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+The Project Gutenberg eBook, Prophecies of Robert Nixon, Mother Shipton,
+and Martha, the Gypsy, by Anonymous
+
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+
+
+
+Title: Prophecies of Robert Nixon, Mother Shipton, and Martha, the Gypsy
+
+
+Author: Anonymous
+
+
+
+Release Date: October 7, 2012  [eBook #40962]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: UTF-8
+
+
+***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PROPHECIES OF ROBERT NIXON, MOTHER
+SHIPTON, AND MARTHA, THE GYPSY***
+
+
+This ebook was transcribed by Les Bowler
+
+               [Picture: Great skill had they in palmistry]
+
+
+
+
+
+                                PROPHECIES
+                                    OF
+                              ROBERT NIXON,
+                             MOTHER SHIPTON,
+                                   AND
+                            MARTHA, THE GIPSY.
+
+
+                                * * * * *
+
+                                 LONDON:
+                     _PUBLISHED FOR THE BOOKSELLERS_.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS.
+
+                                                             PAGE
+The Life of Robert Nixon, commonly called The Cheshire               5
+Prophet.
+The Original predictions of Robert Nixon, as delivered by           18
+himself.
+The Following predictions of Robert Nixon are copied from           31
+old pamphlets.
+Nixon’s Cheshire prophecy at large, from Lady Cowper’s              36
+copy; with historical and political remarks, and many
+instances wherein it has been fulfilled.
+The Editor presents his Readers with a Copy of a printed            56
+Paper, which several aged Persons, residing near the
+Forest, have vouched for the Authenticity of.
+Prophecy of the French Revolution, from a publication by            61
+the late Mr. Peter Jurieu, in 1687.
+Extracts from sermons by Dr. John Gill.                             69
+An extraordinary prediction related by Mr. John Wesley.             95
+The Life and Prophecies of Mother Shipton.                         103
+Prophecies of Martha, the Gipsy.                                   197
+Remarkable fulfilment of a prediction.                             250
+
+THE LIFE OF ROBERT NIXON,
+COMMONLY CALLED
+THE CHESHIRE PROPHET.
+
+
+THE Prophecy of Nixon has so often given a name to the productions of
+authors of different principles, that it is now almost become a doubt
+whether such a person ever existed.  Passing through Cheshire lately,
+curiosity led me to inquire what credit these legends bore among the
+natives: and I was not a little surprised to find with what confidence
+they related events which have come to pass within the memory of many of
+the inhabitants; and how strictly they adhered to the notion that he
+would not fail in the rest.  Amongst his number was a namesake and
+descendant of the same family with this famous idiot, who, at this time
+lives not far from Vale-Royal, from whom I had mostly what follows, which
+he said he had often heard his father and other ancient people in the
+country relate.  I also obtained a manuscript copy which seemed to bear
+the appearance of antiquity.—Mr. Gerrard, Mr. Grimes and many others of
+the inhabitants of the forest of Delamere very obligingly told me what
+they knew, and confirmed what was past.
+
+John, or Jonathan Nixon, the father of our prophet was a husbandman who
+held the lease of a farm from the abbey of Vale-Royal, to this day known
+by the name of Bark, or Bridge-house in the parish of Over near
+New-Church, and not far from Vale-Royal, on the forest of Delamere, which
+house is still kept up and venerated by the natives of Cheshire for
+nothing else that I could hear of but this extraordinary person’s birth,
+which took place Whitsuntide, and he was christened by the name of
+Robert, in the year 1467, about the 7th year of Edward IV.; and from his
+infancy he was remarkable for a stupidity and invincible ignorance, so
+that it was with great difficulty his parents could instruct him to drive
+the team, tend the cattle and such sort of rustic employments.
+
+His parents at their decease left the farm and our Robert very young, to
+the care of an elder brother with whom he first gave an instance of that
+foreknowledge which renders his name so famous.
+
+As he was driving the team one day, whilst his brother’s man guided the
+plough, he pricked an ox so very cruelly with his goad that the
+plough-holder threatened to acquaint his master; on which Nixon said, the
+ox should not be his brother’s three days hence; which accordingly
+happened for a life drooping in the estate, the lord of the manor took
+the same ox for an heriot. {7}
+
+During his residence here he was chiefly distinguished for his
+simplicity, seldom spoke, and when he did it was with so rough a voice
+that it was painful to hear him; he was remarkably satirical, and what he
+said had generally some prophetic meaning.  It was about this time that
+the monk of Vale-Royal having displeased him he said in an angry tone,
+
+    When you the arrow come on high,
+    Soon a raven’s nest will be;
+
+which is well known to have come to pass in the person of the last abbot
+of that place, whose name was Harrow.  Being called before Sir Thomas
+Holcroft he was put to death for denying the supremacy of King Henry
+VIII.  Having suppressed the abbey the King gave the domain to this
+knight and his heirs who bore a raven for their crest.
+
+At another time he told them that Norton and Vale-Royal abbeys should
+meet on Acton-bridge, a thing at that time looked upon as improbable; yet
+those two abbeys being pulled down the stones were used for the purpose
+of repairing the bridge; and what was more improbable still a small thorn
+growing in the abbey-yard would become its door.  We may easily guess no
+one thought this last would ever come to pass, and especially as it was
+understood by every one at that time of day that thorns never grew so
+large; but this shows the uncertain meaning of a prophecy, and that what
+we understand one way is possibly meant quite different; so it happened
+in this case, for, at the Reformation the savage ravages under the
+sanction of religion sought nothing but rapine and plunder to enrich
+themselves; and under the name of banishing superstition and pulling down
+idolatry, spared not even the most revered lineaments of antiquity, the
+most sacred piles, the most noble structures, or most valuable records,
+books written by our most venerable forefathers and heroic ancestors.
+Pieces of the nicest paint and figures of the best workmanship being all
+lost, irrecoverably lost in one common fit of destructive zeal which
+every hue and cry is too apt to raise in the breast of a hot-headed
+bigot; whilst the truly religious, honest and learned men regret to this
+day the loss those destructive times have occasioned.  Whilst these
+reached Vale-Royal, this thorn amongst the rest, being cut down was cast
+in the door-way, to prevent sheep which grazed in the court from going
+in.
+
+But the Reformation he declares in still plainer terms; for he says,
+
+    A time shall come when priests and monks
+    Shall have no churches nor houses,
+    And places where images stood,
+    Lined letters shall be good,
+    English books through churches are spread,
+    Where shall be no holy bread.
+
+It is not my intention to recite every particular he is said to have
+foretold, which regard either private families or past occasions—however,
+it may not be amiss to mention what is fresh in every one’s memory who
+lives near Delamere forest and was vouched to me by several of the oldest
+inhabitants.
+
+    Thro’ Weaver-hall shall be a lone {10}
+    Ridley-pool shall be sown and mown,
+    And Darnel-Park shall be hacked and hewn.
+
+The two wings of Weaver-hall are now standing and between them is a
+cart-road; Ridley-pool is filled up and made good meadow land: and in
+Darnel-Park the trees are cut down and it is made into pasture-ground.
+
+I was also assured that he foretold the use of broad wheels, etc. and
+that the town of Northwich now a considerable place of trade for salt
+will be destroyed by water, which is expected to come to pass, by the
+natives of Cheshire, as much as any other part of his prophecy has done;
+and some urge that the navigable cuts lately made is the water meant: but
+whether a prejudice against those useful improvements may not have given
+rise to this notion, time only can determine.
+
+But what rendered Nixon the most noticed was that at the time when the
+battle of Bosworth-field was fought between King Richard the Third and
+King Henry the Seventh, he stopped his team on a sudden and pointing with
+his whip from one to the other cried, “Now, Richard!  Now, Harry!”
+several times; till at last, he said, “Now, Harry, get over that ditch
+and you gain the day.”  The plough-holder, amazed, related what had
+passed when he came home, and the truth of the prediction was verified by
+special messengers sent to announce the proclamation of King Henry of
+England on the field of battle.
+
+The messenger who went this circuit related on his return the prediction
+of Nixon concerning the King’s success; which, though it had been
+confirmed by his arrival had made it no news to the natives of those
+parts; but Henry perhaps the wisest Prince of his time not willing to be
+deceived, nor yet doubting the dispensations of Providence though by the
+mouth of a fool, sent the same messenger back to find Nixon, and to bring
+him before him.  At the moment the King gave his orders our prophet was
+in the town of Over, about which he ran like a madman declaring the King
+had sent for him and that he must go to court and there be _clammed_:
+that is, be starved to death.  Such a declaration caused a great deal of
+laughing in the town, to think that his Majesty so noted for his wisdom
+should send for a dirty drivelling clown to court, and that being sent
+for he should fear to be starved there; but how great was their surprise,
+in a few days after, when the messenger passing through the town demanded
+a guide to find Nixon who (then turning the spit at his brother’s at the
+Bark-house) cried, “He is coming, he is now on the road for me!” but the
+astonishment of the family can scarcely be imagined when, on the
+messenger’s arrival he demanded Nixon in the King’s name; the people who
+before scoffed at his simple appearance and odd sayings, and had pointed
+to the very children to make him their sport were now confounded on
+finding the most ridiculous of all he ever foretold (in their opinion)
+become a truth, which was vouched to their own eyes.  Whilst hurried
+through the country Nixon still loudly lamented that he was going to be
+starved at the court.
+
+He had no sooner arrived there than the cautious King willing to make
+trial of his foreknowledge devised the following scheme to prove it.
+Having had a valuable diamond ring which he commonly wore after the most
+seemingly strict inquiry made through the palace whether any one had seen
+it; he sent for Nixon, telling him what a loss he had sustained, and that
+if he could not help him to find it, he had no hopes left.  But how much
+surprised was the King, when he got for answer that old proverb,
+
+    He who hideth can find;
+
+On which he declared with a smile that he had done this only to try the
+prophet; but ever after ordered that what he said should be carefully put
+in writing.
+
+To prevent Nixon’s being starved his Majesty gave orders for him to have
+the liberty to range through the whole palace and the kitchen was to be
+his more constant dwelling.  Besides which, an officer was appointed to
+take care that he was neither misused or affronted by the servants, nor
+at loss for any necessary of life.  Thus situated one would have thought
+want would never have reached him; yet one day, as the King was going out
+to his hunting-seat Nixon ran to him crying and begged in the most moving
+terms that he might not be left, for that if he was his Majesty would
+never see him again alive: that he should be starved; that now was the
+time, and if he was left he must die.
+
+The King whose thoughts were doubtless fixed on the diversion he was
+going to and supposing the matter so very unlikely to come to pass, only
+said that it was impossible and recommended him strongly to the officer’s
+care; but scarcely was the king gone from the palace-gate when the
+servants mocked and teased Nixon to such a degree, that the officer to
+prevent these insults locked him up in a closet and suffered no one but
+himself to attend on him thinking that he should prevent this part of his
+prophecy coming true: but a message of great importance coming from the
+King to this very officer, he in his readiness to obey the royal command
+forgot to set poor Nixon at liberty and though he was but three days
+absent when he recollected his prisoner he found him at his return, dead
+as he had foretold of hunger.
+
+Thus evidenced with what is past stands his prophecy in every mouth in
+Cheshire; yet a greater affront cannot be given than to ask a copy from
+the families said to be possessed of it.  Every possible means it is well
+known has been used to smother the truth, perplex the curious, and even
+to abolish the very remembrance that such a one ever existed, but from
+what reason cannot appear except that it is foretold that the heir of O—
+is to meet with some ignominious death at his own gate, {16} with other
+family events which, though no person or time being perfectly
+distinguished may perhaps occasion this secrecy.
+
+I must also observe that the cross on Delamere forest, that is, three
+steps and the socket in which the cross formerly stood are now sunk
+within a few inches of the ground, though all remember to have seen it
+within the memory of man nearly six feet above, the cross itself having
+been destroyed long since.  It is also remarkable that Headlets cross is
+mentioned by Merlin de Rymer and most other English and Scotch prophets
+as the last place in England on which it is supposed a decisive action
+will happen; but as to any fixed period when the things will come to pass
+I cannot learn, being all mentioned with the greatest uncertainty.
+
+
+
+
+THE ORIGINAL PREDICTIONS
+OF
+ROBERT NIXON,
+AS DELIVERED BY HIMSELF.
+
+
+   When a raven shall build in a stone lion’s mouth,
+   On a church top beside the grey forest,
+   Then shall a king of England be drove from his crown,
+         And return no more.
+
+   When an eagle shall sit on the top of Vale-Royal house,
+   Then shall an heir be born, who shall live to see great troubles in
+   England.
+
+   There shall be a miller nam’d Peter,
+         With two heels on one foot,
+   Who shall distinguish himself bravely,
+         And shall be knighted by the victor:
+   For foreign nations shall invade England;
+         But the invader shall be killed,
+   And laid across a horse’s back,
+         And led in triumph.
+
+   A boy shall be born with three thumbs on one hand,
+         Who shall hold three King’s horses,
+   Whilst England three times is won and lost in one day.
+
+   But after this shall be happy days,
+         A new set of people of virtuous manners shall live in peace.
+   But the wall of Vale-Royal near the pond shall be the token of its
+   truth,
+         For it shall fall:
+            If it fall downwards,
+   Then shall the church be sunk for ever:
+   But if it fall upwards against a hill,
+   Then shall the church and honest men live still.
+
+         Under this wall shall be found the bones of a British King.
+   Peckforton-mill shall be removed to Ludington hill,
+   And three days blood shall turn Noginshire-mill.
+   But beware of a chance to the lord of Oulton,
+         Lest he should be hanged at his own door.
+
+   A crow shall sit on the top of Headless cross,
+         In the forest so grey,
+   And drink of the nobles’ gentle blood so free;
+   Twenty hundred horses shall want masters,
+         Till their girths shall rot under their bellies.
+
+   Thro’ our own money and our own men,
+         Shall a dreadful war begin;
+   Between the sickle and the suck,
+   All England shall have a pluck;
+   And be several times forsworn,
+   And put to their wits’ end,
+   That it shall not be known, whether to reap their corn,
+   Bury their dead, or go to the field to fight.
+
+         A great scarcity of bread corn.
+   Foreign nations shall invade England with snow on their helmets,
+   And shall bring plague, famine, and murder in the skirts of their
+   garments.
+   A great tax will be granted but never gathered.
+
+   Between a rick and two trees,
+   A famous battle fought shall be.
+
+   London street shall run with blood
+         And at last shall sink,
+   So that it shall be fulfilled,
+   Lincoln was, London is, and York shall be
+         The finest city of the three.
+
+   There will be three gates to London of imprisoned men for cowsters.
+   Then if you have three cows, at the first gate fell one, and keep thee
+   at home,
+   At the second gate fell the other two, and keep thee at home.
+   At the last gate all shall be done.
+
+   When summer in winter shall come,
+   And peace is made at every man’s home,
+   Then shall be danger of war;
+   For tho’ with peace at night the nation ring,
+   Men shall rise to war in the morning.
+
+   There will be a winter Council, a careful Christmas, and a bloody
+   Lent.
+   In those days there shall be hatred and bloodshed,
+   The father against the son, and the son against his father,
+   That one may have a house for lifting the latch of the door.
+   Landlords shall stand, with hats in their hands,
+   To desire tenants to hold their lands.
+
+   Great wars and pressing of soldiers,
+   But at last clubs and clouted shoes shall carry the day.
+   It will be good in these days for a man to sell his goods, and keep
+   close at home.
+   Then forty pounds in hand
+   Will be better than forty pounds a year in land.
+   The cock of the North shall be made to flee,
+   And his feathers be plucked for his pride;
+   That he shall almost curse the day that he was born.
+
+   One asked Nixon, where he might be safe in those days? he answered,
+   In God’s croft, between the rivers Mersey and Dee.
+
+   Scotland shall stand more or less,
+   Till it has brought England to a piteous case.
+   The Scots shall rule England one whole year.
+         Three years of great wars,
+         And in all countries great uproars.
+   The first is terrible, the second worse, but the third unbearable.
+
+         Three great battles;
+   One at Northumberland-bridge,
+   One at Cumberland-bridge,
+   And the other the south side of Trent.
+   Crows shall drink the blood of many nobles.
+   East shall rise against West, and North against South.
+
+   Then take this for good,
+   Noginshire-mill shall run with blood,
+         And many shall fly down Wanslow-lane.
+
+   A man shall come into England,
+   But the son of a king crown’d with thorns
+   Shall take from him the victory.
+
+   Many nobles shall fight,
+   But a bastard Duke shall win the day,
+   And so without delay,
+   Set England in a right way.
+   A wolf from the East shall right eagerly come,
+   On the South side of Sandford, on a grey Monday morn,
+   Where groves shall grow upon a green,
+         Beside green grey they shall flee
+         Into rocks, and many die.
+   They shall flee into Salt strand,
+   And twenty thousand, without sword, shall die each man.
+   The dark dragon over Sudsbrown,
+         Shall bring with him a royal band;
+
+         But their lives shall be forlorn,
+   His head shall be in Stafford town,
+         His tail in Ireland.
+   He boldly shall bring his men, thinking to win renown:
+   Beside a wall in forest fair he shall be beaten down.
+   On Hine’s heath they shall begin this bloody fight,
+   And with train’d steed shall hew each others’ helmet bright:
+   But who shall win that day no one can tell.
+
+   A Duke out of Denmark shall him dight,
+   On a day in England, and make many a lord full low to light,
+   And the ladies cry, ‘Well away,’
+   And the black fleet with main and might
+         Their enemies full boldly their assail.
+
+   In Britain’s land shall be a knight,
+   On them shall make a cruel fight,
+   A bitter boar with main and might
+         Shall bring a royal rout that day.
+   There shall die many a worthy knight,
+         And be driven into the fields green and grey,
+   They shall lose both field and fight.
+
+   The weary eagle shall to an island in the sea retire
+         Where leaves and herbs grow fresh and green.
+         There shall he meet a lady fair,
+   Who shall say, ‘Go help thy friend in battle slain:’
+         Then by the counsel of that fair,
+   He eagerly will make to flee
+   Twenty-six standard of the enemy,
+   A rampant lion in silver set, in armour fair,
+         Shall help the eagle in that tide,
+         When many a knight shall die.
+
+   The bear that hath been long tied to a stake shall shake his chains,
+   That every man shall hear, and shall cause much debate.
+   The bull and red rose shall stand in strife,
+   That shall turn England to much woe,
+   And cause many a man to lose his life.
+
+   In a forest stand oaks three,
+         Beside a headless cross.
+   A well of blood shall run and ree,
+         Its cover shall be brass,
+         Which shall ne’er appear,
+   Till horses’ feet have trod it bare;
+   Who wins it will declare,
+   The eagle shall so fight that day,
+   That ne’er a friend’s from him away.
+   A hound without delay shall run the chase far and near.
+
+         The dark dragon shall die in fight.
+   A lofty head the bear shall rear,
+         The wide wolf so shall light,
+   The bridled steed against his enemies will fiercely fight.
+
+   A fleet shall come out of the North,
+         Riding on a horse of trees,
+   A white hind beareth he,
+         And there wreaths so free,
+   That day the eagle shall him slay,
+   And on a hill set his banner straightway.
+   That lion who’s forsaken been and forced to flee,
+         Shall hear a woman shrilly say,
+         ‘Thy friends are killed on yonder hill,’
+         Death to many a knight this day.
+   With that the lion bears his banner to a hill,
+         Within a forest that’s so plain,
+         Beside a headless cross of stone,
+   There shall the eagle die that day,
+   And the red lion get renown.
+   A great battle shall be fought by crowned Kings three;
+   One shall die and a bastard Duke will win the day.
+   In Sandyford there lies a stone,
+   A crowned King shall lose his head on.
+
+   In those dreadful days, five wicked priests’ heads shall be sold for a
+   penny.
+   Slaughter shall rage to such a degree,
+         And infants left by those that are slain,
+   That damsels shall with fear and glee,
+         Cry, ‘Mother, mother, I’ve seen a man!’
+
+   Between seven, eight, and nine,
+   In England wonders shall be seen.
+   Between nine and thirteen
+   All sorrow shall be done.
+         Then rise up Richard, son of Richard,
+   And bless the happy reign,
+   Thrice happy he who sees this time to come
+         When England shall know rest and peace again.
+
+                                * * * * *
+
+                    _End of the Original Prophecies_.
+
+                                * * * * *
+
+
+
+
+THE FOLLOWING PREDICTIONS
+OF
+ROBERT NIXON
+ARE COPIED FROM OLD PAMPHLETS.
+
+
+The famous Cheshire prophet Nixon, besides his prophecies relative to the
+fate of private families, also predicted much of public affairs, which we
+find literally verified by the sequel.
+
+On the Christmas before he went to court, being among the servants at Mr.
+Cholmondeley’s house, to the surprise of them all he suddenly started up
+and said,
+
+“I must prophecy.”  He went on, the favourite {32a} of a King shall be
+slain.  “If the master’s neck shall be cleft in twain.  And the men of
+the North {32b} shall sell precious blood; yea their own blood.  And they
+shall sacrifice a noble warrior {32c} to the idol, and hang up his flesh
+in the high places; and a storm shall come out of the North, which shall
+blow down the steeples of the South: and the labourer shall rise above
+his lord, and the harvest shall in part be trampled down by horses, and
+the remainder lie waste to be devoured by birds.
+
+“When an oak tree shall be softer than men’s hearts, then look for better
+times but they be but beginning.
+
+“The departure of a great man’s {33a} soul shall trouble a river hard by,
+and overthrow trees, houses, and estates.  From that part of the house
+from whence the mischief came you must look for the cure.  First comes
+joy, then sorrow; after mirth comes mourning.
+
+“I see men, women, and children, spotted {33b} like beasts, and their
+nearest and dearest friends affrighted at them.  I see towns on fire, and
+innocent blood shed; but when men and horses walk upon the water, then
+shall be peace and plenty to the people, but trouble is preparing for
+Kings; and the _great yellow fruit_ {33c} shall come over to this
+country, and flourish: and I see this tree take deep root and spread into
+a thousand branches, which shall afterwards be at strife one with
+another, because of their numbers: and there shall come a wind from the
+South, and the West, which shall shake the tree.  I see multitudes of
+people running to and fro, and talking in a strange tongue.  And there
+shall be a famine {34} in the midst of great plenty, and earthquakes and
+storms shall level and purify the earth.”
+
+After these sayings, which every one, with the slightest knowledge of our
+history will instantly apply to those events which they so wonderfully
+foretold, Nixon was silent, and relapsed into his wonted stupidity: from
+which he did not recover until many weeks after, when he became again
+inspired, and gave vent to those remarkable predictions which were
+recollected by Mr. Oldmixon.  Those which we have just now related were
+taken down from the prophet’s mouth by the steward, in pursuance of the
+orders of Mr. Cholmondeley himself; and the original manuscript is now in
+the hands of a gentleman in Shropshire.
+
+
+
+
+NIXON’S CHESHIRE PROPHECY AT LARGE,
+FROM LADY COWPER’S COPY;
+WITH HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL REMARKS, AND MANY INSTANCES
+WHEREIN IT HAS BEEN FULFILLED.
+
+
+INTRODUCTION.
+
+
+This remarkable Prophecy has been carefully revised, corrected, and
+improved; also some account given of our author, Robert Nixon, who was
+but a kind of idiot, and used to be employed in following the plough.  He
+had lived in some farmers’ families, and was their drudge and their jest.
+
+At last, Thomas Cholmondeley, of Vale-Royal, Esq., took him into his
+house, where he lived when he composed this prophecy, which he delivered
+with as much gravity and solemnity as if he had been an oracle; and it
+was observed that though the fool was a driveller, and could not speak
+common sense when uninspired, yet in delivering his prophecies, he spoke
+plainly and sensibly; how truly will be seen in the following pages.
+
+As to the credit of this prophecy I dare say it is as well attested as
+any of Nostradamus’s or Merlin’s, and will come to pass as well as the
+best of Squire Bickerstaff’s; it is plain enough that great men in all
+ages had recourse to prophecy as well as the vulgar.  I would not have
+all grave persons despise the inspiration of Nixon.  The late French King
+gave audience to an inspired farrier, and rewarded him with an hundred
+pistoles for his prophetical intelligence; though by what I can learn he
+did not come near our Nixon for gifts.
+
+The simplicity, the circumstances, and the history of the Cheshire
+Prophecy are so remarkable that I hope the public will be as much
+delighted as I was myself.
+
+By the way, this is not a prophecy of to-day; ’tis as old as the
+powder-plot, and the story will make it appear that there is as little
+imposture in it as the Jacobites pretend there is in the person it seems
+to have an eye to; but whether they are both impostures alike or not I
+leave the reader to determine.
+
+                                                              J. OLDMIXON.
+
+
+
+THE PROPHECY.
+
+
+IN the reign of King James the First there lived a man generally reputed
+a fool, whose name was Nixon.  One day, when he returned home from
+ploughing, he laid the things down which he had in his hands, and
+continued for some time in a seemingly deep and thoughtful meditation, at
+length he pronounced in a loud hoarse voice, ‘Now I will prophecy;’ and
+spoke as follows;
+
+“When a raven shall build in a stone lion’s mouth on the top of a church
+in Cheshire, then a King of England shall be driven out of his kingdom,
+and never return more.
+
+“When an eagle shall sit on the top of the house, then an heir shall be
+born to the Cholmondeley family, and this heir shall live to see England
+invaded by foreigners, who shall proceed as far as a town in Cheshire;
+but a miller, named Peter, shall be born with two heels on one foot, and
+at that time living in a mill of Mr. Cholmondeley’s he shall be
+instrumental in delivering the nation.
+
+“The person who then governs the nation will be in great trouble, and
+skulk about:—The invading King shall be killed, laid across a horse’s
+back like a calf, and led in triumph.  The miller having been
+instrumental in it, shall bring forth the person that then governs the
+kingdom, and be knighted for what he has done; and after that England
+shall see happy days.  A new set of young men, of virtuous manners, shall
+come, who shall prosper, and make a flourishing church for two hundred
+years.
+
+“As a token of the truth of all this a wall of Mr. Cholmondeley’s shall
+fall, if it falls downwards, the church shall be oppressed, and rise no
+more; but if it fall upwards, next the rising hill on the side of it,
+then shall it flourish again.  Under this wall shall be found the bones
+of a British King.
+
+“A pond shall run with blood three days, and the Cross stone Pillar in
+the forest sink so low into the ground, that a crow from the top of it
+shall drink of the best blood in England.
+
+“A boy shall be born with three thumbs, and shall hold three kings’
+horses, while England shall be three times won and lost in one day.”
+
+                                * * * * *
+
+The original may be seen in several families in the county, and in
+particular in the hands of Mr. Egerton, of Oulton, with many other
+remarkable things; as that Peckforton wind-mill should be removed to
+Ludington hill and that horses saddled should run about while their
+girths rotted away.  But this is sufficient to prove Nixon as great a
+prophet as Partridge; and we shall give other proofs of it before we have
+done with him.
+
+I know your prophets are generally for Raw-head and bloody-bones and
+therefore do not mind it much; or I might add that of Oulton mill shall
+be driven with blood instead of water, but these soothsayers are great
+butchers and every hall is with them a slaughter-house.
+
+Now as for authorities to prove this prophecy to be genuine and how it
+has hitherto been accomplished, I might refer myself to the whole country
+of Chester, where it is in every one’s mouth and has been so these forty
+years.  As much as I have of the manuscript was sent me by a person of
+sense and veracity and as little partial to visions as any body.  For my
+own part I build nothing on this or any other prophecy; only there is
+something so very odd in the story and so pat in the wording of it that I
+cannot help giving it as I found it.
+
+The family of the Cholmondeleys is very ancient in this county and takes
+its name from a place so called near Nantwich; there are also Cholmton
+and Cholmondeston; but the seat of that branch of the family which kept
+our prophet Nixon is at Vale-Royal, on the river Weave in Delamere
+forest.  It was formerly an abbey, {43} founded by Edward I. and came to
+the Cholmondeleys from the famous family of the Holcrofts.  When Nixon
+prophesied this family was near being extinct, the heir having married
+Sir Walter St. John’s daughter, a lady not esteemed very young, who,
+notwithstanding, being with child, fell in labour and continued so for
+many days, during which time an eagle sat upon the house-top and flew
+away when she was delivered of a son.
+
+A raven is also known to have built in a stone lion’s mouth in the
+steeple of the church of Over, in the forest of Delamere.  Not long
+before the abdication of King James the wall spoken of fell down and fell
+upwards and in removing the rubbish were found the bones of a man of more
+than ordinary size.  A pond at the same time ran with water that had a
+reddish tincture and was never known to have done so before or since.
+
+Headless cross in the forest, which in the memory of man was several feet
+high, is now only half a foot from the ground.
+
+In the parish of Budworth a boy was born about eighteen years ago with
+three thumbs; the youth is still living there and the miller Peter lives
+in Noginshire mill in expectation of fulfilling this prophecy on the
+person of Perkin: he hath also two heels on one foot and I find he
+intends to make use of them in the interest of King George, for he is a
+bold Briton and a loyal subject, zealous for the Protestant succession in
+the illustrious House of Hanover, has a vote for the knights of the shire
+and never fails to give it on the right side: in a word, Peter will prate
+or box for the good cause that Nixon had lifted him in and if he does not
+do the business, this must be said of him, that no man will bid fairer
+for it; which the Lady Egerton was so apprehensive of, that wishing well
+to another restoration, she often instigated her husband to turn him out
+of the mill; but he looked upon it as whimsical and so Peter still
+continues there, in hopes of being as good a knight as Sir Philip his
+landlord was.
+
+Of this Peter I have been told, that the Lady Narcliff of Chelsea and the
+Lady St. John of Battersea, together with several other persons of credit
+and fashion, have often been heard to talk and that they all asserted
+their knowledge of the truth of our prophecy and its accomplishment, with
+many particulars that are more extraordinary than any I have yet
+mentioned.
+
+The noise of Nixon’s Predictions reaching the ears of King James the
+First, he would needs see this fool, who cried and made ado that he might
+not go to court and the reason that he gave was, that he should there be
+STARVED.—(A very whimsical fancy of his, courts not being places where
+people are used to starve in, when they once come there, whatever they
+may have done before.)—The King being informed of Nixon’s refusing to
+come, said he would take particular care that he should not be starved
+and ordered him to be brought up.  Nixon cried out, that he was sent for
+again; and soon after the messenger arrived, who brought him up from
+Cheshire.
+
+How or whether he prophecied to his Majesty, no person can tell; but he
+is not the first fool that has made a good court prophet.
+
+That Nixon might be well provided for it was ordered that he should be
+kept in the kitchen, where he grew so troublesome in licking and picking
+the meat, that the cooks locked him up in a hole; and the King going on a
+sudden from Hampton Court to London in their hurry they forgot the fool
+and he was really starved to death.
+
+There are a great many passages of this fool-prophet’s life and sayings
+transmitted in tradition from father to son in this county palatine; as,
+that when he lived with a farmer before he was taken into Mr.
+Cholmondeley’s family, he goaded an ox so cruelly that one of the
+ploughmen threatened to beat him for abusing his master’s beast—Nixon
+said, “My master’s beast will not be his three days.”  A life in an
+estate dropping in at that time, the lord of the manor took the same ox
+for a heriot.  This account whimsical and romantic as it is was told to
+the Lady Cowper in the year 1670, by Dr. Patrick late Bishop of Ely then
+chaplain to Sir Walter St. John; and that lady had the following further
+particulars relating to this prophecy and the fulfilling of many parts of
+it from Mrs. Chute, sister to Mrs. Cholmondeley of Vale-Royal, who
+affirmed that a multitude of people gathered together to see the eagle
+before-mentioned and the bird was frightened from her young; that she
+herself was one of them and the cry among the people was, Nixon’s
+prophecy is fulfilled and we have a foreign King.  She declared that she
+read over the prophecy many times when her sister was with child of the
+heir who now enjoys the estate.  She particularly remembers that King
+James the Second was plainly pointed at and that it was foretold he
+should endeavour to subvert the laws and religion of this kingdom, for
+which reason they would rise and turn him out: that the eagle of which
+Nixon prophecied perched in one of the windows all the time her sister
+was in labour.  She says it was the biggest bird she ever saw; that it
+was in a deep snow and it perched on the edge of a great bow-window,
+which had a large border on the outside and that she and many others
+opened the window to try to scare it away, but it would not stir till
+Mrs. Cholmondeley was delivered; after which it took flight to a great
+tree over against the room her sister lay in, where having stayed about
+three days it flew away in the night.  She affirmed further to the Lady
+Cowper, that the falling of the garden wall was a thing not to be
+questioned, it being in so many people’s memory that it was foretold that
+the heir of Vale-Royal should live to see England invaded by foreigners
+and that he should fight bravely for his King and Country: that the
+miller mentioned is now alive and expects to be knighted and is in the
+very mill that is foretold: that he should kill two invaders who should
+come in, the one from the West and the other from the North: that he from
+the North should bring with him of all nations, Swedes, Danes, Germans,
+and Dutch; and that in the folds of his garments he should bring fire and
+famine, plague and murder: that many great battles should be fought in
+England, one upon London-bridge, which should be so bloody, that people
+will ride in London streets up to their horses’ bellies in blood; that
+several other battles should be fought up and down most parts of
+Cheshire; and that the last that ever would be fought in England should
+be on Delamere forest: that the heir of Oulston, whose name is E— and has
+married Earl Cholmondeley’s sister, should be hanged up at his own gate.
+
+Lastly, Nixon foretells great glory and prosperity to those who stand up
+in defence of their laws and liberties; and ruin and misery to those who
+should betray them.  He says, the year before this would happen, bread
+corn would be very dear and that the year following more troubles should
+begin which would last three years; that the first would be moderate, the
+second bloody, and the third intolerable; that unless they were shortened
+no mortal could bear them; and that there were no mischiefs but what poor
+England would feel at that time.  But that GEORGE the SON of GEORGE, {51}
+should put an end to all.  That afterwards the church should flourish,
+and England be the most glorious nation on earth.
+
+Lady Cowper was not content to take these particulars from Mrs. Chute,
+but she enquired of Sir Thomas Aston, of the truth of this prophecy and
+he attested it was in great reputation in Cheshire and that the facts
+were known by every one to have happened as Nixon said they would;
+adding, that the morning before the garden wall fell, his neighbour Mr.
+Cholmondeley, going to ride out a hunting, said “Nixon seldom fails but
+now I think he will; for he foretold that this day my garden wall would
+fall and I think it looks as if it would stand these forty years;” that
+he had not been gone above a quarter of an hour before the wall split and
+fell upwards against the rising of the hill, which as Nixon would have
+it, was the presage of a flourishing church.
+
+As to the removal of Peckforton-mill, it was done by Sir John Crew, the
+mill having lost its trade there, for which he ordered it to be set upon
+Ludington hill; and being asked if he did it to fulfil the prophecy, he
+declared he never thought of it.  I myself have inquired of a person who
+knows Mr. Cholmondeley’s pond as well as Rosamond’s in St. James’s Park
+and he assured me the falling of the wall and the pond running blood, (as
+they call it) are facts which in Cheshire any one would be reckoned mad
+for making the least question of them.  As there are several particulars
+in this prophecy which remain unfulfilled; so when they come to pass,
+some other circumstances may be added, which are not convenient to be
+told until accomplished.
+
+If I had a mind to look into the antiquities of this county, I might find
+that prodigies and prophecies are no unusual things there.  Camden tells
+us that at Brereton not many miles from Vale-Royal which gave name to a
+famous, ancient, numerous, and knightly family, there is a thing as
+strange as that of the eagle, or the falling of the wall, which he says
+was attested to him by many persons and was commonly believed; that
+before any heir of this family dies there are seen, in a lake adjoining
+the bodies of trees swimming upon the water for several days together.
+He likewise adds that near the abbey of St. Maurice in Burgundy there is
+a fish-pond in which a number of fish are put equal to the number of
+monks of that place; and if any one of them happens to be sick, there is
+a fish seen floating on the surface of the water; and in case the fit of
+sickness proves fatal to the monk, the fish foretells it by its death
+some days before.  This the learned Camden relates in his description of
+Cheshire and the opinion of the trees swimming in the lake near Brereton,
+prevails all about the county to the present day, only with this
+difference, that some say it is one log only that swims and some say
+many.
+
+Lancashire, which is not far off, has been famous for witches and I am
+afraid Cheshire is a little infected by its neighbourhood.  Those that
+will not believe our prophecy may leave it alone; but if hope is a good
+help to faith, I shall not be long among the incredulous.
+
+                                * * * * *
+
+_The Editor presents his Readers with a Copy of a printed Paper_, _which
+several aged Persons_, _residing near the Forest_, _have vouched for the
+Authenticity of_.
+
+
+
+
+A true and particular Account of a strange and surprising Vision, that
+was seen in the Forest of Delamere, in Cheshire, on the 4th of last
+Month.
+
+
+AS Nixon, in the reign of King James the First, prophesied of many
+strange and wonderful things that should come to pass, such as an heir
+being born to Lord Cholmondeley’s which at that time there was little
+reason to expect, but which came to pass; and that the eldest son or
+young Lord Cholmondeley should have the misfortune to break his neck by
+riding a hunting, which accident really did happen; and several other
+things already come to pass according to the said prophecy, but, in
+particular, of a wonderful battle or engagement that should be fought in
+the forest of Delamere; and as it is now fully expected that we shall
+have an invasion from our natural and inveterate enemies the French, it
+is also thought it will be in the North of England and in all probability
+the said Forest of Delamere may be the place of action or engagement: and
+what strengthens the belief more is the vision that was seen in the said
+forest on the 4th, as follows:
+
+As two ancient persons were walking over the said Forest, to their great
+surprise, they saw at a distance before them an army rise out of the
+ground drawn up with their proper officers and their commanders in front
+of them, and whilst they were looking at and ruminating upon so strange a
+sight, to their most wonderful surprise and amazement there arose also
+another army out of the ground, at a small distance from the first, and
+farther in the forest, which army was headed or commanded by a man in
+royal apparel, who, after having drawn up his army, marched to meet and
+engage the first; upon which a most bloody battle ensued with firearms,
+and many appeared to be killed on both sides; but, being so near each
+other, they laid down or grounded their arms and took to their swords,
+with which great slaughter was made; and then came to such close quarters
+that they put up their swords and fought with their hands; all of which
+engagements continued more than three quarters of an hour, during which
+time the said two ancient people were spectators; and at last the remains
+of the army that first appeared retreated towards the sea, and vanished
+directly out of their sight; whilst the other army which was commanded by
+the man in royal apparel marched victorious out of the field as far as it
+was possible to see them.  These ancient people having spoken of the
+above vision it came to the ears of several gentlemen, who sent for, and
+examined them concerning the truth of it, which they were ready to make
+oath of for their satisfaction.
+
+On the 6th of the same month, as seven men were going to Cheshire over
+the said forest, about the middle of it they saw to their astonishment, a
+vision much resembling that which was on the sixth as above described;
+only with this addition that the victorious army had many slain to all
+appearance, yet they resumed life again and joined their own army; all
+which is looked upon as a good omen, that if in case England is invaded
+by her enemies though the nation be seemingly dead and in great division,
+yet on the approach of the enemy they will all in one general heart and
+one mind exert themselves to repel our most inveterate enemies.
+
+As Nixon’s Prophecies are by some persons thought fables, yet by what has
+come to pass it is now thought and very plainly appears that most of them
+have or will prove true; for which reason we have all occasion not only
+to exert our utmost might to repel by force our enemies, but to return
+from our abandoned and wicked course of life, and make our continual
+prayers to God for protection and safety.
+
+
+
+
+PROPHECY
+OF THE
+FRENCH REVOLUTION,
+FROM A PUBLICATION BY
+THE LATE MR. PETER JURIEU,
+IN 1687.
+
+
+                                 Rev. xi. 13.
+
+    _And the same hour there was a great earthquake_, _and the tenth part
+    of the city fell_, _and in the earthquake were slain of men seven
+    thousand_, _and the remnant were affrighted_, _and gave glory to
+    God_.
+
+NOW what is the tenth part of the city which shall fall? in my opinion we
+cannot doubt that it is France.  This kingdom is the most considerable
+part or piece of the ten horns, or states, which once made up the great
+Babylonian city: it fell; this does not signify that the French Monarchy
+shall be ruined: it may be humbled; but in all appearance Providence does
+design a great elevation for her afterwards.  ’Tis highly probable that
+God will not let go unpunished the horrible outrages which it acts at
+this day.  Afterward, it must build its greatness upon the ruins of the
+papal empire and enrich itself with the spoils of those who shall take
+part with the papacy.  They who at this day persecute the protestants
+know not whither God is leading them: this is not the way by which he
+will lead France to the height of glory.  If she comes thither it is
+because she shall shortly change her road.  Her greatening will be no
+damage to protestant states; on the contrary, the protestant states shall
+be enriched with the spoil of others and be strengthened by the fall of
+Antichrist’s empire.  This tenth part of the city shall fall, with
+respect to the papacy; it shall break with Rome and the Roman religion.
+One thing is certain, that the Babylonian empire shall perish through the
+refusal of obedience by the ten Kings, who had given their power to the
+beast.  This thing is already come to pass in part.  The kingdoms of
+Sweden, Denmark, England and several sovereign States in Germany have
+withdrawn themselves from the jurisdiction of the Pope.  They have
+spoiled the harlot of her riches.  They have eaten her flesh, i.e. seized
+on her benefices, and revenues, which she had in their countries.  This
+must go on and be finished as it is begun.  The Kings who yet remain
+under the empire of Rome must break with her, leave her solitary and
+desolate.
+
+But who must begin this last revolt? it is most probable that France
+shall.  Not Spain, which as yet is plunged in superstition and is as much
+under the tyranny of the clergy as ever.  Not the Emperor, who in
+temporal matters is subject to the Pope and permits that in his states
+the Archbishop of Strigonium should teach that the Pope can take away the
+Imperial crown from him.  It cannot be any country but France, which a
+long time ago hath begun to shake off the yoke of Rome.  ’Tis well known
+how solemnly and openly war hath been declared against the Pope by a
+declaration of the King (ratified in all the parliaments) by the
+decisions of the assembly of the French Clergy, by a disputation against
+the authority of the Pope, managed in the Sorbonne, solemnly and by order
+of the court.  And to heighten the affront the theses were posted up even
+upon the gates of his Nuncio.  Nothing of this kind had hitherto happened
+at least in a time of peace and unless the Pope had given occasion by his
+insolence.
+
+Besides this superstition and idolatry lose their credit much in
+France.—There is a secret party, though well enough known, which greatly
+despiseth the popular devotions, images, worship of saints, and is
+convinced that these are human inventions: God is beforehand preparing
+for his great work.
+
+To this it may be objected that for the last hundred and fifty years the
+Pope’s empire hath not been made up of ten Kings, because the Kings of
+England, Sweden, Denmark, etc., have thrown off his government; and
+consequently, France is not at this day the tenth part of the Babylonian
+empire; for it is more than a tenth part of it.  But this is no
+difficulty; for we must know, that things retain the names which they
+bore in their original (without regarding the alterations which time does
+bring along.)  Though at this day there are not ten kingdoms under the
+Babylonian empire, it is, notwithstanding, certain, that each kingdom was
+called, and ought to be called in this prophecy, the tenth part, because
+the prophet having described this empire in its beginning, by its ten
+horns, or ten kings, it is necessary for our clear understanding, that
+every one of these Kings and kingdoms, should be called one of the ten
+Kings, or of ten kingdoms, with respect to the original constitution of
+the Antichristian empire.
+
+Seeing the tenth part of the city that must fall, is France, this gives
+me some hopes that the death of the two witnesses hath a particular
+relation to this kingdom.  It is the street or place of this city, i.e.
+the most fair and eminent part of it.  The witnesses must remain dead
+upon the street and upon it they must be raised again.  And as the death
+of the witnesses and their resurrection have a relation to the kingdom of
+France, it may well fall out, that we may not be far distant from the
+time of the resurrection of the witnesses, seeing the three years and a
+half of their death are either begun, or will begin shortly.
+
+And in the earthquake were slain seven thousand; in the Greek it is seven
+thousand names of men, and not seven thousand men.  I confess that this
+seems somewhat mysterious: in other places we find not this phrase, names
+of men, but simply men.  Perhaps there is a figure of grammar, called
+_hypolage casus_, so that names of men are put for men of name, i.e. of
+raised and considerable quality, be it on account of riches, or of
+dignity, or of learning.  But I am more inclined to say, that here these
+names of men, must be taken in their natural signification and do
+intimate that the total Reformation of France shall not be made with
+bloodshed, nothing shall be destroyed but names; such as are the names of
+Monks, of Carmelites, of Augustines, of Dominicans, of Jacobins, of
+Franciscans, Capuchins, Jesuits, Minimes and an infinite company of
+others, whose number it is not easy to define and which the Holy Ghost
+denotes by the number seven, which is the number of perfection, to
+signify that the orders of monks and nuns shall perish for ever.  This is
+an institution so degenerated from its first original, that it is become
+the ruin of Antichrist.  These orders cannot perish one without the
+other.
+
+These great events deserve to be distinguished from all others; for they
+have changed, or shall change, THE WHOLE FACE OF THE WORLD.
+
+
+
+
+EXTRACTS
+FROM
+SERMONS
+BY
+DR. JOHN GILL.
+
+
+THERE are some times fixed in prophecy, which by diligence, attention,
+and application men may arrive to some understanding of.  There are
+indeed some times and seasons, the knowledge of which is not to be
+attained unto; and it would be wrong, as well as in vain, curiously to
+search into them.  _It is not for us to know the times or the seasons_,
+_which the Father hath put in his own power_; for he has _determined the
+times before appointed_, when every thing that he has purposed or
+promised shall come to pass; and he has fixed a _time for every purpose
+under the heaven_, for the performance of every thing he has designed
+shall be; _a time to be born_, _and a time to die_, and for every
+intermediate event; but these times are not known beforehand, until
+things are brought into execution.  There are others and very remarkable
+events, the times of which are pointed at in prophecy; and which with
+diligence and application, a knowledge of them may in some measure be
+attained unto: as for instance, the first coming of Christ into this
+world to save men: the time for it was not only agreed upon and settled
+between the Father and the Son, called _the fulness of time_, but there
+were several prophetic hints of it; nay, not only was it described by
+some general circumstances, as that it should be before the second temple
+was destroyed, since he was to come into it and while the sceptre was in
+the tribe of Judah; but the precise time was fixed by Daniel’s seventy
+weeks, or four hundred years, which were to commence from a date given
+him; and before the expiration of which the Messiah was to come: and so
+as he by reading Jeremiah’s books knew the time when the Babylonish
+captivity should end; another by reading his prophecies might know when
+the Messiah would come; and accordingly about the time when those weeks
+were drawing near to an expiration, there were many that were looking for
+the Messiah and redemption by him, as knowing that it was about the time
+by these weeks that he should come.  There is a time set for the second
+coming and God in his times will show him, or cause him openly to appear;
+and though he will come in an hour we know not of, yet there are some
+circumstances pointed out in the word of God by which it may be known
+that it is nigh at hand; as that the day when the Son of man shall be
+revealed shall be as the days of Noah and Lot, when men indulged
+themselves in pleasure, lived in great security, unaware of the ruin
+coming upon them; and that when the Son of man cometh, faith will not be
+found in the earth; whether this be understood of the grace or doctrine
+of faith, or of faith with respect to Christ’s coming: and when we
+compare these things with the present times, and consider the luxury,
+love of pleasure, carnal security and infidelity that abound among us, we
+might conclude that the coming of Christ is just at hand, were it not
+that there are many things which require time yet to be fulfilled
+previous to it, as the destruction of Antichrist, the conversion of the
+Jews, and the bringing in of the fulness of the Gentiles.  So the last
+judgment which will take place at the second coming of Christ, and is
+most certain, being early known and often spoken of.  Enoch, the seventh
+from Adam, prophecied of it, and of Christ’s coming to it; the day is
+appointed when it will come on, though of that day and hour knoweth no
+man, not the angels in heaven, but the Father only: but then the
+principal things that should come to pass, relative to the church,
+between the first and second coming of Christ to judgment, are signified
+to us in the book of the Revelation.
+
+                                         _Sermon from_ 1 _Chron._ xii. 32,
+                                                  _preached Jan._ 1, 1752.
+
+The destruction of Antichrist is the grand leading event to the glories
+of this state.  This is hinted at in the epistle to the church at
+Philadelphus, the emblem of the spiritual reign; it will be the last
+struggle of the beast that will cause that _hour of temptation which
+shall come upon all the world to try_ the inhabitants of it: when the
+seventh trumpet will be sounded, which will bring on the spiritual
+kingdom of Christ throughout the world, he will destroy them which
+destroy the earth; meaning the Papists, who have destroyed the
+inhabitants of the earth with their false doctrine, superstitious
+worship, and with those bloody wars, murders, and massacres they have
+been at the bottom of.  And till this is done the spiritual reign cannot
+take place, especially in its full compass, and in all its branches, for
+so long as Antichrist reigns, the church will be more or less in an
+afflicted state: the date of the church’s troubles, and of the reign of
+Antichrist are alike, and will expire together: the power given to the
+beast is to continue forty and two months; wherefore there can be no
+truly good and happy days, till these dates are ended.
+
+The destruction of Antichrist will be by the spirit of Christ’s mouth,
+and the brightness of his coming; that is, by his coming in a spiritual
+way; or through the word of his mouth, his gospel attended by his spirit
+and power; which will shine out with so much lustre, splendour, light,
+and glory, as will chase away the darkness of popery, and enlighten the
+minds of people, to see into all the fopperies, absurdities, and
+wickedness of that religion and cause them to cast it off: yea, even to
+open the eyes of the kings and princes of the earth, to behold and loath
+the abominations of the whore of Rome they have committed fornication
+with; and fill them with wrath and indignation against her, as to hate
+her, make her bare and desolate, and burn her with fire.
+
+This work will be greatly effected by the pouring out of the seven vials
+of God’s wrath, or the inflicting the seven last plagues upon the
+anti-Christian states, upon the western and eastern Antichrist, the Pope
+and Turk; who must be both removed to make way for the spiritual reign of
+Christ.  These seven vials will be poured out, or those plagues inflicted
+by Angels; by whom we are to understand protestant kings, and princes,
+and generals of armies; and these will be given them by one or the first
+of the four beasts, or living creatures, the emblems of gospel ministers;
+who having some notice of the time of antichrist’s destruction being at
+hand, will stir and animate the christian princes and potentates to take
+this work in hand; and who are therefore said to go forth from the
+temple, the church, the place of divine and spiritual worship, and where
+they themselves are worshippers; and from whence they have orders to go
+forth and do their work.
+
+The first five of these vials concern the western Antichrist, and his
+dominions: between which, and the trumpets, there is a great
+correspondence, though they respect different times and persons.  The
+first vial will be poured out upon the earth, and designs those popish
+countries which are upon the continent, as France and Germany, especially
+the latter; and as the first trumpet brought the Goths into Germany, so
+the first vial will bring great distress upon the popish party in the
+empire, and issue in a reformation from popery.  The second vial will be
+poured out upon the sea, and may intend the maritime powers belonging to
+the see of Rome, particularly Spain and Portugal; and as the second
+trumpet brought the Vandals into these places, so this vial will effect
+the same, and bring wars and desolations into them, and make a change in
+their religion.  The third vial will be poured out upon the rivers and
+fountains of water, which may point to those places adjacent to Rome, as
+Italy and Savoy; and as the third trumpet brought the Huns into those
+parts; so this vial will bring in large armies hither, which will cause
+much bloodshed, and a great revolution in church and state.  The fourth
+vial will be poured out upon the sun, which must denote some person or
+persons of great dignity and influence, and as the fourth trumpet brought
+destruction upon the Emperor of Rome, the sun of the empire, and upon
+governors under him, signified by the moon and stars; this vial will
+bring on the ruin of the pope of Rome, the sun of the antichristian
+empire, with all his cardinals, bishops, priests, etc.  The fifth vial
+will be poured out upon the seat of the beast, which is Rome, the seat
+that the devil gave to the beast, and will produce great darkness in his
+kingdom; though as yet it will not be utterly destroyed, which is
+reserved to the seventh vial.  Now these several vials as they will be so
+many plagues on the western Antichrist, and make so many breaches and
+ruins upon his states and dominions, so they will be so many gradual
+steps to the advancement of the glory and kingdom of Christ, and issue in
+the reformation of these places from popery.  The sixth vial will be
+poured out on the river Euphrates, which designs the Turkish empire, in
+the midst of which that river is; and as the sixth trumpet let loose the
+four angels, or heads of the Ottoman family into Europe, so this vial
+affects the same empire and brings destruction on it, signified by the
+drying up of the waters of that river, as Babylon’s destruction is
+expressed by the drying up of her sea, Jer. li. 36, which will make way
+for the king, or kingdoms of the East; the kingdoms of Persia and Tartary
+and others, to receive and embrace the Christian religion: this is the
+second, or Turkish woe, which shall pass away; when the kingdoms of this
+world will become Christ’s and his dominion will be from sea to sea, from
+the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Sea; and from the river Euphrates to
+the ends of the earth.  The seventh vial will be poured out upon the air,
+the whole kingdom of Satan, in all the branches of it, who is the prince
+of the power of the air; and this vial will clear the whole world of all
+the remains of Christ’s enemies, pagan, papal, and Mahometon, which the
+other vials left or did not reach; and now will Christ’s kingdom be in
+its full glory.  Now the heathens, papists, pagans and Mahometans, will
+perish out of this land and these sorts of sinners will be consumed out
+of the earth and such wicked ones will be no more.
+
+God will make a short work in righteousness, upon the enemies of his
+church: as yet I take it, none of them are poured out, though some great
+and learned men have so thought; as yet there have been no such
+devastations on the continent, as in France and Germany, as to produce
+the above effects; nor in the countries of Spain and Portugal; nor in
+Italy and Savoy, and like the places near Rome, nor in the seat of the
+beast, Rome itself; nor on the Pope and his cardinals; the river
+Euphrates is not dried up; the Ottoman empire is yet in being; the
+Turkish woe is not passed away; and much less the world cleared of all
+the enemies of Christ and his church; no, before this work is done, the
+outer court must be given to the Gentiles, and the witnesses must be
+slain.  Had they begun to be poured out at the time of the reformation,
+as some have thought, in all likelihood they would have been finished
+before now; and Antichrist would have been destroyed, and better times
+than we are now in would have succeeded; but, however, this we may be
+assured of, that as the plagues in Egypt issued in the destruction of
+Pharaoh, and in the deliverance of the Israelites, so these vials will
+end in the ruin of Antichrist, and in the salvation of the church of
+Christ.  As soon as these things will take place, nay, as soon as you
+hear of those seven plagues, immediately you hear of persons on a sea of
+glass, triumphing over Antichrist, having the harps of God, and singing
+the song of Moses and the Lamb: and no sooner it is said, that Babylon is
+fallen, but voices are heard in heaven ascribing salvation, glory, honour
+and power to God, for his judgments on the great whore; declaring that
+the Lord God omnipotent reigneth; that the marriage of the Lamb is come;
+and his bride made ready; and proclaiming them happy that are called to
+the marriage-supper of the Lamb; all which respect the spiritual reign of
+Christ, now introduced by the ruin of Antichrist.
+
+There will be very large conversions every where, in the several parts of
+the world: in all popish countries and antichristian states; even the ten
+kings that have given their kingdoms to the beast, have been associates
+of Antichrist and reigned with him, shall withdraw from him; they and
+their subjects shall revolt from him, and be converted, and embrace the
+pure gospel: as it will be the christian princes and potentates that will
+pour out the seven vials on Antichrist, they will carry the gospel with
+them wherever they go; or, however, the ministers of it will follow
+closely at their heels, way being made by the former for them; whose
+ministry will meet with great success every where, and those that escape
+the judgments of God in these nations, will not only be affrighted at
+them, but will be truly converted by the gospel and give glory to the God
+of heaven.  In the Mahometan nations, the Turkish woe being past and that
+empire being destroyed and way made for the gospel to be carried into the
+eastern kingdoms, great and large conversions will be made by it; there
+is a most glaring prophecy of this in Isa. lx. 7., which whole chapter
+concerns the spiritual and personal reign of Christ; all the flocks of
+Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall
+minister unto thee; they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar and
+I will glorify the house of my glory.  Now Kedar and Nebaioth were the
+sons of Ishmael, Gen. xxv. 13., who settled in Arabia, the country now
+possessed by the Turks; so that this is a prophecy of the conversion of
+multitudes in those parts, whereby the interest of Christ will be
+increased and his church glorified.  Moreover, in all Pagan countries the
+gospel will make its way, and be successful; the covering and veil of
+blindness and ignorance, cast and spread over all people and nations,
+will be removed by it; not only the darkness of popery and Mahometanism,
+but the gross darkness of paganism shall flee away at the light and
+brightness of Zion’s rising; the Gentiles shall come to it; the fulness
+and forces of them shall be brought into the church, being converted by
+the word: and not only vast multitudes of the common people but great
+personages also; kings shall be enlightened by it; these shall come to
+Christ, fall down before him and worship him; these shall come into his
+church and become members of it; kings shall be nursing fathers and
+queens nursing mothers to his people; they shall bring their riches,
+honour, and glory into his house; and his saints shall suck the breasts
+of kings, be enriched, honoured and protected by them.  This will be the
+time when the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under
+the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most
+High; not that there will be any change or alteration in the form and
+order of civil government, which will be the same as now; there will be
+kings and queens then, as at this time, as these prophecies show, it will
+not be until the personal reign of Christ takes place, that all rule,
+authority and power, will be put down: civil magistracy in the spiritual
+reign will continue as it is; only it will change hands, it will be
+entirely in the hands of christian kings and princes all the world over;
+and no doubt but it will be better exercised, be more orderly and
+regular; and that truth and righteousness will prevail every where.  But
+I must not forget the conversion of that considerable body of people the
+Jews, who have been preserved a distinct people for several hundreds of
+years for this purpose; the conversion of these people will be sudden and
+of them altogether a nation shall be born at once.  It looks as if their
+conversion would be like that of the apostle Paul, and he seems to hint
+that it will, when he says, that he, in obtaining mercy, was a pattern to
+them which should hereafter believe; meaning, perhaps, his own countrymen
+that should believe in Christ in the latter day, whose conversion would
+be similar to his; that as his conversion was sudden, in the midst of all
+his ignorance, unbelief, and rebellion, and without the word, by the
+immediate power and grace of God, so will theirs be in like manner: nor
+is it likely that their conversion should be by means of the word, since
+there is such an aversion in that people to the hearing of it; and a rare
+thing it is to see a Jew in a Christian assembly.  But, however, all
+Israel shall be called, converted, and saved; there is a famous prophecy
+of this in Hos. iii. 4, 5., in the first of these verses it is said, the
+children of Israel shall abide many days without a king and without a
+prince; without any civil government of their own, the sceptre having
+departed from them many hundred years ago; and without sacrifice; daily
+or yearly, or on any occasion: they believing it to be unlawful to
+sacrifice any where but in their own land, and at Jerusalem, and on the
+altar of God there; and without an image, and without an ephod, and
+without seraphim; without any manner of idols, or idol-worship; they
+being not addicted to idolatry, since their return from the Babylonish
+captivity: and now as all these things are exactly fulfilled in them, so
+will in like manner that which follows: afterwards shall the children of
+Israel return: by faith and repentance, from their evil way, from their
+impenitence and unbelief, and rejection of the Messiah, and seek the Lord
+their God, and David their king; the Messiah, the son of David, their
+king, as their own _Targum_ paraphrases it; and shall fear the Lord and
+his goodness in the latter days; in the spiritual reign of Christ; and it
+is hinted as in the Philadelphian state, Rev. iii. 9, then will the
+children of Israel appoint themselves one head, which is Christ, whom
+they will own and acknowledge to be their head, lord, and king; and they
+shall come out of the land, or countries where they are, to their own
+land, and great shall be the day of Jezreel: and this will make a
+considerable part of the glory of Christ’s spiritual kingdom.
+
+The light of the gospel, both in the preachers and professors of it, will
+be very great, clear, and distinct; the light of the moon, as in the
+present dispensation to which it may be compared, shall be as the light
+of the sun, to which that dispensation shall be like; and the light of
+the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days: as if the light
+of seven days were collected together, and shone out at once;
+hyperbolical expressions, setting forth the exceeding greatness of gospel
+light in those times: not only the watchmen, ministers of the word, shall
+see eye to eye, all truths clearly and distinctly, but their ideas and
+sentiments shall be regular and uniform; there will be an entire harmony
+and agreement between them; and even private Christians, common members,
+shall all know the Lord, and the things of the gospel, in a very clear
+and comfortable manner, even from the least of them unto the greatest of
+them; when God shall lay Zion’s stones with fair colours, and her
+foundation with sapphires, make her windows of agates, and her gates of
+carbuncles, and all her borders of pleasant stones; then all her children
+shall be taught of God, to such a degree as they never were before, so
+clearly, fully and universally.
+
+Brotherly love, which is now waxed cold, will be in its height and glory,
+agreeable to the name of this state, Philadelphia, which signifies
+brotherly love: there will be no more contentions, animosities, and
+quarrels: Ephraim shall not envy Judah on account of pre-eminence of
+office, gifts and grace; and Judah shall not envy Ephraim, by any haughty
+or overbearing carriage, or with wrangling debates and opprobrious
+language: the two sticks of Ephraim and Judah shall be one in the hand of
+the Lord; there will be perfect harmony and love, nothing to disturb,
+distress, and make uneasy, or tend to alienate the affections of one from
+another; there will be no pricking briars nor grieving thorns among them;
+they will be like the first Christians, of one heart and of one mind, and
+of one judgment, all studying to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond
+of peace.
+
+Holiness, which becomes the house of God for ever, will now adorn every
+member in it; nor will there be such immorality in the world as at this
+present time: holiness will be as common as profaneness is now; in that
+day there shall be upon the bells of the horses holiness to the Lord—yea,
+every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah, shall be holiness unto the Lord of
+hosts: Christ therefore takes his titles in writing to the church at
+Philadelphia, the emblem of the spiritual reign, suitable to its state;
+as truth and holiness shall then prevail, he addresses it thus, these
+things saith he that is holy, he that is true; truth and holiness go
+together; truth influences the heart, and that the life and conversation.
+
+There will be great peace and prosperity of all kinds, inward and
+outward, spiritual and temporal; in these days of the Messiah’s spiritual
+reign, shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as
+the moon endureth: as the saints will enjoy great peace of conscience and
+tranquillity of mind so they will have nothing to disturb them without;
+there will be no more persecution; there will be none to hurt or destroy
+in all the Lord’s holy mountain, as there will be no discord among
+themselves, so no distress from any enemies, violence shall no more be
+heard in their land, nor wasting and destruction within their border.  O
+happy, halcyon days!  I go on to observe,
+
+There will be a personal appearance of the Son of God, and a glorious one
+it will be: he will personally appear; the Lord himself shall descend,
+not by his spirit, or by the communication of his grace, or by his
+gracious presence, as before; but in person he will descend from the
+third heaven, where he is, in our nature, into the air, where he will be
+visible; every eye shall see him, when he cometh with clouds, or in the
+clouds of heaven, which will be his chariot; he will descend on earth et
+the proper time; and his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives; on that
+spot of ground from whence he ascended to heaven.  Job seems to have this
+descent of his in view when he says, he shall stand at the latter day
+upon the earth; which seems to respect not so much his first coming as
+his second; since it is connected with the resurrection of the dead.
+
+This appearance of Christ will be a very glorious one: it is called the
+glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ.
+
+Happy are those that belong to this city, who are fellow-citizens with
+the saints, and of the household of God; whose citizenship is in heaven,
+and they have a right to enter in through the gates into the holy city,
+the new Jerusalem; but miserable will these be that will be without, for
+without are dogs: and then he that is unjust, will be unjust still; and
+he that is filthy, will be filthy still; and he that is righteous, will
+be righteous still; and he that is holy, will be holy still.
+
+_Sermon from Psalm_ lxxxvii. 3, _preached Dec._ 27, 1752.
+
+                                * * * * *
+
+_An Extraordinary Prediction relating to the Downfall of the House of
+Bourbon and the House of Austria_.
+
+
+
+
+RELATED BY MR. JOHN WESLEY.
+
+
+A LITTLE before the conclusion of the late war in Flanders, one who came
+from thence gave us a very strange relation; I knew not what judgment to
+form of this, but waited till John Haim should come over, of whose
+veracity I could no more doubt than of his understanding.  The account he
+gave was this; Jonathan Pyrah was a member of our society in Flanders, I
+knew him some years, and knew him to be a man of an unblameable
+character.  One day he was summoned to appear before the Board of General
+Officers; one of them said, What is this we hear of you? we hear you have
+turned Prophet, and that you foretell the downfall of the bloody house of
+Bourbon, and the haughty house of Austria; we should be glad if you were
+a real Prophet, and if your prophecies came true; but what sign do you
+give to convince us you are so, and that your predictions will come to
+pass?  He readily answered, Gentlemen, I give you a sign: to-morrow, at
+twelve o’clock, you shall have such a storm of thunder and lightning as
+you never had before since you came into Flanders.  I give you a second
+sign: as little as any of you except any such thing, as little appearance
+of it as there is now, you shall have a general engagement with the
+French within three days.  I give you a third sign: I shall be ordered to
+advance in the first line; if I am a false Prophet I shall be shot dead
+at the first discharge, but if I am a true Prophet I shall only receive a
+musket-ball in the calf of my left leg.  At twelve the next day there was
+such thunder and lightning as they never had in Flanders; on the third
+day, contrary to all expectation, was the general battle of Fontenoy; he
+was ordered to advance in the first line, and at the very first discharge
+he did receive a musket-ball in the calf of his left leg.
+
+When the war was over he returned to England, but the story was got here
+before him, in consequence of which he was sent for by the countess of
+Stair, and several other persons of quality, who were desirous of hearing
+so surprising an account from his own mouth.  He could not bear so much
+honour; it quite turned his brain.  In a little time he went stark mad,
+and so he continues to this day, living still, as I apprehend, on Wibsey
+Moor Side, within a few miles of Bradford.
+
+So much for this military Prophet.  Mr. Wesley remarks in a note that he
+is since dead; but we are not able to ascertain whether there be any
+account of him and his predictions in the papers or other periodical
+publications of that time.  If any gentleman is in possession of
+information on this subject, the intelligence is worth communicating to
+the public.
+
+Part of this prophecy being fulfilled, the objects in view to be obtained
+by a publication are, what was the exact prophecy? whether the several
+circumstances mentioned did take place.
+
+
+
+
+PROPHECIES
+OF
+MOTHER SHIPTON,
+AND
+MARTHA,
+THE GIPSY.
+
+
+                                * * * * *
+
+                                 LONDON:
+                     _PUBLISHED FOR THE BOOKSELLERS_.
+
+
+
+
+THE
+LIFE AND PROPHECIES
+OF
+MOTHER SHIPTON.
+
+
+IN the second year of the reign of Henry VII., which was the year 1486,
+there lived a woman called Agatha Shipton, at a place called
+Knaresborough, in Yorkshire.  She came of poor parentage, who died and
+left her, at the age of fifteen, destitute.  After their decease, she
+still lived in the old house; but being now deprived of those helps she
+formerly enjoyed, she was obliged to seek relief from the parish; which
+she did, but with so much regret and grief, that she seemed in her
+begging rather to command alms, than in a humble manner to desire it.
+
+Satan looked on her poverty to be great, and knowing her evil inclination
+(for you must understand that Satan is a good scholar), and perceiving
+that she was willing to accept of any proposition to change her
+condition, he, one time, as she was sitting melancholy under a tree by a
+river side, accosted her in the form of a very handsome young man.
+“Pretty maid,” said he, “why so sad? thy age is too tender for thy head
+to be troubled with the cares of the world; come, tell me what is the
+matter, and if it lie within my power to assist thee, as I am sure it
+doth, thou shalt not want a friend of me.”
+
+Agatha cast up her eyes, and seeing a face so lovely, could not suspect
+Satan hid in that comely shape, whereupon, in a lamentable tone, she
+expressed all that troubled her, informing him of her great wants, and
+that, not knowing how to work, she could not provide what her necessities
+required.  “Pish,” said Satan “this is nothing; be ruled by me, and all
+shall be well.”  She told him she would.  Hereupon, he ordered her to
+meet him at the same place the next day, and he would bring some friends
+along with him; for he told her he resolved to marry her.  She promised
+him she would; and accordingly they met.  He came riding upon a stately
+horse, with a pillion behind him for his spouse, attended by a great many
+gallants (as they appeared), well mounted, and in a noble equipage.
+
+Satan’s attendants soon conveyed his mistress behind him; she not in the
+least doubting the reality of all she saw.
+
+They needed neither switch nor spur to hasten them forward, the horses
+were fiery enough of themselves, and ran with that swiftness, that the
+wind could not overtake them in their full speed: soon they arrived at
+their journey’s end, where seemed to be a very stately house, with a pair
+of great gates, which, at their approach, was opened by a porter in his
+livery gown.  Alighting, she went in, where she saw a great many
+servants, who seemed, at the sight of her and their master, to show much
+respect and obeisance.
+
+Now did Satan command rich garments to be brought, which she was
+immediately clothed with; and being thus richly attired, she was ushered
+into a great hall, where was a long table, furnished with all the
+varieties the whole world could afford; at the upper end of which table
+she was placed, next to her intended husband: all the rest of the guests
+placed themselves as they thought fit.  As they had the choicest cheer,
+so they had the best of wines, and sweetest music.
+
+Dinner being ended, they fell to dancing; and now Satan told her he was
+no mortal, but spirit, immaterial, and not burdened by a body, nor
+hindered by any material thing; “So that I can, when I please, pierce
+through the earth, and ransack its treasures, and bring what precious
+thing I please from thence to bestow on those that serve me.  I know all
+rare arts and sciences, and can teach them to whom I please.  I can
+disturb the elements, stir up thunders and lightnings, destroy the best
+of things which were created for the use of man, and can appear in what
+shape or form I please.  It will take too long to describe my power, or
+tell you what I can do; but I will only tell thee what thou shalt do.
+That being done, I will give thee power to raise hail, tempests, with
+lightning and thunder; the winds shall be at thy command, and shall bear
+thee whither thou art willing to go, though ever so far off, and shall
+bring thee back again when thou hast a mind to return.  The hidden
+treasures of the earth shall be at thy disposal and pleasure, and nothing
+shall be wanting to complete thy happiness here.  Thou shalt, moreover,
+heal or kill whom thou pleaseth; destroy or preserve either man or beast;
+know what is passed, and assuredly tell what is to come.”  Here note, by
+the way, Satan is a liar from the beginning, and will promise more by ten
+millions than he knows he is capable of performing, to the intent that he
+may ensnare a soul.
+
+This poor ignorant wretch easily believed what this grand deceiver of
+mankind told her, and being ravished with the thoughts of being so highly
+preferred, she condescended to all Satan would have her do, whereupon he
+bid her say after him in this manner: _Raziel ellimiham mir amwish
+ziragia Psonthonphanchia Raphaelel have run a tapinot am becaz mitzphecat
+jarid cuman hapheah Gabriel Heydon turris dungeonis philonomostarkes
+sophecord hankim_.  After she had repeated these words after him, he bid
+her say after him again: _Kametzeatuph Odel Pheraz Tumbag in Gall
+Flemmugen Victow Denmarkeonto_.  Having finished his last wicked speech,
+which even the chief of his minions understood not, and of which none but
+Satan himself can pick out the meaning, it thundered so horridly that
+every clap seemed as if the vaulted roof of heaven had cracked, and was
+tumbling down on her head; and withal, that stately palace, which she
+thought she was then in, vanished in a thrice; so did her sumptuous
+apparel: and now her eyes being opened, she found herself in a dark
+dolesome wood, a place, which, from the creation, had scarce ever enjoyed
+the benefit of one single sun-beam.  Whilst she was thinking in what
+course to steer, in order to return, two flaming fiery dragons appeared
+before her, tied to a chariot, and as she was consulting with herself
+what was best to be done, she was insensibly hoisted into it, and with
+speed unimaginable, conveyed through the air to her own poor cottage.
+
+Being come home, the neighbours flocked around her, having missed her for
+two or three days, shrewdly suspecting some mischief had befallen her;
+but when they beheld her face, they were all amazed to see such a strange
+alteration in her countenance in so short a time!  Before she met Satan
+she looked healthy, but now that red plumpness had vanished, there was
+nothing to be seen but a pale shrivelled skin on her cheek, which, for
+want of flesh seemed to fall into her mouth, to be devoured by her
+hunger-starved jaws.  Those about her, who were charitable-minded, pitied
+her, comforted, and gave her money, which, with a great deal of disdain
+and scorn, she threw at them, saying, she wanted not, nor stood in need
+of their alms, “for here,” said she, “is money enough,” plucking her hand
+out of her pocket; the people near her discovered that what was in her
+hands was nothing else but some aspen-leaves, and notwithstanding they
+endeavoured to persuade her that she was mistaken in supposing that to be
+money, yet she would not believe them, so strong a power had Satan gotten
+over her already.
+
+In fine, she bid them all begone, for now she began to take little
+delight in human society; it was not long that they had left her, before
+Satan came in to see her, in the same handsome young form as he first
+appeared unto her, telling her that he came to supply the company of
+those she had wisely dismissed; that she needed not the society of any
+human creature, for he would not fail to be constantly with her: always
+bringing with him what should not only serve for a bare livelihood, but
+be her delight, pleasure, and satisfaction: hereupon, by Satan’s command,
+there instantly seemingly appeared a complete noise of music, with a
+great variety of dishes of meat of the choicest and most pleasing sort,
+which so ravished Agatha that she fell to the ground in a profound and
+deep trance.  One of the neighbours coming in at this time, wondered to
+see Agatha lying on the floor motionless; however, out of pity, she
+endeavoured to awaken Agatha; but using what means she could, it all
+signified nothing; she shook and pinched her, yet still she lay
+insensible.  This woman being strangely amazed, ran out among the rest of
+the neighbours, crying out poor Agatha Shipton was suddenly struck dead,
+and desired them to go into the house with her, and be eye-witnesses of
+the truth; whereupon several went, and found what this woman said to be
+seemingly true; but one wiser than the rest, stooped down, and perceiving
+that she breathed, said, “Friends, ye are all mistaken; Agatha is not
+dead, but in a trance, or else she is bewitched.”  She had scarcely
+uttered these words before Agatha began to stir, and soon after, raising
+herself on her legs, cried out in a very distracted tone, “What do you
+here, vile wretches!  Cannot I enjoy my pleasures, but ye must be
+eaves-dropping?  Get ye gone, ye have nothing to do here;” and hereupon
+she fell a dancing; which they wondered at because they could hear no
+music.  At length, Agatha turned about, and seeing they were not gone,
+said, “If you are resolved thus to disturb me, and will not go, I will
+make ye.”  This somewhat affrighted them, for they now verily believed
+she was a witch, and as they were hastening away, with all imaginable
+speed, a sudden strong wind hoisted them to a great height into the air,
+falling all to the ground again without the least harm, the men were like
+overgrown goats, with large horns on their heads, and the women riding on
+their backs, which sight, as they produced inexpressible wonder, so
+amidst their amazement they could not but burst out into excessive
+laughter.
+
+This wonderful and unexpected exploit was instantly noised all about the
+country, and occasioned a great resort of people to the place where
+Agatha lived; which so perplexed her by their undesired visits, that she
+resolved within herself to be revenged on some of them; which by Satan’s
+help she effected: one had a horse that died suddenly, and being opened,
+there was found in his stomach fish-hooks and hair, instead of hay and
+oats; another going to sit down at table with persons of good quality, at
+dinner-time, and thinking himself very spruce and fine, had in an instant
+his ruff pulled off his neck, and the seat of a house of office clapped
+on in its place: he that sat next to him breaking out in a great laughter
+at the sight thereof, was served a little better, for his hat was
+invisibly conveyed away, and the kitchen pan put on instead thereof; a
+modest young gentlewoman, who did sit at the table at that time, and was
+come on no other errand but to see this young witch, which was so much
+talked of, looking on these two worthy spectacles of laughter,
+endeavouring all she could to refrain from laughing, but could not for
+above a quarter of an hour: this made them all laugh so extremely, that
+the master of the house was alarmed, and being desirous to share with his
+guests in their mirth, came running upstairs as fast as his legs could
+carry him; when about to enter the door, he could not, and no wonder,
+since the oldest man living never saw a larger pair of horns than he had
+on his head.
+
+Whilst they were gazing one on another, more than half distracted, they
+were reduced to the same condition they were in before; after which there
+followed a noise, as if a hundred persons were laughing together, but
+nothing at all was seen.
+
+These persons fearing something worse might befall them if they stayed
+any longer, made all the haste they could to be gone.  Agatha knowing
+their intent, resolved to take her farewell of them by serving them one
+trick more, which was this: As they were about to mount on horseback,
+they were pelted with rotten apples and filth.  As they rode through the
+town, such as thought they rode singly, were all observed to have behind
+them, each man, a deformed old woman; and as their faces differed all one
+from another, so did their habits, which were all tattered and ragged,
+and patched with a hundred colours.  Fear, shame, and the hooting of the
+people, made them put spurs to their horses, neither did they forbear the
+whip, nor anything that might add speed to their horses’ heels, so that
+it may be said, they rather flew than rode.
+
+Coming home, they declared what wonderful things they had seen performed,
+though by a young one, yet as they believed, the greatest witch in the
+world.  This news being so generally spread, came at length to the ears
+of the justices, who now thought it high time to question and bring to
+examination a person that was so much talked of, and might, if let alone,
+do a great deal of mischief.  Accordingly two stout fellows were
+despatched for her; they soon found her, and nothing daunted by her
+witcheries, they resolutely carried her before the justice, where being
+brought, she, not a jot daunted, told him that she had more authority
+than he, and that notwithstanding his power, she could command one that
+could overrule him; that she was a princess, and could have at her back a
+thousand spirits of the air, and as many of the earth and water; that she
+could raise a tempest presently that should overturn his house about his
+ears, “and that you may know it lies not in your power to detain me,
+three words will procure my liberty.”  Hereupon, she said, “Updraxi, call
+Stygician Helluox!”  She had scarce uttered the last word, before there
+came in a horrid winged dragon, which immediately took her up, and
+carried her away from the amazed justice and the attendants about him,
+half dead with fear.
+
+This so affrighted all that heard of it, that none would undertake to
+meddle with her more, so that she had a considerable time of respite.
+But she now began to be more admired than before, being discovered to be
+enceinte.  The people could not tell what to think, or who could be the
+father.  While people were generally passing their verdict on Agatha, she
+was once taken and brought before a justice, and amongst other questions,
+was asked, whether she was enceinte?  She acknowledged it; nay, further,
+that the father was no mortal wight.  The justice gave no credit to what
+she said, as looking on her as an ignorant seduced woman; and so asked
+her what bail she could produce, intending to defer the business until
+she was delivered.  In this very nick of time, two gentlemen, as they
+appeared by their habits, voluntarily proffered themselves, but as soon
+as accepted for bail, vanished; however, Agatha had permission to go
+home.
+
+In course of time was born, Mother Shipton, which proved the conclusion
+of her miserable life.  But her entry into the world was such a terror to
+all that beheld her, that several credible person then presented, have
+several times confessed that they have never beheld the like: such
+strange and horrible noises, that the persons about her could scarcely
+find so much courage in themselves as to continue in the place where she
+was; much less when they beheld the strange and unparalleled physiognomy
+of the child, which was so misshapen, that it is altogether impossible to
+express it fully in words, or the most ingenious to describe her in
+colours, though many persons of eminent qualifications in that art have
+often attempted it, but without success; therefore, according to the best
+observations of her, take this true, though not full, account of her
+features and body.  She was of an indifferent height, but very morose and
+big-boned; her head very long, with very great goggling, but sharp and
+fiery eyes; her nose of an incredible and unproportionable length, having
+in it many crooks and turnings, adorned with many strange pimples of
+divers colours, as red and blue mixed, which, like vapours of brimstone,
+gave such a lustre to the affrighted spectators in the dead time of the
+night, that one of them confessed several times, that her nurse needed no
+other light to assist her in the performance of her duty: her cheeks were
+of a black swarthy complexion, much like a mixture of the black yellow
+jaundice, wrinkled, shrivelled and very hollow; insomuch that as the ribs
+of her body, so the impression of her teeth was easily to be discerned
+though both sides of her face, answering one side to the other, like the
+notches in a valley, excepting only two of them, which stood quite out of
+her mouth, in imitation of the tusks of a wild boar, or tooth of an
+elephant, a thing so strange in an infant, that no age can parallel: her
+chin was of the same complexion as her face, turning up her mouth; and
+shrieks being heard from an unknown cause, as if there had been more than
+an ordinary correspondence between her teeth and it.  Her neck was so
+strangely distorted, that her right shoulder was forced to be a supporter
+to her hood, it being propped up by her chin, so that the right side of
+her body stood lower than her left, like the reeling of a ship that sails
+with a side wind; again, her left side was quite turned the contrary way,
+as if her body had been screwed together piece after piece, and not
+rightly placed; her left shoulder hanging just perpendicular to the
+bottom of the back.  Her legs were very crooked and misshapen; the toes
+of her feet looking towards her left side, so that it was very hard for
+any person (could she have stood up) to guess which road she intended to
+steer her course, because she never could look that way she resolved to
+go.
+
+After she had remained under the care of the nurse for a space of a month
+or thereabouts, she was put out to nurse at the charge of the parish to a
+poor woman hard by in the town, where she continued for the space of half
+a year or thereabouts, the house not being in any way disturbed at all,
+till at last her nurse having been abroad with the chief of the
+parishioners, either to procure something of their charity for her
+subsistence and the maintenance of her family, or else to fetch her money
+from the overseers of the poor for nursing the child; and returning home
+to her house she found her door wide open, at which she, much amazed and
+affrighted, ran to her next neighbour and acquainted her she was quite
+undone, for her house was broken open and robbed.  The man immediately
+rose from his dinner, accompanied by his wife and also a labouring man.
+Approaching the door, they endeavoured to enter, but before they could
+all get in a very strange noise was heard in the next room to them, as if
+it had been a concert of cats, which so affrighted them that they all ran
+towards the door, endeavouring to get out again, but in vain; for at
+their approach there were great long yokes put about their necks, in the
+form of a cross or turnstile, so that they could not possibly return; and
+while they were thus striving and crying out for help, their yokes at
+last fell off, and a staff was laid upon the men’s shoulders, upon which
+an old woman presented herself, sometimes hanging by the heels and
+sometimes by the toes.  These sports continued for the space of half an
+hour, so that the poor men were never more tired nor less pleased at
+anything than in being constrained to humour this piece of activity.
+
+After they had got a discharge from this their new employment, the house
+being now quiet, and they had a little recovered their senses, missing
+the woman they ran further into the house, where they found them in a
+room in which stood a pair of yarwingles made in the form of a cross.
+The two women were forced to take the four ends thereof in their hands,
+and so danced round about one after the other until they were almost
+tired to death, carrying upon their shoulders an imp in the likeness of a
+monkey or ape, which hung close upon them; and whenever they slacked
+their pace, these spirits pricked them forward, continuing this for a
+considerable time, till at length they vanished quite out of sight,
+leaving these poor wretches no less weary than astonished, and who,
+perceiving themselves at liberty, ran to several of the neighbours,
+acquainting them with what had happened, and causing great amazement
+amongst them; and immediately the whole town was in an uproar.  The
+minister and several of the most eminent of the inhabitants consulted
+together upon the occasion what to do in the business; some of them
+threatening the informers, others thinking they were distracted, but at
+last they resolved to go to the house; yet when they came near there
+arose a dispute who should first enter, which at last was agreed upon;
+and the parson, with his congregation attending him in the rear, entered
+the door quivering and shaking, whereupon there was suddenly a noise like
+the treading of people on stones, though the house had no other but an
+earthen floor; and very sweet musical harmony of several notes was heard,
+and all presently vanished again.  The minister and inhabitants entered,
+and searching the house, missed the child; one of them looking up the
+chimney, saw the cradle wonderfully hanging up, three yards high, without
+any support; this was as strangely conveyed down again.  They encouraged
+the nurse, left her in the house (though affrighted), and departed.
+
+Mother Shipton’s nurse was, after this, sometimes in great perplexity,
+not knowing what was become of her for days together; but when she was in
+her greatest scare after her, she saw her oftentimes drop suddenly
+through the roof of the house.  Going out, upon her return she many times
+found her child stretched out to a prodigious length, taller than the
+tallest living, and at other times as much shortened.  The poor woman’s
+work for the major part, was only to rectify what these spirits
+disordered about her house.  The chairs and stools would frequently march
+up stairs and down, and they usually played at bowls with the trenches
+and dishes: sometimes at dinner the meat would be removed before she
+could touch a bit; which things, as they much troubled the nurse, so they
+gave great satisfaction to Mother Shipton, as it appeared by her
+monstrous smiles.  Now and then, to pacify her nurse, when she saw her
+much vexed, she would say, “Be contented; there is nothing here that will
+harm you.”
+
+To be short, the nurse was so continually terrified by these apparitions,
+that she resolved to complain to the parish; and, having made known the
+truth of what had passed, in commiseration to the almost distracted
+woman, they removed Mother Shipton to another place, where she was put to
+school, being of an age fit for it.
+
+By this time Mother Shipton was grown a lusty girl, and as she was left
+to the care of the parish, so the parish took care that she should have
+the common sort of learning, that is to say, reading and writing,
+bestowed upon her.  Coming to school her mistress began to instruct her
+as other children, beginning with three or four letters at first; but to
+the amazement and astonishment of her mistress, she exactly pronounced
+every letter in the alphabet without teaching; her mistress then showed
+her a primer, which she read at first sight as well as any in the school,
+and so on with every book that was shown her.
+
+As this produced wonder in her schoolmistress, so it caused hatred and
+envy in her comrades; some flouted her for her monstrous long nose,
+others endeavoured to beat her, and all strove to harm her; but she
+valued them not, revenging herself on every one of them that intended her
+harm.  Some were pinched, and yet no hand seen that did it; others struck
+speechless when they were about to say their lessons, not being able to
+utter a word; none escaped from being served one scurvy trick or other.
+This so enraged the parents of these children, looking on Mother Shipton
+as the sole cause thereof, that she was discharged from the school, and
+so left to the wide world.  The singularities of Mother Shipton now began
+to be talked of everywhere; she was often seen, when alone, to laugh
+heartily; at other times to talk to herself; uttering very strange
+riddles, which occasioned some of the more sober sort to converse with
+her, receiving such strange things from her, as required a long study to
+find out the meaning.
+
+Never a day passed, wherein she related not something very remarkable,
+and that required the most serious consideration.  And now it was that
+people flocked far and near (her fame was so great), to be resolved of
+their doubts, all returning wonderfully satisfied in the explanations she
+gave to their questions.
+
+And now Mother Shipton, beginning to grow famous in the world for her
+notable judgment in things to come, there resorted to her house a number
+of people of all sorts, both old and young, rich and poor, especially
+young maidens, who have always a great desire to know when they shall be
+married, as also, what manner of husbands they shall have, to which she
+gave such satisfactory answers, both for the person and time, that no
+sooner could a young maid get into her teens, but she would presently
+trot to Mother Shipton’s, to be resolved of her doubt.  Now though she
+was not mercenary herself, but refused great gifts when proffered unto
+her; yet did she keep a young wench, who, rather than fail, if they
+forgot to open their purse to her, would remember to open her mouth to
+them, and tell them, that neither Dame Shipton nor she could be
+maintained with thanks, but that the belly required meat to feed it; and
+that it was money that made the mare to go.  One day, there came a
+certain young heir thither, whose father was sick, to be resolved by her
+whether he should live or die; but Mother Shipton could by no means be
+wrought upon to tell him anything; whereupon he proffered the maid great
+store of money, if she could by any means persuade the dame to fulfil his
+request; the wench, greedy of money, promised him fair; that if he would
+come the next morning, he would be certain to be resolved; in the
+meantime, she importuned her dame with the most cunning rhetoric that she
+could invent; but she was deaf to all entreaties, and would by no means
+be induced thereto, whereupon the wench resolved with herself, rather
+than lose the money, to give him an answer of her own invention; when the
+next morning came she performed her part in these words:—
+
+    “The grave provided hath a room:
+    Prepare for death, thy hour is come.”
+
+The young gentleman having received this answer, went away very joyful,
+hoping presently to reap the golden crop which his father had sown, and
+to be in an instant possessor of all his vast estate; but the sequel
+proved quite contrary; for by the time he came home, great hopes of
+amendment appeared in his father, who each day grew better and better, so
+that in a short time he became perfectly well.  This unexpected recovery
+of the old man struck such a damp into the young heir, that he presently
+took to his bed, fell extremely ill, and in a short time grew so much
+worse that all the symptoms of a dying man appeared in him; the old man
+having no more children, was very desirous of his life; and to know
+whether he should recover, he sent to Mother Shipton, who, knowing by her
+art what her maid had done, severely chid her for the same, threatening
+to turn her out of her service.  In the meantime the messenger was come
+to her house, who having delivered his errand returned back with this
+answer:—
+
+    “For other’s death who do gape out,
+    Their own, unlook’d for, comes about.”
+
+The old man having received this answer, was much troubled, thinking his
+own death predicted thereby, not imagining what his son had done: but he
+was soon quieted of that suspicion, for within two days the young man
+died; when a servant (who knew the circumstance) informed him of the
+truth of the whole matter.
+
+At divers other times, when persons of quality came to visit her, she
+delivered the following prophecies:
+
+“Before the Ouse Bridge and Trinity Church meets, they shall build it in
+the day and it shall fall in the night, until they get the highest stone
+of Trinity Church the lowest stone of Ouse Bridge.”
+
+This came to pass; for Trinity steeple in York was blown down with a
+tempest, and Ouse Bridge broken down with a flood, and what they did in
+the day time in repairing the bridge fell down in the night, till at last
+they laid the highest stone of the steeple for the foundation of the
+Bridge.
+
+“A time shall happen when a ship shall come sailing up the Thames, till
+it comes against London, and the master of the ship will ask the captain
+why he weeps, since he has made so good a voyage.  And he will say, and
+what a good city this was, none in the world comparable to it, and now
+there’s scarce a house left, that can let us drink for our money.”
+
+These last words were sadly verified after the dreadful fire of London in
+1666, when there was not a house left along the Thames side from the
+Tower to the Temple.
+
+About this time, some differences arising betwixt King Henry VIII. and
+the French king, great preparations for war were made in England, the
+drums beating in every county to summon voluntary valour to express
+itself in defence of their king and country.  Many heroic spirits who
+made honour their aim, not dreading dangers, now came forward, and
+indeed, so many appeared under Mars’ banner, that he who was furnished
+with limbs and an estate, and declined the service, was called a coward.
+There was then living in the North a young heir, who was newly come to
+his estate; one whose tongue was all fire, and his heart all ice; who
+would kill thousands by his words, but durst not venture to do anything
+in deeds; this gallant being by some of his equals pricked on to make his
+appearance in the field of Mars, and not to lie sleeping at home, when
+fame summoned him forth to action, knew not what to do in this case;
+loath was he to lose his loved life; and yet the aspersion of a coward,
+even to a coward himself, is of all things most odious; he therefore
+promised that none should be more willing than he to spend his blood in
+the quarrel of that country from whence he received his dear life; but
+yet he resolved within himself not to set one step forward in that path
+of danger till he had first consulted with Mother Shipton, concerning
+what success he should have in his journey; if it was bad, he resolved by
+a feigned sickness to evade it; thinking it no good policy for a man to
+part with that life in an instant, which with great cost and care had
+been many years in bringing up.
+
+Hereupon he hastened to our Northern Prophetess, acquainted her with his
+condition, and very earnestly desired of her (as she to whom nothing was
+hid) that she would unfold to him whether good or bad fortune should be
+his attendant in this his expedition.  Mother Shipton, though she
+perceived his sheepish courage to be very unanswerable to that of a
+soldier, yet foreknowing what would come to pass, returned him the
+following answer: which without more ado, fully satisfied him to proceed,
+and performed what he had promised.
+
+“When the English Lion shall set his paw on the Gallic shore, then shall
+the Lilies begin to drop for fear.  There shall be much weeping and
+wailing amongst the ladies of that country: because the princely Eagle
+shall join with the Lion, to tread down all that shall oppose them; and
+though many sagittaries shall appear in defence of the Lilies, yet shall
+they not prevail; because the dull animal of the North shall be put to
+confusion; and though it be his will, yet shall cause great shame unto
+them.  Now shall the mitred Peacock first begin to plume, whose train
+shall make a great show in the world for a time, but shall afterwards
+vanish away, and his honour come to nothing; which shall take its end at
+Kingston.”
+
+
+
+Explanation.
+
+
+By the “English Lion” was meant the King of England; and by setting his
+“paw on the Gallic shore,” the landing of his army in France; by the
+“Lily beginning to drop for fear,” was signified the great trouble and
+perplexity of the French, the Lilies being the arms of France; the
+“weeping and wailing amongst the ladies of that country,” denotes the
+miseries and destruction incident to war; by the “princely Eagle joining
+with the Lion, and treading down all that shall oppose them,” is meant
+the German Emperor (whose arms were the Eagle) who joined in amity with
+King Henry, and served him in his wars; by the “sagittaries that appeared
+in defence of the Lilies,” were meant the French cavalry, the chief
+strength of France, consisting of horsemen, who appeared like
+sagittaries, that is to say, half men and half horses; and whereas it was
+said, “yet they should not prevail,” it fell out so accordingly; for
+notwithstanding all the opposition of the French armies, King Henry
+proceeded on vigorously, conquering and taking several towns of
+importance.  But to come to that which most nearly concerns the matter,
+viz., the success of our young heir in his expedition, which was hinted
+forth unto him in these words: “Because the dull animal of the North
+shall put them to confusion, and though it be against his will, yet shall
+cause great shame unto them;” by the dull animal of the North was meant
+this fresh-water soldier, who, according to the Prophecy, put the
+Frenchmen to confusion and great shame; for passing the seas with King
+Henry, being mounted on a stately horse, as both armies confronted each
+other, he being at the head of the battle, just before the charge,
+somebody striking his horse, he carried him upon the enemy with such
+violence, as put their front in some disorder, which being perceived by
+our men, they presently so seconded him that the French ran away, leaving
+the English a glorious victory, purchased with little cost.
+
+By this means was Mother Shipton’s predictions fulfilled, to the disgrace
+of the French, and great praise to the young gallant; for the rest of the
+Prophecy the interpretation runs thus:—
+
+By the “mitred Peacock,” was intended Cardinal Wolsey, signified by that
+bird, because of his great pride, who, being but a poor butcher’s son of
+Ipswich, in Suffolk, grew to such a height, that he thought himself
+superior to the chief nobles of the land, living in such splendour as not
+to be paralleled; according to the new Prophecy, “whose train shall make
+a great show in the world;” and whereas it is said, “the peacock should
+then begin to plume,” so it was, that when King Henry had taken the city
+of Tournay, in France, he made Wolsey bishop thereof, who soon after rose
+to the highest degree of honour a subject could be capable of, which
+afterwards (as the Prophecy says) “vanished away, and his great honour
+came to nothing.”  And lastly, whereas it said, he should “have his end
+at Kingston.”  The cardinal being told of this prophecy, would never pass
+through the town of Kingston, though lying directly in the road from his
+own house to the court; but afterwards being arrested for high treason,
+by the Earl of Northumberland, and Sir Anthony Kingston, the Lieutenant
+of the Tower, sent unto him, his very name (remembering the prophecy)
+struck such a terror to his heart that he soon after expired.
+
+Mother Shipton had now got a name far and near for a cunning woman, or a
+woman of foresight, that her words were counted oracles, nor was she
+visited only by private persons, but advised with by people of the
+greatest quality.  Among which number at that time was Cardinal Wolsey;
+when it was reported that he intended to live at York, she publicly said,
+“He should never come thither,” which, coming to his ears, and being
+offended, he caused three lords to go to her, who came disguised to
+Dringhouses, near York, where leaving their men, they took a guide to
+Mother Shipton’s, and knocking at the door, she called from within, “Come
+in, Mr. Besley (the guide), and these noble lords with you,” which
+surprised them, that she should know them; for when they came in she
+called each of them by their names, and treated them with ale and cakes;
+whereupon, said one of the lords, “If you knew our errand you would not
+make so much of us; you said the cardinal should never see York.”  “No,”
+said she, “I said he might see York but never come at it.”  “Well,” said
+the lords, “when he does come thou shalt be burnt.”  Then, taking off her
+linen handkerchief from her head, she said, “If this burns,” and
+immediately flung it into the fire, but it did not burn; and after it had
+laid in the flames a quarter of an hour, she took it out again not so
+much as singed.  One of the lords then asked her what she thought of him.
+“My lord, the time will come when your lordship will be as low as I am,
+and that is low indeed,” which proved true, for shortly after he was
+beheaded.
+
+Nor was her speech of the cardinal less verified; for coming to Cawood,
+he went to the top of the tower and asked where York was, which being
+shown him, he inquired how far it was thither.  For, quoth he, “There was
+a witch said I should never see York.”  “Nay,” said one present, “your
+eminence is misinformed; she said, you might see it, but never come at
+it.”  Then he vowed to burn her when he came there, which was but eight
+miles distant; but, behold, he was immediately sent for back by the king,
+and never returned.
+
+Mother Shipton’s prediction coming thus effectually to pass, spread her
+fame far wider than it was; insomuch that many who before looked upon her
+as a crack-brained woman, now began to admire her, and to esteem her
+words as oracles.  And as the nature of English people is rather to
+desire to know what is to come, than to seek to rectify aught that is
+done amiss, so the greatest part of her visitants came only to be
+acquainted with what she knew would come to pass; of which number was the
+Abbot of Beverley, who fearing the downfall of religious houses, and a
+change of the religion then professed, putting on counterfeit clothes,
+came to Mother Shipton’s, and knocking at the door, she being within,
+called to him, and said: “Come in, Mr. Abbot, for you are not so much
+disguised but the fox may be seen through the sheep’s skin.  Come take a
+stool and sit down, for you shall not go away unsatisfied of what you
+desire,” and thereupon she began to utter forth her Prophecies in this
+sort:—
+
+    “When the cow doth wive the bull,
+    Then, oh! priest, beware thy skull!
+    And when the lower shrubs do fall,
+    The great trees quickly follow shall.
+    The mitred Peacock’s lofty pride
+    Shall to his master be a guide.
+    And one great court to pass shall bring
+    What was ne’er done by any king.
+    The poor shall grieve to see that day,
+    And who did feast, must fast and pray.
+    Fate so decreed their overthrow,
+    Riches brought pride, and pride brought woe.”
+
+These prophecies were thus explained: by the “Cow,” was made King Henry,
+by reason of the Earldom of Richmond, which was his inheritance; and the
+“Bull,” betokened Anne Boleyn, whom the king took to wife in the room of
+Queen Catherine; her father gave the black bull’s head in his cognizance;
+and when the king had married Queen Anne, then was fulfilled the second
+line of the prophecy, viz., “Then, oh! priest, beware thy skull!” for
+what a number of priests, religious and secular, lost their heads, for
+offending against the laws, made to bring this matter to pass.
+
+Cardinal Wolsey (who was intended by the “mitred Peacock”), in the height
+of his pride and vastness of his undertakings, intending to erect two
+colleges, one at Ipswich, where he was born, the other at Oxford, where
+he was bred; and finding himself unable to endow them at his own charge,
+he obtained licence of Pope Clement VII. to suppress forty small
+monasteries in England, and to lay their old lands to his new
+foundations, which was done accordingly, and the poor people that lived
+in them were turned out of doors.  Many of the clergy were very much
+against this action of Wolsey, especially John Fisher, Bishop of
+Rochester, alleging for the same an apologue of Æsop, that “the iron head
+of the axe craved a handle of the wood of oaks, only to cut off the
+boughs of the trees: but when it was a complete axe it felled all the
+wood;” applying it, that the suppressing of those smaller houses would
+prove destructive to all the rest, which came to pass accordingly; for
+King Henry, seeing the cardinal’s power to extend so far as to suppress
+these lower shrubs, he thought his prerogative might stretch so far as to
+fell down the great trees; and soon after dissolved the priory of Christ
+Church, near Aldgate, in London (now known by the name of Duke’s Place),
+the richest in lands and ornaments of the priories in London or
+Middlesex; which was a forerunner of the dissolution of the rest; and
+that not long after came to pass.
+
+By the “Great Court,” is meant the Parliament, the supremest court of
+England; which, in the twenty-seventh year of King Henry’s reign, to
+support the king’s states, and supply his wants, conferred on the crown
+all religious houses which were not able clearly to expend above two
+hundred pounds a year; the great ones not long after following the same
+fortune of the smaller, which was not done (though attempted) by any king
+before.
+
+By the dissolution of these houses, many thousands were driven to seek
+their fortunes in the wide world, and became utterly exposed to want;
+when monkish profession was without possession, many a young man proved
+an old beggar, and many forced to fast for want of victuals, who formerly
+had it provided for them to their hands.
+
+The great riches and pride of the monks and friars, was, no doubt, the
+main cause of their overthrow; for whatsoever was the pretence,
+questionless profit was the rope which pulled these religious houses
+down.
+
+All those things coming to pass before the abbot died, caused him to have
+a great esteem of Mother Shipton, and to value her prophecies more than
+ordinary conjectures; though at first he could not tell what to make of
+her ambiguous lines, which, like the oracles delivered at Delphos, rather
+brought one into a labyrinth of confused conjectures than satisfied the
+expectation, until by the clue of time, the riddles were manifest; and
+that which at first seemed so hard, now appeared to the understanding as
+easy; however, he at present kindly thanked Mother Shipton, and liberally
+rewarded her maid, much admiring that she could be so clear-sighted as to
+see through his counterfeit dress; resolving afterwards to be more
+informed by her concerning future events, he at that time took his solemn
+leave of her, and returned home.
+
+Not long had the abbot been at home, but his abbey was visited by some
+instrument employed by the Lord Cromwell for that purpose.  He who knew
+what was intended by this compliment thought it not safe to strive
+against the stream, and therefore quietly surrendered his monastery into
+the king’s hands.  And now perceiving Mother Shipton’s prophecies plainly
+fulfilled in the downfall of those houses, which were judged to be
+impregnable against all the assaults of malice and time, considering the
+strange revolution of so short a space, he was very desirous to be more
+fully informed of the future.  In this resolution he repairs again to
+Mother Shipton, whom he now accosts more familiarly than he did before,
+making himself plainly known unto her; telling her that as what she had
+formerly spoken he had found to be true in the event, so his judgment
+persuaded him she was not ignorant of those things which were in the
+future to ensue; and therefore desired she would not be nice in imparting
+her foreknowledge to him; for which great favour, though it were more
+than his deserts could command, yet should there never in him be wanting
+a grateful tongue to acknowledge, and a grateful heart to be thankful
+unto her, for so great a favour.
+
+“Mr. Abbot,” said she, “leave off complimenting, as it is more fit for
+courtiers and lovers, and not agreeable to an old woman, who will neither
+flatter nor be flattered by any; and for what you came about, I shall not
+be squeamish to fulfil your request; let me therefore desire you to lend
+me your attention;” and thereupon, after some short pause, she thus
+began—
+
+    “A prince that never shall be born,
+    Shall make the shaved heads forlorn,
+    Then shall commons rise in arms,
+    And woman’s malice cause much harms.”
+
+These lines being prophecies of the actions in King Edward’s reign, for
+the reader’s benefit we will unfold the meaning of them by themselves,
+that we may not too much burden his memory; but by variety add a pleasure
+to the reading of them.
+
+By the “Prince that never shall be born,” is meant King Edward VI., of
+whom all reports agree that he was not naturally delivered into the
+world, but that his mother’s body was opened for his birth, that she died
+of the operation the fourth day following: and by “shaved heads,” is
+understood the monks, friars, etc., who are said to become “forlorn;” the
+Reformation beginning with the commencement of King Edward’s reign.
+
+King Edward set out certain injunctions for the reformation of religion;
+as the commissioners passed to divers places for the establishing of
+them, much scorn was passed upon them, and the farther they went from
+London, as the people were more uncivil, so did they the more rise into
+insolence and contempt; for in Cornwall, the commons flocked together,
+having killed one of the commissioners, and although justice was done
+upon the offenders (the principal of them being executed in several
+places), yet could not their boldness be beaten down by that severity,
+but that the mischief spread farther.  In Wiltshire and Somersetshire,
+where the people, supposing that a Commonwealth could not stand without
+commons, beat down enclosures, and laid parks and fields bare.  The like
+commotions followed in Suffolk, Hampshire, Kent, Gloucestershire,
+Warwickshire, and Rutlandshire, but the greatest of all was in
+Devonshire, and Norfolk.
+
+    “A virtuous lady then shall die,
+    For being raised up too high;
+    Her death shall cause another’s joy,
+    Who shall the kingdom much annoy.
+    Mitres shall rise, mitres come down,
+    And streams of blood shall Smithfield drown.
+    England shall join in league with Spain,
+    Which some to hinder strive in vain,
+    The Lioness from life retires,
+    And pontifical priest expires.”
+
+The Lady Jane Gray, assuming the title of Queen upon her, for her offence
+lost her head.  This Lady Jane was a woman of most rare and incomparable
+perfections; for besides her excellent beauty, she was the mirror of her
+time for religion and education, in the knowledge of the liberal sciences
+and skill in languages; and far exceeded all of her sex and years.
+
+The death of the Lady Jane was supposed to be a rejoicing to Queen Mary,
+and who, by restoring Popery, and the persecutions that the professors of
+the Gospel suffered in her time, is said to bring the kingdom to much
+annoy.
+
+By the “Mitres,” are meant the bishops, who in the change of religion
+found great change; very few keeping their seats wherein they had been
+seated by King Edward VI.
+
+Great was the number of martyrs burned in Smithfield in this queen’s
+reign, under the bloody hands of Bonner, Bishop of London, and Dr. Story,
+Dean of St. Paul’s; the first persecuting by wholesale, the second by
+retail; the names of all those who in this place thus testified their
+faith by the loss of their lives, would be too long here to recite; the
+chief of them were Mr. John Rogers, Mr. John Bradford, Mr. Robert Glover,
+etc.
+
+Queen Mary intended to match herself with Philip, King of Spain; the news
+thereof of being spread amongst the people, was by them ill-resented, as
+dreading to be under the yoke of a stranger; but all to no purpose, for
+soon afterwards they were married, to the mortification of the English.
+
+By the “Lioness” is meant Queen Mary, who having reigned five years and
+some odd months, died of a dropsy.
+
+The “pontifical priest” signifies Cardinal Pole, who expired within a few
+hours after the death of Queen Mary.  This prelate was of princely
+extraction, his mother, Margret, being daughter to George Duke of
+Clarence; when he was young, he was brought up together with Queen Mary,
+and being a zealous Catholic, during King Edward’s reign, suffered a
+voluntary exile for the same; when the marriage between Prince Philip and
+Queen Mary was made up, he returned into England, and was made Archbishop
+of Canterbury, but was more moderate than some of his fellow bishops,
+having a favourable inclination towards the Protestants.
+
+    “The Lion fierce being dead and gone,
+    A maiden Queen shall reign anon.
+    The Papal power shall bear no sway,
+    Rome’s creed shall hence be swept away.
+    The western monarch’s wooden horses
+    Shall be destroyed by the Drake’s forces.
+    More wonders yet! a widowed Queen
+    In England shall be headless seen.
+    The Harp shall give a better sound.
+    An Earl without a head be found.
+    Soon after shall the English Rose
+    Unto a male her place dispose.”
+
+These lines being a prophecy of the most remarkable actions during the
+reign of Queen Elizabeth, are to be interpreted after this manner:
+
+Queen Mary is here meant, not so much for the cruelty done by her, as by
+the bishops and priests under her; in respect to the blood that was shed,
+and the persecutions then suffered, she is here termed a fierce “Lion;”
+after whom is said, “A maiden Queen to reign anon,” meant by Queen
+Elizabeth, one who was the mirror of her age and sex, who for above forty
+years managed the affairs of this kingdom; having, when she began, few
+friends that durst help, and leaving no foes when she died that could
+hurt her; acting her part so well whilst here she reigned, that history
+can scarce afford us one prince to be matched to her fame in all
+considerable particulars.
+
+Soon after the queen coming to the crown, a Parliament began at
+Westminster, wherein the laws of King Henry VIII. against the see of
+“Rome” were renewed, and those of King Edward VI. in favour of the
+Protestants revived, and the laws by Queen Mary made against them,
+repealed.
+
+Uniformity of prayer and administration of sacrament were enacted, and
+the queen acknowledged to be the only and supreme governor of her
+kingdom.  The people in each place beating down superstitious pictures
+and images, which misguided zeal had set up.
+
+By the “western monarch’s wooden horses,” is meant the King of Spain’s
+great Armada, by them termed invincible, though the success of it
+answered not the name; being by Sir Francis Drake and others fought with
+and really vanquished; most of it sunk, and the rest, destitute and
+scattered, being chased by our ships into the northern latitudes, and
+there left to be pursued by hunger and cold; a victory so remarkable,
+that neither time nor age will ever wear the remembrance thereof away.
+
+The “widowed Queen” signifies the Queen of Scots, the mother of King
+James, who was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle, some say by the privity,
+others say to the great discontent of Queen Elizabeth; a lady of sharp
+wit, undaunted spirit, comely person, beautiful face, and majestic
+presence; a fluent orator, and an excellent poetess, as appears by
+several things of her writing now extant; she was beheaded on the 8th of
+February, 1587, and was first buried in the choir of Peterborough; and
+afterwards by her son, King James, solemnly removed from thence to
+Westminster, where, in the south side of the chapel of King Henry VII. he
+erected a stately monument to her memory.
+
+“The Harp” signifies Ireland, as being the arms of that country, when
+Queen Elizabeth, by reducing it to a better obedience, made it give a
+better sound, that is, made it more civilized and profitable to the
+exchequer than it ever was before.
+
+“An Earl without a head be found.”  This was spoken of the Earl of Essex,
+one who was the favourite of the queen and darling of the people (two
+things which seldom come together), and yet could not both of them
+protect him from the scaffold, but thereon he lost his head.
+
+By the “English Rose” is meant Queen Elizabeth, as we said before, by
+whose death the right and title to the crown came to James VI., King of
+Scotland, as lineally descended from Margaret, eldest daughter to King
+Henry VII., the male issue failing by the death of Queen Elizabeth; and
+here is to be remembered the policy of King Henry VII., who having two
+daughters, married the eldest of them to the King of Scotland, and the
+youngest to the King of France, that if his male issue should happen to
+fail, as it afterwards did, then Scotland might wait upon England as the
+greater kingdom, and not England upon France as the lesser.  Besides,
+there was an old prophecy which intimated King James coming to the
+English crown; for when King Edward I. harassed Scotland, amongst other
+things he brought from thence their royal chair (still preserved at the
+Abbey, in Westminster), upon which chair these verses were written:
+
+    “If Fates go right, where’er this chair is pight,
+    The regal race of Scots shall rule that place.”
+
+Which by the coronation of King James there performed, made good the
+words of the prophecy.
+
+    “The Northern Lion over Tweed,
+    The maiden Queen shall then succeed,
+    And join in one, two mighty States;
+    Janus then shall shut his gates;
+    Hell’s power, by a fatal blow,
+    Shall seek the land to overthrow,
+    Which by mistake shall be reverst,
+    And heads from shoulders be disperst.
+    The British Olive next shall twine
+    In marriage with the German Vine.”
+
+Next follows the remarkable actions of King James’s reign, predicted in
+the foregoing lines, which may be thus explained:
+
+By the “Northern Lion” is meant King James, and by the “maiden Queen,”
+Queen Elizabeth, whom King James, being King of Scotland, succeeded to
+the English crown, joining thereby the two nations of England and
+Scotland, which had often been attempted before.
+
+The lines “Hell’s power,” etc., have reference to the Gunpowder Plot,
+which was planned to blow up the Parliament House with gunpowder—king,
+princes, peers, bishops, judges, knights, and burgesses, being all
+designed to destruction.  To bring the purpose about, a vault was hired
+under the Parliament House, wherein were stowed thirty-six barrels of
+gunpowder, with several iron bars, to make the force of the fire more
+effectual, all which were covered with billets and coals.  The 5th of
+November, the day of Parliament first sitting, was the time appointed to
+put this design in execution; but Providence had ordered it otherwise,
+that those who intended mischief should taste the effects of it.  In the
+evening before, Lord Monteagle received a strange letter from an unknown
+hand, without date or name to it, and which, when it was opened, was even
+still sealed.  The letter being communicated to the king, he commanded
+the rooms under the Parliament House to be searched, where the mystery of
+iniquity was quickly discovered.  Some of the traitors were taken in
+London, others in the country; the hands of justice overtaking them, they
+became its examples, and tasted of that cup which they intended others
+should have drunk of.
+
+By the “British Olive” is meant the Lady Elizabeth, daughter of King
+James; and by the “German Vine” the most illustrious Prince Frederic,
+Count Palatine of the Rhine.  This Lady Elizabeth was enriched with all
+the endowments of both body and mind which make to the completing of a
+princess; most dearly beloved of the English, as one that deserved well
+of all.  They were married with great solemnity at Westminster, February
+14, 1602.
+
+Mother Shipton having proceeded thus far with her prophecies, broke up
+abruptly with a deep sigh, the tears trickling down her cheeks,
+accompanied by a wringing of her hands, as if some extraordinary
+mischance had befallen her.  The abbot wondered greatly what should be
+the cause of this sudden alteration, having observed all along before a
+settled composedness in her countenance, and now to break out in such
+exclamations.  He therefore said unto her, “Mother Shipton, it is more
+than some extraordinary matter which hath made you break out into this
+sudden passion; and if it may not be troublesome unto you, I shall desire
+that, as hitherto you have not been scrupulous in revealing those secrets
+unto me, which have wrought in me both wonder and amazement, so that you
+will not so abruptly break off as to leave me in suspense of the cause of
+your sorrow.”  “Ah! Mr. Abbot,” said she, “who can with dry eyes repeat
+what must next ensue, or but think upon it without a heart full of agony?
+to see virtue trampled on, and vice exalted; beggars on horseback, and
+princes on foot; the innocent condemned, and the bloodthirsty go scot
+free; but since my promise binds me to fulfil your request, I shall
+proceed from where I left off:
+
+    “The crown then fits the White King’s head,
+    Who with the Lilies soon shall wed;
+    Then shall a peasant’s bloody knife
+    Deprive a great man of his life.
+    Forth from the North shall mischief blow,
+    And English hob shall add thereto.
+    Then shall the Council great assemble,
+    Who shall make great and small to tremble,
+    The White King then (O grief to see!)
+    By wicked hands shall murdered be.”
+
+By the “White King,” is meant King Charles I., so called not only in
+respect of the purity and uprightness of his life, signified by white;
+but also at the time of his coronation he was clothed in white.  He had,
+previous to the death of King James, married the Lady Henrietta Maria,
+daughter of Henry IV., King of France; who is hereupon said to wed the
+“Lilies,” the lilies being the arms of France.
+
+By the “great man,” who was to lose his life by a bloody knife, was meant
+the Duke of Buckingham, the greatest man in favour of those times, and
+(as is commonly seen) most hated of the people, who laid the blame of all
+miscarriages in state upon him; being made general for the relief of
+Rochelle (then besieged by the French forces), before he embarked at
+Portsmouth, he was stabbed by one Felton, an officer in his army; who, so
+far from flying for the same, though he might pass away undiscovered,
+boldly avowed himself to be the man that did it.  He was hanged in chains
+at Portsmouth, in the year 1627.
+
+The next part of this prophecy alludes to that ancient proverb, “From the
+cold ‘North’ all ills come forth,” and may be understood of our troubles
+commencing in 1630, taking their original rise from Scotland, and
+fermented by several factious spirits in England, the venom of which
+poison so infected the veins of the English, that it broke forth into a
+most bitter war, and ended not but with the deaths of many thousands of
+people.
+
+By the “great Council” is meant the long-lasting Parliament, as known to
+all posterity for the remarkable transactions therein.  By them fell the
+wise Strafford, and Reverend Laud; by them was Episcopacy voted down, and
+Presbytery voted up; by them was the common-prayer denied, and the
+Directory exalted; by them was the Church and State turned topsy-turvy;
+but this cannot be reported of all amongst them; many of them hated their
+doings, dissented from them, and suffered by them.
+
+The “White King by wicked hands,” etc., alludes to the beheading of King
+Charles I., who was the principal victim of these savage wars.
+
+    “The White King dead, the Wolf shall then
+    With blood possess the Lion’s den.
+    But Death shall hurry him away;
+    Confusion shall awhile bear sway;
+    But Fate to England shall restore
+    A king to reign as heretofore.
+    Great death in London shall be though,
+    And men on tops of houses go.”
+
+By the “White King,” as we said before, is meant King Charles I., and, by
+the “Wolf,” Oliver Cromwell, whose ambition was such that he left no
+means unattempted until he had got into the “Lion’s den,” that is to say,
+until he had attained the sole government.
+
+    “But Death shall hurry him away.”
+
+Very remarkable was the day in which the Protector died, being September
+3, 1658, wherein the wind was so violent, that it overthrew many houses,
+tore up many trees by the roots, tumbled down chimneys, and unroofed
+barns and stables; but it is a very ill wind that blows none good, so
+with all the hurt this wind did, it made recompense to some folks who had
+lost their estates in the civil wars, by blowing this Oliver away.
+
+    “But fate to England shall restore
+    A king to reign as heretofore.”
+
+Which part of the prophecy was fulfilled in the restoration of King
+Charles II., which put a period to all the Commonwealth, and restored the
+land to its ancient government.
+
+“Great death in London,” verified by the great plague in London, in 1665,
+which, for number, was the greatest that hath been known in these latter
+centuries of years.
+
+“And men on tops of houses go.”  This was suddenly fulfilled in that
+great conflagration of fire which happened in London, September 2, 3, and
+4, 1666, by which so many houses were destroyed, that men afterwards, in
+the ruins, went on the tops of those houses whose lofty structures not
+long before seemed to brave the sky.
+
+                                * * * * *
+
+It will be observed that some of the following prophecies of Mother
+Shipton relate to the present time, while others more closely concern the
+future.  We will leave them to the reader’s own interpretation:—
+
+                                      I.
+
+    Ploughed with swords the earth shall be,
+    And blood will mingle with the sea.
+
+                                     II.
+
+    Soon as the fiery year has passed.
+    Peace again shall come at last.
+
+                                     III.
+
+    Great accidents the world will fill,
+    And carriages without horses go;
+    Whilst, in the twinkling of an eye,
+    Around the world our thoughts shall fly.
+
+                                     IV.
+
+    In England, now will come to pass
+    A house that shall be built of glass.
+
+                                      V.
+
+    State and State, in most deadly strife,
+    Will fight and seek each other’s life;
+    Then, when the North divides the South,
+    The Eagle will build in the Lion’s mouth.
+
+                                     VI.
+
+    Three tyrant rulers France shall see,
+    And each of a different dynasty.
+    But when the greater fight be done,
+    France and England shall be as one.
+
+                                     VII.
+
+    In the water shall iron float,
+    The same as now a wooden boat.
+    More wonders still shall water do,
+    And England yet admit a Jew.
+
+                                    VIII.
+
+    Gold and riches will be shown
+    In a land that’s not now known.
+
+                                     IX.
+
+    Under rivers man shall walk,
+    Shall ride, shall sleep, and shall talk.
+
+                                      X.
+
+    A river and a town shall be on fire.
+
+                                * * * * *
+
+_The following remarkable Prophecy_, _which is known as_ “_Mother
+Shipton’s prophecies_,” _was first published in 1448_,_ and republished
+in 1641_.  _It will be seen that the events it predicts have come to
+pass_, _except that contained in the last two lines_, _which is still in
+the future_.
+
+                                     XI.
+
+    Over a wild and stormy sea,
+    Shall a noble {184} sail,
+    Who to find, will not fail,
+    A new and a fair countree.
+    From whence he shall bring
+    A herb {185a} and a root {185b}
+    That all men shall suit,
+    And please both the ploughman and the king.
+    And let them take no more than measure.
+    Both shall have the even pleasure.
+    The world to an end shall come
+    In eighteen hundred and eighty-one.
+
+                                * * * * *
+
+_Here follow other Prophecies which Mother Shipton stated at various
+times in her life to different persons_:—
+
+    The first coming in of the King of the Scots (James I.) shall be at
+    Holgate Town, but he shall not come through the bar.  And when the
+    King of the North shall be at London Bridge, his tail shall be at
+    Edinburgh.
+
+This was fulfilled in the following manner—When King James arrived there
+was such a multitude of people at Holgate bar to behold him, that to
+avoid the danger of the crush he was forced to ride another way.  When
+King James was at London, his children were at Edinburgh, preparing to
+come into England.
+
+    Water shall come over Ouse Bridge, and a windmill shall be set upon a
+    Tower, and a Elm Tree shall lie at every man’s door.  At that day
+    women shall wear great hats and great bands.
+
+This was verified by the conducting of water into York streets through
+bored Elms; and the Conduit-house had a windmill on the top that drew up
+the water.
+
+    When there is a Lord Mayor living in Minster-yard in York, let him
+    beware of a stab.
+
+A Lord Mayor, whose house was in Minster-yard, was stabbed by an assassin
+in three places, which caused his death.
+
+    When two Knights shall fall out in the York Castle-yard, they shall
+    never live kindly all their after lives.
+
+Sir Thomas Wentworth and Sir John Savile in choosing Knights for the
+Shire in the Castle-yard at York, did so fall out, that they were never
+after well reconciled.
+
+    When all Colton-hag hath borne crops and corn for seven years; seven
+    years after that you shall hear news.
+
+Colton-hag in Mother Shipton’s time was a woodland ground full of trees,
+which some long time after her death was cultivated and bore crops and
+corn for seven years; and the seven years after that, was the year of the
+coming in of the Scots, and their taking of Newcastle.
+
+    You shall have a year of pining hunger, and then a dearth without
+    corn.  You shall not know of the war over-night, yet you shall have
+    it in the morning; and when it comes it shall last three years.
+
+    Between Calder and Aire
+    Shall be great warfare,
+    When all the world is aloft,
+    It shall be called Christ’s Croft.
+
+Calder and Aire are two rivers in Yorkshire; and this Prophecy relates to
+the Civil War in the time of Charles I.
+
+    When the battle of warfare begins, it shall be where Crookback
+    Richard made his fray.
+
+It was near Leicester where Richard the Third was slain in battle.  There
+Colonel Hastings was one of the first in arms at the commencement of the
+civil war.  Or it may thus be understood—That as King Richard began his
+march from Nottingham when he first set out against the Earl of Richmond,
+so also should these wars take rise from thence.  And indeed at
+Nottingham, on Aug. 25th, 1640, Charles I. set up his standard, and there
+continued it to little purpose.
+
+    They shall say to warfare for your King for half-a-crown a day, but
+    stir not.  They will say to warfare for your King on pain of hanging,
+    but stir not.
+
+At the time of the Civil War in 1642, many Lords promised two shillings
+and sixpence a day for each horseman who would join the King’s service.
+
+    For he that goes to complain,
+    Shall not come back again.
+
+This seems to refer to the Welsh and the Irish serving the King, for very
+few lived to return back again to their own country.
+
+_The following Prophecies by Mother Shipton_, (_extracted from Lilly’s
+collection_, _with his remarks_,) _being rather quaint in the
+composition_, _are left for the reader to decypher_.
+
+    (_a_) There will be a great battel between England and Scotland, and
+    they will be pacified for a time; and when they come at (_b_)
+    Bramma-moore they fight, and are again pacified for a time: Then
+    there will be a great battel between England and Scotland at (_c_)
+    Knavesmore: Then they will be pacified for a while: Then there will
+    be a great battel between England and Scotland at (_d_) Storktonmore;
+    then will Ravens sit on the (_e_) Crosse, and drink as much blood of
+    Nobles as of the Commons.  Then wo is me, for London shall be
+    destroyed.
+
+(_a_) God I hope will prevent this threatened mischief.  (_b_) Brammish
+is a river in Northumberland.  (_c_) I conceive it should be
+Knaresborough, by which the river Nidd runs.  (_d_) Storkton I conceive
+mistaken for Stanemore, in Richmondshire.  (_e_) It is to be noted and
+admired, that this Crosse in the North in Mother Shipton’s days, was a
+tall stone Crosse which ever since hath been by degrees sinking into the
+ground, and is now (1640) sunk so low, that a Raven may sit upon the top
+of it and reach her bill to the ground.
+
+    Then will come a woman with one eye, and she shall tread in men’s
+    blood to the knee; and she shall meet a man leaning on a staff, and
+    shall say to him, What art thou? and he shall say, I am King of the
+    Scots.  And she shall say, Go with me to my house, for there are
+    three Knights.  And he will go up with her, and stay there three days
+    and three nights.  Then will England be lost; and they will cry twice
+    in one day, England is lost.  Then there will be three Knights in
+    Petergate in York, and the one shall not know of the other.  There
+    shall be a child born in Pomfret with three thumbs, and these three
+    Knights will give their horses to this (_f_) child with three thumbs
+    to hold, whilst they win England again: then come in Clubs and
+    Clouted shoes, and they with the three Knights win England again: and
+    all Noble blood shall be gone but one, and they shall carry him to
+    Sheriff Hutton’s Castle, six miles from York, and he shall die there;
+    and they shall chuse their Earl in the field, and hang their horses
+    on a thorn, and rue the time that ever they were born to see so much
+    blood shed.
+
+(_f_) There was a child not many years since born at Pomfret with three
+thumbs, and credibly reported.
+
+    (_g_) Then they will come to York to besiege it; and they shall keep
+    them out for three days and three nights: and a peny-loaf shall be
+    within the Bar at half a Crown, and without the Bar at a peny; and
+    they will swear, if they will not yield, to blow up the Town-walls.
+    Then they will let them in: and they will hang the Maior, Sheriffs,
+    and Aldermen.  There will three Knights go into Crouch-Church, and
+    but one of them come out again; and he will cause Proclamation to be
+    made, That any man may take House, Tower, or Bower, for One and
+    twenty yeers.  And while the world endureth, there shall never be
+    warfare again, nor any more (_h_) Kings or Queens; but the Kingdom
+    shall be governed by three lords; then York shall be London.
+
+(_g_) This is yet unacted.  (_h_) All old Prophecies do intimate a final
+subversion of the Monarchy in England.
+
+    After this, shall be a white Harvest of Corn gotten in by women.
+    Then shall be in the North, that one woman shall say to another,
+    Mother, I have seen a man to day.  And for one man there shall be a
+    thousand women.  There shall be a man sitting on Saint James church
+    hill, weeping his fill.
+
+    The time will come when England shall tremble and quake for fear of a
+    (_i_) Dead-man, that shall be heard to speak: Then will the Dragon
+    give the Bull a great snap; and when this battel is done they will
+    all go to London Town.
+
+(_i_) This Dead-man hath not yet appeared, but is at hand doubtless.
+
+                                * * * * *
+
+_Here follow other Prophecies she uttered_, _which because they concern
+Future Times we shall leave to the Interpretation of the reader_.
+
+                                      I.
+
+    The Fiery Year as soon as o’er,
+    Peace shall then be as before;
+    Plenty everywhere is found,
+    And men with Swords shall plough the Ground.
+
+                                     II.
+
+    The time shall come, when seas of Blood,
+    Shall mingle with a greater Flood.
+
+                                     III.
+
+    Great noise there shall be heard, Great Shouts and Cries,
+    And Seas shall Thunder louder than the Skies;
+    Then shall three Lions fight with three, and bring,
+    Joy to a People, Honour to their King.
+
+Mother Shipton, the authoress of these Prophecies, continued for years
+esteemed as the Sybil or Oracle of her time; and though she was generally
+believed to be a Witch, yet all persons that either saw or heard of her,
+held her in great esteem, and her memory is much honoured by those of her
+own country, especially in Yorkshire.  A long time before her death, she
+foretold the day and hour she was to take her departure; and the time
+approaching which she had Prophecied, and which was in the year 1561; she
+took solemn leave of her friends, who were all greatly attached to her,
+laid down on her bed, and died, at the good old age of 75 years.  Many
+more “_Prophecies_” are current in Yorkshire as of her utterance, but the
+Publisher being unable to find them either properly authenticated, or in
+any old works, they have been omitted, being desirous of not adding
+anything which might tend to destroy her sterling reputation.
+
+A stone was erected to her memory near Clifton, about a mile from the
+city of York, upon which was the following inscription:
+
+    Here lyes she who never ly’d
+    Whose skill often has been try’d;
+    Her prophecies shall still survive,
+    And ever keep her name alive.
+
+
+
+
+PROPHECIES
+OF
+MARTHA, THE GIPSY.
+
+
+London may appear an unbefitting scene for a story so romantic as that
+which I have here set down: but, strange and wild as is the tale I have
+to tell, _it is true_; and, therefore, the scene of action shall not be
+changed; nor will I alter or vary from the truth, save that the names of
+the personages, in my domestic drama shall be fictitious.
+
+To say that I am superstitious would be, in the minds of many wise
+personages, to write myself down an ass; but to say that I do not believe
+_that_ which follows, as I am sure it was believed by _him_ who related
+it to me, would be to discredit the testimony of a friend, as honourable
+and as brave as ever trod the earth.  He has been snatched from the
+world, of which he was a bright ornament, and has left more than his
+sweet suffering widow and his orphan children affectionately to deplore
+his loss.
+
+It is, I find, right and judicious most carefully and publicly to disavow
+a belief in supernatural visitings: but it will be long before I become
+either so wise or so bold as to make any such unqualified declaration.  I
+am not weak enough to imagine myself surrounded by spirits and phantoms,
+or jostling through a crowd of spectres, as I walk the streets; neither
+do I give credence to all the idle tales of ancient dames, or frightened
+children, touching such matters: but when I breathe the air, and see the
+grass grow under my feet, I cannot but feel that HE who gives me ability
+to inhale the one, and stand erect upon the other, has also the power to
+use for special purposes such means and agency, as in his wisdom he may
+see fit; and which, in point of fact, are not more incomprehensible to us
+than the very simplest effects which we every day witness, arising from
+unknown causes.
+
+Philosophers may pore, and in the might of their littleness, and the
+erudition of their ignorance develope and disclose, argue and discuss;
+but when the sage, who sneers at the possibility of ghosts, will explain
+to me the doctrine of attraction and gravitation, or tell me why the wind
+blows, why the tides ebb and flow, or why the light shines—effects
+perceptible to all men—then will I admit the justice of his
+incredulity—then will I join the ranks of the incredulous.  However, a
+truce with my views and reflections: proceed we to the narrative.
+
+In the vicinity of Bedford-square lived a respectable and honest man,
+whose name the reader will be pleased to consider Harding.  He married
+early: his wife was an exemplary woman, and his son and daughter were
+grown to that companionable age, at which children repay, with their
+society and accomplishments, the tender cares which parents bestow upon
+their offspring in their early infancy.
+
+Mr. Harding held a responsible and respectable situation under the
+government, in Somerset House.  His income was adequate to his wants and
+wishes; his family a family of love: and, perhaps, taking into
+consideration the limited desires of what may be fairly called middle
+life, no man was ever more contented, or better satisfied with his lot
+than he.
+
+Maria Harding, his daughter, was a modest, unassuming, and interesting
+girl, full of feeling and gentleness.  She was timid and retiring; but
+the modesty which cast down her fine black eyes could not veil the
+intellect which beamed in them.  Her health was by no means strong; and
+the paleness of her cheek—too frequently, alas! lighted by the hectic
+flush of our indigenous complaint—gave a deep interest to her
+countenance.  She was watched and reared by her tender mother, with all
+the care and attention which a being so delicate and so ill-suited to the
+perils and troubles of this world demanded.
+
+George, her brother, was a bold and intelligent lad, full of rude health,
+and fearless independence.  His character was frequently the subject of
+his father’s contemplation; and he saw in his disposition, his mind, his
+pursuits, and propensities, the promise of future success in active life.
+
+With these children, possessing as they did the most enviable
+characteristics of their respective sexes, Mr. and Mrs. Harding, with
+thankfulness to Providence, acknowledged their happiness, and their
+perfect satisfaction with the portion assigned to them in this transitory
+world.
+
+Maria was about nineteen, and had, as was natural, attracted the regards,
+and thence gradually chained the affections, of a distant relative, whose
+ample fortune, added to his personal and mental good qualities, rendered
+him a most acceptable suitor to her parents, which Maria’s heart silently
+acknowledged he would have been to _her_, had he been poor and penniless.
+
+The father of this intended husband of Maria was a man of importance,
+possessing much personal interest, through which George, the brother of
+his intended daughter-in-law, was to be placed in that diplomatic
+seminary in Downing-street, whence, in due time, he was to rise through
+all the grades of office, (which, with his peculiar talents, his friends,
+and especially his mother, was convinced he would so ably fill,) and at
+last turn out an ambassador.
+
+The parents, however, of young Langdale and of Maria Harding were agreed,
+that there was no necessity for hastening the alliance between their
+families, seeing that the united ages of the couple did not exceed
+thirty-nine years: and seeing, moreover, still, that Mrs. Langdale, who
+was little more than six-and-thirty years of age herself, had reasons,
+which she also meant to be private, for seeking to delay as much as
+possible a ceremony, the result of which, in all probability, would
+confer upon her, somewhat too early in life to be agreeable to a lady of
+her habits and propensities, the formidable title of grand-mamma.
+
+How curious it is, when one takes up a _little bit_ of society (as a
+geologist crumbles and twists a bit of earth in his hand, to ascertain
+its character and quality,) to look into the motives and manœuvrings of
+all the persons connected with it; the various workings, the
+indefatigable labours, which all their little minds are undergoing to
+bring about divers and sundry little points, perfectly unconnected with
+the great end in view; but which for private and hidden objects, each of
+them is toiling to carry.  Nobody, but those who really understood Mrs.
+Langdale, understood why she so readily acquiesced in the desire of her
+husband to postpone the marriage for another twelvemonth.  A stranger
+would have seen only the dutiful wife according with the sensible
+husband; but I knew her, and knew that there must be something more than
+met the eye, or the ear, in that sympathy of feeling between her and Mr.
+Langdale, which was not upon ordinary occasions so evidently displayed.
+
+Like the Waterman who pulls one way and looks another, Mrs. Langdale
+aided the entreaties and seconded the commands of her loving spouse,
+touching the seasonable delay of which I am speaking; and it was agreed,
+that immediately after the coming of age of Frederick Langdale, and not
+before, he was to lead to the hymeneal altar the delicate and timid Maria
+Harding.
+
+The affair got whispered about; George’s fortune in life was highly
+extolled—Maria’s excessive happiness prophesied by everybody of their
+acquaintance; and already had sundry younger ladies, daughters and nieces
+of those who discussed these matters in divan after dinner, began to look
+upon Miss Harding with envy and maliciousness, and wonder what Mr.
+Frederick Langdale could see in her: she was proclaimed to be insipid,
+inanimate, shy, bashful, and awkward: nay, some of her female friends
+went so far as to discover that she was absolutely awry.
+
+Still, however, Frederick and Maria went loving on; and their hearts grew
+as one; so truly, so fondly were they attached to each other.  George,
+who was somewhat of a plague to the pair of lovers, was luckily at
+Oxford, reading away till his head ached, to qualify himself for a
+degree, and the distant duties of the office whence he was to cull the
+bunches of diplomatic laurels, and whence were to issue rank and title,
+and ribbons and crosses innumerable.
+
+Things were in this prosperous state, the bark of life rolling gaily
+along before the breeze, when as Mr. Harding was one day proceeding from
+his residence, to his office in Somerset-place, through Charlotte-street,
+Bloomsbury, he was accosted by one of those female gypsies who are found
+begging in the metropolis, and especially in the particular part of it in
+question: ‘Pray remember poor Martha, the gipsy,’ said the woman: ‘give
+me a halfpenny for charity, sir, pray do.’
+
+Mr. Harding was a subscriber to the Mendicity Society, an institution
+which proposes to check begging by the novel mode of giving nothing to
+the poor: moreover, he was a magistrate—moreover, he had no change; and
+he somewhat sternly desired the woman to go about her business.
+
+All availed him nothing; she still followed him, and reiterated the
+piteous cry, ‘Pray remember poor Martha, the gipsy.’
+
+At length, irritated by the perseverance of the woman—for even
+subordinates in government hate to be solicited importunately—Mr.
+Harding, contrary to his usual custom, and contrary to the customary
+usages of modern society, turned hastily round, and fulminated an oath
+against the supplicating vagrant.
+
+‘Curse!’ said Martha; ‘have I lived to this?  Hark ye, man—poor, weak,
+haughty man!  Mark me, sir—look at me!’
+
+He did look at her; and beheld a countenance on fire with rage.  A pair
+of eyes blacker than jet, and brighter than diamonds, glared like stars
+upon him; her black hair dishevelled, hung over her olive cheeks; and a
+row of teeth whiter than the driven snow displaying themselves from
+between a pair of coral lips, in a dreadful smile, a ghastly sneer of
+contempt which mingled in her passion.  Harding was riveted to the spot;
+and, affected partly by the powerful fascination of her superhuman
+countenance, and partly by the dread of a disturbance in the street, he
+paused to listen to her.
+
+‘Mark me, sir,’ said Martha; ‘you and I shall meet again.  Thrice shall
+you see me before you die.  My visitings will be dreadful; but the third
+will be the last!’
+
+There was a solemnity in this declaration which struck to his very heart,
+coming too as it did only from a vagrant outcast.  Passengers were
+approaching; and wishing, he knew not why, to soothe the ire of the angry
+woman, he mechanically drew from his pocket some silver, which he
+tendered to her.
+
+‘There, my good woman—there,’ said he, stretching forth his hand.
+
+‘Good woman!’ retorted the hag, ‘Money now?  I—I that have been cursed!
+’tis all too late, proud gentleman—the deed is done, the curse be now on
+you.’  Saying which, she huddled her ragged red cloak about her
+shoulders, and hurried from his sight, into the deep and dreary recesses
+of St. Giles’s.
+
+Harding experienced, as she vanished from his eye, a most extraordinary
+sensation: he felt grieved that he had spoken so harshly to the poor
+creature, and returned his shillings to his pocket with regret.  Of
+course, fear of the fulfilment of her predictions did not mingle with any
+of his feelings on the occasion; and he proceeded to his office in
+Somerset-place, and performed all the arduous official duties of reading
+the opposition newspapers, discussing the leading politics of the day
+with the head of another department, and signing his name three times,
+before four o’clock.
+
+Martha the gipsy, however, although he had ‘poophoohed’ her out of his
+memory, would ever and anon flash across his mind; her figure was
+indelibly stamped upon his recollection; and though, of course, as I
+before said, a man of his firmness and intellect could care nothing, one
+way or another, for the maledictions of an ignorant, illiterate gipsy,
+still his feelings—whence arising I know not—prompted him to call a
+hackney-coach, and proceed _en voiture_ to his house rather than run the
+risk of again encountering the metropolitan sibyl, under whose forcible
+denunciation he was actually labouring.
+
+There is a period in each day of the lives of married people, at which, I
+am given to understand, a more than ordinarily unreserved communication
+of facts and feelings takes place; when all the world is shut out, and
+the two beings, who are in truth ‘but only one,’ commune together freely
+and fully upon the occurrences of the past day.  At this period, the else
+sacred secrets of the drawing-room coterie, and the _tellable_ jokes of
+the after-dinner convivialist, are mutually interchanged by the fond
+pair, who, by the barbarous customs of uncivilized Britain, have been
+separated during part of the preceding evening.
+
+Then it is, that the husband informs his anxious consort how he has
+forwarded his worldly views with such a man—how he has carried his point
+in such a quarter—what he thinks of the talents of one, of the character
+of another; while the communicative wife gives _her_ views of the same
+subjects, founded upon what she has gathered from the individuals
+composing the female cabinet, and explains why she thinks he must have
+been deceived upon this point, or misled upon that.  And thus, in
+recounting, in arguing, in discussing, and descanting, the blended
+interests of the happy pair are strengthened, their best hopes nourished,
+and perhaps eventually realized.
+
+A few friends at dinner, and some refreshers in the evening, had
+prevented Harding from saying a word to his beloved Eliza about the
+gipsy; and perhaps, till the ‘witching time’ which I have attempted to
+define, he would not have mentioned the circumstance, even had they been
+alone.  Most certainly he did not think the less of the horrible vision;
+and when the company had dispersed, and the affectionate couple had
+retired to rest, he stated the circumstance exactly as it had occurred,
+and received from his fair lady just such an answer as a prudent,
+intelligent, and discreet woman of sense would give to such a
+communication.  She vindicated his original determination not to be
+imposed upon—wondered at his subsequent willingness to give to such an
+undeserving object, particularly while he had three or four soup tickets
+in his pocket—was somewhat surprised that he had not consigned the bold
+intruder to the hands of the beadle—and, ridiculing the impression which
+the hag’s appearance seemed to have made upon her husband’s mind,
+narrated a tour performed by herself and some friends to Norwood, when
+she was a girl, and when one of those very women had told her fortune,
+not one word of which ever came true—and, in a discussion of some length,
+animadverting strongly upon the weakness and impiety of putting faith in
+the sayings of such idle creatures, she fell fast asleep.
+
+Not so Harding: he was restless and worried, and felt that he would give
+the world to be able to recall the curse which he had rashly uttered
+against the poor woman.  Helpless as she was and in distress, why did his
+passion conquer his judgment?  Why did he add to the bitterness of
+refusal the sting of malediction?  However, it was useless to regret that
+which was past—and, wearied and mortified with his reflection, he at
+length followed his better half into that profound slumber, which the
+length and subject of his harangue had so comfortably ensured her.
+
+The morning came, and brightly beamed the sun—that is, as brightly as it
+ever beams in London.  The office-hour arrived; and Mr. Harding
+proceeded, _not_ by Charlotte-street, to Somerset-house, such was his
+dread of seeing the ominous woman.  It is impossible to describe the
+effect produced upon him by the apprehension of encountering her: if he
+heard a female voice behind him in the street, he trembled, and feared to
+look round, lest he should behold Martha.  In turning a corner he
+proceeded carefully and cautiously, lest he should come upon her
+unexpectedly; in short, wherever he went, whatever he did, his actions,
+his movements, his very words, were controlled and constrained by the
+horror of beholding her again.
+
+The malediction she had uttered rang incessantly in his ears; nay, such
+possession had it taken of him, that he had written the words down, and
+sealed the document which contained them.  ‘Thrice you shall see me
+before you die.  My visitings will be dreadful, but the third will be the
+last.’
+
+‘Calais’ was not more deeply imprinted on our Queen’s heart, than these
+lines upon that of Mr. Harding; but he was ashamed of the strength of his
+feelings, and placed the paper wherein he had recorded them at the very
+bottom of his desk.
+
+Meanwhile Frederick Langdale was unremitting in his attentions to Maria;
+but, as is too often the case, the bright sunshine of their loves was
+clouded.  Her health, always delicate, now appeared more so, and at times
+her anxious parents felt a solicitude upon her account, new to them; for
+decided symptoms of consumption had shown themselves, which the faculty,
+although they spoke of them lightly to the fond mother and to the gentle
+patient, treated with such care and caution, as gave alarm to those who
+could see the progress of the fatal disease, which was unnoticed by Maria
+herself, who anticipated parties, and pleasure, and gaieties, in the
+coming spring, which the doctors thought it but too probable she might
+never enjoy.
+
+That Mr. Langdale’s ‘punctilio,’ or Mrs. Langdale’s excessive desire for
+apparent juvenility, should have induced the postponement of Maria’s
+marriage, was, indeed, a melancholy circumstance.  The agitation, the
+surprise, the hope deferred, which weighed upon the sweet girl’s mind,
+and that doubting dread of something unexpected, which lovers always
+feel, bore down her spirits, and injured her health; whereas, had the
+marriage been celebrated, the relief she would have experienced from all
+her apprehensions, added to the tour of France and Italy, which the happy
+couple were to make immediately after their union, would have restored
+her health, while it ensured her happiness.  This, however, was not to
+be.
+
+It was now three months since poor Mr. Harding’s rencontre with Martha;
+and habit, and time, and constant avocation, had conspired to free his
+mind from the dread she at first inspired.  Again he smiled and joked,
+again he enjoyed society, and again dared to take the nearest road to
+Somerset House; nay, he had so far recovered from the unaccountable
+terror he had originally felt, that he went to his desk, and selecting
+the paper wherein he had set down the awful denunciation of the hag,
+deliberately tore it into bits, and witnessed its destruction in the
+fire, with something like real satisfaction, and a determination never
+more to think upon so silly an affair.
+
+Frederick Langdale was, as usual, with his betrothed, and Mrs. Harding
+enjoying the egotism of the lovers, (for, as I said before, lovers think
+their conversation the most charming in the world, because they talk of
+nothing but themselves) when his curricle was driven to the door to
+convey him to Tattersall’s, where his father had commissioned him to look
+at a horse, or horses, which he intended to purchase; for Frederick was,
+of all things in the world, the best possible judge of a horse.
+
+To this sweeping dictum, pronounced by the young gentleman himself, Mr.
+Harding, however, was not willing to assent; and therefore, in order to
+have the full advantage of two heads, which, as the proverb says, are
+better than one, the worthy father-in-law elect, proposed accompanying
+the youth to the auctioneer’s yard at Hyde-Park Corner, it being one of
+those few privileged days when the labourers in our public offices make
+holiday.  The proposal was hailed with delight by the young man, who, in
+order to show due deference to Mr. Harding, gave him the reins, and
+bowing their adieus to the ladies at the window, away they went, the
+splendid cattle of Mr. Langdale prancing and curvetting, fire flaming
+from their eyes, and smoke breathing from their nostrils.
+
+The charioteer, however, soon found that the horses were somewhat beyond
+his strength, even putting his skill wholly out of the question, and in
+turning into Russell-street, proposed surrendering the reins to
+Frederick.  By some misunderstanding of words in the alarm which Harding
+felt, Frederick did not take the reins which he (perfectly confounded)
+tendered to him in great agitation.  They slipped over the dashing iron
+between the horse, who thus freed from restraint, reared wildly in the
+air, and plunging forward, dashed the vehicle against a post, and
+precipitated Frederick and Harding on the curbstone; the off-horse kicked
+desperately as the carriage became entangled and impeded, and struck
+Frederick a desperate blow on the head.  Harding, whose right arm and
+collar-bone were broken, raised himself on his left hand, and saw
+Frederick weltering in his blood, apparently lifeless before him.  The
+infuriated animals again plunged forward with the shattered remnant of
+the carriage, and as this object was removed from his sight, the wretched
+father-in-law beheld, looking upon the scene with a fixed and unruffled
+countenance—MARTHA, THE GIPSY.
+
+It was doubtful whether the appearance of this horrible vision, coupled
+as it was with the verification of her prophecy, had not a more dreadful
+effect upon Mr. Harding, than the sad reality before him.  He trembled,
+sickened, fainted, and fell senseless on the ground.
+
+Assistance was promptly procured, and the wounded sufferers were
+carefully removed to their respective dwellings.  Frederick Langdale’s
+sufferings were much greater than those of his companion, and, in
+addition to severe fractures of two of his limbs, the wound upon his head
+presented a most terrible appearance, and excited the greatest alarm in
+his medical attendants.
+
+Mr. Harding, whose temperate course of life was greatly advantageous to
+his case, had suffered comparatively little: a simple fracture of the
+arm, and dislocation of the collar-bone (which was the extent of his
+misfortune,) were, by skilful treatment and implicit obedience to
+professional commands, soon pronounced in a state of improvement; but a
+wound had been inflicted which no doctor could heal.  The conviction that
+the woman, whose anger he had incurred, had, if not the power of
+producing evil, at least the power to foretell it, and that he had twice
+again to see her before the fulfilment of her prophecy, struck deep into
+his mind; and although he felt himself more at ease when he had
+communicated to Mrs. Harding the fact of having seen the gipsy at the
+moment of the accident, it was impossible for him to rally from the shock
+which his nerves had received.  It was in vain he had tried to shake off
+the perpetual apprehension of again beholding her.
+
+Frederick Langdale remained for some time in a very precarious state.
+All visitors were excluded from his room, and a wretched space of two
+months passed, during which his affectionate Maria had never been allowed
+to see him, nor to write to, nor to hear from him.  While her
+constitution was gradually giving way to the constant operation of
+solicitude and sorrow.
+
+Mr. Harding meanwhile recovered rapidly, but his spirits did not keep
+pace with his mending health; the dread he felt of quitting his house,
+the tremor excited in his breast by a knocking at the door, or the
+approach of a footstep, lest the intruder should be the basilisk Martha,
+were not to be described; and the appearance of his poor Maria did not
+tend to cheer the gloom which hung over him.
+
+When at length Frederick was sufficiently recovered to receive visitors,
+Maria was not sufficiently well to visit him: she was too rapidly sinking
+into an early grave, and even the physician himself appeared desirous of
+preparing her parents for the worst, while she, full of the symptomatic
+prospectiveness of disease, still talked anticipatingly of future
+happiness, when Frederick would be sufficiently re-established to visit
+her.
+
+At length, however, the doctors suggested a change of air—a suggestion
+instantly attended to, but, alas! too late; the weakness of the poor girl
+was such, that upon a trial of her strength it was found inexpedient to
+attempt her removal.
+
+In this terrible state, separated from him whose all she was, did the
+exemplary patient linger, and life seemed flickering in her flushing
+cheek; and her eye was sunken, and her parched lip quivered with pain.
+
+It was at length agreed, that on the following day Frederick Langdale
+might be permitted to visit her;—his varied fractures were reduced, and
+the wound on the head had assumed a favourable appearance.  The carriage
+was ordered to convey him to the Hardings at one, and the physicians
+advised by all means that Maria should be apprized of and prepared for
+the meeting the day previous to its taking place.  Those who are parents,
+and those alone, will be able to understand the tender solicitude, the
+wary caution with which both her father and mother proceeded in a
+disclosure, so important as the medical men thought to her recovery—so
+careful that the coming joy should be imparted gradually to their
+suffering child, and that all the mischiefs resulting from an abrupt
+announcement should be avoided.
+
+They sat down by her—spoke of Frederick—Maria joined in the
+conversation—raised herself in her bed—by degrees, hope was excited that
+she might soon again see him—this hope was gradually improved into
+certainty—the period at which it might occur spoken of—that period again
+progressively diminished: the anxious girl caught the whole truth—she
+knew it—she was conscious that she would behold him on the morrow—she
+burst into a flood of tears and sank down upon her pillow.
+
+At that moment the bright sun, which was shining in all its splendour,
+beamed into the room, and fell strongly upon her flushed countenance.
+
+‘Draw down the blind, my love,’ said Mrs. Harding to her husband.
+Harding rose and proceeded to the window.
+
+A shriek of horror burst from him—‘She is there!’ exclaimed the agitated
+man.
+
+‘Who?’ cried his astonished wife.
+
+‘She—she—the horrid she!’
+
+Mrs. Harding ran to the window and beheld, standing on the opposite side
+of the street, with her eyes fixed attentively on the house—MARTHA, THE
+GIPSY.
+
+‘Draw down the blind, my love, and come away; pray come away,’ said Mrs.
+Harding.
+
+Harding drew down the blind.
+
+‘What evil is at hand?  What misery is impending?’ sobbed Harding.
+
+A loud scream from his wife, who had returned to the bedside, was the
+horrid answer to his painful question.
+
+Maria was dead!
+
+Twice of the thrice he had seen this dreadful fiend in human shape; each
+visitation was (as she had foretold) to surpass the preceding ones in its
+importance of horror.—What could surpass this?
+
+There, before the afflicted parents, lay their innocent child stretched
+in the still sleep of death; neither of them believed it true—it seemed
+like a dreadful dream.  Harding was bewildered, and turned from the
+corpse of his beloved to the window he had just left.—Martha was gone—and
+he heard her singing a wild and joyous air at the other end of the
+street.
+
+The servants were summoned—medical aid was called in—but it was all too
+late! and the wretched parents were doomed to mourn their loved, their
+lost Maria!  George, her fond and affectionate brother, who was at
+Oxford, hastened from all the academic honours which were awaiting him,
+to follow to the grave his beloved sister.
+
+The effect upon Frederick Langdale was most dreadful: it was supposed he
+would never recover from a shock so great, and at the moment so
+unexpected; for, although the delicacy of her constitution was a
+perpetual source of uneasiness and solicitude, still the immediate
+symptoms had taken rather a favourable turn during the last few days of
+her life, and had re-invigorated the hopes which those who so dearly
+loved her entertained of her eventual recovery.  Of this distressed young
+man I never indeed heard anything, till about three years after, when I
+saw it announced in the papers that he was just married to the only
+daughter of a rich west-country baronet, which event, if wanted to work
+another proverb here, would afford me a most admirable opportunity of
+doing so.
+
+The death of poor Maria, and the dread which her father entertained of
+the third visitation of Martha, made a complete change in the affairs of
+the family.  By the exertion of powerful interest, he obtained an
+appointment for his son to act as his deputy in the office which he held,
+and having achieved this desired object, resolved on leaving England for
+a time, and quitting a neighbourhood in which he must be perpetually
+exposed to the danger which he was now perfectly convinced was
+inseparable from his next interview with the weird woman.
+
+George, of course, thus checked in his classical pursuits, left Oxford,
+and at the early age of nineteen commenced active official life, not
+certainly in the particular department which his mother had selected for
+his _debût_; and it was somewhat observable, that the Langdales, after
+the death of Maria, not only abstained from frequent intercourse with the
+Hardings during their stay in England, but that the mighty professions of
+the purse-proud citizen dwindled by degrees into an absolute
+forgetfulness of any promise, even conditional, to exert an interest for
+their son.
+
+Seeing this, Mr. Harding felt that he should act prudentially, by
+endeavouring to place his son where in the course of time, he might
+perhaps attain to that situation, from whose honourable revenue he could
+live like a gentleman, and ‘settle comfortably.’
+
+All the arrangements which the kind father had proposed, being made, the
+mourning couple proceeded on a lengthened tour of the continent; and it
+was evident that his spirits mended rapidly, when he felt conscious that
+his liability to encounter Martha had decreased.  The sorrow of mourning
+was soothed and softened in the common course of nature, and the quiet
+domesticated couple sat themselves down at Lausanne, ‘the world
+forgetting, by the world forgot,’ except by their excellent and exemplary
+son, whose good qualities, it seems, had captivated a remarkable pretty
+girl, a neighbour of his, whose mother seemed to be equally charmed with
+the goodness of his income.
+
+There appeared, strange to say, in this love affair, no difficulties to
+be surmounted, no obstacles to be overcome; and the consent of the
+Hardings (requested in a letter, which also begged them to be present at
+the ceremony, if they were willing it should take place,) was presently
+obtained by George; and at the close of the second year, which had passed
+since their departure, the parents and son were again assembled in that
+house, the sight of which recalled to their recollection their unhappy
+daughter, and her melancholy fate, and which was still associated most
+painfully in the mind of Mr. Harding with the hated Gipsy.
+
+The charm, however, had, no doubt, been broken.  In the two past years,
+Martha was probably either dead or gone from the neighbourhood.  Gypsies
+were a wandering tribe—and why should she be an exception to a general
+rule?—and thus Mrs. Harding checked the rising apprehensions and renewed
+uneasiness of her husband; and so well did she succeed, that when the
+wedding-day came, and the bells rang, and the favours fluttered in the
+air, his countenance was lighted up with smiles, and he kissed the
+glowing cheek of his new daughter-in-law with warmth, and something like
+happiness.
+
+The wedding took place at that season of the year when friends and
+families meet jovially and harmoniously, when all little bickerings are
+forgotten, and when, by a general feeling founded upon religion, and
+perpetuated by the memory of the blessings granted to the world by the
+Almighty, an universal amnesty is proclaimed; when the cheerful fire, and
+teeming board, announce that Christmas is come, and mirth and gratulation
+are the order of the day.
+
+It unfortunately happened, however, that to the account of Miss
+Wilkinson’s marriage with George Harding, I am not permitted, in truth,
+to add, that they left town in a travelling carriage and four, to spend
+the honeymoon.  Three or four days permitted absence from his office,
+alone, were devoted to the celebration of the nuptials, and it was agreed
+that the whole party, together with the younger branches of the
+Wilkinson’s, their cousins and second cousins, etc., should meet on
+twelfth-night to celebrate, in a juvenile party, the return of the bride
+and bridegroom to their home.
+
+When the night came, it was delightful to see the happy faces of the
+smiling youngsters: it was a pleasure to behold them pleased—a
+participation in which, since the highest amongst us, and the most
+accomplished prince in Europe, annually evinces the gratification he
+feels in such sights, I am by no means disposed to disclaim.  And merry
+was the jest, and gaily did the evening pass; and Mr. Harding, surrounded
+by his youthful guests, smiled, and for a season forgot his care; yet, as
+he glanced around the room, he could not suppress a sigh, when he
+recollected, that in that very room his darling Maria had entertained her
+little parties on the anniversary of the same day in former years.
+
+Supper was announced early, and the gay throng bounded down stairs to the
+parlour, where an abundance of the luxuries of middle life crowded the
+board.  In the centre appeared the great object of the feast—a huge
+twelfth-cake; and gilded kings and queens stood lingering over circles of
+scarlet sweet-meats, and hearts of sugar lay enshrined with warlike
+trophies of the same material.
+
+Many and deep were the wounds the mighty heap received, and every guest
+watched with a deep anxiety the coming portion, relatively to the
+glittering splendour with which its frosted surface was adorned.
+Character cards, illustrated with pithy mottoes, and smart sayings, were
+distributed; and by one of those little frauds which, in such societies,
+are always tolerated, Mr. Harding was announced as king, and the new
+bride as queen; and there was such charming joking, and such harmless
+merriment abounding, that he looked to his wife with an expression of
+content, which she had often, but vainly, sought to find upon his
+countenance, since the death of his dear child.
+
+Supper concluded, the clock struck twelve, and the elders looked as if it
+were time for the young ones to depart.  One half-hour’s grace was begged
+for by the ‘King,’ and granted; and Mrs. George Harding on this night was
+to sing them a song about ‘poor old maidens’—an ancient quaintness,
+which, by custom and usage ever since she was a little child, she had
+annually ‘performed’ upon this anniversary; and, accordingly, the promise
+being claimed, silence was obtained, and she, with all that show of
+tucker-heaving diffidence which is so becoming in a pretty plump
+downy-cheeked girl, prepared to commence the venerable chaunt, when a
+noise resembling that produceable by the falling of an eight-and-forty
+pound shot, echoed through the house.  It appeared to descend from the
+very top of the building, down each flight of stairs rapidly and
+violently.  It passed the room in which they were sitting, and rolled its
+impetuous course downwards to the basement.  As it seemed to leave the
+hall, the parlour door was forced open, as if by a rude gust of wind, and
+stood ajar.
+
+All the children were in a moment on their feet, huddled close to their
+respective mothers in groups.  Mrs. Harding rose and rang the bell to
+inquire the meaning of the uproar.  Her daughter-in-law, pale as ashes,
+looked at George; but there was one of the party who moved not, who
+stirred not; it was the elder Harding, whose eyes first fixed steadfastly
+on the half-opened door, slowly followed the course of the wall of the
+apartment to the fire-place;—there they rested.
+
+When the servants came, they said they had heard the noise, but thought
+it proceeded from above.  Harding looked at his wife; and then turning to
+the servant, observed carelessly, that it must have been some noise in
+the street, and desiring him to withdraw, entreated the bride to pursue
+her song.  She did; but the children had been too much alarmed to enjoy
+it, and the noise had in its character something so strange and so
+unearthly, that even the elders of the party, although bound not to admit
+anything like apprehension before their offspring, felt extremely well
+pleased when they found themselves at home.
+
+When the guests were gone, and George’s wife lighted her candle to retire
+to rest, her father-in-law kissed her affectionately, and prayed God to
+bless her.  He then took a kind leave of his son, and putting up a
+fervent prayer for his happiness, pressed him to his heart, and bade him
+adieu with an earnestness which, under the common-place circumstance of a
+temporary separation, was inexplicable to the young man.
+
+When Harding reached his bed-room, he spoke to his wife, and entreated
+her to prepare her mind for some great calamity.
+
+‘What it is to be,’ said Harding, ‘where the blow is to fall I know not;
+but it is over us this night!’
+
+‘My life!’ exclaimed Mrs. Harding, ‘what new fancy is this?’
+
+‘Eliza, love!’ answered her husband, in a tone of unspeakable agony, ‘I
+have seen her for the third and last time.’
+
+‘Who?’
+
+‘MARTHA, THE GIPSY.’
+
+‘Impossible,’ said Mrs. Harding, ‘you have not left the house to-day.’
+
+‘True, my beloved,’ replied the husband; ‘but I have seen her.  When that
+tremendous noise was heard at supper, as the door was supernaturally
+opened, I saw her.  She fixed those dreadful eyes of her’s upon me; she
+proceeded to the fire-place, and stood in the midst of the children, and
+there she remained till the servant came in.’
+
+‘My dearest husband,’ said Mrs. Harding, ‘this is but a disorder of the
+imagination!’
+
+‘Be it what it may,’ said he, ‘I have seen her.  Human or
+superhuman—natural or supernatural—there she was.  I shall not strive to
+argue upon a point where I am likely to meet with little credit: all I
+ask is, pray fervently, have faith, and we will hope the misfortune,
+whatever it is, may be averted.’
+
+He kissed his wife’s cheek tenderly, and after a fitful feverish hour or
+two fell into a slumber.
+
+From that slumber never awoke he more.—He was found dead in his bed in
+the morning.
+
+‘Whether the force of imagination, coupled with the unexpected noise,
+produced such an alarm as to rob him of life, I know not,’ said my
+communicant; ‘but he was dead.’
+
+The story was told me by my friend Ellis in walking from the City to
+Harley-street late one evening; and when we came to this part of the
+history we were in Bedford-square, at the dark and dreary corner of it
+where Caroline-street joins it.
+
+‘And there,’ said Ellis, pointing downward, ‘is the street where the
+circumstance occurred.’
+
+‘Come, come,’ said I, ‘you tell the story well, but I suppose you do not
+expect it to be received as gospel.’
+
+‘Faith,’ said he, ‘I know so much of it that I was one of the
+twelfth-night party, and heard the noise.’
+
+‘But you did not see the spectre?’ cried I.
+
+‘No,’ replied Ellis, ‘I certainly did not.’
+
+‘Nor anybody else,’ said I, ‘I’ll be sworn.’—A quick footstep was just
+then heard behind us.—I turned half round to let the person pass, and saw
+a woman enveloped in a red cloak, whose sparkling black eyes, shone upon
+by the dim lustre of a lamp above her head, dazzled me.—I was
+startled—‘Pray remember old MARTHA, THE GIPSY,’ said the hag.
+
+It was like a thunder-stroke.—I instantly slipped my hand into my pocket,
+and hastily gave her three from a five-shilling piece.
+
+‘Thanks, my bonny one,’ said the woman, and setting up a shout of
+contemptuous laughter she bounded down Caroline-street towards
+Russell-street, singing, or rather yelling a wild air.
+
+Ellis did not speak during this scene—he pressed my arm tightly, and we
+quickened our pace.  We said nothing to each other till we turned into
+Bedford-street, and the lights and passengers of Tottenham-court-road
+re-assured us.
+
+‘What do you think of _that_?’ said Ellis to me.
+
+‘_Seeing is believing_,’ was my reply.
+
+I have never passed that dark corner of Bedford-square in the evening
+since.
+
+
+
+
+REMARKABLE FULFILMENT OF A PREDICTION.
+
+
+A certain German author relates the following:
+
+In my younger days, there was a dinner given in the _Florenburg
+Westphalen_, where I was born, on the occasion of a baptism to which a
+clergyman was invited.  During dinner, the conversation turned upon the
+gravedigger of the place, who was well known on account of his
+second-sight; for, as often as he saw a corpse, he was always telling
+that there would be a funeral from such and such a house.  Now, as the
+event invariably took place, the inhabitants of the house he indicated
+were placed by the man’s tale in the greatest anxiety.
+
+This man’s prophecying was an abomination to the clergyman.  He therefore
+forbade him, but all to no purpose; for the poor dolt, although he was a
+drunkard, and a man of low and vulgar sentiments, believed firmly that it
+was a prophetic gift of God, and that he must make it known, in order
+that the people might still repent.  At length the clergyman gave him
+notice that, if he announced one funeral more, he should be deprived of
+his place, and expelled from the village.  This availed—the gravedigger
+was silent from that time forward.  Half a year afterward, in the autumn
+of 1745, the gravedigger came to the clergyman, and said to him: ‘Sir,
+you have forbidden me to announce any more funerals, and I have not done
+so since, nor will I do it any more; but I must tell you something that
+is particularly remarkable, that you may see that my second sight is
+really true.  In a few weeks a corpse will be brought up the meadow,
+which will be drawn on a sledge by an ox.’  The clergyman seemingly paid
+no attention to this, but listened to it with indifference, and replied:
+‘Only go about your business, and leave off such superstitious follies.
+It is sinful to have anything to do with them.’
+
+Some weeks after a strong body of Austrian troops passed through the
+village on their way to the Netherlands.  While resting there a day, the
+snow fell nearly three feet deep.  At the same time, a woman died in
+another village of the same parish.  The military took away all the
+horses out of the country to drag the waggons.  Meanwhile the corpse lay
+there, no horses came back; the body began to putrify; they were,
+therefore, compelled to make a virtue of necessity—to place the corpse
+upon a sledge, and harness an ox to it.
+
+In the meantime the clergyman, and the teacher with his scholars,
+proceeded to the village to meet the corpse; and, as the funeral came
+along the meadow in this array, the gravedigger came up to the clergyman,
+pulled him by the gown, pointed with his finger toward the sledge, and
+said not a word.
+
+Such was the tale as related by the clergyman.  I was well acquainted
+with the good man, and he was incapable of telling an untruth, much less
+in a matter which contradicted all his principles.
+
+
+
+
+PROVIDENTIAL FOREBODING.
+
+
+IN the ‘Museum of Wonders,’ Vol. II., page 153, there is a striking
+presentiment related, which Madame de Beaumont received from the lips of
+a credible person.  This individual had a friend in the country, who,
+being unmarried, committed his domestic concerns to the care of an
+housekeeper who had been with him for many years.  When his birthday
+arrived, he made many preparations for celebrating it, and told his
+housekeeper in the morning to clean out a certain arbour in the garden,
+which he named, because, as the weather was fine, he intended to pass the
+day in it with his guests.  She seeming quite amazed at this, told and
+entreated him to receive his guests in a room, for she had last night in
+her dream a presentiment that the arbour would that day be struck by
+lightning.  He laughed at the assertion, as there was no appearance of a
+storm coming on that day, and he told her not to mind her foolish dream,
+and to prepare the arbour for the reception of his guests.  She did as
+she was ordered, the guests arrived, and as the day was fine, made
+themselves merry.  But in the meantime clouds gathered in the distant
+horizon and were at last powerfully driven to that place by the wind.
+The company were so intent on their entertainment that they did not in
+the least observe it: but scarcely was the housekeeper aware that the
+storm was approaching, than she begged her master to leave the arbour
+with his company, for she could not divest herself at all of the idea of
+the lightning striking it.  At first they would not listen, but at last,
+when she continued her entreaties and the thunder commenced to approach
+with great violence, they suffered themselves to be induced to leave the
+arbour.  Hardly had they reached the room when they heard a heavy crash
+of thunder, and the quick following lightning struck the arbour and
+dashed everything that had been left in it to pieces.
+
+
+
+
+WONDERFUL PRESENTIMENT.
+
+
+Madame Beaumont relates the following:
+
+My whole family still remember an accident from which my father was
+preserved by a presentiment of danger.  On one occasion, he agreed with a
+party to sail to Port St. Osmer.  When it was time to go on board, an
+aunt of my father’s, who was deaf and dumb, uttered a kind of howl,
+placed herself at the door, blocked up the way with her arms, struck her
+hands together, and gave him, by signs, to understand that she conjured
+him to stay at home.  My father, who had promised himself much pleasure
+from this excursion, only laughed at her entreaties; but the lady fell at
+his feet, and manifested such signs of poignant grief, that he at length
+determined to yield to her entreaties, and postponed his excursion to
+Port St. Osmer until some other day.
+
+He therefore endeavoured to detain the rest also; but they laughed at him
+for being so easily persuaded, and set sail.  Scarcely had the vessel
+proceeded half the distance, before those on board of it had the greatest
+reason to repent that they had not followed his advice.  Some serious
+accidents happened to the vessel, so that it broke to pieces; several
+lost their lives, and those who saved themselves by swimming were so much
+terrified at their narrow escape, that they, with difficulty, got the
+better of it.
+
+By some written statements the dumb afterwards made, it was shown that,
+in the night preceding, she had an awful and life-like dream, in which it
+seemed that the excursion-boat, which would set sail on the following day
+for Port St. Osmer, would be wrecked; and that most of the persons on
+board would either get drowned or barely escape.  The warning angel found
+that he could influence no one more effectually than the deaf and dumb
+aunt; he therefore selected her for the execution of his commission.  My
+father, all his life, was profoundly thankful, both to her and the
+guardian angel, for this providential warning and foreboding.
+
+                                * * * * *
+
+                                * * * * *
+
+                       PRINTED FOR THE BOOKSELLERS.
+
+                                * * * * *
+
+
+
+
+NOTES.
+
+
+{7}   Or acknowledgment, which, by the tenure of some estates, is given
+to every new lord of a manor.
+
+{10}  The term used in this country for a lane.
+
+{16}  A few years ago, (since the above was written) Mr. E of O—, was
+killed by a fall from his horse, at his own gate, as he was returning
+from hunting.
+
+{32a}  The Duke of Buckingham (favourite of James and Charles I. who was
+beheaded) assassinated by J. Felton.
+
+{32b}  The Scots, who sold their King, Charles I. for a large sum of
+money, to the English rebels.
+
+{32c}  Supposed to have been the Marquis of Montrose.
+
+{33a}  Supposed to have been Oliver Cromwell, at whose death the greatest
+storm of wind happened that had been known in England.
+
+{33b}  The plague and fire of London were here plainly foretold.
+
+{33c}  The Great Yellow Fruit, supposed to have been the Prince of
+Orange, King William III.
+
+{34}  This was said in the book whence the PREDICTIONS were extracted, to
+mean oppression of the poor.
+
+{43}  It is reported that there is a room in this house the door and
+windows of which are kept closely fastened, and no one is ever permitted
+to enter the same except the next heir, when he attains his twenty-first
+year, at which time he goes in alone and when he returns it is shut up as
+before.
+
+{51}  The original prophecy says, “Richard the son of Richard.”
+
+{184}  Sir Walter Raleigh.
+
+{185a}  Tobacco.
+
+{185b}  The Potatoe.
+
+
+
+
+***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PROPHECIES OF ROBERT NIXON, MOTHER
+SHIPTON, AND MARTHA, THE GYPSY***
+
+
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+<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" />
+<title>Prophecies of Robert Nixon, Mother Shipton, and Martha, the Gypsy, by Anonymous</title>
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+<pre>
+
+The Project Gutenberg eBook, Prophecies of Robert Nixon, Mother Shipton,
+and Martha, the Gypsy, by Anonymous
+
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+
+
+
+Title: Prophecies of Robert Nixon, Mother Shipton, and Martha, the Gypsy
+
+
+Author: Anonymous
+
+
+
+Release Date: October 7, 2012  [eBook #40962]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)
+
+
+***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PROPHECIES OF ROBERT NIXON, MOTHER
+SHIPTON, AND MARTHA, THE GYPSY***
+</pre>
+<p>This ebook was transcribed by Les Bowler</p>
+<p style="text-align: center">
+<a href="images/fp.jpg">
+<img alt=
+"Great skill had they in palmistry"
+title=
+"Great skill had they in palmistry"
+src="images/fp.jpg" />
+</a></p>
+<h1>PROPHECIES<br />
+<span class="GutSmall">OF</span><br />
+<span class="GutSmall">ROBERT NIXON,</span><br />
+MOTHER SHIPTON,<br />
+<span class="GutSmall">AND</span><br />
+MARTHA, THE GIPSY.</h1>
+<div class="gapspace">&nbsp;</div>
+<p style="text-align: center"><span
+class="GutSmall">LONDON:</span><br />
+<span class="GutSmall"><i>PUBLISHED FOR THE
+BOOKSELLERS</i></span><span class="GutSmall">.</span></p>
+<h2>CONTENTS.</h2>
+<table>
+<tr>
+<td><p>&nbsp;</p>
+</td>
+<td><p><span class="GutSmall">PAGE</span></p>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><p>The Life of Robert Nixon, commonly called The Cheshire
+Prophet.</p>
+</td>
+<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a
+href="#page5">5</a></span></p>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><p>The Original predictions of Robert Nixon, as delivered by
+himself.</p>
+</td>
+<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a
+href="#page18">18</a></span></p>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><p>The Following predictions of Robert Nixon are copied from
+old pamphlets.</p>
+</td>
+<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a
+href="#page31">31</a></span></p>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><p>Nixon&rsquo;s Cheshire prophecy at large, from Lady
+Cowper&rsquo;s copy; with historical and political remarks, and
+many instances wherein it has been fulfilled.</p>
+</td>
+<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a
+href="#page36">36</a></span></p>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><p>The Editor presents his Readers with a Copy of a printed
+Paper, which several aged Persons, residing near the Forest, have
+vouched for the Authenticity of.</p>
+</td>
+<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a
+href="#page56">56</a></span></p>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><p>Prophecy of the French Revolution, from a publication by
+the late Mr. Peter Jurieu, in 1687.</p>
+</td>
+<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a
+href="#page61">61</a></span></p>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><p>Extracts from sermons by Dr. John Gill.</p>
+</td>
+<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a
+href="#page69">69</a></span></p>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><p>An extraordinary prediction related by Mr. John
+Wesley.</p>
+</td>
+<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a
+href="#page95">95</a></span></p>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><p>The Life and Prophecies of Mother Shipton.</p>
+</td>
+<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a
+href="#page103">103</a></span></p>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><p>Prophecies of Martha, the Gipsy.</p>
+</td>
+<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a
+href="#page197">197</a></span></p>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><p>Remarkable fulfilment of a prediction.</p>
+</td>
+<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a
+href="#page250">250</a></span></p>
+</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+<h2><a name="page5"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 5</span>THE LIFE
+OF ROBERT NIXON,<br />
+<span class="GutSmall">COMMONLY CALLED</span><br />
+THE CHESHIRE PROPHET.</h2>
+<p><span class="smcap">The</span> Prophecy of Nixon has so often
+given a name to the productions of authors of different
+principles, that it is now almost become a doubt whether such a
+person ever existed.&nbsp; Passing through Cheshire lately,
+curiosity led me to inquire what credit these legends bore among
+the natives: and I was not a little surprised to find with what
+confidence they related events which have come to pass within the
+memory of many of the inhabitants; and how strictly they adhered
+to the notion that he would not fail in the rest.&nbsp; Amongst
+his number <a name="page6"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+6</span>was a namesake and descendant of the same family with
+this famous idiot, who, at this time lives not far from
+Vale-Royal, from whom I had mostly what follows, which he said he
+had often heard his father and other ancient people in the
+country relate.&nbsp; I also obtained a manuscript copy which
+seemed to bear the appearance of antiquity.&mdash;Mr. Gerrard,
+Mr. Grimes and many others of the inhabitants of the forest of
+Delamere very obligingly told me what they knew, and confirmed
+what was past.</p>
+<p>John, or Jonathan Nixon, the father of our prophet was a
+husbandman who held the lease of a farm from the abbey of
+Vale-Royal, to this day known by the name of Bark, or
+Bridge-house in the parish of Over near New-Church, and not far
+from Vale-Royal, on the forest of Delamere, which house is still
+kept up and venerated by the natives of Cheshire for nothing else
+that I could hear of but this extraordinary person&rsquo;s birth,
+which took place Whitsuntide, and he was christened by the name
+of Robert, in the year 1467, about the 7th year of Edward IV.;
+and from his infancy he was <a name="page7"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 7</span>remarkable for a stupidity and
+invincible ignorance, so that it was with great difficulty his
+parents could instruct him to drive the team, tend the cattle and
+such sort of rustic employments.</p>
+<p>His parents at their decease left the farm and our Robert very
+young, to the care of an elder brother with whom he first gave an
+instance of that foreknowledge which renders his name so
+famous.</p>
+<p>As he was driving the team one day, whilst his brother&rsquo;s
+man guided the plough, he pricked an ox so very cruelly with his
+goad that the plough-holder threatened to acquaint his master; on
+which Nixon said, the ox should not be his brother&rsquo;s three
+days hence; which accordingly happened for a life drooping in the
+estate, the lord of the manor took the same ox for an heriot. <a
+name="citation7"></a><a href="#footnote7"
+class="citation">[7]</a></p>
+<p>During his residence here he was chiefly distinguished for his
+simplicity, seldom spoke, and when he did it was with so rough a
+voice that it was painful to hear him; he was remarkably
+satirical, and what <a name="page8"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+8</span>he said had generally some prophetic meaning.&nbsp; It
+was about this time that the monk of Vale-Royal having displeased
+him he said in an angry tone,</p>
+<blockquote><p>When you the arrow come on high,<br />
+Soon a raven&rsquo;s nest will be;</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>which is well known to have come to pass in the person of the
+last abbot of that place, whose name was Harrow.&nbsp; Being
+called before Sir Thomas Holcroft he was put to death for denying
+the supremacy of King Henry VIII.&nbsp; Having suppressed the
+abbey the King gave the domain to this knight and his heirs who
+bore a raven for their crest.</p>
+<p>At another time he told them that Norton and Vale-Royal abbeys
+should meet on Acton-bridge, a thing at that time looked upon as
+improbable; yet those two abbeys being pulled down the stones
+were used for the purpose of repairing the bridge; and what was
+more improbable still a small thorn growing in the abbey-yard
+would become its door.&nbsp; We may easily guess no one thought
+this last would ever come to pass, <a name="page9"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 9</span>and especially as it was understood by
+every one at that time of day that thorns never grew so large;
+but this shows the uncertain meaning of a prophecy, and that what
+we understand one way is possibly meant quite different; so it
+happened in this case, for, at the Reformation the savage ravages
+under the sanction of religion sought nothing but rapine and
+plunder to enrich themselves; and under the name of banishing
+superstition and pulling down idolatry, spared not even the most
+revered lineaments of antiquity, the most sacred piles, the most
+noble structures, or most valuable records, books written by our
+most venerable forefathers and heroic ancestors.&nbsp; Pieces of
+the nicest paint and figures of the best workmanship being all
+lost, irrecoverably lost in one common fit of destructive zeal
+which every hue and cry is too apt to raise in the breast of a
+hot-headed bigot; whilst the truly religious, honest and learned
+men regret to this day the loss those destructive times have
+occasioned.&nbsp; Whilst these reached Vale-Royal, this thorn
+amongst the rest, <a name="page10"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+10</span>being cut down was cast in the door-way, to prevent
+sheep which grazed in the court from going in.</p>
+<p>But the Reformation he declares in still plainer terms; for he
+says,</p>
+<blockquote><p>A time shall come when priests and monks<br />
+Shall have no churches nor houses,<br />
+And places where images stood,<br />
+Lined letters shall be good,<br />
+English books through churches are spread,<br />
+Where shall be no holy bread.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>It is not my intention to recite every particular he is said
+to have foretold, which regard either private families or past
+occasions&mdash;however, it may not be amiss to mention what is
+fresh in every one&rsquo;s memory who lives near Delamere forest
+and was vouched to me by several of the oldest inhabitants.</p>
+<blockquote><p>Thro&rsquo; Weaver-hall shall be a lone <a
+name="citation10"></a><a href="#footnote10"
+class="citation">[10]</a><br />
+Ridley-pool shall be sown and mown,<br />
+And Darnel-Park shall be hacked and hewn.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>The two wings of Weaver-hall are now standing and between them
+is a cart-road; Ridley-pool is filled up and made good <a
+name="page11"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 11</span>meadow land:
+and in Darnel-Park the trees are cut down and it is made into
+pasture-ground.</p>
+<p>I was also assured that he foretold the use of broad wheels,
+etc. and that the town of Northwich now a considerable place of
+trade for salt will be destroyed by water, which is expected to
+come to pass, by the natives of Cheshire, as much as any other
+part of his prophecy has done; and some urge that the navigable
+cuts lately made is the water meant: but whether a prejudice
+against those useful improvements may not have given rise to this
+notion, time only can determine.</p>
+<p>But what rendered Nixon the most noticed was that at the time
+when the battle of Bosworth-field was fought between King Richard
+the Third and King Henry the Seventh, he stopped his team on a
+sudden and pointing with his whip from one to the other cried,
+&ldquo;Now, Richard!&nbsp; Now, Harry!&rdquo; several times; till
+at last, he said, &ldquo;Now, Harry, get over that ditch and you
+gain the day.&rdquo;&nbsp; The plough-holder, amazed, related
+what had passed when he came <a name="page12"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 12</span>home, and the truth of the prediction
+was verified by special messengers sent to announce the
+proclamation of King Henry of England on the field of battle.</p>
+<p>The messenger who went this circuit related on his return the
+prediction of Nixon concerning the King&rsquo;s success; which,
+though it had been confirmed by his arrival had made it no news
+to the natives of those parts; but Henry perhaps the wisest
+Prince of his time not willing to be deceived, nor yet doubting
+the dispensations of Providence though by the mouth of a fool,
+sent the same messenger back to find Nixon, and to bring him
+before him.&nbsp; At the moment the King gave his orders our
+prophet was in the town of Over, about which he ran like a madman
+declaring the King had sent for him and that he must go to court
+and there be <i>clammed</i>: that is, be starved to death.&nbsp;
+Such a declaration caused a great deal of laughing in the town,
+to think that his Majesty so noted for his wisdom should send for
+a dirty drivelling clown to court, and that being sent for he
+should fear to be starved there; but how great was their <a
+name="page13"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 13</span>surprise, in
+a few days after, when the messenger passing through the town
+demanded a guide to find Nixon who (then turning the spit at his
+brother&rsquo;s at the Bark-house) cried, &ldquo;He is coming, he
+is now on the road for me!&rdquo; but the astonishment of the
+family can scarcely be imagined when, on the messenger&rsquo;s
+arrival he demanded Nixon in the King&rsquo;s name; the people
+who before scoffed at his simple appearance and odd sayings, and
+had pointed to the very children to make him their sport were now
+confounded on finding the most ridiculous of all he ever foretold
+(in their opinion) become a truth, which was vouched to their own
+eyes.&nbsp; Whilst hurried through the country Nixon still loudly
+lamented that he was going to be starved at the court.</p>
+<p>He had no sooner arrived there than the cautious King willing
+to make trial of his foreknowledge devised the following scheme
+to prove it.&nbsp; Having had a valuable diamond ring which he
+commonly wore after the most seemingly strict inquiry made
+through the palace whether any one had seen it; he sent for
+Nixon, telling him <a name="page14"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+14</span>what a loss he had sustained, and that if he could not
+help him to find it, he had no hopes left.&nbsp; But how much
+surprised was the King, when he got for answer that old
+proverb,</p>
+<blockquote><p>He who hideth can find;</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>On which he declared with a smile that he had done this only
+to try the prophet; but ever after ordered that what he said
+should be carefully put in writing.</p>
+<p>To prevent Nixon&rsquo;s being starved his Majesty gave orders
+for him to have the liberty to range through the whole palace and
+the kitchen was to be his more constant dwelling.&nbsp; Besides
+which, an officer was appointed to take care that he was neither
+misused or affronted by the servants, nor at loss for any
+necessary of life.&nbsp; Thus situated one would have thought
+want would never have reached him; yet one day, as the King was
+going out to his hunting-seat Nixon ran to him crying and begged
+in the most moving terms that he might not be left, for that if
+he was his Majesty would never see him again alive: that he
+should <a name="page15"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 15</span>be
+starved; that now was the time, and if he was left he must
+die.</p>
+<p>The King whose thoughts were doubtless fixed on the diversion
+he was going to and supposing the matter so very unlikely to come
+to pass, only said that it was impossible and recommended him
+strongly to the officer&rsquo;s care; but scarcely was the king
+gone from the palace-gate when the servants mocked and teased
+Nixon to such a degree, that the officer to prevent these insults
+locked him up in a closet and suffered no one but himself to
+attend on him thinking that he should prevent this part of his
+prophecy coming true: but a message of great importance coming
+from the King to this very officer, he in his readiness to obey
+the royal command forgot to set poor Nixon at liberty and though
+he was but three days absent when he recollected his prisoner he
+found him at his return, dead as he had foretold of hunger.</p>
+<p>Thus evidenced with what is past stands his prophecy in every
+mouth in Cheshire; yet a greater affront cannot be given than to
+ask a copy from the families said to be <a
+name="page16"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 16</span>possessed of
+it.&nbsp; Every possible means it is well known has been used to
+smother the truth, perplex the curious, and even to abolish the
+very remembrance that such a one ever existed, but from what
+reason cannot appear except that it is foretold that the heir of
+O&mdash; is to meet with some ignominious death at his own gate,
+<a name="citation16"></a><a href="#footnote16"
+class="citation">[16]</a> with other family events which, though
+no person or time being perfectly distinguished may perhaps
+occasion this secrecy.</p>
+<p>I must also observe that the cross on Delamere forest, that
+is, three steps and the socket in which the cross formerly stood
+are now sunk within a few inches of the ground, though all
+remember to have seen it within the memory of man nearly six feet
+above, the cross itself having been destroyed long since.&nbsp;
+It is also remarkable that Headlets cross is mentioned by Merlin
+de Rymer and most other English and Scotch prophets as the last
+place in England on which it is supposed a decisive <a
+name="page17"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 17</span>action will
+happen; but as to any fixed period when the things will come to
+pass I cannot learn, being all mentioned with the greatest
+uncertainty.</p>
+<h2><a name="page18"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 18</span>THE
+ORIGINAL PREDICTIONS<br />
+<span class="GutSmall">OF</span><br />
+ROBERT NIXON,<br />
+<span class="GutSmall">AS DELIVERED BY HIMSELF.</span></h2>
+<p class="poetry">When a raven shall build in a stone
+lion&rsquo;s mouth,<br />
+On a church top beside the grey forest,<br />
+Then shall a king of England be drove from his crown,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And return no more.</p>
+<p class="poetry">When an eagle shall sit on the top of
+Vale-Royal house,<br />
+<a name="page19"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 19</span>Then shall
+an heir be born, who shall live to see great troubles in
+England.</p>
+<p class="poetry">There shall be a miller nam&rsquo;d Peter,<br
+/>
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; With two heels on one foot,<br />
+Who shall distinguish himself bravely,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And shall be knighted by the
+victor:<br />
+For foreign nations shall invade England;<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; But the invader shall be
+killed,<br />
+And laid across a horse&rsquo;s back,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And led in triumph.</p>
+<p class="poetry">A boy shall be born with three thumbs on one
+hand,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Who shall hold three King&rsquo;s
+horses,<br />
+Whilst England three times is won and lost in one day.</p>
+<p class="poetry">But after this shall be happy days,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A new set of people of virtuous
+manners shall live in peace.<br />
+But the wall of Vale-Royal near the pond shall be the token of
+its truth,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For it shall fall:<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If it fall
+downwards,<br />
+<a name="page20"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 20</span>Then shall
+the church be sunk for ever:<br />
+But if it fall upwards against a hill,<br />
+Then shall the church and honest men live still.</p>
+<p class="poetry">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Under this
+wall shall be found the bones of a British King.<br />
+Peckforton-mill shall be removed to Ludington hill,<br />
+And three days blood shall turn Noginshire-mill.<br />
+But beware of a chance to the lord of Oulton,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Lest he should be hanged at his
+own door.</p>
+<p class="poetry">A crow shall sit on the top of Headless
+cross,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In the forest so grey,<br />
+And drink of the nobles&rsquo; gentle blood so free;<br />
+Twenty hundred horses shall want masters,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Till their girths shall rot under
+their bellies.</p>
+<p class="poetry"><a name="page21"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+21</span>Thro&rsquo; our own money and our own men,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Shall a dreadful war begin;<br />
+Between the sickle and the suck,<br />
+All England shall have a pluck;<br />
+And be several times forsworn,<br />
+And put to their wits&rsquo; end,<br />
+That it shall not be known, whether to reap their corn,<br />
+Bury their dead, or go to the field to fight.</p>
+<p class="poetry">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A great
+scarcity of bread corn.<br />
+Foreign nations shall invade England with snow on their
+helmets,<br />
+And shall bring plague, famine, and murder in the skirts of their
+garments.<br />
+A great tax will be granted but never gathered.</p>
+<p class="poetry">Between a rick and two trees,<br />
+A famous battle fought shall be.</p>
+<p class="poetry">London street shall run with blood<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And at last shall sink,<br />
+<a name="page22"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 22</span>So that it
+shall be fulfilled,<br />
+Lincoln was, London is, and York shall be<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The finest city of the three.</p>
+<p class="poetry">There will be three gates to London of
+imprisoned men for cowsters.<br />
+Then if you have three cows, at the first gate fell one, and keep
+thee at home,<br />
+At the second gate fell the other two, and keep thee at home.<br
+/>
+At the last gate all shall be done.</p>
+<p class="poetry">When summer in winter shall come,<br />
+And peace is made at every man&rsquo;s home,<br />
+Then shall be danger of war;<br />
+For tho&rsquo; with peace at night the nation ring,<br />
+Men shall rise to war in the morning.</p>
+<p class="poetry">There will be a winter Council, a careful
+Christmas, and a bloody Lent.<br />
+<a name="page23"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 23</span>In those
+days there shall be hatred and bloodshed,<br />
+The father against the son, and the son against his father,<br />
+That one may have a house for lifting the latch of the door.<br
+/>
+Landlords shall stand, with hats in their hands,<br />
+To desire tenants to hold their lands.</p>
+<p class="poetry">Great wars and pressing of soldiers,<br />
+But at last clubs and clouted shoes shall carry the day.<br />
+It will be good in these days for a man to sell his goods, and
+keep close at home.<br />
+Then forty pounds in hand<br />
+Will be better than forty pounds a year in land.<br />
+The cock of the North shall be made to flee,<br />
+And his feathers be plucked for his pride;<br />
+That he shall almost curse the day that he was born.</p>
+<p class="poetry"><a name="page24"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+24</span>One asked Nixon, where he might be safe in those days?
+he answered,<br />
+In God&rsquo;s croft, between the rivers Mersey and Dee.</p>
+<p class="poetry">Scotland shall stand more or less,<br />
+Till it has brought England to a piteous case.<br />
+The Scots shall rule England one whole year.<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Three years of great wars,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And in all countries great
+uproars.<br />
+The first is terrible, the second worse, but the third
+unbearable.</p>
+<p class="poetry">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Three great
+battles;<br />
+One at Northumberland-bridge,<br />
+One at Cumberland-bridge,<br />
+And the other the south side of Trent.<br />
+Crows shall drink the blood of many nobles.<br />
+East shall rise against West, and North against South.</p>
+<p class="poetry">Then take this for good,<br />
+<a name="page25"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+25</span>Noginshire-mill shall run with blood,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And many shall fly down
+Wanslow-lane.</p>
+<p class="poetry">A man shall come into England,<br />
+But the son of a king crown&rsquo;d with thorns<br />
+Shall take from him the victory.</p>
+<p class="poetry">Many nobles shall fight,<br />
+But a bastard Duke shall win the day,<br />
+And so without delay,<br />
+Set England in a right way.<br />
+A wolf from the East shall right eagerly come,<br />
+On the South side of Sandford, on a grey Monday morn,<br />
+Where groves shall grow upon a green,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Beside green grey they shall
+flee<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Into rocks, and many die.<br />
+They shall flee into Salt strand,<br />
+And twenty thousand, without sword, shall die each man.<br />
+The dark dragon over Sudsbrown,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Shall bring with him a royal
+band;</p>
+<p class="poetry">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a
+name="page26"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 26</span>But their
+lives shall be forlorn,<br />
+His head shall be in Stafford town,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; His tail in Ireland.<br />
+He boldly shall bring his men, thinking to win renown:<br />
+Beside a wall in forest fair he shall be beaten down.<br />
+On Hine&rsquo;s heath they shall begin this bloody fight,<br />
+And with train&rsquo;d steed shall hew each others&rsquo; helmet
+bright:<br />
+But who shall win that day no one can tell.</p>
+<p class="poetry">A Duke out of Denmark shall him dight,<br />
+On a day in England, and make many a lord full low to light,<br
+/>
+And the ladies cry, &lsquo;Well away,&rsquo;<br />
+And the black fleet with main and might<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Their enemies full boldly their
+assail.</p>
+<p class="poetry">In Britain&rsquo;s land shall be a knight,<br
+/>
+On them shall make a cruel fight,<br />
+<a name="page27"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 27</span>A bitter
+boar with main and might<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Shall bring a royal rout that
+day.<br />
+There shall die many a worthy knight,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And be driven into the fields
+green and grey,<br />
+They shall lose both field and fight.</p>
+<p class="poetry">The weary eagle shall to an island in the sea
+retire<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Where leaves and herbs grow fresh
+and green.<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; There shall he meet a lady
+fair,<br />
+Who shall say, &lsquo;Go help thy friend in battle
+slain:&rsquo;<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Then by the counsel of that
+fair,<br />
+He eagerly will make to flee<br />
+Twenty-six standard of the enemy,<br />
+A rampant lion in silver set, in armour fair,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Shall help the eagle in that
+tide,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; When many a knight shall die.</p>
+<p class="poetry">The bear that hath been long tied to a stake
+shall shake his chains,<br />
+<a name="page28"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 28</span>That every
+man shall hear, and shall cause much debate.<br />
+The bull and red rose shall stand in strife,<br />
+That shall turn England to much woe,<br />
+And cause many a man to lose his life.</p>
+<p class="poetry">In a forest stand oaks three,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Beside a headless cross.<br />
+A well of blood shall run and ree,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Its cover shall be brass,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Which shall ne&rsquo;er appear,<br
+/>
+Till horses&rsquo; feet have trod it bare;<br />
+Who wins it will declare,<br />
+The eagle shall so fight that day,<br />
+That ne&rsquo;er a friend&rsquo;s from him away.<br />
+A hound without delay shall run the chase far and near.</p>
+<p class="poetry">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The dark
+dragon shall die in fight.<br />
+A lofty head the bear shall rear,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The wide wolf so shall light,<br
+/>
+The bridled steed against his enemies will fiercely fight.</p>
+<p class="poetry"><a name="page29"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+29</span>A fleet shall come out of the North,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Riding on a horse of trees,<br />
+A white hind beareth he,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And there wreaths so free,<br />
+That day the eagle shall him slay,<br />
+And on a hill set his banner straightway.<br />
+That lion who&rsquo;s forsaken been and forced to flee,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Shall hear a woman shrilly say,<br
+/>
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &lsquo;Thy friends are killed on
+yonder hill,&rsquo;<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Death to many a knight this
+day.<br />
+With that the lion bears his banner to a hill,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Within a forest that&rsquo;s so
+plain,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Beside a headless cross of
+stone,<br />
+There shall the eagle die that day,<br />
+And the red lion get renown.<br />
+A great battle shall be fought by crowned Kings three;<br />
+One shall die and a bastard Duke will win the day.<br />
+In Sandyford there lies a stone,<br />
+A crowned King shall lose his head on.</p>
+<p class="poetry"><a name="page30"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+30</span>In those dreadful days, five wicked priests&rsquo; heads
+shall be sold for a penny.<br />
+Slaughter shall rage to such a degree,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And infants left by those that are
+slain,<br />
+That damsels shall with fear and glee,<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Cry, &lsquo;Mother, mother,
+I&rsquo;ve seen a man!&rsquo;</p>
+<p class="poetry">Between seven, eight, and nine,<br />
+In England wonders shall be seen.<br />
+Between nine and thirteen<br />
+All sorrow shall be done.<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Then rise up Richard, son of
+Richard,<br />
+And bless the happy reign,<br />
+Thrice happy he who sees this time to come<br />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; When England shall know rest and
+peace again.</p>
+<div class="gapspace">&nbsp;</div>
+<p style="text-align: center"><i>End of the Original
+Prophecies</i>.</p>
+<div class="gapspace">&nbsp;</div>
+<h2><a name="page31"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 31</span>THE
+FOLLOWING PREDICTIONS<br />
+<span class="GutSmall">OF</span><br />
+ROBERT NIXON<br />
+<span class="GutSmall">ARE COPIED FROM OLD PAMPHLETS.</span></h2>
+<p>The famous Cheshire prophet Nixon, besides his prophecies
+relative to the fate of private families, also predicted much of
+public affairs, which we find literally verified by the
+sequel.</p>
+<p>On the Christmas before he went to court, being among the
+servants at Mr. Cholmondeley&rsquo;s house, to the surprise of
+them all he suddenly started up and said,</p>
+<p><a name="page32"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+32</span>&ldquo;I must prophecy.&rdquo;&nbsp; He went on, the
+favourite <a name="citation32a"></a><a href="#footnote32a"
+class="citation">[32a]</a> of a King shall be slain.&nbsp;
+&ldquo;If the master&rsquo;s neck shall be cleft in twain.&nbsp;
+And the men of the North <a name="citation32b"></a><a
+href="#footnote32b" class="citation">[32b]</a> shall sell
+precious blood; yea their own blood.&nbsp; And they shall
+sacrifice a noble warrior <a name="citation32c"></a><a
+href="#footnote32c" class="citation">[32c]</a> to the idol, and
+hang up his flesh in the high places; and a storm shall come out
+of the North, which shall blow down the steeples of the South:
+and the labourer shall rise above his lord, and the harvest shall
+in part be trampled down by horses, and the remainder lie waste
+to be devoured by birds.</p>
+<p>&ldquo;When an oak tree shall be softer than men&rsquo;s
+hearts, then look for better times but they be but beginning.</p>
+<p><a name="page33"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+33</span>&ldquo;The departure of a great man&rsquo;s <a
+name="citation33a"></a><a href="#footnote33a"
+class="citation">[33a]</a> soul shall trouble a river hard by,
+and overthrow trees, houses, and estates.&nbsp; From that part of
+the house from whence the mischief came you must look for the
+cure.&nbsp; First comes joy, then sorrow; after mirth comes
+mourning.</p>
+<p>&ldquo;I see men, women, and children, spotted <a
+name="citation33b"></a><a href="#footnote33b"
+class="citation">[33b]</a> like beasts, and their nearest and
+dearest friends affrighted at them.&nbsp; I see towns on fire,
+and innocent blood shed; but when men and horses walk upon the
+water, then shall be peace and plenty to the people, but trouble
+is preparing for Kings; and the <i>great yellow fruit</i> <a
+name="citation33c"></a><a href="#footnote33c"
+class="citation">[33c]</a> shall come over to this country, and
+flourish: and I see this tree take deep root and spread into a <a
+name="page34"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 34</span>thousand
+branches, which shall afterwards be at strife one with another,
+because of their numbers: and there shall come a wind from the
+South, and the West, which shall shake the tree.&nbsp; I see
+multitudes of people running to and fro, and talking in a strange
+tongue.&nbsp; And there shall be a famine <a
+name="citation34"></a><a href="#footnote34"
+class="citation">[34]</a> in the midst of great plenty, and
+earthquakes and storms shall level and purify the
+earth.&rdquo;</p>
+<p>After these sayings, which every one, with the slightest
+knowledge of our history will instantly apply to those events
+which they so wonderfully foretold, Nixon was silent, and
+relapsed into his wonted stupidity: from which he did not recover
+until many weeks after, when he became again inspired, and gave
+vent to those remarkable predictions which were recollected by
+Mr. <a name="page35"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+35</span>Oldmixon.&nbsp; Those which we have just now related
+were taken down from the prophet&rsquo;s mouth by the steward, in
+pursuance of the orders of Mr. Cholmondeley himself; and the
+original manuscript is now in the hands of a gentleman in
+Shropshire.</p>
+<h2><a name="page36"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+36</span>NIXON&rsquo;S CHESHIRE PROPHECY AT LARGE,<br />
+FROM LADY COWPER&rsquo;S COPY;<br />
+WITH HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL REMARKS, AND MANY INSTANCES<br />
+WHEREIN IT HAS BEEN FULFILLED.</h2>
+<h3>INTRODUCTION.</h3>
+<p>This remarkable Prophecy has been carefully revised,
+corrected, and improved; also some account given of our author,
+Robert Nixon, who was but a kind of idiot, and used to be <a
+name="page37"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 37</span>employed in
+following the plough.&nbsp; He had lived in some farmers&rsquo;
+families, and was their drudge and their jest.</p>
+<p>At last, Thomas Cholmondeley, of Vale-Royal, Esq., took him
+into his house, where he lived when he composed this prophecy,
+which he delivered with as much gravity and solemnity as if he
+had been an oracle; and it was observed that though the fool was
+a driveller, and could not speak common sense when uninspired,
+yet in delivering his prophecies, he spoke plainly and sensibly;
+how truly will be seen in the following pages.</p>
+<p>As to the credit of this prophecy I dare say it is as well
+attested as any of Nostradamus&rsquo;s or Merlin&rsquo;s, and
+will come to pass as well as the best of Squire
+Bickerstaff&rsquo;s; it is plain enough that great men in all
+ages had recourse to prophecy as well as the vulgar.&nbsp; I
+would not have all grave persons despise the inspiration of
+Nixon.&nbsp; The late French King gave audience to an <a
+name="page38"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 38</span>inspired
+farrier, and rewarded him with an hundred pistoles for his
+prophetical intelligence; though by what I can learn he did not
+come near our Nixon for gifts.</p>
+<p>The simplicity, the circumstances, and the history of the
+Cheshire Prophecy are so remarkable that I hope the public will
+be as much delighted as I was myself.</p>
+<p>By the way, this is not a prophecy of to-day; &rsquo;tis as
+old as the powder-plot, and the story will make it appear that
+there is as little imposture in it as the Jacobites pretend there
+is in the person it seems to have an eye to; but whether they are
+both impostures alike or not I leave the reader to determine.</p>
+<p style="text-align: right"><span class="smcap">J.
+Oldmixon</span>.</p>
+<h3><a name="page39"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 39</span>THE
+PROPHECY.</h3>
+<p><span class="smcap">In</span> the reign of King James the
+First there lived a man generally reputed a fool, whose name was
+Nixon.&nbsp; One day, when he returned home from ploughing, he
+laid the things down which he had in his hands, and continued for
+some time in a seemingly deep and thoughtful meditation, at
+length he pronounced in a loud hoarse voice, &lsquo;Now I will
+prophecy;&rsquo; and spoke as follows;</p>
+<p>&ldquo;When a raven shall build in a stone lion&rsquo;s mouth
+on the top of a church in Cheshire, then a King of England shall
+be driven out of his kingdom, and never return more.</p>
+<p>&ldquo;When an eagle shall sit on the top of the house, then
+an heir shall be born to the Cholmondeley family, and this heir
+shall live to see England invaded by foreigners, who shall
+proceed as far <a name="page40"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+40</span>as a town in Cheshire; but a miller, named Peter, shall
+be born with two heels on one foot, and at that time living in a
+mill of Mr. Cholmondeley&rsquo;s he shall be instrumental in
+delivering the nation.</p>
+<p>&ldquo;The person who then governs the nation will be in great
+trouble, and skulk about:&mdash;The invading King shall be
+killed, laid across a horse&rsquo;s back like a calf, and led in
+triumph.&nbsp; The miller having been instrumental in it, shall
+bring forth the person that then governs the kingdom, and be
+knighted for what he has done; and after that England shall see
+happy days.&nbsp; A new set of young men, of virtuous manners,
+shall come, who shall prosper, and make a flourishing church for
+two hundred years.</p>
+<p>&ldquo;As a token of the truth of all this a wall of Mr.
+Cholmondeley&rsquo;s shall fall, if it falls downwards, the
+church shall be oppressed, and rise no more; but if it fall
+upwards, next the rising <a name="page41"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 41</span>hill on the side of it, then shall it
+flourish again.&nbsp; Under this wall shall be found the bones of
+a British King.</p>
+<p>&ldquo;A pond shall run with blood three days, and the Cross
+stone Pillar in the forest sink so low into the ground, that a
+crow from the top of it shall drink of the best blood in
+England.</p>
+<p>&ldquo;A boy shall be born with three thumbs, and shall hold
+three kings&rsquo; horses, while England shall be three times won
+and lost in one day.&rdquo;</p>
+<div class="gapshortline">&nbsp;</div>
+<p>The original may be seen in several families in the county,
+and in particular in the hands of Mr. Egerton, of Oulton, with
+many other remarkable things; as that Peckforton wind-mill should
+be removed to Ludington hill and that horses saddled should run
+about while their girths rotted away.&nbsp; But this is
+sufficient to prove Nixon as great a prophet as Partridge; and <a
+name="page42"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 42</span>we shall give
+other proofs of it before we have done with him.</p>
+<p>I know your prophets are generally for Raw-head and
+bloody-bones and therefore do not mind it much; or I might add
+that of Oulton mill shall be driven with blood instead of water,
+but these soothsayers are great butchers and every hall is with
+them a slaughter-house.</p>
+<p>Now as for authorities to prove this prophecy to be genuine
+and how it has hitherto been accomplished, I might refer myself
+to the whole country of Chester, where it is in every one&rsquo;s
+mouth and has been so these forty years.&nbsp; As much as I have
+of the manuscript was sent me by a person of sense and veracity
+and as little partial to visions as any body.&nbsp; For my own
+part I build nothing on this or any other prophecy; only there is
+something so very odd in the story and so pat in the wording of
+it that I cannot help giving it as I found it.</p>
+<p><a name="page43"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 43</span>The
+family of the Cholmondeleys is very ancient in this county and
+takes its name from a place so called near Nantwich; there are
+also Cholmton and Cholmondeston; but the seat of that branch of
+the family which kept our prophet Nixon is at Vale-Royal, on the
+river Weave in Delamere forest.&nbsp; It was formerly an abbey,
+<a name="citation43"></a><a href="#footnote43"
+class="citation">[43]</a> founded by Edward I. and came to the
+Cholmondeleys from the famous family of the Holcrofts.&nbsp; When
+Nixon prophesied this family was near being extinct, the heir
+having married Sir Walter St. John&rsquo;s daughter, a lady not
+esteemed very young, who, notwithstanding, being with child, fell
+in labour and continued so for many days, <a
+name="page44"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 44</span>during which
+time an eagle sat upon the house-top and flew away when she was
+delivered of a son.</p>
+<p>A raven is also known to have built in a stone lion&rsquo;s
+mouth in the steeple of the church of Over, in the forest of
+Delamere.&nbsp; Not long before the abdication of King James the
+wall spoken of fell down and fell upwards and in removing the
+rubbish were found the bones of a man of more than ordinary
+size.&nbsp; A pond at the same time ran with water that had a
+reddish tincture and was never known to have done so before or
+since.</p>
+<p>Headless cross in the forest, which in the memory of man was
+several feet high, is now only half a foot from the ground.</p>
+<p>In the parish of Budworth a boy was born about eighteen years
+ago with three thumbs; the youth is still living there and the
+miller Peter lives in Noginshire mill in expectation of
+fulfilling this prophecy on the person of <a
+name="page45"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 45</span>Perkin: he
+hath also two heels on one foot and I find he intends to make use
+of them in the interest of King George, for he is a bold Briton
+and a loyal subject, zealous for the Protestant succession in the
+illustrious House of Hanover, has a vote for the knights of the
+shire and never fails to give it on the right side: in a word,
+Peter will prate or box for the good cause that Nixon had lifted
+him in and if he does not do the business, this must be said of
+him, that no man will bid fairer for it; which the Lady Egerton
+was so apprehensive of, that wishing well to another restoration,
+she often instigated her husband to turn him out of the mill; but
+he looked upon it as whimsical and so Peter still continues
+there, in hopes of being as good a knight as Sir Philip his
+landlord was.</p>
+<p>Of this Peter I have been told, that the Lady Narcliff of
+Chelsea and the Lady St. John of Battersea, together with several
+other persons of credit and <a name="page46"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 46</span>fashion, have often been heard to
+talk and that they all asserted their knowledge of the truth of
+our prophecy and its accomplishment, with many particulars that
+are more extraordinary than any I have yet mentioned.</p>
+<p>The noise of Nixon&rsquo;s Predictions reaching the ears of
+King James the First, he would needs see this fool, who cried and
+made ado that he might not go to court and the reason that he
+gave was, that he should there be <span
+class="GutSmall">STARVED</span>.&mdash;(A very whimsical fancy of
+his, courts not being places where people are used to starve in,
+when they once come there, whatever they may have done
+before.)&mdash;The King being informed of Nixon&rsquo;s refusing
+to come, said he would take particular care that he should not be
+starved and ordered him to be brought up.&nbsp; Nixon cried out,
+that he was sent for again; and soon after the messenger arrived,
+who brought him up from Cheshire.</p>
+<p>How or whether he prophecied to his <a name="page47"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 47</span>Majesty, no person can tell; but he
+is not the first fool that has made a good court prophet.</p>
+<p>That Nixon might be well provided for it was ordered that he
+should be kept in the kitchen, where he grew so troublesome in
+licking and picking the meat, that the cooks locked him up in a
+hole; and the King going on a sudden from Hampton Court to London
+in their hurry they forgot the fool and he was really starved to
+death.</p>
+<p>There are a great many passages of this fool-prophet&rsquo;s
+life and sayings transmitted in tradition from father to son in
+this county palatine; as, that when he lived with a farmer before
+he was taken into Mr. Cholmondeley&rsquo;s family, he goaded an
+ox so cruelly that one of the ploughmen threatened to beat him
+for abusing his master&rsquo;s beast&mdash;Nixon said, &ldquo;My
+master&rsquo;s beast will not be his three days.&rdquo;&nbsp; A
+life in an estate dropping in at that time, the lord of the manor
+took the same ox for a <a name="page48"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 48</span>heriot.&nbsp; This account whimsical
+and romantic as it is was told to the Lady Cowper in the year
+1670, by Dr. Patrick late Bishop of Ely then chaplain to Sir
+Walter St. John; and that lady had the following further
+particulars relating to this prophecy and the fulfilling of many
+parts of it from Mrs. Chute, sister to Mrs. Cholmondeley of
+Vale-Royal, who affirmed that a multitude of people gathered
+together to see the eagle before-mentioned and the bird was
+frightened from her young; that she herself was one of them and
+the cry among the people was, Nixon&rsquo;s prophecy is fulfilled
+and we have a foreign King.&nbsp; She declared that she read over
+the prophecy many times when her sister was with child of the
+heir who now enjoys the estate.&nbsp; She particularly remembers
+that King James the Second was plainly pointed at and that it was
+foretold he should endeavour to subvert the laws and religion of
+this kingdom, for which <a name="page49"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 49</span>reason they would rise and turn him
+out: that the eagle of which Nixon prophecied perched in one of
+the windows all the time her sister was in labour.&nbsp; She says
+it was the biggest bird she ever saw; that it was in a deep snow
+and it perched on the edge of a great bow-window, which had a
+large border on the outside and that she and many others opened
+the window to try to scare it away, but it would not stir till
+Mrs. Cholmondeley was delivered; after which it took flight to a
+great tree over against the room her sister lay in, where having
+stayed about three days it flew away in the night.&nbsp; She
+affirmed further to the Lady Cowper, that the falling of the
+garden wall was a thing not to be questioned, it being in so many
+people&rsquo;s memory that it was foretold that the heir of
+Vale-Royal should live to see England invaded by foreigners and
+that he should fight bravely for his King and Country: that the
+miller <a name="page50"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+50</span>mentioned is now alive and expects to be knighted and is
+in the very mill that is foretold: that he should kill two
+invaders who should come in, the one from the West and the other
+from the North: that he from the North should bring with him of
+all nations, Swedes, Danes, Germans, and Dutch; and that in the
+folds of his garments he should bring fire and famine, plague and
+murder: that many great battles should be fought in England, one
+upon London-bridge, which should be so bloody, that people will
+ride in London streets up to their horses&rsquo; bellies in
+blood; that several other battles should be fought up and down
+most parts of Cheshire; and that the last that ever would be
+fought in England should be on Delamere forest: that the heir of
+Oulston, whose name is E&mdash; and has married Earl
+Cholmondeley&rsquo;s sister, should be hanged up at his own
+gate.</p>
+<p>Lastly, Nixon foretells great glory <a name="page51"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 51</span>and prosperity to those who stand up
+in defence of their laws and liberties; and ruin and misery to
+those who should betray them.&nbsp; He says, the year before this
+would happen, bread corn would be very dear and that the year
+following more troubles should begin which would last three
+years; that the first would be moderate, the second bloody, and
+the third intolerable; that unless they were shortened no mortal
+could bear them; and that there were no mischiefs but what poor
+England would feel at that time.&nbsp; But that GEORGE the SON of
+GEORGE, <a name="citation51"></a><a href="#footnote51"
+class="citation">[51]</a> should put an end to all.&nbsp; That
+afterwards the church should flourish, and England be the most
+glorious nation on earth.</p>
+<p>Lady Cowper was not content to take these particulars from
+Mrs. Chute, but she enquired of Sir Thomas Aston, of the truth of
+this prophecy and he <a name="page52"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 52</span>attested it was in great reputation
+in Cheshire and that the facts were known by every one to have
+happened as Nixon said they would; adding, that the morning
+before the garden wall fell, his neighbour Mr. Cholmondeley,
+going to ride out a hunting, said &ldquo;Nixon seldom fails but
+now I think he will; for he foretold that this day my garden wall
+would fall and I think it looks as if it would stand these forty
+years;&rdquo; that he had not been gone above a quarter of an
+hour before the wall split and fell upwards against the rising of
+the hill, which as Nixon would have it, was the presage of a
+flourishing church.</p>
+<p>As to the removal of Peckforton-mill, it was done by Sir John
+Crew, the mill having lost its trade there, for which he ordered
+it to be set upon Ludington hill; and being asked if he did it to
+fulfil the prophecy, he declared he never thought of it.&nbsp; I
+myself have inquired of a person who knows <a
+name="page53"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 53</span>Mr.
+Cholmondeley&rsquo;s pond as well as Rosamond&rsquo;s in St.
+James&rsquo;s Park and he assured me the falling of the wall and
+the pond running blood, (as they call it) are facts which in
+Cheshire any one would be reckoned mad for making the least
+question of them.&nbsp; As there are several particulars in this
+prophecy which remain unfulfilled; so when they come to pass,
+some other circumstances may be added, which are not convenient
+to be told until accomplished.</p>
+<p>If I had a mind to look into the antiquities of this county, I
+might find that prodigies and prophecies are no unusual things
+there.&nbsp; Camden tells us that at Brereton not many miles from
+Vale-Royal which gave name to a famous, ancient, numerous, and
+knightly family, there is a thing as strange as that of the
+eagle, or the falling of the wall, which he says was attested to
+him by many persons and was commonly believed; that before any
+heir <a name="page54"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 54</span>of
+this family dies there are seen, in a lake adjoining the bodies
+of trees swimming upon the water for several days together.&nbsp;
+He likewise adds that near the abbey of St. Maurice in Burgundy
+there is a fish-pond in which a number of fish are put equal to
+the number of monks of that place; and if any one of them happens
+to be sick, there is a fish seen floating on the surface of the
+water; and in case the fit of sickness proves fatal to the monk,
+the fish foretells it by its death some days before.&nbsp; This
+the learned Camden relates in his description of Cheshire and the
+opinion of the trees swimming in the lake near Brereton, prevails
+all about the county to the present day, only with this
+difference, that some say it is one log only that swims and some
+say many.</p>
+<p>Lancashire, which is not far off, has been famous for witches
+and I am afraid Cheshire is a little infected by its
+neighbourhood.&nbsp; Those that will <a name="page55"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 55</span>not believe our prophecy may leave it
+alone; but if hope is a good help to faith, I shall not be long
+among the incredulous.</p>
+<div class="gapspace">&nbsp;</div>
+<p><a name="page56"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 56</span><i>The
+Editor presents his Readers with a Copy of a printed Paper</i>,
+<i>which several aged Persons</i>, <i>residing near the
+Forest</i>, <i>have vouched for the Authenticity of</i>.</p>
+<h2>A true and particular Account of a strange and surprising
+Vision, that was seen in the Forest of Delamere, in Cheshire, on
+the 4th of last Month.</h2>
+<p><span class="smcap">As</span> Nixon, in the reign of King
+James the First, prophesied of many strange and wonderful things
+that should come to pass, such as an heir being born to Lord
+Cholmondeley&rsquo;s which at that time there was little reason
+to expect, but which came to pass; and that the eldest son or
+young Lord Cholmondeley should have the misfortune to break his
+neck by riding a hunting, which accident really did happen; <a
+name="page57"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 57</span>and several
+other things already come to pass according to the said prophecy,
+but, in particular, of a wonderful battle or engagement that
+should be fought in the forest of Delamere; and as it is now
+fully expected that we shall have an invasion from our natural
+and inveterate enemies the French, it is also thought it will be
+in the North of England and in all probability the said Forest of
+Delamere may be the place of action or engagement: and what
+strengthens the belief more is the vision that was seen in the
+said forest on the 4th, as follows:</p>
+<p>As two ancient persons were walking over the said Forest, to
+their great surprise, they saw at a distance before them an army
+rise out of the ground drawn up with their proper officers and
+their commanders in front of them, and whilst they were looking
+at and ruminating upon so strange a sight, to their most
+wonderful surprise and amazement there arose also <a
+name="page58"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 58</span>another army
+out of the ground, at a small distance from the first, and
+farther in the forest, which army was headed or commanded by a
+man in royal apparel, who, after having drawn up his army,
+marched to meet and engage the first; upon which a most bloody
+battle ensued with firearms, and many appeared to be killed on
+both sides; but, being so near each other, they laid down or
+grounded their arms and took to their swords, with which great
+slaughter was made; and then came to such close quarters that
+they put up their swords and fought with their hands; all of
+which engagements continued more than three quarters of an hour,
+during which time the said two ancient people were spectators;
+and at last the remains of the army that first appeared retreated
+towards the sea, and vanished directly out of their sight; whilst
+the other army which was commanded by the man in royal apparel
+marched <a name="page59"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+59</span>victorious out of the field as far as it was possible to
+see them.&nbsp; These ancient people having spoken of the above
+vision it came to the ears of several gentlemen, who sent for,
+and examined them concerning the truth of it, which they were
+ready to make oath of for their satisfaction.</p>
+<p>On the 6th of the same month, as seven men were going to
+Cheshire over the said forest, about the middle of it they saw to
+their astonishment, a vision much resembling that which was on
+the sixth as above described; only with this addition that the
+victorious army had many slain to all appearance, yet they
+resumed life again and joined their own army; all which is looked
+upon as a good omen, that if in case England is invaded by her
+enemies though the nation be seemingly dead and in great
+division, yet on the approach of the enemy they will all in one
+general heart and one mind exert <a name="page60"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 60</span>themselves to repel our most
+inveterate enemies.</p>
+<p>As Nixon&rsquo;s Prophecies are by some persons thought
+fables, yet by what has come to pass it is now thought and very
+plainly appears that most of them have or will prove true; for
+which reason we have all occasion not only to exert our utmost
+might to repel by force our enemies, but to return from our
+abandoned and wicked course of life, and make our continual
+prayers to God for protection and safety.</p>
+<h2><a name="page61"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+61</span>PROPHECY<br />
+<span class="GutSmall">OF THE</span><br />
+FRENCH REVOLUTION,<br />
+<span class="GutSmall">FROM A PUBLICATION BY</span><br />
+THE LATE MR. PETER JURIEU,<br />
+IN 1687.</h2>
+<blockquote><p style="text-align: center">Rev. xi. 13.</p>
+<p><i>And the same hour there was a great earthquake</i>, <i>and
+the tenth part of the city fell</i>, <i>and in the earthquake
+were slain of men seven thousand</i>, <i>and the remnant were
+affrighted</i>, <i>and gave glory to God</i>.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> what is the tenth part of the
+city which shall fall? in my opinion we <a
+name="page62"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 62</span>cannot doubt
+that it is France.&nbsp; This kingdom is the most considerable
+part or piece of the ten horns, or states, which once made up the
+great Babylonian city: it fell; this does not signify that the
+French Monarchy shall be ruined: it may be humbled; but in all
+appearance Providence does design a great elevation for her
+afterwards.&nbsp; &rsquo;Tis highly probable that God will not
+let go unpunished the horrible outrages which it acts at this
+day.&nbsp; Afterward, it must build its greatness upon the ruins
+of the papal empire and enrich itself with the spoils of those
+who shall take part with the papacy.&nbsp; They who at this day
+persecute the protestants know not whither God is leading them:
+this is not the way by which he will lead France to the height of
+glory.&nbsp; If she comes thither it is because she shall shortly
+change her road.&nbsp; Her greatening will be no damage to
+protestant states; on the contrary, the protestant states shall
+be enriched with <a name="page63"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+63</span>the spoil of others and be strengthened by the fall of
+Antichrist&rsquo;s empire.&nbsp; This tenth part of the city
+shall fall, with respect to the papacy; it shall break with Rome
+and the Roman religion.&nbsp; One thing is certain, that the
+Babylonian empire shall perish through the refusal of obedience
+by the ten Kings, who had given their power to the beast.&nbsp;
+This thing is already come to pass in part.&nbsp; The kingdoms of
+Sweden, Denmark, England and several sovereign States in Germany
+have withdrawn themselves from the jurisdiction of the
+Pope.&nbsp; They have spoiled the harlot of her riches.&nbsp;
+They have eaten her flesh, i.e. seized on her benefices, and
+revenues, which she had in their countries.&nbsp; This must go on
+and be finished as it is begun.&nbsp; The Kings who yet remain
+under the empire of Rome must break with her, leave her solitary
+and desolate.</p>
+<p>But who must begin this last revolt? it is most probable that
+France <a name="page64"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+64</span>shall.&nbsp; Not Spain, which as yet is plunged in
+superstition and is as much under the tyranny of the clergy as
+ever.&nbsp; Not the Emperor, who in temporal matters is subject
+to the Pope and permits that in his states the Archbishop of
+Strigonium should teach that the Pope can take away the Imperial
+crown from him.&nbsp; It cannot be any country but France, which
+a long time ago hath begun to shake off the yoke of Rome.&nbsp;
+&rsquo;Tis well known how solemnly and openly war hath been
+declared against the Pope by a declaration of the King (ratified
+in all the parliaments) by the decisions of the assembly of the
+French Clergy, by a disputation against the authority of the
+Pope, managed in the Sorbonne, solemnly and by order of the
+court.&nbsp; And to heighten the affront the theses were posted
+up even upon the gates of his Nuncio.&nbsp; Nothing of this kind
+had hitherto happened at least in a time of peace and <a
+name="page65"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 65</span>unless the
+Pope had given occasion by his insolence.</p>
+<p>Besides this superstition and idolatry lose their credit much
+in France.&mdash;There is a secret party, though well enough
+known, which greatly despiseth the popular devotions, images,
+worship of saints, and is convinced that these are human
+inventions: God is beforehand preparing for his great work.</p>
+<p>To this it may be objected that for the last hundred and fifty
+years the Pope&rsquo;s empire hath not been made up of ten Kings,
+because the Kings of England, Sweden, Denmark, etc., have thrown
+off his government; and consequently, France is not at this day
+the tenth part of the Babylonian empire; for it is more than a
+tenth part of it.&nbsp; But this is no difficulty; for we must
+know, that things retain the names which they bore in their
+original (without regarding the alterations which time does bring
+along.)&nbsp; Though at this day there are not ten kingdoms <a
+name="page66"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 66</span>under the
+Babylonian empire, it is, notwithstanding, certain, that each
+kingdom was called, and ought to be called in this prophecy, the
+tenth part, because the prophet having described this empire in
+its beginning, by its ten horns, or ten kings, it is necessary
+for our clear understanding, that every one of these Kings and
+kingdoms, should be called one of the ten Kings, or of ten
+kingdoms, with respect to the original constitution of the
+Antichristian empire.</p>
+<p>Seeing the tenth part of the city that must fall, is France,
+this gives me some hopes that the death of the two witnesses hath
+a particular relation to this kingdom.&nbsp; It is the street or
+place of this city, i.e. the most fair and eminent part of
+it.&nbsp; The witnesses must remain dead upon the street and upon
+it they must be raised again.&nbsp; And as the death of the
+witnesses and their resurrection have a relation to the kingdom
+of France, it may well <a name="page67"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 67</span>fall out, that we may not be far
+distant from the time of the resurrection of the witnesses,
+seeing the three years and a half of their death are either
+begun, or will begin shortly.</p>
+<p>And in the earthquake were slain seven thousand; in the Greek
+it is seven thousand names of men, and not seven thousand
+men.&nbsp; I confess that this seems somewhat mysterious: in
+other places we find not this phrase, names of men, but simply
+men.&nbsp; Perhaps there is a figure of grammar, called
+<i>hypolage casus</i>, so that names of men are put for men of
+name, i.e. of raised and considerable quality, be it on account
+of riches, or of dignity, or of learning.&nbsp; But I am more
+inclined to say, that here these names of men, must be taken in
+their natural signification and do intimate that the total
+Reformation of France shall not be made with bloodshed, nothing
+shall be destroyed but names; such as are the names of Monks, of
+Carmelites, of <a name="page68"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+68</span>Augustines, of Dominicans, of Jacobins, of Franciscans,
+Capuchins, Jesuits, Minimes and an infinite company of others,
+whose number it is not easy to define and which the Holy Ghost
+denotes by the number seven, which is the number of perfection,
+to signify that the orders of monks and nuns shall perish for
+ever.&nbsp; This is an institution so degenerated from its first
+original, that it is become the ruin of Antichrist.&nbsp; These
+orders cannot perish one without the other.</p>
+<p>These great events deserve to be distinguished from all
+others; for they have changed, or shall change, <span
+class="GutSmall">THE WHOLE FACE OF THE WORLD</span>.</p>
+<h2><a name="page69"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+69</span>EXTRACTS<br />
+<span class="GutSmall">FROM</span><br />
+SERMONS<br />
+<span class="GutSmall">BY</span><br />
+DR. JOHN GILL.</h2>
+<p><span class="smcap">There</span> are some times fixed in
+prophecy, which by diligence, attention, and application men may
+arrive to some understanding of.&nbsp; There are indeed some
+times and seasons, the knowledge of which is not to be attained
+unto; and it would be wrong, as well as in vain, curiously to
+search into them.&nbsp; <i>It is not for us to know the times or
+the seasons</i>, <i>which the Father hath put in his own
+power</i>; for <a name="page70"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+70</span>he has <i>determined the times before appointed</i>,
+when every thing that he has purposed or promised shall come to
+pass; and he has fixed a <i>time for every purpose under the
+heaven</i>, for the performance of every thing he has designed
+shall be; <i>a time to be born</i>, <i>and a time to die</i>, and
+for every intermediate event; but these times are not known
+beforehand, until things are brought into execution.&nbsp; There
+are others and very remarkable events, the times of which are
+pointed at in prophecy; and which with diligence and application,
+a knowledge of them may in some measure be attained unto: as for
+instance, the first coming of Christ into this world to save men:
+the time for it was not only agreed upon and settled between the
+Father and the Son, called <i>the fulness of time</i>, but there
+were several prophetic hints of it; nay, not only was it
+described by some general circumstances, as that it should be
+before the second temple <a name="page71"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 71</span>was destroyed, since he was to come
+into it and while the sceptre was in the tribe of Judah; but the
+precise time was fixed by Daniel&rsquo;s seventy weeks, or four
+hundred years, which were to commence from a date given him; and
+before the expiration of which the Messiah was to come: and so as
+he by reading Jeremiah&rsquo;s books knew the time when the
+Babylonish captivity should end; another by reading his
+prophecies might know when the Messiah would come; and
+accordingly about the time when those weeks were drawing near to
+an expiration, there were many that were looking for the Messiah
+and redemption by him, as knowing that it was about the time by
+these weeks that he should come.&nbsp; There is a time set for
+the second coming and God in his times will show him, or cause
+him openly to appear; and though he will come in an hour we know
+not of, yet there are some circumstances pointed out in the <a
+name="page72"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 72</span>word of God
+by which it may be known that it is nigh at hand; as that the day
+when the Son of man shall be revealed shall be as the days of
+Noah and Lot, when men indulged themselves in pleasure, lived in
+great security, unaware of the ruin coming upon them; and that
+when the Son of man cometh, faith will not be found in the earth;
+whether this be understood of the grace or doctrine of faith, or
+of faith with respect to Christ&rsquo;s coming: and when we
+compare these things with the present times, and consider the
+luxury, love of pleasure, carnal security and infidelity that
+abound among us, we might conclude that the coming of Christ is
+just at hand, were it not that there are many things which
+require time yet to be fulfilled previous to it, as the
+destruction of Antichrist, the conversion of the Jews, and the
+bringing in of the fulness of the Gentiles.&nbsp; So the last
+judgment which will take place at the second <a
+name="page73"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 73</span>coming of
+Christ, and is most certain, being early known and often spoken
+of.&nbsp; Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophecied of it, and of
+Christ&rsquo;s coming to it; the day is appointed when it will
+come on, though of that day and hour knoweth no man, not the
+angels in heaven, but the Father only: but then the principal
+things that should come to pass, relative to the church, between
+the first and second coming of Christ to judgment, are signified
+to us in the book of the Revelation.</p>
+<p style="text-align: right"><i>Sermon from</i> 1 <i>Chron.</i>
+xii. 32,<br />
+<i>preached Jan.</i> 1, 1752.</p>
+<p>The destruction of Antichrist is the grand leading event to
+the glories of this state.&nbsp; This is hinted at in the epistle
+to the church at Philadelphus, the emblem of the spiritual reign;
+it will be the last struggle of the beast that will cause that
+<i>hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to
+try</i> <a name="page74"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+74</span>the inhabitants of it: when the seventh trumpet will be
+sounded, which will bring on the spiritual kingdom of Christ
+throughout the world, he will destroy them which destroy the
+earth; meaning the Papists, who have destroyed the inhabitants of
+the earth with their false doctrine, superstitious worship, and
+with those bloody wars, murders, and massacres they have been at
+the bottom of.&nbsp; And till this is done the spiritual reign
+cannot take place, especially in its full compass, and in all its
+branches, for so long as Antichrist reigns, the church will be
+more or less in an afflicted state: the date of the
+church&rsquo;s troubles, and of the reign of Antichrist are
+alike, and will expire together: the power given to the beast is
+to continue forty and two months; wherefore there can be no truly
+good and happy days, till these dates are ended.</p>
+<p>The destruction of Antichrist will be by the spirit of
+Christ&rsquo;s mouth, and the <a name="page75"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 75</span>brightness of his coming; that is, by
+his coming in a spiritual way; or through the word of his mouth,
+his gospel attended by his spirit and power; which will shine out
+with so much lustre, splendour, light, and glory, as will chase
+away the darkness of popery, and enlighten the minds of people,
+to see into all the fopperies, absurdities, and wickedness of
+that religion and cause them to cast it off: yea, even to open
+the eyes of the kings and princes of the earth, to behold and
+loath the abominations of the whore of Rome they have committed
+fornication with; and fill them with wrath and indignation
+against her, as to hate her, make her bare and desolate, and burn
+her with fire.</p>
+<p>This work will be greatly effected by the pouring out of the
+seven vials of God&rsquo;s wrath, or the inflicting the seven
+last plagues upon the anti-Christian states, upon the western and
+eastern Antichrist, the Pope and Turk; who <a
+name="page76"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 76</span>must be both
+removed to make way for the spiritual reign of Christ.&nbsp;
+These seven vials will be poured out, or those plagues inflicted
+by Angels; by whom we are to understand protestant kings, and
+princes, and generals of armies; and these will be given them by
+one or the first of the four beasts, or living creatures, the
+emblems of gospel ministers; who having some notice of the time
+of antichrist&rsquo;s destruction being at hand, will stir and
+animate the christian princes and potentates to take this work in
+hand; and who are therefore said to go forth from the temple, the
+church, the place of divine and spiritual worship, and where they
+themselves are worshippers; and from whence they have orders to
+go forth and do their work.</p>
+<p>The first five of these vials concern the western Antichrist,
+and his dominions: between which, and the trumpets, there is a
+great correspondence, though they respect different times and <a
+name="page77"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+77</span>persons.&nbsp; The first vial will be poured out upon
+the earth, and designs those popish countries which are upon the
+continent, as France and Germany, especially the latter; and as
+the first trumpet brought the Goths into Germany, so the first
+vial will bring great distress upon the popish party in the
+empire, and issue in a reformation from popery.&nbsp; The second
+vial will be poured out upon the sea, and may intend the maritime
+powers belonging to the see of Rome, particularly Spain and
+Portugal; and as the second trumpet brought the Vandals into
+these places, so this vial will effect the same, and bring wars
+and desolations into them, and make a change in their
+religion.&nbsp; The third vial will be poured out upon the rivers
+and fountains of water, which may point to those places adjacent
+to Rome, as Italy and Savoy; and as the third trumpet brought the
+Huns into those parts; so this vial will bring in large armies
+hither, which will <a name="page78"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+78</span>cause much bloodshed, and a great revolution in church
+and state.&nbsp; The fourth vial will be poured out upon the sun,
+which must denote some person or persons of great dignity and
+influence, and as the fourth trumpet brought destruction upon the
+Emperor of Rome, the sun of the empire, and upon governors under
+him, signified by the moon and stars; this vial will bring on the
+ruin of the pope of Rome, the sun of the antichristian empire,
+with all his cardinals, bishops, priests, etc.&nbsp; The fifth
+vial will be poured out upon the seat of the beast, which is
+Rome, the seat that the devil gave to the beast, and will produce
+great darkness in his kingdom; though as yet it will not be
+utterly destroyed, which is reserved to the seventh vial.&nbsp;
+Now these several vials as they will be so many plagues on the
+western Antichrist, and make so many breaches and ruins upon his
+states and dominions, so they will be so many gradual steps to
+the <a name="page79"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+79</span>advancement of the glory and kingdom of Christ, and
+issue in the reformation of these places from popery.&nbsp; The
+sixth vial will be poured out on the river Euphrates, which
+designs the Turkish empire, in the midst of which that river is;
+and as the sixth trumpet let loose the four angels, or heads of
+the Ottoman family into Europe, so this vial affects the same
+empire and brings destruction on it, signified by the drying up
+of the waters of that river, as Babylon&rsquo;s destruction is
+expressed by the drying up of her sea, Jer. li. 36, which will
+make way for the king, or kingdoms of the East; the kingdoms of
+Persia and Tartary and others, to receive and embrace the
+Christian religion: this is the second, or Turkish woe, which
+shall pass away; when the kingdoms of this world will become
+Christ&rsquo;s and his dominion will be from sea to sea, from the
+Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Sea; and from the river
+Euphrates to <a name="page80"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+80</span>the ends of the earth.&nbsp; The seventh vial will be
+poured out upon the air, the whole kingdom of Satan, in all the
+branches of it, who is the prince of the power of the air; and
+this vial will clear the whole world of all the remains of
+Christ&rsquo;s enemies, pagan, papal, and Mahometon, which the
+other vials left or did not reach; and now will Christ&rsquo;s
+kingdom be in its full glory.&nbsp; Now the heathens, papists,
+pagans and Mahometans, will perish out of this land and these
+sorts of sinners will be consumed out of the earth and such
+wicked ones will be no more.</p>
+<p>God will make a short work in righteousness, upon the enemies
+of his church: as yet I take it, none of them are poured out,
+though some great and learned men have so thought; as yet there
+have been no such devastations on the continent, as in France and
+Germany, as to produce the above effects; nor in the countries of
+Spain and Portugal; nor in Italy and Savoy, <a
+name="page81"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 81</span>and like the
+places near Rome, nor in the seat of the beast, Rome itself; nor
+on the Pope and his cardinals; the river Euphrates is not dried
+up; the Ottoman empire is yet in being; the Turkish woe is not
+passed away; and much less the world cleared of all the enemies
+of Christ and his church; no, before this work is done, the outer
+court must be given to the Gentiles, and the witnesses must be
+slain.&nbsp; Had they begun to be poured out at the time of the
+reformation, as some have thought, in all likelihood they would
+have been finished before now; and Antichrist would have been
+destroyed, and better times than we are now in would have
+succeeded; but, however, this we may be assured of, that as the
+plagues in Egypt issued in the destruction of Pharaoh, and in the
+deliverance of the Israelites, so these vials will end in the
+ruin of Antichrist, and in the salvation of the church of
+Christ.&nbsp; As soon as these things will take place, <a
+name="page82"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 82</span>nay, as soon
+as you hear of those seven plagues, immediately you hear of
+persons on a sea of glass, triumphing over Antichrist, having the
+harps of God, and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb: and no
+sooner it is said, that Babylon is fallen, but voices are heard
+in heaven ascribing salvation, glory, honour and power to God,
+for his judgments on the great whore; declaring that the Lord God
+omnipotent reigneth; that the marriage of the Lamb is come; and
+his bride made ready; and proclaiming them happy that are called
+to the marriage-supper of the Lamb; all which respect the
+spiritual reign of Christ, now introduced by the ruin of
+Antichrist.</p>
+<p>There will be very large conversions every where, in the
+several parts of the world: in all popish countries and
+antichristian states; even the ten kings that have given their
+kingdoms to the beast, have been associates of Antichrist and
+reigned with him, shall <a name="page83"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 83</span>withdraw from him; they and their
+subjects shall revolt from him, and be converted, and embrace the
+pure gospel: as it will be the christian princes and potentates
+that will pour out the seven vials on Antichrist, they will carry
+the gospel with them wherever they go; or, however, the ministers
+of it will follow closely at their heels, way being made by the
+former for them; whose ministry will meet with great success
+every where, and those that escape the judgments of God in these
+nations, will not only be affrighted at them, but will be truly
+converted by the gospel and give glory to the God of
+heaven.&nbsp; In the Mahometan nations, the Turkish woe being
+past and that empire being destroyed and way made for the gospel
+to be carried into the eastern kingdoms, great and large
+conversions will be made by it; there is a most glaring prophecy
+of this in Isa. lx. 7., which whole chapter concerns the
+spiritual and personal <a name="page84"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 84</span>reign of Christ; all the flocks of
+Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth
+shall minister unto thee; they shall come up with acceptance on
+mine altar and I will glorify the house of my glory.&nbsp; Now
+Kedar and Nebaioth were the sons of Ishmael, Gen. xxv. 13., who
+settled in Arabia, the country now possessed by the Turks; so
+that this is a prophecy of the conversion of multitudes in those
+parts, whereby the interest of Christ will be increased and his
+church glorified.&nbsp; Moreover, in all Pagan countries the
+gospel will make its way, and be successful; the covering and
+veil of blindness and ignorance, cast and spread over all people
+and nations, will be removed by it; not only the darkness of
+popery and Mahometanism, but the gross darkness of paganism shall
+flee away at the light and brightness of Zion&rsquo;s rising; the
+Gentiles shall come to it; the fulness and forces of them shall
+be brought <a name="page85"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+85</span>into the church, being converted by the word: and not
+only vast multitudes of the common people but great personages
+also; kings shall be enlightened by it; these shall come to
+Christ, fall down before him and worship him; these shall come
+into his church and become members of it; kings shall be nursing
+fathers and queens nursing mothers to his people; they shall
+bring their riches, honour, and glory into his house; and his
+saints shall suck the breasts of kings, be enriched, honoured and
+protected by them.&nbsp; This will be the time when the kingdom
+and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole
+heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most
+High; not that there will be any change or alteration in the form
+and order of civil government, which will be the same as now;
+there will be kings and queens then, as at this time, as these
+prophecies show, it will not be until the personal <a
+name="page86"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 86</span>reign of
+Christ takes place, that all rule, authority and power, will be
+put down: civil magistracy in the spiritual reign will continue
+as it is; only it will change hands, it will be entirely in the
+hands of christian kings and princes all the world over; and no
+doubt but it will be better exercised, be more orderly and
+regular; and that truth and righteousness will prevail every
+where.&nbsp; But I must not forget the conversion of that
+considerable body of people the Jews, who have been preserved a
+distinct people for several hundreds of years for this purpose;
+the conversion of these people will be sudden and of them
+altogether a nation shall be born at once.&nbsp; It looks as if
+their conversion would be like that of the apostle Paul, and he
+seems to hint that it will, when he says, that he, in obtaining
+mercy, was a pattern to them which should hereafter believe;
+meaning, perhaps, his own countrymen that should believe <a
+name="page87"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 87</span>in Christ in
+the latter day, whose conversion would be similar to his; that as
+his conversion was sudden, in the midst of all his ignorance,
+unbelief, and rebellion, and without the word, by the immediate
+power and grace of God, so will theirs be in like manner: nor is
+it likely that their conversion should be by means of the word,
+since there is such an aversion in that people to the hearing of
+it; and a rare thing it is to see a Jew in a Christian
+assembly.&nbsp; But, however, all Israel shall be called,
+converted, and saved; there is a famous prophecy of this in Hos.
+iii. 4, 5., in the first of these verses it is said, the children
+of Israel shall abide many days without a king and without a
+prince; without any civil government of their own, the sceptre
+having departed from them many hundred years ago; and without
+sacrifice; daily or yearly, or on any occasion: they believing it
+to be unlawful to sacrifice any where but in <a
+name="page88"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 88</span>their own
+land, and at Jerusalem, and on the altar of God there; and
+without an image, and without an ephod, and without seraphim;
+without any manner of idols, or idol-worship; they being not
+addicted to idolatry, since their return from the Babylonish
+captivity: and now as all these things are exactly fulfilled in
+them, so will in like manner that which follows: afterwards shall
+the children of Israel return: by faith and repentance, from
+their evil way, from their impenitence and unbelief, and
+rejection of the Messiah, and seek the Lord their God, and David
+their king; the Messiah, the son of David, their king, as their
+own <i>Targum</i> paraphrases it; and shall fear the Lord and his
+goodness in the latter days; in the spiritual reign of Christ;
+and it is hinted as in the Philadelphian state, Rev. iii. 9, then
+will the children of Israel appoint themselves one head, which is
+Christ, whom they will own and acknowledge to be their head,
+lord, and <a name="page89"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+89</span>king; and they shall come out of the land, or countries
+where they are, to their own land, and great shall be the day of
+Jezreel: and this will make a considerable part of the glory of
+Christ&rsquo;s spiritual kingdom.</p>
+<p>The light of the gospel, both in the preachers and professors
+of it, will be very great, clear, and distinct; the light of the
+moon, as in the present dispensation to which it may be compared,
+shall be as the light of the sun, to which that dispensation
+shall be like; and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as
+the light of seven days: as if the light of seven days were
+collected together, and shone out at once; hyperbolical
+expressions, setting forth the exceeding greatness of gospel
+light in those times: not only the watchmen, ministers of the
+word, shall see eye to eye, all truths clearly and distinctly,
+but their ideas and sentiments shall be regular and uniform;
+there will be an entire harmony and agreement <a
+name="page90"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 90</span>between them;
+and even private Christians, common members, shall all know the
+Lord, and the things of the gospel, in a very clear and
+comfortable manner, even from the least of them unto the greatest
+of them; when God shall lay Zion&rsquo;s stones with fair
+colours, and her foundation with sapphires, make her windows of
+agates, and her gates of carbuncles, and all her borders of
+pleasant stones; then all her children shall be taught of God, to
+such a degree as they never were before, so clearly, fully and
+universally.</p>
+<p>Brotherly love, which is now waxed cold, will be in its height
+and glory, agreeable to the name of this state, Philadelphia,
+which signifies brotherly love: there will be no more
+contentions, animosities, and quarrels: Ephraim shall not envy
+Judah on account of pre-eminence of office, gifts and grace; and
+Judah shall not envy Ephraim, by any haughty or overbearing
+carriage, or with wrangling debates and <a
+name="page91"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 91</span>opprobrious
+language: the two sticks of Ephraim and Judah shall be one in the
+hand of the Lord; there will be perfect harmony and love, nothing
+to disturb, distress, and make uneasy, or tend to alienate the
+affections of one from another; there will be no pricking briars
+nor grieving thorns among them; they will be like the first
+Christians, of one heart and of one mind, and of one judgment,
+all studying to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of
+peace.</p>
+<p>Holiness, which becomes the house of God for ever, will now
+adorn every member in it; nor will there be such immorality in
+the world as at this present time: holiness will be as common as
+profaneness is now; in that day there shall be upon the bells of
+the horses holiness to the Lord&mdash;yea, every pot in Jerusalem
+and in Judah, shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts: Christ
+therefore takes his titles in writing to the church at
+Philadelphia, the emblem of the spiritual reign, suitable to its
+<a name="page92"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 92</span>state; as
+truth and holiness shall then prevail, he addresses it thus,
+these things saith he that is holy, he that is true; truth and
+holiness go together; truth influences the heart, and that the
+life and conversation.</p>
+<p>There will be great peace and prosperity of all kinds, inward
+and outward, spiritual and temporal; in these days of the
+Messiah&rsquo;s spiritual reign, shall the righteous flourish;
+and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth: as the
+saints will enjoy great peace of conscience and tranquillity of
+mind so they will have nothing to disturb them without; there
+will be no more persecution; there will be none to hurt or
+destroy in all the Lord&rsquo;s holy mountain, as there will be
+no discord among themselves, so no distress from any enemies,
+violence shall no more be heard in their land, nor wasting and
+destruction within their border.&nbsp; O happy, halcyon
+days!&nbsp; I go on to observe,</p>
+<p>There will be a personal appearance <a name="page93"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 93</span>of the Son of God, and a glorious one
+it will be: he will personally appear; the Lord himself shall
+descend, not by his spirit, or by the communication of his grace,
+or by his gracious presence, as before; but in person he will
+descend from the third heaven, where he is, in our nature, into
+the air, where he will be visible; every eye shall see him, when
+he cometh with clouds, or in the clouds of heaven, which will be
+his chariot; he will descend on earth et the proper time; and his
+feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives; on that spot of ground
+from whence he ascended to heaven.&nbsp; Job seems to have this
+descent of his in view when he says, he shall stand at the latter
+day upon the earth; which seems to respect not so much his first
+coming as his second; since it is connected with the resurrection
+of the dead.</p>
+<p>This appearance of Christ will be a very glorious one: it is
+called the <a name="page94"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+94</span>glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour
+Jesus Christ.</p>
+<p>Happy are those that belong to this city, who are
+fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
+whose citizenship is in heaven, and they have a right to enter in
+through the gates into the holy city, the new Jerusalem; but
+miserable will these be that will be without, for without are
+dogs: and then he that is unjust, will be unjust still; and he
+that is filthy, will be filthy still; and he that is righteous,
+will be righteous still; and he that is holy, will be holy
+still.</p>
+<p><i>Sermon from Psalm</i> lxxxvii. 3, <i>preached Dec.</i> 27,
+1752.</p>
+<div class="gapspace">&nbsp;</div>
+<p><a name="page95"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 95</span><i>An
+Extraordinary Prediction relating to the Downfall of the House of
+Bourbon and the House of Austria</i>.</p>
+<h2>RELATED BY MR. JOHN WESLEY.</h2>
+<p>A <span class="smcap">little</span> before the conclusion of
+the late war in Flanders, one who came from thence gave us a very
+strange relation; I knew not what judgment to form of this, but
+waited till John Haim should come over, of whose veracity I could
+no more doubt than of his understanding.&nbsp; The account he
+gave was this; Jonathan Pyrah was a member of our society in
+Flanders, I knew him some years, and knew him to be a man of an
+unblameable character.&nbsp; One day he was summoned to appear
+before the Board of General Officers; one of them said, What is
+this we hear of you? we hear you have turned Prophet, and that
+you foretell <a name="page96"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+96</span>the downfall of the bloody house of Bourbon, and the
+haughty house of Austria; we should be glad if you were a real
+Prophet, and if your prophecies came true; but what sign do you
+give to convince us you are so, and that your predictions will
+come to pass?&nbsp; He readily answered, Gentlemen, I give you a
+sign: to-morrow, at twelve o&rsquo;clock, you shall have such a
+storm of thunder and lightning as you never had before since you
+came into Flanders.&nbsp; I give you a second sign: as little as
+any of you except any such thing, as little appearance of it as
+there is now, you shall have a general engagement with the French
+within three days.&nbsp; I give you a third sign: I shall be
+ordered to advance in the first line; if I am a false Prophet I
+shall be shot dead at the first discharge, but if I am a true
+Prophet I shall only receive a musket-ball in the calf of my left
+leg.&nbsp; At twelve the <a name="page97"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 97</span>next day there was such thunder and
+lightning as they never had in Flanders; on the third day,
+contrary to all expectation, was the general battle of Fontenoy;
+he was ordered to advance in the first line, and at the very
+first discharge he did receive a musket-ball in the calf of his
+left leg.</p>
+<p>When the war was over he returned to England, but the story
+was got here before him, in consequence of which he was sent for
+by the countess of Stair, and several other persons of quality,
+who were desirous of hearing so surprising an account from his
+own mouth.&nbsp; He could not bear so much honour; it quite
+turned his brain.&nbsp; In a little time he went stark mad, and
+so he continues to this day, living still, as I apprehend, on
+Wibsey Moor Side, within a few miles of Bradford.</p>
+<p>So much for this military Prophet.&nbsp; Mr. Wesley remarks in
+a note that he is since dead; but we are not able to <a
+name="page98"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 98</span>ascertain
+whether there be any account of him and his predictions in the
+papers or other periodical publications of that time.&nbsp; If
+any gentleman is in possession of information on this subject,
+the intelligence is worth communicating to the public.</p>
+<p>Part of this prophecy being fulfilled, the objects in view to
+be obtained by a publication are, what was the exact prophecy?
+whether the several circumstances mentioned did take place.</p>
+<h2><a name="page99"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+99</span>PROPHECIES<br />
+OF<br />
+MOTHER SHIPTON,<br />
+AND<br />
+MARTHA,<br />
+THE GIPSY.</h2>
+<div class="gapspace">&nbsp;</div>
+<p style="text-align: center"><span
+class="GutSmall">LONDON:</span><br />
+<span class="GutSmall"><i>PUBLISHED FOR THE
+BOOKSELLERS</i></span><span class="GutSmall">.</span></p>
+<h2><a name="page103"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+103</span><span class="GutSmall">THE</span><br />
+<span class="GutSmall">LIFE AND PROPHECIES</span><br />
+<span class="GutSmall">OF</span><br />
+MOTHER SHIPTON.</h2>
+<p><span class="smcap">In</span> the second year of the reign of
+Henry VII., which was the year 1486, there lived a woman called
+Agatha Shipton, at a place called Knaresborough, in
+Yorkshire.&nbsp; She came of poor parentage, who died and left
+her, at the age of fifteen, destitute.&nbsp; After their decease,
+she still lived in the old <a name="page104"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 104</span>house; but being now deprived of
+those helps she formerly enjoyed, she was obliged to seek relief
+from the parish; which she did, but with so much regret and
+grief, that she seemed in her begging rather to command alms,
+than in a humble manner to desire it.</p>
+<p>Satan looked on her poverty to be great, and knowing her evil
+inclination (for you must understand that Satan is a good
+scholar), and perceiving that she was willing to accept of any
+proposition to change her condition, he, one time, as she was
+sitting melancholy under a tree by a river side, accosted her in
+the form of a very handsome young man.&nbsp; &ldquo;Pretty
+maid,&rdquo; said he, &ldquo;why so sad? thy age is too tender
+for thy head to be troubled with the cares of the world; come,
+tell me what is the matter, and if it lie within <a
+name="page105"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 105</span>my power to
+assist thee, as I am sure it doth, thou shalt not want a friend
+of me.&rdquo;</p>
+<p>Agatha cast up her eyes, and seeing a face so lovely, could
+not suspect Satan hid in that comely shape, whereupon, in a
+lamentable tone, she expressed all that troubled her, informing
+him of her great wants, and that, not knowing how to work, she
+could not provide what her necessities required.&nbsp;
+&ldquo;Pish,&rdquo; said Satan &ldquo;this is nothing; be ruled
+by me, and all shall be well.&rdquo;&nbsp; She told him she
+would.&nbsp; Hereupon, he ordered her to meet him at the same
+place the next day, and he would bring some friends along with
+him; for he told her he resolved to marry her.&nbsp; She promised
+him she would; and accordingly they met.&nbsp; He came riding
+upon a stately <a name="page106"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+106</span>horse, with a pillion behind him for his spouse,
+attended by a great many gallants (as they appeared), well
+mounted, and in a noble equipage.</p>
+<p>Satan&rsquo;s attendants soon conveyed his mistress behind
+him; she not in the least doubting the reality of all she
+saw.</p>
+<p>They needed neither switch nor spur to hasten them forward,
+the horses were fiery enough of themselves, and ran with that
+swiftness, that the wind could not overtake them in their full
+speed: soon they arrived at their journey&rsquo;s end, where
+seemed to be a very stately house, with a pair of great gates,
+which, at their approach, was opened by a porter in his livery
+gown.&nbsp; Alighting, she went in, where she saw a great many
+servants, who seemed, at the sight of her and their master, to
+show much respect and obeisance.</p>
+<p><a name="page107"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 107</span>Now
+did Satan command rich garments to be brought, which she was
+immediately clothed with; and being thus richly attired, she was
+ushered into a great hall, where was a long table, furnished with
+all the varieties the whole world could afford; at the upper end
+of which table she was placed, next to her intended husband: all
+the rest of the guests placed themselves as they thought
+fit.&nbsp; As they had the choicest cheer, so they had the best
+of wines, and sweetest music.</p>
+<p>Dinner being ended, they fell to dancing; and now Satan told
+her he was no mortal, but spirit, immaterial, and not burdened by
+a body, nor hindered by any material thing; &ldquo;So that I can,
+when I please, pierce through the earth, and ransack its
+treasures, and bring what precious thing I please from thence to
+bestow on those that serve <a name="page108"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 108</span>me.&nbsp; I know all rare arts and
+sciences, and can teach them to whom I please.&nbsp; I can
+disturb the elements, stir up thunders and lightnings, destroy
+the best of things which were created for the use of man, and can
+appear in what shape or form I please.&nbsp; It will take too
+long to describe my power, or tell you what I can do; but I will
+only tell thee what thou shalt do.&nbsp; That being done, I will
+give thee power to raise hail, tempests, with lightning and
+thunder; the winds shall be at thy command, and shall bear thee
+whither thou art willing to go, though ever so far off, and shall
+bring thee back again when thou hast a mind to return.&nbsp; The
+hidden treasures of the earth shall be at thy disposal and
+pleasure, and nothing shall be wanting to complete thy happiness
+here.&nbsp; Thou shalt, moreover, heal or kill whom thou
+pleaseth; <a name="page109"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+109</span>destroy or preserve either man or beast; know what is
+passed, and assuredly tell what is to come.&rdquo;&nbsp; Here
+note, by the way, Satan is a liar from the beginning, and will
+promise more by ten millions than he knows he is capable of
+performing, to the intent that he may ensnare a soul.</p>
+<p>This poor ignorant wretch easily believed what this grand
+deceiver of mankind told her, and being ravished with the
+thoughts of being so highly preferred, she condescended to all
+Satan would have her do, whereupon he bid her say after him in
+this manner: <i>Raziel ellimiham mir amwish ziragia
+Psonthonphanchia Raphaelel have run a tapinot am becaz mitzphecat
+jarid cuman hapheah Gabriel Heydon turris dungeonis
+philonomostarkes sophecord hankim</i>.&nbsp; After she had
+repeated these words after him, he bid her say after <a
+name="page110"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 110</span>him again:
+<i>Kametzeatuph Odel Pheraz Tumbag in Gall Flemmugen Victow
+Denmarkeonto</i>.&nbsp; Having finished his last wicked speech,
+which even the chief of his minions understood not, and of which
+none but Satan himself can pick out the meaning, it thundered so
+horridly that every clap seemed as if the vaulted roof of heaven
+had cracked, and was tumbling down on her head; and withal, that
+stately palace, which she thought she was then in, vanished in a
+thrice; so did her sumptuous apparel: and now her eyes being
+opened, she found herself in a dark dolesome wood, a place,
+which, from the creation, had scarce ever enjoyed the benefit of
+one single sun-beam.&nbsp; Whilst she was thinking in what course
+to steer, in order to return, two flaming fiery dragons appeared
+before her, tied to a chariot, and as she was <a
+name="page111"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 111</span>consulting
+with herself what was best to be done, she was insensibly hoisted
+into it, and with speed unimaginable, conveyed through the air to
+her own poor cottage.</p>
+<p>Being come home, the neighbours flocked around her, having
+missed her for two or three days, shrewdly suspecting some
+mischief had befallen her; but when they beheld her face, they
+were all amazed to see such a strange alteration in her
+countenance in so short a time!&nbsp; Before she met Satan she
+looked healthy, but now that red plumpness had vanished, there
+was nothing to be seen but a pale shrivelled skin on her cheek,
+which, for want of flesh seemed to fall into her mouth, to be
+devoured by her hunger-starved jaws.&nbsp; Those about her, who
+were charitable-minded, pitied her, <a name="page112"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 112</span>comforted, and gave her money,
+which, with a great deal of disdain and scorn, she threw at them,
+saying, she wanted not, nor stood in need of their alms,
+&ldquo;for here,&rdquo; said she, &ldquo;is money enough,&rdquo;
+plucking her hand out of her pocket; the people near her
+discovered that what was in her hands was nothing else but some
+aspen-leaves, and notwithstanding they endeavoured to persuade
+her that she was mistaken in supposing that to be money, yet she
+would not believe them, so strong a power had Satan gotten over
+her already.</p>
+<p>In fine, she bid them all begone, for now she began to take
+little delight in human society; it was not long that they had
+left her, before Satan came in to see her, in the same handsome
+young form as he first appeared unto her, telling her that he
+came to supply <a name="page113"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+113</span>the company of those she had wisely dismissed; that she
+needed not the society of any human creature, for he would not
+fail to be constantly with her: always bringing with him what
+should not only serve for a bare livelihood, but be her delight,
+pleasure, and satisfaction: hereupon, by Satan&rsquo;s command,
+there instantly seemingly appeared a complete noise of music,
+with a great variety of dishes of meat of the choicest and most
+pleasing sort, which so ravished Agatha that she fell to the
+ground in a profound and deep trance.&nbsp; One of the neighbours
+coming in at this time, wondered to see Agatha lying on the floor
+motionless; however, out of pity, she endeavoured to awaken
+Agatha; but using what means she could, it all signified nothing;
+she shook and pinched her, yet still <a name="page114"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 114</span>she lay insensible.&nbsp; This woman
+being strangely amazed, ran out among the rest of the neighbours,
+crying out poor Agatha Shipton was suddenly struck dead, and
+desired them to go into the house with her, and be eye-witnesses
+of the truth; whereupon several went, and found what this woman
+said to be seemingly true; but one wiser than the rest, stooped
+down, and perceiving that she breathed, said, &ldquo;Friends, ye
+are all mistaken; Agatha is not dead, but in a trance, or else
+she is bewitched.&rdquo;&nbsp; She had scarcely uttered these
+words before Agatha began to stir, and soon after, raising
+herself on her legs, cried out in a very distracted tone,
+&ldquo;What do you here, vile wretches!&nbsp; Cannot I enjoy my
+pleasures, but ye must be eaves-dropping?&nbsp; Get ye gone, ye
+have nothing to do here;&rdquo; and hereupon she <a
+name="page115"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 115</span>fell a
+dancing; which they wondered at because they could hear no
+music.&nbsp; At length, Agatha turned about, and seeing they were
+not gone, said, &ldquo;If you are resolved thus to disturb me,
+and will not go, I will make ye.&rdquo;&nbsp; This somewhat
+affrighted them, for they now verily believed she was a witch,
+and as they were hastening away, with all imaginable speed, a
+sudden strong wind hoisted them to a great height into the air,
+falling all to the ground again without the least harm, the men
+were like overgrown goats, with large horns on their heads, and
+the women riding on their backs, which sight, as they produced
+inexpressible wonder, so amidst their amazement they could not
+but burst out into excessive laughter.</p>
+<p>This wonderful and unexpected <a name="page116"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 116</span>exploit was instantly noised all
+about the country, and occasioned a great resort of people to the
+place where Agatha lived; which so perplexed her by their
+undesired visits, that she resolved within herself to be revenged
+on some of them; which by Satan&rsquo;s help she effected: one
+had a horse that died suddenly, and being opened, there was found
+in his stomach fish-hooks and hair, instead of hay and oats;
+another going to sit down at table with persons of good quality,
+at dinner-time, and thinking himself very spruce and fine, had in
+an instant his ruff pulled off his neck, and the seat of a house
+of office clapped on in its place: he that sat next to him
+breaking out in a great laughter at the sight thereof, was served
+a little better, for his hat was invisibly conveyed away, and the
+kitchen <a name="page117"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+117</span>pan put on instead thereof; a modest young gentlewoman,
+who did sit at the table at that time, and was come on no other
+errand but to see this young witch, which was so much talked of,
+looking on these two worthy spectacles of laughter, endeavouring
+all she could to refrain from laughing, but could not for above a
+quarter of an hour: this made them all laugh so extremely, that
+the master of the house was alarmed, and being desirous to share
+with his guests in their mirth, came running upstairs as fast as
+his legs could carry him; when about to enter the door, he could
+not, and no wonder, since the oldest man living never saw a
+larger pair of horns than he had on his head.</p>
+<p>Whilst they were gazing one on another, more than half
+distracted, they were reduced to the same condition <a
+name="page118"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 118</span>they were
+in before; after which there followed a noise, as if a hundred
+persons were laughing together, but nothing at all was seen.</p>
+<p>These persons fearing something worse might befall them if
+they stayed any longer, made all the haste they could to be
+gone.&nbsp; Agatha knowing their intent, resolved to take her
+farewell of them by serving them one trick more, which was this:
+As they were about to mount on horseback, they were pelted with
+rotten apples and filth.&nbsp; As they rode through the town,
+such as thought they rode singly, were all observed to have
+behind them, each man, a deformed old woman; and as their faces
+differed all one from another, so did their habits, which were
+all tattered and ragged, and patched with a hundred
+colours.&nbsp; Fear, shame, <a name="page119"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 119</span>and the hooting of the people, made
+them put spurs to their horses, neither did they forbear the
+whip, nor anything that might add speed to their horses&rsquo;
+heels, so that it may be said, they rather flew than rode.</p>
+<p>Coming home, they declared what wonderful things they had seen
+performed, though by a young one, yet as they believed, the
+greatest witch in the world.&nbsp; This news being so generally
+spread, came at length to the ears of the justices, who now
+thought it high time to question and bring to examination a
+person that was so much talked of, and might, if let alone, do a
+great deal of mischief.&nbsp; Accordingly two stout fellows were
+despatched for her; they soon found her, and nothing daunted by
+her witcheries, they resolutely carried her before the justice,
+<a name="page120"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 120</span>where
+being brought, she, not a jot daunted, told him that she had more
+authority than he, and that notwithstanding his power, she could
+command one that could overrule him; that she was a princess, and
+could have at her back a thousand spirits of the air, and as many
+of the earth and water; that she could raise a tempest presently
+that should overturn his house about his ears, &ldquo;and that
+you may know it lies not in your power to detain me, three words
+will procure my liberty.&rdquo;&nbsp; Hereupon, she said,
+&ldquo;Updraxi, call Stygician Helluox!&rdquo;&nbsp; She had
+scarce uttered the last word, before there came in a horrid
+winged dragon, which immediately took her up, and carried her
+away from the amazed justice and the attendants about him, half
+dead with fear.</p>
+<p><a name="page121"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 121</span>This
+so affrighted all that heard of it, that none would undertake to
+meddle with her more, so that she had a considerable time of
+respite.&nbsp; But she now began to be more admired than before,
+being discovered to be enceinte.&nbsp; The people could not tell
+what to think, or who could be the father.&nbsp; While people
+were generally passing their verdict on Agatha, she was once
+taken and brought before a justice, and amongst other questions,
+was asked, whether she was enceinte?&nbsp; She acknowledged it;
+nay, further, that the father was no mortal wight.&nbsp; The
+justice gave no credit to what she said, as looking on her as an
+ignorant seduced woman; and so asked her what bail she could
+produce, intending to defer the business until she was
+delivered.&nbsp; In this very nick of time, two <a
+name="page122"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 122</span>gentlemen,
+as they appeared by their habits, voluntarily proffered
+themselves, but as soon as accepted for bail, vanished; however,
+Agatha had permission to go home.</p>
+<p>In course of time was born, Mother Shipton, which proved the
+conclusion of her miserable life.&nbsp; But her entry into the
+world was such a terror to all that beheld her, that several
+credible person then presented, have several times confessed that
+they have never beheld the like: such strange and horrible
+noises, that the persons about her could scarcely find so much
+courage in themselves as to continue in the place where she was;
+much less when they beheld the strange and unparalleled
+physiognomy of the child, which was so misshapen, that it is
+altogether impossible to express it <a name="page123"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 123</span>fully in words, or the most
+ingenious to describe her in colours, though many persons of
+eminent qualifications in that art have often attempted it, but
+without success; therefore, according to the best observations of
+her, take this true, though not full, account of her features and
+body.&nbsp; She was of an indifferent height, but very morose and
+big-boned; her head very long, with very great goggling, but
+sharp and fiery eyes; her nose of an incredible and
+unproportionable length, having in it many crooks and turnings,
+adorned with many strange pimples of divers colours, as red and
+blue mixed, which, like vapours of brimstone, gave such a lustre
+to the affrighted spectators in the dead time of the night, that
+one of them confessed several times, that her nurse needed no
+other light to assist her in the <a name="page124"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 124</span>performance of her duty: her cheeks
+were of a black swarthy complexion, much like a mixture of the
+black yellow jaundice, wrinkled, shrivelled and very hollow;
+insomuch that as the ribs of her body, so the impression of her
+teeth was easily to be discerned though both sides of her face,
+answering one side to the other, like the notches in a valley,
+excepting only two of them, which stood quite out of her mouth,
+in imitation of the tusks of a wild boar, or tooth of an
+elephant, a thing so strange in an infant, that no age can
+parallel: her chin was of the same complexion as her face,
+turning up her mouth; and shrieks being heard from an unknown
+cause, as if there had been more than an ordinary correspondence
+between her teeth and it.&nbsp; Her neck was so strangely
+distorted, that her right shoulder was <a
+name="page125"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 125</span>forced to
+be a supporter to her hood, it being propped up by her chin, so
+that the right side of her body stood lower than her left, like
+the reeling of a ship that sails with a side wind; again, her
+left side was quite turned the contrary way, as if her body had
+been screwed together piece after piece, and not rightly placed;
+her left shoulder hanging just perpendicular to the bottom of the
+back.&nbsp; Her legs were very crooked and misshapen; the toes of
+her feet looking towards her left side, so that it was very hard
+for any person (could she have stood up) to guess which road she
+intended to steer her course, because she never could look that
+way she resolved to go.</p>
+<p>After she had remained under the care of the nurse for a space
+of a month or thereabouts, she was put out to nurse <a
+name="page126"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 126</span>at the
+charge of the parish to a poor woman hard by in the town, where
+she continued for the space of half a year or thereabouts, the
+house not being in any way disturbed at all, till at last her
+nurse having been abroad with the chief of the parishioners,
+either to procure something of their charity for her subsistence
+and the maintenance of her family, or else to fetch her money
+from the overseers of the poor for nursing the child; and
+returning home to her house she found her door wide open, at
+which she, much amazed and affrighted, ran to her next neighbour
+and acquainted her she was quite undone, for her house was broken
+open and robbed.&nbsp; The man immediately rose from his dinner,
+accompanied by his wife and also a labouring man.&nbsp;
+Approaching the door, they endeavoured <a
+name="page127"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 127</span>to enter,
+but before they could all get in a very strange noise was heard
+in the next room to them, as if it had been a concert of cats,
+which so affrighted them that they all ran towards the door,
+endeavouring to get out again, but in vain; for at their approach
+there were great long yokes put about their necks, in the form of
+a cross or turnstile, so that they could not possibly return; and
+while they were thus striving and crying out for help, their
+yokes at last fell off, and a staff was laid upon the men&rsquo;s
+shoulders, upon which an old woman presented herself, sometimes
+hanging by the heels and sometimes by the toes.&nbsp; These
+sports continued for the space of half an hour, so that the poor
+men were never more tired nor less pleased at anything than in
+being constrained to humour this piece of activity.</p>
+<p><a name="page128"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 128</span>After
+they had got a discharge from this their new employment, the
+house being now quiet, and they had a little recovered their
+senses, missing the woman they ran further into the house, where
+they found them in a room in which stood a pair of yarwingles
+made in the form of a cross.&nbsp; The two women were forced to
+take the four ends thereof in their hands, and so danced round
+about one after the other until they were almost tired to death,
+carrying upon their shoulders an imp in the likeness of a monkey
+or ape, which hung close upon them; and whenever they slacked
+their pace, these spirits pricked them forward, continuing this
+for a considerable time, till at length they vanished quite out
+of sight, leaving these poor wretches no less weary than
+astonished, and who, perceiving <a name="page129"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 129</span>themselves at liberty, ran to
+several of the neighbours, acquainting them with what had
+happened, and causing great amazement amongst them; and
+immediately the whole town was in an uproar.&nbsp; The minister
+and several of the most eminent of the inhabitants consulted
+together upon the occasion what to do in the business; some of
+them threatening the informers, others thinking they were
+distracted, but at last they resolved to go to the house; yet
+when they came near there arose a dispute who should first enter,
+which at last was agreed upon; and the parson, with his
+congregation attending him in the rear, entered the door
+quivering and shaking, whereupon there was suddenly a noise like
+the treading of people on stones, though the house had no other
+but an earthen floor; and <a name="page130"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 130</span>very sweet musical harmony of
+several notes was heard, and all presently vanished again.&nbsp;
+The minister and inhabitants entered, and searching the house,
+missed the child; one of them looking up the chimney, saw the
+cradle wonderfully hanging up, three yards high, without any
+support; this was as strangely conveyed down again.&nbsp; They
+encouraged the nurse, left her in the house (though affrighted),
+and departed.</p>
+<p>Mother Shipton&rsquo;s nurse was, after this, sometimes in
+great perplexity, not knowing what was become of her for days
+together; but when she was in her greatest scare after her, she
+saw her oftentimes drop suddenly through the roof of the
+house.&nbsp; Going out, upon her return she many times found her
+child stretched out to a prodigious <a name="page131"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 131</span>length, taller than the tallest
+living, and at other times as much shortened.&nbsp; The poor
+woman&rsquo;s work for the major part, was only to rectify what
+these spirits disordered about her house.&nbsp; The chairs and
+stools would frequently march up stairs and down, and they
+usually played at bowls with the trenches and dishes: sometimes
+at dinner the meat would be removed before she could touch a bit;
+which things, as they much troubled the nurse, so they gave great
+satisfaction to Mother Shipton, as it appeared by her monstrous
+smiles.&nbsp; Now and then, to pacify her nurse, when she saw her
+much vexed, she would say, &ldquo;Be contented; there is nothing
+here that will harm you.&rdquo;</p>
+<p>To be short, the nurse was so continually terrified by these
+apparitions, that she resolved to complain to the <a
+name="page132"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 132</span>parish;
+and, having made known the truth of what had passed, in
+commiseration to the almost distracted woman, they removed Mother
+Shipton to another place, where she was put to school, being of
+an age fit for it.</p>
+<p>By this time Mother Shipton was grown a lusty girl, and as she
+was left to the care of the parish, so the parish took care that
+she should have the common sort of learning, that is to say,
+reading and writing, bestowed upon her.&nbsp; Coming to school
+her mistress began to instruct her as other children, beginning
+with three or four letters at first; but to the amazement and
+astonishment of her mistress, she exactly pronounced every letter
+in the alphabet without teaching; her mistress then showed her a
+primer, which she read at first sight as well as any in the <a
+name="page133"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 133</span>school, and
+so on with every book that was shown her.</p>
+<p>As this produced wonder in her schoolmistress, so it caused
+hatred and envy in her comrades; some flouted her for her
+monstrous long nose, others endeavoured to beat her, and all
+strove to harm her; but she valued them not, revenging herself on
+every one of them that intended her harm.&nbsp; Some were
+pinched, and yet no hand seen that did it; others struck
+speechless when they were about to say their lessons, not being
+able to utter a word; none escaped from being served one scurvy
+trick or other.&nbsp; This so enraged the parents of these
+children, looking on Mother Shipton as the sole cause thereof,
+that she was discharged from the school, and so left to the wide
+world.&nbsp; The singularities of Mother Shipton now began to <a
+name="page134"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 134</span>be talked
+of everywhere; she was often seen, when alone, to laugh heartily;
+at other times to talk to herself; uttering very strange riddles,
+which occasioned some of the more sober sort to converse with
+her, receiving such strange things from her, as required a long
+study to find out the meaning.</p>
+<p>Never a day passed, wherein she related not something very
+remarkable, and that required the most serious
+consideration.&nbsp; And now it was that people flocked far and
+near (her fame was so great), to be resolved of their doubts, all
+returning wonderfully satisfied in the explanations she gave to
+their questions.</p>
+<p>And now Mother Shipton, beginning to grow famous in the world
+for her notable judgment in things to come, there resorted to her
+house a number <a name="page135"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+135</span>of people of all sorts, both old and young, rich and
+poor, especially young maidens, who have always a great desire to
+know when they shall be married, as also, what manner of husbands
+they shall have, to which she gave such satisfactory answers,
+both for the person and time, that no sooner could a young maid
+get into her teens, but she would presently trot to Mother
+Shipton&rsquo;s, to be resolved of her doubt.&nbsp; Now though
+she was not mercenary herself, but refused great gifts when
+proffered unto her; yet did she keep a young wench, who, rather
+than fail, if they forgot to open their purse to her, would
+remember to open her mouth to them, and tell them, that neither
+Dame Shipton nor she could be maintained with thanks, but that
+the belly required meat to feed it; and that it was money <a
+name="page136"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 136</span>that made
+the mare to go.&nbsp; One day, there came a certain young heir
+thither, whose father was sick, to be resolved by her whether he
+should live or die; but Mother Shipton could by no means be
+wrought upon to tell him anything; whereupon he proffered the
+maid great store of money, if she could by any means persuade the
+dame to fulfil his request; the wench, greedy of money, promised
+him fair; that if he would come the next morning, he would be
+certain to be resolved; in the meantime, she importuned her dame
+with the most cunning rhetoric that she could invent; but she was
+deaf to all entreaties, and would by no means be induced thereto,
+whereupon the wench resolved with herself, rather than lose the
+money, to give him an answer of her own invention; when the next
+<a name="page137"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 137</span>morning
+came she performed her part in these words:&mdash;</p>
+<blockquote><p>&ldquo;The grave provided hath a room:<br />
+Prepare for death, thy hour is come.&rdquo;</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>The young gentleman having received this answer, went away
+very joyful, hoping presently to reap the golden crop which his
+father had sown, and to be in an instant possessor of all his
+vast estate; but the sequel proved quite contrary; for by the
+time he came home, great hopes of amendment appeared in his
+father, who each day grew better and better, so that in a short
+time he became perfectly well.&nbsp; This unexpected recovery of
+the old man struck such a damp into the young heir, that he
+presently took to his bed, fell extremely ill, and in a short
+time grew so much <a name="page138"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+138</span>worse that all the symptoms of a dying man appeared in
+him; the old man having no more children, was very desirous of
+his life; and to know whether he should recover, he sent to
+Mother Shipton, who, knowing by her art what her maid had done,
+severely chid her for the same, threatening to turn her out of
+her service.&nbsp; In the meantime the messenger was come to her
+house, who having delivered his errand returned back with this
+answer:&mdash;</p>
+<blockquote><p>&ldquo;For other&rsquo;s death who do gape out,<br
+/>
+Their own, unlook&rsquo;d for, comes about.&rdquo;</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>The old man having received this answer, was much troubled,
+thinking his own death predicted thereby, not imagining what his
+son had done: but he was soon quieted of that suspicion, <a
+name="page139"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 139</span>for within
+two days the young man died; when a servant (who knew the
+circumstance) informed him of the truth of the whole matter.</p>
+<p>At divers other times, when persons of quality came to visit
+her, she delivered the following prophecies:</p>
+<p>&ldquo;Before the Ouse Bridge and Trinity Church meets, they
+shall build it in the day and it shall fall in the night, until
+they get the highest stone of Trinity Church the lowest stone of
+Ouse Bridge.&rdquo;</p>
+<p>This came to pass; for Trinity steeple in York was blown down
+with a tempest, and Ouse Bridge broken down with a flood, and
+what they did in the day time in repairing the bridge fell down
+in the night, till at last they laid the highest stone of the
+steeple for the foundation of the Bridge.</p>
+<p><a name="page140"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+140</span>&ldquo;A time shall happen when a ship shall come
+sailing up the Thames, till it comes against London, and the
+master of the ship will ask the captain why he weeps, since he
+has made so good a voyage.&nbsp; And he will say, and what a good
+city this was, none in the world comparable to it, and now
+there&rsquo;s scarce a house left, that can let us drink for our
+money.&rdquo;</p>
+<p>These last words were sadly verified after the dreadful fire
+of London in 1666, when there was not a house left along the
+Thames side from the Tower to the Temple.</p>
+<p>About this time, some differences arising betwixt King Henry
+VIII. and the French king, great preparations for war were made
+in England, the drums beating in every county to summon voluntary
+valour to express itself in <a name="page141"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 141</span>defence of their king and
+country.&nbsp; Many heroic spirits who made honour their aim, not
+dreading dangers, now came forward, and indeed, so many appeared
+under Mars&rsquo; banner, that he who was furnished with limbs
+and an estate, and declined the service, was called a
+coward.&nbsp; There was then living in the North a young heir,
+who was newly come to his estate; one whose tongue was all fire,
+and his heart all ice; who would kill thousands by his words, but
+durst not venture to do anything in deeds; this gallant being by
+some of his equals pricked on to make his appearance in the field
+of Mars, and not to lie sleeping at home, when fame summoned him
+forth to action, knew not what to do in this case; loath was he
+to lose his loved life; and yet the aspersion of a coward, even
+to a coward <a name="page142"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+142</span>himself, is of all things most odious; he therefore
+promised that none should be more willing than he to spend his
+blood in the quarrel of that country from whence he received his
+dear life; but yet he resolved within himself not to set one step
+forward in that path of danger till he had first consulted with
+Mother Shipton, concerning what success he should have in his
+journey; if it was bad, he resolved by a feigned sickness to
+evade it; thinking it no good policy for a man to part with that
+life in an instant, which with great cost and care had been many
+years in bringing up.</p>
+<p>Hereupon he hastened to our Northern Prophetess, acquainted
+her with his condition, and very earnestly desired of her (as she
+to whom nothing was hid) that she would unfold to him whether <a
+name="page143"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 143</span>good or bad
+fortune should be his attendant in this his expedition.&nbsp;
+Mother Shipton, though she perceived his sheepish courage to be
+very unanswerable to that of a soldier, yet foreknowing what
+would come to pass, returned him the following answer: which
+without more ado, fully satisfied him to proceed, and performed
+what he had promised.</p>
+<p>&ldquo;When the English Lion shall set his paw on the Gallic
+shore, then shall the Lilies begin to drop for fear.&nbsp; There
+shall be much weeping and wailing amongst the ladies of that
+country: because the princely Eagle shall join with the Lion, to
+tread down all that shall oppose them; and though many
+sagittaries shall appear in defence of the Lilies, yet shall they
+not prevail; because the dull animal of the North shall <a
+name="page144"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 144</span>be put to
+confusion; and though it be his will, yet shall cause great shame
+unto them.&nbsp; Now shall the mitred Peacock first begin to
+plume, whose train shall make a great show in the world for a
+time, but shall afterwards vanish away, and his honour come to
+nothing; which shall take its end at Kingston.&rdquo;</p>
+<h3>Explanation.</h3>
+<p>By the &ldquo;English Lion&rdquo; was meant the King of
+England; and by setting his &ldquo;paw on the Gallic
+shore,&rdquo; the landing of his army in France; by the
+&ldquo;Lily beginning to drop for fear,&rdquo; was signified the
+great trouble and perplexity of the French, the Lilies being the
+arms of France; the &ldquo;weeping and wailing amongst the ladies
+of that <a name="page145"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+145</span>country,&rdquo; denotes the miseries and destruction
+incident to war; by the &ldquo;princely Eagle joining with the
+Lion, and treading down all that shall oppose them,&rdquo; is
+meant the German Emperor (whose arms were the Eagle) who joined
+in amity with King Henry, and served him in his wars; by the
+&ldquo;sagittaries that appeared in defence of the Lilies,&rdquo;
+were meant the French cavalry, the chief strength of France,
+consisting of horsemen, who appeared like sagittaries, that is to
+say, half men and half horses; and whereas it was said,
+&ldquo;yet they should not prevail,&rdquo; it fell out so
+accordingly; for notwithstanding all the opposition of the French
+armies, King Henry proceeded on vigorously, conquering and taking
+several towns of importance.&nbsp; But to come to that which most
+nearly concerns the <a name="page146"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 146</span>matter, viz., the success of our
+young heir in his expedition, which was hinted forth unto him in
+these words: &ldquo;Because the dull animal of the North shall
+put them to confusion, and though it be against his will, yet
+shall cause great shame unto them;&rdquo; by the dull animal of
+the North was meant this fresh-water soldier, who, according to
+the Prophecy, put the Frenchmen to confusion and great shame; for
+passing the seas with King Henry, being mounted on a stately
+horse, as both armies confronted each other, he being at the head
+of the battle, just before the charge, somebody striking his
+horse, he carried him upon the enemy with such violence, as put
+their front in some disorder, which being perceived by our men,
+they presently so seconded him that the French ran away, leaving
+<a name="page147"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 147</span>the
+English a glorious victory, purchased with little cost.</p>
+<p>By this means was Mother Shipton&rsquo;s predictions
+fulfilled, to the disgrace of the French, and great praise to the
+young gallant; for the rest of the Prophecy the interpretation
+runs thus:&mdash;</p>
+<p>By the &ldquo;mitred Peacock,&rdquo; was intended Cardinal
+Wolsey, signified by that bird, because of his great pride, who,
+being but a poor butcher&rsquo;s son of Ipswich, in Suffolk, grew
+to such a height, that he thought himself superior to the chief
+nobles of the land, living in such splendour as not to be
+paralleled; according to the new Prophecy, &ldquo;whose train
+shall make a great show in the world;&rdquo; and whereas it is
+said, &ldquo;the peacock should then begin to plume,&rdquo; so it
+was, that when King Henry had taken the city of Tournay, <a
+name="page148"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 148</span>in France,
+he made Wolsey bishop thereof, who soon after rose to the highest
+degree of honour a subject could be capable of, which afterwards
+(as the Prophecy says) &ldquo;vanished away, and his great honour
+came to nothing.&rdquo;&nbsp; And lastly, whereas it said, he
+should &ldquo;have his end at Kingston.&rdquo;&nbsp; The cardinal
+being told of this prophecy, would never pass through the town of
+Kingston, though lying directly in the road from his own house to
+the court; but afterwards being arrested for high treason, by the
+Earl of Northumberland, and Sir Anthony Kingston, the Lieutenant
+of the Tower, sent unto him, his very name (remembering the
+prophecy) struck such a terror to his heart that he soon after
+expired.</p>
+<p>Mother Shipton had now got a name far and near for a cunning
+woman, or <a name="page149"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+149</span>a woman of foresight, that her words were counted
+oracles, nor was she visited only by private persons, but advised
+with by people of the greatest quality.&nbsp; Among which number
+at that time was Cardinal Wolsey; when it was reported that he
+intended to live at York, she publicly said, &ldquo;He should
+never come thither,&rdquo; which, coming to his ears, and being
+offended, he caused three lords to go to her, who came disguised
+to Dringhouses, near York, where leaving their men, they took a
+guide to Mother Shipton&rsquo;s, and knocking at the door, she
+called from within, &ldquo;Come in, Mr. Besley (the guide), and
+these noble lords with you,&rdquo; which surprised them, that she
+should know them; for when they came in she called each of them
+by their names, and treated them with ale and cakes; <a
+name="page150"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 150</span>whereupon,
+said one of the lords, &ldquo;If you knew our errand you would
+not make so much of us; you said the cardinal should never see
+York.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;No,&rdquo; said she, &ldquo;I said he
+might see York but never come at it.&rdquo;&nbsp;
+&ldquo;Well,&rdquo; said the lords, &ldquo;when he does come thou
+shalt be burnt.&rdquo;&nbsp; Then, taking off her linen
+handkerchief from her head, she said, &ldquo;If this
+burns,&rdquo; and immediately flung it into the fire, but it did
+not burn; and after it had laid in the flames a quarter of an
+hour, she took it out again not so much as singed.&nbsp; One of
+the lords then asked her what she thought of him.&nbsp; &ldquo;My
+lord, the time will come when your lordship will be as low as I
+am, and that is low indeed,&rdquo; which proved true, for shortly
+after he was beheaded.</p>
+<p>Nor was her speech of the cardinal less verified; for coming
+to Cawood, he <a name="page151"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+151</span>went to the top of the tower and asked where York was,
+which being shown him, he inquired how far it was thither.&nbsp;
+For, quoth he, &ldquo;There was a witch said I should never see
+York.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;Nay,&rdquo; said one present,
+&ldquo;your eminence is misinformed; she said, you might see it,
+but never come at it.&rdquo;&nbsp; Then he vowed to burn her when
+he came there, which was but eight miles distant; but, behold, he
+was immediately sent for back by the king, and never
+returned.</p>
+<p>Mother Shipton&rsquo;s prediction coming thus effectually to
+pass, spread her fame far wider than it was; insomuch that many
+who before looked upon her as a crack-brained woman, now began to
+admire her, and to esteem her words as oracles.&nbsp; And as the
+nature of English people is rather to desire to know what is to
+come, than to seek to rectify <a name="page152"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 152</span>aught that is done amiss, so the
+greatest part of her visitants came only to be acquainted with
+what she knew would come to pass; of which number was the Abbot
+of Beverley, who fearing the downfall of religious houses, and a
+change of the religion then professed, putting on counterfeit
+clothes, came to Mother Shipton&rsquo;s, and knocking at the
+door, she being within, called to him, and said: &ldquo;Come in,
+Mr. Abbot, for you are not so much disguised but the fox may be
+seen through the sheep&rsquo;s skin.&nbsp; Come take a stool and
+sit down, for you shall not go away unsatisfied of what you
+desire,&rdquo; and thereupon she began to utter forth her
+Prophecies in this sort:&mdash;</p>
+<blockquote><p>&ldquo;When the cow doth wive the bull,<br />
+Then, oh! priest, beware thy skull!<br />
+And when the lower shrubs do fall,<br />
+The great trees quickly follow shall.<br />
+<a name="page153"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 153</span>The
+mitred Peacock&rsquo;s lofty pride<br />
+Shall to his master be a guide.<br />
+And one great court to pass shall bring<br />
+What was ne&rsquo;er done by any king.<br />
+The poor shall grieve to see that day,<br />
+And who did feast, must fast and pray.<br />
+Fate so decreed their overthrow,<br />
+Riches brought pride, and pride brought woe.&rdquo;</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>These prophecies were thus explained: by the
+&ldquo;Cow,&rdquo; was made King Henry, by reason of the Earldom
+of Richmond, which was his inheritance; and the
+&ldquo;Bull,&rdquo; betokened Anne Boleyn, whom the king took to
+wife in the room of Queen Catherine; her father gave the black
+bull&rsquo;s head in his cognizance; and when the king had
+married Queen Anne, then was fulfilled the second line of the
+prophecy, viz., &ldquo;Then, oh! priest, beware thy skull!&rdquo;
+for what a number of priests, religious and secular, lost their
+heads, for <a name="page154"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+154</span>offending against the laws, made to bring this matter
+to pass.</p>
+<p>Cardinal Wolsey (who was intended by the &ldquo;mitred
+Peacock&rdquo;), in the height of his pride and vastness of his
+undertakings, intending to erect two colleges, one at Ipswich,
+where he was born, the other at Oxford, where he was bred; and
+finding himself unable to endow them at his own charge, he
+obtained licence of Pope Clement VII. to suppress forty small
+monasteries in England, and to lay their old lands to his new
+foundations, which was done accordingly, and the poor people that
+lived in them were turned out of doors.&nbsp; Many of the clergy
+were very much against this action of Wolsey, especially John
+Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, alleging for the same an apologue of
+&AElig;sop, that &ldquo;the iron head of the axe <a
+name="page155"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 155</span>craved a
+handle of the wood of oaks, only to cut off the boughs of the
+trees: but when it was a complete axe it felled all the
+wood;&rdquo; applying it, that the suppressing of those smaller
+houses would prove destructive to all the rest, which came to
+pass accordingly; for King Henry, seeing the cardinal&rsquo;s
+power to extend so far as to suppress these lower shrubs, he
+thought his prerogative might stretch so far as to fell down the
+great trees; and soon after dissolved the priory of Christ
+Church, near Aldgate, in London (now known by the name of
+Duke&rsquo;s Place), the richest in lands and ornaments of the
+priories in London or Middlesex; which was a forerunner of the
+dissolution of the rest; and that not long after came to
+pass.</p>
+<p>By the &ldquo;Great Court,&rdquo; is meant the <a
+name="page156"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 156</span>Parliament,
+the supremest court of England; which, in the twenty-seventh year
+of King Henry&rsquo;s reign, to support the king&rsquo;s states,
+and supply his wants, conferred on the crown all religious houses
+which were not able clearly to expend above two hundred pounds a
+year; the great ones not long after following the same fortune of
+the smaller, which was not done (though attempted) by any king
+before.</p>
+<p>By the dissolution of these houses, many thousands were driven
+to seek their fortunes in the wide world, and became utterly
+exposed to want; when monkish profession was without possession,
+many a young man proved an old beggar, and many forced to fast
+for want of victuals, who formerly had it provided for them to
+their hands.</p>
+<p>The great riches and pride of the <a name="page157"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 157</span>monks and friars, was, no doubt, the
+main cause of their overthrow; for whatsoever was the pretence,
+questionless profit was the rope which pulled these religious
+houses down.</p>
+<p>All those things coming to pass before the abbot died, caused
+him to have a great esteem of Mother Shipton, and to value her
+prophecies more than ordinary conjectures; though at first he
+could not tell what to make of her ambiguous lines, which, like
+the oracles delivered at Delphos, rather brought one into a
+labyrinth of confused conjectures than satisfied the expectation,
+until by the clue of time, the riddles were manifest; and that
+which at first seemed so hard, now appeared to the understanding
+as easy; however, he at present kindly thanked Mother Shipton,
+and liberally rewarded her maid, <a name="page158"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 158</span>much admiring that she could be so
+clear-sighted as to see through his counterfeit dress; resolving
+afterwards to be more informed by her concerning future events,
+he at that time took his solemn leave of her, and returned
+home.</p>
+<p>Not long had the abbot been at home, but his abbey was visited
+by some instrument employed by the Lord Cromwell for that
+purpose.&nbsp; He who knew what was intended by this compliment
+thought it not safe to strive against the stream, and therefore
+quietly surrendered his monastery into the king&rsquo;s
+hands.&nbsp; And now perceiving Mother Shipton&rsquo;s prophecies
+plainly fulfilled in the downfall of those houses, which were
+judged to be impregnable against all the assaults of malice and
+time, considering the strange <a name="page159"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 159</span>revolution of so short a space, he
+was very desirous to be more fully informed of the future.&nbsp;
+In this resolution he repairs again to Mother Shipton, whom he
+now accosts more familiarly than he did before, making himself
+plainly known unto her; telling her that as what she had formerly
+spoken he had found to be true in the event, so his judgment
+persuaded him she was not ignorant of those things which were in
+the future to ensue; and therefore desired she would not be nice
+in imparting her foreknowledge to him; for which great favour,
+though it were more than his deserts could command, yet should
+there never in him be wanting a grateful tongue to acknowledge,
+and a grateful heart to be thankful unto her, for so great a
+favour.</p>
+<p>&ldquo;Mr. Abbot,&rdquo; said she, &ldquo;leave off <a
+name="page160"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+160</span>complimenting, as it is more fit for courtiers and
+lovers, and not agreeable to an old woman, who will neither
+flatter nor be flattered by any; and for what you came about, I
+shall not be squeamish to fulfil your request; let me therefore
+desire you to lend me your attention;&rdquo; and thereupon, after
+some short pause, she thus began&mdash;</p>
+<blockquote><p>&ldquo;A prince that never shall be born,<br />
+Shall make the shaved heads forlorn,<br />
+Then shall commons rise in arms,<br />
+And woman&rsquo;s malice cause much harms.&rdquo;</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>These lines being prophecies of the actions in King
+Edward&rsquo;s reign, for the reader&rsquo;s benefit we will
+unfold the meaning of them by themselves, that we may not too
+much burden his memory; but by variety add a pleasure to the
+reading of them.</p>
+<p>By the &ldquo;Prince that never shall be <a
+name="page161"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+161</span>born,&rdquo; is meant King Edward VI., of whom all
+reports agree that he was not naturally delivered into the world,
+but that his mother&rsquo;s body was opened for his birth, that
+she died of the operation the fourth day following: and by
+&ldquo;shaved heads,&rdquo; is understood the monks, friars,
+etc., who are said to become &ldquo;forlorn;&rdquo; the
+Reformation beginning with the commencement of King
+Edward&rsquo;s reign.</p>
+<p>King Edward set out certain injunctions for the reformation of
+religion; as the commissioners passed to divers places for the
+establishing of them, much scorn was passed upon them, and the
+farther they went from London, as the people were more uncivil,
+so did they the more rise into insolence and contempt; for in
+Cornwall, the commons flocked together, having killed <a
+name="page162"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 162</span>one of the
+commissioners, and although justice was done upon the offenders
+(the principal of them being executed in several places), yet
+could not their boldness be beaten down by that severity, but
+that the mischief spread farther.&nbsp; In Wiltshire and
+Somersetshire, where the people, supposing that a Commonwealth
+could not stand without commons, beat down enclosures, and laid
+parks and fields bare.&nbsp; The like commotions followed in
+Suffolk, Hampshire, Kent, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, and
+Rutlandshire, but the greatest of all was in Devonshire, and
+Norfolk.</p>
+<blockquote><p>&ldquo;A virtuous lady then shall die,<br />
+For being raised up too high;<br />
+Her death shall cause another&rsquo;s joy,<br />
+Who shall the kingdom much annoy.<br />
+Mitres shall rise, mitres come down,<br />
+And streams of blood shall Smithfield drown.<br />
+<a name="page163"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 163</span>England
+shall join in league with Spain,<br />
+Which some to hinder strive in vain,<br />
+The Lioness from life retires,<br />
+And pontifical priest expires.&rdquo;</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>The Lady Jane Gray, assuming the title of Queen upon her, for
+her offence lost her head.&nbsp; This Lady Jane was a woman of
+most rare and incomparable perfections; for besides her excellent
+beauty, she was the mirror of her time for religion and
+education, in the knowledge of the liberal sciences and skill in
+languages; and far exceeded all of her sex and years.</p>
+<p>The death of the Lady Jane was supposed to be a rejoicing to
+Queen Mary, and who, by restoring Popery, and the persecutions
+that the professors of the Gospel suffered in her time, is said
+to bring the kingdom to much annoy.</p>
+<p>By the &ldquo;Mitres,&rdquo; are meant the <a
+name="page164"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 164</span>bishops,
+who in the change of religion found great change; very few
+keeping their seats wherein they had been seated by King Edward
+VI.</p>
+<p>Great was the number of martyrs burned in Smithfield in this
+queen&rsquo;s reign, under the bloody hands of Bonner, Bishop of
+London, and Dr. Story, Dean of St. Paul&rsquo;s; the first
+persecuting by wholesale, the second by retail; the names of all
+those who in this place thus testified their faith by the loss of
+their lives, would be too long here to recite; the chief of them
+were Mr. John Rogers, Mr. John Bradford, Mr. Robert Glover,
+etc.</p>
+<p>Queen Mary intended to match herself with Philip, King of
+Spain; the news thereof of being spread amongst the people, was
+by them ill-resented, as dreading to be under the yoke of a <a
+name="page165"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 165</span>stranger;
+but all to no purpose, for soon afterwards they were married, to
+the mortification of the English.</p>
+<p>By the &ldquo;Lioness&rdquo; is meant Queen Mary, who having
+reigned five years and some odd months, died of a dropsy.</p>
+<p>The &ldquo;pontifical priest&rdquo; signifies Cardinal Pole,
+who expired within a few hours after the death of Queen
+Mary.&nbsp; This prelate was of princely extraction, his mother,
+Margret, being daughter to George Duke of Clarence; when he was
+young, he was brought up together with Queen Mary, and being a
+zealous Catholic, during King Edward&rsquo;s reign, suffered a
+voluntary exile for the same; when the marriage between Prince
+Philip and Queen Mary was made up, he returned into England, and
+was made Archbishop of Canterbury, but was more moderate than <a
+name="page166"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 166</span>some of his
+fellow bishops, having a favourable inclination towards the
+Protestants.</p>
+<blockquote><p>&ldquo;The Lion fierce being dead and gone,<br />
+A maiden Queen shall reign anon.<br />
+The Papal power shall bear no sway,<br />
+Rome&rsquo;s creed shall hence be swept away.<br />
+The western monarch&rsquo;s wooden horses<br />
+Shall be destroyed by the Drake&rsquo;s forces.<br />
+More wonders yet! a widowed Queen<br />
+In England shall be headless seen.<br />
+The Harp shall give a better sound.<br />
+An Earl without a head be found.<br />
+Soon after shall the English Rose<br />
+Unto a male her place dispose.&rdquo;</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>These lines being a prophecy of the most remarkable actions
+during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, are to be interpreted after
+this manner:</p>
+<p>Queen Mary is here meant, not so much for the cruelty done by
+her, as by the bishops and priests under her; in respect to the
+blood that was shed, and <a name="page167"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 167</span>the persecutions then suffered, she
+is here termed a fierce &ldquo;Lion;&rdquo; after whom is said,
+&ldquo;A maiden Queen to reign anon,&rdquo; meant by Queen
+Elizabeth, one who was the mirror of her age and sex, who for
+above forty years managed the affairs of this kingdom; having,
+when she began, few friends that durst help, and leaving no foes
+when she died that could hurt her; acting her part so well whilst
+here she reigned, that history can scarce afford us one prince to
+be matched to her fame in all considerable particulars.</p>
+<p>Soon after the queen coming to the crown, a Parliament began
+at Westminster, wherein the laws of King Henry VIII. against the
+see of &ldquo;Rome&rdquo; were renewed, and those of King Edward
+VI. in favour of the Protestants revived, and the laws by Queen
+Mary made against them, repealed.</p>
+<p><a name="page168"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+168</span>Uniformity of prayer and administration of sacrament
+were enacted, and the queen acknowledged to be the only and
+supreme governor of her kingdom.&nbsp; The people in each place
+beating down superstitious pictures and images, which misguided
+zeal had set up.</p>
+<p>By the &ldquo;western monarch&rsquo;s wooden horses,&rdquo; is
+meant the King of Spain&rsquo;s great Armada, by them termed
+invincible, though the success of it answered not the name; being
+by Sir Francis Drake and others fought with and really
+vanquished; most of it sunk, and the rest, destitute and
+scattered, being chased by our ships into the northern latitudes,
+and there left to be pursued by hunger and cold; a victory so
+remarkable, that neither time nor age will ever wear the
+remembrance thereof away.</p>
+<p>The &ldquo;widowed Queen&rdquo; signifies the <a
+name="page169"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 169</span>Queen of
+Scots, the mother of King James, who was beheaded at Fotheringhay
+Castle, some say by the privity, others say to the great
+discontent of Queen Elizabeth; a lady of sharp wit, undaunted
+spirit, comely person, beautiful face, and majestic presence; a
+fluent orator, and an excellent poetess, as appears by several
+things of her writing now extant; she was beheaded on the 8th of
+February, 1587, and was first buried in the choir of
+Peterborough; and afterwards by her son, King James, solemnly
+removed from thence to Westminster, where, in the south side of
+the chapel of King Henry VII. he erected a stately monument to
+her memory.</p>
+<p>&ldquo;The Harp&rdquo; signifies Ireland, as being the arms of
+that country, when Queen Elizabeth, by reducing it to a <a
+name="page170"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 170</span>better
+obedience, made it give a better sound, that is, made it more
+civilized and profitable to the exchequer than it ever was
+before.</p>
+<p>&ldquo;An Earl without a head be found.&rdquo;&nbsp; This was
+spoken of the Earl of Essex, one who was the favourite of the
+queen and darling of the people (two things which seldom come
+together), and yet could not both of them protect him from the
+scaffold, but thereon he lost his head.</p>
+<p>By the &ldquo;English Rose&rdquo; is meant Queen Elizabeth, as
+we said before, by whose death the right and title to the crown
+came to James VI., King of Scotland, as lineally descended from
+Margaret, eldest daughter to King Henry VII., the male issue
+failing by the death of Queen Elizabeth; and here is to be
+remembered the policy of King <a name="page171"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 171</span>Henry VII., who having two
+daughters, married the eldest of them to the King of Scotland,
+and the youngest to the King of France, that if his male issue
+should happen to fail, as it afterwards did, then Scotland might
+wait upon England as the greater kingdom, and not England upon
+France as the lesser.&nbsp; Besides, there was an old prophecy
+which intimated King James coming to the English crown; for when
+King Edward I. harassed Scotland, amongst other things he brought
+from thence their royal chair (still preserved at the Abbey, in
+Westminster), upon which chair these verses were written:</p>
+<blockquote><p>&ldquo;If Fates go right, where&rsquo;er this
+chair is pight,<br />
+The regal race of Scots shall rule that place.&rdquo;</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>Which by the coronation of King James there performed, made
+good the words of the prophecy.</p>
+<blockquote><p><a name="page172"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+172</span>&ldquo;The Northern Lion over Tweed,<br />
+The maiden Queen shall then succeed,<br />
+And join in one, two mighty States;<br />
+Janus then shall shut his gates;<br />
+Hell&rsquo;s power, by a fatal blow,<br />
+Shall seek the land to overthrow,<br />
+Which by mistake shall be reverst,<br />
+And heads from shoulders be disperst.<br />
+The British Olive next shall twine<br />
+In marriage with the German Vine.&rdquo;</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>Next follows the remarkable actions of King James&rsquo;s
+reign, predicted in the foregoing lines, which may be thus
+explained:</p>
+<p>By the &ldquo;Northern Lion&rdquo; is meant King James, and by
+the &ldquo;maiden Queen,&rdquo; Queen Elizabeth, whom King James,
+being King of Scotland, succeeded to the English crown, joining
+thereby the two nations of England and Scotland, which had often
+been attempted before.</p>
+<p>The lines &ldquo;Hell&rsquo;s power,&rdquo; etc., have <a
+name="page173"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 173</span>reference
+to the Gunpowder Plot, which was planned to blow up the
+Parliament House with gunpowder&mdash;king, princes, peers,
+bishops, judges, knights, and burgesses, being all designed to
+destruction.&nbsp; To bring the purpose about, a vault was hired
+under the Parliament House, wherein were stowed thirty-six
+barrels of gunpowder, with several iron bars, to make the force
+of the fire more effectual, all which were covered with billets
+and coals.&nbsp; The 5th of November, the day of Parliament first
+sitting, was the time appointed to put this design in execution;
+but Providence had ordered it otherwise, that those who intended
+mischief should taste the effects of it.&nbsp; In the evening
+before, Lord Monteagle received a strange letter from an unknown
+hand, without date or name to it, and which, when it was opened,
+<a name="page174"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 174</span>was even
+still sealed.&nbsp; The letter being communicated to the king, he
+commanded the rooms under the Parliament House to be searched,
+where the mystery of iniquity was quickly discovered.&nbsp; Some
+of the traitors were taken in London, others in the country; the
+hands of justice overtaking them, they became its examples, and
+tasted of that cup which they intended others should have drunk
+of.</p>
+<p>By the &ldquo;British Olive&rdquo; is meant the Lady
+Elizabeth, daughter of King James; and by the &ldquo;German
+Vine&rdquo; the most illustrious Prince Frederic, Count Palatine
+of the Rhine.&nbsp; This Lady Elizabeth was enriched with all the
+endowments of both body and mind which make to the completing of
+a princess; most dearly beloved of the English, as one that
+deserved well of <a name="page175"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+175</span>all.&nbsp; They were married with great solemnity at
+Westminster, February 14, 1602.</p>
+<p>Mother Shipton having proceeded thus far with her prophecies,
+broke up abruptly with a deep sigh, the tears trickling down her
+cheeks, accompanied by a wringing of her hands, as if some
+extraordinary mischance had befallen her.&nbsp; The abbot
+wondered greatly what should be the cause of this sudden
+alteration, having observed all along before a settled
+composedness in her countenance, and now to break out in such
+exclamations.&nbsp; He therefore said unto her, &ldquo;Mother
+Shipton, it is more than some extraordinary matter which hath
+made you break out into this sudden passion; and if it may not be
+troublesome unto you, I shall desire that, as hitherto you have
+not been scrupulous in revealing <a name="page176"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 176</span>those secrets unto me, which have
+wrought in me both wonder and amazement, so that you will not so
+abruptly break off as to leave me in suspense of the cause of
+your sorrow.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;Ah! Mr. Abbot,&rdquo; said she,
+&ldquo;who can with dry eyes repeat what must next ensue, or but
+think upon it without a heart full of agony? to see virtue
+trampled on, and vice exalted; beggars on horseback, and princes
+on foot; the innocent condemned, and the bloodthirsty go scot
+free; but since my promise binds me to fulfil your request, I
+shall proceed from where I left off:</p>
+<blockquote><p>&ldquo;The crown then fits the White King&rsquo;s
+head,<br />
+Who with the Lilies soon shall wed;<br />
+Then shall a peasant&rsquo;s bloody knife<br />
+Deprive a great man of his life.<br />
+Forth from the North shall mischief blow,<br />
+And English hob shall add thereto.<br />
+Then shall the Council great assemble,<br />
+Who shall make great and small to tremble,<br />
+<a name="page177"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 177</span>The
+White King then (O grief to see!)<br />
+By wicked hands shall murdered be.&rdquo;</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>By the &ldquo;White King,&rdquo; is meant King Charles I., so
+called not only in respect of the purity and uprightness of his
+life, signified by white; but also at the time of his coronation
+he was clothed in white.&nbsp; He had, previous to the death of
+King James, married the Lady Henrietta Maria, daughter of Henry
+IV., King of France; who is hereupon said to wed the
+&ldquo;Lilies,&rdquo; the lilies being the arms of France.</p>
+<p>By the &ldquo;great man,&rdquo; who was to lose his life by a
+bloody knife, was meant the Duke of Buckingham, the greatest man
+in favour of those times, and (as is commonly seen) most hated of
+the people, who laid the blame of all miscarriages in state upon
+him; being made general for the relief of Rochelle (then besieged
+<a name="page178"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 178</span>by the
+French forces), before he embarked at Portsmouth, he was stabbed
+by one Felton, an officer in his army; who, so far from flying
+for the same, though he might pass away undiscovered, boldly
+avowed himself to be the man that did it.&nbsp; He was hanged in
+chains at Portsmouth, in the year 1627.</p>
+<p>The next part of this prophecy alludes to that ancient
+proverb, &ldquo;From the cold &lsquo;North&rsquo; all ills come
+forth,&rdquo; and may be understood of our troubles commencing in
+1630, taking their original rise from Scotland, and fermented by
+several factious spirits in England, the venom of which poison so
+infected the veins of the English, that it broke forth into a
+most bitter war, and ended not but with the deaths of many
+thousands of people.</p>
+<p>By the &ldquo;great Council&rdquo; is meant the <a
+name="page179"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+179</span>long-lasting Parliament, as known to all posterity for
+the remarkable transactions therein.&nbsp; By them fell the wise
+Strafford, and Reverend Laud; by them was Episcopacy voted down,
+and Presbytery voted up; by them was the common-prayer denied,
+and the Directory exalted; by them was the Church and State
+turned topsy-turvy; but this cannot be reported of all amongst
+them; many of them hated their doings, dissented from them, and
+suffered by them.</p>
+<p>The &ldquo;White King by wicked hands,&rdquo; etc., alludes to
+the beheading of King Charles I., who was the principal victim of
+these savage wars.</p>
+<blockquote><p>&ldquo;The White King dead, the Wolf shall then<br
+/>
+With blood possess the Lion&rsquo;s den.<br />
+But Death shall hurry him away;<br />
+Confusion shall awhile bear sway;<br />
+But Fate to England shall restore<br />
+A king to reign as heretofore.<br />
+<a name="page180"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 180</span>Great
+death in London shall be though,<br />
+And men on tops of houses go.&rdquo;</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>By the &ldquo;White King,&rdquo; as we said before, is meant
+King Charles I., and, by the &ldquo;Wolf,&rdquo; Oliver Cromwell,
+whose ambition was such that he left no means unattempted until
+he had got into the &ldquo;Lion&rsquo;s den,&rdquo; that is to
+say, until he had attained the sole government.</p>
+<blockquote><p>&ldquo;But Death shall hurry him away.&rdquo;</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>Very remarkable was the day in which the Protector died, being
+September 3, 1658, wherein the wind was so violent, that it
+overthrew many houses, tore up many trees by the roots, tumbled
+down chimneys, and unroofed barns and stables; but it is a very
+ill wind that blows none good, so with all the hurt this wind
+did, it made <a name="page181"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+181</span>recompense to some folks who had lost their estates in
+the civil wars, by blowing this Oliver away.</p>
+<blockquote><p>&ldquo;But fate to England shall restore<br />
+A king to reign as heretofore.&rdquo;</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>Which part of the prophecy was fulfilled in the restoration of
+King Charles II., which put a period to all the Commonwealth, and
+restored the land to its ancient government.</p>
+<p>&ldquo;Great death in London,&rdquo; verified by the great
+plague in London, in 1665, which, for number, was the greatest
+that hath been known in these latter centuries of years.</p>
+<p>&ldquo;And men on tops of houses go.&rdquo;&nbsp; This was
+suddenly fulfilled in that great conflagration of fire which
+happened in London, September 2, 3, and 4, 1666, by which so many
+houses were <a name="page182"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+182</span>destroyed, that men afterwards, in the ruins, went on
+the tops of those houses whose lofty structures not long before
+seemed to brave the sky.</p>
+<div class="gapshortline">&nbsp;</div>
+<p>It will be observed that some of the following prophecies of
+Mother Shipton relate to the present time, while others more
+closely concern the future.&nbsp; We will leave them to the
+reader&rsquo;s own interpretation:&mdash;</p>
+<blockquote><p style="text-align: center">I.</p>
+<p>Ploughed with swords the earth shall be,<br />
+And blood will mingle with the sea.</p>
+<p style="text-align: center">II.</p>
+<p>Soon as the fiery year has passed.<br />
+Peace again shall come at last.</p>
+<p style="text-align: center"><a name="page183"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 183</span>III.</p>
+<p>Great accidents the world will fill,<br />
+And carriages without horses go;<br />
+Whilst, in the twinkling of an eye,<br />
+Around the world our thoughts shall fly.</p>
+<p style="text-align: center">IV.</p>
+<p>In England, now will come to pass<br />
+A house that shall be built of glass.</p>
+<p style="text-align: center">V.</p>
+<p>State and State, in most deadly strife,<br />
+Will fight and seek each other&rsquo;s life;<br />
+Then, when the North divides the South,<br />
+The Eagle will build in the Lion&rsquo;s mouth.</p>
+<p style="text-align: center">VI.</p>
+<p>Three tyrant rulers France shall see,<br />
+And each of a different dynasty.<br />
+But when the greater fight be done,<br />
+France and England shall be as one.</p>
+<p style="text-align: center">VII.</p>
+<p>In the water shall iron float,<br />
+The same as now a wooden boat.<br />
+More wonders still shall water do,<br />
+And England yet admit a Jew.</p>
+<p style="text-align: center"><a name="page184"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 184</span>VIII.</p>
+<p>Gold and riches will be shown<br />
+In a land that&rsquo;s not now known.</p>
+<p style="text-align: center">IX.</p>
+<p>Under rivers man shall walk,<br />
+Shall ride, shall sleep, and shall talk.</p>
+<p style="text-align: center">X.</p>
+<p>A river and a town shall be on fire.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<div class="gapspace">&nbsp;</div>
+<p><i>The following remarkable Prophecy</i>, <i>which is known
+as</i> &ldquo;<i>Mother Shipton&rsquo;s prophecies</i>,&rdquo;
+<i>was first published in 1448</i>,<i> and republished in
+1641</i>.&nbsp; <i>It will be seen that the events it predicts
+have come to pass</i>, <i>except that contained in the last two
+lines</i>, <i>which is still in the future</i>.</p>
+<blockquote><p style="text-align: center">XI.</p>
+<p>Over a wild and stormy sea,<br />
+Shall a noble <a name="citation184"></a><a href="#footnote184"
+class="citation">[184]</a> sail,<br />
+Who to find, will not fail,<br />
+A new and a fair countree.<br />
+<a name="page185"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 185</span>From
+whence he shall bring<br />
+A herb <a name="citation185a"></a><a href="#footnote185a"
+class="citation">[185a]</a> and a root <a
+name="citation185b"></a><a href="#footnote185b"
+class="citation">[185b]</a><br />
+That all men shall suit,<br />
+And please both the ploughman and the king.<br />
+And let them take no more than measure.<br />
+Both shall have the even pleasure.<br />
+The world to an end shall come<br />
+In eighteen hundred and eighty-one.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<div class="gapshortline">&nbsp;</div>
+<p><i>Here follow other Prophecies which Mother Shipton stated at
+various times in her life to different persons</i>:&mdash;</p>
+<blockquote><p>The first coming in of the King of the Scots
+(James I.) shall be at Holgate Town, but he shall not come
+through the bar.&nbsp; And when the King of the North shall be at
+London Bridge, his tail shall be at Edinburgh.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>This was fulfilled in the following manner&mdash;When King
+James arrived there was such a multitude of people at Holgate bar
+to behold him, that to <a name="page186"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 186</span>avoid the danger of the crush he was
+forced to ride another way.&nbsp; When King James was at London,
+his children were at Edinburgh, preparing to come into
+England.</p>
+<blockquote><p>Water shall come over Ouse Bridge, and a windmill
+shall be set upon a Tower, and a Elm Tree shall lie at every
+man&rsquo;s door.&nbsp; At that day women shall wear great hats
+and great bands.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>This was verified by the conducting of water into York streets
+through bored Elms; and the Conduit-house had a windmill on the
+top that drew up the water.</p>
+<blockquote><p>When there is a Lord Mayor living in Minster-yard
+in York, let him beware of a stab.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>A Lord Mayor, whose house was in Minster-yard, was stabbed by
+an assassin in three places, which caused his death.</p>
+<blockquote><p><a name="page187"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+187</span>When two Knights shall fall out in the York
+Castle-yard, they shall never live kindly all their after
+lives.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>Sir Thomas Wentworth and Sir John Savile in choosing Knights
+for the Shire in the Castle-yard at York, did so fall out, that
+they were never after well reconciled.</p>
+<blockquote><p>When all Colton-hag hath borne crops and corn for
+seven years; seven years after that you shall hear news.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>Colton-hag in Mother Shipton&rsquo;s time was a woodland
+ground full of trees, which some long time after her death was
+cultivated and bore crops and corn for seven years; and the seven
+years after that, was the year of the coming in of the Scots, and
+their taking of Newcastle.</p>
+<blockquote><p>You shall have a year of pining hunger, and <a
+name="page188"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 188</span>then a
+dearth without corn.&nbsp; You shall not know of the war
+over-night, yet you shall have it in the morning; and when it
+comes it shall last three years.</p>
+<p>Between Calder and Aire<br />
+Shall be great warfare,<br />
+When all the world is aloft,<br />
+It shall be called Christ&rsquo;s Croft.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>Calder and Aire are two rivers in Yorkshire; and this Prophecy
+relates to the Civil War in the time of Charles I.</p>
+<blockquote><p>When the battle of warfare begins, it shall be
+where Crookback Richard made his fray.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>It was near Leicester where Richard the Third was slain in
+battle.&nbsp; There Colonel Hastings was one of the first in arms
+at the commencement of the civil war.&nbsp; Or it may thus be
+understood&mdash;That as King Richard began his march from
+Nottingham when he first set out against the Earl of Richmond, so
+also <a name="page189"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+189</span>should these wars take rise from thence.&nbsp; And
+indeed at Nottingham, on Aug. 25th, 1640, Charles I. set up his
+standard, and there continued it to little purpose.</p>
+<blockquote><p>They shall say to warfare for your King for
+half-a-crown a day, but stir not.&nbsp; They will say to warfare
+for your King on pain of hanging, but stir not.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>At the time of the Civil War in 1642, many Lords promised two
+shillings and sixpence a day for each horseman who would join the
+King&rsquo;s service.</p>
+<blockquote><p>For he that goes to complain,<br />
+Shall not come back again.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>This seems to refer to the Welsh and the Irish serving the
+King, for very few lived to return back again to their own
+country.</p>
+<p><a name="page190"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+190</span><i>The following Prophecies by Mother Shipton</i>,
+(<i>extracted from Lilly&rsquo;s collection</i>, <i>with his
+remarks</i>,) <i>being rather quaint in the composition</i>,
+<i>are left for the reader to decypher</i>.</p>
+<blockquote><p>(<i>a</i>) There will be a great battel between
+England and Scotland, and they will be pacified for a time; and
+when they come at (<i>b</i>) Bramma-moore they fight, and are
+again pacified for a time: Then there will be a great battel
+between England and Scotland at (<i>c</i>) Knavesmore: Then they
+will be pacified for a while: Then there will be a great battel
+between England and Scotland at (<i>d</i>) Storktonmore; then
+will Ravens sit on the (<i>e</i>) Crosse, and drink as much blood
+of Nobles as of the Commons.&nbsp; Then wo is me, for London
+shall be destroyed.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>(<i>a</i>) God I hope will prevent this threatened
+mischief.&nbsp; (<i>b</i>) Brammish is a river in
+Northumberland.&nbsp; (<i>c</i>) I conceive it should be
+Knaresborough, by which the river Nidd runs.&nbsp; (<i>d</i>) <a
+name="page191"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 191</span>Storkton I
+conceive mistaken for Stanemore, in Richmondshire.&nbsp;
+(<i>e</i>) It is to be noted and admired, that this Crosse in the
+North in Mother Shipton&rsquo;s days, was a tall stone Crosse
+which ever since hath been by degrees sinking into the ground,
+and is now (1640) sunk so low, that a Raven may sit upon the top
+of it and reach her bill to the ground.</p>
+<blockquote><p>Then will come a woman with one eye, and she shall
+tread in men&rsquo;s blood to the knee; and she shall meet a man
+leaning on a staff, and shall say to him, What art thou? and he
+shall say, I am King of the Scots.&nbsp; And she shall say, Go
+with me to my house, for there are three Knights.&nbsp; And he
+will go up with her, and stay there three days and three
+nights.&nbsp; Then will England be lost; and they will cry twice
+in one day, England is lost.&nbsp; Then there will be three
+Knights in Petergate in York, and the one shall not know of the
+other.&nbsp; There shall be a child born in Pomfret with three
+thumbs, and these three Knights will give their horses to this
+(<i>f</i>) child with three thumbs to hold, whilst they win
+England again: then come in Clubs and Clouted shoes, and they
+with <a name="page192"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 192</span>the
+three Knights win England again: and all Noble blood shall be
+gone but one, and they shall carry him to Sheriff Hutton&rsquo;s
+Castle, six miles from York, and he shall die there; and they
+shall chuse their Earl in the field, and hang their horses on a
+thorn, and rue the time that ever they were born to see so much
+blood shed.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>(<i>f</i>) There was a child not many years since born at
+Pomfret with three thumbs, and credibly reported.</p>
+<blockquote><p>(<i>g</i>) Then they will come to York to besiege
+it; and they shall keep them out for three days and three nights:
+and a peny-loaf shall be within the Bar at half a Crown, and
+without the Bar at a peny; and they will swear, if they will not
+yield, to blow up the Town-walls.&nbsp; Then they will let them
+in: and they will hang the Maior, Sheriffs, and Aldermen.&nbsp;
+There will three Knights go into Crouch-Church, and but one of
+them come out again; and he will cause Proclamation to be made,
+That any man may take House, Tower, or Bower, for One and twenty
+yeers.&nbsp; And while the world endureth, there shall never be
+warfare again, nor any more (<i>h</i>) Kings or Queens; but the
+Kingdom shall be governed by three lords; then York shall be
+London.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p><a name="page193"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+193</span>(<i>g</i>) This is yet unacted.&nbsp; (<i>h</i>) All
+old Prophecies do intimate a final subversion of the Monarchy in
+England.</p>
+<blockquote><p>After this, shall be a white Harvest of Corn
+gotten in by women.&nbsp; Then shall be in the North, that one
+woman shall say to another, Mother, I have seen a man to
+day.&nbsp; And for one man there shall be a thousand women.&nbsp;
+There shall be a man sitting on Saint James church hill, weeping
+his fill.</p>
+<p>The time will come when England shall tremble and quake for
+fear of a (<i>i</i>) Dead-man, that shall be heard to speak: Then
+will the Dragon give the Bull a great snap; and when this battel
+is done they will all go to London Town.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>(<i>i</i>) This Dead-man hath not yet appeared, but is at hand
+doubtless.</p>
+<div class="gapspace">&nbsp;</div>
+<p><a name="page194"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+194</span><i>Here follow other Prophecies she uttered</i>,
+<i>which because they concern Future Times we shall leave to the
+Interpretation of the reader</i>.</p>
+<blockquote><p style="text-align: center">I.</p>
+<p>The Fiery Year as soon as o&rsquo;er,<br />
+Peace shall then be as before;<br />
+Plenty everywhere is found,<br />
+And men with Swords shall plough the Ground.</p>
+<p style="text-align: center">II.</p>
+<p>The time shall come, when seas of Blood,<br />
+Shall mingle with a greater Flood.</p>
+<p style="text-align: center">III.</p>
+<p>Great noise there shall be heard, Great Shouts and Cries,<br
+/>
+And Seas shall Thunder louder than the Skies;<br />
+Then shall three Lions fight with three, and bring,<br />
+Joy to a People, Honour to their King.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>Mother Shipton, the authoress of these Prophecies, continued
+for years esteemed as the Sybil or Oracle of her time; <a
+name="page195"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 195</span>and though
+she was generally believed to be a Witch, yet all persons that
+either saw or heard of her, held her in great esteem, and her
+memory is much honoured by those of her own country, especially
+in Yorkshire.&nbsp; A long time before her death, she foretold
+the day and hour she was to take her departure; and the time
+approaching which she had Prophecied, and which was in the year
+1561; she took solemn leave of her friends, who were all greatly
+attached to her, laid down on her bed, and died, at the good old
+age of 75 years.&nbsp; Many more &ldquo;<i>Prophecies</i>&rdquo;
+are current in Yorkshire as of her utterance, but the Publisher
+being unable to find them either properly authenticated, or in
+any old works, they have been omitted, being desirous of not
+adding anything which <a name="page196"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 196</span>might tend to destroy her sterling
+reputation.</p>
+<p>A stone was erected to her memory near Clifton, about a mile
+from the city of York, upon which was the following
+inscription:</p>
+<blockquote><p>Here lyes she who never ly&rsquo;d<br />
+Whose skill often has been try&rsquo;d;<br />
+Her prophecies shall still survive,<br />
+And ever keep her name alive.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<h2><a name="page197"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+197</span>PROPHECIES<br />
+<span class="GutSmall">OF</span><br />
+MARTHA, THE GIPSY.</h2>
+<p>London may appear an unbefitting scene for a story so romantic
+as that which I have here set down: but, strange and wild as is
+the tale I have to tell, <i>it is true</i>; and, therefore, the
+scene of action shall not be changed; nor will I alter or vary
+from the truth, save that the names of the personages, in my
+domestic drama shall be fictitious.</p>
+<p>To say that I am superstitious would be, in the minds of many
+wise personages, to write myself down an ass; but to say that I
+do not believe <i>that</i> which <a name="page198"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 198</span>follows, as I am sure it was
+believed by <i>him</i> who related it to me, would be to
+discredit the testimony of a friend, as honourable and as brave
+as ever trod the earth.&nbsp; He has been snatched from the
+world, of which he was a bright ornament, and has left more than
+his sweet suffering widow and his orphan children affectionately
+to deplore his loss.</p>
+<p>It is, I find, right and judicious most carefully and publicly
+to disavow a belief in supernatural visitings: but it will be
+long before I become either so wise or so bold as to make any
+such unqualified declaration.&nbsp; I am not weak enough to
+imagine myself surrounded by spirits and phantoms, or jostling
+through a crowd of spectres, as I walk the streets; neither do I
+give credence to all the idle tales of ancient dames, or
+frightened children, touching such <a name="page199"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 199</span>matters: but when I breathe the air,
+and see the grass grow under my feet, I cannot but feel that HE
+who gives me ability to inhale the one, and stand erect upon the
+other, has also the power to use for special purposes such means
+and agency, as in his wisdom he may see fit; and which, in point
+of fact, are not more incomprehensible to us than the very
+simplest effects which we every day witness, arising from unknown
+causes.</p>
+<p>Philosophers may pore, and in the might of their littleness,
+and the erudition of their ignorance develope and disclose, argue
+and discuss; but when the sage, who sneers at the possibility of
+ghosts, will explain to me the doctrine of attraction and
+gravitation, or tell me why the wind blows, why the tides ebb and
+flow, or why the light <a name="page200"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 200</span>shines&mdash;effects perceptible to
+all men&mdash;then will I admit the justice of his
+incredulity&mdash;then will I join the ranks of the
+incredulous.&nbsp; However, a truce with my views and
+reflections: proceed we to the narrative.</p>
+<p>In the vicinity of Bedford-square lived a respectable and
+honest man, whose name the reader will be pleased to consider
+Harding.&nbsp; He married early: his wife was an exemplary woman,
+and his son and daughter were grown to that companionable age, at
+which children repay, with their society and accomplishments, the
+tender cares which parents bestow upon their offspring in their
+early infancy.</p>
+<p>Mr. Harding held a responsible and respectable situation under
+the government, in Somerset House.&nbsp; His income was adequate
+to his wants and wishes; <a name="page201"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 201</span>his family a family of love: and,
+perhaps, taking into consideration the limited desires of what
+may be fairly called middle life, no man was ever more contented,
+or better satisfied with his lot than he.</p>
+<p>Maria Harding, his daughter, was a modest, unassuming, and
+interesting girl, full of feeling and gentleness.&nbsp; She was
+timid and retiring; but the modesty which cast down her fine
+black eyes could not veil the intellect which beamed in
+them.&nbsp; Her health was by no means strong; and the paleness
+of her cheek&mdash;too frequently, alas! lighted by the hectic
+flush of our indigenous complaint&mdash;gave a deep interest to
+her countenance.&nbsp; She was watched and reared by her tender
+mother, with all the care and attention which a being so delicate
+and so <a name="page202"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+202</span>ill-suited to the perils and troubles of this world
+demanded.</p>
+<p>George, her brother, was a bold and intelligent lad, full of
+rude health, and fearless independence.&nbsp; His character was
+frequently the subject of his father&rsquo;s contemplation; and
+he saw in his disposition, his mind, his pursuits, and
+propensities, the promise of future success in active life.</p>
+<p>With these children, possessing as they did the most enviable
+characteristics of their respective sexes, Mr. and Mrs. Harding,
+with thankfulness to Providence, acknowledged their happiness,
+and their perfect satisfaction with the portion assigned to them
+in this transitory world.</p>
+<p>Maria was about nineteen, and had, as was natural, attracted
+the regards, and thence gradually chained the <a
+name="page203"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 203</span>affections,
+of a distant relative, whose ample fortune, added to his personal
+and mental good qualities, rendered him a most acceptable suitor
+to her parents, which Maria&rsquo;s heart silently acknowledged
+he would have been to <i>her</i>, had he been poor and
+penniless.</p>
+<p>The father of this intended husband of Maria was a man of
+importance, possessing much personal interest, through which
+George, the brother of his intended daughter-in-law, was to be
+placed in that diplomatic seminary in Downing-street, whence, in
+due time, he was to rise through all the grades of office,
+(which, with his peculiar talents, his friends, and especially
+his mother, was convinced he would so ably fill,) and at last
+turn out an ambassador.</p>
+<p>The parents, however, of young Langdale and of Maria Harding
+were agreed, <a name="page204"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+204</span>that there was no necessity for hastening the alliance
+between their families, seeing that the united ages of the couple
+did not exceed thirty-nine years: and seeing, moreover, still,
+that Mrs. Langdale, who was little more than six-and-thirty years
+of age herself, had reasons, which she also meant to be private,
+for seeking to delay as much as possible a ceremony, the result
+of which, in all probability, would confer upon her, somewhat too
+early in life to be agreeable to a lady of her habits and
+propensities, the formidable title of grand-mamma.</p>
+<p>How curious it is, when one takes up a <i>little bit</i> of
+society (as a geologist crumbles and twists a bit of earth in his
+hand, to ascertain its character and quality,) to look into the
+motives and man&oelig;uvrings of all the persons connected with
+<a name="page205"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 205</span>it; the
+various workings, the indefatigable labours, which all their
+little minds are undergoing to bring about divers and sundry
+little points, perfectly unconnected with the great end in view;
+but which for private and hidden objects, each of them is toiling
+to carry.&nbsp; Nobody, but those who really understood Mrs.
+Langdale, understood why she so readily acquiesced in the desire
+of her husband to postpone the marriage for another
+twelvemonth.&nbsp; A stranger would have seen only the dutiful
+wife according with the sensible husband; but I knew her, and
+knew that there must be something more than met the eye, or the
+ear, in that sympathy of feeling between her and Mr. Langdale,
+which was not upon ordinary occasions so evidently displayed.</p>
+<p>Like the Waterman who pulls one <a name="page206"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 206</span>way and looks another, Mrs. Langdale
+aided the entreaties and seconded the commands of her loving
+spouse, touching the seasonable delay of which I am speaking; and
+it was agreed, that immediately after the coming of age of
+Frederick Langdale, and not before, he was to lead to the
+hymeneal altar the delicate and timid Maria Harding.</p>
+<p>The affair got whispered about; George&rsquo;s fortune in life
+was highly extolled&mdash;Maria&rsquo;s excessive happiness
+prophesied by everybody of their acquaintance; and already had
+sundry younger ladies, daughters and nieces of those who
+discussed these matters in divan after dinner, began to look upon
+Miss Harding with envy and maliciousness, and wonder what Mr.
+Frederick Langdale could see in her: she was proclaimed to be
+insipid, inanimate, shy, bashful, and <a name="page207"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 207</span>awkward: nay, some of her female
+friends went so far as to discover that she was absolutely
+awry.</p>
+<p>Still, however, Frederick and Maria went loving on; and their
+hearts grew as one; so truly, so fondly were they attached to
+each other.&nbsp; George, who was somewhat of a plague to the
+pair of lovers, was luckily at Oxford, reading away till his head
+ached, to qualify himself for a degree, and the distant duties of
+the office whence he was to cull the bunches of diplomatic
+laurels, and whence were to issue rank and title, and ribbons and
+crosses innumerable.</p>
+<p>Things were in this prosperous state, the bark of life rolling
+gaily along before the breeze, when as Mr. Harding was one day
+proceeding from his residence, to his office in Somerset-place,
+through Charlotte-street, Bloomsbury, he was <a
+name="page208"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 208</span>accosted by
+one of those female gypsies who are found begging in the
+metropolis, and especially in the particular part of it in
+question: &lsquo;Pray remember poor Martha, the gipsy,&rsquo;
+said the woman: &lsquo;give me a halfpenny for charity, sir, pray
+do.&rsquo;</p>
+<p>Mr. Harding was a subscriber to the Mendicity Society, an
+institution which proposes to check begging by the novel mode of
+giving nothing to the poor: moreover, he was a
+magistrate&mdash;moreover, he had no change; and he somewhat
+sternly desired the woman to go about her business.</p>
+<p>All availed him nothing; she still followed him, and
+reiterated the piteous cry, &lsquo;Pray remember poor Martha, the
+gipsy.&rsquo;</p>
+<p>At length, irritated by the perseverance of the
+woman&mdash;for even <a name="page209"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 209</span>subordinates in government hate to
+be solicited importunately&mdash;Mr. Harding, contrary to his
+usual custom, and contrary to the customary usages of modern
+society, turned hastily round, and fulminated an oath against the
+supplicating vagrant.</p>
+<p>&lsquo;Curse!&rsquo; said Martha; &lsquo;have I lived to
+this?&nbsp; Hark ye, man&mdash;poor, weak, haughty man!&nbsp;
+Mark me, sir&mdash;look at me!&rsquo;</p>
+<p>He did look at her; and beheld a countenance on fire with
+rage.&nbsp; A pair of eyes blacker than jet, and brighter than
+diamonds, glared like stars upon him; her black hair dishevelled,
+hung over her olive cheeks; and a row of teeth whiter than the
+driven snow displaying themselves from between a pair of coral
+lips, in a dreadful smile, a ghastly sneer of contempt which
+mingled in her passion.&nbsp; Harding was riveted to <a
+name="page210"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 210</span>the spot;
+and, affected partly by the powerful fascination of her
+superhuman countenance, and partly by the dread of a disturbance
+in the street, he paused to listen to her.</p>
+<p>&lsquo;Mark me, sir,&rsquo; said Martha; &lsquo;you and I
+shall meet again.&nbsp; Thrice shall you see me before you
+die.&nbsp; My visitings will be dreadful; but the third will be
+the last!&rsquo;</p>
+<p>There was a solemnity in this declaration which struck to his
+very heart, coming too as it did only from a vagrant
+outcast.&nbsp; Passengers were approaching; and wishing, he knew
+not why, to soothe the ire of the angry woman, he mechanically
+drew from his pocket some silver, which he tendered to her.</p>
+<p>&lsquo;There, my good woman&mdash;there,&rsquo; said he,
+stretching forth his hand.</p>
+<p>&lsquo;Good woman!&rsquo; retorted the hag, <a
+name="page211"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+211</span>&lsquo;Money now?&nbsp; I&mdash;I that have been
+cursed! &rsquo;tis all too late, proud gentleman&mdash;the deed
+is done, the curse be now on you.&rsquo;&nbsp; Saying which, she
+huddled her ragged red cloak about her shoulders, and hurried
+from his sight, into the deep and dreary recesses of St.
+Giles&rsquo;s.</p>
+<p>Harding experienced, as she vanished from his eye, a most
+extraordinary sensation: he felt grieved that he had spoken so
+harshly to the poor creature, and returned his shillings to his
+pocket with regret.&nbsp; Of course, fear of the fulfilment of
+her predictions did not mingle with any of his feelings on the
+occasion; and he proceeded to his office in Somerset-place, and
+performed all the arduous official duties of reading the
+opposition newspapers, discussing the leading politics of the day
+with the head of <a name="page212"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+212</span>another department, and signing his name three times,
+before four o&rsquo;clock.</p>
+<p>Martha the gipsy, however, although he had
+&lsquo;poophoohed&rsquo; her out of his memory, would ever and
+anon flash across his mind; her figure was indelibly stamped upon
+his recollection; and though, of course, as I before said, a man
+of his firmness and intellect could care nothing, one way or
+another, for the maledictions of an ignorant, illiterate gipsy,
+still his feelings&mdash;whence arising I know not&mdash;prompted
+him to call a hackney-coach, and proceed <i>en voiture</i> to his
+house rather than run the risk of again encountering the
+metropolitan sibyl, under whose forcible denunciation he was
+actually labouring.</p>
+<p>There is a period in each day of the lives of married people,
+at which, I am given to understand, a more than <a
+name="page213"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 213</span>ordinarily
+unreserved communication of facts and feelings takes place; when
+all the world is shut out, and the two beings, who are in truth
+&lsquo;but only one,&rsquo; commune together freely and fully
+upon the occurrences of the past day.&nbsp; At this period, the
+else sacred secrets of the drawing-room coterie, and the
+<i>tellable</i> jokes of the after-dinner convivialist, are
+mutually interchanged by the fond pair, who, by the barbarous
+customs of uncivilized Britain, have been separated during part
+of the preceding evening.</p>
+<p>Then it is, that the husband informs his anxious consort how
+he has forwarded his worldly views with such a man&mdash;how he
+has carried his point in such a quarter&mdash;what he thinks of
+the talents of one, of the character of another; while the
+communicative wife gives <i>her</i> views of the same subjects,
+founded upon what <a name="page214"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+214</span>she has gathered from the individuals composing the
+female cabinet, and explains why she thinks he must have been
+deceived upon this point, or misled upon that.&nbsp; And thus, in
+recounting, in arguing, in discussing, and descanting, the
+blended interests of the happy pair are strengthened, their best
+hopes nourished, and perhaps eventually realized.</p>
+<p>A few friends at dinner, and some refreshers in the evening,
+had prevented Harding from saying a word to his beloved Eliza
+about the gipsy; and perhaps, till the &lsquo;witching
+time&rsquo; which I have attempted to define, he would not have
+mentioned the circumstance, even had they been alone.&nbsp; Most
+certainly he did not think the less of the horrible vision; and
+when the company had dispersed, and the affectionate couple had
+retired to rest, he stated the <a name="page215"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 215</span>circumstance exactly as it had
+occurred, and received from his fair lady just such an answer as
+a prudent, intelligent, and discreet woman of sense would give to
+such a communication.&nbsp; She vindicated his original
+determination not to be imposed upon&mdash;wondered at his
+subsequent willingness to give to such an undeserving object,
+particularly while he had three or four soup tickets in his
+pocket&mdash;was somewhat surprised that he had not consigned the
+bold intruder to the hands of the beadle&mdash;and, ridiculing
+the impression which the hag&rsquo;s appearance seemed to have
+made upon her husband&rsquo;s mind, narrated a tour performed by
+herself and some friends to Norwood, when she was a girl, and
+when one of those very women had told her fortune, not one word
+of which ever came true&mdash;and, in a discussion of some <a
+name="page216"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 216</span>length,
+animadverting strongly upon the weakness and impiety of putting
+faith in the sayings of such idle creatures, she fell fast
+asleep.</p>
+<p>Not so Harding: he was restless and worried, and felt that he
+would give the world to be able to recall the curse which he had
+rashly uttered against the poor woman.&nbsp; Helpless as she was
+and in distress, why did his passion conquer his judgment?&nbsp;
+Why did he add to the bitterness of refusal the sting of
+malediction?&nbsp; However, it was useless to regret that which
+was past&mdash;and, wearied and mortified with his reflection, he
+at length followed his better half into that profound slumber,
+which the length and subject of his harangue had so comfortably
+ensured her.</p>
+<p>The morning came, and brightly beamed the sun&mdash;that is,
+as brightly as <a name="page217"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+217</span>it ever beams in London.&nbsp; The office-hour arrived;
+and Mr. Harding proceeded, <i>not</i> by Charlotte-street, to
+Somerset-house, such was his dread of seeing the ominous
+woman.&nbsp; It is impossible to describe the effect produced
+upon him by the apprehension of encountering her: if he heard a
+female voice behind him in the street, he trembled, and feared to
+look round, lest he should behold Martha.&nbsp; In turning a
+corner he proceeded carefully and cautiously, lest he should come
+upon her unexpectedly; in short, wherever he went, whatever he
+did, his actions, his movements, his very words, were controlled
+and constrained by the horror of beholding her again.</p>
+<p>The malediction she had uttered rang incessantly in his ears;
+nay, such possession had it taken of him, that he had written <a
+name="page218"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 218</span>the words
+down, and sealed the document which contained them.&nbsp;
+&lsquo;Thrice you shall see me before you die.&nbsp; My visitings
+will be dreadful, but the third will be the last.&rsquo;</p>
+<p>&lsquo;Calais&rsquo; was not more deeply imprinted on our
+Queen&rsquo;s heart, than these lines upon that of Mr. Harding;
+but he was ashamed of the strength of his feelings, and placed
+the paper wherein he had recorded them at the very bottom of his
+desk.</p>
+<p>Meanwhile Frederick Langdale was unremitting in his attentions
+to Maria; but, as is too often the case, the bright sunshine of
+their loves was clouded.&nbsp; Her health, always delicate, now
+appeared more so, and at times her anxious parents felt a
+solicitude upon her account, new to them; for decided symptoms of
+consumption had shown themselves, <a name="page219"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 219</span>which the faculty, although they
+spoke of them lightly to the fond mother and to the gentle
+patient, treated with such care and caution, as gave alarm to
+those who could see the progress of the fatal disease, which was
+unnoticed by Maria herself, who anticipated parties, and
+pleasure, and gaieties, in the coming spring, which the doctors
+thought it but too probable she might never enjoy.</p>
+<p>That Mr. Langdale&rsquo;s &lsquo;punctilio,&rsquo; or Mrs.
+Langdale&rsquo;s excessive desire for apparent juvenility, should
+have induced the postponement of Maria&rsquo;s marriage, was,
+indeed, a melancholy circumstance.&nbsp; The agitation, the
+surprise, the hope deferred, which weighed upon the sweet
+girl&rsquo;s mind, and that doubting dread of something
+unexpected, which lovers always feel, bore down her spirits, and
+injured her health; whereas, had the <a name="page220"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 220</span>marriage been celebrated, the relief
+she would have experienced from all her apprehensions, added to
+the tour of France and Italy, which the happy couple were to make
+immediately after their union, would have restored her health,
+while it ensured her happiness.&nbsp; This, however, was not to
+be.</p>
+<p>It was now three months since poor Mr. Harding&rsquo;s
+rencontre with Martha; and habit, and time, and constant
+avocation, had conspired to free his mind from the dread she at
+first inspired.&nbsp; Again he smiled and joked, again he enjoyed
+society, and again dared to take the nearest road to Somerset
+House; nay, he had so far recovered from the unaccountable terror
+he had originally felt, that he went to his desk, and selecting
+the paper wherein he had set down the awful denunciation of the
+hag, <a name="page221"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+221</span>deliberately tore it into bits, and witnessed its
+destruction in the fire, with something like real satisfaction,
+and a determination never more to think upon so silly an
+affair.</p>
+<p>Frederick Langdale was, as usual, with his betrothed, and Mrs.
+Harding enjoying the egotism of the lovers, (for, as I said
+before, lovers think their conversation the most charming in the
+world, because they talk of nothing but themselves) when his
+curricle was driven to the door to convey him to
+Tattersall&rsquo;s, where his father had commissioned him to look
+at a horse, or horses, which he intended to purchase; for
+Frederick was, of all things in the world, the best possible
+judge of a horse.</p>
+<p>To this sweeping dictum, pronounced by the young gentleman
+himself, Mr. Harding, however, was not willing to <a
+name="page222"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 222</span>assent; and
+therefore, in order to have the full advantage of two heads,
+which, as the proverb says, are better than one, the worthy
+father-in-law elect, proposed accompanying the youth to the
+auctioneer&rsquo;s yard at Hyde-Park Corner, it being one of
+those few privileged days when the labourers in our public
+offices make holiday.&nbsp; The proposal was hailed with delight
+by the young man, who, in order to show due deference to Mr.
+Harding, gave him the reins, and bowing their adieus to the
+ladies at the window, away they went, the splendid cattle of Mr.
+Langdale prancing and curvetting, fire flaming from their eyes,
+and smoke breathing from their nostrils.</p>
+<p>The charioteer, however, soon found that the horses were
+somewhat beyond his strength, even putting his skill wholly out
+of the question, and in <a name="page223"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 223</span>turning into Russell-street,
+proposed surrendering the reins to Frederick.&nbsp; By some
+misunderstanding of words in the alarm which Harding felt,
+Frederick did not take the reins which he (perfectly confounded)
+tendered to him in great agitation.&nbsp; They slipped over the
+dashing iron between the horse, who thus freed from restraint,
+reared wildly in the air, and plunging forward, dashed the
+vehicle against a post, and precipitated Frederick and Harding on
+the curbstone; the off-horse kicked desperately as the carriage
+became entangled and impeded, and struck Frederick a desperate
+blow on the head.&nbsp; Harding, whose right arm and collar-bone
+were broken, raised himself on his left hand, and saw Frederick
+weltering in his blood, apparently lifeless before him.&nbsp; The
+infuriated animals again plunged <a name="page224"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 224</span>forward with the shattered remnant
+of the carriage, and as this object was removed from his sight,
+the wretched father-in-law beheld, looking upon the scene with a
+fixed and unruffled countenance&mdash;<span
+class="smcap">Martha</span>, <span class="smcap">the
+Gipsy</span>.</p>
+<p>It was doubtful whether the appearance of this horrible
+vision, coupled as it was with the verification of her prophecy,
+had not a more dreadful effect upon Mr. Harding, than the sad
+reality before him.&nbsp; He trembled, sickened, fainted, and
+fell senseless on the ground.</p>
+<p>Assistance was promptly procured, and the wounded sufferers
+were carefully removed to their respective dwellings.&nbsp;
+Frederick Langdale&rsquo;s sufferings were much greater than
+those of his companion, and, in addition to severe fractures of
+two of his limbs, the wound <a name="page225"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 225</span>upon his head presented a most
+terrible appearance, and excited the greatest alarm in his
+medical attendants.</p>
+<p>Mr. Harding, whose temperate course of life was greatly
+advantageous to his case, had suffered comparatively little: a
+simple fracture of the arm, and dislocation of the collar-bone
+(which was the extent of his misfortune,) were, by skilful
+treatment and implicit obedience to professional commands, soon
+pronounced in a state of improvement; but a wound had been
+inflicted which no doctor could heal.&nbsp; The conviction that
+the woman, whose anger he had incurred, had, if not the power of
+producing evil, at least the power to foretell it, and that he
+had twice again to see her before the fulfilment of her prophecy,
+struck deep into his mind; and although he felt himself more at
+ease when he had <a name="page226"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+226</span>communicated to Mrs. Harding the fact of having seen
+the gipsy at the moment of the accident, it was impossible for
+him to rally from the shock which his nerves had received.&nbsp;
+It was in vain he had tried to shake off the perpetual
+apprehension of again beholding her.</p>
+<p>Frederick Langdale remained for some time in a very precarious
+state.&nbsp; All visitors were excluded from his room, and a
+wretched space of two months passed, during which his
+affectionate Maria had never been allowed to see him, nor to
+write to, nor to hear from him.&nbsp; While her constitution was
+gradually giving way to the constant operation of solicitude and
+sorrow.</p>
+<p>Mr. Harding meanwhile recovered rapidly, but his spirits did
+not keep pace with his mending health; the dread he felt of
+quitting his house, the tremor <a name="page227"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 227</span>excited in his breast by a knocking
+at the door, or the approach of a footstep, lest the intruder
+should be the basilisk Martha, were not to be described; and the
+appearance of his poor Maria did not tend to cheer the gloom
+which hung over him.</p>
+<p>When at length Frederick was sufficiently recovered to receive
+visitors, Maria was not sufficiently well to visit him: she was
+too rapidly sinking into an early grave, and even the physician
+himself appeared desirous of preparing her parents for the worst,
+while she, full of the symptomatic prospectiveness of disease,
+still talked anticipatingly of future happiness, when Frederick
+would be sufficiently re-established to visit her.</p>
+<p>At length, however, the doctors suggested a change of
+air&mdash;a suggestion <a name="page228"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 228</span>instantly attended to, but, alas!
+too late; the weakness of the poor girl was such, that upon a
+trial of her strength it was found inexpedient to attempt her
+removal.</p>
+<p>In this terrible state, separated from him whose all she was,
+did the exemplary patient linger, and life seemed flickering in
+her flushing cheek; and her eye was sunken, and her parched lip
+quivered with pain.</p>
+<p>It was at length agreed, that on the following day Frederick
+Langdale might be permitted to visit her;&mdash;his varied
+fractures were reduced, and the wound on the head had assumed a
+favourable appearance.&nbsp; The carriage was ordered to convey
+him to the Hardings at one, and the physicians advised by all
+means that Maria should be apprized of and prepared for the
+meeting the day <a name="page229"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+229</span>previous to its taking place.&nbsp; Those who are
+parents, and those alone, will be able to understand the tender
+solicitude, the wary caution with which both her father and
+mother proceeded in a disclosure, so important as the medical men
+thought to her recovery&mdash;so careful that the coming joy
+should be imparted gradually to their suffering child, and that
+all the mischiefs resulting from an abrupt announcement should be
+avoided.</p>
+<p>They sat down by her&mdash;spoke of Frederick&mdash;Maria
+joined in the conversation&mdash;raised herself in her
+bed&mdash;by degrees, hope was excited that she might soon again
+see him&mdash;this hope was gradually improved into
+certainty&mdash;the period at which it might occur spoken
+of&mdash;that period again progressively diminished: the anxious
+girl caught the whole truth&mdash;she knew it&mdash;she was
+conscious <a name="page230"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+230</span>that she would behold him on the morrow&mdash;she burst
+into a flood of tears and sank down upon her pillow.</p>
+<p>At that moment the bright sun, which was shining in all its
+splendour, beamed into the room, and fell strongly upon her
+flushed countenance.</p>
+<p>&lsquo;Draw down the blind, my love,&rsquo; said Mrs. Harding
+to her husband.&nbsp; Harding rose and proceeded to the
+window.</p>
+<p>A shriek of horror burst from him&mdash;&lsquo;She is
+there!&rsquo; exclaimed the agitated man.</p>
+<p>&lsquo;Who?&rsquo; cried his astonished wife.</p>
+<p>&lsquo;She&mdash;she&mdash;the horrid she!&rsquo;</p>
+<p>Mrs. Harding ran to the window and beheld, standing on the
+opposite side of the street, with her eyes fixed attentively on
+the house&mdash;<span class="smcap">Martha</span>, <span
+class="smcap">the Gipsy</span>.</p>
+<p><a name="page231"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+231</span>&lsquo;Draw down the blind, my love, and come away;
+pray come away,&rsquo; said Mrs. Harding.</p>
+<p>Harding drew down the blind.</p>
+<p>&lsquo;What evil is at hand?&nbsp; What misery is
+impending?&rsquo; sobbed Harding.</p>
+<p>A loud scream from his wife, who had returned to the bedside,
+was the horrid answer to his painful question.</p>
+<p>Maria was dead!</p>
+<p>Twice of the thrice he had seen this dreadful fiend in human
+shape; each visitation was (as she had foretold) to surpass the
+preceding ones in its importance of horror.&mdash;What could
+surpass this?</p>
+<p>There, before the afflicted parents, lay their innocent child
+stretched in the still sleep of death; neither of them believed
+it true&mdash;it seemed like a dreadful dream.&nbsp; Harding was
+bewildered, and <a name="page232"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+232</span>turned from the corpse of his beloved to the window he
+had just left.&mdash;Martha was gone&mdash;and he heard her
+singing a wild and joyous air at the other end of the street.</p>
+<p>The servants were summoned&mdash;medical aid was called
+in&mdash;but it was all too late! and the wretched parents were
+doomed to mourn their loved, their lost Maria!&nbsp; George, her
+fond and affectionate brother, who was at Oxford, hastened from
+all the academic honours which were awaiting him, to follow to
+the grave his beloved sister.</p>
+<p>The effect upon Frederick Langdale was most dreadful: it was
+supposed he would never recover from a shock so great, and at the
+moment so unexpected; for, although the delicacy of her
+constitution was a perpetual source of uneasiness and solicitude,
+still the <a name="page233"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+233</span>immediate symptoms had taken rather a favourable turn
+during the last few days of her life, and had re-invigorated the
+hopes which those who so dearly loved her entertained of her
+eventual recovery.&nbsp; Of this distressed young man I never
+indeed heard anything, till about three years after, when I saw
+it announced in the papers that he was just married to the only
+daughter of a rich west-country baronet, which event, if wanted
+to work another proverb here, would afford me a most admirable
+opportunity of doing so.</p>
+<p>The death of poor Maria, and the dread which her father
+entertained of the third visitation of Martha, made a complete
+change in the affairs of the family.&nbsp; By the exertion of
+powerful interest, he obtained an appointment for his son to act
+as his deputy in the office <a name="page234"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 234</span>which he held, and having achieved
+this desired object, resolved on leaving England for a time, and
+quitting a neighbourhood in which he must be perpetually exposed
+to the danger which he was now perfectly convinced was
+inseparable from his next interview with the weird woman.</p>
+<p>George, of course, thus checked in his classical pursuits,
+left Oxford, and at the early age of nineteen commenced active
+official life, not certainly in the particular department which
+his mother had selected for his <i>deb&ucirc;t</i>; and it was
+somewhat observable, that the Langdales, after the death of
+Maria, not only abstained from frequent intercourse with the
+Hardings during their stay in England, but that the mighty
+professions of the purse-proud citizen dwindled by degrees into
+an absolute forgetfulness of <a name="page235"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 235</span>any promise, even conditional, to
+exert an interest for their son.</p>
+<p>Seeing this, Mr. Harding felt that he should act prudentially,
+by endeavouring to place his son where in the course of time, he
+might perhaps attain to that situation, from whose honourable
+revenue he could live like a gentleman, and &lsquo;settle
+comfortably.&rsquo;</p>
+<p>All the arrangements which the kind father had proposed, being
+made, the mourning couple proceeded on a lengthened tour of the
+continent; and it was evident that his spirits mended rapidly,
+when he felt conscious that his liability to encounter Martha had
+decreased.&nbsp; The sorrow of mourning was soothed and softened
+in the common course of nature, and the quiet domesticated couple
+sat themselves down at Lausanne, &lsquo;the world forgetting, by
+the world forgot,&rsquo; <a name="page236"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 236</span>except by their excellent and
+exemplary son, whose good qualities, it seems, had captivated a
+remarkable pretty girl, a neighbour of his, whose mother seemed
+to be equally charmed with the goodness of his income.</p>
+<p>There appeared, strange to say, in this love affair, no
+difficulties to be surmounted, no obstacles to be overcome; and
+the consent of the Hardings (requested in a letter, which also
+begged them to be present at the ceremony, if they were willing
+it should take place,) was presently obtained by George; and at
+the close of the second year, which had passed since their
+departure, the parents and son were again assembled in that
+house, the sight of which recalled to their recollection their
+unhappy daughter, and her melancholy fate, and which was still
+associated most <a name="page237"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+237</span>painfully in the mind of Mr. Harding with the hated
+Gipsy.</p>
+<p>The charm, however, had, no doubt, been broken.&nbsp; In the
+two past years, Martha was probably either dead or gone from the
+neighbourhood.&nbsp; Gypsies were a wandering tribe&mdash;and why
+should she be an exception to a general rule?&mdash;and thus Mrs.
+Harding checked the rising apprehensions and renewed uneasiness
+of her husband; and so well did she succeed, that when the
+wedding-day came, and the bells rang, and the favours fluttered
+in the air, his countenance was lighted up with smiles, and he
+kissed the glowing cheek of his new daughter-in-law with warmth,
+and something like happiness.</p>
+<p>The wedding took place at that season of the year when friends
+and families meet jovially and harmoniously, <a
+name="page238"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 238</span>when all
+little bickerings are forgotten, and when, by a general feeling
+founded upon religion, and perpetuated by the memory of the
+blessings granted to the world by the Almighty, an universal
+amnesty is proclaimed; when the cheerful fire, and teeming board,
+announce that Christmas is come, and mirth and gratulation are
+the order of the day.</p>
+<p>It unfortunately happened, however, that to the account of
+Miss Wilkinson&rsquo;s marriage with George Harding, I am not
+permitted, in truth, to add, that they left town in a travelling
+carriage and four, to spend the honeymoon.&nbsp; Three or four
+days permitted absence from his office, alone, were devoted to
+the celebration of the nuptials, and it was agreed that the whole
+party, together with the younger branches of the
+Wilkinson&rsquo;s, their cousins and second <a
+name="page239"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 239</span>cousins,
+etc., should meet on twelfth-night to celebrate, in a juvenile
+party, the return of the bride and bridegroom to their home.</p>
+<p>When the night came, it was delightful to see the happy faces
+of the smiling youngsters: it was a pleasure to behold them
+pleased&mdash;a participation in which, since the highest amongst
+us, and the most accomplished prince in Europe, annually evinces
+the gratification he feels in such sights, I am by no means
+disposed to disclaim.&nbsp; And merry was the jest, and gaily did
+the evening pass; and Mr. Harding, surrounded by his youthful
+guests, smiled, and for a season forgot his care; yet, as he
+glanced around the room, he could not suppress a sigh, when he
+recollected, that in that very room his darling Maria had <a
+name="page240"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 240</span>entertained
+her little parties on the anniversary of the same day in former
+years.</p>
+<p>Supper was announced early, and the gay throng bounded down
+stairs to the parlour, where an abundance of the luxuries of
+middle life crowded the board.&nbsp; In the centre appeared the
+great object of the feast&mdash;a huge twelfth-cake; and gilded
+kings and queens stood lingering over circles of scarlet
+sweet-meats, and hearts of sugar lay enshrined with warlike
+trophies of the same material.</p>
+<p>Many and deep were the wounds the mighty heap received, and
+every guest watched with a deep anxiety the coming portion,
+relatively to the glittering splendour with which its frosted
+surface was adorned.&nbsp; Character cards, illustrated with
+pithy mottoes, and smart sayings, were distributed; and by one of
+those little frauds which, in such <a name="page241"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 241</span>societies, are always tolerated, Mr.
+Harding was announced as king, and the new bride as queen; and
+there was such charming joking, and such harmless merriment
+abounding, that he looked to his wife with an expression of
+content, which she had often, but vainly, sought to find upon his
+countenance, since the death of his dear child.</p>
+<p>Supper concluded, the clock struck twelve, and the elders
+looked as if it were time for the young ones to depart.&nbsp; One
+half-hour&rsquo;s grace was begged for by the &lsquo;King,&rsquo;
+and granted; and Mrs. George Harding on this night was to sing
+them a song about &lsquo;poor old maidens&rsquo;&mdash;an ancient
+quaintness, which, by custom and usage ever since she was a
+little child, she had annually &lsquo;performed&rsquo; upon this
+anniversary; and, accordingly, the promise being claimed, silence
+<a name="page242"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 242</span>was
+obtained, and she, with all that show of tucker-heaving
+diffidence which is so becoming in a pretty plump downy-cheeked
+girl, prepared to commence the venerable chaunt, when a noise
+resembling that produceable by the falling of an eight-and-forty
+pound shot, echoed through the house.&nbsp; It appeared to
+descend from the very top of the building, down each flight of
+stairs rapidly and violently.&nbsp; It passed the room in which
+they were sitting, and rolled its impetuous course downwards to
+the basement.&nbsp; As it seemed to leave the hall, the parlour
+door was forced open, as if by a rude gust of wind, and stood
+ajar.</p>
+<p>All the children were in a moment on their feet, huddled close
+to their respective mothers in groups.&nbsp; Mrs. Harding rose
+and rang the bell to inquire the meaning of the uproar.&nbsp; Her
+<a name="page243"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+243</span>daughter-in-law, pale as ashes, looked at George; but
+there was one of the party who moved not, who stirred not; it was
+the elder Harding, whose eyes first fixed steadfastly on the
+half-opened door, slowly followed the course of the wall of the
+apartment to the fire-place;&mdash;there they rested.</p>
+<p>When the servants came, they said they had heard the noise,
+but thought it proceeded from above.&nbsp; Harding looked at his
+wife; and then turning to the servant, observed carelessly, that
+it must have been some noise in the street, and desiring him to
+withdraw, entreated the bride to pursue her song.&nbsp; She did;
+but the children had been too much alarmed to enjoy it, and the
+noise had in its character something so strange and so unearthly,
+that even the elders of the party, although bound not to admit <a
+name="page244"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 244</span>anything
+like apprehension before their offspring, felt extremely well
+pleased when they found themselves at home.</p>
+<p>When the guests were gone, and George&rsquo;s wife lighted her
+candle to retire to rest, her father-in-law kissed her
+affectionately, and prayed God to bless her.&nbsp; He then took a
+kind leave of his son, and putting up a fervent prayer for his
+happiness, pressed him to his heart, and bade him adieu with an
+earnestness which, under the common-place circumstance of a
+temporary separation, was inexplicable to the young man.</p>
+<p>When Harding reached his bed-room, he spoke to his wife, and
+entreated her to prepare her mind for some great calamity.</p>
+<p>&lsquo;What it is to be,&rsquo; said Harding, &lsquo;where the
+blow is to fall I know not; but it is over us this
+night!&rsquo;</p>
+<p><a name="page245"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+245</span>&lsquo;My life!&rsquo; exclaimed Mrs. Harding,
+&lsquo;what new fancy is this?&rsquo;</p>
+<p>&lsquo;Eliza, love!&rsquo; answered her husband, in a tone of
+unspeakable agony, &lsquo;I have seen her for the third and last
+time.&rsquo;</p>
+<p>&lsquo;Who?&rsquo;</p>
+<p>&lsquo;<span class="smcap">Martha</span>, <span
+class="smcap">the Gipsy</span>.&rsquo;</p>
+<p>&lsquo;Impossible,&rsquo; said Mrs. Harding, &lsquo;you have
+not left the house to-day.&rsquo;</p>
+<p>&lsquo;True, my beloved,&rsquo; replied the husband;
+&lsquo;but I have seen her.&nbsp; When that tremendous noise was
+heard at supper, as the door was supernaturally opened, I saw
+her.&nbsp; She fixed those dreadful eyes of her&rsquo;s upon me;
+she proceeded to the fire-place, and stood in the midst of the
+children, and there she remained till the servant came
+in.&rsquo;</p>
+<p>&lsquo;My dearest husband,&rsquo; said Mrs. Harding,
+&lsquo;this is but a disorder of the imagination!&rsquo;</p>
+<p><a name="page246"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+246</span>&lsquo;Be it what it may,&rsquo; said he, &lsquo;I have
+seen her.&nbsp; Human or superhuman&mdash;natural or
+supernatural&mdash;there she was.&nbsp; I shall not strive to
+argue upon a point where I am likely to meet with little credit:
+all I ask is, pray fervently, have faith, and we will hope the
+misfortune, whatever it is, may be averted.&rsquo;</p>
+<p>He kissed his wife&rsquo;s cheek tenderly, and after a fitful
+feverish hour or two fell into a slumber.</p>
+<p>From that slumber never awoke he more.&mdash;He was found dead
+in his bed in the morning.</p>
+<p>&lsquo;Whether the force of imagination, coupled with the
+unexpected noise, produced such an alarm as to rob him of life, I
+know not,&rsquo; said my communicant; &lsquo;but he was
+dead.&rsquo;</p>
+<p>The story was told me by my friend Ellis in walking from the
+City to <a name="page247"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+247</span>Harley-street late one evening; and when we came to
+this part of the history we were in Bedford-square, at the dark
+and dreary corner of it where Caroline-street joins it.</p>
+<p>&lsquo;And there,&rsquo; said Ellis, pointing downward,
+&lsquo;is the street where the circumstance occurred.&rsquo;</p>
+<p>&lsquo;Come, come,&rsquo; said I, &lsquo;you tell the story
+well, but I suppose you do not expect it to be received as
+gospel.&rsquo;</p>
+<p>&lsquo;Faith,&rsquo; said he, &lsquo;I know so much of it that
+I was one of the twelfth-night party, and heard the
+noise.&rsquo;</p>
+<p>&lsquo;But you did not see the spectre?&rsquo; cried I.</p>
+<p>&lsquo;No,&rsquo; replied Ellis, &lsquo;I certainly did
+not.&rsquo;</p>
+<p>&lsquo;Nor anybody else,&rsquo; said I, &lsquo;I&rsquo;ll be
+sworn.&rsquo;&mdash;A quick footstep was just then heard behind
+us.&mdash;I turned half round <a name="page248"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 248</span>to let the person pass, and saw a
+woman enveloped in a red cloak, whose sparkling black eyes, shone
+upon by the dim lustre of a lamp above her head, dazzled
+me.&mdash;I was startled&mdash;&lsquo;Pray remember old <span
+class="smcap">Martha</span>, <span class="smcap">the
+Gipsy</span>,&rsquo; said the hag.</p>
+<p>It was like a thunder-stroke.&mdash;I instantly slipped my
+hand into my pocket, and hastily gave her three from a
+five-shilling piece.</p>
+<p>&lsquo;Thanks, my bonny one,&rsquo; said the woman, and
+setting up a shout of contemptuous laughter she bounded down
+Caroline-street towards Russell-street, singing, or rather
+yelling a wild air.</p>
+<p>Ellis did not speak during this scene&mdash;he pressed my arm
+tightly, and we quickened our pace.&nbsp; We said nothing to each
+other till we turned into Bedford-street, and the lights and <a
+name="page249"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 249</span>passengers
+of Tottenham-court-road re-assured us.</p>
+<p>&lsquo;What do you think of <i>that</i>?&rsquo; said Ellis to
+me.</p>
+<p>&lsquo;<i>Seeing is believing</i>,&rsquo; was my reply.</p>
+<p>I have never passed that dark corner of Bedford-square in the
+evening since.</p>
+<h2><a name="page250"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+250</span>REMARKABLE FULFILMENT OF A PREDICTION.</h2>
+<p>A certain German author relates the following:</p>
+<p>In my younger days, there was a dinner given in the
+<i>Florenburg Westphalen</i>, where I was born, on the occasion
+of a baptism to which a clergyman was invited.&nbsp; During
+dinner, the conversation turned upon the gravedigger of the
+place, who was well known on account of his second-sight; for, as
+often as he saw a corpse, he was always telling that there would
+be a funeral from such and such a house.&nbsp; Now, as the event
+invariably took place, the inhabitants of the house he indicated
+were placed by the man&rsquo;s tale in the greatest anxiety.</p>
+<p><a name="page251"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 251</span>This
+man&rsquo;s prophecying was an abomination to the
+clergyman.&nbsp; He therefore forbade him, but all to no purpose;
+for the poor dolt, although he was a drunkard, and a man of low
+and vulgar sentiments, believed firmly that it was a prophetic
+gift of God, and that he must make it known, in order that the
+people might still repent.&nbsp; At length the clergyman gave him
+notice that, if he announced one funeral more, he should be
+deprived of his place, and expelled from the village.&nbsp; This
+availed&mdash;the gravedigger was silent from that time
+forward.&nbsp; Half a year afterward, in the autumn of 1745, the
+gravedigger came to the clergyman, and said to him: &lsquo;Sir,
+you have forbidden me to announce any more funerals, and I have
+not done so since, nor will I do it any more; but I must tell you
+something that is particularly <a name="page252"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 252</span>remarkable, that you may see that my
+second sight is really true.&nbsp; In a few weeks a corpse will
+be brought up the meadow, which will be drawn on a sledge by an
+ox.&rsquo;&nbsp; The clergyman seemingly paid no attention to
+this, but listened to it with indifference, and replied:
+&lsquo;Only go about your business, and leave off such
+superstitious follies.&nbsp; It is sinful to have anything to do
+with them.&rsquo;</p>
+<p>Some weeks after a strong body of Austrian troops passed
+through the village on their way to the Netherlands.&nbsp; While
+resting there a day, the snow fell nearly three feet deep.&nbsp;
+At the same time, a woman died in another village of the same
+parish.&nbsp; The military took away all the horses out of the
+country to drag the waggons.&nbsp; Meanwhile the corpse lay
+there, no horses came back; <a name="page253"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 253</span>the body began to putrify; they
+were, therefore, compelled to make a virtue of necessity&mdash;to
+place the corpse upon a sledge, and harness an ox to it.</p>
+<p>In the meantime the clergyman, and the teacher with his
+scholars, proceeded to the village to meet the corpse; and, as
+the funeral came along the meadow in this array, the gravedigger
+came up to the clergyman, pulled him by the gown, pointed with
+his finger toward the sledge, and said not a word.</p>
+<p>Such was the tale as related by the clergyman.&nbsp; I was
+well acquainted with the good man, and he was incapable of
+telling an untruth, much less in a matter which contradicted all
+his principles.</p>
+<h2><a name="page254"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+254</span>PROVIDENTIAL FOREBODING.</h2>
+<p><span class="smcap">In</span> the &lsquo;Museum of
+Wonders,&rsquo; Vol. II., page 153, there is a striking
+presentiment related, which Madame de Beaumont received from the
+lips of a credible person.&nbsp; This individual had a friend in
+the country, who, being unmarried, committed his domestic
+concerns to the care of an housekeeper who had been with him for
+many years.&nbsp; When his birthday arrived, he made many
+preparations for celebrating it, and told his housekeeper in the
+morning to clean out a certain arbour in the garden, which he
+named, because, as the weather was fine, he intended to pass the
+day in it with his guests.&nbsp; She seeming quite amazed at
+this, told and entreated him to receive his guests in a room, for
+she <a name="page255"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 255</span>had
+last night in her dream a presentiment that the arbour would that
+day be struck by lightning.&nbsp; He laughed at the assertion, as
+there was no appearance of a storm coming on that day, and he
+told her not to mind her foolish dream, and to prepare the arbour
+for the reception of his guests.&nbsp; She did as she was
+ordered, the guests arrived, and as the day was fine, made
+themselves merry.&nbsp; But in the meantime clouds gathered in
+the distant horizon and were at last powerfully driven to that
+place by the wind.&nbsp; The company were so intent on their
+entertainment that they did not in the least observe it: but
+scarcely was the housekeeper aware that the storm was
+approaching, than she begged her master to leave the arbour with
+his company, for she could not divest herself at all of the idea
+of the lightning striking it.&nbsp; At <a
+name="page256"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 256</span>first they
+would not listen, but at last, when she continued her entreaties
+and the thunder commenced to approach with great violence, they
+suffered themselves to be induced to leave the arbour.&nbsp;
+Hardly had they reached the room when they heard a heavy crash of
+thunder, and the quick following lightning struck the arbour and
+dashed everything that had been left in it to pieces.</p>
+<h2>WONDERFUL PRESENTIMENT.</h2>
+<p>Madame Beaumont relates the following:</p>
+<p>My whole family still remember an accident from which my
+father was preserved by a presentiment of danger.&nbsp; On one
+occasion, he agreed with a party to sail to Port St. Osmer.&nbsp;
+When it was time to go on board, an aunt of my father&rsquo;s,
+who was deaf and dumb, uttered a kind of howl, placed herself at
+the door, <a name="page257"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
+257</span>blocked up the way with her arms, struck her hands
+together, and gave him, by signs, to understand that she conjured
+him to stay at home.&nbsp; My father, who had promised himself
+much pleasure from this excursion, only laughed at her
+entreaties; but the lady fell at his feet, and manifested such
+signs of poignant grief, that he at length determined to yield to
+her entreaties, and postponed his excursion to Port St. Osmer
+until some other day.</p>
+<p>He therefore endeavoured to detain the rest also; but they
+laughed at him for being so easily persuaded, and set sail.&nbsp;
+Scarcely had the vessel proceeded half the distance, before those
+on board of it had the greatest reason to repent that they had
+not followed his advice.&nbsp; Some serious accidents happened to
+the vessel, so that it broke to pieces; several lost their lives,
+and those who saved <a name="page258"></a><span
+class="pagenum">p. 258</span>themselves by swimming were so much
+terrified at their narrow escape, that they, with difficulty, got
+the better of it.</p>
+<p>By some written statements the dumb afterwards made, it was
+shown that, in the night preceding, she had an awful and
+life-like dream, in which it seemed that the excursion-boat,
+which would set sail on the following day for Port St. Osmer,
+would be wrecked; and that most of the persons on board would
+either get drowned or barely escape.&nbsp; The warning angel
+found that he could influence no one more effectually than the
+deaf and dumb aunt; he therefore selected her for the execution
+of his commission.&nbsp; My father, all his life, was profoundly
+thankful, both to her and the guardian angel, for this
+providential warning and foreboding.</p>
+<div class="gapspace">&nbsp;</div>
+<div class="gapmediumline">&nbsp;</div>
+<p style="text-align: center"><span class="GutSmall">PRINTED FOR
+THE BOOKSELLERS.</span></p>
+<div class="gapspace">&nbsp;</div>
+<h2>NOTES.</h2>
+<p><a name="footnote7"></a><a href="#citation7"
+class="footnote">[7]</a>&nbsp;&nbsp; Or acknowledgment, which, by
+the tenure of some estates, is given to every new lord of a
+manor.</p>
+<p><a name="footnote10"></a><a href="#citation10"
+class="footnote">[10]</a>&nbsp; The term used in this country for
+a lane.</p>
+<p><a name="footnote16"></a><a href="#citation16"
+class="footnote">[16]</a>&nbsp; A few years ago, (since the above
+was written) Mr. E of O&mdash;, was killed by a fall from his
+horse, at his own gate, as he was returning from hunting.</p>
+<p><a name="footnote32a"></a><a href="#citation32a"
+class="footnote">[32a]</a>&nbsp; The Duke of Buckingham
+(favourite of James and Charles I. who was beheaded) assassinated
+by J. Felton.</p>
+<p><a name="footnote32b"></a><a href="#citation32b"
+class="footnote">[32b]</a>&nbsp; The Scots, who sold their King,
+Charles I. for a large sum of money, to the English rebels.</p>
+<p><a name="footnote32c"></a><a href="#citation32c"
+class="footnote">[32c]</a>&nbsp; Supposed to have been the
+Marquis of Montrose.</p>
+<p><a name="footnote33a"></a><a href="#citation33a"
+class="footnote">[33a]</a>&nbsp; Supposed to have been Oliver
+Cromwell, at whose death the greatest storm of wind happened that
+had been known in England.</p>
+<p><a name="footnote33b"></a><a href="#citation33b"
+class="footnote">[33b]</a>&nbsp; The plague and fire of London
+were here plainly foretold.</p>
+<p><a name="footnote33c"></a><a href="#citation33c"
+class="footnote">[33c]</a>&nbsp; The Great Yellow Fruit, supposed
+to have been the Prince of Orange, King William III.</p>
+<p><a name="footnote34"></a><a href="#citation34"
+class="footnote">[34]</a>&nbsp; This was said in the book whence
+the <span class="smcap">Predictions</span> were extracted, to
+mean oppression of the poor.</p>
+<p><a name="footnote43"></a><a href="#citation43"
+class="footnote">[43]</a>&nbsp; It is reported that there is a
+room in this house the door and windows of which are kept closely
+fastened, and no one is ever permitted to enter the same except
+the next heir, when he attains his twenty-first year, at which
+time he goes in alone and when he returns it is shut up as
+before.</p>
+<p><a name="footnote51"></a><a href="#citation51"
+class="footnote">[51]</a>&nbsp; The original prophecy says,
+&ldquo;Richard the son of Richard.&rdquo;</p>
+<p><a name="footnote184"></a><a href="#citation184"
+class="footnote">[184]</a>&nbsp; Sir Walter Raleigh.</p>
+<p><a name="footnote185a"></a><a href="#citation185a"
+class="footnote">[185a]</a>&nbsp; Tobacco.</p>
+<p><a name="footnote185b"></a><a href="#citation185b"
+class="footnote">[185b]</a>&nbsp; The Potatoe.</p>
+<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PROPHECIES OF ROBERT NIXON, MOTHER
+SHIPTON, AND MARTHA, THE GYPSY***</p>
+<pre>
+
+
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