became epileptical as formerly, and endured much misery for a long time.  At last her parents cleansed the well, and recovered the ring again; the maid wore it, and her fits took her no more.  In this condition she was one year or two; which the Puritan ministers there adjoining hearing, never left off, till they procured her parents to cast the ring quite away; which done, the fits returned in such violence, that they were enforced to apply to the Doctor again, relating at large the whole story, humbly imploring his once more assistance; but he could not be procured to do any thing, only said, those who despised God’s mercies, were not capable or worthy of enjoying them.

I was with him in 1632, or 1633, upon occasion.  He had me up into his library, being excellently furnished with very choice books:  there he prayed almost one hour; he invocated several angels in his prayer, viz.[12] Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, &c.  We parted.

    [Footnote 12:  The collect read on Michaelmas-day, seems to allow
    of praying to angels.  At some times, upon great occasions, he
    had conference with Michael, but very rarely.]

He instructed many ministers in astrology, would lend them whole cloak-bags of books; protected them from harm and violence, by means of his power with the Earl of Bolingbroke.[13] He would confess my master Evans knew more than himself in some things:  and some time before he died, he got his cousin Sir Richard to set a figure to see when he should die.  Being brought him; ‘Well,’ he said, ’the old man will live this winter, but in the spring he will die; welcome Lord Jesus, thy will be done.’  He had many enemies:  Cotta, Doctor of physick in Northampton, wrote a sharp book of witchcraft, wherein, obliquely, he bitterly inveighed against the Doctor.

    [Footnote 13:  Lord Wentworth, after Earl of Cleveland.]

In 1646, I printed a collection of Prophecies, with the explanation and verification of Aquila, or the White King’s Prophecy; as also the nativities of Bishop Laud and Thomas Earl of Strafford, and a most learned speech by him intended to have been spoke upon the scaffold.  In this year 1646, after a great consideration, and many importunities, I began to fix upon thoughts of an Introduction unto Astrology, which was very much wanting, and as earnestly longed for by many persons of quality.  Something also much occasioned and hastened the impression, viz. the malevolent barking of Presbyterian ministers in their weekly sermons, reviling the professors thereof, and myself particularly by name.

Secondly, I thought it a duty incumbent upon me, to satisfy the whole kingdom of the lawfulness thereof, by framing a plain and easy method for any person but of indifferent capacity to learn the art, and instruct himself therein, without any other master than my Introduction; by which means, when many understood it, I should have more partners and assistants to contradict all and every antagonist.