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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68096	The boy of Bilson: or, A true discouery of the late notorious impostures of certaine Romish priests in their pretended exorcisme, or expulsion of the Diuell out of a young boy, named William Perry, sonne of Thomas Perry of Bilson, in the county of Stafford, yeoman Vpon which occasion, hereunto is premitted a briefe theologicall discourse, by way of caution, for the more easie discerning of such Romish spirits; and iudging of their false pretences, both in this and the like practices.	R. B. (Richard Baddeley); Wheeler, Mr.	1622 (1622)	STC 1185; ESTC S120841	43,472	84

then further examined till the next time THE SECOND EXAMINATION AND ANSWERE of the said William Perry made vnto certaine other questions which vpon iust and special presumptions were propounded vnto him by the Reuerend Father in God THOMAS Lord B. of Couentry and Lichsield taken at Eccleshall Castle the 13. day of Octob. Anno Dom. 1620. FIrst it was demanded of him that seeing the old man called Thomas perswaded him that at length hee should be cured by some Popish Priest whether hee meant not accordingly in the end to seeme to bee dispossessed by some or one such of them He answereth yes and further that thereupon he meant to become a Papist Secondly being asked that if hee did meane so why then he would not after so long a time and so great paines taken about him by those Priests yeeld to their Exorcismes and seeme to bee dispossessed by their meanes Hee answereth because that much people did resort vnto him and brought him many good things as also for that he was not willing to goe to schoole againe yet that in the end his meaning was to be holpen by them Thirdly being asked that after hee saw himselfe halfe discouered whether in his griefe and feare that all should come to light he had not an intent to doe himselfe some bodily mischiese He answereth that he had for saith he the Diuell had * It was his owne word steeled my heart so that I cared not to hang my selfe and had purposed to doe so one night but that I was watched and hindred Fourthly being asked how it could be thought that he should be moued by any Papist to charge a woman for bewitching him which was her selfe an obstinate Recusant He answereth that hee was moued by Thomas the old man to lay it on some woman so suspected but that onely of himselfe without the perswasion of any other he named this * Ione Cocke woman because she was a woman ill thought of and suspected for such like things Being here put in mind of the desire which formerly before his discouery he had to be prayed for as was accordingly then done but as at the same time was told him not to driue the Diuell out of his body but onely out of his soule wherin the Diuell had possessed him by a diuellish obstinacy of his heart in faining himselfe to be bodily possessed of the diuell And being further wished to remember how that after those prayers he writ on a paper that he had found much ease thereby He was hereupon demanded whether he did not as then intend and resolue with himselfe to make an end of his former course and counterfeit practices and seeme to be dispossessed by such prayers He answereth that it was indeed in his minde to doe so because hee had then wearied himselfe with dissembling so long and was also in feare to be discouered and found out And albeit this was easily discerned to haue bin his resolution yet as was at that time told him it became not the Professors of truth to imitate the Popish Priests in such cases who falsly arrogated to themselues such an Apostolicall power by Exorcizing to expell Diuels although it might in mans opinion much worke for the glorifying of God edifying of Christian people in our Church and also for the conuerting of Romish Recusants vnto our true Religion because this ought to bee the profession of Christians to seeke to glorifie Him onely by truth who will bee worshipped in spirit and truth And here was an end made of examining the Boy any further Examinat ' coram praefat ' R do Patre dictis diebus anno loco Praesente Ryc Baddeley Notario Publico THE BOY OF BILSON his priuate and publike Acknowledgement c. NOw after those Popish * Bilson in Staffordshire is a Chappelrie within the peculiar Iurisdiction of Wooluerhamptō where sacrilegious impiely hath produced such effects that it is much insected with Popery insested with Popish Priests whose ordinary Rendeuouz it is No maruell therefore if they made choyce thereof as the fillest nest wherin to lay and exclude their addle and supposititious egs of politicke impostures and godly deceits But this Cockatrice was crusht in in the shell and their viperous disseine thereby deseated Priests were departed and had left the Boy as before is confessed and set downe his Father sought for further helpe by the meanes of Witches but as wickedly so all in vaine vntill such time as he was brought from the towne of Bilson aforesaid vnto Lichfield before Doctor Master Chancellor of the Dioces where he continued vntill hee was carried to the Assizes at Stafford and there by the Iudges referred and left vnto the aboue-named Reuerend Father in God the I. Bishop of the Diocesse who after a very short time sent to Bilson for him and after his arriuall did deale with him as formerly in this discourse hath been related Since which time the Boy vpon laying to his charge the hainousnesse of that his offence as being blasphemous in respect of Christ whose words in the Gospell he fained himselse to abhorre and diuellish in respect of the Diuell whose person hee would seeme to bee possessed of and also murtherous in respect of the poore Woman whom he willingly occasioned to bee brought as much as in him lay to the poynt of death He hath earnestly bewailed these his sinnes and as after his first Examination by prayer coneiued by himselfe to such purpose craued forgiuenesse at Gods hand for the same So hauing continued at Eccleshall Castle aforesaid vntill he was perfectly recouered of his former weaknesse and benummed limmes and that his Parents were willing to dispose of him otherwaies hee was finally brought againe to the last Summer-Assizes held at Stafford the 26. of Iuly Summer Assizes held at Stafford 19. Iacobi R. 1621. Anno 1621. where before Sir Peter Warburton and Sir Humfrey Winch Knights his Maiesties Iustices of Assize and the face of the County and Countrey there assembled the Boy craued pardon first of Almighty God then desired the Woman there also present to forgiue him and lastly requested the whole Countrey whom hee had so notoriously and wickedly scandalized to admit of that his so hearty Confession for their satisfaction And thus it pleased God to open the eyes of this Boy that I may so say luto with the clay of the Romish Priests lewd impostures and sputo with the spittle of his owne infamy to see his errors and to glorifie the God of truth Gloriasoli Deo THE EXAMINATION AND ANSWERE OF THOMAS NECHILS of Nechils in the County of Stafford Gentleman a Recusant taken vpon oath before the R. Reuerend Father in God THOMAS L. Bishop of Couentry and Lichfield at Eccleshall Castle the 17. of Octob. Anno 1620. touching the aforementioned Relation of the Priests of their proceedings with the Boy of Bilson BEing examined whether hee knew a written discourse then shewed vnto him touching the Boy of Bilson entituled and beginning thus A faithfull Relation of the proceedings of c. and ending in these words Yours in charity loue or any good office Hee answereth that hee doth very well know and remember the same Being examined how hee came first by that discourse or Relation and from whom he had it Hee answereth that it was deliuered vnto him by a Gentleman whom he met iourneying on the way towards Lichfield whose name was Master Wheeler as he told this Examinate And being further demanded he saith that he was as a man of a reasonable stature round faced about fiftie yeeres old and of a blackish complection Being examined what further discourse did at that time passe betwixt them two touching the said Boy called VVilliam Perry He answereth that the said Master Wheeler then told this Examinate that he would acquaint him with the whole businesse concerning that Boy whereupon hee gaue this Examinate a copie of the afore-named discourse or Relation hauing two copies at the same time about him and willed this Examinate to get it copied out and to giue one copie thereof vnto one Philip Higgins of Westbromage Yeoman as hee this Examinate remembers And further that the said Master Wheeler said vnto this Examinate that was no matter who should see it Being further examined what the said Master Wheeler did at the same time acquaint this Examinate with touching himselfe Hee confesseth that he told him how that he did often vse to resort vnto the French Embassadour that hee did know the Bishop of Couentry and Lichfield and further that he was knowne to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Tho. Nechils Examinat ' coram praefat ' R do Patre dictis die anno loco Praesente Ryc Baddeley Notario Publ.

away Deuils and to purge veniall sinnes besides other formes of their practice which are altogether superstitious if not also sacrilegious For to instance in the last what greater sacrilege can there be than to assume power to ordaine any element for conferring of a spirituall grace of remission of sinnes What is this else than to institute a Sacrament an act properly and soly belonging to the authoritie of him who is the Creatour of soules But these things being obuious vnto all men I tooke hereby occasion to insert the former obseruation concerning Images albeit without Exorcismes The fourteenth Aduertisement Shewing the second point of their Superstition by their impious and abhominable Consultation with Deuils in their Exorcismes for resolution in points of Religion COncerning this I will first manifest that they vsually practize it and secondly propound their Reasons for so doing and confute them That they vse to consult with Deuils about doctrinall points in Religion LEt any man reade the Bookes or heare the Relations of the Romish Exorcists of these latter times and he shall find that there is nothing more ordinarie with them than their familiar conference with the Deuill touching questions of Religion Cotton the Iesuite his Interrogatories put to the Deuell to resolue off concerning Purgatory for his Catholikes and Hel for vs Protestants with many other curious questions are more than notorious The Priests at Denham in their Adiurations were frequent by which they sought to satisfie their Adherents about the truth of the Immaculate Conoeption of the Virgin Mary See the Declaration of Impostures c. of Pope Gregorie XIII his being a Saint in Heauen of the Sacrament of the Altar and Christs bodily presence therein The Iesuite Tursellin contendeth by all the strength of his wit to giue satisfaction to his Reader Tursellin Hist Dom. Laeuret concerning the truth of the miraculous Transmigration of the blessed Virgins house from Iurie to Loretto in Italy Idem Epist dedic ante Hist Iustus Baronius Epist Which one house of the Virgin excelleth as they say all others that euer were dedicated vnto her Whereunto there is daily concourse from all Nations of the World especially from France Spaine the Indies and most remote parts by Kings Princes and other people yet was not the truth of this Historie so absolute in all points vntill an horrible Deuill Tursellin quo supia called Arcto● was consulted with who affirmed that That house was the very same place wherein the Angell Gaebriel saluted the blessed Virgin Our Romish Preists at Bilson are desirous that their Disciples should know which is their maine question whether the Protestants or Romanists are more safe in their Religion to this purpose they aduise with their faithfull Doctor the Deuill and set the resolution downe in that which they call A faithfull Relation and that to vse their marginall phrase as a Markable thing See heereafter Pag. 51. I saith the Priest commanded the Deuill to shew how he would one dying out of the Romane Church which he did by violent pulling and byting of the clothes Then I would know of him how he did vse Luther Caluine and Iohn Fox which he did after the same manner but in afiercer sort Then I asked what power hee had ouer a Romane Catholike dying out of mortall sinne Hee then thrust downe his head trembling and did no more In all which they sufficiently manifest that their profession is vpon such like doubts to take their resolution from the Deuill But of all stories of this kind that I thinke was euer committed to Print that which was published in France is most famous and so the Romanists will haue vs to know intituling it an Admirable Historie of their Exorcismes and dedicating it to the then Queene Regent Wherein they bring in for proofe of many Articles of their Romane faith a Deuill named Verrine constrayned as they say by the power of God to say and sweare by the liuing God that Christ is in the Chalice after Consecration bload and bones Admir Hist pag. 52. 98. as when hee was crueified vpon the Grosse And so hee proceedeth in that Booke preaching both 〈◊〉 orall and Theologicall points of Religion vnto ●●e end and all to this end that the hearts of people might receiue satisfaction by the Deuils Sermons Where also F. Michaelis the Exorcist himselfe in the Epistle to the Reader before the Booke further saith and professeth as followeth We are in good hope that this Historie will be no lesse vsefull and profitable in France than that was of Laon printed Anno 1566. which greatly confirmed the Catholike faith and conuerted many Heretikes who heard the Deuils say many times in an high voyce that these Her etikes were his friends and confederates So that wee cannot but see that it is their profession to receiue assurance of their faith from the Deuill which may bee yet more euident vnto vs in as much as that they doe reason for the iustifying of themselues in so doing which is the next point The fifteenth Aduertisement Shewing the falsitie of their Reasons for their consulting with Deuils by their Exorcismes in questions of Religion THe Adinration which they defend to bee so powerfull is of two sorts the one is of an absolute command the secondis of stipulation or obligation by a formall Oath The Adiuration by absolute command they contend to proue first by the example of Christ against the Deuill the next by the example of the Deuill against Christ The second they labour to make good by vertue of the band of a formall Oath My part and office will bee to confute them in all as well particularly as generally The particular Confutation of their first Reason whereby they vse to prooue the lawfulnesse of consulting with Deuils by the manner of Adiuration which they collect from the example of Christ against the Deuill THe first foundation which they lay for this is that the Deuill is constrained by the power of God to speake truth and therefore they may interrogate the Deuill and receiue from him an assurance of the same truths This power of God the Admirable French Historie doth obsorue in their Deuill Verrine whom first they acknowledge to haue beene sent immediately from God by whose power hee was compelled to instruct men in the truth to confound Belzebub and other Diuels and as if there had beene difference of religion among the Deuils in hell and that this Verrine yet by constrant had beene a Catholike Deuill hee confirmeth to the world many points of Romish faith insomuch that the Priests and Exorcists doe put an Eoce vpon him saying Behold a miracle vnheard off that a Deuill should conuert soules Admir Epist pag. 7. We may rather say Behold soules Christian neuer read of before that would be couerted by the Deuill But to the matter Their first ground they take from the confession of the Deuill when hee acknowledged Christ to be the

if that those spirits might by the power of Adiuration be compelled to shew that they were deuils and that being knowne they would confesse nothing but truth All which notwithstanding the Romish Priests ordinarily seeke to bee informed of them concerning Purgatorie Indulgences worshipping of Images and other Mysteries of Romish Superstition which Bellarmine and other Iesuites doe endeuour to confirme by Apparitions of the dead when as according to the iudgement of ancient Fathers the soule that it conuersant in holy Writ will re-resolue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that though the Deuill as in the petition of * Not to omit which is else-where forgotten that the Boy of Bilson did fayne himselfe to abhor and to be affected with this Petition as with the first verse of Saint Iohns Gospell Vide pag. 58. 59. Deliuer vs from euill may come into his Pater-Noster yet that he shall neuer enter into his Creed Not to stand any longer vpon Antiquitie I would but desire any one Example of any one Father in the space of fiue hundred yeares after Christ or Historie in the same compasse of time recording and approuing any Conference with the Deuill by way of Exorcisme or otherwise for satisfaction of any Christian in points of Religion Let vs at last reason the matter with these men The two and twentieth Aduertisement Shewing the Reasons which may be produced against this perswasion of the Deuil arising aswell from the Cause it selfe as from the Euents Reasons of the first kind Two reasons may suffice if they be pregnant The first thus If such be the power of Exercists that they constraine the Deuill in the Name of God and by the warrant of the Church to confesse any truth that shall be demanded of them by Adiuration then should there need for our satisfaction in matter of Religion no other Questionists then Exorcists no other Catechists than Deuills no other Tradition Councell Scripture or Gospel than the confession of Deuils yea and then the Decrees of Popes which are held as Oracles in that Church must now for many of them haue erred giue place to the testimonies of Deutls I may not except their Councell of Trent Conc. Trid. Sessio 5. cap. 1. which would not determine the question concerning the naturall Conception of the blessed Virgin whether shee were originally immaculate for either great was the ignorance of those Fathers that could not or else obstinacie that they would not set it downe for an Article in their Romane Creed as they haue done many other Articles as far repugnant from truth seeing that Verrine the Deuill Admir Hist pag. 205. by power of Exorcisme was brought to sweare vpon the blessed Sacrament and did answer vpon that Oath that she was originally immaculate Albeit Bernard Thomas Aquinas Bonauenture and many hundreds in the Romish Church would heerein haue giuen the deuill the lye It had beene good before they had giuen credit to this deuill to haue sought some certaine resolution how to reconcile the different reuelations made to Saint Bridget Saint Katherine concerning the same question Katherine being told by reuelation that the Conception of the blessed Virgin was immaculate but Saint Bridget informed of the contrarie And because such contradictions will admit no reconciliation it would become them to learne how to discerne whether these Reuelations came from the deaill as from the lying Angel whereof wee thinke the deuill Verrine can be no competent Iudge Secondly you that question the deuill suffer your selues to bee questioned in a few words If the deuils be made as you say Messengers of diuine truths by the power of your Exorcismes why doe you indeauour to expell them Are they but lying Oracles Why doe you then conferre with them and not presently expell them Many other reasons might bee added to conuince these Priests by the deuil's contradictions in their owne stories euen then when hee was adiured to speake truth But to labour to prooue that the deuill cannot lye when hee list and that hee will also whensoeuer hee can for a mischiefe were to deny him to bee a deuill whose propertie is vel falsum vel ad falsum dicere either to speake that which is false or else to a false end What a dangerous thing it was in our first Mother to entertaine and maintaine parle with the deuill concerning our religious dutie to God all mankind feele by that woefull experience of originall corruption which they must carrie with them to their graues That which no Aduersarie shall euer be able to refute is that the power of Exorcisme was giuen vnto the Church of God for expulsion of the deuill neuer for consultation with him in matters of Conscience Thus haue I endeuoured to dispell this doctrine of conferring with deuils in such cases with the same zeale as I would wish to dispell the deuill himselfe and hold it a good resolution not to beleeue those Priests for direction in matters of Religion who make the deuill their ghostly Father Wee choose rather to conclude with the sentences of the holy Fathers of the Church one directing vs how to auoid such fascinations saying Cyprian Non statim c. We ought not presently to admit of such Acts as are done in the Name of Christ except they be done in the Truth of Christ The other detesting them saying August Remoueantur illa vel figmenta mendacium hominum vel portenta fallacium spirituum Away with those workes which are either the figments and deuices of lying men or else the deceitfull acts of prodigious spirits The 23. and last Aduertisement Is to demonstrate the Romish falshood in Exorcizing by the Euents which is particularly exemplified in a discouerie of their Impostures about the Boy of Bilson not inferiour vnto any of the rest of their prankes in this kind BVt before wee come to lay downe the naked truth of the matter touching that Boy and how things stood de facto let vs first suffer the Romish Priests to boast themselues a while of their miraculous power in Exorcizing this Child whom for a while you must imagine bee really bewitched and possessed of the Deuill that afterwards by the the euent may be verified of these Miraculists that Scripture which saith Phil. 3.19 Whose glorie is in their shame Heare we then the Priests speake helpe the child was if they had sought medicine still in Israel and not at Endor and of Belzebub First then to shew how the Child grew thus to bee tormented as I haue vnderstood it of his Parents and haue heard the Child confirme it himselfe The Boy returning homeward from schoole to Bilson in Staffordshire where hee dwelt an old woman vnknowne met him and taxed him in that he did not giue her good time of the day saying that he was a foule thing and that it had been better for him if he had saluted her At which words the Boy felt a thing to pricke him to the very heart

ill company as also at other times hee saw the diuell assault him in forme of a Black bird Well I persisted in exorcising him left him very well speaking and merry retired my selfe hauing seene his meate and drinke blessed They then after giuing him a Syllibub the sugar whereof being not blessed he presently at the taste thereof began grieuously to be tormented Yea though he loued flowers The power of blessed things yet if vnblest hee would teare them in pieces and distinguish them from other and vn̄blessed Raisins he would say were too big for his mouth I was sent for and I had not charged him long but at each charge I did finde the diuell very much to tremble I hoping of Gods especiall assistance at that time made the diuell to swell in his mouth in signe of his presence and to expresse first by signe how many were in him which he did holding vp three fingers I caused them then one by one to descend into the great toe of the right foot and at the entring thereof to shake it and to stirre the legge all which they did higher and higher to signifie how one was greater then another then I caused the Boy to speake who did acknowledge that hee would liue and dye a Catholicke wishing father mother and all his friends to serue God then I called vp the chiefe Fiend and did demand him to shew himselfe who presently puts forth the Childs tongue and swelled the end thereof Then I all being Protestants A markable thing sauing one Catholicke commanded the diuell to shew by the sheet before him how he would vse one dying out of the Romane Catholicke Church who very vnwillingly yet at length obeyed tossing plucking haling and biting the sheet that it did make many to weepe and cry forth Then I commanded him to shew how hee did vse Luther Iohn Caluin and Iohn Fox which vnwillingly he did performe after the same manner but in a fiercer sort Then I commanded him to shew what power he had on a good Catholicke that dyed out of mortall sinne hee thrust downe his armes trembled holding downe his head and did no more Heereupon the Parents were instant with me presently and out of hand to helpe the Child I told them that I did not doubt but by the power of Gods Church on which I did onely relie and not on any personall vertue of mine owne to cast them out presently But I said A coniecture why the Child might be possessed I did feare that the innocent Child was punished for the sins of his Parents which might be for their lacke of beliefe which is a sinne great enough since without faith it is impossible to please God Yet hereupon I said to his mother Good woman will you promise mee that you will become a Catholicke if in your sight I cast out these diuels in forme of fire shee answered that she must consider of that then said I I am afraid this Child will not haue helpe for fearing the Child was punished for her lacke of beliefe I doubted that the cause remaining the effect also would remaine Hereupon the Child gaue a great shrieke began to be vehemently tormented grew obstinate in so much that I feared another diuell was entred I exorcized him also a long time but the diuell with the Childs voyce cryed The Lord in heauen the Lord in heauen A long time I exorcized him but still he was obstinate crying out Father mother helpe me helpe me saying that I killed him and when I gently strooke him on the head with a soft ribbon blessed he yelled forth that I killed him cursing me saying A poxe of God light on the P. saying moreouer I will neuer bee conuerted to which word a Protestant then by that had seene all replied Thou wilt then do worse Here I commanded the diuell that spake The Child being himselfe denies all the diuell had vttered by his tongue to shew himselfe in the tongue who comming forth as out of a trance I asked him gently whether he had vttered any of these words he vtterly denied to haue spoken them asking forgiuenesse saying that it was not hee that spake them and affirming by Gods grace that he would be constant in the Romane Catholicke faith till death Then I called vp the wicked spirit tooke his oth that with trembling hee tendred to be obedient in all to lawfull Exorcists and not to hinder the eating drinking or sleeping of the Child Then it being almost three of the clocke in the morning I retired to bed the next day being Munday I came and told the Parents that I had tarried there as long as I had promised and as long as I well durst for danger and as my promise to others would permit but promised them to come againe as soone as I could The father then offered me the Child to dispose of as I would I told him I had no conuenient place for that purpose but I said that if hee would not deale with Witches and Sorcerers The reason why J lest to come any more I would come as often as I could The father said he would seeke of Witches or of any other for help I being sorry to heare his bad resolution told him that I would not mingle God and the diuell together and then got his promise that hee would not vse holy water and oyle blessed if they meddled with Witches Yet I heare that he hath not complyend with his promise in extremities of the Boyes fits hauing recourse to blessed things saying he will course him with them Well the substance of all this I haue heere written at my comming away I declared before three Protestants and the Childs Parents desiring them that if I did not say truth in all things that they would challenge me therein Then the Child being 〈◊〉 a sounding fit anoynting him with holy oyle 〈◊〉 bring him vnto himselfe in so much that with a staffe he walked vp and downe and since hee did eate drinke sleepe and walke hauing onely short fits as I am faithfully informed yea till shortly after they entertained many Witches and Sorcerers notwithstanding whose helpe sought in vaine hee is more grieuously tormented then euer before Here before my departure the Parents of the child offering me money and gold I refused it thanking them saying If they would giue mee 20. pound I would not haue one penny Charging them that they should not indanger their owne soules and the soule of the poore Boy in seeking vnlawfull meanes And thus on Munday was fortnight I left him and the truth of this I must say with S. Paul that God knowes in all this I doe not lye Thus desiring that all may succeed to Gods glory the good of the Child and the confusion of all Sorceries and Charmes which in my heart and soule I detest I leaue the Parents Child and thee Christian Reader to the mercy of God Iuly the first 1620. Non nobis