A Victim of Anagram.

Otago Witness, Issue 2923, 23 March 1910, Page 90

A Victim of Anagram.

So many Cassandras come to grief that the -sto-rv of Ladv Eleanor Audley. the wife of the Sir John Davies who was AttorneyGeneral for Ireland in 1606. will surprise no one familiar with the prophecies of melancholy ladies. Lady Eleanor had a turn for prophecy based on Scriptural anagrams. Amon* other predictions, she claimed to have foretold her husband's death. "His doom I gave hint in letters of his own name—John Daves, Jove's Hand . within three years to expect the mortal blow, so put on my mourning garment from that time; when about three days before his sudden death, before his servants and friends at the table, gave him part to take his long sleep, by him thus put off—'l pray, weep not -while I am alive, and I will give you leave to laugh when I am dead.' " Sir John was made Chief Justice of England, but died on the day he would have taken his seat on the bench. It was given to another than her husband, however, to give Lady Eleanor a' keener dart. She was brought into the Court of High Commission on charges arising out of her claims to prophetic powers, which she grounded on an anagram of her name. Eleanor Davis —Reveal, O Daniel. "And though," writes an old chronicler, "it had too much by an "1" and too little by "a," yet she found Daniel and Reveal in it, which served her turn. "Much pains was taken by the court to dispossess her of this spirit; but all would! not do, till Lamb, the Dean of Arones, shofi her through and through with an arrow borrowed from hat own quiver. "For whilst the bishops and divines were reasoning the point with h&r out of Holy Soriptures, he took a pen in his hand, and at last hit bfl an excellent anagram: "Darna Eleanor Ti»sn*mtsew& so mad & ladv I"