To the Christian READER.

FOrasmuch good Reader as it is the ma∣ner of men that set foorth any storie, though it be but short, to giue a Reason of their purpose therein, least they should seeme either rashly to attempt that which is not conuenient, or otherwise busie them selues to bring forth that which is not necessarie, for this cause I haue thought good to prefixe these Reasons ensuing to this discourse, that so the weighing of them might make the matter something more worth in their conceite, with whom nothing (though of it selfe it be neuer so savorie) tasteth well, except it be rare and excellent, neither can they digest that, which is verie good and wholesome, except it be of great consequence and expectation: this sorte may mislike the handling of this strange storie in this harshe manner, whiles they affecte great and high things: yet the moo∣ving causes of setting it out being considered, may ouercome that curiositie, and worke some contentement.

First then in respect that both the Storie of the possession & dispossession of Thomas Darling, and also many things concerning the straunge handling of William Sūmers to seconde the same, are both put in print, & though the trueth of both be sufficiētlie clea∣red therin, yet there is great opposition both by worde & writing offered of set purpose to hinder the crediting of either: I thought it fit to adde to these two the storie of those in Lancashire, as famous as the rest, both in that they were 7 in one familie all possessed at once, as also that they were all 7 dispossessed within two dayes by prayer and fasting: that this also being published as the thirde glori∣ous witnes of the wonderfull workes of God wrought and seene in 3 seuerall Shires of our lande, all men might be the more moo∣ved to beleeue the trueth of these thinges: seeing at the mouth of 3 such sufficient wit∣nesses, it is so surely sealed vp and confir∣med.

Secondlie, in respect of the papistes who doe more maligne this particular of Lanca∣shire then any of the rest, labouring mighti∣lie and by many meanes both to discredite and disannull it; wherevpon some of them haue giuen it out, that those 7 were not pos∣sest: other say, that they were all 7 possest Page  5but neuer yet dispossest: and some others of them affirme, that they were all dispossessed, yet not by Preachers of the Gospell, but by their Seminaries, & masse-priestes: and this last runnes for currante among them.

For there being 8 or 9 Seminaries in the Clincke, diuers of them stood out against me to my face, and tolde me, that what soever was done in Lancashire by vs, was done by coniuring and knaverie: And though M. Starkie him selfe did iustifie the whole mat∣ter, and cleared it from all their slaunders, and that before the chiefest of them in the Clincke, yet they receyued not his testimo∣nie, but tolde him, they had receyued the re∣port of this from a Gentleman in that coun∣trie, whom they would credit before him in this case. And no maruell, for if the Church of Englande haue this power to cast out de∣vills, then the Church of Rome is a false Church, for there can be but one true Church, the principall marke whereof (as they say) is to worke miracles, and of them this is the greatest, namely to cast out Devills. And herevpon conferring at another tyme with two of them, they brought out this bold pro∣testation, that if we could proove any such power to be in our Church, and shew them an infallible instance or example to iustifie Page  6the practise thereof, then would they ioyne them selves to your Church assemblies, and freely embrace our religion.

Thirdlie, in respect of that grosse and great errour, which is a common and recei∣ued opinion among the most, namely, that we doe challenge to our selues some speciall gift to cast out Devills aboue other men, which though we haue vtterly disclaymed, yet many doe ignorantlie ascribe the effect of the worke wrought, rather to some ex∣traordinarie power in vs, then to the ordi∣nance of Christ, which in no case ought so to be.

But chieflie J haue taken in hande this brief discourse for the better clearing both of Ma. Darrell and my selfe, from those ac∣cusations and slaunders of cosinage & coun∣terfeiting, werwithall we are charged both by word and writing, as if wee were guiltie thereof, even in this particular of Lanca∣shire.

For there is a booke of a large volume late∣lie come out vnder the name of S. H. cros∣shing and contradicting the whole course of proceeding for Mai. Darrels clearing, * yoa∣king me also with him in this develish leger∣demaine (as they terme it) calling vs a cou∣ple of cousining hipocrites, vsing also manie Page  7other badde termes.

The title of this booke is termed, A disco∣verie of fraud•lent practises concerninge pretēded possessions. It contained 5 bookes, the firct whereof doth more concerne me, & the matter of facte for Lanca•hire, then the rest doe: so much therfore as I can conveni∣entlie for the clearing of both, I will answer vnto, and leaue the rest vnto him who hath iust occasion offered, to vse his best defence in that behalfe.

Lastlie for that this discouerer, * whosoe∣uer he be, finds great fault with some of our friendes, for that they spake so much of the dispossession of Summers in a little treatise or two, but nothing of the dispossessiō of these 7 in Lancashire and of some others: And seemes sometimes to challēge vs to make our answere, if we haue any more to say, and to speake for our selves what we can.

Ʋpon these iust occasions, I haue vnder∣taken this short discourse, hoping here by to detect the falsehoode of this discouerie con∣cerning this particular facte, by clearing it, and in it the rest which are like vnto it, of such malitious slaunders as are raysed a∣gainst it: that so all things being faithfullie described from point to point, appertayning to this matter, all men may see, both what Page  8great cause J haue aboue any other to de∣fende this, as the wonderfull worke of God, as also that it might better appeare, whether we or they that haue written and dealt a∣gainst vs, be deepest in this dissimulation, and who bee greatest cousiners and decey∣••ers.