Illustrations of the fairy mythology of 'A midsummer night's dream' / edited by J.O. Halliwell.

Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Illustrations of the fairy mythology of 'A midsummer night's dream' / edited by J.O. Halliwell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    earnestly, at her chamber-door, with my foot, and calling to her earnestly, Anne, Anne, open the door, and let me in. She answered me, Have a little patience, and I will let yon in im- mediately. Upon which, I looked through the key-hole of the door, and I saw her eating; and when she had done eating, she stood still by her bed-side, as long as thanks to God might be given, and then she made a courtesy (or bow), and opened the chamber-door, and gave me a piece of her bread, which I did eat: and, I think, it was the most delicious bread that ever I did eat, either before, or since. [She could, also, render herself invisible, of which he relates an instance ; and then proceeds :] One day, these fairies gave my sister Mary (the now wife of Mr. Humphry Martyn) then about four years of age, a silver cup, which held about a quart, bidding her give it my mother, and she did bring it my mother; but my mother would not accept of it, but bid her carry it to them again, which she did. I presume this was the time my sister owns she saw the fairies. I have seen Anne in the orchard dancing among the trees, and she told me she was then dancing with the fairies. The great noise of the many strange cures Anne did, and also her living without eating our victuals (she being fed, as she said, by these fairies) caused both the neighbour magistrates and ministers to resort to my father's house, and talk with her, and strictly examine her, about the matters here related; and she gave them very rational answers to all those questions they then asked her (for by this time she was well recovered out of her sickness and fits, and her natural parts, and understanding much improved) ; my father, and all his family, affirming the truth of all we saw. The ministers endeavoured to persuade her, they were evil spirits which resorted to her, and that it was the delusion of the devil, and advised her not to go to them, when they called her. Upon these admonitions of the minis- ters and magistrates, our Anne was not a little troubled. How-