two. The first, one of his sisters, a young gentlewoman, staying with
a friend, at some thirty miles distance from her father's house, and
the ordinary place of her residence; one who had the second-sight in
the family where she was, saw a young man attending her as she went
up and down the house, and this was about three months before her
marriage.  The second is of a woman in that country who is reputed to
have the second-sight, and declared, that eight days before the death
of a gentleman there, she saw a bier or coffin covered with a cloth
which she knew, carried as it were, to the place of burial, and
attended with a great company, one of which told her it was the corps
of such a person, naming that gentleman, who died eight days after.
By these instances it appears that the objects of this knowledge are
not sad and dismal events only, but joyful and prosperous ones also:
he declares farther, that he was informed there, if I mistake not, by
some of those who had the second-sight, that if at any time when they
see those strange sights, they set their foot upon the foot of another
who hath not the second-sight, that other will for that time see what
they are seeing; as also that they offered, if he pleased, to
communicate the second-sight to him.  I have nothing more to add at
present, but that I am,      Sir, Your faithful friend,

And humble servant.

      II.

      **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.

SIR,

I AM more willing than able to satisfy your desire: as for instances
of such a knowledge, I could furnish many. I shall only insert some
few attested by several of good credit yet alive.

And, first, Andrew Macpherson, of Clunie in Badenoch, being in sute of
Lord of Gareloch's daughter, as he was upon a day going to Gareloch,
the Lady Gareloch was going somewhere from her house within kenning to
the road which Clunie was coming; the Lady preceiving him, said to her
attendants, that yonder was Clunie, going to see his mistress: one
that had this second-sight in her company replied, and said, if yon be
he, unless he marry within six months, he'll never marry. The Lady
asked, how did he know that ? he said, very well, for I see him, saith
he, all inclosed in his winding-sheet, except his nostrils and his
mouth, which will also close up within six months; which happened even
as he foretold; within the said space he died, and his brother Duncan
Macpherson this present Clunie succeeded. This and the like may
satisfy your fourth query, he seeing the man even then covered all
over with his dead linens. The event was visibly represented, and as
it were acted (before his eyes) and also the last part of your second
query, viz. that it was as yet to come. As for the rest of the
questions, viz. That they discover present and past events, is also
manifest, thus: I have heard of a gentleman, whose son had gone
abroad, and being anxious to know how he was, he went to consult one
who had this faculty, who told him, that that same day five o'clock in
the afternoon his son had married a woman in France, with whom he had
got so many thousand crowns, and within two years he should come home
to see father and friends, leaving his wife with child of a daughter,
and a son of six months age behind him: which accordingly was true.
About the same time two years he came home, and verified all that was
fore-told.

It is likewise ordinary with persons that lose any thing, to go to
some of these men, by whom they are directed; how, what persons, and
in what place they shall find it. But all such as profess that skill,
are not equally dexterous in it. For instance, two of them were in Mr.
Hector Mackenzie, minister of Inverness, his father's house; the one a
gentleman, the other a common fellow; and discoursing by the fire
side, the fellow suddenly begins to weep, and cry out, alas ! alas!
such a woman is either dead, or presently expiring. The gentlewoman
lived five or six miles from the house, and had been some days
before in a fever. The gentleman being somewhat better expert in that
faculty, said; no, saith he, she's not dead; nor will she die of this
disease. 0, saith the fellow, do you not see her all covered with her
winding-sheet; ay, saith the gentleman, I see her as well as you; but
do you not see her linen all wet, which is her sweat ? she being
presently cooling of the fever. This story Mr. Hector himself will
testify. The most remarkable of this sort, that I hear of now, is one
Archibald Mackeanyers, alias Macdonald, living in Ardinmurch, within
ten or twenty miles, or thereby, of Glencoe, and I was present myself,
where he foretold something which accordingly fell out in 1683; this
man being in  Straths-pey, in John Macdonald of Glencoe his company,
told in Balachastell, before the Lord of Grant, his Lady, and several
others, and also in my father's house; that Argyle, of whom few or
none knew then where he was, at least there was no word of him then
here; should within two twelve months thereafter, come to the West-
Highlands, and raise a rebellious faction, which would be divided
among themselves, and disperse, and he unfortunately be taken and
beheaded at Edinburgh, and his head set upon the Talbooth, where his
father's head was before him; which proved as true, as he fore-told
it, in 1685, thereafter. Likewise in the beginning of May next after
the late revolution, as my Lord Dundee returned up Spey-side, after he
had followed General Major Mac Kay in his reer down the length of
Edinglassie, at the Milatown of Gartinbeg, the Macleans joined him,
and after he had received them, he marched forward, but they
remained behind, and fell a plundering: upon which Glencoe and some
others, among whom was this Archibald, being in my father's house, and
hearing that Mac Leans and others were pillaging some of his lands,
went to restrain them, and commanded them to march after the army;
after he had cleared the first town, next my father's house of them,
and was come to the second, there standing on a hill, this Archibald
said, Glencoe, if you take my advice, then make off with your self
with all possible haste, ere an hour come and go you'll be put to it
as hard as ever you was: some of the company began to droll and say,
what shall become of me ? whether Glencoe believed him, or no, I
cannot tell; but this I am sure of, that whereas before he was of
intention to return to my father's house and stay all night, now we
took leave, and immediately parted. And indeed, within an hour
thereafter, Mac Kay, and his whole forces, appeared at Culnakyle
in Abernethie, two miles below the place where we parted, and hearing
that Cleaverhouse had marched up the water-side a little before, but
that Mac Leans and several other straglers, had stayed behind,
commanded Major AEneas Mac Kay, with two troops of horse after them;
who finding the said Mac Leans at Kinchardie, in the parish of Luthel,
chased them up the Morskaith: in which chase Glencoe happened to be,
and was hard put to it, as was foretold. What came of Archibald
himself, I am not sure; I have not seen him since, nor can I get a
true account of him, only I know he is yet alive, and at that time one
of my father's men whom the red-coats meeting, compelled to guide
them, within sight of the Mac Leans, found the said Archibald's horse
within a mile of the place where I left him. I am also informed, this
Archibald said to Glencoe, that he would be murdered in the night time
in his own house three months before it happened.

Touching your third query, the objects of this knowledge, are not only
sad and dismal; but also joyful and prosperous: thus they foretell of
happy marriages, good children, what kind of life men shall live, and
in what condition they shall die: and riches, honour, preferment,
peace, plenty, and good weather.

      Query 7.

What way they pretend to have it ? I am informed, that in the Isle of
Sky, especially before the gospel came thither, several families had
it by succession, descending from parents to children, and as yet
there be many there that have it in that way; and the only way to be
freed from it is, when a woman hath it herself, and is married to a
man that hath it also; if in the very act of delivery, upon the first
sight of the child's head, it be baptized, the same is free from it;
if not, he hath it all his life; by which, it seems, it is a thing
troublesome and uneasy to them that have it, and such as they would
fain be rid of. And may satisfy your ninth query. And for your farther
contentment in this query, I heard of my father, that there was one
John du beg Mac Grigor, a Reanach man born, very expert in this
knowledge, and my father coming one day from Inverness, said by the
way, that he would go into an ale-house on the road, which then would

Other sites:

db3nf.com screen-capture.net floresca.net simonova.net flora-source.com flora-source.com sourcecentral.com sourcecentral.com geocities.com