After the hearing of a Sermon, Joyce Dovey begins to feel "much wrought upon and dejected," a depression which leads her to fall "into some passions, and (as was conceived by her friends) Convulsion fits," which in time grew stronger and stronger, especially during prayer. (1-2)

Joyce Dovey's ecstatic despair is so violent that a Chaplain of Religion and a Captain, by some discourse, and other informations, strongly imagined, that she was possessed.(1-2)

Joyce Dovey's Keeper (Anonymous 265), wanting a divine consultation on the possibility of her possession, silently prayed that if she were possessed, that a sign would manifest. The Devil, in a voice described as "bigger and grosser tone then her ordinary speech," began with "swearing, Wounds, Blood, &c.," behavior he would resume any time there was talk of divine matters around her. (2)

Religious symbols, in the form of "crucifixes, and crosses," allegedly appeared on Joce Dovey's "breast or throat" after three soldiers near her speak of Catholicism around her. The Devil cries out "haw, haw, haw, sayes," as they react in fear.(3)

Joyce Dovey, returning from the "House of an honest religious man," where she was a spectacle or a kind of oracle, "she began to be so distempered," that she could barely return home. Upon returning, she attempted to throw herself out of the window, and made it more than half way through, before her Keeper caught "by the coats, and took her in again."(3)

Joyce Dovey is "oft thrown against the walls, and into the fire, but all without any hurt." One one occasion, she was "cast into a great fire, some would have taken her out, but her Keeper said, let her alone, and observe the providence of God. She was magically "snatched out without humane help, not having any hurt, or so much as the smell of fire on her clothes." She did the same to a bible, throwing it into the fire, and it too would not burn.(3, 4)

Joyce Dovey attempts to slice her own jugular to kill herself. She evidently "snatched a paire of Cizzers from a womans girdle, and applyed them to her throat; and another time a knife from another, in an admirable quick way, and strook her breast, yet both without so much as a scarre in either place."(3)

Joyce Dovey, finding that her Keeper (who had evidently been keeping a written record of her torments), had some kind of written record about her, "fell upon him very violently, and would have taken the paper from him, but he contended with her very toughly." (3-4)

Mr. Hopkins, the chief magistrate of Bewdley and a member of parliament, complains that he is "oft pained as he thought with the Spleen," but he was "not at all Melancholy." Mr. Hopkins confesses to being "possest (meaning, I think Bewitcht," which is dismissed as Mr. Hopkins being "Fanciful and Melancholy." However, Mr. Hopkins maintains his claims to be true, and he never "shew any Melancholy."(59-60)

Mr. Hopkins suffers for a long time from pain "as he thought with the Spleen," which he also believed to caused by "possession" or by being "bewitcht" as he "shewed no Melancholy." Eventually, Mr. Hopkins dies, but before doing so, "a piece of Wood came down into the rectum intestinum," which had to be "pull[ed] out with their Fingers." His wife thought it to be "the length of ones finger," and that both Mr. Hopkins and his wife "were sure he never swallowed any such thing." It is believed he was afflicted by Satan.(60)

A "Sanguine strong Maid" from Bewdley "fell into strange Histerical Fits," which began "by Stoppage of the Menstrua." She is treated by Richard Baxter, who provides her with "Castory and Rad. Ostrutii, and Sem. Dauci on Forestus Commendation." After she begins taking this, "she began to be better." However, when Richard Baxter is "driven out of the Country by War," and Mr. Robert Morton, the Pastor and physician left for Coventry, "she was left without help, and grew worse than ever." Richard Baxter concludes that "at last [...] by a suror uterinus ex corruptione Seminis, she seemed possest by a Devil." (193)

A "Sanguine strong Maid," (Anonymous 409) from Bewdley experiences a number of fits from between 1642 until 1646 or 1647. These fits are characterized by: the fact that "many could not hold her," and "she would be cast off her Bed and upon it again, by a force far above her strength"; she asked for "needles and pins, and cords brought to her," to kill herself; her ability to predict events, such as the coming of a Papist to cure her "their way,"; laughing at Holy Water; and that she "would Swear, Curse, nd Rage against any that were Religious, and Hugg those that were Vicious, and be merry with them."(194)

When Richard Baxter returns to Bewdley, after having left "a Sanguine strong maid," who was experiencing violent fits, he "went to see her, and Prayed once by her." After, praying neighbours were encouraged by this, and "resolved to joyn with some of Bewdley, to Fast and Pray by her, till she was recovered." During prayers, "she was usually in violent Rage, and after thankt them." This culminates on a day, when Mr. Thomas Ware was praying, and "she fell on the Floor like a Block, and having lain so a while, cryed out, He is gone, He is gone; The Black Dog is gone." After, she never experienced her fits again.(194)

Many "good People in Charity" looked after a "Sanguine strong Maid"(Anonymous 409) during her violent fits, believed to be caused by a devil (Anonymous 165). However, "one young Man" (Anonymous 411) in particular "was more with her than the rest." During her fits, the maid often "toss[ed] her naked Body about, she being strong and comely." Upon seeing this, the young man's "Lust was provoked, which he exercised on her." After "praeterjiciendo semen," the maid seemed eased for a time, "enticing him the more to do it oft," in what he felt was "an Act of (Wicked) Compassion." This did only, however, "Enrage her Disease."(195)

A young man (Anonymous 411) who took advantage of a "Sanguine strong maid" (Anonymous 409) during her fits, where she "tossed her naked Body about," in order to satisfy his lust, confesses to his sins "after her Deliverance" for these fits. Many were sad for the maid, and "prayed for her." Richard Baxter believes that the maid's illness must have begun with "the furor uterinus," but because a "Real possession," after the young man took advantage of her, "in punishment of their Sin." The young man and the maid marry, and "professed deep Repentance."(195)