__ The T%E FJCE.

them at this time, which, is the cause that I cannot particularize that bu~finesse with circumstances of times, and names or per sons as I would. Butthere were many other books written (some very big, which I have seep )about it ? as 1 said before j so that the whole businesse , with very little in-quisition, if any have a mind, may quickly be found out. One Book-seller in Little (Britain did help me to the sight of six or seven at once j yet•one of the books then written, and as I was told, upon this occasion muchcommended unto me by some very Learned, to wit, Dr . Jordan } of th.Suffocation of the Matrix , I long sought before I could meet with itr Andsuch was the ignorance of some Booksellers, that I could not perfwade themthere was any such book extant: but now at last I have got it. All thelife I shall make of it at this time is, that whereas the whole drift of the booktends unto this, to strew the error of many in ascribing natural diseases tosupernatural causes which might bethought by some to favour theiro-pinion that believe not Witches , &c. The Author doth very prudently andpiously make this profession in the Preface, 1 do not deny but that God doth inthese dayes work. extraordinarily for the deliverance of his children , and for other endsbest known tohim/iF • and that among other there may be both possessions by the Divesand obsessions y and Witch-craj r, dec. and dispossession also through the Br dyers and Sup-plications of m servants , which is the only means left unto us for our relief in that cafe ,but such examples being'very rare now adayes^Scc. Yet for all this I do not con-clude that Mr, D. was guilty of any Imposture : he might^do it throughignorance being cozened by others. I have heard he was anhonest man ,and dyed piously, and disclaimed to the very last that he did any thing inthat businesse otherwise then Bond Fide. I would judge charitably, evenof those men that are not guilty of much charity towards others, whosejudgments and consciences will not suffer them (though men of approv-ed worth and piety otherwise) to fay as they fay, and to do as they do inall things, Be it granted therefore, that this businesse of Exorcifmes is ly-able to much Imposture : however, no man that hath read the relationsof men and women possest, in several places, with due observation of cir-cumstances , some of which relations, besides other persons of credit, havebeen attested . yea, some penned and published by learned Physicians andNaturalists, who have been employed about the Cure, observed their car-riage, heard some of them speak strange Languages: silly women possest,discourse of highest points of Phylosophy, or the Mathematicks and thelike. No man, I fay, that is not a stranger to these things (besides whatsome Travellers, no way interested in the cause, can aver upon their ownknowledge) will make any question either of the real possession of divers^according to relations that have been made, or of the Divels speaking inthem and by them when they have been Exorcised • and sometimes uponBare conference. And though some Protestants are of opinion, That it isftot lawful or warrantable for any manto take upon him to Exorcise upon^ch occasions, that is, (as I conceive) byway of absolute power and au+t ority ^ Lnd by superstitious wayes and means, as is ordinarily done :et where a man hath a Calling, as it he be lawfully Called to the Mini-/> and set over such a Parish where any happen to be possessed (as in-deed