{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_4254/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_4254","id":"gutenberg_4254","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4254","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Biographies","Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches","Category: History - British","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Occultism","Superstition"],"text":"Ver.10/04/01*END*\n\n\n\nThis etext was produced by Michael Coker.\n\n      MISCELLANIES\n\n      UPON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.\n\n      BY\n\n      JOHN AUBREY, F.RS.\n\n\n\nCONTENTS\n\nLIFE of Aubrey\nDedication to the First Edition\nDay-Fatality; or, Some Observations of Days Lucky and Unlucky\nDay-Fatality of Rome\nOf Fatalities of Families and Places\nOstenta; or, Portents\nOmens\nDreams\nApparitions\nVoices\nImpulses\nKnockings\nBlows invisible\nProphesies\nMiranda\nMagick\nTransportation by an invisible Power\nVisions in a Beryl or Crystal\nVisions without a Glass or Crystal\nConverse with Angels and Spirits\nCorps-candles in Wales\nOracles\nEcstacy\nGlances of Love and Malice\nAn accurate account of Second-Sighted men in Scotland\nAdditaments of Second-Sight\nFarther Additaments\nAppendix\n\n\n      THE LIFE OF JOHN AUBREY.\n\n\nJOHN AUBREY, the subject of this brief notice, was born at Easton\nPierse, (Parish of Kington,) in Wiltshire, on the 12th of March, 1626;\nand not on the 3rd of November in that year, as stated by some of his\nbiographers. He was the eldest son of Richard Aubrey, Esq. of\nBurleton, Herefordshire, and Broad Chalk, Wiltshire. Being, according\nto his own statement, \"very weak, and like to dye,\" he was baptized\non the day of his birth, as appears by the Register of Kington. At an\nearly age (1633) he was sent to the Grammar School at Yatton Keynel,\nand in the following year he was placed under the tuition of Mr.\nRobert Latimer, the preceptor of Hobbes, a man then far advanced in\nyears.\n\nOn the 2nd of May, 1642, being then sixteen years of age, Aubrey was\nentered a gentleman commoner of Trinity College, Oxford, where he\nappears to have applied himself closely to study. He however cherished\na strong predilection for English History and Antiquities, which was\nfostered and encouraged at this time by the appearance of the\n\"Monasticon Anglicanum\", to which he contributed a plate of Osney\nAbbey, an ancient ruin near Oxford, entirely destroyed in the Civil\nWars.\n\nOn the 16th of April, 1646, Aubrey was admitted a student of the\nMiddle Temple, but the death of his father shortly after, leaving him\nheir to estates in Wiltshire, Surrey, Herefordshire, Brecknockshire\nand Monmouthshire, obliged him to relinquish his studies and look to\nhis inheritance, which was involved in several law suits.\n\nThough separated from his associates in the University, he appears to\nhave kept up a correspondence with several of them, and among others,\nAnthony Wood, whom he furnished with much valuable information. Wood\nmade an ungrateful return for this assistance, and in his\nAutobiography thus speaks of him:-\"An. 1667, John Aubrey of Easton\nPiers in the parish of Kingston, Saint Michael in Wiltshire, was in\nOxon. with Edward Forest, a Bookseller, living against Alls. Coll. to\nbuy books. He then saw lying on the stall Notitiae Academiae\nOxoniensis, and asking who the author of that book was ? he [Edw.\nForest] answered, the report was that one Mr. Anth. Wood, of Merton\nCollege was the author, but was not. Whereupon Mr. Aubrey, a pretender\nto Antiquities, having been contemporary to A. Wood's elder brother in\nTrin. Coll. and well acquainted with him, he thought, that he might be\nas well acquainted with A. W. himself, Whereupon repairing to his\nlodgings, and telling him who he was, he got into his acquaintance,\ntalked to him about his studies, and offered him what assistance he\ncould make, in order to the completion of the work that he was in hand\nwith. Mr. Aubrey was then in sparkish garb, came to town with his man\nand two horses, spent high, and flung out A. W. in all his recknings.\nBut his estate of 70011 per an. being afterwards sold and he reserving\nnothing of it to himself, liv'd afterwards in very sorry condition,\nand at length made shift to rub out by hanging on Edm. Wyld, Esq.,\nliving in Blomesbury near London, on James Carle of Abendon, whose\nfirst wife was related to him, and on Sr Joh. Aubrey his kinsman,\nliving sometimes in Glamorganshire and sometimes at Borstall near\nBrill in Bucks. He was a shiftless person, roving and magotie-headed,\nand sometimes little better than crased. And being exceedingly\ncredulous, would stuff his many letters sent to A. W. with folliries\nand misinformations, which would sometimes guid him into the paths of\nerrour.\" This example of bad English, and worse taste, was written\nafter twenty-five years acquaintance! In singular contrast to it, is a\nletter of Aubrey to Wood, charging him, it is true, with an abuse of\nconfidence and detraction, but urging his complaint in terms which\nsufficiently evince the kindly and affectionate nature of the writer.\n\nMalone, in his \" Historical Account of the English Stage,\" has done\nAubrey justice; and his remarks may properly find a place here. \" That\nthe greater part of his (Aubrey's) life was devoted to literary\npursuits, is ascertained by the works which he has published, the\ncorrespondence which he held with many eminent men, and the\ncollections which he left in manuscript and which are now reposited in\nthe Ashmolean Museum. Among these collections is a curious account of\nour English Poets, and many other writers. While Wood was preparing\nhis Athenae Oxonienses, this manuscript was lent to him, as appears\nfrom many queries in his handwriting in the margin; and his account of\nMilton, with whom Aubrey was intimately acquainted, is (as has been\nobserved by Mr. Warton) literally transcribed from thence.\" After\nalluding to the quarrel between Wood and Aubrey, he continues, \"But\nwhatever Wood in a peevish humour may have said or thought of Mr.\nAubrey, by whose labours he has highly profited, or however\nfantastical Aubrey may have been on the subject of chemistry and\nghosts, his character for veracity has never been impeached, and as a\nvery diligent Antiquary, his testimony is worthy of attention. Mr.\nToland, who was well acquainted with him, and certainly a better judge\nof men than Wood, gives this character of him: 'Though he was\nextremely superstitious, or seemed to be so, yet he was a very honest\nman, and most accurate in his account of matter of fact. But the facts\nhe knew, not the reflections he made, were what I wanted.'\"\n\nAubrey preserved, amidst all his troubles, an intimacy with the men of\nScience and Letters of his day, and with them formed the nucleus of\nthe Royal Society. Some of the principal incidents of his life are\nbriefly detailed in the following autobiographical memoranda, entitled\n\n      ACCIDENTS OF JOHN AUBREY.\n\nBorn at Easton-Piers, March 1625,6, about sun-rising; very weak and\nlike to Dye, & therefore christned that morning before Prayer. I think\nI have heard my mother say I had an Ague shortly after I was born.\n\n1629. About three or four years old I had a grievous ague, I can\nremember it. I got not health till eleven or twelve, but had sickness\nof Vomiting for 12 hours every fortnight for years, then it came\nmonthly for then quarterly & then half yearly, the last was in June\n1642. This sickness nipt my strength in the bud.\n\n1633. At eight years old I had an issue (naturall) in the coronall\nsutor of my head, which continued running till 21.\n\n1634. October, I had a violent fevor, it was like to have carried me\noff 'twas the most dangerous sickness that ever I had,\n\n1639.  About 1639 or 1643 I had the measills, but that was nothing, I\nwas hardly sick. Monday after Easter week my Uncle's Nag ranne away\nwith me & gave me a very dangerous fall.\n\n1642 May 3. Entered at Trinity College.\n\n1643 April and May, the Small Pox at Oxon; after left that ingeniouse\nplace & for three years led a sad life in the Country.\n\n1646.  April - Admitted of the M. Temple, but my fathers sickness and\nbusiness never permitted me to make any settlement to my study.\n\n1651.  About the 16 or 18 of April I saw that incomparable good\nconditioned gentlewoman Mrs M. Wiseman, with whom at first sight I was\nin love.\n\n1652. October the 21. my father died.\n\n1655.  (I think) June 14. I had a fall at Epsam & brake one of my\nribbes, and was afraid it might cause an apostumation.\n\n1656.  Sept. 1655 or rather I think 1656 I began my chargeable &\ntedious lawe Suite on the Entaile in Brecknockshire and Monmouthshire.\nThis yeare and the last was a strange yeare to me. Several love and\nlawe suites.\n\n1656 - Decemb {Astrological sign for conjunction} morb.\n\n1657.  Novemb 27. obiit Dna Kasker Ryves with whom I was to marry, to\nmy great losse.\n\n1659.  March or April like to break my neck in Ely Minster; and the\nnext day, riding a gallop there my horse tumbled over and over, and\nyet I thank God no hurt.\n\n1660.  July. Aug. I accompanied A. Ettrick into Ireland for a month &\nreturning were like to be shipwrecked at Holyhead but no hurt done.\n\n1661, 1662, 1663. About these yeares I sold my Estate in\nHerefordshire. Janu. I had the honour to be elected Fellow of the\nR. S.\n\n1664.  June 11 landed at Calais, in August following had a terrible fit\nof the spleen and piles at Orleans. I returned in October.\n\n1664 or 1665. Munday after Christmas was in danger to be spoiled by my\nhorse; and the same day received lasio in testiculo, which was like to\nhave been fatal. 0. R. Wiseman quod - I believe 1664.\n\n1665.  November 1. I made my first address (in an ill hour) to\nJoane Sumner.\n\n1666.  This yeare all my business and affairs ran kim kam, nothing\ntooke effect, as if I had been under an ill tongue. Treacheries and\nenmities in abundance against me.\n\n1667. December --- Arrested in Chancery Lane at Mrs Sumner's suite.\n\nFeb. 24 A.M. about 8 or 9 Triall with her at Sarum; Victory and #600\ndamaged; through devilish opposition against me.\n\n1668.  July 6. was arrested by Peter Gale's malicious contrivance the\nday before I was to go to Winton for my second triall; but it did not\nretard me above two hours, but did not then go to triall.\n\n1669.  March 5 was my triall at Winton from eight to nine. The Judge\nbeing exceedingly made against me by my Lady Hungerford but four of\nthe {     } appearing and much adoe got the moiety of Sarum: Verdict\nin #300.\n\n1669 and 1670 I sold all my Estate in Wilts. From 1670 to this very\nday (I thank God) I have enjoyed a happy delitescency.\n\n1671. Danger of Arrests.\n\n1677.  Latter end of June an impostume brake in my head.\nMdm. St John's night 1673 in danger of being run through with a sword\nby a young templer at M. Burges' chamber in the M. Temple.\n\n\nI was in danger of being killed by William Earl of Pembroke then Lord\nHerbert at the election of Sir William Salkeld for New Sarum. I have\nbeen in danger of being drowned twice.\n\nThe year that I lay at M. Neve's (for a short time) I was in great\ndanger of being killed by a drunkard in the Street of Grays Inn Gate\nby a Gentleman whom I never saw before but (Deo gratias) one of his\ncompanions hindred his thrust.\n\n[1754 June 11. transcribed from a MS. in M. Aubrey's own handwriting\nin the possession of Dr. R. Rawlinson.]\n\nThese incidents are so curiously narrated, and afford such interesting\nglimpses of the times to which they refer, that it is to be regretted\nthey exist in so brief a form.\n\nSeveral of Aubrey's biographers have given a very loose and\nunsatisfactory account of him, and it was left for Mr. Britton to\nprepare a more authentic Life of one who had laboured long and\nzealously to preserve the records of the past. To that gentleman we\nowe many particulars regarding the close of Aubrey's career; among\nothers, the entry of his burial at Oxford, in the church of St. Mary\nMagdalene- \"1697. John Aubery a stranger was Buryed Jun. 7th.\"\n\nTo Mr. Britton we are also indebted for the fact that Aubrey was never\nmarried; the statement that he had been united to Joan Sumner, resting\non no surer foundation than the allusion to that lady in the\n\"Accidents\" above quoted. He died intestate, and Letters of\nAdministration were granted on the 18th December, 1697, to his\nsurviving brother William. In that license he is described as \"late\nof Broad Chalk in the County of Wilts, Batchelor.\"\n\n      [DEDICATION TO THE FIRST EDITION.]\n\n\n      TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE,\n\n      JAMES EARL OF ABINGDON,\n\n      LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE IN EYRE OF ALL HIS MAJESTY'S\n      FORESTS AND CHACES ON THIS SIDE TRENT.\n\nMY LORD,\n\nWHEN I enjoyed the contentment of Solitude in your pleasant walks and\ngardens at Lavington the last summer, I reviewed several scattered\npapers which had lain by me for several years; and then presumed to\nthink, that if they were put together, they might be somewhat\nentertaining: I therefore digested them there in this order, in which\nI now present them to your Lordship.\n\nThe matter of this collection is beyond human reach: we being\nmiserably in the dark, as to the economy of the invisible world, which\nknows what we do, or incline to, and works upon our passions and\nsometimes is so kind as to afford us a glimpse of its prescience.\n\n      MY LORD,\n\nIt was my intention to have finished my Description of Wiltshire*\n(half finished already) and to have dedicated it to your Lordship: but\nmy age is now too far spent for such undertakings: I have therefore\ndevolved that task on my country man, Mr. Thomas Tanner, - who hath\nyouth to go through with it, and a genius proper for such an\nundertaking.\n\n* In the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford, - Afterwards Bishop of St. Asaph.\n\nWherefore, I humbly beseech your Lordship to accept of this small\noffering, as a grateful memorial of the profound respect which I have\nfor you, who have for many years taken me into your favour and\nprotection.\n\n      MY LORD,\n\nMay the blessed Angels be your careful guardians:\nsuch are the prayers of\n\nYour Lordship's Most obliged\nAnd humble Servant,\n\nJOHN AUBREY. 1696.\n\n\n\n      DAY FATALITY\n\n\n      OR, SOME OBSERVATIONS OF DAYS\n            LUCKY AND UNLUCKY\n\n      LUC. xix. 43.\n      \"In hoc die tuo\": In this thy day.\n\nThat there be good and evil times, not only the sacred scriptures, but\nprophane authors mention: see 1 Sam. 25, 8. Esther 8, 17. and 9, 19,\n22. Ecclus. 14. 14.\n\nThe fourteenth day of the first month was a memorable and blessed day\namongst the children of Israel: see Exod. 12, 18, 40, 41, 42, 51.\nLevit. 23, 5. Numb. 28, 16. Four hundred and thirty years being\nexpired of their dwelling in Egypt, even in the self same day departed\nthey thence.\n\nA thing something parallel to this we read in the Roman histories:\nthat, that very day four years, that the civil wars were begun by\nPompey the father, Caesar made an end of them with his sons; Cneius\nPompeius being then slain, and it being also the last battle Caesar was\never in. (Heylin in the kingdom of Corduba.) The calendar to Ovid's\nFastorum, says, \"Aprilis erat mensis Grcecis auspicatisimus\", a most\nauspicious month among the Graecians.\n\nAs to evil days and times; see Amos 5, 13. and 6, 3. Eccles. 9, 12.\nPsal. 37, 19. Obad. 12. Jer. 46, 21. And Job hints it, in cursing his\nbirthday. Cap. 3, v. 1,10, 11. See Weever, p.458.\n\n      Early in a morning\n      In an evil tyming,\n      Went they from Dunbar.\n\nHorace, lib. 2. Ode 13. Cursing the tree that had like to have fallen\nupon him, says, 'Ille nefasto te posuit die'; intimating that it was\nplanted in an unlucky day.\n\nThe Romans counted Feb. 13, an unlucky day, and therefore then never\nattempted any business of importance; for on that day they were\noverthrown at Allia by the Gauls; and the Fabii attacking the city of\nthe Veii, were all slain, save one. (Heylin, speaking of St. Peter's\npatrimony.) And see the calendar annext to Ovid's \"Fastorum\", as to\nthe last circumstance.\n\nThe Jews accounted August 10, an unfortunate day; for on that day the\nTemple was destroyed by Titus, the son of Vespasian; on which day also\nthe first Temple was consumed with fire by Nebuchadnezzar. (Heylin.)\nThe treasury of the times says the eighth of Loyon (August) the very\nsame day 679 years one after another.\n\nAnd not only among the Romans and Jews, but also among Christians,\na like custom of observing such days is used, especially Childermas\nor Innocent's day. Comines tells us, that Lewis XI. used not to debate\nany matter, but accounted it a sign of great misfortune towards him,\nif any man communed with him of his affairs; and would be very angry\nwith those about him, if they troubled him with any matter whatsoever\nupon that day.\n\nBut I will descend to more particular instances of lucky and\nunlucky days.\n\nUpon the sixth of April, Alexander the Great was born. Upon the same\nday he conquered Darius, won a great victory at sea, and died the\nsame day.\n\nNeither was this day less fortunate to his father Philip; for on the\nsame day he took Potidea; Parmenio, his General, gave a great\noverthrow to the Illyrians; and his horse was victor at the Olympic\nGames. Therefore, his prophets foretold to him, \"Filium cujus\nnatalis\", &c. That a son whose birth-day was accompanied with three\nvictories, should prove invincible. \"Pezelius in melificio historico\".\n\nUpon the thirtieth of September, Pompey the Great was born: upon that\nday he triumphed for his Asian conquest, and on that day he died.\n\nThe nineteenth of August was the day of Augustus his adoption: on the\nsame day he began his consulship: he conquered the Triumviri, and on\nthe same day he died. Hitherto out of the memories of King Charles\nI's. heroes.\n\nIf Solomon counts the day of one's death better than the day of one's\nbirth, there can be no objection why that also may not be reckoned\namongst one's remarkable and happy days. And therefore I will insert\nhere, that the eleventh of February was the noted day of Elizabeth,\nwife to Henry VII. who was born and died that day. Weever, p. 476.\nBrooke, in Henry VII. marriage. Stow, in Anno 1466, 1503.\n\nAs also that the twenty-third of November was the observable day of\nFrancis, Duke of Lunenburgh, who was born on that day, and died upon\nthe same, 1549, as says the French author of the Journal History, who\nadds upon particular remark and observable curiosity.\n\n      \"Ipsa dies vitam contulit, ipsa necem\".\n\n      The same day life did give,\n      And made him cease to live.\n\nSir Kenelm Digby, that renowned knight, great linguist, and magazine\nof arts, was born and died on the eleventh of June, and also fought\nfortunately at Scanderoon the same day. Here his epitaph, composed\nby Mr. Ferrar, and recited in the aforesaid Memoirs:\n\n      Under this stone the matchless Digby lies,\n      Digby the great, the valiant and the wise:\n      This age's wonder for his noble parts;\n      Skill'd in six tongues, and learn'd in all the arts.\n      Born on the day he died, th' eleventh of June,\n      On which he bravely fought at Scanderoon.\n      'Tis rare that one and self-same day should be\n      His day of birth, of death, of victory.\n\nI had a maternal uncle, that died the third of March,1678, which was\nthe anniversary day of his birth; and (which is a truth exceeding\nstrange) many years ago he foretold the day of his death to be that of\nhis birth; and he also averred the same but about the week before his\ndeparture.\n\nThe third of March is the day of St. Eutropius; and as to my uncle it\nwas significative; it turned well to him, according to that of\nRev. 14, 13. Blessed are the dead, &e. and that of Ovid Metam. lib. 3.\n\n      \"---Dicique beatus\",\n      \"Ante obitum nemo supremaque funera debet.-----\"\n\n      --None happy call\n      Before their death, and final funeral.\n\nThe sixth of January was five times auspicious to Charles, Duke of\nAnjou. Ibid. in the life of the Earl of Sunderland.\n\nThe twenty-fourth of February was happy to Charles V. four times.\n(Ibid.) Heylin, speaking of the Temple of Jerusalem, hints three of\nthese four; his birth, taking of Francis, King of France, prisoner;\nhis receiving the Imperial crown at Bononia. And so doth also the\nJournal History before mentioned.\n\nOf the family of the Trevors, six successive principal branches have\nbeen born the sixth of July. Same memoirs.\n\nSir Humphrey Davenport was born the 7th of July; and on that day\nanniversary, his father and mother died, within a quarter of an hour\none of another. Same memoirs.\n\nI have seen an old Romish MSS. prayer-book, (and shewed the same to\nthat general scholar, and great astrologer, Elias Ashmole, Esq.;) at\nthe beginning whereof was a Calendar wherein were inserted the unlucky\ndays of each month, set out in verse. I will recite them just as they\nare, sometimes infringing the rule of grammar, sometimes of Prosodia;\na matter of which the old monkish rhymers were no way scrupulous.\nIt was as ancient as Henry the sixth, or Edward the fourth's time.\n\nJanuary    \"Prima dies mensis, & septima truncat ut ensis\".\nFebruary   \"Quarta subit mortem, prostemit tertia fortem.\"\nMarch.     \"Primus mandentem, disrumpit quarto, bibentem\".\nApril      \"Denus & undenus est mortis vulnere plenus\".\nMay        \"Tertius occidit, & Septimus ora relidit\".*\nJune       \"Denus pallescit, quindenus feeders nescit\".\nJuly.      \"Ter-decimus mactat, Julij denus labefactat.\"\nAugust.    \"Prima necat fortem, prostemit secunda cohortem\".\nSeptember  \"Tertia Septembris & denus fert mala membris\".\nOctober.   \"Tertius & denus est, sicut, mors alienus\".\nNovember.  \"Scorpius est quintus, & tertius e nece cinctus\".\nDecember.  \"Septimus exanguis, virosus denus & anguis\".\n* Ex re & ledo.\n\nThe tenth verse is intolerable, and might be mended thus.\n\n\"Tertia cum dena sit sicut mors aliena\".\n\nIf any object and say, \"Deni\" is only the plural; I excuse my self by\nthat admirable chronogram upon King Charles the martyr.\n\n      \"Ter deno, Jani, Lunae, Rex (Sole cadente)\"\n      \"Carolus euxtus Solio, Sceptroque, secure\".\n\nNeither will I have recourse for refuge to that old tetrastich,\n\n      \"Intrat Avaloniam duodena Caterva virorum\n      \"Flos Arimathioe Joseph, &c.\"\n\nbecause I have even now blamed the liberty of the ancient rhymers. He\nmeans by \"Mors aliena\", some strange kind of death; though \"aliena\",\nsignifies in quite another sense than there used.\n\nI shall take particular notice here of the third of November, both\nbecause 'tis my own birth day, and also for that I have observed some\nremarkable accidents to have happened thereupon.\n\nConstantius, the Emperor, son of Constantine the Great, little inferior\nto his father, a worthy warrior, and good man, died the third of\nNovember: \"Ex veteri Calendario penes me\".\n\nThomas Montacute, Earl of Salisbury, that great man, and famous\ncommander under Henry IV. V. and VI. Died this day, by a wound of a\ncannon-shot he received at Orleans, E MSS. quodam, & Glovero.\n\nSo, also Cardinal Borromeo, famous for his sanctity of life, and\ntherefore canonized, (Heylin in his \"Prcognita\", says, he made Milan\nmemorable, by his residence there) died 1584, this day, as Possevinus\nin his life.\n\nSir John Perrot, (Stow corruptly calls him Parrat) a man very\nremarkable in his time, Lord Deputy of Ireland, son to Henry VIII. And\nextremely like him, died in the tower, the third of November, 1592 (as\nStow says). Grief, and the fatality of. this day, killed him. See\nNaunton's \"Fragmenta Regalia\", concerning this man.\n\nStow, in his Annals, says, Anno 1099, November 3, as well in Scotland\nas England, the sea broke in, over the banks of many rivers, drowning\ndivers towns, and much people; with an innumerable number of oxen and\nsheep, at which time the lands in Kent, sometimes belonging to Earl\nGodwin, were covered with sands, and drowned, and to this day are\ncalled Godwin's Sands.\n\nI had an estate left me in Kent, of which between thirty and forty\nacres was marsh-land, very conveniently flanking its up-land; and in\nthose days this marsh-land was usually let for four nobles an acre. My\nfather died, 1643. Within a year and half after his decease, such\ncharges and water-schots came upon this marsh-land, by the influence\nof the sea, that it was never worth one farthing to me, but very often\neat into the rents of the up-land: so that I often think, this day\nbeing my birth-day, hath the same influence upon me, that it had 580\nyears since upon Earl Godwin, and others concerned in low-lands.\n\nThe Parliament, so fatal to Rome's concerns here, in Henry VIII's.\ntime, began the third of November (26 of his reign;) in which the\nPope, with all his authority, was clean banished the realm; he no more\nto be called otherwise than Bishop of Rome; the King to be taken and\nreputed as supreme head of the church of England, having full\nauthority to reform all errors, heresies and abuses of the same: also\nthe first-fruits and tenths of all spiritual promotions and dignities\nwere granted to the King. See Stow's Annals, and Weever, page 80.\n\nNot long after which, followed the visitation of abbies, priories, and\nnunneries; and after that, their final suppression: this Parliament\nbeing the door, or entrance thereto.\n\nThe third of November 1640, began that Parliament so direfully fatal\nto England, in its peace, its wealth, its religion, its gentry, its\nnobility; nay, its King. So verifying the former verse of the calendar.\n\n      \"Scorpius est quintus, & tertius e nece cinctus, \"\n\n      A killing day to some or other.\n\nOn the third of November 1703, was the remarkable storm.\nThe third of September was a remarkable day to the English Attila,\nOliver, 1650. He obtained a memorable victory at Dunbar; another at\nWorcester, 1651, and that day he died, 1658.\n\nThe first two occurrences wonderfully accord to the preceding verses.\n\n      \"Tertia Septembris, & denus fert mala membris.\"\n\nBeing fatal to the two members of great Britain, Scotland and England.\nThe third, as happy to them both, as the same day, 1666, was dismal\nand unhappy to the city of London, and consequently to the whole\nkingdom, with its immediate preceding and two succeeding days, viz.\nthe second, fourth, and fifth of September.\n\nI come now to the days of the week.\n\nTuesday (\"Dies Martis\") was a most remarkable day with Thomas Becket,\nArch Bishop of Canterbury, as Weever, 201, observes from Mat. Paris:\n\"Mars Secundum Poetas, Deus Belli nuncupatur. Vita Sancti Thomae\n(secundum illud Job, Vita hominis militia est super terram) tota fuit\ncontra hostem bellicosa, &c\". The life of St. Thomas (according to\nthat of Job, the life of a man is a warfare upon earth) was a\ncontinual conflict against the enemy. Upon a Tuesday he suffered; upon\nTuesday he was translated; upon Tuesday the Peers of the land sat\nagainst him at Northampton; upon Tuesday he was banished; upon Tuesday\nthe Lord appeared to him at Pontiniac, saying, Thomas, Thomas, my\nchurch shall be glorified in thy blood; upon Tuesday he returned from\nexile, upon Tuesday he got the palm or reward of martyrdom; upon\nTuesday 1220, his venerable body received the glory and renown of\ntranslation, fifty years after his passion. Thus my author.\n\nOne thing I make bold to gloss upon. His translation is here mentioned\ntwice.\n\nNote, this is no tautology of the historian; but the latter paragraph\nis a mere recitation of the first, viz. reference to the time when he\nwas translated into the number of Saints and Martyrs: \"quando in\ndivorum numerum relatus\", as Camden.\n\nWednesday is said to have been the fortunate day of Sixtus Quintus,\nthat Pope of renowned merit, that did so great and excellent things in\nthe time of his government. See the just weight of the scarlet robe,\n(page 101, his desired praises.) On a Wednesday he was born; on that\nday he was made Monk; on the same he was made General of his order;\non that also, was he successively created Cardinal, elected Pope, and\nalso inaugurated. See Heylin, speaking of the Temple of Jerusalem.\n\nFriday was observed to be very fortunate to the great renowned Captain\nGonsalvo, he having on that day given the French many memorable\ndefeats. Saturday was a lucky day to Henry VII. upon that day he\natchieved the victory upon Richard III. being August 22, 1485. On that\nday he entered the city, being August 29 (correct Stow, who mistakes\nthe day) and he himself always acknowledged, he had experienced it\nfortunate. See Bacon in his Life.\n\nThursday was a fatal day to Henry VIII. (as Stow, 812); and so also to\nhis posterity. He died on Thursday, Jan. 28. King Edward VI. on\nThursday, July 6. Queen Mary on Thursday, November 17. Queen Elizabeth\non Thursday, March 24.\n\nSaturday (or the Jewish Sabbath) was fatal to Jerusalem Temple; for on\nthat day it was taken by Pompey, Herod and Titus, successively.\nHeylin.\n\nHitherto by way of prologue. And be pleased to take notice, as to the\ndays of the month, I have taken such care, that all are according to\nthe Julian or old account, used by us here in England. (See\nPartridge's almanack, preface to the reader) Pope Gregory XIII.\nbrought in his new stile (generally used beyond sea) anno 1585, in\nOctober, as asserts the Journal History before recited.\n\nAn old proverb.\n\n      When Easter falls in our lady's lap,\n      Then let England beware a rap.\n\nEaster falls on March 25, when the Sunday letter is G, and the golden\nnumber 5, 13, or 16. As in the late years, 1459,1638,1649.\n\n1459, King Henry VI. was deposed and murdered.\n1638, The Scottish troubles began, on which ensued the great\nrebellion.\n1648-9, King Charles I. murdered.\n\nI think it will not happen so again till the year 1991.\n\nNow for epilogue and remarkable reflection.\n\nTurning over our annals, I chanced upon a two-fold circumstance: I\nwill not say, that none else hath observed the same; but I protest,\n(\"Ita, me Deus amet, ut verum loquor\") I do not know of any that have;\nand therefore must justly claim to be acquitted from the least\nsuspicion of plagiarism, or plowing with others heifers.\n\nThe first is, of William the Conqueror. The second, of Edward III.\n(I need not say any thing of the eminency of these two; every one\nknows what great things they did.) And making reflection upon the\nauspicious birth-day of His Royal Highness the Duke of York, I\nadventured upon the following composure. (I cannot be proud of my\npoetry; but I cannot but be glad of my Bon Heur, \"d'avoir (en lisant)\ntombe si fortuement sur les evenements d'un si Bon Jour\".)\n\nAd Illustrissimum & Celsissimum Principem, Jacobum Ducem Eboracensem,\nde Natali suo Auspicatissimo Octobris XIV. Anno 1633.\n\n      \"--Deus\n      Anna nefasto te posuit die?\" Hor. lib. 2. ode 13.\n\n      Oct. \"Decimo quarto Normannus Haraldum\n      Dux superavit, & Hinc Regia sceptra tulit.\n      Tertius Edwardus, capto pernice Caleto,\n      (Gallica quo Regna sunt resarata sibi)\n      Ire domum tentans, diris turbinibus actus\n      In pelago, Vitae magna pericla subit.\"\n      Oct. Decimo quarto, tamen appulit Oras\n      Nativas. (His quam prosperus ille dies !)\n      Natali laetare tuo, guam Maxime Princeps;\n      Fausta velut sunt haec, Omnia semper habe.\"\n\n      October's fourteenth gave the Norman Duke\n      That victory, whence he Englands sceptre took.*\n      Third Edward, after he had Calais won,\n      (The mean whereby he France did over-run)\n      Returning home, by raging tempests tost,\n      (And near his life (so fortunes) to have lost)**\n      Arrived safe on shore the self-same date.\n      (This day to them afforded so fair fate.)\n      Great Duke, rejoice in this your day of birth;\n      And may such omens still encrease your mirth.\n\n* Stow, in anno 1066.\n** Stow, in anno 1347.\n\nThe Verses I presented in anno 1672, to a most honourable Peer of the\nland, and of great place near his Royal Highness.\n\nSince which time, old Fabian's chronicle coming into my hands, from\nhim I got knowledge, that that advantagious peace, mentioned by Stow,\nanno 1360, (concluded between the forementioned King Edward III. And\nthe French King) was acted upon the fourteenth of October, with grand\nsolemnity.\n\nThe two former circumstances must needs fall out providentially:\nwhether this last of anno 1360, was designed by Edward III. or no, (as\nremembering his former good hap) may be some question: I am of\nopinion not. Where things are under a man's peculiar concern, he may\nfix a time; but here was the French King concerned equally with the\nEnglish, and many other great personages interested. To have tied them\nup to his own auspicious conceit of the day, had been an unkind\noppression, and would have brought the judgment of so wise a Prince\ninto question; we may conclude then, it was meerly fortuitous.\nAnd therefore to the former observation concerning this famous Edward,\ngive me leave to add,\n\n      \"Insuper hoc ipso die (sibi commoda) Grandis\n      Rex cum Galligenis, foedera fecit idem\",\n\n      An advantageous peace, on day self-same,\n      This mighty Prince did with the Frenchmen frame.\n\nA memorable peace (foretold by Nostradamus) much conducing to the\nsaving of Christian blood, was made upon the fourteenth of October\n1557, between Pope Paul IV. Henry II. of France, and Philip II. of\nSpain. Nostradamus says, these great Princes were \"frappez du ciel\",\nmoved from Heaven to make this peace. See Garencier's Comment on\nNostradamus, p. 76.\n\nA lucky day this, not only to the Princes of England, but auspicious\nto the welfare of Europe. John Gibbon, 1678.\n\nThus far Mr. John Gibbon. The Latin verses of the twelve months quoted\nby him out of an old manuscript, I have seen in several mass-books;\nand they are printed in the calendar to the works of the Venerable\nBede. 'Tis to be presumed, that they were grounded upon experience;\nbut we have no instances left us of the memorables of those days. As\nfor the third and tenth of September, I have here set down some\nextractions from a little book called The Historian's Guide: or,\nBritain's Remembrancer; which was carefully collected by a club. It\nbegins at the year 1600, and is continued to 1690. There cannot be\nfound in all the time aforesaid, the like instances.\n\n      \"Tertia Septembris, & denus fere mala membris\".\n\nSeptember 3,1641. The Parliament adjourned to the 20th of October\nnext, and the Irish rebellion broke out, where were 20,000 persons\nbarbarously murdered.\n\nSeptember 3, 1643. Biddeford, Appleford, and Barnstable surrendered to\nthe King.\n\nSeptember 3, 1650. Dunbar fight.\n\nSeptember 3, 1651. Worcester fight.\n\nSeptember 3, 1651. Earl of Derby defeated at Preston.\n\nSeptember 3,1654. A third Parliament at Westminster.\n\nSeptember 3, 1658. Oliver, Protector died.\n\nSeptember 3, 1675. The town of Northampton near burnt down to the\nground by accidental fire.\n\nSeptember 3, 1662. William Lenthal, Speaker of the House of Commons,\ndied.\n\nSeptember 3, 4, 1665. Four Dutch men of war, two East-India ships, and\nseveral merchant-men taken by the Earl of Sandwich, with the loss only\nof the Hector.\n\nSeptember 2, 1644. The Earl of Essex fled to Plymouth, and the army\nsubmitted to the King.\n\nSeptember 2, 1645. The Scots raised the siege from before Hereford.\n\nSeptember 2, 1653. The Londoners petition the Parliament to continue\ntythes.\n\nSeptember 2, 1685. The Lady Lisle beheaded at Winchester, for\nharbouring Hicks, a rebel..\n\nSeptember 4, 1643. Exeter taken by Prince Maurice.\n\nSeptember 4, 1653. General Blake buried at Westminster.\n\nSeptember 5, 1652. The French fleet beaten by the English.\n\n      **Memorables on September the tenth.\n\nSeptember 10, 1643. The siege of Gloucester raised. I remember over\nthat gate which leads to Nymphs-field was this following inscription\nin free-stone: the walls are now pulled down.\n\n      Always remember,\n      The tenth of September,\n      One thousand six hundred forty three,\n      And give God the glory.\n\nSeptember 10, 1645. Bristol surrendered to the Parliament.\n\nSeptember 10, 1649. Drogheda taken, as appears by Cromwell's letter to\nthe Speaker Lenthal.\n\nSeptember 10, 1660. Peace with Spain proclaimed.\n\nSeptember 10, 1670. Peace concluded between England and Spain in\nAmerica, was this day ratified at Madrid.\n\n19 September 10, 1673. This day his majesty commanded the Earl of\nOssory to take the command of the fleet at the Buoy in the Nore, in\nthe absence of Prince Rupert.\n\nSeptember 12, 1679. The King takes from the Duke of Monmouth his\ncommission of General.\n\nSeptember 12, 1680. Mrs. Cellier tried at the Old Bailey, for\npublishing a book called Malice Defeated, &c. and found guilty.\n\nSeptember 12, 1683. The siege of Vienna raised (after the besieged had\nlost 10,000 men, and the besiegers 70,000) by the King of Poland, and\nthe Duke of Lorrain.\n\nMay 29, 1630. King Charles II. born.\n\nMay 29, 1660. Restored.\n\nMay 29, 1672. The fleet beaten by the Dutch.\n\nMay 29, 1679. A rebellion broke out in the west of Scotland, where\nthey proclaimed the covenant, and put forth a declaration.\n\nThe Emperor Charles V. was born on February 24, 1500.\n\nHe won the battle of Pavia, February 24, 1525.\n\nClement VII. crowned him Emperor, February 24, 1530.\n\nRaphael d'Urbino (the famous painter) was born on Good-Friday, and\ndied on Good-Friday. At Feltwell in Norfolk (which lies east and west)\na fire happened to break out at the west end, which the west wind blew\nand burned all the street: on that day twenty years, another fire\nhappened there, which began at the east end, and burned it to the\nground again. This I had from a reverend divine. Quaere de hoc.\n\nColonel Hugh Grove of Wiltshire, was beheaded at Exeter (together with\nColonel John Penruddock) on the ninth day of May 1655. On that very\nday three years, his son and heir died at London of a malignant fever,\nand about the same hour of the day.\n\nA very good friend of mine and old acquaintance was born on the 15th\nof November: his eldest son was born on the 15th of November, and his\nsecond son's first son on the 15th of November.\n\nAt thee hour of prime, April 6, 1327, Petrarch first saw his mistress\nLaura in the Church of Saint Clara in Avignon. In the same city, same\nmonth, same hour, 1348, she died. 'Tis his own remark. Petrarcha\nRedivivus, 242.\n\n\n      DAY FATALITY OF ROME,\n      **Written by Mr. JOHN PELL, D.D. from whom I had it.\n\n\nTHEY that called the city of Rome, \"Urbs AEterna\", seemed to believe\nthat Rome could never be destroyed. But there have been great numbers\nof men, that did verily believe, that it shall have an irrecoverable\nover-throw. Writers have proceeded so far, as to foretell the time of\nRome's final ruin. Some said that Rome's perdition should happen in\nthe year of Christ 1670, they have now been decried nine whole years:\nso that few take care to know what reasons moved them to pitch upon\nthat number.\n\nA Lutheran historian, anno 1656, wrote thus, \"Finem Jubileorum\nEcclesiasticorum omniumque temporum in Scriptura revelatorum, desinere\nin Annum Christi Millesimum sexcentesimum & septuagesimum, antehac\nobservavit Beatus Gerhardus cum Philippo Nicolao\". But all men are not\nof Dr. Gerhard's opinion. Many men believe, that some of the\nprophecies in the Revelations do reach far beyond our times, and that\nthe events of future times will unclasp and unseal a considerable\nportion of the Apocalypse. One of the reasons, that recommended the\nnumber of 1670, was because it is the sum of 410, and 1260.\n\nHistorians agree, that in the year of Christ 410, in the month of\nAugust, Rome was trampled under foot, and her heathen inhabitants were\nmiserably slaughtered by the victorious army of Alaric, a Christian\nKing of the Goths. Paulus Diaconus saith, August the 24th was the day\nof King Alaric's taking Rome. Kedrenus saith, it was August the 26th,\nperhaps the army first entered the 24th, and the King followed not\ntill two days after.\n\nAs for the other number 1260. It is twice found\nin the Revelations of St. John, ch. 11, 3. \"My two witnesses shall\nprophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days.\" And chap. 12, 6. \"\nShould feed the woman in the Wilderness, a thousand two hundred and\nthreescore days.  \"And it is there expressed in another form, (42 times\n30) chap. 11, 2. \"The Gentiles shall tread the holy city under foot\nforty and two months.\" Chap. 13, 5. \"Power was given to the\nblasphemous beast to continue forty and two months.\" Chap. 12, 14.\n\"The woman is nourished in the Wilderness for ({Greek text: Kairon kai\nkaironos kai hemisu kairon}) a season and seasons, and half a season.\"\nSee Act. 1, 7. 360 and 720, and 180 are equal to 1260. So it seems\nevery {Greek text: kaipo} hath 360 days, or twelve months at thirty\ndays to a month. No doubt Daniel had given occasion to this\nexpression, chap. 7, 25. \" A time, and times, and the dividing of\ntime.\" No man can ground any distinct reasoning upon such general\nwords. But yet it is not tied to a just number of days, (as 360) but\nis capable of various interpretations in several prophecies. Daniel\nuseth a plural in both places, and not a dual, (two times and two\nseasons) nor doth John say, two seasons: but by his Numeral\nIllustration, he teaches us to understand him, as if he had said,\n(chap. 12, 14). \" For three seasons and half a season:\" I say Numeral\nIllustration. For I take it to be no other than an easy example (12\nand 24 and 6 are 42) to direct the sons of the prophets not yet\narrived to the skill of dealing with difficult supputations of numbers\nnot then discoverable. As Revel. 13, 18. \"Here is wisdom, let him that\nhath understanding count the number of the beast.\"\n\nBy 1260 days, almost all the interpreters understand so many years,\nbut not a year of 360 days; because they find no nation that hath so\nshort a year. The Egyptians had a year of just 365 days; but before\nSt. John was born, the Romans had forced them to allow 365 1/4 as\nwe use now in England.\n\nIn an enquiry concerning Rome, it is fit to consider the\nlength of a Roman year. (I may justly say a Roman-Moyed; for no city\never had their year's length and form of a calendar determined,\nsettled, and commanded with so much absolute authority as Rome had)\nJulius Caesar by an edict commanded that number of 365 1/4\nto be observed, and therefore it is called a Julian year. Three\nJulians and an half have days 1278 3/8, but Julian years 1378 3/8\nare 1278 Julian years, and days 136 31/32; or almost 137 days.\n\nAlmost 100 years ago, Pope Gregory the XIII by a papal bull introduced\na calendar wherein the year's length is supposed to have days 365\n97/500 Then three Gregorian years and an half have days 1278 279/800\nBut Gregorian years 1278 279/800 are 1278 Julian years, and days\nalmost 118. Wherefore instead of adding 1260, add 1278, add 137 days\nto the year of our Lord 410, August 26. The sum shews the year of our\nLord 1688, August 163, that is, ten days after the end of December\n1688 old stile. This is the utmost, or farthest day, beyond which no\nApocalypse account (reckoning from Alaric) can point out a time for\nthe final destruction of the city of Rome.\n\nAgain (instead of adding 1260) add 1278 years, and days 118 to the\nyear of our Lord 410, August 24. The sum shews the year of our Lord\n1688, August 142, that is, eleven days before the end of December 1688\nold stile. This (December 20) is the nearest or soonest day that can\nbe gathered by Apocalyptic account (reckoning from Alaric) to point\nout the time of Rome's final ruin. But if it happens not before the\neleventh of January, men will make no more reckoning of Alaric; but\nbegin a new account from Attila, in the year of Christ, 453.\n\nCalculation to a day (when we can do it) may be defended by a great\nexample. Exod. 12, 41. \"At the end of 430 years, even the self-same\nday, &c.\" John Pell.\n\nDr. Pell told me, that St. Augustin writes\nsomewhere, to this purpose, viz. \"That it were to be wished, that\nsome skilful mathematician would take the pains to examine and\nconsider the mathematical parts of the holy scripture.\"\n\n\n      OF FATALITIES OF FAMILIES\n      AND PLACES.\n\n\nTHE Lord Chancellor Bacon says,* \" As for nobility in particular\npersons, it is a reverend thing to see an antient castle or building\nnot in decay: or to see a fair timber tree sound and perfect; how much\nmore to behold an antient noble family, which hath stood against the\nwaves and weathers of time: for new nobility is but the act of power;\nbut antient nobility is the act of time.\"\n\n*Essay XIV. of Nobility.\n\nBut \"Omnium rerum est vicissitudo\": families and places have their\nfatalities, according to that of Ovid.\n\n\"Fors sua cuique loco est\". Fast. lib. 4.\n\nThis piece of a verse puts me in mind of several places in Wiltshire,\nand elsewhere, that are, or have been fortunate to their owners: and\ne contra.\n\nStourton, (the seat of the Lord Stourton) was belonging to this family\nbefore the conquest. They say, that after the victory at Battaile,\nWilliam the Conqueror came in person into the west, to receive their\nrendition; that the Lord Abbot of Glastonbury, and the rest of the\nLords and Grandees of the western parts waited upon the Conqueror at\nStourton-house; where the family continue to this day.\n\nThe honourable family of the Hungerfords, is probably of as great\nantiquity as any in the county of Wilts. Hungerford, (the place of the\nbarony) was sold but lately by Sir Edward Hungerford, Knight of the\nBath; as also the noble and ancient seat of Farleigh-Castle, about\nanno 167-. But that this estate should so long continue is not very\nstrange; for it being so vast, 'twas able to make several\nwithstandings against the shock of fortune.\n\nThe family of Gawen, have been long at Norington, in the parish of\nAlvideston in Wiltshire. It was sold by --- Gawen, Esq. to Sir Wadham\nWyndham, one of the Judges of the King's Bench, about 1665. They\ncontinued in this place four hundred fifty and odd years. Then also\nwas sold their estate in Broad-Chalk, which they had as long, or\nperhaps longer. On the south down of the farm of Broad-Chalk, is a\nlittle barrow, called Gawen's Barrow (which must be before\necclesiastical canons were constituted; for since, burials are only\nin consecrated ground). King Edgar gave the manor and farm of Broad-\nChalk to the nuns of Wilton-Abby, which is 900 years ago.\n\nMr. Thynne, in his explanation of the hard words in Chaucer, writes\nthus, Gawen, fol. 23, p. 1. This Gawyn was sisters son to Arthur the\nGreat, King of the Britains, a famous man in war, and in all manner\nof civility; as in the acts of the Britains we may read. In the year\n1082, in a province of Wales, called Rose, was his sepulchre found.\nChaucer, in the Squire's Tale.\n\n      This straunger night that came thus sodenly\n      All armed, save his head, full royally\n      Salued the King, and Queen, and Lordes all\n      By order as they sitten in the Hall\n      With so high Reverence and Obeisaunce\n      As well in Speech as in Countenaunce,\n      That Gawain with his old Courtesie,\n      Though he came again out of Fairie,\n      He could him not amend of no word.\n\nSir William Button of Tockenham, Baronet, (the father) told me that\nhis ancestors had the lease of Alton-farm (400. per annum) in Wilts,\n(which anciently belonged to Hyde-Abby juxta Winton) four hundred\nyears. Sir William's lease expired about 1652, and so fell into the\nhands of the Earl of Pembroke.\n\nClavel, of Smedmore, in the Isle of Purbec, in the county of Dorset,\nwas in that place before the conquest, as appears by Dooms-day book.\nThe like is said of Hampden, of Hampden in Bucks: their pedigree says,\nthat one of that family had the conduct of that county in two\ninvasions of the Danes. Also Pen of Pen, in that county, was before\nthe conquest, as by Dooms-day book.\n\nContrariwise, there are several places unlucky to their possessors,\ne. g. Charter-house, on Mendip in Somersetshire, never passed yet to\nthe third generation. The manor of Butleigh near Glastonbury, never\nwent yet to the third generation.\n\nBletchington, in Oxfordshire, continued in the family of the Panures,\nfor about 300 years: it was alienated by --- Panure, to Sir John\nLenthal, about the year 1630, who sold it again to Sir Thomas Coghill,\nabout 1635. He sold it to William Lewis, Esq. whose relict made it\nover to the Duke of Richmond and Lenox, about the year 166-. His Grace\nsold it to Arthur, Earl of Anglesey, about the year 166-.\n\nFatality of proper names of Princes, e. g. Augustus, the first Roman\nEmperor, and Augustulus the last. Constantine, the first Grecian\nEmperor, and Constantine the last. The like is observed of the first\nand last Mexican Emperors. And the Turks have a prophesy that the last\nEmperor will be a Mahomet.\n\nJohn hath been an unfortunate name to Kings. All the second Kings\nsince the conquest have been unfortunate.\n\nLondon-Derry was the first town in Ireland that declared for the\nParliament against King Charles I. and for the Prince of Orange\nagainst King James II. It was closely besieged both times without\neffect. The King's party were once masters of all the kingdom, except\nLondon-Derry and Dublin, and King James had all in his power but\nLondon-Derry and Inniskilling. One Taylor, a minister, was as famous\nfor his martial feats in the first siege, as Walker in the last.\n\n'Tis certain, that there are some houses unlucky to their inhabitants,\nwhich the reverend and pious Dr. Nepier could acknowledge. See Tobit,\nchap. 3, v. 8. \"That she had been married to seven husbands, whom\nAsmodasus, the evil spirit, had killed, before they had lain with her.\"\n\nThe Fleece-tavern, in Covent-garden, (in York-street) was very\nunfortunate for Homicides:* there have been several killed, three in\nmy time. It is now (1692) a private house.\n\n\"Clifton the master of the house, hanged himself, having perjured\nhimself.\" MS. Note in a copy of the Miscellanies in the Library of the\nRoyal Society.\n\nA handsome brick house on the south side of Clerkenwell church-yard\nhad been so unlucky for at least forty years, that it was seldom\ntenanted; and at last, no body would adventure to take it. Also a\nhandsome house in Holborn, that looked towards the fields; the tenants\nof it did not prosper, several, about six.\n\nAt the sign of--- over against Northumberland house, near Charing-\nCross, died the Lady Baynton, (eldest daughter of Sir John Danvers of\nDansey.) Some years after in the same house, died my Lady Hobbey (her\nsister) of the small-pox, and about twenty years after, died their\nnephew Henry Danvers, Esq. of the small-pox, aged twenty-one, wanting\ntwo weeks. He was nephew and heir to the Right Honourable Henry\nDanvers, Earl of Danby.\n\nEdmund Wild, Esq. hath had more Deodands from his manor of Totham in\nEssex, than from all his estate besides: two mischiefs happened in\none ground there. Disinheriting the eldest son is forbid in the holy\nscripture, and estates disinherited are observed to be unfortunate;\nof which one might make a large catalogue. See Dr. Saunderson's\nSermon, where he discourses of this subject.\n\n      **Periodical Small-Poxes.\n\nThe small-pox is usually in all great towns:* but it is observed at\nTaunton in Somersetshire, and at Sherborne in Dorsetshire, that at one\nof them at every seventh year, and at the other at every ninth year\ncomes a small-pox, which the physicians cannot master, e. g.\n\n* This account, I had from Mr. Thomas Ax.\n\nSmall-pox in Sherborne ** during the year 1626.\n\nAnd during the year 1634.\n\n>From Michaelmas 1642, to Mich. 1643.\n\n>From Michaelmas 1649, to Mich. 1650.\n\n>From Michaelmas 1657, to Midi. 1658.\n\nIn the year 1667, from Jan. to Sept. 1667.\n\nMr. Ax promised me to enquire the years it happened there after\n1670, and 1680; but death prevented him.\n\n** Extracted out of the register-book.\n\nSmall-pox in Taunton all the year 1658.*\n\nLikewise in the year 1670.\n\nAgain in the year 1677.\n\nAgain very mortal in the year 1684.\n\n* Out of the register-book.\n\nMr. Ax also promised me to enquire at Taunton the years it happened\nthere after 1660.\n\nIt were to be wished that more such observations were made in other\ngreat towns.\n\nPlaterus makes the like observations in the second book of his\nPractice, p. 323. He practised at Basil, fifty six years, and did\nobserve, that every tenth year they died of the plague there.\n\nSee Captain J. Graunt's observations on the bills of mortality at\nLondon, (indeed written by Sir William Petty, which in a late\ntransaction he confessed) for the periodical plagues at London, which\n(as I remember) are every twenty-fifth year.\n\n\n      OSTENTA; OR, PORTENTS.\n\n\n\"HOW it comes to pass, I know not;* but by ancient and modern example\nit is evident, that no great accident befalls a  city or province, but\nit is presaged by divination, or prodigy, or astrology, or some way or\nother. I shall here set down a few instances.\"\n\n* Discourses of Nicholas Machiavel, book 1. Chap 56.\n\nA Rainbow appeared about the sun before the battle of Pharsalia. See.\nAppian, and Mr. T. May's 5th book of his Continuation of Lucan.\n\n\" Ex Chronico Saxonico, p. 112, Anno 1104, fuit primus Pentecostes\ndies Nonis Junii, & die Martis sequnte, conjuncti sunt quatuor Circuli\ncirca Solem, aibi coloris, & quisque sub alio collocatus, quasi picti\nessent.  Omnes qui videbant obstupuerunt, propterea quod nunquam ante\ntales meminerant. Post haec facta est Pax inter Comitem, Robertum de\nNormannia, & Robertum de Boeloesme i, e.\"\n\nIn the year 1104, on the first day of Pentecost, the sixth of June,\nand on the day following being Tuesday, four circles of a white\ncolour, were seen to roll in conjunction round the sun, each under the\nother regularly placed, as if they had been drawn by the hand of a\npainter. All who beheld it were struck with astonishment, because they\ncould not learn that any such spectacles had ever happened in the\nmemory of man. After these things it is remarkable, that a peace was\nimmediately set on foot, and concluded between Robert, Earl of\nNormandy, and Robert de Baelaesme.\n\nThe Duke of York (afterwards Edward IV.) met with his enemies near to\nMortimer's Cross, on Candlemas day in the morning, at which time the\nSun (as some write) appeared to him like three Suns, and suddenly\njoined altogether in one, and that upon the sight thereof, he took\nsuch courage, that he fiercely set on his enemies, and them shortly\ndiscomfited: for which cause, men imagined that he gave Sun in his\nfull brightness for his cognisance or badge. Halle, F. 183, b. 4.\n\nOur Chronicles tell us, that Anno Secundo Reginae Mariae, 15th of\nFebruary, two suns appeared, and a rainbow reversed: see the bow\nturned downwards, and the two ends standing upwards, before the\ncoining in of King Philip.\n\nThe phaenomenon, fig. 1, was seen at Broad-Chalk in Wiltshire, on the\nfirst day of May, 1647. It continued from about eleven o'clock\n(or before) till twelve. It was a very clear day; but few did take\nnotice of it, because it was so near the sun-beams. My mother happened\nto espy it, going to see what o'clock it was by an horizontal dial;\nand then all the servants saw it. Upon the like occasion, Mr. J.\nSloper, B.D. vicar there, saw it, and all his family; and the servants\nof Sir George Vaughan, (then of Falston) who were hunting on the downs,\nsaw it. The circles were of rainbow colour; the two filots, which cross\nthe greater circle, (I presume they were segments of a third circle)\nwere of a pale colour. The sun was within the intersections of the\ncircles.\n\nThe next remarkable thing that followed was, that on the third of June\nfollowing;* Cornet Joyce carried King Charles I. prisoner from\nHoldenby to the Isle of Wight. The Isle of Wight lieth directly from\nBroad-Chalk, at the 10 o'clock point.\n\n* See Sir W. Dugdale's hist. of the Civil Wars.\n\nThe phaenomenon, fig. 2, was seen in the north side of the church-yard\nof Bishop-Lavington in Wiltshire, about  the latter end of September\n1688, about three o'clock in the afternoon. This was more than a\nsemicircle. B. B. two balls of light. They were about eleven degrees\nabove the Horizon by the quadrant; observed by Mr. Robert Blea, one of\nthe Earl of Abingdon's gentlemen.\n\nCicero de Natura Deorum, lib. 2. \"Multa praeterea Ostentis, multa ex\neis admonemur, multisque rebus aliis, quas diuturnus usus ita notarit,\nut artem Divinationis efficeret\". i. e.\n\nBesides, we learn a world of things from these Portents and Prodigies,\nand many are the warnings and admonitions we receive from them, and\nnot only from them indeed, but from a number of extraordinary\naccidents, upon which daily use and constant observation has fixed\nsuch marks, that from thence the whole art of divination has been\ncompounded.\n\n\n      OMENS.\n\n\nBEFORE the battle at Philippi began, two eagles fought in the air\nbetween the two armies: both the armies stood still and beheld them,\nand the army was beaten that was under the vanquished eagle.\nSee Appian's Hist. part 2, lib. 4, g. 2.\n\nIt is worthy of notice, that, at the time the cities of Jerusalem and\nAntioch were taken from the Pagans, the Pope that then was, was called\nUrban, and the Patriarch of Jerusalem was called Eraclius, and the\nRoman Emperor was called Frederick; in like manner when Jerusalem was\ntaken from the Christians by the siege of Saladin, the Pope was called\nUrban; the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Eraclius; and the Emperor,\nFrederick: and it is remarkable, that fourscore and seven years\npassed between these two events. Hoveden, f. 363.\n\nMathew Parker, seventieth Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, in the seventieth\nyear of his age, feasted Queen Elizabeth on her birth day, 1559, in\nhis palace at Canterbury. Parker. Vitae, 556.\n\nIt is a matter of notable consideration, says a Spanish historian,\nthat the royal throne of the Morish Kings of Granada, began and ended\nin the times of the Fernandos of Castille: beginning in the time of\nSaint Fernando, the third of that name, and ending in that of the\nCatholic King, Don Fernando the fifth, his successor in the ninth\ndescent. In the same manner, it is observable that the first Morish\nKing was called Mahomad, and the last had the same name of Mahomad:\nwhich resembles what passed in the empire of Constantinople, where the\nfirst and last Emperors were called Constantines.\nGaribay, 1. 40, c. 43.\n\nThe same author mentions it as an extraordinary circumstance that, at\none time lived in Castille, Arragon, and Portugal, three Kings called\nPedros, and whose fathers were named Alonsos, who were also Kings at\nthe same time. L. 14, c. 35.\n\nWhile Edward, Duke of York,* was declaring his title, in the Chamber\nof the Peers, there happened a strange chance, in the very same time,\namongst the Commons in the nether house, then there assembled: for a\nCrown, which did hang in the middle of the same, to garnish a branch\nto set lights upon, without touch of any creature, or rigor of wind,\nsuddenly fell down, and at the same time also, fell down the Crown,\nwhich stood on the top of the Castle of Dover: as a sign and\nprognostication, that the Crown of the realm should be divided and\nchanged from one line to another. Halle's Chronicle, H. 6. F. 181.\n\n* Father of Edward IV.\n\nAnno 1506. Through great tempest of wind in January, Philip, King of\nCastille and his wife, were weather-driven and landed at Falmouth.\nThis tempest blew down the Eagle of Brass from the spire of St. Paul's\nchurch in London, and in the falling, the same eagle broke and\nbattered the black Eagle* which hung for a sign in St. Paul's Church-\nyard. Stow's Annals, 484.\n\n* The black Eagle is the cognizance of the house of Austria,\nof which Philip was head.\n\nThe silver cross that was wont to be carried before Cardinal Wolsey,\nfell out of its socket, and was like to have knocked out the brains of\none of the Bishop's servants. A very little while after, came in a\nmessenger, and arrested the Cardinal, before he could get out of the\nhouse. See Stow's Chronicle.\n\n'Tis commonly reported, that before an heir of the Cliftons, of\nClifton in Nottinghamshire, dies, that a Sturgeon is taken in the\nriver Trent, by that place.\n\nThomas Flud, Esq. in Kent, told me that it is an old observation which\nwas pressed earnestly to King James I. that he should not remove the\nQueen of Scots body from Northamptonshire, where she was beheaded and\ninterred: for that it always bodes ill to the family when bodies are\nremoved from their graves. For some of the family will die shortly\nafter, as did Prince Henry, and I think Queen Ann.\n\nA little before the death of Oliver, the Protector, a Whale came into\nthe river Thames, and was taken at Greenwich, --- feet long. 'Tis said\nOliver was troubled at it.\n\nWhen I was a freshman at Oxford, 1642, I was wont to go to Christ\nChurch, to see King Charles I. at supper; where I once heard him say,\n\" That as he was hawking in Scotland, he rode into the quarry, and\nfound the covey of partridges falling upon the hawk; and I do remember\nthis expression further, viz. and I will swear upon the book 'tis\ntrue.\" When I came to my chamber, I told this story to my tutor; said\nhe, that covey was London.\n\nThe bust of King Charles I. carved by Bernini, as it was brought in a\nboat upon the Thames, a strange bird (the like whereof the bargemen\nhad never seen) dropped a drop of blood, or blood-like, upon it; which\nleft a stain not to be wiped off. This bust was carved from a picture\nof Sir Anthony Van Dyke's drawing: the sculptor found great fault with\nthe fore-head as most unfortunate. There was a seam in the middle of\nhis fore-head, (downwards) which is a very ill sign in Metoposcopie.\n\nColenel Sharington Talbot was at Nottingham, when King Charles I. did\nset up his standard upon the top of the tower there. He told me, that\nthe first night, the wind blew it so, that it hung down almost\nhorizontal; which some did take to be an ill omen.\n\nThe day that the long Parliament began, 1641, the Sceptre fell out of\nthe figure of King Charles in wood, in Sir Thomas Trenchard's hall at\nWullich, in Dorset, as they were at dinner in the parlour: Justice\nHunt then dined there.\n\nThe picture of Arch-Bishop Laud, in his closet, fell down (the string\nbroke) the day of the sitting of that Parliament. This is mentioned in\nCanterbury's doom by W. Prynne.\n\nThe psalms for the eleventh day of the month, are 56, 57, 58, &c. On\nthe eleventh day of one of the months in the summer time, the citizens\ncame tumultuously in great numbers in boats and barges over against\nWhitehall, to shew they would take the Parliament's part. The psalms\naforesaid, both for morning and evening service, are as prophecies of\nthe troubles that did ensue.\n\nWhen the high court of justice was voted in the parliament house, as\nBerkenhead (the mace bearer) took up the mace to carry it before the\nSpeaker, the top of the mace fell off. This was avowed to me by an eye\nwitness then in the house.\n\nThe head of King Charles I's. staff did fall off at his trial: that is\ncommonly known.\n\nThe second lesson for the 30th of January in the calendar before the\ncommon prayer, is concerning the trial of Christ: which, when Bishop\nDuppa read, the King was displeased with him, thinking he had done it\nof choice; but the Bishop cleared himself by the calendar, as is to be\nseen.\n\nKing Charles II. was crowned at the very conjunction of the sun and\nMercury; Mercury being then in \"Corde Solis\". As the King was at\ndinner in Westminster Hall, it thundered and lightened extremely. The\ncannons and the thunder played together.\n\nKing Charles II. went by long sea to Portsmouth or Plymouth, or both;\nan extraordinary storm arose, which carried him almost to France. Sir\nJonas Moor (who was then with his Majesty) gave me this account, and\nsaid, that when they came to Portsmouth to refresh themselves, they\nhad not been there above half an hour, but the weather was calm, and\nthe sun shone: his Majesty put to sea again, and in a little time\nthey had the like tempestuous weather as before.\n\nNot long before the death of King Charles II. a Sparrow-hawk escaped\nfrom the perch, and pitched on one of the iron crowns of the white\ntower, and entangling its string in the crown, hung by the heels and\ndied. Not long after, another hawk pitched on one of the crowns. From\nSir Edward Sherborne, Knight.\n\nThe Gloucester frigate cast away at the Lemanore, and most of the men\nin it; the Duke of York escaping in a cock boat, anno 1682, May the\n5th, on a Friday.\n\nWhen King James II. was crowned, (according to the ancient custom, the\nPeers go to the throne, and kiss the king) the Crown was almost kissed\noff his head. An Earl did set it right; and as he came from the Abbey\nto Westminster Hall, the Crown tottered extremely.\n\nThe canopy (of cloth of gold) carried over the head of King James II.\nby the Wardens of the Cinque Ports, was torn by a puff of wind as he\ncame to Westminster Hull; it hung down very lamentably: I saw it.\n\nWhen King James II. was crowned, a signal was given from Westminster\nAbbey to the Tower, where it was Sir Edward Sherborne's post to stand\nto give order for firing the cannons, and to hoist up the great flag\nwith the King's arms. It was a windy day, and the wind presently took\nthe flag half off, and carried it away into the Thames. From Sir\nEdward Sherborne.\n\nThe top of his sceptre (Flower de Lys) did then fall.\n\nUpon Saint Mark's Day, after the coronation of King James II. were\nprepared stately fire works on the Thames: it hapened, that they took\nfire all together, and it was so dreadful, that several spectators\nleaped into the river, choosing rather to be drowned than burned. In a\nyard by the Thames, was my Lord Powys's coach and horses; the horses\nwere so frightened by the fire works, that the coachman was not able\nto stop them, but ran away over one, who with great difficulty\nrecovered.\n\nWhen King James II. was at Salisbury, anno 1688, the Iron Crown upon\nthe turret of the council house, was blown off.- This has often been\nconfidently asserted by persons who were then living.\n\nIn February, March, and April, two ravens built their nests on the\nweather cock of the high steeple at Bakewell in Derbyshire.\n\nI did see Mr. Christopher Love beheaded on Tower Hill, in a delicate\nclear day about half an hour after his head was struck off, the\nclouds gathered blacker and blacker; and such terrible claps of\nthunder came that I never heard greater.\n\n'Tis reported, that the like happened after the execution of Alderman\nCornish, in Cheapside, October 23, 1685.\n\nAnno 1643. As Major John Morgan of Wells, was marching with the King's\narmy into the west, he fell sick of a malignant fever at Salisbury,\nand was brought dangerously ill to my father's at Broad-Chalk, where\nhe was lodged secretly in a garret. There came a sparrow to the\nchamber window, which pecked the lead of a certain pannel only, and\nonly one side of the lead of the lozenge, and made one small hole in\nit. He continued this pecking and biting the lead, during the whole\ntime of his sickness; (which was not less than a month) when the major\nwent away, the sparrow desisted, and came thither no more. Two of the\nservants that attended the Major, and sober persons, declared this for\na certainty.\n\nSir Walter Long's (of Draycot in Wilts) widow, did make a solemn\npromise to him on his death-bed, that she would not marry after his\ndecease, but not long after, one Sir --- Fox, a very beautiful young\ngentleman, did win her love; so that notwithstanding her promise\naforesaid, she married him: she married at South-Wraxhall, where the\npicture of Sir Walter hung over the parlour door, as it doth now at\nDraycot. As Sir --Fox led his bride by the hand from the church,\n(which is near to the house) into the parlour, the string of the\npicture broke, and the picture fell on her shoulder, and cracked in\nthe fall. (It was painted on wood, as the fashion was in those days.)\nThis made her ladyship reflect on her promise, and drew some tears\nfrom her eyes.*\n\n*This story may be true in all its details, except the name of the\nlady, who was a daughter of Sir W. Long; she married Somerset Fox,\nEsq. See Sandford's Geneal. Hist, of the Kings of England, p. 344.\n\nSee Sir Walter Raleigh's history, book 4, chap. 2, sec. 7. The dogs of\nthe French army, the night before the battle of Novara, ran all to the\nSwisses army: the next day, the Swisses obtained a glorious victory\nof the French. Sir Walter Raleigh affirms it to be certainly true.\n\nThe last battle fought in the north of Ireland, between the\nProtestants and the Papists, was in Glinsuly near Letterkenny in the\ncounty of Donegall. Veneras, the Bishop of Clogher, was General of the\nIrish army; and that of the Parliament army, Sir Charles Coot. They\npitched their tents on each side the river Suly, and the Papists\nconstantly persist in it to this very day, that the night before the\naction,* a woman of uncommon stature, all in white, appearing to the\nsaid Bishop, admonished him not to cross the river first, to assault\nthe enemy, but suffer them to do it, whereby he should obtain the\nvictory. That if the Irish took the water first to move towards the\nEnglish, they should be put to a total rout, which came to pass.\nOcahan, and Sir Henry O'Neal, who were both killed there, saw\nseverally the same apparition, and dissuaded the Bishop from giving\nthe first onset, but could not prevail upon him. In the mean time, I\nfind nothing in this revelation, that any common soldier might not\nconclude without extraordinary means.\n\n*So an apparition of a woman greater than ordinary, beckoned to\nJulius Caesar to pass over the Rubicon, L. Flor. lib. 4. Satyres\nappeared to Alexander when he besieged Tyrus; Alexander asked the\ndivines, what was the signification of it; they told him the meaning\nis plain, {Greek Text: Sa Turos} (i.e.) Tyre is thine. Alexander took\nthe town. Q. Curtius.\n\nNear the same place, a party of the Protestants had been surprized\nsleeping by the Popish Irish, were it not for several wrens that just\nwakened them by dancing and pecking on the drums as the enemy were\napproaching. For this reason the wild Irish mortally hate these birds,\nto this day, calling them the Devil's servants, and killing them\nwherever they catch them; they teach their Children to thrust them\nfull of thorns: you will see sometimes on holidays, a whole parish\nrunning like mad men from hedge to hedge a wren-hunting.\n\nAnno 1679. After the discovery of the Popish plot, the penal laws were\nput in execution against the Roman Catholics; so that, if they did not\nreceive the sacrament according to the church of England, in their\nparish church, they were to be severely proceeded against according to\nlaw: Mr. Ployden, to avoid the penalty, went to his parish church at\nLasham, near Alton, in Hampshire: when Mr. Laurence (the minister)\nhad put the chalice into Mr. Ployden's hand, the cup of it (wherein\nthe wine was) fell off. 'Tis true, it was out of order before; and he\nhad a tremor in his hand. The communion was stopt by this accident.\nThis was attested to me by two neighbouring ministers, as also\nby several gentlemen of the neighbourhood.\n\nWhen King James II. first entered Dublin, after his arrival from\nFrance, 1689, one of the gentlemen that bore the mace before him,\nstumbled without any rub in his way, or other visible occasion. The\nmace fell out of his hands, and the little cross upon the crown\nthereof stuck fast between two stones in the street. This is very well\nknown all over Ireland, and did much trouble King James himself, with\nmany of his chief attendants.\n\nThe first Moors that were expelled Spain, were in number five thousand\nfive hundred and fifty-five. They sailed from Denia, October 2, 1609.\nH. Bleda. \"Expulsion de Moriscos\", p. 1000.\n\n\n      DREAMS.\n\n\n      {Greek Text: --'Onar kai Dios esi}. Homer Iliad A.\n\n      DREAMS PROCEED FROM JOVE.\n\nHE that has a mind to read of dreams, may peruse Cicero \"de\nDivinatione\", Hier. Cardani \"Somniorum Synesiorum\", lib. 4, and\nMoldinarius \"de Insomniis\", &c. I shall here mention but little out of\nthem, my purpose being chiefly to set down some remarkable and divine\ndreams of some that I have had the honour to be intimately acquainted\nwith, persons worthy of belief.\n\nCicero \"de Divinatione\", lib. 1. \"Hannibalem, Caslius scribit, cum\nColumnam auream, quae esset in fano Junonis Laciniae, auferre vellet,\ndubitaretque utrum ea solida esset, an extrinsecus inaurata,\nperterebravisse; cumque solidam invenisset, statuissetque tollere:\nsecundum quietem visam esse ei Junonem praedicere, ne id faceret;\nminarique, si id fecisset se curaturam, ut eum quoque oculum, quo bene\nvideret, amitteret; idque ab homine acuto non esse neglectum; itaque\nex eo auro quod exterebratum esset, buculam curasse faciendum, & eam\nin summa columna collocavisse.\"\n\ni. e.\n\nCoelius writes, that Hannibal, when he had a mighty mind to take away a\ngold pillar, that was in the Temple of Juno Lacinia, being in doubt\nwith himself, whether it was solid massive gold, or only gilt, or\nthinly plated over on the out side, bored it through. When he had\nfound it to be solid, and fully designed to have it carried off; Juno\nappeared to him in his sleep, and forewarned him against what he was\nabout, threatening him withal, that if he persisted and did it, she\nwould take care that he should lose the eye, that he saw perfectly\nwell with, as he had done the other.\n\nThe great man, it seems, was too wise to slight and neglect this\nwarning; nay, he even took care to have a ring made of the very gold,\nthat had been bored out of it, and placed it on the top of the pillar.\n\n\"--- Cum duo quidam Arcades familiares iter una, facerent, & Megaram\nvenissent, alterum ad cauponem divertisse; ad hospitem alterum. Qui,\nut coenati quiescerent, concubia nocte visum esse in somnis ei qui erat\nin hospitio, ilium alterum orare ut subveniret, quod sibi a caupone\ninteritus pararetur; eum primo perterritum somnio surrexisse; deinde\ncum se colligisset, idque visum pro nihilo habendum esse duxisset,\nrecubuisse; tum, ei dormienti eundem ilium visum esse rogare, ut\nquoniam sibi vivo non subvenisset, mortem suam ne inultam esse\npateretur; se interfectum in plaustrum a caupone esse conjectum, &\nsupra stercus injectum; petere, ut mani ad portum adesset, priusquam\nplaustrum ex oppido exiret. Hoc vero somnio commotum mano bubulco\npresto ad portam fuisse, quaesisse ex eo, quid esset in plaustro;\nilium perterritum fugisse, mortuum erutum esse, cauponem re patefacta\npoenas dedisse. Quid hoc somnio dici divinius potest ?\" i. e.\n\nAs two certain Arcadians, intimate companions, were travelling\ntogether, it so happened, that, when they came to Megara, one of them\nwent to an inn, and the other to a friend's house. Both had supped at\ntheir respective places, and were gone to bed; when lo! he, that was\nat his friend's house, dreamt, that his companion came to him, and\nbegged of him for Heaven's sake to assist him, for that the inn-keeper\nhad contrived a way to murder him: frightened at first out of his\nsleep, he rose up; but soon afterward coming a little better to\nhimself, he thought, upon recollection, there was no heed to be given\nto the vision, and went very quietly to bed again. But as soon as he\nwas got into his second sleep, the same vision repeated the visit, but\nthe form of his petition was quite altered. He beseeched him, that,\nsince he had not come to his assistance, while he was among the\nliving, he would not suffer his death, however, to go unrevenged. Told\nhim that as soon as he was murdered, he was tossed by the inn- keeper\ninto a waggon, and had a little straw thrown over his corpse. He\nentreated him to be ready very early at the door before the waggon was\nto go out of town. This dream truly disturbed him it seems very much,\nand made him get up very early: he nicked the time, and met with the\nwaggoner just at the very door, and asked him what he had in his cart.\nThe fellow run away frightened and confounded. The dead body was\npulled out of it, and the whole matter coming plainly to light, the\ninn-keeper suffered for the crime.--What is there that one can call\nmore divine than a dream like this ?\"\n\n\"---Somnium de Simonide, qui, cum ignotum quendam projectum mortuum\nvidisset, eumque humavisset, haberetque in animo navem conscendere,\nmoneri visus est, ne id faceret, ab eo, quem sepultum affecerat: si\nnavigasset, cum naufragio esse perituram: itaque Simonidem rediisse\nperiisse caeeteros, qui tum navigassent.\"\n\n---The dream of Simonides. This person, when he saw a certain body\nthrown dead upon the shore, though a stranger, caused him to be\nburied. Much about that time he had it in his head to go on ship-\nboard, but dreamt that he had warning given him by the man he had got\nto be interred, not to go; that if he went, the ship would\ninfallibly be cast away. Upon this Simonides returned, and every soul of\nthem besides that went on board was lost.\n\nCicero \"de Divinatione\", lib. 2. \"Somnium, Alexandri. Qui, cum\nPtolomaeus familiaris ejus, in proelio, telo venenato ictus esset, eoque\nvulnere summo cum dolore moreretur, Alexander assidens somno est\nconsopitus; tum secundum quietem visus ei dicitur draco is, quem\nmater Olympias alebat, radiculam ore ferre & simul dicere quo illa\nloci nasceretur neque is longe aberat ab eo loco: ejus autem esse vim\ntantam, ut Ptolomaeum facile sanaret. Cum Alexander experrectus\nnarrasset amicis somnium, emisisse qui illam radiculam quaererent. Qua,\ninventa, & Ptolomaeus sanatus dicitur, & multi milites, qui erant eodem\ngenere teli vulnerati.\"\n\n(i. e.) The dream of Alexander, when his friend Ptolemy was wounded\nin battle, by an envenomed dart, and died of the wound, in all the\nextremities of pain and anguish; Alexander sitting by him, and\nwearied out and quite fatigued, fell into a profound sleep. In this\nsleep, that dragon is reported to have appeared to him, which was bred\nup by his mother Olympias, carrying a little root in his mouth and to\nhave told him in what spot of ground it grew, (nor was it far from\nthat very place) and told him withal it seems, that such was the\nforce, efficacy, and virtue of it, that it would work an easy cure\nupon Ptolomy. When Alexander waked, he told his friends the dream, and\nsent some out in quest of this little root. The root (as story says)\nwas found, and Ptolemy was healed, so were many soldiers likewise,\nthat had been wounded with the same kind of darts.\n\nCardanus \"Somniorum Synesiorum\", lib. 4, chap. 2. \"Narrat Plinius 35\nlib. Nat. Hist, vir ab omnia superstitione alienissimus, Historiam\nhujusmodi. 'Nuper cujusdam militantis in Praetorio mater vidit in\nquiete, ut radicem sylvestris Rosae (quam Cynorrhodon vocant) blanditam\nsibi aspectu pridie in Fruteto, mitteret filio bibendam: In Lusitania\nres gerebatur, Hispaniae, proxima parte: casuque accidit, ut milite a\nmorsu Canis incipiente aquas expavescere superveniret epistola orantis\nut paretet religioni; servatusque est ex insperato, & postea\nquisquis auxilium simile tentavit.' \"\n\ni. e. In his natural history, Pliny, a man the most averse to\nsuperstition, relates to us the following passage. Lately, the mother\nof one of the guards, who attended upon the General, was admonished by\na vision in her sleep, to send her son a draught composed of the\ndecoction of the root of a wild rose, (which they call Cynorrhodon)\nwith the agreeable look whereof she had been mightily taken the day\nbefore, as she was passing through a coppice. The seat of the war at\nthat time lay in Portugal, in that part of it next adjoining to Spain,\nthat a soldier, beginning to apprehend mighty dangerous consequences\nfrom the bite of a dog, the letter came unexpectedly from her,\nentreating him to pay a blind obedience to this superstition. He did\nso, and was preserved beyond all expectation; and everybody\nafterwards had recourse to the same remedy.\n\nIbid. Galeni \"tria Somnia\".--- \"Tertium magis dignum miraculo, cum bis\nper somnium admonitus, ut arteriam secaret, quae inter pollicem &\nindicem est, idque agens liberatus sit a diuturno dolore, quo\ninfestabatur ea in parte, qua septo transverso jecur jungitur, idque\nin libri de sectione venae fine testatus est. Magno certe exemplo, quod\ntantus vir in medicina eam adhibuerit somnio fidem, ut in seipso\npericulum vitae subierit, in arte propria. Deinde probitatem admiror,\nut quo potuerit solertia ingenii sibi inventum ascribere, Deo cui\ndebebatur, rediderit. Dignus vel hoc solo vir immortalitate nominis, &\nlibrorum suorum.\"\n\nGalen's three dreams. The third more worthy of being called a miracle,\nwas, when being twice admonished in his sleep, to cut the artery that\nlies between the fore finger and the thumb, and doing it accordingly,\nhe was freed from a continual daily pain with which he was afflicted\nin that part where the liver is joined to the midriff; and this he has\ntestified at the end of his book of Venesection. 'Tis certainly a very\ngreat example, when a man so great as he was in the medicinal art, put\nso much confidence in a dream as to try experiments upon himself;\nwhere he was to run the risque of his life, in his own very art. I\ncannot help but admire his probity in the next place, that where he\nmight have arrogated the merit of the invention to himself, and placed\nit wholly to the account of the subtility and penetration of his own\ngenius, he attributed it to God, to whom it was due. In this alone did\nthe man well deserve to purchase an immortality to his name and his\nwritings.\n\nIn his fourth book, chap. 4. \"De Exemplis propriis\", he owns the\nsolution of some difficult problems in Algebra to his dreams.\n\nPlinii, Nat. Hist. lib. 22, chap. 17. \"Verna carus Pericli\nAtheniensium Principi, cum is in arce templum aedificaret,\nrepsissetque super altitudinem fastigii, & inde cecidisset, hac herba\n(Parthenio) dicitur sanatus, monstrata Pericli somnio a Minerva. Quare\nParthenium vocari coepta est, assignaturque ei Deae.\"\n\nPliny's Natural History, book 22, chap. 17. \"A little Home-bred Slave,\nthat was a darling favourite to Pericles, Prince of the Athenians, and\nwho, while a temple was building in the Prince's palace, had climbed\nup to the very top of the pinnacle, and tumbled down from that\nprodigious height; is said to have been cured of his fall by the herb\nParthenium, or mug-wort, which was shown to Pericles in a dream, by\nMinerva. From hence it originally took the name of Parthenium, and is\nattributed to that Goddess.\n\n\"Augustinus, Cui etiam praeter sanctitatem, plena fides adhiberi\npotest, duo narrat inter reliqua somnia admiranda. Primum, quod cum\nquidam mortuo nuper patre venaretur tanquam de pecunia quam pater illi\nex chirographo debuisset, dum incastus viveret, hac causa nocte quadam\numbram patris videt, quae illum admonuit de persoluta pecunia & ubi\nchirographum esset repositum. Cum surrexisset, invenit chirographum\nloco eo quem umbra paterna docuerat, liberatusque est ab injusto\npetitore.\"\n\nSaint Austin, to whom even, besides his sanctity, we owe an entire\ncredit, tells among others, two very wonderful dreams. The first is,\nwhen a person was arrested by one, as for a certain sum of money,\nwhich his father had owed him by a note under his own hand, while he\nled a lewd debauched life, saw the ghost of his father one night, upon\nthis very account, which told him of the money being paid, and where\nthe acquittance lay. When he got up in the morning, he went and found\nthe acquittance in that very place that his father's ghost had\ndirected him to, and so was freed from the litigious suit of one that\nmade unjust demands upon him.\n\n      \"Alterum adhuc magis mirum\".\n\n\"Praestantius, vir quidam a Philosopho petierat dubitationem quandam\nsolvi; quod ille pernegavit. Nocte sequente, tametsi vigilaret\nPrsestantius, vidit sibi Philosophum assistere, ac dubitationem\nsolvere, moxque abire. Cum die sequenti obviam Praestantius eundem\nhabuisset Philosophum, rogat, Cur cum pridie rogatus nolluisset\nsolvere illam questionem, intempesta nocte, non rogatus, & venisset ad\nse & dubitationem aperuisset. Cui Philosophus. Non quidem ego adveni\nsed somnians visus sum tibi hoc Officium praestare.\"\n\n      The other is much more wonderful still.\n\nA certain gentleman named Praestantius, had been entreating a\nPhilosopher to solve him a doubt, which he absolutely refused to do.\nThe night following, although Praestantius was broad awake, he saw the\nPhilosopher standing full before him, who just explained his doubts to\nhim, and went away the moment after he had done. When Praestantius met\nthe Philosopher the next day, he asks him why, since no entreaties\ncould prevail with him the day before, to answer his question, he came\nto him unasked, and at an unseasonable time of night, and opened every\npoint to his satisfaction. To whom thus the Philosopher. \" Upon my\nword it was not me that came to you; but in a dream I thought my own\nself that I was doing you such a service.\"\n\nThe plague raging in the army of the Emperor Charles V. he dreamt that\nthe decoction of the root of the dwarf-thistle (a mountain plant since\ncalled the Caroline thistle) would cure that disease. See Gerrard's\nHerbal, who tells us this.\n\nIn Queen Mary's time, there was only one congregation of Protestants\nin London, to the number of about three- hundred, one was the deacon\nto them, and kept the list of their names: one of that congregation\ndid dream, that a messenger, (Queen's Officer) had seized on this\ndeacon, and taken his list; the fright of the dream awaked him: he\nfell asleep and dreamt the same perfect dream again. In the morning\nbefore he went out of his chamber, the deacon came to him and then he\ntold him his dream, and said, 'twas a warning from God; the deacon\nslighted his advice, as savouring of superstition; but --- was so\nurgent with him that he prevailed with him to deposite the list in\nsome other hand, which he did that day. The next day, the Queen's\nofficer attacked him, and searched (in vain) for the list, which had\nit been found, would have brought them all to the flame.\nFoxe's Martyrology.\n\nWhen Arch Bishop Abbot's mother (a poor clothworker's wife in\nGuilford) was with child of him, she did long for a Jack, and she\ndreamt that if she should eat a Jack, her son in her belly should be a\ngreat man. She arose early the next morning and went with her pail to\nthe river-side (which runneth by the house, now an ale-house, the sign\nof the three mariners) to take up some water, and in the water in the\npail she found a good jack, which she dressed, and eat it all, or very\nnear. Several of the best inhabitants of Guilford were invited (or\ninvited themselves) to the christening of the child; it was bred up a\nscholar in the town, and by degrees, came to be Arch Bishop of\nCanterbury.\n\nIn the life of Monsieur Periesk, writ by Gassendus, it is said, that\nMonsieur Periesk, who had never been at London, did dream that he was\nthere, and as he was walking in a great street there, espied in a\ngoldsmith's glass desk, an antique coin, he could never meet with. (I\nthink an Otho.) When he came to London, walking in (I think) Cheap-\nside, he saw such a shop, and remembered the countenance of the\ngoldsmith in his dream, and found the coin desired, in his desk. See\nhis life.\n\nWhen Doctor Hamey (one of the physicians college in London) being a\nyoung man, went to travel towards Padoa, he went to Dover (with\nseveral others) and shewed his pass, as the rest did, to the Governor\nthere. The Governor told him, that he must not go, but must keep him\nprisoner. The Doctor desired to know for what reason ? how he had\ntransgrest ? well it was his will to have it so. The pacquet-boat\nhoisted sail in the evening (which was very clear), and the Doctor's\ncompanions in it. There ensued a terrible storm, and the pacquet-boat\nand all the passengers were drowned: the next day the sad news was\nbrought to Dover. The Doctor was unknown to the Governor, both by name\nand face; but the night before, the Governor had the perfect vision in\na dream, of Doctor Hamey, who carne to pass over to Calais; and that\nhe had a warning to stop him. This the Governor told the Doctor the\nnext day. The Doctor was a pious, good man, and has several times\nrelated this story to some of my acquaintance.\n\nMy Lady Seymour dreamt, that she found a nest, with nine finches in\nit. And so many children she had by the Earl of Winchelsea, whose name\nis Finch.\n\nThe Countess of Cork (now Burlington) being at Dublin, dreamt, that\nher father, (the Earl of Cumberland) who was then at York, was dead.\nHe died at that time.\n\n'Tis certain, that several had monitory dreams of the conflagration of\nLondon.\n\nSir Christopher Wren, being at his father's house, anno 1651, at\nKnahill in Wilts (a young Oxford scholar) dreamt, that he saw a fight\nin a great market-place, which he knew not; where some were flying,\nand others pursuing; and among those that fled, he saw a kinsman of\nhis, who went into Scotland to the King's army. They heard in the\ncountry, that the King was come into England, but whereabouts he was\nthey could not tell. The next night his kinsman came to his father at\nKnahill, and was the first that brought the news of the fight at\nWorcester.\n\nWhen Sir Christopher Wren was at Paris, about 1671, he was ill and\nfeverish, made but little water, and had a pain in his reins. He sent\nfor a physician, who advised him to be let blood, thinking he had a\nplurisy: but bleeding much disagreeing with his constitution, he\nwould defer it a day longer: that night he dreamt, that he was in a\nplace where palm-trees grew, (suppose AEgypt) and that a woman in a\nromantic habit, reached him dates. The next day he sent for dates,\nwhich cured him of the pain of his reins.\n\nSince, I have learned that dates are an admirable medicine for the\nstone, from old Captain Tooke of K--. Take six or ten date-stones, dry\nthem in an oven, pulverize and searce them; take as much as will lie\non a six-pence, in a quarter of a pint of white wine fasting, and at\nfour in the afternoon: walk or ride an hour after: in a week's time\nit will give ease, and in a month cure. If you are at the Bath, the\nBath water is better than white wine to take it in.\n\nSir John Hoskin's Lady, when she lay in of her eldest son, had a\nswelling on one side of her belly, the third day when the milk came,\nand obstructions: she dreamt that syrup of elderberries and distilled\nwater of wormwood would do her good, and it did so; she found ease in\na quarter of an hour after she had taken it. I had this account from\nher Ladyship's own mouth.\n\nCaptain --- Wingate told me, that Mr. Edmund Gunter, of Gresham\nCollege, did cast his nativity, when about seventeen or eighteen years\nold; by which he did prognosticate that he should be in danger to lose\nhis life for treason. Several years before the civil wars broke out,\nhe had dreamt that he was to be put to death before a great castle,\nwhich he had never seen; which made a strong impression in his memory.\nIn anno 1642, he did oppose the church ceremonies, and was chosen a\nmember of Parliament, then was made a Captain, and was taken prisoner\nat Edge Hill, by Prince Rupert, and carried to Kenilworth Castle,\nwhere he was tried by a council of war, and condemned to die: but they\ndid better consider of it, and spared his life; for that he being so\nconsiderable a person, might make an exchange for some of the King's\nparty-:* and he was exchanged for the right Honourable Montague, Earl of\nLindsey (heir of the General.) Since the restoration, he was made\none of the commissioners of the excise office in London. He did\nprotest that Kenilworth castle was the very castle he saw in his\ndream.\n\n*Captain Wingate was a prisoner in Oxford, after\nEdgehill fight, 1642.\n\n\nSir Roger L'Estrange was wont to divertise himself with cocking in his\nfather's (Sir Hammond L'Estrange's) park; he dreamt that there came to\nhim in such a place of the park, a servant, who brought him news, that\nhis father was taken very ill. The next day going to his usual\nrecreation, he was resolved for his dream sake to avoid that way; but\nhis game led him to it, and in that very place the servant came and\nbrought him the ill news according to his dream.\n\nMr. Edmund Halley, R. S. S. was carried on with a strong impulse to\ntake a voyage to St. Hellens, to make observations of the southern\nconstellations, being then about twenty-four years old. Before he\nundertook his voyage, he dreamt that he was at sea, sailing towards\nthat place, and saw the prospect of it from the ship in his dream,\nwhich he declared to the Royal Society, to be the perfect\nrepresentation of that island, even as he had it really when he\napproached to it.\n\nA Gentlewoman dreamt that a pultess of blew corants would cure her\nsore throat; and it did so. She was a pious woman, and affirmed it to\nbe true.\n\nAnno 1690. One, in Ireland, dreamed of a brother or near relation of\nhis, (who lived at Amesbury in Wiltshire) that he saw him riding on\nthe downs, and that two thieves robbed him and murdered him. The dream\nawaked him, he fell asleep again and had the like dream. He wrote to\nhis relation an account of it, and described the thieves complexion,\nstature and cloaths; and advised him to take care of himself. Not long\nafter he had received this monitory letter, he rode towards Salisbury,\nand was robbed and murdered; and the murderers were discovered by this\nvery letter, and were executed. They hang in chains on the road to\nLondon.\n\n'Twas revealed to a King of Scots, that if he drank of the water of\nMuswell, he would be cured. After great enquiry they heard of such a\nplace, not far from Hornsey in Middlesex. See Weever's Funeral\nMonuments of the Well. John Norden's Description of Middlesex. Here\nwas afterwards founded a religious house for Austin Monks: since it\nbelonged to Sir Thomas Row, and in 1677, was pulled down and the\nmaterials sold. Anciently the Kings of Scotland were feudatory to the\nKings of England, and did their homage every Christmas day. They had\nseveral lodges belonging to them for their reception in their\njourney; as at Huntingdon, &c. See Caxton's Chronicle concerning\nthis.\n\nThe water of this spring is drank for some distempers still.\n\n      \"Somnium ex Eubernea porta.\"\n\nMrs. Cl---, of S---, in the county of S---, had a beloved daughter,\nwho had been a long time ill, and received no benefit from her\nphysicians. She dreamed that a friend of hers deceased, told her, that\nif she gave her daughter a drench of yew pounded, that she would\nrecover; she gave her the drench, and it killed her. Whereupon she\ngrew almost distracted: her chamber maid to complement her, and\nmitigate her grief, said surely that could not kill her, she would\nadventure to take the same herself; she did so, and died also. This\nwas about the year 1670, or 1671. I knew the family.\n\nA Gentlewoman, of my acquaintance, dreamed, that if she slept again,\nthe house would be in danger to be robbed. She kept awake, and anon\nthieves came to break open the house, but were prevented.\n\nJ.  H. Esq.* being at West-Lavington with the Earl of Abbingdon,\ndreamed, December the 9th, his mother rose up in mourning: and anon\nthe Queen appeared in mourning. He told his dream the next morning to\nmy Lord, and his Lordship imparted it to me (then there) Tuesday,\nDecember 11. In the evening came a messenger, post from London, to\nacquaint Mr. H. that his mother was dangerously ill: he went to London\nthe next day; his mother lived but about eight days longer. On\nSaturday, December 15, the Queen was taken ill, which turned to the\nsmall pox, of which she died, December 28, about two o'clock in the\nmorning.\n\nJ. H. Against these initials there is a note in the copy of the\nfirst edition already referred to, in these words,-\" James Herbert: He\nsaies he was never there.\"\n\nSir Thomas White, Alderman of London, was a very rich man, charitable\nand public spirited. He dreamt that he had founded a college at a\nplace where three elms grow out of one root. He went to Oxford,\nprobably with that intention, and discovering some such tree near\nGloucester Hall, he began to repair it, with a design to endow it. But\nwalking afterwards by the Convent where the Bcrnardines formerly\nlived, he plainly saw an elm with three large bodies rising out of the\nsame root: he forthwith purchased the ground, and endowed his college\nthere, as it is at this day, except the additions which Arch-bishop\nLaud made, near the outside of which building in the garden belonging\nto the president, the tree is still to be seen. He made this discovery\nabout the year 1557.\n\nThere are millions of such dreams too little taken notice of, but they\nhave the truest dreams whose IXth house is well dignified, which mine\nis not: but must have some monitory dreams. The Germans are great\nobservers of them. It is said in the life of Vavasor Powell, that he\nwas a great observer of dreams, (p. 17 and 114, of his life) that he\nhad many warnings from them, that God had spoken to himself and others\nby them; for warning, instruction, or reproof. And it is also there\naverred, that Angels had appeared to him.  See p. 8, of his life.\n\nIn Mr. Walton's life of Sir Hen. Wotton, there is a remarkable story\nof the discovery of stolen plate in Oxford, by a dream which his\nfather had at Bocton-Malherbe, in Kent. See in Ath. & Fasti. Oxon.\nvol. 1, p. 351,\n\nWilliam Penn, proprietor of Pensylvania, told me, that he went with\nhis mother on a visit to Admiral Dean's wife, who lived then in Petty-\nFrance; the Admiral was then at sea. She told them, that, the night\nbefore, she had a perfect dream of her husband, whom she saw walking\non the deck, and giving directions, and that a cannon bullet struck\nhis arm into his side. This dream did much discompose her, and within\nforty-eight hours she received news of the fight at sea, and that her\nhusband was killed in the very manner aforesaid.\n\nSir Berkley Lucy sold the fabric of the chapel of Netley Abbey, to one\nTaylor, a carpenter of Southampton, who took off the roof, and pulled\ndown great part of the walls. During the time that this Taylor was in\ntreaty for the chapel, he was much disturbed in his sleep with\nfrightful dreams, and as some say, apparitions; and one, night he\ndreamt that a large stone, out of one of the windows of the chapel,\nfell upon him and killed him. The undertaker, though staggered with\nthese intimations, finished his agreement, and soon after fell to work\non pulling down the chapel; but he was not far advanced in it, when,\nendeavouring with a pickax to get out some stones at the bottom of the\nwest wall, in which there was a large window, the whole body of the\nwindow fell down suddenly upon him, and crushed him to pieces.\nWillis's Mitred Abbeys, vol. 2, p. 205, 6.\n\nJan. 1774. One Daniel Healy, of Donaghmore, in Ireland, having three\ndifferent times dreamed that money lay concealed under a large stone\nin a field near where he lived, procured some workmen to assist him in\nremoving it, and when they had dug as far as the foundation, it fell\nsuddenly and killed Healy on the spot.\n\nMarch 25, 1779. This morning A. B. dreamt that he saw his friend 0. D.\nthrow himself from a bridge into a river, and that he could not be\nfound. The same evening, reading Dr. Geddes's account of Ignatius\nLoyola, p. 105, 5th tract, v. 3, he met with the following particular\nof him; as he was going into Bononia, he tumbled off a bridge into a\nmoat full of mud; this circumstance was quite new. Every tittle of the\nabove is strictly true, as the writer will answer it to God.-- To what\ncan be attributed so singular an impression upon the imagination when sleeping ?\n\n      **Comical History of three Dreamers.\n\nThree companions, of whom two were Tradesmen and Townsmen, and the\nthird a Villager, on the score of devotion, went on pilgrimage to a\nnoted sanctuary; and as they went on their way, their provision began\nto fail them, insomuch that they had nothing to eat,, but a little\nflour, barely sufficient to make of it a very small loaf of bread. The\ntricking townsmen seeing this, said between them-selves, we have but\nlittle bread, and this companion of ours is a great eater -- on which\naccount it is necessary we should think how we may eat this little\nbread without him. When they had made it and set it to bake, the\ntradesmen seeing in what manner to cheat the countryman, said: let us\nall sleep, and let him that shall have the most marvellous dream\nbetwixt all three of us, eat the bread. This bargain being agreed\nupon, and settled between them, they laid down to sleep. The\ncountryman, discovering the trick of his companions, drew out the\nbread half baked, eat it by himself, and turned again to sleep. In a\nwhile, one of the tradesmen, as frightened by a marvellous dream,\nbegan to get up, and was asked by his companion, why he was so\nfrightened ? he answered, I am frightened and dreadfully surprized by\na marvellous dream: it seemed to me that two Angels, opening the gates\nof Heaven, carried me before the throne of God with great joy: his\ncompanion said: this is a marvellous dream, but I have seen another\nmore marvellous, for I saw two Angels, who carried me over the earth\nto Hell. The countryman hearing this, made as if he slept; but the\ntownsmen, desirous to finish their trick, awoke him; and the\ncountryman, artfully as one surprised, answered: Who are these that\ncall me ? They told him, we are thy companions. He asked them: How\ndid you return ? They answered: We never went hence; why d'ye talk of\nour return ? The countryman replied: It appeared to me that two\nAngels, opening the gates of Heaven, carried one of you before our\nLord God, and dragged the other over the earth to Hell, and I thought\nyou never would return hither, as I have never heard that any had\nreturned from Paradise, nor from Hell, and so I arose and eat the\nbread by myself.- From an old edition of Lasarillo de Tormes.\n\n\n      APPARITIONS.\n\n\nCYNTHIA, Propertius's mistress, did appear to him after her death,\nwith the beryl-ring on her finger. See Propertius, eleg. 7. lib.\n\n      \"Sunt aliquid manes, letum non omnia finit,\n      Luridaque evictos effugit umbra rogos.\n      Cynthia namque meo visa est incumbere fulcro,\n      Murmur ad extremae nuper humata viae:\n      Quum mihi ab exequiis somnus penderet amaris.\n      Et quererer lecti frigida regna mei.\n      Eosdem habuit secum, quibus est elata, capillos,\n      Eosdem oculos. Lateri vestis adusta fuit.\n      Et solitum digito beryllon adederat ignis,\n      Summaque Lethoeus triverat ora liquor:\n      Spirantisque animos, & vocem misit, at illi\n      Pollicibus fragiles increpuere manus.\"\n\n      Thus translated by Mr. DART.\n\n      Manes exist, when we in death expire,\n      And the pale shades escape the funeral fire;\n      For Cynthia's form beside my curtain's stood,\n      Lately interr'd near Aniens' murm'ring flood.\n      Thoughts of her funeral would, not let me close\n      These eyes, nor seek the realms of still repose;\n      Around her shoulders wav'd her flowing hair,\n      As living Cynthia's tresses soft and fair:\n      Beauteous her eyes as those once fir'd my breast,\n      Her snowy bosom bare, and sing'd her breast.\n      Her beryl-ring retain'd the fiery rays,\n      Spread the pale flame, and shot the funeral blaze;\n      As late stretch'd out the bloodless spectre stood,\n      And her dead lips were wet with Lethe's flood.\n      She breath'd her soul, sent forth her voice aloud,\n      And chaf'd her hands as in some angry mood.\n\nSt. Augustin affirms that he did once see a satyr or daemon.\n\nThe antiquities of Oxford tell us, that St. Edmund, Arch-Bishop of\nCanterbury, did sometimes converse with an angel or nymph, at a spring\nwithout St. Clement's parish near Oxford; as Numa Pompilius did with\nthe nymph Egeria. This well was stopped up since Oxford was a\ngarrison.\n\nCharles the Simple, King of France, as he was hunting in a forest, and\nlost his company, was frighted to simplicity by an apparition.\n\nPhilip Melancthon writes that the apparition of a venerable person\ncame to him in his study, and bade him to warn his friend Grynseus to\ndepart from him as soon as he could, or else the inquisitors would\nseize on him; which monitory dream saved Grynaeus's life.\n\nMr. Fynes Moryson, in his travels, saith, that when he was at Prague,\nthe apparition of his father came to him; and at that very time his\nfather died.\n\nIn the life of JOHN DONNE, Dean of St. Paul's, London, writ by\nIsaak Walton.\n\nAt this time of Mr. Donne's, and his wife's living in Sir Robert\nDrury's house in Drury-Lane, the Lord Haye was by King James sent upon\na glorious embassy, to the then French King Henry the IV. and Sir\nRobert put on a sudden resolution to accompany him to the French\nCourt, and to be present at his audience there. And Sir Robert put on\nas sudden a resolution, to subject Mr. Donne to be his companion in\nthat journey; and this desire was suddenly made known to his wife, who\nwas then with child, and otherwise under so dangerous a habit of body,\nas to her health, that she protested an unwillingness to allow him any\nabsence from her; saying her divining soul boded her some ill in his\nabsence, and therefore desired him not to leave her. This made Mr.\nDonne lay aside all thoughts of his journey, and really to resolve\nagainst it. But Sir Robert became restless in his persuasions for it,\nand Mr. Donne was so generous as to think he had sold his liberty,\nwhen he had received so many charitable kindnesses from him, and told\nhis wife so; who, therefore, with an unwilling willingness, did give a\nfaint consent to the journey, which was proposed to be but for two\nmonths: within a few days after this resolve, the Ambassador, Sir\nRobert, and Mr. Donne, left London, and were the twelfth day got safe\nto Paris. Two days after their arrival there, Mr. Donne was left alone\nin the room, where Sir Robert and he, with some others, had dined: to\nthis place Sir Robert returned within half an hour, and as he left, so\nhe found Mr. Donne alone, but in such an extacy, and so altered as to\nhis looks, as amazed Sir Robert to behold him, insomuch as he\nearnestly desired Mr. Donne to declare what had befallen him in the\nshort time of his absence? to which Mr. Donne was not able to make a\npresent answer, but after a long and perplexed pause, said, \"I have\nseen a dreadful vision since I saw you: I have seen my dear wife pass\ntwice by me through this room, with her hair hanging about her\nshoulders, and a dead child in her arms; this I have seen since I saw\nyou.\" To which Sir Robert replied, \"Sure Sir, you have slept since I\nsaw you, and this is the result of some melancholy dream, which I\ndesire you to forget, for you are now awake.\" To which Mr. Donne's\nreply was, \"I cannot be surer that I now live, than that I have not\nslept since I saw you, and am sure that at her second appearing, she\nstopt and lookt me in the face and vanished.\" - Rest and sleep had not\naltered Mr. Donne's opinion the next day, for he then affirmed this\nvision with a more deliberate, and so confirmed a confidence, that he\ninclined Sir Robert to a faint belief, that the vision was true. It is\ntruly said, that desire and doubt have no rest, and it proved so with\nSir Robert, for he immediately sent a servant to Drury-House, with a\ncharge to hasten back and bring him word whether Mrs. Donne were\nalive ? and if alive, in what condition she was as to her health. The\ntwelfth day the messenger returned with this account-that he found and\nleft Mrs. Donne very sad, sick in her bed, and that, after a long and\ndangerous labour, she had been delivered of a dead child: and upon\nexamination, the abortion proved to be the same day, and about the\nvery hour, that Mr. Donne affirmed he saw her pass by him in his\nchamber.\n\nHenry IV. King of France, not long before he was stabbed by Ravillac,\nas he was hunting in the forest (I think of Fontaine-Bleau), met in a\nthicket, the Gros Venure, who said to him, \"Demandez vous?\" or \"Entendez\nvous?\" He could not tell whether of the two.\n\nThere is a tradition (which I have heard from persons of honour), that\nas the Protector Seymour and his Dutchess were walking in the gallery\nat Sheen (in Surrey), both of them did see a hand with a bloody sword\ncome out of the wall. He was afterwards beheaded.\n\nSir John Burroughes being sent envoy to the Emperor by King Charles I.\ndid take his eldest son Caisho Burroughes along with him, and taking\nhis journey through Italy, left his son at Florence, to learn the\nlanguage; where he having an intrigue with a beautiful courtisan\n(mistress of the Grand Duke), their familiarity became so public, that\nit came to the Duke's ear, who took a resolution to have him murdered;\nbut Caisho having had timely notice of the Duke's design, by some of\nthe English there, immediately left the city without acquainting his\nmistress with it, and came to England; whereupon the Duke being\ndisappointed of his revenge, fell upon his mistress in most\nreproachful language; she on the other side, resenting the sudden\ndeparture of her gallant, of whom she was most passionately enamoured,\nkilled herself. At the same moment that she expired, she did appear to\nCaisho, at his lodgings in London; Colonel Remes* was then in bed with\nhim, who saw her as well as he; giving him an account of her\nresentments of his ingratitude to her, in leaving her so suddenly, and\nexposing her to the fury of the Duke, not omitting her own tragical\nexit, adding withal, that he should be slain in a duel, which\naccordingly happened; and thus she appeared to him frequently, even\nwhen his younger brother (who afterwards was Sir John) was in bed with\nhim. As often as she did appear, he would cry out with great\nshrieking, and trembling of his body, as anguish of mind, saying, 0\nGod ! here she comes, she comes, and at this rate she appeared till he\nwas killed; she appeared to him the morning before he was killed. Some\nof my acquaintance have told me, that he was one of the most beautiful\nmen in England, and very valiant, but proud and blood-thirsty.\n\n* This Colonel Remes was a Parliament man, and did belong to the\nwardrobe, tempore Caroli II.\n\nThis story was so common, that King Charles I. Sent for Caisho\nBurroughes's father, whom he examined as to the truth of the matter;\nwho did (together with Colonel Remes) aver the matter of fact to be\ntrue, so that the King thought it worth his while to send to Florence,\nto enquire at what time this unhappy lady killed herself; it was found\nto be the same minute that she first appeared to Caisho, being in bed\nwith Colonel Remes. This relation I had from my worthy friend Mr.\nMonson, who had it from Sir John's own mouth, brother of Caisho; he\nhad also the same account from his own father, who was intimately\nacquainted with old Sir John Burroughes, and both his sons, and says,\nas often as Caisho related this, he wept bitterly.\n\nAnno 1647, the Lord Mohun's son and heir (a gallant gentleman,\nvaliant, and a great master of fencing and horsemanship), had a\nquarrel with Prince Griffin; there was a challenge, and they were to\nfight on horse-back in Chelsea-fields in the morning: Mr. Mohun went\naccordingly to meet him; but about Ebury-Farm, he was met by some who\nquarrelled with him and pistoled him; it was believed, by the order of\nPrince Griffin; for he was sure, that Mr. Mohun, being so much the\nbetter horse-man, &c. would have killed him, had they fought.\n\nIn James-street, in Covent-Garden, did then lodge a gentlewoman, a\nhandsome woman, but common, who was Mr. Mohun's sweet heart. Mr. Mohun\nwas murdered about ten o'clock in the morning; and at that very time,\nhis mistress being in bed, saw Mr. Mahon come to her bed-side, draw\nthe curtain, look upon her and go away; she called after him, but no\nanswer: she knocked for her maid, asked her for Mr. Mohun; she said\nshe did not see him, and had the key of her chamber-door in her\npocket. This account my friend aforesaid, had from the gentle-woman's\nown mouth, and her maid's.\n\nA parallel story to this, is, that Mr. Brown, (brother- in-law to the\nLord Coningsby) discovered his being murdered to several. His phantom\nappeared to his sister and her maid in Fleet-street, about the time\nhe was killed in Herefordshire, which was about a year since. 1693.\n\nSir Walter Long of Draycot, (grandfather of Sir James Long) had two\nwives; the first a daughter of Sir Thomas Packington in\nWorcestershire; by whom he had a son: his second wife was a daughter\nof Sir John Thynne of Long-Leat; by whom he had several sons and\ndaughters. The second wife did use much artifice to render the son by\nthe first wife, (who had not much Promethean fire) odious to his\nfather; she would get her acquaintance to make him drunk, and then\nexpose him in that condition to his father; in fine, she never left\noff her attempts, till she got Sir Walter to disinherit him. She laid\nthe scene for doing this at Bath, at the assizes, where was her\nbrother Sir Egrimond Thynne, an eminent serjeant at law, who drew the\nwriting; and his clerk was to sit up all night to engross it; as he\nwas writing, he perceived a shadow on the parchment, from the candle;\nhe looked up, and there appeared a hand, which immediately vanished;\nhe was startled at it, but thought it might be only his fancy, being\nsleepy; so he writ on; by and by a fine white hand interposed between\nthe writing and the candle (he could discern it was a woman's hand)\nbut vanished as before; I have forgot, it appeared a third time. But\nwith that the clerk threw down his pen, and would engross no more, but\ngoes and tells his master of it, and absolutely refused to do it. But\nit was done by somebody, and Sir Walter Long was prevailed with to\nseal and sign it. He lived not long after; and his body did not go\nquiet to the grave, it being arrested at the church porch by the\ntrustees of the first lady. The heir's relations took his part, and\ncommenced a suit against Sir Walter (the second son) and compelled him\nto accept of a moiety of the estate; so the eldest son kept South-\nWraxhall, and Sir Walter, the second son, Draycot-Cernes, &c. This was\nabout the middle of the reign of King James I.\n\nI must not forget an apparition in my country, which appeared several\ntimes to Doctor Turbervile's sister, at Salisbury; which is much\ntalked of. One married a second wife, and contrary to the agreement\nand settlement at the first wife's marriage, did wrong the children by\nthe first venter. The settlement was hid behind a wainscot in the\nchamber where the Doctor's sister did lie: and the apparition of the\nfirst wife did discover it to her. By which means right was done to\nthe first wife's children. The apparition told her that she wandered\nin the air, and was now going to God. Dr. Turbervile (oculist) did\naffirm this to be true. See Mr. Glanvill's \"Sadducismus Triumphatus\".\n\nTo one Mr. Towes, who had been schoolfellow with Sir George Villers,\nthe father of the first Duke of Buckingham, (and was his friend and\nneighbour) as he lay in his bed awake, (and it was day-light) came\ninto his chamber, the phantom of his dear friend Sir George Villers:\nsaid Mr. Towes to him, why, you are dead, what make you here ? said\nthe Knight, I am dead, but cannot rest in peace for the wickedness and\nabomination of my son George, at Court. I do appear to you, to tell\nhim of it, and to advise and dehort him from his evil ways. Said Mr.\nTowes, the Duke will not believe me, but will say that I am mad, or\ndoat. Said Sir George, go to him from me, and tell him by such a token\n(a mole) that he had in some secret place, which none but himself knew\nof. Accordingly Mr. Towes went to the Duke, who laughed at his\nmessage. At his return home the phantom appeared again, and told him\nthat the Duke would be stabbed (he drew out a dagger) a quarter of a\nyear after: and you shall outlive him half a year; and the warning\nthat you shall have of your death, will be, that your nose will fall a\nbleeding. All which accordingly fell out so. This account I have had\n(in the main) from two or three; but Sir William Dugdale affirms what\nI have here taken from him to be true, and that the apparition told\nhim of several things to come, which proved true, e. g. of a prisoner\nin the Tower, that shall be honourably delivered. This Mr. Towes had\nso often the ghost of his old friend appear to him, that it was not at\nall terrible to him. He was surveyor of the works at Windsor, (by the\nfavour of the Duke) being then sitting in the hall, he cried out, the\nDuke of Buckingham is stabbed: he was stabbed that very moment.\n\nThis relation Sir William Dugdale had from Mr. Pine, (neighbour to Mr.\nTowes without Bishops-gate) they were both great lovers of music, and\nsworn brothers. Mr. W. Lilly, astrologer, did print this story false,\nwhich made Sir Edmund Wyndham (who married Mr. Pine's daughter) give\nto Sir George Hollis this true account contrary to Mr. Lilly.\n\nMr. Thomas Ellyot, Groom of the bedchamber, married Sir Edmund\nWyndham's daughter, and had the roll (of near a quire of paper) of the\nconferences of the apparition and Mr. Towes. Mr. Ellyot was wont to\nsay, that Mr. Towes was (not a bigot, or did trouble himself much\nabout a religion, but was) a man of great morals.\n\nSir William Dugdale did farther inform me that Major General Middleton\n(since Lord) went into the Highlands of Scotland, to endeavour to make\na party for King Charles I. An old gentleman (that was second-sighted)\ncame and told him, that his endeavour was good, but he would be\nunsuccessful: and moreover, \"that they would put the King to death:\nAnd that several other attempts would be made, but all in vain: but\nthat his son would come in, but not reign; but at last would be\nrestored.\" This Lord Middleton had a great friendship with the Laird\nBocconi, and they had made an agreement, that the first of them that\ndied should appear to the other in extremity. The Lord Middleton was\ntaken prisoner at Worcester fight, and was prisoner in the Tower of\nLondon, under three locks. Lying in his bed pensive, Bocconi appeared\nto him; my Lord Middleton asked him if he were dead or alive ? he\nsaid, dead, and that he was a ghost; and told him, that within three\ndays he should escape, and he did so, in his wife's cloaths. When he\nhad done his message, he gave a frisk, and said,\n\n      Givenni Givanni 'tis very strange,\n      In the world to see so sudden a change.\n\nAnd then gathered up and vanished. This account Sir William Dugdale\nhad from the Bishop of Edinburgh. And this, and the former account he\nhath writ in a book of miscellanies, which I have seen, and is now\nreposited with other books of his in the Musaeum at Oxford.\n\nAnno 1670, not far from Cirencester, was an apparition: being\ndemanded, whether a good spirit, or a bad ? returned no answer, but\ndisappeared with a curious perfume and most melodious twang. Mr. W.\nLilly believes it was a fairy. So Propertius.\n\n      Omnia finierat; tenues secessit in auras:\n      Mansit odor; posses scire fuisse Deam.\n\n      Here, her speech ending, fled the beauteous fair,\n      Melting th' embodied form to thinner air,\n      Whom the remaining scent a goddess did declare.\n\nThe learned Henry Jacob, fellow of Merton college in Oxford, died at\nDr. Jacob's, M. D. house in Canterbury. About a week after his death,\nthe doctor being in bed and awake, and the moon shining bright, saw\nhis cousin Henry standing by his bed, in his shirt, with a white cap\non his head and his beard-mustachoes turning up, as when he was alive.\nThe doctor pinched himself, and was sure he was awaked: he turned to\nthe other side from him; and, after some time, took courage to turn\nthe other way again towards him, and Henry Jacob stood there still; he\nshould have spoken to him, but he did not; for which he has been ever\nsince sorry. About half an hour after, he vanished. Not long after\nthis, the cook-maid, going to the wood-pile to fetch wood to dress\nsupper, saw him standing in his shirt upon the wood-pile.* This\naccount I had in a letter from Doctor Jacob, 1673, relating to his\nlife, for Mr. Anthony Wood; which is now in his hands.\n\n* See the whole story in Ath. & Fasti Oxon. Part 2, p. 91.\n\nWhen Henry Jacob died, he would fain have spoken to the Doctor, but\ncould not, his tongue faltered, ** 'Tis imagined he would have told\nDoctor Jacob, with what person he had deposited his manuscripts of his\nown writing; they were all the riches he had, 'tis suspected that one\nhad them and printed them under his own name. --- See there in the said\nAthenae, vol. or part 2. p. 90.\n\n** This very story Dr. Jacob told me himself, being then at Lord\nTeynham's, in Kent, where he was then physician to my eldest son;\nwhom he recovered from a fever, (A. Wood's note.)\n\nT, M. Esq., an old acquaintance of mine, hath assured me that about a\nquarter of a year after his first wife's death, as he lay in bed awake\nwith his grand-child, his wife opened the closet-door, and came into\nthe chamber by the bedside, and looked upon him and stooped down and\nkissed him; her lips were warm, he fancied they would have been cold.\nHe was about to have embraced her, but was afraid it might have done\nhim hurt. When she went from him, he asked her when he should see her\nagain ? she turned about and smiled, but said nothing. The closet door\nstriked as it used to do, both at her coming in and going out. He had\nevery night a great coal fire in his chamber, which gave a light as\nclear almost as a candle. He was hypochondriacal; he married two\nwives since, the latter end of his life was uneasy.\n\nAnno 165-.-- At---in the Moorlands in Staffordshire, lived a poor old\nman, who had been a long time lame. One Sunday, in the afternoon, he\nbeing alone, one knocked at his door: he bade him open it, and come\nin. The Stranger desired a cup of beer; the lame man desired him to\ntake a dish and draw some, for he was not able to do it himself. The\nStranger asked the poor old man how long he had been ill? the poor man\ntold him. Said the Stranger, \"I can cure you. Take two or three balm\nleaves steeped in your beer for a fortnight or three weeks, and you\nwill be restored to your health; but constantly and zealously serve\nGod.\" The poor man did so, and became perfectly well. This Stranger\nwas in a purple-shag gown, such as was not seen or known in those\nparts. And no body in the street after even song did see any one\nin such a coloured habit. Doctor Gilbert Sheldon, since Archbishop\nof Canterbury, was then in the Moorlands, and justified the truth of\nthis to Elias Ashmole, Esq., from whom I had this account, and he hath\ninserted it in some of his memoirs, which are in the Musseum at Oxford.\n\n**MR. J. LYDAL of Trinity College, Soc. Oxon. March 11, 1649, 50,\nattests the ensuing relation, in a letter to Mr. Aubrey, thus,\n\nMR. AUBREY,\n\nCONCERNING that which happened at Woodstock, I was told by Mr.\nWilliam Hawes, (who now lives with Sir William Fleetwood in the\npark) that the committee which sat in the manor-house for selling the\nking's lands, were frighted by strange apparitions; and that the\nfour surveyors which were sent to measure the park, and lodged\nthemselves with some other companions in the manor, were pelted out\nof their chambers by stones thrown in at the windows; but from what\nhands the stones came they could not see; that their candles were\ncontinually put out, as fast as they lighted them; and that one with\nhis sword drawn to defend a candle, was with his own scabbard in the\nmean time well cudgelled; so that for the blow, or for fear, he fell\nsick; and the others were forced to remove, some of them to Sir\nWilliam Fleetwood's house, and the rest to some other places. But\nconcerning the cutting of the oak, in particular, I have nothing.\nYour Friend,\nTo be commanded to my power,\nJOHN LYDALL.\n\nOne Lambert, a gun-smith at Hereford, was at Caermarthen, to mend\nand put in order the ammunition of that county, before the expedition\nto Scotland, which was in 1639. He was then a young man, and walking\non the sand by the sea side, a man came to him (he did verily believe\nit was a man) and asked him if he knew Hereford ? yes, quoth he, I am\na Hereford man. Do you know it well, quoth the other; perfectly well,\nquoth Lambert. \"That city shall be begirt\" (he told me he did not\nknow what the word begirt meant then) \"by a foreign nation, that\nwill come and pitch their camp in the Hay wood, and they shall\nbatter such gate,\" which they did, (I have forgot the name of it)\n\"and shall go away and not take it.\"\n\nThe Scots came in 1645, and encamped before Hereford in the Hay-wood,\nand stormed the --- gate, and raised the siege. Lambert did well\nremember this discourse, but did not heed it till they came to the\nHay-wood. Many of the city had heard of this story, but when the --\ngate was stormed, Lambert went to all the guards of the town, and\nencouraged them with more than ordinary confidence: and contrary to\nall human expectation, when the besieged had no hope of relief, the\nScots raised the siege, September 2, 1645, and went back into\nScotland, \"re infecta\". I knew this Lambert, and took this account\nfrom his own mouth; he is a modest poor man, of a very innocent\nlife, lives poor, and cares not to be rich.\"\n\n-- A minister, who lived by Sir John Warre in Somersetshire, about\n1665, walking over the Park to give Sir John a visit, was\nrencountered by a venerable old man, who said to him, \"prepare\nyourself, for such a day\" (which was about three days after) \"you\nshall die.\" The minister told Sir John Wane and my Lady this story,\nwho heeded it not. On the morning forewarned, Sir John called upon\nthe Parson early to ride a hunting, and to laugh at his prediction:\nhis maid went up to call him, and found him stark dead. This from my\nLady Katherine Henley, who had it from my Lady Warre. But Dr. Burnet,\nin the life of the Earl of Rochester, makes it a dream.\n\nThis put me in mind of a story in the Legend, &c. of King Edward the\nConfessor, being forewarned of his death by a Pilgrim, to whom\nSt.John the Evangelist revealed it,. for which the King gave the\nPilgrim a rich ring off his finger: and the event answered. The\nstory is well painted on glass, in a window of the south isle of\nWestminster-Abbey, (the next window from that over the door that\nopens into the west walk of the cloyster) it is the best window in\nthe church. Underneath the two figures, viz. of the King and the\nPilgrim, are these following verses, viz.\n\n      \"Rex cui nil aliud praesto fuit, accipe, dixit.\n      Annulum, & ex digito detrahit ille suo.\n      --- Evangelistoe --- villa Johannis.\n      -- gratia petit.\"\n\nThe verses under the Pilgrim are not legible. This story is in\nCaxton's Chronicle.\n\nDr. --- Twiss, minister of the new church at Westminster, told me,\nthat his father, (Dr. Twiss, prolocutor of the assembly of divines,\nand author of \"Vindicitae Graticae\") when he was a school-boy at\nWinchester, saw the phantom of a school-fellow of his, deceased, (a\nrakehell) who said to him \"I am damned.\" This was the occasion of\nDr. Twiss'a (the father's) conversion, who had been before that time,\nas he told his son, a very wicked boy; he was hypochondriacal. There\nis a story like this, of the conversion of St. Bruno, by an\napparition: upon which he became mighty devout, and founded the\norder of the Carthusians.\n\nJohn Evelyn, Esq., R.S.S., showed us at the Royal-Society, a note\nunder Mr. Smith's hand, the curate of Deptford, that in\nNovember,1679, as he was in bed sick of an ague, came to him the\nvision of a master of arts, with a white wand in his hand, and told\nhim that if he did lie on his back three hours, viz. from ten to one,\nthat he should be rid of his ague. He lay a good while on his back,\nbut at last being weary he turned, and immediately the ague attacked\nhim; afterwards he strictly followed the directions, and was\nperfectly cured. He was awake, and it was in the day-time.\n\nThis puts me in mind of a dream of old Farmer Good, a neighbour of\nmine at Broad-Chalk, who being ill, dreamt that he met with an old\nfriend of his, (long since deceased) by Knighton Ashes (in that\nparish) who told him, that if he rose out of his bed, that he would\ndie. He awaked, and rose to make water, and was immediately seized\nwith a shivering fit, and died of an ague, aged 84.\n\nThe Lady Viscountess Maidstone told me she saw (as it were) a fly of\nfire, fly round about her in the dark, half an hour before her lord\ndied: he was killed at sea, and the like before her mother-in-law\nthe Countess of Winchelsea died, (she was then with child).\n\nA Dutch prisoner at Wood-bridge, in Suffolk, in the reign of K.\nCharles II. could discern Spirits; but others that stood by could\nnot. The bell tolled for a man newly deceased. The prisoner saw his\nphantom, and did describe him to the Parson of the parish,* who was\nwith him; exactly agreeing with the man for whom the bell tolled.\nSays the prisoner, now he is coming near to you, and now he is\nbetween you and the wall; the Parson was resolved to try it, and went\nto take the wall of him, and was thrown down; he could see nothing.\nThis story is credibly told by several persons of belief.\n\n* Dr. Hooke, the Parson of the parish, has often told this story.\n\n\nThere is a very remarkable story of an apparition, which Martin\nLuther did see. Mentioned in his \"Commensalia\" or Table-Talk, which\nsee.\n\nThose that are delirious in high fevers, see (waking, men, and things\nthat are not there). I knew one Mr. M. L. that took opium, and he did\nsee (being awake) men and things that were not present, (or perhaps)\nnot in being. Those whose spleens are ill affected have the like\nphantasies. The power of imagination is wonderful.\n\n      \"De seipso duplicate.\"\n\nCardanus, Synes. Somniorum, lib. ii. cap. 12. \"In somniis mortis est\nsignum, quia duo fiunt, cum anima separatur a corpore. Est & signum\nmorbi in ipsis agrotantibus, nec tum aliud quicquam significat.\"\n\n      **Of One's being divided into a Two-fold person.\n\nIn dreams it is a sign of death, because out of one are then made\ntwo, when the soul is separated from the body. And it is a sign of\nthe disease in sick men, nor signifies it any thing else at\nthat time.\n\nAs concerning apparitions of a man's own self, there are sundry\ninstances, some whereof, I shall here set down.\n\nThe Countess of Thanet (Earl John's Lady) saw as she was in bed with\nher Lord in London, her daughter my Lady Hatton, who was then in\nNorthamptonshire, at Horton Kirby; the candle was burning in her\nchamber. Since, viz. anno 1675, this Lady Hatton was blown up with\ngunpowder set on fire by lightning, in the castle at Guernsey, where\nher Lord was Governor.*\n\n* See Mr. Baxter's Treatise of Spirits\n\nThe beautiful Lady Diana Rich, daughter to the Earl of Holland, as\nshe was walking in her father's garden at Kensington, to take the\nfresh air before dinner, about eleven o'clock, being then very well,\nmet with her own apparition, habit, and every thing, as in a looking-\nglass. About a month after, she died of the small-pox. And it\nis said that her sister, the Lady Isabella Thynne, saw the like of\nherself also, before she died. This account I had from a person of\nhonour.\n\nMrs. E. W. daughter of Sir W. W. affirms that Mrs. J. (her father's\nsister) saw herself, i. e. her phantom, half a year before she died,\nfor a quarter of an hour together. She said further, that her aunt\nwas sickly fourteen years before she died, and that she walked\nliving, i. e. her apparition, and that she was seen by several at the\nsame time. The like is reported of others.\n\nMr. Trahern, B.D. (chaplain to Sir Orlando Bridgman, Lord Keeper) a\nlearned and sober person, was son of a shoe-maker in Hereford: one\nnight as he lay in bed, the moon shining very bright, he saw the\nphantom of one of the apprentices, sitting in a chair in his red\nwaistcoat, and head-band about his head, and strap upon his knee;\nwhich apprentice was really in bed and asleep with another fellow-\napprentice, in the same chamber, and saw him. The fellow was living,\n1671.  Another time, as he was in bed, he saw a basket come sailing in\nthe air, along by the valence of his bed; I think he said there was\nfruit in the basket: it was a phantom. From himself.\n\nWhen Sir Kichard Nepier, M.D. of London, was upon the road coming\nfrom Bedfordshire, the chamberlain of the inn, shewed him his\nchamber, the doctor saw a dead man lying upon the bed; he looked more\nwistly and saw it was himself: he was then well enough in health. He\nwent forward on his journey to Mr. Steward's in Berkshire, and there\ndied. This account I have in a letter from Elias Ashmole, Esq. They\nwere intimate friends.\n\n\"In the Desarts of Africk, you shall meet oftentimes with fairies\nappearing in the shape of men and women, but they vanish quite away\nlike phantastical delusions.\"*\n\n* Pliny's Natural Hist. lib. 7, chap. 2.\n\n\nI Captain Henry Bell, do hereby declare both to the present age and\nto posterity, that being employed beyond the seas, in state affairs,\ndivers years together, both by King James, and also by the late King\nCharles in Germany. I did hear and understand in all places great\nbewailing and lamentation made, by reason of destroying and burning\nof above fourscore thousand of Martin Luther's books, entituled, His\nlast Divine Discourses.**\n\n** This narrative is in the Preface of the translation of Mr. Luther's\nTable-Talk.\n\nUpon which divine work or discourses, the reformation, begun before\nin Germany, was wonderfully promoted and spread in other countries.\n\nBut afterwards it so fell out, that the Pope then living, viz,\nGregory XIII. understanding what great hurt and prejudice he and his\nreligion had already received by reason of the said Luther's\ndiscourses, and also fearing that the same might bring further\ncontempt and mischief upon himself and his church, he therefore to\nprevent the same, did fiercely stir up and instigate the Emperor\nthen in being, viz. Rodolphus III. to make an edict through the\nwhole empire, that all the foresaid printed books should be burned,\nand also that it should be death for any person to have or keep a\ncopy thereof, but to burn the same, which edict was speedily put in\nexecution accordingly; insomuch that not one of all the said printed\nbooks, nor any one copy of the same, could be found out, or heard of\nin any place.\n\nYet it pleased God, that in anno 1626, a German gentleman, named\nCasparas Van Sparr, with whom, in my stay in Germany, about King\nJames's business, I became familiarly known and acquainted, having\noccasion to build upon an old foundation of a house, wherein his\ngrandfather dwelt at that time, when the said edict was published in\nGermany, for the burning the said books, and digging deep under the\nsaid old foundation, one of the said original printed books was there\nhappily found, lying in a deep obscure hole, being wrapped in a\nstrong linen cloth, which was waxed all over with bees wax within and\nwithout, whereby the said book was preserved fair without any blemish.\n\nAnd at the same time Ferdinandus II. being Emperor of Germany, who\nwas a severe enemy and persecutor of the Protestant religion, the\nforesaid gentleman, and grandchild to him, that had hidden the said\nbook in that obscure hole, fearing that if the said Emperor should\nget knowledge that one of the said books were yet forthcoming, and in\nhis custody, whereby not only himself might be brought into trouble,\nbut also the book be in danger to be destroyed, as all the rest were\nlong before; and also calling to mind, that I had the High-Dutch\ntongue very perfect, did send the said original book over hither into\nEngland unto me: related to me the passages of the preserving and\nfinding the said book; and earnestly moved me in his letter, to\ntranslate the said book into English.\n\nWhereupon, I took the said book before me, and many times began to\ntranslate the same, but always I was hindered therein, being called\nupon about other business, insomuch that by no possible means I could\nremain by that work. Then about six weeks after I had received the\nsaid book, it fell out, that being in bed with my wife, one night\nbetween twelve and one o'clock, she being asleep, but myself yet\nawake, there appeared unto me an antient man, standing at my\nbedside, arrayed in white, having a long and broad white beard,\nhanging down to his girdle steed, who taking me by the right ear,\nspake these words following unto me; \"Sirrah, will not you take time\nto translate that book which is sent unto you out of Germany? I will\nprovide for you both place and time to do it:\" and then he vanished\nout of my sight.\n\nWhereupon being much affrighted, I fell into an extream sweat,\ninsomuch that my wife awaking, and finding me all over wet, she asked\nme what I ailed; I told her what I had seen and heard; but I never\ndid heed or regard visions nor dreams. And so the same fell soon out\nof my mind.\n\nThen about a fortnight after I had seen the vision, on a Sunday I went\nto Whitehall to hear the sermon, after which ended, I returned to my\nlodging which was then in King-street, Westminster, and sitting down\nto dinner with my wife, two messengers were sent from the council-\nboard with a warrant to carry me to the keeper of the gate-house at\nWestminster, there to be safely kept, until farther order from\nthe Lords of the Council; which was done without shewing any cause* at\nall, wherefore I was committed; upon which said warrant I was kept\nthere ten whole years close prisoner; where I spent five years thereof\nabout translating of the said book: Insomuch as I found the words\nvery true which the old man in the aforesaid vision said unto me, \" I\nwill shortly provide you both place and time to translate it.\"\n\nThen after I had finished the translation, Dr. Laud, Arch-Bishop of\nCanterbury, sent to me in the prison, by Dr. Bray his chaplain, ten\npounds, and desired to peruse the book; he afterwards sent me by Dr.\nBray forty pounds. There was a committee of the House of Commons for\nthe printing of this translation, which was in 1652.\n\n*Whatsoever was pretended, yet the true cause of the Captain's\ncommitment was, because he was urgent with the Lord Treasurer for his\narrears, which amounted to a great sum, he was not willing to pay, and\nto be freed from his clamours, clapt him up into prison.\n\nA full and true relation of the examination and confession of William\nBarwick and Edward Mangall, of two horrid murders; one committed by\nWilliam Barwick, upon his wife being with child, near Cawood in\nYorkshire, upon the 14th of April last: as likewise a full account\nhow it came to be discovered by an apparition of the person\nmurdered.\n\nThe second was committed by Edward Mangall, upon Elizabeth Johnson,\nalias Ringrose, and her bastard child, on the 4th of September last,\nwho said he was tempted thereto by the Devil.\n\nAlso their trials and convictions before the Honourable Sir JOHN\nPOWEL, Knight, one their Majesties Justices, at the assizes holden at\nYork, on the 16th of September, 1690.\n\nAs murder is one of the greatest crimes that man can be guilty of, so\nit is no less strangely and providentially discovered, when privately\ncommitted. The foul criminal believes himself secure, because there\nwas no witness of the fact. Not considering that the all-seeing eye of\nHeaven beholds his concealed iniquity, and by some means or other\nbringing it to light, never permits it to go unpunished. And indeed so\ncertainly does the revenge of God pursue the abominated murderer,\nthat, when witnesses are wanting of the fact, the very ghosts of the\nmurdered parties cannot rest quiet in their graves, till they have\nmade the detection themselves. Of this we are now to give the reader\ntwo remarkable examples that lately happened in Yorkshire; and no\nless signal for the truth of both tragedies, as being confirmed by the\ntrial of the offenders, at the last assizes held for that county.\n\nThe first of these murders was committed by William Barwick, upon the\nbody of Mary Barwick, his wife, at the same time big with child. What\nwere the motives, that induced the man to do this horrid fact, does\nnot appear by the examination of the evidence, or the confession of\nthe party: only it appeared upon the trial, that he had got her with\nchild before he married her: and 'tis very probable, that, being then\nconstrained to marry her, he grew weary of her, which was the reason\nhe was so willing to be rid of her, though he ventured body and soul\nto accomplish his design.\n\nThe murder was committed on Palm-Monday, being the fourteenth of\nApril, about two of the clock in the afternoon, at which time the\nsaid Barwick having drilled his wife along 'till he came to a certain\nclose, within sight of Cawood-Castle, where he found the conveniency\nof a pond, he threw her by force into the water, and when she was\ndrowned, and drawn forth again by himself upon the bank of the pond,\nhad the cruelty to behold the motion of the infant, yet warm in her\nwomb. This done, he concealed the body, as it may readily be supposed,\namong the bushes, that usually encompass a pond, and the next night,\nwhen it grew duskish, fetching a hay-spade from a rick that stood in a\nclose, he made a hole by the side of the pond, and there slightly\nburied the woman in her cloaths.\n\nHaving thus despatched two at once, and thinking him-self secure,\n(because unseen) he went the same day to his brother-in-law, one\nThomas Lofthouse of Rufforth, within three miles of York, who had\nmarried his drowned wife's sister, and told him he had carried his\nwife to one Richard Harrison's house in Selby, who was his uncle, and\nwould take care of her. But Heaven would not be so deluded, but raised\nup the ghost of the murdered woman to make the discovery. And\ntherefore it was upon the Easter Tuesday following, about two of the\nclock in the after-noon, the forementioned Lofthouse having occasion\nto water a quickset hedge, not far from his house; as he was going for\nthe second pail full, an apparition went before him in the shape of a\nwoman, and soon after sat down upon a rising green grass-plat, right\nover against the pond: he walked by her as he went to the pond; and\nas he returned with the pail from the pond, looking sideways to see\nwhether she continued in the same place, he found she did; and that\nshe seemed to dandle something in her lap, that looked like a white\nbag (as he thought) which he did not observe before. So soon as he had\nemptied his pail, he went into his yard, and stood still to try\nwhether he could see her again, but she was vanished.\n\nIn this information he says, that the woman seemed to be habited in a\nbrown coloured petticoat, waistcoat, and a white hood; such a one as\nhis wife's sister usually wore, and that her countenance looked\nextreamly pale and wan, with her teeth in sight, but no gums\nappearing, and that her physiognomy was like to that of his wife's\nsister, who was wife to William Barwick.\n\nBut notwithstanding the ghastliness of the apparition, it seems it\nmade so little impression in Lofthouse's mind, that he thought no more\nof it, neither did he speak to any body concerning it, 'till the same\nnight as he was at his family duty of prayer, that that apparition\nreturned again to his thoughts, and discomposed his devotion; so that\nafter he had made an end of his prayers, he told the whole story of\nwhat he had seen to his wife, who laying circumstances together,\nimmediately inferred, that her sister was either drowned, or otherwise\nmurdered, and desired her husband to look after her the next day,\nwhich was Wednesday in Easter week, Upon this, Lofthouse recollecting\nwhat Barwick had told him of his carrying his wife to his uncle at\nSelby, repaired to Harrison beforementioned, but found all that\nBarwick had said to be false; for that Harrison had neither heard of\nBarwick, nor his wife, neither did he know anything of them. Which\nnotable circumstance, together with that other of the apparition,\nencreased his suspicions to that degree, that now concluding his\nwife's sister was murdered, he went to the Lord Mayor of York; and\nhaving obtained his warrant, got Barwick apprehended, who was no\nsooner brought before the Lord Mayor, but his own conscience then\naccusing him, he acknowledged the whole matter, as it has been already\nrelated, as it appears by his examination and confession herewith\nprinted: to which are also annexed the informations of Lofthouse, in\nlike manner taken before the Lord Mayor of York, for a further\ntestimony and confirmation of what is here set down.\n\nOn Wednesday the sixteenth of September, 1690, the criminal, William\nBarwick, was brought to his trial, before the Honourable Sir John\nPowel, Knight, one of the judges of the northern circuit, at the\nassizes holden at York, where the prisoner pleaded not guilty to his\nindictment: but upon the evidence of Thomas Lofthouse, and his\nwife, and a third person, that the woman was found buried in her\ncloaths in the Close by the pond side, agreeable to the prisoner's\nconfession, and that she had several bruises on her head, occasioned\nby the blows the murderer had given her, to keep her under water: and\nupon reading the prisoner's confession before the Lord Mayor of York,\nattested by the clerk, who wrote the confession, and who swore the\nprisoner's owning and signing it for truth, he was found guilty, and\nsentenced to death, and afterwards ordered to be hanged in chains.\n\nAll the defence which the prisoner made, was only this, that he was\nthreatened into the confession that he had made, and was in such a\nconsternation, that he did not know what he said or did. But then it\nwas sworn by two witnesses, that there was no such thing as any\nthreatening made use of; but that he made a free and voluntary\nconfession, only with this addition at first; that he told the Lord\nMayor, he had sold his wife for five shillings; but not being able to\nname either the person or the place where she might be produced, that\nwas looked upon as too frivolous to outweigh circumstances, that were\nproofs to apparent.\n\n**The information of Thomas Lofthouse, of Ruforth, taken upon oath the\ntwenty-fourth day of April, 1690,\n\nWHO sayeth and deposeth, that one William Barwick, who lately married\nthis informant's wife's sister,came to this informant's house, about\nthe fourteenth instant, and told this informant, he had carried his wife\nto one Richard Harrison's house in Selby, who was uncle to him, and\nwould take care of her; and this informant hearing nothing of the said\nBarwick's wife, his said sister-in-law, imagined he had done her some\nmischief, did yesterday go to the said Harrison's house in Selby, where\nhe said he had carried her to; and the said Harrison told this informant,\nhe knew nothing of the said Barwick, or his wife, and this informant doth\nverily believe the said Barwick to have murdered her.\n\nTHOMAS LOFTHOUSE.\n\n\"Jurat die & Anno\nsuper dicto coram me,\"\n\nS. DAWSON, Mayor.\n\n**The examination of the said William Harwich, taken the day and year\nabovesaid,\n\nWHO sayeth and confesseth, that he, this examinant, on Monday was\nseventh night, about two of the clock in the afternoon, this examinant\nwas walking in a Close, betwixt Cawood and Wistow; and he farther\nsayeth, that he threw his said wife into the pond, where she was\ndrowned, and the day following, towards the evening, got a hay-spade\nat a hay-stake in the said Close, and made a grave beside the said\npond, and buried her.\n\nWILLIAM BARWICK.\n\n\"Exam. capt. die & Anno\nsuper dict, coram me,\"\n\nS. DAWSON, Mayor.\n\n**The examination of William Barwick, taken the twenty- fifth day of\nApril, 1690,\n\nWHO sayeth and confesseth, that he carried his wife over a certain\nwain-bridge, called Bishopdike-bridge, betwixt Cawood and Sherborne,\nand within a lane about one hundred yards from the said bridge, and on\nthe left hand of the said bridge, he and his wife went over a stile,\non the left hand of a certain gate, entering into a certain close, on\nthe left hand of the said lane; and in a pond in the said close,\n(adjoining to a quick-wood-hedge) did drown his wife, and upon the\nbank of the said pond, did bury her: and further, that he was within\nsight of Cawood Castle, on the left hand; and that there was but one\nhedge betwixt the said close, where he drowned his said wife, and the\nBishop-slates belonging to the said castle.\n\nWILLIAM BARWICK\n\"Exam. capt. die & Anno\nsuper dict, coram me,\"\n\nS. DAWSON, Mayor.\n\n**On Tuesday, September the seventeenth, 1690, at York assizes.\n\nTHOMAS LOFTHOUSE of Rufforth, within three miles of York city, sayeth,\nthat on Easter Tuesday last, about half an hour after twelve of the\nclock, in the day time, he was watering quickwood, and as he was going\nfor the second pail, there appeared walking before him, an apparition\nin the shape of a woman, soon after she sat down over against the\npond, on a green hill, he walked by her as he went to the pond, and as\nhe came with the pail of water from the pond, looking side-ways to see\nif she sat in the same place, which he saw she did; and had on her lap\nsomething like a white bag, a dandling of it (as he thought) which he\ndid not observe before: after he had emptied his pail of water, he\nstood in his yard, to see if he could see her again; but could not: he\nsays her apparel was brown cloaths, waist-coat and petticoat, a white\nhood, such as his wife's sister usually wore, and her face looked\nextream pale, her teeth in sight, no gums appearing, her visage being\nlike his wife's sister and wife to William Barwick.\n\nSigned,\nTHOMAS LOFTHOUSE.\n\nTHE second was a murder committed by one Edward Mangall, upon the body\nof Elizabeth Johnson alias Ringrose, the fourth of September last\npast, at a place called King's Causey, near Adling-street, in the\ncounty of York. He had got her with child, at least as she pretended;\nand was brought to bed of a boy, which she called William, and laid\nhim to Mangall's charge, and required him to marry her: which he\nrefused at first to do; but afterwards pretending to make her his\nwife, bid her go before him down King's Causey, towards the church,\nand he would follow her, as he did; but knocked out her brains in a\nclose by the way, and at the same time, as was shrewdly suspected,\nkilled the child.\n\nThis Mangall being examined by Mr. William Mauleverer, the coroner,\nconfessed that he had murdered the woman; but denied that he meddled\nwith the boy. And being asked why he murdered the woman, he made\nanswer that the Devil put him upon it; appearing to him in a flash of\nlightning, and directing him where to find the club, wherewith he\ncommitted the murder. So ready is the Devil with his temptations, when\nhe finds a temper easy to work upon.\n\nHe was convicted and found guilty upon the evidence of Anne Hinde, and\nhis own confession to the coroner, as may be seen by the information\nannexed; and was thereupon sentenced to death, and ordered to be\nhanged in chains, as Barwick was before him, he making no defence for\nhimself for so foul and horrid a murder, but that he was tempted\nthereto by the Devil.\n\n**Informations taken upon oath, September the 10th, 1690.\n\n**The information of Anne Hinde, wife of James Hinde, of Adling-street,\nin the County of York, husband-man, upon her oath saith;\n\nTHAT on Monday, the first of September, one Elizabeth Johnson, alias\nRingrose, came to her house in the evening, with a child she called\nWilliam; and the said Elizabeth the next day told this deponent, that\nthe said Elizabeth was going to Gawthrope, in the county of Lincoln,\nto seek for one Edward Mangall, who had got her with that child, to\nsee if he would marry her: upon which this deponent went with the\nsaid Elizabeth, to persuade him to marry her; but he denied having any\ndealings with her. But this deponent doth further depose, that on the\nfourth of September, the said Edward came to this deponent's house,\nand asked for the said Elizabeth; if she were there she might serve a\nwarrant on him, if she had one, for he was going to Rawclyff, to\nconsult his friends about it; and after some private discourse had\nbetwixt the said Edward and the said Elizabeth, the said Elizabeth\ntold this deponent, that he said, the said Elizabeth might go down\nKing's-Causey; and he would follow her, and marry her: and this\ndeponent did see the said Elizabeth go down King's-Causey; and a\nlittle after this deponent saw the said Edward also go down the\nKing's-Causey; and after that, this deponent did not see the said\nElizabeth, nor the said child till she saw them lie dead.\n\nANNE HINDE.\n\nCapt. 10. die Septembris 1690.\n\nBy me\nW.  MAULEVERER.\n\nUn. Coron, Commit, praedict.\n\nTHE examination of Edward Mangall, upon the murder of Elizabeth\nJohnson alias Ringrose, taken before me William Mauleverer, Gent, one\nof the Coroners of our Sovereign Lord and Lady King William and Queen\nMary, &c.\n\nTHE said Edward Mangall did confess, that he did murder the said\nElizabeth Johnson alias Ringrose, upon the fourth day of September\ninstant, in a close nigh to King's Causey, he being asked the reason,\nsaid the Devil put him upon it, appearing to him in a flash of\nlightning; but denied that he medled with William Johnson alias\nRingrose, the child.\n\nTaken the 10th of Sept. 1690,\nBy me\nW. MAULEVERER, Coroner.\n\n\n      VOICES.\n\n\n\"Saepe etiam & in praeliis Fauni auditi, & in rebus turbidis veridicae\nvoces ex occulto missae esse dicuntur.  Cujus generis duo sunt ex\nmultis exempla, sed maxima. Nam non multo ante Urbem captam exaudita\nvox est a Luco Vestae, qui a Palatii radice in novem viam devexus est,\nut muri & portae reficerentur: futurum esse, nisi provisum esset, ut\nRoma caperetur. Quod neglectum cum caveri poterat, post acceptam illam\nmaximam cladem explicatum est. Ara enim Aio loquenti, quam septam\nvidemus, & adversus eum locum consecrata est.\"\n\ni. e. Often even in battles have the Gods of the woods been heard to\nspeak, and in troublesome times, when the affairs of governments have\ngone wrong, and been in disorder and turmoil, voices have been known\nto steal upon the ears of persons, that came as it were from a corner,\nbut they knew not whence, and told them important truths. Of which\nkind there are out of a great many, two examples, and those indeed\nvery rare and extraordinary.  For not long before the city was taken,\na voice was heard from the grove of Vesta, which went from the foot,\nand basis of the palace, sloping and bending into a new road, that the\ncity walls and gates should be repaired: and that unless care was\ntaken of it, the consequence would be, that Rome would be taken. This\nbeing omitted, when provision might have been made, was explained\nafter that most signal and dreadful overthrow. For the altar, which we\nsee enclosed, and that fronts that place, was a consecrated altar.\n\n\"--- Negue solum deorum voces Pythagorei observaverunt, sed etiam\nhominum, quae vacant omina --- .\"\n\ni. e. Neither did the Pythagorean Philosophers observe the voices of\nGods only, but also those of men, which they called Omens.\n\n\"Nero --- & lo'n dit qu'on entendoit un son de trumpette dans les\ncollines d'alentour, des gemissemens sur le tombeau de sa mere.\"\n\nNero, they say, heard the sound of a trumpet among the hills and the\nrocks round about him, and groans over the tomb of his mother.\n\nIn the life of King Henry IV. of France, written by the Arch-Bishop of\nParis, it is recorded, that Charles IX. (who caused the massacre) was\nwont to hear screaches, like those of the persons massacred.\n\nSt. Augustin heard a voice, saying, TOLLE, LEGE, take, read. He took\nup his bible, and dipt on Rom. 13. 13. \"Not in rioting and\ndrunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness,\" &c. And reformed his\nmanners upon it.\n\nOne Mr. Smith, a practitioner of physic at Tamworth in Warwickshire,\nan understanding sober person, reading in Hollinshead's Chronicle,\nfound a relation of a great fight between Vortigern and Hengest, about\nthose parts, at a place called Colemore: a little time after, as he\nlay awake in his bed, he heard a voice, that said unto him, \"You\nshall shortly see some of the bones of those men and horses slain,\nthat you read of:\" he was surprized at the voice, and asked in the\nname of God, who it was that spoke to him.  The voice made answer,\nthat he should not trouble himself about that; but what he told him\nshould come to pass.  Shortly after, as he went to see Colonel Archer\n(whose servants were digging for marle) he saw a great many bones of\nmen and horses; and also pot-sherds; and upon the view it appeared to\nbe according to the description in Hollinshead' s Chronicle; and it\nwas the place where the fight was; but it is now called Blackmore.\n\nThis was about the year 1685, and I had the account from my worthy\nfriend and old acquaintance Thomas Marriet of Warwickshire, Esq., who\nis very well acquainted with Mr. Smith aforesaid.\n\nExtracts out of the book entitled \"Relation de la Nouvelle France\",\n1662, and 1663, 12.\n\n\" Les Sauvages avoient eu de presentiments aussi bien que les\nFrancois, et de cet horrible Tremble-terre. Voicy la deposition d'une\nsauvage age 20. fort innocente, simple, & sincere. La nuict du 4 ou 5\nde Febr. 1663 estant entirement eveillee, & en plein jugement, assise\ncomme sur mon seant, j'ay entender une voix distincte & intelligible,\nqui m'a dit, Il doit arrive aujourdhuy de choses extrangees, la Terre\ndoit tremble. Je me trouveray pour lors saisie d'une grand frayeur,\nparce que je ne voyois personne d'ou peut provinir cette voix:\nRemplie de crainte, ja taschay a m'endormir auec assez de peine: Et\nle jour estant venu, je dis a mon mary cequi m'estoit arrive. Sur le\n9, ou le 10 heure de mesme jour, allant au bois pour buscher, a peine\nj'estois entree en la Forest que la mesme voix se fit --- entendre, me\ndisent mesme chose, & de la mesme facon que la nuicte precedente: La\npeur fuit bien plus grande, moy estant tout seule.\"\n\ni.  e. The wild inhabitants, as well as the French, had presages of\nthat dreadful earthquake. See here the depositions of a wild Indian,\nabout twenty-six years of age, who was very innocent, simple, and\nsincere. On the night of the 4th or 5th of February, in the year 1663,\nbeing perfectly awake, and in sound judgment, and setting up as it\nwere in my bed, I heard a distinct and intelligible voice, that said\nto me, There will happen to day many strange things. The earth will\nquake and tremble. I found myself seized with an extraordinary fear,\nbecause I saw no person from whom the voice could proceed. I, full of\nterror, with great difficulty, endeavoured to compose myself to sleep.\nAnd as soon as it was day I told my husband what had happened to me.\nAbout nine or ten of the clock the same day, going to a forest a wood-\ngathering, I was scarce got into the brow of the forest, but I heard\nthe same voice again, which told me the same thing, and in the same\nmanner as it had done the night before. My fear was much greater this\ntime, because I was all alone. She got her burden of wood, and met her\nsister who comforted her, to whom she told this story, and when she\ncame to her father's caben, she told the same story there; but they\nheard it without any reflections.\n\n\" --- La chose en demeure la, jusquez a 5. ou 6 heures du soir du mesme\njour, ou un tremblement de Terre survenant, Ils reconnurent par\nexperience, que cequ'ils m'avoient intendu dire avant Midy, n'estoit\nque trop vray.\"\n\ni. e.---The matter rested there, till about five or six of the clock\nin the evening of the same day, when an earthquake coming suddenly\nupon us; experience made them recollect and acknowledge that, what\nthey had heard me say before noon, was but too true.\n\n\"Envoyee au R. P. Andre Castillon Provincial de la Province de France\npar les Missioners de Peres de la Compagnie de Jesu. Imprime a Paris,\n1664.\"\n\ni. e. Sent to the reverend father Andrew Castillon, provincial of the\nprovince of France, by the missioners of the fathers of the Society of\nJesus. Printed at Paris, 1664.\n\n\"Livy makes mention, that before the coming of the Gauls to Rome,\nMarcus Ceditius, a Plebeian, acquainted the Senate, that passing one\nnight about twelve o'clock through the Via Nova, he heard a voice\n(bigger than a man's) which advised him to let the Senate know, the\nGauls were on their march to Rome. How those things could be, it is to\nbe discoursed by persons well versed in the causes of natural and\nsupernatural events: for my part I will not pretend to understand\nthem, unless (according to the opinion of some Philosophers) we may\nbelieve that the air being full of intelligences and spirits, who\nforeseeing future events, and commiserating the condition of mankind,\ngive them warning by these kind of intimations, that they may the more\ntimely provide and defend themselves against their calamities. But\nwhatever is the cause, experience assures us, that after such\ndenunciations, some extraordinary thing or other does constantly\nhappen.\"\n\n\n      IMPULSES.\n\n\nCicero \"de Natura Deorum\", lib. 2.\n\n\"PRAETEREA ipsorum Deorum saepe praesentiae, quales supra commemoravi,\n--- declarant, ut ab his, & Civitatibus, & singulis Hominibus consuli.\nQuod quidem intelligitur etiam significationibus rerum futurarum, quae\ntum dormientibus, tum Vigilantibus portentantur. --- Nemo vir magnus\nsine aliquo afflatu divino unquam fuit\".\n\ni. e. Moreover the frequent presence of the Gods themselves, as I\nhave above mentioned, plainly manifest, that they preside, with their\ngood advice, as guardians, not only over cities, but particular men.\nThis may be likewise certainly understood by the several\nsignifications of future events, which are predicted to men both\nsleeping and waking --- there was never any one single great man, but\nwhat has, in some measure, partaken of this divine inspiration.\n\n\"Testor Deum me olim ante plures menses melancolia ex adverso casu\nconceptam, Domini patris mei praesentisse, ac pronunciasse mortem,\ncum tamen ipso valde incolumi, nulla ejus mihi ratio probabilis\nafferretur: & sic ipse postea momentum sui obitus, septem circiter\nhoras antea pronunciavit\".\n\ni. e. I call God to witness, that formerly some months before, having\nconceived it in a fit of melancholy, from an unlucky event, that I\nforeknew, and foretold my father's death, when he being quite in\nhealth, no probable account of it offered itself to me: and in like\nmanner he himself afterwards pronounced the moment of his departure\nnear seven hours before. \"Imperialis Musaeum Physicum\". 104.\n\nOliver Cromwell had certainly this afflatus. One that I knew, that was\nat the battle of Dunbar, told me that Oliver was carried on with a\ndivine impulse; he did laugh so excessively as if he had been drunk;\nhis eyes sparkled with spirits. He obtained a great victory; but the\naction was said to be contrary to human prudence. The same fit of\nlaughter seized Oliver Cromwell, just before the battle of Naseby; as\na kinsman of mine, and a great favourite of his, Colonel J. P. then\npresent, testified. Cardinal Mazarine said, that he was a lucky fool.\n\nIn one of the great fields at Warminster in Wiltshire, in the harvest,\nat the very time of the fight at Bosworth field, between King Eichard\nIII. and Henry VII. there was one of the parish took two sheaves,\ncrying (with some intervals) now for Richard, now for Henry; at last\nlets fall the sheaf that did represent Richard; and cried, now\nfor King Henry, Richard is slain. This action did agree with the very\ntime, day and hour. When I was a schoolboy I have heard this\nconfidently delivered by tradition by some old men of our country.\n\nMonsieur de Scudery in his Poem, entituled \"Rome Vaincue\", fancies an\nangel to be sent to Alaric, to impel him to overrun the Roman empire\nwith his swarms of northern people. The like may be fancied upon all\nchanges of government; when providence destines the ends, it orders\nthe means.\n\nBy way of parallel to this, the Pope by the like instinct, being at\nRome in the consistory, did speak of the engagement in the famous\nbattle of Lepanto, and that the Christians were victors. The fight\nat sea being two hundred miles or more distant from them.\n\nKing Charles I. after he was condemned, did tell Colonel Tomlinson,\nthat he believed, that the English monarchy was now at an end: about\nhalf an hour after, he told the Colonel, \"that now he had assurance\nby a strong impulse \"on his spirit, that his son should reign after him.\"\n\nThis information I had from Fabian Philips, Esq. of the Inner-\ntemple, who had good authority for the truth of it: I have forgot who\nit was.\n\nThe Lord Roscomon, being a boy of ten years of age at Caen in\nNormandy, one day was (as it were) madly extravagant in playing,\nleaping, getting over the table-boards, &c.\n\nHe was wont to be sober enough: they said, God grant this bodes no ill\nluck to him; in the heat of this extravagant fit, he cries out, my\nfather is dead. A fortnight after news came from Ireland, that his\nfather was dead. This account I had from Mr. Knolles, who was his\ngovernor, and then with him; since Secretary to the Earl of\nStafford, and I have heard his Lordship's relations confirm the same.\n\nA very good friend of mine and old acquaintance, hath had frequent\nimpulses; when he was a commoner at Trinity College, Oxford, he had\nseveral. When he rode towards the West one time in the stage coach,\nhe told the company, \" We shall certainly be robbed,\" and they were\nso. When a brother of his, a merchant, died, he left him with other\neffects, a share of a ship, which was returning from Spain, and of\nwhich news was brought to the Exchange at London of her good\ncondition; he had such an impulse upon his spirit, that he must needs\nsell his share, though to loss; and he did sell it. The ship came safe\nto Cornwall, (or Devon) and somewhere afterwards fell upon the rocks\nand sunk: not a man perished; but all the goods were lost except some\nparrots, which were brought for Queen Katherine.\n\nThe good genius of Socrates is much remembered, which gave him\nwarning. The Ethnick Genij are painted like our Angels; strong\nimpulses are to be referred to them.\n\nThe learned Dr. John Pell, hath told me, that he did verily believe,\nthat some of his solutions of difficult problems were not done \"Sine\nDomino auxilio\".\n\nMr. J. N. a very understanding gentleman, and not superstitious,\nprotested to me, that when he hath been over-persuaded by friends to\nact contrary to a strong impulse, that he never succeeded.\n\n\n      KNOCKINGS.\n\n\nR. BAXTER'S Certainty of the World of Spirits. \"A gentleman, formerly\nseemingly pious, of late years hath fallen into the sin of\ndrunkenness; and when he has been drunk, and slept himself sober,\nsomething knocks at his beds-head, as if one knocked on a wainscot;\nwhen they remove the bed, it follows him, besides loud noises on\nother parts where he is, that all the house heareth\".\n\n\" It poseth me to think what kind of spirit this is, that hath such a\ncare of this man's soul, (which makes me hope he will recover). Do\ngood spirits dwell so near us ? or, are they sent on such messages ?\nor, is it his guardian Angel ? or, is it the soul of some dead friend,\nthat suffereth and yet retaining love to him, as Dives did to his\nbrethren, would have him saved ? God keepeth yet such things from us\nin the dark.\"\n\nMajor John Morgan of Wells, did aver, that as he lay in bed with Mr.\nBarlow (son of the Dean of Wells) they heard three distinct knocks\non the bed; Mr. Barlow shortly after fell sick and died.\n\nThree or four days before my father died, as I was in my bed about\nnine o'clock in the morning perfectly awake, I did hear three distinct\nknocks on the beds-head, as if it had been with a ruler or ferula.\n\nMr. Hierome Banks, as he lay on his death bed, in Bell-yard, said,\nthree days before he died, that Mr. Jennings of the Inner-temple, (his\ngreat acquaintance, dead a year or two before) gave three knocks,\nlooked in, and said, come away. He was as far from believing such\nthings as any man.\n\nMr. George Ent of the Middle-temple, told me, some days before he\ndied, that he had such a \"Deceptio Visus\", he called it.\n\n\" In Germany when one is to die out of one's family, or some friends,\nthere will sometimes likewise happen some token that signifieth the\ndeath of one, e. g. some (or one) in the house heareth the noise, as\nif a meal-sack fell down from on high upon the boards of the chamber;\nthey presently go up thither, where they thought it was done, and find\nnothing; but all things in order\".\n\n\" Also at Berlin, when one shall die out of the electoral house of\nBrandenburgh, a woman drest in white linen appears always to several,\nwithout speaking, or doing any harm, for several weeks before\". This\nfrom Jasper Belshazer Cranmer, a Saxon gentleman.\n\n\n      BLOWS INVISIBLE.\n\n\nMR. BROGRAVE, of Hamel, near Puckridge in Hertfordshire, when he was a\nyoung man, riding in a lane in that county, had a blow given him on\nhis cheek: (or head) he looked back and saw that nobody was near\nbehind him; anon he had such another blow, I have forgot if a third.\nHe turned back, and fell to the study of the law; and was afterwards a\nJudge. This account I had from Sir John Penruddocke of Compton-\nChamberlain, (our neighbour) whose Lady was Judge Brograve's niece.\n\nNewark (Sir G. L.'s) has knockings before death. And there is a house\nnear Covent Garden that has warnings. The Papists are full of these\nobservations.\n\nThe like stories are reported of others.\n\n\n      PROPHESIES.\n\n\nCICERO de Divinatione, Lib. 1. \"--gentem quidem nullam video, neque\ntam humanam atque doctam: neque tam immanem tam; barbaram, quae non\nsignificari futura, & a quibusdam intelligi, praedicique posse censeat\".\n\ni. e. I know of no country, either so polished and learned, or so\nrude, barbarous and uncivilized, but what always allowed that some\nparticular persons are gifted with an insight into futurity, and are\nendued with a talent of prediction.\n\nTo pass by the prophesies of holy writ, the prophesies of Nostradamus\ndo foretel very strangely; but not easily understood till they are\nfulfilled. The book is now common.\n\nPeter Martyr, in his Decades, tells us, that there was a prophet among\nthe Salvages in America, that did foretel the coming in of strangers\nin ships, which they had not known.\n\nThe prophesies of St. Malachi, are exceeding strange. He describes the\nPopes by their coats of arms, or their names, or manners: if his\nprophesies be true, there will be but fifteen Popes more. It is\nprinted in a book in Octavo, entituled \"Bucelini Historiae Nucleus,\n1654, in calce Libri\" thus, \"Prophetia Malachiae Monachi Bangorensis, &\nA. Episcopi Ardinensis, Hiberniae Primatis\". 1665, in two leaves.\n\nMr. Lancelot Morehouse, in the time of the civil wars, rescued a sheet\nof parchment in quarto, most delicately writ, from a taylor's sheers.\nIt was a part of a book, and was a prophecy concerning England in\nLatin Hexameters; I saw it, 1649. It pointed at our late troubles: he\ngave it to Seth Ward, Bishop of Salisbury, and is lost among other\ngood papers.\n\nIn a book* of Mr. William Lilly's, are hieroglyphick prophecies, viz.\nof the great plague of London, expressed by graves and dead corpses;\nand a scheme with ascending (the sign of London) and no planets in the\ntwelve houses. Also there is a picture of London all on fire, also\nmoles creeping, &c. Perhaps Mr. Lilly might be contented to have\npeople believe that this was from himself. But Mr. Thomas Flatman\n(poet) did affirm, that he had seen those hieroglyphicks in an old\nparchment manuscript, writ in the time of the monks.\n\n* Monarchy: or, No Monarchy, 4to.\n\nIn the nave of the cathedral church at Wells, above the capitals of\ntwo pillars, are the head of the King, and the head of a Bishop: it\nwas foretold, that when a King should be like that King, and a Bishop\nlike that Bishop, that Abbots should be put down, and Nuns should\nmarry: above the arch, is an abbot or monk, with his head hanging\ndownwards; and a nun with children about her. The inside of the arch\nis painted blue, and adorned with stars, to signify the power and\ninfluence of the stars. This prophecy was writ in parchment, and hung\nin a table on one of those pillars, before the civil wars. Dr. Duck\n(who was chancellor of Wells) said, that he had seen a copy of it\namong the records of the tower at London. It was prophesied 300 years\nbefore the reformation. Bishop Knight was Bishop here at the\nreformation, and the picture (they say) did resemble him.\n\nIn the Spanish history, it is mentioned, that a vault being opened in\nSpain, they found there Moors' heads, and some writings that did\nexpress, when people resembling those heads should come into Spain,\nthey would conquer that country; and it was so. See this story more\nat large in James Howell's Letters.\n\nThere is a prophecy of William Tyndal, poor vicar of Welling, in the\ncounty of Hertford, made in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign.\nI have seen it: it is in English verse, two pages and an half in\nfolio. It foretold our late wars. I know one that read it forty years\nsince.\n\n            A Prophecy.\n\n      Sexte verere Deos; vitae tibi terminus instat,\n      Cum tuus in media ardebit Carbunculus igne.\n\n      0 thou sixth King to God due honours pay,\n      Remember Prince soon after thou'lt expire,\n      When thou behold'st thy carbuncle display,\n      Blaze against blaze amidst the red'ning fire.\n\nThese verses were made by George Buchanan; but (perhaps) the\nprediction was made by some second-sighted person. King James, of\nScotland, the sixth, was taken with an ague, at Trinity-College in\nCambridge; he removed to Theobald's; (where he died)sitting by the\nfire, the carbuncle fell out of his ring into the fire, according\nto the prediction. This distich is printed in the life of King James.\n\nBefore the civil wars, there was much talk of the Lady Anne Davys's\nprophesies; for which she was kept prisoner in the tower of London.\nShe was sister to the Earl of Castle-heaven, and wife to Sir John\nDavys, Lord Chief Justice in Ireland; I have heard his kinsman\n(Counsellor Davys of Shaftesbury) say, that she being in London,\n(I think in the tower) did tell the very time of her husband's death in\nIreland.\n\n\n      MIRANDA.\n\n\nOUR English chronicles do record, that in the reign of King Henry III.\nA child was born in Kent, that at two years old cured all diseases.\nSeveral persons have been cured of the King's-evil by the touching, or\nhandling of a seventh son. It must be a seventh son, and no daughter\nbetween, and in pure wedlock.\n\nSamuel Scot, seventh son of Mr. William Scot of Hedington in\nWiltshire, did when a child wonderful cures by touching only, viz. as\nto the King's-evil, wens, &c. but as he grew to be a man, the virtue\ndid decrease, and had he lived longer, perhaps might have been spent.\nA servant boy of his father's was also a seventh son, but he could do\nno cures at all. I am very well satisfied of the truth of this\nrelation, for I knew him very well, and his mother was my kinswoman.\n\n'Tis certain, the touch of a dead hand, hath wrought wonderful\neffects, e. g. - One(a painter) of Stowel in Somersetshire, near\nBridgewater, had a wen in the inside of his cheek, as big as a\npullet's egg, which by the advice of one was cured by once or twice\ntouching or rubbing with a dead woman's hand, (e contra, to cure a\nwoman, a dead man's hand) he was directed first to say the Lord's\nprayer, and to beg a blessing. He was perfectly cured in a few weeks.\nI was at the man's house who attested it to me, as also to the\nreverend Mr. Andrew Paschal, who went with me.\n\nMr. Davys Mell, (the famous violinist and clock-maker) had a child\ncrook-backed, that was cured after the manner aforesaid, which Dr.\nRidgley, M.D. of the college of physicians, averred in my hearing.\n\nThe curing of the King's-evil by the touch of the King, does much\npuzzle our philosophers: for whether our Kings were of the house of\nYork, or Lancaster, it did the cure (i. e.) for the most part. 'Tis\ntrue indeed at the touching there are prayers read, but perhaps,\nneither the King attends them nor his chaplains.\n\nIn Somersetshire, 'tis confidently reported, that some were cured of\nthe King's-evil, by the touch of the Duke of Monmouth: the Lord\nChancellor Bacon saith, \"That imagination is next kin to miracle-\nworking faith.\"\n\nWhen King Charles I. was prisoner at Carisbrook Castle, there was a\nwoman touched by him, who had the King's-evil in her eye, and had not\nseen in a fortnight before, her eye-lids being glued together: as they\nwere at prayers, (after the touching) the woman's eyes opened. Mr\nSeymer Bowman, with many others, were eye-witnesses of this.\n\nAt Stretton in Hertfordshire, in anno 1648, when King Charles I. Was\nprisoner, the tenant of the Manor-House there sold excellent cyder to\ngentlemen of the neighbourhood; where they met privately, and could\ndiscourse freely, and be merry, in those days so troublesome to the\nloyal party. Among others that met, there was old Mr. Hill. B. D.\nparson of the parish, Quondam Fellow of Brazen-Nose college in Oxford.\nThis venerable good old man, one day (after his accustomed fashion)\nstanding up, with his head uncovered to drink his majesty's health,\nsaying, \"God bless our Gracious Sovereign,\" as he was going to put the\ncup to his lips, a swallow flew in at the window, and pitched on the\nbrim of the little earthen cup(not half a pint) and sipt, and so flew out\nagain. This was in the presence of the aforesaid parson Hill,\nMajor Gwillim, and two or three more, that I knew very well then, my\nneighbours, and whose joint testimony of it I have had more than once,\nin that very room. It was in the bay-window in the parlour there; Mr.\nHill's back was next to the window. I cannot doubt of the veracity of\nthe witnesses. This is printed in some book that I have seen, I think\nin Dr. Fuller's Worthies. The cup is preserved there still as a rarity.\n\nIn Dr. Bolton's Sermons, is an account of the Lady Honywood, who\ndespaired of her salvation. Dr. Bolton endeavoured to comfort her:\nsaid she, (holding a Venice-glass in her hand) I shall as certainly be\ndamned, as this glass will be broken: and at that word, threw it hard\non the ground; and the glass remained sound; which did give her great\ncomfort. The glass is yet preserved among the Cimelia of the family.\nThis lady lived to see descended from her (I think) ninety, which is\nmentioned by Dr. Bolton.\n\nWilliam Backhouse, of Swallowfield in Berkshire, Esq. had an ugly scab\nthat grew on the middle of his forehead, which had been there for some\nyears, and he could not be cured; it became so nauseous, that he would\nsee none but his intimate friends: he was a learned gentleman, a\nchymist, and antiquary: his custom was, once every summer to travel\nto see Cathedrals, Abbeys, Castles, &c. In his journey, being come to\nPeterborough, he dreamt there, that he was in a church and saw a\nhearse, and that one did bid him wet his scab, with the drops of the\nmarble. The next day he went to morning-service, and afterwards going\nabout the church, he saw the very hearse (which was of black say, for\nQueen Katherine, wife to King Henry VIII.) and the marble grave-stone\nby. He found drops on the marble, and there were some cavities,\nwherein he dipt his finger, and wetted the scab: in seven days it was\nperfectly cured. This accurate and certain information, I had from my\nworthy friend Elias Ashmole, Esq. who called Mr. Backhouse father, and\nhad this account from his own mouth. May-Dew is a great dissolvent.\n\nArise Evans had a fungous nose, and said, it was revealed to him, that the\nKing's hand would cure him, and at the first coming of King Charles II.\ninto St. James's Park, he kissed the King's hand, and rubbed his nose with\nit; which disturbed the King, but cured him. Mr. Ashmole told it me.\n\nIn the year 1694, there was published,\n\n\"A true Relation of the wonderful\nCure of Mary Mallard, (lame almost ever since she was born) on Sunday the\n26th of November 1693.\"\n\nWith the affidavits and certificates of the girl, and several other\ncredible and worthy persons, who knew her both before and since her being\ncured. To which is added, a letter from Dr. Welwood, to the Right\nHonourable the Lady Mayoress, upon that subject. London: printed for\nRichard Baldwin, near the Oxford Arms in Warwick Lane, 1694.\n\nA narrative of the late extraordinary cure, wrought in an instant upon\nMrs. Elizabeth Savage, (lame from her birth) without using of any natural\nmeans.\n\nWith the affidavits which were made before the Right Honourable the Lord\nMayor; and the certificates of several credible persons, who knew her both\nbefore and since her cure.\n\nEnquired into with all its circumstances, by noted divines both of the\nchurch of England, and others: and by eminent physicians of the college:\nand many persons of quality, who have expressed their full satisfaction.\n\nWith an appendix, attempting to prove, that miracles are not ceased.\nLondon, printed for John Dunton at the Raven, and John Harris at the\nHarrow, in the Poultry. The London divines would have my annotations of\nthese two maids expunged.*\n\n*\" This Eliza Savage is still lame. It seems my Lord Mayor of London\nand Ministers may be imposed on.\" MS. Note in a copy of the first\nedition in the Library of the Royal Society.\n\n\n      MAGICK.\n\n\nIN Barbary are wizards, who do smear their hands with some black\nointment,and then do hold them up to the sun, and in a short time you\nshall see delineated in that black stuff, the likeness of what you\ndesire to have an answer of. It was desired to know, whether a ship\nwas in safety, or no? there appeared in the woman's hand the perfect\nlineaments of a ship under sail. This Mr. W. Cl. a merchant of London,\nwho was factor there several years, protested to me, that he did see.\nHe is a person worthy of belief.\n\nA parallel method to this is used in England, by putting the white of\na new laid egg in a beer glass, and expose it to the sun in hot\nweather, as August, when the sun is in Leo, and they will perceive\ntheir husband's profession.\n\nThere are wonderful stories of the Bannians in India, viz. of their\npredictions, cures, &c. of their charming crocodiles, and serpents:\nand that one of them walked over an arm of the sea, he was seen in the\nmiddle, and never heard of afterwards.\n\nThe last summer, on the day of St. John the Baptist, 1694, I\naccidentally was walking in the pasture behind Montague house, it was\n12 o'clock. I saw there about two or three and twenty young women,\nmost of them well habited, on their knees very busy, as if they had\nbeen weeding. I could not presently learn what the matter was; at last\na young man told me, that they were looking for a coal under the root\nof a plantain, to put under their head that night, and they should\ndream who would be their husbands:It was to be sought for that day\nand hour.\n\nThe women have several magical secrets handed down to them by\ntradition, for this purpose, as, on St. Agnes' night, 21st day of\nJannary, take a row of pins, and pull out every one, one after\nanother, saying a Pater Noster, or (Our Father) sticking a pin in your\nsleeve, and you will dream of him, or her, you shall marry. Ben Jonson\nin one of his Masques make some mention of this.\n\n      And on sweet Saint Agnes night\n      Please you with the promis'd sight,\n      Some of husbands, some of lovers,\n      Which an empty dream discovers,\n\nAnother. *To know whom one shall marry.\n\nYou must lie in another county, and knit the left garter about the\nright legged stocking (let the other garter and stocking alone) and\nas you rehearse these following verses, at every comma, knit a knot.\n\n      This knot I knit,\n      To know the thing, I know not yet,\n      That I may see,\n      The man (woman) that shall my husband (wife) be,\n      How he goes, and what he wears,\n      And what he does, all days, and years.\n\nAccordingly in your dream you will see him: if a musician, with a\nlute or other instrument; if a scholar, with a book or papers.\n\nA gentlewoman that I knew, confessed in my hearing, that she used this\nmethod, and dreamt of her husband whom she had never seen: about two\nor three years after, as she was on Sunday at church, (at our Lady's\nchurch in Sarum) up pops a young Oxonian in the pulpit: she cries out\npresently to her sister, this is the very face of the man that I saw\nin my dream. Sir William Soames's Lady did the like.\n\nAnother way, is, to charm the moon thus: at the first appearance of\nthe new moon* after new year's day, go out in the evening, and stand\nover the spars of a gate or stile, looking on the moon and say, **\n\n      All hail to the moon, all hail to thee,\n      I prithee good moon reveal to me,\n      This night, who my husband (wife) must be.\n\nYou must presently after go to bed.\n\n* Some say any other new moon is as good.\n** In Yorkshire they kneel on a ground-fast stone.\n\nI knew two gentlewomen that did thus when they were young maids, and\nthey had dreams of those that married them.\n\nAlexander Tralianus, of curing diseases by spells, charms, &c. is\ncited by Casaubon, before John Dee's Book of Spirits: it is now\ntranslated out of the Greek into English.\n\nMoreri's Great Historical, Geographical, and Poetical Dictionary.\nAbracadabra, a mysterious word, to which the superstitious in former\ntimes attributed a magical power to expel diseases, especially the\ntertian-ague, worn about their neck in this manner.\n\nSome think, that Basilides, the inventor, intends the name of GOD by\nit. The method of the cure was prescribed in these verses.\n\n      \"Inscribes Chartae quod dicitur Abracadabra\n      Saepius, & subter repetes, sed detrahe summam\n      Et magis atque magis desint elementa figuris\n      Singula quae semper capies & caetera figes,\n      Donec in angustum redigatur Litera Conum,\n      His lina nexis collo redimire memento.\n      Talia languentis conducent Vincula collo,\n      Lethalesque abigent (miranda potentia) morbos\".\n\n\n      Abracadabra, strange mysterious word,\n      In order writ, can wond'rous cures afford.\n      This be the rule:-a strip of parchment take,\n      Cut like a pyramid revers'd in make.\n      Abracadabra, first at length you name,\n      Line under line, repeating still the same:\n      Cut at its end, each line, one letter less,\n      Must then its predecessor line express;\n      'Till less'ning by degrees the charm descends\n      With conic form, and in a letter ends.\n      Round the sick neck the finish'd wonder tie,\n      And pale disease must from the patient fly.\n\nMr. Schoot, a German, hath an excellent book of magick: it is\nprohibited in that country. I have here set down three spells, which\nare much approved.\n\n**To cure an Ague.\n\nWrite this following spell in parchment, and wear it about your neck.\nIt must be writ triangularly.\n\n      A B R A C A D A B R A\n       A B R A C A D A B R\n        A B R A C A D A B\n         A B R A C A D A\n          A B R A C A D\n           A B R A C A\n            A B R A C\n             A B R A\n              A B R\n               A B\n                A\n\nWith this spell, one of Wells, hath cured above a hundred of the ague.\n\n**To cure the biting of a Mad-Dog, write these words in paper, viz.\n\n\"Rebus Rubus Epitepscum\", and give it to the party, or beast bit, to\neat in bread, &c. A Gentleman of good quality, and a sober grave\nperson, did affirm, that this receipt never fails.\n\n**To cure the Tooth-Ach: out of Mr. Ashmole's manuscript writ with\nhis own hand.\n\n      \"Mars, hur, abursa, aburse\".\n      Jesu Christ for Mary's sake,\n      Take away this Tooth-Ach.\n\nWrite the words three times; and as you say the words, let the party\nburn one paper, then another, and then the last. He says, he saw it\nexperimented, and the party \"immediately cured.\"\n\nMr. Ashmole told me, that a woman made use of a spell to cure an ague,\nby the advice of Dr. Nepier; a minister came to her, and severely\nrepremanded her, for making use of a diabolical help, and told\nher, she was in danger of damnation for it, and commanded her to burn\nit. She did so, and her distemper returned severely; insomuch that she\nwas importunate with the Doctor to use the same again; she used it,\nand had ease. But the parson hearing of it, came to her again, and\nthundered hell and damnation, and frighted her so, that she burnt it\nagain. Whereupon she fell extremely ill, and would have had it a third\ntime; but the Doctor refused, saying, that she had contemned and\nslighted the power and goodness of the blessed spirits (or Angels) and\nso she died. The cause of the Lady Honywood's Desparation was, that\nshe had used a spell to cure her.\n\n      \"Jamblicus de Mysteriis de nominibus Divinis.\"\n\n\"Porphyrius querit, cur Sacerdotes utantur nominibus quibusdam nihil\nsignificantibus ? Jamblicus respondet, omnia ejusmodi nomina\nsignificare aliquid apud deos: quamvis in quibusdam significata\nnobis sint ignota, esse tamen nota quaedam, quorum interpretationem\ndivinitus accepimus, omnino vero modum ineis significandi\nineffabilem esse. Neque secundum imaginationes humanas, sed secundum\nintellectum qui in nobis est, divinus, vel potius simpliciore\npraestantiorieque modo secundum intellectum diis unitum. Auferendum\nigitur omnes excogitationes & rationales discursus, atque\nassimulationes naturalis vocis ipsius congenitas, ad res positas\ninnatum. Et quemadmodum character symbolicus divinae similitudinis in\nse intellectualis est, atque divinus, ita hunc ipsum in omnibus\nsupponnere, accipereque debemus, &c.\"\n\n      **Jamblicus, concerning the Mysteries relating to divine names.\n\nPorphyrius asks the question why Priests make use of certain names\nwhich carry with them no known import or signification ? Jamblicus\nreplies, that all and every of those sort of names have their\nrespective significations among the Gods, and that though the things\nsignified by some of them remain to us unknown, yet there are some\nwhich have come to our knowledge, the interpretation of which we\nhave received from above. But that the manner of signifying by them,\nis altogether ineffable. Not according to human imaginations, but\naccording to that divine intellect which reigns within us, or rather\naccording to an intellect that has an union with the Gods, in a more\nsimple and excellent manner. And whereas the symbolical character of\nthe divine likeness is in it self intellectual and divine, so are we\nto take and suppose it to be, in all, &c.\n\n      ** To cure an ague, Tertian or Quartan.\n\nGather Cinquefoil in a good aspect of {Jupiter} to the {Moon} and let\nthe moon be in the Mid-Heaven, if you can, and take --- of the powder\nof it in white wine: if it be not thus gathered according to the\nrules of astrology, it hath little or no virtue in it. With this\nreceipt --- one Bradley, a quaker at Kingston Wick upon Thames,\n(near the bridge end) hath cured above an hundred.\n\n      **To cure the Thrush.\n\nThere is a certain piece in the beef, called the mouse-piece, which\ngiven to the child, or party so affected to eat, doth certainly cure\nthe thrush. From an experienced midwife.\n\n      **Another to cure a Thrush.\n\nTake a living frog, and hold it in a cloth, that it does not go down\ninto the child's mouth; and put the head into the child's mouth 'till\nit is dead; and then take another frog, and do the same.\n\n      **To cure the Tooth-Ach.\n\nTake a new nail, and make the gum bleed with it, and then drive it\ninto an oak. This did cure William Neal's son, a very stout gentleman,\nwhen he was almost mad with the pain, and had a mind to have pistolled\nhimself.\n\n      **For the Jaundice.\n\nThe jaundice is cured, by putting the urine after the first sleep, to\nthe ashes of the ash-tree, bark of barberries.\n\n      **To cure a Bullock, that hath the Whisp,\n      (that is)lame between the Clees.\n\nTake the impression of the bullock's foot in the earth, where he hath\ntrod then dig it up, and stick therein five or seven thorns on the\nwrong side, and then hang it on a bush to dry: and as that dries, so\nthe bullock heals. This never fails for wisps. From Mr. Pacy, a yRoman\nin Surry.\n\n      **To cure a beast that is sprung, (that is) poisoned.\n\nIt lights mostly upon Sheep.\nTake the little red spider, called a tentbob, (not so big as a great\npins-head) the first you light upon in the spring of the year, and rub\nit in the palm of your hand all to pieces: and having so done, piss\non it, and rub it in, and let it dry; then come to the beast and make\nwater in your hand, and throw it in his mouth. It cures in a matter of\nan hour's time. This rubbing serves for a whole year, and it is no\ndanger to the hand. The chiefest skill is to know whether the beast be\npoisoned or no. From Mr. Pacy.\n\n      **To staunch Bleeding.\n\nOut an ash of one, two, or three years growth, at the very hour and\nminute of the sun's entring into Taurus: a chip of this applied will\nstop it; if it is a shoot, it must be cut from the ground. Mr. Nicholas\nMercator, astronomer, told me that he had tried it with\neffect. Mr. G. W. says the stick must not be bound or holden; but\ndipped or wetted in the blood. When King James II. was at Salisbury,\n1688, his nose bled near two days; and after many essays in vain, was\nstopped by this sympathetick ash, which Mr. William Nash, a surgeon in\nSalisbury, applied.\n\n      **Against an evil Tongue.\n\nTake Unguentum populeum and Vervain, and Hypericon, and put a red hot\niron into it; you must anoint the back bone, or wear it on your\nbreast. This is printed in Mr. W. Lilly's Astrology. Mr. H. C. hath\ntried this receipt with good success.\n\n      Vervain and dill,\n      Hinders witches from their will.\n\nA house (or chamber) somewhere in London, was haunted; the curtains\nwould be rashed at night, and awake the gentleman that lay there, who\nwas musical, and a familiar acquaintance of Henry Lawes. Henry Lawes\nto be satisfied did lie with him; and the curtains were rashed so\nthen. The gentleman grew lean and pale with the frights; one Dr. ---\ncured the house of this disturbance, and Mr. Lawes said,that the\nprincipal ingredient was Hypericon put under his pillow.\n\nIn Herefordshire, and other parts, they do put a cold iron bar upon\ntheir barrels, to preserve their beer from being soured by thunder.\nThis is a common practice in Kent.\n\nTo hinder the night mare, they hang in a string, a flint with a hole\nin it (naturally) by the manger; but best of all they say, hung about\ntheir necks, and a flint will do it that hath not a hole in it. It is\nto prevent the nightmare, viz. the hag, from riding their horses, who\nwill sometimes sweat all night. The flint thus hung does hinder it.\n\nMr. Sp. told me that his horse which was bewitched, would break\nbridles and strong halters, like a Samson. They filled a bottle of the\nhorse's urine, stopped it with a cork and bound it fast in, and then\nburied it underground: and the party suspected to be the witch, fell\nill, that he could not make water, of which he died. When they took\nup. the bottle, the urine was almost gone; so, that they did believe,\nthat if the fellow could have lived a little longer, he had recovered.\n\nIt is a thing very common to nail horse-shoes on the thresholds of\ndoors: which is to hinder the power of witches that enter into the\nhouse. Most houses of the West end of London, have the horse-shoe on\nthe threshold. It should be a horse-shoe that one finds. In the\nBermudas, they use to put an iron into the fire when a witch comes in.\nMars is enemy to Saturn. There are very memorable stories of witches\nin Gage's Survey of the West-Indies of his own Knowledge: which see.\n\nAt Paris when it begins to thunder and lighten, they do presently ring\nout the great bell at the Abbey of St. Germain, which they do believe\nmakes it cease. The like was wont to be done heretofore in Wiltshire;\nwhen it thundered and lightened, they did ring St. Aldhelm's bell, at\nMalmsbury Abbey. The curious do say, that the ringing of bells\nexceedingly disturbs spirits.\n\nIn the Golden Legend by W. de Worde. It is said the evill spirytes\nthat ben in the regyon of th'ayre doubte moche whan they here the\nbelles rongen. And this is the cause why the belles ben rongen whan it\nthondreth, and whan grete tempeste aud outrages of wether happen to\nthe ende that the feudes and wycked spirytes shold be abasshed, and\nflee and cease of the movynge of tempeste. Fol. xxiv.\n\n\n      TRANSPORTATION BY AN\n      INVISIBLE POWER.\n\n\n**A Letter from the Reverend Mr. Andrew Paschal, B.D. Rector of\nChedzoy in Somersetshire, to John Aubrey, Esq. at Gresham College,\nLondon.\n\nSIR,\n\nI LAST week received a letter from a learned friend, the minister of\nBarnstable in Devon, which I think worthy your perusal. It was dated\nMay 3, 1683, and is as follows. (He was of my time in Queen's\nCollege, Cambridge.)\n\nThere having been many prodigious things performed lately in a parish\nadjoining to that which Bishop Sparrow presented me to, called\nCheriton-Bishop, by some discontented daemon, I can easily remember,\nthat I owe you an account thereof, in lieu of that which you desired\nof me, and which I could not serve you in.\n\nAbout November last, in the parish of Spreyton in the county of Devon,\nthere appeared in a field near the dwelling house of Philip Furze, to\nhis servant Francis Pry, being of the age of twenty-one, next\nAugust, an aged gentleman with a pole in his hand, and like that he\nwas wont to carry about with him when living, to kill moles withal,\nwho told the young man he should not be afraid of him; but should tell\nhis master, i. e. his son, that several legacies that he had\nbequeathed were unpaid, naming ten shillings to one, ten shillings to\nanother, &c. Pry replied, that the party he last named was dead. The\nSpectrum replied, he knew that, but said it must be paid to (and\nnamed) the next relation. These things being performed, he promised he\n would trouble him no further. These small legacies were paid\naccordingly. But the young man having carried twenty shillings ordered\nby the Spectrum to his sister Mrs. Furze, of the parish of Staverton\nnear Totness, which money the gentlewoman refused to receive, being\nsent her, as she said, from the Devil. The same night Fry lodging\nthere, the Spectrum appeared to him again, whereupon Fry challenged\nhis promise not to trouble him, and said he had done all he desired\nhim; but that Mrs. Furze would not receive the money. The Spectrum\nreplied, that is true indeed; but bid him ride to Totness and buy a\nring of that value, and that she would take. Which was provided for\nher and received by her. Then Fry rode homewards attended by a servant\nof Mrs. Furze. But being come into Spreyton parish, or rather a little\nbefore, he seemed to carry an old gentlewoman behind him, that often\nthrew him off his horse, and hurried him with such violence, as\nastonished all that saw him, or heard how horridly the ground was\nbeaten; and being come into his master's yard, Pry's horse (a mean\nbeast) sprung at once twenty-five feet. The trouble from the man-\nspectre ceased from this time. But the old gentlewoman, Mrs. Furze,\nMr. Furze's second wife, whom the Spectre at his first appearance to\nFry, called, that wicked woman my wife, (though I knew her, and took\nher for a very good woman) presently after appears to several in the\nhouse, viz. to Fry, Mrs. Thomasin Gidley, Anne Langdon, born in my\nparish, and to a little child which was forced to be removed from the\nhouse; sometimes in her own shape, sometimes in shapes more horrid, as\nof a dog belching fire, and of a horse, and seeming to ride out of the\nwindow, carrying only one pane of glass away, and a little piece of\niron. After this Fry's head was thrust into a narrow space, where a\nman's fist could not enter, between a bed and a wall; and forced to be\ntaken thence by the strength of men, all bruised and bloody; upon this\nit was thought fit to bleed him; and after that was done, the binder\nwas removed from his arm, and conveyed about his middle and presently\nwas drawn so very straight, it had almost killed him, and was cut\nasunder, making an ugly uncouth noise. Several other times with\nhandkerchiefs, cravats and other things he was near strangled, they\nwere drawn so close upon his throat. He lay one night in his periwig\n(in his master's chamber, for the more safety) which was torn all to\npieces. His best periwig he inclosed in a little box on the inside\nwith a joined-stool, and other weight upon it; the box was snapped\nasunder, and the wig torn all to flitters. His master saw his buckles\nfall all to pieces on his feet. But first I should have told you the\nfate of his shoe strings, one of which a gentlewoman greater than all\nexception, assured me, that she saw it come out of his shoe, without\nany visible hand, and fling itself to the farther end of the room; the\nother was coming out too, but that a maid prevented and helped it out,\nwhich crisped and curled about her hand like a living eel. The cloaths\nworn by Anne Langdon and Fry, (if their own) were torn to pieces on\ntheir backs. The same gentlewoman, being the daughter of the minister\nof the parish, Mr. Roger Specott, showed me one of Fry's gloves, which\nwas torn in his pocket while she was by. I did view it near and\nnarrowly, and do seriously confess that it was torn so very accurately\nin all the seams and in other places, and laid abroad so artificially,\nand it is so dexterously tattered, (and all done in the pocket in a\nminute's time) as nothing human could have done it; no cutler could\nhave made an engine to do it so. Other fantastical freeks have been\nvery frequent, as the marching of a great barrel full of salt out of\none room into another; an andiron laying itself over a pan of milk\nthat was scalding on the fire, and two flitches of bacon descending\nfrom the chimney where they hung, and laid themselves over that\nandiron. The appearing of the Spectrum (when in her own shape) in the\nsame cloaths, to seeming, which Mrs. Furze her daughter-in-law has on.\nThe intangling of Fry's face and legs, about his neck, and about the\nframe of the chairs, so as they have been with great difficulty\ndisengaged.\n\nBut the most remarkable of all happened in that day that I passed by\nthe door in my return hither, which was Easter-eve, when Fry returning\nfrom work (that little he can do) he was caught by the woman spectre\nby the skirts of his doublet, and carried into the air; he was quickly\nmissed by his master and the workmen, and a great enquiry was made for\nFrancis Fry, but no hearing of him; but about half-an-hour after Fry\nwas heard whistling and singing in a kind of a quagmire. He was now\naffected as he was wont to be in his fits, so that none regarded what\nhe said; but coming to himself an hour after, he solemnly protested,\nthat the daemon carried him so high that he saw his master's house\nunderneath him no bigger than a hay-cock, that he was in perfect\nsense, and prayed God not to suffer the Devil to destroy him;\nthat he was suddenly set down in that quagmire. The workmen found one\nshoe on one side of the house, and the other shoe on the other side;\nhis periwig was espied next morning hanging on the top of a tall\ntree. It was soon observed, that Fry's part of his body that had laid\nin the mud, was much benumed, and therefore the next Saturday, which\nwas the eve of Low-Sunday, they carried him to Crediton to be let\nblood; which being done, and the company having left him for a little\nwhile, returning they found him in a fit, with his forehead all\nbruised and swoln to a great bigness, none able to guess how it came,\ntill he recovered himself, and then he told them, that a bird flew in\nat the window with a great force, and with a stone in its mouth flew\ndirectly against his forehead. The people looked for it, and found on\nthe ground just under where he sat, not a stone, but a weight of brass\nor copper, which the people were breaking, and parting it among\nthemselves. He was so very ill, that he could ride but one mile or\nlittle more that night, since which time I have not heard of him, save\nthat he was ill handled the next day, being Sunday. Indeed Sir, you\nmay wonder that I have not visited that house, and the poor afflicted\npeople; especially, since I was so near, and passed by the very door:\nbut besides that, they have called to their assistance none but\nnonconforming ministers. I was not qualified to be welcome there,\nhaving given Mr. Furze a great deal of trouble the last year about a\nconventicle in his house, where one of this parish was the preacher.\nBut I am very well assured of the truth of what I have written, and\n(as more appears) you shall hear from me again.\n\nI had forgot to tell you that Fry's mother came to me, grievously\nbewailing the miserable condition of her son. She told me, that the\nday before he had five pins thrust into his side. She asked; and I\ngave her the best advice I could. Particularly, that her son should\ndeclare all that the spectre, especially the woman gave him in charge,\nfor I suspect, there is \"aliquid latens\"; and that she should remove him\nthence by all means. But I fear that she will not do it. For I hear\nthat Anne Langdon is come into my parish to her mother, and that she\nis grievously troubled there. I might have written as much of her, as\nof Fry, for she had been as ill treated, saving the aerial journey.\nHer fits and obsessions seem to be greater, for she screeches in a\nmost hellish tone. Thomasin Gidley (though removed) is in trouble I\nhear.\n\nSir, this is all my friend wrote. This letter came inclosed in\nanother from a clergyman, my friend, who lives in those parts. He\ntells me all the relations he receives from divers persons living in\nSpreyton and the neighbouring parishes, agree with this. He spake\nwith a gentleman of good fashion, that was at Crediton when Fry was\nblooded, and saw the stone that bruised his forehead; but he did not\ncall it copper or brass, but said it was a strange mineral. That\ngentleman promised to make a strict inquiry on the place into all\nparticulars, and to give him the result: which my friend also promises\nme; with hopes that he shall procure for me a piece of that mineral\nsubstance, which hurt his forehead.\n\nThe occasion of my friend's sending me this narrative, was my\nentreating him sometime since, to inquire into a thing of this nature,\nthat happened in Barnstable, where he lives. An account was given to\nme long since, it fills a sheet or two, which I have by me: and to\ngratify Mr. Glanvil who is collecting histories for his \"Sadducismus\nTriumphatus\". I desired to have it well attested, it being full of very\nmemorable things; but it seems he could meet only a general consent as\nto the truth of the things; the reports varying in the circumstances.\n\nSir, Yours.\n\n\n      **A Copy of a Letter from a learned Friend of mine in SCOTLAND, dated\n      March 25, 1695.\n\nHONOURED SIR,\n\nI RECEIVED yours dated May 24th, 1694, in which you desire me to\nsend you some instances and examples of Transportation by an Invisible\nPower. The true cause of my delaying so long, to reply to that letter,\nwas not want of kindness; but of fit materials for such a reply.\n\nAs soon as I read your letter of May 24, I called to mind, a story\nwhich I heard long ago, concerning one of the Lord Duffus, (in the\nshire of Murray) his predicessors of whom it is reported, that upon a\ntime, when he was walking abroad in the fields near to his own house,\nhe was suddenly carried away, and found the next day at Paris in the\nFrench King's cellar, with a silver cup in his hand; that being\nbrought into the King's presence and questioned by him, who he was ?\nand how he came thither ? he told his name, his country, and the place\nof his residence, and that on such a day of the month (which proved to\nbe the day immediately preceding) being in the fields, he heard the\nnoise of a whirl-wind, and of voices crying Horse and Hattock, (this\nis the word which the fairies are said to use when they remove from\nany place) whereupon he cried (Horse and Hattock) also, and was\nimmediately caught up, and transported through the air, by the fairies\nto that place, where after he had drank heartily he fell asleep, and\nbefore he awoke, the rest of the company were gone, and had left him\nin posture wherein he was found. It is said, the King gave him the cup\nwhich was found in his hand, and dismissed him.\n\nThis story (if it could be sufficiently attested) would be a noble\ninstance for your purpose, for which cause I was at some pains to\nenquire into the truth of it, and found the means to get the present\nLord Duffus's opinion thereof; which shortly is, that there has been,\nand is such a tradition, but that he thinks it fabulous; this account\nof it, his Lordship had from his father, who told him that he had it\nfrom his father, the present Lord's grandfather; there is yet an old\nsilver cup in his Lordship's possession still, which is called the\nFairy Cup; but has nothing engraven upon it, except the arms of the\nfamily.\n\nThe gentleman, by whose means I came to know the Lord Duffus's\nsentiment of the foregoing story, being tutor to his Lordship's eldest\nson, told me another little passage of the same nature, whereof he was\nan eye witness. He reports, that when he was a boy at school in the\ntown of Torres, yet not so young, but that he had years and\ncapacity, both to observe and remember that which fell out; he and his\nschool-fellows were upon a time whipping their tops in the church-yard\nbefore the door of the church; though the day was calm, they heard a\nnoise of a wind, and at some distance saw the small dust begin to\narise and turn round, which motion continued, advancing till it came\nto the place where they were; whereupon they began to bless\nthemselves: but one of their number (being it seems a little more\nbold and confident than his companions) said, Horse and Hattock with\nmy top, and immediately they all saw the top lifted up from the\nground; but could not see what way it was carried, by reason of a\ncloud of dust which was raised at the same time: they sought for the\ntop all about the place where it was taken up, but in vain; and it was\nfound afterwards in the church-yard, on the other side of the church.\nMr. Steward (so is the gentleman called) declared to me that he had a\nperfect remembrance of this matter.\n\nThe following account I received, November last, from Mr. Alexander\nMowat, a person of great integrity and judgment, who being minister at\nthe church at Lesley, in the shire of Aberdene, was turned out for\nrefusing the oath of test, anno 1681. He informs, that he heard the\nlate Earl of Caithness, who was married to a daughter of the late\nMarquis of Argyle, tell the following story, viz. That upon a time,\nwhen a vessel which his Lordship kept for bringing home wine and other\nprovisions for his house, was at sea; a common fellow, who was reputed\nto have the second-sight, being occasionally at his house; the Earl\nenquired of him, where his men (meaning those in the ship) were at\nthat present time ? the fellow replied, at such a place, by name,\nwithin four hours sailing of the harbour, which was not far from the\nplace of his Lordship's residence: the Earl asked, what evidence he\ncould give for that ? the other replied, that he had lately been at\nthe place, and had brought away with him one of the seamen's caps,\nwhich he delivered to his Lordship. At the four hours end, the Earl\nwent down himself to the harbour, where he found the ship newly\narrived, and in it one of the seamen without his cap; who being\nquestioned, how he came to lose his cap ? answered, that at such a\nplace (the same the second-sighted man had named before) there arose a\nwhirl-wind which endangered the ship, and carried away his cap: the\nEarl asked, if he would know his cap when he saw it ? he said he\nwould; whereupon the Earl produced the cap, and the seaman owned it\nfor that, which was taken from him.\n\nThis is all the information which I can give at present concerning\nTransportation by an Invisible Power. I am sorry that I am able to\ncontribute so little to the publishing of so curious a piece as it\nseems your collection of Hermetick Philosophy will be. I have given\ninstructions to an acquaintance of mine now living at Kirkwall, and\ntook him engaged when he left this place, to inform him concerning the\nold stone monuments, the plants and cures in the Orcades, and to send\nme an account. But I have not heard from him as yet, though I caused a\nfriend that was writing to him, to put him in mind of his promise; the\noccasions of correspondence betwixt this place and Orkney are very\nrare.\n\nSIR,\nYour faithful affectionate friend\nAnd servant,\nJ. G.\n\nSIR,\n\n'Tis very likely my Lord Keeper, [North] (if an account of a thing so\nconsiderable, hath not been presented to him by another hand) will\ntake it kindly from you. I would transcribe it for Dr. Henry More, to\nwhom, as I remember, I promised some time since an account of the\nBarnstable apparition; but my hands are full of work. May I beg of you\nto visit Dr. Whitchcot, minister of St. Laurence church, and to\ncommunicate a sight of this letter from Barnstable: probably he will\nbe willing to make his servant transcribe it, and to convey it to Dr.\nMore. Pray present my humble service to him, as also my affectionate\nservice to our friends Mr. Hook and Mr. Lodwick. I ever rest, SIR,\n\nYour most faithful\nAnd affectionate servant,\n\nChedzoy.            ANDREW PASCHAL.\n\n\nTHERE was in Scotland one --- (an obsessus) carried in the air several\ntimes in the view of several persons, his fellow-soldiers. Major\nHenton hath seen him carried away from the guard in Scotland,\nsometimes a mile or two. Sundry persons are living now, (1671) that\ncan attest this story. I had it from Sir Robert Harley (the son) who\nmarried Major Henton's widow; as also from E. T. D. D.\n\nA gentleman of my acquaintance, Mr. M. was in Portugal, anno 1655,\nwhen one was burnt by the inquisition for being brought thither from\nGoa, in East-India, in the air, in an incredible short time.\n\n\n      VISIONS IN A BERYL OR CRYSTAL.\n\n\nBERYL is a kind of Crystal that hath a weal tincture of red; it is one\nof the twelve stones mentioned in the Revelation. I have heard,* that\nspectacles were first made of this stone, which is the reason that the\nGermans do call a spectacle-glass (or pair of spectacles) a Brill.\n\n*Dr J. Pell\n\nDr. Pocock of Oxford, in his Commentary on Hosea, hath a learned\ndiscourse of the Urim and Thummim; as also Dr. Spenser of Cambridge.\nThat the priest had his visions in the stone of the breast plate.\n\nThe Prophets had their seers, viz. young youths who were to behold\nthose visions, of whom Mr. Abraham Cowley writes thus.\n\n      With hasty wings, time present they out-fly,\n      And tread the doubtful maze of destiny;\n      There walk and sport among the years to come,\n      And with quick eye pierce every causes womb.\n\nThe magicians now use a crystal sphere, or mineral pearl, as No. 3,\nfor this purpose, which is inspected by a boy, or sometimes by the\nquerent himself.\n\nNo. 3. {Illustration}\n\nThere are certain formulas of prayer to be used, before they make the\ninspection, which they term a call. In a manuscript of Dr. Forman of\nLambeth, (which Mr. Elias Ashmole had) is a discourse of this, and the\nprayer. Also there is the call which Dr. Nepier did use.\n\nJames Harrington (author of Oceana) told me that the Earl of Denbigh,\nthen Ambassador at Venice, did tell him, that one did shew him there\nseveral times in a glass, things past and to come.\n\nWhen Sir Marmaduke Langdale was in Italy, he went to one of those\nMagi, who did shew him a glass, where he saw himself kneeling before a\ncrucifix: he was then a Protestant; afterwards he became a Roman\nCatholick. He told Mr. Thomas Henshaw, E.S.S., this himself.\n\nI have here set down the figure of a consecrated Beryl, as No. 4, now\nin the possession of Sir Edward Harley, Knight of the Bath, which he\n keeps in his closet at Brampton-Bryan in Herefordshire, amongst his\nCimelia, which I saw there. It came first from Norfolk; a minister had\nit there, and a call was to be used with it. Afterwards a miller had\nit, and both did work great cures with it, (if curable) and in the\nBeryl they did see, either the receipt in writing, or else the herb.\nTo this minister, the spirits or angels would appear openly, and\nbecause the miller (who was his familiar friend) one day happened to\nsee them, he gave him the aforesaid Beryl and Call: by these angels\nthe minister was forewarned of his death.\n\nNo. 4. {Illustration}\n\nThis account I had from Mr. Ashmole. Afterwards this Beryl came into\nsome-body's hand in London, who did tell strange things by it;\ninsomuch that at last he was questioned for it, and it was taken away\nby authority, (it was about 1645).\n\nThis Beryl is a perfect sphere, the diameter of it I guess to be\nsomething more than an inch: it is set in a ring, or circle of silver\nresembling the meridian of a globe: the stem of it is about ten\ninches high, all gilt. At the four quarters of it are the names of\nfour angels, viz. Uriel, Raphael, Michael, Gabriel. On the top is a\ncross patee.\n\nSam. Boisardus hath writ a book \"de Divinatione per Crystallum\".\n\nA clothier's widow of Pembridge in Herefordshire, desired Dr.\nSherborne (one of the canons of the church of Hereford, and Rector of\nPembridge) to look over her husband's writings after his decease:\namong other things he found a call for a crystal. The clothier had his\ncloths oftentimes stolen from his racks; and at last obtained this\ntrick to discover the thieves. So when he lost his cloths, he went out\nabout midnight with his crystal and call, and a little boy, or little\nmaid with him (for they say it must be a pure virgin) to look in the\ncrystal, to see the likeness of the person that committed the theft.\nThe doctor did burn the call, 1671.\n\n\nVISIONS WITHOUT A GLASS OR CRYSTAL.\n\n\nABOUT the latter end of the reign of King James I. one --- a taylor in\nLondon, had several visions, which he did describe to a painter to\npaint, and he writ the description himself in an ill taylor-like hand,\nin false English, but legible: it was at least a quire of paper. I\nremember one vision is of St. James's park, where is the picture of an\naltar and crucifix. Mr. Butler'of the toy-shop by Ludgate, (one of the\nmasters of Bridewell) had the book in anno 1659; the then Earl of\nNorthampton gave five pounds for a copy of it.\n\n\nCONVERSE WITH ANGELS AND SPIRITS.\n\n\nDR. RICHARD NEPIER was a person of great abstinence, innocence, and\npiety: he spent every day two hours in family prayer: when a patient\nor querent came to him, he presently went to his closet to pray: and\ntold to admiration the recovery, or death of the patient. It appears\nby his papers, that he did converse with the angel Raphael, who gave\nhim the responses.\n\nElias Ashmole, Esq. had all his papers, where is contained all his\npractice for about fifty years; which he, Mr. Ashmole, carefully bound\nup, according to the year of our Lord, in --- volumes in folio; which\nare now reposited in the library of the Musseum in Oxford. Before the\nresponses stands this mark, viz. R. Ris. which Mr. Ashmole said was\nResponsum Raphaelis.\n\nIn these papers are many excellent medicines, or receipts for several\ndiseases that his patients had; and before some of them is the\naforesaid mark, Mr. Ashmole took the pains to transcribe fairly with\nhis own hand all the receipts; they are about a quire and a half of\npaper in folio, which since his death were bought of his relict by\nE. W. Esq. E.S.S.\n\nThe angel told him if the patient were curable or incurable.\n\nThere are also several other queries to the angel, as to religion,\ntransubstantiation, &c. which I have forgot. I remember one is,\nwhether the good spirits or the bad be most in number ? R. Ris. The\ngood.\n\nIt is to be found there, that he told John Prideaux, D.D. anno 1621,\nthat twenty years hence (1641) he would be a bishop, and he was so,\nsc. bishop of Worcester. '\n\nR. Ris. did resolve him, that Mr. Booth, of --- in Cheshire, should\nhave a son that should inherit three years hence, [sc. Sir George\nBooth, the first Lord Delamere] viz. from 1619, Sir George Booth\naforesaid was born, December 18, anno 1622.\n\nThis I extracted out of Dr. Nepier's Original Diary, then in\npossession of Mr. Ashmole.\n\nWhen E. W. Esq. was about eight years old, he was troubled with the\nworms. His grand father carried him to Dr. Nepier at Lynford. Mr. E.\nW. peeped in at the closet at the end of the gallery, and saw him upon\nhis knees at prayer. The Doctor told Sir Francis that at fourteen\nyears old his grandson would be freed from that distemper; and he was\nso. The medicine he prescribed was, to drink a little draught of\nMuscadine in the morning. 'Twas about 1625.\n\nIt is impossible that the prediction of Sir George Booth's birth could\nbe found any other way, but by angelical revelation.\n\nThis Dr. Richard Nepier was rector of Lynford in Bucks, and did\npractise physic; but gave most to the poor that he got by it. 'Tis\ncertain he told his own death to a day and hour; he died praying upon\nhis knees, being of a very great age, April 1, 1634. He was nearly\nrelated to the learned Lord Nepier, Baron of M-- in Scotland: I have\nforgot whether his brother. His knees were horny with frequent\npraying. He left his estate to Sir Richard Nepier, M.D. of the college\nof physicians, London, from whom Mr. Ashmole had the Doctor's picture,\nnow in the Musseum.\n\nDr. Richard Nepier, rector of Lynford, was a good astrologer, and so\nwas Mr. Marsh of Dunstable; but Mr. Marsh did seriously confess to a\nfriend of mine, that astrology was but the countenance; and that he\ndid his business by the help of the blessed spirits; with whom only\nmen of great piety, humility and charity, could be acquainted; and\nsuch a one he was. He was an hundred years old when my friend was with\nhim; and yet did understand himself very well.\n\nAt Ashbridge in Buckinghamshire, near Berkhamsted, was a monastery,\n(now in the possession of the Earl of Bridgewater) where are excellent\ngood old paintings still to be seen. In this monastery was found an\nold manuscript entitled Johannes de Rupescissa, since printed, (or\npart of it) a chymical book, wherein are many receipts; among others,\nto free a house haunted with evil spirits, by fumes: Mr. Marsh had\nit, and did cure houses so haunted by it. Ovid in his festivals hath\nsomething like it. See \"Thesaurus Exorcismorum\" writ by --- e Societate\nJesu. Oct. Wherein are several high physical and medicinal things.\n\nGood spirits are delighted and allured by sweet perfumes, as rich\ngums, frankincense, salts, &c. which was the reason that priests of\nthe Gentiles, and also the Christians used them in their temples, and\nsacrifices: and on the contrary, evil spirits are pleased and allured\nand called up by suffumigations of Henbane, &c. stinking smells, &c.\nwhich the witches do use in their conjuration. Toads (saturnine\nanimals) are killed by putting of salt upon them; I have seen the\nexperiment. Magical writers say, that cedar-wood drives away evil\nspirits; it was, and is much used in magnificent temples.\n\n      Plinii Natural Hist. lib. 12, cap. 14.\n\"Alexandra Magno in pueritia sine parsimonia thura ingerenti aris,\npaedagogus Leonides dixerat, ut illo modo, cum devicisset thuriferas\ngentes, supplicaret. At ille Arabia potitus; thure onustam navim\nmisit ei, large exhortatus, ut Deos adoraret\".\n\ni. e. As Alexander the great, in the time of his minority, was\nheaping incense upon the altars, even to a degree of religious\nprodigality, his preceptor Leonidas told him, that he should prefer\nhis supplications to the Gods after that free manner, when he had\nsubdued the nations, whose produce was frankincense. And he, as soon\nas he had made himself master of Arabia, sent him accordingly a ship\nladen with incense, and with it ample exhortations to adore the Gods.\n\nOne says, why should one think the intellectual world less peopled\nthan the material? Pliny, in his Natural History, lib. --- cap. -\ntells us that in Africa, do sometimes appear multitudes of aerial\nshapes, which suddenly vanish. Mr. Richard Baxter in his Certainty\nof the Worlds of Spirits, (the last book he writ, not long before his\ndeath) hath a discourse of angels; and wonders they are so little\ntaken notice of; he hath counted in Newman's Concordance of the Bible,\nthe word angel, in above three hundred places.\n\nHugo Grotius in his Annotations on Jonah, speaking of Niniveh, says,\nthat history has divers examples, that after a great and hearty\nhumiliation, God delivered cities, &c. from their calamities. Some did\nobserve in the late civil wars, that the Parliament, after a\nhumiliation, did shortly obtain a victory. And as a three-fold chord\nis not easily broken, so when a whole nation shall conjoin in fervent\nprayer and supplication, it shall produce wonderful effects. William\nLaud, Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, in a sermon preached before the\nParliament, about the beginning of the reign of King Charles I.\naffirms the power of prayer to be so great, that though there be a\nconjunction or opposition of Saturn or Mars, (as there was one of them\nthen) it will overcome the malignity of it. In the life of Vavasor\nPowel, is a memorable account of the effect of fervent prayer, after an\nexceeding drought: and Mr. Baxter (in his book aforementioned) hath\nseveral instances of that kind, which see.\n\n      **St. Michael and all Angels.\n      The Collect.\n\n0 everlasting God, who hast ordered and constituted the services of\nmen and angels, after a wonderful manner: mercifully grant, that as\nthy holy angels always do thee service in Heaven: so by thy\nappointment, they may succour and defend us, through Jesus Christ our\nLord. Amen.\n\n\n      CORPS-CANDLES IN WALES.\n\n\n      **Part of a Letter to MR. BAXTER.\n\nSIR\n\nI AM to give you the best satisfaction I can touching those fiery\napparitions* (Corps Candles) which do as it were mark out the way for\ncorpses to their {Greek text: Koimeterion} and sometimes before the\nparties themselves fall sick, and sometimes in their sickness. I could\nnever hear in England of these, they are common in these three\ncounties, viz. Cardigan, Carmarthen, and Pembroke, and as I hear in\nsome other parts of Wales.**\n\n* Mr. Baxter's Certainty of the Worlds of Spirits, p. 137.\n** And Radnor.\n\nThese {Greek text: Phantasmata} in our language, we call Canhwyllan\nCyrph, (i.e.) Corps Candles; and candles we call them, not that we\nsee any thing besides the light; but because that light doth as much\nresemble a material candle-light as eggs do eggs, saving, that in\ntheir journey these candles be \"modo apparentes, modo disparentes\",\nespecially, when one comes near them; and if one come in the way\nagainst them, unto whom they vanish; but presently appear behind and\nhold on their course. If it be a little candle pale or bluish, then\nfollows the corps either of an abortive or some infant; if a big one,\nthen the corps of some one come to age: if there be seen two, or\nthree, or more, some big, some small together, then so many and such\ncorpses together. If two candles come from divers places, and be seen\nto meet, the corpses will the like; if any of these candles are seen\nto turn, sometimes a little out of the way, or path, that leadeth to\nthe church, the following corps will be forced to turn in that very\nplace, for the avoiding some dirty lane or plash, &c. Now let us fall\nto evidence. Being about the age of fifteen, dwelling at Lanylar, late\nat night, some neighbour saw one of these candles hovering up and down\nalong the river bank, until they were weary in beholding it, at last\nthey left it so, and went to bed. A few weeks after came a proper\ndamsel from Montgomeryshire, to see her friends, who dwelt on the\nother side of that river Istwith, and thought to ford the river at\nthat very place where the light was seen; being dissuaded by some\nlookers on (some it is most likely of those that saw the light) to\nadventure on the water, which was high by reason of a flood: she\nwalked up and down along the river bank, even where, and even as the\naforesaid candle did, waiting for the falling of the water; which at\nlast she took, but too soon for her, for she was drowned therein. Of\nlate my sexton's wife, an aged understanding woman, saw from her bed,\na little bluish candle on her tables-end; within two or three days\nafter, came a fellow enquiring for her husband, and taking something\nfrom under his cloak, claped it down upon the tables-end; it was a\ndead born child.\n\nAnother time, the same woman saw such another candle upon the end of\nthe self same table; within a few days after a weak child newly\nchristened by me, was brought to the sexton's house, where presently\nhe died: and when the sexton's wife, who was then abroad, came home,\nshe found the child on the other end of the table, where she had seen\nthe candle.\n\nSome thirty or forty years since, my wife's sister, being nurse to\nBaronet Rudd's three eldest children, and (the Lady mistress being\ndead) the Lady comptroller of the house going late into the chamber\nwhere the maid servants lay, saw no less than five of these lights\ntogether. It happened a while after, that the chamber being newly\nplaistered, and a grate of coal fire therein kindled to hasten the\ndrying of the plaister, that five of the maid servants went to bed as\nthey were wont (but as it fell out) too soon; for in the morning they\nwere all dead, being suffocated in their sleep with the steam of the\nnew tempered lime and coal. This was at Langathen in Carmarthenshire.\n--- Jo. Davis. See more.---\n\nGenerglyn, March 1656.\n\nTo this account of Mr. Davis, I will subjoin what my worthy friend and\nneighbour Randal Caldicot, D.D. hath affirmed to me many years since,\nviz. When any Christian is drowned in the river Dee, there will\nappear over the water where the corps is, a light, by which means they\ndo find the body: and it is therefore called the Holy Dee. The\ndoctor's father was Mr. Caldicot, of Caldicot in Cheshire, which lies\non the river.\n\n\n      ORACLES.\n\n\nHIERONIMUS Cardanus, lib. 3, \"Synesiorum Somniorum\", cap. 15,\ntreats of this subject, which see. Johannes Scotus Erigena, when he was in\nGreece, did go to an Oracle to enquire for a Treatise of Aristotle,\nand found it, by the response of the oracle. This he mentions in his\nworks lately printed at Oxford; and is quoted by Mr. Anthony a Wood in\nhis Antiquities of Oxon, in his life. He lived before the conquest,\nand taught Greek at the Abby in Malmesbury, where his scholars stabbed\nhim with their penknives for his severity to them. Leland mentions\nthat his statue was in the choir there.\n\n\n      ECSTACY.\n\n\nCardanus, lib. 2. Synes. Somniorum, cap. 8.\n\n\"IN Ecstasin multis modis dilabuntur homines, aut per Syncopen, aut\nanimi deliquium, aut etiam proprie abducto omni sensu externo, absque\nalia Causa. Id vero contingit consuetis plerunque, & nimio affectu\nalicujus rei laborantibus; --- Ecstasis medium est inter vigiliam &\nsomnium, sicut somnus inter mortem & vigiliam, seuvitam --- Visa in\nEcstasi certiora insomniis: Clariora & evidentiora --- Ecstasi\ndeprehensi audire possunt, qui dormiunt non possunt\".\n\nMen fall into an Ecstacy many ways, either by a syncope, by a\nvanishing and absence of the spirits, or else by the withdrawing of\nevery external sense without any other cause. It most commonly happens\nto those who are over sollicitous or fix their whole minds upon doing\nany one particular thing. An Ecstacy is a kind of medium between\nsleeping and waking, as sleep is a kind of middle state between life\nand death. Things seen in an Ecstacy are more certain than those we\nbehold in dreams: they are much more clear, and far more evident.\nThose seized with an Ecstacy can hear, those who sleep cannot.\n\nAnno 1670, a poor widow's daughter in Herefordshire, went to service\nnot far from Harwood (the seat of Sir John Hoskins, Bart. R.S.S.) She\nwas aged near about twenty; fell very ill, even to the point of death;\nher mother was old and feeble, and her daughter was the comfort of her\nlife; if she should die, she knew not what to do: she besought God\nupon her knees in prayer, that he would be pleased to spare her\ndaughter's life, and take her to him: at this very time, the daughter\nfell into a trance, which continued about an hour: they thought she\nhad been dead: when she recovered out of it, she declared the vision\nshe had in this fit, viz. that one in black habit came to her, whose\nface was so bright and glorious she could not behold it; and also he\nhad such brightness upon his breast, and (if I forget not) upon his\narms. And told her, that her mother's prayers were heard, and that her\nmother should shortly die, and she should suddenly recover; and she\ndid so, and her mother died. She hath the character of a modest,\nhumble, virtuous maid. Had this been in some Catholick country, it\nwould have made a great noise.\n\n'Tis certain, there was one in the Strand, who lay in a trance a few\nhours before he departed. And in his trance had a vision of the death\nof King Charles II. It was at the very day of his apoplectick fit.\n\nThere is a sheet of paper printed 16 ... concerning Ecstacies, that\nJames Usher, late Lord Primate of Ireland, once had: but I have been\nassured from my hon. friend James Tyrrell, Esq. (his Lordship's\ngrandson) that this was not an ecstacy; but that his Lordship upon\nreading the 12, 13, 14, &c. chapters of the Revelation, and farther\nreflecting upon the great increase of the sectaries in England,\nsupposed that they would let in popery, which consideration put him\ninto a great transport, at the time when his daughter (the Lady\nTyrrel) came into the room; when he discoursed to her divers things\n(tho' not all) contained in the said printed paper.\n\n\n      GLANCES OF LOVE AND MALICE.\n\n\n\"AMOR ex Oculo\": Love is from the eye: but (as the Lord Bacon saith)\nmore by glances than by full gazings; and so for envy and malice.\n\n      Tell me dearest, what is Love ?\n      'Tis a Lightning from above:\n      'Tis an Arrow, 'tis a Fire,\n      'Tis a Boy they call Desire.*\n\n* Mr. Fletcher in Cupid's Revenge.\n\n'Tis something divine and inexplicable. It is strange, that as one\nwalks the streets sometimes one shall meet with an aspect (of male or\nfemale) that pleases our souls; and whose natural sweetness of nature,\nwe could boldly rely upon. One never saw the other before, and so\ncould neither oblige or disoblige each other. Gaze not on a maid,\nsaith Ecclus. 9, 5.\n\nThe Glances of envy and malice do shoot also subtilly; the eye of the\nmalicious person, does really infect and make sick the spirit of the\nother. The Lord Bacon saith it hath been observed, that after\ntriumphs, the triumphants have been sick in spirit.\n\nThe chymist can draw subtile spirits, that will work upon one another\nat some distance, viz. spirits of alkalies and acids, e.g. spirits\ncoelestial (sal armoniac and spirits of C. C. will work on each other\nat half a yard distance, and smoke;) but the spirits above mentioned\nare more subtile than they.\n\n      \"Non amo te Sabati, nece possum dicere quare,\n      Hoc tantum possum dicere, non amo te\".\n\n      Fellow, I love thee not, I can't tell why,\n      But this, I'll tell thee, I could sooner die.\n\nBut if an astrologer had their nativities, he would find a great\ndisagreement in the schemes. These are hyper-physical opticks, and\ndrawn from the heavens.\n\nInfants are very sensible of these irradiations of the eyes. In Spain,\nFrance, &c. southern countries, the nurses and parents are very shy to\nlet people look upon their young children, for fear of fascination. In\nSpain, they take it ill if one looks on a child, and make one say, God\nbless it. They talk of \"mal de ojos\". We usually say, witches have\nevil eyes.\n\n\n      AN ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF SECOND-\n      SIGHTED MEN IN SCOTLAND.\n\n\n      **In Two Letters from a learned friend of mine in Scotland.\n\n      I.\n\n**To Mr. JOHN AUBREY, Fellow of the Royal Society.\n\nSIR,\n\nFOR your satisfaction I drew up some queries about the second-sighted\nmen, and having sent them to the northern parts of this kingdom, some\nwhile ago, I received answers to them from two different hands,\nwhereof I am now to give you an account, viz.\n\n      Query 1.\n\nIf some few credible, well attested instances of such a knowledge as\nis commonly called the second-sight, can be given ?\n\n      Answer.\n\nMany instances of such knowledge can be given, by the confession of\nsuch who are skilled in that faculty: for instances I refer you to\nthe fourth query.\n\n      Query 2.\n\nIf it consists in the discovery of present or past events only ? or if\nit extend to such as are to come ?\n\n      Answer.\n\nThe second-sight relates only to things future, which will shortly\ncome to pass. Past events I learn nothing of it.\n\nQuery 3.\n\nIf the objects of this knowledge be sad and dismal events only; such\nas deaths and murders ? or, joyful and prosperous also ?\n\nAnswer.\n\nSad and dismal events, are the objects of this knowledge: as sudden\ndeaths, dismal accidents. That they are prosperous, or joyful, I\ncannot learn. Only one instance I have from a person worthy of credit,\nand thereby judge of the joyfulness, or prosperity of it, and it is\nthis. Near forty years ago, Maclean and his Lady, sister to my Lord\nSeaforth, were walking about their own house, and in their return both\ncame into the nurse's chamber, where their young child was on the\nbreast: at their coming into the room, the nurse falls a weeping; they\nasked the cause, dreading the child was sick, or that she was scarce\nof milk: the nurse replied, the child was well, and she had abundance\nof milk; yet she still wept; and being pressed to tell what ailed her;\nshe at last said Maclean would die, and the Lady would shortly be\nmarried to another man. Being enquired how she knew that event, she\ntold them plainly, that as they both came into the room, she saw a\nman with a scarlet cloak and a white hat betwixt them, giving the Lady\na kiss over the shoulder; and this was the cause of weeping. All which\ncame to pass after Maclean's death; the tutor of Lovet married the\nLady in the same habit the woman saw him. Now by this instance, judge\nif it be prosperous to one, it is as dismal to another.\n\n      Query 4.\n\nIf these events which second-sighted men discover, or foretel, be\nvisibly represented to them, and acted, as it were before their eyes ?\n\n      Answer.\n\nAffirmatively, they see those things visibly; but none sees but\nthemselves; for instance, if a man's fatal end be hanging, they will\nsee a gibbet, or a rope about his neck: if beheaded, they will see\nthe man without a head; if drowned, they will see water up to his\nthroat; if unexpected death, they will see a winding sheet about his\nhead: all which are represented to their view.  One instance I had\nfrom a gentleman here, of a Highland gentleman of the Macdonalds, who\nhaving a brother that came to visit him, saw him coming in, wanting a\nhead; yet told not his brother he saw any such thing; but within\ntwenty-four hours thereafter, his brother was taken, (being a\nmurderer) and his head cut off, and sent to Edinburgh.  Many such\ninstances might be given,\n\n      Query 5.\n\nIf the second-sight be a thing that is troublesome and uneasy to those\nthat have it, and such as they would gladly be rid of?\n\n      Answer.\n\nIt is commonly talked by all I spoke with, that it is troublesome; and\nthey would gladly be freed from it, but cannot: only I heard lately of\na man very much troubled in his soul therewith, and by serious begging\nof God deliverance from it, at length lost the faculty of the second-\nsight.\n\n      Query 6.\n\nIf any person, or persons, truly godly, who may justly be presumed to\nbe such, have been known to have had this gift or faculty ?\n\n      Answer.\n\nNegatively, not any godly, but such as are virtuous.\n\n      Query 7.\n\nIf it descends by succession from parents to children ? or if not,\nwhether those that have it can tell how they came by it ?\n\n      Answer.\n\nThat it is by succession, I cannot learn; how they came by it, it is\nhard to know, neither will they tell; which if they did, they are sure\nof their strokes from an invisible hand. One instance I heard of one\nAlien Miller, being in company with some gentlemen, having gotten a\nlittle more than ordinary of that strong liquor they were drinking,\nbegan to tell stories and strange passages he had been at: but the\nsaid Alien was suddenly removed to the farther end of the house, and\nwas there almost strangled; recovering a little, and coming to the\nplace where he was before, they asked him, what it was that troubled\nhim so ? He answered he durst not tell; for he had told too much\nalready.\n\nQuery 8. How came they by it ?\n\n      Answer.\n\nSome say by compact with the Devil; some say by converse with those\ndaemons we call fairies. I have heard, that those that have this\nfaculty of the second-sight, have offered to teach it to such as were\ncurious to know it; upon such and such conditions they would teach\nthem; but their proffers were rejected.\n\nThis is all I could learn by tradition of that faculty, from knowing\nand intelligent men. If this satisfy not these queries aforesaid,\nacquaint me, and what can be known of it shall be transmitted.\n\nI cannot pass by an instance I have from a very honest man in the next\nparish, who told me it himself. That his wife being big with child\nnear her delivery, he buys half a dozen of boards to make her a bed\nagainst the time she lay in. The boards lying at the door of his\nhouse, there comes an old fisher-woman, yet alive, and asked him,\nwhose were those boards ? He told her they were his own; she asked\nagain, for what use he had them ? He replied, for a bed; she again\nsaid, I intend them for what use you please, she saw a dead corps\nlying upon them, and that they would be a coffin: which struck the\nhonest man to the heart, fearing the death of his wife. But when the\nold woman went off, he calls presently for a carpenter to make the\nbed, which was accordingly done; but shortly after the honest man had\na child died, whose coffin was made of the ends of those boards.\n\nSir, the original, whereof this that I have writ, is a true copy, was\nsent by a minister, living within some few miles of Inverness, to a\nfriend of mine whom I employed to get information for me; as I\ninsinuated before: I have other answers to these queries from another\nhand, which I purposed to have communicated to you at this time; but I\nfind there will not be room enough for them in this sheet; howbeit, in\ncase you think it fit, they shall be sent you afterward.\n\nIn the mean time, I shall tell you what I have had from one of the\nmasters of our college here (a north country man both by birth and\neducation, in his younger years) who made a journey in the harvest\ntime into the shire of Ross, and at my desire, made some enquiry\nthere, concerning the second-sight. He reports, that there they told\nhim many instances of this knowledge, which he had forgotten, except\ntwo. The first, one of his sisters, a young gentlewoman, staying with\na friend, at some thirty miles distance from her father's house, and\nthe ordinary place of her residence; one who had the second-sight in\nthe family where she was, saw a young man attending her as she went\nup and down the house, and this was about three months before her\nmarriage.  The second is of a woman in that country who is reputed to\nhave the second-sight, and declared, that eight days before the death\nof a gentleman there, she saw a bier or coffin covered with a cloth\nwhich she knew, carried as it were, to the place of burial, and\nattended with a great company, one of which told her it was the corps\nof such a person, naming that gentleman, who died eight days after.\nBy these instances it appears that the objects of this knowledge are\nnot sad and dismal events only, but joyful and prosperous ones also:\nhe declares farther, that he was informed there, if I mistake not, by\nsome of those who had the second-sight, that if at any time when they\nsee those strange sights, they set their foot upon the foot of another\nwho hath not the second-sight, that other will for that time see what\nthey are seeing; as also that they offered, if he pleased, to\ncommunicate the second-sight to him.  I have nothing more to add at\npresent, but that I am,      Sir, Your faithful friend,\n\nAnd humble servant.\n\n      II.\n\n      **To Mr. JOHN AUBREY, Fellow of the Royal-Society at\n      **Gresham-College, London. Honoured Sir,\n\nSINCE my last to you, I have had the favour of two letters from you:\nto the first, dated February 6, I had replied sooner, but that I\nwanted leisure to transcribe some farther accounts of a second-sighted\nman, sent me from the north, whereof (in obedience to your desire) I\ngive here the doubles.\n\nMay the 4th. 1694.\n\n      **A Copy of an Answer to some Queries concerning Second-\n      sighted Men, sent by a Minister living near Inverness, to a\n      Friend of mine.\n\n      Query 1.\n\nTHAT there is such an art, commonly called the second-sight, is\ncertain, from these following instances.\n\nFirst, in a gentleman's house, one night the mistress considering why\nsuch persons whom she expected were so late, and so long a coming, the\nsupper being all the while delayed for them; a servant man about the\nhouse (finding the mistress anxious) having the second-sight, desires\nto cover the table, and before all things were put on, those persons\nshe longed for would come in; which happened accordingly.\n\nThe second instance, concerning a young Lady of great birth, whom a\nrich Knight fancied and came in sute of the Lady, but she could not\nendure to fancy him, being a harsh and unpleasant man: but her friends\nimportuning her daily, she turned melancholy and lean, fasting and\nweeping continually. A common fellow about the house meeting her one\nday in the fields, asked her, saying Mrs. Kate, What is that that\ntroubles you, and makes you look so ill ? she replied, that the cause\nis known to many, for my friends would have me marry such a man by\nname, but I cannot fancy him. Nay, (says the fellow) give over these\nniceties, for he will be your first husband, and will not live long,\nand be sure he will leave you a rich dowry, which will procure you a\ngreat match, for I see a Lord upon each shoulder of you: all which\ncame to pass in every circumstance; as eye and ear witnesses declare.\n\nA third instance, of a traveller coming in to a certain house, desired\nsome meat: the mistress being something nice and backward to give him\nvictuals; you need not, says he, churle me in a piece of meat; for\nbefore an hour and half be over, a young man of such a stature and\ngarb will come in with a great salmon-fish on his back, which I behold\nyonder on the floor: and it came to pass within the said time.\n\nA fourth instance, of a young woman in a certain house about supper-\ntime, refused to take meat from the steward who was offering in the\nvery time meat to her; being asked why she would not take it ?\nreplied, she saw him full of blood, and therefore was afraid to take\nany thing of his hands. The next morning, the said steward offering to\ncompose a difference between two men, at an ale-house door, got a\nstroak of a sword on the forehead, and came home full of blood. This\nwas told me by an eye witness.\n\n      Query 2.\n\nThose that have this faculty of the second-sight, see only things to\ncome, which are to happen shortly there-after, and sometimes foretel\nthings which fall out three or four years after. For instance, one\ntold his master, that he saw an arrow in such a man through his body,\nand yet no blood came out: his master told him, that it was\nimpossible an arrow should stick in a man's body, and no blood come\nout, and if that came not to pass, he would be deemed an impostor. But\nabout five or six years after the man died, and being brought to his\nburial-place, there arose a debate anent his grave, and it came to\nsuch a height, that they drew arms, and bended their bows; and one\nletting off an arrow, shot through the dead body upon the bier-trees,\nand so no blood could issue out at a dead man's wound. Thus his sight\ncould not inform him whether the arrow should be shot in him alive\nor dead, neither could he condescend whether near or afar off.\n\n      Query 3.\n\nThey foresee murthers, drownings, weddings, burials, combats, man-\nslaughters, all of which, many instances might be given. Lately (I\nbelieve in August last, 1695) one told there would be drowning in the\nriver Bewly, which come to pass: two pretty men crossing a ford both\ndrowned, which fell out within a month. Another instance; a man that\nserved the Bishop of Catnes, who had five daughters in his house, one\nof them grudged, that the burthen of the family lay on her wholly: the\nfellow told her that ere long she should be exonered of that task, for\nhe saw a tall gentleman in black, walking on the Bishop's right-hand,\nwhom she should marry: and this fell out accordingly, within a quarter\nof a year thereafter. He told also of a covered table, full of varieties\nof good fare, and their garbs who set about the table.\n\n      Query 4.\n\nThey see all this visibly acted before their eyes; sometimes within,\nand sometimes without-doors, as in a glass.\n\n      Query 5.\n\nIt is a thing very troublesome to them that have it, and would gladly\nbe rid of it. For if the object be a thing that is so terrible, they\nare seen to sweat and tremble, and shreek at the apparition. At other\ntimes they laugh, and tell the thing chearfully, just according as the\nthing is pleasant or astonishing.\n\n      Query 6.\n\nSure it is, that the persons that have a sense of God and religion,\nand may be presumed to be godly, are known to have this faculty. This\nevidently appears, in that they are troubled for having it, judging it\na sin, and that it came from the Devil, and not from God; earnestly\ndesiring and wishing to be rid of it, if possible; and to that effect,\nhave made application to their minister, to pray to God for them that\nthey might be exonered from that burden. They have supplicated the\npresbytery, who judicially appointed publick prayers to be made in\nseveral churches, and a sermon preached to that purpose, in their own\nparish church, by their minister; and they have compeired before the\npulpit, after sermon, making confession openly of that sin, with deep\nsense on their knees; renounced any such gift or faculty which they\nhad to God's dishonour, and earnestly desired the minister to pray for\nthem; and this their recantation recorded; and after this, they were\nnever troubled with such a sight any more.\n\n      **A Copy of a Letter, written to myself by a Gentleman's Son in\n      Straths-pey in Scotland, being a Student in Divinity, concerning\n      the Second-sight.\n\nSIR,\n\nI AM more willing than able to satisfy your desire: as for instances\nof such a knowledge, I could furnish many. I shall only insert some\nfew attested by several of good credit yet alive.\n\nAnd, first, Andrew Macpherson, of Clunie in Badenoch, being in sute of\nLord of Gareloch's daughter, as he was upon a day going to Gareloch,\nthe Lady Gareloch was going somewhere from her house within kenning to\nthe road which Clunie was coming; the Lady preceiving him, said to her\nattendants, that yonder was Clunie, going to see his mistress: one\nthat had this second-sight in her company replied, and said, if yon be\nhe, unless he marry within six months, he'll never marry. The Lady\nasked, how did he know that ? he said, very well, for I see him, saith\nhe, all inclosed in his winding-sheet, except his nostrils and his\nmouth, which will also close up within six months; which happened even\nas he foretold; within the said space he died, and his brother Duncan\nMacpherson this present Clunie succeeded. This and the like may\nsatisfy your fourth query, he seeing the man even then covered all\nover with his dead linens. The event was visibly represented, and as\nit were acted (before his eyes) and also the last part of your second\nquery, viz. that it was as yet to come. As for the rest of the\nquestions, viz. That they discover present and past events, is also\nmanifest, thus: I have heard of a gentleman, whose son had gone\nabroad, and being anxious to know how he was, he went to consult one\nwho had this faculty, who told him, that that same day five o'clock in\nthe afternoon his son had married a woman in France, with whom he had\ngot so many thousand crowns, and within two years he should come home\nto see father and friends, leaving his wife with child of a daughter,\nand a son of six months age behind him: which accordingly was true.\nAbout the same time two years he came home, and verified all that was\nfore-told.\n\nIt is likewise ordinary with persons that lose any thing, to go to\nsome of these men, by whom they are directed; how, what persons, and\nin what place they shall find it. But all such as profess that skill,\nare not equally dexterous in it. For instance, two of them were in Mr.\nHector Mackenzie, minister of Inverness, his father's house; the one a\ngentleman, the other a common fellow; and discoursing by the fire\nside, the fellow suddenly begins to weep, and cry out, alas ! alas!\nsuch a woman is either dead, or presently expiring. The gentlewoman\nlived five or six miles from the house, and had been some days\nbefore in a fever. The gentleman being somewhat better expert in that\nfaculty, said; no, saith he, she's not dead; nor will she die of this\ndisease. 0, saith the fellow, do you not see her all covered with her\nwinding-sheet; ay, saith the gentleman, I see her as well as you; but\ndo you not see her linen all wet, which is her sweat ? she being\npresently cooling of the fever. This story Mr. Hector himself will\ntestify. The most remarkable of this sort, that I hear of now, is one\nArchibald Mackeanyers, alias Macdonald, living in Ardinmurch, within\nten or twenty miles, or thereby, of Glencoe, and I was present myself,\nwhere he foretold something which accordingly fell out in 1683; this\nman being in  Straths-pey, in John Macdonald of Glencoe his company,\ntold in Balachastell, before the Lord of Grant, his Lady, and several\nothers, and also in my father's house; that Argyle, of whom few or\nnone knew then where he was, at least there was no word of him then\nhere; should within two twelve months thereafter, come to the West-\nHighlands, and raise a rebellious faction, which would be divided\namong themselves, and disperse, and he unfortunately be taken and\nbeheaded at Edinburgh, and his head set upon the Talbooth, where his\nfather's head was before him; which proved as true, as he fore-told\nit, in 1685, thereafter. Likewise in the beginning of May next after\nthe late revolution, as my Lord Dundee returned up Spey-side, after he\nhad followed General Major Mac Kay in his reer down the length of\nEdinglassie, at the Milatown of Gartinbeg, the Macleans joined him,\nand after he had received them, he marched forward, but they\nremained behind, and fell a plundering: upon which Glencoe and some\nothers, among whom was this Archibald, being in my father's house, and\nhearing that Mac Leans and others were pillaging some of his lands,\nwent to restrain them, and commanded them to march after the army;\nafter he had cleared the first town, next my father's house of them,\nand was come to the second, there standing on a hill, this Archibald\nsaid, Glencoe, if you take my advice, then make off with your self\nwith all possible haste, ere an hour come and go you'll be put to it\nas hard as ever you was: some of the company began to droll and say,\nwhat shall become of me ? whether Glencoe believed him, or no, I\ncannot tell; but this I am sure of, that whereas before he was of\nintention to return to my father's house and stay all night, now we\ntook leave, and immediately parted. And indeed, within an hour\nthereafter, Mac Kay, and his whole forces, appeared at Culnakyle\nin Abernethie, two miles below the place where we parted, and hearing\nthat Cleaverhouse had marched up the water-side a little before, but\nthat Mac Leans and several other straglers, had stayed behind,\ncommanded Major AEneas Mac Kay, with two troops of horse after them;\nwho finding the said Mac Leans at Kinchardie, in the parish of Luthel,\nchased them up the Morskaith: in which chase Glencoe happened to be,\nand was hard put to it, as was foretold. What came of Archibald\nhimself, I am not sure; I have not seen him since, nor can I get a\ntrue account of him, only I know he is yet alive, and at that time one\nof my father's men whom the red-coats meeting, compelled to guide\nthem, within sight of the Mac Leans, found the said Archibald's horse\nwithin a mile of the place where I left him. I am also informed, this\nArchibald said to Glencoe, that he would be murdered in the night time\nin his own house three months before it happened.\n\nTouching your third query, the objects of this knowledge, are not only\nsad and dismal; but also joyful and prosperous: thus they foretell of\nhappy marriages, good children, what kind of life men shall live, and\nin what condition they shall die: and riches, honour, preferment,\npeace, plenty, and good weather.\n\n      Query 7.\n\nWhat way they pretend to have it ? I am informed, that in the Isle of\nSky, especially before the gospel came thither, several families had\nit by succession, descending from parents to children, and as yet\nthere be many there that have it in that way; and the only way to be\nfreed from it is, when a woman hath it herself, and is married to a\nman that hath it also; if in the very act of delivery, upon the first\nsight of the child's head, it be baptized, the same is free from it;\nif not, he hath it all his life; by which, it seems, it is a thing\ntroublesome and uneasy to them that have it, and such as they would\nfain be rid of. And may satisfy your ninth query. And for your farther\ncontentment in this query, I heard of my father, that there was one\nJohn du beg Mac Grigor, a Reanach man born, very expert in this\nknowledge, and my father coming one day from Inverness, said by the\nway, that he would go into an ale-house on the road, which then would\nbe about five miles off. This John Mac Grigor being in his company,\nand taken up a slate stone at his foot, and looking to it, replied;\nnay, said he, you will not go in there, for there is but a matter of a\ngallon of ale in it even now, and ere we come to it, it will be all\nnear drunken, and those who are drinking there, are strangers to us,\nand ere we be hardly past the house, they will discord among\nthemselves: which fell out so; ere we were two pair of butts past the\nhouse, those that were drinking there went by the ears, wounded and\nmischieved one another. My father by this and several other things of\nthis nature, turned curious of this faculty, and being very intimate\nwith the man, told him he would fain learn it: to which he answered,\nthat indeed he could in three days time teach him if he pleased; but\nyet he would not advise him nor any man to learn it; for had he once\nlearned, he would never be a minute of his life but he would see\ninnumerable men and women night and day round about him; which perhaps\nhe would think wearisome and unpleasant, for which reason my father\nwould not have it. But as skilful as this man was, yet he knew not\nwhat should be his own last end; which was hanging: And I am\ninformed, that most, if not all of them, though they can fore-see what\nshall happen to others: yet they cannot foretell, much less prevent,\nwhat shall befal themselves. I am also informed by one who came last\nsummer from the Isle of Sky, that any person that pleases will get it\ntaught him for a pound or two of tobacco.\n\nAs for your last query. For my own part, I can hardly believe they\ncan be justly presumed, much less truly godly. As for this Mac Grigor,\nseveral report that he was a very civil discreet man, and some say he\nwas of good deportment, and also unjustly hanged. But Archibald\nMackenyere will not deny himself, but once he was one of the most\nnotorious thieves in all the Highlands: but I am informed since I\ncame to this knowledge which was by an accident too long here to\nrelate, that he has turned honester than before.\n\nThere was one James Mac Coil-vicalaster alias Grant, in Glenbeum near\nKirk-Michael in Strathawin, who had this sight, who I hear of several\nthat were well acquainted with him was a very honest man, and of right\nblameless conversation. He used ordinarily by looking to the fire, to\nforetell what strangers would come to his house the next day, or\nshortly thereafter, by their habit and arms, and sometimes also by\ntheir name; and if any of his goods or cattle were missing, he would\ndirect his servants to the very place where to find them, whether in a\nmire or upon dry ground; he would also tell, if the beast were already\ndead, or if it would die ere they could come to it; and in winter, if\nthey were thick about the fire-side, he would desire them to make room\nfor some others that stood by, though they did not see them, else some\nof them would be quickly thrown into the midst of it. But whether this\nman saw any more than Brownie and Meg Mullach, I am not very sure;\nsome say, he saw more continually, and would often be very angry-like,\nand something troubled, nothing visibly moving him: others affirm he\nsaw these two continually, and sometimes many more.\n\nThey generally term this second-sight in Irish Taishi-taraughk, and\nsuch as have it Taishatrin, from Taish, which is properly a shadowy\nsubstance, or such naughty, and imperceptible thing, as can only, or\nrather scarcely be discerned by the eye; but not caught by the hands:\nfor which they assigned it to Bugles or Ghosts, so that Taishtar, is\nas much as one that converses with ghosts or spirits, or as they\ncommonly call them, the Fairies or Fairy-Folks. Others call these men\nPhissicin, from Phis, which is properly fore-sight, or fore-knowledge.\nThis is the surest and clearest account of second-sighted men that I\ncan now find, and I have set it down fully, as if I were transiently\ntelling it, in your own presence, being curious for nothing but the\nverity, so far as I could. What you find improper or superfluous you\ncan best compendise it, &c,\n\nThus far this letter, written in a familiar and homely stile, which I\nhave here set down at length. Meg Mullach, and Brownie mentioned in\nthe end of it, are two ghosts, which (as it is constantly reported) of\nold, haunted a family in Straths-pey of the name of Grant. They\nappeared at first in the likeness of a young lass; the second of a\nyoung lad.\n\nDr. Moulin (who presents his service to you) hath no acquaintance in\nOrkney; but I have just now spoken with one, who not only hath\nacquaintance in that country, but also entertains some thoughts of\ngoing thither himself, to get me an account of the cures usually\npractised there. The Cortex Winteranus, mentioned by you as an\nexcellent medicine, I have heard it commended as good for the scurvy;\nif you know it to be eminent or specific (such as the Peruvian Bark\nis) for any disease, I shall be well pleased to be informed by you.\n\nThus, Sir, you have an account of all my informations concerning\nsecond-sighted men: I have also briefly touched all the other\nparticulars in both your letters, which needed a reply, except your\nthanks so liberally and obligingly returned to me for my letters, and\nthe kind sense you express of that small service. The kind reception\nwhich you have given to those poor trifles, and the value which you\nput on them, I consider as effects of your kindness to myself, and as\nengagements on me to serve you to better purpose when it shall be in\nthe power of\n\nYour faithful friend,\n\nand servant, &c.\n\n\n      ADDITAMENTS OF SECOND-SIGHT.\n\n\nDIEMERBROECK in his book de Peste (i.e. of the Plague) gives us a\nstory of Dimmerus de Raet, that being at Delft, where the pestilence\nthen raged, sent then his wife thirty miles off. And when the doctor\nwent to see the gentleman of the house, as soon as he came in, the old\nchair-woman that washed the cloathes fell a weeping; he asked her why?\nsaid she, my mistress is now dead; I saw her apparition but just now\nwithout a head, and that it was usual with her when a friend of hers\ndied, to see their apparitions in that manner, though never so far\noff. His wife died at that time.\n\nMr. Thomas May in his History, lib. 8, writes, that an old man (like\nan hermit) second-sighted, took his leave of King James I. when he\ncame into England: he took little notice of Prince Henry, but\naddressing himself to the Duke of York (since King Charles I.) fell a\nweeping to think what misfortunes he should undergo; and that he\nshould be one of the miserablest unhappy Princes that ever was.\n\nA Scotch nobleman sent for one of these second-sighted men out of the\nHighlands, to give his judgment of the then great favourite, George\nVillers, Duke of Buckingham; as soon as ever he saw him, \" Pish,\" said\nhe, he will come to nothing. I see a dagger in his breast;\" and he was\nstabbed in the breast by Captain Felton.\n\nSir James Melvil hath several the like stories in his Memoirs. Folio.\n\nA certain old man in South-Wales, told a great man there of the\nfortune of his family; and that there should not be a third male\ngeneration.\n\nIn Spain there are those they call Saludadores, that have this kind of\ngift. There was a Portugueze Dominican fryar belonging to Queen\nKatherine Dowager's chapel, who had the second-sight.\n\n\n      FARTHER ADDITAMENTS.\n\n\n      **Concerning Predictions, Fatality, Apparitions, &c. From the\n      various History of AELIAN. Rendered out of the Greek Original. By\n      Mr. T. STANLEY.\n\nTHE wisdom of the Persian Magi was (besides other things proper to\nthem) conversant in prediction: they foretold the cruelty of Ochus\ntowards his subjects, and his bloody disposition, which they collected\nfrom some secret signs. For when Ochus, upon the death of his father\nArtaxerxes, came to the crown, the Magi charged one of the Eunuchs\nthat were next him, to observe upon what things, when the table was\nset before him, he first laid hands; who watching intentively, Ochus\nreached forth both his hands, and with his right, laid hold of a knife\nthat lay by, with the other, took a great loaf, which he laid upon the\nmeat, and did cut and eat greedily. The Magi, hearing this, foretold\nthat there would be plenty during his reign, and much blood shed. In\nwhich they erred not.\n\nIt is observed, that on the sixth day of the month Thargelion, many\ngood fortunes have befallen not only the Athenians, but divers others.\nSocrates was born on this day, the Persians vanquished on this day,\nand the Athenians sacrifice three hundred goats to Agrotera upon this\nday in pursuit of Miltiades's Vow: on the same day of this month was\nthe fight of Plataea, in which the Grecians had the better; for the\nformer fight which I mentioned was at Artemisium, neither was the\nvictory which the Greeks obtained at Mycale on any other day; seeing\nthat the victory at Plataea and Mycale happened on the self-same day.\nLikewise Alexander the Macedonian, Son of Philip, vanquished many\nmyriads of the Barbarians on the sixth day, when he took Darius\nprisoner. All which is observed to have happened on this month. It is\nlikewise reported that Alexander was born and died on the same day.\n\nSome Pythian relations affirm, that Hercules, son of Jupiter and\nAlcmena, was at his birth, named Heraclides; but that afterwards\ncoming to Delphi to consult the oracle about some business, he\nobtained that for which he came, and received farther privately from\nthe God, this oracle concerning himself.\n\n      Thee Hercules doth Phoebus name,\n      For thou shalt gain immortal fame.\n\nThe Peripateticks assert, that the soul in the day-time is inslaved\nand involved in the body, so that she cannot behold truth; but in the\nnight, being freed from this servitude, and gathered together, as it\nwere, in a round about the parts that are in the breast, she is more\nprophetick, whence proceed dreams.\n\nSocrates said of his daemon to Theages Demodocus, and many others, that\nhe many times perceived a voice warning him by divine instinct, which,\nsaith he, when it comes, signifieth a dissuasion from that which I am\ngoing to do, but never persuades to do any thing. And when any of my\nfriends, (saith he) impart their business to me, if this voice\nhappens, it dissuades also, giving me the like counsel: whereupon, I\ndehort him who adviseth with me, and suffer him not to proceed in what\nhe is about, following the divine admonition. He alledged as witness\nhere of Charmides son of Glauco, who asking his advice, whether he\nshould exercise at the Nemean games; as soon as he began to speak, the\nvoice gave the accustomed sigh. Whereupon Socrates endeavoured to\ndivert Charmides from this purpose, telling him the reason. But he not\nfollowing the advice, it succeeded ill with him.\n\nAspasia a Phocian, daughter of Hermotimus, was brought up an orphan,\nher mother dying in the pains of child-birth. She was bred up in\npoverty, but modestly and virtuously. She had many times a dream which\nforetold her that she should be married to an excellent person. Whilst\nshe was yet young, she chanced to have a swelling under her chin,\nloathsome to sight, whereat both the father and the maid were much\nafflicted. Her father brought her to a physician: he offered to\nundertake the cure for three staters; the other said he had not the money.\nThe physician replied, he had then no physic for him. Hereupon\nAspasia departed weeping ! and holding a looking-glass on her knee,\nbeheld her face in it, which much increased her grief. Going to rest\nwithout supping, by the reason of the trouble she was in, she had an\nopportune dream; a dove seemed to appear to her as she slept, which\nbeing changed to a woman, said, \"Be of good courage, and bid a long\nfarewel to physicians and their medicines: take of the dried rose of\nVenus garlands, which being pounded apply to the swelling.\" After the\nmaid had understood and made trial of this, the tumour was wholly\nassuaged; and Aspasia recovering her beauty by means of the most\nbeautiful goddess, did once again appear the fairest amongst her\nvirgin-companions, enriched with graces far above any of the rest. Of\nhair yellow, locks a little curling, she had great eyes, some what\nhawk-nosed, ears short, skin delicate, complexion like roses; whence\nthe Phocians, whilst she was yet a child called her Milto. Her lips\nwere red, teeth whiter than snow, small insteps, such as of those\nwomen whom Homer calls {greek text: lisphurous}. Her voice sweet and\nsmooth, that whosoever heard her might justly say he heard the voice\nof a Syren. She was averse from womanish curiosity in dressing: such\nthings are to be supplied by wealth. She being poor, and bred up under\na poor father, used nothing superfluous or extravagant to advantage\nher beauty. On a time Aspasia came to Cyrus, son of Darius and\nParysatis, brother of Artaxerxes, not willingly nor with the consent\nof her father, but by compulsion, as it often happens upon the taking\nof cities, or the violence of tyrants and their officers. One of the\nofficers of Cyrus, brought her with other virgins to Cyrus, who\nimmediately preferred her before all his concubines, for simplicity of\nbehaviour, and modesty; whereto also contributed her beauty without\nartifice, and her extraordinary discretion, which was such, that Cyrus\nmany times asked her advice in affairs, which he never repented to\nhave followed. When Aspasia came first to Cyrus, it happened that he\nwas newly risen from supper, and was going to drink after the Persian\nmanner: for after they have done eating, they betake themselves to\nwine, and fall to their cups freely, encountering drink as an\nadversary. Whilst they were in the midst of their drinking, four\nGrecian virgins were brought to Cyrus, amongst whom was Aspasia the\nPhocian. They were finely attired; three of them had their heads\nneatly drest by their own women which came along with them, and had\npainted their faces. They had been also instructed by their\ngovernesses how to behave themselves towards Cyrus, to gain his\nfavour; not to turn away when he came to them, not to be coy when he\ntouched them, to permit him to kiss them, and many other amatory\ninstructions practised by women who expose their beauty to sale. Each\ncontended to out-vie the other in handsomeness. Only Aspasia would not\nendure to be clothed with a rich robe, nor to put on a various\ncoloured vest, nor to be washed; but calling upon the Grecian and\nEleutherian gods, she cried out upon her father's name, execrating\nherself to her father. She thought the robe which she should put on\nwas a manifest sign of bondage. At last being compelled with blows she\nput it on, and was necessitated to behave herself with greater liberty\nthan beseemed a virgin. When they came to Cyrus, the rest smiled, and\nexpressed chearfulness in their looks. But Aspasia looking on the\nground, her eyes full of tears, did every way express an extraordinary\nbashfulness. When he commanded them to sit down by him, the rest\ninstantly obeyed; but the Phocian refused, until the officer caused\nher to sit down by force. When Cyrus looked upon or touched their\neyes, cheeks and fingers, the rest freely permitted him; but she\nwould not suffer it; for if Cyrus did but offer to touch her, she\ncried out, saying, he should not go unpunished for such actions. Cyrus\nwas herewith extreamly pleased; and when upon his offering to touch\nher breast, she rose up, and would have run away, Cyrus much taken\nwith her native ingenuity which was not like the Persians, turning to\nhim that brought them, \"This maid only saith he, of those which you\nhave brought me is free and pure; the rest are adulterate in face, but\nmuch more in behaviour.\" Hereupon Cyrus loved her above all the women\nhe ever had. Afterwards there grew a mutual love between them, and\ntheir friendship proceeded to such a height that it almost arrived at\nparity, not differing from the concord and modesty of Grecian\nmarriage. Hereupon the fame of his affection to Aspasia was spread to\nIonia and throughout Greece; Peloponnesus also was filled with\ndiscourses of the love betwixt Cyrus and her. The report went even to\nthe great King [of Persia,] for it was conceived that Cyrus, after his\nacquaintance with her, kept company with no other woman. From these\nthings Aspasia recollected the remembrance of her old apparition, and\nof the dove, and her words, and what the goddess foretold her. Hence\nshe conceived that she was from the very beginning particularly\nregarded by her. She therefore offered sacrifice of thanks to Venus.\nAnd first caused a great image of gold to be erected to her, which she\ncalled the image of Venus, and by it placed the picture of a dove\nbeset with jewels, and every day implored the favour of the goddess\nwith sacrifice and prayer. She sent to Hermotimus her father many rich\npresents, and made him wealthy. She lived continently all her life, as\nboth the Grecian and Persian women affirm. On a time a neck-lace was\nsent as a present to Cyrus from Scopas the younger, which had been\nsent to Scopas out of Sicily. The neck-lace was of extraordinary\nworkmanship, and variety. All therefore to whom Cyrus shewed it\nadmiring it, he was much taken with the jewel, and went immediately to\nAspasia, it being about noon, finding her asleep, he lay down gently\nby her watching quietly while she slept. As soon as she awaked, and\nsaw Cyrus she embraced him after her usual manner. He taking the neck-\nlace out of a box, said, \"this is worthy either the daughter or the\nmother of a King.\" To which she assenting; \"I will give it you, said\nhe, for your own use, let me see your neck adorned with it.\" But she\nreceived not the gift, prudently and discreetly answering, \"How will\nParysatis your mother take it, this being a gift fit for her that bare\nyou ? send it to her, Cyrus, I will shew you a neck handsome enough\nwithout it.\" Aspasia from the greatness of her mind acted contrary to\nother royal Queens, who are excessively desirous of rich ornaments.\nCyrus being pleased with this answer, kissed Aspasia. All these\nactions and speeches Cyrus writ in a letter which he sent together\nwith the chain to his mother; and Parysatis receiving the present was\nno less delighted with the news than with the gold, for which she\nrequited Aspasia with great and royal gifts; for this pleased her\nabove all things, that though Aspasia were chiefly affected by her\nson, yet in the love of Cyrus, she desired to be placed beneath his\nmother. Aspasia praised the gifts, but said she had no need of them;\n(for there was much money sent with the presents) but sent them to\nCyrus, saying, \"To you who maintain many men this may be useful: for\nme it is enough that you love me and are my ornament.\" With these\nthings, as it seemeth she much astonished Cyrus. And indeed the woman\nwas without dispute admirable for her personal beauty, but much more\nfor the nobleness of her mind. When Cyrus was slain in the fight\nagainst his brother, and his army taken prisoners, with the rest of\nthe prey she was taken, not falling accidentally into the enemies\nhands, but sought for with much diligence by King Artaxerxes, for he\nhad heard her fame and virtue. When they brought her bound, he was\nangry, and cast those that did it into prison. He commanded that a\nrich robe should be given her: which she hearing, intreated with\ntears and lamentation that she might not put on the garment the King\nappointed, for she mourned exceedingly for Cyrus. But when she had\nput it on, she appeared the fairest of all women, and Artaxerxes was\nimmediately surprised and inflamed with love of her. He valued her\nbeyond all the rest of his women, respecting her infinitely. He\nendeavoured to ingratiate himself into her favour, hoping to make her\nforget Cyrus, and to love him no less than she had done his brother;\nbut it was long before he could compass it. For the affection of\nAspasia to Cyrus had taken so deep impression, that it could not\neasily be rooted out. Long after this, Teridates, the Eunuch died, who\nwas the most beautiful youth in Asia. He had full surpassed childhood,\nand was reckoned among the youths. The King was said to have loved\nhim exceedingly: he was infinitely grieved and troubled at his death, and\nthere was an universal mourning throughout Asia, every one\nendeavouring to gratify the King herein; and none durst venture to\ncome to him and comfort him, for they thought his passion would not\nadmit any consolation. Three days being past, Aspasia taking a\nmourning robe as the King was going to the bath, stood weeping, her\neyes cast on the ground. He seeing her, wondered, and demanded the\nreason of her coming. She said, \"I come, 0 King, to comfort your\ngrief and affliction, if you so please; otherwise I shall go back.\"\nThe Persian pleased with this care, commanded that she should retire\nto her chamber, and wait his coming. As soon as he returned, he put\nthe vest of the Eunuch upon Aspasia, which did in a manner fit her;\nand by this means her beauty appeared with greater splendour to the\nKing's eye, who much affected the youth. And being once pleased\nherewith, he desired her to come always to him in that dress, until\nthe height of his grief were allayed: which to please him she did.\nThus more than all Hs other women, or his own son and kindred, she\ncomforted Artaxerxes, and relieved his sorrow; the King being pleased\nwith her care, and prudently admitting her consolation.\n\n      **GEORGE BUCHANAN in his History of SCOTLAND, reciteth of one of\n      their Kings, James IV. the following very remarkable Passages.\n\nTHE presence of this King being required to be with his army, whither\nhe was going, at Linlithgo, whilst he was at Vespers in the church,\nthere entered an old man, the hair of his head being red, inclining to\nyellow, hanging down on his shoulders; his forehead sleek through\nbaldness, bare-headed, in a long coat of a russet colour, girt with a\nlinen girdle about his loins; in the rest of his aspect, he was very\nvenerable: he pressed through the crowd to come to the King: when he\ncame to him, he leaned upon the chair on which the King sat, with a\nkind of rustic simplicity, and bespoke him thus; \"0 King,\" said he, \"I\nam sent to warn thee, not to proceed in thy intended design;\nand if thou neglectest this admonition, neither thou nor thy followers\nshall prosper. I am also commanded to tell thee, that thou shouldest\nnot use the familiarity, intimacy, and council of women; which if thou\ndost, it will redound to thy ignominy and loss.\" Having thus spoken,\nhe withdrew himself into the croud; and when the King inquired for\nhim, after prayers were ended, he could not be found which matter\nseemed more strange, because none of those who stood next, and\nobserved him, as being desirous to put many questions to him, were\nsensible how he disappeared; amongst them there was David Lindsey of\nMont, a man of approved worth and honesty, (and a great scholar too)\nfor in the whole course of his life, he abhorred lying; and if I had\nnot received this story from him as a certain truth, I had omitted it\nas a romance of the vulgar.\n\nOn Tuesday, July 26, 1720, at a sale of the copies belonging to Mr.\nAwnsham Churchill, of London, Book-seller, which were sold at the\nQueen's Head tavern, in Pater Noster Row, there was among them a\nprinted copy of these Miscellanies, corrected for the press by Mr.\nAubrey, wherein were many very considerable alterations,\ncorrections, and additions, together with the following letter to Mr.\nChurchill, written upon the first blank leaf, concerning the then\nintended second edition.\n\nMR. CHURCHILL,\n\nTHERE is a very pretty remark in the Athenian Mercury, concerning\nApparitions, which I would have inserted under this head, it is in\nvol. 17, numb. 25. Tuesday, June 1695.\n\nMr. Dunton, at the Raven in Jewin-Street, will help you to this\nMercury, but yesterday he would not, his wife being newly departed.\n\nJ. A.\n\nJune 1, 1697.\n      **The Passage referred to by Mr. AUBREY, in his Letter\n      to Mr. CHURCHILL.*\n\n* The passage referred to in this letter is now here inserted: the other\nadditions are incorporated in the text. Ed.\n\nTwo persons (Ladies) of quality, (both not being long since deceased,)\nwere intimate acquaintance, and loved each other entirely: it so fell\nout, that one of them fell sick of the small-pox, and desired mightily\nto see the other, who would not come, fearing the catching of them.\nThe afflicted at last dies of them, and had not been buried very long,\nbut appears at the other's house, in the dress of a widow, and asks\nfor her friend, who was then at cards, but sends down her woman to\nknow her business, who, in short, told her, \"she must impart it to\nnone but her Lady\", who, after she had received this answer, bid her\nwoman have her in a room, and desired her to stay while the game was\ndone, and she would wait on her. The game being done, down stairs she\ncame to the apparition, to know her business; \"madam,\" says the\nghost, (turning up her veil, and her face appearing full of the small-\npox) \"You know very well, that you and I, loved entirely; and your not\ncoming to see me, I took it so ill at your hands, that I could not\nrest till I had seen you, and now I am come to tell you, that you have\nnot long to live, therefore prepare to die; and when you are at a\nfeast, and make the thirteenth person in number, then remember my\nwords\" and so the apparition vanished.\n\nTo conclude, she was at a feast, where she made the thirteenth person\nin number, and was afterwards asked by the deceased's brother,\n\"whether his sister did appear to her as was reported?\" she made him\nno answer, but fell a weeping, and died in a little time after. The\ngentleman that told this story, says, that there is hardly any person\nof quality but what knows it to be true. (From the Athenian Mercury.)\n\n\n      APPENDIX.\n\n      AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SURVEY AND\n      NATURAL HISTORY OF THE NORTH DIVISION\n      OF THE COUNTY OP WILTSHIRE.\n\n      BY J. AUBREY, ESQ.\n\n      **Printed in \"Miscellanies on several curious subjects.\"\n      London, E. Curll, 1714.\n\nAT a meeting of gentlemen at the Devizes, for choosing of Knights of\nthe Shire in March 1659, it was wished by some, that this County\n(wherein are many observable antiquities) was surveyed, in imitation\nof Mr. Dugdale's illustration of Warwickshire; but it being too great\na task for one man, Mr. William Yorke (Councellor at Law, and a lover\nof this kind of learning) advised to have the labour divided: he\nhimself would undertake the Middle Division; I would undertake the\nNorth; T. Gore, Esq., Jeffrey Daniel, Esq., and Sir John Erneley would\nbe assistants. Judge Nicholas was the greatest antiquary, as to\nevidences, that this County hath had in memory of man, and had taken\nnotes in his Adversariis of all the ancient deeds that came to his\nhands. Mr. York had taken some memorandums in this kind too, both now\ndead; 'tis pity those papers, falling into the hands of merciless\nwomen, should be put under pies. I have since that occasionally made\nthis following Collection, which perhaps may some-time or other fall\ninto some antiquary's hands, to make a handsome Work of it. I hope my\nworthy friend Mr. Anthony Wood of Oxford will be the man. I am\nheartily sorry I did not set down the antiquities of these parts\nsooner, for since the time aforesaid, many things are irrecoverably\nlost.\n\nIn former days the churches and great houses hereabouts did so abound\nwith monuments and things remarkable, that it would have deterred an\nantiquary from undertaking it. But as Pythagoras did guess at the\nvastness of Hercules' stature by the length of his foot, so among\nthese ruins are remains enough left for a man to give a guess what\nnoble buildings, &c. were made by the piety, charity, and\nmagnanimity of our forefathers.\n\nAnd as in prospects, we are there pleased most where something keeps\nthe eye from being lost, and leaves us room to guess; so here the eye\nand mind is no less affected with these stately ruins, than they would\nhave been when standing and entire. They breed in generous minds a\nkind of pity, and sets the thoughts a-work to make out their magnifice\nas they were taken in perfection. These remains are \"tanquam Tabulata\nNaufragii\", that after the revolution of so many years and\ngovernments, have escaped the teeth of Time, and (which is more\ndangerous) the hands of mistaken Zeal. So that the retrieving of these\nforgotten things from oblivion, in some sort resembles that of a\nconjurer, who make those walk and appear that have lain in their\ngraves many hundreds of years, and to represent, as it were to the\neye, the places, customs, and fashions that were of old time.\n\nLet us imagine then what kind of country this was in the time of the\nancient Britains, by the nature of the soil, which is a soure,\nwoodsere land, very natural for the production of oaks especially;\none may conclude, that this North-Division was a shady, dismal wood;\nand the inhabitants almost as salvage as the beasts, whose skins were\ntheir only raiment. The language, British (which for the honour of it,\nwas in those days spoken from the Orcades to Italy and Spain). The\nboats on the Avon (which signifies river) were baskets of twigs\ncovered with an ox-skin, which the poor people in Wales use to this\nday, and call them curricles.\n\nWithin this shire I believe that there were several Reguli, which\noften made war upon one another, and the great ditches which run on\nthe plains and elsewhere so many miles, were (not unlikely) their\nboundaries, and withall served for defence against the incursion of\ntheir enemies, as the Picts' Wall, Offa's Ditch, and that in China; to\ncompare small things to great. Their religion is at large described by\nCsesar; their priests were the Druids. Some of their temples I pretend\nto have restored; as Anbury, Stonehenge, &c., as also British\nsepulchres. Their way of fighting is livelily set down by Caesar. Their\ncamps, with those of their antagonists, I have set down in another\nplace. They knew the use of iron; and about Hedington fields, Bromham,\nBowdon, &c. are still ploughed up cinders (i. e. the scoria of melted\niron). They were two or three degrees I suppose less salvage than the\nAmericans. Till King John's time wolves were in this island; and in\nour grandfathers' days more foxes than now, and marterns (a beast of\nbrown rich furr) at Stanton Park, &c. the race now extinct thereabout.\n\nThe Romans subdued and civilized them; at Lekham (Mr. Camden saith)\nwas a colony of them, as appears there by the Roman coin found there.\nAbout 1654, in Weekfield, in the parish of Hedington, digging up the\nground deeper than the plough went, they found, for a great way\ntogether, foundations of houses, hearths, coals, and a great deal of\nRoman coin, silver and brass, whereof I had a pint; some little\ncopper-pieces, no bigger than silver half-pence (quaere if they were\nnot the Roman Denarii) I have portrayed the pot in which a good deal\nwas found, which pot I presented to the Royal Society's Repository, it\nresembles an apprentice's earthen Christmas-box.\n\nAt Sherston, hath several times been found Roman money in ploughing. I\nhave one silver piece found there (1653) not long since, of\nConstantine the Great. Among other arts, that of architecture was\nintroduced by them; and no doubt but here, as well as in other parts,\nwere then good buildings, here being so good stone: I know not any\nvestigia now left in this country, except the fragments of the Castle\nof Salisbury, which takes its name from Caesar, Caesarisburghum, from\nwhence Sarisburgh, whence Salisbury.\n\nAt Bath are several Roman inscriptions, which Mr. Camden hath set\ndown, and by the West Gate a piece of a delicate Corinthian freeze,\nwhich he calls wreathed leaves, not understanding architecture; and\nby in a bass relieve of an optriouch. At Bethford, about 1663, was\nfound a grotto paved with Mosaic work, some whereof I have preserved.\n\nThe Saxons succeeding them, and driving away to Ireland, Cornwal, &c.\nthese Britains were by Romans left here; for they used the best of\nthem in their wars, (being their best soldiers) here was a mist of\nignorance for 600 years. They were so far from knowing arts, that they\ncould not build a wall with stone. They lived sluttishly in poor\nhouses, where they eat a great deal of beef and mutton, and drank good\nale in a brown mazard; and their very kings were but a sort of\nfarmers. After the Christian Religion was planted here, it gave a\ngreat shoot, and the kings and great men gave vast revenues to the\nChurch, who were ignorant enough in those days. The Normans then came\nand taught them civility and building; which though it was Gothick (as\nalso their policy \"Feudalis Lex\") yet they were magnificent. For the\nGovernment, till the time of King Henry VIII. it was like a nest of\nboxes; for copyholders, (who, till then were villains) held of the\nlords of the Manor, who held of a superior lord, who perhaps held of\nanother superior lord or duke, who held of the king. Upon any occasion\nof justing or tournaments in those days, one of these great lords\nsounded his trumpets (the lords then kept trumpeters, even to King\nJames) and summoned those that held under them. Those again sounded\ntheir trumpets, and so downward to the copy-holders. The Court of\nWards was a great bridle in those days. A great part of this North\nDivision held of the honour of Trowbridge, where is a ruinated castle\nof the dukes of Lancaster. No younger brothers then were by the custom\nand constitution of the realm to betake themselves to trades, but were\nchurchmen or retainers, and servants to great men rid good horses (now\nand then took a purse) and their blood that was bred of the good\ntables of their masters, was upon every occasion freely let out in\ntheir quarrels; it was then too common among their masters to have\nfeuds with one another, and their servants at market, or where they\nmet (in that slashing age) did commonly bang one another's bucklers.\nThen an esquire, when he rode to town, was attended by eight or ten\nmen in blue coats with badges. The lords (then lords in deed as well\nas title) lived in their countries like petty kings, had \"jura\nregalia\" belonging to their seigniories, had their castles and\nboroughs, and sent burgesses to the Lower House; had gallows within\ntheir liberties, where they could try, condemn, draw and hang; never\nwent to London but in parliament-time, or once a year to do their\nhomage and duty to the king. The lords of manours kept good houses in\ntheir countries, did eat in their great Gothick halls, at the high\ntable; (in Scotland, still the architecture of a lord's house is\nthus, viz. a great open hall, a kitchen and buttery, a parlour, over\nwhich a chamber for my lord and lady; all the rest lye in common, viz.\nthe men-servants in the hall, the women in a common room) or oriele,\nthe folk at the side-tables. (Oriele is an ear, but here it signifies\na little room at the upper end of the hall, where stands a square or\nround table, perhaps in the old time was an oratory; in every old\nGothic hall is one, viz. at Dracot, Lekham, Alderton, &c.) The meat\nwas served up by watch-words. Jacks are but an invention of the other\nage: the poor boys did turn the spits, and licked the dripping-pan,\nand grew to be huge lusty knaves. The beds of the servants and\nretainers were in the great halls, as now in the guard-chamber, &c.\nThe hearth was commonly in the middle, as at most colleges, whence the\nsaying, \"Round about our coal-fire.\" Here in the halls were the\nmummings, cob-loaf-stealing, and a great number of old Christmas plays\nperformed. Every baron and gentleman of estate kept great horses for a\nman at arms. Lords had their armories to furnish some hundreds of men.\nThe halls of justices of the peace were dreadful to behold, the\nskreens were garnished with corslets and helmets, gaping with open\nmouth, with coats of mail, lances, pikes, halberts, brown bills,\nbatterdashers, bucklers, and the modern colivers and petronils (in\nKing Charles I.'s time) turned into muskets and pistols. Then were\nentails in fashion, (a good prop for monarchy). Destroying of manors\nbegan temp. Henry VIII., but now common; whereby the mean people live\nlawless, nobody to govern them, they care for nobody, having no\ndependance on anybody. By this method, and by the selling of the\nchurch-lands, is the ballance of the Government quite altered, and put\ninto the hands of the common people. No ale-houses, nor yet inns were\nthere then, unless upon great roads: when they had a mind to drink,\nthey went to the fryaries; and when they travelled they had\nentertainment at the religious houses for three days, if occasion so\nlong required. The meeting of the gentry was not then at tipling-\nhouses, but in the fields or forest, with their hawks and hounds, with\ntheir bugle horns in silken bordries. This part very much abounded\nwith forests and parks. Thus were good spirits kept up, and good\nhorses and hides made; whereas now the gentry of the nation are so\neffeminated by coaches, they are so far from managing great horses,\nthat they know not how to ride hunting-horses, besides the spoiling of\nseveral trades dependant. In the last age every yRoman almost kept a\nsparrow-hawk; and it was a divertisement for young gentlewomen to\nmanage sparrow-hawks and merlins. In King Henry VIII.'s time, one Dame\nJulian writ The Art of Hawking in English verse, which is in Wilton\nLibrary. This country was then a lovely champain, as that about\nSherston and Cots-wold; very few enclosures, unless near houses: my\ngrandfather Lyte did remember when all between Cromhall (at Eston) and\nCastle-Comb was so, when Easton, Yatton and Comb did intercommon\ntogether. In my remembrance much hath been enclosed, and every year,\nmore and more is taken in. Anciently the Leghs (now corruptly called\nSlaights) i. e. pastures, were noble large grounds, as yet the Demesne\nLands at Castle Combe are. So likewise in his remembrance, was all\nbetween Kington St. Michael and Dracot-Cerne common fields. Then were\na world of labouring people maintained by the plough, as yet in\nNorthamptonshire, &c. There were no rates for the poor in my\ngrandfather's days; but for Kington St. Michael (no small parish) the\nchurch-ale at Whitsuntide did the business. In every parish is (or\nwas) a church-house, to which belonged spits, crocks, &c., utensils\nfor dressing provision. Here the house-keepers met, and were merry,\nand gave their charity. The young people were there too, and had\ndancing, bowling, shooting at butts, &c., the ancients sitting gravely\nby and looking on. All things were civil and without scandal. This\nchurch-ale is doubtless derived from the {Greek text: agapai}, or\nlove-feast, mentioned in the New Testament. Mr. A. Wood assures me,\nthat there were no alms-houses, at least they were very scarce before\nthe Reformation; that over against Christ Church, Oxon, is one of the\nancientest. In every church was a poor man's box, but I never\nremembered the use of it; nay, there was one at great inns, as I\nremember it was before the wars. Before the Reformation, at their\nvigils or revels, sat up all night fasting and praying. The night\nbefore the day of the dedication of the church, certain officers were\nchosen for gathering the money for charitable uses. Old John\nWastfield, of Langley, was Peter-man at St. Peter's Chapel there; at\nwhich time is one of the greatest revels in these parts, but the\nchapel is converted into a dwelling-house. Such joy and merriment was\nevery holiday, which days were kept with great solemnity and\nreverence. These were the days when England was famous for the \" grey\ngoose quills.\" The clerk's was in the Easter holidays for his benefit,\nand the solace of the neighbourhood.\n\nSince the Reformation, and inclosures aforesaid, these parts have\nswarmed with poor people. The parish of Cain pays to the poor (1663)\nL500 per annum; and the parish of Chippenham little less, as appears\nby the poor's books there. Inclosures are for the private, not for the\npublic, good. For a shepherd and his dog, or a milk-maid, can manage\nmeadow-land, that upon arable, employed the hands of several scores of\nlabourers.\n\nIn those times (besides the jollities already mentioned) they had\ntheir pilgrimages to Walsingham, Canterbury, &c. to several shrines,\nas chiefly hereabouts, to St. Joseph's of Arimathea, at his chapel in\nGlastonbury Abbey. In the roads thither were several houses of\nentertainment, built purposely for them; among others, was the house\ncalled \"The Chapel of Playster\" near Box; and a great house called\n....... without Lafford's Gate, near Bristol.\n\nThen the Crusado's to the Holy War were most magnificent and glorious,\nand the rise, I believe, of the adventures of knights errant and\nromances. The solemnities , of processions in and about the churches,\nand the perambulations in the fields, besides their convenience, were\nfine pleasing diversions: the priests went before in their\nformalities, singing the Latin service, and the people came after,\nmaking their good-meaning responses. The reverence given to holy men\nwas very great. Then were the churches open all day long, men and\nwomen going daily in and out hourly, to and from their devotions. Then\nwere the consciences of the people kept in so great awe by\nconfession, that just dealing and virtue was habitual. Sir Edwyn\nSandys observed, in his travels in the Catholic countries, so great\nuse of confession as aforesaid, that though a severe enemy to the\nChurch of Rome, he doth heartily wish it had never been left out by\nthe Church of England, perceiving the great good it does beyond sea.\nLent was a dismal time, strictly observed by fasting, prayer, and\nconfessing against Easter. During the forty days, the Fryars preached\nevery day.\n\nThis country was very full of religious houses; a man could not have\ntravelled but he must have met monks, fryars, bonnehommes, &c. in\ntheir several habits, black, white, grey, &c. And the tingle tangle of\ntheir convent bells, I fancy, made very pretty musick, like the\ncollege bells at Oxford.\n\nThen were there no free-schools; the boys were educated at the\nmonasteries; the young maids, not at Hackney schools, &c. to learn\npride and wantonness, but at the nunneries, where they had examples of\npiety, humility, modesty, and obedience, &c. to imitate and practise.\nHere they learned needle-work, and the art of confectionary,\nsurgery, physick, writing, drawing, &c.\n\nOld Jaques (who lived where Charles Hadnam did) could see from his\nhouse the nuns of the priory of St. Mary's (juxta Kington) come forth\ninto the nymph-hay with their rocks and wheels to spin, and with their\nsewing work. He would say that he hath told threescore and ten; though\nof nuns there were not so many, but in all, with lay-sisters, as\nwidows, old maids, and young girls, there might be such a number. This\nwas a fine way of breeding up young women, who are led more by example\nthan precept; and a good retirement for widows and grave single\nwomen, to a civil, virtuous, and holy life.\n\nPlato says, that the foundation of government is, the education of\nyouth; by this means it is most probable that that was a golden age. I\nhave heard Judge Jenkins, Mr. John Latch, and other lawyers, say, that\nbefore the Reformation, one shall hardly in a year find an action on\nthe case, as for slander, &c. which was the result of a good\ngovernment.\n\nIt is a sarcasm, more malicious than true, commonly thrown at the\nchurch-men, that they had too much land; for their constitution being\nin truth considered, they were rather administrators of those great\nrevenues to pious and publick uses, than usufructuaries. As for\nthemselves, they had only their habit and competent diet, every order\naccording to their prescribed rule; from which they were not to vary.\nThen for their tenants, their leases were almost as good to them as\nfee simple, and perchance might longer last in their families. Sir\nWilliam Button (the father) hath often told me, that Alton farm had\nbeen held by his ancestors from the Abbey of Winchester, about four\nhundred years. The powers of Stanton Quintin held that farm of the\nAbbey of Cirencester in lease 300 years: and my ancestors, the\nDanvers, held West Tokenham for many generations, of the Abbey of\nBroadstock, where one of them was a prior. Memorandum, that in the\nabbies were several corrodies granted for poor old shiftless men,\nwhich Fitzherbert speaks of amongst his writs. In France, to every\nparish church is more than one priest, (because of the several masses\nto be said) which fashion, Mr. Dugdale tells me, was used here, and at\nsome churches in London, in near half a dozen.\n\nIn many chancels are to be seen three seats with niches in the wall\n(most commonly on the south side) rising by degrees, and sometimes\nonly three seats, the first being for the bishop, the second for the\npriest, and the third for the deacon. Anciently the bishops visited\ntheir churches in person. This I had from Mr. Dugdale; as also that in\nmany churches where stalls are, as at cathedrals, (which I mistook for\nchauntries) and in collegiate churches. This searching after\nantiquities is a wearisome task. I wish I had gone through all the\nchurch-monuments. The Records at London I can search gratis. Though of\nall studies, I take the least delight in this, yet methinks I am\ncarried on with a kind of oestrum; for nobody else hereabout hardly\ncares for it, but rather makes a scorn of it. But methinks it shows a\nkind of gratitude and good nature, to revive the memories and\nmemorials of the pious and charitable benefactors long since dead and\ngone.\n\nEston Pierse, April 28, 1670.\n\n\nHOROSCOPE OF JOHN AUBREY'S NATIVITY, from his own Sketch.","title":"Miscellanies Upon Various Subjects","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":53834}