glory in the life to come," &c. And so continuing on iterating and multiplying these and such like points, till we perceived her to be weary, she was interrupted, and bid to favour herself, and to commit that duty of thanksgiving unto another, who should immediately take it upon him, which was done accordingly. But before that, even in the time of her prayer, one of the preachers said with a loud voice, "Oh, what a sweet-smelling evening sacrifice is this unto the Lord." Well, another preacher [marg. M. Skelton] addressed himself to prayer, she being placed again in her chair, all the company falling down on their knees, and the preacher kneeling somewhat behind her. His prayer was indeed a sweet sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, containing much variety of excellent matter serving that purpose. In the end whereof, he added petitions for the continuance of God's good hand of strength, and grace upon the party, and namely, that he would clad her with the complete armour, (Ephes. 6) the particulars whereof he went over, and so drew to an end. Then, also, the first preacher [marg. M. Lewes] (who before stood at her back holding her) did presently succeed, taking the like words of thanksgiving in his mouth; and ended with prayer, desiring God to grant unto us wisdom and discretion in publishing this great work of mercy unto the world. This last point of his prayer, concerning our care and discretion in publishing this great work of God, the other ministers did think well of, and afterwards approve; even as one of the company [marg. Rob. Midnal] also in his notes of remembrance concludeth the matter thus, "For which I pray God make me unfeignedly thankful, and bold with wisdom to verify the truth hereof in due time."

Then another preacher [marg. M. Bridger] offered to make the like prayer of thanksgiving, (and that, as he said, briefly,) but it was not admitted, fearing time would not suffer.

This done, one, I think a kinsman, went to the maid, (sitting still in her chair,) saying, with joyful tears, "Welcome, Mary, thou art now again one of us;" the father also in like sort took her by the hand, as not being able to speak a word; and the mother went, and (putting away the handkerchief wherewith her daughter sat covering her blubbering face) with like watery cheeks kissed her. Then she was bid to go near the fire; and so she went and sat on the settle where she

took her place at her first entering into the room. Thither myself went to her, and taking her by the hand I thanked God for her, and bid her grow in comfort, and courage, and strength to resist if she should again be assaulted; fear not (said I), the main battle is fought, the other will be but a light skirmish (if there be any at all), so I left her with the women standing about her......[some description of symptoms is here omitted]......they gave her to drink a kind of posset, which she took and drank with ease, to their marvel and rejoicing. For one of the men (in the notes of his remembrance) saith, that the day before (which also was her good day) he and another more strong man were troubled to hold her (so violently was she resisted) whilst she did eat a little broth, but now she did take twice the like quantity (with bread also in it) without any show of

check or resistance at all.

In this meanwhile, the ministers drew themselves together in a corner of the chamber, to consult on divers points meet to be considered of and agreed upon. As first, that it were good that about six or seven days after we should meet together again, in some convenient place, there to be exercised (for the space of three or four hours) in a solemn manner of thanksgiving. Secondly, that the names of all that were present should be taken. Thirdly, that one should take the pains to pen the actions of the day now past; (and here sorry we were that we had not taken pen and paper at the first, that some one might orderly have set down brief notes of things as they passed ;) but howsoever that fell out, this task was committed to him that was not the fittest, who yet undertook it, and (with help of the others) hath done as well as he could. Fourthly, that the company should be admonished not to publish this that was done as yet, but stay to see some continuance of her estate; and if they reported it to any, (concealing the place and the person,) to do it with wisdom, and with a religious heart, lest by foolish and vain-glorious tattling the cause might be hindered, and themselves receive hurt. Fifthly, that if any of them should fall into the hands of any to be examined, they would then be as careful as might be to keep the poor ministers out of danger, who losing (peradventure) hereby their liberty of preaching, should lose all the means they had of their maintenance. Sixthly, that we should conclude with a prayer general for the whole state, which the old fatherly [marg. M. Evans] preacher very well performed (even plentifully and powerfully), praying and praising God for her majesty, the counsellors, nobles, magistrates, ministers, people, those that were present, and lastly the poor delivered maid. Seventhly and lastly, that to shew our thankfulness we would seal it up with another sacrifice-namely, with contributing something that might be bestowed on some poor.

This done, we sung a psalm; the thirty-fourth was called for, but the sixth was chosen by that ancient preacher, which we sung with a low voice very decently and comfortably. And now it was past seven of the clock at night, and the company began to talk of departing home. But see, the woman of the house, [marg. Mistris Ratcliefe, in Shorditch] (whose countenance truly I did behold before whilst the anguish was greatest, and I did imagine that she thought what a guest she had admitted into her house, not knowing how quietly she should be rid of her again,) I say the woman of the house had in the meantime, (namely, whilst we were consulting, writing, and singing,) bestirred herself and got together (whether all of her own or with help of her neighbours I cannot tell) sufficient store of meat to refresh us all, which, though it were not of the daintiest, or most orderly served, yet methought it was as comfortable a supper as ever I was at, putting me in mind of that, Acts, ii. 42, " And they continued in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and breaking of bread and prayer.

The giving of thanks both before and after meat was committed to him [marg. M. Bridger] who had before desired to succeed in the action of thanksgiving after our comfort received; but being then, as I said,

not hearkened unto (because it grew late, and many things remained to be done) he now undertook this office at the table very readily, and in his grace after meat he bestowed (as I think) some of his former meditations which he would have delivered if he had been then admitted. For now, in his thanksgiving after supper, he very aptly recounted the songs of Moses and Miriam after the Red Sea, of Deborah and Barak after Sisera's overthrow, of the women's song concerning David after his conquests of Goliah.

By this time it was past nine of the clock; so, rising from the table, we stood awhile talking one with another, especially recording that of Luke, v. 26, "And they were all amazed, and praised God, and were filled with fear, saying, doubtless we have seen strange things this day. And here let me truly bewray an apprehension which I had in the time of our trouble-namely, that we were the liker to speed, because we were such mean, base, despised, and contemptible men that were employed. For so God commonly worketh, by foolish things to confound the wise, and by weak instruments to bring down the proud; and (as I remembered in my poor prayer I noted) Satan is oftentimes overtaken in his craft; for by making his match thus to rage in and upon little ones, (as was this poor creature in respect of her sex and age,) his foil should be the greater, when such a worm should be enabled to withstand his malice, and prevail against his strength. But to return.

Thus, though we were replenished with much joy, yet we durst not depart with banners displayed, for fear of men, but crept away by two and by three in a company, till we were all gone.

But before

I departed, I asked the maid a question or two. At first, whether she did see anything depart from her when first she felt released? Whereunto she answered, that she saw nothing, but she did feel somewhat depart, and withal felt such a freedom of all the powers and faculties of soul and body as she never felt the like before, which caused her in that sort to spring out for joy.

But whether Mary Glover were possessed or dispossessed I will not maintain. For I see that that question grows not only disputable, but dangerous to hold. It passeth my skill to define when a man may be said to be possessed; for although many signs of possession (even such as the evangelists do observe) may be found in any one; yet to say how many of them, and in what degree they must concur to make proprium quarto modo, appertaining to that affliction I see it hard to say. And I understand that a great scholar of Cambridge, disputing that point not long ago, had even his hands full of that work; insomuch that some that heard it conceived thereby (I mean by his defence, and by the terms of "obsession" and "circumsession" which he in his sense used) that not Satan was commanded to come out of the man, but the man was commanded to come out of the devil. Where also it may be remembered, that the heads of the university would not admit his question to be disputed of as he propounded it-namely, nulla est hiis diebus possessio ac dispossessio dæmoniorum; but in their learned wisdom did first qualify the question (so making an abatement of his writ), nulla est hiis diebus ordi

naria possessio ac dispossessio dæmoniorum. But if a man consider that the malice of Satan, and the justice of God, the wickedness of man, are as great as ever they were, he will perhaps bethink him whether he hath read of any absolute revocation of any kind of punishment formerly inflicted or threatened. Nay, our sovereign king is more resolute in his Dæmonologie, page 47, saying, "Why may not God use any kind of extraordinary punishment when it pleaseth him, as well as the ordinary rods of sickness or other adversities?" &c. Again, a man would think, peradventure, that those words of our Saviour, "this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting," may be extended to a further time than when miracles were wrought, especially if he do herewithal consider the practice of the church in succeeding ages; whereunto also our king in his said book (lib iii. page 71) giveth good allowance.

But a man may say, 66 Why, then, ye may cure palsies, gout, ague, and leprosies, in like" sort: I answer, No; we have not the like warrant for that kind, and physicians can tell the causes and cures of such maladies; but if they suspect witchery, not finding any natural distemperature of the body, they will not meddle. What, then, shall such poor distressed creatures be left at six and seven to sink or swim at Satan's pleasure? God forbid, A man, I hope, may at least say, "Lord, have mercy upon them." Though skill of physic herein do fail, yet His skill that taught physicians theirs, can work with, without, and above means, and therefore is worthy to be called upon, both when the means are used and when they fail. But, as I said, I will not meddle with that question, only this, that Mary Glover was vexed by Satan by the means of a witch: methinks I may safely say it, sith the jury hath found it, and the honourable judges determined so of it, and therefore I cannot think but that they did a charitable and warrantable deed that prayed for her.

The next day, also, I asked her whether she ever did pray so before, or whether she could pray so again? To which her answer was, "I pray God enable me to pray as I shall have occasion." Again, I asked her (merrily) whether she could now gape so wide as I might put in my fist, (for a man that shall now look upon her, will not think her mouth could possibly stretch so wide as it did ;) whereunto (with staid countenance) she answered nothing. But (to draw to an end) because it was supposed that the young recovered soldier might peradventure be set upon again, not long after, it was thought good that she should not be carried home to her father's house, but should lodge (together with her mother) at one of the minister's houses, which was done accordingly.

The next day, there was a lecture not far off, and thither came the maid in the company of certain women, (religious and matronly citizens;) the preacher was he [marg. M. Bridger, who as yet lieth in prison] that gave thanks at the table the night before. His text was 2 Thess. 12, "Grace be with you, and mercy, and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ;" whether he made a purposed choice of this text or no, I cannot tell, but sure I am that from the words of grace (free from God) and peace, the effect, first

between God and man, then between man and man, and thirdly, found and felt within man himself in his own conscience, he raised and delivered such doctrine and use as I think the poor party present made good use of. That night, she with her parents were invited to sup with a religious citizen, who (like Cornelius) had called together some of his kinsfolk and special friends, (Acts the x.) and gave thanks before and after meat in very good sort, beyond my expectation, to see an ordinary citizen perform it so well; but I can testify of a truth that the city is not destitute of many such as are very well qualified this way. This I do of purpose report, not only because S. H. gibeth at his fraternity of holy, illuminate men, and at his sisternity of mymps, mops, and idle holy women; but also because this citizen (of whom I speak) was bitterly taken up by the bishop of London, for performing privately in his family (as became a virtuous Christian man) a religious duty of humiliation, by prayer and fasting, upon an occasion of a heavy cross which at that time lay upon one of his children. Again, I have heard jolly chaplains, in their lofty vein, scornfully report the practice of prayer and singing of psalms in Londoners' houses, as also deride and scoff at their sober and religious behaviour in open assemblies at time of public prayer, and of the word preached.

Well, the next day, Saturday, is come, when divers of the preachers and others repaired to the place where the maid had lodged, to understand how things went with her; and that the rather, because a bruit began to be raised abroad that she was relapsed into her former estate, this the day of her ordinary fits. But thanks be to God, it was not so; but being well all that day, at night she went with other company about half a mile to supper, where appeared such a disposition in many as was sometime in men that desired to see even Lazarus that was raised, (John, xii.) After supper, she returned to her former lodging; and by the way homeward I noted this, that being weary in going up a street somewhat ascending, she was glad to sit down and rest on a bench, saying, "O Lord, how is my strength abated. I could once run nimbly up and down our stairs; and being sent to market, I could lug home lustily a heavy burden without weariness." This I observe, that it might appear it was not ease and slothfulness that caused her grief, which yet the opposite doctor insinuated, in his treatise of the suffocation of the mother.

The next day being the sabbath, she spent forenoon and afternoon in religious exercises, being present at two public sermons, and behaving herself there christianly. That day, also, there was thanks publicly given for her by a worthy preacher in his great assembly; who also had there many times before prayed for her by name. This thanksgiving he made, though I know that one of the foresaid preachers of our company was very careful that advertisement might in time be given him to forbear, because he knew that it stood not with the bishop's liking that it should be so, even as in the time of her grievous vexations there was (by the bishop of London's means, who yet could never be gotten to come and see, although sent unto, and ́earnestly moved by certain worshipful and honourable personages to that end) there was, I say, a fear cast on such as resorted to her, whereby they were terrified either to pray themselves, or to be present