VII.—An Apparition to King James the IV. and his Courtiers, in the kirk of Linlithgow.
While the king stayed at Linlithgow, attending the gathering of his army, which was defeat at Floudon, being full of care and perplexity, he went into the church of St. Michael, to hear evening song, as then it was called. While he was at his devotion, an ancient man came in, his amber coloured hair hanging down about his shoulders, his forehead high, and inclining to baldness, his garments of azure colour, somewhat long, girded about with a towel, or table napkin, of a comely and very reverent aspect. Having enquired for the king, he intruded himself into the press, passing through till he came to him, with a clownish simplicity, leaning over the canon’s seat, where the king sat, “Sir (said he) I am sent hither to entreat you to delay your expedition for this time, and proceed no farther in your intended journey; for if you do, you shall not prosper in your enterprise, nor any of your followers. I am further charged to warn you, not to use the acquaintance, company, or counsel of woman, as you tender your honour, life, and estate.” After this warning, he withdrew himself back again into the press. When service was ended, the King enquired earnestly for him, but he could be no where found, neither could any of the bystanders (of whom divers did narrowly observe him, resolving afterwards to have discoursed with him) feel or perceive how, when, or where he passed from them, having in a manner vanished in their hands.
VIII.—Anent the Major who returned from death to tell the Captain whether there was a GOD or not.
Concerning the apparition of the Ghost of Major Geo. Sydenham (late of Dulverton, in the county of Somerset) to Captain William Dyke, (late of Skilgate in this county also, and now likewise deceased) be pleased to take the relation of it from a worthy and learned gentleman, Dr. Thomas Dyke, a near kinsman of the captain’s, thus: Shortly after the major’s death, the doctor was desired to come to the house to take care of a child that was sick there; and in his way thither he called on the captain, who was very willing to wait on him to the place, because he must, as he said, have gone thither that night, though he had not met with so encouraging, an opportunity. After their arrival there at the house, and the civility of the people shewn them in that entertainment, they were seasonably conducted to their lodging, which they desired might be together in the same bed; where, after they had lain a while, the captain knock’d, and bid the servants bring him two of the largest and highest candles lighted he could get; whereupon the doctor enquires what he meant by this? The captain answers, “You know, cousin, what disputes my major and I have had touching the being of God, and the immortality of the soul; in which points, we could never yet be resolved, though we so much sought for and desired it. And therefore it was at length fully agreed between us, that he who of us died first, should, the third night after his funeral, between the hours of twelve and one, come to the little house which is here in the garden, and there give a full account to the survivor, touching these matters, who should be sure to be present there at the set time, and to receive a full satisfaction. And this (says the captain) is the very night, and I am come on purpose to fulfil my promise.” The doctor dissuaded him, minding of the danger of following strange counsels, for which he could have no warrant; and that the devil might, by some cunning device, take such an advantage of this rash attempt, as might work his utter ruin. The captain replies, “That he had solemnly engaged, and that nothing should discourage him;” and adds, “That if the doctor would wake a while with him, he would thank him, if not, he might compose himself to rest; but for his own part, he was resolved to watch, that he might be sure to be present at the hour appointed.” To that purpose he sets his watch by him, and as soon as he perceived by it that it was half past eleven, he rises, and, taking a candle in each hand, goes out by a back door, of which he had before gotten the key, and walks into the garden-house, where he continued two hours and a half, and at his return, declared that he neither saw nor heard any thing more than what was usual. But I know, said he, that my major would surely have come had he been able.
About six weeks after, the captain rides to Eaton, to place his son a scholar there, when the doctor went thither with him. They lodged there at an inn, the sign whereof was Christopher, and tarried two or three nights, not lying together now as before at Dulverton, but in two several chambers. The morning before they went thence, the captain stayed in his chamber longer than he was wont to do, before he called upon the doctor. At length he comes into the doctor’s chamber, but in a visage and form much differing from himself, with his hair and eyes staring, and his whole body shaking and trembling. Whereat the doctor wondering, presently demanded, “What is the matter, cousin captain?” The captain replies, “I have seen my major.” At which the doctor seeming to smile, the captain confirms it, saying, “If ever I saw him in my life, I saw him but now.” And then related to the doctor what had passed thus: “This morning after it was light, some one comes to my bed side, and suddenly drawing back the curtains, calls, Captain, captain, (which was the term of familiarity that the major used to call the captain by;) to whom I replied, What, my major?” To which he returns, “I could not come at the time appointed, but I am now come to tell you, That there is a God, and a very just and terrible one; and if you do not turn o’er a new leaf (the very expression, as the doctor punctually remembered,) you shall find it so.” The captain proceeded: “On the table by there lay a sword, which the major had formerly given me. Now, after the apparition had walked a turn or two about the chamber, he took up the sword, drew it, and finding it not so clean and bright as it ought, “Captain, captain,” (says he) this sword did not use to be kept after this manner when it was mine.” After which words he presently disappeared.
The captain was not only thoroughly persuaded of what he had thus seen and heard, but was from the time observed to be very much affected with it. And the humour, which before in him was brisk and jovial, was then strangely altered; in so much as very little meat would pass down with him at dinner, though at the taking leave of friends, there was a very handsome treat provided. Yea, it was observed, that what the captain had thus seen and heard, had a more lasting influence upon him; and it was judged by those who were well acquainted with his conversation, that the remembrance of this passage stuck close to him; and that those words of his dead friend were frequently sounding fresh in his ears, during the remainder of his life, which was about two years.