Nine year old Anna was the first to be afflicted, having been found just outside the house one chilly morning in February, rolling around in the dirt and convulsing wildly. When the strange fit eventually ended, she was brought inside and placed on her bed, where she lay limp and lifeless for what seemed like hours before finally coming round, seemingly unharmed, as if merely waking from a deep sleep.
The funny turn had been all but forgotten by the following week, when workers out in the field were alerted to the sound of screams coming from a nearby road, running to investigate. This time it was Anna's ten year old brother, John, who was found writhing about in the mud, his teeth shut and his eyes fixed in terror at some far off point, as foam frothed at his mouth. It took three of them to still him before they
could carry him inside. That night, with John recovered, parents Anne and Nicholas Starkey stood watch over their children as they lay peacefully in their beds, a candle gently flickering on the mantelpiece as they prayed to God to protect them. Since their marriage in fifteen seventy eight, Anne and Nicholas had already lost four children and they would be damned if they were to lose another. But the fits would
not stop. Each time, the children would be struck, rigid and flung to the ground as their bodies jerked and spasmed uncontrollably. Afterwards, they would be left almost catatonic, sometimes for hours, before returning to their normal selves. Over the next six weeks, the couples tirelessly for a cure, spending the equivalent of thousands of pounds in today's money on doctor's fees, only to be told repeatedly there was nothing
physically wrong with their children. Eventually, the couple were forced to accept the terrifying truth that their children had been possessed by something diabolical. The family lived at Cleworth Hall, a large mansion house built sometime around the year thirteen hundred located just outside the town of Tyldesley in Lancashire in the northwest of England, that had been passed down
through Anne's family before she herself inherited it. They lived there with a number of staff and their children, who managed the property and worked the surrounding fields. At the time, much of Lancashire remained largely untouched by the Reformation currently sweeping the land. The Reformation sought primarily to undermine the power and teachings of the Catholic Church and bring the nation into a more modern, less superstitious age. But as
many might have said, it wasn't merely superstition. You're listening to unexplained and I'm Richard McClean smith. It was late one evening in March fifteen ninety five when Nicholas Starkey rode out in desperation under the silvery light of the moon, to the home of Edmund Hartley, a well known local conjurer. After Nicholas explained his predicament, Heartly accompanied him back to the clue Worth estate, where he found the children once
again subdued and unresponsive after another bout of fits. Recognizing the work of the devil, instantly, Heartly grabbed a series of ornate Catholic charms from his bag and some bunches of herbs, which he lit with a candle, flooding the room with their pungent to roma. Then, standing over the children, he began to utter strange and unusual words, until finally his work was done. The following morning, the children arose
as fit and healthy as they had ever been. Nicholas thanked Hartly for his work and paid him handsomely for his services, but the cure did not last long, and soon he was forced to call for Hartly once again. After administering another successful treatment, Hartly suggested they make the arrangement more formal so he could be on hand whenever they needed him. After all, there was no knowing if
he'd even be available next time. Terrified at the prospect of being unable to help their children, the Starkey's agreed to the arrangement and offered Hartly the equivalent of forty days pay to cover his costs for the next year. And so things continued for the next eighteen months, with Hartly continuing to visit the property to employ his charms and herbs whenever John and Anna were tormented by the evil spirits. Then, in September fifteen ninety six, with their
possession seemingly well under control, Partly seized his chance. It was only fair, he said, considering how successful he'd been in keeping the evil at bay, that they consider giving him a raise, and perhaps a house and some land too. But with the children appearing to be all but cured. The starkeys refused. Angered by their snub, hertly fled from their home, but not before issuing the stark, warning that their battles with the devil were far from over and
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When asked what she was doing, she stopped suddenly and stuck her head out from underneath. I must find a way through, she said, because the devil is waiting for me on the other side. Then, jumping out from under the bed, the girl charged head first toward a nearby window, only to be caught just in time before she was able to throw herself out of it. Not long after this bizarre incident, the house was shaken by strange cries
coming from every quarter. Elizabeth, her sister Margaret, and their friend Eleanor Holland, who also resided at the property, were found in a bedroom howling together like wolves, and before long John and Anna Starkey began howling too, in unison with them. Not only had the demonic spirits returned, but
they were now spreading. To Convinced that Edmund Hartley was somehow responsible, Nicholas traveled immediately to Manchester to seek the advice of the warden of Manchester's christ College, a man considered by many to be one of the most learned
individuals in the country. His name was doctor John d d. A graduate of Cambridge University and one of the leading scientific minds of his day, had by the fifteen eighties risen to become a respected scholar and leading adviser to Queen Elizabeth, as well as her designated court astronomer, after
becoming increasingly fascinated in the occult. However, by the fifteen nineties his reputation had waned considerably when it was revealed that he had been attempting to communicate with angels, and according to him, succeeding in his venture, Rumors began to
spread that he was in league with the devil. Having amassed one of the largest libraries in the country, D returned home from a six year trip to Europe in eighteen eighty nine to find it had been ransacked by a paranoid mob who destroyed over four hundred of his most treasured texts, as well as numerous instruments and laboratory equipment. Worse still, the man he entrusted his estate too, while he was gone, had failed to collect rent payments that
were owed to him. Struggling for money, he was forced to seek settled employment, and in fifteen ninety six took on the role as warden of Christ's College. It was in this capacity that Nicholas Starkey sought his help, telling him that Edmund Hartley had, through malignant kisses, put the devil into his children and three others in his household. Though d took the matter seriously enough, he simply couldn't, under the circumstances, be seen to be dealing in anything
of a diabolical nature. Instead, he suggested that Starkeys seek the help of some godly preachers who might be willing to pray over the children and help weed out the nefarious spirits. D agreed also that Edmund Hartley should be dealt with. By the time Nicholas returned to Cleworth Hall, things appeared to have settled down in the new year, with the children seeming much better. They were taken to visit relatives in Manchester, including thirty three year old Marge Byrom,
a close relation of Nicholas's. It was a few days after the Starkey's left that Marge was sat at home alone in front of the fire, when suddenly she was raised from her chair and thrown violently to the floor. Coming round moments later, she managed to clamber back to her feet and back into the chair, only to be violently flung from it again. From that point on, she became convinced that something malignant had got inside her, and
soon she was seeing it too. It started with the sense of something moving about in her belly that seemed to take the form of a calf's head that pushed and squirmed under her skin, stabbing at her as if it were made of nails. Then a rush of cold air would shoot up from her lungs and out of her mouth, giving her the overwhelming urge to bark and howl into the air. Moments later, it would return the other way, as if someone were breathing cold air straight
into her mouth. Then it shot down into her stomach, weighing her down like a stone, pulling her to the ground where she would be forced to lie on her side as her body shivered and her teeth chattered in her mouth. Any attempt she made to get warm would only result in her being wrenched back away from the source of heat. Calling on Hartley's services again, Nicholas took him to march Byrom's house to see if he could help. With d tipped off. He sent an observer, Matthew Palmer
there also to keep an eye on the proceedings. Barging into the property, he found Heartly murmuring strange incantations over a prostrate Byrom, and demanded immediately to know what was going on. When Hartly said he was merely praying, an unconvinced Palmer demanded to hear the prayers for himself. Looking sheepish, Heartly admitted that the only prayer he really knew was the Lord's prayer. Very well, then, said Palmer, I will
hear that. But Hartly had lied about that. Palmer then turned to Byrom and asked her for her version of events, but the woman would not meet his eye, too afraid of what Hartly might do should she betray him. Having seen enough, Palmer reported Hartly to the local justices of the Peace, and in March fifteen ninety seven, he was promptly arrested and sent to Lancaster Castle to await trial
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In the days prior to his arrival, the children had taken to crawling about for hours on their hands and knees, yelping like dogs, and scuttling away from anybody that tried to get near them, And when they did finally return to their feet, they appeared gripped by a supernatural inability to speak, though they seemed well enough. When Hopwood arrived at the estate, none dared to talk to him about Hartly, since they were also afraid of what he might do.
Marg Byrom at least agreed eventually to talk. In six weeks since Hartley had visited her, she claimed to have been continually attacked by familiars of the Devil. Every night around the hour of nine pm. The creatures, who invariably took the form of a cat or a dog, took it in turns to knock her down onto the floor, leaving her unable to move until three am the following morning.
Sometimes she would have an insatiable appetite, eating meat like a starving wild animal, or she might just simply stiffen up, being unable to move for hours. One day in February, a terrifying invisible force took hold of her, yanking her about the room as if she were about to be torn into a hundred pieces. When it finally stopped, a noxious black smoke that stunk of rotting flesh emerged from
her mouth. In their deliberations, the justices of the Piece consulted all manner of texts on the matter, from Johann Vyers de Prestigious Daimonum and Heinrich Kramer and Jakob Springer's Malais Melificarum. However, despite the clear evidence to suggest that the conjuror, Edmund Hartley had indeed brought something unsavory to Kluworth Hall. The court were unable to find specific evidence that he'd summoned the devil to do it, but then
Nicholas Starkey remembered a crucial detail. Back one night, while the pair were traveling to Nicholas's father's home, Hartly had taken him into a small wood. After walking for some time in the dark, deeper and deeper into the trees, Heartly suddenly stopped and began to mark a circle in the dirt. Then he divided it into four parts and filled it with crosses and other symbols, before turning to Starkey and asking ominously for him to step inside it.
This was the evidence they needed, and after some further deliberations, the court made up their mind Edmund Hartley was dabbling in witchcraft and must be hung for his crimes. The next day, Hartley was marched up to the gallows at Lancaster Castle in front of a baying crowd eager to see the end of the man who had later become known as the Tilsley Witch. Hartley was then ordered to stand on a large block of wood as the noose
was placed around his neck. Then the block was kicked from beneath his feet, leaving him dangling for a moment, clawing desperately at the rope, when suddenly it snapped, sending him sprawling to the floor, choking and wretching, gasping for breath. He turned to his accusers and repented for everything they accused him off, begging them for mercy, promising never again to participate in such diabolical activity. Unmoved, the justices beckoned for a second rope to be brought, which was promptly
fixed to the scaffolding. The executioner then grabbed heartly and marched him back on to the block, before placing the noose once more around his neck. This time it did not break back At Cleworth, despite Hartley's death, things only continued to get worse, with Byram having since moved into the property. Soon a seventh member of the household would become effected by the apparent possession, not a child either,
but thirty year old maid Jane Ashton. With doctor d unable to intervene directly, his butler made the suggestion to Nicholas Starkey that he contact John Darrell and Pastor George Moore, two ministers who'd helped to cure his young cousin of a similar affliction. Having convinced d to write to the pair personally, they reluctantly agreed to help. And so it was in the evening of March sixteenth, just as dusk was descending, that Darrel and Moore arrived at the vast
grounds of Clewworth Hall. Stealing themselves for what may be about to come, the pair stepped warily out of their carriage. Then, armed with little more than their trusty bibles, they ventured forward into the house. Anna and Nicholas greeted the men on arrival and quickly ushered them inside and up to visit their children, both of whom appeared well, having apparently been unmolested by Satan for at least four days. Afterwards, Darrel and Moore joined the Starkeys in their dining hall
for dinner. Having just sat down to eat, Margaret and Elizabeth Hardman and Eleanor Holland appeared in the doorway. One by one. They stepped slowly into the room and approached the two ministers, announcing confidently that they had come of their own free will. To welcome them into the house, when their faces suddenly contorted into pained looks, and all three of them were picked off their feet and flung
violently backwards. The ministers looked on with horror as the girls screamed and writhed on the floor, their bodies appearing to swell and bulge, as though something were trying to push out of them. Then Margaret shot up and fixed the men in a terrifying stare. Do they think they can hang the devil? She hissed. They might have hanged dead, but they could not hang the devil. It was no marvel that the rope broke, for they were two head
and the devil. In the end, he who had so sweetly, by his kisses, sent the devil, as so many had by the just judgment of God, the devil sent into him. Then, from somewhere deep in the house, the maid Jane Ashton began to howl. With no time to waste, Darrel and more ordered for Jane, Marge, Byron, and all the children
to be rounded up and placed in a chamber together. Then, with Nicholas and Anne, as well as a number of staff looking on, began to pray over the afflicted each one writhing and howling at the utterance of every sanctified word.
Then a strange murmuring started up among the children that steadily evolved into words Bible babble, Bible babble, prittle, prattle, prettle, prattle, and soon their voices were beginning to rise, tormenting Darrel and more with their ferocity, until the pair couldn't take any more and retreated out of the room. When the noise finally abated, they agreed to try again the following day. I'm excited to share with you a brand new podcast
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and sports that matter to you. That's Ordyssey au da Cy. The next morning, having sent word out for reinforcements, around thirty members of the local community gathered in the parlor as the five children, Jane Ashton and Marge Byron were brought out and each laid down on a couch, With Darrel and more leading proceedings. The group chanted prayers solemnly together, and before long the afflicted began to writhe and to cry out in strange and disturbing ways, as others tried
their best to hold them down. A gasp went up from the crowd when blood began to flow from John's mouth and nostrils as his body flailed wildly. Then those words came again, whispered at first among the girls, before increasing in volume. Bible babble, Bible babble, prittle, prattle, prettled prattle, Bible babble, Bible babble, prittle, prattle, prittle, prattle. Darrell, in turn spoke ever louder, urging the crowd to lift their voices in unison as they cried out to God for mercy.
Then came a horrifying scream from Marge Byrom. It is coming, she cried. Grabbing at her belly, she felt what she described later as something rising up from inside her that moved into her throat before emerging finally from her mouth. It was a dark mist at first, before it quickly transformed into a crow that flew off to the far side at the parlor, where it perched and watched her for a moment before shooting out the window in a flash of fire. Byrom thumped back down on the couch
where she lay silent and still. Then something shifted in John to when suddenly, with his face now covered in blood, he gave out a scream at the sight of what he would later describe as a man with a large bulge on his back and a look of utter darkness on his face. Emerged from his mouth. The thing turned for a moment and attempted to re enter him, before finally vanishing out of the room. Then John too fell
back limp and silent. Convinced his son was dead, Nicholas ran, distraught to his side and begged God to have mercy and not to take another one from him. After what seemed like hours, the boy finally began to stir, then sat bolt upright with a look of bright contentment in his eyes. And just then Margaret gave out a wild howl. I am hot, I am too hot, she said, I will not die. Then she lurched forward and vomited, and
all the other girls did the same. For Margaret, Anna, and Elizabeth, it emerged in the shape of a white, bearded thing with a bulge on its chest sticking out like a second head. For Eleanor, it was a small, strangely shaped child in ragged clothes that scuttled away through
a small hole in the wall. It had also tried to return, telling her he would break her neck and cast her into a pit of fire if she didn't let him climb back inside, but she resisted, and finally it appeared they had all been delivered, all that is, except for Jane Ashton. That night, terrified they might become possessed again, the children hid under their bed sheets as their local pastor father Dickens watched and prayed over them, urging them to resist and come the morning, their ordeal
appeared to be over. For Jane Ashton, however, all was not so well. On the second day, as many as fifty locals were said to have joined Daryland Moore in the parlor as they attempted once and for all to be reared of the demonic spirits. With the children and Byrom also present for precautionary measures, their efforts focused mainly on Ashton. At the first sound of prayer, Ashton screamed in pain as her body convulsed, then began to shake manically, as if she were a rag doll caught in the
jaws of a large dog. Then finally, just after one pm, she heaved forward, vomiting bile to the ground, then collapsed in a heap, exhausted, claiming later to have seen a large, bulbous toad escape her body. For the next few days, the children and Byrom claimed they were approached again numerous times by the devilish spirits, but each refused them re entry, until finally they were left alone for good, with each of them eventually being given a clean bill of health.
They were never bothered again by the spirits. Jane Ashton was not so lucky. After leaving Cluworth, having apparently been cured, it was said that she went to live with a Catholic uncle, where her devilish symptoms once more reared their head. She was eventually rounded up, and, having been given up as a lost cause, was exhibited to the public, howling and barking as a warning to all Catholics what might
perform them if they didn't convert to Protestantism. The following year, John Darrell and George Moore were imprisoned by the Archbishop of Canterbury for their involvement in the exorcism of a man from Nottingham named William Summons. They were imprisoned again the next year after being convicted of aught for what
many saw as their blasphemous practice. In sixteen hundred, they publish their summary of all these events in their book A True Narration of the Strange and Grievous Vexation by the Devil of seven Persons in Lancashire and William Sommers of Nottingham, where you can still read all about it to this day. If you enjoy unexplained and would like to help supporters, you can now do so via Patreon.
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