that nature in its strugle with the Distemper had wrought down the strong and clammy Fleam into the mouth which had stop't the passage of the spirits and thereby reduced him to a seeming death upon which he immediately recovered But notwithstanding what I had said several of our company and particularly Mr. Crook the Boys Father would still have it a possession And they put questions to me which they thought would exact such answers as must be savourable to their opinion It was ask't me How he came to curse and swear in his Fits whose mouth had never offered to frame an oath in his health It was case to answer How ready Satan is to blind and confound the Idea's of a sick mans mind and to inject something of his own which is utterly disagreeable to the sick persons habits I had seen the like when excellent men had been delirious in Feavers But yet this amounted not to a possession It was ask't me How he came to speak with another voice It was easy to answer He let his head fall low upon his breast which unnatural posture together with the stricture of his collar did occasion it It was askt Why at his coming out of his Fit he should so keenly spit at all about him It was case to answer That as he began the Fit with the swiming of his head several times from one shoulder to another so he began to sâ—ew his Recovery that way and before he was well come to himself he spit out among them that tough flegmatick humour that was wrought down into his mouth and so it was an Animal action and no designed one But notwithstanding these answers given Old Mr. Crook and some besides him held to their opinion That the Boy was a Demoniack I had then nothing to do but confidently to oppose my Opinion to theirs and to back this with some Grateful Adventure I told Mr. Crook I was so sure that his Sons Distemper was a curable Epilepsy that if he would send him to a Physician of my naming I would oblige my self before all the present worthy company to bear half of the Charges he should be at in his compliance with my desires in case his son should return home uncured This argument took and the Father according to my direction brought his son to my Wise and Worthy Friend Dr. Richmond of Leverpool who healed the Lad and saved my Purse He began with more general Evacuations which proving less effectual he fell to the purgation of his head and by Gargarisms Fumigations Sternutaments and the like he thinn'd dislodged and fetched away all that viscous morbifick matter that had caused his sad distemper After some time his Father and kind Neighbours understanding that the Boy was Restor'd to perfect heath came into our Parish with Joyfull hearts to fetch him home and call'd at my house in their Return with thanks for my lucky determination of the matter From that time till a few years ago I never saw young Mr. Crook when riding near his house towards Preston he call'd to me treated me courteously and gave me thanks for my past care of him I was glad to see him a proper man in good health the Husband of a good Wife the Father of pretty Children And I am glad to hear he has the General Character of an ingenious honest wel-bred person Pardon his hasty Pen. Who is SIR Your affectioned Brother and Humble Servant Thomas Marsden AS for what happened in Leigh Parish it is thus as taken from the Testimony of those that were well acquainted with it and to whom the Person that was pretendedly possess 't did afterwards make a confession of the whole Intreague One Mr. John Urmston of the Higher Hall in West-Liegh a Papist Married with one Mrs. Southeâ—n a Protestant the Condition of which Marriage was that he should turn Protestant which accordingly he seemingly did and continued such to the day of her death On the day of her Burial he attended her Corps to the Church but pretending sickness he did not go in nor did he ever after come at the Church His Children that he had by her continued Protestants and his Daughter Elizabeth Married with one Mr. Ditchfield then a Protestant but he being a loose man was incompliance with his Father-in-Law prevail'd with to turn Papist He thereupon endeavoured to turn his Wife and used all means imaginable but with no success till he Mr. Urmston and the Priest had perswaded a Maid-servant one Alice Pennigton whom they also had perverted to their own Religion to counterfeit her self Possessed by which artifice they succeeded This Alice Pennington was taught to dissemble unnatural Fits and show a thousand silly Actions sometimes she stared and froath'd and made as if she was not sensible of any thing at other times she would pretend violent Agonies and cry out of a Witch which she could see hovering in an Egg shâ—ll or the like in such or such a place some times she raved as if she was Mad and again at other times she would six her teeth and saint away as if she was quite dead If any Protestant came near she would foam and spit at them to signifie her detestation of them and in her most Ragcing Fits the Priest would call for one of Mr. Ditchfield's Sons Who was then about Nine years of Age and designed for a Priest as himself told me and bid him take hold of her hand which he accordingly did and tho' others could not hold her on the Priests uttering a few words she would be as Calm and Quiet as a Lamb and when this Feat was play'd they always took care that the mother should be by The Priests from all parts flock'd to her in so much that there were at least Twenty with her but the Devil seem'd to fear none so much as one whom Mr. Ditchfield thinks was Mr. Penket he that was seiz'd for the Popish Plot in King Charles the II time and sent to Lancaster The Neighbours came frequently to see her amongst whom was one Mr. William Smith a Good understanding Protestant who daily visited her and observed that her countenance never chang'd when she fell into her Fits this created in him a suspicion that it was only a Popish Juggle to seduce Mrs. Ditchfield to the Popish party He also observ'd that Old Mr. Urmston whose desire was to turn his Daughter Papist would never go out of the Room from the Maid Whilst any Protestant was there so that he having a desire to talk with the Maid could not have an opportunity finding therefore it would be no better when Mr. Urmstons back was turn'd for he walk'd to and fro in the Room he charg'd her for an Hypocrite and told her this was only a Trick to turn her Mistress Papist tohereupon she smil'd and flung the sheet for she kept her bed over her face which fully confirmed him in his opinion and obliged him to discover his thoughts to Mrs.
business is Intrigue Collusion and Combination I might produce instances of both sorts of these their practices from learned Authors The Most Reverend his Grace of Canterbury in his Excellent Discourse of Idolatry takes notice of the vertues of the Antimonial Cap and what use they make of it to promote their holy Cheats The Right Reverend the Bishop of Worcester and others supply us with instances of the Latter kind But I will confine my self to your Lordships Diocess because I meet in Our Neighbourhood with fresh Examples of both kinds which as they are new so perhaps will not be unacceptable to the Reader For the first be pleas'd to take the account as I had it in a Letter from my Reverend Brother and Weighbour which is as followeth Walton April 9th 96. SIR THe Oldness of the Fact whereof you call for a Narrative may excuse my not giving it in all the requisite Particulars Many of them are slipt out of my memory and the rather because I was less careful to imprint them there as not dreaming I should after so long a time be occasion'd to give an account of them About twenty years ago a Son of Mr. Crook's near Lealand Aged about twelve years was seized with so unwonted a Distemper that our Country-Gentlemen and Clergy and some others that had Skill in Phisick knew not what to make of it Some few did conceive it might be a Natural Distemper the Papists generally declared him to be Possest by an Evil spirit which too easily catch't the belief of most of his Protestant Neighbours Some concluded him to be hurt by an Evil Tongue others thought because his Step mother was a Papist that the whole was a Counterfeit acted to gain advantage to the Roman Interest in those parts The notorious juggling Tricks in this kind some Romish Priests had plaid in all the parts in Christendom whereof the most ingenious persons of that Communion will Complain together with me gave some wiser heads this suspicion But the General Opinion I say was that it was a Pos 〈…〉 and according both his hopish and Protestant Friends make some I 〈◊〉 to case the Evil spirit out of the Lad. First he was taken into 〈…〉 Mr. Hughson a Popish Priest at Madam Westbey's house 〈◊〉 near Lealand but not with no relief there Afterwards the then 〈◊〉 of Crosson the Boys God-father as I remember sent for him to his hous where for sâ—â—e time he shew'd him some ineffectual Tokens of his desire to rid him of the reputed Fiend All this was reported in many places of our County and truth supported the Report but other things were told with the same confidence for which there was no ground as that the Boy could tâ—ll in his Fits what was adoing in places far distant from him whereof he could have no information by his Sences nor by any other ordinary means of Conveyance that he could call persons he had never seen before by their Names c. However his case had so puzled the Heads of several Parishes that they knew not what to say of him nor what to offer in order to his Help At last it was resolved I know not certainly why to desire me to ride to Croston and on a set day to take a view of the said Demoniack where I should be met by several Gentlemen and Clergy-men A Letter came to that purpose in obedience to which I went the Evening before the Appointed time and Lodged at the Parsonage of Eccleston hoping to be time enough at Croston next morning to see the Boy in his 3. Fits for so many he had every morning with a competent interval between each of them But not rising so early as I had intended One of his Fits was over when I came to Croston which accident troubled my mind as it did theirs whom I found expecting me However I resolved to make the best of what was to come I immediately called the Boy to me and askt him how he did Who answered I 'm very well I view'd his eye which was good and lively and his complexion which was clear and sweet I felt his pulse which had lost but very little of its natural order Then I fell in talk with the Gentlemen wishing my service might answer their care and my Riding so many miles I confess 't to them I had in my Travels viewed not a few Tables of pretended Miracles hung up in Popish Churches and so far Examined some of their Contents as to find That all is not Gold that Glisters I added I hoped not to find it difficult to Judge whether the Distemper was true or counterfeit and that I might perhaps distinguish whether it was Natural or Diabolical But out of this Chat was I call'd with a cry He is beginning on another Fit I stept to him and saw his Eyes prettily brown naturally appear Glassy and much disturbed his head made a large swim from one shoulder to the other he curs'd and swore beat the air with his arms and afterwards let his head fall very Low upon his breast at which time he seem'd to speak with another voice mistaken by some present for the voice of the Devil A little after all his powers decayed and he was for some time left both without sence and motion But after a small stay under this Deliquium he recovered by degrees and spit a good quantity of fleam amongst those about him Please to note that at the first throws and distortions of his body I caus'd him to be held fast in a chair and kept my finger over his pulse the whole time of his Fit and found it decline and also recover in true proportion with the judgement the eye made upon the surface of his body The third Fit was in all things like the other in which I attended the workings and way of his body and watched his pulse as before In this indeed which I did not in the oregoing Fit I ask't him a question in order to confute the report spreaâ— that he knew strangers and could call them by their names at their first apperance I ask't him when he began to speak with a varied which some thought a Devils voice Friend Who am I He answered Dam thee Thâ—â— art thonâ—Thonâ—son Vpon this I said to the Company Gentlemen this is a dull Devil that cannot distinguish the Vicar of Walton from the Curate of Rufford Thus far of the way or manner of his Fits Now did the Gentlemen ask my opinion of the Boys case which I readily gave to this sence 1. That it was a Real Distemper and not put on of which his pulse had given me sufficient assurance 2. That it was a natural Distemper which I collected from the gradual declining and Recovery of his pulse and the no-symptoms of a possession by an Evil Spirit 3. That the nature of his distemper was Epileptick which in the closure of the Fit deprived him of sence and motion and I observed
Ditchfield who seemed not willing at all to believe it but it prov'd too true for in a little time they gained upon her and she began to tell Mr. Smith of the virtue of the Holy-Water and what strange effects it wrought on the Demoniack of which she could desire that he might be a Witness so to the Maid they went and she sprinkled Holy-Water in her face and the Maid spit at her Oh saith she do you not see what a strange power is in this Holy-Water Yes Saith Mr. Smith and pray will you try it upon me with some perswasions she was prevail'd with to make the Experiment on him and she flung Holy-Water on his face and he spit in her face and she flung again and he spit again what do you mean saith she O what a Strange power saith he is there in this Holy-Water but Dear Mrs. saith he do you not plainly see that all this is only to delude and abuse you I am heartily sorry for you she made him to reply for they had now prevail'd upon her A Day for Exorcism was fixt upon and Mr. Smith comes that morning to see the Maid when he entred the house he heard a great noise in the chamber of things hurried to and fro but he knows not what it meant He desired to see the Maid and after some time Mr. Urmston came to him and told him that she was a sleep I have often seen her wakeing saith her and I desire to see how she is when a sleep When the Old Gentleman saw he could not divert him he pretended to go a little before and he would call for Mr. Smith this was to get the Priest out of the way who was in so much haste that he left his Cant behind hom Mr. Smith comes up and finds the Maid awake and the Priest's Cane left behind him What now saith he hath he over run his staff What are all these Pictures for for they had brought a great many into the Room What must these puâ— the Devil out of the at which the Maid smil'd as before and flung the shâ—â— over her face But Mr. Urmston could not bear such discourse which created a Quarrell betwixt them and occasion'd Mr. Smith to leave both the Room and the House When he was gone the Exorcism came on of which I can give no exact Account very few being suffered to be present I cannot therefore learn whether they asked any Questions about Religion as the Prtests with us did only the Maid amidst her Rambling talk made use of her own tongue for one Elizabeth Hilton a Protestant then present being ask't by the then Vicar of Leigh whether a spirit spake within the pretended Demoniack or no she said no for she spake as I do The name of the Devil was Declared to be Sturdy and the sign of his departure was to have been a Quarrel taken away with him out of the window but the Devil would not consent to that so the Devil and Priest agreed that the sign should be a Box on the Ear given to the Priest which at the appointed minute was Executed by the Maids hand Vpon this Mrs. Ditchfield turn'd Papist but never after wore the same countenance that she had before she looked like another woman as she had got another Religion and could never well face a Protestant Her troubles were augmented in that it begun to be whispered that the Maid would confess the Juggle and how she was hired by her Master and the Priest to act this Scene This is thought to shorten Mrs. Ditchfields days for she was buryed August 15. 1673. as appears by the Register of Leigh and this Exorcism happned not much above Two years before Her Remorse increased for that the Maid was sent away to New-England decoy'd as is suppos'd by the Priest to Leverpool and ship'd-off thence In New-England she Married one Mr. Sworton a Minister there and whether confessing the Truth there to him and advis'd by him or no I know not but she return'd again into England acknowledged the whole Intreague and that there was nothing in it at all but Trick and Dissimulation Mrs. Ditchfield never endeavoured to turn her Children The Heir is and as I am told always was a Protestant as for the rest tho they were constrained to go to Mass to please their Grandfather yet they are at this day all Protestants even he that was designed for a Priest from whose Testimony joyned with some others herein named I have compiled this Narrative These are the little fetches of the Romish Emissaries which are the greatest Scandal and Injury to Religion that the Wit of Hell it self can contrive The Greatest Scandal for can any one take a more effectual way to expose it and its Anthor to the Contempt of Libertines and Aâ—heists than to be sound Guilty of such a Notorious piece of Priest-Craft aâ— this is The Greatest Injury for how justly may the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles on which Christianity is founded be brought into suspicion when men discover the works of their Disciples who pretend to the same Power with them to be nothing else but slight Leger-de-main Thus the Wounds which Religion like her Master receives are in the House of her Friends But I must contract these Lamentations lest the Porch should grow too Sumptuous for the Fabrick Nothing now remains unless your Lordship desire to know what success this Pious Fraud met with amongst us and may such Priest-crafts never meet with better for like to Strong Physick it wrought the contrary way and the Priests began to find themselves the Loosers Their own Party and the Demoniacks nearest Relations could not but take notice of the Dissention amongst the Priests about the Operation when they found it unsuccessful and some of them as I am told ingeniously confessed that they do not believe that the Person was possest I was not sometime since without some hope of gaining the Demoniack himself for some of his Friends sent to me to beg the favour that he might pay me a visit Whether he was at home then or no I know not Yet by the Messengers discourse I conceived that he was Tho since I understand that his Mother Weeps and Cries Complains for the want of her Son and saith she knows not where he is Whether she be sincere in it or no I cannot tell for by some Rumours I have lately heard I have cause to suspect her But if the Priests be jealous of his Tongue no doubt but they will serve him as they did the Maid in the foregoing Narrative Such Scandalous Abuses of Religion as these are as they create us Sorrow so deserve our Prayers and therefore that the God of Truth would in mercy open the eyes of the Blind that they may all come unto the knowledge of the Truth is the Earnest Prayer of My Lod Your Lordships most Humble and Dutiful Servant and Curate ZACH. TAYLOR THE DEVIL TURNED CASUIST OR