The Devil in Britain and America. Ashton John

he breathed the diuell. He often kissed Iohn for loue, (as he saide) he kissed the little wenches in iest, he promised Margaret Hardman a thrane16 of kisses. He wrastled with one Iohan Smyth, a maide seruaunte in the house to kisse her, but he fayled of his purpose; whereupon Elinor in a fitt saide, if hee had kissed her, 3 men coulde not haue helde her. When he cam to comfort Margaret, she could not abide his companye. He demaunded of her, why? She said for that she thought he had bewitched her. He asked the reason why she thought so? Shee answered, for thou art euer in myne eyes, absent and present.

      ‘But let us returne to the other 5, who were first possessed, of whome we will say very little, seeing we have much to say of Margaret Byrom: and it is sufficient to heare at large of one of them, and were too much to discourse fully of euery of them, considering the number.

      ‘The 2. of February, in the night, Iohn Starchie had verie shorte fittes, and thick; and at the recouery of euery one, gaue 3 Knockes with his hand on the seeling, and said that he must haue 20 such fits. The next day he left knocking, and fell to washing his hands after euery short fitt, and when so euer he washed, he would have newe water; if it were the same wherewith he washed before (for he could tell) he refused it. About the 14 of Januarie, these 5 beinge in theire fits, one of them began to barke and howle (according to theire custom); after that 2. then 3, lastly they were all in, like a ring of 5 bells for order and tune, and so continued almost a quarter of an houre. After theer howling, they fell to a tumbling, and after that became speachlesse, sencelesse, and as dead.

      1

      The old writers and the old maps probably meant mosquitoes when they said ‘Here be Divells.’

      2

      ‘A Discourse of the Subtill Practises of Deuilles by Witches and Sorcerers,’ etc. By G. Gyfford. Lond., 1587.

      3

      Chap. iv.

      4

      ‘The Discouerie of Witchcraft, etc., by Reginald Scot, Esqre,’ 1584, p. 377.

      5

      ‘The Just Devil of Woodstock; or, a True Narrative of the Several Apparitions, the Frights and Punishments, inflicted upon the Rumpish Commissioners Sent thither, to Survey the Mannors and Houses belonging to His Majestie.’ London; printed in the year 1660.

      6

      ‘The Woodstock Scuffle; or Most Dreadfull Apparitions that were lately seene in the Mannor-House of Woodstock, neere Oxford, to the great Terror and Wonderful Amazement of all there, that did Behold them.’ 1649.

      7

      ‘Palpable Evidence of Spirits and Witchcraft, in an Account of the Fam’d Disturbance by the Drummer, in the House of M. Mompesson, etc.’ Lo

1

The old writers and the old maps probably meant mosquitoes when they said ‘Here be Divells.’

2

‘A Discourse of the Subtill Practises of Deuilles by Witches and Sorcerers,’ etc. By G. Gyfford. Lond., 1587.

3

Chap. iv.

4

‘The Discouerie of Witchcraft, etc., by Reginald Scot, Esqre,’ 1584, p. 377.

5

‘The Just Devil of Woodstock; or, a True Narrative of the Several Apparitions, the Frights and Punishments, inflicted upon the Rumpish Commissioners Sent thither, to Survey the Mannors and Houses belonging to His Majestie.’ London; printed in the year 1660.

6

‘The Woodstock Scuffle; or Most Dreadfull Apparitions that were lately seene in the Mannor-House of Woodstock, neere Oxford, to the great Terror and Wonderful Amazement of all there, that did Behold them.’ 1649.

7

‘Palpable Evidence of Spirits and Witchcraft, in an Account of the Fam’d Disturbance by the Drummer, in the House of M. Mompesson, etc.’ London, 1668.

8

The writer was the Rev. Joseph Glanville, M.A., F.R.S., Chaplain in Ordinary to King Charles II., Rector of the Abbey Church, Bath, and a Prebendary of Worcester.

9

‘The Dæmon of Burton; or, A True Relation of Strange Witchcrafts, or Incantations, lately practised at Burton, in the Parish of Weobley, in Herefordshire. Certified in a Letter from a Person of Credit in Hereford.’ London, 1671.

10

Herefordshire.

11

Ewell.

12

‘Strange and Wonderful News from Yowel in Surry, giving a True and Just Account of One Elizabeth Burgiss, who was most strangely Bewitched,’ etc. London, 1681.

13

‘Discours des Sorciers,’ by Henry Boguet (Lyon, 1608), p. 417.

14

Whooping.

15

Shriek.

16

A sheaf or bundle.

16

A sheaf or bundle.