Tho. Well, what then?

Ans. After Supper was over, Polus, as his Custom was, goes a Hunting or Fowling.  And when it grew duskish, the Darkness having taken away all Opportunity of making any certain Judgment of any Thing, Faunus walks about, and at last hears miserable Howlings. Polus having hid himself in a Bramble Hedge hard by, had very artfully made these Howlings, by speaking through an earthen Pot; the Voice coming through the Hollow of it, gave it a most mournful Sound.

Tho. This Story, as far as I see, out-does Menander’s Phasma.

Ans. You’ll say more, if you shall hear it out. Faunus goes Home, being impatient to tell what he had heard. Polus taking a shorter Way, had got Home before him. Faunus up and tells Polus all that past, and added something of his own to it, to make the Matter more wonderful.

Tho. Could Polus keep his Countenance in the mean Time?

Ans. He keep his Countenance!  He has his Countenance in his Hand, you would have said that a serious Affair was transacted.  In the End Faunus, upon the pressing Importunity of Polus, undertakes the Business of Exorcism, and slept not one Wink all that Night, in contriving by what Means he might go about the Matter with Safety, for he was wretchedly afraid.  In the first Place he got together the most powerful Exorcisms that he could get, and added some new ones to them, as the Bowels of the Virgin Mary, and the Bones of St. Winifred.  After that, he makes Choice of a Place in the plain Field, near the Bramble Bushes, from whence the Voice came.  He draws a very large Circle with a great many Crosses in it, and a Variety of Characters.  And all this was perform’d in a set Form of Words; there was also there a great Vessel full of holy Water, and about his Neck he had a holy Stole (as they call’d it) upon which hung the Beginning of the Gospel of John.  He had in his Pocket a little Piece of Wax, which the Bishop of Rome used to consecrate once a Year, which is commonly call’d Agnus Dei.  With these Arms in Times past, they were wont to defend themselves against evil Spirits, before the Cowl of St. Francis was found to be so formidable.  All these Things were provided, lest if it should be an evil Spirit it should fall foul upon the Exorcist:  nor did he for all this, dare to trust himself in the Circle alone, but he determined to take some other Priest along with him.  Upon this Polus being afraid, that if he took some sharper Fellow than himself along with him, the whole Plot might come to be discover’d, he got a Parish-Priest there-about, whom he acquainted before-hand with the whole Design; and indeed it was necessary for the carrying on the Adventure, and he was a Man fit for such a Purpose.  The Day following, all Things being prepared and in good Order, about ten a-Clock Faunus and the Parish-Priest enter the Circle. Polus had got thither before them, and made a miserable Howling out of the Hedge; Faunus begins his Exorcism, and Polus steals away in the Dark to the next Village, and brings from thence another Person, for the Play could not be acted without a great many of them.