The Strange and Wonderful HISTORY OF Mother Shipton Plainly setting forth Her prodigious Birth, Life, Death, and Burial. With an exact Collection of all her famous PROPHECYS More complete than ever yet before published. And large Explanations, showing how they have all along been fulfilled to this very YEAR. Licenced according to Order. The History of Mother Shipton CHAP. I. Of Mother Shipton's strange Parentage, and t●● place of her Birth. MOTHER SHIPTON (as all Histori●● agee) was a Yorkshire woman; b●● the particular place is very mu●● disputed, because several Towns have pretended to the honour of her Birth; But the m●●● credible and received opinion ascribes it 〈◊〉 Nascborough, near the dropping Well, in the Cou●ty aforesaid: concerning her Pedigree or Parentage there is likewise very various Report●● Some say, that her Father was a Necromancer and that skill in the Black Art thereby become entailed upon her by inheritance; but the common Story (which therefore I shall follow, yet without forcing the Reader to believe it whe●●er he will or no) is, That she never had any ●●●ther of humane Race, or mortal wight, but 〈◊〉 as begot (as the great Welsh Prophet Merlin 〈◊〉 as of old) by the Phantasm of Apollo, or some ●●anton Airial Doemon, in manner following. Her Mother (whom some Records call A●atha, and others Emmatha) being left an Or●●an about the Age of sixteen, very poor, and ●uch troubled with that grievous, but common disease, called by some Idleness, and by ●●thers Sloth; as she was once upon a time sitting, bemoaning her self on a shady bank by the highway side, this spirit appeared to her in the ●●ape of a very handsome young man, & smi●●ng on her, Pretty maid, quoth he, why dost ●●ou sit so sad? Thou art not old enough to have ●●y Head pestered with the cares of the World; ●●ithee tell me the business, and doubt not but I ●ill help thee out of all thy troubles. The Maid ●or Maids there were in those days at her age) ●●sting up her eyes, and not suspecting a devilled ●●d in so comely a countenance, related to him ●●r wants, and that she knew not how to live; pish! said he, that's nothing, but be ruled by and thou shalt never lack; she hearing him p●●mise so fairly, told him she would; and the●● upon to draw her in by degrees to destructi●● he first tempted her to Fornication, and prevailed so far as to gain her, but his Touch●● as she afterwards confessed to the Midwi●● were as cold as Ice or Snow. From this ti●● forward she was commonly once a day visited by her Hellish Gallant, and never want●● money, for still as she swept the House, s●● should find some odd pieces, as Ninepence●● Quarters of thirteen-pence-half-pennys, a●● the like, sufficient to supply all her occasion. CHAP. 2. How Mother Shipton's Mother proved wi●● child; How she fitted the severe Justice, a●● what happened at her delivery. THe Neighbours observing Agatha without any Employ to live so handsomely, wondered exceedingly how she came by it, but w●● more surprised shortly afterward, when th●● perceived her to be with child, which she co●● not long hid, for before her delivery, she was 〈◊〉 big as if she had gone with half a dozen ●●ildren at once; whereupon she was carried be●●re a Justice, who chid & threatened her for her ●●continency, but he was soon silenced, for ●●s Wife and all his Family being present, A●atha said to him aloud, Mr. Justice, gravely ●●u talk now, and yet the truth is, your Worship is not altogether free, for here stands Two 〈◊〉 your Servant wenches, that are both at this ●ime with Child by you; pointing to them severally with her finger: at which both himself ●nd the two Girls were so blank, that his wife plainly saw what she said was true, and therefore fell upon two poor Harlots like a fury, so ●●ll Mr. Justice and the Constable could do was ●ot enough to keep the peace, and the whole family was in such confusion, that Agatha for ●●at time was dismissed, and soon after was ●ought to bed in the Month of July, in the 4. ●ear of the Reign of K. Henry the 7th. which as in the year of our Lord, 1488. Her Travel as very grievous, and a most terrible Clap of ●hunder happened just as she was delivered of this strange birth, which afterward was so ●●mous by the name of Mother Shipton. N●● could the Tempest affright the women mo●● than the prodigious Physiognomy of t●● Child; the body was long, but very big bone great gogling eyes, very sharp and fiery, a No● of unproportionable length, having in it ma●● crooks and turn, adorned with gre●● pimples, which like vapours of brimstone ga●● such a lustre in the night, that her Nurse needed no other Candle to dress her by; and besides this uncouth shape, it was observed, th●● as soon as the was born, she fell a laughing and grinning after a jeering manner, and immediately the Tempest ceased. CHAP. 3. By what name mother Shipton was christian and how her Mother went into a Monastery THE Child being thus brought into 〈◊〉 World, under such strange circumstance was (though not without some oppositie●, ordered at last by the Abbot of Beverly to 〈◊〉 christened, which was performed by the name Ursula Soothtell: for the later was her mo●●ers, and consequently her Maiden Surname ●nd as for Shipton, it was the name of her husband's, whom she afterwards married; as wi●● ●●pear in the sequel of this History: and in this particular most of the Authors I've Read have ●een foully mistaken. But to proceed, When ●e was about two years old, her Mother co●ing to be sensible of her evil, in holding a correspondency with a wicked spirit, applying her If to several Religious men of great note in ●●ose times, by whose grave advice she grew ●uly penitent, and (according to the fashion ●f that Age's Devotion) put herself into a ●ighbouring Monastery, having first put out ●●r Child with a piece of Money to a friend, ●●d so spent the remainder of her days in the ●●mous Covent of the order of St. Bridget, near ●ottingham, in prayers and tears, and other acts 〈◊〉 Penance, to expiate the wickedness of her ●uth; but wonderful it is to relate the trou●●s that befell the Nurse she was put to, for her ●ther, the foul Fiend, is reported several times 〈◊〉 have visited her, particularly one day the ●●rse having been abroad, when she returned she found her door open, whereupon fearin●●he was Robbed, she called three or four neighbours and their Wives to go into the hous● with her, but before they got well into th● Entry, they heard a strange noise, as if ther● had been a thousand Cats in consort, which s● dismayed them, that they all ran towards th● door, endeavouring to get out again, but in vai● for every one of them had got Yokes on thei● Necks, that they could not possibly return, bu● soon after the Yokes fell off, and then a Coul● staff was laid on 2 of the men's shoulders, upon which an old woman presented her sel● stark naked, sometimes hanging by the heels sometimes by the Toes, anon by the middle with divers other postures, while the women having all their coats turned over their ears exposed their shame to public view, and s●● continued till a Friar accidentally came to th●● house, and then they was suddenly released but still the child having been taken out of th● Cradle, could not be found, till at last one of th● company looking by chance up the chimney, sa●● it stark naked, sitting astride upon the Iro● to which the Pot-hooks was fastened, whenc● they took it down without the least hurt, and ●o far from being frighted, that it seemed by ●ts monstrous smiles to be very well pleased at ●hese pleasant Exploits. CHAP. 4. Several other merry pranks played by Mother Shipton, in Revenge to such as abused her. AS our Ursula grew up to riper years, she was often affronted, by reason of her deformity, but she never failed to be revenged on ●hose that did it: As one day all the chief of the Parish being together at a merry meeting, she ●oming thither occasionally on an Errand, ●ome of them abused her by calling her, The Devil's Bastard, and Hag-face, and the like; whereupon she went away grumbling, but so ordered affairs, that when they was set down 〈◊〉 Dinner, one of the principal Yeomen, that thought himself spruce and fine, had in an in●●ant his Ruff (which in those days they wore) ●ull'd off, and the Seat of an House of Office clapped in its place; he that sat next him bursting out into a laughter at the sight hereof, was served little better, for his Hat was invisibly conveyed away, and the Pan of a Close ●●ool which stood in the next Room, put on instead thereof. Besides this, a modest young Gentlewoman that sat at the Table at the same time, looking at these two worthy specta●les of mirth, endeavoured all she could to Restrain laughing, but could not, and withal continued breaking of wind backward for above a quarter of an hour together, like so many broadsides in a Sea-fight, which made all the company laugh so extremely, that the Master of the house (being the chief Inn in the town) was alarmed below therewith, and desirous to share with his Guests in their mirth, came running up Stairs as fast as his Legs would ●arry him, but being 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: But whilst they were gazing on one another, as more than half distracted, they were all reduced to the same condition they were in at first, after which followed a noise, as if more than a hundred persons were laughing together, but nothing was seen. CHAP. V. How Ursula married a young man named To●● Shipton, and strangely discovered a Thief. OUr Ursula was now arrived at the Fou● and twentieth year of her age, and th●● she was none of the prettiest Maids in th● Town, as you may remember by her description, yet she longed for an husband as much a● the best of them, & at last obtained her desire For whether she used any Love-powder o● charms to enamour him, or whether the hop●● of getting some money, which she was reported to have, tho' no body could tell how sh● should come by it, caused him to court her, (a● some men there are that would not only marry the Devil's daughter, but his dam too fo● money) I cannot certainly inform the Readers but a Sweetheart she had, named Toby Shipton ●y Trade a Carpenter, to whom she was shortnacy after married, and very comfortably they ●●ved together, but never had any children▪ It happened about a Month after her marriag● ●●ne of her Neighbours leaving her door carelessly open, lost a new Smock and Petticoat, ●●oln away while she was telling a Gossip's ●ale of an hour long at next door, whither she ●ent to fetch Fire; which misfortune much troubling her, she made her moan to our Mo●her Shipton, who did not go about like our little silly Conjurers, with their Schemes and figure's to give a blind description of she knew ●ot whom, but roundly told her such a Wo●an by name had stolen the things, adding, ●hat she would make her restore them with a ●●ame to her; and so indeed she did; for the ●●xt Market day before all the people this Woman could not avoid putting on the smock over her other clothes, and the Petticoat in her hand, and so marched through the ●●oud into the Market-cross, where the other ●as by Mother Shipton's directions to receive ●hem, dancing all the way, and singing these ●ords: I stole my Neighbour's Smock and Coat, I am a Thief, and here I show't. And so when she came to the owner, pulled ●ff the Smock, and gave her her own with a●● reverend courtesy, and so departed. CHAP. 6. Her Prophecy against Cardinal Woolsey. BY these and several the like exploits, Mother Shipton had got a name far and nea● for a cunning woman, or a woman of the foresight, so that her words began to be counte● Oracles, nor did she meddle only with private persons, but was advised with concerned people of the greatest Quality; among which number at that time was Cardinal Woolsey, whe●● it was reported, that he intended to live at York▪ she publicly said, He should never come thither▪ which coming to his ear, and being much offended, he caused three Lords to go to her▪ who came disguised to Ring-house near York where leaving their men, they took a Guid● and came to Mother Shipton's, where knocking at her door, she cried out within, Come 〈◊〉 Mr. Beasly (their Guide) and those No●●● Lords with you. Which much surprised the● that she should know them, for when the●● came in, she called each of them by their nam● and treated them with Ale and Cakes, whereupon upon said one of the Lords, If you knew ou● Errand you would not make so much of us, you sai● the Cardinal should never see York. No, sai●●he, I said he might see York, but never come a●●t; Well, says the Lord, when he does com●●hou shalt be burnt. Then taking off her Lin●en Kerchief from her head, says she, If thi●●urn, than I may burn; and immediately fling 〈◊〉 into the fire before them, but it would not burn, so that after it had lain▪ in the flames 〈◊〉 ●●rter of an hour, she took it out again not so much as singed. Hereupon one of the Lords ●skt her what she thought of him, My Lord, said she, the time is coming when your Grace will be as low as I am, and that is a low one in●●●ed. Which proved true, for shortly after ●he was beheaded. Nor was her speech of the Cardinal less verified, for he coming to Cawood, went to the ●●p of the Tower, & asked where York was, which ●eing shown him, he enquired how far it was ●hither, For (qd. he) there was a Witch said, I ●hould never see York. Nay, says one present. ●our Eminence is misinformed, she said you should ●ee it, but not come at it. Then he vowed to burn● her when he came there, which was but eight ●iles distant, but behold, immediately he was ●ent for back by the King, and died of a violent Looseness at Leicester. CHAP. 7. ●ome other Prophecies of Mother Shipton's, relating to these times. AT divers other times, when persons of Quality came to visit her, she delivered the several prophecies following, that is to say, 1 Prophecy. Before Owse-bridge and Trinity-Church meet, ●hey shall build in the day, and it shall fall in the night, ●ntil they get the highest stone of Trinity-Church the ●●swest stone of Owse-bridge. Explanation. This came to pass: for Trinity Steeple in York was ●own down with a Tempest, and Owse-bridge bro●en down with a Flood, and what they did in the daytime in repairing the Bridge, fell down in the ●ight, till at last they laid the highest Stone of the ●eeple for the Foundation of the Bridge. 2. Prophecy. The North shall Rue it wondrous sore, But the South shall Rue it for evermore. 3 Prophecy. You shall have a year of pining Hunger, & shall no●●now of the Wars overnight, yet shall you have it i● the Morning, and when it happens, it shall last thre● years, then will come a woman with one Eye, and sh● shall tread in many men's blood up to the Knee. 4 Prophecy. Then may a Man take House or Bower, Land o● Tower for one and twenty years; but afterwards shal● be a white Harvest of Corn gotten in by Women; the● shall it be, that one Woman shall say to another, Mother, I have seen a Man to day! Unhappy he that lives to see these days; But happy are the dead, Shipton's wife says. 5 Prophecy. A time shall happen, when a Ship shall come sailing up the Thames, till it come against London, and the Master of the Ship shall weep, and the Mariners of the Ship shall ask him why he weeps, since he hath mad● so good a Voyage; and he shall say, Ah! what: goodly City this was, none in the world comparable to it, and now there is scarce left an House that can let us have drink for our money. Explanation. These last words were sadly verified after the dreadful Fire of London, 1666. when ther● was not an House left all along Thames-side from the Tower to the Temple; As for th● words before, they being darkly delivered, ●re not like to be understood, till time, that ●oth discovers and absconds all things, shall ●ring the matters signified to light. CHAP. 8. Her Prophecies in Verse to the Abbot of Beverly. THe Abbot of Beverly giving her a Visit one day, told her, That as he had found several things that she had formerly said to be exactly true, so he was persuaded she was not Ignorant in those which for the future were to in●ue, and therefore requested her to impart some of ●er foreknowledge to him, for which Favour ●tho ' more than his deserts could command, yet) ●●all he neither want a Tongue to acknowledge, nor 〈◊〉 Heart to endeavour a Requital for so great an obligation. Mr. Abbot, says she, leave off com●lementing, I am an old Woman, who will neither ●●●tter, nor be flattered by any, yet shall answer our Desires as for as I may. And thereupon ●●d in mystic Verses discover to him the greatest Accidents that have happened in England, from that day to this, as in the following Explanations will appear. Prophecy. When the Cow doth ride the Bull, Then Priest beware thy Skull. Explanation. By the Cow was meant H. 8. who gave the Cow in his Arms as Earl of Richmond, and th● Bull betokened Madam Ann of Boulogne, no● only as the first syllable of her name, but because her Father gave the black Bulls-Head i● his Crest; and when the King married her immediately after happened the Dissolution o● Monasteries, and restraints laid on the Priests. Prophecy. For a sweet pious Prince make room, And in each Kirk prepare a Broom. Explanation. This is meant of King Edward the sixth, i● whose time the Protestant Religion wa● established, and the Popish Superstition swept out of the Kirk, an old word used sti●● in Scotland for the Church. Prophecy. Allecto next assumes the Crown, And streams of blood shall Smithfield drown▪ Explanation. These Lines decipher Q. Mary, called Allecto a name of one of the Furies) for her Cruelty ●o the Protestants, of whom great numbers ●ere then burnt in Smithfield. Prophecy. A Maiden Queen full many a year Shall England's Warlike Sceptre bear. Explanation. Spoken of Q. Elizabeth, who Reigned, ex●eamly Beloved by her Subjects, and drea●ed by her Enemies, above Forty Years. Prophecy. The Western Monarch's Wooden Horses Shall be destroyed by the Drakes Forces. Explanation. The King of Spain's mighty Navy in 88 destroyed by the English Fleet under Cap●●in Drake. Prophecy. The Northern Lion over Tweed, The Maiden Queen shall next succeed, And join in one two mighty States, Then shall Janus shut his Gates. Explanation. This relates to King James, who having been many Years King of Scotland, the Crown of England by Queen Elizabeth's Death fell to him, whereupon he came over Tweed to take up his Residence here, and so joined the two Kingdoms under one Government. And as for Janus shutting his Gates, you must know Janus was one of the Heathen gods, that ha● a Temple at Rome, the Gates of which were never shut but in times of Peace, alluding to which, our Prophetess here declares the peaceful Reign of King James. Prophecy. Forth from the North shall mischief blow, And English Hob shall add thereto; Mars shall rage's as he were wood, And Earth shall drunken be with blood. Explanation. This relates to our Late lamentable Cius Wars. Prophecy. But tell's what's next▪ Oh cruel Fate, A King made Martyr at his Gate. Meaning the Execrable murder of th● most Excellent Prince, Charles the First. The just King dead, the Wolf shall then With blood usurp the Lions Den. But Death shall hurry him away, Confusion shall a while bear sway, Till fate to England shall restore A King to Reign as heretofore; Who mercy and justice likewise Shall in his Empire exercise. These Prophecies we have seen fulfilled ●y Cromwel's Usurpations, the Committee ●f Safetys' Confusions, and our Gracious Sovereign's Miraculous Restauration. Prophecy. Triumphant Death rides London through, And men on tops of Houses go. Explanation. The first Line points out the great Sick●●ss in London, 1665. And the second the headful Fire the Year following. Let this suffice, the night comes on, You must departed, and I be gone; Apollo does forbid my Rhimes For to unveil succeeding times. Having said this, Mother Shipton arose, and the admiring Abbot (who took all these Prophecies ●ou must conceive, in writing) giving her many Thanks, returned home. CHAP. 9 Of Mother Shipton's Death, Burial, and Epitaph. THis famous Prophetess continued several years esteemed, as the Sibyl or Oracle of these Times. At last, being Threescore and Thirteen ●ears of Age, she found the time in the black Book ●f Destiny approaching, wherein she must give a ●●nal adieu to the World, which she foretold to a ●ay, to divers people, and at the hour predicted, ●aving taken solemn leave of her friends, laid ●er self down on her Bed, and died; on whom 〈◊〉 Poet of this Age bestowed this EPITAPH. Here lies she who never lied, Whose Skill so often has been tried; Her Prophecies shall still survive, And ever keep her Name alive. FINIS. Books Sold by J. Conyers a little abov● St. Andrews Church in Holbourn. 1. MErry Jests of poor Robin the Saddler o● Walden. 2. The Figure of Seven, new printed. 3. The new Academy of Compliments. With a new Garland of Fifteen Songs. 4. The History of Reynard the Fox. 5. The History of Fortunatus. 6. The History of Doctor Faustus. 7. A new Book of Cookery. 8. lily's new Erra Pater, 9 Two Groatsworth of wit for a penny, Mole● and Dreams. 10. Mother Shipton's Life and Prophecies. 11. An Hundred notable things for a penny. 12. The new Parliament of women. 13. The Rules of Civility; or the Art of goo● Breeding. 14. The English Mountebank: a Book of mer●y Conceits. 15. The Maid's Complaint and Batchellor's Answer. 16. Dr. lily's last Legacy: A Book of choice Receipts of Physic and Chirurgery. 17. The Distressed Welshman. At the place any Chapmen may be ●urnished with all sorts of small Books.