Prophecies of Robert Nixon, Mother Shipton, and Martha, the Gypsy Part 6

"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 pa.s.sed.

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 pa.s.s A house that shall be built of gla.s.s.

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 pa.s.s_, _except that contained in the last two lines_, _which is still in the future_.

XI.

Over a wild and stormy sea, Shall a n.o.ble {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 mult.i.tude 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 a.s.sa.s.sin 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.