St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-11-04

the woman who undertook her care
was greatly frightened by visits from
the devil. This woman, and others
who came to her assistance, was once
put into a most distressing condition,
house, and then they were suddenly
released" ''But the child, having
been taken out of the cradle, could not
be found, till at las one of the compa-
ny, looking by chance up the chimney,
saw it sitting astraddle upon the iron
to which the pot-hoOks were fastened"
AS Ursula grew up, people called her
by vile names; and she, in retaliation,
wreaked upon them vengeance of
preter-human sort. The abbot of Bev
erly was accustomed to visit her to
hear her predictions; and, in the Ian
guage of the old historian, "she did in
mystic verses discover to him the
greatest accidents that have happened
in England from that day to this"
She continued until 73 years of age the
sibyl or oracle of her times, when "she
found the time in the black book of
destiny approaching, wherein she must
give final 'adieu to this world, which
she foIetold to a day to divers people,
and at the hour predicted, having
taken solemn leave of her friends, laid
herself down on her bed and died"
HER PROPHECIES.
Having thus briefly sketched the
'1ife" of Mother Shipton, we have now
to deal with her prophecies" And
we may as well state at once that not
one word of those now passing as hers,
having reference to modern inventions,
is to be found in the first accounts, as
an examination of the original docu-
ments will prove.
The first book of Mother ShiptOn's
prophecies published in 164I is prin-
cipally taken up with eminent political
personages of her day, and her prog
nOstications concerning them. Part of
the title reads: "PrOphecies in the
reign of King Henry VIII, foretelling
the death of Cardinal Wolsey, the
Lord Percy and others, as also what
should happen in Immediate succeed
ing times not in ours, more than three
centuries off, as presented in the new
prophecies, called Mother Shipton's.
The prophecy respecting Cardinal
Wolsey was, that he should see York,
but never come to it. This, so the sto-
| ly
he sent three lords to apprehend her
the duke of Suffolk, Lord Percy and
Lord Darcy-whO left their men out
side York and went by themselves to
the house of a Master Besley, whom
they desired to accompany them to the
residence of Mother ShiptOn. They all
went together. Reaching her door,
she said to them, "COme in, Master
Besley, and those honorable lords with
you" Besley wanted the others to go
first and cheat her, but she OWNED the
trick and could not be deceived. She
brought them cakes and ale and they
ate, drank and were merry. Then they
told her if she knew their errand she
would not have so welcomed them,
and threatened when the cardinal came
to York she would be burned. But to
convince them that it would not so
happen to her, she took off the hand
kerchief that was tied round her head
and threw it into the fire, and it burned
not. She threw in also her staff, and ii
remained perfect. Then she told heI
visitors their several ends. After a
long time the cardinal came to Cav
wood, and going to the top of the tow
er asked where York was, chuckling
that Mother ShiptOn had said he should
never see York. "Nay," said the by
ISLANDERS, cher words were, you would
see it, but not come at it." He then
vowed when he reached the city tC
burn her, being then but eight miles
from the place. But just at that time
he was sent for by the king to meet
him in London; and died on the way
at Leicester, of lask. This is sam
pie of the prophecies of Mother Ship
ton.
The article proceeds further to give
sketches of Mother Shipton's produc.
tiOns, and to prove beyond a doubt
that all the revelations as to modern
times belong not to her, but are th'
work of somebody who has nothing
else to do.