The Other World; or, Glimpses of the Supernatural (Vol. 1 of 2): Being Facts, Records, and Traditions Relating to Dreams, Omens, Miraculous Occurrences, Apparitions, Wraiths, Warnings, Second-sight, Witchcraft, Necromancy, etc.
Religion
The Other World; or, Glimpses of the Supernatural (Vol. 1 of 2): Being Facts, Records, and Traditions Relating to Dreams, Omens, Miraculous Occurrences, Apparitions, Wraiths, Warnings, Second-sight, Witchcraft, Necromancy, etc.
Spiritualism; Supernatural
“I shall not trouble you with what is already mention’d in the Tryals of
these two persons because it is in print by your Friend already but only
instance what was omitted in that as not having room here to contain it
altogether but as to their general confessions after their Condemnations,
take as followeth:--
“The day before they were Executed, Mr. Danks the Minister visited them in
Prison, in order if possible to bring them to a State of Repentance, but
seeing all pious Discourse prov’d ineffectual, he desired them to tell him
what mischeivous Pranks they had Play’d and what private Conference they
had with the Devil from time to time, since they had made that fatal
Bargain with him: To which Ellinor Shaw with the Consent of the other told
him that the Devil in the Shape of a tall black Man appear’d several times
to them and at every visit would present them with new Imps some of a Red
Coulour others of a Dun and the third of a black Colour and that ... by
the Assistance of these Hellish Animals they often Kill’d Men Women and
Children to the great surprise of all the towns thereabouts; she further
adding that it was all the Delight they had to be doing such wicked
Actions and they had Kil’d by their Inchantments and Witchcraft in the
space of nine Months time 15 children eight Men and six Women tho’ none
was suspected of being Bewitch’d but those two Children, said the Woman,
that they Dy’d for; and that they had Bewitch’d to Death in the same Space
of Time 40 Hoggs of several poor People, besides 100 Sheep, 18 Horses, and
30 Cows, even to the utter Ruin of several Families: As to their
particular Intreagues and waggish tricks I have not Room to enumerate,
they are so many; only some remarkable Feats they did in Prison which was
thus, viz:--one Day Mr. Laxon and his wife coming by the Prison had the
Curiosity to look through the Grates and seeing of Ellinor Shaw told her
that now the Devil had left her in the Lurch, as he had done the rest of
his Servants; upon which the said Ellinor was observ’d to Mutter strangely
to herself in an unknown Language for about two Minutes; at the end of
which Mr. Laxon’s Wife’s Cloathes were all turn’d over her head Smock and
all in a most strange manner ... notwithstanding all the Endeavours her
Husband could use to keep her Cloathes in order; at which the said Ellinor
having Laughed Heartily and told her She had prov’d her Lyer, her Cloathes
began to come to their right order again. The keeper of the Prison having
one Day Threatened them with Irons, they, by their Spells, caused him to
Dance almost an Hour Naked in the Yard to the Amazement of the Prison:
nay, such Pranks were Play’d by them during their Confinement that no one
durst give them an ill Word, insomuch that their Execution was the more
hastened in the regard of their frequent Disturbances and great Mischief
they did in several places of the Town notwithstanding their Imprisonment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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