Toaklys Son Languished and Died calling and crying out upon her that she was the cause of his Death She also declared that about eight days before Susan Cock Margaret Landish and Joyce Boanes brought to her House three Imps which Joyce taking her Imp too carried them all four to Robert Turners to Torment his Servant because her refused to give them some Chips his Master being a Carpenter and that he forthwith fell Sick and oft barkt like a Dog and she believed those four Imps were the cause of his Death Rose Hallybread was for this Wickedness Condemned to be Hanged but Died in Chelmsford Goal May 9. 1645. Ibid. p. 16. Susan Lock was another of the Society concerning whom see more in the Chap. of Satans Permission to hurt the Innocent in their Estates 6. Much about the same time in Huntingtonshire Elizabeth Weed of great Catworth being Examined before Robert Bernard and Nicholas Pedley Esq Justices of the Peace March 31. 1646. Said that about Twenty one years before as she was one Night going to Bed there appeared to her three Spirits one like a young Man and the other two in the shape of Puppies one white and the other black He that was in the form of a youth spoke to her and Demanded Whether she would deny God and Christ which she agreed to The Devil then offered her to do what mischief she would require of him provided she would Covenant he should have her Soul after Twenty one years which she granted She confest further that about a week after at Ten a Clock at Night he came to her with a Paper asking whether she were willing to Seal the Covenant she said she was then he told her it must be done with her Blood and so prickt her under the left Arm till it bled with which she scribled and immediately a great lump of Flesh rise on her Arm in the same place which increased ever since After which he came to Bed and had Carnal Knowledge of her then and many times afterwards The other two Spirits came into the Bed likewise and suckt upon other parts of her Body where she had Teats and that the Name of one was Lilly and the other Priscil One of which was to hurt Man Woman or Child and the other to destroy what Cattel she desired and the young Man was to lye with her as he did often And saith that Lilly according to the Covenant did kill the Child of Mr. Henry Bedel of Catworth as she required him to do when she was angry tho she does not now remember for what and that about two or three days before she sent him to kill Mr. Bedel himself who returned and said he had no Power and that another time she sent the same Spirit to hurt Edward Musgrove of Catworth who likewise returned saying He was not able And that she sent her Spirit Priscill to kill two Horses and two Cows of Mr. Musgroves and Thomas Thorps in that Town which was done accordingly And being askt when the one and twenty years would be out she said To the best of my Remembrance about low Sunday next Being further demanded why she did so constantly resort to Church and to hear the Sermons of Mr. Pool the Minister she said She was well pleased with his Preaching and had a desire to be rid of that unhappy Burthen which was upon her VVitches of Huntington p. 2. 7. About the year of our Lord 1632. As near as I can Remember having lost my Notes and the Copy of the Letter to Serjeant Hutton but I am sure that I do most perfectly remember the substance of the Story near unto Chester in the street there lived one VValker a young Man of Good Estate and a Widower who had a young Woman to his Kinswoman that kept his House who was by the Neighbours suspected to be with Child and was towards the Dark of the Evening one Night sent away with one Mark Sharp who was a Collier or one that digged Coals under Ground and one that had been born in Blakeburn-Hundred in Lancashire And so she was not heard of for a long time and no Noise or little was made about it In the Winter time after one James Graham or Grime for so in that Countrey they call them being a Miller and living about two Miles from the place where Walker lived was one Night alone very late in the Mill grinding Corn and as about twelve or one a Clock at Night he came down the Stairs from having been putting Corn in the Hopper the Mill doors being shut there stood a Woman upon the midst of the Floor with her hair about her head hanging down and all Bloody with five large Wounds on her head He being much affrighted and amazed began to Bless him and at last asked her who she was and what she wanted To which she said I am the Spirit of such a Woman who lived with Walker and being got with Child by him he promised to send me to a private place where I should be well lookt to until I was brought to Bed and well again and then I should come again and keep his House And accordingly said the Apparition I was one Night late sent away with one Mark Sharp who upon a Moor Naming a place that the Miller knâ—w slew me with a Pike such as Men dig Coals withal and gave me these five Wounds and after threw my Body into a Coal-Pit hard by and hid the Pike under a Bank And his Shoes and Stockings being Bloody he endeavoured to wash but seeing the Blood would not wash forth he hid them there And the Apparition further told the Miller that he must be the Man to reveal it or else that she must still appear and haunt him The Miller returned home very sad and heavy but spoke not one word of what he had seen but eschewed as much as he could to stay in the Mill within Night without Company thinking thereby to escape the seeing again of that frightful Apparition But notwithstanding one Night when it began to be dark the Apparition met him again and seemed very fierce and cruel and threatned him that if he did not reveal the Murder she would continually pursue and haunt him Yet for all this he still concealed it until St. Thomas's Eve before Christmas when being soon after Sun-set walking in his Garden she appeared again and then so threatned him and affrighted him that he faithfully promised to reveal it the next Morning In the Morning he went to a Magistrate and made the whole matter known with all Circumstances and diligent search being made the Body was found in a Coal-Pit with five Wounds in the Head and the Pike and Shoes and Stockings yet Bloody in every Circumstance as the Apparition had related unto the Miller Whereupon Walker and Mark Sharp were both apprehended but would confess nothing At the Assizes following I think it was at Durham they were Arraigned and found guilty
Devil appeared to her in her House in the likeness of a white Dog and that she called this Imp or Familiar Spirit Elimanzer and that she often fed it and that the Spirit spoke to her very audibly and bid her deny Jesus Christ which she did then assent to but denied that she killed the young maid She was Executed at Mannintree Apr. 15. 1645. 4. Anne West and Rebecca her Daughter were likewise of this black Society against whom Prudence the VVife of Thomas Hart of Lawford in Essex deposed upon Oath that about Eight weeks before going on Sunday to the Parish-Church about half a mile from her House being about Twenty weeks gone with Child and to her thinking very well and healthy upon a sudden she was taken with great Pains and miscarried before she came Home And about Two months after one Night when she was in Bed something fell down upon her Right Side but being dark she could not discover its shapes and that she was presently taken lame on that side with extraordinary Pains and burning and was certainly perswaded that Anne and Rebecca West were the cause of her Pains having expressed much Malice toward her and counted her their greatest Enemy Mr. John Edes a Minister deposed That Rebecca West confessed to him that about Seven Years before she began to have familiarity with the Devil by the instigation of her Mother Anne West and that he appeared in several Shapes As once like a proper young man who desired to have familiarity with her promising that he would then do what she desired and avenge her on her Enemies requiring her also to deny God and put her faith and trust in him which being agreed to she order'd him to avenge her on one Thomas Hart of Lawford by killing his Son who was soon after taken sick and died VVhereupon Rebecca told the Minister she thought the Devil could do like God in destroying whom he pleased After which she gave him Entertainment and he lay with her as a man She likewise confest to him that when she lived at Riverhall in Essex her Mother came and told her The Barley Corn was picked up meaning that the Son of one George Francis a chief Inhabitant of that Town was Dead and his Father very much suspected he was bewitched to Death and her Mother hearing of it said Be it unto him according to his Faith Mr. Matthew Hopkins deposed upon Oath that going to the Prison where Rebecca West and five others were he asked her how she first came to be a Witch who told him that her Mother and she going one Evening after Sunset toward Mannintree her Mother charged her to keep secret whatever she saw which she promising to do they went both to the House of Elizabeth Clark where they found her together with Ana Leach Elizabeth Gooding and Hellen Clark and that Instantly the devil appeared in the shape of a Dog then came two Kitlins and after them two Dogs more who all seemed to reverence Elizabeth Clark skipping into her lap and kissing her and then Kist all in the Room except her self Whereupon one of the Witches askt her Mother if her Daughter were Acquainted with the Business who assuring them of her secrecy Ann Leach pulled out a Book and Swore her not to reveal any thing she saw or heard and if she did she should endure more torments than there could be in Hell Whereupon she again ingaged to be silent They told her she must never confess any thing tho the Rope were about her Neck and she ready to be Hanged To which after she had given her absolute Ingagement the Devil leapt up into her Lap and Kissed her promising to perform whatever she would desire About halt a year after the Devil appeared as she was going to Bed and said he would marry her which she could not refuse whereupon he Kissed her but was as cold as Clay and then took her by the Hand Leading her about the room and promised to be her Loving Husband till Death and to avenge her of all her enemies She likewise obliging her self to be his Obedient Wife till Death and to deny God and Christ Jesus She confest that after this she sent him to kill the Son of Thomas Hart who died within a Fortnight and thereupon she took the Devil for her God and thought he could as God Rebecca West being likewise Examined before the Justices at Mannintree confessed that all was true concerning their Meeting at Elizabeth Clarks where they spent some time in Praying to their Familiar Spirits and then every one made their desires known to them Elizabeth Clark requested her Spirit that Mr. Edwards might be met withal at a Bridge near her House and that his Horse might be frighted and he thrown down and never rise again Mr. Edwards deposed that at the same place his Horse started and greatly indangered him and he heard something about the House Cry Ah Ah much like a Polecat and that with great difficulty he saved himself from being thrown off his Horse Elizabeth Gooding desired her Imp to kill Robert Jaylors Horse for suspecting her to be a Witch which was done accordingly Hellen Clark required to kill some Hogs of a Neighbours Ann Leach that a Cow might be Lamed and Ann West her Mother desired her Spirit to free her from all her enemies and to have no trouble And she her self desired that Thomas Harts Wife might be taken Lame of her right side after which they departed appointing the next Meeting at Elizabeth Goodings House for these and several other Notorious Crimes Ann West was Sentenced and Executed at Mannintree Elizabeth Gooding at Chelmsford and the Bill found against Rebecca West by the Grand Jury but was acquitted by the Jury of Life and Death Ibid p. 14. 5. Rose Hallybread was another of this black Regiment against whom Robert Turner of St. Osyth in Essex deposed that about eight days before his Servant was taken Sick shaking shrieking and crying out of Rose Hallybread that she had bewitched him and that he sometimes Crowed like a Cock sometimes barked like a Dog and sometimes Groaned violently beyond the ordinary course of Nature and tho but a youth struggl'd with so much strength that four or five lusty Men were not able to hold him down in his Bed and sometimes he would Sing several strange Songs and Tunes his Mouth not being opened nor his Lips so much as stirring all the time of his Singing She being examined confest That about sixteen years before one Goody Hagtree brought an Imp to her House which she entertained and fed it with Oat-Meal and Suckled it on her Body a Year and a half and then lost it She confessed likewise that about half a year before one Joyce Boanes brought to her another Imp in the likeness of a small gray Bird which she received and carried to the House of one Thomas Toakly of St. Osyths and put it under his Door after which
had hearde of such an old Parrot when he came to Brasil and tho' he believed nothing of it and it was a good way off yet he had so much Curiosity as to send for it and that it was a very great and a very old one and when it came first into the Room where the Prince was with a great many Dutchmen about him it said presently What a Company of white Men are here They asktâ— it what he thought that Man was pointing at the Prince It answer'd Some General or other When they brought it close to him he ask'd it Dou venez vous whence came you it answer'd De Mariuuau from Mariuuau The Prince A qui est es vous to whom do you belong The Parrot a una Portuguez to a Portugueze Prince Que fais tula What do you there Parrot Je garde le poulles I look after the Chickens The Prince laughed and said Vous garde le poulles You look after the Chickens The Patrot answer'd Ouy moy Je scay bieu faire Yes I and I know well enough how to do it and then made a Chuck four or five times that People use to make when they call the Chickens I set down the Words of this worthy Dialogue in French just as Prince Maurice said them to me I ask'd him in what Language the Parrot spoke and he said in Brasilian I ask'd whether he understood Brasilian he said No but he had taken Care to have two Interpreters by him the one a Dutchman that spoke Brasilian the other a Brasilian that spoke Dutch that he asked them separately and privately and both of them agreed in telling him just the same thing that the Parrot said I could not saith Sir William but tell this odd Story because it is so much out of the way and from the first Hand and what may pass for a good one For I dare say this Prince at least believed himself all that he told me having ever passsed for an honest and pious Man I leave it to Naturalists to Reason and other Men to believe as they please upon it Thus that excellent Person Dr. Burthogge's Essay upon Reason c. p. 19 20 c. It may be this Story is not very properly asserted in this place but I Quaere whether or no it may not give some Light to the solving of that Aenigmatical Story of the Devil in the Serpent and the speaking Ass mentioned by Moses 6. Memorable is that famous Story in Wierus of Magdalena Crucia first a Nun and then an Abbatess of a Nunnery in Corduba in Spain Those things which were Miraculous in her were these That she could tell almost at any distance how the Affairs of the World went what Consultations or Transactions there were in all the Nations of Christendom from whence she got to her self the Reputation of a very holy Woman and a great Prophetess But other things came to pass by her or for her sake no less strange and miraculous As that at the Celebrating of the Holy Eucharist the Priest should always want one of his round Wafers which was secretly conveyed to Magdalen by the Administration of Angels as was supposed and she receiving of it into her Mouth eat it in the view of the People to their great Astonishment and high Reverence of the Saint At the Elevation of the Host Magdalen being near at hand but yet a Wall betwixt that the Wall was conceived to open and to exhibit Magdalen to the view of them in the Chappel and that thus she partaked of the Consecrated Bread When this Abbatess came into the Chappel her self upon some special Day she would set off the Solemnity of the Day by some notable and conspicuous Miracle for she would sometimes be lifted up above the ground three or four Cubits high other sometimes bearing the Image of Christ in her Arms weeping savourly she would make her Hair to increase to that length and largeness that it would come to her Heels and cover her all over and the Image of Christ in her Arms which anon notwithstanding would shrink up again to its usual size with a many such specious though unprofitable Miracles But you will say That the Narrative of these things is not true but they are Feigned for the Advantage of the Roman Religion and so it was profitable for the Church to Forge them and record them to posterity A man that is unwilling to admit of any thing supernatural would please himself with this general shuffle and put off But when we come to the Catastrophe of the Story he will find it quite othewise For this Saint at last began to be suspected for a Sorceress as it is thought and she being conscious did of her own accord to save her self make confession of her Wickedness to the Visitors of the Order as they are called Viz. That for thirty years she had been Married to the Devil in the shape of an Aethiopian that another Devil Servant to this when his Master was at dalliance with her in her Cell supplied her place amongst the Nuns at their publick Devotions That by virtue of this Contract she made with this Spirit she had done all those Miracles she did Upon this Confession she was Committed and while she was in durance yet she appeared in her devout Postures praying in the Chappel as before at their set Hours of Prayer which being told to the Visitors by the Nuns there was a strict Watch over her that she should not stir out never theless she appeared in the Chappel as before tho she were really in the Prison Now what Credit or Advantage there can be to the Roman Religion by this story let any Man Judge wherefore it is no sigment of the Priests or Religious Persons nor Melancholy nor any such Matter for how could so many Spectators at once be deluded by melancholy but it ought to be deemed a real Truth And this Magdalena Crucia appearing in two several places at once it is manifest that there is such a thing as Apparitions of Spirits More 's Antid against Atheism l. 3. c. 4. 7. It may not be impertinent here to relate a certain Story out of Sozomen concerning Athanasius Patriarch of Alexandria The Patriarch was upon a time walking in the Streets of the City and a Raven flying towards him croaking a Heathen that stood by observing it began to deride and reproach him for it as if he had been a Praestigator or Conjurer and so making towards him ask'd in derision What the Raven said to him He modestly Smiling answered in Latine Cras To Morrow For he Dictates unto you That to Morrow will be a bitter Day For to Morrow you shall receive the Emperor's Edict That you shall Celebrate no more your Heathenish Solemnities And accordingly it came to pass for the next Day the Magistrates received Orders from the Roman Emperor That the Heathen Gods should be no more worshipped but destroyed utterly with all
with shame See his Life by Mr. Clark p. 296. And another Lady Wife to the Lord Mordant confirmed by occasion of the Jesuit's absenting from the Disputation and sending his excuse that he had forgot all his Arguments tho' he had them before as ready as his Pater Nâ—ster as he believed through the just Judgment of God because he had undertaken to Dispute with so worthy a Man without License of his Superiour Ibid. p. 278. 4. One Mr. Charles Langford in a Book Published by him called God's wonderful Mercy in the Mount of woful Extremity A. C. 1672. Tells us that for near Forty Years he had been Buffeted severely by Satan who had left no Stone unturn'd to do him all the mischief that he could For the space of Forty Years saith he or thereabouts hath it pleased the Hand that took me out of my Mother's Womb to train me up and lead me along in this uncomfortable Wilderness of Temptation tho' I cannot say that in all these Years he hath left me to the violence of Spiritual Conflicts for then the Burthen had been too heavy for Flesh to stand under so long Yet must I needs say my clearest Day all that time was but clark and however I seemed to others in point of Comfort outwardly sure I am my Soul enjoyed not her rest nor could I ever say I was all that while more than a Prisoner of hope still subject unto Bondage and not discharged of the Debt nor delivered from my Fears It was but a hard shift that I made to hold up my head when I was at best my worst cannot be expressed until now at last that God for whom I waited in the way of his Judgments and from whom were my Expectations in the use of appointed means all this while came and was found of me when I look'd not for him and delivered me from my strong Enemy set my Feet upon a Rock and Established my goings I can say by experience Now I know there is a God and now I know there is a Devil Such have been the Delusions cursed Injections of Blasphemous Thoughts and dreadful Temptations wherewith he hath endeavoured to â—ll my Soul till the day the Lord by his great power delivered me out of his Hands That I have cause to know him and to make him known as I am able to the World In short tho' he had been tempted to Murder his Wife and made Provision for it and she knew it yet she still performed the duty of a faithful Yoke-fellow and upon April 16. 1669. a day for ever to be Solemnized as Glorious and Honourable by me his poor Creature They are his own words she going on in her constant course of Prayer after she had given the Lord his Holy and Reverend Titles using Moses's Arguments brake forth into these words My Father my Father What wilt thou do with my Husband He hath been speaking and acting still in thy cause Oh! Destroy him not for thine own Glory Oh! What dishonour will come to thy great Name if thou do it Oh! Rather do with me what thou wilt On Rather Do what thou wilt But spare my Husband c. He that is pleased to stile himself a God hearing Prayer and in most of his great works delights to advance his own power by using small and unlikely means after long tarrying and in a time when I looked not for him came now and owned his own Ordinance crowned the Cries and Faith and Patience of a poor Woman with such success that my praise shall be continually of him The proud may scorn but the humble shall hear thereof and be glad That roaring Lion mine Adversary the Devil that old Serpent that red Dragon that unclean Spirit that Liar that false Accuser Murderer Appollyon Abaddon even now when he thought himself almost settled in the Possession of his long sought Dominion and that there was no casting him out of my Soul which he had abused making it his Dung-hill whereon he laid all the fifth of Hellish Thoughts and Abominations that he could now was sent to his own place by my dear Lord Christ who broke the Doors of Brass and rescued me from the Rape of Hellish Furies c. See the Book writ by his own Hand p. 53 54. c. 5. When I was Minister of Shipley in Sussex a certain Man of another Parish on a Lord's Day after Evening Service came to me and desired to speak with me about some particular Case of Conscience I think it was concerning the Sin against the Holy Ghost after some discourse upon the point he told me that he had for many Years been haunted with doubts and great fears about his Salvation and could enjoy no comfort but at last unexpectedly as he was at his Loom for he was a Weaver by Trade a certain Text of Scripture was suggested to his mind by he knew not what secret Impulse and thereupon all the thick Fog which he had so long laboured under was scattered and the Room was filled with Light and he enjoyed a great Serenity and Peace and Comfort afterwards 6. Mrs. Polsted of Bednel Green for a great while was in great Darkness and Deserted It prevailed even to the uttering of words dreadful to her Friends But drawing near to her end she desired my Sister Dunn to stay with her that Night she died and to close her Eyes She lay by her upon the Bed when she spake to her thus O Mrs. Dunn it is a dreadful thing to be separated from Christ for ever for ever Yes so 't is says her Friend but I am perswaded it shall never be your Portion She fell into a kind of a Slumber and a little after spake Mrs. Dunn Christ is come let us haste to meet him let us haste to meet him She ask'd her if she had now closed with Christ yes said she I stick to my first choice I stick to my first choice What shall I render to the Lord What shall I render to the Lord And so died praising the Lord. 7. Mrs Charlton once told me That after a Desertion of about Eight Years she had such a Floud of Spiritual Joy that when she walk'd in the Streets they seem'd to her Pav'd with Gold for a Fortnights time and she was fain to beg of God to stay his Hand Her Body being not able to bear it 8. Mr. Nutkin of Okingham told me That once after near Fifty Years Profession upon a Day of Thanksgiving observed by himself upon a recovery from Sickness and to beg a Sanctified use of Health restored on a sudden a dark Cloud fell on him that all his Profession had been Hypocrisie That Day and the Night after which he passed without Sleep it continued and he was so held down by the Temptation he had not power to look into his Bible The next Day he thought thus Have I been so long acquainted with the Lord and shall not I dare to look into his
in a strange Sickness that he had shrewdly buffeted and handled by him and not far from a Possession His Sickness was a Vertigo 40 Fits at least in an hour and every one of them accompanied with sore Temptations but by Prayer and Fasting they were removed and he recovered Strength and Courage and Comfort though the Devil had tempted him strongly to blaspheme threaten to make him the Scorn of Religion to torment and hinder him if he offered to fast or pray or preach Clark in his Life p. 71. 5. Mr. Tho. Tregosse for five Weeks was kept under by the Spirit of Bondage and Afflicting Tortures till at last he took up a Resolution of discovering some Sins which most burdened his Conscience and meeting with a comfortable Passage concerning God's Love to Mankind in some of our English Divines he was somewhat quieted and refrashed See his Life 6. Mrs. Elizabeth Wilkinson was much troubled with Temptations Doubts Fears and Sickness but imparting her Condition to some Christian Friends hearing Sermons and reading proper Books after many years she was much strengthned and comforted and on her Death Bed even ravished with Joy See her Life by Mr. Clark 7. Mrs. Katherine Bretterge was upon her Death-Bed assaulted with most greivous Temptations which made her cry out That a Roaring Wilderness of Woe was within her her Sins had made her a Prey to Satan wishing she had either never been born or made any other Creature than a Woman crying Wo wo wo c. a weak wretched woful forsaken Woman c. But at last through the Mercies of God recovered extraordinary Comfort See more in the Chap. of Earnests of a Future Retribution 8. Mr. Robert Glover for five years was so worn and consumed with Cares and Fears about his Soul and Reflections upon his Backsliding that he had no pleasure of Meat Drink Sleep nor Life itself but seemed as if he had been almost in the Pit of Hell yet before he died recovered his Comforts so that he lived as if already possessed of Heaven Clark 's Examp. vol. 1. c. 3. 9. I have already or shall have occasion hereafter to speak of the Afflictions and subsequent Comforts of Mr. Mackarnesse Mr. Rob Smith of Ludshelft Mr. Charles Langford all which have published a Narrative of their own particular Cases and following Cures to the World for the Caution and Encouragement of others 10. Mr. Timothy Rogers who is a very ingenious Gentleman of great Learning Candor and Moderation upon his Recovery after two years very heavy Sickness thought himself obliged to commemorate the Mercy of God to him in delivering him in a manner Miraculously from his Malady after the Fruitless Attempts of many Physicians of great Note to restore him in the Assemblies of his People on these words Psal 30.3 4. O Lord thou hast brought up my Soul from the Grave c. Sing unto the Lord O ye Saints of his and give Thanks at the remembrance of his Holiness They are of great use not only for Persons in his Case but for all in general since they not only contain grateful Remembrances of God's Mercies for Deliverance out of Trouble but necessary Directions for all Christians how to behave themselves which Precautions to acquit themselves so as to provide for the worst of Afflictions After Pathetical Acknowledgments of the great Mercies he received from God in his Affliction both for giving him Patience under it and Deliverance from it and to the People for their Kindness to him in his Distress he raises these two Observations from the Words 1. That God alone is the Soveraign-Disposer of Life and Death 2. That to be brought up from the Grave is a Mercy greatly to be acknowledged and for which we ought to be very thankful He afterwards proceeds to give a plain Relation of some part of his sore distress and I shall give it you in his own words I would desire says he to praise God my self for his great Mercy in my Recovery and also beg of you to praise him in my behalf I will give you a short Account of the Deplorablness of my Condition before I was delivered It will not be a very delightful Account but yet as Solomon says Eccl. 7.2 It is better to go to the House of Mourning than to the House of Feasting It is better some times to hear sad than always pleasant Things And in as much as Grief and Mourning is in it self a very grave and homely thing that requires not Ornament or artificial setting off I shall without affecting to be thought eloquent give You A plain Relation of some part of my sore Distress AFter an ill habit of Body that had for some years attended me together with some little Ilnesses now and then which were but as drops to the greater Storm that was to come upon me and which I could not foresee it pleased God at length in his just and righteous Judgments to suffer my growing Distemper to arrive to a most formidable height So that before I desisted from coming to this place my Sleepdeparted quiâ—e away and for several Nights in a Week I slept no more than I do at this time upon which there immediately followed a general Weakness and Decay of Spirits a general Listlessness and a total Indisposition and by feeling of this I had a strong Impression in my Mind that I shouldvery speedily die as strongly fix'd in my Apprehensions as if it had been said to me as to Hezekiah Thou shalt surely die I thought I was immediately to go to the Tribunal of God and the Thoughts of immediate appearance before him continued with me for about a year there was not a Day past wherein I did not think that I should be dead before Night and at Night I should be dead before the Morning I thought my self just at the entrance into the Grave And what a strange prospect that is and what a mighty Change it causes in a Man's Thought none know but those that have apprehended themselves so near it nor do they fully know it unless they have been near it for many Months together He adds in another place If at any time I rested a little that little Rest was all the while disturb'd with terrible and amazing Dreams and when I awaked I always sound my self in strange and unexpressible Pain in Anguish and Bitterness such as nothing in this World is able to represent even as to its lowest degrees And judge you into what Confusions and Disorders this alone would throw a Man if it were single My Disease and my Fears and sad Apprehensions came upon me as a Whirlwind like the rushing of many mighty Waters strange and horrible Pains and great Fears so that it was as an universal Storm from which there was no retreat Sometimes by the Greatness of my Trouble I was even stifled with Grief that I could not for a great while speak a Word and when I spoke it was in a mournful
manner for many Months I could not breath without a mighty Pain and as soon as with Difficulty I had breath'd every Breath was turn'd into a Groan and every Groan was big with a very deep Sorrow I was weary with my Groaning Psal 6.6 All the Night made I my Bed to swim and watered my Couch with Tears Those that are in Health will scarcely perhaps credit what I say they will think I am a melancholy Man and aggravate my Trouble and set it out more than needs or than it was and that in the whole there was a great deal more of Fancy than of Reality but I pray God they may never taste one drop of that bitter Cup whereof I was made to drink for if they should they 'l find it whatever Names they now give it to be then full of real Miseries You think it may be that I have spoke a great deal and your Attention may be wearied but I 'l assure you 't is many hundred times below what I felt Great Griefs as well as mighty Joys exceed all our Words and Bitterness is not to be described Never was any I believe nearer to Death not to die never was any compass'd with a greater Danger never any had less hoep of an Escape than I and yet the Mercy of a God that is Omnipotent has relieved me And as 't is commonly said that Musick sounds best upon the Water so by setting our Sorrows and our Mercies together our Praise may be more harmonious You may in this behold the Severity and the Goddness of God his Severity in continuing on me so many smart Strokes for so long a space and his Goodness in giving me help when no Power on Earth was able to give me the least Relief The Storm indeed is in a great measure over blessed be God but I cannot without trembling call it to mind nor dare I think very long upon it I can scarce believe that I am at so much ease as I now am I can scarce believe that I am in this Assembly of which I confidently thought I had taken my leave for ever When I look back upon the rough Waves and the stormy Seas I am ready to say Can it be that God has brought me safe to Land After I had conversed with the Dead am I now among the Living am I now with People under Hope blessed be the Name of the Lord I am It is a great Mercy to me and it is the more so as it was unexpected and above the Power of Nature contrary to all my hopes and above all humane help Those that have heard my Groans and seenmy Agonies and heard of my Affliction cannot but wonder at it I often said that I could not be delivered without a Miracle and God himself has wrought it It was by the Soveraign Goodness and meer Mercy and Grace of God that I obtained this Deliverance all this he did for a most unworthy Sinner for an impatient and fretful Sinner too is not this wonderful Mercy with a witness a Mercy never to be forgotten as long as I have a Day to live I have cause to give Thanks for how many has he suffered to sink when the Waves were not so high against them as those that rowl'd over me the Storms and the Winds that blew them down not so fierce in some respect against them as they were against me and yet they are covered in the Grave whilst I though sorely weather-beaten have out-lived the Storm How many are there dead since I was ill many excellent and holy Men are now silent in the Dust who were more knowing more useful more zealous and better qualified than ever I am like to be and yet God has spared a poor Shrub whilst he has torn up some of the Cedars of our Lebanan by the Roots Here ends the Relation of Mr. Rogers's Bodily Distress which you 'l find more at large in his Practical Discourses of Sickness and Recovery to which I refer you I shall next proceed to give an Account of his Trouble of Mind as I find it in his Treatise upon that Subject In which he displays in Experimental Judgment a Moderate Temper and a Spirit repleat with all the Charms of Mildness and Pity of which his own Sufferings have rendred him very sensible The Preface contains certain Heads of Advice to the Relations of such as are Melancholy As 1. That they should look upon the Party as under te worst Distemper in this Life both Body and Mind being infected and therefore a Subject both for a Physician and Minister 2. To be compassionate to 'em considering that we our selves are in the Body 3. Not to use harsh Speeches to 'em but imitate him that wou'd not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax. 4. To believe what they say or at least that their Apprehensions are such as they tell you they are 'T is a real Misery to them if but fancy'd To contradict 'em is Cruelty 5. Urge 'em not to do what they cannot lest you add to their Burden 6. Attribute not the Effects of meer Disease to the Devil it may proceed from a violent Pressure upon their Spirits 7. Do not much wonder at what they say or do All 's to be born with where the Agent is so unhappy as to think himself lost for ever 8. Mention no formidable Things or Stories to 'em 't will effect greater Disorders upon their Spirits 9. When you talk to 'em do not speak as if their Troubles would be very long that 's the Sword that stabs them An End of Misery is encouraging 10. Give 'em Examples of others under the same Circumstances that have been delivered 11. Pray for ' em 12. Get others to pray for ' em 13. Put 'em in mind of the Sovereign Grace of God in Christ Jesus Menasseh found Mercy New follow the Letters of several Divines to the Author and his Relations very pertinent to the Subject treated of being mostly Experiences in such Troubles and Deliverances from ' em Mr. Rogers tells us It is very hard indeed to persuade a Person under great Pain and Anguish and a sense of the Wrath of God and a fear of Hell that ever any has heretofore been so perplext as he Such generally think themselves worse than Cain or Judas or any the most wicked People in the World as thinking that their Sins have greater Aggravations and that consequently they shall be more miserable but you may acquaint them with several Instances of God's Gracious dealing with others after they have been for many Months and Years afflicted I could send you to some now alive that were long afflicted with Trouble of Mind and Melancholy as Mr. Rosewell and Mr. Porter both Ministers the latter whereof was six years oppressed with this Distemper and now they both rejoyce in the Light of God's Countenance I my self was near two years in great Pain of Body and greater Pain of Soul and without any
One Lord's Day my Father with his Family being at Dinner in our Hall comes in one of our Neighbours whose name was Francis Heathman and ask'd where Ann was we told him she was in her Chamber Upon this he goes into her Chamber to see for her and not seeing her he calls her she not answering he feels up and down in the Chamber for her but not finding her comes and tells us she was not in her Chamber As soon as he had said this she comes out of her Chamber to us as we were fitting at Table and tells him she was in her Chamber and saw him and heard him call her and see him feel up and down the Chamber for her and had almost felt her but he could not see her altho' she saw him notwithstanding she was at the same time at the Table in her Chamber eating her Dinner One Day these Fairies gave my Sister Mary the now Wife of Mr. Humph. Martyn then about four Years of Age a Silver Cup that held about a Quart bidding her give it my Mother and she did bring it my Mother but my Mother would not accept of it but bid her carry it to them again which she did I presume this was the time my Sister owns she saw the Fairies I confess to your Lordship I never did see them I had almost forgot to tell your Lordship that Ann would tell what People would come to her several Days before they came and from whence and at what time they would come I have seen Ann in the Orchard dancing among the Trees and she told me she was then dancing with the Fairies The great Noise of the many strange Cures Ann did and also her living without eating our Victuals she being fed as she said by these Fairies caus'd both Neighbour-Magistrates and Ministers to resort to my Father's House and talk with her and strictly examined her about the Matters here related and she gave them very rational Answers to all those Questions they then asked hâ—â— for by this time she was well recovered out of her Sickness and Fits and her natural Parts and Understanding much improved my Father and all his Family affirming the Truth of all we saw The Ministers endeavoured to perswade her they were evil Spirits that resorted to her and that it was the Delusion of the Devil but how could that be when she did no Hurt but Good to all that came to her for Cure of their Distempers and advised her not to go to them when they call'd her Upon these Admonitions of the Ministers and Magistrates our Ann was not a little troubled and concerned not well knowing what to do in this case However that Night after the Magistrates and Ministers were gone my Father with his Family sitting at a great Fire in his Hall Ann being also present she spake to my Father and saith Now they call meaning the Fairies we all of us urg'd her not to go In less then half a quarter of an Hour she saith Now they call a second time we encouraged her again not to go to them By and by she saith Now they call a third time upon which away to her Chamber she went to them of all these three Calls of the Fairies none heard them but Ann After she had been in her Chamber some time she came to us again with a Bible in her Hand and tells us that when she came to the Fairies they said to her What has there been some Magistrates and Ministers with you and disswaded you from coming my more to us saying we are evil Spirits and that it was all the Delusion of the Devil Pray desire them to read that place of Scripture in the first Epistle of St. John chap. 4. ver 1. Dearly beloved believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God c. This place of Scripture was turn'd down to in the said Bible I told your Lordship before Ann could not read After this one John Tregeagle Esq who was Steward to the late John Earl of Radnor being then a Justice of Peace in Cornwall sent his Warrant for Ann and sent her to Bodmin Goal and there kept her a long time That day the Constable came to execute his Warrant Ann milking the Cows the Fairies appeared to her and told her that a Constable would come that day with a Warrant for to carry her before a Justice of Peace and she would be sent to Goal She ask'd them if she should hide herself they answered her No she should fear nothing but go with the Constable So she went with the Constable to the Justice and he lent her to Bodmin Goal and ordered the Prison-Keeper that she should be kept without Victuals and she was so kept and yet she lived and that without complaining When the Sessions came the Justices of the Peace sent their Warrant to one Giles Bawden a Neighbour of ours who was then Constable for my Mother and my self to appear before them at that Sessions to answer such Questions as should be demanded of us about our poor Maid Ann Bodmin was eight Miles from my Father's When we came to the Sessions the first that was call'd in before the Justices was my Mother what Questions they ask'd her I do not remember When they had done examining her they desired her to withdraw As soon as she came forth I was brought it and called to the upper end of the Table to be examined and there was I suppose him to be the Clerk of the Peace with his Pen ready in his Hand to take my Examination I do not remember that they did put me to my Oath The first Question they ask'd me was What have you got in your Pockets I answered Nothing Sir but my Cuffs which I immediately pluck'd out of my Pocket and shewed them Their second Question to me was If I had any Victuals in my Pocket for my Maid Ann I answered I had not and so they dismiss'd me as well as my Mother But poor Ann lay in Goal for a considerable time after and also Justice Tregeagle who was her great Persecutor kept her in his House sometimes as a Prisoner and that without Victuals And at last when Ann was discharged out of Prison the Justices made an Order that Ann should not live any more with my Father Whereupon my Father 's only Sister Mrs. Frances Tom a Widow near Padstow took Ann into her Family and there she lived a considerable time and did many great Cures but what they were my Kinsman Mr. Will. Tom who then lived in the House with his Mother can give your Lordship the best Account of any that I know living except Ann her self And from thence she went to live with her own Brother and in process of time Married as afore-said And now my Lord if your Lordship expects that I should give you an Account when and upon what occasion these Fairies forsook our Ann I must tell your
Second Son the Lord Francis was likewise miserably tortured by their wicked Contrivances and his Daughter the Lady Catherine was oft in great danger of her Life by their barbarous Dealings with strange Fits c. The Honourable Parents bore all these Afflictions with Christian Magnanimity little suspecting they proceeded from Witchcraft 'till it pleased God to discover the Villanous Practices of these Women whom the Devil now left to fall into the Hands of Justice for Murdering the Innocent and to remain notorious Examples of God's Judgment to future Ages They were apprehended about Christmas in 1618. and after Examination before divers Justices of Peace who wondred at their audacious Wickedness were all Three ordered to be carried to Lincoln-Jail Joan Flower the Mother it is said called for Bread and Butter by the way and wished it might never go through her if she were guilty of that which was charged upon her and so mumbling it in her Mouth she never spake a word more but fell down and died with horrible Torture both of Soul and Body before she got to the Jail The two Daughters were Examined before Sir William Pelbam and Mr. Butler Justices of Peace Feb. 4. 1618 where Philip the youngest made the following Confession That her Mother and Sister were very malicious against the Earl of Rutland his Countess and their Children because Margaret was turned out of the Lady's Service whereupon her Sister by her Mother's Order brought from the Castle the Right-hand Glove of the Lord Henry Ross who presently rubbed it on the Back of her Spirit called Rutterkin and then put it into boyling Water after which she prickt it very often and then buried it in the Yard wishing the Lord Ross might never thrive And so her Sister Margaret continued with her Mother and she often saw her Imp Rutterkin leap on her Shoulder and suck her Neck She confest also That she often heard her Mother curse the Earl and his Lady and would thereupon boyl Blood and Feathers together using many Devilish Speeches and strange Gestures She likewise acknowledg'd That she herself had a Spirit sucking her Left-breast in the form of a White Rat which it had done for three or four Years past and that when it came first to her she gave her Soul to it who promised to do her good and to force Tho. Symson to love her if she would suffer it to suck her which she agreed to and that it had suckt her two Nights before Margaret her Sister being Examined agreed in the Confession that Philip had made of their Malice to the Earl and about the young Lord's Glove which for other Circumstances for brevity's sake I here omit 12. About the same time Joan Wilmot of Goadby a Witch was Examined by Sir Henry Hastings and Dr. Fleming Justices in Leicester-shire about the Murther of Henry Lord Ross who declared That Joan Flower told her the Earl of Rutland had dealt badly by her and had put away her Daughter and though she could not have her Will of my Lord himself yet she had sped my Lord's Son and had stricken him to the Heart c. 13. Another Witch called Ellen Green of Stathorn in Leicester-shire was Examined about that time by the same Justices who confessed That Joan Wilmot above-named came to her about six Years since and perswaded her to forsake God and betake herself to the Devil to which she consented who then called two Spirits one like a young Cat which she named Puss and the other in the shape of a Mole which she called Hiff Hiff who instantly came and Wilmot going away left them with her after which they leapt on her Shoulder the Kitling sucking her Neck under her Right-ear and the Mole under her Left in the same place after which she sent the Kitling to a Baker in the Town who had called her Witch and struck her bidding it go and Bewitch him to Death And the Mole she sent to Anne Daws of the same Town upon the same Errand because she had called her Witch Whore and Jade and within a Fortnight after they both died After which she sent them to destroy two Husbandmen named Willison and Williman who died both in ten Days these four she murâ—hered while she dwelt at Waltham When she removed to Stathorn where she now dwelt upon a Difference between her and one Patchet's Wife a Yeoman there Joan Wilmot called her to go and touch Patchet's Wife and Child which she did touching the Woman in Bed and the Child in the Midwife's Arms and then sent her Spirits to Bewitch them to Death the Woman languished a Month before she died but the Child lived only 'till next Day after she had touched it adding that Joan Wilmot had a Spirit sucking on her like a little White Dog which she saw and that she gave her Soul to the Devil to have these Spirits at Command for any mischievous purpose and suffered them to suck her constantly about the Change and Full-Moon 14. One Anne Baker a Witch was likewise Apprehâ—â—◠〈◊〉 and Examined about the same time who confessed before Sir George Mannors and Dr. Fleming 〈◊〉 of Peace That she had a Spirit like a White Dog which she called a good Spirit and that one Peak and one Dennis's Wife of Belvoir told her That the young Lord Henry was dead and that his Glove was buried in the Ground which as it wasted and rotted in like manner did the Lord's Liver rot and waste likewise 15. Margaret and Philip Flower were arraigned at the Assizes at Lincoln before Sir Henry Hobart and Sir Edward Bromley Judges whereupon their confessing themselves Actors in the Destruction of Henry Lord Ross with other damnable Practices they were Condemned and Executed at Lincoln March 11. And the rest questionless suffered according to their Deserts History of Daemons p. 140 141 c. Discov of Witchcraft c. 16. Anno Dom. 1645. There was a notable Discovery of several Witches in Essex and among others one Elizabeth Clark was accused of this horrid Crime and Informations taken against her before Sir Harbottle Grimstone and Sir Thomas Bowes Justices of Peace for that Country John Rivet of Mannintree deposed That about Christmass his Wife was taken sick and lame with such violent Fits that he verily believed her Distemper was more than natural who thereupon went to one Hovey at Hadly in Suffolk who was reckoned a cunning Woman she told him That his Wife was Cursed or Bewitcht by two Women who were her near Neighbours and that she believed she was Bewitcht by Elizabeth Clark alias Bedingfield who lived near their House and that her Mother and some of her Kindred had formerly suffered as Witches and Murtherers At the same time Matthew Hopkins of Mannintree declared upon Oath That this suspected Witch being ordered by the Justices to be watched several Nights for Discovering her wicked Practices he coming into the Room where she was with one Mr. Sterne intending not to
stay Elizabeth Clark said If they would tarry a little and do her no hurt she would call one of her White Imps and play with it in her Lap but they told her they would not allow it After which she in Discourse confest she had Carnal Converse with the Devil six or seven Years who came to her Bed three or four times a Week in the shape of a proper Gentleman with a Lac'd-band and would say Bessy I must lie with you which she never refused About a Quarter of an Hour after this Discourse there appeared an Imp somewhat like a white Dog with red Spots and short Legs which soon vanish'd she said his Name was Jamara Then another appeared like a Greyhound with long Legs which she called Vinegar Tom. She told them the next would be a black Imp and should come for Mr. Stern which came accordingly and instantly was invisible The last that appeared was like a Poll-Cat but the Head bigger She likewise confest That she had five Imps of her own and two of the Old-Beldam Anne Wests and that their Imps sucked upon each other and that Satan would never let her rest 'till she consented to kill the Cattel of Mr. Edwards of Mannintree and the Horse of one Robert Taylor Matthew Hopkins likewise affirmed That going from the House of this Mr. Edwards to his own about Ten that Night with this Greyhound the Dog suddenly gave a Leap and ran as if he had been in a full Course after an Hare and he hastning to see what it was spied a white Thing like a young Cat and the Greyhound standing a-loof off and that soon after the Imp or Kitling danced about the Dog and bit off a piece of Flesh from his Shoulder which made him come crying to his Master He also declared That coming that Night into his own Yard he spied a black Thing in shape like a Cat thrice as big sitting on a Strawberry-bed and looking steadfastly on him but going to it it leaped towards him as he thought and ran quite through the Yard and the Greyhound after it to the great Gate which it threw wide open and then vanish'd the Dog returned shaking and trembling exceedingly Mr. John Sterne confirms the aforesaid Information adding That after five Imps had appeared Elizabeth Clark said she had one more called Sack and Sugar who had been hard at work but would not be long e're he came and then he should tear Mr. Sterne And soon after she told him That it was well he was so quick otherwise her Imp had soon skipped upon his Face and perhaps had got into his Throat and then there would have been a Nest of Toads in his Belly she said likewise that she had one Imp for which she would fight up to the Knees in Blood before she would lose it Francis Mills Grace Norman Mary Philips and Mary Parsly who all watch'd with Elizabeth Clark declared upon Oath That about twelve a Clock that Night she smackt with her Mouth and beckned with her Hand and instantly there appeared a white thing about the bigness of a Car. They also saw five Imps more whom she called by the Names afore-mentioned and told them that the Old Beldam Anne West did by Witchcraft kill Robert Oakes Wife of Lawford and a Clothier's Child of Dedham in Essex both which died about a Week before She added That old West had the Wife of William Cole of Mannintree in handling and she died accordingly of a pining and languishing Disease George Turner informed upon Oath That going to see Elizabeth Clark after she was apprehended and asking her Whether she had any hand in the Drowning of one Thomas Turner his Brother who was cast away at Sea about two Years and an half before she answered That the old Beldam West raised that Wind which sunk his Hoy and that she had no Hand in it Upon these and other Informations and her Confessions Elizabeth Clark was Arraigned Convicted and Executed at Chelmsford March 27. 1645. Inform. Witches p. 6. 13. In the last place we will remove the Scene into New-England as we find a Discovery made lately and Published by the Special Command of the Governour Take it in the Words of the Author Mr. Câ—tton Mather WE have now saith he with horrour seen the Discovery of a great Witchcraft An Army of Devils is horribly broke in upon the place which is the Center and after a sort the First-born of our English-Settlements and the Houses of the good People there are filled with the doleful Shrieks of their Children and Servants tormented by invisible Hands with Tortures altogether preternatural After the Mischiefs there endeavoured and since in part conquered the terrible Plague of Evil Angels hath made its Progress into some other Places where other Persons have been in like manner Diabolically handled These our poor afflicted Neighbours quickly after they become infected and infested with these Demons arrive to a Capacity of Discerning those which they conceive the Shapes of their Troubles and notwithstanding the great and just suspicion that the Demons might impose the Shapes of innocent Persons in their Spectral Exhibitions upon the Sufferers which may perhaps prove no small part of the Witch-plot in the issue yet many of the Persons thus represented being Examined several of them have been Convicted of a very damnable Witchcraft yea more than one twenty have confessed that they have signed unto a Book which the Devil shewed them and engaged in his Hellish Design of Bewitching and Ruining our Lands We know not at least I know not how far the Delusions of Satan may be interwoven into some Circumstances of the Confessions but one would think all the Rules of understanding Human Affairs are at an end if after so many most voluntary harmonious Confessions made by intelligent Persons of all Ages in sundry Towns at several times we must not believe the main Strokes wherein those Confessions agree especially when we have a thousand preternatural Things every Day before our Eyes wherein the Confessiors do acknowledge their Concernment and give Demonstration of their being so concerned If the Devils now can strike the Minds of Men with any Poisons of so fine a Composition and Operation that Scores of innocent People shall unite in Confessions of a Crime which we see actually committed it is a thing prodigious beyond the Wonders of the former Ages and it threatens no less than a sort of a Dissolution upon the World Now by these Confessions 't is agreed that the Devil has made a dreadful Knot of Witches in the Country and by the help of Witches has dreadfully increased the Knot that these Witches have driven a Trade of Commissioning their Confederate Spirits to do all sorts of Mischiefs to the Neighbours Whereupon there have ensued such mischievous Consequence upon the Bodies and Estates of the Neighbourhood as could not otherwise be accounted for The Wonders of the Invisible World p. 11. 14. In the Year
of destroying herself and have had oftentimes a Knife put into her Hand to do it so that she durst not be left by herself alone and when she had considered what the Cause of it might be her Conscience did hint most her neglecting of Duties to have performed they being the Ordinances of God Thus she continued 'till two Years ago she buried her Child the which was a very great trouble to her to part with and then was she more convinced of Sin which caused her Burthen to be the greater so that she could seldom have any other Thoughts but of Desperation but the Lord keeping her by his great Mercy so that sometimes she could pray with Devotion and discerning the Lord to remove this great Trouble from her she did plainly find that those great Temptations were very much lessened the which is a great Comfort unto her Spirit Believers Experiences p. 25. CHAP. XCI Satan Hurting by Dreams That God hath made use of Dreams and Visions of the Night to awaken Men to their Duty and a Sence of the Dangers they were in is demonstrated already and it is not unreasonable to believe that the Devil can in this Case too transform himself into an Angel of Light and impose upon the Imaginations of Men by strange deluding Fancies and Idea's formed on purpose to trick their Minds into a Snare and to allure them into some Trap of either Sin or Misery that he hath laid for them 1. King James the Fifth of Scotland was a great Enemy to the Light of the Gospel which in his Days broke forth in that Kingdom viz. about the Year 1541 and out of a blind and bloody Zeal was heard to say That none of that Sort should expect any Favour at his Hands no not his own Sons if they proved guilty But not long after Sir James Hamilton being suspected to incline that way was falsly accused of a Practice against the King's Life and being Condemned was Executed Shortly after the King being at Linlithgow on a Night as he slept it seemed to him That Thomas Scot Justice-Clerk came unto him with a Company of Devils crying Wo-worth the Day that ever I knew thee or thy Service for serving thee against God and against his Servants I am now adjudged to Hell torments Hereupon the King awaking called for Lights and causing his Servants to arise told them what he had heard and seen The next Morning by Day-light Advertisement was brought him of this Scot's Death which fell out just at the time when the King found himself so troubled and almost in the same manner for he died in great extremity often uttering these words Justo Dei Judicio comdemnatus sum by the righteous Judgment of God I am condemned Which being related to the King made the Dream more terrible 2. Another Vision he had in the same place not many Nights after which did more affright him Whilst he lay sleeping he thought He saw Sir James Hamilton whom he had caused to be Executed come with a Sword drawn in his Hand wherewith he cut off both his Arms threatning also to return within a short time and deprive him of his Life With this he awaked and as he lay musing what this might import News was brought him of the Death of his two Sons James and Arthur who died at St. Andrews and Strinling at one and the same Hour The next Year viz. 1542 being overcome with Grief and Passion himself died at Faulkland in the Thirty second Year of his Age. Arch-bishop Spoteswood 's History of the Church of Scotland Clark's Mirrour Ch. 7. p. 34 35. I am not sure that these particular Instances are properly placed under this Head I leave it to my wise and judicious Reader to consider whether or no these were Divine Admonitions or Satanical Illusions Mr. Clark hath accounted them as Satanical But 't is certain the Vulgar sort of People are so fond of observing their Dreams and some pretended wise Men and Women of a superstitious Kidney do promote this Fancy extreamly and undertake to prescribe Rules for the making a Judgment upon them and by that means do no small hurt to some weak hypochondriacal and melancholick Spirits How often shall we hear them whining out their Complaints upon the Account of some late Dream in expectation of some sad Disaster or Malady that they believe with much Confidence will befall them And sometimes fretting and pining to that extremity that no Comfort will down with them 'till the Date of their Dream be fully expired And I doubt not but Comfort will down with in promoting these silly and troublesome Conceits CHAP. XCII Satan Hurting by Witchcraft ATheism and Sadducism have got such Ground in the World of late Ages that 't is no vain Vndertaking to write of Devils and the Mischief done by them to Mankind by the Mediation of a sort of People that have Familiar Communion with them To transcribe all has been writ upon this Subject by Dr. More Mr. Glanvil Mr. Baxter Scheggius Remigius Delrio Mather c. would make up a large Volume enough to confute any whose Faces are not harder than Brass and their Hearts than Iron it shall be enough to say so much as shall suffice to convince those who are industrious enough to read patient enough to deliberate and have humility and honesty enough to be serious and impartial And as for the rest Qui vult Decipi decipiatur 1. In Pinola there were some who were much given to Witchcraft and by the Power of the Devil did act strange Things Amongst the rest there was one Old Woman named Martha de Carillo who had been by some of the Town formerly accused for Bewitching many but the Spanish Justices quitted her finding no sure Evidence against her with this grew worse and worse and did much harm when I was there two or three died withering away declaring at their Death That this Carillo had killed them and that they saw her often about their Beds threatning them with a frowning and angry Look the Indians for fear of her durst not complain against her nor meddle with her Whereupon I sent saith my Author unto Don Juan de Guzman the Lord of that Town that if he took not Order with her she would destroy the Town He hearing of it got for me a Commission from the Bishop and another Officer of the inquisition to make diligent and private Enquiry after her Life and Actions Which I did and found among the Indians many and grievous Complaints against her most of the Town affirming that she was certainly a most notorious Witch and that before her former Accusation she was wont to go as she had occasion about the Town with a Duck following her which when she came to the Church would stay at the Door 'till she came out again and then would return with her which Duck they imagined was her beloved Devil and Familiar Spirit for that they had often set Dogs at
of blasphemous Imitations of certain things recorded about our Saviour or the Prophets or the Saints in the Kingdom of God II. Secondly It seems an unaccountable thing how the Witches can render Themselves and Tools invisible or indeed how the Devils themselves can do it and yet that they do so is most undoubted Matter of Fact This strange Operation makes our Author think that Witchcraft principally consists in a Skill how to abuse the plastick Spirit of the World unto some unlawful Purposes by means of a Confederacy with Evil Spirits to whom Witches are engaged by a Magical Sacrament And here to confute those Persons that are so dogmatical against these Points he inserts three strange Instances of the Truth of them which I shall repeat in few words One of the bewitched People of whom he speaks pretending she was Assaulted by a Spectre with a Spindle though no body but she could see it at last in her Pains she gave a snatch at the Spectre and pulled away the Spindle which as soon as she got into her Hand became visible to others then present who found it to be a real solid iron Spindle belonging they knew to whom which though they locked up safe it was unaccountably stolen away again by Demons Secondly Another Woman was haunted by a very abusive Spectre that she said came to her in a Sheet at which she likewise giving a snatch tore away a Corner of it which in her Hand immediately became visible to a Room full of Spectators and was sound to be a palpable Corner of a Sheet Her Father who was then holding her catch'd that he might hold what his Daughter had so strangely seised but the unseen Spectre had like to have torn off his Hand endeavouring to wrest it from him However he still held it and has it says the Author as he supposes still it being but a few Hours before his Writing this it being at the beginning of October 1692. That this Accident happened in the Family of one Pitman at Manchester Thirdly A young Man delaying to procure Testimonials for his Parents who were in Prison upon suspicion of Witchcraft was persued with very odd Inconveniencies and once above the rest an Officer going to put his Brand on the Horns of some Cows that belonged to those People which though he had seised for their Debts yet he was willing to leave in their Possession for the subsistance of the poor Family This young Man helped him in holding the Cows thus to be Branded the first three Cows he held well enough but when the hot Brand was clapt upon the fourth he winced at such a rate that he could hold the Cow no longer and being asked the reason he said That at the same instant the Brand entred the Cows Horn he felt exactly the like burning Brand clapt upon his own Thigh and shewed the lasting Marks of it to such as desired to see them Now let our Sadducees unriddle these Phaenomena's if they can A third remarkable Curiosity is That the Execution of some of these Witches has been immediately attended with the strange Recovery of some Persons that had lain for many Years in a most sad Condition under they knew not what evil Hands And the Author inclines to believe That many of the Self-murders lately committed in those parts were the Effects of Witchcraft letting fly Demons to disturb the Minds of those poor Wretches because several who were before distracted and under the like Terrors of a despairing Humour and the like Temptations to Self-murther had marvellously recovered their Senses and a calmness of Mind upon the Execution of the late Witches Fourthly The frequent Apparitions of Ghosts of murdered People together with the Spectres of the Witches is another strange Remarkable and so much the stranger because all those People whose Ghosts have so seemed to appear to the bewitched Persons have been found in Fact to have died very unaccountably And no less astonishing is the frequent Apparitions of Ghosts even to other Persons not bewitched by which old Murthers have been revealed had considered of which our Author gives a very signal and fresh Instance concerning a poor Man lately prest to Death because he refused to plead for his Life which he Inserts in an Extract of a Letter written to the honourable Samuel Sewall Esq by one Mr. Putnam to which I refer you Having already insisted longer on this Matter than the Room we have here will well permit tho' I shall not think my Labour ill spent if it may serve but to convince any Unbeliever in the Points now so mainly contested about the Being and Operation of Spirits and other Wonders of the Invisible World CHAP. XCIII Satan Restrained in Hurting c. GOD only is Absolute and restrained with no Limits all the Creatures are dependent upon his Will tied with a Chain to his Throne they have Bounds set them Pillars of Non-ultra beyond which they may not pass And 't is well for us that not only Satan but all his Agents are in Chains that God hath set a Hook in Leviathan 's Jaws that he can move no whither without leave and permission for it would be a sad World if the Devil were absolute Ranger and Lord Paramount in it 1. Upon a time a certain Wizzard sent his Spirits to kill Ambrose but they returned Answer That God had hedged him in as he did Job Another came with his Sword to his Bed-side to have killed him but he could not stir his Hand 'till repenting he was by the Prayer of Ambrose restored to the Use of his Hands again Clark's Mar. of Eccl. Hist 2. Wolphius wrote to Skenkius That near Zurick the Devil vexed a Melancholly Woman and sollicited her to drown herself she went and sate long on the Flood-gate of a Pond at last by his Importunity she yielded saying If it must be so on Gods Name let it be so and cast herself into the Water where she lay three Hours on her Back and could not sink and being found and brought home her Body was light as Straw and she recovered her Health Hist Disc of Apparitions and Witches p. 97. 3. About the Year 1644. the Lord Grandison a Scottish Noble-man took up his Habitation for some time at Berwick upon Tweed and brought his Family with him in which amongst others was the Steward of his House who was a very Religious Man but was then very much afflicted in Mind among others Mr. Robert Balsam a very Religious Minister in those Parts came to Visit him and spake comfortably to him whereupon the Man's Tongue swelled out of his Mouth and a Voice came out of his Throat without any Motion of his Tongue saying What dost thou talk to him of Promises and Free Grace he is mine Mr. Balsom replying That Satan was a Lyar and bound and that the Blood of Christ cleanses us from all Sin Satan beginning to Curse Swear and Blaspheme in a most terrible manner Mr. Balsom
his Cloak and never so secret he would run upon him and use great violence to get it from him and when he could get any he rent them in pieces Sometimes he would lie along as if stark Dead his Colour gone and Mouth so wide open that he would on a sudden thrust both his Hands into it And notwithstanding his great weakness he would Leap and Skip from his Bed to the Window from thence to the Table and so to Bed again with that nimbleness and agility as no Tumbler could do the like and yet all this while his Legs grown up close to his Buttocks so that he could not use them Sometimes we saw his Chin drawn up to his Nose that his Mouth could scarce be seen sometimes his Chin and Forehead drawn almost together like a bended Bow his Countenance fearful by yawning making mowes c. The Bishop hearing of the strange Torments of this poor Child sent for him His Parents brought him and once the Bishop pray'd with him but the Boy was so outragious that he flew out of his Bed and so frighted the Bishop's Men that one of them fell into a Swoon and the Bishop was glad to lay hold on the Boy who ramped at the Window to have got out hereupon this Bishop granted a License for a private Fast in the Child's Father's House for his Help and Release and that in these Words Having seen the bodily affliction of this Child and observed in sundry Fits very strange Effects and Operations either proceeding from some Natural and unknown Causes or some Diabolical Practices we think it fit and convenient for the Ease and Deliverance of the said Child from his sad grievous Affliction that Prayer be made publickly for him by the Minister of the Parish c. and that certain Preachers namely these following Mr. Gerrard Mr. Harvey Mr. Pierson c. these and none other to repair to the said Child by turns as their Leisure will serve and to use their Discretion by private Prayer and Fasting for the Ease and Comfort of the Afflicted Richard Cestrens Griffith Vaughan David Yale Hugh Barcly Which accordingly was performed by two Godly Ministers and by Mr. Bruen with divers others yet God gave not Deliverance at that time When he was in his Fits without either understanding or knowledge of what he did or said he would often say Jesus saith for so he began all his Speeches the Devil when he comes takes away my Hearing Seeing Vnderstanding Hands Legs that I should have no Senses nor Limbs to Glorifie God withal Jesus saith if they would have cast out the Evil Spirit they should have come better provided Jesus saith some Men did think that he that Prayed had a better Faith than the other but he had not Jesus saith I have but three Devils it is like one of the Spirits will go out of me and take Counsel of a great number of foul Spirits and come again and trouble me worse Jesus saith that some Folk will say that the Witch will not look one in the face but she will look here-away and there-away c. Mr. William Hind in the Life of Mr. Bruen CHAP. XCVI Satan Hurting by Storms c. ST Paul calls Satan the Prince of the Power of the Air Eph. 2.2 And it is certain that by Divine permission he is allowed a considerable Range in that Aetherial Region for we find in the Câ—se of Job when the Lord had given him Power over all that he had 't is presently added that Satan went forth from the Presence of the Lord and in the subsequent verses we are told that the Fire of God fell from Heaven and burnt up the Sheep and the Servants and consumed them Which is by Expositors taken for Thunder and Lightning and at last there came a great Wind from the Wilderness and smote the four Corners of the House and it fell upon his Sons so that they died Job 2.13 c. Consider seriously these Stories following and believe them so far as they deserve 1. That certain Words or Ceremonies do seem at least to cause an Alteration in the Air and to raise Tempests Remigius writes That he had it witnessed to him by the free Confession of near Two hundred Men that he Examined Where he adds a Story or two in which there being neither Fraud nor Melancholy to be suspected I think them worth the mentioning The one is of a Witch who to satisfie the Curiosity of them that had power to Punish her was set free that she might give a proof of that Power she professed she had to raise Tempests She therefore being let go presently betakes her self to a place thick set with Trees scrapes a hole with her Hands fills it with Urine and stirs it about so long that she caused at last a thick Cloud charged with Thunder and Lightning to the Terror and Affrightment of the Beholders But she bad them be of good Courage for the would cmmand the Cloud to discharge upon what place they would appoint her which she made good in the sight of the Spectators 2. The other Story is of a young Girl who to pleasure her Father complaining of a drought by the guidance and help of that ill Master her Mother had Devoted and Consecrated her unto raised a Cloud and water'd her Father's Ground only all the rest continuing dry as before H. More 's Antidnote against Atheism c. 3. l. 3. 3. Let us add says the same Author to these that of Cuinus and Margaret Warine Whilst this Cuinus was busie at his Hay-making there arose suddenly great Thunder and Lightning which made him run homeward and forsake his Work for he saw six Oaks hard by him overturned from the very Roots and a seventh also shattered and torn in pieces He was forced to lose his Hat and leave his Fork or Rake for haste which was not so fast but another crack overtakes him and rattles about his ears Upon which Thunder-clap he presently espied this Margaret Warine a reputed Witch upon the top of an Oak whom he began to chide She desired his Secresie and she would promise that never any injury or harm should come to him from her at any time 4. This Cuinus deposed upon Oath before the Magistrate and Margaret Warine acknowledged the Truth of it without any force done unto her several times before her death and at her Death See Remigius Daemonolatr lib 1. cap. 29. Remigius conceives she was discharged upon the top of the Oak at that last Thunder Clap and there hung amongst the Boughs which he is induced to believe from two Stories he tells afterwards The one is of a Tempest of Thunder and Lightning That the Herdsmen tending their Cattle on the brow of the Hill Alman in the Field of Guicuria were Frighted with who running into the Woods for shelter suddenly saw two Countrey-men on the top of the Trees which were next them so Dirty and in such a Pickle and so
upon a time at dalliance with his Women one of them plucked a Hair from his Breast which being fast rooted plucked off a little of the Skin that the Blood appeared This small Scar festred and gangreened incurably so that in few Days he despaired of life and being accompanied with his Friends and divers Courtiers he brake out into these excellent Words Which of you would not have thought that I being a Man of War should have died by the stroke of a Sword Spear or Bow But now I am enforced to confess the Power of that Great God whom I have so long despised that he needs no other Lance than a little hair to kill so Blasphemous a wretch and contemner of his Majesty as I have been Dr. Burthogge out of Purchas in his Essay upon Human Reason p. 177. Mr. Greenham in his Works which I have not now by me and therefore cannot quote the particular Place and Page as I should do tells us That a certain Man not well grounded in his Religion took view of the Papists Life but not finding it so glorious as they pretended it was joyned with the Familists in whom he so stayed that he grew into Familiarity with them the first Principle that there was no God boyl'd so much in him that he began to draw Conclusions viz. If there be a God he is not so Just and Merciful as they say if there be no God then there is neither Heaven nor Hell or if any the Joys and Pains not so Eternal as some have taught why then do I sell my Pleasures in this World for uncertain Pleasures in another World So this Devilish Illusion prevail'd on him to steal a Horse for which he was Apprehended and at last condemned But by the Providence of God meeting and conferring with a Godly Minister was Reprieved till the next Assize in hope of his Conversion He confessed himself an Atheist but could not be brought any thing from his Atheism The Assize following drew near when he was to be executed and the Place assigned And at the Place of Execution when he should be turned off the Ladder cryed out directly For Christ's sake stay my Life whereupon he spoke these or the like words Well let the World say what they will doubtless there is a God and the same God is Just for ever to his Enemies and everlastingly keeps his Mercies with his Children Now turn me over And so he made an end of his Speech and of his Days This Story I took down in Writing out of Mr. Greenham's Works Five or Six and Twenty Years ago but not having the Book at present I must deliver it with a Latitude without particular Quotations And 't is the more credible because Mr. Greenham if my Memory fail me not extreamly is character'd by Bishop Joseph Hall for a Saint 5. Mr. Mather speaking of the Obstacles which Mr. Eliot met with in Preaching the Gospel to the Indians in New-England tells us That Elliot made a tender of the Gospel to King Philip Ring-leader of the most calamitous War that ever the Pagan Indians made upon them but Philip entertained it with Contempt and Anger and after the Indian Mode he took hold of a Button upon Mr. Eliot's Coat adding That he cared for his Gospel just as much as he cared for that Button The World hath heard saith my Author what a terrible Ruine soon came upon that woful Creature and upon all his People It was not saith he long before the Hand which now writes upon a certain occasion took off the Jaw from the Blasphemous exposed Skull of that Leviathan and the renowned Samuel Lee is now Pastor to an English Congregation sounding and shewing the Praises of Heaven upon that very spot of Ground where Philip and his Indians were lately worshipping the Devil Cotton Mather in Mr. Eliot's Life pag. 114. 6. Pope Leo the Tenth was so Impudent as to make the Promises and Threats contained in the Word of God things to be laughed at mocking the simplicity of those that believe them And when Cardinal Bembus quoted upon ocasion a place out of the Gospel The Pope Answered Quantum nobis profuit fabula haec de Christo O what Profit hath this Fable of Christ brought unto us The Pope having by his Pardons and Indulgences scrap'd together vast Sums of Money to maintain his Courtezans and Whores and to enrich his Bastards As he was one day at Meat News was brought to him of the Overthrow of the French in Lombardy which he much rejoyced at and doubled his Good Chear but before he arose from the Table God's Hand struck him with a grievous Sickness whereof he died within three days Clark's Mar. Chap. 9. p. 40. 7. Pope Julius the Third another Atheist a despiser of God and his Word on a time missing a cold Peacock which he had commanded to be kept for him raged and blasphemed God exceedingly whereupon a Cardinal that was present intreated him not to be so angry for such a Trifle What saith he if God was so angry for eating of an Apple as to thrust Adam and Eve out of Paradise should not I who am his Vicar be angry for a Peacock which is of far more worth than an Apple 8. Francis Ribelius was so Profane that he made a mock at all Religion counting it a thing to be laugh'd at But the Lord struck him with Madness so that he died mocking at all those that talked of God or made any mention of God's Mercy to him CHAP. CIV Divine Judgments upon Cursing RAshness is a fault in any Humane Action but in no cases more dangerous than in meddling with edg'd Tools but above all in the Imprecation of Divine Judgments Men had need to be deliberate and well-advised before they Appeal to Heaven for Vengeance for God is not to be played with And oftentimes it seems good to the Almighty to hear the Prayers of these rash People beyond their Expectation on purpose to strike them with a more dreadful awe of the Divine Majesty and let every one beware by the Examples which follow how they play with the Thunder-bolts of Heaven lest they are checked as the Apostles Luke 9.54 55. 1. In France a Man of good Parts and well instructed in Religion yet in his Passion Cursing and bidding the Devil take one of his Children the Child was immediately possessed with an Evil Spirit From which though by the fervent and continual Prayers of the Church he was at length released yet ere he fully recovered his Health he died Beza 2. Anno Christi 1557. at Forchenum in the Bishoprick of Bamberg a Priest Preaching about the Sacrament used these and such-like blasphemous Speeches O Paul Paul if thy Doctrine touching the Receiving of the Sacrament in both kinds be true and if it be a wicked thing to Receive it otherwise then let the Devil take me And if the Pope's Doctrine concerning this Point be false then am I the Devil's Bond-slave
would resolvedly renew his Baptismal Covenant and renounce the Devil and live as truly devoted to God and our Redeemer I have heard from him no more but must not name him Historical Discourse of Apparitions and Witches p. 62. 2. Dr. John Dee an excellent Scholar and Mathematician of the University of Oxford who published many Treatises for the Benefit of his Country at least Eight in number being afterwards earnestly desirous of more Knowledge and making it his serious Prayer to God to make him wiser than the rest of Mankind was by the Divine Judgment given over to strong Delusions and sadly imposed upon by the Apparition of Evil Spirits under the Disguise of Good Angelâ— who promised to help him to the Philosopher's Stone who never left him till they had dreined him of what Wealth he had so that at last he died very poor and every way miserable at Mortlack near London All Men may take warning by this Example how they put themselves out of the Protection of Almighty God either by presumptuous unlawful Wishes and Desires or by seeking not unto Devils only directly which Dr. d ee certainly never did but abhorred the very Thought of it in his Heart but unto them that have next relation unto Devils as Witches Wizzards Conjurers Astrologers that take upon them to foretel humane Events Fortune-tellers and the like yea and all Books of that subject which I doubt were a great Occasion of Dr. Dee's Delusion I might have added amongst the Miseries that befel this Doctor That he was Banished out of England out of the Emperor or Germany's Territories by the Interposition of the Pope Robbed of his Houshold-Plate by his own Sons c. Dr. Mer. Casaubon 's Relat. of Dr. Dee 's Actions with Spirits Preface 3. Edward Kelly Dr. Dee's Skryer a Necromancer of Lancashire by clambering over a Wall in his own House in Prague which bears his Name to this day and sometimes was an old Sanctuary he fell down from the Battlements broke his Legs and bruised his Body of which hurts within a while after he departed this World Ibid. 4. There was within the Memory of our Fathers saith Camerarius John Faustus of Cundligen a German who had learned the Black Art at Cracovia in Poland This wicked Wretch is reported to have led about with him an Evil Spirit in the likeness of a Dog and being at Wittenburg an Order was sent from the Emperor to seize him but by his Magical Delusions he made his escape and afterwards being at a Dinner at Norimberg he was secretly sensible by an extraordinary Sweat which came upon him that he was beset whereupon he suddenly paid his Reckoning and went away but was hardly out of the City Walls ere the Sergeants and other Officers came to Apprehend him Yet Divine Vengeance followed him for coming into an Inn in a Village of the Dukedom of Wittenburg he sat very sad and when his Host demanding the cause thereof he answered that he would not have him affrighted if he heard great noise and shaking of the House that Night which happened according to his own Prediction for in the Morning he was found dead by his Bed-side with his Neck wrung behind him and the House wherein he lay was beaten down to the Ground Wanly Hist Man 5. An Officer who was a Papist belonging to a Court of Justice came out of Curiosity to Mr. Perreaud's House and hearing that the Devil fore-told future things there and some Secrets he would needs Question him about many matters but Mr. Perreaud desired him to forbear representing to him both the sin and danger of it The Lawyer rejected his Counsel with scorn bidding him Teach his own Flock and let him have the Government of himself and so proceeded to propound several Questions to the Devil as about absent Friends private Business News and State-Affairs unto all which the Devil answered him and then added Now Sir I have told you all that you have desired of me I must tell you next what you demanded not That at this very time you are propounding these Questions to the Devil such a Man whom he named is doing your Business with your Wife And then he further discovered many secret and foul Practices of the Lawyer which shewed his dishonesty Neither was this all for in conclusion the Devil told him Now Sir let me Correct you for being so bold as to Question with the Devil you should have taken the Ministers safe Counsel Then upon a sudden the whole Company saw the Lawyer drawn by the Arm into the midst of the Room where the Devil whirled him about and gave him many turns with great swiftness touching the Ground only with his Toe and then threw him down upon the Floor with great violence and being taken up and carried to his House he lay sick and distracted a long time after See the Narrative of the Devil of Mascon CHAP. CXXIX Divine Judgments upon Gaming SPorting and Gaming is not simply and absolutely unlawful but rather a whet to cut Studies and Lawful Employments as eating drinking and sleeping moderately and seasonably rather refresheth our Spirits and makes us more fit and brisk for Care and Business But the immoderate use or abuse of them is of evil Report and tends to the dissipation of the Powers of the Soul the effeminating of the Mind the loss of Time and all the ill Effects and Consequences of an Idle and Licentious Life And therefore no wonder if God Almighty do often Punish those Persons with some visible Tokens of his Displeasure who give up themselves immoderately and without any check to such Courses In short where Games are not used with these Cautions soberly seasonably ingenuously inoffensively prudently and religiously they are naught and daugerous and there are but very few People that are careful thus to govern themselves when they are engaged in Play Voluptates ut mel summo digito degustandae non plena manu sumendae Dionys Soph. apud Philostr 1. In a Town of Campania a certain Jew playing at Dice with a Christian lost a great Sum of Money unto him with which great Loss being enraged and almost beside himself as commonly Men in that case are affected he belched out most bitter Curses against Christ Jesus and his Mother the Blessed Virgin in the midst whereof the Lord deprived him of his Life and Sense and struck him dead in the place As for his Companion the Christian indeed he escaped sudden Death howbeit he was robbed of his Wits and Understanding and survived not very long after Discip de tempor Ser. 12. 2. Anno 1533. Near to Belissana a City in Helvetia there were three Profane Wretches that played at Dice upon the Lord's-day without the Walls of the City one of which called Vlrich Schraeterus having lost much Money offended God with many cursed speeches At last presaging to himself Good Luck he burst forth into these terms If Fortune deceive me now I will thrust
cast his Child into the Fire and the Child afterwards sicken'd and died The Leper cleansed p. 17. For this Act he was suspended again Ibid. 37. James Naylor a Blasphemous Quaker was burnt in the Tongue at Bristol 38. Jo. Collins and Tho. Reeve Ranters for calling a Cup of Ale the Blood of Christ and saying They could go into the House of Office and make a God every Morning c. were in the Old-Bailey Fined and Sentenced to Six Months Imprisonment Tho. Kendal in Drury-Lane affirming there was no God or Hell fell down dead See the Tryals Printed by B. Alsop 1651. Muggleton was condemned to the Pillory and â—ined 500 l. 1676. CHAP. CXXXIX Divine Judgments upon Wizards Witches and Charmers c. IT is worthy of a very serious Consideration That those very People who leave the God of Israel and think to better themselves by Idols or Corrivals and a superstitious Adbesion to them either the World or the Devil or any other Pretender never got any thing by such Methods but to be deluded in their Hopes and sink under the Vanity of their foolish and wicked Curiosity When did we ever see a Wizard Rich Or a Curioso Prosperous I mean a Curioso in the worst sense Or an Atheist make a Comfortable Exit out of the World I grant sometimes by the Leave of him that Rules the World and the Industry of Satan present Advantages may possibly accrew and do too often to be Worshippers of Mammon but generally when the Blot is great and the Criminal notorious God looks upon it as conducive to his Honour and necessary in point of Justice and Wisdom to strike openly and leave a Mark of Ignominy upon such gross Delinquents Read what follows and ye will agree with me in judgment 1. Concerning John Faustus Dr. d ee and Edward Kelley c. See the Chapter of Divine Judgments upon Curiosity 2. A. C. 1553. Two Women were taken who with a Tempest Hail and Frost design'd to destroy all the Corn in the Country but being found cutting a Neighbour's Child in pieces to boil in a Cauldron in order to the making of a Magical Ointment for the purpose were put to Death Beard 's Theatr. p. 419. 3. At Ihena in Germany or near it An. 1558. a Magician that had used to cure Diseases by the Composition of Herbs was for poisoning of a Carpenter whom he had a Quarrel with a little before examined before the Senate confessed the Murder and was burnt at a Stake Ibid. 4. Cleomandes a Conjurer in Rome for practising Death upon many little Children was sought for by the Parents but having shut himself up close in a Coffer and they breaking it open the Devil carried him away Plutarch 5. Piso being accused by Tiberius for bewitching Germanicus to Death cut his own Throat Tacit. Ann. 6. One Otto a Dane who by his Devilish Art used to raise Storms was at last by one more Expert drowned in the Seas himself 7. A Conjurer in Saltzburg attempting to draw all the Serpents in the Country into a Ditch and feed them there was by the old Serpent the Devil drawn in amongst them and perished miserably Clarks Exampl Vol. I. c. 8. 8. The Governour of Mascon a great Magician as he was at Dinner with some Company was snatched away by the Devil hoisted up into the Air and carried three times about the Town to the great Astonishment of the Inhabitants to whom he cried for help but all in vain Ibid. Ex Hug. de Clun An. 1437. Sir Giles Britaine Hight-Constable of France having murdered above 160 Infants and Women great with Child and wrote Conjuring-Books with their Blood which was proved against him was adjudged to be hanged and burnt to Death Ibid. p. 37. 10. Picus Mirandula writes That in his time a great Conjurer promised a certain Prince that he would present to him the Siege of Troy with Hercules and Achilles fighting together as when alive but being at his Conjurations the Devil carried him away that he was never heard of after Ibid. 11. The Lord of Orve in Lorrain used to feast Noblemen splendidly but fraudulently with all sorts of Dainties so that at parting they found their Stomachs empty having eat nothing was often seen scourged by a Monkey sometimes lying along upon his Table and begging of the Monkey Let me alone Wilt thou always torment me at this rate At last in great Misery and Beggary he was forc'd to get into an Hospital in Paris where he ended his wretched Life Ibid. 12. An. 1530. A Popish Priest digging for a Treasure in a hollow Pit of the City which the Devil had directed him to found at last a Coffer with a black Dog lying by it which whilst he was looking upon the Earth fell upon him and rushed him to death Wierus 13. Cornelius Agrippa a great Necromancer always attended with a familiar Spirit like a black Dog his End approaching he takes off the inchanted Collar from the Dog's Neck saying Be gone thou cursed Beast thou hast utterly undone me After which the Dog vanish'd and he died miserably Clark ex Paul Jovio 14. An. 1578. Simon Pembroke of St. George's Parish in London being suspected for a Conjurer and one that used to erect Figures being questioned for it as he was before the Judge he fell down and died having some Conjuring-Books found about him Clark Ibid. 15. A Sicilian called Lyodor for using Charms and Spells transforming Men into Beasts and other Shapes doing Mischief to the People of Catania charming himself out of the Hangman's Hands being carried in the Air to Constantinople and back again c. was at last by Leo Bishop of Catania seized before all the People who admired him and burnt alive in a hot Furnace Schot Phil. Curios c. 16. Ann. Bodenham of Fisherton-Anger near Salisbury a Witch for predicting things to come helping People to stolen Goods c. was executed at Salisbury 1653. Edm. Bowyer 's Narrative 17. An. 1642. One Mother Jackson for bewitching one Mary Glover in Thames-street a Merchant's Daughter was arraigned and condemned at Newgate 18. John Contius an Alderman of Pentich in Silesia near 60 Years of Age being invited to the Mayor's Supper after the ending of a certain Controversie between some Waggoners and a Merchant gets leave first to go home to order some Concerns leaving this Sentence behind him It 's good to be Merry whilst we may For Mischiefs grow fast enough e'ry Day Going home and looking upon the Hoof of one of his Geldings he was so struck that he complained he was all on fire fell sick complained loudly and despairingly of his Sins but would have no Divine to come to him The Night he died a Black Cat opened the Casement with her Nails scratched his Face and Bolster and so vanishing away he breathed his last A violent Storm of Wind arose a Spirit in the shape of Contius appeared in the Town that would have ravish d a
she Go learn of her Humility An odd Epitaph upon Thomas Saffin Here Thomas Saffin lies Interr'd ah why Born in New-England did in London die Was the third Son of eight begot upon His Mother Martha by his Father John Much favour'd by his Prince he 'gan to be But nipt by Death at the Age of 23. Fatal to him was that we Small-Pox name By which his Mother and two Brethren came Also to breathe their last nine Years before And now have left their Father to deplore The loss of all his Children with that Wife Who was the Joy and Comfort of his Life June 18. 1687. Here lie Interr'd the Bodies of Captain Thomas Chevers who departed this Life the 18th of Nov. 1675. Aged 44 Years And of Anne Chevers his Wife who departed this Life the 14th of Nov. 1675. Aged 34 Years And of John Chevers their Son who departed this Life the 13th of Nov. 1675. Aged 5 Days Reader consider well how poor a Span And how uncertain is the Life of Man Here lie the Husband Wife and Child by Death All three in five days space depriv'd of Breath The Child dies first the Mother next the Morrow Follows and then the Father dies with Sorrow A Caesar falls by many Wounds well may Two stabs at Heart the stoutest Captain slay On Another Tomb-stone is writ Here lies two loving Brothers side by side In one day buried and in one day died Here lies the Body of Mrs. Bridget Radley the most deservedly beloved Wife of Charles Radley Esq Gentleman-Usher Daily-Waiter to His Majesty which Place he parted withal not being able to do the Duty of it by reason of his great Indisposition both of Body and Mind occasioned by his just Sorrow for the loss of her She changed this Life for a better the 20th of November 1679. Sacred to the Immortal Memory of Sir Palmes Fairbone Kt. Governour of Tangier in Execution of which Command he was Mortally wounded by a Shot from the Moors then Besieging the Town in the 46th Year of his Age Octob. 24. 1680. Ye Sacred Reliques which that Marble keep Here undisturb'd by Wars in quiet sleep Discharge the Trust which when it was below Fairbone's undaunted Soul did undergo And be the Town 's Pallà dium from the Foe Alive and dead these Walls he will defend Great Actions great Examples must attend The Candian Siege his early Valour knew Where Turkish Blood did his young Hands imbrew From thence returning with deserv'd applause Against the Moors his well-flesh'd Sword he draws The same the courage and the same the cause His Youth and Age his Life and Death combine As in some great and regular Design All of a piece throughout and all Divine Still nearer Heaven his Vertue shoâ—e more bright Like rising Flames expanding in their height The Martyr's Glory crown'd the Soldier 's fight More bravely British General never fell Nor General 's Death was e'er reveng'd so well Which his pleas'd Eyes beheld before their close Follow'd by thousand Victims of his Foe * To this lamented Loss for Times to come His Pious Widow Consecrates this Tomb. Here lies expecting the Second Coming of our Saviour the Body of Edmund Spencer the Prince of Poets in his Time whose Divine Spirit needs no other Witness than the Works which he left behind him He was Born in London in the Year 1510. and died in the Year 1596. Abrahamus Couleius Anglorum Pindarus Flaccus Maro Delicìae Decus Desiderium Aevi sui Hic juxta situs est Aurea dum volitant latè tua scripta per orbem Et fama aeternùm vivis Divina Poeta Hîc placidâ jaceas requie custodiat urnam Cana fides vigilentque perenni lampade musae Sit sacer iste locus Nec quis temperarius ausit Sacrilegà turbare manu venerabile bustum Intacti maneant maneant per saecula dulcis Coulei cineres servetque immobile saxum Six vovet Votumque suum apud posteros sacratum esse voluit Qui vivo Incomparabili posuit sepulchrale marmor Georgius Dux Buckinghamiae Excessit è vita Anno Aetatis suae 49. honorifica pompa elatus ex Aedibus Buckinghamianis vitis Illustribus omnium ordinum exsequias celebrantibus sepultus est Die 3. M. Augusti Anno Domini 1667. On the Royal Tombs adjoyning to Cowley 's a Modern Poet writes thus Whole Troops of mighty Nothings lie beside Of whom 't is only said they liv'd and dy'd Here lies Henry Purcel Esq who left this Life and is gone to that Blessed Place where only his Harmony can be exceeded Obiit 21. die Novembris Anno Aetatis suae 37. Annoque Domini 1695. CHAP. CXLVIII Miracles giving Testimony to Christianity Orthodoxy Innocency c. I Can never believe that Miracles ascended up to Heaven with our Saviour so as never to be seen upon Earth more after the first Age of the Church 'T is true they have run in a narrower Stream And when the Gospel was sufficiently established and confirmed by the Testimony of them they were not quite so necessary But some Necessity still occurs and some Miracles have been in all Ages wrought Take these amongst many others and compare them with some other Chapters of this Book 1. Irenaeus in his Second Book against Heresies saith Some of the Brethren and sometimes the whole Church of some certain Place by reason of some urgent Cause by Fasting and Prayer had procured that the Spirits of the Dead had been raised again to Life and had lived with them many Years Some by the like means had expelled Devils so that they which had been delivered from Evil Spirits had embraced the Faith and were received into the Church Others had the Spirit of Prophecy to foretel things to come they see Divine Dreams and Prophetical Visions Others Cure the Sick and Diseased and by laying on of Hands restore them to Health Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist 2. S. Augustine tells us that when the Bodies of Gervasius and Protasius the Martyrs were taken up and brought to S. Ambrose's Church at Milan several Persons that were vexed with unclean Spirits were healed and one a noted Citizen that had been blind many Years upon touching the Bier with his Handkerchief was restored to his sight Aug. Confess l. 9. c. 7. 3. In the Reign of Constantine the Great the Gospel was propagated into Iberia in the uttermost part of the Euxine Sea by the means of a Captive Christian Woman by whose Prayers a Child that was Mortally Sick recovered health and the Lady of Iberia her self was delivered from a Mortal Disease Whereupon the King her Husband sent Embassadors to Constantine entreating him to send him some Preachers into Iberia to Instruct them in the True Faith of Christ which Constantine performed with a glad heart Clark in Vit. Constantin p. 11. 4. That Luther a poor Friar saith one should be able to stand against the Pope was a great Miracle that he should prevail against the Pope was a greater
if those Princes were truly such as the Historians represented them they had well deserved that Treatment And others who tread their Steps might look for the same For Truth would be told at last and that with the more Acrimony of Style for being so long restrained It was a gentle suffering to be exposed to the World in their true Colours much below what others had suffered at their Hands She thought that all Sovereigns ought to read such Histories as Procopius for how much soever he may have aggravated Matters and how unbecomingly soever he may have writ yet by such Books they might see what would be probably said of themselves when all Terrors and Restraints should fall off with their Lives Ibid. 20. She did hearken carefully after every thing that seemed to give some hope that the next Generation should be better than the present with a particular Attention She heard of a Spirit of Devotion and Piety that was spreading itself among the Youth of this great City with a true Satisfaction She enquired often and much about it and was glad to hear it went on and prevailed She lamented that whereas the Devotions of the Church of Rome were all Shew and made up of Pomp and Pageantry that we were too bare and naked And practised not enough to entertain a serious Temper or a warm and an affectionate Heart We might have Light enough to direct but we wanted Flame to raise an exalted Devotion Ibid. 21. She was â—o part of the Cause of the War yet she would willingly have sacrificed her own Life to have preserved either of Those that seemed to be in Danger at the Boyne She spake of that Matter two Days after the News came with so tender a Sense of the Goodness of God to her in it that it drew Tears from her and then she freely confessed That her Heart had trembled not so much from the Apprehension of the Danger that she herself was in as from the Scene that was then in Action at the Boyne God had heard her Prayers and she blessed him for it with as sensible a Joy as for any thing that had ever happened to her Ibid. 22. The Reflections that she made on the Reduction of Ireland looked the same way that all her Thoughts did Our Forces elsewhere both at Sea and Land were thought to be considerable and so promising that we were in great Hopes of somewhat that might be decisive Only Ireland was apprehended to be too weakly furnished for a concluding Campaign Yet so different are the Methods of Providence from Humane Expectations that nothing memorable happened any where but only in Ireland where little or nothing was expected Ibid. 23. When sad Accidents came from the immediate Hand of Heaven particularly on the occasion of a great Loss at Sea she said Tho' there was no occasion for Complaint or Anger upon these yet there was a juster Cause of Grief since God's Hand was to be seen so particularly in them Sometimes she feared there might be some secret Sins that might lie at the Root and blast all But she went soon off from that and said Where so much was visible there was no need of Divination concerning that which might be hidden Ibid. 24. She was sorry that the State of War made it necessary to restrain another Prince from Barbarities by making himself feel the Effects of them and therefore she said She hoped that such Practices should become so odious in all that should begin them and by their doing so force others to retaliate that for the future they should be for ever laid aside Ibid. 25. She apprehended she felt once or twice such Indispositions upon her that she concluded Nature was working towards some great Sickness so she set herself to take full and broad Views of Death that from thence she might judge how she should be able to encounter it But she felt so quiet an Indifference upon that Prospect leaning rather towards the desire of a Dissolution that she said Tho' she did not pray for Death yet she could neither wish nor pray against it She left that before God and referred herself entirely to the disposal of Providence If she did not wish for Death yet she did not fear it Ibid. 26. We prayed for our selves more than for her when we cried to God for her Life and Recovery both Priest and People Rich and Poor all Ranks and Sorts joyned in this Litany A universal Groan was Ecchoed to those Prayers through our Churches and Streets Ibid. 27. But how severely soever God intended to visit us she was gently handled she felt no inward depression nor sinking of Nature She then declared That she felt in her Mind the Joys of a good Conscience and the Powers of Religion giving her Supports which even the last Agonies could not shake Thus far Bishop Burnet 28. In the Publick Worship of God she was a bright Example of solemn and unaffected Devotion She prayed with humble Reverence heard the Word with respectful Silence and with serious Application of Spirit as duly considering the infinite Interval between the Supremacy of Heaven and Princes on Earth That their Greatness in its Lustre is but a faint and vanishing Reflection of the Divine Majesty One Instance I shall specifie in this kind When her Residence was at the Hague a Lady of Noble Quality coming to the Court to wait on her on a Saturday in the Afternoon was told she was retired from all Company and kept a Fast in Preparation for the receiving the Sacrament the next Day The Lady staying 'till Five a Clock the Princess came out and contented herself with a very slender Supper it being incongruous to conclude a Fast with a Feast Thus solemnly she prepared herself for Spiritual Communion with her Saviour Dr. Bates 's Sermon upon the Death of the Queen 29. She had a sincere Zeal for the healing our unhappy Divisions in Religious Things and declared her Resolution upon the first Address of some Ministers that she would use all Means for that Blessed End She was so wise as to understand the Difference between Matters Doctrinals and Rituals and so good as to allow a just Liberty for Dissenters in things of small moment She was not fetter'd with superstitious Scruples but her clear and free Spirit was for the Union of Christians in Things essential to Christianity Ibid. 30. In her Relation to the King she was the best Pattern of Conjugal Love and Obsequiousness How happy was her Society redoubling his Comforts and dividing his Cares Her Deportment was becoming the Dignity and Dearness of the Relation Of this we have the most convincing Proof from the Testimony and Tears of the King since her Death Solomon adds to many Commendations of a vertuous Woman as a Coronis That her Husband praises her The King 's declaring that in all her Conversation he discovered no Fault and his unfeigned and deep Sorrow for his Loss are the Queen 's