Prophecies of Robert Nixon, Mother Shipton, and Martha, the Gypsy Part 5

The great riches and pride of the monks and friars, was, no doubt, the main cause of their overthrow; for whatsoever was the pretence, questionless profit was the rope which pulled these religious houses down.

All those things coming to pa.s.s before the abbot died, caused him to have a great esteem of Mother s.h.i.+pton, and to value her prophecies more than ordinary conjectures; though at first he could not tell what to make of her ambiguous lines, which, like the oracles delivered at Delphos, rather brought one into a labyrinth of confused conjectures than satisfied the expectation, until by the clue of time, the riddles were manifest; and that which at first seemed so hard, now appeared to the understanding as easy; however, he at present kindly thanked Mother s.h.i.+pton, and liberally rewarded her maid, much admiring that she could be so clear-sighted as to see through his counterfeit dress; resolving afterwards to be more informed by her concerning future events, he at that time took his solemn leave of her, and returned home.

Not long had the abbot been at home, but his abbey was visited by some instrument employed by the Lord Cromwell for that purpose. He who knew what was intended by this compliment thought it not safe to strive against the stream, and therefore quietly surrendered his monastery into the king's hands. And now perceiving Mother s.h.i.+pton's prophecies plainly fulfilled in the downfall of those houses, which were judged to be impregnable against all the a.s.saults of malice and time, considering the strange revolution of so short a s.p.a.ce, he was very desirous to be more fully informed of the future. In this resolution he repairs again to Mother s.h.i.+pton, whom he now accosts more familiarly than he did before, making himself plainly known unto her; telling her that as what she had formerly spoken he had found to be true in the event, so his judgment persuaded him she was not ignorant of those things which were in the future to ensue; and therefore desired she would not be nice in imparting her foreknowledge to him; for which great favour, though it were more than his deserts could command, yet should there never in him be wanting a grateful tongue to acknowledge, and a grateful heart to be thankful unto her, for so great a favour.

"Mr. Abbot," said she, "leave off complimenting, as it is more fit for courtiers and lovers, and not agreeable to an old woman, who will neither flatter nor be flattered by any; and for what you came about, I shall not be squeamish to fulfil your request; let me therefore desire you to lend me your attention;" and thereupon, after some short pause, she thus began-

"A prince that never shall be born, Shall make the shaved heads forlorn, Then shall commons rise in arms, And woman's malice cause much harms."

These lines being prophecies of the actions in King Edward's reign, for the reader's benefit we will unfold the meaning of them by themselves, that we may not too much burden his memory; but by variety add a pleasure to the reading of them.

By the "Prince that never shall be born," is meant King Edward VI., of whom all reports agree that he was not naturally delivered into the world, but that his mother's body was opened for his birth, that she died of the operation the fourth day following: and by "shaved heads," is understood the monks, friars, etc., who are said to become "forlorn;" the Reformation beginning with the commencement of King Edward's reign.

King Edward set out certain injunctions for the reformation of religion; as the commissioners pa.s.sed to divers places for the establis.h.i.+ng of them, much scorn was pa.s.sed upon them, and the farther they went from London, as the people were more uncivil, so did they the more rise into insolence and contempt; for in Cornwall, the commons flocked together, having killed one of the commissioners, and although justice was done upon the offenders (the princ.i.p.al of them being executed in several places), yet could not their boldness be beaten down by that severity, but that the mischief spread farther. In Wilts.h.i.+re and Somersets.h.i.+re, where the people, supposing that a Commonwealth could not stand without commons, beat down enclosures, and laid parks and fields bare. The like commotions followed in Suffolk, Hamps.h.i.+re, Kent, Gloucesters.h.i.+re, Warwicks.h.i.+re, and Rutlands.h.i.+re, but the greatest of all was in Devons.h.i.+re, and Norfolk.

"A virtuous lady then shall die, For being raised up too high; Her death shall cause another's joy, Who shall the kingdom much annoy.

Mitres shall rise, mitres come down, And streams of blood shall Smithfield drown.

England shall join in league with Spain, Which some to hinder strive in vain, The Lioness from life retires, And pontifical priest expires."

The Lady Jane Gray, a.s.suming the t.i.tle of Queen upon her, for her offence lost her head. This Lady Jane was a woman of most rare and incomparable perfections; for besides her excellent beauty, she was the mirror of her time for religion and education, in the knowledge of the liberal sciences and skill in languages; and far exceeded all of her s.e.x and years.

The death of the Lady Jane was supposed to be a rejoicing to Queen Mary, and who, by restoring Popery, and the persecutions that the professors of the Gospel suffered in her time, is said to bring the kingdom to much annoy.

By the "Mitres," are meant the bishops, who in the change of religion found great change; very few keeping their seats wherein they had been seated by King Edward VI.

Great was the number of martyrs burned in Smithfield in this queen's reign, under the b.l.o.o.d.y hands of Bonner, Bishop of London, and Dr. Story, Dean of St. Paul's; the first persecuting by wholesale, the second by retail; the names of all those who in this place thus testified their faith by the loss of their lives, would be too long here to recite; the chief of them were Mr. John Rogers, Mr. John Bradford, Mr. Robert Glover, etc.

Queen Mary intended to match herself with Philip, King of Spain; the news thereof of being spread amongst the people, was by them ill-resented, as dreading to be under the yoke of a stranger; but all to no purpose, for soon afterwards they were married, to the mortification of the English.

By the "Lioness" is meant Queen Mary, who having reigned five years and some odd months, died of a dropsy.

The "pontifical priest" signifies Cardinal Pole, who expired within a few hours after the death of Queen Mary. This prelate was of princely extraction, his mother, Margret, being daughter to George Duke of Clarence; when he was young, he was brought up together with Queen Mary, and being a zealous Catholic, during King Edward's reign, suffered a voluntary exile for the same; when the marriage between Prince Philip and Queen Mary was made up, he returned into England, and was made Archbishop of Canterbury, but was more moderate than some of his fellow bishops, having a favourable inclination towards the Protestants.

"The Lion fierce being dead and gone, A maiden Queen shall reign anon.

The Papal power shall bear no sway, Rome's creed shall hence be swept away.

The western monarch's wooden horses Shall be destroyed by the Drake's forces.

More wonders yet! a widowed Queen In England shall be headless seen.

The Harp shall give a better sound.

An Earl without a head be found.

Soon after shall the English Rose Unto a male her place dispose."

These lines being a prophecy of the most remarkable actions during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, are to be interpreted after this manner:

Queen Mary is here meant, not so much for the cruelty done by her, as by the bishops and priests under her; in respect to the blood that was shed, and the persecutions then suffered, she is here termed a fierce "Lion;"

after whom is said, "A maiden Queen to reign anon," meant by Queen Elizabeth, one who was the mirror of her age and s.e.x, who for above forty years managed the affairs of this kingdom; having, when she began, few friends that durst help, and leaving no foes when she died that could hurt her; acting her part so well whilst here she reigned, that history can scarce afford us one prince to be matched to her fame in all considerable particulars.

Soon after the queen coming to the crown, a Parliament began at Westminster, wherein the laws of King Henry VIII. against the see of "Rome" were renewed, and those of King Edward VI. in favour of the Protestants revived, and the laws by Queen Mary made against them, repealed.

Uniformity of prayer and administration of sacrament were enacted, and the queen acknowledged to be the only and supreme governor of her kingdom. The people in each place beating down superst.i.tious pictures and images, which misguided zeal had set up.

By the "western monarch's wooden horses," is meant the King of Spain's great Armada, by them termed invincible, though the success of it answered not the name; being by Sir Francis Drake and others fought with and really vanquished; most of it sunk, and the rest, dest.i.tute and scattered, being chased by our s.h.i.+ps into the northern lat.i.tudes, and there left to be pursued by hunger and cold; a victory so remarkable, that neither time nor age will ever wear the remembrance thereof away.

The "widowed Queen" signifies the Queen of Scots, the mother of King James, who was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle, some say by the privity, others say to the great discontent of Queen Elizabeth; a lady of sharp wit, undaunted spirit, comely person, beautiful face, and majestic presence; a fluent orator, and an excellent poetess, as appears by several things of her writing now extant; she was beheaded on the 8th of February, 1587, and was first buried in the choir of Peterborough; and afterwards by her son, King James, solemnly removed from thence to Westminster, where, in the south side of the chapel of King Henry VII. he erected a stately monument to her memory.

"The Harp" signifies Ireland, as being the arms of that country, when Queen Elizabeth, by reducing it to a better obedience, made it give a better sound, that is, made it more civilized and profitable to the exchequer than it ever was before.

"An Earl without a head be found." This was spoken of the Earl of Ess.e.x, one who was the favourite of the queen and darling of the people (two things which seldom come together), and yet could not both of them protect him from the scaffold, but thereon he lost his head.

By the "English Rose" is meant Queen Elizabeth, as we said before, by whose death the right and t.i.tle to the crown came to James VI., King of Scotland, as lineally descended from Margaret, eldest daughter to King Henry VII., the male issue failing by the death of Queen Elizabeth; and here is to be remembered the policy of King Henry VII., who having two daughters, married the eldest of them to the King of Scotland, and the youngest to the King of France, that if his male issue should happen to fail, as it afterwards did, then Scotland might wait upon England as the greater kingdom, and not England upon France as the lesser. Besides, there was an old prophecy which intimated King James coming to the English crown; for when King Edward I. hara.s.sed Scotland, amongst other things he brought from thence their royal chair (still preserved at the Abbey, in Westminster), upon which chair these verses were written:

"If Fates go right, where'er this chair is pight, The regal race of Scots shall rule that place."

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; Ja.n.u.s then shall shut his gates; h.e.l.l'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 "h.e.l.l'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 ill.u.s.trious 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 s.h.i.+pton 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 s.h.i.+pton, it is more than some extraordinary matter which hath made you break out into this sudden pa.s.sion; and if it may not be troublesome unto you, I shall desire that, as. .h.i.therto 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 b.l.o.o.d.y 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 a.s.semble, 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 b.l.o.o.d.y 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 Roch.e.l.le (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 pa.s.s away undiscovered, boldly avowed himself to be the man that did it. He was hanged in chains at Portsmouth, in the year 1627.

The next part of this prophecy alludes to that ancient proverb, "From the cold 'North' all ills come forth," and may be understood of our troubles commencing in 1630, taking their original rise from Scotland, and fermented by several factious spirits in England, the venom of which poison so infected the veins of the English, that it broke forth into a most bitter war, and ended not but with the deaths of many thousands of people.

By the "great Council" is meant the long-lasting Parliament, as known to all posterity for the remarkable transactions therein. By them fell the wise Strafford, and Reverend Laud; by them was Episcopacy voted down, and Presbytery voted up; by them was the common-prayer denied, and the Directory exalted; by them was the Church and State turned topsy-turvy; but this cannot be reported of all amongst them; many of them hated their doings, dissented from them, and suffered by them.

The "White King by wicked hands," etc., alludes to the beheading of King Charles I., who was the princ.i.p.al victim of these savage wars.

"The White King dead, the Wolf shall then With blood possess the Lion's den.

But Death shall hurry him away; Confusion shall awhile bear sway; But Fate to England shall restore A king to reign as heretofore.

Great death in London shall be though, And men on tops of houses go."

By the "White King," as we said before, is meant King Charles I., and, by the "Wolf," Oliver Cromwell, whose ambition was such that he left no means unattempted until he had got into the "Lion's den," that is to say, until he had attained the sole government.