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CHAP. XIV. Of the subterrene Devils, and such as haunt Mines.
* 1.1LEwis Lavater writes, that by the certain report of such as work in Mines, that in some Mines there are seen spirits, who in the shape and habit of men, work there, and run∣ning up and down seem to do much work, when notwithstanding they do nothing indeed. But in the mean time they hurt none of the by-standers, unless they be provoked thereto by words or laughter. For then they will throw some heavy or hard thing upon him that hurt them; or injure them some other way.
The same author affirms that there is a silver Mine in Rhetia, out of which Peter Briot, the Go∣vernour of the place, did in his time get much silver. In this Mine there was a Devil, who chiefly on Friday, when as the Miners put the Mineral they had digged into tubs, kept a great quarter, and made himself exceeding busie, and poured the Mineral as he listed, out of one tub into another. It happened one day that he was more busie then it used to be, so that one of the Miners reviled him, and bad him be gone on a vengeance to the punishment appointed for him. The Devil offended with his imprecation and scoff, so wrested the Miner, taking him by the head, twining his neck about, he set his face behinde him, yet was not the workman killed there∣with, but lived, and was known by divers for many years after.