afraid
of our own shadowes; insomuch as some never fear the devil, but in a dark
night; and then a polled sheep is a perillous beast, and many times is
taken for our father's soul, specially in a churchyard, where a right
hardy man heretofore scant durst passe by night, but his haire would stand
upright. For right grave writers report, that spirits most often and
specially take the shape of women, appearing to monks, &c., and of beasts,
dogs, swine, horses, goats, cats, haires, of fowles, as crowes, night
owles and shreek owles; but they delight most in the likenesse of snakes
and dragons." All of which "wretched and cowardly infidelity" was rampant
in England when good Queen Bess ruled the land--rampant doubly, so that
there was no holding in of this furious madness after James I. had got his
foot in the stirrup, and was riding a race neck and neck with the Devil.
But I must turn back a few years, and tell of

THE AFFLICTIONS OF ALEXANDER NYNDGE,

a precious babe of grace snatched from destruction. They are to be found
in 'A Booke declaring the fearfull vexation of one Alexander Nyndge,
Beynge moste Horriblye tormented wyth an euyll spirit, the xx. daie of
Januarie. In the yere of our Lorde 1573, at Lyeringswell in Suffolke;' and
this book sets forth the details of the various fits which Alexander
Nyndge indulged in, for the purpose, as it seems, of enabling his brother
Edward to prove his power of exorcism. His first fit began one evening at
seven--his father, mother, brothers, and the residue of the household
being present; his chest and body swelled, his eyes stared wildly as if
starting from their sockets, his back bent inward: the household was
disturbed and sore affrighted, but brother Edward had courage enough to
say that it was an evil spirit, and undertook to exorcise it. So he
charged the foul fiend to come out of him, and the countenance of his
brother became more sad and fearful than it was before. Edward was not
dismayed but returned to the conflict full of confidence, not giving in
even when Alexander and the devil had a wrestle together; or rather when
the devil within him seemed as if he would have torn him to pieces, so
great was his rage and malice. After some time of this kind of work,
Edward got the devil to confess to one or two little matters. In the first
place his name was Aubon, and he came last from Ireland; he had come for
Alexander's soul, which his brother was not disposed to give up; and