Mother Shipton's Handkerchief

In the year 1488 a very strange little girl was born in a cottage by the Dropping Well at Knaresborough, in Yorkshire. She had a long, hooked nose and a turned-up chin, and her eyes were like the eyes of a wise old woman.

She was sent to school only once, it's said, and then showed the schoolmistress that there was no need to teach her the alphabet, for she at once read off, with the greatest of ease, the most learned books that could be found in the parish. But she didn't show her most interesting talents until she was married to Toby Shipton. Then one of her friends lost a new smock and petticoat, and came to her for help. "Go to the market cross next market day at noon," said Mother Shipton, "and you will see what you will see."

Her friend did so, and at noon a woman came to the market cross with the missing clothing and cried aloud: "I stole my neighbor's smock and coat; I am the thief, and here I show't." And, after making that confession in the sight of all the people, she gave back the things to their rightful owner.

Mother Shipton's fame soon spread throughout England. When she moved from Knaresborough to York, Cardinal Wolsey sent the Duke of Suffolk to ask her to prophesy about him. "The Cardinal will see York," Shipton obliged, "but he will never come to it."

"If he does come to York, he'll burn you for false prophesy!" declared the Duke (feeling rather prophetic, himself, apparently).

Unperturbed, Mother Shipton took her handkerchief and threw it into the fire, saying: "I will burn when that burns." And although the Duke stirred up the fire and thrust the cloth right into its center, the handkerchief refused to burn.

Not too long after, Cardinal Wolsey arrived in Cawwood and climbed a tower there to look at York, which was only eight miles away. And, of course, some eager-beaver flap-jaw informed him of Mother Shipton's prophesy. "I will go to York at once and burn her for a false witch!" he vowed, which must have given the Duke of Suffolk a very satisfying moment of vindication. Not so for the proud Cardinal, however. Just as he was setting forth for York, Wolsey was arrested on a charge of high treason by King Henry, and died as he was being taken to be tried in London. And Mother Shipton?... She lived to a ripe old age (with nary a scorch on her).