our indifferent Person would thereupon not only vindicte us but the D's also from the Cheat or Combination seeing we all declined the use of any such Popish Magicial Diabolical Means As to Mr. T 's most untrue and uncharitable charge of our promising our selves a rich Harvest by the Miracle we should work It 's well for us Mr. T. must not be our judg and that our own Conscience is as a thousand Witnesses for us His other Reflections here are like the opening of some stinking Grave which I would rather cover Pag. 65 Mr. T. is void of all Reason as well as Modesty in saying that we were guilty of superstitious Credulity were coming Creatures to the Priests swallowed all that was offer'd by them when he at the same time saith it 's true we declined the reading of the Paper over D. that the Priests sending the Paper to D. is an unanswerable Argument of his corresponding with them when himself acknowledgeth that the D 's declined it also Where 's Mr. T 's Religion or Reason Sed perit judicium quandores transit in affectum Mr. T. dare eng age for the Devils vanishing upon our reading that Paper over D. It was wisely done to pass his word for the Devil on such hard Conditions as were never likely to be performed I shall leave the business of the Commission here mentioned to others to canvass I shall only hint here that the Papers which came into D's hand when he stretch't it forth were undoubtedly from an invisible hand as the Spectators testify so as to those Papers and other things which he committed it is attested that he was not near any Wall nor could any one visible convey them to him For I took little notice of what the Devil said concerning his commission nor of the date of it I had a higher to look at from whom he had his Commission or Permission and who alone could determine the time and cancel the Commission as he pleased As to that Poyson of Asps and Gall of Bitterness in charging us with vain-glory all along our being so full of our selves and of the Spirit we had to deal with It serves but to fill up his own measure and that of his Partakers which seems to be almost brimful I confess I did from several Circumstances fear that the Devil in some drunken Fit had drawn D. into some blind Contract with him or Consent to him not because the Devil might say to that purpose but because he was ready to gratify D's Humour several ways yet if the Devil be found a Lyar herein I am not sorry for that and if I did mistake I hope their needs no very large Charity to cover it Pag. As to Mr. T 's reproachful Term of a Farce and reproaching us with weariness because we could do no good in the former he is profane if he refer to the Ordinunce in the latter he doth some of us wrong I am sure we may be weary in our work but not weary of it How little any threatning with Warrants did affect D. towards accepting of the Physician will appear by further evidence and the event in that he was cured of his strange Fits before he took the Physick tho it 's evidenced already that he had his Fits as formerly after the Threatning As to the Passage of Satans speaking several Noises and Voices out of the Lump which rose up I do not remember any thing but that T. Core testifies to that Dr. B's Testimony will but signify a little in this case with those who knew what his Faith and Practice was but he 's dead de mortuis nil nisi bonum And as to his Profession as a Physician what Judgment could he pass upon D's Fits whenas he saw him but once and had not seen the Depositions at all as I suppose I cannot be positive for his supposed Letter bears no date neither can I tell when it was that Dr. B. died Besides what he is supposed to say is not to the purpose for what is it as to the rising of the Lump from his Foot upward when he tells of convulsive Twitchings How doth he prove his being before instructed to improve those Motions to such a purpose Might not a Spirit move such parts tho it have neither Flesh nor Bones so could not be felt What silly work is here But when Men lose their Religion they lose their Reason also What rational Person will deny a Spirits acting tho not animating as the Soul doth the Body Concerning the Expressions in Prayer which I am charged with by I know not who at second or third Hand this is my constant comfort amidst my acknowledged Infirmities in all my Duties that I hope I have the Holy Spirit to help my Infirmities Jesus Christ to bear them the Father to pitty them that I stand not to the Mercy of some Men's Misconstructions and Misrepresentations nor to the Wresting and wiredrawing of my Words by such as Mr. T. to their evil Ends but take the words which they insinuate me guilty of and as they are reported by Mr. T. the former part of them viz. that Satan might appear or seem to be in those that did not believe him to be in that young Man by way of Possession are potentially expressed such a thing might be I wish it were not so The latter part of the words that others might take Warning and thereby Learning are exprest optatively as praying that others may take warning and learn by this Example The Reader will pardon the Incoherence of the Expressions and rather impute it to the Ignorance of the Reporter and the Imperfection of the Report Where now is the Profaneness and Curse of the Petition Where is the Justice of any being scandalized What occasion hath Mr. T. so Sarcastically and Blasphemously to reflect upon praying by the Spirit and Spiritual Sacrifices offer'd up to God But it 's according to the Evil Spirit that Mr. T. I doubt is led by and walks after Pag. 67 Whenas Mr. T. would insinuate against us words of Blasphemy or near bordering thereupon were not my Soul filled and fortified with such firm Faith in dear Love to and deep Veneration of the most precious Person of Chirst his most glorious Gospel and truly Miraculous Works Yea his most Holy Spirit and Conversation too then might Mr. T 's Scorpion Language tho thy such a feeble Hand wound me to the quick but through the Grace of God it is but as Lashes upon Armour in this case Whenas also he would insinuate that a Tongue which speaks such words ought to be boared through with an hot Iron but we must spare the Phanaticks saith he Blessed be God who hath made our Officers Peace and our Exactors Righteousness yea thanked be our Rulers which are such Shields of Defence to us else we yet see what such as Mr. T. would be at right or wrong And what is all this bitter Zeal as the Apostle James calls
See Dr. Stillingst his opinions as to this in his Origin Sacr. pag. 263. as appears by Mat. 17.15 Luk. 9.39 compared The Devil taking advantage by his Lunacy to get Possession of him as we call Melancholy Vehiculum Diaboli In this case there was not so much as Melancholy Lunacy nor any such bodily Malady as we suppose to be the Evil Spirit 's Vehicle into D's Body that Physical Means should carry it out he being of an healthful Constitution before these Fits begun with him Corporeal things have no direct Physical Influence on Infernal Spirits as Mr. observes Even in case of immediate Dispossessions by our Blessed Saviour they imputed them unto wrong Causes Let not us run into the same Error If the Malady was complicated viz in part Supernatural and in part Natural that being causal of this and this being conseqential of that Then both sorts of Means must be acknowledged in their several places Yet must Spiritual Means have the Precedency as having most of God in them tho Physical Means are not to be neglected or despised So in those Cases Job 33.14 to 31. Jam. 5.14 15 16. It 's evident that the young Man was something disordered in his Body by his strange Fits It 's a wonder that his Body was no more distempered He needed Physical Medicines to open and ease his Body being advised thereto he made use of Mr. Chew whom he had formerly without success applied himself unto His Medicines were now used and blessed to the said purposes We dare not slight the Bodily Mercy nor the Physical Means but would own each in their place giving all the Glory to God whoever were the Instruments whatever were the Means What a disturbance and distraction would it have been to all about him if he had not been delivered After all this we are too tim'rous acknowledging this signal answer of Prayers and too backward in solemn Thanksgiving for such a deliverance Insomuch as it is also a Reformation of the young Man in several things O that we could say in every thing Yet is he now more devout in his way and of the more sober sort among his Neighbours as they themselves confess As to some others alas They will not believe tho they see so many Signs and Wonders in this Age of Wonders It 's well if it happen not to them that as Despisers they wonder and perish the Lord working a work in their Day a work which they shall in no wise believe tho a Man declare it unto them If they be a little affected yet they sit down in more security either in their Sensuality or Formality Tho others regard not the Works of the Lord nor consider the Operations of his Hands Yet the Wise shall understand his works and walk in his ways Not being scandalized at others ridiculing this seeing Men dare to deal so now a-days with the great Truths and Things of God We must conclude not only with the sincere Acknowledgment of our own Weaknesses and Failings for which we beg Pardon but also with this solemn Recognition of the Lord's Assistance upon this occasion Yea also this his answering of Prayers in the perfect Recovery of this D. as to his outward Man and in part at least as to the Reformation of his Conversation which Publick Testimony of our thankfulness to God for this signal Publick Mercy and the Praise to his Name alone for it we hope he will graciously accept in Christ notwithstanding our slack and slender Returns to him That the Lord will further appear in pleading this Cause so far as it is his own to the vindicateing and glorifying of his Name however Yea that he will further bless his Word and Works to the special spiritual advantage of many is the earnest desire as well as design of Thomas Jolly The Testimony and Information upon Oath of several Persons who voluntarily offered themselves concerning Richard Dugdale of Whalley in the County of Lancaster Gardener taken before Hugh Lord Wiloughby and Ralph Egerton Esq Two of His Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County of Lancaster at Holcomb in the said County the Nine and Twentieth day of July 1695. THomas Dugdale Father of the said Richard Dugdale maketh Oath that he consulted one Crabtree in behalf of his said Son then under a strange Distemper and had his Answer that if there was Money enough he could effect the Cure whereupon this Deponent seeing his Sons Body much weakned with the said Crabtree's Physick and his Fits more violent did apply himself to Mr. Jolly a Neighbouring Minister and others of his Brethren in the Ministry And this Deponent saith he hath seen his Son vomit up Stones several times and other things Once he declared he must either vomit Gold Silver or Brass Rings and an Hair Button and accordingly he did so At other times he vomited great Stones also blew Stones like Flints One time he vomited a Stone as was an Inch and an half long and an Inch and an half broad having Blood upon the edges which this Deponent and others standing by him apprehended it was very painful to him And further this Deponent maketh Oath that one day a little before Night walking by his said Son then in a Fit it growing dark a Candle being brought in the Deponent looking upon him there was a great Stone laid upon his Belly weighing about Twelve or Thirteen Pounds this Deponent not knowing how it came there nor was there any such like Stones about the House Besides Stones have been thrown at the Barn side falling very thick upon the Door yet this Deponent could never discover the hand which threw them nor any Person imploy'd therein altho this Deponent's Wife was hit with one of them but without any Rurt At other times the said Richard Dugdale would cast Goose-dung at this Deponent and others standing by which he seem'd to fetch out of the Barn side altho neither this Deponent nor those that were with him could find any there nor discover any one that brought it nor were there any Geese kept at the House nor other Geese came near it And Lastly This Deponent saith that his said Son would run upon his Hands and his Feet together as fast as most Men could run upon their Feet alone and his Body would sometimes be so heavy that two or three strong Men could hardly lift it up at other times as light as a Bag of Feathers John Walmsly of Harwood in the said County of Lancaster Sadler Deposeth That he hath seen the said Richard Dugdale in a Fit held in a Chair by six Men. And whilst his Feet were off the ground he hath leaped up in the Chair for two or three Hours together as fast as a Man can ordinarily count any thing and hath so sweated through his Cloaths that it hath stood like a Dew upon them Moreover this Deponent hath taken the said Richard Dugdale by his Shoe betwixt this Deponents formost Finger and his
get drink and told him that so much Water was enough to ruin him and says that he took her advice and went up to the said Hall and getting some Drink from the Cook-Maid he went up into his Chamber and after some time being laid down upon the Bed the Chamber-Door opened of it self as he thought and there appeared unto him something like a Smoke or Mist which presently vanished and afterwards there came partly a fear upon him Immedtately after he thought there came unto him the likeness of a Hard-favoured Man which at that time he thought had been one Hindle a Fellow Servant whose Hair seemed to be clipped close to his Ears and lay very heavy upon his Breast insomuch that he asked him what he would do with him which suddenly after speaking he thought the Vision turned into the likeness of a naked Child he says he thought that he got hold of the naked Child by the Knee and that the Child turned into the likeness of a Filmert and went away with a shrill Scriek All this was done when he was awake as he is now to his thinking Immediately after this he says that he was very rude and troublesome insomuch that two Women could scarce hold him and that he raved of one Dr. Chew and desired the Woman to send for his Unkle to go with him to the said Doctor who was the first and last Physician he had Physick from He says to the best of his knowledg he thought he had little advantage by the first Physick but whether he took all or no he cannot tell After the first time of taking Physick from Dr. Chew he went to one Dr. Crabtree and the said Doctor blooded him several times the first of which was as black as Ink and that Blood was got with very great difficulty Afterwards he went to Dr. Crabtree a second time and was blooded and took Physick as before and whilst he was with Dr. Crabtree he says he was for some two or three days and sometimes a Fortnight without any Fit and sometimes two or three Fits of a day He says his Senses were sometimes taken away from him in his Fits He says sometimes he could remember some Passages Affter this he believes one Robert Martin advised his the said Dugdale's Father to advise his Son to apply himself to one Mr. Jolly to desire his prayers where he fell into a Fit but remembers no discourse he had with Mr. Jolly He the said Richard Dugdale says he believes he was not possessed with an Evil Spirit And says likewise that he had a Fit on the 24th of March at Evening and on the 25th of March in the Morning he took Physick from Dr. Chew and says that the Physick worked well with him and since that time he says he never had any Fit But says that the strange things that befel him occasions him to believe that the Disease was not ordinary And likewise says that he was not in any Combination with any Person or Persons whatsoever and that there was no Cheat in any thing to his knowledg He further confesseth that to his knowledg he cannot remember that he could play any more Tricks than the rest of the School-Boys and he denys that he ever spoke any such things as are laid to his charge to the School-Master about the Monies and says that he is no Latin Schollar not knows any of those Sentences charged upon him neither by heart or otherwise He says he did write a Letter to Sir Edmund Ashtou but remembers no Latin Sentence therein He says likewise he never wrapped himself in a Blanket in order to fright any Person He says likewise that after the Ministers left Surey that he had not Fits so often as before but they were more violent than ever before Richard Dugdale Taken before us Willoughby Will. Hulme Concerning R. D. his Testimony It should not seem strange that he doth not mention several Particulars mentioned in the Narrative particularly about the beginning of his Fits and when we began with him and when we left of meeting at Surey and when his Fits left him c. for he might easily forget the said Passages in 7 or 8 years time or be streightned by the presence and influence of some there present but some of us did note down the said omitted Passages all along and can satusy any sober Person that it was all so as is expressed in the said Narrative He did declare such things to us and desire such things of us from first to last Neither should it seem strange that he doth not expresly own the true Cause of his said strange Fits nor the only proper Means of his Deliverance tho' he hath freely owned both more privately and under his own Hand For be is apparently over-awed by those on whom he hath his dependance as to his Livelihood and by his Neighbours alledging in his Excuse that he is a poor Man hath a Wife and four small Children A semptation that might put a strong Christian to it to conquer it Yet doth he by the aforesaid Information fairly overturn Mr. T 's Foundations for he owns himself sound in Body and Mind when these strange Fits first seized him and disowns them as any ordinary Disease and tho' in his Information he saith he believes he was not possessed with an evil Spirit he is partly to be excused because he himself little knew how he was in the said Fits but when he heard how it was with him therein from others and considered of it he did acknowledg that his said strange Fits were caused by the Devil So I think must any one who exerciseth his Reason who is not blinded with Passion or Partiality where stat pro ratione voluntas He doth solemnly disown ary thing of a Cheat or Combination that he knows of in the Case as his Father also doth so that if it be not any ordinary Disease nor Cheat nor Combination what must it then be and what must then follow Especially when all the Informations are well weighed which now will need fewer Grains of allowance than formerly Now let all sober Persons judg of the Malady and Remedy In that the Informations both private and publick are called over again before Authority it is to take away all occasion of suspicion as to any unfair dealing In that there is some disserence tho' not much material from what is in the printed Narrative I cannot yet learn how the Mistake was but the owning of this shews the Fidelity of the Parties concerned And amends is abundantly made by the considerable additions and the authentickness of all John Walmsly confirms what he formerly restified and further adds I have heard R. D. in his Fit say that he had a Familiar elsehow should I tell such things as I do I have seen R. D. stand upon his Feet with his Arms open and I have swayed at his Arm and hand till I have been affraid of breaking it and could not
Indeed sometimes his carriage under the Ordinances and at other times gave us some hopes towards a Change as to his spiritual Stats which would he much better to him and so the more desirable to us Yet a partial Change as to that and a perfect Cure as to his Body are signal desirable Mercies As to our Repute in the World what is that to some of us who are so near our going out of this World As he return'd from the Meeting on the Lord's Day following he had a Fit in which as some creaible Persons said who were with him he repented the Heads of the Sermon and the Proofs withal The rerurn of his Fits after many days of discontinuance must needs much exerise us but Psal 37.3 to 8. was of good use to some of us in that case Yea we were as frish to work as at first the Lord anointing us with fresh Cile of his good Spirit Psal 92. â—â— Upon the 5th of December we again met at Surey we were but two Ministers to carry on the work He told one of some private Discourse and Passages betwixt him and Sir E. A. Upon the 12th we met at the Sparth upon the said occasion We were but few the Demoniack was detain'd at home by a Fit in that Fit the Devil told him he would find him somewhat else to do then to eat Bread and Cheese with Cottom Lass at Sparth as he had done 25. Weeks before he also told what Distress Ireland was in and that Fagla nd must pay the Piper as he phcased it notwithstanding its present Security We have by sad experience found the truth of the Demon's Predictions in this and other Instances the false Prother could foretel Evil. Deut. 13.18 O that any warning any ways did awaken us That tho' our iniquity have brought us very low it may not be our ruin In his Fit upon the day following he told us of some Money to come before the messenger came by whom I sent some for their Relief the Family being taken of their Callings put to Charge and very much impoverish'd upon this occasion Upon the 20th Instant our Meeting was again at Surey upon this account We had but little Company his Fits were not so frequent and violent as formerly Several Scriptures besides those before mentioned had been insisted on at these Meetings no this occasion viz. Eph. 6.12 Mat. 17.21 1 Tim. 5.15 1 Tim. 1.13 14 15 16 Mt. 11.28 29 30 All which were directed for the sanctifying this occasion to the Family and Country that all might be sanctified to us by the Word and Prayer Not only that the Devil might be driven from the Demoniack January the 1st at Surey My brethren of the Ministry being all taken off by other urâ—ent occasions I turned this Meeting to an Exercise there being a likelyhood of a Tempta … n. As to the success of Prayers in this and other cases I took occation from Heb. 5.7 to clear the Providence of God concerning that point of the answer of … yers It was near Twelve-months we were almost Weekly employ'd upon this occasion in most solemn Prayer with Fasting some of us coming many Miles Hâ—d not some of us been long enuâ—ed to hard Service it could not have been so 〈…〉 Upon the 9th Instant we agian met at Surey as formerly Before the Exercise begâ—n 〈…〉 and plainly with the Family We had appâ—rent cause to judg 〈…〉 work did stick on their part considering how Popishly they had been brought up what profane Lives they had led Yea how 〈…〉 some of them had of their sad Case and how slow they were a consessing what might be hte Causes thereof Some of my Brethren thought it requisice yet to ceal more roughtly wiht shem the elceting some suspition of a Contract with the Devil or of VVichcract even among themselves I confess I was somewhat shy as to further proceeding lest we had not around to go upon lest we should exceed the bounds of our Calling lest we should give the man occasion of Offence yet they offering themselves to trial some trial was made and further as in ended that the thing and themselves might be cleared And in Case of grouned suspicion as to VVitcherast or Imposture the matter must be put into the Magistrates hards who is the Judg in that Case and must do as he sees cause VVe in the use of Spiritual Means are concemed so far as it is a Possession VVe would have proper means used and we would keep our place VVhatever other judge of us Upon the 23d Inslant we again met at Surey on the same occasion and in the same manner I thought the work must be wholly devolved upon me but one of my Brethren came in for my help about the middle of the Exercise I had laboured to work to me Serse upon the Youth as to his Case But alas to little purpose So that I much feared the total and find giving of him up to Satan in the worse sense The D … iâ— did 〈◊〉 him very strangly in his Fits so that he did Feats above his own Skill and Strength undoubtedly yea it 's altogether worderful that his Head was not dasht in pieces and his Spirits quite spen yet then his Body was in as good a case if not better than ever The Doubt and Distraction about our Duty in this Case did much exercise me Lâ—w Sâ—veriâ—ies being so foreign to my Spirit and Calling So that the Morning after I was pressed more than ordinary concerning it yea in some Agony about it O the wrestlings I then had more especially Upon the 6th of February we again met the Surey upon the same account I was then wholly faild by my Brethren through their other occasions as I suppos but the Lord he ped in asi the Work The Youth had been free from any cnsiderable Fit for a Fortnight so that they seem'd to be wearing off In his last Fit he further spake of things done at a distance and at the same i me when a doing Upon the 20th Instant there was again a more full meeting of Ministers at Surey upon the occasion aforesaid Tho' the D'scouragements from many others were very great I then finish'd that Discourse upon 2 Cor. 11.3 At the close of the Exercise we found the Youth some what mroe ingenuous towards us tho his Father bewrayed more Disingenuity The Youth took occasion ro confess further to me that after the aforesaid drunken Fit upon James-Tide was Twelve-month and the Dancing Humour he was then in he had the Apparition of a Man's Head all along in the way as he went to Westby hall as it 's commonly call'd the Week after When he came thither he wrought hard at the Hay and was taken with an unusual Merriness in the Evening of the same Day He made himself drunk again as he confessed and in his Drink he was transported into such an heighth of Profaneness as did astonish the By-standers