Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	good_a	holy_a	spirit_n	3,941	5	4.8416	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A58995	The second part of the boy of Bilson, or, A true and particular relation of the imposter Susanna Fowles wife of John Fowles, of Hammersmith, in the county of Middlesex, who pretended her self to be posses'd with the Devil : giving an exact account of the beginning, progress, conferences, discovery, commitment, confession, &c. of the said imposter / the whole being writ and attested by Robert Howson, clerk, Captain John Ponsey, and Mr. Nicholas Wade, who were frequently with her during the time of her pretended possession, and before whom she made the confession herein contained, as also by a great number of clergy, both conformists and nonconformists mentioned in the following narrative.	Howson, Robert.; Ponsey, John.; Wade, Nicholas.	1698 (1698)	Wing S2300; ESTC R33732	11,682	29

The Second Part of the Boy of BILSON OR A True and Particular RELATION OF THE IMPOSTOR Susanna Fowles Wife of John Fowles of Hammersmith in the County of Middlesex who pretended her self to be Possess'd with the DEVIL Giving an Exact Account of the Beginning Progress Conferences Discovery Commitment Confession c. of the said IMPOSTOR The Whole being Writ and Attested by Robert Howson Clerk Captain John Bonsey and Mr. Nicholas Wade who were frequently with her during the Time of her Pretended Possession and before whom she made the Confession herein contained as also by a great number of the Clergy both Conformists and Nonconformists mentioned in the following Narrative LONDON Printed and are to be sold by E. Whitlock near Stationers Hall MDCXCVIII TO THE READER Courteous Reader THE following Relation sets before thee a living Instance of the Policy of that Grand Deceiver of Mankind the Devil and I doubt of those Master-workers for his Kingdom the Jesuits For if all Circumstances occurring in the subsequent Narrative be well weighed and considered there will I believe be found some probable grounds for such a Conjecture And therefore I was of Opinion that I could not do the World better Service than by setting before their Eyes A True and Faithful Account of this parlous Impostor thereby to give a light into the Tricks and Contrivances of such-like Damnable Designs for the future as also by laying open the heinousness of the Sin to restrain the wicked Inclinations of such as may be in danger to be misled by the Delusions of Satan and for the encouraging of all to a hearty Reliance upon the Providence of Almighty God who best knows what Condition is fittest for us 'T is observable That one chief End of all this kind of Impostors is to get Money as it was in the Case before us as does appear by her Confession and therefore I do most earnestly exhort all those whose Hearts are set too much upon the Goods of this World not to venture upon the least indirect Means to procure the same least the Devil who no doubt will be apt to prompt them on still further do not at last bring them to that State of Insensibility as to dare to attempt the most unaccountable Villainies to compass their unjust Ends which will at last without sincere and hearty Repentance bring them to their own most miserable Ends even Eternal Damnation The Second Part OF THE Boy of Bilson Or A True and Particular Relation OF THE IMPOSTOR Susannah Fowles AMong the many strange and unaccountable Impostures that have been Acted upon this great Stage of the World I cannot meet with any one that will parallel the Case before us unless it be the Story of the Boy of Bilson which because it was long since transacted and is but come to the Knowledge of a few I will here set down by way of Introduction to and Illustration of the following Narrative The Story was this In Stafford-Shire at a Town call'd Bilson was a Boy whose Father Mother Neighbours and many other People with admiration did absolutely think Possest with a Devil for he had strange sudden violent distorting Fits that appeared to all the Beholders contrary to Nature and being not full Fifteen Years Old it could not be imagined that he could be guilty of any Imposture and therefore his Case was the more Remakable The Jesuits the best Physicians in such Distempers hearing of it visited the Boy Prayed by him and used such other Charms and Exorcisms as make them admired by silly People giving his Parents good hope of Dispossessing him of the foul Spirit by which might palpably be discern'd how much God's Power was exprest in their Weakness and what Difference there was between the Truth and Holiness of the Catholick Religion and the Heresie professed among Protestants So that they that heard them and there were abundance that Resorted to the Place took them for very Holy Men. These Caterpillars visited him often sometimes in Private sometimes in Company but this kind of Spirit would not be commanded by them so that they grew almost desperate of the Cure The Boy in his Fits would rave against an Old Woman dwelling near to his Father intimating by Signs and ghastly Behaviour that she had sent a Spirit to torment him and when he was out of his Fits positively accused her of being a Witch and the Author of all his Misery This old Woman was sent to the Chancellor of Litchfield to be Examined and the Boy was brought thither to confront her And having his Back towards her at her coming into the Room where the Chancellor was before she yet entred or appeared he fell into a most bitter Agony crying out Now she comes now my Tormentor comes wreathing and tearing himself in so horrid a manner that it did not only breed Amazement but Pity in the Spectators there being many with Expectation attending the Issue Which with some other Probabilities were an Inducement to the Chancellor to send the Woman to Stafford Gaol At the next Assizes for the County the Boy and his Parents appear as Witnesses against the Witch The Boy was placed in a conspicuous part of the Court with his Face to the Bench Eying the Judge continually in a very peaceable and quiet Posture and as the Woman was coming in when the Court thought it impossible the Boy should be sensible of her Appearance he fell into a more raging Fit than ever he was Possest with before so stupendiously unnatural that it was deem'd by all that saw it that nothing but a Diabolical Spirit could work such horrid Effects This thus openly acted and the Relation of what was done at Litchfield and other like Circumstances so possess'd both the Court and Spectators that the Old Woman that had no good Reputation among her Neighbours being of a testy froward Temper a Temper incident to Old Age found few Friends to plead her Cause so that being Indicted for Witchcraft she was found Guilty by the Jury and Condemned to Die Dr. Morton Bishop of Litchfield happily then on the Bench upon Secular Affairs hearing that some Romish Priests had been tampering with the Boy with their Exorcisms to the Undevilling of him and finding little Reason produced why the Witch should use the Boy so ill was perswaded this might be some Trick of the Jesuits for enhancing the Credit of Miracles he therefore pray'd the Judge to Reprieve the Woman till the next Assizes and he would take the Boy home with him have him carefully and strictly looked to not doubting but before that time he should find out the bottom of some secret and hidden Contrivance The Judge assented to the Bishop's Request and so the Boy was carried to Eccleshall Castle the Bishop's House whither his Fits followed him with a great deal of Violence for being put out of his Road having formerly all sorts of People come to admire him and now being more carefully looked to he

grew sullen and would not eat somerimes in two or three days so that his Belly was almost clung and grown to his Back and he had a new Swelling about his Throat which never appeared before Lay in his Bed sometimes as it were Senseless sometimes staring with his Eyes and foaming at the Mouth sometimes striking those that stood near him his own careful Mother being one whom he had made all black and blue about the Arms and Breasts never spoke but in his Fits and then a strange Gibberish at other times he only muttered and made signs The Bishop visited him often striving sometimes to soften him with Gentleness at other times he handled him roughly but his Evil Spirit was not so easily laid The Bishop spoke to him one time some of the Greek Testament to see how that would work and it brought him into his Fits At another time he uttered some Verses out of the Greek Poets which his Devil was not so Learned as to distinguish for that put him into a Fit again so that the Bishop was confirmed that he was an Impostor of a most pernicious and pertinacious Spirit but how to conjure it out of him was the Difficulty And finding Words and Menaces made no Impression in him he fell to Blows for taking him out of his Bed and having one to hold him the Bishop gave him six very smart Lashes with a Rod which moved the Boy no more than if he had been an insensible Stock They also thrust Needles into his Toes and Fingers betwixt the Nails clapt burning Candles to his Eye-lids till they singed the Hair off to divert him when he was in his Fits yet he neither winch'd nor stirred so that the Actors were more troubled to execute than he to suffer In this Condition growing almost desperate he would make signs for Knives or any other Instrument to do himself a Mischief with therefore strict Care was taken and many watchful Eyes set over him to prevent any such Danger Thus he continued almost a quarter of a Year at last his Urine grew so black that the Physicians thought Nature had left her usual Operation having never found in any Humane Body so much adust Matter to give so deep and deadly a Tincture This struck the good Bishop very near for he was certain the Priests had been tammering with him and now if he should miscarry under his Hands those Mint-Masters of Mischief would Coin such Scandals against him as might pass current in the World's Opinion Therefore he used all the means he could possible as well to preserve him as to discover him but finding the Boy indure so many Tryals with Patience so much Hardship and Severity in tender Years he resolv'd if his Water continu'd black to shift the matter no further To find out which he set a trusty Servant to watch him through a hole that looked into the Chamber upon the Bed which the Boy knew not of The Bishop going that Morning with his Family to a Lecture all things were very still in the House and the Boy finding all quiet no Noise about him he lifts himself up stares and listens and at length gets out of his Bed and in the Straw or Mat under it takes out an Ink-horn and makes Water in the Chamber-pot through a piece of the Cotton in his Hand another little piece of the Cotton he puts between the Glans and the Prepuce drawing the Skin over it and that was for a Reserve if he should be forced to make Water when Company was by Thus having cunningly put himself in order he hides the Ink-horn again and returns to his Bed The Man that was appointed to watch him seeing all this discovered it to the Bishop at his coming home who came to him presently and askt him How he did he according to his usual manner pointed to his Water looked ghastly on it and mutter'd out his old howling Tone The Bishop that now meant to deal roundly with him said Sirrah you have Ink in your Bed-straw which you make use of to black your Water and your Knavery is found out and calling in his Man he took out the Ink-horn where the Boy had hid it and the Man justified that he saw him make Water through the Cotton Which with the Bishop's Threatning to send him to the House of Correction struck the Boy with such a sudden Terror that he rose from his Bed fell upon his Knees and humbly besought the Bishop to pardon him and he would discover to him the whole Truth And as he put on his Cloaths the Bishop laid open the Grievousness of his Sin which wrought so upon his Spirit that he melted into Tears crying to God for Mercy A very great Alteration that what he did but counterfeit the Devil so hardned him in that all the Torments and Pains inflicted by Man could not produce a Tear till God that melted the Rock had first touched the Heart Then he Confess'd as follows Namely That a Pedlar met him when he was going to School and with many inticing Words perswaded him to go to Mr. Gifford's House assuring him of good Entertainment and with his Allurements he went thither with him There he found four Romish Priests who gave him Money and many fair Words promising him great matters if he would be conformable to their Instructions They were three days in teaching him how to demean himself and after he was well tutored and had practised his Tricks there privately then they sent him home to his Father who thought he had been lost and was much troubled for him to exercise them in a more publick way He came home in a very distracted manner to the Amazement of his Parents and in a short time drew much Company to visit him and his Parents being Poor got Money from many Charitable People which did incourage him to persist in that way But when the Rumour of his being Possessed with an Evil Spirit was sufficiently bruited abroad the Priests came to dispossess him but he found so much Sweetness in the Ease and Profit of that Life that he would not be dis-inchanted by them though they charm'd never so cruelly for they beat him and pincht him and used him very hardly to make him desist Thus were the Deceivers deceived The Bishop askt him Why he accused the poor Old Woman of Witchcraft He answered The Priests told him he must lay the Cause of his being Possest upon some Old Woman and she being known to him and of a scolding Humour he fixt it on her Then the Bishop askt him How he came to fall into his Fits a little before the Woman appear'd in the Room both at her Examination and Arraignment For the first at Litchfield he said he heard some about him Mutter She is here which made him cry out She comes She comes And for the second at Stafford he heard the People remove and her Chains gingle as she came which gave him the sign Lastly

Fowles the Wife of John Fowles declares and confesses That she the said Susanna to the great Dishonour of God Almighty and the Scandal of the Protestant Religion about the beginning of December last past upon some Discontent arising between her self and Husband and his Relations some time after her Marriage to him upon pretended Fits of Melancholy did most wickedly personate the Devil speaking in her and from her by shutting her Teeth and speaking through them by a shrill hollow Voice saying She is mine She is mine and blaspheming and cursing at the Name of Jesus in Prayers and at other times telling the Minister It is more than you can do to cast me out for she is mine and has been so these Twelve Weeks and you did not see me go in nor shall not see me go out And sometimes as in the time of Prayer when the Name of Jesus or our Blessed Saviour was mentioned she the said Susanna Fowles immediately reply'd Curse him Curse him And being ask'd how she came to pronounce those horrid Curses she said the Evil thing or he within her bid her do so Being also ask'd for what Reason she feigned or dissembled this Voice to personate the Devil she answer'd she did so for no other design but to get Money For which she owns her self to be an Impostor Susanna Fowles further acknowledgeth and confesseth That all she did by personating the Devil speaking from within her was by ill Advice from others and the first that perswaded her to say or feign that she was possess'd by an Evil Spirit she says was a Relation one Mary Freeman who lived in Bloomsbury and whom she believed to be a Roman Catholick And also she says she was further encouraged hereunto by one Jordan a Gardener a pretended Doctor of Brentford who gave her divers Spells and had her in hand about a Month That he also gave her a Spell or Charm in writing which by his order she wore about her Neck which when Mr. Howson the Minister open'd he found to be a Prayer used by the Romish Priests in their Exorcising Service with divers Crosses about it and the aforesaid pretended Doctor bade both her and her Husband cross themselves on the Forehead and Breast which she says she did upon his saying that then the Devil would have no power of them For all which she says she is heartily sorry and begs Pardon of God and Forgiveness of his Ministers and other Christians that assisted in Prayers for her She also further saith That a Man came to her Husband and told him that there was a Portuguese in Lincolns-Inn Fields that could cure her And the also adds That on Monday February the 21st an Ancient Gentlewoman came to her in Rotten Row and told her that if she would admit some of those People that wear hair Jackets and go bare-foot they would put her in the middle and pray round her and restore her to her right Mind She also further acknowledgeth That a Shooemaker an Acquaintance of her Husband 's in Hammersmith advised her to go to the Priests belonging to the Portuguese Embassador for they were good Men and they would cure her In Acknowledgment of the Truth of all which the said Susanna Fowles hath hereto set her Hand Susanna Fowles In the Presence of Robert Howson Cl. Capt. Jo. Bonsey Nicholas Wade John Cave Samuel Carter Rochester John Blood Ezekiel Fuller Joseph Evans Thomas Wood. William Pearson Lieut. Nathanael Barlow Observe That on the 12th of March she did confess much to the same purpose before the Worshipful Mr. Justice Smith and several Divines there present As likewise that on Monday the 21st she writ and signed with her own Hand a Paper wherein is repeated what she had confessed before concerning Jordan with this further Addition That he gave her something in a Bottle as also some Pills and told her that they would make her Vomit Pins and Needles And afterwards gave her more things which he told her would kill the Live Thing within her for he perswaded her she had a live Puppy within her In the same Paper she likewise says That a certain hopping Fellow as she express'd it whose Name she does not know a pretended Doctor likewise living at the Golden Ball in Fetter-lane told her that she was possess'd with an Evil Spirit and Cast a Figure for her as she says and told her if she would come to London he would cast the Devil out of her but that it could not be done except she came to London and then she would be well presently This Paper is now in the hands of John Pero the Bookseller hereof where any one that desires it may see it Thus have you heard the Relation of an Imposture carried on with that cunning Contrivance for some Months that it imposed upon the Sagacity of a great many very Learned and Judicious Men and I leave the World to Judge whether all Circumstances considered it could be manag'd by one Person alone without the Assistance and Knowledge of her Husband and Sister who were constantly with her She is now in Bridewell near Clerkenwell-Green beating Hemp where she must continue till the next Session and take her Tryal for Blasphemy and Imposture pursuant to the Warrant of her Commitment FINIS