Page:History of Whittington and his cat (1).pdf/21



H M, queen of great Britain, at the death of her father, Henry the Fourth, was a cradle infant; and Barberino, at that time nuncio in France (and afterwards created Pope by the name of Urban VIII.), coming to congratulate her birth, and finding that the queen mother would have been better pleased if she had born a male, he told her, “Madam, I hope to see this, though your youngest daughter, a great queen before I die.” The queen answered, “And I hope to see you Pope.” Both which prophetic compliments proved true, and within a short time one of another.

I have spent some inquiry, saith Sir Henry Wotton, whether the Duke of Buckingham had any ominous presagement before his end; wherein,