A NARRATIVE OF THE Daemon of Spraiton. In a LETTER from a Person of Quality in the COUNTY of DEVON, To a Gentleman in LONDON, WITH A RELATION OF AN Apparition or Spectrum OF An ancient GENTLEMAN of Devon, who often Appeared to his Son's Servant. With the strange Actions and Discourses happening between them at divers times.  
AS LIKEWISE The DAEMON of an ancient WOMAN, Wife of the Gentleman aforesaid. With Unparalleled Varieties of strange Exploits performed by her: Attested under the Hands of the said Person of Quality, and likewise a Reverend Divine of the said County.  
With REFLECTIONS on Drollery and Atheism: And a Word to those that Deny the Existence of SPIRITS.  
London, Printed for Daniel Brown, at the Black-Swan, without Temple-Bar, and Thomas Malthus, at the Sun in the Poultry, 1683.   

A NARRATIVE OF The Daemon of Spraiton, In a LETTER from a Person of Quality in the County of Devon, To A Gentleman in LONDON. WITH A Relation of an APPARITION or SPECTRUM of an ancient Gentleman of Devon, etc.  
HEar ye Sons of the Atheistical Leviathan, and let the Impenetrable Offspring of Chance and Atoms, give attention! How long shall your Impious Incredulity Brave the Power of the Almighty, and shamefully shut your Eyes against the evident demonstrations of an Omnipotent Creator?  
Where are your Hobbs, your SCOTS, your WEBSTERS, with their Blaspemous denials of the Existence of Spirits, or an Eternal 〈…〉 ●…ome? Or how can they that deny the Being 〈…〉 there is such a thing in the World as a God? 〈…〉 Ac●…●…ore of Matter of Fact, to those which the Learned 〈…〉 Moor, th●…●…genious Dr. Glanvill (with divers others, the Assertors of a Divine Providence, and an Eternal State) have Printed, in Confutation of your Brutish Stupidity; which one would think were enough for ever to Silence and Confound the Advocates of Debauchery, and Sadducism, and reduce their Arguments into that Nullity, they so Contend for.  
Notwithstanding all which, some there are that will still act the Brute, and would fain be of the opinion that Man dies like a Beast, that they might with more security Live so: Indulging themselves in those Bestial Sensualities, that dare not admit the Consideration of an after-reckoning, or the thoughts of a future Life.  
The Founder of this Order of men (or rather Brutes amongst us) is the DEVIL, the Father of Lies, and First Apostate from the Eternal Glory; who (being sensible that the right Notion of a Deity, and the Immortality of the Soul, would be great Restraints to the Depravity and Licentiousness of humane Race, and naturally excite in them such thoughts as might have a tendency to make some provision against the great day of Account;) hath ever been solicitous to cast men into a state of Security by a disbelief of any Life after this: That so they might with greater freedom, and unconcernedness, give themselves over to a living in all manner of Licentiousness, and drop into an irrevocable state of Perdition, before they have ever entertained one serious thought of Death or Judgement: For how should they concern themselves about a Futurity, who believe not a Resurrection? The tendency of whose Philosophy, and Carousing Sonnets, is to banish all apprehensions of a Second life: Who lull themselves into a Lethargic Stupidity with their Ede, Bibe, Lude, Post mortem nulia voluptas, As if their Heaven-born-Souls were capable of no higher enjoyments than the sickly pleasures of a sensual Life; whilst with Torrents of Intempaerte and Libidinous Debauches, they overwhelm their Pampered and deluded selves in an Eternal Gulf of Inextricable Misery.  
The Wise Heathens would never have a Belief so repugnant to common sense, and the dictates of Natural Reason, imposed ●…on them; though they had not the knowledge of the True God, 〈◊〉 they owned a Deity, Worshipped an Eternal Power, and believed Rewards and Punishments, after this life. Hence the Poet Hesiod gins with a Fear the Everlasting Gods, etc. And Homer hath a Divine Invocation, in the Entrance of his Illiads: Most the best of their Poets (whom they, not unaptly, called Vates, because they were to them in the nature of Priests, or Prophets; and from their Philosophy, the Gentiles imbibed the Doctrine of a Deity, and the Sentiments of an Elysium, on the other side of the River Styx) this life (with most of the other Notions relating to a future life) these I say, assert a Condition of Happiness and Misery after the Expiration of the Temporal Life.  
How may those then (that assume the Name of Christians, and Live under the evident Discoveries of an Eternity, by the unerring attestation of the Gospel of Life and Salvation, blush and hid themselves in their own confusions, when they reflect how far the poor Heathens have outdone them in point of Religion, as well as Morality. Shall those baffled fallacies of The Wicked One, which hardly obtained amongst the Heathens; be so prevalent (the Divine Revelations to the contrary) as to gain Champions amongst pretended Christians, and that amongst such as pretend to the Highest Form of Sagacity and Learning? What will become of the Execrable Atheist, who employs his Faculties and Reason, to fight against that God that gave them to him? But if the great Deceiver (for the security of his Dominions) keep the resolute Debauchees, and obstinate Hobbians in Incredulity of Relations of this Nature; we have no reason but to believe, that it will have other impressions on the more rational part of mankind; who by the Doctrine of the Holy Scripture, and many other undeniable instances of this kind, may be induced to believe that they have Souls to provide for; and that they ought not to deride well Attested Relations, that put them in mind of a future and Eternal State.  
We have not room in this place, to enter into a Disquisition of the Nature of the Apparitions hereafter mentioned; but shall for that refer the judicious Reader to the Learned Discourses of the reverend Dr. Henry Moor, and the ingenious Dr. Glanvill, before mentioned, who 〈◊〉 ●…eated o● the Nature of Spirits and Daemons, and with undeny●…le Arguments proved the Existence of such: But shall proceed to give an Account of the matter of fact as it is attested under the Hand of a Person of Quality and a Reverend Divine of unquestionable Reputation and Credit, of the County of Devon. But having no Authority to insert their Names, we have in civility omitted that in this Paper; not doubting but that if any scruple the truth of what is herein contained, upon inquiry they may be assured of the Truth of it, it being not only Notorious to them in particular, but to many the Inhabitants of the parts adjacent.  
The Relation follows.  
About the Month of November last, in the Parish of Spraiton, in the County of Devon, one Francis Faith, (Servant to Mr. Philip Furze) being in a Field near the dwelling house of his said Master, there appeared unto him, the resemblance of an aged Gentleman, like his Master's Father, with a Pole or Staff in his hand, like that he was wont to carry, when living, to kill the Moles withal: The Spectrum approached near the young man, who you may imagine, not a little surprised at the Appearance of one that he knew to be dead; but the Spectrum bid him not be afraid of him, but to tell his Master (who was his Son) That several Legacies, which by his Testament he had bequeathed, were unpaid, naming Ten Shillings to One, and Ten shillings to another, both which he named. the young man replied, That the party last named was dead, and so it could not be paid to him: The Ghost answered, He knew that, but it must be paid to the next Relation, whom he also named; The Spectrum likewise ordered him to carry Twenty shillings to a Gentlewoman, Sister to the deceased, living near Totness in the said County, and promised if these things were performed, to trouble him no further; but at the same time the Spectrum speaking of his second wife (who was also dead) called her wicked woman; though the Relator knew her; and esteemed her a very good woman: and (having thus related him his mind) the Spectrum left the young man: He according to the direction of the Spirit, took care to see the small Legacies satisfied; and carried the Twenty shillings, that was appointed to be paid the Gentlewoman near Totnes, but she utterly refused to receive it, being sent her (as she said) from the Devil: The same night the young man lodging at her house, the aforesaid Spectrum appeared to him again, whereupon the young man challenged his promise not to trouble him again; saying he had performed all according to his appointment; but that the Gentlewoman (his Sister) would not receive the money: To which the Spectrum replied, That was true indeed; but withal ordered the Young man, to ride to Totnes, and buy a Ring of that Value, which the Spirit said she would take: which being provided accordingly, she received. This is a true Account of the First Part of the Relation, as it came in a Letter from a neighbour Justice of Peace, and we have no farther notice of any trouble occasioned by the Appearance of the Resemblance of the old Gentleman, who seemed on the performance of these his orders, to be at Rest.  
But we must continue this Relation with the subsequent Discourse of a Spectrum, or Daemon, much more tremendous, and the like of which (in all circumstances) hath hardly been known; and it is taken from the same Letter, attested by the same hand.  
The next day after buying and delivering the Ring, the Young Man was Riding home to his Master's house, accompanied by a Servant of the Gentlewoman's near Totnes, and near about the time of their entrance (or a little before they came) into the Parish of Spraiton aforesaid, there appeared to be upon the Horse, behind the young man, a person or Spectrum resembling the before mentioned wife of the old Gentleman, spoken of before. This Daemon often threw the young man off his Horse, and cast him with such Violence to the ground, as was great astonishment, not only to the Gentlewoman's servant (with him) but to divers others who were spectators of the dreadful Action, his body being cast with incredible Force to the ground, which resounded with mighty noise at every fall. At his coming into his Master's Yard, the Horse which the young man rid, though very poor, and out of case, leapt at once Twenty five foot at one spring, to the amazement of all that saw it. Soon after the She Spectrum shown herself to several in the house, viz. The aforesaid young man, Mrs. Thomasin Gidly, Anne Langdon, born in that Parish, and a little Child, which by reason of the troublesomeness of the Spirit, they were forced to remove from that House. She Appeared sometimes in her own shape, sometimes in forms very horrid, now and then, like a monstrous Dog, belching out fire. At another time it flew out at the Window in the Shape of a Horse, carrying with it only one pane of glass and a small piece of Iron.  
One time the Young Man's head was thrust into a very Straight place betwixt a Beds-head, and a wall, and forced by the Strength of divers men to be removed thence, and that not without being much hurt and bruised, so that much Blood appeared about it: upon this it was advised he should be bleeded, to prevent any ill accident that might come of the bruise. After bleeding, the Ligature or binder of his Arm was removed from thence, and conveyed about his middle, where it was strained with such violence that the girding had almost stopped his breath and killed him; and being cut in sunder it made a strange and dismal noise, so that the standers by were affrighted at it.  
At divers other times he hath been in danger to be strangled with Cravats, and handkerchiefs that he hath worn about his Neck, which have been drawn so close, that with the sudden violence he hath near been choked, and hardly escaped Death.  
The Spectre hath showed great Offence at the Perukes the young man used to wear, for they are often torn from his head after a very strange manner; one that he esteemed above the rest he put in a small box, and placed that in another, which he set against the wall of his Chamber setting a Joint stool with other weight on the top of it, but in shorttime the boxes were broken in sunder, and the Peruke rended into many small parts and tatters. Another time lying in his Master's Chamber, with his Peruke on his head to secure it from danger, within a little time it was torn from him, and reduced into very small fragments.  
Another time one of his shoestrings was observed (without the assistance of any hand) to come of its own accord out of his shoe, and fling itself to the other side of the room; the other was crawling after it, but a maid espying that, with her hand drew it out, and it strangely clasped and curled about her hand like a living Eel or Serpent; this is Testified by a Lady of considerable Quality, too great for exception, who was an eye-witness. The same Gentlewoman shown the Relator one of the young man's gloves, which was torn in his pocket, whilst she was by; which is so dextrously tattered, and so Artificially torn that it is conceived a Cutler could not have contrived an Instrument to have laid it abroad so accurately; and all this done in the pocket in the compass of one minute.  
It is farther observable, that if the aforesaid young man, or another person who is a servant maid in the House, do wear their own ; they are certainly torn in pieces on their backs, but if the  belong to any other, they are not injured after that manner. Divers other strange & fantastical Freaks have been done by the said Daemon or Spirit in the view of divers persons: A Barrel of Salt of a considerable quantity, hath been observed to march from one room to another, without any humane assistance. An hand-iron hath seemed to lay itself cross overthwart a pan of milk, that hath been scalding over the Fire, and two Flicthes of Bacon have of their own accord descended from the Chimney, where they were hung, and placed themselves upon the Hand-iron.  
When the Spectrum appears in resemblance of her own person, she seemeth to be habited in the same clothes and dress which the Gentlewoman of the house (her daughter in Law) hath on at the same time. Divers times the feet and legs of the young man aforesaid have been so entangled about his neck, that he hath been loosed with great Difficulty: Sometimes they have been so twisted about the frames of chairs and stools that they have hardly been set at Liberty.  
But one of the most Considerable Instances of the Malice of the Spirit against the young man happened on Easter-Eve, when the Relator was passing by the door of the House; which happened thus;  
When the young man was returning from his labour, he was taken up by the skirt of his doublet, by this Female Daemon, and carried a height into the Air: He was soon miss by his Master, and other Servants that been at labour, and after diligent inquiry, no news could be heard of him, until at length, (near half an hour after) he was heard Singing and whistling in a Bogg or Quagmire, where they found him in a kind of Trance, or Extatick Fit, to which he hath sometimes been accustomed (but whether before the affliction he met with from this Spirit, I am not certain) he was affected much after such sort as at that time of those Fits; so that the people did not give that Attention and Regard to what he said as at other times, but when he returned again to himself (which was about an hour after) he solemnly protested to them, That the Daemon had carried him so high, that his Master's House seemed to him to be but as a heycock; and that during all that time he was in perfect sense, and prayed to Almighty God, not to suffer the Devil to destroy him, and that he was suddenly set down in that quagmire.  
The workmen found one shoe on one side of his Master's house, and the other on the other side, and in the morning espied his Peruke hanging on the top of a Tree: By which it appears, he had been carried a considerable height, and that what he told them was no Fiction. After this it was observed that that part of the young man's body which had been on the mud in the quagmire was somewhat benumbed and seemingly deader than the other; whereupon the following Saturday, which was the day before Low-Sunday, he was carried to Crediton, alias Kirton to be bleeded, which being done accordingly, and the Company having left him for some little space: At their return they found him in one of his fits, with his forehead much bruised, and swollen to a great bigness, none being able to guests how it happened, until he was recovered from that fit: When upon inquiry, he gave them this Account of it; That a Bird had with great swiftness and force flown in at the Window, with a stone in its beak, which it had dashed directly against his forehead. The people much wondering at the strangeness of this Accident, earnestly sought the stone, and under the place where he sat they found, not such a stone as they expected, but a weight of Brass or Copper, which it seems the Daemon had made use of on that occasion, to give the poor young man that hurt in his forehead. The persons present were at the trouble to break it in pieces, every one taking a part, and preserving it in memory of so strange an Accident.  
The Relator goes no further, only gives account that he heard the Spirit had handled him very Ill the next day being Sunday. This is a Faithful Account of the Contents of a Letter from a Person of Quality in Devon, to a Gentleman his friend in London, with relation to the Spectrums at Spraiton, and Dated the 11 th'. of this instant May, 1683. The Truth of which will be attested not only by divers persons of Quality in this City; but upon inquiry in the adjacent County will be confirmed beyond all exception.  
I will not trouble the Reader with any descant on the particulars above mentioned, but only add, that the young man will be of the Age of Twenty one years, if he live till August next.  
I have done with the Relation, and only beg the intelligent Reader, to consider, what sort of People these deriders of Spirits and Witches are, who perhaps will not believe that the Sun shines in Devonshire, because they are not there to see it. But too much hath already been said to such Scoffers, or at least more than the narrow limits of this Paper will well bear. Here is plain matter of fact, with the name of the County, and place, where any that are unsatisfied, may make enquiry, and as was before suggested, the Persons names have been forborn, lest (without their leave) it might give offence. If it conduce to the Conviction of any one of the adverse Party, or move in others (more sober) Resolutions to Walk seriously, and with an Awful Frame before the Omnipotent Creator of all things; and to take heed of Satanical Delusions, I have my Aim; and let GOD have the Glory.  
FINIS.