PREFACE DE M. MICHEL NOSTRADAMVS A SES PROPHETIES   Ad Caesarem Nostradamum filium, Vie et felicite.   Ton tard advenement, Cesar Nostredame mon fils, m'a faict mettre mon long temps par continuelles vigilations nocturnes reserer par escipt toy delaisser memoire, apres la corporelle extinction de ton progeniteur, au commun profit des humains, de ce que la divine essence par Astronomiques revolutions m'ont donné cognoissance. Et depuis qu'il a pleu au Dieu immortel	LETTER BY M.MICHEL NOSTRADAMUS TO HIS SON CESAR   Nostradamus's Preface to César - Lemesurier's complete translation, ---------------------------------------------------- YOUR late arrival, César Nostradame my son , has caused me to set out in writing the (results of) the long periods that I have spent in ceaseless night watches, in order to leave you a memorandum, after the physical extinction of (this) your progenitor, and for the general benefit of mankind, of that about which the Divine Being has granted me knowledge through the (calculation of) astronomical cycles.And since it has pleased Immortal God
que tu ne sois venu en naturelle lumiere dans cette terreine plaige, et ne veux dire tes ans qui ne sont encores accompaignez, mais tes mois Martiaux incapables à recevoir dans ton debile entendement ce que ie seray contraint apres mes iours desiner: veu qu'il n'est possible te laisser par escrit, ce que seroit par l'iniure du temps oblitéré: car la parole hereditaire de l'occulte prediction sera dans mon estomach intercluse: considerant aussi les adventures definiment estre incertaines; et que le tout est regy et gouverné par la puissance de Dieu inestimable, nous inspirant non par bacchante fureur ne par limphatique mouvement, mais par astronomiques assertions. Soli numine divino afflari praesagiunt et spiritu prophetico particularia. Combien que de long temps par plusieurs fois i'aye predict long temps auparavant ce que depuis est advenu, et en particulieres regions attribuant le tout estre faict par la vertu et inspiration divine, et autres felices et sinistres adventures de acceleree promptitude prononcees que depuis sont advenues par les climats du monde: ayant voulu taire et delaisser pour cause de l'iniure,	that you have not reached this earthly shore with instinctive knowledge (of the future), not to mention (the fact that) your years - still less your months of March - are not yet more than one in number, and so cannot permit your weak understanding to take in what I shall be obliged to specify (for the times) after my death: seeing that it is not possible to leave you in writing what shall be obliterated by the ravages of time - for the hereditary gift of prediction shall be shut up within my bosom: considering, too, that the outcome of human events is uncertain, and that all of it is ruled and governed by the power of God Inestimable, inspiring us not by drunken frenzy, not yet by melancholic emotion, but by astronomical facts: 'Soli numine divino afflati praesagiunt & spiritu prophetico particularia' [Latin: 'Only those inspired by the divine godhead can prophesy, and only those inspired by the spirit of prophecy can prophesy detailed events' ] Although I have long repeatedly predicted, well in advance, what has since come to pass , and in particular regions, too - asserting the whole of it to have been done through God's power and inspiration - and having deliberately said nothing of, and refrained from putting in writing, other events both happy and unfortunate that were foreshadowed as increasingly imminent, and that have since come to pass in (various) regions of the world, for fear of attack  - indeed, concerning
et non tant seulement du temps present, mais aussi de la plus grande part du futur, de mettre par escrit, pource que les regnes, sectes, et regions feront changes si opposites; voire au respect du present diametralement, que si ie venois à reserer ce qu'à l'advenir sera ceux du regne, secte, religion, et foy, trouveroient si mal accordant à leur fantasie auriculaire, qu'ils viendroyent à damner ce que par les siecles advenir on cognoistra estre veu et apperceu. Considerant aussi la sentence du vray Sauveur. Nolite sanctum dare canibus, nec mittatis margaritas ante porcos, ne conculcent pedibus et conversi dirumpant vos. Qui a esté la cause de faire retirer ma langue au populaire, et la plume au papier, puis me suis voulu estendre declarant pour le commun advenement, par obstruses et perplexes sentences des causes futures, mesmes les plus urgentes, et celles que j'ay apperçeu, quelque humaine mutation qu'advienne ne scandaliser l'auriculaire fragilité, et le tout escrit sougz figure nubileuse, plus que du tout prophetique, comgien que, Abscondisti haec à sapientibus, et prudentibus, id est, potentibus et regibus, et enucleasti ea	not only time present, but most of the future, too - because regimes, sects and religions shall undergo such diametrical changes with respect to the present that if I were to disclose what shall come to pass, members of governments, sects, religions and faiths  would find it so out of kilter with the fantasies they have heard that they would condemn what will be recognised as having been  seen and perceived about future ages; considering also the statement of the true Lord: 'Nolite sanctum dare canibus nec mittatis margaritas ante porcos ne conculcent pedibus & conversi dirumpant vos' ['Do not give what is holy to the gods or cast pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, turn upon you and tear you in pieces' - Matthew 7:6,]. This is what caused me to refrain from public utterance and prevented my putting pen to paper. Besides, I had determined to go as far as declaring in abstruse and puzzling utterances the future causes of the 'common advent' , even those truly cogent ones that I have foreseen. Yet lest whatever human changes may be to come should scandalise delicate ears, the whole thing is written in nebulous form, rather than as a clear prophecy of any kind. True, 'Abscondisti haec à sapientibus, & prudentibus, id est. potentibus & regibus, & enucsleasti ea
exiguis et tenuibuis: et aux Prophetes par le moyen de Dieu immortel, et des bons Anges ont receu l'esprit de vaticination, par lequel ils voyent les choses loingtaines, et viennent à prevoir les futurs advenemens: car rien ne se peut parachever sans luy, ausquel si grande est la puissance, la bonté aux subiects, que pendant qu'ils demeurent en eux, toutesfois aux autres effects subiects pour la similitude de la cause du buon genius; celle chaleur et puissance vaticinatrice s'approche de nous: comme il nous advient des rayons de Soleil, qui viennent iettant leur influence aux corps elementaires, et non elementaires. Quant à nous qui sommes humains, ne pouvons rien de notre naturelle cognoissance et inclination d'engin, cognoitre des secets obstruses de Dieu le Createur. Quia non est nostrum noscere tempora, nec momenta etc. Combien qu'aussi de present peuvent advenir et estre personnages, que Dieu le Createur aye voulu reveler par imaginatives impressions, quelques secrets de l'advenir, accordez à l'astrologie iudicielle, comme du passé, que certaine puissance et volontaire faculté venoit par eux, comme	exiguis & tenuibus' [ 'Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, i.e. the mighty and kings, and hast revealed them to the small and weak' ] - and to the Prophets by the grace of immortal God and the good angels have received the spirit of prophecy, by which they see distant things and succeed in foreseeing future events (for nothing can be achieved without Him). So great is His power in them, and his goodness to His subjects, that all the while they abide in these two - while still subject to all other influences - that prophetic heat and power visits us in the similitude of the essence of the spirit of goodness, just as the rays of the sun reach us, casting their influence over elementary and non-elementary bodies alike. As for us humans, we can by our (own) instinctive knowledge and the application of (our own) ingenuity know nothing of the hidden secrets of God the creator, 'Quia non est nostrum noscere tempora. nec momenta' etc. However, it is possible that even today there may appear and exist people to whom God the creator has deigned to reveal, through imaginative impressions, some secrets of the future. as harmonised with judicial astrology, just as in the past a certain power and faculty of will came through them,
flambe de feu apparoit, que luy inspirant on venoit à iuger les divines et humaines inspirations. Car les oeuvres divines, que totament sont absolues, Dieu les vient parachever: la moyenne qui est au milieu les Anges : la troisiesme les mauvais. Mais mon fils ie te parle icy un peu trop obstrusement: mais quant aux occultes vaticinations qu'on vient à recevoir par le subtil esprit du feu, qui quelquesfois par l'entendement agité contemplant le plus haut des astres, comme estant vigilant, mesmes qu'aux prononciations, estant surprins escrits prononçant sans craincte moins attainct d'invercande loquacité : mais quoy tout procedoit de la puissance divine du grand Dieu eternel de qui toute bonté procede. Encores mon fils, que i'aye inseré le nom de Prophete, ie ne me veux attribuer tiltre de si haute sublimité pour le temps present : car qui Propheta dicitur hodie, olim vocabatur videns : car Prophete proprement mon fils, est celuy qui voit choses loingtaines de la cognoissance naturelle de toute creature. Et cas advenant que le Prophete moyennant la parfaicte lumiere de la prophetie luy appaire manifestement	appearing like a flame of fire, and inspiring them in such a way as to allow others to appreciate their divine and human inspirations. For (those) divine works that are totally absolute are performed by God; those that are medial, or contingent, by the angels; and the third sort by those who are evil . But my son, I am speaking to you here a little too obscurely : but as for the occult predictions that one manages to receive through the subtle spirit of fire which sometimes, as the disturbed intellect contemplates attentively the highest of the stars, surprises one with the written pronouncements (that emerge) - pronouncements made with neither fear nor expectation, nor with immodest loquacity - what shall I say? The whole of it has proceeded from the divine power of Almighty and Eternal God, from whom all bounty proceeds. Although, my son, I have used the word 'prophet', I would not attribute to myself a title of such lofty sublimity for the present: for 'qui propheta dicitur, hodie, olim vocabatur videns' [Latin Vulgate: 'He who is nowadays described as a prophet was formerly called a seer' - I Samuel 9:9]. For, properly speaking, my son, a prophet is one who sees far-off things with the natural perception that every creature has. Even in the case where the prophet seems, by dint of the pure light of prophecy, to perceive clearly not merely things human,
des choses divines, comme humaines, que ce ne se peut faire, veu que les effects de la future prediction s'estendent loing. Car les secrets de Dieu incomprehensibles, et la vertu effectrice contingent de longue estendue de la cognoissance naturelle, prenant leur plus prochain origine du liberal arbitre, faict apparoir les causes qui d'elles mesmes ne peuvent acquerir celle notice pour estre cogneues, ne par les humains augures, ne par autre cognoissance, ou vertu occulte, comprinse soubz la concavité du Ciel mesme, du faict present de la totale eternité, qui vient en soy embrasser tout le temps. Mais moyennant quelque indivisible eternité, par comitiale agitation Hiraclienne, les causes par le celeste mouvement sont cogneues. Ie ne dis pas, mon fils, afin que bien l'entendez, que la cognoissance de ceste matiere ne se peut encores imprimer dans ton debile cerveau, que les causes futures bien loingtaines ne soient à la cognoissance de la creature raisonnable : si sont nonobstant bonnement la creature de l'ame intellectuelle des choses presentes loingtaines ne luy sont du tout ne trop occultes, ne trop reserees : mais la parfaicte des causes notices	but things divine - this (simply) cannot be, seeing that the effects of future prediction extend (so) far (into the future). For the secrets of God are unfathomable, and the manifesting power that is contingent upon long-exercised instinctive gnosis, taking its immediate rise from free will, brings about the revelation of things that cannot of themselves reveal themselves to the mind, whether by human auguries or by any other occult knowledge or power beneath the concavity of the sky - (things, that is, concerning) each present moment out of the whole of eternity which embraces within itself the whole of time . But thanks to some indivisible timelessness (perceived) via epileptic trance, things are known (to us) through the movement of the heavens. I do not say, my son - lest you misunderstand me, given that knowledge of such matters cannot (yet) imprint itself in your weak mind - that future, very distant things cannot be known by any reasonable creature: on the contrary, the intellectually minded person is well able to perceive things both present and far-off  that are not too utterly occult or obscure. But the perfect appreciation of things
ne se peut acquerir sans celle divine inspiration : veu que toute inspiration prophetique reçoit prenant son principal principe mouvant de Dieu le Createur, puis de l'heur et de nature. Parquoy estant les causes indifferentes indifferemment produictes, et non produictes, le presage partie advient, ou a esté predict. Car l'entendement creé intellectuellement ne peut voir occultement, sinon par la voix faicte au lymbe, moyennant la exigue flamme en laquelle partie les causes futures se viendront à incliner. Et aussi mon fils, ie te supplie que jamais tu ne vueilles employer ton entendement à telles resveries et vanitez qui seichent le corps et mettent à perdition l'ame, donnant trouble au foible sens : mesmes la vanité de la plus qu'execrable magie reprouvee iadis par les sacrees escritures, et par les divins canons, au chef duquel est exepté le iugement de l'Astrologie iudicielle : par laquelle et moyennant inspiration et revelation divine par continuelles supputations, avons nos propheties redigé par escrit. Et combien que celle occulte Philosophie ne fusse réprouvée, n'ay oncques voulu presenter leurs effrenees persuasions,	cannot be acquired without that divine inspiration, given that that all prophetic inspiration takes its prime moving principle (first) from God the creator, then from fortune and instinct. It is in this way that - various things being produced or not produced in various ways - the prophecy is partially arrived at, or has been arrived at. For intellectually-based understanding is incapable of seeing occultly in what direction things to come will tend - other than through the voice (that is heard) with the aid of the hem, and through the tiny flame. And also, my son, I beg you never to devote your mind to such fancies and vanities, which desiccate the body, drive the soul to perdition and disturb the feeble intelligence - even that vanity of more-then-execrable magic that was long ago condemned by the sacred sciptures and divine precepts - from which the main exception is the judgement of judicial astrology, by means of which (and thanks to the divine inpiration and revelation continual night watches and calculations) we have drawn up our prophecies in writing. And even where that occult philosophy was not forbidden, I never wished to promulgate their wild views,
combien que plusieurs volumes qui ont esté cachez par longs siecles me sont esté manifestez. Mais doutant ce qui adviendroit, en ay faict apres la lecture present à Vulcain que cependant qu'il les venoit à devorer, la flamme leschant l'air rendoit une clarté insolite, plus claire que naturelle flamme, comme lumiere de feu de clytre fulgurant, illuminant subit la maison, comme si elle fut esté en subite conflagration. Parquoy afin qu'à l'advenir ne fussiez abuzé, perscrutant la parfaicte transformation tant seline que solitaire, et soubz metaux incorruptibles, et aux ondes occultes, les ay en cendres convertis. Mais quant au iugement qui se vient parachever, moyennant le jugement celeste, cela te veux le manifester : parquoy avoir cognoissance des causes futures, reiettant loing les phantastiques imaginations qui adviendront limitant la particularité des lieux par divine inspiration supernaturelle : accordant aux celestes figures, les lieux, et une partie du temps de proprieté occulte par vertu, puissance, et faculté divine, en presence de laquelle les trois temps sont comprins par eternité, revolution tenant à la cause passee,	even though many volumes that have been hidden for long ages have presented themselves to me. Instead, for fear what might happen, after I read them I offered them to Vulcan  such that, while he was devouring them, the flames that licked the air gave out an extraordinary brightness, brighter than natural flame, illuminating the house like the light of a flashing jet of fire as if (the building) had suddenly caught alight. It is for this reason, in order that you should not be deceived by studying the supreme transmutation both lunar and solar, whether of the incorruptible metals under the earth or hidden underwater , I reduced them to ashes. But as for the conclusions that can be attained by means of astrological exegesis, that is what I should like to reveal to you . It is by this means that one has knowledge of things to come, while rejecting out of hand all imaginary fantasies - and can through divine inspiration pin down precise places supernaturally in accordance with the celestial patterns. (Indeed, not only) places, (but) to some extent times, by hidden virtue of the divine power and intelligence, in the presence of which all three (dimensions of) time(s) are included in eternity, holding circuit with past, present and future causes.
presente et future : quia omnia funt nuda et aperta, etc. Parqoy, mon fils, tu peux facilement, nonobstant ton tendre cerveau, comprendre que les choses qui doivent advenir, se peuvent prophetizer par les nocturnes et celestes lumieres, qui sont naturelles, et par l'esprit de prophetie : non que ie me vueille attribuer nomination n'y effect prophetique, mais par revelee inspiration, comme homme mortel, esloigné non moins de sens au Ciel, que des pieds en terre. Possum non errare, falli, decipi, suis pecheur plus grand que nul de ce monde, subiet à toutes humaines afflictions. Mais estant surprins par fois la sepmaine limphatiquant, et par longue calculation, rendant les estudes nocturnes de souaves odeur, i'ay composé Livres de propheties contenant chacun cent quatrains astronomiques de propheties, lesquelles i'ay un peu voulu rabouter obscurement : et sont perpetuelles vaticinations, pour d'icy à l'annee 3797. Que possible fera retirer le front à quelques uns, en voyant si longue extension, par soubz toute la concavité de la Lune aura lieu et intelligence : et ce entendant universellement par toute la terre les causes mon fils. Que si tu	'Quia omnia sunt nuda & aperta etc.' [Latin: 'For all things are naked and open']. In this way, my son, you can easily understand, despite your tender brain, how things to come can be foretold (both) by the nocturnal and celestial lights  - which are (perfectly) natural - and by the spirit of prophecy. Not that I wish to attribute to myself either the name or the role of a prophet, but (rather rely on) inspired revelation, like any man whose senses are no less distant from heaven than his feet are from the ground. 'Possum non errare falli decipi' [Latin: 'I am able not to err, fail or be deceived']. I am a bigger sinner than anybody in this world, and subject to all human afflictions. But being overtaken several times a week by (the spirit of) prophecy that lends a sweet odour to my nocturnal studies, I have by dint of long calculation composed  books of prophecies, each containing 100 prophetic astronomical quatrains, which I have intentionally arranged a little obscurely. They contain perpetual predictions for (the period) from now until the year 3797 Which will possibly cause some people to raise their eyebrows on seeing such a long prognosis; (yet these) things shall take place and shall be known everywhere beneath the sphere of the moon - by which I mean throughout all the earth, my son.
vis l'aage naturel et humain, tu verras devers ton climat, au propre Ciel de ta nativité, les futures adventures prevoir. Combien que le seul Dieu eternel soit celuy seul qui cognoit l'eternité de sa lumiere, procedant de luy mesme, et ie dis franchement qu'a ceux à qui sa magnitude immense, qui est sans mesure et incomprehensible, a voulu par longue inspiration melancolique reveler, que moyennant icelle cause occulte manifestee divinemernt, principalement de deux causes principales, qui sont comprinses à l'entendement de celuy inspiré qui prophetise, l'unes est qui vient à infuser, esclaircissant la lumiere supernaturelle, au personnage qui predit par la doctrine des Astres, et prophetise par inspiree revelation, laquelle est une certaine participation de la divine eternité, moyennant laquelle le Prophete vient à iuger de cela que son divin esprit luy a donné par le moyen de Dieu le Crateur, et par une naturelle instigation : c'est à scavoir que ce que predit, est vray, et a prins son origine ethereement : et telle lumiere et flamme exigue est de toute efficace, et de telle altitude non moins que la naturelle clarté, et naturelle lumiere rend les Philosophes si asseurez, que	For if you live (to) the natural human age you shall see in the area of your own native clime and heaven  future events take place. God eternal, though, is the only one who knows the eternity of His light which proceeds from Himself. And I tell (you) frankly that into those to whom His immense greatness, which is immeasurable and incomprehensible, has deigned to reveal (things) through long and melancholic revelation  - by way of that hidden thing which is divinely manifested - is poured one of the two main things that condition the understanding of the inspired prophet, illumining with supernatural light the person who is predicting via the doctrine of the stars, as well as prophesying through inspired revelation: namely a certain participation in the eternity of God, through (which) the prophet comes to judge what his divine spirit has revealed through the agency of God the creator, as well as through an instinctive impulse: in other words, what he predicts is true and of celestial origin. Such light and tiny flame is totally efficacious and lofty, no less than the natural brilliance or natural light (that) makes philosophers  so assured that,
moyennant les principes de la premiere cause ont attainct à plus profondes abysmes des plus hautes doctrines. Mais à celle fin mon fils, que ie ne vague trop pronfondement pour la capacité future de ton sens, et aussi que ie treuve que les lettres feront si grande et incomparable iacture, que je treuve le monde avant l'universelle conflagration advenir tant de deluges et si hautes inundations, qu'il ne sera guiere terroir qui ne soit couvert d'eau : et sera par si longtemps, que hors mis enographies et topographies que le tout ne soit pery : aussi avant et apres telles inundations, en plusieurs contrees, les pluyes seront si exigues, et tombera du Ciel si grande abondance de feu et de pierre candantes, qui n'y demeurera rien qu'il ne soit consommé : et cecy advenir en brief, et avant la derniere conflagration : Car encores que la planete de Mars paracheve son siecle et à la fin de son dernier periode si le reprendra il : mais assemblez les uns en Aquarius par plusieurs annees, les autres en Cancer par plus longues et continues. Et maintenant que sommes conduicts par la Lune, moyennant la totale puissance de Dieu eternel, qu'avant qu'elle aye paracheve	on the basis of the principles of the First Cause, they have succeeded in penetrating to the profoundest depths of the loftiest doctrines. But in order, my son, that I may not wander (into waters) too deep for the future capacity of your mind, and also because I find that literacy shall undergo such a huge and unparallelled collapse ,  I find that so many deluges and such deep floods shall befall the world before the universal conflagration that there shall be scarcely any land that is not covered by water: and for a long time things shall be such that, were it not for written accounts of peoples and countries, all would be lost. Moreover, both before and after these floods, the rains in many countries shall be so slight, and so much fire and so many meteorites shall fall from the sky, that nothing shall remain that is not consumed. And all this is to occur, in brief, before the final conflagration. For now that the planet Mars is completing its cycle, and is at the end of its most recent period, so it shall take it up again  - but with some grouped in Aquarius for several years, and others grouped in Cancer for longer and more continuous periods. And - given that we are now governed by the moon - before it has completed its full circuit, thanks to the omnipotence of God eternal, the (age of the) sun shall come (again), and then (that of) Saturn..
son total circuit, le Soleil viendra, et puis Saturne. Car selon les signes celestes, le regne de Saturne sera de retour, que le tout calculé, le monde s'approche, d'une anaragonique revolution : et que de present que cecy i'escrits avant cent septante sept ans trois mois unze iours par pestilence, longue famine, et guerres, et plus par les inondations le monde entre cy et ce terme prefix, avant et apres par plusieurs fois, sera si diminué, et si peu de monde sera, que l'on ne trouvera qui vueille prendre les champs, qui deviendront libres aussi longuement, qu'ils sont esté en servitude : et ce quant au visible iugement celeste, qu'encores que nous soyons au septiesme nombre de mille qui paracheve le tout, nous approchant du huictiesme, où est le firmament de la huictiesme sphere, qui est en dimension latitudinaire, où le grand Dieu eternel viendra parachever la revolution : où les images celestes retourneront à se mouvoir, et le mouvement superieur qui nous rend la terre stable et ferme, non inclinabitur in saeculum saeculi : hors mis que son vouloir sera accomply, mais non point autrement : combien que par ambigues opinions	For according to the signs in the sky the reign of Saturn shall return, and the world is nearing a cycle of denouement: and before 177 years and 3 months from what I am writing about here, through pestilence, long-drawn-out famine, wars and additionally floods, the world shall - between now and the time that I have just laid down in advance, as well as several times before and afterwards - be so diminished, and there shall be so few people, that nobody shall be found willing to take to the fields, which shall be free (of cultivation) for as long as they have been subject (to the plough). And all this by interpreting what can be seen in the stars. Furthermore, we are now in the midst of the seventh count of a thousand (years) which brings everything to a close , and approaching the eighth that corresponds to the eighth  sphere, which is at the altitude where God eternal shall accomplish the cycle during which the  patterns in the sky shall return to exert themselves (again), as well as being the upper driving-force that makes our earth stable and firm, (so that) 'non inclinabitur in saeculum saeculi' . Yet all this shall be when His will is accomplished, and not otherwise.
cedantes toutes raisons naturelles par songes Mahometiques, aussi aucunes fois Dieu le Createur par les ministres de ses messagiers de feu, en flamme missive, vient à proposer aux sens exterieurs, mesmement à nos yeux, les causes de future prediction, significatrices du cas futur qui se doit à celuy qui presage manifester. Car le presage qui se faict de la lumiere exterieure vient infailliblement à iuger parties avecques, et moyennant le lume exterieur : combien vrayement que la partie qui semble avoir par l'oeil de l'entendement, ce qui n'est par la lesion du sens imaginatif, la raison est par trop evidente, le tout estre predict par afflation de divinité, et par le moyen de l'esprit Angelique inspire à l'homme prophetisant, rendant oinctes de vaticinations le venant à illuminer, luy esmouvant le devant de la phantasie par diverses nocturnes apparitions, que par diurne certitude prophetise par administration Astronomique, conioincte de la sanctissime future prediction, ne considerant ailleurs qu'au courage libre. Viens à ceste heure entendre, mon fils, que ie trouve par mes revolutions, qui sont accordantes à revelee inspiration, que le mortel glaive s'approche de nous maintenant, par peste, guerre plus horrible	Nevertheless, whether by vague hunches that exceed all natural reason or by inspired dreams, it also happens from time to time that God the creator, through the ministry of his messengers of fire, proposes in the form of the flame that he sends, even to our eyes, the causes of future predictions signifiying the future events that are to appear to the one who prophesies. For the prophecy arrived at via the exterior light must inevitably be arrived at with - and by the grace of - the interior light, even though in truth that part which seems to see through the eye of the understanding does so only by inhibiting the imaginative faculty. The reason is only too obvious - namely that all of it is predicted through divine inspiration and by means of the angelic spirit that is breathed into the one prophesying, pouring prophecies into him, illumining him, stirring his imagination with various nocturnal visions such that, in the (more certain) light of day he prophesies throught the application of astronomy in conjunction with the most holy revelation of the future - which consists, moreover, in nothing less than the exercise of free will . It should be understood at this point, my son, that I find through my (calculations of astrological) cycles, in accordance with revealed inspiration, that the sword of death is now about to descend on us through plague, war more horrible
qu'à vie de trois hommes n'a esté, et famine, lequel tombera en terre, et y retournera souvent : car les Astres s'accordent à la revolution, et aussi a dit : Visitabo in virga ferrea iniquitates eorum, et in verberibus percutiam eos, car la misericorde de Dieu ne sera point dispergee un temps, mon fils, que la pluspart de mes Propheties seront accomplies, et viendront estre par accomplissement revoluês. Alors par plusieurs fois durant les sinistre tempestes. Conteram ego, dira le seigneur, et consringam, et non miserebor, et mille autres adventures qui adviendront par eaux et continuelles pluyes, comme plus à plain i'ay redigé par escrit aux miennes autres Propheties qui sont composees tout au long, in soluta oratione, limitant les lieux, temps, et le terme prefix que les humains apres verront, cognoissant les adventures advenues infailliblement, comme avons noté par les autres, parlans plus clairement, nonobstant que soubz nuee seront comprinses les intelligences : sed quando submovenda erit ignorantia, le cas sera plus esclaircy. Faisant fin, mon fils, pren donc ce don de ton pere Michel Nostradamus, esperant toy declarer une chacune Prophetie des quatrains cy mis. Priant au Dieu immortel, qu'il te vueille prester vie longue, en bonne et prospere felicité. De Salon ce 1. de Mars 1555.	that has been for three generations, and famine which shall befall the world and often return, for the stars agree with the(se calculations of) cycles. Moreover, (God) has said 'Visitabo in virga ferrea iniquitates eorum, & in verberibus percutiam eos' ['I will visit their sins with an iron rod and strike them with lashes'], for the  mercy of the Lord shall not have time to be spread abroad, my son, before most of my prophecies shall be fulfilled and reach the time of their fulfilment. Then, over a repeated period, (there shall be) ominous storms ('Centeram ergo', the Lord shall say, '& confringam, & non miserebor' [Latin: 'I will trample and break them, and will have no mercy' - vague reference to Isaiah 63:3]) and many other things to come that shall occur through floods and continual rains, as I have set out more fully in writing in my other prophecies which are written out at length, 'in soluta oratione' [Latin: 'in plain prose'], specifying the places, times and the the pre-ordained period - as future human beings shall see (for themselves), recognising that the future things (predicted) have (indeed) unerringly come to pass, just as we have noted in the other (prophecies) in clearer language. Their meanings shall admittedly be understood only vaguely, 'sid quando submovenda erit ignorantia' ['but when the time comes for the removal of ignorance'] the matter shall become clearer. To bring this to a close then, my son, take this gift from your father M. Nostradamus, who hopes to explain to you every one of the prophecies set out in these quatrains. Praying God immortal that he will grant you long life, in good and prosperous happiness. From Salon, this 1st of March 1555.

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