The Sinful Shameful Lying and Ridiculous Discourse of Samuel Harshnet, Treatise · Book 1 · Chapter 4
OF THE 4. CHAPTER.
M. Darrell did of his owne accord (after he was ſent for by M. Dee, & M. Starchy) acquaint one M. More with the matter, and obteyned him to be his compannyon in that action.
Hauing ſhewed the ſeuerall occaſions of that chriſtian dutye Iof chap, 4. How M. Darrell is made a fite inſtrument to caſt out diuiles, then many other. performed to Kath. Wright and Th. Darling, but corruptly. he procedeth in the ſame vaine to the reſt: & in the third place telleth vsus how it came to paſſe that M. More, and my ſelfe went to thoſe in Lancaſhire. VVhere he ſaith, that I went vponupon the ſending for by M. Dee and M. Starchy, he is deceaued. For a meſſenger comming vntounto me frō theſe, I refuſed to goe, & returned that for anſwer. About ſome 10. weekes after (I thinking to hauehave heard no more of it) came an other meſſenger with a letter from M. Starchy, wherein he was vmportunate with me, beſeeching me euen for gods louelove to ſee his diſtreſſed children, and an other from M. Iames Aſhton a Iuſtice of peace there by, declaring the manner of their handling, & requeſting my paynes to come vntounto them. The next day (being the exerciſe day at Aſhby de la zouch where I then dwelt) I made this knowne to ſundry preachers, in number about 16. Their reſolution was, that I ſhould doe well to goe, and withall they thought it fit (vponupon the motion of one of them, not of myne nor it M. Mores) that one of the company ſhould goe with me, to this end principally, that if it ſhould pleaſe God to proſper vsus in that we went about, the ſame vponupon our returne, and reporte might ſtand and be confirmed in the mouth of two witneſſes. And heereof there be many witneſſes. And then I went not vponupon M. Dee his letter, ſo neither did I of my owne accord acquaint M. More (in perticuliar) with the matter as the Diſc. pretendeth. And therefore he miſtaketh or rather (I feare) wittingly miſreporteth this whole matter. But he proceedeth on, to the occaſion of my going to Somers.
By the time that So. had his fits M. Darrell was of ſome name: and beſides hauing a ſiſter in lawe in Nottingham, one Miſtres Wallis, ſhe was not tongue-tyed, what a man her brother was: and therevpon being vrged by certaine weomen, ſhe writt to M. Darrell a letter importing (ſaith Miſ, tres Gray) that the Lady Zouch, ſhe herſelf. and diuers other gentlwomen-requeſted him to come ouer to ſee the ſaid Somers.pag. 23,
Next to the name I had, the tittle tattle (forſooth) of my ſiſter in lawe, and her letter importing as is heere ſpecified, occaſioned my going to Somers. But the truth is this. After So. had bene about a monethmonth very ſtrangely and greuouſly afflicted, and that in ſuch extraordinary manner, as therevpon he was ſuſpected to hauehave an euill ſpirit within him cauſing it, Miſtres Gray hauing read the prynted booke concerning Th. Darling, and of the aduice there ſpecifyed that I gaue, made relation thereof to one Miſtres Bereſford, who tould her that I had a ſiſter in lawe dwellinge in Nottingham. Heere-vponupon ſhee was ſent for, requeſted to write vntounto me, for my ſpeedy repaire to Som, She refuſed, ſaying that I would not come vponupon her writing, but ſaid ſhe if you will write a letter vntounto him, I will ioyne therein, and ſubſcribe my name vntounto it. VponUpon this a letter was framed by one Syr Euan; (as they call him) and ſubſcribed by my-ſiſter in lawe, the tennor whereof was this.
Brother Darrell after moſt harty manner &c. Theſe are not only of my ſelf to requeſt you, but alſo all the whole towne of Nott, willeth you, & alſo M. Strilley to take ſomuch paynes as to come vntounto vsus to a yonge man for as by the letter hereincloſed, we think he is poſſeſſed of ſome euill ſpirit: which they hearing of that good guift that the lord hath giuen you and wrought mightely by you, we generally craue your preſence and aſſiſtance with vsus, which we will do to the vtermoſt of our powers. Theſe are therfore to requeſt you to take the paynes to come with as much expedition as poſſibly yee may, and thus the lord be with you aſſiſt and keepe you now and euermore. This ſecond of Nouember 1597.
VnderUnder this letter were ſubſcribed theſe fewe lynes following, which they ment by the former wordes, the letter here incloſed, conteyninge the ſpeciall thinges which induced them to thinke that hee was poſſeſſed.
His manner of taking is thus: ſometimes it is in one place, ſometime in an other: and when we charge it in the name of the father to auoyde. it tormenteth him, and he ſkriketh and cryeth, and after he is able to ſpeake, he ſaith he did not ſkrike. And he ſaith he ſeeth diuers likeneſſes, ſomtimes a mouſe, ſometimes a dogge, and it perſwadeth him to ſpoyle himſelfe, and them that pray for him, and with other like perſwaſiōs to giuegive him a bage of monney, and fyne cloathes, aad to make him richer then any of the towne, if he will but one fortnight let him alone.
VVith this letter came another to the effect aforeſaide from M. Aldridge the boyes paſtor: when peruſing this ſubſcription, I founde diuers ſignes of poſſeſſion, whereof ſome are mentioned in the goſpell, others I had obſerued in experience: and queſtioning with the meſſinger, heard beſides of his foming, caſting into the fyer, extraordinary ſtrength &c I returned in anſwer that thoſe thinges being true that they in their letter, and their meſſenger more at large related vntounto me, the boy was vndoubtedly poſſeſſed with the diuell: and withal I aduiſed them to vſe the meanes of faſting and prayer for his delyuerance from Sathan: but therein I ſaid they were to ſpare me, for diuers reaſons I rendred them, and to craue the aſſiſtance of others of greater guiftes and neerer them then I was. Heerevpon they did wright preſently to M. Iohn Ireton. and M. Iohn Browne: the one beinge then from home, the other in his anſwer aduiſed them to ſend for me becauſe of the experience I had aboue others. (beſides he M. Ireton I meane wrote to me to the ſame end) vponupon this M. Maior his letter was procured and ſent to me, vponupon the receipt whereof I went. For thus truly I thought, that foraſmuch as ſundrye of the inhabitants of Nottingham and among them his maiſter, his paſtor, togeather with the magiſtrate who were intereſſed in the boy, called and deſired my poore aduice and aſſiſtance, it was my part and duty to goe, and to yealde them my beſt aſſiſtance, contrary to that I had purpoſed and written before, as being called of god to that worke: and hereabout I conſulted alſo with two godly & learned men then in Aſhby: who were eue ſo alſo perſwaded, and whoſe allowance I had in that I did. I went not then to So. vponupon my ſiſter in lawes bare letter, neither doth the ſame ymport as the Diſc. vnderunder the name of an other reporteth but being inſtantly requeſted by ſuch as you heare: and if S. H. ſtand for Samuell Harſnet as all men ſuppoſe and wherof there is no doubt then knoweth he the moſt of theſe thinges as well as I: yea almoſte no man better: for beſides that he hath heard (vndoubtedly) of theſe ſeuerall letters (M. Ireton his excepted) many times: he may remember, that he being a commiſſioner, among other intergatoryes, they had one concerning the occaſion of my comminge to Not. and that Miſtres Gray and M. William Langford among others being depoſed and interrogated thereabouts, anſwered that M. Maior that then was (viz. M. Peter Clarke) did write vntounto me to that end, and that thervpon I came: bending their ſpeach to the ſaid M. Clarke who was preſent, as being a commiſſioner, Indeede this part of their depoſitions was not ſet downe among the reſt as I was ſhortly after credibly informed. And now let others iudg of M. Harſnets dealing herein.
It is by the way to be obſerued that the Diſ. himſelfe (although in his ſcoffing vaine (confeſſeth that I ran not of my ſelfe to Som. nor any of the reſt but hauehave bene ſought vntounto: from whence a probable argument may be drawne, that I did not teach him to counterfeyt nor any of the other, For if I had ſo done for gayning glory to my ſelf in a feined diſpoſſeſſing of him: ſurely (after ſo much paynes taken for ſundry yeares together) I would in all likelihood hauehave winded my ſelfe by ſome odd practiſe and deuiſe or other into that action, otherwiſe what had his counterfeyting bene to me, or would hauehave advantaged mee more then an other? true ſaith the Diſ. and therefore very cunningly you did ſo. For Som. hath depoſed that theſe wordes you ſaid vntounto him in Aſhby parke: He alſo (meaning my ſelfe) tould me, ſaith Som. pag. 8. 6.that he hauing a ſiſter in lawe in Nottingham, one M. Wallys, I could no ſooner name him when I ſhould be thought to be poſſeſſed, but that preſently and the rather by his ſiſters meanes, he ſhould be ſent for to come vntounto me. This our ſaid meeting in the parke is hereafter ouerthrowne and therby it is manifeſt that no ſuch ſpeach was there vttered by me. But it is ſtrengthned by Edmond Garland's depoſition: Before M. Darrell was ſent for (ſaith hee) I hauehave bene preſent twiſè or thriſe at ſeuerall times, when Som. pag. 8…hath in his pretended fits vſed theſe words: Darrell, Darrel Darrell. If the deponent meane of the firſt ſending for me, that he depoſeth is falſe: if of the latter I yeald vntounto it: but howſoeuer he mean and others take it, it mattereth not, becauſe it is playne by the premiſes that I went not to Som. vponupon his naming me, but vponupon other occaſion, whereby the falſhood of Som. depoſition doth further appeare and Garlands alſo if we reſpect the end wherevnto it ſerueth. moreouer had there bene any ſuch compact betwene Som. and me, why went I not at the firſt ſending for, being eſpecially ſo ſolemnly ſente for by a meſſenger of purpoſe, bringing with him a horſe for mee to ryde on (to make ſure I ſhould come, as ſome percaſe thought) ſuch a letter as we heare, and an other beſides from M. Aldridge? But notwithſtanding this I ſate ſtill, and not only ſo, but returned beſyds ſuch an anſwer as wherevpon they write to two others as is aforſaid either of whoſe aſſiſtance had they of Nott obteyned, we had neuer heard any thing of my teaching to counterfeyt. who can now in reaſon ymagine that there was any ſuch compact? could I be ſure that I ſhoulde be the ſecond time intreated, hauing alſo denyed in twoe ſeuerall letters to deale in that action? Indeede it ſo fell out by the prouidence of god (who had therevnto appointed me) but in reſpect of men by chance. For thus it was. One of the Earle of Huntington's men Maiſt. Hoult by name, bei…gat Nottingham, the Maior toulde him of a purpoſe poſe he had to write by him to his Lord, to be a meane to me, to comvnto them to a boy greatly diſtreſſed. M. Hoult anſwered, that he thought that neede not, for that his owne letter to me woulde ſuffyce and preuaile ſo farr with me, his place conſidered. And herevpon the said letter was made, and ſent by him, who was preſently to come to Aſhby to his Lord, remayning there, where my ſelfe alſo dwelt at the deliuery whereof he made this knowne vntounto me. And thus much touching the occaſion of my going to Som. wherein through the vnreaſonableneſſe and wreſting of my aduerſary, I hauehave bene inforced to be longer then I deſyred.
Hauinge begun the ſtudie of the law he perceued therein ſuch greate corruption,pag. 24. as he gaue himſelfe to the ſtudie of diuinitie: that ſo he mighte ſerue god and kepe a good concience.
The vſe of this is to alienate the affections of thoſe which be of this calling from me, and there withall from the cauſ it ſelfe. But God is my witneſſe that I neuer affirmed any ſuch thinge, neither did the ſame euer enter into my thought. The commō lawes I hold and euer did ſince I ſtudied them, to be grounded vponupon the lawe of god and reaſon, & to be of neceſſarie and ſingular uſe in the common wealth ſo farram I and euer was from condemninge the ſtudie of them, farr therefore was that from me, the Diſc. here ſuggeſteth. Only this is true, that when the Lorde (who had longe before purpoſed to imploye me otherwiſe, and in the ſtudye of an other …aw,) did draw…e another waye, by layinge his hande vponupon me, in cauſinge a ſtrange & extraordinary ſluggiſhnes to fall vponupon me, being a ſtudent of the common lawes) euen then when I was moſt free and far from the ſam I thus thought with my ſelfe, and it may be I hauehave ſome times vſed wordes to this effect, that without all contradiction it were much better for me, to ſpende my dayes and ſtrength in the ſtudie of the deuine then humane lawe, and to be occupied and labour or worke vponupon the ſoules of men, endeuouringe theire eternall ſaluation: then about the landes and goods of men and rightinge of the wronge, don vntounto them therein which only concerneth this momentary life, and reacheth not to the bodies of men, much leſſe to there foules: The welfare and ſaluation of which next to the glory of god is only worthy to be ſought and laboured for: all other thinges beinge mere tryfles in compariſon thereof. Beſides conſideringe ſeriouſly of the afore ſayd hande of God, vponupon me, and of the continuance of my very rare ſluggiſhnes (the lyke whereto I thinke, hath bene ſeldome founde in any,) notwithſtanding my earneſt ſtriuing againſt the ſame, I began to feare leaſt I did … againſt the prickes, and imagine that the lord ſure woulde vſe my … in ſome other thinge, and place me in another ſtandinge. And this … I (ſpeake the …oth in Chriſt, and lye not) cauſed me to change my minde, and warſ… my ſtudye from the law of man to the law of God, & not any corr…ption in the ſame that I perceaued.
His frend forgetteth himſelf in affirming that M. Darrells life hath bene ſo ſearched into, for true it is that diligent care was had and commaundement giuen accordingly, that touching his conuerſation,pag. 25. otherwiſe thē apperteyned directly to his pretended courſe of caſting out diuells there ſhould not any one point, be inquired into: neither was there, as by the acts in record it may appeare, and as it is ſuppoſed. M. Darrell will himſelfe confeſſe.
No verily, I am ſo farr from confeſſing this, that I am fully aſſured of the contrary. I hauehave bene very credibly informed of a ſerching after the life I led at Cambridge, and by page 95. it appeareth that vppon ſome inquiry, information hath bene giuen. How I behaued myſelfe at Aſhby and at Nottingham the Diſ. himſelfe may remember, that he and an other Commiſſioner depoſed and examyned one Web his wife of Nottingham (at whoſe houſe at my firſt comming I made my abode for a ſewe dayes) wherevpon and what moued her to inter tayne me, what ſpeaches in ſecret paſſed betwene her and me, what words I vttered in the prayers I vſed while I was there, or to this effect, and not concerning my caſting out diuells or Som, counterfeiting or not counterfeyting, concerning which ſhe could ſay tho leaſt of a thouſand: And for…aſmuch as this fact of the Diſ. was contrary to the commaund…ment giuen him, and that herein he and his fellowe commiſſione… …ent beyond the boundes of their commiſſion, and that the thing he did is in it ſelfe moſt intollerable, I deſire all men to conſider of it, ſpecially, thoſe that be in authority, But what hath the Diſ. in all his ſearching found out? I aſke of him whoſe oxe or affe I hauehave taken, or to whom I hauehave done wrong if he can tell let him heereafter declare yt.
But one thing is reported of M. Darrell, which paſſeth the reſt, and maketh it probable (you may not doubt) that God hath geuen him an eſpeciall grace aboue all other Exorciſts,pag. 26. now a dayes to expelli diuels, For the ſay that after a ſort, he hath forſaken houſe, lands, and all for Chriſts ſake… which being an Apoſtolicall reſolution, why ſhould not he hauehave that guifte graunted vntounto him? Indeede one is as true as the other.
The reaſon why it hath bene ſaid as is heere repored is, becauſe, for a preaching miniſtery ſake, and ſo for Chriſt and his goſpell ſake, I changed my habitation: and when I dwelt in my owne houſe, & vpō, my owne land, in my natiu country, among my kinſtolkes and acquayntance, to my full contentment and hartes delight for the thinges of this life, I (through the grade of god) left all theſe to my loſſe, & puched my tent in an other coaſt, and hereof I am not aſhamed. And why might not he who knew this to be true, ſay as is aforeſaide? this the Diſ. ſcorneth, being one of thoſe that will neither enter into the kingdome of heauen, nor ſuffer thoſe that would, He ſeemeth by his ſcornfull ſpeaches following, to thinke that there is no forſaking of h… uſe, land, and all to followe Chriſt, but where one ſelleth houſe, lande, and all he poſſeſſeth and giueth the mony to the poore, according to the ſpeach, of Chriſt to the yong man in the goſpell, if you will be perfect, ſell that thou haſt, … 19. 21.and giuegive it to the poore. But to let this error goe, what meaneth the Diſ. to call this an Apoſtolicall reſolution? It ſhould ſeme the anſwer giuegive by Peeter concerning himſelf, & fellowe Apoſtls, Behould we hauehave forſaken all & followed thee. But the Diſc. muſt knowe that all this reſolution to forſake all and followe Chriſt is not proper and peculyar to the Apoſtles, but common to them with all chriſtians, yea this reſolution is ſo generall, as he that is not reſolued to for…ak houſe land, yea and his owne life alſo, and all to followe Chriſt and his goſpell, (u) is not worthy of Chriſt, marke. 8. 34.and cannot be his diſciple. Thus ſaith our Sauiour,marke. 8. 34, (u) whoſoeuer will followe mee, let him forſake himſelf, that is, reſolue with himſelfe, or be willing and ready to loſe or lay downe his life for my ſake whenſoeuer I ſhall call him there-vntounto, which hee muſt dayly expect: much more houſe and land and all things beſids: and againe, if any man come to mee, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, Luke. 14. 26.and children, and brethren and ſiſters, yea and his owne life alſo he cannot be my diſciple. And here-vponupon ymediatly after, he compareth him that is not reſolute and ready to forſake life and all, and to endure whatſoeuer perſecutions can befall him for Chriſt's ſake, and yet profeſſe himſelfe to be Chriſt's, to a raſh and fooliſh man, that beginneth, to builde, but is not able to make an end, and to an vanduiſed king, going to warre againſt an other, who will neither ſend embaſſage and deſire peace, neither yet is able to meete him that commeth againſt him: and then concludeth the ſame thus: ſo likewiſe whoſoeuer he be of you, that forſaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my diſciple. Yea obſerue I beſeech you heere, how by the next wordes following theſe of Peter (whervpon it muſt needs be the Diſ. gathereth this reſolution of forſaking all, to be Apoſtolicall) this is manifeſtly conuinced. For when Chriſt had vponupon occaſiō of Peeter's words, tould him & the other of his diſciples, what reward they which had thus forſaken all & followed him ſhould hauehave, that they ſhould ſit vppon twelue thrones & iudge the twelue tribes of Iſraell: there he ſheweth that neither this forſaking of all, nor reward, is proper to them his Apoſtles, but common to others, ſaying: And whoſoeuer ſhall forſake houſes, or brethren, orſiſters, or father or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name ſake, hee ſhall receaue an hundred fould more, and ſhall inherite euerlaſting life. As it Chriſt Ieſus had ſaid, not only you my Apoſtles, but whoſoeuer els ſhall forſake all to followe mee, ma…h. 19. 19. marke. 10. 1…. Luk, 18. ….ſhall hauehave the ſame recompence of reward with you. And this is expreſſly ſet downe by the 3. Euangeliſts, which argueth a greater ignorance in the Diſ. From this reſolution to forſake houſe, lands, and all for Chriſts ſake. which I would be ſorry I had not: he concludeth me to hauehave or to pretend to hauehave the Apoſtolicall guift, meaning, the ſame guift to caſt out diuells and power ouer vncleane ſpirits,By this worthy collection of the Diſc. Lethu…. Ridley, Cram…, & thoſe worthy men in …. Maye time, the muſt needs hauehave the Apoſtolicall gift of caſting out deuills, becauſe they forſoke all for chriſt & his goſpell ſake which the Apoſtles had. And marke what he addeth. Indeede one is as true as the other. But I ſay who ſhoulde knowe better then he, the one is more true then the other, and that the latter is as falſe, as the other is true. But to leaue my ſelf, what ſaith the Diſ. to many thouſand (a) martyrs in former ages, who had not only this reſolution, but did indeede forſake houſe, land and all yea theire owne liues for Chriſts ſake: were they all Apoſtles, and indewed with that Apoſtolicall guift, by a worde to caſt out diuels, and by conſequent to worke other miracles? Thus we ſee that whiles the Diſ. in moc kage blundereth out Apoſtolicall reſolution, and Apoſtoliicall guiſt, he deliuereth doctrines rather Apoſtaticall then Apoſtolicall, I meane, ſuch as can in no ſorte be drawne from: nor agreeing with their holy writings.
Will you knowe how he hath forſaken all to followe Chriſt? Hauinge two or three houſes, and a litle land in Manſfeild and elſwhere, left him by his father, he ſode the ſame, and ſince bath liued vponupon the moneye, (being as one of his frends ſaith) fiue or ſixe hundred poundes.Pag. 26. If then to ſell land and liue vponupon the monney, be to leaue all, and followe Chriſt, and afit noate of one that can caſt out diuels, wee ſhall not wante men of that trade: many vſurers in England will prooue good Exorciſts.
It is cleare that howſoeuer he doth not in plaine tearmes call me vſurer, yet he doth intimate ſomuch, and would hauehave men ſo to accounte of me, But I deſire all men ſeinge it is not ſo, to be better perſwaded of me, and not to giuegive …are to this his falſe reporte. True it is that after certaine ſhorte leaſes which my father left me were expired, (which were worth yearely three times more to me then my lād I ſould that little lande I had, as beinge not able of the annuall rent there-of (ſpetially in thoſe deare yeares) to mayntaine my ſelfe and familie, hauinge 5. children. But it is as true, that preſently with the ſame moneye I tooke a farme in Aſhbie-delazouch, and bought ſome ſtore of ſheepe, kine, horſes, oxen, with other thinges appeartayninge to huſbandry, for the mayntēnance of my houſhould, which both religion and nature taught me to prouide for. And theſe thinges are well knowne to many. It is plaine then that I neither ſoulde my land to that end the Diſc. pretendeth, neither being ſould did liue vponupon the money, that is, let it forth to vſurie as vſurers doe. I am ſory thus to trouble the world. with the readinge of my priuat affaires, but that the vnreſonableneſſe of the aduerſarie and his ſclanderous tongue doeth there-vntounto enforce me, in the iuſt defence of mine owne innocencie. But hath not the Diſc, hore faithfully kepte his promiſe, in that he ſaide he would not meddle with my life or is he not taken tardie, in that he ſaied he had not ſearched there-into.