and had four daughters by him. — of 21
According to her own writings, during a dance at a Christmas party, when she was 15 years old, Lead heard a miraculous disembodied voice. It said “Cease from this, I have another dance to lead thee in, for this is vanity.” She interpreted this as a sign that she should devote her life to a spiritual cause, and in later life this decision led her into the study of theology, philosophy and alchemy. In April 1670, as Lead reflected about the nature of Wisdom, There came upon me an overshadowing bright Cloud, and in the midst of it the Figure of a Woman, most richly adorned with transparent Gold, her hair hanging down and her Face as the terrible Crystal for brightness, but her Countenance was sweet and mild. At which sight I was somewhat amazed… From this moment on, Jane Lead’s life would be full of visions. Years later she would write about actual sightings that she had and several abductions by a group of beings who, by her own admission, were neither angels nor demons. (As noted by Jesse Glass in an article on Jane Lead’s mystic experiences, she often uses the term ‘Magia’ when referring to them). She calls her abduction experiences Transports throughout her diaries.
Source: Works of Jane Lead, especially her book A Fountain of Gardens. “Printed and Sold by J. Bradford, near Crowder’s Wall,” London 1696. Four Volumes. The original edition is very rare but most of Jane Lead’s works can be found faithfully reproduced in on-line archives. Case: W239