The same Mr. Knox, in the year 1566, being in the pulpit at Edinburgh, upon the Lord's day, a paper was given up to him, among many others, wherein these words were scoffingly written concerning the earl of INIurray, who was slain the day before, — *' Take up the man whom ye accounted another God." At the end of the sermon, Mr. Knox bewailed the loss that the church and state had by the death of that virtuous man ; and then added, " There is one in this company that makes this horrible murder the " subject of his mirth, for which all good men should be sorry ; " but I tell him, he shall die where there shall be none to lament " him."' The man that wrote this paper was one Thomas Metel- lan, a young gentleman, who shortly after, in his travels, died in Italy, having none to assist or lament him.
3. And others have had premonitions and signs of their own deaths, which accordingly fell out. And these premonitions have been given them, sometimes by strong irresistible impressions upon their minds, sometimes in dreams, and sometimes by unusual eleva- tions of their spirits in duties of comjiiunion with God.
(1.) Some have had strong and irresistible impressions of their approaching change, made upon their minds. So had Sir An- thony Wingfield, who was slain at Brest, anno 1594*. At his undertaking of that expedition, he was strongly persuaded it would be his death ; and therefore so settled and disposed of his estate, as one that never reckoned to return again. And the day before he died, he took order for the payment of his debts, as one that stronglv presaged the time was now at hand; which accordingly fell out the next day.
Much of the same nature was that of the late earl of Marlbo- rough, who fell in the Holland war. He not only presaged his own fall in that encounter, (which was exactly answered in the event) but left behind him that memorable and excellent letter, which evidenced to all the" world what deep and fixed apprehen- sions of eternity it had left upon his spirits. Many examples of this nature might be produced, of such as have in their perfect health, foretold their own death ; and others who have diopt such pas- sages as were afterwards better understood by their sorrowful friends, than when they first dropt from their lips.
(2.) Others have been premonished of their death by dreams, sometimes their own, and sometimes others. The learned and ju- dicious Amyraldus-j- gives us this well attested relation of Lewis of
* Sir John Norris's expedition, p. 4G.
j- Amyraldus, of divine dreams, p. 122, 123.
A TREATISE OF THE SOLTL OF JIAX. G9
Bourbon, That a little before his journey from Dreux, he dreamed that he had fought three successful battles, wherein his three great enemies were slain, but that at last he himself was mortally wound- ed ; and that after tliev were laid one upon another, he also was laid upon the dead bodies. The event was remarkable ; for the Mareschal of St. Andree was killed at Dreux, the duke of Guise at Orleans, the constable of Montmorency at St. Denis : and this was the triumvirate, which had sworn the ruin of those of the reformed religion, and the destruction of that prince. At last he himself was slain at Balsac, as if there had been a continuation of deaths and funerals.
Suetonius in the life of Julius Caesar, tells us, that the night be- fore he was slain, he had divers premonitions thereof, for that night all the doors and windows of his chamber flew open ; his wife also dreamed that Caesar was slain, and that she had him in her arms. The next day he was slain in Pompey's court, having received 23 wounds in his body.
Pamelius * in the life of Cyprian, tells us for a most certain and well attested truth, that upon his first entrance into Garubis (the place of his banishment) it was revealed to him in a dream, or vision, that upon that very day twelve-month he should be consummate : which accordingly fell out ; for a little before the time prefixed, there came suddenly two apparitors to bring him before the new proconsul Galeius, by whom he was condemned, as having been a standard-bearer of his sect, and an enemy of the gods. Whereupon he was condemned to be beheaded, a multitude of Christians fol- lowing him, crying, Let us die together with him.
And as remarkable is that recorded by the learned and ingenious Dr, Sterne -f- of Mr. Usher of Ireland, a man, saith he, of great in- tegrity, dear to others by his merits, and my kinsman in blood, who upon the 8th day of July, 1657, went from this to a better world. About four of the clock the day before he died, a matron who died a little before, and whilst living was dear to Mr. Usher, appeared to liim in his sleep, and invited him to sup with her the next night : he at first denied her, but she more vehemently pres- sing her request on him, at last he consented, and that very night he died.
I have also the fullest assurance that can be of the truth of this fol- lowing narrative. A person yet living was greatly concerned about the welfare of his dear father and mother, Avho were both shut up in London, in the time of the great contagion in 1665. Many let-
* Pamelius tn vita Cyjirianu
+ Dr. Sterne*^ dissertatio de morte, p. \63.
70 A TREATISE OF THE SOIL 01- MAX.