The Fearfull Vexation of Alexander Nyndge
Compiled by Steven Connor
as part of The Dumbstruck
Archive, a continuing, online supplement to Dumbstruck: A Cultural
History of Ventriloquism (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000).
At Lieringswell in Suff. the .xx. daye of Januarie. In the XV yere of the
Reigne of our most gracious Queene Elyzabeth
The first fit and vexation, of Alexander Ninge, began the day and yere
aboue saide, about vii. of the clock at night. His Father, Mother, and
Brothers, with the residue of the householde being present: his cheste
and bodie swellinge, with his eyes staring, & his back bendinge inward
to his bellie: whereat the brothers had meruell at the first, yet one of
his brothers named Edwarde Nyndge Master of Art, beying bolder than other
of the companye certainlye perswading him selfe that it was some euill
Spirit that so molested him, recomforted him with mercifull wordes of the
holye scripturres, and also charged the Spirit by the death and passion
of Ihesus Christ, that it should declare the cause of that torment. Wher
at the countenance of the [A2b] same Alexander tourned more straung and
fearfull then it was before: & so retourned to his former state againe.
Then Alexander Nindge hauing his speache at lybertie, said vnto the same
Edwarde, brother hee is marueilous afrayd of you therefore I praye you
stande by mee. with which wordes the same Edward was the more bolde, and
said to Alexander, if thou doest earnestlie repent thee of thy sinnes and
pray to God for the forgeuenes of the same (my life for thyne) the Deuill
cannot hurt thee, no rather then hee should I will go to Hell with thee,
then this Spirit racked the saide Alexander more cruelly for a small time.
Then they carried the same Alexander downe the chaumber willing him to
caulle to God for grace, and ernestly repent him, and onlye to put his
trust in Ihesus Christ. And then wee sette him in a Chaire desiryng his
father to sende for all his neighbours to helpe to pray for him. the Spirit
then againe tering him monstrouslie transforming his body, plucking his
mouth a waye, mouing him by vyolence out of the Chayer, then the said Edwarde,
with one Thomas Wakefeelde [A3a] layde hands on Alexander and helde him
in the Chayre, all that were in the house prayyng ernestly. And then the
said Edward chargyng the Spirit with these wordes. Thou foule Feinde, I
coniure thee, in the name of Ihesus our sauyour the sonne of almightie
God that thou speake vnto vs.
Wher at the Spirit tranceformed hym verye owglye agaynst his chest,
swellynge upwarde to this throte, pluckynge his bellye iuste to his backe
and so seased a tyme.
Alexander Nindge beyng somewhat rested, vttered these wordes.
Sirs hee will speake with mee, I praye you let him not speake with mee,
then the syade Edwarde, sayde: wee wyll pray to God that hee may not speake
with you, whereupon all that were present, did praie earnestly, wher at
the Spirit began to ter him most rufully, and swelled sore in the chest,
here at, & then vttered in a base soundnige or hollow voyce these wordes
I woll I woll I woll, then the saide Edward said thou shalt not, and I
charg theee in the name of Ihesus Christ, that thou speake vunto vs and
not vnto him, then the Spirit said in [A3b] a hollow voyce, why didst thou
tell them, why dist thou tell them, then the sayd Edward did charge the
Spirit. Ut supra. To tell vs the cause of his cominge, and why he did torment
his brother, to the which the Spirit answered, I come for his soule, then
the said Edward saide vunto the Spirit, we haue a warrant in the Holy Scripture,
that such as do ernestly repent them of their sinnes, and torne vnto God
with thonly hope of Saluacion, thorowe the merits of Ihesus Christ, thou
maist not haue them for Christ is his redemer, then the Spirit vttered
sounding in a Base, hollow voice these wordes. Christ that was my redemer,
then Edward saide, Christ that is his redemer, not thy redemer, but my
brother Alexander hys redemer, then the Spirit saide in his hollow voice,
I will haue his soule and body to, and so begane to racke the same Alexander
and disfygure more horribly, than he did before & heued ye same Alexander
from the grounf by force inuycible, the said Edward Nindg, Thomas Nindge,
Thomas Wakefeld, Thomas Goldsmithe, William Myles, and William Nyndge,
Junier, hangyng vpon the [A4a]
A Booke declaringe the fearfull vexation, of one Alexander Nyndge,
beynge most horriblye tormented wyth an euyll Spirit the xx. date of Januarie...In
the yere of our Lorde, 1573, at Lyeringswell in Suffolk... (London:
primter Thomas Colwell, n.d. 1578?)