The Devil in Britain and America

‘Nam ut vere loquamur, superstitio fusa per gentes oppressit omnium fere animos, atque hominum imbecillitatem occupavit.’ CICERO--De Divin., Lib. ii. 72.

WITH FORTY-SEVEN ILLUSTRATIONS

WARD AND DOWNEY Limited 12 YORK BUILDINGS, ADELPHI W.C. 1896. [All rights reserved.]

PREFACE

To my thinking, all modern English books on the Devil and his works are unsatisfactory. They all run in the same groove, give the same cases of witchcraft, and, moreover, not one of them is illustrated. I have endeavoured to remedy this by localizing my facts, and by reproducing all the engravings I could find suitable to my purpose.

I have also tried to give a succinct account of demonology and witchcraft in England and America, by adducing authorities not usually given, and by a painstaking research into old cases, carefully taking everything from original sources, and bringing to light very many cases never before republished.

For the benefit of students, I have given--as an Appendix--a list of the books consulted in the preparation of this work, which, however, the student must remember is not an exhaustive bibliography on the subject, but only applies to this book, whose raison d’être is its localization.

The frontispiece is supposed to be the only specimen of Satanic caligraphy in existence, and is taken from the ‘Introductio in Chaldaicam Linguam,’ etc., by Albonesi (Pavia, 1532). The author says that by the conjuration of Ludovico Spoletano the Devil was called up, and adjured to write a legible and clear answer to a question asked him. Some invisible power took the pen, which seemed suspended in the air, and rapidly wrote what is facsimiled. The writing was given to Albonesi (who, however, confesses that no one can decipher it), and his chief printer reproduced it very accurately. I am told by experts that in some of the characters may be found a trace of Amharic, a language spoken in its purity in the province of Amhara (Ethiopia), and which, according to a legend, was the primeval language spoken in Eden.

JOHN ASHTON.

CONTENTS

PAGE

CHAPTER I.

Universal Belief in the Personality of the Devil, as portrayed by the British Artist--Arguments in Favour of his Personality--Ballad--‘Terrible and Seasonable Warning to Young Men’ 1

CHAPTER II.

‘Strange and True News from Westmoreland’--‘The Politic Wife’--‘How the Devill, though subtle, was guld by a Scold’--‘The Devil’s Oak’--Raising the Devil--Arguments in Favour of Devils--The Number of Devils 13

CHAPTER III.

‘The Just Devil of Woodstock’--Metrical Version--Presumed Genuine History of ‘The Just Devil of Woodstock’ 28

CHAPTER IV.

‘The Dæmon of Tedworth’ 47

CHAPTER V.

‘The Dæmon of Burton’--‘Strange and Wonderful News from Yowel, in Surrey’--The Story of Mrs. Jermin--A Case at Welton--‘The Relation of James Sherring’ 60

CHAPTER VI.

A Demon in Gilbert Campbell’s Family--Case of Sir William York--Case of Ian Smagge--Disturbances at Stockwell 72

CHAPTER VII.

Possession by, and casting out, Devils--The Church and Exorcisms--Earlier Exorcists--‘The Strange and Grievous Vexation by the Devil of 7 Persons in Lancashire’ 85

CHAPTER VIII.

James I. on Possession--The Vexation of Alexander Nyndge-- ‘Wonderful News from Buckinghamshire’--Sale of a Devil 113

CHAPTER IX.

The Witch of Endor--The ‘Mulier Malefica’ of Berkeley-- Northern Witches 129

CHAPTER X.

The Legal Witch--James I. on Witches--Reginald Scot on Witches--Addison on Witches 139

CHAPTER XI.