WONDERS if not MIRACLES.

IT is not to be doubted but that the following Relation will meet with Readers of divers and different perſwaſions, and accordly be entertained: Some queſtionleſs that will diſtruſt the very thing it ſelf: to whom I ſhall onely ſay, that the publiſher is himſelfe as difficult in his beliefe of fond reports as any man; but hath this back't with ſuch Teſtimony, as that he conceives, not to believe it, were • o entertaine an opinion, that there is no certainty or truth in nature. Others there are, and thoſe that would be accounted the more learned) who are ſo fixed in that their Principle, that Miracles are ceaſed. as that though they ſhould be convinced, as to the matter of fact— yet will allow no other ſource of theſe ſtrange paſſages then ſome occult Qualities, or ſymbolical ſympathies; or ſome untrodden method of Phyloſophy; or application of Agents to Patients: Others will be apt enough to aſcribe them to charmes, or Daemonaical contracts: Others again, to the Providence of God, and as Forerunners of thoſe great things which they expect in that great year of Expectation 1666. I ſhall leave each to the enjoyment of his own opinion, and onely give you the Relation as I receiv'd it.

SIR,

AS for the Perſon in Ireland I formerly writ of, there is ſuch a full Concurrence of Teſtimonies concerning the truth of this Relation about him, that it admits of no further doubt or ſcruple with us, in reference to the matter of fact; neither do I ſee any reaſon (the firſt being proved) to queſtion, but that the things are wrought by the power of a Divine hand, in which there can be no juggle or deluſion as to the truth of the matter it ſelf. Beſides the teſtimony before mentioned in my laſt, we have receiv'd a full confirmation thereof by Captain Haſtell of Plymouth which he had from his Son in Waterford: As alſo from one Captain Lancaſter living near this place and being partner with Gertrux and Captain Pley of this Town in a parcel of Land about Cornedy: who affirm, that they have received it under the hands of many men of note in Ireland, and that no diſeaſe ſtands before him. To which may be added the incloſed Relation from one Mr. • eacher living in Youghall who was both an eye and ear witneſs, containing a very ſober and rational account of the matter.

Upon the whol, the thing is wonderful, and ſtupendous, and aſtoniſhing, and makes us as men in a dream, when we think or ſpeak of it: And we cannot but conclude, that God is about to do ſome great work in the World, and that this is but the forerunner of ſome great things which we may ſhortly ſee, unto which we deſire to ſtand prepared. It is clear, that theſe 1500. years at leaſt, we cannot hear of any inſtance of the like nature. And that the Devil ſhould have ſuch power it cannot enter into me to imagine; elſe the Miracles wrought by Chriſt and his Apoſtles were no ſealing evidence (as they were) of the truth of the Goſpel, and of the Divine ſtamp and authority of the ſame; in aſ much as neither Man nor Devil could do the like with their utmoſt art and induſtry.

What the preſent inſtrument, is we cannot certainly ſay, onely that all that were of his acquaintance in theſe parts while he lived here, do give the character of a very ſober, diſcreet, civil Gentleman; what is his preſent frame and poſture we are not fully informed, more then what the incloſed Relation ſignifieth: Onely that great and marvellous things are done by him cannot be denyed.—The particular deſign of God therein we muſt leave undetermined till time ſhall make it manifeſt.

Mr. Loyonell Beacher's Letter. Sir,

Having heard of many diſeaſes healed and cured by Valentine Gertrux of Affans, divers of them ſeemed ſo ſtrange to mee, that I could not give credit to the reports; nor could I be ſatisfied till I went up thither my ſelf, which I did on White-munday, purpoſing to have returned by water in the ſame boat: But he being gone from home with intention to be back again on Tueſday morning early (that being one of the three dayes in the week that he hath appointed for touching diſeaſed and diſtemper'd perſons of all ages and Sexes) I ſtayed above at Capo Coyne that night, and went early in the morning to Affans, to a certain houſe about a flight ſhot off his own; whether he had appointed the people to come, becauſe of the multitude flocking about his own dwelling houſe: So I went in, and ſtood cloſe by him, and ſaw him to ſtroak them, cauſing them to ſtrip off their Cloaths, where their paines and griefs were: I ſaw him touch many of the Kings Evil while I was there, and many alſo whom he had cured of that Diſtemper, came to acknowledge it, which is the utmoſt reward he accepts from any: I ſaw him heal eight perſons of the dead Palſey in their Armes and Legs; whom, after he had touched and ſtroaked them, he cauſed to be lifted up, and they had inſtantly the right uſe of their Limbs: The ſame day I ſaw him touch 60. and odd perſons, divers of them troubled with the falling ſickneſs, and of them, ſome ſurprized and taken by it in the ſame Room: He being called to their help, left other Patients and went to them, and while they were foaming at the mouth, and wallowing on the ground, he ſtroaked their breaſt with his hand, and immediately their pain ceaſed, and they ſtood up and ſaid, that they were very well. — I alſo ſaw him reſtore many deaf perſons to their hearing preſently, not failing any one therein, and this only by ſtroaking, and putting his fingers into the holes of their Eares. He likewiſe cures the Convulſion fits only by ſtroaking the perſons afflicted with his hand: I ſaw divers poor Cripples came in halting on their Crutches, whom when he had ſtroaked on their Legs, or Armes, (as their paines lay) they preſently not onely walked, but leaped and skipped about the room: One of them not minding his crutches, left them behinde him in the room, but he called him back again, ſaying, Friend take away thy cruches, for I hope here will be no need of them; ſo the poor man went forth merrily with them in his hand.

He takes away all ſorts of pain, and old Aches, though of twelve, ſixteen, or twenty years continuance, or longer, onely with ſtroaking and ſmoothing the part greived with his hand: immediately upon laying his hand upon the part, the pain removes ſenſibly into another part of the body; as, from the back to the breaſt, from thence into the legs and arms, or other extream parts, and when the party telleth him where it is removed, he followeth it with his hand, which driveth it out, ſometimes at the fingers ends, ſometimes at the toes, other times at the crown of the head, and ſometimes at the mouth, and when the perſon ſaith, it is gone, and he feeleth no more pain, he biddeth him be gone and glorify God, and forſake his ſins: He doth it freely unto all, and is ſo far from taking any reward, that he doth not allow them to give him thanks, but bids them praiſe and thank the Lord, for that he hath vouchſafed to make uſe of ſuch a poor ſimple Creature, as he doth, to doe them good.

People of all ſorts of diſeaſes and diſtempers doe daily ſo flock about his houſe, that if he had not appointed them three dayes in the week, as I formerly mentioned, he muſt have forſaken his own dwelling to have gotten reſt. Some out of prejudice ſay, that he hath an univerſal charme againg all diſeaſes; but this is onely a detraction, he onely calleth upon the name of God whileſt he is doing of it, and though breifly yet divinely: Thus have I given you a true account of that, whereof I was both an Ear and an Eye witneſs, which had I not been, I think I ſhould not have believed, though all the People in Youghall had told me of it.

Loyonell Beacher. FINIS.