At another time he told them that Norton and Vale-Royal abbeys should meet on Acton-bridge, a thing at that time looked upon as improbable; yet those two abbeys being pulled down the stones were used for the purpose of repairing the bridge; and what was more improbable still a small thorn growing in the abbey-yard would become its door. We may easily guess no one thought this last would ever come to pass, and especially as it was understood by every one at that time of day that thorns never grew so large; but this shows the uncertain meaning of a prophecy, and that what we understand one way is possibly meant quite different; so it happened in this case, for, at the Reformation the savage ravages under the sanction of religion sought nothing but rapine and plunder to enrich themselves; and under the name of banishing superstition and pulling down idolatry, spared not even the most revered lineaments of antiquity, the most sacred piles, the most noble structures, or most valuable records, books written by our most venerable forefathers and heroic ancestors. Pieces of the nicest paint and figures of the best workmanship being all lost, irrecoverably lost in one common fit of destructive zeal which every hue and cry is too apt to raise in the breast of a hot-headed bigot; whilst the truly religious, honest and learned men regret to this day the loss those destructive times have occasioned. Whilst these reached Vale-Royal, this thorn amongst the rest, being cut down was cast in the door-way, to prevent sheep which grazed in the court from going in. But the Reformation he declares in still plainer terms; for he says, A time shall come when priests and monks Shall have no churches nor houses, And places where images stood, Lined letters shall be good, English books through churches are spread, Where shall be no holy bread. It is not my intention to recite every particular he is said to have foretold, which regard either private families or past occasions—however, it may not be amiss to mention what is fresh in every one’s memory who lives near Delamere forest and was vouched to me by several of the oldest inhabitants. Thro’ Weaver-hall shall be a lone {10} Ridley-pool shall be sown and mown, And Darnel-Park shall be hacked and hewn. The two wings of Weaver-hall are now standing and between them is a cart-road; Ridley-pool is filled up and made good meadow land: and in Darnel-Park the trees are cut down and it is made into pasture-ground. I was also assured that he foretold the use of broad wheels, etc. and that the town of Northwich now a considerable place of trade for salt will be destroyed by water, which is expected to come to pass, by the natives of Cheshire, as much as any other part of his prophecy has done; and some urge that the navigable cuts lately made is the water meant: but whether a prejudice against those useful improvements may not have given rise to this notion, time only can determine.