A compleat history of the most remarkable providences both of judgment and mercy, which have hapned in this present age extracted from the best writers, the author's own observations, and the numerous relations sent him from divers parts of the three kingdoms : to which is added, whatever is curious in the works of nature and art / the whole digested into one volume, under proper heads, being a work set on foot thirty years ago, by the Reverend Mr. Pool, author of the Synopsis criticorum ; and since undertaken and finish'd, by William Turner...

CHAP. XXXIV. Persons reviving after a supposed Death.

I Expect this Title will be quarrelled at, both by Naturalists and Divines; the former will object the Impossibility of a habit returning into the subject after a perfect Privation; the latter will fetch an Argument from the Decree of the Almighty, and alledge the Determination of the Immortal Soul im∣mediately after a Dissolution and Separation to its Eternal State and Abode. To both which I make only this short Answer, That I conceive, that in some of the Cases hereafter mentioned, the Privation was not perfect, in others the Return was not Natural.

1. Anno 1537, when the Plague raged at Colen, one Richmet Adolick, a Noble Lady, died in Appearance, and, as the Fashion was then, had her Rings and Jewels buried with her, of which the covetous Sexton having notice, came with a Companion of his to dig her up; that being done, they opened the Coffin, and going about to pull off her Rings, she rose up in her Shroud, at which the Sacrilegious Villains being conscious of Guilt, and oppressed with Fear, fled, and for haste left the Lanthorn and the Church Door open, so that the Lday loosing her self, took up the Lanthorn and went home; her Husband hearing her Voice, was as much terri∣fied as the others had been, but by degrees lessening his Fears, he received her with Joy, when he perceived she was a living Corps, and not a Ghost or Spectre; and she confessed to him, that she had all that time been as one in a Sleep, till two Men came rudely and waked her, but when she was made sensible that she had been buried, she started, and then praised GOD that those Men's Evil Purposes had been the Means of her Safety; and being thereupon taken great Care of, she recovered her Health, and lived to have three Sons afterwards, as appears by her Monument erected in Memory of so strange a Deliverance, and standing now in the Entrance of the Apostle's Church in Colen. The Ladies Dictionary, p. 491.

2. In the same City John Duns, called Scotus, falling into an Apoplexy, was buried alive, but had not the good Fortune as the other to be timely relieved, for before he could be taken up, he had beat his Brains against the Grave-Stone. Ibid.

3. Anno 1661, (to the Knowledge of many Hundred about London) one Lawrence Cawthorn a Butcher in St. Nicholas Shambles, who having provided all Things to his Marriage, it is doubtful, whether too much Strong-Waters, or Opium given him by his Landlady, who aimed at what Mo∣neys he had got, and knew she should not be the better for it if he married, cast him into a pro∣found Sleep, so sleeping all that Night, and all the next Day, she got some of her Confederates to give out he was dead, so buried him; but the next Day being Sunday, as the People passed to Church they heard a strange Groaning in the Ground, but for a time could not tell what to make of it, growing louder, thô a kind of hollow Sound, they informed the Churchwardens of it, who only flouted at it as a Delusion of the Senses; but the next Day being better informed, and all Circumstances considered, this new Grave was opened, and the Body found warm, thô dead with the stifling Vapours and violent Beatings against the Sides of the Coffin; upon News of which the barbarous old Woman fled, and we do not hear she ever was found agains Ibid.

4. The Story of Anne Green hanged at Oxford, and returning to Life again, is already related in the former part of this Book.

5. Anno 1658, Elizabeth, the Servant of one Mrs. Cope of Magdalen Parish in Oxford, was in∣dicted at the City Sessions for killing her Bastard-Child, and putting it in the House of Office; of which being convicted, she was condemned to die, and accordingly was hanged at Green-Ditch,

the place appointed for the Execution of the City-Malefactors, where she hung so long, that one of the By-standers scrupled not to say, If she were not dead, he would be hanged for her: Being out down, put into a Coffin, and brought to the George Inn, Life was found in her; and after breathing a Vein, being put to bed with another young Wench by her, she came quickly to her self; but was the Night following barbarously carried to Glocester-Green, and there hanged a second time. Dr. Plot's Nat. Hist. of Oxford, ch. 8. p. 119.

6. I have a Relation by me from Coventry well attested, concerning a young Damosel who was given for dead by her Parents, laid forth, and Cakes baked for her Funeral, and other Prepara∣tions made for the Solemnity; yet afterwards returned to Life again. But having misplaced the Paper, and not being able to find it presently, I cannot be exact in Particulars. Mr. Richard Har∣ris, who lives there, and is employed commonly in dispersing and collecting Letters Patents in several Counties of England, is by Marriage related to the Family.

7. I have mentioned another Example out of Dr. Marc Casauben, of a Person who revived again before he was buried, on purpose to discover a Murder of a former Wife.

8. Mrs. Anna Atherton being about 14 Years of Age, fell sick in November, 1669; whereupon several Physicians were called to her Assistance, who consulted about her Distemper, and judged it to be something of an Ague, thô the Symptoms thereof were somewhat different from those that were usual in that Distemper.

Her Disease proved too hard for their Skill and Medicines, and brought the Patient to a thin∣ness of Body, paleness of Countenance, and stupidness to any thing but her Devotions. She was before of a full habit of Body, of a brisk and lively Temper, and prone to all kind of Exer∣cise befitting her Age.

Under this strong Alteration she continued till the beginning of February ensuing, when by little and little she felt a sensible Decay of her whole Body, which daily encreasing, prevailed at length upon all the Organs of Life and Motion, so that in appearance she lay void of either; whereupon she was concluded to be really dead.

The Women who came to do their last Office to her Body, perceived more heat and warmth in her than they thought to be usual in dead Bodies, upon which they desisted a while; and be∣cause the Room was close, and a Fire had been always in it, (thinking the usual Warmth might proceed from thence) they opened the Casements to let in what Air they could, and put out the Fire, and then left her sometime to her self.

But returning, they found the same warmth to continue; then they left her in this manner one whole Day, yet could find no Alteration; whereupon they applied a Looking-glass to her Mouth, but not the least Cloud appeared: They put live Coals to her Feet, which discovered not the least sign of Life or Sense.

Notwithstanding her Mother was very timorous, which made her delay her Burial, and kept her uncoffin'd till seven Days were expired; at the end of which time, her Heat, which was before so languid and obscure that it could scarcely be discerned, began more manifestly to disco∣ver it self.

Upon which, Rubbings and other artificial Helps were used, which proved so effectual, that in a short time they found a trembling Vibration of the Pulse; afterwards she began to breathe, and so at last gradually recovered all her Senses. The first Thing she spake of was, that she desired to see her Mother, who coming to her, she thus uttered her Mind.

O Mother! since I was absent from you, I have been in Heaven, and Angel went before me to conduct me thither; I passed through three several Gates, and at length I came to Heaven Gate, where I saw Things very Glorious and Ʋnutterable, as Saints, Angels, and the like in glorious Apparel, and heard unparallell'd Musick, Divine Anthems and Hallelujahs.

I would fain have entred that glorious Place, but the Angel that went before me withstood me, yet I thought my self half in; but he told me, I could not be admitted now, but I must go bacik and take leave of my Friends, and after some short time I should be admitted.

So he brought me hither again, and is now standing at the Bed's-feet; Mother! you must needs see him, he is all in White. Her Mother told her,

It was but a Dream or Fancy, and that she knew not what she said.

Whereupon she answered with a great deal of Vehemency, that it was as true as that she was there at present. She took notice also of several Persons in the Room by their Names, to shew she did not Dream, but spoke with Understanding.

But for the greater Confirmation, she told them of three or four Persons that were dead since she was deprived of her Senses, and named each Person; (one of them was dead, and they knew not of it before they sent to enquire:) She said, she saw them passing by her, while she stood at the Gate.

One whom she named was reputed a vicious Person, came as far as the Gate, but was sent back again another way. All the Persons she named, died in the time she lay in this Trance.

She lived about two Years after this, enjoying a perfect Health, and then died in great Assu∣rance of her Salvation; speaking comfortable Words, and giving wholsome Instructions to all who came to Visit her.

It is worthy Observation, That during the whole time of her first Sickness, which was about a quarter of a Year, she neither eat nor drank any thing besides the Juice of an Orange, and the Yolk of an Egg. Attested by her Brother, Dr. Atherton, Physician of Caermarthen,

9. Mrs. Lydiah Dunton (Wife to Mr. John Dunton, then Rector of Graffham in Huntingdon∣shire,) was laid out for dead several Days, yet came to Life again, to the great Admitation of all that saw her in that Condition. This Passage was related by her Husband to a Friend of mine.