Strange-predictions related at Catericke in the north of England

Strange Predictions related at Catericke, in the North of England, by one who saw a Vision, and told it himself to the Company with whom he was drinking healths.

Sir,

UPon receipt of yours, with the intimation of your desires to be satisfyed touching that currant relation of what lately happened here at Catericke, upon a more serious examination of e∣very particular, I found the ground of that story, so generally dis∣persed, and by credulous eares easily beleeved, to be this.

A consort of Good-fellows, or to bestow on them their true stampe and stile, a knot of sociable Newtrals, (for really interested they were to no party) made their set meeting, at this Town: where they drunke downe care merrily? called for their cups freely, and so bestowed most part of that day in repetition of their youth full prankes with other offencel esse stories, chearfully.

Till one of the company with veines as full of wine, as his brain was empty of wit, began a health to the seaven Planets, taking a deepe oath that it should go round. But two of those seven grew too hard for him to incounter withall: So as, becomming Planet-strucke, he tooke councell of his pillow, leaving the remainder of those healths to the rest of his company.

Scarcely had this over-wrought Comrade laid an houre in this sort: till through excesse of liquor or some other occasionall di∣stemper, he discovered upon his awaking all the symptoms of a fea∣vor: and in that violent manner, as the strength of two or three of the most activest spirits there could with much difficulty hold him.

After some small inspiration, as one awaked out of a fearfull slumber, looking at the first perplextly about him, with a passio∣nate sigh. He begun to tell the standers by how a terrible appari∣tion had presented it selfe to him: and by it injoyned, as he ten∣dered his future safety, seriously and ingenuously to communicate

what he had seene, and heard delivered to him in that vision, to such substantiall Inhabitants of the Towne, as might not onely re∣taine it in mind, and usefully make benefit of it, but impart it like∣wise to others of their neighbours, who were equally interested in the relation which he was charged to deliver unto them.

To give him satisfaction, divers of the sufficientest inhabitants were sent for upon whose repair, he addressed his speech unto them in this sort, after he had raised himselfe a little upon his pillow.

You may perchance, my Masters, imagine that what I am here to discover to you, proceeds from the distempers of an unsettled braine: which my late too liberall and excessive company brought me to.

But I must tell you with a sense as recollected and cleare as if it had been never distempered: that the commands, nay, and commi∣nations too (for both these were injoyned me) shall be freely and really delivered to you, as they were with much affrightment presented me: And in them strictly commaned to returne them to you.

Know then, my friends, that there appeared to me in my sleepe a vision, presented to me at the first sight in a terrible and sense-ama∣ring posture; brandishing over my head a sword all besmered with blood: which at first I conceived to be justly unsheathed and mena∣ced against me, for my excessive abuse of time, and those precious benefits, which with such carelesse and sensuall freedome I had a∣bused. This in humain reason (so much at least, as society accom∣panied with a loathed saciety had left me) I might well apply to my selfe and impute to my folly: having so long time resolved, to decline what naturally I was addicted to: and to confine my loose & unbounded will, to a more temperate command of my affections: and rationall obedience to a diviner Edict. This, I must confesse, produc'd in me an unspeakable terror, in taking a serious review of my owne errors: and applying the use of this fearfull apparition to my selfe, and expecting every minut, when I should receive some menacing Lecture from it. At last, and unexpectedly as if it had been transformed to another mold, it appeared to me with a more cheerfull and pleasing presence, diverting the sword which it for∣merly brandished over me towards your Towne, expressing it selfe in this manner.

You Sir, who if you timely decline not your accustomed distemper, must not expect a continued impunity to your abused liberty: If you sinke thus in your lees, and retaine no sense of sin nor shame, the scourge of Scorpions will at last bring your debaucht course to a sense of both; sin to condemn you, shame to confound you. Re∣flect on your selfe in these, and after these attend my charge.

Acquaint these too secure and regardlesse Inhabitants of this Towne where thou now remainest, and where thy late distempers have lodged thee. That their ingratitude to God and Man will shortly sharpen the edge of his revenging sword against them. His bow already is bent, his vials full of wrath ready to be powred down on them. Would they know the cause? They have been seated in the sat of the Land: A fruitfull and fertle soyle hath made them senselesse of their condition, never fixing on him from whom they received this provision. The fullnesse and variety of Gods benefits in their successive and seasonable Harvests have made them forgetfull of the cheife Master of the Family. Doe they expect to receive, and never to returne an acknowledgement of their homaage or service to him, to whom they stand so highly obliged? What is it which they have not received? And wherein is it that they have approved themselves thank∣full receivers? And what greater or larger root of evill, seeing it dryes up the spring of Gods mercy, imbitters the sweetest waters, by converting his blessings into curses, through this dis-acknowledgement of his blessings?

The due consideration of those miseries inflicted upon others, and those their door neighbours, might induce them to recollect Gods mercies to them, who though conscious of higher sinnes, have not as yet partaked of the like judgements. Let them but cast their compassionate eyes upon some of those neare bordering or ad∣jacent fields, divided onely by an hedge or strait limit from their owne, and they must necessarily acknowledge Gods inestimable mercy in exempting them from so neighbouring a misery. Have not some of their fruitfullest fields been mill-dewed? Nay, have not Catterpillers and Grashoppers consumed their fruits; and made their Store-bouses groane through scarcity? Let them reflect a little fur∣ther, and they shall heare of afflictions, nay terrible judgements, pre∣sented to their view in a more remarkable and fearefull manner For were not whole Corne-fields, that promised as faire & free a crop, as the longing Husbandman could possibly expect, wholly destroyed & consumed; by some occult meanes which all their endeavours could never discover, till at last one of them desiring much to retreve the cause thereof, chanced to catch a Flye, large in proportion, and vast extension in its orifice, on whose wings variously and curiously

speckled, were these two words indented, and by no meanes, they could use to be razed: IRE DEI. This memorable judgement they cannot chuse but remember, and with the memory thereof, bee strucke in terror!

But how were it possible, that they should shew least semblance of thank fulnesse to him, whom they never saw, though they have amply tasted of his bounty, when they cannot retain a thought of gratefull retribution to him, from whom they daily derive their livelihood & subsistance; and of whose many civilities towards them, before these distractions, they have received sufficient experience. By his means, next under God, have they lived, and in such plenteous manner, as the Farmer hath reaped more benefit then the Owner. All this while, what have they re∣turned out of his revenues, on whom they depended, and by whose leave they in∣habited, but neglect, and insupportable injuries? Now must not these indignities render heavy judgements.

Oh what an injurious and malignant thing is man, when he begins to dege∣nerate from himselfe, and unman that part in him which makes him most man? There is no creature more savage then he who should be the civilest of all crea∣tures, when he suffereth his thoughts to play the Serpents, and creep on the earth! This their groundling dispositions have acted to life, by deserting him who gave them competences for life; and exposing himselfe and family to want, for their weale. Farmers contribute amply, as members of one society, to the Saints ne∣cessity, and your Landlords necessitous quality, or expect a speedy alarme of ven∣geance and fury to you, your family and posterity.

Upon which words, hee fell into a violent passion, crying out, in a furious and distempered manner, He comes, He comes, Have among you, The Devill, The Devill.

At which strange alteration and uncouth passion, the standers by became much astonished and affrighted: which was increased by this occasion. It chanced, that the very same time, there was an enter∣lude to be presented by some young men neare adjoyning. But this terrible burly-burly comming from the next house, where the Play was to be acted, quickly dissolved the Auditory, flocking thither, pur∣pofely to enquire the occasion of this clamor.

So generally despersed grew this rumor, as it occasioned, to the ease of the Township, sundry Troopers to remove their quarters. It were to be wished, that it might produce the like effect bereafter Amongst which one of the actors who was to play the Devills part, runne amongst them for company, attired in a Devills habit, as terrible as a Countries property or in∣vention

could make him. Upon whose entrance, those who were present in the house, calling to minde the words which had beene a little before uttered: He comes, He comes, Have among you, The Devill, The Devill; without notice taken of his distemper who spake it, or of his person or habit, who so accidentally presented it; they were so terrified with the approach of this poore Country Devill, as they runne forth into the streets like so many distracted furies, ever and anon crying out, We will give all satisfaction, so the Devill will not take us. And to increase their feare, the smell of brimstone and powder, which this enterlude Devill had raised with his squibs and crackers, did no lesse annoy them, then his whistling habit did af∣fright them. Neither did the issue of this strangely occurring acci∣dent end thus. For a person of quality, and who by his Commissi∣onary power and place, might enquire, and by his commands re∣presse all inconvenient or disorderly assemblies, hearing a report hereof, tooke his horse, that he might be an ocular witnesse, and punisher too, if occasion were, of these incivilities. The Gentlmans house was not far distant from the Town, so as, crossing over Swald, a pleasant river, delightfully streaming along in those parts; he was no sooner com•• to the shoare, then surprised with some pannike feare, or some imaginary affright (probably derived from the ap∣prehension of this terrible accident, for so he conceited it) he verily thought, that the horse he rid on, was surrounded with fire, endea∣vouring twice or thrice to quench the flame, which he supposed hung dangling in his main. In a word, he became so perplexed, and indeed wholly divided from himselfe, as this imaginary phanaticke fire leading him through many blinde by-paths, brakes, and bushes, caused him to spend most part of that unwelcome evening in this wandring condition, without least knowledge of where he was, or whereto he addressed his course; till at last by a Field-keeper he was happily conducted home, since which time he hath remained in a weake and languishing manner, quite out of temper, yet insensible of his owne indisposed humour. For his meagre complexion and enfeebled constitution, presents him to those that formerly knew him, a meer anatomized Skelleton. Daily he groundles away and wasts all, crying out sometimes in his extremity: Oh how these Rams hornes doe push me; for loves sake remove them from me.

We in these parts can doe no lesse then wonder, that a person of

such gravity and serious imployment, should without any apparent motive to such distempered passions, fall into these extreames. But our best Physitians have lately given some hope of his recovery; la∣bouring daily to extract all such vicious or corrupt humours (which as they positively and practically affirme) were destructive to his in∣tellective parts, and the origen or source of these distempers.

The Gentleman whom we left with a worme in his braine, and a propheticall vision in his sleep; after a good nights rest, perfectly re∣covered; but stands still upon justification of that vision, which hee had to the inhabitants formerly related.

Give me leave here to annex one pleasant passage, to sweeten the bitternesse of the former: Alloes should have some sugar-pills to temper it. It chanced that one of this deep drenched society at an unseasonable houre indenturing it homeward, in the meeting of two wayes, he might see, as he imagined, a Spirit standing directly be∣fore him in a white sheet, where recollecting his wool-gathering senses, he resolved whatsoever became of it to speake to it so as with a shuddring shrug or two, at last he thus encountred it: If thou beest a good spirit, I know thou wilt doe me no harme, for thou art of an honest sociable temper; and if thou be the Devill himselfe, thou hast no reason to harme me, for I married thy sister; but this white shrouded spirit turned into a white horse which freed him of fear, and lent him more courage to grapple with his fury at home.

Now to be serious; you may expect some newes touching our Northerne march, and what is intended by our Brethren there: shal I ingenuously unbosome my self unto you there cannot be more different opinions amongst a Colledge of Doctors, then we reteine touching this grand intendment: some say their owne interests will ingage them: others that their divisions at home will detaine them: some that the Cavalry of England will joyne with them: others, that the Scots will by no meanes admit them: some, that they will both joyn in the work, but march severall wayes. There was a letter lately intercepted, being directed to a constant Cavallier rending in those parts; the character was not found so obscure, but it might be ren∣dred, the effect thereof briefly thus:

My dearest Phil. may felicity to the accomplishment of all our wi∣shes, accompany your glorious design of loyalty. A clear beam is ever most chearfull breaking through a cloud. A calme after a storme;

our yoake hath been heavy, but it promiseth liberty; our seven yeares misery, hopes for a yeare of Jubilee. Your march hath beene long reported, now daily expected.

Many hands and hearts goe along with you; some to fight, others to pray for you: Ride on with honour, and may seasonable wea∣ther, conveniency of quarter, and all victorious successe smile on your loyall endeavour. This speedy messenger will not permit mee to inlarge my selfe any further. It is sufficient, that you know the character of

Your reall friend and servant, L. P.