Fowle's New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

From a late London Paper.

If the following relation had not been attested by the respectable persons whose names are subjoined, we should not have given it a place, as it bears no small portion of the marvellous.

A well attested and circumstantial account of MARGERY GASSON, of Rye, in Sussex, whose singular and very extraordinary case hath for some time excited the curiosity and attention of all degrees of people in the vicinity of that place, and the neighbouring counties.

MARGERY GASSON, the 11th child of poor but industrious parents, (who are now living) was born the 18th of November, 1763, at Rye, in Sussex. Her parents brought them up to industry, and Margery was early out at service. In 1782 she lived at the Queen's-Head Inn, in Rye, where she became acquainted with George Huntley, a young seafaring man; and the connection become closer, she was supposed to be with child. The parish officers making enquiry into the matter, she was in March 1783, taken by Mr. James Elliot, (then Overseer of the poor) before Chishull-Slade, Esq, Mayor of the town, and sworn; at which time she supposed herself more than four months gone. In July following every symptom of approaching labour appeared, and every necessary was provided by her mother; strong pains came on, and continued for some time, when they ceased. However, as she expected to be delivered. she continued close at home, and had slight pains at different times, until April 1784, (the second term of nine months) when strong labour pains again came on, and continued for some time, but went away. After this time she was attacked with fits, which from time to time came on most violently, so much, that it often required four, and sometimes six people to keep her in bed. These fits continued until January, 1785, when labour pains again came on (for the third time) and went away. The fits, however, continued coming on stronger and stronger. The beginning of July, 1785, she lay quiet for near a fortnight, and was supposed to be dead by Mr. J. Mackrill, the surgeon who attended her nearly the whole time, but Margery declared it was not dead, as she could feel it, though there was no outward appearance of motion. At the end of the fortnight it began again, and continued as usual, with violent fits at different times. At the end of October last, and beginning of November, she had labouring pains again (for the fourth time) which continued at different times violent: but went off as before. The fits continued to come on nearly every fortnight, and were, if possible, more violent each succeeding time. Margery Gasson was, before the year 1783, a slight young woman; since her pregnancy, she has continued to increase in size. so that at present she is a most wonderful object to behold. The motion of the subject within her is astonishing, for, on laying the hand of any person on her belly, it begins to start and jump about, bounding from one side to the other; and frequently getting upwards so high, as almost to occasion suffocation. It throws the body of Margery from one side of the bed to the other, and often times brings on the fits beforementioned. The circumstances attending this young woman are many, and too wonderful to be credited! But, as she is now living, any person may, by enquiry, be satisfied that all here related is taken from her own mouth. She expects, in July next, that pains of labour will again come on (for the 5th time); she sincerely hopes and prays that a deliverance from her trouble may arrive, and the astonished neighbours be satisfied with a certainty of what has continued for three years past and upwards, to occasion so much uneasiness to herself and doubts to many, of what it may be; though all agree, that something most uncommon and extraordinary must be the occasion of her having continued in this state for so long a time.

"Rye, 18th May, 1786.

"We have made strict enquiry after the truth of the aforesaid facts, and have no cause to doubt of the truth of them.

Thomas Lamb, Mayor.
C. SLADE, Magistrate.
James Lamb, Church-warden.
Will. Roberts, Surgeon"