A true relation of the grievous handling of William Sommers of Nottingham being possessed with a devill shewing how he was first taken and how lamentable from time to time he was tormented and afflicted / published by John Darrel ... Darrel, John, b. ca. 1562. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A36830 of text R18421 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing D253). 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. 20 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 A36830 Wing D253 ESTC R18421 12871982 ocm 12871982 94797 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. A36830) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 94797) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 255:E172, no 13) A true relation of the grievous handling of William Sommers of Nottingham being possessed with a devill shewing how he was first taken and how lamentable from time to time he was tormented and afflicted / published by John Darrel ... Darrel, John, b. ca. 1562. [8] p. by Tho. Harper, Printed at London : 1641. Woodcut illustration on t.p. Reproduction of original in Thomason Collection, British Library. eng Somers, William. Demoniac possession -- England -- Early works to 1800. A36830 R18421 (Wing D253). civilwar no A true relation of the grievous handling of VVilliam Sommers of Nottingham, being possessed with a devill. Shewing how he was first taken, a Darrel, John 1641 3917 9 0 0 0 0 0 23 C The rate of 23 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 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-10 Emma (Leeson) Huber Sampled and proofread 2006-10 Emma (Leeson) Huber Text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A True Relation OF The grievous handling of WILLIAM SOMMERS OF NOTTINGHAM , Being possessed with a Devill . SHEWING How he was first taken , and how lamentably from time to time he was tormented and afflicted . Published by John Darrel , Minister of the Word of God . Printed at London by Tho. Harper . 1641. The History of William Sommers . WIlliam Sommers of Nottingham , sonne in law to Robert Cowper of the said towne , and by trade of life a Musician , about 8. or 9. yeares past , as he journeyed from Bellyn in the County of Wigorne , ( where hee then dwelt with one M. Anthony Brackenbery ) to Bramsgrove , a market towne in that shire , accompanyed with an old woman dwelling in the said Bellyn , found an hat with a copper band : the woman requiring the same , he gave her the hat , though unwillingly , but the band he utterly refused to give , supposing it to bee of gold : whereupon she threatning him , said , That it had beene as good for him to have given it her . After this , in the night he saw a strange light in the chamber where he lay , which cast him into a great feare , and thus hee continued frighted for a time . Shortly after M. Brackenbery his master removed to Holme , neare to Newark upon Trent , in the County of Nottingham , being there sent about his masters businesse unto Newark , in the way as he went thither , he was suddenly throwne into a ditch , some 8. yards distant from the high way wherein he went ; after he had lyen there a certaine time , he got up and went forward in his journey , but by that he had gone a very little way further , he was taken again and cast into a thorne bush about 60. yards distant from the high way : but how he came into it or the ditch hee knew not . In these two places hee lay for the space of some 4. houres , as he perceived after by the time of the day . Notwithstanding this let , to Newark he went , when in his returne he drew near Holme he began to be sicke : from sicknesse he came to carry himselfe after that strange manner by fits , that his master supposed him to play the counterfeit , and thereupon he whipped him . But notwithstanding all the whipping was used ( which he felt not at all ) he continued after that same manner , and was more strangely handled every day then other ; at length it well appeared to be some strange visitation and hand of God , whereupon his master procured one in the Ministery to come to him , he being for the space of 3. weekes or thereabouts a continuall trouble , and his master not knowing by what means to procure his amendment , sent him accompanied with 3. persons to Nottingham to his mother , being then a widow : whilst he was at Holme he heard something say unto him , that upon such a day he would leave him , and not come to him ( so far as I remember hee said ) untill the end of 6. yeares . Now after hee had beene 5. weekes at Nottingham afflicted after his accustomed and strange manner , and that the said appointed day was come , he indeed amended in the judgement of man , and so continued : inso much that shortly after he was bound prentice to one Thomas Porter of Nottingham , a Weaver and Musician ; who after gave over his trade of weaving , and betooke himselfe wholly to the other , from whom the said William Sommers did twice run away . His foresaid master Thomas Porter sent him to Walton in Darbishire , the now dwelling house of Sir William Bowes , to a sister of his wifes there named Mary Milwood . In his going thither there met him in Blackwell Moore at a deepe coale-pit hard by the high way side , an old woman ( as he thought ) who asked him where he dwelt , and whither he was going , without any more words . About a mile and halfe further ( he having gone forward a journying pace without stay ) she met him againe , and passed by him without any words . The next day hee returning from Walton homewards , she met him at the aforesaid pit , and asked him how he did ? saying further , I must have a penny from thee . He answered , that he had no money . Thou hast ( quoth she ) Mary Milwood gave thee 2. pence , I will have a penny of it or I will throw thee into this pit , and break thy necke . Hereupon for feare , she giving him 2. pence , he gave her 3. pence which indeed had bin given him by the said Mary . After this she put her hand to a bag she had about her , and taking thence a peece of bread with butter spred on it , bad him eate it . He refusing , shee threatned him againe to throw him into the pit and breake his necke if he would not eate it . Whereupon ( greatly against his will , and for feare ) he did eat it , and in the eating it seemed as sweet as any honey . She said moreover unto him , Dost thou not know Katherine Wright ? No , qooth he . She is my neighbour ( said she ) and she and I will come to Nottingham one of these dayes , and see how thou doest . Then a cat ( as the boy thought ) leapt up into her bosome , the which she imbraced , and with her armes claspt it unto her , and thus they parted each from other . The said Sommers ( being at Nottingham in the house of his master Thomas Porter ) did use such strange and idle kinde of gestures , in laughing , dauncing , and such like light behaviour , that he was suspected to be mad : sundry times he refused all kinde of meat for a long space together , in so much as hee did seeme thereby to pine away : sometimes he shaked as if hee had had an ague : there was heard a strange noise or flapping from within his body : he was often seen to gather himselfe on a round heape under his bed clothes , and being so gathered to bounce up a good height from the bed : also to beat his head and other parts of his body against the ground and bedstead , in such earnest manner , and so violently , that the beholders did feare that thereby he would have spoyled himselfe , if they had not by strong hand restrained him , and yet thereby received he 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 hee seemed to be twice so big as his naturall body . Oft also was he seene to have a certaine variable swelling or lump to a great bignesse , swiftly running up and downe betweene the flesh and skinne , through all the parts of his body : and many times when that swelling was , these or the like words were heard out of his mouth , I will goe out at his eyes , or eares , or toes : at which speeches the said swelling evidently appearing i● such parts , did immediately remove and vanish away . This swelling did not onely run from eye to eye ▪ from cheeke to cheeke , and up and downe along still in the body , but besides being now in the one leg , presently it would be in the other , and so of the armes in like manner : and looke in which arme or leg it stayed ( as often it did for a certaine space ) the same member was inflexible and exceedingly heavy , as it had beene so much iron . Thus it went with him , though not in all , yet in many of his fits , wherein over and besides these things , he was strangely handled , for suddenly ( if he were standing when the fit came ) he would be cast headlong upon the ground , or fall downe , drawing then his lips awry , gnashing with his teeth , wallowing and foaming . In sundry of his fits he did utter so strange and fearfull schrieking as cannot bee uttered by mans power , and was of such strength as sometimes 4. or 5 men , though they had much advantage against him by binding of him to a chaire , yet could they not rule him : and in shewing that strength he was not perceived to pant or blow , no more then if he had not strained nor strugled at all . Sometimes he cryed extreamly , so as teares came from him in great abundance : presently after he would laugh aloud and shrill , his mouth being shut close . And being demanded concerning those accidents , he protested he knew of no such matter , neither felt he any paine . Moreover , he was oftentimes cast into the fire , some bare part of his body also lying in the fire , and yet was not burned ; and sometimes cast violently against the ground , and against the wall or posts of the house , without any hurt of his body , and did many wayes seeke to destroy himselfe ; by reason whereof they were driven to take away his knife , girdle , garters , &c. yea with the sheet of his bed hee had like to have strangled himselfe . Whereupon , as also through the increasing of his fits , they were constrained to watch him continually , even day and night . His behaviour generally towards all that came , was very pleasant , most impudent also and shamelesse , with much uncleannesse . His speeches were usually vaine , delivered in very sc●ffing manner and many times filthy and uncleane , very unfit once to be named , or blasphemous , swearing most fearfully , using one bloody oath after another : sometimes saying , I am God , and sometimes , There is no GOD . Being moved to say the Lords Prayer , when he came to these words , Lead us not into temptation , hee would say , Lead us into temptation : Divers fond speeches did he use to interrupt them that prayed for him . Many strange speeches also were uttered by him , not in his owne name , but as spoken by an evill spirit possessing him : upon occasion of some question or speech used by some in their simplicity and ignorance : as , That his D●m● had sent him , that his name was L●●ye , that he was King , that he was Prince of darknesse . You thinke I have no power of him , yet I can use his tongue , his teeth , lippes , hands , legges , his body and all parts of him . And as the spirit named each part , hee used it . And this speech with the action was very common : Was I ( said he to one John Wiggin ) never in heaven ? Yea , quoth he , but God for thy pride threw thee downe into hell , there to remaine . One John Sherwood charging him to tell who sent him thither , he answered , a woman . He charged him againe to tell where she dwelt : he answered , in Worcestershire . Whether is she living or dead ? Dead said hee . Wherefore did she send thee ? For a hat and hatband . Then the boy , when the fit was done , was questioned with concerning these things : where unto he returned for answer , that which is set downe in the beginning of this story , which he had concealed untill that time . Hereunto I might adde certaine direct answers he made in Latine to those speeches which in Latine were used unto him : a little Greek he also spake , being ignorant in those languages , altogether in the one , and understanding little or nothing in the other . In going thus with the boy , I was importuned in his behalfe , first by two letters , after by another from the Maior , and thereupon I went unto him . At when & about the time I condescended to goe , ( being 14. miles off him ) hee spake thereof to them which were about him : So when I was come to Nottingham , hee instantly told the same , and foretold my comming unto him when I drew neere the house , as he had also foretold M. Aldridge ( the Preacher of the Towne ) his comming at sundry times . Towards that evening I came , he seemed to be si●ke , and his sicknesse greatly to increase upon him , so as they feared he would have dyed , or had been dead : for he lay an houre with his face and hands blacke , cold as ice , no breath being perceived to come from him . Whereupon I was no sooner light , but tidings hereof was brought to me by one of the neighbour women Ioane Pye by name , who came purposely from him to signifie the same unto me . To whom I answered , that was the meere act or operation of the Divell , and that the boy was nothing lesse then either dead , or in danger thereof . Forthwith with her I went to him , whom we found very lively , and in one of his accustomed Fits , many being present with him . My speech I carried for a season doubtfully ; but after a while perceiving how it was with him , I did assure him that he was possessed , and had in that body of his a Divell , and withall did so frame the words of my mouth , as might best serve to prepare and stir him up to a spirituall fight against Satan , or resistance of him in faith . This evening he acted many sins by signes and gestures , most lively representing and shadowing them out unto us : as namely , brawling , quarrelling , fighting , swearing , robbing by the high wayes , picking and cutting of purses , burglary , whoredome , pride both in men and women , hypocrisie , sluggishnesse in hearing the Word , drunkennesse , gluttony , also dancing with the toyes thereto belonging , the manner of anticke dances , the games of dicing and carding , the abuse of the viole , with other instruments . At the end of sundry of these he laughed exceedingly , divers times clapping his hands on his thighes for joy : And at the end of some of them , as killing and stealing , he shewed how he brought them to the gallowes , making a signe thereof . During this time , which continued about an houre , as hee was altogether silent , so was hee most active , though his eyes were closed ; and in many things he did , there was great and necessary use of sight . In a word , these things were in such lively and orient colours painted out ( as I may say ) unto us that were present , being to the number of some sixty , that I for my owne part , ( and I am perswaded the rest of the beholders are of my minde ) doe verily thinke , that it is not in the skill and power of man to doe the like . Whilst we were recommending him and his grievous estate to the Lord , and intreating his Majesty in his behalfe , hee uttered these words : I must be gone . The next day being the Lords day , I came not at him untill about 3 a clocke in the afternoon , ( finding company with him ) at which time I used some speech , wherein I endevoured to prepare both him and his masters family , as also his parents ( whom that judgement principally concerneth ) unto the holy exercise the day after to be performed . Towards evening much people resorted to the house , then some words of exhortation were used by my selfe , for the sanctifying of so many of us , whose spirits God should stirre up , to joyn in that solemne service and worship of God to be performed on the day following . As the night and day before he had little or no rest from Satan afflicting him : so this evening , and all the night long , he handled him more extreamly then before . At this time among other things the spirit retorted his tongue into his throat , and this he did often , whereupon many looked with a candle into his mouth , where they could see no tongue nor part of it , onely in his throat they beheld the root thereof , hee uttered often these words , For corne , for corne , with a few more thereunto appertaining , noting the unsatiable desire of gaine , or raising the price of corne in corne men . This night was spent by some well disposed people , in reading and praying . This evening I requested the Minister of that Congregation , M. Aldridge , M. Aldred , and M. Halam , Pastors of two severall townes neere acjoyning unto Nottingham , to joyne with me on the morrow in the ministration of the Word and Prayer : whereunto they condescended . And this I did the rather , that thereby I might proclaime and make knowne unto all men , that as I have no speciall or greater gift herein then the rest of my brethren : so neither doe I arrogate or challenge any such thing to my selfe . In the morning many of us were assembled together in the next convenient and seemly roome to the place of his abode . The boy was brought with strange and fearfull scrikings , by six or seaven strong men , who had all of them enough adoe to bring him , and laid him on a couch in the midst of us . M. Aldridge began , and after prayer proceeded to the interpretation of the 4. of Hosea , the two first verses . When he had finished , my selfe intreated of that story set downe in the 9 of Mark , from verse 14. untill the 30. where the father bringing his possessed childe to Christ to be cured , had him healed accordingly . All this day he was continually vexed and tormented by Satan , having little no rest at all , so as the same for vexation by the spirit , farre exceeded any of the dayes before . His torments in his fits were most grievous and fearfull to behold , wherein his body being swelled , was tossed up and downe . In these fits his strength was very great , so as being held downe with five strong men , hee did notwithstanding all their strength , against their wills , rise and stand upright on his feet . Hee was also continually torne in very fearfull manner , and disfigured in his face ; wherein sometimes his lips were drawne awry , now to the one side , now to the other . Sometimes his face and necke distorted to the right and to the left hand , yea sometimes writhen to his backe . Sometimes he thrust out his tongue very farre and bigge , and sometimes turned backwards into his throat , gaping so wide that we might afarre off perceive it . Now he gnashed , with his teeth , now he fomed like to the Horse or Boare , roaping downe to his breast , notwithstanding there was one purposely standing by with a cloath ever and anon to wipe it away ▪ Not to say any thing of his fearfull staring with his eyes , and incredible gaping . This day , notwithstanding he was so held , as is aforesaid , hee went about to have choked and so destroyed himselfe : speeches he used none , save once in a great voyce , Corne . And when I applied that speech of our Saviour , All things are possible to him that beleeveth ; hee used these words , Thou liest . Divers times he scriked or cried aloud in a strange and supernaturall manner : sometimes he roared fearfully like a Beare , and cried like a swine . Towards the evening , as I was treating of these words , Then the spirit cryed and rent him sore , and came out , and he was as one dead , insomuch that many said he is dead . The boy was rent ▪ sore indeed , cryed , and that aloud . Then the people which were present , as men astonished , and with the grievous sight , & 〈◊〉 unspeakeable , affected in the bowels of compassion towards him , breaking then hitherto continued silence , cried out all at once , as it were with one voyce unto the Lord , to have mercy upon him : and within a quarter of an houre ( they and he still crying alowd ) he held down on a bed by 5 men , and offering as though he would have vomited , was on the sudden violently cast , and his body there with turned , so as his face lay downwards to the ground , and at the beds feet , and his backe upward , with his feet on the beds head ; and thus bee lay as if he had been dead for a season . Thus we have heard not only how it went with Sommers 〈◊〉 the time of his possession , and at and little before his dispossession , but also how and by what meanes I came unto him , and being there , carried my selfe in thi● present action . FINIS .