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Rh him; the ſervant replied, I am now come to do that office and ſervice to which God hath called me by virtue of which, and by his power do I ſeize upon the innocent; and ſo ſnatching him from the devil, took him in his arms, and carried him out of the room; at which they clamoured, and called aloud after him, Ho thou knave, ho thou knave, leave the child to us, or we will tear thee in pieces; but he unterrified with their diabolical threatnings, brought away the infant, and delivered it to the father. After ſome few days the ſpirits left the houſe, and the nobleman returned to his antient poſſeſſion. Now, tho' the devils had no power to hurt any body, but only deſtroyed the victuals; yet it may be a warning to prevent wicked and raſh wiſhes and curſes. This hiſtory though it may ſeem very ſtrange, yet is related by Beard in his Theatre, Heywood of Angels, and ſeveral other credible authors, for an undoubted truth.

XL Godwin earl of Kent, in the reign of Edward the Confeſſor, 1055, ſitting at table with the king, it happened that one of the cup-bearers ſtumbled, but did not fall, whereat Godwin laughing, ſaid, That if one brother had not helpt another (meaning his legs) all the wine had been ſpilt: With which words the king calling to mind his brother's death, who was ſlain by Godwin, anſwered, So ſhould my brother Alfred have helped me, had it not been for Godwin; whereat Godwin fearing the king's new kindled diſpleaſure, excuſed himſelf by many words, and at laſt ſaid, If I be any way guilty of Alfred's death, I pray God I may never ſwallow down a morſel of bread more; but he ſwore falſly, as the judgment of God declared, for he was immediately choaked in the preſence of the king, before hr ſtirred one foot from the place.—Beard's Theat.