The Campden Wonder
"Time, the great Discoverer of Truth, shall bring to Light this dark and mysterious Business"

A Pamphlet 

Published by Charles Tyus, London 1662

THE

POWER OF WITCHCRAFT

BEING

A most strange but true Relation

of the most miraculous and wonderful

deliverance of one Mr. William

Harrison, of Cambden, in the County

of Glocester, Steward to the Lady

Nowell

 Who was supposed to have been murthered by his own Servant, and his Servants Mother and Brother: But to the amazement of all people that live near the said place, the truth is now brought to light; and Mr. Harrison after above two years absence is returned into his own Country and place of abode in Cambden.

The manner how he was bewitched away, and the manner of his safe return back again into his own Countrey you shall hear in this following Discourse.

London printed for Charles Tyus at the three Bibles on London-bridge, 1662.

That the Lord hath been pleased wonderfully to shew forth his power to sinful man, it doth every day appear unto us; there is not a month nor week, nay we may say a day in the year in which the mighty works of the Lord are not visibly apparent unto us. But that which I have now to relate unto you is most wonderful, nay I may say a most amazing providence as ever man or woman ever heard in this Kingdom, it may be truly said to be a discovery of Witchcraft; and that the Lord doth sometimes suffer wicked people to have power over others in bewitching them the Scriptures hold forth, for we read of Saul that he went to the Witch of Ender, 1 Sam. 28. vers. 6. And in several places of Scripture it doth evidently make clear unto us, That the Lord hath suffered Witches and Sorcerers, and such like people in a Nation.

But I shall not stand to give you any examples of old; but come to the matter intended which is as follows.

It was not much above two years since there dwelt at Cambden in Glocestershire one Master William Harrison, a Gentleman of good credit and estimation in the place where he dwelt. This Master Harrison aforesaid was Steward to the honourable Lady the Lady Nowel whose place of dwelling was at Cambden also. In this place there was also a widow woman whose name was Perry, who had two sons; Master Harrison looking upon the woman as an honest poor woman, took one of her Sons from her, and brought him up at length to become one of his Houshold Servants. This Boy being grown up to be a lusty Fellow, observing his Master oftentimes to bring home great sums of money which he received for rent, being Steward to the Lady aforesaid: what doth this wicked fellow do but presently fell to contrive how he might become Master of some of those sums of money which he observed his Master so often to bring home.

It was not long but this fellow with his mother (who as it now appears was a Witch) with his other Brother did determine to set upon this Gentleman, as he should come along upon the road to his habitation to take what money he had from him, and there was an opportunity fell out so that they had an occasion to put their wicked determinations into practice, as you shall hear; The Gentleman was coming home, and being not many miles from his intended journeys end, this Widow Perry and her two sons met Mr. Harrison, who they no sooner espied, but they knockt him down and robbed him, and cast him into a pit whereout they digged stones. He did not long remain there, as you will hear by the sequel. But Mr. Harrison not coming home according to his usual custom, his Wife and Family were much troubled at it: Great search after some few days were made for him, but all to little purpose, for there was no tidings of him, but everyone concluded that he was murthered upon the rode. It was not long before the Lord had brought to light this strange accident; for this widow Perry and her two Sons were suspected of the robbery, and they were all three forthwith apprehended, and at the Assizes at Glocester about two years hence, they were arraigned, condemned and executed for the supposed murther of Master Harrison.

The place of their execution was on Broadway hills in the sight of Cambden where a Gibbet was erected, the mother and one of her Sons were hanged and buried under the Gibbet, the other Son, who was Servant to Mr. Harrison was hanged in chains on the Gibbet, where part of him remains to be seen at this day.

At the time of their Execution they would not confess what they had done with Master Harrison; but said that he was not dead, but ere seven years were half over they should see Master Harrison again.

Now attend to this following Discourse, and you shall hear in what a condition Master Harrison was left in. This Widow Perry by her wicked Conjuration had power on Master Harrison, for no sooner had they knocked him down, and taken what he had from him, but they threw him into a pit; He had not lain long but he began to come to himself, and he apprehended where he was, but before he was come to himself fully, he was in a moment conveyed to the Sea ~: Side, and from thence in a very short time he was conveyed ~ , to a rock standing in the Sea on the coast of Turky, where ~' he remained the space of four days bare headed, his hat being left near Cambden, where they first had knocked him down.

After his four days abode there, there came by a Turkish ship which took him in, and brought him to Turky, and there sold him. His Master that bought him was by profession a Chyrurgeon, who asked his new bought Servant what he could do, he answered his Master that then was, that he had skill in Gardening and could distil Hearbs, in which employment he was entertained in; and he so well behaved himself that he gained a great deal of love from his Master during his life.

He had not lived there above two years or thereabouts, but it pleased God his Master dyed, who out of the respect he did bear to Master Harrison, his Servant, he gave him a peice of plate, and bade him make use thereof for his, Transportation into his own Country, which he did. After this it was not long but he heard of a Turky Merchant bound for Portugal, for the which piece of plate he had his passage to Portugal, where it was not long but he safely arrived, and is now since that come safely into his own Native Country, England, and is come to his own dwelling house at Cambden, to the no little astonishment and wonderful amazement of all his Friends and Relations, nay of all the Country round.

It is a matter of great amazement to all people that such a thing should be wrought by Witchcraft; but the truth of this is not to be disputed, for there are thousands of people that can witness and testifie the truth hereof.

Now friends; having related to you the truth of the whole matter, here is great matter of wonder and astonishment to all people, to see the wonderful deliverance which the Lord hath bestowed upon this Gentleman, and no question but he will and doth acknowledge the Lords mercy to him; We may also observe here how the Lord doth bring punishment upon such wicked livers as this Woman and her two Sons were, you may look but into the 22. of Exod. 18 where it is said, thou shalt no suffer a witch to live, and here we may see how just the Lord was in his dealing to these vile and wicked livers, for soon after they had committed the wicked fact on such a faithful friend as this Mr. Harrison was, who out of love and pity did bring up this Boy and kept him as we may say as his own, the Lord was pleased to bring them to this sad end and deserved punishment, and I wish that it may prove a warning to all others that practice such divelish and horrid Witchcrafts.

In the 5. of Micah and the 12. verse, the Lord hath promised there, that he will cut off Witchcrafts, and there shall be no more Soothsayers, the Lord will not be worse than his word, but he will bring all such wicked offenders to shameful ends, he will not only punish them here, but hereafter, for Witches and Wizards or fortunetellers and the like, they are such as sell their souls to the Devil to do mischief, and though the Lord let them alone for a season to go on in their wicked ways, yet let them know that there will be a reckoning day come, when they shall pay dearly for all their folly.

O that this notable example of Gods Justice, might be a warning peice unto all of us, of what condition soever we be, and this wonderful example of mercy to Mr. Harrison might be always fresh in our memory. Surely we may judge the Lord dealt by him as he did by job, when the Lord gave Satan leave to do what he would with him, onely touch not his life (saith God) as we may read in the first Chapter of the Book of job. So the Lord would not suffer this wicked woman to do any hurt to his person, that is, to his life, as we now may see: Although every one thought that he had been murthered, the Lord can and the Lord will restrain the power of the wicked, they shall not always have their will, though he doth give them power, yet doth put a restraint upon them; and they cannot go any further then he will give them leave.

What matter of encouragement is here to all that love the Lord, the Lord may and doth suffer Satan the great Enemy of mankind to tempt his people, and he doth sometimes let the wicked prevail, so far as to have some power of them, that is to do some mischief either to their bodies or estates and the like, but they cannot hurt their soul for the Lord taketh care of that, and he will preserve them, in spite of all the Devils in Hell.

I shall now come to a conclusion; only I shall desire everyone that hears this truth, to consider of the power of the Lord, and of the great mercy the Lord hath to bestow on them that desire sincerely to serve him, and I shall desire all that hear of this to consider of it, and to be careful of their ways, and to be watchful, for your adversary the Devil walketh about like a roaring Lyon, seeking whom he may devour, a Christian had need to be wakeful in sinful times, for it may be the occasion of any of us, to be often abroad, we had need to be careful of our selves, especially our souls, for that may fallout in a moment to us, which we nor any of our Relations little thought of.

The Devil is a very busy adversary, and is always contriving and plotting to do mischief to Gods people, where he can set any at work, he will promise great rewards to them, we read in the Scripture that he tempted our Lord Jesus Christ himself, all this will I give thee, saith he, if thou wilt fall down and worship me, but he could make no approach upon Christ, but upon poor sinful man, he doth too too often prevail, he strives all he can to make a Christian forsake the ways of God, it is Satans chief design and aim to tempt a Christian to make him think evil of the ways of God, that so at length he may bring them to himself, and this thou mayest assure thy self of, that if thou make a con.. tract with the Devil, as all such wicked creatures do, as go by the name of Witches or Conjurers and the like, though thou dost reign in thy wicked ways for many months or years, yet know for certain that the Devil that set thee on work will pay thee thy wages.

I therefore now make an end, I wish that this Example of Mercy and Justice may be a seasonable warningpiece to us all, and that it may make everyone that hears of it extoll the goodness of the Lord in so miraculously preserving the life of this Gentleman: And on the other side we have great cause to admire at this strange Providence, that the Lord would bring such wicked offenders to such a deserved punishment.

The Lord grant that we may live always to the praise of his holy Name while we live in the world, that when our time is finished in this life, we may inherit the Crown of Glory in the life which is to come.

FINIS.