Part 43

3. “About the year of our Lord 1623 or 24 one _Fletcher_ of _Rascal_, a Town in the North Riding of _Yorkshire_ near unto the Forest of _Gantress_, a Yeoman of good Estate, did marry a young lusty Woman from _Thornton Brigs_, who had been formerly kind with one _Ralph Raynard_, who kept an Inn within half a mile from _Rascall_ in the high road way betwixt _York_ and _Thuske_, his Sister living with him. This _Raynard_ continued in unlawful lust with the said _Fletchers_ Wife, who not content therewith conspired the death of _Fletcher_, one _Mark Dunn_ being made privy and hired to assist in the murther. Which _Raynard_ and _Dunn_ accomplished upon the _May-day_ by drowning _Fletcher_, as they came all three together from a Town called _Huby_, and acquainting the wife with the deed she gave them a Sack therein to convey his body, which they did and buried it in _Raynards_ backside or Croft where an old Oak-root had been stubbed up, and sowed Mustard seed upon the place thereby to hide it. So they continued their wicked course of lust and drunkenness, and the neighbours did much wonder at _Fletchers_ absence, but his wife did excuse it, and said that he was but gone aside for fear of some Writs being served upon him. And so it continued until about the seventh day of _July_, when _Raynard_ going to _Topcliffe_ Fair, and setting up his Horse in the Stable, the spirit of _Fletcher_ in his usual shape and habit did appear unto him, and said, Oh _Raph_, repent, repent, for my revenge is at hand; and ever after until he was put in the Gaol, it seemed to stand before him, whereby he became sad and restless: And his own Sister over-hearing his confession and relation of it to another person, did through fear of losing her own life, immediately reveal it to Sir _William Sheffield_, who lived in _Rascall_, and was a Justice of Peace. Whereupon they were all three apprehended and sent to the Gaol at _York_, where they were all three condemned, and so executed accordingly near to the place where _Raynard_ lived, and where _Fletcher_ was buried, the two men being hung up in irons, and the woman buried under the Gallows.” I have recited this story punctually as a thing that hath been very much fixed in my memory, being then but young, and as a certain truth, I being (with many more) an ear-witness of their confessions and an eye-witness of their Executions, and likewise saw _Fletcher_ when he was taken up, where they had buried him in his cloaths, which were a green fustian doublet pinkt upon white, gray breeches, and his walking boots and brass spurrs without rowels.

[Sidenote: _Observ._]

Some will say there was no extrinsick apparition to _Raynard_ at all, but that all this did only arise from the guilt of his own conscience, which represented the shape of _Fletcher_ in his fancy. But then why was it precisely done at that time, and not at any others? it being far from the place of the murder, or the place where they had buried _Fletcher_, and nothing there that might bring it to his remembrance more than at another time, and if it had only arisen from within, and appeared so in his fancy, it had been more likely to have been moved, when he was in, or near his backside where the murthered body of _Fletcher_ lay. But certain it is that he affirmed that it was the shape and voice of _Fletcher_, as assuredly to his eyes and ears, as ever he had seen or heard him in his life. And if it were granted that it was only intrinsick, yet that will not exclude the Divine Power, which doubtless at that time did labour to make him sensible of the cruel murther, and to mind him of the revenge approaching. And it could not be brought to pass either by the Devil, or _Fletchers_ Soul, as we have proved before; and therefore in reason we conclude that either it was wrought by the Divine Power, to shew his detestation of murther, or that it was the Astral or Sydereal Spirit of _Fletcher_, seeking revenge for the murther, of which more anon.

[Sidenote: _Hist. 4._]

4. About the year of our Lord 1632. (as near as I can remember having lost my notes, and the copy of the Letter to Serjeant _Hutton_, but am sure that I do most perfectly remember the substance of the story) near unto _Chester_ in the street, there lived “one _Walker_ a Yeoman-man of good Estate, and a Widower, who had a young Woman to his Kinswoman that kept his House, who was by the Neighbours suspected to be with child, and was towards the dark of the evening one night sent away with one _Mark Sharp_ who was a Collier, or one that digged coals under ground, and one that had been born in _Blakeburn_ Hundred in _Lancashire_, and so she was not heard of a long time, and no noise, or little was made about it. In the winter time after one _James Graham_ or _Grime_ (for so in that Country they call them) being a Miller, and living about two miles from the place where _Walker_ lived, was one night alone very late in the Mill grinding Corn, and as about twelve or one a clock at night he came down the stairs from having been putting Corn in the Hopper, the Mill doors being shut, there stood a Woman upon the midst of the floor with her hair about her head, hanging down, and all bloody, with five large wounds in her head: He being much affrighted and amazed, begun to bless him, and at last asked her who she was, and what she wanted; to which she said, I am the Spirit of such a Woman, who lived with _Walker_, and being got with child by him, he promised me to send me to a private place, where I should be well lookt to until I was brought in bed, and well again, and then I should come again, and keep his house. And accordingly (said the apparition) I was one night late sent away with one _Mark Sharp_, who upon a Moor (naming a place that the Miller knew) slew me with a pick (such as men dig coals withal) and gave me these five wounds, and after threw my body into a coal-pit hard by; and hid the pick under a bank; and his shoos and stockings being bloody he endeavoured to wash, but seeing the blood would not wash forth he hid them there. And the apparition further told the Miller that he must be the Man to reveal it, or else that she must still appear, and haunt him. The Miller returned home very sad and heavy, but spoke not one word of what he had seen, but eschewed as much as he could to stay in the Mill within night without company, thinking thereby to escape the seeing again of that frightful apparition. But notwithstanding one night when it begun to be dark, the apparition met him again, and seemed very fierce and cruel, and threatned him that if he did not reveal the murder she would continually pursue and haunt him. Yet for all this he still concealed it, until S. _Thomas_ Eve before _Christmas_, when being soon after Sunset walking in his Garden she appeared again, and then so threatened and affrighted him that he faithfully promised to reveal it next morning. In the morning he went to a Magistrate and made the whole matter known with all the circumstances, and diligent search being made, the body was found in a coal-pit, with five wounds in the head, and the pick and shooes and stockings yet bloody, in every circumstance as the apparition had related unto the Miller. Whereupon _Walker_ and _Mark Sharp_ were both apprehended, but would confess nothing. At the Assizes following (I think it was at _Durham_) they were arraigned, found guilty, condemned and executed, but I could never hear that they confessed the fact. There were some that reported that the apparition did appear to the Judge or the Foreman of the Jury, (who was alive in _Chester_ in the street about ten years ago, as I have been credibly informed) but of that I know no certainty.” There are many persons yet alive that can remember this strange murder, and the discovery of it, for it was, and sometimes yet is as much discoursed of in the North Countrey as any thing that almost hath ever been heard of, and the relation printed, though now not to be gotten. I relate this with the greater confidence (though I may fail in some of the circumstances) because I saw and read the Letter that was sent to Serjeant _Hutton_, who then lived at _Goldsbrugh_ in _Yorkshire_, from the Judge before whom _Walker_ and _Mark Sharp_ were tried, and by whom they were condemned, and had a Copy of it until about the year 1658. when _I_ had it and many other books and papers taken from me.

[Sidenote: _Observ._]

[Sidenote: Rom. 11. 33.]

And this I confess to be one of the most convincing stories (being of undoubted verity) that ever I read, heard or knew of, and carrieth with it the most evident force to make the most incredulous spirit, to be satisfied that there are really sometimes such things as apparitions. And though it be not easy to assign the true and proper cause of such a strange effect, yet must we not measure all things to be, or not to be, to be true or false, according to the extent of our understandings, for if there be many of the _magnalia naturæ_ that yet lie hidden from the wisest of men, then much more may the _magnalia Dei_ be unknown unto us, _whose judgments are unsearchable, and his wayes past finding out_. And as in the rest we cannot ascribe this strange apparition, to any diabolical operation, nor to the Soul of the Woman murthered, so we must conclude that either it was meerly wrought by the Divine Power, or by the Astral spirit of the murthered Woman, which last doth seem most rational, as we shall shew hereafter.

[Sidenote: _Hist. 5._]

5. To these (though it be not altogether of the same nature) we shall add one both for the oddness and strangeness of it, as also because it happened in my time, and I was both an eye and ear-witness of the trial of the person accused. And first take a hint of it from the pen of _Durant Hotham_, in his learned Epistle to the _Mysterium magnum_ of _Jacob Behemen_ upon _Genesis_ in these words: “There was (he saith) as I have heard the story credibly reported in this Country a Man apprehended for suspicion of Witchcraft, he was of that sort we call white Witches, which are such as do cures beyond the ordinary reasons and deductions of our usual practitioners, and are supposed (and most part of them truly) to do the same by the ministration of spirits (from whence under their noble favours, most Sciences at first grew) and therefore are by good reason provided against by our Civil Laws, as being ways full of danger and deceit, and scarce ever otherwise obtained than by a devillish compact of the exchange of ones Soul to that assistant spirit, for the honour of its Mountebankery. What this man did was with a white powder which, he said, he received from the Fairies, and that going to a Hill he knocked three times, and the Hill opened, and he had access to, and converse with a visible people; and offered, that if any Gentleman present would either go himself in person, or send his servant, he would conduct them thither, and shew them the place and persons from whom he had his skill.”

[Sidenote: _Vid. 1 Jacob._ _c._ 12.]

To this I shall only add thus much, that the man was accused for invoking and calling upon evil spirits, and was a very simple and illiterate person to any mans judgment, and had been formerly very poor, but had gotten some pretty little meanes to maintain himself, his Wife and diverse small children, by his cures done with this white powder, of which there were sufficient proofs, and the Judge asking him how he came by the powder, he told a story to this effect. “That one night before day was gone, as he was going home from his labour, being very sad and full of heavy thoughts, not knowing how to get meat and drink for his Wife and Children, he met a fair Woman in fine cloaths, who asked him why he was so sad, and he told her that it was by reason of his poverty, to which she said, that if he would follow her counsel she would help him to that which would serve to get him a good living; to which he said he would consent with all his heart, so it were not by unlawful ways: she told him that it should not be by any such ways, but by doing of good and curing of sick people; and so warning him strictly to meet her there the next night at the same time, she departed from him, and he went home. And the next night at the time appointed he duly waited, and she (according to promise) came and told him that it was well that he came so duly, otherwise he had missed of that benefit, that she intended to do unto him, and so bade him follow her and not be afraid. Thereupon she led him to a little Hill and she knocked three times, and the Hill opened, and they went in, and came to a fair hall, wherein was a Queen sitting in great state, and many people about her, and the Gentlewoman that brought him, presented him to the Queen, and she said he was welcom, and bid the Gentlewoman give him some of the white powder, and teach him how to use it, which she did, and gave him a little wood box full of the white powder, and bad him give 2 or 3 grains of it to any that were sick, and it would heal them, and so she brought him forth of the Hill, and so they parted. And being asked by the Judge whether the place within the Hill, which he called a Hall, were light or dark, he said indifferent, as it is with us in the twilight; and being asked how he got more powder, he said when he wanted he went to that Hill, and knocked three times, and said every time I am coming, I am coming, whereupon it opened, and he going in was conducted by the aforesaid Woman to the Queen, and so had more powder given him. This was the plain and simple story (however it may be judged of) that he told before the Judge, the whole Court, and the Jury, and there being no proof, but what cures he had done to very many, the Jury did acquit him: and I remember the Judge said, when all the evidence was heard, that if he were to assign his punishment, he should be whipped from thence to Fairyhall, and did seem to judge it to be a delusion or an Imposture.” From whence we may take these observations.

[Sidenote: _Observ. 1._]

1. Though Mr. _Hotham_ seem to judge that this person accused had the white powder from some Spirit, and that one also of the evil sort, and upon a contract, by the ingaging of his Soul, we have before sufficiently proved the nullity of a visible and corporeal contract with the Devil; neither was it yet ever proved that the Devil did any good either real or apparent, but is the sworn enemy of all mankind, both in their Souls and in their Bodies, but this powder wrought that which was really good, namely the curing of diseases, and therefore rationally cannot be thought to be given from an evil spirit.

[Sidenote: _Observ. 2._]

2. Some there were that thought that the simple man told a plain and true story, and that he had the powder from those people we call Fairies, and there are many that do believe and affirm that there are such people, of whom _Paracelsus_ hath a Treatise of purpose, holding that they are not of the seed of _Adam_, and therefore he calls them _non_-Adamicks, and that they have flesh and bones, and so differ from spirits, and yet that they can glide through walls and rocks (which he calleth their Chaos) as easily as we through the air, and that they get children, and are mortal like those that _Hieronynus Cardanus_ relateth that appeared to his Father _Facius Cardanus_, and these he calleth _Pygmæi_, _Silvestres_, _Gnomi_ and _Umbratiles_; but his proof of their existence to me doth not seem satisfactory, what others may think of it I leave to their demonstrations, if they have any.

[Sidenote: _Observ. 3._]

3. Some there were (and those not of the meer ignorant sort) that did judge, that though the Man was simple, yet that the story that he told was but framed and taught him, the better to conceal the person from whom he received the white powder. For they thought that some notable Chymist, or rather an Adeptist, had in charity bestowed that powder upon him, for the relief of himself and family, as we know it hath often happened to other persons, at other times and places. And this last opinion seems most consonant to reason, and I the rather believe it because not many years after, it was certainly known, that there was an Adeptist in that Countrey, and we ought not to fetch in supernatural causes to solve effects, when natural causes may serve the turn.

6. The last thing of this strange nature, that we shall instance in, is concerning the bleeding or cruentation of the bodies of those that have been murthered, I mean of such as have been murthered by prepense malice, and upon premeditated purpose; for the bodies of others that are killed by chance-medley, and by man-slaughter, we do not read nor find any examples, that ever their bodies did bleed. And though we have not been ocular witness of any such bleeding yet are there records of such accidents given us by many learned and credible authors that a man might almost be accounted an Infidel not to give credit to them, and that both of those that have bled when the murtherer hath not been present, and also of those that have bled the murtherer being present. And first of those bodies that have issued blood, when the murtherer was not by.

[Sidenote: _Hist. 6._]

[Sidenote: _Append. de Cruent. Cadaver._ _p._ 143.]

_Gregorius Horstius_ a Physician of great experience and learning, and of no less integrity, recordeth this story, thus Englished. “In the year of our Lord 1604. twenty sixth day of _December_, a young Nobleman of twenty five years old, was shot at with a Gun in the night time about nine a clock from an high window of an house, in the Town of _Blindmarck_ in lower _Austria_, and the bullet entring his left breast went forth at his right side, and so forthwith died in the place. The dead body being viewed again, and the wound considered, the same quantity or bigness both of the entrance and out-going are found with great plenty of blood issuing. The following day being the twenty seventh of _December_ in the morning, the body of the murthered young man hath other cloaths put upon it and so is kept quiet for the space of two days. Furthermore upon the thirtieth of _December_ he is laid upon the Bier, and kept in the Church and that without any further motion, where nevertheless from the upper wound the fresh blood did daily flow, until the eighth of _January_ 1605. from which time the Hemorrhage ceased. But again the thirteenth of _February_, about noon, the flux of blood by the lower wound for an hour or two was observed to issue, as though the slaughter had been newly done. In the mean time the habit of the whole body was such, as did most easily agree to what it was living, the colour of his face remained even unto his burial ruddy and florid, the vein appearing in his forehead filled with good blood: no sign of an incipient putrefaction appearing for so many weeks, no stink, or ungrateful odour, which otherwise doth accompany dead bodies within a few days, was here found at all: The fingers of the hands remained soft, moveable, or flexible, without any wast, the natural colour being not very much changed, except that in process of time, about the last week before burial, they begun in a certain manner to wax livid in the extremities.”

[Sidenote: _Hist. 7._]

[Sidenote: _Ibid._ _p._ 154.]

7. This following he giveth to prove, that as cold constringeth and shuteth up the veins, so heat doth open them, and cause the blood to flow, and saith: “This is proved a few years since by experience in an infant slain by a most wicked Mother forthwith after it was born, and thrown from the Tower of a Noble Baron of upper _Austria_ into a ditch that was full with water; which after five weeks by good fortune was found and taken out. And forthwith (he saith) the Mother not present, it being then not known who was the Mother, when it felt the force of the external air, it begun to distil forth very fresh blood, because the pores, which by reason of the cold, were shut that the blood could not flow, were then unlockt and opened by the heat of the ambient air.” And thus much of those that have bled, the murtherers not being present.

[Sidenote: _Hist. 8._]

[Sidenote: _Observ._ _l._ 2. _fol._ 202.]

8. Next we shall give some examples of those that have bled when the murtherers have been brought into the presence of the body murthered or caused to touch it, and this _Franciscus Valeriola_ doth attest with an ample faith that he himself saw: “When (he saith) _James_ of _Aqueria_, a Senator of _Arles_, was found dead of a wound, & that he that gave that wound was apprehended by the Magistrate, and brought into the view of the dead body, that he might acknowledge the person murthered and confess the fact, by and by the bubbling blood, all the by-standers looking on, begun to come forth, with much fervour and bubbles, from the wound and the nostrils.”

[Sidenote: _Hist. 9._]

[Sidenote: _Delic. Phys._ _Sect._ 1. _Artic._ 1. _p._ 5.]

9. Take this other as it is cited by _Gothofredus Voigtius_, in this manner: “In the year 1607 the 25 of _April_, a certain Shepherd in _Spain_ being feeding his flock was slain by two Noblemen, and his body thrown into a company of bushes. The Judges of the same place, having much and daily sought the Shepherd, after four days at length find his body in the bushes. But because that murder was committed, no witnesses being by, the suspicion fell upon the two Noblemen, inhabiting in the nearest place, who being taken were haled to the body of the person murthered. But what comes to pass? The first scarce with his eyes had looked upon the dead body, but behold, the blood in plenty begun to flow from thence. But the other coming near, the very right hand of the person murthered did first of all shew to those that were by the wound, and afterward the murderer himself. Which being done, forthwith the two Gentlemen (or Nobles) did of their own accord confess that they were the Authors of the murther, and did receive the punishment that was worthy of their deeds.”

[Sidenote: _Hist. 10._]

[Sidenote: _Ut supra_ _p._ 9.]

10. Another very remarkable one we have from the same Author cited from _Cantipratanus_ _lib._ 2. _mirac. c._ 29. in this manner. “It happened (the Author saith) in the year of Christ 1271. in the Town =Pforzheim=, that a certain most wicked old Woman familiar with the Jews, did sell them a girl of seven years old, and without parents, to be slain. Her therefore in secret her mouth being stopt, setting her upon linnen cloaths, they wound almost in all the junctures of the members with incisions, and with great endeavour press forth the blood, and receive it most diligently in the linnen cloaths. But she being dead after great pains, the Jews throw her body into a running water near the Town, and laid an heap of Stones upon it. But after the third or fourth day her body is found by Fishers, by means of her hand stretched forth towards Heaven, and carried into the Town, the people with abomination crying forth that so great a wickedness was perpetrated by the Jews. And the Marquiss of _Baden_ being near, went unto the Corps, and straightway the body standing upright did stretch forth its hands unto the Prince, as though it would implore the revengment of blood, or perhaps mercy. But after half an hour it disposed it self upon its back, after the manner of those that are dead. Therefore the wicked Jews being brought to the spectacle, forthwith all the wounds of the body burst forth, and in testimony of the horrid murder, poured forth great plenty of blood, whereupon the Jews were put to death.”

[Sidenote: _Hist. 11._]

[Sidenote: _Ut supra_ _p._ 54.]