Mother Shipton's Prophesies

A Look at the Prophesies Written in Poems by This Ancient Seer

The 17th century was not an easy time to live through and because it is part of man's nature to want to know the future, Mother Shipton had many famous visitors.

One of these was the Abbot of Beverley. He was told many things by the seer. She spoke in images, referring to Henry VIII's desire to have his marriage to Catherine of Aragon annulled, so that he might again marry: "When the Cow doth ride the Bull, Then, Priest, beware thy Skull; And when the lower shrubs do fall, The great Trees quickly follow shall. The Mitred Peacock's (Cardinal Wolsey) "lofty Pride Shall to his Master be a guide." Anne Boleyn (Henry's future second wife) was the Bull; Henry the Cow and the "lower shrubs" are the smaller monasteries, the "great Trees" those larger, more prosperous monasteries.

Mother Shipton's Prophesies

On hearing that Mother Shipton had foretold that Cardinal Wolsey would never see the City of York, despite being its Archbishop, he sent three Lords to see her, probably with the intention of having her silenced. And so, Mother Shipton was visited by the Duke of Suffolk, Lord D'Arcy and the Earl of Nothumberland.

She made the men welcome and when challenged about her prediction, she replied, "I didn't say he should never see 'York.' I said he might see 'York' but never reach it."

Some time later, Cardinal Wolsey was travelling to Cawood, a village about 10 miles south of York. He was ill at the time but he insisted on climbing to the top of the tower to see if he could see York in the distance. He referred to Mother Shipton's prophesy and vowed that he would have her burned when he reached York, anticipating that to be soon.

However, as he turned away, he was informed that he had to travel south to London, to face a charge of high treason. As he journeyed, he became more and more ill and at Leicester, he died. The prophesy had come true. Another of Mother Shipton's predictions told of the trial and execution of Charles I in 1649.

She spoke of Elizabeth I "The maiden Queen full many a year/Shall "England's warlike sceptre bear./Those who sighed, then shall sing,/And the bells shall changes ring." And described how the "wooden horse" of the great Spanish fleet would be destroyed by Sir Frances Drake.

Mother Shipton and her Predictions

Mother Shipton died at the start of Queen Elizabeth I's reign and it is said that she predicted her own death in 1561. She is believed to have been buried in unconsecrated ground, somewhere on the outskirts of York. A stone was raised on her grave with the inscription: "Here lies she who never lied, Whose skill so often has been tried. Her prophecies shall still survive. And ever keep her name alive."

But it has now disappeared. Mother Shipton';s predictions have survived long after her death. She predicted the invention of the telegraph: "Around the world thoughts shall fly In the twinkling of an eye" and cars or trains: "Carriages without horses shall go. And accidents shall fill the world with woe."

"Through hills men shall ride, And no horse or ass be by their side."

Although Mother Shipton, in a number of her predictions, describes the war to end all wars, she did not put a date on this. "The Time shall come," she said, "When 'Seas' of Blood,/Shall mingle with a greater flood. Great noise there shall be heard, Great shouts and cries,/And seas shall thunder, louder than the skies."

So, when did Mother Shipton say the end of the world would come? In her words: "The world shall end when the "High Bridge" is thrice fallen."

The High Bridge is in Knaresborough, close beside the entrance to Mother Shipton's Cave. Already it has fallen twice! Next time ... who knows!

First Published: Yahoo Voices 2009