Being a True Relation of a Farmer, who Bargaining with a Poor Mower, about the Cutting down Three Half Acres of Oats; upon the Mower's asking too much, the farmer swore That the Devil should Mow it rather than He. And so if fell out, that very Night, the Crop of Oat shew'd as if it had been all of a Flame; but next Morning appear'd so neatly mow'd by the Devil or some Infernal Spirit, that no Mortal Man was able to do the like.
Also, How he said Oats ly now in the Field, and the Owner has not Power to fetch them away.
Men may dally with heaven, and Criticise on Hell, as Wittily as they please, but that there are really such places, the wife Dispensations of Almighty Providence, does not cease continually to evince. For if by those accumulated circumstances which generally induces us to the belief of any thing beyond our senses, we may reasonably gather that there are certainly such things as Devils, we must necessarily conclude, that these Devils have a Hell; and as there is a Hell, there must be a Heaven, and consequently a GOD; and so all the Duties of Christian Religion as indispensible subsequents necessarily follow.
The first of which Propositions, this ensuing Narrative does not a little help to Confirm.
For no longer ago, than within the compass of this present Month of August, there hapned so unusual an Accident in Hartfordshire, as is not only the general Discourse, and Admiration of the whole Country; but may for its Rarity Challenge any other event, which has for these many years bin Product's in any other County whatsoever. The Story thus.
In the said County, Lives a Rich industrious Farmer, who perceiving a small Crop of his (of about three Half-Acres of
Land which he had Sowed with Oats) to be Ripe and fit for Gathering, sent to a a poor neighbour whom he knew
worked commonly in the summer-time at Harvest Labor, to agree with him about mowing, or cutting the said oats down;
the poor man as it behoov'd him, endeavour'd to fell the sweat of his brows and marrow of his bones at as dear a rate
as reasonably he might, and therefore askt a good round price for his labour, which the farmer taking some exceptions
at, bid him much more under the usual rate than the poor man askt above it; so that some sharp words had past, when
the farmer told him he would discourse with him no more about it. Whereupon the honest mower recollecting with
himself, that if he undertook not that little spot of work, the might thereby lose much more business which the farmer
had to imploy him in beside, ran after him, and told him, that, rather than displease him, he would do it at what rate
in reason he pleas'd; and as an instance of this willingness to serve him, propos'd to him a lower price, than he had
mowed for any time this year before. The irretated farmer with a stern look, and hasty gesture, told the poor man, that
the Devil himself should mow his oats before he should have any thing to do with them
, and upon this went his
way, and left the sorrowful yeoman, not a little troubled that he had disoblig'd one in whose power it lay to do him
many kindnesses.
But how ever, in the happy feries of a interupted prosperity, we may strut, and plume our selves over the miserable indigencies of our ncessitated neighbours; yet there is a just God above, who weighs us not by our bags, nor measures us by our coffers; but looks upon all men indifferently, as the common sons of Adam; so that he who carefully officiates that rank or station wherein the Almighty has plac't him, tho but a mean one, is truly more worthy the estimation of all men, than he who is prefer'd to superior dignities, and abuses them ; and what greather abuse, than the contempt of men below him ; the relief or whose common necessities is none of the least conditions wherby he holds all his Good things; which when that tenure is forfeited by his default, he may juilly expect some judgment to ensue; or else that those riches wherby he prizes himself so extravagantly, may shortly be taken from him.
We will not attempt to fathom the canse, or reason of preternatural events ; but certain we are, as the most credible and general relation can inform us, that the same night this poor mower, and farmer parted, his field of oats was publickly beheld by several passengers, to ba all on a flame, and so continued for some space, to the great consternation of those that beheld it.
Which strange news being by several carried to the farmer next morning, could not give him a great curiosity to go and see what was become of his crop of oats, which he could not imagin, but was totally devour'd by those ravenous flames which were observ'd to be so long refident on his acre and half of ground.
Certainly a reflection of his suddain and indiscreet expression, [that the Devil should mowe his oats before the poor man should have any thing to do with them] could not but on this occasion come into his memory. For if we will but allow our selves to much leisure, to consider how many hits of providence go to the production of one crop of corn, such as the aptitude of soyl, the seasonableness of showers, nourishing solstices and salubreous winds, etc. we should rather welcome maturity with devout acknowledgements than prevent our gathering of it by our profuse wishes.
But not to keep the curious reader any longer in suspense, the inquisitive farmer no sooner arriv'd at the place where his oats grew, but to his admiration he found the crop was cut down ready to his hands ; and as if the Devil had a mind to shew his dexterity in the art of husbandry, and scorn'd to mow them after the usual manner, he cut them in round circles, and plac't every straw with that exactness that it would have taken up above an age, for any man to perform what he did that one night; and the man the ows them is as yet afraid to remove them.
FINIS.