Nostradamus - Part 3

@~Concluded from Issue 65

In October 1564, a crimson-clad King Charles led his entourage
into Salon to summon Nostradamus to a private audience with his
mother. At the papal mansion Nostradamus entertained his royal
patrons for several hours and drew up a horoscope for Catherine's
favourite child, Edward of Anjou, reaffirming his promise that the
boy would become a king (the infamous Henry III).

Royal acclaim marked the peak of Nostradamus ' prophetic career. A
year and eight months later he visited the embassy at Arles as the
king's representative from Salon but on his return in June 556
suffered a severe attack of gout.

On 17 June, sensing that death was near, he made a last will and
testament. His fortune, a substantial 3,444 crowns, was to be
distributed among his wife Anne, who was pregnant at the time of
his death, his three sons and three daughters. The will made
contingencies for the possibility of Anne giving birth to twins
and also made arrangements for the death of any daughter before
marriage.

For his last days Nostradamus moved to his beloved study. His bed
was moved there and a special bench built so that he could
manoeuvre his disabled body around the room. His gout deteriorated
into dropsy and on 1 July Father Vidal, the Superior of Salon's
Franciscan monastery, was called to hear his last confession and
perform the final rites. According to contemporary witnesses
Nostradamus stayed alert and calm to the end, despite his acute
pain. He wished to spend his last night alone and when his
secretary Chavigny rose from the bedside and asked hopefully,
"Until tomorrow, Master?" Nostradamus replied, "You will not find
me alive by sunrise."

The final prophecy in Nostradamus' last almanac foretells his own
death:
"On his return from the Embassy, the King's gift put in place. He
will do nothing more. He will be gone to God. Close relatives,
friends, brothers by blood (will find him) completely dead near
the bed and the bench."

The next morning at sunrise Chavigny led family and friends to the
top floor study. They found Nostradamus' body lying on the floor
between his bed and the makeshift bench

Anne carried out her husband's final request that his coffin
should be enclosed, standing upright, within a wall inside the
Church of the Cordeliers of Salon. On his tomb these words were
inscribed in Latin:

"Here rest the bones of the illustrious Michel Nostradamus, alone
of all mortals, judged worthy to record with his near divine pen,
under the influence of the stars, the future events of the entire
world. He lived sixty-two years, six months and seventeen days.
He died at Salon in the year 1566. Let not posterity disturb his
rest. Anne Posart Gemelle wishes her husband true happiness."

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