A Key for Catholics, Treatise 1 · Chapter 29
CHAP. XXIX.
Detect. 20. A Nother of their deceits is by pretended Miracles. If they do but hear of a Wench that hath the ſtrangulatus uteri, or furor uterinus, or ſuch hyſterical Paſſions in any violent degree, they preſently go to caſt the Devil out of her, that ſo they may make deluded people think that they have wrought a Miracle. And uſually the Countrey people, and perhaps the diſeaſed woman her ſelf, may be ſo much unacquainted with the diſeaſe, as verily to believe the Prieſts, that they have a Devil indeed: and ſo turn Papiſts when the cure is wrought, as thinking it was done by the finger of God. The nature of this diſeaſe is to cauſe ſuch ſtrange ſymptoms, that moſt ignorant people that ſee them, do think that the perſons are either bewitched, or have a Devil. At this very time while I am writing this, I am put to diſſwade a man from accuſing one of his neighbours of witchcraft, becauſe his daughter hath this diſeaſe, and cryeth out of her. Leſt the Papiſts get further advantage by this ignorance of the people, I ſhall acquaint them briefly with ſome of the ſymptoms of this diſeaſe. It uſually ſeizeth upon young women between the Age of ſeventeen and thirty two years: And moſt commonly on thoſe that are of a ſound complexion, ſomewhat ſanguine, or at leaſt, fleſhly and ſtrong, and but ſeldom on the weaker ſort (in this manner.) When it is but a meer ſtrangulation, women commonly know it, by the riſing to their throat, and ſweling, and the like: But when it comes to the diſeaſe we mention, it cauſeth them to fall by fits into ſudden trances, and ſwoons: in which at firſt uſually they ſeem ſtupid as dead, if it be in a colder body, but after they grow to violent motions, and ſtrivings, and ragings, ſo that its as much as two can do to hold them. And when the fit is over, they are well again. Sometime there will be motions like convulſive in the head, the hands, and the fingers diſtinctly: ſo that you ſhall ſee one hand violently moved to ſome part of the body, ſo that it will be hard to remove it. Sometime one finger ſet double, and then another, and after that another, ſo that it will be hard till the fit is over to ſet them ſtrait. Uſually the body toſt up and down with raging madneſs. And ſome of them will continue a year, or two, or ſeven in this caſe, daily falling in ſuch fits as one would think ſhould deſtroy or weaken them preſently, and yet after the fits, be almoſt as well as ever, and their ſtrength doth not much decay. If they hear any mention of a Witch, they will likely take a conceit that they are bewitched; and then in their fits they will cry out upon the Witch, and if they ſee her, they will fall into a fit. If they get but a conceit that they are Poſſeſſed with a Devil, (by hearing the mention of others that were poſſeſſed) they will by the power of corrupted fancy, play the parts of the poſſeſſed, and rage, and rore, and ſwear, and ſpeak as in the perſon of the Devil, and take on them to propheſie, or tell of ſecrets. All this I have known: and I have eaſed ſome of them by medicine in a few moments, and cured them (at that time) in a few dayes: So that I could eaſily have made the common people believe that I had caſt out a Devil, if I had but had the deſign and conſcience of a Papiſt. A while ago a neighbour Miniſter told me of a neighbour that was handled thus. I told him what diſeaſe it was, and adviſed him to perſwade her to a judicious Phyſitian. But the next I hear of her was that neglecting the Phyſitian, ſhe was cured by ſome Papiſt Prieſt, and thereupon was turned Papiſt. And no doubt but among themſelves it is reported for a Miracle.
The ſame courſe they take alſo in ſome diſtractions and other diſeaſes. And ſometime perſons are trained up by them to diſſemble and counterfeit a lunatick or poſſeſſed ſtate.
And here becauſe H. T. in his Manual, pag 85, 86. doth plead their Miracles, I ſhall revive the memory of one of the great Miracles that was done among their Proſelites in the Pariſh of Wolverhampton: though I have mentioned it heretofore. I have the Book by me (Printed at London by F. K. for Will. Barret, 1622.) and have ſpoke with many perſons that knew the Actor himſelf, being yet alive: ſo that I ſuppoſe that no Papiſt about Wolverhampton will deny it, what ever they do elſewhere.
At Bilſon in the Pariſh of Wolverhampton in Stafford-ſhire there was a Boy named William Perry, Son of Tho. Perry, who ſeemed to be bewitched or poſſeſſed with a Devil: (about thirteen years old, but of ſpecial wit above his age.) In his fits he ſeemed to be deaf, and blind, writhing his mouth aſide, continually groaning and panting, and when he was pricked, pinched, whipped, he ſeemed not to feel. He ſeemed to take no food that would digeſt, but with it caſt up rags, thred, ſtraw, pins, &c. his belly almoſt as flat as his back, his throat ſwel'd and hard, his tongue ſtiff and rolled up towards the roof of his mouth, ſo that he ſeemed alwayes dumb, ſave that once in a fortnight or three weeks he would ſpeak a few words. It was thought he was bewitched by one Joan Cocks, becauſe 1. He would diſcern when that woman was brought into the room, though it were ſecretly done, as was tryed before the Grand Jury at Stafford. 2. He would not endure the repeating of the firſt verſe of John, [In the beginning was the word, &c.] but other texts he would endure. When the Parents had been a while wearyed with him, and the Countrey flockt in to ſee him, a Prieſt of the Romiſh Religion was invited to cure him. The Prieſt exorciſed, him praying in Latine over him, hanging a ſtone about his neck, waſhing him with Holy water, Witch water, and anointing him with Holy Oyl, &c. which ſeemed to eaſe him, and make him ſpeak, and ſometime cure him for the time. They Hallowed all his meat and drink: He would not ſo much as eat Raiſins, or ſmell to flowers, unleſs they were bleſt by the Prieſt: He told them that while the Puritans ſtood by him he ſaw the Devil aſſault him in the ſhape of a black bird. The Prieſt requireth the chief fiend to ſhew himſelf: then the boy puts out his tongue ſwel'd: The Prieſt commandeth him to ſhew the People by the ſheet before him, how he would uſe thoſe that dyed out of the Roman Catholick Church. Whereupon he puls, and bites, and toſſeth the ſheet, till the people cry out and weep. Then he commandeth the Devil to tell him, how he did uſe Luthen, Calvin and John Fox: and he playeth the ſame part more fiercely then before. Then the Prieſt commands him to ſhew what power he had of a good Catholick that dyed out of mortal ſin: and then he thruſt down his arms, and hang'd down his head, and trembled. The Boy promiſeth when his fit is over, that the will live and die a Catholick, perſwading his parents and friends, &c. On this manner three Prieſts one after another followed the cure, ſtill ſucceeding, but yet not curing him, that they might draw the Countrey to a longer obſervance of them, (and preacht to them in the houſe) and that the Miracle might be the more famous. For forſooth there were many Devils in him, they ſaid, to be caſt out. And it ſtopt the cure, becauſe the Mother would not promiſe them to turn Papiſt if they cured him. But in the mean time the ſuppoſed Witch is brought to tryal at Stafford Aſſizes, 1620. before Judge Warburton and Judge Davies: But in the end the Judges deſired Biſhop Morton then preſent to take care of the Boy: who took him home to his Caſtle at Eccleſhall, and after certain weeks time (the Biſhop being abroad) the ſaid Biſhop comes to the Boy, and tells him that he underſtood that he could not endure the firſt verſe of John, and ſaith he, the Devil underſtandeth Greek as well as Engliſh, being a Schollar of almoſt ſix thouſand years ſtanding, and therefore he knows when I recite that verſe in Greek: And ſo calling for a Greek Teſtament, he read the 12. verſe; and the Boy thinking it had been the firſt, fell into his fit: And when that fit was over, the Biſhop read the firſt verſe, and then the Boy had no fit, thinking it had been ſome other verſe. And thus they proved him a deceiver, and the Boy was much confounded, but pretended more diſtraction; and then that he might get away, he complained of extream ſickneſs, and made water in the Urinal, as black as ink, groaning when he made it: But the third day after, they eſpyed him mixing ink with his Urine, and nimbly conveying away the Inkhorn. And when they came in upon him, and found him in the conveyance, he broke out into tears, and was ſuddenly cured, and confeſſed all, how he had been taught his art, and how he did all, and confeſſed that his intent was to be cured by a Prieſt, and to turn Papiſt (and whether they have catcht him again or no, I know not; for I hear he is a Quaker in Briſtol, or at leaſt a reviler of the Miniſtry) The Biſhop took his examination at large, Octob. 8. & 13. 1620. If any doubt of the ſtory, they may be ſatisfied yet by the Boy himſelf, or by the Reverend Biſhop yet alive, or by any of the neighbours in Bilſon that were at age there but thirty ſeven years ago.
But before the Biſhop had diſcovered the knavery, one of the Conjuring Prieſts writes the Narrative of the buſineſs (which is printed with the reſt) and is Entituled [A Faithful Relation of the proceedings of the Catholick Gentlemen with the Boy of Bilſon, ſhewing, &c.] And they begin with [Not to us O Lord, but to thy Name give the Glory!] And ſo they proceed to make their report of it, for deluding the people, as a Miracle. And the writing was by a Papiſt Gentleman examined, atteſted upon Oath to be received from one Mr. Wheeler, &c. But when they heard of the Diſcovery, they were aſhamed of their faithful Relation. At laſt, the Biſhop brought the Boy at the next ſummers Aſſizes, July 26. 1621. to ask pardon openly of God, and the woman accuſed by him, and of the Countrey cheated by him, and there was an end of that Popiſh Miracle. Abundance more ſuch I could give you out of certain records; but I recited this for the ſake of H. T. and the Papiſts of Wolverhampton.
And for your Miracles; I beſeech you, if you regard not us, yet open your ears to a Jeſuite that ſpeaks the Truth. Joſeph Acoſta (de temporib. noviſſ. lib. 3. c. 3.) [To all the Miracles of Antichriſt, though he do great ones, the Church ſhall boldly oppoſe the Belief of the Scriptures: and by the inexpugnable Teſtimony of this Truth, ſhall by moſt clear light diſpell all his juglings as Clouds.—Signs are given to Infidels, Scriptures to Believers; and therefore the Primitive Church abounded with Miracles, when Infidels were to be called: But the laſt, when the Faithful are already Called, ſhall reſt more on the Scripture, then on Miracles. Yea I will boldly ſay, that all Miracles are vain and empty, unleſs they be approved by the Scripture; that is, have a doctrine conform to the Scripture. But the Scripture it ſelf is of it ſelf a moſt firm Argument of Truth.]
And the ſame Acoſta confeſſeth in his Indian Hiſtory, that they do no Miracles in the Indies (where the boaſt is.) And if they did, it would confirm Chriſtianity, but not Popery.
Yea if Miracles be ſo much to be lookt at, why will you not give us leave to obſerve them? The ſame Miracles that you boaſt of, do teſtifie againſt you, if they be true. To inſtance now but in one. Proſper makes mention of a Miracle (which Thyraeus de Daemoniac. pag. 76. and many more of yours recite,) that was done by the Sacramental Wine: A perſon poſſeſſed by the Devil was cured, (after many other means uſed in vain) by the Drinking of the Wine in the Euchariſt. And doth not this Miracle juſtifie us that give the people the Wine, and condemn you, that refuſe to give it them? Many other Miracles I could recite, that the Fathers ſay were done by the Sacrament in both kinds received, which condemn you that forbid it.