so neere the order of the Primitiue Church yet they are not able either to discerne who are possessed amongst them nor how to giue thē remedy The third part is handled more largely to the great aduauncement power of Reliques As for holy water that S. Macarius thereby cured a woman who by Magicall enchauntment seemed to be turned into a Mare Likewise how S. Peter hallowed bread against the assault of certaine deuils which were sent by Simon Magus in the likenes of dogges to deuoure him For the power of priesthood there is an example alledged of S. Martin how he putting his fingers into the mouth of a Daemoniacke the deuill durst not bite him though he bad him to bite him if he had any power so to doe There is also mention made of the vertue of the blessed sacrament of holy oyle and of the bones of Saints The vse of all those things was very frequent in the exorcising of the parties possessed Insomuch as wee omitted not the reliques and bones of Ma. Campian Ma. Sherwin Ma. Brian and Ma. Cottam to haue some little testimonie by implication from the deuill to prooue them holy Matyrs If I be not deceiued Ma. Edmunds alias Weston was the Author of this booke and the examples by him alledged were brought of purpose to giue the more credit to his and our proceedings with the said parties before mentioned And indeed he was not therein deceiued for wee that were priests were thereby greatlie magnified by Catholiques schismaticks and weak protestants the two former beeing confirmed in the Romane Catholicke faith and the third sort therevnto reconciled as hath beene before mentioned And that cannot be denied but that in the course which wee held with the said pretended Daemoniacks many occasions were giuen and aptly taken to scorne and deride the orders seruice now established by her Maiesties lawes in the Church of England Likewise I must confesse that the course we held was so pleasing to such as saw it or were informed of it by those that they trusted as it prooued very gainfull vnto vs all that were priests wee had out of question procured vnto our selues very great fauour credit and reputation so as it was no meruaile if some young Gentlemen as Ma. Babington the rest were allured to those strange attempts which they tooke in hand by maister Ballard who was an Agent amongst vs. They saw as they supposed for both maister Babington and diuers of his company were oftentimes at the exorcisings that we had a great commandement ouer deuils which preuailed greatly with them as I think It would haue been a very strange thing I am perswaded that wee could not haue wrought men at that time to attempt which was prudently foreseene by Fa. Edmunds of purpose as I am resolued in my conscience to prepare the harts minds of Catholiques by those practises that when such forces as were intended should haue come into England they might haue been more readily drawn by him and vs to haue ioyned theyr forces with them And this is that I can say concerning the occasions or inducements that such matters were taken in hand at the time articulated Now as touching the substance of the generall interrogatory it selfe I haue perused the seuerall examinations and confessions of Sara Williams and Friswood her sister of Anne Smith and of Richard Mainy gentleman and am fully perswaded that they haue deposed the truth in such poynts whereof they were examined belonging to theyr pretended possession dispossessiō The effect wherof is that they were drawn by our cunning carriage of matters to seeme as though they had beene possessed when as in truth they were not neither were there any of the priests ignorant in my cōscience of their dissimulation nor the parties themselues as now it appeareth of our dissembled proceeding with them After I had beene my selfe first at one of theyr exorcisings it was my chaunce to he that night with maister Thomson a priest and a great Actor in those matters at his chamber by the Spittle and falling into some conference about it I vsed some such words as though I doubted whether the party were actually and really possessed For I my selfe being not acquainted with anie plot deuised by Fa Edmunds or any other spake my minde some-what more plainely then I perceaued Ma Thomson wel liked of His aunswer vnto me was in effect that he being my friend did earnestly wish me to cast forth no such speeches whatsoeuer I did thinke For quoth he the matter is iudged to be so by Fa Edmunds and some others that are Priests Besides such Catholiques as haue beene present at such fits haue receaued it for a truth that the parties are possessed And although I for my part will not make it an article of my Creede yet I thinke that godlie credulitie doth much good for the furthering of the Catholique cause and for the defacing of our common enemies and their proceedings or to this effect Not long after also talking with Ma Stamp at the Lo. Vaux his house in Hackney concerning these matters and demaunding of him seriously his opinion what he thought of them his aunswer was that they were things of such importance as would further the Catholique cause more then all the bookes that had beene written of late yeeres about the controuersies in Religion with the Protestants with which aunswer I seemed to rest contented because I saw thereby he was not willing to enter into any playner course with me I would not haue this my confession further extended then my meaning is I doe not take vpon me either directly or indirecty to oppose my selfe to the three poynts of the Treatise before mentioned which are strengthened with some authorities both of the Scriptures and of the auncient Fathers and Writers How be it as I account it presumption to denie all those Histories as touching the casting out of deuils in the Primitiue Church since the Apostles times so to beleeue all that is written thereof I hold it a point of great madnes and I doubt not but the soundest Catholiques in Europe are of my opinion For be it true that is alledged in the said treatise of S. Ambrose that he neuer heard of any that could counterfeit himselfe to be a Daemoniack yet later experience hath taught vs the contrary And indeede the artificiall skil considered where-vnto priests haue attained it is a very easie matter to bring a young girle or a youth to doe and speake those things which the Exorcists can readily colour and interpret as if it were both done and spoken by deuils that did possesse them But yet this I wil say and giue it for a rule to all Catholiques heereafter that wil not purposely suffer themselues to be deluded let them but mark diligently when they are present at any such actions what the parties pretended to be possessed doe eyther act or speak and then they shal perceaue nothing but may very well
they fall into the snares of the deuill 3. Tum quia ibifiunt multa turpia tacenda potius quam hîc inserenda that is because in such houses turpitudes be committed meeter to be silenced then heere to be named 4. Tum quia Ecclesia propriè est locus deputatus vbi Euergumeni debent exorcizari that is because the Church is properly the place appointed to that action wherein the possessed ought to be exorcised And what need these cautious rules to auoyde suspition of iugling turpitude and women if nothing were amisse Auricular confession is an holie action of more priuacie solitude familiarity with women yet because no man vvithout reason may suspect but that all is wel between a ghostly father and his ghostly child there be no rules made of iugling turpitude or women in that mysticall function Sure all is not well in this exorcising craft that iugling turpitude and women must be so precisely auoided Indeed wheras in his 17. chapter fa Mengus disputes that though exorcising ought to be done in the church yet the doores of the Church may be close shut about them his fatherhood giues vs iust cause to suspect that though he would seeme to haue it publique touching the place for a seeming shew of auoyding iugling turpitude and women yet he can be content by shutting the doores to haue it priuately done or such onely let in as the Exorcist best liketh See the practise heereof in the iugling Exorcists at Paris anno 1599 who to make a shew of auoyding of that which they onely intended iugling deceit they must haue theyr Minion Martha Brossier exorcised in a Chappell forsooth but yet with such a warie eye cast vpon the spectators as there comming in amongst the rest one Marescot a Physician a man they did not affect Seraphin the holy Exorcist cries out with a loude voice if there be any heere that is incredulous will trouble Martha Brossier the deuill will carry him away in the ayre Wherefore yee see it was very wisely prouided of Mengus to haue an eye to the doore the like ill-fauoured accident fell out amongst our holy crew at theyr principall Theatre Sir George Peckhams house at Denham where for want of hauing a watch at the doore there comes in one Ma Hambden of Hambden who being one of the incredulous persons that F. Seraphin cōplaines of afore and espying theyr bungling and vsing these wordes in detestation of theyr iugling I see this dealing is abhominable I maruaile that the house sinketh not for such wickednes committed in it and so departing vtterly discontent this incredulous spectator so skared our holy actors with feare that they slunke out of the house euery man his way as a dogge that had been bitten by the tayle and leauing theyr patients alone gaue the deuils an otium or leaue to play for that night Now let vs looke in a little amongst our twelue holy Exorcistes or rather twelue holy disciples and Fa Weston theyr holy head who though they be not a working yet by this time they are whetting theyr tooles and let vs see how warily they haue put in vre theyr Maister Mengus his canon of choosing a Chappell or holy publique place to exorcise in for feare of suspition of iugling turpitude and women First it doth not appeare that they acted any of theyr wonderous dispossessions in any Church Chappell or consecrated place as F. Mengus had appointed them except happily they slipped into some Noble mans voide house in London which houses in regard of theyr owners callings being aboue reach of authority are commonly now adayes the sanctuaries for Popish treason consistories for plots of rebellion and Chappels for all Romish loathsome abhomination not that the Noble men themselues are priuie to such meetings but theyr corrupt house-keepers much in fault for entertayning such guests and yet the owners themselues not altogether free from blame for making no better choise of those to whom they commit that charge But it appeares not as I said that they met in any chappel or holy place at all but the chief places of their solemne meetings were the L. Vaux his house at Hackney neere London Maister Gardiners house at Fulmer Ma Hughes his house at Vxbridge and Sir George Peckhams house at Denham places very fitly accommodating theyr holy intentions First for theyr capacitie beeing able to receiue the holy troupe theyr traine for they remoued bagge and baggage as your wandring Players vse to doe Next for theyr security the owners beeing trustie tried sure cardes and commaunders of theyr neighbours adioyning if any suspition should arise and then for their situation beeing remote and secluse from ordinary accesse At the L. Vaux his house at Hackney was the prime grand miracle performed by the grand Maister of the craft Fa Weston himselfe vppon one Marwood seruant to Babington the traytor where a wonderful thing fell out Fa Weston at the very first encounter with the deuill stunted the deuils wits and the deuill being once put out could neuer hit in againe but vntrusses and cries out O me stultum insanum et infaelicem O foolish mad and miserable deuill that I am which put all the whole company of spectators into such astonishment as there was a confused shout made of weeping ioy for this foyle of the deuill And the Epilogue was this O Catholicam fidem ô insensatos haereticos O the Catholick faith ô sencelesse haereticks that could neuer learne the feate to skare a deuill from his wits At Fulmer house there were no great miracles done onely the groundes of theyr Art layde sure and a little trying of their tooles whether their tew would holde or no. At Vxbridge they lay but two or three nights at the most and yet the place was graced with a punie miracle or two Dibdale the Priest had his wench set so close vnto him in the way thether for auoyding turpitude women as she felt her selfe to burne could hardly endure the heate of the holy man Trayford cryes out by the way water water as the Frier did that by Absolon in Chawcer was scalded in the toote And thus were theyr Journalls towards Denham where the Court stayed the hangings were tricked vp the houses made ready and the greatest part of the wonders of this comaedie was performed Their harbinger and host both in all these iournies for the owners of houses and theyr families still left theyr owne houses and made all cleere for these holy comaedians as is vsed to be done towards the comming of a Court was one Edm Peckham an excellent purueior for such a campe one of a very ruinate estate an intemperate disposition an vncleane conuersation a man so deeply engaged to this holy band as that himselfe his wife his concubine and his whole familie liued wholy at their charge This is the man that stil furnished the camp with all kind of luggage and pleasing prouision that scoures
streamers of scorching smoke the sacrament of gore-blood in one hand the crosse of tormenting coales in the other sprouting out holy-water with his mouth breathing out fire and brimstone at his nostrils euaporating frankinsence at his eyes the picture of an asse burning brimly at his eares his head crawling with dead-mens bones the picture of our Lady flashing at his breast nicknames of fire and blood running vpon his backe aue-maries and salue Reginaes sparkling downe to his heeles what a little hel doe you imagine walking vppon the earth And ere you stirre your imagination doe but imagine him a little further walking in our London streets a little before day light what time the Chimny-sweepers vse to make theyr walke and crying in his hellish hollow voyce hay ye ere a deuil to driue hay yee ere a wench to fire hay yee ere a boy to dispossesse What a feare trow yee would the spirit be in to heare young hell thus roare and how would he labour to get out at the parties breech a Hiaclito did at Trayfords before hee would dare to looke this hell-mouth on the face Heere now comes in a bundle of Quaeres that steppe ouer our way and will needes haue parlie with vs ere we go any further first whence deriue these fierie weapons theyr vigor and strength of goring the deuil which you call the publique armes and ensignes of the Church To this I aunswer that these publique weapons of holy Church that you haue heard some haue their strength and power of themselues as the sacrament and the Crosse some of the institution of holy Church as exorcismes aue-maries salue Reginaes caet some from the conseruation and halowing of the Church to these potent ends and effects as holy water holy candle holy brimstone holy Frankensence and the holy potion nick-names and the Asses eares And if heereuppon a Quaerist wil demaund ad quid perditio haec vvhat needes the holy Church to open her Armorie for hel and muster out her fiery weapons in such troupes and throngs considering that euery one of theyr thumb-annointed priests as yee haue heard doth at his holy vnction receiue this heate and fire into his hand and his body by the oyle of his thumbe wherby he is able with all his holy implements that hang vppon his backe to fire out the strongest deuil in hel with his owne proper hands his hote holy geare as Edmunds did Marwoods deuil and Dibdale did fire Maho out of Sara with his fiery engines this Quaerist I see doth not wel obserue I haue touched before that though euery priest be indeed annoynted with holy oyle on his thumbe and by that oyle doth receiue in that deuil-burning heate that doth dilate it selfe through his body garments and all yet because euery priest doth not bring his thumb prepared and qualfied alike but some haue a Millers some a souters some a Coliers thumb that wil not take in oyle wel and then some stand remote and a squint from the sunne of light and miraculous heate of Fa Ignatius the Miracle-maister it falls out that theyr burning glasses doe not so readilie take fire and their deuil-worke by their holy hands holy geare doth not alwaies fortunatly succeed Yea it falls out many times by your leaue that the subiect where-vppon they should worke being indisposed as not well managed and prepared by the priest as what fire can burne where the matter is not combustible and of touch the priests fire is striken no great combustion dooth ensue and this seemes the cause there was so little fire-worke between Anne Smith and them and sometime the priests powder it selfe for want of good looking to is danke and then though the stroke be good no great sparkles doe arise It was therefore wisely foreseene by the prouidence and deepe insight of theyr kinde Mother theyr holy Church to prouide them copias succedaneas seconding and fresh supplies of fire-workes that if their owne fire doe faile they may light and fire it againe at the Churches holy candle Yea sometimes they light vppon such a laxe watry and reumaticke deuil that hee squirts out the priests fire the holy brimstone holy candle and all and goes laughing away This is when they are too busie and imprudently apply theyr fire-worke to oppositely and directly against the deuils spouting place then there is no way but to winde vp all their holy trinkets in a capcase and to ayre them handsomly againe at the next pitch for a deuil If the Sceptick wil pry higher demaund whence the Pope his consistory doe borrow that diuine power to consecrate water candle brimstone Frankincense potions Exorcismes nick-names and asses eares and to sublimate theyr nature put into them such a fiery scorching flame as shal turne thē into serpents and scorpions to bite and sting the deuil and to fire him out of his hold as men smoke out a Foxe out of his burrow these beeing of theyr owne nature and in shew silly poore stuffe to hold such diuine facultie in them This is a saucie question and deserues to be aunswered with scorne But because wee wil giue reason of all that proceeds from that sacred head wel may his holines and his Chapter doe as much as S. Peter did for as for our Sauiour and his holy Apostles wee neuer read that they halowed candle nor dealt with nick-names and Asses eares in casting out deuils but of Peter by your leaue there lies a tale and that is this as Thyraeus doth tel it out of one Martinus a Saint Simon Magus the Sorcerer sent vnto Peter the Apostle certaine deuils in the likenes of dogges to deuoure the blessed Apostle S. Peter being taken on a suddaine not looking for such currish guests as beeing belike at dinner consecrates on a suddaine certaine morsels of bread and throwes them to the dogge-deuils and by the power of that bread they were all put to flight And is not this a faire tale of Simon and his hel-dogges that would haue snapt vp S. Peter but onely for a soppe of bread and is it not a faire strong thred to hang a whole castle of fire-works vpon Martin hath a black braine conceiting bul-beares and black band-dogges of Saint Peter Ergo the Pope and his Church haue authority and power to consecrate and hallow water oyle salt wax brimstone frankensence potions Exorcismes nicknames and asses eares and to put in them a scorching fire to sindge the deuils beard Because the consequence is so validous we wil looke a little into these holy fire-works but very sparingly and cursorily for holding you too long in these vnsauory perfumes CHAP. 18. ¶ Of the dreadfull power of holy water halowed candell Frankincense Brimstone the booke of Exorcismes and the holy potion to scald broyle and to sizle the deuill IF you look vpon the bare face of these holy Engines you wil take them for very trifles and toyes but I must say vnto you in good sadnes as
Sack Oyle and Rue did distemper her stomacke and enforced her to straine vomite and crie or the pestilent choaking stuffing pernicious fume of Brimstone filling her eyes mouth nose and scorching her with the coales fire til she looked as blacke as hel mouth did of their owne proper force cause her to crie scritch and howle for what hellish Butchers would euer put a poore wench to such paine but you are to imagine that these loathing intoxicating piercing broyling choaking qualities were suspended in their proper subiects by the soueraigne consecrating power of the kinde mother church of Rome that these consecrate Engines made the poore deuil in Sara to tremble fume vomit straine scritch and roare by the pure vertue of the kind churches sweet benediction And hoping you wil be thus kindly affected for their sakes who wish you as wel as they did Sara and would vse you as kindly if they had you in their fingrings as being perswaded that you are all euery each one possessed with deuils I wil spend no time to entreate you but proceede to my farther taske CHAP. 19. ¶ Of the astonishable power of Nicknames Reliques and Asses eares in afflicting and tormenting the deuill WHen a Lyon a Fox and an Asse were met together in pilgrimage it was much wondered at by the common-wealth of beasts what that consociation meant considering the dissimilitude and disparitie of the beasts So when a man shal meete with these three in a ranke Reliques Nicknames and Asses eares hee may perhaps muse at this vnequall combination but when hee shall vnderstand quò iter vna capiunt whether they bend theyr course so louingly together and shal be aduertised that they march hand in hand in an aequipage to set vpon a deuil to afflict torment and cast him out of his hold he wil muse much more This gentle muser must be put out of his dumpes by taking out his first primer lesson Ignorantia causarum genuit admirationem It is nothing but ignorance of causes that is the mother of admiration and therefore when we haue instructed this admirator in the secret causes and principles of this vnseemely connexion we shal ease him of his labour cause his wonderment to cease The maine ground pillar and principle of all is the bottomlesse deitie of the holy Church of Rome who as she is able to make Gods of bread Saints of deuils and to place them in heauen so is she as able to change flies into Serpents fleas into Scorpions Nicknames into whips Asses eares into scourges to chastise and chase away all the deuils in hel So as that these two Nick-names and Asses eares are indeede but two crystal looking glasses wherein you may behold liuely represented vnto you the authority and diuine prudence of the holy Romish Church Authority in choosing out such shadowes and 〈…〉 hilëities to controll the principalities and powers 〈…〉 nes prudence in selecting the base and ridiculou◠〈…〉 gs of the world to confound all the wisedome and policy of the deuil I am therefore in gentle and kind wise to aduise and entreate you that you vse these looking glasses carefullie and aright thorough-out the whole course of this our admirable blacke Arte and that you measure not our proceedings heerein by the scale of sence vnderstanding or wit iudging of things according to their owne nature qualities and formes for so wee may be thought to haue dealt not onely childishly and ridiculously but many times impiously and blasphemously to but to esteeme of things vsed and imployed in this admirable science according as they are improued sublimate and aduaunced by the authority of holy church of Rome and according to the secrets and mysteries of the Arte. As for example what man iudging according to wit vnderstanding or sence can imagine that a Witch can transforme her selfe into the likenes of a Cat a Mouse or an Hare and that shee being hunted with Hounds in the forme of an Hare and pinched by the breech or whipped with scourges in the similitude of a Cat the same pinch or marke shal be found in the breech of the Witch that was before made by the Hounds in the breech of an Hare and yet shal you see this sencelesse witlesse and brainlesse conceite verified made sooth in the practise of our holy coniuring crue the thing being really acted and performed indeed Looke in Fid Williams Deposition and there you shal finde that the whole Quier of our twelue holy priests had a solemne assembly at the whipping of a Cat and did whip the Cat so long in a Parlor at Denham til shee vanished out of their sight and sending next day to Bushie to see in what case the Witch was whose spirit they had Cat-hunted ouer night the Witch was found in child-bed and her childe newly dead Whereby it plainly appeares that the whipping of the Cat so it be done by Catholique priests is no iest nor the hunting of the Witch heere no fabulous apprehension but a good Catholique sooth agreeable to the maiestie grauitie and wisedome of that venerable holy Church And so wil you iudge likewise of nicknames Asses eares by that time I haue shewed how grauely and reuerendly the holy Church hath set them vpon the deuils head and how by her soueraigne authority and commaund she hath made him to weare beare them in spite of his fuming nose First you shal haue the Canon and constitution as I finde it set out in Mengus the Licentiate authorized Maister for Hel and next the practise of the Canon by our 12. holy legates according to the constitution of their deere mother Church The Canon for nick-naming and rayling on the deuil runnes thus in Mengus his fourth Exorcisme of his dreadful deuil club If after the Masse celebrated of the holy Ghost signing the possessed with fiue signes of the Crosse sprinkling him with holy water inuocating ouer him the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost which Aue maria and thundering out the potent Exorcisme armed with all the dreadfull and astonishable tytles of God the deuill shew him selfe refractarie and will not depart nor expresse his name tum sunt in eum dicenda improperia then you must come vpon him with as many nick-names as you can possiblie deuise Now if you wil learne to nick-name the deuil in print and cum priuilegio vnder the signet and seale of the holy Church at Rome take heere a messe of nick-names as they are dressed and serued in from the Popes Maister-Cooke and scalder for hel and let hel it selfe be raked you shal neuer finde the like Audi igitur insensate false reprobe daemonum magister miserrima creatura tentator hominum deceptor malorum angelorum fallax animarū dux haereticorū pater mendacij fatue bestialis insipiens ebriose praedo infernalis serpens iniquissime lupe rapacissime sus macra famelica immundissima bestia Scabiosa bestia truculentissima bestia crudelis bestia cruenta bestia
dooth the story of S. Margaret who with the bare signe of the Crosse afrighted a deuil that was comming vnto her in the forme of a great Dragon Or that of Martian and Iulian who with the signe of the Crosse went vp and downe killing of serpents as Hercules did Monsters or that of the old man who spying an Aspe in the bottom of a fountaine did front the entrance to the fountaine with so many signes of the Crosse as hee went downe to the bottom filled his pot with water and returned from the Aspe without any harme or that of Bishop Sabin who hauing poyson mingled in his cup by an Archdeacon who meant to make him away signed himselfe with the Crosse drunk off the poysond cup felt not the least grudging or distemper after the same I doubt the Pope his Maister would hardly belieue him in this who would giue some good store of crownes to be secured by crosses from the danger of poyson I doe not see poysoning any where so rife as in Italy and especially at Rome where Crosses are not dainty And what becomes of that goodly auncient Poem made and sung in honour of the Crosse Ista suos fortiores Semper facit et victores Morbos sanat et languores Reprimit daemonia That is The Crosse in battaile is a shield Which who so beares still winnes the field Against diseases t is a spell A charme against the power of hell It is very great reason they should doe it diuine honour called Latria and sweat and spit and clamor in theyr Sorbone for the same since they giue it the diuine supreame power of our blessed Sauiour For what did our Sauiour heere on earth or what could he do more or what did he adorne his owne style withall to S. Iohn sending his disciples vnto him to know whether hee were Christ he said no more then this Goe backe vnto Iohn and tell him what you haue seene and heard how that the blind see the lame goe the deafe heare and vnto the simple is the gospell preached And dooth not this bring vs plainly within compasse of the heathen challenge that we be lignei dei cultores worshippers and seruaunts to a woodden god Our deuill-comaedians whose ayme was as you see by playing ouer all the trinkets toyes pedlars ware of the Popes holy budget and by gracing them vvith some seeming quality against the deuil to aduaunce the credit of the Catholique church and to bring into admiration theyr owne persons and priestly power that so they might catch the poore Gudgins they fished so industriously for left out no old ceremonie nor Engine of the Romane Church that had any name or reputed faculty that way and therefore they mustered the Church standard amongst theyr fierie troupes but they did aduaunce and adorne with moe miracles their new reliques and theyr owne proper persons theyr hands theyr gloues theyr stockings theyr priestly ornaments as theyr amice stole maniple and albe then they did the old approoued coate-armour of the Church and that vpon a right wise ground in regard that these did more properly neerely and effectually worke for the magnifying of themselues and theyr priestly authority Therefore the holy Crosse was often presented on the stage but neuer with that acclamation and plaudite that their other forenamed holy implements were The first honour the Miraclist doth bestow vppon it is this that it serued to discouer Sara to haue a deuil in that shee could hardly be brought to signe herselfe with the signe of the Crosse Next it holy water at a pinch when it would not goe downe past Saras mouth into her throat but stucke in the way her throat was signed with the crosse then it slipped down as easily as a draught of Ale It seemes that holy water was old for you see when it was fresh the deuil himselfe was not able to come within the smell but leapt out at a window for hast to be gone Thirdly it restored speech to Sarah when it was lost Sara could not speake saies the Recorder till the priest had signed her throat with the crosse Sara was now a scholler of some standing as shee saith and knew when her cue came to say ouer her geare Fourthly Sara knew a peece of the crosse by the smell and that might she doe right wel for they kept it so sweet in a boxe saith Sara that she must haue had a shrewd pose that should not haue found it Fiftly it brought Sara to her selfe when shee was in a traunce or opened her eyes when shee was broade awake Yet old Edmunds bestowes more grace vppon it alone then all these for when he had hunted vp the deuil into Marwoods head with his holy hands meaning to barricado him there that the people might see him looke out at Marwoods eyes eares and nose as a prisoner doth vse to looke out at an yron grate hee signes Marwoods throat with the signe of the Crosse with this holy adiuration hîc Christi limen est hos limites ne transcende this is Christes owne limit see that yee step not ouer this line and yet as seemes for feare the deuil should haue aduentured to put his foote ouer the line hee claps on the sacred maniple to winds it about his neck that if there were neede the Crosse might call to his good neighbour to helpe stop the thiefe For these holy hunting Engines were better managed then our ordinary cry of hounds that wil flie out euery one striuing to leade away the chase and leaue his fellowes behind our hunting dogges had beene managed to stay for each other that the cry might be ful and that one might help out another at a dead fault And thus they dismissed the holy crosse the stage without any great alarum or sound of the common drum Enters the holy Sacrament vppon their stage deformed by these hell-monsters into a most detestable Idoll of the masse with a farre more solemne grace worthy of a far better place if these miscreants had not playd so long with hel-smoake that it had put out theyr eyes cleane but they that haue playd with God Christ and the holy Ghost the deuill must giue them leaue to play with Christes blessed institution to I say they present it with great pompe in regard of the thrise glorious state impiously blasphemously and chimerically conceited by them to be in royall person within Such a monstrous metamorphosis as Homer Pindarus Hesiode nor all the fabulous Graecian wits put in a mash durst neuer faine forge or dreame of any their despicable gods that any God should be made of a morsell of bread This new molded masse-Idoll laughed at by some loathed by many detested of all pious and ingenious spirits that haue not intoxicated their wits with that enchaunted Babylonian chalice wanting witnesse in heauen and beeing hissed at on earth must be brought vppon our deuil-stage to be graced honoured and confirmed from hell And
the same deuil that sainted Campian and Brian must with the same blacke breath and foule mouth deïfie this bread-Idoll and make it a God And that it may be a perfect Chimaera compounded all of fiction and fantasticall imagination the smoake the fire the stench the roare hell and the deuill must be cogged feigned and playd to help out with this infernall and diabolicall fascination Would it not cause men and Angels to wonder at the desperate boldnes of the Ethnick Romish Church that should dare so impiously and blasphemously to prophane the most sacred reuerend Supper of our blessed Sauiour whose end and Essence is to be taken receaued eaten as the bread of life the strength health and sweete comfort of our soule all whose diuine energie power and vertue is to the receauer onely the promise of life to the worthy receauer the menace of death to the vnworthy receauer all matter forme effect and end directed to the receauer To disguise difforme and monster-like to mishape the nature of this thrice blessed communion as to make it a Monster-Engine of all prodigious signes cogged miracles and grosse Heathenish conceited wonders and to blaze this their hellish impiety before the eyes of all the world they haue compiled a booke containing no lesse then foure and fortie seueral chapters treating onely De miraculis veri Sacramenti Sci. Eucharistiae That is Of the Miracles that the venerable Sacrament of the sacred Eucharist hath performed transforming the nature of the blessed supper into a prodigious monster of wonders Some of the heads of which Chimaera for a sample of the rest I wil point out vnto you Cap. 1. De praedio ab infestatione malignorum spirituum liberato per oblationem sacrificij corporis Christi Of a Farme house freed from the haunting of bad spirits by celebrating the Masse Cap. 2. De Saxoniae Duce qui sub sacrificio Missae vidit speciem elegantis pueruli in Eucharistia Of a Duke of Saxonie who at the time of the celebration of the Masse saw the forme of an elegant young child in the Eucharist Cap. 5. De quodam cuius vincula soluebantur tempore quo pro illo offerebatur sacrificium missae Of one whose shackles fel off at the time when a masse was said for him Cap. 6. De Baraca Nauta per salutarem hostiam Eucharistiae a naufragio liberato Of one Baraca a Mariner that by the Eucharist escaped a tempest Cap. 20. Quomodo Satyrus diui Ambrosij frater Eucharistiam collo appensam habens in naufragiò incolumis seruatur How one Satyrus S. Ambrose his brother was saued in a ship-wrack by hauing the Eucharist hanging about his necke Cap. 29. De Eucharistia quae a terra suapte virtute sublimata per aera ferebatur ad altare ibidemque in specie venustissimi pueri apparuit Of the Eucharist flying in the ayre vnto the Altar and there appearing in the forme of a most beautiful child Cap. 36. De hostia tertiô ab altari diuinitús proiecta eo quod cimice esset contaminata Of an Oast thrice skipping from off the Altar by reason it was defiled by a little flie Enough for a tast the whole tunne is of the same liquor colour and tang And who would after this deeme Mahomet an Impostor for carying the Moone in his pocket and mounting vp when hee was dead thorough the ayre vnto the roofe of a Chappell Heare our owne Miracle-monger and his crue how handsomly they act the masse-monster from hel First Saras deuil findes the Communicants that had beene at masse by the smel The Romaine Church and her implements are of one and the same perfume that doe out-smel the fuming lake spoken of in the Apocalips nay hel the deuil all Next the blessed Sacrament was presented in a Pix heere Saras deuill roared like a Bull It should haue beene bellowed like a Cow for hers was a she deuil Heere the real presence is roared out by Saras deuil Then Saras deuil was brought vnto the Altar at the time of eleuation and could not behold the Sacrament for the brightnes that shined about it Heere the glorious presence of our Sauiour in the Sacrament is spied out by the deuil At an other eleuation Saras deuil could not abide to looke vpon the Sacrament and when shee looked vp shee could see nothing but the priests fingers Heere is an euident daemonstration that our Sauiour was there present in that he made the hoast to vanish out of Saras deuils sight When nothing would doe the presence of the Sacrament made Maho tel his name controlled him calmed him couched him as quiet and gentle as a dogge vnder a bench Maho Saras deuil being commaunded to kisse the blessed Sacrament durst not disobey but kissed it very reuerently as children kisse the rod. The deuil being commaunded to take his oath vppon the blessed Sacrament he durst not refuse but swore very deuoutly that he would tel his name and be gone and yet like a false rake-hel periured himselfe and stayed stil and when hee should be brought to his booke againe he swore he would breake his owne necke ere he would sweare the second time and for feare as seemes that the deuil should make away himselfe so the play be mard afore the plaudite they let him alone These are demonstrations by deduction from the deuil of our Sauiour his real presence but wil you heare the deuil put you out of doubt by his owne authentical asseueration Dibdale the priest put his finger into Saras mouth and bid the deuil bite it if he durst the deuil aunswered saith the Miraclist that it had touched the Lord. But Sara tels vs now she hath put off her deuils vizard that had she not stoode more in feare of a boxe on the eare then of any Lord there shee would haue made so bold as to haue had a snap at the priest finger Saras deuil was brought by a new commaund to kisse the Sacrament more sure And being asked what hee had kissed he aunswered The body Christ and that it had eyes in it Heere you haue the deuils owne testimonie what needes any more witnes and yet if you wil haue it fuller heare Saras deuil againe when the priest holding him the blessed Sacrament and bidding him to adore his Lord and God the deuil aunswered male partly He is thy God indeede and if thou doe not beleeue cut it with a knife and thou shalt see it bleede Was not this part wel played to proue the eyes the body the blood of our Sauiour in the Sacrament from out of hell Were it not great pitty this deuil hel and oath should be cogged and not a true deuil indeede For what a great deale of labour expence of candel beating of braines forging of fathers counsels authorities wresting of Scripture falsifying of Authors coyning of wonders would this one Comaedy spare If you wil not beleeue that our Sauiour is in the Sacrament goe to Sir