Beccles.
Witchcraft.
A poor man of this town, named Samuel Spalding, is said to be suffering under the influence of witchcraft. The outward manifestations of possession are thus described by his neighbours, who, it may be observed, appear to entertain no doubt as to the nature of the power by which they are produced, being themselves eye-witnesses of the same, and in the full possession of all their faculties at the time.
At about ten o’clock at night, the said Samuel Spalding being in bed, and four or five of the deponents being present, a ticking like that of a watch is heard at the bed’s foot, which is followed by a gentle rippling of the coverlets, commencing at the foot, and proceeding upwards, increasing in strength until the undulations resemble the billowy main, and ending in an appalling tempest and whirlwind.
The sheets and blankets are caught up by unseen hands, and dashed about the poor man’s face most pitilessly. Urged by his friends, who are scandalised at the treatment, he gets up, lights his pipe, and sits down, with folded arms and the resignation of a martyr, in his arm chair, at the further end of the room. In a moment, his boots, till then lying quietly by the fireplace, begin to dance on their heels about the room, and finish a polka, (which would have made Jullien’s hair bristle,) by jumping into the midst of the tempestuous bed.
The dance is scarce over, when his pipe is plucked from his mouth, whirled through “mid air,” and plunged into the same inevitable charybdis. The chair on which he is seated is then raised (he being in it) from the floor, and suddenly let down with a crash, knocking the head of the victim violently against the wall. If he re-settles himself, the same process is repeated.
To this, and much more, sober, steady people in Beccles are willing to bear testimony; and so terrified was one witness of the scene, that he fled precipitately from the house, not stopping for breath till he was on the safe side of his own threshold.
As for the subject of this witchery, he is said to be a sensible, well-conducted man, and incapable of lending himself to any deception upon his neighbours. Much curiosity is felt by many respectable persons to ascertain the real nature of the phenomena; but, unfortunately, for the last few days, the visitations have ceased. Whether this be in consequence of the employment of any means of prevention or cure (as, for instance, the nailing up of a horse-shoe, or the cutting off a piece of his finger [sic] and burning it) we know not, but such is the fact.
Matthew Hopkins, or Doctor Johnson, would be of much assistance just now; and , as they are not forthcoming, it is difficult to determine what will be the result of a less efficient investigation.
Norfolk News, 20th May 1848.