James I. on Possession--The Vexation of Alexander Nyndge--‘Wonderful
News from Buckinghamshire’--Sale of a Devil.
In King James I.’s ‘Demonologie,’ Philomathes asks Epistemon two
questions. ‘The first is, whereby shall these possessed folks be discerned
fra them that are troubled with a naturall Phrensie, or Magic? The next
is, how can it be, that they can be remedied by the Papists Church, whom
we, counting as hereticks, it should appeare that one Diuell should not
cast out another, for then would _his kingdome be diuided in itselfe_, as
Christ said?’
Epistemon answers: ‘As to your first question, there are diuers symptomes,
whereby that heauie trouble may be discerned from a naturall sicknesse,
and specially three, omitting the diuers vaine signes that the Papists
attributes unto it: such as the raging at holy water, their fleeing a
backe from the Crosse, their not abiding the hearing of God named, and
innumerable such like vaine things that were alike fashious and feckles to
recite. But to come to these three symptomes then, whereof I spake; I
account the one of them to be the incredible strength of the possessed
creature, which will farre exceed the strength of sixe of the wightest and
wodest of any other men that are not so troubled. The next is the
boldning up so far of the patients breast and bellie, with such an
unnaturall sturring and vehement agitation within them: and such an ironie
hardnesse of his sinewes so stiflely bended out, that it were not possible
to pricke out, as it were, the skinne of any other person so far.... The
last is the speaking of sundrie languages, which the patient is knowen by
them that were acquaint with him, neuer to have learned, and that with an
uncouth and hollow voice: and all the time of his speaking, a greater
motion being in his breast than in his mouth.... It is easie, then, to be
understood, that the casting out of Diuelles is by the virtue of fasting
and praier, and in calling of the name of God, suppose many imperfections
be in the person that is the instrument, as Christ himselfe teacheth us,
of the power that false Prophets shall have to cast out Divels. It is no
wonder, then, these respects of this action being considered, that it may
be possible to the _Papistes_, though erring in sundry pointes of
Religion, to accomplish this, if they use the right forme prescribed by
Christ herein.’
A far more acute case of possession is the following:
‘A TRVE AND FEAREFULL VEXATION OF ONE _ALEXANDER NYNDGE_: BEING MOST
HORRIBLY TORMENTED WITH THE DEUILL, FROM THE 20 DAY OF _IANUARY_ TO THE 23
OF _IULY_. AT _LYERINGSWELL_ IN _SUFFOCKE_: WITH HIS PRAYER AFTER HIS
DELIUERANCE.
‘Written by his owne brother _Edwn Nyndge_, Master of Arts, with the names
of the Witnesses that were at his vexation. London, 1615.
‘... You shall understand therefore that the first fit, and vexation
wherewith this _Alexander Nyndge_ was so fearefully perplexed, began about
seaven of the clocke at night. His father, mother, and brethren, with the
residue of the household being at that time in presence. And it was in
this manner. His chest and body fell a swelling, his eies a staring, and
his backe bending inwards to his belly, which did strike the beholders
into a strange wonder, and admiration at the first, yet, one of his
brothers, then also present, named _Edward Nyndge_, a Master of Arts,
being boulder than others were of the company, certainly perswading
himselfe that it was some euill spirit that so molested him, gaue him
comfortable words of mercy from the holy Scriptures, and also charged the
spirit by the death and passion of Jesus Christ, that it should declare
the cause of the torment. At which, the countenance of the same
_Alexander_ turned more strange, and full of amazement and feare than it
was before, and so returned to his former state againe.
‘This _Alexander Nyndge_ having his speech then at liberty, said unto the
same _Edward, Brother, he is marvellous afraid of you, therefore I pray
you, stand by me_.
‘With which words the same _Edward_ was the more bold, and said to
_Alexander_. _If thou dost earnestly repent thee of thy sins, and pray to
God for the forgivenesse of the same (my life for thine) the Diuell cannot
hurt thee. No, rather than he should, I will goe to hell with thee._ Then
the Spirit, (for a small time) racked the said _Alexander_ in a far more
cruell manner, for he did use such strange and idle kinds of gestures in
laughing, dancing, and such like light behavioure, that he was suspected
to be mad: sundry times he refused all kinds of meat, for a long space
together, insomuch as he seemed to pine away. Sometimes he shaked as if he
had had an ague. There was heard, also, a strange noise or flapping from
within his body. Hee would gather himselfe on a rounde heape under his bed
cloathes, and, being so gathered, he would bounse up a good height from
the bed, and beat his head and other parts of his body against the ground
and bedstead, in such earnest manner, that the beholders did feare that he
would thereby haue spoiled himselfe, if they had not, by strong hand,
restrained him, and yet thereby he receiued no hurt at all.
‘In most of his fits he did swell in his body, and, in some of them, did
so greatly exceed therein, as he seemed to be twice so big as his naturall
body. He was often seene to haue a certaine swelling or variable lumpe, to
a great bignesse, swiftly running up and downe betweene the flesh and the
skin.
‘Then would they carry the same _Alexander_ downe the Chamber, willing him
to call upon God for grace, and earnestly to repent him, and to put his
trust only in Christ Jesus. And, setting him in a chaire, desired his
Father to send for all his neighbours, to helpe to pray for him. And, on a
suddaine, he would be strangely handled, for, (sitting in a chaire when
the fit came) he would be cast headlong upon the ground, or fall downe,
drawing then his lips away, gnashing with his teeth, wallowing and foming,
and the Spirit would uexe him monstrously, and transforme his body, and
alter the same by many violences. Then the said _Edward_, his brother,
with one _Thomas Wakefield_, would lay hands on _Alexander_, and set him
in the Chaire againe, and there hold him. All that were in the house
praying earnestly.
‘And the said _Edward_ charging the Spirit with these words, _Thou fowle
Fiend, I coniure thee, in the name of Iesus our Sauiour, the Sonne of
Almighty God, that thou speake unto us_.
‘Whereat the Spirit transformed him very ugly against his Chest, swelling
upwards to his throat, plucking his belly iust to his backe, and so ceased
for a time.
‘The partie tormented, being somewhat restored, uttered these words,
_Sirs, He will speake with me, I pray you let him not speak with mee_.
Whereupon all that were present did pray earnestly, at which the Spirit
began to vexe him very grieuously, and swelled sore in his Chest, and, in
a base sounding, and hollow voyce, uttered these words, _I will, I will, I
will_. Then replyed the said _Edward_, and said, _Thou shalt not, and I
charge thee in the Name of Jesus Christ that thou speak unto us, and not
unto him_. Then the Spirit, in a hollow voyce said, _Why didst thou tell
them?_ Then the said _Edward_ did charge the Spirit, (as aforesaid) to
tell them the cause of his comming, and why he did torment his brother? To
the which the Spirit answered, _I come for his Soule_. Then the said
_Edward_ said unto the Spirit, _Wee have a warrant in the Holy Scriptures,
that such as doe earnestly repent them of their sins, and turn unto God,
with the only hope of Saluation, through the merits of Iesus Christ, thou
mayest not have them, for Christ is his Redeemer_. The Spirit uttered (in
a base, hollow sounding voyce) these words, _Christ, that was my
Redeemer_. Then _Edward_ said, _Christ that is his Redeemer, not thy
Redeemer but my brother_ Alexander, _his Redeemer_.
‘Then the Spirit said in his hollow voyce, _I will haue his Soule and body
too_, and so began to torment and racke the same _Alexander_, and
disfigure him more horribly than before, forcing him to such strange and
fearefull skriking, as cannot bee uttered by man’s power, and was of such
strength, as, sometimes, foure or fiue men, though they had much aduantage
against him by binding him to a chaire, yet could they not rule him. And
in shewing that strength, he was not perceiued to pant or blow, no more
than he had not strained his strength, nor strugled at all. Sometimes he
would cry extreamly, so as teares would come from him in great aboundance.
Presently, afterwards, hee would laugh aloude and shrill, his mouth being
shut close. And sometimes, he was heaued up from the ground by force
inuisible, the said _Edward Nyndge_, _Thomas Nyndge_, _Thomas Wakefield_,
_Thomas Goldsmith_, _William Miles_ and _William Nyndge, Iunior_ hanging
upon the said _Alexander_, unto the middest of the house, and the said
_Edward_ putting his mouth unto the eare of the said disfigured body of
his brother _Alexander_, said, _Brother, continue in your faith, and if
you goe to hell, wee will goe with you_. Then the force did somewhat
faile, and the hangers on drew him to the Chaire againe. Then one of his
younger brothers, named _William Nyndge_ said, _Wee will Keepe him from
thee, thou foule Spirit, in despite of thy Nose_.
‘Whereat the transformed body looked very terribly against the said
_William_, and turned his most ugly looks unto his brother _Edward_,
standing on the other side, uttering these hollowe sounding words, _Will
you, Sir, will you, Sir_. To which the said _Edward_ answered; _Not I,
Sir, but the merits of Iesus Christ will, we earnestly pray, keepe him
from thee_. Then all that were present, to the number of 20 persons, and
more, fell downe and said the Lord’s Prayer, with other sentences, every
one seuerally, and one of the Company uttered worde ioyning _God_ and the
blessed virgin _Mary_ together, whereat there came a voyce much like
_Alexander’s_ voyce, saying twice, _There bee other good Prayers_.
Whereunto the said _Edward_ made answere, and said, _Thou lyest, for there
is no other Name under Heauen whereby wee may challenge Saluation but the
onely name of Christ Iesus_. And then the Spirit roares with a fearefull
voice, and stretched out his necke long to the Fyre; and then the saide
_Edward_ desired _Peter Bencham_, Curate of the Towne, to coniure and
charge him in the Name of _Iesus_ the Sonne of the Almightie, that the
Spirit should declare unto them from whence hee came? And what was his
Name? To which the Spirit made answere in this mumbling manner, _I would
come out, I would come out_. Then _Edward_ charged him (as before) that he
should declare his name. And the Spirit said _Aubon, Aubon_. They charged
him then (as is aforesaid) to make knowne unto them whence hee came; and
the Spirit made answere in a hollow uoyce; _From Ireland, From Ireland_.
Then they laide the fourth Chapter of Saint Matthew against him, where
Christ said, _It is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him
onely shalt thou serue_. Which sentence, as it was pronounced, the hollow
voyce sounded. _My Master, My Master, I am his Disciple, I am his
Disciple._ Then they answered, _Thy Master we graunt he is, but thou
lyest, thou art none of his Disciple. Thou art onely an instrument and
scourge to punish the wicked, so farre as pleaseth him._ And then they
layd unto him the eight Chapter of S. Luke, whereas Christ himselfe did
cast out Deuils. And the Spirit answered hollowly, _Baw-wawe, baw-wawe_.
And within a little space after, the body of the saide _Alexander_ being
as monstrously transformed as it was before, much like the picture of the
Deuill in a play, with an horrible roaring voyce, sounding _Hellhound_,
was most horribly tormented. And they that were present, fell to prayer,
desiring God earnestly to take away the foule Spirit from him. The said
_Edward_ then desired to haue the window opened, for _I trust in God_,
(said hee) _the fowle Spirit is wearie of our company_. The windowes being
opened accordingly, within two Minuts after, the tormented body returned
to the true shape againe, the said _Alexander_ leaping up, and holding up
his hands, and saying _Hee is gone, hee is gone, Lord, I thanke thee_.
Whereat all the people that were there present, fell downe on their knees
with due reuerence, and yeelded unto God exceeding praise and
thanksgiving. This fit ended about eleven of the clocke the same night,
and so they went to Supper with great ioy and gladnesse.’
He seems to have had two or three fits afterwards, but they were of a very
mild type, and the last we hear of the afflicted Alexander is: ‘After
this, they took the said _Alexander_, and all of them ioyfully accompany
him to his brother _Thomas Nyndge_, his house, where, after his comming
thither, hee was not knowne to be perplexed with the like terrible
vexations.’
One more example of this branch of the devil’s work in Britain must
suffice. We find it in
‘WONDERFUL NEWS FROM BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, OR A PERFECT RELATION HOW A YOUNG
MAID HATH BEEN FOR TWELVE YEARS AND UPWARDS POSSEST WITH THE DEVIL, AND
CONTINUES SO TO THIS VERY DAY IN A LAMENTABLE CONDITION. LONDON, 1677.
‘This unhappy Maid, whose strange Afflictions this sheet undertakes to
give a true and impartial account of, lives at _Great Gadsdon_ in the
County of Bucks. She is descended of honest Parents of good repute, and by
them carefully educated in the Principles of Christianity; nor was there a
young maid of more lovely innocent Beauty, sweet Carriage, or virtuous
Disposition; or one that might have expected fairer preferment in Marriage
than she: So that as there is no room for the Censures of the
uncharitable, so neither, any place for the Surmises of the incredulous,
it being impossible she or any of her Relations could imagine any
advantage to themselves by counterfeiting or pretending a Possession;
which on the Contrary brings them onely trouble, loss, vexation, and
inconveniences, and that for a dozen years together. The beginning of her
affliction was thus.
‘In the year 1664, there happened to be some difference between this
maid’s Father and a certain woman who had an evil name, but whether
Causelessly or not, I shall not here determine, nor assert any dubious
opinions of any kind; onely relate the principal Circumstances that have
occurred, being matter of Fact, to which, as well myself, as scores of
other people, were Eye and Ear-witnesses; and so leave every one to judge
as they shall see cause, touching the Maid’s being Possest or not, and the
evil Instruments that are suspected to have been accessory thereunto, when
they have duely weighed the whole Discourse. This is certain, soon after
the before mentioned Difference, this maid being then about Sixteen or
Seventeen years of age, was taken with strange Fits, and something would
rise in her throat like two great bunches, about the bigness of an Egg;
and a strange voice was frequently heard within her, speaking _Blasphemous
words_, not fit here to be repeated: And if the Hearers and Bystanders did
reply to such voice, by asking any Questions that pleased him, he would
answer and discourse with them; and that with a voice as different from
hers as any two voices, I verily believe, in the world; she having a
cleer, smooth, pleasant voice, and that being very rough, guttural, and
coming, as it were from the _Abdomen_, or hollow of her belly, but yet
intelligible: and, though I am not ignorant of a certain sort of Jugglers
of old, called in Latine _Ventriloqui_, yet as no such Art nor designe
could be imagined in this innocent creature, so the things he declared
(impossible, many times, for her to know) wipes off all suspitions of that
kind: So that those about her generally concluded she was really and
exactly possessed with the Devil, and took occasion to ask him, _How he
came there?_ to which the Evil Spirit or voice answered, _Here are two of
us_, and _that they were sent thither by two women_. The voice further
said, _That they were sent first to the Maid’s Father; but when they came,
they found him at Prayer, and returned to those two women, and told them,
they could have no permission to enter into him; whereupon they sent them
to his Daughter, and that such a night, as she sat by the fire, they
entred into her_. Now, the Family did remember that that very night, she
had, as she declared, a sudden pain that seized her, and, ever since, had
continued in a bad condition, and, after a little time, the Swellings and
Voice happen’d as aforesaid.
‘By which the whole Neighbourhood and Country round about, were so alarmed
at the strangeness of it, that multitudes of people went to See her, and
returned full of wonder and amazement, at what they had seen and heard:
The report whereof coming to my ears, I did not at first believe it, but
hearing it still confirmed, did, at last, go to see her myself, resolving
to make my observations as warily and curiously as I could. There were, I
believe, at that time, Forty or Fifty Spectators present, and in strict
observation two or three hours. I was, for my own part, fully satisfied
that it was a Possession, it being, as I conceive utterly impossible that
those things should be acted by her or any other person living, either by
the force of Nature or power of the most afflicting Distemper.
‘Her Father, being of the same opinion, and willing to use all lawful
means for his only Child’s recovery, having read that passage of our
Saviour’s--_That kinde comes not out but by Prayer and Fasting_; he
resolves to use that means, and to that purpose, desired some Ministers to
keep a day with him on that occasion. Having sent for them, the Devil told
him, _He expected five men to come, but there should only four come_. This
the Girl could not know of herself; yet so it happened: for one, by an
unexpected accident, was prevented from coming. These _four_ desired the
assistance of several Godly Ministers and Christians in the Neighbourhood,
who accordingly, met, and kept several days in Fasting and Prayer; and,
according to the best judgment that could be made, one of the evil Spirits
then departed, as was supposed from some accidents I shall relate by and
by. I, myself, was present several of these days; First she had two great
bunches rose up in her throat, and then a voice followed, uttering
abominable Blasphemies; upon which, a godly Minister present, and since
deceased, being stirred up with great Zeal and Indignation, going to
Prayer, did earnestly beg of God, that he would plague and torment Satan
for such of his Blasphemies; upon which the Spirit made a most dreadful
crying, and bemoaning his condition, and said, _I will do so no more_: To
which the Minister replied, _Satan, that shall not serve thy turn_: and,
continuing his Prayer to God as before, the Devil again cried and roared
most hideously, to the great amazement of all the people present; and,
from that time, it was observed that there was but one bunch rose up in
her throat, from whence it was conjectured that one of the Spirits was
departed. However, one continued his possession still, and, after they had
done Prayer, and were about to refresh themselves, he shewed strange
tricks before them, tossing her up and down, and when she was going, took
away the use of her legs, on a sudden. When she sate in a great Wicker
chair, he would cause the Chair to fall down backwards, almost to the
ground, and then lift it up again. One of the company bid her read in the
Bible; the Devil said aloud, _She shall not read_: It was answered, _She
shall read, Satan, for all thee, and read thy Condemnation too_.
Whereupon, he plaid more tricks by tossing her about, and drawing her face
to one side, as if it had been placed to look over her shoulder, and drawn
in a very deformed manner; but, at last she read part of the 20 Chapter of
the _Revelations_, though not without much opposition.
‘When she got upon the Horse to go home, it was a great while before she
was able to get upon him, and was flung sometimes backwards, other whiles
turn’d with her face to the horse’s tail, and handled very sadly; yet,
’tis observed, that he hath not much power to hurt her: for she often
declares, that, being now accustomed to his tricks, and consequently not
so much affrighted, the temptations he injects into her minde, are far
worse than all the mischiefs he does her body.
‘At another time I was with them, when in the time of Prayer, he barked
like a Dog, bellowed like a Bull, and roar’d after a wonderful frightful
manner, and, on a sudden, would fling her up a great height, yet without
hurte; whereupon, she, being placed in a low Chair, a man sate upon the
Table side, endeavouring to hold down her head, and myself and another
stood on each side, pressing down her shoulders; and though it could not
be imagined so weakly a creature could naturally have half the strength of
any one of us, yet she was tossed up, do what we could, and, at length,
the Spirit in a desperate rage cries out, _If I come out, I will kill you
all. I will throw down the house, and kill you all._ I answered, _Satan,
come out and try_. He continued raging till they concluded Prayer, and
then was pretty quiet.
‘There have since hapned many things considerable; I was once in her
company at a house, where I was wholly unacquainted, and for aught I know,
so was she; the people of the house gave us drink, and I drinking to her,
she rising to make a Curtsey, he took away the use of her legs, and said,
she should not drink. But when he found we were resolved to force the Cup
of Beer on her, he said, _There is a Well in the yard, go and drown
thyself_; when none of us that were strangers, knew there was such a Well.
‘He will often talk to some of the Family, or those that come to see her,
and many times utter blasphemous filthy words to their great trouble:
sometimes tell strange Stories to move laughter; sometimes be sullen and
not speak a great while together; sometimes, he jumps her up and down, and
draws her Body into a multitude of strange postures, too tedious here to
be related.’
The pamphlet winds up with some pious and moral reflections, of no
interest to the reader.
There is no doubt but that people verily believed that the Devil lived
among them in a material shape, and we have throughout England divers of
his punchbowls, dykes, quoits, and even the prehistoric flint arrow-heads
were known as ‘Devil’s arrows.’ But a most singular instance of this
belief is to be found in Blount’s ‘Law Dictionary’ (ed. 1717), under the
word _Conventio_, an agreement or covenant. It is Latin, and is an extract
from the Court Rolls of the Manor of Hatfield, near the isle of Axholme,
in Yorkshire. It is also mentioned in the ‘Antiquarian Repertory,’ vol.
ii., p. 395. The following is a translation:
‘At a court held at Hatfield on the Wednesday next after the Festival--In
the 11th Year of Edward III. (1337).
‘Robert de Roderham appeared against John de Ithow, for that he had not
kept the agreement made between them, and therefore complains that on a
certain day and year, at Thorne, there was an agreement between the
aforesaid Robert and John, whereby the said John sold to the said Robert,
the Devil, bound in a certain bond, for three pence farthing, and
thereupon, the said Robert delivered to the said John, one farthing, as
earnest money, by which the property of the said Devil rested in the
person of the said Robert, to have livery of the said Devil, on the fourth
day next following: at which day the said Robert came to the forenamed
John, and asked delivery of the said Devil according to the agreement
between them made. But the said John refused to deliver the said Devil,
nor has he yet done it, etc., to the great damage of the said Robert to
the amount of 60 shillings, and he has therefore brought his suit, etc.
‘The said John came, etc., and did not deny the said agreement; and
because it appeared to the Court that such a suit ought not to subsist
among Christians, the aforesaid parties are therefore adjourned to the
infernal regions, there to hear their judgment, and both parties were
amerced, etc., by William De Scargell, Seneschal.’