SAtan that enemy of Mankind, who goeth about as a Roaring Lyon, seeking whom he may devour, hath of late been very busie amongst us, and by his divelish Instigation, many hor­rid Murthers have been perpetrated and committed in several parts, for the which those evil Instruments have received condign punishment; for according to his spightful and malicious nature, he always forsakes his evil Instruments when ever they fall into the hands of Justice; yet so frail and weak is the nature of Sin­ners, they will not take warning by the harms of others, and though they see Fellony and Murther every day punished, by an ignomini­ous and shameful Death, however, by the subtilty of Satan, they fall into the same snare, and are over-whelmed in the pit of De­struction.

God, 'tis true, hath an over-ruling hand, and he often tyes up this Leviathan, that would else devour and destroy all the Race of Mankind, and we have seen him miraculously take care of this poor Nation, in Muzling this devouring Beast, and in making known his bloody designs, in plotting our Ru­ine, and designing horrid and bloody Massacres and Murthers, and finding himself thus restrained by the over ruling Hand of the Omnipotent, he seems inraged and furious, and where he is permitted for the Chastizement of sinful Creatures, he pre­vails often on private persons, and that way seems to expert and put forth his Hellish Poyson and Malice. But that I may not make my Porch bigger than my House, or my Preamble longer than my Narration, I will enter upon it, and give you the full Narrative of it, and that upon certain knowledge of the same. But before I begin, I must observe, that among the many Murthers that have been committed in our Age, this is one of the most pittiful, and also the strangest, shewing plain­ly the power, malice, and sedulity of the Devil, to enter and possess Mankind, and to stir up both Men and Women to hor­rid and evil Actions and Murthers.

On the 12th. day of this present January, one Charity Phil­put, being the servant of one Mrs. Mathews, a Sempstress, who lives in Kent-street, in the Parish of Newington, neer St. Geor­ges Church; being certainly Instigated by the Devil, and not having the fear of God before her eyes, was possessed by him, [Page 2] for on a sudden without cause given, she rushed in upon her Mistress, who was in a Room with her Child with her, and with a strange and fearful Look, more like a Fury, or one possessed then a Christian, she came towards her Mistress, who being affrighted to see her in that manner, never observing her so before, she asked of her what she ailed, and what she would have; the Maid, this Charity Philpot, reply'd hastily, and told her Mistress, That she came to Kill her, and then she would fire her House. The Mrs. being in no little affright at her words, and seeing her come towards her, fled out of the Room, calling out for help; but in the mean time this possessed Wretch stepping to the affrighted and amazed Child, Cut its Throat. The Mother of it presently returning, with some Neighbours, whom she had called in to her Assistance, and seeing her Child sprawling in its Gore, she shrieked out, and cry'd; Oh! what have you done to my Child! The Maid presently returned answer, I have cut its Throat, as I would have done yours, had you not fled, They immediately laid hold on her, and began to Interrogate her upon what occasion she had committed so abominable and horrible an action; she told them, That a Man in an High-crown'd Hat bid her to do it, and that he had wheted the Knife and put it into her hand, and also told her she should fire the House. They told her then that she would be hang'd for it; she replyed, no but she would not, for she had taken Poyson, which she said she had bought of some Apothecary neer. They took her for the present and lock'd her up in a Garret to secure her, till they could send for a Constable to have her before a Justice of the Peace, but she had not been long in the Garret, before she had flung her self out at the window, and though it was two Stories high, she received no hurt. But she was then secured again, and all the windows and doors being made fast, it being late, they left her upon the Bed, and the next morning they found her dead, for the Poyson she had taken had kill'd her, her face and body be­ing hugely Swell'd.

This is the True Relation of this Horrid Murther, as many persons can Testifie; from the like Effects of Sathans Malice, Good Lord Deliver all good Christians.