SAtan that enemy of Mankind, who goeth about as a Roaring Lyon, ſeeking whom he may devour, hath of late been very buſie amongſt us, and by his diveliſh Inſtigation, many horrid Murthers have been perpetrated and committed in ſeveral parts, for the which thoſe evil Inſtruments have received condign puniſhment; for according to his ſpightful and malicious nature, he always forſakes his evil Inſtruments when ever they fall into the hands of Juſtice; yet ſo frail and weak is the nature of Sinners, they will not take warning by the harms of others, and though they ſee Fellony and Murther every day puniſhed, by an ignominious and ſhameful Death, however, by the ſubtilty of Satan, they fall into the ſame ſnare, and are over-whelmed in the pit of Deſtruction.

God, 'tis true, hath an over-ruling hand, and he often tyes up this Leviathan, that would elſe devour and deſtroy all the Race of Mankind, and we have ſeen him miraculouſly take care of this poor Nation, in Muzling this devouring Beaſt, and in making known his bloody deſigns, in plotting our Ruine, and deſigning horrid and bloody Maſſacres and Murthers, and finding himſelf thus reſtrained by the over ruling Hand of the Omnipotent, he ſeems inraged and furious, and where he is permitted for the Chaſtizement of ſinful Creatures, he prevails often on private perſons, and that way ſeems to expert and put forth his Helliſh Poyſon and Malice. But that I may not make my Porch bigger than my Houſe, or my Preamble longer than my Narration, I will enter upon it, and give you the full Narrative of it, and that upon certain knowledge of the ſame. But before I begin, I muſt obſerve, that among the many Murthers that have been committed in our Age, this is one of the moſt pittiful, and alſo the ſtrangeſt, ſhewing plainly the power, malice, and ſedulity of the Devil, to enter and poſſeſs Mankind, and to ſtir up both Men and Women to horrid and evil Actions and Murthers.

On the 12th. day of this preſent January, one Charity Philput, being the servant of one Mrs. Mathews, a Sempſtreſs, who lives in Kent-ſtreet, in the Pariſh of Newington, neer St. Georges Church; being certainly Inſtigated by the Devil, and not having the fear of God before her eyes, was poſſeſſed by him, for on a ſudden without cauſe given, ſhe ruſhed in upon her Miſtreſs, who was in a Room with her Child with her, and with a ſtrange and fearful Look, more like a Fury, or one poſſeſſed then a Chriſtian, ſhe came towards her Miſtreſs, who being affrighted to ſee her in that manner, never obſerving her ſo before, ſhe asked of her what ſhe ailed, and what ſhe would have; the Maid, this Charity Philpot, reply'd haſtily, and told her Miſtreſs, That ſhe came to Kill her, and then ſhe would fire her Houſe. The Mrs. being in no little affright at her words, and ſeeing her come towards her, fled out of the Room, calling out for help; but in the mean time this poſſeſſed Wretch ſtepping to the affrighted and amazed Child, Cut its Throat. The Mother of it preſently returning, with ſome Neighbours, whom ſhe had called in to her Aſſiſtance, and ſeeing her Child ſprawling in its Gore, ſhe ſhrieked out, and cry'd; Oh! what have you done to my Child! The Maid preſently returned anſwer, I have cut its Throat, as I would have done yours, had you not fled, They immediately laid hold on her, and began to Interrogate her upon what occaſion ſhe had committed ſo abominable and horrible an action; ſhe told them, That a Man in an High-crown'd Hat bid her to do it, and that he had wheted the Knife and put it into her hand, and alſo told her ſhe ſhould fire the Houſe. They told her then that ſhe would be hang'd for it; ſhe replyed, no but ſhe would not, for ſhe had taken Poyſon, which ſhe ſaid ſhe had bought of ſome Apothecary neer. They took her for the preſent and lock'd her up in a Garret to ſecure her, till they could ſend for a Conſtable to have her before a Juſtice of the Peace, but ſhe had not been long in the Garret, before ſhe had flung her ſelf out at the window, and though it was two Stories high, ſhe received no hurt. But ſhe was then ſecured again, and all the windows and doors being made faſt, it being late, they left her upon the Bed, and the next morning they found her dead, for the Poyſon ſhe had taken had kill'd her, her face and body being hugely Swell'd.

This is the True Relation of this Horrid Murther, as many perſons can Teſtifie; from the like Effects of Sathans Malice, Good Lord Deliver all good Chriſtians.