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An Antidote Against Atheism by Henry More - Book III: Chapter VII

if she had only confessed the buying of the Arsenick with the purpose of preventing her Mistrisses being poisoned, by the help and skill of the Witch or Wise-woman, it might have gone for a tolerable piece of folly, …………….but her compact with the Devil was no Fable but a sure truth (and if that be true, there is no reason to doubt of the rest) was abundantly evidenced by the reall effects of it. For after she had delivered the piece of Money above-mentioned and the two pins to Mr Chandler, she said she should be troubled for not keeping these things secret.

For the Devil told her, so long as she kept them secret, she should never be troubled; but now, she said, having revealed them, she feared she should be troubled. And that those grievous troubles and agonies she was after found in were not mere freaks of her own disturbed Phansy, but the Tyranny of Satan, will appear from several Circumstances.

For at her recovery from the first fitt she fell into, (which was in Stockbridge) both Mr Chandler and William Atwood, the man that went with him, saw a black shade come from her, whereupon presently she came to herself.

Again, she was so strong in her fitts, that six men or more could not hold her; and once as they were holding her, she was caught up from them so high, that her feet touched their breasts, when she was in the Prison at Sarum. As also at another time about midnight, she being miserably tormented, and crying out, The Devil will carry me away, she was pulled from them that held her, and cast from the low bed where she lay to the top of an high bed, with her Clothes torn off her back, and a piece of her skin torn away.

The Candle in the room standing on the Table was thrown down and put out: at which time there being a little Boy that was almost asleep, but with this noise affrighted, he had no power with the rest to goe out of the room, but stayed there, and saw a Spirit in the likeness of a great black man with no head in the room, scuffling with the Maid, who took her and set her into a Chair, and told her that she must goe with him, he was come for her Soul, she had given it to him.

But the Maid answered, that her Soul was none of her own to give; and he had already got her blood, but as for her Soul he should never have it: and after a while tumbling and throwing about of the Maid, he vanished away.

And that that which the Boy heard and saw was no fancy of his own, but a reall object of his Senses, the Witches condition in another Chamber at the same time does not obscurely argue. For she was then seen with her clothes off, in her fetters, running about like mad; and being asked why she ran about the room, she replied, She could not keep her bed, but was pulled out by violence, and being asked the reason why, she replied, Pray you what is the matter in your Chamber? Nothing, said they, but a Childe is not well. To which she answered. Do not you lie to me, for I know what is the matter as well as your selves. ………………..

These things you may read more fully and particularly in the Narration of Edmond Bower, who was an eye-witness of them. But what I have trsnscribed from thence I think is sufficient to convince any indifferent man, that what befell the Maid after her revealing those secrets she was intrusted with, was not counterfeited, but reall, nay, I may safely say, Supernatural.