Part 40

Yet notwithstanding, this most devillish and cunningly contrived counterfeiting and dissimulation was discovered and fully detected by the sagacity of that pious and learned person, D^r _Thomas Morton_ then Bishop of _Coventry_ and _Lichfield_: To whose memory I cannot but owe and make manifest all due respect, because he was well known unto me, and by the imposition of whose hands I was ordained Presbyter when he was Bishop of _Durham_, and also knew his then Secretary, M^r _Richard Baddeley_, who was the Notary, and writ the examination of this crafty Boy. The manner how such a doubtful and intricate piece of Imposture was found out and discovered, you may read at large in the Treatise called _a Discourse concerning Popish Exorcising_. And his publick Confession we shall give in the Authors own words: “He was finally brought again to the Summer Assizes held at _Stafford_, the 26. of _July_, _Anno_ 1621. where before Sir _Peter Warburton_ and Sir _Humfrey Winch_ Knights, his Majesties Justices of Assize, and the face of the County and Country there assembled, the Boy craved pardon first of Almighty God, then desired the Woman there also present to forgive him; and lastly, requested the whole Country whom he had so notoriously and wickedly scandalized, to admit of that his so hearty Confession for their satisfaction.

“And thus it pleased God (he saith) to open the eyes of this Boy (that I may so say) _luto_ with the Clay of the Romish Priests lewd Impostures, and _sputo_ with the spittle of his own infamy, to see his errors and to glorifie the God of truth. And though many such Impostures as this have in several ages been hudled up in darkness and recorded for true stories, by those that were Partisans to them and Confederates with them, yet doubtless were but of the same stamp with this, and might all as well have been discovered, if the like care, skill and industry had been used.

[Sidenote: _Hist. 5._]

[Sidenote: _Vid._ The arraignment and tryal of Witches at _Lancaster_, 1612.]

5. No less villanous, bloody and Diabolical, was the design of _Thompson alias Southworth_, Priest or Jesuit, against _Jennet Bierley_, _Jane Southworth_, and _Ellen Bierly_ of _Samesbury_ in the County of _Lancaster_, in the year 1612. the sum of which is this. “The said _Jennet Bierley_, _Ellen Bierley_, and _Jane Southworth_, were Indicted at the Assizes holden at _Lancaster_ upon _Wednesday_ the nineteenth of _August_, in the year abovesaid, for that they and every of them had practised, exercised, and used divers devillish and wicked Arts, called Witchcrafts, Inchantments, Charms and Sorceries, in and upon one _Grace Sowerbutts_. And the chief witness to prove this was _Grace Sowerbutts_ her self, who said that they did draw her by the hair of the head, and take her sense and memory from her, did throw her upon the Hen-roost and Hay-mow; did appear to her sometimes in their own likeness, sometimes like a black Dog with two feet, that they carried her where they met black things like men that danced with them, and did abuse their bodies; and that they brought her to one _Thomas Walsham_’s House in the night, and there they killed his Child by putting a nail into the Navil, and after took it forth of the Grave, and did boil it, and eat some of it, and made Oyl of the bones, and such like horrid lies.” But there appearing sufficient grounds of suspicion that it was practised knavery, the said _Grace Sowerbutts_ was by the wisdom, and care of Sir _Edward Bromley_ Knight, one of his Majesties Justices of Assize at _Lancaster_, appointed to be examined by _William Leigh_ and _Edward Chisnal_ Esquires, two of his Majesties Justices of peace in the same County, and so thereupon made this free confession. Being demanded “whether the accusation she laid upon her Grandmother, _Jennet Bierley_, _Ellen Bierley_ and _Jane Southworth_, of Witchcraft, _viz._ of the killing of the child of _Thomas Walshman_, with a nail in the Navil, the boyling, eating and oyling, thereby to transform themselves into divers shapes, was true? She doth utterly deny the same, or that ever she saw any such practises done by them. She further saith, that one Mr. _Thompson_, which she taketh to be Mr. _Christopher Southworth_, to whom she was sent to say her prayers, did perswade, counsel and advise her, to deal as formerly hath been said against her said Grandmother, Aunt and _Southworths_ Wife.

“And further she confesseth, and saith, that she never did know, or saw any Devils, nor any other visions, as formerly hath been alledged and informed.

“Also she confesseth, and saith, that she was not thrown, or cast upon the Hen-roust, and Hay-mow in the Barn, but that she went up upon the Mow by the wall side. Being further demanded whether she ever was at the Church, she saith, she was not, but promised hereafter to go to Church, and that very willingly; of which the author of the relation gives this judgment.

“How well (he saith) this project, to take away the lives of three innocent poor creatures by practice and villany, to induce a young Scholar to commit perjury, to accuse her own Grandmother, Aunt, _&c._ agrees either with the title of a Jesuit, or the duty of a religious Priest who should rather profess sincerity and innocency, than practise treachery! But this was lawful, for they are Hereticks accursed, to leave the company of Priests, to frequent Churches, hear the word of God preached, and profess religion sincerely.”

[Sidenote: _Hist. 6._]

6. But we shall shut up the relating of these prodigious and hellish stories, of these kind of couzening and cheating delusions and impostures, with one instance more that is no less notorious than these that we have rehearsed. About the year 1634 (for having lost our notes of the same, we cannot be so exact as we should) there was a great pretended meeting of many supposed Witches at a new house or barn, in _Pendle_ Forest in _Lancashire_, then not inhabited, where (as the accusation pretended) some of them by pulling by a rope of Straw or Hay, did bring Milk, Butter, Cheese, and the like, and were carried away upon Dogs, Cats or Squirrels. The informer was one _Edmund Robinson_ (yet living at the writing hereof, and commonly known by the name of _Ned_ of _Roughs_) whose Father was by trade a Waller, and but a poor Man, and they finding that they were believed and had incouragement by the adjoyning Magistrates, and the persons being committed to prison or bound over to the next Assizes, the boy, his Father and some others besides did make a practice to go from Church to Church that the Boy might reveal and discover Witches, pretending that there was a great number at the pretended meeting, whose faces he could know; and by that means they got a good living, that in a short space the Father bought a Cow or two, when he had none before. And it came to pass that this said Boy was brought into the Church of _Kildwick_ a large parish Church, where I (being then Curate there) was preaching in the afternoon, and was set upon a stall (he being but about ten or eleven years old) to look about him, which moved some little disturbance in the Congregation for a while. And after prayers I inquiring what the matter was, the people told me that it was the Boy that discovered Witches, upon which I went to the house where he was to stay all night, where I found him, and two very unlikely persons that did conduct him, and manage the business; I desired to have some discourse with the Boy in private, but that they utterly refused; then in the presence of a great many people, I took the Boy near me, and said: Good Boy tell me truly, and in earnest, did thou see and hear such strange things of the meeting of Witches; as is reported by many that thou dost relate, or did not some person teach thee to say such things of thy self? But the two men not giving the Boy leave to answer, did pluck him from me, and said he had been examined by two able Justices of the Peace, and they did never ask him such a question, to whom I replied, the persons accused had therefore the more wrong. But the Assizes following at _Lancaster_ there were seventeen found guilty by the Jury, yet by the prudent discretion of the Judge, who was not satisfied with the evidence, they were reprieved, and his Majesty and his Council being informed by the Judge of the matter, the Bishop of _Chester_ was appointed to examine them, and to certifie what he thought of them, which he did; and thereupon four of them; to wit _Margaret Johnson_, _Francis Dicconson_, _Mary Spenser_, and _Hargrieves_ Wife, were sent for up to _London_, and were viewed and examined by his Majesties Physicians and Chirurgeons, and after by his Majesty and the Council, and no cause of guilt appearing but great presumptions of the boys being suborned to accuse them falsely. Therefore it was resolved to separate the Boy from his Father, they having both followed the women up to _London_, they were both taken and put into several prisons asunder. Whereupon shortly after the Boy confessed that he was taught and suborned to devise, and feign those things against them, and had persevered in that wickedness by the counsel of his Father, and some others, whom envy, revenge and hope of gain had prompted on to that devillish design and villany; and he also confessed, that upon that day when he said that they met at the aforesaid house or barn, he was that very day a mile off, getting Plums in his Neighbours Orchard. And that this is a most certain truth, there are many persons yet living, of sufficient reputation and integrity, that can avouch and testifie the same; and besides, what I write is the most of it true, upon my own knowledge, and the whole I have had from his own mouth more than once.

Thus having brought these unquestionable Histories to manifest the horrid cheats and impostures that are practised for base, wicked and devillish ends, we must conclude in opposing that objection proposed in the beginning of this Chapter, which is this: That though some be discovered to be counterfeitings and impostures, yet all are not so, to which we further answer.

[Sidenote: _Reas. 1._]

1. That all those things that are now adayes supposed to be done by Demoniacks or those that pretend possessions, as also all those strange feats pretended to be brought to pass by Witches or Witchcraft, are all either performed by meer natural causes (for it is granted upon all sides that Devils in corporeal matter can perform nothing but by applying fit actives to agreeable passives.) And miracles being long since ceased, it must needs follow, that Devils do nothing but only draw the minds of Men and Women unto sin and wickedness, and thereby they become deceivers, cheats and notorious impostours: so that we may rationally conclude that all other strange feats and delusions, must of necessity be no better, or of any other kind, than these we have recited, except they can shew that they are brought to pass by natural means. Must not all persons that are of sound understanding judge and believe that all those strange tricks related by Mr. _Glanvil_ of his Drummer at Mr. _Mompessons_ house, whom he calls the Demon of _Tedworth_, were abominable cheats and impostures (as I am informed from persons of good quality they were discovered to be) for I am sure Mr. _Glanvil_ can shew no agents in nature, that the Demon applying them to fit patients, could produce any such effects by, and therefore we must conclude all such to be impostures.

[Sidenote: _Reas. 2._]

2. It is no sound way of reasoning, from the principles of knowing, either thereby to prove the existence of things, or the modes of such existence, because the principle of being is the cause of the principle of knowing, and not on the contrary, and therefore our not discovering of all Impostures that are or have been acted, doth not at all conclude the rest that pass undiscovered, are diabolical or wrought by a supernatural power; for it ought first to be demonstrated that there are now in these days some things wrought by the power of Devils, that are supernatural, in elementary and corporeal matter, which never was nor can be, as from the testimonies of all the learned we have shewed before. And therefore a man might as well argue that there are no more thieves in a Nation, but those that are known, and brought to condign punishment, when there may be, and doubtless are many more; so likewise there are many hundreds of impostures, that pass and are never discovered, but that will not at all rationally conclude that those must be diabolical that are not made known.

CHAP. XV.

_Of divers Creatures that have a real existence in Nature, and yet by reason of their wonderous properties, or seldom being seen, have been taken for Spirits, and Devils._

[Sidenote: _Hist. 1._]

Before we come to speak of Apparitions in general, we shall premise some few things by way of caution, because there is not one subject (that we know of) in the World that is liable to so many mistakes, by reason of the prepossessed fancies of men, in adhering to those fictions of Spirits, Fairies, Hobgoblins, and many such like, which are continually heightned by ignorant education, and vain melancholy fears. We shall not mention those many apparitions that are frequently practised by forgery and confederacy, for base ends and interests, as have been commonly used in the time of Popery, and attempted in our dayes, though with little success. As also by other persons for base lucre or worse intents, of which we have known some notorious ones that have been discovered. Neither shall we speak of those feigned ones that have been practised to hide thievery and roguery, as we once knew that certain persons who stole mens sheep in the night, did carry them away upon a thing made like a Bier covered with a white sheet, by which means those that saw them took it to be an apparition, and so durst not come near them, and so the most part of the people of 3 or 4 Villages were terrified, and the report was far spred that it was a walking spirit, and yet at last discovered to be a cunning piece of knavery to hide their theft withal. Neither shall we say any thing of those ludicrous apparitions that are often practised to terrifie, abuse, and affright others. But we shall here give the relation of some strange creatures, that seldom being seen or found, have induced more ignorant persons to take them for Demons, and these we shall enumerate in this order.

[Sidenote: _Hist. 2._]

[Sidenote: _Centur._ 1. _Hist._ 9. _p._ 18.]

1. It hath been, and still is a strong opinion amongst the vulgars and Witchmongers also, that Witches transforming themselves into diverse shapes, did in the night time enter into peoples houses, and then and there suck the breasts or navils of infants in their Beds or Cradles, that thereby they were weakned or consumed away; which inveterate opinion was the more firmly believed, because children that at night were very well, in the morning were found to be very ill, and to have been sucked in the places aforesaid. To clear which point take this Observation from the learned pen of _Thomas Bartholinus_ that was Physician to _Frederick_ King of _Denmark_, in English thus. “Three infants (he saith) of the _Pastor Fionens_ at _Lyckisholm_, which is a noble Mannor belonging to the very illustrious Lord _Christian Thomæus Sehsted_, the Kings Chancellor, _Eques Auratus_, and a most renowned Senator of _Denmark_, my _Mecænas_, that were sleeping in their accustomed Chamber, were not long after troubled with an unwonted bewailing and inquietude, that they felt themselves to be sucked or milked of something. The nipples of their breasts being diligently handled by the Parents did confirm the Childrens suspicion, because they did hang out like a Womans that did give suck. And to prevent this fascination, the nipples of the breasts were anointed with preservatives against poyson and other bitter things. Hereupon their Navils were so worn with vehement suction, that not only they were prominent or did hang out, but also did as it were shew the greatness of the mouth that had sucked by the impression remaining. But the Infants being carried forth of the Chamber, did from thenceforth rest free from any suction, especially being carried in peoples arms. And this _Caprimulgus_ or Goat-milker, is by _Bellonius_ said to be in _Crete_ of the bigness of a Cuckow, being very hurtful to the Goats, insomuch that it sucketh milk from their dugs on the nights.” By which we may plainly understand, how Creatures that are but seldom seen, or whose properties are unknown, may easily effect those things that ignorant heads may impute unto Witchcraft.

[Sidenote: _De quadr._ _l._ 1. _p._ 862.]

[Sidenote: Isai. 34. 14.]

[Sidenote: Isai. 13. 21.]

[Sidenote: Levit. 17. 7.]

[Sidenote: Deut. 32. 17.]

[Sidenote: Psal. 106. 37.]

[Sidenote: 2 Chron. 11. 15.]

2. It is no less believed by many, that those kind of Creatures which are called Satyres are but a kind of Demons; for learned Gesner reckoning them to be a kind of Apes, doth tell us this: “Even as (he saith) the Apes _Cynocephali_, or with Dogs-heads, have given the occasion of the Fable, that some have thought such to be men: So Satyrs being also a rare kind of Apes, and of greater admiration, some have believed them to be Devils: also of some men deluded by the Poets and Painters, as also Statuaries, who have feigned that they had Goats feet and horns, the more to augment the admiration and superstition, they have been thought Devils: when in Ape-Satyres there is no such thing to be seen.” And this opinion hath been the more strengthened because the most of the Translators have in the Old Testament rendered the word ‏שָׂעִיר‎ (which properly signifieth an happy man or beast) a Goat, a Satyre, (as _Gen._ 27. _ver._ 11. _Esau my Brother is a hairy man_; where the very same word is used) Demon, or Devil. But it is plain that it did and doth signifie no more but only Satyrs, as will appear by these reasons. 1. First, as our English Translators have truly rendred it in that of _Isaiah_, _And the Satyre shall cry unto his fellow_: for it is certainly related, both by ancient and modern Navigators, that in those desolate Islands where there are store of them, they will upon the nights make great shouting and crying, and calling one unto another. And in another place of the same Prophet it is said by the same Translators, _and Satyres shall dance there_; dancing being one of the properties of that hairy Creature, as a thing it is much delighted with, and so are but Satyres that are natural Creatures and not Devils. 2. And though the same Translators have rendred the plural of the same word, by the name Devils, yet it there properly signifieth also Satyres; for though in another place it be said; _they sacrificed to devils, not to God_, and so again by the Psalmist, for _they sacrificed their sons and daughters unto devils_; where in both places the word is ‏שֵדִים‎ _vastatoribus_, to the destroyers or to Devils; because in those Idols the Devils were worshipped, and thereby destroyed the souls of men: 3. Yet it is manifest that their Idols were formed in the shape of Satyres, in a most terrible manner; for the late and most credible travellers that have been in those parts of _Asia_, where those Idolatries are still upholden, do unanimously relate that they make their Images or Idols that they worship, as terrible and frightful as they can devise, as may be seen in the relations of the Travels of _Vincent le Blanc_, _Mandelslo_, and _Ferdinand Mendez Pinto_, and M^r _Herbert_ our Countryman gives us the Idol of the Bannyans in the ugly shape of a monstrous Satyre. 4. So that though this worshipping and sacrificing, in respect of its abominableness, filthiness and Idolatrousness, was yielded to Devils, which spiritually and invisibly ruled in these Children of disobedience, and was the Author of all those delusions and impostures; yet it doth no where appear, that it was Demons in the corporeal shape of Satyres (as many have erroneously supposed) no more than the golden Calves that _Jeroboam_ made, were real Devils: but these Idols were made in the figure or shape of Satyrs or hairy Creatures, as saith the Text: _And he ordained him Priests for the high places_, and for the hairy Idols or Satyres, _and for the Calves that he had made_. It is the same Hebrew word here that our English Translators render Devils, that in the two former places of _Isaiah_ they translate Satyres; and as the Calves are not rendred Devils, why should the Images that were like Satyres be translated so? Surely the Devil was as much in the Calves, and as much worshipped in those dumb Idols as he was in the dumb and dead Idols or Images of the Satyres, and so no more reason to call the one Devils than the other. But that which totally overthrows the conceit that they should be real Devils in corporeal shapes and figures, is this, that both the Calves and the Images of these Satyres were made by _Jeroboam_: now it is manifest that he could not make a real Devil, but only Images of Calves and Satyres, wherein and whereby the Devils might be worshipped in those Idolatrous ways.

[Sidenote: _Hist. 3._]

[Sidenote: _Observ. Medic._ _lib._ 3. _c._ 56. _p._ 283.]

So that it is most apparent, that these Satyres being seldom seen and of strange qualities, have made many to believe that they were Demons; nay it seems their Images and Pictures have been taken for Devils, and yet are but meer natural Creatures, and by learned men accounted a kind of Apes, which we shall now prove by an undeniable instance or two; and first this from the pen of that learned Physician _Nicholaus Tulpius_, who saith thus: “In our remembrance (he saith) there was an Indian Satyre brought from _Angola_; and presented as a gift to _Frederick Henry_ Prince of _Aurange_. This Satyre was four-footed and from the humane shape which it seems to bear, it is called of the Indians _Orang antang_, _homo silvestris_, a wild man, and of the Africans _Quoias morron_, expressing in longitude a Child of three years old, and in crassitude, one of six years. It was of body neither fat nor lean, but square, most able and very swift. And of its joints so firm, and the Muscles so large, that it durst undertake and could do any thing; on the foreparts altogether smooth, and rough behind, and covered with black hairs. Its face did resemble a man, but the nose broad and crooked downwards, rugged and a toothless female. But the ears were not different from humane shape. As neither the breast, adorned on both sides with a swelling dug (for it was of the feminine Sex) the belly had a very deep navil; and the joints, both those above and those below, had such an exact similitude with man, that one egg doth not seem more like another. Neither was there awanting a requisite commissure to the arm, nor the order of fingers to the hands, nor an humane shape to the thumb, or a prop of the legs to the thighs, or of the heel to the foot. Which fit and decent form of the members, was the cause that for most part it did go upright: neither did it lift up any kind of weight less heavily than remove it easily.

When it was about to drink it would hold the handle of the Kan with the one hand, and put the other under the bottom of the Cup, then would it wipe off the moysture left upon its lips, not less neatly than thou shouldest see the most delicate Courtier. Which same dexterity it did observe when it went to bed. For lying her head upon the Pillow, and fitly covering her body with the Cloaths, it did hide it self no otherwise, than if the most delicate person had laid there.

[Sidenote: _Hist. 4._]