CHAP. XXIX. Their feigned Miracles
CHAP. XXIX. Their feigned Miracles.
D etect. 20. Another 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 Country people, and perhaps the diseased woman herself, 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 dissuade a man from accusing one of his neighbors of witchcraft, because his daughter hath this disease, and crieth 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 mere strangulation, women commonly know it, by the rising to their throat, and swelling, 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 tossed 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 roar, and swear, and speak as in the person of the Devil, and take on them to prophesy, 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 days: 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 neighbor Minister told me of a neighbor that was handled thus. I told him what disease it was, and advised him to persuade her to a judicious Physician. But the next I hear of her was that neglecting the Physician, 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 lunatic or possessed state.
And here because H.T. in his Manual, p. 85,86, doth plead their Miracles, I shall revive the memory of one of the great Miracles that was done among their Proselytes 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, whatever 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, thread, straw, pins, &c. his belly almost as flat as his back, his throat swelled and hard, his tongue stiff and rolled up towards the roof of his mouth, so that he seemed always 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 tried 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 wearied with him, and the Country flocked in to see him, a Priest of the Romish Religion was invited to cure him. The Priest exorcised, him praying in Latin over him, hanging a stone about his neck, washing him with Holy water, Witch water, and anointing him with Holy Oil, &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 show himself: then the boy puts out his tongue swelled: The Priest commandeth him to show the People by the sheet before him, how he would use those that died out of the Roman Catholic Church. Whereupon he pulls, 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 Luther, Calvin and John Fox: and he playeth the same part more fiercely than before. Then the Priest commands him to show what power he had of a good Catholic that died out of mortal sin: and then he thrust down his arms, and hanged down his head, and trembled. The Boy promiseth when his fit is over, that the will live and die a Catholic, persuading 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 Country to a longer observance of them, (and preached 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 stopped the cure, because the Mother would not promise them to turn Papist if they cured him. But in the meantime the supposed
Witch is brought to trial 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 Eccleshill, 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 Scholar 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 12th 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 extreme sickness, and made water in the Urinal, as black as ink, groaning when he made it: But the third day after, they espied 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 catched 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, Oct. 8th, and 13th, 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 neighbors 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 Entitled [A Faithful Relation of the proceedings of the Catholic
Gentlemen with the Boy of Bilson, showing, &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 Country 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 Jesuit 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 dispel all his juggling's 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 itself is of itself 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 looked at, why will you not give us leave to observe them? The same Miracles that you boast of, do testify against you, if they be true. To instance now but in one. Prosper makes mention of a Miracle (which Thyraeus de Daemoniac. p. 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 justify 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.