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 Theophilvs de Garencieres ...

CHAP. IV.

Proofs setting forth evidently that Nostradamus was enlightned by the Holy Ghost.

IN consequence of these objections forged by calumny, Nostradamus name hath been so c••ied 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 he 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 that Nostradamus hath 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 of Monluc, the Sprightful Gascon, the Captain Charry, his Camerade, the Lord de ••a Mole, Admiral of Henry the II. Galleys, Entragues, who was beheaded by order of Lewis the XIII. the Headsman of the Duke of Montmoren∣cy, named Clerepegne; the Bassa Sinan, destroyer of Hungary; the Murderer of Henry the III. named Clement; the Attorney David, the Captain Ampus; the Mayor of the City of Puy in Gelay, named Rousseau, under Henry the IV. Lewis Prince of Condé, under Francis II. Sixtus V. calling him the Son of Hamont; Gabrielle d'Estrie; the Lord Mutonis sent to Paris by those of ••ix, under Charles the IX. the Lord Chan∣cellor of France, named An••ony de Soudis; the Queen Leuise: Antony of Portugal: the Governour of Cazal under Henry II.

Secondly, The number of things is of the same nature: Nostradamus doth often calculate it; he reckoneth fourteen Confederates for the service of Henry IV. in the City of Puy: ten great Ships prosecuting extreamly the Admiral in the Battle of Lepanto: five Ships taken from the Spaniard by those of Diepe, under Henry II. nine hundred thousands Mores that went out of Spain under Henry IV. three hundred and fifty thousands killed under Charles IX. and Henry III. three saved at the taking of a Town in Hungary by the Turks: nine separated from the company of Seditious, that were to be put to death, three Princes of Turky Massacred, and the fourth being the youngest saved; thirty Conspirators upon London Bridge, against the Majesty of King Charles I. 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.

Fourthtly, We find in those Prophecies those actions that are purely indifferent; for example, that the King of England did appear upon a Scaffold without his Dou∣blet; that in the place where he was beheaded, another man had been killed three days before; that Libertat went 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 fu∣ture 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 repre∣sented to him by Angelical Species, therefore he hath known them from God him∣self.

The Author himself in his Epistle to his Son Caesar Nostradamus confesseth, 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 de∣pends from free will, cannot be had either by humane auguries, nor by any other hu∣mane 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 Son Caesar, 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 confesleth 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 faith 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 partici∣pation of Eternity, the Author doth not understand a communication of the conti∣nuance 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, faith he, that sometimes God imparteth this Light not only to the un∣learned, and to his Holy Prophets, but also to those that are versed in Judicial Astro∣logy, 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 the Sybilles; 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 Hea∣vens, the Conjunction and several Aspects of the Planets, he guesseth at some fu∣ture events, of which being not certain, this Divine Light riseth in his mind, and im∣parteth clearly to him what he knew before, only Aenigmatically and 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 Astro∣nomical Calculations; a method that he hath made use of some times, but not al∣ways, 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.