* * * * *
_History of "The Merry Devil of Edmonton" and "The Witch of
Edmonton."--_Lysons, in his _Environs of London_, says, "There
is a fable (says Norden) of one Peter Fabell, that lyeth in Edmonton
church, who is said to have beguiled the devell by policie for money;
but the devell is deceit itselfe, and hardly deceived."--"Belike (says
Weever) he was some ingenious, conceited gentleman, who did use some
sleightie tricks for his own disport. He lived and died in the reign of
Henry the Seventh, says the book of his merry pranks." The book Weever
refers to is a pamphlet, now very scarce, called "_The Life and Death
of the Merry Devil of Edmonton, with the Pleasant Pranks of Smug the
Smith, &c."_ These pleasant pranks compose the greater part of the
book, which informs us that Peter Fabell was born at Edmonton, and lived
and died there in the reign of Henry VII. He is called "an excellent
scholar, and well seene in the arte of magick." His story was worked up
into a play, called "The Merry Devil of Edmonton," which has been
falsely attributed to Shakspeare, but is now generally supposed to have
been written by Michael Drayton. There are five editions of this play;
the first came out in 1608; the scene is laid at Edmonton and Enfield.
Edmonton has furnished the stage with another drama, called, "The Witch
of Edmonton."
"The town of Edmonton has lent the stage
A Devil and a Witch, both in an age."
says the prologue to this play, which is said to be founded on a known
true story, and exhibits various witchcrafts practised upon the
neighbourhood by one Mother Sawyer, whose portrait with that of her
familiar (a dog, called Tom, which is one of the _dramatis personae_,)
is in the title-page. In the last act, Mrs. Sawyer is led out to
execution. Thus far Lysons.--Many curious particulars relating to Mrs.
Sawyer may be seen in a quarto pamphlet, published in 1621, under the
title, of _The wonderful discoverie of Elizabeth Sawyer, a witch, late
of Edmonton; her conviction, her condemnation, and death; together with
the relation of the Divel's accesse to her, and their conference
together. Written by Henry Goodcole, Minister of the Word of God, and
her continued visitor in the Goale of Newgate._ The play of "The
Merry Devil of Edmonton" was performed at the Globe, on the Bank-side.
"The Witch of Edmonton" was often acted at the Cock-pit, in Drury-lane,
and once at Court, with singular applause. It was never printed till the
year 1658; and was composed by Rowley, Dekker, and Ford, as a
tragi-comedy.