Originally published in Terrific Register (Sherwood, Jones, and Co.; 1825).
The fame of Theresa Sensari was universal in November, 1774. She was in appearance a woman of about sixty years of age, a church going devotee, and a widow, of a small, though sufficient fortune, had no family but one woman servant. This gentlewoman foretold, or rather prophesied (for they called her a prophetess) that the late kings of Sardinia and France, likewise the late Pope, should die at the three different periods of time which she marked down; and told every body with frankness the day that each should die.
At first when she propagated this strange story, people looked upon her as a mad woman, and ridiculed her in every company, (for she visited several genteel families) but, when the king of Sardinia died the day she had foretold, people began to give credit to her prophesy. Cardinal Albani, in a jocular way, told this to the late pope, and his holiness laughed it off with the cardinal. This woman still persisted that the king of France would die on the day that she had mentioned, and which to the astonishment of every body, happened on the very day; for she had said to several persons, "the king of France will die to-day."
Several persons took notice of this, and were in great expectation for the French post, to know the truth of it, when to their great surprise, they found it true; this made a great noise, particularly at Rome. Cardinal Albani then sent his coach to fetch her; she would not accept of his coach, but immediately came on foot. The cardinal asked her, whether it was true that she had foretold such strange things. She replied in the affirmative.
"Pray, madam," said the cardinal, "how came you to know such things, for it is incomprehensible to me how you should tell such events?"
"Wonder not, my lord," said she, "for God knows everything, and it is from him: alone that I know it."
Though the cardinal argued a long time with her, he could get no other answer than the above. The cardinal went immediately to the pope; and acquainted him with every particular, when his holiness desired to speak with her. She went immediately, and the pope took her gently by the hand, and said, "my blessing on thee, honest women; I am told that you have the knowledge of future events, and that you have foretold the deaths of the king of Sardinia, the king of France, and mine; and the two first you have guessed right at."
"May it please your holiness, it was no guess, bet I am as sure of it as I am here, for God told me precisely to a day."
"Good woman," said the pope, still holding her by hand, "I must not be put off with such stories; I declare before my friends here, that I will do no manner of harm; nay, I will reward you, if you will tell me the truth."
To which she answered, "may it please your holiness, I have told you nothing but the truth, so help me God."
The pope then said, dropping her hand, "is that all you can say for yourself?"
"That's all," said she, "and your holiness may rest assured it will be as God told me."
"Well then, good woman, you shall go to, and remain in prison till then; we shall know whether you aee a good or bad prophetess." The pope then ordered her to be imprisoned in the castle of St. Angelo.
She was not in the least dismayed at her sentence, and when coming out of the room she only said, "God's will be done."
The pope gave orders that proper care should be taken of her, and to let her want for nothing. She was visited by vast numbers of people of every denomination, and they never heard her complain of her situation, she preserving the same tranquillity she ever did, and still persisting in her former story.
The died the very day she foretold.
She had often been asked by ladies and gentlemen at divers times, whether she could foretel when she would be released; and she said, "No; God hath not told me yet." She always bore a very good character; there were people at Rome who had known her from her infancy, and all said that she had been esteemed by her acquaintance, and that she was looked upon as a just, modest, and religious woman.
Strange as this story may appear, yet it was corroborated by a number of letters from several parts of Italy, and they all agreed, and confirmed the same.
Note: Text reformatted for legibility.