A strange and true relation of a young woman possest with the Devill, by name Joyce Dovey ... with a particular of her actions, and how the evill spirit speakes within her, giving fearefull answers unto those ministers and others that come to discourse with her / as it was certified in a letter from Mr. Iames Dalton unto Mr. Tho. Groome ... ; also A letter from Cambridge, wherein is related the late conference between the Devil ... and one Ashbourner, a scholler of S. Johns Colledge ... Dalton, James, 17th cent. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A35962 of text R22628 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing D142). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 10 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A35962 Wing D142 ESTC R22628 12233809 ocm 12233809 56669 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A35962) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 56669) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 138:20) A strange and true relation of a young woman possest with the Devill, by name Joyce Dovey ... with a particular of her actions, and how the evill spirit speakes within her, giving fearefull answers unto those ministers and others that come to discourse with her / as it was certified in a letter from Mr. Iames Dalton unto Mr. Tho. Groome ... ; also A letter from Cambridge, wherein is related the late conference between the Devil ... and one Ashbourner, a scholler of S. Johns Colledge ... Dalton, James, 17th cent. [2], 6 p. by E.P. for Tho. Vere ..., Imprinted at London : 1647. Reproduction of original in Thomason Collection, British Library. eng Dovey, Joyce. Demoniac possession. A35962 R22628 (Wing D142). civilwar no A strange and true relation of a young woman possest with the Devill, by name Joyce Dovey, dwelling at Bewdley neer Worcester. With a partic Dalton, James 1646 1750 5 0 0 0 0 0 29 C The rate of 29 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2006-09 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2006-09 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-10 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2006-10 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A strange and true RELATION OF A YOVNG WOMAN possest with the Devill . By name Joyce Dovey , dwelling at Bewdley neer Worcester . With a particular of her actions , and how the evill spirit speakes within her , giving fearefull answers unto those Ministers and others that come to discourse with her . As it was certified in a Letter from Mr. Iames Dalton unto Mr. Tho. Groome , Ironmonger over-against Sepulchres Church in London . ALSO A Letter from Cambridge , wherein is related the late conference between the Devil ( in the shape of a Mr. of Arts ) and 〈…〉 e Ashbourner a Scholler of S. Johns Colledge , neer Trinity Conduit-Head , a mile from Cambridge , who was afterward carried away by him , and never heard of since , onely his Gown found in the River . Imprinted at London by E. P. for Tho. Vere at the upper end of the Old-Bailey . 1647. A Letter sent from Mr. James Dalton to Mr. Tho. Groom , Ironmonger , over against Sepulchres Church , London . IT is the property of humane nature to desire newes , and therefore having seene the last Diurnall ( out of which I could pick but smal crums of comfort ) I afterward saw a Letter imparting good Newes , which should come by the Post to Birmingham , that the two Kingdomes were reconciled , and a peace concluded . I pray you send me what newes you have , which I shall endeavour to requite by this ensuing Relation , which although I received it but at the second or third hand , yet by such persons , as I nothing doubt the truth hereof : Sir 't is thus : At Bewdley , seven miles from us , there is a young Woman ( by name Joyce Dovey ) one who formerly was little taken notice of for Religion , untill about 4. years since , who after the hearing of a Sermon , seemed to be much wrought upon and dejected , who afterward fell into some passions , and ( as was conceived by her friends ) Convulsion fits , which in time grew stronger upon her , and observed especially to take her in the time of private prayer , or performance of other pious duties ; whereupon they procured a devour religious young man , to b● in the house , and to be as a Keeper unto her ; the bruit whereof increasing , there came to visit her a Chaplaine of a Regiment , and a Captaine , who by some discourse , and other informations , strongly imagined , that shee was possessed ; whereupon about three weeks or a month since , her Keeper lift up his heart to the Lord in prayer , without uttering of words , that if she were possessed , the Lord would be pleased to make it manifest , which no sooner conceived , but the Devill answers with swearing , Wounds , Blood , &c. that thou shalt know ; and this observe generally , that he makes the womans tongue and organs instruments of speech , but it is in a bigger and grosser tone then her ordinary speech , and when he speaketh , she looketh fiercely with something arising big in her throat , and commonly with swearing , and especially by the life of Pharoah : When any discourseth with her about wordly businesse , she will familiarly talk with them , but when any use speech of Divine matters , shee is most troubled . It is further reported , that M. Burrowson Minister there with others came to see her , to whom M Bur. said , thou foule spirit , thy power is limited ; to whom was replyed , Thou lyest , my power is over all the world , and my Kingdome is the greatest : To another that said , Thou foule uncleane spirit , what hast thou to doe to vex a poore creature , was answered , I have Commission and power to tempt you all . Three Souldiers , ( they say , ) came to see her , who talking of Papists , Crucifixes , and Crosses , presently appeared in her breast or throat two Crosses , whereupon the Souldiers being agast , began to get away ; haw , haw , haw , sayes the Devill : now ( sayes her Keeper ) they are afraid , and the Devill laughs at them . Shee usually goeth abroad , and comming to the House of an honest religious man , where many came in after her to s●e her , she began to be so distempered , that she could not goe home that night ; and as they were at prayer in an upper Chamber , she was on a sudden caught up into the window , and the greatest part of her body thrust thorow a great casement , but her Keeper having an eye unto her , stept unto her , and caught her by the coats , and took her in again : She is oft thrown against the walls , and into the fire , but all without any hurt : One time being cast into a great fire , some would have taken her out , but her Keeper said , let her alone , and observe the providence of God , and strait-way she was snatched out without humane help , not having any hurt , or so much as the smell of fire on her clothes : She hath snatched a paire of Cizzers from a womans girdle , and applyed them to her throat ; and another time a knife from another , in an admirable quick way , and strook her breast , yet both without so much as a scarre in either place : She hath throwne a Bible into the fire , which was not burned . On a time one comming into the house , to discourse with her Keeper , and to take some observations in writing concerning her , they went into an inner chamber , and as he came forth with the paper in his hand , shee fell upon him very violently , and would have taken the paper from him , but he contended with her very toughly , and after a long conflict , gave her the repulse , who having kept the paper without tearing , onely a little corner , but not a word torne off , he voluntarily threw it downe on the ground , saying , Devill thou hast not power to take it up , and so took it up himselfe and departed . It is very like I have not heard of all the passages concerning her , which if any of note come unto my knowledge ( as I beleeve I shall shortly see a Catalogue of the particulars ) if they come not to publike view ( which I suppose will be ere long ) I shall further acquaint you therewith ( God willing . ) No more at present , but with mine and my wives kind remembrance unto you , my Sister , and Cousens Henry and Mary , I rest , 14. Decemb. 1646 : Your very loving and affectionate Brother , JAMES DALTON . A Leter from Cambridge , wherein is related the late conference betweene the Devill ( in the shape of a Master of Arts ) and one Ashbourner a Scholler of S. Johns Colledge , neer Trinity Conduit-Head , a mile from Cambridge , who was afterward carried away by him , and never heard of since , only his Gown found in the River . SIR , BEfore I acquaint you with mine own occasions , I think it expedient to let you heare in the first place , how matters stand here . I hope Sir this great Tempest which lately was , has not been much hurtfull to you at London , though unto us at Cambridge , a place where strange businesse hath been acted of late , but that which is most strange , one Ashbourner a Scholler of S. Iohns Colledge , whom the Devill ▪ that Malignant Sophister ) did surprize , being serious with himselfe , and meditating about his studies , at a place call'd Trinity Conduit-head , a mile from Cambridge , who appearing to him in the shape of a Mr. of Arts , or ( as some say ) like a Gentleman , asked the Lad wherefore he was so discontented , who answered , because I cannot understand that which I reade ; Let me see thy Book ( which was a Magirus ) quoth the Devill , which the Lad shewing , he immediately expounded the places that were difficult , so that the Scholler wondred he understood it so clearly ; but yet see sir , how the Devill caught advadvantage from this , for at last having propounded two questions to the Scholler , 1. An Deus sit Omnipotens . 2. An Malum sit ens privativum vel positivum , asked him whether he would bee his scholler , promising him if he would , he should goe to Padua ( a famous University in Italy ) where he would instruct him in all manner of Learning , and help him to his degree of Doctor of Divinity in a ●eekes time : The Lad consented , and ti'd himselfe sure with this Obligation Dabo tibi animam si vis dare mihi Doctrinam & sapientiam : But as God would have it , the Lads conscience was stricken with feare , returning to the Colledge in apprehension of what he had done , but the soule being so precious , and the very thing that the Devill alwayes aymes at , was sold at too low a rate , and little comfort could he find from any ; so that by continuall trouble of the evill spirit , he is either gone to Padua , the place afore-mentioned , or else has drowned himselfe , his Gown being found in the water , ( but nothing of him ) two dayes after he left the Colledge . FINIS .