XXXV.

French.

Le Lion jeune le vieux surmontera, En champ bellique par singulier Duelle, Dans Cage dor Lœil il lui crevera, Deux playes une puis mourir mort cruelle.

English.

The young Lion shall overcome the old one, In Martial field by a single Duel, In a Golden Cage he shall put out his Eye, Two wounds from one, then he shall die a cruel death.

ANNOT.

This is one of the Prophecies that hath put our Author in credit, as well for the clearness as for the true event of it.

_Cæsar Nostradamus_ our Authors son, in his History of _Provence_, writeth that by this _Stanza_ his father intended to foretell the manner of _Henry_ the second’s death.

The _French_ Histories relate that this great Prince desiring to honour the Nuptial of his Daughter _Elizabeth_, married to _Philip_ II. King of _Spain_, did appoint a Tournament to be kept in St. _Anthony_’s street in _Paris_, where himself would be one of the Defendants against all comers, and for that purpose chose for his companions and associates _Don Alfonso d’Este_ Duke of _Ferrara_, and _Francis_ of _Lorrain_, Duke of _Guise_.

The Tornament being almost ended, in which the King had shewed much Valour being mounted upon a Horse of the Duke of _Savoy_, _Philibert_’s, _Emanuel_ his Brother in Law, this Duke intreated the King to leave off, because he had got the Victory; and the weather was hot, and the night drawing on: But this Martial King would need break one Launce more, and commanded the Captain _Gabriel de Lorges_ to be called, a young and valiant Lord and Captain of the _Scottish_ Guard. Being come, the King commanded him to run against him, which he refused a great while; but the King waxing angry, he obeyed, and set Spurs to his Horse, he did hit the King in the lower part of his Beaver, the Launce was broken into shivers, and the mean stump lifting up the Beaver, a splinter got in, and wounded the King a little above the right _Eye_, where finding the Bone too hard, it went very deep under the said _Eye_, and broke some Veins belonging to the Membrane, called _Pia Mater_.

The blow was so violent that the King bended his head towards the lists, and fell, into a Swound, being presently disarmed, they perceived the splinter of the Launce in his _Eye_, and his face all bloody. He lived ten days after, and died with great Convulsions, because the Sinews were offended, whereupon he suffered grievous Torment.

His death was also foretold by _Luke Gaurick_ a great Astrologer, who being constrained by the Queen _Catharine_ of _Medicis_, to tell her by what kind of death her Husband should end his days, told her it should be in a _Duel_, which made him to be hissed at, Kings being exempted of those accidents.

According to this Narrative the Author calleth the King an old _Lion_, and the Captain _Lorges_, since Earl of _Montgomery_, the _young Lion_; because both fought like _Lions_. The _young Lion_ overcame the old one in _Martial field_, and in a fight of one against one, and consequently a _Duel_.

He overcame him by putting his _Eye_ out in a _Golden Cage_, that is, in his Gilded Helmet.

Of which _Wound_ there came another, because the blood of some broken Veins, creeping into the Brains by the vehement agitation of the head, caused an Impostume there, which could not be remedied: therefore the Author saith _two Wounds_ from one, that is, one wound made two: and the King died of a cruel death, as we have said before.