“And men on tops of houses go.” This was suddenly fulfilled in that great conflagration of fire which happened in London, September 2, 3, and 4, 1666, by which so many houses were destroyed, that men afterwards, in the ruins, went on the tops of those houses whose lofty structures not long before seemed to brave the sky.

It will be observed that some of the following prophecies of Mother Shipton relate to the present time, while others more closely concern the future. We will leave them to the reader’s own interpretation:—

I.

Ploughed with swords the earth shall be,
And blood will mingle with the sea.

II.

Soon as the fiery year has passed.
Peace again shall come at last.

III.

Great accidents the world will fill,
And carriages without horses go;
Whilst, in the twinkling of an eye,
Around the world our thoughts shall fly.

IV.

In England, now will come to pass
A house that shall be built of glass.

V.

State and State, in most deadly strife,
Will fight and seek each other’s life;
Then, when the North divides the South,
The Eagle will build in the Lion’s mouth.

VI.

Three tyrant rulers France shall see,
And each of a different dynasty.
But when the greater fight be done,
France and England shall be as one.

VII.

In the water shall iron float,
The same as now a wooden boat.
More wonders still shall water do,
And England yet admit a Jew.

VIII.

Gold and riches will be shown
In a land that’s not now known.

IX.

Under rivers man shall walk,
Shall ride, shall sleep, and shall talk.

X.

A river and a town shall be on fire.

The following remarkable Prophecy, which is known as “Mother Shipton’s prophecies,” was first published in 1448, and republished in 1641. It will be seen that the events it predicts have come to pass, except that contained in the last two lines, which is still in the future.

XI.

Over a wild and stormy sea,
Shall a noble [184] sail,
Who to find, will not fail,
A new and a fair countree.
From whence he shall bring
A herb [185a] and a root [185b]
That all men shall suit,
And please both the ploughman and the king.
And let them take no more than measure.
Both shall have the even pleasure.
The world to an end shall come
In eighteen hundred and eighty-one.

Here follow other Prophecies which Mother Shipton stated at various times in her life to different persons:—

The first coming in of the King of the Scots (James I.) shall be at Holgate Town, but he shall not come through the bar. And when the King of the North shall be at London Bridge, his tail shall be at Edinburgh.

This was fulfilled in the following manner—When King James arrived there was such a multitude of people at Holgate bar to behold him, that to avoid the danger of the crush he was forced to ride another way. When King James was at London, his children were at Edinburgh, preparing to come into England.

Water shall come over Ouse Bridge, and a windmill shall be set upon a Tower, and a Elm Tree shall lie at every man’s door. At that day women shall wear great hats and great bands.

This was verified by the conducting of water into York streets through bored Elms; and the Conduit-house had a windmill on the top that drew up the water.