dimly-lightedrooms。Inoneofthem，surroundedbyhugepillarsofmarble，asenateofghostswasassembled，debatingontheprogressoftheplague。Otherpartsofthebuildingwereenvelopedinthethickestdarkness，illuminedatintervalsbyflashesoflightning，whichallowedhimtodistinguishanumberofgibingandchatteringskeletons，runningaboutandpursuingeachother，orplayingatleap-frogoveroneanother’sbacks。Attherearofthemansionwasawild，uncultivatedplotofground，inthemidstofwhicharoseablackrock。Downitssidesrushedwithfearfulnoiseatorrentofpoisonouswater，which，insinuatingitselfthroughthesoil，penetratedtoallthespringsofthecity，andrenderedthemunfitforuse。Afterhehadbeenshownallthis，thestrangerledhimintoanotherlargechamber，filledwithgoldandpreciousstones，allofwhichheofferedhimifhewouldkneeldownandworshiphim，andconsenttosmearthedoorsandhousesofMilanwithapestiferoussalvewhichheheldouttohim。
tienowknewhimtobetheDevil，andinthatmomentoftemptation，prayedtoGodtogivehimstrengthtoresist。Hisprayerwasheard-
herefusedthebribe。Thestrangerscowledhorriblyuponhim-aloudclapofthunderburstoverhishead-thevividlightningflashedinhiseyes，andthenextmomenthefoundhimselfstandingaloneattheporchofthecathedral。Herepeatedthisstrangetaledayafterday，withoutanyvariation，andallthepopulacewerefirmbelieversinitstruth。Repeatedsearchwasmadetodiscoverthemysterioushouse，butallinvain。Themanpointedoutseveralasresemblingit，whichweresearchedbythepolice；buttheDemonofthePestilencewasnottobefound，northehallofghosts，northepoisonousfountain。Butthemindsofthepeopleweresoimpressedwiththeideathatscoresofwitnesses，halfcrazedbydisease，cameforwardtoswearthattheyalsohadseenthediabolicalstranger，andhadheardhischariot，drawnbythemilk-whitesteeds，rumblingoverthestreetsatmidnightwithasoundlouderthanthunder。
ThenumberofpersonswhoconfessedthattheywereemployedbytheDeviltodistributepoisonisalmostincredible。Anepidemicfrenzywasabroad，whichseemedtobeascontagiousastheplague。
Imaginationwasasdisorderedasthebody，anddayafterdaypersonscamevoluntarilyforwardtoaccusethemselves。Theygenerallyhadthemarksofdiseaseuponthem，andsomediedintheactofconfession。
DuringthegreatplagueofLondon，in1665，thepeoplelistenedwithsimilaraviditytothepredictionsofquacksandfanatics。Defoesays，thatatthattimethepeopleweremoreaddictedtopropheciesandastronomicalconjurations，dreams，andoldwives’talesthanevertheywerebeforeorsince。Almanacs，andtheirpredictions，frightenedthemterribly。Eventheyearbeforetheplaguebrokeout，theyweregreatlyalarmedbythecometwhichthenappeared，andanticipatedthatfamine，pestilence，orfirewouldfollow。Enthusiasts，whileyetthediseasehadmadebutlittleprogress，ranaboutthestreets，predictingthatinafewdaysLondonwouldbedestroyed。
AstillmoresingularinstanceofthefaithinpredictionsoccurredinLondonintheyear1524。Thecityswarmedatthattimewithfortune-tellersandastrologers，whowereconsulteddailybypeopleofeveryclassinsocietyonthesecretsoffuturity。AsearlyasthemonthofJune1523，severalofthemconcurredinpredictingthat，onthe1stdayofFebruary，1524，thewatersoftheThameswouldswelltosuchaheightastooverflowthewholecityofLondon，andwashawaytenthousandhouses。Theprophecymetimplicitbelief。Itwasreiteratedwiththeutmostconfidencemonthaftermonth，untilsomuchalarmwasexcitedthatmanyfamiliespackeduptheirgoods，andremovedintoKentandEssex。Asthetimedrewnigh，thenumberoftheseemigrantsincreased。InJanuary，drovesofworkmenmightbeseen，followedbytheirwivesandchildren，trudgingonfoottothevillageswithinfifteenortwentymiles，toawaitthecatastrophe。
Peopleofahigherclasswerealsotobeseen，inwaggonsandothervehicles，boundonasimilarerrand。BythemiddleofJanuary，atleasttwentythousandpersonshadquittedthedoomedcity，leavingnothingbutthebarewallsoftheirhomestobesweptawaybytheimpendingfloods。ManyoftherichersorttookuptheirabodeontheheightsofHighgate，Hampstead，andBlackheath；andsomeerectedtentsasfarawayasWalthamAbbey，onthenorth，andCroydon，onthesouthoftheThames。Bolton，thepriorofSt。Bartholomew’s，wassoalarmedthatheerected，atverygreatexpense，asortoffortressatHarrow-on-the-Hill，whichhestockedwithprovisionsfortwomonths。
Onthe24thofJanuary，aweekbeforetheawfuldaywhichwastoseethedestructionofLondon，heremovedthither，withthebrethrenandofficersoftheprioryandallhishousehold。Anumberofboatswereconveyedinwaggonstohisfortress，furnishedabundantlywithexpertrowers，incasetheflood，reachingsohighasHarrow，shouldforcethemtogofurtherforaresting-place。Manywealthycitizensprayedtosharehisretreat，butthePrior，withaprudentforethought，admittedonlyhispersonalfriends，andthosewhobroughtstoresofeatablesfortheblockade。
Atlastthemorn，bigwiththefateofLondon，appearedintheeast。Thewonderingcrowdswereastiratanearlyhourtowatchtherisingofthewaters。Theinundation，itwaspredicted，wouldbegradual，notsudden；sothattheyexpectedtohaveplentyoftimetoescape，assoonastheysawthebosomofoldThamesheavebeyondtheusualmark。Butthemajorityweretoomuchalarmedtotrusttothis，andthoughtthemselvessafertenortwentymilesoff。TheThames，unmindfulofthefoolishcrowdsuponitsbanks，flowedonquietlyasofyore。Thetideebbedatitsusualhour，flowedtoitsusualheight，andthenebbedagain，justasiftwentyastrologershadnotpledgedtheirwordstothecontrary。Blankweretheirfacesaseveningapproached，andasblankgrewthefacesofthecitizenstothinkthattheyhadmadesuchfoolsofthemselves。Atlastnightsetin，andtheobstinateriverwouldnotliftitswaterstosweepawayevenonehouseoutofthetenthousand。Still，however，thepeoplewereafraidtogotosleep。Manyhundredsremaineduptilldawnofthenextday，lestthedelugeshouldcomeuponthemlikeathiefinthenight。
Onthemorrow，itwasseriouslydiscussedwhetheritwouldnotbeadvisabletoduckthefalseprophetsintheriver。Luckilyforthem，theythoughtofanexpedientwhichallayedthepopularfury。Theyassertedthat，byanerroraveryslightoneofalittlefigure，theyhadfixedthedateofthisawfulinundationawholecenturytooearly。Thestarswererightafterall，andthey，erringmortals，werewrong。Thepresentgenerationofcockneyswassafe，andLondon’wouldbewashedaway，notin1524，butin1624。Atthisannouncement，Bolton，theprior，dismantledhisfortress，andthewearyemigrantscameback。
Aneye-witnessofthegreatfireofLondon，inanaccountpreservedamongtheHarleianMSS。intheBritishMuseum，andrecentlypublishedintheTransactionsoftheRoyalSocietyofAntiquaries，relatesanotherinstanceofthecredulityoftheLondoners。Thewriter，whoaccompaniedtheDukeofYorkdaybydaythroughthedistrictincludedbetweentheFleet-bridgeandtheThames，statesthat，intheireffortstochecktheprogressoftheflames，theyweremuchimpededbythesuperstitionofthepeople。MotherShipton，inoneofherprophecies，hadsaidthatLondonwouldbereducedtoashes，andtheyrefusedtomakeanyeffortstopreventit。[ThisprophecyseemstohavebeenthatsetforthatlengthinthepopularLifeofMotherShipton:——
“WhenfatetoEnglandshallrestoreAkingtoreignasheretofore，GreatdeathinLondonshallbethough，Andmanyhousesbelaidlow。“]
AsonofthenotedSirKenelmDigby，whowasalsoapretendertothegiftsofprophecy，persuadedthemthatnopoweronearthcouldpreventthefulfilmentoftheprediction；foritwaswritteninthegreatbookoffatethatLondonwastobedestroyed。Hundredsofpersons，whomighthaverenderedvaluableassistance，andsavedwholeparishesfromdevastation，foldedtheirarmsandlookedon。Asmanymoregavethemselvesup，withthelesscompunction，toplunderacitywhichtheycouldnotsave。
ThepropheciesofMotherShiptonarestillbelievedinmanyoftheruraldistrictsofEngland。Incottagesandservants’hallsherreputationisgreat；andsherules，themostpopularofBritishprophets，amongalltheuneducated，orhalf-educated，portionsofthecommunity。SheisgenerallysupposedtohavebeenbornatKnaresborough，inthereignofHenryVII，andtohavesoldhersoultotheDevilforthepowerofforetellingfutureevents。Thoughduringherlifetimeshewaslookeduponasawitch，sheyetescapedthewitch’sfate，anddiedpeaceablyinherbedatanextremeoldage，nearCliftoninYorkshire。Astoneissaidtohavebeenerectedtohermemoryinthechurch-yardofthatplace，withthefollowingepitaph:——
“Hereliesshewhoneverlied；
Whoseskilloftenhasbeentried:
Herpropheciesshallstillsurvive，Andeverkeephernamealive。“
“Neveradaypassed，“sayshertraditionarybiography，“whereinshedidnotrelatesomethingremarkable，andthatrequiredthemostseriousconsideration。Peopleflockedtoherfromfarandnear，herfamewassogreat。Theywenttoherofallsorts，botholdandyoung，richandpoor，especiallyyoungmaidens，toberesolvedoftheirdoubtsrelatingtothingstocome；andallreturnedwonderfullysatisfiedintheexplanationsshegavetotheirquestions。“Amongtherest，wenttheAbbotofBeverley，towhomsheforetoldthesuppressionofthemonasteriesbyHenryVIII；hismarriagewithAnneBoleyn；thefiresforhereticsinSmithfield，andtheexecutionofMaryQueenofScots。ShealsoforetoldtheaccessionofJamesI，addingthat，withhim，“FromthecoldNorth，Everyevilshouldcomeforth。“
Onasubsequentvisitsheutteredanotherprophecy，which，intheopinionofherbelievers，stillremainsunfulfilled，butmaybeexpectedtoberealisedduringthepresentcentury:——
“ThetimeshallcomewhenseasofbloodShallminglewithagreaterflood。
Greatnoisethereshallbeheard——greatshoutsandcries，Andseasshallthunderlouderthantheskies；
Thenshallthreelionsfightwiththree，andbringJoytoapeople，honourtoaking。
Thatfieryyearassoonaso’er，Peaceshallthenbeasbefore；
Plentyshalleverywherebefound，Andmenwithswordsshallploughtheground。’
ButthemostfamousofallherpropheciesisonerelatingtoLondon。
Thousandsofpersonsstillshuddertothinkofthewoesthataretoburstoverthisunhappyrealm，whenLondonandHighgatearejoinedbyonecontinuouslineofhouses。Thisjunction，which，iftherageforbuildinglastsmuchlonger，inthesameproportionasheretofore，bidsfairtobesoonaccomplished，waspredictedbyhershortlybeforeherdeath。Revolutions——thefallofmightymonarchs，andthesheddingofmuchbloodaretosignalisethatevent。Theveryangels，afflictedbyourwoes，aretoturnasidetheirheads，andweepforhaplessBritain。
ButgreatasisthefameofMotherShipton，sheranksbutsecondinthelistofBritishprophets。Merlin，themightyMerlin，standsaloneinhishighpre-eminence——thefirstandgreatest。AsoldDraytonsings，inhisPoly-olbion: