This episode explores four books written to expose fake demonic possession- and how they ended up teaching people how to perform it instead. In the 16th and 17th centuries, “anti-demon” manuals didn’t just describe frauds like the Bilson Boy, Anne Gunter, Sara Williams and the Denham exorcisms, and Marthe Brossier- they helped standardize the tricks, the symptoms, and the theater that made staged possession believable. From exorcism hoaxes to make money to manufactured vengeance- the most dangerous “how-to guides” weren’t just for summoning demons or exposing frauds… they were for faking demonic possession well enough to ruin lives- and sometimes even executing innocent people.
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⚖️ Usage Notes & Licensing
Some images and historical documents in this episode are public domain, Creative Commons licensed, or used under U.S. Fair Use for educational analysis, historical commentary, and transformative storytelling.
Full list of images and licensing links are included below.
🏆 Episode Credits
All research, writing, editing, narration, and production by:
Jessica M. Lathrop, M.A. (Ancient & Classical History)
Larry Lathrop, M.S. (Data Science + MBA)
NOTE: All content in this episode was created by Jess & Larry- from research and writing, to narration and production. Learn more about us and our passion for dark history here.
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🖼️ Image Attributions
• Laura Battiferri – Public Domain. Portrait by Agnolo Bronzino.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Laura_Battiferri_by_Angelo_Bronzino.jpg?uselang=it
• A Discovery of the Fraudulent Practises of John Darrel (1599), page 42 – Public Domain. Samuel Harsnett. Source: Internet Archive.
https://archive.org/details/discoveryoffraud00hars/page/42/mode/2up
• A School for Boys and Girls – Public Domain. Painting by Jan Steen (1672).
• Thomas Morton – Public Domain. Portrait by Simon Luttichuys.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thomas_Morton_portrait.jpg
• Credulity, Superstition, and Fanaticism – Public Domain. Engraving by William Hogarth.
• The Boy of Bilson (1622), title page – Public Domain. Richard Baddeley. Source: Internet Archive.
• The Most Strange and Admirable Discoverie of the Three Witches of Warboys (1593), title page – Public Domain. Widow Orwin / Thomas Man. Source: Internet Archive.
https://archive.org/details/bim_early-english-books-1475-1640_the-most-strange-and-adm_warboys_1593
• Paternal Admonition (detail) – Public Domain. Painting by Gerard ter Borch II.
• King James I & VI – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portrait_of_King_James_I_%26_VI.jpg
• Game of Calcio in Piazza Santa Maria Novella – Public Domain. Painting by Giovanni Stradano.
• The Bewitching of Anne Gunter (2000), page 7 – Used as published reference image. James Sharpe. Source: Google Books.
https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Bewitching_of_Anne_Gunter.html?id=obCS4ehuvqUC&redir_esc=y
• Flagellum Daemonum (1577), title page – Public Domain. Girolamo Menghi. Source: Internet Archive / Wellcome Collection.
https://archive.org/details/hin-wel-all-00002388-001/page/n10/mode/2up
• A Kitchen (MET DP145945) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Kitchen_MET_DP145945.jpg
• Woodcut – Witch Trial (1598) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Woodcut-1598-witch-trial.jpg
• Richard Bancroft (1544–1610) – Public Domain. Unknown artist. Trinity College collection.
• Exorcisme de Laon – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lesdemoniaquesdanslart-p059-exorcisme_de_laon.png
• Henry IV of France – Public Domain. Attributed to French School, 17th century. Royal Collection.
• Samuel Harsnett – Public Domain. Drawing of Samuel Harsnett, Archbishop of York.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Harsnett.png
• A Declaration of Egregious Popish Impostures (1603), page 173 – Public Domain. Samuel Harsnett. Source: Internet Archive.
• Le Manuel de l’Admirable Victoire (1578), title page – Public Domain. Jean Boulaese. Source: Internet Archive.
• English translation excerpt from Marianne Closson (2022) – Used as translated research quotation. Source: UNA Éditions.
https://una-editions.fr/la-possession-demoniaque-un-scandale-au-service-du-catholicisme/
😅 Whew!
You’ve reached the end of the details for this episode.
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Stay curious, question everything, and we’ll meet you in the next episode. - Jess & Larry