the body of the circle, when lo, upon a sudden, after some time of
invocation, Evans was taken from out the room, and carried into the
field near Battersea Causeway, close to the Thames. Next morning a
countryman going by to his labour, and espying a man in black cloaths,
came unto him and awaked him, and asked him how he came there? Evans by
this understood his condition, enquired where he was, how far from
London, and in what parish he was; which when he understood, he told the
labourer he had been late at Battersea the night before, and by chance
was left there by his friends. Sir Kenelm Digby and the Lord Bothwell
went home without any harm, and came next day to hear what was become of
him; just as they, in the afternoon, came into the house, a messenger
came from Evans to his wife, to come to him at Battersea. I enquired
upon what account the spirit carried him away: who said, he had not, at
the time of invocation, made any suffumigation, at which the spirits
were vexed. It happened, that after I discerned what astrology was, I
went weekly into Little Britain, and bought many books of astrology, not
acquainting Evans therewith. Mr. A. Bedwell, Minister of
Tottenham-High-Cross near London, who had been many years chaplain to
Sir Henry Wotton, whilst he was Ambassador at Venice, and assisted
Pietro Soave Polano, in composing and writing the Council of Trent, was
lately dead; and his library being sold into Little Britain, I bought
amongst them my choicest books of astrology. The occasion of our falling
out was thus: a woman demanded the resolution of a question, which when
he had done, she went her way; I standing by all the while, and
observing the figure, asked him why he gave the judgment he did, since
the signification shewed quite the contrary, and gave him my reasons;
which when he had pondered, he called me boy, and must he be
contradicted by such a novice! But when his heat was over, he said, had
he not so judged to please the woman, she would have given him nothing,
and he had a wife and family to provide for; upon this we never came
together after. Being now very meanly introduced, I applied myself to
study those books I had obtained, many times twelve, or fifteen, or
eighteen hours day and night; I was curious to discover, whether there
was any verity in the art or not. Astrology in this time, viz. in 1633,
was very rare in London, few professing it that understood any thing
thereof. Let it not repent you