AN ACCOUNT OF ONE Ann Jefferies, Now Living in the County of Cornwall, who was fed for six Months by a small sort of Airy People called Fairies.  
And of the strange and wonderful Cures she performed with Salves and Medicines she received from them, for which she never took one Penny of her Patients.  
In a Letter from Moses Pitt to the Right Reverend Father in God Dr. Edward Fowler, Lord Bishop of Gloucester.  
All the Works of Providence are not alike. Sometimes for wise and good Reasons God has been pleased quite, to alter the Course of Nature, as it were, to show himself to have a Power above it. Mr. Samuel Barton's Sermon before the House of Common, April 16, 1696. Page the 7th.  
London, Printed for Richard Cumberland at the Angel in St. Paul's Churchyard 1696.   

MY LORD;  
WHEN about Christmas last I waited on you with my printed Letter to the Author of a Book, entitled, Some Discourses upon Dr. Burnet (now Lord Bishop of Salisbury) and Dr. Tillotson (late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury) occasioned by the late Funeral-Sermon of the former upon the latter: After I had paid my Duty and Service to your Lordship, you were pleased to take me by the Hand, and would not let me go, till I had promised you to publish to the World this following Narrative of and concerning Ann Jefferies, which I had told you about 15 or 20 Years ago, one Lord's-day at Dinner, where was also Mr. Will. Tom, sometime since Mayor of Plymouth, and at this time living there, (and is Son of the Gentlewoman of that Name mentioned in this Narrative) who did aver the Truth of many, if not all the Passages I here relate, and will also still justify the same. I doubt not but I could bring several other Persons now living to justify the Truth of what I here writ: Nay, she herself, who is at this time living in Cornwall, must own it, and a great deal more, if she could be prevailed with to speak out. My Lord, I thought I could, if any Person alive, have prevailed with her, she being the Servant that attended me in my Childhood; but your Lordship may see that I cannot, and therefore your Lordship must be content with what I here publish: And although I was then but a Child, yet I am satisfied I was not, nor could not be imposed on in this Affair, they having made so great am Impression on me from my Childhood hitherto. I know, my Lord, that the great Part of the World will not believe the Passages here related, by reason of the Strangeness of them, but I cannot help their Unbelief: Your Lordship knows the Record where it's mentioned, That the Great God did marvellous things in the sight of our Forefathers, but for all that they sinned yet more, and believed not his wondrous Works: And therefore Unbelief is no new Sin crept into the World. And moreover, my Lord, if Men would give themselves time to think, they cannot but remember that the Great God has done as great and marvellous Works in our Age, both in Judgement and in Mercy, as he did in the days of old: By which the greatest Atheist may be convinced, not only of the Being of a God, but also that his Power and his Goodness are as manifest now as of old; and therefore it's the Duty of all that do by personal Knowledge know any extraordinary Works or Providences of God, which are uncommon, to publish them to the World, that the Great God may be glorified, and Mankind edified; which is purely and truly the Design of publishing the following Narrative.   

An ACCOUNT of one Ann Jefferies, now alive in the County of Cornwall, who was fed for 6 Months by a small sort of Airy People called Fairies; and of the strange and wonderful Cures she performed, etc.  
AND Jefferies, (for that was her Maiden Named) of whom the following strange things are related, was born in the Parish of St. Teeth in the County of Cornwall, in December, 1626. and she is still living, 1696. being now in the 70th Year of her Age; she is married to one William Warden, formerly Hind (a Hind is one that looks after the rest of the Servants, the Grounds, cattle, Corn, etc. of his Master) to the late eminent Physician Dr. Richard Lower deceased; and now lives as Hind to Sir Andrew Slanning of Devon, Bar.  
I must acquaint you, Sir, that I have made it my Business, but could not prevail, to get a Relation from her of what she herself remembers of those several strange Passages of her Life that I here relate, or of any other that I have either forgot, or that never came to my Cognizance: but she being prevailed with by some of her poor ignorant Neighbours not to do it, and she fancying that if she should do it, she might again fall into Trouble about it; I here give your Lordship the best and faithfullest Account I can.  
In the Year 1691. I wrote into Cornwall to my Sister Mary Martyn's Son, an Attorney, to go to the said Ann, and discourse her as from me, about the most material strange Passages of her Life: He answers my Letter, Sept. 13, 1691. and saith, I have been with Ann Jefferies, and she can give me no particular Account of her Condition, it being so long since: my Grandfather and Mother say, that she was in Bodmyn Goal three Months, and lived six Months without Meat; and during her Continuance in that Condition, several eminent Cures were performed by her, the Particulars no one can now relate. My Mother saw the Fairies once, and heard one say, that they should give some Meat to the Child, that she might return to her Parents: Which is the fullest Relation can now be given.  
But I not being satisfied with this Answer, did, in the Year 1693. write into Cornwall to my Sister's Husband, (Mr. Humph. Martin) and desired him to go to Ann Jefferies, to see if he could persuade her to give me what Account she could remember of the many and strange Passages of her Life. He answers my Letter, Jan. 31, 1693. and saith, As for Ann Jefferies, I have been with her the greatest part of one day, and did read to her all that you wrote to me; but she would not own any thing of it as concerning the Fairies, neither of any of the Cures she then did. I endeavoured to persuade her she might receive some Benefit by it: She answered; That if her own Father were now alive, she would not discover to him those things that did then happen to her. I asked her the Reason why she would not do it: She replied, That if she should discover it to you, that you would make either Books or Ballads of it: And she said, That she would not have her Name spread about the Country in Books or Ballads of such things, if she might have five hundred Pounds for the doing of it: for she said, she had been questioned before Justices, and at the Sessions, and in Prison, and also before the Judges at the Assizes; and she doth believe, that if she should discover such things now, she should be questioned again for it. As for the ancient Inhabitants of St. Teeth Church Town, there are none of them now alive but Thomas Christopher a blind Man, (Note, this Tho. Christopher was then a Servant in my Father's House when these things happened) and he remembers many of the Passages you wrote of her. And as for my Wife, she then being so little, did not mind it; but has heard her Father and Mother relate most of the Passages you wrote of her.  
This is all the Account I can at present possibly get from her, and therefore I now go on with my own Relation of the wonderful Cures, and other strange things she did, or happened to her, which is the Substance of what I wrote to my Brother, and that he read to her.  
It's the Custom in our County of Cornwall, for the most substantial People of each Parish to take Apprentices the Poor's Children, and to breed them up till they attain to 21 Years of Age, and for their Service to give them Meat, Drink, and Clothes. This Ann Jefferies being a poor Man's Child of the Parish, by Providence fell into our Family, where she lived several Years, being a Girl of a bold daring Spirit: She would venture at those Difficulties and Dangers that no Boy would attempt.  
In the Year 1645, (she then being 19 Years old) she being one day knitting in an Arbour in our Garden, there came over the Garden-hedg to her six Persons of a small Stature, all clothed in green, which she called Fairies: upon which she was so frighted, that she fell into a kind of a Convulsion-fit: But when we found her in this Condition, we brought her into the House, and put her to bed, and took great Care of her. As soon as she recovered out of her Fit, she cries out, They are just gone out of the Window; they are just gone out of the Window; do you not see them? And thus in the height of her Sickness she would often cry out, and that with Eagerness; which Expressions we attributed to her Distemper, supposing her lightheaded. During the Extremity of her Sickness my Father's Mother died, which was in April, 1646. but we durst not acquaint our Maid Ann with it, for fear it might have increased her Distemper, she being at that time so very sick that she could not go, nor so much as stand on her Feet; and also the Extremity of her Sickness, and the long Continuance of her Distemper, had almost perfectly moped her, so that she became even as a Changeling: and as soon as she began to recover, and to get a little Strength, she in her going would spread her Legs as wide as she could, and so lay hold with her Hands on Tables, Forms, Chairs, Stools, etc. till she had learned to go again: and if any thing vexed her, she would fall into her Fits, and continue in them a long time; so that we were afraid she would have died in one of them. As soon as she had got out of her Fit, she would heartily call upon God: and then the first Person she would ask for was her Child, meaning myself, (because she before her Sickness tended me) and would not be satisfied till I came to her. Upon which she would ask me, if any one had vexed or abused me since she fell into her Fit. Upon my telling her, no one had, she would struck me, and kiss me, calling me her dear Chi●d; and then all her Vexation was over.  
As soon as she recovered a little Strength, she constantly went to Church to pay her Devotions to our great and good God, and to hear his Word read and preached. Her Memory was so well restored to her, that she would repeat more of the Sermons she heard than any other of our Family. She took mighty Delight in Devotion, and in hearing the Word of God read and preached, although she herself could not read.  
The first manual Operation or Cure she performed, was on my own Mother; the Occasion was as follows: One Afternoon, in the Harvest-time, all our Family being in the Fields at work, (and myself a Child at School) there was none in the House but my Mother and this Ann: my Mother considering that Bread might be wanting for the Labourers, if Care were not taken; and she having before caused two Bushels of Wheat to be sent to the Mill to be ground, (note, our Bushel is twenty Gallons) my Mother was resolved that she herself would take a Walk to the Mill, (which was but a quarter of a Mile from our House) to hasten the Miller to bring home the Meal, that so her Maids, as soon as they came from the Fields, might make and bake the Bread; but in the mean time how to dispose of her Maid Ann, was her great Care, for she did not dare trust her in the House alone, for fear she might do herself some Mischief by Fire, or set the House on fire (for at that time she was so weak that she could hardly help herself, and every silly withal): At last by much Persuasions my Mother prevailed with her to walk in the Gardens and Orchards till she came from the Mill; to which she unwillingly consented. Then my Mother locked the Doors of the House, and walked to the Mill; but as she was coming home in a very plain way, she slipped and hurt her Leg, so as that she could not rise, there she lay a considerable time in great Pain, till a Neighbour coming by on Horseback, seeing my Mother in this Condition, lifted her up on his Horse, and carried her home. As soon as she was brought within the Doors of the House, word of it was sent into the Fields to the Reapers, who thereupon immediately left their Harvest-work, and came home; the House being presently full of People: a Manservant was ordered to take a Horse and ride for Mr. Job an eminent Chirurgeon, that then lived at a Market-Town called Bodmyn, which was eight Miles from my Father's House: but whilst the Man was getting the Horse ready, in comes our Maid Ann, and tells my Mother she was heartily sorry for the Mischance she had got in hurting of her Leg, and that she did it at such a Place (naming the Place); and further, she desired she might see her Leg: My Mother at first refused to show her her Leg, saying to her, what should she show her Leg to so poor and silly a Creature as she was? for she could do her no good: but Ann being very importunate with my Mother to see her Leg, and my Mother being unwilling to vex her by denying her, for fear of her falling into her Fits, (for at all times we dealt gently, lovingly, and kindly, with her, taking great Care by no means to cross or fret her) did yield to her Request, and did show her, her Leg: Upon which Ann took my Mother's Leg on her Lap, and stroked it with her Hand, and then asked my Mother if she did not find Ease by her stroking of it. My Mother confessed to her she did. Upon this she desired my Mother to forbear sending for the Chirurgeon, for she would, by the Blessing of God, cure her Leg: and to satisfy my Mother of the Truth of it, she again appealed to my Mother, whether she did not find farther Ease upon her continued stroking of the Part affected; which my Mother again acknowledged she did. Upon this my Mother countermanded the Messenger for the Chirurgeon.  
On this my Mother demanded of her how she came to the Knowledge of her Fall. She made answer, that half a dozen Persons told her of it. That, replied my Mother, could not be, for there was none came by at that time, but my Neighbour .... that brought me home. Ann answers again, that that was Truth, and it was also true, that half a dozen Persons told her so; for said she, you know I went out of the House into the Gardens and Orchards very unwillingly. And now I will tell you the Truth of all Matters and Things that have befallen me.  
You know that this my Sickness and Fits came very suddenly upon me, which brought me very low and weak, and have made me very simple. Now the Cause of my Sickness was this.  
I was one day knitting of Stockings in the Arbour in the Garden, and there came over the Garden-hedg of a sudden six small People, all in green Clothes, which put me into such a Fright and Consternation that was the Cause of this my great Sickness; and they continue their Appearance to me, never less than 2 at a time, nor never more than 8: they always appear in even Numbers, 2, 4, 6, 8. When I said often in my Sickness, They were just gone out of the Window, it was really so; although you thought me lightheaded. At this time when I came out into the Garden, they came to me, and asked me, if you had put me out of the House against my Will: I told them I was unwilling to come out of the House: Upon this they said, you should not far the better for it; and thereupon in that Place, and at that time, in a fair Pathway you fell, and hurt your Leg. I would not have you send for a Chirurgeon, nor trouble yourself, for I will cure your Leg: The which she did in a little time.  
This cure of my Mother's Leg and the Stories she told of these Fairies, made such a Noise over all the County of Cornwall, as that it had the same Effect St. Paul's healing of Publius' Father of a Fever and a bloody Flux, at Malta, after his Shipwreck there, as related Acts 28.8, 9, And it came to pass that the Father of Publius lay sick of a Favour, and of a bloody Flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his Hands on him, and healed him. So when this was done, others also which had Diseases in the Island, came, and were healed. That People of all Distempers, Sicknesses, Sores, and Ages, came not only so far off as the Landsend, but also from London, and were cured by her. She took no moneys of them, nor any Reward that ever I knew or heard of; yet had she moneys at all times sufficient to supply her Wants. She neither made nor bought any Medicines or Salves that ever I saw or heard of, yet wanted them not as she had Occasion. She forsook eating our Victuals, and was fed by these Fairies from that Harvest-time to the next Christmas-day; upon which Day she came to our Table, and said, because it was that Day she would eat some Roast Beef with us, the which she did, I myself being then at table.  
One time (I remember it perfectly well) I had a mind to speak with her, and not knowing better where to find her than in her Chamber, I went thither, and fell a knocking very earnestly at her Chamber-door with my Foot, and calling to her earnestly, Ann, Ann, open the Door, and let me in: She answered me, My Child, have a little Patience, and I will let you in immediately. Upon which I looked through the Keyhole of the Door, and I saw her eating; and when she had done eating, she stood still by her Bedside as long as Thanks to God might be given, and then she made a Curtsy, (or Bow) and opened the Chamber-door, and gave me a Piece of her Bread, which I did eat, but I think it was the most delicious Bread that ever I did eat either before or since.  
Another odd Passage which I must relate, was this; One Lords day my Father with his Family being at Dinner in our Hall, comes in one of our Neighbours, whose Name was Francis Heathman, and asked where Ann was; we told him she was in her Chamber: Upon this he goes into her Chamber to see for her; and not seeing her; he calls her: She not answering, he feels up and down in the Chamber for her; but not finding her, cometh and tells us she was not in her Chamber. As soon as he had said this, she comes out of her Chamber to us, as we were sitting at Table, and tells him, she was in her Chamber, and saw him, and heard him call her▪ and see him feel up and down the Chamber for her▪ and had almost felt her, but he could not see her although she saw him, notwithstanding she was at the same time at the Table in her Chamber eating her Dinner.  
One Day these Fairies gave my Sister Mary, (the now Wife of Mr. Humph. Martin) then about four Years of Age, a Silver Cup that held about a Quart, bidding her give it my Mother, and she did bring it my Mother; but my Mother would not accept of it, but bid her carry it to them again, which she did. I presume this was the time my Sister owns she saw the Fairies. I confess to your Lordship, I never did see them. I had almost forgot to tell your Lordship, that Ann would tell what People would come to her several Days before they came, and from whence, and at what time they would come.  
I have seen Ann in the Orchard dancing among the Trees; and she told me, she was then dancing with the Fairies.  
The great Noise of the many strange Cures Ann did, and also her living without eating our Victuals, (she being fed by these Fairies) caused both the Neighbour-Magistrates and Ministers to resort to my Father's House, and talk with her, and strictly examined her about the Matters here related; and she gave them very rational Answers to all those Questions they then asked her, (for by this time she was well recovered out of her Sickness and Fits, and her natural Parts and Understanding much improved) my Father and all his Family affirming the Truth of all we saw. The Ministers endeavoured to persuade her they were evil Spirits that resorted to her, and that it was the Delusion of the Devil, (but how could that be, when she did no Hurt, but Good to all that came to her for Cure of their Distempers?) and advised her not to go to them when they called her. Upon these Admonitions of the Ministers and Magistrates, our Ann was not a little troubled and concerned, not well knowing what to do in this case. However, that Night after the Magistrates and Ministers were gone, my Father with his Family sitting at a great Fire in his Hall, Ann being also present, she spoke to my Father, and saith, Now they call (meaning the Fairies:) We all of us urged her not to go. In less than a half quarter of an Hour she saith, Now they call a second time. We encouraged her again not to go to them. By and by she saith, Now they call a third time; Upon which away to her Chamber she went to them (of all these three Calls of the Fairies, none heard them but Ann). After she had been in her Chamber some time, she came to us again with a Bible in her hand, and tells us, that whe● she came to the Fairies, they said to her, Wha●, has th●●e been some Magistrates and Ministers with you, and dissuaded you from coming any more to us, saying we are evil Spirits, and that it was all the Delusion of the Devil? Pray desire them to read that Place of Scripture in the 1st Epistle of St. John, chap. 4. ver. 1. Dear Beloved, believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits, whether they are of God, etc. This Place of Scripture was turned down to in the said Bible. (I told your Lordship before, Ann could not read.)  
After this one John Tregeagle Esq (who was Steward to the late John Earl of Radnor) being then a Justice of Peace in Cornwall, sent his Warrant for Ann, and sent her to Bodmin Goal, and there kept her a long time. That Day the Constable came to execute his Warrant, Ann milking the Cows, the Fairies appeared to her, and told her, that a Constable would come that day with a Warrant for to carry her before a Justice of Peace, and she would be sent to Goal. She asked them if she should abscond and hide herself: they answered her, No, she should fear nothing, but go with the Constable. So she went with the Constable to the Justice, and he sent her to Bodmin-Goal, and ordered the Prison Keeper that she should be kept without Victuals; and she was so kept; and yet she lived, and that without complaining. When the Sessions came, the Justices of the Peace sent their Warrant to one Giles Bawden, a Neighbour of ours, who was then Constable, for my Mother and myself to appear before them at that Sessions, to answer such Questions as should be demanded of us about our poor Maid Ann (Bodmin was eight Miles from my Father's, and it was the first time that I remember I ever road on Horseback). When we came to the Sessions, the first that was called in before the Justices was my Mother, (what Questions they asked her, I do not remember:) When they had done examining her, they desired her to withdraw. As soon as she came forth, I was brought in, and called to the upper end of the Table to be examined; and there was (I suppose him to be) the Clerk of the Peace with his Pen ready in his Hand to take my Examination (I do not remember that they did put me to my Oath). The first Question they asked me was, My pretty little Child, what have you got in your Pockets? I very innocently and pertinently answered, Nothing, Sir, but my Cuffs, (Cuffs are worsted knit Gloves, which Children in our Country wear on their Hands to keep them warm) which I immediately plucked out of my Pocket, and showed them. Their second Question to me was, If I had any Victuals in my Pocket for my Maid Ann? I answered, I had not. Upon this they laughed at my childish Answers, (to such Questions such Answers) and so dismissed me as well as my Mother. But poor Ann lay in Goal for a considerable time after; and also Justice Tregeagle, who was her great Persecutor, kept her in his House some time as a Prisoner, and that without Victuals. And at last when Ann was discharged out of Prison, the Justices made an Order that Ann should not live any more with my Father. Whereupon my Father's only Sister, Mrs. Francis Tom, a Widow, near Padstow, took Ann into her Family, and there she lived a considerable time, and did many great Cures: but what they were, my Kinsman Mr. Will. Tom, who then lived in the House with his Mother, can give your Lordship the best Account of any that I know living, except Ann herself. And from thence she went to live with her own Brother, and in process of time married as aforesaid.  
And now, my Lord, if your Lordship expects that I should give you an Account when and upon what occasion these Fairies forsook our Ann, I must tell your Lordship, I am ignorant in that; she herself can best tell if she could be prevailed with so to do: and the History of it, and the rest of the Passages of her Life, would be very acceptable and useful to the most curious and inquisitive Part of Mankind.  
And now, my Lord, I think good here to put an end to my plain Relation of these very strange Passages of this Ann Jefferies' Life: It's only Matter of Fact which I have here faithfully related; I have not made any Observations nor Reflections upon any one Passage. I leave your Lordship to your own free Thoughts and Judgement. I myself cannot give one natural Reason for any one of these Passages that happened to this poor Woman, but must conclude with that great Apostle and Scholar St. Paul, Rom. 11.33, 34, 35, 36. O the Depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God how unsearchable are his Judgements, and his Ways past finding out! For who hath known the Mind of the Lord, or who hath been his Counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be Glory for ever. Amen.  
I am Your Lordship's most Humble and Dutiful Servant, MOSES PITT. May 1. 1696.   

Books printed for Richard Cumberland at the Angelin St. Paul's Churchyard.  
A Letter from Moses Pitt to the Author of a Book, entitled, Some Discourses upon Dr. Burnet (now Lord Bishop of Salisbury) and Dr. Tillotson (late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury) occasioned by the late Funeral Sermon of the former upon the latter. 4to. Price 6 d.  
The Cry of the Oppressed; being a true and tragical Account of the unparallelled Sufferings of Multitudes of poor imprisoned Debtors in most of the Goals in England, under the Tyranny of the Gaolers, and other Oppressors, some of them being not only ironed, and lodged with Hogs, Felons, and condemned Persons, but have had their Bones broke; others poisoned and starved to Death; others denied the common Blessings of Nature, as Water to drink, or Straw to lodge on; others their Wives and Daughters attempted to be ravished, with other barbarous Cruelties not to be paralleled in any History or Nation. All which is made out by undeniable Evidence; together with the Case of the Publisher: illustrated with Copper Plates. 120. Price 1 s.