LVD. In good sooth, I never heard of a merrier Divell [referring to that in Salamanca]: but afore you passe any further, I will tell you of two things which both happened in this same Towne where we now are [Beneuenta]: the one was of a young man, that being a Student in Salamanca, came thence hither to see his mother, being a widow, and was certified by the folkes of the house, that there haunted in the same a Hobgobline, which at sundry times played twenty knavish prankes with those of the house, which the Student would by no meanes believe, but laughed at the reports therof, and at last, grew into choller with them, because they persisted in the earnest affirmation thereof. At night calling for a candle, hee went to a chamber that was made ready for him, and shutting to the doore, layd himselfe downe to rest, but waking within a little while, hee might see under his bed a light, like unto a little flame of fire: at which lifting up the clothes, and starting out of the bed, he began to looke whence this fire might come, but the same presently vanishing, he turned to his rest againe, thinking surely that his eyes had dazeled, but he had not lyen long when he perceived a greater flame then the first, to his seeming, under the bed, at which lifting the coverings of the bed fearefully up, and bowing downe his head very low to looke underneath the bed, he was suddenly taken by the legges, and pitched topsie turvy over, and throwne into the middest of the chamber, wherewith stricken into a great amazement, he cried out as loud as he could for a candle, which being brought, and searching under the bed, there was nothing at all to be found: from which time forward the Student acknowledged his error, and was lesse obstinate in beleeving that there were Hobgoblins.
The other was of two Gentlemen, which are now the chiefest in the Towne, and our especiall friends, who hearing of a Hobgobline that haunted a poore womans house, holding the same for a jest, would needs goe thither one night with a certaine Priest, to search out the secret cause whence this report might arise: coming thither, and giving no credite to the poore womans words, of a sudden one of them was striken a great blow upon one of his jawes, with a clod of stinking filthy clay, of which hee received no greater hurt, but that it astonished him a little: There fell also of this earth upon others of their company, and one of them was hitte a great blow on the shoulder with a tile, so that the Gentlemen and the Priest made as great haste as they could to get thence, not without great wonder and marvaile.
Not long after, a Priest exorcising a woman that was possessed, the divell that was within her, amongst other things, confessed that it was hee that which had handled them the other night, and that the same clay which he threw at them was out of a grave, and of a putrified body, not thoroughly yet converted into earth. But if we will enter into speech of this kind of Spirits, we shal never make an end: for there is nothing told of them, so unpossible, but I believe the same, seeing it is a thing so manifestly approved, that they can take upon them, what shape or forme they like: leaving therefore this, and passing to other points of greater importance, I pray you make me understand, whether this opinion which many doe hold bee true, that whensoever a man is possessed, the soule of someone that is dead, should enter into him, and speake with him.
P160-163 of ‘The Spanish Mandeuile of Myracles. Or the garden of curious flowers” Originally in Spanish by Anthonio de Torquemeda (1600) – this is from the English translation of 1618, printed by Bernard Alsop, London.
LDV is Ludovico who is the inquirer. AN is Antonio, the narrator. Anthonio died in 1579.