r even a half _Devil_, would
be unkind to _Satan_ himself, since tho' he (the _Devil_) has so many
Millions of inferior _Devils_ under his Command, not one cou'd be found
base enough to match him, nor one _Devil_ found but what would think
himself dishonour'd to be employ'd about him.

Some merry good-for-nothing _Devils_ we have indeed, which we might, if
we had room, speak of at large, and divert you too with the Relation,
such as my Lady _Hatt's Devil_ in _Essex_, who upon laying a Joiner's
Mallet in the Window of a certain Chamber, would come very orderly and
knock with it all Night upon the Window, or against the Wainscot, and
disturb the Neighbourhood, and then go away in the Morning, as well
satisfied as may be; whereas if the Mallet was not left, he would think
himself affronted, and be as unsufferable and terrifying as possible,
breaking the Windows, splitting the Wainscot, committing all the
Disorders, and doing all the Damage that he was able to the House, and
to the Goods in it. And again, such as the Druming _Devil_ in the Well
at _Oundle_ in _Northamptonshire_, and such like.

A great many antick _Devils_ have been seen also, who seem'd to have
little or nothing to do, but only to assure us that they can appear if
they please, and that there is a Reality in the thing call'd Apparition.

As to Shadows of _Devils_, and imaginary Appearances, such as appear,
and yet are invisible at the same time, I had thought to have bestow'd a
Chapter upon them by themselves, but it may be as much to the Purpose to
let them alone, as to meddle with them; 'tis said our old Friend
_Luther_ used to be exceedingly troubled with such invisible
Apparitions, and he tells us much of them, in what they call his
Table-talk; but with Master _Luther_'s leave, tho' the _Devil_ passes
for a very great Lyar, I could swallow many things of his own proper
making, as soon as some of those I find in a Book that goes by his Name,
particularly the Story of the Devil in a Basket, the Child flying out of
the Cradle, and the like.

In a word, the walking _Devils_ that we have generally among us, are of
the female Sex; whether it be that the _Devil_ finds less Difficulty to
manage them, or that he lives quieter with them, or that they are fitter
for his Business than the Men, I shall not now enter into a Dispute
about that; perhaps he goes better disguis'd in the fair Sex than
otherwise; Antiquity gives us many Histories of She-Devils, such as