(_For the Mirror._[3])
"Every thing may be had for money," is an old remark, and perhaps no
less true.
There have been also proverbial sayings of buying and selling the devil;
but that such a traffic was actually ever negociated will appear
incredible. Blount's "Law Dictionary," under _Conventio_, gives an
instance of a sale; it is extracted from the court rolls of the manor of
Hatfield, near the isle of Axholme, county of York, where a curious
gentleman searched for it and found it regularly entered. There then
followeth an English translation for the benefit of those who do not
understand the original language.
"Curia tenta apud Hatfield die Mercurii Prov post Festum. Anno II Edw.
III."
Robert de Roderham appeared against John de Ithon, for that he had not
kept the agreement made between them, and therefore complains, that on a
certain day and year, at Thorne, there was an agreement between the
aforesaid Robert and John, whereby the said John sold to the said Robert
the devil, bound in a certain bond, for threepence farthing; and
thereupon the said Robert delivered to the said John one farthing as
earnest-money, by which the property of the said devil rested in the
person of the said Robert, to have livery of the said devil on the
fourth day next following, at which day the said Robert came to the
aforementioned John, and asked livery of the said devil, according to
the agreement between them made. But the said John refused to deliver
the said devil, nor has he yet done it, &c. to the grievous damage of
the said Robert to the amount of sixty shillings; and he has therefore
brought his suit, &c.
The said John came, &c., and did not deny the said agreement; and
because it appeared to the court that such a suit ought not to subsist
among Christians, the aforesaid parties are therefore adjourned to the
infernal regions, there to hear their judgment; and both parties were
amerced, &c.--by William de Scargell Snesclal.
The above is an exact translation of the original Latin; and if this is
inserted in your entertaining work, I will make inquiries respecting the
proceedings.