228 Predictions of Dr. Forman. he, "I was defirous to know whether I mifed to be at home near the time of the question. After fome confideration, he told her to this effect: "Margery,' for fo her name was, "thy husband will 66 not be at home thefe eighteen days; "his kindred have vexed him, and he "is come away from them in much "anger: he is now in Carlisle, and "hath but three pence in his purfe." And when he came home, he confeffed all to be true, and that upon leaving his kindred he had but three pence in his purfe. I fhall relate one story more, and then his death. One Coleman, clerk to Sir Thomas Beaumont of Leicestershire, having had fome liberal favours both from his lady and her daughters, bragged of it, &c. The Knight brought him into the starchamber, had his fervant fentenced to be pillored, whipped, and afterwards, during life, to be imprisoned. The fentence was executed in London, and was to be in Leicestershire. Two keepers were to convey Coleman from the Fleet to Leiceller. My mistress taking confideration of Coleman, and the miferies he was to fuffer, went prefently to Forman, acquainted him therewith; who, after confideration, fwore Coleman had lain both with mo ther and daughter, &c. &c. and faid, They intend in Leicester to whip "him to death; but I affure thee, Margery, he fhall never come there; yet they fet forward to-morrow," fays he; and fo they did, Coleman's legs being locked with an iron chain under the horse's belly. In this nature they travelled the first and fecond day; on the third day the two keepers, seeing their prifoner's civility the two preceding days, did not lock his chain under the horfe's belly as formerly, but locked it only to one fide. In this pofture they rode fome miles beyond Northampton, when on a fudden, one of the keepers had a neceffity to untrufs, and fo the other and Coleman ftood still; by and by the other keeper defired Coleman to hold his horfe," for he had occafion alfo: Coleman immediately took one of their fwords, and ran through two. Extraordinary Death of Ferman. 229 two of the horses, killing them ftark or wife fhould die firft: "Whether dead ; gets upon the other with one of "fhall I," quoth fhe, " bury you or their fwords; 66 Farewel, gentlemen, no?" "Oh Trunco," for fo he calltell my mafter, I have no mind to be ed her," thou wilt bury me, but thou whipped in Leicestershire," and fo" wilt much repent it." "Yea, but went his way. The two keepers, in all hatte, went to a gentleman's houfe near at hand, complaining of their misfortune, and defired of him to purfue their prisoner, which he with much civility granted; but ere the horfes could be got ready, the mistress of the house came down, and enquiring what the matter was, went to the ftable, and commanded the horses to be unfaddled, with this fharp fpeech-" Let the La"dy Beaumont and her daughter live "honeftly; none of my horfes fhall go "forth upon this occafion." I could relate many fuch ftories of his performances; as alfo what he wrote in a book left behind him, viz. “ This "I made the Devil write with his 66 own hand in Lambeth-fields, 1596, "in June or July, as I now remem"ber." He profeffed to his wife there would be much trouble about Carr and the Countess of Effex, who frequently reforted unto him, and from whofe company he would fometimes lock himfelf in his study a whole day. Now we come to his death, which happen. ed as follows. The Sunday night before he died, his wife and he being at fupper in their garden-house, fhe being pleasant, told him that she had been informed he could refolve, whether man "how long firft ?" "I fhall die," faid he, "ere Thurfday night." Monday came, he was not fick. Wednesday came, and ftill he was well; with which his impertinent wife did much twit him in the teeth. Thurfday came, and dinner was ended, he very well: he went down to the water-fide, and took a pair of oars to go to fome buildings he was in hand with in Puddle-dock. Being in the middle of the Thames, he prefently fell down, only faying, " An impoft! an impoft!" and fo he died; a moft fad ftorm of wind immediately following. He died worth one thoufand two hundred pounds, and left only one fon, called Clement. All his rarities, fecret manufcripts, of what quality foever, Dr. Napper, of Lindford in Buckinghamshire, had; who had been a long time his scholar; and of whom Forman was used to say, he would be a dunce: yet in continuance of time he proved a fingular aftrologer and phyfician. Sir Richard, now living, I believe, has all those rarities in poffeffion, which were Forman's, being kinfman and heir unto Dr. Napper. [His fon Thomas Napper, Efq. most generously gave most of these manufcripts to Elias Afhmole, Efq.] APPARITIONS, DREAMS, &c. EXTRAORDINARY PREDICTION OF give him a meeting in that very place AN APPARITION. ĽUDOVICUS Adolifius, Lord of Immola, difpatched one of his fecretaries upon earnest business to Ferrara; in pursuing his journey, he was met by one on horseback, in the attire of a huntsman, with a hawk upon his fift, who faluted him by his name, and at the fame time laid an injunction upon him, to entreat his fon Lodowick to the following day, at the fame hour; adding, that he would then reveal fecrets that were intimately connected with his life and welfare. The fecretary at his return difclosed what had been communicated to him, to his Lord, who thinking no credit due to his report, or fufpecting fome infidious meafures had been concerted, which endangered his life, fent another in his ftead, to whom the fame fpirit Ff2 appeared, appeared, and feemed much diffatisfied with his fon's diffidence, faying, that had his fon not declined this interview, he might have been inftructed how to guard against the misfortunes that would afluredly befal him. He nevertheless defired the deputy would recommend him to his fon, and give him to underfland, that after twenty-two years, one month, and one day fhould have elapfed, he fhould be difpoffeffed of the government then in his poffeffion; which faid, he vanished. Conformably to the prediction, notwithflanding the fon's inceflant vigilance, it happened that at the expiration of the above term, Philip, Duke of Milan, befieged the city by night, and after having, by favour of a fevere froft paffed the moat, fcaled the walls, and took Lodowick prifoner, who being in a league with Philip, had the lefs reafon to apprehend any fuch danger. ASSIGNATION TO APPEAR AFTER DEATH. * THE ftory of the Marquis de Rambouillet's appearing after his death to his coufin the Marquis de Precy, is well known. These two noblemen talking one day concerning the affairs of the next world, in a manner which fhewed they did not believe much about it, entered into an agreement, that the firft that died thould come and give intelligence to the other. Soon after the Marquis de Rambouillet fet out for Flanders, which was then the feat of war, and the Marquis de Precy remained in Paris, being ill of a violent fever. About fix weeks after, early one morning, he heard fome one draw the curtains of his bed, and turning to fee who it was, difcovered the Marquis de Rambouillet in a buffcoat and boots. He inftantly got out of bed, and attempted to fhake hands with his friends; but Rambouillet drew *Calmet on Apparitions, Spe&res, &c. p. 168--3520 back, and told him that he was only come to perform the promife he had formerly made; that nothing was more certain than what they had been told concerning another life; that he advifed him earneitly to alter his way of life, for that the first actión he should be engaged in, he would certainly fall. Precy made a fresh attempt to touch his friend, but he immediately withdrew. He lay wondering on his bed upon the strangeness of the circumftance for fome time, when he faw the fame appearance re-enter his apartment; upon which, Rambouillet finding that he still difbelieved what was told, fhewed him the wound in his reins, of which he died, and from which the blood still feemed to flow. Soon after this, Precy received a confirmation of the Marquis de Rambouillet's death; and was killed himself, according to the prediction, in the civil wars, at the battle of the Faubourg St. Antoine. It may naturally be asked here, whence it happens that fo other many perfons, who have made the fame promife to come again after their death, have not done it? Seneca * mentions who being condemned to death by Caa ftoic philofopher, named Canius Julus, ligula, told his friends, that whereas they were enquiring, whether the foul was immortal or not; he was going to a place where he fhould foon know: but we are no where told that he ever returned to clear up the point. La Motte le Vayer, in his book on the Immortality of the Soul, rclates how he made an agreement with a friend of his, that the firft of the two that died, fhould return and inform the other of his condition. It happened that his friend died first, but he never returned, and kept his promife. Earl of Rochefter ended in the fame Mr. Montague's agreement with the Rowe's Letters; but it is wrong to conmanner, as the ftory is related in Mrs. clude, that, becaufe the deceased fone *Senec de Animi Tranquil. Chap. XIV. times Spiritual Admonition. times return, that they always can; and it is equally abfurd to deny their coming again, becaufe fome that have promifed to do fo, have not been able to keep their word. To justify thefe pofitions, we must fuppofe it to be in their own power to appear when and how they pleafe; but it feems evident, on the contrary, that this does not depend upon them, and that it is by the particular permiflion of Almighty God, that they ever appear at all. EXTRAORDINARY WARNING ΤΟ THE ARMY. A 231 Why, fays he, (in his dream), what will hinder me?' being, it seems, defirous to know fomething of his for tune. Afk me not the particulars,' fays the apparition, but either decline the employ, or when you have enjoyed it two years and a-half, fell out again, as I did before you, and you may thereby probably prolong your life.' He feemed to flight the admonition and faid it was too late to look back. Too late! too late!' fays the apparition, repeating the words-then go on, and repent too late. He was not much affected with this GENTLEMAN NOT TO ENTER INTO apparition, when he awaked, and found it was but a dreain;' for dreams, faid he, are not to be heeded!' fo he went on, and bought the commiffion. From Moreton's Hiftory of Apparitions. A Young gentleman of fortune, in the beginning of the last war with France, had a great inclination to fee the world, as he called it; therefore refolved to go into the army; his father being dead, and had left him a good eftate, befides his mother's jointure. His mother carnestly entreated him to defift from his refolution of going into the army; and reprefented to him the many calamities he would be expofed to, befide the danger of lofing his life, as was too often the cafe with foldiers. He made light of his mother's arguments, and told her, that if he happened to be fhot, he fhould die honourably, and that then there would be an end of him. Accordingly he mortgaged part of his eftate, and purchased a poft in the first regiment of light horfe, then going abroad. The night before he figned the agreement for the company, being in bed, and faft afleep, he faw in a dream his father coming to him in his gown, and with a great fur cap on, fuch as he ufed to wear, and calling him by his name, What is the reafon,' fays he, that you will not liften to the entreaties of your mother, not to go to the wars? I do affure you, that if you refolve to take this commiflion, you will not enjoy it three years.' . A few days after the commiffion was bought, the father appeared again, not to him, but to his mother, in a dream too as before; and taking notice to her how his fon had rejected her admonition, he added: Young heads are wilful; Robert will go into the army; but tell him from me, he fhall never come back.' All these notices were of no force with this young gentleman; but as he had refolved, fo he purfued his refolution, and went into the army: and two battalions of that regiment going into the field that fummer, his company was one, and was ordered into Flanders. He wanted no occafion to fhew his bravery, and in several warm actions came off with applause; fo that he was far from being fufpected of cowardice; but one day, and in the third year of his fervice, the army was drawn out in order to battle, the general having received certain advice, that the enemy would come and attack them. As he ftood at the head of his company, he was feized fuddenly with a cold, shivering fit; and it was fo violent, that some officers who were near him, every one at their poft, perceived it. It continued about a quarter of an hour, and the enemy came on as was expected; but the fight began upon the left, Ay, fo it will,' fays the Colonel; I am very eafy; I know what it was now!' and with that he called the Lieutenant to come to him for a moment. When he came, fays he, I know now what ailed me ; I am very eafy; I have feen my father; I fhall be killed the first volley: let my mother know I told vou this. Adieu!" In a few minutes after this, a body of the enemy advanced, and the first volley the regiment received, was the fire of five platoons of grenadiers, by which the captain and feveral other officers, befides private men, were killed, and the whole brigade was foon after put into confufion; though being fupported by fome regiments of the fecond line, they rallied again foon after; the young captain's body was prefently recovered; but he was irrecoverably dead, for he received a fhot in his face, which killed him immediately. warn As I have obferved before, how rarely do we find that any of these fore-w ings are regarded, let them come either from a bad or a good spirit, especially among the gay and unbelieving world. OF A LADY IN VIRGINIA-STREET, WHO SAW HER HUSBAND WHEN HE WAS IN DANGER AT SEA. A Certain lady of my acquaintance, going out of her chamber into a closet in the adjoining room, faw her hufband walking along in the room before her the immediately comes down in great furprife, tells the family fhe had feen her husband, and fhe was fure it was he; though at the fame time fhe knew her husband (who was the com mander of a ship) was at fea, on a voya age to or from the Capes of Virginia. The family takes the alarm, and tells her, that, to be fure, her husband was dead, and that fhe fhould be fure to fet down the day of the month, and the hour of the day; and it was ten thoufand to one but she should find that he died that very moment, or as near as could be found out. About two months after, her husband comes home very well, but had an accident befel him in his voyage, viz. that ftepping into the boat, or out of the boat, he fell into the fea, and was in danger of being loft; and this they cal culated upon to be as near the time as they could judge, that he appeared to his wife. APPARITION OF SIR JOHN OWEN TO HIS LADY, TO WARN HER FROM SIR John Owen was a perfon of note, and of well-known credit; his lady and one of her fons lived here in London; and being of a gay difpofition, and given to live high and expenfive, it was thought the spent beyond what the Knight could afford, and that he was fenfible of it, and uneafy about it. She had a very good house in London, and a country houfe, or lodgings for the fummer, at Hampstead, and kept a great equipage; the confequence of these things did at laft prove, that Sir John's diflike of it was juftly founded; but that's by the bye. It happened one day, the lady being at her country lodgings, a perfon well dreffed, appearing very much like a gentleman, came to her city house, and knocked at the door, asked the maid if there were any lodgings to be let there, and if her lady was at home? the maid answered no, there were no lodgings to let there; and speaking, as if it was with fome refentment, Lodg ings! fays fhe, no, I think not! my lady does not use to let her lodgings. Well, but fweetheart, fays he, don't be |