A Guide to Grand-jury Men, Book 1 – Book 2

A Guide to Grand-jury Men · Book 1 – Book 2

p. 1A GVIDE TO GRANDIVRIE MEN. The first Booke.

CHAP. I. Gods hand is first to be considered in all crosses, whatsoeuer the meanes be, and whosoeuer the instruments: for he ruleth ouer all.

MAn is vnderunder the authority of his Maker, who seeth all his waies and his wandring by…aths, and to recall him, layes …is chastisements vponupon him: p. 2for afflictions come not out o… the dust, Iob. 5.6. Neither happen they by chance as the Priests of the Philistims once spake, 1. Sam. 6.9. but the euill of punishment is from the Lord, Amos. 3.6.

The Lord smote all the first borne both of man and beast in Egypt, Exod. 21.29. Hee smote I…horam, the sonne of I… hosaphat, for his Turkish cruelty towards his brethren, with an incurable disease, till his bowels fell out, 2. Chron. 21.18, 19. Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 4.31. by the hand of God vponupon him, was made brutish, to liue like a beast. And did not Gods Angell smite Herod, Acts 12.23.Acts 12:23causing Wormes to eate him to death?

Deuils doe much mischiefe▪ but euen by these also doth God worke his will, and these doe nothing without the hand of his prouidence: for,

I. These wicked & vnclean spiri…s, p. 3he doth send, as the execu…ners of his iustice, as hee did …ongst the Egyptians, Psal. 78. …. also betweene Abimelech … the Sichemites, Iudg. 9.23. …e sent an euill spirit vponupon … to vexe him, 1. Sam. … 15. and a lying spirit into the …uthes of the false prophets, …ing. 22. And it is plaine in …nt Marke that the Deuils …red Christ to send them in… …he herd of Swine, Mar. 5.12.

II. When he hath sent them, … doe not what they list, but …oceede so farre onelyonly, as he …aseth, whether to hurt a …ns body, or his children, or … goods: they are strictly li…tted, and cannot goe beyond …ir commission, as may bee …ne in the story of Iob, 1.12. … 2.6. Yea, though they be … a few, but a very Legion of …euils, they cannot enter into … Swine of the filthy Gada…nes, without Gods leaue p. 4and licence, Matthew 8.31.

III. As they cannot doe what they will, so they cannot stay to vexe or afflict any, longer then he pleaseth: for hee can bind the Deuill by his Angels, Reu. 20.1. he can giuegive man power ouer them, Mar. 6.7. and when he commandeth, they must giuegive ouer, though neuer so sore against their wils, Luk. 4.35.

If he thus rule ouer Deuils, we may well thinke that hee hath an hand ouer his instruments, Witches and Sorcerers. He gaue the Magicians and Sorcerers of Egypt, leaue for a while to worke their feates: but when he pleased, he restrained them, and then they could doe no more, Exod. 8.19. And did not the Witch Balaam confesse, saying, Though …alak would giuegive him his house full of gold and siluer, he could not goe beyond the Word of the p. 5Lord, to doe lesse, or more, Num. 12.18. although Balak thought otherwise, that Balaam could bless… & curse whom he lifted: But if God doe not cur…e, a Witches curse is of no force, Num. 23.8. Elymas was a famous Sorcerer: but how quickly did God confound him by the Ministrie of Paul, and strucke him blind, before the Deputie and the people, Act. 13.11? Neither Diuels, nor W…tches, nor wicked men, can doe any thing without the Lords leaue, Gen. 19.11. & 31. 29. Isa. 37.29.

These things being so, the consideration hereof should teach men:

I. To take heede, not to prouoke God to wrath, who is the God of hostes: who hath his Angels in heauen to send out against vsus, the powers of all his creatures to punish vsus: as the fire to consume vsus, as he p. 6did Sodom: the waters to drowne vsus, as he did the Egyptians: the earth to open and swallow vsus vp, as it did the Rebell Corah and his company. The w…cked of the world can he make to rise vp, and to kill one another, 2. Chr. 20.23. Yea, he hath Deuils at command to goe out and torment men, 1. Sam. 16.15. and hee can let them loose to worke for Witches, that they may hauehave their desires vponupon the wicked, to make men alwaies feare and tremble before him.

II. Being afflicted, not to curse or blaspheme, as Satan labours to make men doe,Iob 1.11 & 2.5. Reu. 16.11. Scot Disc. of Witch. p. 1.2Job 1:11Job 2:5Rev 16:11 and as the wicked will doe; nor to be furiously enraged against su…pected instruments, as vaine, dissolute, and irreligious people commonly doe, which desire forth with to bee reuenged on them, as if it were those onelyonly that afflicted them: But first, p. 7men ought with all reuerence and feare, to acknowledge, that all that befalleth them, to be Gods hand: yea, though they know, the Deuill and his diuelish instruments, to hauehave their hands therein. Iob in his trouble said, The Lord giueth, and the Lord taketh away, Iob. 1.12. His terrours, hee called them the terrours of God, Chap. 6.4. and he said, that God scarred him with dreames, and terrified him with visions, Chap. 7. 14. Ioseph in his troubles, yea, in his brethrens vnnaturall d…alings, saw the Lord therein, Gen. 45.5, 7. and said it was not they, but the Lord, that sent him into Egypt. Yea, the Church in h…r great calamities, though shee saw the instruments and felt there wrath, yet shee saith, that God had done these things, Lam. 1.15. & 2. 1, 7. And this acknow…edgement is sometimes in the p. 8mouthes of very Witches, confessing, that the euill befalling them and others, is the very finger of God, Exo. 8.19. And so said Sauls seruants of the euill spirit: That he was sent of the Lord vponupon Saul to vexe him, 1. Sam. 16.15.

2. Therefore to bee patient towards the instruments, as was Dauid towards Shimei, who threw stones at him, railed on him, and cursed him: 2. Sam. 16.10. He yet held his peace, because he knewe the Lords will was therein, and that he had done it, Psa. …9.9. We may not be like to Iehoram the sonne of a Iezabel, who though he knewe, that the Lords hand was vponupon him and his people, and also did acknowledge so much, yet was he so impatient to indure the miserie, and so hellishly enraged, as he swore to be reuenged vponupon Elisha the Prophet, p. 9and to take away his life, 2. King. 6.31, 33. as if he had beene the cause of their calamity. True it is, that euill instruments are to bee punished, and our patience should not hinder nor hold backe the course of Iustice: but this is not to bee looked vntounto in the first place, nor, the instruments to bee pursued with wrath and with a reuengefull spirit, as if they were onelyonly to bee blamed, and not men themselues for their sinnes, procuring such euils to themselues.

3. Seeing Gods hand vponupon vsus (who doth not willingly grieue vsus, if …ee prouoke him not, Lam. 3.33. Ier. 25.6.) this must draw vsus to a searching of our waies, Lam. 3.40. to the acknowledgement of our sinnes,2. Chr. 12.6.2 Chr 12:6 and to confesse God to be iust: and so humble our selues in fasting and prayer, leauing our ill courses, and labouring p. 10to be refo…med, and so remoue Gods hand. And afterwards, if there bee euident proofe, and iust cause, then to proceede; Yet with charity, against wicked instruments, seeking to hauehave them punished, for their amendment. This is Religion: this is Christianlike: thus ought the affl…cted to behaue themselues, and not sweare & stare, curse and rage, against such as they suspect to harme them, seeking to be reuenged of them, plotting their deaths, and r…ioycing that they hauehave their wills, and so thinke all to bee well: though their wai…s be wicked, going on still without reformation, euen to the pit.

And as the affl…cted should be hum…led vnderunder Gods hand, so the b…holders looking on the… affl…ct…ons, should not sit down to c…nsure them, because they suffer such things; as Iobs p. 11friends did him; but should learne Christs lesson, thereby to see their owne danger, and know, that except they repent, they may likewise bee so tormented, and perish, Luk. 13. 3, 5.

CHAP. 2. Strange diseases may happen either to man or beast, and the same originally from some naturall cause, and neither effected by Deuils, nor yet proceede from Witches.

IT is the generall madnesse of people to ascribe vntounto Witchcraft, whatsoeuer falleth out vnknowne, or strange to vu…gar s…nce. I will here ther…fore w…i…e downe the particular instances of st…ange and wonderfull diseases set downe by a learned aaD. C…t…a in his discourse of Emperick…. and chap. 8 of Witchcraft.Phisicion; in all which is a deceiuing apparance, comming neere to the p. 12similitude of bewitching, in ordinary and common apprehensions which cannot discerne o… diseases, nor the true cause… thereof. I will here write them out, as I find them in his discourse, yet a little more distinctly, for common capacities.Catalepsis.

In one kind of disease (hee calleth it Catalepsis or Catoche) the whole body is as it were in a minute suddainely taken in …he midst of some ordinary gesture or action (whether sitting, standing, writing, or looking vp to the heauens, as bbD. Mason in his pract. of Phys. part 1. c. 12. Sect. 11. f…l. 136.another Physicion speaketh) and therein is continued some space …ogether, as if frozen, generally starke and stiffe, in all parts without sence or motion; ye… with the eyes open and breathing freely, as if the party were a liuing image. What common conceit beholding this (as it be fell to a child of one Master Bakers p. 13of Couentry, who was thus affl…cted,) but would thinke there were Witchcraft here practized?

In another disease, (as in the Apoplexia, or in morbo attonito, Apoplexia.as hee speaketh) the sicke are also suddenly taken and surprized with a senselesse trance and generall astonishment, or sideration and benumming of all the limbes, voide of all sense and mouing, many houres together, onelyonly the breath striueth against the danger of suffocation, and still the pulse beateth.

In another,The Carum. the sicke are swiftly surprised with so profound and deadly a sleepe, as no call, nor cry, nor noyse, no stimulation can in many houres awake and raise them. So was one Master Rosin of Northampton taken for the space of two dayes, and two nights.

Iulius the 2. Pope of that p. 14name, was thus afflicted, and Ioann…s Scotus (as ccBodin. in Daem…nomae nia, …ib. 2. c. 6.another writeth) lying, by this sicknesse, as dead, was buryed before he was dead.

In another (by Galen (saith hee) called Coma vigilans) the sicke are doubtfully held,Coma vigilans. in some part waking, in another part sleeping: in some respects, manners and parts, expressing wakefull motions; sense, speech, right apprehension, memorie and imagination: but in other respects, parts and manners, as asleepe, voide of the liberty and vse of sense, motion, or any other facultie.

Now contrary to these former, he maketh mention of diuers others, as of the falling sicknesse, and of diuers kinds of conuulsions: In these diseases,

1. Some will bite their tongues, and flesh.

2. Some make fearefull and p. 15frightfull outcries and shreekings.

3 Some are violently tossed and tumbled from one place to another.

4. Some froth, gnash with their teeth, with their faces deformed, and drawne awry.

5. Some hauehave all parts pestered, and writhen into ougly shapes: as their heads forward, their faces backward, eyes rolling, inordinately twinkling, the mouth disto…ted into diuers formes, grinninig, mowing, g…ping wide, or close shut.

6. Some hauehave their limbes, and diuers members suddainely with violence snatched vp and car…yed aloft, and by their owne weight suffered to fall againe.

7. Some hauehave an inordinate leaping, and hopping of the flesh, through eueryevery member of the body, as if some p. 16liuing thing were there.

And as the bodie is metamorphosed into such strange shapes, so in some diseases (saith hee) is the mind strangely transported into visions and apparitions:Note this. so as sometimes they will complaine of Witches and Deuils, broadly describing the shapes and gestures of such as are comming towards them.

One example amongst many other, he bringeth of a Gentlemans daughter in Warwickshire, his patient, afflicted in an vnknowne manner, & strange, to her parents, neighbours, and to some Physicions also.

1. Shee had a vehement shaking, and violent casting forward of her head eueryevery day at a set time, in a much marueiled fashion, and indeede with a lowd and shrill inarticulate sound of two sillables Ipha Ipha.

p. 172. Shee had diuers tortures of her mouth and face, with staring and rowling her eyes, sprawling and tumbling vponupon the ground, grating and gnashing of her teeth.

3. Sometimes shee fell into a deadly trance, therein continuing the space of a day, representing the shape and image of death, without all sense and motion, sauing breathing and her pulse, neither was she moued with pinching, or the like.

4. When shee came out of the same, she would, as if fearefully affrighted, cast her eyes looking backward, then on either side, and ouer her head, as seeing something, and then her eyes would be staring open, and her mouth gaping wide, with her hands & armes strongly stretched out aboue her head, with a generall starknesse and st…ffenesse.

5. When shee was out of p. 18her fits and seemed to sleepe and slumber, then her imagination ledde her hands to diuers actions and m…tions, arguing folly, and defect of reason, with her hands onelyonly feeling (without the help of any other sense) she would dresse and a…tire the heads of such women, as were by her, so strong was her imagination to leade her feeling.

These and other particulars are mentioned; yet the causes naturall, and na…urall meanes were vsed by him, and at leng…h by the benefit of the Baths she was cured.

In the same book…, c. 9.Another story he records of a poore boy of …ichley in Northamptonshire, who was sudd…nly surprised with a vehement conuu…sion, drawing his head and heeles violently backward, carrying his whole body into a roundnesse, tumbling vp and downe, with much paine and inward groaning. The p…rents p. 19held him bewitched, and therefore sent for a wise woman, who played her witchery trick…s, but could doe nothing. The Doctor shewed the naturall cause to be Worms, which in some time after, the Boy did void, and was perfectly well▪

In another book of his, called th… t…yall of Witchcraft, chap. 2. pag. 15, 16, 17. he mak…th mention of diuers sorts of persons tormented with diseases, wit… their terrible accidents and afflictions to the body, of men, women and children, the reason whereof could not bee discerned till after death: but their bodies being opened, the reasons in nature, were very euident in sight.

Amongst the rest, one story he relates, to shew the pestilent euil of seeking to a white Witch and Wizard, of a Gentlewoman strangely affl…cted, with varietie of strange tormenting p. 20diseases together; and being almost cured, it was by a Wizard whispered, and thereupon beleeued, that shee was meerely bewitched: which supposed Witches were thereupon attached, accused, arraigned, found guilty and executed; and yet (saith he) in true reason, and iudicious discerning, it is as cleere, as the brightest day, that no accident befalling her, was other then naturall. An accursed crediting then of a Wizard, vniustly occasioned the taking away of the liues of these so suspected; But thogh the diseases ceased for some sixe yeeres, yet some of her fits returned againe in the seuenth yeere following, and continued longer vponupon her, then the other; and now if they will beleeue a Wizard againe, they must goe & conceit other Witches, and hang them too.

But now to leaue diseases, it is good to obserue the force of p. 21Fancie and Feare, In his book against Empericks, c. …:whereby may bee found Witches. But where? only in a foolish sconce (as he speaketh.) And to shew this, hee instanceth the force thereof in two women going to a Physicion, one after another. To the one hee said, shee was like to bee vexed with the Sciatica, whereof he saw the apparant signes, which shee affirmed neuer to hauehave had the motion of in all her life: now the same night returning home, shee was painefully and grieuously afflicted with it. To the other, comming some two or three dayes after, besides the paine she made knowne, hee by signes told her of the Crampe, which she before sensibly neuer had felt, yet that night also it came to her.

Now the first party knowing how it hapned to her selfe, and hearing the like of her neighbour, presently concluded, that p. 22shee surely was bewitched by the Physician. But after her husband, (an vnderstanding man) to satisfie his wiues minde being impatient during her paines) had gone and returned from the Physician, shee was altered in her opinion, and then prayed her husband to go once more to aske him forgiuenesse, and if hee so would, then should shee be well, and indeed so her imagination wrought, that at her husbands returne, shee met him at the doore, and told him that she was well.

How did a lusty young man at the Assi…es presently faint in reading a conference of two spi…ts, whilest the suspected Witch was at the Barre, meerely vponupon feare to be in danger to be bewitched, as was euid…nt by hi… words, saying, O thou Rogue, wilt thou bewitch me too?

Feare and imag…nation make many Witches among countrey p. 23people, being superstitiously addicted, and led with foolish obseruations, and imaginarie signes of good and bad lucke.

Therefore seeing there may be such naturall causes truely alledged for those things, which seemed to be infl…cted by Satan, and the prouocation of Witches:

I. Let such as suspect themselues to bee bewitched, consider whether the cause of their v…xation be not naturall and enquir… not of a diuellish W…zard, but of learned and iudicious Physicians to know their disease, lest they suspect their neighbours vniustly, and for a iu…t punish…ent, God giuegive them ouer into the hands of those that they doe feare. So likewise should they in the losse of their cattel, looke to the na…urall causes of their death: …or a beast and horse may die suddenly, and not be bewitched; as an horse p. 24of one Master Dorington in Huntingtonshire, H…w…s Chr…n. s…l. 19.suddenly falling downe dead, was opened, there was found in his heart a strange worme round together like a Toade, but being spred, had 50. branches, and was seuenteene inches long.

II. The Gentlemen of the Grand-Iury, in case of Witchcraft, when cōplaints are made; should

1. Be …quisitiue of the grounds leading the Complainant, why he thinketh himselfe, or any of his, to be bewitched? whether it bee not rather from his owne feare, then from any other cause? or whether the affliction bee not from some naturall cause?

2. To inquire whether hee hath taken aduice of some learned Physicians, and hath also vsed their best helpes, for remedie, before they enter into consideration of the practices of p. 25Witcherie: because vnlesse the Witchcraft be very cleere, they may bee much mistaken; and better it were, till the truth appeare, to write an Ignoramus, then vponupon oath to set down Billa vera, and so thrust an intricate case vponupon a Iury of simple men, who proceed too often vponupon relations of …eere presumptions, and these sometimes very weake ones too, to take away mens liues.

It is vndoubtedly true, that there is a very great likenesse, and also a deceiueable likenesse, betweene some diseases naturall, and those that be really and truely supernaturall, comming by the D…uell and Witchery, and therefore neede the iudgement of some skilfull Physician to helpe to discerne, and to make a cleere difference betweene the one and the other, that men may proceed iudiciously, and so rightly with comfort p. 26of conscience, that they be not guilty of bloud.

Sometimes with a naturall disease Satan may also intermix his supernaturall worke, to hid… his, and the Witches practices, vnderunder such naturall …iseases, when they at one time work… together. This requireth great vnderstanding, to make a true decision, and right distinction of one from the other, by reason of the illusion (as one saith) of their d…ceiueable likenesses.

But though to the simple, the likenesse be…weene both may seeme one and the same, yet the truth is, the Diuell cannot so m…xe his worke with a naturall disease,See Delrio in D…sq. mag. lib. 6. cap. 2. S… 2. …. 3. pag. 967. but the same may be detect…d in the m…ni…st oddes, and that in two thing… very cleerely, as I hauehave read out of a learned Physician.

I. By the Symptomes and effects, which shew themselues beyond the natu…e of the disease. p. 27The naturall disease, with the true causes, and proper e… fects being first knowne, the other effects must needs be fro… the secret working of some supernaturall power.Fernel. …ib. 2. cap. 1…. d… abd…is r…r…m causis. As for exampl… in a Conuulsion (with w…ich a Noble young man was extraordinarily for a long time tormented) according to the ordinarie causes thereof in nature, it bereaueth the Patient of motion: for his limbes are starke and stiffe: also it depriueth him of sense and vnderstanding. Therefore in a Conuulsion to hauehave (as the young man had) an incredible swiftnesse of motion, and withall vnderstanding and sense perf…ct, it must needs be supernaturall.

II. By naturall remedies discre…tly and fi…ly applyed according to Art… for there are tw… wayes by these, to detect the finger of Satan.

1. When these naturall meanes p. 28do lose their manifestly known… nature, and certainly approoue… vse and operation alwayes i… their due application to the disease, whereto they properly belong.

2. Withall, when the vse o… these remedies doe produce effects cleane contrary to thei… proper and naturall oper…ion: as when one laboureth of a vehement burning …hirst, and sha… receiue some mo…st and cooling thi…g to allay the heat, the same shall not one…y lose his na…ure, but also cause a greater thirst immediately, and withall the hard closing vp the mouth therupon. This must needs be supernaturall. This second is to bee added to the former, because medicines may, for want of Gods blessing, lose their operation, and because that God will perhaps hauehave sometime the …sease to be incurable.

p. 29CHAP. 3. The supposed to be bewitched and tormented by the Diuell, may be a very counterfeit.

THere may bee neither any naturall disease, nor any …upernaturall worke of the Di…ell in the seemingly afflicted …arty: but a meere counter…iting of actions, motions, passions, distortious, perturbations, agitations, writhings, tumblings, tossings, wallowings, …oamings, alteration of speech and voice, with gastly staring with …he eyes, trances and relation of visions afterwards. For there is nothing almost in things of this nature so really true, but some can so li…ely resemble the same, as the spectators shall iudge the parties to be so indeed, as they seeme to bee in outward apparance.

p. 30See the Declaration of Popish imposture.There was one Marwood, a confederate with Weston, Dibdale, and other Popish P…iests, who did so cunningly act his part, in trembling, foaming, and raging, when he was touched with Campions girdle, forsooth, as made the gull'd lookers …n to weepe, in beholding t…e cogging and iuggling companion in such a seeming miserable plight. The like I saw of a lewd girle at Wells; who to be reuenged of a poore Woman, which had iustly complained against her to her Mistresse, counterfeited to be bewitched by her, and so plaide her part, as shee made many to wonder, and some to weepe, as if she had been possessed.

The Boy of Bilso….The Boy of Bilson his counterfeiting discouered, is notorious throughout the land; which Boy seemed to bee bewitched, and cryed out of a woman to hauehave bewitched him▪ and when p. 31she was brought in very secretly, he could discerne it. He had strange fi…s, and seemed therein deafe and dumbe▪ hee could writhe his mouth aside, roule his eyes, as nothing but the white would appeare, and his head shake as one distracted. Hee vsually would cast vp his meate, vomit pinnes, ragges, strawe, wrest and turne his head backward, grate with his teeth, gape hideously with his mouth, cling and draw in his belly and guts; groane and mourne pittiously; tell of the apparition of a spirit after his fits, seeming like a blacke bird. He made water like inke sometimes, which some tried, and wrote with it. At the mentioning of the beginning of Saint Iohns Gospell: In the beginning was the Word, &c. he would fall into his fits, as if he could not indure to heare these words: Hee became with f…sting very p. 32weake, and his limbes by induring extremities, were benummed. And to conclude, so resolued was hee to beare out his counterfeiting, as when hee was pinched often with fingers, pricked with needles, tickled on the sides, and once whipped with a rodde (being but thirteene yeeres old) hee could not bee discerned by either shrinking, or shrieking, to bewray the least passion or feeling.

And yet was hee discouered to be a counterfeit, and openly confessed the same, and bow he came to learne these trickes, and by whom, and wherefore. At the Assises hee cryed God mercy, craued pardon of the poore Woman; and lastly, prayed the whole Countrey to admit of his hearty confession and satisfaction.

To this may bee added another example deliuered by p. 33Master Scot, in his discouerie of Witchcraft, booke 7. chap. 1. and 2. The story is of one Mildred a Bastard of one Alice Norrington, seruant to one William Spooner of Westwell in Kent; Anno 1574. Shee feigned the voice of a Diuell within her, distinct from her owne voice. This counterfeit Diuell made answer to a great number of questions propounded by Ministers: Hee named one old woman for a Witch, one old Alice, who kept him twenty yeeres in two bottles, on the backe side of her house, and elsewhere, and that he came in the likenes…e of two birds, and was called Partener, and that at her instigation hee had killed three, and named who they were, with many other things: Of all which, there were many witnesses, the names set down by Master Scot, and yet all this was counterfeited, p. 34duplicate page p. 35duplicate page p. 34and found out by one Master Wotton, and one Master Darrel, Iustices, she confessed, and for the same receiued due punishment.

In this strange counterfeiting, it may yet verily bee thought, that Satan might therein help him and her to play so cunningly this part as they did: for Satan is euer ready to further wickednesse, especially tending to the shedding of bloud, and to further Popish Idolatry, which the Boy of Bilson was enti…ed to doe, and the Pop…sh Priests sought for to establish, in exorcising the Boy, and professing to dispossesse him of three Diuels, if his parents would turne, forsooth, Cathol…ques.

Did not our late King Iames, by his wisedome, learning, and exp…rience, discouer diuers counterfeits?

Of Iugglers, and their quicke p. 35conueyances; as also of Tumblers ▪ dexteritie, agilitie and viuacitie of spirit, what they can doe euen to worke admiration… as also of feining a voice and hollow speaking, …uen to deceiue the sharpest apprehension: Let such as please, reade Peter de L…ier de spectris, transl…ted by Za…rie Iones, cap. ….

Of a count…rfeit D…m…niacke, one for many is Martha Brosier, a French woman,Martha Brosier. of whom a lar…e discourse is written by the Physici… of P…s ▪ to the King of France.

T…is young woman of some two and twenty yeeres of age, had many Sp…ctator…, Bishops, A…bat… ▪ Eccl…si…sticall persons, Diuines, R…ligious …en, Cou… sellors of S…te, Ad…o…ates, Gentlemen, …dies and Gentlewoman, with many learned P…ysicians, mentioned in the discourse▪

p. 36She would fetch her breath very short, put her tongue ou… very far, gnash with her teeth▪ writhe her mo…th, as if shee had a con…lsion, roll and turne her eyes, disfigure her face, with diuers foule, vnseemely and deformed lookes, seeme now and then to bee vexed and tormented with many differen… …nd furious motions of all the visible parts of her body. There was a rumbling noise, like the spleene vnderunder her short ribs, on the left side, and her flanke shee would sha…eas a panting …orse after a violent …ce; often she would vtter a roaring voice, when some read these words; Verbum caro fact… est, & homo factus est: then with all her …rength shee would play he… gambols: sometimes lying vponupon her backe, she would as it were skip, and …t foure or fiue such lifes, shee would remooue her selfe a great way, … once p. 37from an Altar, to the doore of a great Chappel, to the astonishment of the beholders, as if a very diuell had carried her: And though her motions were violent and sudden, yet there seemed no change of pulse, breath, or colour. In her fi… shee would indure witho…t shew of paine, the deepe pricking of pinnes in her hands, and necke, and hardly any signe of bloud. And yet for all these things, after diuers moneths shee was wisely discouered to be a lewd counterfeit, and so adiudged by the Parliament, & that iudgement maintained for sound by the learned Physicians of Paris, as is to bee seene in the published discourse, wherein they giuegive reasons of these her practices. And whereas it was reported that she spake in her belly and brest,To speake in the brest or belly, with the mouth close shut. when her mouth and lips were shut, they shew▪ that it is no p. 38argument to proue a Diuell to be such an one, and doe bring two instances; one of a woman (as Mildred before mentioned) that could doe so; and another of a Rogue, as they call him, who by this tricke and such other deuices got much money.

Now of these counterfeits, some play their parts for gaines, as the last named: some for reuenge, as the Wenc… a… Wel…: some to aduance Poperie, as did Marwood: some to please others, which would hauehave it so,In the Decla…ation of Po…ish imposture. as one Mairo another companion with▪ Westen and D…bdale, did in feining his trances, though he was indeed no counterfeit in his disease, (called hysterica passio) but hi… trances hee confessed to be feined: some of a pleasure they take to gull spectators, and to bee had in admiration, when they perceiue their feates and p. 39deuised tricks to get credit, and by relation to bee made much more then they be, as the many false reports went of the aforesaid Martha, that she was life vp into the ayre, and, that she spake Greeke and Latine, and other things, which she neuer did.

For when people come to see such supposed to be possessed by a Diuell or Diuels; some are filled with fancyfull imaginations, some are possessed with feare; so as they at first time on a sudden, thinke they heare and see more then they doe, and so make very strange relations without truth, if they take not time, & come againe, and againe, to see and co…sider with iudgement, and with mature deliberation such deceiueable resemblances.

Therefore heere the Gentlemen of the Grand Iury, before they write Billa vera, are p. 40with all serious attention to looke vponupon the seeming bewitched, and to ponder all the circumstances, left they be deceiued by a counterfeit: for such a one, without very wary circumspection, may soone be taken for one indeed bewitched, and that vponupon these grounds:

1. Through mens sudden beholding such vnaccustomed strange feates, as these counterfeits can act.

2. By their simple apprehension of the outward apparances of things, not imagining that therein is deceit.

3. He vponupon their easie beliefe, to take it as they see and imagine also to be, without diligent search to diue farther into the deceit.

4. By the relation of that that they hauehave seene & heard, with not a few additions of their owne mistake, setting all out with words of wonderment, p. 41to allure others to their vaine beliefo▪

5. Lastly, by the credulousnesse of too too many, receiuing these reports as true, and ouer-confidently …ing them so to be▪ to the settling of m… opinions, that those shewes are indeede subs…n…, and that the partie, or parties are bewitched, without all peraduenture.

Therefore let the wise Iury hee…e make diligent inquirie,

1. After the wisedome and discretion of the witnesses, whether they can discerne well betweene reall and counterfeit acts; and how they so discerne the same.

2. What sufficient triall hath beene made of the supposed bewitched, as also, by whome, and how long.

3. And to these le… them ad, for still better satisfaction, their p. 42owne endeu…, to disco… the iuggling tricks.

Quest.B… here … be demanded, How Cou…fe…s may be discouered?

Answ.To answer to this, wee must consider, first, what a Counterfeit is, and secondly, what it is that … endeuors to counterfeit…

1. A Counterfeite is not that truely, which he pretendeth to bee, but onelyonly a shadow thereof in a most cunning manner, resembling it, that by the likenesse bee may deceiue others, to further his owne intended ends therein: so that in the resemblance & app…rant shewes lieth the deceite. To this, the spectatours must diligently take heede, obserue warily, set themselues downe to examine them afterwards, and to be carefull not to credit any thing at first vi…w.

A Counterfeit is not restrained p. 43by the power of that which hee or shee … shadow out, whether a thing naturall, o… supernaturall▪ which in one, not a Counterfeit, hauehave a power ouer him or her, in whom, or on whom they be; so as they cannot shew them at their owne pleasure, but when the naturall, or supernaturall power worketh: but the Counterfeit is his owne, to doe his tricks when he pleaseth, for his best aduantage.

Therefore the iudicious Spectatours, are to weigh seriously the occasion of entring into the fits, with all circumstances, before whom, at what time, in what place, who those be which are about him or her, what both the p…rty and they doe before, in the time of the fit, and after; and withall, to obserue the manner how the partie entreth, continueth, and endeth the fits: that out of either p. 44some, or out of all these, his or her fraud may be disco…ered, as vndoubtedly it may in conuenient time, though not on a suddaine, not in the concourse of an ignorant, wondring, talking, and amazed multitude, necessarily to bee remoued, in trying a cunning Counterfei…e.

II. Hauing thus considered the first thing for the discouerie, the next is, to know what he goeth about to counterfeite, not professedly, as Stage-Players doe, the actions, manners, conditions, places, and states of men; but one of these two, either the naturall (but violent) diseases, or supernaturall workes of the Deuill.

If he or she counterfeite naturall diseases, as the Apoplexie, the Epilepsie, the Convulsion, the Frensie, Histerica passio, the Suffocation of the Matrix, or the Mother, the motion of p. 45Trembling and Pan…ing, How to discouer a Counterfeit of naturall diseases.the Crampe and Stifnesse, or the diseases mingled of these, the learned, iudicious and experienced Physicians must discouer him or her so counterfeiting.

But in absence of these, for the present, if any be otherwise learned, and hauehave bookes, let him or them,

I. Consider the nature of any disease, and the accidents thereof, which is to hauehave their times of beginning, of increasing, of full force, and so of declination.

Now this being so, the nature of naturall diseases and …ccidents thereof, as Physici…ns doe teach: enquiry must be made, whether they began by little and and little, increasing in time to full force: or that at the first, when they seemed to take beginning, they at once then mounted to the p. 46vtmost extr…mitie; and doe likewise cease all in a moment: then the disease and accidents thereof, are either counterfeit, or supernaturall, …s were the Boyles on the Egyptians, Exo. 9. Iob. 1.7.Exod 9Job 1:7and blaynes suddenly breaking out, as did the sore boyles on Iobs body, and were not naturall.

II. Consider the fits and to what speciall disease those fits may be resembled▪ and if any hauehave such bookes, as doe describe: the nature of such, dis…eases, let them looke thereinto, and compare them together▪ to see the …ddes and differences betweene them.

III. Consider how that naturall▪ diseases and motions thereof especially violent▪ (which these vndertake to counterfeite) leaue the bodies wea… ▪ the vsage pa…e, the breath panting, the pulse; changed the spirits infeebled, with p. 47such other effects, as violent diseases, from naturall causes doe produce, and leaue as true testimonies of the truth thereof. If therefore after the violent fits, the parties be strong, can walke about, talke with merry company, tosse the pot, whiffe the Tobacco pipe and such like; the disease, if it be not supernaturall, it is counterfeite; for it is not naturall.

But before I leaue this; one thing more may be noted, that euen a Counterfeite may hauehave some naturall disease vponupon him or her, and make aduantage thereof, adding their owne iuggling tricks therto. As Mahomet the Turkish false prophet made benefit of the falling sicknesse, with which disease hee was afflicted. So some with mealancholy affected, may become pale and meager, and being subtile in their inuention, p. 48will thereof make vse to play their prankes. Many before named, had the Hysterica passio, and added thereto counterfeit trances. Care therefore must be had, to difference the counterfeiting, from that which is naturall, wich requireth iudgement. And therefore, albeit, I hauehave set downe these, …s some helpes, where the Physician cannot be had, to informe the Gentlemen of the Iewry; yet if it be possible, let them vse the learned mens helpe and aduice in these things. And thus much for the discouering of a counterfeit in naturall diseases.

How to detect a Counterfeiter of diabol and supernanu. tricks.But now if he or shee counterfeit. Diabolicall practices of persons bewitched and possessed; then are the Gentlemen to acquaint themselues with the true signes of such as bee poss…ssed, so to discouer the dissembler; and according as I finde in holy Scripture, they p. 49be these:

I. An extraordinary strength, accompanyed with exceeding fiercenesse, to be able to pull chaines in sunder, and to breake fetters in pieces, to cut themselues with stones, to teare off their cloathes, & to go naked; to runne into solitary and hideous places, and not to be tamed: Here is a Deuil, Mar. 5.4.5. Luk. 8.29.

II. When one is suddenly taken vp, and throwne with violence among and in the … of a c…mp…ny, and not be …ur, Luk. 4.35.

III. When one is Lunaticke, taken often and cast into the fire, or water to be d…stroyed, Math. 17.15 M…r 9 22.

IV. When one walloweth, foameth, gnasheth with his teeth, is rent and throwne to and fro, and withall pineth away in body, as in Mar. 9.18, 20. and that for a very long p. 50time, to be so tormented.

V. When sight, hearing, and speech, is taken from one strangely, as in Math. 12.22. Mar. 9.25.

VI. When one is violently tormented, the spirit bruising the partie, making him or her, with tearings to foame againe, and suddenly to crie out, Luk. 9.39.

VII. When one speaketh, in his or her fits, in an extraordinary manner, not after their owne naturall or ordinary course of vnderstanding, as did Saul, 1. Sam. 18.10. speaking such truths, as possible they by no naturall apprehension, or by instruction, could attaine vntounto, as did diuers possessed, concerning Christ, who, they said, was the holy one of God. Mar. 1.24. The Son of God, Mar. 3.11. The Sonne of the most high God, Mar. 5.7. and as the Pythonysse said of Paul and Sylas, These p. 51are the seruants of the euer liuing God, and teach vntounto you the way of Saluation, Act. 16. This knowledge they had not by naturall reason: for flesh & blood reuealed it not, Mat. 16 Neither did they learne it of men: for the Iewish Teachers opposed these truths, Math. 27.43. & 26.64. It was then the Deuill in them, that knew him, who made them so speake, Mar. 1.34.

We may reade in learned relations, of such, as in their fits,Lib. de abd. verum causis, …. 16. Bodin. de Da…ono. l. 3. c. 6. would speake strange languages. Fernelius, an vndoubted testimony, mentioneth, how he saw an ignorant and franticke boy, and heard him in his madnesse to speake Greeke. Melanchton saith, that hee saw a Damoniacke woman in Saxony, who could neither write nor reade, and yet spake both Greeke and Latine.

VIII. When one diuineth, as the Pythonisse did, Act. 16. & p. 52foretelleth … such as come to demand questions of things to come, or doeth reueale hidden things. As Sleiden in his Commentary telleth of Anabaptisticall Maides, when some hid their monies, they would …ell where they hid the same.

IX. When holy means is vsed, as Christ did by his Word and power, thē the party to cry with a lowd voice, to be sore torne, & … spirits departing, to be … or d…ad in the iudgement of the beholders, Mar. 1.26. & 9.26, Luk. 4 34 & 15.42. Thus it tell out w…h t…e p…ssessed, recorded in holy Scriptures, Let the pract…ces of Counterfeits be tryed hereby, and also by the signes of those that are bewitched. Of which (in the next booke and 12. Chapter) hereafter.

p. 53CHAP. IV. That the Diuell and euill spirits, through Gods permission, may doe much euill vntounto the godly for their tryall, and vntounto the wicked for their punishment, without any association of Witches.

IT is too common a receiued errour, amongst the vulgars, yea, and amongst not a few persons of better capacitie, that if any bee vexed by a spirit, that such are bewitched. But it is a cleere truth, that the Diuell may afflict man or woman, their children and their ca…el, without the knowledge, consent or association with any Witch.

1. The History of the Euangelists accuse the diuell and vncleane spirits, for all the vexations, torments, and tortures p. 54which many possessed endured, and not a word of any Witch, to set the Diuell on worke.

2. The people which brought the possessed to our Sauiour, complained onelyonly of the Diuell, Matth. 15.22. Luk. 9.39. They made no mention of Witches, nor (for any thing wee reade) had any suspition of them.

3. We finde that God hath often sent the Diuell, as the Executioner of his displeasure, without any means of a Witch, as amongst the Egyptians hee sent euill angels, as before I hauehave shewed out of Psal. 78.49. betweene Ahim…lech and the Sichemites, Iubg. 9.23. So vponupon Saul, 1. Sam. 16.15. And so were a Legion sent by Christ into an Herd of Swine, Mar. 5 12. Thus we see Diuels sent immediately from God, without any instigation of Witches, who are giuen ouer of God into the p. 55hands of the Diuell: neither doth God vse them, as his instruments to worke by, as hee doth by Deuils, and other wicked men, in other cases: as hee did by Nabuchadnezzer with his hoste, so by Cyrus, and others, to punish by them, whom he had determined so to deale with.

4. We reade that the Diuell entred into the Serpent, when there was yet no Witch, Gen. 3. Hee, when God gaue him leaue, entred into the Sabaeans, and Chaldeans to rob Iob of his cattel. Hee burnt his sheepe with fire, blew down the house vponupon all Iobs children, and killed them, and at length tormented Iobs bodie, and affrighted him with visions and dreames, Iob 1. & 2. & 7.12. and without any setting on by a Witch.

5. The Scripture telleth vsus, that Satan needs no prouoker to set him forward: for the text p. 56saith, that hee compasseth the world to and fro, Iob 1. and goeth vp and downe like a roaring Lyon, seeking whom hee may deuoure. 1. Pet. 5. Hee is ready, (if God giuegive way) to be a lying spirit in the mouthes of Ahabs Prophets to seduce him, 1. King. 22. and to beguile them.See for what sinnes the Diuell by Gods permission seizeth vponupon any. Delrio lib. 3. par. 1. quest. 7. sect. 2. p. 429. pride, hatred, vncleannesse, persecuting the inst, falling from truth, blasphemie, cursing, vnmercifulnes, & prophane contempt of holy things. See the Theater of Gods iudgement in cursing.

6. Lastly, the Diuell may take possession of a man or woman, not by the instigation of another, but this may come to passe by the very parties owne default that is possessed, by inuocating the Diuell, as to say, The Diuell take mee, or, Would the Diuell had me, if a thing be not so and so, which may bee spoken in so vnhappy a time, as God may giuegive the Diuell then leaue to enter, of which there hauehave beene examples. 2. By intermeddling with curious Arts, and so become possessed of a Diuell. 3. Or by buying a p. 57familiar spirit,Bodin. de Demonomania. as a Gentleman did a Ring of another, wherein was, as he was told, a familiar inclosed, of whom hee would know many things. Which Ring bee at length (being displeased with the spirit for telling him many lyes) one day cast into the fire, vponupon which the spirit seazed vponupon him, and became his tormentor. A iust plague to such as would conferre, heare and learne of a Diuell.

4. Such as will increase their skill by Satan,Cyted in Roberts his Treati…e of Witchcraft, pag. 33. De Daemono. l. 3. c. 3. p. 261. as Hermolans Barbarus did, and as the Chymicke mekets, seeking the Philosophers stone, but failing by their Art, hauehave asked counsell of the Diuell, as Bodinus relateth from an approued witnesse; it is iust with God to let the Diuell possesse some of them.

Thus we see the Diuell may bee the sole Agent, without p. 58the fellowship of a Witch. And therefore this point the Gentlemen of the Grand-Iury are to take into their serious consideration: lest some be vniustly prosecuted and condemned, when the diuell onelyonly is the deede-doer, as they may see in the many instances before set downe in holy Writ; and may bee read in other Histories.

Also if such as be afflicted, or their friends, would consider with themselues, how that Satan may be the sole worker; i… would

1. Make Atheisticall hearts to shake off securitie, and worke in them a dread & feare of God, when they shall consider a fiend of Hell, not sent of a Witch, but of God, to be their tormentor.

2. This would cause them to seeke to God for helpe in the first place, knowing that p. 59he onelyonly, and none but hee can ouerrule and command Satan, and make him to giuegive ouer his practices.

3. If there be any grace in them, it will cause them to vse holy meanes, such onelyonly as God alloweth of, as remedies to helpe them, as fasting and prayer, with a searching of their wayes, and the reformation of their liues.

4. In this case they neither can tell how, nor dare to imagine which way to bee reuenged of the Diuell, as the vaine generation of men labour… to bee reuenged vponupon suspected Witches, for sending the Diuell; vponupon which Witches onelyonly they fly with violence, like raging▪ …ygers in heart, thinking so to remoue a Diuell from them, neglecting irreligiously the former sanctified meanes for their comfortable deliuerance.

p. 60Quest.But you will perhaps heere aske, how one may know that Satan is the onelyonly Agent, without the consent of a Witch?

Answ.I answer. 1. If there be not any suspition at all of a Witch, but onelyonly some apparition of a spirit, as I could giuegive herein a very rare instance of an afflicted person neere by me.

2. If there be a suspition, yet the same not iust, but an idle, vaine, and foolish suspition, without any good ground, of which idle suspitions, you shall heare in the next Booke.

3. If the suspition be vponupon great probabilities, and very strong presumptions, yet vnlesse these doe leade to proue, that the suspected hath made a league and compact with the Diuell▪ hee worketh not with them; but is the sole Agent: for without this league, hee will not bee an Agent for Witches. How to p. 61proue this league: see the second booke, chap. 18.

4. If the suspected be proued a Witch, by making the league, yet for all this, it may be the Diuell alone, except it can be proued, that the suspected Witch or Witches hauehave procured Satan to afflict those, for whose cause they are prosecuted.

For although they be Witches, yet it will not therefore follow, that eueryevery one afflicted in their bodies, or in their children, or in their seruants, or in their cattel by Satan, are so vexed by the procurement of those Witches, except vponupon further proofe, which must bee inquired after; as the proofe of their falling out, their malice in bitter cursing, their threates to bee reuenged of them, therefore telling of euils to befall them, the …ll accidents which happen thereupon presently p. 62on a sudden, or in a very short time, of which more at large in the other Booke, chap. 17.

Thus by these may men discerne, whether the Diuell bee the sole Agent or no. Before I end this Chapter, some other Questions may bee propounded touching Spirits or Diuels.

Quest. 1.Quest. 1. What it is the Diuell can doe, if God be pleased to giuegive him leaue?

Answ.Answ. To answer to this Question, I will take the Examples in holy Scripture; and so from thence gather the particulars.

See Delrio de disq. mag. l. 2. q. 10.11.12.13.14. concerning the power of spirits.1. Gen. 3.1. Wee heere learne, that the Diuell may enter into a dumbe creature. 2. That he can out of the same vtter a voice intelligible. 3. That he wil offer conference (if any will hearken to him) to deceiue. 4. That hee chooseth p. 63the sub…illest creature to deceiue by, and the weaker vessell to conferre with. 5. Hee is powerfull in his perswasions to ouercome.

2. Exod. 7.11.22. and 8.7. with Psal. 78.49. Hee can deceiue the eyesight, and seeme to change one creature into another, as a Rodde into a Serpent, Water into bloud, and to make, as if Frogges were before vsus, and he can greatly trouble vsus.

3. Iudg. 9 23. He cā set people at odds, to deale treacherously one with another, and to make them rise vp and murther one another, as this story sheweth.

4. 1. Sam. 16.14. Hee can trouble and terrifie a man, and can also rap him beyond himself to make him prophesie, chap. 18.10. as he did the Sybylles. He will force to murther, chap. 19.9.

5. Iob 1. & 2. He can stirre vp wicked men to spoile and p. 64rob vsus, and to kill and murther our seruants, chap. 1.15, 17. He can make fire fall downe, as from heauen, to burne and consume man and beast, chap. 1.16. Hee can raise a winde to blowe downe our houses ouer our heads, and kill vsus, chap. 1.19. He can smite our bodies with sore Byles all ouer, chap. 2.7. Hee can scarre vsus with dreames, and terrifie vsus with visions, Iob 7.14. & 6.4.

6. 1. Sam. 28.12, 14, 19. He can counterfeit the resemblance of an holy man, his person and his words, and relate truely things past,How the Diuell can tell things to come. and also foretell some things to come, as they shall fall out, as heere, and as often hath beene found true, which hee doth: 1. By his knowledge of diuine prophecies, and his vnderstanding of the drawing neere of their accomplishment.Delri… lib. 4. cap. 1 qu. 1.2. pag. 529. 2. By his exquisite skill in naturall things, p. 65not onelyonly by the generall causes, but the subordinate to them, with the particular operations, what necessarily they must produce. 3. By his diligent obseruation of innumerable instances, from the worlds beginning, of the periods of Kingdomes, and Families, of the causes of their changes, and ruine, and so conclude by experience of the like to come.

4. By his owne, and his fellow Deuils diligence in all places, whereby they are acquainted with all secret plots, consultations, resolutions, and preparations, which they will relate to others, which know them not, as predictions, which are onelyonly that which they elsewhere see and heare. 5. By his owne perswasions, and working through his suggestions in mens hearts, and his obseruing the eff…ctuall operations thereof, prouoking to p. 66bring the same about, and so can foretell what such will doe. Thus hee could hauehave told of Caines murthering of Abel, and of Iudas his treason, because hee had wonne them thereunto. 6. By his knowledge of Gods will, to allow him to doe this or that, as he did to Iob, to Abimelech and the Sichemites, of which hee could hauehave foretold. Thus can he tell many things, as he did Sauls death, and the Israelites ouerthrow.

7. Matth. 4.3, 4. Here he dares to make an assault vponupon any, if thus vponupon our Sauiour. 2. Hee can take men and carrie them from place to place. 3. Hee can set a glorious representation of these worldly things vntounto the eye. 4. He labours for …a league, and to bee worshipped.

8. Matth. 9.32. and 12.22. and 15.22. and 17.15. with p. 67Mark. 1.20. and 5.5, 7. and 7.26. and 9.17, 18.20, 22, 25, 26. and Luk. 4.35. and 7.2. and 8.29, 39. and 11.14. and 13.11, 16. Out of all which places wee may obserue, that the Deuill can bereaue one of his wits, and make one lunaticke, deafe, dumbe, and blind, bow the body together, so that one shall not be able to lift vp himselfe. Hee can enter in, and possesse any really, and make them inuincibly strong, and worke other effects: of all which, before in the latter part of the 3. chapter.

9. Acts 8.9, 10. and 16.16. He can be witch the people, making them beleeue, that his works are the great power of God: and can, by the tongue of the possessed, diuine and foretell things, and vtter great praises of the seruants of God.

Quest. 2.Quest. 2. What sorts of persons may the Diuell possesse?

p. 68Answ.Answ. Children, Luk. 13.6. Young folkes, Mark. 7.26. Men, Mark. 5.2, 1, 23. Women, Luk. 13.16. Matth. 15.22. yea, such as bee the elect of God. Iob. Chap. 1. and 2. A daughter of Abraham, Luk. 13.11, 16, and Mary Magdalen, Luk. 7.2.

Quest. 3.Quest. 3. How long may people be thus vexed by Satan?

Answ.Answ. For a long time, Luk. 8.27. from a child, till one be growne vp, Mar. 9.21. euen 18. yeeres Luke. 13.16.

Quest. 4.Quest. 4. How many Deuils may be in one at once?

Answ.Answ. Seuen, Luk. 7.2, and more, Luk. 11.26. yea a whole legion, Mark. 5.9.

Quest. 5.Quest. 5. May not a Deuill and a good Angel be together in one man?

Answ.Answ. I thinke not; for of good Angels I reade, that they pitch about the godly, Psal. 34. they guide and beare vp the p. 69godly in their waies, Psal. 91. and are ministring Spirits, sent forth to minister for them that be …eyres of saluation, Heb. 1.14. but of entring into them, I reade not.

Againe, that a Deuill may bee ventriloquus, I hauehave heard, and read of, but neuer of a good Angell to bee so.

Moreouer, for him to be in a godly man, there is no necessity, to pleade for him against a Deuill; he hauing the holy Spirit, and by him the Word of God, for instruction and comfort. And to conceite him to be in an vncleane person, a vaine and loose liuer, and one of an vnreformed life,Iude. 19.Jude 1:19 sensuall, voide of the Spirit of grace, to comfort him, is beyond all warrant of holy Scripture.

Obiect. But it will be said, Obiect.that two hauehave beene heard sometimes to speake in one man, one p. 70like a Deuill, in a great voice, and another pleading against him with a small voice.

Answ. What then? 1. May not one Deuill counterfeit two voices, as well as one man can, very artificially, three or foure, one after another? If they speake at once together, there is two; but it cannot bee concluded, that there are two, because of the change of voice, and one speaking after another.

Secondly, If two be supposed, they may bee both Deuils, for all their pleading, as is recorded in a booke inti…uled, The admirable history of a Magician, where, in one person was a Dialogue betweene Verrin a little Deuill, who spake all after an holy manner, and Belzebub the great Deuill, who spake wickedly, and blasphemously. The one counterfeiting the possessed, the other, p. 71threatning and terrifying. The pretended good Angell, is the worse Deuill, soothing vp the vaine man in a foolish conceite of Gods great fauour, as hauing an Angell sent for his soules safegard, as if he were so precious in Gods eyes, to witnesse him to be his by an Angell, to whom the Lord hath not vouchsafed his Spirit to witnesse his Adoption, in the worke of Regeneration. A very illusion.

Quest. 6.Quest. 6. When the Deuill is in one, how he may be cast out?

Answ. 1.Answ. Not by any power in, or of man: for Satan is the strong Man, in Matth. 12.29. Mark. 3.27. whom man cannot binde, or ouermaster.

2. Not by any force of Popish Exorcismes, as Romish Priests brag: for wee reade of Priests, yea chiefe Priests, professed p. 70duplicate page p. 71duplicate page p. 70duplicate page p. 71duplicate page p. 72Exorcists, adiuring spirits in the name of Iesus, and yet the Daemoniacke set vponupon them and wounded them.Io. Bap. R… mi…ian a superiour. Moreouer wee may reade, how Romish Exorcists hauehave vsed their Exorcismes, aboue a yeere together, vponupon one person, and neuer the better. Bodinus, I…. Billet in the admirable H…ory of a …gician.in his Daemonomania, telleth vsus of a Deuill, that told them, that he would not come out for any mans sake, but for a Priest called M…tanus who was a Magician. So little careth the Deuill for a Priests power in Exorcising.See the B. called the boy of Bilson, against the Romish Exorcists. Their words cannot coniure a Diuell: for if they could worke effectually, what neede they set vp so many Counterfeits, to pretend to bee possessed, on whom they might shew their imagined power? To which, if any Diuell hath at any time yeelded, it was because hee p. 73would, and not for that hee was inforced thereunto, to beguile the superstitious Exorcists and others, relying vponupon such meanes.

3. Not by the power of any great Diuell, to force out another, as our Sauiour teacheth, Matth. 12.25, 26. Mar. 3.23, 24. And therefore not by A…t Magicke, which beleeuers doe detest, Act. 19.19. as being the Diuels inuention, to which hee may voluntarily yeeld, to vphold the diuellish Art; but by which hee cannot bee forced, because both the Art and the practice is from his owne selfe.

Therfore diuels are to be cast out onelyonly by the finger of God, Luk. 11.20. euen by the power of his holy Spirit, Matth. 12.28.

And the meanes to hauehave this aide of the power of God, is to bee obtained by fasting and p. 74prayer, Math. 17.21. Mar. 9.29. And this was the onelyonly meanes in the Primitiue Church, & not by Exorcismes,Lib. 3. c. …. de Da…mama. as euen Bodinus a Papist doth witnesse, and citeth the testimony of Austin, Chrysostome, Clement, Sozomenus, and the practices of Saint Hilarion, who without the host, without adiuration, without questioning with the Diuell, by onelyonly vsing prayer to God, cast out the Diuell. In ancient times the Daemoniackes, saith the same Author, were brought into the Congregation, and there publique prayers were made to cast out the Diuell, and such meanes hauehave preuailed in these our dayes, and warrant wee hauehave from Christ and his ancient Church to vse the same, and not these superstitious, idolatrous, and very diabolicall practices of the Romish Antichristians.

Quest.Quest. 7. 7. Whether the Diuels p. 75be willing to depart easily out of the possessed?

Answ. Answ.No verily; as appeareth from the plaine euidence of the Scripture, by their crying, when they were to come out. Act. 8.7. By tearing the possessed, when they were commanded to come out, Luk. 15. 42. and 4 35. By their petitioning Christ to send them into other creatures; as swine, before they would goe out, Matth. 8. 31. By the force of the Word, which saith, that they were cast out. By that place of Luke 9.39. which seith, that he hardly departed. Lastly, by the Diuels acknowledging it to be a torment, to bee commanded to come out of the man, Luk. 8.28, 29.

If then there be no forcing of him, but by the power of God, through fasting and prayer performed in faith: but that the Diuell goeth out, and p. 76leaueth the afflicted willingly: great cause there is to suspect (if there be no counterfeiting) that the Diuell doth, one way or other, some greater mischiefe, or else intendeth to returne againe, with seuen other worse then himselfe, and so make the last state of the partie worse then the first, Mat. 12.45.

p. 77CHAP. V. That seeing men, or women, or beasts may bee afflicted, from some naturall causes: or that some persons may counterfeite cunningly many things: or that the Deuil may be the sole worker, without consent of a Witch: people are not rashly and in the first place to ascribe the cause to witchcraft.

IT is an euill too common amongst the ignorant vulgars, amongst the superstitious, the popishly-affected, amongst others of a vaine conuersation, which are Protestants at large, neutrals in heart, sensuall, without the power of Religion, and amongst all the generation of vaine people, to thinke presently, when any euill betideth them, that they, p. 78or theirs, or their cattell are bewitched, that some man or woman hath brought this euill vponupon them. From which irreligious & vncharitable thought, so preiudiciall to their soules safetie, many reasons may withdraw them.

I. The consideration of Gods owne hand, of some naturall causes, of some power of Satan, without any Witch, as in the former Chapter is shewed at large.

II. An approued truth by long experience, that such as little dreame of Witches, and lightly regard them, are hardly at any time or neuer troubled with them: but on the contrarie, such as euer liue in suspition of them, such as feare them, giuegive to them for feare, and vponupon any ill hap are euer dreaming, that they are the instruments, and are most plagued by them, which plainely sheweth, that p. 79this their suspition, feare, and ascribing their harmes to Witches, doe much displease God, who maketh them to feele the smart thereof.

III. All doe grant, which hauehave any knowledge of the power of Witches, that they worke by the Diuell; they curse, banne, threaten: but hee workes the mischiefe. Therefore keepe off the Diuell, and there is no feare of a Witch. She may bid him goe, but that is, if he himselfe lift; or if hee please, to satisfie her reuengefull heart, he must hauehave leaue from God. For her sending giueth not, nor increaseth any power in the Diuell, either to worke his owne, or her malice vponupon any. If a mans own sinnes prouoke not God, if our wayes please him, and that hee hedge vsus about (Iob 1.) wee need feare neither Witch, nor Diuell. But let vsus cease to sinne, p. 80feare God, obey him, and wee shall be safe enough.

IV. The manifold euils which happen and fall out vponupon this so present imaginarie conceit to be bewitched.

1. It withdraweth mens minds from the consideration of Gods hand so, as they doe not humble themselues before him, as they ought.

2. It maketh them thinke, that though it be a Diuell that afflicteth them, yet that he neither is sent of God (as ill spirits sometimes be) nor that hee commeth of his owne malicious disposition against mankinde (when the Scriptures shew the contrarie) but that the Witch only hath sent him, else had hee not come to torment them. So as heere their thoughts are wholly vponupon the Witch, as if hee or shee were the onelyonly commander and ruler in this action.

p. 813. The Deuill hereupon taketh great aduantage, and worketh mightily vponupon such persons, which bee so apt to beleeue themselues to be bewitched: For

First, hee worketh in them a slauish feare, to stand more in awe of the creature, then of the Creator.

Secondly, vponupon this feare, if any thing happen amisse, hee suggesteth a suspition of this or that party to be a Witch.

Thirdly, the suspition a little settled, hee then stirreth the man or woman to vtter the suspition of this or that neighbour.

Fourthly, the Diuell worketh credulitie in those neighbours, and withall sets them on worke to second the relation, with opening of their suspicious thoughts of the same partie; and withall, to tell what they hauehave either heard from others, p. 82or obserued from themselues, that may tend to increase the suspicion, that such an one is a Witch.

Fiftly, through this credulitie, this relation, and rumouring this suspicion, from one rattling Gossip to another, it is taken for granted, that such an one is a Witch, and hath bewitched such a man, woman, child, seruant, or beast.

Sixtly, vponupon this groweth a generall dislike, with a feare of the said party suspected, so as others vponupon any ill hap, begin likewise to blame the same partie for that ill accident.

Seuenthly, to make vp the Diuels plotted mischiefe herein; he maketh the party suspicious to marke all the words and deeds of the suspected, and to interpret the worst of them, to gather matter to accuse the same of Witchcraft. And to performe this, the Diuell perswades p. 83some to seeke to a Wizard for helpe and counsell, which hel-hound telleth them, that they are bewitched, that they liue by ill neighbours: and hereupon returning home, they publish it amongst their neighbours, that now without all peraduenture, such an one is indeed a Witch, and hath done this and that harme.

Lastly, hereupon the Diuell stirreth vp some more impatient, more fiery and inraged thē the rest, to seeke reuenge, to hale the suspected before Authoritie, to procure his or her imprisonment, and at last, perhaps, follow him or her to death, which is that which in all these things the Diuell laboured for. For he is a murtherer, and delighteth in bloudshedding, especially of innocent bloud, as it may fall out in this case, and (as learned men write) sometimes it doth, vponupon p. 84onelyonly fallible presumptions.

V. And lastly, they may be drawn from this their rash conceit so sudden, and soon in their minde, by the Scriptures silence, no where ascribing tortures, pa…nes, vexations, anguish in minde or body, losses of cattell or other goods to Witches; but to Gods hand, Iob 1.21. Psal. 39.9. or to men openly and violently wronging, robbing, spoiling and killing, as in Iob 1.15, 17. or to Diuels, Matth. 15.22. Luk. 9.39. but, as is said, no where in all the Bible to Witches.

Quest.Quest. It may heere bee demanded, why the Scriptures doe not any where ascribe, (as men doe now) bodily harmes vntounto Witches, seeing there is such mention of Witches and Witchcraft in many places?

Answ.Ans. The Scriptures of God doe neuer assigne instruments to bee set on worke by him, p. 85which hauehave not power in themselues to doe what he imployeth them about, whether it bee Angell, Diuell, Man, or any other creature; nor ascribeth vntounto them any deede, which they cannot do of themselues, without the helpe of some other: But Witches are Satans slaues, who cannot doe those euils, which men accuse them of, but the Diuell doth it for them. Therefore the Scriptures ascribe the Acts to the Diuell as his owne, and not vntounto Witches (though they consent) because they doe them not themselues.

II. It is done in speciall wisedome from God, to teach all that bee godly (for whose sakes the Scriptures are penned, and who indeed make them their rule and guide) to ascribe least vntounto Witches, or rather nothing at all in this kinde to them, as the multitude do. But to iudge of a Witch as a Witch, p. 86and of her actions, as they are in the practices of Witchcraft, distinct from the working of the Diuell, and her or his consent with the Diuell in euils. For so shall Witchcraft be detested as Witchcraft, as it ought to be; and not onelyonly because of the mischiefes which befall men thereby, as generally men imagine, which yet are the Diuels, and not the Witches practices, as shall in the booke following bee more fully declared.

p. 87A GVIDE TO GRANDIVRIE MEN. The second Booke.