¶
The
copy
of
a
letter
describing
the
wonderful
worke
of
God
,
in
deliuering
a
Maiden
within
the
City
of
Chester
,
from
an
horrible
kinde
of
torment
and
sickenes
,
16.
of
February
.
Anno.
1564.
HAuing
receiued
your
letter
,
&
therby
vnderstanding
aswel
what
brute
hath
lately
happened
in
your
partes
,
concernyng
the
deliuery
of
a
woman
here
within
the
City
of
Chester
,
from
a
most
monstrous
and
horrible
kynde
of
torment
and
disease
,
as
also
howe
desirous
you
are
to
learn
the
truth
therof
:
I
am
contented
in
gratefieng
this
your
request
,
to
signifye
herein
as
is
for
truth
knowen
and
accepted
.
The
storye
therfore
was
thys
:
Anne
Mylner
a
Mayden
of
the
age
of
.xviii.
yeres
,
daughter
to
Randulphe
Mylner
,
and
broughte
vp
in
her
Fathers
house
,
wythin
the
bridge
strete
of
the
same
City
,
went
the
.xviii.
daye
of
October
last
,
to
bring
her
Fathers
Kyne
into
the
fieldes
.
And
at
her
returne
,
comming
in
the
high
way
neare
to
the
City
,
was
sodaynlye
taken
wyth
great
feare
,
and
thoughte
that
she
saw
a
whyte
thing
compassing
her
round
about
,
and
so
amased
,
came
to
her
fathers
house
,
&
in
the
nexte
morning
felt
her selfe
greued
,
&
very
sore
in
al
the
partes
of
her
body
,
which
so
increased
,
that
thereupon
she
was
enforced
to
keepe
her
bed
,
beyng
verye
sicke
.
And
during
the
space
of
fyue
dayes
then
next
ensuing
,
did
not
take
anye
kynde
of
bodely
sustenance
,
as
her
Parentes
hath
sundry
tymes
declared
.
She
had
her
fyt
and
traunce
almost
from
houre
to
houre
,
and
had
neuer
aboue
three
houres
rest
in
the
day
&
night
.
Neyther
did
eate
during
the
time
of
her
sycknes
,
but
once
in
ech
xxiiii
.
houres
,
and
then
most
commonly
a
litle
quantitye
of
breade
and
cheese
,
which
notwithstanding
was
done
with
wonderfull
snatching
and
rashnes
.
The
maner
of
her
disease
and
sycknes
was
suche
(
as
here
after
,
touching
the
time
of
her
cure
,
shall
be
more
perticularly
described
)
that
vnto
her
out
of
al
partes
of
the
citye
,
repayre
of
verye
manye
was
made
.
Yea
,
insomuche
that
after
Maister
John
Pierce
,
one
of
the
Canons
of
the
Cathedrall
churche
of
Chester
,
and
Reader
of
the
Didinity
Lecture
there
,
with
diuers
persons
of
reputacion
had
sene
the
Mayden
,
he
with
his
Auditorye
in
December
last
,
at
the
ende
of
hys
Lecture
,
kneling
vpon
their
knees
made
speciall
prayers
vnto
God
,
for
her
deliuerace
.
After
this
it
chaunced
Mayster
John
Lane
,
late
fellow
of
Christs
Colledge
in
the
Uniuersity
of
Cambridge
,
&
now
a
famous
and
godly
Preacher
of
the
Gospell
of
Jesus
Christ
,
within
the
County
of
Chester
,
preaching
at
Torperley
,
at
the
request
of
Raufe
Done
Esouyer
,
about
the
xxi
.
of
Januarye
last
,
metther
with
two
men
of
the
sayd
City
,
the
one
being
a
nere
neyghbour
to
this
woful
woman
:
who
then
among
other
talke
,
demaunded
of
Maister
Lane
,
whether
ther
were
not
some
possessed
wyth
spirits
as
in
times
past
,
and
for
confirmacion
hereof
spake
of
the
sayd
Mayden
,
&
alledged
the
horryblenes
of
her
torment
to
be
suche
,
at
the
time
of
her
traunce
,
that
it
could
argue
nothing
els
,
but
that
she
was
possessed
with
some
spirite
.
And
further
said
,
that
she
had
remayned
in
that
miserable
plight
.xv.
or
.
xvi
.
wekes
,
and
(
as
I
suppose
,
hauing
hearde
howe
it
is
well
knowen
to
diuers
credible
persons
in
these
partes
,
what
rare
and
syngular
remedye
god
hath
wrought
by
M.
Lane
,
to
some
that
sustained
of
late
no
smal
decay
of
minde
and
memory
,
or
els
being
of
that
religion
,
as
in
theese
dayes
seeke
myracles
to
confirme
Gods
woorde
)
desyred
him
at
his
next
comming
to
the
City
of
Chester
,
to
see
the
tormented
Mayden
,
and
they
would
bring
him
vnto
her
.
Maister
Lane
then
condecending
to
their
request
,
&
at
his
next
repayre
vnto
the
sayd
City
,
lodged
in
the
house
of
Syr
William
Caluerly
Knight
,
wheron
Friday
being
the
.xvi.
of
Februarye
laste
(
at
which
time
the
Assise
was
hloden
in
Chester
)
met
agayne
by
occasion
with
the
sayd
two
men
:
who
after
they
had
put
hym
in
remembrance
of
hys
promise
,
&
had
disclosed
the
maner
of
the
Maydens
torment
to
Syr
William
Caluerley
,
syr
Wylliam
Sneyd
Knightes
,
and
my
Ladye
Caluerley
,
with
diuers
other
then
desirous
to
see
the
Mayden
,
went
al
together
,
and
brought
maister
Lane
vnto
the
sayd
Mylners
house
(
to
see
the
Mayden
,
and
then
to
hym
vnknowen
)
about
two
of
the
clocke
in
the
after
noone
of
the
same
.xvi.
day
of
February
,
&
there
finding
the
Mayden
in
her
traunce
after
her
accustomed
maner
,
lying
in
a
bed
within
the
haule
,
her
eyes
halfe
shut
,
shalfe
open
,
looking
as
she
had
bene
agast
,
neuer
mouyng
either
eye
or
eye
lyd
,
her
teeth
somthing
open
,
with
her
toung
doublyng
betwene
,
her
face
somewhat
red
,
her
head
as
heauy
as
leade
to
lift
at
,
she
lay
stil
as
a
stone
,
and
feeling
her
pulce
,
it
beat
with
as
good
measure
,
as
if
she
had
bene
in
perfite
health
.
And
in
this
sort
beholding
her
,
almost
during
the
fourth
part
of
an
houre
,
her
bellye
began
to
moue
,
swelling
vp
&
down
,
somtime
beneath
her
chest
,
sometyme
vp
to
the
throte
,
in
suche
vehemenry
,
that
a
man
would
haue
thought
she
would
haue
burst
.
Then
sodenly
she
lifteth
her self
vp
in
her
bed
,
bending
backwards
in
such
order
,
that
almost
her
head
and
fete
met
,
falling
downe
somtime
on
the
one
syde
,
somtime
on
the
other
,
but
rysyng
againe
so
sodenly
,
that
the
beholders
could
not
imagine
howe
if
might
bee
possible
so
quicklye
shee
coulde
without
ayde
of
hande
,
cast
her selfe
(
her
belly
being
vpwarde
)
into
the
fourme
of
a
hoope
.
Maister
Lane
demaunded
of
her
that
kepte
this
cruell
handled
creature
,
whether
shee
coulde
not
keepe
her
downe
?
Who
answered
no
,
and
sayd
that
she
had
once
tryed
it
,
and
then
was
almost
cast
into
the
fyre
.
Then
desired
he
that
she
woulde
permitte
him
to
assay
if
hee
coulde
holde
this
dolefull
woman
downe
.
Shee
aunswered
yea
,
but
yet
sayd
it
woulde
not
preuaile
.
W●l
said
Maister
Lane
,
by
the
grace
of
God
it
may
preuayle
.
And
therupon
after
that
this
pitiful
Mayden
had
lifted
her self
.
4.
or
v.
times
in
such
wonderful
maner
as
before
is
noted
,
hee
tooke
her
in
hand
,
&
with
much
ado
pluckt
down
her
feete
,
and
wyth
more
ado
kept
them
downe
,
holdinge
her
handes
,
sytting
vpon
her
legs
,
in
whom
he
found
such
strength
and
vehement
panges
,
that
he
was
fully
perswaded
she
was
possessed
.
The
people
present
,
seing
hym
so
to
continue
with
her
,
and
her
paines
encrease
,
some
thought
best
he
should
let
her
alone
,
saying
that
it
woulde
haue
the
course
.
Whom
maister
Lane
desired
to
be
quyet
,
and
let
God
woorke
,
willing
them
to
pray
to
God
for
her
,
for
asmuche
as
in
him
onely
consisteth
her
deliuerance
from
that
payne
,
and
that
god
was
as
strong
as
euer
he
was
.
And
when
she
was
in
the
vehement
panges
the
beholders
called
vpon
god
for
her
,
maister
Lane
secretly
sayd
the
fifty
Psalm
,
&
often
desired
God
,
through
the
bloud
of
his
sonne
Jesus
Christ
,
to
ease
the
Maiden
,
not
doubting
of
his
mercye
in
that
behalfe
.
And
when
he
had
thus
striued
with
her
the
space
of
two
houres
,
that
the
drope
trickled
downe
hys
face
,
he
had
thought
to
haue
commended
her
vnto
God
:
but
then
againe
it
came
to
mynde
to
tary
the
end
,
and
so
began
a
freshe
to
striue
with
her
,
euer
secretly
praying
&
calling
vpon
the
bloud
of
Christ
,
&
when
her
belly
was
pressed
downe
with
as
much
weight
&
strength
as
could
be
,
by
those
that
wer
present
,
she
stryued
more
than
before
,
and
diuers
times
with
the
vehement
swelling
of
her
bellye
,
shee
was
verye
like
to
haue
throwne
them
ouer
,
that
so
helde
downe
her
body
.
At
the
last
Maister
Lane
called
for
viniger
,
wherat
the
standers
by
marueiled
,
saying
,
that
that
thing
with
muche
more
had
bene
often
tymes
attempted
,
but
to
no
purpose
.
Notwithstanding
he
ceased
not
to
call
styll
for
it
,
saying
,
that
God
might
do
that
then
,
which
he
did
not
before
,
and
so
receiued
viniger
,
put
it
into
his
mouth
&
blewe
it
into
the
Maydens
nostrels
,
wherat
she
cryed
a
Lady
,
Lady
.
He
then
willed
her
to
cal
vpon
God
,
and
the
bloud
of
Christ
,
&
in
these
doinges
she
being
astonied
▪
he
called
againe
for
more
viniger
.
Wherat
she
cried
:
No
,
no
,
no
more
for
Gods
sake
.
Then
maister
Lane
willed
her
to
speake
&
say
after
him
,
&
so
he
&
all
then
present
,
said
the
Lords
prayer
&
Te
deum
,
she
saying
after
them
.
After
this
her
deliueraunce
,
she
then
continually
called
vpon
God
,
and
by
the
appointment
of
maister
Lane
,
she
had
her
clothes
put
on
,
&
meate
brought
,
wherof
she
did
eat
a
little
.
This
done
,
maister
Lane
willed
to
try
whether
she
could
go
.
Whereunto
,
albeit
that
those
then
present
answered
that
it
was
not
possible
,
for
that
shee
had
not
gone
in
al
the
time
of
.xvii.
weekes
then
last
past
,
yet
master
Lane
affirmed
that
the
same
God
which
gaue
her
speche
,
could
geue
her
strength
also
to
go
:
and
so
departing
the
place
,
vntill
the
women
had
gotten
on
her
hosen
,
and
then
comming
in
againe
,
wyl●ed
her
in
the
name
of
God
to
come
to
him
,
standing
in
th●
other
syde
of
the
house
,
whych
she
did
.
And
thereupon
after
talke
had
wyth
her
of
the
maner
of
her
taking
,
&
admonishing
her
to
haue
a
stedfast
faith
in
Christ
,
and
to
occupy
her selfe
in
praier
,
left
her
.
My
Lady
Caluerley
,
maistres
Erauenor
,
wyfe
to
John
Erauenor
,
with
diuers
other
credible
per
so
as
wer
present
,
during
such
time
as
mayster
Lane
was
wyth
the
mayden
,
and
are
eye
wytnesses
to
these
his
doinges
.
The
next
day
following
,
mayster
Lane
preached
at
saynt
Maries
within
the
sayde
Citye
,
before
John
Chrogmarton
Esquier
,
the
Quenes
maiesties
high
Justice
in
the
Countye
of
Chester
,
at
whych
sermon
the
late
recouered
Maiden
was
present
.
Upon
this
so
wonderful
a
cure
great
talke
was
had
in
eche
company
within
the
City
,
that
therupon
the
Mayden
was
not
onelye
brought
vnto
the
said
Justice
,
and
maister
Lane
afterwardes
vppon
earnest
request
by
som
of
hys
friendes
,
halfe
constrayned
,
dyd
wryte
hys
whole
doinges
therin
:
but
also
maister
Rogers
.
Archdeacon
of
Chester
,
in
his
sermon
made
in
the
Cathedrall
Church
of
Chester
,
the
iiii
of
this
instant
month
of
March
,
before
the
Maior
of
the
Citye
,
the
Bishops
of
Chester
and
of
Saynt
Assaphats
,
with
a
great
multitude
of
the
Citizens
besides
,
hauing
occasion
offered
by
the
wordes
of
the
then
present
Gospel
,
touched
thys
fact
:
Alledging
that
what
so
euer
was
the
originall
cause
of
so
great
and
straunge
a
disease
,
yet
was
the
cure
wonderfull
,
and
wrought
by
God
,
either
to
the
great
commodity
,
or
els
for
the
great
plague
of
the
City
of
Chester
,
and
the
countrye
adioyning
.
The
Mayden
remayneth
at
this
present
(
praysed
be
god
)
in
perfit
good
health
and
lyking
.
Thus
truly
,
and
as
briefly
as
I
myght
,
you
haue
the
effect
of
your
request
.
Written
at
the
City
of
Chester
,
the
.viii.
of
March
.
An.
1564.
¶
The
names
of
the
wytnesses
hereof
,
which
also
dyd
set
to
their
handes
.
-
¶
Sir
William
Caluerley
knight
,
-
¶
Richard
Hurlestone
Esquier
.
-
¶
John
Fisher
Gentleman
.