olic exorcists. We have omitted
the performances of Father Weston and his coadjutors because they had
little or no relation to the subject of witchcraft. Those who wish to
follow up this subject can find a readable discussion of it by T. G. Law
in the _Nineteenth Century_ for March, 1894, "Devil Hunting in
Elizabethan England."

It is a rather curious fact that the Puritan exorcist has never, except
for a few pages by S. R. Maitland, in his _Puritan Thaumaturgy_ (London,
1842), been made a study. Without doubt he, his supporters, and his
enemies were able between them to make a noise in their own time. To be
convinced of that one need only read the early seventeenth-century
dramatists. It may possibly be that Darrel was not the mere impostor his
enemies pictured him. Despite his trickery it may be that he had really
a certain hypnotic control over William Somers and perhaps over
Katherine Wright.

Whatever else Darrel may have been, he was a ready pamphleteer. His
career may easily be traced in the various brochures put forth, most of
them from his own pen. Fortunately we have the other side presented by
Samuel Harsnett, and by two obscure clergymen, John Deacon and John
Walker. The following is a tentative list of the printed pamphlets
dealing with the subject:

_A Breife Narration of the possession, dispossession, and repossession
of William Sommers: and of some proceedings against Mr. John Dorrel
preacher, with aunsweres to such objections.... Together with certaine
depositions taken at Nottingham ..., 1598._ Black letter. This was
written either by Darrel or at his instigation.

_An Apologie, or defence of the possession of William Sommers, a yong
man of the towne of Nottingham.... By John Darrell, Minister of Christ
Jesus...._ [1599?] Black letter. This work is undated, but, to judge
from the preface, it was probably written soon after both Darrel and
More were imprisoned. It is quite clear too that it was written before
Harsnett's _Discovery of the Fraudulent Practices of John Darrel_, for
Darrel says that he hears that the Bishop of London is writing a book
against him.

_The Triall of Maist. Dorrel, or A Collection of Defences against
Allegations.... 1599._ This seems written by Darrel himself; but the
Huth catalogue (V, 1643) ascribes it to James Bamford.

_A brief Apologie proving the possession of William Sommers. Written by
John Dorrel, a faithful Minister of the Gospell, but published without
his kn