Yorkshire Oddities, Incidents, and Strange Events — John Shaqi
Yorkshire Oddities, Incidents, and Strange EventsBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
Yorkshire Oddities, Incidents, and Strange Events
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Legends -- England -- Yorkshire; Yorkshire (England) -- Miscellanea
Samuel Muff, a spectator, says: "During the twenty-four hours that John
Wroe was in his trance reports of the circumstance frequently reached my
house, adding that he was likely to die. I accordingly went to see him,
and he came to himself when I was in the house, but was entirely blind.
On hearing my voice, he communicated many things to me which I cannot at
present recollect; but I remember his having said that he was blind, but
that he would yet see. He wrote me a few lines in the course of his six
days' blindness, desiring that I would come and see him at the time his
eyes were opened, and which he asserted would be at the end of the six
days; the letter was sent to me by one of my neighbours, who declared he
saw him write it; and stone blind as he then was, it is the best piece
of his writing I ever saw. I complied with his desire, and actually saw
his eyes open in the manner already related. After his father had placed
his thumb and finger on his eyes, he appeared to me for some time as if
he were dead. He afterwards came to himself, sat up in the chair, and
his eyes instantly opened. He and I were brought up within a quarter of
a mile of each other, and were schoolfellows, but the master who
instructed us never could teach him to spell or read, nor even to speak
plainly."
Joseph Wroe, John's cousin, says: "The first time I met with John Wroe
after the commencement of his visions, which was in the street in
Bradford, I said, 'I have been informed that thou hast begun to preach.'
He replied, 'Well, I do not know much about preaching, but I have begun
talking, and people may call it what they please.' I said, in a
contemptuous manner, 'I have also been informed that thou hast been
visited with visions or trances; what hast thou seen?' He replied, 'I
have seen a great deal too much to relate here.' He appeared reserved,
and would say no more. Some time after this a person came to my house,
and inquired of me whether I had seen my cousin John, adding, 'People
say he is blind, and has been so for three or four days.' I went to see
him on the following Sunday, with many others. At his desire I led him
to the door, and accompanied him to the house of a neighbour, named
Abraham Holmes: it was this man who wrote his visions, and part of which
was done on that occasion. We delayed there until it was dark, and I led
him back to his house. When I was about to return home he laid hold of
my hand, and would not suffer me to proceed until I had promised him to
return next day, as he asserted that he would then receive his sight. I
accordingly attended the same day; several persons did the same, and one
of them said to John, 'Art thou not afraid that thou wilt never see any
more?' He replied, 'No, I have not a doubt about it. I am as firm as a
rock in the belief that my sight will be restored at the appointed
time.' A few minutes before the time he requested that some person would
lead him to a private place, where he might have an opportunity for
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