A26888:131
The certainty of the worlds of spirits and, consequently, of the immortality of souls…
The certainty of the worlds of spirits and, consequently, of the immortality of souls of the malice and misery of the devils and the damned : and of the blessedness of the justified, fully evinced by the unquestionable histories of apparitions, operations, witchcrafts, voices &c. / written, as an addition to many other treatises for the conviction of Sadducees and infidels, by Richard Baxter.The certainty of the worlds of spirits and, consequently, of the immortality of souls of the malice and misery of the devils and the damned : and of the blessedness of the justified, fully evinced by the unquestionable histories of apparitions, operations, witchcrafts, voices &c. / written, as an addition to many other treatises for the conviction of Sadduces and infidels, by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for T. Parkhurst, 1691
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
As touching the Relation of the Brightling Story, which is in the Substance undoubtedly true, however some Circumstances of it may vary, be pleased to take the following Account.
On Monday was three Weeks, at, or near the House of Joseph Cruttenden of Brightling, an old Woman about Noon came to a Servant Girl of the said Cruttenden's tells her, sad Calamities were coming upon her Master and Dame, their House should be Fired, and many other troubles befall them; but tells this Girl withal, That if she spake of what she had told her, the Devil would tear her to pieces, otherwise she need not fear, for no hurt should come to her: The ⟨p. 55⟩same Night, as the Man and Woman lay in Bed, Dirt and Dust, &c. was thrown at them, but they could not tell whence it came: They rise and Pray, during which that Disturbance ceases; some say they went to Bed again, but finding the same trouble they are forced to rise Tuesday about Noon, Dust, Dirt, and several things are thrown at them again; before Night, a part of one end of their House Fired; they rake it down, it flashes somewhat like Gunpowder; as they stopped it there, it began in another place, and thence to another, till the whole House was burnt down. Some say some thing like a Black Bull was seen tumbling about; the certainty of that I aver not. The House, tho' it burnt down to the Ground it flamed not: The Night was spent in carrying Goods, or one thing or other from one place to another; they I think, remaining mostly without Doors. Thursday Col. Busbridge whose House the former was) being acquainted with the Man's sad Accident, bid them go into another of his Houses in the Parish whither, when the Goods were brought, such like Disturbances were there also; the House Fireth, endeavours are made by many to quench it, but in vain, till the Goods are thrown out, when it ceased with little or no help. In this condition none durst let them into their Doors; they abide under a Hut; the Goods are ⟨p. 56⟩thrown upside down, Pewter-dishes, Knives, Brickbats strike them, but hurt them not: Mr. Bennet and Mr. Bradshaw, Ministers, came to Pray with them, when a Knife glanced by the Breast of Mr. Bennet, Bowl or Dish thrown at his Back, but while at Prayers quiet; they were without Doors, there being very many present, a Wooden Tut came flying out of the Air, by many, and came and struck the Man; as likewise a Horse-shoe, which was by some laid away, and it was observed of its own accord to rise again and fly to the Man, and struck him in the midst of a hundred People: