The Case of Mary Hill of Beckington--The Confession of Alice
Huson--Florence Newton of Youghal--Temperance Lloyd (or Floyd), Mary
Trembles, and Susannah Edwards.
But this case of vomiting pins is as nothing compared with the following,
which is taken from Baxter’s ‘Certainty of the World of Spirits,’ etc.:
‘Mr. _John Humphreys_ brought Mr. _May Hill_ to me, with a Bag of Irons,
Nails and Brass, vomited by the Girl. I keep some of them to shew: Nails
about three or four inches long, double crooked at the end, and pieces of
old Brass doubled, about an Inch broad, and two or three Inches long, with
crooked edges. I desired him to give me the Case in Writing, which he hath
done as followeth. Any one that is incredulous, may now, at _Beckington_,
receive Satisfaction from him, and from the Maid her self.
[Illustration]
‘In the Town of _Beckington_, by _Froome_ in _Somersetshire_, liveth _Mary
Hill_, a Maid of about Eighteen years of Age, who, having lived very much
in the Neglect of her Duty to God, was some time before _Michaelmas_ last
past, was Twelve-Month, taken very ill, and, being seized with violent
Fits, began to Vomit up about two hundred crooked Pins. This so Stupendous
an Accident, drew a numerous Concourse of People to see her: To whom, when
in her Fits, she did constantly affirm, that she saw against the Wall of
the Room wherein she lay, an old Woman, named _Elizabeth Currier_, who,
thereupon, being Apprehended by a Warrant from a Justice of Peace, and
Convicted by the Oaths of two Persons, was committed to the County Goal.
‘About a Fortnight after, she began to Vomit up Nails, Pieces of Nails,
Pieces of Brass, Handles of Spoons, and so continued to do for the space
of six Months and upwards. And, in her fits, she said there did appear to
her an old Woman, Named _Margaret Coombes_, and one _Ann Moore_; who,
also, by a Warrant from two Justices of the Peace, were Apprehended and
brought to the Sessions, held at _Brewton_, for the County; and, by the
Bench, committed to the County Gaol. The former of these dyed as soon as
she came into Prison: the other two were tryed at _Taunton Assizes_, by my
Lord Chief Justice _Holt_, and for want of Evidence, were acquitted by the
Jury. The Persons bound over to give Evidence, were _Susanna Belton_, and
_Ann Holland_, who, upon their Oaths, Deposed, that they hookt out of the
Navel of the said _Mary Hill_, as she lay in a dead fit, crooked Pins,
small Nails, and small pieces of Brass, which were produced in Court
before the Judge; and, from him, handed to the Jury to look upon them.
Whereupon Mr. _Francis Jesse_, and Mr. _Christopher Brewer_ declared, that
they had seen the said _Mary Hill_, to Vomit up, at several times, Crooked
Pins, Nails, and Pieces of Brass, which they, also, produced in open
Court; and to the end, they might be ascertained it was no Imposture, they
declared they searched her Mouth with their Fingers before she did Vomit.
‘Upon which, the Court thought fit to call for me, who am the Minister of
the Parish, to testifie the knowledge of the Matter, which I did to this
Effect, That I had seen her, at several times, after having given her a
little small Beer, Vomit up Crooked Pins, Nails, and Pieces of Brass.
That, to prevent the Supposition of a Cheat, I had caused her to be
brought to a Window; and, having lookt into her Mouth, I searcht it with
my Finger, as I did the Beer before she drank it. This I did, that I might
not be wanting in Circumstantial Answers to what my Lord and Court might
propose.
‘I well remember a Gentleman, on a _Saturday_, came to my House
(_Incognito_) to know of me the truth of the Country Report about this
Maid, having seen some of the Nails &c she had Vomited up. I told him it
was very true; and, if he would stay in Town till the Morning, he might
see it himself, for his own Satisfaction. Which he did; and, early in the
Morning, was called to see her. But, because Beer was not given her when
she wanted it, she lay in a very Deplorable Condition, till past two in
the Afternoon; when, with much Difficulty, she brought up a piece of
Brass, which the said Gentleman took away with him. Though, before the
said Piece of Brass came up, he told me he was satisfied of the Truth of
the thing, because it was impossible for any Mortal to Counterfeit her
miserable Condition. She, sometimes, lying in a dead Fit, with her Tongue
swelled out of her Head, and then reviving, she would fall to Vomiting,
but nothing came up till about two a Clock in the Afternoon.
‘Nay, so curious was he to Anticipate any Cheat, that he searcht her Mouth
himself, gave her the Beer, held her up in his hand, and likewise the
Bason into which she Vomited, and continued with her all this time,
without eating and drinking, which was about eight hours, that he might be
an Eye-Witness of the Truth of it. Nay, further, he found the maid living
only with a Brother, and three poor Sisters, all young Persons, and very
honest, and the Maid kept at the Charge of the Parish, were sufficient
testimonies that they were incapable of making a Cheat of it. The
Gentleman I now mentioned, was (as I afterwards learnt) Esquire _Player_
of _Castle-Cary_.
* * * * *
‘After the Assizes afore mentioned was ended, and she was turned home, she
grew worse than ever, by Vomiting of Nails, pieces of Glass, &c. And,
falling, one day, into a Violent Fit, she was swelled to an extraordinary
bigness; some Beer being given her, she throws up several Pieces of Bread
and Butter, besmeared with a Poysonous matter, which I judged to be white
Mercury. This so affrighted the Neighbours, that they would come no more
near her, and Compassionating the Deplorableness of her Condition; I, at
last, resolved to take her into my own House; where, in some short time,
the Vomiting ceased; though, for some space, her Distorting Fits followed
her. But, blessed be God, is now, and has been, for a considerable time
last past, in very good health, and fit for Service.
‘MAY HILL,
‘Minister of Beckington in the county of Somerset.
‘_April 4, 1691._’
Here is one of those extraordinary confessions, for which, nowadays, no
one can account, except upon the supposition that the poor woman was
insane:
‘THE CONFESSION OF ALICE HUSON, 28 OF APRIL 1664 TO MR. TIM. WELLSET,
VICAR OF BURTON AGNES (IN HER OWN WORDS) AS IT WAS GIVEN IN TO THE JUDGES
AT YORK ASSIZES.[53]
‘Three Years I have had to do with, and for the Devil: He appeared to me
like a _Black Man_ on a Horse upon the Moor; He told me I should never
want, if I would follow his ways: He bid me give myself to him, and
forsake the Lord; and I promised him I would. He did, upon that, give me
five Shillings; and another time he gave me seven Shillings: And for six
several times he did so; and _Thom. Ratle_ had 20s. of the Mony I had of
him. He appeared like a _Black Man_ upon a Black Horse, with Cloven Feet:
and then I fell down, and did Worship upon my Knees, because I promised
him I would do so. I have hurt Mrs. _Faith Corbet_ by my Evil Spirit: I
did, in my Apprehension, ride her: And, when I was Examined by Mr.
_Wellset_, our Minister, the Devil stood by, and gave me my Answer. I was
under the Window like a Cat, when Mrs. _Corbet_ said I was; and _Doll
Bilby_ had a hand in this tormenting Mrs. _Corbet_. _Doll Bilby_ said, Let
us make an end of her; and I said it was pity to take away her Life, for
we had done her overmuch hurt already. The Devil did appear to me and
_Doll Bilby_ both together: _Doll Bilby_ had of the Devil on _Thursday_ or
_Friday_, some Mony: I had, about a Fortnight ago, ten shillings of the
Devil at _Ratle’s_ door, about Twi-light, or Day-gate: and I gave two
Shillings of this Mony for two Pecks of Barly, Pease and Wheat mix’d, to
_Will. Parkly_. He told me, if I would kill Mrs. _Alice Corbet_, I should
never Want: He twitches me at the Heart, as if it were drawn together with
Pincers. I have, I confess, a Witch-pap, which is sucked by the Unclean
Spirit: This Sucking lasteth from Supper time, till after Cock Crowing.
The Devil did bid me deny to Mr. _Wellset_ that he was sent by me. I had a
purpose to practice Witchcraft when I begg’d a piece of Cloth and
Black-hood. I confess that I did, by this Evil Spirit, kill _Dick Warren_;
which was done by my wicked Heart, and wicked Eyes: If I had not employ’d
this wicked Spirit, I had not hurt him. I lent _Lancelot Harrison_ eight
Shillings of the ten Shillings the Devil gave me. I did forsake God,
because I promised the Devil to serve him.’
But most incredible of all were the doings of an Irish witch, one Florence
Newton of Youghal, who was tried at the Cork Assizes, 1661. One extract,
showing her power, must suffice:[54]
‘_John Pyne_ being likewise sworn and examin’d, said, That about _January_
last, _Mary Longdon_, being his Servant, was much troubl’d with little
Stones that were thrown at her, wherever she went, and that he hath seen
them come, as if they were thrown at her, others, as if they dropp’d on
her; and that he hath seen very great quantities of them, and that they
would, after they had hit her, fall on the Ground, and then vanish, so
that none of them could be found. And farther, That the Maid once caught
one of them, and he himself another; and one of them, with a Hole in it,
she ty’d to her Purse, but it vanish’d in a little time, but the Knot of
the Leather that ty’d it, remain’d unalter’d. That, after the Stones had
thus haunted her, she fell into most grievous Fits, wherein she was so
violently distracted, that four Men would have very much to do to hold
her; and that, in the greatest of her Extremities, she would cry out of
Gammer _Newton_ for hunting and tormenting of her. That sometimes the
Maid would be reading in a Bible, and on the sudden he hath seen the Bible
struck out of her Hand into the Middle of the Room, and she, immediately,
was cast into a violent Fit. That, in the Fits he hath seen two Bibles,
laid on her Breasts, and in the Twinkling of an Eye, they would be cast
between the two Beds the Maid lay upon; sometimes thrown into the middle
of the Room; and that _Nicholas Pyne_ held the Bible in the Maid’s Hand so
fast, that it being suddenly snatch’d away, two of the Leaves were torn.
That in many other Fits, the Maid was remov’d strangely, in the Twinkling
of an Eye, out of the Bed, sometimes into the Bottom of a Chest with
Linnen, and the Linnen not at all disorder’d; sometimes betwixt the two
Beds she lay on; sometimes under a Parcell of Wooll, sometimes betwixt his
Bed and the Mat of it in another Room; and, once, she was laid on a small
Deal Board which lay on the top of an House between two solar[55] Beams,
where he was forc’d to rear up Ladders to have her fetch’d down. That, in
her Fits she hath often vomited up Wooll, Pins, Horse nails, Stubs, Straw,
Needles and Moss, with a kind of white Foam or Spittle, and hath had
several Pins stuck into her Arms and Hands, that, sometimes, a Man must
pull three or four times before he could pull one of them out, and some
have stuck between the Flesh and the Skin, where they might be perfectly
seen, but not taken out, nor any Place seen where they were put in.’
The confessions of Temperance Lloyd (or Floyd), Mary Trembles, and
Susannah Edwards, who were executed at Exeter, August 25, 1682, are
curious, as showing how it is possible for three persons to have similar
hallucinations.
‘Temperance Lloyd saith, That about the 30th day of _September_ last past,
she met with the Devil in the shape or likeness of a black Man, about the
middle of the Afternoon of that day, in a certain Street or Lane in the
Town of _Biddiford_ aforesaid, called _Higher Gunstone Lane_: And then and
there he did tempt and sollicite her to go with him to the house of the
said _Thomas Eastchurch_ to torment the Body of the said _Grace Thomas_;
which this Examinant, at first, did refuse to do: But, afterwards, by the
temptation and perswasion of the Devil in the likeness of a Black Man, as
aforesaid, she did go to the house of the said _Thomas Eastchurch_, and
that she went up the stairs after the said black Man; and confesseth that
both of them went up into the Chamber where she the said _Grace Thomas_
was, and that there they found one _Anne Wakely_, the wife of _William
Wakely_ of _Biddiford_, rubbing and stroaking one of the Arms of the said
_Grace Thomas_.
‘And the said Examinant doth further confess that she did then and there
pinch with the Nails of her Fingers, the said _Grace Thomas_ in the
Shoulders, Arms, Thighs and Legs; and that, afterwards, they came down
from the said _Grace Thomas_ her Chamber, into the Street together; and
that there this Examinant did see some thing in the form or shape of a
Grey or Braget Cat; and saith that the said Cat went into the said
_Thomas Eastchurch’s_ shop.
‘The said Examinant, being further demanded whether she went any more unto
the said Thomas Eastchurch’s house, saith and confesseth that the day
following she came again to the said _Thomas Eastchurch’s_ house,
invisible, and was not seen by any person; but there this Examinant did
meet with the Braget Cat as aforesaid, and the said Cat did retire and
leap back into the said _Thomas Eastchurch’s_ Shop.
‘The said Examinant, being further demanded when she was at the said
_Thomas Eastchurch’s_ house, the last time, saith, that she was at the
said Mr. _Eastchurch’s_ house upon Friday the 30th day of _June_ last
past; and that the Devil, in the shape of the said black Man was there
with her: And that they went up again into the said Chamber, where she
found the said _Grace Thomas_ lying in her Bed in a very sad condition.
Notwithstanding which, she, this Examinant and the said Black Man did
torment her again: And saith and confesseth that she, this Examinant had
almost drawn her out of her Bed, and that on purpose to put her, the said
_Grace_ out of her Life.
‘And further saith, that the black Man (or rather the Devil) did promise
this Examinant that no one should discover her.
‘And further confesseth that the said black Man (or rather the Devil) as
aforesaid, did suck her Teats, and that she did kneel down to him in the
Street, as she was returning to her own house, and after that they had
tormented the said _Grace Thomas_ in manner as last above mentioned.
‘Being demanded of what stature the said black Man was, saith, that he was
about the length of her Arm: And that his Eyes were very big; and that he
hopt or leapt in the way before her, and, afterwards, did suck her again
as she was lying down; and that his sucking was with a great pain unto
her, and, afterwards vanish’d clear away out of her sight.
‘This Examinant doth further confess, That upon the first day of _June_
last past, whilst the said Mr. _Eastchurch_ and his Wife were absent, that
the said Examinant did pinch and prick the said _Grace Thomas_ (with the
aid and help of the black Man) in her Belly, Stomach and Breast; and that
they continued so tormenting of her, about the Space of two or three
hours, with an intent to have killed her.’
She also confessed to have tortured several others to death.
Mary Trembles said that about three years since Susannah Edwards persuaded
her to become a witch, and that the Devil appeared to her in the shape of
a lion.
‘_Susannah Edwards_ being brought before us, and accused for practising of
Witchcraft upon the Body of _Grace Barnes_, the wife of _John Barnes_ of
_Biddiford_, Yeoman, was demanded by us how long since she had Discourse
or Familiarity with the Devil; saith, That about two years ago she did
meet with a Gentleman in a Field called the _Parsonage Close_ in the Town
of _Biddiford_, and that his Apparel was all of black. Upon which she did
hope to have a Piece of Money of him. Whereupon, the Gentleman drawing
near unto this Examinant, she did make a Curchy, or Courtesie unto him, as
she did use to do to Gentlemen.
‘Being demanded what and who the Gentleman she spake of, was, the said
Examinant answered and said, that it was the Devil.
‘And confessed, that the Devil did ask of her whether she was a Poor
woman? unto whom she answered that she was a Poor woman; and that,
thereupon, the Devil, in the shape of the Gentleman, did say unto her,
that if this Examinant would grant him one request, that she should
neither want for Meat, Drink, nor Clothes: Whereupon this Examinant did
say unto the said Gentleman, In the Name of God, what is it I shall have?
Upon which the said Gentleman vanished clear away from her.
‘And further confesseth, That, afterwards, there was something in the
shape of a little Boy, which she thinks to be the Devil, came into her
house, and did lie with her, and that he did suck at her breast. And
confesseth that she did afterwards meet him in a place call’d
_Stambridge-lane_ in this Parish of _Biddiford_, leading towards
_Abbotisham_, (which is the next Parish on the west of _Biddiford_
aforesaid), where he did suck blood out of her breast.
‘And further confesseth, That on Sunday, which was the 16th day of _July_
instant, she, this Examinant, together with _Mary Trembles_, did go unto
the house of _John Barnes_, and that nobody did see them: and that they
were in the same room where _Grace_, the wife of the said _John Barnes_
was, and that there they did prick and pinch the said _Grace_ with their
fingers, and put her to great pain and torment, insomuch that the said
_Grace Barnes_ was nearly dead.
‘And confesseth that this present day, she did prick and torment the said
_Grace_ again, (intimating with her Fingers how she did it). And also
confesseth that the Devil did intice her to make an end of the said
_Grace_; and that he told her he would come again to her once more before
she should go out of Town. And confesseth that she can go into any place
invisible, and yet her Body shall be lying in her Bed. And further
confesseth that the Devil hath appeared unto her in the shape of a Lyon,
as she supposed.
‘Being demanded whether she had done any bodily hurt unto any other person
besides the said _Grace Barnes_, saith and Confesseth, that she did prick
and torment one _Dorcas Coleman_, the wife of _John Coleman_ of
_Biddiford_ Mariner. And saith that the said _Mary Trembles_ was a Servant
unto her, in like manner as she was a Servant unto the Devil.’