THat there are Witches (in the common signification of the word) hath been confidently asserted, and as briskly opposed by the ingenious Penns of several modern Authors: Henceforwards none need doubt of it, that have but Faith enough to credit our relation of the follow­ing adventure; whereby we seek not to commit a Rape on any mans belief: But if any will persist in a state of infidelity, we leave them to be converted from their Errors by the horrors of some such like gastly Apparition.

'Tis something above a Moneth ago, that having trifled away the [Page 2] best part of a Morning, in amusing my self with Doctor Dee's Legend of Spirits; I resolved on a walk to dissipate those vain ridiculous ima­ginations, which had thence invad­ed my Brain: To this purpose, I carelesly steer'd my course to a small Grove, whose stately Trees view their Branches in the Christal streams of a Neighbouring Brook. In which pleasing solitude I had not wandred half an hour, but a sudden drowsiness seized my Spirits, and I perceived an intruding Broomstaffe that violently thrust it self between my Legs, making me (spight of my Teeth) bestride it; mounted (like a delinqent Souldier) on the wooden Pegasus: I presently felt my self fly swister than a Parthian Ar­row through the yielding Air, and without remembring the place where I was taken up, was set down again on my feet in the midst [Page 3] of a vast desart; where I could find no path, seeing there no footsteps of humanity: I presently fancied it to be some new World, and like an adventrous Columbus would needs discover further, but all my strugling endeavours only satisfied me in the impossibility of getting forwards, and to add to my asto­nishment, in a moment (as if I had journyed to the Antipodes) Noon was turn'd to midnight, I saw the Stars shine in the Firmament, with a faint blewish Fire like wasted Can­dles sunk into their Sockets, the Moon was in her full, but paler much than ordinary, she was thrice Ecclipsed, and thrice sunk down below her Circle: The murmuring fountains were now grown mute, and the Birds had forgot their Chattering; not a Cock durst crow, and yet the Lions throughout the Wood trembled like the leaves of [Page 4] Asps, neither the Serpents dread­ful hisses, not the howlings of Ra­venous Wolves, nor the screech­ings of Male-ominous Ravens could be heard, all Creatures had no more motion than was necessary to ex­press their fear by, and the horror of an astonishing silence that go­verned in every place, made it ap­pear Nature was in suspence of some terrible accident: my fear began to grow as great as that, which the face of the Horizon seem'd troubled withal, when by the glimmering Moon-Light, I saw ascending out of a vast Grot or Cave scituate at the foot of a Craggy Rock, o're spread with Ivy and Bushes, a tall venerable old man cloathed in a party coloured Vest of White and Green, with an au­stere countenance and swarthy Face, his Eybrows thick as a Cops, and long as a Horses main, were curi­ously [Page 5] turned back, and wound up about his Ears, a wall and frightful Eye he had, sunk above two Inches into his Head, his Beard carelesly thrown over his left Shoulder, and his Temples anointed with Oyl of Night-shade: On his Head he had a large Hood of Vervain, and about him a Girdle of May-Fearne Artifi­cially wooven in Tresses; upon his Gown, near his Heart was fastned a Bat and a Toad both half dead, and about his Neck he wore a Col­lar, set with seven several precious stones, each of which wore the Character of that Planet that go­verned it: Thus mystically drest, and carrying in his left hand a Triangu­lar Vial full of May-Dew, with his right a Sappy Elder Rod, one end of which was well tipt with a mix­ture of all Metals, and the other served as a handle to a little Brazen Censer fill'd with the choicest susfu­migations: [Page 6] He kist thrice the floor of his Grot with a kind of supersti­tious Reverence, and having pulled off his right foot shoe, and flung it over his left Shoulder, and grum­bling brought out certain words from the bottom of his Stomack; he went backwards Nine paces, till he came under the Boughs of an old Oak over-run with Misseltoe, Four foot from which he drew three Circles one within the other, and the Earth obedient to his Necro­mantick charms, which ready trem­bling, put her self into those figures, which he designed to have made in her. In these Circles he wrote with his Middle finger, the names of the intelligences, as well of the age and Country as of the Year, Season, Moneth, Weak, Day, Hour and Minute, each in its different Character and proper place, every one under its constel­lation, [Page 7] and with their respective due Ceremonies.

This tedious operation being di­spacht, he put his Glass in the midst of the Circles, and opening it made a report louder than that of Cannon or Thunder, the small sharp end of his Rod, he plac'd between his fore-teeth, lay down with his face towards the East, and betook him­self to his Repose; I (who you may think at that time had little mind to sleep) watch't him very narrow­ly, admiring what might be the up­shot of so many strange formalities: about the midst of his Nap (which exceeded not half an hour) I saw Seven Fearn-seeds drop into the Vial, which when he waked he took out, and put two in each Ear, another into his Mouth, the Sixth again into the Glass, and the last he threw out of the Circles; but no [Page 8] sooner was it out of his Hand, but I saw it incompassed by more than a Million (if my Arithmetick fail me not) of Mal-ominous Creatures, as well insects as others: He touch'd with his inchanting Caduceus, an Owl, a Fox and a Mole, which ma­king a frightful Noise, instantly flung themselves into the Innermost Cir­cle; And he with no less speed began to rip open their bodies with a brass Knife, and taking out their Hearts, he wrapt them up in three Bayleaves, and a litte Moss, & swallowed them, he took away their livers, which he squeezd over an Hexagonal Vessel, and then reiterating the suffumiga­tions, mixt the Dew and the Blood together in a Bason, dipt in it a Glove of Virgin Parchment, which he put on his right Hand, and after Four or Five horrible howlings, closed his Eyes, and thus began his invocations.

[Page 9] Conjuro & confirmo vos Schamaim Athaliel Chiliarchus raquiem, Al­chocodonean, Tapthathara, Tossoffacan, Hamaguliel, Zonthonphanchia, Hey­donia, with a many more cracking, thumping, blustring Termes, which had not my fears frighted the Art of memory out of my Head, and the place been inconvenient for Writing Short-hand, I would have registred for supplying the courteous Reader with terrible words, to still his bawling Children with. During all this Divelish Prayer, he was rai­sed from the Ground above a hands breadth, and ever now and then would fix his Eye on the Nail of his left forefinger; his Face was in­flamed, and he foamed at Mouth, like an over-ridden Hackney. But after this exercise concluded, and many groanings and gastly contorti­ons, he fell prostrate on his face, and I heard in his Throat a hum­ming [Page 10] as of many Voices together, from whence arising he became more strong than man, insomuch that without stirring, he stood the monstrous shock of a horrible wind, able to blow a Mountain up by the Roots, he caught a falling Thunder-bolt in his Hand, and puft out a Cloud full of Lightning; all which dreadful Artillery (I percieve) was discharged to force the old Gentle­man to abandon his Circle, but he with an undaunted resolution main­taining his ground, the Circles them­selves began with an incredible swiftness to whisk about under him: this was followed by a storm of Hail redder than Blood, which gave place to a much more terri­ble torrent of Bituminous Fire, that roar'd like Mount Gibello when it burst, and seem'd to rend the Air with dreadful claps of Thunder.

[Page 11]This served as an Epilogue to all this Tragedy of Horror, for imme­diately a fair Light dissipated these sad meteors, and a brisk young man in a Flame colourd Mantle ap­pear'd, he came riding post through the Air mounted with his right Leg on an Eagle, and the other on a Lynx, and in as Gentile and respe­ctive a manner, as if he had been one of Belzebubs Pages of honour, pre­sented the Magus with three small Vials full of No-body knows what Liquor: The cunning man in re­quital made him a present of three Hairs, one pluck'd off from his Fore-head, the other two from his Temples, whereupon he was gent­ly struck over the Shoulders, and between the Eyes with a small wand that his Spirit held, and then every thing vanisht, and methoughts it appeard about that time, when Stars grown pale at the arrival of [Page 12] their illustrious Monarch the Sun, joyned colour with the Heavens, I emboldned by this approach of day was just going to seek my way home.

But the old Magitian it seems was unwilling we should part so, and therefore once more presented himself, he did not walk but glide along, and got home before I saw him stir, his Hand was so cold, that mine whereon he laid it, was benumb'd for a fortnight after, he neither opened his Eyes nor his Mouth, but in deep silence con­ducted me out of the wood, and over some Fields to the dreadful ruines of a long since dismantled Castle, where the ages for this 100 years have been labouring to carry the Chambers into the Cel­lars, under which in a deep Vault was his constant Residence.

[Page 13]As soon as we entred this In­chanted Mansion, boast thy self young man (said he turning towards me) to have seen face to face the famous Agrippa whose Soul by Metempsichosis heretofore was in­corporated in the renowned Do­ctor Faustus, and long since inspired the Learned Zoroastes King of the Bactrians: Since (almost two ages) that I have disappeared to men, I have preserved my self with aurum potabile in such a vigorous state of health, that no disease durst ever invade me, every twenty years I swallow a quantity of the Universal Medicine, which renews my youth, and restores to my Body its decayed forces: didst thou (continued he) consider the three Vials presented to me by the Prince of the Fiery Doemons: The first of them was full of this Elixar, the second of pow­der of projection, and the third of [Page 14] Oyl of Bones. Nor art thou a little obliged to me since I have made choice of thee amongst all mortal Race, to be present at these myste­ries, which I celebrate but once in four Lustres; and that thou mayst not be ignorant who it is has done thee this honour; let me tell thee, 'tis (by my charms) in my power at my pleasure to render a Country fruitful or barren, I stirr up Warrs by breeding dissention amongst those Genii that govern Kings; I teach the Wolfs Pater Noster, and the cunning man how to manage the Sheers and turn the Seive; I send Iacks with Lanthorns, and Will with Wisps to Marshes and Fens, to allure benighted Travellers out ōf their way, over Hedges, and drown them in Ditches, I send out the Fairies and Elves to Dance and Revel together by Moon-light, and encourage the [Page 15] Gamesters to look under the Gal­lows for the Four of Clubs; I raise at Mid-night the silent Ghosts from their Dormities, wrapt in a sheet to plague their negligent Heirs, for not performing those Vows they made to them at their Deaths; I com­mand Spirits to haunt old Monaste­ries, and uninhabited castles, and to strangle all that come to Lodge there, till some resolute fellows compells them to discover the trea­sure they so long have Brooded over; I make those whom I would inrich find hidden wealth, and teach Thieves to burn Candles of Dead­mens Grease to lay Folks asleep, whilst they Rob their Houses. I give the flying Money that return again to the Pocket after 'tis spent, and cheat covetous Misers with a bagfull of dry Oak Leaves instead of Guinnys and Georges; I make those Amulets that render the wear­ers [Page 16] Musquet proof, and Philters to in­gratiate Lovers with their mistresses. 'Tis I clatter the doors when they are fast bolted, and invisibly hum­ble the Dishes and Glasses without breaking them; I learn Mounte­banks to drive away an Ague by writing Abacadabra on Virgin Parch­ment, and old Women to cure a Feaver by another charm equally Nonsensical and blasphemous; I a­waken the Country Fellow on Mid­summer Eve to gather his Herb fast­ing and in silence, and young Wen­ches to watch on St. Agnes Night; I teach Witches to assume the shape of Wolves and eat Children, to turn themselves into Hares, and be hunted all Day, and at Night make their escape from the Hounds in at a Window, and when any happen to cut off one of their Leggs (which to morrow proves such an old wo­mans Arm) I forsake them; when [Page 17] they are tryed, I keep them above Water like bladders, that they can­not sink, and leave them in the pow­er of Justice, yet at the Gallows allow nothing to Tuck them up but a Wyth; I send to the discon­tented and envious, the tall man in black with the Cloven Foot, who makes them promises of great riches and other felicities: If they'l but make him a Feeoffment with Livery and Seizing of their Souls, and then blind them that take bargains of him; for when they agree for a term of Life of thirty years, I make them see the (3) before the (o) which I have placed after it; 'tis I that strangle those that raise me out of a wanton curiosity, and give me neither imployment nor reward, but very civilly take leave of those, that when they have cal­led me up, give me a hair, an old Shoe, or a straw; I take away from [Page 18] dedicated Churches the stones that are not paid for, and often demo­lish in the Night what was built in the Day; I make a Conventicle of Witches seem to those that are in­vited to Sabat, nothing but a troop of Cats, of which Marton is Prince; I send all the confederates to the offering, and give them the Goats Tail (seated on a Joynt-stool) to kiss; I treat them splendidly, but allow them no salt to their meat, and if any stranger ignorant of their laudable customes offer to say Grace, I cause all forthwith to Va­nish, and leave him Five hundred Miles from his own home in a de­sart of Nettles and Bramble-bushes; I sometimes play the Pimp by send­ing plump succuba's to old Leach­ers Beds, and furnish with incubus­ses those wanton Widdows that will not go to the charge of Dil— I am the Syre of the Oak, and the [Page 19] first that contriv'd the Legerdemain of the Changling; I convey Hob­goblings in the shape of a long piece of Marble, to lye by those that go to bed without making the Sign of the Cross; I teach Necromancers to destroy their Enemies by making a little image in Wax, which they throwing into the Fire of pricking. The original is sensible of those Torments they expose the Figure to; I make Witches insensible in those parts where the Ram hath set his Seal, and give a secret virtue to Nolite fieri, when said backwards that it hinders the Goodwives But­ter from comming, whom yet I teach to be even with the Hagg, by stabbing the Cream with a red hot Spit▪ I intrusted Bla— to dispo­sess persons Bedivel'd, and white Witches to marvel the inchant­ments of black ones, I taught plow Jobbers to lay under the ground of [Page 20] that Sheepfold they have a mind to destroy, a Lock of hair or a Toad with three curses that kills all the Sheep that pass over it, as also to stick a broken Needle in the thres­hold of the Bridal Chamber, or tie such a knot at the moment that the Ring is first put on, as shall make an eager lusty young Bridegroom, impotent; I let loose the Hobgob­lin against the Christmas Holy days, and order him to rowl a Barrel, draw a Chain, or hutry a Coach a­long Streets in the Night, that he may have the happy opportunity of wringing off their Necks that look out at Windows; I teach Crundal the composure of Charms, Lamens, Sigils, Talisman, spells, Christals, Pentacles, Magick Looking-glasses, and Geomantick Figures, how to find the Misselto of the new Year, the wandring Herbs, the Gama­hely, the Weapon Salve, and mag­netique [Page 21] Plaister; I send the Gob­blins, the Shodmule, the Night­mare, the Sprites, the Hobgoblins, the Hags, the Night-bats, the Break-necks, the black Men and green Women, the Familiars, the Pugs, the Ghosts, and the Shadow. In fine I am the Prince of the Airs Vice-Roy, Deputy Lieutenant to the degraded Seraphin, the fairy Prote­ctor, the Jew-Errant, the High Priest of the Holy Crofs, the Genius of No­stredamus, the Doemon of Mascoon, and the Drummer of Tedworth; I am he would have proceeded with a te­dious Harangue of his power and Titles, had not a small spirituall offi­cer in the shape of a Flitter-mouse interrupted him by a whisper in the Ear, which obliged the Magician to tell me, he must omit the rest he in­tended to have said, till another op­portunity, for at present he was staid for by a gang of Lap-Land Witches [Page 22] that came to treat with him about a new Bargain of Bottled wines, whereby they proposed to them­selves to make very considerable advantages during these Wars, say­ing thus, he mounts a flying Dra­gon that presented it self ready Bridled and Sadled, and in the twinckling of an Eye disappear'd.

When thinking to Ruminate a while on the strange Novelties of this uncoucht Adventure: I found my self in the before mentioned Grove, under the shade of a spread­ing Sycamore, carelesly laid along, on a rising Bank that was covered with a fresh green Mantle Embroi­dered with Cowslips and Violets, and have ever since strongly suspe­cted not only this formidable appa­rition, but most other stories of that Nature to be nothing but Dreams.