‘At _Cleworth_ in _Lancashire_, within the parish of _Leigh_, there dweleth one _Nicholas Starchie_, gentleman, who, having only two children, it went thus with them, in the beginning of februari, 1594: first, _Anne_, his daughter, being 9 Yeares olde, was taken with a dumpish and heauie countenaunce, and with a certaine fearefull starting and pulling together of her body; about a weeke after, _Iohn Starchie_, his sonne, of the age of 10 yeares, as he was going to the schoole, was compelled to shout, neither was able to staie himself. After, they waxed worse and worse, falling often into extreame fits, M. _Starchie_ seeking for remedy, after 9 or 10 weekes, heard of one, _Edmund Hartlay_, a coniurer, to whom he repaired, made knowne his greife, and with large profers craued his helpe. _Hartlay_ comes, and, after he had used certaine popish charmes and hearbs, by degrees the children were at quiet, and so continued, seeming to be well almost a yeare and halfe, all which time _Hartlay_ came often to visit them. At length, he fained as though he would have gone into another country, but wether, M. _Starchie_ might not know. When he begane to goe his way, _Iohn_ fell of bleedinge; then, presently, he was sent for again, who affirmed that if he had bene 40 rodes off, no man could have stanched him, and thus it fell out at other times. ‘M. _Starchie_ hereupon fearing lest his children would be troubled in his absence, and he uncertaine where to find him, offered to giue him his table to tarie with them, and so he did for a certain space; but, after couenaunted with him to giue him an annuel pension of 40s. for his assistance in time of neede; which pension was assured him in writing, and began at _Michael’s_ day 1598; wherewith _Hartlay_ not being satisfied, desiered more, an house and ground: whereunto, because M. _Starchie_ would not accord, he threatned in a fume (M. _Starchie_ being absent, but in the hearing of diuers), that, if he would not fulfil his minde, he would make such a shout as never was at _Cleworth_; and so ther was indeed, not only upon the day, and at the instant of their dispossession, but also the day before: when 7 of them, both in the afternoone and in the evening, sent forth such a strange, supernaturall, and fearfull noyse, or loud whupping,[14] as the like, undoubtedly, was neuer hard at _Cleworth_, nor it, I think, in _England_. This he said in September 1596, and on the 17 day of Nouember folowing, they both began to be troubled againe after so long rest.