Εικόνες σελίδας
PDF
Ηλεκτρ. έκδοση

THE

PREFACE.

T

HIS Relation is Matter of Fact, and attended with fuch Circumftances, as may induce any reafonable Man to believe it. It was fent by a Gentleman, a Juftice of Peace at Maidstone in Kent, and a very intelligent Perfon, to his Friend in London, as it is here worded: Which Difcourfe is attefted by a very fober and understanding Gentlewoman, a Kinfwoman of the faid Gentleman's, who lives in Canterbury, within a few Doors of the Houfe in which the within named Mrs. Bargrave lives; who believes his Kinfwoman to be of Jo difcerning a Spirit, as not to be put upon by any Fallacy; and who pofitively affured him, that the whole Matter, as it is related and laid down, is really true; and what she herself had in the fame Words (as near as may be) from Mrs. Bargrave's own Mouth, who, he knows, had no Rea-. Jon to invent and publifh fuch a Story, or any Defign to forge and tell a Lye,being a Woman of much Honefty

[ocr errors]

Honesty and Virtue, aud her whole Life a Course, as it were, of Piety. The Ufe which we ought to 'make of it, is, to confider, That there is a Life to come after this, and a juft GOD, who will retribute to every one according to the Deeds done in the Body; and therefore to reflect upon our. paft Courfe of Life we have led in the World; that our Time is short and uncertain; and that if we would efcape the Punishment of the Ungodly, and receive the Reward of the Righteous, which is the laying hold of Eternal Life, we ought for the Time to come, to turn to GOD by a speedy Repentance, ceafing to do Evil, and learning to do Well: to feek after GOD early, if haply he may be found of us, and lead fuch Lives for the future, as may be well pleafing in his Sight.

SER

A RELA

A

RELATION

OF THE

APPARITION

T

O F

Mrs. VE A L.

HIS Thing is fo rare in all its Circumftances, and on fo good Authority, that my Reading and Converfation has not given me any Thing like it: It is fit to gratify the moft ingenious and ferious Inquirer. Mrs. Bargrave is the Perfon to whom Mrs. Veal appeared after her Death; fhe is my intimate Friend, and I can avouch for her Reputation, for these last fifteen or fixteen Years, on my own Knowledge; and I can confirm the good Character fhe had from her Youth, to the Time of my Acquaintance. Tho' fince this Relation, fhe is calumniated by fome People, that are Friends to the Brother of Mrs. Veal who appeared; who think the Relation

of

of this Appearance to be a Reflection, and endeavour what they can to blaft Mrs. Bargrave's Reputation; and to laugh the Story out of Countenance. But by the Circumstances thereof, and the chearful Difpofition of Mrs. Bargrave, notwithstanding the ill Ufage of a very wicked Husband, there is not yet the leaft Sign of Dejection in her Face; nor did I ever hear her let fall a desponding or murmuring Expreffion; nay, not when actually under her Hufband's Barbarity; which I have been Witnefs to, and several other Perfons of undoubted Reputation.

Now you must know, Mrs. Veal was a Maiden Gentlewoman of about Thirty Years of Age, and for fome Years laft paft, had been troubled with Fits; which were perceived coming on her, by her going off from her Difcourfe very abruptly, to fome Impertinence: She was maintained by an only Brother, and kept his House in Dover. She was a very pious Woman, and her Brother a very fober Man to all Appearance: But now he does all he can to null or quafh the Story. Mrs. Veal was intimately acquainted with Mrs. Bargrave from her Childhood. Mrs. Veal's Circumftances was then mean; her Father did not take Care of his Children as he ought, fo that they were expofed to Hardships: And Mrs. Bargrave in thofe Days had as unkind a Father, though the wanted neither for Food nor Cloathing, whilft Mrs. Veal, want ed for both In fo much that she would often say, Mrs. Bargrave, You are not only the best, but the only Friend I bave in the World; and no Circumftance of Life fhall ever diffolve my Friendship. They would often condole each other's adverfe Fortunes, and read together Drelincourt upon Death; and other good Books: And fo like two Chriftian Friends, they comforted each other under their Sorrow.

Some Time after, Mr. Veal's Friends got him a Place in the Cuftom-Houfe at Dover, which occafioned Mrs. Veal, by little and little, to fall off from her Intimacy with Mrs. Bargrave, though there was

never any such thing as a Quarrel; but an Indifferency came on by Degrees, till at laft Mrs. Bargrave had not feen her in two Years and a half; though above a Twelve-month of the Time, Mrs. Bargrave hath been absent from Dover, and this laft half Year, has been in Canterbury about two Months of the Time, dwelling in a House of her own.

In this Houfe on the eighth of September, One thoufand feven hundred and five, fhe was fitting alone in the Forenoon, thinking over her unfortunate Life, and arguing herself into a due Refignation to Providence, though her Condition seemed hard. And, faid fhe, I have been provided for hitherto, and doubt not but I fhall be ftill; and am well fatisfied, that my Afflictions fhall end, when it is moft fit for me: And then took up her Sewing-work, which the had no fooner done, but the hears a Knocking at the Door; fhe went to fee who was there, and this proved to be Mrs. Veal, her old Friend, who was in a riding Habit: Ac that Moment of Time the Clock ftruck Twelve at Noon.

Madam, fays Mrs. Bargrave, I am furprized to See you, you have been fo long a Stranger; but told her, he was glad to fee her, and offered to falute her, which Mrs. Veal complied with, till their Lips almoft touched, and then Mrs. Veal drew her Hand cross her own Eyes, and faid, I am not very well. and fo waved it. She told Mrs. Bargrave fhe was going a Journey, and had a great Mind to fee her firft: But, fays Mrs. Bargrave, "How came you "to take a Journey alone? I am amazed at it, b "cause I know you have a fond Brother. " Oh! fays Mrs. Veal, I gave my Brother the Slip, and came away, because I had fo great a Defire to fee you before I took my Journey. So Mrs. Bargrave went in with her, into another Room within the firft, and Mrs. Veal fate her down in an Elbow-Chair, in which Mrs. Bargrave was fitting when fhe heard Mrs. Veel knock. Then fays Mrs. Veal, "My dear Friend,

66 I

« ΠροηγούμενηΣυνέχεια »