re will be a Michaelmas harvest. If any one hears the cuckoo first
when in bed, there is sure to be illness or death to him or one of his
family."

Among her saws are--

"Them that ever mind the world to win,
Must have a black cat, a howling dog, and a crowing hen.

"If youth could know what age do crave,
_Sights_ of pennies youth would save.

"They that wive
Between sickle and scythe,
Shall never thrive."

With reference to howling dogs, she says, "Pull off your left shoe and
turn it, and it will quiet him. I always used to do so when I was in
service. I hated to hear the dogs howl. There was no tax then, and the
farmers kept a _heap_ of them. They won't howl three times after the
turning the shoe; if you are in bed, turn the shoe upside down by the
bedside."

Among the historical prophecies of Mother Shipton and Mother Bunch, her
sister, as remembered by her, are--

That Mrs. Shipton foretold that the time should come when ships should go
without sails, and carriages without horses, and the sun should shine
upon hills that never _see_ the sun before; all which are fulfilled, Mrs.
Lubbock thinks, by steamers, railways, and cuttings through hills, which
let in upon them the light of the sun.

Mrs. Shipton also foretold that we should know the summer from the winter
only by the green leaves, it should be so cold. "That the Roman
Catholics shall have this country again, and make England a nice place
once more. But as for these folks, they scarce know how to build a
church, nor yet a steeple.

"That England shall be won and lost three times in one day; and that,
principally, through an embargo to be laid upon vessels.

"That there is to come a man who shall have three thumbs on one hand, who
is to hold the king's horse in battle; he is to be born in London, and be
a miller by business. The battle is to be fought at Rackheath-stone
Hill, on the Norwich road. Ravens shall carry the blood away, it will be
so clotted.

"That the men are to be killed, so that one man shall be left to seven
women; and the daughters shall come home, and say to their mothers,
"Lawk, mother, I have seen a man!" The women shall have to finish the
harvest.

"That the town of Yarmouth shall become a nettle-bush; that the bridges
shall be pulled up, and small vessels sail to Irstead and Barton Broads.

"That blessed are they that live near Potter Heigham, and double-blessed
them that live in it." (That