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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02750	A declaration of egregious popish impostures to with-draw the harts of her Maiesties subiects from their allegeance, and from the truth of Christian religion professed in England, vnder the pretence of casting out deuils. Practised by Edmunds, alias Weston a Iesuit, and diuers Romish priestes his wicked associates. Where-vnto are annexed the copies of the confessions, and examinations of the parties themselues, which were pretended to be possessed, and dispossessed, taken vpon oath before her Maiesties commissioners, for causes ecclesiasticall.	Harsnett, Samuel, 1561-1631.	1603 (1603)	STC 12880; ESTC S120922	196,686	296

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

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

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-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