A Faithful Narrative of Thomas Spatchet Under Witchcraft, Chapter 1
Chap. I. Of the Lineage, Birth, and former place of abode of Mr. Thomas Spatchet, together with some remark…ble Providences he met with, in Infancy, and afterwards.
THE purpose and design of this Undertaking is, to give a faithful Narrative and true Relation, of the extraordinary, and almost unparallel'd bodily Afflictions, which (of late years) an Eminent Servant of Christ hath been exercised with, by a variety of violent and torturing Fits, the History whereof may be admirably useful for the striking conviction and astonishment into the hearts of Sinners, and especially such who are of an Atheistical Spirit, hardly perswaded that there is either a God or a Devil, here they may read of both; and if this be done to the green Tree, what will be done to the dry? It may also serve for the Encouragement and Consolation of True Christians, who may be exercised in a like condition, and may labour under doubtings and despondency of spirit upon that account, crying o…t▪ No sorrow like our sorrow; here they may see that one dear to the Lord hath been in a like case or condition: And this also may conduce to the Exaltation to the glorious Name of God, by magnifying his work, in declaring the remarkable Protections, and wonderful Salvations, which have been vouchsafed to him.
But it may not be amiss to look back and touch upon the foregoing part of his Life.
His Name is Mr. Thomas Spatchet; he was born …out the midst of the Month of Ianuary 1614 and hath been Bayliff twice in that antient Maritime Town of Dunwich in the Country of Suffolk; his Fathers Name was Mr. Iames Spatchet, his Grandfathers Name was Mr. Robert Spatchet of Dunwich, who was a very prudent man, and conversed much with Sir Edward Coke, late Lord Chief Justice.
The aforesaid Mr. Thomas Spatchet is one, whom the special Providence of God hath watched over for good, even from his Childhood.
He had almost a miraculous preservation in his very Infancy; for, being then carried by a Servant carelesly upon her shoulders, in a Yard set with Stone; she stumbling, he fell over her head, and pitched his head upon a Stone, whereby his Skull was broken, and the wound so deep and dangerous, that the mark is still apparent; there is a great seam to be seen on the left side of his Head, down towards the outside of his Eye, and the upper part of it turneth like a square about the midst of the sore-part of his Head; it seemeth to be two Inches or more both ways. But here the Lord had given his Angels such a charge concerning him, that altho' he dashed his head against a stone, yet he was preserved and kept from this threatned death, and delivered, that he might declare the mighty Works of God.
Afterward… when he was between 21, and 22 years of Age; being in a married state, going to a Well (in the same Yard where he had the aforementioned fall) upon occasion to draw Water; the Pully and Bucket falling, he fell with them headlong into the bottom of the Well, which was about 21 yards deep; the Water therein was at that time about knee deep; but the All-wise God so directed his fall, that he missed the bucket, the fatt▪ and great s…ones at the bottom (which were afterward seen there) else his brains had been dash'd out; the Lord brought him out of this horrible Pit, and since hath pitched his Soul upon the Rock of Ages.
A Man going down, found him standing on his legs, and fetched him up; but when he came to the Air, he grew very ill, and kept his Bed many days after this his retirement into the Chambers of Death; he having been but a little while in the bowels of the Earth (that whilst he was alive he might have a foretast of the Grave) he hardly knew how to live in the common Air any longer; but the Lord had intendments to make his Power known in his restoration; he had further work for him to do, and more for him to suffer; and therefore altho' the dreadful effects of this fall began now to shew themselves in a Vrin red like blood, and many other …istempers of body, such as at first he could not turn himself in his bed, yet a Vein being opened, and other means us'd, with a Divine blessing thereupon, he so far recovered within the space of a month, as he was able to go a little about the house▪ and so by degrees returned to a good measure of health again.
It is not to be passed in silence, what mercy was mixt with this sad dispensation, that in this dangerous fall not one of his bones was broken; that hand that held the Rope lost some flesh, almost to the bone, and he had a hole in his wrest, a range on the forehead, and the skin beaten off his ankles, no other hurt outwardly appearing either in head or elsewhere, the skin not so much as broken, but as aforesaid.
It also deserveth observation that a Woman in the same Town falling into a Well, was taken up alive, but soon died.
Moses in his Boat of Bulru…hes being laid by the Rivers brink, was preserved, Exod. 2.3. and this is upon Record for after Ages; and surely the preservation of this Man, in falling into the Waters, with many Instruments of …eath attending him, deserveth to be had in everlasting remembrance.