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deed my ſelf have a Pariſh, B. v. m. F. that is, right to a Pariſh as good as the Laws of the Land can give me, which hath been grievouſly haunted, though not altogether in the ſame kind, this many years, to the undoing of many there; but I muſt not come near it, nor have the benefit of the Law to recover my right, though never told why) and he find himself zealously moved, yet without preſumption, I would not deſpair, but his prayers, with other performances of devotion, and the aſſiſtance of ſome others of the ſame calling, might prove available before God: but ſtill preſuppoſed, as moſt expedient and neceſſary, that the opinion and reſolution of ſome Learned and conſcionable Phyſician, one or more, be had in the caſe; and their preſence alſo in all actions, if it may be had, obtained. Some, it may be, will thank me, and I hope it will offend none, if I impart unto them what I have found in my F. his Ephemeris (or, Daily account of his life) tending to this purpoſe.
Anno Dom. 603. Kal Junii. Quem memſem, et reliquos omnes velis ô Deus, &c. Hunc q lætum egimus, cum matre, uxore, affine, et viro nobili, Dom de Counf. et nobili item matrona, D. de St. Pons: qui omnes in re pietatis ὁμοφρονοῦντες, Eccleſiam hujus loci aſsiduè celebravimus. Inter alios Sermones quos habui cum D. de St. Pons, de miniſtro provinciæ Vivaretii ſumus locuti, cui nomen Mercero. Regit ille in contractu plures parvas Eccleſias; habitat a. in loco, qui dicitur, Chaſteau-double. Acceperam de eo ex vulgi rumoribus, quod vim Dæmonas ejiciendi haberet: quæſivi, ακριβέστερον de D. de St Pons quid ret eſſet. Illa ſeriò affirmavit, plures Dæmoniacos (decem aut circiter) in Eccleſiam auductos, eo concionante primùm, dein orante, palam, et Confeſsione omnium fuiſſe ſanatos. Quoſdam Demonas ita eum certis ſignis erupiſſe, ut res apud omnes fieret teſtatiſsima. Porró autem omnes qui ſanati ſunt, Religionem Catholicam Romanam ante ſemper profeſſos. Mercerum verò impatientiſſimè ferre, ſi qnis inter loquendum, ut fit, diceret, Mercerum Diabolos ejicere, non enim ſe, verùm Eccleſiam Dei eſſe nominandam, cujus precibus ardentiſſimis Dei aures patuerint. Dem et illi et un verſo gregi ſuorum benedicat. Amen.
In Engliſh (for their ſakes that underſtand no Latine, and that it be not required alwayes, for it would be very tedious) this is the effect, At ſuch a time, in ſuch a place, he had the opportunity to meet with a grave (whether Lady or Gentlewoman) Matron, one he had a very good opinion of; her name M. de St. Pons, and having often heard by common report of a certain Proteſtant Miniſter that was ſaid to caſt out Divels, he did accurately inform himſelf by her (ſhe living, it ſeems, very near, if not in the ſame pariſh) of all particulars concerning that buſineſſe; who did averre it to be moſt true, and that ten, or thereabonts, Demomoniacks, or poſſeſſed men (all making profeſſion of the Roman Catholick Religion) had been brought to the Church (at ſeveral times, as I take it) and that publickly, and by the generall confeſsion of all then preſent, and by ſome notable ſignes (ſometimes) at the going out of the Devils; they were, upon his Praying after Sermon, all delivered. But that he took it very hamouſly if any ſaid, that he had caſt out Devils; For, not I, ſaid he, but the earneſt Prayers of the Church, have prevailed with Almighty God to work this wonderful thing.
As for Oracles: It is true, Heathens themſelves acknowledg, that ſomewere