The third Chapter. 132.
Bodins stuffe concerning the Pythonist of Endor, with a true storie of a counterfeit Dutchman.
UPON the like tales dooth BodinJ. Bodin. lib. de dæmon. 3. cap. 2. build his doctrine, calling them Atheists that will not beleeve him, adding to this kind of witchcraft, the miraculous works of diverse maidens, that would spue pins, clowts, &c: as one Agnes Brigs, and Rachell Pinder of London did, till the miracles were detected, and they set to open penance. Others he citeth of that sort, the which were bound by divels with garters, or some such like stuffe to posts, &c: with knots that could not be undone, which is an Aegyptians juggling or cousening feat. And of such foolish lies joined with bawdie tales, his whole booke consisteth: wherein I warrant you there are no fewer than twoo hundreth fables, and as manie impossibilities. And as these two wenches, with the maiden of Westwell, were detected of cousenage; so likewise a Dutchman at Maidstone long after he had accomplished such knaveries, to the astonishment of a great number of good men, was revealed to be a cousening knave; although his miracles were imprinted and published at London: anno 1572. with this title before the booke, as followeth.
¶ A verie wonderfull and strange mi-
racle of God, shewed upon a Dutchman of the age of
23. yeares, which was possessed of ten di-
vels, and was by Gods mightie providence dis-
possessed of them againe, the 27.
of Januarie last past, 1572.
UNTO this the Maior of Maidstone, with diverse of his brethren subscribed, chieflie by the persuasion/133. of Nicasius Vander Schuere, the mi/nister99. of the Dutch church there, John Stikelbow, whome (as it is there said) God made the instrument to cast out the divels, and foure other credible persons of the Dutch church. The historie is so strange, & so cunninglie performed, that had not his knaverie afterwards brought him into suspicion, he should have gone awaie unsuspected of this fraud. A great manie other such miracles have beene latelie printed, whereof diverse have beene bewraied: all the residue doubtles, if triall had beene made, would have beene found like unto these. But some are more finelie handled than othersome. Some have more advantage by the simplicitie of the audience, some by the majestie and countenance of the confederates; as namelie, that cousening of the holie maid of Kent. Some escape utterlie unsuspected, some are prevented by death; so as that waie their examination is untaken. Some are weakelie examined: but the most part are so reverenced, as they which suspect them, are rather called to their answers, than the others.