The WONDER of SUFFOLK: BEING A TRUE RELATION Of one that Reports he Made a League WITH THE DEVIL for Three years to do Mischief;  
And now breaks open houses, robs people daily, destroys  before the owner's faces, strips women naked, etc. and can neither be Shot nor Taken; but leaps over walls fifteen foot high, runs five or six miles in a quarter of an hour, and sometimes vanishes in the midst of multitudes that go to take him.  
Faithfully written in a Letter from a Sober person, dated not long since, to a friend in Ship-yard near Temple-Bar, and ready to be attested by hundreds that have been Spectators of, or Sufferers by his Exploits, in several parts of Suffolk.  
With Allowance.  
LONDON: Printed for D. M. 1677.   

A Letter out of Suffolk.  
SIR,  
BEing of late, after a tedious Voyage, happily arrived (through the gracious providence of God) at Harwich; though I have naturally an aversion to the foolery of Impertinent Compliments, yet I should hold myself guilty both of Incivility and Ingratitude, should I not pay my Respects to my Friends; amongst which number yourself must ever claim a principal place. As for News, I shall not trouble you with any thing Foreign, since I have met with an Adventure more strange and surprising since my return, than any I encountered abroad: which for the rarity of it, I think fit to acquaint you with; setting down only the truth of the matter of Fact, as far as possible my Inquiries and Discourses with the most judicious and concerned persons can inform me; who have taken some pains (after I heard the vulgar Rumour which is spread over all this Country) to be satisfied in the reality of the matter, and find the same as follows:  
A man in High Suffolk was some months ago put into a Goal for Debt, or some misdemeanour by him committed: for he was always a person of a very lose life and Conversation. Whilst he continued a Prisoner, 'tis reported, that he made a League with the Devil to do what mischief he pleaseth for the space of three years, with Impunity, or without any danger of being taken or punished within that Term for the same: Which Report is occasioned by himself, who has uttered words to that purpose: for the truth of the thing is impossible to be known or proved by any other, save what may be collected from the prodigious effects that have since happened; which put many sober persons to a loss, whether they should reject or believe it.  
But certain it is, that about two months ago he made his Escape out of the Goal, and no body can tell by what way or means, and cannot by all the vigilance or art they can use be retaken, though he continue in that Country, goes openly in the daytime, and often comes near Ipswich Town; but lives wholly upon Villainy, and seems to study Mischief and doing of spoil and damage to other people, even though he himself get nothing by it: for his Actions are as follows:  
He commonly breaks into houses and robs the people; takes Bullocks, and (though they are so large as would require several men to lift them) can all-alone hang them up by the heels, where he takes off their Hides and sells them to Tanners at remote Towns. He takes away Calves before the Owners faces; and sometimes, by I know not what Charms and Spells, makes the Calves run after him, and leap over hedges or styles to follow him.  
He robs the Spinsters that have received money for their Yarn, and tells them he can tell them beforehand how much money to a penny they have got about them. When he meets with women, he strips them naked and ties them to Trees, and uses other barbarous Incivilities; having, as I was informed by credible persons, served several modest Matrons and young Maids so of late, insomuch that scarce any of that Sex in the Villages where he haunts dare go abroad to Market, or other lawful occasions.  
He talks with many people, and asks them whether they have not heard of such a fellow: If they say no, he certainly robs, beats or strips them, and tells them, now they may honestly say they have met with him. If they say they have heard of him, than he confesseth he is the man; but in such case commonly tells them he will do them no harm, and i● as good as his word. Though his general Residence is in the Woods and Fields, yet sometimes he lies in Ale houses, but then seldom discovers himself till he is going away: he talks there strangely and extravagantly; drinks hard, but pays for whatever he calls for: he has been surprised in houses against Brick-walls, and places where it was thought impossible for him to escape; yet he has got away, sometimes vanishing out of the house where the people had thought they had secured him, and sometimes leaping over Brick-walls 10 or 15 foot high.  
When the people have thought they have been near him, he on a sudden has appeared as far dist●nt as they could see, above a mile off. He has 〈◊〉 that at several times, but no Bullet can touch or hurt him: He puts men, women, and Children in great fear, and tells the people that seek to take him, That he has yet above two years to Reign, and they are fool●●o trouble themselves about him in that time; and that just before he shall be taken to be hanged (for that he confesses is his Destiny) he must kill some Women great with Child. He is, though formerly a dull heavy clouterly fellow, of late become so devilish nimble and light of foot, that he commonly runs 5 miles in a quarter of an hour.  
Having some business in Suffolk, I myself lately see and discoursed with his own Brother, who with much sorrow related several of these particulars, and told several others and myself, That this strange fellow his Brother was then in a Wood near the Town, and told a Gentleman he might escape him in the Road to Woodbriggs. We would have gone to see him, but the Towns-people assured us that it was seldom or never his manner to be seen to such as look after him out of curiosity; but whereas he falls upon other men that he meets with by accident, and easily masters them though there be several of them together, yet of these at other times he seems to be fearful; and so vanishes they know not how, or leaps over Quickset hedges, and comes at them no more. Several other wonderful stories I heard affirmed of him, which at present I have omitted: For he is the general Talk and Terror of the Country. What to think of it I know not, but am sufficiently assured and satisfied of the truth of the matter in general, having heard the same attested by hundreds that have seen the fellow, and those good sober people whose Credit is in no wise to be doubted.  
Yours in great haste to command, W. S. Harwich, June 10. 1677.   

Postscript.  
YOu may if you please, show what I have writ to any of your Friends: For though it be a strange, yet it is so true a story (as hundreds can witness) that considering the strangeness of it, you will perhaps find as many Truths in it as ever you did in any Relation of this kind, consisting of particulars so very wonderful.  
FINIS.