Being a True Relation of a Farmer, who Bargaining with a Poor Mower, about the Cutting down of 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 it fell out, that that very Night, the Crop of Oats 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 the said Oats ly now in the Field, and the Owner has not Power to fetch them away.
We will not attempt to fathom the cause, or reason of Preternatural events; but certain we are, as the most Credible and General Relation can inform us, that that same night this poor Mower, and Farmer parted, his Field of Oats was publickly beheld by several Passengers, to be 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 but 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 resident on his Acre and half of Ground.
Certainly a reflection on his suddain and indiscreet expression [That the Devil Should Mowe his Oats before the Man should have anything to do with them] could not but on this occasion come into his Memory….
…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 the exactness that it would have taken up above an Age, for any Man to perform what he did in that one night: And the man that owns them is as yet afraid to move them.
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