The church-history of Britain from the birth of Jesus Christ until the year M.DC.XLVIII endeavoured by Thomas Fuller.

Of false Miracles, many broods whereof were hatched in Monasteries.

SUch false Miracles are reducible to two Ranks:

• 1. Reported, but never done.
• 2. Done, but not true Miracles, as either the Product of Nature, Art, or Sa∣tanicall Machination.

2. Of the former, whose being is onely in report, were many thousands, whose Scene, for the better countenancing thereof, is commonly laid at distance both of Time and Place. These, like the stuffe called Stand-farre-off, must not have the beholder too near, lest the coursnesse thereof doth appeare. Thus any redish liquor (especially if neer the eyes of the Image of a Saint) is reported blood, any whitish moisture, (especially if near the breast of the Image of a she-Saint) is re∣lated to be milk. Though both of them neither more nor lesse true, than what Williama of Nuborough writes of the place neer Battail-Abbey in Sussex, where the fight was fought between the Normans and English, that on every showre fresh blood springeth out of the earth, as crying to God for vengeance; being nothing else than a naturall tincture of the earth, which doth dye the rain red, as in Rut∣land, and in other places.

3. Of pretended Miracles which are really done, let precedency be allowed to those which proceed from Naturall causes, and here we will instance in one out of many thousands. St. Nuns Pool in Cornwell, was formerly famous for curing Mad folk, and this the manner thereof:

4. The Water running from St. Nuns Well,b fell into a square and close wal∣led Plot, which might be filled to what depth they listed. Upon the Wall was the Frantick person set, his back being towards the Pool, and from thence with a suddain blow on the breast tumbled head-long into the Pond: where a strong fellow (provided for the nonce) took him and tossed him up and down along and athwart the water, untill the Patient forgoing his strength had somewhat forgot his fury. Then was he conveyed to the Church, and certain Masses said over him, and St. Nun had the thanks of his recovery. Amidst all this Water there was not one drop of Miracle, but meer naturall causes artificially managed, and that not curing the frensie, but abating the Fit for the present.

5. But other seeming Miracles, done by Nature and the concurrence of Art, were spun with a finer thread, especially when they made advantage of occult qualities, the certain reason whereof no Philosopher can render. Such casualties happen in some times and places, which properly are not Miracles, though they puzell all men to assign the cause whereby they are effected. One of which kinde I here transmit to posterity, invested with all the circumstances thereof, which I have carefully (not to say curiously) inquired into.

6. In the year of our lord 1646, on the 16 of February, this hapned in the Parish Church S. Leonard's Eastcheap, whilst Mr. Henry Roughborough was Mi∣nister, and Mr. John Taylor upper Church Warden thereof. Thomas Hill the Sexton of that Parish, making a Grave in the Night-time for George Streaton in the South-side in the passage into the Chancell, and under the first Stone opened a Grave wherein he found two Skulls, and (as he conceived) the proportion∣able Bones of Bodies belonging unto them; under all these, he light on a Corps, whose Coffin above was consumed, but the Body, which he brought out of the Grave, compleat and intire, save that the Nose thereof flatted with his Spade, as the Sexton believed: The Flesh thereof, both for Colour and Hardnesse like Scalded Bacon dried: His Hair and Nails compleat with his Eyes, (but sunk in∣to his Head) and all his Enerails entire (for a young Chirurgeon did open him) save that shrunk very much within his Body.

7. Some said it was the Corps of Mr. Pountney in Soper-lane, a Merchant, bu∣ried Thirty four years before; others, of one Paul, a wealthy Butcher in East cheap, (which was averred both by his principal Apprentice, as also by William Haile the old surviving Sexton) interred Four and twenty years agoe. I read a Memoriall hereof entred in their Parish Register, and thousands of people are a∣live to attest the truth thereof. Had this hapned in the time of Popery, what a Stock had here been to graft a Miracle on, the branches of the fame whereof would have spread all over Christendome.

8. Such false Miracles succeed which are effected by Art alone, whereof several kindes, first such as are done by confederacy, wherein if but five complete together, they may easily deceive five thousand. Thus the holy Maid of Kent was admired for telling mens secret sins, by keeping correspondency with the Friers that for∣merly had heard their confessions: others, done by Leger-de-maine. Thus there was a Rode at Boxly in Kent made with devices to move the eyes and lips, (but not to see and speak) which in the year 1538,c was publickly shewed at S. Paul's by the Preacher (then Bishop of Rochester) and there broken in pieces, the people laughing at that which they adored but an hour before. Such imposture was also used at Hailes-Abbey in Glocester shire, where the blood of a Duck (for such at ap∣peared at the dissolving of the House) was so cunningly conveyed, that it strange∣ly spirted or sprang up, to the great amazement of common people, accounting it the blood of our Saviour.

9. Thirdly, strange things are done by Ventriloqui, which is a mysterious manner of uttering words, not out of the porch of the mouth & entry of the throat (the common places of speech) but out of the inward-room or rather arched-cel∣lar of the belly, yet so that the hollowness thereof seemingly sixeth the sound at a distance, which (no doubt) hath been mistook for the voice of Images.

10. Lastly, such as are done by the power of Satan, who hath a high Title and large Territory, as termed Prince ofd the power of the aire. Now the aire being Satan's shop, he hath therein many tools to work with, and much matter to work on. It is the Magazine of Meteors, Lightning, Thunder, Snow, Hail, Winde, Rain, Comets, &c. wherewith many wonders may be atchieved, and it is obser∣vable that Aire is required to those two Senses sight and hearing which usher in most outward objects into the soul. False lights are of great advantage to such as vent bad wares: Satan's power must needs be great in presenting shewes and sounds, who can order the aire, and make it dark or light, or thick or thin, at pleasure.

11. We will conclude with one particular kinde of Miracles, wherein Monks by the Devil's help did drive a great trade: namely, Predictions, or pretended Prophecies. Of these some were Post-nate cunningly made after the thing came to passe, and that made the Invention of Prometheus, which was the act of Epeme∣theus. Others were languaged in such doubtfull Expressions, that they bare a double sense, and commonly came to passe contrary to the ordinary acceptance of them. However, hereby Satan saved his credit (who loves to tell lies, but loaths

to be taken in them) and we will onely instance in two or three, which we may write and hear with the more patience, because the last in this kinde, which at the dissolution of Abbeys, brought up the rest of Monasticall Prophecies.

12. There was in Wales a great and Loobily Image, called DARVELL GA∣THERNE, of which an old Prophecie went, That it should burn a Forrest, and on that account was beheld by the Ignorant with much Veneration. Now at the dissolution of Abbeys it was brought up to London, and burnt at the Gallows in Smithfield, with Fryer Forrest, executed for a Traytor.

13. A Prophecie was current in the Abbey of Glassenborough, That a Whiting should swim on the top of the Torr thereof, (which is a steep hill hard by, and the credulous Countrey▪ people understood it of an eruption of the Sea, which they suspected accordingly. It happened that Abbot Whiting (the last of Glassenbury) was hanged thereon for his Recusancy to Surrender the Abbey, and denying the King's Supremacy, so swimming in aire and not water, and waved with the winde in the place.

14. We will close all with the Propheticall Mottoes (at leastwise as men since have expounded them) of the three last successive Abbots of Glocester, because much of modesty, and something of piety contained therein.

• 1. Abbot Boulers, Memento, memento, that is, (as some will have it) Remember, remember this Abbey must be dissolved.
• 2. Abbot Sebruck, Fiat voluntas Domini, that is, if it must be dissolved, the will of the Lord be done.
• 3. Abbot Mauborn, Mersos reat•• suscita, Raise up those which are drowned in guiltiness.

Which some say was accomplished, when this Abbey found that favour from King Henry the eighth, to be raised into a Bishoprick. But, I like the Text better than the Coment, and there is more humility in their Mottoes, than solidity in the Interpretations.

Notes

• A Dichotomy of Miracles.
• Reported not done.
• a

  Camb••. Brit. in Sussex.
• Done by Na∣ture.
• b

  Garew in his Survey of Corn∣wall, p. 123.
• S. Nuns cure of mad men.
• Occult quali∣ties no mira∣cles.
• A wonder a∣••in to a mi∣racle in Lon∣don.
• A Corps un∣consumed.
• Seeming mi∣racles done by Art.
• c

  Stowes Chron. in that year.
• Mysterious Ventriloqui.
• d

  Ephes. 2. 2.
• Plenty of false prophecies.
• A Forrest-bur∣ning Image.
• Haret Delphi∣nus in ulmo.
• Propheticall Mottoes inscri∣bed in Glocester Church.