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Assertions for a specific being.

Name Description Original Text
Fletcher's boy 1One of two of Elizabeth Fletcher's two spirits who often appears in the shape of a boy and who torments Helen and Elizabeth FairfaxThe boy she saw before, and another less than him came out of the garden, and offered to take hold of her; but she stepped back into the porch, and sat down upon a stone bench and then fell into a trance, and in this estate was found and brought into the kitchen, where the boys again appeared unto her, at the sight of whom she looked up; and they brought her picture and set it up with a prop, and then danced about it, and threw their hats at it, and kicked it with their feet. And she said"So would you do with me if you could, but God will not suffer you." Then they requested her to dance with them, and she said"Do not think any of God's servants will dance with you." And so they went away, and she recovered. [...] Upon Wednesday, the 2nd of January, after a little time, as she went out of the kitchen and passed by the back door, she heard one knock at the door, which she opened, and the aforesaid two boys rushed in, and the little boy caught her about the middle with both his hands; the greater held her by the arm with one hand, and with the other stopped her mouth lest she should cry. So in great haste they forced her into the back house, and told her they had long watched for her, but now they had her, and would drown her. She struggled with them and called to her mother for help. They said they would soon make her past calling. She answered they could do no more harm than pleased God to let them ; and if they did drown her, yet her soul would be with God. And with her hand she did beat them about the head, which were bare for want of hair; and she felt their heads, and they were hard like the heads of other boys. So they brought her to the river side ; one of them said" This place is not deep enough, let us carry her up the stream." So they did, and they offered to throw her down the bank to the water, which was some yards distance ; but in putting her down she got hold of the bushes, and she held so fast that the boys could not get her hands loose, nor get her down further, though they laid hold of her feet and pulled violently, but they could not remove her. This while she was not in any trance at all, but had her senses perfectly, and called aloud for help. At this time her mother missed her and sought her. And it chanced that Elizabeth Smith passing by between the barn and the house, heard one cry by the river side ; they all ran that way, but Elizabeth Morehouse first espied her standing holding of the bushes ; to which she said" Help me Bess, for here is two boys which would put me into the water." Then one of the boys said to the other" Hang her, hang her! Come brother, let us go." So they left her and departed. Elizabeth Morehouse saw not the boys that took hold of her; and she at the same instant fell into a trance. [...] On Sunday following, the 6th of January, the child being in the hall began to be troubled, and said she saw a poor boy, who appeared to her sundry times and in divers places in the hall. This was said in the presence of about forty persons there being merry, for it was in Christmas time, and they all wondered at the accident, for the child was perfectly well till Elizaabeth Fletcher touched her, which touch the woman before a justice of the peace denied with exceeding impudence; many persons upon oath averring the contrary, for they saw and noted the manner how she touched. On Monday, 7th January, the child sat upon the knee of Elizabeth Smith, a servant, and there first fell in trance. To whom the boy appeared and threatened to take her away and drown her. She said, " Out upon theeget thee away to them that own thee! Thou art Bess Foster's spirit, and didst come to the house with her." And so the boy departed, and she came to herself.

Appears in:
Fairfax, Edward . Daemonologia: a Discourse on Witchcraft as it was Acted in the Family of Mr. Edward Fairfax. Unknown: 1621, 59-61