The Certainty of the Worlds of Spirits and Immortality of the Soul, Treatise · Postscript
POSTSCRIPT.
§ 1. HAving since received from Mr. Gilbert, the reverend Minister of the Place, a fuller Narrative of the strange Story near Belfast, I will insert his Letter.
Mr. Gilbert's Letter concerning the Apparition near Belfast, in Ireland.
Dear Sir,
YOur Last, of Iuly the 6th, I received; and since that, I have again and again enquired farther into that Business of the Apparition of Magdalen Loflin, which died about Novemb. 1. 1685. of the Hurt she had received a Month before. And she appeared to Thomas Donelson, a Neighbour, four Weeks after her Death, in the House of William Holiday, near her own House. There were then present in the said House, William Holiday, and Helen his Wife; as also Sarah Lofnam, Daughter in Law to the said Defunct; and some Servants and Children in the House; besides Charles Loflin and Helen Loflin, Children to the said Defunct; which are now all alive: And most of them were summoned to the following Assizes at Downe Patrick, and there deposed solemnly before the Bench, the several Circumstantials of the said Apparition. Which Apparition was thrice repeated, in the same Evening, to the said Thomas Donelson: And how he was horribly frighted thereby, and violently drawn out of the said House, before their Eyes, though they struggled Hard to detain him: And that he was carried up and down, over Neighbouring Hedges and Ditches: And that her last Words to him were, That she would trouble him no more, if he did faithfully prosecute the Cause of her Death; which she still ascribed to the Blows which she received from the said R. Eccleston and K. Higgison.
The said Thomas Donelson did accordingly repair to his Landlord, the next Justice, Mr. Randal Brice; who brought their several Examinations to Sir William Franklin, in Belfast-Castle, where was also present the Earl of Longford: Which said Depositions were carried to Dublin, and there recommended to the special Care of Judge Iohn Lindon, who was to come down the next Assizes of Downe: And the said Trial and Examination of the Witnesses, were then mannaged at the said Assizes, by Mr. Iames Macartny, Counsellor, in the behalf of Charles Loflin, the Plaintiff, to the Admiration of all the Bench, and of the Company there, in my Sight and Audience. So that the Matter was most notoriously known and believed, through the whole Country. Nor was there any Cause of suspecting any Fraud therein, they being all plain, honest Neighbours, well known to me, and my Parishioners, in the Parish of Dru…nbeg, in the County of Downe, and in the Province of Vlster.
When you send to Mr. Baxter, pray, send my best Respects, desiring both his Prayers and yours, as we most heartily recommend his continual Labours, and yours, to the Blessing of the Most High: In whom
I Rest Your Cordially Affectionate, Cl. Gilbert. Belfast. Aug. 24. 1691.
§. II. Whereas many wonder that the Devil can get down and up Childrens Throats, such great things as the Nails and pieces of Iron and Brass (as I have to shew,) a rude Story of that Pious and Excellent Phisition, Foelix Platerus, makes me think it possible. Two rude fellows had at meat a Custard before them, he that first tasted it, found it Scalding hot, and dissembled it, to draw the other to it, who presently so scalded his Mouth with it, that in Wrath and Revenge, the next Spoonful that the other did eat, he forced the Spoon down his Throat: Which being in his Stomach; cast him into fear: But they both being shortly after again together eating, he felt a great pain in the rectum intestinum; and put his Hand to his Fundament, and pulled out the Spoon, and put it into his Companions Dish. The passage of this Spoon through all the intestines, seems harder than most of the Witchcrafts mentitioned.
This confirmeth my Suspicion, that my Dear Friend Mr. William Hopkins case before mentioned, was but a Mistake, and not a Witchcraft; and that he might have swallowed in his Meat a piece of a Flesh-prick, and think it was a Bone, and forgot it; though I could not persuade his Wife and Neighbours to believe it. I rather think the conceit, than Witchcraft, shortned the good Mans Life.
§. III. And I will not spare my self, while I mention my Friend, though some will deride it, it may profit others, to tell you a small Story of the Devils power on my self. When I lived in Ludlow Castle at 16 and 17 years of Age (the Chaplain to the Council, being my Tutor) I that had been ensnared before in the pleasure of old Romances, was strongly tempted to the Love of Cards and Dice. The first overcame me a few Months: Having no skill at Tables, I agreed with the best Gamester in the House (Mr. Richard Harrison, Clerk of the Kitchin, who died old, not many years ago in Barbican, at the Earl of Bridgwaters) to teach me for a price: When I did but know when the Game was lost by the loss of all my Men, after a Game or two, they told me my Game was lost: And laught at me for not giving it up (other Skilful Gamesters looking on) I told them I would see the end first: They derided me, and Mr. Harrison said, I will lay you ten Shillings to Six-Pence: I laid down my SixPence; and he his ten Shillings: When I had cast the Dice ten times, I had wone the Game. They stood amazed, and told me, that if I had not had the same cast of the Dice all the ten times that I had, no other could have got my Game. An Atheist will laugh at this as Fortuitous: But I perceived that it was the Devils Temptation to draw me to be a Gamester: And I gave Mr. Harrison his Ten Shillings again, and never plaid more.
I mention this, to tell some Ladies and others of great Note, that are Ensnared in the Love of that vile Time-wasting Sin of Cards and Dice (and Stage-plays,) that the Devil hath great power in ruling that which they call Chance: And that it is a greater Sin so to waste precious Time than they are aware of; Besides the vile corrupting of their Affections.