Physitian in Ordinary to HENRY the II. and CHARLES the IX. Kings of _France_. _Michael Nostradamus_, the most renowned and famous Astrologer, that hath been these many Ages, was born in St. _Remy_, a Town of _Provence_, in the year 1503. upon a _Thursday_, the 14th of _December_, about noon. His father was _James Nostradamus_, a Notary of the said Town, his Mother was _Renata_ of St. _Remy_, whose Grandfathers by the Fathers and Mothers side, were men very skilfull, in Mathematick and Physick, one having been Physitian to _Renatus_, King of _Jerusalem_, and _Sicily_, and Earl of _Provence_, and the other Physition to _John_, Duke of _Calabria_, Son to the said _Renatus_, whence cometh that our Author saith in his Commentaries, that he hath received from hand to hand the Knowledge of Mathematicks, from his ancient Progenitors. After the death of his great Grandfather by the Mothers side, who first gave him a slight tincture, and made him in love with the Mathematicks, he was sent to School to _Avignon_. After that he went to Mount _Pelier_, to study Philosophy and Physick, till a great Plague coming, he was compelled to go to _Narbonne_, _Thoulouse_, and _Bourdeaux_, where he first began to practise, being then about 22 years of age. Having lived four years in those parts, he went back again to _Monpelier_, to get his degrees, which he did with a great deal of applause. Going to _Thoulouse_, he past through _Agen_, where _Julius Cæsar Scaliger_ stayed him, with whom he was very familiar and intimately acquainted, though they fell out afterward; there he took to wife a very honourable Gentlewoman, by whom he had two Children, a Son and a Daughter, all which being dead, and seeing himself alone, he resolved to retire himself into _Provence_ his Native Countrey. After he had gone to _Marseille_, he went to _Aix_, where the Parliament of _Provence_ sitteth, and was there kept three years at the City Charges; because of the violent Plague that raged then in the year 1546. as you may read in the Lord of _Launay_’s Book, called the Theater of the World, who describeth that Plague according to the informations our Author gave him. Thence he went to _Salon de Craux_, a City distant from _Aix_ one dayes Journey, and in the middle way between _Avignon_ and _Marseille_; there he Married his second Wife _Anna Ponce Genelle_, by whom he had three Sons and one Daughter, the eldest was _Michael Nostradamus_, who hath written some pieces of Astrology, Printed at _Paris_ in the year 1563. The second was _Cæsar Nostradamus_, who hath deserved to be numbred among the _French_ Historians, by reason of the great Volume he hath written of _Provence_. The third was a Capuchine Frier. _Cæsar_ did insert in his History the propagation of that Order in _Provence_. The fourth was a Daughter.