Mr. Gilbert's Letter concerning the Apparition near Belfast, in Ireland.
Dear Sir,
Your Last, of July the 6th, I received; and since that, I have again and again enquired farther into that Business of the Apparition of Magdalen Loflin, which died about Novemb. 1. 1685. of the Hurt she had received a Month before. And she appeared to Thomas Donelson, a Neighbour, four Weeks after her Death, in the House of William Holiday, near her own House. ⟨p. 248⟩There were then present in the said House, William Holiday, and Helen his Wife; as also Sarah Lofnam, Daughter in Law to the said Defunct; and some Servants and Children in the House; besides Charles Loflin and Helen Loflin, Children to the said Defunct; which are now all alive: And most of them were summoned to the following Assizes at Down Patrick, and there deposed solemnly before the Bench, the several Circumstantials of the said Apparition. Which Apparition was thrice repeated, in the same Evening, to the said Thomas Donelson: And how he was horribly frighted thereby, and violently drawn out of the said House, before their Eyes, though they struggled Hard to detain him: And that he was carried up and down, over Neighbouring Hedges and Ditches: And that her last Words to him were, That she would trouble him no more, if he did faithfully prosecute the Cause of her Death; which she still ascribed to the Blows which she received from the said R. Eccleston and K. Higgison.
The said Thomas Donelson did accordingly repair to his Landlord, the next Justice, Mr. Randal Brice; who brought their several Examinations to Sir William Franklin, in Belfast-Castle, where was also present the Earl of Longford: Which said ⟨p. 249⟩Depositions were carried to Dublin, and there recommended to the special Care of Judge John Lindon, who was to come down the next Assizes of Down: And the said Trial and Examination of the Witnesses, were then managed at the said Assizes, by Mr. James Macartny, Counsellor, in the behalf of Charles Loflin, the Plaintiff, to the Admiration of all the Bench, and of the Company there, in my Sight and Audience. So that the Matter was most notoriously known and believed, through the whole Country. Nor was there any Cause of suspecting any Fraud therein, they being all plain, honest Neighbours, well known to me, and my Parishioners, in the Parish of Dru•nbeg, in the County of Down, and in the Province of Ulster.
Mr. Gilbert's Letter concerning the Apparition near Belfast, in Ireland.
Dear Sir,
YOur Last, of Iuly the 6th, I received; and since that, I have again and again enquired farther into that Business of the Apparition of Magdalen Loflin, which died about Novemb. 1. 1685. of the Hurt she had received a Month before. And she appeared to Thomas Donelson, a Neighbour, four Weeks after her Death, in the House of William Holiday, near her own House. ⟨p. 248⟩There were then present in the said House, William Holiday, and Helen his Wife; as also Sarah Lofnam, Daughter in Law to the said Defunct; and some Servants and Children in the House; besides Charles Loflin and Helen Loflin, Children to the said Defunct; which are now all alive: And most of them were summoned to the following Assizes at Downe Patrick, and there deposed solemnly before the Bench, the several Circumstantials of the said Apparition. Which Apparition was thrice repeated, in the same Evening, to the said Thomas Donelson: And how he was horribly frighted thereby, and violently drawn out of the said House, before their Eyes, though they struggled Hard to detain him: And that he was carried up and down, over Neighbouring Hedges and Ditches: And that her last Words to him were, That she would trouble him no more, if he did faithfully prosecute the Cause of her Death; which she still ascribed to the Blows which she received from the said R. Eccleston and K. Higgison.
The said Thomas Donelson did accordingly repair to his Landlord, the next Justice, Mr. Randal Brice; who brought their several Examinations to Sir William Franklin, in Belfast-Castle, where was also present the Earl of Longford: Which said ⟨p. 249⟩Depositions were carried to Dublin, and there recommended to the special Care of Judge Iohn Lindon, who was to come down the next Assizes of Downe: And the said Trial and Examination of the Witnesses, were then mannaged at the said Assizes, by Mr. Iames Macartny, Counsellor, in the behalf of Charles Loflin, the Plaintiff, to the Admiration of all the Bench, and of the Company there, in my Sight and Audience. So that the Matter was most notoriously known and believed, through the whole Country. Nor was there any Cause of suspecting any Fraud therein, they being all plain, honest Neighbours, well known to me, and my Parishioners, in the Parish of Dru•nbeg, in the County of Downe, and in the Province of Vlster.
