**To Mr. JOHN AUBREY, Fellow of the Royal-Society at
**Gresham-College, London. Honoured Sir,
SINCE my last to you, I have had the favour of two letters from you:
to the first, dated February 6, I had replied sooner, but that I
wanted leisure to transcribe some farther accounts of a second-sighted
man, sent me from the north, whereof (in obedience to your desire) I
give here the doubles.
May the 4th. 1694.
**A Copy of an Answer to some Queries concerning Second-
sighted Men, sent by a Minister living near Inverness, to a
Friend of mine.
Query 1.
THAT there is such an art, commonly called the second-sight, is
certain, from these following instances.
First, in a gentleman's house, one night the mistress considering why
such persons whom she expected were so late, and so long a coming, the
supper being all the while delayed for them; a servant man about the
house (finding the mistress anxious) having the second-sight, desires
to cover the table, and before all things were put on, those persons
she longed for would come in; which happened accordingly.
The second instance, concerning a young Lady of great birth, whom a
rich Knight fancied and came in sute of the Lady, but she could not
endure to fancy him, being a harsh and unpleasant man: but her friends
importuning her daily, she turned melancholy and lean, fasting and
weeping continually. A common fellow about the house meeting her one
day in the fields, asked her, saying Mrs. Kate, What is that that
troubles you, and makes you look so ill ? she replied, that the cause
is known to many, for my friends would have me marry such a man by
name, but I cannot fancy him. Nay, (says the fellow) give over these
niceties, for he will be your first husband, and will not live long,
and be sure he will leave you a rich dowry, which will procure you a
great match, for I see a Lord upon each shoulder of you: all which
came to pass in every circumstance; as eye and ear witnesses declare.
A third instance, of a traveller coming in to a certain house, desired
some meat: the mistress being something nice and backward to give him
victuals; you need not, says he, churle me in a piece of meat; for
before an hour and half be over, a young man of such a stature and
garb will come in with a great salmon-fish on his back, which I behold
yonder on the floor: and it came to pass within the said time.
A fourth instance, of a young woman in a certain house about supper-
time, refused to take meat from the steward who was offering in the
very time meat to her; being asked why she would not take it ?
replied, she saw him full of blood, and therefore was afraid to take
any thing of his hands. The next morning, the said steward offering to
compose a difference between two men, at an ale-house door, got a
stroak of a sword on the forehead, and came home full of blood. This
was told me by an eye witness.
Query 2.
Those that have this faculty of the second-sight, see only things to
come, which are to happen shortly there-after, and sometimes foretel
things which fall out three or four years after. For instance, one
told his master, that he saw an arrow in such a man through his body,
and yet no blood came out: his master told him, that it was
impossible an arrow should stick in a man's body, and no blood come
out, and if that came not to pass, he would be deemed an impostor. But
about five or six years after the man died, and being brought to his
burial-place, there arose a debate anent his grave, and it came to
such a height, that they drew arms, and bended their bows; and one
letting off an arrow, shot through the dead body upon the bier-trees,
and so no blood could issue out at a dead man's wound. Thus his sight
could not inform him whether the arrow should be shot in him alive
or dead, neither could he condescend whether near or afar off.
Query 3.
They foresee murthers, drownings, weddings, burials, combats, man-
slaughters, all of which, many instances might be given. Lately (I
believe in August last, 1695) one told there would be drowning in the
river Bewly, which come to pass: two pretty men crossing a ford both
drowned, which fell out within a month. Another instance; a man that
served the Bishop of Catnes, who had five daughters in his house, one
of them grudged, that the burthen of the family lay on her wholly: the
fellow told her that ere long she should be exonered of that task, for
he saw a tall gentleman in black, walking on the Bishop's right-hand,
whom she should marry: and this fell out accordingly, within a quarter
of a year thereafter. He told also of a covered table, full of varieties
of good fare, and their garbs who set about the table.
Query 4.
They see all this visibly acted before their eyes; sometimes within,
and sometimes without-doors, as in a glass.
Query 5.
It is a thing very troublesome to them that have it, and would gladly
be rid of it. For if the object be a thing that is so terrible, they
are seen to sweat and tremble, and shreek at the apparition. At other
times they laugh, and tell the thing chearfully, just according as the
thing is pleasant or astonishing.
Query 6.
Sure it is, that the persons that have a sense of God and religion,
and may be presumed to be godly, are known to have this faculty. This
evidently appears, in that they are troubled for having it, judging it
a sin, and that it came from the Devil, and not from God; earnestly
desiring and wishing to be rid of it, if possible; and to that effect,
have made application to their minister, to pray to God for them that
they might be exonered from that burden. They have supplicated the
presbytery, who judicially appointed publick prayers to be made in
several churches, and a sermon preached to that purpose, in their own
parish church, by their minister; and they have compeired before the
pulpit, after sermon, making confession openly of that sin, with deep
sense on their knees; renounced any such gift or faculty which they
had to God's dishonour, and earnestly desired the minister to pray for
them; and this their recantation recorded; and after this, they were
never troubled with such a sight any more.
**A Copy of a Letter, written to myself by a Gentleman's Son in
Straths-pey in Scotland, being a Student in Divinity, concerning
the Second-sight.