Compare 1577 edition: 1 Not long before the hap héereof, there was in like I yoong man haunted with a spirit. manner a yoong man dwelling in Gareoth, within a village there, not passing 14 miles from Aberdine, verie faire & comelie of shape, who declared by waie of complaint vnto the bishop of that diocesse, how there was a spirit which haunted him in shape of a woman, so faire and beautifull a thing, that he neuer saw the like, the which would come into his chamber at nights, and with pleasant intisements allure him to haue to doo with hir, & that by no maner of means he could be rid of hir. The bishop like a wise man ad|uised him to remooue into some other countrie, and to giue himselfe to fasting and praier, so to auoid his hands of that wicked spirit. The yoong man follow|ing the bishops counsell, within a few daies was de|liuered from further temptation.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 About the same time also, there was in the coun|trie of Mar, a yoong gentlewoman of excellent beau|tie, and daughter vnto a noble man there, refusing sundrie wealthie mariages offered to hir by hir fa|ther, and other friends. At length she prooued with child, and being rigorouslie compelled by hir parents to tell who was the father, she confessed that a cer|teine yoong man vsed nightlie to come vnto hir, and kept hir companie, and sometimes in the day also, but how or from whence he came, or by what meanes he went awaie, she was not able to declare. Hir pa|rents not greatlie crediting hir woords, laid diligent watch, to vnderstand what he was that had defiled their house: and within thrée daies after, vpon signi|fication giuen by one of the maidens, that the forni|cat [...] was at that verie instant with their daughter, incontinentlie therevpon, making fast the doores, they enter the chamber with a great manie of tor|ches and lights, where they find in their daughters armes a foule monstrous thing, verie horrible to be|hold. Héere a number comming hastilie in, to behold this euill fauored sight, amongst other there was a priest of verie honest life, not ignorant (as was thought) in knowledge of holie scripture.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 This priest (all other being afraid) and some of them running their waies, began to recite the begin|ning of Saint Iohns gospell, and comming to these woords, Verbum caro factum est, suddenlie the wic|ked spirit making a verie [...]ore and terrible roaring noise, fiue his waies, taking the roofe of the chamber awaie with him, the hangings and couerings of the bed being also burnt therewith. The gentlewoman was yet preserued, and within thrée or foure daies af|ter was deliuered of such a mishapen thing, as the like before had not béene seene, which the midwiues and women, such as were present at hir labor, to a|uoid the dishonor of hir house, immediatlie burnt in a great fire, made in the chamber for the same in|tent. ¶ Thus much out of Hector Boetius, which, with more, he hath written to prooue that all is not feined which is written of the illusions of diuels and euill spirits, the credit whereof I leaue with the author.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Not long before the hap hereof, there was in lyke maner a yong man dwelling in Gareoth,A yong man haunted with a ſprite. within a village there, not paſſing .xiiij. myles from Aberdyne, right faire and comely of ſhape, who declared by way of complaint vnto the Bi|ſhop of that dioceſſe, howe there was a ſprite which haunted him in ſhape of a woman, ſo fair and beautifull a thing, that he neuer ſaw y^e lyke, the which would come into his chãber a nights, & with pleaſant enticementes allure him to haue to doe with hir, and that by no maner of means he could be rid of hir. The biſhop like a wiſe mã aduiſed him to remoue into ſome other countrey and to giue himſelfe to faſtyng and prayer, ſo to auoyde his handes of that wicked ſprite. The yong man folowing the Biſhops counſel, with|in few days was deliuered frõ further tentation.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 Aboute the ſame tyme alſo, there was in the countrey of Mar, a yong Gentlewoman of ex|cellent beautie, and daughter vnto a noble man there, refuſing ſundry wealthy mariages offred to hir by hir father, and other frendes. At lengthe ſhe proued with chyld, and being rigorouſly cõ|pelled by hir parentes to tel who was the father, ſhe confeſſed that a certain yong mã vſed night|ly to come vnto hir, and keepe hir companie, and ſometimes in the daye alſo, but howe or from whence he came, or by what meanes he went a|way, ſhe was not able to declare. Hir parentes not greatly crediting hir wordes, layde diligent watche to vnderſtand what he was that had de|fyled their houſe: And within .iij. days after, vp|on ſignification giuen by one of the maydens, [figure appears here on page 120] that the fornicatour was at that verie inſtante with their daughter, incontinently therevppon, making faſt the dores, they enter the chamber with a great meignie of torches & lights, where they find in their daughters armes, a foule mon|ſtrous thing, right horrible to beholde. Heere a number comming haſtily in, to beholde this euil fauoured ſight, amongſt other, there was a prieſt of right honeſt lyfe, not ignorant (as was thou|ght) in knowledge of holie ſcripture. This prieſt (all other being afrayde) and ſome of them run|ning their wayes, began to recite the beginning of Saint Iohns Goſpell, and comming to theſe words, Verbum caro factum eſt, ſodeynely the wicked ſprite makyng a right ſore and terrible roaring noyſe, flew his wayes, taking the roofe of the chamber away with him, the hangings & couerings of the bed being alſo brent therewith. The Gentlewoman was yet preſerued, & with|in .iij. or .iiij. dayes after, was deliuered of ſuche a miſhapen thing, as the lyke before had not ben ſeene, whiche the midwiues and women ſuche as were preſent at hir labour, to auoyd the diſho|nour of hir houſe, immediatly brente in a greate fyre, made in the chamber for the ſame intent.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Thus muche out of Hector Boetius, which, with more, he hath written to proue that all is not fayned whiche is written of the illuſions of deuils and euill ſpirites, the credite whereof I leaue with the Auctor.