S'-'s. vi.134.,July24.'68.] NOTES AND QUERIES. 



73 



describes only that of 1674, and says in his Pre-, 

 face, p. iv., that he had never seen the 1672 title- 

 page. It is not mentioned by Lowndes. I have 

 three copies, one almost large paper, but the 

 date in all is 1674. Has any one ever seen that 

 of 1672 ? Neo-Euokacensis. 



GHOST STOBIES. 



(2°'> S. V. 233. 285. 341. 462. 487.) 



So much has been recently said upon this sub- 

 ject that I think the Beresford story worth re- 

 cording m extenso in the pages of "N". & Q. :" it 

 may be the means of some of the Tyrone family 

 attestinjr the truth of the facts as therein stated, 

 particularly with reference to the possession of the 

 pocket-book and the black-ribband, said to have 

 been worn round the wrist: — 



" Lord Tyrone and Lady Beresford were born in Ire- 

 land ; they were both left orphans in their infancy to the 

 care of the game person, b)' whom they were educated in 

 the principles of Deism by their guardian. When they 

 were each of them about fourteen years of age they fell 

 into very different hands. The persons on whom tlie 

 care of them now devolved used every possible endeavour 

 to eradicate the erroneous principles thej' had imbibed, 

 and to persuade them to embrace the revealed religion, 

 but in vain ; their arguments were insufficient to con- 

 vince them, though they were powerful enough to stag- 

 ger their former faith. Though now separated from each 

 other, their friendship continued unalterable, and they 

 continued to regard each other with a sincere and frater- 

 nal affection. After some years had elapsed and they 

 were each of them grown up, they made a solemn pro- 

 mise to each other, that whoever should first die would, 

 if permitted, appear to the other to declare what religion 

 was most approved of by the Supreme Being. Lady 

 Beresford was shortly after addressed by Sir Marcus 

 Beresford, to whom after a few years she was married ; 

 but no change in condition had power to alter her friend- 

 ship ; the families frequently visited each other, often 

 spent more than a fortnight together. A short time after 

 one of these visits. Sir Marcus Beresford remarked, when 

 his lady came down to breakfast in the morning that her 

 countenance was unusually pale, and bore evident marks 

 of terror and confusion. He inquired anxiously after her 

 health ; she assured him she was well, perfectly well. He 

 repeated his inquiries, and begged to knowif anj'thinghad 

 disordered her .' She replied no ; she was as well as usual. 

 'Have you hurt your wrist, have you sprained it.' ' said 

 he, observing a black-ribband bound round it. She re- 

 plied 'no, she had not; ' but added, 'let me conjure 3-ou, 

 Sir M., never to inquire the cause of my wearing this rib- 

 band ; you will never more see me without it ; if it con- 

 cerned you as a husband to know it, I would not for a 

 moment conceal it from you. I never in my life denied 

 you a request, but of this I innst entreat you to forgive 

 my refusal, and never to urge me further on the subject.' 

 ' Very well, my lady,' said he, smiling, • since you so 

 earnestly desire me, I will inquire no further.' 



"The conversation here ended; hut breakfast was 

 scarcely over when Lady B. inquired if the post was come 

 in ? She was told it was not. In a few minutes she again 

 rang the bell for her servant, and repeated the inquiry, 

 is not the post yet come? Sho was told it was not. ' Do 

 yon expect any letter?' said Sir M., 'that you are so 

 anxioas concerning the coming of the post.' "' I do,' she 



answered, 'I expect to hear that Lord Tyrone is dead; 

 he died last Tuesday at four o'clock.' 'I never in ray 

 life,' said Sir M., ' believed you superstitious, but you 

 must have had some idle dream which has thus alarmed 

 you.' 



" At that instant a servant opened the door, and deli- 

 vered to them a letter sealed with black. 'It is as I ex- 

 pected,' exclaimed Ladv B., 'he is dead.' Sir M. opened 

 the letter; it c^me from Lord Tyrone's steward, and con- 

 tained the melancholy intelligence that his master had 

 died the Tuesday preceding, at the ver}' time Lady B. 

 had specified. Sir M. entreated her to compose her spirits, 

 and endeavour as much as lay in her power not to make 

 herself unhappy. She assured him she felt much easier 

 than she had for some time past ; and added, ' I can com- 

 municate to you intelligence which I know will prove 

 welcome. I can assui'e you, beyond the possibility of a 

 doubt, that I am with child of a son.' SirM. received the 

 intelligence with that pleasure which might be expected, 

 and expressed in the strongest terms the felicity he 

 .should experience from such an event, which he had long 

 so ardently desired. 



" After a period of some months. Lady B. was delivered 

 of a son. She had been the mother of two daughters 

 only. Sir Marcus survived the birth of his son little more 

 than four years. After his decease his lady went but lit- 

 tle from home; she visited no family but that of a cler- 

 g}'man who resided in the same village, with whom she 

 frequently passed a few hours; the rest of her time was 

 entirely devoted to solitude, and she appeared for ever de- 

 termined to banish all other society. The clergyman's fa- 

 mily consisted of himself, his wife, and one son, who at Sir 

 M.'s death was quite the j'outli. To his son, however, she 

 was afterwards married in a space of a few j'ears, not- 

 withstanding the disparity of his j'ears, and the mani- 

 fest imprudence of such a connection, so unequal in every 

 respect. 



"The event justified the expectation of every one; 

 Lady B. was treated by her young husband with neglect 

 and cruelty, and the whole of his conduct evinced him 

 the most abandoned libertine, utterly destitute of every 

 principle of virtue and humanity. To this, her second 

 husband. Lady B. brought two daughters; afterwards, 

 such was the profligacy of his conduct, that she insisted 

 upon a separation. They parted for several years, when, 

 so great was the contrition he expressed for his former 

 ill -conduct, that, won over by his supplication and pro- 

 mises, she was induced to pardon, and once more reside 

 with him ; and was, after some time, made the mother of 

 another daughter. 



" The day on which she had lain in a month, being 



the anniversary of her birth-day, she sent for Lady , 



of whose friendship she had long been possessed, and a 

 few friends, to request them to spend the day with her. 

 About noon, the clergyman by whom she had been bap- 

 tized, and with whom she had all her life maintained an 

 intimacy, came into the room to inquire after her health ; 

 she told him she felt perfectly well, and requested him to 

 spend the day with her, it being her birth-day. ' For,' 

 said she, ' I am forty-eight this day.' ' No, my Ladj',' 

 answered the clergyman, ' you are mistaken, your mother 

 and myself have had many disputes concerning your age, 

 and I have at length discovered I am right ; happening 

 to go last week to the parish you were born in, 1 was re- 

 solved to put an end to my doubt, by searching the re- 

 gister, and find that j'ou are forty-seven this day.' 



"'You have signed my death-warrant,' said she, 'I 

 have not much longer to live. I must, therefore, entreat 

 you to leave me immediately, as I have something of im- 

 portance to settle before I die.' 



" When the clergyman had left Lady B., she .sent to 

 forbid her company coming ; and at the same time to re- 



