Devil; Witchcraft -- Great Britain; Witchcraft -- United States
‘But, about fourteen days after, there happened strange and miraculous
wonders, amazing and frightening all the Spectators; for stones flew about
the Yard at such a strange rate, as if it had rained down showers of them,
and many of them were as big as a man’s fist, and afterwards flew as thick
about the House as before they did about the Yard, notwithstanding the
doors were close shut, yet for all (that) they flew so thick about, they
hit nobody but the Maid, to the great astonishment of her Master, Mistris
and others; but more to be admired, the next day this maid was suddenly
attacqued with intolerable pain in her back, and such unsufferable
pricking of Pins, that she was not able to endure, or without lamentable
complaining. The groans and skreeches she sometimes parted with, would
have moved a stony heart to pitty her distress, and Mr. _Tuers_, her
Master, commiserating her condition, asked if he should put his hand down
her back, and feel what might be the cause of her pain or Torment, which
she willingly agreed to, and, to the amazement of all persons present,
pulled out a great piece of Clay as full of Pins as it could well be, and
throwing them into the fire, she was for that present at great ease. But,
after that, a second Torment did seize this Maid, which caused her to
complain more grievously and lamentably than before; whereupon one Mr.
_Waters_ put his hand down her back, and pulled out a piece of Clay as
thick of Thorns, as the other of Pins, so, throwing them into the fire,
she was again at ease for that time.
‘The next day, as she was going a Milking, she saw, in _Nonsuch Park_,
this wretched old Caitiff sitting amongst the Thorns and Bushes, bedaggled
up to the Knees in Dew, and looking like one that had lately had converse
with some Infernal Fiend; and, wondring to see her there so early, in that
pickle (being, as it were, doubtful of her wickedness); and supposing her
to be the cause of her (before mentioned) pain and misery, returned home
to her Master’s house, telling him how she saw this _Joan Butts_ in the
place before named, adding in what strange garb and posture she sat in;
which added to the suspicion of the (before doubtful) Master.
‘But the same night the Maid going into the chamber where she lay, to
fetch a Trunk which was intended to be sent to _London_, all on a sudden
cryed out, Master, Master, here is the old Woman: the master running
hastily to see whether it were so or no, could see no old woman, but the
Andirons thrown after the maid, and all her own Linnen thrown about at
such a rate, as it is hard to believe, but that it will, upon occasion, be
attested by unquestionable Evidence; and likewise a Wooden Bar which
belonged to the street door, was strangely removed and conveyed up stairs,
and came tumbling down after the maid, in the sight of her master.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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