Mercurius Propheticus. OR,— A Collection of some old Predictions. O!— May they only prove, but empty fictions.  
Consensu populi regnum subsistit.  
That Kingdom will established be  
Wherein the people well agree.  
Printed in the Year, M.DC.XLIII.   

The Preface.  
GEntlemen! Some of these Collections are well known to have seen printed many years ago; others I have heard when I did give as little credit to them as to old wives tales; yet for as much as they all agree in very many particulars; and have all of them been of longer standing in man's memory then my great Grandfather, in whose days they were frequent: and further, since they all do speak so directly of the present times as if they had but now been minted; they do, I must confess, a little take upon my fear, who am as far from superstition as any man alive can be; whence it is, that I held them worthy your considerations; whether you believe them to have the least affinity to Prophecies or not, which you know must needs be true, because they spring from the Fountain of Truth itself; And if you think they savour of verity, O then reflect, for Heaven's sake, what a lamentable condition England shall be in, when she becomes the subject verifying every tittle of those dreadful times that these Predictions do delineate; I shall only, upon this occasion, take the boldness to insert one truth, if not a Prophecy, which I am sure is as true, as that our Saviour Jesus Christ is God, as well as man, a truth no Christian dares deny.  Lucae. 11. v. 17. Omne Regnum in seipsum divisum desolabitur, & domus supra domum cadet. 
And as true it is that England stands now divided, as that division in a Kingdom is the infallible desolation thereof. This present inevitable truth makes me suspect a shrewd aim at the present times, in these other predictions, but abstracting from them, and insisting only upon this that is undoubted; Tell me Gentlemen, if desolation or to have your own houses fall upon your heads, be the things that any of you aim at, who do promote the present divisions: No, you all flatter yourselves (not doubt) of seeing this a flourishing Kingdom by the bargain; is not this gross flattery indeed, when he that cannot lie tells you, Desolation must be the sad event of your divisions? who so denies this, must be like the stupid Gentiles, that had eyes, and would not see, ears and would not hear, hands and would not feel.  

As therefore none, for desolation fight,  
Please all, for consolation to unite.  
Since, till united, these predictions are  
Of your destruction, Truth's Oracular.    

MOTHER SHIPTON'S PROPHECY.  
WHen she heard that Cardinal Wolsev intended to live at York, 
Note that this Prophesy was never exactly printed before.  she said that the Cardinal should never come thither, which the Cardinal hearing of, was angry, and desired the King to send the Duke of Suffolk, Lord Peircy and Lord Darcy to her, who came with their men disguised to the King-house near York, where leaving their men, they went to Master Beasly to York, and desired him to go with them to Mother Shipton's house, where when they came, they knocked at the door, and she said, Come in Master Beasly, and those Honourable Lords with you; and Master Beasly would have put in the Lords before him; but she said, Come in Master Beasty, you know the way, but they do not. This they thought strange, that she should know them, and never saw them. Then they went into the house, where there was a great fire, and she bade them welcome, calling them all by their names, and sent for some Cakes and Ale, and they drank and were very merry. Mother Shipton, said the Duke, if you knew what we came about, you would not bid us so welcome; and she said the messenger should not be hanged. Mother Shipton, said the Duke, you said, the Cardinal should never see York; Yea, said she, I said he might see York, but never come at it: But, said the Duke, when he comes to York thou shalt be burnt: We shall see that, said she, and plucking her kerchief off her head, she threw it into the fire and it would not burn: then she took her staff and turned it in the fire, and it would not burn: then she took it and put it on again. Then said the Duke, What mean you by this? She replied, If this had burned, I might have burned.  
Mother Shipton quoth the Duke, what think you of me? My Lord, said she, the time will come, you 
(a) The Duke was 〈…〉.  will be as low as I am, and that is a low one indeed.  
My Lord Peircy said, And what say you of me? my Lord said she, shoe your horse in the quick, and you will do well, if not, your 
(b) This proved true, for he risen in rebellion in the N●r●h, and 〈…〉 when he might, he was taken and beheaded at York, wher● his body was buried; but his head was stolen away and carried into France, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  body will be buried in York pavement, and your head shall be stolen from the bar and carried into France, at which they all laughed, saying, that would be a great lop betwirt the head and the body.  
Then said the Lord Darcy, And what think you of me? She said you have made a great gun, shoot it off, for it will do you no good, you are going to warfare, you will pine many a man, but you will kill none; so they went away.  
Not long after the Cardinal came to Cawood, and going to the top of the Tower, he asked where York was, and how far it was thither, and said, that one said, he should never see York, nay said one that stood by, she said you should see York but never come at it, than he vowed to burn her, when he came to York, than they shown him York and told him it was but eight miles thence, he said he would soon be there, but being sent for by the King, he died in the way to London, at Leicester of a Lask.  
And Shipton's wife said to Mr Beasly, yonder is a fine stall built for the Cardinal in the Minster, of Gold, Pearl and precious stones, go and present one of the pillars to King Henry, and he did so.  
Master Beasly seeing these things fall out as she had foretold, desired her to tell him some more of her prophecies.  
Master Beasly said she, before that 
(c) This came to pass, for Trinity steeple in York was blown down with a tempest, and Owse Bridge was broken down with a great flood; and what they did in repairing the Bridge in the day time with the stone of the Steeple, fell down in the night, until they (remembering this Prophecy) laid the highest stone of the Steeple, for the foundation of the bridge; and then the work stood. And by this was partly verified another of Mother Shipton's Prophecies, (viz.) That her maid should live to drive her Cow over Trinity Steeple.  Owse bridge and Trinity Church meet, they shall build in the day, and it shall fall in the night, until they get the highest stone of Trinity Church to be the lowest stone of Owse bridge.  
Then the day will come that Hares shall kennel on cold hearth 
(d) Supposed to be meant by the suppression of Abbeys and other Religious Houses. And at the Lord William howard's house at Naworth, a Hare came and kinnelld in his Kitchen upon the hearth.  stones, & lads shall marry Ladies, and bring them to their homes. A joyful day will be seen in England, a King and a Queen.  
The first coming in of the King 
(e) This was fulfilled in K. James his coming in, for such a multitude of people stood at Holgate Bar to behold him, as that to avoid the press he was forced to ride by another way.  of Scots shall be at Holgate Town, but he shall not come through the bar. And when the King 
(f) When King James was at London, his children were at Edinburgh, preparing to come into England.  of the North shall be at London bridge, his tail shall be at Edinburgh.  
Water 
(g) This is verified by the conducting of water into York streets, through boared Elms: And the Conduit-house hath a Windmill on the top that draws up the water.  shall come over Owse bridge, and a windmyll shall be set on a Tower, and an Elm free shall lie at every man's door.  
At that day—  
Women shall wear great hats and great bands.  
When there is a Lord Major 
(h) A Lord Mayor whose house was in Mynster-Yard in YORK, was killed with three stables.  living in Minster yard in York, let him beware of a stab.  
When two knights 
(i) Sir Thomas Wentworth and Sir John Sa●●●l in choosing Knights for the Shire in the Castle-yard at York, did so fall out, that they were never after well reconciled.  shall fall out in the Castle yard, they shall never live kindly all their lives after.  
When all Colton 
(k) Colton ●●g in her time was a Woodland ground full of trees, which bore corn seven years, and the seventh year after that was the year of the coming in of the Scots, and their taking of Newcastle.  hag hath borne Crops of Corn seven years, seven years after you shall hear news.  
There shall two judges 
(l) In the year 16 〈◊〉 Judges of Assize went out at a gate in York, where never any Judges were known to go out before or since.  go in and out at Walmgate bar. The day will come, 
The North shall rue it wondrous sore,  
But the South shall rue it for evermore.  
When Wars shall begin in the spring,  
Much woe to England it will bring:  
Then shall the Ladies cry welladay,  
That ever we lived to see this day.  
Then best for them that have the least,  
And worst for them that have the most.   
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 Codran and Are,  
Shall be great warfare:  
When all the world is aloft,  
It shall be called Christ's croft.  
When the battle of warfare gins, it shall be where 
(m) Near Leicester, where Richard the third was slain in battle, there Colonel Hastings was one of the first in arms, endeavouring to settle the Commission of Array, in opposition to others that were then settling the Militia.  Crookback Richard made his fray.  
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, 
For he that goes to complain,  
Shall not come back again.   
The time will come when England shall tremble and quake for fear of a dead man, that shall be heard to speak, Then will the Dragon give the Bull a great snay, And when this battle is done, they will all go to London town.  
There will be a great battle between England and Scotland, and they will be pacified for a time, and when they come at Braman more they fight, and are again pacified for a time, then there will be a great battle between England and Scotland at Knavesmore, than they will be pacified for a while, then there will be a great battle between England and Scotland at Storcktonmore, then will Kavens sit on the 
(n) It is to be noted & admired, that this Cross in the North in Mother Shipton's days, was a tall stone Cross, which ever since hath been by degrees sinking into the ground, and now is sunk so low, that a Raven may sit upon the top of it, and reach her bill to the ground.  Cross & drink as much blood of Nobles as of the Commons, than woe is me for London shall be destroyed for ever after.  
Then will come a woman with one eye, and she shall tread in many men's bloods 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 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 borne in Pomfret with three thumbs, and these three Knights will give their horses to this 
(o) There is a child not many years since born at Pomfrait with 3 thumbs.  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 choose their Earl in the field, and hang their horses on a thorn, and rue the time that ever they were borne, to see so much blood shed.  
Then they will come to York to beseige it, and they shall keep them out for three days and three nights, and a penny loaf shall be within the bar at half a Crown, and without the bar at a penny, 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 up the Major, Sheriffs and Aldermen; there will three Knghts go in to 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 21. years, and while the world endureth there shall never be warfare again, nor any more Kings or Queens, but the Kingdom shall be governed by three Lords, and then York shall be London.  
And after this, shall be a white harvest of Corn gotten in by women. Then shall be in the North, that one woman shall say unto 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. And after that a ship come sailing up the Thames till it come against London, and the master of the ship shall weep, and the mariners, shall ask him why he weepeth, being he hath made so good a voyage-and he shall say; Oh what a goodly City this was, none in the world comparable to it, and now there is scarce left any house that can let us have drink for our money.  
Unhappy he that lives to see these days,  
But happy are the dead, Shipton's wife says.  


An ancient Prophecy to be seen in Master Harr●es discourses upon Prophecies, printed anno. 1588. Fathered upon Merlin.  
Anglia! te prodit tua gens, quia quaelibet odit:  
Te circumfodit gens Scotica: Gallia rodit:  
Wallia minatur: Hybernicus insidiatur:  
Ecce repentina validis mors: atque ruina  
Te citò prosternit; nec gens tua talia cernit.  
Pax simulata fluet; pax haec, pax falsò probatur,  
Pax clam namque ruet, graviorque poena paratur.   
Enlished thus.  

England! thy proper native thee betrays,  
Because all Nations hate thee, and thy ways;  
Scotland doth undermine thee: France doth gnaw:  
Wales threats: the Irish thee by snares doth awe:  
Thy bravest men do on a sudden dye,  
And thou thyself doth wholly ruined lie,  
Yet seest it not, but under feigned peace,  
Dost thine own misery still more increase.   
The gloss upon the Text.  

Say, gentle Muse, is this a prophecy?  
Or is't a witty, studious, feigned lie?  
If it be true, What state is England in?  
If it be false, 'tis high time time to begin  
To prove it so: nor is't too late as yet,  
(Though a true Prophecy) to frustrate it.  
For Ninivy was thus foretold her end  
In forty days, yet found a way to send  
Th' approaching ruin back; and so mayest thou,  
If thou like knee, like heart to heaven bow;  
And then this prophecy do straight present,  
To (heavens Vicegerent) our high Parliament;  
Where, it may wisely be discussed, and tried,  
Whether in part it hath been verified  
As yet; if so, then how they may prevent,  
The ill not come, but likely consequent.    

Another old Prophecy transcribed out of an ancient manuscript.  

Flan: Fran: consurgent: Hispani viribus urgent:  
Scotus vastabit: dum Wallicus arma levabit:  
Inter nodosum mentem, 
* 〈…〉 pontem.  fontemque petrosum,  
Corruet Anglorum gens perfida, fraud suorum.   
Translation.  

Flanders shall rise with France, Spain fight amain,  
The Scots wast all, while Britain's arm in vain.  
Between a knotty mount and stony spring  
False England shall her men to slaughter bring.   
Another translation of the same.  

Flanders shall rise with France: Spain powers advance:  
The Scots shall waste the land, while Britain's armed stand:  
'Twixt knotty mountain, and a stony fountain,  
Perfidious English, shall themselves extinguish.    

This following Prophecy was showed by Sir William Norris to King James, upon the uniting of the two Crowns of England and Scotland under the name of Great Britain.  

A Peace shall be dissembled,  
That Peace may well be trembled:  
That Peace shall false be proved,  
All Peace shall be removed.  
For why? A most grievous sight  
Shall rise up right.  
Great Mars omnipotent,  
He shall be vigilant:  
His bloody brands of steel  
To whet, thou shalt them feel  
So sore upon thy side,  
That woe shall thee betid;  
Nation shall rise with Nation,  
And make confederation.  
That all English situation,  
Shall be taught by operation,  
To read upon the Passion.  
Flanders shall join with France,  
With bill, spear, gun and lance,  
With Almany, and Gassogny;  
Spain shall eke employ,  
His force thee to destroy;  
Thou shalt have the Britain's to annul thee,  
The Scots to pluck and pull thee,  
England, thou shalt be sure,  
These torments to endure.    

An old Scotch Prophecy delivered many years since by the Bishop of Rosse to a great Lady.  

When pride is in price,  
And wit is in vice;  
When robbery as rise, as rye in the rise,  
When great men are lawless,  
And holy Kirk awlesse,  
God's body and blood not given the heeding,  
And Laics have the Kirke in leeding.  
Then fall sorrow sit upon seal.  
But fall fortune turn her wheel.  
When the year of our Lord God is comed and ganne,  
One thousand six hundred forty and twain,  
Then fall up what was down,  
Then fall lettith wear the Crown, 
i.e. Truth.   
And zeal fall last for ever and aye,  
Till the Son of God take all away.    

To these may be added another Prophecy of great antiquity out of our famous Historiagrapher, Henricus de Huntingdon, which before the year of our Lord 1000 foretold thereby that this Kingdom of England (for its manifold wickednesses) should be conquered by the Normans, and should also by the Scots be afterwards brought to a deserved chastisement, etc.  
He delivers the Prophecy thus.  
Anno millesimo incarnatione Dom. etc. Genti Anglorum predixit quidam vir dei, 
Hen● H●●. libr. 6. Sectio 1.  quod ex scelerum suorum immanitate, non solum quia semper caedi & proditioni studebant, verum etiam quia semper ebrietati & negligentiae Domus Domini dediti erant, eye insperatum a Francia adventurum dominium, quod & eorum excellentiam in eternum deprimeret, & honorem sine termine restitutionis eventilaret. Praedixit etiam quod non ea gens solum, verum & Scottorum (quos vilissimos habebant) eye ad emeritam confusionem dominaretur. Praedixit nihilominùs varium adeo saeculum creandum, ut varietas, quae in mentibus hominum latebat, & in actibus patebat, multimoda variatione vestium & indumentorum designaretur.  
The first part of this Prophecy was notoriously verified in the year 1066. when the Normans under the conduct of William the Conqueror Invaded and Subdued this land.   

This is also ancient, though common.  

In Germany gins a dance,  
Which passeth through Italy, Spain and France;  
But England shall pay the piper.    

Another Prophecy very ancient, in old Meeter.  

In that same year that fully shall expire,  
The sixth great wonder of the world's Empire;  
Then Tyders 
* i.e. Hen. Ed. Mar. Phil. Eliz.  HEMP shall end I dare aread,  
Then 
* After Q. Eli. K. James.  E shall fall, and I shall stand in stead:  
In that same year a great plague shall reign,  
The which a thousand days shall remain:  
At Mary's Mass a Court they hold,  
The which in bloody Ink shall be enrolled:  
There many a plea shall pass with brawling words,  
And short daggers shall be better than long swords:  
On Hunsloes' heath soon after shall be seen,  
A fierce fought battle by a King I ween:  
Of Knights there shall be three thousand there,  
Of which there shall but ten back again appear:  
There shall many a battle and brawl be,  
And then a huge host shall pass over the Sea,  
Concluding a peace: but in this wise,  
Betwixt two C. C. two L. L. so long shall last two I. I    

Another very ancient Prophecy.  

When the eighth letter of the Christcross row eight times is passed,  
And every one at liberty to reason as he will,  
Then the Church without sacrifice six years shall last:  
Until the follower of God's laws it do fulfil:  
But then alas soon after it shall decay,  
By the space of one Lustrum, as stories do say:  
Then mark the day of the next desolation,  
And count them as they lie in the grew,  
Take M. only with its signification:  
And twice two C. C. which is very true:  
And from that day as Stories do say,  
The Sacrifice shall last for ever and aye.    

Another.  

Ever shall ⚅ be called the first of the dice,  
When ⚀ shall bear up ⚅  
Then shall England be cleped Paradise:  
When ⚄ and ⚃ be set on side:  
The name of ⚅ shall spring full wide:  
And when ⚃ and ⚁ drive out ⚂  
Than may England sing well away:  
Then it is all shent,  
For then shall be another Parliament:  
⚅ shall up and ⚀ shall under,  
The Lion, the Rose, the Flowerdeluce:  
The lock shall undo.  
Then shall ⚅ bear the price  
And ⚀ shall help thereto.    

This Prophecy is Fathered upon Ignatius, and was long since found in St. Benet's Monastery in Norfolk.  

When Eighty eight be past, then thrive  
Thou mayst, till forty four or five.  
After the Maid is dead, a Scot  
Shall govern thee: and if a plot  
Prevent him not, sure than his sway  
Continue shall till many a day.  
The ninth shall die, and the first  
Perhaps shall reign: but (oh) accursed  
Shall be the time, when thou shalt see  
To sixteen joined twenty three.  
For then the Eagle shall have help  
By craft to catch the Lion's whelp,  
And hurt him sore; except the same  
Be cured by the Maiden's name.  
In July month of the same year  
Saturn conjoins with Jupiter.  
Perhaps false Prophets shall arise.  
And Mahomet shall show his prize;  
And sure much alteration  
Shall happen in Religion:  
Believe this truly if then you see  
A Spaniard a Protestant to be.    
FINIS.