Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-02-19
Mistsllaneous 8eadins
THE CURSE IN LEGEND.
Strange FuIfiIlnent In Case of Mo

THE CURSE IN LEGEND.
Strange Fulfillment In Case of Mon
tague Family-Instanee From India.
Ghosts have long been made a sub
ject of careful scientific inquiry; we
wonder that the Psychical Research
society does not enlarge its sphere
and investigate the failure or fulfill
| ment of prophecies and curses, hered-
itary or otherwise. Many families
must have very curious legends to tell
of this character. and in not few
cases, as the curse or prophecy has
passed or been supposed to have pass
ed from one generation to another,
CATION.
= One of the most singular recorded
instances Of the apparent fulfillment
Of a curse. says the London Chronicle,
is told of the Montague family, the
original possessors Of the Cowdray es-
tate at Midhurst, now in the hands
Of the earl Of Egmont The Cowdray
property belonged in the days of Hen
ry VIII to the Roman Catholic church,
being dependence of Easebourne
Priory. some portions OF which are
still to be seen. At the dissolution of
the mOnasteries 1t was confiscated and
presented by the king to Viscount
Montague, who. though himself a Ro-
/ Hoth ~; hal ,n1n In,
cepting it.
The prioress made a dignified pro-
| test against the spoliation Of the
church. and finding protest vain she
cursed the Montague family with the
"curse Of fire and water" and foretold
its extinction.
So long however. as the Montagues
continued Catholic the curse appeared
imperative, but in the eighteenth
century the then Lord Montague mar
ried a daughter Of the famous count
ess Of Huntingdon, who founded the
countess Of Huntingdons Connexion.
and under her influence became Pro-
| testant. Tales are told of conventicles
held in the famous Chestnut avenue
in Cowdray park but efforts to hold
similar meetings in the chapel always
failed, owing to the lights being mys-
riuusly extinguished.
The first protestant Montague. how
ever reverted on his deathbed to the
| ancient faith: and perhaps this was
the reason that in spite Of the curse
| he died peacefully in his bed. His
son did not live to enjoy the estate.
He was drowned in the Rhine trying
| to shoot the falls Of Schaffhausen and
| the story goes that the messenger.
coming post haste to England with his
evil tidings. was met at Calais by an
| other messenger with the news that
Cowdray house had been burned to
the ground.
| The tragic fulfillment Of the double
| curse of fire and water was such a
severe blow that no effort appears to
| have been made to preserve the half
ruined mansion from further damage
or to restore 1t in any way. The fam
lily removed to a lodge in the park,
| which has since been much enlarged
and become the present Cowdray
house.
The estate passed to the sister OF
the drowned heir and not many years
later the curse Of water was again
fulfilled her two sons were drowned
by the capsizing Of a boat before the
very eyes of their parents. The title
went to the next male Montague In
the succession, who died without heir,
and the family became extinct.
1t is certainly a story full Of strange
coincidence. A somewhat similar
story of a curse coming true was re-
lated to the writer by a gentleman who
was personally acquainted with all the
people concerned.
Three young officers belonging to a
regiment at that time stationed In the
| Punjab decided to build themselves
| house on a hill overlooking the Sutlej
river. and in doing this they trespass-
ed on the sacred ground surrounding
the tomb of some half forgotten saint.
An old Mohammedan who had charge
| Of the tomb endeavored to persuade
them to move the site of their house,
but finding them obdurate. cursed them
with Oriental f1uency. declaring that
not one of the three should die in his
bed and that the house would never
stand.
The curse was disregarded. The
house was built. Shortly after one
officer was killed out tiger shooting,
while another met his death playing
polo. The third fell so dangerously Ill
that 1t seemed as II he would break
the prophecy by dying in his bed. He
was sent home, however, recovered
and returning to India two years Ia
ter. was drowned going up the Ganges
in a boat.
| On the same day, so it is told, the
river Sutlej overfowed its banks and
washed away the house.