The boy of Bilson: or, A true discouery of the late notorious impostures of certaine Romish priests in their pretended exorcisme, or expulsion of the Diuell out of a young boy, named William Perry, sonne of Thomas Perry of Bilson, in the county of Stafford, yeoman Vpon which occasion, hereunto is premitted a briefe theologicall discourse, by way of caution, for the more easie discerning of such Romish spirits; and iudging of their false pretences, both in this and the like practices.

Title

The boy of Bilson: or, A true discouery of the late notorious impostures of certaine Romish priests in their pretended exorcisme, or expulsion of the Diuell out of a young boy, named William Perry, sonne of Thomas Perry of Bilson, in the county of Stafford, yeoman Vpon which occasion, hereunto is premitted a briefe theologicall discourse, by way of caution, for the more easie discerning of such Romish spirits; and iudging of their false pretences, both in this and the like practices.

Author

R. B. (Richard Baddeley)

Publication

At London :: Imprinted by F[elix] K[ingston] for William Barret,

1622.

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Subject terms

Wheeler, -- Mr.

Catholic Church -- Controversial literature -- Early works to 1800.

Demoniac possession -- Early works to 1800.

Exorcism -- Early works to 1800.

Link to this Item

https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A68096.0001.001 content_copy

Cite this Item

"The boy of Bilson: or, A true discouery of the late notorious impostures of certaine Romish priests in their pretended exorcisme, or expulsion of the Diuell out of a young boy, named William Perry, sonne of Thomas Perry of Bilson, in the county of Stafford, yeoman Vpon which occasion, hereunto is premitted a briefe theologicall discourse, by way of caution, for the more easie discerning of such Romish spirits; and iudging of their false pretences, both in this and the like practices." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A68096.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 21, 2024. content_copy

Contents

• title page
• TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
• THE GENERALL HEADS of this Booke.
• Faults escaped in some Copies.
• A DISCOVRSE CONCERNING Popish Exorcizing.
  • The first Aduertisement; Against a false Proposition of the Romanists, who make the vse of Miracles to be a perpetuall and ne∣cessarie note of the Catholike Church.
  • The second Aduertisement; Shewing the false Assumption of the Romanists, in challenging to themselues the power of Miracles, as a perpetuall gift peculiarly belonging to their Ro∣mane Church.
  • The third Aduertisement; Shewing that it hath beene a custome among Romish Priests, willingly to deceiue the people by counterfeit Acts and Reports.
  • The fourth Aduertisement; Shewing, that Romish Priests baue thought it lawfull for them, to delude men by forged Miracles, and feined Relations or Reports, vnder some religious pretences.
  • The fift Aduertisement; Shewing the falsehood of their former Presumption: and prouing, that no pretext of good intention, or purpose whatsoeuer, can iustifie any lying wonder, or yet any false Report thereaf.
  • The sixt Aduertisement; Discouering their doctrine of Mentall Reseruation, which we may iustly suspect to be the art of concea∣ling their deceits, whensoeuer they abuse men by their false reports,
  • The seuenth Aduertisement; Shewing that Mentall reseruation is no better than lewde lying.
  • The eight Aduertisement; Shewing the meanes to discerne false Miracles, ly vn∣derstanding the properties of those that are true.
  • The ninth Aduertisement; Shewing the falshood of such Romish practizes; be∣cause they are not done by a transcendent power.
  • The tenth Aduertisement; Shewing (for the better discerning of false Miracles) the II. and III. Properties, which is, to be done Presently and Perfectly.
  • The eleuenth Aduertisement; Shewing the last note of false Miracles, by want of the fourth propertie of true workes, to wit, religi∣ous Sinceritie without Superstition.
  • The twelfth Aduertisement; Shewing their Superstition by their formes.
  • The thirteenth Aduertisement; Shewing their second point of Superstition, in respect of the ordinarie instruments of working, which in these latter times are Images.
  • The fourteenth Aduertisement; Shewing the second point of their Superstition, by their impious and abhominable Consultation with Deuils in their Exorcismes, for resolution in points of Religion.
    • That they vse to consult with Deuils about doctrinall points in Religion.
  • The fifteenth Aduertisement; Shewing the falsitie of their Reasons, for their consul∣ting with Deuils, by their Exorcismes, in questions of Religion.
    • The particular Confutation of their first Reason, whereby they vse to prooue the lawfulnesse of con∣sulting with Deuils, by the manner of Adiura∣tion; which they collect from the example of Christ against the Deuill.
  • The sixteenth Aduertisement. Shewing the falsebood of their second Reason, for the proofa of their power of Adiuration, to constraine the Deuill to speake truth, taken from the Deuills adiuring of Christ; with the particular confura∣tion thereof.
  • The seuenteenth Aduertisement. Shewing their second ground, taken from an Oath, by virtue of the band of an Oath of Stipulation (the Priests imposing a formall Oath vpon the Deuill,) and the falshood thereof.
  • The eighteenth Aduertisement. Shewing the falshood of this piece of nice learning, in imposing a formall Oath of Stipulation vpon the Deuill, and the impietie thereof, the Deuill being no way capable of a formall Oath.
  • The nineteenth Aduertisement; Shewing the Confutation of their profession of con∣sulting with Deuils in generall, by manifesting the infatuation thereof.
  • The twentieth Aduertisement; Shewing the falshood of their doctrine, for consulting with Deuils; first from the examples of Christ, and of his Disciples.
  • The one and twentieth Aduertisement; Shewing the falshood of the same doctrine, concerning consultation with Deuils in questions of Religion, by testimonies of Fathers, and necessarie Reasons.
  • The two and twentieth Aduertisement, Shewing the Reasons which may be produced against this perswasion of the Deuil; arising aswell from the Cause it selfe, as from the Euents.
    • Reasons of the first kind.
  • The 23. and last Aduertisement Is to demonstrate the Romish falshood, in Exorci∣zing, by the Euents: which is particularly exem∣plified in a discouerie of their Impostures, about the Boy of Bilson; not inferiour vnto any of the rest of their prankes in this kind.
  • Heare we then the Priests speake.
• THE EGREGIOVS CVNNING OF THE BOY OF Bilson, in counterfeiting himselfe to be bewitched, and possessed of the diuell.
  • The meanes of discouering his dissimulation.
  • THE FIRST EXAMI∣NATION, AND CONFESSI∣ON OF THE BOY OF BILSON, NA∣med William Perry, taken before the Reuerend Father in God, Thomas L. Bishop of Couentry and Lichfield, at Eccleshall Castle, 8. Octob. 1620. touching his counterfeit practi∣ces, &c.
  • THE SECOND EX∣AMINATION, AND ANSWERE of the said William Perry, made vnto certaine other questions, which (vpon iust and special presumptions) were propounded vnto him by the Reuerend Father in God, THO∣MAS, Lord B. of Couentry and Lichsield, taken at Eccleshall Castle, the 13. day of Octob. Anno Dom. 1620.
  • THE BOY OF BILSON, his priuate and publike Acknow∣ledgement, &c.
  • THE EXAMINATION AND ANSWERE OF THOMAS NECHILS of Nechils, in the County of Stafford, Gentleman (a Recusant) taken vpon oath before the R. Reuerend Father in God THOMAS L. Bishop of Couentry and Lichfield, at Eccleshall Castle, the 17. of Octob. Anno 1620. touching the afore∣mentioned Relation of the Priests, of their proceedings with the Boy of Bilson.
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