ADVERTISEMENT.
IT is no small confirmation to my self of the Truth of these two last Stories, in both which my Lady Conway is mentioned, in that I received two Letters from that incomparable Lady out of Ireland, touching them both; the former is Dated, Lisburn, March 3, 1662, wherein she Writes thus: I have spoken lately with two simple Country people who have been much perplexed with two several Persons who have died lately: The Stories are too long to relate; but the Circumstances are such, as I know not how to mis-believe the Stories. The Persons cannot be suspected to have any design, and were altogether unacquainted in the Families of them that appeared, and wholly ignorant of those things in them that they now relate, and have charge to solicite the amendment of some Miscarriages by some Persons intrusted, which they could never hear of, as is supposed, by any other means. There are many other probabilities, but all evaded by several Persons here. And to give you a taste of their goodly Evasions, I will transcribe a Passage out of the other Letter of the said excellent Lady, Dated Lisburn, April 29, 1563. wherein she Writes thus: The Relation I sent you of two in this Country, is certainly liable to as little Exception (there was mention of the Drummer of Tedworth before) as any one shall meet with; as may appear, by the diligent search some have made for a Flaw and Objection against the Parties, who after all they confess, must needs appear perfectly uninterested, and impossible to have had from any concerned what they have delivered. But they believe, that either Drunkenness, or desperate Melancholy, did by chance enable them to light upon greater Truths than themselves thought of. Thus far that excellent Person. And it was enough for this Noble Lady, only to recite the solution of the Phænomenon into Melancholy and Drunkenness, it being so trifling and silly, that it wanted no farther refutation, than the meer recital.
That Drink may discover the Secrets of him that is Drunk, as the Poet observes, is reasonable enough; but that a Man being Drunk, is better capacitated to understand the Secrets of another Man, or of his Family, is so wild a Paradox, that no sober Man can admit it. And what is Melancholy, but a natural Drunkenness when it ferments? And moreover it being but by chance that Melancholy or Drunkenness enables them to light upon such things, why
