# Wonderful progidies (sic) of judgment and mercy

WONDERFUL PROGIDIES OF JUDGMENT AND MERCY: DISCOVERED IN ONE HUNDRED MEMORABLE HISTORIES.
CONTAINING
Faithfully collected from ancient and modern Authors of undoubted Authority and Credit.
By R. BURTON, Author of the Hiſtory of the Wars of England.
GLASGOW: Printed for Robert Smith, bookſeller, Paiſley.
1803.
TO THE
READER.
THIS ſmall Treatiſe cannot be thought unſeaſonable in this age, wherein Atheiſm and Impiety doth ſo much abound. And as the Holy Scriptures (which we ought firſt and principally to ſtudy and regard, do ſufficiently diſcover the wonderful judgments of the Almighty upon profane and impenitent ſinners in former ages; ſo the Divine Juſtice hath not left itſelf without witneſs in all times ſince, of be like ſevere vengeance againſt them: and ſince examples commonly prevail upon men more than precepts, this little collection may, by the bleſſing of Heaven, prevail upon ſome profligate offenders, to forſake their evil ways, leſt they themſelves be likeways made examples and monuments of God's wrath and diſpleaſure. And as the judgments, ſo likeways be tender mercies and goodneſs of God bath appeared in all times and places, towards thoſe that put their truſt in him, or have returned to him by ſerious and ​hearty repentance; of which we have abundant inſtances both in ſcripture and hiſtory; and whereof I have likeways tranſcribed ſome few out of very approved and credible hiſtorians, both ancient and modern, whoſe names are added to every particular relation, that they may hereby obtain the more credit with the reader; who may here find in a ſmall manual, and for a ſmall price, what has been diſperſed in ſeveral large volumes; and therefore I hope will not be unacceptable to the world: which is the hearty deſire of
R. BURTON.
WONDERFUL
PRODIGIES.
CHAP. I.
NEVER yet were any nation or people ſo barbarous, who, by the inſtinct of nature, have not always believed a certain Deity and the denying thereof was accounted ſo deteſtable, abſurd, and contrary to human reaſon, even amongſt the ancient Heathen, that they reckoned it to be horrible blaſphemy. The Athenians baniſhed Protagoras both from their city and country, and cauſed his books to be publicly burnt, becauſe in one of them he ſeemed to doubt of a Deity: neither were they leſs ſevere toward Diagoras, ſirnamed The Atheiſt, who being juſtly accuſed of Atheiſm, fled for fear of puniſhment; upon which they proclaimed, That whoſoever did kill him, ſhould have a Talent of ſilver in recompence, which is as much as ſix hundred crowns: how much more then is the ​ſtate of Chriſtendom to be lamented, which is generally infected with this contagious peſtilence? And how many bold and impudent Atheiſts are there in theſe times, who daringly and confidently deny the providence of God! believe not the immortality of the ſoul! think there is no ſuch thing as a life to come; and conſequently they live like ſwine and brute beaſts in the world, wallowing in all manner of luſts and ſenſuality. But let ſuch mad and brutiſh wretches know, that they ſhall one day be convinced of their folly, when it is too late: and they may likewiſe find by the following inſtances, which are of undoubted truth and certainty, that the divine juſtice doth ſometimes execute his ſevere judgments upon them in this world, and makes them monuments of vengeance for deterring others, that they may hear, and fear, and do no more ſo wickedly.
I. A certain blaſphemous wretch being drinking and merry at a common inn among his companions, asked them, Whether they thought a man was poſſeſſed with a ſoul or no? To which ſome of them replied, That the ſouls of men were immortal, and that ſome of them after their releaſe from the body lived in heaven, and that others were condemned to hell, as we are taught from the writings of the holy prophets and apoſtles; but he replied, and ſwore, He did nor believe the ſoul did ſurvive the body, but that heaven and hell were mere fables, invented by cunning prieſts to procure money, and as for his part, he would ſell his ſoul to any perſon who would buy it. Then one of his companions took up the cup, and ſaid, Sell me thy ſoul for this cup of wine, which he conſented to, and drunk it off: now the devil himſelf was there in the ſhape of a man (as he is commonly not far from ſuch debauchees) who bought it again of the ​other man at the ſame price; and ſoon after peremptorily demanded his ſoul; the whole company affirming it was fit be ſhould have it, ſince he bought it, not knowing who it was that aſked it: but on a ſudden this infernal merchant laid hold of this wretched ſoul-ſeller, and carried him into the air before them all, toward his own habitation, to the great aſtoniſhment and amazement of the ſpectators, and was never after heard of; but no queſtion found to his coſt that men had ſouls, and that hell was no fable, contrary to his profane and ſenſeleſs opinion.—Diſcipul. de temp. Serm. 132.
II. Not inferior to the former was the impiety of one, not many years ſince in this nation, called Marlin, a ſcholar by profeſſion, brought up from his youth in the univerſity of Cambridge, and afterwards a ſcurrilous poet and playmaker, who giving the reins to his wit and fancy, ran into ſuch extremes, that he denied God, and Jeſus Christ, and blaſphemed the Trinity, not only in words, but as it is credibly reported, writ books against it, affirming our Saviour to be a deceiver, and Moſes a ſeducer of the people, and the holy Scriptures to be but vain and idle ſtories, and all religion to be only a politic cheat and device: but heaven, by an eminent judgment, ſoon ſtopt the mouth of this blaſphemer; for it happened, that as he intended to have ſtabbed a perſon whom he had malice againſt, the other perceiving it, avoided the ſtroke; and withal catching hold of his wriſt, he ſtabbed in his own dagger into his own head, which wounded him in ſuch a terrible manner, that notwithſtanding the immediate help of chirurgery, he died ſoon after, and that in a very ſad condition; for he curſed and blaſphemed to the laſt gaſp and his laſt breath paſſed out of his body with an horrid ​oath, to the great terror of all that beheld him; and herein did the divine juſtice remarkably appear, in that his own hand, which had written thoſe blaſphemies, was made an inſtrument to puniſh that head and brain, which had ſo wickedly deviſed them.—Beard's Theatre.
III. In the year 1527, a young Italian, eſteemed a man very brave, and valiant in arms, was to fight with another young man, who (becauſe he was melancholy, and ſpake very little) was called Forchebene; they went together with a great company to the place appointed, which was without the port of St. Gall; whither being come, a friend to the former went to him, and ſaid, God give you the victory: the proud young man adding blaſphemy to his temerity, anſwered, How ſhall he chuſe but give it to me: they came to uſe their weapons, and after many blows given and taken both by the one and other: Forchebene being come as the miniſter and inſtrument of God, gave him a ſudden thurſt in the mouth, with ſuch force, that having fastened his tongue to the pole of his neck (where the ſword went through above the length of a ſpan) he made him immediately fall down dead, the ſword remaining in his mouth, to the end that the tongue which had fo grievouſly offended, might even in this world endure puniſhment for ſo horrible a ſin.—L. Remy's confid. c. 59.
IV. Another of our own nation is not to be overpaſſed, who for Atheiſm may be compared to the former, and for God's ſevere judgment upon him, may give place to none: it was a gentleman in Berkſhire, whoſe name I forbear to mention; this man had a great eſtate, but was an open ſcoffer, and contemner of all religion; a profeſt Atheiſt, ​and a ſcorner of the word and ſacraments, inſomuch that I have heard it very credibly reported, that being witneſs to the baptiſing of a child, he would needs have it named Beelzebub. He was likewiſe given to all manner of debauchery, keeping ſeveral notorious ſtrumpets openly in his houſe, without ſhame: he was ſo accustomed to ſwearing, that he could ſcarce ſpeak without an oath. This miſerable man (or rather brute) having continued long in this damnable courſe of life, at laſt divine vengeance found him out, for going one day a hunting with one of his comrades; as they were diſcourſing of divers idle ſtories, it pleaſed Almighty God to ſtrike him with ſudden death; for falling ſuddenly on the crupper of his horſe, backward, he was taken off ſtark dead, with his tongue hanging out of his mouth, in a very fearful manner, and became a terrible example of God's juſtice againſt all wicked Atheiſts.—Beard's Theatre.
V. Cluvine, an author worthy of credit, who profeſſeth that he had this relation, not only by hearſay, but from eye-witneſſes, who ſaw it, gives this wonderful account, That in the month of March, 1632, there lived nigh the borders of Muſcovia a nobleman, by office a gatherer of tribute or taxes, by name Albertus Peroſcius; his manner was, when poor men could not preſently pay their taxes, to diſtrain upon their cattle, and drive them to his own home: now it came to paſs, that this nobleman being from home, loſt all his unjuſt gains in one night; for all his cattle, both thoſe he had taken by violence, and what he had purchaſed with his money, ſuddenly died. This wretched man coming home, was told by his wife and ſervants what a fearful judgment from God was befallen him, whereat he began to rage and ​rave extremely; and taking his muſquet, ſhot it up againſt heaven, breaking forth into theſe blaſphemous ſpeeches, Let him that killed my cattle devour them: if thou wouldſt not let me eat them, eat them thyſelf: upon theſe furious barkings againſt God, there fell ſome drops of blood, and this wicked man was turned into a black dog, and howling he ran to the dead cattle, and began to feed upon them; and for ought I know (ſaith mine author, who wrote this account preſently after) is yet feeding upon them. His wife, great with child, being greatly aſtoniſhed, and terrified with the ſtrangeneſs of God's ſudden and awful judgments, ſhortly after died.—Clark's Exam. 1 Part.
VI. Simon Churmay in 1201, having moſt ſubtilly and acutely diſputed about the Trinity ſome of his familiar friends perſuaded him to put it into writing, that ſo the memorial of ſuch excellent things might not be loſt; whereupon he proudly brake forth into this Atheiſtical ſpeech, O Jeſule, Jeſule, &c. O little Jeſus, little Jeſus, how much have I confirmed and advanced thy law in this queſtion! but if I had a mind to deal croſly, I know how with ſtronger reaſons and arguments to weaken and diſprove the ſame: which was no ſooner ſpoken, but he was ſtruck dumb, and not only ſo, but he became an idiot, and ridiculouſly fooliſh, and was made a common hiſſing and mocking-ſtock to all that ſaw him.—Mat. Paris.
VII. Not much unlike this, is that of Michael, a blaſphemous Jew, who as he was banquetting with his companions, fell to blaſpheming Chriſt, and his mother, boaſting, That he had gotten the victory over the Chriſtians' God: but as he went ​down ſtairs out of the room, he fell down, and brake his neck.—Fincelius.
VIII. Miſerable was the end of Pirieres, who writ a blaſphemous book, wherein he openly mocked at God, and all religion, for he fell into moſt deſperate deſpair, and notwithſtanding ſtrict watch was kept about him, yet he killed himſelf.—Theat. Hiſt.
IX. In the year 1502, there lived one Hermanus Biſwick, a grand Atheiſt and a notable inſtrument of the devil, who affirmed, That the world never had a beginning, as fooliſh Moſes dreamed, and that there were neither angels, nor devils, nor hell, nor future life, but that the ſouls of men periſhed with their bodies; and that Jeſus Chriſt was nothing elſe but a ſeducer of the people, and that the faith of Chriſtians, and whatever elſe was contained in the holy Scriptures, was mere vanity. Theſe opinions, full of Atheiſm and impiety, he was ſo hardened in, that he conſtantly avouched them to the death, and was for the ſame, together with his books, deſervedly burnt in Holland.—Theat. Hiſt.
X. A certain rich man at Halberſtadt in Germany, abounding with all manner of worldly happineſs, he gave up his whole ſoul in delighting therein; ſo that he had no ſenſe of heaven or religion; yea, he was ſo atheiſtical as to ſay, That if he might lead ſuch a life continually upon the earth, he would not envy thoſe that enjoyed heaven, nor deſire to exchange his condition with them: but ſoon after it pleaſed God, contrary to his expectation, to cut him off by death, and ſo the pleaſures which he doated on came to end. But after his death there were ſeen ſuch diabolical apparitions in his ​houſe, that no man durſt inhabit it, ſo that it became deſolate: for every day there appeared the form of this epicure, ſitting with a great many gueſts, drinking, carouſing, and making good cheer; the table being furniſhed ſeemingly with all manner of delicacies, and attended on by many perſons, together with fidlers, trumpeters, and the like, ſo that whatever he delighted in while he was alive, was there daily to be ſeen, God permitting Satan to deceive mens' ſight by ſuch appearances, to deter others from living in ſuch a courſe of Atheiſm and impiety.—Theat. Hiſt.
XI. At a village called Benarides in Spain, two young men (one whereof was noted to be an outragious ſwearer and blaſphemer of God's holy name) being together in the fields, on a ſudden there aroſe a terrible tempeſt of rain and wind, accompanied with ſo impetuous a whirlwind, that it amazed all that beheld it; the two young men ſeeing it furiouſly coming towards them, to avoid the danger ran away as faſt as they could poſſibly; but notwithſtanding their haſte, it overtook them, and for fear it ſhould carry them up into the air, they fell flat down upon the ground, where the whirl-wind whiſked about them for ſometime, and then paſſed forward; one of them aroſe ſo affrighted, and in ſuch an agony, that he was ſcarce able to ſtand on his feet; the other lying ſtill without motion, ſome that ſtood under an hedge hard by, came to ſee how he did, and found him to be ſtark dead, not without ſome wonderful ſymptoms of divine juſtice; for all his bones were ſo cruſhed, that the joints of his legs and arms were to be turned every way, as though his whole body had been made of moſs; and beſides, his tongue was plucked out by the roots, and could not by any means be found, ​though it was diligently ſought for; and this was the miſerable end of this wretched youth, who was made an example to the world, of God's vengeance againſt ſwearers and blaſphemers.—Beard's Theatre.
XII. Martiques, governor of Brittany in France, in the war againſt the Proteſtants, perſuaded them to yield to the king, ſince their ſtrong God had now forſaken them, and ſcoffingly ſaid, It was time for them to ſing, Help us now, O Lord, for it is time: but he ſoon found that their ſtrong God was able to defend them, and to confound the proud and inſolent, he himſelf being preſently after ſlain in the ſiege.—Acts and Men.
XIII. It is related in eccleſiaſtical hiſtory, that, when the emperor Julian was ſetting out upon his Parthian expedition, he threatened to perſecute the Chriſtians with the utmoſt ſeverity, as ſoon as he returned victorious. Upon this occaſion, Libanius the rhetorician, aſked one of them, with an inſulting air: What the carpenter's ſon was doing, while ſuch a ſtorm hung over his followers?—The Creator of the world, replied the Chriſtian, whom thou diſdainfully calleſt the carpenter's ſon, is making a coffin for your emperor.———The event proved the anſwer to be prophetic; for, in an engagement with the enemy, that royal, but wretched apoſtate, was mortally wounded; and cried with his expiring breath, Viciſti, O Galilaee! I am vanquiſhed, O Galilean! Thy right hand hath the pre-eminence!
XIV. In the year 510, an Arian biſhop called Olympius, being in the baths of Carthage, openly ſcoffed and blaſphemed the holy and ſacred Trinity; but lightning fell down from heaven upon him three ​times, wherewith he was burnt and conſumed to aſhes.
XV. There was alſo in the time of Alphonſus king of Arragon and Sicily, in an iſle toward Africa, a certain profane hermit, called Antonius, who impudently and impiouſly belched out blaſphemous ſpeeches againſt our bleſſed Saviour, and the Virgin Mary his mother; but he was ſtruck with a moſt grievous and tormenting diſeaſe, even to be eaten and gnawn to pieces with worms till he died.—AEneas Sylvius.
XVI. Neither hath divine vengeance left itſelf without witneſs againſt curſers, and thoſe who by denying God give themſelves to the devil; as may plainly appear by the following dreadful examples. A ſoldier travelling through Murcia, a county of Almaign, and finding himſelf not well, went to an inn, where he lay to recover his health, and delivered to his hoſteſs a certain ſum of money which he had about him: a while after being recovered of his ſickneſs, he demanded his money again; but the woman, upon conſultation with her huſband, denied the receipt of any, and accuſed him of wronging her, in demanding what ſhe never received: on the other ſide, the ſoldier was much enraged, accuſing her of cheating him: when the man of the houſe heard the noiſe, though he was privy to all before, yet he diſſembling the matter, took his wife's part, and thruſt the ſoldier out of the houſe; who ſeeing himſelf thus unjuſtly abuſed, drew his ſword, and ran againſt the door with the point thereof, whereat the landlord began to cry out, Thieves, Thieves; affirming, That he would have entered his houſe by force, and have robbed him; whereupon the poor ſoldier was taken and caſt into priſon, ​and by proceſs of law, was ready to be condemned to death; but on the very day wherein this heavy ſentence was to be pronounced and executed, the devil entered into the priſon, and told the ſoldier, That he was condemned to die; nevertheleſs, if he would give himſelf, body and ſoul to him, he would promiſe to deliver him out of their hands. The priſoner replied, That he had rather die, being innocent, and without cauſe, than to be delivered on that account. The devil then repreſented to him the great danger of death wherein he was, and uſed all manner of craft to delude him; but finding all his arguments uneffectual, he at length left over his entreaties; but yet promiſed him both aſſiſtance and revenge upon his enemies for nothing; adviſing him when he came to his trial, he should plead, Not guilty, and declare his innocence, and the wrong which he had ſuffered, and to entreat the judge to grant him the favour, That one in a blue cap, who was in the court, might make his defence for him; (now this one in the blue cap was the devil himſelf.) The ſoldier immediately accepted his offer; and being called to the bar, and indicted of felony, he preſently deſired to have his attorney, who was there preſent, to plead his cauſe; which being granted him, this notorious witty crafty lawyer began very cunningly to defend his client, affirming him, To be been falſly accuſed, and conſequently would be unjuſtly condemned; and that his hoſt did withhold the money, and had offered him violence: and to demonſtrate the truth of what he aſſerted, he reckoned up every circumſtance of the whole action; yea, the very place where they had hid the money. The host on the other ſide very impudently denied all; wiſhing withal, That the devil might take him ſoul and body if he had the money: this ſubtle attorney in the blue cap, finding now the advantage which he had hitherto looked ​for, left off his pleading, and immediately ſeizing upon the hoſt, carried him out of the ſeſſions-houſe, and hoiſted him into the air ſo high, that he was never after ſeen nor heard of. And thus was the ſoldier wonderfully delivered from death, to the aſtonishment of all beholders, who were eye-witneſſes of this terrible judgment upon this perjured, curſing hoſt.—Wierus of Spirits, lib. 3.
XVII. Luther in his expoſition upon the Corinthians, gives this relation; That a certain debauched perſon, of a very wicked life, and of ſuch evil education, that at every word he ſpake almoſt, the devil was in his mouth; for which practice, though he was often reproved by his neighbours, and exhorted to correct and amend ſo vile and deteſtable a practice, yet it was all to no purpoſe: continuing therefore in this damnable practice, it happened, that as he was one day paſſing over a bridge, he fell down, and in his fall, he cried out, Hoiſt up with an hundred devils, which he had no ſooner uttered, but the devil, whom he had called for ſo oft, was at his elbow, who preſently ſtrangled him, and carried him away with him.
XVIII. John Wierus gives an account alſo to this purpoſe, that in the year 1551, at Megalapole, near Voildſtat, it happened that the people being drinking and carouſing at Whitſuntide, a woman in the company commonly named the devil in her oaths, till he that had been called upon ſo often, came on a ſudden, and carried her through the gate aloft into the air, before all the company preſent, who ran out in great aſtoniſhment to ſee whether be would transport her, and they obſerved her hanging in the air without the town; and then falling ​down on the ground, they found her ſtark dead.—Wierus.
XIX. The ſame author affirms, that about this time there dwelt in a city of Savoy, a man who was of a very vicious converſation, and likewiſe a great ſwearer, who put many good men to much fruitleſs pains in admoniſhing and reproving him for his wicked behaviour; for he would give no ear to them, nor in the leaſt reform his ways: now it happened that the plague was in the city, and he was infected therewith; and therefore himself, his wife and kinſwoman withdrew themſelves apart into a garden-houſe that he had; yet in this his extremity did not the miniſters forſake him, but continually exhorted him to repentance, and to diſcover to him his grievous and manifold offences; but he was ſo far from being moved with theſe religious admonitions, that he ſeemed daily more and more to harden himſelf in his ill courſe of life, therefore haſtening his own deſtruction: it happened one day as he was ſwearing, denying God, and giving himſelf to the devil, and calling for him with horrid vehemency; behold the devil appeared, and ſuddenly ſnatching him up, carried him into the air with great velocity, his wife and kinſwoman looking on, and ſaw him fly over their heads: in this his ſwift tranſportation, his cap fell off his head, and was found at Roſna, and himſelf was never after ſeen, nor heard of. The magiſtrates being advertiſed hereof, came to the place where he was taken up, to be better informed of the truth of the report, and took the depoſitions of the two women upon oath, of what they had ſeen of this extraordinary affair. By this we may ſee the terrible, yet juſt vengeance of God upon ſuch ſinners; and it may be a warning to thoſe who are ſo inſpired by Satan, that they cannot ſpeak but they ​muſt name him, who is both an enemy to God and man, inſtead of commending themſelves to God, and praying for his grace and aſſiſtance.—John Wierus de Spirit.
XX. Martin Luther in his table-talk mentions this remarkable hiſtory: There was a Popiſh prieſt, who had formerly been a Proteſtant, and apoſtatized to Popery, as Adam Budiſſina teſtifies: this prieſt thundered out moſt bitter curſes againſt Luther in the pulpit, preaching at a town called Ruthnerwald; and among the reſt he wiſhed, That if Luther's doctrine were true, a thunderblot might ſtrike him to death: now about three days after, there aroſe a mighty tempeſt with thunder and lightning, whereat this curſed prieſt was extremely afraid, his guilty conſcience accuſing him, that he had ſpoken moſt falſely and maliciouſly againſt the truth, and thereupon he ran with all ſpeed into the church, and there fell to his prayers before the altar; but the vengeance of heaven ſoon found out and puniſhed his hypocriſy; for he was there ſtruck with lightning, and though they with much difficulty recovered life in him, yet as he was led homeward thro' the church-yard, another flaſh fell upon him in ſuch a manner, that he was burnt from the crown of the head to the ſole of the foot, as black as a ſhoe, dying with a manifeſt mark of the divine juſtice upon him.—Luther's Col. Men.
XXI. Theodorus Beza gives an account of two notable inſtances of the ſeverity of God's judgment upon a curſer, and a perjured perſon, of his own knowledge. I knew, ſaid he, a man in France, of good underſtanding, well inſtructed in religion, and a maſter of a family, who in his anger curſing, and bidding the devil take one of his children, had ​preſently his wiſh anſwered, for his child was immediately poſſeſſed with an evil ſpirit, from which though by the fervent and continued prayers of good Chriſtians, he was at length releaſed, yet ere he had fully recovered himſelf he died.
The like we read to have happened to a woman, whom her huſband, in a great rage devoted, with bitter curſes, to the devil, upon which Satan immediately aſſaulted her, and robbed her of her wits, ſo that ſhe could never be recovered.
Another awful example, ſaith he, happened not far hence, even in this country, upon a perjurer, who foreſwore himſelf, intending thereby to prejudice and deceive another; but he had no ſooner made an end of his falſe oath, ere a grievous apoplexy ſeized upon him; ſo that without ever ſpeaking one word more, he ſoon after miſerably died.—Beza, Homiliae.
XXII. Strange and terrible is that which happened at Noeburg in Germany, to a ſon who was curſed by his mother in her anger, wiſhing, and praying to God that ſhe might never ſee him return alive; which accordingly happened; for the ſame day the young man bathing himſelf in the water, was drowned, and never returned to his mother alive, according to her ungodly wiſh.—Theat. Hiſt.
XXIII. Henry Earl of Schwartzenburg, through a corrupt notion, uſed commonly to wiſh he might be drowned in the privy; and as he wiſhed, ſo it happened to him; for in the year 1148, he being in St. Peter's cloiſter, in the city of Erford, with Frederick emperor of Germany; the emperor had occaſion to go to the privy, whither he was followed by ſome of his nobles, and Schwartzenburg among the reſt, when ſuddenly the floor that was ​under them began to ſink, the emperor immediately took hold of the iron grates of a window whereat he hung by the hands till ſome perſons came and relieved his from his perilous ſituation; ſome of the gentlemen fell to the bottom, and were drowned; and amongſt others, this ſad Henry, Earl of Schwartzenburg—Wanley Hiſt Man.
XXIV A young courtier at Mansfield uſed upon any earneſt aſſeveration, to ſay The devil take me if it be not so: and the devil indeed ſoon accompliſhed his wiſh, for he took him while he ſlept, and threw him out of an high window, where, though by God's good providence, he eſcaped with his life; yet he learned by experience to bridle his tongue from all ſuch curſed ſpeeches; this being but a taſte of God's divine wrath, which hath happened upon ſuch wretches as he.—Cyrine Spangen
XXV. In the year 1557, the day before Good Friday, at Forchenum in Germany, there was a certain prieſt who was crooked in body and mind, through age and ill nature; and likewiſe ſo infirm that he could not go but upon crutches, yet he would needs be carried up into the pulpit to preach a ſermon; his text was in the 14th chapter of the firſt epiſtle to the Corinthians, from whence he took occaſion to defend the maſs and other errors of the Papiſts; and then breaking forth into a great rage, he uttered theſe, or the like blaſphemous ſpeeches; Oh Paul, Paul! If thy doctrine touching the receiving of the ſacrament in both kinds be true; and if it be a wicked thing to receive it otherwiſe, then would the devil might take me: and then turning to the people, he ſaid, If the pope's doctrine concerning this point be not true then I am certainly the devil's bond ſlave; neither do I fear to pawn my ſoul and body upon it: theſe ​and many other horrible words he uſed, till the devil came indeed, transformed into the shape of a tall black man, terrible of countenance, and before him there was ſuch a fearful noiſe and wind, that the people were greatly afraid the church would have fallen on their heads; but without doing the leaſt hurt to any of the reſt, he only took away the old prieſt, his devoted bond-ſlave, and carried him ſo far, that he was never heard of. The biſhop of Rugenſtine's brother hardly eſcaped his hands; for he came to fetch him, but he defending himſelf with his ſword, wounded his own body, and very narrowly ſaved his life. After this, there were many viſions ſeen about the city, as armies of men ſeeming ready to enter and ſurprize them, ſo that happy was be who could ſecure himself in a corner. At another time the like noiſe was heard in the church, while they were baptizing a child, and all this for the abominable curſing and blaſphemy of the profane prieſt.—Beard's Theatre.
XXVI. At Oſter, a village in Germany, there happened a moſt ſtrange and fearful judgment upon a woman who gave herſelf to the devil, both body and ſoul, and uſed horrible curſings and oaths both againſt herſelf and others, which deteſtable cuſtom the practiſed upon all occaſions, but more eſpecially at a marriage in that village upon St. John Baptiſt's day; and though the whole company exhorted her to leave off that monſtrous villanny, yet ſhe would not be perſuaded, but continued therein till all the people were ſet down at dinner, and were very merry; when the devil having got full poſſeſſion of her, ſuddenly appeared, and taking her away before them all, tranſported her into the air with moſt horrible out cries and roarings; and in that manner he carried her round about the town, ​ſo that the inhabitants were ready to die for fear; and ſoon after tore her body into four pieces, leaving a quarter of her in the four ſeveral highways, that all who came by might be witneſſes of her puniſhment; and then returning to the marriage, he threw her bowels upon the table before the mayor of the town, with theſe words; Behold theſe diſhes of meat belong to thee whom the like deſtruction awaiteth, if thou doſt not amend thy wicked life. The reporters of this history were John Herman, the miniſter of that town, with the mayor himſelf, and all the inhabitants, they being deſirous to have it known for example's ſake.—Beard's Theatre.
XXVII. Moſt dreadful is that relation of Johannes Fincelius; that 1553, near Belliſina, a city in Helvetia, there were three profane wretches that played at dice upon the Lord's day, without the walls of the city, one of whom called Ulrick Shaeterus, having loſt much money, and offended God by many curſed ſpeeches; at last expecting a good caſt, he brake forth into this horrible and blaſphemous ſpeech, If fortune deceive me now, I will thruſt my dagger into the very body of God as far as I am able; and the caſt miſcarrying, he immediately drew his dagger, and threw it up againſt heaven with all his ſtrength, when behold the dagger vaniſhed out of ſight, and five drops of blood fell immediately upon the table in the midſt before them, and ſoon the devil came, and carried away this blaſphemous wretch, with ſuch fury and dreadful noiſe, that the whole city was amazed and aſtonished thereat, the like never having been ſeen there before; the other two, half diſtracted with fear, ſtrove with all their might to wipe away the drops of blood from the table, but all in vain; for the more they wiped them, the more clearly they appeared. The rumour of this ​dreadful accident ſoon flew into the city, and multitudes flocked to the place, where they found the two other gameſters waſhing the board, whom, by order of the ſenate, they bound in chains, and carried toward the priſon; but by the way, as they were going through the gate of the city, one of them was ſuddenly ſtruck dead, with ſuch a number of lice and worms creeping out of him, as was loathſome to behold. The third, to avert the divine indignation which ſeemed to hang over their heads, the citizens, without any further inquiſition or trial, put preſently to death. The table, with the ſpots of blood thereon, was taken and reſerved as a monument of this fearful judgment of the Almighty.—Clarke's Examples, part 1.
XXVIII It is notoriouſly known at Oundle in Northamptonſhire, that one William Hacket, uſed upon occaſion in earneſt diſcourſe, to curſe himſelf in this manner; If it be not true, then let a viſible confuſion come upon me; and he wanted not his wiſh, as appears by the following relation. In the year 1591. and the 33d of Queen Elizabeth Edmund Coppinger, and Henry Arthington, two gentlemen aſſociating themſelves with this Hacker, who had formerly been a profane and lewd perſon, but now pretended great reformation; theſe three ran into very ſtrange and dangerous opinions, and at laſt came to think, that this Hacket was anointed to be judge of the world, and coming to his lodging one day in London, Hacket told them, that he had been anointed by the Holy Ghoſt; then Coppinger aſked what his pleaſure was to command them; Go, ſaith he, and proclaim in the city, that Jeſus Chriſt is come with his fan in his hand, to judge the earth; and if they will not believe you let them come and kill me if they can; Coppinger anſwered, That it ſhould be ​done: and thereupon he and Arthington ran immediately into the ſtreets, and proclaimed their meſſage; and when by reaſon of the confluence o people they could go no further, they got up into two empty carts in Cheapſide, crying, Repent, repent, for Jeſus Chriſt is come to judge the world: And ſo pulling a paper out of their boſoms, they read out of it many things touching the calling and office of Hacket; as how he repreſented Chriſt, by taking part of his glorified body, &c. They likewiſe called themſelves the prophets, one of juſtice, and the other of mercy. The citizens being amazed at them, took Hacket and carried him before a juſtice of the peace, who, after examination, committed him to priſon; and at the ſeſſions, being found guilty of ſedition, and ſpeaking traiterous words againſt queen Elizabeth, he was condemned to die, and hanged on gibbet in Cheapſide, uttering horrible blaſphemy againſt the majeſty of God. Coppinger died the next day in Bridewell, and Arthington afterward made a public recantation. Thus the curſe of Hacket happened to him; for a viſible confuſion came upon him, according to his wiſh.—Beard's Theatre.
XXIX. In the city of Aſtorga, a mother in her rage curſed one of her own ſons with moſt deteſtable maledictions, wiſhing, The devils in hell to take him: and that they would fetch him out of her preſence, with many other horrible execrations; this was about ten o'clock at night, and very dark; the boy at laſt, for fear of her, went into a little court behind the houſe, from whence he was ſuddenly hoiſted up into the air, by men, in appearance, with grim countenance, of large ſtature, loathſome and horrible, and were indeed evil ſpirits of hell; who carried him away with ſuch ſwiftneſs (as he himſelf ​after confeſſed) that it was impoſſible for any bird in the world to fly ſo faſt; and falling down amongſt certain mountains full of buſhes and briars, he was drawn through the thickeſt of them; and being all over torn and rent, both in his cloaths, face and body, he began to call upon God; and to beſeech him for his help and aſſiſtance; upon which theſe cruel wicked fiends were forced to bring him back again through the air, and put him through a little window, in a chamber in his father's houſe, where after much ſearch and grief for him, he was there found in this pitiful condition, and almoſt diſtracted with fear and thus, though they had not power to deprive him of his life, as they have done to others; yet God ſuffered them to afflict the parents in the ſon, to warn them in future to forbear ſuch horrid wickedneſs.
XXX. But above all, that is moſt remarkable which happened in a town of Miſnia, in the year 1552, September 11. where a paſſionate father obſerving his ſon to be ſlack in his buſineſs, wiſhed, He might never ſtir from the place: which he had no ſooner ſpoken, but his ſon ſtuck faſt indeed; nor could by any means poſſible be removed, no not ſo much as to fit or bend his body, till by the frequent prayers of ſome good Chriſtians his pains were mitigated, though not remitted; three years he continued ſtanding, with a poſt at his back, for his eaſe; and four years ſitting; at the end whereof he died; nothing weakened in his underſtanding, put profeſſing the faith, and not doubting of his ſalvation through Jeſus Chriſt: when he was demanded at any time how he did, his anſwer uſually was, That he was faſtened of God, and that it was not in man, but the mercy of God only muſt releaſe him.—Clark's Exampl. 1 vol.
​XXXI. John Peter, ſon-in-law to Alexander the cruel keeper of Newgate, being a moſt horrible ſwearer and blaſphemer, uſed commonly to ſay, If it be not true, I pray God I may rot ere I die, which happened to him; for he rotted away indeed, and ſo died in miſery.
To this may be added a notable example of a certain young gallant, that was a monſtrous ſwearer, who riding in the company of divers gentlemen out of Cornwall, in the days of king Edward the ſixth, he began to curſe and blaſpheme moſt horribly, when one Mr. Hains, a miniſter, with mild words reproved, telling him, He ſhould one day anſwer for it; whereat the gentleman being in a fume, bid him, Take no thought for him, but prepare for his own winding-ſheet: Well, (ſaith the miniſter) Amend, for death gives no warning; as ſoon comes the lamb's ſkin to the market, as an old ſheeps'. God's wounds! (ſaid he) care not thou for me, ſtill raging worſe and worſe, till at length going on their journey, they came to a great bridge, which was made over an arm of the ſea; in paſſing of which this ſwearing gallant ſpurred his horſe with ſuch fury that he leaped clear over the bridge, with the man on his back, who as he was falling, cried out, Horſe and man, and all to the devil. This terrible ſtory biſhop Ridley preached and delivered in a ſermon at Paul's Croſs, and Mr. Hains himſelf reported the truth thereof to Mr. Fox, from whence this is taken.—Acts and Monuments.
XXXII. At a town called St Gallus, in Helvetia, a certain man that earned his living by making foul linen clean, going into a tavern, taſted ſo much of the grape, that in his drunkenneſs he uſed horrible curſings, wiſhing, That if ever he went in the fields again to bis old trade, the devil might break ​his neck; but when ſleep had conquered drink, and ſobriety had reſtored his ſenſes, he went to his buſineſs as formerly, remembering indeed his late words, but not regarding them; howbeit the devil, to ſhew his double diligence attended him in the likeneſs of a big ſwarthy man aſking him, If he had not forget his promiſe and vow which he had made the day before; and likewiſe demanding, whether it were not lawful to break his neck? and withal ſtruck the poor man, trembling with fear, over the ſhoulders, that his feet and hands preſently dried up, and there he lay, not able to ſtir, till he was carried home; the Almighty not giving to Satan ſo much power over him, as he himſelf wiſhed, but yet permitting him to puniſh him in this manner, for his amendment, and our example.—Beard's Theatre.
XXXIII. A man in Lincolnſhire, for every trifle uſed to ſwear by God's precious blood, and would not take warning from his friends, till at length falling into a grievous ſickneſs, he was again much perſuaded by his friends to repent, whoſe counſel he ſtill rejected; and hearing the bell toll, in the very pains of death he ſtarted up, ſwearing, God's wounds! The bell tolls for me, but he ſhall not be me yet; whereupon the blood iſſued out in a moſt fearful manner from all the joints and parts of his body, his ears, mouth, noſe, wriſts, knees, heels, toes, and every where elſe; and ſo he miſerably ended his wretched life.—Mr. Perkins.
XXXIV. Another, for many years together, had a wicked cuſtom of ſwearing by God's arms; in the end his own arm being hurt with a knife, could not by any means be cured, but rankled, and feſtered daily more and more, and at laſt rotted ſo much, that it fell away piecemeal, and himſelf through anguiſh and pain thereof died.—Mr. Philip Stubs.
​XXXV. At Tubinga in Germany, a deſperate boy uſed to invent ſuch new oaths as were not common but it pleaſed God to ſend a canker, or ſome worſe diſeaſe, which eat out his tongue, that inſtrument wherewith he blaſphemed.—German Hiſt.
XXXVI. There was a certain wretch, who in his life time was dreadfully inclined to the horrid ſin of ſwearing, and when he came upon his death-bed, his heart was ſo ſet on fire of hell, and ſo exceedingly filled with enraged madneſs againſt heaven, that he deſperately deſired the ſtanders by to help him with oaths, and to ſwear for him, though he himſelf in the meantime ſwore as faſt and furiouſly as he could.—Mr. Robert Bolton.
XXXVII. One hearing perjury condemned by a miniſter, and how it ſeldom or ever eſcaped unpuniſhed, he in a bravery ſaid, I have often forſworn myſelf, and yet my right hand is no ſhorter than my left; which words he had ſcarcely uttered, when ſuch an inflammation aroſe in that hand, that he was forced to have it immediately cut off, leſt it ſhould have infected the whole body, whereby it ſoon became ſhorter than the other.—Clark's Examples, 1 part.
XXXVIII. A young lady of conſiderable eſtate in Saxony, promiſed marriage to a handſome young man, but of a mean fortune; he foreſeeing that wealth and inconſtancy might alter her mind, freely diſcovered his thoughts to her, whereupon ſhe made a thouſand proteſtations of her conſtancy to him, and as many imprecations upon herſelf, wiſhing, That if ever ſhe married another, that the devil might take her away on the wedding day; yet afterwards a perſon of more wealth making his addreſſes to ​her, the was contracted and married to him; a great marriage feaſt was provided, and while they were at dinner, two men on horſeback came to the houſe, and as ſtrangers were invited to the feaſt: after dinner one of them deſired to lead the bride a dance; and taking her by the hand, led her a turn or two and then, in the preſence of her bridegroom, and all her friends, he caught her up in his arms, ſhe crying in vain for help; and going out of the gate, he hoiſted her up into the air, and vaniſhed away, together with his companions and horſes, ſo that ſhe was never ſeen more.—Sword for ſwearers.
XXXIX A nobleman in Sileſia having invited many gueſts to dinner, and prepared a coſtly and liberal feaſt for them, it happened that inſtead of his friends, he only received their excuſes for not coming, at which the nobleman in great rage broke out into theſe words, Since all thoſe people have thus failed me, I wiſh ſo many devils of hell would feaſt with me to day, and eat up my proviſions made for them; and ſo in fury left his houſe and went to church, where there was a ſermon: He had not been long there, when a great troop of horſemen arrived at his houſe; they were all black, of extraordinary aſpect and ſtature, who alighting in the court, called the groom to take their horſes, and bid another of the ſervants to run preſently to his maſter, and tell him his gueſts wore come: The ſervant amazed, runs to the church, and with ſhort breath, and the little ſenſe he had left, gave his maſter an account of what had fallen out; the nobleman calls to the preacher, and deſires him to break off his ſermon, to help him with his ſpiritual counſel and advice; who perſuades him to order all his ſervants, with what ſpeed they could, ​to depart the houſe. In the mean time, the nobleman with the whole congregation, came within view of the houſe, which the ſervants in great affright had forſaken, but for haſte had forgot and left behind a young child, who was the nobleman's ſon, ſleeping in the cradle. By this time the devils were revelling in the dining room, making a great noiſe, as if they had ſaluted and welcomed one another; they looked through the caſements, one with the head of a wolf, another of a bear, a cat, a tyger, &c. taking bowls, and quaffing, as if they had drank to the maſter of the houſe. By this time the nobleman ſeeing his ſervants ſafe he remembering his ſon, aſked, What was become of the child; theſe words were ſcarce ſpoke, when one of the devils had him in his arms, and ſhewed him out of the window. The father at this ſight, being almoſt without life, ſpying an old ſervant of his, fetched a deep ſigh, and ſaid, Ah me! what ſhall become of the infant? The ſervant ſeeing his maſter in that extaſy replied, Sir, by God's help I will enter the houſe, and fetch the child out of the power of that devil, or periſh with him: To whom his lord ſaid, God proſper thy attempt, and ſtrengthen thee in thy purpoſe; The miniſter then likewiſe bleſſing him, he goes into the houſe; and coming into the next room where the devils were then rioting, he fell upon his knees, and commended himſelf to the protection of heaven: then preſſing in among them, he beheld them in their horrible ſhapes; ſome ſitting, ſome ſtanding, ſome walking, then they all came about him at once, and asked him, What buſineſs he had there; He in a great ſweat and agony, yet reſolved in his purpoſe, came to the ſpirit that held the infant, and ſaid, by the name of God deliver this child to me; who anſwered, No, but let thy maſter come and fetch him who hath moſt intereſt in ​him; the ſervant replied, I am now come to do that office and ſervice to which God hath called me by virtue of which, and by his power do I ſeize upon the innocent; and ſo ſnatching him from the devil, took him in his arms, and carried him out of the room; at which they clamoured, and called aloud after him, Ho thou knave, ho thou knave, leave the child to us, or we will tear thee in pieces; but he unterrified with their diabolical threatnings, brought away the infant, and delivered it to the father. After ſome few days the ſpirits left the houſe, and the nobleman returned to his antient poſſeſſion. Now, tho' the devils had no power to hurt any body, but only deſtroyed the victuals; yet it may be a warning to prevent wicked and raſh wiſhes and curſes. This hiſtory though it may ſeem very ſtrange, yet is related by Beard in his Theatre, Heywood of Angels, and ſeveral other credible authors, for an undoubted truth.
XL Godwin earl of Kent, in the reign of Edward the Confeſſor, 1055, ſitting at table with the king, it happened that one of the cup-bearers ſtumbled, but did not fall, whereat Godwin laughing, ſaid, That if one brother had not helpt another (meaning his legs) all the wine had been ſpilt: With which words the king calling to mind his brother's death, who was ſlain by Godwin, anſwered, So ſhould my brother Alfred have helped me, had it not been for Godwin; whereat Godwin fearing the king's new kindled diſpleaſure, excuſed himſelf by many words, and at laſt ſaid, If I be any way guilty of Alfred's death, I pray God I may never ſwallow down a morſel of bread more; but he ſwore falſly, as the judgment of God declared, for he was immediately choaked in the preſence of the king, before hr ſtirred one foot from the place.—Beard's Theat.
​XLI. In the days of Queen Mary, John Cooper, an honeſt religious man, was falſly accuſed by one Grimwood for treaſon, in ſpeaking ſome words againſt the queen, and was accordingly put to death; but this perjured villain did not long eſcape divine vengeance; for being ſhortly after about his labour in the harveſt, and in good health, his bowels ſuddenly tell out of his body, and ſo he miſerably died.—Acts and Monuments.
XLII. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, Thomas Lovelace, by forged letters, ſought to have three of his couſin-germans brought into queſtion for their lives, about matters of high treaſon; but the malice and forgery of this wicked buſineſs being found out, the falſe accuſer had judgment to be carried on horſe back about Weſtminster-Hall, with his face to the horſe tail, and a paper on his back containing his offence: from thence to be carried in the ſame manner, and ſet on the pillory in the Palace Yard, and there to have one of his ears cut off; alſo to be ſet on the pillory on a market day in Cheapſide with the like paper; after that to be carried into Kent, and at the next aſſizes there to be ſet on the pillory with like paper, and his other ear to be there cut off; alſo to ſtand in the pillory one market day at Canterbury, and another at Rocheſter; and in all theſe places his offence to be openly read; which ſentence was accordingly executed, and may be rather thought too mild against ſuch villains, as by forgery, perjury, and falſe ſwearing ſhall endeavour to destroy innocent perſons—Stow's Annals.
XLII. Narciſſus, Biſhop of Jeruſalem, though a man famous for his virtues and faithfulneſs in the reproof and correction of vice, was yet maliciouſly and falſly accuſed of incontinency; there were ​three of theſe wicked and ſuborned varlets, who bound their accuſations with oath and fearful imprecations upon themſelves: the firſt of theſe, at the cloſe of his teſtimony, added. If I ſay not the truth, I pray God I may periſh by fire: the ſecond ſaid, If I ſpeak any thing of falſehood, I pray God I may be conſumed by ſome filthy and cruel diſeaſe: and ſaid the third, If I accuſe him falſely. I pray God I my loſe my ſight, and become blind: this wicked charge, although it was not believed by ſuch as knew the great integrity of the biſhop; yet the good man, partly for grief to lie under ſuch a ſcandal, and partly to retire himſelf from worldly affairs, left his biſhoprick, and lived privately: but his forſworn accuſers eſcaped not the all-ſeeing juſtice of heaven, for the firſt, according to his imprecation, had his houſe ſet on fire (it is unknown how) and was therein himſelf, together with his family, burnt to aſhes; the ſecond languished away under a foul and lothſome diſeaſe: the third ſeeing the woful ends of his companions, confeſſed all the complotted villany; and lamenting his caſe and crime, he continued weeping ſo long, till he utterly loſt his ſight: and thus God ſaid Amen to all that they had wickedly and preſumptuouſly wiſhed upon themſelves—Euſebius lib. 6.
XLIV. Uladiſlaus, King of Poland and Hungary, had fortunately fought againſt the Turks at the mountain Haemus, and taken Carambey, the general of their army, by means of which victory, he occaſioned Amurath, emperor of the Turks, to ſue for peace, which was agreed to upon honourable and advantageous terms, and was ſolemnly ſworn to by the King of Poland, upon the holy evangeliſts, and by Amurath's ambaſſadors in behalf of their maſter, upon the Turkiſh alcoran. This ​being known to the pope and other Chriſtian princes they ſaid, It was unſeaſonable, unprofitable, and diſhonourable: whereupon the Cardinal Julian is ſent by the pope as his legate, to break the peace, and to abſolve the king from his oath: the young king therefore by their perſuaſion, breaks the league, and undertakes the war, with greater preparations and vigour than formerly, advancing with his army to Varna, a city upon the Pontick ſhore, doing all the miſchief he was able to the enemy's country; which as ſoon as the great Turk underſtood, he returns out of Cilicia, and enters battle with the Chriſtians; where at the firſt the Turks were beaten, and retired with great ſlaughter, being almoſt ready to fly: Amurath ſeeing all brought into extreme danger, beholding the picture of Chriſt crucified in the diſplayed enſigns of the Chriſtians, he pluckt the writing out of his boſom, wherein the late league was compriſed, and holding it in his hand with his eyes caſt up to heaven, he ſaid; Behold, thou crucified Chriſt, this is the league thy Chriſtians in thy name made with me, which they have without cauſe broken; now, if thou be a God, as they ſay thou art, and as we dream, revenge the wrong now done unto thy name and me, and ſhew thy power upon the perjured people, who in their deeds deny thee their God: It was not long after this, but the fortune of the battle was quite changed, for King Uladiſlaus was ſlain, his head cut off by a janizary, and faſtened to end of a lance; proclamation was made that it was the head of the Chriſtian king, by which the reſt were ſo daunted, that they fled; Julian the legate alſo, who exhorted to this war, was ſlain, and his dead body expoſed to the ſcorn and contempt of the common ſoldiers, for that being a prieſt, he had contrary to the law of nations adviſed, and perſuaded ​to break the peace. This battle was fought 1444—Turkiſh Hiſt.
XLV. In the year 1070, or thereabout, there aroſe ſo great a difference between the emperor, Henry the 4th, and Pope Gregory the 5th, that the Pope excommunicated him, and depriving him of his Imperial dignity, cauſed Rodulphus Duke of Swevia to be made Emperor in his ſtead; after which, there happened a great battle between them at the river Elleſter, where the Emperor Henry had the victory: Rodulphus by a terrible blow, had his right arm ſtruck off from his body, at which he cried out, Behold, O Nobles, that right hand of mine which I gave to my Lord Henry, in confirmation of the fidelity I had ſworn to him; which with notwithſtanding, contrary to all juſtice and equity I have violated, and am now thus juſtly puniſhed.—Zuing. Theat. vol. 2. lib. 7.
XLVI. Burghard, Archbiſhop of Magdeburg, though in regard of his place and profeſſion he ought to have given good example, and to have puniſhed perjury in others, yet he thrice broke his promiſe and oath to his own citizens, the ſenate and people of Magdeburg; for first he beſieged them with a great army, and though they redeemed their liberty with a ſum of money, he ſwearing not to beſiege them any more, yet without any regard to faith or honeſty he returned afreſh to the ſiege, but his perfidiouſneſs did not proſper, for he was taken priſoner at the next aſſault; yet he ſo appeaſed them with his humble carriage and demeanour, together with his repeated oaths never to trouble them any more, but to continue their ſtedfaſt friend for the future, that they not only freed him from his impriſonment, but reſtored ​him to all his dignities with great ſolemnity. Nevertheleſs the traiterous archbishop returning to his old vomit, procured a diſpenſation for his oath from Pope John the 23d, and began again to moleſt, vex, and murder the citizens whom he had vowed to protect; but vengeance at laſt overtook him, for being catched once again, and impriſoned, while his friends were treating for his liberty, the jailor beat him to death with the bar of a door, or as ſome ſay, with an iron rod out of a window, and ſo at laſt his perjury found its deſert—Beard's Theatre.
XLVII. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, there was one Anne Avery, a widow, who foreſwore herſelf for a little money which ſhe ſhould have paid for ſix pound of flax, at a ſhop in Woodſtreet, upon which ſhe was ſuddenly ſurprized by the juſtice of God, and fell down immediately ſpeechleſs, caſting up at her mouth what nature had ordained to paſs another way, and in this agony died.—Clark's Examples.
XLVIII. About the beginning of April, 1661, a woman in Derby-ſhire having couzened a boy of ſome money, was charged with it, but the ſtiffly denied it, and being further urged to confeſs the truth, ſhe in a fearful manner prayed God, That the earth might open and ſwallow her up quick if ſhe had it; and immediately the earth opened, and ſhe ſank into it, and being afterwards digged for, they found her nine foot within the earth, and that very money was found in her pocket.—Clark's Exam. vol. 2.
XLIX. In the year 1551, five drunken men quaffing together in the kingdom of Bohemia, ​profaned the name of God with horrible blaſphemies, and the picture of the devil painted upon the wall, they carouſed healths to him, which the devil pledged ſoon after; for the next morning all five were found dead, their necks being broken, and quaſhed to pieces, as though a wheel had gone over them, blood running out of their mouths, noſtrils, and ears, to the great aſtoniſhment of the ſpectators. Johan Fincel.
L. Not many years ſince, two men contended together, who ſhould pour forth moſt blaſphemies againſt God, but whilſt they were exerciſing this deviliſh contention, one of them was ſtrucken with madneſs, and ſo continued to his life's end,
In the ſame manner ſeveral young men at Rome agreed together that he ſhould have the victory, who could ſwear moſt; but as ſoon as they entered into this wicked ſtrife, one of them was deprived of the uſe of his tongue, another of his reaſon and underſtanding, and the reſt remained for ſome time as dead men, God reſerving them alive for repentance.—Beard's Theatre.
LI. At Eſſinga in Germany, a certain nobleman having loſt much money at play; fell into horrible execrations and blaſphemies, and commanded his man to bring him his horſe, that he might ride home in a very dark night; his ſervant diſſuaded him from his journey, affirming how dangerous the way was, by reaſon of the waters and fens that lay in the midſt, whereat he began to rage and ſwear the more, and reſolved to go, but as he was riding along, he was encountered by the way with an army of infernal ſoldiers, or evil ſpirits, who beſet the nobleman on every ſide, and threw him from his horſe; now there was in his company a virtuous ​and valiant gentleman, who ſet him again on his horſe, and held him on one ſide, whom when the ſpirits durſt not attempt, by reaſon of his innocence, they vaniſhed out of ſight; the nobleman was carried into a monaſtry hard by, where he lay three days and died; ſuch many times is the end of horrible, and fearful blaſphemers.—Luciernus.
LII. A vintner who accuſtomed himſelf to blaſpheming, ſwearing and drunkenneſs, and delighted to entertain ſuch as were like himſelf to ſwallow his wine, upon the Lord's day ſtanding at the door with a pot in his hand, to call in more gueſts, there came ſuddenly a violent whirlwind, and carried him up into the air, in the ſight of all men, and he was never ſeen more.—Beard's Theatre.
LIII. Lamentable is the relation of what happened in Holland in June 1681, as it is written by Theodorus Paludamus, a Proteſtant miniſter at Lewarden in Friezland, which may ſerve for a terror to all wretched ſwearers and drunkards; a perſon named Dowee Sitſes, a maſon in that country, being reported to be in a deſperate condition, I accompanied a gentleman who was ſent to him by order from the lords of the provincial, where we found two maſter chirurgions, and their two ſervants buſy in making plaſters, and dreſſing the patient, and he in ſuch a lamentable condition, as we could not behold but with amazement, his hair was burnt off his head to his ears; his whole face burnt except his eyes, his arms burnt in ſeveral places, his hands to the ends of his fingers were burnt like a roaſted fowl, but could move all his fingers, his breast and back burnt in ſeveral places, and yet his ſhirt whole, his belly under the navel, for about the breadth of an hand was as black as a ​ſtock, in which place the chirurgions made ſeveral inciſions, and he felt it not, his privities, hips, thighs, and legs were terribly burnt, yet not his ſtockings, Iris feet were alſo burnt, and indeed no part was free, ſo that he was a woful ſight: After the patient was dreſt and had got a little breath, both he and his wife gave a full account of the following paſſages upon oath; upon the 15th of June at evening, this Dowee Sitſes came drunk into a tavern, where he with the man of the houſe, and another drank three quarts of wine, and coming home at ten at night, he lay down to ſleep upon cuſhions in the kitchen, and fell into a dream about a ſtory he had read in a book of Simon de Uries, of a certain company that danced in maſquerade, with every one a lighted torch in their hand, wherewith they burnt one another; whereupon he waked, and ſtood up, thinking to go into the yard to make water, and of a ſudden be found himſelf of a light flame in the midſt of the room, which burnt him thus dreadfully, and ſome part of his cloaths; upon which he cried out for help, but none came; then he began to faint, and in his diſtreſs cried out; O God, be gracious unto me poor ſinner, and thereupon the flame ceaſed in the twinkling of an eye; but he growing faint, laid his head upon a cuſhion in the room. About two in the morning his wife came down and found him in that ſad condition, and felt ſomething under her feet, which was like a parcel of red aſhes and burnt rags, and taking hold of her huſband, had only a burnt piece of his ſleeve in her hand, whereupon ſhe cries out, O Lord, Dowee, thou art grievouſly burnt: he anſwered, The devil hath brought me in this caſe, upon which ſhe called in the neighbours and chirurgions; his wife ſaid he had been much given to drunkenneſs, and often reproved in vain ​by the miniſters that he drank much brandy, and other ſtrong liquors, though he had often ſworn againſt it, and uſually curſed himſelf, Wiſhing that if he were drunk again, the devil might tear him limb from limb, ſo that God made uſe of the devil as an executioner of his judgment to bring the miſerable man's own curſe upon him, not one limb or member being left upon him.—Drunkard forewarned.
LIV. Remarkable is the relation, of undoubted credit, (and with which we ſhall conclude this chapter) of the dreadful judgment that happened upon one John Duncalf, of Kings-Swinford in Staffordſhire, who in January 1677, coming to the houſe of Humphrey Baby at Grangewell, about three miles from Wolverhampton, he begged of the woman victuals and drink, who formerly knowing him, and compaſſionating his condition, freely gave it him; but while ſhe was ſtooping to draw him ſome drink, he ſtole her bible, and ſold it afterwards for three ſhillings, to a maid not far off, whereby the woman came to hear of it, and paying her the money, received it again, but could not hear what was become of the man; but a while after John Duncalf hearing it diſcourſed, that he ſtole a bible, grew very angry, and gave out theatning words againſt a young man that reported it, but being ſeverely charged with it, he did not only deny it with ſome fierceneſs, but execrated, and curſed himſelf, wiſhing his hands might rot off if it were true, which words he had no ſooner uttered, but by his own confeſſion to divers that came to ſee him in his miſerable condition, he ſaid, That immediately thereupon he had an inward horror and trembling upon him, a dread and fear of the divine majeſty and juſtice of God; which fear and working ​of his conſcience, continued many days after: and being aſked upon this ingenuous acknowledgement, Why he did not confeſs his wickedneſs, and endeavour that the Bible might be reſtored to the owner, he anſwered, The devil and his own heart would not ſuffer him; but acknowledged, That within a few days after his curſing himſelf, his fleſh began to look black at the wriſts of his hands, and ſo continued divers weeks before it did ſenſibly rot, when he finding himſelf weak and faint, and fearing an ague, was going to his acquaintance, but not being able to go further, he laid himſelf down in a barn, and there continued two days and nights before he was found, from whence he was removed to another barn near Wolverhampton, and had a keeper appointed him; his fleſh began firſt to riſe in great knots and lumps at his wriſts and knees, and to break and run, and after to ſhrink from the bones, at which time white putrid matter came out abundantly, cauſing exquiſite pain and torment, and the ſmell was to offenſive for ſeveral weeks together, that thoſe who came to viſit him (who were many thouſands) were not able to abide the place, nor ſtand near without door, except they had herbs, or other things to ſmell to: after this many little worms came out of his rotten fleſh, and ſoon after both his legs fell off at his knees, and then both his hands; he conſtantly acknowledging it to be the juſt judgment of God for this fearful curſing of himſelf, and for all his other ſins, deſiring the prayers of ſome reverend divines, who came to viſit him in his miſery, That God would give him repentance, and pardon his ſins of idleneſs, ſtealing, lying, curſing, ſwearing, drunkenneſs, unclean thoughts, and conſtant profaneneſs, and that he would ſave him for Chriſt's ſake, and give him patience in the mean time. Thus he continued a ​dreadful ſpectacle of divine juſtice for ſome weeks, and then died, and may be looked upon as a monument of God's ſeverity and that although ſentence againſt every evil work is always executed ſpeedily, yet God leaves not himſelf without witneſs in this, as well as in former ages against atheiſm and impiety; and particularly againſt blaſphemers, ſcoffers, ſwearers, curſers, and perjured perſons, as manifeſtly appears by the foregoing dreadful examples.
CHAP. II.
THAT there are really magicians, conjurers, and witches, who have commerce, and familiaty with evil ſpirits, is ſo clear and plain, both from holy Scripture, councils, canons and civil laws in all nations, that none but thoſe Atheiſts who would endeavour to perſuade themſelves there are no ſpirits, and conſequently no other life after this, ever denied it; but ſince the reality of this converſe with demons, and their appearances, and poſſeſſions has been ſo clearly demonſtrated in former ages, but eſpecially in this, by perſons of moſt acute judgment and learning, wherein they ​have fully anſwered all objections to the contrary, I ſhall not now engage in the leaſt in the controverſy, but ſhall only give an account of the miſerable deaths of ſome perſons mentioned in hiſtory, who were concerned in theſe curſed arts, and likewiſe of ſome remarkable apparitions, and actions of evil ſpirits, and their taking poſſeſſion of the bodies of ſeveral perſons, and tormenting them, with ſeveral other ſtrange fears, and illuſions of Satan, as I have collected them from very credible and approved authors, together with the danger of thoſe who are ſo vainly curious in knowing future events, as to enquire or aſk counſel of any of theſe ſorcerers, which is ſo ſtrictly forbid in the law of Moſes.
I. Saul, the firſt king of Iſrael, being much diſturbed in mind for fear of the army of the Philiſtines, which came againſt him, would by all means know aforehand the iſſue of this doubtful war, now whereas before, whilſt he performed the duty of a good king, and obeyed the commandments of God; he had cleaned his realm of witches and inchanters; yet he is now ſo ſenſeleſs, as in his extremity to aſk counſel of them, adding this wickedneſs to all the reſt of his ſins, that the meaſure thereof might be full; he went therefore to a witch to know his fate, who cauſed a devil to appear to him in the ſhape of Samuel, and foretel him of God's juſt judgment upon him in the final ruin and deſtruction of himſelf and his family.
II. An example not much unlike this in the event we find recorded of Natholicus, the thirty-firſt king of the Scots, who after he had unjuſtly uſurped the crown and ſcepter, and by much bloodſhed had obtained the throne of that kingdom without any legal right or title thereunto, he endeavoured ​by the ſame means to confirm and eſtabliſh the government to himſelf, and therefore, as guilt is always accompanied with ſuſpicion and fear, he ſent one of his truſtieſt ſervants to a witch, to enquire of things to come, both how long he ſhould enjoy the crown, and how many years he ſhould live; the witch anſwered, That he ſhould not live long, but ſhould ſhortly be murdered, not by his enemy but by his familiar friend; and when the meſſenger was very earneſt to know who ſhould kill him, ſhe anſwered, He himſelf ſhould do it; the man at firſt heard this with deteſtation, abhoring the thought of any ſuch villany, yet at length conſidering that it was not ſafe to diſcover the witches anſwer, and on the other ſide that it could not be long concealed, he reſolved, for his own ſecurity, rather to kill the tyrant with the favour of many, than to ſave him alive with the hazard of his own head; therefore as ſoon as he was returned home, he deſired the king that he might ſpeak with him in private about the witch's anſwer, and there he ſuddenly ſlew him, and gave him his juſt deſert, both for his horrible cruelty, and wicked ſorcery. Let all thoſe that make no conſcience of running to witches, either for loſt goods, recovery of their own or friends health, or upon any other occaſion, remember this example, either for their inſtruction to amend, or for their terror if they continue that deviliſh practice.—Buchan, hiſt. Scot. lib. 4.
III. As divers very worthy authors have credibly related ſeveral wicked actions committed by magicians, and witches, ſo ſome of them have recorded the manner of their entering themſelves into that curſed profeſſion, and the ceremonies thereof, as they have been diſcovered by thoſe who have renounced thoſe deteſtable practices, which it may ​not be improper here briefly to relate. The wizards and witches being met at a place and time appointed, the devil there appears to them in human ſhape, admoniſhing them to be faithful, and promiſing them ſucceſs and length of life; then thoſe that are preſent recommend the perſon who is to be entered; the devil then requires him to renounce the Chriſtian faith, and ſacraments, and giving him his hand, tells him that this alone is not ſufficent, but that he muſt worſhip him likewiſe, and give himſelf to him body and ſoul for ever, and bring as many as poſſibly he can into the ſame ſociety, and that he muſt prepare himſelf certain ointments, and then be confirmed therein.
IV. Manlius writes, that in the year 1553, two witches ſtole a neighbour's child, and murdering it, cut it in pieces, and put it into a kettle to boil, when the ſorrowful mother looking for her infant, came by chance into the houſe, and found the limbs thereof horribly conſumed, for which abominable fact the authors of it were burnt, having confeſſed this their villany.
V. Another author ſays, two other witches are reported to have killed abundance of children, and that in Germany eight witches were taken, who confeſſed they had murdered an hundred and forty five children in making their ointments; they are alſo reported to have each of them a ſpirit or imp attending on them, who are to aſſiſt and obey them in all things, and to give them notice of their ſolemn meetings or appointments at which time, it is ſaid, they ſeparate themſelves from all company, and night being come, they ſtrip-themſelves naked, and anoint themſelves with their ointments, then ​are they carried out of the houſe, either by the window, door, or chimney, mounted on their imps, to their meeting-place, which is ſometimes many hundred miles from their dwellings, where they find great numbers of wizards and witches arrived by the ſame means, who all make their accuſtomed reverence to Lucifer in his throne, adoring him, proclaiming him their lord, and rendering him all honour, as their king; this ſolemnity being finiſhed, they ſit at a table, where no delicate meats are wanting to pleaſe their appetites, after which they dance, and the incubuſſes in the ſhape of proper men ſatisfy the luſts of the witches, and the ſuccubuſſes ſerve for whores to the wizards; ſometimes at their ſolemn aſſemblies the devil commands each to tell what wickedneſs he hath done, and according to the deteſtableneſs thereof, he is honoured and applauded: Theſe, and many other ſuch wonderful things are mentioned by authors of good credit, and ſeveral perſons have made confeſſion, and given an account thereof.
VI. In the year 1645, one Rebecca Jones, being ſuſpected for a witch, was brought before Sir Harbottle Grimſtone and Sir Thomas Bows, juſtices of the peace for Eſſex, to whom ſhe voluntarily confeſſed, That about twenty-five years before, living with one John Biſhop in that county, there came one morning to the door a very handſome young man as ſhe then thought, but now be thinks it was the devil, who aſked her how ſhe did, an deſired to ſee her left wriſt, and then be took a pin from her ſleeve and pricked it twice, and there came out drop of blood, which he took upon his finger and departed, and going a while after to St Oſyths, ſhe met a man in a ragged ſuit, with ſuch great eyes, as much affrighted her, who came to her, and gave her three ​things like to moles, having four feet apiece, but no tails, and black, and bid her nurſe them till he deſired them again. She aſked what ſhe muſt give them; he anſwered milk, and that they would not hurt her, but would avenge her on her enemies, and bid her murder ſome, but not too many, and he would forgive her, and then went away; after which ſhe ſaid, She ſent one of theſe imps to kill a ſow of one Benjamin Hows, which was done accordingly; ſhe then with one Joyce Beanes, did ſend each of them an imp to kill one Thomas Brunſtead of St Oſyths, who died about three weeks after, and ſhe believes the two imps killed him; ſhe confeſt likewiſe that ſhe ſent another of her imps to Brunſtead's houſe to kill his wife, and that the reaſon of her offence against them, was becauſe they beat a ſon of hers upon a ſmall occaſion; for these and other villanies this woman was arraigned at Chelmsford, and upon her own confeſſion condemned and hanged—Inform. of witches.
VII. There was a conjurer at Saltzburg in Germany, who boaſted that he could gather together all the ſerpents within half a mile round about, into a ditch, and feed them, and bring them up there; and being about the experiment, behold the old and grand ſerpent came in the while, which whilſt he thought by the force of his charms to make enter into the ditch among the reſt, he ſet upon him, and incloſed him round about like a girdle, ſo strongly, that he drew him by force into the ditch with him, where he miſerably died; and ſo this juggler was couzened by the devil, who was more cunning than himſelf.—Beard's Theatre.
VIII. Lamentable was the death of the governor of Maſcon, a magician, whom the devil ſnatched up ​while he was at dinner, and carried into the air, three times round about the town of Maſcon, in the ſight of many ſpectators, to whom he cried out, Help, help my friends; ſo that the whole town ſtood amazed thereat; yea, the remembrance of this ſtrange accident continued in the minds of the inhabitants in and about that country long after with horror. It was reported, that this wretch had given himſelf to the devil, and had provided ſtore of holy bread (as they called it) which he always carried about with him thinking thereby to ſecure himſelf from him; but it ſerved to little purpoſe, as the ſequel declared.
IX. About the year 1437, Charles VII. being King of France, Sir Giles of Britain, high conſtable of France, was accuſed for having murdered above an hundred and threeſcore infants, and women with child, with whoſe blood he writ, or cauſed be written, books full of conjuration, hoping by ſuch abominable practices to obtain great preferment, but it happened quite contrary to his expectation; for being convicted of theſe horrible crimes, (it being the divine will that ſuch groſs and horrid iniquities ſhould not go unpuniſhed) he was condemned to be hanged and burnt to death, which was accordingly executed upon him at Nants by the authority of the Duke of Brittany.—Beard's Theatre
X. Johan. Mirandula ſaith, that there was in his time a conjurer, who promiſed to preſent to a curious, but no very wiſe prince, the ſiege of Troy, and Hector and Achilles fighting together as if they were alive upon a ſtage, but he could not be ſo good as his word; for while he was practiſing his ​helliſh arts to this purpoſe, he was carried away alive by the devil, and never after heard of.
XI. It is not long ſince that there was a man called Coulen, living in Lorrain, who was given over to this curſed art of necromancy, and amongſt other wonderful feats, he would ſuffer muſkets and piſtols to be ſhot at him, and would catch the bullets in his hands without receiving any hurt; but one time it happened, that one of his ſervants being angry with him, ſtruck him ſuch a blow with a piſtol, that notwithſtanding all his cunning, he was killed therewith.—Beard's Theatre.
XII. There was within the memory of our fathers (ſaith Camerarius) John Fauſtus of Cundligon, a German, who had learned the black art at Cracovia in Poland, he meeting one day at the table with ſome who had heard much of his magical tricks, was earneſtly entreated by the company to ſhow them ſome ſport, and being overcome in the end by the importunity of his pot-companions, who were alſo well armed in the head, promiſed to ſhew them whatſoever they would have; they, with a general conſent, require him to bring into the place a vine laden with ripe grapes, ready to be gathered; for they thought, becauſe it was in the month of December, Fauſtus could not ſhow them that which was not; yet he condeſcended to them, ſaying, That immediately before they ſtirred from the table, they should ſee the vine they deſired; but upon this condition, that they ſhould not ſpeak a word, nor offer to riſe from their places, but ſhould all tarry till he bid them eat the grapes, and that whoſoever ſhould do otherwiſe, was in danger to loſe his life: they having all promiſed to obey him, Fauſtus ſo charmed the eyes of theſe drunken revellers, that ​they ſaw, as it ſeemed to them, a marvellous goodly vine, and upon the ſame ſo many bunches of ripe grapes, extraordinary fair, as there were men ſitting at the table, who being inflamed with ſuch rare dainties, and very dry with much drinking, every man takes his knife in his hand, looking when Fauſtus would give the word, and bid them cut the cluſter; but he having held them a while in ſuſpence about this vain piece of witchcraft, behold all the vine and the bunches of grapes were in the turn of a hand quite vaniſhed away; and every one of theſe drunken companions, thinking he had a cluſter of grapes in his hand, ready to lop off, was ſeen to hold his own noſe with one hand, and the ſharp knife with the other, ready to cut it off; ſo that if any of them had forgot the conjurer's leſſon, and had been never ſo little too forward, inſtead of cutting a bunch of grapes, he had whipt off his own noſe; this wicked wretch is reported to have led about with him an evil ſpirit, in the likeneſs of a dog; and being at Wittenburg, an order was ſent from the emperor to ſeize him, but by his magical deluſions, he made his eſcape, and afterward being at dinner at Noremburg, he was ſecretly ſenſible by an extraordinary ſweat which came upon him, that he was beſet; whereupon he ſuddenly paid his reckoning, and went away, but was hardly out of the city walls ere the ſerjeants and other officers came to apprehend him; yet divine vengeance followed him, for coming into an inn, in a village of the dukedom of Wittenburg, he ſate very ſad, and his hoſt demanding the cauſe thereof, he anſwered, That he would not have him affrighted, if he heard great noiſe and ſhaking of the houſe that night, which happened according to his own prediction; for in the morning he was found dead by his bedſide, with his neck wrung ​behind him, and the houſe wherein he lay was beaten to the ground.—Wanly hiſt. Man.
XIII. Fazelus writes, that a certain Sicilian called Lyodor, a moſt notorious magician, got himſelf great repute in the city of Catania, by his wonderful illuſions, for he ſeemed by the extraordinary working of his charms and ſpells, to transform men into brute beaſts, and to beſtow upon all things elſe ſuch forms and likeneſs as himſelf pleaſed; and by general report, he drew to him, as ſoon, and as eaſily, perſons that were diſtant from thence many days journey, as thoſe that were in the ſame place; he did alſo many injuries and ſhameful outrages to the citizens of Catania, ſo that the common people, bewitched with a fearful and falſe opinion, fell to worſhipping of him; and when for his wicked deeds he was condemned to die, he, by virtue of his charms, eſcaped out of the hangman's hands, cauſing himſelf to be carried in the air by devils from Catania to Conſtantinople, and after that brought back again from thence into Sicily: this made him admired of all the people, who imagining the divine power was laid up in him, they ran into an horrible error, offering him divine honour: but at laſt Leo, Bishop of Catania, inſpired with a ſudden zeal, laid hands on this deviliſh magician, in an open place, before all the people, and cauſed him to be caſt alive into an hot burning furnace, where he was conſumed to aſhes.—Schotus Phil. Curioſ.
XIV. In the year 1558, in a village near to Ibena in Germany, a certain magician being inſtructed by the devil, in the compoſition of divers herbs, reſtored many to their healths: he had daily commerce with evil ſpirits, and uſed their counſels in ​the curing of diſeaſes, but it happened that there was ſome difference betwixt him and a neighbour of his, a carpenter, who ſo exaſperated him by ſome urging words, that in a few days after he cauſed the poor carpenter, by his magical arts, to fall into grievous diſeaſe: the poor carpenter ſent for this magician, and intreated him to help him in his extremity: the magician, under pretence of friendſhip, though with inward deſign of revenge, gave him a potion compoſed of ſuch venomous herbs and roots that the man by taking it ſoon after died; whereupon the carpenter's wife accuſed the magician of murdering her huſband, and the cauſe is heard before the ſenate of Ibena, who, upon examination of all circumſtances, cauſed him to confeſs the murder, and many other villanies; for which he was faſtened to a ſtake, and burnt to death.—Beard's Theatre.
XV. Delrio, in his magical diſcourſes, gives this relation: Two magicians met together in the Queen of England's court, as I have it from unqueſtioned witneſſes; theſe two agreed, that in any one thing they ſhould infallibly obey one another; the one therefore commands the other to thruſt his head out of the caſement of a window, which he had no ſooner done, but a large pair of ſtag's horns were ſeen planted on his forehead, to the great pleaſure of the ſpectators, who joked upon him with a thouſand abuſes and mocks; he reſenting the diſgrace, and thirſting after revenge, when his turn came to be obeyed, he with a charcoal drew the lineaments of a man upon the wall, and then commanded the ſame magician to ſtand under that picture, that the wall ſhould immediately give place to receive him; the other apprehensive of the extreme danger he was in, began to beſeech him that ​he would excuſe him; but the other abſolutely refuſed: being therefore compelled, he ſtands under it, and then the wall ſeemed to open, and he being entered therein, was never afterward ſeen more.
The ſame author ſets down another relation as a matter of undoubted truth; a notable conjurer, for a trial of his great ſkill, had cut off the head of the inn-keeper's ſervant where he lodged; and when he was about to ſet it on again, he perceived he was hindered by the preſence of another magician, that chanced to be by at the time: he therefore beſought him that he would not oppoſe him; but the other not regarding his requeſt, the firſt magician cauſed a lily to ſpring out upon the top of the table, and when he had chopped off the head of it, together with its flowers, upon a ſudden, down falls the magician that hindered him, headleſs to the ground; that done, he ſets on the head of the ſervant again, and ſpeedily conveys himſelf away, leſt he ſhould he queſtioned for the murder of his rival.—Delrio Diſquiſ. Magic.
XVI. There was a young man at Friburg in Germany, who, by the help of a magician, hoped to enjoy a young woman whom he earneſtly loved; the devil appeared to him in the likeneſs of the ſame maid, and the young man putting forth his hand without the inchanted circle to embrace her, was preſently graſped of the wicked Spirit, who cruſhed him againſt a wall, and made the pieces of him fly every way round about, and caſt the remainder of the dead body ſo torn in pieces at the conjurer, who therewith fell down in the place much bruiſed, and not able to ſtir from thence, till ſome hearing a cry and noiſe, ran to him, took him up, and carried him away half dead.—Camorarius Ox. Sul.
​XVII. Bladud, the ſon of Lud, king of Britain, (now called England,) who, as our late hiſtories report, built the city of Bath, and likewiſe made the baths therein; this king addicted himſelf ſo much to the deviliſh art of necromancy, that he wrought wonders thereby, inſomuch, that he made himſelf wings, attempted to fly (as is related of Dedalus) but the devil, who was always a deceiver, forſook him in his flight, ſo that he fell down and broke his neck.—Beard's Theatre.
XVIII Philip Melancthon reporteth, that he had an account from two men of good credit and repute, that a certain young woman of Botonia, two years after her death, returned again in human ſhape, and went up and down the houſe, and ſat at meat with them, but eat little; this young woman being one time in company among other virgins, a magician came into the place, who being ſkilful in diabolical arts, he told the people about her, That that woman was but a dead carcaſe, carried about by the devil; and preſently he took from under her right arm-pit the charm; which he had no ſooner done, but ſhe fell down a dead carcaſe.—Phil. Melanct.
XIX. Not long ſince at Stetin, an univerſity of Pomerania, there was a young ſtudent, who, upon ſome diſcontent, gave himſelf to the devil, and made a bond upon the contract; which, that it might not come to the knowledge of any, he laid up in one of his books; but it pleaſed God ſome time after that another ſtudent wanting that book upon ſome occaſion, knew not where to get it, at laſt he remembered that ſuch an one had it, and thereupon went to him, and borrowed it of him; the young man having forgotten that he had put his bond into it: the other, when he came home, began to turn over ​the book, and there met with the bond; and reading of it, was much affrighted; and not knowing what to do, he went to Dr. Cramerus, profeſſor of divinity in that univerſity, to ask his advice; who wiſhed him to keep the bond; the other replied, He durſt not; then ſaid the doctor, Bring it to me, and I will keep it. Some few nights after, as the doctor was in his ſtudy, the devil came rapping at his ſtudy door, ſaying, Cramer, Cramer, Give me my bond, for it belongs to me, and thou haſt nothing to do with it; to whom the doctor anſwered, Satan, thou ſhalt not have the bond; thou haſt nothing to do with it; I have put t where thou canſt not fetch it; for it is in my Bible at the third chapter of Geneſis, where theſe words are, The ſeed of the woman ſhall break the ſerpent's head: upon which the devil went his way, taking the chamber window with him, and the young man never heard of him afterward.—Beard's Theatre.
XX. A young man at Wittenburg in Saxony, being kept ſhort of money by his father, was tempted by the devil to yield himſelf body and ſoul to him, upon condition to have his wiſhes ſatisfied, and his neceſſities ſupplied; which he, being pinched with want, conſented to, and confirmed it by a bond, written with his own blood: but preſently after he began to decay in his bodily health; and being thereupon brought to Martin Luther, and by him examined, he, at length, confeſſed the whole matter to him; which, when Luther heard, he aſſembled the whole congregation together; and all of them joined together, and prayed for him, whereby the devil at laſt was forced to bring the bond, and to throw it into the window amongſt them, bidding the young man to take it to him again. On a time, as Luther was walking in his garden, the devil appeared to him in the likeneſs of a black boar; but he ​ſlighting him, and not regarding him, he vaniſhed away. Luther likewiſe telleth us that when he was lodged in the caſtle of Warteburg, in a chamber far from any company, he was many times moleſted by noiſes made by the devil, in his chamber, and on the ſtairs. But I (ſaith he) encountered him with that ſentence, Omnia ſubjeciſti pedibus ejus, Thou haſt put all things under his feet; and ſo I laid me down and ſlept in ſafety.
Another of the German divines in Luther's time, as he was ſitting at his book in his ſtudy, the devil appeared, looking over his ſhoulder, which the miniſter perceiving, took a piece of paper, and writ in it, The Son of God came to deſtroy the works of the devil: and ſo holding up the paper, he immediately vaniſhed.—Luther, Colloq. Menſal.
XXI. In the life of Mr. Richard Rothwell (a famous preacher at Mansfield, in the county of Nottingham, about the year 1672,) we have this remarkable account, as it was drawn up by Mr. Stanly Gower of Dorcheſter: There was one John Fox, living about Nottingham, who had no more learning than enabled him to write and read. This man was poſſeſſed with a devil, who would violently throw him down, and take away the uſe of every member of his body, which was changed as black as pitch, while thoſe fits were upon him; and then ſpoke with an audible voice within him; which ſeemed ſometimes to ſound out of his belly, ſometimes out of his throat, and ſometimes out of his mouth, his lips not moving; and thus he continued for a conſiderable time; many prayers were put up to God for him, and great reſort was made to him, eſpecially by ſeveral famous miniſters; as Mr. Bernard of Batcomb, Mr. Lanly of Truſwell, and others, betwixt whom and John Fox, there paſſed ​many papers in writing, he diſcovering his temptations, and they writing him anſwers, becauſe he was ſtruck dumb, as ye ſhall find afterwards.
Among the reſt, Mr. Rothwell went to ſee him, and before he came, the devil told all that were in the houſe of it, ſaying, Yonder comes Rothwell, but I will make a fool of him before he goes: whereupon the people looked out, and ſaw him coming about a quarter of a mile from the houſe: as ſoon as he entered the room, the devil ſaid, Now Rothwell is come, and, as ſome ſay, added, Thou ſayeſt there is no poſſeſſion; What thinkeſt thou now? Here is a man opens not his lips, and yet be ſpeaketh; and after a while he ſaid, Say nothing to me of this man, for I tell thee he is damned; and he added thereto many fearful blaſphemies.
Rothwell. Thou art a liar and the father of lies; nor art thou ſo well acquainted with the mind of God concerning this man, which makes thee thus to torment him; therefore I believe thee not: I believe he ſhall be ſaved by Jeſus Chriſt.
Devil. He is a murderer, and thou knoweſt no murderer muſt come into heaven.
Rotiwell. Thou lieſt, for David murdered, and is in heaven; and the Jews with wicked hands crucified the Lord of glory, yet Chriſt prayed for them: and St. Peter exhorted them to repentance, that their ſins may be blotted out.
Devil. But this man hath not, cannot, ſhall not repent.
Rothwell. If he had not repented, thou wouldſt not have told him ſo: but if he have not, I believe God will give him repentance, and thou ſhall not be able to hinder it
Devil. Thou art a murderer thyſelf, and yet talkeſt thou thus?
Rothwell. Thou lieſt again. I have fought the ​Lord's battles againſt his known enemies, the idolatrous and bloody Papiſts in Ireland, rebels to Queen Elizabeth my ſovereign, by whoſe authority I bore arms againſt them, them, otherwiſe I have killed no man.
Then the devil ſwore and blaſphemed, ſaying, Thou didſt murder one this day as thou comeſt hither, and there is one behind thee but will teſtify it; upon which Mr. Rothwell looking over his ſhoulder, the devil ſet up an hideous laughter that nothing could be heard for a great while, and then ſaid, Look you now, did I not tell you I would make Rothwell a fool? and yet it is true, thou didſt murder one this day; for as thou cameſt over ſuch a bridge (which he named) there I would have killed thee, and there thy horſe trod upon a fly, and killed it. It ſeems Mr. Rothwells horſe ſtumbled at that place, the devil having power to cauſe it, though without hurt to either horſe or man.
Mr. Rothwell then ſaid, Thou haſt often beguiled me, I hope God will in time give me wiſdom to diſcern, and power to withſtand all thy deluſions, and he it is that hath delivered me out of thy hands, and I doubt not will alſo deliver this poor man; the devil then blaſphemed fearfully, and quoted many ſcriptures out of the Old and New Teſtament, both in Hebrew and Greek, cavilling and playing the critic therewith, and backing his allegations out of the fathers, and poets, in their own language, which he quoted very readily, ſo that the company trembled to hear ſuch things from one that underſtood no learning, and neither moved tongue nor lip all the while: but Mr. Rothwell was wonderfully enabled by divine power to detect the devil's ſophiſtry; upon which the devil ſaid, What ſtand I talking with thee, all men know thou art bold Rothwell and thou feareſt nobody, nor careſt for words, therefore I will talk to thee no more. This name he carried to his grave; for the people ​would ſay, "This is he whom the devil called bold Rothwell"
Mr. Rothwell turning to the people, ſaid, Good people, you ſee the goodness of our God and his great power, though the devil made a fool of me even now through my weakneſs, God hath made the devil dumb now; do but obſerve how the man lies, therefore let us go to prayer, and that God who hath made him dumb, will, I doubt not, drive him out of this poor man.
The devil hereupon raged, blaſphemed, and ſaid, And wilt thou go to prayer, if thou doſt, I will make ſuch a noiſe, that thy prayer ſhall be diſtracted, and thou knoweſt God will not hear a diſtracted prayer; but thou haſt got a device, becauſe thou wilt not be diſtracted, thou ſhutteſt thy eyes in prayer, (for ſo he always did) but if thou pray, I will pull out thy eyes.
Rothwell. I look to find thee as great an enemy in this duty now, as I have done heretofore, but I fear not thy threats, I know thou art limited, God heareth the prayers of the upright, and hath promiſed to give his Spirit to ſupply infirmities, therefore in confidence of his promiſe, and powerful aſſiſtance of his Spirit, and in the name and interceſſion of his Son Jesus Chriſt, we will go to prayer: and accordingly they did ſo, Mr. Rothwell kneeling by the bedſide where the poor man lay; the devil for more than a quarter of an hour made a moſt horrible noiſe; however Mr Rothwell's voice was louder than his, and a while after the devil roared at the very face of Mr. Rothwell, wherewith the body of the man moved, and the hand was held up which was the firſt time he ſtirred; Mr. Rothwell took the hand, and held it down with much eaſe, two men being ſcarce able to hold the other hand; get prayers were ſtill continued, and at length the devil lay ſilent in the man, and ſoon after departed out of him; the man then fetched ſeveral deep ſighs, inſomuch that they believed ​he had been dying, but his colour ſuddenly returned to him, and the uſe of all his members, ſenſes, and underſtanding, and at the next petition, to the glory of God, and amazement, but comfort of all the company, he ſaid Amen; and ſo continued to repeat Amen to every petition: prayers are hereupon now turned into thankſgivings, wherewith the company concluded.
After which, John Fox ſaid, Good Mr. Rothwell, leave me not, I ſhall not live long; for the devil tells me be will choak me with the firſt bit of meat that I eat, Mr. Rothwell anſwered, Wilt thou believe the devil that ſeeks thy deſtruction, before thou wilt truſt in God through Jesus Chriſt, that ſeeks thy ſalvation; hath not God by his almighty power diſpoſſeſſed him; had he had his will, thou hadſt been in hell before now? but he is a liar, and as he is not able to hinder thy ſoul's life, ſo neither ſhall he be able to deſtroy the life of thy body, wherefore get me ſomething (ſaith he) ready for him, and I will ſee him eat before I go, and will beg a bleſſing upon it.
When it was brought, Eat (ſaith Mr. Rothwell) and fear not the devil, and urged him to eat, as being a means appointed of God to preſerve life, and quoted the example of Jairus's daughter, whom our Saviour, after he had reſtored her to life, commanded to give her meat, Luke viii. 55. With much ado, and great trembling, at laſt he took and eat; Look you (ſays Mr. Rothwell) you all ſee that the devil is a liar, the firſt bit hath not choaked him, nor ſhall the reſt. Mr. Rothwell then left him, after which he was ſtruck dumb for three years together, and continued to be tempted, though no longer poſſeſſed. At length, by prayer likewiſe, which was inſtantly put up to God for him, his mouth was opened, and his ſpeech reſtored to him at that very inſtant, when a miniſter praying for him in the congregation, where ​he was preſent, uſed this expreſſion, Lord, open thou his mouth, that his lips may ſhew forth thy praiſe; to which he preſently anſwered, Amen; and ſo continued to ſpeak, and lived religiouſly and virtuouſly to his dying day.—Clark's Martyrol. p. 1.
XXII. In the year 1323, the reverend miniſters were ſo conſtantly peſtered with the devil, that they were under the neceſſity of conſtantly carrying the bible along with them, and as ſoon as the devil attacked them, they whirled it round their head three times, which ſo terrified him, that he diſappeared in a column of fire, leaving a ſtrong ſulphurous ſmell.
THE END.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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