A Faithful Narrative of Thomas Spatchet Under Witchcraft, Chapter 8
Chap. VIII. Of his Fits a little before and at the Death of the Witch, and his gradual freedom since, with his Condition at Present.
HIS Violent Fits continued until the Thirteenth Day of the Month of Febru…ry, 166… ▪ and from that Day he hath been freed from them, which was about 8 weeks before the Death of that Woman which Confessed her self to be a Witch▪ for she Dyed about April, 1667. before this 8 Weeks she was under Tortures from the Devil, and whether she had no leisure to send to and Afflict him, or whether it were only from God, laying a restraint upon that grand Enemy of Mankind Satan▪ that he injoyed this Eight Weeks freedom from those Fits, must be left to others to Judge: it is good to ascribe all to God; but it being thus long before her Death, this argueth that it was no Corroboration of his Imagination by her Death that was the Cause of his freedom.
Indeed, he had not a freedom from all Fits so early, he was under a Restraint from Travel until the very time of Her Death.
About a Week before she Dyed, Mr. R. (a Conformist) sent for him to go to her, when she was Ill; he went about a Close length, and the…, if it had been upon his Life, he could not get one step further forward; he indeavoured very earnestly to go on but could not; he did get back again in … long time and with much difficulty; and was forced to make many Courtesies (like Women) all the way back again, with many other like actions which were unavoidable.
Mr. R. Went to her without him, and came to Mr. Spatchet saying▪ he never saw such a Spectacle: for all the Skin of her Hands and Arms was scratched or torn off, hardly one place appeared whole as big as his Finger.
She would not Confess to him any thing of Witchery, but only this; That She had made an agreement with the Devil, and it was now too late for Her to Repent; for she was Damned, or to this Effect she spake.
She had two Cudgels lay on her Bed, and he asked her what she did with those.
She answerd, she had them there to Fight with the Devil, he did so misuse her.
She was there alone, and he dragged her out of the Bed, and under the Bed: they below, hearing such a Noise, and knowing there was no Body with her, they went up and she was Bloody; she Confessed to them it was the Devil that came to her. So she Dyed near the time called Easter, 1667.
Mr. Spatchet was under restraint for travel at the time of her Death, and possessed with some fear that he should so continue until his Death, because he was so at her Death, and nothing done to her to bring her to Justice. He had not any Imagination that he should then have freedom, but rather limited the Holy One of Israel by thinking the contrary.
Also she had said to some persons before her Death, that if she Dyed, yet Mr. Spatchet should not be fully Free, for others had him in hand as well as she.
But yet the same Week that she Dyed, and the next time after when he attempted to visit Friends, he found a liberty for Travel; and hath injoyed that freedom ever since, viz. for the space of above two Years.
Thus Gods thoughts were not as his thoughts, Divine Mercies did surpass his Faith.
And yet the Lord would have it known to be his Work; his will was the determining rule how far deliverance should be afforded; it was not all at once but gradually, for although he had then a freedom from Violent Fits, and such as hindred travel; Yet, immediately after the Death of that Woman he had no Liberty for Religious Exercises, either to perform them himself, or to joyn with others therein: he remained without that freedom until the latter end of the September following, (which was almost half a Year) and then only Mentally; he tryed after her Death (as well as often before) Vocally to Pray, and could not, either alone or with others; but at the end of September, 1667. he could Mentally Pray a quarter of an hour together or more daily, with Invention as clear, and Affection raised as high as ever before he had Fits; and he had no disturbance.
And because he found such a freedom that way, after some time he would try to express it, and when he did so, though he did it with a whispering Voice, yet he had not spoken usually Twenty words before he found a shattering in his head, so as he was utterly disabled for Invention of Expression, and for a time could not rise up from his Knees, in case he were Kneeling.
After this he would Pray Mentally, and still before the ending would try to utter words, but found it as before, lost his speech and Invention, and reeled and staggered about the Room, yet even when he was worst of all this way, he knew how it was with him.
Thus he continued until the first Day of the Month of Ianuary following, when meeting with a rebuke; one blaming him for what was his Duty, and reflecting that as the cause of his great Affliction; though probably there was not any other cause than Divine Soveraignty for Tryals sake.
And as if the Lord would witness against such undue reflections upon this Holy Man; he returning home, the Lord was pleased that very Night (after he met with that rebuke) to give him a Liberty by himself Vocally to Pray; he had tryed the Morning before and could not.
But it was only by himself, he could Pray before others, but if they desired it, and he did adventure; then that very night after he had Prayed before others, he lost his Liberty of Praying by himself, and had no Liberty that way nor with others for the space of a Week.
And then at the Weeks end he had Liberty again Vocally by himself, and so continued till he did Pray again with others, and if it were but with one on a sick Bed, or with more, it was all a Case, he lost his Liberty by it for a Week or a fortnight as before.
Thus he continued until November 5 1668▪ and that very Night he had a Liberty to hear one Pray; although he had tryed the Lords Day before to hear a Sermon repeated, and could not, yet now he could.
And the same Person that was the last he had Liberty to Pray with, before his Fits disabled him, was the First that he had Liberty to Pray with, when his Fits le…t him: and at the same Persons House was his First Liberty to hear one Pray, and also to Pray before others, and not lo…e the Liberty his self.
The next Day he Prayed in the Family, and did not lose his Liberty by it then, nor at any time since.
Only, if his head faileth by hearing others exercise, then sometimes he loseth his liberty of praying by himself or with others exactly for a week, and then it returneth again.
He findeth less liberty to hear others exercise than to pray himself. He can …ear a a Sermon if he doth not hear the Prayer before, and sometimes can hear both Sermon and Prayer, but that is seldom.
In case he adventureth, usually he findeth a great distemper, disturbance and shattering in his head, which unfitteth him for any service till it be over; it is sometimes procured not only by Religious, but other actings, as he hath attempted often to ride on horse-back since his freedom from Fits, but ca…not: Even in the month called May 1669. He tryed, but he found that he lost all his strength, could neither go, stand, nor speak, nor so much as hold a stick in his hand; but was in a confusion, his head much disturbed by the motion of the horse, yet had a knowledge of all things done or said at this time.
And it is to be noted, that since his Fits have left him, he findeth no alteration in his body, as to working of humours any other ways more than formerly when he was under Fits or before: Only findeth some decay of strength by reason of Age, yet he hath more strength now than he had in the time of his Fits.
And this is the true account of his Condition both formerly and at present 1669. Whereby it may be seen that he injoyeth a wonderful Salvation from the Lord, which all that have waited upon God in prayer on his behalf, are to own him in, although (it be but partial not total.) There be some remainders of bodily distempers, yet there is great cause to sing forth the high praises of God in all the Assemblies of the Saints, and to say, What hath God wrought?
It is a mercy that hath been waited for, prayed for, and believed for, by many Christians, and now the Lord expecteth the tribute of praises.
As for Mr. Spatchet himself, he is desirous to glorifie God by offering up praises to him.
Whe… he had been many weeks under great tossings formerly, so as it was a rare thing in six or seven weeks to have one days intermission, yet when he had that short breathing, he was quieted▪ and did not so much make account of liberty, as earnestly beg of God a preparation of heart for what was behind; and so when he had ten days, or a fortnight, or a months liberty, the Lord did then put him upon begging a submissive frame of heart for what was yet coming.
Whereas since the death of that Woman, and his freedom that did insue, he is less begging submission, but more praising God for what he hath afforded, and begging an improving Spirit of that freedom.
It is true, he had not an absolute and firm perswasion of deliverance before it came, but at some times was not without Faith about it, yet submitting it to the Divine Will. That Scripture was a wonderful stay to his heart, and a great incourag… ment to believe, Rom. 16. v. 20. The God of Peace shall tread Satan under your feet shortly. And that also of Aeneas, who kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the Palsie, Act 9 v. 33. Peter said unto him, v. 34. Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole. And indeed this man was eight years and a little more under this Tryal, and sometimes as if he had been in Palsie Fits, but at last Jesus Christ hath in some measure made him whole.
Indeed it was gradually and not all at once; thus of old, the Lord said to the Children of Israel concerning the Canaanite and the Hittite▪ Exod. 23. v. 29. I will not drive them out from before theee in one year—v. 30. By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased—So the Lord would not drive out this mans Distempers in one year, but by little and little; and it is hopeful his design was, that Spiritually he might the more fructifie and increase to the advancement of his glorious Grace through our Lord Jesus Christ.
FINIS.
A Postscript.
I Lately Conversed with a near Relation of M. Spatchet, with whom he lived after the time of the foregoing Narrative, until he Dyed, who informed me that he had Fits to the last, Shaking his Head, and other Limbs, but not frequently, sometimes many weeks without; yet ordinarily could not Pray or Ioyn with others in Prayer. And thus he continued till his Death.
ERRATA.
PAge 2. Line 20. read Exaltation of, p. 9. l. 14. for stirring, r. striving ▪ l. 23. for 1693. r. 1663. p. 10. l. 25. for are r. were.
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End of the text · Samuel Petto, A Faithful Narrative of Thomas Spatchet Under Witchcraft (1693)