 Part 2 Chapter 7a of the history of the devil. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The History of the Devil by Daniel Defoe. Part 2 Chapter 7a. Whether is most hurtful to the world the devil walking about without his cloven foot or the cloven foot walking about without the devil. In discussing this most critical distinction of Satan's private motions, I must as the pulpit gentleman direct us, explain the text, and let you know what I mean by several dark expressions in it that I may not be understood to talk as the devil walks in the dark. One, as to the devil's walking about. Two, his walking without his cloven foot. Three, the cloven foot walking about without the devil. Now as I study brevity and yet would be understood to you may please to understand me as I understand myself thus. One that I must be allowed to suppose the devil really has a full intercourse in and through and about this globe with egress and regress for the carrying on his special affairs when how and where to his majesty in his great wisdom it shall seem meet. That sometimes he appears and becomes visible and that like a mastiff without his clog he does not always carry his cloven foot with him. This will necessarily bring me to some debate upon the most important question of apparitions hauntings walkings etc whether of Satan in human shape or if human creatures in the devil shape or in any other manner whatsoever. Two, I must also be allowed to tell you that Satan has a great deal of wrong done him by the general embracing vulgar errors that there is a cloven foot often times without a devil or in short that Satan is not guilty of all the simple things know or of all the wicked things we charge him with. These two heads well settled will fully explain the title of this chapter answer the query mentioned in it and at the same time correspond very well with and give us a farther prospect into the main and original design of this work namely the history of the devil. We are so fond of and pleased with the general notion of seeing the devil that I am loath to disoblige my readers so much as calling in question his visibility would do. Nor is it my business anymore than it is his to undeceive them where the belief is so agreeable to them, especially since upon the whole does not one farthing matter either on one side or on the other, whether it be so or no or whether the truth of fact be ever discovered or not. Certain it is whether we see him or no here he is, and I make no doubt but he is looking on while I'm writing this part of his story, whether behind me or at my elbow or over my shoulder is not material to me, nor have I once turned my head about to see whether he is there or for if he be not in the inside I have so mean an opinion of all his extra vast stated powers that it seems a very little consequence to me what shape he takes up when what posture he appears nor indeed cannot find in all my inquiry. That ever the devil appeared, qua devil in any of the most dangerous or important of his designs in the world, the most of his projects, especially of the significant part of them having been carried on another way. However, as I am satisfied nobody will be pleased if I should dispute the reality of his appearance and the world runs away with it as a received point and that admits no dispute. I shall most readily grant the general and give you some account of the particulars. History is fruitful of particulars whether invention has supplied them or not, I will not say where the devil is brought upon the stage in plain and undeniable apparition. The story of Samuel being raised by the witch of Endor, I shall leave quite out of my list because there are so many scruples and objections against that story. As I shall not dispute with the scripture so on the other hand I have so much deference for the dignity of the devil is not to determine rashly how far it may be in the power of every old witch woman to call him up whenever she pleases and that he must come whatever the pretenses or whatever business of consequence he may be engaged in as often as is needful for her to power for half the crown or perhaps less than half the money. No will I undertake to tell you till I have talked farther with him about it. How far the devil is concerned to discover frauds to take murders reveal secrets and especially to tell where any money is hid and show folks where to find it. It is an odd thing that Satan should think it of consequence to come and tell us where such a miser hid a strong box or where such an old woman buried her chamber pot full of money. The value of all which is perhaps but a trifle when at the same time he let so many veins of gold so many unexhausted mines nay mountains of silver as we may depend upon it are hid in the bowels of the earth in which would be so much to the good of whole nations to discover lies still there and never say one word of them to anybody. Besides how does the devil is doing things so foreign to himself and so out of his way agree with the rest of his character namely showing a kind of a friendly disposition to mankind are doing beneficent things. This is so beneath Satan's quality and look so little that I scarce know what to say to it. Which is still more pungent in the case is these things are so out of his road and so foreign to his calling that it shocks our faith in them and seems to clash with all the just notions we have of him. And of his business in the world the like is to be said of those little Mary turns we bring him in acting with us and upon us upon trifling and simple occasions such as tumbling chairs and stools about house setting pots and vessels bottom upward tossing the glass and crockery where about without breaking and such like mean foolish things beneath the dignity of the devil. When my opinion is rather employed in setting the world with the bottom upward tumbling kings and crowns about and dashing the nations one against another raising tempests and storms whether at sea or on shore and in a word doing capital mischief suitable to his nature and agreeable to his name devil and suited to that circumstance of his condition which I fully represented in the primitive part of his exile state. But to bring in the devil playing at push pin with the world or like Domitian catching flies that is to say doing nothing to the purpose. This is not only deluding ourselves but putting a slur upon the devil himself and I say I shall not dishonor Satan so much as to suppose anything in it. However as I must have a care to how I take away the proper materials of winter evening frippery and leave the good wives nothing of the devil to fight the children with I shall carry the weighty point no farther. No doubt the devil and Dr. Faustus were very intimate. I should rob you of a very significant proverb. If I should so much as doubt it no doubt the devil showed himself in the glass to that fair lady who looked in it to see where to place her patches. But then it should follow to that the devil is an enemy to the ladies wearing patches and that has some difficulties in it which we cannot so easily reconcile but we must tell the story and leave out the consequences. But to come to more remarkable things and in which the devil has thought fit to act in a figure more suitable to his dignity and on occasions consistent with himself. Take the story of the appearance of Julius Caesar or the devil assuming that murdered emperor to the great Marcus Brutus who notwithstanding all the good things said to justify it was no less than a king killer and an assassinator which we in our language call by a very good name and peculiar to the English tongue Aruffian. The specter had certainly the appearance of Caesar with his wounds bleeding fresh as if he had just received the fatal blow. He had reproached him with his ingratitude with a to Brutee to coque me feeling what thou Brutus thou my adopted son. Now history seems to agree universally not only in the story itself in the circumstances of it. We have only to observe that the devil has certainly power to assume not a human shape only but the shape of Julius Caesar in particular. Had Brutus been a timorous conscious harried weak headed wretch had he been under the horror of the guilt and terrified with the dangers that were before him at that time. We might suggest that he was overrun with the vapors that the terrors which were upon his mind disordered him that his head was delirious and prepossessed and that his fancy only place Caesar so continually in his eye that it realized him to his imagination and he believed he saw him with many other suggested difficulties to invalidate the story and render the reality of it doubtful. But the contrary to an extreme was the case of Brutus his known character placed him above the power of all hypochondriacs or fanciful delusions Brutus was a true Roman spirit a bold hero of an intrepid courage. One that scorned to fear even the devil as the story allows besides he gloried in the action there could be no terror of mind upon him he valued himself upon it as done in the service of liberty and the cause of his country. It was so far from being frighted at the devil in the worst shape that he spoke first to him and asked him what art thou and when he was cited to see him again at Philippi answered with a gallantry that knew no fear well I will see the there. Whatever the devil's business was with Brutus this is certain according to all the historians who give us the account of it that Brutus discovered no fear. He did not like solid and or fall to the ground in a swoon first Samuel 2820. Then Saul fell all along upon the earth and there was no strength in him and was so afraid in a word I see no room to charge Brutus with being overrun with a hypo or with vapors or with fright and terror of mind. But he saw the devil that certain and with eyes open his courage not at all daunted his mind resolute and with the utmost composure spoke to him replied to his answer and defied his summons to death which indeed he feared not as appeared afterward. I come next to an instance as imminent in history as the other this was in Charles the 6th of France or named the beloved who writing over the forest near mounds a ghastly frightful fellow that is to save the devil so clothed in human visor came up to his horse and taking hold of his bridal stop King wither go you you are betrayed and immediately disappeared it is true the king had been distempered in his head before and so he might have been deceived and we might have charged it to the account about whimsical brain or the power of his imagination but this was in the face of his attendance several of his great courtiers and princes of the blood being with him who all saw the man heard the words and immediately to their astonishment lost sight of the specter who vanished from the mall. Two witnesses will convict a murderer why not a traitor this must be the old gentleman emblematically so called who must it be. Nay who else could it be his egliness is not the case though ugly as the devil is a proverb in his favor but vanishing out of sight is an essential to a spirit and to an evil spirit in our times especially. These are some of the devil's extraordinary and it must be confessed they are not the most agreeable to mankind for sometimes he takes upon him to disorder his friends very much on these occasions. As in the above case of Charles the Sixth of France the king they say was really demented ever after that is as we vulgarly but not always improperly expressed he was really frightened out of his wits. Whether the malicious devil intended it so or not is not certain though it was not so foreign to his particular disposition if he did. But where he is more intimate we are told he appears in a manner less disagreeable and there he is more properly a familiar spirit that is in short a devil of their acquaintance. It is true the ancients understood the word of familiar spirit to be one of the kinds of possession. But if it serves our turn as well under the denomination of an intimate devil or a devil visitant it must be acknowledged to be as near in the literal sense and acceptation of the word. As the other may it must be allowed to is a very great piece of familiarity in the devil to make visits and show none of his disagreeables not appear formidable or in the shape of what he is respectfully withholding his dismal part in compassion to the infirmities of his friends. It is true Satan may be obliged to make different appearances as the several circumstances of things call for it in some cases he makes his public entry. And then he must show himself in his habit of ceremony in other cases he comes upon private business and then he appears in disguise in some public cases he may think fit to be incog and then he appears dressed a lot mask. So they say he appeared at the famous St. Barlow Thalamus wedding at Paris where he came and dressed up like a trumpeter danced in his habit sounded at Levitt and then went out and rung the alarm bell which was the signal to begin the massacre. Half an hour before the time appointed bless the king's mind should alter and his heart fail him. If the story be not made upon him for we should not slander the devil it should seem he was not thoroughly satisfied in King Charles the ninths steadiness in his cause. For the king it seems had relaxed a little once before and Satan might be afraid he would fall off again and so prevent the execution. Others say the king did relent immediately after the ringing the alarm bell but that then it was too late the work was begun and the rage of blood having been let loose among the people there was no recalling the order. If the devil was thus brought to the necessity of a secret management it must be owned he did it dexterously but I have not authority enough for the story to charge him with the particular so I leave it oh crap. I have much better vouchers for the story following which I had so solemnly confirmed by one that lived in the family but I never doubted the truth of it. They lived in the parish of Saint Bennett Fink near the Royal Exchange an honest poor widow woman who her husband being lately dead took lodgers into her house. That is she let out some of her rooms in order to lessen her own charge of rent. Among the rest she let her garris to a working watch wheel maker or one some way concerned in making the movement of watches and who worked to those shopkeepers who sell watches as as usual. It happened that a man and woman went up to speak with this movement maker upon some business which related to his trade. And when they were near the top of the stairs the Garrett door where he usually work being wide open they saw the poor man. The watch maker or wheel maker had hanged himself upon a beam which was left open in the room a little lower than the plaster or ceiling. Surprised at the sight the woman stopped and cried out to the man who was behind her on the stairs that he should run up and cut the poor creature down. At that very moment comes a man hastily from another part of the room which they upon the stairs could not see bringing a joint stool in his hand as if in great haste and sets it down just by the wretch that was hanging getting up as hastily upon it pulls a knife out of his pocket and taking hold of the rope with one of his hands back into the woman and the man behind her with his head as if to stop and not come up showing them the knife in his other hand as if he was just going to cut the poor man down. Upon this the woman stopped awhile but the man who stood on the joint stool continued with his hand and knife as if fumbling at the knot but did not yet cut the man down at which the woman cried out again and the man behind her called to her go up says he and helped the man upon the stool supposing something hindered. But the man upon the stool made signs to them again to be quiet and not come on as if saying I shall do it immediately then he made two strokes with his knife as if cutting the rope and then stopped again and still the poor man was hanging and consequently dying. Upon this the woman on the stairs cried out to him what ails you why don't you cut the poor man down and the man behind her having no more patience thrusts her butt and said to her let me come out warrant you I'll do it. And without he runs up and forward into the room to the man but when he came there behold the poor man was there hanging but no man with a knife or joint stool or any such thing to be seen all that was specter and delusion in order no doubt to let the poor creature that had hanged himself perished and expire. The man was so frightened and surprised that with all the courage he had before he dropped on the floor as one dead and the woman at last was feigned to cut the poor man down with a pair of scissors and had much to do to effect it. As I have no room to doubt the truth of this story which I had from persons on whose honesty I could depend. So I think it needs very little trouble to convince us who the man upon the stool must be and that it was the devil who placed himself there in order to finish the murder of the man who he had devil like tempted before and prevailed with to be his own executioner. Besides it corresponds so well with the devil's nature and with his business there is that of a murderer that I never questioned it nor can I think we wronged the devil at all to charge him with it. Note well I cannot be positive in remaining part of the story vis whether the man was cut down soon enough to be recovered or whether the devil carried his point and kept off the man and woman till it was too late. But be it which it will to explain he did his devilish endeavor and stayed till he was forced to abscond again. We have many solid tales well attested as well in history as in the reports of honest people who could not be deceived into meeting the devil's personal appearance some in one place some in another. As also sometimes in one habit or dress and sometimes in another and it is to be observed that in none of those which are most like to be real and in which there is least of fancy and vapor you have any mention of the cloven foot which rather seems to be a mere invention of men. And perhaps deeply of those who had a cloven understanding I mean a shallow kind of craft the effect of an empty and simple head thinking by such a well meant though weak fraud to represent the devil to the old women and children of the age. With some addition suitable to the weakness of their intellects and suited to making them afraid of him. I have another account of a person who traveled up for four years with the devil in his company and converse most intimately with him all the while. Nay if I may believe the story he knew most part of the time that he was the devil and yet converse with him and that very profitably for he performed many very useful services for him and constantly preserved him from the danger of wolves and while beasts which the country he traveled through was intolerably full of. The way you are to understand that the wolves and bears in those countries knew the devil whatever disguise he went in or that the devil has some way to fright bears and such creatures more than we know out. Nor could this devil ever be prevailed upon to hurt him or any of his company. This account has an innumerable number of diverting incidents attending it but they are equal to all the rest in bulk and therefore too long for this book. I find to upon some more ordinary occasions the devil has appeared to several people at their call. This indeed shows abundance of good humor in him considering him as a devil and that he was mighty complacent. Nay some they tell us have a power to raise the devil whenever they think fit. This I cannot bring the devil to a level with unless I should allow him to be so was so were him as another devil in disguise calls himself subjected to ever old wizards call or that he is under a necessity of appearing on such or such particular occasions. Whoever it is that calls him which would bring the devil circumstances to a pitch of slavery which I see no reason to believe of them. Here also I must take notice again that though I say the devil when I speak of all these apparitions whether of a greater or lesser kind yet I'm not obliged to suppose Satan himself in person is concerned to show himself. But that some of his agents deputies and servants are sent to that purpose and directed what disguise the flesh and blood to put on as may be suitable to the occasion. This seems to be the only way to reconcile all those simple and ridiculous appearances which not Satan but is emissaries, which we old women call imps, sometimes making the mean and sorry employment they are put to. Thus fame tells us about certain which of quality you call the devil wants to carry her over a brook where the water was swelled with a hasty rain and last him soundly with her whip for letting her ladyship fall into the water before she was quite over. Thus also as fame tells us she set the devil to work and made him build Kroll and Abbey where there was no foundation to be found only for disturbing the workman a little who were first set about it. So it seems another laborious devil was obliged to dig the great ditch across the country from the Fenn country to the edge of Suffolk and Essex which whoever he has preserved the reputation of and where it crosses new market heat is called devil's ditch to this day. Another piece of punishment no doubt it was when the devil was obliged to bring the stones out of Wales into Wiltshire to build Stonehenge. How this was ordered in those days when it seems they kept Satan to hard labor. I know not I believe it must be registered among the ancient pieces of art which are lost in the world such as melting of stone painting of glass etc. Certainly they had the devil under correction in those days that is to say those lesser sorts of devils but I cannot think that the muckle thief devil as they call him in the north the grand senior devil of all was ever reduced to discipline. The devil it was that Gunston took by the nose with his red hot tongs. I'm not yet examined and tick with enough to be certain of any more that I can what devil it was that St. Francis played so many warm tricks with and made him run away from him so often. However, this I take upon me to say in the devil's behalf that it could not be our state in the arch devil of all devils of whom I have been talking so long. Now is it unworthy the occasion to take notice that we really wronged the devil and speak of him very much to his disadvantage. When we say of such a great Lord or of such a lady of quality I think the devil is in your grace. No, no, Satan has other business. He very rarely possesses f blank LS. Besides some are so far from having the devil in them that they are really transmigrated into the very essence of the devil themselves and others again not transmigrated or assimilated but indeed and in truth show us that they are to have mere native devils in every part and parcel of them and that the rest is only mask and disguise. Thus if rage and be pride and revenge can constitute the parts of a devil why should not a lady of such quality in whom all those extraordinary is about have a right to the title of being a devil really and substantially and to all intents and purposes in the most perfect and absolute sense according to the most exquisite descriptions of devils already given by me or anybody else and even just as Joan of Arc or Joan Queen of Naples were who were both sent home to their native country as soon as it was discovered that they were real devils and that Satan acknowledged them in that quality. Nor does my lady D blank assesses wearing sometimes the case of humanity about her call flesh and blood at all alter the case for so to his evident according to our present hypothesis Satan has been always allowed to do upon urgent occasions. I and to make his personal appearance as such among even the sons and daughters of God to as well as among the children of men and therefore her grace may have appeared in the shape of a fine lady as long as she has been supposed to do without any impeachment of her just claim to the title of devil which being her true and natural or regional. She ought not or nor indeed shall not by me be denied her shapes of honor whenever she pleases to declare for re assumption and farther to give every truth. It's the illustration this need not be thought so strange and as far from being unjust her grace as she it may be is now styled has not acted at least that I never heard of. So unworthy her great and illustrious original that we should think she has lost anything by walking about the world so many years in apparition but to give her the due homage of her quality. She has acted as consonant to the essence and nature of devil which she has such a claim to as was consistent with the need for reserve of her present disguise. Nor shall we lead the reader into any mistake concerning this part of our work as if this was or is meant to be a particular Seder upon the d blank s s of blank and upon her only as if we had no devils among us in the phenomena of fair ladies but this one if Satan would be so honest to us as he might be and would be very ingenious in him. That must be acknowledged to give us a little alphys illumination in this case we should soon be able to unmask a great many notable figures among us to our real surprise. Indeed tis a point worth our further inquiry and would be a discovery many ways to our advantage where we blessed with it to see how many real devils we have walking up and down the world at mask and how many hoop petticoats complete the entire mask that disguises the devil in the shape of that thing called woman. As for the men nature has satisfied herself and letting them be their own disguise and in suffering them to act the old women as old women are vulgarly understood in matters of council and politics. But if at any time they have occasion for the devil in person they are obliged to call him to their aid in such shape as he pleases to make use of pro hoc weekend and of all those shapes the most agreeable to him seems to be that of a female of quality in which he has infinite opportunity to act to perfection what parts whoever he is called in for how happy are those people who they say have the particular quality or acquired habit. Call the second site one sort of whom they tell us are able to distinguish the devil in whatever case or outside of flesh and blood he is pleased to put on and consequently could know the devil wherever they met him. Were I blessed with this excellent useful accomplishment how pleasant would it be and I would it particularly gratify my spleen and all that which are in common with my fellow creatures carry about me called ill nature to stand in the wall or at the entrance to any of our assemblies of beauties and point them out as they pass by with this particular mark. That's a devil that fine young toast is a devil there's a devil dressed in a new habit for the ball. There's a devil in a coaching six come alias. In short it would make a merry world among us if we could about enter upon some proper method of such discriminations but law would what a hurricane would it raise if like blank who they say scourge the devil so often that he does not come near him in any shape whatever we could find some new method out to make the devil unmasked like the angel. Who Mr. Milton says had an enchanted spear with which if he did but touch the devil and whatever disguise you put on it obliged him immediately to start up and show himself in his true original shape mere devil as he was. This would do nicely and as I who am originally a projector have spent some time upon this study and doubt not in a little time to finish my engine which I am contriving to screw the devil out of everybody or anybody. I question that when I have brought it to perfection but I shall make most excellent discoveries by and besides the many extraordinary advantages of it to human society. I doubt not but it will make good sport in the world to where for when I publish my proposals and divided into shares or as other less useful projects have been done. I question not for all the severe act lately passed against bubbles but I shall get subscribers enough etc. End of Part 2 Chapter 7A Part 2 Chapter 7B of the History of the Devil. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. The History of the Devil by Daniel Defoe. Part 2 Chapter 7B In a word a secret power of discovering what devils we have among us and where and what business they are doing would be a vast advantage to us all that we might know among the crowd of devils that walk about streets who are apparitions and who are not. Now I, you must know at certain intervals when the old gentleman's illuminations are upon me and when I have something of in a clarecement with him have some degrees of this discriminating second sight and therefore tis no strange thing for me to tell a great many of my acquaintance that they are really devils when they themselves know nothing of the matter. Sometimes indeed I find it pretty hard to convince them of it or at least they are very unwilling to own it but it is not the less so for that. I had a long discourse upon this subject one day with a young beautiful lady of my acquaintance who the world very much admired and as the world judges no farther than they can see and how should they you would say they took her to be as she really was a most charming creature. To me indeed she discovered herself many ways besides the advantage I had of my own extraordinary penetration by the magic powers which I invested with. To me I say she appeared a fury, a satyr, a fiery little fiend as could possibly be dressed up in flesh. In short she appeared to me what really she was. A very devil. It is natural to human creatures to desire to discover any extraordinary powers they are possessive superior to others. And this itch prevailing in me among the rest I was impatient to let this lady know that I understood her composition perfectly well as well as she did herself. In order to this happening to be in the family once for some days and having the honor to be very intimate with her and her husband too I took an opportunity on an extraordinary occasion when she was in the height of good humor to talk with her. You must note that as I said the lady was in an extraordinary good humor and there had been a great deal of mirth in the family for some days. But one evening Sir E, her husband, upon some very sharp turn she gave to another gentleman which made all the company pleasant run to her and with a passion of good humor takes her into his arms. In turning to me says he, Jack, this wife of mine is full of wit and good humor, but when she has a mind to be smart she is the keenest little devil in the world. This was alluding to the quick turn she had given the other gentleman. Is that the best language you can give your wife, says my lady? Oh, madam, says I, such devils as you are all angels. I, I, says my lady, I know that. He has only let me truth fly out that he does not understand. Look ye there now, says Sir Edward. Could anything but such a dear devil as this has said a thing so pointed. Well, well, well, adds he, devil to a lady in a man's arms is a word of diver's interpretations. He rallied for a good while, he holding her fast all the while in his arms and frequently kissing her and at last it went off, all in sunshine and mirth. But the next day, for I had the honor to lodge in the lady's father's house where it all happened, I say the next day my lady begins with me upon the subject and that very smartly so that first I did not know whether she was ingest or earnest. I, I, says she, you men make nothing of your wives after you have them, alluding to the discourse with Sir Edward the night before. Why, madam, says I, we men, as you are pleased to term it, if we meet with good wives worship them and make idols of them, what would you have more of us? No, no, says she, before you have them they are angels, but when you have been in heaven, adds she and smiled, then they are devils. Why, madam, says I, devils are angels, you know, and were the highest sort of angels once. Yes, says she, very smartly, all devils are angels, but all angels are not devils. But, madam, says I, you should never take it ill to be called devil, you know. I know, says she, hastily, what do you mean by that? Why, madam, says I, and looked very gravely and serious, I thought you had known that I knew it, or else I would not have said so, for I would not offend you, but you may depend, I shall never discover it, unless you order me to do so for your particular service. Upon this she looked hard and wild and bid me explain myself. I told her I was ready to explain myself if she would give me her word, she would not resent it and would take nothing ill. She gave me her word solemnly, she would not, though like a true devil she broke her promise with me all at once. Well, however, being unconcerned whether she kept her word or no, I began by telling her that I had not long since obtained by second sight and had some years studied magic, by which I could penetrate into many things, which to ordinary perception were invisible, and had some glasses by the help of which I could see into all visionary or imaginary appearances in a different manner than other people did. Very well, says she, suppose you can, what's that to me? I told her it was nothing to her any further than that as she knew herself to be originally, not the same creature she seemed to be, but was of a sublime angelic original. So by the help of my recited art I knew it too, and so far it might relate to her. Very fine, says she, so you would make a devil of me indeed. I took that occasion to tell her I would make nothing of her but what she was, that I suppose she knew well enough God Almighty never thought fit to make any human creature so perfect and completely beautiful as she was, but that such were also reserved for figures to be assumed by angels of another kind or other. She rallied me upon that and told me that would not bring me off for I had not determined her for anything angelic but a mere devil, and how could I flatter her with being handsome and the devil both at the same time. I told her as Satan whom we abusively called devil was an immortal seraph and of an original angelic nature, so abstracted from anything wicked. He was a most glorious being that when he thought fit to encase himself with flesh and walk about in disguise it was in his power equally with the other angels to make the form he took upon himself be as he thought fit beautiful or deformed. He or she disputed the possibility of that and after charging me faintly with flattering her face told me the devil could not be represented by anything handsome alleging our constant picturing the devil and all the frightful appearances imaginable. I told her we wronged him very much in that and quoted Saint Francis to whom the devil frequently appeared in the form of the most incomparable beautiful naked woman to allure him and what means he used to turn the appearance into a devil again and how he affected it. She put by the discourse and returned to that of angels and insisted that angels did not always assume beautiful appearances, that sometimes they appeared in terrible shapes, but that when they did not it was at best only amiable faces, not exquisite, and that therefore it would not hold that to be handsome should always render them suspected. I told her the devil had more occasion to form beauties than other angels had, his business being principally to deceive and ensnare mankind, and then I gave her some examples upon the whole. I found by her discourse she was willing enough to pass for an angel but was the hardest thing in the world to convince her that she was a devil and she would not come into that by any means. She argued that I knew her father and that her mother was a very good woman and was delivered of her in the ordinary way and that there was such and such ladies who were present in the room when she was born and that it often told her so. I told her that was nothing in such a case as hers that when the old gentleman had occasion to transform himself into a fine lady he could easily dispose of a child and place himself in the cradle instead of him. When the nurse or mother were asleep, nay or when they were brought awake either, it was the same thing to him and I quoted Luther to her upon that occasion who affirms that it had been so. However I said to convince her that I knew it, for I would have it that she knew it already if she pleased I would go to my chamber and fetch her my magic-looking glass where she should see her own picture not only as it was an angelic picture for the world to admire but a devil also frightful enough to anybody but herself and me that understood it. No, no, she said. I'll look in none of your conjuring glasses. I know myself well enough and I'd desire to look no other was than I am. No, madam, says I, I know that very well, nor do you need any better shape than you appear in. It is most exquisitely fine. All the world knows you are a complete beauty and that is a clear evidence what you would be if your present appearing form was reduced to its proper personality. A appearing form, she said. Why, what would you make an apparition of me? An apparition. An apparition. Madam, says I, yes, be sure, why you know you are nothing else but an apparition, and what else would you be when it is so infinitely to your advantage? With that she turned pale and angry and then rose up hastily and looked into the glass, a large pure glass being in the room where she stood, surveying herself from head to foot, with vanity not a little. I took that time to slip away and, running into my apartment, I fetched my magic glass as I called it, in which I had a hollow case so framed behind a looking glass that in the first she would see her own face only. In the second she would see the devil's face, ugly and frightful enough, but dressed up with a lady's head closed in a circle, the devil's face in the center, as it were at a little distance behind. I came down again so soon that she did not think the time long, especially having spent it in surveying her fair self. When I returned, I said, come, madam, do not trouble yourself to look there. That is not a glass capable of showing you anything. Come, take this glass. It will show me as much of myself, says she, a little scornfully, as I desire to see. So she continued looking in the pure glass after some time more for seeing her a little out of humor. I waited to see what observations she would make. I asked her if she had viewed herself to her satisfaction. She said she hadn't. She had seen nothing of devil about her. Come, madam, said I, look here, and with that I opened the looking glass, and she looked in it but saw nothing but her own face. Well, says she, the glasses agree well enough. I see no difference. What can you make of it? With that I took it a little away. Don't you, says I, then I should be mistaken very much. So I looked in it myself, and giving it a turn, imperceptible to her, I showed it her again, where she saw the devil indeed, dressed up like a fine lady but ugly, and devil like as could be desired for a devil to be. She started, and cried out most horribly, and told me, she thought I was more of a devil than she, for that she knew nothing of those tricks, and I did it to fright her. She believed I had raised the devil. I told her it was nothing but her own natural picture, and that she knew well enough, and that I did not show her to inform her of it. But to let her know that I knew it too, that she might make no pretenses of being offended when I talked familiarly to her of a thing of this nature. Very well. So, says she, I am a real frightful devil, am I? Oh, madam, says I, don't say am I. Why, you know what you are, don't you? A devil, I certainly, as sure as the rest of the world, believes you a lady. I had a great deal of farther discourse with her upon that subject, though she would feign have beaten me off of it. In two or three times she put the talk off, and brought something else on. But I always found means to revive it, and to attack her upon the reality of her being a devil, till at last I made her downright angry, and then she showed it. First she cried, told me I came to affront her that I would not talk so if Sir Ed was by, and that she ought not to be used so. I endeavored to pacify her, and told her I had not treated her with any indecency, nor I would not, because while she thought fit to walk abroad in cog, it was none of my business to discover her, that if she thought fit to tell Sir Ed anything of the discourse, she was very welcome, or to conceal it. Which I thought the wisest course she should do just as she pleased, but I made no question I should convince Sir E, her husband, that what I said was just, and that I was really so, whether it was for her service or no for him to know it, was for her to consider. This calmed her a little, and she looked hard at me a minute without speaking a word, when on a sudden she broke out thus. And you will undertake, says she, to convince Sir Ed that he is married a devil, will ye? A fine story indeed, and what follows, why then it must follow that the child I go with, for she was big with child, will be a devil too, will it? A fine story for Sir Ed indeed, isn't it? I don't know that, madame, says I, that's as you order it, but the father's side said I, I know it will not, but what it may be by the mother's side, there's a doubt I can't resolve till the devil and I talk farther about it. You and the devil talk together, says she, and looks ruefully at me. Why do you talk with the devil then? I'm madame, says I, as sure as ever you did yourself, besides, said I, can you question that? Pray, who am I talking to now? I think you are mad, says she, why you will make devils of all the family, it may be, and particularly I must be with child of a devil, that's certain. No, madame, said I, it is not certain, as I said before, I question it. Why you say I'm the devil, the child you know has always most of the mother in it, then that must be a devil too, I think. What else can it be, says she. I can't tell you that, madame, said I, that's as you agree among yourselves, this kind does not go by generation, that's a dispute foreign to the present purpose. Then I entered into a discourse with her of the ends and purposes for which the devil takes up such beautiful forms as hers, and why it always gave me a suspicion when I saw a lady handsomer than ordinary, and set me upon the search to be satisfied whether she was really a woman or an apparition, a lady or a devil, allowing all along that her being a devil was quite out of the question. Upon that very foot she took me up again roundly, and so, says she, you are very civil to me through all your discourse, for I see it ends all in that, and you take it as a thing confessed, that I am a devil, a very pretty piece of good usage indeed, she says. I thank you for it. Nay, madame, says I, do not take it ill of me, for I only discover to you that I knew it. I do not tell it you as a secret, for you are satisfied of that another way. Satisfied of what, says she, that I am a devil? I think the devil's in you, and so began to be hot. A devil, yes madame, says I, without doubt, a mere devil. Take it as you please, I can't help that, and so I begin to take it ill that she should be disgusted at opening such a well-known truth to her. With that she discovered it all at once, for she turned fury in the very letter of it, flew out in a passion, railed at me, cursed me most heartily, and immediately disappeared, which you know is the particular mark of a spirit or apparition. We had a great deal of discourse besides this, relating to several other young ladies of her acquaintance, some of which, I said, were mere apparitions like herself, and told her which were so and which not, and the reason why they were so, and for what uses and purposes, some to delude the world one way and some another. And she was pretty well pleased to hear that. But she could not bear to hear her own true character, which, however, as cunning as she was, made her act the devil at last, as you have heard, and then vanished out of my sight. I've seen her in miniature several times since, but she proves herself still to be the devil of a lady, for she bears malice and will never forgive me that I would not let her be an angel. But like a very devil as she is, she endeavors to kill me at a distance, and indeed the poison of her eyes, basilisk-like, is very strong, and she has a strange influence upon me. But I that know her to be a devil strive very hard with myself to drive the memory of her out of my thoughts. I've had two or three engagements since this, with other apparitions of the same sex, and I find that they are all alike. They are willing enough to be thought angels, but the word devil does not go down at all with them. But tis all one, whether we see an apparition it is so natural to say we have seen the devil, that there is no prevailing with mankind to talk any other language. A gentleman of my acquaintance, the other day, that had quoted a lady a long time, had the misfortune to come a little suddenly upon her when she did not expect him, and found her in such a rage at some of her servants that it quite disordered her, especially a footman. The fellow had done something that was indeed provoking, but not sufficient to put her into such a passion, and so out of herself, nor was she able to restrain herself when she saw her lover come in, but damned the fellow and raged like a fury at him. My friend did his best to compose her, and begged the fellow's pardon of her, but it would not do. Nay, the poor fellow made all the submissions that could be expected, but t'was the same thing. And so the gentleman, not caring to engage himself farther than became him, withdrew, and came no more at her for three days, in all which time she was hardly cool. The next day my friend came to me, and talking of it in confidence to me. I'm afraid, says he, I'm going to marry a she-devil, and so told me the story. I took no notice of him, but finding out his mistress in taking proper measures was some of my particular skill. I soon found out that it was really so that she was a mere apparition, and had it not been for that accidental disorder of her passions which discovered her inside, she might indeed have cheated any man, for she was a lovely devil as ever was seen. She talked like an angel, sung like a siren. Did everything, and said everything that was taking and charming, but what then it was all apparition, for she was a mere devil. It is true my friend married her, and though she was a devil without doubt, yet either she behaved so well, or he was so good, I never could hear him find fault with her. These are particular instances, but alas I could run you a length beyond all those examples, and give you such a list of devils among the gay things of the town that would fright you to think of, and you would presently conclude with me that all the perfect beauties are devils, mere apparitions. But time and paper fails, so we must only leave the men the caution, let them venture out their peril. I return to the subject. We have a great many charming apparitions of like kind go daily about the world in complete masquerade, and though we must not say so, they are in themselves mere devils, wicked, dangerous, murdering devils that kill various ways, some basilisk-like with their eyes, some siren-like with their tongues, all murderers, even from the beginning. It is true to his pity these pretty apparitions should be devils, and be so mischievous as they are, but since it is so I can do no less than to advertise you of it, that you may shun the devil whatever shape you meet with him. Again there are some half-devils, they say, like the Sagittari, half-man, half-horse, or rather like the Seder, who they say is half-devil, half-man, or like my Lord Bishop, who they say was half-headed, whether they mean half-witted or no, I do not find authors agreed about it. But if they had voted him such it had been as kind of thing as any they could say of him, because it would have cleared him from the scandal of being a devil, or half a devil, for we do not find the devil makes any allegiance with fools. Then as to married devils there is my master, G., he may indeed have the devil in him, but it must be said, to the credit of possession in general, that Satan would have scorned to have entered into a soul so narrow that there was not room to hold him, or to take up with soap, take up with soap, discording a creature so abject, so scoundrel, as never made a figure among mankind greater than that of a thief, a marauder, molded up into quality, and a rapari dressed up a la masque with a robe and a coronet. Some little dog-chemel devil may indeed take up his quarters in or near him, and so run into and out of him as his drum beats a call, but to him that was born a devil, Satan that never acts to no purpose, could not think him worth being possessed by anything better than a devil of a dirty quality, that is to say a spirit too mean to wear the name of devil, without some badge or addition of infamy and meanness to distinguish it by. Thus what devil of quality would be confined to a person who inheriting all the pride and insolence of his ancestors without one of their good qualities, the bully, the Billingsgate, and all the hereditary ill-language of his family, without an ounce of their courage, that has been rescued five or six times from the scandal of a coward, by the bravery and not the hazard of friends, and never failed to be ungrateful, that if he ever committed a mirthur, did it in cold blood. Because nobody could prove he ever had any hot. Who possessed with a paltrune devil was always wickeder in the dark than he durst be by daylight, and who after innumerable, passive sufferings has been turned out of human society because he could not be kicked or cuffed either into good manners or good humor. To say this was a devil, an apparition, or even a half-devil, would be unkind to Satan himself, since though he, the devil, has so many millions of inferior devils under his command, not one could be found base enough to match him, nor one devil found but would think himself dishonored to be employed about him. Some merry good-for-nothing devils we have indeed, which we might, if we had room, speak of at large, and divert you too with the relation, such as my lady Hatt's devil in Essex, who upon layering a joiner's mallet in the window of a certain chamber, would come very ortally and knock with it all night upon the window, or against the wainscote, and disturb the neighbourhood, and then go away in the morning, as well satisfied as may be. Whereas if the mallet was not left, he would think himself affronted, be as insufferable and terrify as possible, break in the windows, splitting the wainscote, committing all the disorders, and doing all the damage that he was able to the house, and to the goods in it, and again, such as the drumming devil and the well at Undle and Northamptonshire, and such like. A great many attic devils have been seen also, who seem to have little or nothing to do, but only to assure us that they can appear if they please, and that there is a reality in the thing called apparition. As to shadows of devils and imaginary appearances, such as appear, and yet are invisible at the same time, I thought to have bestowed a chapter upon them by themselves, but it may be as much to the purpose to let them alone as to meddle with them. To set our old friend Luther used to be exceedingly troubled with such invisible apparitions, and he tells us much of them in what they call his tabletop, but with master Luther's leave, though the devil passes for a great liar, I could swallow many things of his own proper making as soon as some of those I find in a book that goes by his name, particularly the story of the devil in a basket, the child flying out of the cradle, and the like. In a word, the walking devils that we have generally among us are of the female sex, whether it be the devil finds less difficulty to manage them, or that he lives quieter with them, or that they are fitter for his business than the men. I shall not now enter into a dispute about that. Perhaps he goes better disguised in the fair sex than otherwise. Antiquity gives us many histories of she-devils, such as we can very seldom match for wickedness among the men. Such now is in the text Lot's Daughters, Joseph's Mistress, Samson's Delilah, Herod's Herodias. These were certainly devils, or played the devil sufficiently in their turn. One male apparition indeed the scripture furnishes you with, and that is Judas, for his master says expressly of him, one of you is a devil, not has the devil or is possessed of the devil, but really is a devil, or is a real devil. How happy is it that this great secret comes thus to be discovered to mankind? Certainly the world has gone on in ignorance a long time, and at a strange rate that we should have so many devils continually walking among us in human shape, and we know it not. Philosophers tell us that there is a world of spirits and many learned pieces of guesswork they may get it, representing the world to be so near us that the air as they describe it must be full of dragons and devils enough to fright our imaginations with the very thoughts of them. And if they say true, it is our great felicity that we cannot see any farther into it than we do, which if we could would appear as frightful as hell itself. But none of those sages ever told us till now that half the people who converse with us are apparitions, especially of the women, and among them especially this valuable part, the woman of figure, the fair, the beautiful, or patched and painted. This unusual phenomena has been seen but a little while in but a little way, and the general part of mankind cannot come into the same notions about it. Nay, perhaps they will all think it strange, but be it as strange as it will. The nature of the thing confirms it. This lower sphere is full of devils, and some of both sexes have given strange testimonies of the reality of their pre-existent devilism for many ages past, though I think it never came to that height as it has now. It is true in former times Satan dealt much in old women than those as I have observed already, very ugly, ugly as a witch, black as a witch, I look like a witch, all proverbial speeches, and which testified what tools it was Satan generally worked with. In these old specters they tell us, used to ride through the air in the night, and upon broomsticks too, all mighty, homely things. Some say they used to go to visit their grand-senior, the devil, in those nocturnal perambulations, but be that as it will, to certain the devil has changed hands, and now he walks about the world clothed in beauty, covered with the charms of the lovely, and he fails not to disguise himself effectually by it. For who would think a beautiful lady could be a mask to the devil, and that a fine face, a divine shape, a heavenly aspect, should bring the devil in her company, nay, should be herself an apparition, a mere devil. The inquiry is indeed worth our while, and therefore I hope all the enamored bows and boys, all the beauty hunters and fortune hunters, will take heed, for I suppose if they get the devil they will not complain for want of a fortune. And there's danger enough, I assure you, for the world is full of apparitions, non-rosa, seen as speanies. Not a beauty without a devil, the old woman's specters and the young woman's apparitions, the ugly one's witches and the handsome one's devils. Lord have mercy, and a blessing be set upon the man's door that goes according. The historians are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Rick Veena. The History of the Devil by Daniel Defoe. Part 2, Chapter 8 Of the cloven foot walking about the world without the devil. Namely, of witches making bargains for the devil, and particularly, of selling the soul to the devil. I have dwelt long upon the devil in mask, as he goes about the world incognito, and especially without his cloven foot, and have touched upon some of his disguises in the management of his interest in the world. I must say some of his disguises only, for who can give a full account of all his tricks and arts, in so narrow a compass, as I am prescribed to. But as I said, that every devil has not a cloven foot, so I must add now, for the present purpose, that every cloven foot is not the devil. Not but that wherever I should meet the cloven hoof, I should expect that the devil was not far off, and should be apt to raise the posse against him, to apprehend him. Yet it may happen otherwise, that certain. Every coin has its counterfeit, every art its pretender, every whore her admirer, every error its patron. And every day has its devil. I have had some thought of making a full and complete discovery here of that great doubt which has so long puzzled the world, namely, whether there is any such thing as secret making bargains with the devil. And the first positive assurance I can give you in the case is, that if there is not, tis not his fault, tis not for want of his endeavour, tis plain, if you will pardon me for taking so mean a step, as that of quoting scripture, I say, tis evident he would feign have made a contract with our Saviour, and he bid boldly, give him his due, namely, all the kingdoms of the world, for one bend of his knee, impudent Seraph, to think thy Lord should pay thee homage. How many would agree with him here for a less price? They say Oliver Cromwell struck a bargain with him, and that he gave Oliver the protectorship, but would not let him call himself king, which stuck so close to that furioso that the mortification spread into his soul, and tis said, he died of a gangrene in the spleen. But take notice, and do Oliver justice. I do not vouch to story, neither does the bishop say one word of it. Fame asked to say, that the old famous Duke of Luxembourg made a magic compact of this kind. Nay, I have heard many an old woman, officer of the troops, who never cared to see his face, declare that he carried the devil at his back. I remember a certain author of a newspaper in London, was once taken up, and they say it cost him fifty pounds for printing in his news, that Luxembourg was humpbacked. Now if I have resolved the difficulty, namely, that he was not humped, only carried the devil at his back, I think the poor man should have his fifty pounds again, or I should have it for the discovery. I confess, I do not well understand this compacting with such a fellow as can neither write nor read, nor do I know who is the scrivener between them, or how the indenture can be executed. But that which is worse than all the rest is, that in the first place the devil never keeps articles. He will contract perhaps, and they say he is mighty forward to make conditions. But who shall bind him to the performance, and where is the penalty if he fails? If we agree with him, he will be apt enough to claim his bargain and demand payment. Nay, perhaps before it is due. But who shall make him stand to his? Besides, he is a nave in his dealing, for he really promises what he cannot perform, witness his impudent proposal to our Lord mentioned above. All these kingdoms will I give thee. Lying spirit. Why, they were none of thine to give. No, not one of them. For the earth is the lords and the kingdoms thereof. Nor were they in his power any more than in his right. So I have heard that some poor, dismal creatures have sold themselves to the devil for a sum of money, for so much cash, and yet even in that case, when the day of payment came, I never heard that he brought the money or paid the purchase, so that he is a scoundrel in his treaties, for you shall trust for your bargain, but not be able to get your money, and yet for your part, he comes for you to an hour, of which by itself. In a word, let me caution you all, when you trade with the devil, either get the price or quit the bargain. The devil is a cunning shaver. He will wriggle himself out of the performance on his side, if possible, and yet expect you should be punctual on your side. They tell you of a poor fellow and hair-ford-shire, that offered to sell his soul to him for a cow. And though the devil promised, and as they say, signed the writings, yet the poor countrymen could never get the cow of him. But still, as he brought a cow to him, somebody or other came and challenged it, proving that it was lost or stolen from them, so that the man got nothing but the name of a cow-stealer, and was at last carried to herford jail, and condemned to be hanged for stealing two cows, one after the other. The wicked fellow was then in the greatest distress imaginable. He summoned his devil to help him out, but he failed him, as the devil always will. He really had not stolen the cows, but they were found in his possession, and he could give no account how he came by them. At last he was driven to confess the truth, told the horrid bargain he had made, and how the devil often promised him a cow, but never gave him one, except that several times in the morning, early, he found the cow put into his yard, but it always proved to belong to some of his neighbors. Whether the man was hanged or no, the story does not relate, but this part is to my purpose, that they that make bargains with the devil ought to make him give security for the performance of covenants, and who the devil would get to be bound for him, I can't tell. They must look to that who make the bargain. Besides, if he had not had a mind to cheat or baffle the poor man, what need he have taken a cow so near home? If he had such and such powers as we talk of, and as fancy and fable furnish for him, could not he have carried a cow in the air upon a broomstick, as well as an old woman? Could he not have stole a cow for him in Lincolnshire, and set it down in Hurfordshire, and so have performed his bargain, saved his credit, and kept the poor man out of trouble? So that if the story is true, as I really believe it is, either it is not the devil that makes those bargains, or the devil has not such a power as we bestow on him, except on special occasions he gets a permit, and his bid go, as in the case of Job, the Gator and Hogs, and the like. We have another example of a man's selling himself to the devil that is very remarkable, and that is in the Bible too, and even in that I do not find what the devil did for him in payment of the purchase price. The person selling was Ahab, of whom the text says expressly, there was none like him who did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord. First Kings 21, verse 20, and the 25, I think it might have been rendered if not translated in spite of the Lord, or in defiance of God, for certainly that's the meaning of it. And now, allowing me to preach a little upon this text, my sermon shall be very short. Ahab sold himself, who did he sell himself to? I answer that question by a question, who would buy him? Who, as we say, would give anything for him? And the answer to that is plain also. You may judge of the purchaser by the work he was to do. He that buys a slave in the market buys him to work for him, and to do such business as he has for him to do. Ahab was bought to work wickedness, and who would buy him for that but the devil? I think there's no room to doubt, but Ahab sold himself to the devil. The text is plain that he sold himself, and the work he was sold to do points out the master that bought him. What price he agreed with the devil for, that indeed the text is silent in, so we may let it alone, nor is it much to our purpose, unless it be to inquire whether the devil stood to his bargain or not, and whether he paid the money according to agreement, or cheated him as he did the farmer at Herford. This buying and selling between the devil and us is, I must confess, an odd kind of stock-jobbing, and indeed the devil may be said to sell the bear skin, whatever he buys. But the strangest part is when he comes to demand the transfer, for as I hinted before, whether he performs or no, he expects his bargain to a tittle. There is indeed some difficulty in resolving how and in what manner payment is made. The stories we meet with in our chimney-corner histories, in which are so many ways made use of to make the devil frightful to us in our heirs forever, are generally so foolish and ridiculous, as, if true or not true, they have nothing material in them, are of no signification, or else so impossible in their nature, that they make no impression upon any body above twelve years old and under seventy, or else are so tragical that antiquity has fabled them down to our taste, that we might be able to hear them and repeat them with less horror than is due to them. This variety has taken off our relish of the thing in general, and made the trade of soul-selling, like our late, more eminent bubbles, be taken to be a cheat and to have little in it. However, to speak a little more gravely to it, I cannot say but that since, by the two eminent instances of it above, in Ahab and in Christ himself, the fact is evidently ascertained, and that the devil has attempted to make such a bargain on one and actually did make it with the other. The possibility of it is not to be disputed, but then I must explain the manner of it a little, and bring it down, nearer to our understanding, that it may be more intelligible than it is. For as for the selling the soul, and making a bargain to give the devil possession by livery and sason on the day appointed, that I cannot come into by any means, no, nor into the other part, namely, of the devil coming to claim his bargain, and to demand the soul according to agreement, and upon default of a fair delivery, taking it away by violence, case and all, of which we have many historical relations pretty current among us, some of which, for ought I know, we might have hoped had been true, if we had not been sure they were false, and others we had reason to fear were false, because it was impossible they should be true. The bargains of this kind, according to the best accounts we have of them, used to consist of two main articles, according to the ordinary stipulations in all covenants, namely, one, something to be performed on the devil's part, buying, two, something to be performed on the man's part, selling, one, the devil's part. This was generally some poor trifle, for the devil generally bought good penny-worths, and often times, like a complete, sharper, agreed to give what he was not able to procure, that is to say, would bargain for a price he could not pay, as in the case of the herford man and the cow. For example, one, long life. This, though the deluded Chapman has often had folly enough to contract for, the devil never had power to make good, and we have a famous story, how true I know not, of a wretch that sold himself to the devil on condition he, Satan, should assure him, one, that he should never want victuals. Two, that he should never be a cold. Three, that he should always come to him when he called him. And four, that he should let him live one and twenty years, and then Satan was at liberty to have him, that is, I suppose, to take him wherever he could find him. It seems the fellow's desire to be assured of twenty-one years' life was chiefly that during that time he might be as wicked as he would, and should yet be sure not to be hanged, nay, to be free from all punishment. Upon this foot, Tiz said he commenced rogue, and committed a great many robberies and other villainous things. Now it seems the devil was pretty true to his bargain in several of those things, particularly the two or three times when the fellow was taken up for petty crimes and called for his old friend. He came and frighted the constables so that they let the offender get away from them. But at length, having done some capital crime, a set of constables, or such like officers, seized upon him, who were not to be frighted with the devil, in what shape soever he appeared, so that they carried him off, and he was committed to Newgate or some other prison as effectual. Nor could Satan with all his skill unlock his fetters, much less the prison doors, but he was tried, convicted, and executed. The fellow, in his extremity, they say, expostulated with the devil for his bargain. The term of twenty-one years it seems not being expired. But the devil, it is said, shuffled with him, told him a good while, he would get him out, bid him have patience and stay a little, and thus led him on, till he came, as it were, within sight of the gallows. That is to say, within a day or two of his execution. When the devil cavalled upon his bargain, told him, he agreed to let him live twenty-one years, and he had not hindered him. But that he did not covenant to cause him to live that time, that there was a great deal of difference between doing and suffering, that he was to suffer him to live, and that he did, but he could not make him live when he had brought himself to the gallows. Whether the story were true or not, for you must not expect we historians should answer for the discourse between the devil and his chaps, because we were not privy to the bargain. I say, whether it was true or not, the inference is to our purpose several ways. 1. It confirms what I have said of the navery of the devil in his dealings, and that when he is stock-jobbed with us on the best conditions he can get, he very seldom performs his bargain. 2. It confirms what I have likewise said, that the devil's power is limited, with this addition, that he not only cannot destroy the life of man, but that he cannot preserve it, in short, he can neither prevent or bring on our destruction. 3. I may be allowed, I hope, for the sake of the present discourse, to suppose that the devil would have been so just to this wicked, though foolish creature, as to have saved him from the gallows if he could. But it seems he at last acknowledged that it was not in his power. 4. Nay, he could not keep him from being taken and carried to prison, after he was gotten into the hands of a bold fellow or two, that were not to be feared with his bluster, as some foolish creatures had been before. 5. And how simple, how weak, how unlike anything of an angelic nature was it to attempt to save the poor wretch, only by little noises and sham appearances, putting out the candles, rushing and jostling in the dark, and the like. 6. If the devil was that mighty seraph, which we have heard of, if he is a god of this world, a prince of the air, a spirit able to destroy cities and make havoc in the world, if he can raise tempests and storms, throw fire about the world, and do wonderful things, as an unchained devil no doubt could do. 7. What need all this frippery? And what need he tries so many ridiculous ways, by the emptiness, nay, the silly, nonsensical manner of which he shoes, that he is able to do no better, and that his power is extinguished? 8. In a word, he would certainly act otherwise if he could. Said Karet Pettibus, he wants power. 9. How weak a thing is it, then, for any man to expect performance from the devil? If he has not power to do mischief, which is his element, his very nature, and on many accounts is the very sum of his desires, how should he have power to do good? 10. How power to deliver from danger or from death? Which deliverance would be in itself a good, and we know it is not in his nature to do good to or for any man? 11. In a word, the devil is strangely impudent, to think that any man should depend upon him for the performance of an agreement of any kind whatever, when he knows himself, that he is not able, if he was honest enough, to be as good as his word. 12. Come we next to his expecting our performance to him? Though he is not so just to us, yet it seems he never fails to come and demand payment of us at the very day appointed. He was but a weak traitor in things of this nature, who, having sold his soul to the devil, so our old women's tales called a thing. 13. And when the devil came to demand his bargain, put it off as a thing of no force, for that it was done so long ago, he thought he, the devil, had forgot it. 14. It was a better answer, which they tell us, a Lutheran divine gave the devil, in the name of a poor wretch, who had sold himself to the devil, and who was in a terrible fright about his coming for his bargain, as he might well be indeed, if the devil has such a power as really to come and take it by force. 15. The story, if you can bear a serious one, is this. 16. The man was in great horror of mind, and the family feared he would destroy himself. At length they sent for a Lutheran minister to talk with him, and who after some labor with him got out to truth. 17. Namely, that he had sold himself to the devil, and that the time was almost expired, when he expected the devil would come and fetch him away, and he was sure he would not fail, coming to the time to a minute. 18. The minister first endeavored to convince him of the horrid crime, and to bring him to a true penitence for that part, and having, as he thought, made him a sincere penitent, he then began to encourage him, and particularly desired of him, that when the time was come, that the devil should fetch him away, he, the minister, should be in the house with him, accordingly. To make the story short, the time came, the devil came, and the minister was present when the devil came. 19. What shape he was in, the story does not say. The man said he saw him, and cried out. The minister could not see him, but the man, affirming he was in the room, the minister said aloud, in the name of the living God, Satan, what comest thou here for? The devil answered, I come for my own. The minister answered, he is not thy own, for Jesus Christ has redeemed him, and in his name I charge thee to avoid and touch him not. At which, says the story, the devil gave a furious stamp, with his cloven foot, I suppose, and went away, and was never known to molest him afterward. Another story, though it be in itself a long one, I shall abridge, for your reading with the less uneasiness as follows. A young gentleman of Blankberg, in the elector of Brandenburgs, now the king of Prussia's dominions, being deeply in love with a beautiful lady, but something above his fortune, and whom he could by no means bring to love him again, applied himself to an old thing called a witch, for her assistance, and promised her great things, if she could bring the lady to love him, or anyhow compass her, so as he might have his will of her. Nay, at last he told her he would give up his soul to her, if she would answer his desire. The old hag, it seems, having had some of his money, had very honestly tried what she could do, but all to no purpose, the lady would not comply, but when he offered such a great price, she told him, she would consider farther against such a time, and so appointed him the next evening. At the time appointed he comes, and the witch made a long speech to him upon the nicety of the affair. I supposed to prepare him not to be surprised at what was to come, for she supposed he was not so very desperately bent as he appeared to be. She told him it was a thing of very great difficulty, but as he had made such a great offer of selling his soul for it, she had an acquaintance in the house, who was better skilled than she was in such particular things, and would treat with him farther, and she doubted not, but that both together they might answer his end. The fellow, it seems, was still of the same mind, and told her he cared not what he pond or sold, if he could but obtain the lady. Well, says the old hag, sits still a while, and with that she withdraws. By and by, she comes in again with a question in her mouth. Pray, says she, do you seek this lady for a wife, or for a mistress? Would you marry her, or would you only lie with her? The young man told her no, no, he did not expect she would lie with him, therefore he would be satisfied to marry her, but asks her the reason of the question. Why truly, says the old hag, my reason is very weighty, for if you would have her for your wife, I doubt we can do you no service, but if you have a mind to lie with her, the person I speak of will undertake it. The man was surprised at that, only he objected that this was a transient or short felicity, and that he should perhaps have her no more. The old hag bid him not fear, but that if she once yielded to be his whore, he might have her as often as he pleased. Upon this he consents, for he was stark mad for the lady. He, having consented, she told him then he should follow her, but told him, whoever he saw he must speak to nobody but her, till she gave him leave, and that he should not be surprised, whatever happened, for no hurt should befall him, all which he agreed to, and the old woman going out he followed her. Being upon this, led into another room, where there was but very little light, yet enough to let him see that there was no body in it but himself and the woman. He was desired to sit down in a chair next to a table, and the old woman, clapping the door to after her, he asked her why she shut the door, and where was the person she told him of. At which she answered, there he is, pointing to a chair at a little distance. The young gentleman, turning his head, saw a grave kind of a man sitting in an elbow chair, though he said he could have sworn there was no body in the chair when the old woman shut the door. However, having promised not to speak to anybody but the old woman, he said not a word. By and by, the woman making abundance of strange gestures and motions, and mumbling over several things which he could not understand, on a sudden a large wicker chair which stood by the chimney, removes to the other end of the table. There was no body in the chair. In about two minutes, after that, the chair removed, there appeared a person sitting in that too, who, the room being, as I said, almost dark, could not be so distinguished by the eye as to see his countenance. After some while, the first man in the chair he sat in moved, as if they had been one body, to the table also, and the old woman and the two men seemed to talk together, but the young man could not understand anything they said. After some time the old witch, turned to the young gentleman, told him his request was granted, but not for marriage, but the lady should love and receive him. The witch, then gave him a stick, dipped in tar at both ends, and bid him hold it to a candle, which he did, and instead of burning like a stick, it burnt out like a torch. Then she bid him break it off in the middle, and light the other end. He did that too, and all the room seemed to be in a light flame. Then she said, deliver one piece here, pointing to one only of the persons. So he gave the first fire-stick to the first man, or apparition. Now says she, deliver the other here. So he gave the other piece to the other apparition. At which they both rose up and spoke to him words, which he said he understood not, and could not repeat, and immediately vanished with the fire-sticks and all, leaving the room full of smoke. I do not remember that the story says anything of brimstone, or the smell of it, but it says the door continued fast locked, and no body was left in the room but the young gentleman and the witch. Now the ceremony being over. He asked the witch if the business was done. She said yes. Well, but says he, have I sold my soul to the devil? Yes, says she, you have, and you gave him possession, when you delivered the two fire-sticks to him. To him, says he, why was that the devil? Yes, says the old hag, at which the young man was in a terrible fright for a while, but it went off again. And what's next, says he, when shall I see the lady for whose sake I have done all this? You shall know that presently, said she, and opening the door in the next room she presents him with a most beautiful lady, but had charged him not to speak a word to her. She was exactly dressed like, and he presently knew her to be the lady he desired, upon which he flew to her, and clasped her in his arms, but that moment he had her fast, as he thought, in his arms, she vanished out of his sight. Finding himself thus disappointed, he upbrades the old woman with betraying him, and flew out with ill language at her, in a great rage. The devil often deluded him thus, after this, with shows and appearances, but still no performance. After a while he gets an opportunity to speak with the lady herself in reality, but she was as positive in her denial as ever, and even took away all hopes of his ever obtaining her, which put him into despair. For now he thought he had given himself up to the devil for nothing, and this brought him to himself, so that he made a penitent confession of his crime to some friends, who took great care of him, and encouraged him, and at last furnished him with such an answer as put the devil into a fright, when he came for the bargain. For Satan, it seems, as the story says, had the impudence to demand his agreement, notwithstanding he had failed in the performance on his part. What the answer was I do not pretend to have seen, but it seems it was something like what is mentioned above, namely, that he was in better hands, and that he durst not touch him. I have heard of another person that had actually signed a contract with the devil, and upon a fast, kept by some Protestant or Christian divines, while they were praying for the poor man, the devil was obliged to come and throw the contract in at the window. But I vouch none of these stories. There may be much in them, and much use made of them, even whether exactly such in fact, as they are related or know. The best use I can make of them is this. If any wicked, desperate wretches have made bargain and sale with Satan, their only way is to repent, if they know how, and that before he comes to claim them. Then batter him with his own guns, play religion against devilism, and perhaps they may drive the devil out of their reach. At least he will not come at them, which is as well. On the other hand, how many stories have we handed about of the devil's really coming with a terrible appearance at the time appointed, and powerfully, or by violence, carrying away those that have given themselves thus up to him? Nay, and sometimes a piece of the house along with them, as in the famous instance of Sudbury, Anno 1662. It seems he comes with rage and fury upon such occasions, pretending he only comes to take his own, or as if he had leave given him to come and take his goods, as we say, where he could find them, and would strike a terror into all that should oppose him. The greatest part of the terror we are usually in upon this occasion is from a supposition, that when this hellfire contract is once made, God allows the devil to come and take the wicked creature. How and in what manner he thinks fit, as being given up to him by his own act and deed. But in my opinion, there's no divinity at all in that. For as in our law, we punish a fellow de se, or self-murderer, because as the law suggests, he had no right to dismiss his own life. That he, being a subject of the commonwealth, the government claims the ward or custody of him. And so, it was not murder only, but robbery, and as a felony against a state, robbing the king of his liegeman, as Tis Justly called. So neither has any man a right to dispose of his soul, which belongs to his maker in property and in right of creation. The man, then having no right to sell, Satan has no right to buy, or at best he has made a purchase without a title, and consequently has no just claim to the possession. It is therefore a mistake to say that when any of us have been so mad to make such a pretended contract with the devil, that God gives him leave to take it as his due. Tis no such thing. The devil has bought what you had no right to sell, and therefore, as an unlawful oath is to be repented of and then broken, so your business is to repent of the crime, and then tell the devil you have better considered of it, and that you won't stand to your bargain, for you had no power to sell. And if he pretends to violence after that, I am mistaken. I believe the devil knows better. It is true, our old mothers and nurses have told us other things, but they only told us what their mothers and nurses told them, and so the tale has been handed down from one generation of old women to another. But we have no vouchers for the fact other than oral tradition, the credit of which, I confess, goes but a very little way with me, nor do I believe it one jot the more for all the frightful addenda which they generally join to the tale, for it never wants a great variety of that kind. Thus they tell us, the devil carried away Dr. Faustus, and took a piece of the wall of his garden along with them. Thus at Salisbury, the devil, as it is said, and publicly printed, carried away two fellows that had given themselves up to him, and carried away the roof of the house with them, and the like. All which I believe my share of. Besides, if these stories were really true, they are all against the devil's true interest. Satan must be a fool, which is indeed what I never took him to be in the main. This would be the way not to increase the number of desperados who should thus put themselves into his hand, but to make himself a terror to them. And this is one of the most powerful objections I have against the thing, for the devil, I say, is no fool. That must be acknowledged. He knows his own game, and generally plays it sure. I might, before I quit this point, seriously reflect here upon our bon mont, namely, the gay part of mankind, especially those of the times we live in, who walk about in a composure and tranquility inexpressible. And yet, as we all know, must certainly have all sold themselves to the devil, for the power of acting the foolishest things with the greater applause. It is true. To be a fool is the most pleasant life in the world, if the fool has but the particular felicity, which few fools want, namely, to think themselves wise. The learned say, it is the dignity and perfection of fools, that they never fail trusting themselves. They believe themselves sufficient and able for everything, and hence their want or waste of brains is no grievance to them. But they hug themselves in the satiety of their own wit. But to bring other people to have the same notion of them, which they have of themselves, and to have their apish and ridiculous conduct make the same impression on the minds of others, as it does on their own. This requires a general infatuation, and must either be a judgment from heaven or a mist of hell. Nothing but the devil can make all the men of brains a plot of fool, and can any man believe that the devil will do this for nothing? No, no. He will be well paid for it, and I know no other way they have to compound with him, but this of bargain and sale. Tis the same thing with rakes and bullies, as tis with fools and bows, and this brings me to the subject of buying and selling itself, and to examine what is understood by it in the world, what people mean by such and such a man selling himself to the devil. I know the common acceptation of it is that they make some capitulation, for some indulgence and wickedness, on conditions of safety and impunity, which the devil promises them, though as I said above he is a bite in that too, for he can't perform the conditions. However, I say, he promises boldly, and they believe him, and for this privilege and wickedness they consent, that he shall come and fetch them for his own, at such or such a time. This is the state of the case, in the general acceptation of it. I do not say tis really so, nay, tis even an inconsistency in itself, for one would think they need not capitulate with the devil to be so, and so superlatively wicked, and give him such a price for it. Seeing, unless we have a wrong notion of him, he is naturally inclined, as well as avowedly willing, to have all men be as superlatively wicked as possible they can, and must necessarily be always ready to issue out his licenses gratis, as far as his authority will go in the case. And therefore I do not see why the wretches that deal with him should article with him for a price. But suppose, for argument's sake, that it is so. Then the next thing is, some capital crime follows the contract, and then the wretch is forsaken, for the devil cannot protect him as he promised. So he is trust up, and like Coleman at the gallows, he exclaims that there is no truth in devils. It may be true, however, that under the powerful guard and protection of the devil men do sometimes go a great way in crime, and that perhaps farther in these our days of boasted morals than was known among our fathers. The only difference that I meet with, between the sons of Belial and former days, and those of our ages, seems to be in the devil's management, not in theirs, the sum of which amounts to this, that Satan seems to act with more cunning and they with less. For in the former ages of Satan's dominion he had much business upon his hands, all his art and engines, and engineers also, were kept fully employed to weedle, allure, betray, and circumvent people, and draw them into crimes, and they found him, as we may say, a full employment. I doubt not he was called the tempter on that very account, but the case seems quite altered now, the tables are turned. Then the devil tempted men to sin, but now, in short, they tempt the devil. Men push into crimes before he pushes them. They out-shoot him in his own bow, out-run him on his own ground, and as we say of some hot spurs who ride post, they whip the post-boy. In a word, the devil seems to have no business now, but to sit still and look on. This, I must confess, seems to intimate some secret compact between the devil and them. But then it looks, not as if they had contracted with the devil for leave to sin, but that the devil had contracted with them, that they should sin so-and-so, up to such a degree, and that, without giving him the trouble of daily solicitation, prior to sin, private management, and artful screwing up their passions, their affections, and their most retired faculties, as he was before obliged to do. This also appears more agreeable to the nature of the thing, and as it is a most exquisite part of Satan's cunning. So, tis an undoubted testimony of his success. If it was not so, he could never bring his kingdom to such a height of absolute power as he has done. This also solves several difficulties in the affair of the world's present way of sinning, which otherwise it would be very hard to understand, as particularly, how some eminent men of quality among us, whose upper rooms are not extraordinary well furnished in other cases, yet are so very witty in their wickedness, that they gather admirers by hundreds and thousands, who, however heavy, lumpish, slow, and backward, even by nature, and in force of constitution in better things, yet in their race devil-words they are of a sudden grown nimble, light of foot, and outrun all their neighbors. Fellows that are as empty of sense as beggars are of honesty, and as far from brains as a whore is of modesty. On a sudden you shall find them dip into polemics, study Michael Servetus, Sosinus, and the most learned of their disciples. They shall reason against all religion as strongly as a philosopher, blaspheme with such a keenness of wit, and satirize God and eternity with such a brightness of fancy, as if the soul of a Rochester, or a Hobbes, was trans-migrated into them. In a little length of time more they banter heaven, burlesque the trinity, and jest with every sacred thing, and all so sharp, so ready, and so terribly witty, as if they were born buffoons, and were singled out by nature to be champions for the devil. Whence can all this come? How is the change wrought? Who but the devil can inject wit in spite of natural dullness, create brains, fill empty heads, and supply the vacuities in the understanding? And will Satan do all this for nothing? No, no, he is too wise for that. I can never doubt a secret compact, if there is such a thing in nature, when I see a head where there was no head, sense in posse, where there is no sense in essy, wit without brains, and sight without eyes, tis all devil work. Could G. Blank write satirs that could neither read Latin or spell English, like old Sir William Reed, who wrote a book of optics, which when it was printed, he did not know which was the right side uppermost, and which the wrong? Could this eminent, uninformed bow turn atheist, and make wise speeches against that being, which made him a fool, if the devil had not sold him some wit, in exchange for that trifle of his called soul? Had he not bartered his inside with that son of the morning, to have his tongue tipped with blasphemy, he that knew nothing of a God, but only to swear by him, could never have set up for a wit, to burlesque his providence, and ridicule his government of the world. But the devil, as he is God of the world, has one particular advantage, and that is, that when he has work to do, he very seldom wants instruments. With this circumstance also, that the degeneracy of human nature supplies him, as the late King of France said of himself, when they told him what a calamity was like to befall his kingdom by the famine. Well, says the King, then I shall not want soldiers. And it was so, want of bread supplied his army with recruits, so want of grace supplied the devil with reprobates for his work. Another reason why I think the devil has made more bargains of that kind we speak of, in this age, is because he seems to have laid by his cloven foot, all his old emissaries, the tools of his trade, the engineers which he employed in his minds, such as witches, warlocks, magicians, conjurers, astrologers, and all the hellish train or rabble of human devils, who did his drudgery in former days, seem to be out of work. I shall give you a fuller enumeration of them in the next chapter. These, I say, seem to be laid aside, not that his work is abated, or that his business with mankind, for their delusion and destruction, is not the same, or perhaps more than ever. But the devil seems to have changed hands. The temper and genius of mankind is altered, and they are not to be taken by fright and horror as they were then. The figures of those creatures was always dismal and horrible, and that is it which I mean by the cloven foot. But now, wit, beauty and gay things are the sum of his craft. He manages by the soft and smooth, the fair and the artful, the kind and the cunning. Not by the frightful and terrible, the ugly and the odious. When the devil, for weighty dispatches, wanted messengers cunning and bold, he passed by the beautiful faces and picked out the ugly and old. Of these he made warlocks and witches to run of his errands by night, till the overwrought hag-ridden wretches were as fit as the devil to fright. But whoever has been his advisor, as his kingdom increases in growth, he now takes his measures much wiser, and traffics with beauty and youth. Disguised in the wanton and witty, he haunts both the church and the court, and sometimes he visits the city, where all the best Christians resort. Thus dressed up in full masquerade, he the bolder can range up and down, for he better can drive on his trade in anyone's name than his own. End of Part 2 Chapter 8