lying on the Floor as if he had been dead. The Two-pence was seen by many, and when it was put into the Fire and hot, the Boy would fall ill; but as soon as it was taken out and cold, he would be again as well as before. This was seen and observed by a Minister, a discreet Person, when the Boy was in one Room, and the Two-pence (without his knowledge) put into the Fire in another, and this was divers times tried, in the presence of several Persons.
Between the 8 of Dec. and the 17 of Feb. in the Year mentioned, divers Persons at sundry times, heard in the Boy, a noise like the croaking of a Toad, and a Voice within him saying, Jane Brooks, Alice Coward, twelve times in near a quarter of an Hour. At the same time some held a Candle before the Boy's Face, and earnestly looked on him, but could not perceive the least motion of his Tongue, Teeth, or Lips, while the Voice was heard.
On the 25 of Feb. between two and three in the Afternoon, the Boy being at the House of Richard Isles in Shepton Mallet, went out of the Room into the Garden, Isles his Wife followed him, and was within two Yards when she saw him rise up from the ground before her, and so mounted higher and higher, till he passed in the Air over the Garden Wall, and was carried so above the ground more than 30 Yards, falling at last at one Jordan's Door at Shepton, where he was found as dead for a time; but coming to himself, told Jordan, that Jane Brooks had taken him up by the Arm out of Isles his Garden, and carried him in the Air, as is related.
The Boy at several other times, was gone on the sudden, and upon search after him, found in another Room as dead, and at sometimes strangely hanging above the ground; his Hands being flat against a great Beam in the top of the Room, and all his Body 2 or 3 Foot from ground. There he hath hung a quarter of an Hour together, and being afterwards come to himself, he told those that found him, that Jane Brooks had carried him to that place, and held him there. Nine People at a time saw the Boy so strangely hanging by the Beam.
From the 15 of Nov. to the 10 of March following, he was by reason of his Fits, much wasted in his Body, and unspirited, but after that time, being the Day the two Women were sent to Goal, he had no more of those Fits.
Jane Brooks was Condemned and Executed at Charde Assizes, March 26, 1658.
