thank the said priests she hath by Gods goodnes recouered her health againe without any of the priests helps wherby she now perswadeth her selfe in her hart that she was then greatly deluded by them She further saith that she wel remembreth that Ma Trayford one night did seeme so be greatly troubled and afterwards did pretend to be sodainly wel Ma Dibdale the priest hauing catched him in his armes but she vtterly denieth that she euer saw any Mouse offering to come out of his mouth or after going out at his care or that the Priests mouth did hinder the deuill from comming out at Ma Trayfords mouth These things she saith are all fained and false and farther addeth that she wel remembreth when she was with them they would tel many things of her which she knew to be false but durst not say any thing against them for offending of them Where it is said that one deuill perswaded Ma Trayford to haue hanged himselfe and that another moued this exam to goe out at Masse time and that she thereby hindered Ma Trayfords vngracious purpose Iesus haue mercy vpon me quoth this exam what wickednes is this God is my Iudge that it is most false Also she saith that it is a shameful vntruth where it is reported of her that she by crying vpon God and her blessed Lady and by casting holy water vpon Ma Trayford made the deuill to leaue his hold hauing as the book saith in the likenes of a Toad catched him by the leg Touching the child George Peckham she confesseth that one time the priests holding of her hands he did beate this Examinate with one of their Stoles pittifully about the face in such sort as she did not loue him euer since For though the Stole could giue no great blow yet it made her face to smart exceedingly But this she saith was at Denham and denieth that for ought shee knoweth or remembreth he euer kept the deuill from her at Vxbridge eyther with holy water or holy candell Thus much also of Hobberdidaunce as it is in the booke she wel remembreth and saith that her Mistres as they were at worke had told them a merry tale of Hobberdidaunce that vsed his cunning to make a Lady laugh which tale she this examinate doth very wel yet remember therfore is fully perswaded that when the priests did pretend that the spirit was gone out of her and vrged her to tel what name it had she affirmed it to be called Hobberdidaunce There being reade to this examinate out of the same booke the pretended names of diuers spirits which the priests gaue out that they cast out of her and that the said priests deliuered whilst they were in her as Lustie Dick Killico Hob Cornercap Puffe Purre Frateretto Fliberdigibet Haberdicut Cocobatto Maho Kellicocam Wilkin Smolkin Nur Lustie iolly Ienkin Portericho Pudding of Thame Pour-dieu Boniour Motubizanto Bernon Delicate this exam sayth that there were very strange names written vpon the wals at Sir George Peckhams house vnder the hangings which they said were names of spirits And addeth that she perceauing stil that when they said it was the deuil that spake in her that they would needes haue her from time to time to giue it some name she to content them did alwayes deuise one name or other and verily thinketh that shee came neere some-times to some of the names which were written vpon the wall because she had often heard them and saith that they runne then in her head And she further thinketh that the priests themselues did set them downe in better order then she did vtter them But amongst the rest she saith that the name of Maho came into her minde for that she had heard before her vncle reade the same out of a booke there being a tale therein of Maho. The tale of Lusty Dick mentioned in the said book shee saith is set downe falsly euen as he that made the book list The Amice therin mentioned was a cloath that the priest had put ouer his head when he went to Masse which did signifie the cloath where-with the Iewes did blindfold Christ and saith it is likely that if they did lay it ouer her mouth she might blow it vp least it should stop her wind And for the other speeches she saith it may be that when they vrged her to aunswer those questions she aunswered as it came in her minde accordingly And for the stinke of brimstone she verily thinketh it may be true for that the chamber did stil stinke of it they vsed it so much That which is reported of her in the said booke of three Captaine deuils that should goe out of her eares hauing euery one of them 300 with them which this exam should haue felt in diuers parts of her body She saith it is an abhominable vntruth and that she meruaileth what they that so haue reported of her should meane in that manner to abuse her a poore wretch that neuer meant them any harme Touching that which is written of the pretended spirit named Puffe as that he should say vpon S. Hughs day he would goe ring for the Queene She verily beleeueth that eyther those words haue beene deuised by the writer of the booke or else that if she this exam vttered them it was because she heard them speaking of ringing that day in honour of the Queene and knew that thereby she should please them For as partly before hath beene touched she alwayes framed her selfe to vse such words as she thought would content the Priests And where there is mention made that she should say that spirits haue been raysed vp by a Coniurer to keepe money She confesseth it may be she might vse such speeches because she had heard talke that there had beene coniuring about the house for money As touching that tale of the xviij of Nouember how Purre was cast out of her how she was bound fast in a chayre and how the Crosse being layd vpon her head did so burne the deuill as that shee thought it would haue burnt out that part of her head which it touched She aunswereth that all of it almost is eyther falsly deuised as she perceaueth a number of things are in the said booke or else that it may be that she her selfe did then pretend something of it to be true But shee doth not now remember it For she saith there were so many things done and so long since as she thinketh she cannot remember a great part of them onely she addeth that she cannot forget her binding in a chayre manie times The manner whereof was as followeth When the priests were purposed to make the wicked spirit to shew himselfe in this exam and to expel him as they said they would cause her to be bound fast in a chayre and then giue vnto her a certaine drinke which as she remembreth was a hallowed drinke consisting of Oyle Sack Rue and some other
things which are now out of her minde But this she wel remembreth that looke what she most disliked and hated they would stil compel her to take pretending that it was not she but the deuil that disliked it And although she knew that therein they did abuse her and that few women there are that would not indeede abhorre such a drinke yet she durst not but seemed to yeeld vnto them but indeed they did compel her stil alledging that whatsoeuer she said or did against it it was the deuil that did it and not she whereas in very deede she tooke such a dislike at that time of those thing as yet to this day she cannot endure them In so much as about three yeeres since this exam hauing a pangue of sicknes in the Market at Oxford some of her neighbours gaue her Sack at vnawares vnto her which as soone as she perceaued she fel to be very sore sicke vpon it and was constrayned to lye there all night the offence of the Sacke being the onelie griefe she had after shee was recouered of her sayd pangue At some times also they would burne brimstone vnder her nose at another time feathers and diuers such loathsome smels which they said were hallowed then they would with very maine strength though she strugled very much bend her face iust ouer the smoke which was by the burning of the said brimstone and other things in a chafing-dish which they would hold so neer her nose as sometimes besides the smell the very heate would trouble her When she was thus holden she saith that the very paine she felt caused her to cry and scrich very loude to struggle as much as possibly she could till her strength failed her At one time shee was so extreamely afflicted with the said drinks and smoke as that her sences went from her and she remained in a swoune as afterward it was told her vpon her recouery she remembreth that the priest said that the deuil did thē goe downe into the lower part of her body and that commonly when her strength failed her so that shee could struggle no longer they would say that then the deuill grew quiet At such times when she cried they vvould say it was the deuill and not shee that so cryed When she was in this taking and so bound in the chayre her head beeing giddy with the said drinke and her sences troubled with the smoake she doubteth not but she spake many idle and foolish words which the priests vvould expound as they thought good which shee doth now perceiue especially by hearing those things which are written of her in the same booke As touching the fit that it is said shee had vpon the 15. Nouember she saith that it may well be that shee vsed hard speeches against the priests in the heate of her griefe And she wel remēbreth that diuers times though she was loath to displease them yet when they handled her so extreamely shee did sometimes vse some hard words toward them and threatned to complaine of them And then their common saying was that it was the deuill and not she that spake because he could not indure any Catholick priest Her sister Frauncis beeing then in the house and seeing how badly shee was vsed did diuers times perswade this exam to steale away and goe home and complaine hbw she had beene handled by the said priests At one time shee was so vexed as indeede shee ranne away towards a little brooke that was not past halfe a yard deepe meaning to haue runne through it and so to haue escaped from them thinking that they would not haue followed her through the water But they catched her before shee came to the brooke for they watched her so diligently at all times as they would not suffer her to goe out of their sights And their pretence was for so dooing least she should haue made away her selfe which she saith she thanketh God shee neuer intended but onely to haue beene deliuered out of theyr hands vvhereas she saith it is very likely that they had such a watchful eye ouer her least she should escape as fearing she would complaine of them At the same time she ranne away as before is expressed one of them that ranne after her which was her Maister Ma Peckham as she remembreth gaue it out that she was carried aboue ground and the priests affirmed that the deuil did meane at that time to haue drowned her And it is not vnlikely this exam saith but that shee herselfe to please them did confesse asmuch Her pretended carying in the ayre was made amongst them a kinde of miracle whereas this exam doth know it to be a lye and dooth perfectly remember that she ranne indeede as fast as she could but for any flying it is a meer fable although at that time she was content to sooth them in it Concerning the casting out of her of Captaine Frateretto with all his company of euil spirits as is pretended in the booke vpon the 21 of Nouember she saith that it was the ordinary custome of the priests to be talking of such as had beene possessed beyond the seas to tell the manner of theyr fits and what they spake in them also what vgly sights they saw somtimes and at other times what ioyfull sights and how when reliques were applied vnto them the parties would roare how they could not abide holy water nor the sight of the sacrament nor the annointed priests of the Catholique Church nor any good thing But how they would greatly commend such as were hereticks many such things besides she hath heard them report as how the deuils would complaine that when the priests touched the parties that they burnt them and put them into an extreame heate and how somtimes they could smel the priest These things she saith she now remembreth by hearing those things which are written in the booke of her selfe and confesseth that by the said tales shee well perceiued how shee might please them and did frame herselfe accordingly at such times as she well perceiued it was their intent she should so doe Also shee well remembreth that at one time they thrust into her mouth a relique being a peece of one of Campions bones which they did by force shee herselfe loathing the same it beeing as she thinketh against nature to haue a bone of a man put into ones mouth As touching the pretended trouble that shee should haue vpon the 25 of Nouember shee saith that there were so many such speeches amongst them as she doth not herselfe remember whether any such things were at that time otherwise then as before shee hath confessed Also she saith that it was no meruaile though they made her talke after they had giuen her the blessed potion they speake of And touching her smiling shee confesseth that when she was well if shee did either smile to herselfe or vpon occasion of some speech that shee had heard or
at other times if for griefe to consider how she was dealt withall she sometimes wept as oft she did they would ordinarily when they thought good say it was the deuil that did so smile or weepe which put this examinate almost to her wits end desiring nothing more then to be rid from them Shee also further saith that she well remembreth how one time walking in the garden with one of the priests who led her by the arme because she was weake she beganne to complaine vnto him of her hard vsage and told him that shee verilie thought they did her iniury and that she was not troubled with any wicked spirits in her more thē they were Whereupon he cast his head aside and looking fullie vpon her face vnder her hat What quoth he is this Sara or the deuill that speaketh these words No no it is not Sara but the deuil And thē this examinate perceiuing she could haue no other reliefe at his hands fell a weeping which weeping also he said was the weeping of the euill spirit By hearing of that which is written of her shee saith she remembreth these stories which shee thinketh she should not otherwise haue thought of As touching the report that Maho should bid her pray vnto him as to a Saint and tell her that it was but madnes to become religious or to vse penance towards her body also that the priest said nought in Masse and that shee this examinate must pray as the Parson taught her at her mothers Deerely beloued brethren the scripture mooueth vs in sundry places God saue the Queene her Ministers that shee must not pray in Latine because God had not commaunded her so to pray She this examinate saith that shee doth not remember that euer she vsed those words but rather thinketh they are deuised by him that writ the booke Howbeit she confesseth it may well be that she did vse them vppon such occasions as they gaue her by theyr owne speeches shee beeing alwaies ready as shee hath said before to speake doe as she thought might please them Furthermore cōcerning the pretended vision of things like puppets at the end of a gallery she saith that she verily belieueth it is all fained by the writer of the booke or by some that gaue him directions so to write For she saith she dooth not remember any one part of it but yet dare not vppon her oath affirme that shee told the priest no such thing for it might be that shee dreamed of such a matter and that she told the priests of the said dreame who haue made such a matter of it Againe that which is written to haue been spoken by her vpon the Thursday as though she vnderstood some Latine words shee well remembreth that at one time the priests were talking of some such things to those that were present as though this examinate vnderstood Latine which they said was the euill spirit in her but she then knew that therein they said vntruly and saith that shee perceiued they made what they list of any thing For the word Saffron-bag it may be she confesseth that shee vsed it but she doth not remember it Likewise where it is said that she oft threatned to raise the towne and country against the priests and to cause theyr heads to be set on London bridge and threatned the Exorcist to cōplaine on him to the Queene shee saith that they who haue so written of her may say what they list She doth not thinke although she was oft angry with the priests that she durst vse so hard words of them as to threaten them with hanging And touching her roaring it may be if they meane that she cryed when they had her in a chayre or gaue her the holy potion and burnt brimstone vnder her nose that they say truly but for roaring like a Bull she saith it is false As concerning that which is pretended to haue hapned vnto her vpon S. Barbaraes day she verily belieueth that the Priests might wish that all the Protestants in England did know the power of the Catholicke Church but she doth not remember that she said so herselfe And touching her coate that was pulled off she well remembreth that it was a new gowne which her mother had giuen her being laced vpon the sleeues which being a good prety faire gowne the Priests did pretend that she was proud of it and therefore took it from her and putting vpon her an old gowne she knoweth not where they had it bestowed hers shee knoweth not where but she could neuer see it after But that she should say her gowne was naught and full of spirits she beleeueth it is vntrue or that if they put any of their consecrated attire vpon her that she should crie I burne I burne shee beleeueth that she did it onely to please them knowing that she felt no more burning by any of their consecrated things then she did by the rest of her owne apparell Likewise as touching those things which are reported to haue beene vttered and done by this exam vpon the xviij of Nouember she saith that she doth not remember any one part of the pretended vision of a Ladie accompanied with Gentlemen all booted that should offer her to be a Lady if she would goe with them nor of the dogge of two colours that should terrifie this exam from yeelding to her motion but she remembreth that they would oftentimes bring the Pix with the sacrament in it for her to kisse which she did alwayes very willingly and confesseth that she beleeued the Host in the Pix to be the bodie of Christ and that it is therefore very likely if any of the priests did aske her what she did kisse that she aunswered it was the body of Christ. But she meruaileth why they write that the deuill should say it was the body of Christ and thinketh that the priests would neuer haue caused her to kisse it if they had thought that it had been the deuil that then had kissed it and not this examinate She remembreth that she did feare the corne-chamber that the booke speaketh of in Sir George Peckhams house because the report amongst them was that there had beene coniuring there for money And as touching the rest of that long discourse which was read vnto her how she should say that all the Court were her friends that the Earle of Bedfords soule was in hell that the English Ministers had power to cast out deuils she saith she doth not remember any part of it But acknowledgeth that for as much as it is said in the said booke that she was constrained to take the holy potion which shee so much detested and other their slibber-sawces and that they burnt brimstone vnder her nose she verily thinketh she might vtter much tittle-tattle that now she cannot call to minde And amongst the rest meruaileth that any priest would write or say that euer he caused the deuill
a Wolfe What people but you were euer so bewitched as to be borne in hand that a house was carried in the ayre from Palestina to Loretto that a painted Image in a wall doth worke as high miracles as euer were performed by the eternall sonne of God that the prints of S. Frauncis stripes the tayle of our Sauiours Asse the milke of our blessed Lady are this day to be seene and these gracelesse saltlesse gulleries either to be belieued or countenaunced by men of wit vnderstanding and spirit such as are this day many in the Romish Church If you aske me the cause what can it be but this that God hath giuen them ouer to the spirit of illusion to belieue vnsauory lies for refusing in their pride to embrace the pure naked synceritie of the Gospell of Christ. He that sits in the heauens Almighty God with his Angels and Saints do laugh these mishapen monsters to scorne And who can but bleede in hart to see you as farre bewitched on our imposturising renagadoes that come fresh frō the Popes tyring house masked with the vizard of holy burning zeale First it may please you to obserue that the wiser grauer sort of thē do keepe themselues warme in theyr Cloysters at home and doe feede themselues fat with the spoiles of your confusion These lighter superfluities whom they disgorge amongst you how they play the Bats and Moales either trenching themselues in the mines of your labyrinths at home or masking in your gold and siluer abroade in the fashion of great Potentates vntill Gods reuengefull arme doth vncase them to the view of the world then they suffer the mild stroke of iustice with a glorious ostentation as you in beguiled simplicitie doe imagine for theyr conceited religion but as the wiser see the state did alwaies know and is of late published in theyr own writings for high odious treasons and professed by their owne Maisters that haue made them after their own images to be of a spirit of contradiction to our Gouernours and Prince and it is wondred at by themselues considering theyr treasonable machinations that her Highnesse and the state haue carried so milde and mercifull an hand ouer them that any one of them is left aliue to libell against the admirable lenity of her Maiesties gracious proceedings Wherein be ye well assured that if the sword of iustice were drawne and inflicted according to the waight and measure of their detestable designes that fewer of thē would come ouer and that this couey of night-birds would shrowde thēselues warme vnder the gentle wings of theyr holy father at Rome But admit as you conceiue that they died for the credit of their conceited superstition what did Lucians Peregrinus lesse then offer himselfe in fire at Olimpia for the credit of his fascination What did Aesculapius vppon the hill Aetna to get himselfe a name but cast himselfe headlong into the burning flames What doe the Indian-priests at this day but sacrifice themselues for the countenauncing of theyr diabolicall incantation It is no new nor strange thing for the authors and maintainers of sects and factions in all kindes to die with seeming shew of glorious resolution Doe but seriously recount the quality of this fugitiue generation see what pious resolution can lodge in theyr breasts What are they afore they goe ouer but discontended ruinate stigmaticall refuse people of a factious ambitious exorbitant conuersation abroade exploded or cunningly discarded their owne Societies where they liued and how ghostly priestly they demeane thēselues here amongst you at theyr returne I referre you for demonstation to this short and perspicuous declaration Wherein you may plainly see if you doe not wilfully hoodwinke your owne eyes that the holy pretended hote zeale of the fiery spirits from Rome is the meer Heathenish iugling of Bells priests to deuour your goods lands patrimonies the rights of your posterity and auncient monuments of your name to defraude your children of theyr bread and cause you offer it to impure dogs to enrich theyr owne Cloysters Colledges Churches with the spoyles of your desolation to defile your chast houses pollute your tender virgins depraue and inueigle your owne wiues lying in your bosoms especally by that poysonable engine of hypocriticall Confession and finally to offer you vp as a pray to that Monster of Rome the head of all vnnaturall and detestable rebellion And that this declaration might be free from the carpe and cauill of ill-affected or discomposed spirits I haue alledged nothing for materiall or authenticall heerein but the expresse words eyther of some part of the Miracle booke penned by the priests and filed vpon Record where it is publique to be seene or els a clause of theyr confession who were fellow actors in this impious dissimulation Whose seuerall confessions and contestations the parties beeing yet liuing are heere published in print that the world may be a witnesse of our integrity herein All which had beene long ere this offered to your equall consideration but that the Miracle-booke came but lately to hand the getting of foure chiefe Daemoniacks together besides many more assistants beeing persons of that quality and condition was a matter of some paines and trauell to effect If the forme and phrase be distasting to some clowdy spirits as too light and ironicall for one of my profession let the matter be my Aduocat that draweth me thereunto and the manner my Apologie a little too trusting I may be excused to iest at their iesting that haue made a iest of God and of his blessed Saints in heauen If I haue wittingly falsified or feigned any thing out of that booke of wonders God doe so to me and more for dooing them so much wrong but if all be truly and authentically set downe giue GOD his glorie his Church her honor your Soueraigne her allegeance your Brethren theyr due affection and the Pope and his iugling companions their deserued detestation And so I leaue you to the protector of all truth and the reuenger of all falshood and hypocriticall dissimulation Yours in Christ S. H. †A declaration of Popish imposture in casting out of Deuils CHAP. 1. ¶ The occasion of publishing these wonders by the comming to light of the penned booke of Miracles ABout some three or foure yeeres since there was found in the hands of one Ma. Barnes a Popish Recusant an English Treatise in a written hand fronted with this Latine sentence taken out of the Psalmes Venite et narrabo quanta fecit Dominus animae meae come and I wil shew you what great things the Lord hath done for my soule Which treatise when we had perused vppon this holy inuitation we found it a holie fardell of holy reliques holy charmes and holy consecrated things applied to the casting out of many thousands of deuils out of six young persons 3. young men and three proper young maides accomplished by the meanes of Fa Edmunds alias Weston a
would haue giuen all the poynts at his hose to be gone and Dibdale would none but cōmaunds him to his lodge vntil the Brimstone by some dreadful enchaūtment were made hote enough to scald his breech soundly heere this lodging-power was more dreadful to the deuil and astonishable to the people by ods then the dispossessing was Thirdly this commaund to lodge would at no hand be spared for by this they made sure to haue a deuil readie at a trice at all assaies to furnish out the stage whō beeing safe lodged they caried about with them from place to place as the Iuglers vse to carry a Bee in a box or an ape in a string or puppits in a pageant to squeale skip and tumble wheresoeuer they pitch downe theyr trusse You shal heare an act of this puppet-play performed betweene a priest and a wench as it is deposed vppon oath for a tast of the rest There was a priest not many yeeres since in Lancashire in the habit of a gentleman who carried about with him as Tynkers doe their bitches a wench pretended by the priest to be possessed this wench at euery safe station where there was concourse of simple people the founders of miracles hee presents to play her pranks and his fashion was this When it was a full Court out brings he his Mattachina and places her in a chayre and then approching demurely to her takes her by the toe and then dialoguizes with the deuil according to his pleasure The end of the dialogue between the priest and the deuil is a remaund of the deuil to his lodge which to auoyde inquam and inquit I haue presented you in both theyr persons speaking sweetly together Pri I commaund thee to goe to the place appointed and that thou doe not hurt her in thy going downe nor make her sicke in body nor minde Wo Fie vpon thee hee is in my knee Pri I commaund thee to thy place appointed thou damned fiend Wo Oh hee is in my great toe Pri Goe to the place appointed thou damned fiend Wo Oh he is in my toe next to my little toe Pri Goe to the place appointed thou damned fiend Wo Oh fie vpon him he is in the toe next the great toe Pri I commaund thee to goe into the dead of her nayle With that the deuil gaue a rush vp into the womans body as though hee would haue torne her in peeces then the priest commaunded him to goe downe damned fiend as he was otherwise his Iudge would damne him into the bottomlesse pit of hell and with that the woman confessed that the deuill was in the place appointed Then the priest charged him that he should he there till the next exorcisme to be holden by him or some of his brethren I doe verily suspect this wonder was acted somewhat neere Gotham and that the spectators were the posteritie of them that drowned the Eele that neuer an vnhappy fellow in the company shewed so much vnhappie wit as to offer to take a knife and pare away the deuil lying in the dead of the nayle and throw him into the fire for acting his part so baldly but I nothing doubt but the deuil-maister priest would haue had an eye to this least he or some of his brethren at the next exorcisme holden should for want of a deuil haue spoiled a good play And would not this haue spighted any deuil to be thus hardly handled by a priest to be turned out of his warme nest where hee cabined in the wench and to be lodged at little ease in the edge of her nayle next to wind and weather where hee must lye for a skout like the Sentinel in a watch and suffer euery boy to play bo-peepe with his deuilship and he not able to stirre eyther out or in O that Will Sommer had come to this pleasant bargaine betweene the Exorcist and the deuil how handsomly would he haue belaboured them both with his bable for playing theyr parts so handsomlie But this was but a pedling Exorcist of the rascal crue who wandered like a chapman of smal wares with a wench and a trusse beeing neuer free of his companie Our wardens of the science had a little more art to lodge theyr deuils Such an art of lodging they had and some of theyr lodges so obscure and retrayte as none but a priest or a deuil could euer haue sented it out Some of these deuil-lodgers in Sara and Fid without a praeface of deprecation to your modesty I must not once name for feare of check from your chast eares and a change of colour in mine inke and paper at such vncouth termes I will onely leape ouer this kennell of turpitude with a note of vnsauorie smels and remit you to that clause of Sara Williams relation who as a woman hath touched it as modestly as she can giuing vs to vnderstand by her timorous declaration that our holy order haue a ticket from his Hol of Rome to harrow hell it selfe and be neuer the worse It was wisely cauteled by the penner of these sauory miracles in the end of his booke why Sara being a seely young innocent wench of 16 yeeres should be more deuil-haunted then any of the possessed men there was a pad in the straw the poore man would faine haue out But a Sceptike will make an other Quaere to our holy order to soile how it comes to passe that wee reade in auncient possessions of old of moore men to be possessed then women and now in these nouell vpstart miracles from Rome still it is the ill hap of more women to be haunted then men This sore being salued with a little blessed oyle from Rome an other doubt wil arise what the cause is why our holy order hauing vnder their holy hands not onely Fid Sara and Anne Smith women but Trayford Marwood and Ma. Maynie that were men there is no mention at all of common lodging and couching the deuil in a peculiar part of the body but onely in the wenches Let vs goe to old Lockwood Mengus their maister loke vpon his Canon for couching lodging of the deuil and happily we may thence pick out some English to this purpose In the seauenth formidable exorcisme of his deuil-whip his Canon lyes thus Si energumenus non fuerit liberatus et tamen vrgente necessitate dimittenda sit coniuratio tunc praecipe omnibus spiritibus remanentibus in corpore eos cogendo vt recedant á capite et corde et stomacho et descēdant ad partes inferiores corporis Heere you haue the Canon for lodging the deuil that you be sure to lodge him not in the head nor stomack but in the inferiour parts An excellent prouiso teaching vs that the deuil is of the nature of a cup of new strong Sack that cannot hurt a man if it be kept out of his stomack and head But old Lockwood knew what he did in assigning the inferiour parts for a
without receauing any adition of matter to feede and preserue the light except nutriment onely It was no great disgrace to the deuils puffe that could not blow out the holy candel being happily supported by the holy candlestick of the priest But you must be enformed of a farre greater foyle sustained by the deuil at the hands of a young child by the vertue of this holy candel holden in his hand Heare the Miraclist report it in his owne gracious Idiome Sara being set in a chaire shee raged more then ere shee did before especially at the presence of an infant holding a holy candell crying oft with terrible voyce and countenance I will eate thee but the child nothing abashed thereat was brought to hold the candell to her nose and to put him to silence O Catholicam fidem O fidem Cathoticam that hast such a check and soueraignty ouer all the power of hell as that thy priests leade about deuils after them as men leade Beares by the nose or Iack an Apes in a string and enduest thy young Infants with such heroical magnanimitie as they dare play with the deuils nose and crie Iack deuill ho deuill blow out the candell deuill and the poore deuil stands like a mute in a blacke sanctus with a bone in his mouth and dares not speake one word The two next deuil-scourges proclaimed from hel were Frankincense and the booke of Exorcismes the former whereof though it pleased you not to grace with any special miracle accomplished alone hauing many new initiats to aduaunce that stood you in more stead yet to shew that your deere Mother-church did not bestow her blessing vppon such a iewel for naught you gaue him his due time order and place and marshalled him very honourably according to his discent somtime with the powerful potion sometime with brimstone sometime wirh holy water sometime with holy candle shewing vs by the worthines of his companion that hee was none of the rascal crue Indeede you needed be the lesse careful for this by reason it is alwaies of worth very sufficient to grace and aduaunce it selfe both in regard of the antiquity as also of the honourable discent thereof as springing from no meaner stemme then the three Kings of Cullen that brought it with gold and Mirrhe for a present vnto our Sauiour Christ And therefore it hath beene worth the keeping esteeme in your Mother-church euer since and hath receiued her deere motherly blessing by consecration and benediction And so wee find that your holy Mother hath layd her holy hands vppon gold likewise and consecrated and blessed that amiable mettall to whereby it hath had and shewed as much power ouer deuils haunting houses walking in Churchyeards and speaking out of images as Frankincense holy candle and holy water haue But little did those three good Kings of Cullen know what a powerful rich present they had brought vnto our Sauiour whē they presented him with Frankincense as little deeming of fuming any deuil in theyr way or profugating a deuil from the body of our blessed Sauiour But your eyes pierced farther thē these 3. Kings could notwithstanding it is generally accoūted they had eye-sight enough as comming from the head and fountaine of wisedome vnderstanding and wit and you cleerely saw that the Egyptian priests perfuming theyr two grand Idols Isis and Osiris with this holy smoake and hearing Tully proclaime of theyr Images at Rome in omnibus vicis statuae factae ad eas thus cerei that they halowed them and theyr Altars with frankinsence and candle you haue very wisely deuoutly and heathenishly smoaked your Altars your images your Churches your vestments your reliques your beades your bookes your breeches with this perfume for feare of deuil-blasting and therefore you needed not vppon our deuil Theater to grace it with any new wonder The fourth feareful whip halowed out of hel was the booke of Exorcismes which though Stemp the priest shewed Sara a little corner of out of his pocket when he was new come from London to Denham telling her he had brought her Maister a whip and that Sara knew it as wel by the crosses figures as a begger knew his dish or an old curre a kitchin whippe by a corner of the steale it had beene so often thundred vpon yet we find in our tragaedie that this plaid not the most tragicall monster-part nor did not the greatest wonders and that vppon very wise and important considerations First this booke was sicut fortis equus spatio qui saepe supremo vecit Olympia It had playd so many worthy parts and caried away the garland so oft in all the Lists Turnaments and Iusts with the deuil that it needed no new Io paean to be honoured with-all Secondly it hath hanging on it all the seales and stamps of holy popes for many hundred yeeres with all their potent benedictions and it hath had the deere and louing mothers blessing with priuiledge of birth-right and priority of honour besides and therefore it might wel stand and breath a while without any new addition or title of aduauncement Thirdly it serued wonderous aptly ad terrorem et stuporem incutiendum populo in steede of thunder and lightning to bring Iupiter vpon the stage by these dreadful frightful Exorcismes thundring clapping and flashing out the astonishing of Gods names Iehouah Tetragrammaton Adonai and the rest to amaze and terrifie the poore people and to possesse them with an expectation of some huge monster-deuil to appeare Who standing at gaze with trembling and feare hearing the huge thunder cracke of adiuration flie abroad and no deuils to roare and then seeing the Exorcist in a rage to throw away his thunder booke behind him and hunt the deuil with his owne holy hands and instantly hearing the deuil rouze out of his cabin as a Lyon out of his denn bellow out with his roaring voyce Oh oh oh I burne I burne I scald I broyle I am tormented This must needes make the poore Madge Owlets cry out in admiration of the power of the potent priesthood O Catholicam fidem O fidem Catholicam O the Catholique faith O the power of the faith Catholique Brimstone and the holy potion needed no Herrauld from hell to proclaime their potency and might for where so euer they went they caried hel before them both for vgly blacknes smoake scorching broyling and heate As you may see in the poore she-deuil Sara that bore in her face the very Idaea of hell imprinted branded in her by these dreadful fumigations For the force vse and application of this Engine I referre you to the tenth chapter not that you must think that the loathsome hellish potion of Sacke Sallet-oyle and Rue mashed together and by force poured downe into her stomacke a full pint at a time did of their owne natural qualities fume vp and intoxicate her braine as Tobacco Giniper and Henbane mingled together would doe or that the owne vnkind fulsomnes of
theyr vnderstanding who receiued the blessed sacrament leaning one vppon anothers breast and therefore this temptation was as auncient as the originall institution that the sacrament was bread not to be adored Fourthly Sara was tempted by the deuill to thinke that our English Ministers were as good as the priests If the deuil had not tempted Sara to this hee had beene much too blame for he beeing one of their chorus and a principal actor in their play so familiar with all their legerdemaine did well see that if hell it selfe had beene raked as they say and 13 of the deuils most deuilish Ministers fetched from thence they could not haue passed Weston and his twelue deuilish tragaedians in any degree Dissemblers iuglers impostors players with God his Sonne his angels his saints deuisers of new deuils feigned tormentors of spirits vsurpers of the key of the bottomlesse pit whippers scourgers batfoulers of fiends Pandars Ganimedaeans enhaunsers of lust deflowrers of virgins defilers of houses vnciuil vnmanlie vnnaturall venereans offerers of theyr owne masse to supposed deuils deprauers of theyr owne reliques applying them to vnspeakable detestable monstrous deformities prostituters of all the rites ornaments and ceremonies of theyr Church to impure villanies prophaners of all parts of the seruice worship and honour of God violators of tombes sacrilegious blasphemers of God the blessed Trinitie and the virgin Marie in the person of a counterfet deuill seducers of subiects plotters conspirators contriuers of bloody detestable treasons against their annointed Soueraigne it would pose all hell to sample them with such another dosen Fiftly Sara was tempted by the deuil not to say her prayers in Latine because God had not so commaunded but in English as she had learned of the Minister in her mothers house Deerely beloued brethren the Scripture moueth vs in sundry places humbly to acknowledge and confesse our manifold sinnes and wickednes God saue the Queene and her Ministers Are not these mens faces sorely scorched with the flames of hel fire and their consciences seared with those hote burning coales that dare publish this desperate impietie to the world that the confession of our sinnes according to Gods holy wil and fatherly admonitions in the Scripture which is the first beginning of our worship and seruice of almighty God appointed and established in our publique forme of prayer in the Church is the deuils temptation Was it euer heard of before from eyther Heathenist or diuine that the deuil did tempt any humbly to acknowledge and confesse his sinnes before almighty God Which are the expresse words of our seruice booke derided by these hellish Impostors and fathered vppon the deuil What are our faith our hope our charity our zeale our worship of almightie God but Pharisaical cloudes and wandring starres accursed of God without true and vnfaigned humiliation going afore And what shal become of their much-commended mortification penance affliction and taming of the body to bring it into due obedience vnder the gouernment of Gods holy spirit or in what order and ranke shal wee place these if deiection of minde and humiliation of spirit the acceptable sacrifices vnto God be the cognisances of the deuil Blinde and desperate malice cares not what it speakes so it may speak For that addition in scorne and superbious contempt annexed by you vnto our publique prayer God saue the Queene wee doe glory in it and pray vnto God from the bottome of our harts that wee long so pray It demonstrateth plainly to the world with what spirit you are led namely by the spirit of Satanical pride and desperate disobedience that dare referre that pious loyal prayer to the deuil Thus hath the deuil forsooth spoken in fauor of our Prince her worthy Counsailors her renowmed Courtiers her learned Ministers in fauor of the Sacraments and publique seruice of almighty God established in our Church now let vs heare the same deuil as you haue presented him on the stage pleading for your Church and patronizing your heathenish superstition and diabolical inuentions in the same Dibdale to the deuil What sayest thou to the virgin Mary Deuil Oh shee had no originall sinne I had not a bit of her neither within nor without Heere you see a plaine blasphemy of the Church of Rome that could neuer before be warranted by Scripture reason nor auncient Father that any except the vnspotted sonne of God should be borne without original sinne now warranted and stamped with the signet of the deuil for good namely that the virgin Mary was borne without sinne Dibdale What sayest thou to Gregory the thirteenth Deuil Oh he is a Saint in heauen he neuer came in Purgatorie This fauour the deuil bestowes on that Pope because he had beene a bountiful founder and benefactor to the English renegadoes and a most pestilent deuiser against the life of our Soueraigne who for this good seruice was caried on the deuils backe as seemes ouer Purgatorie into heauen Dibdale What sayest thou to Brian Came he into Purgatorie Deuil Oh no he is a Saint in deede he is in heauen This man was one of the arch-traytors that came ouer with Parsons and Campian with special designes of treason from the Pope and therefore the deuil ought him a special good turne could not requite him better then to enroll him amongst his Saints Dibdale What sayest thou to the blessed Sacramant of the Altar Deuil It is the very body of Christ cut it and thou shalt see it bleede It had beene an easie experiment to haue tried whether that the deuil would haue beene true of his word but Dibdale had an euasion readie twined for this and that was Hee would not cut it for tempting his Creator It was no tempting of God to aske counsel of the deuil touching the Sacrament but it had beene a sore temptation to haue made proofe of the bleeding and yet there was no man of good sence but would rather haue giuen credit to his eyes if he had seene it to bleede then to the deuils bare affirmation in so waighty a case But whom should the children of lyes coggeries and Impostures beleeue if they should not beleeue their father the graund father of lyes Weston What sayest thou to Campians girdle whence hath it this vertue being a seely twist to afflict intoxicate and amaze thee Deuil Ierusalem nouit Tiburnus nouit Ierusalem and Tiburne can tell you Thus farre the worthie dialogue betweene Dibdale and the deuill wherein are many points of high prudent consideration If we may be so bold with his deuilships good leaue wee would gladly aske a question or two first why cutting should make the sacrament to bleed and not breaking doe the same if the body of our Sauiour be really there For veines beeing the vessels of blood there is fluxe of blood caused as well by rupture of a veine caused by violence and for the most part in greater aboūdance as by dissection
and chid her and said shee loued her not These things she saith she verily belieueth to be false that it was very euil done of them whosoeuer they vvere that writ them She also saith that those things are most false vvhich are written to haue beene vttered by her vpon the 17. of October as that she should say that her father mother friends were in a damnable case by going to the Church For at that time she this exam was not a recusant nor disliked going to the Church or that shee affirmed that it was dangerous for little children to goe to the Church Shee further saith that about this time they began to giue her things to drinke which she could not endure for that she perceiued they made her sicke as holy water offended her because it was salt and at such times she sayth that they Ma Dibdale and such others as were present would say it was not she that disliked thē but the deuil in her Further she saith that within about a fortnight as she remēbreth they preuailed with her to make her a Romish Catholick and then notwithstanding the deuil was in her as they said yet they caused her to receiue the blessed sacrament as farre as shee remembreth Shee further saith that in the booke concerning the sights which are pretended that she should see at masse all that therein is set downe is most false as that she should see a blacke man standing at the doore and beckning at her to come away that she could hardly looke vp in the eleuation time or that shee saw nothing then but the priests fingers But she saith that she doth not certainly know whether she told them any such thing or no confessing that she did very often tell them those things which were vntrue after she perceiued how she could please them Also she saith that it is likewise very false that is written of her as that she should vppon the 30 of October see the likenes of a Wrenne vpon the top of the priests fingers This examinat further hearing the report out of the booke how it is said that she was troubled vpō All Saints day she saith she doth not remēber the particuler times when they bound her in the chayre and applyed theyr reliques vnto her But addeth that they troubled her very often praying God to forgiue them and saying that when she came to the chayre she was so vsed as that euery time if she might haue had her choice she would rather haue chosen to haue ended her life then to haue gone into it And concerning her dumbnes and coldnes that shee could not speake till they had signed her throat with the signe of the crosse applyed holy reliques vnto it She saith that she doth not remember any such thing but thinketh it is altogether vntrue At the least if at any time she were past the vse of her sences it was by reason of such waters and drinks as they compelled her to take and that if she were at any time silent and did afterwards speake it was not because they had signed her throat with the signe of the crosse or applyed holy reliques vnto it albeit she confesseth that whatsoeuer shee did or spake they would euer expound it as they list themselues say it was done or spoken by vertue of holy water and other consecrated things Further touching the report of that which is pretended to haue beene seene and spoken of by this examinate vpon All Soules day after dinner she saith shee is ashamed to heare such things to be written God almighty knowing that they are very false And this shee affirmeth she saith as in the sight of Almighty God would so say if all the priests that were there were here present And she further affirmeth that shee is well aduised that shee neuer saw any deuill in the forme of a man that should depart from her when shee vsed these words as is pretended Credo sanctum ecclesiam Catholicam Almighty God forgiue them She further saith as concerning the byrd mentioned in the booke she confesseth that a bird came suddainly flying in whereby she was scared and strooke it vvith her beades and that the bird did afterwards beeing a Robin red-breast escaped out beeing on the floore at a hole in the boords there beeing light to be seene and wide lathes vnderneath vnmorterd so as the bird might easily escape But for the rest shee saith that it is most false as that a blacke man should perswade her to breake her necke downe a paire of staires and another time to cut her owne throat with a knife and that she saw the forme of a rough dog vppon the communion table or that there was any grunting in her like swyne or croaking like a toade or that she euer receiued her sight by the priests fingers or by theyr breathing vpon her It pittieth she saith her hart that any that pretend to haue any conscience should so write of her Touching the report that she should affirme that one of the seruaunts in the house was sore haunted by the enemie meaning as shee thinketh Ma Trayford and that shee could neuer abide the sight of him because of a thing that followed him she saith it is vtterly vntrue adding that shee was so farre from disliking the sight of him as that shee rather thinketh she loued him too well Concerning the ceremonies of baptisme mentioned she saith that the priests did perswade her that her baptisme could not auaile her except she also were partaker of their ceremonies which were holy oyle holy salt and holy spittle as she remembreth The salt they put into her mouth and with their fingers wet eyther with spittle or oyle did touch her lips her nose her eyes and her eares as she thinketh and in the meane time she had a Chrisome cast ouer her head being of halfe an ell of holland with a crosse in the midst of it At that time they changed her name from Sara to Mary where-vnto she was the more willing because they told her there was neuer any Saint was called Sara the name of Marie pleased her better She also saith that neyther by the feeling or smelling of a Priest she eyther receaued at any time her hearing or sight neuer hauing beene hetherto blinde or deafe she thanketh God onely she saith that through their euil vsage of her she grew to be troubled with the passion of the hart because she conceaued very great griefe by theyr bad vsing of her and that through the said passion she hath diuers times swounded At which times vpon her recouerie they would vsually say that she receaued her sight and hearing and other sences againe by the vertue of their reliques and touching of her And at that time she partly beleeued them but since hauing beene diuers times troubled in that sort since she was married as her husband knoweth for the which she may
and that as she had heard of them that those parties did that thereby shee might please them Concerning the reports in the said booke that this exam should see vpon Christmas euen at night after twelue of the clocke when Masses doe begin viz great beames of lightning to proceede from the Sacrament as it had beene some beames shining out of a cloude that vpon Newyeares day she should see fire to flash in at the window and a browne dogge as big as a Bullock that the Sonday after the Sacrament being reserued and lying vpon the patten she could not see it for a great brightnes and that at the same time the Priest seemed to be cloathed in siluer that stoode by the patten She this exam aunswereth that she is perswaded in her conscience they be all vntrue reports of her For she saith she doubteth not but that otherwise she should haue remembred some of them as wel as she hath done other things in the said booke Onely she confesseth that she hath heard such things reported of Richard Maynie that he should haue such sights but sure she is she neuer saw them Concerning the report of her that she should say that the blessed Sacrament was but bread that there was no Purgatorie that the seruice in England being in English was as good as the other in Latine and that she should commend some Ministers She saith that it may wel be that she hath asked some questions touching the Sacrament Purgatorie and the English seruice and that she hath spoken wel of some Ministers but she is fully perswaded that when she demaunded such questions she did it of her selfe to be instructed and that it was not the deuil that spake so in her Also she saith that when she commended some Ministers she said therein truly and that she thinketh there are of them as there are of the priests some good and some bad Where it is reported of this exam that vpon the third day of Ianuarie she should see Christ in proper forme when she receaued the Sacrament that she found ease of the paine in her stomack by the application of a holy relique and that she flung away her beades saying to the Priests fie on you She saith that she wel remembreth that one offending her she threw her beades at the party but she denieth that euer she receaued any ease by applying of any holy reliques vnto her for ought that she perceaued how so euer the priests haue reported or that she euer saw any such thing when she receaued the Sacrament but thinketh that the Author of the booke hath deuised it of himselfe marrie she saith it is not vnlike that she might wel enough say Fie vpon some of the priests both because there were of them that vsed her hardly and for that she knew wel that they disliked not such words because they would take occasion therby to shew to those that were present that the deuil could not endure a Catholique priest That which is reported of her of the fourth of Ianuarie as touching the booke of Exorcisme she saith that she knew that booke very wel from any other both by the Letter it selfe because she can reade and by the great number of crosses which are in many places a great number of them together And no other knowledge she had of any such booke although it be giuen out that she knew the booke of Exorcisme being lapt vp in a paper before otherwise she saw it Where it is said that this exam should affirme there were foure scourges of deuils viz the booke of Exorcismes holy water the holy candell and hallowed Frankinsence she doth not remember that she termed them scourges but saith it is like enough that she said that the deuil could abide none of them because the priests had told her so As touching that which is written of this exam of the fifth of Ianuary that being exorcised shee vsed many idle words that she prated and scoffed cursed and sung called for a piper when the Priest bad the deuill tell him his name he should make aunswer in her Pudding of Thame all which is said to haue beene spoken by the spirit in her she saith that she might speake such words when her head was so troubled but she doth not remember them And for the Pudding of Thame she saith she hath oft heard it spoken of iestingly when she was a child And where it is said that she should affirme that the deuil could not tarry in her legge or foote as he was cōmaunded because of her hose which had beene worne by a vertuous and godly priest she confesseth that indeede she ware a payre of Ma Dibdales netherstocks and thinketh it not to be vnlikely that when vpon occasion she said that the hose she ware had beene Ma Dibdales but that further hearing some of the priests say that was the cause that the deuil would not remaine in her legge or foote she did say as much her selfe Concerning that which is written of this examinate of the 6. of Ianuary that after consecration shee saw in the Challice a little head as it were of a child that shee should call for dyce to play with that shee should see two at either corner of the Altar glistering like siluer that shee should tell a tale of a Mummery that came into the chamber where shee lay that shee scoffed at the Sacrament that a propper man in a short blacke garment girt about him hauing the rest of his apparrell also blacke and long haire turned vp also great ruffes starched with blew starch that shee complained that the priests hand burned her that his breath tormented her shee saith shee remembreth no part of all these What she might speake when her head was troubled with their drinks she knoweth not but she dooth not remember that euer she said that she saw such a little head in a chalice or that if she had seene it she should euer haue forgot it Whereas also it is said of her that there appeared vnto her in a fit the said 6. of Ianuary a Mummery cōming in at the doore with a bright eye before them a drumme sounding and sixe in number with motly vizards which daunced once about her and so departed She aunswereth that she belieueth that it is but a made tale by some of the priests or that if she told any such her selfe it was but a dreame or some such thing as shee had before heard of amongst them it beeing Christmas Also as touching the report of her that shee knew a peece of the holy Crosse by the smell that a priest put his finger into her mouth and bad the deuill bite it if hee durst and that the deuill in this examinate should aunswer hee durst not bite it because it had touched the Lord shee saith shee well remembreth that she heard them talke that they had a peece of the holy Crosse but shee dooth not