minde Nowe howsoeuer it might seeme more expedieÌ„t for me to be silent in these things least I should seeme or be taken even as a foole in boasting my self yet herein I may say with the Apostle you haue euen compelled me for indeed so great is the incoÌ„venience that hath come by the misconceyuing and misreporting of this matter of facte as that it hath enforced a necessitie of manifesting the trueth therof in the plainest maner which yet hitherto for modesties sake hath bene suppressed for the space of 3 yeares and likelie neuer to haue come to light if our innocencie could haue bene cleared without it But now I must returne to the Discouerer and proceed to performe my promise which is to proue that the purpose of the Detectour to make Mai. Darrell the principal agent in this dispossessioÌ„ is onlie vnder a pretence not that he is so perswaded my reasons are these First to pretend Mai. Darrell to be principall in this aswel as in all the rest is great pollicie for vnder this preteÌ„ce all that they charge him with concerning teaching of Sommers hath the greater colour of trueth Secondly by inforcing this as they doe much in their booke it doeth more easilie perswade men to beleeue that he is a verie common and lewde practizer and deceiuer Thirdlie by this title of principall in al places where he comes to bee the chiefest it presupposeth an extraordinarie iugling skill and a singular cunning in legerdemaine as they terme it wherevpon they saye that when he beganne with Katherine Wright then he dealt but rudelie and vnskilfullie but after he had practized with Thomas Darling and the 7 of Lancashire then he was his craftes maister Fourthlie It helpes to iustifie that accusation of vaine glorie and that he desires to haue a great name and to make him selfe famous or ells that he is the onelie man that hath a peculiar prerogatiue to cast out Devills aboue all men seeing that where-soeuer he comes hee beares a way the bell as they say and that no bodie can doe the feate but he Fiftlie vnder this pretence they may with lesse preiudice proceede against him seeing that in foure seuerall actions though they finde some accessories yet they finde none principall but him selfe And thus pollicie hath preferred him to bee principall when in deed they know hee is not so of purpose to doe him a mischiefe and to dishonour the cause it selfe euen the great worke of God And that they are not perswaded that hee is the principall in this worke it may thus appeare Because they haue the storie of this matter of Lancashire penned by Mai. Dickoms as is plainely confessed and prooued in the Discouerie wherein the dispossession of these 7 is most plainly described with the circumstances thereof according to that which I haue heere seâ—â— downe And therein Mai. Darr except that hee was the man that was sent for to come and principallie aymed at is made equall Concerning this booke I speake that which I know for I was examined in that whole story out of it from the beginning to the ende and yet the Discouerer will take no knowledge of this matter which is written there though it be most sure certayne because it makes against him and takes the rash testimonie of the printer which spake onclie as hee hearde that Mai. Darrell was the man and as for Mai. Darrell him selfe in his testimonie it was eyther mistaken or misreported forâ— dare say that he would not say that those 7 were deliuered or dispossessed by him principallie yet the discouerie vrgeth both these testimonies to the full because they seeme much to make for him in all the former respectes If then this may bee receyued for the trueth as in deed it is I doubt not but that all suspition of counterfayting and coniuring and of all other bad dealing wherewith we haue ben most vniustlie charged may be remoued as also that grosse errour which is tootoo commoÌ„ of ascribing anie gift or extraordinarie power of casting out of Devills to anie one man more then to another may be both convinced and suppressed for herein all men may most clearlie see that the good hande of God in blessing his own ordinance and the poore endeuours of his servants is the onely inward efficient cause of this great worke of dispossessioÌ„ that so all the glorie therof may wholie onely be ascribed vnto him who worketh all thinges according to the pleasure of his own wil to whom be prayse for euer The last part NOw it followeth last of all to set dowâ— the signes of disposs shewed forth bâ— these 7 immediatlie before their deliuerance in and after the same and therwitâ— also brieflie to shewe the retourne of thâ— spirites being cast out how sundrie time and diuers wayes by many strange feaâ— full assaultes they seeke to reenter whiâ—â— also may serue as an answer to that proof of the Discouerie contayned in the 9 anâ— 10. chap. touching those pointes that 〈◊〉 these signes being conferred accordingâ— divine and historicall observation thâ—â— that be indifferentlie minded may bee able to iudge what cause they haue to scoâ—â— these signes and to sport them selues witâ— them as they doe The first signe to manifest these disposâ— was that the spirites did rent and teaâ—â— the possessed insomuch that they were sâ—rer vexed and tormented immediatlie before they left them and euen as it were 〈◊〉 their departure then ever they were at aâ—nie time before so it is saide when Chriâ—â— charged the spirite to come out of the thâ— childe then the spirit rent him sore after came out Marke 9.26 The seconde signe is that they cryed out with loude voyces and roared out exceedinglie after the manner of beastes most fearfull and lamentable to heare beeing neuer so fierce and outragious in anie of their fittes as euen then when the spirites were forced and compelled to come out of them And of this signe it is thus written f. that vncleane spirites crying with a loude voyce came out of manie that were possessed Act. 8.7 Thirdlie they were cast downe suddenlie lay all along stretched out as if they had bene dead and so leaving them as dead the evill spirites departed from theÌ„ And thus it is written of the childe whom Christ dispossest when the vncleane spirit came out he was as one deade insomuch that manie said he is dead Mark 9.26 Fourthlie the evill spirites departed out of the possessed in the likenes of some vglie creature and euerie one of the 7 sawe and perceyued the spirites to departe out in a seuerall likenes one in the likenes of a crowes head round which when it was our went and satt in a corner of the parlour with darknes about it a while then went it out of the windowe with such a flash of lightning that all the parlour seemed to her to be on a light fire It left also behinde it in the maide a soare throat
A true Discourse concerning the certaine possession and dispossession of 7 persons in one familie in Lancashire which also may serve as part of an Answere to a fayned and false Discoverie which speaketh very much evill aswell of this as of the rest of those great and mightie workes of God which bee of the like excellent nature By George More Minister and Preacher of the worde of God and now for bearing witnesse vnto this and for iustifying the rest a prisoner in the Clinke where he hath continued almost for the space of two yeares Remember thou magnifie the worke of God which men beholde Iob. 36.24 We speake that we know testifie that which we haue seene but ye receiue not our testimonie Iob. 3.11 1600. To the Christian READER FOrasmuch good Reader as it is the maner of men that set foorth any storie though it be but short to giue a Reason of their purpose therein least they should seeme either rashly to attempt that which is not conuenient or otherwise busie them selues to bring forth that which is not necessarie for this cause I haue thought good to prefixe these Reasons ensuing to this discourse that so the weighing of them might make the matter something more worth in their conceite with whom nothing though of it selfe it be neuer so savorie tasteth well except it be rare and excellent neither can they digest that which is verie good and wholesome except it be of great consequence and expectation this sorte may mislike the handling of this strange storie in this harshe manner whiles they affecte great and high things yet the mooving causes of setting it out being considered may ouercome that curiositie and worke some contentement First then in respect that both the Storie of the possession dispossession of Thomas Darling and also many things concerning the straunge handling of William SuÌ„mers to seconde the same are both put in print though the trueth of both be sufficieÌ„tlie cleared therin yet there is great opposition both by worde writing offered of set purpose to hinder the crediting of either I thought it fit to adde to these two the storie of those in Lancashire as famous as the rest both in that they were 7 in one familie all possessed at once as also that they were all 7 dispossessed within two dayes by prayer and fasting that this also being published as the thirde glorious witnes of the wonderfull workes of God wrought and seene in 3 seuerall Shires of our lande all men might be the more mooved to beleeue the trueth of these thinges seeing at the mouth of 3 such sufficient witnesses it is so surely sealed vp and confirmed Secondlie in respect of the papistes who doe more maligne this particular of Lancashire then any of the rest labouring mightilie and by many meanes both to discredite and disannull it wherevpon some of them haue giuen it out that those 7 were not possest other say that they were all 7 possest but neuer yet dispossest and some others of them affirme that they were all dispossessed yet not by Preachers of the Gospell but by their Seminaries masse-priestes and this last runnes for currante among them For there being 8 or 9 Seminaries in the Clincke diuers of them stood out against me to my face and tolde me that what soever was done in Lancashire by vs was done by coniuring and knaverie And though M. Starkie him selfe did iustifie the whole matter and cleared it from all their slaunders and that before the chiefest of them in the Clincke yet they receyued not his testimonie but tolde him they had receyued the report of this from a Gentleman in that countrie whom they would credit before him in this case And no maruell for if the Church of Englande haue this power to cast out devills then the Church of Rome is a false Church for there can be but one true Church the principall marke whereof as they say is to worke miracles and of them this is the greatest namely to cast out Devills And herevpon conferring at another tyme with two of them they brought out this bold protestation that if we could proove any such power to be in our Church and shew them an infallible instance or example to iustifie the practise thereof then would they ioyne them selves to your Church assemblies and freely embrace our religion Thirdlie in respect of that grosse and great errour which is a common and receiued opinion among the most namely that we doe challenge to our selues some speciall gift to cast out Devills aboue other men which though we haue vtterly disclaymed yet many doe ignorantlie ascribe the effect of the worke wrought rather to some extraordinarie power in vs then to the ordinance of Christ which in no case ought so to be But chieflie J haue taken in hande this brief discourse for the better clearing both of Ma. Darrell and my selfe from those accusations and slaunders of cosinage counterfeiting werwithall we are charged both by word and writing as if wee were guiltie thereof even in this particular of Lancashire For there is a booke of a large volume latelie come out vnder the name of S. H. crosshing and contradicting the whole course of proceeding for Mai. Darrels clearing Discover booke 1. chap 5. pag. 29. yoaking me also with him in this develish legerdemaine as they terme it calling vs a couple of cousining hipocrites vsing also manie other badde termes The title of this booke is termed A discoverie of fraudâ—lent practises concerninge preteÌ„ded possessions It contained 5 bookes the firct whereof doth more concerne me the matter of facte for Lancaâ—hire then the rest doe so much therfore as I can convenientlie for the clearing of both I will answer vnto and leaue the rest vnto him who hath iust occasion offered to vse his best defence in that behalfe Lastlie for that this discouerer Discoverâ— booke 1. chap. 3. pag. 17. booke â— chap. 10. pag 58. booke 5. chap. 8. pa. 324. whosoeuer he be finds great fault with some of our friendes for that they spake so much of the dispossession of Summers in a little treatise or two but nothing of the dispossessioÌ„ of these 7 in Lancashire and of some others And seemes sometimes to challeÌ„ge vs to make our answere if we haue any more to say and to speake for our selves what we can Vpon these iust occasions I haue vndertaken this short discourse hoping here by to detect the falsehoode of this discouerie concerning this particular facte by clearing it and in it the rest which are like vnto it of such malitious slaunders as are raysed against it that so all things being faithfullie described from point to point appertayning to this matter all men may see both what great cause J haue aboue any other to defende this as the wonderfull worke of God as also that it might better appeare whether we or they that haue written and dealt against vs be deepest in this
to speake At the same time Iane Ashton began to howle and to barke when shee should be brought in for a witnes against Edmond wherevpon one of the yonger girles saide then in her fitt Ah Edmond doest thou trouble her now when shee should testifie against thee Margret Byrom also two nightes before her examination against Edmond had diuers apparitions wherin she was sore terrified by the Deuill in Edmonds likenes charging her deepely to take heede what she said against him for now the time was come And when the Assises came Edmonde was brought forth arraigned and convicted Mai. Starkie having charged him with bewitching his children which hee proved sufficientlie made it evident to the whole bench howbeit for that they could finde no law to hange him wherevpon M. Starkie called to minde the making of the circle whereof we haue alreadie spoken which being deliuered vpon his oath was receyued Yet Edmond stiflie denied it and stoode out against him and tolde him to his face that hee should not hang him let him doe what he could for the Devill had promised him that no halter should hange him yet the Iurie cast him the Iudge cōdemned him Hartley was hanged the halter brake whervpon he penitentlie confessed that he had deserued that punishment and that all which M. Starkie had charged him with was true and so he was hanged out the second time Now this being so as you haue heard howe detestable then is that Discouerie which is come out fraught with so manie fraudulent accusations against this cause specially charging these 7 persons to be al counterfaits that M. Darrel had taught them that deceitfull trade coupling mee equallie with him in that craftie iuglinge as they call it making vs bewitching mates and ioint companions working together in that cousinage Against which infamous sclaunder that which hitherto hath bene observed is sufficient to cleare vs. For herein wee haue seene the parties proved to be bewitched Secōdly the parties bewitching every one of them Third lie the causes therof mentioned in the beginning Fourthly diuerse sundry witnesses Fiftly his apprehēding examining imprisoning indighting condemning executing are vpon recorde Moreover the Iurie the Iudge and the Bench together with the whole Assises holdē at Lancaster about the 6 of March Anno 1597 doe all beare witnes to our innocency and doe iustifie vs to be iuste men concerning this matter and with greate indignation doe detest and defie all detecting discoueries to the contrarie whatsoeuer And last of all that memorable execution of Edmond Hartley the coniurer witch who was hanged with a witnes the gallowes the halter and his dubble hanging together with that last and famous confession out of his owne mouth that hee was the man that had done the deede and onely guiltie of bewitching these 7 seuerall parties and of sending evill spirits into them This famous champion doth chaleng this discouerer to bee but a deceivable detractour and a false accuser of the brethren And is also most sufficient to cleare vs in this matter against all Atheistes and Papistes and the whole worlde And thus much shal suffice for the first point The second part THe second thing that must bee cleared in this Discourse is the possession of these 7 persons to which purposel wil proceede to shew the straunge signes acted by euery one of thē in particular first after cōtract them more briefly in the general by which I hope it will appeare to the indifferent Reader that such great thinges were done by thē as be very harde vnvsual quite beyond the nature of things such as neither by arte nor any humaine skil could be coūterfaited that as the first part of this Discourse hath cleared vs from counterfaiting so this may be sufficient to prove the truth of their possession contrarie to that overbolde confident confutation made by the discouerer who laboreth both toth and nayle to crosse and contradict the same Frist Iohn Starkie sonne and heire of M. Nicholas Starkie among sundrie fitts had some very rare and strang wherein he shewed very extraordinary knowledge for he being but of the age of 12 yeres or there abouts did in his traunce declare the straunge sinnes of this land committed in all estates degrees of people denounced the fearfull iudgements of God due vnto them He thē exhorted his parents the people there present to repent that they might avoide all those grievous plagues and wished that all the whole land might doe the like After this hee made a most excellēt prayer first for the whole church then for the Queenes Maiestie for the subduing of her enemies for the continuance of her life and peaceable governement for the vpholding of the Gospell and for all the true Ministers of Christe for those that haue Authoritie for his parents and all the people of God In this exhortation prayer he continued aboue two houres performing the same so excellently both for the matter and maner of handling and vttering the same as they that heard it did admire it thought that a good preacher could very hardly haue done the like this being done he sunge a good peece of the 4 Psalme in a most sweete and heavenly tune as ever might be heard All this was done in a traunce his eyes being closed vp neither knew what he said nor did In this longe and continued speach his father wished him to lie stil to speak no more saying vnto him sonne thou marrest thy head and canst not tell what thou sayest yes father quoth hee I know well what I say then said his father thou canst tel me how many persons be in this chamber and what bee their names therevpon he reckoned them and told the names of euery one of them to the number of 18 or 19 his eyes being close shut vp as they had bene all the morning before the neighbours and some straungers hauing come in after he begunne his fitt and in the end he said vnto his father there is now one of your Tenaūts newly come into the chamber he told him his name that he dwelt farre of in the peak let him come said he and take me by the hand and I shal see be well for this time so it came to passe at which they all marveilled and asked him whether he remembred what he had said all that long time and he denied flatlie that he had spoken any thing at all Secondly Margret Hurdmā of the age of xiij yeres being in a traūce of 3 houres long and possessed at that time as it seemed with a spirit of pride did most liuely expresse both by wordes and gestures the proud women of our times who can not cōtent themselues with any sober or modest attire but are euer readie to followe euery newe and disguised fashion and yet neuer thinke them selues fine enough wherevpon she saide come on my lad for so shee called the spirit that stoode
the Discouerer hath reveyled when the abouenamed Margret Hurdman was heard againe to vtter these wordes I cannot tarie I cannot tarie I am too hoote am too hoote let me goe let me goe Whiâ—â— wordes gaue vs this comfort that Sathaâ— would not long keepe his holde he was heated by fasting and prayer and by tâ—â— word of God so zealouslie and powerfull applyed as if fyer were put into his hoâ—â— to burne him out for herevpon before 〈◊〉 sermon was or could be ended shee wiâ—â— all the rest brake out into exceeding loud cryes all seaven roaring belling in suâ—â— extreame and fearfull manner that the troubled vs al being so violent and outragious that they had much adoe to be holden For Satan then being ready to depart did first vexe all the vaynes of their hartâ— and did so torment them that they weâ— forced to lay about them with both hand and feete to pull their hayre and to reâ— their clothes to knocke their heads an to strike themselues crying out with opeâ— mouthes roaring as if they were madâ— Then was there such strugling striuinâ— betweene vs and those seaven Devills crâ—ing out so loude with such violence aâ— extention of voyce labouring who shouâ— be loudest till our voyces were spent aâ— no strength almost left in vs. This battay continued verie neare the space of iâ— houres till we were exceedinglie weakened with longe and loude crying vp vnto heauen but it pleased God toweaken Satans power much more and to tread the euill spirits vnder our feete And thus much may serue to shew what beginning we made into this worke and howe wee proceeded therein and that our whole course cariadge held in this cause thus farre may cleare vs that we neither sought worke nor set our selues to work though we be charged so to doe by this Discoverie as may appeare by the scope of the whole last chapter of the first booke neither in dealing with these straunge afflietions haue we vsed eyther delusions iuglings exorcismes or any such vayne and ridiculous fooleries as they haue detected in the popish Priestes nor yet any such lightnes as should be coÌ„demned by men that meddle with matters of such moment The fourth part NOw it followeth in the fourth placâ— to describe brieflie the meanes aâ— maner of the dispossession of these 7 peâ—sons that so it may appeare that Mai. Darell was neither the only nor yet the principal agent therein coÌ„trarie to that whiâ—â— the Discoverer doeth falslie report of him Chap. 1. pag. 2. namelie That though he had gloried in 2 exploites yet his name wâ— not so famous till he had dispossessed 7 persons in Maister Starkies house at one claâ— And for proofe heereof they alleadge thâ— storie of the boy of Burton in the endeâ— which booke it is thus written viz. Shortlie you shall haue the true storie come foorâ— of those 7 in Lancashire that were possessed with vncleane spirites and all 7 deliuered at one time by this man And the more to confirme this they alleadge Mai. Darrels owne testimonie in his answere to the 6 artic of his exam quoted in the marg therevppon inferring thus By this man meaning Mai. Darrell as he himselfe hath confessed I will therefore first sett downe the trueth concerning their deliuerance and after proue that Mai. Darrell is made the principall in this action by this Discouerer but vnder a pretence onely and for a further fetch For the truth first you haue heard alreadie that we were three Preachers that exercised that day of whom I was the last indeed in the latter end of my sermon as the Discouerer hath reveyled they grewe to be so strong that they could verie hardlie be holden downe vppon their beddes though they had lyen before reasonablie quiet But chieflie one of them namely Iane Ashton being both the strongest worst of all the rest was also more violentlie vexed having her fittes so sore and so thick that we feared she would either haue fainted and fallen downe orells have yeelded vnto Sathan who laboured mightilie to make her workeable to his purpose whervpon Mai. Darrell and Mai. Dickoms the other Preacher that ioyned with vs being much affected with her miserie as by force of her fittes she was violentlie caried aside from the rest they two attended vpon her striving with all their power to vpholde strengthen her In the meane time the other 6 being sore tormented and strugling with those thâ—â— kept them were got from them and being tumbled froÌ„ their pallets to the floâ—â— and neare to the fire side where by thâ— good providence of God I was broughâ— euen into the middest of them and theâ— being assisted with the prayer of their pâ—rents and the people we earnestlie entreâ—ted the Lorde for them with stronge anâ— mightie cryes And it pleased God to heaâ— vs at that instant for those 6. who were a vpon a suddaine straungelie and fearfull cast downe before vs where they lay all along one by another altogeather fencles their bodies stiffe and stretched out a if they had bene starke dead for the spaâ—â— of halfe a quarter of an houre In which time Mai. Dickoms cameâ— me and saw all of them laide as dead at how they rose vp agayne one after another in order as they fell acknowledgit that they were freed from the euill spiâ—â— and that he was departed from them Wherevpon euerie one of them selue with great ioy and gladnes of heart gaâ—â— thankes to God for that benefite All this while Mai. Darr was with tâ—â— other mayde standing at a great windâ—â— in another part of the parlour which 〈◊〉 both long and large so that hee neither sawe nor heard of the deliueraÌ„ce of these 6. he neither knewe when they were cast downe nor when they rose vpp nor once suspected any such thinge vntill such time as they being perfectlie restored stoode vpon their feete leaping and daunsing praysing God when also we were all filled with exceeding ioy which was testified by showting and clapping of handes so that the earth range with the prayses of God and the whole house was filled with the sounde thereof Now the diligent observing of the state and condition of these 6 persons in one houre what violent passions extreame outrage they were in for the beginning of the houre driuen and drawen to crye and roare with all madnes and furie and to do they knew not what And then secondlie in the last part of the houre to bee quite chaunged into another condition caried as it were with all force and violence into other contrarie extremities of vnspeakeable and excessiue ioyes the best way to be so suddenlie brought from the bondage and torture of Satan into the glorious libertie of the sonnes daughters of God By these signes and suddayne chaunge it is most evident that the first estate is so manifest the worke of Satan the 2 so cleared to be the worke of God that it cannot possiblie