Whereupon, I took the said book before me, and many times began to
translate the same, but always I was hindered therein, being called
upon about other business, insomuch that by no possible means I could
remain by that work. Then about six weeks after I had received the
said book, it fell out, that being in bed with my wife, one night
between twelve and one o'clock, she being asleep, but myself yet
awake, there appeared unto me an antient man, standing at my
bedside, arrayed in white, having a long and broad white beard,
hanging down to his girdle steed, who taking me by the right ear,
spake these words following unto me; "Sirrah, will not you take time
to translate that book which is sent unto you out of Germany? I will
provide for you both place and time to do it:" and then he vanished
out of my sight.
Whereupon being much affrighted, I fell into an extream sweat,
insomuch that my wife awaking, and finding me all over wet, she asked
me what I ailed; I told her what I had seen and heard; but I never
did heed or regard visions nor dreams. And so the same fell soon out
of my mind.
Then about a fortnight after I had seen the vision, on a Sunday I went
to Whitehall to hear the sermon, after which ended, I returned to my
lodging which was then in King-street, Westminster, and sitting down
to dinner with my wife, two messengers were sent from the council-
board with a warrant to carry me to the keeper of the gate-house at
Westminster, there to be safely kept, until farther order from
the Lords of the Council; which was done without shewing any cause* at
all, wherefore I was committed; upon which said warrant I was kept
there ten whole years close prisoner; where I spent five years thereof
about translating of the said book: Insomuch as I found the words
very true which the old man in the aforesaid vision said unto me, " I
will shortly provide you both place and time to translate it."
Then after I had finished the translation, Dr. Laud, Arch-Bishop of
Canterbury, sent to me in the prison, by Dr. Bray his chaplain, ten
pounds, and desired to peruse the book; he afterwards sent me by Dr.
Bray forty pounds. There was a committee of the House of Commons for
the printing of this translation, which was in 1652.
*Whatsoever was pretended, yet the true cause of the Captain's
commitment was, because he was urgent with the Lord Treasurer for his
arrears, which amounted to a great sum, he was not willing to pay, and
to be freed from his clamours, clapt him up into prison.
A full and true relation of the examination and confession of William
Barwick and Edward Mangall, of two horrid murders; one committed by
William Barwick, upon his wife being with child, near Cawood in
Yorkshire, upon the 14th of April last: as likewise a full account
how it came to be discovered by an apparition of the person
murdered.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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