The history of this English witch

• The history of this English witch

Mother Shipton, the most famous image of the witches in Britain, at birth received the name of Ursula and remember the people for many centuries. The story began back in 1488. Her mother was Agatha Sauseyl, and Ursula was born illegitimate baby when her mother was just 16 years old. According to eyewitnesses, the baby was born a demon at once. She had a full set of molars with pronounced incisors and canines. Grotesque head was large, hollow cheeks, and limbs were curled and red eyes were similarly inflated coals in the furnace. And all this is only in its infancy.

1488th year in the UK - this is the era of the reign of Henry the 7th. Agatha gave birth to a daughter in a cave, where she huddled. On the day of her birth in the vicinity of raging strong thunderstorms. Picturesque neighborhood so far: not far from the caves of the river Nidda, and on the other side of the river, overlooking the cliffs stood an ancient castle Knaresboro. The steep banks of the river abound keys and outputs mica. On that day, the smell of sulfur.

The next couple of years, the young mother was forced to raise her daughter in a cave, having no other shelter. Later, in an attempt to find out who the child's father, Agatha presented before a local magistrate (court), but no reply came. Instead, the woman skillfully parried accusations of prostitution and illegal birth of the fact that of the judge - two maids pregnant from him and raise bastards. Agatha was banished to a convent, in an attempt to clean up her life and soul from sin and the rumors that follow her. In the convent she died.

And before these events Agatha popularly called "lazy and idle woman". Apparently these insults came from the fact that the woman refused to work as a laundress or cook, preferring casual employment and prostitution - exhausting work. One of Agatha friends later told me that the child she had from wandering magician. Charming young man met her on the beach, when she was washing clothes. He visited her for a while and Agatha said that he was terribly handsome, and his touch was as cold as ice. But no one except Agatha did not see him. Needless to say that with such appearance, and the rumors surrounding it and its mother at birth, little Ursula has grown almost alone on duty walking alone in the Yorkshire woods, a lot of time playing with herself and spending time in a cave nearby, where she was born.

According to the descriptions of contemporaries, from an early age she was extremely ugly "Starush" appearance. A huge hooked nose, curved, bony hands, hump. Her face was covered with horrible warts. Due to the nature of appearance Ursula was forced to dress appropriately, to use a cane or stick.

Not far from the place where Ursula was born ancient well. And that before her birth attributed mystical properties, and people came to drink water from it, in order to get something special, or learn their fate.

Before leaving the monastery Agata talked to baptize the girl Abbot Beverley. Communication with Abbot subsequently affected its decision to send their child to grow up in the wrong hands, and most leave the monastery.

For about two years, when her adoptive mother Ursula left one, it could be one of the first stories. Stepmother, returning spotted the open doors and windows in the house and decided that it was robbed. She ran to the neighbors for help, fearing that thieves still in the house, neighbors confirmed her fears, saying that they had heard terrible screams from her home, hastily pohvatali weapon they all walked to the house. Breaking into the house, they found an empty cradle and young Ursula was sitting on a metal pole above the oven, which usually hang pots. The girl was naked and having fun laughing frightened guests.

It is not known when her visions began, she was looking for whether his craft, in an attempt to protect themselves from the hard world of gossip and superstition, or a craft found it.

In 1512, Ursula married a local carpenter Shipton. Local residents accused it in the application of a love potion, but the marriage was successful. Children they did not have. Her husband - Toby was obedient to the owner, they lived without scandals, and as far as he was proud of her craft. While getting into the clutches of the witch, perhaps you would also be obedient, polite, did not stick to the intima and strongly proud of its magical powers.

A few years after the marriage, Tobias Shipton died - leaving all his property to the young widow.

To one of the earliest predictions it relates the story of a young nobleman. He drove past, when I learned that living in the vicinity of a strange woman who sometimes talks about the future, and some of its prophecies are coming true. Young lord needed the money, and used the occasion he came to Ursula, to ask whether it can predict the date of his father's death, to be more precise, he could negotiate with your creditors. Or somehow contribute to his death, because after the funeral, he was finally able to pay off debt at the expense of the estate. Shipton did not answer him, and he left with nothing.

Immediately after his return from it, the young man became seriously ill. Then his father went to her, demanding that she cured his son. To which she responded with something like this:

"Those who want to open someone else's death - opens his, And the land that he was looking for a funeral, he would take to his grave."

A few days later the young man died. The story quickly went around all the pubs, branded for the widow witch Shipton glory and power to punish the wicked in the name of the devil.

They earned the manufacture of drugs and fortune telling. Efficiency and accuracy with which it is engaged in a craft gradually contributes to its legend.

Over time, she became famous for his predictions and curses on the whole of England. Once she has publicly laughed at himself, Cardinal Wolsey, who wanted to become Archbishop of England. She said - "Honey, you'll see New York as you want to, but your feet will not be in it." Hearing about such predictions in his address, the cardinal sent to the witch his trusted men to threats to burn her at the stake - to force to abandon their words and withdraw the curse.

Shipton threat was not impressed, and the envoys she added - "that their blood will wash sidewalks York faster than their host hanged." Frightened servants did not dare to do anything against it and fled in fear.

In 1530, the Cardinal went to New York, when he was already in his vicinity, he climbed one of the towers to grin unfulfilled curse, but back down he met envoys of Henry the 8th, arrived to try him on charges of treason. The Cardinal was forced to return to London, and before reaching the City. As a result, the subsequent arrests, three of his envoys were accidentally killed on the street, his blood rinsed York.

Mother throughout his life did not like any church, no priests, and never let them attend. Once when someone it called to visit the Holy Trinity Church in New York, a witch called after - "Before the bridge GPN and this Church to meet at night they wash their each other, and then the highest cathedral stone will be the low stone bridge, then I'm going To her".

Shortly thereafter, the steeple of the Church of the Holy Trinity has fallen during a storm, a flood washed away the bridge near Ouza, and stones and that, and another blown over all along the coast. York residents to build a new bridge used them as a base.

To her predictions or curse applies even the great fire and the subsequent plague in London. When the rumors that the Witch Shipton said that the great London will burn in hellfire reached the noble circles, even the royal family has been advised. And on account of its predictions council was assembled, that other things are not spared the city nor the fire, nor the plague.

It was subsequently published many books, we conducted an investigation on the activities of the state of this woman. She require a huge number of predictions, the number and accuracy of which elevate her to the number of people such as Nostradamus or Vanga. But this image, as well as the woman does not become so popular, because first of all Shipton called the Devil's daughter, and her power supply source of the dark pit. Anyway, many of the fortune-teller began to use Shipton image, its statues and portraits later. In her honor it has been called many Old English pubs, many of which are still in effect. And she Ursula firmly established in the Old English folklore as Mother Shipton. Old English witch.

Ursula Shipton died in 1561, in 73 years. Church refused to bury her, and therefore the position of the grave remains a place not known. Presumably it was buried not far from the place where she spent her childhood and ancient well that purpose until now.