THE DAEMON OF BURTON. OR A true Relation of Strange Witchcrafts or Incantations lately practised at Burton in the Parish of Weobley in Herefordshire.  
Certified in a LETTER from a Person of Credit in Hereford.  
LONDON Printed for C. W. in the year. 1671.   

'bout the fire as before, and a continual noise of Cat heard all night, but never seen.  
Afterwards the Tenant having in a Room a heap of Malt and another of Vetches, the two parcels were found next morning exactly mingled together and put into a new heap.  
Another time she had baked a Batch of Bread, and laid the Loaves over night on a Table, next morning the Loaves were all gone, and after search made, they were found in another Room hid in Tubs and covered with linen clothes, and all this while the Tenant had the keys of the doors in her pocket, and found the doors in the morning fast locked as she left them over night; So also her Cheeses and meat were often carried out of one Room into another, whilst the doors were fast locked, and sometimes coveyed into the Orchard.  
Then the Tenant having set Cabbidg-plants in her Garden, in the night the Plants were pulled up, and laid in several forms, as Crosses, Flowers-de-luce, and the like, she caused them to be set again, and the Ground finely raked about, to the end they might see if any footsteps might be discovered in the morning, when the Plants were found pulled up as before, and no tract or footstep to be found or perceived; The Plants were set a third time, and then they continued unmoved.  
She had in her Cheese chamber many Cheeses upon Shelves and a Bag of Hops in the same Room, one night the Cheeses were all laid in the Floor in several forms and the Hops all strewed about the Room, and the Chamber door found fast locked in the morning.  
Another night in the Buttery there were several dishes of cold Meat left upon a hanging Shelf, in the morning the Tablecloath was found orderly laid on the Floor, and the dishes set on it, and most of the Meat eaten, only a manners bit less in every Dish; yet there were silver Spoons which lay by the Dishes and none of them diminished.  
At another time she had left half a roasted Pig, which was designed for breakfast next day, when the Pig was called for, there was not one bit of either Skin or Flesh left, but the Bones of the Pig lay orderly in the Dish, and not one of them unjointed or misplaced.  
Whilst these and many other such pleasant tricks were played in the Rooms that were locked to make a discovery of any deceit, if possible, the entrance of the doors were all strewed with sifted ashes, and no footstep or tract of any thing was found in the morning, when such pranks were played in the Room.  
One night the Tenant having bought a quart of Vinegar in a Bottle, she set it in her Dairy-house, where there was six Cow's Milk, In the morning she found her Bottle empty, and her Milk all turned and made into a perfect Posset, with the Vinegar▪  
And the Cheeses were sometimes conveyed by night out of the Cheese-chamber, and put into the Trines of Milk in the Dairy-house.  
The Tenant had likewise divers of her cattle that died in a strange manner, among others a Sow that leaped and danced in several unusual postures and at last fell down dead.  
The Hag having thus for above a month together almost every night acted the part of Hocus pocus Minor, lay quiet for some months, and then began to act the Major and do greater mischiefs; and to this purpose, one night as the Tenant and her Maid were going to bed, and passing by the Hall, which was dressed with green boughs, tied on the Posts, after the Country fashion, they were all of a flame, and no fire had been made in that Room of a fortnight before, nor any Candle that night; but the fire was soon quenched by throwing water on it, yet an outcry being made the neighbours came in and watched the House all night.  
Not long after a Lost of Hay, dry and well Inned, was set on fire in the day time and was most of it burned, with the house it lay in, and no way could be found how it should come to pass, but by the same black hand.  
And after some time a Mow of Pulse and Pease was likewise fired in the day time and all the grain either burnt or spoiled, and in the middle of the bottom of the Mow were found dead burnt Coals, which in all the Spectators Judgements could not be conveyed thither but by Witchcraft.  
After these dreadful fires, which did endanger the whole Village had they not been at length quenched by a numerous company of the Neighbours, who came in to the Tenant's assistance, the poor Tenant dirst stay no longer in the House, but quitted it, with all her losses, when one john jones a valiant Welshman of the neighbourhood would needs give a signal proof of his British Valour, and to that purpose undertook to lie in the House, and to encounter the Hag, to which end he carried with him a large Baskethilted Sword, a Mastive Dog and a Lantern and Candle, to burn by him; he had not long lain on the Bed with his Dog and Sword ready drawn by him, but he heard great knocking at the Door, and many Cats as he conceived came into his Chamber, broke the Windows, and made a hideous noise, at which the Mastive howlled and quaked, and crept close to his Master, the Candle went out, and the Welshman fell into a cold sweat, left his Sword unused and with much a do found the door, and ran half a Mile without ever looking behind him; protesting next day he would not lie another night in the House for a hundred pounds.  
I have omitted one Passage worth relating, the Tenant upon a Friday night about Midsummer had bought a dish of Strawberries, which she set up in a pewter dish in her Buttery for next day, when she looking for them, found both dish and Strawberries gone, they searched for them all Saturday and found neither dish nor Strawberries; on Monday morning, when the Tenant was rising from her Bed, she found the dish on the Bed's foot, but no Strawberries.  
Now Sir there is as yet no discovery what Fiend 'tis that has acted these Villainies, but 'tis believed time will do it.  
Whilst these things were thus acted hundreds of people, both Ministers, Gentlemen, and others, came to the House to see and hear the passages.  
These Particulars, with many others omitted, I received from eye Witnesses of unquestionable credit, and reputation, and you may no more doubt the truth of them, than distrust the affection of  
Sir. Your most humble Servant. I. A. Hereford 1 March 1670.  
FINIS.