nd
had their arms and legs, etc., wrested as if they were quite dislocated,
the blood hath gushed plentifully out of their mouths for a considerable
time together; which some, that they might be satisfied that it was real
blood, took upon their finger and rubbed on their other hand. I saw
several together thus violently strained and bleeding in their fits, to
my very great astonishment that my fellow mortals should be so
grievously distressed by the invisible powers of darkness. For certainly
all considerate persons who beheld these things must needs be convinced
their motions in their fits were preternatural and involuntary, both as
to the manner, which was so strange, as a well person could not (at
least without great pain) screw their bodies into; and as to the
violence, also, they were preternatural motions, being much beyond the
ordinary force of the same persons when they were in their right minds.
So that, being such grievous sufferers, it would seem very hard and
unjust to censure them of consenting to or holding any voluntary
converse or familiarity with the devil.

"Some of them were asked how it came to pass that they were not
affrighted when they saw the Black-man. They said they were at first,
but not so much afterwards. Some of them affirmed they saw the Black-man
sit on the gallows, and that he whispered in the ears of some of the
condemned persons when they were just ready to be turned off--even while
they were making their last speech.

"Some of them have sundry times seen a White-man appearing among the
spectres, and as soon as he appeared, the Black-Witches vanished; they
said this White-man had often foretold them what respite they should
have from their fits; as, sometimes, a day or two or more, which fell
out accordingly. One of the afflicted said she saw him in her fit, and
was with him in a glorious place, which had no candle or sun, yet was
full of light and brightness, where there was a multitude in 'white,
glittering robes,' and they sang the song in Rev. v, 9. She was both to
leave that place and said: 'How long shall I stay here? Let me be along
with you.' She was grieved she could stay no longer in that place and
company.

"A young woman that was afflicted at a fearful rate had a spectre appear
to her with a white sheet wrapped about it, not visible to the standers
by, until this sufferer (violently striving in her fit) snatched at,
took hold and tore off the corner of that sheet. Her fa