Which by the coronation of King James there performed, made good the words of the prophecy.
“The Northern Lion over Tweed,
The maiden Queen shall then succeed,
And join in one, two mighty States;
Janus then shall shut his gates;
Hell’s power, by a fatal blow,
Shall seek the land to overthrow,
Which by mistake shall be reverst,
And heads from shoulders be disperst.
The British Olive next shall twine
In marriage with the German Vine.”
Next follows the remarkable actions of King James’s reign, predicted in the foregoing lines, which may be thus explained:
By the “Northern Lion” is meant King James, and by the “maiden Queen,” Queen Elizabeth, whom King James, being King of Scotland, succeeded to the English crown, joining thereby the two nations of England and Scotland, which had often been attempted before.
The lines “Hell’s power,” etc., have reference to the Gunpowder Plot, which was planned to blow up the Parliament House with gunpowder—king, princes, peers, bishops, judges, knights, and burgesses, being all designed to destruction. To bring the purpose about, a vault was hired under the Parliament House, wherein were stowed thirty-six barrels of gunpowder, with several iron bars, to make the force of the fire more effectual, all which were covered with billets and coals. The 5th of November, the day of Parliament first sitting, was the time appointed to put this design in execution; but Providence had ordered it otherwise, that those who intended mischief should taste the effects of it. In the evening before, Lord Monteagle received a strange letter from an unknown hand, without date or name to it, and which, when it was opened, was even still sealed. The letter being communicated to the king, he commanded the rooms under the Parliament House to be searched, where the mystery of iniquity was quickly discovered. Some of the traitors were taken in London, others in the country; the hands of justice overtaking them, they became its examples, and tasted of that cup which they intended others should have drunk of.
By the “British Olive” is meant the Lady Elizabeth, daughter of King James; and by the “German Vine” the most illustrious Prince Frederic, Count Palatine of the Rhine. This Lady Elizabeth was enriched with all the endowments of both body and mind which make to the completing of a princess; most dearly beloved of the English, as one that deserved well of all. They were married with great solemnity at Westminster, February 14, 1602.
Mother Shipton having proceeded thus far with her prophecies, broke up abruptly with a deep sigh, the tears trickling down her cheeks, accompanied by a wringing of her hands, as if some extraordinary mischance had befallen her. The abbot wondered greatly what should be the cause of this sudden alteration, having observed all along before a settled composedness in her countenance, and now to break out in such exclamations. He therefore said unto her, “Mother Shipton, it is more than some extraordinary matter which hath made you break out into this sudden passion; and if it may not be troublesome unto you, I shall desire that, as hitherto you have not been scrupulous in revealing those secrets unto me, which have wrought in me both wonder and amazement, so that you will not so abruptly break off as to leave me in suspense of the cause of your sorrow.” “Ah! Mr. Abbot,” said she, “who can with dry eyes repeat what must next ensue, or but think upon it without a heart full of agony? to see virtue trampled on, and vice exalted; beggars on horseback, and princes on foot; the innocent condemned, and the bloodthirsty go scot free; but since my promise binds me to fulfil your request, I shall proceed from where I left off:
“The crown then fits the White King’s head,
Who with the Lilies soon shall wed;
Then shall a peasant’s bloody knife
Deprive a great man of his life.
Forth from the North shall mischief blow,
And English hob shall add thereto.
Then shall the Council great assemble,
Who shall make great and small to tremble,
The White King then (O grief to see!)
By wicked hands shall murdered be.”
By the “White King,” is meant King Charles I., so called not only in respect of the purity and uprightness of his life, signified by white; but also at the time of his coronation he was clothed in white. He had, previous to the death of King James, married the Lady Henrietta Maria, daughter of Henry IV., King of France; who is hereupon said to wed the “Lilies,” the lilies being the arms of France.
By the “great man,” who was to lose his life by a bloody knife, was meant the Duke of Buckingham, the greatest man in favour of those times, and (as is commonly seen) most hated of the people, who laid the blame of all miscarriages in state upon him; being made general for the relief of Rochelle (then besieged by the French forces), before he embarked at Portsmouth, he was stabbed by one Felton, an officer in his army; who, so far from flying for the same, though he might pass away undiscovered, boldly avowed himself to be the man that did it. He was hanged in chains at Portsmouth, in the year 1627.