A new Prophesie:
OR
Some strange Speeches declared by an old Woman living now in Cheshire, in
Ranna, two miles from Maxfield. her name is Margret Hough, she is
sevenscore and fifteene yeares of age.
The tune is, the Old-mans sorrow for these sad Times.
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COme light and listen Gentlemen,
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and to my song give eare,
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A story true I heare have pend,
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as ever you did heare,
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Of Shiptons wife you oft have heard.
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of that I make no doubt,
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But another with her may be com-pard
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which lately is found out,
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I hearing of this woman strange,
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in place where I did lye,
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Full many a mile I then did range,
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to heare her Prophecy,
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In famous Cheshire at the last;
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not far from Maxfield Towne,
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I found her out as I did passe.
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walking in her owne ground,
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She was the first that did speake to me
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with wordr that were so meeke,
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Son what do you in this Country,
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or who come you to seeke,
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To tell the truth I will not shame
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nor no way it alledge,
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I seeke a Woman cal'd by name,
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Crickit within the Hedge.
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I am the Woman Son she said,
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come sit thee downe by me,
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I with thee not to be afraid.
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though a stranger here thou be,
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And for the labour thou hast made,
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content ile give to thee,
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Marke well these words which here are said
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concerning Prophecy.
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Poore England thou art in distresse,
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Scotland doth sorrow gaine,
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The Ireish they in heavinesse,
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and so is also Spaine,
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There is no Land under the Sun,
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from war can say they'r free,
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Poore England thou dost suffer wrong
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my heart doth bleed for thee,
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Religion now is made a cloake,
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good teachers held in scorne.
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Thus we the Lord to wrath provoke:
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both evening noone and morne,
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The Papis little are set by,
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the Church men all a sleepe:
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To God for mercy let us cry,
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England lament and weepe.
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The second part to the same tune.
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ONe hundred fifty and five of age,
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am I yet never did see,
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The Church so pind up in a Kage,
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since the death of Queen Mary.
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But yet my Friend thou well may live
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to see joyes on us creepe,
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Then be content praise above give.
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England lament and weepe,
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The Lamb shall with the Lyon feed,
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the Elephant so strong,
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Shall by the Lamb be soone subdu'd,
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he hath don him wrong,
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Ere fifty seven is come and gone,
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the Lyon he will sleepe,
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Then prry to God both old and young
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England lament and weepe.
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But ere these times do come to passe,
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much Blood-shed thou may see,
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And he that climbs the highest fast,
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the lowest laid shal be,
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The Elephant with his long Nose.
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the Lamb full sore shall greet,
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The Lamb shall overcome his foes:
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England lament and weepe,
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When thou dost heare that peace shall come
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and dwell in faire England,
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Then thou maist say to all and some
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that wars are neere at hand,
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The Northern windy South shal rake
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from the East such news shal peepe,
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To see the same England will shake,
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England lament and weepe,
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O London fine lament in time.
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for sinfull sure thou art.
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Yorke Citty faire have thou r care,
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and L[i]nkorn beare a part,
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There is more Cittyes in this Land,
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hath cause to waile and weepe,
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For sure Gods judgments are at hand
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England lament and weepe,
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O let us all lament in time
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while we have time and space,
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For our sins so fast on us do climb,
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Lord grant us of thy grace,
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That we our sinfull lives may mend,
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Lord grant to thee we creepe,
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That mercy thou to us may send,
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let us all lament and weepe.
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FINIS.
First Son thou art come a great way to see me, thou callest me Grickit in
the hedge: and (many more besides thee) cals me so, but my
name is Margaret Hough, and I was borne in this Countrey, in the year
of 1485. in the time of King Henry the 7 and when he died, I was about
12 or 13 yeares of age: and now I am about 155. and my Daughter
that you see here; is 103. and was borne in the dayes of Edward the 6. in
the year 1545. & I have seen the death of 7 Kings & Queens, that is to
say, Henry the 7 Henry the 8 Edward the 6. Mary, Elizabeth James & the
innocent Lamb; And now we live under a new Government. but harke
Son ther's whims whams, and trims trams, new plays and old Games a-
broad now adaies. I tell thee thou maiest live to see a great alteration
here in England, for the Lyon is a strong Beast, and is loath to leave his
den. And the Elephant he knows himselfe a very strong beast, because he
can carry a Castle on his Back: and these two will have a great Tussell,
and much blood shall be lost on both sides. Then he that loves th Mo-
ther church of England, let him pray to God that it may stand: then the
Lamb shall feed with the Lyon. Then woe to the Sluggard. Hold, stand up old
bones, I had like to have falne, & if I had? there is in England may get
a greater fall before they die; (no more but mom bene.
There is a Booke comming forth that will give you more satisfaction, and
shew you more at large.
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