Mother Shipton and the Cardinal

This was the first of the three plays to be performed, making its debut at a Mummers Workshop Presentation to Alne W.I. on March 9th 2016, in preparation for a performance at Knaresborough's FEVA festival in August 2017, to celebrate Blind Jack (John Metcalf's) 300th birthday. It features the only prediction of Mother Shipton thought to have any genuine antiquity: her warning that Thomas Wolsey would see York Minster, but would never reach it.

The play is introduced by Blind Jack of Knaresborough, who is joined by Mother Shipton. She is soon followed by the villainous Hugh de Morville (riding Eric the Horse), the dastardly owner of Knaresborough Castle. Mother Shipton encourages him to "invest in the prophecy market", and reveals that he is destined to ride to the Cathedral, and murder Archbishop Thomas.

The company are then joined by Cardinal Wolsey, on his way to York. He bemoans his recent falling out with the King:

"He stripped me of my titles. It's enough to make you sick.
But luckily I kept a grip on my archbishopric."

Mother Shipton relates to him her famous prophesy of doom. In a case of mistaken identity, Hugh de Morville believes this to be his moment of destiny, vowing that he will rid King Henry of this turbulent priest. He strikes Wolsey dead, only to be told by Blind Jack and Mother Shipton that he's killed the wrong Thomas, for the wrong King Henry! Dismayed, he offers to pay for Wolsey's revival.

In this play, Blind Jack performs the "cure" (although in three performances Betty Lupton put in an appearance) with a bottle of Harrogate's sulphur water. This foul liquid brings Wolsey to his feet, and he's appalled that anyone could choose to drink such a potion. Blind Jack and Mother Shipton assure him that visitors will flock to the locale just to take the waters, concluding:

"Welcome to our district, where you'll often hear it said:
The visitors have breeding, but the locals are in-bred."

The play concludes with a loose adaptation of a Mother Shipton song popular in the late 1700s and early 1800s, which reflected the popularity of several pantomimes featuring Mother Shipton. These were performed with great success at Covent Garden and other London locations.

This shows the 5 person version at Knaresborough's FEVA festival on Sunday, 13th August, 2017

From l - r, Blind Jack: Mark Ellison, Mother Shipton: John Burrell, Hugh de Morville: Ted Dodsworth, Cardinal Wolsey: Julian Sharpe, Eric the Horse and 5th person, Town Crier: Andy West. Blind Jack and Mother Shipton shared out some of the Town Crier's lines when operating a 4 person version.

The same day, Hugh de Morville kills the Cardinal, from l - r, Blind Jack: Mark Ellison, Mother Shipton: John Burrell, Hugh de Morville: Ted Dodsworth, Cardinal Wolsey: Julian Sharpe.

The rare 6 person version which included, centre, Betty Lupton (Ted Dodsworth) to ladle out the cure to the Cardinal! Mother Shipton, left, is John Burrell, Hugh de Morville, right, is Dave Williams. Taken at The Old Spring Well pub (formerly the Travellers Rest) on the A59 Skipton Road just west of Harrogate, Sat. 21st May, 2016, as part of Betty Lupton's Ladle Laikers Day of Dance.

Return to Mother Shipton play menu.