A Faithful Narrative of Thomas Spatchet Under Witchcraft, Chapter 4
Chap. IV. Of other Fits disabling for eating of his meat, and some continuing twelve hours; also Kneading Fits.
AFter the two and twenty weeks of such freedom, his Fits returned again to their former course of Stamping, Shaking, and Skipping, but these fewer in number, and with intermissions, sometimes a fourtnight together.
For the sp…ce of about three weeks he had none of those Fits, unless he did offer to eat his meat, and then he could not get down above four morsels at a time before he should be cast into such a Condition as he could neither stir hand nor foot, nor speak a word for th… space of near an hour after, and whilst that hath been in his mouth his jaws have been closed, that his fourth Morsel could neither be brought out or taken down: He could get down no other succour or refreshment during that time▪ but a little Beer and thin Broath; so that his body was brought low, and he ready to famish.
Then the Lord was sought unto in that case also, and that very night he could eat 9 or 10 morsels, and the next day he could eat to satisfie his Appetite if he made haste; but as soon as he had done he fell into fits again of another kind, all parts of his body moved as if one limb would have been plucked from another, his hands in such swift motion as his fingers could hardly be discerned therein; and so his legs also, looking very gashly▪ this lasted a fourtnight longer, every time that he did eat.
Prayer was made to the most high God as to this particular also▪ and that very night and from that time forward he could eat his meat without trouble, except as in the next particular.
In the Winter 1665. it came to shake him like a moderate palsy in the head several weeks together: Twelve hours the fit lasted every day; the …haking fit lasted ten hours daily, and went off …ith two hours of roaring fits, or howling or barking like a Dog, and his mouth wrung in a dreadful manner▪ with grievous faces. He hath been so hoarse with these fits as he could not speak to be heard in all that time: He could eat no meat till the 12 hours were ended; he hath tryed several times, but soon hath been able to eat no more, and hath been in fear that he should be raging mad and fly upon the people, yet never did any hurt.
The Lord was sought unto for that also, and he was present till two Prayed, and had four of the Roaring Howling Fits; and from that Day; for the space of ten days he was free from the Shaking and other Fits. Then they came again like a Palsy for about 11 Days, then Skipping fits one in a Day, after that he had Roaring fits again▪ but with intermissions three or four Days, or a fourtnight.
Also in the aforementioned Roaring fits, as he lay on his Back on the Bed▪ his Hands and Legs were drawn right upward one Leg against one Arm and Hand, and the other Leg against the other Arm and Hand, and so stood right up for some time, then they would fall down and be raised up again in the same manner, three or four times in a fit, his fingers being stretched so wide as if they would have Parted and been Rent one from another; and at one time when his Hands and Legs were so stretched upwards, at the same time his Body was lifted up from the Bed three or four times, and falling down again upon the Bed, he was acted thus up and down without his putting forth any Natural Power to promote such a Raising up of his Body from the Bed.
Also during the same time as he did lye upon the Bed, his Legs were drawn B…ckward and gathered up to his Back parts, still his Head being upon the Pillow, then his Head hath been raised forward by degrees to his Knees, and they being met would lye togeth…r a little space, and then loosen or part again and the Fit go off.
Also sometimes his Head hath bent backward off the Pillow, and then his Legs have been so gathered up as his Toes stood on the Bed and his Back bent like a Bow, and so they stood for some space of time, the chief stress being upon the feet, Neck, and Back, and then returning back again the fit left him.
Thus when he hath said his Bed should Comfort him, and did lye down for ease, he hath found the contrary, that there they have been as Violent fits, and his Shakings more tedious to bear than if up.
Also some Fits have kept hours like an Ague in their coming, that exactly the same hour in which they came this Day, they would come the next Day, and so in after days; he for a diversion hath put himself upon such an exercise of Body and Mind, as might be most likely to put by the thoughts of it; but his fit would return the very Hour a…d Minute as in the former Day, and whatever postures his Arms were found in at that instant; that they were kept in for a Considerable time; as if one Arm were stre…ched right out, he could not draw it in again▪ but must stand in that posture a great While.
His disability for attendance upon God in Ordinances still continued, In the Year 1665. he was so far from j…yning with others in acts of Worship, that if he attempted himself to go to Prayer, if he were upon his Knees he had …u…h Smitings in his Head, that he could not without much difficulty raise up his Body; If he stood to Pray, so it was also, his Countenance changed, and he reeled and staggered and was not able to speak a Word; So likewise if he aslayed to do it walking in his Chamber; only he had a liberty for an Ej…culation or two, and at sometimes lifting up his Heart for half a quarter of an hour together; he hath tryed when he hath gone first to Bed, and it was so with him for a great while there also, he could not proceed for these Nipps; But for some Months …n that year he was free of these Nipps, being affrighted out of it, i.e. Out of Praying work, with dreadfull Representations.
For, when he was certainly awake he had diverse times the Apparition of diverse faces, he never knew any of them, but Hers who discovered her self to be a Witch; his freedom from these Terrible Apparitions was also a return of Prayer: and in regard he is apt to conclude a delusion of sense herein, hence I shall not here give any further Particular account of those Apparitions, only as it is necessary in the relating the manner of some following fits; although I understand not how it could any way darken this story▪ seeing in former Days it hath been a common thing for the Devil to Appear in several shapes: there were such Apparitions, and it is doubtless one precious Priviledge attending the bright …hinnings forth of the Glorious Gospel; that since there hath been a greater freedom from these, than in foregoing Ages, and ordinarily Satan hath fallen before it like Lightning from Heaven.
But to return to our Story, about this time (1665) When the Lord hath given him any Intermis…ions or freedoms from his fits, for some days, a night or two before their return again when in Bed, he hath been cast into a heavyness and benumness, as if in a sleep, yet not asleep, if any were on the other Chamber, he knew what they said; after that, he hath had a blow as if a punch with the finger, either on his Breast… Side, or shoulder, soon after as if two did strike in the same manner; Presently as if a Hand did smite him, and then a Kneading on his Side or Breast, (as if Bread had been kneading there) for some space, untill he hath been Sore, with some Intermission; and then it hath been repeated again in like manner, till he hath seemed to be near Death, and then he hath revived again and come to himself; and for the most part the next Day or the Day after, the Fits have returned again. In these Kneading Fits he hath thrust down his hand and seemed to Catch a Hand, and put it into his Mouth and bite it; at one time he thought it was a Thumb that he did Bite, and it was observed that about the same time, She (that since hath confessed her self to be the Witch) was seen to go with a great shoe▪ which She borrowed, and her▪ Toe was hurt; when She was Searched since, her Toe was found with an impression as if sawn …; and since that seeming to Bite the Hand that hurt him, for about a Year he was free from that way of Kneading, and since the Fits have been as if gr…sped in Arms, and as handling his backparts to his great Trouble and affrightment; these were but seldom.
He continued … under … disability to joyn with others in Prayer, or to hear the Preaching of the Word, or to exercise himself unto any deep Meditation ordinarily; but (t…rough the Mercy of the Lord) had more Liberty for ordinary Common Discourse, by many Degrees, than before that time; he could speak about ordinary Matters, but if he attempted to hold on in …peaking of the things of God, for S…ritual Edification, he hath by his fits been hindred, unless occasionally, and that very seldom, by the Mighty Power of God, he hath injoyed that Liberty.