A Whip for the Devil, or, The Roman conjuror discovering the intolerable folly, prophaneness and superstition of the papists in endeavouring to cast the Devil out of the bodies of men and women by him possest ... / all faithfully collected from their own authors, with pleasant notes and observations intermixt.

A present Remedy against all Molestations and Plague of the Devil either in Men, Cattel or Houses.

Take a piece of Paper, and Exorcise it thus.

I Exorcise thee, O Paper, by the words of the triumphant Title of Christ, and by all those other words which are spoken of the Crea∣tor of all Creatures, who is able to endue thee with that virtue, that all things which are written upon thee, may be effectual to eternal Salvation, that all fallacies and ma∣lice of the Devil may go out of thee, and all the virtue and efficacy aforesaid may enter into thee. In the Name, &c.

Then sprinkle it with Holy Water, then write upon in the form of a Cross these words.

Which Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, being born of the Virgin Mary, through his most in∣effable goodness and mercy. By the Intercession therefore of the same Virgin Mary, and of the Angels, and all the Saints, especi∣ally the Apostles, and his Evangelists John,

Matthew, Mark and Luke, that they would vouchsafe to free me from all vexation of the Devil and all his Angels.

Then take Exorcised Salt, Wax of a consecrated Candle, especially at Easter, and Rue blessed with its proper Benedi∣ction, being all sprinkled with Holy Wa∣ter, and put these Ingredients all together into the said Paper, and hang it about the neck of the Patient, or upon the place affected. Probatum est.

There may be something in this; for Paper is a miraculous Utensile: being well prepared by an Observator, it expels the Devil of Whiggism, a villanous sly Devil; and being charmed by a Pacqueteer, it claws away the Devil of Torism, a ranting roaring Devil; being marked only with four and twenty Letters, variously trans∣pros'd, it sets all the world in a flame, and yet never burns it self. Therefore 'tis no wonder the Devil is afraid of paper. Only the Exorciser was mistaken in this, that instead of a Cross, he should have di∣rected the figure of a Printing-press to have been put upon it. For by the help of a Printing-press, Paper works Miracles. The Devil dares no more come near a Sta∣tioners

Heaps, or a Printers Work-house, than some men dare put their Noses into a Cheesemongers Shop. But to put a Cross upon Paper signifies nothing. The Knights Templers wore Crosses, that were themselves Devils Incarnate. And Wo∣men, when they grow to be She Devils, prove the greatest Crosses in the world to their Husbands. Therefore let this Ex∣orcism be mended according to direction, and it may chance to do.

Notes

• INRI