatures, and to give some forerunning dispositions to those Graces he intendeth to bestow, it seemeth that to that purpose he did chuse our Author to reveal him so many wonderful secrets.
We see every day that God in the distributing of his Graces carrieth himself towards us, according to our humours and natural inclinations, he employeth those that have a generous and Martial heart for the defence of his Church, and the destruction of Tyrants; he leadeth those of a melancholick humour into Colledges and Cloisters, and cherisheth tenderly, those that are of meek and mild disposition; even so, seeingNostradamusinclined to this kind of knowledge, he gave him in a great measure the grace of it.
We shall not have much to say to these more moderate persons, seeing that we have already given the reason of it,viz.the covetousness of the Booksellers and Printers, who made use of the Authors name, for the better sale of their false Almanacks, therefore ifJodellethe Poet grounded upon this opinion, made that Satyrical Distick.
Nostra damuscum falsa damus, nam fallere nostrum est,Et cum falsa damus, nil nisiNostra damus.
Nostra damuscum falsa damus, nam fallere nostrum est,Et cum falsa damus, nil nisiNostra damus.
Nostra damuscum falsa damus, nam fallere nostrum est,Et cum falsa damus, nil nisiNostra damus.
Nostra damuscum falsa damus, nam fallere nostrum est,
Et cum falsa damus, nil nisiNostra damus.
We answer him,
Nostra damuscum verba damus quæNostradamusdat,Nam quæcunque dedit nil nisi vera dedit.
Nostra damuscum verba damus quæNostradamusdat,Nam quæcunque dedit nil nisi vera dedit.
Nostra damuscum verba damus quæNostradamusdat,Nam quæcunque dedit nil nisi vera dedit.
Nostra damuscum verba damus quæNostradamusdat,
Nam quæcunque dedit nil nisi vera dedit.
Or thus
Vera damuscum verba damus quæNostradamusdat,Sed cumNostra damus, nil nisi falsa damus.
Vera damuscum verba damus quæNostradamusdat,Sed cumNostra damus, nil nisi falsa damus.
Vera damuscum verba damus quæNostradamusdat,Sed cumNostra damus, nil nisi falsa damus.
Vera damuscum verba damus quæNostradamusdat,
Sed cumNostra damus, nil nisi falsa damus.
The more doth Calumny lift up her self against this great man, the weaker are her arguments, like the smoke which is so much the easier dissipated, as it ascendeth higher.
Her reason is impertinent in this distributive argument, he hath known those things (saith she) which he could not know by the Planets, and he had them not from God, therefore he had them from Satan.
And we answer this argument in the same way, he hath known those things which he could not know by the Planets, nor by Satan, therefore he had them from God; this Argument is concluding, but that of calumny halteth, for it ought to have proved that he had not his knowledge from God, and that all those things he hath known may be known to Satan, which two things we have manifestly proved to be false, therefore if the LordFlorimond de Raimondwas alive, I believe he would correct what he hath written against him.
The Weapons of thisMedusaare sharper in this point then in others, therefore our Buckler accordingly must be of the best mettle and temper.
We cannot deny butNostradamushath affected obscurity, himself acknowledgeth it in his two Epistles, in that toCæsarhis son, he saith, he hath done it, not only because of the times wherein he lived, but also by reason of those that were to follow, in the times wherein he lived the Case was as it is now,Veritas odium parit, and this hatred in powerful men is prejudicial to those that speak the Truth, he was also cautious in that, by reason of the times following; for if he had plainly declared what he meant, the Wits would have laughed at it, and would not have believed those strange revolutions that came to pass, and which our Author had foretold. In his Epistle toHenrythe II he telleth him, that he doth purposely make use of obscure terms to express his mind, for the reasons before alledged.
NowCalumnysaith, that this affectation of obscurity is a sign that God was not the Author of his Knowledge, seeing that by this obscurity they have proved unprofitable to the Church.
I answer first, that the consequence is false; for the Holy Prophets have spoken so obscurely, that a great part of what they had Prophecied was not known till after it had come to pass.
I answer secondly, that although Prophecies were not understood till after the fulfilling thereof, it doth not follow that they were unprofitable; because by their fulfilling in due time, we gather, that he who revealed them was the true God, Lord of times and Eternity, and therefore being the God ofIsrael, and of the Christians, he ought to be worshiped. By this principleCyrusandAlexanderknew the true God,Cyrusby having seen the Prophecies ofIsaiah, andAlexanderthose ofDaniel.
Therefore as the Prophecies of the Saints have not been fruitless, though not understood till they were fulfilled, even so we must not infer thatNostradamus’s Prophecies have been useless, though they have remained in obscurity so long a while.
Besides, there is no doubt butNostradamushaving Prophecied so many several things that are come to pass, but that hereafter when the Heathen shall see it they shall glorifie God, and shall acknowledge a true Religion, as didCyrus, who many Authors believe to have obtained Salvation.
I answer in the third place, that God permitteth ordinarily that Prophecies lie long in the dark, and then raiseth the Spirit of some men to expound them, as he did that ofDanielto interpret the 70 Weeks of theBabylonianCaptivity, Prophecied byJeremiah, to incourage the faithful three ways.
First, in shewing them, that if the first Prophecies have been punctually fulfilled, the rest will likewise come to pass, seeing the same God hath dictated them.
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. yearsNostradamusProphecies 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.
As for my part I have undertaken this Work, only to authorise the wonders that shall be seen in our days, and to invite the Christian Princes to the same design.
The conclusion of this discourse is, that ourMedusa Calumny, must needs retreat in her dens, and that we ought to forgive those Authors that have spoken so ill of our Author, seing they wanted the Intelligence of his Prophecies, and that the Church did suspend the authorising of them.
We have (thanks be to God) sheltered this famous man from the back-biting ofCalumny, but that we may clear wholly the Heaven of this reputation, we add this Chapter more for the clearing of some words that are in his Epistles, which seem to contradict some of those things we have said; the Author in his Epistles to his SonCæsar, after he had said that God had disposed him to receive thy impression of supernatural lights, not by aBacchant furor, nor by aLymphatical motion, but byAstronomical assertions, he saith in the same Epistle towards the end;That sometimes in the Week being surprised by a Lymphatick humor, and making his Nocturnal Studies sweet by his calculations, he made Books of Prophecies, each one containing a hundred Astronomical Stanza’s, which he endeavoured to set out something obscurely, from which words it might be gathered, that he made his Prophecies by a Lymphatical Spirit, and by the only judicial Astrology.
And in the Epistle to KingHenrythe II. he seemeth to confess, that his Prophecie is nothing but a natural Genius, which he had by Inheritance from his Ancestors.
To these difficulties I answer, supposing first that anciently those were called Lymphaticks, who were mad for Love; because the first that was observed among the Ancients to be mad with that passion, threw himself into the water, which in Latine is calledLympha, whence all those that were afterwards transported with the excess of any passion, either of Love, Melancholy, Choler or Envy, have been called Lymphaticks.
So that in this place a Lymphatical motion is nothing properly but a deep Melancholy, which separating us from all Earthly things, doth transport the mind to extraordinary thoughts either good or bad.
This being suposed, I say that the Author confesseth, that his retreat, solitariness, nocturnal Watchings, and Melancholy, have disposed him much to the receiving of that Heavenly flame, which is the cause of Vaticination and Prophecie.
And because he did often spend the whole nights in this study, this Nocturnal retreat caused in him a retirement from all worldly things, at which time he felt a Divine elevating Virtue, that raised his understanding to those Divine Knowledges.
And because this elevating Vertue was caused in him by Divine operation, he doth attribute always his Prophecies to God alone; and by reason that this elevation hath some resemblance with that of the Lymphaticks, he saith, that sometimes he did Lymphatise not properly speaking, but by resemblance.
So that it is true, our Author did not receive his Prophecies by Lymphatical motion, orBacchant furie, but from God himself, who did work in him while he observed his Astronomical assertions; and it is also true, that he felt this Divine operation by a kind of a Lymphatical motion.
Concerning what he saith toHenrythe II. it is certain he maketh use of that Language as much by a motive of Truth to conceal that Grace which he had received from God, as of Humility.
By a Motive of Truth, because effectually; because all theNostradamus’s had some tincture of Prophecie, and his Son the Capucin acknowledgeth it himself.
By a Motive of Humility; because acknowledging himself to be a miserable sinner, and seeing that this gift of Prophecie was not ordinarily granted but unto Saints. He chuseth rather to attribute his Prophecies to his Genius, than otherways to procure a Fame and Authority to his predictions.
In confirmation of what we have said,That he was often in that transport, many years before his death he made the Stanza of the Century, in which is contained all the great Works of the Philosophers, and foretelleth, that a great Divine shall attain to the perfection of that great Work, which Divine is called, theDivine Verbe, turning intoFrenchthe Word θεολογος, which signifieth Divine Word or Verb. Nevertheless he never wrought himself at that Work, but got his living Honourably by his practise of Physick, by which we may see, that he did write some things which himself understood not, unless they were such general ones, as might be read in the Heavens.
If several Authors either by envy or ignorance have defamed our Author, others of no shall repute have taken his defence in hand.
D’Auratone of the most excellent Poets ofFrance, living at the same time asNostradamus, 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. The first Volume of the Lordla Croix du Main, maketh honourable mention of him, the same saith, that his Motto wasFelix Oviam prior Ætas, Happy the first Age that was contented with their Flock, shewing by that, what esteem he had of frugality and sincerity of manners, and what aversion he had against the Vices of his Age, the unruliness of manners, and cousenage of men.Ronsardthe Prince of theFrenchPoets singeth his praises: The LordBoucherin that great Volume, intitled theMistical Crown, in favour of the futureCroisade, doth vindicate our Author fromCalumny, and expoundeth some of his Prophecies pretty happily.
I will not relate here what his SonCæsar Nostradamuswriteth modestly of him in his History ofProvence, underLewisthe XII.Henrythe II. andCharlesthe IX. his Evidence may be suspected, because of the Consanguinity.
One of the greatest Wits of this last Age, who desireth to be nameless, giveth him this Character.
First, That God Almighty hath chosenMichael Nostradamusamong the common sort of Christians, to impart unto him the knowledge of many prodigious and extraordinary future things.
Secondly, He maintaineth, that after the Apostles and Canonical Prophets, he is the first of all in three things, in his certainty and infallibility, in the generality and in the quantity. As to the first, he doth not doubt but the AbbotJoachimought to give him place; for though he hath foretold some things that have come to pass, he hath written a hundred others which are meer fopperies.
Thirdly, He maintaineth that the EmperourLeoin his prophetical Tables is far below him; for he doth only aim at those things which regard the Eastern Empire, asTheophrastus Paracelsushath done for the Western.
Concerning the quantity of things, he maintaineth, that none of the others can dispute it with him; forNostradamushath made above a thousand stanza’s (if we had them all) each of which containeth two or three prophetical Truths, some of which regard the East, others the West, others some private Kingdoms and States others private and particular things, and all with Truth and certainty.
The Author in his Epistle to KingHenrythe II. saith, that he treateth of things which were to happen in many Cities and Towns ofEurope, and of a part ofAsiaandAfrica.
And to say Truth, I have found nothing in them concerning the East or West,JappanorChina.
He treateth chiefly ofFranceas of his Native Kingdom, and of his own CountreyProvence, and that which is next to it, viz.Piemont.
He speaketh amply of the Popes, and ofItaly,TurkyandEngland: As for the EmpireSpain, andSuedeland, he doth moderately speak of them. ConcerningÆthiopiaandAfricathere is some nine or ten Stanza’s.
In all those places he foretelleth many things, not only general for every State, but also particular and individual for several persons. He also foretelleth many supernatural prodigies in the Heavens, the Air, the Sea, and the Land.
He hath inserted among his Prophecies four Horoscopes, the first of the Grandfather of the Lord l’Ainierin the Province ofAnjou; the second of one calledUrnel Vausile; the third of oneCosme du Jardin; and the fourth of one, whom he nameth not, but describeth him by his stature.
It is certain that they began inJanuary1555. because he dedicated the first seven Centuries to his SonCæsarthe first day ofMarchin the said year, and consequently they were made before that time, and we cannot allow less than two Months to an Author for the making of 700. Stanza’s: Nevertheless for a greater manifestation of his prophetical Spirit, I have not found any of his Prophecies that did come to pass before the first ofMarch1555.
As for the Eight, Ninth and Ten Century, there is reason to believe, that the effect of them doth not begin before the27 June 1558. which is the date of his Liminary Epistle toHenrythe II. Nevertheless he saith in the same Epistle, that in a writing by it self he will set down the exposition of his Prophecies, beginning the 14 ofMarch1557. and in the Epistle toNostradamushis Son, he saith in general that he hath composed Books of Prophecies, each one containing one hundred Stanza’s, without specifying whether he spoke of the seven that he dedicated to him, or of all the others.
As for my part, I believe he had made them all in the year 1555. but that he had not yet examined the three last Centuries, according to the Calculation of his Astronomical assertions, as he seemeth to indicate often in his Epistle toHenryII. and to say the truth, I have found some Stanza’s, which were fulfilled before the year 1558. though very few.
As for the extent of his Prophecies, it is certain, that it is to the end of the World, as I shall make it appear in the explication of the 48, the 49, and 56. Stanza’s of the first Century, and the 72, 73, and 94. of the tenth, and all according to the Holy Scripture.
All these things being premised, we shall proceed to the explication of the Prophecies, setting first the Authors Luminary Epistle to his Son.