MOTHER SHIPTON.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3005, 2 March 1926, Page 4

MOTHER SHIPTON.

The following is culled from a Yorkshire paper. The Darlington and Stockton Times —llipon and Richmond Chronicle: —

Somewhere about the year 1878 a London firm published a card containing an extract from Jdie “Globe” newspapef of February 7th, 1877, of a short history of this old Yorkshire prophetess, giving some of her prognostications. This card, which was embellished with a piint of the old dame, had a very large sale, especially amongst the undergraduates of the universities of that day. I still possess a copy I bought at the time, and in view of the progress of events since the card was. published, I think it may interest and amuse some of your readers. to piclc out which of these prophecies have come true or are likely to do so in the future. Her concluding reference to the end of the world caused a scare amongst a few' w'ho were believers in the power of telling future events, and they awoke on New Year’s morning of 1882 with a sense of relief that at anyrate, for once in a. way, her powers had failed her.

Mother Shipton, whose name is said to have been Ursula Sontheil, wms born and lived at Knaresborougli, near the famous “dropping well.” She has been described as a misshappen child, of indifferent size, with big bones, large, goggling eyes, a long erooKed nose, and with crooked mishapen legs. In spite of these peculiarities, at the age of 24, one, Tony Shipton, fell a victim to her charms, and it was through her marriage with this man she acquired the name of Shipton. Appended is the full text of the card alluded to. Stanno.pe-road, A. W. M- Close. Darlington. MOTHER SHIPTON’S PROPHECIES. “Mother Shipton’s prophecies have recently been discovered in the British Museum Written in an old manuscript work, A.D., 1448, and portions have been published in the “Globe” newspaper of February 17 th, 1577. This wonderful woman lived till she was an extraordinary age. She lied at Clifton, in Yorkshire, from which is taken the following epitaph copied from a stone monument: — ‘Here lies she w’ho never ly’d, Whose skill often has been try’cl, Her prophecies shall still survive, And ever keep her name alive. Carriages without horses shall go, And accidents fill the world with woe; Primrose Hill in London shall be, And in its centre a Bishop’s See. Around the world thoughts shall hy, In the twinkling of an eye. Water shall yet more wonders do, How strange, yet shall be true, The world upside down shall be; And gold found at the root of tree. Through hills men shall ride, And no horse or ass be by their side, Under water men shall walk; Shall ride, shall sleep and talk; In the air men shall be seen, in white, in black, and in green. A great man shall come and go! Three times shall lovely France Be led to play a bloody dance; Before her people shall be free, Three Tyrant Rulers shall she see; Three times the people’s hope is gone; Three Rulers in successoin sec, Each spring from different dynasty. Then shall the worsen' light be done, England and France shall be as one. The British Olive next shall twine. In marriage with a German Vine. Men shall walk over rivers and under rivers; Iron in the water shall limit, As easy as a wooden boat. God shall be found and found, In a land that’s not now known; Fire and water shall more wonders do, England shall at last admit a .lew. The Jew that was held in scorn. Shall of a Christian be born, and

born. house of glass shall come to pass, in England, but alas! War will follow with the work, In the land of the Hawaii and Turk: J And state and si aye in tierce slrile, Will seek each other’s life. lint when the north shall divide the south, An Eagle shall build in the Lion’s Mouth Taxes for blood and war. Will come to every door. All England’s sons that plough the land, Shall be seen book in hand. Learning shall so ebb and (low, The poor shall most learning know. Waters shall flow where corn doth grow, Corn shall grow where waters doth How. Houses shall appear in the vales below, And covered by hail and snow. The world then to an end shall come, In eighteen hundred and eightyone.”