e would let
him enter again, and when she resisted he threatened to cast her into the
fire and the pit, and to break her neck; all of which threats being
unheeded by the little maid of ten, he left her again in his old form of
"urchin." The next day, and the next, all these devils came again, seeking
to repossess the children. They came in various forms--as a black raven; a
black boy, with his head bigger than his body; a black rough dog with a
firebrand in his mouth; five white doves; a brave fellow like a wooer; two
little whelps that played on the table, and ran into a dish of butter; an
ape; a bear with fire in his mouth; a haystack--all, haystack as well as
the rest, promising them bags of gold and silver if they might come into
them again, but threatening to break their necks and their backs, and
throw them into the pit and the fire, and out of the window, if denied.
But Messrs. More and Darrel were instant in prayer, and successfully
withstood them. The children were pronounced finally dispossessed: all
save Jane Ashton, who went away to a popish family and became popish
herself; wherefore the devil recovered her, says Mr. Darrel, and her last
state was worse than her first. As for Edmund Hartley, he was hanged at
Lancaster, chiefly through Mr. Darrel's exertions.

In 1596 Mr. Darrel had more work. Thomas Darling, "the Boy of Burton," had
offended old Alice Goodridge; so Alice possessed him, and Mr. Darrel was
sent for the undoing. His chief weapon in this case was a ranting tract
called "The Enemie of Securitie," which the devil could not abide any how,
and during the reading of which he would cry out--through the earthly
medium of the Boy of Burton--"Radulphus, Belzebub can doe no good, his
head is stricken off with a word."--"We cannot prevaile (against the
church and Mr. Darrel), for they will not be holpen by witches. Brother
Radulphus, we cannot prevaile; let us go to our mistress and torment her;
I have had a draught of her blood to-day." "Againe--'There is a woman
earnest at prayer, get her away.' 'Nay,' quoth John Alsop (a man that was
present), with a loude voice, 'we cannot spare her.' Thus the Boy graced
Mistress Wightman, his aunt. And againe, 'Brother Glassop (another devil),
we cannot prevaile, his faith is soe strong. And they fast and pray, and a
preacher prayeth as fast as they.'" And "I bayted my hooke often, and at
last I catcht him. Heere I was before, and heere I am againe, and heere I
must s