or since; of a middle stature; broad forehead,
beetle-browed, thick shoulders, flat nosed, full lips, down-looked,
black curling stiff hair, splay-footed; to give him his right, he had
the most piercing judgment naturally upon a figure of theft, and many
other questions, that I ever met withal; yet for money he would
willingly give contrary judgments, was much addicted to debauchery, and
then very abusive and quarrelsome, seldom without a black eye, or one
mischief of other: this is the same Evans who made so many antimornal
cups, upon the sale whereof he principally subsisted; he understood
Latin very well, the Greek tongue not at all: he had some arts above,
and beyond astrology, for he was well versed in the nature of spirits,
and had many times used the circular way of invocating, as in the time
of our familiarity he told me. Two of his actions I will relate, as to
me delivered. There was in Staffordshire a young gentlewoman that had,
for her preferment, married an aged rich person, who was desirous to
purchase some lands for his wife's maintenance; but this young
gentlewoman, his wife, was desired to buy the land in the name of a
gentleman, her very dear friend, but for her use: after the aged man was
dead, the widow could by no means procure the deed of purchase from her
friend; whereupon she applies herself to Evans, who, for a sum of money,
promises to have her deed safely delivered into her own hands; the sum
was forty pounds. Evans applies himself to the invocation of the angel
Salmon, of the nature of Mars, reads his Litany in the
_Common-Prayer-Book_ every day, at select hours, wears his surplice,
lives orderly all that time; at the fortnight's end Salmon appeared, and
having received his commands what to do, in a small time returns with
the very deed desired, lays it down gently upon a table where a white
cloth was spread, and then, being dismissed, vanished. The deed was, by
the gentleman who formerly kept it, placed among many other of his
evidences in a large wooden chest, and in a chamber at one end of the
house; but upon Salmon's; removing and bringing away the deed, all that
bay of building was quite blown down, and all his own proper evidences
torn all to pieces. The second story followeth.
Some time before I became acquainted with him, he then living in the
Minories, was desired by the Lord Bothwell and Sir Kenelm Digby to show
them a spirit. He promised so to do: the time came, and they were all in
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