OUR English chronicles do record, that in the reign of King Henry III.
A child was born in Kent, that at two years old cured all diseases.
Several persons have been cured of the King's-evil by the touching, or
handling of a seventh son. It must be a seventh son, and no daughter
between, and in pure wedlock.
Samuel Scot, seventh son of Mr. William Scot of Hedington in
Wiltshire, did when a child wonderful cures by touching only, viz. as
to the King's-evil, wens, &c. but as he grew to be a man, the virtue
did decrease, and had he lived longer, perhaps might have been spent.
A servant boy of his father's was also a seventh son, but he could do
no cures at all. I am very well satisfied of the truth of this
relation, for I knew him very well, and his mother was my kinswoman.
'Tis certain, the touch of a dead hand, hath wrought wonderful
effects, e. g. - One(a painter) of Stowel in Somersetshire, near
Bridgewater, had a wen in the inside of his cheek, as big as a
pullet's egg, which by the advice of one was cured by once or twice
touching or rubbing with a dead woman's hand, (e contra, to cure a
woman, a dead man's hand) he was directed first to say the Lord's
prayer, and to beg a blessing. He was perfectly cured in a few weeks.
I was at the man's house who attested it to me, as also to the
reverend Mr. Andrew Paschal, who went with me.
Mr. Davys Mell, (the famous violinist and clock-maker) had a child
crook-backed, that was cured after the manner aforesaid, which Dr.
Ridgley, M.D. of the college of physicians, averred in my hearing.
The curing of the King's-evil by the touch of the King, does much
puzzle our philosophers: for whether our Kings were of the house of
York, or Lancaster, it did the cure (i. e.) for the most part. 'Tis
true indeed at the touching there are prayers read, but perhaps,
neither the King attends them nor his chaplains.
In Somersetshire, 'tis confidently reported, that some were cured of
the King's-evil, by the touch of the Duke of Monmouth: the Lord
Chancellor Bacon saith, "That imagination is next kin to miracle-
working faith."
When King Charles I. was prisoner at Carisbrook Castle, there was a
woman touched by him, who had the King's-evil in her eye, and had not
seen in a fortnight before, her eye-lids being glued together: as they
were at prayers, (after the touching) the woman's eyes opened. Mr
Seymer Bowman, with many others, were eye-witnesses of this.
At Stretton in Hertfordshire, in anno 1648, when King Charles I. Was
prisoner, the tenant of the Manor-House there sold excellent cyder to
gentlemen of the neighbourhood; where they met privately, and could
discourse freely, and be merry, in those days so troublesome to the
loyal party. Among others that met, there was old Mr. Hill. B. D.
parson of the parish, Quondam Fellow of Brazen-Nose college in Oxford.
This venerable good old man, one day (after his accustomed fashion)
standing up, with his head uncovered to drink his majesty's health,
saying, "God bless our Gracious Sovereign," as he was going to put the
cup to his lips, a swallow flew in at the window, and pitched on the
brim of the little earthen cup(not half a pint) and sipt, and so flew out
again. This was in the presence of the aforesaid parson Hill,
Major Gwillim, and two or three more, that I knew very well then, my
neighbours, and whose joint testimony of it I have had more than once,
in that very room. It was in the bay-window in the parlour there; Mr.
Hill's back was next to the window. I cannot doubt of the veracity of
the witnesses. This is printed in some book that I have seen, I think
in Dr. Fuller's Worthies. The cup is preserved there still as a rarity.
In Dr. Bolton's Sermons, is an account of the Lady Honywood, who
despaired of her salvation. Dr. Bolton endeavoured to comfort her:
said she, (holding a Venice-glass in her hand) I shall as certainly be
damned, as this glass will be broken: and at that word, threw it hard
on the ground; and the glass remained sound; which did give her great
comfort. The glass is yet preserved among the Cimelia of the family.
This lady lived to see descended from her (I think) ninety, which is
mentioned by Dr. Bolton.
William Backhouse, of Swallowfield in Berkshire, Esq. had an ugly scab
that grew on the middle of his forehead, which had been there for some
years, and he could not be cured; it became so nauseous, that he would
see none but his intimate friends: he was a learned gentleman, a
chymist, and antiquary: his custom was, once every summer to travel
to see Cathedrals, Abbeys, Castles, &c. In his journey, being come to
Peterborough, he dreamt there, that he was in a church and saw a
hearse, and that one did bid him wet his scab, with the drops of the
marble. The next day he went to morning-service, and afterwards going
about the church, he saw the very hearse (which was of black say, for
Queen Katherine, wife to King Henry VIII.) and the marble grave-stone
by. He found drops on the marble, and there were some cavities,
wherein he dipt his finger, and wetted the scab: in seven days it was
perfectly cured. This accurate and certain information, I had from my
worthy friend Elias Ashmole, Esq. who called Mr. Backhouse father, and
had this account from his own mouth. May-Dew is a great dissolvent.
Arise Evans had a fungous nose, and said, it was revealed to him, that the
King's hand would cure him, and at the first coming of King Charles II.
into St. James's Park, he kissed the King's hand, and rubbed his nose with
it; which disturbed the King, but cured him. Mr. Ashmole told it me.
In the year 1694, there was published,
"A true Relation of the wonderful
Cure of Mary Mallard, (lame almost ever since she was born) on Sunday the
26th of November 1693."
With the affidavits and certificates of the girl, and several other
credible and worthy persons, who knew her both before and since her being
cured. To which is added, a letter from Dr. Welwood, to the Right
Honourable the Lady Mayoress, upon that subject. London: printed for
Richard Baldwin, near the Oxford Arms in Warwick Lane, 1694.
A narrative of the late extraordinary cure, wrought in an instant upon
Mrs. Elizabeth Savage, (lame from her birth) without using of any natural
means.
With the affidavits which were made before the Right Honourable the Lord
Mayor; and the certificates of several credible persons, who knew her both
before and since her cure.
Enquired into with all its circumstances, by noted divines both of the
church of England, and others: and by eminent physicians of the college:
and many persons of quality, who have expressed their full satisfaction.
With an appendix, attempting to prove, that miracles are not ceased.
London, printed for John Dunton at the Raven, and John Harris at the
Harrow, in the Poultry. The London divines would have my annotations of
these two maids expunged.*
*" This Eliza Savage is still lame. It seems my Lord Mayor of London
and Ministers may be imposed on." MS. Note in a copy of the first
edition in the Library of the Royal Society.