When Sir Christopher Wren was at Paris, about 1671, he was ill and feverish, made but little water, and had a pain in his reins.  He sent for a physician, who advised him to be let blood, thinking he had a plurisy:  but bleeding much disagreeing with his constitution, he would defer it a day longer:  that night he dreamt, that he was in a place where palm-trees grew, (suppose AEgypt) and that a woman in a romantic habit, reached him dates.  The next day he sent for dates, which cured him of the pain of his reins.

Since, I have learned that dates are an admirable medicine for the stone, from old Captain Tooke of K—.  Take six or ten date-stones, dry them in an oven, pulverize and searce them; take as much as will lie on a six-pence, in a quarter of a pint of white wine fasting, and at four in the afternoon:  walk or ride an hour after:  in a week’s time it will give ease, and in a month cure.  If you are at the Bath, the Bath water is better than white wine to take it in.

Sir John Hoskin’s Lady, when she lay in of her eldest son, had a swelling on one side of her belly, the third day when the milk came, and obstructions:  she dreamt that syrup of elderberries and distilled water of wormwood would do her good, and it did so; she found ease in a quarter of an hour after she had taken it.  I had this account from her Ladyship’s own mouth.

Captain —–­ Wingate told me, that Mr. Edmund Gunter, of Gresham College, did cast his nativity, when about seventeen or eighteen years old; by which he did prognosticate that he should be in danger to lose his life for treason.  Several years before the civil wars broke out, he had dreamt that he was to be put to death before a great castle, which he had never seen; which made a strong impression in his memory.  In anno 1642, he did oppose the church ceremonies, and was chosen a member of Parliament, then was made a Captain, and was taken prisoner at Edge Hill, by Prince Rupert, and carried to Kenilworth Castle, where he was tried by a council of war, and condemned to die:  but they did better consider of it, and spared his life; for that he being so considerable a person, might make an exchange for some of the King’s party-:* and he was exchanged for the right Honourable Montague, Earl of Lindsey (heir of the General.) Since the restoration, he was made one of the commissioners of the excise office in London.  He did protest that Kenilworth castle was the very castle he saw in his dream.

Captain Wingate was a prisoner in Oxford, after Edgehill fight, 1642.

Sir Roger L’Estrange was wont to divertise himself with cocking in his father’s (Sir Hammond L’Estrange’s) park; he dreamt that there came to him in such a place of the park, a servant, who brought him news, that his father was taken very ill.  The next day going to his usual recreation, he was resolved for his dream sake to avoid that way; but his game led him to it, and in that very place the servant came and brought him the ill news according to his dream.