[Satan’s Invisible World Contents]
I Find among some of my Notes, written in the year 1666, that Richard Chaplain, and his Brother George both of them Merchants in Hadington, coming home late from Edinburgh upon a Saturday Night, being the fourth of November 1666, and riding off the Muire at a place called the Two-Mile Cross, within two mile of their own home, saw four men in Gray Cloaths, and Blew Bonnets standing round about a dead Corps laying swadled in a winding-sheet. Their Dog was so feard that he durst not go forward but came running back among their horse Feet. The one Brother is yet living, a sober and Christian man, who can attest this. If I have varied, it is only in some small Circumstance, which doth not alter the thing it self. It is the more remarkable, because it was about 20 days before Rullian Green.
There was one Alice Duke an English Woman, that was taken Anno 1664, and confest before the Judges, that after their meetings, all the Witches make very low obeysances to the Devil, who appears in Black Cloaths, and a little Band. He bids them Welcome at their Coming, and brings them Wine, Beer, Cakes, and Meal, or the like. He sits at the higher end, and usually Anne Bishop sits next him. They eat, drink, dance, and have Musick. At their parting they use to say, Merry meet, Merry part, and that before they are carried to their meetings, there foreheads are anointed with Greenish Oyl, that they have from the Devil, which smells raw. They for the most part are carried in the Air. As they pass they say, Thout, Tout, a Tout, Tout, throughout and about. Passing back they say, Rentum Tormentum, and another word which she does not remember.
I read of an old Gentleman an excellent Justice of Peace in England, who did always dispute against the immortality of the Soul, and its distinction from the Body, and of the existence of Spirits. No reason could convince him, but palpable experience. He being a bold man, and fearing nothing, used all the Magical Ceremonies, he could to raise the Devil, or a Spirit, and had a most earnest desire to meet with one, but never could do it. But while his servant is one Night drawing off his Boots in the Hall, some invisible hand gave him such a Clap upon the Back, that it made the Hall ring again. He went immediately to his Field to try if any Spirit had called him to converse with him; but found none. When neither rhyme, nor reason could perswade him that there were Spirits, sayes the Gentleman, that debated with him, Well well, do you remember, the clap you received upon your back one Night? Yes, said he. Assure your self, said the other, that Goblin will be the first that will welcome you into the other world. Upon this his countenance changed most sensibly, and was more confounded with this, than with all the Philosophical, or Rational Arguments, that could have been brought against him.
There was one Julian Cox an Inglish woman apprehended for witch-craft. The first that deponed against her was an Hunts-man, who swore that he going out with a pack of Hounds, to hunt a Hare, did Start one not far from Julian Cox her house. The Dogs hunted her very close, and the third Ring hunted her in view, till at last, the Hunts-man perceiving the Hare almost spent, and making towards a great Bush, he ran on the other side of the Bush to take her up, and preserve her from the Dogs. But assoon, as he layed hands on her, it proved to be Julian Cox, who had her hands groveling on the ground, and her Globs (as he exprest it) upward. He knowing her, was so afrighted that his hair on his head stood on end. She was out of breath, so that she could not speak. The Dogs came up, and smelt her, but did no more. This Narrative saith my Author, hath the most authentick confirmation that human affairs are capable of Sense, and the sacredness of an Oath.
