|
 In his
article about the Recueil
des Présages Prosaïques
(RPP), dr. Halbronn noted that Chevignard’s Présages
de Nostradamus does
not contain a facsimile of one of Nostradamus’ Almanachs.[1]
Présages de Nostradamus
contains two Pronostication-facsimiles:
La grand’ pronostication
nouvelle avec portenteuse prediction, pour l’an M.D.LVII [1557]
(published in 1557 in Paris by Jacques Kerver) and Pronostication
nouvelle, pour l’an Mil cinq cens cinquante & huict (published
in Paris by Guillaume le Noir). An English translation of the thirteen
Présages for 1559, published in An
Almanacke for the yeare of
our Lorde God,
1559, is also included.
The subject of this article is the booklet The
Prognostication of Maister
Michael Nostradamus,
Doctour in Phisick.
In Province
for the year of our Lorde,
1559. With the predictions and
presages of every moneth.[2]
The contents of the 1559-Progno-GB
The 1559-Progno-GB is an English
translation of the predictions for each month in 1559 in the 1559-Almanach-F.
The word "prognostication" in the title of the 1559-Progno-GB
means "prediction". It does not refer to La
Grand Pronostication nouvelle avecques la declaration ample de 1559,
another book by Nostradamus with predictions for 1559.
According to the title page, the 1559-Progno-GB was published in
Antwerp. Some English authors qualify the 1559-Progno-GB as a
"pirate edition" and state that it was printed secretly in
London, despite the publishing rights of Henry Sutton, who printed the Almanacke
for the yeare of our Lorde
God, 1559 in London
on February 20, 1559.[3]
The 1559-Progno-GB opens with the
predictions for January 1559 and ends with the ones for December 1559.
The 1559-Progno-GB does not contain an introduction letter. In
the 1559-Commentaires, item #2 refers to such a letter ("Epistre
Liminaire"). This letter precedes the predictions. In the 1559-Commentaires,
there is no reference to its date.[4]
The 1559-Progno-GB does not contain the thirteen
Présages for 1559 or the calendars for each month. These calendars
contain noon lunar longitude tables for each day, dates and times of
lunar phases and aphorisms about e.g. weather or politics. The Présages
and calendars are translated from the 1559-Almanach-F and
published in the 1559-Almanacke-GB. In the 1559-Almanacke-GB,
the Présage for each month is printed above each calendar. In the 1557-Almanach-F,
the February 1557 calendar is produced in the same way: the Présage for
February 1557 above the February 1557 calendar.[5]
The emphasis in the 1559-Progno-GB
lays on predictions, based upon lunar phases, completed with
predictions, based upon quartercharts and aspects. Most of the times,
these predictions open with weather circumstances. Next, religious and
political matters are discussed.
In the 1557-Prono-F and the 1558-Prono-F, the predictions
are produced in a different order. First, a general prediction for the
year is given, together with predictions for each season, based upon
quartercharts and completed with astrological aspects. Then, beginning
with January, predictions are given for each month, based upon lunar
phases. Most of the time, the time and zodiacal longitude of these lunar
phases is specified. The impact of the lunar phases is mostly on weather
and environmental circumstances, whereas the quartercharts and
astrological aspects deal with religious and political matters. Both
books close with an "Almanach-table" which contains for
example the dates of Easter, Ascension Day, Whitsunday and the beginning
of the Advent.
There are two time spans in the 1557-Prono-F and the 1558-Prono-F.
The first time span runs from March to March and deals with the
quartercharts. The second time span runs from January until December and
deals with the lunar phases. In the 1559-Progno-GB, there is only
one time span, running from January 1559 until December 1559. There are
a few predictions for the beginning of 1560.
A mixture of texts in
the prediction for January 1559
The prediction for
January 1559 contains ten lunar phases. In a month, the average number
of lunar phases is four. This implies some kind of mistake in the
prediction for January 1559. To find out the cause of this mistake, all
lunar phase data were compared with software data.[6]
The
prediction for January 1559 opens with the Last Quarter on January 1,
followed by the New Moon on January 9, the First Quarter on January 16
and the Full Moon on January 23. These data match with AstroScoop data.[7]
After
the Full Moon on January 23, a Last Quarter follows, dated the 21. at
5.houres, passing the hed of the dragon wyth a quadryne aspect of
Mercury. This date does not fit, since the Full Moon occurred on
January 23. According to AstroScoop data, this Last Quarter occurred on
December 21, 1559. In the 1559-Commentaires, the second line of
this prediction is quoted in item #285 in the prediction for December;
the third line is quoted in item #286.[8]
There is a reference to an impact of Mars in February that
commeth.
Since this reference is in a prediction for the Last Quarter on December
21, 1559, this reference points to February 1560. In the 1559-Commentaires,
the closing quote from the predictions for December 1559 also contains a
reference to February 1560.[9]
Next follows a prediction, based upon
Jupiter: Iupiter in the 12. in his
retrogradation, but yet afflicted
by the quadrine aspect of Mars to Sagittarius…
This Mars-Jupiter
square (Mars: 17 Sagittarius, Jupiter retrograde: 17 Pisces, the twelfth
sign of the Zodiac) occurred on August 10, 1559. In the 1559-Commentaires,
this square is quoted in item #168 in the predictions for August.[10]
The remark about this square precedes a remark about a figure of the
last time of the summer, in which Mars is in 8 and Jupiter in 12 is
retrograde. In the 1559-Commentaires, this remark is quoted
in item #170 in the predictions for August.[11]
The quote in item #171 (Le Soleil dans la IXe & la Lune dans la
XIIe en Virgo, levez le cueur, Seigneurs, quell presage sera ce?) is
not included in the 1559-Progno-GB. This item is also not
included in the remaining predictions for August 1559 in the 1559-Progno-GB.
Apparently, it got lost during the production of the 1559-Progno-GB.
The remark about the Mars-Jupiter square also precedes a First Quarter,
dated the 10.daye at 4. of the clocke in the morninge, by another
quadrine aspect of Mercury oriental. This is the First Quarter of
August 10, 1559 (Sun: 27 Leo, Mercury: 22 Leo, Moon: 27 Scorpio). The
next prediction is quoted in items #172-174 of the 1559-Commentaires,
in the prediction for August.[12]
The reference to another Moon-Mercury square is quite peculiar.
No Moon-Mercury square is discussed in the predictions for the previous
months, except the one on December 21, 1559. In the 1559-Progno-GB,
this square became mixed in the predictions for January 1559. The square
of December 21, 1559 occurs after the square of August 10, 1559. The
reference to it as a "previous" square does not fit
chronologically and is due to the fact that the text became mixed.
A few lines further, a Full
Moon is mentioned, dated the 18. daye at one of the clocke in the
morning. 45 minutes. This is the Full Moon of August 18, 1559. This
prediction includes an explanation of a Moon-Mercury opposition (Sun: 4
Virgo, Mercury: 7 Virgo, Moon: 4 Pisces). In the 1559-Commentaires,
this explanation is quoted in item #177 in the prediction for August.[13]
Next to this Full Moon comes
a First Quarter, dated
the 6. at 11. houres in Pisces, in the head of
the dragon by another quadrine aspect of Saturne to Mars. This First
Quarter occurred on December 6, 1559 (Sun: 25 Sagittarius, Moon: 25
Pisces, conjunct the Caput Draconis on 26 Pisces, which explains the
remark
in the head of the dragon). Mars on 3 Pisces is in square
with Saturn retrograde on 2 Gemini. In 1559, Saturn moved from 16 Taurus
into the first decanate of Gemini and Mars moved from 10 Scorpio to 16
Pisces. Only on December 5, 1559, Mars was in square with Saturn. There
was no preceding square between Mars and Saturn earlier that year. In
the 1559-Progno-GB, such a preceding square is not discussed. The
word
another
makes no sense.
The prediction for this
First Quarter is that the enemies of France shall be ruined and subject
to the French monarchy; Mars is favourable for France until 1565. In the
1559-Commentaires, this is quoted in items #265 and 266 in the
prediction for December.[14]
Further comments regarding the impact of the Mars-Saturn square are
quoted in item #277 in the prediction for December.[15]
Next to this First Quarter
comes a Full Moon, dated the 14. at 7.houres.22.minutes, by certayne
other sinister oppositions. This is the Full Moon on December 14,
1559 (Sun: 3 Capricorn, Moon: 3 Cancer). The other oppositions (the Moon
is in full opposition with the Sun) are a Moon-Mercury opposition
(Mercury: 29 Sagittarius) and a Moon-Venus retrograde opposition (Venus
retrograde: 11 Capricorn). The predictions that follow are not quoted in
the 1559-Commentaires.
Next comes a Last Quarter, dated the 30 of the moneth at noone.
This Last Quarter occurred on January 30, 1559.
Table 1. Lunar phase
data for January 1559 in the 1559-Progno-GB
|
1559-Progno-GB |
Software
data |
|
Day
|
Lunar phase |
Other mentioned
aspects
|
Status
|
True date
|
|
01 |
LQ |
- |
Correct |
- |
|
09 |
NM |
- |
Correct |
-
|
|
16 |
FQ |
- |
Correct |
-
|
|
23 |
FM |
- |
Correct |
-
|
|
21 |
LQ |
Moon 90 Mercury.
Caput Draconis? |
False |
December 21, 1559 |
|
- |
- |
Mars 90 Jupiter
retrograde |
False |
August 10, 1559 |
|
10 |
FQ |
Moon 90 Mercury |
False |
August 10, 1559 |
|
18 |
FM |
- |
False |
August 18, 1559 |
|
06 |
FQ |
Moon 0 Caput
Draconis, Mars 90 Saturn |
False |
December 06, 1559 |
|
14 |
FM |
Moon 180 Mercury,
Moon 180 Venus |
False |
December 14, 1559 |
|
30 |
LQ |
- |
Correct |
-
|
In the 1559-Commentaires,
the predictions for August 10, August 18, December 6, and December 14
are situated on their proper places. Together with software data, this means that the production of the
January chapter in the 1559-Progno-GB resulted in a mixture of
texts, which partly belong to August 1559 and December 1559. A part of
the prediction for August 1559 went lost. In order to maintain
continuity, the mixed text was changed in one case.
In the 1559-Progno-GB,
the chapters that deal with August and December 1559 are brief. Sizeable
parts of the text of these chapters are included in the chapter about
January 1559.
References to writing
data
The 1559-Progno-GB
contains four references to writing dates. The first reference is in the
prediction for the Last Quarter on January 30, 1559. Its writing date:
May 23, 1558:
And therefore this
daie the 23.of May 1558.making suppotation of this present
Ephemeris.
The second reference
is in the prediction for the New Moon on July 5, 1559. This prediction
was written in March 1558:
…from the houre
that I make suppotation hereof, which is the first houre of midnight
of the moneth of Marche 1558.for the yeare.1559.
The third reference is
in the prediction for the Last Quarter on September 24, 1559. This
prediction was written in May 1558:
Some great matter
shalbefall, as well for this present yeare 1559 of for the rest of
the yeare.1558.making supputation of this in May, it shalbe Salue
victor Imperator, men shall returne into their proper place.
The fourth reference
is in the closing lines of the prediction for December 1559. The last
lines of this prediction contain a prayer, which is closed with a
reference (in English and Latin) to April 27, 1558. This reference, the Faciebat,
can
therefore be interpreted as a reference to the finishing of the 1559-Progno-GB
on April 27, 1558:
… but we will
make an ende, praying continually the almighty and eternal god, to
geve us grace to passe this yere that we wryte and the yere
following 1560, that, if of his goodness he put not to his hand, we
are like to see that whiche it maye please hym to defend us from,
and that we may lyve in his favour and wyll.
From Salon of
Craux in Provence, the 27.of Aprill. 1558.
Faciebat Michael
Nostradamus Solonae petreae Provinciae. 27 Aprilis. 1558.
In the prediction for
May 1559, a non-dated reference to a writing date is given:
… and from the
time that I cast this present calculation long before I take daie
and time as six monethes shall be strange and terrible matters.
Item #2 in the 1559-Commentaires
contains a quote from an introduction letter ("Epistre liminaire").[16]
The date of this letter is not given. Nostradamus usually wrote these
introduction letters in spring.[17] This
letter is not included in the 1559-Progno-GB.
The 1559-Commentaires do not contain any of the writing
data in the 1559-Progno-GB. Regarding May 23, 1558 in the 1559-Progno-GB,
the preceding sentence can be read literally in #18 and the next
sentence can be read literally in item #19.[18]
The reference itself is not included.
In the 1559-Progno-GB, a part
of the prediction for the Last Quarter on September 24, 1559 reads:
Some great matter
shalbefall, as well for this present yeare 1559 of for th rest of
the yeare.1558.making supputation of this in May, it shalbe Salue
victor Imperator, men shall returne into their proper place.
In the 1559-Commentaires, item
#202 reads:
Et sera quelque
grand cas tant pour l’année presente 1559 que pour le residu de l’an
1558. [19]
Item #202 closes the comments on the
predictions for September 1559. The month of May is not given in item
#202; neither the rest of the line.
In item #390 in the 1559-Commentaires,
a reference to March 17, 1558 is quoted in a prediction for July 1559:
Une famille qui
(comptant
du temps que je suppute ceci, qu’est le 17 de Mars 1558)…[20]
On this date, March 17, 1558,
predictions for July 1559 were written in the 1559-Prono-F.[21]
The prediction for July 5, 1559 in the 1559-Progno-GB, which is a
translation of the 1559-Almanach-F, is also written in March
1558.
Table 2. References to
writing dates
|
Source text |
Date of writing |
Prediction for |
|
1559-Progno-GB |
March, 1558 |
July 05, 1559 |
|
1559-Progno-GB |
April 27, 1558 |
"Faciebat" |
|
1559-Progno-GB |
May 23, 1558 |
January 30, 1559 |
|
1559-Progno-GB |
May 1558 |
September 24, 1559 |
|
1559-Commentaires |
March 17, 1558 |
July 1559 |
The order of references to writing
dates in table 2 is based on these dates. If they are correct and not
subject to printer’s errors, they imply that the predictions are not
worked out chronologically. The Faciebat, written on April 27,
1558, seems to have been written before the writing of all predictions
was finished. From an astrological point of view, this is very uncommon.
The most logic and efficient procedure to write predictions for a year,
is to interpret the aspects as they occur chronologically throughout the
year, starting with the aspects in January.
Theoretically, the mentioning of May in the 1559-Progno-GB can be
due to a printer’s error, but no copy of the 1559-Almanach-F is
available to verify this. If the text in the predictions for January 30
and September 24 in the 1559-Almanach-F reads Mars
(March), one might assume that the writing of the 1559-Almanach-F
began on or shortly before March 23, 1558, the day of writing of the
prediction for the Last Quarter on January 30, 1559. Then, apart from
the introduction letter, April 27, 1558 would be the day on which the
writing of the 1559-Almanach-F was completed.
The correspondence with the reference to March 17, 1558 in the 1559-Prono-F
seems to strengthen the assumption of a printer’s error.
The privilege for the 1559-Almanach-F
was granted on October 7, 1558.[22]
Incompatible
astrological sources
The 1559-Almanacke-GB
and the 1559-Progno-GB contain dates and times of lunar phases.
The notation of time differs entirely from the 1557-Prono-F and
the 1558-Prono-F.[23]
In the 1557-Prono-F and the 1558-Prono-F,
the notation of the time of lunar phases is in terms of 24 hours,
counting from noon (12:00) to noon. In the case of for example the First
Quarter on May 5, 1557, "2 heu" means 2 p.m, i.e. 14:00,
counting from midnight. In the case of the Full Moon on May 12, 1557,
"22 heu" means 22 hours after noon, May 12, 1557, i.e. May 13,
1557, 10:00, counting from midnight.[24]
There is no 24-hour
notation in the calendars of the 1559-Almanacke-GB. A time after
noon is marked with the letter a, a time after midnight with the
letter b. In some cases, there are additional notes like "in
the morning" or "before noon". The kinds of lunar phases
are marked by symbols.
In the 1559-Progno-GB, the time notation is the same as in the 1559-Almanacke-GB,
but times between noon and midnight have no notes and no lunar phase
symbols are used.
In the calendars of the 1559-Almanacke-GB,
the noon longitude of the Moon is listed for each day. The lunar phase
longitudes are not listed. In the 1559-Progno-GB, not one
longitude of the Moon is given except for the Full Moon of January 23,
1559, 17:57 Local Time: 9:43 Leo, and June 12, 1559: Moon in Virgo.
However, these are noon longitudes.[25]
Instead of calculating zodiacal longitudes by means of interpolation,
noon longitudes were copied from ephemeredes.
Table 3 shows correspondences and differences between the lunar phase
data in the 1559-Almanacke-GB and the 1559-Progno-GB.[26]
Table 3. Lunar phase
data in the 1559-Almanacke-GB and the 1559-Progno-GB
| |
1559-Almanacke-GB |
1559-Progno-GB |
Software
data |
|
# |
Lunar Phase |
Date |
Time |
Date |
Time |
Date |
Time |
|
1. |
LQ |
1559, January 01 |
10:00 |
1559, January 01 |
10:00 |
1558, December 31 |
22:01 |
|
2. |
NM |
January 08 |
16:19 |
January 09 |
05:58 |
1559, January 08 |
16:37 |
|
3. |
FQ |
January 16 |
23:00 |
January 16 |
21:00 |
January 16 |
21:26 |
|
4. |
FM |
January 23 |
17:57 |
January 23 |
17:57 |
January 23 |
17:26 |
|
5. |
LQ |
January 30 |
12:00 |
January 30 |
12:00 |
January 30 |
10:42 |
|
6. |
NM |
February 07 |
11:50 |
February 07 |
12:00 |
February 07 |
11:42 |
|
7. |
FQ |
February 15 |
12:00 |
February 15 |
20:00 |
February 15 |
11:52 |
|
8. |
FM |
February 22 |
03:30 |
February 22 |
15:27 |
February 22 |
03:25 |
|
9. |
LQ |
March 01 |
02:00 |
February 28 |
--:-- |
March 01 |
01:32 |
|
10. |
NM |
March 09 |
05:58 |
March 09 |
17:38 |
March 09 |
05:56 |
|
11. |
FQ |
March 16 |
22:00 |
March 16 |
22:00 |
March 16 |
22:10 |
|
12. |
FM |
March 23 |
12:41 |
March 23 |
12:44 |
March 23 |
13:02 |
|
13. |
LQ |
March 30 |
19:00 |
March 30 |
19:00 |
March 30 |
18:05 |
|
14. |
NM |
April 07 |
21:33 |
April 07 |
21:33 |
April 07 |
21:57 |
|
15. |
FQ |
April 15 |
06:00 |
April 15 |
18:00 |
April 15 |
05:13 |
|
16. |
FM |
April 21 |
10:15 |
April 21 |
22:15 |
April 21 |
22:41 |
|
17. |
LQ |
April 29 |
12:00 |
April 29 |
12:00 |
April 29 |
11:39 |
|
18. |
NM |
May 07 |
10:01 |
May 07 |
22:06 |
May 07 |
11:10 |
|
19. |
FQ |
May 14 |
23:06 |
May 14 |
23:00 |
May 14 |
10:22 |
|
20. |
FM |
May 21 |
20:20 |
May 21 |
20:37 |
May 21 |
08:51 |
|
21. |
LQ |
May 29 |
03:00 |
May 29 |
17:00 |
May 29 |
05:25 |
|
22. |
NM |
August 03 |
23:12 |
August 03 |
13:22 |
August 03 |
12:57 |
|
23. |
FQ |
August 10 |
16:00 |
August 10 |
04:00 |
August 10 |
04:28 |
|
24. |
FM |
August 18 |
12:47 |
August 18 |
01:45 |
August 18 |
00:48 |
|
25. |
LQ |
August 26 |
11:00 |
August 26 |
02:00 |
August 26 |
03:06 |
|
26. |
NM |
September 01 |
13:42 |
September 01 |
21:42 |
September 01 |
20:51 |
|
27. |
FQ |
September 08 |
16:00 |
September 08 |
16:00 |
September 08 |
15:23 |
|
28. |
FM |
September 16 |
17:09 |
September 16 |
17:17 |
September 16 |
17:51 |
|
29. |
LQ |
September 24 |
15:00 |
September 24 |
15:00 |
September 24 |
14:18 |
|
30. |
FQ |
December 06 |
23:00 |
December 06 |
23:00 |
December 06 |
22:46 |
|
31. |
FM |
December 14 |
19:20 |
December 14 |
19:22 |
December 14 |
18:58 |
|
32. |
LQ |
December 21 |
17:00 |
December 21 |
17:00 |
December 21 |
16:42 |
|
33. |
NM |
December 29 |
19:48 |
December 29 |
27:48 |
December 28 |
19:12 |
a. Correspondences
between the 1559-Almanacke-GB and the 1559-Progno-GB
The number of lunar phases
in the 1559-Almanacke-GB and the 1559-Progno-GB which are
compared, is 33. In eleven cases, dates and times are the same: January
1, January 30, March 16, March 30, April 7, April 29, September 8,
September 24, December 6, December 21 and December 29. This could mean
that both data sources are based upon the same meridian. The meridian is
not specified.
In the 1559-Almanacke-GB, the printed symbol for the First
Quarter on December 6 is the Last Quarter symbol. The printed symbol for
the Last Quarter on December 21 is the First Quarter symbol. These
errors might be printer’s errors, since the times of these lunar
phases in the 1559-Almanacke-GB match with the times in the 1559-Progno-GB.
In the 1559-Progno-GB, the time of 27:48, given for the New
Moon on December 29, might also be a printer’s error. Originally, this
time could have been 7:48, which corresponds with the time, given in the
1559-Almanacke-GB.
b. Differences between
the 1559-Almanacke-GB and the 1559-Progno-GB
There are two date
differences between the 1559-Almanacke-GB and the 1559-Progno-GB:
January 8 vs. January 9 and March 1 vs. February 28. In six cases, the
difference in time between the 1559-Almanacke-GB and the 1559-Progno-GB
is close to 12 hours (February 22, March 9, April 15, April 21, May 7
and August 10). The cause of these differences might be a misreading of
time indications, a translation error or a printer’s error. It is also
possible that the text in the 1559-Progno-GB is correct. In the
case of for example January 9, 1559, the text in the 1559-Progno-GB
reads:
The 9.day at five of the clocke, 58 minutes in the
morning.
This translation can only be the result of a literal translation of the
original source text in the 1559-Almanach-F.
In the remaining cases, time differences vary from minutes to hours.
The differences show that several astrological sources (e.g.
ephemeredes) are used and that a significant number of their data are
incompatible.
In the 1557-Prono-F
and the 1558-Prono-F, the lunar phases are specified by date,
time and (apparently) lunar phase longitude. In his article about the RPP,
Halbronn depicted the first half of the February 1557 calendar,
published in the 1557-Almanach-F.[27]
This calendar contains two lunar phases: a First Quarter on February 6
(at 5 heures a
= 17:00) and a Full Moon on February 13 (at 2h.17.mi.a
= 14:17). According to this calendar, the noon lunar longitude on
February 6 was 25 Taurus; the noon lunar longitude on February 13 was 3
Virgo. These data are listed below, together with data, according to software data.
Table 4. Lunar phase
data in the 1557-Almanach-F and the 1557-Prono-F
|
1557-Almanach-F |
1557-Prono-F |
Software
data |
|
Lunar phase |
Date
|
Time
|
Date
|
Time
|
Lunar longitude |
Date
|
Time
|
Lunar
longitude |
|
FQ |
February 06 |
17:00 |
February 06 |
12:12 |
25:43 Ta |
February 06 |
15:42 |
27:44 Ta |
|
FM |
February 13 |
14:17 |
February 13 |
14:08 |
03:54 Vi |
February 13 |
13:48 |
04:41 Vi |
Table 5. Noon lunar longitudes in the 1557-Almanach-F
and the 1557-Prono-F
|
Date
|
Noon lunar
longitude 1557-Almanach-F |
Lunar
longitude 1557-Prono-F |
Software
data
Noon lunar
longitude
|
|
February 06,
1559 |
25:00 Ta |
25:43 Ta |
25:34 Ta |
|
February 13,
1559 |
03:00 Vi |
03:54 Vi |
03:41 Vi |
Tables 4 and 5
show two things. First: the times of the lunar phases in the 1557-Almanach-F
differ from the times in the 1557-Prono F. Second: the given
lunar longitudes in the 1557-Prono-F are not the longitudes at
the time of the lunar phases, but the noon longitudes. These longitudes
were copied from the ephemeris instead of calculated by means of
interpolation. The quartercharts (horoscopes for the time the Sun is at
0 Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn), were made in the same way: copying
noon longitudes at the day of the solar ingress instead of interpolating
time. Videl criticized this in 1557, but he did not discuss the
incompatibility of lunar phase data.[28]
The difference in
lunar phase data between the 1557-Almanach-F and the 1557-Prono-F
corresponds with the findings regarding the 1559-Almanacke-GB and
the 1559-Progno-GB, except for the fact that the 1559-Almanacke-GB
and the 1559-Progno-GB are translated from one book (the 1559-Almanach-F),
whereas the 1557-Almanach-F and the 1557-Prono-F are two
separate books. In the case of the 1559-Almanach-F, there are two
different sets of lunar phase data in one book. In
the case of the 1557-Almanach-F and the 1557-Prono-F,
there are two different sets of lunar phase data in two books.
c. The September 1559
Lunar Eclipse
In the 1559-Almanacke-GB,
the table for September 1559 does not contain a symbol or note which
indicates that in fact the Full Moon of September 16 is a Lunar
Eclipse. In the 1559-Progno-GB, this Full Moon is classified as a
Lunar Eclipse.
d. The simultaneous
use of incompatible astrological sources
The 1559-Almanach-F is
the source text of the 1559-Progno-GB and the Présages in the 1559-Almanacke-GB,
which book also includes calendars and data regarding lunar phases.
The tables 3, 4 and 5 show that different astrological sources are used
for 1557 and 1559. These sources contain different data regarding lunar
phases and are therefore incompatible.
In the case of the Almanach
pour l’an M.D.LXVI (1566), Brind’Amour noticed that the noon
lunar longitude tables for each day in the were mostly copied from
ephemeredes by Moletius. Sometimes, they were copied from ephemeredes by
Carellus and Simus. Data regarding lunar phases and eclipses in 1566
were copied from ephemeredes by Carellus, Moletius, Simus and Stadius.
According to Brind’Amour, Nostradamus owned most of the ephemeredes
which circulated during his lifetime and used them all.[29]
The findings
regarding lunar phase data in the prediction series for 1557 and 1559
confirm the finding by Brind’Amour about the simultaneous use of
ephemeredes regarding 1566. In the listings for 1557 and 1559, the lunar
phase data are incompatible. The question is if Nostradamus overlooked
or ignored this incompatibility.
On October 12, 1557, Jean Brotot, a Lyonese publisher, wrote Nostradamus
that he received two
prognostications on September 19,
1557 (See: Dupèbe, p.31). He announced that he would print only one of
them; Nostradamus had to decide which one, and would add material of the
other one. Brotot also wrote that he would add calendars, containing
christian feast-days and lunar dates. This might imply that the
calendars were added by the publishers, without comparing lunar phase
data with the ones in the text of the predictions. The consequence:
incompatibility of lunar phase data.
Astrological aspects
and quartercharts
In the 1559-Progno-GB,
a number of aspects and quartercharts are mentioned. These data are
compared with AstroScoop data. It is obvious that present-day software
can never reveal the zodiacal longitudes, listed in the ephemeredes in
Nostradamus’ lifetime. But to some extent, present-day software can
indicate the nature of the astrological remarks and in some cases, there
is a kind of cohesion between successive astrological data.
a. January 1559
The prediction for the Last
Quarter on December 21, 1559, became mixed in the predictions for
January 1559. This Last Quarter was described like this: the 21. at
5.houres, passing the hed of the dragon wyth a quadryne aspect of
Mercury (Sun conjunct Mercury on 10 Capricorn, squaring the Moon on
10 Libra). The remark about the hed of the dragon is
incomprehensible. The Caput Draconis ("head of the dragon") is
on 26 Pisces and has no aspect with the Sun, the Moon or one of the
planets.[30]
The Mars-Jupiter retrograde
square of August 10, 1559, with Mars in Sagittarius, became also mixed
in the predictions for January 1559 (Mars: 16 Sagittarius, Jupiter
retrograde: 16 Pisces). Saturn is described as being "vexed",
which might refer to the Moon-Saturn opposition on August 10, 1559
(Moon: 7 Sagittarius, Saturn: 6 Gemini).
Saturn is also qualified as
"combust". The word "combust" means that a planet
(the Moon excepted) is conjunct the Sun within 3-8 degrees of arc. On
August 10, 1559, this was not the case (Sun: 27 Leo, Saturn: 6 Gemini).
In 1557, Videl criticized the abuse of the word "combust"
while discussing Nostradamus’ quarterchart for the summer of 1557. In
that chart, the Sun was on 0 Cancer and Saturn on 6 Taurus. In the
quarterchart for the winter of 1557 (Sun: 0 Capricorn), Saturn
retrograde on 2 Taurus was also qualified as "combust". In
both charts, the Caput Draconis was also in Taurus, which made the
author of this article conclude that the word "combust" was used
to describe a situation in which a planet and the Caput Draconis were in
the same zodiacal sign, a phenomenon that could also be derived from
astrological data in quatrain 04-67.[31]
On August 10, 1559, however, Saturn was on 6 Gemini and the Caput
Draconis on 3 Aries. It is not clear why Saturn in this case was
qualified as combust.
In the reference to the quarterchart for the summer of 1559, Mars was
situated in the 8 and Jupiter retrograde in the 12. In
#170 in the 1559-Commentaires, the text reads: Mars dans la
VIIIe & icy dans la XIIe Jupiter…[32]
This means that Mars is situated in Scorpio, the eighth sign of the
Zodiac, and Jupiter is in Pisces, the twelfth sign. On June 13, 1559,
the Sun was on 0 Cancer and Mars retrograde on 8 Sagittarius. Its
retrogradation is not mentioned in the 1559-Progno-GB or in item
#170 in the 1559-Commentaires. Then, according to the 1559-Progno-GB,
Jupiter is retrograde. In item #170 of the 1559-Commentaires,
nothing is written about this. Since the items in the RPP are not
always pure quotations, but many times summaries or shortened passages,
this absence does not mean that in the 1559-Almanach-F Jupiter
was direct. The matter is interesting because Jupiter was direct until
June 27, 1559, i.e. two weeks after the entrance of the Sun in Cancer.
A remark about Saturn,
Jupiter and Venus is difficult to understand. It is not clear if this is
related to the First Quarter of December 21, 1559 or to the quarterchart
for the summer of 1559.
In the prediction for the First Quarter on December 6, 1559, it is
written that Mars is favourable for France until 1565. No time key is
given which explains this prediction. It is also written that in 1560
Mars will be in his proper house, i.e. the sign of Aries. Mars arrived
on 0 Aries on January 13, 1560.
b. February 1559
Together with the Last Quarter
of February 28, 1559, there was a mentioning of other squares, but they
were not specified. The squares are: a Moon-Venus square (Moon: 20
Sagittarius, Venus: 19 Pisces), a Mercury-Mars square (Mercury: 8 Pisces
retrograde, Mars: 7 Sagittarius) and a Mars-Jupiter square (Mars: 7
Sagittarius, Jupiter: 1 Pisces). Also, a Sun-Saturn sextile was
mentioned (February 28, 1559: Sun: 20 Pisces, Saturn: 19 Taurus).
c. March 1559
The prediction for March 1559
starts with a reference to the quarterchart of March 11,1559. The noon
solar longitude: 0:02 Aries. There is also a reference to the Sunne
at 21. from Pisces. This seems to be a reference to March 1, 1559,
when the Sun was located on that degree.
While discussing the New Moon on March 9, 1559, there is a reference to the
opposite of Mars. During the discussion of the First Quarter on
March 16, also an opposition with Mars is mentioned. According to
AstroScoop data, there was no opposition with Mars on either of these
dates.
d. April 1559
In the prediction for April
1559, a revolution of 9.circles of Venus and seven of the Sunne
is mentioned. It is not clear what these words mean. The words the
constitution with in Aquarius seem to refer to 18 Aquarius, the
lunar phase longitude of the Moon during the Last Quarter of April 29,
1559. There is a reference to the quadrine aspectes of the Moon.
The Moon (18 Aquarius) squares the Sun (18 Taurus), Mercury (16 Taurus)
and Saturn (25 Taurus).
A Venus-Saturn conjunction is mentioned. The text in the 1559-Progno-GB
reads:
… which shalbe
ended and broughte to passe the 25.of this present in the
conjunction of Saturne with Venus…
Item #98 in the 1559-Commentaires
reads:
… qui se
parachevera dans le 23 du present, en la conjonction de Saturne à
Venus.[33]
The 1559-Progno-GB
gives April 25; the 1559-Commentaires give April 23. In this
case, 16th-century epehemeredes should reveal which date is at stake.
The Venus-Saturn conjunction became full on April 22, 1559.
There is also a
mentioning of an association of Mercury and Jupiter in April 1559. This
might be a reference to a Mercury-Jupiter sextile around April 28, 1559
(Mercury: 14 Taurus; Jupiter: 13 Pisces).
e. May 1559
In the prediction for
May 1559, there is a reference to a quarterchart (figure Vernale)
and to the 1559-Prono-F:
And that because
of the figure Vernale erected, and the middle of the
aire.25.degrees. 28.minutes of Libra, the Moone, the Sunne, Venus
and the dragons head, at 21.degrees by the.12. In the revolution of
the thirde, and the rest as men shal see by the revolutions in my
Prognostication…
The word vernale
means: spring. These lines contain a reference to a quarterchart,
perhaps the one for March 11, 1559, when the Sun entered Aries. This
chart was discussed in the predictions for March 1559, but the time of
the ingress of the Sun in Aries was not given.
If the words and
the middle of the aire.25.degrees. 28.minutes of Libra refer to the
zodiacal longitude of the MC in this quarterchart, they mean that on
March 11, 1559, the entrance of the Sun in Aries took place around
midnight. The entrance took place on March 11, 1559, around noon. This
results in a zodiacal longitude of the MC in the last degrees of Pisces.
There is another
reference in these lines: the reference to quartercharts in the 1559-Prono-F.
One wonders about the ingress-data for spring 1559 in the 1559-Prono-F.
While discussing the
New Moon on May 7, there is a reference to two squares: one by Mars, one
by Venus. Both planets are in square with Jupiter on 15 Pisces (Mars: 18
Sagittarius, retrograde, Venus: 15 Gemini). The remark about many and
diverse conjunctions of the good and pleasant planets is difficult
to understand. The Moon, Venus and Jupiter are the "benefics"
(good and pleasant planets). The New Moon on 26 Taurus is
conjunct Saturn on 26 Taurus and Mercury on 2 Gemini. In the next weeks,
there are conjunctions between the Sun and Venus, the Moon and Venus and
Mercury and Venus (all in Gemini), but all of them will square Jupiter
in Pisces.
While discussing the
New Moon, Saturn was mentioned with the words the Occidentalitie of
colde Saturne. No Sun-Moon-Saturn conjunction seems to be meant
here.
Next, there is a
reference to a Moon-Jupiter conjunction in the 12, the attendant is
Libra. The Moon-Jupiter conjunction occurred much later, on 17
Pisces on May 29, 1559.
Next, the First
Quarter on May 14, 1559 is discussed, with a reference to a Mars-Venus
opposition, with Mars in 9 (Venus: 21 Gemini, Mars: 17 Sagittarius,
retrograde). In the explanation of the impact of Mars in Sagittarius,
there is a reference to the Arabian astrologer Albumasar.[34]
When the Full Moon of
May 21 is discussed, Venus and Mercury are in 4, i.e. Cancer.
AstroScoop data locate both planets on the last degree of Gemini.
Saturn is described as
signifying wind, which might refer to a location in Gemini. A Sun-Saturn
conjunction is mentioned twice, both times in Gemini. This is not
confirmed by AstroScoop data (May 21, 1559: Sun: 9 Gemini, Saturn: 28
Taurus). The Sun-Saturn conjunction occurred on May 7, 1559, together
with a New Moon. Sun, Moon and Saturn were conjunct on 26 Taurus on May
7, 1559, but this triple conjunction was not discussed when the New Moon
on May 7 was discussed. An astrological text does not necessarily need
to contain all occurring aspects, but this triple conjunction is too
important to omit. A similar case occurs in the predictions for November
1559.
Together with the Last
Quarter of May 29, a Sun-Mars opposition is mentioned (Sun: 17 Gemini,
Mars: 12 Sagittarius, retrograde).
f. June 1559
Together with the New
Moon on June 5, a Mercury-Jupiter trine is mentioned (Mercury: 19
Cancer, Jupiter: 18 Pisces). Venus was on 18 Cancer, conjunct Mercury,
|