A Faithful Narrative of Thomas Spatchet Under Witchcraft, Approbation – Dedication
WE whose Names are subscribed, do Testifie, That we have often seen Mr. Thomas Spatchet in many strange and violent Fitts, some of which disabled him for joyning with others in Religious Exercises, as Praying, Preaching, &c. concluded to be by Witchcraft: And many others in these Parts can testifie the same: Witness our Hands May the 4th. 1693.
Richard Whincop. Daniel Sheppard. Iohn Felle.
A Faithful Narrative OF THE Wonderful and Extraordinary FITS WHICH Mr. Tho. Spatchet (Late of Dunwich and Cookly) was under by WITCHCRAFT: OR, A Mysterious Providence in his even Unparallel'd Fits. With an Account of his first Falling into, Behaviour under, and (in part) deliverance out of them. Wherein are several Remarkable Instances of the Gracious Effects of Fervent Prayer. The whole drawn up and written by SAMVEL PETTO, Minister of the Gospel at Sudbury in Suffolk, who was an Eye-witness of a great part. With a Necessary Preface.
Job 2.6.
And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold he is in thy hand; but save his Life.
LONDON, Printed for Iohn Harris at the Harrow in the Poultrey. 1693. Price 6 d.
Licensed July 17. 1693. Edward Cook
ADVERTISEMENT.
1. THE Revelation Vnvail'd: Or an Essay towards the Discovering, 1. When many Scripture Prophecies had their Accomplishment, and turned into History. 2. What are now Fulfilling. 3. What rest …till to be Fulfilled, with a guess at the Time of them. With an Appendix, proving that Pagan Rome, was not Babylon, Rev. 17. And that the Iews shall be Converted. By Mr. Sam…el Pet…o, of Sudbury in Suffo…k. Price One shilling six pence.
2. The Life and Death of the Late Antient and Eminent Divine, Mr. Hanserd K…ollys, who Died in th… 93d Year of his Age. Written with his own Hand to the Year 1672. and continued in general, in an Epistle: By Mr. William Kiffien. To which is added, His last Leg…cy to the Church. Price stitch'd Six pence.
3. A Compendious History of the▪ first Inventers and Instituters of the most Famous Arts, Mysteries, Laws, Customs, and Manners in the whole World: Together with many other Rarities and Remarkable things, never before made Publick. To which are added, several Curious Inventions▪ peculiarly attributed to England and English men. The whole Work Alphabetically digested: Being very helpful to the Readers of History. Price One shilling.
4. A Collection of Modern Relations of Matter of Fact, concerning Witches and Witchcraft upon the …ersons of People. To which is prefixed a Meditation concerning the Mercy of God, in preserving us from the Malice and Power of Evil Angels. Written by the Late Lord Chief Justice Hale, upon occasion of a Tryal of several Witches before him. Part I. Price One Shilling.
5. Necessary Questions concerning Witches and Witchcraft briefly Answered. By the same Author. Price One shilling.
All Printed for Iohn Harris, at the Harrow in the Poultrey.
A Preface to the Christian Reader.
THE fol…owing Narrative and Letter concerning the Case of Mr. Spatchet, to the Postscript I did draw up many Years ago when the matters were fresh in Memory. I my Self was an Eye-Witness of many of his Fits, and there are others (not a few) yet alive about Walpoole and Cookly who can attest them; So as the matter of Fact hath c…nvi…cing Evidences, and is undeniable in the Substance of it.
There are Atheistical and Irreligious Pers…ns in this Age, which would perswade us that all such matters are Cheats, or come only from a Natural Cause.
If some be Cheats and Counterfeits, must all be so? Surely not. It is not imaginable that this should be a Cheat, for the dispensation was so Stupendous and Terrible, that no Man would Voluntarily have b…en biassed by Interest; or hired into such a Condition for such a number of Years whatever Worldly advantage could be laid before him.
If some strange Convulsive Motions may be from a Natural Cause, yea even in this Person in part, yet it is Irrational to think that the Principal or chief of his unusual Fits should be reducible thereunto. Men might more probably say, that the sore Boils which Job was smitten with were from a Natural distemper, and not from Satan, Job 2.7.
Many of these Motions were beyond Mr. Spatchets skill (as his acting the part of a Drummer, a Musician) others were apparently involuntary, even against his own Life, others not only Morally, but Naturally impossible (without Super added strength) as far transcending his Natural power; which together with the speedy recovery (in a quarter or half an hour after the removal of the Fits) from such Tormenting Wracking Pains by Violent Distorting of Limbs, sufficiently argue its not proceeding meerly from a Natural bodily distemper.
To this I might add what I my self and my Friend Mr. William Bidbank (a Minister) did observe in another Famous Case at Lowstoft; where divers persons (not only Dissenters but also others) had Torturing Fits, and raised or Vomited many Pins, all Wrankled and bent, so as I could not observe two Pins of th…se which I saw that were bent in the same manner.
Can any imagine that these Pins were from a Natural Cause, engendred in their Bodys and thus bent? and when divers of them had Fit…s together at the same time, if one recovered and did but go and lay a hand upon the others, they would immediately recover, and be well again Surely these things may be enough to evince that these things were praternatural.
And those Lowstoft Witches had their Tryal before that Renowed, Cautious and Iudicious Iudge Hale, were found guilty and Executed, and afflicted persons freed, we hope as an answer of Prayer Solemnly made there on the accou…t of the persons before so sorely Visited.
It remaineth then that if those things were not meerly from a Natural Cause, then they must be Diabolical. And in the present instance of Mr. Spatchet, it is unquestionabl…, it b…ing confessed by the Witch her self.
I would therefore Caution such as are Witch-Advocates to take heed of being incredulous, Mockers and Deriders at such things, lost the Lord leave them to find by sad Experience that there are such wicked Creatures in the World.
If any should stumble at it, that such a good man as Mr. Spatcher, should suffer by the hands of Witches, such Children of the Devil.
Let them know, that God, (for Wise ends) permitted Satan sorely to afflict his Servant Job; a man who had a Testimony from the mouth of God himself, Job 1.8 and 2.3. That he was an upright man, one than feared God, and escheweth evil; …ea he had a high Encomium, that there was none like him upon the Earth. And if a Godly man may so deeply suffer by the hand of Witches, why may not Satan be permitted to take the shape of a graci…us man? may he not do that as well as trasnform himself into an …ngel of light? This is the Comfort of Believers, that God doth limit Satan and set bounds to him, that he can hurt them no farther than God will permit him. As to Mr. Spatchets being afflicted after the Death of the Witch; I would answer, he had abatements soon after, and I have been informed that the Witch said before her death, that although …he dyed, yet he would not be free, for others had a hand in his trouble, as well as she.
I have been importuned by a Person of Quality and divers others, to permit this Tragical Story to be published, as being seasonable in this juncture of t…me. I shall be glad if it may be blessed to the awakening of some to seek a freedom from the Dominion of Satan, over their Souls, by observing how he exe…cieth his Cruelty upon the Bodys of Men, and also if it may be rendered useful towards exciting us to admire God in Preservation, from su…h Bodily Sufferings by his Instruments, and for Glorious Victories over his temptations by Iesus Christ; which that it may be shall be the Prayer of him; Who is
Thine to Serve thee in the Gospel, SAM. PETTO. June 29. 1693.
A Letter to a Friend.
SIR,
YOU are very desirous to obtain a faithful Narrative (a Capite ad Calcem) of these wonderful and almost unparallel'd Fits wherewith Mr. Thomas Spatchet was afflicted for some years: I here present it to your view, as a matter that deserveth to be had in remembrance in Ages to come.
I have lived some Miles distant from the place of his abode; but yet co…ing often thereabouts, I had the advantage to be an Eye-witness of a great part of what you find in this Story, and more I had from his own mouth; for he was always free to declare how it wa… with him before many Witnesses.
The various passages seemed to me so remarkable, as from time to time I could not but commit them writing, for a memorial of them; and I suppose some others have done the like, yea many (if they have not yet) might have done it; for this was no private business, but commonly known in this Country.
I submit it to your Iudgment, whether all proceeded from a Natural Cause, or a Diabolical.
He still findeth those shatterings in his head (within mentioned) in Religious Duties, at some times, especially if he travelleth beyond his strength.
I shall add no more but this, that the wording of it is not all his, but partly mine, and therefore I must crave excuse for failures therein. I have expressed as clearly as I could those wonderful Works of God, and I am glad I can tell you, that he ha…h made the latter end, letter than the beginning.
Yours, Samuel P…t…o.