bodily Persons. But when she appeared to the Maid together with the black Man, and offered her to drink, it is likely it was her Astral Spirit, and Julians being wounded in her body by the wound on her astral Spirit is just such another case, as that of Jane Brooks, which you your self note in your Book of Witchcraft.
The most incredible thing is her eating of Pins, she knowing them to be such. But they that are bewitched are not themselves, and being possessed are actuated in the parts of their body, and their mind driven by that ugly inmate in them, to what he will; which is notorious in the story of Mrs. Frogmortons's Children. And for the Pins thus swallowed, their coming out in the exteriour parts of her body, Examples of this sort are infinite; and far more strange than these are recorded by Baptista Van Helmont, de Injectis.
These are the most incredible passages in this Narrative, and yet you see how credible they are, if rightly understood. But those that believe no Spirits, will believe nothing never so credible of this kind and others that have some natural aversion from these things will presently interpret them in the vulgar sense, and then sweetly sneer at their own ignorance. But I must confess, if this be a true Relation of what passed in the Court, I do not question but the things that were sworn did so appear to them that swore them. Or else there is nothing to be credited in humane affairs. But concerning the truth of the Relation, besides what I hinted in my last to you, you would do well to write to some or other in Taunton, &c. Thus far Dr. M.
And if one be so curious as to desire an account of Mr. G. his farther inquiry into this business, I can tell him that he wrote to Mr. Hunt, who was then busie in some Court, yet made shift to read the Narrative, and wrote two or three lines to him back to this effect. That one principal Evidence was omitted in the Narrative, but that is nothing against the truth of the rest. But he adds also, that some things were false. Which would stumble one, and make him think that the credit of this Narrative is quite blasted thereby. But this riddle is easily unriddled by him that considers, that Mr. Hunt may respect those things that are said to be confest by her in her examination before a Justice of Peace. For he also having some time Examined her, and she making no such confession to him (as Mr. G. himself says in a Letter to Dr. M. that he perused that Examination in Mr. Hunt's Book, and there was not any thing considerable therein) might speak this in reference to the Examination which she had taken, she then not confessing so freely as to some other Justice, whose Examination therefore was made use of in the Court. But this cannot concern at all the rest of the Narrative, which was given upon Oath in the Court in the hearing of all. This I thought fit not to omit as being defi-
