CErtain Jesuites or Papists, being met to­gether at an Alehouse in the Strand, neare the White Horse over against Sommerset House; they were at their Exercises in an upper Chamber, three stories high, they were most of them Irish; who whilest they were at the exercise, with what zeal, I shall not need to relate, because it is too well known what Popish zeal is.

But see how exactly they conjured with their Beads (as I may so call it) for without all doubt it was either the Devil or some strange Monster, that disturbed them from the Devill.

There was in the roome where they were a bed, and under the window against the beds feet, stood a back Chaire of Red leather.

And after their long and loud acclamations, or [Page 2]Popish exercises, there appeared amongst them a strange Monster: or if you will the Devill in the shape of a Monster, all as black as pitch, as bigge as a great Dogge; which appeared in a most horrid shape, to the affrightment of all the company; which disturbed the company exceedingly; then they crost themselves, and applyed them to their Popish Customes.

But the black Fiend leaped into the Chaire that stood by the window, at the beds feet, and there roused it self up; which made them all to quake and tremble. It put them out of the tale of their Beads, and made them to run some one way, and some another, and set the whole house in a di­straction.

Amongst the rest, one of them (an Irish man) drew out his Rapier, and with a great rage began to scuffle with this strange Monster: and between hope and fear ran desperately at him; but it leaped down from the Chaire in a furions manner, and immediately got upon the bed, which was covered with a green Rugge.

This Fiend toare the Rugge all to peeces, and threw it up and down the roome: and many peeces of it was found upon the floore. And those that were then present were so amazed hereat, that they knew not how the vision vanished, or what be­came of it; one of the servants of the house ranne forth of the doore to a neighbours, quaking and shivering at what she had seen: but one of them, seeing her in such a fright, laboured to perswade her that it was a dogge: Lord blesse me from such [Page 3]dogges (quoth she) but they could not soon paci­fie her, to mitigate her fear.

Neighbours hearing of it, enquiring concerning it, the people of the house report it to be a mighty Cat: the Papists report it to be a dogge: but mul­titudes of people have resorted thither, to enquire of it; and to talk with the people about this vision which so disturbed them.

TWo Gentlemen were talking toge­ther about news, and such like dis­course at the house of one M^r. Mun­dayes in Little Britaine, who at the last fell in­to Discourse about Religion. Then they fell into discourse of M^r. Burton, M^r. Prinne, and Doctor Bastwikey, and of their sufferings: the one of them applauding them for honest godly, religious men, and such as suffered [Page 4]patiently; and were faithfull witnesses of Iesus Christ, commending them to be such as he verily thought were the Children of God.

But the other answered: Oh you are de­ceived man, they are Scismaticall Fellows; it is no matter if they were hanged: a com­pany of base Brownists, as we are troubled with a company of them; they are base dis­sembling fellows.

Oh! I pray you, said the other, be no [...] so hot, I beleeve that they are such as are reall honest men, and such as have stood for Christ from their very heart, as witnesse may testifie.

But the other answered (cursing them) and all such Puritans (as he called them) If Burton, quoth he, had had a Bishopricke, and had beene made a Bishop, (quoth he) he had never found fault with that govern­ment.

No, quoth the other man, you are mista­ken; what he did or any of them, I am ve­rily perswaded that they did out of consci­ence, and that they were men truly fearing [Page 5]God; oh the weeping eyes that beheld them when they lost their cares, and the tender hearts that pittied them then, and ever since; methinks it grieves me to thinke of it: Push (quoth the other, swearing a bloody oath) It were no matter if they had beene hanged, base scismaticall Iacks, to trouble the whole Kingdome with their base opinions, and he concluded that saying with bloody, and fearefull Curses.

Whereupon, on an instant, he began to sweat, and to be faint, and taking out of his pocket, an hankercher, to wipe his face and his head, a strange Iudgement fell upon him, his eares fell a bleeding, and thereby his handkercher was all bloody with wiping of them; which wrought a strange amaze­ment to all that stood by.

Oh! therefore, let every one beware how they curse Gods people; for the righteous God judgeth iustly, and will avenge him­selfe on those that rise up against him, and his distressed Saints.