The Black Mark of Lord Tyrone
Nicola Hamilton and John, Second Earl of Tyrone, had both been educated at the same school and had common interests - including the subject of life after death. They made a pact that the one who died first would let the other one know whether there was life beyond the grave.
Lord Tyrone left school and lived the life of a recluse;
Nicola Hamilton married Sir Tristram Beresford, and ex-Jacobite commander who entered the Irish House of Commons in 1692, sitting for Londonderry County until 1699.
In October, 1693, Sir Tristram and Nicola were on an extended visit with Nicola's sister at Gill House in County Down. On Wednesday, October 15th, Sir Tristam rose early, left Nicola asleep, and went for a walk before breakfast. When he returned, he found his wife very agitated.
Both Sir Tristram and Nicola's sister were worried about a possible injury to his wife's wrist as she had it covered with a black ribbon. Nicola asked her husband and her sister never to mention her wrist again, adding that she would always be wearing the ribbon and would never be seen without it.
A few days later Nicola asked if any letters had been delivered for her. When asked why, she replied that she expected to learn of the death of Lord Tyrone, which she was sure had taken place the previous Tuesday. A short while later, a letter was delivered. The letter was from Lord Tyrone’s steward informing her that his master had died in Dublin the previous Tuesday, October 14th, 1693, at 4 pm.
Supposedly, Lord Tyrone had appeared to Nicola whilst Sir Tristram was taking his pre-breakfast walk. His reason for returning was to honor the pact between them. He told Nicola that she would bear Sir Tristram a son, would marry for a second time, and would die at the age of 47. Finally, to prove that he really was there, he placed his finger on her wrist and his touch left a black mark on the skin and the skin around it shrivelled, so, to hide the disfigurement, Nicola covered it with a black ribbon.
All his predictions were to come true and Nicola never removed the ribbon until she was on her death bed. She asked her son to take off the ribbon - and there, indeed, was a black mark and the skin surrounding it was shrivelled.......
(cue spooky music
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