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
"The first impression that I had was by two particular dreams, sir; and
after I had written five letters to warn the clergy. I think the last I
wrote was a very severe one. I believe I wrote in it all the curses of
the Scripture to warn them, and likewise signed my name to every letter,
and the place I lodged at, No. 60, Aldgate. I never received any
letters, which I was anxious to have from these clergymen, to speak to
them by mouth, but there was found none among them that dared to answer
me. I prayed to the Lord what I was to do. The next night I dreamt that
a wonderful thick cloud came from heaven and rested upon the Minster."
[Here the prisoner gave a long account of his dream, mentioned above,
and about the cloud resting over the house.] He continued:--"The house
was so shook that it awoke me from sleep. I was astonished, and began to
ask the Lord what it meant. I felt a voice inwardly speak that the Lord
had chosen me to destroy the Cathedral for the wrong that was doing by
the clergy in going to plays, and balls, and card-tables, and dinners.
Different things impressed my mind that the Lord had chosen me, because
the house shook and trembled. I thought it resembled the pillar of
smoke, and fulfilled the prophecy of Joel, that God would pour out His
Spirit upon all flesh, and the old men should see visions, and the young
men dream dreams, and that there should be signs in the heavens, blood
and fire, and vapour and smoke. I thought that I should be fulfilling
the word of God, and it was so impressed on my mind I had no rest night
or day; for I found the Lord had determined to have me to show this
people a warning to flee from the wrath to come. I was rather at a loss,
and astonished about my wife lest she should attack me, for I could not
do it without being all night from her. After I had considered a while
and got everything in order, I began to think it was impossible for me
to do it, as if I was away without my wife knowing where, she might
conceive I was about the Cathedral, and come and put me out. Therefore I
thought of this, to take my wife's ring off her finger, and tie her over
to this concern, which I did, as I have mentioned before, and the
circumstance of my wife's keeping the vow. After I told her the
circumstance she was much grieved, and strove to get me away to Leeds,
to get me from the purpose I had informed her of. We went to Leeds and
stayed a few days there, but I could get no rest to my mind till I had
accomplished the deed. I was obliged to take leave of her on the
Saturday morning. I had a severe contest between flesh and blood. It was
a sair contest, especially when she asked what was to become of her, and
of my child Richard I had at school at Lincoln. I thought she would have
nailed me to the spot; but after a moment a passage of Scripture struck
my ears, and it cried out like a whisper, 'What thou doest, do quickly.'
I heard another--'He that loveth father or mother more than me is not
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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