SO Miraculous is the ensuing Narrative, that perhaps, it will scarce meet with Belief enough to entertain it, among those at least, who are unwilling to believe [Page 4] any other Deity than Nature: Yet such is the Truth of the Contents, and so lively an Instance is it of an Omnipotencey, that we should be injurious to the ensuing Ages, if we should not transmit the present Account to Posterity. The whole of the Truth is this, That Charles the Son of Philip Bennet, of Manchester in Lancashire, who was born about the middle of June, which was in the year of our Lord God 1676. was by his Parents looked upon ever since as a Child of no more than ordinary Capacity; his forwardness and the Endowments of Nature appeared in him not so great as to be admired, nor so mean as to be repined at; Nor was there any observa­tion to be made of extraordinay Maturity in the Child, till about a Month or two ago, when his Father being according to his usual and commendable Custome, Reading to his Fami­ly in the Bible, and indeed misreciting one Sentence, the Child of a sudden broke out in­to these words: Father you read wrong, for it is not so in the Scripture; whereat the Fa­ther being wrapt in Amazement, as well he might, having never heard the Child speak before) began, after some Recollection of [Page 5] himself, to examine the place of Scripture which he had then read in the Childs hearing, and found (accor­ding to the Childs words) that it was otherwise writ­ren than he had read it. Hereupon his wonder encreas­ed, and he asked the Child how he could know what was in the Bible, who replied, he not only had it in his Memory, but that could read it in the Bible, not on­ly in English but Latine, and further told his Father, that he could speak Greek and Hebrew, and after all ad­ded, that he had three words which he must speak to the King. Hereupon the Parents as soon they could raise money to bring them up, caused the Child to be brought up by one Mr. Bass the younger, Carrier of Tamworth in warwick-shire, who lodges at the Bear and Ragged Staff in West-Smithfield, who thither brought the Child on Saturday the 28th day of this instant June, where Innumerable multitudes came on Saturday night and all Sunday, to see this Child, and hear him speak, where several of good Quality ob­tained the favour of the house, and not only saw the Child, but discoursed with him, and upon Examinati­on, found that he made very ready and apposite An­swers to several Questions which they asked him, as well in Latine and Greek, as in English. The Child is very small for his Age, of a round Visage, and black brown Hair: his Father is a Linnen-weaver in Man­chester, but of low Fortune, therefore whereas it is ob­jected by some, that his Father might have been used to repeat several Sentences of Latine and Greek in the Childs hearing, and thereby (Psiitacimore) the Child might learn to pronounce them, we have reason to be­lieve the contrary, in regard that one of so mean Ed [...] ­cation [Page 6] and inferiour Calling, could hardly be capable of teaching another in those Languages of which it is strongly to be presumed that he himself was ignorant.

This Child persisted all Sunday in Expressions of his earnest desire to see the King, and speak his three Words to him, after which, (said the Child) I shall live but nine Days, and they being finished, I expect to dye.

His Majesty having Information hereof was pleas'd this Monday Morn­ing to send his Messenger for the Child, who from the Bear-Inn im­mediately carried the Child away in a Coach to White-Hall, and though His Majesty had intended this Day to have gone to Windsor, yet 'tis said he deferr'd the same till to Morrow; and (its thought by many) upon this very occasion, as being desirous [...]o hear what the Child had to say to [...]im.

[Page 7] Several People have endeavoured to tempt the Child with Money to impart to them what words he has to say to the King, but the Child re­fuses to disclose it to any, nay even to his own Father. Nor will the Child accept of either Silver of Gold from any upon whatsoever Account it be offered to him; and if any one chance to thrust it into his hand, he straight­way throws it over his Head, in To­ken of his Contempt of their Offers; but the Parents however are not of the same mind in that, but retain whatever any shall freely present them with, as knowing that their Circumstances in the World are low, and that the curiosity of others may without injustice be expected to de­fray the Expences of their Journey up to London.

[Page 8] The Child is very remarkable for the quickness of his Eye, which shews as if it were transparent, and darts a piercing and sprightly Ray upon all things. The Parents, be­tween Love and Fear, know not what to think of their Child, nor how to demean themselves towards it; one while his early and extraor­dinary Maturity gives them hope of Gain and Preferment; another while it raises their fear of loosing their Child, whose extraordinary Quali­fications hath engaged their extraor­dinary love, and the more does the fear of loosing him oppress them, in that the Child so particularly points out the number of the days of his life after his 3 words spoken.