The history of the life and adventures of Mr. Duncan Campbell : $b a gentleman, who, tho' deaf and dumb, writes down any stranger's name at first sight, with their future contingencies of fortune
General
The history of the life and adventures of Mr. Duncan Campbell : $b a gentleman, who, tho' deaf and dumb, writes down any stranger's name at first sight, with their future contingencies of fortune
Campbell, Duncan, 1680?-1730; Deaf people -- Great Britain -- Biography; Occultism -- Early works to 1900; Prophets -- Great Britain -- Biography
Sir Charles Lee, by his first lady, had only one daughter, of which she
died in childbirth; and when she died, her sister, the Lady Everard,
desired to have the education of the child; and she was by her very well
educated till she was marriageable; and a match was concluded for her
with Sir William Perkins, but was then prevented in an extraordinary
manner. Upon a Thursday night, she thinking she saw a light in her
chamber after she was in bed, knocked for her maid, who presently came
to her; and she asked why she left a candle burning in her chamber? The
maid said she left none, and there was none, but what she brought with
her at that time. Then she said it was the fire; but that the maid told
her was quite out, and said she believed it was only a dream: whereupon
she said it might be so, and composed herself again to sleep; but about
two of the clock she was awakened again, and saw the apparition of a
little woman between her curtain and her pillow, who told her she was
her mother, and that she was happy, and that by twelve of the clock that
day she should be with her; whereupon she knocked again for her maid,
called for her clothes, and when she was dressed, went into her closet,
and came not out again till nine; and then brought out with her a
letter, sealed, to her father, brought it to her aunt, the Lady Everard,
told her what had happened, and desired that, as soon as she was dead,
it might be sent to him; but the lady thought she was suddenly fallen
mad; and thereupon sent presently away to Chelmsford for a physician and
surgeon, who both came immediately, but the physician could discern no
indication of what the lady imagined, or of any indisposition of her
body; notwithstanding, the lady would needs have her let blood, which
was done accordingly; and when the young woman had patiently let them do
what they would with her, she desired that the chaplain might be called
to read prayers, and when prayers were ended, she took her guitar and
psalm book, and sat down upon a chair without arms, and played and sung
so melodiously and admirably, that her music master, who was then there,
admired at it; and near the stroke of twelve, she rose and sat herself
down in a great chair with arms, and presently fetching a strong
breathing or two, immediately expired, and was so suddenly cold as was
much wondered at by the physician and surgeon. She died at Waltham, in
Essex, three miles from Chelmsford; and the letter was sent to Sir
Charles, at his house in Warwickshire; but he was so afflicted with the
death of his daughter, that he came not till she was buried: but when he
came he caused her to be taken up, and to be buried by her mother at
Edmonton, as she desired in her letter. This was about the year one
thousand six hundred and sixty-two or sixty-three; and this relation the
Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Gloucester had from Sir Charles Lee
himself; and Mr. Beaumont printed it in his book above mentioned, from
the bishop's own mouth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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