The Sinful Shameful Lying and Ridiculous Discourse of Samuel Harshnet, Treatise · Book 1 · Chapter 11
OF CHAP. 11.
How thoſe that tooke vponupon them to caſt out diuels doe get themſelues work, and of their deuiſes to couer their lewdnes
The Exorciſts of both kindes for wante of worke are driuen to theyre ſhiftes: and like tinkers walke vp and downe from place to place ſeeking to be imployed.pag. 60
Obſerue heere not ſomuch the Diſc. rayling, as his contrariety & thwarting of himſelfe: for page 22. he himſelfe ſaith and confeſſeth, that when Kath. Wright was firſt troubled, ſhe was by one M. Bereſfordes aduice ſent to M Dar. at Manſfeild, and to one M Beckingham to be comforted, or cured of her infirmity. And concerning the occaſion of my dealing with Th. Darling thus: The certainty hereof is, that M. Walkedeu (the boyes grandfather) hearing how M. Dar. had helped K. Wright, procured him to come to Burton, to helpe Darling: from him he peoceedeth to thoſe in Lancaſhire: When the 7. in Lancaſhire were troubled M. Starky, and M. Dee reſolued vponupon him, and writ their ſeueral letters vntounto him for his repayre into Lancaſhire:pag, 23. And laſtly as touching the occaſion of my going to Somers, he ſaith: that * I hauinge a ſiſter in lawe at Nott: one Miſtres Wallye, ſhe writ vntounto me, requeſting me to come ouer to ſee the ſaid Somers: Her evpon he addeth and colle…teth (and that trimlye) thus: Hetherto it may appeare, how M. Dar. hath beue ſought vntounto.
Yf this his collection with the premiſes be true, (otherwiſe he is greatly to blame to publiſh them to the world, and that for certayne truthes) how can this alſo be true, that like a tinker I walked vpp and downe &c. It is one thing to be ſought vntounto, and an other to ſeeke for worke, and to be ymployed. And thus is the Diſcou…rer conuynced by his Diſcouery: and let this ſuffice for anſwer and refutation of his tinkerlike ſtuffe.
It is a matter of ſome difficulty to diſcouer their ſhifts and ſleightes to that purpoſe,pag 6… they hauehave ſo many: and by their experience doe manage them ſo craſtely. Diuers of them are heere ſet downe, and the reſt may be ſupplyed peraduenture by ſome heereafter. Sometimes they make ch…yce of ſome ſuch boyes or wenches, as they thinke are fitt for then purpoſe, whome they procure by many promiſes and allurements, to keepe their counſell, and to be (as they tearme it) aduiſed by them.
The Diſc. and So. pag 79 & 81. pag 86. p…g. …2. & 84,heereafter tell vsus, how for his counterfeiting… I * promiſed him he ſhould neuer want whileſt I liued. 2. * that ſo doing I doubted not to procure him a releaſe from his maiſter: that beſides I allured him by giuinge him firſt xij. pence, and after that an other xij. pence, but we heare nothing of the promiſes I made either Kath. Wright, or Th. Darling, or Mary Cooper: nor yet how theſe, or thoſe in Lancaſhire were allured to counterfeyte. pag. 63.But I conceaue how it is. Theſe were not ſit ſchollers to diſſemble and collude with me as Som. was and others of that kinde, but counterfe…ts of an other kinde, ſuch as I did not confederate or couenant with, as I did with Somers: but as my comming to their fayned diſpoſſeſſion,pag. 63. ſound ill at caſe, troubled eyther in their ſtoma…k with choller or fleame, or in their belly with grypinges or collick, or in their heade or ioynts with aches or numneſſe▪ and vppon certaine ſpeaches vſed by me a reformed Exorciſt began to ſuſpect them ſelues to be poſſeſſed, pag. 65. pag, 66.and others alſo with them: wherevpon they (pore ſoules) vnawares acted they knew not how the ſignes of poſſeſſyon and diſpoſſeſſion. Did euer one reade any thing more abſurde then this? It may be we ſhall heereafter heare that which is as abſurd of Somers: but otherwiſe we ſeldome or neuer reade the like ſottiſh and ridiculous ſtuff, as the Diſc. hath for 8. leaues togither, from page 61. vntill the ende of his firſt booke. But he procedeth in his childe-iſh tale
And theſe are commonly of the poorer ſort, either the children or ſeruāts, of ſuch perſons,pag. …1. as the Exorciſts doe well know, to be of their owne ſtampe, and well aff…cted towards them.
Heere the Diſc. greatly forgate himſelfe… for albeit ſome of our Dem…macks were pore, yet was not Th. Darlīg of the porer ſort, much leſſe M. Starkies children, whoſe ſonne is to inherite land worth (as I take it) ſome hundreds of pounds by the yeare. But he worſe forgat himſelfe in that which followeth: for how could we know the parents or maiſters of ſuch to be well affected towards vsus, whome wee neuer knew or ſawe in the face, before we dealt in the diſpoſſeſſion of the perſons poſſeſſe … as they are ready to teſtify, and one in reaſon may well imagine of M. Starky and Mar. Byroms mother, ſeing we dwelt about to myles aſunder. He addeth that we knowe them to be of oure owne ſtampe: what he meaneth hereby (becauſe theſe wordes are ſomwhat obſcure) we may perceaue by that heere following, ſet downe page 69. you ſhall obſerue a little wonder: It will heardly be ſhewed, that any of this ſorte hauehave bene found, but either in the houſes of R…cuſants, or of ſuch as hauehave on the other ſide pretended ſome zeale, for they know not what reformation. Heerein alſo the Diſc. was greatlye deceaued, for it is well known that the parents and maiſter of the perſons poſſeſſed, were not Recuſants, and for zeale after reformation they were ſo farr from that, as vndoubtedly they know not what that reformation he ſpeaketh of meant, no not any of them, Darlings frendes excepted. Thus you heare of what ſtamp they were, whoſe children or ſeruants counterfeyted, as the Diſc. tearmeth theire vexation by ſathan: whereby it is manifeſt of what ſtamp we are, that dealt in the diſpoſſeſſinge of theſe counterfeytes: which alſo in the ſame place he declareth more at large: Beſides it falleth out amongſt vsus: that they who hauehave taken vppon them, pag. 69.to hauehave caſt out diuells, hauehave ſtill bene men of that humour, as being forſooth more pure then the reſt of their brethren where by the way firſt we may learne▪ who is more pure then the reſt of his brethren that is in playne termes a puritane: not he as all men imagine, who challengeth ſome purity to himſelfe aboue other men, but he who is of the humour of reformation: more playnlie: he that hath ſome zeale for reformation. Yf the cauſe be thus, as it is cleare it is, there is no cauſe why theſe puritanes (as they call them) ſhould be hated, deſpiſed, abhorred, and ſo ſhamefully intreated, as they were rather dogges, then men. It is a good thing (and deſeruing louelove and reuerence) to deſire the reformation of that which is amiſſe in church, or perſon: a better & more pleaſing to god, to ſeeke and labour after it, ſo it be done aright and in due order: and beſt of all and highly accepted before god to be earneſt and zealous therein. But admit that theſe men ſeeke after the ref…rmation of thoſe things which be not amiſſe, and neede not therefore to be reformed: in particuler, admit that it was lawfull for men to reepe carnall things, of thoſe congregations where they ſowe not ſpirituall thinges: to eate of the milke of the flock, though they feede not the flock: for theſe kind of * ſouldiers to hauehave wages, albeit they goe not a warfare, and that it were not the Lords ordinance that they only which preach the goſpell, 1 tim. 2. 3, 1 cor, 6. 14, 16.ſhould liue of the goſpell: and that neceſſity lyeth not vponupon eueryevery miniſter to preach the goſpell, but that the reading thereof ſufficeth, and that men may liue of the goſpel, although they be not able to preach the goſpell, or if they be able, preach little or not at all, or not to the people from whome for their ſaid preachīg ſake they receaue their maintenance alſo that weomen may baptiſe, in the caſe of danger or neceſſity as they call it, &c. Admit this I ſay, yet notwithſtanding foraſmuch as thoſe whom men call …uritans, doe ſeeke the reformation of theſe things, and others of the ſame kinde in a zeale of god, as is hereby manifeſt, in that for this cauſe they doe & are ready to forſake father and mother, wife and children, houſe and land, liberty with all the comforts of this life, yea life it ſelfe it god cal them therevnto: and are contented in and during this life to be of all men the moſt miſerable: there is ſmall cauſe why the Diſcouerer and the world with him, ſhould hate, ſcorne, & ſo contemptibly vſe them as if they were the o…cowring of the world, and refuſe of the people. S. I…aule in the 9. to the Roma. calleth God to witneſſe to his conſcience, that he had great heauineſſ… and continuall ſorrowe in his heart, and that he would wiſh himſelfe to be ſeperated from god, vers 1.for his brethren that were his kin…men according to the fleſh, and in the begining of the Chapter follwing, he vſeth theſe wordes: Brethren my harts deſire and prayer to god for Iſraell is, that they might be ſaued, his reaſō therof followeth. For I beare them record, that they hauehave the zeale of God but not accordinge to knowledge. …ce… 1.If Paule were thus affected towards the Iewes, who were ſo exceedingly violent and outragious in whatſoeuer they went about in their blynde zeale, as at large appeareth by the ſtory of the Actes of the Apoſties▪ becauſe they had in them a zeale of god: woulde hee, were he now liuing among vsus, be ſo affected as the moſt are, towards the puritanes as they are tearmed, in whome it is manifeſt there is a zeale of god, be it that it were not according to knowledg? ſeing they doe nothing in their ſaid zeale in a tumultuous, but all peaceable manner: as by prayer to god, and humble petition to her Maieſtye the heade, and the body of this Realme met and ioyned togither in Parliament? either would S. Paule (trowe wee) call theſe men in ſcorne as the Diſc. doth: * men of the ouerworne conſiſtorian faction, men of the hum…ur of reformation, men more pure then the reſt of their brethren, that is, puritanes: or with others preciſians phantaſticall men: &c. yea of Sathan Sathaniſt… as my ſelf hauehave heard them called: becauſe of theyre zeale, admit it were a blinde zea el: who for the blinde zeale that the Iewes had, called them ſo louingly brethren? It is not poſſible:
As from ſome thinges which might be obſerued, ſo from theſe two places, and ſome other, eſpecially that, page 15. (where vponupon certaine worthy premiſes he collecteth, that in all likelihood, ſeing neither by learning nor ſufficient arguments, they of the over-w…rne Conſiſtorian facti…n could heeretofore preuayle, pag. 15.for the ſetting vp of their preſbyteryall conceyts, they thought to ſupply their wants therein, by this deuiſe of caſtīg our diuells:) It may very probably be gathered, that the thinge which hath vexed the Diſc. and made him ſweate ſomuch about counterfeyting, is not the counter feyting, and teaching to counterfeyt a poſſeſſion: nor his hatred and abomination to ſinne, and in particular to this deteſtable couſenage: but his hatred againſt the inſtrumentes which god vſed in theſe great workes of his: whome, together with alſo… the ſame ſtamp, as from his ſoule he hath of long hated, ſo hereby was the ſame mightely increaſed, in that theſe kinde of men ſhould be thought to hauehave ſuch intereſt in Chriſt Ieſus, as that at their (falſly termed) verball prayers, and hypocriticall faſting, he ſhould as it were viſibly deſcende from heauen, and tread downe Sathan vnderunder their feete. This ſaid the Narrator before the Diſc. came forth, cannot be indured. whereby we may ſe he coniectured aright. And mark what he therevpon out of the Apoſtle addeth: But god hath choſen the fooliſh thinges of the world to confound the wiſe, and the weake thinges of the worlde to …onfound the mighty. As if he had ſaid: in that the Lord hath vſed in theſe rare and great workes of his, ſuch weake and contemptible mē, we ſhould rather conſidering the lordes manner of dealing, be confirmed thereby in theſe workes, & further aſſured that they are of god then kept from beleuing and embracing the ſame.
Theſe are not dealt with but there muſt be a great aſſembly gathered togither in one corner or other: all of them ſuch perſons, as they knowe to be their frendes,pag. 6… or at the leaſt as their ſaid frends doe bring with them, and are thought fit to be peruerted.
The falſhood of this is heereby manifeſt, in that M. More and I knewe not thoſe perſons in Lancaſhire who ioyned with vsus in prayer to god for the caſting out of Sathan of the perſons poſſeſſed, as they can witneſſe: nor yet any one of them being meere ſtrangers of them al… and they to vsus: and at Nott. alſo they were generally vnknowne to me neither was their any choyce made by ſome of our frendes, At the … on of the 7 in Lancaſhire there were preſent about 40. & of …o. at N…. 15….and procuring of men to come, (as is well knowne to them that did come who were not a few) as the Diſc. ſuggeſteth: Beſides this partly argueth, that (were there a counterfeytinge indeede) theſe our ſayde frendes were confederates therein, which I think hardly any will ſauour. It is maruaile that the Diſc. affirmed not likewiſe that all thoſe which hauehave ſeene Somers, Darling, and the 7. in Lancaſhire in their (pretended) fitts, were not my fre…d… (ſo ſhould I hauehave ſome ſtoare of frends:) or at leaſt that my frendes he ſpeaketh of did bring them, or procure them to come, knowing them to be ſuch as were like to be peruerted, for this he might as truly hauehave affirmed as the other: & this had bene to ſome purpoſe indeede, whereas the other is to none. It is ſtrange therefore that he ſtrayned not himſelfe a little further: but though he doe it not heere, yet he ſaith ſomething elſ-where bend…g this way: for ſpeaking of the 12. Commiſſioners, he hath thes words * that they are not to be impeach…d, pag. 20….… their want of wiſdom, as for their blynding the eye thereof, by their …, they held with M. Darrell. Yf now the principall eye witne…es of S…m. …itts for wiſdome, learning, and authority were thus affected towardes me… well may it be that the reſt alſo were: And if by my frends I could pr… cure theſe perſons to ſee So. in his fitts, who albeit for theire wiſdome they were not eaſily to be deceyued, yet becauſe of their propoſterous affections were fitt to be peruerted, much more by the ſaide frends of myne might I procure meaner perſons to ſee him, more fit to be peruerted then they. And this is to be ſuppoſed of the reſt of our Demoniacks, viz. that the principall and other witneſſes of their vexation were likewiſe blynded all, and eueryevery of them with prepoſterous affection, which no man (ſure) will beeleue, the Diſc. excepted.
The end of the Firſt Booke.