MISCELLANIES UPON VARIOUS SUBJECTS. BY JOHN AUBREY, F.RS. THE FIFTH EDITION. {TO WHICH IS ADDED, HYDRIOTAPHIA; OR, URN BURIAL. BY SIR THOMAS BROWNE.}* LONDON; REEVES AND TURNER 196, STRAND. 1890.

  • Urn-Burial has not been scanned into this text. CONTENTS. LIFE of AubreyDedication to the First EditionDay-Fatality; or, Some Observations of Days Lucky and Unlucky Day-Fatality of RomeOf Fatalities of Families and Places Ostenta; or, PortentsOmensDreamsApparitionsVoicesImpulsesKnockingsBlows invisibleProphesiesMirandaMagickTransportation by an invisible Power Visions in a Beryl or CrystalVisions without a Glass or CrystalConverse with Angels and SpiritsCorps-candles in WalesOraclesEcstacyGlances of Love and MaliceAn accurate account of Second-Sighted men in Scotland Additaments of Second-SightFarther AdditamentsAppendix {HYDRIOTAPHIA; OR, URN-BURIAL} THE LIFE OF JOHN AUBREY. JOHN AUBREY, the subject of this brief notice, was born at Easton Pierse, (Parish of Kington,) in Wiltshire, on the 12th of March, 1626; and not on the 3rd of November in that year, as stated by some of his biographers. He was the eldest son of Richard Aubrey, Esq. of Burleton, Herefordshire, and Broad Chalk, Wiltshire. Being, according to his own statement, “very weak, and like to dye,” he was baptized on the day of his birth, as appears by the Register of Kington. At an early age (1633) he was sent to the Grammar School at Yatton Keynel, and in the following year he was placed under the tuition of Mr. Robert Latimer, the preceptor of Hobbes, a man then far advanced in years. On the 2nd of May, 1642, being then sixteen years of age, Aubrey was entered a gentleman commoner of Trinity College, Oxford, where he appears to have applied himself closely to study. He however cherished a strong predilection for English History and Antiquities, which was fostered and encouraged at this time by the appearance of the “Monasticon Anglicanum”, to which he contributed a plate of Osney Abbey, an ancient ruin near Oxford, entirely destroyed in the Civil Wars. On the 16th of April, 1646, Aubrey was admitted a student of the Middle Temple, but the death of his father shortly after, leaving him heir to estates in Wiltshire, Surrey, Herefordshire, Brecknockshire and Monmouthshire, obliged him to relinquish his studies and look to his inheritance, which was involved in several law suits. Though separated from his associates in the University, he appears to have kept up a correspondence with several of them, and among others, Anthony Wood, whom he furnished with much valuable information. Wood made an ungrateful return for this assistance, and in his Autobiography thus speaks of him:-“An. 1667, John Aubrey of Easton Piers in the parish of Kingston, Saint Michael in Wiltshire, was in Oxon. with Edward Forest, a Bookseller, living against Alls. Coll. to buy books. He then saw lying on the stall Notitiæ Academiae Oxoniensis, and asking who the author of that book was? He [Edw. Forest] answered, the report was that one Mr. Anth. Wood, of Merton College was the author, but was not. Whereupon Mr. Aubrey, a pretender to Antiquities, having been contemporary to A. Wood’s elder brother in Trin. Coll. and well acquainted with him, he thought, that he might be as well acquainted with A. W. himself, Whereupon repairing to his lodgings, and telling him who he was, he got into his acquaintance, talked to him about his studies, and offered him what assistance he could make, in order to the completion of the work that he was in hand with. Mr. Aubrey was then in sparkish garb, came to town with his man and two horses, spent high, and flung out A. W. in all his recknings. But his estate of 7001i per an. being afterwards sold and he reserving nothing of it to himself, liv’d afterwards in very sorry condition, and at length made shift to rub out by hanging on Edm. Wyld, Esq., living in Blomesbury near London, on James Carle of Abendon, whose first wife was related to him, and on Sr Joh. Aubrey his kinsman, living sometimes in Glamorganshire and sometimes at Borstall near Brill in Bucks. He was a shiftless person, roving and magotie-headed, and sometimes little better than crased. And being exceedingly credulous, would stuff his many letters sent to A. W. with folliries and misinformations, which would sometimes guid him into the paths of errour.” This example of bad English, and worse taste, was written after twenty-five years acquaintance! In singular contrast to it, is a letter of Aubrey to Wood, charging him, it is true, with an abuse of confidence and detraction, but urging his complaint in terms which sufficiently evince the kindly and affectionate nature of the writer. Malone, in his ” Historical Account of the English Stage,” has done Aubrey justice; and his remarks may properly find a place here. ” That the greater part of his (Aubrey’s) life was devoted to literary pursuits, is ascertained by the works which he has published, the correspondence which he held with many eminent men, and the collections which he left in manuscript and which are now reposited in the Ashmolean Museum. Among these collections is a curious account of our English Poets, and many other writers. While Wood was preparing his Athenae Oxonienses, this manuscript was lent to him, as appears from many queries in his handwriting in the margin; and his account of Milton, with whom Aubrey was intimately acquainted, is (as has been observed by Mr. Warton) literally transcribed from thence.” After alluding to the quarrel between Wood and Aubrey, he continues, “But whatever Wood in a peevish humour may have said or thought of Mr. Aubrey, by whose labours he has highly profited, or however fantastical Aubrey may have been on the subject of chemistry and ghosts, his character for veracity has never been impeached, and as a very diligent Antiquary, his testimony is worthy of attention. Mr. Toland, who was well acquainted with him, and certainly a better judge of men than Wood, gives this character of him: ‘Though he was extremely superstitious, or seemed to be so, yet he was a very honest man, and most accurate in his account of matter of fact. But the facts he knew, not the reflections he made, were what I wanted.’” Aubrey preserved, amidst all his troubles, an intimacy with the men of Science and Letters of his day, and with them formed the nucleus of the Royal Society. Some of the principal incidents of his life are briefly detailed in the following autobiographical memoranda, entitled ACCIDENTS OF JOHN AUBREY. Born at Easton-Piers, March 1625,6, about sun-rising; very weak and like to Dye, & therefore christned that morning before Prayer. I think I have heard my mother say I had an Ague shortly after I was born.
  1. About three or four years old I had a grievous ague, I can remember it. I got not health till eleven or twelve, but had sickness of Vomiting for 12 hours every fortnight for years, then it came monthly for then quarterly & then half yearly, the last was in June 1642. This sickness nipt my strength in the bud.
  2. At eight years old I had an issue (naturall) in the coronall sutor of my head, which continued running till 21.
  3. October, I had a violent fevor, it was like to have carried me off ’twas the most dangerous sickness that ever I had,
  4. About 1639 or 1643 I had the measills, but that was nothing, I was hardly sick. Monday after Easter week my Uncle’s Nag ranne away with me & gave me a very dangerous fall. 1642 May 3. Entered at Trinity College. 1643 April and May, the Small Pox at Oxon; after left that ingeniouse place & for three years led a sad life in the Country.
  5. April – Admitted of the M. Temple, but my fathers sickness and business never permitted me to make any settlement to my study.
  6. About the 16 or 18 of April I saw that incomparable good conditioned gentlewoman Mrs M. Wiseman, with whom at first sight I was in love.
  7. October the 21. my father died.
  8. (I think) June 14. I had a fall at Epsam & brake one of my ribbes, and was afraid it might cause an apostumation.
  9. Sept. 1655 or rather I think 1656 I began my chargeable & tedious lawe Suite on the Entaile in Brecknockshire and Monmouthshire. This yeare and the last was a strange yeare to me. Several love and lawe suites. 1656 – Decemb {Astrological sign for conjunction} morb.
  10. Novemb 27. obiit Dña Kasker Ryves with whom I was to marry, to my great losse.
  11. March or April like to break my neck in Ely Minster; and the next day, riding a gallop there my horse tumbled over and over, and yet I thank God no hurt.
  12. July. Aug. I accompanied A. Ettrick into Ireland for a month & returning were like to be shipwrecked at Holyhead but no hurt done. 1661, 1662, 1663. About these yeares I sold my Estate in Herefordshire. Janu. I had the honour to be elected Fellow of the R. S.
  13. June 11 landed at Calais, in August following had a terrible fit of the spleen and piles at Orleans. I returned in October. 1664 or 1665. Munday after Christmas was in danger to be spoiled by my horse; and the same day received læsio in testiculo, which was like to have been fatal. 0. R. Wiseman quod – I believe 1664.
  14. November 1. I made my first address (in an ill hour) to Joane Sumner.
  15. This yeare all my business and affairs ran kim kam, nothing tooke effect, as if I had been under an ill tongue. Treacheries and enmities in abundance against me.
  16. December — Arrested in Chancery Lane at Mrs Sumner’s suite. Feb. 24 A.M. about 8 or 9 Triall with her at Sarum; Victory and £600 damaged; through devilish opposition against me.
  17. July 6. was arrested by Peter Gale’s malicious contrivance the day before I was to go to Winton for my second triall; but it did not retard me above two hours, but did not then go to triall.
  18. March 5 was my triall at Winton from eight to nine. The Judge being exceedingly made against me by my Lady Hungerford but four of the { } appearing and much adoe got the moiety of Sarum: Verdict in £300. 1669 and 1670 I sold all my Estate in Wilts. From 1670 to this very day (I thank God) I have enjoyed a happy delitescency.
  19. Danger of Arrests.
  20. Latter end of June an impostume brake in my head. Mdm. St John’s night 1673 in danger of being run through with a sword by a young templer at M. Burges’ chamber in the M. Temple. I was in danger of being killed by William Earl of Pembroke then Lord Herbert at the election of Sir William Salkeld for New Sarum. I have been in danger of being drowned twice. The year that I lay at M. Neve’s (for a short time) I was in great danger of being killed by a drunkard in the Street of Grays Inn Gate by a Gentleman whom I never saw before but (Deo gratias) one of his companions hindred his thrust. [1754 June 11. transcribed from a MS. in M. Aubrey’s own handwriting in the possession of Dr. R. Rawlinson.] These incidents are so curiously narrated, and afford such interesting glimpses of the times to which they refer, that it is to be regretted they exist in so brief a form. Several of Aubrey’s biographers have given a very loose and unsatisfactory account of him, and it was left for Mr. Britton to prepare a more authentic Life of one who had laboured long and zealously to preserve the records of the past. To that gentleman we owe many particulars regarding the close of Aubrey’s career; among others, the entry of his burial at Oxford, in the church of St. Mary Magdalene- “1697. John Aubery a stranger was Buryed Jun. 7th.” To Mr. Britton we are also indebted for the fact that Aubrey was never married; the statement that he had been united to Joan Sumner, resting on no surer foundation than the allusion to that lady in the “Accidents” above quoted. He died intestate, and Letters of Administration were granted on the 18th December, 1697, to his surviving brother William. In that license he is described as “late of Broad Chalk in the County of Wilts, Batchelor.” [DEDICATION TO THE FIRST EDITION.] TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, JAMES EARL OF ABINGDON, LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE IN EYRE OF ALL HIS MAJESTY’S FORESTS AND CHACES ON THIS SIDE TRENT. MY LORD, WHEN I enjoyed the contentment of Solitude in your pleasant walks and gardens at Lavington the last summer, I reviewed several scattered papers which had lain by me for several years; and then presumed to think, that if they were put together, they might be somewhat entertaining: I therefore digested them there in this order, in which I now present them to your Lordship. The matter of this collection is beyond human reach: we being miserably in the dark, as to the œconomy of the invisible world, which knows what we do, or incline to, and works upon our passions and sometimes is so kind as to afford us a glimpse of its præscience. MY LORD, It was my intention to have finished my Description of Wiltshire* (half finished already) and to have dedicated it to your Lordship: but my age is now too far spent for such undertakings: I have therefore devolved that task on my country man, Mr. Thomas Tanner, † who hath youth to go through with it, and a genius proper for such an undertaking.
  • In the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford,† Afterwards Bishop of St. Asaph. Wherefore, I humbly beseech your Lordship to accept of this small offering, as a grateful memorial of the profound respect which I have for you, who have for many years taken me into your favour and protection. MY LORD, May the blessed Angels be your careful guardians: such are the prayers of Your Lordship’s Most obligedAnd humble Servant, JOHN AUBREY. 1696. DAY FATALITY OR, SOME OBSERVATIONS OF DAYS LUCKY AND UNLUCKY LUC. xix. 43. “In hoc die tuo”: In this thy day. That there be good and evil times, not only the sacred scriptures, but prophane authors mention: see 1 Sam. 25, 8. Esther 8, 17. and 9, 19, 22. Ecclus. 14. 14. The fourteenth day of the first month was a memorable and blessed day amongst the children of Israel: see Exod. 12, 18, 40, 41, 42, 51. Levit. 23, 5. Numb. 28, 16. Four hundred and thirty years being expired of their dwelling in Egypt, even in the self same day departed they thence. A thing something parallel to this we read in the Roman histories: that, that very day four years, that the civil wars were begun by Pompey the father, Caesar made an end of them with his sons; Cneius Pompeius being then slain, and it being also the last battle Cæsar was ever in. (Heylin in the kingdom of Corduba.) The calendar to Ovid’s Fastorum, says, “Aprilis erat mensis Grcecis auspicatisimus”, a most auspicious month among the Graecians. As to evil days and times; see Amos 5, 13. and 6, 3. Eccles. 9, 12. Psal. 37, 19. Obad. 12. Jer. 46, 21. And Job hints it, in cursing his birthday. Cap. 3, v. 1,10, 11. See Weever, p.458. Early in a morning In an evil tyming, Went they from Dunbar. Horace, lib. 2. Ode 13. Cursing the tree that had like to have fallen upon him, says, ‘Ille nefasto te posuit die’; intimating that it was planted in an unlucky day. The Romans counted Feb. 13, an unlucky day, and therefore then never attempted any business of importance; for on that day they were overthrown at Allia by the Gauls; and the Fabii attacking the city of the Veii, were all slain, save one. (Heylin, speaking of St. Peter’s patrimony.) And see the calendar annext to Ovid’s “Fastorum”, as to the last circumstance. The Jews accounted August 10, an unfortunate day; for on that day the Temple was destroyed by Titus, the son of Vespasian; on which day also the first Temple was consumed with fire by Nebuchadnezzar. (Heylin.) The treasury of the times says the eighth of Loyon (August) the very same day 679 years one after another. And not only among the Romans and Jews, but also among Christians, a like custom of observing such days is used, especially Childermas or Innocent’s day. Comines tells us,that Lewis XI. used not to debate any matter, but accounted it a sign of great misfortune towards him, if any man communed with him of his affairs; and would be very angry with those about him, if they troubled him with any matter whatsoever upon that day. But I will descend to more particular instances of lucky and unlucky days. Upon the sixth of April, Alexander the Great was born. Upon the same day he conquered Darius, won a great victory at sea, and died the same day. Neither was this day less fortunate to his father Philip; for on the same day he took Potidea; Parmenio, his General, gave a great overthrow to the Illyrians; and his horse was victor at the Olympic Games. Therefore, his prophets foretold to him, “Filium cujus natalis”, &c. That a son whose birth-day was accompanied with three victories, should prove invincible. “Pezelius in melificio historico”. Upon the thirtieth of September, Pompey the Great was born: upon that day he triumphed for his Asian conquest, and on that day he died. The nineteenth of August was the day of Augustus his adoption: on the same day he began his consulship: he conquered the Triumviri, and on the same day he died. Hitherto out of the memories of King Charles I’s. heroes. If Solomon counts the day of one’s death better than the day of one’s birth, there can be no objection why that also may not be reckoned amongst one’s remarkable and happy days. And therefore I will insert here, that the eleventh of February was the noted day of Elizabeth, wife to Henry VII. who was born and died that day. Weever, p. 476. Brooke, in Henry VII. marriage. Stow, in Anno 1466, 1503. As also that the twenty-third of November was the observable day of Francis, Duke of Lunenburgh, who was born on that day, and died upon the same, 1549, as says the French author of the Journal History, who adds upon particular remark and observable curiosity. “Ipsa dies vitam contulit, ipsa necem”. The same day life did give, And made him cease to live. Sir Kenelm Digby, that renowned knight, great linguist, and magazine of arts, was born and died on the eleventh of June, and also fought fortunately at Scanderoon the same day. Here his epitaph, composed by Mr. Ferrar, and recited in the aforesaid Memoirs: Under this stone the matchless Digby lies, Digby the great, the valiant and the wise: This age’s wonder for his noble parts; Skill’d in six tongues, and learn’d in all the arts. Born on the day he died, th’ eleventh of June, On which he bravely fought at Scanderoon. ‘Tis rare that one and self-same day should be His day of birth, of death, of victory. I had a maternal uncle, that died the third of March,1678, which was the anniversary day of his birth; and (which is a truth exceeding strange)many years ago he foretold the day of his death to be that of his birth; and he also averred the same but about the week before his departure. The third of March is the day of St. Eutropius; and as to my uncle it was significative; it turned well to him, according to that of Rev. 14, 13. Blessed are the dead, &e. and that of Ovid Metam. lib. 3. “—Dicique beatus”, “Ante obitum nemo supremaque funera debet.—–“ –None happy call Before their death, and final funeral. The sixth of January was five times auspicious to Charles, Duke of Anjou. Ibid. in the life of the Earl of Sunderland. The twenty-fourth of February was happy to Charles V. four times. (Ibid.) Heylin, speaking of the Temple of Jerusalem, hints three of these four; his birth, taking of Francis, King of France, prisoner; his receiving the Imperial crown at Bononia. And so doth also the Journal History before mentioned. Of the family of the Trevors, six successive principal branches have been born the sixth of July. Same memoirs. Sir Humphrey Davenport was born the 7th of July; and on that day anniversary, his father and mother died, within a quarter of an hour one of another. Same memoirs. I have seen an old Romish MSS. prayer-book, (and shewed the same to that general scholar, and great astrologer, Elias Ashmole, Esq.;) at the beginning whereof was a Calendar wherein were inserted the unlucky days of each month, set out in verse. I will recite them just as they are, sometimes infringing the rule of grammar, sometimes of Prosodia; a matter of which the old monkish rhymers were no way scrupulous. It was as ancient as Henry the sixth, or Edward the fourth’s time. January “Prima dies mensis, & septima truncat ut ensis”. February “Quarta subit mortem, prostemit tertia fortem.” March. “Primus mandentem, disrumpit quarto, bibentem”. April “Denus & undenus est mortis vulnere plenus”. May “Tertius occidit, & Septimus ora relidit”.* June “Denus pallescit, quindenus feeders nescit”. July. “Ter-decimus mactat, Julij denus labefactat.” August. “Prima necat fortem, prostemit secunda cohortem”. September “Tertia Septembris & denus fert mala membris”. October. “Tertius & denus est, sicut, mors alienus”. November. “Scorpius est quintus, & tertius e nece cinctus”. December. “Septimus exanguis, virosus denus & anguis”. * Ex re & ledo. The tenth verse is intolerable, and might be mended thus. “Tertia cum dena sit sicut mors aliena”. If any object and say, “Deni” is only the plural; I excuse my self by that admirable chronogram upon King Charles the martyr. “Ter deno, Jani, Lunae, Rex (Sole cadente)” “Carolus euxtus Solio, Sceptroque, secure”. Neither will I have recourse for refuge to that old tetrastich, “Intrat Avaloniam duodena Caterva virorum “Flos Arimathioe Joseph, &c.” because I have even now blamed the liberty of the ancient rhymers. He means by “Mors aliena”, some strange kind of death; though “aliena”, signifies in quite another sense than there used. I shall take particular notice here of the third of November, both because ’tis my own birth day, and also for that I have observed some remarkable accidents to have happened thereupon. Constantius, the Emperor, son of Constantine the Great,little inferior to his father, a worthy warrior, and good man, died the third of November: “Ex veteri Calendario penes me”. Thomas Montacute, Earl of Salisbury, that great man, and famous commander under Henry IV. V. and VI. Died this day, by a wound of a cannon-shot he received at Orleans, E MSS. quodam, & Glovero. So, also Cardinal Borromeo, famous for his sanctity of life, and therefore canonized, (Heylin in his “Præcognita”, says, he made Milan memorable, by his residence there) died 1584, this day, as Possevinus in his life. Sir John Perrot, (Stow corruptly calls him Parrat) a man very remarkable in his time, Lord Deputy of Ireland, son to Henry VIII. And extremely like him, died in the tower, the third of November, 1592 (as Stow says). Grief,and the fatality of. this day, killed him. See Naunton’s “Fragmenta Regalia”, concerning this man. Stow, in his Annals, says, Anno 1099, November 3, as well in Scotland as England, the sea broke in, over the banks of many rivers, drowning divers towns, and much people; with an innumerable number of oxen and sheep, at which time the lands in Kent, sometimes belonging to Earl Godwin, were covered with sands, and drowned, and to this day are called Godwin’s Sands. I had an estate left me in Kent, of which between thirty and forty acres was marsh-land, very conveniently flanking its up-land; and in those days this marsh-land was usually let for four nobles an acre. My father died, 1643. Within a year and half after his decease, such charges and water-schots came upon this marsh-land, by the influence of the sea, that it was never worth one farthing to me, but very often eat into the rents of the up-land: so that I often think, this day being my birth-day, hath the same influence upon me, that it had 580 years since upon Earl Godwin, and others concerned in low-lands. The Parliament, so fatal to Rome’s concerns here, in Henry VIII’s. time, began the third of November (26 of his reign;) in which the Pope, with all his authority, was clean banished the realm; he no more to be called otherwise than Bishop of Rome; the King to be taken and reputed as supreme head of the church of England, having full authority to reform all errors, heresies and abuses of the same: also the first-fruits and tenths of all spiritual promotions and dignities were granted to the King. See Stow’s Annals, and Weever, page 80. Not long after which, followed the visitation of abbies, priories, and nunneries; and after that, their final suppression: this Parliament being the door, or entrance thereto. The third of November 1640, began that Parliament so direfully fatal to England, in its peace, its wealth, its religion, its gentry, its nobility; nay, its King. So verifying the former verse of the calendar. “Scorpius est quintus, & tertius è nece cinctus, “ A killing day to some or other. On the third of November 1703, was the remarkable storm. The third of September was a remarkable day to the English Attila, Oliver, 1650. He obtained a memorable victory at Dunbar; another at Worcester, 1651, and that day he died, 1658. The first two occurrences wonderfully accord to the preceding verses. “Tertia Septembris, & denus fert mala membris.” Being fatal to the two members of great Britain, Scotland and England. The third, as happy to them both, as the same day, 1666, was dismal and unhappy to the city of London, and consequently to the whole kingdom, with its immediate preceding and two succeeding days, viz. the second, fourth, and fifth of September. I come now to the days of the week. Tuesday (“Dies Martis”) was a most remarkable day with Thomas Becket, Arch Bishop of Canterbury, as Weever, 201, observes from Mat. Paris: “Mars Secundum Poetas, Deus Belli nuncupatur. Vita Sancti Thomæ (secundum illud Job, Vita hominis militia est super terram) tota fuit contra hostem bellicosa, &c”. The life of St. Thomas (according to that of Job, the life of a man is a warfare upon earth) was a continual conflict against the enemy. Upon a Tuesday he suffered; upon Tuesday he was translated; upon Tuesday the Peers of the land sat against him at Northampton; upon Tuesday he was banished; upon Tuesday the Lord appeared to him at Pontiniac, saying, Thomas, Thomas, my church shall be glorified in thy blood; upon Tuesday he returned from exile, upon Tuesday he got the palm or reward of martyrdom; upon Tuesday 1220, his venerable body received the glory and renown of translation, fifty years after his passion. Thus my author. One thing I make bold to gloss upon. His translation is here mentioned twice. Note, this is no tautology of the historian; but the latter paragraph is a mere recitation of the first, viz. reference to the time when he was translated into the number of Saints and Martyrs: “quando in divorum numerum relatus”, as Camden. Wednesday is said to have been the fortunate day of Sixtus Quintus, that Pope of renowned merit, that did so great and excellent things in the time of his government. See the just weight of the scarlet robe, (page 101, his desired praises.) On a Wednesday he was born; on that day he was made Monk; on the same he was made General of his order; on that also, was he successively created Cardinal, elected Pope, and also inaugurated. See Heylin, speaking of the Temple of Jerusalem. Friday was observed to be very fortunate to the great renowned Captain Gonsalvo, he having on that day given the French many memorable defeats. Saturday was a lucky day to Henry VII. upon that day he atchieved the victory upon Richard III. being August 22, 1485. On that day he entered the city, being August 29 (correct Stow, who mistakes the day) and he himself always acknowledged, he had experienced it fortunate. See Bacon in his Life. Thursday was a fatal day to Henry VIII. (as Stow, 812); and so also to his posterity. He died on Thursday, Jan. 28. King Edward VI. on Thursday, July 6. Queen Mary on Thursday, November 17. Queen Elizabeth on Thursday, March 24. Saturday(or the Jewish Sabbath) was fatal to Jerusalem Temple; for on that day it was taken by Pompey, Herod and Titus, successively. Heylin. Hitherto by way of prologue. And be pleased to take notice, as to the days of the month, I have taken such care, that all are according to the Julian or old account, used by us here in England. (See Partridge’s almanack, preface to the reader) Pope Gregory XIII. brought in his new stile (generally used beyond sea) anno 1585, in October, as asserts the Journal History before recited. An old proverb. When Easter falls in our lady’s lap, Then let England beware a rap. Easter falls on March 25, when the Sunday letter is G, and the golden number 5, 13, or 16. As in the late years, 1459,1638,1649. 1459, King Henry VI. was deposed and murdered. 1638, The Scottish troubles began, on which ensued the great rebellion.1648-9, King Charles I. murdered. I think it will not happen so again till the year 1991. Now for epilogue and remarkable reflection. Turning over our annals, I chanced upon a two-fold circumstance: I will not say, that none else hath observed the same; but I protest, (“Ita, me Deus amet, ut verum loquor”) I do not know of any that have; and therefore must justly claim to be acquitted from the least suspicion of plagiarism, or plowing with others heifers. The first is, of William the Conqueror. The second, of Edward III. (I need not say any thing of the eminency of these two; every one knows what great things they did.) And making reflection upon the auspicious birth-day of His Royal Highness the Duke of York, I adventured upon the following composure. (I cannot be proud of my poetry; but I cannot but be glad of my Bon Heur, “d’avoir (en lisant) tombé si fortuemènt sur les evenements d’un si Bon Jour”.) Ad Illustrissimum & Celsissimum Principem, Jacobum Ducem Eboracensem, de Natali suo Auspicatissimo Octobris XIV. Anno 1633. “–Deus Anna nefasto te posuit die?” Hor. lib. 2. ode 13. Oct. “Decimo quarto Normannus Haraldum Dux superavit, & Hinc Regia sceptra tulit. Tertius Edwardus, capto pernice Caleto, (Gallica quo Regna sunt resarata sibi) Ire domum tentans, diris turbinibus actus In pelago, Vitæ magna pericla subit.” Oct. Decimo quarto, tamen appulit Oras Nativas. (His quàm prosperus ille dies !) Natali lætare tuo, guàm Maxime Princeps; Fausta velut sunt hæc, Omnia semper habe.” October’s fourteenth gave the Norman Duke That victory, whence he Englands sceptre took.* Third Edward, after he had Calais won, (The mean whereby he France did over-run) Returning home, by raging tempests tost, (And near his life (so fortunes) to have lost)† Arrived safe on shore the self-same date. (This day to them afforded so fair fate.) Great Duke, rejoice in this your day of birth; And may such omens still encrease your mirth.
  • Stow, in anno 1066.† Stow, in anno 1347. The Verses I presented in anno 1672, to a most honourable Peer of the land, and of great place near his Royal Highness. Since which time, old Fabian’s chronicle coming into my hands, from him I got knowledge, that that advantagious peace, mentioned by Stow, anno 1360, (concluded between the forementioned King Edward III. And the French King) was acted upon the fourteenth of October, with grand solemnity. The two former circumstances must needs fall out providentially: whether this last of anno 1360, was designed by Edward III. or no, (as remembering his former good hap) may be some question: I am of opinion not. Where things are under a man’s peculiar concern, he may fix a time; but here was the French King concerned equally with the English, and many other great personages interested. To have tied them up to his own auspicious conceit of the day, had been an unkind oppression, and would have brought the judgment of so wise a Prince into question; we may conclude then, it was meerly fortuitous. And therefore to the former observation concerning this famous Edward, give me leave to add, “Insuper hoc ipso die (sibi commoda) Grandis Rex cum Galligenis, fœdera fecit idem”, An advantageous peace, on day self-same, This mighty Prince did with the Frenchmen frame. A memorable peace (foretold by Nostradamus) much conducing to the saving of Christian blood, was made upon the fourteenth of October 1557, between Pope Paul IV. Henry II. of France, and Philip II. of Spain. Nostradamus says, these great Princes were “frappèz du ciel”, moved from Heaven to make this peace. See Garencier’s Comment on Nostradamus, p. 76. A lucky day this, not only to the Princes of England, but auspicious to the welfare of Europe. John Gibbon, 1678. Thus far Mr. John Gibbon. The Latin verses of the twelve months quoted by him out of an old manuscript, I have seen in several mass-books; and they are printed in the calendar to the works of the Venerable Bede. ‘Tis to be presumed, that they were grounded upon experience; but we have no instances left us of the memorables of those days. As for the third and tenth of September, I have here set down some extractions from a little book called The Historian’s Guide: or, Britain’s Remembrancer; which was carefully collected by a club. It begins at the year 1600, and is continued to 1690. There cannot be found in all the time aforesaid, the like instances. “Tertia Septembris, & denus fere mala membris”. September 3,1641. The Parliament adjourned to the 20th of October next, and the Irish rebellion broke out, where were 20,000 persons barbarously murdered. September 3, 1643. Biddeford, Appleford, and Barnstable surrendered to the King. September 3, 1650. Dunbar fight. September 3, 1651. Worcester fight. September 3, 1651. Earl of Derby defeated at Preston. September 3,1654. A third Parliament at Westminster. September 3, 1658. Oliver, Protector died. September 3, 1675. The town of Northampton near burnt down to the ground by accidental fire. September 3, 1662. William Lenthal, Speaker of the House of Commons, died. September 3, 4, 1665. Four Dutch men of war, two East-India ships, and several merchant-men taken by the Earl of Sandwich, with the loss only of the Hector. September 2, 1644. The Earl of Essex fled to Plymouth, and the army submitted to the King. September 2, 1645. The Scots raised the siege from before Hereford. September 2, 1653. The Londoners petition the Parliament to continue tythes. September 2, 1685. The Lady Lisle beheaded at Winchester, for harbouring Hicks, a rebel.. September 4, 1643. Exeter taken by Prince Maurice. September 4, 1653. General Blake buried at Westminster. September 5, 1652. The French fleet beaten by the English. **Memorables on September the tenth. September 10, 1643. The siege of Gloucester raised. I remember over that gate which leads to Nymphs-field was this following inscription in free-stone: the walls are now pulled down. Always remember, The tenth of September, One thousand six hundred forty three, And give God the glory. September 10, 1645. Bristol surrendered to the Parliament. September 10, 1649. Drogheda taken, as appears by Cromwell’s letter to the Speaker Lenthal. September 10, 1660. Peace with Spain proclaimed. September 10, 1670. Peace concluded between England and Spain in America, was this day ratified at Madrid. 19 September 10, 1673. This day his majesty commanded the Earl of Ossory to take the command of the fleet at the Buoy in the Nore, in the absence of Prince Rupert. September 12, 1679. The King takes from the Duke of Monmouth his commission of General. September 12, 1680. Mrs. Cellier tried at the Old Bailey, for publishing a book called Malice Defeated, &c. and found guilty. September 12, 1683. The siege of Vienna raised (after the besieged had lost 10,000 men, and the besiegers 70,000) by the King of Poland, and the Duke of Lorrain. May 29, 1630. King Charles II. born. May 29, 1660. Restored. May 29, 1672. The fleet beaten by the Dutch. May 29, 1679. A rebellion broke out in the west of Scotland, where they proclaimed the covenant, and put forth a declaration. The Emperor Charles V. was born on February 24, 1500. He won the battle of Pavia, February 24, 1525. Clement VII. crowned him Emperor, February 24, 1530. Raphael d’Urbino (the famous painter) was born on Good-Friday, and died on Good-Friday. At Feltwell in Norfolk (which lies east and west) a fire happened to break out at the west end, which the west wind blew and burned all the street: on that day twenty years, another fire happened there, which began at the east end, and burned it to the ground again. This I had from a reverend divine. Quære de hoc. Colonel Hugh Grove of Wiltshire, was beheaded at Exeter (together with Colonel John Penruddock) on the ninth day of May 1655. On that very day three years, his son and heir died at London of a malignant fever, and about the same hour of the day. A very good friend of mine and old acquaintance was born on the 15th of November: his eldest son was born on the 15th of November, and his second son’s first son on the 15th of November. At thee hour of prime, April 6, 1327, Petrarch first saw his mistress Laura in the Church of Saint Clara in Avignon. In the same city, same month, same hour, 1348, she died. ‘Tis his own remark. Petrarcha Redivivus, 242. DAY-FATALITY OF ROME , *Written by Mr. JOHN PELL, D.D. from whom I had it. THEY that called the city of Rome, “Urbs Æterna”, seemed to believe that Rome could never be destroyed. But there have been great numbers of men, that did verily believe, that it shall have an irrecoverable over-throw. Writers have proceeded so far, as to foretell the time of Rome’s final ruin. Some said that Rome’s perdition should happen in the year of Christ 1670, they have now been decried nine whole years: so that few take care to know what reasons moved them to pitch upon that number. A Lutheran historian, anno 1656, wrote thus, “Finem Jubileorum Ecclesiasticorum omniumque temporum in Scriptura revelatorum, desinere in Annum Christi Millesimum sexcentesimum & septuagesimum, antehac observavit Beatus Gerhardus cum Philippo Nicolao”. But all men are not of Dr. Gerhard’s opinion. Many men believe, that some of the prophecies in the Revelations do reach far beyond our times, and that the events of future times will unclasp and unseal a considerable portion of the Apocalypse. One of the reasons, that recommended the number of 1670, was because it is the sum of 410, and 1260. Historians agree, that in the year of Christ 410, in the month of August, Rome was trampled under foot, and her heathen inhabitants were miserably slaughtered by the victorious army of Alaric, a Christian King of the Goths. Paulus Diaconus saith, August the 24th was the day of King Alaric’s taking Rome. Kedrenus saith, it was August the 26th, perhaps the army first entered the 24th, and the King followed not till two days after. As for the other number 1260. It is twice found in the Revelations of St. John, ch. 11, 3. “My two witnesses shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days.” And chap. 12, 6. ” Should feed the woman in the Wilderness, a thousand two hundred and threescore days.”And it is there expressed in another form, (42 times 30) chap. 11, 2. “The Gentiles shall tread the holy city under foot forty and two months.” Chap. 13, 5. “Power was given to the blasphemous beast to continue forty and two months.” Chap. 12, 14. “The woman is nourished in the Wilderness for ({Greek text: Kairon kai kaironos kai hemisu kairon}) a season and seasons, and half a season.” See Act. 1, 7. 360 and 720, and 180 are equal to 1260. So it seems every {Greek text: kaipo} hath 360 days, or twelve months at thirty days to a month. No doubt Daniel had given occasion to this expression, chap. 7, 25. ” A time, and times, and the dividing of time.” No man can ground any distinct reasoning upon such general words. But yet it is not tied to a just number of days, (as 360) but is capable of various interpretations in several prophecies. Daniel useth a plural in both places, and not a dual, (two times and two seasons) nor doth John say, two seasons: but by his Numeral Illustration, he teaches us to understand him, as if he had said, (chap. 12, 14). ” For three seasons and half a season:” I say Numeral Illustration. For I take it to be no other than an easy example (12 and 24 and 6 are 42) to direct the sons of the prophets not yet arrived to the skill of dealing with difficult supputations of numbers not then discoverable. As Revel. 13, 18. “Here is wisdom, let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast.” By 1260 days, almost all the interpreters understand so many years, but not a year of 360 days; because they find no nation that hath so short a year. The Egyptians had a year of just 365 days; but before St. John was born, the Romans had forced them to allow 365 1/4 as we use now in England. In an enquiry concerning Rome, it is fit to consider the length of a Roman year. (I may justly say a Roman-Moyed; for no city ever had their year’s length and form of a calendar determined, settled, and commanded with so much absolute authority as Rome had) Julius Caesar by an edict commanded that number of 365 1/4 to be observed, and therefore it is called a Julian year. Three Julians and an half have days 1278 3/8, but Julian years 1378 3/8 are 1278 Julian years, and days 136 31/32; or almost 137 days. Almost 100 years ago, Pope Gregory the XIII by a papal bull introduced a calendar wherein the year’s length is supposed to have days 365 97/500 Then three Gregorian years and an half have days 1278 279/800 But Gregorian years 1278 279/800 are 1278 Julian years, and days almost 118. Wherefore instead of adding 1260, add 1278, add 137 days to the year of our Lord 410, August 26. The sum shews the year of our Lord 1688, August 163, that is, ten days after the end of December 1688 old stile. This is the utmost, or farthest day, beyond which no Apocalypse account (reckoning from Alaric) can point out a time for the final destruction of the city of Rome. Again (instead of adding 1260) add 1278 years, and days 118 to the year of our Lord 410, August 24. The sum shews the year of our Lord 1688, August 142, that is, eleven days before the end of December 1688 old stile. This (December 20) is the nearest or soonest day that can be gathered by Apocalyptic account (reckoning from Alaric) to point out the time of Rome’s final ruin. But if it happens not before the eleventh of January, men will make no more reckoning of Alaric; but begin a new account from Attila, in the year of Christ, 453. Calculation to a day (when we can do it) may be defended by a great example. Exod. 12, 41. “At the end of 430 years, even the self-same day, &c.” John Pell. Dr. Pell told me, that St. Augustin writes somewhere, to this purpose, viz. “That it were to be wished, that some skilful mathematician would take the pains to examine and consider the mathematical parts of the holy scripture.” OF FATALITIES OF FAMILIES AND PLACES. THE Lord Chancellor Bacon says, ” As for nobility in particular persons, it is a reverend thing to see an antient castle or building not in decay: or to see a fair timber tree sound and perfect; how much more to behold an antient noble family, which hath stood against the waves and weathers of time: for new nobility is but the act of power; but antient nobility is the act of time.” Essay XIV. of Nobility. But “Omnium rerum est vicissitudo”: families and places have their fatalities, according to that of Ovid. “Fors sua cuique loco est”. Fast. lib. 4. This piece of a verse puts me in mind of several places in Wiltshire, and elsewhere, that are, or have been fortunate to their owners: and è contra. Stourton, (the seat of the Lord Stourton) was belonging to this family before the conquest. They say, that after the victory at Battaile, William the Conqueror came in person into the west, to receive their rendition; that the Lord Abbot of Glastonbury, and the rest of the Lords and Grandees of the western parts waited upon the Conqueror at Stourton-house; where the family continue to this day. The honourable family of the Hungerfords, is probably of as great antiquity as any in the county of Wilts. Hungerford, (the place of the barony) was sold but lately by Sir Edward Hungerford, Knight of the Bath; as also the noble and ancient seat of Farleigh-Castle, about anno 167-. But that this estate should so long continue is not very strange; for it being so vast, ’twas able to make several withstandings against the shock of fortune. The family of Gawen, have been long at Norington, in the parish of Alvideston in Wiltshire. It was sold by — Gawen, Esq. to Sir Wadham Wyndham, one of the Judges of the King’s Bench, about 1665. They continued in this place four hundred fifty and odd years. Then also was sold their estate in Broad-Chalk, which they had as long, or perhaps longer. On the south down of the farm of Broad-Chalk, is a little barrow, called Gawen’s Barrow (which must be before ecclesiastical canons were constituted; for since, burials are only in consecrated ground). King Edgar gave the manor and farm of Broad- Chalk to the nuns of Wilton-Abby, which is 900 years ago. Mr. Thynne, in his explanation of the hard words in Chaucer, writes thus, Gawen, fol. 23, p. 1. This Gawyn was sisters son to Arthur the Great, King of the Britains, a famous man in war, and in all manner of civility; as in the acts of the Britains we may read. In the year 1082, in a province of Wales, called Rose, was his sepulchre found. Chaucer, in the Squire’s Tale. This straunger night that came thus sodenly All armed, save his head, full royally Salued the King, and Queen, and Lordes all By order as they sitten in the Hall With so high Reverence and Obeisaunce As well in Speech as in Countenaunce, That Gawain with his old Courtesie, Though he came again out of Fairie, He could him not amend of no word. Sir William Button of Tockenham, Baronet, (the father) told me that his ancestors had the lease of Alton-farm (400 . per annum) in Wilts, (which anciently belonged to Hyde-Abby juxta Winton) four hundred years. Sir William’s lease expired about 1652, and so fell into the hands of the Earl of Pembroke. Clavel, of Smedmore, in the Isle of Purbec, in the county of Dorset, was in that place before the conquest, as appears by Dooms-day book. The like is said of Hampden, of Hampden in Bucks: their pedigree says, that one of that family had the conduct of that county in two invasions of the Danes. Also Pen of Pen, in that county, was before the conquest, as by Dooms-day book. Contrariwise, there are several places unlucky to their possessors, e. g. Charter-house, on Mendip in Somersetshire, never passed yet to the third generation. The manor of Butleigh near Glastonbury, never went yet to the third generation. Bletchington, in Oxfordshire, continued in the family of the Panures, for about 300 years: it was alienated by — Panure, to Sir John Lenthal, about the year 1630, who sold it again to Sir Thomas Coghill, about 1635. He sold it to William Lewis, Esq. whose relict made it over to the Duke of Richmond and Lenox, about the year 166-. His Grace sold it to Arthur, Earl of Anglesey, about the year 166-. Fatality of proper names of Princes, e. g. Augustus, the first Roman Emperor, and Augustulus the last. Constantine, the first Grecian Emperor, and Constantine the last. The like is observed of the first and last Mexican Emperors. And the Turks have a prophesy that the last Emperor will be a Mahomet. John hath been an unfortunate name to Kings. All the second Kings since the conquest have been unfortunate. London-Derry was the first town in Ireland that declared for the Parliament against King Charles I. and for the Prince of Orange against King James II. It was closely besieged both times without effect. The King’s party were once masters of all the kingdom, except London-Derry and Dublin, and King James had all in his power but London-Derry and Inniskilling. One Taylor, a minister, was as famous for his martial feats in the first siege, as Walker in the last. ‘Tis certain, that there are some houses unlucky to their inhabitants, which the reverend and pious Dr. Nepier could acknowledge. See Tobit, chap. 3, v. 8. “That she had been married to seven husbands, whom Asmodasus, the evil spirit, had killed, before they had lain with her.” The Fleece-tavern, in Covent-garden, (in York-street) was very unfortunate for Homicides: there have been several killed, three in my time. It is now (1692) a private house. “Clifton the master of the house, hanged himself, having perjured himself.” MS. Note in a copy of the Miscellanies in the Library of the Royal Society. A handsome brick house on the south side of Clerkenwell church-yard had been so unlucky for at least forty years, that it was seldom tenanted; and at last, no body would adventure to take it. Also a handsome house in Holborn, that looked towards the fields; the tenants of it did not prosper, several, about six. At the sign of— over against Northumberland house,. near Charing- Cross, died the Lady Baynton, (eldest daughter of Sir John Danvers of Dansey.) Some years after in the same house, died my Lady Hobbey (her sister) of the small-pox, and about twenty years after, died their nephew Henry Danvers, Esq. of the small-pox, aged twenty-one, wanting two weeks. He was nephew and heir to the Right Honourable Henry Danvers, Earl of Danby. Edmund Wild, Esq. hath had more Deodands from his manor of Totham in Essex, than from all his estate besides: two mischiefs happened in one ground there. Disinheriting the eldest son is forbid in the holy scripture, and estates disinherited are observed to be unfortunate; of which one might make a large catalogue. See Dr. Saunderson’s Sermon, where he discourses of this subject. *Periodical Small-Poxes. The small-pox is usually in all great towns: but it is observed at Taunton in Somersetshire, and at Sherborne in Dorsetshire, that at one of them at every seventh year, and at the other at every ninth year comes a small-pox, which the physicians cannot master, e. g.
  • This account, I had from Mr. Thomas Ax. Small-pox in Sherborne † during the year 1626. And during the year 1634.

From Michaelmas 1642, to Mich. 1643. From Michaelmas 1649, to Mich. 1650. From Michaelmas 1657, to Midi. 1658. In the year 1667, from Jan. to Sept. 1667. Mr. Ax promised me to enquire the years it happened there after 1670, and 1680; but death prevented him. † Extracted out of the register-book. Small-pox in Taunton all the year 1658.* Likewise in the year 1670. Again in the year 1677. Again very mortal in the year 1684.

  • Out of the register-book. Mr. Ax also promised me to enquire at Taunton the years it happened there after 1660. It were to be wished that more such observations were made in other great towns. Platerus makes the like observations in the second book of his Practice, p. 323. He practised at Basil, fifty six years, and did observe, that every tenth year they died of the plague there. See Captain J. Graunt’s observations on the bills of mortality at London, (indeed written by Sir William Petty, which in a late transaction he confessed) for the periodical plagues at London, which (as I remember) are every twenty-fifth year. OSTENTA; OR, PORTENTS. “HOW it comes to pass, I know not;* but by ancient and modern example it is evident, that no great accident befalls a city or province, but it is presaged by divination, or prodigy, or astrology, or some way or other. I shall here set down a few instances.”
  • Discourses of Nicholas Machiavel, book 1. Chap 56. A Rainbow appeared about the sun before the battle of Pharsalia. See. Appian, and Mr. T. May’s 5th book of his Continuation of Lucan. ” Ex Chronico Saxonico, p. 112, Anno 1104, fuit primus Pentecostes dies Nonis Junii, & die Martis sequnte, conjuncti sunt quatuor Circuli circa Solem, aibi coloris, & quisque sub alio collocatus, quasi picti essent. Omnes qui videbant obstupuerunt, propterea quod nunquam ante tales meminerant. Post hæc facta est Pax inter Comitem, Robertum de Normannià, & Robertum de Bœlœsme i, e.” In the year 1104, on the first day of Pentecost, the sixth of June, and on the day following being Tuesday, four circles of a white colour, were seen to roll in conjunction round the sun, each under the other regularly placed, as if they had been drawn by the hand of a painter. All who beheld it were struck with astonishment, because they could not learn that any such spectacles had ever happened in the memory of man. After these things it is remarkable, that a peace was immediately set on foot, and concluded between Robert, Earl of Normandy, and Robert de Bælæsme. The Duke of York (afterwards Edward IV.) met with his enemies near to Mortimer’s Cross, on Candlemas day in the morning, at which time the Sun (as some write) appeared to him like three Suns, and suddenly joined altogether in one, and that upon the sight thereof, he took such courage, that he fiercely set on his enemies, and them shortly discomfited: for which cause, men imagined that he gave Sun in his full brightness for his cognisance or badge. Halle, F. 183, b. 4. Our Chronicles tell us, that Anno Secundo Reginæ Mariæ, 15th of February, two suns appeared, and a rainbow reversed: see the bow turned downwards, and the two ends standing upwards, before the coining in of King Philip. The phænomenon, fig. 1, was seen at Broad-Chalk in Wiltshire, on the first day of May, 1647. It continued from about eleven o’clock (or before) till twelve. It was a very clear day; but few did take notice of it, because it was so near the sun-beams. My mother happened to espy it, going to see what o’clock it was by an horizontal dial; and then all the servants saw it. Upon the like occasion, Mr. J. Sloper, B.D. vicar there, saw it, and all his family; and the servants of Sir George Vaughan, (then of Falston) who were hunting on the downs, saw it. The circles were of rainbow colour; the two filots, which cross the greater circle, (I presume they were segments of a third circle) were of a pale colour. The sun was within the intersections of the circles. The next remarkable thing that followed was, that on the third of June following;* Cornet Joyce carried King Charles I. prisoner from Holdenby to the Isle of Wight. The Isle of Wight lieth directly from Broad-Chalk, at the 10 o’clock point.
  • See Sir W. Dugdale’s hist. of the Civil Wars. The phænomenon, fig. 2, was seen in the north side of the church-yard of Bishop-Lavington in Wiltshire, about the latter end of September 1688, about three o’clock in the afternoon. This was more than a semicircle. B. B. two balls of light. They were about eleven degrees above the Horizon by the quadrant; observed by Mr. Robert Blea, one of the Earl of Abingdon’s gentlemen. Cicero de Natura Deorum, lib. 2. “Multa præterea Ostentis, multa ex eis admonemur, multisque rebus aliis, quas diuturnus usus ita notarit, ut artem Divinationis efficeret”. i. e. Besides, we learn a world of things from these Portents and Prodigies, and many are the warnings and admonitions we receive from them, and not only from them indeed, but from a number of extraordinary accidents, upon which daily use and constant observation has fixed such marks, that from thence the whole art of divination has been compounded. OMENS. BEFORE the battle at Philippi began, two eagles fought in the air between the two armies: both the armies stood still and beheld them, and the army was beaten that was under the vanquished eagle. See Appian’s Hist. part 2, lib. 4, g. 2. It is worthy of notice, that, at the time the cities of Jerusalem and Antioch were taken from the Pagans, the Pope that then was, was called Urban, and the Patriarch of Jerusalem was called Eraclius, and the Roman Emperor was called Frederick; in like manner when Jerusalem was taken from the Christians by the siege of Saladin, the Pope was called Urban; the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Eraclius; and the Emperor, Frederick: and it is remarkable, that fourscore and seven years passed between these two events. Hoveden, f. 363. Mathew Parker, seventieth Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, in the seventieth year of his age, feasted Queen Elizabeth on her birth day, 1559, in his palace at Canterbury. Parker. Vitæ, 556. It is a matter of notable consideration, says a Spanish historian, that the royal throne of the Morish Kings of Granada, began and ended in the times of the Fernandos of Castille: beginning in the time of Saint Fernando, the third of that name, and ending in that of the Catholic King, Don Fernando the fifth, his successor in the ninth descent. In the same manner, it is observable that the first Morish King was called Mahomad, and the last had the same name of Mahomad: which resembles what passed in the empire of Constantinople, where the first and last Emperors were called Constantines. Garibay, 1. 40, c. 43. The same author mentions it as an extraordinary circumstance that, at one time lived in Castille, Arragon, and Portugal, three Kings called Pedros, and whose fathers were named Alonsos, who were also Kings at the same time. L. 14, c. 35. While Edward, Duke of York,* was declaring his title, in the Chamber of the Peers, there happened a strange chance, in the very same time, amongst the Commons in the nether house, then there assembled: for a Crown, which did hang in the middle of the same, to garnish a branch to set lights upon, without touch of any creature, or rigor of wind, suddenly fell down, and at the same time also, fell down the Crown, which stood on the top of the Castle of Dover: as a sign and prognostication, that the Crown of the realm should be divided and changed from one line to another. Halle’s Chronicle, H. 6. F. 181.
  • Father of Edward IV. Anno 1506. Through great tempest of wind in January, Philip, King of Castille and his wife, were weather-driven and landed at Falmouth. This tempest blew down the Eagle of Brass from the spire of St. Paul’s church in London, and in the falling, the same eagle broke and battered the black Eagle* which hung for a sign in St. Paul’s Church- yard. Stow’s Annals, 484.
  • The black Eagle is the cognizance of the house of Austria, of which Philip was head. The silver cross that was wont to be carried before Cardinal Wolsey, fell out of its socket, and was like to have knocked out the brains of one of the Bishop’s servants. A very little while after, came in a messenger, and arrested the Cardinal, before he could get out of the house. See Stow’s Chronicle. ‘Tis commonly reported, that before an heir of the Cliftons, of Clifton in Nottinghamshire, dies, that a Sturgeon is taken in the river Trent, by that place. Thomas Flud, Esq. in Kent, told me that it is an old observation which was pressed earnestly to King James I. that he should not remove the Queen of Scots body from Northamptonshire, where she was beheaded and interred: for that it always bodes ill to the family when bodies are removed from their graves. For some of the family will die shortly after, as did Prince Henry, and I think Queen Ann. A little before the death of Oliver, the Protector, a Whale came into the river Thames, and was taken at Greenwich, — feet long. ‘Tis said Oliver was troubled at it. When I was a freshman at Oxford, 1642, I was wont to go to Christ Church, to see King Charles I. at supper; where I once heard him say, ” That as he was hawking in Scotland, he rode into the quarry, and found the covey of partridges falling upon the hawk; and I do remember this expression further, viz. and I will swear upon the book ’tis true.” When I came to my chamber, I told this story to my tutor; said he, that covey was London. The bust of King Charles I. carved by Bernini, as it was brought in a boat upon the Thames, a strange bird (the like whereof the bargemen had never seen) dropped a drop of blood, or blood-like, upon it; which left a stain not to be wiped off. This bust was carved from a picture of Sir Anthony Van Dyke’s drawing: the sculptor found great fault with the fore-head as most unfortunate. There was a seam in the middle of his fore-head, (downwards) which is a very ill sign in Metoposcopie. Colenel Sharington Talbot was at Nottingham, when King Charles I. did set up his standard upon the top of the tower there. He told me, that the first night, the wind blew it so, that it hung down almost horizontal; which some did take to be an ill omen. The day that the long Parliament began, 1641, the Sceptre fell out of the figure of King Charles in wood, in Sir Thomas Trenchard’s hall at Wullich, in Dorset, as they were at dinner in the parlour: Justice Hunt then dined there. The picture of Arch-Bishop Laud, in his closet, fell down (the string broke) the day of the sitting of that Parliament. This is mentioned in Canterbury’s doom by W. Prynne. The psalms for the eleventh day of the month, are 56, 57, 58, &c. On the eleventh day of one of the months in the summer time, the citizens came tumultuously in great numbers in boats and barges over against Whitehall, to shew they would take the Parliament’s part. The psalms aforesaid, both for morning and evening service, are as prophecies of the troubles that did ensue. When the high court of justice was voted in the parliament house, as Berkenhead (the mace bearer) took up the mace to carry it before the Speaker, the top of the mace fell off. This was avowed to me by an eye witness then in the house. The head of King Charles I’s. staff did fall off at his trial: that is commonly known. The second lesson for the 30th of January in the calendar before the common prayer, is concerning the trial of Christ: which, when Bishop Duppa read, the King was displeased with him, thinking he had done it of choice; but the Bishop cleared himself by the calendar, as is to be seen. King Charles II. was crowned at the very conjunction of the sun and Mercury; Mercury being then in “Corde Solis”. As the King was at dinner in Westminster Hall, it thundered and lightened extremely. The cannons and the thunder played together. King Charles II. went by long sea to Portsmouth or Plymouth, or both; an extraordinary storm arose, which carried him almost to France. Sir Jonas Moor (who was then with his Majesty) gave me this account, and said, that when they came to Portsmouth to refresh themselves, they had not been there above half an hour, but the weather was calm, and the sun shone: his Majesty put to sea again, and in a little time they had the like tempestuous weather as before. Not long before the death of King Charles II. a Sparrow-hawk escaped from the perch, and pitched on one of the iron crowns of the white tower, and entangling its string in the crown, hung by the heels and died. Not long after, another hawk pitched on one of the crowns. From Sir Edward Sherborne, Knight. The Gloucester frigate cast away at the Lemanore, and most of the men in it; the Duke of York escaping in a cock boat, anno 1682, May the 5th, on a Friday. When King James II. was crowned, (according to the ancient custom, the Peers go to the throne, and kiss the king) the Crown was almost kissed off his head. An Earl did set it right; and as he came from the Abbey to Westminster Hall, the Crown tottered extremely. The canopy (of cloth of gold) carried over the head of King James II. by the Wardens of the Cinque Ports, was torn by a puff of wind as he came to Westminster Hull; it hung down very lamentably: I saw it. When King James II. was crowned, a signal was given from Westminster Abbey to the Tower, where it was Sir Edward Sherborne’s post to stand to give order for firing the cannons, and to hoist up the great flag with the King’s arms. It was a windy day, and the wind presently took the flag half off, and carried it away into the Thames. From Sir Edward Sherborne. The top of his sceptre (Flower de Lys) did then fall. Upon Saint Mark’s Day, after the coronation of King James II. were prepared stately fire works on the Thames: it hapened, that they took fire all together, and it was so dreadful, that several spectators leaped into the river, choosing rather to be drowned than burned. In a yard by the Thames, was my Lord Powys’s coach and horses; the horses were so frightened by the fire works, that the coachman was not able to stop them, but ran away over one, who with great difficulty recovered. When King James II. was at Salisbury, anno 1688, the Iron Crown upon the turret of the council house, was blown off.- This has often been confidently asserted by persons who were then living. In February, March, and April, two ravens built their nests on the weather cock of the high steeple at Bakewell in Derbyshire. I did see Mr. Christopher Love beheaded on Tower Hill, in a delicate clear day about half an hour after his head was struck off, the clouds gathered blacker and blacker; and such terrible claps of thunder came that I never heard greater. ‘Tis reported, that the like happened after the execution of Alderman Cornish, in Cheapside, October 23, 1685. Anno 1643. As Major John Morgan of Wells, was marching with the King’s army into the west, he fell sick of a malignant fever at Salisbury, and was brought dangerously ill to my father’s at Broad-Chalk, where he was lodged secretly in a garret. There came a sparrow to the chamber window, which pecked the lead of a certain pannel only, and only one side of the lead of the lozenge, and made one small hole in it. He continued this pecking and biting the lead, during the whole time of his sickness; (which was not less than a month) when the major went away, the sparrow desisted, and came thither no more. Two of the servants that attended the Major, and sober persons, declared this for a certainty. Sir Walter Long’s (of Draycot in Wilts) widow, did make a solemn promise to him on his death-bed, that she would not marry after his decease, but not long after, one Sir — Fox, a very beautiful young gentleman, did win her love; so that notwithstanding her promise aforesaid, she married him: she married at South-Wraxhall, where the picture of Sir Walter hung over the parlour door, as it doth now at Draycot. As Sir –Fox led his bride by the hand from the church, (which is near to the house) into the parlour, the string of the picture broke, and the picture fell on her shoulder, and cracked in the fall. (It was painted on wood, as the fashion was in those days.) This made her ladyship reflect on her promise, and drew some tears from her eyes.* This story may be true in all its details, except the name of the lady, who was a daughter of Sir W. Long; she married Somerset Fox, Esq. See Sandford’s Geneal. Hist, of the Kings of England, p. 344. See Sir Walter Raleigh’s history, book 4, chap. 2, §. 7. The dogs of the French army, the night before the battle of Novara, ran all to the Swisses army: the next day, the Swisses obtained a glorious victory of the French. Sir Walter Raleigh affirms it to be certainly true. The last battle fought in the north of Ireland, between the Protestants and the Papists, was in Glinsuly near Letterkenny in the county of Donegall. Veneras, the Bishop of Clogher, was General of the Irish army; and that of the Parliament army, Sir Charles Coot. They pitched their tents on each side the river Suly, and the Papists constantly persist in it to this very day, that the night before the action, a woman of uncommon stature, all in white, appearing to the said Bishop, admonished him not to cross the river first, to assault the enemy, but suffer them to do it, whereby he should obtain the victory. That if the Irish took the water first to move towards the English, they should be put to a total rout, which came to pass. Ocahan, and Sir Henry O’Neal, who were both killed there, saw severally the same apparition, and dissuaded the Bishop from giving the first onset, but could not prevail upon him. In the mean time, I find nothing in this revelation, that any common soldier might not conclude without extraordinary means. So an apparition of a woman greater than ordinary, beckoned to Julius Caesar to pass over the Rubicon, L. Flor. lib. 4. Satyres appeared to Alexander when he besieged Tyrus; Alexander asked the divines, what was the signification of it; they told him the meaning is plain, {Greek Text: Sa Turos} (i.e.) Tyre is thine. Alexander took the town. Q. Curtius. Near the same place, a party of the Protestants had been surprized sleeping by the Popish Irish, were it not for several wrens that just wakened them by dancing and pecking on the drums as the enemy were approaching. For this reason the wild Irish mortally hate these birds, to this day, calling them the Devil’s servants, and killing them wherever they catch them; they teach their Children to thrust them full of thorns: you will see sometimes on holidays, a whole parish running like mad men from hedge to hedge a wren-hunting. Anno 1679. After the discovery of the Popish plot, the penal laws were put in execution against the Roman Catholics; so that, if they did not receive the sacrament according to the church of England, in their parish church, they were to be severely proceeded against according to law: Mr. Ployden, to avoid the penalty, went to his parish church at Lasham, near Alton, in Hampshire: when Mr. Laurence (the minister) had put the chalice into Mr. Ployden’s hand, the cup of it (wherein the wine was) fell off. ‘Tis true, it was out of order before; and he had a tremor in his hand. The communion was stopt by this accident. This was attested to me by two neighbouring ministers, as also by several gentlemen of the neighbourhood. When King James II. first entered Dublin, after his arrival from France, 1689, one of the gentlemen that bore the mace before him, stumbled without any rub in his way, or other visible occasion. The mace fell out of his hands, and the little cross upon the crown thereof stuck fast between two stones in the street. This is very well known all over Ireland, and did much trouble King James himself, with many of his chief attendants. The first Moors that were expelled Spain, were in number five thousand five hundred and fifty-five. They sailed from Denia, October 2, 1609. H. Bleda. “Expulsion de Moriscos”, p. 1000. DREAMS. {Greek Text: –‘Onar kai Dios esi}. Homer Iliad A. DREAMS PROCEED FROM JOVE. HE that has a mind to read of dreams, may peruse Cicero “de Divinatione”, Hier. Cardani “Somniorum Synesiorum”, lib. 4, and Moldinarius “de Insomniis”, &c. I shall here mention but little out of them, my purpose being chiefly to set down some remarkable and divine dreams of some that I have had the honour to be intimately acquainted with, persons worthy of belief. Cicero “de Divinatione”, lib. 1. “Hannibalem, Caslius scribit, cum Columnam auream, quæ esset in fano Junonis Laciniæ, auferre vellet, dubitaretque utrum ea solida esset, an extrinsecus inaurata, perterebravisse; cumque solidam invenisset, statuissetque tollere: secundum quietem visam esse ei Junonem prædicere, ne id faceret; minarique, si id fecisset se curaturam, ut eum quoque oculum, quo bene videret, amitteret; idque ab homine acuto non esse neglectum; itaque ex eo auro quod exterebratum esset, buculam curasse faciendum, & eam in summa columna collocavisse.” i. e. Cœlius writes, that Hannibal, when he had a mighty mind to take away a gold pillar, that was in the Temple of Juno Lacinia, being in doubt with himself, whether it was solid massive gold, or only gilt, or thinly plated over on the out side, bored it through. When he had found it to be solid, and fully designed to have it carried off; Juno appeared to him in his sleep, and forewarned him against what he was about, threatening him withal, that if he persisted and did it, she would take care that he should lose the eye, that he saw perfectly well with, as he had done the other. The great man, it seems, was too wise to slight and neglect this warning; nay, he even took care to have a ring made of the very gold, that had been bored out of it, and placed it on the top of the pillar. “— Cum duo quidam Arcades familiares iter unà, facerent, & Megaram venissent, alterum ad cauponem divertisse; ad hospitem alterum. Qui, ut cœnati quiescerent, concubia nocte visum esse in somnis ei qui erat in hospitio, ilium alterum orare ut subveniret, quòd sibi à caupone interitus pararetur; eum primò perterritum somnio surrexisse; deinde cum se colligisset, idque visum pro nihilo habendum esse duxisset, recubuisse; tum, ei dormienti eundem ilium visum esse rogare, ut quoniam sibi vivo non subvenisset, mortem suam ne inultam esse pateretur; se interfectum in plaustrum â caupone esse conjectum, & supra stercus injectum; petere, ut mani ad portum adesset, priusquam plaustrum ex oppido exiret. Hoc verò somnio commotum manò bubulco prestò ad portam fuisse, quæsisse ex eo, quid esset in plaustro; ilium perterritum fugisse, mortuum erutum esse, cauponem re patefactâ pœnas dedisse. Quid hoc somnio dici divinius potest ?” i. e. As two certain Arcadians, intimate companions, were travelling together, it so happened, that, when they came to Megara, one of them went to an inn, and the other to a friend’s house. Both had supped at their respective places, and were gone to bed; when lo! he, that was at his friend’s house, dreamt, that his companion came to him, and begged of him for Heaven’s sake to assist him, for that the inn-keeper had contrived a way to murder him: frightened at first out of his sleep, he rose up; but soon afterward coming a little better to himself, he thought, upon recollection, there was no heed to be given to the vision, and went very quietly to bed again. But as soon as he was got into his second sleep, the same vision repeated the visit, but the form of his petition was quite altered. He beseeched him, that, since he had not come to his assistance, while he was among the living, he would not suffer his death, however, to go unrevenged. Told him that as soon as he was murdered, he was tossed by the inn-keeper into a waggon, and had a little straw thrown over his corpse. He entreated him to be ready very early at the door before the waggon was to go out of town. This dream truly disturbed him it seems very much, and made him get up very early: he nicked the time, and met with the waggoner just at the very door, and asked him what he had in his cart. The fellow run away frightened and confounded. The dead body was pulled out of it, and the whole matter coming plainly to light, the inn-keeper suffered for the crime.–What is there that one can call more divine than a dream like this ?” “—Somnium de Simonide, qui, cum ignotum quendam projectum mortuum vidisset, eumque humavisset, haberetque in animo navem conscendere, moneri visus est, ne id faceret, ab eo, quem sepultum affecerat: si navigasset, cum naufragio esse perituram: itaque Simonidem rediisse periisse cæeteros, qui tum navigassent.” —The dream of Simonides. This person, when he saw a certain body thrown dead upon the shore, though a stranger, caused him to be buried. Much about that time he had it in his head to go on ship- board, but dreamt that he had warning given him by the man he had got to be interred, not to go; that if he went, the ship would infallibly be cast away. Upon this Simonides returned, and every soul of them besides that went on board was lost. Cicero “de Divinatione”, lib. 2. “Somnium, Alexandri. Qui, cum Ptolomæus familiaris ejus, in prœlio, telo venenato ictus esset, eôque vulnere summo cum dolore moreretur, Alexander assidens somno est consopitus; tum secundùm quietem visus ei dicitur draco is, quem mater Olympias alebat, radiculam ore ferre & simul dicere quo illa loci nasceretur neque is longe aberat ab eo loco: ejus autem esse vim tantam, ut Ptolomæum facile sanaret. Cum Alexander experrectus narrasset amicis somnium, emisisse qui illam radiculam quærerent. Quâ, inventâ, & Ptolomæus sanatus dicitur, & multi milites, qui erant eodem genere teli vulnerati.” (i. e.) The dream of Alexander, when his friend Ptolemy was wounded in battle, by an envenomed dart, and died of the wound, in all the extremities of pain and anguish; Alexander sitting by him, and wearied out and quite fatigued, fell into a profound sleep. In this sleep, that dragon is reported to have appeared to him, which was bred up by his mother Olympias, carrying a little root in his mouth and to have told him in what spot of ground it grew, (nor was it far from that very place) and told him withal it seems, that such was the force, efficacy, and virtue of it, that it would work an easy cure upon Ptolomy. When Alexander waked, he told his friends the dream, and sent some out in quest of this little root. The root (as story says) was found, and Ptolemy was healed, so were many soldiers likewise, that had been wounded with the same kind of darts. Cardanus “Somniorum Synesiorum”, lib. 4, chap. 2. “Narrat Plinius 35 lib. Nat. Hist, vir ab omnia superstitione alienissimus, Historiam hujusmodi. ‘Nuper cujusdam militantis in Prætorio mater vidit in quiete, ut radicem sylvestris Rosæ (quam Cynorrhodon vocant) blanditam sibi aspectu pridie in Fruteto, mitteret filio bibendam: In Lusitaniâ res gerebatur, Hispaniæ, proximâ parte: casuque accidit, ut milite à morsu Canis incipiente aquas expavescere superveniret epistola orantis ut parêtet religioni; servatusque est ex insperato, & posteà quisquis auxilium simile tentavit.’ “ i. e. In his natural history, Pliny, a man the most averse to superstition, relates to us the following passage. Lately, the mother of one of the guards, who attended upon the General, was admonished by a vision in her sleep, to send her son a draught composed of the decoction of the root of a wild rose, (which they call Cynorrhodon) with the agreeable look whereof she had been mightily taken the day before, as she was passing through a coppice. The seat of the war at that time lay in Portugal, in that part of it next adjoining to Spain, that a soldier, beginning to apprehend mighty dangerous consequences from the bite of a dog, the letter came unexpectedly from her, entreating him to pay a blind obedience to this superstition. He did so, and was preserved beyond all expectation; and everybody afterwards had recourse to the same remedy. Ibid. Galeni “tria Somnia”.— “Tertium magis dignum miraculo, cum bis per somnium admonitus, ut arteriam secaret, quæ inter pollicem & indicem est, idque agens liberatus sit à diuturno dolore, quo infestabatur eâ in parte, quâ septo transverso jecur jungitur, idque in libri de sectione venæ fine testatus est. Magno certè exemplo, quod tantus vir in medicina eam adhibuerit somnio fidem, ut in seipso periculum vitæ subierit, in arte propriâ. Deinde probitatem admiror, ut quò potuerit solertia ingenii sibi inventum ascribere, Deo cui debebatur, rediderit. Dignus vel hoc solo vir immortalitate nominis, & librorum suorum.” Galen’s three dreams. The third more worthy of being called a miracle, was, when being twice admonished in his sleep, to cut the artery that lies between the fore finger and the thumb, and doing it accordingly, he was freed from a continual daily pain with which he was afflicted in that part where the liver is joined to the midriff; and this he has testified at the end of his book of Venesection. ‘Tis certainly a very great example, when a man so great as he was in the medicinal art, put so much confidence in a dream as to try experiments upon himself; where he was to run the risque of his life, in his own very art. I cannot help but admire his probity in the next place, that where he might have arrogated the merit of the invention to himself, and placed it wholly to the account of the subtility and penetration of his own genius, he attributed it to God, to whom it was due. In this alone did the man well deserve to purchase an immortality to his name and his writings. In his fourth book, chap. 4. “De Exemplis propriis”, he owns the solution of some difficult problems in Algebra to his dreams. Plinii, Nat. Hist. lib. 22, chap. 17. “Verna carus Pericli Atheniensium Principi, cum is in arce templum aedificaret, repsissetque super altitudinem fastigii, & inde cecidisset, hac herba (Parthenio) dicitur sanatus, monstrata Pericli somnio à Minerva. Quare Parthenium vocari cœpta est, assignaturque ei Deæ.” Pliny’s Natural History, book 22, chap. 17. “A little Home-bred Slave, that was a darling favourite to Pericles, Prince of the Athenians, and who, while a temple was building in the Prince’s palace, had climbed up to the very top of the pinnacle, and tumbled down from that prodigious height; is said to have been cured of his fall by the herb Parthenium, or mug-wort, which was shown to Pericles in a dream, by Minerva. From hence it originally took the name of Parthenium, and is attributed to that Goddess. “Augustinus, Cui etiam præter sanctitatem, plena fides adhiberi potest, duo narrat inter reliqua somnia admiranda. Primum, quod cum quidam mortuo nuper patre venaretur tanquam de pecuniâ quam pater illi ex chirographo debuisset, dum incastus viveret, hâc causâ nocte quâdam umbram patris videt, quæ illum admonuit de persolutâ pecuniâ & ubi chirographum esset repositum. Cum surrexisset, invenit chirographum loco eo quem umbra paterna docuerat, liberatusque est ab injusto petitore.” Saint Austin, to whom even, besides his sanctity, we owe an entire credit, tells among others, two very wonderful dreams. The first is, when a person was arrested by one, as for a certain sum of money, which his father had owed him by a note under his own hand, while he led a lewd debauched life, saw the ghost of his father one night, upon this very account, which told him of the money being paid, and where the acquittance lay. When he got up in the morning, he went and found the acquittance in that very place that his father’s ghost had directed him to, and so was freed from the litigious suit of one that made unjust demands upon him. “Alterum adhuc magis mirum”. “Præstantius, vir quidam à Philosopho petierat dubitationem quandam solvi; quod ille pernegavit. Nocte sequente, tametsi vigilaret Prsestantius, vidit sibi Philosophum assistere, ac dubitationem solvere, moxque abire. Cùm die sequenti obviam Præstantius eundem habuisset Philosophum, rogat, Cur cùm pridie rogatus nolluisset solvere illam questionem, intempestâ nocte, non rogatus, & venisset ad se & dubitationem aperuisset. Cui Philosophus. Non quidem ego adveni sed somnians visus sum tibi hoc Officium praestare.” The other is much more wonderful still. A certain gentleman named Præstantius, had been entreating a Philosopher to solve him a doubt, which he absolutely refused to do. The night following, although Præstantius was broad awake, he saw the Philosopher standing full before him, who just explained his doubts to him, and went away the moment after he had done. When Præstantius met the Philosopher the next day, he asks him why, since no entreaties could prevail with him the day before, to answer his question, he came to him unasked, and at an unseasonable time of night, and opened every point to his satisfaction. To whom thus the Philosopher. ” Upon my word it was not me that came to you; but in a dream I thought my own self that I was doing you such a service.” The plague raging in the army of the Emperor Charles V. he dreamt that the decoction of the root of the dwarf-thistle (a mountain plant since called the Caroline thistle) would cure that disease. See Gerrard’s Herbal, who tells us this. In Queen Mary’s time, there was only one congregation of Protestants in London, to the number of about three- hundred, one was the deacon to them, and kept the list of their names: one of that congregation did dream, that a messenger, (Queen’s Officer) had seized on this deacon, and taken his list; the fright of the dream awaked him: he fell asleep and dreamt the same perfect dream again. In the morning before he went out of his chamber, the deacon came to him and then he told him his dream, and said, ’twas a warning from God; the deacon slighted his advice, as savouring of superstition; but — was so urgent with him that he prevailed with him to deposite the list in some other hand, which he did that day. The next day, the Queen’s officer attacked him, and searched (in vain) for the list, which had it been found, would have brought them all to the flame. Foxe’s Martyrology. When Arch Bishop Abbot’s mother (a poor clothworker’s wife in Guilford) was with child of him, she did long for a Jack, and she dreamt that if she should eat a Jack, her son in her belly should be a great man. She arose early the next morning and went with her pail to the river-side (which runneth by the house, now an ale-house, the sign of the three mariners) to take up some water, and in the water in the pail she found a good jack, which she dressed, and eat it all, or very near. Several of the best inhabitants of Guilford were invited (or invited themselves) to the christening of the child; it was bred up a scholar in the town, and by degrees, came to be Arch Bishop of Canterbury. In the life of Monsieur Periesk, writ by Gassendus, it is said, that Monsieur Periesk, who had never been at London, did dream that he was there, and as he was walking in a great street there, espied in a goldsmith’s glass desk, an antique coin, he could never meet with. (I think an Otho.) When he came to London, walking in (I think) Cheap- side, he saw such a shop, and remembered the countenance of the goldsmith in his dream, and found the coin desired, in his desk. See his life. When Doctor Hamey (one of the physicians college in London) being a young man, went to travel towards Padoa, he went to Dover (with several others) and shewed his pass, as the rest did, to the Governor there. The Governor told him, that he must not go, but must keep him prisoner. The Doctor desired to know for what reason ? how he had transgrest ? well it was his will to have it so. The pacquet-boat hoisted sail in the evening (which was very clear), and the Doctor’s companions in it. There ensued a terrible storm, and the pacquet-boat and all the passengers were drowned: the next day the sad news was brought to Dover. The Doctor was unknown to the Governor, both by name and face; but the night before, the Governor had the perfect vision in a dream, of Doctor Hamey, who carne to pass over to Calais; and that he had a warning to stop him. This the Governor told the Doctor the next day. The Doctor was a pious, good man, and has several times related this story to some of my acquaintance. My Lady Seymour dreamt, that she found a nest, with nine finches in it. And so many children she had by the Earl of Winchelsea, whose name is Finch. The Countess of Cork (now Burlington) being at Dublin, dreamt, that her father, (the Earl of Cumberland) who was then at York, was dead. He died at that time. ‘Tis certain, that several had monitory dreams of the conflagration of London. Sir Christopher Wren, being at his father’s house, anno 1651, at Knahill in Wilts (a young Oxford scholar) dreamt, that he saw a fight in a great market-place, which he knew not; where some were flying, and others pursuing; and among those that fled, he saw a kinsman of his, who went into Scotland to the King’s army. They heard in the country, that the King was come into England, but whereabouts he was they could not tell. The next night his kinsman came to his father at Knahill, and was the first that brought the news of the fight at Worcester. When Sir Christopher Wren was at Paris, about 1671, he was ill and feverish, made but little water, and had a pain in his reins. He sent for a physician, who advised him to be let blood, thinking he had a plurisy: but bleeding much disagreeing with his constitution, he would defer it a day longer: that night he dreamt, that he was in a place where palm-trees grew, (suppose Ægypt) and that a woman in a romantic habit, reached him dates. The next day he sent for dates, which cured him of the pain of his reins. Since, I have learned that dates are an admirable medicine for the stone, from old Captain Tooke of K–. Take six or ten date-stones, dry them in an oven, pulverize and searce them; take as much as will lie on a six-pence, in a quarter of a pint of white wine fasting, and at four in the afternoon: walk or ride an hour after: in a week’s time it will give ease, and in a month cure. If you are at the Bath, the Bath water is better than white wine to take it in. Sir John Hoskin’s Lady, when she lay in of her eldest son, had a swelling on one side of her belly, the third day when the milk came, and obstructions: she dreamt that syrup of elderberries and distilled water of wormwood would do her good, and it did so; she found ease in a quarter of an hour after she had taken it. I had this account from her Ladyship’s own mouth. Captain — Wingate told me, that Mr. Edmund Gunter, of Gresham College, did cast his nativity, when about seventeen or eighteen years old; by which he did prognosticate that he should be in danger to lose his life for treason. Several years before the civil wars broke out, he had dreamt that he was to be put to death before a great castle, which he had never seen; which made a strong impression in his memory. In anno 1642, he did oppose the church ceremonies, and was chosen a member of Parliament, then was made a Captain, and was taken prisoner at Edge Hill, by Prince Rupert, and carried to Kenilworth Castle, where he was tried by a council of war, and condemned to die: but they did better consider of it, and spared his life; for that he being so considerable a person, might make an exchange for some of the King’s party-: and he was exchanged for the right Honourable Montague, Earl of Lindsey (heir of the General.) Since the restoration, he was made one of the commissioners of the excise office in London. He did protest that Kenilworth castle was the very castle he saw in his dream. Captain Wingate was a prisoner in Oxford, after Edgehill fight, 1642. Sir Roger L’Estrange was wont to divertise himself with cocking in his father’s (Sir Hammond L’Estrange’s) park; he dreamt that there came to him in such a place of the park, a servant, who brought him news, that his father was taken very ill. The next day going to his usual recreation, he was resolved for his dream sake to avoid that way; but his game led him to it, and in that very place the servant came and brought him the ill news according to his dream. Mr. Edmund Halley, R. S. S. was carried on with a strong impulse to take a voyage to St. Hellens, to make observations of the southern constellations, being then about twenty-four years old. Before he undertook his voyage, he dreamt that he was at sea, sailing towards that place, and saw the prospect of it from the ship in his dream, which he declared to the Royal Society, to be the perfect representation of that island, even as he had it really when he approached to it. A Gentlewoman dreamt that a pultess of blew corants would cure her sore throat; and it did so. She was a pious woman, and affirmed it to be true. Anno 1690. One, in Ireland, dreamed of a brother or near relation of his, (who lived at Amesbury in Wiltshire) that he saw him riding on the downs, and that two thieves robbed him and murdered him. The dream awaked him, he fell asleep again and had the like dream. He wrote to his relation an account of it, and described the thieves complexion, stature and cloaths; and advised him to take care of himself. Not long after he had received this monitory letter, he rode towards Salisbury, and was robbed and murdered; and the murderers were discovered by this very letter, and were executed. They hang in chains on the road to London. ‘Twas revealed to a King of Scots, that if he drank of the water of Muswell, he would be cured. After great enquiry they heard of such a place, not far from Hornsey in Middlesex. See Weever’s Funeral Monuments of the Well. John Norden’s Description of Middlesex. Here was afterwards founded a religious house for Austin Monks: since it belonged to Sir Thomas Row, and in 1677, was pulled down and the materials sold. Anciently the Kings of Scotland were feudatory to the Kings of England, and did their homage every Christmas day. They had several lodges belonging to them for their reception in their journey; as at Huntingdon, &c. See Caxton’s Chronicle concerning this. The water of this spring is drank for some distempers still. “Somnium ex Euberneâ portâ.” Mrs. Cl—, of S—, in the county of S—, had a beloved daughter, who had been a long time ill, and received no benefit from her physicians. She dreamed that a friend of hers deceased, told her, that if she gave her daughter a drench of yew pounded, that she would recover; she gave her the drench, and it killed her. Whereupon she grew almost distracted: her chamber maid to complement her, and mitigate her grief, said surely that could not kill her, she would adventure to take the same herself; she did so, and died also. This was about the year 1670, or 1671. I knew the family. A Gentlewoman, of my acquaintance, dreamed, that if she slept again, the house would be in danger to be robbed. She kept awake, and anon thieves came to break open the house, but were prevented. J. H. Esq. being at West-Lavington with the Earl of Abbingdon, dreamed, December the 9th, his mother rose up in mourning: and anon the Queen appeared in mourning. He told his dream the next morning to my Lord, and his Lordship imparted it to me (then there) Tuesday, December 11. In the evening came a messenger, post from London, to acquaint Mr. H. that his mother was dangerously ill: he went to London the next day; his mother lived but about eight days longer. On Saturday, December 15, the Queen was taken ill, which turned to the small pox, of which she died, December 28, about two o’clock in the morning. J. H. Against these initials there is a note in the copy of the first edition already referred to, in these words,-” James Herbert: He saies he was never there.” Sir Thomas White, Alderman of London, was a very rich man, charitable and public spirited. He dreamt that he had founded a college at a place where three elms grow out of one root. He went to Oxford, probably with that intention, and discovering some such tree near Gloucester Hall, he began to repair it, with a design to endow it. But walking afterwards by the Convent where the Bcrnardines formerly lived, he plainly saw an elm with three large bodies rising out of the same root: he forthwith purchased the ground, and endowed his college there, as it is at this day, except the additions which Arch-bishop