THE SHEE-DEVIL OF Petticoat-Lane OR A True and Perfect Relation of a Sad Accident which befell Mr. Freeland at the Kings-Head in Petticoat-Lane near White-Chappel-Bars on Friday last jully 20 1666. Occasioned as it is supposed by a Maid-Servant living in the House who upon cause thereof was searched by the Neighbour-Women and what was the effects thereof Attested by several Eminent Persons some of whose names are hereunto subscribed Printed with Allowance LONDON Printed by Peter Lillicrap 1666. The SHEE-DEVIL OF Petticoat-Lane Or a Relation of sundry strange Accidents in the House of Mr. Freeland on Friday the 20th of july last THis following Discourse being no doubt the effects of Witchcraft would require a large Prologue if the limits whereunto we are confined would permit it as to show what manner of people these Witches are what strange things have been done by them of which I might produce many hundreds of examples together with the sad Catastrophe of such people as deal in those works of darkness But being confined to a single Sheet of Paper we shall presently fall to the work in hand This person Mr. Freeland a man whose honest civil carriage hath brought him to be of good repute amongst his Neighbours about the 16th or 17th of this present july entertained into his House a Maid-Servant of about fourteen Years of Age but after four day's entertainment found such dislike in her as to turn her away But at the instant before her departure two Men being at work in the Yard one of them had two blows on the Back by a piece of Tyle or Hewed Brick of which mistrusting his Fellow asked him the reason why he did so The other denying it as well he might whilst he was busy at his Work was served in the same manner by this stone Devil who also blaming the other for abusing him their feud might have increased at length to blows had they not been diverted by the breaking of the Glass-Windows for now the Stones came out from the Yard into the House not making Quarrels but breaking Quarrels and in a short space had so ordered the Window that it was now become a perfect Summer-House And one thing is to be observed that these Stones never came in at the broken places but always took a fresh Pane or Quarrel till such time that all was broke which made one there present to say The Thrower had a good aim or he could never have hit so right and which is more observable when the Maid-Servant was within the House than the Stones came flying inwards but going into the Yard than the Stones came as it were out of the House that betwixt them both there wanted a Glazier to compose the Quarrels Whilst these things were in agitation the Bungs and Corks out of the Butts in the Cellar began to fly the Beer spurted out and every thing appeared there in such a case as threatened a general inundation in the Seller the Brewers-Servant was present to put a Remora to what damages might accrue thereby but as he told me himself endeavours were to little purpose for stopping one two or three would want his help so that not withstanding what means could be used in a little space the Cellar was so overflown that it was above ankle height in beer Now this I must say in respect of Mr. Freeland that as for these strange effects of his beer it may happen only by the ordinary course of Nature as by putting Quicksilver into it and other means as you may read in Mr. Scot's Discovery of Witcheraft but this that I shall mention afterwards I must conceive is more than comes in the compass of my belief to think that there was nothing of Witchcraft in it For Presently after a Looking-Glass that stood on a Shell in the Kitchen of its own accord flew out of the window into the yard the good woman of the house knowing it to be a necessary implement for dressing her in the morning went and fetched it in again and to be the more sure thereof clapped it on the dresser with a dish upon it but that was of such little force to withstand those strong things then in agitation that it flew out from under the dish and struck one in the room a blow upon the shoulder But what is more strange one Rowland Bennet sitting in a Drinking Room besides the Kitchen a Flagon that stood upon the Shelf there came flying Circular and struck him upon the Nose with such violence as wounded him and caused a great effusion of blood Matters growing thus high and notice being taken concerning the Maid that whilst she was within the house the Stones flew inwards and being in the yard the Stones than came as fast out of the house still following her a mistrust came that these disasters were occasioned by her which made by a general consent of the Neighbours that she should be searched which accordingly was done and as I was told by some women in that employment there was found under her arms the likeness of Warts I will not say duggs very flesh and red whether such things be ordinary with women especially those of her age being but 14. I must confess I am so much a stranger to that Sex that I can only plead ignorance unto it and were it not for the opinion of some who will not believe there is any witches although the Scripture confirms it I should not have taken this pains upon me especially having read so much for Confutation thereof in Mr. Scot's Discovery of Witchcraft only this I shall say that if there was nothing of Witchcraft in it it appears to me extraordinary wonderful One thing which I had almost forgot that Mr. Freeland seeing his Windows go so to wrack put up the shutters but then the pewter in the house began to dance and amongst the rest a Breader or Flower-Box came off of the Shelf and flew at a distance upon a man's shoulder with so great force as made him have good cause to remember it Many other things I might insert in confirmation of what is already written but if any remain dissatisfied they may be certified by hundreds of sufficient people thereabouts And now to return to those who are so opininative that there is nothing done by Witchcraft first I shall produce these lines of the Poet. Some Waters have so powerful been As could not only bodies change But even the very minds of men Their operation is so strange It is truth many Cheats have been done which have passed for matters extraordinary and many Stories I have read to that purpose Which hath made many approved Scholars to write against the vanities of Magicians and Enchanters which boast they can do miracles hear what Cornelius Agrippa himself saith who dived as much into this secret as any in his age I have tried oftentimes by the Witches and Conjurors themselves saith he that their arts especially those which do consist of Charms Impossibilities Conjurations and Witchcraft whereof they were wont to boast to be mere foolishness doting lies and dreams and again in his book of Occult Philosophy he blameth his former practice of that art and assigneth the practisers thereof a place with jannes' and jambres by which it is doubted we see by learned men whether Magicians have such power as is ascribed to them or no although no doubt witches have been in all ages as we may read of the Witch of Endor etc. But some perhaps may think this passage needless tobe inserted in such serious matt●rs but those who have consulted with Magic Books As Bodin Cardanus lib. 15. and others assert that in their Magical Assemblies the Witches never fail to dance and in their dances they sing these words Har har Devil devil dance here dance here play here play here And while they sing and dance every one hath a broom in her hand and holdeth it up aloft and as Mr. Freeland told me that while he stood in his shop there came running betwixt his legs a pewter dish well-bowled that it broke not his shins and that off of a Shelf in the Kitchen certainly this Devil if it were a Devil as he was in part mischievous so he intermixed mirth withal To draw towards a Conclusion I know Readers will have a different Construction of this work some judging that this might be only things Customarily done by Nature others ascribing it to the highest pitch of Witchcraft for my own opinion I do Imagine that there are such people as Witches although it be stiffly denied by many and whether Mr. Free-lands goods were bewitched or no I shall leave it to the Readers judgement But this I am informed that as this trouble began on Friday last being the 20 july 1666. about two of the Clock in the afternoon so about 11 at night the Maidservant being put away these disturbances ceased and the house hath continued quiet ever since Being credibly informed that the Contents of these are true Constables Anthony D●●● William ●●●ter Howard L●●● William Law●●●tner