And cole-black were his garments all
from head unto his feet.
Thou wretched man, said he,
why dost thou weep so sore?
What is the cause thou mak’st this mone,
tell me, and sigh no more.
Alas, good Sir (he said)
the lacke of some reliefe,
For my poore wife and children small,
’tis cause of all my griefe.
They lie all like to starve,
for want of bread (saith he);
Good Sir, vouchsafe therefore to give
one peny unto me.
Hereby this wretched man
committed wondrous evill,
He beg’d an almes, and did not know
he ask’t it of the Devill.
But straight the hellish Fiend,
to him reply’d againe,
An odious sinner art thou then
that dost such want sustaine.
Alack (the poore man said)
this thing for truth I know,
That Job was just, yet never Man endured greater woe. The godly oft doe want, and need doth pinch them sore, Yet God will not forsake them quite, but doth their states restore. If thou so faithfull bee, why goest thou begging then? Thou shalt be fed as Daniel was within the Lyon’s den. If thus thou doe abide, the Ravens shall bring thee food, As they unto Elias did that wandred in the Wood. Mocke not a wofull man, good Sir, the poore man said, Redouble not my sorrows so, that are upon me laid. But, rather, doe extend unto my need, and give One peny for to buy some bread, my Children poore may live. With that he opened straight the fairest purse in sight That ever mortal eye beheld, fild up with crownes full bright. Unto the wofull man the same he wholly gave, Who very earnestly did pray that Christ his life might save. Well, (quoth the damn’d Spirit) goe, ease thy Children’s sorrow, And, if thou wantest anything, come, meet me here to-morrow. Then home the poore man went, with cheerfull heart and mind, And comforted his woful wife with words that were most kind. Take Comfort, Wife, he said, I have a purse of Gold, Now given by a Gentleman, most faire for to behold. And thinking for to pull his purse from bosome out, He found nothing but Oken leaves, bound in a filthy Clout. Which, when he did behold, with sorrowe pale and wan, In desperate sort to seeke the purse, unto the Wood he ran, Supposing in his mind, that he had lost it there; He could not tell then what to think, he was ’twixt hope and feare. He had no sooner come into the shady Grove, The Devil met with him againe, as he in fancy strove. What seek’st thou here? he said, the purse (quoth he) you gave, Thus Fortune she hath crossed me, and then the Devill said Where didst thou put the Purse? tell me, and do not lye, Within my bosome, said the man, where no man did come nigh. Looke there againe, (quoth he) then said the Man, I shall, And found his bosome full of Toads, as thicke as they could crawle. The poore man at this sight, to speak had not the power, See (q’d the Devill) vengeance doth pursue thee every hour. Goe, cursed wretch, (quoth he) and rid away thy life, But murther first thy children young, and miserable Wife. The poore man, raging mad, ran home incontinent, Intending for to kill them all, but God did him prevent. For why, the chiefest man that in the Parish dwelt, With meat and money thither came, which liberally he dealt. Who, seeing the poore man come home in such a rage, Was faine to bind him in his bed, his fury to asswage. Where long he lay full sicke, still crying for his Gold, But, being well, this whole discourse he to his neighbours told. From all temptations, Lord, keep both Great and Small, And let no man, O heavenly God, for want of succour fall. But put their speciall trust in God for evermore, Who will, no doubt, from misery each faithfull man restore.
‘A TERRIBLE AND SEASONABLE WARNING TO YOUNG MEN.
‘Being a very particular and True Relation of one Abraham Joiner, a young man about 17 or 18 Years of Age, living in Shakesby’s Walks in Shadwell, being a Ballast Man by Profession, who, on Saturday Night last, pick’d up a leud Woman, and spent what money he had about him in Treating her, saying afterwards, if she wou’d have any more he must go to the Devil for it, and, slipping out of her Company, he went to the Cock and Lyon in King Street, the Devil appear’d to him, and gave him a Pistole, telling him he shou’d never want for Money, appointing to meet him the next Night, at the World’s End at Stepney; Also how his Brother persuaded him to throw the Money away, which he did; but was suddenly taken in a very strange manner, so that they were fain to send for the Reverend Mr. Constable and other Ministers to pray with him; he appearing now to be very Penitent; with an Account of the Prayers and Expressions he makes use of under his Affliction, and the Prayers that were made for him, to free him from this violent Temptation.
‘The Truth of which is sufficiently attested in the Neighbourhood, he lying now at his Mother’s house,’ etc.
Stepney seems to have been a favourite haunt of the Devil, for there is a tract published at Edinburgh, 1721, entitled ‘A timely Warning to Rash and Disobedient Children. Being a strange and wonderful Relation of a young Gentleman in the Parish of Stepheny, in the Suburbs of London, that sold himself to the Devil for 12 Years, to have the Power of being revenged on his Father and Mother, and how, his Time being expired, he lay in a sad and deplorable Condition, to the Amazement of all Spectators.’
Chapter II.
‘Strange and True News from Westmoreland’—‘The Politic Wife’—‘How the Devill, though subtle, was guld by a Scold’—‘The Devil’s Oak’—Raising the Devil—Arguments in Favour of Devils—The Numbers of Devils.
In the foregoing examples we have seen the Devil in human form, and properly apparelled, but occasionally he showed himself in his supposed proper shape—when, of course, his intentions were at once perceived; and on one occasion we find him called upon by an Angel, to execute justice on a bad man. It is in
STRANGE AND TRUE NEWS FROM WESTMORELAND.
Attend good Christian people all,
Mark what I say, both old and young,
Unto the general Judgment day,
I think it is not very long.
A Wonder strange I shall relate,
I think the like was never shown,
In Westmoreland at Tredenton, Of such a thing was never known. One Gabriel Harding liv’d of late, As may to all men just appear, Whose yearly Rent, by just account, Came to five hundred pound a year. This man he had a Virtuous Wife, In Godly ways her mind did give: Yet he, as rude a wicked wretch, As in this sinful Land did live. Much news of him I will relate, The like no Mortal man did hear; ’Tis very new, and also true, Therefore, good Christians, all give ear. One time this man he came home drunk, As he us’d, which made his wife to weep, Who straightway took him by the hand, Saying, Dear Husband, lye down and sleepe. She lovingly took him by the arms, Thinking in safety him to guide, A blow he struck her on the breast, The woman straight sank down and dy’d. The Children with Mournful Cries They ran into the open Street, They wept, they wail’d, they wrung their hands, To all good Christians they did meet. The people then, they all ran forth, Saying, Children, why make you such moan? O, make you haste unto our house, Our dear mother is dead and gone. Our Father hath our Mother kill’d, The Children they cryed then. The people then they all made haste And laid their hands upon the man. He presently denied the same, Said from Guilty Murder I am free, If I did that wicked deed, he said, Some example I wish to be seen by me. Thus he forswore the wicked deed,