An inquiry into the existence of a personal devil / [By John Epps.

Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An inquiry into the existence of a personal devil / [By John Epps. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    to show that many of the extraordinary results presented by witchcraft, are nothing but the results of natural laws, skilfully brought out by cunning practitioners; and therefore can by no means be ascribed to the agency of the devil. Yet, strange to say, for writing this very book to undermine the power of the devil, his contemporary Monks put him in prison, because they maintained that he could not have gained this knowledge unless he had had communication with the devil. THE FOLLOWING IS EXTRACTED EROM COBBOLD’S HISTORY OE MARGARET CATCHPOLE. EDN. 5, 1847, P. 73—76. The ancient fisherman whose character is here pourtrayed, is not a mere creature of the imagination, but an eccentric being, once resident in the parish of St. Clement, Ipswich, by name Thomas Colson, but better known by the appellation of Robinson Crusoe. He wras originally a wool-comber, and afterwards a weaver; but a want of constant employment in either of these occupations induced him to enter the East Suffolk militia. Whilst quartered at Leicester, he learned, with his usual ingenuity, the art of stocking-weaving, which trade he afterwards followed in this county. But this employment, in its turn, he soon relinquished, and became a fisherman on the river Orwell. His little vessel (if vessel it might be called, for every part of it was his own handiwork) presented a curious specimen of naval patchwork, for his extreme poverty did not afford him the means of procuring proper materials. In this leaky and crazy vessel, it was his constant custom by day and by night, in calm and in storms, to toil in the river for fish. His figure was tall and thin, his countenance meagre yet striking, and his eye sharp and piercing —subject to violent chronic complaints, with a mind somewhat disordered and faculties impaired, he was a firm believer in the evil agency of wizards and witchcraft. His mind was so haunted with the dreams of charms and enchantments, as to fancy that he was continually under the influence of these mischievous tormentors. His arms and legs, nay, almost the whole body was covered with bones of horses, rings, and amulets, as spells and charms to protect him against their evil machinations. On different parts of his boat was to be seen c the horse-shoe nailed,5 that most effective antidote against the power of witches. When conversing with him, he would describe to you that he saw them hovering about his person, and endeavouring by all their arts to torment and punish him. Though a wretched martyr to the fancies of a disordered imagination, his manners were mild and harmless, and his character honest and irreproachable But however powerful and effective his charms might be to protect him from the agency of evil spirits, they did not prove sufficiently operative against the dangers of storms and tempests. Eor being unfortunately driven on the Ooze by a violent storm on the 3rd of October, 1811, he was seen and earnestly importuned to quit his crazy vessel; but relying on the efficacy of his charms he obstinately re- fused, and the ebb of the tide drawing his bark into deep water, his charms and his spells failed him, and poor Robinson sank to rise no more. The writer knew Colson well; he has often, when a boy, been in his boat with him, and always found him kind and gentle. The old man, who sat at the helm of his crazy vessel, now toiling up the Orwell, was a perfect fisher- man, patient, quiet, steady, active, and thoughtful. He had enough to employ