George Peckhams house at Denham or my L. Vaux his house at Hackney and aske the deuil who saw our Sauiours eyes as hee sayes with his owne eyes touched him with his finger kissed him with his mouth and to make it past doubt tooke his oath vpon the Sacrament that it was true Or else trie if the argument wil not run in better moode and figure thus The very same deuil that Sainted Brian and Campian at Tiburne that proclaimed himselfe a Dotrel a Ninnie and a mad foole at Hackney that had the Asses eares clapt close to his head at Denham hath said roared and sworne so therefore it is true Or else thus The same Edmunds his twelue holy disciples that haue feigned a deuil Tragaedies sorted it into actes and scenes furnished it with hangings set vp a stage of forgerie replenished it with personated actors adorned it with fictious deuises dreames imaginations and ridiculous wonders haue cogged a new hel new deuils new roarings new oathes new kisses to cogge our Sauiour into the Sacrament therfore you may be cock-sure to finde him there CHAP. 21. ¶ Of the strange formes shapes and apparitions of of the deuills IT is a question moued by Scaliger Why men of a melancholick constitution be more subiect to feares fancies and imagination of deuils and witches then other tempers be His aunswer is quia ab atra bile atri fuliginosi generantur spiritus qui cerebrum pingunt turbulentis phantasmatibus because from their blacke sooty blood gloomie fuliginous spirits do fume into their braine which bring blacke gloomy and frightful images representations and similitudes in them wherwith the vnderstanding is troubled and opprest Men of this duskie turbulent and fantasticall disposition as they are very stiffe in their conceit absolute in their owne apprehension extreame violent and peremptory in their resolution which al grow from the earthy dry stiffenesse of the discursiue melancholicke spirits that doe possesse theyr braine so are they so full of speculations fansies and imaginations of spirits and deuils and those so Chimaericall and strange as the Philosophers old aphorisme is cerebrum Melancholicum est sedes daemonum a melancholicke braine is the chaire of estate for the deuil And an other aphorisme they haue founded on experience nullum magnum ingenium sine dementia there is no great wit without some mixture of madnesse Iohn Bodin the Frenchman is a perfect Idaea of both these who beeing in his younger yeeres of a most piercing quicke speculatiue wit which grew of a light stirring and discursiue melancholie in him fell as Hermogenes the mirror of wit did in the midle of his age to be a pure sot The cause whereof is the cooling and thickning of his melancholicke blood and the spending or going out of that lightsome actiue and stirring spirit which the heat of blood in his youth did better maintaine This man though during the prime of his wit he was of a most pregnant ripe and subtile discourse yet his wit beeing deepe woaded with that melancholick blacke dye had his braine veram sedem daemonum the theater and sporting house for deuils to daunce in for he hath in his braine such strange speculations fantasmes and theoremes for deuils as a man may see a great deale of madnes mixed with his great wit For he holds that deuils may transforme themselues into any shape of beasts or similitude of men and may eate drinke and conuerse familiarly with them and may haue the act of generation with women as they please And not that onely but that a Witch by oyntments charmes may transforme herselfe into the shape of any beast bird or fish that she may flie in the ayre that she may depriue men of their generatiue power that she may transferre corne out of one field into another and may cause haile thunder and winde at her pleasure And hee defends lycanthropia and the change of Vlysses men into swine by the Witch Circe to be reall and true and aboue all tels that vnsauory melancholicke ridiculous tale of an Egge which a Witch fold to an Englishman and by the same transformed him into an Asse and made him her Market-mule three yeeres to ride on to buy butter and how that at last shee remorphized him into the natiue shape of a man againe This mans cerebrum melancholicum is a notable forge for our popish Ethnicks to hammer a motly deuil out of But they haue more auncient and authenticke records for their Night-owles then this as namely that canonicall story in Virgill of Creüsa Aeneas his wife how Aeneas flying with Anchises his father and Creüsa his wife thorough the streets on Troy being all on a light flame lost his wife Creüsa in a crowde as he posted thorough the Citty and how that Creüsa appeared to him in her ghost as Aeneas went out at the gate told him that she was dead and was become one of the walking night-ghosts bidding him to take his father Anchises and shift for himselfe This is a most redoubted record of the walking of womens ghosts And for the appearing of bad and hurtful spirits in vgly and monstrous formes they haue their president and originall in the history of Mar Brutus who hauing put all his Army in a readines for the last fatall fielde to be fought betwixt him and Augustus and beeing alone at his booke in the deepe and silent night suddainly he heares a great rushing in the roome where hee sate and casting vp his head sees a foule ougly monstrous shaped ghost standing afore him and asking it angerly Quis tu Deus aut daemon what art thou a God or a deuil The ghost answers sum malus tuus genius I am thine euil angel the Capt askes fiercely again quid me vis what doost thou heere the ghost sayes cras Philippis me videbis to morrow I wil meet thee at the fields of Philippi the captaine answers resolutely videbo I le meet thee so falls constantly to his booke againe not bidding it God night Brutus recounts this spectrum to Cassius his fellow in Armes and Cassius perswades him that it was but a dreame But out of this and such like Heathenish dreames what a world of hel-worke deuil-worke and Elue-worke had we walking amongst vs heere in England what time that popish mist had befogged the eyes of our poore people How were our children old women and maides afraid to crosse a Churchyeard or a three-way leet or to goe for spoones into the Kitchin without a candle and no marueile First because the deuil comes from a smoakie blacke house he or a lewd frier was still at hand with ougly hornes on his head fire in his mouth a cowes tayle in his breech eyes like a bason fangs like a dogge clawes like a Beare a skinne like a Neger and a voyce roaring like a Lyon then boh or oh in the dark was enough to make their haire stand vpright And if that the bowle of
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
fabulous rumor of the houses haunted with deuils did blanch ouer and blaze theyr Art the more of casting deuills out and so brought them into credit Secondly if they had read the Gospell touching Zacchaeus and skared them away they had wanted deuils to furnish out the pageant Thirdly it bred a reuerend opinion and an admiration in all that came to see wonders at the vertue and holinesse of the Priests that durst walke vp and downe amongst the thickest swarme of deuils and neuer a deuill so hardy as to touch an haire of their beards Fourthly it serued their purposes excellent well to couer their bungling iugling legerdemaine in that the seruants of the houses hauing their phancies oppressed with the conceit of spirits and deuils haunting in euery corner of the house they were so distracted with feare as they had vse of neither wit nor will to doubt or looke into their packing And by this you see our punie Exorcists as young as they be shewed more wit and skill then either Mengus their Maister or Thyraeus their prompter in picking out these places of Hobgoblins to make the stages for their Comaedy and not offering first by holy fumigations to scare the vrchins away One doubt I haue more wherein I must craue your gentle assistance Some curious head more nice then needes may pick at a moate and aske mee two or three questions out of this narration First whether a man may be a coniurer sorcerer or Enchaūter that is enter into league friendship and familiarity with the deuill as the priestes that coniured for mony at Denham did and yet be accounted a ghostly Confessor a reuerend father and an holy priest still A simple doubt God wote Syluester Bonifacius and some other Popes haue beene errand deuill-coniurers and yet theyr holinesse not an halfepeny the worse This simple questionist must vnderstand that God hath tied the spirit of holines with so sure a chaine to S. Peters chayre as that let the Pope or any popeling be an Ethnick a Turke a Saracen or a deuill hee cannot auoide it but by sitting in that chaire he must weare out his holinesse and be holy still Secondly if he would know how it cōmeth to passe that the famous Thyraeus hauing laboured and sweat so much to set downe all the causes waies meanes how wicked spirits doe come to haunt houses and hauing by the dexteritie of his wit found out twelue waies this way of haunting houses after coniuration is none of his twelue vve must tell him that our Exorcists are not of his old plodding fashion but of the new cut such as you shall find by that time you haue them a little hote in theyr worke will set Mengus Thyraeus and Sprenger to schoole Thirdly if hee tell vs by the rules of that blacke Magicke Art concerning coniuring vp of spirits that the Coniurers great art and industrie is not so much in raising vp a spirit as in commaunding him downe againe and that if hee cannot lay him downe quiet the Artist himselfe and all his companie are in danger to be torne in peeces by him and that hee is so violent boystrous and bigge as that he will ruffle rage and hurle in the ayre worse then angry God Aeolus euer did and blow downe steeples trees may-poles and keepe a fell coyle in the world And vppon this will be questioning how it happened heere that our haunting spirits at Denham and Fulmer raysed by the blacke Art did not ruffle and rage in the world as those coniured spirits vse to do but did put theyr heads in a bench-hole for a twelue month together till these holy good men came to theyr work I must tell him that our haunting spirits were of a more mild calme and kinde disposition louing the companie of wenches and holy priestes and for theyr staying so long about the house as Rats about a Barne wee say they did that kindly expecting the priests theyr holie Maisters to come to set them a worke And so these quiddities being satisfied I hope I may proceed CHAP. 5. ¶ The persons pretended to be possessed and dispossessed AFter that our holy order were resolued of their holie wonders of casting out deuils had both time and place fit for theyr purpose a meane-witted man would aske the question that young Isaac did of his father in a much holier cause Loe heere are all things ready but where is the sacrifice The time is heere fitting and the places prepared but where are the possessed parties vpon whom these miracles must be shewed The young gallant in the comaedy thought it an impossible matter that his Sycophant should be furnished at a daies warning both with money a Merchant to cosen the Baude and his Sycophant cheeres him vp thus consilij dolique copiam structam gesto in pectore mecum And so was it with our cunning Comaedians they had a world of deuises to get themselues patients readie coyned in their budget Trustie Roger the Leno had his hookes so sweetly bayted and his sprindges so artificially set in euery haunt and glade that he was alwaies sure of either a Gudgin or a Woodcocke to furnish out a seruice It is a common ground with them as with all other conspirants in any badde practise or science not to deale with any that are not in some degree or other obliged vnto them Marwood Ma Anthony Babingtons man the traytor the first subiect whereon the grand miracle at Hackney was playd is not now forth cōming as I gesse for feare of his telling tales out of schoole And if one should kindly aske Fa Weston in his eare what is become of him that hee might be spoken withall I suppose of his modestie hee would sooner blush then tell This actor played his part extempore there on the stage with a verie good grace and if hee had now the good hap to be conferred with-all I doubt not but he could and would relate as other his cue-fellowes haue done how hee came to that facility in his part who were his prompters his directers his teachers and who did help him put on the deuils vizard on his face It may suffice that it is said he was Anthony Babington his man Trayford the young Gentleman forsooth was of Ma Peckhams priuities or priuie counsell if ye will the Leno his owne Hypodromos sworne true to the Pantofle young maister of the Maydens seruing in the nature of a refresher to furbush ouer his maisters brayed wares one that couth his actions and motions so readily and expressed them so liuely in the sceane of possession as Sara Williams his play-fellow had almost forgotten her part and marred the play sure I am she confesseth that she loued the young deuill too well Ma Mainie by birth a Gentleman by education a Catholique one that had suckt frō his mother the taint of Romish contagion was by her conuayed beyond Seas ere he was 14 yeeres old and for his deeper
their tortures and hating their cosenage and so were like to breake from them and to tell tales out of Schoole they had by this deuise their euasion at hand There were yet many deuils in the party forsooth and it was not he or she that so said but the deuill so as if he saith any thing in opening their legerdemaine hee shall be possessed as long as he liues and then may he say and sweare what he will for hee shall be no more credited then Pippin their deuill and that which would anger any poore soule at the hart what so euer he doth or saith it must not be he that so doth or saith but the deuill Let poore Sara Williams giue you instances of this She grew so farre discontented with their holy potion and their chayre as she begins to speake bugs words and tell them she would complaine the priests had their ward-word ready it was not Sara but the deuill that so spake because he could abide no Catholique priests She attempts to take her heeles and runne away from them the common voyce was it was not Sara but the deuill she did not runne but was caried by the deuill She smiles and it must not be she that smiles but the deuill She weepes and she was borne downe that it was not her selfe that wept but the deuill so as she said she was at her wits end fearing as seemes so much as to mutter hum or spit for feare the priests should make it not of her owne spitting but the deuils This deuise is in steede of all the Orators in the world to free them from imputation and to secure their iugling for say anie thing distasting to them and to their holy crue ye shall be sure to haue the deuill put vpon you for your labour they haue seueral spirits to command for their bayards to beare their seuerall fardles of crimes Tell them that they are Impostors and deserue to be branded on the foreheads with the Character noting their trade Loe say they it is not you but the spirit of malediction Put them in minde of their deuill daliance with Fidd and Sara Williams it is not you but the spirit of lust Note their factious ambition in seeking soueraigntie commaund it is not you that so speake of them but the spirit of pride and not onely words and speeches such as they liked not well but euen actions motions iestures and cariage of the body if it make any thing against their lewd iugling shall be branded with no other stampe then the deuill You may see a prety peece of this puppet-play and so iudge of the rest acted betweene Ma Maynie the dumbe Actor and Weston his Interpreter Ma Maynie the Actor comes mute vpon the stage with his hands by his side and his haire curled vp Loe heere cries Weston the Interpreter comes vp the spirit of pride Sodainly the mute Actor cries out Ten pounds in the hundred that voyce cries Weston is the voyce of the spirit of auarice Maynie makes a scornfull face and that is the spirit of Enuie He bends knits his browes and that is the spirit of Wrath he yawnes gapes and that is the spirit of Sloth Thus Weston in Ma Maynies face reades you the deuils that are the seauen Authors of the seauen deadly sinnes and as many deuils if he list can he shew in any Protestants face at any time he pleases all or most of vs in his opinion being really possessed with deuils For the second point why sometimes a deuill alone sometimes an 100 sometimes a thousand are blowne out at a clap there are two waighty reasons attending that deuise One is to aduaunce heereby the reputation of some man of especiall note and credite amongst them who must be their Hercules to controle with his club the monster maister-deuils of greatest potencie and commaund Euery plodding priest could cast out an vrchin or boy deuill the rascall guard that attended Prince Hiaclito but Modu the Generall of Styx with his seauen Colonels vnder him the seauen maisters of the seauen deadly sinnes must be a monster reserued for Westons owne club and none but his And whereas euery fidling Exorcist in his holy coniuration did vse the holy amice Weston for the solemnity of the action and his better grace must come vpon the stage more solemnly adorned with the holy Albe or an holy Cope and other consecrated geare And the deuill many times of his owne good nature or else vpon some speciall acquaintance betweene him and the priest expresly tells by whom and by no other he will be cast out and then he alone must be gotten to come and to make the deuill no lyer he must gippe the Gudgin and hit the Woodcocke on the bill and the other scuruie crue of Exorcists must hold him the candell Learned Thyraeus tells vs page 67 de Daemon that the foule deuill that possessed one Malachia had vowed he would not out till Fa Benardine were gotten to come who no sooner appeared but the deuil shewed himselfe a man of his word for hee slinkes closely away like a dogge at the sight of a whip A second vse they haue of this huge difference of casting out sometime one alone sometime a whole million of deuils farre more passing and precious then the former And that is to grace by this drift and to blaze the vertue of some new Saint and new greene reliques as yet not growne into credite in the world Marie it must be especially of such a Martyr or Saint of whose vertue and sanctitie there is greatest cause of suspition abroad whether the good man were a slye Iugler or a holy man in deede And this suspitious Saint or his cast relique shall worke you a wonder beyond God his forbid cleane It was sufficient for the gracing of Campion amongst the Catholiques in England with whom he was in especiall reputation that his girdle which came from Ierusalem was worne at Tyburne should at the first touch of the party possessed stunt the deuils wits Where-vppon Westons acclamation to the Spectators was this Testes estote clarissimi patris Campiani Martyrij cuius hic vel minutissimus funiculus tantus illi faces miserat Beare witnes I charge you of the most worthy Martyrdome of good Fa Campion whose simple girdle hath cast the deuill into such a heate Marie for that Ignatius their founder hath many enemies in the world and is lately called into question for a graund cheater to grace this Monsignior and to bring him into credite he must doe transcendent miracles strained vpon such a key as our blessed Sauiour and his holy Ap neuer came neere And for this purpose to divulge this Founders deitie there is composed a Diarie of all his diabolicall I meane hyperbolicall wonders done by that worthy Mountebanke both aliue and dead First for his better credit the deuill himselfe proclaimes him to Fa Baptista Peruso for a Saint in heauen
omniū bestiarū bestialissima spiritus Acherontine spiritus fuliginose spiritus Tartaree That is Heare therfore thou sencelesse false lewd spirit maister of deuils miserable creature tempter of men deceauer of bad Angels defrauder of soules Captaine of Heretiques father of lyes fatuous bestial Ninnie drunkard infernall theefe wicked serpent rauening Wolfe leane hunger-bitten impure Sow seely beast truculent beast cruell beast bloody beast beast of all beasts the most bestiall Acherontall spirit smoakie spirit Tartareous spirit Is not this pretily wel rayled of an olde Mother Church that hath nere a tooth for age in her head but hath liued these seauen hundred yeeres and more of pure milke of our Lady Clap on heere the Canon for the long Asses eares and seare them to the deuils head with a little holie fire and brimstone and let vs see how the seely hunger-bitten Sowe-deuill wil looke Hic exorcista proijciat imaginem pictam in ignem Heere take the picture of the deuill that you haue drawne in paper and cast it into the fire and what turmoyle these wrought in hel our holy Exorcists by their practise are prest to tel you Heare the Miraclist report it who himselfe was an Actor The Priest hauing placed Sara in a chayre he cōmaundeth the deuill to tell his name the deuill aunswered Bon-iour and began to make a shew of speaking French the Exorcist then reuiling the deuil and calling him Asse in the French tongue he sayd I am no Asse I will not be mocked This was a sober reply to the Asse without much adoe But when Maho trifled mocked the priest in Sara and would by no dint of adiuration be brought to tel his name heare the Miracle-teller againe The Exorcist seeing the deuill thus to trifle and that hee would not tell his name for abating his pride caused to be drawne vppon a peece of paper the picture of a vice in a play and the same to be burned with halowed brimstone whereat the deuil cryed out as beeing grieuously tormented No meruaile when hee had a paire of vices eares clapt red hote to his head with the soader of holy brimstone Heere haue you both rule and practise of this tormenting the deuil with nicknames and glowing eares now we must a little for our benefit obserue the sweet documents that doe flow out of this nicknaming vaine First we see by Mengus her proloquutor that our holy mother church beeing in her last breath hath not lost her lungs but hath both breath and stomacke at will and dares speake more lustily and swaggering-like to the deuil then euer Michaell the Archangel durst For hee hauing an opposition and contention with the deuil the deuil playing as seemes the part of our swaggering old Mother with rayling and reuiling termes durst not reuile againe but onely prayed GOD to rebuke the foule-mouthed fiend Secondly wee see that our Catholique priests deuils stood in more awe of Nicknames and the paper-vice then they did of the dreadful names of our blessed Sauiour or the high and astonishable titles of almightie God whereby it is apparant that the old and auncient way of calling vppon the Name of Iesus ouer the possessed at whose blessed Name wee read the deuils in the possessed did tremble and quake is an obsolete antiquated way with our holy Mother-church and not woorth the naming and that her deuils be new vpstart spirits of the queynt cut that stand vpon theyr reputation for feare least theyr fellow deuils in a quarrell should take them by theyr long eares in hel It was a prety part in the old Church-playes when the nimble Vice would skip vp nimbly like a Iacke an Apes into the deuils necke and ride the deuil a course and belabour him with his woodden dagger til he made him roare wherat the people would laugh to see the deuil so vice-haunted This action passiō had som semblance by reason the deuil looked like a patible old Coridon with a payre of hornes on his head a Cowes tayle at his breech but for a deuil to be so vice-haunted as that he should roare at the picture of a vice burnt in a pece of paper especially beeing without his hornes tayle is a passion exceeding al apprehensiō but that our old deere mother the Romish church doth warrant it by Canon Her deuils be surely some of those old vice-haunted cassiered woodden-beaten deuils that were wont to frequent the stages and haue had theyr hornes beaten of with Mengus his clubbe and theyr tayles cut off with a smart lash of his stinging whip who are so skared with the Idaea of a vice a dagger as they durst neuer since looke a paper-vice in the face Or if you wil needes hunt vs into a demonstration to let you plainly see how a morsel of paper burnt with a vices long eares should enforce a deuil to roare remember I beseech you Aesops couragious Lyon lying in the Hunters-nets after his fresh wounds how he roared at the nipping of silly ants biting him on the bare Was there euer Lion in our deuils case before he comes to be vice-bitten with a peece of burnt paper scalded all ouer with holy water burnt with the crosse seared with Aue maries rent with reliques torne with the stole battered with the amice stung with the maniple whipped from top to toe with exorcismes and beeing thus excoriated and all ouer raw a burning vice with the least drop of brimstone falling vpon his bare would make a stout Lionly deuil I weene for to roare For his ill bearing of Nicknames I must needs take the deuils part for though that I could haue wished he had borne those contumelies and indignities with a better aequanimity grace for that none but children and fooles are distempered with nicknames and taunts yet considering the deuil looked into Denham house as Prestons dogge looked into his neighbours doore of no malicious intent to eate any Christmas-pie but to see how Christmas went and seeing a play towards that they wanted a deuil was content to make one in the play and to curuet foame tumble with a very good deuils grace Now when he was surbatted or weary and could no more woe penny ho to be come vppon vvith such strange nicknames for his good-wil as Bedlam could neuer spit out worse and be called Ninny drunkard scabby beast beast of all beastes hungerbitten sow especially the Exorists beeing pleased for want of better recreation to play all Christmas games with those sowes as laugh and lye downe and my sow hath pigd and the deuil beeing but a prompter and candle-holder to that sport would haue mooued impatience in a right vvell-stayed deuil And withall to deale plainly with the deuils to and to tell them of theyr ouer-sight with their deuilships good leaue it is a folly to be laughed at by some and to be wondered at by many that any deuils in hel should be so starke mad as to come in the
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
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
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
Sherwood sitting also by her looking on a booke she this exam being very angry in her minde to consider how she was vsed and with him in particuler for thrusting a pin into her shoulder and for diuers other his hard vsages towards her said vnto him that shee very greatly meruailed how he and the rest durst deale with her the rest as they did adding that if she this exam or any other should complaine of them they would certainly all of them be hanged For quoth she how many of the Queenes subiects haue you drawne from her by these your practises heere Heere-with Ma Sherwood was much moued and went to the priests to acquaint them with her words Some of them as she hath heard were of opinion that it were best to put her away from her Mistres but Ma Dibdale liked not that counsel fearing as she beleeueth that shee should haue disclosed theyr dealings For these her said speeches shee was within three or foure houres very hardly entreated Ma Sherwood and the other priests returning vnto her put her in minde what she had said and told her That it was not she but the deuill that vttered those words and therevpon had her to the chayre and with their holy potion and brimstone so plagued her as being there-with wonderful sick shee fel as she thinketh into a swound Shee further saith that whilest these matters were in hand at Denham there came very many thither from time to time The Catholiques would bring with them such of their friends as they durst trust being Protestants of purpose to draw them to the Romish Religion And she certainly knoweth that there was a very great number vpon those occasions reconciled sometimes an hundred a weeke at the least Marrie at one time she remembreth that one Ma Hampden of Hampden as she thinketh being brought thither by Ma Edward Ashefield now in prison as shee hath heard did greatly deceaue the priests expectations and put them into a great feare The manner was she saith of those who were pretended to be possessed when any Protestants came in to commend them greatly and to raile vpon the priests in so much as Ma Mainy when he saw Ma Hampden did presently salute him by the name of his fellow Iustice and vse such other words vnto him as when he heard how they were expounded hee was greatly discontented with them and there-vpon speaking aloude said thus in effect vnto him that brought him thither as farre as she remembreth being her selfe then present Coosen Ned I had thought you would haue brought me where I should haue seene some godlines and not to haue heard the deuill but this dealing I see is abhominable and I meruaile that the house sinketh not for such wickednes committed in it and so he departed With these his speeches the priests were greatly amazed fearing the worst got them away for that night Furthermore she saith that perceauing many things were false that the priests told to those that came vnto them for the better confirming of her iudgement therein she deuised of her selfe this tale She told them that being in bed there came a morrice-daunce into her chamber hauing these persons in it a man with Taber and a Pipe the Earle of Bedford that was dead before but one that the priests did greatly hate and some other noble men also she named who are now out of her memory all these she told them after they had daunced about the table in the chamber went out againe as they came in When the priests had this by the end they made great matters of it termed it a vision and told it the Catholiques for a very truth whereat this exam laughed in her minde but durst not gaine-say it and so it went amongst them for a currant vision And shee thinketh in her conscience it was euen as true as the rest of their reports both of this exam of the others there that were pretended to be possessed Also she saith that there was a notable deuise amongst the Priests to haue it thought that the wicked spirits came into this exam and her sister by witcherie Ma Richard Mainy before mentioned being the notablest counterfeit as she thinketh that euer the priests had in their fingers said in one of his fits or rather the deuil in him as it was pretended that one good-wife White of Bushie had bewitched this exam and her saide sister This good-wife White was commonly talked of in the Country to be a Witch the said Mainy also told the occasion how they were bewitched There were as it was pretended that the deuil said in Mainy certaine cattel bewitched in Denham some two or three yeeres before which could not be eased except the two spirits which troubled them were sent into two Christian bodies and there-vpon quoth hee to deliuer the cattel she sent those two spirits into this exam sister and her selfe When the priests heard these words they seemed to coniure the deuil in Ma Mainy to bring the witches spirit whereby she wrought thither to Denham And the night folowing this prank was played by the priests They had gotten in the night a Cat amongst them in the Parlor which they said was the witches spirit About the whipping of this Cat they pretended great paines and that they whipped her so long til at the last she vanished away out of their sight Afterwards they gaue it out that out of all question the Witch whilest they were whipping of the Cat was greatly vexed and there-vppon they sent a messenger to Bushie to see in what estate the Witch was who at his returne reported that when hee came to Bushie hee found the Witch in child-bed and that her child was dead When the priests heard this report see quoth the priests to those that were present how it falleth out to be true that we told you the whipping of her spirit in the likenes of a Cat was the cause that her child died yea quoth this exam is that true Why then you are murderers whereat the priests were moued but they knew how to aunswer that as they did in saying that it was not she but the deuill in her that vttered those words Of this whipping of the Cat there was great speeches and many that beleeued them wondred at it The messenger that was sent to Bushie hearing what a meruaile they made heereof became a recusant being at that time a Protestant There was also another strange thing that happened at Denham about a bird Mistris Peckham had a Nightingale which she kept in a Cage wherein Ma Dibdale tooke great delight and would often be playing with it This Nightingale was one night conuayed out of the Cage being the next morning diligently sought for could not be heard of til Ma Mainies deuil in one of his fits as it was pretended affirmed that the wicked spirit which was in this exam sister had taken the bird out of the Cage and killed it in despite of
reported This exam further saith that shee being present by Mainy when he was in exorcising after that shee the first time had been exorcised by Cornelius Ma Edmunds the Iesuit did aske the deuil in Mainy whether she this exam was possessed or not and the deuil aunswered that she was Then quoth Ma Edmunds how chaunce he could not be brought to speake this other day when she was exorcised He the said deuil as she then supposed aunswered that the reason was because the spirit that was in her was sullen and dumbe Then they demaunding of his deuil what was the name of the spirit that was in this exam he aunswered Soforce And this was betwixt Christmas and Shrouetide She further saith that it was a common thing amongst them to giue out words as though Protestants were all possessed and there-vpon the priests would aske some that were pretended to be possessed or the deuil in them as it was supposed whilest they were exorcising them why they did not trouble them before whilst they were Protestants And the deuil would aunswer that there was no reason for them so to doe because the Protestants were theirs already She further saith that after the time she was out of the priests hands her former disease of the Mother did diuers times take her and continued with her as before it had done vntill being married she had children Since which time she hath beene rid of that disease she thanketh God She further saith that shee wel remembreth the morning when Alexander the Apothecarie was to goe to London to fetch more priests the day before this exam was first exorcised his horse prauncing and flinging of him downe he returned backe againe and constantly affirmed that the wicked spirit that was in this exam had caused his horse to fling him whereat when this exam laughed he the said Alexander affirmed that it was the deuill that laughed at him The confession of Ma. Anthonie Tyrrell Clerke written with his owne hand and auouched vpon his oath the 15 of Iune 1602. DIuers interrogatories beeing propounded to this examinate cōcerning the pretended casting out of deuils by maister Edmunds alias Weston a Iesuit and certaine other Seminary priests in the yeeres 1585 and 1586 at Hackney Denham and other places and as touching likewise the occasions or inducements that mooued them at that time to take such matters vpon them hee hath set downe his aunswer as followeth I will first answer to the circumstance of time which is heere propounded vnto me In the yeere 1584 I Iohn Ballard priest since executed with Ma. Babington and the rest comming together from Rome through Burgundy found there a great presse of souldiours and were aduertised that they were to serue vnder the Duke of Guise When wee came to Roane wee heard then directly that the said preparations were against England The same yeere as I remember Ma. Crighton a Scottish Iesuit was taken at the sea and after brought into England who by occasion of certaine writings which he had was driuen to confesse at large as I haue beene informed what the whole plot was and how far both the Pope and the King of Spaine had ingaged themselues in it Hereof I doubt not but that sundry Catholiques in England had sufficient notice from beyond the seas and especially Ma. Edmunds alias Weston the Iesuit who was then the chiefe as maister Garnet as I take it is at this present and therefore could not be ignorant of such important matters wherein principall men of his owne societie were engaged Not long after my cōming into England in the yeere 1585 maister Martin Aray a priest meeting with me at the end of Cheapside as I was turning to enter into Paules Churchyard tooke mee by the hand and whispering me in the eare bad me be of good cheere for that all things went now very well forward The king of Spayne quoth he is now almost ready with his forces to come into England and we shall be sure to heare some good newes therof very shortly wherefore it standeth vs now in hand that be priests to further the Catholique cause as much as possibly in vs lyeth or to this effect And this was the state of that time nourished I well perceiued with great hope of some great alteration by the meanes before expressed About the time of maister Arayes aforesaid communication with me maister Edmunds alias Weston had lately as it was reported cast a deuill out of one Marwood whereupon he the said maister Aray at the time before mentioned did highly commend vnto mee the exorcismes of Fa. Edmunds saying that hee the said Edmunds would make the deuils themselues now confesse that theyr kingdome was neere at an end Vpon the pretended dispossession of the said Marwood sundry other priests mooued thereunto I am perswaded by the instigation of maister Edmunds or for that they meant to shew theyr zeale in imitating of him did take vpon them to exorcise and cast deuils out of diuers persons viz. Sara and Friswood Williams William Trayford Anne Smith Richard Mainy and Elizabeth Calthrop whose necke was found broken at the bottome of a payre of stayres as the brute went then amongst vs. VVhen I saw this course I liked it well and was my selfe an Actor in it and did well perceiue that it was the matter whereat Ma. Aray had aymed when he told me that it stoode vs Priests in hand to further the Catholique cause as much as possibly wee could And indeed our proceedings therein had for a time wonderfull successe I cannot in my conscience esteeme the number fewer that in the compasse of halfe a yeere were by that meanes reconciled to the Church of Rome then 5 hundred persons some haue said three or foure thousand As touching the seuerall manners of dispossessing the said parties and of theyr fits traunces and visions diuers discourses were penned amongst the which I my selfe did penne one Ma. Edmunds likewise writ I am perswaded a quire of paper of Ma. Mainyes pretended visions For he thought as it seemed to haue wrought some great matter by him but was disappointed very ridiculously so as I thinke the said vision will hardly come to light There was also a Treatise framed to proue first that in former times diuers had been possessed Secondly that Christ hath left to his Church certaine remedies for the dispossessing of such parties Thirdly that in the casting out of deuils there hath beene great vse of application to the Daemoniacks of holy reliques In prosecution of the first part amongst other points the Author sheweth that GOD permitteth some to be possessed that thereby the faithlesse Atheists may learne that there is both a God and a deuill and that the faith of the Catholique Church may also be confirmed by the power left vnto her in casting out of deuils In the handling of the second point hee tryumpheth against the Protestants saying that for all theyr reformation which they talke of to be
not what other vile smell as before he had done I should not surely haue beene so quiet but he had another drift as wel it appeareth From the said Good-friday for ought I remember vntill the three and twentith of April which was then S. Georges day Ma Edmunds suffered me to be quiet I thinke now to gather some strength and imagined then that he would neuer haue troubled me further But it fell out that a day or two before Saint Georges day as it should seeme that I had againe a fit of the Mother where-vpon they tooke occasion to haue me in handling againe for as they said Modu the Prince of deuils was yet in me and now they pretended as I remember to do the best they could to cast him out of me that so I might be rid for altogether Ma Edmunds and the rest dealt with me at this time very extreamely and I must confesse that in hope to be now dispatched I bent my selfe as farre as possibly I could to faine and affirme euery thing that I perceaued they expected at my hands But what I then did or said if I should haue beene tortured vpon the rack had I not seene what was published in writing of me at that time I could not now haue remembred so many particulers After that Ma Edmunds had exorcised and perfumed me as often-times he had done before the deuil that had lyen secret long in me as the writing saith began to appeare But I wil set downe the effect of the said priests reports as touching this matter By commaundement of the Exorcist which was Ma Edmunds the deuill in Ma Mainy confessed his name to be Modu and that he had besides himselfe seauen other spirits all of them Captaines and of the great fame There-vpon Ma Edmunds commaunded that euery one of the seauen should come vp in their degrees one after another and to declare his name by his principall quality Then Ma Mainy by the instigation of the first of the seauen began to set his hands vnto his side curled his haire and vsed such gestures as Ma Edmunds presently affirmed that that spirit was Pride Heere-with he began to curse and banne saying What a poxe doe I heere I wil stay no longer amongst a company of rascall Priests but goe to the Court and braue it amongst my fellowes the noble men there assembled And then after Ma Edmunds had said that hee shewed himselfe thereby to be the spirit of Pride he went downe againe and Ma Mainy became very quiet and fell to his prayers But Ma Mainy could not tell one word as he reported of any thing that had beene then said onely he affirmed that he had all the while felt a great paine in his body Then Ma Edmunds did proceede againe with his Exorcismes and suddainly the sences of Mainy were taken from him his belly began to swell and his eyes to stare and suddainly cryed out ten pounds in the hundred he called for a Scriuener to make a bond swearing that hee would not lend his money without a pawne Ma Edmunds demaunding of that deuill whether he were the same that had spoken before he said no. But yet affirmed that hee was a good fellow and a companion of his and one that bare as great rule in England as any other deuill There could be no other talke had of this spirit but of mony bargaining and vsury so as all the company deemed this deuill to be the author of Couetousnesse not expecting any instruction therein from Fa Edmunds After a while this deuill goeth downe as the other did Ma. Mainy recouereth his sences falleth to his prayers and ere long Ma. Edmunds beginneth againe his Exorcismes wherein hee had not proceeded farre but vp commeth another spirit singing most filthy and baudy songs euery word almost that hee spake was nothing but ribaldry They that were present with one voyce affirmed that deuill to be the author of Luxury And Ma. Edmunds beeing not able to endure such lewd speeches commaunded him to be silent and to get him downe forthwith againe The deuill obeyed Ma. Mainy recouereth falleth to his prayers and afterwards Ma. Edmunds goeth forward with the rest And thus he did proceed till he had raised vp all the seauen Captaines and compelled them to shew themselues as the other had doone Enuy was described by disdainfull lookes and contemptuous speeches Wrath by furious gestures and talke as though hee would haue fought Gluttony by vomiting and Sloth by gaping and snorting as if hee had beene a sleepe Ma. Mainy at euery time recouering his sences and falling to prayer as he had done before After these seauen deuils had thus shewed themselues and were againe at rest in Ma. Mainy it seemed good to Ma. Edmunds to try what he could doe with Modu their prince and Captaine He beginneth againe his exorcismes and continued the same till after a while the said Modu rose vp againe and asked Ma. Edmunds how hee liked his 7. Brethren before mētioned who had appeared one after another And furthermore hee fell a cursing and said A pox on you all for popish priests My fellowes the protestants can make very much of my said Brethren giue them good entertainment bidding them welcome whensoe-they come but you scuruy priests can neither abide them your selues nor suffer them to be quiet whensoeuer you are conuersant Heereunto Ma. Edmunds aunswered that they would be enemies both to him and them all during their liues And commaunded both him and the rest of his companions for to depart out of Ma. Mainy vrging them with such seuerall adiurations as are see downe to that purpose in the booke of Exorcismes Whilst he was thus proceeding with him he required Modu by the authority of his Priesthood and power left by Christ in the Catholique Romane Church to tell him truly concerning these visions that appeared vnto Mainy with that the deuill in Mainy fell out into a great laughter saying that it had doone him very much good that he had coosened so many priests and made all the company for to worship him For saith hee all that time that you and the rest seemed to pray vnto Christ and vnto Saffronbag it was I and all my cōpany that you worshipped Heerewith Ma. Edmunds beeing greatly mooued defied him said that they had no intention of worshipping him and that if any wee so deceiued it was of ignorance and that his torments should be the greater for so intolerable an illusion Then Ma. Edmunds began againe his exorcismes with great earnestnes and all the company cried out vpon God the blessed virgin S. George and all the company of heauen to helpe and succour them in that holy action so as both that wicked Prince Modu and all his company might be cast out of Ma Mainy And accordingly God heard their prayers for shortly after they were all cast forth and that in such sort as Ma Edmunds directed them which was that euery deuill should
depart in some certaine forme representing either a beast or some other creature that had resemblance of that sinne whereof he was the chiefe Author Where-vpon the spirit of Pride departed in the forme of a Peacock The spirit of Sloth in the likenes of an Asse the spirit of Enuie in the similitude of a Dog the spirit of Gluttony in the forme of a Wolfe and the other deuils had also in their departure their particuler likenesses agreeable to their natures Hetherto the Author of the said Treatise though in some more words yet to this effect Concerning the which report the world must needes beare me witnes if euer it come to their publique view that I haue great cause to blame them for making of these things common which were wrought by themselues in priuate so much to my discredite My charity shall deserue very great commendations as I thinke if I doe not hereafter seeke to be reuenged both vpon Ma Edmunds and the rest that haue thus dealt with me But to the matter it selfe as I am required It is very likely that vpon Saint Georges day here mentioned I railed against the priests and spake of the Court as that time gaue occasion But I doe verily thinke that I vsed the said speeches as being led vnto them by some words vttered eyther by the priests or by some in the company and that they had some farther drift then I doe know of in appoynting that day for their dealings with me And touching my describing of the said seauen deuils by signes and gestures signifying the seauen deadly sinnes I doe wel remember that I vsed some such like gestures to that end but I am perswaded that they are heere set downe in farre better sort then I did act them as their vsuall manner was in reporting of any thing that was done eyther by me or any of the rest They would make a faire tale of any thing though it were neuer so simple that any of vs did or said But for mine owne part how I should be able to describe the said sinnes though it were neuer so simple I cannot directly aunswer This onely I think and am perswaded in my conscience that what I did therein I was eyther led vnto it by some of the Priests instructing questions or else I had beene told before that others in my case had described such deuils by such gestures that did signifie such and such sinnes For being not then fully xvij yeeres of age as I take it I doe not thinke that any such things would euer haue come into my head if I had not beene cunningly instructed It seemeth strange vnto me when I remember diuers things concerning these matters as I may say of my self so I haue beene informed concerning the rest that eyther had beene or were then in my case Wee were neuer suffered to be quiet few nights escaped but either Mistris Peckham when she was present or Mistris Plater or some other of the women where we remained would be with vs eyther to bring vs newes seuerally what each of vs had done or said apart when we were exorcised the day before or else to tell vs strange tales which they said they had heard of some of the priests concerning diuers things which had beene done and spoken by such as had beene possessed in other Countries whether they did thus by the direction of the priests or no I cannot tell but I verily beleeue that wee all of vs learned thereby to doe many things which otherwise we should neuer haue thought of And whether I learned from them the skill I had to doe the gestures before mentioned I know not it may be I did And as I aunswer to this point so doe I vnto that other as touching the deuils supposed similitudes in their pretended departing out of me Eyther it is altogether false and deuised by themselues or else they led me to say so by their questions As if they asked me whether Pride did not depart from me in the likenesse of a Peacock it is very probable that I said he did And so of all the rest or otherwise they told some in my hearing that such deuils did vse to depart from such as they possessed in such kinde of formes I pray God forgiue them for all their bad dealings with me My chiefe comfort is that as I said in the beginning I am fully perswaded that I was neuer possessed and that all I did or spake I did it and spake it my selfe being sometimes enforced and sometimes induced so to doe as before I haue mentioned And also that the most of those things which are written of me are eyther vtterly false or greatly altered in the telling And that the priests themselues that dealt with me are of right to beare the blame for that which eyther I or any of the rest said or did that might giue any iust cause of offence eyther to her Maiestie or the state heere in England Vpon my speeches before mentioned to the Lord Strange the priests and others especially those that fauour Ma Edmunds as I thinke did giue it out that I was still possessed And I doubt not but if at any time they vnderstand of this my confession it wil be said that now I haue many deuils in me I had forgotten to set downe how I haue had a long time an ache in one of my knees which I thinke I got whē I was a child by a cold how when I told the priests of it first they vsed that for one argument to proue that I was possessed saying that it was very likely that the deuil kept about that place Also I feare I shall be troubled with my old disease as I haue before said So as if they shall determine to hold on so wicked a course they are like to haue the same causes to say that I am still possessed that they had before But I hope they wil not dare to presume to haue any further dealing with me and that God will deliuer me from them And this is all I can say to all such points and matters as haue beene propounded vnto me Richard Mainy FINIS Errata PAge 5 line 27 for continue reade contriue Page 16 line 6 for Rat reade Cat. Page 20 line 36 for hope reade two Page 95 line 35 for conseruation reade consecration ann 1558. 1559. 1562. 1567. 1569. 1572. 1577. 1579. 1580. A loyall generation of Priestes As is lately confessed by Fa P. in his Apolog. Cap. 15. flag daemon Page 6. of that booke See Friswoods Cōfess In his owne tract vpon record page 2. See the booke of miracles Page 26. Page 25 of the book of miracles Edm Peckham In her examination See his examin Ed Peckham See her examina Chap 22.23 24. Weston Tractat. Miracle booke Pag. 20. Looke her Confess De Daemo Cap. 18. In their booke of Cases for England See her examina See her examina See her examin See the booke of Miracles Booke of Miracles Booke of Miracles page 42. Booke of Miracles page 34. Page cod Reade her examin See Maynies confess See the record Mengus Flag Daem See her exexamin Thyrae 181. Ibid See the booke of miracles Page 12. of the booke of miracles Page 5 miracle booke Page 5 ibidem See Edm practat See her examin See Tirrels exam and Fids Pag. 32. See Edmunds tract Page 14. See her exam Page 45. See her exam Booke of miracles page 24. Page 23. Page 5. Page 27. Mēgus fust daemon exorcis See her exam See her examina Tilman De mirac Eucharist See her exam See Scots booke of Witches Seeth 〈◊〉 beginning of her examin Page 20. Page 5. booke of Miracles See the last end of Fide examin Page 42. Booke of Miracles Page 43. Beholde your loyall Priests Page 43. Page 34. See Saras examin Page 7. Page 7. ibi Page 43. Page 32. Page 43. See Fids Maynies exam Page 23. Page 43. Page 29. Page 44. See Saras examina Page 17. Page 23. Page 2. Pag 3. See the missall Page 2. Page 4. Booke of Miracles page 16. Page 15 Page 43. Page 17. Westons Tractat of Marwood The booke of miracles extant vpon record Page 20. Page 21. Page 22. Page 23. Page 24. Page 23. Page 23 Page 24. Page 25. Page 25. Page 25. Ibidem Page 28. Page 29. Page 32. Page 32 Ibidem Page 33 Page 33. Ibidem Page 34. Page 34. Ibidem Page 35. Page 34. Page 35. Page 36. Page 37. Page 38 Page 38. ibid Page 39. Page 45. Page 33. Page 43. Page 1. Page 2. Page 3. Page 3. Ibidem Page 4. Page 5. Page 5. Ibidem Page 5. Page 5. Page 6. Page 10. * Martha Broslier By Edmunds in Latine extant vpon record