Chapter IX (3)

The following appeared in the "Pembrokeshire County Guardian":--

"About one hundred and sixty years ago, there lived on a farm near
Spittal in Pembrokeshire, a man of the name of David Evans. He
had a family of five children: Thomas, the eldest, was born
on November 3, 1756, and married Sarah Bevan, of Martel Mill,
on Sunday, November 14, 17--, and they lived on a small farm
near Trefgarn Rocks, called Penyfeidr. This Sarah Bevan, or
Mrs. Evans was, like her husband, noted for her piety, and among
her neighbours was possibly more noted for her visions and her
ability to foresee and foretell coming events, of which there
are many reliable records still existing and talked of in the
district to this day. Entering the house one day, she told those
present that she had just seen a most remarkable sight below the
house in Trefgarn Valley, and described it as a large number of
heavily laden carts or waggons going very fast one after the other,
and no bullock or horses drawing them, but the first one appeared
from the smoke she saw, to be on fire. George Stephenson was the
first to introduce steam locomotive power into practical use in
the year 1825. So we may state with certainty that the rustics
of Pembrokeshire had no idea or knowledge whatever of the railway
train at the time that Mrs. Evans saw the vision. About 54 years
ago the railway was brought into Pembrokeshire, and the scheme
of the great engineer, Brunel, was to extend it to the sea shore
near Fishguard. With this in view, much work was accomplished in
cuttings and embankments in Trefgarn Valley, which are now to be
seen there. The country people were jubilant, expecting soon to
realise the prophetic vision. But strong influence was brought to
bear on Brunel, and finally he abandoned that route and took the
line to New Milford instead. And the vision and prophecy came to
nought. Afterwards the old people looked forward to the joining
of Fishguard and Goodwick with the main line, and believed the
truth of the story. But, alas! when the branch line was made,
it was many miles to the North of Trefgarn, and the old lady and
her vision were once more ridiculed, and apparently, there were
no further grounds for hoping that the prophecy would be fulfilled.

"When the project of the G. W. Ry. Co. got matured, it was found
that the old loop line via Letterston was not suitable for a fast
and direct service from Goodwick to London. So it was decided
to make a new line from Goodwick through Trefgarn Valley,--thus
re-adopting Brunel's original scheme. And last week I actually saw
'a large number of heavily laden carts or waggons going very fast,
one after the other, and no bullocks or horses pulling them, but
the first one appeared from the smoke I saw, to be on fire.' Just
as described, and in the very spot indicated by Mrs. Evans about
100 years ago.

"H.W.E.

"Solva, December 26th, 1905."

The people of Pembrokeshire have been remarkable for their insight into the future; navvies were heard making railway cuttings many years before the introduction of steam locomotive power into practical use.

I have been informed that the sound of a railway engine, whistling, was heard at Llanilar, in Cardiganshire, fifty years before a railway was constructed through the neighbourhood; and it is also said that the sound of blasting was heard at Tyngraig, between Ystrad Meurig and Llanafan, where afterwards a tunnel was made. My informants were Mrs. Lloyd, the Vicarage, Llanilar, and Mr. Jones, Tyncoed.

THE CRIMEAN WAR SEEN IN THE SKIES.

About six months before the outbreak of the Crimean War, in 1853, John Meyler, Cilciffeth, saw a strange mirage in the sky. He was returning home late from Morville, and when nearing Penterwin he saw the image of armies in the skies. There were several battalions at first, and they increased in number till they spanned the heavens. There were two opposing forces, and he could distinctly see the image of men falling and of horses galloping across the firmament, and the clashing of great masses of men. He was so terrified that he called at Penbank and called the attention of Mr. James Morris, who lived at that place at that time, and he saw the same thing. This strange phenomenon appeared for about two hours.

The above account of this strange vision in the skies appeared in the "Cardiff Times," a few years ago, sent to that paper by Cadrawd. Pembrokeshire has always been known as the land of phantasm.

A REMARKABLE FULFILMENT OF A CONDEMNED MAN'S PREDICTION.

In the Churchyard of Montgomery is a grave where the grass refuses to grow, though it is in the midst of luxurious vegetation. The unfortunate man named John Newton, who was buried there in the year 1821, had predicted this as a proof that he was innocent of the charge brought against him at the Assizes, when he was condemned to die on the evidence of two men named Thomas Pearce, and Robert Parker, who charged him with highway robbery. On being asked at the trial why judgment should not be passed upon him, he said before the judge: "I venture to assert that as I am innocent of the crime for which I suffer, the grass, for one generation at least, will not cover my grave." The poor man's prediction proved true, for the grave to this day remains a bare spot.

One of the condemned man's accusers became a drunkard, and the other "wasted away from the earth," and a curse seems to follow every one who attempts to get anything to grow on the spot. At the head of the grave is the stem of a rose tree, and it is said that the man who put it there soon fell sick and died. I had heard of this grave even when I was a boy, and some account of the story respecting it has appeared in the papers from time to time.

SHOULDER-BLADE DIVINATION.

Giraldus Cambrensis, seven hundred years ago, speaking of the Flemings of South Pembrokeshire, in his "Itinerary through Wales," says:--"It is worthy of remark, that these people, from the inspection of the right shoulder of rams which have been stripped of their flesh, and not roasted, but boiled, can discover future events, or those which have passed and remained long unknown. They know, also, what is transpiring at a distant place, by a wonderful art, and a prophetic kind of spirit. They declare also undoubted symptoms of approaching peace and war, murders and fires, domestic adulteries, the state of the King, his life and death. It happened in our time, that a man of those parts, whose name was William Mangunel, a person of high rank, and excelling all others in the aforesaid art, had a wife big with child by her own husband's grandson. Well aware of the fact, he ordered a ram from his own flock to be sent to his wife as a present from her neighbour; which was carried to the cook and dressed. At dinner the husband purposely gave the shoulder bone of the ram, properly cleaned, to his wife, who was also well skilled in this art, for her examination; when, having for a short time examined the secret marks, she smiled, and threw the oracle down on the table. Her husband dissembling, earnestly demanded the cause of her smiling and the explanation of the matter; overcome by his entreaties, she answered, 'The man to whose flock this ram belongs has an adulterous wife, at this time pregnant by the commission of incest with his own grandson.' The husband, with a sorrowful and dejected countenance, replied, 'You deliver indeed an oracle supported by too much truth, which I have so much more reason to lament, as the ignominy you have published redounds to my own injury.' The woman thus detected, was unable to dissemble her confusion, betrayed the inward feelings of her mind by external signs; shame and sorrow urging her by turns, and manifesting themselves, now by blushes, now by paleness, and lastly (according to the custom of women), by tears.

The shoulder of a goat was also once brought to a certain person instead of a ram's, both being alike when cleaned, who, observing for a short time the lines and marks, exclaimed 'Unhappy cattle that never was multiplied! Unhappy likewise the owner of the cattle, who never had more than three or four in one flock!'

Many persons, a year and a half before the event, foresaw by the means of the shoulder bones the destruction of their country after the decease of King Henry the First, and selling all their possessions, left their homes, and escaped the impending ruin. In our time, a soothsayer, on the inspection of a bone, discovered not only a theft, and the manner of it, but the thief himself, and all the attendant circumstances; he heard also the striking of a bell, and the sound of a trumpet, as if those things which were past were still performing. It is wonderful, therefore, that these bones, like all unlawful conjurations, should represent by a counterfeit similitude to the eyes and ears, things which are past as well as those which are now going on."

It is evident that the Celts, as well as the Flemings, knew something of Shoulder-bone Reading, for J. G. Campbell, in his "Superstitions of the Scottish Highlands," an interesting book presented to me by Countess Amherst, states that this mode of divination was practised, like the augury of the ancients, as a profession or trade; and Pennant, in his "Tours in Scotland," 150 years ago, says that when Lord Loudon was obliged to retreat before the Rebels to the Isle of Skye, a common soldier, on the very moment the battle of Culloden was decided, proclaimed the victory at a distance, pretending to have discovered the event by looking through the bone; and Sir S. R. Meyrick, in his "History of Cardiganshire," writing one hundred years ago, says that the remains of this custom still existed in Cardiganshire in his time; "but the principal use made of the bone is in the case of pregnant women. The shoulder bone of a ram being scraped quite clean, a hole is burnt in it, and it is then placed over the door of the apartment in which the pregnant woman is, and she is told that the sex of her offspring will be precisely the same as that of the first person who shall enter the room."

DREAMS.

A dream was a common way of making known the will of God to the prophets of old. We know from the Bible that important dreams took place in the early ages of the world, and Welsh people, like other nations, believe in the importance of these mysterious night visions, and of their power of forecasting the future, and there are both men and women all over the country who can give instances of dreams which came true. There are, undoubtedly, some persons whose dreams, as a rule, are reliable; whilst the dreams of others are not to be depended on. It is also said that morning twilight dreams are more reliable than other dreams; and it is believed that a dream which is repeated is more to be relied on than that which occurs only once. I have had most striking dreams myself; indeed almost everything that happens to me has been presaged by a dream. About nine years ago I dreamed that I was delivering a lecture to a large audience, and speaking most fluently. On awaking, I had a distinct recollection of every word I had uttered; and I am now very sorry that I did not write down next morning the lecture which I had delivered in my dream. The most remarkable fact is this: Previous to my dream I had no knowledge whatever of the subject on which I lectured, as I had never studied the subject in my life, and as a psychological curiosity I may mention that by means of my dream I had become possessed of knowledge on a particular subject which would have taken me at least a whole month's hard study to acquire. (I am, of course, used to public speaking).

I have taken notes of few of my latest dreams, and perhaps it would not be out of place to record here a remarkable dream which I dreamt just before this book was going to press:

One night in January, 1910, I dreamed that I was walking near St. Bride's, the country seat of Lord Kensington, in Pembrokeshire, and I met Lord Kensington himself, who spoke to me thus: "Go into the house, Lady Kensington is home, and I'll be with you in a few minutes." Then I went to the door and rang the bell, and the butler took me into the drawing-room. After waiting in the room alone for some time without seeing anyone, all the household servants came to me in a group, dressed in their holiday attire, and informed me that Lady Kensington was not home after all, but that her Ladyship had gone away and had got lost somewhere in going about, and that Lord Kensington was seeking in vain for her everywhere, but failing to find her anywhere. When I awoke from my dream I felt certain that something had happened to one of the Kensingtons. A day or two after my dream I was surprised to read in the papers that a cable-gram was received in London from Calcutta, announcing the death of Dowager Lady Kensington in India. I discovered that her death took place on the very date of my dream, and that a few days previously Lord Kensington had hurriedly left for India, having received news of the Dowager's serious condition.

In order to add to the interest of the dream, I may state that the very day before I dreamt, I expected every moment to hear of the Dowager's return to England, as her Ladyship knew one or two interesting "traditions of Bridget of Ireland, known as St. Bride," which she intended to write down for me in order to record them in this book, to which she was looking forward, as she was greatly interested in Welsh traditions, especially those of Pembrokeshire.

One night, about seventeen years ago, when I was spending a few days at Penmachno, in North Wales, where I had delivered a lecture, I dreamt that I was receiving a letter; and when I looked at the envelope, I recognised the handwriting at once as that of Lady Hills-Johnes, of Dolaucothy. I then opened the letter and read it all through, and found it was from her Ladyship; and when I awoke up from my sleep I remembered every word of its contents. In the morning as soon as I went down for breakfast, the landlady of the house delivered me a letter which had come by post. I looked at the envelope as I had done in my dream; it was from Lady Hills-Johnes; and when I read it, I discovered that I knew every word of its contents beforehand from my dream.

When I was in Australia ten years ago, I had another remarkable dream about Dolaucothy, just when Sir James Hills-Johnes was leaving home for South Africa, to see his friend Lord Roberts, during the War; but I have been asked by Lady Hill-Johnes not to publish the dream.

A remarkable fulfilment of a dream was reported in the "Aberystwyth Observer" in the year 1888, in relation to the sudden death of the late Colonel Pryse, an uncle of Viscountess Parker, and Great-uncle of Sir Edward Webley-Parry-Pryse, Bart., of the ancient Family of Gogerddan:--"It was not considered safe to break to Viscountess Parker the news of her uncle's death for some days, and Mr. Fryer went up to London to convey to her the information. On his arrival at her residence, in Montague Square, a maid announced to her Ladyship his arrival. 'Mr. Fryer!' she said, 'I know what it is. My uncle is dead. He died on a lane leading from Rhiwarthen to Penwern. I have dreamt four times in four years that this would happen, and the last time was the night before baby was born. I have tried many times to keep him from going that way. Ask Mr. Fryer to come up.' She afterwards said that she meant the road leading to Penuwch which is in the same direction, and that she would know the spot."

The editor of "Blackwood" gives authenticity to the following dream:--A young man, engaged in a china manufactory at Swansea, about the beginning of the last century, dreamed that he saw a man drowning in one of their pools; he dreamed the same a second time, and a third time, and then could not resist making an effort to rise and satisfy himself that it was not so. He did rise, went to the spot, and found the man drowned. A man in the neighbourhood of Newcastle Emlyn, dreamed a similar dream in the 18th century.

The late Rev. J. E. Jenkins, Rector of Vaynor, in Breconshire, in his interesting book on that parish gives the following account of a girl saved by a dream:--

"The Rev. Williams Jones, afterwards Canon Jones, was curate in sole charge here in 1822, and for many years afterwards. The Old Rectory House and the Glebe land was at that time occupied by a man named Enos Davies and his family. The Rev. W. Jones also had rooms at the Rectory.

"One morning at the end of May in that year, about two o'clock Enos had a remarkable dream. He dreamt the Church was on fire. He suddenly awoke, and in great excitement jumped out of bed and knocked at the bedroom door of Mr. Jones, and cried:--'Master! Master! come down at once, I have dreamt the Church is on fire.' The worthy divine laughed at him, and told him to go back to bed, and not to give heed to foolish dreams and nightly visions. Enos obeyed, but could not sleep. During the day Mr. Jones walked down to the Church, and found everything in the usual order, safe and uninjured. The following morning, at the same hour, strange to say, Enos had the same dream, and again disturbed the peaceful slumbers of his good master. 'Come down to Church, Master,' said he, 'there must be something wrong, I have again dreamt the Church is on fire.' 'All right Enos,' said Mr. Jones; 'I will come with you, it is a fine morning.' By the time they reached the Church it was half-past three. Coming-down the Lych Gate, which was close by the little brook--the old entrance--they were struck with a great awe and a terrified feeling came over them, for they heard a peculiar sound coming, as it were, from the direction of the Church. They stood, listened, and looked at each other in mute astonishment, and Enos's hair stood on end. The sound became plainer: it was like the sound of a sexton digging or opening a grave inside the Church, as was often the custom in those days. Enos trembled, and became as pale as death; whilst the clergyman, who was a tall strongly built man, entered the churchyard, and stealthily went to listen at the west door. He could distinctly hear a man digging a grave. Mr. Jones soon found that an entrance had been made into the Church through one of the north side windows. Re-tracing his steps to Enos, who was still standing on the road by the brook, his attention was directed to a young girl coming down the steep pathway over Cae Burdudd--'the field of carnage'--the field where the mound is. She came running down merrily, and in a pleasant manner, said--'good morning, Mr. Jones, you are here before me.' 'Yes, my girl,' said the curate, 'where are you going so early?' 'Coming to be married, to be sure;' was her joyous reply. The curate took in the situation in a moment and told her:--'You have made a mistake as to the time. You must wait till eight o'clock; I cannot marry you before eight. Go up to the Rectory to Mrs. Davies and get some breakfast; we shall come after you in a short time. We will wait here until John comes, and will bring him up.' The innocent girl departed as requested, but had not gone far when the south door of the church was opened from within by her treacherous lover. He was at once apprehended by the courageous curate and Enos, and was made to stand over the grave he had prepared for the girl he had shamefully deceived and ruined, and whom he had intended murdering. He pleaded hard for mercy, and, ultimately, in order to avoid public scandal, on his promising to leave the neighbourhood immediately, and never again to return to Vaynor, he was allowed to depart. He was a native of Herefordshire, and was at this time in a service at a well-known farm in the parish. He left at once, and was never heard of afterwards by anyone from this parish. The curate, in a calm, gentle way, partly detailed to the maid the evil intentions of her base lover, and stated how God, in his good providence by the means of a dream, had preserved her from an untimely death.

"The young girl was terribly shocked, and fell unconscious into the arms of the curate. She lost her health, and after a time was taken home to the neighbourhood of Knighton, and in a few months later news reached Vaynor that the poor girl had died of a broken heart, and the curate was asked to go up to bury her, but failed to go. The above account was given me by my predecessor, the Rev. Rees Williams, and was confirmed by the testimony of the late Mrs. Thomas, formerly of Cwm and others. Mrs. Evans, late of Pengellifach, however, added that the would-be murderer was handed over by Mr. Jones to the charge of the Parish Constable, and was afterwards released. It should be remembered that there were but few, if any, fixed pews in the Old Church, only movable benches. Neither was the floor paved or boarded."

CONVERSING WITH THE DEPARTED IN A DREAM.

The following appeared in the "Weekly Mail," Cardiff, for June 18, 1910:--"The Rev. Hugh Roberts, Rhydymain, Dolgelly, discoursed on "The Intermediate State" on a recent Sunday, and in the course of the sermon related the substance of a conversation which he had had with departed friends. "Recently in a dream," he said, "I conversed with an old deacon friend who has been in the intermediate state for some time, and was assured by him that he was not in a state of inertia by any means. It is a 'country' where everybody has something to do--where one and all contribute to make each other happy. However, they pine even in the intermediate state--some are longing for the circles which they left on earth, others pining for their bodies. But all longing will cease when the Spirit has completed the heavenly bodies."

Welshpeople believe that if a young girl dreams that she has a long hair, that she will marry a very wise man.

To dream of being well-dressed is a sign of wealth and prosperity, especially if you are dressed in silks.

If a person dreams that he is going to get married, it foretells sickness.

If a man dreams that he is surrounded by pigs, some one will come to him to ask him for some money.

To dream of a horseshoe is a sign of good news.

Welshpeople generally believe that it is not good for any one to dream that he is losing his teeth, and that it means either a death or the loss of friends.

To dream of bacon is also considered bad.

If a young man dreams of a full barn, it means that he will marry a wealthy young woman.

Those who are interested in the interpretation of dreams must consult dream-books, as I am not expected to enter fully into such subject here.