July 24, 1554

There is a flurry in the court. Rumours of a prophesy by Nostradamus have leaked out and it does not bode well. The expected baby is fine and a brilliant life is predicted. Nostradamus says it a boy. This, of course, makes the Queen very happy. But then people who are privy to the Queen’s innermost circle have reported that the Queen began to press Nostradamus further concerning other predictions, and now it is said that he has prophesied the early death of dear King Henry. It is an obscure quatrain, and I am not sure why it is necessarily interpreted as the death of Henry, but the verse has made its rounds through the court. It goes as follows:

 

The young lion shall overcome the old one

In martial field by a single duel

In a cage of gold he shall put out his eye

Two wounds from one, then he shall die a cruel death.

 

The King is said to be mightily upset but not because of his death being predicted. He believes astrologers provide nothing but nonsense. I have heard him say so on many occasions, but he is most worried that it will disturb Queen Catherine and her pregnancy, which has been going so well. He has been most solicitous of the Queen. He did not even come to Anet for the Midsummer Eve ball of Diane de Poitiers, for he knew it would upset the Queen. I hope he doesn’t send Nostradamus away. We quite enjoy him. Mary Beaton and René the Florentine, Nostradamus, and myself have enjoyed several games of tennis in this fine weather.