another, &c. Pry replied, that the party he last named was dead. The
Spectrum replied, he knew that, but said it must be paid to (and
named) the next relation. These things being performed, he promised he
 would trouble him no further. These small legacies were paid
accordingly. But the young man having carried twenty shillings ordered
by the Spectrum to his sister Mrs. Furze, of the parish of Staverton
near Totness, which money the gentlewoman refused to receive, being
sent her, as she said, from the Devil. The same night Fry lodging
there, the Spectrum appeared to him again, whereupon Fry challenged
his promise not to trouble him, and said he had done all he desired
him; but that Mrs. Furze would not receive the money. The Spectrum
replied, that is true indeed; but bid him ride to Totness and buy a
ring of that value, and that she would take. Which was provided for
her and received by her. Then Fry rode homewards attended by a servant
of Mrs. Furze. But being come into Spreyton parish, or rather a little
before, he seemed to carry an old gentlewoman behind him, that often
threw him off his horse, and hurried him with such violence, as
astonished all that saw him, or heard how horridly the ground was
beaten; and being come into his master's yard, Pry's horse (a mean
beast) sprung at once twenty-five feet. The trouble from the man-
spectre ceased from this time. But the old gentlewoman, Mrs. Furze,
Mr. Furze's second wife, whom the Spectre at his first appearance to
Fry, called, that wicked woman my wife, (though I knew her, and took
her for a very good woman) presently after appears to several in the
house, viz. to Fry, Mrs. Thomasin Gidley, Anne Langdon, born in my
parish, and to a little child which was forced to be removed from the
house; sometimes in her own shape, sometimes in shapes more horrid, as
of a dog belching fire, and of a horse, and seeming to ride out of the
window, carrying only one pane of glass away, and a little piece of
iron. After this Fry's head was thrust into a narrow space, where a
man's fist could not enter, between a bed and a wall; and forced to be
taken thence by the strength of men, all bruised and bloody; upon this
it was thought fit to bleed him; and after that was done, the binder
was removed from his arm, and conveyed about his middle and presently
was drawn so very straight, it had almost killed him, and was cut
asunder, making an ugly uncouth noise. Several other times with
handkerchiefs, cravats and other things he was near strangled, they
were drawn so close upon his throat. He lay one night in his periwig
(in his master's chamber, for the more safety) which was torn all to
pieces. His best periwig he inclosed in a little box on the inside
with a joined-stool, and other weight upon it; the box was snapped
asunder, and the wig torn all to flitters. His master saw his buckles
fall all to pieces on his feet. But first I should have told you the
fate of his shoe strings, one of which a gentlewoman greater than all
exception, assured me, that she saw it come out of his shoe, without
any visible hand, and fling itself to the farther end of the room; the
other was coming out too, but that a maid prevented and helped it out,
which crisped and curled about her hand like a living eel. The cloaths
worn by Anne Langdon and Fry, (if their own) were torn to pieces on
their backs. The same gentlewoman, being the daughter of the minister
of the parish, Mr. Roger Specott, showed me one of Fry's gloves, which
was torn in his pocket while she was by. I did view it near and
narrowly, and do seriously confess that it was torn so very accurately
in all the seams and in other places, and laid abroad so artificially,
and it is so dexterously tattered, (and all done in the pocket in a
minute's time) as nothing human could have done it; no cutler could
have made an engine to do it so. Other fantastical freeks have been
very frequent, as the marching of a great barrel full of salt out of
one room into another; an andiron laying itself over a pan of milk
that was scalding on the fire, and two flitches of bacon descending
from the chimney where they hung, and laid themselves over that
andiron. The appearing of the Spectrum (when in her own shape) in the
same cloaths, to seeming, which Mrs. Furze her daughter-in-law has on.
The intangling of Fry's face and legs, about his neck, and about the
frame of the chairs, so as they have been with great difficulty
disengaged.

But the most remarkable of all happened in that day that I passed by
the door in my return hither, which was Easter-eve, when Fry returning
from work (that little he can do) he was caught by the woman spectre
by the skirts of his doublet, and carried into the air; he was quickly
missed by his master and the workmen, and a great enquiry was made for
Francis Fry, but no hearing of him; but about half-an-hour after Fry
was heard whistling and singing in a kind of a quagmire. He was now
affected as he was wont to be in his fits, so that none regarded what
he said; but coming to himself an hour after, he solemnly protested,
that the daemon carried him so high that he saw his master's house
underneath him no bigger than a hay-cock, that he was in perfect
sense, and prayed God not to suffer the Devil to destroy him;
that he was suddenly set down in that quagmire. The workmen found one
shoe on one side of the house, and the other shoe on the other side;
his periwig was espied next morning hanging on the top of a tall
tree. It was soon observed, that Fry's part of his body that had laid
in the mud, was much benumed, and therefore the next Saturday, which
was the eve of Low-Sunday, they carried him to Crediton to be let
blood; which being done, and the company having left him for a little
while, returning they found him in a fit, with his forehead all
bruised and swoln to a great bigness, none able to guess how it came,
till he recovered himself, and then he told them, that a bird flew in
at the window with a great force, and with a stone in its mouth flew
directly against his forehead. The people looked for it, and found on
the ground just under where he sat, not a stone, but a weight of brass
or copper, which the people were breaking, and parting it among
themselves. He was so very ill, that he could ride but one mile or
little more that night, since which time I have not heard of him, save
that he was ill handled the next day, being Sunday. Indeed Sir, you
may wonder that I have not visited that house, and the poor afflicted
people; especially, since I was so near, and passed by the very door:
but besides that, they have called to their assistance none but
nonconforming ministers. I was not qualified to be welcome there,
having given Mr. Furze a great deal of trouble the last year about a
conventicle in his house, where one of this parish was the preacher.
But I am very well assured of the truth of what I have written, and
(as more appears) you shall hear from me again.

I had forgot to tell you that Fry's mother came to me, grievously
bewailing the miserable condition of her son. She told me, that the
day before he had five pins thrust into his side. She asked; and I
gave her the best advice I could. Particularly, that her son should
declare all that the spectre, especially the woman gave him in charge,
for I suspect, there is "aliquid latens"; and that she should remove him
thence by all means. But I fear that she will not do it. For I hear
that Anne Langdon is come into my parish to her mother, and that she
is grievously troubled there. I might have written as much of her, as
of Fry, for she had been as ill treated, saving the aerial journey.
Her fits and obsessions seem to be greater, for she screeches in a
most hellish tone. Thomasin Gidley (though removed) is in trouble I
hear.

Sir, this is all my friend wrote. This letter came inclosed in
another from a clergyman, my friend, who lives in those parts. He
tells me all the relations he receives from divers persons living in
Spreyton and the neighbouring parishes, agree with this. He spake
with a gentleman of good fashion, that was at Crediton when Fry was
blooded, and saw the stone that bruised his forehead; but he did not
call it copper or brass, but said it was a strange mineral. That
gentleman promised to make a strict inquiry on the place into all
particulars, and to give him the result: which my friend also promises
me; with hopes that he shall procure for me a piece of that mineral
substance, which hurt his forehead.

The occasion of my friend's sending me this narrative, was my
entreating him sometime since, to inquire into a thing of this nature,
that happened in Barnstable, where he lives. An account was given to
me long since, it fills a sheet or two, which I have by me: and to
gratify Mr. Glanvil who is collecting histories for his "Sadducismus
Triumphatus". I desired to have it well attested, it being full of very
memorable things; but it seems he could meet only a general consent as
to the truth of the things; the reports varying in the circumstances.

Sir, Yours.


      **A Copy of a Letter from a learned Friend of mine in SCOTLAND, dated
      March 25, 1695.

HONOURED SIR,

I RECEIVED yours dated May 24th, 1694, in which you desire me to
send you some instances and examples of Transportation by an Invisible
Power. The true cause of my delaying so long, to reply to that letter,
was not want of kindness; but of fit materials for such a reply.

As soon as I read your letter of May 24, I called to mind, a story
which I heard long ago, concerning one of the Lord Duffus, (in the
shire of Murray) his predicessors of whom it is reported, that upon a
time, when he was walking abroad in the fields near to his own house,
he was suddenly carried away, and found the next day at Paris in the
French King's cellar, with a silver cup in his hand; that being
brought into the King's presence and questioned by him, who he was ?
and how he came thither ? he told his name, his country, and the place
of his residence, and that on such a day of the month (which proved to
be the day immediately preceding) being in the fields, he heard the
noise of a whirl-wind, and of voices crying Horse and Hattock, (this
is the word which the fairies are said to use when they remove from
any place) whereupon he cried (Horse and Hattock) also, and was
immediately caught up, and transported through the air, by the fairies
to that place, where after he had drank heartily he fell asleep, and
before he awoke, the rest of the company were gone, and had left him
in posture wherein he was found. It is said, the King gave him the cup
which was found in his hand, and dismissed him.

This story (if it could be sufficiently attested) would be a noble
instance for your purpose, for which cause I was at some pains to
enquire into the truth of it, and found the means to get the present
Lord Duffus's opinion thereof; which shortly is, that there has been,
and is such a tradition, but that he thinks it fabulous; this account
of it, his Lordship had from his father, who told him that he had it
from his father, the present Lord's grandfather; there is yet an old
silver cup in his Lordship's possession still, which is called the
Fairy Cup; but has nothing engraven upon it, except the arms of the
family.

The gentleman, by whose means I came to know the Lord Duffus's
sentiment of the foregoing story, being tutor to his Lordship's eldest
son, told me another little passage of the same nature, whereof he was
an eye witness. He reports, that when he was a boy at school in the
town of Torres, yet not so young, but that he had years and
capacity, both to observe and remember that which fell out; he and his
school-fellows were upon a time whipping their tops in the church-yard
before the door of the church; though the day was calm, they heard a
noise of a wind, and at some distance saw the small dust begin to
arise and turn round, which motion continued, advancing till it came
to the place where they were; whereupon they began to bless
themselves: but one of their number (being it seems a little more
bold and confident than his companions) said, Horse and Hattock with
my top, and immediately they all saw the top lifted up from the
ground; but could not see what way it was carried, by reason of a
cloud of dust which was raised at the same time: they sought for the
top all about the place where it was taken up, but in vain; and it was
found afterwards in the church-yard, on the other side of the church.
Mr. Steward (so is the gentleman called) declared to me that he had a
perfect remembrance of this matter.

The following account I received, November last, from Mr. Alexander
Mowat, a person of great integrity and judgment, who being minister at
the church at Lesley, in the shire of Aberdene, was turned out for
refusing the oath of test, anno 1681. He informs, that he heard the
late Earl of Caithness, who was married to a daughter of the late
Marquis of Argyle, tell the following story, viz. That upon a time,
when a vessel which his Lordship kept for bringing home wine and other
provisions for his house, was at sea; a common fellow, who was reputed
to have the second-sight, being occasionally at his house; the Earl
enquired of him, where his men (meaning those in the ship) were at
that present time ? the fellow replied, at such a place, by name,
within four hours sailing of the harbour, which was not far from the
place of his Lordship's residence: the Earl asked, what evidence he
could give for that ? the other replied, that he had lately been at
the place, and had brought away with him one of the seamen's caps,
which he delivered to his Lordship. At the four hours end, the Earl
went down himself to the harbour, where he found the ship newly
arrived, and in it one of the seamen without his cap; who being
questioned, how he came to lose his cap ? answered, that at such a
place (the same the second-sighted man had named before) there arose a
whirl-wind which endangered the ship, and carried away his cap: the
Earl asked, if he would know his cap when he saw it ? he said he
would; whereupon the Earl produced the cap, and the seaman owned it
for that, which was taken from him.

This is all the information which I can give at present concerning
Transportation by an Invisible Power. I am sorry that I am able to
contribute so little to the publishing of so curious a piece as it
seems your collection of Hermetick Philosophy will be. I have given
instructions to an acquaintance of mine now living at Kirkwall, and
took him engaged when he left this place, to inform him concerning the
old stone monuments, the plants and cures in the Orcades, and to send
me an account. But I have not heard from him as yet, though I caused a
friend that was writing to him, to put him in mind of his promise; the
occasions of correspondence betwixt this place and Orkney are very
rare.

SIR,
Your faithful affectionate friend
And servant,
J. G.

SIR,

'Tis very likely my Lord Keeper, [North] (if an account of a thing so
considerable, hath not been presented to him by another hand) will

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