The kingdom of darkness: or the history of dæmons, specters, witches, apparitions, possessions, disturbances, and other wonderful and supernatural delusions, mischievous feats, and malicious impostures of the Devil: Containing near fourscore memorable relations, forreign and domestick, both antient and modern. Collected from authentick records, real attestations, credible evidences, and asserted by authors of undoubted verity. Together with a preface obviating the common objections and allegations of the sadduces and atheists of the age, who deny the being of spirits, witches, &c. With pictures of several memorable accidents. By R. B. Licensed and entred according to order.

XLIX.

BEfore we leave these Northern Countreys it may not be improper to give an account of some Specters and Illusions of Satan in the seven∣teen Islands of Feroe, Subject to the King of Denmark, and all inhabited, as they are published in the Danish Tongue by Lucas Jacobson M. A. and Provost of the Churches there, which I shall give you in his own words translated into English. Satan hath endeavour∣ed to delude the People of these Islands and to cause them to renounce the True Religion by several me∣thods, and perswades them to hold their old Tradi∣tions and evil customs, which they do secretly and

diligently observe, so that it is a wonder the Devil doth not oftner appear and disquiet them more than he doth; Of which yet we have several notable In∣stices which I shall briefly relate. In 1668 Au∣••••••. The daughter of Olluff Hanson of Velberstat 〈◊〉〈◊〉 mist on the way as she was returning from ••••ch having the same day received the Sacrament ••f me, whereupon in the evening as well as two days after, they sought for her diligently but could not ••nd her, at last her father complained to me, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 next Sunday August 9. in the Congregation of ••••lbach which I then visited, I earnestly admonished ••••em to fall down with me before God for the de∣••verance of that poor Creature; The Almighty ••eard our prayers and intercessions, for the next day 〈◊〉〈◊〉 three a Clock afternoon she was found by some ••••ilkmaids in Suderdal the next Hamlet to Velberstat ••••ing between two stones at the upper end of the close, having her cloth wrapt about her head, she would speak to no body that went by, neither durst the Milk-maids spake to her, but discovered it to the man of the house who went and spoke to her, desi∣ring her to rise, which she did, then first speaking to him; And the man asking her how she came thi∣ther, she shewed him beyond them a pretty high Cliff from whence, she said, she glided or slid down, though the man affirms it was impossible for any one to come down thence without hurt; besides her lin∣nen and cloths were as clean and her shoes as new as the day she was missed, though there had been du∣ring some days and nights great Storms and rainy Weather, neither according to her own confession did she eat any thing during these nine days, and yet being come home was well disposed to eat and digest whatsoever meat they gave her. I have endeavoured by all means to make her confess the whole business to me, but in vain, for she said always she lost her self in the mountain, which cannot be, the ground lying high, and being but a League broad, from the

top whereof one may see the Sea on both sides, and easily find the right way, so that a Beast much less •• reasonable creature could not lose it self except 〈◊〉〈◊〉 were on purpose, and it would be great labour to climb up that high Mountain; but I have found by many other examples that most of these people who are thus seduced in theit bodys are so likewise in their minds, so that they will by no means dis••••∣ver the business, and there are others who do not well know themselves how it was; Besides I much doubt how this party could live nine days without meat, since all Physitians agree that the body will be extreamly weakned in that time, and though some Historys relate that Duke Woldemur, and Duke Erick who were thrown into the Tower of New Kiobing by their brother Byrge King of Swede•• that they might dye of hunger, Woldemur lived ele∣ven days without meat or drink, and his brother but three days; Yet this seems only to be guest at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the common people, and has no certainty since the Chronicle says that the Tower was strongly shut up with Locks and Bars, and the Keys thereof thrown into the River so that none could tell exactly when they expired; If one brother as is related lived so long he must have sustained himself with the body of his dead brother; Whence it followes that this Maid could not naturally be kept alive without Meat nine days, but that it was some supernatural power which supported her, and returned her so healthy back again. Hist. Isles Feroe. p. 257.