A discouery of the fraudulent practises of Iohn Darrel Bacheler of Artes in his proceedings concerning the pretended possession and dispossession of William Somers at Nottingham: of Thomas Darling, the boy of Burton at Caldwall: and of Katherine Wright at Mansfield, & Whittington: and of his dealings with one Mary Couper at Nottingham, detecting in some sort the deceitfull trade in these latter dayes of casting out deuils.

CHAP. IX. There was no impossibility in Somers fittes, as M. Darrell and his friendes haue falsly pretended.

THe generall plee of M. Darrell in his A∣pologie, and of the author of the briefe Narration, with the rest of his friendes, in defence of himselfe, and to proue that Somers did not dissemble, is this: vz. that those thinges which he did in his fittes, were impossible for him to haue done by any naturall or artificiall power: and that therefore there was some supernaturall cause of them, which was (sayeth Maister Darrell) and euill spirite possessing him. For sayeth hee further, if those thinges most strange,

and admirable can be done by any humaine skill, I deny not but hee may bee a counterfeyte. For the better sa∣tisfaction therefore of the Gentleman, it may please him to peruse the last Chapter of the thirde Booke, and there to consider, what his owne witnesses vpon their reexami∣nation haue deposed, touching these pretended impossi∣bilities, and also to vouchsafe the reading of these deposi∣tions following.

* 1.1Now I consider without feare, what things the boy did in his fittes: I thinke any other of his nimblenes and capacitie may doe the like.

* 1.2I neuer did see any thing that Somers did, to make mee to thinke, that it was supernaturall. And againe, I tolde M. Darrell, that Somers was no more possessed then I was my selfe: for (quoth I) I haue seene him doe all his fittes, and I my selfe can doe two more then he hath done. Why then (quoth M. Darrel) thou art possessed with a Deuill:* 1.3 to whome I answered, that hee lyed, and that I was as good a Christian as he.

* 1.4Notwithstanding, all the wonders by other men seene, and reported, it was neuer my happe, though often there, to see him doe any thing, which an other boye that woulde haue en∣deuoured himselfe to the like lewdenes, might not easily haue performed.

* 1.5I was but twise with Somers in all his fittes, and at one of the same times, I well remember, that M. Aldred asked mee my opi∣nion, touching the truth or falshood of the boyes repossession, wher∣unto I answered, that I saw nothing but it might bee counter∣feyted.

* 1.6I was ofte with the boy in his fittes, and could neuer see any thing done by him, but I could doe the like.

* 1.7Seeing Somers in his fittes the fift of Nouember, heauing vppe his belly, drawing his mouth towardes his eares: scriching &c. I departed away perswaded that he was a counterfeyte, and

that he did nothing, but that which a boye naughtely disposed might doe aswell as he.

Standing near to the bed where Somers lay vpon the day of his pretended dispossession,* 1.8 and well noting the manner of his present fittes, I could not perceiue any extraordinarie thing to be done by the boy, but what any other might well haue done, although M. Darrell did then endeuour to perswade the hearers present, that they were past the power of any naturall man to doe.

Although (saide M. Wallys,* 1.9 brother in law to M. Dar∣rell,) I had diuerse times heard, that the boy did thinges past the naturdll power of man: yet when I saw them, I could not per∣ceiue any such strangenes in them: and therefore I did forbeare much to visite him.

Seing William Somers vpon the Saturday at night (before his pretended dispossession,) lye on his bed, gaping, strugling,* 1.10 and spurning, I obserued that any body naughtily disposed, might haue done the same.

I neuer saw (sayeth Richard Newton, one of M. Darrels chiefe deponentes) Somers doe any thing,* 1.11 but that a boye of his yeares might easily doe.

Whether these depositions will satisfie M. Darrell & his friendes, it may be doubted, they are so strongly pos∣sessed with their owne conceites: but to anie reasonable men, they will be sufficient, to shew the vanitie of the for∣saide pretended impossibilities.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rob. Coo∣per. pa. 106.
• * 1.2

  Nic. Shep. fol, 2,
• * 1.3

  pa. 209,
• * 1.4

  M. Crauen▪ fol 14.
• * 1.5

  M. Foster, fol. 18
• * 1.6

  George Richardson fol. 20.
• * 1.7

  M Aldred, pag. 246
• * 1.8

  M Pare. pag. 264.
• * 1.9

  T. VVallys. pa. 268.
• * 1.10

  Iames Al∣wood p. 289
• * 1.11

  Rich. New∣ton.