to the same purpose if there were need for it and that we made it our brsiness to seek further Testimony Tho' the thing happen'd so many years ago and that the Informants testifying thereunto be so much against their Worldly Interest ANN Whittaker who at that time when R. D. had those strange Fits was Servant to Major Nowel of Morton Arnald ' s-Bigging next House to Surey she restifies That R. D. told her that his said Fits begun at Westby-Hall as it 's commonly called as he was making Hay Whereupon he came into the said Hall and laid himself down upon a Bed according to the Advice of a Servant there Then he said that 5 or 6 Evil Spirits appeared to him and then the appearance of a Black Man did grin at him and pressed very fore upon him Then both the Spirits and the Man danced upon the Floor and then vanished in a flame of Fire She also testifies that at a certain time when a Fit was coming on him at Morton he fell a dancing and roreing hidiously Then he fell to the Ground and had something rising under his Clothes as if it were quick and that it begun in the very part of his Body where as he said that grim Man did press him sore at the first Also that whilst he lay in the said Fit he did so sweat that one might wipe the Sweat off his Clothes and all the Flaggs under him were wet therewith She also testifies that she oft saw R. D in his Fits at Surey and that he was much what after the said manner The said Ann doth also testify that Mr. Barton Shuttleworth being at the said Morton upon occasion he followed her to Surey she her self then not knowing of his following her yet R. D. told of Mr. Barton's coming tho' R. D. could not see him nor did any Person tell R. D. of his coming He did also in a Fit tell several young Persons of their resolution to go to an Ale-house and that they spent viz. Two-Pence a-piece This one of Parties did consess to the said Ann and that it was indeed so as R. D. had said The said Ann doth also testify That her said Master had oft occasion to make use of all the Surey-Family about his Worldly Affairs And that she never perceived any thing concerning any of them that might give the least occasion of suspicion as to their being guilty of Withcraft or of any cheating Practices Ann Whittaker Nicholas Haworth of Altham Miller testifies as follows I have seen Richard Dugdale in his Fits run about the Surey-Barn on all four as fast as any Man that I ever saw could run on his two Feet I have seen the Lump in R. D's Leg rise upward and tho' I have endeavoured to keep it down by girding a Belt or Boot-garter a little above it yet never could So it did still shoot under I have heard R. D. hart and bark like any Mastiss For that I have been very much afraid of him I have heard R. D. whilper at the Wall in the Surey-Barn and to my thinking resusing to do somewhat he hath fallen flat on his Back as if something had tripp'd up his Heels After he had lain a while he would have risen as soon as a Man can trun his Hand His rising was so sudden that one could searce pereeive it Nicholas Haworth John Hindle of Altham testifies as follows I have seen Richard Dugdale lie on the Sruey-Barn-Hoor in some of his Fits and very suddenly he was set on his Feet without the bending of any part of his Body that I could perceive I could liken it to nothing but one 's rushing a Stick to an end I have also seen a Lump on R. D's shoulder about the bigness of an Hen-egg and have offer'd to hold it down but could not One time standing behind R. D. he being then in a Fit I heard him say to Mr. Carrington Thou shalt be Porter of Hell Gates thou 'st have Brewis and Toad-Broth John Hindle Joshua Thomason of Entwisle in the Parish of Bolton in the County of Lancaster Yeoman witnesseth as follows It was publickly reported about us that a certain young Man called Richard Dugdale livirg at Surey was possest of the Devil whereupon several of my Neighbours concluding to go and see the said Dugdle I went with them and coming to Surey it happen'd to be a day appointed by the Ministers to be spent in Prayer and other Religious Exercises for the said D. Mr. Jolly one of the Ministers present being earnest in Prayer for the Party afflicted That the Lord would free him from so sad an Affliction D. being then in one of his Fits in the Surey-Barn with a loud Voice said many times over O thou crying Jolly thou shalt never cast me out In the same Fit the sald D. cryed out O Carlile Carlile Carlile so he call'd Mr. Carrington After this as Mr. Jolly was ending his Prayer and was ready to dismiss the Assembly Mr. Carrington came to the Barn door where kneeling down he pull'd out a little Bible and looking in the same D. cryed out several times Carlile read upon the Wall Mr. Jolly and the other Ministers seeing Mr. Carrington desired him to go to Prayer Whilst Mr. C. was at Prayer D. still cryed out in a Language unknown to me When Mr. C. had done praying he apply'd his Discourse to D. and said Thou declarest thy self to be an unclean Spirit thou art such a Reviler D. and Mr. C. continu'd their Discourse together a long while one while Mr. C. spoke then D. then Mr. C. I could understand Mr. C. very well for he as I supppose answer'd D. very soberly and with some Texts of Scripture But I could not understand one word of D's Discouse to Mr. C. and I find several Sentences that Mr. C. then spake are printed in a Book call'd the Surry Demonâ—ack At Night Mr. Jolly Mr. Waddington and Mr. Carrington examin'd D. whether he had made any Contract with Satan or no either by writing word or any other way To which D. answer'd that there was no such Contract that he knew of Whereupon the Ministers told him that if he had made any Contract or Bargain with the Devil they could not help him unless he would first make an ingenuous Consession D's Mother upon this with seeming earnesiness said I pray thee Richard it thou have made any Contaact or Bargain consess it Thou had better consess it now To which Richard answered somewhat faintly I know of none Mr. Jolly asked D. how can'st thou then answer several questions and tell many things which cannot be done by Lawful Art thou having seemingly whisper'd with something at an Hole or Corner in the Barn Mr. Jolly said further how could ' st thou name those Persons that came from Haslingden and tell them at what Ale-house they called and how much they drank out of what Vessels Cans or Cups what every one paid whether Silver
A VINDICATION OF THE SVREY DEMONIACK as no Impostor OR A REPLY to a certain PAMPHLET Publish'd by Mr. Zach. Taylor called The Surey Impostor With a further clearing and confirming of the Truth as to Richard Dugdale's Case and Cure By T. Jolly One of the Ministers who attended upon that Affair from first to last but replies only as to Matter of Fact and as he therewithal is more especially concerned To which is annexed a brief Narrative of the Surey Demoniack drawn up by the same Author for the satisfaction of such who have not seen the former Narrative In all things approving our selves as the Ministers of God in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses in imprisonments in tumults in labours in watchings in fastings by pureness by knowledg by long-suffering by kindness by the Holy Ghost by love unfeigned by the word of Truth by the power of God by the armour of Righteousness on the right Hand and on the left by honour and dishonour by evil report and good report as deceivers and yet true c. 2 Cor. 6.4 to 11. London Printed for Nevill Simmons in Sheffield Yorkshire And sold by G. Conyers at the King in Little Britain London 1698. THE PREFACE AS I am well assured and many can witness that the Surey Affair was at first laid before me by a special hand of Providence without seeking it or my Self in it So was I by the same Hand of God led through it from first to last It is also apparent to several both in City and Country that a Narrative of the Case and our Carriage in it was called for by Persons of great Note in order to their Satisfaction That thereupon I drew up my short plain Account thereof extracted out of my Minutes all along according to mine own certain Observation and others credible Information When it was urged that it would not satisfy unless there was Proof and that upon Oath as to Matter of Fact I was necessitated for the clearing of the Truth and of our Selves to gather up Informations which are Printed and the Affidavits before such as were unprejudiced and would administer an Oath in the case As to the Printing of the Narrative at all the Sollicitations of several Worthy Persons were the occasion and the Reflections in a certain Book call'd the Devil turn'd Casuist I confess did hasten it's Publishing but I did not consent to the Publishing of it as all but according to the Authentick Copy and with the Approbation of several noted London-Ministers their nominated Therefore I must not undertake in vindicate the Printed Edition as it 's published much less every particular Passage in it I must leave that to these who are immediately concerned The Typographical Errors and the not adding of the Errata's will be easily excused as to the Editor by the ingenuous As to the substantial part of the printed Narrative concerning Matter of Fact I must still own it however Tho it doth not so much affect me whether it prove a Possession and so a Dispossession or no for my main ends are very much attain'd through the good Hand of God upon us as I humbly hope Not but that I humbly conceive it was a Possession and so a Dispossession or as the Ancients call it an Obsession That the Ancients own'd Possession under the Term of Obsession is plain from Justin Martyr in oratione ad Gent. p. 88. Cyprian p. 70 and 166. Edit Pamel The Centuriators 4th Cent. p. 419 440. and Origen on Mat. 17.21 owns fasting and praying as the means of dispossâ—ssing If any ask what those ends were I answer that the miserable Creature might be delivered from the lamentable Malady which he was under whether Spiritual or Corporal and by what means lawful soever to be used It 's evident that this end is attained for as to his bodily Condition he 's heal'd and better I hope as to his Spiritual Condition Another great end was that we might take the opportunity to serve the saving good of those Multitudes that resorted to the Meetings upon this occasion However that it might be a Testimony for God and against the Impenitent this end we hope is in some measure attain'd also Whilst we approve our Hearts to the All-seeing God and appeal to him as All judging let none be censorious nor judg before the time lest attempting to step into his Tribunal they hasten and aggravate their own Judgement Yet are we of those who acknowledge our Infirmity as well as profess our Integrity before God and Man Veniam petimus dabimusque vicissim That we did drive at such holy and blessed ends the Sermons preached on the occasion will manifest which Sermons my Reverend and Ingenious Neighbour Mr. R. W. thought might be more to Edification than the Discourses in the printed Narrative Which Sermons may see the Light if it be judged convenient and be desired In all this we are greatly concerned to look to our Hearts and see what Spirit we are of to look to our way and how we walk in it that we be led by sound Judgment rather than fond Affection by unfeigned Faith rather than foolish Fancy in these things Far be it from any to shut their Eyes against the Evidence and to harden their Hearts against the Power of Truth which some may be tempted unto from a Spirit of Envy against the Persons concerned if not from a Spirit of Malignity against the good ways of God Others may be tempted unto from a Spirit of Sadducism and Atheism which now works powerfully in the Children of Disobedience or Unperswadableness Yea God forbid that on either hand we should any of us give ahvantage to the common Adversaries of the great Truths and good Ways of Christianity or that we should expose our selves and each other to humour them and make them sport If there have been any thing hereof in any who are concerned in these matters sure they have cause to be humbled for it and to take shame to themselves If any do think that we kept not within our Province let them take notice that not to succour in such like cases is to slay Mar. 3.4 We cordially pity solemnly pray for those who are not of our particular Communion as we have occasion Here was Misery so the object of our Mercy Luk. 10.33 according to that case Mar. 9.22 They cried to us that if we could do any thing we would have compassion on them and help them Other Means failing them and other Persons neglecting them A Vindication of the Surey Demoniack as no Impostor c. I Said before that I am not accountable for every thing in the Book called the Surey Demoniack so neither am I to answer all the Book called the â—urey Impostor Mr. T. hath engaged Hands enough besides now I add that through the Grace of God I shall not deal with Mr. T. in the way and manner he hath dealt with me Indeed I must now deal
with him in a publick way but as he the first Printing Aggressor might have saved the trouble of so speedy publishing the Surey Narrative if he had in a Christian Brotherly private way sought an opportunity for satisfaction as to that case at first so might he it may be have saved himself the pains of Preaching and Printing against us afterward if he had when he was so near some of us sought to be satisfied in the said way as to the said Narrative Mr. T. is very liberal in his Title Page and all along to bestow on us at random the Imputation of Fanaticism and Enthusiasm But let him take heed lest he brands not the Experiences of God's special Grace and the special assistance of his Spirit tho human Infirmities do accompany the same with the odious Name of the Diabolical Enthusiasm of Heathenish Fanes And so be found guilty of a Sin if not the Sin against the Holy Ghost As to the manner of my dealing with him I hope to deal with him in such a Spirit as becomes my Profession and Age however he hath dealt with me Mr. T. chargeth me as declaring it to be as real a Possession as any in the Gospel Pre … this he saith without any Proof that I said it Yet I shall be so ingenuous as to give it him now under my hand that it seems probable to me according to all the Indications I meet with in approved Authors on that Subject that it was a Possession or an Obsession as commonly called For what more probable signs thereof can any one assign Yea may I not modestly say that there seem'd to be as many signs of Possession or Obsession as in most if not in any of those recorded in the Evangelick History Indeed in the manner of dispossessing there is a vast difference That this doth any way disadvantage the cause of revealed Religion I understand not for we give that Glory to divine Miracles which our Blessed Lord did in his own and his extraordinary Ministers did in his name that they were wrought not only in the immediate effecting of what might possibly in process of time be done by ordinary Means as when he cured Feavors but of what could not be done by any means but by his own Divine Power as when he raised the dead gave sight to those born blind c. This I suggest to shew upon what Basis true Miracles do stand But that any Imposture is foisted in or that there are clearer Indications of Possession in all or any of those stiled Demoniacks in the Gospel is yet unproved so that we firmly believe the Gospel Revelation of the Miracles and the Confirmation thereof thereby And as to Demoniacks and Dispossessions in particular tho the Possession might be mediante morbo viz. through Lunacy or a Mania yet it was certainly immediate sometimes as in the Pythoniss Acts 16. and so we suppose in this case Concerning Dr. Heylin's Story about Mr. Darrel mentioned in Mr. T 's Preface how little regard is to be had to him as an Historian in general especially wherein his opinion is concerned Arch-Bishop Vsher Dr. Barnard and Bishop Burnet have sufficiently satisfied the World And as to this particular case of Mr. Darrel's take the words of the Reverend Dr Hall Bishop of Norwich in his invisible World Whence it is plain that as there are several kinds of Devils one worse and more powerful than another so the worst of them are to be vanquished with Prayer sharpened with Abstinence What a difference then is there of Times and Means At the first it was a greater work to dispossess Devils by Prayer and Fasting than by Command now it 's far greater to do it by a meer Command than by Prayer and Fasting That which was then ordinarily done would be now strangely miraculous and that which is in the ordinary course now was then rare and unusual The Power of an adjuring Command we see ceased the Power of fervent Prayer can never be out of date This and this only is the remedy of both bodily and mental Possession Thus if we will resist the Devil he shall flee away from us Now upon the ground of the Scripture it was AS MY SELF WAS WITNESS that in our Age Mr. Darrel a Godly and Zealous Preacher undertook and accordingly through the Blessing of God upon his faithful Devotion performed those famous Ejectments of Evil Spirits both at Nottingham and Lancashire which exercis'd the Press and raised no small Envy from the Gainsayers Before we enter upon the examination of Particulars I shall premise three things which answer to the threefold design of Mr. T 's Book 1. That whereas he would sometimes have Dugdale 's strange Fits to be the Effects of some bodily Disease as Epilepsy or Convulsion the Party not only utterly and solemnly denies any such bodily Disease before as the natural cause of the said Fits but the contrary cannot be proved nor is it attempted that his Body was distemper'd by the Fits and had relief by Physick afterward is all along acknowledg'd but various Effects must needs give place to their several proper Causes He had no such Disease before to be the cause of such Fits What Distemper he had after was plainly the Effect of his said strange Fits Idem non patest esse causa effectus ejusdem 2. That whereas Mr. T. would otherwhile have the business to be a cheat for he knows not on whether to six here also not only the Parties immediatly concerned do utterly and solemnly deny it but the Testimonies as to Matter of Fact do demonstrate the contrary when Mr. T. and all his Accomplices have done their utmost the Witnesses the not at all tampered with do still stand to their Testimony and upon further tryal may so explain themselves as to put the Case further beyond all dispute So do the Parties immediately concerned they still persist in their disclaiming any such thing 3. Mr. T. says their was a Popish Combination Here again those immediately concerned do not only utterly and solemnly deny it but the Proofs to the contrary are altogether deficient as to Mr. T 's design of a Combination with the Papists As to any Combination among the Papists I know nothing I leave that to Mr. T. to find out who doth so vainly boast of his Talent in discovering such Intriegues As to us Dissenters himself clears us from having any hand in the Contrivance only he would fain have us to be the Papists diminutive Vnderlings and their Fools As to the Dugdale's it's not denied but discovered by us that the Popish Priests would have been tampering with them Yea it may be the poor ignorant People might in their great Distress and through their Infirmity have a Tempatation when they saw not the desired Success so soon as they expected to seek to such unlawful Means as they had sought to other unlawful Means before and as one King of Israel did indeed
run to the Witch at Endor another sent to the God of Ekron but these Dugdale's did afterward decline such Temptations and do still disclaim any Combination with the Papists in this case Can a meer Sollicitation by the Tempter be call'd a Combination with him Nay tho the Temptation have got some hold and there be some hankering after it Yet doth it not amount to a Combination with Satan So here Pag. 6 Mr. T. charges me with Disingenuity first in that I brought a Paper along with me and would have had the Justices to have sworn the Witnesses to the things therein contain'd not leaving them to the liberty of their own Words I only shewed the Justices what the Informants said to me that the Justices might examine them thereupon and take their Oaths also that things might be cleared publickly one way or another So that others it may be will call this Ingenuousness and fair dealing on my part tho Mr. T. will not 2. He charges me with concealing part of the Evidence that was at Darwin attested before the Justices In answer I am loath to make publick the Carriage of some who tock upon them the Management of that Affair with the Witnesses more privately in the Chamber as I was informed by one Present Nor would I expose the Scribe's Reputation especially as concerned in such a case Nor their Carriage more publickly when I made bold to come into the Room and so saw their Behaviour both to the Witnesses and my self Which I say I am not wiâ—…ing to insist upon unless there be further necessity for it them yet there is I have a due deference for the said Persons I would not exasperate any Neither is there any need here to shew the co … s tency of the Informations There may hereafter be a more proper place for it if there be occasion However the Case be is it not more fit to acquiess in the Testimony of Witnesses upon their Oath to restify the Truth the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth in those at Holcomb I say where they had their full Freedom than their meer Informations at Darwin where they had not that Freedom tho the one of the Justices was at both places and so heard both the Informations and Affidavits to which we have his own hand Pag. 7 3. Mr. Jolly is not over much christian in pressing the Witnesses to inform further than their Knowledg allowed them I say still I would have the Witnesses examin'd as 〈◊〉 such things they had said elsewhere But to swear to it would not be admitted by one of the Justices at Darwin else the Matter might have gone no further But Persons are so unbelieving that they must have an Oath to end the Controversy Indeed the said Justice alledged the danger of a Vremunire But whether there was not another reason he best knows If so he may see how he is frustrated in his Design and that he cannot suppress the Truth Opprimi non supprimâ— po … st Pag. 9 4. He charges me with feigning and framing D's Certificate and falsifying his Hand As to the business of R. D's Certificate before me and James Gregson under his own Hand July the 10th 1695 I dare take mine Oath upon it that he did in all outward appearance do it voluntarily I doubt not but James Gregson will do the same I am ready also upon Oath to testify to a true Copy of the Certificate Here also follows William Seller's and my Certificate drawn up shortly after and signed by us which we are ready to take our Oath upon Whereas Richard Dugdale upon the 27th of July 1695 was called before Justice Braddel and several others to give account as to some particulars relating to his strange Fits we whose Names are subscribed being then and there present upon that occasion do certify than the said Dugdale did at the said time own the Certificate which he had subscribed with his own Hand not disowning his freedom in the subscribing of it Moreover we do certify that the said Dugdale did then say to this purpose That he could not certainly judg up 〈◊〉 his own knowledge what the nature of h … said Distemper was because when he was out of his Fits he could not tell how was with him whilst he was in his Fits Moreover he did not deny the benefit he had to his Body â—y Physick so far as his Distemper was Bodily But that the said Dugdale was guilty of any Confederacy in order to getting of Ga … or any their sinister end by his being in that condition he utterly denied Thomas Jolly William Sellar So he still doth with Indignation deny those false and unworthy Imputations Pag. In Mr. Baily's Certificate on the 20th of July 1695 which was nor subscribed by Dugdale he confesseth his subscribing the said Certificate before me and J. Gregson and in that he saith he thought his Diâ—temper was from some natural Cause and not supernatural or divine Tho D. doth not deny what he is charged with in Baily's Certificate How any have wrought upon him since in his Circumstances I know not for what D. is said to express before Mr. Baily in the Gallery of the Old Hall in Whally was but said by one Witness and we are two against him As to what Mr. Nowel c. say they had lately from his own Mouth I suppose lately must refer to the publishing Mr. T 's Book for this Information hath no date it 's likely that R. D. might have forgot what was so long since done but I have it upon Record sufficiently attested that the words viz. That my former strange Fits were not any Cheat or Art of Man that I know of but as I do verily believe were caused by the Devil are in the said Original Certificate There was no other Paper offer'd to D. by me or any other to this purpose that I konw of As to any thing of forgery or feigning in this or any other Case as Mr. T. most falsly chargeth me I think there is none who knows my Temper and Conversation will so much as suspect me to be guilty thereof therefore to charge me with putting D's Hand to a Paper which he refused to sign and then to have the impudence to tack it to the Narrative is to say no more to shew Mr. T. not only to be altogether a Stranger to me but to be of a very strange Spirit and a notorious Slanderer I will not recriminate but heartily desire he would reflect upon himself and know what Spirit he 's of Yet must Mr. T. excuse me however others will if I treat him now and then with some gaulless Acrimony tho I would not be leavened with his Spirit Pag. 23 That the Demon as I suppose in his Fits said this Affliction was througn Obsession in a Combination is attested upon Oath but betwixt whom this Combination was Mr. T. doth not here declare That which seemed most probable to others