Chapter D: D. reads for trente, trained. Had the true reading been trained

it would have been very wonderful, because the trained bands of London had not been thought of in Nostradamus’s time. Garencières interprets the quatrain to refer to Charles I., and says it is well known that the plotters used to assemble at the _Bear at the Bridge foot_. This was a celebrated inn on the south side of London Bridge. It was pulled down 1761, when the houses were removed from London Bridge (_Public Advertiser_, December 26, 1761), “Hist. Sign.,” p. 154.

The _Quarterly Review_ (xxvi. 189), in some very disparaging remarks on Nostradamus, says of this particular quatrain that it predicts “the Revolution of 1688 with tolerable clearness,” resting upon the last line, which it prints in _italics_. As, however, William III. was born at the Hague, he was not born in what is called Friesland, but South Holland. I do not know whether it formed a part of Friesland in Nostradamus’s time. D. D. is puzzled with the word _blonde_, and suggests that perhaps William had fair hair in his youth, “or it might be an allusion to his name, Guillaume, because (_sic?_) of _cil_, signifying _eyebrows_.” This vermicular wriggle must be permitted to our highly excellent cleric, who is manifestly unable to get the quatrain to say what he wants it to say. We have had numerous quatrains that, when properly understood, have appeared to be clear enough, and which are disparaged as “perplexed verses” by the _Quarterly_. But this which they find expressed with “tolerable clearness,” I do not find clear at all. I find no plot of _thirty_, no meeting of conspirators at the Bear at the Bridge foot, or at any other bridge, nor satellites who are executed, nor of a _blond_ king, nor of a native of Friesland.

MARLBOROUGH AND THE CARDINAL DE BOUILLON.

_Century VI.—Quatrain 53._

Le grand Prélat Celtique à Roy suspect,
De nuict par cours sertira hors de regne:
Par Duc fertile à son grand Roy Bretaine,
Bisance à Cypres et Tunes insuspect.

_Translation._

The great Celtic Prelate suspected by the King,
Shall post with haste by night out of the realm,
Through Bisance, Ypres, and Bethune, undiscovered,
By aid of the duke fertile (in conquest) to the great King of Britain.

This refers to the Cardinal de Bouillon, Great Almoner of France, who was misrepresented to the French King to such an extent that he could not appear at Court. After some years he threw up his charge and determined to quit France. He was related to Prince Eugène, who was with Marlborough, near Arras. The Cardinal came over to them under cover of night, precisely as described by Nostradamus, under the protection of a strong convoy, sent by Marlborough to protect him from the scouts of Ypres and the other places named. When he reached Antwerp, he simply sent in his ribbon of the Order to the French Court, accompanied with his resignation. He is called “Prelat Celtique” as the Duchy of Bouillon is in Gallia Celtica. D. D. holds that _grand Roy_ is an abbreviation of _Royaume_. But the sense is better if taken literally as it stands.

I transcribe for the curious reader from D. D. the following passage; it is too singular to be neglected:

“But the allusion on the Duke of Marlborough is still prettier.
Had his [Nostradamus’s] genius dictated unto him _Marnebourg_,
he might have understood and written down without hesitation,
for the English _Marl_ and the French _Marne_ are one and the
same. The Dæmons speak all sorts of languages, but Nostradamus
did not understand the English, whence it came that at the
hearing of the name Marlborough, he startled, and thought,
‘_Qu’est-ce que Marl?_’ Thereupon it was inspired to him,
‘_C’est une terre fertile et graisse_,’ whereby he is ascribing
to him both _Nomen_ and _Omen_ at once: the Duke, by whose
indefatigable zeal and incomparable valour the Kingdom of Great
Britain should be fertile in conquests.”

_Century II.—Quatrain 68._

This has already been treated by Le Pelletier (i. 125) under Louis XIV., as fulfilled in the endeavour to re-establish James II. in Ireland. But D. D. refers it to March 23, 1708, when the Pretender cast anchor before Edinburgh, and nobody came out to him. He sailed away, narrowly escaping the English fleet. On this account an Act of Parliament was passed, declaring him a rebel, and setting a reward upon his head. D. D. says that from this time forth Nostradamus always designates him by the title of Rebel. As this quatrain, which we are upon, does not refer to the Pretender, the above remark would only show that Nostradamus always speaks of the Pretender as a rebel. Bouys interprets this, as we have said before, of Napoleon’s victories at sea; as also that Bouys was blindly prophesying after the battle of Trafalgar, and in ignorance that such a decisive engagement had been fought. Garencières interprets it as fulfilled in Charles II.’s times: so that with four interpreters we have four interpretations. Sceptics can employ this fact how they like; I am pleased to furnish them with the opportunity. The total of the interpretations seems to me so astounding that we can well afford to submit to deductions such as this. Besides which, I am not endeavouring to establish any point; I wish the facts to establish themselves. What they finally show to be tenable, let us adopt.

GEORGE I.’S SUCCESSION (OCTOBER 20, 1714).

_Century VI.—Quatrain 64._

On ne tiendra pache aucune arresté,
Tous recevans iront per tromperie:
De paix et trefue, et terre et mer protesté.
Par Barcelone classe prins d’industrie.

_Translation._

They will keep no treaty fixedly (arrested). All who have
gained by cheating will go (free). Peace and truce are
proclaimed by land and sea. Barcelona captured by the
perseverance of the fleet.

This quatrain is exceedingly obscure, and very difficult even to translate adequately. D. D., who is writing only a year after the actual events,—the publishing date of his book being 1715,—makes sense of it thus: George I. is proclaimed King, October 20, 1714, and Nostradamus notifies that there shall be a general liberation of all prisoners for debt. But it is hard to extract that sense out of the first two lines, especially as not a word occurs about England, a king, or a throne. The other two lines approach the period well enough. The Peace of Utrecht was concluded in 1713, and the peace between Germany and France at Radstadt followed in March, 1714. The war between France and Spain also was concluded before King George ascended the throne; even Barcelona was taken, before he was crowned (October 20), by the French fleet for the King of Spain, September 12, 1714. At the intercession of Great Britain, honourable terms were conceded to the Catalonians in Barcelona, so that the mention of that city by Nostradamus comes with much felicity and appropriateness, if we decide that he refers to George I. at all here. D. D.’s book must have been written before October 20, 1714, as he says it is hoped that on the _Coronation Day_ the King will empty most of the prisons.

GEORGE I. (1714.)

_Century II.—Quatrain 87._

Après viendra des extrèmes contrées,
Prince Germain, dessus le throsne doré;
La servitude et eaux rencontrées,
La dame serve, son temps plus n’adoré.

_Translation._

Afterwards shall come, from a distant land, a German prince
upon the gilded throne. The slavery and waters shall meet. The
lady shall serve, her time no more adored.