MAny things at firſt view may ſeem to Mankind ſo ſtrange and amazing, as to doubt or ſtagger his Belief, but then when they ſeriouſly deliberate and find thing • as ſtrange very often as undeniably verified, they muſt admire the wonderful Order of Providence, in acting and diſpoſing of things below in ſuch a manner as paſſeth our underſtanding, and this extends either to Mercy, in favouring, feeding and protecting Mankind againſt Dangers, or in Puniſhment, in bringing on him Want, Miſery and Puniſhment, by Temptations or other grievous • ays, as our Sins and Repinings draw upon us, 〈◊〉 when God has given us Plenty and we ſhut up • ur Bowels of Compaſſion to the Poor, that are 〈◊〉 want, then Blaſts and Mildews often fall upon • ur Corn and Fruits of the Earth, becauſe God, • ho gives all increaſe, is diſhonoured, by our • ovetouſneſs and Ingratitude; ſo that evil Spirits •• e ſometimes made his Miniſters of Vengeance in • undry kinds to wreck their Fury, as will ſadly • ppear in the following dreadful Relation, which • as of late occaſioned ſo much Diſcourſe in divers • arts of this Kingdom, being, for the ſtrangeneſs • f it, without parallel: But, not to detain you from the Subject-matter,

It ſo happen'd of late, That a Rich Farmer whom God had bleſſed with plentiful Crops of of Corn for ſome Years paſt, living near Wallingford, in the County of Bucks; ſo that having his • arns full ſtored, and hearing the Markets grew • canty, and the Price was much raiſed, (to the • reat Grief and Pining of the Poor in theſe hard Times, when Work it ſelf is ſcarce, and Money • ven by that not eaſily to be come by, for the • upplying the craving Neceſſities of a Family in a • ear Year) he opened ſeveral Mows that had not • efore been touched and thraſhed great quantities, which he ſold in the neighbouring Market • s and • o ſeveral Mealmen, who came to buy it at the • arn floor, thereby getting great Rates, by which means he gained conſiderable Sums of Money more • han he expected: But he one Evening coming • rom Market, and giving his Wife an Account of • is Day's Marketting, and how he had ſold, ſhe being always ſevere in Exacting, which, it ſeems, • or quietneſs ſake he uſually did; or, as ſome ſay, • he b •• ng ſuch a Shrew, he durſt not do otherwiſe, • he b • a • ing all the Rule, ſhe found by the Money he had not given her a true Account, and to concluded he had underſold, and forc • d him to a freer confeſſion; which was, That he had opened ſome Sacks and ſold to the Poor, that were very neceſſitous and flocked thither in great Numbers, ſome with Tears in their Eyes, at lower Rates▪ as being moved to compaſſion at their declaring their Neceſſities and Inabilities to ſupport themſelves and their Children, bidding her be patient and expect God's Bleſſing to make it up manifold.

Upon this ſhe fell into a paſſionate Rage, railing at him in a grievous manner, calling him Fool and Sot, and that he ought to conſider his own Intereſt before that of a parcel of Whores and Rogues, and their Baſtards, being a lazy Pack, who minded not ſo much to work, as to increaſe the Charge of Pariſhes, and to eat up what ſhe and others laboured for, &c.

The good Man endeavoured to pacifie her, by putting her in mind, that they had plenty and ſo felt not the wants of the Poor, and ſince ſuch a Mercy was extended to them, it was but reaſon for his ſake who had bleſſed their Endeavours, and given it them, that they ſhould do ſome good in their Generation.

But this not at all moving her to pity, ſhe grew more outragious, ſaying, None had helped her to the worth of a Penny, but what ſhe had gotten by riſing early and ſitting up late; and ſhe was beholden to none, as ſhe knew of for a Earthing.

He upon this pleading the goodneſs of Providence, to ſhew her her error, ſhe grew more enraged, calling him Sot and Fool, ſwearing ſhe would have her will▪ and ſeeing the Rains fell very much and the Harveſt like, or at leaſt, as moſt who are for Self-intereſt pretend, to be bad, ſhe reſolved, that no more ſhould be thraſhed, but ſhe would have it kept for dearer Markets, which ſhe ſaid, ſhe foreſaw would ſoon grow to a great rate, by reaſon of the Rains. So that by this we may ſee what God ſends as a general Good, is often laid hold on by wretched covetous People, to advantage and inrich themſelves, in grinding the face of the Poor. The Man then deſired, he might thraſh ſome to ſell to the Poor People in the Pariſh where he lived, who could get none at any rate near at hand. But that was refuſed him, command •• him to turn off the Taskers, or ſhe would break their •• cks out of the Barn. This Diſcourſe happening, 〈◊〉 Farmer was forced to conſent, and ſo payed ••• m off, till he could get their Dame in a better •• mour, and give them further notice: But the • an being importuned for Corn, he lay at her; ••• t he might ſet the Men to work again. Set the • en to work! replied ſhe angrily, The Devil ſhall •… aſh it firſt; or I'll ſit on the M •••… , and eat of the •• rs my ſelf, before I'll have it 〈…〉 out to be ſold 〈◊〉 pitiful Rates, and ſome other the like Diſcourſe •• ppened between them, and ſo to Bed they went. • t a little before break of Day the Woman was • akened with the thundring Noiſe of Flails in the • arn, which made it ſeem to her as if there had • een twenty Men at work: The Woman, upon •• is, thinking her Husband had ſet the Men on • ork, waked him and upbraided him with it; • ut he proteſted, That he had diſcharged them, and • new not of any Bodies being there, for the Key of the • arn lay on the Shelf in the Kitchen.

The Woman, not believing him, riſe in a rage, • o turn out the ſuppoſed Thraſhers, who, finding • he Key as her Husband ſaid, fancied nevertheleſs • hey might have got in at the Pitching-bay, and • hither ſhe went, but had no ſooner opened the Door but the Barn appeared very light within, • ho' there were neither Candle nor any thing that could reaſonably give it to be ſeen; and there found a tall Fellow in black a thraſhing, who 〈◊〉 done ſo much Work, that there lay huge heap 〈◊〉 Straw, and a little black Boy threw down 〈◊〉 Sheaves to him as faſt as he thraſhed; whereat 〈◊〉 falling in a paſſion, began to treat him by the Na ••… of Rogue and Villain, charging him to be gone, or 〈◊〉 would break his Neck: but he ſeemed not to mi •• her, his Back being towards her, but plied 〈◊〉 Task, till Anger moved her to ſtrike at him a •• attempt to tear his Hair; but ſhe, inſtead of Ha •• ſeemed to lay hold on a Fire, that ſcorch'd her 〈◊〉 that ſhe cried out, O Lord, have mercy on me, wh • is this? Whereat the ſuppoſed Man took her 〈◊〉 the Arm, ſaying, I go, but you muſt ſtay; an • canting her on the Mow, vaniſhed through th • Roof in a Cloud of Smoke, taking ſome part of 〈…〉 with him, as alſo his Imp that attended him.

And now Day-light coming pretty clear, th • Noiſe of the Flails ceaſed, and the Wife not returning he went to ſee why ſhe ſtayed, and ſeeing her o • the Mow, called to her; but ſhe could not ſpeak yet in her looks ſhewed much horror and affrightment, when going up to her, he ſound her faſt an • immoveable, all his ſtrength not being able to ſti •• her: And looking on this as ſome Judgment, h • called ſome Neighbours, who prayed for her▪ the • her Speech came to her again, and ſhe confeſſed, i • was a Judgment upon her, by the conviction of her mind telling what ſhe had ſeen, and how ſhe came on the Mow, ſhowing the Hole in the Roof, and pointing to the Corn; when they went to look on it, being a great quantity, more than two Men could thr • ſh in a Day, they found it all black, parched, and as i • were burned, being good for nothing, but to feed Hogs; and it is affirmed, That the Woman ſoon after telling the Story, falling into Ravings, declared, It was revealed, or whiſpered in her Ear, Tha • ſhe was under the Juſt Hand of God, whom ſhe ha • offended, and could not be renounced thence, till a certain time. And ſo ſhe continued Eating the Ears o • the Corn, refuſing all other Food, whil'ſt Prayer • were made for her, That God would be merciful 〈◊〉 her, and remove this Heavy Judgment from her.