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The French Bibliotheca Astrologica sent
a copy of the Almanach pour l'an M.D.LXVI (the 1566-Almanach-F),
written by Nostradamus and published in the Cahiers Michel
Nostradamus, and a copy of a booklet, entitled: Almanach ende
Pronosticatie vanden Iare M.D.LXVI (1566-AlmPro-NL), which
carries the name of Nostradamus. The 1566-AlmPro-NL
is preserved in the library of the Free University in Amsterdam, the
Netherlands, catalogue number XA 05561.
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Transcript
of parts of the 1566-AlmPro-NL
An *
indicates that one or several words could not be deciphered.
Frontispiece
ALMANACH: Ende
Pronosticatie vanden Iare M.D.LXVI.
Ghemaect deur . M. Michiel Nostradamus, Docteur Inder Medicine
van Salon vâ Craux in Provence, Medicin van de Conincliche
Maiesteys, ghediciert aen myn Heeren de Princé, ende
Gouverneurs van Vrancrijk.
(picture)
Gedruckt
toe Campen, By Berend Petersen, woenêde in Sanct Lucas.
 |
1566-AlmPro-NL,
p.23
Epistle
[p23] De
Voorsegginghe oft Pronosticatie vanden Iaere.M.D.LXVI. Gedediciert
aen mijn Heren de Princen en Gouverneurs van Vranckrack. Deur M.
Michiel Nostradamus / Docteur inder Medicine ende Astrologien /
Medicin vanden Coninck.
(picture)
Gedruckt
toe Campen, By Berend Petersen, woenêde in Sanct Lucas.
[p24]
AEN MYN HEREN DE
PRINCEN ende grote Gouverneurs van Vranckrijck, wenscht alle
voorspoet ende ghesontheyt Michiel Nostradamus, heurlieder
oetmoedich en seer onderdanich Dienaer.
Daer
is beschreven / dat de Scepper des Hemels ende vander Eerden /
heeft alle dinghen ghemaeckt / ende volmaeckt seer goed ende
sijnder oneyndelicke goeth3
behagelick. Waerom seyt van Dastronomyn ende mainteneert /
dat de Planete Saturne causeert en influeert hier benede dusent
perikclen / duysent verraderien / haet en nijt / valscheden /
querelen / ghevanckenziten ende dusent droefheden? Waeromme
brengt de Planete Mars met hem so veel questié / Oorloghen /
Brantstichten / Moorden / Rooven ende dusentberande ander
miserien ende allenden? Waeromme brenghet de Planete Mercurius
voorts so veel tooverien / bedroch / dieverien / valscheden /
valsche listen ende vonden die verboden sijn / Waeromme brengt
ende leydet de Sterre ghenaemt het Hooft van Meduse oft van
[p25]
Gorgon die so quaet is / ghevoecht sijnde met de Planete
Mars / Juno inclinat non tamen astringse / die nieu geboren tot
een scandelicke / violente ende openbare doot / by aldien dat
die lieflicke sterren Jupiter ende Venus daer niet teghen en
sijn? Waerom beweecht oock Mars de nieu geboren te moeten lijden
eenight groote ende leelke quetsure in het aenschijn / tensi dat
hy gelogeert is In suo domicilio Arietis cum Ascendentas. Voor
antwoorde ende solucie van alle dese dinghen. Een yeghelick weet
wel dat de Eerde voortbrengt voeder en onderhout Cruyden /
Vruchten, Wateren ende gedierten / die soo sorghelick ende
ghereet sijn om quaet te doene / dat de Gheest dickwil
bedwonghen is het Lichaem te verlaten / tensy dat hy dickmael
wel op sijn hoede is. Sal men daeromme moeten segghen / dat de
groten / iae de alder grootsten Heere die geschapen heeft om te
destrueren de edelste ende de Meesstersse van alle de creaturen?
Men moet Catholijckelick ghelooven / dat hy de ghemaeckt heeft
tot eenich goet eynde / ende dat sy goet ende profitelick sijn
voor de goede en voor die gene diese wel gebruycké willé. Ick
segge des gelijck dat d Influencien van de hemelsche lichamé
goed en quaet sijn
[p26]
goed ende lieflick / voor dé
ghene de goet sijn ende die deelachtig sijn vande goetheyt /
goedertierenheyt ende voorsienicheyt / vande gene die geheel
goed / goedertieré en voorsienich is: Mer quaet sijn sy / ende
sulce als wy de beschreven hebben / den ghenen die hen stellen
ende verbinden in quaet te doene / omdat sy niet willen
obedieren de redene / de voorsienicheyt / noch haerlieder goede
Gheest / de welcke de mach hebben sulcke influencien ende quade
inclinatien te bedwinghen / de Wyn / Twater / Tbier / ende het
materiael Broot hinderen des Minschen lichame als men te vele
daer afghebruyct: ende het hemels Broot hindert den Gheest / ist
dat onwaerdichlick ghenut wordet. Noch segghe ick oock / dat de
meeste feninen * ghesont ende goed sijn / als die matelick ende
inder noot ghenomen ende ghebruyct worden. Des ghelijk ist ook
van de Hemelsche Lichamen: Waeromme had men niet en behoort te
witen die Planete Saturne / dexcessive droefheyt / den langen
baet, de grote sorchfuldicheyt ende spijt van de Minsche/ noch
de dwaze liefdé / Venus / noch de valsche quaeth3
Mercurius / noch de ongebonden vermetelheyt / Mars: Maer
[p27]
wel onse complexie / ons voetsel ende de onachtsaemheydt van
ons ouders. Salmen tverbranden vande Kercken * witen / de
bedervenisse vande Schepé ende destructien dén water / de
quetsure den steen / tgevanghen sijn / de banden / ende de
criminelle executien vander Justicie den Beul oft den Schoutet?
Derghelijcke en moeten oock de quade effecté van de Lichamé
die subject zijn de quade dispositie toegheschreven wordé die
sterren ende influencien des Hemels / maer eer ons quade
condicié / die ghedegenereert sijn duer onse sinnelickheyt:
ende ist d3
tquaet ende die persecutien opde wereld comen / tsy int
generael of in tparticulier / men sal daerom (als ons Plato
leert in sijn Philosophie) niet accuseren de hemelsche nature /
maar de minschelickheyt de welke onrechtverdichlick har leven is
scickende ende ordinerende. Siet daeromme is dat dopperste Heere
ons drieget ‘Int Boeck Deuteronomium int xx. Capittel / dat hy
ons geven sal eenen cooperen Hemel ende een eerde van Yzer /
segghende aldus: Erunt tibi Coeli suy Caput tuum asrei et te*ua
quat sub ce est ferica: ende dat hy ons senden sal teeckenen
ende wonderlicke hemelsche teec
[p28]
ckenen die seer
grouwelick sijn / ist dat wij verlaten de duecht / de redene /
ende sijn heylighe gheboden / die welcke wij behooren te
omgrijpen wt alle ons herte / ende wt alle ons gedachte / ende
ontfangé / ende bewaren in de diepte van onser herten / om te
vercrijgen met een vast volstandich gelove / de gracie en
barmherticheydt van onsen Godt alieyne / door Christum Jesum
synen eenigen Soene / onsen Heere / Meester ende Salichmaker.
Laet ons dan concluderen dat de Influencie van de Hemelsche
Lichamé seer goed ende gonstich is voor de goede en vrienden
Gods / ende seer quaet ende wreet voor de quade eú vianden
vande goetheyt Gods.
Seicher
de faim / et peste grande
Enfeucite / grand trouble nus
Combat cruel / mort prelature
Sur trois Cites feront leurs Cris
[p29]
Die wonderlicke
voorsegghinghe op de Twaelf Maenden van desen toecomenden Jare
Duysent vijfhondert sessentsestich. Ende eerst.
Voorsegghinghe
van Ianuarius.
Volle Mane sal wesen den vijfden dach van Januarius te
neghen uren/seven minuten naer noene / in teecken Cancer
Waterachtig ende vandenature des Waters / t’welcke wel soude
moeghen hen keeré tot groote vochtigeyt én coude / ende winden
/ causerende groote stormen op Zee / met Sneeu / Ys / ende grote
nevel / dewelcke een oorsaeck sijn sullen / van te genereren /
vele ende diversche siecten / van de welkcke de goedertieren
Godt ons wil bewaren ende beschermen.
Tlaetste quartier sal wesen den derthiésten dach van der selver
Maent te seven uren xx.minujten voor de noene / in teecken
Scorpio / Waterachtich / coudt ende vocht van natuere / t’welcke
causeren sal quaet weder / als reghen / groote winden /
overvloey-
[p30]
en van Wateren / Sneeu ende * /ende ander
nat weder / causerende groot verlies.
Nieu mane salsijn dén eenentwintichsté dach van de selve maent
te thica uren / acht minuten voor noene / in teecken Aquarius
warm ende vocht van nature. Tweder sal hem meugen bliuen wat
schoon ende ghetempert houden / nochtans salt op veel plaetsen
Reghenen ende sterck vrijsen / door de vochticheyt van de
Teeckens.
Deerste quartier sal wesen den achtentwintichsten dach van de
voorseyde maent / te vier uré xx.minuten naer noene / In
teecken Taurus coudt ende drooge van nature / in twelcke d3
secre zal beginné te wayé / te vrijsen / sneeuwen /
groote hagelstorm en hagel / ende te nevelen ‘groote schade
doende veel lants ende Huysen / die in grooter miserien sijn sullen.
Laet ons Godt bidden dat hy ons wil bewaren voor tgheen dat de
Sterren bewylen.
Voorsegginge van Februarius
De volle mane sal wesen den vierdé dach
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The transcript, translated in English
Frontispiece
ALMANAC: and Prognostication of the year 1566, made by m. Michiel Nostradamus, doctor in the Medicins
in Salon de Craux in Provence, physician of the Royal Majesty, dedicated
to my Lords the Princes and Governours of France.
Printed in Kampen by
Berend Petersen, living in Sanct Lucas.
Epistle
[p23] The Prediction or
Pronostication of the year 1566. Dedicated to my Lords the Princes and
Governours of France. By m. Michiel Nostradamus, doctor in the Medicins
and Astrologer / physician of the King.
Printed in Kampen by
Berend Petersen, living in Sanct Lucas.
[p24] TO
MY LORDS THE PRINCES and the great Governours of France, Michiel
Nostradamus, their humble and very submissive servant, wishes all
prosperity and health.
It
is written that the Creator of Heavens and Earth made all things, and
perfect, very good and pleasant to his unending goodness. Why does
astrology maintain that down here the Planet Saturn causes and
influences a thousand adventures, a thousand betrayals, hate and envy,
quarrels, imprisonment and a thousand sadnesses? Why does the Planet
Mars bring with him so many problems, wars, fires, murders , robberies
and thousand other planned miseries and distress? Why does the Planet
Mercury brings so many sorceries, deceit, thefts, viciousness, evil
tricks and things which are forbidden
Why brings and leads the Star named the Head of Medusa or
[p25] Gorgo who is that evil, joined with the Planet Mars / Juno
inclinat non tamen astringse / the new born to a shameful, violent and
public death, and that the sweet stars Jupiter and Venus are not against
this? Why does Mars also causes the new born to suffer from some big and
ugly wounds in the face, unless he is situated In duo domicilio Arietis
cum Ascendentas. For answering and solving of all these things. Everyone
knows well that the Earth produces, feeds and maintains Herbs, Fruits,
Waters and animals, which are so alarming and ready to do evil, that
many times the Ghost is forced to leave the Body, unless he is alert.
Should one therefore say that the great, yes the greatest Lord made them
to destroy the most noble and the Masters of all creatures? One has to
believe in a catholic way that he made them for whatever good purpose,
and that they are good and profitable for the good and the one who wants
to use them in the right way. Like this, I say that the Influences of
the heavenly bodies are good and evil
[p26] good and sweet for the ones who are good and share the
goodness, mercy and providence of the one who is complete good, merciful
and provident: But evil are they - and such as we have described - those
who put themselves under evil and commit themselves to do evil, because
they do not want to obey reason, providence or their good Spirit, which
has the power to suppress such influences and evil inclinations: the
Wine, the Water, the Beer and the material Bread which hinders the Human
body if one uses too much, and the heavenly Bread hinders the Spirit, if
it is eaten unworthy. I also say that most * are healthy and good if
they are used in a moderate way and in urgency. The same goes for the
Heavenly Bodies: Why did one not and should one know that the Planet
Saturn, excessive sadness, the long run, the great carefulness and the
regret of Man, nor the foolish loves (Venus), nor the false evils (Mercury),
nor the unattached audaciousness (Mars): But
[p27] our complexity, our food and the carelessness of our parents.
Shall one the burning of the Churches * / the corruption of the sheriff
and the destruction of the water, the demolition of the stone, the
imprisonment, the chains and the criminal executions by Justice, the
Executioner or the sheriff? Such and must also the evil impacts of the
Bodies which are subject the evil disposition attributed to the stars
and the influences of Heaven, but more our evil state, degenerated by
our sensuousness, and is that evil and persecution come in the world,
whether in general or in particular, therefore one shall not (as teaches
us Plato in his Philosophy) accuse the heavenly nature, but humanity who
is unjustly arranging and conducting her life. See, therefore it is that
the highest Lord threatens us In the Book Deuteronomium in the 20th
chapter, that he will give us a copper Heaven and an Earth made of Iron,
saying like this: Erunt tibe Coeili suy Caput tuum asrei et te..ua quat
sub ce est ferica: and that he will send us signs and amazing
heavenly
[p28] signs which are very horrible, if we abandon virtue, reason
and his holy commandments, which we have to accept with all our heart,
and with all our thoughts, and receive and keep in the depths of our
hearts, to obtain with a steady, ardent faith, the grace and mercy of
our only God, by Christ Jesus his only Son, our Lord, Master and
Redeemer. So let us conclude that the Influence of the Heavenly Bodies
is good and favourable for the good and the friends of God and very evil
and cruel for the evil and the enemies of Gods goodness.
Seicher
de faim et peste grande
Enfeucite grand trouble nus
Combat cruel mort prelature
Sur trois Cites feront leurs Cris
[p29]
The miraculous predictions for the twelve months of this future year
thousand fivehundred sixty-six. And first.
Prediction
of January.
Full Moon will be the fifth day of January at nine o’clock seven
minutes after noon in the sign of Cancer, watery and from its nature of
water, which might turn them to great humidity and cold, and winds,
causing huge storms on the sea, with snow, ice, and great fog, which
will be the cause of generating many and manifold diseases from which
the merciful Lord will keep us away and protect us.
The
Last Quarter will be the thirteenth day of the same month at seven
o’clock twenty minutes
before noon in the sign of Scorpio, waterlike, cold and humid by nature,
which will cause bad weather such as rain, huge winds,
[p30] floods, snow and * and other humid weather, causing great
loss.
New
Moon shall be the twenty-first day of the same month at ten
o’clock eight minutes before noon in the sign of Aquarius warm
and humid by nature. The weather will remain a bit beautiful and
moderate, however there will be rain and severe frost in many places,
because of the humidity of the signs.
The
First Quarter shall be the twenty-eighth day of the foresaid month at
four o’clock twenty minutes
after noon In the sign of Taurus cold and dry by nature in which it
certainly will blow, freeze, snow, great hail storms and hail, and fog,
causing many damages to lands and houses, which will be in greater
misery.
Let us pray to God that He will save
us from what the Stars are planning.
The
prediction of February
The Full Moon will be the fourth day
The
authenticity of the 1566-AlmPro-NL
The 1566-Almanach-F
ends with the warning that each copy of an Almanach for 1566,
which does not contain a handwritten print of the Epistle, dedicated to
Honorat de Savoye, is a false or a forged copy. In this context, there
are references to such copies, printed in e.g. Avignon, Paris, Troyes
and Toulouse.
The Epistle in the 1566-AlmPro-NL is not dedicated to Honorat de
Savoye, but to the princes and governors of France. According to the
warning in the 1566-Almanach-F, this means that the 1566-AlmPro-NL
is not written by Nostradamus.
In the
following table, the contents of the 1566-AlmPro-NL and the 1566-Almanach-F
are listed.
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Contents
1566-AlmPro-NL |
Contents
1566-Almanach-F
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- Frontispiece.
- Calendars for each month, with
for each month a French quatrain.
- The lunar phase symbols.
- Explanation of the fixed and
mutable feast-days.
- Names and symbols of the
zodiacal signs.
- Epistle, dedicated to the
princes and governors of France, closed with a French
quatrain.
- Predictions for each month.
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- Frontispiece.
- The eras of the world, according to the
calculations of the Hebrews.
- The fixed feast-days.
- Marriage-days..
- Lunar Eclipse of October 28, 1566.
- General quatrain for 1566.
- Calendars for each month, set 1, with for
each month a quatrain.
- Calendars for each month, set 2, with for
each month a quatrain, identical to those in set 1.
- Closing lines, signed by Io. Chevignaei
Belnensis.
- Epistle, dedicated to Honorat de Savoye,
printed in handwriting.
- Brief prediction for 1566.
- Brief treatise on 1566.
- Predictions for each month, including the
horoscope figures of the four quatercharts.
- Dates of the annual fairs in Lyon.
- Dates of the annual fairs in Paris.
- Privilege, granted to Pierre Brotot and
Antione Volant, dated on November 13, 1565.
- Warning against false copies.
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The title
The full title of
the 1566-Almanach-F reads:
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ALMANACH
POUR L'AN M.D.LXVI. avec ses amples significations &
explications, cóposé par Maistre Michel de Nostradame Docteur
en medecine, Conseiller & Medecin ordinaire du Roy, de Salon
de Craux en Provence. |
In Dutch,
this title reads:
|
ALMANACH
VOOR HET JAAR M.D.LXVI. met zijn gedetailleerde betekenissen
& verklaringen, gemaakt door meester Michel de Nostradame
Doctor in de medicijnen, adviseur en arts van de Koning, van
Salon de Craux in Provence. |
The full
Dutch title of the 1566-AlmPro-NL reads:
|
ALMANACH: Ende
Pronosticatie vanden Iare M.D.LXVI. Ghemaect deur . M. Michiel
Nostradamus, Docteur Inder Medicine van Salon vâ Craux in
Provence, Medicin van de Conincliche Maiesteys, ghediciert aen
myn Heeren de Princé, ende Gouverneurs van Vrancrijk. |
The title of the 1566-AlmPro-NL
contains the word Pronosticatie (French: pronostication).
The title of the 1566-Almanach-F does not contain this word.
Nostradamus wrote an Almanach as well as a Pronostication
for the years 1555, 1557, 1558, 1559, 1560, 1562 and 1564. The
astrological character of the Almanachs is less prominent than
the astrological character of the Pronostications. The Pronostications
do not contain quatrains. Beginning in 1565, Nostradamus only wrote
Almanachs, which also contained those predictions which otherwise would
have been published in Pronostications. These books carried the
title Almanach; the word Pronostication was no longer
included in the title.
The title of the 1566-AlmPro-NL
does not contain the word "adviseur" (counselor). On p.23,
the word "astrologer" is given, but this word does not occur
in the title of the 1566-Almanach-F.
The title of the 1566-AlmPro-NL
points to princes and governors of France. To them, the Epistle is
dedicated, printed on p.23-28. This kind of reference does not occur in
the titles of Almanachs en Pronostications, written by
Nostradamus. In two titles of books which were attributed to him, but
written by others, such references do occur: the Pronostication 1567,
dedicated to mgr. François Hertog van Alençon, written by Mi. de
Nostradamus, and the Almanach pour 1570, dedicated to the Duke of
Anjou, son of the King and brother of king Charles IX, written by
Florent de Crox.[1]
The
picture on the frontispiece
The picture on the frontispiece of the 1566-AlmPro-NL contains
the same elements as the one on the frontispiece of the 1566-Almanach-F:
the Sun, the Moon, a number of stars, a hand on the left side, holding
an astronomical instrument, and a hand on the right sight, holding a
globe on which the Zodiac is depicted.
The picture on the frontispiece of the 1566-AlmPro-NL is not a
copy of the one of the 1566-Almanach-F.
The
printer/publisher Berend Petersen
Berend Petersen,
according to bibliographical data the printer/publisher of the 1566-AlmPro-NL,
was the son of Peter Warners, owner of the printing office/publishing
house "Inden Witten Valck", located close to the town hall in
the city of Kampen, NL. In 1553, Warnersz bought the house "In den
S. Lucas", located on the north side of the "Witten Valck"
. Before 1566, Petersen moved in.
Petersen worked in Kampen, Emmerich and Bremen. At the end of the 16th
century, he was succeeded by his son Willem Berentsz.[2]
In the library catalogue of the Free University Library of
Amsterdam, it is written that the 1566-AlmPro-NL is printed in
1565. This would have been in the beginning of Petersen's career in the
St. Lucas House. Neither the frontispiece, nor the beginning of the
Epistle (p.23)give the year of print.
The
calendars
The 1566-Almanach-F
contains two sets of calendars for each month. The first set contains
the days of the week, the saint days, the zodiacal sign of the Moon at
noon for each day, brief predictions and lunar phase data. Each calendar
opens with a quatrain. The second set differs from the first because of
the different predictions and the lack of saint days.
The 1566-AlmPro-NL contains one set of calendars. In the headline
of each calendar, the Latin and the Dutch name of the month is given.
Next comes a French quatrain, written for the month. These quatrains are
not copied from the 1566-Almanach-F. Each quatrain in the 1566-AlmPro-NL
contains the name of the month, which is not the case in the quatrains,
Nostradamus wrote in his Almanachs.
The calendars in the 1566-AlmPro-NL contain a number of saint
days. They also contain an Evangeliarium. For each Sunday, the verses
are given of the Epistle-lecture and the Gospel-lecture in the Holy
Mass.
For each day, the noon sign and degree positions of the Moon are given.
The times of the lunar phases are also given, counting from noon. Next,
the day is given on which the Sun changes from zodiacal sign (without
the time moment).
The calendars in the 1566-AlmPro-NL are not copied from the 1566-Almanach-F.
The quatrains are also not copied from the 1566-Almanach-F.
It is not clear why the quatrains in the 1566-AlmPro-NL are not
translated into Dutch.
The
creation of the world
In the Declaratie
van de Dagen, ende veranderende Heylich daghen in the 1566-AlmPro-NL,
it reads that, counting from the creation of the world, the year
1566 is the year 6765. According to the counting from the birth of
Jesus, it is the year 1566. If we subtract 1566 from 6765, the result is
5199, i.e. 5200 BC, the year in which the world was supposed to be
created. This matches with calculations by Richard Roussat in Livre
de l'estat... [3]
The 1566-Almanach-F contains a chronology of events in the Old
Testament, from the creation of the world to the birth of Jesus. The
total of this chronology is 4056 years. According to this total, the
year 1566 AD would be the 5622nd year of the world's existence. The 1566-Almanach-F
contains a different number: 5533. The
backgrounds of the biblical chronology in the 1566-Almanach-F are
beyond the reach of this article.
The
Epistle to the princes and governors of France
The Epistle in
the 1566-AlmPro-NL is dedicated to the princes and governors of
France. It is not clear who they are. In 1565-1566, Charles IX was king
of France. His marriage had no offspring. He had an extramarital son,
Charles d'Angoulême. Henry III, the brother of Charles IX, was Duke of
Anjou. The "Connétable" Anne de Montmorency was the supreme
commander of the French army. It is possible that the Epistle is
dedicated to some of them.
Some
elements in the Epistle point to the fact that the author is a catholic.
On p.25, there is a catholic warning: God created everything for a good
purpose and whoever uses it in the right way, will have profit by it. On
p.26, the Heavenly Bread is mentioned, a reference to the Communion, the
catholic celebration of the Last Supper. On p.27, religious persecutions
are mentioned. The context shows that this is a reference to
persecutions of Catholics by Protestants. In 1565-1566, France was
entangled in religious wars, and Protestants burned churches and
persecuted Catholics. In the Netherlands, no such persecution occurred
in that time. This means that the 1566-AlmPro-NL is translated
from the French.
The text
on p.27 is damaged. This is due to the old-Dutch text. One might derive
that the author does not blame the stars or the local authorities for
the religious persecutions, but human nature in general.
Op p.27, there is a reference to Deuteronomium 20. This reference is
wrong. The threat that God will give a copper heaven and an iron earth,
is in in Deuteronomium 28,23.[4]
It is not clear from which Bible the Latin text on p.27 (Erunt tibi...)
is copied. This text is not given in the Vulgate, a Latin Bible which
was current in the 16th century. It also did not become clear which
Bible verse served as a source for the "amazing, horrible heavenly
signs".
The Epistle is closed with a French quatrain. This quatrain is not
copied from the 1566-Almanach-F. It is not clear why this
quatrain is not translated in Dutch.
The
predictions for each month
The predictions
for each month in the 1566-Almanach-F are based upon the
astrological aspects of the planets as they occur in 1566, the lunar
phases in 1566 and the quartercharts (the charts, calculated for the
moment of the Solar ingress in Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn). The
predictions deal with political and economic circumstances, weather
circumstances and the climate.
The predictions for each month in the 1566-AlmPro-NL are not a
translation from those in the 1566-Almanach-F. They are
completely different, only based upon the lunar phases and only dealing
with weather circumstances.
The next table contains the lunar phase data of the 1566-AlmPro-NL,
compared with software data, calculated for True Local Time Paris, with
the assumption that an ephemeris was used, calculated for the meridian
of Paris (all times converted into counting from midnight). The days and
the sign positions of the Moon during the lunar phases correspond with
software data. The times of the lunar phases in the calendars and the
pronostications differ from the times of the software data.
Nevertheless, it can be said that good astrological data have been used.
| Date |
Lunar
phase |
Calendar |
Pronostication |
Software |
| 1566-01-05 |
FM |
21:52 |
21:07 |
22:44 |
| 1566-01-13 |
LQ |
10:20 |
07:20 |
06:23 |
| 1566-01-21 |
NM |
10:08 |
10:08 |
09:57 |
| 1566-01-27 |
FQ |
16:20 |
16:20 |
15:37 |
| 1566-02-04 |
FM |
10:20 |
--:-- |
10:48 |
Conclusions
The 1566-AlmPro-NL
is not a a translation of the 1566-Almanach-F. It is not written
by Nostradamus. It has become clear that it is a translation of a French
booklet. The original author was a catholic.
Some parts of the 1566-AlmPro-NL occur as such in the 1566-Almanach-F:
the picture on the frontispiece, calendars with quatrains, an Epistle and
predictions for each month. A comparison with the contents of the 1566-Almanach-F
shows that the text of the 1566-AlmPro-NL is completely different. No
astrological data from the 1566-Almanach-F have been copied.
The astrological data in the 1566-AlmPro-NL have a good quality
and are handled in the right way, as far as one can see. Remarkable is
the correct conversion of 1566 AD in the year 6765, counting from the
creation of the world. In the 1566-Almanach-F, the result of such
a conversion raises questions.
The reference in the 1566-AlmPro-NL to Deuteronomium 20 is not
correct. The quoted Bible verse is in Deuteronomium 28. The Latin text
of this verse in the 1566-AlmPro-NL is not in the Vulgate. Other
references to Bible verses could not be traced to their original source.
Compared
with the 1566-Almanach-F, the astrological quality of the 1566-AlmPro-NL
is very low. The predictions in the 1566-Almanach-F are very brief and
deal only with weather circumstances.
The 1566-AlmPro-NL
is not a translation of an Almanach by Nostradamus. It is a
translation from a French book, written under the name of Nostradamus.
The author used parts of the concept of Nostradamus. In this case, it is
not difficult to distinguish the true from the false.
Other
Dutch pseudo-Nostradamus almanacs
The French Bibliotheca
Astrologica preserves also other almanacs and pronostications which
carry the name of Nostradamus as the author's name, but are written by
others:
-
Prognosticatie
en voorsegginghe vanden zeer wonderlijcken Scrickel Jare ons Heeren,
1588. Ghecomposeert ende ghecalculeert op den Meridiaen van Brabant
/ Vlaenderen / met hare omligghende Landen.
Door Michiel de Nostredamus / Doctoor inder Medecijnen / ende
Excellent Mathematicus.
Gheprint Tantwerpen op de Lombaerde Veste by de Weduwe van Guilliaem
van Parijs / inden gulden Pellicaen.
-
ALMANACH
Ende Prognosticatie vande wonderlijcken Schrickel-jare ons Heeren
1592. Ghemaect ende ghecalculeert op den Meridiaen van onse xvii
Neerlanden, met sommighe nabueren.
Door Michiel Nostradamus van Querci / Doctoor inder Medicijnen /
ende Mathematicus.
T'ANTWERPEN By de Weduwe van Guilliaem van Parijs/op de Lombaerde
veste/ indé guldé Pellicaen.
-
Prognosticatie
en voorsegginge vandé Jare ons Heeren Jesu Christi 1594. Ghemaeckt
ende ghecalculeert op den Meridiaen vande.xvii. Neerlanden.
Door M. de Nostrodamus, Doctoor inder Medecijnen ende Mathematicus.
Thantwerpen op de Lombaerde Veste inden Gulden Pellicaen.
-
ALMANACH
oft Journael / voort Jaer ons Heeren M.CCCCC.XCV. Ghecalculeert op
tlandt van Vrancrijc / Vlaenderen / Italien / Spaingien / Engelandt
ende Duytslant.
Door M. Michiel Nostredamus / Doctoor van Cathors in Quercy.
T'HANTWERPEN, Gedruckt by Geleyn Janssens.
-
PROGNOSTI=catie
voor t Jaer van gratien M.CCCCC.XCV Gecalculeert op t land van
Vranckrijck / Vlaenderen Italien / Spaengnien / Engelant ende
Duytslant
door Meester Michiel Nostredamus Doctoor van Cahors in Quercy.
T'HANTWERPEN. Gedruct by Gheleyn Janssens, 1595.
The widow
of Guilliaem van Parijs in Antwerpen also published the Prognosticatie
ende generale voorsegginghe vanden wonderlijcken Iare ons Heeren, 1592.
Gheviactiseert door M. Valentijn van Godale Medicijn Chirurgijn ende
Mathematicus.
Expression of
thanks
-
dr.
J. Halbronn (Bibliotheca Astrologica, Paris), for sending copies of the 1566-AlmPro-NL
and the 1566-Almanach-F.
-
R.
Hoekstra (municipal archive of the city of Kampen, NL), for sending
information about the publisher of the 1566-AlmPro-NL.
De
Meern, the Netherlands, December 28, 2003
T.W.M. van Berkel
Notes
-
Benazra,
p.78 and 91.[text]
-
Krans, p.183-184. [text]
-
Roussat, p.68. [text]
-
Deuteronomium 8,9 also contains
the words copper and iron. In this verse, God promises that the land
will be rich in iron and the mountains will be rich in copper. [text]
|