Fearefull apparitions or The strangest visions that ever hath been heard of. It is a spirit that constantly every night haunts one Mr. Youngs yard in Lumbard-street, neere to the Golden Crosse, which hath played such prancks, and appeared in such severall and horrid shapes, that many divines and other learned men, who have come armed with a full resolution and with an intent to have spoken unto it or (at least) to have look't upon it, in the very attempt thereof have fallen into a kind of a distracted extasie, and were neither able to speak or stand, to the great wonder and terrour of all that were eye witnesses thereof.

1647

FEAREFULL APPARITIONS OR THE STRANGEST VISIONS that ever hath been heard of.

IT IS A Spirit that constantly every night haunts one Mr. Youngs yard in Lumbard-street, neere to the Golden Crosse, which hath played such prancks, and appeared in such severall and horrid shapes, that many Divines and other Learned men, who have come armed with a full resolution and with an intent to have spoken unto it or (at least) to have look't upon it, in the very attempt thereof have fallen into a kind of a distracted extasie, and were neither able to speak or stand, to the great wonder and terrour of all that were eye witnesses therof.

⟨Aprill 27⟩ LONDON Printed for John Hammond, 1647.

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Fearefull Apparitions: OR, The strangest VISIONS that ever hath been heard of.

OF all the Monsters and strange stories that this quick-sighted Age ever discovered, here is one (and a true one) by them cannot be parallelled, it is no Feigned story, no Foraigne News, as from France, from Ireland nor from the North, you need travell no farther then the upper end of Lumber street in one M. Youngs yard there hath been seen strange apparitions for the space of about a [Page 2]moneth last past, every night, about two of the clock constantly there is a great clatterng of Iron chaines and bolts, then presently is heard a great screeking and yelling & howling like a dogge, and other whiles whisling and playing on Musick, then presently there appeares a great tall blacke man (or rather Devill) at least six yards in height, with long blacke shaged haire, his eyes as bigge as two ordinary pewter dishes slaming like fire, and out of his mouth there seemeth to fly fire which flashes into the windows of the house like lightening, he continues walking in this manner about the Yard and looking in at the windows for about the space of three houres every night.

There hath beene very many Gentlemen [Page 3]of good quality, and many famous and eminent Divines to see this strange Apparition: Amongst the rest there was one Divine lately spoake to it, the Spirit answered againe, but with such a horrid and dismall noise that the Divine was not able to understand what the Apparition said unto him; in answer to the question which he asked, the standers by and those who were present with this Divine were likewise much amazed, insomuch that they knew not where they were, their haire standing upright on their heads, which made them (and not without good cause) to wish themselves further of.

For by their Relation so hideous a Monster hath not any eyes beheld; For what cause this Spirit should so constantly frequent this place, it cannot yet bee conjectured, but it is thought that ere long [Page 4]the cause will be manifest, the Owner of the Yard where this Spirit walketh, is a very eminent man, and an Elder in the Parish where he liveth: This Gentleman (Mr. Young I meane) hath a Son who tooke to himselfe the courage to open a Casement which looked into the Yard where the Spirit walked, with an intent to have spoken to it, he had no sooner opened the Casement but (although it was a Casement of an upper roome two stories high) it was againe instantly shut too by this hideous Monster in a most terrible and fearfull manner, after these strange Apparitions, the Spirit usually vanishes away, (to the thinking of the beholders) into the ground, then immediatly ensueth a noise like to claps of thunder and flashes of fire like lightning seemes to ascend out of the Earth, and after that a stinking [Page 5]mist, and a noysome sulferous smoake.

Reader,

If you doubt of the verity of this Relation, you may easily be satisfied of the truth, the neighbours there-abouts can and will tell you more then is here set forth, for they are every night witnesses thereof, to their great feare, trouble, and griefe.

FINIS.

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