Gleanings of antiquities / By John Beaumont, Gent.

  • Beaumont, John, -1731.
Date:
1724
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Gleanings of antiquities / By John Beaumont, Gent. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    213/226 (page 199)
    Doors. Soon after, this peftilent and wicked Genius, taking a Human Shape, gave Anfwers, difcover’d Thefts, accufed many of Crimes, and fet a Mark of Infamy on them, ftirr’d up Difcords and Ill-Will a- mong Perfons: By degrees, he fet fire to, and burnt down Barns and Cottages, but was more trouble- fome to one Man than the reft, always keeping with him wherever he went, and burnt his Houfe and, to ftir up the whole Neighbourhood to deftroy this innocent Man, the wicked Impoftor openly declared, that for this Man’s Crimes the Place lay under a Curfe, and would be unfortunate; fo that the Man was forced to lie without doors, all Perfons denying him entrance into their Houfes, they looking on him as one follow'd by evil Spirits : He, to fatisfy his Neighbours, carry’d a burning-hot Iron in his Hand, with which not being hurt, he prov'd his Innocence : neverthelefs the wicked Spirit burned his Stacks of Corn in the Fields; and as he was daily more and more troublefome, the Country People were forced to acquaint the Archbifhop of Mentz, with it, who fent Priefts to expiate and luftrate the Fields and Villages; which they did with folemn Prayers and confecrated Water and Salt. The wic¬ ked and difturbed Spirit at firft ftrove againft them, and wounded fome with Scones: but being over¬ powered by divine Exonifms, and adjured by effi- cacious Prayers, he at length ceafed, nor did he any where appear. When the Priefts were gone, this peftilent Spirit return’d again, and faid, while thofe bald-pated Priefts mutter’d I know not what, I lay hid under the Amkulum of one of them (whom he named,) who, by my perfuafion, lay the laft Night with his Hoft’s Daughter. And having faid this, the wicked Ghoft went off with a mighty roaring Noife, and left the Country quiet. An Occafion being here given, it will not be be- Tides our Purpofe to take things a little higher, con¬ cerning